, while Brazilian government plans to loosen tough restrictions on foreign ownership of its airlines could lead to a rush of badly needed fresh capital.
REMOVING RISK
For LATAM Airlines itself, the deal removed a key risk for the stock, BCI analyst Marcelo Catalan said, as the broker put its stance and price target under review.
The company was formed in a tie-up between Chile's LAN and Brazil's TAM in 2012, giving onetime investor darling LAN access to the region's biggest market before U.S. carriers could swoop in. But it has struggled to live up to the promise of its merger, with full-year earnings losses reported in the last four years.
It has responded by reducing fleet spending and cutting capacity, particularly in Brazil. In the first quarter of 2016, it posted its first profit since 2014, but it has said long-term recovery is dependent on an improvement in Brazil's economy.
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The agreement with Qatar Airways allows Qatar to acquire up to 10 percent of LATAM's total shares following a capital increase of $613 million, through the issuance of new shares at $10 per share. The airline's controlling shareholder families have agreed to the transaction.
"We think this makes LATAM more financially solid and generates more investor confidence on the corporate strategy," said Catalan.
As LATAM has cut capacity in Brazil, it has built up a hub in Pacific-facing Lima and indicated that it is eager to improve links with Asia.
"In addition to strengthening our financial position, (this deal) will allow us to explore new opportunities for connectivity with Asia and the Middle East," LATAM's chief executive, Enrique Cueto, said on Tuesday.
The deal will give Qatar the right to name a board member, subject to approval by the rest of the board.
(Reporting by Conor Humphries in Farnborough and Rosalba O'Brien in Santiago, Additional reporting by Felipe Iturrieta; Editing by Mark Potter and Jonathan Oatis)
The incident happened on Saturday night when the accused - Sanjay Kute - was going through his six-year-old daughter Bharati's homework, said investigating officer S.B. Rathore.
By Indo-Asian News Service: A 30-year-old man has been nabbed by the Chikhalthana police here for thrashing and choking his daughter to death with an onion for not learning the alphabets, an officer said here on Tuesday.
The incident happened on Saturday night when the accused - Sanjay Kute - was going through his six-year-old daughter Bharati's homework, said investigating officer S.B. Rathore.
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At one point when she couldn't recite her alphabets, an enraged Kute thrashed her and then forced her to swallow an onion as punishment.
The girl choked on the onion and was unable to breathe, and a short while later suffocated to death, while her horrified mother and two-year old brother looked on, Rathore said.
Later, Kute attempted to hide his crime by taking Bharati's body to a nearby place and quietly disposing it off.
The weeping mother later contacted her relatives and after detailed deliberations they decided to lodge a police complaint against Kute.
"We arrested the accused on Monday night and he will be produced before a court later today (Tuesday)," Rathore said.
The child's body has been recovered and the remains sent for an autopsy, she adde
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Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f142370%2fe08658189fb548edb2d65789dbbc5d70
"I"ll take charge like the leader I know I can be, and take care of all those who are counting on me!"
The new Disney Channel original animated series Elena of Avalor is premiering this month, and its protagonist is Disney's first Latina princess.
SEE ALSO: Disney's 'Moana' is here to thaw your 'Frozen' hearts
Actress Aimee Carrero voices the titular character Elena, a princess recently released from an amulet she spent 41 years trapped in, thanks to an evil sorceress. In the body of a 16-year-old, Elena is tasked with taking care of her family, ruling the kingdom and restoring it to greatness.
"What I love most about Elena is she's her own hero," Carrero said in an interview with ABC News. "There's no Prince Charming, so I hope people at home watching will just be inspired her sense of self, her confidence and her leadership."
Elena of Avalor is technically a spinoff of a storyline from Disney Junior show Sofia the First. Like in Sofia the First, Elena of Avalor features original musical numbers.
Image: disney channel central
Sofia the First faced some controversy when it first aired for billing the fair-skinned, blue-eyed princess as Latina. Elena of Avalor not only features a proud Latina princess, but the setting of the show is inspired by various Hispanic cultures.
"Disney's been in my family for a very long time and just to see my own images represented my own culture represented is really special and I hope it will be for everybody watching," Carrero, who is Dominican and Puerto Rican, told ABC News.
Elena of Avalor will premiere on July 22 at 7:00 p.m. on Disney Channel.
After TMZ reported that Lil Wayne had suffered a seizure in Las Vegas last week, Weezy himself took to Twitter to call the hospitalization report a "false alarm" and thank fans for their prayers.
Lil Wayne Suffers Seizure in Las Vegas, Cancels Nightclub Performance: Report
The site also reported that the health scare was so worrisome, Weezy had to cancel his scheduled performance at a pre-UFC party in Vegas, but Wayne reassured his followers that he's now "good."
False Alarm! I appreciate da prayers and konsern but I'm good!!! Luv!!!!
- Lil Wayne WEEZY F (@LilTunechi) July 12, 2016
The rapper also reportedly suffered two seizures last month, making an emergency landing on June 13 in Nebraska when he had the consecutive attacks. His seizures date back to October 2012, and he admitted in a 2013 interview that he suffers from epilepsy and is "prone to seizures."
Billboard has reached out to a rep for Wayne for further comment on TMZ's report.
FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - Bravo Industries LLC, a Brazil-based logistics firm, has agreed to buy 10 LM-100J commercial freighter aircraft from Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N), the two companies announced on Tuesday.
Bravos Logistica division, which consists of Bravo Cargas and Bravo MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul), plans to operate the turboprop LM-100J for air cargo operations in Brazil, the companies said.
Lockheed and Bravo officials signed a term sheet for the deal at the Farnborough International Airshow outside London, with detailed negotiations to follow. They gave no financial details.
The LM-100J is uniquely suited to reach Brazils underserved regions where we do business. These are areas that lack ground support and certain critical infrastructure required by other commercial freighters," J.R. Pereira, president and CEO of Bravo Industries, said in a statement.
Bravo is the third buyer for the commercial variant of Lockheed's popular C-130J military transport plane, which can land on shorter and unimproved runways. It mirrors the military plane, without military avionics and communications equipment.
Bravo joins ASL Aviation, an Irish aviation services company, which announced plans to buy 10 of the freighters at the same air show in 2014, and another undisclosed customer.
Lockheed gave no details on the identity of the undisclosed buyer, or the size of that order.
The largest U.S. weapons maker launched the civil variant of its C-130J Super Hercules military transporter in February 2014, saying it expected to sell about 75 or more of the planes to mining and energy firms, and other commercial and government customers.
"The LM-100J is the only commercial freighter that can fully meet the varying demands of the Brazilian market, said Orlando Carvalho, executive vice president of Lockheed's aeronautics division.
Carvalho told Reuters in 2014 that he was optimistic the company could sell 100 or more of the new planes to replace the 100 L-100 planes it built from 1964 to 1992.
Lockheed is currently building the first LM-100J, which is due to be delivered in 2018.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Mark Potter)
DailyFX.com -
Bias: Looking To Buy High And Sell Higher on S&P 500 (CFD: SPX500)
Point to Establish Long Exposure: At Market
Spot: 2140
Target 1: 2,226.8 1.272% Fibonacci Extension of 2015/ All-Time High-2016 Low Range
Target 2: 2,340.8 1.618% Fibonacci Extension of 2015/ All-Time High-2016 Low Range
Invalidation Level: Close below 2,073 (April Low)
Who would want to buy at all-time highs? Me, for one. What has become a contentious idea (stocks at all-time highs with Treasury yields at all-time lows) has become a reality in 2016. Whats more, as we have seen with yields for years, there is little that can stop the seemingly absurd from continuing.
The market can stay irrational longer than you can stay solvent.
-John Maynard Keynes
While US Election risk is difficult to price in, one should not discount that the Brexit has produced an environment with an apparent sympathetic Federal Reserve, who looks interested in keeping rates lower for longer, which may further support higher prices in equity indices.
Fundamental & Technical Focus:
2016 has witnessed two market shocks. First, we had the aggressive Yuan Devaluation in January that was an encore of the original announcement in August. Second, the electorate of the UK decided to disband with the European Union on June 24.
Few would have said credibly in December that if these two events took place in 2016 that wed be looking at all-time highs in the Summer, and yet, here we are. Weve seen a breakout through resistance in the 2,116-2,137 area could move higher as investors become comfortable with low yields and higher equity prices.
Lower Treasury yields are historically seen as a risk-off proxy since yields move inversely to price. However, lower yields also mean lower borrowing costs that provide cheaper capital for companies to grow and lower expenses that can help companies beat EPS estimates and take on more projects with potential for extreme growth.
Bottom Line:
Treasury yields being so low is a historical proxy for risk-off. However, with very strong international companies, they are also providing a competitive edge that is giving stocks a boost.
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Chart:
Looking To Buy High And Sell Higher on S&P 500 (CFD: SPX500)
The chart above takes a price channel, specifically Andrews Pitchfork, and draws it from the key pivot in the 2014-2016 Price Action.
You will note that the recent move has taken us above the Bearish Corrective Channel (Red.) I was impressed how the resistance held through 2015-2016. Now, you can see weve recently moved aggressively from the bottom parallel through top-line resistance. If the factors mentioned above (lower borrowing costs for strong companies) do in fact help stocks get their next boost, we could soon see a potential move to the Fibonacci Extension Targets Mentioned Above.
Short-Term SPX500 Resistance & Support Levels
2nd resistance: 2,169.75 Weekly R2 Pivot
1st resistance: 2,148 Weekly R1 Pivot
Spot: 2140
1st support: 2110 Weekly Pivot
2nd support: 2,073 April Low
Sentiment Favors Further Upside As Retail Fights All-Time Highs In Futility
Looking To Buy High And Sell Higher on S&P 500 (CFD: SPX500)
The ratio of long to short positions in the SPX500 stands at -8.37, as 11% of traders are long. Yesterday the ratio was -9.92; 9% of open positions were long. Long positions are 20.9% higher than yesterday and 10.2% above levels seen last week. Short positions are 2.0% higher than yesterday and 15.0% above levels seen last week.
Open interest is 3.7% higher than yesterday and 31.7% above its monthly average. We use our SSI as a contrarian indicator to price action, and the fact that the majority of traders are short gives a signal that the SPX500 may continue higher. The trading crowd has grown less net-short from yesterday but further short since last week. The combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives a further mixed trading bias.
Interested In our Analysts Longer-Term Dollar Outlook? Please sign up for our free dollar guide here.
T.Y.
original source
DailyFX provides forex news and technical analysis on the trends that influence the global currency markets.
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Attorney General Loretta Lynch took a decidedly different tack than FBI Director James Comey, repeatedly rebuffing House Republicans Tuesday efforts to grill her about details of the probe into Hillary Clintons emails.
While Comey has chosen to talk about the bureaus findings in the politically charged case, Lynch told the House Judiciary Committee that it would not be appropriate for her to say anything further other than that she had accepted the unanimous recommendation of career prosecutors and FBI agents that the former secretary of state not be criminally prosecuted for mishandling classified information.
If committee members wanted more information, she said on multiple occasions, she would refer them to Comey. As attorney general, I am not able to provide any further comment on the facts or the substance of the investigation, Lynch said.
Lynch never quite explained why she did not believe it was appropriate for her to talk about the closed case, which did not involve testimony before a grand jury that by law must be kept secret. And her stance clearly frustrated Republicans who had hoped to use the occasion a routine oversight hearing as an opportunity to hammer the attorney general over a decision that they contend shows there had been a double standard of justice when it came to the presumptive Democratic Party nominee.
Your refusal to answer questions regarding one of the most important investigations of someone who seeks to serve in the highest office of this land is an abdication of your responsibility, said Rep. Robert Goodlatte, R-Va., who chairs the panel. This is a very important issue of whether or not the Justice Department is going to uphold the rule of law in this country.
Other GOP members slammed Lynch for meeting with former President Bill Clinton aboard her airplane in Phoenix while the matter was still pending. She previously said it was an unplanned encounter and apologized. Your actions contributed to this belief that the system is rigged, said Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. You made a bad situation worse.
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Lynch, seemingly unruffled, told Jordan she never discussed the email probe with Clinton during the airplane meeting and there was no talk about her serving in a future Hillary Clinton administration. But she said that, in order to avoid any misperceptions, she had publicly announced ahead of time that she would accept the findings of her team a step she acknowledged she had never taken before.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch is sworn in prior to testifying before a House Judiciary Committee hearing. (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
If it yielded no new facts about the email probe, the Tuesday hearing demonstrated anew that Republicans have no plans to drop the issue. The same day, Goodlatte and Rep. Jason Chaffetz, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, fired off a letter to the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia asking that he open up a new probe into whether Clinton had committed perjury or made false statements about her emails in testimony before Congress. Goodlatte and more than 200 other House Republicans signed a letter to Comey challenging his contention that Clinton could not be prosecuted under a federal statute that makes it a crime for a federal official to mishandle through gross negligence classified information.
They cited, as their prime example, a 1989 case of a Marine sergeant who was charged and jailed (for 10 months) for mistakenly throwing classified documents into his gym bag when he was clearing out his desk at Marine headquarters in Washington, even though there was no evidence that the sensitive material ever ended up in the hands of a third party.
But even that case, involving Marine Sgt. Rickie L. Roller, had aggravating factors that would not seem to apply to Clintons case. Roller later discovered that he had taken the classified documents home and, fearing a reprimand, had hidden them in his garage and planned to destroy them.
While Comey last week lambasted Clinton for being extremely careless in using a private email server to send and receive classified information, he said no responsible prosecutor would bring a case because there was no evidence of an intent to violate the law.
Democrats at the hearing portrayed the Republican line of attack as a waste of time, especially given the turmoil in recent days over police shootings of African-Americans in Baton Rouge and Minnesota and the slaying of five police officers in Dallas.
His GOP colleagues were going after rabbit holes, said Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga. This is really a spectacle.
(WASHINGTON) Attorney General Loretta Lynch defended her decision to close the Hillary Clinton email investigation without criminal charges, insisting Tuesday that she had no reason to reject the unanimous recommendation of FBI investigators.
The matter was handled like any other matter, Lynch told the House Judiciary Committee.
The panels chairman, GOP Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, strenuously criticized Lynch over the investigations outcome, charging that it does not seem to be a responsible way to uphold your constitutionally sworn oath.
Goodlatte also questioned why Lynch didnt recuse herself after a recent meeting with former President Bill Clinton on her airplane. And he tried to draw her out on whether Clinton lied about her handling of classified email. Goodlatte and other House Republicans on Monday formally asked the Justice Department to investigate whether Clinton lied to Congress.
Lynch refused to be drawn into debating Clintons conduct or the facts of the case, repeatedly referring Goodlatte to testimony given by FBI Director James Comey last week.
She praised the FBI team that investigated Clinton and recommended against charges. I accepted that recommendation. I saw no reason not to accept it, Lynch said.
Lynchs testimony Tuesday came amid a roiling national debate over police violence and as House Republicans seek further investigations of Clinton months before the November election.
This has now become an issue for Congress in that it appears Secretary Clinton testified falsely when appearing under oath before the Select Committee on Benghazi, Goodlatte told Lynch, referring to Clintons assertions that she did not send emails marked classified at the time from her private server.
Frankly, the FBIs conclusion leaves many more questions than answers.
Democrats criticized Republicans for their focus on Clintons emails instead of trying to pass legislation on guns or deal with issues of policing.
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Today apparently Secretary Hillary Clintons email takes precedence over gun violence and civil rights, said Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, the panels top Democrat. If any of my colleagues are not yet convinced it is because they dont want to be convinced.
Lynch touched on law enforcement and policing issues including last weeks sniper shooting of five police officers in Dallas by a suspect who said he wanted to kill white officers. That followed police killings of Philando Castile, who was fatally shot near St. Paul, Minnesota, and Alton Sterling, who was shot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
As we gather here this morning, that sense of safety has been shaken by the series of devastating events that rocked our nation last week, Lynch said in her prepared opening statement.
Lynch, who was sworn in as attorney general on the same day as racially tinged riots occurred in Baltimore, has repeatedly said that one of her top priorities in office is to improve relationships between police and the communities they serve.
The hearing marked Lynchs first appearance before Congress since the Justice Department closed without charges the federal investigation into Clintons private email server.
The Clinton email investigation was spawned by the House probe into the attacks in Benghazi, Libya of 2012 that killed four Americans while Clinton was serving as secretary of State.
Lynch caused a stir with the meeting with Bill Clinton last month aboard her plane in Phoenix. She has said it was an unscheduled encounter and the two did not discuss the Hillary Clinton email investigation, but Lynch also previously expressed regret and acknowledged the meeting had cast a shadow on the public perception of the Justice Departments independence. Lynch then said that she would accept whatever recommendation the FBI and her prosecutors presented on Clinton.
By PTI: New Delhi, Jul 12 (PTI) Marcos, the elite commando unit of the Indian Navy, today got a new exclusive base for itself at Bheemunipatanam in Andhra Pradesh.
Marine Commandos Unit was commissioned as INS Karna by Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba in a ceremony held at the Naval Base at Bheemunipatanam, near Vishakapatnam.
The Marine Commando Force (MCF), also called as MARCOS, was raised in February 1987 as the Indian Marine Special Force (IMSF), capable of operating in all three dimensions, at sea, in air and on land.
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Conveying his best wishes to the newly commissioned unit, Lanba said Marcos have established themselves as special operations force of international repute in a short span and have won well deserved gallantry awards for their acts of courage and valour.
He added that the Marcos proved their excellence wherever they have been deployed in operations. Over the years, the Special Force has conducted numerous independent missions of direct action, reconnaissance and surveillance, and recovery operations.
Lanba emphasised the need to for all marine commandos to keep their "steel sharp and powder dry" as they would be the first into the battle and the need to be mission ready and a winner always.
As the roles and responsibilities of the Indian Navy have expanded in the Indian Ocean Region and beyond, special operations force would be required to be deployed in future combat at the strategic and operational level, he said.
The commissioning of INS Karna, has added a new base to the Special Forces of the Indian Navy as they deploy to safeguard our nations vast maritime interests. PTI SAP RG
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From the outset of their meeting on Capitol Hill Tuesday, it was plain that Attorney General Loretta Lynch and the Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee, who were holding a pre-scheduled oversight hearing on the Department of Justice, were not interested in talking about the same thing.
Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia delivered an opening statement heavy with complaints and criticisms of the recent decision by Lynch to accept a recommendation from the FBI not to pursue a criminal indictment of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over her use of a private email server while running the State Department.
Related: Deserving or Not, a President Clinton Would Have Access to Classified Information
The recent announcement by FBI Director Comey that he does not recommend criminal charges be brought against Hillary Clinton for her mishandling of classified information raises serious concerns, Goodlatte said. It is uniquely troubling in light of Attorney General Lynchs secret meeting with former President Bill Clinton. No one is above the law and the American people need to know that federal law enforcement is taking this misconduct seriously.
For her part, Lynch delivered an opening statement dwelling heavily on the recent violence in multiple cities across the country in which police have both killed and been killed by civilians. She also touched on the issue of terrorism, as well a civil rights.
But on the question of the Clinton investigation, she was determinedly mum.
While I understand that this investigation has generated significant public interest, as Attorney General, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further on the underlying facts of the investigation or the legal basis for the teams recommendation, she said at the beginning of the hearing.
Related: GOP Demands New Criminal Investigation of Clinton, This Time for Perjury
Under questioning from Goodlatte and other Republicans, Lynch repeatedly refused to address the specifics of the case, referring all questions about it to FBI Director James Comey, who last week delivered an unusual statement to the media outlining the agencys investigation, findings and decision not to seek an indictment.
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Appended to almost every answer was her statement that she was proud of the work that DOJ prosecutors and agents, whom she described as career professionals as opposed to political appointees.
Her silence appeared to anger members of the committee, who seemed torn between insisting that Lynch should have recused herself altogether and claiming that she should have played a more active role in the case by essentially re-evaluating Comeys findings after the fact.
Goodlatte opened the questioning by demanding to know why Lynch, who had worked in the Clinton administration and was appointed to her current position by Hillary Clintons former boss, didnt recuse herself. He also pointed to a meeting between Lynch and Bill Clinton several days before the Comey announcement, which Republicans denounced as creating the impression that a backroom deal had been struck.
Following the outcry over the meeting, in an apparent effort to forestall criticism that the prosecutorial decision on Clinton would be politicized, Lynch announced that she would accept whatever recommendation the FBI delivered. In response to Goodlatte, she said that there was sufficient distance between her office and the team investigating Clinton to make recusal unnecessary.
Related: Get Ready for Four More Years of GOP Investigations If Clinton Wins
Soon after, though, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin wanted to know why Lynch hadnt been more aggressive about assessing Comeys work.
You are in charge of the Department of Justice and the buck stops with you, he said. Why did you defer to Director Comey when the decision was yours?
Republicans also tried doggedly to get Lynch to at least admit that Clintons repeated claims that she neither sent nor received information over her private server that was classified at the time were false -- a point Comey had made abundantly clear. Even on that issue, Lynch gave no ground, repeatedly referring them back to the FBI director.
Lynchs grilling took place in five minute bursts, interspersed with questions from Democrats, most of whom spent their allotted time on issues like gun violence and the relationship between law enforcement and the African American community, with occasional breaks to criticize the Republicans for their focus on Clinton.
Let us be clear: The criminal investigation is closed. There was no intentional wrongdoing, said Michigan Congressman John Conyers, the panels ranking Democrat. If any of my colleagues are not yet convinced, it is because they dont want to be convinced.
Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
Of all the American films that premiered at this past Mays Cannes Film Festival, perhaps none received as enthusiastic a response as Jeff Nicholss Loving, a based-on-real-events romance starring Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga. Already one of this years most highly anticipated award-season releases, the film will aim for Oscar glory when it premieres in theaters this November and ahead of that debut, its now delivered its first trailer.
In Loving, Edgerton (who also starred in Nicholss Midnight Special) and Negga play the real-life Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple hes white, shes of African-American and Native American descent who, in 1958, traveled from their home in Virginia to Washington, D.C., in order to get hitched. Upon returning to their hometown, they were arrested for violating Virginias anti-miscegenation law and eventually barred from living in the state. Their ensuing battle to fight this intolerance-fueled prosecution led them all the way to the Supreme Court, where their unanimous-decision victory forever marked race-based marital restrictions as unconstitutional.
Related: Cannes Report: Loving Earns Praise for Its History-Making Love Story
Nicholss retelling of this powerful love story earned considerable praise from critics when it was unveiled at Cannes, with Varietys Peter Debruge claiming that it featured two of the best American performances of the past several years. Yahoo Movies own Kerrie Mitchell had similarly glowing things to say about its headliners, writing: The movie is remarkable in its restraint and understated grace Edgerton is terrific. Its Negga, though, who leaves the biggest impression. An Ethiopian-Irish actress Negga has huge eyes that register every emotion, and she gives Mildred an indomitable will beneath her mild, warm exterior.
Co-starring Nicholss favorite leading man, Michael Shannon, as a Life magazine photographer, as well as comedian Nick Kroll in a rare dramatic performance as one of the ACLU lawyers who argued the case, Loving arrives in select on Nov. 4, before expanding nationwide.
Members of a cow vigilante gang who stripped and beat low-caste villagers over alleged cow slaughter have been arrested in India after video footage of them went viral, an official said Tuesday.
The four villagers from the lowest Dalit caste were assaulted in western Gujarat state by 'gau rakshaks' (cow protectors) who were protesting against the skinning of a cow, an animal considered sacred by India's large Hindu population.
Cow slaughter and the consumption of beef are banned in Gujarat and several other states in officially secular India.
"We have arrested three of the six accused on charges of attempt to murder," N.U. Zala, a local police officer, said.
The video shows the four half-naked men tied to a car as the activists take turns to thrash them with belts and batons at a crowded marketplace.
Two more Dalits were beaten up after they tried to save the other four.
Police said the low-caste workers brought the cow for skinning after it had died naturally.
Attacks by vigilante groups on cow traders and smugglers have increased since Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi stormed to power in 2014.
Right-wing Hindu groups in India have long demanded a complete ban on the slaughter of all cattle, citing religious scriptures.
At least five Muslim men were killed last year by Hindu mobs on suspicion of eating beef or smuggling cows across the country.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said on Tuesday that the Justice Department stands ready to assist local law enforcement in the aftermath of a deadly shooting in a Michigan courthouse on Monday.
"The Department of Justice stands ready to provide whatever help we can to state and local authorities as they investigate this heinous crime," Lynch told the House Judiciary Committee.
(Reporting by Julia Edwards; Editing by James Dalgleish)
By James Davey
LONDON (Reuters) - The new boss of Marks & Spencer (MKS.L) appealed to the British retailer's army of private shareholders to back his attempt to revive its clothing business, but some attendees at Tuesday's annual investor meeting remained fearful of another false dawn.
Steve Rowe, a 26-year M&S veteran who succeeded Marc Bolland as chief executive in April, has pledged to turn around the clothing business by improving ranges and availability, cutting prices and offering fewer promotions.
His plan came with a warning of a short-term dent to sales and profit and last week the 132-year-old group reported its worst quarterly clothing sales fall for a decade.
Rowe said in May that he would focus on the retailer's average customer, a 50-year-old woman he described as "Mrs M&S", who had been neglected in the pursuit of younger, more fashion-conscious shoppers.
"I know that it's a big ask for me to stand here today with a new set of ideas and ask you to trust me that things will be different this time," Rowe told a packed meeting at London's Wembley Stadium complex.
"(But) I firmly believe that we can return our clothing business to positive growth."
Small private shareholders account for about a quarter of M&S equity, prompting Rowe to take steps to counter the most vocal perennial AGM complainers by inviting a group to a shareholder panel "tea party" last month.
The tone of Tuesday's meeting was generally positive, with one shareholder, a Mr Clark, describing the CEO's speech as "inspirational stuff".
Some, however, were unconvinced.
A Mrs Smith introduced herself as "not Mrs M&S" and questioned whether management understands its customers.
"In my view, the remark about Mrs M&S shows that you don't," she said.
"It was in my opinion the most disastrous piece of marketing since Gerald Ratner extolled the virtues of his silver-plated dinner set," she added, in a reference to an infamous speech given by the boss of jewellery chain Ratners in 1991.
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"It does suggest to me that you still live in the world where women dress from head to toe in one brand -- we don't ... We're individuals and we don't like being labelled."
Shares in M&S, down 38 percent over the past year, rose 1.5 percent to 334 pence at Tuesday's close.
(Editing by David Goodman)
One of the officials said they had credible reports of Mansour having been killed with Saifullah, who was in charge of suicide bombers.
Students and members of civil society during a rally in memory of the victims of last year's Taliban attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar. Photo: Reuters
By Indo-Asian News Service: The mastermind behind the December 2014 massacre at Peshawar's Army Public School, has been killed in a US drone strike in Afghanistan, senior Pakistani security officials claimed.
'CREDIBLE' CLAIM
The officials told Dawn on Monday that Umar Mansour was killed, along with another militant leader Qari Saifullah, in the US drone attack in the Bandar area of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province on Saturday.
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One of the officials said they had credible reports of Mansour having been killed with Saifullah, who was in charge of suicide bombers.
"What we have is pretty credible," the official said.
MANSOUR - A GLOBAL TERRORIST
On May 25, the US State Department had declared Umar Mansour a global terrorist, thus clearing the path for his inclusion in the hit-list.
The State Department's announcement came four days after a drone strike killed Afghan Taliban leader Akhtar Mansour in Balochistan on May 21.
TERROR INFLICTED BY MANSOUR
Mansour orchestrated the attack on December 16, 2014, on the Army Public School which killed 122 students and 22 teachers. It was one of the worst terrorist attacks which prompted the government to declare an all-out war against terrorist outfits in the country.
Mansour and Saifullah belonged to Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan's (TTP) Tariq Geedar group and used to operate in Peshawar and adjoining Frontier Region Peshawar and Darra Adamkhel.
Mansour fled to Afghanistan following a military operation in Khyber tribal region and continued to operate from there. He was held responsible for the September 2015 attack on a Pakistan Air Force base in Peshawar's Badaber area, which killed 29 people.
He was also behind the January 2016 attack on the Bacha Khan University in Charsadda in which 18 students and faculty members lost their lives.
Also read:
Why Army Public School in Peshawar was a soft target
Peshawar school massacre: Pakistan hangs 4 Taliban men convicted of attack
Most Peshawar school attackers killed or arrested: Pakistan
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In her first reaction after the Kashmir unrest, the state's chief minister Mehbooba Mufti made an emotional appeal to the people and regretted that despite all the efforts by her PDP government, lives were lost.
By India Today Web Desk: In her first reaction after the Kashmir unrest, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti made an emotional appeal to the people and regretted that despite all the efforts by her government, lives were lost.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti reached out to the parents, as a "parent myself", appealing to them to restrain their children from participating in such violent protests as these lead to "unfortunate" loss of lives.
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At least 31 people have been killed in clashes between protesters and security forces following the shooting of militant leader Burhan Wani. The Kashmir Valley has been on an edge since Friday evening when Wani, a Hizbul Mujahideen commander, was killed by security forces.
What Mehbooba said Accountability will be fixed on excessive use of force, but there is a group which takes advantage of the situation, creates tension and diverts the route of procession. I am pained by the killings that occurred here recently. I appeal to the eminent religious leaders and the civil society members to cooperate and help in restoring peace in Kashmir. I would urge parents to guide their kids not to join such agitation. I am proud of my community. I want to bring the state out of the present crisis. I am proud of the way our Muslim brethren took care of the tourists stranded and travelling for Amarnath Yatra. I also want to appeal to civil society and the media to help in restoring calm. The moment I learnt of the Kokernag incident, where Burhan Wani was neutralised, I understood that people would come out and from that time itself, I had ordered curfew so that few people come out on streets. We must all come together in the time of distress to take control of the situation
Almost all the dead in the current outbreak of violence were protesters. A policeman died after his car was pushed in to the Jhelum river by angry crowds but some accounts say it went into the water after the driver lost control in an attempt to avoid stone-throwing mobs.
PM MODI TAKES STOCK OF SITUATION
In Delhi, Modi held a high-level meeting to review the Kashmir situation soon after his return from his five-day Africa visit. It was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
The Prime Minister voiced concern over the situation in the state where the death toll rose to 25 in the violent protests and clashes with security forces, triggered by the killing of Hizbul militant commander Burhan Wani last Friday.
Hizbul chief Syed Salahuddin's family lives cosy life in Kashmir
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By Michel Rose PARIS (Reuters) - France's Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday he was determined to take his recently launched political movement to victory in 2017 elections, but stopped just short of announcing he would run for president at a first rally in Paris. The 38-year-old former investment banker, who launched the En Marche, or Forward, party in April, has kept the country guessing about his political ambitions, refusing to confirm or deny whether he would run for president in next year's election. The movement he wants to be "neither of the left nor of the right" could shake up the political landscape, with the mainstream center-right and center-left parties under pressure from the rise of the far-right National Front. At the Mutualite conference center in Paris' Latin Quarter, a venue often used for rallies by the left, the pro-reform minister told more than 3,000 supporters he was ready to take risks in the upcoming political battle, but crucially stopped short of announcing a bid. "Nothing will stop us," Macron, clad in a blue suit with no tie, said at the end of a more than one-hour-long speech as the crowd went wild, chanting "Macron President!". "This movement, because it's the movement of hope and our country needs it, we will bring it all the way to 2017 and on to victory," he added, without making clear what he meant. The rally, where several Socialist grandees such as Lyon Mayor Gerard Collomb and former trade minister Nicole Bricq showed up to support him, was the strongest sign yet Macron could challenge unpopular president Francois Hollande. After thanking the Socialist leader for "trusting him", Macron went on to criticize those who did not keep their campaign promises and expressed his frustration with the rigidity of the current political system. It remained to be seen whether Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who when asked about Macron's rally earlier on Tuesday said "it was time that all this stopped", would let the increasingly confident minister keep his job in government. YELLOW JERSEY Macron, who came to symbolize President Francois Hollande's 2014 pro-business U-turn, has been hinting at loftier political ambitions for months. On the sidelines of the Tour de France race, he told the Journal du Dimanche last week: "When you cycle, you must aim for the yellow jersey." His Paris rally also comes just two days before the annual Bastille day presidential speech, one of Hollande's last chances to shore up his popularity, the lowest of any post-war leader. Macron's ambivalence has increasingly grated with fellow cabinet ministers and lawmakers in the Socialist majority, with some publicly expressing irritation with him. Budget Minister Christian Eckert took to Twitter this month to criticize "superman" who by speaking outside his brief acted as if he was the only master of the sprawling Finance Ministry complex by the river Seine. A leak at the Finance Ministry also caused him embarrassment last month when it revealed the value of the Macron couple's villa in the chic resort of Le Touquet near Calais had made him liable for the country's wealth tax. But the episode has not dented his popularity. He came top as the politician the French most wanted the Socialist party to pick for presidential candidate, well ahead of Hollande who came 7th, according to an Elabe poll for BFMT TV released on Tuesday. (Additional reporting by Elizabeth Pineau, Simon Carraud and Ingrid Melander; Editing by Janet Lawrence and James Dalgleish)
Since the Brexit vote on June 23, British politics has been in meltdown. Its forced out Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron, brought intense pressure on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, ended or suspended the careers of all the successful Brexit leaders Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson, and Michael Gove and on Monday, another challenger for the leadership, Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom, bit the dust. Todays British political scene resembles the final act of Hamlet. Virtually all the principal players have fallen, and the survivors await the arrival of a Fortinbras. After a dizzying couple of weeks, it turns out that this will be Theresa May.
May, Britains current home secretary until Wednesday, when she will take over as prime minister, has built a career out of keeping her head down, and now, it seems, will have kept her head down all the way to 10 Downing Street. She is not well-known internationally, or even particularly well-known nationally. She rations her public pronouncements carefully. It is not simply a matter of preferring a low profile; May has calculated, correctly as it happens, that the route to the top of the greasy pole lies in determined pursuit of an objective.
Mays talent for quiet steeliness was in evidence during what proved to be the final days before her victory. Voting among Conservative Members of Parliament left two candidates for the leadership: May and the far less politically experienced Leadsom. Party rules then called for holding an election among Tory party members, the results of which were not expected until September. Over the weekend, however, Leadsoms campaign, which had won a few high-profile backers, imploded the result of some ill-judged remarks by her about the virtues of motherhood in a politician. (May is childless.) A different sort of politician might have lashed out. May made no high-profile riposte, while social media tarred and feathered her opponent. On Monday, Leadsom threw in the sponge. The episode epitomized Mays ability to sit back and watch rivals hoist themselves with their own petard.
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Born in Sussex, the daughter of a Church of England clergyman, May is no Bullingdon Club member. After attending a Roman Catholic primary school she went to grammar (i.e., a selective state) school, and then studied geography at Oxford. Both her parents died when she was in her mid-20s, and she has no siblings. She married Philip May in 1980; their marriage is reportedly very happy. She has eminently sensible hobbies, such as walking and cooking.
As with some other climbers, Mays ambition has expressed itself over the years less in overt lobbying for preferment than through diligence and professionalism. After election to Parliament in 1997 as MP for Maidenhead, a wealthy area 30 miles outside of London, she rose rapidly to become the Tory Partys first female chairman (the post is so designated) and progressed through various shadow portfolios during the partys opposition years up to 2010, when she was made home secretary.
By common consent, the Home Office is a career graveyard. Few incumbents survive more than two or three years. The brief tends to snag its incumbents on such thorny matters as prison breakouts, failures in counterinsurgency, mishandled immigration and deportation cases, drug policies, and so on. It requires an ability to watch a plethora of balls at once. Careers can be derailed by a single misjudgment in a deportation case, negligence associated with a terrorist attack, or ill-judged intervention in some aspect of social policy. May managed to chalk up six years over the two Cameron administrations, building her the reputation for competence that is her defining trait.
Even as other Tory leading lights captured the spotlight and May bided her time, she managed to remain just high-profile enough to be consistently mentioned as a possibility to become prime minister. Those who ignored her did so at their peril. She has picked up a few enemies notably Gove but has managed, without being much loved, at least to avoid being hated enough to have inspired a Stop May campaign in the leadership stakes. Even two years ago, when Johnson was still the anointed one, May edged him out in at least one poll among Tory activists, who would have decided the leadership and thus the premiership.
During the referendum campaign, May was hardly delirious in her advocacy of Remain far less so, for instance, than the chancellor of the exchequer, George Osborne, another one who was once touted as a future PM but who has since become untenable. By keeping quiet while nominally backing government policy rather like the then-future Labour leader Gordon Brown during the Iraq war May has dodged the blame for its failure. She managed to pull this off even though much of the campaign debate on security, cross-border policing, and counterterrorism falls squarely within the home secretarys brief. May has proven adept at avoiding other kinds of political pitfall, too: She emerged pristine from the MPs expenses scandal exposed by the Daily Telegraph in 2009. A low profile suits both Mays austere, no-nonsense personality and her political ambition: Her one concession to personality is an ever so slightly vampish taste in shoes, a favorite being leopard skin print heels from Russell & Bromley.
May will be Britains second female prime minister. Comparisons with Margaret Thatcher are inevitable, but not wholly to the point. (Apart from the sexist point implicit in thinking that because both are women, they must be compared. Did anyone compare, say, David Cameron with Harold Wilson on the basis of their both being men?) Some of the background matches they are both daughters of provincial lower-middle-class parents who went to grammar school and then to Oxford. But May is no Hayek-imbibing ideologue.
Instead, May is a pragmatic, largely unideological one-nation Tory like John Major, Harold Macmillan, and, to some extent, Cameron. Coined by the 19th-century Tory leader Benjamin Disraeli, the phrase then connoting something like noblesse oblige is now used to evoke the idea that in government Conservatives have a duty of care toward the worst-off. It also implies that in government, what works is more important than ideological rigor. As with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, this pragmatism extends to the effortlessly executed volte-face. As recently as April, she was repeating her wish to withdraw the U.K. from the European Convention on Human Rights; last week, when launching her bid for the top job, May disavowed any intention of doing so.
She pitches herself as a workhorse someone who is not a showy politician, who doesnt go drinking in Parliaments bars, but just get[s] on with the job at a time when the (mostly) men around her are either knifing one another or committing seppuku. In a speech she famously said in 2002, as the new chair of the Conservative Party, that the Tories had lost power because they were perceived as the Nasty party, going on to say that the Nasty party label could be shrugged only by avoiding behavior and attitudes that play into the hands of our opponents. No more glib moralizing, no more hypocritical finger-wagging. The speech made her reputation but it was also slightly surprising from someone whose political identity owes a lot to Anglican morality. That morality has at times led her in perhaps unexpected directions: her liberal stance on same-sex marriage, for instance; her view, in the teeth of opposition from the polices trade union, that the police service should not be exempt from austerity cuts; and her recent avowal to address executive overpayment. At the same time, May enthusiastically backed the so-called Snoopers Charter for counterterrorism agency powers to access internet users browsing history.
May is not above a bit of nastiness herself. She condoned the detention in 2013 of journalist Glenn Greenwalds partner, David Miranda, under the Terrorism Act. (Miranda had been in Berlin to see the filmmaker Laura Poitras, who was working on a documentary about Edward Snowdens NSA disclosures at the time.) In 2011, May, who has taken a hard line against immigration, also implied falsely that a foreigner had been permitted to stay in the U.K. simply because he owned a cat, using the case as an example for why a British law called the Human Rights Act had gone too far. (Having claimed that the cat had prevented his deportation, May found herself slapped down by the Royal Courts of Justice, which said it had nothing to do with the decision.) In the launch event for her leadership campaign, staged before Johnson flamed out, she mocked her rivals negotiating skills, whose one fruit, May said, was to secure the city of London three nearly new water cannon[s] from Germany in 2014 to help control unrest (the cannons, never used, are now slated to be sold off). Like all home secretaries she has extended the ludicrous hard line on drugs, in ways both silly a 2014 ban on khat, for instance and rather sinister: She allegedly tried to alter the contents of a government report that came to a conclusion she didnt like that tough laws had no effect on drug use.
Mays brand of low-profile ruthlessness was also on display in her spat with Gove. In 2014, as education minister, Gove criticized Mays Home Office for failing to crack down on the supposed spread of Islamic extremism in schools in Birmingham. Gove not one to shy away from ruthlessness himself, as in his dispatch of Johnson during the leadership campaign named names: Specifically, he blamed a civil servant, Charles Farr, director-general of the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism, for failing to curb the spread of extremism in Birminghams schools. Farr was a key advisor to May on security. Within hours May had put a private letter from her to cabinet colleagues on the Home Office website, which suggested that the blame lay not with her department but with Goves education ministry. Cameron had to step in to part his squabbling ministers, but May emerged victorious: In the ensuing fallout, Gove was the one who had to apologize. Their mutual rancor seems to continue unabated; it would certainly be surprising if Gove lands a significant post in Mays cabinet.
Mays premiership will be focused on the issue that brought her to power, and felled so many before her. Those who believe May a nominal Remainer will find a way to keep Britain within the European Union are likely to be disappointed. Brexit means Brexit, she said on the campaign trail and she reiterated the point on Monday. Though Leadsoms demise removes one immediate source of pressure to deliver Brexit, she will still be under acute backbench and activist pressure to do so, and in fairly short order. The immediate question is when to trigger the Lisbon Treatys Article 50, which initiates the two-year process of separating from the EU. May has said there will be no early election, though if the Labour oppositions disarray continues, it may tempt her. But even if she goes to the country before the scheduled date (2020) it will surely not be before she has a package for approval from the Brexit talks.
By all accounts, she will play hardball in the negotiations. In a much-cited and supposedly impromptu remark recorded by Sky TV, the Tory grandee Kenneth Clarke described May as bloody difficult. May has since turned the remark into a quip, pledging to turn her talents for being difficult against European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, in service of the issue whose success or failure will define her time in office.
Photo credit: CARL COURT/Getty Images
The co-founder of a high-profile transportation startup on July 12 filed a lawsuit against the company and several of its leaders, alleging infractions ranging from breaching their duty to shareholders to assault.
The lawsuit, filed by Hyperloop One co-founder and former Chief Technology Officer Brogan BamBrogan and three other plaintiffs, paints a picture of a firm with dysfunctional management that engaged in questionable business practices and ignored dissent from concerned employees. It comes less than two weeks after BamBrogan left Hyperloop One in what the company said at the time was a voluntary decision to step back from the firm.
A spokesperson for Hyperloop One characterized the suit as cover for the plaintiffs attempt to assert control of the company. Todays lawsuit brought by former employees of Hyperloop One is unfortunate and delusional, the spokesperson said in a written statement. These employees tried to stage a coup and failed. They knew that the company was aware of their actions, and todays lawsuit is their preemptive strike. The claims are pure nonsense and will be met with a swift and potent legal response.
Hyperloop One, formerly known as Hyperloop Technologies, was founded in 2014 with the aim of building a new type of high-speed rail system popularized by SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. (Musk is not directly involved with Hyperloop One, but he has connections with many of those who are.) It has attracted close to $100 million in funding from investors along with high-profile talent like Jim Messina, President Barack Obamas 2012 campaign manager, who is a board member.
The suit creates a new hurdle for a company with the already difficult goal of building a futuristic rail network. If successfully completed, such a project would have dramatic consequences for the transportation and shipping industries.
The central subject of BamBrogans suit is Shervin Pishevar, a co-founder of the firm and its executive chairman. The plaintiffs allege that Pishevar increased the pay of an outside public relations professional with whom he had begun dating, only to reverse course after the relationship soured. The suit also claims that Pishevar pressured would-be Hyperloop One investors into first putting their money into Pishevars venture capital fund, Sherpa Capital. Sherpa Capital, which led two of Hyperloop Ones fundraising rounds, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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According to the suit, BamBrogan and other Hyperloop One staffers laid out their concerns about Pishevars activity, as well as the companys ownership structure, in a May 26 letter addressed to Pishevar as well as CEO Robert Lloyd and board member Joseph Lonsdale, both of whom are also named defendants in the suit. (Shervin and Lonsdale together control roughly 78% of the companys shareholder voting rights, according to the suit.) Shortly after sending that letter, BamBrogan says he called a pair of Russian investors to discuss its contents. One of those investors mentioned the letter to Pishevar at a dinner on June 14. Hours later, Afshin Pishevar, Shervin Pishevars brother and the firms former legal chief, was recorded by a company security camera leaving a hangmans noose on BamBrogans chair, according to the suit. BamBrogan separately filed a request for a temporary restraining order against Afshin Pishevar on June 17, according to court filings.
The plaintiffs, which also include former Hyperloop executives Knut Sauer, David Pendergast and William Mulholland, are seeking punitive damages, reinstatement at the company and other measures. The trio resigned from Hyperloop One via e-mail on June 16, per the suit.
The suit was filed in the Superior Court of California County of Los Angeles.
Chairing a high-level meeting at his official residence, PM Modi was briefed on the law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir by Home Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed for peace and calm in the Kashmir Valley, which has remained on the boil for a fourth day today over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani last Friday.
Chairing a high-level meeting at his official residence, PM Modi was briefed on the law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir by Home Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
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At least 30 people have been killed so far in violent protests in the Kashmir Valley following Wani's killing. Nearly 1300 others, including 200 security personnel, have been injured.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, and Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh were also present at the meeting.
"PM Modi has made an appeal to maintain peace and calm in the Valley. The Prime Minister has extended every possible help to the state and has guided us and appealed that no innocent lives are disturbed," Jitendra Singh told reporters after the meeting.
Modi returned this morning after a five-day official tour of four African nations.
RAJNATH DEFERS US TRIP
Rajnath Singh also postponed his trip to the US in the wake of the Kashmir crisis. On Monday, he had taken stock of the Kashmir situation in a meeting with Parrikar, Jaitley, Doval and top security officials.
A Home Ministry official cited the busy schedule during the coming monsoon session of Parliament beginning July 18 as the reason for the deferment of the visit.
New dates have not been fixed but the trip now may take place sometime in September, the official said.
Also read:
Kashmir unrest: PM Narendra Modi chairs review meeting, Rajnath Singh cancels US trip
Kashmir unrest: Shiv Sena slams BJP-PDP alliance over handling of the issue
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Correction appended
Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai spent her 19th birthday on Tuesday in Kenyas Dadaab refugee camps, the worlds largest, aiming to draw attention to the global migrant crisis and the plight of those living in the Kenyan camp.
I am here to speak for my unheard sisters of Somalia striving for education every day, Yousafzai told the Associated Press. The laureate, who was shot by militants in 2012, has been an outspoken advocate for girls education. She has since spent her birthdays in regions where girls educations are neglected: in 2015, she opened a school for Syrian refugee girls in Lebanon, and she campaigned for the release of the Chibok schoolgirls in Nigeria the year before.
According to her spokesman Taylor Royle, Yousafzai has been in contact with a group of girls living in Dadaab refugee camp since last year and planned to meet them during her visit, reports the AP.
The planned 2017 closure of Dadaab refugee camp, which was announced in May by the Kenyan government, risks uprooting more than 300,000 refugees, who are mostly Somali and face the prospect of returning to a country still overwhelmed by conflict.
Correction: The original version of this story misstated the number of refugees at the Dadaab refugee camps. It is more than 300,000.
By Souleymane Anara GAO, Mali (Reuters) - Malian soldiers opened fire on anti-government demonstrators in the northern city of Gao on Tuesday, killing three and wounding at least 31, two doctors at a hospital that received the bodies told Reuters. The protesters were angry about the introduction of a new interim authority set to take charge of the region on Friday, which they said would give power to armed groups and would not benefit local people. The Malian government did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A year ago the government signed a peace deal with Tuareg-led rebels aimed at ending a long conflict that has destabilised the desert country and made it a base for violent jihad. There are signs the pact is unravelling. The government and the rebel alliance - Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) - accuse each other of stalling on implementation and the rebels complain that the U.N.-backed deal falls short of their demands. Thousands of protesters gathered in the streets of Gao, marching to the central police station and surrounding it on Tuesday. Many young people had knives, a Reuters witness said. Protesters set fire to tyres, filling the air with acrid smoke, and pelted the police with stones. Security forces attempted to disperse the crowd with tear gas then the military opened fire, killing three people and wounding dozens. "Look, I was shot in my arm and foot," said a man running away from the crowd, nursing bleeding wounds. Shooting had stopped and much of the crowd had been dispersed by 11 a.m. (1100 GMT), but a heavy military presence continued to patrol the streets. The United Nations Security Council decided last week to add 2,500 peacekeepers to the mission in Mali in order to "move to a more proactive and robust posture" in the fight against militancy, the resolution said. [nL1N19L0WZ] French forces intervened in 2013 to drive back Islamist fighters who had hijacked the Tuareg uprising to seize Mali's desert north in 2012. The militants have since reorganized and launched a wave of attacks. (Reporting Souleymane Anara; Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Nellie Peyton and Janet Lawrence)
Miami (AFP) - More than half of people at high risk for diabetes are missed under current US screening guidelines, including many African-Americans, Hispanics and those who are not overweight, researchers said Tuesday.
The government guidelines -- issued just last year -- missed 55 percent of people with prediabetes or diabetes, said the study by Northwestern Medicine.
The 2015 guidelines, which were authored by the United States Preventive Service Task Force (USPSTF), recommend that people undergo screening for diabetes if they are aged 40 to 70 years old and are overweight or obese.
"We were interested to do this study because of population trends that racial and ethnic minorities are developing diabetes at younger ages and lower weights than whites," said senior author Matthew O'Brien, assistant professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
The findings, published in the journal PLOS Medicine, are based on electronic health record data from more than 50,000 adult patients at community health centers in the midwestern and southwestern United States between 2008 and 2013.
Only half of African-American patients that developed abnormal blood glucose levels -- a condition known as dysglycemia -- met the screening criteria, and 37 percent of Latino patients.
"Say I'm caring for an obese 32-year-old Hispanic woman with a family history of diabetes who had gestational diabetes with a previous pregnancy," said O'Brien.
"She shouldn't be screened, according to the guidelines, but she's very likely to have either prediabetes or diabetes."
The guidelines have cost implications for patients, too.
Under President Barack Obama's health care law, the Affordable Care Act, all services recommended by the USPSTF must be fully covered by insurers.
But if a patient does not meet the guidelines' criteria, he or she may have to pay out of pocket for a diabetes test.
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Those who are missed early can go on to develop full blown diabetes or complications including heart attack or stroke.
"By reporting on the limited effectiveness of this screening program, this study raises concerns about the program's broad utility, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups," said the report.
"Primary care providers may need to consider screening minority patients who are younger than 40 years old and have a normal weight."
By David Beasley
ATLANTA (Reuters) - The Bible that Martin Luther King Jr. carried during the civil rights movement in the 1960s belongs to his estate which voted in 2014 to sell the heirloom against the wishes of his daughter, said a court ruling that could now lead to its sale.
A trial was still scheduled to begin on August 15 to settle the question of who owns the slain civil rights leader's 1964 Nobel Peace Prize medal, which the estate also voted to sell, according to court records.
The estate is controlled by King's three surviving children, Bernice and her two brothers, Dexter and Martin Luther King III.
There have been years of legal disputes among King's heirs.
King was assassinated in 1968 by a white supremacist in Memphis, Tennessee. The United States marked the 30th anniversary of the U.S. holiday commemorating King in January with speeches, tributes, concerts and parades.
The battle over his possessions plays out as protesters and activists hold marches and rallies across the United States in response to a series of high-profile killings of black men by police, at times invoking King's message of peaceful resistance that was the hallmark of his efforts in the 1960s.
In 2014, the estate sued Bernice after she refused to turn over the Bible and medal to the estate after her brothers voted 2-1 to sell both items.
Bernice voted against selling the medal and holy book, calling them "sacred" to her family.
The Bible was used by President Barack Obama during his second inauguration.
Fulton County Superior Court judge Robert McBurney ruled on June 30 that the Bible belongs to the estate but did not rule on the medal, court records show. The ruling was reported in local media on Monday.
On the question of who owns the bible, "there is no genuine issue of material fact," McBurney wrote. However, ownership of on the Nobel medal "must be resolved by a fact-finder at trial," the judge wrote.
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The case has been in mediation, with former President Jimmy Carter participating, but "such a settlement has, so far, eluded the parties," McBurney said in his ruling.
Attorneys for the parties in the lawsuit could not be reached for comment on Monday.
In early 2014, McBurney ordered Bernice King to turn over the Bible and medal so that they could be preserved in a safe deposit box pending the outcome of the lawsuit.
In its lawsuit against Bernice King, the estate said she signed a 1995 agreement giving control of King's possessions to the estate.
"While I love my brothers dearly, this latest decision by them is extremely troubling," Bernice said in a statement after the lawsuit was filed. "Our Father MUST be turning in his grave."
(Reporting by David Beasley in Atlanta; Editing by Eric M. Johnson and Michael Perry)
By Elizabeth Piper, Kylie MacLellan and William James LONDON (Reuters) - German leaders stepped up the pressure on Britain's incoming prime minister Theresa May on Tuesday by demanding she swiftly spell out when she will launch divorce proceedings with the European Union. "The task of the new prime minister ... will be to get clarity on the question of what kind of relationship Britain wants to build with the European Union," Chancellor Angela Merkel told a news conference. Her finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said clarity was needed quickly to limit uncertainty after Britain's shock choice for 'Brexit', which has rocked the 28-nation bloc and thrown decades of European integration into reverse. May, 59, will on Wednesday replace David Cameron, who is resigning after Britons rejected his advice and voted on June 23 to quit the EU. On arriving and departing from Cameron's last cabinet meeting, she waved a little awkwardly from the doorstep of 10 Downing Street, shortly to become her home. She will face the enormous task of disentangling Britain from a forest of EU laws, accumulated over more than four decades, and negotiating new trade terms while limiting potential damage to the economy. The pound was up 1.2 percent against the dollar at around $1.3150, boosted by the appointment of a new prime minister weeks earlier than expected after May's main rival dropped out. But it remains more than 12 percent below the $1.50 it touched on the night of the June 23 referendum, reflecting concerns that Brexit will hit trade, investment and growth. The German leaders spoke after May's ally Chris Grayling appeared to dampen any hopes among Britain's EU partners that her rapid ascent might accelerate the process of moving ahead with the split and resolving the uncertainty hanging over the 28-nation bloc. Grayling, the Leader of the House of Commons, said there was no hurry to invoke Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, which will formally launch the process of separation and start the clock ticking on a two-year countdown to Britain's actual departure. "I think Article 50 should be triggered when we're ready. The most important thing right now is we do what's in our national interest," Grayling told Sky News. "We get ourselves ready for the negotiation, we decide what kind of relationship we want to negotiate, and then we move ahead and trigger Article 50. We'll do it right, we'll do it in a proper way, we'll do it when we're ready." RECESSION WARNINGS Cameron and a host of ministers, policymakers and think-tanks had warned Britons before the referendum that going it alone would plunge the economy into a self-inflicted recession by cutting it off from the world's biggest free-trade bloc. They ignored him, delivering a surprise outcome that reflected anti-establishment sentiment and deep disenchantment with an EU that the Leave campaign portrayed as bureaucratic, undemocratic and mired in permanent crises. Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said on Tuesday that the expected economic hit from Brexit could prompt the central bank to provide more stimulus. It is due to announce on Thursday whether it will cut its key interest rate, which has remained at 0.5 percent for more than seven years, or take other action. The chief investment officer of BlackRock, the world's biggest asset manager, predicted Britain would fall into recession in the coming year. "Recession is now our base case," Richard Turnill said. "There's likely to be a significant reduction of investment in the UK." NEW IRON LADY? May, who had favoured a vote to stay in the EU, was left as the last woman standing after three leading rivals from the referendum's winning Leave campaign self-destructed in the course of a short-lived leadership race. Her last rival, Andrea Leadsom, dropped out on Monday, removing the need for a nine-week contest to decide who would become leader of the ruling Conservative Party and prime minister. May will become Britain's second woman prime minister after Margaret Thatcher. One veteran of Thatcher's cabinet described her last week as a "bloody difficult woman", a comment that may have helped her by implying comparison with the "Iron Lady". She has served for the past six years as home secretary, regarded as one of the toughest jobs in government, and cultivated a reputation as a tough and competent pragmatist. She has already been likened to Germany's Merkel for her cautious, low-key style. Apart from the task of leading Brexit, May must try to unite a fractured party and a nation in which many, on the evidence of the referendum, feel angry with the political elite and left behind by the forces of globalisation and economic change. Among her first acts will be to name a new cabinet which will need to find space for some of those who campaigned successfully on the opposite side of the referendum. That could mean significant roles for Grayling and former Defence Secretary Liam Fox, two Leave advocates who threw their support behind her leadership bid. Both are seen as candidates to head the Brexit ministry she has promised to create to oversee divorce negotiations with the EU, while Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and Business Secretary Sajid Javid are tipped as contenders to replace George Osborne as chancellor of the exchequer . May has adopted the mantra "Brexit means Brexit", declaring on Monday there could be no second referendum and no attempt to rejoin the EU by the back door. "As prime minister, I will make sure that we leave the European Union," she said. She also made a pitch for the political centre ground, calling for "a country that works for everyone, not just the privileged few". Cameron, 49, is leaving the top job after six years during which his government engineered a return to growth after the financial crisis, at the price of deep and painful budget cuts. Having lost his gamble on the referendum outcome, he departs just over a year after leading his party to an outright election victory, a result that freed him from the burden of governing in coalition and should have kept him in power until 2020. TV footage showed a large blue removal fan arriving at Downing Street. Cameron's spokeswoman said May and Osborne were among those who praised him at his last cabinet meeting for guiding the country to "a better place", as the other ministers banged on the table in appreciation. (Additional reporting by David Milliken, Huw Jones, Ana Nicolaci da Costa, William Schomberg, Andy Bruce, Michael Holden, Tom Koerkemeier, Joseph Nasr and Paul Carrel; Writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Pravin Char)
(Repeats story without changes to text)
* Path to premiership cleared by rival dropping out
* May backed "Remain" camp in EU membership referendum
* After referendum she says "Brexit means Brexit"
By Kylie MacLellan
LONDON, July 11 (Reuters) - Theresa May has won the battle to be Britain's prime minister but will face a much tougher struggle once in power -- overseeing her country's divorce from the European Union.
May backed the "Remain" camp during the campaign for Britain's referendum on EU membership on June 23 but has made clear since then that it must now go ahead, saying: "Brexit means Brexit."
But she has also said Britain should not trigger the exit proceedings until London is ready to start negotiations.
Invoking Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty would begin those talks but lawyers and politicians differ over who has the authority to trigger the clause and whether it is irreversible.
"There should be no decision to invoke Article 50 until the British negotiating strategy is agreed and clear -- which means Article 50 should not be invoked before the end of this year," May, 59, said late last month when she launched her campaign to succeed Prime Minister David Cameron.
That potentially puts May on a collision course with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is often portrayed as the EU's most influential politician as leader of its strongest economy.
Merkel said on Monday talks with Britain would "not be easy" and has said she expects London to begin the formal process of leaving as soon as it picks a new prime minister.
May, whose only remaining rival quit the race to replace Cameron on Monday, will be Britain's first woman prime minister since Margaret Thatcher, who governed from 1979 until 1990.
Cameron, who called the vote to appease anti-EU lawmakers in his own party but campaigned for continued membership, said he plans to tender his resignation to Queen Elizabeth on Wednesday. May will take office the same day.
"DIFFICULT"
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Article 50 envisages a period of up to two years to negotiate an amicable separation.
Triggering it quickly might weaken London's hand in negotiations on the terms of its break with the EU but any delay could add to uncertainty for investors wondering how the future relationship with the EU will look.
Supporters say she has steely determination, pays attention to detail and focuses on getting on with the job at hand. She has also been described by a Conservative Party grandee, Ken Clarke, as a "bloody difficult woman".
May has made clear she will respect the will of the British people, expressed in the referendum last month.
"There will be no attempts to remain inside the EU, no attempts to rejoin it by the back door, and no second referendum. The country voted to leave the European Union and as Prime Minister I will make sure that we leave the European Union," she said during a speech on Monday.
May has said she plans to appoint a minister for Brexit and that a priority will be to win the right for British companies to trade with the EU's single market in goods and services after it leaves the bloc, though freedom of movement will have to be curbed.
"The Brexit vote was also a message that we need to bring control to free movement. Free movement cannot continue as it has up to now," she said on Monday.
Merkel has said there can be no "cherry picking" of what it wants to keep from its EU membership while jettisoning aspects of the relationship that it does not like.
"We will have difficult negotiations with Britain, it will not be easy," Merkel told conservative supporters in eastern Germany on Monday.
The EU wants Britain to commit to leaving by early 2019 and has said there can be no negotiation before Article 50 is triggered. It has no clear legal power to hold Britain to an exit schedule but has some levers against disruptive members. .
"STAKHANOVITE"
May entered parliament in 1997 and became the Conservative Party's first female chairman in 2002, when it was not in power. She told its annual conference that year that people saw it as "the nasty party".
Colleagues say she shuns the old boys club traditions of parliament, preferring to spend any free time she has with her husband of 36 years, Philip.
"I know I'm not a showy politician," she said when she launched her leadership bid after Cameron said he was stepping down following the vote for Brexit.
"I don't tour the television studios. I don't gossip about people over lunch. I don't go drinking in parliament's bars. I don't often wear my heart on my sleeve. I just get on with the job in front of me."
May has Type One diabetes and needs insulin injections several times a day. She describes herself as a practising Christian and says she owns over 100 cookery books.
"She gets up very early. She does a bit of time in the gym to make sure she stays in shape because of course she needs to look after her health," said a Conservative lawmaker who has worked closely with her.
May, who has been Home Secretary, or interior minister, since 2010, has won plaudits from other party members while in the job. She has pushed through measures including reforms of the police and moves to tackle modern slavery.
"She was completely Stakhanovite in work ... she was very organised but also she had clear priorities. She had a very clear sense of long-term direction as well as the capacity to do the detail," Conservative lawmaker Damian Green told Reuters of his time working as a junior minister in her department.
He described her as a politician who "wasn't to be pushed aside or pushed about." (Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Timothy Heritage)
Miami (AFP) - Antiretroviral therapy vastly lowers the risk of spreading HIV for couples in which one partner has the virus and the other does not, even when they have condomless sex, researchers said Tuesday.
The study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) is the largest of its kind to examine the question of how risky it is for so-called serodiscordant couples to have unprotected sex when the infected partner is suppressing his or her viral load with medication.
The research involved 900 couples, about two-thirds of whom were heterosexual and the rest men who have sex with men.
After a median of 1.3 years, the study found no cases in which the HIV-positive partner, who was taking medication to suppress the virus, infected the partner.
There were, however, 11 cases in which a partner who was HIV negative at the start of the study became infected with the virus that causes AIDS.
Ten of these cases involved gay men.
Researchers said eight of the newly HIV-positive partners admitted to having had unprotected sex outside the relationship.
In no cases could the person's HIV infection be molecularly matched to the partner's, giving researchers an in-couple transmission rate of zero.
However, they cautioned, more follow-up is needed.
"Although these results cannot directly provide an answer to the question of whether it is safe for serodifferent couples to practice condomless sex, this study provides informative data (especially for heterosexuals) for couples to base their personal acceptability of risk on," said the study, led by Alison Rodger of University College London.
An accompanying editorial in JAMA by Eric Daar and Katya Corado of the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, warned that couples should not take the study to mean that their risk of transmission is zero.
"For individuals who want to routinely or intermittently not use condoms with an HIV-infected partner, clinicians can indicate that the risk of HIV transmission appears small in the setting of continued viral suppression," they wrote.
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The HIV-positive partner should be using antiretrovirals for at least six months before the couple engages in condomless sex, they said.
"Moreover, clinicians need to be clear that even though the overall risk for HIV transmission may be small, the risk is not zero and the actual number is not known, especially for higher-risk groups such as MSM" (men who have sex with men).
They added that "more research is needed with larger numbers of couples and longer follow-up."
The condomless sex occurred during periods when the HIV-positive partner had HIV-1 RNA load less than 200 copies/milliliter, said the study.
The research was carried out at 75 clinical sites in 14 European countries from 2010 to 2014.
Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f142160%2flittlemermaid
When Hans Christian Anderson wrote The Little Mermaid, he never questioned whether she was an A-cup or B-cup.
Every year, the owner of Salty's Restaurant in Yarmouth, Massachusetts, Ray Roy, commissions a sand sculpture outside his establishment. This year, the artist chose to sculpt a Mermaid and took a few artistic "liberties," and gave the mermaid enormous boobs.
SEE ALSO: 21 types of people you see at the beach
America, being America, had a fit a bout it.
A sergeant in the Yarmouth police force reported that people complained about the sculpture's endowments.
Because there's nothing more threatening than a mermaid with enormous ta-tas. What sorcery lurks in additional breast tissue? Wasn't Ariel a B-cup? What will our children think, having seen large breasts on on a fictional sand sculpture? Will seeing a mermaid with big boobs cause them to loose their virginity at an early age, drop out of school, move to New York City?
The sand sculpture remains standing, for now.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to take stock of the growing unrest in Kashmir today as he returns from his five-day tour to Africa.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned from his four-nation tour to Africa today. Photo: PTI.
By India Today Web Desk: PM Narendra Modi will chair a high-level meet on Kashmir unrest as he completed his four-nation tour of Africa.
PM Modi is expected to take stock of the situation. He will also review the security situation in Kashmir.
RAJNATH POSTPONES USA TRIP
Due to the rising tension in the valley after Hizbul Mujahideen Burhan Wani's killing, Home Minister Rajnath Singh has postponed his trip to USA. He was supposed to attend Homeland security meet on July 17.
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UNREST IN VALLEY
9 people, including a woman and a teen died yesterday, taking the death toll to 30. So far, 1,300 people have been injured in the clashes.
200 security personnel have been deployed to keep the unrest from growing in the valley.
The curfew has not been lifted, keeping the valley under tight security.
Several places including Sopore, Handwara, Bandipora and Baramulla witnessed stone throwing incidents.
However, the government has resumed the annual Amarnath pilgrimage in Kashmir. The pilgrimage was suspended for last three days.
Meanwhile, the government on Monday allowed the resumption of annual Amarnath pilgrimage which was suspended for three days.
MODI'S PERFORMANCE IN AFRICA
Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned home today after his four-nation Africa tour aimed at enhancing ties with the continent.
"After a vital Africa tour which witnessed key talks, interactions & agreements, PM @narendramodi reaches Delhi," the PMO tweeted.
Modi yesterday held talks with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta during which the two sides decided to deepen and expand cooperation in a wide range of areas as they signed seven pacts, including in the field of defence and security and avoidance of double taxation.
India has offered USD 92 million Line of Credit to Tanzania for a key water supply project and signed five agreements with it.
Showcasing India as an attractive destination for defence production, the Prime Minister also sought deeper collaboration in the sector with South Africa, a major arms exporter, even as he thanked it for supporting India's bid for membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group.
In Mozambique, Modi held wide-ranging talks with President Filipe Nyusi. The two countries signed three pacts, including a significant "long-term agreement" under which India will buy pulses from this African nation to meet its recurring shortfall and contain prices of this commodity.
Also read:
After terrorist Burhan Wani's killing, Pakistan needles India on Kashmir
Kashmir unrest: Pakistan provokes by calling for plebiscite, terror czars meet in PoK
(With inputs from PTI)
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Lee speaks at a campaign rally for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in Provo, Utah, March 19, 2016. (Photo: Jim Urquhart/Reuters)
CLEVELAND This week, watch Mike Lee.
The mild-mannered first-term U.S. senator from Utah will arrive here Wednesday night or Thursday morning to cast a significant vote in the long-odds battle being waged by some Republican delegates to snatch the partys presidential nomination from Donald Trump.
Lee, 45, is one of Utahs two members on the convention Rules Committee, which will vote at the end of the week on a motion to unbind the 2,472 convention delegates next week. If the committee sends the resolution to the convention floor, the whole convention would vote up or down on the measure.
The obstacles facing the Dump Trump effort are high. Multiple Trump campaign officials said Tuesday that their whip count indicated that the conscience clause would not get out of Rules, and that if it did, it would lose on the convention floor. There were no signs of nervousness in the Trump whip operation, one said.
Allies of the Dump Trump effort are more optimistic that the Rules Committee might pass the measure to the full convention, but less hopeful about their chances there. In addition, other observers of the process think that delegates trying to send the convention to multiple ballots by having a few hundred delegates abstain from voting on the first ballot is the better strategy.
Nonetheless, if the Rules Committee does keep the issue alive by sending the conscience clause to the floor of the convention, it could take on life in a way thats hard to predict.
And Lee is at the heart of this battle. His support for or against the conscience clause proposal will send a powerful signal to those among the other 111 members of the Rules Committee who are wavering. Lees wife, Sharon who, like her husband, was chosen by the other Utah delegates to represent them on the committee is believed likely to follow his lead, so his decision could swing two votes of the 28 required to bring the motion to the floor. One member of the Rules Committee said many members believe that Lees support could be crucial.
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A spokesman for Lee said Tuesday that the senator has made up his mind how he will vote and will share his decision with other members of the committee this week.
Everyones lobbying him, said a senior Trump campaign official.
So far, Lee has been tightlipped about his intentions. There are plenty of reasons, however, why he would vote against Trump on this issue.
Lee has publicly expressed his deep reservations about Trumps candidacy. Very recently, he said in an interview with NewsMaxTV that Trump had made religiously intolerant statements, referring to Trumps proposal to ban Muslims from entering the country. Lee noted that Trump is wildly unpopular in Utah, which is home to millions of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a religious minority who were ordered exterminated by the governor of Missouri in 1838.
Id like some assurances that hes going to be a vigorous defender for the U.S. Constitution, Lee said.
And in May, Lee said of Trump: He scares me to death.
And Lee is a close ally of Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who fought a bitter battle with Trump in the Republican primary. Trump mocked Cruzs wife in one of his infamous retweets and alleged based on a story in the National Enquirer with no apparent basis in fact that Cruzs father was connected to Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald.
Lee was enraged by Trumps accusation about Cruzs father. He said that. He actually said that. He said that without any scintilla, without a scintilla of evidence, Lee told NewsMax.
And last, Lee is no stranger to taking unpopular positions inside his own party. He has not been as provocative toward party elders as has Cruz, but has nonetheless taken on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., many times during the past few years. Lee sought a leadership position within the Senate Republican Conference this spring, but was rebuffed by his fellow senators.
Lee, a lawyer, has clerked for Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and served as assistant U.S. attorney in Salt Lake City. He will be a heavyweight on the convention Rules Committee, which has only one other member of Congress on it: Rep. Steve Pearce of New Mexico.
Trump has an experienced group of operatives running his whip operation on the convention Rules Committee, including William McGinley, one of the most knowledgeable GOP rules experts; Ed Matricardi, who helped run Mitt Romneys delegate whip operation in 2012; Brian Jack, Trumps national delegate director, and Mike Biundo, who was also on the convention floor for Romneys whip operation in 2012 and who had high-profile jobs in the presidential campaigns of Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Ohio Gov. John Kasich before joining Trumps campaign two weeks ago. The RNC has its own whip operation helping the Trump campaign, which includes veterans of multiple campaigns, like Chris LaCavita.
Insider GOP heavyweights on the Rules Committee like Bill Palatucci of New Jersey, a close adviser to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and Henry Barbour, the national committeeman from Mississippi and nephew to former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, are also working to rally committee members to Trumps cause.
The vote on the conscience clause is expected to take place either late Thursday or Friday, and will probably take the form of a roll call, requiring each of the 112 members to register his and her vote aloud. Until then, its hard to know exactly where each delegate stands.
At a Tuesday meeting of the standing Republican National Committee rules committee, which is separate from the convention Rules Committee, RNC General Counsel John Ryder offered a lengthy and detailed exposition explaining why he does not believe the rules allow delegates to go against their states primary results to vote their conscience, or for the rules to be changed to allow them to do so.
RNC committeeman Curly Haugland of North Dakota, who has argued for years that delegates are free to vote however they want at the convention, stood up and challenged Ryder. Hes entitled to his opinion, and Im entitled to mine, Haugland said.
And on Tuesday morning, the Wall Street Journal editorial board argued that there is nothing illegitimate about a vote to unbind the delegates.
A conscience vote would be unprecedented, but then this entire year has no precedent. Republicans should nominate the best candidate they think has the best chance of winning in November, the Journal wrote.
Noting that Trump has said hed win the nomination even if delegates were free to vote however they wanted an unproven assertion at best the Journal said that Trump ought to welcome a conscience vote.
Mom of three Katie Reed decided to wear her bikini in front of her kids to lead by example and teach body acceptance. (Photo: courtesy of Katie Reed)
Katie Reed, a mom of three and blogger at A Mother Thing, has what she calls a mom bod. Like many moms, her body didnt bounce back postpartum and Reed admits on her blog that she struggles with how her figure looks after three pregnancies. Even so, Reed never expected her child to make a negative comment about her body. While tucking her sons, Dexter, 5, and Daniel, 3, into bed recently, Reed leaned over to kiss her older child on the forehead and he started to laugh. When she asked Dexter what was so funny, he said, Mommy, you look like youre having a baby! Then he added: Dont worry. Its just cause your belly is so fat!
Reed was left reeling from the unexpected comment. Yes, Im overweight, the Salt Lake City mom wrote on her blog. I am even what you call fat. Three kids in four years took its toll on my body, and a whole host of health issues in the last year meant I put on a ton of weight. But the comment made Reed wonder what kind of men her boys would grow up to be and realize that she has a big say in that. Will they be the kind of guys who call an impressionable classmate fat because she still has some of her baby weight? Will they be the kind of guys who wont look at the overweight cheerleader because theyre afraid what their friends will say? Are they going to grow up believing that what they see in magazines is real? Not if I can help it.
She decided this was a teachable moment for her kids. So Reed went with them to Target and bought a rainbow bikini that Dexter picked out. She was determined to wear it in front of her kids to show them that theres nothing to hide. For Reed, it was more important for her children to see her body as it is, rather than letting it stop her from living her life because her body is not perfect. Reed then asked her kids to take photos of her in her bikini.
The reality hit hard, she said after seeing the photos. I wanted to cry. I wanted to delete the photos. I wanted to put on a coverup and run back inside. Most of all, I wanted not to care. I wanted not to worry about how I looked and focus instead on how I felt. Because the truth is that it was a hot day over 100 degrees and I wanted to run through the sprinkler with my kids. I wanted to be silly. I wanted to lay out in the sunshine and get a little Vitamin D. I wanted to relax.
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She added: But I was at war with myself. I saw only my cellulite, my lumps and bumps, my body that was so far removed from what I thought it was.
Reed as she is, left, with a retouched image of how she would like to be. (Photo: courtesy of Katie Reed)
At the same time, Reed wants to celebrate her body for what it is now. It has done more than I ever thought it could, she wrote. It has seen me through 34 years, three kids and two marriages. So while I know that I need to lose some weight to better my health, I am going to work very hard to remember that this is the body I have. Its a miracle. Its beautiful. And its the example for my boys of what one version of a real woman is.
Reed hopes that her children will learn that there is beauty in everyone, regardless of someones body size, shape, or color. Im hoping my children will learn that you can truly love someone and think they are beautiful even if they dont look like what society thinks they should look like, she tells Yahoo Style. I want them to realize that we are each truly unique, and our personalities, capacities for love, and abilities to feel confident in ourselves are more important measures of our worth than how many inches our waists are.
She also has some words of advice for fellow moms struggling with their post-baby bodies: Id simply tell them that, though it is difficult sometimes to feel good when our bodies have changed so drastically, it is not impossible, she says. Look at yourself through your childs eyes they dont care if youre a size 2 or 20, they dont care if you have dry skin or hairy legs or havent showered in a day or two. They care about the love you give them and how well you cuddle. You can always lose weight and tone up if that is your goal, but you will never have this moment with your child again so enjoy it.
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Jonathan Goldsmith's run as Dos Equis' "Most Interesting Man in the World" may be over, but a legal battle over his profits from the gig wages on - albeit more slowly now that a California judge has granted a partial stay in the case.
The most interesting legal fight started in October, when Jordan Lee Inc. and William "Butch" Klein sued Goldsmith for breach of contract, claiming he had not been paying 10 percent on his nearly $1 million-per-year deal with Dos Equis.
Goldsmith fired back with a suit of his own in March, claiming Klein and JLI breached their fiduciary duty to Goldsmith by disclosing confidential terms of his 2012 contract with the beermaker. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Barbara A. Meiers dismissed Goldsmith's claim in May, finding it arose from Klein and JLI's right of petition, which is protected by the First Amendment. Goldsmith is appealing that decision and his attorneys asked Meiers to put the lawsuit against their client on hold while that plays out.
After Meiers loudly plopped the hefty case file on the desk in front of her Tuesday morning, she indicated her tentative opinion was to deny the motion for a discretionary stay.
"It troubles me that both sides seem to be anticipating all kinds of discovery," said Meiers, adding that this case centers on a simple matter of law. "I am puzzled."
A contract dispute such as this, she said, should be decided through summary judgment and only require limited discovery.
Bradley H. Kreshek, representing JLI and Klein, and Logan Elliot, representing Goldsmith, reminded the judge that this isn't just a dispute about what was in their 2002 contract. It's about terms that were renegotiated orally after that term expired.
Meiers boiled it down to "I said and he said and we agreed X."
Kreshek agreed that it wouldn't make sense to have two trials if the appeal overturned Meier's ruling, and conceded to a partial stay as long as he could continue discovery to build his case.
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The judge agreed to grant the stay in part, and will only allow discovery related to common issues such as the terms of the contract. Goldsmith's legal team will draft the final order by next week.
Meiers declined to rule on a motion for attorneys' fees filed by Freedman & Taitelman for their work for JLI and Klein on the countersuit that was dismissed. "I found the amount troubling," she said, "especially when I look back at some of the papers that were not all that lengthy but for the exhibits." A particular issue is a $14,000 tab for the reply to Goldsmith's anti-SLAPP motion.
"It seems excessive," said Kreshek. "I wouldn't deny that." However, he said, all of the charges are legitimate and everything was billed correctly. Meiers seemed convinced, but took the matter under submission.
On Wednesday Meiers granted an award of $58,917 to Freedman & Taitelman, the full amount of fees and costs they had sought.
"The court has been consistent in determining that it believes Goldsmith's legal position to be meritless," Bryan Freedman tells The Hollywood Reporter. "Goldsmith's cross complaint, may it rest in peace, was legally and factually delusional. In this case, those bogus allegations did nothing but cost him almost 60k. The only thing interesting about this guy is how he could have created the worst legal strategy possible."
July 17, 4:45 p.m. Updated with Meiers' ruling on attorney fees and a statement from an attorney for JLI and Klein.
Coburg (Germany) (AFP) - A woman on trial in one of Germany's worst infanticide cases, involving eight dead babies, confessed Tuesday to killing several of them but said she could not remember how many.
Andrea Goeppner, 45, was charged with four of the murders after the babies' remains were found wrapped in towels and plastic bags last year in a case that revulsed the country.
Asked how many of the eight she confessed to killing, her defence lawyer Till Wagler said, "it could have been two, three or four".
Prosecutors were unable to pursue murder charges for the other four infants, as one was found to have been stillborn and three were so badly decomposed that it was unclear whether they were viable at birth.
- 'Sexual egoism' -
The grisly remains were uncovered last year in Goeppner's apartment in the Bavarian small town of Wallenfels.
The woman's estranged husband, Johann Goeppner, 55, is charged with complicity for failing to stop the killings, which took place between 2003 and 2013.
In her confession, read out by her lawyer, the mother said she had given birth to each of the eight babies at home alone and had wrapped every infant in a hand towel.
She would promptly suffocate any baby that moved or cried, then place the body in a plastic bag or containers and hide it in the apartment, said Wagler.
The pair had each brought two children into the marriage, and the couple conceived three more surviving children together, the court heard.
Even though they did not want any more children, they used no contraceptives, and Andrea Goeppner was almost constantly pregnant over a decade.
State prosecutors in their charge sheet said her actions showed "sexual egoism, indifference and callousness".
"She sought simply to remain sexually active without any thought about the consequences or the value of a newborn child."
Taking the stand on Tuesday, her now estranged husband described the mother as a chronic liar and compulsive shopper who stole from her mother and her children.
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He said he moved out in October, a month before police uncovered the babies' remains in their apartment after being alerted by a nearby resident.
Prosecutors say the man was aware of his wife's frequent pregnancies and could have taken action to stop them.
"Through his inaction, he encouraged the accused, Andrea Goeppner, in all the cases," they said.
In Germany, murder carries a sentence of 15 years' prison, while complicity carries a minimum of three years.
A verdict is expected next Wednesday.
Germany has been shocked by several infanticide cases in recent years.
In May, a woman was sentenced to 44 months in prison for killing two of her children and hiding their remains in a freezer.
In October 2013, construction workers in Bavaria found the remains of two babies, dead since the 1980s.
And in 2008, a 42-year-old woman was convicted of killing eight of her newborn babies, then hiding their bodies in buckets, flower pots and an old fish tank.
Twenty children were murdered at Sandy Hook, 14 people were killed in San Bernardino and five police officers were assassinated by a sniper in Dallas last week. Following every one of those tragedies (and other mass shootings in between), Democrats in Congress proposed common-sense gun measures such as expanded background checks that would extend to online sales and sales at gun shows, and every time their Republican colleagues blocked their efforts.
"I don't think they were ever going to do anything," Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi told Billboard on Tuesday (July 12) about Republicans' plans to consider those changes and a so-called "no fly, no buy" provision that would bar suspected terrorists on the no-fly list from purchasing weapons. "Ninety percent [of voters say they support] 'no fly, no buy' and 85 percent say [yes to] expanded background checks to include gun shows and Internet purchases," Pelosi added.
Just moments before boarding a plane to Dallas, where she and President Obama would comfort the families of the five slain officers, Pelosi held forth on why gun legislation keeps getting blocked in Congress, what the average citizen can do, and why "this is not going away."
The House just voted to kick any gun legislation until after the summer recess. This comes after last Thursday's killing of five police officers. Is that an affront to their deaths, that no legislation will be thought of until after the summer break?
I don't think it's an affront to the families. I don't think they [Republicans] were ever going to do it. I think having a moment of silence when so many people have died in mass murders and so many people die every night of gun violence -- which could be avoidable -- is the affront. That moment of silence is important, we want to pay our respects and bow our heads, but silence and no action is the affront. That's why you saw our members initiate the sit-in, because they said, "Never again are we going to have a moment of silence without taking some action to call attention to the fact that this violence can be prevented."
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I don't think they were ever going to do anything. They can't even get the votes together for their own bad bill, which was written by the NRA, the gun lobby their people didn't even want to do that, which was a step backwards. They didn't want to be a part of any gun bill.
Rep. Scott Peters, Who Introduced Congress to Periscope During Sit-In, on How People Can Push for Gun Control
You're traveling to Dallas today with President Obama to honor those officers. What can you say to their families when they ask why nothing has been done?
I think the families are in a state of grief, and we have to respect that. We are coming there to pay our respects and extend our sympathies, and the president will do that for the American people. I don't think they're going to be having a discussion of legislation. I think we're just going to be having a prayerful time of sympathy and condolences for the families. But other families who have been affected by gun violence have spoken out, have stood on the steps of the Capitol, come to the gallery in the House, have spoken out in their communities -- no more silence, we want action, we want legislation passed. And those families have channeled their grief into energy so that it doesn't happen to other families. An assault on a police force is a terrible thing. I think everybody in America shares that grief, and we share the grief of other victims of gun violence as well.
From what we're hearing initially is that the guns [used by the Dallas shooter] were purchased via gun show or online, which is exactly what our legislation would have prevented. The expansion of the background check legislation would expand the background check to gun shows and online purchases, and that's all the legislation would do, but it would save so many lives. That's a legislative discussion the American people have weighed in on -- 90 percent say "no fly, no buy" and 85 percent say expand background checks to include gun shows and Internet purchases.
If 90 percent of America agrees on expanding background checks before gun purchases and barring people on terror watch lists from buying guns, why can't we pass that? Isn't that the definition of the people's will?
It is, and that just goes to show you how it's sad to say that the gun lobby is a major part of the Republican Party in our country. That doesn't mean that Republicans in our country support that. Overwhelmingly, Republicans, gun owners, even NRA members support the background-check legislation and the "no fly, no buy," but the Republicans in Congress [are a] wholly owned subsidiary of the gun industry, and it is an industry and it is about money. And they hide behind the Second Amendment, which we support, but they are doing so for a financial gain and at the expense of American lives.
We would hope that the Speaker would bring up a bill that we could pass, legislation that does the job, and that we take this off the table and it's not a conversation in the election. But the Speaker himself has said, "If you want to vote on guns, win the election." Hopefully we don't have to take it to that place, and we would have some legislation before then, but until we do, we are not going away.
We'll talk about it tomorrow, we'll talk about it the next day. We have a speak-out on Thursday, we'll talk about it during the [summer] break. The Republicans have to know we're not going away until this is done, because this is non-partisan, it's necessary, and there is a solution.
David Byrne Pens Pro-Gun Control Essay: 'We Are At War Here'
The filibuster is three weeks behind us, and it's sad to say it this way, but there hasn't been a mass shooting for a few days. What can people do to keep this issue front and center in between mass shootings?
To say we haven't had one since Thursday just tells you how sad the situation is. Since Newtown, there have been much more than 1,000 mass shootings [defined as 4 or more people killed] that's an incredible number. In addition to that, every day 91 people die from gun violence. That's why last week on the steps of the Capitol, we had 91 people dressed in orange, the color of the anti-gun violence movement. The violence continues, whether it's high-profile or in your neighborhood with one person, but nonetheless the cumulative effect is terrible.
What we're doing is keeping it front and center, and the best messengers and most eloquent spokespersons are the family members who have been affected. In addition to that, the voices against violence -- the celebrity voices -- and I thank you and I thank Billboard for the letter that you published with all those signatures, because they attract attention. When people are willing to use their celebrity, their fame, the power to attract that they have for a purpose that they feel committed to the authenticity of their concern can do so much more -- certainly much more than any elected officials can do in terms of attracting people in the first place -- and then that amplifies the voices of the families and gives them comfort that they are not alone and their concerns are being echoed in a very major way.
How You Can Help End Gun Violence: 6 Steps Anyone Can do to Effect Change
How can citizens break this allegedly iron grip the NRA has on so many members of Congress to get some gun legislation passed?
I think that's it's really important, and I say this all the time, nothing is more eloquent to a member of Congress than the voice of his or her own constituents. When famous people speak out about it and say to the average person -- and Rep. John Lewis said this is our goal -- that the average Joe, that could be J-O, or J-O-E, knows what she or he can do and knowing their power they have to be calling their members of Congress, so the people here hear from people in their districts. It doesn't matter if a million people from the coasts say "we want this." It matters if 1,000 people in their individual districts wherever they live say this matters to them. Or even 100 voices.
They had a poll today -- "What would be four things that would change your vote?" -- and one was the "no fly, no buy." Who had ever heard of it a while back in terms of the general public? And now they're saying that's one of the issues that would be dispositive of their vote.
Is the threat of voters demanding action on gun legislation at the ballot box stronger, or can it be stronger, than the NRA's power over some in Congress?
I guess we'll find out, but some of the members on the Republican side have said, "I understand your point, but one thing that could defeat me in my district is if I were to vote for any gun violence prevention legislation." They have a strong voice, but [the NRA is] not really dealing honestly with the American people. They know that we're not there to take away their guns, but they use extreme rhetoric that is not true. Anybody who is a responsible gun owner is not afraid of a background check, especially just expanding it to gun shows and online. It's not anything drastic from what is there now, except for some recognition of technology and gun shows.
Have you considered more directly confrontational tactics? Like using graphic photos in the same way pro-lifers have, but in this case of the children murdered at Newtown or confronting the Congress people who have accepted the most money from the NRA and showing them to the American people?
It's really important to note that when we have these families speak out, it's very hard for them. They bring pictures of their family members, and we will have pictures on the Capitol steps tonight of the people who died in Orlando but it's very hard. Those pictures are seen by families as well as by those who are trying to persuade, so it's harder than you might think. George Bernard Shaw said the sign of a truly intelligent person... is that [he or she is] persuaded by statistics. The statistics are so overwhelming, and every one of them is a life.
There's something really sick about the fact that the Republicans in Congress are so beholden to the National Rifle Association when they know what we are proposing has no infringement on the Second Amendment and does not curtail the rights of people who are not on the no-fly list or not in other way catch some not appropriate to be selling a gun to. It's a big challenge. The empowerment of the people is a really important part of it and for people to be empowered have to know power and the celebrity voices help them know their power to write directly to their Congress person to say that this just happened. The one thing that is different now is that people are resolute. This is not going away. We are going to be here until change happens. To us it's inevitable, to them it's inconceivable and we have to shorten the distance between the inevitable and the inconceivable.
National Geographic Channel has set the creative team and correspondents for the return of Explorer this fall, both which TheWrap has learned exclusively.
Lou Wallach, formerly of The Colbert Report and The Talking Dead, will executive produce the revamped format. Nick McKinney and Meghan OHara creators of The IFC Media Project will join him as EPs and showrunners.
Bryan Christy, Ryan Duffy, Francesca Fiorentini, Jena Friedman, Justin Hall, Billie Mintz, Tania Rashid, Tim Samuels and Baratunde Thurston will serve as correspondents. As previously announced, studio host Richard Bacon (pictured above) will anchor the whole thing.
Also Read: How Nat Geos Missing Dial May Have Just Solved a Murder
We feel extremely fortunate to have Lou, Nick and Meghan in place to bring our vision of the new Explorer to life, Tim Pastore, NGC president of original programming and production, said. We feel confident that together with host Richard Bacon they are creating an insightful, sharp, and above all, an entertaining program unlike anything currently on TV.
We have assembled an incredibly talented, experienced and well-respected lineup of correspondents to join our new Explorer team, he continued. Not only do they bring a mix of uncompromising journalistic experience, comedic flair honed in topical TV environments and filmmaker prowess, they also represent a diverse mix of world views that will push this series to a new level of global storytelling.
I could not have asked for a better team to join me in rebooting Explorer,' Wallach added. We all feel an awesome amount of responsibility to the brands of the network and series and, with this incredible group of inventive and energized minds, we are creating something truly groundbreaking.
Also Read: Neil deGrasse Tyson Ruins Your Favorite Sci-Fi Movies (Exclusive Video)
The new Explorer format will blend field packages with commentary from celebrity guests, experts and the correspondents. Filmed before a live studio audience in New York City, Explorer will air globally on National Geographic Channel in 171 countries and 45 languages.
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Explorer is produced for National Geographic Channel by National Geographic Studios. Jeff Hasler and Brian Lovett will also executive produce the series, in addition to those mentioned above.
Below are more details about the correspondents, all in Nat Geos own words.
Also Read: Emmy Quickie: 'StarTalk' Host Neil deGrasse Tyson Exclusive StudioWrap Portraits (Photos)
Bryan Christy
Investigative reporter and National Geographic Fellow Bryan Christy is chief correspondent, special investigations for National Geographic magazine, and was named National Geographic Explorer of the Year in 2014. National Geographic considers his inquiries into international wildlife trafficking to be one of 10 ways the organization has changed the world. Christy is author of The Lizard King: The True Crimes and Passions of the Worlds Greatest Reptile Smugglers. His reportage has appeared in National Geographic, Foreign Policy and Playboy, among other publications. A frequent public speaker on international crime, the wildlife trade and the power of storytelling, Christy has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, NPR and PBS NewsHour. He began his professional career as a lawyer and CPA in Washington, D.C., where he worked on such topics as the U.S.-Japan supercomputer trade, Norwegian whaling and the sale of light-water nuclear reactors to North Korea. Christys education includes Pennsylvania State University, the Cornell University Graduate School, the University of Michigan Law School and Tokyo University Law School (where he was a Fulbright Scholar).
Ryan Duffy
Ryan Duffy is a journalist, producer and entrepreneur. As a former correspondent for the Emmy award-winning HBO show Vice, Duffy has scaled empty high-rises in Chinas ghost towns, been shot on the outskirts of Bogota in a bulletproof velvet coat and traveled to North Korea with Dennis Rodman. He was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2012. He has been a strategic advisor to tech and media startups, overseen video for Derek Jeters The Players Tribune and executive produced and hosted Now What, an AOL/Huffington Post series exploring creative solutions to the worlds biggest problems.
Also Read: Tim Matheson, Cynthia Nixon to Play Ronald and Nancy Reagan in 'Killing Reagan'
Francesca Fiorentini
Francesca Fiorentini is a journalist, comedy writer and performer. She is a host and producer with AJ+, the online channel of Al Jazeera Media Network. As an independent journalist in Buenos Aires, she covered Latin American social movements and current events for Univision and Red Pepper Magazine. Currently, she can be found performing stand-up to crowds of aspiring Zuckerbergs in comedy venues around the Bay Area.
Jena Friedman
Jena Friedman is a stand-up comedian, writer and filmmaker. She has worked as a field producer at The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and has written for Late Show With David Letterman. Her work has been featured in Vanity Fair, The Guardian, The Independent, New York Magazine, Vice, Newsweek, Glamour, Time, The Wall Street Journal, Salon, Gawker, Slate, The Huffington Post and Time Out New York and on CBS, TV Land, MSNBC and Comedy Central. When not on tour, Friedman can be seen performing at venues such as The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and The Comedy Cellar in New York. She holds a BA in anthropology from Northwestern University, with a minor in business.
Also Read: Darren Aronofsky to Shoot Series in Space for National Geographic Channel
Justin Hall
Justin Hall is an Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker, broadcaster and journalist. He is a Fellow of the U.K.s Royal Geographical Society, specializing in hi-tech digital storytelling technologies. He has reported on issues as diverse as illegal wildlife trade, deforestation, gold mining, cocaine production, child slavery and piracy; he has been involved in many adventures, from helicopter raids on cocaine factories in Bolivia to tracking down arms dealers in Moscow, to hitchhiking a ride on a rusty Russian jetfighter. Hall was one of the first explorers to use technology to champion the rights of tribal peoples, in projects dating back almost 20 years. His passion for environmental, cultural and tribal issues was cultivated through his early work with Academy Award-nominated anthropologist and filmmaker Jean Pierre Dutilleux on the series Tribal Journeys. An avid storyteller, Hall continues to crisscross the globe, with recent investigations taking him to Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Belize, Borneo, Somalia, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo and three times to Libya. Armed with a smile and good intentions, Hall is not your standard correspondent.
Billie Mintz
Billie Mintz is an award-winning filmmaker who has produced and directed four feature length documentaries, including Jesus Town, USA and The Ponzi Scheme. His narrative short films and commercials have won the Audience Award at the Brooklyn International Film Festival, the Jurors Award at the Detroit International Film Festival and the Best Film at the Kent Film Festival. Inspired by a three-year apprenticeship with an Inca shaman, after majoring in native studies, Mintz founded the Artists Raising Consciousness Institute, a nonprofit cooperative that assists charities and nongovernment organizations in raising awareness of social issues through the media. For this he was awarded the Toronto Entrepreneur of the Year award for Social Change in 2008.
Also Read: Rupert Murdoch Downplays National Geographic Layoffs: 'Editorial Staff, Leadership Firmly In Place'
Tania Rashid
Working as a freelance correspondent in South Asia, Tania Rashid has proven herself a one-woman shop when it comes to journalistic filmmaking for outlets such as Al Jazeera English, Vice News, CNN International and Current TV. Fluent in Hindi, Urdu and Bengali, and with knowledge of Arabic and Spanish, Rashid boasts a lifelong exposure to world cultures. She grew up in Saudi Arabia and was educated in Bangladesh and Utah. She completed her MS degree in broadcast journalism and documentary at Columbia University in New York.
Tim Samuels
Tim Samuels is an award-winning British documentary filmmaker, broadcaster, author and journalist. With extensive experience at the BBC where he won Young Journalist of the Year, three Royal Television Society awards and best documentary at the World Television Festival he has created investigative specials and documentaries that have addressed such hard-hitting topics as immigration in the U.K., death row in the U.S. and racism in Northern Ireland. Often deploying a subversive steak in his films, Tim formed the worlds oldest rock group, The Zimmers, to challenge perceptions of the elderly. Heavily involved in the arts, he has regularly presented on BBC Twos The Culture Show, works as a creative director and hosts magazine shows and documentaries across BBC radio. Tim recently published his first book Who Stole My Spear? How to Be a Man in the 21st Century and contributes to newspapers and magazines, such as GQ and the Guardian.
Baratunde Thurston
Baratunde Thurston is a futurist comedian, writer and cultural critic who helped launch The Daily Show With Trevor Noah, co-founded Cultivated Wit and the About Race podcast and wrote the New York Times best-seller How to Be Black. Thurston is a highly sought-after public speaker, television personality and thought leader who has been part of noteworthy institutions such as Fast Company, TED, the MIT Media Lab and The Onion. He has hosted shows on PBS, Science Channel, Yahoo, AOL, YouTube and Pivot TV. He has a philosophy degree from Harvard University.
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Nauru confirmed Tuesday that the Pacific island nation's leader President Baron Waqa was among 13 lawmakers re-elected in weekend elections.
The Nauru government said there were six newcomers in the 19-seat parliament, which is expected to sit later this week and reappoint Waqa for a second three-year term.
Nauru, about 2,800 kilometres (1,750 miles) northeast of Australia, is the smallest island country in the world, with an area of just 21 square kilometres (eight square miles).
Once a major phosphate producer, it is now home to an Australian-run asylum-seeker detention camp, which is a major employer and source of income on the island.
While replying Indiatoday.in queries, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust's management pointed fingers on Customs but they were not ready to take any blame, in fact, declined to comment on it till the investigation gets over.
By Virendrasingh Ghunawat: What could be said if the consignments of illegal red sander seized by the intelligence officials goes missing under the nose of customs officials? A sheer mismanagement or an insider's job.
In last few years, around 64.375 metric tonnes (MT) red sander is found to be missing from three container freight stations (CFS) within Jawaharlal Nehru Customs House (JNCH), situated at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) area, near Mumbai. The approximate market value of missing red sanders is Rs 21.79 crore. Out of these, in last financial year 2015-16, one case of theft was reported by CFS of 15.960 MT.
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INVESTIGATION INITIATED
Rajeev Tandon, principal commissioner (general), Customs, confirmed these developments to Indiatoday.in and said, "An investigation has been initiated against the three CFSs under the provisions of Handling of Cargo in Customs Area Handling Regulations, 2009. This action is over and above the investigation being carried by local police authorities."
According to Customs, in one case of missing red sanders - CFS operations were suspended for dereliction of duties as a custodian. A recovery of Rs 5.21 crores was made by the officials. In other two cases, police investigations are in progress.
"The customs is coordinating with police and appropriate action under the provisions of Customs Act would be taken when the investigation is over", Tandon said. The department claims, in all the three cases, the concerned CFS had filed FIR, police authorities are investigating the matter under various provisions of IPC/CrPC. "Theft/Crime falls under the ambit of police investigation".
When Indiatoday.in cross-checked with the local police, out of three - one case was found confirmed. Vishwas Pandhare, DCP (Zone 2), Navi Mumbai police said, "Till now, in last financial year, we have only one case with us i.e. theft of 15 mt of red sander." The port areas between Kharghar to Uran in Navi Mumbai (adjoining Mumbai) comes under Pandhare's jurisdiction. This one case was filed in February 2016.
"We cracked this case. Around 22 accused were involved in the theft. Excluding four accused who are absconding now, all have been arrested. All the accused were the local goons with criminal background", Pandhare detailed. The Navi Mumbai police recovered Rs 1.77 crore from the accused, who had sold the red sanders to Dubai parties.
NAVI MUMBAI POLICE CLUELESS
What about the remaining cases and red sanders? Navi Mumbai police is not aware about it. "There is only case registered before us since last one year. About the remaining cases or the missing red sanders - we are not aware," Pandhare confirmed to Indiatoday.in.
Details shared by the Customs:
Three FIRs were registered with JNPT police station. These FIRs were filed by CFS's from where the theft took place. The details of the FIR's are as under:
-- FIR No. 27 dt 26.01.2016 was filed in JNPT Police Station.
--FIR No. 132/14 dt 22.07.2014 was filed in JNPT Police Station.
-- FIR No. 24/2014 dt 28.06.2014 was filed in JNPT Police Station.
The intelligence officers are concerned on how red sanders of these quantities getting robbed under the nose of custom officials, despite round the clock security at all entry and exits. "We fear that these goods are reaching in the hands of international red sander smugglers with the support of local elements and insiders. And if these incidents are happening with JNPT and JNCH regions, than it's a matter of grave concern for the country", an official said.
While replying Indiatoday.in queries, even JNPT's management pointed fingers on Customs. Neeraj Bansal, deputy chairman of JNPT said, "Goods missing from containers are not our look-out. Goods arrive at JNPT, shifted at JNCH - which is under the control of Customs."
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CUSTOMS OFFICIALS KEEP MUM
But the Customs were not ready to take any blame, in fact, declined to comment on it till the investigation gets over. "As the investigation is still incomplete, no comments can be made about involvement of smuggling network", Tandon said.
The JNCH is the biggest custom house in the country in terms of containers handled, documents filed and revenue generated. As per the information given on the website, the emphasis is on speedy movement of containers and to utilise the port area exclusively for loading and unloading of the containers.
"The average turnaround time for vessels calling on the port is less than one-day, the average time taken for the containers to be shifted to the various container freight stations (CFSs) where the customs examination and clearance of the containers takes place is one day," the website claims.
There is another big concern issue lying open within JNCH i.e. non-disposal of seized red sanders. If data provided by Customs to Indiatoday.in are believed than around 1282.41 mt of red sanders (seized by Customs and DRI officials) worth Rs 520 crore is lying non-disposed in JNCH region, since last three years.
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IMPROVE CARGO CLEARANCE
Bansal from JNPT claims, more than 6000 containers are lying at JNCH, since last years, "which needs to be cleared at the earliest. It is not only affecting the speed of container's movement within the port area, but also the entire operation and business too."
As a result, JNCH becomes the breeding ground for unsocial elements. "I have no idea what kind of cargoes are inside these containers, but obviously these are import containers. Some are seized containers include red sanders", Bansal said.
So who has the responsibility of disposing these containers? At least, Customs Department has no role. "Forest Department and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have been specifically assigned/permitted to initiate action for disposal of red sanders", Tandon replied back.
Now, whether JNPT or Customs could stop these incidents, it is difficult to say, but far away in Hyderabad, the forest department, which is digging a 1,500 km-long trench around red sander growing areas in Seshchalam forest; to stop smugglers from entering the forest has now the clearance from Chief Minister to deploy drones to track the movements of smugglers in the forest.
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 12, 2016 / NetCents Technology Inc. (CSE: NC) ("NetCents" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its latest partnership with Bitt Inc. ("Bitt.com"), a financial technology and digital asset exchange company that trades Bitcoin as well as other exotic currencies. This monumental agreement provides NetCents users with even more options and access to additional digital currencies.
"This is a milestone for the Company and a great example of how two likeminded and innovative companies mutually benefit from working together. Bitt.com will be the first exchange to accept and offer NetCents, utilizing our newly updated payment gateway," commented Clayton Moore, CEO & Founder, NetCents Technology Inc. "We are thrilled to continue offering easy and streamlined services to our users. Like NetCents, Bitt.com believes that its innovative financial technology provides consumers a faster, more efficient, and traceable way of banking. As we continue to expand our reach to customers, both domestically and globally, we want to remain at the forefront of modern financial solutions with our cutting-edge technology and dynamic payments platform. This partnership reflects that."
About Bitt
Bitt.com is a digital asset exchange that owns and operates a trading platform for Bitcoin and other fiat currencies. Focusing on providing access to cryptocurrencies in emerging markets, the company also allows traders worldwide to deposit their currency or digital assets, as well as trade with those funds. Their software suite includes a digital asset exchange, a mobile money wallet, remittance platform, and merchant payment processing tools.
Recently, Overstock.com, Inc. announced a strategic investment in Bitt.com:
"Bitt intends to use the proceeds from the investment to further its goal of building a financial ecosystem in the Caribbean that remedies the issues which people in the region experience daily, including high frictional fees from banks and other money services operations that make sending money in and out of the region cumbersome and costly."
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"In February of 2016, Bitt launched a digitized Barbadian Dollar on the bitcoin blockchain, backed by the Central Bank of Barbados. The company intends to digitize all of the fiat currencies found in the Caribbean and place them on the blockchain so they can be easily traded among the islands, bringing modern solutions to a region historically limited by inefficient exchange and settlement systems." (source: please refer to news release dated April 1, 2016 "Overstock.com makes investment in Caribbean FinTech firm Bitt")
About NetCents
NetCents is an online payments platform, offering consumers and merchants online services for managing electronic payments. The Company is focused on capturing the migration from cash to digital currency by utilizing innovative Blockchain Technology to provide payment solutions that are simple to use, secure and worry free. NetCents works with its financial partners, mobile operators, exchanges, etc., to streamline the user experience of transacting online. NetCents technology is integrated into the Automated Clearing House ("ACH"), which ensures our consumer's security and privacy. This services agreement allows the Company to accept and transfer deposits from users in 24 countries, enhancing the users online experience, granting them the freedom and convenience to Pay. Your Way.
For the latest information on Blockchain, Bitcoin or Fintech we urge our readers to visit our Blog on our website () or visit industry websites such as CoinDesk (www.coindesk.com) a world leader in news, prices and information on bitcoin and other digital currencies.
Further information about the Company it is available under its profile on the SEDAR website, www.sedar.com, on the CSE website www.thecse.com, on our website www.netcents.biz or contact Robert Meister, Capital Markets at Ph: 604.676.5248 or email: Robert.meister@net-cents.com.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
NetCents Technology Inc.
Gord Jessop, President/COO
NetCents Technology Inc.
Suite 1500, 885 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3E8
The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this press release. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Information
This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are 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 the Company 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 the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions, market prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.
SOURCE: NetCents Technology Inc.
Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f142379%2fscreen_shot_2016-07-12_at_10.45.44_am
Who needs a honey to have a great honeymoon?
Newlywed Huma Mobin had to go on her second honeymoon sans husband after his travel visa didn't arrive in time for the trip.
Luckily (we think?), Mobin's parents-in-law were still able to go, and they snapped a hilarious photo series of Mobin with her arm wrapped around where her husband should have been you know, instead of stuck back home in Pakistan with a severe case of FOMO.
SEE ALSO: What I learned from a Snapchat affair with an old flame
Image: facebook/huma mobin
Image: facebook/huma mobin
Image: facebook/huma mobin
Even more tragically, Mobin dropped her phone into the sea midway through the trip, conjuring another ghost.
Still, this trip seems pretty fun. Maybe we should all go on vacation with our in-laws.
Image: facebook/huma mobin
Image: facebook/huma mobin
RIP to that phone, though.
It was hard to miss Nick Cannon at Perry Ellis' presentation in New York on Monday morning. The actor arrived in a steel-blue vest suit and spiky silver metallic Louboutin loafers, beating the Monday blues in the most fashionable way.
Though the actor was in good spirits for creative director Michael Maccari's show, held at The Hippodrome Building, it was difficult to forget last week's shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. A day before New York Fashion Week: Men's kicked off, Cannon took to social media to write a poem expressing his frustration over recent police shootings and what #BlackLivesMatter means to him.
Part of Cannon's poetry reads: "When I say Black lives matter that don't mean yours don't / When I say Black lives matter / Don't mean white folks can't get on the boat / So it's like when I say save the whales / That don't mean the other fish can't float / It just means the whales are endangered / Just like my species."
#SpokenSundays #BlackLivesMatter #poetry Part 1 When I say Black Lives matter That don't mean yours don't When We say Black lives matter That don't mean your kids won't They will... They gonna say it with us, because they get us. When I say Black lives matter that don't mean yours don't When I say Black lives matter Don't me white folks can't get on the boat So it's like when I say save the whales That don't mean the other fish can't float It just means the whales are endangered Just like my species discreetly It don't matter who's doing the killing As long as we end up extinct , see This Is the thesis in these secret meetings They having about me and the rest of my community They say well when they shooting each other They don't care about unity Well brutally Let me be the one to say, they right! Truthfully
A video posted by Nick Cannon (@nickcannon) on Jul 10, 2016 at 9:04am PDT
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"It takes much more than a hashtag to make a change and I think people focus on the hashtag too much," the America's Got Talent host tells Pret-a-Reporter of the message he was hoping to send to his followers. "Let's come up with another one if it's divisive - that's not the purpose. It's to create awareness."
Cannon is among the many folks in Hollywood to respond to recent police brutalities.
"I said a lot of things like, 'I'll stop making it about race when they stop making it about race.' People were like, 'We're tired of you guys saying Black Lives Matter.' I'm tired of having to say it," he continues. "I don't want to sit back and debate statistics and how many people are killed. Killing is just wrong in general. Life is a life. This nation is hurt. It's broken and we've got to fix it. It takes all of us to do it."
#SpokenSundays #BlackLivesMatter #poetry The End But there ain't no such thing as black on black violence It's crime against you and me! Intolerance of people Humanity See Gentrification and Genocide It's the Same thing in my eyes So we gotta reprogram these social lies And take back our streets And we gonna keep screaming, fighting, marching and cussing Until we abolish injustice And our internal royalty is realized and reached That's why I'm out here now Practicing what I preach So all you tweeting at me with all that Social chatter When they kill me Make sure they put on my tombstone Damn Right Black Lives Matter
A video posted by Nick Cannon (@nickcannon) on Jul 10, 2016 at 9:10am PDT
By Jonathan Stempel
(Reuters) - A U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission judge has banned a radio host and investment adviser from the securities industry after she protested the regulator's enforcement case against her by ignoring it.
In a decision on Monday, SEC Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) James Grimes also fined Dawn Bennett $600,000 and her Washington, D.C.-based Bennett Group Financial Services LLC $2.9 million, and ordered them to give up $556,102 of gains.
Bennett's civil case has drawn extra attention because the Chevy Chase, Maryland resident chose not to show up at her SEC hearing in January, part of her unusual strategy in challenging the regulator's use of in-house judges in enforcement cases.
The SEC had accused Bennett of using her weekly program "Financial Myth Busting with Dawn Bennett" and other media from 2009 to 2011 to exaggerate her firm's assets under management and investment performance, in order to attract and retain clients.
"Bennett is not fit to remain in the industry in any capacity," after working there for nearly three decades, Grimes wrote in a 48-page decision.
The judge said her "numerous false statements" instilled a false sense of trust among her investors and resulted in large losses, while her "bald-faced lies" during the SEC probe "further demonstrate her untrustworthiness and unfitness."
Bennett plans to appeal Grimes' decision to the full commission, and if unsuccessful can ask a federal appeals court to review her case.
Many defendants have said SEC administrative proceedings have procedural advantages over federal courts that make it easier for the regulator to win, and that the appointment process for the judges is unconstitutional.
"We knew the ALJ would rule as he did when Ms. Bennett declined to participate in the proceeding," Bennett's lawyer Gregory Morvillo said in a statement. "She now begins the next phase of the case, appealing the constitutionality of the ALJ appointment process, as was her plan all along."
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An SEC spokesman declined to comment.
Four federal appeals courts have said constitutional challenges to SEC administrative proceedings cannot be pursued in federal court until those proceedings have ended.
The SEC accused Bennett of claiming that her firm managed as much as $2 billion though it never oversaw more than $407 million, and touting market-beating returns without revealing they were based on a model portfolio and not actual performance.
On Wednesday, the three SEC commissioners will vote on tweaks to rules governing in-house administrative proceedings.
The case is In re: Bennett Group Financial Services LLC et al, SEC Administrative Proceeding No. 3-16801.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Jeffrey Hodgson)
(SEOUL, South Korea) North Korea said Monday it will end a diplomatic communication channel with the United States and hinted at harsher punishment for Americans detained in the country in retaliation for U.S. sanctions that target leader Kim Jong Un.
The U.S. government last week imposed penalties on Kim and 10 other top officials for alleged human rights abuses. North Korea is already sanctioned because of its nuclear weapons program, but it was the first time that Kim has been personally sanctioned. The North called the sanctions tantamount to a war declaration.
On Monday, the Norths state media said it told the United States it will terminate contact through a U.N. channel in New York that allowed diplomats to communicate.
The New York channel refers to a method for North Koreas U.N. diplomats to communicate with U.S. diplomats in New York. This is needed because the countries dont have diplomatic ties and their animosities have deepened because of the Norths nuclear and missile programs.
In Washington, State Department spokesman John Kirby did not directly address the fate of the New York channel. In comments to reporters, he called on North Korea to refrain from actions and rhetoric that only further raise tensions in the region. He said he would not comment on the details of diplomatic exchanges.
The North also said it informed Washington that it will handle all issues between the two countries according to an unspecified wartime law, including Americans detained in North Korea, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.
South Korean media have suggested that North Korea might use the wartime law to hand out harsher punishments on Americans detained in the North.
The Norths actions could complicate U.S. efforts to secure the release of at least two American citizens being held for alleged espionage, subversion and other anti-state activities. One is serving a 10-year prison term with hard labor while the other received 15 years.
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Kirby urged North Korea to adhere to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and grant consular access to any detained U.S. citizens without delay. He also reiterated a call for the Americans to be freed.
North Korea in the past released or deported American detainees only after high-profile Americans visited the country on their behalf. Outside analysts say Pyongyang often attempts to use foreign detainees to wrest concessions from other countries.
The Norths announcement came hours after it made more threats, this time over a U.S. plan to deploy an advanced missile defense system in South Korea.
The Norths threat, carried in state media, was typical of past bluster. It came three days after Seoul and Washington said they were close to determining a location in South Korea for the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, system to better deal with North Korean threats.
The North said it will take an unspecified physical counter-action as soon as the THAAD location is announced. The statement also carried one of the Norths favorite, oft-repeated threats: To turn Seoul into a sea of fire. It has regularly warned it would do that since 1994. U.S. and South Korean officials say THAAD only targets North Korea, but China and Russia suspect it could also help U.S. radars detect their own missiles.
South Koreas President Park Geun-hye said Monday she agreed on the U.S. missile deployment because North Korea has openly threatened to launch nuclear and missile attacks on South Korea.
The two Koreas are divided along the worlds most heavily fortified border. The United States stations about 28,500 soldiers in South Korea.
___
Associated Press writer Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report.
With the nation reeling in the wake of last weeks fatal shootings of five Dallas police officers during a protest of recent police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota, it can be hard to find concrete examples of healing between the African-American community and law enforcement. But over the weekend, a black woman in a Boston suburb shared a poignant one.
In a Facebook post, Natasha Howell, of Andover, Mass., described a hopeful encounter she had with two local police officers at a convenience store on Friday morning.
As I walked through the door, I noticed that there were two white police officers talking to the clerk behind the counter about the shootings that have gone on in the past few days, Howell wrote. They all looked at me and fell silent.
When Howell approached the counter, one of the officers asked her how she was doing.
OK, and you? she replied.
How are you really doing? the officer responded.
Im tired! she said.
Me too, the officer said, adding, I guess its not easy being either of us right now, is it?
No, its not, Howell said.
More from Howells post:
Then he hugged me and I cried. I had never seen that man before in my life. I have no idea why he was moved to talk to me. What I do know is that he and I shared a moment this morning, that was absolutely beautiful. No judgments, No justifications, just two people sharing a moment.
The moment struck a chord. By Saturday afternoon, Howells post had been shared more than 30,000 times on Facebook.
According to Andover police, the officers involved in Howells encounter were not from their department, but from nearby Lawrence.
It is important to give credit where credit is due, the Andover Police Department wrote on its Facebook page. A female from a neighboring community posted a story about an experience at a convenience store involving a local police officer yesterday. Although the geo-tag in the post listed her as being in Andover, we did a little investigation and determined it was actually in Lawrence. Kudos to these Lawrence Police Department officers and all officers who do the right thing every day.
Related: Trauma surgeon who treated Dallas officers: This killing, it has to stop.
A Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who was Heptulla's deputy, has been assigned the Independent charge of the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
By Press Trust of India: Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptulla, who had crossed 75 years, resigned on Tuesday from the Union Cabinet along with Minister of State for Heavy Industries G M Siddeshwara.
Announcing their resignations, a Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said these have been accepted.
There was speculation last week when Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook the reshuffle that Heptulla and Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises Kalraj Mishra, who had recently turned 75, could be asked to quit.
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Modi is believed to have set an age bar of 75 years for ministers and had kept veterans like L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi out of the Cabinet and co-opted them in 'Margdarshak Mandal'.
NAQVI BECOMES MINORITY AFFAIRS MINISTER
The Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who was Heptulla's deputy, has been assigned the Independent charge of the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
According to government sources, Heptulla (76) was out of country and therefore could not submit her resignation on July 5 though she had decided to do so.
GM Siddeshwara. (File photo)
G M Siddeshwara (64), Minister of State of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, too was out of Delhi and could not submit his resignation on July 5, sources said, adding on Tuesday on return of the Prime Minister from abroad, they submitted their resignations, which have been accepted.
Siddeshwara, a Lok Sabha member from Karnataka, is believed to be among those who were asked to resign in the reshuffle on July 5 but he, sources said, had sought more time due to his birthday on the same day.
BABUL SUPRIYO GETS NEW MINISTRY
Babul Supriyo has been relieved of his existing portfolios as Minister of State for Urban Development and also Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation.
He has been assigned the portfolio of Minister of State in the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.
While Heptulla has resigned, Mishra remains in the Cabinet despite crossing 75 years. It is believed that he has been retained considering the crucial Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls early next year as he is noted Brahmin leader from the state.
Five ministers of state, Nihalchand, Ram Shankar Katheria, Sanwar Lal Jat, Manuskhbhai D Vasva and M K Kundariya were dropped in the reshuffle.
ALSO READ: Najma Heptullah eyes vice-president post, yet again
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By Phil Stewart ABOARD THE USS NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corps on Monday dispatched five military vessels to monitor a U.S. warship hosting one of America's top generals on a day trip through the Strait of Hormuz, coming as close as 500 yards (meters). For Army General Joseph Votel, who oversees all American military forces in the Middle East, the approaches were a safe though worrying reminder of how little time American forces have to decide whether IRGC ships might pose a threat. The five Iranian vessels consisted of four speedboats, three with mounted machine guns, as well as a guided missile patrol ship. "As you've seen in a relatively compressed space here, there is great opportunity for miscalculations," Votel, head of the U.S. military's Central Command, told reporters on the bridge of the USS New Orleans, an amphibious dock ship with about 650 Marines aboard. It was also the latest sign that the IRGC appears to be sticking to a familiar posture in the Gulf that predates last year's nuclear accord between Iran and six world powers including the United States. One of the four speedboats that approached the New Orleans and its escort, a Navy guided missile destroyer, the USS Stout, cut its engines and watched as the U.S. warships passed. An hour before, a larger Iranian guided-missile patrol craft came by. U.S. officials stressed that such approaches fell within the category of professional interactions, the kind they see during 90 percent of the U.S. Navy's roughly 250 transits through the Strait of Hormuz each year. But the Navy says some 10 percent are classified as unsafe, abnormal or unprofessional. "We don't always have a lot of time to deal with those interactions. I think what we've probably learned here today is that it's measured in minutes," Votel said. For its part, Iran sees the Gulf as its backyard and believes it has a legitimate interest in expanding its influence there. It has long argued that the region should organize its own security collectively, without outside powers. Accordingly Iran uses its sea power in the Gulf to show it will not be cowed by Washingtons naval presence, analysts say. But in 2008 and 2010, in moves that prompted critics to accuse Iran of destabilizing the region, the Islamic Republic threatened to disrupt oil shipping in the Gulf by shutting the Strait of Hormuz if there were any attack on its nuclear sites. CAPTURE OF U.S. SAILORS The U.S. military's concerns about Iran's behavior in places like the Strait, one of the world's most important oil shipping channels, have persisted despite the accord under which Tehran curbed its disputed atomic program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. "That (the nuclear deal) certainly has addressed one very important threat ... but their other activity out here has not changed," Votel said. Memories of Iran's brief capture of 10 U.S. sailors in January are also still fresh. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei awarded medals to IRGC commanders after the incident. Iran took video and pictures of the American sailors surrendering after blundering into Iranian territorial waters. A U.S. Navy report also said the Iranians replaced an American flag on board with an IRGC one, ransacked the vessels, and damaged equipment. The Navy also admonished U.S. sailors for straying into Iranian waters. Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said there were no signs of a change in the Revolutionary Guards' culture of viewing the United States as an inherent threat. "Ayatollah Khamenei, the commander in chief of the IRGC, regularly praises Iranian officials who defy the U.S. and scorns officials who advocate cooperation with the U.S.," Sadjadpour said. "I haven't seen any signs that this institutional culture has changed after the nuclear deal." Votel said Iran needed to be held accountable for its behavior and scorned its treatment of the U.S. sailors. The U.S. Navy says it has given assistance to 11 Iranian-flagged vessels in distress in the Gulf since 2012. "If we came across a ship, a small vessel in the area, we would try to assist it," Votel said. (Additional reporting by Yeganeh Torbati and William Maclean; editing by Mark Heinrich)
DHAKA (Reuters) - A meeting between Bangladesh central bank officials and the New York Federal Reserve scheduled for this week to speed up efforts to recover $81 million stolen from Bangladesh Bank's account at the Fed has been postponed, officials in Dhaka said.
A four-member Bangladesh Bank team headed by deputy governor Mohammad Razee Hassan, who also heads its financial intelligence unit, was to meet Fed officials in New York on July 15.
"We are in talks with the Fed and hoping that the meeting will take place anytime at the end of this month or next month," said a senior Bangladesh Bank official, declining to be named.
Another official in Dhaka confirmed the postponement. Both declined to give the reason for the delay.
More than five months have passed since hackers issued fake payment instructions on the SWIFT transactions system to steal $81 million from the Bangladesh central bank's account with the Fed, but authorities in various countries have yet to identify the criminals or make any arrests.
Bangladesh Bank officials have said more coordination was needed with the Fed to recover the $81 million, most of which went to accounts in the Philippines before ending up with casino agents.
A New York Fed official, who requested anonymity, said on June 30 that the goal of a meeting with Bangladesh Bank would be to "understand what happened, what remediation steps have been taken by Bangladesh Bank to meet its contractual obligations, and to begin a path to normalize operations".
This would be the second face-to-face encounter between Bangladesh Bank and Fed since a May 10 meeting in Basel, after which they agreed to jointly work to recover the stolen money and catch the culprits. Officials from SWIFT were at the Basel meeting but will not join the New York discussions.
(Reporting by Ruma Paul, Krishna N. Das and Jonathan Spicer; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
Washington (AFP) - US President Barack Obama heads to Dallas on Tuesday to offer comfort to relatives of the five police officers slain in a sniper ambush -- and to try to unify a nation struggling to process a raw week of deadly violence and racial tensions.
For Obama, his speech at an interfaith memorial service in the sprawling Texas city -- with Vice President Joe Biden and former president George W. Bush at his side -- will serve as a monumental leadership test as his presidency winds down.
Eight years ago, Obama's charisma and ability to inspire propelled him to office as America's first black president, and raised hopes that the country would overcome some of its deeply entrenched societal divides.
Even on Saturday, as the country reeled from the Dallas sniper attack targeting police, Obama -- who cut short a trip to Europe so he could head to Texas -- sounded a note of optimism.
"I firmly believe that America is not as divided as some have suggested," he told a news conference at a NATO summit in Warsaw.
"There is sorrow, there is anger, there is confusion... but there is unity."
Soaring words no longer seem enough.
America is all too familiar with armed violence, but the country now finds itself on a new precipice.
From Charleston to Orlando to Dallas, the past year has seen a torrent of slaughter motivated by hate.
The massacres have brought a measure of common revulsion, but not a common purpose, as gun control legislation has remained elusive on Capitol Hill.
"The president recognizes that it's not just people in Dallas who are grieving -- it's people all across the country who are concerned about the violence that so many Americans have witnessed in the last week or so," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday.
"The president is hoping to offer some measure of comfort tomorrow."
- Black and blue lives matter -
Each week seemingly brings a new shaky image of a police officer shooting dead a black American -- images that quickly go viral and revive tough questions about race and policing.
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Last week, the controversial fatal police shootings of two black men, Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota, prompted nationwide anger, with thousands of protesters taking to the streets from coast to coast.
They also seemingly triggered the deadly rampage in Dallas by black Afghanistan war veteran Micah Johnson, as a protest against police brutality was wrapping up.
Johnson, 25, used a high-powered rifle to kill five police officers and wound nine others in a sniper attack late Thursday. Two civilians were also hurt.
He told negotiators before he was killed that he wanted to murder white cops in revenge for the black deaths.
Obama has struggled most to tether the twin ghosts of race and guns that have been raised by the Dallas shooting.
"There is no contradiction between us supporting law enforcement... and also saying that there are problems across our criminal justice system, there are biases -- some conscious and unconscious -- that have to be rooted out," Obama said.
"So when people say 'black lives matter,' that doesn't mean blue lives don't matter; it just means all lives matter."
- 'I'd do it again' -
In Dallas, Police Chief David Brown said his department was combing through dozens of hours of video footage to piece together the events of Thursday night.
The chaos ended when police used a bomb robot to kill Johnson.
Brown defended the use of the $150,000 robot, usually deployed for bomb disposal.
"This wasn't an ethical dilemma for me. I'd do it again," Brown said.
Dallas (AFP) - President Barack Obama attended a somber memorial Tuesday to five police officers slain in a sniper ambush in Dallas, as he seeks to unify a country divided by race and politics.
Accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama, the president left Washington with the depressingly familiar task of ministering to a country stunned by gun violence.
The mayor of Dallas opened the service, saying the "soul of our city was pierced."
In the days since the shooting that rocked America -- carried out by a black gunman intent on killing whites in retribution for police brutality -- Mike Rawlings said the city's residents "have sobbed and paid tribute."
"Today we open our city's doors" he said, thanking Obama for attending the memorial service.
But the most poignant tribute was to "peacemakers in blue" Brent Thompson, Patrick Zamarripa, Michael Krol, Lorne Ahrens and Michael Smith.
Each officer was represented by an empty chair in the auditorium, each adorned with a folded US flag and officer's cap.
Obama spent much of Monday preparing his address to the interfaith service, also attended by his predecessor, Republican former president George W. Bush.
His address comes as a monumental test of leadership as tenure in the White House comes to an end.
- Back to the 1960s? -
Eight years ago, Obama's rhetorical prowess made him America's first black president and raised hopes that the country could overcome deeply entrenched societal divides.
Today, Obama insists those divisions are not as great as shootings, social networks or the media would have you believe.
"I firmly believe that America is not as divided as some have suggested," Obama said on a European trip cut short because of the Dallas shooting.
This is not, he argued, the dark days of the 1960s, when American cities burned and assassins' bullets killed President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.
"The president recognizes that it's not just people in Dallas who are grieving -- it's people all across the country who are concerned about the violence that so many Americans have witnessed in the last week or so," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday.
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"The president is hoping to offer some measure of comfort tomorrow."
The challenge for Obama is not to be seen as offering a professorial answer -- through yet another intricately crafted speech -- to people's visceral concerns.
From Charleston to Orlando to Dallas, the past year has seen a torrent of slaughter motivated by hate.
The massacres have brought a measure of common revulsion, but not a common purpose.
Republicans in Congress steadfastly oppose even piecemeal gun controls.
Each week seemingly brings new shaky footage of a police officer shooting dead a black American -- images that quickly go viral and revive tough questions about race and policing.
- America, black and blue -
Last week, the fatal police shootings of two black men, Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota, prompted nationwide anger, with thousands of protesters taking to the streets from coast to coast.
They also seemingly triggered the deadly rampage in Dallas by black Afghanistan war veteran Micah Johnson, as a protest against police brutality was wrapping up.
Johnson, 25, used a high-powered rifle to kill five police officers and wound nine others in a sniper attack late Thursday. Two civilians were also hurt.
He told negotiators before he was killed that he wanted to murder white cops in revenge for the black deaths.
Obama has struggled most to tether the twin specters of race and guns that have been raised by the Dallas shooting.
"There is no contradiction between us supporting law enforcement... and also saying that there are problems across our criminal justice system, there are biases -- some conscious and unconscious -- that have to be rooted out," Obama said.
"So when people say 'black lives matter,' that doesn't mean blue lives don't matter; it just means all lives matter."
In Dallas, a black trauma surgeon Brian Williams, who treated several police officers, gave poignant voice to the fissures that have shaken the country.
He spoke of buying ice cream for a cops so that his young daughter could see him interacting normally with the police -- and not grow up with the same fears he has.
Addressing police, he said: "I support you, I will defend you and I will care for you."
"That doesn't mean that I do not fear you."
DALLAS, Texas (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Tuesday hailed the service of the five police officers slain in Dallas last week at a protest against police violence. "Our entire way of life in America depends on the rule of law," Obama said at a memorial service for the officers. "In this country we don't have soldiers in the streets, or militias setting the rules. Instead we have public servants, police officers like the ones who were taken from us." (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Will Dunham)
Dallas (AFP) - President Barack Obama implored Americans of all races to show more unity and understanding as he addressed an emotional memorial for five slain policemen in Dallas.
The president, accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama, leaned heavily on scripture as he ministered to a country stunned by gun violence and torn asunder by race and politics.
"I know that Americans are struggling right now with what we've witnessed over the past week," he said.
A succession of shootings, each racially charged, has led to a sense that "the deepest fault lines of our democracy have suddenly been exposed, perhaps even widened," Obama said.
"I'm here to say we must reject such despair. I'm here to insist that we are not as divided as we seem."
From Charleston to Orlando to last week's ambush in Dallas, by a black gunman out to kill whites in retribution for police violence, the past year has seen a torrent of slaughter motivated by hate.
Each week seemingly brings new shaky footage of a police officer shooting dead a black American -- images that quickly go viral and revive tough questions about race and policing.
Obama's speech included a frank admission that his own efforts to tackle violence, guns and racism had come up short.
"I have spoken at too many memorials during the course of this presidency," he said with uncommon candor. "I've seen how a spirit of unity born of tragedy can gradually dissipate."
"I've seen how inadequate words can be in bringing about lasting change. I've seen how inadequate my own words have been."
- 'We've heard prejudice' -
Eight years ago, Obama's rhetorical prowess made him America's first black president and raised hopes that the country could overcome deeply entrenched societal divides.
Tuesday's memorial service showed a weary president whose hopes for change had been thwarted.
The way out, Obama said -- suggesting work that will continue beyond his presidency -- was for Americans to open their hearts to each other.
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Black Americans protesting police racism, he said, must understand how hard the police's job can be.
"You know how dangerous some of the communities where these police officers serve are. And you pretend as if there's no context?"
But Obama also challenged a mostly-white police force and white Americans at large to admit that while the edifice of legalized racism had gone, prejudice remained.
"We have all seen this bigotry in our own lives at some point," he said.
"We've heard it at times in our own homes. If we're honest, perhaps we've heard prejudice in our own heads and felt it in our own hearts."
- 'We flood communities with guns' -
That call for unity was echoed by former president George W. Bush, Obama's predecessor.
"Too often we judge other groups by their worst examples, while judging ourselves by our best intentions," said the Dallas resident.
But Obama, a Democrat, also made a call for Bush's fellow Republicans to realize the cost of their opposition to gun control and spending on mental health and drug treatment.
"We allow poverty to fester so that entire neighborhoods offer no prospect for gainful employment," Obama said, pointing to a string of causes for violence.
"We refuse to fund drug treatment and mental health programs. We flood communities with so many guns that it is easier for a teenager to buy a Glock than get his hands on a computer or even a book."
Following the service, Obama met for more than an hour with families of the officers killed and wounded, along with Bush and Vice President Joe Biden, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. The three men were accompanied by their wives.
- America, black and blue -
Last week, the fatal police shootings of two black men, Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota, prompted nationwide anger, with thousands of protesters taking to the streets from coast to coast.
They also seemingly motivated black Afghanistan war veteran Micah Johnson to carry out his deadly rampage in Dallas just as a protest against police brutality was wrapping up.
Johnson, 25, used a high-powered rifle for the killings, also wounding nine other police officers and two civilians in Thursday's sniper attack.
Before he was killed by a police robot, Johnson told negotiators he wanted to murder white cops in revenge for the black deaths.
The memorial paid a poignant tribute to the fallen "peacemakers in blue" -- Brent Thompson, Patrick Zamarripa, Michael Krol, Lorne Ahrens and Michael Smith.
Each officer was represented by an empty chair in the auditorium, adorned with a folded US flag and officer's cap.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had moved the high court to get access to the documents submitted my the ministry of corporate affairs, ministry of finance and other department in the matter.
By India Today Web Desk: In a big relief to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald Case, the Delhi High Court today set aside trial court's order summoning documents from the ministries of finance and corporate Affairs and other agencies and balance sheet of the party for 2010-2011.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had moved the high court to get access to the documents submitted my the ministry of corporate affairs, ministry of finance and other department in the matter. Congress leaders had challenged the order.
What I heard was I was entitled to the documents but it was exparte given so I should go back to Patiala Court ask again and TDK be heard. Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) July 12, 2016
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Swamy had told the high court that he needs access to the documents for arguments in the case.
All about the National Herald Case
A Delhi Court had on March 11 given its nod to Swamy's plea, seeking the balance sheets of the Indian National Congress (INC) and Associated Journals Pvt Limited (AJL) for the purpose of investigation in this case.
WHAT IS NATIONAL HERALD CASE
Swamy had accused Sonia, Rahul and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by just paying Rs 50 lakh by which Young Indian Pvt Ltd.obtained the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore which the AJL had owed to the Congress.
Besides the Congress president and her son, Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda are the other accused in this case.
Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, who had appeared before a trial court, in the case were granted unconditional bail in December last year. The Gandhis were, however, asked to furnish a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and a surety of same amount respectively.
Also Read:
National Herald case: Sonia, Rahul Gandhi need not appear for court hearings, says Supreme Court
National Herald case: Sonia, Rahul Gandhi move Supreme Court against Delhi HC order
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Oklahoma City police have arrested a mother on suspicion of fatally stabbing her 8-month-old son and seriously injuring her 4-year-old daughter and a 28-year-old man, thought to be her partner.
Raven Veloz was charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon. Police say they entered an apartment early on Monday, July 11, and found four people with knife wounds (including Veloz herself).
PHOTOS: Celebrity Deaths in 2016: Stars Weve Lost
Baby Ezekiel Veloz, 8 months, was pronounced dead when police arrived on the scene. The state medical examiner's office said the boy's cause of death was multiple stab wounds.
Neighbors at the Cambridge Landing Apartments told News 9 that police and fire crews had to break down the apartment door to get in. Officers say that Raven Veloz's wounds appeared to be self-inflicted.
PHOTOS: Celebrity Health Scares
According to prior reports and Facebook entries, it appears that another of Velozs children died earlier this year. The mothers 2-year-old daughter reportedly passed away in January as a result of SIDS; the state medical examiner's office ruled the death as natural.
PHOTOS: Stars at Court
This story will be updated as more details become available.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / July 12, 2016 / Stans Energy Corp. ("Stans" or the "Company") (OTCQB: HREEF; TSX-V: HRE) announces that the Ontario Superior Court of Justice has ruled that Centerra Gold (TSX:CG) shares (the "Shares") are the property of Kyrgyzaltyn JSC ("Kyrgyzaltyn") not the Kyrgyz Republic.
At issue was whether the Kyrgyz Republic (the "Republic") is in fact the beneficial owner of the Shares through Kyrgyzaltyn, the mining company 100% owned by the Republic. The shares are currently being pursued as security in multiple cases of damages awarded by various International Arbitration Tribunals against the Republic.
In the matter of Belokon et. al v. the Kyrgyz Republic, of which Stans was a joint applicant, Justice Conway ruled that, among other things, "the Republic does not have 'any equitable or other right, property, interest or equity of redemption' in the Centerra shares that is subject to seizure and sale.."
An appeal of this decision is under consideration.
"As the case continues to evolve, Stans remains committed to pursuing full resolution of both the awards of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the upcoming UNCITRAL arbitration," states Rodney Irwin, Interim President and CEO.
About Stans Energy
Stans Energy Corp. is a resource development company focused on advancing rare earth and specialty metals properties focusing on areas of Central Asia and Russia. Stans acquired, among other things, the right to mine the past producing rare earth mine, Kutessay II, in the Kyrgyz Republic in 2009 and the right to mine Beryllium at Kalesay. Steps subsequently taken by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic wrongfully to deprive the Company of those mining rights have required Stans to take the actions described above to protect the Company's rights and recover damages caused by the Republic's wrongful actions.
We seek safe harbour.
Contact Details
Rodney Irwin
Interim President & CEO
rodney@stansenergy.com
647-426-1865
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David Vinokurov
VP Corporate Development
david@stansenergy.com
647-426-1865
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This document includes forward-looking statements as well as historical information. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, use of proceeds from the Offering, the completion of the Offering, the continued advancement of the company's general business development, research development and the company's development of mineral exploration projects. When used in this press release , the words "will," "shall," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intent," "may," "project," "plan," "should" and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. Although Stans Energy Corp. believes that their expectations reflected in these forward looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties and no assurance can be given that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statement. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements include the potential that fluctuations in the marketplace for the sale of minerals, the inability to implement corporate strategies, the ability to obtain financing and other risks disclosed in our filings made with Canadian Securities Regulators.
SOURCE: Stans Energy Corp.
Avignon (France) (AFP) - Acclaimed Israeli director Amos Gitai has returned to the 1995 assassination of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin in a new play which examines what he calls an "open wound in Israel's history".
The film-maker made an award-winning documentary last year -- "Rabin, The Last Day" -- about the last 24 hours of the murdered leader's life.
The former general was shot by a Jewish extremist opposed to the Oslo peace accords with the Palestinians, for which Rabin had won the Nobel peace prize.
But in "Yitzhak Rabin, Chronicle of an Assassination" -- premiering this week at the Avignon festival in France -- Gitai recounts the killing through the eyes of his widow.
And in a twist in keeping with her own tireless efforts for peace, Leah Rabin is played by both Franco-Israeli star Sarah Adler and a Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass.
Using long interviews he conducted with Leah Rabin before she died in 2000, Gitai shows how the killing was "both a personal tragedy and an unprecedented historic disaster for the country".
Rabin was murdered by a lone gunman as he got into his car after a peace rally in Tel Aviv.
In one chilling scene, Leah Rabin tells how the night before the killing a group of 50 far-right activists surrounded their home.
Among them was her husband's killer, Yigal Amir.
- 'Hang by the heels' -
Alone inside, she listened as they threatened to hang her "by the heels next to your husband like Mussolini and his mistress" in a reference to the Italian dictator and his lover, whose corpses were displayed in a Milan square in the last days of World War II.
In both the play and the film, Gitai blames the killing on an atmosphere of hate he claims was whipped up by the Israeli right including by the future prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
He described his documentary as a "commission of inquiry" into the murder.
"(The) official one mostly investigated the security failures of the police and security services but never asked why," he told AFP.
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"His murder came at the end of a hate campaign led by hallucinating rabbis, settlers who were against the withdrawal from territories, and the parliamentary right, led by the Likud (party), already then headed by Netanyahu, who wanted to destabilise Rabin's Labour government," he said.
Gitai, who was wounded in the 1973 Yom Kippur war when his helicopter was hit by a Syrian missile, described Rabin as a "patriot and a peacemaker" and said it was vital that the memory of what he was doing is kept alive.
The play also reveals how Rabin hesitated about going to the rally, fearing that if there wasn't a huge crowd his presence might weaken the peace movement.
- Netanyahu blamed -
As "Rabin, The Last Day" outlines, in the months before his assassination, an ugly mood had developed, with virulent speeches from politicians such as Netanyahu at rallies against the Oslo accords. At one of them, Rabin was depicted in a Nazi uniform.
Leah Rabin accused Netanyahu of inciting hatred against her husband, saying, "I will never forgive him."
Gitai, best know for his films "Kadosh" and "Kippur", is also staging a travelling exhibition about Rabin's murder in Avignon, and the play will later transfer to the Lincoln Center in New York.
Two decades after Rabin's death, he insisted that "the only alternative to the those now in power is this dead man.
"I know I am touching on a very sensitive subject in Israeli. Only a few days ago at the Jerusalem festival the Minister of Culture (Miri Regev) accused Israeli artists of being Trojan horses of the enemy," Gitai said.
As the Israel government defies international condemnation of renewed settlement building on the West Bank, Gitai said "we must talk about (Rabin's) ideas of moderation, reconciliation and moves towards the other" rather than the maximalist mentality that dominates the "Middle East with every group out for their own interests".
Gitai said this "civic" message is not just for his own troubled region.
"Whipping up hate has become a good way of getting elected all over the world right now when you look at Donald Trump in the United States, and what is happening in Europe, Israel, and the Middle East."
Popular European Tour Company Announces the Addition of the First Free Barcelona Bike Tours in Early July 2016 with the Addition of the Original Barcelona Free Bike Tour
BERLIN, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / July 12, 2016 / As European tourism kicks off its summer, a unique tour company has announced the arrival of Barcelona's first free bike tours. The free bike tours are a continuation of the now popular Europe free walking tours that can be found in almost every major European city. The free bike tours in Barcelona are scheduled to start in early July and will feature a history tour around many of Barcelona's most visited areas.
The company responsible for starting these Free bike tours is Original Europe Tours, who's free walking tours can already be found in many other European cities. The company believes that these types of free tours offer guests a much better experience and keeps tours fun and sociable. Head tour guide David Campisi explains, "I very much believe in the free tour concept, the relationship between tour guides and tour guests is changing. Instead of talking at them, we talk with them and get to know one another. This type of open dialogue and conversations leads to questions about history, culture, and the city you are showing off. Its like getting to know a city with your friend!"
The company launches its first free bike tours in Barcelona starting early July.
The free, 3-hour bike tour will run everyday at 10:30 and 14:30, and feature historical highlights of the city. During this social tour, individuals will experience Barcelona's culture in a social, informative and fun atmosphere. Starting on the famous Las Ramblas, modern Barcelona is also ca topic of the tour with guides commonly calling out great places to eat, drink, and other modern day travel tips. To try and beat the heat the company will also be giving out free water to tour participants.
"I think offering these young travelers in Barcelona a place to meet up and really get a good view of the history and culture in this town is something badly needed," explains Sean Ruigrok Van de Werve Original Europe Tours, CEO. "It's our company belief that everyone has the right to learn about our history and see the amazing places in the world."
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In addition to the original Free Barcelona Bike Tour the company also runs the Original Barcelona Pub Crawl, and says more tours are being planned for launch very soon. To learn more about the variety of tour services, please visit: http://free-barcelona-tours.com/.
About the company:
Founded in (2010), Original Europe Tours believes all travelers deserve the opportunity to experience all the wonders of Europe. The company, which is based out of Berlin, offers a full range of tours including free walking tours, day trips, and nightlife tours. They believe their style of tours and unique way they offer travelers and holiday makers to pay what they can. Is filling a void in the market and expanding education by getting people who normally would not take a walking tour to really enjoy socializing and learning all the great things these cities have to offer. All ages can discover the wonders of the European cities by day or nightlife with native fun guides.
For media inquiries regarding Original Vienna Tours, individuals are encouraged to contact the company's Media Manager, Sebastian Starr directly at 49 157 838 93416 or via email at info@original-europe-tours.com. To learn more about the company, please visit: http://free-barcelona-tours.com/ or http://original-europe-tours.com.
Contact:
Original Europe Tours Gmbh
info@originalberlintours.com
SOURCE: Original Europe Tours Gmbh
A take-out owner in New Zealand foiled an armed robbery by simply ignoring the thief in question.
The robber was very confused by my behaviour Said Ahmed told the Guardian of his actions that confused and eventually led to the armed man leaving his shop in the city of Christchurch. He wanted to scare me but I wasnt scared, so I took away his power said Ahmed, who is originally from Egypt.
In footage of the incident that took place on July 9 in Christchurch, Ahmed is seen preparing a chicken souvlaki for a waiting customer as the robber brandishes a gun. He then serves the customer before turning his back and walking away from the robber.
I passed the customer his food because I wanted him to leave the shop and not be in any danger Ahmed said. My heart was beating quickly, I was scared, but I wasnt going to show him that. That is why my nature is cool. I have been 20 years here and never seen any fighting. In Egypt it happens every day but in New Zealand I am calm because it is a safe country.
Stocks look to continue the recent rally with more gains today. The S&P 500 is on track for fresh record highs at the open this morning. Alcoa beat earnings expectations, which is adding to the bullish mood. Global stocks have added $12.6 trillion in value since hitting bottom in March 2009. The Securities and Exchange Commission is reportedly investigating Tesla . The Los Angeles Times says it is looking into whether it broke securities laws by failing to disclose that one of its drivers had died while using the company's autopilot software. The electric car maker is facing criticism for not disclosing the crash to the SEC and investors. Taylor Swift is the world's top earning celebrity, according to Forbes. It estimated she earned $170 million between June 2015 and June 2016. There will be lots of Federal Reserve Speak today. API releases oil inventories and the JOLTS job openings are out.
Each day at 8:00 am hundreds of people race with six huge bulls Each day at 8:00 am hundreds of people race with six huge bulls
Thousands of revellers have gathered for this years San Fermin bull-running festival in Pamplona, Spain.
The nine-day fiesta dates back to medieval times. It involves religious processions and all-night partying in addition to the hair-raising daily bull runs that have made it famous.
Each day at 8:00 am hundreds of people race with six huge bulls, charging along a winding, roughly 850-metre (more than half a mile) course through narrow streets to the citys bull ring, where the animals are killed in an afternoon bullfight.
The bravest run as close to the tips of the horns as possible without being gored.
Eleven people, including three Americans, have been gored since the runs started on Thursday.
In all, 15 people have died from gorings at the festival since record-keeping began in 1924.
Para is accepted by DTC to trade on OTC under symbol PRSRF
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 12, 2016 / Para Resources Inc. (the "Company" or "Para") (TSXV - "PBR") (WKN "A14YF1") (OTC "PRSRF") is pleased to announce that Para and it's 100% Colombian subsidiary Zara Holdings S.A.S. ("Zara") have entered into a Definitive Agreement dated July 7, 2016 (the "Agreement") with OTU Gold Ltd ("OTU") to acquire certain mining titles, as well as several mining applications, which are located within the Republic of Colombia, (collectively the "North Otu Properties"). The purchase of the North Otu Properties and the assignment and transfer to ZARA of these properties includes all the rights and interests of OTU except for the rights pertaining to non-metallic minerals on the North Otu Properties. The purchase price is US$1,000,000 (the "Purchase Price") and will be paid to OTU as follows:
1. US $500,000 non-refundable deposit (paid).
2. US $250,000 payable July 7, 2017. This non-refundable payment is evidenced by a promissory note and a letter of instruction in favor of OTU.
3. US$250,000 payable within 5 business days of the date that the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") accepts the Agreement for filing (the "Acceptance Date") by the issuance to OTU of 1,270,000 common shares of PARA at a deemed price of $0.25734, being the volume weighted average closing price of PARA's shares on the Exchange for the five trading days immediately before the date of the Agreement.
4. ZARA will pay a Royalty of 2% of the net smelter returns (the "NSR" ) from the sale of minerals produced from the North Otu Properties. The NSR will be calculated from the results of direct exploitation, through formalization contracts or subcontracts of operations or any figure that allows economic benefit as a result of the exploitation of minerals in these areas. ZARA may, at its discretion at any time until June 28, 2021, reduce the NSR from 2% to 1%, paying the amount of US$1,000,000 to OTU. This amount will be constituted by US $750,000 in cash and US $250,000 by the issuance of that number of common shares of PARA calculated based on the volume weighted average closing price of PARA's shares on the Exchange for the five trading days immediately before reduction of the NSR.
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In addition to the mineral rights, OTU has transferred to Zara its contractual position in the following contracts with Equilibria Colombia S.A.S.:
5. Long form contract dated September 18, 2015 regarding Alacran, Delirios and Diamantina mines; and
6. Short form contract dated September 18, 2015 regarding the same claims.
All shares issued to Otu by PARA under this Agreement are subject to resale restrictions of not less than 4 months and one day following their date of issue, in accordance with Canadian securities laws.
Para's CEO, Geoff Hampson states, "Purchasing roughly 21,000 Ha of mineral rights surrounding our El Limon Mine is an important step in realizing Para's strategy of developing additional sources of feed material for the El Limon processing plant. The Company plans to quantify the amount of gold recoverable on these properties through an exploration program. The results of that program are expected to justify an investment to further increase the through-put of the El Limon Mill. There are already several operating small scale underground mines on the North Otu Properties that we expect to enhance and develop. The mineralized rock will then be processed at the El Limon plant. Additionally, there is a very positive environmental effect from El Limon processing material from these existing mines and from the approximately 1,000 small artisanal miners working this property. These miners currently use mercury amalgamation to extract the gold from the rock. By processing this material at El Limon, Para will be assisting Colombia in its stated goal of eliminating mercury in mining by 2017."
Para's F2017 exploration budget is intended to gather enough data to allow the Company to publish a NI 43-101 compliant resource calculation for both the El Limon and the acquired North Otu Properties.
On July 5, 2016 Para was informed by the Deposit Trust Corporation ("DTC") that the Company's shares are now DTC eligible and can trade on the OTC "Pink" market under symbol PRSRF. Acceptance by DTC makes it easier for US investors to trade in the Company's shares.
ABOUT EL LIMON
The El Limon property is located in the northwest part of Colombia near the town of Zaragoza, Antioquia, Colombia and is accessible via both paved highways and gravel roads. The mine is situated in the wide Zaragoza Gold District which extends from El Bagre to Remedios and based on the historical alluvium mining and the number of primary underground gold mines, is considered to be one of the most prolific gold zones in Colombia. The El Limon claims cover a total area of approximately 321 hectares, including 129.6 hectares in RPP No. 12011 and 191.1 hectares in the concession contract No. 620 which is located west of the currently exploited zone.
Typical production grades of the region range from 8-12 g/t Au diluted. However, higher grade mines do exist, such as Quintana and El Limon mines at 8-29 g/t Au diluted. Vein widths are typically below 1 m although both the hanging wall and the footwall zones can contain appreciable economic mineralization within the high-grade cores.
The El Limon mine is currently operating underground on Levels 6 and 7 where the diluted head grade continues to be high at approximately 8+ gpt Au. The vein system is open at depth but constrained at both ends by faults. Management believes the El Limon property offers multiple exploration targets that could significantly increase the life of the mine. It is management's intention to utilize some of the cash generated from mining, to drill the property to expand the number of targeted areas for mining.
Mr. Paulo J. Andrade, a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (MAIG #6136), Senior Geologist, VP and Country Manager for Para Resources, Inc., a CP/QP under NI-43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release.
ABOUT PARA RESOURCES:
Para Resources is an exploration stage gold mining and toll milling company. Para owns approximately 70% of the El Limon project, in Colombia, which in addition to its current underground operation has toll milling opportunities, and exploration and development upside. In addition, the Company is gearing up to commence trial mining operations at its Tucuma Project and in particular on the Angelim prospect in Para State, Brazil. Para Resources will continue to take advantage of current market conditions to acquire and develop additional highly economic, near-term production assets that have strong exploration and development upside.
Management's production decisions for the El Limon Gold Project are not based on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability. As a result, the project has a much higher risk of economic or technical failure and may adversely impact the Company's projected profits, if any. The risks associated with this decision are set forth in the Company's latest annual management's discussion and analysis available on the Company's website and the under Para's SEDAR profile on www.sedar.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
"C. Geoffrey Hampson"
C. Geoffrey Hampson, Chief Executive Officer and Director
For further information, please contact Andrea Laird: Telephone: +1-604-259-0302
Neither 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 release.
All statements, analysis and other information contained in this press release about anticipated future events or results constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to business and economic risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of operations to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. Management believes that its estimates regarding its production plan and recovery from the El Limon mine are reasonable; however there are no assurances that the production estimates will be met for factors beyond the control of management, including the impact of proposed improvements at the mine, the impact of general business and economic conditions, fluctuating metal prices, currency exchange rates, possible variations in grade or recovery rates, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, the possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, higher prices for fuel, power, labour and other consumables contributing to higher costs and general risks of the mining industry, failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, government regulation, environmental risks and title disputes or claims. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements even if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable laws. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
SOURCE: Para Resources Inc.
By PTI: Srinagar, Jul 12 (PTI) Amid ongoing violence in Kashmir, moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today said there is a need to understand the "truth and reality" of the Kashnir issue and address it accordingly.
"Kashmir issue is not about governance or giving economic packages, neither is about economic incentives," he said.
"The only way out of this problem is to address the problem political and not militarily and initiate engagements among all stakeholders to the issue; that is India, Pakistan and most importantly the people of Jammu and Kashmir with the view to resolve the issue once for all," he said.
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He criticised the Centres decision of sending more paramilitary forces to Kashmir to deal with the unrest, saying it will only add fuel to the fire.
Meanwhile, the moderate Hurriyat Conference, along with hardline Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and JKLF issued a joint statement, saying local police should not carry weapons, lethal or otherwise, while dealing with protesters, since the are a "part and parcel" of the Kashmiri society.
Violent protests erupted in Kashmir Valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideens poster boy Burhan Wani in an joint operation by Jammu and Kashmir Police and the army last Friday.
So far, 25 civilians have been been killed and more than 350 people, including over 115 security forces, injured in the clashes between people and security personnel. PTI MIJ AQS AKK AKK
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Asuncion (AFP) - The man behind the 2012 massacre of 17 police and farmers in Paraguay, in a crisis that helped bring down a president, was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
Farmers' leader Ruben Villalba was on Monday handed the stiffest possible sentence for the killings in Curuguaty, 250 kilometers (155 miles) northwest of the capital.
The violence broke out when authorities ordered police in to remove landless farmers who were squatting on ranch land they did not own there.
It helped lead to leftist then president Fernando Lugo's impeachment.
Three other suspects convicted along with Villalba were sentenced to terms between 18 and 20 years.
Hundreds of Lugo supporters rallied outside the Justice Ministry against the sentences.
Lugo, a former Roman Catholic bishop, was seen as close to leaders of South America's hard left.
His vice president served out his term but was not recognized by some countries, and international organizations.
Conservative President Horacio Cartes since 2013 has moved the country back to full recognition and international involvement.
The idea of selling your home can be quite daunting. Add to the equation a young child and the task may seem impossible.
Fortunately, that doesn't have to be the case. Through careful planning, decluttering, and creating easy upkeep, the hassles of selling your current home and transitioning to your new one can be kept to a minimum. Here are five tips for selling your home with young children.
[See: 10 Unorthodox Ways Your Real Estate Agent May Market Your Home.]
Know what you need ahead of time. The first step in preparing to put your house on the market when you have one or more young children is to analyze what your children need throughout the day, what they will need in the next couple of months, and what is unnecessary. With this information, you can create a plan for removing any unessential items.
The average listing period will range depending on where you live, but could be anywhere from a couple weeks to a couple months. You will need to plan for the cumulative amount of time, involving not only the timeframe until you go under contract, but the transaction period and moving time as well.
First, create a list of items of absolute necessity in your child's daily activities. These will stay in your house and should remain easily accessible throughout the listing period. As you declutter the rest of the house, you'll find you have additional room to store bottles, dishes, cleaning supplies and more. You can place these items in an organized fashion within a pantry or cabinets while you have showings, then remove them for use when you're home.
Next, you'll want to figure out what daily items your child will be needing in the coming months. One of the more difficult aspects of raising children is keeping up with their constant development. Planning months in advance will only heighten your awareness of this fact.
Items for the future should be divided into two different sections. The first should be for the next month or two -- items which, regardless of how fast your home sells, will be needed but aren't currently in use. Label and box these for storage within your home. The second group should be for items you may need should your house not sell in as timely a manner as you hope -- plan for the worst and hope for the best.
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[See: 10 Tips to Sell Your Home Fast.]
Sell the Family Atmosphere. When selling your house, it's important to remember who you will be marketing to. Especially if you're located close to schools or parks, it's a good possibility that many of your potential buyers either have or are considering having kids in the future. With this in mind, embrace your "family-oriented" home.
Remember, the average buyer does not have a great sense of creativity, so it's important to show them the true potential of the house and each room within. You should have distinctly child-themed areas, but also areas specifically for adults such as the living room, master bedroom and office. The family room and kitchen, as well as the basement depending on your setup, can show off a more whole-family theme.
If you have a nursery or child's room, play it up. Don't make it look like just another bedroom -- but don't go overboard and have every baby trinket known to man scattered around. A unique room that shows your child's personality through its design will help accentuate the space, as well as separate the house in the buyers' minds from others they've seen. Rather than being just another three-bed, two-bath townhouse, you're "the one with the awesome racecar-themed room."
If you do nothing else, declutter. Clutter is the bane of every listing agent's existence. It creates a less inviting, small-looking space, which doesn't allow the potential buyer to see the full potential of the room. By eliminating as much stuff as possible, not only will you create a welcoming environment, but you will also have a more manageable situation for yourself during the listing period.
One of the biggest clutter creators is toys. While creating an organized environment is imperative, that certainly doesn't mean you have to get rid of every GI Joe, Barbie doll, or Mickey Mouse stuffed animal your child has. Paring down your kid's current collection is not only helpful in minimizing clutter, it can also create renewed interest when you reintroduce the toy to him or her after the moving process.
Shop around for baskets and bins fitting your home's design style that will create a fashionable storage area for any loose toys or other items you keep in your family room or other areas you aim to market as primarily family or adult areas.
Pricing Considerations. The argument for pricing your house aggressively is always preferential to attract the highest number of buyers in the shortest amount of time to reach top dollar, but in no situation more so than when a child is involved. The day-to-day hassle of maintaining a pristine house, always ready to be shown, can be taxing on both parent and child alike.
[See: 8 Types of Roads That Can Have a Big Impact on Home Sales.]
Create a Schedule and Be Ready to Change It. Many real estate agents today use scheduling services for showing appointments that will contact you to confirm or deny times requested for showings. In an effort to increase viewership as much as possible, you'll want to acquiesce to the requests of as many buyers as possible. That said, the timing may not always be in line with meals, naps or other constants in your child's daily routine.
In an effort to find a happy medium, have your agent institute a minimum notification time to give you an adequate heads up prior to buyers showing up at your house, whether it be two or 24 hours. Advance notice will also allow you to attempt to adjust your child's schedule as best as possible if necessary.
During the listing period, it's best to spend as much time as possible outside the house. Use the time to visit friends and family, adventure through parks and zoos or take a walk in a local park. Not only will you and your child enjoy the shared experience of exploring new areas, but you will rest easier knowing you won't have to clean as much as you would if you stayed home.
Listing a house while you have children doesn't have to be laborious or overly stressful. By carefully creating a manageable environment at home through organization and foresight, you can effectively make your home appealing and marketable while keeping your sanity. Just remember, prepare in advance, declutter and be flexible.
Ray Boss Jr. is a full-time, licensed Realtor for Re/Max Realty Group in Gaithersburg, Maryland, with over 11 years of experience working with clients ranging from first-time homebuyers to investors, sellers and renters. You can learn more about Ray by connecting with him on LinkedIn.
By Gerard Bon and Marc Leras PARIS/NIMES (Reuters) - Victims of last November's Islamic State assault on Paris plan to sue the French state for failing to avert a killing spree by militants who had drawn scrutiny from police and intelligence services, a lawyer for the group said on Tuesday. Earlier in the day a court in a separate case found the French state partly at fault over the killing of a French soldier in 2012 by Mohamed Merah, a militant whose activities had also been tracked for some time by police and security services. Merah was killed in a shootout with police that year. Samia Maktouf, a lawyer representing 17 victims of the Paris attacks, said she would take legal action against the state on the grounds that some of the assailants were also people the police and judicial authorities had been keeping tabs on. "We will do all we can to get the French state convicted for failing to prevent terrorists, some of whom were under judicial surveillance, from carrying out their act," Maktouf told BFM TV. Nine militants killed 130 people and wounded hundreds more on Nov. 13, 2015. Some assailants blew themselves up near the Stade de France stadium, others opened fire on downtown cafe terraces and a third group armed with guns and suicide vests killed 90 music fans at the Bataclan rock concert hall. A parliamentary investigation into the attack ended with the publication of a report last week that highlighted, among other possible failings of the state, the fact that one of the Bataclan attackers had gone to Syria a month earlier despite being under surveillance over a 2012 trip to Yemen. France has since cracked down on people suspected of going to war zones like Syria to train as jihadist combatants. A French court last week sentenced several people who returned from one such sortie to between eight and 10 years in jail - including the brother of one of the Bataclan attackers. In a ruling sure to encourage victims of the November attacks and others, a court in the southern city of Nimes on Monday judged the French state to have been partially at fault for the killing of soldier Abel Chennouf in 2012. He was one of three soldiers killed that year by Merah, a 23-year-old who said he was inspired by al Qaeda and went on to kill four Jews, three of them school children, before being cornered in a flat and dying in a hail of police bullets. The judge faulted the French state on the grounds that the police and intelligence services had decided at one point to stop tracking Merah. "The decision to halt all surveillance of Mohamed Merah ... constitutes a mistake for which the state is liable, given the profile of Mohamed Merah and his highly suspect behavior, notably after recent trips to Afghanistan and Pakistan," Monday's verdict stated. The judge ruled that the state should as a result provide financial compensation to the wife, child and parents-in-law of the murdered soldier. (Writing by Brian Love; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Guatemalan immigrant Amariliz Ortiz rallies with families impacted by immigration raids outside the ICE Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles in May. (Photo: Nick Ut/AP)
CLEVELAND Republican delegates voted for a platform that calls for less legal immigration, special scrutiny for immigrants from certain countries and a wall along the entire Southern border a far tougher stance than the party has taken in years past.
The platform, adopted by the Republican National Committees Platform Committee Tuesday, also calls for rescinding President Obamas executive action protecting around a million young people from deportation, calling it a direct violation of federal law.
The tough immigration stance is one of the few ways the Republican platform has changed to match the views of its nominee, Donald Trump, who is running on an America First platform that at one point included excluding Muslims from immigrating to the country.
Kris Kobach, a Platform Committee delegate and the secretary of state of Kansas, said he believes that the immigration portion of the platform reflects Trumps views. Kobach, an anti-illegal-immigration activist, advised Mitt Romney on immigration in 2012 and is an informal adviser to Trump.
The Republican platform calls for a wall to cover the entirety of the southern border with Mexico to stop unauthorized crossings, a cornerstone of Trumps campaign. But Kobach stopped short of inserting language asking Mexico to pay for the wall which Trump has vowed to do saying that was too specific to include.
Kobach also successfully added an amendment to ask for special scrutiny of immigrants entering the United States from terror-sponsoring countries or from regions associated with Islamic terrorism. The platform also says that current unemployment and underemployment in the country make it indefensible to continue offering lawful permanent residence to more than one million foreign nationals every year. That means, in effect, the Republican Party is asking for fewer green cards to be given to legal immigrants.
In this Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015, file photo, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach speaks during a news conference in Topeka, Kan. (Photo: Thad Allton/The Topeka Capital-Journal via AP, File)
The interests of American workers must be protected over the claims of foreign nationals seeking the same jobs, the platform reads.
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Meanwhile, Democrats are drafting one of the most pro-immigration platforms the party has seen, calling for a path to citizenship and access to health exchanges for people who immigrated to the U.S. illegally. Meanwhile, the Republican platform explicitly urges politicians to bar those immigrants from participating in government programs. The Democratic platform also calls for an expansion of Obamas executive action to protect millions more immigrants from deportation.
I think the parties are probably farther part now than they ever have been on immigration, Kobach said.
The two parties are going in opposite directions, said Frank Sharry, executive director of the pro-immigration-reform group Americas Voice. I think the gulf between the two parties has become a canyon.
Republicans and Democrats werent always so far apart. In 1996, the Democratic platform urged a policy of cracking down on criminal immigrants and complained that the border was under-patrolled. We cannot tolerate illegal immigration and we must stop it, the platform read. In 2000, the Republican Party asked for a total overhaul of the immigration system to meet the manpower needs of our expanding economy. In 2004, its platform supported a guest worker program proposed by then-nominee George W. Bush but stopped short of endorsing comprehensive immigration reform.
Its unclear what the political ramifications will be. Party platforms are largely symbolic documents, but in the case of immigration, they reflect the nominees fairly closely this time. In its autopsy of the 2012 election, the RNC wrote that it must embrace immigration reform or risk dying off. If we do not, our Partys appeal will continue to shrink to its core constituencies only, it concluded. We also believe that comprehensive immigration reform is consistent with Republican economic policies that promote job growth and opportunity for all.
The PC market has been witnessing shipment declines over the past few quarters and according to the recently released worldwide PC shipments data by two independent research firms Gartner Inc. IT and International Data Corporation (IDC), the second quarter of 2016 was no exception. In fact, it marked the seventh straight quarter of a decline.
The preliminary data released by Gartner showed that PC shipments in the quarter were down 5.2% year over year to 64.3 million units. The research firm stated that among the top six vendors, Lenovo and Apple Inc. AAPL were the only ones to witness year-over-year declines in PC sales, while manufacturers like HP Inc. HPQ, Dell, Asus and Acer all recorded growth.
However, per the research firm, Lenovo has managed to retain its leading position with a 20.5% market share despite the 2.2% year-over-year decline in unit shipments, which indicated the fifth consecutive quarter of a decline. The next five spots were held by HP Inc., Dell, Asus, Apple and Acer in that order, with market shares of 19.1%, 15.2%, 7.3%, 7.1% and 6.9%, respectively.
Notably, the quarter may have just turned the fortunes around for HP Inc., as the company witnessed year-over-year shipment growth for the first time in the five trailing quarters. The spin-off from the parent, Hewlett-Packard Company, and restructuring initiatives, such as focus on product innovations, pricing, marketing and sales activities, divestment of non-core assets and cutting jobs to lower costs, are apparently paying off at last.
On the other hand, the IDC report stated that PC shipments were down 4.5% from the year-ago period to approximately 62.4 million units. Note that the actual figures are roughly 3% lower than the research firms June prediction of a 7.4% decline.
According to IDCs report, Lenovo, HP, Dell, Asus and Apple occupied the top five positions with respective market shares of 21.2%, 20.8%, 16.0%, 7.2% and 7.1%.
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The data is certainly disappointing for Apple. As per these reports, this was the first time that Apple had slipped to the fifth position, having occupied the fourth spot for several quarters now. The IDC report revealed that Apple continues to face an increasingly competitive market as it awaits a refresh of its PC lineup. As a result, shipments experienced a decline from last year.
One of the most important things underlined by the reports was a 1.4% increase in unit sales in North America, following five consecutive quarters of decline. Every other region has registered a decline in unit sells on a year-over-year basis.
As usual, there are slight differences between the data provided by the two research firms. This is mainly due to different techniques used for tracking PC sales as well as the inclusion and/or exclusion of certain products. For example, unlike Gartner, IDC includes Chromebooks which runs on Alphabet Inc.s GOOGL Chrome operating system. Similarly, Gartner takes into account Microsoft Corporation MSFT tablets and "detachables" such as the iPad Pro and the Asus Transformer, while IDC does not.
Nonetheless, both the firms unanimously cited the stronger U.S. dollar as the main reason for a weak second-quarter performance. The firms were also of the opinion that Brexit did not have a material impact on PC shipments during the quarter.
Although the woes of PC manufacturers continued in the second quarter, this time, vendors may have seen a ray of hope. Both Gartner and IDC believe that the market is showing some signs of improvement as the decline in PC shipments during the quarter has seemingly slowed down. This could be because of strong unit sales in North America which partially offset weaknesses seen in the rest of the region.
The firms believe that the impact of a strong dollar is fading in several regions. Mikako Kitagawa, the principal analyst at Gartner, believes that "The price issue has impacted the EMEA and Latin America regions for the past year. However, PC shipment declines became rather modest in the second quarter compared with previous quarters, which suggests a fading currency impact.
Consequently, IDC and Gartner expect a slight recovery in PC shipments in the second half of the year. The firms also believe that the industry will witness a faster commercial transition of Windows 10 toward the end of this year.
Kitagawa also added that "The second and third quarter are typically PC buying season for the U.S. public sectors. Positive second-quarter results could suggest healthy PC sales activities among the public sectors. There is an opportunity for a Windows 10 refresh among businesses, which we expect to see more toward the end of 2016 to the beginning of 2017."
Conclusion
In the emerging markets, consumers are increasingly opting for relatively inexpensive mobile computing devices, such as smartphones. The increase in functionality and larger screen sizes (5 inches and above) are boosting the demand for such devices. Additionally, the ongoing transformation in the way people communicate has led to the proliferation of mobile devices.
Therefore, we believe that the strong dollar and delay in transition to Windows 10 are only temporary factors. Instead, PC manufacturers have to a bigger problem to deal with cost of device to ensure long-term growth.
From the long-term perspective, PCs have to compete with mobile computing devices as returning to growth is still a distant possibility. The decline will hurt the business prospects of companies like HP, Intel Corporation INTC Seagate Technologies STX and Western Digital WDC that continue to depend substantially on PC sales.
Currently, Intel carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). HP Inc., Microsoft, Seagate and Western Digital each has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), while both Alphabet and Apple are Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) rated stocks.
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Kabul (AFP) - Pentagon chief Ashton Carter reiterated Washington's support for "courageous" Afghan security forces Tuesday and touted new rules of engagement that make it easier for US forces to help them strike the Taliban.
Carter's visit came just days after the United States and NATO pledged to keep thousands of troops in the troubled country, a move warmly welcomed by President Ashraf Ghani, who said it highlighted an "environment of trust" between Washington and Kabul.
Local forces have been providing security in Afghanistan since the start of 2015, when they took over from NATO combat troops.
More than 5,000 Afghan police and troops died last year alone, and they have confronted multiple challenges apart from just the Taliban - including attacks from the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda.
The Taliban claimed responsibility last month for a suicide attack that killed more than 30 Afghan police cadets in Kabul.
"The Afghan security forces have demonstrated the motivation, the will and the resilience in the face of a persistent enemy," Carter said at the news conference in the presidential palace with Ghani.
"I commend them for fighting courageously last year during a tough fighting season."
Speaking later to US troops at Bagram air base, however, Carter stressed that without continued international financial and military support, "Afghan forces aren't going to be able to solidify their control over the country".
- New rules of engagement -
President Barack Obama, elected eight years ago on a pledge to end the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, has been unable to do so given the fragile security situations in both countries.
Last week he reined in plans to cut US troop numbers in Afghanistan from 9,800 to 5,500 by the end of the year.
Instead, around 8,400 US troops will remain, mostly working under the NATO banner as trainers and "enablers", with about a quarter specialising in counter-terrorism operations.
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Obama has also relaxed the rules of engagement, making it easier for US troops to proactively target the Taliban and assist Afghan forces, instead of waiting to respond to an attack.
Carter said the new rules have helped the Afghan troops, while top US general in Afghanistan John Nicholson said the US had been using these new powers almost daily, including around the northern city of Kunduz, which Taliban fighters briefly seized last year.
"With the new authorities that we have, (we can) provide combat enablers to assist the Afghans who are now expanding the zone that they control around Kunduz, taking the initiative against the enemy," Nicholson told reporters.
He added that US forces had also supported Afghans in the south, and were shifting attention to Nangahar province and areas to the east.
- NATO mission -
Carter's unannounced visit follows a renewed commitment to Afghanistan from NATO, which said over the weekend it would keep forces there until the end of 2017 at least.
The international alliance has about 13,000 service members in Afghanistan -- mostly American -- under its Resolute Support training mission and expects about that number next year. NATO also pledged funding through to 2020.
Despite a massive, nearly 15-year international effort to defeat the Taliban, the resurgent group controls large areas of Afghanistan and has vowed to keep fighting until foreign forces leave.
Further complicating matters is endemic corruption and allegations of rights abuses, and NATO is demanding broad reforms.
"Corruption is as dangerous as terrorism," Ghani said Tuesday, vowing to account for every penny "with full transparency".
Both Carter and Ghani also addressed the role of Afghanistan's neighbour Pakistan, long accused by Kabul of sponsoring militants including the Taliban.
Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed by a US drone in Pakistan earlier this year in a strike that Islamabad said violated its sovereignty.
But Carter, while stressing the US would work with Pakistan "wherever it can" on extremism, warned that Washington would "continue to target and strike terrorist leaders everywhere in the world where they might threaten Americans or our interests and our friends".
"Pakistan has a fundamental decision to make," added Ghani, who has loudly demanded in the past that Pakistan take action against the Taliban. "There is no difference between good terrorists and bad terrorists."
Carter's visit followed a brief trip to Baghdad on Monday, where he pledged hundreds of additional US troops to assist Iraqis fighting the IS group.
Washington (AFP) - The Pentagon unveiled plans to grant military commanders more authority to arm servicemembers, one year after a deadly attack on military facilities in the southern United States.
The rampage at military installations in Chattanooga, Tennessee, prompted Congress to ask President Barack Obama's administration to loosen current regulations that bar US soldiers from carrying arms off of their bases unless specifically assigned to do so for security reasons.
The Defense Department plans to publish a revision to the arms policy "within a couple of months," Major Jamie Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said on Monday.
"The policy will implement the intent of Congress and give commanders the authority to arm Department of Defense personnel at off-installation facilities when deemed necessary."
The July 16, 2015 attack on a Chattanooga, Tennessee recruitment center and a Navy and Marine Corps reserve center left four marines and one sailor dead at the hands of a lone gunman, who according to the FBI was inspired by radical Islamist propaganda.
The attack reignited the debate on weapons restrictions that some see as contradictory to the right to bear arms enshrined in the US Constitution.
Under the new policy, commanders "will have new options at their disposal," Davis said.
"It's going to give them flexibility."
The new regulations will also "further specify commander's authority to include use of privately owned and government weapons" on military bases, where the arms policy is currently strict, Davis said.
The Pentagon's announcement follows a spate of fatal gun violence that has placed arms regulation once again in the national spotlight.
Last week, a gunman ambushed police officers in Dallas, killing five and wounding nine others as well as two civilians, during protests over the shootings deaths of two black men by police.
By PTI: From Shirish B Pradhan
Kathmandu, Jul 12 (PTI) Prime Minister K P Oli-led coalition government in Nepal today plunged into a serious crisis after Prachandas Maoist party withdrew support to the the embattled leader and claimed that he will form the next government with the backing of opposition Nepali Congress.
CPN (Maoist Centre) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, in a statement, said his party withdrew support to the nine-month old CPN-UML-led coalition government as Oli was hesitating to implement the past agreements -? the nine-point agreement signed between the two parties in May and the gentlemens agreement for the change of guard.
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In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Prachanda referred to the promulgation of new Constitution and the past agreements, and said his party was always in favour of forging a national consensus.
He further said the partys decision to withdraw support from the government would help build the national consensus.
"Our party saw the need for national consensus to implement the new statute, complete the remaining tasks of peace process along with the transitional justice, resolve the issues raised byMadhesis, Janajatis and Tharus, and provide relief to the people and carry out reconstruction of the country in the wake of the last years devastating earthquake," reads the letter.
"And the spirit of nine-point agreement that the Maoist party and CPN-UML forged in May was also national consensus," he pointed out.
"But as the leadership of the existing government was not ready to implement the nine-point agreement and the three-point gentlemens agreement (including change in government leadership), it would be politically inappropriate for our party to remain in this government. Thus, we withdraw our support from this government now."
Prime Minister Oli and the Maoist chief had reached a verbal agreement in May to hand over the leadership of the government to the latter after the Parliament endorses the new budget, according to sources close to Prachanda.
However, Oli turned a deaf ear towards the top Maoist leader and asserted that he would continue in power till the new election is held in one and a half years time.
CPN (Maoist Centre) leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara in a press conference today said the party, second-largest group in the coalition government, is pulling back all of its ministers.
He claimed the main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) has agreed to form the new government under Prachanda.
"The two parties have agreed to form the first round of government under CPN (Maoist Centre)and the NC for the second round for the implementation of the constitution," said Mahara.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the CPN-UMLs leadership, the Maoist Centre had recently intensified intra-party and inter-party dialogues to form a new government in its leadership. PTI SBP PMS AKJ PMS
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By Laurence Frost and Norihiko Shirouzu
PARIS/BEIJING (Reuters) - French carmaker PSA Group (PEUP.PA) posted a first-half decline in global sales on Tuesday, with deliveries plunging almost 20 percent in China as the fast-changing market shunned its Peugeot, Citroen and DS cars.
The Paris-based company recorded a stronger performance at home in Europe, while warning that regional demand will likely suffer in the wake of Britain's June 23 referendum vote to leave the European Union.
PSA's total sales fell 0.2 percent to 1.54 million vehicles, slipping behind domestic rival Renault (RENA.PA) as its setback in China highlighted the challenging conditions faced by western mid-range car brands in the world's biggest market.
"In China we're in the process of adapting to a fast-changing market," PSA Europe Director Denis Martin told reporters on a conference call.
The Chinese market has stalled in the biggest population centres including Beijing and Shanghai, where congestion and pollution have brought new traffic and ownership restrictions, leaving growth in demand to smaller cities where SUVs built by lower-cost Chinese brands are favoured.
Some foreign carmakers are responding with new locally branded products with their Chinese joint ventures, such as General Motors' (GM.N) Baojun and the Venucia brand owned by Nissan and Chinese partner Dongfeng Motor Corporation .
By 2020 about 3.2 percent of China's market will be claimed by new local brands created with global partners over the preceding decade, forecaster IHS Automotive predicts.
"We've been seeing a strong demand shift towards smaller SUVs in more rural areas, and the local guys had more affordable product," said Arndt Ellinghorst, an analyst with Evercore ISI who has a "sell" rating on PSA's shares.
"Others have recovered pretty well, so it's a bit surprising to see Peugeot still suffering this much," he said.
PSA has plans for a new product offensive in China which includes five four-by-four offerings.
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But its fledgling Fengshen badge has so far been left behind in the rush and is still carried on only a handful of models, although it is shared with Dongfeng, which took a 14 percent stake in PSA as part of the French carmaker's government-backed rescue from the brink of bankruptcy in 2014.
PSA also lacks a modern low-cost vehicle architecture in its Chinese plants, with its new CMP small-car platform not due until 2018-19.
Meanwhile back in Europe, PSA's first-half sales rose 7.4 percent, led by the Peugeot 2008 mini-SUV and Partner delivery van although Martin said the European market may suffer a "slight slowdown" following Britain's vote to leave the European Union. However, he maintained the company's forecast for 4 percent growth for the full year.
Peugeot's shares were up 5.3 percent at 11.77 euros by 1138 GMT in an overall higher market.
The company is due to publish its first-half earnings on July 27.
(Additional reporting by Gilles Guillaume; Editing by Andrew Callus, Greg Mahlich)
The family of Philando Castilewhose shooting death by a Minnesota police officer last week garnered national attention when the aftermath was streamed on Facebook Liveplans to file a lawsuit over his death.
Yes, we will aggressively pursue justice on his behalf. Yes, there will be a lawsuit, said Judge Glenda Hatchett, the familys attorney, at a press conference on Tuesday morning.
Hatchett said she will request that a special prosecutor be appointed to handle the case, and she said she plans to sue the responsible parties, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported.
I will see you in court, Hatchett said, responding to remarks made in recent days by the attorney for police officer Jeronimo Yanez. The attorney, Thomas Kelly, said the incident had nothing to do with race and everything to do with the presence of the gun that Mr. Castile had. In the video of the traffic stop, Castiles girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, said he told the officer he was licensed to carry a concealed weapon.
Read more: Philando Castile Shooting Highlights Racial Disparities in Traffic Stops
State officials are investigating the shooting, but Hatchett said she wont depend on the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigation alone in proceeding with a lawsuit. Weve got a lot of work to do, and that work is just beginning, she said Tuesday.
Castiles mother, Valerie, also spoke at the press conference, demanding change.
If this is the direction of humanity, then were doomed, she said. Things have to change, so what are we going to do about it?
Funeral services for Philando Castile will be held in St. Paul on Thursday.
Pokemon Go might be getting people to exercise more, but it's not without its risks.
Users of the wildly popular app are reportedly tripping, falling and getting sunburned while tracking down the virtual creatures. Less cautious players are also putting themselves at risk of car accidents as they attempt to throw Pokeballs at Pikachu while driving around.
One avid user fell off his skateboard and cut his hand while moving slowly and keeping his eyes glued to his phone to search for Pokemon.
"I just wanted to be able to stop quickly if there were any Pokemons nearby to catch," Mike Schultz, 21, told the Associated Press. "I don't think the company is really at fault."
Another user, 22-year-old Kyrie Tompkins, twisted her ankle on her own quest to "catch 'em all."
"[My phone] vibrated to let me know there was something nearby and I looked up and just fell in a hole," she told the AP.
Many other players have shared their own mishaps on social media, describing accidents ranging from small stumbles to stinging sunburn to the classic "tripping over a cinder block."
I can tell u one thing, riding a bike while playing pokemon go is not a good idea. I fell. a enrika (@solakewood) July 12, 2016
Pokemon Go update: almost fell into a ditch trying to catch a blastoise
I didn't get it a @ DISNEYLAND (@Romimeido) July 12, 2016
Spent so long playing #pokemongo this weekend my skin is blistered due to sunburn ... Oops ! Don't forget your SUNCREAM a G L A M Z (@nyst_glamz) July 10, 2016
My calves hurt so bad because of Pokemon Go a $avannah.rose (@Savvannah_rose) July 12, 2016
fell in the creek trying to catch a Pinsir so now I'm #PokemonGO(ing home) a Aba (@kwoffert) July 10, 2016
My brother just got in car crash because he was playing PokemonGo...no one was hurt but the Squirtle got away a Jorden Christensen (@jordenchristen) July 10, 2016
Less than one day of having #PokemonGo and I already injured myself by tripping over a cinder block. a Lindsay (@cupcakelindsay) July 8, 2016
Since Pokemon go came out, I've walked 14 miles, caught 46 types of pokemon, got a rash on my thighs, and got a terrible sunburn a #pokeburned (@drakejdixon) July 10, 2016
Police are also warning users to be wary of their surroundings after a group of teenagers were recently arrested for armed robbery after allegedly using the app to lure victims to isolated locations. The O'Fallon, Missouri, Police Department told PEOPLE they believe the suspects are connected to eight cases.
"If you use this app [or other similar type apps] or have children that do we ask you to please use caution when alerting strangers of your future location," the police warned on Facebook.
What with Pokemon, the biggest tech IPO of the year, the booming Nikkei, a visit by Ben Bernanke and even free Slurpee Day, this seems to be Japans week.
Now thats a line you dont hear very often which is a bit of a pun. (Ill get to that in a minute.)
After its economy peaked in 1990, Japan has long been considered an economic backwater which never actually has been the case. Even after its decline, Japan had the second-largest GDP in the world (after the US) from 1990 to 2010 until it was eclipsed by China. Japan is still number three ahead of Germany. Japanese companies like Toyota (TM), Hitachi (HTHIY) and Sony (SNE) are still among the biggest in the world, though they too have been overshadowed by new Chinese giants.
But it is true that Japans economy has been shrinking, from a total annual GDP of $5.3 trillion in 1995 to $4.1 trillion last year. And even more than that, Japan has lost it mojo. Korean cars (Kia and Hyundai) and electronics (Samsung and LG) have stolen all the thunder, never mind market share, while the global growth story flipped over years ago to its longtime rival, China.
Im old enough to remember when the Japanese roiled the US economy, snapping up iconic American real estate like Rockefeller Center and Pebble Beach. Whats next, wags asked back then, the Grand Canyon? But years after peaking, the innovation, economic relentlessness and even fear factor that Japan reflected and induced seemed to have been lost.
Until perhaps this week.
The Pokemon Go craze one of the biggest launches of a consumer product in the history of the planet has blown up, boosting parent company Nintendos stock by 60% in just a few days.
The Nikkei is up over 4% over the past five days, in part because of Nintendos gains, but also because of positive reaction to Prime Minister Shinzo Abes recent economic moves. (So maybe Abenomics actually does work?) A visit this week by former US Fed Chair Ben Bernanke also seems to have given global perceptions of Japan a boost.
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And then theres the IPO by Japanese messaging giant, Line (thats the pun I referred to earlier), which is on track to go public this week at a $6 billion valuation. Thats big.
Oh, and lets not forget the Slurpee! Monday was 7/11 and on that day the venerable convenience store gives out its signature frozen drinks for free. Real Americana right? Not exactly. The US parent company of 7-11 went into bankruptcy in 1990, and a controlling interest was sold to you guessed it a Japanese company.
Im not saying Japan is returning to those halcyon days 25 years ago, but it is true that reports of Japans death are greatly exaggerated, as everything from Pokemon to free Slurpees to a mega IPOall happening this week shows.
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By PTI: Vijayawada, Jul 12 (PTI) A new tri-weekly express train between Vijayawada and Dharmavaram in Anantapur district was today flagged off, improving rail link between Rayalaseema region and upcoming state capital Amaravati.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Y S Chowdary flagged off the train through video linking from New Delhi.
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This is the second train introduced by the Railways in Andhra Pradesh in just over a month. On June 4, a new superfast inter-city express between Vijayawada-Secunderabad via Guntur was launched.
Speaking on the occasion, Prabhu said the new train would provide more connectivity for the people of Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh with its new capital Amaravati. "The long-cherished demand of the Rayalaseema people has been fulfilled with the introduction of this train.
The new train will depart on every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 23.10 hours from Vijayawada and arrive Dharmavaram the next day at 10.45 AM.
On return, the train will depart from Dharmavaram on every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at 17.50 hours and arrive in Vijayawada at 6.50 hours the next day. PTI COR RSY
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The Polycom, Inc. PLCM acquisition saga seems to be culminating with Siris Capital Group, LLC emerging as the winner. Siris Capital is expected to take over the voice, content collaborator for $2.0 billion in cash.
The deal proceedings will start once Polycom terminates the merger proposal from Mitel Networks Corp. MITL and pays the required termination fees. IP-based integrated communications solutions provider Mitel had placed a bid of around $1.96 billion to acquire Polycom in April this year. Polycom was scheduled to hold a special shareholder meeting on Jul 29 to receive approval for the merger. However, since the company will be accepting Siris Capitals proposal, the meeting has been called off. The Mitel proposal was rejected as Polycoms board of directors perceived the Siris Capital offer to hold a Company Superior Proposal with more value.
Terms of the Deal
Siris Capitals affiliates submitted a unilaterally binding offer for all of the outstanding shares of Polycom. Siris Capital will acquire Polycoms shares for $12.50 per share if the deal is approved. The $2 billion also includes Polycoms outstanding debt and boasts a 13.6% premium to Mitels offer as per Polycoms share price on Jul 7. Notably, the Siris Capital proposal will remain in effect till Jul 15, 2016. The deal is subject to Polycom accepting the offer in addition to shareholder, regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions.
The transaction will be financed by Siris Capital through a combination of equity and debt. Siris along with its co-investors will be financing the equity portion while Macquarie Capital will provide debt financing.
The deal is expected to help expand Siris Capitals portfolio of investments in the telecommunication and technology space while Polycom is poised to benefit from the investments made by a seasoned industry player.
Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider
Polycom currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Investors could consider some better-ranked industry stocks such as Comtech Telecommunications Corp. CMTL and Qualcomm Incorporated QCOM, both with a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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At a memorial service Tuesday for five police officers killed in an ambush during a protest in Dallas last week, President Obama said that Dallas was suffering but that the city and the nation would ultimately persevere.
We know that suffering produces perseverance. Perseverance, character, and character, hope, Obama said, referencing Scripture. Right now those words are tested because the people of Dallas, people across the country are suffering.
Obama called the names of each of the five victims of the Dallas shootings: Brent Thompson, Patrick Zamarripa, Michael Krol, Lorne Ahrens and Michael Smith. He noted their lives as family men and remarked that the fallen officers had a shared commitment to protecting the nation. Last Thursday, Obama said each of the men had done their duty in protecting citizens during a peaceful protest even though there were likely slogans, chants and signs with which they did not agree only to be gunned down in an act of not just demented violence, but of racial hatred.
All of it has left us wounded and angry and hurt, Obama said, noting the shootings of two black men, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, by police officers that also occurred last week.
Obama said that though hes sure the events of the past week have sowed division in the U.S., America is not as divided as it seems. And I know that because I know America. I know how far weve come against impossible odds, he said, noting his own rise attests to that.
Given the events of the past week, the President used his remarks to console not just Dallas, but the nation. He spoke the names of Sterling and Castile, saying that even those who dislike the phrase Black Lives Matter should be able to hear the pain of Alton Sterlings family. For over 30 minutes, President Obama argued both sides of the national debate about police brutality, racism and the burdens placed on officers in the line of duty. As a country, he said, we expect law enforcement to police neighborhoods where schools are underfunded, parents are absent, guns are prevalent, and drug and mental-health treatments are nonexistent. At the same time, Obama said, as a country we have to recognize that the racial bias that sparks shootings and begets protest is real and should not be ignored.
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If we cannot even talk about these things honestly and openly we will never break this dangerous cycle, Obama said. It is not about finding policies that work; its about forging consensus, fighting cynicism and finding the will to make change.
President Obama was joined by First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden, as well as former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush. Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn also attended; Cruz flew on Air Force One with the President.
Bush, who lives in Dallas, spoke at the memorial service and said the city has experienced five deaths in the family.
With their deaths we have lost so much, he said. We are grief-stricken, heartbroken and forever grateful. Bush called for a renewed sense of unity in the wake of the shootings.
Too often we judge other groups by their worst examples but judge ourselves by our best intentions, he said.
As Americans, Bush said Tuesday, we have never been held together by blood or background. We are bound by things of the spirit, by shared commitments and common ideas.
President Obama speaks at memorial for slain Dallas police President Barack Obama delivers remarks during an interfaith memorial service, honoring five slain police officers, at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center on July 12, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo: Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
President Barack Obama visits Dallas on Tuesday to address a memorial service for five police officers killed at a protest against police violence, as he seeks to mend divisions inflamed by the deadliest day for U.S. law enforcement in almost 15 years.
Former U.S. Army Reserve soldier Micah Johnson, 25, gunned down the officers in an ambush on Thursday after expressing anger over recent police killings of black people. Johnson then was killed by an explosive-laden robot sent in by police.
Johnson, who was black, opened fire during a march protesting the police shootings last week of two black men in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and outside St. Paul, Minnesota, the latest in a string of high-profile killings that have stirred a deepest debate on race and justice in America.
Johnson had said he wanted to kill white people, particularly police, according to a police account of their unsuccessful negotiations with him.
Obama has to twin sympathy over the Dallas attack and for law enforcement officers around the country with support for black Americans who say police are too quick to use violence against them. After the deaths of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota at the hands of police last week, Obama said a significant number of Americans believe they are treated differently because of the color of their skin.
House of Representatives Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who has been a fierce critic of Obamas policies, joined the president on Air Force One on the flight to Dallas, the White House said. (Reuters)
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July 12 (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
** The LNG Canada joint venture led by Royal Dutch Shell Plc has delayed its final investment decision on exporting liquefied natural gas from Kitimat in northern British Columbia. (http://bit.ly/29t3j0g)
** The Toronto Real Estate Board is stepping up its efforts in court to overturn a decision by the federal Competition Tribunal that allows more detailed home sales data to be released on the internet. (http://bit.ly/29t39pG)
** Key stakeholders of Essar Steel Algoma Inc are pursuing a multi-pronged effort to block the purchase of the steelmaker by a New York-based private equity fund, KPS Capital Partners LP, and a group of lenders. (http://bit.ly/29t3wka)
** Canada's telecom regulator has officially given discount wireless startup Sugar Mobile a reprieve, ruling that the newcomer can keep relying on roaming services from Rogers Communications Inc - at least for the time being. (http://bit.ly/29t3rNn)
NATIONAL POST
** The provincial government announced on Monday that it was going ahead with plans that would allow the city to tax owners of vacant property - a tax pushed for and endorsed by Vancouver's mayor, Gregor Robertson. (http://bit.ly/29t3LM8)
** In barely a year, Alberta's New Democratic Party (NDP) government has gone from threatening to increase oil and gas royalties to having to provide royalty incentives to stimulate drilling activity. (http://bit.ly/29t3WHa)
** In about two weeks, shareholders of Migao Corp will be asked to vote on a transaction whereby the chief executive plans to acquire the company, which owns and operates fertilizer production plants in China, for 75 cents per share. (http://bit.ly/29t3Saw) (Compiled by Shalini Nagarajan in Bengaluru)
MOSCOW, July 12 (Reuters) - The following are some stories in Russia's newspapers on Tuesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
VEDOMOSTI
www.vedomosti.ru
- Apple Inc will create a full-cycle repair operations in Russia.
- The government does not intend to sell a stake in VTB bank this year.
- The Central Bank of Russia has defined the criteria allowing it to ban transfers of assets and liabilities of bankrupt banks.
- French hypermarket group Auchan has begun selling non-food items through "Yandex Market", the largest shopping area in RuNet.
KOMMERSANT
www.kommersant.ru
- The Central Bank of Russia has explained the reason for increasing banking regulations and mandatory reserves in June 2016, saying that it was meant pave the way for a smooth transition to surplus liquidity in the autumn.
- The government is preparing a programme for the period until 2025 to develop electromobiles in Russia.
- The financial position of Russian airlines is deteriorating.
IZVESTIA
www.izvestia.ru
- The problem of waste management at the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill is an uphill task. The plant has stopped working, but left a time bomb in the shape of 6 million tonnes of waste, which can occur in the pristine lake at any time can.
($1 = 64.2024 roubles) (Reporting by Margarita Popova)
As the police team was carrying out the raid at Sadar Thana Road, a group comprising Akash's family members gathered at the spot and attacked the police team in a bid to free him.
Akash was operating his inter-state network of wildlife trafficking in the garb of an electronics business.
By Tanseem Haider: Infamous tiger poacher Sansar Chand's son seems to have followed in his dad's footsteps. Crime Branch sleuths on Monday arrested Sansar Chand's son Akash Chand, a fugitive wildlife trafficker, in Delhi's busy Paharganj area.
Police had received a tip-off that Akash would visit Motia Khan in Paharganj today.
The cops laid a trap and successfully managed to arrest the accused. However, in a bizarre turn of events, Chand's family members attacked the police team in a bid to free the poacher.
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CRIME BRANCH TEAM ATTACKED
As the police team was carrying out the raid at Sadar Thana Road, a group comprising Akash's family members gathered at the spot and tried to forcibly free Akash. The poacher's sister, cousins and in-laws tried to overpower the police party and even attacked Head Constable Hamender and Constable Pankaj, pelting stones at them. Hamender and Pankaj sustained multiple injuries. Soon, local police arrived at the spot and took control of the situation.
Earlier, the Crime Branch had received a request from Udaipur police to help apprehend the accused in a wild life trafficking case after an earlier case in which they recovered two leopard hides. The Rajasthan police had arrested eight persons, including Akash's mother Rani, for their alleged involvement in the case. But Akash was still at large.
WHO IS AKASH CHAND?
Akash is son of notorious tiger poacher Sansar Chand who died in 2014. He used to trade in organs, nails, teeth and hides of wild animals.
In 2004, Sansar Chand died in Jaipur's SMS Hospital while undergoing treatment for cancer. He was lodged in Alwar jail during that period.
In an earlier case, nails of a leopard were recovered from Akash's possession and he was in jail till 2008.
Akash was operating his inter-state network of wildlife trafficking in the garb of an electronics business (in Karol Bagh, Delhi).
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By Gina Cherelus NEW YORK (Reuters) - With protests hitting many U.S. cities, the deadly ambush of Dallas police, and the ever-present threat of gun violence, four countries have urged citizens to be on alert if visiting the United States, and some black travelers are worried about making the trip. Some African community groups in the United States and elsewhere told Reuters that family members of those already in America were scared by recent events, and some had been warned by relatives to reconsider any trip. "When we talk to them in the community, some of the things that they say are, 'there are so many crazy things happening in your country that if I can avoid coming I won't come,'" said Ibrahima Sow, president of the Association of Senegalese in America. The Bahamas, Bahrain, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates have warned citizens to be on guard if visiting U.S. cities rocked by sometimes violent protests that erupted over the last week following the fatal shootings of two black American men by police. In stark terms, the Bahamas told young men especially to exercise "extreme caution" when interacting with police. "Do not be confrontational and cooperate," it said. Sow said concerns about travel to the United States have been high since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. His group gives specific guidance to Senegalese travelers about how to behave with the police. "We say there are things that you need to know if you are stopped by the police," Sow said. "We tell people to be cautious and when you get stopped in the streets by police don't move your hands, don't move your body, don't do anything." 'JUST AWFUL' Some similar organizations in Europe said they also had longstanding advice that they give to members who are thinking about visiting the United States. "I would feel less safe there than four or five years ago," said Louis-Georges Tin, president of France's Council of Black Associations, which gathers about 100 organizations in France to fight against racism and promote French ties with Africa. That sentiment was echoed by others including Paul Rose of britishafrocaribbean.com, a website and think tank for the British Afro Caribbean community. He said social media such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter had raised awareness of what he called "atrocities" by U.S. police. "You don't want to find yourself in situations where you are confronted with the police," Rose said. "Look at the incarceration rates of black men in America, look at the effects of the economic downturn, which affect the black community far more. The stats are just awful." Some people already living in the United States said the turbulence is sometimes too much for their visiting relatives, even if the perception is worse than the reality. "I have a cousin who is here right now and she's even scared to go outside to 34th street," said Zainab Bunduka, a 55-year-old employee at New York City's North Shore Hospital. She is originally from the West African country of Sierra Leone, which was ravaged by civil war during the 1990s. "She's scared because we don't have all these gunshots back home," said Bunduka. (Additional reporting by Karin Strohecker in London and Chine Labbe in Paris; Writing by Daniel Wallis; Editing by Frances Kerry)
Paris (AFP) - French carmaker PSA on Tuesday unveiled global sales that were stable in the first half of the year over the same period in 2015, as Europe came to the rescue to offset a slide in China.
Sales in China and Southeast Asia slumped 19.4 percent to 296,507 units.
But European sales rose 7.4 percent to 1,055,875 and should come in "around the two million mark" by year end, beating 1.8 million last year, European director Denis Martin said.
Overall, first half sales totalled 1.54 million units for a slight 0.2 percent year-on-year sag.
Martin told reporters overall European sales would see off an expected "slight second half fall" in the wake of Britain's vote to leave the European union.
He also highlighted a 16.4 percent rise in Latin America, a market which for the industry overall had dropped back 8.2 percent in the slipstream of a Brazilian recession.
PSA said import restrictions had hit efforts to carve a deeper niche in north Africa, as sales slid 13.3 percent.
The carmaker added its return to Iran via its Peugeot and DS marques had not offset "an unfavourable economic context" in the Middle East and Africa.
PSA, which will publish its full half-year results on July 27, announced its return to Iran last month in signing a 400-million-euro joint venture with old partner Iran Khodro in Tehran.
The first cars produced under the new venture are set to hit Iranian roads in February, with the aim of producing 200,000 vehicles a year by 2018.
The French group also earlier this year said it would develop electric cars from 2019 with Chinese partner Dongfeng Motors.
PARIS (Reuters) - PSA Group's (PEUP.PA) first-half sales fell 0.2 percent, the French carmaker said on Tuesday, citing difficulties in a weaker, "westernising" Chinese market that obscured a stronger performance at home in Europe.
The European market is likely to see a slight decline following Britain's June 23 referendum vote to leave the European Union, the company also cautioned.
Deliveries of Peugeot, Citroen and DS cars declined to 1.54 million vehicles, falling behind domestic rival Renault (RENA.PA) in January-June, as sales in China and Southeast Asia slumped almost 20 percent.
"In China we're in the process of adapting to a fast-changing market that is westernising and no longer in rapid growth," the group's Europe chief Denis Martin told reporters on a call.
Chinese mid-market consumers are gravitating to competitively priced SUVs built by domestic carmakers, putting pressure on western brands. PSA plans to defend its corner with an imminent product offensive that includes five four-by-four offerings.
In Europe, PSA's sales rose 7.4 percent, led by the Peugeot 2008 mini-SUV and Partner delivery van.
Martin said the European market may suffer a "slight slowdown" in the second half following Britain's June 23 referendum vote to leave the European Union. But he maintained the company's 4 percent growth forecast for the full year.
(Reporting by Laurence Frost and Gilles Guillaume; Editing by Andrew Callus)
By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Puerto Rico, the U.S. commonwealth that recently declared a historic default, could be shut out of debt markets for two more years as it battles with fiscal challenges, the island's governor said on Tuesday. Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla said emergency fiscal measures in response to a $70 billion debt were not sustainable and that "Puerto Rico will not endure any more austerity." He said a new law enacted by Washington allowing the federal government to appoint a control board would undercut self-government, but added it would help the island confront its fiscal problems. "Our challenges are not over and prosperity will not return overnight," the governor said during a discussion at the Brookings Institution, a think tank in Washington. "It will take maybe two years until the market opens back to Puerto Rico if we do the right thing," Garcia Padilla said, adding the government had been producing fiscally sound budgets that would help win back creditors. The island has been shut out of debt markets for about a year. Citing falling debt levels, he said it was a "moment of opportunity" in Puerto Rico, which has struggled with high debt loads and a weak economy for years. Puerto Rico defaulted on $779 million of constitutionally backed debt on July 1, among its most senior bonds, opting to pay for essential services for its citizens over obligations to creditors. Garcia Padilla said the Puerto Rican government would take steps on its own to get its fiscal affairs in order, therefore minimizing meddling by the oversight board. For example, he said that if the island's government passed responsible budgets on its own, the control board would not need to impose its own fiscal plans. Garcia Padilla said, however, that while the government must become more efficient to improve its fiscal situation, that should be done through attrition rather than laying off workers. Asked by a reporter about steps that could be taken to shore up the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, or PREPA, and the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, or PRASA, Garcia Padilla said: "PREPA is pretty advanced. We'll be able to reduce a lot the debt related to PREPA. We want to do the same with PRASA. I think we'll be able to do it." (Reporting by Richard Cowan; Additional reporting by Edward Krudy; Editing by Chris Reese and Peter Cooney)
(The writer is a Reuters contributor. The opinions expressed are his own.)
By Chris Taylor
NEW YORK, July 12(Reuters) - Former supermodel Kathy Ireland has a very familiar face, but these days, it is her apparel and home furnishing brands that grab attention.
For someone who was not taken seriously in the business world at first, Ireland now has a net worth of almost a half-billion dollars, according to Forbes magazine, and is even buddies with Berkshire Hathaway legend Warren Buffett. Take that, doubters.
For the latest in Reuters' "Life Lessons" series, Ireland sat down to talk about what she has learned from her life's extraordinary journey.
Q: What did you learn about money growing up?
A: My dad always taught me to under-promise and over-deliver. On my old paper route, if someone expected a paper in their driveway, I put it on their front porch.
Q: As you became a success in the modeling world, how did you start investing that money?
A: I started to look at what made sense to me. Growing up in California, real estate made sense. Prices always seemed to just climb and climb. As a result I purchased my first condo when I was only 21.
Q: Was it strange to be thrown into circles of extreme wealth, in the fashion world?
A: There was a lot of frivolity all around me: Cars, clothes, fancy meals. But what some people thought was luxury, I thought was just wasteful. I never felt comfortable earning a living based on my outward appearance - it always felt temporary to me. I just thought of modeling as an opportunity to save money for college or start a business.
Q: When you launched your business post-modeling, did some people not take you seriously?
A: Quite a bit. It was written that I have a voice that could kill small animals, that whoever hired me for a TV special should be shot, that women couldn't relate to me because I was a bimbo. And that was just the public stuff!
In private, it could be even worse. Once I was in a meeting about fitness equipment, and a man leaned over and said, 'Don't worry your pretty little head about this. Don't you want to stay home and make babies?'
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Q: You obviously proved them wrong, so what business role models did you aspire to?
A: One is Irv Blumkin of Nebraska Furniture Mart, a Berkshire Hathaway business. He got us our start in the home industry by giving our brand a chance, when others were laughing in our faces. Eventually our business family came to include Warren Buffett, who counseled me not to limit our company to fashion, which can be so cyclical.
Q: You have structured kathy ireland Worldwide (kiWW) as a private company - is the hope that your three children might one day take over?
A: There will always be career opportunities here for our children, if they are interested in the business. But I want them to live out their own dreams.
What I love about being a private company is that many of my decisions might not fly on Wall Street, but they work for me. Once I walked away from a deal worth millions of dollars because I wasn't happy with the safety of the products, which met standards in some states but not others.
Q: What kind of philanthropic legacy do you want to leave behind?
A: I look up to Elizabeth Taylor, who was virtually a member of our family. She commanded a vast empire, but was always in charge. With her AIDS foundation, she left clear, focused goals, and directed exactly where she wanted the funding to go and which people to help. That's powerful. These days I'm honored to be an ambassador for her foundation, and not a day goes by that I don't miss her.
Q: When it comes to giving, how do you decide where to allocate your dollars?
A: I want to see people getting results. That is what I look at. If I am joining an organization, I need to look at the books and see the financials.
Q: What money lessons do you pass along to your own kids?
A: We want to give our kids the resources to not live in fear, but not so much that it kills their motivation. The other day one of my daughters wanted to buy some art pens, so she had to do some babysitting. She made a choice - and she earned it.
(Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Geneva (AFP) - Efforts to end the global AIDS pandemic by 2030 are lagging, the UN warned Tuesday, decrying rising numbers of new HIV infections among adults in many regions, with Russia especially hard-hit.
In a new report, UNAIDS cautioned that while new HIV infections had fallen dramatically in the past two decades, especially among children, the trend among adults has stalled and even risen in a number of places over the past five years.
"This situation scares me, and we need to act fast," UNAIDS chief Michel Sidibe told reporters in Geneva at the launch of the report.
"If we don't, the epidemic could once again take hold with huge human and financial losses," he warned.
The HIV epidemic has been in decline over the past decade, but there are still 36.7 million people worldwide living with HIV/AIDS, most of them in sub-Saharan Africa.
Great strides have especially been made globally towards preventing children from contracting HIV, with new infections among those under the age of 15 down 56 percent since 2010 and by 70 percent since 2000 to around 150,000 last year, the report showed.
- Surging infections in Russia -
But at the same time, some 1.9 million adults have contracted HIV globally every year for at least the past five years, according to Tuesday's "Prevention Gap" report.
Most regions saw a flat trend, with relatively small increases or declines, but the Eastern European-Central Asian region had shown a dramatic 57-percent increase in new annual infections among adults since 2010, the report said.
A full 80 percent of those new infections occurred in Russia, with another 10 percent found in Ukraine, it said, blaming "low coverage of prevention programmes, in particular harm-reduction interventions among people who inject drugs.
Experts have complained that the Russian government's policy focuses on treatment while neglecting prevention drives such as sex education in schools.
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Russia also bans methadone replacement therapy for drug addicts, which would allow users to avoid injections, eliminating the risk of contracting the virus from contaminated syringes.
Pointing out that more than half of all new infections in Russia were among people who inject drugs, Sidibe warned that "If you don't reach them you will not be able to control the epidemic."
If the epidemic is not controlled among the main risk groups it will become more generalised, he warned.
Globally, people who inject drugs and men who have sex with men are 24 times more likely to be infected with HIV than the general population, while sex workers are 10 times more likely, the report said.
"If you don't control the epidemic among those groups, because you have marginalised them, because you exclude them, because you criminalise them you will have infection moving into the general population," Sidibe said.
- Girls, women at risk -
UNAIDS also voiced deep concern over the situation in eastern and sub-Saharan Africa, which continues to account for the vast majority of cases.
While the region has seen new infections among adults fall four percent since 2010, Tuesday's report pointed to a stark gender inequality among those contracting the disease.
Three quarters of all new HIV infections among people aged 15-24 in the region occurred among adolescent girls and young women, the report found.
This was partly due to "extremely high levels of sexual abuse and violence against female children, including underage, child and forced marriage," it said, also stressing that girls and women often lack access to HIV services due to gender inequality and stigma.
Such difficulties in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic are being compounded by dwindling funding by international donors, and generally not enough spending on prevention efforts.
"We have a five-year window of opportunity. If we miss this window of five years, we will have a rebound in this epidemic, we will have resistance, and will not be able to control the epidemic and make sure we end it by 2030," Sidibe warned.
For his latest film, Alexandre Desplat, the Oscar-winning composer of 2014's The Grand Budapest Hotel (whose other credits include 2010's The King's Speech and 2011's Carnage) is turned his attention to mainstream studio animation. He's the musical wizard behind the blockbuster The Secret Life of Pets - and, he says, he's a huge fan of animation, going all the way back to Tex Avery, and he previously composed the scores for DreamWorks Animation's Rise of the Guardians and Wes Anderson's stop-motion Fantastic Mr. Fox. A native of France who lives in the Montparnasse section of Paris, Desplat, 54, spoke to to THR about working with Roman Polanski; which musicians will still be remembered 100 years from now; and how American music has impacted everything.
Where do you compose?
Composing is a state of mind. It's day and night, all the time, especially when you're on such a big machine, where you have to produce so many minutes of music. You go to sleep thinking of what you have to write and what's coming up in the morning.
Do you have a favorite film?
I've always been a film lover - that's why I've always wanted to write music for films. But if I had to choose three films: Barry Lyndon [1975],Chinatown [1974] andThe Godfather [1972]. And in animation it would be The Jungle Book [1967],101 Dalmations [19761] and all the Tex Avery films.
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No French films in there?
Polanski's French. [The Chinatown director] was born in Paris.
There was a British radio show called Desert Island Discs. You'd choose just a few pieces of music to take with you on an island. Name yours.
Debussy's Preludes for Piano, played by Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, a great pianist. Kind of Blueby Miles Davis. You Must Believe in Spring, the album by Bill Evans. And one last one, Edu & Tom, which is Edu Lobo and Tom [Antonio Carlos] Jobim, who did The Girl From Ipanema.
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What do you do when you're not working?
I drink tea and go to art galleries and museums. I have no favorite museum, but it could be the National Gallery in London; it could be the Palais de Tokyo in Paris. Every city has a great museum.
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Is there a particular artist who inspires you?
There's so many. Let's say one - he's Japanese, 18th century: Utagawa Hiroshige. And also Joan Miro.
What are you reading at the moment?
I read all the time. I'm reading some interviews with [composer-conductor] Pierre Boulez.[Before that] I was readinginterviews with [composer] Karlheinz Stockhausen.
How many films do you work on at the same time?
None. It's one by one. Because I work so much, people think that I have a team writing for me, but that's not why I chose to write music for films. I chose to write music because I like to write music. So every single note that comes out of my studio is written by me, and I wouldn't be able to do two movies at the same time. I wait until I've finished one, and then I do the other one.
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Do you know what you're doing next?
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Have you seen it yet?
I've seen the first draft, yes.
Confidentiality agreement?
Of course.
Is there a contemporary composer you particularly admire?
A French composer: Pascal Dusapin, a concert composer. [I love] the way he thinks, the way he orchestrates, how prolific he is, his intelligence. He's everything an artist should be.
Have you ever written a concert, ballet, something not film?
I wrote a piece two years ago: Pelleas and Melisandeplayed in concert in London and Paris.
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Any desire to do an opera or ballet?
It might happen, sooner than later. [It would be] something that really can keep me in this world of fantasy - not fantasy in the American sense: The world of imagination that movies can bring to me.
Worst professional experience?
Worst was when I was a young composer and producers would not respect the music and the composer - not just me, but all the composers feel that the composer's treated as a butler. That's something even Mozart suffered from. And when this can still happen 300 years later, it drives me crazy.
Does that happen a lot?
It still can happen, unfortunately.
Were you ever fired? Did you ever quit?
No. If I commit, it's like being on a boat: the tempest comes right over the boat. You just go to the end of the journey.
Best experience?
Working with Roman Polanski. He loves music so much and he gives total freedom to his composer. This is pretty amazing. His desire is for the composer to be completely free and bring new ideas. He's greedy about it; he's so excited when you play him a piece of music that surprises him. He has no fear. I've done his last three films [Ghost Writer, Venus in Fur andCarnage] and we're working on a new one soon. He doesn't use any temp music ever. He doesn't need a crutch.
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Directors often fall in love with their temp scores. Is that bad?
It's become the poison of film music and I wish producers would prevent this from happening. It completely kills the world of creation, of imagination, that the composer can bring to a film. If the composer is there to bring something new, the temp track can only kill it, because after two or three times of listening to a sequence with the same music, you're hooked. It's the way the brain works. So can you imagine after 100 times? The challenge is to seek something else. That's why I love Wes Anderson, that's why I love David Fincher, that's why I love Polanski, because they want to look for something else.
Is there any film you didn't score that wish you'd been able to?
Some films that I love, I love them also because of the music. Vertigo, for example, is a movie where the music is doing 70 percent of the job. Could that be replaced? I'm not sure.
Is there a popular composer who'll live on 100 years from now?
Well, in 100 years I don't know what will remain of popular music. What remains of popular music from the 19th century? Not much. But the Beatles will remain, because they invented something. They invented pop music, which is a mix of folk, blues, rock.
Anybody more recent?
Right now, there's not one name that comes to my mind. Will Serge Gainsbourg remain? In France, yes, but worldwide? I'm not sure if Serge Gainsbourg will impress somebody in New Zealand 50 years from now.
We all still listen to Edith Piaf.
But she came before Anglo-Saxon popular music took over the job, and now it's become the standard.
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By Tom Westbrook and Yuzuha Oka SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australians have elected a divided parliament stacked with fractious independents and minor parties but the nation's weary political leaders are united on at least one front: the need for electronic voting. Counting in Australia's July 2 election dragged into its 10th day on Tuesday, drawing unfavorable comparisons with Japan, Iceland and Spain, where recent elections were all decided in less than a day. Britons took just seven hours to calculate their contentious Brexit vote to leave the European Union last month. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition leader Bill Shorten have backed e-voting as a solution to Australia's snail-paced count, although experts warn of security issues and others bemoan the potential loss of typically Australian election day quirks like the "sausage sizzle". Shorten said on Sunday, after already more than a week of hand-counting of ballot papers, that it shouldn't take "a grown-up democracy" so long to figure out who has won. Counting in Australia, where voting is compulsory, is usually resolved on the same evening that Australia's 15 million voters cast their ballots. But a tight election this year and a close-run poll in 2010 demonstrate how polls can drag on for weeks before final results are declared, with electoral officials recounting by hand as they painstakingly pore over slender margins and wait for postal ballots to arrive. By comparison, more than 45 million votes were cast in Japan on Sunday and more than 33 million were cast in the Brexit referendum. Both polls produced results within hours. E-voting could solve Australia's quandary by delivering an instant, computer-counted result, but experts warn the risks might outweigh the benefits. Electronic voting is currently available to vision-impaired voters via an automated telephone system. It has also been trialled at state polls. In a 2015 trial in New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, internet security experts found the process vulnerable to hacking. "Security issues around electronic voting are not solved. Software errors and security problems could potentially impact the election result," said Vanessa Teague, a lecturer in computer and information systems at University of Melbourne. (Editing by Jane Wardell and Paul Tait)
By PTI: Srinagar/New Delhi, Jul 12 (PTI) Kashmir today saw sporadic violence which left one person dead, raising the toll to 25, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the situation and appealed for calm with the hope that no innocent person would face an inconvenience or suffer any loss.
One person was killed in firing by security forces on a mob in Kupwara district of Kashmir, police sources said.
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There were some other incidents of violence, including a militant strike on a police post and a mob attack on the family of a police officer in which his wife and daughter were injured.
In Delhi, Modi held a high-level meeting to review the Kashmir situation soon after his return from his five-day Africa visit. It was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
The Prime Minister voiced concern over the situation in the state where the death toll rose to 25 in the violent protests and clashes with security forces, triggered by the killing of Hizbul militant commander Burhan Wani last Friday.
"He (PM) has appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain peace so that the situation can normalise. He (PM) also expressed hope that no innocent person should face any kind of inconvenience or loss," Minister of State in the Prime Ministers Office Jitendra Singh said after the meeting.
Modi said the Centre will provide whatever help is needed by the state government, according to Jitendra Singh.
The Prime Minister also expressed satisfaction over the progress of the Amarnath Yatra.
The Prime Minister was given a detailed presentation of the situation prevailing in the Valley.
"The Prime Minister kept taking updates about the Jammu and Kashmir situation during his visit abroad. The biggest evidence of his concern is that he called this review meeting within hours of returning from the tour and took details," Singh told reporters.
In Kashmir, while normal life remained paralysed, unidentified militants targeted a police post in Sopore, about 55 kms from Srinagar, firing seven to eight rounds but no one was injured.
In another incident, unidentified persons hurled a petrol bomb towards security forces posted on law and order duty in Noorbagh area of Srinagar, an official said, adding nobody was injured in this too.
In Awantipora area of Pulwama in south Kashmir, a mob beat up and injured wife and daughter of a police Sub- Inspector Mohammad Ashraf Pal and damaged his house. The injured were shifted to Sub District Hospital Awantipora where their condition is stated to be stable. Pal, who is posted as duty officer at Sangam police post in Bibjehara area of Anantnag district, was not at home at the time of the attack, which follows a series of attacks on police personnel and installations since the killing Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on last Friday. (MORE) PTI SSB MIJ ABS ACB SKL AKK AKK
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FARNBOROUGH, England, July 12 (Reuters) - Raytheon Co on Tuesday said it was cautiously optimistic after hitting key milestones in recent months on a long-delayed and over-budget programme to develop a ground control system for next-generation GPS satellites.
"Things are progressing well. We've overcome a lot of the challenges, but there are still some in front of us," David Wajsgras, president of Raytheon's Intelligence, Information and Services business, told Reuters at the Farnborough International Airshow.
Wajsgras said Raytheon would continue to work closely with the U.S. Air Force to ensure the success of the programme, which is facing a "live or die" Pentagon review after breaching critical cost thresholds earlier this year.
He said Raytheon had put its best resources and people to work to resolve the programme's issues.
"I would put us as cautiously optimistic," Wajsgras said. "We feel good about the progress we've made."
Defense Undersecretary Frank Kendall told reporters this week that Raytheon's work on the programme was "a mixed bag", showing progress in some areas but continuing problems in others. He said he still hoped Raytheon could get the programme under control since it was critically needed.
Air Force Secretary Deborah James on June 30 declared the programme had breached congressional cost thresholds, triggering a mandatory review that could lead to the programme's termination.
The review will conclude in October, but Kendall told reporters it would be "very disruptive" to stop the programme at this point and start over.
The Pentagon earlier this year said the estimated cost of Raytheon's Operational Control System (OCX) had risen 16.3 percent, or $586.4 million, to $4.2 billion in 2015, even before a two-year delay that would further inflate costs.
The new estimated cost was not immediately available. The programme was expected to cost just $1.5 billion when Raytheon won the contract in 2010.
The Air Force said Raytheon had briefed its progress on process improvements, including increased automation in software development, platform deployment, and other changes in their software approach at a deep dive review last week.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Mark Potter)
Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) revealed Tuesday it was granted a $291 million contract by the U.S. Navy for production of the AIM-9X Sidewinder missile, one of the most advanced infrared-tracking, short-range, air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles in the globe.
According to Raytheon, the contract was for All Up Round Tactical Full Rate Production Lot 16 of the Block II missiles for the U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army and the governments of Japan, Norway and Taiwan.
The company said this contract modification provided for the procurement of AIM-9X Block II Captive Air Training Missiles, containers and spare components for the American Navy and Air Force, and a number of its allies.
The defense equipment maker said that most of the work would take place in Tucson, and is expected to be complete before March 2019.
Shares of the company closed Monday's trading at $139.19.
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2016 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
I know well make because of what Ive experienced in my own life; what Ive seen of this country and its people, their goodness and decency, as president of the United States. And I know it because of what weve seen here in Dallas, how all of you out of great suffering have shown us the meaning of perseverance and character and hope.
OBAMA: When the bullets started flying, the men and women of the Dallas police, they did not flinch and they did not react recklessly. They showed incredible restraint. Helped in some cases by protesters, they evacuated the injured, isolated the shooter, saved more lives than we will ever know.
(APPLAUSE)
We mourn fewer people today because of your brave actions.
(APPLAUSE)
Everyone was helping each other, one witness said. And it wasnt about black or white. Everyone was picking each other up and moving them away.
See, thats the America I know. The police helped Shetamia Taylor as she was shot trying to shield her four sons. She said she wanted her boys to join her to protest the incidents of black men being killed.
She also said to the Dallas P.D., thank you for being heroes. And today, her 12-year-old son wants to be a cop when he grows up. Thats the America I know.
(APPLAUSE)
In the aftermath of the shooting, weve seen Mayor Rawlings and Chief Brown, a white man and a black man with different backgrounds, working not just to restore order and support a shaken city, a shaken department, but working together to unify a city with strength and grace and wisdom.
(APPLAUSE)
And in the process, weve been reminded that the Dallas Police Department has been at the forefront of improving relations between police and the community.
(APPLAUSE)
The murder rate here has fallen. Complaints of excessive force have been cut by 64 percent. The Dallas Police Department has been doing it the right way.
(APPLAUSE) And so, Mayor Rawlings and Chief Brown, on behalf of the American people, thank you for your steady leadership. Thank you for your powerful example. We could not be prouder of you.
(APPLAUSE)
These men, this department, this is the America I know. And today in this audience, I see people who have protested on behalf of criminal justice reform grieving alongside police officers. I see people who mourn for the five officers we lost, but also weep for the families of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. In this audience, I see whats possible.
(APPLAUSE)
I see whats possible when we recognize that we are one American family, all deserving of equal treatment. All deserving equal respect. All children of God. Thats the America I know.
Now, Im not naive. I have spoken at too many memorials during the course of this presidency. Ive hugged too many families who have lost a loved one to senseless violence. And Ive seen how a spirit of unity, born of tragedy, can gradually dissipate, overtaken by the return to business as usual, by inertia and old habits and expediency.
OBAMA: I see how easily we slip back into our old notions, because theyre comfortable, were used to them. Ive seen how inadequate words can be in bringing about lasting change. Ive seen how inadequate my own words have been. And so, Im reminded of a passage in Johns Gospel, let us love, not with words or speech, but with actions and in truth.
If were to sustain the unity, we need to get through these difficult times. If we are to honor these five outstanding officers who we lost, then we will need to act on the truths that we know. Thats not easy. It makes us uncomfortable, but were going to have to be honest with each other and ourselves.
We know that the overwhelming majority of police officers do an incredibly hard and dangerous job fairly and professional. They are deserving of our respect and not our scorn
(APPLAUSE)
When anyone, no matter how good their intentions may be, paints all police as biased, or bigoted, we undermine those officers that we depend on for our safety. And as for those who use rhetoric suggesting harm to police, even if they dont act on it themselves, well, they not only make the jobs of police officers even more dangerous, but they do a disservice to the very cause of justice that they claim to promote.
(APPLAUSE)
We also know that centuries of racial discrimination, of slavery, and subjugation, and Jim Crow; they didnt simply vanish with the law against segregation. They didnt necessarily stop when a Dr. King speech, or when the civil rights act or voting rights act were signed. Race relations have improved dramatically in my lifetime. Those who deny it are dishonoring the struggles that helped us achieve that progress. But we know
(APPLAUSE)
But America, we know that bias remains. We know it, whether you are black, or white, or Hispanic, or Asian, or native American, or of Middle Eastern descent, we have all seen this bigotry in our own lives at some point. Weve heard it at times in our own homes. If were honest, perhaps weve heard prejudice in our own heads and felt it in our own hearts. We know that. And while some suffer far more under racisms burden, some feel to a far greater extent discriminations stain. Although most of us do our best to guard against it and teach our children better, none of us is entirely innocent. No institution is entirely immune, and that includes our police departments. We know this.
OBAMA: And so when African-Americans from all walks of life, from different communities across the country, voice a growing despair over what they perceive to be unequal treatment, when study after study shows that whites and people of color experience the criminal justice system differently. So that if youre black, youre more likely to be pulled over or searched or arrested; more likely to get longer sentences; more likely to get the death penalty for the same crime. When mothers and fathers raised their kids right, and have the talk about how to respond if stopped by a police officer yes, sir; no, sir but still fear that something terrible may happen when their child walks out the door; still fear that kids being stupid and not quite doing things right might end in tragedy.
When all this takes place, more than 50 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act, we cannot simply turn away and dismiss those in peaceful protest as troublemakers or paranoid.
(APPLAUSE)
We cant simply dismiss it as a symptom of political correctness or reverse racism. To have your experience denied like that, dismissed by those in authority, dismissed perhaps even by your white friends and coworkers and fellow church members, again and again and again, it hurts. Surely we can see that, all of us.
We also know what Chief Brown has said is true, that so much of the tensions between police departments and minority communities that they serve is because we ask the police to do too much and we ask too little of ourselves.
(APPLAUSE)
As a society, we choose to under-invest in decent schools. We allow poverty to fester so that entire neighborhoods offer no prospect for gainful employment. We refuse to fund drug treatment and mental health programs.
(APPLAUSE)
We flood communities with so many guns that it is easier for a teenager to buy a Glock than get his hands on a computer or even a book.
(APPLAUSE)
And then we tell the police, Youre a social worker; youre the parent; youre the teacher; youre the drug counselor. We tell them to keep those neighborhoods in check at all costs and do so without causing any political blowback or inconvenience; dont make a mistake that might disturb our own peace of mind. And then we feign surprise when periodically the tensions boil over.
We know those things to be true. Theyve been true for a long time. We know it. Police, you know it. Protesters, you know it. You know how dangerous some of the communities where these police officers serve are. And you pretend as if theres no context. These things we know to be true. And if we cannot even talk about these things, if we cannot talk honestly and openly, not just in the comfort of our own circles, but with those who look different than us or bring a different perspective, then we will never break this dangerous cycle.
OBAMA: In the end, its not about finding policies that work. Its about forging consensus and fighting cynicism and finding the will to make change.
Can we do this? Can we find the character, as Americans, to open our hearts to each other? Can we see in each other a common humanity and a shared dignity, and recognize how our different experiences have shaped us? And it doesnt make anybody perfectly good or perfectly bad, it just makes us human.
I dont know. I confess that sometimes I, too, experience doubt. Ive been to too many of these things. Ive seen too many families go through this.
But then I am reminded of what the Lord tells Ezekiel. I will give you a new heart, the Lord says, and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you your heart of stone, and give you a heart of flesh.
Thats what we must pray for, each of us. A new heart. Not a heart of stone, but a heart open to the fears and hopes and challenges of our fellow citizens.
Thats what weve seen in Dallas these past few days, and thats what we must sustain. Because with an open heart, we can learn to stand in each others shoes and look at the world through each others eyes. So that maybe the police officer sees his own son in that teenager with a hoodie, whos kind of goofing off but not dangerous.
(APPLAUSE)
And the teenager maybe the teenager will see in the police officer the same words, and values and authority of his parents.
(APPLAUSE)
With an open heart, we can abandon the overheated rhetoric and the oversimplification that reduces whole categories of our fellow Americans, not just opponents, but to enemies.
With an open heart, those protesting for change will guard against reckless language going forward. Look at the model set by the five officers we mourn today. Acknowledge the progress brought about by the sincere efforts of police departments like this one in Dallas. And embark on the hard, but necessary work of negotiation, the pursuit of reconciliation. With an open heart, police departments will acknowledge that just like the rest of us, theyre not perfect. That insisting we do better to root out racial bias is not an attack on cops, but an effort to live up to our highest ideals.
(APPLAUSE)
And I understand these protests I see them. They can be messy. Sometimes they can be hijacked by an irresponsible few. Police can get hurt.
(APPLAUSE)
Protesters can get hurt. They can be frustrated. But even those who dislike the phrase black lives matter, surely, we should be able to hear the pain of Alton Sterlings family.
(APPLAUSE)
We should when we hear a friend describe him by saying that, whatever he cooked, he cooked enough for everybody, that should sound familiar to us, that maybe he wasnt so different than us. So that we can, yes, insist that his life matters.
OBAMA: Just as we should hear the students and co-workers describe their affection for Philando Castile as a gentle soul. Mr. Rogers with deadlocks, they called him. And know that his life mattered to a whole lot of people of all races, of all ages, and that we have to do what we can without putting officers lives at risk, but do better to prevent another life like his from being lost.
With an open heart, we can worry less about which side has been wronged, and worry more about joining sides to do right
(APPLAUSE)
Because the vicious killer of these police officers they wont be the last person who tries to make us turn on one another. The killer in Orlando wasnt nor was the killer in Charleston. We know there is evil in this world, thats why we need police department departments.
(APPLAUSE)
But as Americans, we can decide that people like this killer will ultimately fail. They will not drive us apart. We can decide to come together and make our country reflect the good inside us, the hopes and simple dreams we share.
We also glory in our suffers because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, and character hope. For all of us, life presents challenges and suffering. Accidents, illnesses, the loss of loved ones; there are times when we are overwhelmed by sudden calamity, natural or man-made. All of us, we make mistakes, and at times we are lost.
And as we get older, we learn we dont always have control of things, not even a president does. But we do have control over how we respond to the world. We do have control or how we treat one another.
America does not ask us to be perfect, precisely because of our individual imperfections, our founders gave us institutions to guard against tyranny and ensure no one is above the law. A democracy that gives us the space to work through our differences and debate them peacefully, to make things better, even if it doesnt always happen as fast as wed like. America gives us the capacity to change.
But as the men we mourn today, these five heroes knew better than most, we cannot take the blessings of this nation for granted. Only by working together can we preserve those institutions of family and community, rights and responsibilities, law and self-government that is the hallmark of this nation.
It turns out we do not persevere along. Our character is not found in isolation. Hope does not arise by putting our fellow man down, it is found by lifting others up.
(APPLAUSE)
And thats what I take away from the lives of these outstanding men. The pain we feel may not soon pass, but my faith tells me that they did not die in vain. I believe our sorrow can make us a better country. I believe our righteous anger can be transformed into more justice and more peace. Weeping may endure for a night but Im convinced joy comes in the morning.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: We cannot match the sacrifices made by Officers Zamarippa and Ahrens, Krol, Smith and Thompson, but surely we can try to match their sense of service. We cannot match their courage, but we can strive to match their devotion.
May God bless their memory. May God bless this country that we love.
Washington (AFP) - US Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Tuesday defended her decision not to take legal action against Hillary Clinton over her use of a private email server.
"The matter was handled like any other matter," Lynch said in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill.
Republican lawmakers have been sharply critical of the department's decision not to pursue Clinton, the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee for the presidency.
FBI Director James Comey announced last week at the conclusion of an investigation that the Bureau was not recommending that prosecutors bring charges against the former secretary of state. Lynch accepted this recommendation the following day.
She has denied having been influenced by contact with former President Bill Clinton, who Lynch crossed paths with late last month on the tarmac of an airport in Phoenix, Arizona.
"The former president indicated he wanted to say hello. I agreed to say hello," Lynch said at the hearing, describing what she said was a chance encounter with Clinton, who appointed her to her first post as a federal prosecutor in 1999.
"Nothing of any relationship to the email investigation was discussed, nor were any specific cases or matters before the Department of Justice discussed," Lynch said.
House Republicans did not drop the matter, however.
Two among them on Monday asked the Justice Department to begin an investigation of Clinton on suspicion of perjury, accusing her of having made false statements to lawmakers during testimony in October.
While Comey did not recommend charges, he sharply criticized Clinton's handling of classified information on the private server which she used while serving as secretary of state from 2009 to 2013.
Some of that criticism was echoed by lawmakers on Tuesday.
"Her extreme carelessness suggests she cannot be trusted with the nation's most sensitive secrets if she is nevertheless elected president," said Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, a Republican.
Democrats, who have attacked Republicans for their tenacity in pursuing the email controversy, have suggested that their motives are rooted in election year politics, with just four months until voters go to the polls.
"If any of my colleagues are not yet convinced, it is because they do not want to be convinced," said John Conyers, the top Democrat on the panel.
(TEHRAN, Iran) Iran announced indictments Monday for three dual nationals and a Lebanese man who remain detained months after the nuclear deal with world powers, showing the influence hard-liners still wield despite the landmark accord.
The four, who have ties to Britain, Canada and the United States, all are believed to have been detained by Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, a force charged with ensuring the countrys Islamic government remains in power.
The charges they face remain unclear, though the husband of one of them says his family was told by the Guard that she would be released if the British government agreed to their demands, suggesting they may be pawns in a negotiation yet to come.
Irans official judiciary news agency Mizan quoted Tehrans prosecutor, Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi, naming the four charged as:
Homa Hoodfar , an Iranian-Canadian woman who is a retired professor at Montreals Concordia University;
Siamak Namazi , an Iranian-American businessman who has advocated for closer ties between the two countries and whose father is also held in Tehran;
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe , an Iranian-British woman who works for the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of the news agency; and
Nizar Zakka, a U.S. permanent resident from Lebanon who has done work for the American government .
The four were arrested in connection with separate cases over the past year. Family members and representatives of the four say they did nothing wrong.
Dowlatabadis statement did not elaborate on the charges, though Iranian media previously accused Zaghari-Ratcliffe of plotting a soft toppling of the government and alleged that Zakka was a spy. He said another seven people faced charges related to the unrest that surrounded the countrys disputed 2009 presidential election.
Iran does not recognize dual nationalities, meaning those detained cannot receive consular assistance. In previous cases involving dual nationals, like the detention of Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, officials initially announced indictments had been handed down without providing specifics. Later, news organizations with close ties to security services offered details of the charges.
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Those detained typically face trial in Irans Revolutionary Court, a closed-door tribunal which handles cases involving alleged attempts to overthrow the government. Rezaian was convicted but later released in January as part of a prisoner swap between Iran and the U.S.
While Iranian officials have not publicly demanded another swap, analysts have suggested the detainees might be used by hard-liners as bargaining chips. Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of Zaghari-Ratcliffe, said as much in a statement to journalists Monday marking the 100th day of his wifes detention.
Ratcliffe said the Guard told his wifes family she would be released as long as the British government reached an agreement with them. He said they did not elaborate, other than to say it did not involve the recent nuclear deal, which lifted economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for it limiting its atomic program.
His toddler daughter, Gabriella, also remains in Iran, as authorities seized her passport.
That the Iranian authorities are willing to hold a mother and baby hostage for domestic politics and as a bargaining chip in their international negotiations shows that they have reached a very dark place, Ratcliffe said.
Mondays announcement did not include any mention of Namazis father, Baquer Namazi, a former Iranian and U.N. official in his 80s who is also detained. Also unaccounted for is former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who vanished in Iran in 2007 while on an unauthorized CIA mission.
Iranian officials in Tehran could not be reached for comment Monday. Irans mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, Irans judiciary spokesman Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi suggested in April that the two Namazis could be traded for Ahmad Sheikhzadeh, an Iranian consultant to the U.N. held in the U.S. on suspicion of tax and money laundering charges for helping violate sanctions.
Iran long has traded detainees, dating back to its 1979 Islamic Revolution that saw the U.S. Embassy in Tehran stormed and diplomats there held for 444 days. That history suggests those held now are essentially hostages, said Karim Sadjadpour, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington.
No evidence has been presented against them, and similar to previous Iranian dual nationals they will likely be eventually released as part of a package deal, Sadjadpour said. Many developing countries see their diaspora communities as assets. The Revolutionary Guard treat Iranian dual-nationals as threats to national security or assets to be bartered.
The hard-line crackdown since the nuclear accord has included the detention and sentencing of Iranian poets, filmmakers, artists and others. Most recently, famed Iranian sculptor Parviz Tanavoli found himself banned from traveling abroad and had his passport seized.
On Monday, Tanavoli told The Associated Press that police had received a complaint alleging that his work was disturbing public opinion and spreading lies. The sculptor called the complaint baseless and said his lawyer would fight against his travel ban, which prevented him from giving lectures in London.
By PTI: From Sajjad Hussain
Islamabad, Jul 11 (PTI) Pakistan today summoned the Indian High Commissioner to express serious concerns over the killings of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani and many civilians in Kashmir and called for "fair and transparent" inquiry against individuals responsible for "blatant" violation of fundamental rights.
The Foreign Secretary called in Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale "and conveyed Pakistans serious concerns over the recent killings of Kashmiri leader Burhan Wani and many other civilians in Kashmir by the Indian military and paramilitary forces", a statement said.
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He said that the use of excessive force against innocent civilians protesting peacefully over extrajudicial killings, is deplorable and a blatant violation of the Right to Life, Right to Freedom of Expression and Opinion, Right to Peaceful Protest, Right to Peaceful Assembly and other fundamental rights.
The Foreign Secretary also deplored the firing by Indian security forces on peaceful protesters, the statement said.
He highlighted that such brutal use of force is not acceptable under any circumstances, it said.
The Foreign Secretary called for fair and transparent inquiry against individuals responsible for these killings.
It was emphasised that oppressive measures cannot deter the valiant people of the Jammu and Kashmir from their demand of exercising their right to self determination in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions, the statement said.
The Foreign Secretary reiterated Pakistans call on the Indian government to fulfil its human rights obligations as well as its commitments under the United Nations Security Council Resolutions to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, it said. PTI SH NSA AKJ NSA
--- ENDS ---
On the morning of Oct. 31, 1975, 15-year-old Martha Moxley was found dead among some trees on her family's property in the exclusive enclave of Belle Haven in Greenwich, Conn. Suspicion immediately fell on her neighbors, brothers Tommy and Michael Skakel, cousins of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. It's a story chronicled first by Dominick Dunne in his 1993 novel, A Season in Purgatory, which was made into a TV movie of the same name, and then by Mark Fuhrman who wrote his own book, Murder in Greenwich, which was turned into a TV movie in 2002. It's doubtful that Kennedy, an environmental lawyer, had in mind a TV deal when he wrote his new book, Framed: Why Michael Skakel Spent Over a Decade in Prison for a Murder He Didn't Commit.
Son of former attorney general and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, and nephew to JFK, Kennedy sits squarely on that bridge between Washington power and celebrity. His Aunt Patty married Peter Lawford, and although Kennedy also is married to an actor, Cheryl Hines, he generally eschews the limelight himself unless it's to appear on talk shows like Bill Maher to discuss environmental issues. A strident activist, he has thrown his weight behind documentaries like The Last Mountain, about strip mining in coal country, and A Dangerous Game, about unscrupulous land developers like Donald Trump, of whom he told The Hollywood Reporter, "I will only say Trump is a demagogue and it's frightening."
In Framed, he attempts to clear his cousin Michael, who served 11 years of a 20-year sentence before his conviction was vacated in 2013 on the grounds that his attorney mounted an inadequate defense. For the time being Michael is free on $1.2 million bond, awaiting a decision by the Connecticut Supreme Court expected later this year on whether to grant him a new trial or overturn the lower court's decision and send him back to prison. Kennedy's book attempts to pin the murder on two teens from Manhattan, Adolph Hasbrouck and Burton Tinsley. But a 2007 ruling found evidence against them inadequate grounds for retrying the case and Martha's mother Dorthy Moxley said she found the accusations risible.
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Recently, THR spoke to Kennedy about the book and his quest to clear his cousin's name.
One of the main reasons the conviction was vacated was that the defense didn't focus on prime suspects like Michael's brother, Tommy.
Tommy, by virtue of the fact that he was the last person to see her alive and that he changed his story 15 years later, was a police suspect, but there was no other evidence against him and he himself had what the prosecutor acknowledged as an iron-clad alibi.
Which was?
It couldn't have been Tommy because Tommy appeared at 10:15 to watch The French Connection with [live-in tutor] Kenny Littleton, who said he was wearing the same clothes, he was not nervous, he was calm. The question was, How could he have committed a murder 15 minutes before, washed himself off and then calmly taken a seat next to Kenny Littleton?
Read More: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Apologizes for Comparing Child Vaccinations to "Holocaust"
But Michael's own attorney, Hubie Santos, felt there ought to have been more scrutiny of Tommy.
I think Hubie surprised everybody by saying that. He surprised Michael, he surprised me, he surprised everybody. He's never really explained that. I don't think there's anybody in the family who believes that there's any possibility that Tommy had anything to do with this.
Why did both Tommy and Michael change their testimony so drastically?
Every single witness that night had dramatic shifts in testimony. I think that's just a function of the vicissitudes of human memory. Both the Skakel boys changed their stories, but they're the only people who offered a reason for changing their stories. One, Tommy Skakel was making out with [Moxley]. He said he came in at 9:30; he now reports he was making out with Martha between 9:30 and 10:00. Of course he did not want to admit to Martha's mother that the two of them had been making out.
In later testimony, it was revealed that Michael was drunk and high and masturbating in a tree outside Moxley's house around the time of the murder or shortly thereafter.
Michael had turned 15 a couple of months before. He had been masturbating, which a lot of boys that age do, and he did not want to admit it.
In the last chapter of your book, you inculpate two teens from Manhattan - Adolph Hasbrouck, described as African-American, and Burton Tinsley, of mixed Asian descent - based on the testimony of their friend, Tony Bryant [a cousin of Kobe Bryant], who came forward in 2003. But no one in Belle Haven remembers seeing them that night.
I think people did see those boys that night. Those kids were all hiding [it was Mischief Night, the night before Halloween]. They'd come to Belle Haven to commit vandalism and that was their purpose and they didn't want to be seen. So you had people on a dark night, on a very cold night when people were likely wearing hoodies or hats and who were deliberately trying to stay hidden.
Read More: Cheryl Hines Marries Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The most damning evidence against them would be two hairs found on a sheet covering the body.
They didn't do DNA testing on the hairs. So the hairs were identified by other methodologies that I think were contemporary at the time and probably seem primitive now. One of them was described as a "Negro hair." The other was described as having Asian similarities. And Dr. Henry Lee, who is of Asian descent, who is the chief criminologist in Connecticut, testified that he himself would be a suspect because the hair was so definitively Asian. I'm not exactly sure how they made those determinations.
In the book you maintain that this adds up to proof beyond reasonable doubt.
I think people have to make up their own minds about that. This case should not be decided on passion or prejudice or anybody's opinion. It should be decided on the facts. And when I think people read the facts, a lot of people will believe that they are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. I don't think anybody could read that book and still believe that Michael Skakel is guilty.
And you have no qualms about pointing the finger at two minorities from the city in the current racially charged atmosphere?
First of all, I'm not pointing the finger at two black kids. I'm pointing the finger at a black kid and a white kid. Second of all, what I did was tell the truth. For me, I don't know another way to function other than to tell the truth.
And are you confident Michael will receive a new trial?
If they decide to uphold the decision then Michael will be free and the state will have to make a decision about whether to retry the case. I would be very surprised if they decided to send Michael back to prison and that's what would happen, he would be sent back to prison to complete his term.
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL July 12, 2016 Zacks Equity Research highlights Royal Gold, Inc. (RGLD) as the Bull of the Day and Oxford Industries, Inc. (OXM) as the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Alcoa Inc. (AA).
Here is a synopsis of all three stocks:
Bull of the Day :
The gold rush is back on and Royal Gold, Inc. (RGLD) is cashing in. This Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) is expected to see double digit earnings growth this year and next.
Royal Gold is not a mining company in the traditional sense. It owns precious metal royalties and streaming in 193 properties in 6 continents, including on 38 producing mines and 24 development stage projects.
This allows them to receive a percentage of the mining royalties that are produced at the mine. So it doesn't have to deal with the actual workings of the mine, including labor issues.
Estimates Rising on New Mt. Milligan Deal
On July 5, Royal Gold announced it was supporting the Centerra Gold acquisition of its largest revenue stream, Thompson Creek's Mt. Milligan.
"Under the terms of the commitment letter, Royal Golds 52.25% gold streaming interest at Mount Milligan will be amended, conditional and effective on closing of Centerras acquisition of Thompson Creek, to a 35% gold stream and 18.75% copper stream."
"Royal Gold will continue to pay $435 per ounce of gold delivered and will pay 15% of the spot price per metric tonne of copper delivered. Royal Gold estimates this amendment to be value neutral on a discounted cash flow basis, and expects about two-thirds of its future net revenue from Mount Milligan will be gold related and one-third copper related over the next ten years."
"After transition to the amended stream, Royal Gold expects that approximately 85% of its total net revenue will come from precious metals and 15% from base metals."
This mine, because it was the company's biggest revenue stream, was a huge overhang on the stock.
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But now that the uncertainty has been removed, the analysts are bullish.
2 estimates have been raised since the announcement for Fiscal 2016. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has jumped to $1.15 from $1.01 in the last week.
Earnings are expected to rise 12% in fiscal 2016.
Analysts also raised estimates for fiscal 2017 with 3 moving higher in the past week. Earnings are now expected to jump to $1.63 from $1.42. That is earnings growth of 41%.
Shares Hitting New Highs
In April, Royal Gold reported revenue for fiscal third quarter jumped 26%. It also paid out record quarterly dividends of $15 million, or $0.23, per share.
That dividend is subject to change quarterly, but right now, it's yielding about 1.1%.
Bear of the Day:
Even Oxford Industries, Inc. (OXM) can't defeat the recent apparel gloom. This Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) saw sales at Tommy Bahama slammed in the fiscal first quarter.
Oxford Industries operates three popular, upscale apparel and accessory brands including Tommy Bahama, Lilly Pulitzer and Southern Tide. It operates e-commerce sites, through its own retail stores and also through department store channels.
Big Miss in the Fiscal First Quarter
On June 7, Oxford reported its fiscal first quarter results and missed the Zacks Consensus by 9 cents. Earnings were $1.26 compared to the consensus of $1.35.
The disappointment came in the Tommy Bahama line, which saw same store sales comps plunge 13% in its worst quarter since the third quarter of 2009, which was during the dark days of the Great Recession.
Traffic decreased in the quarter but Tommy seemed to suffer from the same malaise as a lot of other retailers: a luxury brand sickness.
Tommy's clothes and accessories sell at higher price points.
Results were better at Lilly Pulitzer, which saw same store sales comps up 1%. Lilly was so hot last year, that it's going to be hard for that brand to lap those numbers going forward.
Estimates Cut for Fiscal 2016 and Fiscal 2017
Given the disappointment to start the new year, it's not surprising that analysts cut their full year estimates.
Four estimates were cut in the last 60 days for fiscal 2016, pushing down the Zacks Consensus Estimate to $3.70 from $4.03.
The company made $3.64 in fiscal 2015 so analysts are expecting only about 1.6% earnings growth this year.
Any Good News?
There are a few bright spots for Oxford.
Inventories were kept at a reasonable level which means there doesn't have to be a fire sale at Tommy Bahama to right the ship.
Additionally, the company said in June that sales trends in the second quarter at Tommy were already much improved.
The company also recently acquired southern upscale brand Southern Tide. It is mainly an e-commerce operation but it has one store and there are plans for two more to open this year.
Additional content:
Alcoa (AA) Surprises on Q2 Earnings Beat
Minutes after the closing bell today, aluminum giant Alcoa Inc. (AA) posted a big earnings beat for its fiscal Q2. Earnings of 15 cents per share on quarterly sales of $5.3 billion, easily topped the 9 cents per share and $5251 million in revenues, respectively.
The 66% earnings beat marks the second in a row for U.S.'s top aluminum producer, but the company missed revenue estimates in Q1. Analysts had been slightly biased to the downside in estimate revisions for the second quarter in a row, as well, although the Zacks ESP was looking for a 2-cent beat for Alcoa in Q2.
Even better, perhaps, than its impressive Q2 beat is the 6% growth guidance for the second half of 2016, with double-digit growth beyond. Investors who have been patient on the raw materials side of Alcoa gaining traction the past few quarters are being rewarded today -- with aluminum pricing reportedly up 22% in Q2, the upstream (legacy) side of the business is finally seeing some solid numbers.
The other side of Alcoa, consisting of Engineered Parts and rolled aluminum products, is on track to be spun off into its own company late this year under the name Arconic. This side of the business gave Alcoa a real shot in the arm back when the company bought airplane parts maker Firth Rixson two years ago. It was the near-immediate success of this side of the business, in fact, that has led to the notion of the company splitting into two in the first place.
Now with the legacy raw materials side pulling its weight and solid growth in Alcoa's forecast, you might say the timing appears very good. Especially if global economic growth can get on sounder footing, Alcoa should be a beneficiary of this. Then again, it looks as if Wall Street is already pricing in this momentum -- the stock is up 3.75% in after-market trading following a 3% jump in regular Monday trading.
Before the Q2 earnings announcement, Alcoa was trading up nearly 27% over the last 6 months. It will be interesting to see how this and the new split-off stock will fare by this time next year.
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By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Security Council veto power Russia said on Tuesday it was willing to consider imposing an arms embargo on South Sudan and that sending more troops could help stabilize the world's newest nation after days of heavy fighting in the capital Juba. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday called for the 15-member Security Council to impose an arms embargo on the oil-producing nation, a move backed by the United States, France, Britain, Angola and other council members. Russia said in January it was against an arms embargo, but on Tuesday Russian U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said that he was "not completely opposed" to the measure, though he was wary of whether it would actually achieve anything. "We could do an arms embargo tomorrow and nothing will change so we need to have a comprehensive view of the situation," Churkin told reporters. "An arms embargo is not a magic wand, a recipe for averting the worst there. So we need to give some serious thought to what can be done." "We're not completely opposed ... it's definitely a very difficult situation, so together with other members of the Security Council we are thinking about what can be done," he said. A day-old ceasefire appeared to be holding on Tuesday, barring sporadic gunfire, the United Nations said. Forces loyal to South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar had battled each other with anti-aircraft guns, attack helicopters and tanks since Thursday, almost five years to the day since South Sudan declared independence from Sudan with promises of aid and support from world powers. Kiir and Machar have wrangled for months over implementing a peace deal the pair signed in August to end a brutal civil war, which broke out in December 2013 after Kiir sacked Machar. The Security Council said on Sunday it was ready to consider enhancing the U.N. peace-keeping mission in South Sudan and urged countries in the region to prepare to send additional troops if the council decides to increase the nearly 13,500-strong force. "I think it's quite likely," said Churkin. "If there are those who are prepared to send more troops then something needs to be done in order to try and stabilize the situation and protect the population, which is of course on the receiving end of this whole disaster," he said. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by James Dalgleish)
In something of an unconventional move on Tuesday evening, Samsung announced that it will announce the Galaxy Note 7.
Maybe we should clarify.
The world's No. 1 smartphone company by shipment volume confirmed in a blog post on Tuesday that it will unveil its next-generation Galaxy Note 7 during a press conference next month. The event will take place in New York City on August 2nd, aligning perfectly with a number of earlier rumors that suggested Samsung's new Note phablet would debut on that date. Unfortunately, Samsung didn't confirm any other details about the phone or when it might be released.
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[Unpacked Invitation 2016]
Precious few details can be inferred from the image above, which you can click to see at its full resolution. We know the new phone will be called the Galaxy Note 7 because Samsung told us as much in its blog post. As expected, Samsung has chosen to skip the "Galaxy Note 6" so that its flagship smartphones have the same number in their names moving forward.
Last year, Samsung released the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy Note 5. In 2016, the company will launch the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy Note 7.
Beyond that, the graphic above seems to confirm that this year's Note 7 will include a stylus, which was obviously already a fairly safe bet. We also know the company plans to stream the Galaxy Note 7's unveiling live so that Android fans can watch along. Beyond that, nothing has been confirmed.
A leak earlier on Tuesday gave the world its first look at what is believed to be a Galaxy Note 7 prototype. That device aligned with earlier leaks suggesting the Note 7 will feature a curved display similar to the one on the Galaxy S7 edge. Other reports have suggested that the phone will feature a 5.7-inch QHD Super AMOLED display, 64GB of storage, 4GB or 6GB of RAM, microSD support, a 12-megapixel camera, a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, IP68 water and dust resistance and an integrated iris scanner.
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Trending right now:
See the original version of this article on BGR.com
By Luciana Lopez and Jonathan Allen NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders is set to throw his support behind fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton's bid for the White House on Tuesday, a boost for the former secretary of state as she prepares to face off with Republican rival Donald Trump in the Nov. 8 presidential election. An endorsement from Sanders would end a bitterly fought battle for the Democratic nomination that split the party over education, healthcare and climate change, and comes after Clinton offered Sanders a handful of policy concessions on those issues in recent weeks. At a rally in New Hampshire on Tuesday, the pair will appear together to discuss a shared "commitment to building an America that is stronger together and an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top," according to statements released Monday by both campaigns. Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver would not confirm whether Sanders would formally endorse Clinton on Tuesday but said the rally will be the first of many in which Sanders will "be out there stumping for the Democratic nominee." Sanders had been under pressure for weeks from Democratic Party officials to throw his weight behind Clinton after she locked up the required number of delegates last month with a string of wins in state-by-state primary contests, but had resisted, citing policy differences. Clinton needs Sanders' supporters to boost her chances against Trump in her run for the White House. Only about 40 percent of Sanders' supporters say they would vote for her, according to recent Reuters/Ipsos polling. Weaver said that despite Sanders backing of Clinton, he would likely still press on with his efforts to reform the Democratic Party nominating process after a contentious primary season, pushing to open primaries to independent voters and change the roles of superdelegates, party stalwarts who can support a nominee of their choosing regardless of how people voted in their districts. ROOM FOR FRICTION In the past few weeks, both camps have been in regular contact on how to bring Clinton closer to some of Sanders' progressive stances on issues like wealth inequality, trade, healthcare, education, and the environment in an effort to unify the party. But some Sanders' supporters are not fully satisfied by Clinton's concessions on the party platform - most of which centered on education and healthcare - suggesting there may be some room for friction at the Democratic National Convention later this month where Clinton is set to be formally nominated. "This is a platform clearly influenced by Bernie Sanders," said James Zogby, the president of the Arab American Institute and a Sanders appointee to the party's platform drafting committee. But, he added, "there were several areas where the Clinton campaign lost an opportunity to not only reach out to the Sanders base but to also to make a dramatic statement to the American people in general that would have gone a long way in helping her demonstrate that she will be a different kind of candidate," he said. For example, he said, the party could have used stronger language in its policy platform draft to condemn the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, which Sanders has argued would hurt American workers and which Clinton has also vocally opposed. Sanders' challenge to Clinton, one of the best-known figures in U.S. politics, lasted far longer than expected, running for four months and across 50 states and yielding record numbers of small donations to his campaign. He has previously vowed to help Clinton defeat Trump but has been reluctant to end his campaign, and has come short of making a formal endorsement even as other prominent Democrats have rallied around her, including President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, a favorite of the party's liberal wing. On Monday, the Communications Workers of America endorsed Clinton, after having earlier endorsed Sanders. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Valerie Volcovici in Washington, Luciana Lopez in New York; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Jonathan Oatis)
The Foreign Secretary informed the Ambassadors that due to the excessive use of force against civilians protesting the killing of Burhan Wani, more than 30 innocent people have lost their lives and more than 350 have been injured so far.
By India Today Web Desk: Foreign Secretary briefs Ambassadors of the Permanent Members of the Security Council (P-5) and expresses serious concern over killings in India occupied Pakistan (IOP)
The Foreign Secretary briefed Ambassadors of the Permanent Members of the Security Council (China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and USA) over the tense situation in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOK) and expressed Pakistans serious concern over the brutal killings of civilians and violation of their other fundamental human rights by the Indian Security Forces.
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The Foreign Secretary informed the Ambassadors that due to the excessive use of force against civilians protesting the killing of Burhan Wani, more than 30 innocent people have lost their lives and more than 350 have been injured so far. He emphasized that India should conduct a fair and transparent inquiry against the individuals responsible for these killings.
The Foreign Secretary urged the international community and particularly the Permanent Members of the Security Council to take notice of the gravity of the situation in IOK, call on India to respect human rights of the people of IOK and implement UN Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.
The Foreign Secretary rejected Indian attempts to claim that the deteriorating human rights situation in IOK was an internal affair of India and emphasized the disputed nature of Jammu and Kashmir awaiting the implementation of the UNSC resolutions.
The Foreign Secretary said that killings of innocent Kashmiri people could not be condoned under the pretext of terrorism. He observed that the just struggle of the Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination cannot be equated with terrorism.
The Foreign Secretary emphasised that such inhumane and oppressive measures cannot deter the valiant people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand of exercising their right to self-determination in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions
--- ENDS ---
Portsmouth (United States) (AFP) - After months of bitter campaigning, Bernie Sanders will take the stage with one-time rival Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, and is expected to finally deliver his long-awaited endorsement of the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
The joint appearance at a high school in Portsmouth, New Hampshire is the culmination of weeks of talks between the two campaigns aimed at unifying the party in preparation for taking on Republican Donald Trump in November.
The 74-year-old Sanders, a US senator from Vermont, waged a tougher-than-expected year-long battle against the former secretary of state, but Clinton clinched enough delegates to secure the nomination in early June.
Sanders, a feisty self-described democratic socialist, nevertheless has refused to concede defeat to his more moderate rival, although he has said he will vote for Clinton and will do anything to help defeat Trump.
Sanders wants to ensure that his ideas are part of the party platform presented at the Democratic National Convention later this month in Philadelphia, when Clinton is formally nominated.
The Clinton and Sanders camps said Monday the two will join forces Tuesday "to discuss their commitment to building an America that is stronger together and an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top."
Party officials met over the weekend in Orlando, Florida to finalize the Democratic platform, which they described as the most ambitious and progressive yet in history.
The party reached agreement on language concerning climate change, health care and raising the minimum wage in America to $15 per hour. But they reportedly failed to reach common ground on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade accord.
- Trump ready to pick running mate? -
Donald Trump, who has proclaimed himself "the law and order candidate" amid rising gun violence, will campaign in Indiana later Tuesday.
His scheduled appearance with Governor Mike Pence is raising speculation that Trump could pick the state's chief executive as his running mate.
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"I am the law and order candidate," the presumptive Republican nominee said Monday in Virginia Beach at an event with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
The declaration, reminiscent of remarks made by former president Richard Nixon in his 1968 campaign, came as Trump highlighted recent killings including the horrific shooting deaths of five Dallas police officers in a sniper-like ambush.
"The attack on our Dallas police is an attack on our country. Our whole nation is in mourning," Trump said, as he pledged to "fight" for law enforcement personnel and ensure they have Washington's full backing.
Trump and Clinton both halted their campaigning for a day after Thursday's Dallas police murders.
Christie, a potential vice presidential pick, joined Trump as reports swirled that the billionaire real estate tycoon will choose a running mate in the coming days.
Christie's experience running a populous state could be seen as critical for Trump, who has acknowledged his own lack of political and government expertise.
Indiana's Pence would bring executive experience as well, along with a perceived steady hand at the tiller that could help counter the narrative that Trump is too incendiary and quick to provoke.
Pence made a tepid endorsement of Senator Ted Cruz but switched to Trump when Cruz dropped out.
"I'm prepared to make that case anywhere across Indiana and anywhere across this country that Donald Trump would want me to," he said.
?
By John Whitesides
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. (Reuters) - Democrat Bernie Sanders will team up with Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail for the first time on Tuesday, joining her in New Hampshire, where he is expected to endorse her White House campaign in a belated show of party unity.
Five weeks after Clinton clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, the U.S. senator from Vermont is scheduled to join her at a rally designed to put their bitter primary campaign behind them and emphasize a shared commitment to beating Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, in the Nov. 8 election.
The appearance in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, concludes weeks of negotiations between the two camps and comes after Clinton last week adopted elements of Sanders plans for free in-state college tuition and expanded affordable healthcare coverage.
The event is also less than two weeks before the opening of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, where Clinton is expected to become the party official nominee.
Sanders also successfully pushed to include an array of liberal policy positions in the Democratic platform, which a committee approved on Saturday. His campaign described the platform in a statement as the most progressive in party history.
Sanders did not win all of his policy fights, most notably failing to win support for blocking a vote in Congress on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. But he told reporters on Saturday that the two campaigns were coming closer and closer together.
Clinton hopes the joint appearance will help her win over Sanders supporters. In recent Reuters/Ipsos polling, only about 40 percent of them said they would back her.
But top Democrats including President Barack Obama and Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a favorite of the partys liberal wing, have already announced their support for Clinton, leaving Sanders at risk of being left behind in the Democratic battle against Trump.
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I think all signs point to the fact that were going to have a very united party going into Philadelphia, Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon said on CNN, and when you compare it to the Republicans, were going to be miles ahead of them.
Trump has struggled to unify the party after alienating many establishment figures with his stances on immigration, Muslims and women. A number of prominent Republicans are skipping the partys national convention in Cleveland next week.
In another sign of the Democrats growing unity, two prominent liberal groups that had backed Sanders, the Communications Workers of America labor union and the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, announced their support for Clinton on Monday.
The congressional group is led by two of Sanders biggest backers in Congress - Raul Grijalva of Arizona, who already had endorsed Clinton, and Keith Ellison of Minnesota.
With the Democratic Party on track to ratify the most progressive platform in recent history, and Clinton continuing to campaign on progressive ideas, Sanders supporters can feel good that they helped to transform the future of the Democratic Party and America, said Kait Sweeney, a spokeswoman for the liberal Progressive Change Campaign Committee and a former Sanders campaign staffer.
New Hampshire is where Sanders first served notice of the strength of his campaign by beating Clinton handily in the primary.
Also, Clinton and Obama held their first joint rally there in 2008 after his victory in that brutal primary race. To make sure everyone got the point, it took place in the town of Unity.
(Editing by Leslie Adler and Lisa Von Ahn)
Almost every year, Nikki Wheeler flies to New York City to watch the U.S. Open -- but this year she's also bringing her niece along with her to visit colleges.
"I'm actually taking her to New York for her college tour in September since I usually go to the U.S. Open," says the Denver resident. "I've already booked it and it's already $2,000 apiece to go -- and that's with the hotel and airfare."
Wheeler decided on a vacation approach to combine expenses, giving her 15-year-old niece a couple of days in the city to form an idea of what it's like to live and go to school there.
"I'm fortunate that I have a great job and can set aside money for a family vacation," says the media executive, who spends $2,000 a month to help her other niece and nephew pay for college.
[Discover the questions college tour guides wish they heard from high schoolers.]
Visiting a campus can be a great way to determine if a college is the right fit, experts say, but it's often not cheap.
"You don't want to spend so much money on college tours that you are pulling away from valuable money that you're earmarking to pay for school," says Peg Keough, a wealth advisor and founder of college planning firm Way to the Quad, based in Bellevue, Washington.
It's not unusual for someone to spend $3,000 on travel, food and lodging costs before selecting a school to attend -- although some families spend less, college financial planners say.
Experts say budget-savvy families can spend less than $1,000 by limiting visits to fewer schools and learning about campus preferences by touring colleges locally.
Narrow the List of Schools to Reduce Time and Costs
One way to reduce costs is to drill down a short list of more likely schools -- which eliminates over-visiting colleges, says Sean Moore, founder of college financial planning service SMART College Funding based in Boca Raton, Florida, who advises keeping the list to less than five schools.
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While taking virtual tours and exploring online are good steps, families should still set foot on campus, says Moore. "Make sure it's a school you're truly interested in. Just because the school has a great name is not a good enough reason to visit."
Before planning the trip, Wheeler made sure her niece had the grades to be accepted to New York University -- the high school junior's top choice.
But determining a school that is a good fit for a prospective student goes beyond GPA and test scores -- it's also about preferences, college planners say.
[Check out thisinfographic on how to prepare for your college campus visit.]
Financial college consultants recommend visiting schools within a short driving distance to learn about campus preferences -- especially if that student is on a tight budget.
Sonia Torres, with Summer Search, a national nonprofit headquartered in San Francisco that works with college-bound high school teens, says visiting a local school -- even if it's not on the list -- helps a student understand a college type.
"We recommend a California student visit a local University of California campus if they are interested in a large, highly regarded public school or to visit a local small, private liberal arts college if they are interested in a similar institution in another state," the spokeswoman says.
Visit Colleges That Are Best Bets for Acceptance
College planning consultants advise families to plan a campus tour at least three months ahead of time -- as official tours often book up -- and look at schools where acceptance is probable.
Michael Schiferl, of La Grange, Illinois, says he took his daughter Anna, 17, on an inexpensive road trip touring schools in the Midwest last summer for around $500.
Before hitting the road, his daughter determined that she was only interested in major universities in the Midwest as well as Pennsylvania State University--University Park.
The father-daughter duo drove from suburban Chicago to State College, Pennsylvania, touring only major universities en route to Penn State -- including Ohio State University--Columbus, Purdue University--West Lafayette and the University of Cincinnati.
"We also didn't visit schools we thought there was no statistical chances of being admitted -- so not trips to Harvard or Stanford just to say we went there," Schiferl says.
His teen chose Purdue University, after 10 official campus tours and several nonofficial school visits, and is enrolled for this fall.
[Discover 10 tips for aneffective college visit.]
Schiferl says they kept expenses to a minimum, eating at university dining halls or fast food restaurants, filling up the car several times and staying at inexpensive roadside inns.
"We spent about $100 or $120 a night on the hotels -- they were not fancy places at all," he says.
One of the biggest expenses -- whether traveling by car or plane -- is lodging, says Moore, from SMART College Funding.
Food per day is relatively inexpensive at around $20 per person unless it's in New York City or Boston, says Keough from Way to the Quad, who adds that most college towns are typically cheap for food.
"A thousand dollars is plenty of money if you're going local and driving. But if you're applying up and down the East Coast, then $2,000 is going to be pushing it," she says.
Visiting schools in expensive cities typically costs at least $2,000 for a single trip, wealth advisors say, but families can cut costs by staying in an outlying area.
Develop Alternative Strategies on Cash-Strapped Budgets
Some schools, college planners say, offer "fly-in" programs where lodging and meals are provided to prospective students. These programs are usually limited to those from underrepresented or low-income backgrounds. For example, Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, brings around 60 high school seniors to campus every year with all expenses paid through its Taste of Carleton program.
"Some schools have funds that will bring kids in to visit," says Kat Cohen, founder of IvyWise, a higher education consulting firm based in New York City. "Definitely call the school; they may make it happen for you."
Another strategy for people who can't afford to tour faraway college campuses is to wait until being accepted, college planners say.
"If money is tight and you can't do the initial one, then hold off until you get in," says Keough, who urges students to visit the college where they plan to attend. "Do local -- which is cheap. And once they get into schools, that's when you hop on a plane."
Schiferl says his daughter toured some schools after being admitted and used a virtual tour of Purdue to pick out her dorm room instead of driving 130 miles to revisit the campus.
"You got to go visit if you're going to spend the next four years of your life there," says Keough. "Somehow you're paying for it. And it's a lot of money,"
Searching for a college? Get our complete rankings of Best Colleges.
Farran Powell is an education reporter at U.S. News, covering paying for college and graduate school. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at fpowell@usnews.com.
Take a look at some facepalm-inducing moments from Pakistani newsrooms.
By Vishakha Saxena: A journalist with Pakistani TV channel Express News went viral this week for reporting on philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi's death from an unlikely, and ridiculously insensitive location - his grave.
And while its understandable that the race for TRPs requires every organisation to do something unique, this attempt simply violated all journalistic and social norms - a fact Express News' Executive News Director Fahd Husain acknowledged on Twitter before issuing an apology.
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The damage, however, was already done. Pakistani Twitter users kicked up a storm about the reporter's ill-advised decision and the rage made its way to India too.
This is not the first time though that Pakistani reporters have gone viral for bad decisions. Media in any country is criticised, but Pakistan's reputation is full of gaffes and shockers.
Take a look at some facepalm-inducing moments from Pakistani newsrooms:
1. This reporter who couldn't hold back his disapproval of PM Modi's surprise Lahore visit
Notice how the anchors cut him off? Someone tell this guy aisa reportage bhi pehli dafa hua hain.
Tauba tauba!
2. Chand Nawab and his 17 attempts at getting a 22-word PTC right
This hilarious video has achieved cult status - so much so that Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijan featured a caricature of Nawab.
3. This reporter who slapped a poor camera-curious kid on live TV
Goddamn PTCs.
4. This TV channel that called the wrong 'Talat Hussain'
#justjournalismthings
5. This reporter who tried to be cool but was failed by the hero of his plan
Monkey baat \_(??)_/
6. This 'Star Track' reference
For every view this video gets, JJ Abrams will shed a silent tear.
7. This reporter overjoyed by sudden rains
Why should the other guys have all the fun, amirite?
8. This debate panel gone awfully rogue
Fun begins at 0:20... and never ends. Bring out the popcorn!
9. But not as rogue as a politician throwing a glass at another on air
Yaar iss program main na bulaya karo.
10. And even cricketers Ramiz Raja and Mohammad Yousuf couldn't control themselves
Bet that popcorn's serving you well.
Bonus: A compilation of the greatest on-air fights on Pakistani news television
But of course, none of these are a match to reporting from a grave.
--- ENDS ---
Mogadishu (AFP) - The leader of Somalia's Shabaab jihadist group Ahmed Diriye described Turkey as "the enemy of the nation" and accused foreign peacekeeping forces of plundering the country, in an audio message published Tuesday.
In his first such message since taking control of the Al-Qaeda affiliate following the death of his predecessor in a US drone strike in September 2014, Diriye said Turkish interests in the country were "looting Somali resources more than they help".
The group is fighting to overthrow Somalia's internationally-backed government and regularly claims attacks in the capital Mogadishu and elsewhere in the country.
In the 44-minute recorded message published on social networking sites and broadcast by a Shabaab radio station, Diriye also accused foreign peacekeeping forces of widespread human rights violations against Somali civilians including rape.
"Somalia is under the occupation of invading Christian crusaders. The so-called international community deceived the Somali society to accept that the Ethiopian and other AMISOM (African Union Mission in Somalia) forces are peacekeepers while their aim is to conquer the Somali territories, in order to plunder its resources," he added.
- 'Enemy of the nation' -
"The Turkish government is the enemy of the nation, today Somalia's economy is in total collapse because of their intervention... Turkey has invaded this country economically... They have taken control of the Somalia economy and all they want is to keep the nation in poverty."
Turkey has significantly increased its role in the country in recent years, playing an active part in reconstruction efforts and supporting humanitarian projects. Turkish businesses manage both Somalia's main port and Mogadishu's airport.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Mogadishu in June, inking several development deals and opening "one of the largest Turkish embassies in the world".
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AMISOM troops were deployed to Somalia in 2007 to defend the internationally-backed government against attacks by the Shabaab.
Last month Uganda -- the largest contributor to AMISOM with 6,200 soldiers -- threatened to withdraw its troops by the end of 2017, but has since backtracked.
Kenya also threatened this year to pull out its 3,700 troops after the European Union, a major donor to the mission, cut funding by 20 percent saying African countries must bear more of the burden of troops' salaries.
Somalia was supposed to hold national elections this year but it now plans to hold what diplomats call a "limited franchise election" in which most citizens do not participate.
The UN now hopes a one-person-one-vote election will be possible in 2020.
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 12, 2016 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC reminds investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against of Gerdau S.A. ("Gerdau" or the "Company") (NYSE: GGB) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Southern District of New York, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Gerdau securities as American depositary receipts ("ADRs") between June 2, 2011 and May 15, 2016, inclusive (the "Class Period").
Gerdau produces and commercializes steel products worldwide. The Company operates through Brazil Business Operation, North America Business Operation, South America Business Operation, and Special Steel Business Operation segments.
The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) the Company was engaged in a bribery scheme in collusion with Brazil's Board of Tax Appeals ("CARF"); (ii) Gerdau had defrauded Brazilian tax authorities of roughly $429 million in taxes; (iii) Gerdau's Chief Executive Officer ("CEO"), Defendant Andre Bier Gerdau Johannpeter ("Johannpeter") and other directors and employees of the Company had engaged in bribery, money laundering, and influence peddling; and (iv) as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' statements about Gerdau's business, operations, and prospects were false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.
On or about March 26, 2015, Brazilian authorities announced that a Federal Police investigation, dubbed Operation Zelotes, had uncovered a multibillion-dollar tax fraud scheme at the Ministry of Finance ("Finance Ministry"), reporting that as many as 70 companies had bribed members of the CARF, a body within the Finance Ministry that hears appeals on tax disputes, to obtain favorable rulings that recused or waived the amounts that the companies owed. On or around March 29, 2015, it was reported that Gerdau was among the companies under investigation.
On December 4, 2015, the Brazilian publication Jornal do Comercio reported that a report by a committee of the National Congress of Brazil had named Gerdau, along with other companies, as a beneficiary of a tax evasion scheme.
On this news, Gerdau's ADR price fell $0.11, or 6.96%, to close at $1.47 on December 4, 2015.
On or around February 25, 2016, post-market, Brazilian police raided Gerdau offices in connection with Operation Zelotes, as police carried out some 20 court orders for testimony and 18 search warrants in Recife, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and Brasilia. Gerdau's CEO, Defendant Johannpeter, was among the individuals ordered to testify by day's end. In an e-mailed statement, Gerdau stated that the Company had never authorized the use of its name in illegal negotiations and that the Company abided by rigorous ethical standards.
On this news, Gerdau's ADR price fell $0.03, or 3.16%, to close at $0.92 on February 25, 2016.
On February 29, 2016, Gerdau announced that it would delay the release of its fourth-quarter financial results as the Company "analyze[d] the case records involving Gerdau in the recent phase of [the] Zelotes Operation."
On May 16, 2016, various news outlets reported that Brazil's federal police had accused Gerdau of evading $429 million in taxes and indicted a total of 19 Gerdau personnel, including Defendant Johannpeter and some of the Company's executives, directors and lawyers, on corruption-related charges including bribery, money laundering, and influence peddling.
On this news, Gerdau's ADR price fell $0.13, or over 7%, to close at $1.72 on May 16, 2016.
No Class has yet been certified in the above action. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Investor Relations Coordinator, Eitan Kimelman of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 212-697-6484 or via email info@bgandg.com. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address and telephone number. If you suffered a loss in Gerdau you have until July 25, 2016 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a corporate litigation boutique. Our primary expertise is the aggressive pursuit of litigation claims on behalf of our clients. In addition to representing institutions and other investor plaintiffs in class action security litigation, the firm's expertise includes general corporate and commercial litigation, as well as securities arbitration. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Contact:
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
Peretz Bronstein or Yael Hurwitz
212-697-6484 | info@bgandg.com
SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 12, 2016 / Levi & Korsinsky announces it has commenced an investigation of AK Steel Holding Corporation (AKS) concerning possible breaches of fiduciary duty by the board of directors of the company. To obtain additional information, go to:
http://zlk.9nl.com/ak-steel-aks
or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@zlk.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500, toll-free: (877) 363-5972.
Levi & Korsinsky is a national firm with offices in New York, New Jersey, California, Connecticut and Washington D.C. The firm's attorneys have extensive expertise in prosecuting securities litigation involving financial fraud, representing investors throughout the nation in securities and shareholder lawsuits. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Eduard Korsinsky, Esq.
30 Broad Street - 24th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Tel: (212) 363-7500
Toll Free: (877) 363-5972
Fax: (212) 363-7171
www.zlk.com
SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Your Netflix and chill session may be illegal. A new appellate court ruling on July 5 sent millions of TV binge-watchers into a panic over the fact that sharing their passwords for services like Netflix and HBO GO is now a federal crime. But the ruling hardly means that youll go to jail because you still use your boyfriends roommates cousins account.
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In the case of the United States v. David Nosal, Nosal left his gig at executive search firm Korn Ferry International in 2004 to start his own competing business. After his computer credentials were revoked, he used a former coworkers login to download huge amounts of confidential data and information from the computer system.
The majority ruled that accessing a website or computer network with someone elses password is a violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, if you access it without authorization. This could mean that if you log onto your friends HBO GO account without HBOs permission, you unknowingly committed a crime, even if your friend said it was totally fine.
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In the decision, Circuit Judge M. Margaret McKeown wrote, This appeal is not about password sharing. However, in the dissent, Circuit Judge Stephen Reinhardt argued that the ruling could set a precedent where anyone who shared a password would be violating the CFAA. This case is about password sharing, he wrote. People frequently share their passwords, notwithstanding the fact that websites and employers have policies prohibiting it. In my view, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act does not make the millions of people who engage in this ubiquitous, useful, and generally harmless conduct into unwitting federal criminals.
Judge Reinhardt seemed concerned that the new password sharing ruling could cause problems in the future. The majority is wrong to conclude that a person necessarily accesses a computer account without authorization if he does so without the permission of the system owner, he continued. Take the case of an office worker asking a friend to log onto his email in order to print a boarding pass, in violation of the system owners access policy; or the case of one spouse asking the other to log into a bank website to pay a bill, in violation of the banks password sharing prohibition.
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TV's Top 10 Villains: The Biggest Baddies Currently on Air, From Gotham to Game of Thrones
Although a Consumer Reports survey shows that 46 percent of adults share their streaming service subscriptions with non-family members, Netflix has previously said that it doesnt see sharing passwords as a problem for their business. As kids move on in their life, they like to have control, and as they have an income, we see them separately subscribe. It really hasnt been a problem, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year.
HBO Chairman and Chief Executive Richard Plepler agreed that password sharing didnt warrant too much concern. Right now password sharing is just simply not a big number, he told CNNMoney in 2015.
Read the full ruling on password sharing here.
MISRATA, Libya (Reuters) - Libyan forces allied with the U.N.-backed government have been shelling and carrying out air strikes on the center of Sirte city in a siege of Islamic State militants there, an official said on Tuesday. Militants defending Islamic State's last stronghold in Libya have been keeping Libyan forces back with sniper fire and mortars in Sirte where they are now surrounded after a two month campaign to take the city. The fall of Sirte would be a major blow to Islamic State, which took over the city a year ago in the chaos of a civil war between rival factions who once battled Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. "Our forces have...targeted militants with artillery and air force around Ouagadougou complex, Ghiza Asskariya district, and in the city center," said Rida Issa, spokesman for Misrata forces fighting in Sirte. "They have targeted Islamic State members, vehicles, ammunition stores, and control rooms." He said one Misrata fighter was killed and 20 others wounded in a mortar strike on their position in the Zaafran frontline, near the roundabout where Islamic State once crucified victims. The bodies of around 13 Islamic State fighters were found, but Misrata forces were driven back by sniper fire. Western powers are backing Prime Minister Fayaz Seraj's government that moved into Tripoli three months ago in an attempt to unify two rival governments and various armed factions. Seraj is working with a unified National Oil Corporation to restart the oil industry. But while powerful brigades from Misrata city support Seraj for now and lead the fight to liberate Sirte, other hardliners to the east are still opposing him and his government has made little progress in extending its influence. After a rapid success in driving Islamic State back from a coastal strip of territory it controlled, the battle for Sirte has slowed to street-by-street fighting as Misrata forces clear out residential areas. Misrata commanders say a few hundreds militants are dug in around the Ouagadougou complex, the university and a city hospital. They are cautious of advancing rapidly after more than 200 fighters died in the campaign so far. While forces from the city of Misrata are fighting Islamic State in Sirte, rival brigades allied to Gen. Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army are fighting to the east on another front in Benghazi and around another eastern town. Haftar's hardline backers reject Seraj's government. (Additional reporting by Ahmed Elumami in Tripoli; Writing by Patrick Markey; editing by Ralph Boulton)
By Bryn Stole
BATON ROUGE, La. (Reuters) - The owner of a Louisiana convenience store in front of which a black man was killed by police sued the city of Baton Rouge and members of its police force on Monday claiming he was illegally detained and that police took his surveillance video after the shooting.
Triple S Food Mart owner Abdullah Muflahi said in the lawsuit that Baton Rouge officers locked him in the back of a police vehicle for about four hours after he witnessed the July 5 shooting of Alton Sterling, 37.
He sued two officers involved in the shooting, two officers investigating it, the chief of police and the city. He is seeking damages for false imprisonment and the illegal taking of his property.
"Not only did Mr. Sterling lose his life, but my client also lost his liberty," Muflahi's lawyer, Joel Porter, said in a telephone interview on Tuesday.
Sterling, who often sold compact discs outside the store with Muflahi's permission, was shot and killed in the parking lot during an altercation with two white officers who had responded to a 911 call about a man threatening someone with a gun.
Muflahi recorded the shooting on his cell phone. According to the lawsuit, immediately afterward police seized the store's security system without a warrant and took Muflahi into custody.
"At all times defendants knew that plaintiff Muflahi was only a witness to the events at his store and that being a witness did not entitle police to hold plaintiff in custody or seize or commandeer his store and store equipment," the lawsuit said.
Spokesmen for the Baton Rouge Police Department did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
A judge authorized police to seize the store's surveillance equipment about five hours after the shooting, according to an affidavit for search warrant filed on Monday with the local clerk of court's office and first obtained by the Advocate newspaper.
The request for the warrant said officers responding to the 911 complaint ordered Sterling to put his hands on the hood of a nearby vehicle. Sterling did not comply, according to the document, so officers tried to restrain him and deployed their Tasers.
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According to the affidavit, the officers noticed the butt of a gun in Sterling's front pants pocket.
"When the subject attempted to reach for the gun from his pocket, the officers fired their police-issued duty weapon at the subject to stop the threat," the warrant application stated.
Sterling, the father of five, died after being shot at close range.
(Reporting by Bryn Stole; Additional reporting and writing by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Toni Reinhold)
A group of wild capuchin monkeys in Brazil have used stones as tools to prepare their favorite meal of cashew nuts for more than 700 years, according to a new study.
Archaeologists found evidence that capuchin monkeys in Brazil?s Serra da Capivara National Park have used stones to smash open the shells of cashew nuts and seeds for at least 100 monkey generations.
The researchers observed young monkeys learning to use stones as tools from older monkeys at recognizable "cashew-processing sites," such as around the base of a cashew tree. After selecting and using heavy "hammer" stones on heavier "anvil" stones to pound open a nut, the monkeys discarded the stones in piles at the processing sites, where other monkeys would later select stones to use. [See photos of the monkeys using stone tools]
The new study, published today (July 11) in the journal Current Biology, is the second report in recent weeks showing evidence of a monkey "Stone Age" from the Primate Archeology Project at Oxford University, led by archaeologist Michael Haslam.
Last month, Haslam and other scientists published research in the Journal of Human Evolution about archeological evidence for tool use by wild macaques in Thailand, which showed they have been using stones to open shellfish and nuts for at least 50 to 100 years.
"Until now, the only archaeological record of pre-modern, nonhuman animal tool use comes from a study of three chimpanzee sites in Cote d'Ivoire in Africa, where tools were dated to between 4,300 and 1,300 years old," Haslam wrote in a statement about the latest research. "Here, we have new evidence that suggests monkeys and other primates were also using tools for hundreds, possibly thousands of years."
The findings could even shed light on the possible influence of monkeys' tool use on human behavior, he added.
"For example, cashew nuts are native to this area of Brazil, and it is possible that the first humans to arrive here learned about this unknown food through watching the monkeys and their primate cashew-processing industry," Haslam said.
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A giant leap for monkeys
Michael Gumert, a primatologist at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and a co-author with Haslam of the research paper on tool-using macaques in Thailand, told Live Science that the evolution of tool use in primates could have arisen in part from learned traditions and in part from genetic adaptions.
"There is a developmental process, they have to learn this," Gumert told Live Science. "This isn?t something that just comes naturally. But for things like human language, for example, we have genetic and biological foundations for language but we require the cultural information as well." [Creative Creatures: 10 Animals That Use Tools]
This makes it hard to separate the two, Gumert said, "and culture and biology keep acting on each other, and once an animal forms a culture, the culture will affect the biology. And we have no idea how that works in these guys yet," he said.
Gumert has studied tool-using macaques on islands in Thailand's Laem Son National Park for around nine years. They were discovered in 2005 by Suchinda Malaivijitnond, a biologist at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok and co-author of the Thailand research, during a biodiversity survey of the region in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami late in 2004.
For the latest study, the researchers used boats to observe Burmese long-tailed macaques using stones to hammer open shells and nuts on a beach on Piak Nam Yai Island, near the border with Myanmar.
"They use a lot force, and they have a lot of control over the tool," Gumert said. "When I?m out on the boat 70 meters to 100 meters [230 to 328 feet] away and they're chipping away at those oysters, you can hear it smack, smack, smack."
After the macaques finished their seaside picnic, the researchers excavated part of the beach and discovered stone tools that, through carbon dating and other tests, scientists determined were used by macaques between 50 and 100 years ago.
But Gumert thinks that tool use by macaques in the region is likely to go back many thousands of years, and future research could help build a timeline for the tool-using behavior.
"It might be thousands of years, it might be tens of thousands of years we don?t know," Gumert said. "Macaques have been around for 20 million years, so that's our time window."
Primate archaeology
For both the Thailand and Brazil studies, the researchers observed monkeys using stones to open nuts and other foods, and identified characteristic signs of use on stones that the monkeys had used and then set aside. [Gallery: Monkey Mug Shots]
In Brazil, excavations to a depth of about 2.3 feet (0.7 meters) underground at a food-processing site near cashew trees found 69 stones that had been used as tools by previous generations of capuchin monkeys.
They were identified by the shape and size of typical "hammer" and "anvil" stones, the distinctive patterns of damage caused by capuchin pounding, and dark residues on the stones that were shown in mass spectrometry experiments to be caused specifically by cashew nuts.
Carbon dating on small pieces of charcoal discovered near the stones established the oldest were at least 600 to 700 years old, or about 100 generations of capuchin monkeys, the researchers said.
They also found that the stones selected as tools by the monkeys were unchanged in size or shape over that time, which suggests that capuchin monkeys are "conservative" about tool technology and prefer not to change the tools they use unlike humans living in the same region, according to the scientists.
Uncovering the history of primate tool behavior was a first step in a wider project to compare primate tool use with early human tool use, Haslam said in a statement.
"We find that primates with much smaller brains than humans have innovative ways of exploiting the food sources available to them," he said. "What we don't have at the moment is a body of archaeological evidence to compare the evolutionary behavior of other primates with our own. As we build up a fuller picture of their evolutionary history, we will start to identify the similarities and differences in human behavior and that of other primates."
Original article on Live Science.
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By Fathin Ungku SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A Singapore court jailed four Bangladeshi men for between two and five years for terrorism financing on Tuesday in a case that has put the city-state's most marginalized migrant-worker community in the spotlight. Authorities said the men contributed from S$60 ($45) to S$1,360 ($1,000) to fund attacks in their homeland in the name of Islamic State in Bangladesh. It was Singapore's first case of terrorism financing. "The amounts were significant relative to the salaries of the accused persons," said the prosecutor, who did not give his name for security reasons. The sentences would send a "strong message that every and all terrorism financing will be dealt with", he said. The four were among eight Bangladeshi men detained under the Internal Security Act in April for planning attacks in their home country. The colonial-era law allows suspects to be held for lengthy periods without trial. The group's leader, Rahman Mizanur, 31, a draftsman earning S$1,800 ($1,300) a month, was jailed for five years. "I wanted to learn my religion but they show me the wrong way, the wrong activities," Mizanur said in court. "My intentions were wrong ... I'm very remorseful." Two others were jailed for two and a half years and the fourth for two years. Bangladesh, a deeply religious but mostly moderate Muslim-majority country of 160 million people, has faced a series of militant attacks over the past year, the most serious on July 1 when gunmen stormed a cafe in the capital, Dhaka, and killed 20 people, most of them foreigners. Wealthy, multi-ethnic Singapore, has not faced any successful militant attacks in decades. There were no indications the men had planned to carry out attacks in Singapore. Most Bangladeshis in Singapore are low-skilled and employed in construction and shipping. Of the other four Bangladeshis detained in April, two who have yet to face trial pleaded not guilty when charged, saying they were unaware where their money was going. The remaining two have yet to be charged and remain in detention. No other details have been given. Singapore authorities said the eight men, aged 26-34, plotted attacks in parks where they shared radical propaganda and videos. Five other Bangladeshis who came to the attention of authorities attention during the investigation were sent home in April and arrested upon their return. Bangladesh police said they were being investigated for connections to the Ansarullah Bangla Team militant group. Islamic State claimed the July 1 cafe attack in Dhaka but the government said domestic militants were responsible. (Refiles to fix spelling in penultimate paragraph) (Reporting by Fathin Ungku; Editing by Robert Birsel)
Singapore on Tuesday sentenced four Bangladeshis to between two and five years jail after they pleaded guilty to raising money for an alleged Islamist terror plot in their home country.
Muslim-majority Bangladesh has seen a spate of brutal attacks on secular bloggers and religious minorities recently, with gunmen killing 20 hostages -- mainly foreigners -- at an upmarket restaurant in the capital Dhaka earlier this month. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State group.
District Judge Kessler Soh said in handing down the sentences that terrorism presents a "threat not just to our community but the international community at large".
Court documents said the men contributed, collected or possessed funds for the alleged plot ranging from Sg$60 ($44) to Sg$1,360 to help fund a terror campaign in their homeland.
"Terrorism financing and any act of supporting terrorism must be roundly condemned and deterred," the judge said.
Ringleader Rahman Mizanur, 31, was jailed for five years. Two others were each jailed for two-and-a-half years and the fourth man got two years.
The four, the first suspects to be prosecuted in Singapore under a new anti-terror law, were brought to court with their hands and feet shackled and under heavy security by members of the city's elite Gurkha unit.
State prosecutors said the group formed an organisation called the Islamic State of Bangladesh (ISB) which also planned to overthrow the Bangladeshi government "by means of an armed struggle in order to establish part of the caliphate in Bangladesh".
Prosecutors also said that the men formed the ISB "with a view to eventually joining up with" the Islamic State group.
Group leader Mizanur had tried several times to join the IS group in Syria but could not get the required visas to Turkey or Algeria, court documents showed.
Bangladesh denies IS has made inroads in the country, blaming attacks on homegrown extremist groups.
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The men's actions, including meeting in parks to plan and recruit, "show that the offences... were premeditated and carefully planned over a period of time", the prosecutors said.
Singapore's interior ministry had earlier said that items seized from the men included manuals on bomb-making and how to use a 0.50 calibre sniper rifle, along with a list of Bangladesh government and military officials targeted for attack.
Most of the men had been working in the construction sector in Singapore, which depends heavily on Bangladeshi and other foreign workers.
The four defended themselves during the trial as they were unable to afford their own counsel and people accused with terrorist financing do not qualify for legal aid from the state.
They were among a second group of Bangladeshis rounded up in Singapore since 27 were arrested in late 2015, also over alleged plots in their homeland. All from the first group have since been deported.
Two from the second group have cases still pending and two others have yet to be charged but are detained under a law which allows for detention without trial.
Police believe there was some friction between the newly married 32-year-old and his wife, and the family is trying to conceal it.
Tiwari, seen during one of his investigations.
By Shivendra Srivastava: The mystery surrounding paranormal investigator Gaurav Tiwari's death in the bathroom of his Dwarka flat just deepened. Delhi Police now suspect Tiwari's family is hiding facts surrounding the death on July 7.
Police believe there was some friction between the newly married 32-year-old and his wife, and the family is trying to conceal it. India Today had earlier reported how the couple fought after Tiwari returned from a paranormal investigation late in the night - hours before his death.
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Read: Ghost-buster Gaurav Tiwari found dead under mysterious circumstances
Here's all you need to know Multiple reports on Monday suggested Tiwari also had an argument with his father over his erratic schedules and odd work hours. A senior police official had told PTI that Tiwari's family members were unhappy with his paranormal work, as he often worked late into the night and wasn't earning much. In its search for clues, police have sent a team of doctors to investigate the bathroom in which Tiwari was found and a team of officials to his office. It will also question those who met Tiwari before he was found dead. The DSP will also participate in the investigation. This follows Monday's developments, where police confirmed Tiwari's death as a suicide on Monday. "The preliminary autopsy report confirms that he committed suicide. All his family members, including his parents and wife, were present in the Dwarka flat when he hanged himself with a cloth in the bathroom from an iron rod used for hanging clothes," a senior police official had said. Police are yet to ascertain why Tiwari would kill himself, but have ruled out foul play based on the preliminary autopsy report. His father had earlier said Tiwari was feeling "a negative force was pulling him towards it." He told his wife about it a month ago, who thought he was just depressed due to heavy workload and didn't tell the family about it. Tiwari, however, showed no signs of such acute distress in the hours before his death and was "checking mails" a few minutes before he died. He even posted about being featured on this month's cover of Youth Incorporated magazine a day before his death.
The Delhi-based paranormal investigator was found dead on his bathroom floor with a thin black line across his neck.
--- ENDS ---
Four Bangladeshi workers accused of planning to join the Islamic State group were jailed for between two and five years in Singapore on Tuesday for raising money to fund attacks in their homeland.
Muslim-majority Bangladesh has seen a spate of brutal attacks on secular bloggers and religious minorities recently, with gunmen killing 20 hostages -- mainly foreigners -- at an upmarket restaurant in the capital Dhaka earlier this month in an attack claimed by IS.
District Judge Kessler Soh said in handing down the sentences that terrorism presents a "threat not just to our community but the international community at large".
Court documents said the men contributed, collected or possessed funds for the alleged plot ranging from Sg$60 ($44) to Sg$1,360 to help fund a terror campaign in their country.
The four, who pleaded guilty and could have been jailed for up to 10 years, were the first to be convicted under a Singaporean law against terrorist financing.
"Terrorism financing and any act of supporting terrorism must be roundly condemned and deterred," the judge said.
Prosecutors said that while working in Singapore, mostly in construction, the four formed an organisation called the Islamic State of Bangladesh "with a view to joining ISIS", another acronym for IS, later on.
They planned to overthrow the Bangladeshi government "by means of an armed struggle in order to establish part of the caliphate in Bangladesh", prosecutors added.
Alleged ringleader Rahman Mizanur, 31, was jailed for five years. He had tried several times to join IS in Syria but could not get visas to Turkey or Algeria, court documents showed.
Two others, Miah Rubel and Mohamad Jabath Kysar Haje Norul Islam Sowdagar, were each jailed for two-and-a-half years and the fourth, Sohel Hawlader Ismail, got two years.
Bangladesh denies IS has made inroads in the country, blaming attacks on homegrown extremist groups.
The men's actions, including meeting in parks to plan and recruit, "show that the offences... were premeditated and carefully planned over a period of time", prosecutors said.
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Singapore's interior ministry had earlier said that items seized from the men included manuals on bomb-making and how to use a 0.50 calibre sniper rifle, along with a list of Bangladesh government and military officials targeted for attack.
The four defended themselves during the trial as they were unable to afford their own counsel and people accused with terrorist financing do not qualify for legal aid from the state.
Speaking in court before he was sentenced, Mizanur expressed remorse and said he comes from a poor family with two children and a wife back home.
The men were among a second group of Bangladeshis rounded up in Singapore since 27 were arrested in late 2015, also over alleged plots in their homeland. All from the first group have since been deported.
Two from the second group have cases pending and two others have yet to be charged but are detained under a law which allows for detention without trial.
By Nick Carey
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Singapore is the safest nation to do business, according to global risk management company Pinkertons new tool to help corporate clients assess threats on a country-by-country basis.
The Pinkerton Risk Index Report, which the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based unit of Securitas AB (SECUb.ST) announced on Tuesday, lists Switzerland as the second-safest country. The United States ranked seventh.
At the other end of the scale, Chad has the highest overall risk, followed by Zimbabwe and Guinea, according to the index, which uses data based on factors including natural disasters, disease, terrorism, social unrest and economic problems.
Pinkerton said its report would take into account 83 different variables to help companies make decisions on relocations, expansions, investment and business travel.
The report could also help insurers determine risk for providing coverage around the world.
Pinkerton President Jack Zahran said terrorist attacks and natural disasters were becoming more frequent, potentially causing widespread disruption to supply chains.
"If you look at how our clients are operating, they're more global, and things are more connected," Zahran said in an interview. "You can't just look at your country in a silo anymore because things happening around the world are going to start impacting you directly and indirectly."
Pinkerton will publish an overall risk index annually, which covers more than 60 countries, while clients can receive daily updates.
Jeff Spivey, president of Security Risk Management Inc and co-founder of the Global Security Risk Management Alliance, said the index could provide companies with more visibility to help them manage risk.
"The companies that have better risk management programs like this make more money," Spivey said, "and theyre more profitable, successful companies."
(Reporting by Nick Carey; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
Rough seas ahead. Chinas claims to South China Sea are without legal merit, an international tribunal of judges decided Tuesday, dealing a major blow to Beijings insistence that it has special rights to the critical waterway. But do the Chinese care?
FPs Keith Johnson and Dan De Luce write that the decision by the tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague represents the first explicit, legal repudiation of Chinas claims to the waters of the South China Sea, a territorial land grab that has in recent years soured relations between Beijing and many of its neighbors, especially the Philippines. China has long refused to recognize the tribunal and has repeatedly said that it will ignore the decision, which is binding and not subject to appeal. And Beijing reacted quickly to the news. Chinas defense ministry said its troops would unswervingly safeguard state sovereignty, security, maritime rights and interests, according to state broadcaster CCTV. FP has plenty more on the ruling and what might come next here.
The Hill responds. Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Dan Sullivan (R-Ak.) released a statement early Tuesday calling on the U.S. military to keep at it in the South China Sea. In light of the findings of this ruling, we expect that the United States military will continue to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows, as we have done in the Western Pacific for more than a century. This includes regularly challenging Chinas excessive maritime claims and maintaining a persistent presence of surface combatants and rotational aviation assets inside the first-island chain.
Hello? Hard on the heels of North Koreas threat of a physical response to the deployment of a U.S. missile defense system in South Korea on Monday, Pyongyang announced another choice move designed to turn up the heat: severing its only diplomatic link with Washington at the United Nations in New York.
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FPs John Hudson reports that the U.N. mission has for years served as a channel for the two countries to communicate, but now, Pyongyang will totally cut off communication with the U.S. mission in the U.N., according to the foreign ministry. The provocative measure, Hudson writes, which comes ahead of joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises in the region, could increase the chances of a military flare up on the peninsula. Experts also said it would dramatically complicate efforts to negotiate the release of two American citizens detained by North Korea.
General order. Earlier this year, Marine Corps Gen. John Kelly retired after nearly 46 years of service spanning Vietnam to Iraq, and as FPs Molly OToole tells us, he isnt about to jump into the political fray any time soon.
OToole recently sat down with the retired general, who in contrast to other recent retirees like Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who is being considered as Donald Trumps running mate Kelly decried the cesspool of domestic politics, though he said he would be open to possibly serving in either a Republican or Democratic administration. Whomever wins, he added, will be in desperate need and I mean desperate need of military and foreign policy advice, because the world out there is just getting crazier and crazier.
On a plane. Defense Secretary Ash Carter landed in Kabul, Afghanistan Tuesday to meet with American and NATO commanders there, just days after President Barack Obama decided to keep 8,400 troops there into 2017. Last week in Brussels, Carter met with Afghan officials, including President Ashraf Ghani at an annual NATO summit.
Chopper flap. It looks like Russia may have lied about the recent downing of a helicopter in Syria, which killed two of its pilots. The Washington Post reports that the downed helicopter filmed by the Islamic State this week was an Mi-35M, not an Mi-25 as Russia claimed. The advanced Mi-35M is used only by Russian forces and the claims of about the chopper being an Mi-25 on a training mission appear to be an attempt to conceal the level of Russias direct involvement in the fighting in Syria since its announced withdrawal of some troops and equipment in March.
Hey there! Good morning and as always, if you have any thoughts, announcements, tips, or national security-related events to share, please pass them along to SitRep HQ. Best way is to send them to: paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com or on Twitter: @paulmcleary or @arawnsley
Turn down for what
North Koreas weapons of mass destruction program is keeping busy, according to new satellite imagery. 38 North looked at recent images of the Norths nuclear test site at Punggye-ri and found signs of increased activity at the facilitys north portal. Just what that activity means is hard to say, as it could imply anything ranging from maintenance to prep work for another nuclear test. At a minimum, though, the snaps show that Pyongyang is keeping the site warm just in case.
U.K.
Things might be looking a little dodgy for the Brits these days, but London is soothing some of the pain by announcing a $2.3 billion deal to buy 50 AH-64E Apache helicopters from Boeing for the army. The Brits choppers will roll off the production line in 2020 and enter service two years after that. As part of the deal, the U.S. will kick five percent of subcontracts on the Apache deal to British firms. Separately, the U.K. also announced it will buy nine P-8A maritime patrol aircraft for $3 billion.
The Islamic State
Intelligence officials tell CNN that theyve netted a haul of intelligence on the Islamic States plans for terrorist attacks around the world thanks to captured documents seized by U.S.-backed Syrian fighters. The officials say the jihadist group has been planning to shift to carrying out terrorist attacks against soft targets in the west for some time. Its not a sign of weakness or desperation, one official tells the cable news channel, They are adapting in a different way. That picture has been brought into clearer focus by documents and digital media seized in raids carried out by the Syrian Arab Coalition.
No drama Akhundzada
Its early into the emirship of the new Taliban leader Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, but so far hes proving himself something of a mild-mannered peacemaker at least within the ranks of the militant group. Akhundzadas predecessor, Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, responded to the fractious politics of the post-Mullah Omar Taliban by trying to unite the group with an iron hand. Haibatullah, by contrast, appears to have a more sotto voce approach, ceding authority to the Talibans shura council and building influence through his religious credentials.
Israel
Israel has carried out drone strikes on militants in Egypts Sinai province with the permission of the Egyptian government, according to a scoop from Bloomberg. The two countries have experienced a renaissance in relations since the ouster of Islamist former president Mohammed Morsi by current President Gen. Abdel Fattah El Sisi, and the two countries regularly cooperate and share intelligence on the growing terrorist threat in Sinai. An anonymous former Israeli official tells the outlet that the Israeli strikes in Egypt have been numerous.
Syria
The Assad regime is capturing strategic territory in Damascus and Aleppo, according to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peaces Aaron Lund. A renewed offensive in Aleppo by the Assad regime and its Russian and Iranian allies, begun in late June, has cut off the last remaining major rebel supply route to the city. Assads forces have also begun to chip away at rebel enclaves surrounding the capital, squeezing and starving the city of Darayya to the west, signing an evacuation agreement with jihadist groups in Yarmouk to the south, and inching further into the Jaish al-Islam stronghold in East Ghouta.
Do androids dream of electric stingrays?
Weve been waiting what feels like forever for science to finally get around to inventing a stingray rat robot that follows light pulses, and finally, mercifully, that day is upon us. The New York Times reports that Harvard scientists have created a stingray-like robot out of a rats heart cells and some clever genetic splicing. The robot responds to blue flashing light, which can be used to lead the creature around like a cat with a laser pointer.
Tweet of the day
Ceasefire, Marines, Pikachu is on the range.
Photo Credit: Xinhua/Zha Chunming via Getty Images
Activists in Skopje continued their colorful protest against corruption on July 11. This time, they marched on the Finance Ministry over the governments plan to borrow $722 million by bond issue. The demonstrators were blocked by police from approaching the ministry, RFE said, but found their way around the cordon before catapulting paint at the building.
This video shows demonstrators marching at the European University, before snaking around toward the Ministry of Finance. Credit: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Mexico City (AFP) - Animals ate the face of a student after he was tortured and killed in southern Mexico on the same night that 43 of his classmates disappeared, a human rights body said Monday.
Julio Cesar Mondragon's body was found on a dirt path in the city of Iguala a day after the students were attacked and abducted by police in league with the Guerreros Unidos gang in September 2014.
Reports initially suggested that the gang had skinned Mondragon's face.
But the National Human Rights Commission issued a report Monday saying that a scientific analysis of the autopsy and pictures of the body showed that there were no signs that the face was cut by a knife.
There are indications of bites and paw prints from dogs and rodents, the commission said in a report.
Jose Larrieta, who heads the commission's Iguala investigation, said Mondragon died of head trauma after he endured "physical torture and he was brutally beaten with viciousness and cruelty due to the joint action and complicity of" 10 drug gang members and an official from the city's public safety and civil protection department.
Later, the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team, which participated in Mondragon's second autopsy at the request of his family, said that the lack of skin in his face was due to "fauna activity" but it added that there were also "areas with suspected intervention of a sharp object."
The authorities say the 43 other students were killed by the Guerreros Unidos, who incinerated their bodies at a garbage dump and dumped their remains in a river.
But the government's investigation has been questioned by international rights group and independent experts from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, who say that there is no scientific proof of a large fire at the dump.
Jamie Erlicht was on vacation in Oregon when he got the call from Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton. Erlicht and his partner of more than a decade, Zack Van Amburg, officially were being elevated at Sony Pictures Television, assuming many of the duties of ousted chief Steve Mosko.
When the news was announced June 2, a deluge of congratulatory calls and comical gifts followed. "Why didn't they consult me first because I may have some things to share," Rescue Me co-creator Peter Tolan emailed. The Goldbergs' Adam F. Goldberg sent over a vintage stand-up arcade game with a big bow to house in their lobby, while A+E Networks CEO Nancy Dubuc had a batch of cookies with their faces etched onto them delivered to their offices. And so began a new era at Sony TV.
During an interview with THR in their Culver City offices, Van Amburg, 45, and Erlicht, 47, say they anticipate a more streamlined approach to international deals as they look to broaden their focus at a business that generates well over half the profits for Sony Pictures. They say they'll press forward with the independent studio's years-old philosophy of being open to partnerships and spending aggressively to secure top producers.
Read More: Zack Van Amburg, Jamie Erlicht Among Promotions at Sony TV in Wake of Steve Mosko's Departure
Both strategies, they note, have become more important in an increasingly competitive marketplace, particularly one in which networks are more interested in owning their own shows. In fact, it was the lack of sales to sister network NBC that ultimately cost Universal TV president Bela Bajaria her job in May. Fittingly, she was replaced by the network's drama chief. (Although Van Amburg and Erlicht declined to comment on Mosko's exit, multiple sources say it had more to do with infighting with Lynton than anything else.)
Erlicht and Van Amburg downplay the challenges that come with being an independent studio in today's environment, citing their output coming out of this year's May upfront: five sales, including high-profile post-The Voice drama Timeless at NBC and Kevin James' television return with CBS' Kevin Can Wait. They say they intend to remain open to co-productions in a way that rival Warner Bros. Television, for instance, historically has not been (but likely will be going forward). "We live in an era where partnership is a good thingand that old adage of, 'I'd rather have a percentage of something successful than 100 percent of a failure' is a good one," notes Van Amburg. Adds Erlicht: "Every network will want to have ownership to one degree or another, but no network is going to support their entire development needs internally. And as long as we're a great home for incredible talent, the best shows will get on the air."
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Which is not to say that the new world order doesn't concern them. Coming out of upfront week, Van Amburg was less guarded: "You saw a lot of networks want to own their own content, which we never begrudge, but sometimes it feels like it's at the expense of the best show," he said at the time.
But with dozens of outlets buying high-quality shows, some of Sony TV's more prolific producers see their independent status as an advantage. Among them: Shawn Ryan, who moved over from 20th TV in 2011. "When you're an indie studio, you have to be a little bit better and provide things [the networks] can't get in-house and take some chances," he says. "[Sony TV welcomes] the big swing in a way that I think perhaps sister studios don't always do. Sister studios sometimes play it safe and steer you toward what the sister network thinks they're looking for."
Read More: Sony Infighting Led to TV Chief Steve Mosko's Exit
Other showrunners point to Sony's famous by-any-means-necessary approach to saving shows - a strategy Erlicht and Van Amburg insist they will maintain - as a draw.
"If you ask any writer who has worked with them and has a show on the bubble or struggling, [Zack and Jamie are] tireless in keeping it going," says Goldberg, whose Fox comedy Breaking In was revived for a second season after an initial cancelation in 2011. There perhaps is no better example than Community, which they managed to keep on NBC for five seasons despite meager ratings before securing a sixth at Yahoo.
And it might live longer yet. Says Van Amburg with a knowing smirk: "We're going to do a movie at some point."
This story first appeared in the July 22 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
July 12 was a dark day for fervent Chinese nationalists. An international court based in the Hague issued a long-awaited ruling, rejecting many of Chinas territorial claims in the hotly contested South China Sea, where China has clashed with the Philippines, Vietnam, and other countries over land features and fishing rights. After the tribunal announced its judgment at 5 pm Beijing time, declaring that Chinas historical claims in the region have no legal basis, a massive wave of anger erupted across Chinese social media, where grassroots nationalism flourishes. But to the ruling Communist Party, such sentiment is a double-edged sword: official censors moved quickly to curtail online discussion that seemed to overstep the bounds of acceptable nationalist discourse.
Within hours of the announcement, South China Sea arbitration was trending on Weibo, Chinas heavily filtered Twitter-like microblogging platform, and hundreds of thousands of comments poured in. Many expressed anger at the ruling itself, at the United States Chinas perceived great power rival in the South China Sea and the Philippines, which filed the case against China in 2013. One user described the tribunals decision as waste paper and nothing else, echoing former Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguos comments at an event in D.C., the week before the ruling; Beijing has repeatedly stated that it will not accept or implement the arbitration. Struggle for every inch of land, wrote another, echoing a phrase widely repeated online in the aftermath of the ruling. Another user called for a boycott of the iPhone 7, presumably because it is the product of Apple, a U.S. company.
Other comments expressed anger towards the Philippines. The tribunal did not rule on the sovereignty of land features in the sea, but rather that land features such as reefs and atolls in the Spratlys, near the Philippines, are not large enough to merit their own 220-mile exclusive economic zone. The court also ruled that China had illegally blocked Filipino fishing boats from fishing around the Spratlys. Does Philippines Island want to become Philippines Province? challenged one Weibo commenter, who also included an emoticon of a fist punching in the air. Those who sell bananas should keep selling bananas, dont keep concerning yourselves with my fish, wrote one Weibo user in a comment, referring to the common Filipino export to China, which garnered more than 35,000 likes. Bringing the United States with you wont work.
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Similar discussion dominated other online platforms. One article called War in the South China Sea Starts Tonight received more than 100,000 views on mobile messaging platform WeChat; similar articles were widely shared as well. One popular meme on both Weibo and WeChat showed a map of China with the distinctive Nine Dash Line dipping below it; a slogan beneath the image read, China: We cant lose even one dot.
Phoenix, a Beijing-friendly media outlet based in Hong Kong, even posted Chinese web game called South China Sea Adventure. Users play a Chinese fisherman who gets lost in a storm in the South China Sea. Whether facing demands from the U.S. navy or imprisonment by armed Vietnamese, players are inevitably saved by the powerful Chinese military and its well-equipped bases built on artificial islands in the sea.
But a wave of censorship also accompanied this outpouring of online commentary. Unsurprisingly, censors removed Weibo posts that contradicted the party line, such as one July 12 post that read The South China Sea does not belong to China, with an attached photo of a Filipino protesting Chinas actions in nearby waters. But, according to information collected by anti-censorship website Freeweibo, most deleted posts were not anti-nationalist but ultra-nationalist, calling for military action against the United States or the Philippines to defend Chinas territorial claims. War is finally going to break out in the South China Sea, wrote one user, whose post was later removed. I was so damn excited last night that I couldnt sleep! Another wrote, The South China Sea arbitration itself is an insult to China. Why would we wait for the result for this kind of crap? With such a large military, why dont we just go fight to get back [what is ours]? The post that was later removed. Were definitely going to fight, wrote another user in a deleted post. We cant lose even one dot means that we must take back the reefs and islands that Vietnam and other countries have occupied. How can we take them back? We can only rely on fighting.
To understand why Chinese authorities would want to suppress speech that supports Beijings official line, its important to understand the risks that unbridled nationalism pose to the party. Grassroots reactions represent an opportunity and a challenge for the Chinese government, which wants to harness public opinion but fears its power to destabilize the regime, said Jessica Chen Weiss, a professor of government at Cornell University who studies Chinese nationalism. The Chinese government tends to suppress grassroots nationalism when it wants room for maneuver in handling foreign incidents. Weiss told Foreign Policy, However tough the Chinese governments response, it is unlikely to satisfy these ultra-nationalist demands for war. Weiss said that censoring extreme voices is part of Chinas risk management strategy.
Beijing has made its position uncompromisingly clear to both domestic and international audiences that land features within the Nine Dash Line are its sovereign territory. In 2012, China revised its passports to include a map which claimed the South China Sea as Chinese territory. In 2014, the government issued a new vertical map that portrayed the South China Sea as a continuous part of China, replacing previous horizontal maps that included the sea only as a pop-out. Chinese state media outlets have repeatedly emphasized that China has indisputable sovereignty over islands and reefs in the South China Sea.
While likely intended to strengthen national resolve and put forward a strong face to the outside world, this strategy is risky. If the party is unable to maintain Chinas territorial integrity, or if it is unwilling to heed popular calls for tougher measures, it runs the risk of being viewed as too weak to defend Chinas national interests. Grassroots nationalists may unleash their anger against the party itself. Beijing has often emphasized that peace in the region is vital for prosperity, indicating that while maritime claims are important, it is unlikely to start a war with the Philippines or the United States. But an ultra-nationalist populace may pressure the government to take reckless measures.
Territorial sovereignty is a highly sensitive issue in China. During the 19th century, the ruling Qing dynasty was unable to fend off European incursions, resulting in key territorial concessions to Britain, France, and other countries. The Republic of China, which governed mainland China from 1912 until it retreated to Taiwan in 1949, similarly was unable to stop invading Japanese forces in the 1930s. Many Chinese remember the weakness of the Qing and Republicans governments with shame and derision and admire the strength of the current government. Since the founding of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949, a major source of legitimacy for the party has been its ability to prevent similar territorial incursions.
While extreme speech was not completely scrubbed from Chinas online spaces, the substantial censorship in the aftermath of the ruling serves as a reminder: Just as Chinas internal security budget often exceeds its military spending, even in the throes of a major territorial dispute, Beijing continues to view threats to the country as originating more from within than from without.
Leah Liu contributed research.
AFP/GettyImages
Washington (AFP) - The United States put itself on a collision course with great power rival China on Tuesday, describing a ruling against Beijing's South China Sea claims as "final and legally binding."
Washington had carefully avoided taking a stance on the suit lodged by the Philippines against China's maritime territorial claims, but when judgment came down, it urged both sides to abide by the result.
"The United States expresses its hope and expectation that both parties will comply with their obligations," State Department spokesman John Kirby said. Beijing has already rejected the ruling out of hand.
Earlier, a UN-backed tribunal in The Hague -- the Permanent Court of Arbitration -- ruled that China has no historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the so-called "nine-dash-line".
The United States has no claims of its own within this three-million-square-kilometer (1.2-million-square-mile) patch of sea, but has asserted the right of all shipping to pass through areas it regards as international waters.
And Washington is an ally of the Southeast Asian countries which do dispute China's claim, including the Philippines, which lodged the international suit.
"The decision today by the tribunal in the Philippines-China arbitration is an important contribution to the shared goal of a peaceful resolution to disputes in the South China Sea," Kirby said.
US officials are "studying the decision and have no comment on the merits of the case," he added, but nevertheless asserted the right of the tribunal to make its ruling and said it should be respected.
"The United States strongly supports the rule of law. We support efforts to resolve territorial and maritime disputes in the South China Sea peacefully, including through arbitration," he said.
"As provided in the Convention, the tribunal's decision is final and legally binding on both China and the Philippines," he added, urging all claimants "to avoid provocative statements or actions."
But Beijing had already reacted furiously, saying it "neither accepts nor recognizes" the ruling.
Photo: Associated Press
Singapore on Tuesday (12 July) urged all parties to the South China Sea dispute to fully respect legal processes after a United Nations-backed tribunal ruled against Chinas claim to economic rights in large areas of the waters.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Singapore called on the states that have overlapping claims to the disputed waters to exercise restraint and avoid conducting any activities that may raise tensions in the region.
The case was brought by The Philippines before the Arbitral Tribunal and is claimed as a victory by the Asean nation, which along with China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei are the claimant states in the territorial dispute.
We support the peaceful resolution of disputes among claimants in accordance with universally-recognised principles of international law, including UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), without resorting to the threat or use of force, MFA said.
As a small state, we strongly support the maintenance of a rules-based order that upholds and protects the rights and privileges of all states.
MFA also called for the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and a legally-binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.
By PTI: Peshawar, Jul 12 (PTI) The mastermind of the Pakistani Taliban attack on an army school here that left over 140 schoolchildren dead in 2014 has been killed in a US drone strike in neighbouring Afghanistan, security officials said.
Officials said Umar Mansour, alias Umar Naray, had been killed along with another militant leader Qari Saifullah, in the US drone attack in the Bandar area of Afghanistans Nangarhar province on Saturday.
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An official said they had credible reports of Mansour having been killed with Saifullah, who was in charge of Taliban suicide bombers, the Dawn reported.
"What we have is pretty credible," he was quoted as saying in the report.
The massacre on December 16, 2014, left 144 students and staff members dead after seven gunmen of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) stormed the Army Public School in the northwestern city of Peshawar.
The US State Department had on May 25 designated Umar Mansour as a global terrorist, clearing the path for his inclusion in its hit-list.
There was no official confirmation of Mansours death from either the TTP or any independent source. If true, his death would be a severe blow to the terror group.
Mansour because of his violent and major terrorist attacks was regarded by Pakistani security agencies as a major threat. PTI KUN
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JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The Southern African economic bloc said it would appeal for $2.7 billion from the international community to help more than 23 million people in "urgent need" because of a blistering drought. Ian Khama, chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), who is also president of Botswana, will "this month declare a regional disaster," SADC said in a statement released on Monday. Five member states, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe, have declared national drought emergencies. South Africa has declared a drought emergency in eight of the country's nine provinces, while Mozambique has declared a 90-day institutional red alert for some southern and central areas. "The appeal will be a formal request to the international community to provide assistance to affected member states," the SADC said. Southern Africa has been hard hit over the past year by an El Nino-inspired drought that has wilted crops, slowed economic growth and driven food prices higher. (This story has been refiled to change attribution from Khama to SADC in second and fifth paragraph.) (Writing by Nqobile Dludla; editing by Andrew Roche)
By Yeganeh Torbati BELIZE CITY, Belize (Reuters) - Burdened by chronic back pain, Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow avoids traveling abroad, his colleagues say. But in January, he flew to Washington and visited one government agency after another on a singular mission: reconnecting his country to the U.S. financial system. A U.S.-educated lawyer, Barrow made his case before agencies with chief oversight of American banks, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the U.S. Treasurys Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. His Belizean delegation described how their country had been shunned over the last year by large, reputable American banks, a trend that threatens its tiny economy. As banks scrub their books of potentially risky businesses amid a tightening regulatory noose, major U.S. financial institutions have ended relationships with regional banks across the Caribbean in the last four years, Caribbean officials and bank executives say. This so-called de-risking or de-banking, in which banks pull out of certain lines of business and even parts of the world, has intensified. Enhanced scrutiny on financial fraud and new regulations to stem money laundering and terror finance are all at play. Yet the de-risking movement has triggered a collision of interests: As banks tighten controls, small, poor countries most dependent on trade say theyre being unfairly cut off from global finance, a case made by Barrow. The regulators all agreed that absent a solution, our economies, our societies would go belly up, he recounted in a speech in February. But in the end, his group left Washington with little more than tea and sympathy. Just two banks in Belize maintain correspondent banking relationships with U.S. banks, Atlantic Bank and Scotiabank, each of which have international affiliations. Such bilateral links allow banks to finance trade, settle credit card payments and clear the U.S. dollar-denominated transactions that underpin global commerce. De-risking threatens the fragile economy of Belize, a country the size of New Jersey with a population of 375,000, a 40 percent poverty rate and an economy based on farming and tourism. Businesses now must set aside weeks to make routine payments to suppliers abroad that used to take moments. Desperate to pass muster with American banks, Belizean banks have dropped customers carrying potential risks, including cash remittance services used by many people working abroad. Every day, Belizeans struggle to surmount trade barriers. In south Belize City on a June weekday, Yvonne Williams visited a Western Union agent, tucked inside a Chinese-owned grocery, with her two granddaughters. The nursing assistant lives near Boston and is building a home in Belize for her retirement. It is becoming harder to send money to Belize, Williams said. She tried to send $700 from the United States to Belize about three months ago for construction on her home, but the transaction was delayed, and she couldnt pay her workers. She believes the size of the transfer attracted attention. The last couple times I tried to send, Western Union said they couldnt send it, said Williams, 63. They had to wait a couple days and it affected my work here. Santander Group, a Guatemalan company with a major investment in Belize, has had trouble bringing cash in and out of the country and closing financing from international banks for its sugar mill, which employs around 700, said director Edgar Hernandez. Ten banks have been willing to lend us money, but not us in Belize, Hernandez said. We are exporting everything that we produce, so every time you have commercial activity and you dont necessarily have the proper network banking-wise to channel those funds, that creates transactional costs. Whats happening in the Caribbean is part of a larger saga, in which tighter banking controls are prompting the worlds top financial institutions to avoid not just known terrorist groups but also cash remittance services, charities, foreign embassies, and other classes of customers, many of whom have no role in criminal activity. That conflict threatens global goals of providing financial access to the worlds poor. The devastation that this can cause to the economies in the islands is horrific, said John Beale, the Barbados ambassador to the United States. How does a hotel carry out their business in terms of credit cards? How do they get compensated? Caribbean countries are vulnerable because they depend on foreign trade to survive. Belizes currency is pegged to the U.S. dollar, and the United States is its most important trading partner. It is too soon to trace broad economic impact to lost banking ties. In 2015, for instance, Belize received $82.4 million in remittances, compared to $78 million the previous year, according to the central bank. Yet evidence exists de-risking is driving business to a hidden world of cash transactions that will make it harder for regulators and law enforcement to track money flows. One Belize businessman, who declined to be named, said in order to pay a loan in Belize, he must travel to another Caribbean country to withdraw U.S. dollars and carry the cash back to Belize. I do that every month, he said. I cant send a wire from my bank to my loan account in Belize. Regulators say the requirements prevent fraud. Banks must make their own decisions about their customers based on risk, they say, and the United States does not advocate broad de-risking. Daniel Glaser, the Treasurys assistant secretary for terrorist financing, said the agency is working with Caribbean countries to better understand the challenges to correspondent banking, improve their banking supervision and clarify regulators expectations. We recognize how vital access to the U.S. financial system is for developing countries like those in the Caribbean region, Glaser said in a statement. CRISIS SPARKS CRACKDOWN The 2008 financial crisis shone a harsh light on banking misdeeds and stoked public anger at Wall Street, whose loose housing loans helped spark an economic collapse. It also provided an incentive for regulators to attack financial fraud. Abuses were eye-opening. In 2012, HSBC agreed to pay nearly $2 billion in fines to U.S. authorities for allowing itself to be used by cartels to launder drug money flowing out of Mexico, among other lapses, and acknowledged it had failed to conduct basic due diligence. One case in particular casts a long shadow today: a nearly $9 billion penalty levied on BNP Paribas in 2014 to resolve accusations it violated U.S. sanctions against Sudan, Cuba and Iran. Banks reacted by ramping up compliance departments and poring through their books for any business that might invite extra scrutiny. There is a sense that for a period of time now, its been open season on the banks, said Tom Keatinge, director of the Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies at the Royal United Services Institute. Nobody wants to be the next HSBC or BNP Paribas. Youre not going to take a risk. The Caribbean appears to be the worst-hit of all regions by the new scrutiny, a World Bank survey found last year. Caribbean states with their small populations and economies offer miniscule profits for banks and are seen as hubs for offshore banking, susceptible to money laundering, tax evasion and the narcotics trade flowing from South America. Most banks simply do not see it as worth their while to do business against these risks, experts say. We were told by one large bank that if your bank does not have about $2 billion in assets, it is not feasible for us to do business with you, said Glenford Ysaguirre, Belizes central bank governor. Barrow declined an interview request. Belizes entire financial system has assets of less than $3 billion, according to the International Monetary Fund. Banks have good reason to be wary in the Caribbean, some say. Several Caribbean countries including Belize are on the State Departments 2016 list of countries that present a primary concern for money laundering. And the release of the Panama Papers, documents leaked from a Panamanian law firm this year with information on 214,000 offshore companies, has renewed regulatory focus on the region. More than 100 offshore companies registered in Belize were named in the documents. Lets be honest, everybody knows what the purpose of an offshore bank was. Its for you to hide your money somewhere else, said Arturo Vasquez, chief executive of the Port of Belize and former president of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Uncle Sam wants Belize to make a big arrest, and we have not been able to do that. The Belize government continues to encourage offshore financial activities that are vulnerable to money laundering and terrorist financing, the State Department concluded. In 2011, the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force, a regional body focused on money laundering and terrorist finance, noted Belize had few convictions for money laundering and no enforceable requirements for banks to verify customers legal status. By 2015, the task force said Belize had made significant progress in addressing the problems in its anti-money laundering regulations, citing evidence of Belizes commitment to deal with the deficiencies. Caribbean officials contend concerns over fraud are hypocritical. U.S. states including Delaware, Wyoming and Nevada are hotbeds for the formation of anonymous shell companies, which have legitimate purposes but also enable corporate secrecy. U.S. officials say banking rules meant to target money laundering and terrorist finance do not mandate the wholesale abandonment of classes of customers. Risks should be managed rather than avoided, they say. The United States has never advocated a standard of perfection, Adam Szubin, Treasurys acting under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, told bankers in November. BELIZE BANK: A CASE STUDY For Belize Bank, the countrys largest commercial bank by assets, disaster arrived November 20, 2014, in the form of a two-page letter, the contents of which were described to Reuters. Bank of America was ending its 35-year relationship. We were so shocked that immediately we called the central bank, immediately we spoke to the prime minister, said Filippo Alario, Belize Banks chief risk officer. Weve never seen this happen anywhere. Ysaguirre and Barrow visited Bank of Americas executives in Miami shortly afterward. Bank of America officials cited a complex matrix of factors in deciding whether to maintain a relationship, and said there was nothing Belize Bank could do, Ysaguirre recounted. They were saying that they are compelled to do what they are doing because of the pressure from their regulators, he said. Bank of America declined to comment. The bank originally gave Belize Bank until January 2015 before the account would be closed, but agreed to an extension until the end of April. Shortly after, Bank of America dropped two other Belizean banks. Bank of America gave little detail for its decision, Alario said, leaving Belize Bank scrambling to figure out what it had done wrong. We asked them, Is there anything that you have seen that caused you concern? And they said no, he recounted. The shutdowns were just one corner of a larger trend across the Caribbean. A bank in Antigua and Barbuda lost its relationship with Bank of America around March of this year, said Ronald Sanders, the countrys ambassador to the United States. He declined to name the bank because it is trying to find another banking relationship. Citibank ended its relationship with Belizes central bank in June, although the central bank still has correspondent relationships with other U.S. banks, Ysaguirre said. Citibank declined to comment. Five financial institutions in the Bahamas, representing some 19 percent of the countrys banking systems assets, have recently lost one or more correspondent banking relationships, an IMF report in June said. Disruptions can be temporary. Across five Caribbean countries, at least 16 banks had lost all or some of their correspondent banking relationships as of this May, the IMF said. In February, the Moodys rating service predicted that 80 percent of Belizes banking system was likely to lose correspondent and credit card settlement services by mid-year. Businesses are feeling the impact. Belize Electric Company Limited, a Canadian-owned company and Belize Bank customer, hasnt been able to make a large payment to vendors abroad since February, said Chief Executive Officer Lynn Young. Quite a few of our suppliers are kinda freaking out, Young said. The company is exploring options with Scotiabank. Brett Feinstein, managing director of Bennys, a Belizean construction supplies retailer, said he has been forced to turn away new lines of revenue. One customer wanted Bennys to import a $150,000 excavator, but he declined. If I divert the U.S. dollars to that business, it might affect my day-to-day, bread-and-butter business, he said. With no clarity about why Bank of America dropped it, Belize Bank began its own de-risking campaign closing accounts for remittance services catering to people with little access to traditional banks. Migrants use the services to send earnings home, and cash transfers help keep families out of poverty. In Jamaica, remittances as a percentage of gross domestic product were 16.9 percent in 2015, the World Bank said. The figure was 7.7 percent in the Dominican Republic and 4.8 percent in Belize. Caribbean states are both recipients and sources of remittances Central American immigrants working in Belize, for instance, send earnings back home. It is really detrimental to the bottom-of-the-pyramid crowd, said Dilip Ratha, a World Bank economist. Remittances were one simple form of financial transaction that often brought them to the periphery of the financial system. LOBBY PUSH Caribbean officials and executives are redoubling their efforts in Washington to encourage regulators to be clearer with U.S. banks about their expectations, while trying to make themselves more attractive to banks. There has been talk of Caribbean states banding together to establish a commercial bank in the United States to serve their diasporas and provide correspondent services to banks in the region. Caribbean officials have raised the de-risking issue during forums in Washington and the Caribbean region, pressing everyone from President Barack Obama on down. U.S. officials have expressed sympathy for Belizes plight, yet little action has followed. For affected countries and the United States, new risks exist. Belize Bank has cleared some U.S. dollar transactions and maintained a toehold in the United States by using a bank in Turkey, and previously used a Chinese bank, Alario said. The use of intermediate accounts to access the United States, or nesting, can make transactions less transparent. We dont have a U.S. correspondent bank. We nest, Alario said at a de-risking panel in Belize City in June. Its not ideal but thats all we have to do to continue. In February, Moodys warned that Belize could face significant disruptions to tourism, trade and foreign investment after losing its banking links. About 60 percent of tourist spending in Belize involves credit card transactions settled by correspondent banks. Historically, the Caribbean has cooperated closely with the United States, interdicting drug flows and hosting U.S. naval and air stations. Yet now some transactions that used to occur in U.S. dollars are being conducted in euros and Chinese yuan. What I dont understand is why the United States at the government level, diplomatic level, at the political level would not see the harm that this is doing to its relationship with countries that are on its doorstep, said Ambassador Sanders, of Antigua and Barbuda. (Editing by Ronnie Greene)
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In this crazy world, it's nice to know there's one thing that will always be there for you: your best friend, the infinite void.
So, naturally, the quirky songstress St. Vincent turned the cheery Golden Girls theme song into a haunting dirge devoid of lyrics, vocals and hope.
SEE ALSO: St. Vincent worked as a waitress at a Mexican restaurant this weekend
Her version is perfect background music for when you need to sob out, "Thank you for being a friend" into the eternal nothingness and know you won't hear so much as an echo in response.
Perhaps the mournful tune is a tribute to her Fourth of July weekend at Taylor Swift's Rhode Island home with the squad. It's sort of like the Miami abode of Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia, only for models who don't share the girls' penchant for late night cheesecake therapy sessions.
Bonus: Dogs Recreate the 'Golden Girls' Credits
This summer marks 202 years since a force of American soldiers and volunteers embarked on the nations first war on terror. It did not turn out well. Today it reads like a cautionary tale.
On May 1, 1814, an ad hoc flotilla of five armed keelboats and 200 soldiers headed up the Mississippi River from St. Louis. Their terrorist targetsthe word was already in use thenwere Native Americans. The man leading this audacious American enterprise to crush them was none other than William Clark, the recent hero and co-leader of the Lewis and Clark expedition. The War of 1812, then raging along the Eastern seaboard, was about to open a Western frontier.
Clark, who had been appointed governor of the Louisiana Territory, had been outraged by a series of deadly attacks against American settlers. In his view, they were calculated and coordinated attacks, conducted with the support of a foreign powerBritish Canada. The mastermind was thought to be the Hudson Bay Company fur trader Robert Dickson, whom Clark blamed for inciting the northern Indian tribes along the American frontier.
Atrocity stories fanned the flames of revenge. In April, two men were shot and mutilated at Boonslick, Mo., and a Captain Cooper was killed at his hearth by an Indian who poked a hole through a log wall and fired a shot into the house. Those savage bands between Lake Michigan & the Mississippi, we must Consider as our Enemies, Clark concluded.
But what Clark and his countrymen rarely mentioned was that settlers usually came under attack only after moving into Indian lands they did not own. Only a decade earlier, William Henry Harrison had signed a treaty that had appropriated millions of acres of Sauk land. When 400 American families settled north of the Missouri on land claimed by the Sauks and Iowas, Clark found an imaginative solution. He proposed not removing the trespassers but rather redrawing the proposed boundaries of St. Charles County to include this rich and flourishing settlement, and some of the best lands in the Territory.
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In February, as the attacks continued, the anxious residents of St. Louis called a town meeting to protest the lack of defense from the federal government. Emboldened by the news of Andrew Jacksons near-massacre of the Creeks at Horseshoe Bend, Ala., the Missouri Gazette was thundering, The BLOOD of our citizens cry aloud for VENGEANCE. The general cry is let the north as well as the south be JACKSONIZED!!!
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Clark had long argued for a military strike up the Mississippi into the heart of Dicksons trading network. Acting on his own authority, without approval from Washington, Clark recruited 150 men to serve as a short-term militia, with the goal of taking possession of Prairie du Chien, a strategic post on the Upper Mississippi. The men would be paid $20 a month directly, and ironically, out of the Indian aid fund.
Clarks stated goal was to flusterate the plans of Mr. Dickson. Secretary of War Armstrong belatedly approved the expense but remained skeptical. I cannot believe in the wisdom of establishing a post 600 miles in the enemys country, Secretary of War Armstrong noted on the letter he received from Clark. Once established it must be supported & at an enormous expence.
On June 2, Clark and his troops arrived at Prairie du Chien to find it virtually deserted, as Dickson and his trooops had learned of his expedition and departed for the Canadian stronghold of Michilimackinac three weeks earlier.
And yet the taking of Prairie du Chien was not bloodless. The British complained of horrible cruelties by these relentless Assassins, and recorded allegations that Clark had captured eight Indians of the Winnebago Nation, given them food to win their trust, and then murdered seven in bold blood while they were eating. Meanwhile, the Americans announced that Dickson had hired a local warrior to assassinate Clark. They also confiscated several trunks of Dicksons records and announced that the papers proved that the Scotsman was indeed a hair-buyer, who had rewarded an Indian bringing in one scalp with 5 carrots of tobacco; 6 lbs. Powder; 6lb. Ball.
Clark located a commanding site overlooking the village and set his men to work building a triangular fortification what would be named Fort Shelby. A day later, he was heading back downriver, leaving behind two gunboats and a small garrison of 135 soldiers under the command of Lieutenant Joseph Perkins.
On June 13 Clark arrived triumphantly in St. Louis with news of the fortunate results of that hazardous enterprise. With the new fort erected, and his soldiers anxious for a visit from Dickson and his red troops, Clark and his friends gathered for a celebratory banquet at William Christys Missouri Hotel, where they raised toasts to the late expedition has cleansed [Prairie du Chien] of spies and traitors.
It did not take long for the American soldiers at Prairie du Chien to receive a visit from Dicksons red troops. In the morning of July 17, they were startled to see a combined force of at least 650 Indians, British regulars and Michigan Fencibles (a militia of Canadian trappers) assemble in the prairie three miles away. Dickson had raised what amounted to a private army to retake Fort Shelby. The siege lasted 54 hours before the American forces surrendered, in exchange for safe passage back to St. Louis.
What had started as toasts and triumph had ended in a fiasco.
Landon Jones is the author of William Clark and the Shaping of the West (Nebraska).
Reed Krakoff Is Designing for Tiffany & Co. [WWD]
Reed Krakoff is collaborating with Tiffany & Co. to design a range of home goods, accessories and gifts for 2017. In addition to creating merchandise, including leather goods, handbags, tabletop accessories, sunglasses and key rings, Krakoff also will work with Tiffany & Co.'s visual merchandising team on display concepts. The designer, who folded his namesake line in 2015, has most recently been busy designing a line of handbags for Kohl's.
Pokemon Are Invading Malls, Thanks to Pokemon Go [Racked]
Pokemon Go has caused quite the ruckus at local shopping malls. Players have been using social media to document their adventures catching Pokemon in H&M, Sephora and Forever21 - though not all store managers are happy about it. Some owners have posted signs reading, "Pokemon are for paying customers only." On the flip side, others are attempting to turn their shops into gyms in an effort to attract more foot traffic. Welcome to 2016, everyone.
"Pokemon are for paying customers only" - friend snapped this sign. pic.twitter.com/BeHh1aqO78
- Bobby Cherry (@GoBobbo) July 10, 2016
Marc Jacobs Partners With Made to Measure for New Season of Off Book [Pret-a-Reporter Inbox]
Made to Measure, WME | IMG's fashion network on Apple TV, has partnered with Marc Jacobs for a brand integration for season 2 of the series Off Book, which sees models reading passages from literature. (Past participants have included Hanne Gaby Odiele, Hailey Baldwin and Camille Rowe.) In the upcoming 10 episodes, eight models will be dressed in Marc Jacobs' pre-fall 2016 collection while reading passages from The Fran Lebowitz Reader. The first episode airs Tuesday.
Kim Kardashian Covers Forbes [Forbes]
Say what you will about the Kardashians, but there's no denying that when it comes to running their branded businesses, they're pretty good at it. In fact, it was one of these businesses that landed Kim Kardashian on the cover of Forbes' "Mobile Moguls" issue. The glossy celebrates the 35-year-old for her app, Kim Kardashian: Hollywood, which has made $160 million in revenue - $45 million of which Kardashian herself pocketed. On Twitter, the mogul teased her haters with a special hashtag: "#NotBadForAGirlWithNoTalent."
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.@KimKardashian made $45 million off her mobile game. How she did it: https://t.co/mstsQ2Nann #Celeb100 pic.twitter.com/nH5AMlZD8F
- Forbes (@Forbes) July 11, 2016
Swimming, roasting marshmallows, or gluing together Popsicle stick housesthose are some of the typical activities for kids who head off to summer camp. At a time when Islamophobia in America is worse than right after 9/11, some summer camps are also serving another purpose: providing a safe space for Muslim American youths.
The camps, such as the California-based Muslim Youth Camp and Southern Californias Camp Izza, support the identity, culture, and religion of Muslim American children.
RELATED: Heres What Happens When People Think Bible Verses Are From the Koran
We just like them having fun, and theres something really underrated about kids getting to run around and have fun, Omar Ezzeldine, Camp Izzas founder, told TakePart about its attendees. Along with spending a night out under the stars, campers might also trace Arabic calligraphy patterns or have conversations about what it means to be Muslim in the United States.
The schedules and meals at these camps revolve around the tenets of Islamtime for praying five times daily is allocated, and food and snacks adhere to guidelines for halal eating. If the dates of the camp fall during the fasting month of Ramadan, meals are only served before sunrise and after sunset.
It allows younger Muslims to establish and be happy with their Americanness, along with a sense of being able to live that identity of both being American and be a fully devout, practicing Muslim in America, Ammar Ansari, a director of the Muslim Youth Camp, told TakePart.
The need for a safe space is there. After last year's terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California, hate crimes against Muslims Americans and mosques tripled, and a recent survey by the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations found that 55 percent of Muslim students are bullied at school.
Verbal harassment is the most common form of bullying these students experience at school, with references to bombs or calling American Muslim students terrorists most common, according to the survey. Last fall, 14-year-old Ahmed Mohamed, a Muslim teenager of Sudanese descent, took a clock he built at home to his high school in suburban Dallas and was arrested after a teacher thought it was a bomb.
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RELATED: Discrimination Against Muslims Doesnt End at the BorderIt Extends to the Workplace
Through discussion groups, counselors at the Muslim Youth Camp, which serves youths up to age 18, offer support to students struggling with negative stereotypes of Muslims. The counselors share what they have experienced and how to counter that with optimism, Ansari said.
We will have exercises where a Muslim youth will hear something derogatory or negative, and we work on better ways of responding to negativity through good work and good actions, Ansari said. Were trying to give younger Muslims not only the spiritual and mental strength thats needed, but also enable them to respond in ways that are Islamic and appropriate.
Prayer time at Camp Izza, which serves kids four through 12, is followed by reflection on good experiences the campers have had. Counselors also host small discussion groups to talk about identity issues that campers might be having.
For Ezzeldine, it doesnt feel appropriate to broach the subject of anti-Muslim bullying with four-year-olds who have never been to school and have had limited exposure to negative stereotypes. Instead, Camp Izza teaches attendees to be proud and stand strong, attitudes that are especially important in the face of negative sentiment, he said.
Sometimes you dont have to address an issue directly or overtly, and I think we address it indirectly, Ezzeldine said. The most successful ways to combat Islamophobia are to have kids develop a sense of pride in who they are, teach them to love themselves, allow them room to have fun, be who you are, and not feel awkward about that.
Take the Pledge: Dont Be Silent: Take the Pledge to Be an Ally for Racial Justice
Related stories on TakePart:
Malala to Trump: Banning Muslims From the U.S. Is Hateful, Tragic, and Discriminatory
Muslim Athletes Ride for Rights in Iowas Famous Bike Event
Muslim Apartment Tweets Mock Medias Treatment of San Bernardino Shooters Home
Original article from TakePart
Supergirl is getting a new boss. Cougar Town alum Ian Gomez has joined the second season of the CW superhero drama in a recurring capacity, TheWrap has learned.
Gomez will play the role of Snapper Carr, described as a headstrong, sharp-witted news man who is hired by Cat Grant (Calista Flockhart) to be the Editor-in-Chief of Catco Magazine. Snappers commitment to hard-hitting journalism pushes Catco reporters to dig deeper in the pursuit of excellence. Hes a man who tells people what he thinks of them and his no-holds barred approach pushes Kara (Melissa Benoist) in unexpected ways.
Also Read: Warner Bros. to Bring 'Supergirl,' 'The 100,' 'Riverdale' to Comic-Con
No word on if this has any bearing on Flockharts availability for Season 2, as the LA-based actress may not return as a series regular given the shows production move from Los Angeles to Vancouver. A new authority figure at work for Kara will certainly give Flockhart some leeway in terms of how many episodes in which Cat Grant appears.
Discussions with the LA-based actress are ongoing, CW president Mark Pedowitz said on a conference call with journalists prior to the networks Upfront presentation in May. Were happy to have her in whatever capacity is worked out.
Supergirl returns for Season 2 on Monday, Oct. 10 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW.
Related stories from TheWrap:
Warner Bros. to Bring 'Supergirl,' 'The 100,' 'Riverdale' to Comic-Con
'Supergirl' Casts Former Wonder Woman Lynda Carter as POTUS
'Supergirl' Casts Former 'Teen Wolf' Star as Superman
Damascus (AFP) - Syria's army has extended a nationwide truce for another three days, but continued Tuesday to press its campaign against rebels in the battered northern city of Aleppo.
In a statement late Monday, the armed forces said it would "extend the freeze on fighting on all Syrian territory for 72 hours beginning at 00:01 on July 12."
It was the second extension to the temporary truce, first announced last week to mark Eid al-Fitr, which is the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
But the ceasefire has produced little respite in fighting, with ongoing strikes by the regime and its Russian ally reported around the city of Aleppo, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said.
"Russian and regime warplanes are shelling the northern edges of the city and the regime seized several buildings in Leramun," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.
Rebels were using Leramun, an industrial district on the northwestern edge of Aleppo, and the nearby Bani Zeid neighbourhood to fire rockets and artillery onto regime-held parts of the city, he said.
"The immediate goal is to push opposition fighters out of the city to stop the shelling," he told AFP.
In recent days, rebels have fired a barrage of missiles into the government-held western side of Aleppo, killing dozens of civilians.
Rebel forces in the eastern part of Aleppo have also waged battles with regime troops along the frontline that divides the city between government and opposition control.
Abdel Rahman said there was little evidence of the truce taking effect anywhere in the country.
"There are clashes everywhere -- Homs, Hama, Latakia, Aleppo. Only Daraa is quiet," he said, referring to the southern province.
Aleppo city, once Syria's economic powerhouse, has been ravaged by the conflict that began in March 2011 and has killed more than 280,000 people.
On Thursday, government forces effectively severed the last supply route into the rebel-held east, the Castello Road, when they took a hilltop within firing range.
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The Britain-based Observatory said air strikes hit the Castello Road and the surrounding area on Tuesday.
Rebels launched a counter-attack to reopen the road but have made no progress.
With the route effectively shut, there are concerns that the roughly 200,000 residents of rebel-controlled neighbourhoods, according to the Observatory, could face a long siege.
Civilians have already reported shortages of food and fuel in the east of Aleppo, with local market stalls sparsely stocked and prices rising.
The United Nations says nearly 600,000 Syrians live in besieged areas of the country, most surrounded by government forces, although rebels also use the tactic.
On Tuesday, the UN said it was "deeply concerned" about the situation in and around Aleppo.
UN spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci said most people in eastern Aleppo "rely heavily on humanitarian assistance" and that access to that side of the city was now "virtually impossible."
Shaktimaan was given a police burial soon after he died in April and a memorial statue was installed in Dehradun last weekend. Ironically, four days later, the statue has been removed.
The place where Shaktimaan's memorial statue was indtalled- before and after
By India Today Web Desk: Irony sometimes limps in to work to do its dirty work.
The same thing happened with Shaktimaan, the police horse that made headlines recently after it was repeatedly hit with a stick by a BJP law-maker during a protest in Dehradun.
Shaktimaan died in April this year due to the injuries he had suffered on his hind leg.
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During the time that the horse was being treated for his injuries, he was visited by the Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat.
The horse had become the topic of heated discussion on social networking sites with people expressing their grief and outrage at the inhumanity the horse had to suffer.
Shaktimaan was given a police burial soon after he died and a memorial statue was installed in Dehradun last weekend. Ironically, four days later, the statue has been removed.
ASTROLOGER ADVISED RAWAT TO STAY AWAY FROM HORSE?
Sources revealed that though all the preparations had been done for the inauguration of the statue, it was cancelled at the last minute after an astrologer advised Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat to stay away from horse.
Sources say that following the advice given to him, Rawat had refused to attend the function.
On the other hand, while Shaktimaan's injuries had made headlines around the country, his statue had also elicited reactions from various political parties.
SHAKTIMAAN- MARRED WITH CONTROVERSIES
Various parties had criticised the installation of Shaktimaan's statue saying how could the state set up a statue for the horse when soldiers and police officials from Uttarakhand who had given up their lives in service of the nation hadn't received a similar honour. This forced the state government to remove the statue.
After backlash on social media over a horse being given more importance than policemen who lost lives, State Govt had the statue removed. ANI (@ANI_news) July 12, 2016
Uttarakhand is heading for assembly elections next year.
Also Read:
Shaktimaan might return in a new avatar this year, says Mukesh Khanna
--- ENDS ---
Istanbul (AFP) - Hundreds of thousands of civilians in rebel-held areas of Aleppo risk starvation, the head of Syria's main opposition coalition said Tuesday, accusing Damascus of trying to besiege the city into submission.
Aleppo, once Syria's economic powerhouse, has been ravaged and divided in two by the conflict that began in March 2011 and has killed more than 280,000 people.
Anas al-Abdeh, head of the Istanbul-based opposition National Coalition, complained that the rebels' backers in the West were letting them down and allies of President Bashar al-Assad were showing greater commitment.
This lack of "political will" is endangering the shaky peace process based around stop-start talks in Geneva to create a peaceful transition after over five years of civil war, he told AFP in an interview.
Assad's regime is seeking to completely control Aleppo's Castello Road -- the rebels' last lifeline into the northern city -- and impose a blanket siege, he said.
"We are quite worried that if the Castello route is totally cut off, more than 300,000 civilians will starve and be under huge pressure," he said at the coalition's headquarters in Istanbul.
"Most of the humanitarian supplies are coming through this route. The regime is trying its best to besiege the city."
Rebels on Monday launched a fierce offensive to reopen the Castello Road after it was severed by regime forces.
Abdeh said Russian air power was assisting the Syrian regime while Assad's other ally Iran was "basically managing, controlling, overseeing the military operation in Aleppo" on the ground.
- 'New military reality' -
Aleppo has been divided between government forces in the west and rebels in the east since mid-2012 and is a key battleground.
Civilians have already reported shortages of food and fuel in the city's east, with local market stalls sparsely stocked and prices rising.
Osama Taljo, a senior member of the National Coalition from Aleppo, ridiculed a post-Ramadan truce announced by the Syrian army, saying it was simply escalating fighting and using new weapons like cluster bombs and phosphorus.
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He said there were 100,000 women and children at risk in Aleppo while the international community "stands idly by". "We are shocked by the international reaction," he told an earlier news conference in Istanbul.
The United Nations says nearly 600,000 Syrians live in besieged areas of the country, most surrounded by government forces, although rebels also use the tactic.
Abdeh told AFP that Assad, Iran and Russia were working to create a "new military reality" in Syria that would enable them to impose a political solution.
"The friends of the regime are committing everything they have to help the regime, while our friends are not as committed in this regard," Abdeh said.
"I do not see a real political will in the international community to reach a political solution in Syria."
He said this could doom the Geneva-based peace process to find a political settlement, which has been deadlocked since late April when the last round ended.
"Without political will, what is happening in Geneva is just a PR exercise, nothing more than that.
"The current environment is not conducive to a successful process in Geneva."
- 'Europe won't be safe' -
After repeated attacks in Europe claimed by Islamic State (IS) jihadists who still control key areas in Syria, Abdeh warned that Syria's war directly impacted security in the West.
"If they are not active in reaching a political solution in Syria, the whole of Europe will pay a heavy price.
"The Middle East and Europe will not be safe if the fire in Syria is not extinguished as soon as possible," he said.
With US Secretary of State John Kerry due to make another trip to Moscow this week, Abdeh expressed disappointment with the outcome of US contacts with Russia over Syria.
"We hoped such (US-Russia) cooperation would help... in terms of Russia putting pressure on the regime. So far this has not been achieved," he said.
Civilians were reportedly killed in both government-controlled and rebel-held quarters of Aleppo on Monday after antigovernment forces launched an assault in the divided north Syrian city.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports that rebels attempted to regain control of the Castello Road, the only supply route into the eastern part of the city they control, which had been severed by the forces of President Bashar al-Assads government.
Shelling by rebel forces which comprise Free Syrian Army, the Islamic Front and other groups killed nine civilians, according to figures from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a group based in the U.K, cited by AFP. The group estimated that 13 civilians were killed in airstrikes by the regime focused on the Bab al-Maqam neighborhood.
Aleppo, the largest city in Syria and one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world, has been divided since 2012, when fighting broke out between rebels and the government. An estimated 300,000 people live in areas of the city held by antigovernment groups.
[AFP]
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Move aside Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner, there's a new supermodel in town. It's got floppy ears, lots of teeth and it's none other than this seven-year-old pup, Xiao Pi.
SEE ALSO: Rescue cat Pitzush Puss In Glam is a fabulous feline fashion model
Xiao Pi became the Internet's latest darling after photos of it modelling various head-turning outfits and hairstyles made out of fruit and vegetables made their way onto the inter-web.
Image: LITTLEPDOG/FACEBOOK
The dog has gotten so famous, it even has its own Facebook page listing it as a "public figure" with more than 100,000 followers. Unfortunately, it's still unclear whether Xiao Pi is a boy or a girl.
Image: LITTLEPDOG/FACEBOOK
Whether it's a lychee hairband, curly bamboo shoot wig or blueberry wreath, Xiao Pi looks like it was born to model delicious headgear.
Image: Littlepdog/facebook
Piers Atkinson would definitely approve.
Image: littlepdog/facebook
There are also pics of Xiao Pi dressed up like a dainty lady while helping man the stall.
Image: LITTLEPDOG/FACEBOOK
Xiao Pi's owner runs a fruit and vegetable stall in Tainan, Taiwan and, according to the pup's Facebook page, came up with the idea of dressing Xiao Pi in clothing made from her stall's produce to boost business.
Image: littlepdog/facebook
Xiao Pi's fanbase includes fans from China as well as Thailand. Those dog days are so over for Xiao Pi.
[h/t: Shanghai Daily]
By Melissa Fares (Reuters) - Photographer Jonathan Bachman was in Baton Rouge on Saturday covering the first protest of his career when he captured what has become for many the defining image of the Black Lives Matter rallies that have swept America this past week. A woman was standing calmly, her long dress the only thing moving in the breeze, as two police officers in full riot gear confronted her in the middle of a roadway to arrest her. "She had no facial expression at all. She just stood there," said Bachman, 31, who was on assignment for Reuters in the Louisiana state capital to cover the protests over last week's fatal police shooting of Alton Sterling, 37, in the city. Sterling's death, followed by the fatal shooting of another black man, Philando Castile, 32, near St. Paul, Minnesota, revived a wave of protests in recent years over police treatment of minorities that has given rise to the Black Lives Matter movement. Click here to see The Wider Image https://widerimage.reuters.com/story/taking-a-stand-in-baton-rouge "I knew it was a good frame and it was something that would tell a story," Bachman said about the moment his lens captured the image of Ieshia Evans, a nurse from Pennsylvania, before she was arrested. A Sheriff's Office jail log showed a 35-year-old woman with that name was booked on a charge of simple obstruction of a highway and had been released from custody. "When I came back to my car and I looked at that picture, I knew it would speak volumes about what was going on in that moment right there and over the past few days in Baton Rouge." What he could not foresee was the extent to which the photo would go viral and be picked up by newspapers, magazines, websites and television outlets around the world. The Atlantic magazine called the image "a single photo from Baton Rouge that's hard to forget," while the BBC hailed it as "legendary." The Washington Post said it "captured a critical moment for the country," while Britain's Daily Mail website called it "an iconic arrest photo." Moments before taking the photo, Bachman had been photographing protesters who were shouting and throwing their arms in the faces of police officers. He said he turned around when he heard someone yell out to the woman: "You're going to get arrested!" "I got into position and it just unfolded right there in front of me," Bachman said. Bachman, who dropped out of college to become a photographer after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, took more than 1,200 photos of the protest and was up until 4 a.m. transferring files to his laptop. When he awoke the next day, he had received more than 100 texts and voice mails about the photograph, including one from his girlfriend saying: "I had no idea I was dating a celebrity." But he insisted he was not the story, not even posting the photograph to his own social media pages. "I was just doing my job," Bachman said. "I felt like this was going to be an important photo, so I just took it." (Reporting by Melissa Fares in New York; Editing by Peter Cooney)
Taylor Swift's trip to Australia is about more than just cozying up to new flameTom Hiddleston.
The pop star surprised patients at Lady Cilento Children's Hospital Monday when she dropped by the Brisbane hospital to visit and take selfies with the kids there.
"Thank you Taylor Swift for dropping by the Lady Cilento Children's Hospital this afternoon to give our patients and families a special surprise they'll never forget," the hospital wrote on its Facebook page after Swift's visit. "They'll never 'shake off' the memories you made tonight."
Several patients and their families took to social media to share their pictures with and gratitude for the 26-year-old after getting to spend time with the 1989 songstress.
@taylorswift13 thank you so much for visiting my little cousin Scotty today in hospital this is amazing! pic.twitter.com/jsof9zvhH8 a Kelly Wilson (@kellyagwilson) July 12, 2016
Just taking some selfies with Tay Tay @taylorswift A video posted by Bella's Cancer Journey (@stylekickingcancer) on Jul 12, 2016 at 1:12am PDT
A photo posted by Juiced TV (@juicedtv) on Jul 12, 2016 at 1:37am PDT
Shout out to Taylor, you brought joy to my nephew & family at Lady Cilento Hospital tonight; bless you! @taylorswift13 a Sublime Technologies (@SublimeTech1) July 12, 2016
Swift and Hiddleston landed arm-in-arm in Australia on Thursday. The world-traveling couple are spending time together Down Under as Hiddleston begins shooting Thor: Ragnarok in Queensland.
Reporting by RACHEL SYERS
Sen. Ted Cruz accepted an invitation from President Barack Obama to travel aboard Air Force One on Tuesday to Dallas for an interfaith memorial honoring the victims of last weeks attack.
The news was reported by multiple reporters who spotted Cruz at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland where the presidents plane departs from.
Sen. Ted Cruz was invited and accepted White House's invitation to ride aboard Air Force One to Dallas today Ali Rogin (@AliABCNews) July 12, 2016
.@tedcruz is traveling to Dallas with President Obama today on Air Force One, at the invitation of the President. Betsy Klein (@betsy_klein) July 12, 2016
Radio pool reporter spotted Sen. Ted Cruz (waiting for a ride on AF1?) in the terminal parking lot at Andrews... Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) July 12, 2016
Cruz's invitation to fly aboard Air Force One was described as a show of unity in the wake of Thursday night's deadly attack.
Neither the White House nor Cruzs office provided comment.
Both Obama and former President George W. Bush were scheduled to offer remarks at the memorial event.
Five Dallas police officers were killed last week, and seven more were wounded, when a shooter opened fire toward the end of a Black Lives Matter protest in the city.
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MEXICO CITY, July 11 (Reuters) - Mexico's fixed-line telephone company Telmex said on Monday it will gradually lower the rate it charges for calls from land lines to mobile phones by about half over the next couple years.
Telmex, owned by Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim's America Movil , will charge its customers a pre-tax rate of 0.342 pesos ($0.0185) per minute in 2018, compared with 0.6763 pesos per minute currently, the company said in a statement.
The rate plan entails two intermediate reductions before reaching the 2018 price, the first one taking effect in August and a second one in 2017.
America Movil operates around 70 percent of Mexico's mobile and fixed lines.
($1 = 18.4580 Mexican pesos) (Reporting by David Alire Garcia; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Washington (AFP) - Terrorist groups and drug traffickers are using anonymously owned US shell companies to hide and move their money, a senior Treasury official warned Tuesday, calling on Congress to crack down.
"With every threat that we track, be it foreign terrorists, narcotics cartels, sanctioned regimes or cyber hackers, our investigators encounter American shell companies used to hide and move money," wrote Adam Szubin, the acting under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, in an opinion article.
"A loophole in our financial system allowed for this secrecy, and it took years to uncover the full money trail," he wrote in The Hill, a specialized publication on congressional affairs.
The Treasury proposed to Congress last month legislation that would require the beneficial owner of a company to be identified whenever a US company is formed.
Currently a number of states officially permit companies to be formed and registered with their beneficial owners remaining anonymous.
"This gives US shell companies the dubious distinction of being the only money laundering method where secrecy is provided by a government entity," Szubin wrote.
He recalled that stopping terror financing and money laundering have been broadly supported by Congress, but over the years "interested stakeholders" have systematically defeated legislation similar to the Treasury's recent proposal.
"This is simply unacceptable."
The United States and other major countries have stepped up a global effort to end tax evasion and money laundering, especially after the release of the "Panama Papers" that exposed the widespread use of shell companies.
In mid-April, the Group of 20 economic powers, including the US, recommended the adoption of measures to improve financial transparency and tackle loopholes such as shell companies.
(Reuters) - Tesla Motors Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk said the electric car maker has no plans to disable its Autopilot feature in the wake of a fatal accident in which the driver of a Model S car was using the technology, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The company, in fact, is planning an explanatory blog post to educate customers on how the feature works, the newspaper reported on Tuesday.
"A lot of people don't understand what it is and how you turn it on," Musk told the Journal in an interview. (http://on.wsj.com/29BMpde)
The company came under regulators' scrutiny after a fatal car crash on May 7 that killed a Model S car owner who was operating it in autopilot mode.
In a recent move, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sent the company a letter, seeking details of all design changes and updates to Autopilot since it went into use last year.
Tesla was not immediately available to comment.
(Reporting by Rishika Sadam in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)
Now you can get clearer skin without a prescription. (Photo: Getty Images)
For decades, countless patients have been prescribed retinoids by their dermatologist to treat acne a condition affecting some 50 million Americans, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. As of this month, the FDA is cutting out the middleman. The agency just approved 0.1 percent Differin gel for over-the-counter use, effective immediately.
The move marks the first time a retinoid will be available without a prescription. Millions of consumers, from adolescents to adults, suffer from acne, Lesley Furlong, MD, deputy director of the FDAs Office of Drug Evaluation, said in a press release. Now, consumers have access to a new safe and effective over-the-counter option.
What is a retinoid, exactly? Joshua Zeichner, MD, an assistant professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, explains that these derivatives of vitamin A are a little bit of a cure-all used for a variety of skin issues, ranging from acne to anti-aging.
Perhaps the most well-known OTC retinoid is retinol, which is a common ingredient in creams targeted to treat fine lines and wrinkles, Zeichner tells Yahoo Beauty. Other topical retinoids are used as a staple prescription to treat acne. They help unclog blocked pores that lead to pimples and reduce skin inflammation.
Topical retinoids are usually combined with other drugs, like benzoyl peroxide, antibiotics, and topical dapsone as part of a prescription regimen from your dermatologist, says Zeichner. They are useful in treating all forms of acne, and theyre a go-to medication for blackheads and whiteheads.
Its a huge deal that Differin has finally been cleared for OTC use in the treatment of zits. Twenty years of studies have confirmed the drugs initial clinical tests on safety and efficacy over time, leading to that final approval this month. The FDA regulates OTC products that target acne, Zeichner explains, and there have been no changes to the FDAs OTC acne monograph for decades, up until now. OTC treatments for acne were limited to benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and sulfur.
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Zeichner says adapalene 0.1 percent (the generic name for Differin) is especially great for women who suffer breakouts and might need a minor boost to their skin care regimen. It is a full-face treatment to clear the pimples you have, and keep your pores clear for preventing future pimples, he says. It can be used by itself, or combined with other acne fighters like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid.
There are several precautions to take, though. Pregnant women, women planning to become pregnant, or those who are breastfeeding should not use Differin without talking to a doctor first. If you choose to grab the gel over the counter, use it just once a day, applying a thin layer to affected areas of skin. Follow the labels instructions and stop using it or talk to your derm if the skin becomes inflamed.
Zeichner says that skin may be sensitive for the first two to four weeks, so feeling a little irritation is normal. Be cautious about additional skin irritation, and wear sunscreen, as retinoids can increase your risk of sunburn, he says.
In an era where ease is everything, a superpowered OTC acne treatment is sure to make a lot of women happy.
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The royal couple opens up about being hands-on parents to their two-month-old son, Prince Alexander.
Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, with their son. Picture courtesy: Twitter/Swedish Royal Family
By India Today Web Desk: Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip of Sweden became proud parents to a baby boy on April 19 this year.
During a recent interview, Sofia told Sweden's Svenskdam magazine, "Being a mother is amazing. It changes your whole life."
"The first time does take some adjustment. But it's still absolutely amazing and wonderful," she added.
Sofia and Carl Philip--who are as famous as their British counterparts--are a regular at public outings and charity functions.
Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip of Sweden with their son. Picture courtesy: Twitter/Swedish Royal Family
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Talking about her two-month-old son, Prince Alexander, Sofia said, "He is very sweet and well-behaved, and sleeps pretty well at night."
When asked about the infant royal's resemblance to his parents, the 31-year-old princess said, "He is a mixture of us both."
Also read: New Royal Alert: Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip of Sweden welcome their first child
"The first time does take some adjustment," Prince Carl Philip admitted, and added, "But it's still absolutely amazing and wonderful."
Alexander will be christened on September 9 at Stockholm's Royal Chapel. Last month, the couple celebrated their first wedding anniversary as well.
Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip of Sweden during a recent outing with their son. Picture courtesy: Twitter/Swedish Royal Family
Before her marriage to Carl Philip, Princess Sofia had a career in the TV industry, and was also a model. She had famously posed topless with a boa for a men's magazine when she was 20 years old.
Later, she started heading an NGO in South Africa, which she founded in 2010.
--- ENDS ---
Theresa May, the U.K.s longest-serving home secretary in more than a century, is set to to take over as prime minister at a particularly crucial time for her country. She has earned a reputation as a tough, quiet, and capable politiciantraits that shell no doubt need as she navigates the U.K.s future after the countrys vote last month to leave the European Union.
May has said that as prime minister she wont invoke Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon this year, which would set in motion official talks for the U.K. to break away from the EU. She made clear Monday that despite having supported Britains continued membership in the bloc prior to the vote, Brexit means Brexit and were going to make a success of it. She previously said the U.K. needs to establish its own negotiating position and secure a deal that controls the free movement of people from within the EU, which the blocs membership mandates, while ensuring that weve got the best deal possible in trade in goods and services.
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Mays work on restricting immigration to the U.K. is perhaps what shes best known for. She has said she is committed to reducing net migration to the U.K. to tens of thousands annually. Last year it stood at around 300,000split evenly between EU and non-EU citizens. As home secretary, she put in place a policy that prevents U.K. citizens who earn less than 18,600 pounds a year (about $24,000) from bringing their non-EU spouses or children to the country (the policy is being challenged in the supreme court); and under her, the Home Office sent vans with a giant sign that read Go Home or Face Arrest across the country to get those in the U.K. illegally to leave; about 11 did (the policy has been abandoned). The Guardian points out that one of her main achievements was the deportation of the radical Islamic cleric Abu Qatada to Jordan despite concerns that he would be tortured there.
Mrs May served for six years at the Home Office, traditionally a graveyard of political reputations, the Financial Times noted. She was not only a survivor, but was also said to be one of the very few ministers strong enough to say no to David Cameron. Still: The office of prime minister presents a challenge on a different scale.
At 59, May would be Britains oldest incoming prime minister since Jim Callaghan in 1976 (he was 64). She would be also be the countrys first female prime minister since Margaret Thatcher, who was elected in 1979 and stepped down in 1990. Like Thatcher, she is known for her toughness in what is still a male-dominated profession.
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She has coped with being one of only a small number of women in the upper echelons of the Tories for 17 years, the BBC notes in a profile of May, and has been prepared to tell her party some hard truthsfamously informing activists at the 2002 conference that you know what some people call us: the nasty party.
Born in October 1956, the former Teresa Brasier mostly attended a state-run school (unlike her immediate predecessor, Cameron, who attended the elite institution Eton) and St. Hughs College, Oxford, where she met her future husband, Philip May. The couple do not have childrena fact that was raised by Andrea Leadsom, her rival for the Conservative Partys leadership, who remarked that she herself had a very real stake in the future of our country by virtue of being a mum. The massive backlash to those comments contributed to Leadsoms withdrawal from the race on Monday, paving the way for Mays election as the Conservative Partys leader. And when Cameron congratulated her, announced he would step down Wednesday, and hummed his way back into 10 Downing Street, May was all but Britains next prime minister.
Her ascent, from new member of Parliament from Maidenhead in 1997 to home secretary in 2010 to the countrys next leader this week, has taken less than two decades. For those looking in, her success appears rooted in her ability to maintain poise amid political chaos. May has not hidden her ambitions, but when the Conservatives returned to power last year, it looked unlikely that she would contest the leadership race until 2020. But that changed when Cameron called a referendum on Britains membership in the EU, and the British people voted to leave. Cameron, who had staked his legacy on staying in the EU, announced he was stepping down, setting up a contest to replace him. The chief Brexit campaigner, Boris Johnson, was seen by many as the front-runner to be the next prime minister, but he withdrew when a man who said hed back him, Michael Gove, announced he was running. In the end, after two rounds of voting, only May and Leadsom remained. On Monday, only May was left. As Dan OConnell, the British broadcaster, said on Twitter:
Imagine becoming Prime Minister by saying pretty much nothing. Theresa May just sat and waited while everybody else destroyed themselves. Dan O'Connell (@danocdj) July 11, 2016
Read more from The Atlantic:
This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
London (AFP) - Theresa May, Britain's prime minister in waiting, has already given some hints about what her policies might be when she steps in -- and a bigger role for the state in the economy could be on the cards.
The country's interior minister since Prime Minister David Cameron was first elected in 2010, May is something of an unknown quantity on matters that fall outside of her Home Office brief.
Brexit will be the government's top priority but May has made clear that she is interpreting the results of last month's referendum as indicative of wider disenchantment and inequality within British society.
"The referendum was a vote to leave the European Union, but it was also a vote for serious change," she said this week in a speech that heavily criticised her own government's economic policies.
"This is a different kind of Conservatism," she said.
Some commentators said her policies sounded similar to some put forward by the left-of-centre opposition Labour party, while others said they ironically resembled European corporate practices.
Here is a summary of her pledges so far:
- Curbing corporate excess -
May has said she wants to be tough on "irresponsible behaviour in big business" and wants shareholder votes on corporate pay to be binding, not just advisory.
She has also called for greater transparency on bonuses and a system to ensure that "bosses' incentives are better aligned with the long-term interests of the company and its shareholders".
May also said she wants changes to competition law to prevent big utility firms and retail banks from "abusing their roles in highly-consolidated markets", as well as making comments about cracking down on tax avoidance and evasion that are typical of British Prime Ministers.
- Power to the workers? -
One of May's most important policy ideas so far has been a proposal to include consumers and employees on company boards as part of a series of measures she said would help "put people back in control".
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The pledge is similar to corporate governance rules in Germany under which labour representatives hold half of the seats on the supervisory boards of any company with 2,000 or more workers.
The principle of "Mitbestimmung" -- "co-determination" -- was seen as instrumental in Germany's post-war economic boom but has been criticised by free-market thinkers and industry lobbyists for being too costly, slowing down decision-making and deterring foreign investors.
The Financial Times newspaper commented that May's policy announcements "may be a tactic to appeal to disaffected Tories and to capture the political centre ground when the Labour party remains in thrall to a hard-left leader, Jeremy Corbyn".
- Industrial policy? -
May criticised the near sale of pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca to Pfizer two years ago, saying the buyers would have been "transient shareholders" and had "a track record of asset stripping".
"A proper industrial strategy wouldn't automatically stop the sale of British firms to foreign ones, but it should be capable of stepping in to defend a sector that is as important as pharmaceuticals is to Britain," she said.
"We don't hate the state, we value the role that only the state can play," she said, adding that government should not be about "just the privileged few".
The Guardian newspaper's associate editor Martin Kettle said implementing these policies would be a "fascinating test" but warned she faced an uphill struggle against Britain's "anti-state" capitalism.
- Tough on immigration -
May will be expected to act decisively on curbing immigration -- a key demand from victorious Brexit campaigners who complained that hundreds of thousands of EU workers arriving every year drives down local wages and overburdens public services.
She has said there needs to be "control" on freedom of movement into Britain but has not spelled out what this might mean. More controversially, she has also said the status of the three million EU nationals already living in Britain should be up for negotiation.
In her six years at the Home Office, she cut down on the numbers of immigrants arriving from outside the EU, including a controversial policy of income limits for British citizens seeking to bring their foreign spouses or children into Britain.
The Hagues Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled Tuesday morning that China has no legal basis to claim historic rights to the waters within its so-called nine-dash line. Furthermore, the court stated that Chinas island construction and coast guard activities have violated the Philippines sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone. Here are a few quick thoughts and comments on the ruling:
The United States and United Nations tribunals
Lets get this out of the way. China will decry the fact that the United States is cheering on a decision of a tribunal convened under the auspices of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, a treaty that Washington has not ratified.
It is true that Americans have at best an uneasy relationship with international law after all, the country was born demanding and jealously guarding its independence in all state affairs. Strategic autonomy is a crucial part of American strategic culture.
These inclinations, however, are tempered by Washingtons commitment to the liberal international order, a key feature of which is the openness of the global maritime commons that are protected by the U.S. Navy and backed up by centuries of maritime law and custom. The United States inherited the great British tradition of good order at sea, and has helped develop maritime practices and customs consistent with that tradition.
Generally the United States has behaved in ways consistent with customary international law, though it has been wary of acceding to multilateral treaties such as UNCLOS. The legitimate concern is that enemies and rivals will achieve through politics what they could not through force and diplomacy restricting U.S. actions that they do not like.
The United States will continue to behave in this manner precisely because without freedom of action it cannot continue to be the prime provider of international security. Friends of the United States have long lived (sometimes unhappily) with this dilemma, understanding that in order for Washington to play its unique role in international affairs it simply must not sacrifice too much independence.
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Now China has ramped up its anti-arbitration propaganda, including pointing out U.S. ambivalence about international tribunals. Unfortunately for China, this line of argument will fall mostly on deaf ears. America is well known for its reverence for the law, its attempts to act consistently with it, and its general attempts to inject justice into its foreign policy alongside national interests. China is not known for any of these things. A country that is undertaking its most severe human rights crackdown in decades will simply not convince anyone of import that ignoring a U.N. ruling is an exception to its otherwise lawful practices. The United States is a rule-of-law country; China is not.
So yes, the United States is in a somewhat awkward position of cheering for a favorable U.N. ruling, even as it does not accede to the U.N. tribunal that made the ruling. While China continues to delegitimize the tribunals findings, the United States should engage in a serious public diplomacy campaign highlighting its own reverence for law compared with Chinas general disdain for it.
But the bottom line on any international law is that it is enforced through state custom alone. The hard work begins now. The United States must step up its efforts to conduct itself in accordance with the ruling and exercise all navigational rights that law and custom permit.
The core issue is Beijings territorial claim to the South China Sea
In 2009, Beijing submitted a nine-dash line map to the U.N., encompassing 90 percent of the South China Sea as its maritime claim. UNCLOS and other maritime laws grant greater maritime rights to habitable islands than to rocks and reefs. Therefore, China is trying to create such islands, and in doing so, claim both 12 nautical miles, or almost 14 miles, of territorial waters around each feature, as well as an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles, or just over 230 miles, around each. Chinese forces occupy features in the Paracel islands and continue to reclaim land throughout both the Paracels and Spratlys. As Dean Cheng and Steve Groves write:
Each coral reef and atoll controlled by China is an additional land feature from which China may make excessive claims and that may serve as a justification to disrupt lawful U.S. military activities, including survey and intelligence operations. It is contrary to U.S. interests for China to gain control over additional SCS land features.
In essence, China tries to make its nine-dash line claim operable by creating a set of land features. Today, the tribunal denied that any Chinese occupied feature in the Spratlys is a natural island entitled to a 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. Therefore, China cannot legally operationalize the nine-dash line.
The U.S. response
The ruling should be seen as an opportunity for the US to reinforce the benefits of being a US ally.
The question now is not will China abide by law and custom (Hint: It wont China will continue to push its unlawful claims), but does the United States have the will to defend the order it helped create?
Washington must go beyond passive statements of support for the ruling by demonstrating resolve to make the decision operable as a matter of policy and practice. The United States should engage in a serious public diplomacy campaign to highlight its own position on the features in the South China Sea. As scholar Taylor Fravel and others suggest, the United States should also conduct freedom of navigation missions within 12 nautical miles of all features not entitled to territorial seas.
Undoubtedly, Beijing will attempt to pressure Manila to cut a deal that undermines the U.N. ruling. As a U.S. treaty ally, the Philippines is a unique South China Sea claimant. The United States should be willing to help Manila continue its fishing and other maritime activities and to use everything from sanctions to other measures short of war to prevent Chinese reclamation activities at the Scarborough Shoal. The ruling should be seen as an opportunity for the United States to reinforce the benefits of being a U.S. ally.
The next administration must be prepared to engage in activist diplomacy with its allies and friends to secure an agreement on how rights should be protected and territorial disputes resolved.
All of this, however, is predicated on the United States ability to muster the political wherewithal to reverse its steep decline in defense budgets and start the shipbuilding program it needs. Unfortunately these prerequisites looks more and more like wishful thinking.
How the United States responds to the ruling has wider consequences for China and world order
Chinas excessive maritime claims, based in part on its history of usage and administration over some of the Paracel islands, are a piece of Chinas broader attempt to reassert control over the Qing dynastys supposed sphere of influence.
Chinas (inaccurate) imperial claims cannot be allowed to stand in the South China Sea or they will gain currency elsewhere.
Indeed, China appears to be leaning more on claims that past dynasties had sovereignty over features in the Southern Seas, but there is very little evidence of this. Chinas (inaccurate) imperial claims cannot be allowed to stand in the South China Sea or they will gain currency elsewhere. For example, Chinas claim on Taiwan is grounded in the Qing dynastys former occupation of the island.
Imperial claims are inconsistent with a world order based on the just and prudent practices of nation-states. The United States has an opportunity here to reaffirm a principle of the liberal world order: that revanchist imperial claims have no merit.
An earlier version of this essay appeared on AEIdeas.
Photo credit: TED ALJIBE/AFP/Getty Images
Bamako (AFP) - Three demonstrators were killed in northern Mali on Tuesday, a medical source said, in a protest centred on a contentious peace accord that Mali has been struggling to enact.
Demonstrators said security forces opened fire when hundreds of young people set off on a banned march in the city of Gao.
A hospital source told AFP by phone that "the latest toll is three dead", with 31 injured.
The government said three had been killed and others injured both on the protesters' side and among the security forces.
It announced in a statement that it was rushing a high-level mission to Gao to seek "appropriate responses" and promised an "independent and impartial enquiry" into the deaths.
But opposition leader Soumaila Cisse said in a statement that "the government alone is responsible for these deaths and injuries".
The protest was linked to the implementation of a year-old peace deal signed by the government, loyalist militias and the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA), a coalition of rebel groups.
The deal was aimed at ending unrest in Mali's vast desert north, which in 2012 fell under the control of three radical Islamist groups, subsequently plunging the entire country into chaos.
As part of the peace agreement, unelected interim authorities from Friday will run the five northern administrative regions until elections can be securely held, while having the same powers as elected officials.
One demonstrator said Tuesday's march was organised to condemn the "setting up of these interim authorities" and to protest the fact that some former rebels have not yet been integrated into the army despite assurances in the peace accord.
"The mayor wanted to ban our march and wouldn't give us permission. We decided to do it anyway, and there were some clashes," said Oumar Maiga, a member of a youth group that organised the protest.
"The security forces opened fire with heavy weapons and tear gas, it's criminal," he said.
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Tyres were set on fire across the city and markets closed, residents said.
The mayor's office refused to comment when contacted by AFP.
Radical Islamists who took over the north in 2012 were largely ousted by an ongoing French-led military operation launched in January 2013, but continue to attack security forces from desert hideouts.
Mali's government has been unable to maintain security with domestic forces alone, as criminal gangs have also exploited the situation.
Developing news from Hungary reports six women were found in Canadian duo DVBBS' abandoned dressing room following a performance at Balaton Sound festival, Saturday (July 9), three of whom were discovered unconscious. The duo have denied any link to the incident.
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According to local publication BORS, the women were found by cleaners after the duo and its entourage left festival grounds. Ambulances were immediately called to treat the women who had allegedly been asked back stage by the DJs after partying to their set in the front row.
The women were taken to the hospital, though no immediate medical attention was necessary, one doctor told Hungarian publication Blikk. When questioned by police, the women don't seem to remember much of what happened.
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DVBBS and two of the duo's friends were arrested by local police at the Liszt Ferenc International Airport on unrelated marijuana paraphernalia charges after failing a rapid drug test. Police statements reported by local publication 444 on Monday implied that the incidents are related, though an official statement from the group provided to Billboard says otherwise.
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"We are shocked that some attendees of the Balaton Festival (sic) were victims of events which got them hospitalized," the statement reads. "Police asked our cooperation for the investigation and of course we did what we could. Police confirmed there isn't any link between us and what happened, that's why we took off a couple of hours later to our next gig in ibiza. There is another case going on independently from this in connection with marijuana and we gladly answer all questions regarding this and help the police to solve the case. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. Alex and Chris (DVBBS)."
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DVBBS and the two other men arrested have been released on bail.
Beijing (AFP) - A rights group on Tuesday slammed foreign representatives for attending a Chinese government-organised forum in Tibet that claimed international support for a "Lhasa Consensus" on economic development in the mainly Buddhist region.
Chinese state media said that "130 guests from over 30 countries and regions" agreed "Tibet will have a bright future!" at a two-day meeting in the regional capital.
The official Xinhua news agency said the document stressed the ruling Communist Party's traditional view that economic development was Tibet's most important task, adding that growth should be environmentally friendly.
"Cultural preservation with development is the best way to carry Tibet's outstanding traditional culture forward," the Consensus reportedly said.
It made no reference to the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader and a Nobel laureate.
Beijing says its troops "peacefully liberated" Tibet in 1951 and insists it has since brought development to a previously backward region where serfs were exploited.
But many Tibetans accuse officials of repressing their religion and eroding their culture, adding that natural resources are exploited to benefit China's ethnic Han majority at the expense of the environment.
More than 140 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 in protest against Beijing's rule. Most have died.
The US-based International Campaign for Tibet slammed the forum as a whitewash of political repression and environmental damage in the Himalayan region.
"Instead of seeking to protect this fragile high-altitude environment, China is building multiple dams on all the major rivers running off the plateau, devastating the landscape with large-scale copper, gold, silver and lithium mining, and intensifying urbanisation," it said in a statement.
"It is astonishing that foreign individuals representing respectable institutions would endorse Beijing propaganda, while hundreds of Tibetan political prisoners are still in jail for expressing their views," said Matteo Mecacci, the group's president.
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Beijing restricts access to Tibet by foreign journalists and non-governmental organisations more strictly than any other area, and a German lawmaker was refused a Chinese visa in May after he criticised rights violations in the region, Berlin said.
The full list of international participants in the forum was not available. Xinhua indicated that a representative of the New York-based Asia Society attended, alongside "researchers" from Italy and South Africa, and reporters from Indian, Russian and Thai media.
AFP and other major Western media outlets were not invited.
China's State Council Information Office, which organised the event with the regional government, said on Twitter: "For those questioning: are foreign journalists allowed to visit Tibet? Friends are always welcomed."
In 1892, General Electric (GE) was formed, giving Thomas Edison and his many brilliant endeavors, ideas, and products a parent company through which they could commercially prosper. An umbrella company.
The umbrella expanded and expanded, and by 2007, GE was a sprawling international conglomerate with exposure to industrials, aerospace, energy, health care and finance. Finance in particular was big -- between 2000 and 2015, 41 percent of all the company's profit came from GE Capital.
It was the wrong time to be heavy on finance.
Operating earnings swiftly fell 50 percent between 2007 and 2009, and GE looked more vulnerable than ever. Last year, CEO Jeff Immelt said the company would be gutting GE Capital, its finance unit, and selling it off piece by piece.
Edison's umbrella had finally sprung a leak, and it was time to mend it.
[Read: 10 Ways to Invest in Pharmaceuticals With ETFs.]
The company aimed to sell off $200 billion in assets, returning $90 billion directly to shareholders by 2018. In June, regulators acknowledged those efforts, taking GE Capital off the list of financial institutions that were "too big to fail."
But the threat of too-big-to-fail banks sparking another crisis and triggering a massive taxpayer-funded bailout didn't die with GE Capital.
In April, five banks -- including the three largest U.S. banks by assets -- failed to show the Federal Reserve and the FDIC that they could go bankrupt gracefully. Bank of America Corp. (BAC), Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC), JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (BK) and State Street Corp. (STT) -- had their so-called "living wills" rejected by both regulators as unrealistic.
Two other household names, Goldman Sachs Group (GS) and Morgan Stanley (MS), had their living wills rebuked by either the Fed or the FDIC, but not both.
So why hasn't the system changed? There's nothing inherently wrong with big banks. The challenge is moral hazard, characterized by taking excessive risks with other people's money -- all the while knowing that bailouts will act as a safety net.
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Eight years after the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, moral hazard is as relevant as it ever has been. How?
Andrew Stoltmann, a Chicago-based securities attorney, notes the outsized role of legislation in creating today's environment. In 1933, after rampant financial speculation led to the onset of the Great Depression, the Glass-Steagall Act was passed, forbidding institutions from playing both the role of traditional banker and investment banker.
In 1999, Glass-Steagall was repealed. That "really laid the foundation for what occurred in 2008 and 2009," Stoltmann says. "The repeal basically turned banks into glorified casinos gambling with other people's money -- money they didn't have."
[Read: Are We Heading for Another Housing Crisis?]
There was attempt at reform: In 2010, the Dodd-Frank Act was passed. Arguably the most significant new financial regulation in decades, it attempted to reduce risk by disincentivizing asset swell, imposing periodic "stress tests," quality-checking mortgages and requiring credible living wills that detailed how major financial institutions planned to die noble deaths in bankruptcy without taking the economy with them.
And while Dodd-Frank has made some meaningful changes, its impact was diluted by the banking lobby, Stoltmann says. "Wall Street probably has the best lobbying group outside of the NRA in the entire country," he says, lamenting the "revolving door" that sends big bankers from Wall Street to Capitol Hill and back.
Needless to say, lawmakers haven't seriously entertained re-instituting Glass-Steagall since its 1999 repeal.
The big get bigger. The too-big-to-fail ethos and the moral hazard that comes with it didn't merely help trigger the Great Recession. It's also a byproduct of the crisis, says Tim Yeager, finance professor at the University of Arkansas and a former assistant vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
"The financial crisis actually exacerbated the problem" he says. Weak banks "were combined with other banks, and so they became even larger."
For example, the three largest U.S. banks by assets -- JPMorgan, Bank of America and Wells Fargo -- have swelled their balance sheets from a combined $3.4 trillion in 2006 to more than $5.3 trillion through the end of the first quarter. The biggest are now 56 percent bigger than they were pre-crisis.
Teddy Roosevelt, the famous trust-buster of the early 20th century, once advised: "Speak softly and carry a big stick." Stoltmann thinks the stick should be bigger.
"We're talking about eight years after 2008," he says, "and the Fed keeps pushing this living will deadline out." The offending banks have until Oct. 1 to revise and resubmit them.
Yeager thinks living wills are so ineffective they should be discarded. "I can't imagine a situation like Lehman Brothers where they're on the verge of failure, and lawyers say, 'Well, gosh, I wish we had a 2,000-page manuscript that would walk us through how to do this bankruptcy filing.'"
So, with Glass-Steagall's revival looking unlikely and living wills getting laughed out of the room, how does one solve the too-big-to-fail problem?
Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis president Neel Kashkari thinks there are four different ways to proactively prevent another financial crisis: Break up the banks, require that they keep more capital on hand, tax highly leveraged deals, or simply allow banks to fail.
But Malcom Wardlaw, assistant professor of finance and managerial economics in the Naveen Jindal School of Management at UT Dallas, doesn't think breaking up the big banks is feasible.
"(It) would require an enormous political effort on the part of the Fed and the Justice Department," he says. "Witness how difficult it was to break up the Bell Telephone system in the 1970s, and multiply that by five."
Yeager thinks the concept of allowing big banks to fail is also a bit quixotic. "Lehman Brothers did fail and it resulted in a wave of panic. The government was very clear that they're not going to let that happen again." Letting systemically important banks fail is like felling a domino, and Yeager thinks it's "a very dangerous policy."
He agrees with Kashkari though, that higher capital ratios could prove useful, and notes that Dodd-Frank-required stress tests currently do hold bigger banks to higher standards.
But as we've seen, that hasn't prevented megabanks like JPMorgan, Bank of America and Wells Fargo from ballooning into multitrillion-dollar institutions unprepared for their own demise. Unfortunately, that's not surprising -- these aren't conglomerates like GE with loads of other businesses to fall back on. These are bankers. They bank.
So, they'll have to be content to grow responsibly, slowly and become more efficient in order to satisfy shareholders. Imagine a slowly opening umbrella.
[Read: The 10 Best Banks of 2016.]
Surely they can be trusted to open it without tearing. Right?
More From US News & World Report
For all the invective that the Chinese hurled at the five men ruling on Chinas South China Sea claims Actors in a political farce! Law-abusers who wanted to worsen disputes and destabilize the situation! A suspicious panel led by a lowly official of the former British empire! the members of the international tribunal in The Hague appeared unmoved by Beijings broadsides. On July 12, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) unanimously ruled that many of Chinas claims to the South China Sea had no legal basis. The tribunal specifically rejected Chinas assertion of historic rights to the vital waterway through a so-called nine-dash line demarcated on Chinese maps, which scoops out nearly all the sea as its own.
Chinese state media responded to the long-awaited ruling with an immediate diatribe. Law-abusing tribunal issues ill-founded award, went a tweet from state newswire Xinhua. International network coverage of the panels decision was intermittently blocked from Chinese airwaves. In a follow-up, Xinhua labeled the tribunal, illegal and ridiculous. A statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued after the PCA award said: China is the first to have discovered, named, and explored and exploited [the South China Sea islands] and relevant waters, and the first to have exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over them continuously, peacefully and effectively, thus establishing territorial sovereignty and relevant rights and interests in the South China Sea.
In 2013, the Philippines lodged a case against China with the PCA questioning Beijings vast claims over the contested South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion in trade passes each year. Chinas nine-dash line overlaps not only with the Philippines claimed waters but also laps near the coasts of Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam. In total, Beijings South China Sea claims conflict with those of five other governments, including that of Taiwan. The nations footprint in the resource-rich expanse has grown far bigger over the past couple years as China converted most underwater reefs into islands large enough to welcome fighter jets and house missile batteries. The result has been to fill the South China Sea with Chinese military bases in waters where fishermen from various nations once roamed.
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Manila decided to pursue international arbitration after China seized effective control of Scarborough Shoal, which is located fewer than 200 nautical miles from the Philippine capital, Manila. The suit was accepted by the PCA last October, and it tackled 15 separate issues. Among other questions, lawyers representing the Philippines asked the tribunal to rule on the legality of the nine-dash line. Beijing has maintained strategic ambiguity about what exactly the demarcation meansis it just the bits of land within the line or is it all waters inside the dotted boundary?
Read More: China Will Never Respect the U.S. Over the South China Sea. Heres Why
But either way, Chinas attachment to the nine-dash line is based on so-called historic rights, which the Philippines argued are not applicable in deciding ownership of the South China Sea. The PCA agreed with the Philippine position. The Tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line, said a PCA press release on the panels judgement.
Crucially, the Philippines lawyers urged The Hague court to define the precise nature of the bits of sand, rock and reef in the South China Seas Spratly archipelago. Definition is key because only naturally formed islands that can support economic or human life give governments economic rights to a maximum 200 nautical miles of surrounding waters, including all oil, seafood and other underwater resources. Bits of reef that poke out during high tide are eligible for 12 nautical miles of exclusive economic zones. Atolls that remain submerged during high tide qualify for no economic rights at all. Even if China has dredged sand and coral to turn reefs into islands bristling with military hardware, the Philippines maintained in their PCA case that the Spratly features under Chinese control were, at most, high-tide elevations, not naturally formed islands.
In its July 12 judgment, the tribunal concluded that none of the Spratly Islands is capable of generating extended maritime zones, according to the PCA press statement. The arbitration panel also ruled that having found that none of the features claimed by China was capable of generating an exclusive economic zone, the Tribunal found that it could without delimiting a boundary declare that certain sea areas are within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, because those areas are not overlapped by any possible entitlement of China. In other words, Chinese-controlled bits of rock and reef in the South China Sea are within waters that the Philippines can claim as its own. Its hard to imagine an international court judgment more damning to Beijings maritime ambitions.
Lawyers for Manila had suggested in their submissions that Chinese activity in waters claimed by the Philippines harmed the environment and that Chinese maritime authorities prevented Philippine fishermen from pursuing their livelihoods. The tribunal again agreed, deciding that, China had violated the Philippines sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone by (a) interfering with Philippine fishing and petroleum exploration, (b) constructing artificial islands and (c) failing to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing in the zone. The tribunal further found that China had caused severe harm to the coral reef environment and violated its obligation to preserve and protect fragile ecosystems and the habitat of depleted, threatened, or endangered species.
Read More: Adrift in the South China Sea on a Boat Called Wonder Boy
For more than three years, China boycotted the entire proceedings, arguing that the PCA had no jurisdiction over the case and that the Philippines had promised to negotiate directly with China rather than resort to an international tribunal. But major powers urged China to hew to the panels judgment, which is binding and cannot be appealed. Still, the courts decision is not enforceable. Nor will China dismantle its newly constructed islands in the South China Sea. In addition to Chinese state medias battle of words against the PCA, the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army engaged in live-fire drills in the northern part of the South China Sea last week. Just as the PCA readied to deliver its judgment, Vietnamese state media reported that Chinese ships had sunk Vietnamese fishing boats in disputed waters around the Paracels archipelagoa common complaint in recent years.
What happens next? Earlier this year, Chinese military blogs published plans for Beijing to build up Scarborough Shoal in the same way that Spratly features have been transformed into artifical islands. The U.S., among others, urged China to resist building on Scarborough and no Chinese dredgers were sighted off the coast of the Philippines this spring. But now that the PCA judgment has been awarded so decisively against China, Beijing could well initiate a new South China Sea construction site. At the same time, the Chinese government could declare an air-defense identification zone over the South China Sea that would, in theory, compel foreign aircraft to identify themselves while traveling through that airspace. In 2013, Beijing declared a similar ADIZ over waters contested between Japan and China.
In recent months, the U.S. has ramped up the presence of aircraft carrier strike groups in the South China Sea. American naval craft have carried out freedom-of-navigation exercises near Chinese-controlled outposts, that have riled Beijing. Regional groupingseven the consensus-driven Association of Southeast Asian Nationshave been divided by debate over how to react to Chinas actions in the waterway. to react to Chinas actions in the waterway. Paul Reichler, who helped lead the Philippine legal team, put Tuesdays judgment in geopolitical terms. The Tribunals ruling not only benefits the Philippines, it also benefits other states bordering the South China Sea like Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam, said Reichler. If Chinas nine-dash line is invalid as to the Philippines, it is equally invalid to those states and, indeed, the rest of the international community. With such a strong judgment against China, the PCA tribunal may have clarified where international law stands on Beijings maritime claims. But it will do nothing to calm the already troubled waters of the South China Sea.
Navpreet Banga is a fitness vlogger based in Vancouver, and only 21 years old.
By India Today Web Desk: Vancouver-based fitness vlogger Navpreet Banga is currently on news feeds all around the world, because she looks eerily similar to Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra. The fitness freak based in Canada, also talks like the Bollywood actor, once you hear her in bit-videos on her Instagram feed.
Navpreet routinely puts out pictures, videos on Instagram under the handle browngirllifts, and you have to admit the girl is bloody good at what she does. Here are some pictures from her feed, see if you can tell the difference:
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Selfie? More like self portrait. #SelfieGame A photo posted by Navpreet Banga (@browngirllifts) on Nov 10, 2015 at 2:59pm PST
Uploaded my Fear & Anxiety video ???? I talk about overcoming anxiety and fear to live to your fullest potential. We all owe it to ourselves to create the best of life. Make sure to check it out ?? Link in the bio. #Anxiety #Fear #Overcome #Success A photo posted by Navpreet Banga (@browngirllifts) on Nov 24, 2015 at 10:52pm PST
@priyankachopra A photo posted by Navpreet Banga (@browngirllifts) on Mar 22, 2016 at 9:25am PDT
Navpreet Banga is an inspiration to many fitness enthusiasts back home in Canada, and fully aware of her similarities to the Bollywood star. She's even posted one of her pictures and sent it directly to Priyanka Chopra.
We would say two is better than one, one more role-model to look up to.
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A loyalist holds up a Union flag in front of a huge bonfire in the Shankill Road on the Eleventh Night, to usher in the Twelfth of July commemorations A loyalist holds up a Union flag in front of a huge bonfire in the Shankill Road on the Eleventh Night, to usher in the Twelfth of July commemorations
Thousands of Orange Order members have marched across Northern Ireland to mark the Twelfth of July.
There were 18 demonstrations commemorating the 325th anniversary of King William IIIs victory at the Battle of the Boyne.
In North Belfast several terraced houses were gutted overnight by floating embers from bonfires lit by celebrating loyalists.
Assistant chief constable Stephen Martin, of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said that the threat of disorder was not as strong as previous years, but claimed there was still a level of tension.
Police Federation chairman Mark Lindsay said: There is an acceptance that this is a fairly well rehearsed event.
The biggest demonstrations were in Belfast with two flagship events in Kilkeel, Co Down and Portadown, Co Armagh.
This morning, nationalist protesters chanted and held slogans proclaiming the Orangemen not welcome.
A long line of police, riot trained but without batons or shields, separated the two.
Last year, spontaneous rioting broke out when loyalists clashed with police who had blocked access to the contested stretch of the Crumlin Road.
This year, talks between loyalists and nationalists about the contested march ended without agreement a short time before the demonstration.
By Justin Madden and Fiona Ortiz (Reuters) - Two bailiffs were shot dead during a scuffle with a prisoner turned gunman inside a southwest Michigan courthouse on Monday that also wounded two people before police officers killed the shooter, a county sheriff said. Larry Darnell Gordon, 44, fatally shot bailiffs identified as Joseph Zangaro, a retired Michigan state police lieutenant, and Ron Kienzle, a retired Benton Township police sergeant, the Detroit Free Press newspaper reported. The shootings of the bailiffs and the deputy came four days after four Dallas police officers and a Dallas transit police officer were killed by a sniper who claimed to be motivated by the use of lethal force by police against African-Americans. Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey told a news conference that the shooting took place at about 2:25 p.m. local time on the third floor of the St. Joseph, Michigan, courthouse. Bailey said Gordon was a prisoner who took a gun from one of two bailiffs escorting him to a courtroom and then began shooting as he tried to escape from custody. A sheriff's deputy and civilian were also wounded, he said. "Our hearts are torn apart. They were our friends," Bailey told reporters. "It's a sad day." Bailey said the deputy and civilian who were shot were taken to hospital and were expected to survive. The suspect was shot and killed by police officers, he said. Chris Gautz, public information officer for the Michigan Department of Corrections, said on Twitter all Department of Corrections staff were safe and accounted for. A witness, Gretta Volkenstein, told CNN that buildings and government agencies in the area were placed on lockdown as the incident unfolded. It was not immediately known why the prisoner was being escorted to the courtroom but Bailey said that was being investigated. "MSP (Michigan State Police) has secured the scene at the Berrien County courthouse and started its investigation into the shooting that occurred this afternoon," Governor Rick Snyder said on Twitter. Bailey said the courthouse would be closed on Tuesday. St. Joseph is a town in southwest Michigan, across Lake Michigan from Chicago. (Reporting by Justin Madden and Fiona Ortiz in Chicago; Additional reporting by Eric Beech in Washington and Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Writing by Fiona Ortiz; Editing by James Dalgleish, G Crosse and Paul Tait)
Indian-administered Kashmir's main hospital struggled to treat hundreds of patients wounded in four days of clashes Tuesday, as medics warned that many could lose their eyesight from shotgun injuries.
As the overall death toll from the violence rose to 32, ambulances continued to deliver more victims to Srinagar's Sri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS) where patients were sometimes forced to share beds.
An administrator said staff had been ordered not to speak to the press but wards were crammed with young boys and men, many of whom had suffered serious eye injuries caused by the firing of pellets by Indian troops.
An AFP correspondent who toured the teeming wards saw two patients to a bed, as doctors worked non-stop.
"Doctors are working in operating theatres round-the-clock. We've operated on 90 for serious eye injuries since Saturday morning," said a doctor in SMHS where many volunteers were helping to tend to the injured.
"Most of them have lost their eyesight in one eye. They are going to walk out of the hospital as one-eyed boys," the doctor added.
One of the youngsters told AFP he had been injured when paramilitary troops opened fire towards him and a group of his friends with pellet guns as they walked out of a mosque in Srinagar on Friday evening.
"I can't see anything right now," the boy said, declining to give his name as he wiped away tears that were dripping out of the sides of his bandaged eyes.
A senior state administrator said at least 1,000 people have been injured in the clashes in Kashmir, which is India's only Muslim-majority state, since Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed last Friday.
Much of the worst violence has been in the south of the capital Srinagar where security forces have used live fire, non-lethal pellet guns as well as tear gas to disperse crowds.
On Monday, hundreds of protesters tried to storm a military airbase about 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of Srinagar before being repelled.
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While there were fresh clashes Tuesday, the violence was on a much smaller scale than previously. Two people died in hospital from injuries they had sustained earlier, raising the toll to 32.
The death of 22-year-old Wani, a poster boy for the region's biggest rebel group, has sparked the deadliest clashes in Kashmir since 2010 when massive demonstrations were held against Indian rule.
Hizbul Mujahideen is one of several separatist groups which have been fighting for decades against the hundreds of thousands of Indian troops deployed in the disputed region.
Tens of thousands have died in the fighting since 1989.
Kashmir has been divided between rivals India and Pakistan since their independence from Britain in 1947, but both claim the picturesque Himalayan territory in its entirety.
By Ayla Jean Yackley
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - U.S. businesses, Britain's biggest foreign investors, largely factored in the vote to leave the European Union and now want to see exit talks progress slowly, a top executive at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said.
Investment from across the Atlantic will slow sharply as companies gauge the fallout, Myron Brilliant, head of international affairs at the biggest U.S. business lobby, said in an interview late on Monday in Istanbul.
"You will see minimal investment going to the UK in the short term, (then) a watchful period to see how Britain and Europe negotiate the exit," he said, adding U.S. investors now want to see Britain at least remain part of the EU trade bloc.
The chamber is widely viewed as part of Republican establishment but has clashed over trade policy with both the Democrats' Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican candidate for President in November elections.
The pound has plunged to a three-decade low since the Brexit vote, and investors have warned that Britain, until now the world's fifth-largest economy, faces years of economic uncertainty.
FINANCIAL INDUSTRY
Brexit also upended Britain's political order. After party rivals all dropped out, Theresa May, 59, emerged as the next prime minister, to take office on Wednesday. She will now lead divorce proceedings with the EU under Article 50, the formal mechanism for leaving the bloc.
"The incoming prime minister will want to go slow. She will be under pressure from European leaders to move faster, but I suspect she will not invoke Article 50 until she absolutely has to," Brilliant said in an interview late on Monday in Istanbul.
"It is the wise course of action for her."
Washington backed Britain in the EU and worries its departure will hit the global economy.
U.S. companies, especially in the financial industry, that have used London as an entry point to the EU are likely to shift some jobs to Frankfurt and other continental capitals, because Britain will no longer serve as a regional hub, Brilliant said.
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"The goal I am sure will be to stay in the single market, which will be less disruptive. But to do that, the British are going to have to make concessions, particularly on immigration."
Brexit is not "a death knell" for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which seeks to reduce regulatory barriers, but it will slow talks and makes a deal this year unlikely, he said. Britain was a proponent of TTIP.
(Editing by Ralph Boulton)
By Ross Kerber
BOSTON (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors on Tuesday announced criminal charges against five current and former employees of leading proxy solicitation firm Georgeson, accusing them of engaging in a fraudulent scheme to gain shareholder voting information with bribes such as two tickets worth $1,400 to a Boston Celtics basketball game.
The case paints a picture of senior executives scrambling to learn voting data to gain an edge in corporate elections. Winning backing from big funds is key for investors out to capture board seats or to limit executive pay, making a market for proxy solicitors such as Georgeson, which tracks shareholder votes and works for activists and stock issuers.
Prosecutors did not name Georgeson in their criminal complaint, which charged conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services wire fraud. It alleged the five people worked together to bribe an employee of a prominent proxy advisory firm, also not named.
A spokeswoman for Georgeson, a unit of Computershare Ltd that calls itself the largest proxy solicitor, said in an emailed statement that two of its current employees and three former employees were charged.
"When allegations in this case surfaced in 2012, Georgeson promptly and proactively contacted the SEC (the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission) and since that time has cooperated fully with the investigation by the SEC and U.S. Attorney and will continue to do so," the company said.
The filing states the bribes were paid to Brian Bennett, who has pleaded guilty in a separate criminal case. Bennett has been identified as a former employee of proxy adviser Institutional Shareholder Services.
Legitimate methods for proxy solicitors include polling big investors or checking their past views. But the Georgeson group became too aggressive, according to a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent's affidavit filed by prosecutors in U.S. district court in Boston.
It lists several cases in which in exchange for tickets Bennett provided details on the voting by investors in big companies that had hired the proxy solicitor. It also states the group conspired to defraud clients of their own employer by billing them for some of the bribes, claiming they were legitimate.
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One of the Georgeson group sought so many details that at one point Bennett wrote back, "Don't even try to ask me for votes on all of these," according to the document.
Charged were Donna Ackerly and Richard Gottcent, both listed as senior managing directors on Georgeson's website. Also charged was Charles Garske, a former Georgeson employee now working for rival proxy solicitor Okapi Partners, and two others, Keith Haynes and Michael Sedlak.
Sedlak was fired by the proxy solicitor in 2012, and Haynes was fired last month, according to the court filing. None of the individuals or their attorneys responded directly to requests for comment.
Officials said four of the five were arrested Tuesday morning, and that the other, Garske, is expected to have an initial court appearance later this week.
(Reporting by Ross Kerber in Boston and Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Tim McLaughlin and Steve Orlofsky)
By Mark Weinraub
WASHINGTON, July 12 (Reuters) - U.S. corn supplies will tighten more than expected in the coming months due to rising exports, but a bumper harvest will quickly re-stock grain bins, the government said on Tuesday.
A big soybean harvest also will help offset rising overseas demand for U.S. supplies of the oilseed, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department's monthly supply and demand report.
The government's surprise cut to its old-crop corn supplies estimate stemmed from harvest shortfalls in Brazil. USDA raised its estimate of old-crop U.S. corn exports by 75 million bushels and new-crop exports by 100 million due to crop problems in Brazil.
USDA pegged 2015/16 U.S. corn stocks at 1.701 billion bushels, down 7 million bushels from its June estimate. Analysts' forecasts had ranged from 1.708 billion bushels to 1.907 billion bushels, according to a Reuters poll.
USDA put new-crop corn stocks at 2.081 billion bushels, below the 2.205 billion bushels expected by the average of analysts' estimates but in line with a range of expectations. U.S. corn production for 2016/17 was forecast at 14.540 billion bushels, 15 million bushels above the average of analysts' estimates.
Soybean production was seen at 3.880 billion bushels. Analysts, on average, had expected a U.S. soybean crop of 3.867 billion bushels.
Old-crop U.S. soybean stocks were seen at 350 million bushels, in line with expectations. New-crop soybean stocks were raised by 30 million bushels to 290 million, also near the average of analysts' forecasts.
USDA left its outlook for average corn and soybean yields unchanged, at 168.0 bushels per acre and 46.7 bushels per acre, respectively. If realized, those yields would be the third biggest on record for each crop.
The government cut its estimate of 2015/16 Brazil corn production to 70.00 million tonnes from 77.50 million tonnes. It raised its corn harvest view for Argentina by 1 million tonnes to 28.00 million tonnes.
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It also trimmed its Brazil soybean harvest estimate to 96.50 million tonnes from 97.00 million tonnes. It left its Argentine soybean harvest estimate unchanged at 56.50 million tonnes.
For wheat, the USDA raised its 2016/17 U.S. production view to a bigger-than-expected 2.261 billion bushels from 2.077 billion, due to a robust winter wheat crop.
The government pegged winter wheat yields at a record 53.9 bushels per acre, up 3.4 bushels from its June estimate. The high yields will result in an all winter wheat crop of 1.628 billion bushels, above the high end of market forecasts that ranged from 1.505 billion bushels to 1.625 billion bushels.
(Reporting by Mark Weinraub; Editing by Paul Simao)
By Yeganeh Torbati KABUL (Reuters) - The senior U.S. commander in Afghanistan will have greater freedom to strike at the Taliban under broad new powers approved last month by President Barack Obama, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Tuesday. Carter, on an unannounced visit to Afghanistan, said the powers granted General John Nicholson would allow "much more efficient use and effective use of the forces we have here as well as the Afghan forces." The new authorities give U.S. forces greater ability to accompany and enable Afghan forces battling a resilient Taliban insurgency, while also allowing greater use of U.S. air power, particularly close air support. Previously, Nicholson - who commands both the NATO-led Resolute Support mission and a separate U.S. counter terrorism mission - was only allowed to take action against the Taliban "in extremis," or moments when assistance was needed to prevent a significant Afghan military setback. "Whereas previously he waited until a situation had developed in which Afghan forces really needed our enabling support, now he's able to look ahead," Carter said at a talk with American troops at Bagram air base, flanked by Nicholson. "That's a better way of making use of what we have here now," he said. Afghan forces, fighting largely on their own since the NATO-led mission ended most combat operations in 2014, have frequently asked for more combat assistance from their allies, particularly for close air strikes. Nicholson said the broader authorities were being used "almost daily" in support of Afghan forces. He pointed to a significant pickup in the pace of U.S. operations 18 months after the end of the main NATO combat mission. A U.S. military official said the new authorities had been used a couple of dozen times since they were approved by the White House in June. Carter's visit comes days after Obama shelved plans to cut the U.S. force in Afghanistan nearly in half by year's end, opting instead to keep 8,400 troops there through to the end of his presidency in January. Of that number, around 3,000 will be advising Afghan troops, and 3,300 will be working as "enablers" in support roles, Nicholson said. An additional 400 troops based "over the horizon" - outside Afghanistan - will round out the U.S. contribution to the NATO mission. An additional 2,150 U.S. troops will be focused on counter terrorism operations, he said. As an example of how the new authorities are being used, Nicholson cited "combat enablers" the United States had provided to the Afghans in their fight to expand the territory they control around the northern city of Kunduz. Such enablers can serve in a broad variety of roles, such as engineers or electronic warfare specialists. He contrasted that with the U.S. role last year, when Kunduz was briefly captured by the Taliban. At that time, the city was defended by Afghan forces battling largely without NATO's support. "It's more of an offensive nature to that operation that we're assisting," Nicholson told reporters in Bagram. Americans have been backing up Afghan troops fighting Taliban militants in other hotly contested regions, including Uruzgan and Maiwand in Kandahar province in the south. "I think all the uses have been right in line with the intended purpose that the president gave us," Nicholson said. The Taliban have made major gains and are estimated to control more territory than at any time since they were driven from power by a U.S.-led campaign in 2001 aimed at dismantling al Qaeda and denying it safe haven in Afghanistan. But after a difficult year in 2015, when the insurgents briefly captured Kunduz, Afghan and international officials say government troops have succeeded in stabilizing the situation to a large extent. Carter, who met both Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah as well as senior U.S. military commanders, said it was "critical" that the national unity government formed after disputed elections in 2014 maintained stability. Ghani thanked the United States as well as other NATO allies who last week pledged to maintain support for Afghanistan. He also praised Afghan forces, who he said had been "standing tall" since the departure of foreign combat forces. (Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati; editing by Mike Collett-White and Andrew Hay)
By PTI: Mumbai, Jul 12 (PTI) Staffing firm Quess Corp today made a spectacular debut at bourses, with its shares surging nearly 58 per cent as against the issue price of Rs 317. The stock listed at Rs 499 on BSE, a huge premium of 57.41 per cent over the issue price. Later, it touched a high of Rs 507.80, up 60.18 per cent. On NSE, shares of the company debuted at Rs 500, surging 57.72 per cent. The initial public offer of Quess Corp was oversubscribed a staggering 145 times earlier this month, emerging as the most oversubscribed IPO in the last 9 years. Promoted by Ajit Isaac and Thomas Cook (India), Quess Corps Rs 400-crore IPO had a price band of Rs 310-317 per share, with a face value of Rs 10 each. The Bengaluru-headquartered company plans to use the proceeds towards incremental working capital, acquisitions and other strategic initiatives, debt repayment and other general corporate purposes.
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Set up in 2007, Quess Corp offers comprehensive solutions, including recruitment, temporary and technology staffing as well as IT products and solutions.
Earlier this year, IPOs of diagnostics company Thyrocare Technologies was oversubscribed 73.46 times and that of staffing firm TeamLease Services 66 times. PTI SUM ARD
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COLOMBO (Reuters) - The United States on Tuesday praised Sri Lanka's steps taken under a U.N. resolution to address alleged human rights abuses in the final phase of a 26-year war with Tamil Tiger rebels, and said it would do what it could to see through the process. Washington along with other Western nations had long demanded an international investigation into the alleged killing of thousands of ethnic minority Tamils in the final weeks of the war, in 2009, under then Sri Lankan leader Mahinda Rajapaksa. Two senior U.S. State Department officials visiting Colombo welcomed its steps in implementing the U.N. resolution adopted in September last year calling in part for an inquiry into missing people and progress in post-war reconciliation. "We strongly commend the government for working closely with the United Nations and the High Commissioner (for Human Rights) Zeid (Ra'ad Al Hussein)," Assistant Secretary of State Tom Malinowski told reporters in Colombo. "The United States co-sponsored the resolution. As such we feel we have a shared responsibility to help see that process through." The visit of Malinowski, along with Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal, came two weeks after the United Nations urged Sri Lanka to rein in its military forces, prosecute war crimes and win the confidence of the Tamil minority. Former president Rajapaksa rejected international intervention in addressing human rights abuses and denied visas for top U.N. officials who wanted to assess conditions in the South Asian country after the war ended in May 2009. President Maithripala Sirisena, who unseated Rajapaksa in January last year, promised to implement the U.N. resolution. However, he and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe rejected the resolution in one respect by saying foreign judges could not be admitted into the country in keeping with its constitution. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on a visit last year that Colombo would not be compelled to accept a role for international judges in investigating possible war crimes, but any process must be impartial and independent. (Reporting by Shihar Aneez; editing by Mark Heinrich)
By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers said on Tuesday they were concerned that Malaysia and India were rated too favorably in this year's State Department human trafficking report although the report seemed less influenced by politics than last year's. The U.S. Department of State's closely watched annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report was released on June 30. After last year's report provoked a firestorm of controversy, the Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs Committees held hearings on Tuesday to review this year's findings. A low ranking is a black mark on a country's reputation and can subject a government to sanctions limiting access to aid from the United States, the International Monetary Fund or the World Bank. Last year, members of Congress and human rights groups said some countries' ratings were changed for political reasons. For example, over the objections of State Department experts, Malaysia was upgraded in 2015, despite authorities' discovering mass graves of trafficking victims and rights groups' reporting continued forced labor in its palm oil, construction and electronics industries. On Tuesday, lawmakers again questioned why Malaysia had not been downgraded. "It's hard to understand that they've made progress in 2016," Senator Ben Cardin, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said. Susan Coppedge, who runs the State Department's trafficking office, told lawmakers that Malaysia and India had both made improvements. Some lawmakers and rights groups said Malaysia's 2016 ranking seemed to reflect President Barack Obama's advocacy for the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact, which would include Malaysia. Labor unions oppose the TPP, which they fear could lead to U.S. job losses, while doing nothing to improve the treatment of workers in member countries. In connection with Tuesday's hearings, the Communications Workers of America union questioned whether the TPP continued to influence the ratings of Malaysia and Thailand. Senator Bob Corker, the Senate panel's Republican chairman, asked why India was rated Tier 2, saying that there are an estimated 12 million slaves in the country. "The report highlights some progress, but official complicity in trafficking is widespread, victim protection is inadequate and inconsistent," he said. The TIP report organizes countries into tiers: Tier 1 for nations meeting minimum U.S. standards; Tier 2 for those making significant efforts to meet those standards; Tier 2 "Watch List" for those deserving special scrutiny, and Tier 3 for countries failing to comply with minimum standards and not making significant efforts. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the Security Council on Monday to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan, sanction leaders and commanders who are blocking the implementation of a peace deal and fortify a U.N. peacekeeping mission. Heavy fighting involving tanks and helicopters raged in South Sudan on Monday between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and those backing Vice President Riek Machar. The violence, which erupted in the capital Juba four days ago, risks a return to civil war in the world's newest nation. "This is the time to massively reinforce U.N. action," Ban told reporters, adding that fighting had spread to areas outside of Juba in Central Equatoria state. "When a government cannot or will not protect its people, and when warring parties seem more intent on enriching and empowering themselves at the expense of their people, the international community has a responsibility to act," he said. Two Chinese U.N. peacekeepers and one local U.N. staff member have been killed in the fighting, Ban said. U.N. peacekeepeers have been deployed in South Sudan since the country gained independence from Sudan in 2011. "We desperately need attack helicopters and other material to fulfil our mandate to protect civilians," Ban said. "I also urge all countries contributing to (the U.N. mission) UNMISS to stand their ground. Any withdrawals would send precisely the wrong signal, in South Sudan and across the world." Kiir and Machar have long been rivals in politics and on the battlefield. A civil war that began in December 2013 came a few months after Kiir dismissed Machar as his deputy. The pair signed a peace deal in August 2015, but implementation has been slow. "Yet again, the leaders of South Sudan have failed their people," Ban said. "What kind of leadership is it that resorts to deadly weapons and identity politics, time and again? Failed leadership." In a rare move, Ban called for an immediate arms embargo on South Sudan and targeted sanctions on leaders and commanders blocking implementation of the peace deal. The United States, Britain, France, Angola and other members of the Security Council pushed for an arms embargo on South Sudan earlier this year. But veto power Russia said it was opposed to such a move because it did not believe it would be helpful to implementation of the peace deal. Ban said he would meet with the 15-member Security Council on Tuesday to discuss the situation in South Sudan. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
GENEVA (Reuters) - The United Nations called on Tuesday for free movement and protection of civilians fleeing fighting in the South Sudanese capital of Juba, where it said at least 36,000 displaced people are seeking shelter in U.N. sites and other locations. "Access to those in need is limited by the ongoing fighting and insecurity," U.N. spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci told a news briefing in Geneva. Access to the U.N. compound is being blocked for civilians, who are trapped in churches and schools without access to water and sanitation, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, adding that it was sending trauma kits. Meanwhile the U.N. refugee agency called on neighboring countries to keep their borders open to people seeking asylum and said it was gearing up for possible refugee outflows. (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay, editing by Tom Miles)
By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. highway safety regulators have demanded that Tesla Motors Inc hand over detailed information about the design, operation and testing of its Autopilot technology following a May 7 fatal crash in which the system was in use. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), investigating an accident that has increased scrutiny of automated driving technology, also wants to know what Tesla investigators have learned about the crash. The agency's nine-page letter dated July 8 was made public Tuesday. It requires the Palo Alto-based automaker to file responses in the coming weeks. Joshua Brown was killed when his vehicle, operating on Autopilot in Florida, drove under a tractor trailer. It was first known fatality to involve a Model S operating on the Autopilot system that takes control of steering and braking in certain conditions. The agency is seeking details of all design changes and updates to Autopilot since it went into use last year, and information on whether Tesla plans updates in the next four months. It also wants records of how many times the system told drivers to put their hands on the wheel and how often that led to the car automatically reducing vehicle power. Other questions include what Autopilot does when cameras and sensors aren't working properly, how the system was tested, and how it filters out "false positive events and interventions." NHTSA sends such letters as a part of its safety probes. Tesla declined to comment on the letter. Its stock was little changed at $224.65 a share, a decline of less than 0.1 percent. The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said the company has no plans to disable Autopilot in the wake of the crash. RECORDS AND DATA LOGS When Tesla launched Autopilot in October, it said the system would allow the vehicle "to steer within a lane, change lanes with the simple tap of a turn signal, and manage speed by using active, traffic-aware cruise control." But it added a disclaimer in a blog post that "the driver is still responsible for, and ultimately in control of, the car." Before activating the service, drivers are informed on their screens that they must keep their hands on the wheel. In its letter, NHTSA said it wants records and data logs of all crashes that could be linked to the software. It disclosed that Tesla and NHTSA officials met on June 14 -- two weeks before the agency opened a formal investigation. Tesla has said it informed NHTSA of the crash on May 16. NHTSA spokesman Bryan Thomas reiterated that the agency "has not made any determination about the presence or absence of a defect in the subject vehicles." Tesla, in a blog post late last month about the accident, described Autopilot as being in a "public beta phase" and said customers have to opt in before activation. In a July 10 tweet, Musk wrote that "beta" for Tesla means "any system (with) less than 1B miles of real world driving." NHTSA said last week it is reviewing another crash in Pennsylvania in which the driver reportedly said he was using Autopilot. Tesla said then it had no reason to believe Autopilot had "anything to do" with the accident. The Pennsylvania State Police said on Tuesday that the Tesla driver, Albert Scaglione of Farmington Hills, Michigan, was charged with careless driving. Tesla also said on Tuesday that its autosteer software was enabled during a third crash involving a Model X in Montana on Sunday. Autosteer is the steering function in Autopilot. In that crash, the driver said Autopilot was engaged when the car slammed into 13 guardrails, said Montana State Trooper Jade Shope. The driver was issued an $85 ticket for careless driving. Tesla said the data suggested "the drivers hands were not on the steering wheel, as no force was detected on the steering wheel for over two minutes after autosteer was engaged." Tesla said the driver was using the feature on an undivided mountain road - which the company advises against - and didn't respond to alerts to put his hands on the wheel. (Additional writing by Alexandria Sage; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jeffrey Hodgson)
By Yeganeh Torbati and Stephen Kalin BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United States is stepping up its military campaign against Islamic State by sending hundreds more troops to assist Iraqi forces in an expected push on the city of Mosul, the militants' largest stronghold, later this year. U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter made the announcement on Monday during a visit to Baghdad, where he met U.S. commanders, as well as Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi. Most of the 560 additional troops will work out of Qayara air base, which Iraqi forces recaptured from Islamic State militants and plan to use as a staging ground for an offensive to retake Mosul, Iraq's second biggest city. Government forces said on Saturday they had recovered the air base, about 60 km (40 miles) from the northern city, with air support from the U.S.-led military coalition. "With these additional U.S. forces I'm describing today, we'll bring unique capability to the campaign and provide critical support to the Iraqi forces at a key moment in the fight," Carter told a gathering of U.S. troops in Baghdad. The new troops were "ready to come" and it would be a matter of "days and weeks, not months," he said. Abadi has pledged to retake Mosul by the end of the year. TIMING However, there is still debate in Washington about the timing of a move on Mosul. Some U.S. and allied military and intelligence officials warn that aside from its elite counter terrorism force, the Iraqi military is not ready to take on Islamic State militants in Mosul without significant assistance from the Kurdish peshmerga and Shi'ite militias. Moreover, Baghdad and Arbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region, do not appear to have agreed on a plan for Mosul, and any significant participation by Kurdish or Shi'ite forces in a Mosul campaign, one U.S. official said, "would create a whole new set of problems that the Abadi government is incapable of managing, or even mitigating."Separately, the Republican chairman of the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee said on Monday that President Barack Obama must ask Congress for additional funds to pay for the deployment of more troops to Iraq, as Congress and the White House debate defense spending amid mandatory budget cuts. LOGISTICS HUB Still, the latest U.S. force increase comes less than three months after Washington announced it would dispatch about 200 more soldiers to accompany Iraqi troops advancing towards Mosul.Carter told reporters ahead of Monday's trip that the United States would now help turn Qayara into a logistics hub. The airfield is "one of the hubs from which ... Iraqi security forces, accompanied and advised by us as needed, will complete the southernmost envelopment of Mosul," he said.Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, commander of the coalition against Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq, said the additional troops would fill a variety of roles. "(They are) coming in to help expand the base at Qayara West airfield into a node that can support the Iraqi security forces as they move forward with the Mosul operation, and itll be an operational air base." U.S. forces have already visited Qayara to check on its condition, and advisors can offer specialized engineering support in Mosul, where Islamic State has blown up bridges across the Tigris, U.S. officials said. Iraqi forces were already improving the base's perimeter in case of a counterattack from the nearby town of Qayara, which Islamic State militants still hold, another U.S. official in Baghdad said. The recapture of Mosul, Islamic State's de facto Iraqi capital, from which its leader declared a modern-day caliphate in 2014, would be a major boost for the plans by Abadi and the United States to weaken the militant group.NO FOLLOW-UP PLAN Still, retaking Mosul without a plan to restore security, basic services and governance and the money and personnel to implement it immediately would repeat the mistake the Bush administration made in 2003, by ousting Saddam Hussein with no plan for installing a new government, said three officials from the U.S. and Britain. And as Islamic State militants have lost part of their self-proclaimed caliphate in Iraq and Syria, they increasingly have turned to suicide attacks. These included a bombing in the Iraqi capital last week that left nearly 300 people dead, the most lethal bombing of its kind since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. U.S. and Iraqi officials have touted such bombings as proof that battlefield setbacks are weakening Islamic State, but critics say a global uptick in suicide attacks attributed to the group suggests the opposite. "In fact, it demonstrates (Islamic State's) strength and long-term survival skills," terrorism expert Hassan Hassan wrote in a recent article. "The threat is not going away." (Additional reporting by John Walcott and Patricia Zengerle in Washington; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Bernadette Baum)
After learning about the matter, Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj had expressed regret over the incident and said she would take up the issue with Home Minister, Rajnath Singh.
The woman was questioned about her nationality and was later asked about the number of states in India.
By Mail Today: The bureau of immigration has initiated an internal inquiry into a northeastern woman's allegation that an immigration official had made racial remarks against her at the Delhi airport on Saturday, when she was on her way to Seoul. According to a top immigration official, the official facing allegations is a sub-inspector level officer.
On Monday, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju said that an inquiry has been instituted into the allegation of racial harassment and action will be taken if anyone is found guilty. "We are examining the case. We have asked for a full report. There have been previous cases of harassment. We will take action if there was a harassment," he said. The inquiry will be conducted by the Bureau of Immigration, which comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
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After learning about the matter, Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj had expressed regret over the incident and said she would take up the issue with Home Minister, Rajnath Singh. "Monika Khangembam - I am sorry to know this. Immigration is not with me. I will speak to my senior colleague Shri @rajnathsingh ji to sensitise Immigration officials at the airport," Swaraj had tweeted.
HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED
On her Facebook wall, Khangembam wrote that when she went to the immigration desk at IGI at around 9 pm on Saturday, an official looked at her passport and said, 'Indian toh nahi lagti ho (you don't look Indian)'.
He then allegedly smirked at her and asked her how many states were there in the country, in an apparent bid to know her Indianness.
She alleged that a lady official at the adjacent counter was giggling while the male officer paid no heed to her.
Also Read:
Manipur woman alleges racial harassment at Delhi airport, social media outraged
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(Adds byline, details on insurance, custodian bank, background on bitcoin, SolidX)
By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss and Nikhil Subba
NEW YORK, July 12 (Reuters) - SolidX Partners Inc, a U.S. technology company that provides blockchain services, on Tuesday filed an application with the Securities and Exchange Commission to launch an exchange-traded product that tracks the price of bitcoin.
Blockchain is the technology that powers bitcoin, the digital currency. SolidX provides blockchain-based software relating to the recording of digital records, transfer of assets, and identity, according to its website.
The ETF product will be called SolidX Bitcoin Trust and will list on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol XBTC upon regulatory approval, SolidX Partners said on Tuesday.
SolidX is the second company to file for a bitcoin exchange-traded product with the U.S. regulator. The Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust, owned by brothers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, filed the first bitcoin ETF application three years ago.
In its SEC filing, SolidX said it will provide investors with exposure to the daily change of the U.S. dollar price of bitcoin. The value of bitcoin will be based on the price tracked by XBX, an index created by TradeBlock, a financial services company.
Bitcoin is a digital asset launched in 2009 that can be transferred among parties through the internet without the use of a central administrator or clearing agency. Its blockchain has gained global popularity due to its perceived usefulness in recording and keeping track of assets across practically all industries.
The exact size of the offering was not disclosed, but based on the filing, the company said the ETF will issue a basket of 10,000 shares.
Bank of New York Mellon has been tapped as the custodian of the cash held by SolidX Bitcoin Trust, while SolidX Partners will be responsible for the ETF's bitcoin holdings.
SolidX, in its ETF filing, said the bitcoin it will hold will be insured. The insurance will cover the loss of bitcoin through theft, destruction, or computer fraud.
Story continues
Bitcoin's value has been highly volatile, having peaked at over $1,200 in late 2013 before crashing after the collapse of the Mt. Gox bitcoin exchange.
It has since recovered, hitting a more than two-year high of nearly $780 in the run-up to the British referendum on whether the country should leave the European Union. On Tuesday, bitcoin traded at $662.44 on the Bitstamp platform.
(Reporting by Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss in New York and Nikhil Subba in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila and Chris Reese)
By David Brunnstrom and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Tuesday a court ruling that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea should be treated as final and binding and not be a reason to raise tensions. "We certainly would urge all parties not to use this as an opportunity to engage in escalatory or provocative action," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters in a briefing aboard Air Force One. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague announced its ruling on Tuesday that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within much of the South China Sea, which has been subject to territorial disputes by several countries. China, which boycotted the hearings at the court, vowed again to ignore the ruling and said its armed forces would defend its sovereignty and maritime interests. A senior State Department official said the United States was encouraging sides to use the ruling to hold diplomatic talks to resolve the remaining disputes. "Once the dust settles and the rhetoric subsides, this decision opens the door to some very practical and potentially productive discussions among the various claimants, in part because the ruling significantly narrows the geographic scope of the areas in question," the official said on a conference call with reporters. A foreign ministers' meeting July 21-26 of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Laos will be the first opportunity for claimants to discuss the ruling. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and China's foreign minister Wang Yi were also expected to attend. "My expectation is there will be a period of assessment, discussion and consultation that lies directly ahead," the official said. China claims most of the energy-rich waters through which about $5 trillion in shipping trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims. Daniel Kritenbrink, U.S. President Barack Obama's top Asia policy advisor, said that Washington had "no need or interest in stirring tension in the South China Sea" as a pretext for involvement in the region. Kritenbrink said, however, that "we will not turn a blind eye to this important waterway in return for cooperation elsewhere in the world." U.S. Senator John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and fellow Republican Dan Sullivan issued a statement encouraging other claimants, including Vietnam, to seek similar resolution of maritime disputes through arbitration and negotiation. "China faces a choice: China can choose to be guided by international law, institutions, and norms. Or it can choose to reject them and pursue the path of intimidation and coercion," they said. The senators said the United States should be "regularly challenging Chinas excessive maritime claims" through air and warship patrols and make clear the U.S. interest in preventing Chinese militarization of strategic features. The presumptive Republican Party and Democratic Party nominees to run in the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election both called on countries to respect the court's decision. Peter Navarro, an economics professor and China adviser for Republican candidate Donald Trump said: "Its important to reiterate that freedom of navigation and overflight is a key principle of the international rules-based order and it should be respected by all parties." In a statement, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton spoke of the United States' interest in the South China Sea and the free flow of commerce. "It is important that all claimants abide by this ruling and continue to pursue peaceful, multilateral means to resolve disputes among them. U.S. leadership building on the Obama administration's pivot to Asia will be key in supporting our partners and allies in these efforts." (Additional reporting by Yara Bayoumy, Patricia Zengerle, Doina Chiacu, Emily Stephenson, Lesley Wroughton and Amanda Becker; Editing by Grant McCool)
The Hague (AFP) - The International Criminal Court on Tuesday said it is referring Uganda and Djibouti to the UN Security Council after the two east African countries' failed to arrest wanted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.
The Hague-based ICC's judges said in a statement "the Republics of Uganda and Djibouti had failed to comply with the request for arrest and surrender of Omar al-Bashir to the ICC".
The world's top criminal court added that it has referred the matter to the UN Security Council as well as the body that oversees its work, the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) which represents the nations that have ratified the court, "to take the measures they deem necessary regarding this matter".
Bashir travelled to Kampala and Djibouti in May to attend the swearing in ceremonies of long-time Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and his counterpart in Djibouti, President Ismail Omar Guelleh.
Both Uganda and Djibouti are members of the ASP and are obliged to execute the court's arrest warrants, issued in 2009 and 2010, to detain Bashir and hand him over for trial in The Hague.
African leaders however, has become increasingly resentful of the ICC's authority and accuse the court of targeting only countries on the continent.
Controversy erupted last year when the South African government did not arrest Bashir when he attended an African Union summit in Johannesburg.
Bashir in May also applied for a US visa to attend the next UN General Assembly in September, with his Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Kamal Ismail saying it was Khartoum's right to send a delegation to the UN meeting.
The Sudanese leader faces genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity charges allegedly committed in the Darfur region of western Sudan between 2003 and 2008.
Bashir was indicted by the ICC in 2009 and denies the charges.
Darfur has been gripped by conflict since 2003, when ethnic minority rebels rose up against Bashir, complaining that his Arab-dominated government was marginalising the region.
Bashir launched a brutal counter-insurgency, in which at least 300,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million forced to flee their homes, according to figures released by the United Nations.
Bashir's forces have been accused of widespread atrocities against civilians.
Kampala (AFP) - Uganda's main opposition leader Kizza Besigye was granted bail Tuesday in his ongoing treason trial in the capital Kampala.
High Court judge Wilson Musene granted the former presidential candidate bail during a hearing on Tuesday morning.
"I'm very, very happy to be free, for now," Besigye said outside the court.
Besigye was arrested in May and charged with treason after releasing a video in which he held a mock swearing-in ceremony to protest what he claims was a fraudulent election in February, won by President Yoweri Museveni.
An official from Beisgye's Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party said the bail decision showed the "regaining of credibility" by the judiciary which is sometimes accused of being under the government's thumb.
Treason is a capital offence in Uganda, but the death penalty has not been carried out for years. Besigye has been held in the country's maximum security prison since his arrest.
A long-standing opponent of Museveni, Besigye has been frequently jailed, placed under house arrest, accused of both treason and rape, tear-gassed, beaten and hospitalised over the years.
Museveni, 71, has been in power for three decades since taking power at the head of a rebel army.
By Elias Biryabarema KAMPALA (Reuters) - Uganda's veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye was released on bail on Tuesday after being detained for about two months on treason charges, a judiciary official told Reuters. Besigye came second in the presidential election in February. Incumbent President Yoweri Museveni won with 60 percent of the vote, the electoral body said. Besigye and independent monitors said the poll was flawed, citing bribery of voters, interference by security personnel and the national electoral body's lack of impartiality and transparency. Besigye was arrested in early May after a video surfaced on social media depicting him taking the oath of office for president and he was charged with treason. "He has been granted bail ... the judge found the objections of the state insufficient to deny him bail," judiciary spokesman Solomon Muyita told Reuters. He is awaiting trial. State prosecutors have said repeatedly that police had yet to conclude their investigation. Muyita said Besigye was ordered to report to court every two weeks. Museveni's critics say the charges against Besigye are trumped up and likely aimed at keeping him away from his support base. Officials deny the accusation. Once hailed for returning political stability after years of turmoil, some local and international critics now accuse Museveni of clamping down on dissent, seeking the presidency for life and tolerating corruption. A legislator from the ruling party has said she would petition party officials to begin the process by which parliament would remove an age limit that now bars Museveni from standing for another term. (Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
By William James LONDON (Reuters) - The socialist head of Britain's opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, will discover on Tuesday whether he has the automatic right to defend himself from a leadership challenge - a key moment in the running battle for control of the party. The turmoil within the 116-year-old party, which governed Britain for 13 years until 2010 under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, comes as the country's political landscape is changing fast following a June 23 vote to leave the European Union. While the ruling Conservative Party has quickly appointed a new leader, Theresa May, to take over from Prime Minister David Cameron and pilot the 'Brexit' process, Labour's left-wing leadership is locked in a bitter internal power struggle with its more moderate members of parliament (MPs). As Labour looks to define its priorities for the upcoming negotiations, rival MP Angela Eagle has triggered a leadership contest, saying Corbyn has failed to connect with voters and is not capable of winning a national election. Corbyn has said he will not resign, citing the overwhelming mandate he won from the party's grassroots members when they elected him leader in September last year. That has sparked fears that the party could split, as it did in the 1980s, and dilute the center-left influence over Brexit negotiations. The party's internal strife has fueled tensions among its supporters, and police said on Tuesday Eagle's constituency office in northern England had been vandalized. Corbyn said he and other lawmakers had received death threats. "It is extremely concerning that Angela Eagle has been the victim of a threatening act and that other MPs are receiving abuse and threats," he said in a statement. Later on Tuesday, the party's National Executive Committee will make a crucial ruling over whether Corbyn's name can automatically go onto the ballot paper for the leadership election or whether he, like his challenger, needs to find 51 lawmakers to back him. "It would be alien to the concept of natural justice that Jeremy Corbyn is not automatically on the ballot paper," said Len McCluskey, a Corbyn supporter and head of Unite, the country's biggest union and Labour's largest financial backer. "What I won't accept is any sordid little fix which is alien to our traditions." If the ruling goes against Corbyn he could struggle to find enough lawmakers to support his bid, given that Labour MPs have already passed a motion of no-confidence in him by a margin of 172 to 40. Corbyn retains strong support among the party's rank-and-file members, meaning that if he does make the ballot paper he could hold on to power and prolong the stand-off with MPs. (Additional reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Stephen Addison)
LONDON (Reuters) - British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Tuesday he hoped there would be no legal challenge to a decision by his Labour Party's ruling executive to automatically include his name on the ballot paper for the leadership of the party. Corbyn, a veteran left-winger, is resisting efforts by Labour lawmakers to oust him, arguing that he has the strong support of party members in the country. Corbyn's opponents say Labour cannot win an election under his leadership. "I would hope there isn't going to be a legal challenge. There's been a very long legal discussion this afternoon, there were very well-qualified lawyers on hand to advise so I think we are fine," he told reporters after the decision of Labour's National Executive Committee. (Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Gareth Jones)
In one of the first major moves since Jorge "Pepo" Ferradas took over as president of Univision's Music Division, the media company is expanding its online music strategy with the launch of a talent incubator called U-LAB.
The venture is a creative talent development partnership between Uforia Music, Univision's music platform, and Casa Limon, the record label of Spanish musician and producer Javier Limon.
Univision Appoints Jorge Ferradas President of New Music Division: Exclusive
The initiative will allow emerging musicians to take part in a fellowship to develop and showcase their music, with input and direction from a host of experts that includes superstar Alejandro Sanz and Latin Grammy winner Jorge Drexler. Both are creative associates of the venture.
U-LAB will also serve as a breeding ground for music journalists and digital creators who will help in the distribution of the music in multiple platforms.
"With Uforia Music, we want to innovate how music is created and distributed to audiences across different vantage points," said Ferradas. "Uforia now allows for the development of new talents in a way that we consider is unique in the market. Being able to offer this is a big achievement and a big satisfaction for Univision."
"This initiative was created to foster young talent, support social good and innovation - something much needed in Miami and in the music industry overall in order to revamp," said Sanz in a statement.
Univision's Uforia App Now Picks Music Based on Your Mood
U-Lab's first crop of artists all come from Berklee College of Music and were handpicked by Limon, who is producing their recordings, financed by Univision. Ferradas says U-LAB plans to launch three new acts between now and the end of the year, and a first showcase is planned for late September. However, he adds, "Univision has no plans to become a label."
Instead, the company is forging closer ties and partnerships with different labels, looking to develop new music projects both from within and out of the U.S.
In turn, Uforia is also expanding its editorial team, now led by newly appointed senior editor Nuria Net.
Net, the co-founder of Remezlca.com (and a former collaborator with Billboard) was most recently a founding digital editor at Fusion, Univision's joint venture with ABC.
The final release date of Rajinikanth's much-awaited film Kabali is out.
By India Today Web Desk: After weeks of speculation, the release date of Rajinikanth's much-awaited film Kabali is out. Thalaivar's fans will have to wait another week to see their favourite superstar on 70mm. The makers of Kabali took to Twitter to put an end to all the speculation and reveal the release date of the highly-anticipated film.
ALSO READ: Rajinikanth's Kabali postponed again
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ALSO READ: Will Thalaivar Rajinikanth miss out on Kabali release?
Producer Kalaippuli S Thanu revealed on social media that Kabali will now release on July 22 and that team couldn't be more excited.
#Kabali will be releasing worldwide on 22 July 2016 !! We couldn't be more excited @superstarrajini @beemji :) pic.twitter.com/HOll88EzuU Kalaippuli S Thanu (@theVcreations) July 11, 2016
Rumours were rife that Rajinikanth is still not back from the US due to his ill health and this is the reason that the release date of Kabali might be pushed to August.
Kabali, which was initially planned for a release on July 1 this year, was postponed to July 15. And now, it will release on July 22.
At the same time, Kabali has been cleared with a U certificate with no cuts by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on Monday.
Directed by Pa Ranjith, Kabali features Rajinikanth in the role of a Malaysian don.
The film, which will also be released in Telugu and Hindi, co-stars Radhika Apte, Kishore, Dinesh, Kalaiarasan, Dhansikaa and Taiwanese actor Winston Chao.
Tipped to be based on the story of a real life don, Kabali has been predominantly shot in Malaysia. On July 29, the film will also be dubbed and released in Malay.
Produced by Kalaipuli S Thanu, the film has music by Santhosh Narayanan.
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Washington (AFP) - The White House on Monday sharply criticized renewed heavy fighting in South Sudan's capital city Juba that has pushed thousands of people to flee.
"The United States condemns in the strongest terms the return to violence in South Sudan. It must stop," National Security Advisor Susan Rice said in a statement.
"This senseless and inexcusable violence -- undertaken by those who yet again are putting self-interest above the well-being of their country and people -- puts at risk everything the South Sudanese people have aspired to over the past five years."
The United States has long been a key supporter of South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, which became independent from Sudan in 2011.
South Sudan's president Salva Kiir and his estranged deputy Riek Machar ordered a ceasefire, kindling hope that three days of fierce fighting between the army and former rebels would end.
"Armed leaders, their commanders and forces must focus their resources on bringing about an immediate end to the violence," Rice said. "We call on those fighting to return to their barracks."
Rice served as the assistant secretary of state for African affairs under former president Bill Clinton, and was later ambassador to the United Nations under President Barack Obama before assuming her present role.
The current fighting between soldiers loyal to Kiir, a member of the Dinka tribe, and former rebels backing Machar, a Nuer, was triggered by a deadly altercation at a checkpoint Thursday night.
Fighting paused briefly on Saturday -- the fifth independence anniversary of the world's youngest nation -- but deadly clashes resumed Sunday.
"Instead of honoring this anniversary, the recent violence will instead inflict yet another wave of trauma on South Sudanese citizens, who have suffered far too much already," Rice said.
Civil war erupted in South Sudan in December 2013 when Kiir accused Machar of plotting a coup.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed and more than two million been driven from their homes in a conflict that has reignited ethnic divisions.
More time to heal. Following the tragic sniper attack in Dallas on Thursday, July 7, USA has delayed the upcoming series premiere date for its new Ryan Phillippe series, Shooter, Us Weekly has learned.
PHOTOS: Celebrity Deaths in 2016: Stars Weve Lost
"In light of recent tragic events and out of respect for the victims, their families and our viewers, we have decided to postpone the premiere date for the upcoming USA Network series Shooter, to July 26," a rep for the network said in a statement released to Us on Monday, July 11.
PHOTOS: TV's 10 Most Shocking Deaths of the 2015-2016 Season
The thriller series, based on the 2007 Mark Wahlberg film of the same name, stars Phillippe as a veteran military sniper and war hero who attempts to clear his name after he is wrongly accused of a crime. The series had been scheduled to premiere on Tuesday, July 19.
PHOTOS: Stars They're Just Like Us!
The tragic July 7 sniper attack left five Dallas police officers dead and seven officers plus two civilians wounded during a peaceful protest against police brutality.
This is not the first time that real-life events have caused TV networks to change their planned schedules. Among the notable examples is Fox's popular drama series 24, which was set to premiere on October 20, 2001, but was pushed back to November 6, following 9/11. The pilot centered on Kiefer Sutherland's character attempting to stop terrorists from carrying out a possible assassination attempt.
Last month, TNT delayed its Last Ship season 3 premiere by a week because of a story line that was similar to the June 12 tragedy at an Orlando nightclub that left 49 people dead and dozens of others injured.
Shooter premieres on USA Tuesday, July 26, at 10 p.m. ET.
Kim Rittberg and Ian Drew discussed all the latest on this story during Us Weekly's Facebook Live News Update. Check it out!
"I assume everyone's going to tune in to our show to see our take on Trump," David Mandel, current showrunner of HBO's Veep, told The Hollywood Reporter during the Comedy Showrunners Roundtable. "We don't have one, there is no Trump character," he said. "We're not a real-world political show, we are inspired by [real-world politics]."
"With Trump there are pieces of pomposity and absurdity that we've taken, but we're not doing a real life documentary. In a perfect world Selina Meyer [played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus] should be the worst, most absurd character. Right now she's kind of running second."
Mandel said when it comes to a person such as Donald Trump, creating parody gets more challenging. He related it to his experience as a writer on SNL trying to create commercial parodies. He said, "It got harder and harder to do parody commercials because commercials got funnier. When they are serious you could make fun of them. When they are kind of fun and musical or whatever, where's the parody?"
Mandel stood alone among the showrunners in saying that he hates working with writer rooms. "I despise the room, and every show I've ever worked on has never had a room," he said. "Seinfeld had no room. Even when Larry [David] left and it took a couple of us to replace him, the individual writers were responsible for their individual stories."
"I think you can make something funnier that already exists in a room, but I despise the group thing. And every year when I do a pilot or two to help out a friend and I sit there and watch them tear it apart and put it back together in a room, it's awful, and I do think it's why there's a lot bad network television."
More roundtables featuring comedy and drama actors and actresses, drama showrunners, and reality hosts and producers will roll out throughout June in print and online. Tune in to new episodes of Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter starting June 26 on SundanceTV, with the premiere of the Comedy Showrunners Roundtable on Sunday, July 31. And look for clips at THR.com/roundtables with full episodes on THR.com after broadcast.
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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said the global financial institution Citibank is about to close his governments foreign currency accounts amid a financial crisis sparked by the slump in global oil prices.
Reuters reports that the New York-headquartered bank has not itself confirmed the closures. But Maduro said in a speech Monday that his government had been warned accounts belonging to the Central Bank and the Bank of Venezuela which the government uses for transactions in the U.S. and globally would be shut in 30 days.
Do you think theyre going to stop us with a financial blockade? Maduro asked. No, gentlemen. No one stops Venezuela.
Venezuelas economy is in crisis. Some international companies are ceasing their operations due to supply shortages that, along with a scarcity of food and other essentials, are linked to a lack of foreign currency. Although precipitated by the decline in revenues from oil, the economic crisis has also been blamed on mismanagement by the leftist government of Maduro, who succeeded the late Hugo Chavez in 2013.
[Reuters]
The labor minister of Venezuelas leftist government has announced that a factory run by U.S. multinational Kimberly-Clark has been seized and is now in the hands of the workers.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the Texas-based diaper and tissue producers factory in the northern city of Maracay had ceased production due to a shortage of raw materials. The collapse in global oil prices has crippled Venezuelas ability to import goods, leading to shortages of food, hygiene products and inputs for industry.
Labor Minister Oswaldo Vera said in a televised address Monday that he was signing an order for the factory to be occupied after Kimberly-Clark laid off more than 900 workers. Kimberly Clark will continue producing for all Venezuelans and is now in the hands of the workers, he said, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Kimberly-Clark has not confirmed the takeover, but said in a statement to the BBC, If the Venezuelan government takes control of Kimberly-Clark facilities and operations, it will be responsible for the well-being of the workers and the physical asset, equipment and machinery in the facilities going forward.
[WSJ]
On July 12, 1804, Vice President Aaron Burr faced the prospect of murder charges after shooting Alexander Hamilton the previous day. Why didnt those charges come to pass and what would happen today in a similar situation?
The issue of presidential immunity from criminal charges while in office received a lot of attention during the Watergate-era investigations into President Richard Nixon during his second term. But Nixons first Vice President, Spiro Agnew, also faced potential criminal charges in a separate bribery incident in Maryland in 1973 and also faced the possibility of being charged with a crime while holding office.
In two separate opinions from that era, the Attorney Generals office spelled out the argument that the President wouldnt face criminal charges while in office, but he could face charges after leaving office. The President would need to be removed by Congress through the impeachment process or resign to lose that short-term immunity.
However, the Vice President wouldnt have the same short-term immunity, and could face criminal charges while performing his or her constitutional duties. In 2000, Randolph Moss from the Office of Legal Counsel in the Justice Department re-examined those two opinions and still found them to be valid based on judicial precedents and the interpretation of Founding-era documents.
Ironically, these documents and other academic writings from the Nixon and Clinton eras refer back to Hamilton and Burr, the two men involved in Americas most-famous duel. As youll recall, Hamilton, the former Treasury Secretary, and Burr, the sitting Vice President, settled their dispute in a gun fight that left Hamilton mortally wounded and Burr facing murder charges in New Jersey (where the duel was fought) and New York (where Hamilton died).
On July 13, 1804, a coroners jury started a three-week investigation in New York City to consider murder felony and misdemeanor dueling charges against Vice President Burr. The coroner found enough evidence to indict Burr on both counts. In New Jersey, a grand jury indicted Burr on a murder charge in November 1804. By that time, Burr had left the region to visit his daughter in the South.
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Then a constitutional problem came up that required Burr to return to Washington, D.C., right after the New Jersey indictment: He was needed to perform his duties as the presiding officer of the Senate in the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase. Burr served in this important role through the trial and completed his full term as Vice President while under indictment in two states. Eventually, New Jersey dropped its murder charges and Burr was convicted on a dueling misdemeanor charge in New York, under a law championed by Hamilton before his death. Neither state could extradite Burr and there were conflicting opinions about convictions under anti-dueling statutes.
In 1973, the possibility loomed that President Nixon and Vice President Agnew could face criminal charges at the same time while holding office. In the first opinion of the Justice Departments Office of Legal Counsel, Assistant Attorney General Robert Dixon explained how the Presidents unique role provided immunity until he left office.
Dixon said a sitting President should be barred by the doctrine of separation of powers from a criminal indictment and trial that would unduly interfere in a direct or formal sense with the conduct of the Presidency.
An impeachment proceeding is the only appropriate way to deal with a President while in office, Dixon concluded, noting the potential effect on the overall Executive Branch.
The Constitutions Article II, Section 4, spells out that, The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Two weeks after Dixons memo, a second one followed from Solicitor General Robert Bork about the Vice President Agnews immunity request from criminal charges while in office. Bork offered a textual explanation about why only the President would enjoy such short-term immunity.
The Presidents immunity rests not only upon the matters just discussed but also upon his unique constitutional position and powers, Bork wrote. There are substantial reasons, embedded not only in the constitutional framework but in the exigencies of government, for distinguishing in this regard between the President and all lesser officers including the Vice President.
Bork then explained the precedent that Vice President Aaron Burr was subject to simultaneous indictment in two states while in office, yet he continued to exercise his constitutional responsibilities until the expiration of his term.
In 2000, Moss concluded that while no court has ruled on these immunity issues, the judicial precedents that bear on the continuing validity of our constitutional analysis are consistent with both the analytic approach taken and the conclusions reached. Our view remains that a sitting President is constitutionally immune from indictment and criminal prosecution.
He also cited an opinion from Joseph Story in his Commentaries on the Constitution that the President has incidental powers that need to be performed without obstruction and the President cannot, therefore, be liable to arrest, imprisonment, or detention, while he is in the discharge of the duties of his office.
In 1998, Yale scholar Akhil Reed Amar also referenced Storys remarks in Senate testimony that later appeared in a law-review article. Amar said based on his structural interpretation of the Constitution that other impeachable officers-Vice Presidents, Cabinet officers, judges, and justices may be indicted while in office. But the Presidency is constitutionally unique in the President the entirety of the power of a branch of government is vested.
Scott Bomboy in the editor in chief of the National Constitution Center.
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(credit: Library of Congress)
(credit: Library of Congress)
As part of a continuing series this summer, Constitution Daily looks at Vice Presidential selections that had an impact on the Constitution. Today, the Vice President who demurred on slavery and joined the Confederacy: John C. Breckinridge.
During the summer of 1856, the Democratic National Convention was held in advance of the coming election. The city was Cincinnati. The rising star was John C. Breckinridge.
Louisiana delegates nominated the former Kentucky congressman as their vice presidential pick. Breckinridge, however, declined to compete against his home states vice presidential nominee, Linn Boyd. His refusal only fuelled the fire. A known orator who studied and loved the speeches of Demosthenes in his youth, Breckinridge spoke gracious sentiments with unparalled eloquence. The crowd went wild. He was soon polling second, ahead of even Boyd. The next round delivered his victory. John C. Breckinridge would serve as James Buchanans running mate.
On that June day, it must have seemed inconceivable to consider anything but a long and fruitful future for the convention star. After all, Buchanan was nominated more for his not having ties to the Kansas-Nebraska Act than for any particular merit. Hed served as Ambassador to the United Kingdom during the Franklin Pierce presidency and was, literally and figuratively, removed from the chaos at Bleeding Kansas. Breckinridge, on the other hand, had all the makings of a success story.
Hed come from the American establishment, but had disassociated from his Whig family, and forged his own path. He was happily married, a Mexican War hero, and resonated with both Northern Democrats and Southern Democrats due to his policy preferences and hometown roots, respectively. Perhaps most critically, he was a gifted speaker, having brought Henry Clay to tears years earlier at a veteran cemetery dedication. His words on that occasion supposedly inspired the Theodore OHara poem, Bivouac of the Dead, and earned him the endorsement of Clay, a prominent Whig.
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Yet, his fall from grace was looming large. The election of 1860 would bring Abraham Lincoln to the national stage and civil war to a divided nation. And Breckinridge, unbeknownst to him in 1856, would be on the wrong side of history. Kentucky, once again, would endorse someone else. This time it would be the Union, as Lincoln famously remarked, I hope to have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky. Breckinridge would put the wants of the South first, just as he had at the convention, but this time, his decision would not win him a thing.
John C. Breckinridge was born near Lexington, Kentucky on January 16, 1821 to John Cabell and Mary Clay (nee Smith) Breckinridge. His paternal grandfather and namesake, John Breckinridge, served as the Attorney General under Thomas Jefferson. His maternal great-grandfather, John Witherspoon, was the only college president to sign the Declaration of Independence. Ironically, Mary Todd Lincoln was a distant cousin to Breckinridge (she was also courted by her husbands more famous rival, Stephen Douglas).
After his father died, Breckenridges uncle, William, became an influential figure in his life, encouraging him to enroll at Centre College. His classmates included Thomas L. Crittenden and poet Theodore OHara. He went on to study law under Judge William Owsley, where the legal writings of Sir William Blackstone were heavily emphasized.
After graduating from Transylvania University, he was admitted to the bar in 1840. In search of opportunity and familial distance (I felt as I would have done if I had heard that my daughter had been dishonored, said his uncle when Breckenridge became a Democrat), he opened a law firm in the Iowa territory. The conditions made it difficult to make a living, and on a visit home, Breckinridge met Mary Cyrene Burch. The two were soon engaged and began their life together in Kentucky. They had six children.
At the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, Breckinridge became the only Democrat to be named a commissioned officer. He led the Third Kentucky Volunteers and fought alongside men he would someday fight against, including Ulysses S. Grant and George B. McLellan. After the war, he was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives, and then the United States House of Representatives.
Breckinridge considered slavery a local issue, and more a political question than a moral one, for that matter; he supported the doctrine of popular sovereignty, regarding the slavery debate as a distraction at the national level. Still, Breckinridge was not in favor of disunion at this point in his career. In fact, although Breckinridge at times owned slaves, he also willingly represented freedmen.
When Breckinridge claimed his spot upon the Buchanan ticket in 1856, the two became Buck and Breck and campaign songs sang their praise. Upon his oath of office in 1857, John C. Breckinridge became the youngest vice president to date (a record he still holds). Yet his vice presidential accomplishments virtually stopped there. Heavily distrusted by Buchanan, he was greeted coldly and seldom included in policy matters. In essence, he was a lame duck to the ultimate lame duck. Still, he exercised his voice as the President of the Senate and supported the Dred Scott decision in accordance with his own convictions.
As the election of 1860 loomed, the Democrats were divided. Northern Democrats backed Stephen Douglas, a supporter of popular sovereignty. Southern Democrats walked out of the convention, seeking a candidate who would support the federal protection of slavery, as well as ensuring its extension into new territories. Breckinridge did not seek out the presidency, and learned of his nomination at a Southern Democratic Convention by mail. I accept the nomination from a sense of public duty, he declared, delivering the final split to his beloved party and making Lincolns victory all but inevitable. While Douglas placed second in the popular vote, Breckinridge took the second-most electoral votes: 72 to Lincolns 180. Indeed, Lincoln won the presidency without the support of any southern states.
While Breckinridge dreaded war, he ultimately chose to flee Kentucky and join the Confederacy, just as he had reluctantly accepted the Southern platform over the Northern doctrine of popular sovereignty. Though he was moderate to a fault, he found Lincoln to be a despot. I exchange with proud satisfaction a term of six years in the United States Senate for the musket of a soldier, he declared. He became Jefferson Davis Secretary of War late into the conflict.
When the Confederacy surrendered in 1865, Breckinridge fled the country. He did not return until after Andrew Johnsons Christmas Day Pardon of 1868. He once again settled in Kentucky, the state that supported neither his vice presidential bid nor his Confederate leanings, but was his home all the same. He remained politically inactive for the remainder of his life. He died on May 17, 1875 at the age of 54.
Olivia Fitzpatrick is an intern at the National Constitution Center. She is also a rising junior at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in English and minoring in Legal Studies.
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The court granted regular bail to Pachauri after furnishing a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and a surety of like amount, observing that the investigation in the case has been completed.
By Sneha Agrawal: Former TERI chief RK Pachauri, who faces charges of sexual harassment, has been granted bail and the permission to visit Mexico and the United States for a conference. The permission was granted on Monday.
Pachauri had moved court through his counsel Ashish Dikshit. Metropolitan Magistrate Shivani Chauhan complied with the direction of the court.
"He (Pachauri) was never arrested during the probe which goes to show that his custody is not required for the purpose of investigation," the court observed.
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SUMMONED ON MAY 14
Pachauri, who has been allowed by the court to travel over a dozen times to various countries during the pendency of proceedings, was summoned on May 14 after the court took cognizance of the charge sheet filed against him.
The court granted regular bail to Pachauri after furnishing a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and a surety of like amount, observing that the investigation in the case has been completed.
"In these circumstances, the accused is permitted to travel as per his itinerary from July 12 to August 14," the court said, asking Pachauri to furnish surety of Rs2 lakh.
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Virgin America Inc. VA observed a slight decrease in air traffic in the month of June. Traffic measured in revenue passenger miles (RPMs) came at 1.10 billion, up 18.7% from 933.7 million recorded in the comparable month a year ago. Also, on a year-over-year basis, consolidated capacity (or available seat miles/ASMs) increased 16.8% to 1.27 billion.
Meanwhile, the load factor or percentage of seats filled by passengers went up to 87% in June from 85.6% in the year-ago month as traffic growth outpaced capacity expansion. Additionally, passenger count in the month grew 17.4%.
In the first six months of 2016, Virgin America generated RPMs of 5.78 billion and ASMs of 6.95 billion. Meanwhile, load factor was 83.1% against 82.7% a year ago.
Virgin America is making constant efforts to expand its operations. We are also impressed by the disciplined cost structure implemented by the company. Furthermore, the carriers practice of flying a single aircraft type (Airbus A320 family), high asset utilization and outsourcing of activities like baggage delivery, heavy maintenance and reservations are encouraging.
However, even though we are positive on Virgin Americas impending acquisition by Alaska Air Group, Inc. ALK, there is still doubt over operating the two as different brands.
Stocks to Consider
Virgin America currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). Better-ranked stocks in the same space include GOL Linhas GOL and Cathay Pacific Airways Limited CPCAY. Both companies sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
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Staying at a hospital is an uncomfortable experience from the procedures and tests to the unappetizing food. But to make an already awful situation worse, youre made to put on a backless papery gown that leaves your behind awkwardly exposed.
For a few teens (and likely everyone else whos worn that drafty disaster), not only does it make you look bad, it makes you feel bad.
To fix this, Starlight Childrens Foundation Canada partnered with six local designers to create Ward + Robes a unique collection of hospital gowns that teen patients would actually want to wear.
Ward + Robes designs
The foundation, whose aim is to brighten the lives of sick children and their families, released a video of the project on Monday showcasing trendy-looking garb, some with details like lace and camouflage and others with drawings of animals, skulls and hearts.
One hundred redesigned gowns were donated to the Childrens Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Ottawa where teen patients were invited to browse and pick out one that matches their personality.
Designers include Toronto tattoo artist India Amara, Vancouver designer Sarah Boyce Sargent and Toronto designer Izzy Camilleri, whose outfits have been worn by David Bowie and Meryl Streep.
Being a teen is not an easy thing. Ever. And being a teen with some serious health problems I can only imagine is like the most challenging thing in the world, says Amara. Nothing is certain for those kids.
Starlight is looking into the possibility of extending this program to other hospitals and is inviting the public to donate to it. Artists and designers are also welcome to get involved and design hospital gowns.
What do you think of the redesigned gowns? Let us know by tweeting at us at @YahooStyleCA.
With Hillary Clinton embracing the soft socialism of Bernie Sanders to secure the Democratic presidential nomination, many top business leaders like former CEOs Jack Welch, Lawrence Bossidy and financier Ken Langone should be rushing to support with their words and just as importantly their wallets the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump.
But they havent.
While all three business leaders have voiced their supportsometimes publicly in the case of Welch and Langone for Trump to win the 2016 presidential election, the FOX Business Network has confirmed that none of these executives has given money to Trumps campaign, and they might not do so any time soon if ever.
The reasons, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter, vary: Bossidy,a long-time corporate chief who last served as chairman of Honeywell Corp. (NYSE:HON), is said to be taking a wait and see approach and will re-evaluate whether to begin writing campaign related checks to Trump after next weeks GOP Convention, according to a person with direct knowledge of his thinking.
But one issue for him and the others: The growing skittish among many business executives with the Trump campaign from its positions against various trade agreements to what some believe is his reckless rhetoric on the campaign trail. As FOX Business has reported , executives at Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) have told Trump fundraisers that they are being urged by company management not to give to Trump directly, but instead to places like the Republican National Committee, where they can help Senate and House candidates, and to the candidates themselves.
One telling sign of skittish toward Trump: FOX Business has learned that Welch, the former CEO of General Electric (NYSE:GE), Langone, the co-founder of Home Depot Corp. (NYSE:HD), and Bossidy are not planning on attending the GOP convention. And while these executives have not completely ruled out either giving money or raising it for the presumptive GOP nominee, their financial supports appears, at least in part, contingent on Trump adopting what they believe is a less divisive tone on the campaign trail, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter.
Story continues
Reached by telephone, Bossidy declined to comment, but a person with direct knowledge of his thinking says he wants to see how the Convention turns out. Hopefully there is some unification and if (Larry) sees that happening through the convention, then he will contribute to the campaign.
Langone, who is a prolific GOP fundraiser and had supported New Jersey Governor Chris Christies failed run for the GOP nomination, declined to comment. Christie is now a part of the Trump campaign. An assistant for Lagone confirmed that he hasnt contributed to the Trump campaign, but might do so at some point.
Welch also declined to comment; a spokeswoman for him confirmed that he hasnt given any money to Trump and declined further comment.
A Trump spokeswoman had no comment.
Trump got off to a slow start in fundraising with $1.2 million in his war chest, compared to $42 million for Clinton as of the last filing date. But his fundraising has been picking up steam after hiring a finance chairman with ties to the Wall Street donor class, former Goldman Sachs banker Steve Mnuchin.
Last week the Trump campaign stated it had raised $26 million in June, and $25 million with the Republican National Committee. Clinton meanwhile raised $40.5 million herself and $28 million with the assistance of the Democratic National Committee.
A fundraiser working with Trump confirms that the campaign has seen an increase in donations, which will be apparent when new campaign finance reports are released on July 20, but he confirmed that some resistance among traditional GOP donors remains.
One problem Trump has faced on the fundraising front is that just weeks ago the billionaire decided he would no longer self-finance his presidential campaign and rely on outside donors after determining he didnt have enough cash on hand to continue to self-finance. Presidential campaigns could cost as much as $1 billion, though Trump has stated he will need far less given his ability to generate free media through his cable television appearances and Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) feed.
The other problems are more self-inflicted, GOP donors tell FOX Business.
Trumps insurgent campaign for the GOP nomination highlighted both his own estimate of his enormous net worth (at $10 billion) as well as attacks on the donor classmoves that alienated many GOP donors who work in corporate America. For example, he ridiculed his vanquished opponents, such as former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, for being beholden to special interests because he was accepting contributions from the likes of bankers at Goldman Sachs.
His comments about the ethnicity of a judge presiding over a private litigation involving one of his businesses, and other recent statements attacking leaders in the Republican Party who have yet to fully endorse him, have only added to this unease.
If Donald is so rich and doesnt need our money, he should finance his campaign himself, one executive who has supported the GOP told FOX Business.
Still the mood of the Trump resistors in the GOP donor class could change; many GOP fundraisers were aghast at the decision by FBI Director James Comey not to indict Clinton over issues involving her use of a private email account and server to handle classified information while she was president Obamas Secretary of State even though Comey deemed her activities as negligent.
Trump is expected to get a bump in donations not only from Comeys decision, but also from Clinton moving further to the left on economic issues championed by Bernie Sanders. Clinton has recently endorsed a higher minimum wage and higher taxes in order to appeal to Sanders supporters and lock in the Democratic nomination.
Veteran political consultant Hank Sheinkopf said another determining factor for convincing people to write a check: Whether the Republicans can keep Congress, particularly control of the U.S. Senate without Trump winning the presidency.
If people come to their senses that the GOP have a less of a possibility of reclaiming the Senate on a one legged Trump, they will start giving him money and this wont impact the campaign long term, he said. If they dont, then, the Trump campaign is probably in real trouble in the long run.
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 12, 2016 / Westminster Resources Ltd. (WMR.V) (OTC Pink: WMRSF) (FSE:TQ08W1) is pleased to announce that the TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing documentation relating to the Company's Letter Agreement to acquire a 100% interest in four Lithium prospective mineral claims located east of Yellowknife in the North West Territories. The agreement calls for a payment of $25,000 and the issuance of 500,000 common shares. The original intended agreement as announced in press release on June 16, 2016 called for a payment of $25,000 and the issuance of 2,500,000 common shares.
The claims are adjacent to the 92 Resources Corp., Hidden Lake project. One claim is situated to the East of, and adjacent to, the 92 Resources Corp. ground covering the LU Dyke, which returned values up to 3.06% Li2O, as reported in a news release of June 7, 2016. The remaining two claims are situated adjacent to the 92 Resources Corp. ground in the Southwest. The claim boundaries extend to the proposed limits of 'Yellowknife Pegmatite Belt' that 92 Resources Corp. published as an attachment to a news release dated June 7, 2016.
The Reid lake claim is a few kilometres on possible strike from the Ann (REID) lake occurrence, listed in the NORMIN database as showing id: 085ISW0011, and recently plotted on a map by 92 Resources Corp. as part of a news release dated June 7, 2016. The NORMIN showing information includes reference to a non-43-101 compliant resource: "drilling in 1956 (AR 082243) intersected the dyke at depths of over 100 m and demonstrated continuity in width and grade. A possible resource of 3,335,600 tons grading 1.92% Li2O is reported in GSC publication "Canadian Deposits Not Currently Being Mined" (1989); estimate is from Lasmanis* **
*Potential quantities and grades are conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource.
** A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves and the issuer is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or reserves. Further work must be carried out to verify all historic information before a resource estimate is possible.
Aurora Geosciences Ltd., of Yellowknife, NT has been engaged to begin a field exploration program.
The Company advises that work is ongoing on the Guayacan, Gold, Silver and Copper project in Sonora, Mexico.
The Technical contents of this release were approved by Glen Macdonald, P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.
ON BELHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
WESTMINSTER RESOURCES LTD.
"Glen Mac dona ld"
Director
About Westminster:
Managed by an experienced team, Westminster is focused on exploring and developing prospects on a land package of approximately 17,854 hectares of continuous mineral concessions in Sonora, Mexico. The Company's focus has been to assemble and explore unique and newly-discovered targets including (a) the Guayacan partially unroofed epithermal and copper-gold porphyry system, and (b) the Sierra Hydrothermal diatreme breccia tertiary rhyolite hosted structure. Systematic exploration of the Company's new mineral district is ongoing in this region of Sonora with well-developed infrastructure, favorable permitting, and a strong mining history and community support.
For further information regarding Westminster Resources Ltd., please contact Bill Conlin at 604-608-0400, Toll free: 1-877-608-0007.
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 information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release may include, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, those risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies 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. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. Neither TSX Venture exchange nor its Regulations 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.
SOURCE: Westminster Resources, Ltd.
ASPEN, Colo., July 11 (Reuters) - The chief executive of WeWork said on Monday that the co-working office space provider would hit a revenue run-rate of $1 billion next year.
WeWork, one of the biggest 'unicorns' - startups worth more than $1 billion - recently raised more than $400 million at a valuation that sources pegged at more than $15 billion. The company provides office space for startups and others, stressing the community-oriented character of its facilities.
The company's valuation far exceeds that of publicly traded companies such as Regus Plc that also rent shared offices.
Speaking at the Fortune technology conference in Aspen, Colorado, CEO Adam Neumann said that if his company can reach 1 million customers in the United States - which he said was readily achievable - it would have annual sales of $12 billion and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $4 billion.
Neumann, who appeared with his wife and business partner Rebekah Neumann, the chief brand officer for the company, said the company was in the "community" business, rather than the real estate business.
He said that would protect WeWork's business in the event of a recession, which some analysts have cited as a big risk for the company.
"When times are tough, people want to be surrounded by people," he said. "We'd do extremely well through a recession, for a variety of reasons." (Reporting by Jonathan Weber; Editing by Bill Rigby)
A man identified as 68-year-old Kevin Moran of Georgia was reported to have been arrested and had his shoulder dislocated during a Black Lives Matter protest on July 11, according to the Georgia-based activist group Rise Up. Atlantas WSB-TV reported that a Kevin Moran had taken part in a sit-in at the Governors Mansion in Atlanta, Georgia, on the evening of July 11.
In a video shared on Rise Ups Facebook page, a visibly pained Moran speaks from a hospital bed, describing how he was arrested while engaging in nonviolent protest with my brothers and sisters in Christ. Moran says black people are being brutalized by police nationally and that only with the advent of cellphones are we able to show the reality. Despite this, Moran says police are still not being held accountable. He insists that white people cannot continue to condone this behavior and issues an emotional call to white people to go to the streets with us and make your voice heard.
Storyful spoke with Mauwli Davis, Rise Ups lawyer. He said that he took the video of Moran at Grady Hospital in Atlanta on the night of July 11 and authorized news outlets to use it with Morans consent. Davis also said that Moran left the hospital on July 12 and is resting at home. Credit: Facebook/Rise Up
It seems like a preoccupation of the rich and famous how to keep their private parts, well, private. Some, like Charlie Sheen and Justin Bieber, require their would-be sex buddies to sign a nondisclosure agreement before doing the deed, at least if the Reddit tales are to be believed. (Sheens and Biebers representatives did not respond to our request for comment.)
The trend, so far, appears limited to paparazzi prey. But why shouldnt the rest of us make sure that what happens in bed stays in bed? After all, the ubiquity of smartphones has endangered personal privacy as never before, as the troubling trend of revenge porn spurned lovers posting intimate photos or videos as a means of control suggests. Meanwhile, we in the hoi polloi have fewer means to spin the fallout to our advantage. So here is our proposal: Make confidentiality contracts as mandatory to safe sex as a condom. Sure, both can be icky and unromantic. But better safe than sorry, right?
NDAs already have widespread uses, from businesses trying to keep freelancers from spilling the beans on sensitive deals to government agencies keeping classified info from leaking, to families who employ nannies and want their dirty laundry cleaned, not aired, says Katherine Taylor, a Maryland-based lawyer who works many of these types of cases. While the majority of Taylors clients are wealthy and fairly well known, nothing about NDAs smacks intrinsically of privilege. The right lawyer could probably put together a pretty solid agreement in a couple of hours, she says, and it could be used in multiple scenarios or with multiple partners.
Of course, try getting someone to sign your relationship on the dot, and a swift slap might be in your future. Uncomfortable conversations about trust and boundaries dont tend to get any easier when a lawyer enters the mix. Its probably naive to expect people to secure such agreements, Clare McGlynn, a professor who specializes in the nebulous laws surrounding revenge porn and violence against women, tells OZY: Sending pics is supposed to be flirty, but signatures have a way of putting off the most sultry lovers. And an NDA wont stop naughty pics from getting out it can serve only as a deterrent, Taylor says, putting a price on any betrayal of trust and making it easier to settle in court.
It may seem like a drastic step, but theres no guarantee that your right to privacy alone will help in court: In 2014s People v. Barber, the first revenge porn case in the United States, a woman alleged that her ex-boyfriend sent her nude pictures to her sister and her employer but while he faced three charges, they didnt stick. The judge recognized that the girlfriend did not grant permission to her boyfriend to send the images, writes Steven Brill, a New York criminal defense attorney, but no laws in New York could support the criminal charges.
A contract, however, could have given the victim recourse. [NDAs] can bolster that wall that prevents a sex tape or private moment being put on the internet, Taylor says, and if such agreements become commonplace, it would erase the stigma tied to them. It will become something thats just expected, she says. Kind of like using protection, actually.
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The ministry has approved the rates of premium for lands allotted for institutional purposes by the Delhi Development Authority.
By Kumar Vikram: Steering clear of the political tussle between the BJP and AAP government in Delhi, the Centre on Monday gave a major infrastructure push for the capital by sanctioning Rs 32,000-crore plan to redevelop government housing colonies and building five flyovers to de-congest some of the major traffic bottlenecks.
APPROVED
The announcement follows a recent Cabinet decision, clearing the way for the construction of 25,000 dwelling units with modern facilities.
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The move comes amidst AAP government's allegations that the Centre was not supporting the development of city.
Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said all these projects will boost the overall development of Delhi.
The ministry has approved the rates of premium for lands allotted for institutional purposes by the Delhi Development Authority. Rate for land required for health services such as medical institutions, hospitals, dispensaries required by the central government and the Delhi government has been reduced to a nominal charge of Rs1 per annum.
PROJECTS
Similarly, rates for land for un-remunerative uses such as maternity centres, night shelters and orphanages etc, have been reduced to Rs1 per annum.
Five projects worth Rs658 crore that are meant to decongest the traffic in Delhi comprise construction of flyovers and underpasses connecting Mahipalpur, Aerocity, Airport and NH-8, flyover-cum-road over-bridge near Narela for providing direct access from NH-1 to Bawana Industrial Complex, skywalk and a footover bridge near ITO for safety of pedestrians, up-ramp and widening of road near Kashmiri gate and Nigam Bodh Ghat and 1.6 km long Grade separator at Rani Jhansi Road.
The big project of redevelopment of seven government colonies was conceived years ago during the UPA dispensation, however, it got the green signal from the Cabinet recently on July 5 under which government colonies of Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Nauroji Nagar, Kasturba Nagar, Thyagraj Nagar, Srinivaspuri and Mohammadpur would be rebuilt, replacing the existing housing stock of 12,970 dwelling units with nearly double the residential units.
The project with an estimated cost of Rs32,385 crore would be completed in nearly five years. "The time for completion is five years. I hope this would be completed even before that," said Naidu while speaking about the project.
The total estimated cost of the project includes maintenance and operation costs for 30 years. The project shall be implemented on the selffinancing basis.
At present, there is a shortage of government accommodation in the national Capital, leading to waiting list for eligible housing among the government officials. The Ministry of Urban Development had moved a proposal for the redevelopment of existing old dilapidated housing colonies to augment the housing stock by making optimum utilisation of land resources.
Also Read
Centre puts infrastructure projects on hold to unclog Delhi roads
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This undated photo posted on Facebook on April 30, 2016, shows Micah Johnson, who gunned down five police officers in Dallas last week and was killed by a robot bomb. (Facebook via AP)
DALLAS The sniper who gunned down five police officers was the grandson of a longtime pastor. His uncle is a respected high school teacher and Boy Scout leader. His mother helped start a Dallas-area church.
And Micah Johnson grew up wanting to be a cop. So what went wrong?
Delphene Johnson said her son came back from the war in Afghanistan in 2014 a different person. He went from being a fun-loving extrovert to acting withdrawn and reclusive, she told The Blaze, a conservative news outlet.
Dallas Police Chief David Brown admitted on Monday that it might never be fully known why the 25-year-old former Army reservist snapped.
There are many questions in my mind, the chief said. Some of the questions we may not ever know the answer to. But were going to continue to ask ourselves the tough questions to make sure we dont leave anything uninvestigated.
A Dallas police officer aims his gun during the chaos after a sniper ambushed officers in downtown Dallas on Thursday. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
What is known is that Johnson had been preparing for battle well before he launched a devastating ambush on police in downtown Dallas last Thursday. Investigators recovered explosives-making materials, ballistic vests, rifles, ammunition, and a combat manifesto at the suburban Dallas home he shared with his mother and younger brother.
There was a large stockpile, the chief said. One of the bomb techs called me at home to describe his concern of how large a stockpile of bomb-making materials he had. According to that bomb tech, he knew what he was doing. This wasnt some novice.
Johnsons mother said, I didnt see it coming.
I dont know what to say to anybody to make anything better, she told The Blaze. I love my son with all my heart. I hate what he did.
Johnson, armed with an assault-style rifle and a handgun, caught officers off guard when he opened fire from an upper tier of a downtown parking garage during a Black Lives Matter rally, police said.
Dallas shooting victims: What we know about the slain officers >>>
Officers cornered Johnson in a community college building, but he kept firing and told them he had explosives to kill white people, especially white officers, the chief said. Police ultimately killed Johnson by using a robot to detonate their own bomb in the area where he was hunkered down.
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The tragedy is an enigma for the Johnson family, who said he grew up wanting to be a police officer and later became gung-ho about joining the U.S. Army.
He loved his country, his mother told The Blaze. He wanted to protect his country.
Johnson, according to military records, was a carpentry and masonry specialist in the Army Reserve from March 2009 until April 2015. He was deployed to Afghanistan in November 2013, which earned him a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, among other awards.
Pentagon records do not reveal the reason for Johnsons honorable discharge in April 2015, but a military lawyer who represented him said the Army took the unusual step of sending Johnson home from Afghanistan after he was accused of sexually harassing a female soldier.
He was very much disliked by his command; that was clear, lawyer Bradford Glendening told the Dallas Morning News.
A collage of photos of Micah Xavier Johnson from his sisters Facebook page.
Johnson set off on his path toward a military career in his teens and participated in the Reserve Officers Training Corps in high school and enlisted in the Army Reserves after graduation in 2009.
He reportedly worked a number of odd jobs and took some community college classes before being deployed to Afghanistan. Most recently, he was an employee of Touch of Kindness, a social service agency that subcontracts with the state to provide care for people with disabilities. Johnson was paid to care for his younger brother at their home, owner Jeppi Carnegie told reporters.
PHOTOS: Dallas pays tribute to fallen officers >>>
Delphene Johnson said her son never mentioned any specific traumatic incident, but his behavior was definitely different after returning from Afghanistan.
The military was not what Micah thought it would be, his mother told The Blaze. He was very disappointed, very disappointed. But it may be that the ideal that he thought of our government, what he thought the military represented, it just didnt live up to his expectations.
The Johnson family has not responded to multiple messages from Yahoo News, including questions about whether Micah Johnson was ever diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder or another mental issue.
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said the gunman had to have been in a a very, very dark place.
He went and shot 12 officers and killed five of them. That is not the work of a mentally stable person, Rawlings told Yahoo News. I see a pattern of individuals that are like him in America that hook their mental struggles on to some political purpose to justify what they do.
Johnson appeared to embrace extremist movements views. On Facebook, he was a supporter of the New Black Panther Party, which the Southern Poverty Law Center describes as a virulently racist and anti-Semitic organization whose leaders have encouraged violence against whites, Jews and law enforcement officers.
In May, Johnson changed his Facebook cover photo to a red, black and green flag, a symbol of the pan-African black power movement. His profile photo was updated to show him wearing an African dashiki and giving a black power salute.
A picture Micah Johnson used as his profile photo on social media. (Facebook)
Johnsons parents divorced when he was four. James Johnson, who is re-married to a white woman, said his son studied black history and was interested in his own heritage in recent years but never showed outward signs of animosity for any racial group.
What he did hate, his mother said, was injustice.
The country needs to do a better job of serving the mentally ill, the mayor said.
We dont make it easy for them, Rawlings said. We dont make it politically correct to get help.
Investigators are combing through Johnsons computers and social accounts to see if he might have had accomplices or may have been motivated by anyone.
Thats the blank in this paragraph that were trying to figure out, the mayor said.
Jason Sickles is a national reporter for Yahoo News. Follow him on Twitter (@jasonsickles).
With 56 percent of Americans believing Hillary Clinton should have been indicted for her improper handling of sensitive emails, and Donald Trump still holding a 61 percent unfavorable rating, its time for me to step in.
Im offering either candidate a chance to choose me as their squeaky clean vice presidential running mate someone with no political baggage and no skeletons in the closet of my one-bedroom apartment. Im their best chance to whitewash their wrongdoings and clean up their acts.
Related: 20 Donald Trump Vice President Picks
The pundits and political-party pros have it all wrong all wrong.
Theyre not thinking outside their limos.
Im the guy yes, me who should be tapped for the vice presidency.
Never heard of me? So what? On the name-recognition scale, mine wouldnt budge the needle that would be locked in place, at zero. Im a blank-slate as to political engagement a genuine tabula rasa in the public mind and opinion polls.
Related: Top Picks for Hillary Clinton's Vice President
My credentials:
I have never given money to any political candidate or political party or political action committee.
For the longest time, my tax returns have been prepared by H&R Block using the standard deduction. (No tax credits, no capital gains, no loss-carry-forwards, no offshore accounts, no tax havens or shell companies, no oil-and-gas partnerships, no private foundations.)
My one-bedroom apartment is in an ungated community, which is probably unlike any of the neighborhoods that other veep hopefuls call home.
I do my own laundry and buy my own food, so I know a little something about the price of groceries.
Related: Six Choices for Trumps VP With Military Cred
As to utility bills and doctors bills and car-repair bills, I write the checks and make the online payments.
Unlike many members of Congress, I have never overdrawn my bank account.
I wore an Army ROTC uniform on the University of Pennsylvania campus in the 1960s, and was mocked, ridiculed and condemned, even though I was against the Vietnam War.
As a volunteer, I have helped veterans with their coursework and job applications and their letters to the VA detailing inattention and neglect.
I pump regular octane into my 1993 Volvo (320,000 miles, and counting). In those days, Volvos werent made in America, so that could cost me.
Story continues
Related: Why Candidates Need the CIA, NSA and Their Mother to Vet Their Veep
I have taught English, poli-sci, civics, and other courses in a Connecticut prison and in a maximum-security New York state prison, and taught developmenta English composition courses at two community colleges.
When I visit my kids in California, I fly coach.
I do not have a smart-phone. I cant (and wouldnt) take a selfie on my flip phone.
I do not have a Facebook page, never tweeted or LinkedIn (or Out, if thats possible).
I spent some time in the Middle East in the early 1980s, but not as part of a VIP junket or official delegation. No escorted tours. No state dinners.
I am pretty good about recycling.
I am not at all inclined to attend politically-tinged parades, picnics, street fairs, county fairs and the like, especially where the local edibles all come on a stick. But, then again, eating for free I suppose I could get used to that.
Related: Gingrich, Christie Lead Trump List of Vice Presidential Options
My pledge is to term-limit myself: While I very much look forward to taking up residence at Number One Observatory Circle, I will vacate the premises after my four-year incumbency. However, I will be pleased to enjoy a $5 million transition budget that should cover my move-out expenses, as well as Secret Service protection. And then theres the pension and free healthcare for life Yowza!
My vice presidential papers will be immediately available. I have never written an autobiography or memoir, but I would entertain the possibility. Are we talking about a seven-figure advance? I guess I could be persuaded to fire up the laptop for the good of the country and posterity.
As to post-vice-presidency life, I would expect to do a lot of fishing. But then, as a public service, I would lend my recently acquired expertise to a Wall Street firm or a hedge fund. As a public service, of course.
Having learned the ways of Washington, it would be incumbent upon me to make speeches, right? Now about those fees.
Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
Crude oil futures bounced back from their lowest point in two months Tuesday, with August crude oil futures were up around 3% slightly after 9:30 AM ET. West Texas Intermediate crude was also up above $45 a barrel.
Oil prices were helped by a weaker dollar, but an overhang from oil stocks and investors changing their previous bullish bets on the commodity weighed on prices. The Energy Minister of Saudia Arabia Khalid al-Falih said Tuesday that the oil industry needed prices to be above $50 a barrel to sustain investments, but that the pressures weighing on prices would continue to prevail. Inventory excess continues to keep prices low, as hundreds of millions of barrels of surplus oil are still on the market.
Monday saw oil prices hit their lowest mark in the last two months, mainly because of renewed fears of oversupply. The drop in prices was bolstered slightly though because of a brief suspension of tanker loading in Iraq and reports of new attacks in Nigeria. Hedge funds continue to cut their exposure to oil prices, which has helped to bring Brent crude oil prices down nearly 12% from their peak price in June.
It should be noted though that in its first assessment of 2017, OPEC forecast higher demand for its crude oil next year as the global surplus is expected to continue to slowly shrink. The organization said that global demand will increase at a similar pace to which it did in 2016, and that production outside of OPEC will fall.
Oil prices have recovered more than 70% from the 12-year lows reached earlier in the year as OPECs strategy to lower prices and pressure rivals has been successful. Global oil demand is predicted to increase by 1.2 million barrels a day next year to reach an average of 95.3 million a day, with most of the growth coming from emerging economies like India and China.
Oil production outside of OPEC is expected to fall by 100,000 barrels per day, as declines in the U.S., Mexico, and Norway will overshadow the expected growth in Brazil and Canada. That figure is much lower than the contraction of 900,000 barrels expected this year.
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Shutterstock Inc. SSTK is up 14% on Tuesday after they announced an image licensing deal with Alphabet Inc. GOOGL subsidiary Google.
Headquartered in New York City, Shutterstock provides licensed media such as photographs, videos and music to businesses, marketing agencies, and media organizations globally.
The deal allows Google access to Shutterstocks collection of over 90 million photographs for use in their digital and mobile display advertising products. According to SSTKs official statement, Google has programmed their technology to match these images to their advertisements and collect data on the advertisements respective performance. In doing so, Google can pick optimal combinations for maximum outreach.
Google is the latest company to integrate Shutterstock search capabilities into their services, with AOL, Salesforce CRM, and Sprinklr having already done the same.
Shutterstock will report Q2 2016 earnings on August 4th, and has a current Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.18 in earnings per share. Furthermore, analysts estimate earnings of $0.88 per share this fiscal year for SSTK. Analysts have not revised either of these values in the last 60 days.
Shutterstock currently sits at a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
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Washington (AFP) - Imprisoned intelligence leaker Chelsea Manning has assured supporters she is "glad to be alive" after a suicide attempt.
The transgender soldier, who is serving a 35-year sentence for espionage and other offenses after admitting to handing classified documents to anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks, tweeted late Monday: "I am okay. I'm glad to be alive. Thank you all for your love. I will get through this. #standwithchelsea."
Manning's lawyers said they were out of contact with their client for more than a week before finally being able to speak with her on Monday.
"She remains under close observation by the prison and expects to remain on this status for the next several weeks," the lawyers said in a statement.
"For us, hearing Chelsea's voice after learning that she had attempted to take her life last week was incredibly emotional."
"She is someone who has fought so hard for so many issues we care about and we are honored to fight for her freedom and medical care."
The legal team criticized the government for a "gross breach of confidentiality" in disclosing Manning's health information to media.
The US Army said last Wednesday that Manning was briefly hospitalized, following media reports that she had attempted suicide.
Originally called Bradley, Manning was convicted in August 2013.
After sentencing, Manning announced she identified as female and later obtained legal authorization to change her name and receive hormone therapy.
She remains in a men's military prison in Kansas and is appealing her sentence.
The apex court has asked the Sikh bodies to come up with a mechanism, within the next six weeks, to ban 'sardar' jokes.
By India Today Web Desk: What can be done to impose a ban on the hugely popular Santa-Banta jokes? The Supreme Court today asked the Sikh bodies, who have been demanding a curb on such banter on the internet and social media. The apex court has asked the Sikh bodies to come up with a mechanism, within the next six weeks, to ban 'sardar' jokes.
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A high power committee has been constituted under the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Managment Committee to discuss the issue and decide on the probable solution. Both the Haryana Sikh Management Committee and Patna Gurudwara Committee have also been asked to provide their input in the matter.
HOW DO WE ENFORCE AN ORDER?
During a hearing in the matter in April, the Supreme Court had stressed that it did not want Sikhs to be ridiculed and asked the community to come out with suggestions as to what could be done within the permitted jurisdiction of the judiciary to impose limited ban on 'sardar' jokes.
"We may say do not crack such jokes. But then how do we enforce the order? Of course we do not want you to be ridiculed, but please tell us in what way we can do something. You come out with suggestions within six weeks," a bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur had told senior lawyer RS Suri, who represented the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee and main petitioner and advocate Harvinder Chowdhury.
Suri had said that he was not for any penal provision, but primarily wanted sensitisation of the public, especially the school students on the issue.
'MATTER RELATED TO COMMUNITY'S PRESTIGE'
On the first day of hearing on October 31 last year, initially the court was in a mood to dismiss the petition till Chowdhury convinced the court that it was a matter worth serious hearing and the issue was related to the prestige of the community.
She argued that such jokes amounted to humiliating and insulting the Sikh community.
"Why should we ban such a thing? The community is known for its great sense of humour... they enjoy the jokes ... Did author Khushwant Singh not write jokes on Sikhs? And, he was a sardar. Perhaps the Sikh community will object to the banning of these jokes on the Internet," Justice Thakur had told Chowdhury.
Also Read:
Supreme Court may script Santa-Banta epitaph on the internet
Circulation of Sikh jokes should not be allowed: SGPC
--- ENDS ---
Keen sailor Princess Kate is heading back to the sea!
Kate and husband Prince William have plans to watch a leg of the prestigious America's Cup contest on the south coast of England later this month.
The sports-loving couple will visit the base of Ben Ainslie Racing to meet the team who are working behind-the-scenes on new designs and technology, and then watch those putting that knowledge and sailing experience into action on the sea off Portsmouth.
The couple will take their place among thousands of fans throwing their weight behind teams from the U.S., France, New Zealand, Japan, Sweden and, of course, the British team from BAR. The second annual Americaas Cup World Series event will take place on July 24.
Afterwards, the couple will visit the competing teams in the Race Village to meet the six international skippers and their crews. They will also be joined by children involved with the 1851 Trust, which is using the events leading up to the America's Cup to inspire a new generation to get involved with sailing and the marine industry.
Kate was last in Portsmouth in May when she took an exhilarating trip in the water of the Solent alongside Olympian sailor Ainslie and some of his crew. Ainslie told PEOPLE then that it was "a wonderful sail."
Want to keep up with the latest royals coverage? Click here to subscribe to the Royals Newsletter.
A few days later, he posted some exciting GoPro-style footage of the sailing, showing Kate in full control alongside her colleagues on board.
Kate is an experienced sailor, and she and William used to enjoy the sport in Anglesey, north Wales, when they lived there in the first three years of their married life.
Where Will Prince William and Princess Kate Be Touring Next?
She displayed this prowess on the waves when she beat William in sailing races on the water in Auckland, New Zealand, during their tour of the country in April 2014.
The famously competitive pair also competed during a dragon boat race across a lake in Canada during their first royal tour during the summer of 2011.
[Photo: Cindy Chinn]
When Cindy Chinn swapped her fast-paced corporate career in sizzling Las Vegas for artistic freedom on the great planes of Nebraska she had little idea how extraordinarily far-reaching her work would become.
A multi-media artist, Chinn is the creator of stunning life-like paintings and murals but it was her skill for carving intricate miniature sculptures onto the lead of pencils that thrust her into the spotlight.
[Photo: Cindy Chinn]
After years of creating quality, overlooked artwork, someone stumbles across a photo of yours and thinks that its cool and shares it on social media. Something that you made a year ago all of the sudden is getting attention and you ask, Why now?" Chinn told Viralnova.
The elusive marriage of originality and viral culture left Chinn stunned to discover her work had literally become an overnight success. Suddenly people all over the world were exalting her craftsmanship.
Chinn sought guidance form her consultant who turned out to be just as baffled as she was. "He had little advice for me about how to deal with the attention, as this doesnt happen very often. She said.
[Photo: Cindy Chinn]
Chinn now has more work than there are hours in the day.
I wanted my work to become better known and it has. I owe it all to social media sharing. There is no real formula because its by chance, but its too bad we cant bottle that!
[Photo: Cindy Chinn]
Chinn lives in a repurposed school with her partner. The 33,000+ square footage of classroom space serves as their home and converted art studios.
From time to time I have art workshops and hold special viewings of my larger canvas mural projects before they are shipped off to be installed. She says on her website.
[Photo: Cindy Chinn]
Every Christmas we decorate the front of the school for the holidays and entertain the community and travellers from near and far, with a Light and Sound Show of Christmas Lights timed to music. Visitors park out front and tune their radios into an FM station and watch the show.
Story continues
In the future she hopes to turn the school into an artist retreat.
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Vienna (AFP) - Austria's cabinet approved Tuesday legislation that will see the state seize ownership of the house where Hitler was born, although the government appeared divided on what to do with the building.
Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka reiterated his call for the house in the town of Braunau am Inn in northern Austria to be torn down.
But Deputy Chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner said that the building near the German border has heritage protection and so "cannot be demolished".
He said it could be used "for educational purposes" such as a museum.
Sobotka said though that the building was "not worthy" of such a status since it was bestowed by the Nazis after Hitler annexed his native country into the Third Reich in 1938.
The legislation, still to be approved by parliament, would see the owner, whose family has been in possession of the house for more than century, forcibly dispossessed after years of fruitless talks.
The aim of the government, which announced its intention to seize the house in April, is to stop the building become a shrine for neo-Nazis. A 12-person commission is currently examining the different options.
Gerhard Baumgartner, head of the Austrian Resistance Documentation Centre, said that the building should be "completely depoliticised" to stop what he said was the building's growing attraction among neo-Nazis.
"We are seeing that a kind of European tourism. Last year there was a bus trip from Hungary visiting, this year different prominent far-right figures stopped on their way through," Baumgartner told Oe1 public radio.
"It should be turned into something that nobody wants to be photographed in front of... a supermarket, a Humana (second-hand clothes shop) or a fire station -- a sensible usage."
The house is an unremarkable three-storey yellow-painted building in the centre of a quaint and quiet town.
But local historians say Hitler, who came into the world in 1889, was not born in the house itself but in a building behind it that has long since been demolished. His family moved away from Braunau when Hitler was three.
Outside there is a stone memorial that reads: "For Peace, Freedom and Democracy. Never Again Fascism, Millions of Dead Warn."
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL July 12, 2016 - Stocks in this weeks article include: Braskem SA (BAK), Gibraltar Industries Inc. (ROCK), Just Energy Group Inc. (JE), Hanwha Q CELLS Co. Ltd. ( HQCL) and Unique Fabricating Inc. (UFAB).
Screen of the Week of Zacks Investment Research:
Bet on These 5 Stocks with Solid Net Profit Margin
Everybody loves to invest in a business that reports profits on a regular basis. And to gauge the extent of profit there is no better metric than the net profit margin.
Net Profit Margin = Net profit /Sales * 100.
Net profit margin reflects a companys ability to convert revenue into profit after deducting all operating and non-operating expenses as well as income tax payable.
Hence, a healthy net profit margin shows how successfully management has controlled costs. We note that stringent cost control as well as a lean cost structure provides a cushion to the companys profitability during periods of downturn.
Moreover, a higher net profit margin as compared to peers lends a competitive advantage.
Net Profit Margin: A Preferred Metric for all
Net profit margin helps investors to understand a companys business model in terms of pricing policy, cost structure and manufacturing efficiency. Hence, a healthy net profit margin is preferred by all kinds of investors.
However, net profit margin has a number of flaws that limit its scope as an effective analytical tool. Its calculation widely varies from industry to industry. Difference in accounting treatment of various items especially non-cash expenses like depreciation and stock-based compensation makes it a difficult metric for the purpose of comparison.
Further, for companies preferring to grow with debt, instead of equity funding, higher interest expense usually drags down the net profit. In such cases, it is not an effective tool to analyze the companys performance.
The Winning Strategy
Healthy net profit margin and solid EPS growth are two of the most sought after ingredients in a business model.
Apart from these two metrics, we have added a few other criteria to ensure maximum possible return from this strategy.
Screening Parameters
Net Margin 12 months Most Recent (%) greater than equal to 0: High net profit margin indicates solid profitability.
Percentage Change in EPS F(0)/(F-1) greater than equal to 0 : It indicates earnings growth.
Average Broker Rating (1-5) equal to 1 : A rating of #1 indicates brokers extreme bullishness on the growth prospects of the stock.
Zacks Rank equal to 1 : Only Strong Buy stocks are allowed. In good markets or bad, stocks with a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy) continue to outperform.
VGM Score of A or B : Our research shows that stocks with a VGM Score of 'A' or 'B' when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 (Buy) offer the best upside potential.
Here are five of the nine stocks that qualified the screen:
Brazil-based Braskem SA (BAK) produces and sells thermoplastic resins. Together with its subsidiaries, the company is the largest petrochemical operation in Latin America. The stock has a VGM score of A. Moreover, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2016 increased by a penny to $2.32 per share over the last 60 days.
Gibraltar Industries Inc. (ROCK) manufactures and distributes products to the industrial and buildings market. The stock has a VGM score of A. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2016 increased by a penny to $1.38 per share over the last 60 days.
Toronto-based Just Energy Group Inc. (JE) is engaged in the sale of natural gas and/or electricity to residential and commercial customers under long-term fixed-price and price-protected contracts. The stock has a VGM score of A. Further, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2016 increased by a nickel to 31 cents per share over the last 60 days.
Hanwha Q CELLS Co. Ltd. (HQCL) is a photovoltaic manufacturer for solar cells and modules. The stock has a VGM score of B. Further, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2016 surged by 34 cents (25.4%) to $1.68 over the last 60 days.
Unique Fabricating Inc . (UFAB) is a supplier of components in the automotive and industrial appliance market. The stock has a VGM score of B. Moreover, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2016 increased by 3 cents (3.5%) to 88 cents over the last 60 days.
Get the rest of the stocks on the list and start putting this and other ideas to the test. It can all be done with the Research Wizard stock picking and back testing software.
The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out.
Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today .
Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.
Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks' portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance .
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Sign up now for your free trial today and start picking better stocks immediately. And with the backtesting feature, you can test your ideas to see how you can improve your trading in both up markets and down markets. Dont wait for the market to get better before you decide to do better. Start learning how to be a better trader today: https://at.zacks.com/?id=111
Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.
About Screen of the Week
Zacks.com created the first and best screening system on the web earning the distinction as the "#1 site for screening stocks" by Money Magazine. But powerful screening tools is just the start. That is why Zacks created the Screen of the Week to highlight profitable stock picking strategies that investors can actively use. Each week, Zacks Profit from the Pros free email newsletter shares a new screening strategy. Learn more about it here https://at.zacks.com/?id=112
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. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Click here for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros.
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Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.
Contact: Jim Giaquinto
Company: Zacks.com
Phone: 312-265-9268
Email: pr@zacks.com
Visit: https://www.zacks.com/performance
Zacks.com provides investment resources and informs you of these resources, which you may choose to use in making your own investment decisions. 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.
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BRASKEM SA (BAK): Free Stock Analysis Report
GIBRALTAR INDUS (ROCK): Free Stock Analysis Report
JUST ENERGY GRP (JE): Free Stock Analysis Report
HANWHA Q CELLS (HQCL): Free Stock Analysis Report
UNIQUE FABRICTG (UFAB): Free Stock Analysis Report
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL July 12, 2016 - Stocks in this weeks article include: Expeditors International of Washington Inc. (EXPD), Winnebago Industries, Inc. (WGO), Calavo Growers Inc. (CVGW), Ensign Group, Inc. ( ENSG) and Universal Forest Products Inc. (UFPI).
Screen of the Week of Zacks Investment Research:
5 Gems Unearthed Using the DuPont Strainer
Return on equity (ROE) is one of the most popular ratios that investors use to single out healthy stocks. It is a profitability ratio that measures the earnings a company generates from its equity. However, taking a step beyond the basic ROE and analyzing it at an advanced level could lead to better returns.
Yes, we are talking about DuPont analysis. It is an analytical method, which critically examines three major elements operating management, management of assets and the capital structure related to the financial condition of a company. Its basically taking ROE apart to examine how it works. Although it can be presented in several ways, the most popular one is shown below:
ROE = Net Income/Equity
Net Income / Equity = (Net Income / Sales) * (Sales / Assets) * (Assets / Equity)
ROE = Profit Margin * Asset Turnover Ratio * Equity Multiplier
DuPont versus ROE
The importance of ROE cant be gainsaid but still it doesnt always provide a complete picture. The DuPont analysis on the other hand allows investors to assess which of the elements is dominant in any change in ROE. It can help investors to segregate companies having high margins from those having high turnover. For example, high end fashion brands generally survive on high margin as compared with retail goods which rely on higher turnover.
In fact, it also sheds light on a companys leverage status, which can go a long way in selecting stocks poised for gains. A lofty ROE could be due to the overuse of debt. Thus, ROE of a company can be misleading if it has a high debt burden.
So, an investor confined solely to an ROE perspective will be at a loss if he or she has to judge between two stocks of equal ratio. DuPont analysis comes to the rescue and finds out the better stock. Thus, a company with a healthy mix of all the three metrics profit margin, asset turnover ratio and equity multiplier will be the most alluring.
DuPont analysis is not difficult, as the required numbers are available in a companys income statement and balance sheet.
However, looking at the financial statements of each and every company separately can be a tedious task. Screening tools like Zacks Research Wizard can easily shortlist the stocks that look impressive based on a DuPont analysis.
Screening Parameters
Profit Margin more than or equal to 3: As the name suggests, it is a measure of how profitably the business is running. Generally, it is the key contributor to ROE.
Asset Turnover Ratio more than or equal to 2: It allows an investor to assess managements efficiency in using assets to drive sales.
Equity Multiplier between 1 and 3: Its an indication of how much debt the company uses to finance its assets.
Zacks Rank less than or equal to 2: Stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) generally outperform the market.
Current Price more than $5: This screens out the low priced stocks. However, when looking for lower priced stocks, this criterion can be removed.
Here are five of the eight stocks that made it through the screen:
Expeditors International of Washington Inc. (EXPD) is engaged in the business of providing global logistics services. EXPD has an average four-quarter positive earnings surprise of 4.6%. The stock has a Zacks Rank #2.
Winnebago Industries, Inc. (WGO) enjoys leading position as the manufacturer of vehicles, which are used primarily in leisure travel and outdoor recreation activities in the U.S. This Zacks Rank #2 company has been witnessing positive estimate revision for the current year in last 30 days.
Calavo Growers Inc. (CVGW) is the avocado-industry leader on a global scale. The company is also engaged in procuring and marketing diversified fresh produce items such as tomatoes and tropical produce. Its earnings are expected to grow at a rate of 27.2% this year. The stock has a Zacks Rank #2.
The Ensign Group, Inc. (ENSG) is focused on providing skilled nursing and assisted living services, physical, occupational and speech therapies, home health and hospice services, urgent care services and other rehabilitative and healthcare services. This Zacks Rank #2 company is expected to report earnings growth of 27.2% this year.
Universal Forest Products Inc. (UFPI) focused on supplying wood, wood composite and other products, carries a Zacks Rank #2. The company has an expected EPS growth rate of 10% for the next 5 years, much higher than the industry average of 6.9%.
You can get the rest of the stocks on this list by signing up now for your 2-week free trial to the Research Wizard and start using this screen in your own trading. Further, you can also create your own strategies and test them first before taking the investment plunge.
The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out.
Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today .
Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.
Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks portfolios and strategies are available at:
https://www.zacks.com/performance .
Zacks Restaurant Recommendations: In addition to dining at these special places, you can feast on their stock shares. A Zacks Special Report spotlights 5 recent IPOs to watch plus 2 stocks that offer immediate promise in a booming sector. Download it free
Sign up now for your free trial today and start picking better stocks immediately. And with the backtesting feature, you can test your ideas to see how you can improve your trading in both up markets and down markets. Dont wait for the market to get better before you decide to do better. Start learning how to be a better trader today: https://at.zacks.com/?id=111
Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.
About Screen of the Week
Zacks.com created the first and best screening system on the web earning the distinction as the "#1 site for screening stocks" by Money Magazine. But powerful screening tools is just the start. That is why Zacks created the Screen of the Week to highlight profitable stock picking strategies that investors can actively use. Each week, Zacks Profit from the Pros free email newsletter shares a new screening strategy. Learn more about it here https://at.zacks.com/?id=112
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. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Click here for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros.
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zacksresearch
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZacksInvestmentResearch
Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.
Contact: Jim Giaquinto
Company: Zacks.com
Phone: 312-265-9268
Email: pr@zacks.com
Visit: https://www.zacks.com/performance
Zacks.com provides investment resources and informs you of these resources, which you may choose to use in making your own investment decisions. 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
EXPEDITORS INTL (EXPD): Free Stock Analysis Report
WINNEBAGO (WGO): Free Stock Analysis Report
CALAVO GROWERS (CVGW): Free Stock Analysis Report
ENSIGN GROUP (ENSG): Free Stock Analysis Report
UNIVL FST PRODS (UFPI): Free Stock Analysis Report
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
ATHERSTONE, England (Reuters) - Scientists and animal keepers at a zoo in England are hoping to encourage chimpanzees in captivity to behave more like they would in the wild thanks to a new computer tool that helps to redesign enclosures and monitor results. University of Birmingham researchers have introduced a forest canopy-like environment in the chimpanzee enclosure at Twycross Zoo using the software, which provides data on wild chimpanzee behavior and allows researchers to analyze changes. "A key part of the tool is that it's based on replicating the mechanical challenges that chimpanzees experience in the wild in their daily lives," Susannah Thorpe, senior lecturer at the University of Birmingham, told Reuters. "So when they're moving around forest canopy they have to deal with branches flexing under their weight, they have to deal with planning routes in advance so they know where to go to get to the next food source and we're trying to emulate these mechanical challenges into the lives of captive chimpanzees." Straps and other structures have been installed to make the chimps bend and move around off the ground. The tool could eventually help re-introduction programs by giving chimps in captivity the cognitive skills to survive in the wild, Thorpe said. "The primary thing that we can see right away is that they're much more active," she said. "These animals that really could be reintroduced back into the wild also clearly need to have a whole range of skills that they need to move around the forest canopy to get food and to socialize with each other." (Reporting by Matthew Stock; editing by Andrew Roche)
By PTI: New Delhi, Jul 12 (PTI) The Supreme Court today asked the organisations representing the Sikh community to make a united effort in their endeavour to ban jokes on them rather than being divided in giving suggestions and evolving mechanisms to curb such activity.
"You should be united in the effort rather than divided," a bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice D Y Chandrachud observed at the end of hearing on a batch of petitions
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seeking ban on circulation of jokes on Sikhs.
The remarks came as various Sikh bodies said they have formed their committee and were in the process of coming out with the final suggestions and guidelines on the issue.
The bench listed the matter after six weeks and suggested that all stakeholders should come forward to form one committee to go into the issue.
"Why different committees are formed," it asked during the hearing in which Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Amritsar, Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC), Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee from Haryana and Gurudwara Management Committee from Patna Sahib in Bihar, competed with each other in making submissions.
Senior advocate R S Suri, appearing for DSGMC, said a committee comprising former apex court judges -- Justices H S Bedi, M Y Eqbal and former diplomat Pavan Verma and former bureaucrat M P Bezbaruah, an expert on northeast -- was working and all of them will meet shortly to come out with the guidelines.
The court, which agreed with his plea seeking a months time, said "Suri himself is a Sikh and is working very hard."
The senior advocate said there was a need for simple guidelines which can be executed and "one final meeting is required."
The first PIL on the issue was filed by a woman lawyer, Harvinder Chowdhary, who today got emotional and spoke about the menace of jokes on the community by referring to the suicide of a boy, upset by one of the many jokes that lampoon the community. She said she has been travelling across the country to take feedback on the issue.
Chowdhary said she herself has been the victim of being a Sikh and treated in a discriminatory manner and suffered humiliation. She contended that such jokes were a violation of Sikhs right to equality and an attack on the dignity of the community. (more) PTI MNL PKS RKS ARC
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BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's Google has been given an extra 6 weeks to early September to respond to EU charges that it uses its dominant Android mobile operating system to squeeze out rivals, EU antitrust regulators said on Tuesday. The U.S. technology giant found itself under fire in April as the European Commission said its requirement that mobile phone manufacturers pre-install Google Search and the Google Chrome browser in order to get access to other Google apps may harm consumers and competition. The EU watchdog had originally given Google until July 27 to reply to the charges. "The Commission has agreed to extend Google's deadline to respond to its Statement of Objections concerning Android and its applications until 7 September. Google asked for additional time to review the documents in the case file," Commission spokesman Ricardo Cardoso said in an email. Google, which can face fines up to $7.4 billion or 10 percent of its global turnover for each antitrust case, did not immediately respond to a request for comments. Google is also fighting an EU accusation that it favors its shopping service in Internet search results over rivals. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee, editing by Robert-Jan Bartunek and Alexandra Hudson)
TAIPEI (Reuters) - At least three major Taiwan banks have suspended cash withdrawal services at their Automated Teller Machines after First Bank reported T$70 million ($2.2 million) was stolen from its ATMs. Two individuals withdrew cash from First Bank's ATMs but were not seen on close-circuit TV camera to be physically operating the machines, First Bank said in a statement. The bank discovered the theft on Monday. The theft took place at ATMs manufactured by Wincor Nixdorf, First Bank's Executive Vice President Yeh Chung-huei said, adding it has about 300 of such ATMs. First Bank is the banking arm of First Financial Holding. "We reported to the police yesterday...We've not decided when to resume the service of those machines," Yeh said. Initial investigations by police showed the theft was due to malware, he said. As a precaution, Chang Hwa Bank confirmed to Reuters it had halted operations at some ATMs made by the German company, and state-owned Chunghwa Post Co said in a statement it had also suspended some ATMs. Calls made after hours to Wincor Nixdorf's Taiwan office went unanswered on Tuesday. An official at the Financial Supervisory Commission, Taiwan's top banking and market regulator, said 21 Taiwanese banks own 4,990 ATMs made by the Germany company. It was not clear how many ATMs across the island had halted cash withdrawal operations as a precaution or have been affected by the malware. (Reporting by Faith Hung; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
Large parts of this country are still languishing with cable internet speeds that give them 10 megabits down. So it's equal parts absurd and awesome that Verizon is actively making plans to bring gigabit speeds -- 100 times faster than cheap cable internet -- to cellphones nationwide.
The announcement of gigabit speeds came as part of a wider Verizon announcement of its plans for 5G. The next gen of wireless technology is still some way off -- the FCC only recently outlined the regulatory framework -- but mobile carriers are already rushing to be the first players in the next big thing.
DON'T MISS: Tomorrow is Prime Day 2016: Heres everything you need to know
In its press release today, Verizon announced that it has finalized its radio specifications for 5G, and is now conducting pre-commercial trials. What that means to normal people is that it has nailed down the frequencies and protocols it will use for 5G, something Verizon rightly describes as a "key milestone."
Those specifications are now being put to the test "in multiple locations in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Texas." Pre-commercial trials is the first kind of testing in the field: Verizon says it's experimenting with its 5G spec in different kinds, sizes and constructions of buildings to start to understand how the radios will work in real-world conditions.
Make no mistake, 5G is still a long, long way away. Regulatory hurdles have to be cleared, device manufacturers have to get on board, and the people who claim that Wi-Fi gives them headaches will probably have to be appeased.
But if we get anything close to what Verizon is promising in real-world speeds, sometime in the next decade, I'll chalk this one up as a success.
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See the original version of this article on BGR.com
Welcome back, Bachelor Nation! After a few interruptions this season, we are going to power through right to the end and bring you all The Bachelorette your hearts can handle.
So often, we travel to a new country, only get to see some of it, and then off we go to a new part of the world. But once in a while we get to spend a little more time in a beautiful location, like we did this week in Argentina. The men left Buenos Aires and headed to Puesto Viejo in a gorgeous old bus while Alex got his gaucho gear on for his long awaited one on one date with JoJo. Alex was understandably confused after last weeks (well, last last weeks) rose ceremony, but he did make the most of his time with JoJo and didnt dwell too much on the past. Its important to try and let go of the external forces that are getting to you during a journey such as this, so you can really hone in and focus on the relationship you are building. You have to be relaxed, and if anyone can teach you how to relax, its that horse that was resting comfortably beneath JoJo and Alex in that beautiful field. It was one of the more bizarre sights Id ever seen, but now that horse knows what its like to watch The Bachelorette on TV. There is a lot of close up kissing.
As fun as the day was, the night took a sad turn for Alex. Its hard to say what happened when he told JoJo his feelings, but something in her head just told her it was time to say goodbye. Obviously it was a huge shock, as there were no roses on the one-on-one dates this week. This breakup was a little different. Alex was clearly very angry, and its hard to blame him. Its not that JoJo did anything wrong, but when you tell someone you are falling in love with them and they immediately break up with you, anger is definitely one of the things youd be feeling. I dont know how Alex feels looking back at his goodbye now, but I look forward to hearing from him at the Men Tell All. Seeing him talk to JoJo for the first time since that night should be very interesting.
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Related: The Bachelorette Recap: Small Sacrifices
From a date that went south to a date that went West, JoJo took her first impression rose recipient Jordan to Mendoza. I actually also took a trip to Mendoza myself and I have to tell you I had some of the best food and wine Ive ever had in my life there. It made me appreciate Argentina even more, going from the grand city of Buenos Aires out to the serene vineyards of Mendoza. If you can make a trip South, make it long because youll really want to explore.
Jordan and JoJo have had an interesting road so far. Of course their chemistry was hot and heavy at first, and then they really started to connect on their one-on-one in Uruguay, but some setbacks have gotten in their way. There were questions as to Jordans intentions and his behavior in the house, and I think even though they were addressed last week (well, last last week), it took this date for JoJo and Jordan to really get past all of that. Jordan really opened up about his family, his relationship with his brother Aaron, and how having a famous sibling affected him. By the time the night was over, JoJo was over the moon and it was pretty clear shed be meeting most of Jordans family the next week back in the good old USA.
Sometimes the best plans are the ones that get ruined first. JoJo had intended to take Chase, Robby, and James on an epic camping date, but heavy rains and lightning made that date impossible. But JoJo didnt want to miss out on any of her valuable time with these men, so she made it into a Room Service and Chill date. Of course its exciting to frolic all over the Argentinean countryside, but when youre getting to know someone, sometimes its just as good to sit in a hotel room, get a back massage, eat some french fries, and talk about life. So thats just what they did. Her conversation with Robby obviously was the most taxing, but it was also clearly the most impactful. She gave him a rose and he gladly accepted her invitation to take her on a hometown date. Chase and James were very upset by all of this, and who could blame them? You have to try very hard not to compare relationships in this process, but when its right in front of you, it can be nearly impossible.
Her final date of the week was with Luke, who hadnt had a date in quite some time. JoJo gave Luke a date that was right in his element. Horses and clay pigeons? Im a Texas man myself, and I cant imagine a better way to relax and spend time with someone youre falling in love with. It took Luke a little while to open up with JoJo, but now that he has put his heart on the line, you can really see the complex man that lives beneath that rugged exterior. And JoJo certainly appreciates all of his layers and is just hoping at this point that he can be as expressive as some of the other men.
This was definitely the most emotionally exhausting rose ceremony for JoJo. She felt nauseous walking into that room. Every man in there was someone she truly had feelings for, but in the end she felt that her connection to James wasnt the strongest. But man, was it hard for her to say goodbye. He is such a sweet and genuine guy and we cant wait to see him at the Men Tell All.
Next week, its hometown dates and Luke, Chase, Robby, and Jordan will all get to introduce JoJo to their families. Things get even more intense after that, so make sure you tune in. Its going to be one of the most heart-wrenching rose ceremonies youve ever seen. Until next time, its good to be back, Bachelor Nation!
The Bachelorette airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
The superstar, blissfully married for decades, has launched #AskSRK session on his twitter handle @iamsrk, and this was the very first question coming his way on opening the session: "Will you marry me today?"
By Mail Today Bureau: At 50, Shah Rukh Khan is young enough to still get marriage proposals.
The superstar, blissfully married for decades, has launched a #AskSRK session on his twitter handle @iamsrk, and this was the very first question coming his way on opening the session: "Will you marry me today?" The question came from a fan who was simply identified as @Atharluvsrk.
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NOBODY WANTS TO BE FRIENDS?
His trademark sense of humour in place, SRK was up to the challenge tackling the query. "Marry marry?. doesn't anybody want to be 'friends' anymore??!! (sic)" @iamsrk tweeted back.
The session proved when it comes to Shah Rukh, fans still prefer looking up to him as the king of romance. Most of the questions coming the superstar's way were related to love.
A fan identified as @Shahebaz4Srk wrote: "In a Bit Of A Dilemma. Im So Scared To Express My Feeling To Someone & I Know Nothing Will Become Of It, If I Do. Advice? (sic)". SRK was his witty self as usual, while answering. "You can keep it inside & b Devdas or express them and if rejected u can again be Devdas. If accepted send me a gift (sic)," he wrote.
Shah Rukh's next romantic film, Dear Zindagi, is scheduled to open in 2017. The film also stars Alia Bhatt and is directed by English Vinglish maker Gauri Shinde. The actor's next release is the action drama Raees, slated to clash with the Hrithik Rshan-starrer Kaabil on January 26 next year.
Also Read
Why doesn't Shah Rukh Khan want Raees and Kaabil to clash?
Shah Rukh Khan on Imtiaz Ali's film: My only condition was it should be a happy film
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In the light of the ongoing unrest in Kashmir, Shiv Sena questioned the Centre-state relationship in handling the issue in its latest editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana.
By Virendrasingh Ghunawat: Bracing its attack on the BJP government, Shiv Sena in its latest editorial piece lashed out at the Centre-state relationship over the handling of Kashmir unrest. In its party mouthpiece Saamana, Shiv Sena has raised serious issues concerning the present situation of chaos in Kashmir.
The party in its editorial has targeted BJP's by questioning its decision to ally with PDP. The party has even gone to the extent of questioning Mehbooba Mufti's governance. The current situation of Kashmir is a threat to the national security.
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Party chief Uddhav Thackeray said that both Centre and state government should take active steps to quell the clashes and help several Amarnath pilgrims who are stranded.
Here's what Shiv Sena said: Although Mufti is praying for peace repeatedly, it is important to know her stand on slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. Has BJP made a mistake by handing over Kashmir to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti? The present scenario in Kashmir is making things more complex than before. Mufti had earlier supported Afzal Guru calling him a revolutionary which makes it difficult to rely on her leadership. The unrest in Kashmir is not only affecting its civilian but the entire nation. It has been announced that a Ram temple will be built in Ayodhya, we sincerely hope that Amarnath Yatra is concluded peacefully before that. Whatever is happening in Kashmir right now is terrifying. Home Minister Rajnath Singh should immediately inform Prime Minister Modi about the impending issues. The present situation in Kashmir is a threat to national security.
Also read:
Burning Saamana is like attacking PM Modi's ideology: Shiv Sena
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By PTI: Singapore, Jul 12 (PTI) Four Bangladeshi nationals were today sentenced in Singapore to up to five years in prison for raising money for the dreaded Islamic State terror group and plotting to overthrow the government back home.
Ringleader Rahman Mizanur was sentenced to five years in prison. Sohel Hawlader Ismail Hawlader was sentenced to 2 years in jail while Miah Rubel and Md Jabath Kysar Haje Norul Islam Sowdagar were handed down 2.5 years jail term each.
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They were earlier charged with providing or collecting money to fund terrorist acts in Bangladesh.
Asking for deterrent sentences, the prosecution pointed out that the accused men have caused public disquiet and were funding one of the Islamic State militant group.
The four were part of a group of six charged under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act (TSOFA) - the first time the Act has been used for prosecution.
The other two - Zaman Daulat and Mamun Leakot Ali have denied the charges and are claiming trial.
Court documents had shown that the men had clearly defined roles. They were led by Rahman, with Mamun as the groups deputy leader.
Miah was in the groups financial council, while Jabath handled the groups media.
Zaman and Sohel were in the groups security and fighter councils respectively.
Miah and Jabath were also accused of possessing money for terrorist purposes.
Court documents also showed that Jabath was in possession of USD 1,360 - this includes a sum of USD 1,060 that he was handed by Miah last month.
In all, the six had contributed sums of USD 60 to USD 500 to the cause.
They were planning attacks back home in hopes of toppling their government, Strait Times reported.
Their goal was to set up an Islamic state in Bangladesh and bring it under the self-declared caliphate of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), it said.
The six were among eight men arrested between late March and early April this year.
Bangladesh has been reeling under a spate of terror attacks.
Victims of the attacks by suspected Islamists have included secular bloggers, gay rights activists and followers of minority religions including Hindus, Christians and Muslim Sufis and Shiites.
Recently, gunmen stormed a popular restaurant in Dhakas diplomatic enclave and killed 22 people, most of them foreigners from Italy, Japan, India and the US in an attack that was claimed by the Islamic State. PTI UZM AKJ UZM
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China, which boycotted the case brought by the Philippines, has said it will not be bound by any ruling.
By Reuters: An international tribunal ruled unanimously Tuesday that there is no legal basis for China's "nine-dash line" claiming rights to much of the South China Sea.
The panel of legal experts in The Hague said that any historic rights to resources that China may have had were wiped out if they are incompatible with exclusive economic zones established under a UN treaty.
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The Philippines, which brought the arbitration case against China, welcomed the ruling. Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay called it a "milestone decision" and pledged to pursue a peaceful resolution of its territorial disputes with China.
"The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision as an important contribution to ongoing efforts in addressing disputes in the South China Sea," he said.
A satellite image released by the Asian Maritime Transparency Initiative at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies shows construction of possible radar tower facilities in the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea. Photo: Reuters
How Beijing responds to the ruling in the case filed by US ally the Philippines could chart the course of global power relations in an increasingly dangerous hotspot. It comes as the US has ramped up its military presence in the region and could seek to marshal world opinion to pressure Beijing into complying with the verdict. A new Philippine leader who appears friendlier to Beijing could also influence the aftermath of the ruling.
China drafted its so-called nine-dash line to demarcate its claims to virtually the entire South China Sea. Manila brought the case because China's claims infringe upon its own 200-mile exclusive economic zone. The dispute centers on waters through which an estimated $5 trillion in global trade passes through each year and are home to rich fishing stocks and a potential wealth of oil, gas and other resources.
China, which boycotted the case, summoned its demobilised sailors and officers for training drills in exercises that apparently started just days ago.
The People's Liberation Army Daily newspaper said on social media late Monday that Chinese navy reserves have been called up to perform "functional tasks." The post followed online rumors that reservists in central Chinese provinces were called up for an unspecified mission from July 10-22.
In the Philippines, more than 100 left-wing activists marched to the Chinese Consulate in metropolitan Manila, yelling, "Philippine territory is ours, China get out." They called their campaign to push China out of the South China Sea, "CHexit" or "China exit now."
Vietnam, meanwhile, accused Chinese vessels of sinking a Vietnamese fishing boat in disputed waters. Nguyen Thanh Hung, a local fisheries executive in the central province of Quang Ngai, said two Chinese vessels chased and sank the Vietnamese boat around midday Saturday as it was fishing near the Paracel islands. The five fishermen were rescued by another trawler around seven hours later.
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China has argued that the tribunal has no jurisdiction and says it won't accept the ruling. It has insisted that bilateral talks between Beijing and other claimants is the only way to address the dispute.
Findings of the tribunal are binding on the parties, including China. But the court - without police or military forces or a system of sanctions at its disposal - can't enforce its ruling, so its potential impact remains unclear.
Also read:
High stakes legal ruling looms in South China Sea dispute
China holds combat drill in South China Sea
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The latest violence in Juba, which has killed hundreds of people, broke out as the world's newest nation prepared to mark five years of independence from Sudan on July 9.
Displaced South Sudanese families in a camp for internally displaced people in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan compound in Tomping, Juba; Photo: Reuters
By Reuters: South Sudan's President and Vice President ordered their loyalists to cease hostilities on Monday after days of fighting threatened to plunge the country back into civil war and bring further instability to an impoverished region of Africa.
Fighting erupted four days ago in the capital Juba between followers of President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, the former rebel leader who became the Vice President under a deal to end a two-year civil war.
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The violence, which has killed hundreds of people, broke out as the world's newest nation prepared to mark five years of independence from Sudan on July 9.
Presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny said Kiir and Machar had spoken by phone on Monday, a day which saw tanks and helicopters involved in some of the fiercest clashes yet.
CEASE HOSTILITY
"All the commanders of (Kiir's) forces are directed to cease any hostility and abide by the order and control their forces," Ateny told Reuters.
"President Salva Kiir is determined to carry on his partnership with Riek Machar."
Machar responded by ordering his troops to stand down.
A UNILATERAL CEASEFIRE
"The president has declared a unilateral ceasefire, I want to reciprocate the declaration of unilateral ceasefire," he told the independent Eye Radio.
Much is unclear, however, about the latest violence in Juba, including what the objective of either side has been and how much control Kiir and Machar have over their forces.
The U.S. State Department said it was carrying out an "ordered departure" of its staff from South Sudan.
The fighting has raised fears of a return to the civil war that erupted in late 2013 and broadly ran along ethnic lines, pitting Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, against Machar, a Nuer.
The conflict killed thousands of people, forced more than 2.5 million people from their homes and left almost half the population of 11 million people struggling to find food. Oil production, by far the biggest source of government revenue, has plummeted.
MORE PEOPLE IN REFUGEE CAMPS?
A new flare-up risks driving yet more people to refugee camps in neighbouring countries in the central African region, which is already plagued by myriad woes.
Central African Republic is riven by conflict, the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo is contending with a patchwork of militias and rebels groups, and Burundi is embroiled in a violent political crisis.
The U.N. Security Council on Sunday demanded Kiir and Machar rein in their forces and end the fighting.
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The U.N. mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, expressed its "outrage" after its bases in Juba were caught in the crossfire between the two sides and two Chinese peacekeepers were killed.
The United States condemned the violence and said it would hold those who commit atrocities or impede efforts to stop the fighting "fully accountable."
"We call on those fighting to return to their barracks. This senseless and inexcusable violence, undertaken by those who yet again are putting self-interest above the well-being of their country and people, puts at risk everything the South Sudanese people have aspired to over the past five years," White House national security adviser Susan Rice said in a statement.
Kiir and Machar have long been rivals, both in politics and on the battlefield. Civil war broke out in 2013 a few months after Kiir sacked Machar as his deputy.
Fighting has often erupted outside Juba since the two men signed a peace deal in August last year. But this was the first time it had flared in Juba since Machar finally returned in April after months of wrangling about terms of the pact.
TENSIONS RISE IN JUBA
Clemence Pinaud, an assistant professor at Indiana University and an expert on South Sudan, said that tensions increased in Juba during the past month.
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"We most likely witnessed an acceleration ... into a full-on war in Juba between the two parties," Pinaud said.
Experts say the failure to swiftly implement important elements of the deal, such as integrating and demobilising their forces, has allowed tension to fester and risked igniting a new conflict.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday urged the Security Council to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan, sanction leaders and commanders who blocked the implementation of a peace deal and fortify the UNMISS mission.
NO OFFICIAL DEATH TOLL
There has been no official death toll from the recent flare up but at least five soldiers died on Thursday and a Health Ministry source said 272 people, including 33 civilians, were killed on Friday.
Sunday and Monday's fighting was more fierce.
UNMISS said gunfire had erupted on Monday around the U.N. headquarters in the Jebel area of Juba and also around a base near the airport. It said U.N. sites had been hit in exchanges of fire, killing eight and injuring 67.
Highlighting lawlessness on Juba's streets, one resident said he saw police officers trying to loot a shop in his neighbourhood by shooting off the padlocks and firing in the air to scare away people, echoing similar witness reports on Sunday.
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An army spokesman said that any soldier found stealing civilian property or looting would be arrested, and shot at if they resisted.
The African regional grouping IGAD echoed the U.N. Secretary-General's call to beef up UNMISS's mandate, calling for it be given an enforcement role similar to a U.N.-backed intervention brigade working in eastern Congo.
Through the civil war, however, world powers and regional states struggled to find leverage over the warring factions, despite U.S. and European sanctions on some military leaders and African threats of punitive actions.
Also Read:
Indian Embassy Reaches Out To Indians In South Sudan
India to evacuate nationals from South Sudan
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By PTI: Dehradun, Jul 12 (PTI) Police horse Shaktiman has again fallen prey to politics.
Fatally beaten up by a BJP MLA during a protest in March, Shaktimans plight had drawn a lot of people and politicians alike towards it but the statue of the horse erected close to the state Assembly two days ago apparently did not evoke the same feelings and it was removed in the wee hours today.
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Backlash on social media and protests over the decision to install the statue of the horse prompted the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority to remove the statue. However, the authority has refused to comment on it.
The statue was inaugurated on Ripasna Bridge two days ago following which there were protests by people who demanded that there should be statues for those who sacrificed their lives for the separate statehood movement and not for a horse.
Apparently taking note of the sentiment, the statue was removed.
A statue of the police horse has also been established at the Shaktiman Park in Police Lines here but it is also not without its share of controversy.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat was scheduled to inaugurate the statue sometime soon but now he has refused to do so, sources said.
However, the police officials said the Shaktiman park statue will not be removed.
Shaktiman died on April 20 after allegedly being hit by BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi in March.
The 13-year-old horse was injured at a rally here on March 14, where BJP workers clashed with police and Joshi beat up Shaktiman, triggering an outrage.
Doctors from the country and outside had attended on the horse whose fractured hind leg had to be amputated.PTI DPT SUK DV
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A recent research has revealed that women are more attracted towards men who are good storytellers.
By Indo-Asian News Service: Love to spin good stories at any point of time? You can win a woman's heart faster as according to researchers, women find men who are good storytellers more appealing and sexy.
The findings showed that women rated men who were good storytellers as more desirable and potential long-term partners.
It is because the man shows that he knows how to connect, to share emotions and, possibly, to be vulnerable, the team noted.
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"Further, he is also indicating that he is interesting and articulate and can also gain resources and provide support," the researchers said in the work published in the journal Personal Relationships.
Also Read: Women use polite words, men most likely to swear and abuse on social media
"Stories are profoundly intimate. It is empowering to the teller because they get recognition from the listener. And it is empowering to the listener because it helps them understand the teller," Kari Winter, historian and literary critic, was quoted as saying in australian.com.au.
Staying up all night talking, telling stories that were revealing and illuminating can help continue the bond in a relationship.
Also Read: 91 per cent women think men look the sexiest in these clothes
Moreover, telling each other stories is likely to help you remember why you were attracted to each other in the first place, the researchers said.
The way people construct their individual stories can also have a larger impact on their physical and mental health.
In addition, people who frame their personal narratives in a positive way have more life satisfaction.
Highlighting great memories or successes that the couple had together in the past can also help in reconnecting.
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The Philippines had asked the tribunal to declare China's claims and actions invalid under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
By AP: An arbitration panel in The Hague, Netherlands, issued a ruling Tuesday in a long-running dispute between the Philippines and China over the South China Sea. The Philippines had asked the tribunal to declare China's claims and actions invalid under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea . Beijing has refused to join the case, rejecting the tribunal's jurisdiction, and has said it will not accept the decision.
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A look at how the dispute has unfolded:
1947: China demarcates its South China Sea territorial claims with a U-shaped line made up of eleven dashes on a map, covering most of the area. The Communist Party, which took over in 1949, removed the Gulf of Tonkin portion in 1953, erasing two of the dashes to make it a nine-dash line.
1994: The 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, under which the Philippines has taken China to arbitration, goes into effect after 60 countries ratify it. The agreement defines territorial waters, continental shelves and exclusive economic zones. The Philippines joined the convention in 1984, and China in 1996. The US has never ratified it.
1995: China takes control of disputed Mischief Reef, constructing octagonal huts on stilts that Chinese officials say will serve as shelters for fishermen. The Philippines lodges a protest through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
1997: Philippine naval ships prevent Chinese boats from approaching Scarborough Shoal, eliciting a protest from China. The uninhabited reef, known as Huangyan Island in China, is 230 kilometers (145 miles) off the Philippines and about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from China. In ensuing years, the Philippines detains Chinese fishermen numerous times for alleged illegal fishing in the area.
2009: China submits its nine-dash line map to the United Nations, stating it "has indisputable sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and the adjacent waters." The submission came in response to applications by Vietnam and Malaysia for recognition of extended continental shelves, which would give them resource rights. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia protest the Chinese claim.
2011: The Philippines files a diplomatic protest after a chartered ship searching for oil and gas and in Reed Bank near the Spratly Islands complained of being harassed by two Chinese patrol boats, forcing it to change course.
2012: China takes effective control of Scarborough Shoal after a tense standoff between Chinese coast guard ships and a Philippine naval vessel that had stopped a Chinese fishing boat to inspect it.
2013: The Philippines brings its dispute with China to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, angering Beijing. A five-member panel of international legal experts is appointed in June to hear the case.
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2014: The Philippine government summons China's top envoy in Manila in February to protest what it said was the firing of a water cannon by a Chinese government vessel to drive away Filipino fishermen from Scarborough Shoal. China ignores the protest and calls its sovereignty there "indisputable."
China issues a position paper in December arguing that the panel does not have jurisdiction over the case, because it concerns issues of sovereignty and boundary definition, which are not covered by the UN convention, and that the Philippines and China had agreed to settle their dispute only through negotiation.
2015: The arbitration panel in The Hague rules in October that it has jurisdiction over at least seven of the 15 claims raised by the Philippines. A hearing on the merits of the claims is held in November. China does not participate.
July 12, 2016: The Permanent Court of Arbitration rules that China has no legal basis for claiming much of the South China Sea and had aggravated the regional dispute with its land reclamation and construction of artificial islands that destroyed coral reefs and the natural condition of the disputed areas. The Philippines, which sought the arbitration ruling, welcomed the decision, and China rejected it outright.
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May, 59, will succeed David Cameron, who announced he was stepping down after Britons unexpectedly voted last month to quit the EU.
Theresa May will become Britain's second female prime minister, after Margaret Thatcher.
By Reuters: Interior minister Theresa May will become Britain's prime minister on Wednesday, with the task of steering its withdrawal from the European Union, after rival Andrea Leadsom abruptly terminated her disastrous leadership campaign.
May, 59, will succeed David Cameron, who announced he was stepping down after Britons unexpectedly voted last month to quit the EU. Britain's planned withdrawal has weakened the 28-nation bloc, created huge uncertainty over trade and investment, and shaken financial markets.
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May and Leadsom had been due to contest a ballot of grassroots Conservative party members, with the result to be declared by Sept. 9. But Leadsom unexpectedly quit on Monday after a campaign dogged by ill-judged comments about her rival's lack of children and questions about whether she had exaggerated her CV.
Theresa May speaks to reporters after being confirmed as the leader of the Conservative Party and Britain's next Prime Minister outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, central London. Photo: Reuters
"I am honoured and humbled to have been chosen by the Conservative Party to become its leader," said May, who favoured remaining in the EU but has made clear there is no going back on the result of the June 23 referendum.
"Brexit means Brexit, and we're going to make a success of it."
Earlier, Cameron told reporters in front of his 10 Downing Street residence that he expected to chair his last cabinet meeting on Tuesday and take questions in parliament on Wednesday before tendering his resignation to Queen Elizabeth.
"So we will have a new prime minister in that building behind me by Wednesday evening," he said.
May will become Britain's second female prime minister, after Margaret Thatcher.
Her victory means that the complex process of extricating Britain from the EU will be led by someone from the losing side of the acrimonious referendum campaign. She has said Britain needs time to work out its negotiating strategy and should not initiate formal divorce proceedings before the end of the year.
In a speech earlier on Monday in the city of Birmingham, May said there could be no second referendum and no attempt to rejoin the EU by the back door.
"As prime minister, I will make sure that we leave the European Union," she said.
The White House said U.S. President Barack Obama was confident that the "special relationship" between the United States and Britain would continue after May becomes prime minister.
RELATIVE UNKNOWN
Leadsom, 53, is a junior energy minister who has never served in cabinet and was barely known to the British public until she emerged as a prominent voice in the successful Leave campaign.
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She had been strongly criticised over a newspaper interview in which she appeared to suggest that being a mother meant she had more of a stake in the country's future than May, who has no children. Some Conservatives said they were disgusted by the remarks, for which Leadsom later apologised, while others said they showed naivety and a lack of judgment.
Leadsom told reporters she was pulling out of the race to avoid nine weeks of campaign uncertainty at a time when strong leadership was needed. She acknowledged that May had secured much greater backing in a vote of Conservative members of parliament last week.
"I have ... concluded that the interests of our country are best served by the immediate appointment of a strong and well supported prime minister," she said. "I am therefore withdrawing from the leadership election and I wish Theresa May the very greatest success."
Graham Brady, head of the Conservative party committee in charge of the leadership contest, confirmed that May had been elected with immediate effect.
The pound, which has hit 31-year lows since the referendum on concern about potential damage to the British economy, bounced slightly on the news that the Conservative leadership question would be resolved much sooner than expected.
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It was trading around $1.2970, up 0.1 percent on the day but still down around 13 percent since the day of the vote. The FTSE 250 index of mid-sized companies rose 3.27 percent.
"Welcome news we have 1 candidate with overwhelming support to be next PM. Theresa May has strength, integrity & determination to do the job," finance minister George Osborne tweeted.
FORGING NEW ROLE
The 52-to-48 percent vote to quit the EU after 43 years of membership was a stunning rebuke to Britain's political leaders and especially Cameron, who had argued that breaking away would bring economic disaster.
Britons ignored his warnings, swayed by the arguments of the Leave campaign that 'Brexit' would enable them to regain 'independence' from Brussels and clamp down on high immigration, something hard to achieve under EU rules allowing people to live and work anywhere in the bloc.
May's leadership hopes had appeared at risk of being damaged by her failure, in six years as interior minister, to bring immigration down, and the fact she found herself on the losing side of the referendum campaign.
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But her two best-known rivals on the Leave side were felled by political back-stabbing when Justice Secretary Michael Gove brought down former London mayor Boris Johnson and was then punished for his perceived treachery by being eliminated from a ballot of Conservative MPs.
Theresa May emerges with her husband Philip to speak to reporters after being confirmed as the leader of the Conservative Party and Britain's next Prime Minister outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, Central London. Photo: Reuters
In her speech in Birmingham on Monday, May set out her vision for the economy, calling for "a country that works for everyone, not just the privileged few".
In a pitch for the political centre, she said she would prioritise more house-building, a crackdown on tax evasion by individuals and companies, lower energy costs and a narrowing of the 'unhealthy' gap between the pay of employees and corporate bosses.
"Under my leadership, the Conservative Party will put itself completely, absolutely, unequivocally, at the service of ordinary working people ... we will make Britain a country that works for everyone," she said.
LABOUR DISARRAY
May's biggest challenge will be to map out the course of Britain's withdrawal, a process still clouded in uncertainty, and to sort out new terms of trade with the other 27 EU nations.
"We will have difficult negotiations with Britain, it will not be easy," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel who insisted that Britain would not be able to get free access to the EU's single market without accepting free movement of people.
European Economics Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said: "We should open the negotiations as quickly as possible in order to limit uncertainty."
More than 1,000 British lawyers said in a letter to Cameron that members of parliament should decide whether Britain leaves the EU because the referendum was not legally binding.
Opposition members of parliament, responding to the impending appointment of May, demanded a general election.
"It is crucial, given the instability caused by the Brexit vote, that the country has a democratically elected prime minister," Labour party election co-ordinator Jon Trickett said.
Labour too has been thrown into upheaval by the referendum, with leader Jeremy Corbyn widely criticised for failing to make a sufficiently passionate case in favour of staying in the EU.
Minutes before Leadsom's announcement, Labour lawmaker Angela Eagle launched a leadership challenge to Corbyn.
"Jeremy Corbyn is unable to provide the leadership that this party needs -- I believe I can," Eagle said.
Corbyn was elected last year with overwhelming support from grassroots Labour activists. He has ignored a vote of no confidence from the party's lawmakers, saying he has a responsibility to carry out that mandate.
Also read:
Theresa May will be next British PM after Andrea Leadsom withdraws
British government rejects petition calling for second EU referendum
Bregret: Nearly 2.3 million Britons regret voting for Brexit, finds survey
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By PTI: Chandigarh, Jul 12 (PTI) The UK today said it is "very keen" on developing further the trade relationship with India and does not see any "adverse impact" on Indian investments flowing to England post Brexit.
"Very positive, we are very keen on developing further trade relationships (with India)...there are huge opportunities looking to develop," British High Commissioner Dominic Asquith said here today.
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He said discussions were held with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on "what the trade relations might look like".
"Thats the direction where we will be going and building on what is already extraordinary strong relationships... the UK is the largest G20 investor in India and India is third largest investor in the UK.
"Indian companies in the UK which have grown more than 10 per cent last year have doubled. In case of one Indian company it has grown by over 700 per cent..huge opportunities looking to develop," he said.
On the impact of Britains exit from the European Union, Asquith said he does not see any adverse impact on Indian investments to the UK following Brexit.
"There are a lot of and plenty of opportunities to invest in the UK at the moment. It has always been in the interest from Indian investors many of whom are already invested in the UK in terms of expanding and we would welcome new investments and I do not see any adverse impact," British envoy said.
To a question on Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership, British Ambassador showered praise on Modi for "creating conditions" to attract new investments into the country.
"He (Modi) is making progress and creating the conditions to attract investors. That is exactly you need to create a climate in terms of regulations, in terms of incentives that encourages investors to come and invest in the country that helps economies to grow," he added.
"If you close your economy to the outside, that has very negative consequences for the economy...protectionism, closing your economy is not going to be good idea. Opening it up, making it attractive for people to invest and trading that is what he (Modi) seems to be doing."
He also spoke about the education opportunities and prospects in the UK.
Asquith said, "I had always been interested in India. I had not had a professional background there but had always visited as a tourist. It is a hugely important country and so when I was asked to do this job I decided to accept. We like to work with the next generation of young Indians to help them improve their economic, social and cultural opportunities."
"Our priority is to celebrate the great things about both countries, reconnect the young people of India with the UK and make people in the UK get to see what India is today. Education is at the heart of our mission to strengthen the UKs relations with India. And young Indians studying in the UK is one of the best ways to make that happen," he said. PTI CHS MKJ
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For the past 41 years, this father and son have had no concept of time other than day and night, or of sources of energy other than fire and the sun. They lived in a Vietnamese jungle thinking that the war was still on and was going to ravage them.
By India Today Web Desk: Meet Ho Van Thanh, now 85, and his 44-year-old son Ho Van Lang, who have been living in a Vietnamese jungle for over four decades.
After the US troops bombed their village, killing his wife and two kids, during the 1972 war, Ho Van Thanh decided to take his only surviving son, who was just 2-years-old then, to hide away in the deep jungles of Tay Tra in Quan Ngai district of Vietnam.
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During the years they lived in the jungle, both the father and son learned how to hunt, build a shelter and managed to survive the tough jungle life. They never once ventured out, confident that the war was still going on and would ravage them.
Living in absolute isolation, Ho Van Lang. Photo: paradise.docastaway.com
The incredible story of real life Tarzans.
Ho Van Thanh, a former army man who served the North Vietnamese Army, lived with his son in a small wooden hut, wore loincloth and ate just about anything they could find. In 2013, the father and son were first discovered living a hermit life in the jungle. The foragers reported about them to officials who then came to their rescue.
Soon, news about the estranged 'jungle men' spread far and wide, so much so that a long lost relative Ho Van Tri heard about them and tried to talk them into returning to civilization. Tri spent years visiting them in the jungle to reconnect with them. But it was hard to convince them because the father and son still thought that war was on. They eventually needed medical attention and were forced to let go off their jungle life.
Three years on, Lang and his father have been living in a house in a village, and gradually adapting to civilization.
Traveler and Photographer's encounter with the castaways
Last November, Alvaro Cerezo, managing director of Docastaway -- which offers holidays to remote, uninhabited parts of the world -- met the 'jungle men' and tried to convince them to go back to the jungle to show them how they survived. They ended up spending five days together in the jungle.
Alvaro Cerezo wrote so about his encounter with the father and son in a blog post - "During the first few hours I was with him I could tell that Lang was enthusiastic about the idea of going back, for the first time, to the place in the jungle where he came from. Lang didn't doubt one moment and accepted the invitation and together with his brother and my translator we went to the heart of the jungle."
Cerezo admits that his main aim was to understand how the two survived the jungle for 41 years but he came to the realization that they were the warmest people he had ever come across. He writes, "I unveiled one of the most endearing people I have ever met. For this and other reasons the 'survival' took a back seat and I decided to relax and enjoy being with him in this environment."
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Food was never really a problem for the two castaways, they ate everything from fruit, vegetables, harvested honey and cooked anything they could find alive in the jungle, including bats, birds, frogs, lizards, monkeys, rats, snakes and fish.
They lit a fire 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and also made a variety of tools, cutlery and cooking utensils from items scattered across the jungle, including the steel from dropped bombs.
"Kitchenware, like pans, pots and plates were made during the first few years from the aluminum they found in a broken-down American helicopter. They never ate with their hands, but had improvised chopsticks made of bamboo. They had about 20 pieces of kitchenware and today these are still conserved in the village."
Throughout their stay in the jungle they never had any major health issues, narrowing their concerns to flu once a year and occasional stomach ache. But when they returned to civilization they say they were affected by various viruses other people built immunity to.
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Alvaro Cerezo was amused by the fact that Ho Van Lang still believes that the moon was made by man, he writes, "In his 42 years of life Lang never knew of the existence of the female as the father is always concealed." Yet, he plans to get married.
Watch the video below:
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By India Today Web Desk: Your favourite television stars Divyanka Tripathi and Vivek Dahiya have finally got married; their wedding reception was held in Bhopal the day before yesterday. Both the actors looked stunning in their respective reception outfits, and posed unabashedly for pictures. While the fans are still going gaga over their wedding and reception pictures--and not without reason of course, they looked great--we have some fresh news for you. About their HONEYMOON. Yes, you read that right.
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Also read: Divyanka, Vivek all decked up for their wedding reception; see pics
Vivek posted this picture on his Instagram account just after the wedding was over. Picture courtesy: Instagram/vivekdahiya08
Although the gorgeous couple won't immediately head for their honeymoon, as they are supposed to resume their shooting from next week, but they have more or less decided on the dates and have a list of destinations ready.
The couple told a website, "We will be going for our honeymoon in November and it will be an international location."
Also read: Divyanka-Vivek share their first selfie as a married couple
The actor captioned the above picture as besties in one frame. Picture courtesy: Instagram/vivekdahiya08
The newly-weds are going to have a grand bash for their industry friends in Mumbai on July 14, as they were not a part of the wedding or reception.
Earlier, Vivek had told India Today Online in a exclusive interview that they were planning a honeymoon around Sept-Oct and that he was planning to surprise Divyanka by not revealing the name of the destination to her. All the best, guys!
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In a fast-track political transition, Theresa May will become the second female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
By Sanjana Agnihotri: A change in leadership is set to take place in Britain as British Prime Minister David Cameron will resign tomorrow and Home Secretary Theresa Mary May will become the second female PM of the country.
In a fast-track political transition, she was officially named the Conservative Party Leader on July 11, 2016 by Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee.
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2nd longest serving Home Secretary
Born on October 1956 in Eastbourne, Sussex, Theresa May studied Geography at St Hugh's College, Oxford. She got an entry in the House of Commons during the 1997 general elections after two unsuccessful attempts in 1992 and 1994.
May served as the Chairman of the Conservative Party from 2002 until 2003.
In the coalition government of 2010, she was appointed as the Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities but she gave up the latter responsibility in 2012. She has held the position of Home Secretary since 2010, longer than any other politician in the last 50 years.
When May announced her candidacy for the leadership of the Conservative Party following Cameron's resignation, she emerged as a front-runner by winning the first ballot of Conservative MPs.
Andrea Leadsom, her only opponent, withdrew her candidacy from the election on July 11, 2016 leading to May's appointment with immediate effect.
Photo: Reuters
Her views on Brexit
"Brexit means Brexit, and we're going to make a success of it. There will be no attempts to remain inside the EU. No attempts to rejoin it by the back door. No second referendum. The country voted to leave the European Union, and as the prime minister, I will make sure we leave the European Union," she said.
However, she supported Britain remaining in the EU.
But now that the people of the country voted to leave the EU, May said her priorities will be to administer the exit and to unite the country to create a "strong, new, positive vision for the future".
Reducing Immigration
"There are millions of people in poorer countries who would love to live in Britain, and there is a limit to the amount of immigration any country can and should take. We must have an immigration system that allows us to control who comes into our country," she said.
She has criticised Germany's Angela Merkel for her decision to take in 8,00,000 refugees and defended the government's decision to take no more than 5,000 Syrian refugees a year.
Considered to be one of her most controversial policies, she wants to drastically reduce immigration from outside the EU. The new rule that barred British citizens from bringing their spouses or children into the country unless they earned more than 18,600 (approximately Rs 16,50,000), is being challenged by families in the supreme court.
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Photo: Reuters
Paradigm shift
Back in her country, her followers are comparing her to a "parent who has come to terms with and loves a gay child".
Why? Because in the past May voted against reducing the age of consent for gay sex, the repeal of Section 28 and civil partnership.
But her views seemed to have evolved as she voted in favour of legalising same-sex marriage. "If two people care for each other, if they love each other, then they should be able to get married", May said.
"Not concerned about migrant women"
During her term as home secretary, she pushed for a law against coercive control and a nationwide inquiry by the HMIC into the treatment of domestic violence victims by the police.
However, a Guardian report says that campaigners have said that she has been far less concerned about the treatment of migrant women.
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Photo: Reuters
Change in stance about workers' rights
While giving her leadership speech on Monday, she said, "Under my leadership, the Conservative party will put itself -- completely, absolutely, unequivocally -- at the service of working people."
She will be working towards getting workers a place on company boards and for the annual shareholder vote on executive pay to become binding, not advisory.
However, she was not always of this opinion as she has made several speeches opposing a mandatory national minimum wage.
Personal vs Political
In an interview to Times, Conservative Party politician Andrea Leadsom claimed that she had "a very real stake" in Britain's future because she had children.
May, though, made it clear that she did not want the contest to be dominated by her family status and she got ridiculed for the comment.
She later sent an apology to May for her comment who was "grateful" for the message and believed that Leadsom did not meant to cause any offense.
Photo: Reuters
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Sources in the security agencies have told India Today that there were several books, write ups and pictures of Zakir Naik which were seized by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) when they had busted the deadly Darbhanga terror module way back in 2011.
By Rohit Kumar Singh: There is more information emerging on Islamic preacher Zakir Naik after he was alleged to be brain washing Muslim youths through his hate speeches. Now there is a strong link of Zakir Naik coming out from Bihar which suggests that the controversial religious preacher had a connection with Bihar too.
BOOKS BY NAIK RECOVERED POST DARBHANGA TERROR MODULE
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Sources in the security agencies have told India Today that there were several books, write ups and pictures of Zakir Naik which were seized by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) when they had busted the deadly Darbhanga terror module way back in 2011.
It may be noted that almost 14 Indian Mujahideen operatives were arrested from Darbhanga between 2010 to 2014 by the security agencies on various occasions. This also included the Saudi based operative Fasih Mehmood. Interestingly, every arrest that took place during this period had a connection with a library in Darbhanga which there terror operatives used to frequent.
DAR-UL-KITAB-SUNNA LIBRARY
The is the Dar-Ul-Kitab-Sunna library. It was being alleged that the Darbhanga module of the Indian Mujahideen ran from this very library. It is from this library that the security agencies has seized Zakir Naik's write ups and book among other things.
Security agencies have disclosed that founder of Indian Mujahideen Yasin Bhatkal who was arrested in 2012 from Bihar-Nepal border also used to frequent this library.
MORE LINKS FOUND IN PATNA BOMBINGS
When the Indian Mujahideen operatives who executed the Gandhi Maidan bombings in Patna when BJP's PM candidate Narendra Modi was supposed to come just minutes later were arrested, similar books and pictures of Zakir Naik was recovered from them.
In fact, Naik has also held a Muslim rally in Kishanganj district of Bihar in 2012.
Munna Khan, a local ward Councilor in Darbhanga said, "NIA team has come and has seized many books and CDs. There is the library they recovered these things from. Unfortunately, Darbhanga has been linked to terror. If Zakir Naik's books were also found here, it must be investigated. NIA team had found that there were books here which were used to incite terror and brain wash youths. Zakir Naik does through his speeches encourage people to embrace Islam as religion but does not encourage them to become jihadis".
THERE IS NO BAN ON BOOKS: MEMBER OF AIMPL BOARD
Mufti EJaz Arshad Qasmi, member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board defends the recovery of Zakir Naik's books from the Darbhanga library.
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Qasmi said, " There is no ban on Zakir Naik's book that if his book is found in any library, it does not mean that the library should be sealed or looked with suspicion. Anyone can keep Zakir Naik's books and there is nothing wrong in it".
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With the Redmi Note 4, the company may be looking to push the envelope even further and bring along something that is well until now hard to imagine in a budget smartphone.
By Saurabh Singh: Xiaomi's current-generation Redmi Note 3 has received mostly raving reviews, its ticket to glory being well to-do hardware and an aggressive pricing. With the Redmi Note 4, the company may be looking to push the envelope even further and bring along something that is well until now hard to imagine in a budget smartphone. We are taking about dual cameras.
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Multiple reports suggest that Xiaomi's Mi Note 2 will come with two cameras on the back. Some reports have also suggested that the company's Mi 5S will also have two cameras on the back. According to a new report, the upcoming Redmi Note 4 may also include a dual-camera setup on the rear. Apparently, the company can't have enough of dual cameras, so it seems and rightfully so. The company's current breed of phones: the Redmi Note 3 and even the Mi 5, have mediocre cameras, when compared with its previous phones. A twin camera setup would bring a welcome change to the scheme of things. Whether or not the approach would alter quality and make it better is yet to be seen.
Also Read: Xiaomi Mi 5S with dual-camera setup, Redmi Note 4 surface online
A new teaser image doing the rounds on the internet apparently shows a model holding the alleged Redmi Note 4 in his hand. The teaser shows off the rear panel of the phone in question, highlighting the dual-camera setup with the flash seated in the middle. The back seems to be all-metal with distinct antenna lines. Sadly, the image isn't accompanied by any more details regarding possible specifics of the device.
There have been several rumours that the Redmi Note 4 would be an oversized phablet, suggesting its screen size could be more than the usual 5.5-inch. Rumoured specs of the alleged Redmi Note 4 include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor, with 3GB of RAM, 16GB of internal memory, and Qualcomm 3.0 fast charge technology support.
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The American pastor was imprisoned in Iran for three and a half years because of his Christian faith, where he was beaten and told to renounce his Christianity, but he refused. He was released in January as part of a hostage-prisoner exchange.
He said that he hopes to one day celebrate a free future for Iran, a bright future.
The Free Iran rally was organised by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to aid the establishment of freedom and democracy in Iran; they called for an end to the oppression of minorities.
Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the NCRI, said: Their expectation of the next U.S. president, as with other Western leaders, is to abandon the policy of appeasement, which emboldens the Tehran regime to intensify the suppression of the Iranian people while continuing the policy of exporting terrorism to the region.
U.S. Congressman, Brad Sherman, veteran of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, said the Free Iran rally does an important job of raising awareness and inspiring the effort for freedom, and congratulated the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) for the critical role it played in exposing the Iranian regimes nuclear weapons program.
In his speech, Abedini reminded the audience that God is always close to the oppressed. When he was in prison, he was told that hed never get out but his faith kept him going and he is certain that evil will never win.
Abedini said: The Iranian people are much more modern and ahead of [their] leaders. The people should be able to choose their friends, their religion, and its time to stop the slogans against America and Israel, we love them both.
Other high-profile American attendees included former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former ambassadors to the United Nations John Bolton, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and former FBI Director Louis Freeh.
One speaker was Ingrid Betancourt, a Colombian-French former politician who was imprisoned for six years by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. She retold the story a young girl visiting her father in an Iranian prison.
Betancourt said: This girl was eight and living in a valley in Iran when some uniformed men came to see her father one day. They took him away that day. It was 18 years ago and the only time she can see her father is on her weekly visits to the prison where he is still held. She waits, like many others, in a line outside the prison to see her father for 20 minutes every week.
The keynote address was delivered by Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the NCRI, who has presented a ten-point plan for democracy in Iran including gender equality, a separation of church and state and the abolition of the death penalty.
In her speech, she noted that in the year since the Iran nuclear deal, repression and discrimination within the country had worsened and that the only real solution was an overthrow of the religious dictatorship.
Rajavi said: We offer a solution that is the only effective option and the most indispensable and attainable solution: the right of the Iranian people to overthrow the religious dictatorship and attain freedom and democracy must be recognised. Many elected representatives of people throughout the world, as well as senior US, European, Australian, Canadian and Asian personalities and dignitaries who support freedom and democracy in Iran proudly attest to this reality.
She reiterated that the mullahs regime and ISIS had a similar nature.
Rajavi said: Both espouse a similar reactionary ideology which is diametrically opposed to the pristine teachings of Islam. They have a similar modus operandi when it comes to barbarity and savagery. They need to rely on one another to survive. For this reason, so long as the regimes occupation of Syria, Iraq and Yemen continues, we cannot confront [ISIS] effectively.
In closing, she said: We will not relent until the day when Iranians of all persuasions and divergences can join hands to hoist the flag of victory, the flag of a free and democratic Iran.
They are protesting the human rights violations in Iran, their interference in other countries of the middle east and the continued nuclear tests in spite of UN resolutions. Iran has funded terrorist groups like Hezbollah in Yemen, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) within its own country and the attacks on political dissidents in Camp Liberty.
Former White House Director of Public Liaison Linda Chavez, who opened the Grand Iranian Gathering, said: Lets honour and commend the bravery and dedication of Camp Liberty residents. We all know that Camp Liberty came under heavy missile attacks on July 4th, which left vast destruction and dozens of injuries. The Mullahs perpetrating this attack showed that what threatens them the most and what are they afraid of the most. Therefore, lets make it clear to the mullahs that nothing can and would prevent the Iranian Resistance from forging ahead for democracy and freedom in Iran.
The rally, organised by The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), wants to shine a light on the discrimination of women, ethnic minorities and the rate of executions in the state.
U.S. Sen. John Boozman said that he was disturbed by the increasing number of human rights violations in Iran. He congratulated the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) for its role in exposing Irans nuclear program. He praised Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the NCRI and PMOI, for her advocacy of democracy, human and womens rights in Iran.
Saudi Prince Turki Al Faisal, the Chairman of the Board of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, said: Maryam Rajavi, your endeavour to rid your people of the Khomeinist cancer is an historic epic thatwill remain inscribed the annals of History.
Maryam Rajavi said that the attendees of the Paris convention represented the voice of millions of oppressed Iranians who want freedom and democracy. She expects the next U.S. President and other western leaders to stand with the Iranian people and stop appeasing the Tehran regime.
In a piece written for the Huffington Post, Dr. Majid Rafizadeh, President of the International American Council, said: Iranian leaders are concerned that more politicians and governments, particularly the next US administration, might endorse NCRI, the Iranian resistance, and the Iranian dissidents.
Other high-profile American figures were former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former ambassadors to the United Nations John Bolton, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former FBI Director Louis Freeh.
[July 11, 2016] Global Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) Industry
LONDON, July 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) in terms of spending (US$) for the following Application Areas: Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT, and Others. The Global market is further analyzed by the following Product Types: Memory, Non-Memory, and Others. Components analyzed for the global market include Contactors, Testers, and Others. The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the US, Japan, Europe, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Rest of World. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2015 through 2022. Also, a six-year historic analysis is provided for these markets. Market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research. Company profiles are primarily based on public domain information including company URLs. The report profiles 35 companies including many key and niche players such as -
Advantest Corporation
Cobham Plc
Lorlin Test Systems, Inc.
Astronics Test Systems, Inc.
Chroma ATE Inc.
Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/2116900/
I. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & PRODUCT DEFINITIONS
Study Reliability and Reporting Limitations I-1 Disclaimers.............. I-2 Data Interpretation & Reporting Level I-2 Quantitative Techniques & Analytics I-3 Product Definitions and Scope of Study I-3
II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. INDUSTRY OVERVIEW.............. II-1 Automated Test Equipment: Vital for Ensuring Quality & Integrity of Semiconductor Components II-1 Semiconductor ATE: Market Overview II-2 Market Fortunes Linked to Electronics Production II-2 Table 1: Strong Growth in Finished Electronic Components Sends Ripples of Optimism Across the Electronics Supply Chain Benefiting CAPEX Spending in Semiconductor Industry & Spurring Opportunities for SEMI Equipment: World Electronic Components Market & Semiconductor CAPEX (In US$) for the Years 2016 & 2018 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) II-3 Anemic Global GDP & Volatility in Regional Economies Push the Market through a Bumpy Growth Patch II-3 Table 2: With Anemic YoY Gains in Global GDP, the Electronics Industry & Its Allied Markets Walk the Tight Rope Balancing Growth Against Volatility: World Real GDP Growth Rates in % by Country/ Region for the Period 2012-2017P (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) II-5 Noteworthy Market Trends & Drivers II-6 Boundary Scan and Functional ATEs Boosts Growth of PCB ATE Market.............. II-6 Innovations in Semiconductors & Growing Complexity of Silicon Chips to Sustain Demand for ATE II-6 Outsourcing of PCB and Semiconductor Testing Activity to Asia-Pacific Continues..............II-7 Faster, High Precision and User- Friendly Test Instruments to Witness Strong Demand..............II-8 Smartphones & Tablet PCs Emerge as UI Extensions for ATE II-8 Review of Key Technology Trends II-9 Application-Specific ATE and Functional Testing Grow in Prominence.............. II-9 Increasing Use of Embedded RF Chips Buoy Demand for Mixed- Domain Oscilloscope..............II-9 Performance-Price of RF Testing Equipment to Fall in Line with Moore's Law.............. II-9 RF Test Instrumentation Transitions from Analog to Digital Signal Processing..............II-10 ATEs Evolve Into Software Defined Platforms Supported by Open Software Ecosystem..............II-10 FPGA Based DSPs Become a Mainstay for Advanced RF Test Equipment.............. II-11 Testing Equipment Market Moves Towards PCI Express External Interfaces.............. II-12 User Programmable Measurement Algorithms on FPGA to Take T&M Instruments to the Next Level II-13 A Peek into Secondary Market Forces Providing a Solid Foundation for Investments in SEMI Equipment II-13 The Emerging Phenomenon of Digital Disruption Provides the Right Business Climate in Favor of Semiconductor ATE II-13 Spurt in Consumer Electronics Supported by the Era of Mobility, Networking & Mobile Computing II-14 Table 3: Stable Momentum in Mobile Device Shipments Spurs Opportunities for ATE for Mobile Device Semiconductors: Global Shipments of Mobile Devices (in Million Units) by Device Type for the Years 2015 through 2018 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)..............II-16 New Network Technologies Encourage Growth in Telecom Investments.............. II-16 Table 4: Growing Spends On High Speed Mobile Networks Benefits Demand for Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) Used for Testing LTE Chipsets: Global CAPEX on 4G/LTE and 5G (In US$ Billion) for the Years 2016, 2018 & 2020 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)..............II-17 Evolution of Smart & Connected Cars Drives the Wave of Automobile Electronification..............II-17 Table 5: Projected Growth in Automotive Electronics Brings Automotive Industry into the Spotlight as a Lucrative End-Use Sector for Semiconductor ATE: Breakdown of the Global Automotive Electronics Market (In US$ Billion) by Application for the Year 2020 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart).............. II-18
Table 6: Explosion of Electronic Systems Expands the Addressable Market Opportunity for Semiconductor ATE in the Auto Electronics Sector: Automotive Electronics as a Percentage of Vehicle Production Cost for the Years 2010, 2020 & 2030 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) II-19 Smart Factories & IIoT to Support the Projected Spurt in Industrial Electronics..............II-19 Table 7: The Projected 27% Growth in Industrial Semiconductors by 2020 Sets the Right Business Climate for Semiconductor ATE in the Industrial Electronics Sector: Breakdown of the World Industrial Semiconductor Market (In US$ Billion) for the Years 2016, 2018 & 2020 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)..............II-20 Growing Complexity of Aerospace Electronics Fuels the Need for Advanced ATE for Avionics Systems II-21 Table 8: Growth in Aerospace Electronics Opens New Market Opportunities for Semiconductor ATE for Avionics: Breakdown of Global Semiconductor Revenues in the Military & Civil Aerospace Sector (In US$ Million) for the Years 2016, 2018 & 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) II-22 A Peek into the Competitive Climate II-22 Market Outlook.............. II-23
2. PRODUCT OVERVIEW.............. II-24 Automated Test Equipment (ATE) II-24 Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) II-24 Components of an ATE..............II-24 Testers.............. II-24 Handler or Prober.............. II-24 Contactor.............. II-25 Interface Boards..............II-25 Mass Interconnect.............. II-25 Controller.............. II-25 Industrial PC.............. II-25 Software Component..............II-25 Types of Testing Methods..............II-25 Applications of ATE..............II-26 Benefits of Automated Testing II-26 Disadvantages of Automated Testing II-27
3. PRODUCT INNOVATIONS/INTRODUCTIONS II-28 Advantest Introduces EVA100 Digital Solution II-28 Advantest Introduces New High-Speed T5851 Semiconductor Memory Tester.............. II-28 Advantest to Showcase TS9000 MTA, and NEW TDR Terahertz Analysis Systems for Advanced ICs II-28 Advantest to Display Latest Semiconductor T&M and Nanotechnology Solutions at SEMICON Europa in Germany II-28 Advantest Launches HSM16G Test Card II-28 inTEST Thermal Solutions Introduces Benchtop Systems for IC Temperature Testing..............II-28 Teradyne to Display Integrated Lab and Production Testing Solutions at SEMICON China..............II-29 Marvin Test Solutions Introduces TS-960 Bringing Semiconductor Testing Platform.............. II-29 Advantest Launches New Parametric Measurement Module for Enhancing SoC Testing Capabilities of T2000 Platform II-29 Advantest Launches Sophisticated Tester for Display Driver Semiconductors Used in High-Resolution LCD Panels II-29 STAr Technologies Introduces Hybrid ATE for Testing 3D ICs II-29 NI Announces PXI-Based Test Systems II-29 Advantest Introduces New T2000 1.6GDM Digital Module for Testing SoC Devices on T2000 Test Platform II-29 Advantest Introduces New DPS128HV Module II-30 Advantest Launches Two Test Modules for Advanced RF Based ICs II-30
4. RECENT INDUSTRY ACTIVITY..............II-31 aps Solutions and Mechanical Devices Ltd. Enter into a Distributor & Service Agreement II-31 NI Partners with Astronics for Strengthening Traditional Aerospace and Defense Test Systems II-31 NCIA Enters into MoU with Fabtronic & Advantest for a New Chip Test Lab.............. II-31 Advantest Delivers 4000th V93000 Semiconductor Test Solution to Ardentec.............. II-31 Advantest Receives First Order from Shanghai Haier IC for V93000 Semiconductor Test System II-31 Boston Semi Equipment Combines All of its ATE Businesses to Create Largest Independent ATE Organization II-31 Boston Semi Equipment to Take Up Direct Sales & Service for Aetrium Hndlers in Asia..............II-32 Aemulus to Produce RF Semiconductor Tester II-32 Unisem Chooses J750-LitePoint for Testing Wireless Connectivity Semiconductor Devices II-32
5. FOCUS ON SELECT GLOBAL PLAYERS..............II-33 Advantest Corporation (Japan)..............II-33 Cobham Plc (UK).............. II-33 Lorlin Test Systems, Inc. (US) II-34 Astronics Test Systems, Inc. (US) II-34 Chroma ATE Inc. (Taiwan)..............II-35 CREA (Collaudi Elettronici Automatizzati S.r.l.) (Italy) II-35 LTX-Credence Corporation (US)..............II-36 Marvin Test Solutions, Inc. (US) II-37 National Instruments Corporation (US) II-37 Roos Instruments, Inc. (US)..............II-37 STAr Technologies, Inc. (Taiwan) II-38 Teradyne, Inc. (US).............. II-38
6. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE..............II-40 Table 9: World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Geographic Region - US, Japan, Europe, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Rest of World Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2015 through 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)..............II-40
Table 10: World Historic Review for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Geographic Region - US, Japan, Europe, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Rest of World Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2009 through 2014 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) II-41
Table 11: World 14-Year Perspective for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Dollar Sales for US, Japan, Europe, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Rest of World Markets for Years 2009, 2016 & 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) II-42 Semiconductor ATE End-Use Application Markets by Country/Region II-43 Table 12: World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) in Consumer Electronics Applications by Geographic Region - US, Japan, Europe, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Rest of World Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2015 through 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) II-43
Table 13: World Historic Review for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) in Consumer Electronics Applications by Geographic Region - US, Japan, Europe, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Rest of World Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2009 through 2014 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) II-44
Table 14: World 14-Year Perspective for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) in Consumer Electronics Applications by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Dollar Sales for US, Japan, Europe, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Rest of World Markets for Years 2009, 2016 & 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) II-45
Table 15: World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) in Telecom & IT Device Applications by Geographic Region - US, Japan, Europe, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Rest of World Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2015 through 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) II-46
Table 16: World Historic Review for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) in Telecom & IT Device Applications by Geographic Region - US, Japan, Europe, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Rest of World Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2009 through 2014 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) II-47
Table 17: World 14-Year Perspective for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) in Telecom & IT Device Applications by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Dollar Sales for US, Japan, Europe, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Rest of World Markets for Years 2009, 2016 & 2022(includes corresponding Graph/Chart) II-48
Table 18: World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) in Other Applications by Geographic Region - US, Japan, Europe, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Rest of World Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2015 through 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) II-49
Table 19: World Historic Review for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) in Other Applications by Geographic Region - US, Japan, Europe, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Rest of World Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2009 through 2014 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)..............II-50
Table 20: World 14-Year Perspective for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) in Other Applications by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Dollar Sales for US, Japan, Europe, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Rest of World Markets for Years 2009, 2016 & 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)..............II-51 Semiconductor ATE Market by Product Type II-52 Table 21: World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Product Type - Memory, Non-Memory and Others Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2015 through 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) II-52
Table 22: World Historic Review for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Product Type - Memory, Non-Memory and Others Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2009 through 2014 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)..............II-53
Table 23: World 14-Year Perspective for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Product Type - Percentage Breakdown of Dollar Sales for Memory, Non-Memory and Others Markets for Years 2009, 2016 & 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart).............. II-54 Semiconductor ATE Market by Component II-55 Table 24: World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Component - Contactors, Testers and Others Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2015 through 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) II-55
Table 25: World Historic Review for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Component - Contactors, Testers and Others Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2009 through 2014 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)..............II-56
Table 26: World 14-Year Perspective for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Component - Percentage Breakdown of Dollar Sales for Contactors, Testers and Others Markets for Years 2009, 2016 & 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart).............. II-57
III. MARKET
1. THE UNITED STATES.............. III-1 A.Market Analysis.............. III-1 Current & Future Scenario..............III-1 Semiconductor ATE Vendors Adopt Novel Strategies to Tackle Competition Pressure..............III-1 Military Spending Cuts Fuel Trend towards Refinement of Legacy Test Systems..............III-1 Demand for Military Testing Systems for MRO Services on the Rise.............. III-2 Growing Call for Common Core ATE for All Armed Forces III-3 New Standards and Synthetic Instrumentation to Lay Foundation for New-Generation Military ATE III-4 Unmanned Aerial Systems - A Fast Emerging Segment for Military ATE.............. III-4 Product Launches..............III-4 Strategic Corporate Developments III-5 Key Players.............. III-6 B.Market Analytics..............III-10 Table 27: The US Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2015 through 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) III-10
Table 28: The US Historic Review for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2009 through 2014 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) III-11
Table 29: The US 14-Year Perspective for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Percentage Breakdown of Dollar Sales for Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets for Years 2009, 2016 & 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) III-12
2. JAPAN.............. III-13 A.Market Analysis.............. III-13 Current & Future Analysis..............III-13 Product Launches..............III-13 Key Player.............. III-14 B.Market Analytics..............III-16 Table 30: Japanese Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2015 through 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart).............. III-16
Table 31: Japanese Historic Review for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2009 through 2014 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) III-17
Table 32: Japanese 14-Year Perspective for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Percentage Breakdown of Dollar Sales for Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets for Years 2009, 2016 & 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) III-18
3. EUROPE.............. III-19 A.Market Analysis.............. III-19 Current and Future Scenario..............III-19 Strategic Corporate Development III-19 Key Players.............. III-19 B.Market Analytics..............III-21 Table 33: European Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2015 through 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart).............. III-21
Table 34: European Historic Review for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2009 through 2014 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) III-22
Table 35: European 14-Year Perspective for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Percentage Breakdown of Dollar Sales for Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets for Years 2009, 2016 & 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) III-23
4. CHINA.............. III-24 A.Market Analysis.............. III-24 Current and Future Scenario..............III-24 Strategic Corporate Development III-24 B.Market Analytics..............III-25 Table 36: Chinese Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2015 through 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) III-25
Table 37: Chinese Historic Review for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2009 through 2014 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) III-26
Table 38: Chinese 14-Year Perspective for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Percentage Breakdown of Dollar Sales for Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets for Years 2009, 2016 & 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) III-27
5. SOUTH KOREA.............. III-28 A.Market Analysis.............. III-28 Current and Future Scenario..............III-28 B.Market Analytics..............III-28 Table 39: South Korean Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2015 through 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart).............. III-28
Table 40: South Korean Historic Review for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2009 through 2014 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) III-29
Table 41: South Korean 14-Year Perspective for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Percentage Breakdown of Dollar Sales for Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets for Years 2009, 2016 & 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) III-30
6. TAIWAN.............. III-31 A.Market Analysis.............. III-31 Current and Future Scenario..............III-31 Large Electronic Device Manufacturing & Semiconductor Fabrication Industries Makes Taiwan the Largest Market for Semiconductor ATE..............III-31 Product Launch.............. III-31 Strategic Corporate Development III-31 Key Players.............. III-32 B.Market Analytics..............III-33 Table 42: Taiwan Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2015 through 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) III-33
Table 43: Taiwan Historic Review for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2009 through 2014 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) III-34
Table 44: Taiwan 14-Year Perspective for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Percentage Breakdown of Dollar Sales for Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets for Years 2009, 2016 & 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) III-35
7. REST OF WORLD.............. III-36 A.Market Analysis.............. III-36 Current and Future Scenario..............III-36 Strategic Corporate Developments III-36 B.Market Analytics..............III-37 Table 45: Rest of World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2015 through 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart).............. III-37
Table 46: Rest of World Historic Review for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2009 through 2014 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) III-38
Table 47: Rest of World 14-Year Perspective for Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) by Application - Percentage Breakdown of Dollar Sales for Consumer Electronics, Telecom & IT and Others Markets for Years 2009, 2016 & 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) III-39
IV. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Total Companies Profiled: 35 (including Divisions/Subsidiaries - 40)
The United States (23) Canada (1) Japan (4) Europe (8) - France (1) - Germany (1) - The United Kingdom (2) - Italy (3) - Rest of Europe (1) Asia-Pacific (Excluding Japan) (4)
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[July 11, 2016] Fitch Rates Lee County School Board, FL's COPs 'AA-'; Outlook Stable
Fitch Ratings has assigned a 'AA-' rating to the following Lee County School Board, FL certificates of participation (COPs) : --$60,080,000 COPs, series 2016A. The COPs will be sold via negotiation the week of July 18. Proceeds will be used to finance the acquisition, construction, and installation of a new high school. Fitch affirms the following Lee County School Board ratings: --Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'AA'; --COPs, series 2006A, 2012B, 2014A, and 2014B, at 'AA-'. SECURITY The COPs are payable from installment payments made by the Lee County School Board subject to annual appropriation. The COPs are also backed by a leasehold security interest in certain school facilities. KEY RATING DRIVERS The 'AA' IDR reflects the school board's history of generally stable financial results and maintenance of reserves that provide a strong cushion against unforeseen revenue changes and other budgetary challenges. The rating is also supported by expectations for continued low long-term liabilities despite the potential for additional issuances to fund growth-driven new school construction. The district retains a solid capacity to control its main expenditure drivers, but revenues are largely dictated by the state legislature and changes in the district tax base with only marginal independent ability to increase revenue. The 'AA-' rating on the COPs is one notch below the IDR, reflecting the slightly higher degree of optionality associated with lease payments subject to appropriation. Economic Resource Base The Lee County School Board covers the same geographic territory as Lee County, encompassing an area of approximately 811 square miles along Florida's Gulf Coast including the cities of Fort Myers and Cape Coral and Sanibel Island. Enrollment was 88,335 in 2015 and has expanded at a steady pace. Economic activity is driven by healthcare, tourism, and construction with each sector fueled by strong growth in the county population over the last several decades and a significant retiree presence. While current employment and housing metrics are strong, the growth driven nature of the economy exposes it to periodic downshifts. Resident income and educational attainment are generally in line with state norms. Revenue Framework: 'a' factor assessment The district's revenue framework assessment reflects its strong prospects for revenue growth driven by the expansion of its population and enrollment. These positive growth factors are balanced against the district's dependence on state-determined revenues and lack of independent revenue raising authority. Expenditure Framework: 'aa' factor assessment Enrollment, salary and benefit costs related to teachers are the main drivers of school district expenditures. While the district retains solid legal control over employee-related expenditures, they do create some pressure on the budget as the district retains fairly limited capacity under state class size legislation guidelines. Fixed cost charges associated with debt and retiree benefit liabilities are low at less than 10% of spending. Long-Term Liability Burden: 'aaa' factor assessment The district's long-term liability burden is low at close to 4% of personal income. District debt, which makes up about half of the long-term liability metric, is repaid rapidly providing flexibility for future borrowing needs. Pension benefits are provided through the state administered Florida Retirement System (FRS); the Fitch-adjusted funded ratio for FRS is 84% based on most recent actuarial data. Operating Performance: 'aaa' factor assessment District revenues have exhibited a relatively low level of volatility through prior economic cycles. and the district consistently maintains a solid financial cushion that positions it to manage the challenges associated with a moderate downturn while maintaining a high level of financial flexibility. RATING SENSITIVITIES Financial Resilience: Prolonged deterioration in the district's financial resilience or budget flexibility could result in consideration of a rating downgrade. Revenue Profile Shift: Although not anticipated, developments that enhance the district's independent revenue raising authority and overall financial flexibility could result in consideration of a rating upgrade. CREDIT PROFILE Estimated at 682,822 in 2015, the county's population has risen 10% since 2010 and nearly 55% since 2000. The local economy is greatly influenced by growth driven demand for construction and housing. Unemployment surged to a high of 12.5% in 2009 during the midst of the housing market collapse, which saw median home values in Lee County slide roughly 55% from peak to trough according to Zillow Group. Home values are up 12% on the year to almost $210,000 or about 70% of the pre-recession peak and Zillow forecasts an additional 4% gain in value over the ensuing year. Annual employment increased 29% from 2010-2015 and the county's May 2016 jobless rate of 4% is equal to that of the state and below the 4.6% national benchmark. IHS (News - Alert) forecasts nonfarm employment and population growth of 2.3% and 2.4% per year from 2016-2020 for the Cape Coral-Fort Myers metro area. Fitch believes these factors support expectations for continued growth in enrollment, the key driver of district revenue. Revenue Framework The Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) is the primary mechanism for funding the operating costs of Florida school districts. The FEFP process determines a base per student funding level split between state funds, largely derived from statewide sales ta revenue, and local funds via the required local millage rate established pursuant to state statutory procedure. Discretionary taxes for operations and capital/maintenance are also levied by the district up to the statutory maximum rates of 0.748 mills and 1.5 mills, respectively.
General fund revenues have grown at a strong pace exceeding the rate of U.S. economic performance over the prior 10 years, which is largely due the district's better than 2% annual growth in enrollment and to a lesser extent taxable assessed value (TAV) that benefitted discretionary tax revenues, as the base level of FEFP funding was nearly flat during this period. Fitch anticipates moderate growth in enrollment going forward based on expectations for economic and population growth in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers metro area. Furthermore, state revenue performance has returned to steady growth, which should benefit FEFP funding levels absent education funding policy changes. The enacted state budget for fiscal 2017 includes a roughly 1% increase in the level of per pupil funding. Although Florida school districts essentially have very limited ability to independently increase general fund revenues, this limitation is not as significant a factor in the assessment of the revenue framework given the recognition of K-12 education as fundamentally a state responsibility and the strong foundation of state support for education funding.
Expenditure Framework Salaries and benefits account for more than 70% of general fund spending; purchased services including engineering, auditing, and other consulting costs make up the bulk of other operating costs. Fitch expects the pace of spending growth will generally match revenue trends going forward as increased spending demands fueled by enrollment growth are funded by corresponding increases in FEFP funding and increased local revenues fueled by tax base expansion. Wages and benefits are collectively bargained between the district and unions representing teachers and support staff. Both unions are operating under current contracts with wage reopeners. The district characterizes its relationship with labor as collaborative. Under Florida law a bargaining impasse is ultimately resolved by action of the governing body of the local government following the conclusion of a non-binding mediation process. Personnel costs are also influenced by Florida's class size legislation, which imposes minimum student-teacher ratios at different grade levels. The district is essentially in full compliance with class size requirements; it reports being out of compliance by two students in one classroom in one of its barrier island schools. Spending related to debt service, pension, and retiree health benefits consume a relatively modest share of general fund resources at roughly 9% of spending. Fitch expects the district's carrying charges related to these liabilities to rise moderately based on future debt issuance plans to fund new school construction necessary to meet enrollment growth. Long-Term Liability Burden Long-term liabilities associated with debt and the district's share of the net pension liability of the Florida Retirement System (FRS) are estimated by Fitch at 4% of personal income (or 1.3% of market value). The long-term liability metric would remain well within the 10% threshold for a 'aaa' assessment after conservatively factoring in potential debt issuance to fund the district's 2016-2020 capital plan, which totals roughly $360 million excluding debt service on outstanding obligations. The district has approximately $410 million of debt outstanding as of June 30, 2015 which amortizes at a rapid rate of more than 70% in 10 years. Direct debt accounts for roughly 50% of the long-term liability metric and is almost entirely comprised of certificate of participation (COP) indebtedness. Installment payments due on outstanding COPs are essentially paid from revenue generated from the levy of the 1.5 mill local option capital outlay tax. Up to three-fourths of the proceeds of the tax are made available to make installment payments due on outstanding COPs (this limitation is waived for all lease purchase agreements entered prior to June 30, 2009). Fitch estimates revenue from the local option capital outlay tax of $54.2 million based on a TAV of $37.7 billion for fiscal 2015 and 96% collection rate. MADS on all outstanding COPs will total less than $45 million following this issuance. The balance of the local option capital outlay tax after the payment of COP installment payments is available for capital investment on a pay-as-you-go basis. Operating Performance The three-year revenue scenario generated by Fitch's analytical sensitivity tool (FAST (News - Alert)) depicts a relatively low level of volatility in response to a moderate economic downturn. The relative stability of the district's general fund revenues is underpinned by its favorable enrollment history. During the last economic downturn the district experienced only a single year of enrollment loss, a 1% drop off in fiscal 2009 before returning to consistent growth of 1-2% per annum. In the unaddressed scenario the district would maintain a minimum financial cushion equivalent to 10% of spending, well above the reserve safety margins for 'aaa' level financial resilience that corresponds with Fitch's view of the district's inherent budget flexibility. The district's budget management has been sound and is evidenced in the maintenance of a large financial cushion throughout varying operating environments. The district does not have a formal fund balance policy, but general fund unrestricted or unreserved balances have equaled no less than 11% of spending over the prior decade and 16% at the end of fiscal 2015. The district does not have a formal fund balance policy. Florida law establishes a minimum unrestricted general fund balance equal to 2% of projected revenue for all school districts. The fiscal 2016 budget depicts a net operating loss of $78.3 million after transfers and a general fund balance equal to $51 million at year end or 6.5% of spending. Historical results tend to show a very favorable variance relative to the budget (the fiscal 2015 budget depicted a similarly large drawdown and year end fund balance). This is explained in part by a state law requirement that school districts apply a collection rate of 96% to budgeted property tax revenue. Actual collection rates have averaged 98% the last 10 years. The district also conservatively budgets instructional expenses achieving a savings of roughly 10% or $50 million relative to the budget in fiscal 2015. Management reports similar financial results for fiscal 2016 compared to last with a moderate use of fund balance of up to $3 million in the worst case scenario (or approximately 0.5% of spending). Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'. In addition to the sources of information identified in Fitch's applicable criteria specified below, this action was informed by information from Lumesis and InvestorTools. Applicable Criteria U.S. Tax-Supported Rating Criteria (pub. 18 Apr 2016) https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=879478 Additional Disclosures Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/press_releases/content/ridf_frame.cfm?pr_id=1008719 Solicitation Status https://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=1008719 Endorsement Policy https://www.fitchratings.com/jsp/creditdesk/PolicyRegulation.faces?context=2&detail=31 ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTP://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON (News - Alert) THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEBSITE 'WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM'. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE 'CODE OF CONDUCT' SECTION OF THIS SITE. FITCH MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLE SERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THIS SERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTERED ENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCH WEBSITE. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160711006378/en/
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[July 12, 2016] Handheld Launches the Nautiz X2 All-in-one Rugged Android Device
LIDKOPING, Sweden, July 12, 2016 /CNW/ - Handheld Group, a leading manufacturer of rugged mobile computers, today announced the new Nautiz X2 enterprise handheld which integrates a high-quality scanner, camera and mobile phone while offering the most compact and ergonomic form factor on the market. The Nautiz X2 gives enterprise users an all-in-one mobile computer that can handle all the tasks of a day's work, with built-in ruggedness that allows it to be used anywhere from a warehouse to challenging outdoor environments with moisture, dust, extreme high or low temperatures and potential drops. To view the Multimedia News Release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7832051-handheld-launches-nautiz-x2-rugged-android/ The Nautiz X2 offers the most complete and versatile set of features and capabilities available: Computing power comes from a quad-core processor and easy-to-use Android 5.1 Lollipop OS.
High-quality, high-speed scanners offer 1D or 2D capability.
The integrated camera offers 8-megapixel clarity, with autofocus and flash.
The Nautiz X2 delivers 4G/LTE Android phone functionality.
It comes with Google GMS, allowing users to use Google Maps and download Play Store apps.
The sunlight-readable 4.7-inch capacitive display offers multi-touch sensitivity. The Nautiz 2 offers the best value among comparable handhelds. But what sets it apart is its combination of small size, light weight and sleek design.
"The challenge in designing market leading devices in a given product category, is to balance key factors like technology, design, materials and general usability as well as keeping the cost in mind," says Johan Hed, Handheld Group director of product management. "The brilliance of the Nautiz X2 is that it has that tangible in-the-hand sense of form and fit of high-end technology device, and we are still able to offer it at an impressive value." The Nautiz X2 measures 150 mm x 73.5 mm, is just 16 mm deep at the keyboard, and weighs only 230 grams. It has an IP65 ingress protection rating against dust, sand and water immersion. It also meets stringent MIL-STD-810G military test standards for overall durability and resistance to humidity, shock, vibrations, drop, salt and extreme temperatures. The touchscreen is made of Gorilla Glass for increased durability.
Availability Orders for the Nautiz X2 can be placed immediately. Full production is expected in July. Helpful links NAUTIZ X2 product specification
Press images
Product introduction webinar
About Handheld Group
Handheld product lineup
What does rugged mean? Tweet this: Handheld introduces new NAUTIZ X2 all-in-one rugged android handheld with high quality scanner http://www.handheldgroup.com/X2 About Handheld The Handheld Group is a manufacturer of rugged mobile computers, PDAs and tablets. Handheld and its partners worldwide deliver complete mobility solutions to businesses in industries such as geomatics, logistics, forestry, public transportation, utilities, construction, maintenance, mining, military and security. The Handheld Group of Sweden has local offices in Finland, the U.K., the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Australia and the USA. For more information, please see http://www.handheldgroup.com (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160711/388330 ) Video: http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7832051-handheld-launches-nautiz-x2-rugged-android/ SOURCE Handheld Group
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[July 12, 2016] United States Postal Service Optimizes Business Operations With Real-Time Visibility and Analytics From Kinetica
Kinetica, the leading provider of analytical in-memory databases powered by graphics processing units (GPUs), today announced that its success with the United States Postal Service (USPS) earned the world's largest logistics organization recognition as a 2016 winner of International Data Corporation (IDC (News - Alert))'s HPC Innovation Excellence Awards. USPS (News - Alert) has deployed Kinetica to optimize the operations of its several-hundred-thousand vehicles and employees, using visualizations and analytics of real-time data to efficiently deliver goods to the more than 154 million addresses across the United States. Faced with the daunting task of managing the nation's postal service with increasingly limited resources, USPS needs to continuously improve safety, efficiency, and services without overspending. The complexities and dynamics of USPS' logistics have reached all-time highs, while consumers have greater demands and more alternative options than ever before; they require sophisticated services like just-in-time supplies, tracking and delivery updates, and dynamic shipment routing. Improving end-to-end business process performance while concurrently reducing costs requires the ability to make fast business decisions based on live data. USPS implmented Kinetica, which merges the query needs of the traditional relational database developer with the scalability demands of the modern IoT-centric enterprise, to address this challenge. Kinetica's proven success at organizations like USPS and the US Army has led to significant traction of the Kinetica database within the broader transportation and logistics space.
Incubated in 2009, the platform - then known as GIS Federal - was designed as a geospatial and temporal computational engine for the United States Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) at Fort Belvoir. The in-memory, GPU-powered database was built from the ground up to deliver truly real-time insights on data in motion, and in the seven years since its incubation has been hardened into an enterprise-grade platform. USPS went live with Kinetica in a five nines high-availability production environment in November 2014, and the platform hasn't had an outage since. Today USPS runs Kinetica in a load balanced, distributed, multi-rack environment spanning numerous datacenters, running on HP Enterprise servers with Nvidia GPUs. The platform supports 15,000 concurrent users and ingests data from more than 200,000 scan devices.
"The HPC Innovation Excellence Awards recognize organizations that have excelled in applying advanced supercomputing technologies to accelerate innovation and generate ROI while benefiting science, engineering, and society at large," said Kevin Monroe, senior research analyst at IDC. "USPS' application of Kinetica enhances the quality of service that US citizens receive by giving them a better, more predictable experience sending and receiving mail." "We're honored to have had the opportunity to partner with the US Postal Service and are humbled by the profound impact our technology is having on their everyday business operations," said Amit Vij, co-founder and CEO, Kinetica. "This IDC Award demonstrates the tremendous value that real-time analytics and visualizations can have when applied to solve supply chains, logistics, and a range of other business challenges." About Kinetica Kinetica uniquely addresses today's data paradigm by bringing Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) to the datacenter. Kinetica's analytical in-memory database powered by GPUs was built from the ground up to deliver truly real-time insights on data in motion: 100 to 1,000x faster performance at 10 to 25% of the cost of traditional data platforms. Kinetica merges the query needs of the traditional relational database developer with the scalability demands of the modern IoT-centric enterprise. Learn more: kinetica.com. Connect with Kinetica Twitter (News - Alert): twitter.com/KineticaDB
Facebook (News - Alert): facebook.com/KineticaDB
Contact: kinetica.com/#contact View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160712005529/en/
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[July 12, 2016] Turing Robotic Industries Ships Turing Phone
SALO, Finland, July 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- TRI (Turing Robotic Industries), the trustworthy mobile device company, today shipped the world's first liquid-metal smartphones. The Turing Cardinal, Pharaoh, Beowulf, Dark Wyvern, and DW Glaedr phones are in transit and will reach customers throughout July. "Over the past year, we optimized the Turing Phone to achieve the highest levels of durability ever offered in a mobile device," said Syl Chao, CEO of TRI. "We experienced more than a few challenges, but we wanted the phone to be perfect, and we're glad we waited to deliver a product in which we have total confidence." The Turing Phone is an ultra-secure, ultra-durable smartphone made of TRI Alloy217, a proprietary liquid-metal that is tougher than titanium and steel (TRI switched the formula from Eontec, formerly known as Liquidmorphium, to TRI's own Alloy217 earlier this year). A blend of zirconium, copper, aluminum, nickel, and titanium, TRI Alloy217 is melted at a high temperature melting chamber and vertically injected into a mold to create the Turing Phone frame with virtually no waste. At 85 percent TRI Alloy217, the Turing Phone is more resilient than any other smartphone on the market yet conceals this strength behind a unique design. Industrial yet futuristic. The Turing Phone also ffers unparalleled privacy through a security system Inspired by Alan Turing's work in cryptography. It's the first phone that uses offline encryption-key distribution infrastructure to verify and authenticate the identity of other phones without a third party. This means that Turing Phone owners can communicate with each other without fear of impersonators or eavesdroppers.
Since announcing the Turing Phone, TRI has made significant improvements. Most notably, TRI switched from Android to Sailfish OS. The company made this decision to ensure secure connections between the Turing Phone and devices in the "Internet of Things" (IoT). Customers will still be able to use their favorite Android apps on Sailfish OS. Thus, the change has no impact on the Turing Phone user experience. "We work with Jolla and other security software firms to make Sailfish OS more secure," explains Chao. "Until smartphones address fundamental privacy and security concerns, we can't see the Internet of Things flourishing. Even with the trust mechanisms we've developed, Android presented too much of a risk."
Full specs on the Turing Phone are available at www.turingphone.com About TRI Inspired by Alan Turing's work in mathematics, cryptography, and artificial intelligence, TRI (Turing Robotic Industries) builds trustworthy mobile technologies. The company's mission is to help individuals and organizations create trustworthy networks in which communications and data are safe from cyber threats. To achieve this, Turing Phone facilitates an offline authentication process through static key exchange. Turing's anonymous key distribution technology is able to provide unique identifiers and trustworthy connectivity for an infinite number of devices. Turing Robotic Industries is based in Salo, Finland with offices in San Francisco, California and Shenzhen, China. Learn more at www.turingroboticindustries.com To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/turing-robotic-industries-ships-turing-phone-300297311.html SOURCE Turing Robotic Industries
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DECATUR -- A 40-year-old Decatur man is listed in serious condition after he was shot in the chest by a Decatur police officer early Monday.
Police allege Lonnie D. Mitchell II, an African-American, was armed with a BB gun and had a knife strapped to his wrist during a 1 a.m encounter with two white patrol officers responding to the 800 block of East Main Street after witness reports of a man with a gun.
Speaking at a press conference at Decatur Police Headquarters, interim Police Chief Jim Getz passed around pictures of the gun. As you can see, the BB gun has the appearance of a real firearm, said Getz. The picture showed a weapon shaped to look like a semi-automatic handgun.
Getz named officers Andrew Whittmer and Jason Danner as those involved; Whittmer, an officer for five years, was identified as firing the single shot that struck Mitchell in the chest. I would note that there was one round fired by officer Whittmer during the encounter which subsequently ended the threat, was how chief Getz described the shooting. He refused to take questions, citing the pending investigation into the circumstances of the shooting.
Getz added that in-car video from police vehicles had captured part of the police encounter with Mitchell and that was being reviewed by Illinois State Police investigators who are now probing the death; the Decatur officers involved were not equipped with body cameras. Getz said the investigators interviewed witnesses and are working in cooperation with the Macon County State's Attorney's office.
Describing the aftermath of the shooting, Getz said police at the scene provided Mitchell with medical attention and kept it going until paramedics from Decatur Ambulance Service arrived and took over. Mitchell was later rushed to St. Mary's Hospital.
The Decatur Police Department is committed to providing a fair, accurate and independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding this officer-involved shooting, the police chief said, asking that everyone remain peaceful and reserve judgment.
The shooting early Monday came at a particularly sensitive time as the nation grappled with the death of two black men shot to death by police in Minnesota and Louisiana, followed by the retaliatory murders of five Dallas policemen by a lone sniper. Getz, other law enforcement officers, community leaders and pastors had a attended a Decatur prayer vigil Sunday night that prayed for healing and unity in the wake of the violence rocking American society.
We had such a wonderful prayer vigil last night and we'd walked out so hopeful and united, lamented Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe, contrasting the mood of that gathering with the tragedy of the shooting. There isn't a mayor or police chief or anybody in any city who wants to wake up to this kind of news, she added.
Her message to her city was to remain calm and await the outcome of the state police investigation. Let's let the process work, let's get the facts before we jump to conclusions or take sides, the mayor added.
Jeanelle Norman, president of the Decatur NAACP branch, praised the police for working hard to establish relationships with the black community and building protocols designed to be used in an emergency. Part of that protocol is a group called Area Leaders Educators Response Team which involves a team of civilians called in and briefed by police after a violent event and kept apprised of what is going on. Norman, who is part of the team and was alerted immediately by Getz following the shooting, said the idea is for ALERT members to provide a calming stream of factual information to keep the community informed and to counteract exaggerated rumors that stir up trouble.
That is the key, to stop the rumor mill, she explained. We want people to have the facts, not made-up information.
She said exaggerated and incorrect rumors were quickly making the rounds in the wake of the Decatur shooting and ALERT members moved swiftly to counteract them and provide people with the truth. She also counseled remaining calm and waiting for the investigation to run its course. She said people are concerned, and rightly so, but staying calm and avoiding angry reactions that could create the conditions for more violence is essential.
If things go bad in this community, as we've seen in other communities, it will take too many years for us to heal, warned Norman.
MATTOON -- Staff, volunteers and parishioners at the Salvation Army in Mattoon recently welcomed new officers to this post.
Majors Jason and Carrie Pollom assumed their new responsibilities on June 29 after having previously served with the Salvation Army for five years in Jackson, Mich. They have been officers with the Salvation Army for more than 20 years, with other postings in northern Indiana and Illinois.
Jason Pollom said they have been getting to know the Mattoon post and they plan to continue offering the array of social services and community programs offered locally by the Salvation Army.
"We are glad to be here and we hope our time here will be very productive for the Salvation Army and the community," Jason Pollom said. He added that they may be able to expand the services and programs if the Mattoon post receives grants applied for by the previous officers -- Lieutenants Daniel and Claudia Simmons.
The Polloms said the Salvation Army periodically moves its officers to different posts. Carrie Pollom said the average posting is four to six years, but postings can be shorter or longer.
"They try to place you based on your skills and experience with a location that needs that particular skill set," Carrie Pollom said. She added that, "Jason is very good at administration, making sure property is kept up, things run smoothly in the office, and the budget is adhered to."
Carrie Pollom said she is more "people oriented" and "loves working with the kids." She said the Mattoon post has a summer day camp that has registered 77 children and has an average daily attendance of 50-60 children. She said the after-school program in the fall and spring has an average daily attendance of 50, too.
In addition, she said the Salvation Army serves local school-age children from families in financial need by bringing hot meals to their neighborhoods through the Food on the Move program.
Carrie Pollom said she also has been impressed by the Salvation Army thrift store that is located at the Mattoon post, 1300 Richmond Ave.
"The thrift store crew is amazing. They have that system down and the store has been very successful in recent years," Carrie Pollom said. "We are amazed by how well it runs and what a good job they do."
Proceeds from goods that community members purchase at the store comprise a significant portion of the budget for the Salvation Army's local social services and community programs, the Polloms said. The social services include a food pantry, clothing and furniture vouchers, and utility and rent assistance.
As part of their responsibilities, the Polloms will lead Sunday school at 10 a.m. and a worship service at 11 a.m. every Sunday at the post.
Jason Pollom, a Wisconsin native, said Mattoon is the southernmost post that he and his wife, a Michigan native, have served at so far during their time with the Salvation Army. He said they have been warmly welcomed in Mattoon, including receiving a welcome banner signed by day campers and many other well-wishers.
"We are thankful for the welcome we have received," Jason Pollom said. His wife added, "We just really feel a warm, friendly and at-home atmosphere here and we love it."
MATTOON (JG-TC) -- Officers with the Mattoon Police Department made three arrests for drunk driving as part of stepped-up patrols during the Fourth of July holiday season.
In addition, the officers on these patrols made an arrest for illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor and issued a seat-belt citation.
Capt. Ray Hall said in a press release that, on average, one person was killed every 53 minutes in a drunk-driving crash in the United States in 2014. He said that means there was a total of 9,967 drunk-driving fatalities that year in America.
"These enforcement crackdowns are vital because too many people are not heeding the message -- drunk driving is deadly and illegal, Hall said. Alcohol not only dangerously impairs your driving skills, it impairs your judgement. Anytime you see a friend drinking alcohol, make sure they dont plan to drive home.
The Mattoon Police Department joined forces with other law enforcement agencies and highway safety partners throughout the state in the Illinois Independence Day Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over crackdown.
The crackdown, part of the statewide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and Click It or Ticket campaigns, was funded by federal traffic safety funds through the Illinois Department of Transportation.
SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois State Board of Education is backing away from a new standardized test for high school students after just two years.
The board announced Monday that the SAT college entrance exam will be given free of charge to all high school juniors during the 2016-17 school year in place of the controversial Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers exam, known as PARCC for short.
The new test, which was designed to align with the new Common Core learning standards being adopted in Illinois and nearly every other state, was first given in the spring of 2015 and was met with criticism from students, parents, teachers and school administrators alike.
District and school administrators overwhelmingly agree with ISBE that every high school junior should have access to a college entrance exam, a policy that promotes equity and access and that provides each and every student with greater opportunities in higher education, State Superintendent of Education Tony Smith said in a prepared statement. The SAT is aligned with the Illinois Learning Standards and will continue to empower educators to measure college and career readiness.
Schools were already prepared to give the SAT after the state switched away from the rival ACT exam, which was long given as part of the Prairie State Achievement Exam, PARCCs predecessor.
As a result of Mondays announcement, high school juniors will take just one test as part of statewide assessment.
Many local school superintendents were critical of the PARCC exam from the start, and their statewide organization hailed Mondays announcement as the right decision for students.
This will help alleviate the over-testing of students, save valuable classroom time for instruction and learning and also give us useful data regarding where our students stand regarding college and career readiness, Brent Clark, executive director of the Illinois Association of School Administrators, said in a written statement.
Mike Chamness, a spokesman for the association, said one of the most encouraging things about the boards decision is that it was based on student-centered input from teachers and others on the front lines of education.
Its good to see a state agency respond in that way, Chamness said.
Mattoon school district Superintendent Larry Lilly said he is looking forward to determining how to administer the test and inform families of the change.
"The news is still fresh with plenty of unknowns," he said.
Lilly noted that the new test gives a way to measure local students in comparison to those nationwide. PARCC testing has dwindled from state to state, he noted.
"The focus for now will be figuring out how to transition to the new test," Lilly said.
Charleston school district Superintendent Jim Littleford could not be reached for comment by press time Monday.
In its first year, the PARCC exam, which is largely given online, was plagued by technology problems and by thousands of students refusing to take the test. The Illinois House even passed a bill this spring that would create ground rules for parents who want their students to opt out.
The PARCC exam will still be given to students in third through eighth grades.
Nebraska is going back to "The Good Life."
Gov. Pete Ricketts unveiled state government's first unified brand Tuesday, and it takes a nod from the beloved 1970s tourism slogan that still graces highway signs around the state.
The new brand is "Good Life. Great Opportunity."
Versions of that brand, developed by Lincoln advertising firm Firespring for $62,500, will appear on state letterhead, online and in other official capacities.
The tourism slogan will remain "Nebraska Nice" for now but Ricketts encouraged agencies not under his direct control to consider adopting the "Good Life" brand themselves.
He announced the branding at the Cornhusker Marriott before the first Governor's Summit on Economic Development and later revealed the new look to a summit crowd of about 400 people.
"A story will not last if it's not true," the governor said, paraphrasing a quote from John Steinbeck's 1952 novel, "East of Eden."
Ricketts said the unified brand is the first of its kind in state history, although Nebraska lawbooks have listed a different official slogan and symbol since 1963: "Welcome to NEBRASKAland ... where the West begins," accompanied by an image of a horse-drawn wagon.
The governor's office will not seek to have the law rewritten, said Ricketts spokesman Taylor Gage.
Firespring began the branding process in October, and a return to "The Good Life" quickly gained favor, said Dave Snitily, the firm's president. Still, Firespring held input sessions in six cities around Nebraska and surveyed 1,500 to 2,000 business leaders, millennials and others about the new brand.
State agencies may customize the "Good Life" by changing the last word to fit their missions, Ricketts said. Four have already done so.
The Roads Department selected "Good Life. Great Journey." Labor picked "Great Connections," the Nebraska State Patrol chose "Great Tradition" and the Department of Motor Vehicles opted for "Great Future."
"It captures the essential nature of Nebraska," state Economic Development Director Courtney Dentlinger said.
Its pretty easy to stroll through and miss the meat at a couple of the area farmers markets. Farms producing beef, pork, goat, lamb, chicken and even ostrich meat have been steadily dwindling over the last few years. Tucked amid the booths featuring sweet corn, zucchini and tomatoes, though, are a handful of farmers who raise poultry and livestock.
One newcomer this year is Adams-based Docs Holiday Healthy Farms, which features pasture-raised pigs (farrow to finish) and poultry. The generously sized chops include boneless cuts and thicknesses from -inch to 1-inch, and youll also find pork roasts, bacon and lard.
Steven Whitla, who named his farm for his late father who was a doctor at the Veterans Administration Hospital, also raises free-range chicken and ducks, and his trailer with its state-of-the-art coolers keeps the pork, farm-fresh eggs and poultry chilled in the summer heat.
Although Whitla has been farming for more than a dozen years, this is his first season to sell at any of the local farmers markets.
Its important for people to eat good, nutrient-rich food, so I wanted to provide that -- to make sure I raise healthy pigs, ducks and chickens, Whitla said. I also think its important for people to know where their food comes from, and the markets give farmers and shoppers an opportunity to meet. When someone tells me, that pork chop was delicious, or that was the best pork roast Ive ever tasted, well thats what its all about. I enjoy giving someone a great eating experience.
Whitla joined the United States Air Force in 1986 and left as a sergeant in 1990. He worked maintenance at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia and then air crash recovery in Germany. Because he feels strongly that veterans have earned a discount, he takes 10 percent off of their entire purchase.
Youll find Docs Holiday Healthy Farms at the University Place Farmers Market (48th and Leighton streets) on Wednesdays from 3-7 p.m. They also participate in the Fallbrook Farmers Market, 570 Fallbrook Boulevard, on Thursdays from 4:30-8 p.m.
A federal judge Monday rejected the states attempt to block a $1 million settlement between Lancaster County and a man paralyzed in a jail cell.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services wanted to recoup more than half a million dollars spent in Medicaid payments for Arok Atem's bills, but medical bills were not part of his settlement.
In 2013, Atem sued the county, then-Corrections Director Mike Thurber and more than a dozen staff including correctional officers, specialists and nurses, alleging they had caused him to suffer during the time he was left in Holding Cell 1, freezing, wearing only an anti-suicide smock and lying in his own feces after police arrested him April 29, 2011.
Attorney Maren Chaloupka of Scottsbluff said in the suit filed in U.S. District Court in Lincoln that Atem was suicidal, acutely mentally ill and had been given no treatment or anything to eat or drink for at least 36 hours. He was denied a shower, phone call and mattress, she said.
Despite being on suicide observation, Atem lay on the floor of his cell, unable to move, for roughly 18 hours before jailers realized he needed medical attention.
Atem was initially taken to jail in 2011 after being combative at Bryan West Campus, where he was being evaluated for psychiatric illness and minor abrasions. At the time, police described Atem's behavior as a drunken rage.
Two days after his arrest, jail personnel found him on the floor and he was taken to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with spinal cord fractures.
The 26-year-old man now is a quadriplegic.
On Oct. 29, after three years of discovery and briefing in the case, all but one of the defendants agreed to settle for $1 million, the amount the damages would be capped at if Atem had filed the negligence claims under state law rather than federal.
Two weeks later, an attorney for HHS sought to block the settlement.
Special Assistant Attorney General Nathan Watson filed a motion to intervene on behalf of the state's Division of Medicaid and Long-term Care, asking the court not to let Atem off the hook for reimbursing the taxpayers for more than $600,000 in medical assistance spent treating his paralysis.
Watson sought to set aside the settlement because it included no provision to reimburse taxpayers from the anticipated settlement proceeds.
In an order issued Monday, Senior U.S. District Judge Richard Kopf said HHS was correct that federal Medicaid statutes obligate the state to pursue its interest in being reimbursed for bills paid on behalf of Medicaid recipients.
But, because the settlement expressly excludes medical expenses, he found the department is not entitled to any portion of the settlement proceeds.
"From a practical standpoint, I cannot construe federal law to authorize NDHHS to force parties to abandon a voluntary settlement agreement and require those parties to litigate a claim for medical expenses when, after years of discovery, plaintiff's counsel has sworn that the evidence does not support such a claim," Kopf wrote.
A California man was arrested in Lincoln Saturday after a Nebraska State Patrol trooper found 130.3 pounds of pot in his rented Ford Expedition.
Trooper RJ Pelster said he was doing radar patrol along Interstate 80 in Seward County about 5 p.m. when he saw the SUV behind him, driving in the left lane.
Pieter Cramerus changed lanes as he passed the cruiser, Pelster wrote in a probable cause affidavit for his arrest.
Pelster followed, and said Cramerus, 32, slowed from 65 mph to 60, making other drivers pass him. He said Cramerus had violated no traffic laws.
The trooper was forced to pass the Expedition because of traffic behind him, he wrote. As they reached Lincoln, Pelster said, he was going 60 mph, forcing other cars to pass, but Cramerus stayed behind him.
Cramerus took the U.S. 77 exit and pulled into a gas station at Coddington and Rosa Parks Way, wrote the trooper, who followed him.
As Cramerus walked into the station, Pelster said, he greeted him and could smell marijuana coming from him and the SUV, documents say.
Pelster said he looked through the rear windows of the SUV and spotted five large duffel bags that were squared off and full in the cargo area.
When Cramerus came out of the store, Pelster asked for his license and mentioned the marijuana smell. Cramerus denied having any drugs, but Pelster said he conducted a probable cause search and found the duffel bags were stuffed with pot.
Cramerus was charged Monday with possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver. He paid 10 percent of a $25,000 bond set by Lancaster County Judge Thomas Fox and was released Tuesday.
Two 17-year-olds are accused of stealing a Jeep from Lincoln and crashing it in the county early Monday.
Lincoln police investigating a 6 a.m. call about a young man rummaging through a Honda Accord in the 500 block of Trail Ridge Road got word about a stolen Jeep just down the street, Sgt. Randy Clark said.
A Nebraska State Patrol trooper spotted the Jeep about 45 minutes later after it crashed near 148th Street and Plum Ridge Road.
One teen was released to his mom, Clark said.
The other was taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries. While there, he made threats, saying he wants to shoot police officers in the head, Clark said.
He was taken to the Youth Assessment Center in Lincoln.
The more than 50-year ban on electric fences within Lincoln appears to be going the way of horse-drawn carriages and phonograph players.
The city attorneys office made just one change to the proposed ordinance that will allow electric fences, under special conditions, to be used by businesses.
The fences will be allowed only in industrial zoned areas, said Michael Pate of Electric Guard Dog, a security company based in South Carolina that would like to do business in Lincoln and had requested the ordinance change.
The City Council had given city staff two months to look at any potential problems with eliminating the ban.
No one raised any problems at the public hearing Monday afternoon and the council is expected to vote to repeal the ban next week.
The fences are allowed in practically every state, except South Dakota, Pate told the council. We are usually where the people are, he said.
The proposed ordinance would allow an electric fence around businesses, with signs posted and inside a separate perimeter fence.
The fence is an alarm system that notifies the parent company, and acts as a physical deterrent, Pate has said.
Touching the fence is like touching a door handle in your home and seeing a spark, council members have been told.
In other action, the council unanimously approve plans for a five-story apartment complex, with retail on the first floor, at 48th and Holdrege streets.
That approval included about $2.45 million in tax increment financing, a redevelopment agreement with the city and zoning changes.
Councilwoman Cyndi Lamm praised the redevelopment of that area in northeast Lincoln, though residents will miss the businesses there, including the now closed Tastee Inn.
And councilwoman Leirion Gaylor Baird thanked the developers for going beyond city requirements for the appearance of the building and being sensitive to neighbor concerns.
Developers Schafer Richardson Inc. of Minneapolis and Lincoln-based Greenleaf Properties plan to spend about about $16.8 million in private funds on the project.
I have never been entirely comfortable with the name that the Black Lives Matter movement chose for itself.
I get their point. The groups founders didnt mean to imply that other peoples lives dont matter. Their hashtag #BlackLivesMatter aims to protest how black lives didnt seem to matter in a growing list of scandalous police killings.
But right-wingers easily pushed back, dismissing the movement with the retort, All lives matter.
I used the term right-wingers, not conservatives, because true conservatives deplore abuses of state power against individuals. It is the grumpy right-wingers who want those black protesters and their uppity liberal allies to shut up and go away.
To them, All lives matter isnt a slogan or a movement. It is a dismissal. It is an attempt to end dialogue before it has begun.
But the tragic events of recent days should sober all of us Americans up to the need to show that all lives really matter and take action to show it.
The first casualty of the week was Alton Sterling, who police in Baton Rouge busted early Tuesday for selling bootleg CDs. A viral cell phone video shows police forcing him to the ground and restraining him. An officer further away from the camera shouts that the restrained man has a gun. The closer officer draws his weapon and shoots the man on the ground at close range.
Shocking. We might have had better quality video if both officers cameras had not fallen off in the scuffle, according to police. What a sorry coincidence.
The following evening, another black man Philando Castile, 32, was fatally shot by the St. Anthony Police Department in Minnesota, apparently during a traffic stop.
His girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, turned on the one tool she had available, her cell phone. Talking to the officer and repeatedly addressing him as sir, she feeds video and her agitated narration to her Facebook page. As her boyfriend bleeds to death in the drivers seat and her 4-year-old daughter cries in the back seat, we cant see the officers face but we can see his gun, still aimed at Reynolds as she speaks.
Castile was a licensed gun carrier, according to Diamond, and alerted the officer in advance that he had a gun on his person as he reached for his wallet. Where, I wonder, is the National Rifle Association when a gun owner like Castile has his concealed-carry rights violated?
The news turned even more tragic during nationwide protests on Thursday night. A peaceful Dallas protest march turned violent. Sniper fire killed five police officers and wounded seven more, police said. Two civilians also were wounded. Two suspects were taken into custody and a third was killed by police.
Ironically, earlier in the day, President Barack Obama told reporters in Warsaw that the shootings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota were symptomatic of a broader set of racial disparities that exist in our criminal justice system.
He cited statistics that showed that blacks and Hispanic Americans were far more likely to be arrested and shot by police and, once charged, to receive longer sentences for the same crimes.
When people feel they have been treated unfairly and dont trust the police, the president said, it makes the job harder for those law enforcement officers who are doing a great job, and are doing the right thing.
So, when people say black lives matter, he said, it doesnt mean blue lives dont matter, it just means all lives matter.
Indeed, President Obama could have mentioned a recent case that most major media overlooked. Video shows Dylan Noble, an unarmed 19-year-old Fresno teen, was fatally shot June 25 by police as he was lying on the ground after a traffic stop for speeding, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Release of the video led to a large protest vigil. Mourners, not too surprisingly, planted protest signs. Appropriately, they read, White Lives Matter.
Indeed, they do. So do the lives of people of color and police lives, too. The Dallas massacre of innocent police officers hurts everyone. So do misbehaving cops who make it harder for honest cops to do their jobs properly. Those of us who truly believe that all lives matter need to elect leaders who can put some action behind those words.
Olivia Willis, one of the people at the Black Lives Matter rally in Lincoln on Sunday, made a point worth repeating with emotions still raw across the country after the bloody events of last week.
I think everyone can be pro-cop and pro-Black Lives Matter. Thats the way it should be, she told the Journal Stars Katie Knight.
That point was dramatized by the experience of a Dallas woman and her children during the sniper attack in Dallas.
Shetamia Taylor, who is black, said she went to the march with her four sons to protest the killings of black men in Baton Rouge and St. Paul, Minnesota.
Then the sniper unleased his attack. Taylor was struck in the back of her leg. She threw herself over her 15-year-old son.
Then a police officer laid over them to protect them from more bullets. There was another one at our feet. And there was another one over our heads, said Taylor, who spoke from a wheelchair with her leg immobilized.
They had no regard for their own life. They stayed there with us. They surrounded my son and I.
And I saw another officer get shot right in front of me.
Although she was marching with protesters, Taylor said she believes that most police officers deserve praise.
These are the people you call when youre in a situation. You gotta remember that. What are we gonna do if they stop policing?...Who are you gonna call?
Some of the marchers in Lincoln had complimentary remarks about local police-community relations at the march on Sunday, but a brief incident during the rally was a reminder that trouble can erupt with a bad decision or two.
Two white men in a red pickup taunted marchers, who were both black and white. An image captured by Journal Star photographers shows one of the men in the pickup one making an obscene gesture. Protesters threw water bottles. The two men got out of the pickup, but jumped back in and left the scene after they realized how outnumbered they were.
With passions high, the impulse to choose sides is strong. Thats not necessary. Taylor and Willis have the right idea. People can be supportive of both the Black Lives Matter movement and police departments. The two positions are not mutually exclusive.
Communities will be stronger, more resilient and more likely to improve if people are able to look at events with that frame of reference.
In a recent letter to the editor, Social Security is cited as an example of a government program where funds intended for one purpose are diverted for other purposes ("Taxes, government and waste," July 7).
At the end of 2015, the Social Security Trust Fund held more than $2.8 trillion in assets, 99 percent invested in special issue government bonds. By design, the Trust Fund has been growing since the 1980s to cover the costs as more people become eligible for Social Security benefits. The Social Security Trustees report issued last month indicates that the programs income and assets will cover anticipated costs through 2033. In 2034, the trust fund will be depleted. Benefits will be paid from current income, which the trustees expect will cover 79 percent of promised benefits.
More than 325,000 Nebraskans receive retirement, survivor or disability benefits. Social Security provides them with an important degree of financial security. But the program faces challenges. Sometime near the end of the next Presidents term, assets in the Trust Fund will need to pay promised benefits. Voters should consider the candidates positions on Social Security as they weigh their choices in November. You can learn more about where the presidential candidates stand on Social Security at 2016TakeAStand.org.
Mark Intermill, Advocacy Director, AARP, Lincoln
On Tuesday, the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners will be voting on Special Permit #16021 for expanded home occupation to allow a venue for large gatherings at Hillside Event Center, at 12400 West Denton Road.
Situated on 22 acres, this metal building is currently not approved for human use yet has been the site for numerous wedding receptions. Neighbors oppose this change and have experienced loud, drunken behavior, noise associated with a wedding dance, trespassing and other nuisances. We have safety concerns with increased traffic on gravel roads, drunk driving in this rural location and the lack of close proximity to law enforcement, fire or medical resources.
We feel approving this will set a precedent where locations with a building that can be brought up to code will be allowed to hold large commercial events in a rural residential and agricultural area. We urge other citizens to contact their county commissioner to voice their opinion on this change in use from agriculture/residential to commercial. If this is approved, you too can find a weekend bar opening near your rural home with no change in zoning.
Dr. Michael and Jody Rapp, Denton
OMAHA Seven years after a deadly shooting at an Omaha convenience store, the man convicted in the death has been sentenced to life in prison.
A police sergeant has sued the City of Blair for not paying overtime for him to take care of his police service dog when he's off duty.
Travis Lyon, a 16-year veteran, has been a member of the Blair Police Department's K-9 unit since 2004.
Last week, he sued in U.S. District Court in Lincoln alleging the City of Blair was violating the Fair Labor Standards Act by not paying him for providing care for the dog 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including taking care of the dog at home when he's off duty.
The Blair Police Department's policy requires canine handlers to be the primary caretaker of the dog and for the dog to go home with the officer, according to the lawsuit.
Lyon's attorney, Gary Young of Lincoln, said he should be compensated for three years of overtime work spent doing such things as feeding, training, walking and exercising the dog.
Even though the state is landlockedsurrounded on its borders by South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, and WyomingNebraska claims to have more miles of river than any other state. How many? There are approximately 12,370 miles within state lines, according to studies conducted by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. 300 miles of these flowing Nebraska waters belong to the Missouri River alone, which makes up the states eastern border with South Dakota, Iowa, and Missouri.
But the Missouri River is only the largest of these natural, flowing watercourses. There are 35+ other rivers and tributaries in the great state of Nebraska, providing both natural habitats for flora and fauna and recreational hotspots for residents and tourists of the human affiliation.
Nebraska River Vacation
Hawaii and Florida have their sandy beaches. Colorado, Idaho, and Montana have their snowy mountain resorts for ski bunnies. However, when youre looking to indulge in an open-air, river vacation, Nebraska is where you want to be. Outdoor sportsmen and sportswomen with a penchant for river-based gearthe kayak, the canoe, the fishing pole, etc.will find the peace and solitude of a natural environment paired with their favorite brand of adventure, all bundled up in a thrilling Nebraska river vacation.
Nebraska Canoe Trips
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has designated a number of its rivers as prime for the Nebraska canoe adventure. The Dismal River, the Calamus River, the North Loop, and the Cedar are all centrally-located, gently flowing waterways that are ideal for families learning to conduct an un-motorized watercraft for the first time.
Nebraska Kayak Trips
The kayak allows for swifter and more agile movement while requiring the sole propelling effort of the independent rider. Nebraska kayak trips can challenge you with tumultuous rivers at certain times of year, and then become easier, more relaxing, adventures during others. Springtime Nebraska kayak excursions tend to run more dangerous than during the summer, when the consistently increasing water flow has cleared away many dangers and obstructions.
When youre planning your Nebraska river vacation, determine which of the two trip typesNebraska kayak or Nebraska canoeis right for your crew.
RACINE A Racine man was charged Monday for allegedly burglarizing Maxines Tavern last month.
Fernando Rangel Jr., 28, of Racine allegedly broke into Maxines, 835 Washington Ave., and stole $900 from a money bag, according to his criminal complaint.
The owner found the back door ajar and the side door unlocked June 29. She then noticed that the till drawer was open, and back-up money and a money bag containing $900 were also missing. Beef jerky also was missing from a jar.
An ADT alarm was triggered and the owner was contacted about it. However, the owner assumed it was the bartender closing and did not call police.
During the investigation, police watched surveillance video of a man, believed to be Rangel, entering Maxines with face covered, taking money from the cash register and exiting through the side door.
When the owner viewed more tape, she recognized Rangel, who was a regular, unlocking the back door after the bartender locked it for the night.
Rangel came into Maxines the night after the burglary and the owner contacted police. When police arrived, Rangel was leaving and the owner told police that is the guy, according to the complaint.
Rangel fled but was caught by police. He told police that he ran because he had warrants, the complaint said. Rangel was reportedly also in possession of marijuana at the time of his arrest.
Rangel faces charges of burglary of a building or dwelling, possession of THC and obstructing an officer. His bond was set at $25,000.
RACINE COUNTY With election season kicking into high gear, local Republican and Democratic parties are opening campaign offices.
The Republican Party of Racine County has opened an office at 6100 Washington Ave., while the Democratic Party of Racine County will officially open its office at 606 Sixth St. on Wednesday, according to announcements from the groups.
The local Democratic Party will hold a kickoff event at 4:30 p.m. featuring state Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, and other elected officials and candidates, according to a news release.
We are excited to return to the same office that saw us elect Tammy Baldwin to the United States Senate and re-elect President Barack Obama in 2012, Democratic Party of Racine County chair Meg Andrietsch said in the release. Were confident that we will be successful in electing Hillary Clinton to the White House, returning Russ Feingold to the United States Senate, and electing our great team of Democrats up and down the entire ticket this November.
The county Republican office is in the Pioneer Village, on the southeast corner of Washington Avenue and Emmertsen Road in Mount Pleasant.
We are thankful to have Racine chosen by the RPW (Republican Party of Wisconsin) as one of their locations for Victory offices across the state, Racine County GOP chairwoman Lisa Bell said in a news release. We intend to work very hard to ensure success for all of our candidates on the Republican ticket.
The offices are opening ahead of the Aug. 9 primaries and Nov. 8 general election.
TOMAH Wisconsin continues to contract with a nonprofit organization to house homeless veterans despite the group being ranked one of the worst charities in the country for how it raises and spends money.
The Veterans Assistance Foundation, a nonprofit based in Tomah, has received millions of taxpayer dollars from the federal and state government since its founding in 1994. Since at least 2003, it has hired a for-profit company to solicit donations from the public, with only about 11 percent of the funds raised, on average, going directly to veterans.
The foundation was ranked as one the 25 worst charities in the country in a 2013 report by The Tampa Bay Times and the national Center for Investigative Reporting, but it continues to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars it raises from the public to a private fundraising company. The public has given more than $12 million to VAF since 2003.
The VAF has also been given a "C minus" grade by the American Institute on Philanthropys Charity Watch report because of its fundraising practices. According to that report, it costs the group $83 to raise $100. The standard cost among nonprofits should be $35, said Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Institute on Philanthropy, a nonprofit charity watchdog group based in Chicago.
Very few donors would agree to that high of a fundraising cost, said Borochoff. Youre talking about other peoples money. Youre ripping off the donating public ... (and) when its a hot button issue like veterans, theyll give.
In 2014, following news reports ranking it among the worst charities nationwide, VAF paid $901,041 to a professional fundraising company, according to its most recently filed IRS report. Its total fundraising expenses were $1.4 million and the group received only $122,349 of the money raised, according to IRS records.
That year, VAF paid Front Line Support LLC, a professional fundraising company, to make calls asking people to donate to veterans on its behalf. Front Line Support is part of a network of professional fundraising companies owned by iMarketing Solutions, based in Canada. The company makes its money by fundraising for nonprofits, often keeping most of what is donated.
Despite VAFs fundraising practices, the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs continue to do business with the group. VAF is the original holder of a contract to run one of seven transitional housing programs for veterans in the state, which it received when the statewide program was founded in 1994 and every year thereafter.
The state reimburses VAF with federal money for explicit expenses such as food service and transportation, Carla Vigue, a spokeswoman for WDVA, said in an email. The group is only reimbursed after WDVA verifies its expenses, she said.
The group received a $1.2 million contract from WDVA in 2012 to run that transitional housing program. In 2014 it won another $985,000 grant for operational program expenses for housing programs at the states three veterans nursing homes in King, Chippewa Falls and Union Grove. Separately, it also won a $619,140 grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in fiscal year 2016 to run a federal housing program for veterans and their families.
Additional state grant money has also flowed to VAF. Last year, it received a $25,000 grant from the state to establish homeless veterans programs in La Crosse and Eau Claire. About half of the VAFs total revenue comes from taxpayers, according to its IRS filings.
Charities like VAF that have longstanding contracts with the government often have an advantage in trying to convince people to give them more money, said Borochoff. The government contract legitimizes them in the eyes of donors, who assume the group has already been vetted, he said.
The government doesnt seem to care if the charity isnt very good in many ways, he said. It doesnt seem to care as long as they fulfill the terms of the government contract, which I find strange because I would judge a group by how it performs overall.
According to its website, the VAF operates a 60-bed dormitory for homeless veterans within the federal VA hospital in Tomah. Veterans who live in the dormitory sign up for a two-year program where they work with a case manager and get connected to job opportunities, according to the group. The VAF also owns three houses with 12 total beds in Tomah and a 7-bed apartment in Madison.
The group uses the money it gets from the fundraising company to expand housing programs and for job training, said Bob Piaro, who founded the VAF in 1994 and helped WDVA develop the statewide transitional housing program. He also served as chairman of its board of directors until last year. Piaro acknowledged the contracts VAF has signed with for-profit fundraising companies over the last 13 years dont look good, but said theres no better way to raise money to help veterans.
I know thats reprehensible, he said. I know its not good at all, but without it we couldnt do that stuff. We wouldnt have any growth potential at all.
With the money VAF has received from its fundraising, about $120,000 a year since 2003, it has bought properties in downtown Tomah to open a coffee shop, a thrift shop and a hardware store. It purchased another apartment complex in Tomah to serve more homeless vets, Piaro said. The group has bought six vans to transport veterans in the program to appointments and jobs, Piaro said. None of the VAFs shops are open yet, but the group said they will open at the end of the summer.
Don Roach, the groups executive director, defended VAFs fundraising and said in an interview that it doesnt have the staff to solicit money on its own. If 10 percent of donor money is all it can get from fundraising, then it is what it is, he said.
I dont see what the fault is in it. The grants dont cover everything we need to assist our vets with, said Roach, a 26-year Army veteran. Im proud of this organization. Im proud of the things we do and accomplish.
Roach declined to provide numbers of veterans who have completed its two-year housing program since it began receiving public money for it. He also said he could not provide any of the groups annual reports, grant agreements or documentation of its finances and how many people have been served by its other programs. He confirmed that the VAF does have a current contract with a professional fundraiser, but declined to provide the contract or discuss the terms.
Pat Honrath is one veteran who has participated in VAFs federal transitional housing program in Tomah and said he would generally recommend the group to other vets, but said he was dissatisfied with how the organization was managed.
Honrath, a former Army specialist who served for four years, struggles with alcoholism and became homeless in 2013 after spending some time in jail. He lived in the dorm at the VA hospital in Tomah and later moved into one of the organizations group homes before eventually being kicked out of the program for his alcohol abuse, he said. Honrath now works at Goodwill in Tomah and lives in a house with other veterans not run by the VAF.
He said he paid a program fee and $320 a month in rent when he was living in the VAF house with two other veterans, but didnt see that money come back to improving the house or enhancing programs. VAF conducted weekly inspections of their house but was slow to respond to maintenance requests and veterans often drank alcohol in the homes against program rules, Honrath said.
There were quite a few people getting away with drinking there, he said. I think they could have done more for the vets than they did.
The VAF, which says in its mission that it aims to connect veterans with resources and jobs, also failed to help him understand his VA benefits and didnt help him get connected to resources to help him with his alcoholism, he said. He said he often found out more from the other vets in the program than the case managers he worked with.
It seems like they didnt really care about the veterans, as long as they got their money every month and you werent causing any issues, he said.
But some veterans advocates, including several County Veterans Service Officers in the western part of the state, say they have been impressed with the VAFs work and their commitment to helping struggling veterans.
Charles Weaver is the CVSO in Monroe County, where Tomah is located, and said the VAF staff he works with genuinely care about helping veterans. He said he routinely refers veterans in the county to the VAF and visits their facilities every other week to help veterans apply for benefits.
The groups fundraising practices dont bother him, he said, because he sees that the money is spent well. He said the facilities he has seen are well-maintained and have amenities like computers and televisions.
You can tell theyre taking the money and are doing something with it, he said. It would bother me if I didnt see that (but) I can see there is toilet paper in the bathrooms, the showers are clean. I dont see the waste.
The waste, critics say, is how much money is taken from the public and paid, without their knowledge, to a for-profit fundraising company.
When asked whether the states veterans agency has investigated the VAFs finances, WDVA spokeswoman Carla Vigue said in an email that the state does monthly on-site inspections at the groups facilities. She said the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs also does quarterly and annual inspections that review the groups financial information and case management. Neither the state nor the federal government has found any problems with the Veterans Assistance Foundation, she said.
VAF has met and continues to meet all of the requirements of the grant agreement for providing services to homeless and at-risk veterans, she said in an email.
When asked about the VAFs finances, Walker administration spokesman Tom Evenson declined to comment, referring all questions about the organization to WDVA.
Piaro said WDVA Secretary John Scocos had told him in the past that the VAFs arrangement with professional fundraisers was not within the agencys purview.
The state veterans agency did not comment on the VAF's fundraising practices when asked why it continues to award contracts to the group.
That attitude is emblematic of an agency-wide lack of oversight and transparency, said Rick de Moya, a former division chief at WDVA and a longtime critic of Scocos.
De Moya, who oversaw the administration of VAFs grant from 1994 until he retired in 2006 and has been involved in legal disputes with WDVA, said the agency was not diligent in tracking how taxpayer money was spent or where it went.
The reason we give these contractors money is to benefit Wisconsins veterans and their families, he said. If (about) 10 percent of that state money which is being funneled through a contractor is reaching veterans, than were doing something terribly wrong.
The agencys accounting overall is inefficient, making it difficult to follow all the streams of money it administers and is supposed to monitor, de Moya said.
The WDVA blends the money it has and so it becomes increasingly difficult for any accountant to track, he said.
When he left the VAF last year, Piaro said he started his own call center in October. His new company now makes the same solicitation calls he paid iMarketing Solutions Group to make for the VAF. Piaros company, based in Milwaukee, also raises money on behalf of charities.
Piaro said his profit margin is slim because of expenses like printing, renting space and paying staff. He said now he understands why professional fundraisers need to keep so much of the money they raise for themselves.
Its sort of like dancing with the devil, he said. I just didnt believe all the talk, but now Im doing it and theyre not too far off. I dont see how (the fundraising companies) make more than 10 to 15 percent (profit) after the expenses.
Piaro declined to confirm the name of his company, discuss who its clients are or how it makes money. But he maintains that when he was at VAF, the group did not solicit money for homeless programs already funded with public money. He said the group keeps its public grant money separate from the money it gets from the professional fundraiser for its other programs, said Piaro.
That money is not used in any way, shape or form for any of those three centers were under contract with. They are run separately and everything, like it is with grants, he said.
Despite recommending that VAF continue to sign contracts with solicitors so that it can expand, Piaro broke ties with the group last year because he said there was not enough transparency between the board of directors and VAF staff.
Id like to see more emphasis on the veterans than buying all these buildings that weve done, he said. It was going in a direction I didnt feel comfortable with.
Piaro, a disabled Vietnam War veteran, helped Gov. Tommy Thompsons administration and former WDVA secretary, Ray Boland, develop the states transitional housing program for homeless veterans in 1994.
The contract VAF holds was originally sole source meaning that state officials have discretion to award the contract to whichever group they choose, but is now a part of the state's Request for Bid Process. That process, according to Vigue, the WDVA spokeswoman, is meant to create competition among vendors in order to produce lower prices and higher quality goods and services.
But de Moya said the VAFs 2012 contract was personally promised to Piaro by Scocos. De Moya said Piaro called him in 2012 asking about the $1.2 million contract.
He told me that he was frustrated because he had not been awarded a contract that he and Scocos had personally talked about Piaro getting, de Moya said. Piaro asked me if I would call (the Department of Administration) and find out why that was happening. I told him I would, but I did not.
Piaro denies de Moyas account and said he was never was promised a contract.
No, thats not true at all, Piaro said. Where hes getting that I have no idea.
VAF has gotten the contract fairly, based on its track record of success, every time it has applied, he said.
WDVA has not made Scocos available for an interview, but Vigue, the agencys spokeswoman, said VAF has won the contract through the states Request for Bid process that it uses with other vendors.
Why wouldnt you stay with a person who you know is doing the best? Piaro said.
Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story misspelled the name of Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Philanthropy Institute. The story has been updated to reflect the correction.
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10 million rupees donated to Dharahara reconstruction trust
Nepal Reinsurance Company Ltd today donated Rs 10 million for the 'I will build my Dharahara Trust'.
Beijing South China Sea claims rejected by court
An international tribunal has ruled against Chinese claims to rights in South China Sea, backing a case brought by the Philippines.
Chief justice takes charge
Four months after her nomination, Sushila Karki formally took charge as the chief justice of the Supreme Court on Monday, becoming the first woman to head Nepals judiciary.
Concerns need to be addressed to pass Bafia: FinMin
The bill to amend the Banks and Financial Institutions Act (Bafia) cannot be passed without first addressing the concerns that have been raised over it, Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel said on Monday.
Deuba summons emergency party meet after Maoist pullout
Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has summoned an emergency office bearers meeting after CPN (Maoist Center) decided to withdraw support to KP Sharma Oli government.
Easy come, easy go
Falling farm productivity and swelling food imports are the result of remittance
Far from home and hearth
Many things need to be changed to ensure the rights and dignity of labour migrants
Final round of NRB bonds set for Wednesday release
The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) is set to issue final round of NRB bonds worth Rs12.79 billion on Wednesday as it aims to control the excess liquidity in the banking system that usually prevails at the end of the fiscal year.
Five Nepalis killed in bus accident in India
Five Nepali people were killed when a passenger bus heading to New Delhi from Butwal met with an accident in Utter Pradesh in India on Monday, police said. Other 28 passengers were injured in the accident.
Four bottled water plants sealed
The Department of Supply Management (DSM) on Monday sealed four bottled water factories in Matatirtha, Kathmandu and imposed a ban from selling products in the market for violating the government regulation.
I'm mulling recent political development after Maoist withdrew support: PM Oli
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said he was mulling over the latest political developments triggered by the decision of the ruling partner CPN (Maoist Centre) to withdraw support to him.
Maoist withdraws support to Oli govt
CPN (Maoist center) has withdrawn its support to KP Sharma Oli-led incumbent government.
NHRC recommendations poised to be implemented
An amendment draft to the Government Cases Act and the regulations has included directive provisions for the government attorney to register case against rights violators as recommended by the National Human Rights Commission.
Over 50,000 plaints filed at TRC so far
Number of complaints registered with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has crossed 50,000.
PM Oli urged to clear way for a new government
The Nepali Congress and CPN (Maoist Centre) have urged Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to pave the way for a new government by resigning immediately.
Six-member panel to study planned ration card system
The government on Monday formed a six-member committee to study how the proposed ration card system, designed mainly as a welfare scheme for the poor, can be implemented.
South Sudan rivals call for ceasefire
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and first Vice-President Riek Machar have ordered a ceasefire after days of intense fighting in the capital, Juba.
The story behind this 'legendary' protest photo
Protests have continued in the United States, after violent incidents involving African American people and the police last week.
UML, Maoists agree to strengthen coalition
Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Monday held a two-hour-long meeting with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli as part of his what the Maoist leaders described as the last-ditch effort to seek consensus on unity government.
US to send 560 more troops to Iraq
The US is to send 560 more military personnel to Iraq to help in the fight against so-called Islamic State (IS), Defence Secretary Ash Carter has said.
Yes, its hard to to tell when one enters the city limits
Yes, they will make the city more inviting
Maybe ... does it really matter?
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No, it would be a waste of taxpayer dollars
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President Park Geun-hye's visit to Mongolia this week is aimed at bolstering bilateral trade, investment and cooperation in health care, culture, infrastructure development, renewable energy and other areas, her office Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday.
Park will embark on a five-day trip to the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar on Thursday to attend the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit and hold bilateral talks with her Mongolian counterpart Tsakhia Elbegdorj.
Kang Seog-hoon, the president's senior secretary for economic affairs, said that Mongolia with a population of 3 million is a "promising niche" market that offers new business opportunities for South Korea's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
"As Mongolia is rising as a small yet promising market amid the 'pro-Korea' sentiment there, it gives new opportunities for South Korean SMEs to make advances into it," Kang said during a press briefing.
He pointed out that the president's visit comes amid Mongolia's efforts to reduce its heavy economic reliance on China and Russia, and diversify trade routes towards a third country such as South Korea and Japan.
China is Mongolia's largest trading partner. According to 2015 records complied by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Mongolia's exports to China accounted for 85 percent of the country's total outbound shipments. With no oil refineries in the country, Mongolia imported 91 percent of its oil from Russia in 2014.
South Korea is Mongolia's fourth largest trading partner. Last year, their trade volume reached $292 million.
During her trip, which was arranged on the invitation of the Mongolian leader, Park will be accompanied by a large delegation of business leaders from 109 South Korean firms, mostly SMEs, the presidential secretary explained.
Kang noted that her trip, in particular, will focus on supporting South Korean firms seeking to participate in Mongolia's infrastructure projects including various urban development schemes and those to expand electricity transmission networks.
The two leaders will also discuss ways to deepen cooperation in tackling climate change through the development of renewable energy sources and an anti-desertification program; and cooperation in telemedicine and electronic governance as well as cultural areas. (Yonhap)
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The West Salem School Board held its annual organizational meeting Monday night to find consensus among the board members and help direct the board toward common goals.
The board discussed in great deal over a potluck meal the direction of the district and strategic goals over the long run. The board also discussed the performance of the architectural and construction management firms hired to help design, bid and manage the renovation and expansion of the middle school should a planned November referendum pass.
A chief concern of several board members, including Greg Brickl, Tom Grosskopf and Catherine Griffin, was that Myron Construction couldnt be trusted.
They havent changed from day one, Grosskopf said. Day 1, what they said was $24.5 million.
He said even after they asked Vantage to go back and offer them another solution at a lower cost, they came back with something that stripped out a lot and cost nearly the same.
Ken Schlimgen said he though Vantage was going to come to the board with a quote and Myron would comeback with a quote. Brickl said he believed the problem was Myron was hired at risk.
He said Myron has a vested interest in getting the school district to borrow as much money as possible so they can make a decent profit. Brickls solution involved hiring a third-party consultant to oversee Myrons quotes.
Im advocating for a pure play construction manager to come in to be our advocate, he said. Personally, I dont trust Myron.
Brickl said he asked his estimator at Brickl Brothers Construction to check Myrons estimates for errors.
Ive had my estimator estimate it and they are way off, he said.
Grosskopf agreed with Brickls suggestion.
I would rather see one contractor go against another contractor, he said.
Anther concern Brickl brought to the table was that Myron Construction was under investigation by the Department of Justice for its billing practices in five Wisconsin public school building projects.
Superintendent Troy Gunderson said given the amount of money involved, the board should be confident in who it hired.
Griffin said she felt the district should release Myron and find a new construction management firm instead.
Board member Jane Halverson agreed, saying she never thought they should hire a construction manager in the first place.
Because the nature of the agenda item, the board could take no action, but requested Gunderson review the districts contract with Myron so the board could make a decision at the next meeting.
Operating cost
The board also discussed in detail the need to pass an operating referendum in the near future.
According to the districts long-range planning, by the 2017-18 school year, the district will have an operating deficit of $900,000.
Gunderson said the reason for this is the property values in the district have gone up, and as a result, the districts state aid is diminished.
He said the state has said aid will increase slightly next year, but the districts spending authority will remain the same. This means that despite the increase in state aid, the district wont have any extra money and will be forced to balance the difference by either cutting taxes or prepaying its loans.
Gunderson said the district will eventually get boxed in and be forced to cut programs if it doesnt pass an operating referendum.
I look at them as a death spiral, board member Ken Schlimgen said.
He said once a district is dependent on holding operating referendum every few years, if one doesnt pass, a school may have to cut dozens of positions.
Advanced placement
Among these included the availability of advanced placement credits and post-secondary education.
Brickl said he believed the lack of AP credits was a problem for the district.
Until recently, Gunderson has shied away from AP credits.
My fundamental believe is that the credits are fake, he said.
He said from conversations with people from the university, AP courses didnt adequately prepare students for college.
Gunderson instead had fostered relationships with the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Western Technical College and Viterbo University, where students could take college classes for credit and faculty were trained as adjunct professors to teach students college classes in the high school.
The other factor was that with AP classes, students do not earn college credit. They must take a test and if they score high enough, the college or university may or may not award credit to them.
Gunderson said he recognizes with open enrollment students look for these opportunities. West Salem currently offers three AP courses, in addition to the numerous college in the classroom offerings.
Brickl said he wasnt against students taking college classes, but felt that AP courses should at least be offered.
I have a self-imposed rule in this column from which Ive strayed only twice in five years: Dont use the word mouthfeel.
How a beer feels in your mouth is an important concept, a pillar of what experts in the field call the sensory analysis of beer.
But that actual word is like fingernails on a chalkboard for me, thanks to its overuse by the self-important beer critics I never want to be confused with. Ill stick with the simpler, synonymous and infinitely less pompous texture.
That said, mouthfeel is a huge deal in beer. It can be the difference between a solid beer and a disastrous one, an OK beer and an unforgettably good one.
Beer texture has three key components: carbonation, fullness or density and finish.
Carbonation is relatively familiar concept: A beers bubbles contribute a prickliness that makes drinking it just a little tougher and burpier. The more bubbles there are the bigger they are, the more resistant that beer is to drinking. That might sound bad, but the flip side of that resistance is flat beer, which everyone agrees is bad.
But reducing the size, not just the number, of bubbles can have a profound effect as well. This technique, in which nitrogen is used to carbonate a beer instead of carbon dioxide, produces a softness so appealing that it has inspired many breweries to roll out nitro draft beers and even bring nitro to a bottle. The big, prickly bubbles of sparkling wine particularly of young vintages are an illustrative counterpoint to the effects of nitro on beer.
Fullness, meanwhile, manifests in a number of familiar terms: thin, round, viscous, syrupy. When I think of this attribute in beer, I think of perhaps my favorite beer, Goose Islands Bourbon County Brand Stout, which drinks how I imagine motor oil would. In a good way.
The texture of a finish, meanwhile, often intertwines with taste, though defining characteristics of style can rest there, independent of flavor. An India pale ale is not an IPA without a bitter finish, yes, but dryness is equally important, and thats a mouthfeel thing.
Which brings us to the inspiration for this weeks column, the beer that had a mouthfeel so rich and luxurious that I simply had to finally admit to thinking about using that word.
Old 8
Style: Robust porter
Brewed by: Barley Johns Brewing Co., about 30 miles east of the Twin Cities in New Richmond, Wisconsin.
What its like: This is not a thing, at least as far as Im aware, but Old 8 drinks like a Russian imperial porter. It has the dark, layered chocolate-coffee-plum flavors of a Russian imperial stout and robust alcohol content but the lighter body and somewhat more moderate hopping that makes a porter a different kind of dark beer.
Where, how much: Barley Johns packaged beer comes in the four-pack of 16-ounce tallboy can format, and my four of Old 8 was $9 at Jenifer Street Market.
The beer: Old 8, named for a section of the U.S. Highway 8 that cuts across the northern quarter of Wisconsin, pours an opaque black with a khaki head more commonly found in a big stout than a porter. The aroma speaks of the dark-roasted malts within cocoa and coffee, mostly but Old 8 really jumps out after the first sip. The flavor is very good, with those typical dark-beer coffee-chocolate notes and an assertive hop character to balance out that ample malt.
But the star of Old 8 is its texture rich and full, smooth and velvety, without lingering overmuch in the finish. It seems lightly carbonated but its actually that the bubbles are almost nitro-small, lending that luxurious texture without the extra step of nitrogenation.
I have no problem putting a dark beer in the fridge during summer there are nights and indoor drinking, after all but Old 8 is going to be in my fridge a lot more come winter.
Booze factor: Alcohol is one of the things that makes a robust porter robust, and Old 8 comes in at 8 percent ABV.
The buzz: How Barley Johns came to be a Wisconsin brewery is an interesting and unusual story. Barley Johns first came to be in 2000 when homebrewer-turned-pro-brewer John Moore and his wife, Laura Subak, opened a brewpub in New Brighton, Minnesota, just north of downtown Minneapolis.
When they wanted to expand the business into a production facility, they found Minnesota state laws too restrictive, Moore told The Growler magazine. A bill to allow Minnesota brewpubs to sell beer to wholesalers was considered alongside the Surly bill that did pass in 2011, which among its many provisions allowed Minnesotas breweries to open tap rooms. But the companion brewpub legislation never made it out of committee, and in 2014 Barley Johns announced that its expansion a separate company also owned by Moore and Subak would take place in Wisconsin instead.
I would rather have done it here, two minutes away, but thats not the way it is, Moore told The Growler. The law is not in favor of brewpubs. Its in favor of breweries.
The brewery opened last October, shipping beer to its new home market of Wisconsin first, and Barley Johns tallboys arrived in Madison last winter.
There are some very good big, dark beers on Wisconsin shelves year-round already hello, Oso Night Rain and Central Waters Satin Solitude and with one sip Old 8 shot into that heady company.
Bottom line: 4 stars (out of five)
ONALASKA Greg A. Bear Butterfield, 56, of Onalaska lost his battle to cancer Saturday, July 9, 2016.
Greg was born May 13, 1960. Greg was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. Family was an important part of Gregs life. He always enjoyed spending time with family and friends. His greatest joy was his grandchildren.
Greg worked most of his life as a dispatcher and driver with the cab companies in La Crosse. He also worked as a bartender at Grumpys many years ago.
Greg is survived by his wife, Nina; daughters, Tricia (Ben) Dimmick, Holly Subbert, Jennifer Butterfield, Ashley Loefflad, and Amanda Butterfield; grandchildren, Tristyn, Levi, Jostlyn, Stetson, and Addelyn, and two grandchildren to be born at a later date; brother, Michael (Bridget) Butterfield; sister, Joanne Butterfield Hanson; and many nieces and nephews he loved dearly.
He is preceded in death by his father, James; mother, Lois; and nephew, Andy.
As requested by Greg, a celebration of life will be 6:30 to 10 p.m. Thursday, July 14, at Black River Beach Neighborhood Center, 1433 Rose Street, La Crosse.
In lieu of flowers, donations are preferred to Gundersen Medical Foundation 1836 South Ave. La Crosse, WI 54601 for Lung Cancer Research.
Coulee Region Cremation Group is assisting the family.
NEW ORLEANS Jean Feran, 94, of New Orleans and La Crosse died Saturday, July 9, 2016 at Eagle Crest North.
A Holocaust survivor, she was born Jirina Zelezna Jan. 25, 1922, in Novy Bydzov near Prague, Czechoslovakia, to Professor Karel and Milada (Schick) Zelezna.
After the German invasion of Czechoslovakia, Jeans mother and stepfather, Moritz Silbiger, were taken to Terezin transit camp in 1942, with 2,000 other Jews, all told they were going to a labor camp. They were never heard from again, and sadly, Jean has no information about where and when they died. Their names and date of transport are recorded on the wall of Pinkas Synagogue, Prague, along with 77,296 other Jewish victims from Bohemia and Moravia. Most in that ghetto/labor camp were killed in Auschwitz and Treblinka. Over 80 of her relatives died in concentration camps during the Nazi Holocaust.
Jean was initially permitted to stay in Czechoslovakia. Hoping to become a doctor, she began her studies at Charles University. She was not allowed to go to medical school because of her religion, and eventually was prohibited by Nazi laws from continuing at University.
Jean was scheduled to report to concentration camp in 1945, but her country was liberated by the Allies shortly before that happened.
After the war, Jean worked as a secretary for the Ministry of Industry, before being given a visa to Sao Paulo, Brazil, to visit an aunt who fled Europe shortly before the outbreak of war. There she met her husband, Fred Feran (Alfred Feuermann), a refugee from Slovakia, then part of Czechoslovakia. He had left for Palestine three days before the Nazi occupation, and was in Brazil pursuing a new life after losing most of his own family.
After marrying in 1947, they immigrated to the United States and lived in New Orleans, where Fred worked for his cousin, Leah Pulitzer Antin, co-owner of Antins Jewelry on Royal Street, New Orleans. He also was so well known for his Old World craft skills that timepieces for repair were sent to him from around the country.
Jean was active in her book club and many Jewish organizations, serving as president of the New Orleans chapter, and vice president of the Southern Region of Hadassah, Temple Sinai Sisterhood, New Orleans, and the National Council of Jewish Women. She possessed an intense love of classical music and maintained numerous music ticket subscriptions. She was a gracious hostess of frequent dinner parties for her many friends and extended Pulitzer family cousins. She often returned to Europe to travel and to decorate her home on Napoleon Avenue. Paris, Florence, and Prague were her favorite cities.
Jeans story was featured in the New Orleans Times-Picayune in connection with the Precious Legacy traveling exhibit at New Orleans Museum of Art, in 1985. The collection of Judaica treasures from Czechoslovakia consisted of items the Nazis stole from Jews in that country.
Jean and Fred lived in New Orleans until 2005, when Hurricane Katrina floodwaters destroyed their home. They were evacuated to Texas, and then moved to La Crosse to be near their daughter.
She is survived by her daughter, Maureen (Dr. Robert) Freedland and their children, Benjamin (Sara) of Plymouth, Minn., Celia of La Crosse, and Leah Freedland of New York City; daughter-in-law, Phyllis Feran of New Orleans; granddaughter, Leslie (Gary) Cohen of Lake Forest, Ill.; and three great-grandchildren, Sadie Ruth and Davis Russell Cohen, and Charlotte Melanie Freedland.
Fred preceded Jean in death in 2010, and their son, Russell, died a week later.
Graveside services will be conducted 11 a.m. Friday, July 15, in Hebrew Rest Cemetery No. 3, at Pelopidas and Frenchmen Streets, New Orleans. Rabbi Ed Paul Cohn will officiate.
Memorials are preferred to Maureen and Robert Freedland Community Fund for Studies of the Shoah (Holocaust) of the La Crosse Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1811, La Crosse, WI 54602-1811, a nonprofit endowment Fred and Jean Feran helped establish, or to the charity of the donors choice.
Special thanks to Eagle Crest North for its love and professionalism as Jeans home for almost five years, and to Ann Malin and Florann Graf, La Crosse friends who loyally visited Jean through the years.
Senior issues were at the forefront of a visit to La Crosse Tuesday by U.S. Senate candidate Russ Feingold.
Feingold, a Democrat from Janesville, Wis., who is battling incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson to regain his seat in this years election, visited the Harry Olson Senior Center on the north side. He drew contrasts between himself and Johnson during his remarks, which focused on Medicare, Social Security and prescription drug prices.
Ill bet Ronald Johnson wont, he said after signing a pledge with the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans to not privatize Social Security. Im honored to sign it.
Having the financial security for retirement is a big concern for a lot of Americans, Feingold said. Social Security is a big part of that, and he criticized Johnson for comments last month where the senator called the program a legal Ponzi scheme.
He also criticized Johnson for his stance on Medicare, which has included support for privatizing the system through vouchers. And he vowed to push to allow the federal government to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs, which he said could help save the federal government more than $120 billion over 10 years.
Most seniors want to know they will be able to have their Medicare and Social Security, Feingold said.
About 20 people attended the forum, which Feingold said was part of a listening tour around the state. Many of them agreed with Feingolds stance on the issues, and questioned why Congress hadnt done more for seniors already.
One man, a veteran, said even an increase of a few dollars in price for the prescriptions he takes can add up to a lot of money each month. Another person in the crowd asked why the Republicans wont pass prescription drug reforms.
Feingold said the Supreme Courts Citizens United decision has changed the playing field for politics. Corporations have a lot of influence on politicians, but he said he felt the companies could still turn a decent profit even if the government negotiates lower prices for drugs.
Others at the forum asked about raising the taxes paid into Social Security, or the possibility of creating a single-payer healthcare system. Several attendees also raised their concerns about the division in Washington.
In interviews after the forum, Feingold said he has worked in the past to find compromise with members of the other party across the aisle and was confident he could do so again. But it will also take a concerted effort to defeat the legislators who have vowed to never work with the other side.
There are a number of Republican senators eager to work with me again, he said. I feel like I can make a difference (in Washington).
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Since the 1980s, gated communities with controlled entrances have become common. Many include barricades, walls and fences. These are communal islands with fixed barriers to keep out nonresidents and promise safety and security. Will terror, crime or our leaders push our neighborhoods to become more isolated, segregated and protected? Could La Crosse, Onalaska or Winona ever become a fortress city?
One of my sons lives in a gated district with parks, swimming pools and a community center. He also has lived with his wife and small children in a compound where every car entering is stopped by private armed security guards, dogs sniff for bombs and mirrors look for explosives hidden under vehicles.
Some gated villages are worried about crime, but do gated enclaves have less illegal activity than non-gated areas? Not necessarily. Several studies indicate that there is no difference. What they definitely do is increase the perception of safety for those seeking peace.
How about walled cities? We all remember Brad Pitt yelling Hector outside the high walls of Troy. And when you visit the tower of London you see how an entire community can be sheltered from the rest of the world. While gated facilities dont seem to reduce crime, forts have a better record. Israel built a wall and death by Palestinians fell.
Despite all of the social engineering equal housing laws, we have communities based on race, ethnicity and income. In the future, politicians on both extremes will exacerbate the birds of a feather movement.
At the liberal end, you have those such as President Barack Obama and Attorney General Loretta Lynch. They embrace open borders, sanctuary cities and want to build bridges, not walls. These social justices believe that bad people can be appeased with conversations and diplomacy.
On the conservative side, we have the Lindsey Grahams foreseeing dirty nuclear bombs and biological, cyber and chemical attacks. They believe evil cannot be reasoned with or contained. Rather, it must be wiped off the face of the earth with whatever it takes, as long as it takes.
Is it fact or fear? According to the Brookings Institute, Today, the national crime rate is about half of what it was at its height in 1991.
Data scientist Dr. Zeeshan ul Hassan says that you are 14 times more likely to die in your bathtub than in a terrorist attack. What hasnt decreased is the fear of terror and violent crime as some imagine an Orlando attack in our community. As anxieties increase, regardless of the facts, people seek security.
Most are unaware of Obamas Affirmative Further Fair Housing and Small-Area Fair Market Rents regulations. They give pricey vouchers to low-income populations to be used to live in affluent areas. Obamas secretary of housing has threatened to sue any landlord who denies to rent to a low-income person because of a criminal conviction. It is intended to force neighborhoods to become more diverse, less wealthy and welcome criminals.
Obamas rules will have the opposite intended effect, as for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Many will rebel against a government telling them who must be their neighbor. Others motivated by fear or the desire to live with people like themselves will join with the rebels and demand either a privatized community or a walled city.
On the softer side, some gated areas will be as easy to enter as Yellowstone National Park. More advanced districts will be comparable to Disney, which appears user-friendly but has well-hidden security. Others will be similar to a maximum protection military base.
We could see the day when upon entering a major metropolis for the first time you are stopped at a guardhouse, interviewed, fingerprinted, photographed, checked for drugs and guns and screened on a FBI facial recognition and retinal eye scan database. Those who dont want to comply will be told to turn around. If you are a resident or have been given a car pass, you will enter electronically via a separate lane. Cameras will record every license plate and take photos of those entering. Everyone will be subject to random stops and inspections.
The political, economic and social results will be that those who share attitudes, opinions, values, cultures and prejudices will be clustered together even more than they are today. Little diversity. Much homogeneity. More segregation by income. Reduced commerce. More costs. Higher quality of life for some.
Local gated communities? Eventually, yes. Fortress La Crosse, Onalaska or Winona? I hope not.
The shooting of police in Dallas was a horrible thing that cannot be justified, but we shouldnt pass it off as the work of a nut. It is an indication of the level of frustration in the black community as a result of a dramatic increase in the number of black men being shot by police, some of which appear justified and others not. The video of the police shooting Philando Castile seated in his car in a St. Paul suburb July 6 should make anyone angry, as it did Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton.
Law and order types will preach that people should work through the system, instead of resorting to violence. But that doesnt work when the system is biased against you. It is usually the people who control the system who preach working through the system, as anyone who lived through the Vietnam era can testify.
To get a feeling for what it is like when the system is stacked against you, imagine that Gov. Scott Walker brought legal proceedings against you and the case ended up before the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which Walker and the Koch Brothers have helped put in place. Do you really think you would get a fair hearing? When it turned out in Walkers favor, as it surely would, would you not feel angry?
Sometimes it takes something like the Dallas shooting to get people to finally stand up for what is right.
It is a peculiar time in Wisconsin to be a Republican, but now more than ever we need to be united in our efforts to return the party to its roots.
Our party, which worked to abolish slavery and brought workers' compensation and minimum wage to Wisconsin and beyond, is the party of Lincoln and La Follette, who stood for the people and against the corporate interests that now hold sway over us.
We may have our differences with Democrats, but we are fellow citizens of this great state. The drumbeat of no new taxes has gained control of our Legislature, leading to school districts asking citizens to bear more of the cost of education, local food banks subsidizing the incomes of working families and highway costs being passed on to our grandchildren. Republicans do not walk away from responsibilities, we work hard and pay our bills.
We do not insult others and should not support those who do. We need to work toward a more perfect union, one that includes all citizens, regardless of religion, color or financial situation.
We have let a small group define our party. We have allowed the name Republican to mean something our mothers and fathers would not recognize. We must unite and show the world that we are responsible, loving human beings.
Lets unite to establish justice and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.
It is not time to divide and conquer; its time to unite.
IRON RIDGE For decades, the only instances of trouble at the Neda Mine in Dodge County consisted of the occasional party or group of campers who were able to make their way through the gates.
That changed Sunday evening when the disappearance of three area boys prompted a massive search, creating a sense of uneasiness in this small rural community.
Up to 100 volunteers from public safety agencies around the state, including the Madison and Milwaukee fire departments, assisted in the search of the abandoned iron mine Sunday evening and Monday morning.
It was to a relieved audience that Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt announced the boy's safe recovery at a news conference Monday afternoon.
Schmidt said Tate Rose and Zachary Heron, both 16, and Samuel Lien, 15, decided to explore the mine around 3 p.m. Sunday, entering through a small secondary entrance. The mine is located a few miles north of Iron Ridge, about an hour northeast of Madison.
The boys used the flashlight apps on their phones and a lighter to navigate the mine's tunnels but got lost and the devices' batteries and the lighter ran out, Schmidt said. They then hunkered down in one area, sleeping on the tunnel floor in the pitch black. The mine's temperature was about 58 degrees, he said.
Around 1 p.m. Monday search teams in the south end of the mine heard weak voices calling for help and found the boys, said Capt. Brian McNulty of the Milwaukee Fire Department.
After the three were led out of the mine, emergency medical responders evaluated the boys, who were uninjured except for a few minor bumps and scrapes. They were then released to their parents.
While entering the mine is considered trespassing, Schmidt said authorities will wait a few days before speaking with the boys' parents about potential citations or criminal charges.
Schmidt described the tunnels as mazelike, saying it's easy to get lost in the tightly packed twists and turns.
Charles Young, the Iron Ridge police chief, said although the mine isnt technically in the villages jurisdiction, his department is often called when trespassers are caught.
But Young, whos been with the department for 23 years, said there have been few incidents of trespassing in recent years. Years ago, he said, officers would occasionally catch teenagers partying or camping at the site, although very few actually made the trek into the mines tunnels.
Since then, though, the site has become overgrown and even more difficult to enter. Many people dont want to risk entering the mine and meeting the bats that roost there in winter or the waste they produce.
Im actually surprised they got in that far, Young said of the three boys.
The mine was abandoned in 1915, UW-Milwaukee scientist Gretchen Meyer said, and was donated to the university in 1964. Researchers study the colony of about 100,000 bats that winter in the mine, Meyer said.
Meyer said this is the first time since she began working for UW-Milwaukee in 1999 that the mine has been searched for missing people.
About 20 friends and family of the boys gathered in a staging area near the mine off of Highway 67 after they were found. One vehicle leaving the area had a towel screening off one of the back windows.
Family friend Beth Miskimen said the boys were shaken up and appeared cold and dirty.
Cole Ropke, a friend of Tates, said the boys were doing well. He said he didnt know if the boys had ever been to the mine before.
Tasha Henkel, a friend of Samuels sister, said she heard that the boys were missing at around 7 p.m. Sunday. She said she wasnt too concerned at first, but as the night drew on she, like others in town, became more worried.
The Madison Fire Department rescue team arrived at 5 a.m. Monday and began searching the mine. Team members had cleared almost 80 percent of the tunnels before the Milwaukee Fire Department took over around 11 a.m.
An area resident told authorities about a secondary entrance, and searchers found a footprint. The boys were found about a half-mile from where their bikes were found.
When he asked Tate what he was going to tell his friends about the cave, Schmidt said, the boy replied: Dont go down there.
I think they learned a valuable lesson, he said.
Purdue comes to town to face the Badgers for their homecoming game on Saturday. Hopefully the Badgers can get back on track.
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Mr. Holmes Bakehouse, the San Francisco-based bakery best known for their "cruffins"that would be croissant dough baked in a muffin tin and filled with creamlooks to be opening in Highland Park in the very near future. And good thing; there's nothing quite like a rich, sticky pastry on a hot summer's day, right?
In September, Eater reported that the bakery would be expanding from the Bay Area, and opening a joint wholesale/retail space in Los Angeles. According to Eastsider, the owners have spent the past several months renovating an Art Deco building on Avenue 59 right off Figueroa, and now "August 2016" has been written on the windows. Peeking inside, a neon sign has been put up on one wall that reads, "I GOT BAKED IN LOS ANGELES." We imagine it looks something like this sign up in the San Francisco shop:
Our friends at SFist have extensively covered San Francisco's cruffin craze (say that 10 times fast) spurred on by Mr. Holmes, and we have to admit...they do look ridiculously good.
I mean....
They thoughtfully post weekly "flavor updates" on their immaculately kept Instagram, and judging from previous cruffin iterations, Angelenos can expect flavors like "Pistachio Raspberry," "Mango Coconut Chia," and "Honey Fig." But it's not *just* cruffins, eitherthey'll have donuts, hand pies, and other pastriesthey even made a Negroni-inspired donut, aptly named "The Doughgroni."
Related:
'Cruffin' Bakery In The Tenderloin Has Their Recipes Stolen... But How?
This AP article, headlined "Its official: Arkansas will vote on medical marijuana in November," provides the interesting details on another state now sure to be considering marijuana reform through initiative this fall. Here are the dynamic details:
A proposal to legalize medical marijuana in Arkansas qualified for the November ballot on Thursday, putting the issue before the states voters for the second time in four years. The secretary of states office said it had verified at least 77,516 of the more than 117,000 signatures submitted for the proposed initiated act by Arkansans for Compassionate Care were from registered voters.
Initiated acts need at least 67,887 signatures, while constitutional amendments need at least 84,859. Friday is the deadline for groups to turn in signatures for their ballot measures.
Arkansas voters narrowly rejected a similar medical marijuana proposal in 2012, and this fall could face two competing legalization measures. Melissa Fults, campaign director for Arkansans for Compassionate Care, repeated her call for the sponsor of the competing proposal to abandon his efforts.
It does complicate it tremendously if he does turn in because its going to greatly decrease our chances of either one passing, Fults said. The measure from Fults group would allow patients with a range of medical conditions and a doctors recommendation to buy marijuana from dispensaries. Unlike the competing proposal, it would allow patients to grow their own marijuana if they dont live near a dispensary.
David Couch, the sponsor of the competing measure, said he planned to submit petitions for his proposed constitutional amendment Friday morning and said he didnt believe having two marijuana proposals on the ballot would doom either. If you support medical marijuana and you believe that sick people should have this medicine, you should say vote for both, Couch said. Thats what Im going to say.
The conservative Family Council Action Committee, which campaigned against the marijuana proposal in 2012, said it would review the petitions for a potential legal challenge and was also considering challenging the proposals language in court. This same issue was defeated in the election of 2012, and I believe the people of Arkansas are wise enough to see through this sham and vote it down again, Jerry Cox, the committees executive director, said in a statement.
Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a former head of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, said he opposed the measure and urged members of the medical community to share concerns they may have about the legalization efforts. I believe that while we want to provide medicine to anyone who needs it, this opens a lot of doors that causes more problems than it solves, Hutchinson told reporters.
To the best of my ability, here is the list, after the jump. Complete Listing of Italian DOCG Wines (as of May 2008): 41 Abruzzo (1) M...
This lengthy new Boston Globe article, headlined "Most Mass. doctors wary of approving marijuana use," reports on the distinctive and arguably disconcerting dynamics that have developed in the Bay State with respect to doctors making medical marijuana recommendations. Here are the highlights:
A small circle of physicians 13, to be precise has provided the vast preponderance of approvals needed by Massachusetts patients to gain access to medical marijuana, state records show, a pattern that underscores the continued growing pains of a new industry. These doctors certified nearly three-quarters of the 31,818 patients who had received permission to use medical marijuana by early June.
The concentration of approvals in the hands of so few physicians is a story of both opportunity and fear. For the bakers dozen of doctors, medical marijuana certifications provide a robust stream of patients, who typically pay $200 out of pocket for an initial office visit. But their grip on such a large share of patient certifications illustrates that many other physicians in the state are reluctant to sign off on patients using the drug, according to the Massachusetts Medical Society.
The hesitance reflects persistent concerns about the possible legal repercussions for their medical licenses if they prescribe a drug the federal government classifies as dangerous, with no currently accepted medical use. It also underscores the lingering doubts about marijuanas health risks and benefits, said Dr. James Gessner, president of the society.
These worries only intensified when state regulators in May and June yanked the licenses of two physicians accused of improperly certifying thousands of patients for marijuana use. Both suspended doctors worked in offices that specialize in issuing marijuana certificates. Some major teaching hospitals forbid their physicians from certifying patients for marijuana use, but in some cases, doctors have been circumventing restrictions by referring patients to clinics that specialize in granting certification....
State rules require physicians to complete one course about marijuana, including its side effects and signs of substance abuse, if they want to recommend the drug to patients. Physicians then must register online with the state Health Department, which grants them permission to certify patients as eligible for medical marijuana use. Patients must also register with the online system to complete the certification process.
State regulations list nine diseases and conditions that can qualify a patient for marijuana use, including cancer, multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons disease, and Crohns disease, but also gives physicians wide latitude to recommend use for any other debilitating condition, such as nausea and pain....
One physician who is receiving scores of referrals is Dr. Jill Griffin, who opened a medical marijuana practice in Northampton in 2013. State records show Griffin, 56, has certified the most patients in Massachusetts 3,284 by early June. Griffins attorney, Michael Cutler, said many of the certifications Griffin has issued were for patients referred to her by other physicians. Griffin, who directed the emergency department at one Springfield hospital and worked in the emergency department of another facility, is well known in the region, Cutler said.
Almost all of the doctors out here are part of group practices, and for a long time, all of the group practices prohibited their doctors from writing marijuana certifications, Cutler said. So, the only way a patient could be certified, for virtually all the doctors out here, was to refer patients out of their practice.
But state records suggest sentiment among doctors may be slowly changing. The number of physicians registered with the state to certify patients for medical marijuana use has nearly doubled in the past year, to 150 although that still represents only a tiny fraction of the more than 30,000 doctors practicing in the state.
This new Huffington Post piece, headlined "Medical Marijuana Fails To Make GOP Platform After Vigorous Debate," reports on the unsuccessful efforts by some Republican delegate to get the Grand Old Party to take a grand new approach to marijuana reform in the party platform. Here are some of the details:
Republican delegates meeting on Monday voted not to endorse medical cannabis in their partys official platform. In the process, however, they managed to air some of the wildest unproven theories about marijuana. Maine legislator and delegate Eric Brakey introduced the measure before the full GOP Platform Committee, prompting a vigorous debate over whether to support states that allow nonsmokable cannabis for medicinal purposes.
Medical cannabis has greatly improved the lives of patients with debilitating conditions, noted delegates in favor of the measure. They also said children are being saved by hemp products because their conditions often cant be controlled with any other substance.
But a number of delegates rose in opposition to the measure. A member from Utah claimed scientists have a long way to go with research on marijuana and argued that studies, which she did not provide, showed a link between it and mental health issues.
Another delegate absurdly claimed that people who commit mass murders are young boys from divorced families, and theyre all smoking pot. Yet another delegate claimed marijuana triggered schizophrenia, and is funded nationally by Democrat and New York financier George Soros. Lets think a little bit what happens with Percocet, with OxyContin, claimed a third delegate, who drew a connection between the ongoing heroin epidemic and teenagers smoking marijuana.
Pro-medical cannabis delegates pushed back, complaining their fellow committee members misunderstood the scope of the proposal. Were not talking about Cheech and Chong being encouraged here, Brakey said, referencing the comedy duo who support marijuana.
The attempt at clarification may have swayed some votes. Wyoming Sen. John Barasso, chair of the Platform Committee, couldnt determine at the first attempt whether the measure passed by voice vote. The proposal was voted down on the second vote, however.
As reported in this Washington Post piece, the Democratic National Committee had a close and notable vote over the terms of the party platform. Here are the details:
The Democratic Party endorsed a "reasoned pathway to future legalization" of marijuana and called for the drug to be downgraded in the Controlled Substances Act, in a tense and unexpected victory for supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Going into the platform committee meeting, Sanders's campaign had no new language about marijuana. The senator from Vermont had favored state-to-state legalization efforts, and the language approved by the drafting committee called for "policies that will allow more research on marijuana, as well as reforming our laws to allow legal marijuana businesses to exist without uncertainty."
But on Saturday afternoon, the committee brought up an amendment that would have removed marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act. David King, a lawyer and Sanders delegate from Tennessee, argued that marijuana was added to the act giving the drug the same legal classification as heroin during a "craze" to hurt "hippies and blacks." The amendment, however, was headed for defeat, with some committee members worrying that it went too far and undermined state-by-state efforts to study decriminalization.
Arguments stopped when committee members proposed swapping in the language of a rival amendment one that merely downgraded marijuana from Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substance Act and included the undefined "pathway" to legal status.
When the vote was called, 81 of the 187 committee members backed the downgrade amendment and just 80 opposed it. A roar of applause went up from the seats where people not on the committee were watching the votes. For the next 10 minutes, that victory was thrown into jeopardy. Former Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin, the co-chair of the platform committee, entertained a complaint that at least one member might not have been able to vote, lacking the "clicker" that recorded electronic ballots.... Finally, former senator Mark Pryor (Ark.), a Clinton delegate, walked up to a microphone to announce that opponents of the amendment were unhappy that the compromise language had been replaced but not unhappy enough to fight about it. "We withdraw the objection," he said.
There was more celebration in the back of the room. Later, after the unanimous adoption of a tough criminal justice reform plank, the grumbling that ended some sessions was replaced by Sanders voters saying: "Thank you! Thank you!"
The text of the marijuana amendment: "Because of conflicting laws concerning marijuana, both on the federal and state levels, we encourage the federal government to remove marijuana from its list as a Class 1 Federal Controlled Substance, providing a reasoned pathway for future legalization."
This new Boston Globe article, headlined "Medical marijuana changing prescription practices, study finds," reports on fascinating new research seeming to document another financial benefit from marijuana reform. Here are the interesting details:
The arrival of medical marijuana in Massachusetts and other states is changing the way doctors prescribe conventional medications, a study published Wednesday reports.
The study, one of the first to investigate whether medical marijuana laws alter prescribing patterns, analyzed data from 17 states and Washington, D.C. It found that after medical marijuana laws were adopted, doctors wrote fewer prescriptions for Medicare patients diagnosed with anxiety, pain, nausea, depression, and other conditions thought to respond to marijuana treatment.
That translated to about $165 million less spent on prescription drugs in just one year in the Medicare program, which provides health insurance for older adults, according to the study published in the journal Health Affairs. Analysts said the findings are especially significant coming amid the nations opioid crisis and campaigns to reduce the prescribing of potentially addictive painkillers.
W. David Bradford, a health economist at the University of Georgia and the studys senior researcher, said an ongoing review of the governments Medicaid database, which includes a younger population more likely to use marijuana, suggests an even stronger correlation between prescribing trends and medical marijuana laws. Medicaid insures mostly younger patients who are poor and disabled. This research says there is evidence that physicians are responding as if marijuana is medicine, and as if there is clinical benefit, Bradford said.
The researchers analyzed millions of drugs prescribed by physicians from 2010 through 2013 in the Medicare Part D database. They focused their analysis on drugs that treat conditions for which marijuana might be an alternative treatment, including anxiety, depression, glaucoma, nausea, pain, psychosis, seizures, sleep disorders, and a muscle control disorder known as spasticity. They found that for all conditions, except glaucoma and spasticity, fewer prescriptions were written when a medical marijuana law was in effect.
To confirm the link to marijuana laws, and not other factors, the researchers compared results from the states with medical marijuana to states that had not legalized it. They did not see a similar decline in prescribing in states without marijuana laws. As a further test, the researchers selected four drugs prescribed for conditions for which there are no studies suggesting benefit from marijuana treatment. Those drugs included blood-thinners, antibiotics, antivirals to treat the flu, and a drug used in dialysis. They found no decline in prescriptions for these drugs....
Avi Dor, a health economist and professor of health policy and management at George Washington Universitys Milken Institute, called the study impressive and timely, given concerns about prescription opioid abuse. Opioids are often prescribed for many of the conditions the researchers studied. We cant be sure about the causality [in the study], but the evidence is strong in favor of the marijuana laws leading to the substitution away from certain drugs, said Dor, who was not involved in the research. We just dont know if, over time, the effects they find will wash out or become amplified, Dor said. Physicians and their patients are only beginning to experiment with the new therapeutic alternative of medical marijuana.
The Health Affairs study estimated that if medical marijuana had been available in all states in 2013, the Medicare prescription program would have saved about $468 million because of fewer prescriptions for just that year -- an amount equal to one-half of 1 percent of Medicare prescription spending that year. But the researchers acknowledged that savings for Medicare might translate into more costs for patients who pay for medical marijuana out of their own pockets, because insurance doesnt cover the drug.
Dr. Kevin Hill, an assistant professor of psychiatry at McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School who studies marijuana, said the Medicare savings are important. But he noted physicians remain reluctant to recommend marijuana to their patients because they feel the evidence supporting its use is insufficient, or they are concerned about legal ramifications if they suggest a drug the federal government classifies as dangerous. Medical marijuana may reduce prescription costs in some cases, but there is a risk that medical marijuana may be used for conditions that are not supported by evidence, Hill said.
One of many reasons I focused a lot last year on the failed (and at times foolish) campaign to fully legalize marijuana in Ohio was because I believe that a vote in favor of full legalization in 2015 in a bellwhether state like Ohio would be a "game changer" in the marijuana reform movement nationwide. But even though Ohio voters soundly rejected a flawed full legalization initiative last year, marijuana reform in Ohio and nationwide continues apace. And, as this new Rolling Stone article highlights, California's full legalization initiative now on the ballot is surely the most obvious "game-changer" circa 2016. The Rolling Stone piece is headlined "The Pot Law That Could Be 'Deal-Breaker for the Drug War': California's Adult Use of Marijuana Act could have ramifications far beyond the state's borders," and here are excerpts:
Last week California's pot legalization initiative, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, qualified for the ballot in November, setting the stage for a vote that will have ramifications far beyond California's borders.
There are several reasons why if the AUMA passes, it will make California the heaviest domino to fall in the nationwide effort to legalize marijuana, the most obvious being the state's size and the sheer number of people who would have access to legal weed. One in 10 Americans lives in California, while the Los Angeles basin alone is home to more people than Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Alaska the four states that have so far legalized adult use marijuana combined. California also has the sixth largest economy in the world, allowing the rest of the country to draw solid conclusions about the financial impact of legalization.
The Golden State is also known as a trendsetter with the power to break down stereotypes. Having pioneered medical marijuana in 1996, California is a leading exporter of cannabis policy and culture. If California legalizes, the way it goes about doing so will set a standard going forward for other local and national governments to follow.
"It really is the state that wags the tail of the nation, so if California's 55 senators and representatives in Congress were to be in favor of legalization, then it would be a total dynamic change," says Allen St. Pierre, executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML. Other states like Colorado and Washington give us models of how legalization can look, he continues, "but none of them has enough national sway so as to be the template for the rest of the country where possible."
California influences other states, as well the federal government. "We see California as a tipping point to end federal prohibition," says Lynne Lyman, California state director for the Drug Policy Alliance. If legalization passes, overnight a plurality of the United States population will reside within cannabis-legal states, and the federal government will be forced to reckon with the "marijuana question," she says. Moreover, California can make the biggest difference in regard to international drug cartels, especially in Mexico. "Colorado has begun to undermine the marijuana cartels, but I think [legalization] in California might cut their legs out from under them," Lyman adds.
California will become the new "gold standard" for legalization, she says. Other states can look to California for guidance on cannabis revenue allocation, community assessment, environmental protection, anti-monopoly provisions, drug education for juvenile possession of cannabis, expunging marijuana convictions and banning regulators from denying licenses to those with prior drug felonies.
First and foremost, the AUMA would legalize cannabis for adults 21 and older. In doing so, it would also herald a new economic program to offset the effects of prohibition and the Drug War. If passed, the measure would impose a 15 percent retail tax on cannabis, projected to generate up to $1 billion in revenue, as well as $100 million annual savings, to fund public university research on legalization ($10 million), DUI protocols ($3 million), medical cannabis research ($2 million) and support for communities most devastated by the Drug War ($50 million over five years). Everything left over would go to environmental cleanup from illegal grows (20 percent), law enforcement (20 percent) and youth drug prevention, treatment and education (60 percent)....
Additionally, people with prior marijuana convictions could petition to reduce or expunge them from their records no matter whether they are still in jail, on probation or parole, or have already finished their sentences. "We see 2016 in some ways as potentially the last year where social justice drug policy reforms are leading the marijuana legalization battle, as this becomes a full-fledged industry," says Lyman. Capitalist motives could take charge, pushing socially conscious policy to the sidelines. If the AUMA fails, however, activists worry it could have a depressing effect on other legalization efforts and extend the end of prohibition. "Having California lose would be a tremendous setback," says Lyman. "We cannot afford to lose."...
Legalization in California opens up a conversation at national and international levels, says Chris Conrad, a court-qualified expert witness on marijuana, author and activist influential in shaping California's medical marijuana laws. Even if the AUMA isn't perfect, it's a starting point from which California and the nation can continue to see progress. "The initiative allows for more changes and improvements. Look at all this progress we made with marijuana illegal. Just think of what we can do when it's legal," he says.
Conrad points out that if California legalizes, the entire American West Coast from Alaska through Baja will have legal marijuana. (Canada will likely legalize in 2017, too.) "That's a huge chunk of the country, and it sends a message to the rest of the world that it's OK to do this," says Conrad. "Once California legalizes marijuana, people will say it's done. Remember we came from zero tolerance, and now we're talking about how much marijuana should a person be able to carry around legally. I think it's time to cash in some chips. It's a deal-breaker for the Drug War."
U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter made a surprise stop in Afghanistan Tuesday.
Carter was in the country to meet with President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, as well as U.S. commanders.
The visit comes days after an agreement with international leaders to support Afghanistan with 12,000 NATO troops.
NATO allies also agreed to provide more funding for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces through 2020.
In a press conference Tuesday with President Ghani, Carter discussed Afghanistans economic and anti-corruption reforms. He said the governments progress on those reforms is central to the continued international support for the country.
Also on Tuesday, Carter said under new power, General Mick Nicholson, commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, has greater freedom to strike at the Taliban.
Before the new changes, Nicholson and his forces could only intervene against the Taliban when Afghan government troops requested assistance.
More U.S. troops to remain in Afghanistan
Meanwhile, President Barack Obama announced last week that close to 8,400 U.S. troops will remain in Afghanistan through the end of his presidency in January 2017. That is more than the Obama administration had originally planned.
More than 2,000 of the remaining U.S. troops will support the U.S. counterterrorism mission. The mission will target al-Qaida as well as Islamic State fighters trying to take control in eastern Afghanistan.
Carla Babb and Ayaz Gul reported this story for VOA News. Jim Dresbach and Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English, with additional materials from the Associated Press and Reuters. Hai Do was the editor.
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Words in This Story
counterterrorism - n. actions by a group, army, etc., that are done to prevent terrorist attacks and destroy terrorist networks
mission - n. a specific military or naval task
The two main parties in the United States will officially nominate their presidential candidates at national political conventions later this month.
The Republican Party is holding its national convention in Cleveland, Ohio, from July 18 to July 21. The Republicans are expected to officially nominate businessman Donald Trump as their candidate.
The Democrats are preparing to meet at the end of the month in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The party will officially nominate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as its candidate.
Millions of dollars are being spent on security for the two conventions. The cities of Philadelphia and Cleveland have each received $50 million to pay for security, according to multiple sources. The money was awarded in federal grants to keep the convention grounds and the areas around them safe.
Close to 50,000 people are expected to travel to Cleveland for the Republican convention. That number includes about 6,000 demonstrators.
Democratic and Republican protesters clashed at a number of Trump campaign events earlier this year. Police in Cleveland are preparing for the possibility of unrest.
The office of Clevelands mayor says the size and significance of the convention creates unique challenges. City officials have put special restrictions in place.
Cleveland plans to enforce rules designed to control demonstrations. The city will limit marches to 50 minutes. Most of the marches will be held in the morning before Republican delegates gather at the convention site. The planned parade route will send demonstrators in a direction away from the meeting area.
Dan Bulla is the president of a private security company. He thinks the biggest problems will be physical acts of civil disobedience. These acts include blocking streets, disabling police vehicles and trying to incite police action.
Bulla said there may be more opportunity for disruption and violence in Cleveland than at the Democratic National Convention.
Officials in Philadelphia will let supporters of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders to demonstrate in a park near the Democrats convention site. Sanders was Clintons main opponent in the race for the presidential nomination.
The U.S. Secret Service is heavily involved in planning political conventions. The agency has been working with local and federal law enforcement to prepare for the meetings in Cleveland and Philadelphia.
Nicole Mainor works for the Secret Service. She told VOA: If individuals or groups decide to act unlawfully, plans have been put in place to address them. We understand the nature of [these events]. We have anticipated the number of individuals we may encounter.
Law enforcement officials are also guarding against a possible terror attack or attacks on computers. Cyber-attacks are the most significant threat, said Bulla. Officials are working with computer experts to stop hackers attempts to cut off telephone service and electricity.
Bulla said the threat of a terrorist attack does not rate as high as threats of cyber-attacks and civil disobedience.
In a related development, a federal judge decided some of Clevelands rules for protesters were unconstitutional. The rules would have banned some objects from a 5.6-kilometer wide event zone. Those items include large backpacks, adhesive tape and string.
The rules would have also limited where demonstrators could speak.
Cleveland officials say they will appeal the ruling.
I'm Mehrnoush Karimian-Ainsworth.
Wayne Lee wrote this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
What do you think will be the biggest security problems at the political conventions? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page .
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Words in This Story
grant n. public money that is given to someone or something for use on a project or for a particular purpose
civil disobedience n. refusal to obey laws as a way of forcing the government to do or change something
altercations n. noisy or angry arguments
cyber-attack n. an attempt by a computer hacker to damage or destroy a computer network or system
disruption n. an event that causes something to be unable to continue in the normal way
hackers n. people who secretly get access to a computer system in order to get information or cause damage
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said Tuesday he is supporting Hillary Clinton in her effort to be the next president for the United States.
Sanders spoke with a smiling Clinton at his side at a school in New Hampshire.
The two competed earlier this year for the Democratic Partys presidential nomination.
It is no secret that Hillary Clinton and I disagree on a number of issues, said Sanders. Thats what this campaign has been about. Thats what democracy is about.
But he said that on many important issues such as income inequality, climate change and immigration -- Clinton is the best candidate for the nation.
The Democratic unity announcement came just two weeks before the partys national convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Convention delegates are expected to make Clinton, the former U.S. secretary of state, the partys candidate in the presidential elections.
Donald Trump Is Clinton's Opponent
The Republican Party is expected to nominate businessman Donald Trump as its candidate.
"This campaign is not really about Hillary Clinton, or Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders, or any other candidate who sought the presidency, Sanders said. This campaign is about the needs of the American people and addressing the very serious crises that we face.
Trump is expected to accept the Republican presidential nomination next week at the partys convention in Cleveland, Ohio.
On Tuesday, he tweeted that Sanders sold out to crooked Hillary Clinton. Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters, Trump said.
Sanders said he is pleased his campaign won almost 1,900 Democratic delegates, far more than almost anyone thought we could win.
But it is not enough to win the nomination, he added.
Sanders Takes Credit for Raising Issues
The Senator took some credit for moving the Democrats to a more progressive party platform. Sanders said Clintons opinions on some issues have moved closer to his. They include issues such as health care and reducing debt for college students.
Clinton said she is proud to get Sanders support. She said he energized and inspired a generation of young people who care deeply about our country.
A recent Pew Research Center survey found that 85 percent of Sanders supporters say they will vote for Clinton in November. Only 9 percent of his supporters plan to vote for Trump.
Supporters React to Sanders' Endorsement
But some Sanders supporters said it will not be easy for them to back the woman who campaigned against their candidate.
Kira Willig is a lawyer and Sanders supporter from Florida. She cried as she watched Sanders standing next to Clinton.
This has been a long sustained campaign of truly believing our country could go in the right direction, Willig said. But Willig said she knows Bernie is correct about backing Clinton.
What we love about him is that he represents the best in all of us, and right now he is a better person than I am for his ability to rise above to make this appearance, Willig added.
Kachina Mooney, a Sanders supporter from West Virginia, said she understands he feels deeply that Donald Trump is a huge threat.
But I still believe Bernie to be the hope of our nation. I am Bernie strong, Bernie or bust, and I will write him in.
Mooney meant she would write Sanders name onto her ballot, even if he fails to become the Democratic candidate.
Sanders endorsement of Clinton came as the Commission on Presidential Debates announced plans for three presidential debates before the November 8th election. The debates will include the Democratic and Republican candidates.
Independent candidates will need support of 15 percent of voters in major polls before the commission will let them join the debates.
Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page.
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Words in This Story
smile - v. an expression on your face that makes the corners of your mouth turn up and that shows happiness, amusement, pleasure, affection
doubt - n. a feeling of being uncertain or unsure about something
inspire - v. to make someone want to do something
sustained - adj. an effort over a long period of time
bust - n. nothing else will do
platform n. an official policy statement
poll n. a public opinion survey or study
endorsement n. an act of giving ones approval or support to someone or something
Britains Theresa May is set to become the second woman to hold the position of Prime Minister since Margaret Thatcher.
British Prime Minister David Cameron announced on Monday that he will resign Wednesday and Andrea Leadsom, Mays rival for the position, abruptly withdrew.
Cameron told reporters he would officially offer his resignation to Britains Queen Elizabeth on Wednesday.
The prime minister announced his intention to resign last month after Britons voted in a referendum to leave the European Union. Cameron had campaigned for Britain remaining in the EU.
Theresa May, 59, has served as Home Secretary in Camerons cabinet since 2010. May had been campaigning in a race to lead the Conservative Party against Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom.
But Leadsom withdrew after she made comments highly criticized by the media and her party. In the comments, Leadsom suggested she was better qualified to be Prime Minister because she is a mother. May has no children.
Speaking outside his residence at 10 Downing Street, Cameron said he was delighted we are not going to have a prolonged leadership contest. He praised May for being strong, competent and more than capable of taking on the role of prime minister.
During last months referendum, also referred to as Brexit, May campaigned for Britain to stay in the EU. Since the vote, she has pledged to help pull the country out of the bloc.
Speaking outside parliament, May said she was "honored and humbled" to be chosen the party's new leader.
She said she is prepared to provide strong, proven leadership to steer us through what will be difficult and uncertain economic and political times. She added that Britain needs to forge a new role for ourselves in the world.
May will be in charge of overseeing the countrys complex transition out of the EU. She said her goal is to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU.
Brexit means Brexit, and were going to make a success of it, she said.
Im Bryan Lynn.
Bryan Lynn wrote this story for Learning English based on reporting from VOAnews.com, with additional reports from the Associated Press and Reuters. Hai Do was the editor.
We want to hear your thoughts on the Brexit vote. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.
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Words in This Story
referendum n. a vote of a single political question
abruptly adj. sudden and unexpected
competent adj. having the necessary ability or skills to do something well
humbled adj. not proud, modest
forge v. to create or form
The U.N. has dismissed Chinas claims of "historic title" in the South China Sea. It is a major decision that comes after years of conflict among China, the Philippines and other countries.
China says ancient maps show that it legally controls nearly all the South China Sea. But Philippine officials argue that Chinas territorial claims and recent aggressive activities in the South China Sea violate the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The convention is an international treaty both China and the Philippines have signed.
On Tuesday, the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague said China has no historic title to the area. And, the court ruled that China had violated the Philippines rights by interfering with that countrys fishing and oil exploration in the area.
In Manila, Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay called the ruling "a milestone decision."
U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby called the ruling "an important contribution to the shared goal of a peaceful resolution to disputes in the South China Sea."
But Chinese President Xi Jinping rejected the ruling. He said it would not affect Chinas control over the area or its interests there.
Years of conflict
An estimated $5 trillion in global trade passes each year through the South China Sea. The large area is home to rich fishing grounds and may include a wealth of oil, gas and other natural resources.
Many nearby countries claim part of the South China Sea. They include Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam, as well as the Philippines. Taiwan also has a claim.
But in recent years, China has seized and rebuilt territory in the area, despite other countries objections. One conflict is over Chinas activities on natural reefs. It has built many into artificial islands that can support military bases.
The UN court ruled against these activities on Tuesday. It said China did not have exclusive economic rights to a disputed set of land and reefs called the Spratly Islands. And, the court said Chinas construction on Mischief Reef caused permanent harm to the reef's ecosystem.
What does the ruling do?
Despite Tuesday's ruling, the UN has no way to enforce the decision. It cannot use military action or economic restrictions.
But, the decision could make other Asia-Pacific countries bring cases against China. Those cases could increase diplomatic pressure on Beijing to reduce its presence in the South China Sea.
The United States has challenged Beijing's increasing aggressiveness in the region. The U.S. military has held naval exercises in the area and deployed warships near the rebuilt reefs. The moves aim to assert the international freedom of navigation rules.
Im Mario Ritter.
William Gallo, Richard Green, Saibal Dasqupta and Joyce Huang contributed to this report. Kelly Jean Kelly adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.
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Words in This Story
title - n. a legal right to the ownership of land, property
ancient adj. very old
convention n. a formal agreement between two groups
milestone n. an important point in the progress or development of something
exclusive adj. not shared; available to only one person or group
Lang, longtime state official, will lead UNO-based center
By Emily Nohr
World-Herald staff writer
The former head of the State Department of Economic Development and Department of Labor has been named the leader of the Nebraska Business Development Center.
Cathy Lang will replace Robert Bernier, who is retiring after serving as the centers director for nearly 40 years. She will begin as director designate in October and officially take the helm Dec. 1.
I look forward to building on the relationships I have across Nebraska and supporting the programs offered at NBDC, Lang said.
The center, which is housed at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, aims to help small businesses. Founded in Omaha in 1977, it also has offices in
Lincoln, Wayne, North Platte, Kearney, Chadron and Scottsbluff.
Lang worked in state government for nearly 35 years. In 2014 she resigned as Nebraskas labor commissioner and director of the Department of Economic Development.
Then-Gov. Dave Heineman appointed Lang labor commissioner in 2008. He added the Economic Development Department to her portfolio in 2011. She has also served as director of the property tax division of the Nebraska Department of Revenue.
She most recently was vice president of Accelerate Nebraska, where she connected educational institutions with business and community efforts to support workplace development. She is also a member of the Omaha Municipal Land Bank board.
Bernier, who became the centers first director in 1979, is the longest-serving director of a business development center in the U.S., according to UNO. He will continue to support and consult with the center after stepping down as director.
UNO Chancellor John Christensen said the center has made a tremendous impact on Nebraska under Berniers leadership. He said hes confident that will continue under Lang.
I look forward to all the new and exciting collaborations UNO and the University of Nebraska will have across the state, he said.
Since 2002 the center has served more than 62,000 clients and helped them contribute more than $5 billion to the states economy through professional development, training and consulting, among other efforts.
Last year the Nebraska Business Development Center served about 2,900 businesses in the state. It valued the economic impact of its work in 2015 at $360 million.
The center is supported by the University of Nebraska at Omaha College of Business Administration, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Defense Logistics Agency and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Contact the writer:
Omaha World-Herald (NE)
Wesgro, the Destination marketing, Investment and Trade promotion agency of South Africa's Western Cape Province, recently took a delegation of business people to Ethiopia on a trade mission aimed at increasing the Western Cape's presence and generating export and partnership opportunities in key sectors of the Western Cape economy.
Image by 123RF
The mission formed part of Wesgros Africa International Trade and Investment Programme and comprised of 12 companies from agribusiness, manufacturing and services. These companies signed export deals to supply their Ethiopian counterparts with products and services valued at R50 million over a five-year period.
With a market size of nearly 95 million people, Ethiopia has seen an average GDP growth of 10.7% for the last 12 years and is reported to be Africas fastest growing economy, attracting billions of dollars in foreign trade, said Michael Gamwo, manager for Wesgros International Trade for Africa.
Consequently, the market for consumer goods in Ethiopia has grown significantly, thereby providing potentially lucrative opportunities for Western Cape exporters of consumer goods and services seeking to expand into the Ethiopian market.
SA trade with Ethiopia is currently valued at over R900 million, while the Western Cape trade with Ethiopia is estimated at R40 Million. The top exports from the Western Cape to Ethiopia include Agricultural and agro processed products, medical and electronic goods.
Wesgro has recently formed a partnership with the Addis Ababa chamber of Commerce and the Ethiopian Investment Commission to increase trade mission activities between the two countries which will enable substantial growth within the next five years.
Of key importance is the imminent launch by the government of four National Integrated Agro Industrial Parks through which seven million square meters of land will be made available for potential investors to set up operations in value-added agricultural products destined for export to the world market, said Gamwo.
Foreign Direct Investment is increasingly attracted to the industrial park developments and to other government policies offering excise breaks, tax holidays of between four to six years depending on the sector and location of the investment and cheap land rental as well as political stability and the added advantage of a competitive and youthful workforce.
These factors above have so far attracted a number of multinational companies such as Heineken, the Blackstone Group, KKR, General Electric, Orange, Etur Textile, the BDL Group, Diageo, SABMiller, PPC and Starwood Hotels which have made significant investments in Ethiopia in recent years.
Wesgros next trade mission will be to build business links with Nigeria and Ghana which is scheduled to take place from 7 13 August 2016.
Los Angeles: It's time for television to celebrate itself, again, with a shower of Emmy Award nominations. And why not?
Pop culture's ability to trace the intricacies of our social fabric shouldn't be undervalued, with TV in its various guises broadcast, cable or streaming proving more up to the job than its big-screen brother, Oscar.
In contrast to the Academy Awards, slammed for overwhelming whiteness, the 68th Emmy nominations to be announced Thursday could play to TV's strength, its relative willingness to give more viewpoints and more people, including minorities and women, a seat at the table.
Black-ish, Roots, Fresh Off the Boat and other shows vying for recognition make the point. The hit sitcom Black-ish, which has masterfully teased insight and humour out of troubling issues including police brutality and the casually used N-word, is poised to have a breakout showing for its sophomore season.
Anthony Anderson, who received the show's sole 2015 nod as lead comedy actor, should expect a second and, this time, be joined by his worthy leading lady, Tracee Ellis Ross. The show itself, from creator Kenya Barris, is in the hunt for top comedy honours.
"I think it's going to have a major (Emmy) presence," said Tom O'Neil, editor and president of the Gold Derby awards handicapping website. "It's critically respected, it has a strong viewer base and it's about diversity at a time that's a pressing issue across Hollywood."
Anderson and Lauren Graham are to announce the nominations Thursday morning at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in Los Angeles.
Viola Davis, who in 2015 became the first woman of colour to win a best drama series actress Emmy, likely will be a contender again for How to Get Away With Murder, with Taraji P. Henson of Empire also an expected part of the field.
Limited series The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story stands to reap nods for its multiethnic cast that includes Courtney B. Vance as Johnnie Cochran; Cuba Gooding Jr. as Simpson; Sarah Paulson playing Marcia Clark and Kenneth Choi as Judge Lance Ito.
The transgender-themed Transparent, which earned a best actor trophy for star Jeffrey Tambor, could get another shot at top comedy. Veep, which broke the hold of five-time champ Modern Family in 2015 to win, will attempt to stay in office again. Other contenders may include The Big Bang Theory, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Silicon Valley.
Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfus has won four consecutive best comedy actress Emmys for the kind of juicy leading role US president that actresses are hard-pressed to find in big-screen releases. That's even truer for Constance Wu of Fresh Off the Boat, the rare Asian-American to lead a project, TV or theatrical.
Wu and her co-star, Randall Park, both are considered likely nominees and would join the small ranks of Asian-Americans to receive Emmy notice.
The awards also have a chance to address the scarcity of Indian-American contenders with Aziz Ansari and his acclaimed comedy Master of None, and Latinos with Gina Rodriguez's Golden Globe-honoured performance in Jane the Virgin.
Such attention carries weight beyond Hollywood, said Hawaiian-born actor Kalani Queypo, who portrayed an historic Native American figure, Squanto, in the miniseries Saints & Strangers.
"I think about native kids who are watching and an experience, like a nomination, especially a win, it creates an opportunity for them because the dream doesn't seem so far-fetched. It's within reach, you know? It's someone who looks like them," Queypo said.
There's creative range as well to be considered by the TV academy's 22,000 voters who, unlike the invitation-only Oscars club of 6,000-plus, rely on their professional experience to gain admission.
The lavish and complex Game of Thrones will try to repeat its 2015 victory in the best drama series category, a rarity for a fantasy saga. Among its potential rivals: breakout cyber-thriller Mr. Robot, starring Rami Malek playing a hacker with a cause.
For fans of English comfort food, the farewell season of Downton Abbey and its stars, including previous winner Maggie Smith, will make their last stand for Emmy honours. Other best drama contenders include the last season of The Good Wife, House of Cards, Billions and The Americans.
The Emmy ceremony, with host Jimmy Kimmel, will air 18 September on ABC.
While watching Abhishek Chaubeys Udta Punjab, you spend a lot of time intrigued by the hows and whys of a mysterious, nameless character, played by Alia Bhatt. Then, as the film draws you in, it builds up to one thunderous outburst from her, which is when the enigma that is her character begins to make sense.
Simultaneously, at precisely the moment you get socked in the gut by that scene, another simple but powerful revelation might just strike you the fact that the actor performing that scene made her debut in a candy-floss Dharma film (Student of the Year), and has since been touted as the next big commercial Hindi film heroine.
That, in essence, is what makes this current phase so important for Hindi cinema; because hits and flops apart, were consistently seeing young, talented actors with already significant fan followings break out of the mould and choose the kind of roles youd least expect them to a refreshing change from the bloated yet weightless popcorn entertainers that seem to have become the norm in Hindi cinema in the past decade and beyond.
Take Sonam Kapoor in Ram Madhvanis Neerja Bhanot biopic, the eponymously titled Neerja, for instance. Better known as a fashionista and pop culture icon, Sonams acting chops have always been under the scanner. Yet, for her to choose to shoulder a character loaded under the weight of such history, was no mean feat.
Here was a film that was wholly centered around her, where she had to display a gamut of emotions and bring to life the inspirational, complex character of an unusually rare real life hero. Whether Sonam eventually did justice to that character or not is surely debatable, but it is the intent and choice of role that undoubtedly deserves applause.
Or look at Arjun Kapoor (whose relationship to Sonam is only incidental to the point at hand). Like Sonam, Arjun Kapoor is a thoroughbred industry kid, expected to be far more at home in testosterone-fueled massy actioners like Gunday and Tevar. Indeed, the young man seems to revel in such roles.
It is heartening, then, to also see him choose to play one of the lead roles in R Balkis Ki and Ka a film that attempted to turn the concept of gender on its head. Again, the attempt may have been a flimsy one because of the writer-directors limited understanding of gender, but the film as well as Arjuns choice to do it were both steps in the right direction, for the respective issues they represent.
For the textbook definition of a brave choice, one can even look at Shakun Batras Kapoor & Sons, ostensibly an uncomplicated Dharma film. Fawad Khan has quickly amassed a whole generation of people drooling over him, nationality and gender no bar. He's is a Pakistani Muslim actor who played a homosexual man in an Indian film. Best to let that thought hang.
Even Sidharth Malhotra, another from the young brigade of actors whore helping steer commercial Hindi cinema to new waters, came off the back of films like Brothers and Ek Villain to play an understated character role unlike any he has done so far, in Kapoor & Sons. One might have missed how unusual the character was because of how it appears on the surface stereotypically urbane and yuppie. He may have struggled a wee bit to hold fort in Kapoor & Sons, but his performance had heart, and that he did the film itself is commendable.
The best thing about all these interesting film choices from the younger lot, though, is the fact that even the older generation of superstars is beginning to widen their horizons, maybe even taking a cue. After all, a 50-year-old man named Shah Rukh Khan did play a rather convincing (if a wee bit annoying) 25-year-old not too long ago. Fan marks a new phase in the career of Shah Rukh Khan, as hes poised to play a host of interesting characters in films directed by exciting filmmakers, over the next few years. Aanand L Rai and Imtiaz Ali, to name two.
In an industry that is so strongly driven by the star before anyone else, such film choices by the young (and the young-at-heart) is a stellar change. This, combined with the fact that actors like Irrfan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui are enjoying their own unique brand of stardom, truly augurs well for Hindi cinema.
Editor's note: The Gujarat High Court will pronounce its verdict in a PIL against Salman Khan for "lowering the dignity of women" through his now infamous rape remark, on 13 July, Wednesday. The petitioner Aaditya Raval told the court that Salman's comment on 'feeling like a raped woman' was a "violation of women's right to live with dignity".
For the longest time I kept quiet. I decided against the idea of adding more to the never ending avalanche of opinions regarding Salman Khan's rape remark, which I thought was so overdone. His remark seemed trivial to me because I was so preoccupied with detecting inherent sexism and misogyny in few other avatars of God the saviour of human kind, Narendra Modi for example or fighting sexism within my own family.
I was particularly calm and convinced that I don't have anything more to add after reading what Kavita Krishnan said on the matter. She observed that inherent sexism/rape jokes should be condemned by each one of us every day at every social or family gathering every time they occur.
I tried doing so few days ago in my own family and was brutally shown a virtual middle finger. Last week at a friend's place, while discussing the condition of a smart phone a mutual male friend said, Tumne to iska rape kar diya na (You have raped it). None of my other friends laughed at it, but they didn't condemn it either. I myself pretended to not hear it because I am not on talking terms with this person for over 10 years now, so wanted to avoid confrontation. Later when I discussed the matter over a group chat (of which this guy is not a part), all my friends agreed that society should not silently tolerate such remark. Well, then why didn't you speak up at the spot?
It is time we start setting our priorities right in our daily dose of outrage. Outrage against Salman Khan but no outrage against Modi when he said some of the worst things about women in his Gold scheme launch last year, why? Why was there no outrage against the balatkar pe balatkar joke in 3 Idiots? Or when Akshay Kumar mouthed the dialogue "Tawaif ki lutti izzat bachana aur tees maar khan ko qaid karna dono bekaar hai" (to save the hounour of a prostitute being raped and to try to arrest Tees Maar Khan, both are useless)? Why no outrage agaisnt Kapil Sharma's sexist jokes night after night?
Making Salman Khan a target is rather too easy, he has a history of it, he almost asks for it. Every Tom, Dick and Harry therefore is now fuming over Salman Khan and fancy identifying themselves as some great patron of feminism. But over half of them missed the plot when they assumed that this problem is about Salman Khan. One of them goes, Salman Khan you are bad, because your movies are bad, T-shirt is bad, NGO is bad, you can't act, can't dance, can't speak. You have no talent, why are you successful, why your fans love you is beyond me, God only bless them. Another suggests smart people should boycott Salman Khan films because he is a talentless spoilt brat who reached where he is because of his connections.
Thank you very much you patrons, who got feminism horribly wrong, now listen to what this feminist has to say. Feminism argues that professional excellence is no proof that you understand and are sensitive towards gender issues. You may be a brilliant scientist or artist or film maker or actor, you can still be a sexist pig. And when you are, we feminist would call you that, without necessarily trashing your work just because now we hate you.
Salman Khan is a movie star and he is damn good at it. He is delicious to look at the same way that a steak and kidney pie is delicious. For over 30 years he has entertained millions of us with his work. That intense man from Khamoshi, that handsome heartthrob from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, that hilarious twit from Andaz Apna Apna or Judwa or Partner, that sweet ordinary man from Bajrangi Bhaijan, that unfailing lover from Tere Naam and that eternal friend-cum-lover from Maine Pyaar Kiya...I can go on. His bizarre dance moves, his fashion sense, his smile, his eyes, his body, everything is worth admiration and consumption. Do not patronise the fans by saying we do not know what we are consuming.
Salman Khan should be condemned not because his films are bad or he is a talent-less prick, rather he should be condemned in spite of his great body of work and a successful career contributing to the Mumbai film industry. Professional excellence does not mitigate violence and abuse and vice versa. Trashing somebody's professional work without any nuance because of something he said or did in his personal life only suggests that professional excellence by default means one cannot possibly do no harm. Men with great professional excellence like RK Pachauri, Roman Polanski, Woody Allen, Tarun Tejpal have clearly shown us that is not the case.
It is important that we learn to distinguish Salman Khan's professional and personal fields, acknowledge the professional success (if not excellence) and condemn the personal.
Alternatively, maybe we should start trashing the work of Woody Allen. Oh and add Gulzar to that list. And Pandit Ravi Shankar.
Prince George, like any three year old, has a very busy schedule. When he is not busy visiting the President of the United States, Mr Barack Obama, he has a strict schedule of napping and eating.
On 8th July 2016 however, he took out some time to visit the Royal International Air Tattoo with his entourage of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Mother, father and baby had a gala time looking at the air show in Gloucestershire. Here are a few images of the royal family:
Looks like it was a fun day for the royal family.
Things didn't end well between Rita Ora and Calvin Harris when they split up in 2014. But things didn't end well for the Scottish DJ when Taylor Swift chose Thor's half brother Loki (otherwise known as Tom Hiddleston) over Harris either.
However, it may just be possible that Rita Ora is the subject of his new single 'Ole' and not, as is believed, Taylor Swift? Hollywoodlife.com was the first one to point out the hidden connection between the song lyrics and Rita Ora.
Youve hidden my name on your phone so you can call me to tell me youve been going through hell, left him alone and you booked in a hotel, John Newman is singing this in one of the song verses.
This might refer to the fact that Calvin and Rita split after he found out that Rita was spending some time away from him in a hotel even though they were in the same city.
But then the song opens with these lyrics:
Low key you wont tell none of your friends about me. I see online that you began to be a good girl and take trips with your boyfriend. Being attentive, continue to pretend.
Low key sounds very much like 'Loki', the villain that Tom Hiddleston portrays in the Thor films.
The song was penned in April, and the 'Hiddleswift' romance first made headlines at the Met Gala in May.
Also Calvin Harris is back in the news for one more reason -- he was seen partying with Nicole Scherzinger over the weekend, could this be his rebound?
Either way, Calvin Harris has seemed to acquire Taylor Swift's idea of writing about her exes. Here are a few exes that Swift has dissed in her songs:
"We are never getting back together" Jake Gyllenhaal
This hit single is about actor Jake Gyllenhaal. From lyrics about the actors love of indie bands to the scarf featured in the music video that is identical to one Swift wore on a date with Gyllenhaal, it is clear that the actor is the inspiration for the track.
I Knew You Were Trouble Harry Styles
Taylor made it so obvious at the Grammys that the song was about the British bad boy Harry Styles, who had apparently cheated on her.
"Dear John" John Mayer
The song is about her ex John Mayer, after the relationship went south. John Mayer retorted with the song 'Paper Doll' that is penned for Taylor Swift.
"Better Than Revenge" Joe Jonas
This track features lyrics about 'vintage dresses' which Camilla Belle loves. The song was released after Swift claimed that Camilla had come between her and Joe Jonas. This is just one of the many songs about Joe Jonas, other ones being 'Forever & Always', 'Jump Then Fall', 'Today Was a Fairytale' and 'Holy Ground'.
New Delhi: Air India's decision to offer cheaper last minute fares on select routes could be both a boon and a curse for the airline. Some aviation industry experts have said that this move will kill the airline's already dodgy revenue management, and at best may help the national carrier fill every fourth seat which otherwise goes vacant on its domestic flights.
So the boon may be limited to getting more bums on seats. On the flip side, this move could change passenger booking behaviour as well. If one knows that tickets are sure to be available at significant discounts to the average air fare four hours before every flight, why would one want to book a ticket on normal fares at all?
An Air India official said this scheme has been launched to check exorbitant last minute fares, a practice followed by airlines world over. Of course, it seems to be following orders of its master, the ministry of civil aviation, which has often spoken of regulating air fares.
Former MoS Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma had repeatedly warned private airlines of using Air India to lower fares, by ensuring that the national carrier lowers them first. Is the latest scheme a throwback on Sharma's views?
The discounted fare scheme became operational from Sunday and is ostensibly aimed at the "thousands" of passengers who are unable to get confirmed tickets on India's Railway network due to non-availability of seats daily. Under the scheme, passengers can book the tickets 4 hours prior to the flight departure at a fare which is equivalent to that of Rajdhani Express (1A). Passengers can avail an all-inclusive economy class one-way fare on select domestic routes till September 30 2016.
Initially the scheme was valid for Delhi-Mumbai-Delhi, Delhi-Kolkata-Delhi, Delhi-Bengaluru-Delhi and Delhi-Chennai-Delhi. Now, the airline has extended the list of city pairs where the scheme is applicable. The list now includes Delhi-Ranchi at Rs 2,770, Delhi-Ahmedabad at Rs 2,270, Delhi-Hyderabad at Rs 3,275, Delhi-Bhubaneshwar Rs 3,475, Delhi-Goa at Rs 3,665, Delhi-Patna at Rs 2,315 and Delhi-Raipur at Rs 2,240.
It is not clear if the reduced last-minute fares already announced for each route are indicative or fixed fares and whether they will rise as seats get filled. But if they have been fixed, the airline may find it difficult to generate any significant additional revenue from this move. Says Jitender Bhargava, former executive director and author of the book 'Descent of Air India', "This move will dilute yields (revenue per passenger). Anyway, this cannot compensate for lack of marketing efforts by Air India."
An executive at a low-cost airline pointed out that for Air India, this could be a clear way of increasing aircraft loads and could save on marketing/promotional expenses which the airline would have otherwise incurred. The move comes at a time when the traditional peak season for air travel is over and aircraft occupancy across most airlines tends to fall.
Also, eyeing rail passengers is nothing new for airlines. Last year, LCC Spicejet entered into a tieup with the Railways which enabled a train traveler whose ticket is wait-listed to cancel the train ticket and instead get on to a flight by paying some incremental fee.
A similar tieup was put in place by GoAir. But there were some riders in this scheme: it only applied to tickets booked at least three days in advance of the journey, these train tickets could only be cancelled on a specified website and flight tickets were to be available only for the day of the train journey or a day prior to it.
There were no fixed sectors nor fixed air fares under the scheme. The incremental payment for a flight (over and above the train fare) depended on the sector and prevailing prices. It is not clear if the scheme even got started with either airline.
The Air India official quoted above said there is no such restriction on its scheme and anyone (whether she holds a Rajdhani first class ticket or not) can avail of these discounts.
Instead of making it an all-out discount, perhaps Air India would have done well to offer these rates on select flights. For example, flights which are late and typically see low occupancy or flights to select destinations etc. Making it an all-out scheme could well limit its efficacy.
New Delhi: British explorer Cairn Energy has sought $5.6 billion in compensation from the Indian government for raising a retrospective tax demand of Rs 29,047 crore on 10-year old internal reorganisation of its India unit.
In a 160-page 'Statement of Claim' filed with an international arbitration panel on 28 June, the Edinburgh-based company sought withdrawal of the tax demand and declaring that India has "failed to uphold its obligations" under the UK-India Investment Treaty by not giving its investments in the country "fair and equitable treatment".
It sought $1.05 billion in compensation for the loss of value its 9.8 percent shareholding in its erstwhile subsidiary Cairn India suffered following Income Tax (I-T) Department raising the tax demand in January 2014 and attaching the shares.
"In the alternative, and should the (arbitration) Tribunal determine not to order India to refrain from enforcing its unlawful tax demand", Cairn sought to be compensated of breaches of the investment treaty by being paid for the loss of value of its holding in Cairn India as well as interest and penalties, totalling $5.587 billion (Rs 37,400 crore).
The total compensation sought is equal to the tax demand raised and the value of Cairn Energy's 9.8 percent shareholding in Cairn India.
A three-member arbitration panel headed by Geneva-based arbitrator Laurent Levy began hearing Cairn Energy's plea against tax demand in May and the company filed its 'Statement of Claim' late last month.
The Indian government will file its 'Statement of Defence' by November and evidential hearing is expected to commence in early 2017, sources said.
The I-T Department had in January 2014 slapped a draft tax assessment of Rs 10,247 crore on Cairn Energy on alleged capital gain it made when, in 2006, it transferred its India assets to a new subsidiary, Cairn India and listed the firm.
The British firm sold majority stake in Cairn India to Vedanta Resources in 2011 but still holds 9.8% stake in the company, which was attached by I-T Department.
This year, a final assessment order was slapped on it that included a Rs 18,800 crore of interest on top of Rs 10,247 crore principal tax amount.
In the 'Statement of Claims', Cairn said it had an option to list Cairn India on UK stock exchange but decided to go for a local initial public offering (IPO) with a view to "further Indianising" the business.
"To accomplish what was to be one of the largest-ever IPOs in the Indian history, however, Cairn had to reorganise its corporate group structure significantly," it said. It is in this restructuring that the I-T Department says Cairn made capital gains of Rs 24,503.50 crore.
If it had known that India would change rules and retrospectively tax, the company would have restructured business differently and listed the firm on UK exchange, it added.
Indians can now salvage their sins with just a quick visit to their nearest post office, thanks to the central government's scheme of selling bottled holy Ganga water at post offices. And what more, the government plans to make it available right at your doorstep, once the supply-demand ratio stabilises.
The Central government, on Sunday, launched a new scheme to enable devotees to take a 'holy sip' right at their doorsteps by enabling the sale of bottled Ganga jal from Rishikesh and Gangotri at all post offices. Options of home delivery are also available. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad launched the scheme on Monday in Patna.
Minster of Law & Justice @rsprasad launches distribution of #GangaJal at #Patna through Post Offices. pic.twitter.com/iDFzbMVl7y All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) July 10, 2016
With the Ganga river polluted and murky in most parts where it flows in its later stages, the demand for pure and unadulterated Ganga jal is always high.
A report in The Times of India said that post offices in Bengal received an overwhelming response as soon as the sale began. "We were sent five 200ml bottles of Ganga jal collected at Rishikesh. They sold out instantly. People left the counter cursing us," the article quoted a Indian post official from Jalpaiguri as saying. According to the report, people came over from far-off places in the wee hours on Monday just to lay hands on the pious water first thing. Most left disappointed as the stocks vanished soon after it hit the shelves.
Another report by The Times of India from Indore said that in the first leg, Ganga jal will be available only at select locations in Madhya Pradesh: Ujjain, Khandwa, Bhopal (TT Nagar post office), Lashkar and Jabalpur. Determined to cater to the cultural needs of the people, the government has ensured the bottles come with a seal of authenticity.Trust after all is foremost in religious matters.
The packaging will be done at the source, Rishikesh and Gangotri, and distribution across the nation will be moderated by Delhi nodal office of the Indian Post, according to The Times of India.
However, despite the overwhelming response, the scheme didn't go down well with all segments. In a sarcastic overtone, Bihar chief minster Nitish Kumar told The Times of India that the central government seems to have decided that water flowing through the river Ganga in its Bihar stretch is not coming from Gangotri and Rishikesh, which is why it saw the need to sell some. Some people took to twitter, criticising the move to commercialise Ganga jal.
New Delhi: NITI Aayog will soon come out with a roadmap to boost employment generation, which will include creating favourable regulatory system for special economic and coastal zones to improve ease of doing business.
The Aayog called a meeting of all stakeholders today, including trade unions and industry representatives, where a detailed presentation was made to compare various aspects of labour force in India and countries like China.
"The Aayog has already given a detailed presentation on employment generation in the country to the Prime Minister. NITI called the first meeting of the stakeholders today to know their views on issue. After more deliberations, a detailed roadmap will be chalked out for the purpose," a senior NITI Aayog official said.
The official also indicated that the Aayog is mulling having a different regulatory framework for special economic and coastal zones to attract investment and generate employment.
According to the official, unless government enhances ease of doing business, there would not be investments in the manufacturing sector which has the potential to generate a large number of jobs.
After the meeting, Indian National Trade Union Congress Vice President Ashok Singh said that the government cannot go for one-sided labour reforms which would only increase ease of doing business but deprive workers of their rights.
Singh said that besides improving ease of doing business, government should create infrastructure to increase skilled labour.
Citing an example, he said that China has five lakh industrial training centres whereas India has 11,000 such institutes to produce skilled labour.
All India Trade Union Congress Secretary D L Sachdev said, "It was the first meeting and they had made a presentation comparing situation of labour in various countries. We are expecting more deliberation on the issues, including labour reforms."
Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh's General Secretary Virjesh Upadhyay, who also attended the meeting, said, "They have started discussion on ways to increase employment generation."
At the meeting, Dalit India Chamber of Commerce and Industry Founder Milind Kamble pitched for labour reforms to improve ease of doing business for attracting investment and increasing economic activity.
Trade unions have been opposing labour law amendments, saying that these will dilute workers' rights.
Mumbai: Quality of the country's growth is improving with focus shifting from boosting cyclical growth through fiscal and monetary stimuli to "repairing the system and initiating structural reforms", rating agency Crisil said.
"The biggest positive is that the policy focus hasn't been based on populism, or on boosting cyclical growth through fiscal and monetary stimuli, but on improving the 'trend' growth by repairing the system and initiating structural reforms wherever possible," it said in a report.
The report also noted that unlike China, the current growth in India is not supported by rampant credit creation.
"Credit growth has averaged 9.8 percent in the last two years, almost in lockstep with 10.2 percent nominal GDP growth, underscoring sustainability," it said.
According to Crisil, structurally positive steps have been taken such as mending the electricity and banking sectors, but they remain "work in progress".
"The focus on quality of growth with reform initiatives means there will not be significant upsides immediately," Crisil Chief Economist Dharmakirti Joshi said.
"But if relentlessly implemented, they will do more to raise the trend growth rather than cyclical growth that we are seeing now. We believe this will remain a work in progress for some more time and the momentum needs to continue," he said.
However, Joshi added that the government needs to create 6,00,000 jobs a month but is falling short of target.
"Food processing and textiles are two sectors where maximum job creation is possible," he said.
Crisil has estimated the GDP to grow at 7.9 percent in the current fiscal, provided the monsoon is normal and the global situation does not deteriorate.
Last month, the government had announced a Rs 6,000-crore package for the textile sector, which envisages billions of dollars investment over the next four years leading to an intended generation of new jobs to the tune of 10 million.
New Delhi: Reserve Bank Governor Raghuram Rajan's successor is likely to be announced as early as this week, for which top contenders include NITI Aayog's Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya and former RBI Deputy Governors Subir Gokarn and Rakesh Mohan.
Sources said a decision is expected soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's return from his four-national Africa trip tomorrow.
Rajan, whose current three-year tenure ends on September 4, made a surprise announcement last month that he would not seek a second term and would return to academia, triggering intense speculation about the possible contenders.
Among those being talked as possible contenders, 64-year- old Panagariya is also India's key negotiator at G20 summit and has been Professor of Indian Political Economy at Columbia University.
He is a former Chief Economist of the Asian Development Bank and Professor of Economics at the University of Maryland at College Park. He has also worked with the World Bank, IMF and UNCTAD and is PhD in Economics from Princeton University.
Pangariya, who is said to have been mentored by noted economist Jagdish Bhagwati, has been a vocal supporter of various economic policies of Narendra Modi, including as Prime Minister and before that as Chief Minister of Gujarat.
Among other possible contenders to replace Rajan, on- leave Professor of Finance at Chicago University and a former Chief Economist at IMF, Gokarn is currently serving as an Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund, a post previously held by Mohan as well.
Others said to be in the fray included SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das, Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian and RBI's current Deputy Governor Urjit Patel.
Traditionally, Prime Minister picks the RBI Governor after consultation with the finance minister and the same process is likely to be followed this time. Sources said once a new governor is named, he will become an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the central bank to allow smooth transition.
Rajan, who will have the shortest tenure as RBI Governor since liberalisation began in 1991, decided not to seek a second term amid unbridled political attacks against him including by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy.
New Delhi - RSS-affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch on Monday asked the government to reverse its decision of allowing FDI in defence, retail and pharma sectors, saying the decision will not help in increasing employment opportunities.
Delivering a talk on "25 years of liberalisation in India" at JNU, SJM's national convener Arun Ojha also expressed concerns over the deteriorating value of the Indian Rupee saying the country will not benefit from such devaluation.
"The huge dependence on FDI is not good as it will not help increase employment opportunities and will reduce them instead. Government should reverse its decision of allowing FDI in defence, retail and pharma sectors," he said.
He said FDI will add to the burden of unemployment and the more foreign companies come into the country employment opportunities will reduce.
"The sole purpose of foreign companies is profit maximisation. Such companies will use upgraded technology and technology upgradation reduces employment," he said.
On continued fall in the value of Indian currency, the Manch leader said, "no country in the world will benefit from
competitive devaluation of currency", an apparent reference to no steps being taken by the government to strengthen the Rupee
on the plea of exports getting affected.
Talking about the last 25 years of liberalisation and globalisation, Ojha said it has not helped reduce poverty and income inequality has increased.
The SJM leader said while liberalisation in the country has helped only 10 to 15 per cent of the people see a rise in
their incomes, while that of 85 per cent has seen a downturn.
The employment opportunities have also reduced over the years, with women work force reducing drastically, he said.
He also expressed concerns over intellectual property rights being ignored in the pharma sector that is leading to
increase in prices of essential medicines and reducing the importance of Indian pharma sector.
Monsoon in India is critical to the agricultural sector. This time the importance of Monsoon Session of the Parliament is huge considering the fate of Goods and Service (GST) in India.
The current indirect tax regime is marred by many issues. The time is ripe to sort them out in a holistic manner. The world is looking at us - we need to have an efficient tax regime to enable businesses to grow and also allow the revenue collection for the government who could then plan expenses for betterment of the country. The growth trajectory of Indian economy should get a boost from a good tax regime.
The global best practice in this area is based on the principles of tax policy which revolve around the following:
Neutrality: Taxation should be seen as neutral and equitable between different forms of commerce. Business decision should be motivated by economic rather than tax considerations.
Efficiency: Compliance cost for business and administrative cost for the tax authorities should be minimum.
Certainty and Simplicity: Tax rules should be clear and simple to understand to enable taxpayers to understand when, what and how to pay.
Effectiveness and fairness: Taxation should produce the right amount of tax at the right time. The potential for tax evasion and avoidance should be minimized.
Flexibilty: The systems for taxation should be flexible and dynamic to ensure that they keep pace with technological and commercial developments.
Bane of indirect taxes
The present landscape of Indirect Taxes is plagued with multiplicity of taxes (Central Excise, value-added tax (VAT), central sales tax (CST), Service Tax, etc.) at different rates and at different points. Further, the non- fungibiity of credits among goods and services results in cascading effect of these taxes.This is accentuated by a huge compliance cost that is incurred in respect of each of the taxes. Also there are situations of double taxation where both Centre and States argue to levy their respective taxes on the same transaction.
The proposed GST is a destination based consumption tax that will be levied on supply of goods and services. GST will subsume the various indirect taxes currently levied by the Centre and the states including excise duty, service tax, VAT, CST, purchase tax, octroi, entry tax etc. This would mean that business would not be required to grapple with numerous tax laws and its related compliances.
GST is expected to be a critical reform in spurring growth in the economy. When introduced, GST will iron out the wrinkles in the existing indirect tax system. It is a long pending indirect tax reform and this comprehensive tax policy is expected to be one of the most important reforms in contributing to the India growth story.
GST will make the tax system simpler. This will lead to greater tax compliance, thereby resulting in boosting tax revenues. A simpler tax regime is always an attractive proposition for foreign investment.
The dream policy initiatives of the current government such as ease of doing business in India, make in India etc, will get a boost with the introduction of GST. The initiative is particularly important because of the sluggish domestic manufacturing sector and the need to attract foreign investment. If implemented well, it will create employment / job opportunities for the burgeoning jobless youth of the country.
GST will convert India into one market place and thereby adopt the aspect of neutrality. Tax will not drive the business decision. GST will bring in certainty as tax rules will ideally be clear and simple.
The draft GST model Act 2016 which has been recently put in public domain has tried to follow the various features of a good tax regime such as neutrality, efficiency, certainty and simplicity. Huge efforts have been put in drafting of this law. Various transactions which are currently plagued with double taxation have been addressed by clearly stating them as supply of goods or services. The concept of effectiveness and fairness has also been kept in mind in as much as full payment of tax for a particular period needs to done before proceeding to the next period. Flexibility is clearly noticed as a full chapter on e-commerce has been incorporated in contrast to the current law which was based on the brick and mortar concept of trade. Technological advancements have also been kept in mind thereby ensuring that GST will be fully e-enabled.
Herculean task
It is also true that drafting a code is a herculean task. It needs constant improvement as it is by far impossible to think of all transactions, its treatment of taxability, the repercussion it may have etc. What is good to know is that base law is ready. Now the road to refinement is the way.
But to bring in GST, Constitution of India needs to be amended. The process is on Lower house has passed the Constitutional Amendment Bill which now needs a nod from Upper House.
Indias GST proposal has consumed more than the required ink and paper. It is the high time, to have our indirect tax scheme stream lined for bigger objective of setting momentum to the economy.
GST is an apolitical issue and is much needed indirect tax reform. It is investor, business and consumer friendly. GST is the need of the hour and any hindrance to its enactment, whether political or otherwise, is clearly unwarranted and not in national interest.
(Rastogi is Partner, Indirect Tax at PwC and Singh, Associate, Indirect Tax, PwC. Views are personal)
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on 13 July. It is being republished in light of the Monsoon Session in Parliament that begins on Monday - 18, July.
Security forces in West Bengal, Assam and Meghalaya have been put on high alert after the Bangladesh government sent a list of 10 Jamaat-Ul-Mujahideen (JMB) Bangladesh cadres to Government of India along with their images, who are suspected to have sneaked into the Indian territory.
A message has been circulated in the offices of superintendents of police about the infiltration of the JMB militants, said a high-level source in Assam police on condition of anonymity.
The message was sent two days ago which also had the names of the 10 possible JMB infiltrators, he added.
Bangladeshi security agencies also suspect the involvement of the 10 youths in the Dhaka attacks that left more than 20 dead in an upmarket cafe.
Sources said that the infiltrators are suspected to have taken shelter in North Bengal where police have launched a massive search operation.
The revelation comes after Sheikh Hasina, the Bangladesh Prime Minister ordered a probe into the number of students absent from educational institutions for more than 10 days in the country.
As per reports, most of the suspected JMB militants among the above 10 are students who have been absent from school for more than a year. Bangladesh government suspects that they took arms training during this period.
The Bangladesh government has also sent the names, addresses and images of the 10 JMB militants to the Indian government. Sources in the Indian intelligence have identified them as Asharaf Mohammad Islam (Dhaka), ATM Tazuddin (Lakhipur), Ibrahim Hassan Khan (Dhaka), Zubaghedur Rahim (Dhaka), Junoon Sikdar, Mohammad Bashar Zaman (Dhaka), Mohammad Saifullah Ozaki (Sylhet), Nazibullah Ansari (Sapainbabganj), Tamim Ahmed Choudhury (Sylhet), Baddar Junayak Khan (Sylhet).
As per sources in Assam police, the militants have sneaked through the porous Indo-Bangla border in Meghalaya. A significant part of the Indo-Bangla border in Meghalaya is not fenced, said Lurinjyoti Gogoi, general secretary of All Assam Students Union.
The fenceless Indo-Bangla border, even after the much-hyped land swap deal with the neighbouring country, is a threat not only to the culture and heritage of the North Eastern region, but also to the security and sovereignty of the country.
A regional newspaper in Assam has reported that illegal Bangladeshi immigrants continue to take shelter in various districts of Assam, taking advantage of the state's demographic similarity with that of Bangladesh.
Assam police busted a JMB camp in Chirang district two months back, which was used for training purpose of local youths.
The porous Indo-Bangla border is also seen as a way out to build links with Jihadi groups based in Bangladesh.
As per police sources, Shahnur Alam, a JMB operative, one of the accused of the Burdwan blast was picked up from Indo-Bangla border by the militant group and moved to Bangladesh to indoctrinate him. Another accused of the Burdwan blast, Sahidul Islam, a resident of Assam, cannot be traced after the blast. He is suspected to have taken shelter in Bangladesh.
Mumbai: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) on Tuesday condemned the "media trial" of
controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik. AIMIM MLA from Aurangabad Imtiaz Jaleel, in a statement
said that his party respects and follows the rule of the land and feels nobody could be pronounced guilty unless the court gives its judgement by following the due process of law.
"By hounding Zakir Naik, the media, particularly some national television channels, have already pronounced their judgement even when a formal case is yet to be registered against him. On mere hearsay, the media cannot pronounce anybody as supporter of terrorism.
"This media trial of Naik should end. If any individual, whosoever it may be, breaks the rule of the land, the law should take its own course. If there is concrete proof ofviolation of any law by anyone, strict action shall be initiated," he said.
The AIMIM MLA said that the right to practice religion and the right to free expression are fundamental rights of every Indian as enshrined in the Constitution.
"This means any individual can practice, profess and propagate his religion without hurting the religious beliefs and sentiments of other religions," he said.
"Ever since the BJP came to power at the Centre and in Maharashtra, the general trend is that the investigating agencies charge someone with wrongdoing and the media pronounces the accused as guilty even before the court delivers its judgement. This poses a grave threat to the social fabric and democratic set up of the country and could prove to be detrimental to communal harmony," the MLA said.
Terming Naik as a "well-known specialist" who has been delivering lectures on comparative studies of different religions, Jaleel said, "he commands a following among Muslims but there are many others in the community who do not concur with his views."
He said all Muslim leaders and ulemas in India have consistently condemned the ISIS from the very beginning and maintained that ISIS is a threat to mankind.
"AIMIM strongly condemns the ISIS of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and al-Qaeda of Osama Bin Laden. Both are evil outfits. These terrorist groups have been the cause of the killings of countless Muslims and non-Muslims," the MLA said.
SP Maharashtra unit chief Abu Azmi had earlier come in support of Naik and sought to know why action was not taken for last 25 years if his speeches are inspiring terrorists, and called for a fair inquiry into the charges against him.
However, Shiv Sena had demanded his arrest and dismantling of his TV network.
Union Minister of Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi seems to have unilaterally donned the mantle of the protectress of the Indian womankind by announcing a cyber cell to check online abuse according to a heavily editorialised NDTV report.
This move is both dubious and senseless. Well examine the senseless bit first by holding her to her own tweet announcing this initiative:
Since Maneka Gandhi is on Twitter, heres a preliminary question: given the anonymous nature of the online space, how does she plan to deal with men or the third gender (or other politically correct gender classifications) who create social media accounts masquerading themselves as women and then flood Maneka Gandhis inbox with phony complaints that they are being abused?
This has been said before but it bears repeating, well, because of such ill-informed moves by people in power: you simply cannot control the internet unless you want India to be China or Saudi or similar dictatorships.
Equally, Maneka Gandhi also needs to recall the fact of how former IT Minister Kapil Sibal was nationally lampooned and had to eventually eat crow for precisely trying that: censoring what gets said on the internet. In Sibals case, one would agree with what this Rediff column opines, the real and only intent of Kapil Sibal's draconian internet laws is to crush dissent, is to tell people that talking about the Congress party's corruption is not allowed. But those were the dark years of the UPA-2 regime, which was reduced to dust precisely because of such draconian behavior, a fact that we are compelled to remind Maneka Gandhi.
In Manekas case, the ostensible and specific goal is to check and act upon instances of online trolling and abuse. Lets look at some lexical definitions:
Troll (noun): (in folklore) an ugly cave-dwelling creature depicted as either a giant or a dwarf.
(verb) 1. a line or bait used in trolling for fish.
2. make a deliberately offensive or provocative online posting with the aim of upsetting someone or eliciting an angry response from them.
Evidently, Maneka Gandhi is talking about the last definition of the word which apparently is gender-neutral. Here are just three examples from women prominent on social media. Two of them, Rajyasree Sen and Swati Chaturvedi are mainstream journalists:
As a man, Im deeply offended by such tweets and I immediately propose setting up of a ministry of mens welfare and a cyber cell to check and act upon such indignities heaped by women upon my brethren.
It is nobodys case that online abuse of women doesnt exist, however, as per this study, women are more abusive than men on Twitter. The original report of the findings of this study are available here. The simplest ways of dealing with online abuse unless it is extreme and causes damage in the real world is blocking and reporting: every social media platform provides these features.
Theres simply no justification for Maneka Gandhis unilateral decision to come up with this misguided cell. Apart from being a massive waste of taxpayer's money, this carries a dangerous potential foist motivated by complaints, mirroring the deadly Section 498 (A) of the IPC. More fundamentally, what was the need for something like this in the first place?
To put it bluntly, Maneka Gandhis latest step can only be characterised as feminist extremism and it has a precedent of sorts. In September 2015, she claimed in a live Facebook chat that all the violence is male-generated. Even worse, she set off a dangerous precedent that if implemented will have far-reaching and dangerous consequences for our boys at the early school level. In that same chat, heres what she said:
Men's role is the most critical since all the violence is male-generated. One of the ways to tackle this is at the school stage. So, we have started something which will go into effect in a few months, called 'Gender Champions' under which boys will be chosen who have been particularly respectful and helpful to girls and deserve to be emulated and rewarded.
Maneka Gandhi has taken a leaf straight out of the US school system which has made gender sensitisation mandatory starting right at kindergarten. Today, the outcome of this ostensibly well-intentioned initiative has been the near-total emasculation in young boys of the natural expressions of masculinity and manhood primarily in the US and Canada from early childhood. A detailed, investigative and chilling report published in the April 2014 issue of Esquire magazine summarises this outcome:
By the time they reach high school, nearly 20 percent of all American boys will be diagnosed with ADHD. Millions of those boys will be prescribed a powerful stimulant to "normalise" them. A great many of those boys will suffer serious side effects from those drugs. The shocking truth is that many of those diagnoses are wrong, and that most of those boys are being drugged for no good reason simply for being boys.
The report tells us that It's time we recognize this as a crisis. This outcome is the direct result of unbridled and angry feminism backed by the unquenchable greed of giant pharma companies.
And in India we now have Union Minister Maneka Gandhi who has sort of written a prelude to the same phenomenon, which might inflict a similar crisis upon our own kids unless the gender champions thing isnt properly examined.
Lets now assume that genuine concern for the safety of women motivated Maneka Gandhis latest move. In which case, we need to check her long record in public life to see if it adds up.
Not many in the present generation would fathom the frightening extent of power that Manekas husband Sanjay Gandhi wielded back then. Quoting Indira Gandhis secretary Usha, Javier Moro, the Spanish author of The Red Sari says that Maneka was ambitious and very immature she mentioned that one day Sanjay would be Prime Minister.
By virtue of being Sanjay Gandhis wife, Maneka teamed up with journalist, editor and dynasty loyalist Khushwant Singh to start a sleazy tabloid named Surya. After Sanjays death, heres what Khushwant Singh wrote in his Hindustan Times column: The only possible inheritor of the Sanjay cult figure is Maneka. She is like her late husband, utterly fearless when aroused, the very reincarnation of Durga astride a tiger." As history shows, that was not to be.
Manekas role in Surya merits some examination. Especially her role in destroying the reputation of a young woman named Sushma Chaudhary hailing from a lower middle class, the incident was described by Khushwant Singh here.
More importantly, veteran journalist Dilip Bobb then working with India Today reported in those days on Suryas coverage. Bobb wrote:
Surya is Maneka Gandhi's toy, and her patented brand of journalistic jingoism reached fairly dizzying heights. By merely publishing the two-page spread of photographs showing Suresh Ram and his amorous mistress Sushma Chaudhury indulging in sexual acrobatics, Surya wanted to ensure its biggest sales since the halcyon days of the Emergency The photographs were easily available in most newspaper, and magazine offices. In fact, blow-ups of the photographs on posters had already been plastered all over Delhi and Lucknow.
I suppose no further explanations are needed. The record thus far shows a classic case of real-world political trolling whose consequences were predictably disastrous for the said Chaudhary even as Maneka Gandhi back then used Surya to cynically help her husbands quest for return to power. Physician, heal thyself?
Back to the present, Maneka Gandhis decision was swiftly criticised on social media as well as the larger online space. A Twitter search for Maneka Gandhi reveals that the fury against her decision continues unabated.
Among others, the activist Madhu Kishwar, journalists Tavleen Singh and Tufail Ahmad, and others have questioned Gandhis decision on grounds of political opportunism and misuse of taxpayers money. Indeed, Lalitha Kumaramangalam, the chief of National Commission for Women falling under Manekas ministry remarked with anxiety that, You can't police the internet. It is an open space, like a galaxy almost. There are billions of Twitter accounts and no organisation can keep an eye on Twitter. It is not physically possible for anybody to say we are following everybody's twitter.
To get a taste of how furious the mood in the online world is, one needs to read the petition explicitly calling the for the sacking of Maneka and her son Varun Gandhi.
Instead of setting up time- and money-wasting cyber cells, its highly recommended for Maneka Gandhi to seek inspiration from her leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi who continues to show a working model of dealing with online and real world trolling. For the most part of over a decade, he has remained stoically silent and allowed his work to respond to his unending stream of critics, political opponents and abusers. No other politician or prime minister has faced the kind of abuse he has both online and otherwise.
On one final note, yet another representative sample of vicious trolling by a journalist at NDTV.
So if Narendra Modi decides to feel offended and/or hurt at this (and similar tweets), can he lodge a complaint with Maneka Gandhis newly-setup cyber cell?
New Delhi: Activities of NGO Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), set up by controversial preacher Zakir Naik, are being examined by the Home Ministry, amidst allegations that funds from abroad received by it have been spent on political activities and inspiring people towards radical views.
A senior Home Ministry official said an investigation was underway on IRF, which was registered under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), and it was found that most of his foreign funds came from the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and a few other Middle East countries.
IRF has allegedly received about Rs 15 crore for a period of five years, preceding 2012, the official said.
Mumbai-based Naik has come under the scanner of security agencies after it was reported that his speeches have inspired some of the terrorists who had taken siege of Holey Artisan cafe in Dhaka July 1. Maharashtra government had last week ordered a probe into the speeches by the televangelist.
The Home Ministry probe is covering the allegations that foreign funding to IRF was used in political activities and that the NGO's funds were used to induce people towards Islam and "attracting" youths towards terror, the official said.
All such activities are contrary to FCRA and any violation invites punitive action.
IRF's source of foreign funding are being examined thoroughly by the Home Ministry.
Accounts of IRF are being checked to find for what purpose the funds were sent from abroad and for what purpose the funds were utilised, the official said.
Officials said that according to an intelligence report the content of "Peace TV", in which Naik regularly appears and gives sermons, is "not conducive" to the security environment in the country and poses "security hazard".
Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said that CDs of Naik's speeches are being examined for necessary action and asserted that the government will not compromise on the issue of terrorism.
Naik, however, had released a statement, saying he "totally disagreed" that he inspired the killing in Dhaka.
"There is not a single talk of mine where I encouraged one to kill another, whether Muslim or non-Muslim," he said.
New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday met a group of Imams who urged him to help restore calm in the Kashmir Valley which is witnessing turmoil following the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani.
The Imams told Singh that they would be meeting Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and local clerics of the state in an attempt to help bring calm in the Valley.
"We had detailed discussions with the Home Minister on the prevailing situation in Kashmir. We have urged him to ensure that calm and peace returns to the Valley. Just like Muslims from any other part of the country, Kashmiris are also our brothers. We are with them and appeal them to bring normalcy and peace," Umer Ahmed Ilyasi of All India Organisation of Imams of Mosques said after the meeting.
He said a group of Imams will be meeting the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and also Imams in the Valley to ensure peace and calm is restored as quickly as possible. Ilyasi said they are opposed to any kind of terrorism in any part of the world.
"We are talking about Kashmir but not Kashmiris. It is time that we take forward dialogue with Kashmiris," he said.
On Monday, the Home Minister reached out to opposition leaders including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Parliamentary leaders of all parties, and discussed the prevailing situation there
Srinagar: Senior separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Tuesday said he was not in "absolute control" of the situation in the Kashmir Valley and blamed "pro-Indian forces" for the bloodshed that has left over 30 people dead in violent street protests.
In an interview with IANS at his heavily-barricaded Srinagar residence, Geelani said the new generation of Kashmiris was sensitive and more aware politically. They are facing "brutal forces fearlessly", he said.
"We cannot say we are in absolute control of the situation," said the 87-year-old chairman of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference, an amalgamation of Kashmiri separatist groups.
However, he quickly added that the young Kashmiris participating in the widespread violent protests were "influenced" by the Hurriyat ideology of "resistance against India". "They have learnt it from us. We have influenced them. They follow our shutdown calls. But they are more determined," Geelani told IANS.
The ailing separatist leader has been under house arrest off and on since 2010 and suffers from multiple ailments. He has been a strong votary of Jammu and Kashmir's merger with Pakistan, saying the Kashmir dispute was an unresolved portion of the two-nation theory that divided India and Pakistan in 1947.
Rocked by widespread protests, the Valley has been on the edge following the killing of rebel commander Burhan Wani, 22, who had emerged as the new face of Kashmir's militancy, using Facebook and other social media to rally supporters and reach out to other youths.
Asked if the separatist political leadership had failed Kashmir's new generation in giving them alternatives to the gun to claim democratic and political rights, Geelani blamed "pro-Indian forces and the Indian government for creating Burhan Wanis". "India shows no respect for humanity, fundamental rights of Kashmiris," he said.
He mocked at the Jammu and Kashmir government for urging the Hurriyat to restore peace to Kashmir. "The government has not allowed democratic forces to flourish. I am under house arrest since 2010. We are not allowed to meet people. India has unleashed a reign of terror," he added.
The former Jama'at-e-Islami chief alleged that police and paramilitary troopers were "shooting to kill protesters at will". He asked the protesters to keep "resisting and venting their anger", but appealed to them not to forget "moral and human values cherished by the peace loving people of Kashmir".
"We should follow our values. We should not harm Hindus, Sikhs and Christians. They are part of our culture and brotherhood. People visiting us as tourists from across the world should also not be harmed," he said.
Geelani said Jammu and Kashmir, India's only Muslim-majority state, would be at peace only if New Delhi and Islamabad permanently solved the dispute over the divided region as per the wishes of the people. "You talk about people voting for pro-India parties. What is wrong in holding a referendum to know if people want to stay with India, Pakistan or become independent?" he demanded to know.
Srinagar: Curfew continued for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday in most parts of the Kashmir Valley to prevent widespread violence.
"Strict curfew shall continue in Anantnag, Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama districts in south and Baramulla, Sopore, Kupwara, Ganderbal and Bandipora towns in the north," a senior police official told IANS here.
"Curfew will also continue in the two central districts of Srinagar and Badgam."
Unabated violence continued on Monday as angry mobs clashed with the security forces and torched police posts and pickets.
Since violence started here on Saturday following the death of top Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Burhan Wani, 22, who was killed in a gunfight on Friday along with two of his associates, 30 people including 29 civilian protesters and a policeman have died.
"Of these, 14 people died in Anantnag, eight in Kulgam, four in Shopian, three in Pulwama and one in Srinagar district," the official confirmed.
Twelve paramilitary central reserve police force (CRPF) troopers were injured on Monday evening when someone from a stone pelting crowd hurled a grenade at the forces in Srinagar's Nowhatta area.
Intelligence agencies said this was a dangerous development.
"Militants using stone pelting mobs as cover is a serious development. This would blur the distinction between civilian protesters and militants," said a senior intelligence official.
Forty weapons including AK-47 rifles, INSAS rifles, one light machine gun and dozens of magazines and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were looted by angry mobs during the destruction of four police stations in south Kashmir on Saturday and Sunday.
So far, over 1,000 people including civilians and security personnel have been injured in the clashes.
"Of these, 500 were discharged after first aid while the rest were admitted to hospitals for treatment," a health department official said.
Police said that there were over 500 clashes between mobs and the security forces at different places during the last four days.
Separatists have extended the protest shutdown in the Valley until Wednesday.
All business and other routine activities of life have been completely paralysed.
Both mobile internet facility and cell phone operations in south Kashmir's Shopian, Anantnag, Kulgam and Pulwama districts remain suspended.
The Amaranth Yatra resumed on Monday after remaining suspended for two days.
Three hundred vehicles carrying pilgrims entered Kashmir on Monday night.
"All the Yatris have safety reached the Baltal base camp and are now proceeding towards the cave shrine in regulated batches," said an official of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) that manages the affairs of the annual pilgrimage.
Srinagar: Demonstrators injured in street protests in Kashmir and warded in hospitals are battling shortages of key medicines, families and volunteers said, authorities, however, denied the claim.
Hospitals across the Kashmir Valley, including in Srinagar, have treated hundreds injured due to firing by security forces. The victims have mainly suffered bullet and pellet wounds.
At the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS) in Srinagar, the notice board in the emergency ward has a notification indicating vital medicines including antibiotic injectables like Timentin and Amikacin are out of stock.
Volunteers providing help to the patients too admit about shortage of life saving drugs. But the head of SMHS, Kaiser Ahmed, told the media that "there is no shortage of drugs.
All the medical shops are shut in Srinagar due to the curfew imposed after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed by security forces on Friday evening.
His death triggered widespread clashes in the Kashmir Valley between mainly young demonstrators and security forces leaving more than 30 people dead and scores injured.
The volunteers of NGOs including Help Poor Voluntary Trust, Athrout and others are providing medicines to the hospitals, including SMHS as well as Bone and Joint hospital in Srinagar.
We have supplied hundreds of strips of Ciplox, eye drop Moxifloxacin, Prednisolone and other vital drugs to the hospitals. We want to ensure that no injured suffers because of the shortage of medicine," the volunteer said.
An attendant at the hospital added: Young boys have been working in the hospital day and night." The volunteers, many with their clothes blood stained, have been placed inside every corner of the hospital.
We make sure no one remains hungry. Our first priority is providing medicine and the second is food, said Javaid, a volunteer.
I have been arranging medicine from medical representatives and through the limited social media we are able to use, he added.
The stalls outside set up by NGOs provided refreshments to the hundreds of attendants inside the SMHS hospital. All that we have eaten so far is from these stalls. No government authority has offered us help, said Aslam Khan, father of an injured boy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain peace and calm in the curfew-bound valley.
Modi took stock of the situation in the state at a high-level meeting in Delhi. "Prime Minister has appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain calm and peace so that normalcy returns in the valley," Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh told reporters soon after the meeting concluded.
PM has hoped for peace, has guided us and appealed that no innocent lives are disturbed: Jitendra Singh on J&K pic.twitter.com/CPc4SC6ufw ANI (@ANI_news) July 12, 2016
Jitendra Singh also said that the Prime Minister extended every assistance to the state government and assured it of providing every help. He also
expressed hope that no innocent person should face any kind of inconvenience or loss
"Soon after returning from his four-nation tour on Tuesday morning, Prime Minister convened the high-level meeting. This is evidence that he was keeping a close tab on the situation of Jammu and Kashmir," said Singh.
The meeting was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and senior security officers.
The Prime Minister also expressed satisfaction over the progress of the Amarnath Yatra and said whatever help needed by the state government will be provided by the Centre.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was due to fly out to the United States of America to attend the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue next week, has postponed his visit.
Strict curfew continued in most parts of the Valley for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday, following violent clashes that have left 24 dead. "Strict curfew will continue in Anantnag, Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama districts in south and Baramulla, Sopore, Kupwara, Ganderbal and Bandipora towns in the north," a senior police official told IANS. "Curfew will also continue in the two central districts of Srinagar and Badgam."
All forces have been asked to ensure security of Amarnath pilgrims, with the yatra resuming on Monday after being suspended for two days. Three hundred vehicles carrying pilgrims entered Kashmir on Monday night. "All the yatris have safely reached the Baltal base camp and are now proceeding towards the cave shrine in regulated batches," said an official of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) that manages the affairs of the annual pilgrimage.
Separatists have extended the protest shutdown until Wednesday. All businesses and other routine activities have been completely paralysed. Both mobile internet facility and cell phone operations in south Kashmir's Shopian, Anantnag, Kulgam and Pulwama districts remain suspended.
Parrikar had told reporters that an overall assessment of the security situation in Kashmir has to be done by the home ministry, and that the Army was ready to provide any assistance like increasing force levels in any areas required.
The home minister had earlier reached out to Opposition leaders, including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah, and discussed the prevailing situation there.
At least 30 people have been killed in clashes in the Kashmir Valley in violent protests that broke out following the killing of Burhan Wani, a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander last Friday.
With inputs from agencies
Srinagar: Kashmir on Tuesday saw sporadic violence that left one person dead, raising the toll to 25, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the situation and appealed for calm with the hope that no innocent person would face inconvenience or suffer any loss.
One person was killed in firing by security forces on a mob in Kupwara district of Kashmir, police sources said.
There were some other incidents of violence, including a militant strike on a police post and a mob attack on the family of a police officer, in which his wife and daughter were injured.
In Delhi, Modi held a high-level meeting to review the Kashmir situation soon after his return from his five-day Africa visit. It was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
The prime minister voiced concern over the situation in the state where the death toll rose to 25 in the violent protests and clashes with security forces, triggered by the killing of Hizbul militant commander Burhan Wani last Friday.
"He (PM) has appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain peace so that the situation can normalise. He (PM) also expressed hope that no innocent person should face any kind of inconvenience or loss," Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said after the meeting.
Modi said the Centre will provide whatever help is needed by the state government, according to Jitendra Singh.
The PM also expressed satisfaction over the progress of the Amarnath Yatra.
Modi was given a detailed presentation of the situation prevailing in the Valley.
"The Prime Minister kept taking updates about the Jammu and Kashmir situation during his visit abroad. The biggest evidence of his concern is that he called this review meeting within hours of returning from the tour and took details," Singh told reporters.
In Kashmir, while normal life remained paralysed, unidentified militants targeted a police post in Sopore, about 55 kms from Srinagar, firing seven to eight rounds but no one was injured.
In another incident, unidentified persons hurled a petrol bomb towards security forces posted on law and order duty in Noorbagh area of Srinagar, an official said, adding nobody was injured in this too.
In Awantipora area of Pulwama in south Kashmir, a mob beat up and injured wife and daughter of a police Sub- Inspector Mohammad Ashraf Pal and damaged his house.
The injured were shifted to Sub District Hospital Awantipora where their condition is stated to be stable.
Pal, who is posted as duty officer at Sangam police post in Bibjehara area of Anantnag district, was not at home at the time of the attack, which follows a series of attacks on police personnel and installations since the killing Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on last Friday.
Meanwhile, restrictions continued on the movement of people in Srinagar and four districts of south Kashmir, officials said.
The strike called by the separatist groups also affected normal life in the Valley.
The separatist groups yesterday extended the strike call till 13 July to coincide with the 85th anniversary of those who laid down their lives fighting the Aristocratic rule in the state in 1931.
Shops, private offices, business establishments and petrol pumps remained shut, while government offices and banks witnessed thin attendance, the officials said.
Public transport was completely off the roads for the fourth consecutive day, while private cars and auto-rickshaws were seen plying at few places in the areas where there were no restrictions, they said.
Educational institutions in the Valley were closed on account of the ongoing summer vacations, while Central University of Kashmir (CUK), Kashmir University, Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) and Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) have postponed the examinations due to the prevailing situation.
The separatist groups earlier on Friday had called for a one-day strike following Wani s killing.
The strike was then extended for two more days to protest the killings of civilians in firing allegedly by security forces.
The shutdown call was again extended on Monday.
Most of the separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik, are either in custody or house arrest.
Hyderabad: Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday urged the Centre to call an all-party meeting regarding the violence in the Kashmir Valley.
The Hyderabad MP said the meeting should be called to discuss how to end the cycle of violence and to show empathy following street protests that have claimed 32 lives.
The Valley has been in the grip of violence since Friday after security forces shot dead a top militant, Burhan Wani. In a series of tweets, the MIM president asked why the Modi government abandoned the peace process.
"Why has the Modi government abandoned process which was started by Vajpayee government on Kashmir, ie development to isolate separatists," he asked.
He said Pakistan had no right to interfere in the internal affairs of India. "Better they do their own introspection," he added.
The MIM leader also found fault with National Conference leader and former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who has criticised the handling of the situation by the present government.
Owaisi said Omar Abdullah was clueless and inactive in 2010 when 110 people were killed.
Thiruvananthapuram: In a bid to reduce environmental and air pollution, Kerala government has drawn up a programme to convert the state-run buses to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) operated ones in a phased manner.
The recent National Green Tribunal order restricting diesel vehicles would have an adverse impact on the public transport system, especially to Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, Transport Minister AK Saseendran said in the Assembly.
"The decision of the government to move to CNG is after taking into consideration of the future verdicts in such cases and also to use fuel that would bring down the environmental pollution," the minister said.
As part of the pilot project, a fleet of CNG buses would be introduced in Kochi and later it would be expanded to cities such as Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.
The programme is to have at least 1,000 CNG buses in the coming years, the minister said.
He also said the state's concern over the NGT order had already been brought to the notice of the prime minister and union ministers for transport and environment and forest.
NGT's Kochi circuit bench had recently banned registration of diesel vehicles of 2000cc or above in Kerala and also barred all diesel vehicles, whether light or heavy, that are older than 10 years, from plying on roads in major cities such as Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kochi, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kannur.
However, this order was stayed by the High Court for two months.
The LDF government's maiden budget for the year 2016-17, presented by Finance Minister TM Thomas Isaac last week, had focused on the issue and had earmarked Rs 300 crore for introduction of CNG buses in the state.
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"We have young boys coming out and protesting. We have tried to impose curfews in the city today just to ensure that such kind of incidents do not take place," he said.
The official also said that one of the eight people who had passed away died due to drowning.
"Security installations were set on fire...It is unfortunate and sad," he said. "There are 96 security personnel who have been injured in efforts to control the situation."
An official from the Jammu and Kashmir Police in a news briefing said that the death toll in Kashmir has now climbed to 8. "There have been eight casualties," said the official.
There have been eight casualties: Jammu and Kashmir Police
The report also said that she appealed to the people of the state to co-operate with the government and the police so that normalcy could be restored.
"I express profound grief over the tragic death of the youths and extend my heart-felt condolences to the bereaved family members in their hour of immense grief," Rising Kashmir quoted an official government spokesman as saying.
Four demonstrators, identified as Imtiyaz Ahmad Mandoo, Mashooq Ahmad and Safeer Ahmad, all from Anantnag district, and Mohammmad Altaf Rather (from Pulwama) who were wounded a day earlier died on Sunday.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh presided over a high-level meeting and then spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, offering all possible help from New Delhi.
The latest fatalities took the death toll in two days of widespread clashes between protesters and security forces in the Kashmir Valley to 19 18 demonstrators and one policeman.
Irfan Ahmad Malik, 17, was also killed in firing elsewhere in Pulwama district after a curfew-defying mob attacked the security forces, a senior police official said.
Security forces shot dead two demonstrators at Litter in Pulwama district after a huge crowd took to the streets shouting anti-government and pro-freedom slogans, the sources said.
A mob overran a bullet-proof police vehicle and rolled it down into the Sutlej river at Sangam in Anantnag district, drowning its constable driver while other policemen fled the scene, official sources said.
The Jammu and Kashmir government appealed for calm as four more people died in continuing protests against the killing of a top guerrilla leader, taking the death toll to 19.
Most of today's editions of the newspapers in the Valley carried classified advertisements of the cancellation of the marriage ceremony invitations.
The violence in Kashmir Valley has hit the post-Ramadan wedding season, with the newspapers in Srinagar full of advertisements announcing the cancellation of feasts and invites related to such ceremonies.
Opposition National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said his party was ready to contribute towards maintaining peace in Kashmir but Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti should take the lead to show the way instead of "hiding" behind spokesperson and police officers as they were not elected by the people.
CM Mehbooba Mufti should take the lead instead of hiding behind spokespersons: Omar Abdullah
The Cabinet also appealed to separatists, including Hurriyat Conference, as well as mainstream political parties like National Conference, Congress and CPI(M) to help restore normalcy "if they want peace in the state". - PTI
The government promised to investigate if there was any instance of disproportionate use of force by security forces even as it appealed to the people not to become tools in the machinations of instigators of violence.
The Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, met and expressed anguish over the situation and the death of civilians in clashes with security forces following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.
Amarnath Yatra also remained suspended for the second day owing to the unrest in the valley in which over 200 people, many of them police and security personnel, have been injured.
Kashmir continued to be on the boil with five more people, including a cop, getting killed in violence, raising the death toll to 20, even as curfew-like restrictions were in place and Mobile internet services remained suspended.
Kashmir continued to be on the boil with six more people, including a cop, getting killed in violence today, raising the death toll to 21.
Expressing concern over the detention of Kashmiri separatist leaders, Sharif said India should fulfil its human rights obligations as well as its commitments under the United Nations Security Council resolutions. - PTI
"Oppressive measures such as these cannot deter the valiant people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand of exercising their right to self-determination in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions," he said.
The Prime Minister said it was "deplorable that excessive and unlawful force was used against the civilians" who were protesting against the killing of Wani.
"The Prime Minister of Pakistan has expressed his deep shock at the killing of Kashmiri leader Burhan Wani and many other civilians by the Indian military and paramilitary forces," Sharif's office said in the statement.
Sharif, who recently returned from London after an open-heart surgery, came out with a late night statement condemning the action of Indian security forces in Kashmir.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has deplored "excessive" force against civilians in the latest wave of violence in the Valley while expressing "deep shock" over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.
Jammu and Kashmir: Curfew continues to be imposed in Srinagar following protests over Burhan Wani's killing. pic.twitter.com/7Kc7hz8kHV
They said public transport was completely off the roads for the third day, while private cars and auto-rickshaws were seen plying at few places in the areas there there were no restrictions. - PTI
Shops, private offices, business establishments and petrol pumps were shut, while government offices and banks witnessed thin attendance, the officials said.
Meanwhile, the strike, called by the separatist groups, also affected the normal life in the Valley.
However, the situation will be reviewed later in the day and a decision taken on whether to continue with the restrictions.
Strict restrictions on movement of people remain in place in Srinagar and four districts of south Kashmir since Saturday morning. Officials said that the measure has been taken to maintain law and order in the Valley.
The victims comprised 21 protesters and a police driver. They were killed during clashes with security forces, mostly in Anantnag, Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama districts.
The death toll in the clashes between protesters and security forces in Kashmir mounted to 22, as normal life continued to remain paralysed for the third day on Monday.
Amarnath Yatra from Jammu base camp suspended for the 3rd consecutive day, people in hope of a 'go-ahead' for yatra pic.twitter.com/mw0po9NZ20
Amarnath yatra has been suspended for the third consecutive day. Around 15,000 yatris are stranded at the Jammu base camp for their turn to proceed to the Valley so that they can undertake the Yatra.
Policing increased in many areas of Jammu and Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/fE4hVTUohJ
Meanwhile, police patrolling has increased in many areas in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to reports, Union Home Minister Rajnath will be chairing a high-level meeting to discuss the unrest in the Valley at 12pm on Monday.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday spoke to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over the tense situation in Kashmir. - PTI
"We are all concerned about J&K. It is close to our heart. So many lives have been lost. We pray for peace, prosperity and humanity," Banerjee said in a statement. - PTI
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed concern over the present situation in Jammu and Kashmir where clashes between protesters and security personnel following the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani left 23 dead and over 250 injured.
Expressing concern over the detention of Kashmiri separatist leaders, Sharif said India should fulfil its human rights obligations as well as its commitments under the United Nations Security Council resolutions. - PTI
"Oppressive measures such as these cannot deter the valiant people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand of exercising their right to self-determination in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions," he said.
The Prime Minister said it was "deplorable that excessive and unlawful force was used against the civilians" who were protesting against the killing of Wani.
"The Prime Minister of Pakistan has expressed his deep shock at the killing of Kashmiri leader Burhan Wani and many other civilians by the Indian military and paramilitary forces," Sharif's office said in the statement.
Sharif, who recently returned from London after an open-heart surgery, came out with a late night statement condemning the action of Indian security forces in Kashmir.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has deplored "excessive" force against civilians in the latest wave of violence in the Valley while expressing "deep shock" over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.
PM has hoped for peace, has guided us and appealed that no innocent lives are disturbed: Jitendra Singh on J&K pic.twitter.com/CPc4SC6ufw
"Prime Minister has appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain calm and peace so that normalcy returns in the valley," Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office, Jitendra Singh, told reporters soon after the meeting concluded. - PTI
The curfew remained in force in many parts of the Valley including pockets of Srinagar city and Pulwama district as authorities braced for more protests.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting in New Delhi and voiced concern over the incidents of violence in the Valley as the death toll reached 30, which included 29 civilian protesters and a policeman.
I appeal everyone to help the Govt to bring back peace and normalcy in the state: J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti pic.twitter.com/Q4b9UbL9Fb
The J&K CM also said that she was proud of the people who had helped in saving lives during the Kashmir unrest.
She also requested the parents in the state to guide their children and discourage them for joining the protests. "I request all people to think about the actions they and their children are taking," Mehbooba said. "I request all parents to discourage their children from joining the agitations."
"To prevent people adding to the chaos on the streets, we gave a curfew order in Kashmir," CM Mehbooba said. "We regret the loss of lives in the violence. We will investigate if unnecessary force was used by the police," she said.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti gave yet another statement on the unrest in the state and said she deeply regretted the loss of lives due to the violence. She also promised an investigation into alleged brutality by the state's police force.
Security personnel were told to act calmly. Sad,despite taking all measures, lives were lost during protest: J&K CM pic.twitter.com/EZ9RtR80gH
Mehbooba also said that she regretted the fact that many girls have also been killed in the violence.
Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti also said that many youths, whether militants or civilians, had died in the state due to the violence so far. "Violence has taken a toll on generations in Jammu and Kashmir," she said.
"Just like Muslims from any other part of the country, Kashmiris are also our brothers. We are with them and appeal to them to bring normalcy and peace," he told reporters. - IANS
Umer Ahmed Ilyasi of All India Organisation of Imams of Mosques told media later that they will visit Kashmir and urge people, specially religious leaders, there to help the valley to return to normalcy.
The clerics said they were satisfied after meeting the Home Minister, who assured them of all possible help in restoring peace in the disturbed valley.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh met with a group of Muslim clerics, who discussed with him ways and means to restore normalcy in the Kashmir Valley.
Three persons were killed and 50 injured in clashes in Kashmir between security forces and violent mobs who set ablaze five buildings including three police installations and some vehicles to protest the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen poster boy Burhan Wani in an encounter.
Curfew-like restrictions were imposed in many parts of Kashmir where mobile internet services were suspended across the valley and mobile telephony services restricted in south Kashmir, the epicentre of the trouble.
In view of the volatile situation, Amarnath yatra has also been suspended from Jammu base camp with no fresh pilgrims allowed to proceed towards the Valley.
Burhan's funeral in Tral town was attended by thousands of people while violent protests were reported from a number of places from Khadinyar in north Kashmir to Kulgam in south, a day after the militant commander was killed.
A 25-year-old youth, Amir Bashir, was hit by a bullet allegedly fired by security forces on protestors in Verinag area of Anantnag district in south Kashmir, a police official said.
The youth was shifted to a hospital but he succumbed to injuries on the way, he said.
Another youth was reportedly killed in similar circumstances in Qaimoh area late last night. Zubair Ahmad had multiple bullet injuries in his chest, a doctor at the Anantnag district hospital said on condition of anonymity.
A 16-year-old youth identified as Saqib Manzoor was declared "brought dead" by doctors at SMHS hospital where he was taken by some people with critical injuries sustained due to use of firearms, a police official said.
Besides these three deaths, there were unconfirmed reports that a youth drowned in a river at Ganeshpora as security forces chased a group of protestors. Police did not confirm the incident.
Police said over 30 other youth were injured in action by the security forces against the violent mobs at several places across the valley. However, sources in various hospitals of the city put the number of injured persons at around 50.
Condition of the two of the injured was stated to be critical.
The protesters indulged in widespread violence and arson. They attacked police posts at several places and also damaged the office of the BJP in Kulgam area, police said.
The mobs set on fire police stations at Achabal and Damhal Hanjipora while a police post at Kund in Qazigung was also set ablaze.
Two government offices were set on fire by protesters in Tral town of Pulwama district as well while three buses were also set on fire at Qazigund.
Groups of youth attacked police posts and police stations by pelting stones at several places including Bandipora, Qazigund and Larnoo in Anantnag district, Mir Bazaar in Kulgam district, Warpora in Sopore township of Baramulla district, the police official said.
A police picket meant for security of minority community in Vessu area of south Kashmir was also attacked, he said.
Stone pelting incidents were also reported from Sheeri, Kreeri, Delina, Pattan and Palhalan areas of north Kashmir Baramulla district, the official said, adding Barsoo and Shariefabad in Awantipora area of south Kashmir also saw violent protests.
Minor protests were also reported from several parts of Srinagar city, he added.
Meanwhile, thousands of people joined funeral prayers of Burhan who was laid to rest this afternoon in his native village of Tral. There was no deployment of security forces in Tral and adjoining areas to avoid a confrontation with the people coming to participate in the funeral.
People from Tral town and adjoining areas arrived in droves to attend the funeral prayers, which had to be conducted four times to accommodate the massive number of mourners.
According to official estimates, more than 40,000 people took part in the last rites of the slain militant commander. Unofficial reports put the number much higher.
Burhan was laid to rest amidst 'pro-freedom' sloganeering with some youth waving Pakistani flags.
Funeral prayers in-absentia were offered in almost all localities of the city following a call by separatist leaders.
(With inputs from agencies)
Editor's note: In this excerpt from the book 'Being the Other: The Muslim in India' veteran journalist Saeed Naqvi follows Ian Stephens, editor of The Statesman, as he records events while trying to report on the Kashmir issue in its making, days after the nation had gained independence.
By October, reports started coming in of trouble around Jammu. The Muslims there were said to be in flight, having been terrorized and in places cut up by Sikhs and Hindus, at the instigation of the Maharajahs officials. The news could no longer be concealed. So Stephens moved to the Delhi office to get a better sense of what was going on.
Once in the capital, he met General Roy Bucher, Chief of Staff of the Indian Army, who told him that the Kashmir climax was upon us indeedand for a startling new reason: Pathan tribesmen had burst into the western part of the State. The message had just come, and [the General] said everyone was in a flap. That same evening, 26 October, Stephens was asked to dinner with the Mountbattens who had invited a select few. He was shocked by what he saw. Here is what he recorded in a memorandum after the dinner:
I was startled by their one-sided verdicts on affairs. They seemed to have become wholly pro-Hindu. The atmosphere at Government House that night was almost one of war. Pakistan, the Muslim League, and Mr Jinnah were the enemy. This tribal movement into Kashmir was criminal folly. And it must have been well organized. Mr Jinnah, Lord Mountbatten assured me, was waiting at Abbottabad, ready to drive in triumph to Srinagar if it succeeded. It was a thoroughly evil affair. By contrast, Indias policy towards Kashmir, and the Princely States generally, had throughout been impeccable.
The contrast was glaring when Mountbatten showered praise on Nehru for his restraint on Kashmir. He felt that it was high-minded of Nehru to have promised a plebiscite after the Maharajas accession.
The next day Stephens met Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Patel with whom he disagreed on various issues but whom he respected for being cordial and frank. Five minutes with him [Patel] was in my experience worth fifteen with Pandit Nehru. The Statesman editor wrote in his notes after the meeting that undercurrents in his remarks seemed only to confirm my surmise that Indias policies towards the princely states had not been wholly impeccable, in aim or method.
Stephens, as the editor of an important paper, was briefed by Mountbatten on the facts. He was told that, because of the Pathan attack, Maharaja Hari Singhs formal accession to India was being finalized. Subject to a plebiscite, this great State, its inhabitants mainly Muslim, would now be legally lost to Jinnah. Indian troops were to be flown into Kashmir at once; arrangements had been made. This was the only way to save Srinagar from sack by ruffianly tribesmen. Mountbatten told him that Kashmir had many Europeans and attacks on them had already been reported. Stephens recorded in his notes that the Governor General was persuasive, confident, charming, a successful commander on the eve of an important operation, who manifestly banked on hustling The Statesman into complete support.
Stephens was flabbergasted by what he was told. He felt Kashmir was too sensitive and important a state to be handled so arbitrarily. He put these thoughts on record:
The whole concept of dividing the subcontinent into Hindumajority and Muslim-majority areas, the basis of the June 3 Plan, seemed outraged. At a Hindu Maharajahs choice, but with a British Governor Generals backing, three million Muslims, in a region always considered to be vital to Pakistan if she were created, were legally to be made Indian citizens.
When Mountbatten took Stephens aside it became an exercise in the former influencing the latter to see value in the way India was proceeding. An ailing Jinnah had been outfoxed by a formidable teamMountbatten, Nehru, Patel, Gopalaswamy Ayyangar and so on.
The interplay between Mountbatten and Jinnah is the stuff of high drama. The great-grandson of Queen Victoria, cousin of the King, last Viceroy of the RajLord Louis Mountbattenhad upon Indias independence, agreed to stay on as Governor General of India. This begged the question: who would be the Governor General of the other dominion, Pakistan? Well, who else but Muhammad Ali Jinnah? That, Jinnah thought, was the proper thing to do. Why should the representative of a departing power stay on in a supervisory position in both India and Pakistan? This, as Ive pointed out earlier, peeved Mountbatten.
The Governor General was known for his vanity, his almost childish love of pomp and ceremony. Stephens was present when Mountbatten revealed to journalists in July 1947 that Jinnah had decided to be Governor General of Pakistan. Stephens and others at that meeting noted that his [Mountbattens] pride had seemed hurt, though we thought needlessly: how could anyone, however able, function effectively as Governor General of both the new Dominions? Stephens was convinced that Mountbattens dislike for Jinnah dated from then.
Later historians may have characterized it as obsequiousness, but one cannot but admire the show Nehru put on to win over Mountbatten. He knew he was dealing with a man who was susceptible to pomp and grandeur. What better ploy to get him on his side than to invite him to stay on as the first Governor General of independent India? Mountbatten, Edwina and Nehru were by now a famous trio and the corridors of power were filled with stories of their great friendship. Jinnah was quite aloof from Mountbatten and their relationship grew even more strained when Jinnah decided to take on the office of Governor General of Pakistan. Mountbatten did not hide his displeasure. Among other things, he advised Stephens to abandon plans of publishing The Statesman from Pakistan.
Stephens felt that a British-owned newspaper like The Statesman should try to maintain an inter-dominion policy, in fairness. Mountbatten came down sharply on the idea. He thought we would find things much simpler as they were. He said we could drop our Pakistani or Muslim circulation and concern ourselves primarily with Indian affairs. How much of it was impulse, how much strategy?
Excerpted from Being the Other: The Muslim in India with permission of Aleph Book Company.
Last year, the central government announced a "historic" breakthrough with the signing of the draft treaty of the Naga peace accord with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM). It was projected as one of the biggest initiatives of the new NDA government for peace in the North East.
The draft accord was signed on 3 August by Thuingleng Muivah, the general secretary of the NSCN-IM and RN Ravi, the government's interlocutor in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
But after the initial brouhaha, the accord was quickly forgotten only to find passing mention on 28 June, with the death of Isak Chisi Swu, the 87-year-old chairman of NSCN-IM.
Upon his death, the prime minister tweeted his condolences: "My heartfelt condolences to the family and supporters of Mr Isak Chisi Swu on his demise. May his soul rest in peace... Mr Swu will be remembered for his historical role in bringing out the Framework Agreement for Naga peace."
Ten days later, it was remembered again when The Hindu published an interview with Thuingleng Muivah. Muivah, unlike the prime minister, recalled the accord only to claim that the NSCN-IM had not given up the demand for sovereignty. Muivah, of course, couched it in niceties, praising the Union government for understanding the Naga problem in the right perspective, and for realigning its position in accordance with the Naga insurgents.
That's a blatant lie, said an officer of the home ministry, involved in dealing with the Naga insurgency for years. The sovereignty issue is long dead and gone, he pointed out, referring to the peace accord of 2011, which clearly stipulated that the issue of sovereignty for each state is taken care of in the federal structure of India.
It might appear like the NSCN-IM's insistence on sovereignty/autonomy explains the complete lack of progress on converting the "historic" draft accord into a full-fledged one.
But Muivah's sovereignty claim is not the real impediment. The biggest sticky point in going ahead with the "framework" accord it seems; that the government's interlocutor, Ravi, clearly over-promised the NSCN-IM on a crucial aspect of the accord: the rehabilitation of the NSCN insurgent cadres. In his eagerness to bring the NSCN-IM to the negotiating table, it is believed that the government interlocutor, Ravi, assured Muivah that about 5,000 cadres of the NSCN-IM would be drafted into the Border Security Force (BSF) as part of their rehabilitation process.
The practical difficulties in implementing this plan and the consequent deep differences within the various wings of the central government are what have held up the nearly-orphaned accord. These pre-conditions for clinching the framework have become a major sore point for various arms of the government the Home Ministry, the Department of Personnel Administration and Training (DoPT), and the governments of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Assam the concept of greater Nagaland (Nagalim), as espoused by the NSCN-IM, is intended to be carved out of these very states.
Home Ministry sources say that the demand was quite absurd, and should have been dismissed right away, if not for anything else but for the fact that the NSCNs cadre strength was hardly above 1,000. I do not know why the interlocutor had to make such a promise, said the above mentioned officer.
Two problems have cropped up because of this assurance. One, Muivah is insisting that the recruitment/qualification criterion for BSF be diluted to appoint his cadres and two, he has had to suddenly bump up his cadre strength to 5,000!
As of now, the DoPT has rejected the proposal to recruit 5,000 cadres of NSCN-IM because most of them are not fit to be inducted into a central paramilitary force (CPMF). This refusal of the DoPT is bound to upset Muivah who has mobilised over 4,000 additional cadres and is training them in various camps around Dimapur.
The second problem has the makings of a tragicomedy. Muivah may have quickly scrambled together 4,000 additional "cadres" because there is no dearth of unemployed youth, but he's having a bit of a problem training them enough to qualify for recruitment into BSF. Muivah has raised nearly five battalions of "cadre" currently undergoing training in various camps around Dimapur. But he does not have the equipment to train such a large force that has emerged out of nowhere. As a result, he is procuring plastic replica of the American M16 assault rifles in large numbers from a toy maker in Noida, near New Delhi, to familiarise his just-born cadres with the weapon.
This is a comical situation, but nobody is laughing. Because Muivah's statement about making Naga sovereignty a non-negotiable issue carries an underlying tone of threat that if his cadres are not absorbed into the BSF, he will open old demands. A bigger concern for the central government arising out of this outlandish BSF job mela is this: The Naga secessionist group, which had become a dysfunctional, discredited and a moribund entity, has got a fresh lease of life since the "historic" accord last year. It's ranks have suddenly swelled with the promise of thousands of jobs in the air and if those jobs do not come through, who knows what spurned unemployed youth can do. Even if they have only toy guns.
Thats why you dont hear much about the Nagaland framework accord in New Delhi these days.
Hyderabad: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday arrested two key members of the Hyderabad IS module which they had unearthed last month.
"Yasir Niamatullah, chief of Hyderabad module, and Athaullah Rehman, a motivator who raised funds, have been arrested by NIA from here," sources in Telangana Intelligence Department told PTI.
"They are being produced in court on Tuesday," they said.
The NIA had on 29 June arrested five city-based persons on charges of their involvement in the terror module suspected to be linked to IS and conspiring to carry out bomb attacks.
On 1 July, they were remanded in police custody for 12 days.
The five Mohammed Ibrahim Yazdani alias Ibbu, Habeeb Mohammed alias Sir, Mohammed Ilyas Yazdani, Abdullah Bin Ahmed Al Amoodi and Muzaffar Hussain Rizwan were arrested following a series of searches conducted at 10 locations in Old City area, with the assistance of Hyderabad Police.
In its remand report submitted to the court earlier, the agency had said that the five accused had acquired weapons and explosive material to carry out violent terrorist attacks and were in touch with IS.
Following its prior investigation, on 22 June, the NIA had lodged an FIR for "criminal conspiracy to wage war against the Government of India" by collecting weapons and explosive materials by targeting public places, religious sites and sensitive government buildings in various parts of India.
According to the agency, the gang was preparing improvised explosive devices for carrying out blasts, and was being guided by an online handler, suspected to be based in Iraq/Syria.
Along with the explosive materials, the NIA had recovered two semi-automatic pistols with ammunition, an air gun with telescopic sight and shooting practice target boards, a large number of digital gadgets including six laptops, about 40 mobile phones, 32 SIM cards, and a large number of hard disks, memory cards, pen drives and tabs during its search.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who returned to India on Tuesday after his Africa tour, chaired a high-level meeting on the situation in the Kashmir Valley, which has been rocked by violent protests in the wake of the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani.
At the meeting, where Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar were all in attendance, PM Modi was given a detailed presentation on the situation prevailing in Kashmir.
#WATCH PM Narendra Modi holds a meeting on law & order situation in Jammu and Kashmir, meeting underway.https://t.co/gmItUgKQEf ANI (@ANI_news) July 12, 2016
Parrikar, Jaitley and Doval, who were accompanying Modi in Africa, had returned a day earlier and had met to discuss the situation. The ministers were briefed by chiefs of central security agencies about the steps taken to bring back peace and normalcy in the Valley.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was due to fly out to the United States of America to attend the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue next week, has postponed his visit. A home ministry official cited the busy schedule during the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament beginning 18 July as the reason for the deferment of the visit.
However, tensions in the Kashmir Valley could be the other key factor for the postponement, sources said. New dates have not been fixed but the trip now may take place sometime in September, the official said.
When Modi was away in Africa, Rajnath Singh was leading the government's efforts to bring back normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.
Strict curfew continued in most parts of the Valley for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday, following violent clashes that have left 24 dead. "Strict curfew will continue in Anantnag, Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama districts in south and Baramulla, Sopore, Kupwara, Ganderbal and Bandipora towns in the north," a senior police official told IANS. "Curfew will also continue in the two central districts of Srinagar and Badgam."
All forces have been asked to ensure security of Amarnath pilgrims, with the yatra resuming on Monday after being suspended for two days. Three hundred vehicles carrying pilgrims entered Kashmir on Monday night. "All the yatris have safely reached the Baltal base camp and are now proceeding towards the cave shrine in regulated batches," said an official of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) that manages the affairs of the annual pilgrimage.
Security agencies have also been asked to enhance vigil along the border to check fresh attempts of infiltration. Sources said security forces were asked to ensure judicious use of force against protesting civilians. Intelligence agencies said stone pelting incidents are a dangerous development. "Militants using stone pelting mobs as cover is a serious development. This would blur the distinction between civilian protesters and militants," said a senior intelligence official.
Furthermore, angry mobs raided four police stations in south Kashmir on Saturday and Sunday, looting AK-47 rifles, INSAS rifles, a light machine gun and dozens of magazines and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
Over 1,000 people, including civilians and security personnel, have been injured in the clashes thus far. "Of these, 500 were discharged after first aid while the rest were admitted to hospitals for treatment," a health department official said. Police said that there were over 500 clashes between mobs and the security forces at different places during the last four days.
Separatists have extended the protest shutdown until Wednesday. All businesses and other routine activities have been completely paralysed. Both mobile internet facility and cell phone operations in south Kashmir's Shopian, Anantnag, Kulgam and Pulwama districts remain suspended.
Parrikar had told reporters that an overall assessment of the security situation in Kashmir has to be done by the home ministry, and that the army was ready to provide any assistance like increasing force levels in any areas required.
The home minister had earlier reached out to Opposition leaders, including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah, and discussed the prevailing situation there. During the telephonic conversation with Gandhi and Abdullah, the home minister had discussed with them efforts to bring back peace and normalcy to the Kashmir Valley.
Meanwhile, the US has voiced its concerns over the ongoing violence in the Valley, but has made it clear that it is India's affair. "Obviously, we're concerned about the violence," US State Department spokesperson John Kirby said in his daily press briefing.
"We encourage all sides to make efforts towards finding a peaceful resolution. This is really a matter for the government of India to speak to specifically, and I'd refer you to them for more comment," he added.
The comments had come before Rajnath Singh announced the postponement of his trip. The home minister was supposed to lead the Indian delegation at the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue to be held in Washington, and the US team was to be headed by secretary of homeland security Jeh Charles Johnson.
Further cementing anti-terror cooperation, real-time sharing of intelligence inputs, cyber security and critical infrastructure protection, countering illicit finance, global supply chain security, megacity policing and science and technology were some of the other key issues supposed to be discussed at the strategic meeting.
This senior-level exchange between India and the US is part of the strategic homeland security partnership and aimed at enhancing operational cooperation in investigations, capacity building and countering threats.
With agency inputs
New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday met with a group of Muslim clerics, who discussed with him ways and means to restore normalcy in the Kashmir Valley, which is in turmoil following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani last week.
The clerics said they were satisfied after meeting the Home Minister, who assured them of all possible help in restoring peace in the disturbed valley.
Umer Ahmed Ilyasi of All India Organisation of Imams of Mosques told media later that they will visit Kashmir and urge people, specially religious leaders, there to help the valley to return to normalcy.
"Just like Muslims from any other part of the country, Kashmiris are also our brothers. We are with them and appeal to them to bring normalcy and peace," he told reporters.
Ilyasi said he along with other Muslim religious leaders will also meet Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Sayeed.
On Monday, Rajnath Singh reached out to opposition leaders, including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and discussed with them the prevailing situation in Kashmir.
To Mehbooba Mufti must go the unfortunate distinction of losing popularity, clout, moral legitimacy and political authority within weeks of becoming the chief minister.
As Kashmir burns in the aftermath of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani's death, her government has almost become paralysed, its leaders have become invisible some have reportedly gone out of public glare and the CM herself has become a subject of anger, ridicule and public backlash.
South Kashmir, especially Anantnag district, is considered a stronghold of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). That her own backyard is not just burning, but has become the epicentre of massive protests is a damning indictment of the PDP's inability to provide leadership or the healing touch.
"Today, it is not possible for an MLA to step out in his constituency, especially in south Kashmir. MLAs have limited security, and no bullet-proof vehicles, PDP legislator Ashraf Mir told The Indian Express on Monday in a candid confession of his helplessness. Mir represents Sonawar constituency in Srinagar. He had defeated former CM Omar Abdullah in the 2014 elections.
Leadership, as an old saying, is revealed in the time of crisis. The moral legitimacy and political authority of leaders is revealed in their ability to restore calm and peace in a situation of madness, anger and violence, to lead from the front and change the course of events through the force of their personality.
In his biography of Mahatma Gandhi, Stanley Wolpert describes the pain the Indian leader went through to quell the post-Partition violence in India. "... the sole penance Gandhi could perform was to spend the remaining days of his life in Pakistan, trying to protect minorities there from extortion and violence by the Muslim majority. He resolved to leave India, moving either to Karachi or Lahore on that final pilgrimage, but first he would visit Noakhali once again to bring what little comfort his unarmed presence could to Hindus living there in daily fear of death," Wolpert writes.
Mufti and her MLAs are no Gandhis. But, their absence from Kashmir's theatre of violence in spite of being the elected representatives, is a sordid indicator of not just the level of disconnect, but also of gaping holes in the moral fibre of the state's polity.
That Mufti has been forced to appeal to separatist leaders to help restore peace is a sad commentary on the competence and relevance of the state government. In some other country, a combination of absence and helplessness may have been panned as dereliction of duty, if not abdication.
Her failure in assuaging Kashmiris and controlling violence that has led to 31 deaths could be huge setbacks for the new CM, a stigma she may never be able to wipe from her government's forehead.
"Kabhi baap-bete ki sarkar, kabhi baap-beti ki sarkar," Prime Minister Narendra Modi roared during the Jammu and Kashmir election campaign.
In retaliation, the two dynasties in Modi's firing line competed with each other in the Valley, vying for support to keep the BJP out. When the results were announced, the BJP was wiped out from the Valley. All its 34 candidates, except Moti Koul, who contested from Srinagar's Habba Kadal, lost their deposits.
After the elections, when the PDP formed the government in alliance with the very party that had derided it as 'Papa-Daughter Party' and the one it had promised to keep out of the Valley, the broad outline of the state's future politics was defined.
From a custodian of the faith of the people, overnight, the PDP became a party that was seen as a harbinger of the BJP and by inference of Hindu majoritarianism through backdoor in the Valley.
The alliance changed the perception of PDP leaders in public. Suddenly they were suspected of being vulnerable to BJP's influence and of becoming its proxies in the state. From a party that the Valley had chosen as the BJP's counter, the PDP morphed into its extension.
This trust-deficit has been exposed by the absentee government's handling of the violence that has followed Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani's death and the anger of Kashmiris against the CM and her legislators.
It is widely believed in the Valley that Omar Abdullah's inept handling of the 2010 violence that led to the death of more than a 100 civilians contributed to his political downfall.
The summer of 2016 could be the beginning of Mufti's incipient career.
Amid increasing controversies on the extremist sermons of the radical televangelist Dr Zakir Naik aired on his Peace TV, the note of caution on part of the Indian Prime Minister assumes significance. Addressing the students at the University of Nairobi, PM Narendra Modi has warned that "preachers of hate and violence are threatening the fabric of the society", as reported in The Times of India.
What is more to the point is his appeal to the youth to articulate a counter-narrative to extremist ideologies. This exhortation stresses the need to counter radicalisation on an ideological front, rather than merely denouncing or calling for a blanket ban on certain extremist preachers.
That an effective counter-narrative to extremist ideologies should be built with an active role of the youth is a concrete suggestion that PM Modi has made amid the run-of-the-mill statements on the issue of the controversial Islamist televangelist Zakir Naik. Remarkably, he seems to make an underlying point which applies to all the extremist and hardcore preachers and radical televangelists, without calling their names. That is to say, the knee-jerk reactions are not going to help us face the real challenge of extremist preachers and hate-mongers. In order to dismantle their influence, their hardcore ideology which is on the rampage should be rebutted with a well-established counter-narrative. Youth must play their role in refuting the violent theological underpinnings of hate sermons, channelizing the peaceful resources in their religions, national secular culture and democratic values.
Extremist preachers and radical televangelists like Zakir Naik, or anyone else for that matter, are indeed not terrorists. Rather, they are ideologues of chauvinism, radicalism, exclusivism, xenophobia and religious bigotry breeding the grounds for terror. Therefore, merely banning them will not serve the purpose. The gullible youth will continue to be fed on the same ideologies being preached by the likes of Dr Naik across the world. The mainstream Islamic scholars will have to come out to confront them, rebutting their twisted religious underpinnings, theological misinterpretations and extremist doctrines, point by point.
What attaches due importance to the Indian Prime Ministers comments on the extremist preachers is the recent radicalisation of the six young and educated attackers of Dhaka who were allegedly motivated by Zakir Naiks sermons. Given this, it is not difficult to see why the PM has made a special appeal to the youth to play an important role in building a counter narrative to extremist ideologies.
Extremist preachers threaten the entire society, influencing the young and the old alike. But the gullible youth with impressionable minds are more vulnerable to their pernicious propaganda. The energetic and dynamic youths who give in to the inflammatory speeches of their religious gurus, try to translate their extremist teachings into practice. In a crazy bid to please their preachers, some of them get carried away to resort to weapons, sometimes going to the extent of suicide bombing to serve the holy cause taught to them.
PM Modi has warned against the preachers of hate and violence on his tour of Africa. Interestingly, Dr Naik is also at present on his visit to the African countries for the next few weeks. Though the PM did not mention the name of Dr Naik in his speech in Kenya, it is a wake-up call for Muslims in the African countries.
There are many extremist preachers like Zakir Naik in the region who are threatening peace and pluralism in the African Muslim societies. Boko Harams jihadist influence in the region has caught the imagination of the young, poor and starving Nigerian Muslims. More and more young people are falling prey to the extremist Salafist sermons in mosques and religious gatherings in various African Muslim countries. A well-known radical Salafist preacher in Africa is Muhammad Al-Jazouli. This Sudan-based extremist cleric has delivered several speeches and Friday sermons (khutbas) justifying the wanton killing of non-combatant civilians including children and women, if they are kafir (infidel). In one of his Friday sermons, he provoked the Muslim youth to resort to violence and killing misguiding them with misinterpreted prophetic sayings (hadiths).
He stated: "Under Islam there is no distinction between combatants and civilians and thus infidel women and children can be harmed and even killed in the militant attacks."
In his sermon, al-Jazouli quoted a hadith report attributed to the Prophet of Islam, clearly attempting to wrongly interpret the text of the hadith (Prophets sayings), the second source of Islamic teachings after the Quran. Just like the war-time verses of the Quran, many contextual sayings attributed to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) are brazenly distorted and misused by the extremist Islamist preachers provoking violence, peddling hate, havoc, intolerance and misogynism.
More deplorably to Muslims, when al-Jazouli ended his vicious sermon, the herd of his blind followers loudly chanted: "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar", thus bringing collective humility to the entire global Muslims who dont endorse this brazen violation of the moderate Islamic principles.
Surprisingly enough, young and naive Muslims in Africa are getting influenced by the hate preachers even when the moderate and spiritually-inclined Sufi scholars are committed to tackle the onslaught of the radicalization in the region. Only in Morocco, some 50,000 imams of mosques, after they showed the extremist Salafist influence, have been replaced. Modern youth in Algeria and Morocco are being trained to resist the Salafist extremism penetrating into the Muslim societies. A Religious Guidance Support Plan has been framed with scrutiny to closely monitor religious programmes on TV channels, Friday sermons and Islamic discourses delivered by the preachers and televangelists in the region.
According to Magharebia, an online Arabic media outlet covering the news of North Africa, some 1,300 senior imams and spiritual Islamic counselors were trained to prevent people who come in the mosques from all forms of Islamist discourses inciting religious bigotry and intolerance. Basically, the idea was to prepare the imams to preserve the universal values of Islam in the African mosques, based on the Sufi Islamic worldview which is contrary to the Salafi takfirism (declaring others disbeliever and apostate). The Islamic Affairs Minister of Morocco, Mr. Ahmed Toufiq once said that "takfirism is constantly invading the minds of our young people. Therefore, we seek to tackle all forms of continued exploitation of religion, with an aim to root out Takfirist ideology at its core."
Despite this gigantic task being done by the moderate Muslims in the African countries, the extremist fringe of the Islamist preachers have been influential enough to lure the youth. Their success emanates from their skillful misinterpretation and indoctrination of the Quranic verses and hadith quotations cited out of context. Like Al-Jazouli did in his speech, nearly all extremist Islamist preachers extensively quote the medieval Islamic jurisprudential rulings, that too out of the context, preaching the ideology of puritanical fundamentalism which is antithetical to the moderate narrative of Islam. Zakir Naik went some steps ahead on his Peace TV. He did not only misinterpret the references from the holy Quran and hadith, but also coined quite new, nefarious and pernicious religious underpinnings in some of his speeches spewing venom. Here are a few quotations from his talks widely available on the internet:
"Quran allows Muslims to have sex with female slaves."
"Bible has pornography, teaches how to rape and how to even gang-rape."
"We (Muslims) know for sure that only Islam is the True religion in the eyes of God. Therefore we do not allow propagation of any other religion."
"The only requirement for marriage in Islamic Sharia is that girl and boy both must attain the age of puberty that can occur at age 12, 11 or even 10."
This is how a radical Salafist televangelist in India has been misguiding Muslim youth across the world, while at the same time, causing greater defamation to Islam than the Islamophobes, and tarnishing the image of Indian Muslims in the global media.
The author is a scholar of Comparative Religion, Classical Arabic and Islamic sciences, cultural analyst and researcher in Media and Communication Studies. Contact him at grdehlavi@gmail.com
Zakir Naik has been given a clean chit by the Maharashtra State Intelligence Department (SID). Sources from the investigation team told The Hindu that Zakir Naik will not be arrested upon his arrival in India, as no case can be made against the controversial preacher for now.
The intelligence department, following orders of a probe into Zakir Naik's speeches and activities from the Maharashtra government, reportedly could not gather any evidence to link Naik to terror-related activities .
As per the report in The Hindu, the SID has studied hundreds of YouTube videos and speeches given by the controversial preacher in and out of India.
There is no case to be made out against the English-speaking preacher, except maybe the possible charge of hurting religious sentiments, but even that cannot be established from his speeches." said a police official. He further added that Zakir Naik's movements are being tracked.
Zakir Naik, who had cancelled his return to India on Monday, has said that no Indian government agency has reached out to him for clarification regarding the issue, in a statement made available to Firstpost.
"So far not a single official of the Indian government agency has contacted me for any clarification regarding this issue. It would be my pleasure to cooperate with any official Indian government investigation agency for any information they might require from me," Naik said in his statement.
Naiks decision not to return to India despite the nature of charges raised against him had instantly prompted the Indian media to say that Naik is dodging police, says Firstpost.
But, as Firstpost noted earlier, there is no serious charge against the preacher from Dongri in Mumbai, beyond possible charges of hurting religious sentiments.
According to the SID, there isnt any strong evidence of Naiks terror-links beyond the charge that he has inspired Dhaka and Hyderabad terrorists linked to the Islamic State.
Naik has been preaching for years. But, his name has surfaced only now in this fashion after the Bangladesh attacks and after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) busted an Islamic State module in Hyderabad. In both cases, the accused (Rohan Imtiaz and Ibrahim Yazdani respectively) have confessed to the investigators that they were 'inspired' by Naiks speeches.
Naik has always maintained that his speech was taken out of context and media is trying to put him in a bad light by being devilish. However, Naiks reluctance to return to India have only raised more suspicion.
The Hague, Netherlands: Amsterdam's renowned Van Gogh Museum unveiled a new exhibition on Tuesday focussing on Vincent Van Gogh's final 18 months of mental anguish, before he shot himself in 1890, including the suspected gun he used in his suicide.
Called "On the Verge of Insanity", the exhibition seeks to answer questions like why Van Gogh cut off his ear, and the precise nature of his mental illness that ultimately led to his death in Auvers-sur-Oise near Paris at the age of 37.
One of the most interesting exhibition pieces is the small-calibre revolver believed to have been the actual weapon Van Gogh used to shoot himself in the chest.
"The small, badly corroded revolver from a private collection and being shown for the first time, might be the weapon with which Van Gogh sought to end his life," the Van Gogh Museum said.
Vincent shot himself on 29 July, 1890 and managed to stumble back to the inn where he was staying before succumbing to his wound 30 hours later. At the time the suicide weapon was not found.
Around 1960, an Auvers farmer working on his land discovered the rusty gun, a 7.0 mm pocket revolver of the "Lefaucheux a broche" type in the fields where Van Gogh shot himself.
"The degree of corrosion suggested that the weapon lay in the ground for 50-60 years," the museum said in a statement. "Its limited firepower offers a possible explanation why the bullet fired at close range glanced off Van Gogh's rib," it added.
"The bullet was deflected downwards and was lodged too deep to be removed without danger, as a result of which Van Gogh died of his wound some 30 hours later."
Another fascinating exhibition piece is a recently-discovered letter from doctor Felix Rey, the physician who treated Van Gogh in hospital after he cut off his left ear while living in the southern French town of Arles.
"Rey's letter includes drawings showing that Van Gogh cut off the whole of his left ear and not, as was long believed, just part of it," the museum said.
"The discovery brings to an end a long-standing biographical question," it added.
Van Gogh's portrait of Rey is also on display for the first time at the museum, as well as a raft of previously unexhibited documents about his illness.
"On the Verge of Insanity" however shows that Van Gogh's art "ought not to be viewed as a product of his illness, but arose in spite of his condition," the museum said.
The exhibition runs from 15 July to 25 September.
Animal rights activists observed 9 July as Poison Biscuit Day to mark the anniversary of the mass poisoning of stray dogs in Navi Mumbai eight years ago. Nearly 30 dogs had been fed poisoned biscuits on that day. As one participant recalled, The dogs were trying hard to survive but they gave up and died in front of our eyes. This incident has left an indelible imprint on my mind and I have to do something for them.
While the culprits are yet to be caught, animal lovers gathered to spread awareness about animal cruelty in the country and express their outrage about the nominal fine of Rs 50.
Panaji: The AAP in Goa on Tuesday demanded that Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar to take immediate action against his brother in-law, allegedly involved in a bribery case, or resign.
Over 200 Aam Aadmi Party supporters tried to gain entry to the State Secretariat on Tuesday, but were prevented by the police.
An AAP delegation submitted a memorandum to Chief Secretary S.K. Srivastava's office, demanding immediate action against Parseakar's brother-in-law Dilip alias Ghanshyam Malvankar.
A Goa Industrial Development Corporation field officer, Dilip was allegedly caught red-handed in August last year while accepting Rs 1 lakh bribe for allotment of an industrial plot at Tuem village, 35 km from Panaji.
AAP spokesperson Rajashree Nagarsekar told the media that the memorandum was signed by over 20,000 people from across 40 assembly constituencies in the state.
"We demanded that Parsekar should resign or take immediate action against Dalip. By reinstating him, the Goa government is encouraging corruption. There are other officers who remains suspended. Preferential treatment has been given to the Chief Minister's brother-in-law," Nagarsekar said.
Parsekar, who also holds the Home portfolio, has said Dalip's reinstatement is as per the rules and denied any preferential treatment to him.
Over an allocation of a coal mine in Chhattisgarh, former environment minister Jairam Ramesh on Monday alleged that billionaire Gautam Adani has benefited from the Narendra Modi government's largesse.
The charge was denied by the Adani group, saying the mine was allocated during United Progressive Alliance regime.
The Adani Group said it was only an operator of the coal mine, which was allocated to the Rajasthan government when the Congress was in power both at the Centre and the state and Ramesh as the environment minister had given the forest clearance.
The Congress leader, however, countered this, saying the issue was not about Adani being selected as mine operator by the Rajasthan government, but of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Chhattisgarh government passing an order cancelling community land rights of local tribals over the forest land that was guaranteed under the Forest Rights Act.
Standing by the decision taken by the UPA, Ramesh said he had provided detailed evidence to show how the Union Tribal Affairs Secretary was supporting the Chhattisgarh government's brazen unilateral move to benefit Adani by circumventing a rule, he had himself laid out as the Minister of Environment and Forests in August 2009.
The rule stated that projects in forest areas should not and will not get clearance unless all rights individual and community are settled under the law passed by Parliament with great exuberance and expectation in December 2006, he added.
The Adani Group responded by issuing a statement saying, "The mine is owned by the Rajasthan government. The clearance was issued by the Chhattisgarh government to the Rajasthan government. Hence, we are surprised and fail to understand, why Ramesh is seeking an explanation from us on getting any favour in the said case?"
"Incidentally during that period, the government of Rajasthan was also ruled by the Congress," it said.
Ahead of the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress held a press conference on Tuesday to quell rumours about Priyanka Gandhi and a prospective Chief Ministerial candidate for the state.
The Congress announced the appointment of Raj Babbar as the new Uttar Pradesh Congress committee president.
Raj Babbar appointed new Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee President. ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 12, 2016
Soon after the announcement, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad addressed the media and pacified rumours of Priyanka Gandhi being Congress chief ministerial candidate for Uttar Pradesh polls.
Congress has refused to comment on Gandhis role. Azad, however, said that she will campaign in Rae Bareli and Amethi.
Responding to media questions, Azad said that they will look for a chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming UP polls at an appropriate time.
Azad further urged the BJP to take responsibility for the killings in Jammu and Kashmir. "The way the police have been let loose on the youth in Kashmir is dangerous," he said.
"The state is religiously, politically, and geographically sensitive and the BJP government is not bringing any new ideology there, Azad added.
On being asked about the Congress stand on GST, Azad said that the matter will be discussed with the leadership before the Parliament session begins. There are still a few days left for the session to commence and Congress will have a party meeting before it to ponder over the issue.
We will discuss with the leadership on this before the Parliament session commence: GN Azad, Congress on GST pic.twitter.com/CICITw666d ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 12, 2016
Based on how many of its demands have been met when it sits infront of the BJP in the session, Congress will decide its stand on the GST. It has also received a request from the government to discuss the matter, said Azad.
New Delhi: Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptulla, who had crossed 75 years, resigned on Tuesday from the Union Cabinet along with Minister of State for Heavy Industries GM Siddeshwara.
Announcing their resignations, a Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said these have been accepted.
There was speculation last week when Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook the reshuffle that Heptulla and Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises Kalraj Mishra, who had recently turned 75, could be asked to quit.
Modi is believed to have set an age bar of 75 years for ministers and had kept veterans like LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi out of the Cabinet and co-opted them in 'Margdarshak Mandal'.
The Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who was Heptulla's deputy, has been assigned the Independent charge of the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
According to government sources, Heptulla (76) was out of country and therefore could not submit her resignation on 5 July though she had decided to do so.
GM Siddeshwara (64), Minister of State of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, too was out of Delhi and could not submit his resignation on 5 July, sources said, adding on Tuesday on return of the Prime Minister from abroad, they submitted their resignations, which have been accepted.
Siddeshwara, a Lok Sabha member from Karnataka, is believed to be among those who were asked to resign in the reshuffle on July 5 but he, sources said, had sought more time due to his birthday on the same day.
Babul Supriyo has been relieved of his existing portfolios as Minister of State for Urban Development and also Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation.
He has been assigned the portfolio of Minister of State in the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.
While Heptulla has resigned, Mishra remains in the Cabinet despite crossing 75 years. It is believed that he has been retained considering the crucial Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls early next year as he is noted Brahmin leader from the state.
Five ministers of state, Nihalchand, Ram Shankar Katheria, Sanwar Lal Jat, Manuskhbhai D Vasva and MK Kundariya were dropped in the reshuffle.
Amid speculation of leading the Congress campaign in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday met state party affairs in-charge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, for over an hour at his residence, reported CNN-News18. A formal announcement of Priyanka likely to become the star campaigner for the party in UP is expected soon.
Although initial reports stated that Congress has decided on Priyanka being projected as the star campaigner, the party remained tight-lipped over her taking centre stage, as the final call has not been taken yet.
Azad has already favoured Priyanka, who is currently managing the party activities in Rae Bareily and Amethi, which are also Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi's constituencies respectively, as the face of the party. According to the TV reports, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi met Azad on Monday over the UP polls.
Poll strategist Prashant Kishor, who has been roped in by the Congress to help and assist the party in Uttar Pradesh, has reportedly suggested that if Rahul declines to lead the party in the state, Priyanka, by all means, should.
Congress has been in political wilderness in UP for more than 26 years, which saw the emergence of Mandal and Mandir issues and the rise of BSP.
According to this analytical piece on Firstpost, Sandipan Sharma writes that Congress may have found its 'Bramhastra' to reverse the downward spiral the party is heading to.
New Delhi: The gains made by the UPA in Jammu and Kashmir have been lost by the Narendra Modi government, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has said.
The gains made by the previous Congress-led UPA government have been nullified by the "fatalistic policies" of the Modi government, Gandhi said here on Monday night.
Speaking at an Eid Milan reception hosted by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind chief Maulana Asad Madni , Gandhi said that mishandling the situation in the Kashmir Valley had led to political turmoil.
Gandhi's remarks came amid street protests following the death of a top militant which has left over 30 people, mainly the young, dead and scores injured in firing by security forces in the Kashmir Valley.
The Monday event was attended by, among others, Shard Yadav (JD-U), Sitaram Yachuri and Mohd Salim (CPI-M) as well as Ghulam Nabi Azad, Salman Khurshid and Sri Prakash Jaiswal (Congress) besides Muslim groups.
Gandhi said that when Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister, he focused on Jammu and Kashmir and after years of toil "we succeeded in restoring peace and normalcy in the militancy-hit state".
However, all the gains made in the state were wasted by the Modi government by handling the situation in a most casual manner, he alleged.
Gandhi said he voiced his concern to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley about growing unrest in the Kashmir Valley when he met him regarding the GST bill a few months ago.
But Jaitley was "dismissive of my views and claimed that the situation is well under control. I kept mum after his observations".
When Manmohan Singh passed on the baton to Modi in May 2014, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir was quite normal, Gandhi said.
He said BJP leaders always used to state that the Congress did nothing for the country.
"Today I am asking them: Who brought peace in the troubled state? We got the trust of the people in the state due to our policies, which alienated militant groups."
New Delhi: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has called on secular parties to unite to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Gandhi told a gathering of leaders of different parties and Muslim groups in New Delhi that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS were dividing the country both on religious and caste lines.
"It is easy to divide the people but rather difficult to unite them," he said at an Eid Milan reception hosted by Jamait Ulema chief Maulana Arshad Madni on Monday night.
The event was attended by leaders of political parties including Ajit Singh (RLD), Shard Yadav (JD-U), Sitaram Yachury (CPI-M), Atul Kumar Anjan (CPI), Ashuk Malik (Samajwadi Party) and Sanjay Singh (AAP) as well as heads of Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamaat Ahle Hadees, Muslim Majlis Mushwarat and the Barelvi sect chief Maulana Tauqeer Reza.
At least a dozen Congress leaders from Uttar Pradesh were present at the meeting besides Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is in-charge of the state.
Gandhi said a division of the secular vote had helped the BJP to consolidate its political gains.
"If we have to defeat communal forces, we need to get united," he said, addressing Ajit Singh and the others.
Maulana Arshad Madni of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind said his party would never allow "communal and fascist forces" to change the country's secular character.
He said his organisation had strongly opposed the 1947 partition of the country. "We opted for secular India and will not allow this country to change its secular and democratic fabric."
Shard Yadav said an overwhelming majority of Indians was secular. "But it has been observed that the secular vote gets divided, benefitting the BJP and its affiliated parties.
"We need to float a broad based front to arrest the growth of communal forces," he said.
Ilyas Malik, former General Secretary of Muslim Majlis Mushwarat, said he hoped that secular minded parties would come together in Uttar Pradesh to defeat the BJP in assembly elections due next year.
He indicated that a groups of Muslim leaders would initiate a dialogue with all secular groups to bring them together.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the Centre on a plea that Jammu and Kashmir's majority population Muslims should not be allowed to reap the benefits of the Central schemes for the welfare of minorities.
A notice was also issued to the Jammu and Kashmir state and the National Minorities Commission.
The apex court bench, headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur, issued a notice after PIL petitioner Ankur Sharma told the court that Muslims constitute 68 per cent of Jammu and Kashmir's population and thus were not a "minority" in the state.
The petitioner has sought that the benefits offered under the Prime Minister's 15-point guidelines for the welfare of minorities should also not go to the majority segment of the state population. Sharma told the court that there was no state minority commission in Jammu and Kashmir.
While the bench issued notice to the Centre returnable in four weeks, it refused to pass any interim order to block the benefits of the central schemes from being availed by the majority population in the northern state.
Kolkata: A councillor of West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress in North 24 Parganas district was on Tuesday arrested and remanded to custody on charges of extortion, police said.
Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation member Anindya Chatterjee was arrested from Kolkata's satellite township Bidhannagar after a complaint that he demanded Rs 12 lakh as extortion money from an area resident, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Santosh Pandey.
Chatterjee was booked under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 387 (putting person in fear of death or of grievous hurt in order to commit extortion).
He was produced before a court which rejected his bail plea and remanded him to judicial custody for 14 days.
The arrest comes days after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her displeasure over the law and order situation in the district and asked police to curb illegal syndicate business.
Panaji: Goa Congress leaders are engaged in a war of words over the issue of pre-poll alliance with like-minded parties for the state Assembly elections due next year.
Two days ago senior Congress leader and former state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, son of Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Pratapsinh Rane, threatened to quit the party if it fails to forge an alliance with like-minded forces.
Goa Congress chief Luizinho Faleiro on Tuesday taunted the party legislators saying "they (Congress MLAs and Independents from opposition benches) should show an alliance on the floor of the House first before talking about the election."
He was apparently referring to non-coordination between the Congress legislators and other opposition members during the state Assembly session.
"We have not ruled out the possibility of an alliance. That is the decision the party high command will take at the right time after consulting party workers. But before that our legislators should show their grand alliance (with other opposition members) on the floor of the House," Faleiro, the former state chief minister, told reporters.
"Let them (Congress MLAs and others) get together and counter the state government on the floor of the House. That is something missing," he said.
"Why didn't all the opposition legislators combine together to attack the government during last four-and-half years? Now they have a last chance when the Monsoon Session begins on July 25. Let them show their zeal to have an alliance and counter the state government," Faleiro said.
The Goa Congress chief, who left for Delhi on Monday, said he would be meeting All India Congress Committee General
Secretary Digvijay Singh in the national capital.
"The workers will decide whether the Congress should have an alliance or fight it out alone in the Goa polls. There would be consultation with the workers before the high command takes any stand," Faleiro said.
Earlier on Sunday, Vishwajit had said, "If a single leader wants to decide then let him fight the election on own, I will not be in Congress party. I will only be in Congress party if it stitches up an alliance with like-minded forces."
London: Britain will not rush to trigger divorce proceedings with the European Union, a leading ally of incoming Prime Minister Theresa May said on Tuesday as David Cameron bowed out at his final cabinet meeting.
May, 59, will on Wednesday replace Cameron, who is resigning after Britons rejected his advice and voted on 23 June to quit the EU, plunging the country into political and economic uncertainty.
Arriving for the brief cabinet meeting, she waved to reporters from the doorstep of 10 Downing Street, shortly to become her home. She will face the enormous task of disentangling Britain from a forest of EU laws, accumulated over more than four decades, and negotiating new terms of trade while limiting potential damage to the economy.
Her ally Chris Grayling, the Leader of the House of Commons, said there was no hurry to invoke Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, which will formally launch the process of separation and start the clock ticking on a two-year countdown to Britain's actual departure.
"I think Article 50 should be triggered when we're ready. The most important thing right now is we do what's in our national interest," Grayling told Sky News.
"We get ourselves ready for the negotiation, we decide what kind of relationship we want to negotiate, and then we move ahead and trigger Article 50. We'll do it right, we'll do it in a proper way, we'll do it when we're ready."
His comments may dampen hopes among Britain's EU partners that May's surprisingly rapid ascent might accelerate the process of moving ahead with the split and resolving the uncertainty hanging over the entire 28-nation bloc.
Her last rival, Andrea Leadsom, dropped out of the leadership race on Monday, removing the need for a nine-week contest to decide who would be leader of the ruling Conservative Party and prime minister.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday that Britain should clarify quickly how it wants to shape its future relationship with the EU, adding that she wanted London to remain an important partner.
"But of course the EU and the remaining 27 member states also have to protect their interests," Merkel said. "For example, whoever would like to have free access to the European internal market will also have to accept all basic freedoms in return, including the free movement of people."
Last Woman Standing
May, who had favoured a vote to stay in the EU, was left as the last woman standing after three leading rivals from the referendum's winning Leave campaign self-destructed in the course of a short-lived leadership race.
She has served for the past six years as interior minister, regarded as one of the toughest jobs in government, and cultivated a reputation as a tough and competent pragmatist.
Apart from the task of leading Brexit, she must try to unite a fractured party and a nation in which many, on the evidence of the referendum, feel angry with the political elite and left behind by the forces of globalisation and economic change.
Among her first acts will be to name a new cabinet which will need to find space for some of those who campaigned successfully on the opposite side of the referendum.
That could mean significant roles for Grayling and former defence secretary Liam Fox, two Leave advocates who threw their support behind her leadership bid.
May has adopted the mantra "Brexit means Brexit", declaring on Monday there could be no second referendum and no attempt to rejoin the EU by the back door.
"As prime minister, I will make sure that we leave the European Union," she said.
She also made a pitch for the political centre ground, calling for "a country that works for everyone, not just the privileged few".
She promised to prioritise more house-building, a crackdown on tax evasion by individuals and companies, lower energy costs and a narrowing of the "unhealthy" gap between the pay of corporate bosses and their employees.
"Under my leadership, the Conservative Party will put itself completely, absolutely, unequivocally, at the service of ordinary working people ... we will make Britain a country that works for everyone," she said.
Portsmouth: Bernie Sanders endorses Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, says 'she must become our next president' .
Sanders, whose calls for a "political revolution" energised millions of voters across the nation, offered a long-awaited endorsement of his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton Tuesday, calling for unity just two weeks shy of the Democratic National Convention.
Standing alongside one another at an event in Portsmouth, N.H., Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, congratulated Clinton for winning the nomination and vowed to do everything he can to help her beat presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.
"Hillary Clinton understands that we must fix an economy in America that is rigged and that sends almost all new wealth and income to the top one percent," Sanders said, listing his reasons for endorsing her. "Hillary Clinton understands that if someone in America works 40 hours a week, that person should not be living in poverty."
Democrats have coalesced around Clinton's candidacy since she defeated Sanders in primaries last month in California and five other states, led by endorsements from President Barack Obama, Vice-President Joe Biden and others.
Sanders has spent the past month seeking to influence the party's platform at the Philadelphia convention and promote electoral reforms including allowing independents to participate in future primaries. The platform includes many of his proposals, including a $15 an hour minimum wage, tougher restrictions on Wall Street and an end to the death penalty.
The event at a Portsmouth high school sought to project Democratic unity before Republicans formally nominate Trump next week in Cleveland but some Sanders' supporters in the crowd did not appear to be ready to move on.
Chants of "Bernie" broke out in the gymnasium while opening speakers addressed the crowd, prompting Clinton's faithful to chant, "Unity." When Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a Clinton supporter, told the audience, "We need to elect Hillary," some Bernie supporters stood and shouted, "No," which was followed by chants of "Hillary" in the crowd.
"It's like he's giving up if he endorses her," said Steve Rand, a hardware store owner from Plymouth, New Hampshire, before the two candidates took the stage. He added: "She stands for everything that I am against.
The Vermont senator saw his longshot bid for the White House quickly catch fire in 2015 at large-scale rallies where he denounced income inequality, the influence of Wall Street and the role of big money in politics all part of a system he described as "rigged."
Sanders was powered by an impressive online fundraising machine that raised more than $200 million and threatened Clinton's once overwhelming lead in the Democratic primaries with the help of college students, independents and white voters drawn to his anti-establishment message. His endorsement could help bring some of those supporters into the fold for Clinton as she prepares to face off with Trump.
Trump, who previously said Sanders has been "treated terribly by the Democrats" and should have run as an independent, wasted no time going after the Vermont senator.
"Bernie Sanders, who has lost most of his leverage, has totally sold out to Crooked Hillary Clinton," Trump wrote Tuesday as part of a series of Tweets ahead of the Portsmouth event. "Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters."
LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Britain may be about to welcome its second woman prime minister but female politicians are still far from achieving equality with online abuse, objectification and misogyny plaguing British politics, a leading women's rights group said.
Interior minister Theresa May is set to become prime minister on Wednesday, succeeding David Cameron, who announced he was stepping down after Britons unexpectedly voted last month to quit the European Union (EU).
May will become Britain's first woman prime minister since Margaret Thatcher, after her only rival Andrea Leadsom abruptly terminated her leadership campaign on Monday.
While May's appointment is a big step forward, achieving true equality for female politicians remains a challenge, Sam Smethers, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, said.
"We've got a very long way to go before women in politics are given a fair chance from the outset," Smethers told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Only 29 percent of Britain's members of parliament are women. The country ranks 39th in the world for female representation in parliament, behind Rwanda, Bolivia and Cuba, among others.
Smethers said she was disappointed by newspaper reports that focussed on May's high heels and gender rather than her policies or capability as a prime minister who faces the task of steering Britain's withdrawal from the EU.
"While they're all being objectified and undermined and ridiculed in that way, they're never going to be heard in the same way as men - they're always going to be battling for their right to be there [in politics]," Smethers said.
The focus on May's shoes has attracted widespread criticism on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.
Campaigner Laura Bates, who runs the Everyday Sexism website, wrote in an opinion piece: "This kind of meaningless, sexist commentary takes valuable attention away from what we should be concentrating on."
"EMOTIONAL"
May is not the only woman politician who has come under sharp scrutiny recently.
Opposition Labour lawmaker Angela Eagle, who was once told to "calm down, dear" by Cameron during a heated exchange in parliament, was also challenged this week.
Eagle, who launched a bid on Monday to take over leadership of the Labour party was asked whether she was tough enough for the job after being seen shedding a tear while talking about her rival Jeremy Corbyn.
"Shouldn't you be able to control those emotions when you're under great stress?" Eagle was asked by a male journalist.
Smethers said the sexism female politicians face was "completely corroding" British politics, and could potentially prevent many women from becoming politicians.
"We need to have a unified voice where women and men stand up and say they will not tolerate this kind of abuse ... We should name misoygny for what it is," she said.
In the past two years, Scotland and Northern Ireland both elected their first female First Ministers.
Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon was first sworn in at 2014 and re-elected in May 2016, while Democratic Unionist Party's Arlene Foster became the first female leader of Northern Ireland in January.
If elected, Hillary Clinton will also become the first female U.S. president, joining 18 other female heads of state including Britain, Nepal, Germany and Taiwan.
Being in a position of influence means female leaders must continue to push for women's rights, close the gender pay gap and tackle domestic violence, Smethers said.
"We should be excited about seeing women there [in leadership] and absolutely it's worth celebrating. But, in and of itself, it's not enough," she said.
"Let's use the post-Brexit world that we're in so make sure there's absolutely no going back on women's rights."
(Reporting by Lin Taylor @linnytayls, Editing by Katie Nguyen.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters that covers humanitarian issues, conflicts, global land and property rights, modern slavery and human trafficking, women's rights, and climate change. Visit news.trust.org to see more stories)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Bhuj: The Border Security Force on Tuesday seized two Pakistani fishing boats from Harami Nala near the international maritime border, an official said.
According to a senior BSF official, a BSF patrol spotted two persons in a boat in Harami Nala creek but they sped away and crossed over to the other side of the border on spotting the Indian security men approaching them.
The official said the Pakistani boat had some fish and fishing nets. No other material of suspicious nature was found. The BSF had arrested one Pakistani intruder two days ago but he claimed to have entered the Indian territory by mistake.
During the search, BSF found another abandoned Pakistani fishing boat near the Harami Nala, the official said.
Charleston: Attorneys for a man who faces the death penalty in the shooting deaths of nine parishioners at Charleston's Emmanuel AME Church say they will present evidence that he suffers a mental illness.
Attorneys filed a notice Monday that they plan to introduce the evidence during the sentencing phase of Dylann Roof's federal trial.
The 22-year-old Roof stands trial in federal court in November for hate crimes and other charges in the June 2015 shootings at the church. He also faces nine murder charges in state court in a death-penalty trial set for January.
There is a hearing in the state case on Wednesday and a hearing in the federal case next week.
Islamabad: Pakistan on Tuesday said disputes over the South China Sea should be peacefully resolved through consultations and negotiations by states directly concerned.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman in a statement said the maritime disputes should be addressed in accordance with bilateral agreements and the declaration on the conduct of parties in the South China Sea, Xinhua news agency reported.
Pakistan opposes any imposition of unilateral will on others, and respects China's statement of optional exception in light of Article 298 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the statement said.
The spokesman made the remarks in response to a verdict against China by an Arbitration Tribunal in the South China Sea case initiated by the Philippines.
China said it neither accepts nor recognises the verdict, dismissing it as "null and void".
"Pakistan believes that maintenance of peace and security is the collective responsibility of all parties to the South China Sea."
"Countries outside the region should fully respect efforts made by China and the Asean countries to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea, and play a constructive role to this end," it said.
CAIRO Egyptian authorities said on Tuesday Muslim clerics would be required to read out identical pre-written weekly sermons as part of the government's campaign against extremism, drawing angry criticism from some preachers.
The ministry of religious endowments has since 2014 been providing imams with topics for their sermons at Friday prayers but the latest move confines preachers across the country to reading from the same script.
"No one disagreed during the meeting (of officials on Tuesday) and all the undersecretaries received the new instructions on pre-written unified sermons without incident," said the ministry's First Undersecretary for Qalyubiya province Sabry Dowaidar.
"The minister (Mohamed Gomaa) said he would start with himself and deliver the pre-written sermon (in a mosque) next Friday."
An undersecretary from a different province who requested anonymity said the sermons would be written by ministry officials and senior clerics from Al-Azhar, the 1,000-year-old centre of Islamic learning in Cairo.
Members of parliament on the House Committee on Religious Affairs would contribute too, as would sociologists and psychologists.
Officials say the move will force preachers to stick to a suitable time limit and ensure they do not "lose their train of thought".
OPPOSITION
Several preachers voiced anger at the move, saying it would prevent talented preachers from shining and that different communities had different issues of interest that needed to be discussed in the mosque.
"Everywhere in Egypt, every city or village, has different circumstances. A certain village might have a robbery problem and so the sermon should talk about thievery. Another place might have widespread murder and that is what should be discussed," said Abdelsalam Mahmoud, an imam at a mosque in the southern city of Luxor.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who came to power after leading the military overthrow of an Islamist president, has made "reforming religious discourse" and combating extremism a priority. He sees militant Islamism as an existential threat.
In 2013 the religious endowments ministry fired 55,000 preachers not authorised by Al-Azhar, shortly after the military ousted the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Mursi from the presidency, following mass protests against his rule.
The preachers were accused of inciting violence and spreading extremist views and supporting the Brotherhood, the world's oldest Islamist movement.
The government does not differentiate between groups like the Brotherhood, which says it is peaceful, and Islamic State which is mounting an insurgency in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and has killed hundreds of soldiers and police.
(Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; editing by Andrew Roche)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
BERLIN/BRUSSELS Both are pastors' daughters who excelled as academics before rising to the top of their conservative parties. Now Theresa May and Angela Merkel, equally firm but pragmatic, will go head to head to determine Britain's future relationship with Europe.
Two years the German chancellor's junior, May is highly regarded among European officials who largely welcomed news that she will become British prime minister on Wednesday after David Cameron bows out.
"Very disciplined" is how one senior German official who has worked closely with May described the Oxford University-educated daughter of a Church of England vicar. She has "excellent" relations with French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, a source in Paris said.
Described by one veteran British conservative as a "bloody difficult woman", 59-year-old May will need to muster all the goodwill she can in Europe.
Her task is to deal with the negotiating clout and stamina of Merkel, who in 10 years as chancellor has regularly outlasted other European Union leaders at late night Brussels meetings.
Under the Lisbon Treaty, a deal on Britain's departure from the EU must be concluded with the European Council, which groups leaders of the 27 other member states.
Merkel's role, however, is crucial. After Britons voted for Brexit on June 23, she met the leaders of France and Italy to plan the way ahead for the EU, showing that its biggest member states - rather than its institutions - want to determine this.
Both women, who have been married for decades, saw off male challengers on their way to the top.
Merkel defeated her more flamboyant predecessor, the Social Democrat Gerhard Schroeder, at the ballot box in 2005.
May, who has been British interior minister for the past six years, will become prime minister simply because Conservative members of parliament elected her leader of the ruling party. But the woman who has declared "I'm not a showy politician", is also replacing a less cautious politician in the pro-EU Cameron, whose gamble in calling the referendum failed.
Merkel and May agree on one thing: in the Briton's words "Brexit means Brexit". Merkel has insisted the result of what was officially an advisory referendum must be respected.
Beyond that, battle lines are already being drawn. May says Britain will not rush to trigger the formal divorce proceedings under the Lisbon Treaty. Merkel, however, wants Britain to make its intentions clear more quickly.
On Tuesday, Merkel put the ball in May's court. "We must now wait until Britain says what relationship it envisages with the European Union and then we will lead, in our interests, the best negotiations for our citizens in the 27 member states," she said.
The chancellor wants to retain strong links with Britain, Germany's fifth-biggest trading partner for goods, but her bigger priority is to hold together the remaining EU members.
"VERY PERSISTENT"
British diplomats who have worked with May in Brussels rate her highly, saying she is one of the best prepared and best informed ministers to negotiate with their EU partners. Their European counterparts agree.
"She knows Brussels well, she knows the people and how things work here," said one EU official who deals with justice and home affairs. "She has always been prepared for the meetings, active in intervening, she knows the file."
Another senior EU official familiar with negotiations in which May has taken part described her as "very professional, very well respected".
All the indications are May will prove a tough negotiator. "She won't be an easy partner for the EU," said the senior EU official, adding that May does not change her tune easily. "She's been extremely consistent, very persistent."
A quiet 'remain' campaigner, May must now get the best terms she can. Her biggest task is to retain British access to the EU's single market while restricting immigration from the bloc.
EU leaders say market access can come only with a commitment to the free movement of people - just what British voters rejected. Yet May has a record of negotiating compromises with the EU in such apparently black or white situations.
As interior minister, she opted back into a European arrest warrant system and cross-border information sharing despite Britain's 'opt out' on EU justice and home affairs policy.
In brokering those 'opt-ins', the senior EU official said: "She took a great part in the negotiations herself, she didn't rely on officials ... She has very obvious negotiating skills."
Those skills will be put to the test by Merkel, who said on Monday: "We will have difficult negotiations with Britain, it will not be easy."
(Additional reporting by Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels and Chine Labbe in Paris; editing by David Stamp)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Days after Afghanistans President Ashraf Ghani told the Nato Summit in Warsaw that Pakistan continued to side with terrorists, and Saudi Arabia arrested 12 Pakistanis for jihadi attacks in the kingdom during Ramzan, a joint committee of the US Congress will meet on Tuesday to discuss whether Pakistan is a friend or foe in war against terrorism.
Many in the US Congress from both Democratic Party and Republican Party have begun to distrust Islamabad and in recent months had stopped US administration from helping Pakistan to buy F16 fighter jets. On Tuesday, the House Subcommittees on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade and Asia and the Pacific will jointly hold this hearing to determine how to deal with Pakistan, an old ally.
Over the last several months, there has been growing frustration and anger among many in US at Pakistans duplicity in dealing with terrorism. At the same time there is recognition in both the administration and among policymakers that Pakistan cannot be isolated either and pushed beyond a point. Pakistan is an important player in Afghanistan and has control over terror groups operating in the region.
A hearing at a US Congress joint committee meeting where Pakistans actions would be discussed and debated will add to the rethink among US policymakers on the need to reassess policy towards Pakistan.
By September, Pakistan would need the IMF to release the final instalment of $510 million that is part of a $6.2 billion package. A review meeting cleared the release but would need the IMF executive boards approval. Some in the US believe that release of the last tranche of IMF loan could be linked to Islamabad taking steps to control the Haqqani terror network.
In the run-up to Tuesdays joint committee hearing, chairmen of two sub-committees issued a statement that reflected the anger towards Pakistans policy of support to terror groups.
The chairman of one of the subcommittees is a Republican lawmaker, Congressman Ted Poe, a strong critic of Pakistan. In a scathing criticism of Pakistans support for terrorism, Congressman Poe observed in a statement that, Pakistans long history of ties to terrorist groups, including those with American blood on their hands, is well documented. Pakistans military intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), provides support to various terrorist organisations, including the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and the Haqqani network, in a bid to exert influence over Pakistans regional rivals
He explained that the meeting had been called to help Congressmen reassess US foreign policy on Pakistan.
Chairman Matt Salmon heads the Sub-Committee on Asia and Pacific. He stated: The United States has spent tens of billions of taxpayer dollars in aid to Pakistan since 9/11. Now, 15 years later, Pakistans military and intel services are still linked to terrorist organisations and little success has been made to stabilise the region. We must take a closer look at US goals, expectations and our aid spending in the region. In this hearing, we will discuss the Administrations failed policy toward Pakistan and debate the best way forward.
Last week at Warsaw Summit, President Ghani of Afghanistan, who when he came to power invested a lot of energy in courting Pakistans military generals only to get frustrated later, did not mince words in his assessment of Islamabad.
Ghani said that while regional initiatives with neighbours are beginning to yield significant cooperative dividends. The exception is with Pakistan despite clear commitments to a quadrilateral peace process, their dangerous distinction between good and bad terrorists is being maintained in practice.
Three witnesses invited by the US joint committee to speak on the subject have been severe critics of Pakistan. Zalmay Khalilzad, former US ambassador to Afghanistan and Iraq, has in recent months written and spoken extensively on the need to isolate Pakistan like North Korea to force it to end support to terror groups. He will share his personal experience in dealing with Pakistani generals. In a recent interview with Firstpost in Delhi, the ex-envoy said even the IMF assistance needs to be delayed to make the generals understand.
The other two witnesses are Bill Roggio, senior editor, Long War Journal, and Tricia Bacon, assistant professor, American University.
Roggio has argued that the extent of co-operation among various terror groups with Al-Qaeda as the leader has been underestimated by the US. He has also stated that Al-Qaeda is executing its strategy of incorporating regional jihadist groups successfully. He wrote, Al-Qaeda is executing its strategy of incorporating elements from the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban, Harakat-ul- Muhajideen, Harakat-ul- Jihad-al- Islami and Brigade 313, Jaish-e- Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, the Indian Mujahideen, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Turkistan Islamic Party, Junood al Fida, and other groups based in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. This vision was outlined by Ayman al Zawahiri in September 2014, after he announced the formation of AQIS."
The Joint Sub-Committee hearing and its deliberations will certainly add to the ongoing discussion in US on Pakistan. Three decisions in recent months by the US Administration and pressure from the Congress did signal a change in American policy towards Pakistan: decision not to sell F16s, the drone killing of Mullah Mansour in Pakistani Balochistan and US support for India-Afghanistan-Iran agreement on Chabahar project.
For years, US governments turned a virtual blind eye to Pakistans duplicity on terrorism when Indian governments spoke about it. But now there seems to be a change in mood. And the Modi government has zeroed in on highlighting Pakistans support to terror not just in India, but across the world to make US policymakers accept the seriousness of what Rawalpindi generals are up to.
Speaking at the US Congress in June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the breath and depth of Pakistans support to terrorism when he said, Not just in Afghanistan, but elsewhere in South Asia, and globally, terrorism remains the biggest threat. In the territory stretching from west of Indias border to Africa, it may go by different names, from Lashkar-e- Taiba, to Taliban to ISIS.
But its philosophy is common: of hate, murder and violence. Although its shadow is spreading across the world, it is incubated in Indias neighbourhood.
Reacting to the negative ruling of an international tribunal in Hague on Tuesday against China over its territorial claims to the South China Sea, Beijing completely disregarded the observation terming it "null and void".
Following is the complete statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China that was released on Xinhua on the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration that was established after Philippines request for it.
"With regard to the award rendered on 12 July 2016 by the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration established at the unilateral request of the Republic of the Philippines (hereinafter referred to as the "Arbitral Tribunal"), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China solemnly declares that the award is null and void and has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it.
1. On 22 January 2013, the then government of the Republic of the Philippines unilaterally initiated arbitration on the relevant disputes in the South China Sea between China and the Philippines. On 19 February 2013, the Chinese government solemnly declared that it neither accepts nor participates in that arbitration and has since repeatedly reiterated that position. On 7 December 2014, the Chinese government released the Position Paper of the Government of the People's Republic of China on the Matter of Jurisdiction in the South China Sea Arbitration Initiated by the Republic of the Philippines, pointing out that the Philippines' initiation of arbitration breaches the agreement between the two states, violates the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and goes against the general practice of international arbitration, and that the Arbitral Tribunal has no jurisdiction. On 29 October 2015, the Arbitral Tribunal rendered an award on jurisdiction and admissibility. The Chinese government immediately stated that the award is null and void and has no binding force. China's positions are clear and consistent.
2. The unilateral initiation of arbitration by the Philippines is out of bad faith. It aims not to resolve the relevant disputes between China and the Philippines, or to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, but to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. The initiation of this arbitration violates international law. First, the subject-matter of the arbitration initiated by the Philippines is in essence an issue of territorial sovereignty over some islands and reefs of Nansha Qundao (the Nansha Islands), and inevitably concerns and cannot be separated from maritime delimitation between China and the Philippines. Fully aware that territorial issues are not subject to UNCLOS, and that maritime delimitation disputes have been excluded from the UNCLOS compulsory dispute settlement procedures by China's 2006 declaration, the Philippines deliberately packaged the relevant disputes as mere issues concerning the interpretation or application of UNCLOS. Second, the Philippines' unilateral initiation of arbitration infringes upon China's right as a state party to UNCLOS to choose on its own will the procedures and means for dispute settlement. As early as in 2006, pursuant to Article 298 of UNCLOS, China excluded from the compulsory dispute settlement procedures of UNCLOS disputes concerning, among others, maritime delimitation, historic bays or titles, military and law enforcement activities. Third, the Philippines' unilateral initiation of arbitration violates the bilateral agreement reached between China and the Philippines, and repeatedly reaffirmed over the years, to resolve relevant disputes in the South China Sea through negotiations. Fourth, the Philippines' unilateral initiation of arbitration violates the commitment made by China and ASEAN Member States, including the Philippines, in the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) to resolve the relevant disputes through negotiations by states directly concerned. By unilaterally initiating the arbitration, the Philippines violates UNCLOS and its provisions on the application of dispute settlement procedures, the principle of "pacta sunt servanda" and other rules and principles of international law.
3. The Arbitral Tribunal disregards the fact that the essence of the subject-matter of the arbitration initiated by the Philippines is issues of territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation, erroneously interprets the common choice of means of dispute settlement already made jointly by China and the Philippines, erroneously construes the legal effect of the relevant commitment in the DOC, deliberately circumvents the optional exceptions declaration made by China under Article 298 of UNCLOS, selectively takes relevant islands and reefs out of the macro-geographical framework of Nanhai Zhudao (the South China Sea Islands), subjectively and speculatively interprets and applies UNCLOS, and obviously errs in ascertaining fact and applying the law. The conduct of the Arbitral Tribunal and its awards seriously contravene the general practice of international arbitration, completely deviate from the object and purpose of UNCLOS to promote peaceful settlement of disputes, substantially impair the integrity and authority of UNCLOS, gravely infringe upon China's legitimate rights as a sovereign state and state party to UNCLOS, and are unjust and unlawful.
4. China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards. China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards.
5. The Chinese government reiterates that, regarding territorial issues and maritime delimitation disputes, China does not accept any means of third party dispute settlement or any solution imposed on China. The Chinese government will continue to abide by international law and basic norms governing international relations as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, including the principles of respecting state sovereignty and territorial integrity and peaceful settlement of disputes, and continue to work with states directly concerned to resolve the relevant disputes in the South China Sea through negotiations and consultations on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law, so as to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea."
An arbitration court in The Hague on Tuesday has ruled against China on a maritime dispute between it and the Philippines.
Both countries have been at loggerheads over Beijings claim of sovereignty over the South China Sea. However, regardless of the verdict, China has declared that the verdict would be "nothing but a piece of paper," according to a piece in The Global Times.
Manila took the case to the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2013. China has however, refused to participate in the case and has boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
Beijing does not recognise the arbitration court in spite of the US and Japan claiming that every country should comply with the result. Although the ruling is binding, the tribunal has no powers of enforcement, according to BBC.
China has therefore, declined to conform with the verdict, saying it does not have jurisdiction to decide on the matter.
90 percent of the South China Sea is claimed by Beijing and appears on its maps. China asserts sovereignty over maritime areas that span almost 3.5 m square kilometres but are also claimed by Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Japan, according to The Guardian.
The South China Sea is thought to have significant oil and gas reserves and President Xi Jinping has vowed to resolutely defend Beijings interest.
The Guardian quoted Bonnie Glaser, the director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think-tank in Washington as saying that any ruling that questioned Beijings claim on the South China Sea will only limit the amount of water that the Chinese could have any legal sovereignty claim to.
Despite the result, China has already said that it will not accept, recognise or execute the decision and has boycotted the tribunal, according to BBC.
However, it is also being argued that if China ignores international law, it would risk reputational damage.
It might also escalate the tension between China and Philippines.
Beijing has been trying to gather international support for its stand that the Tribunals ruling should be rejected. According to the Chinese government, 60 countries already support its claims but none has declared their support publicly.
China Central Television has claimed that China has indisputable sovereignty over South China sea islands and the adjacent waters.
The editors note reads as China was the first country to discover, name and exploit the resources of the South China Sea islands. China was also the first country that exercised and has continuously exercised sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the islands.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has reiterated that the arbitration is illegal. Its spokesperson Lu Kang told CCTV, First, the arbitration violates the relevant clauses of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. These complaints do not fall within the jurisdiction of Law of the Sea. Second, the Philippines has already agreed to resolve disputes through bilateral agreements, but has broke its promises. Since the country has broken both laws and promises, more and more countries, including China, believe the arbitration is illegal.
China's ambassador to the United Kingdom Liu Xiaoming told Reuters that the decision has no impact on China, on China's sovereignty over these reefs, over the islands. And it will set a serious, wrong and bad example. We will not fight this case in court, but we will certainly fight for our sovereignty."
Considering that Beijing is vehemently opposed to the Tribunals verdict inspite of pressure from the US, it will stand by its decision to boycott it.
Despite the verdict of the Tribunal, China is likely to continue its activities in the South China Sea.
So is this just a whole lot of noise about nothing? Only time will tell.
AMSTERDAM An arbitration court in The Hague will rule on Tuesday in a dispute about the South China Sea in which the Philippines is challenging China's right to exploit resources across vast swathes of the strategic territory.
China has boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, saying it does not have jurisdiction to decide on the matter.
The ruling stands to further ramp up tensions in the region, where China's increased military assertiveness has spread concern among its smaller neighbours and is a point of confrontation with the United States.
The United States and China regularly conduct military exercises in the area, which is of vital interest to both Beijing and Washington, and have accused each other of provocations as recently as last month.
"Whether there will be an escalation of tensions in the South China Sea depends on if the U.S. incites the Philippines to take aggressive actions or even if the U.S. itself steps forward," the influential state-run Chinese newspaper the Global Times said in an editorial on Friday.
Even if Beijing ignores the decision, it is significant as it will be the first time that a legal challenge has been brought in the dispute, which draws in five countries with overlapping claims to some of the world's most promising oil and gas fields and vital fishing grounds. [here
It reflects the shifting balance of power in the 3.5 million square kilometre sea, where China has been expanding its presence by building artificial islands and dispatching patrol boats that keep Philippine fishing vessels away.
The case, brought by the Philippines in 2013, hinges on the legal status of reefs, rocks and artificial islands in the Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Island Group. [tmsnrt.rs/29r7REl]
For factbox on the South China Sea legal case click
WILL JUDGES "GO BIG"?
Manila's 15-point case critically asks the tribunal to rule on the status of China's so-called 'nine-dash line', a boundary that is the basis for its 69-year-old claim to roughly 85 percent of the South China Sea.
The tribunal will not decide on matters of territorial sovereignty, but will apply the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in determining which countries can claim economic exploitation rights, based on geographic features.
Under the 1982 UNCLOS, islands grant their owners a 12 nautical mile radius of sovereign territorial waters.
Manila argued in closed court hearings that none of the islands, shoals and reefs in the Spratlys are large enough to grant an additional 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for fishing and extracting seabed resources.
Manila also contests China's effective control of the Scarborough Shoal, a scattering of rocks off the coast of the Philippines' Luzon island, seeking a ruling that would show it sits within the Philippines' EEZ.
A decision on the nine-dash-line's legality would signal that the court's judges had "decided to go big", said Julian Ku, law professor at Hofstra University. "If the nine-dash line were declared invalid, then in theory all the other countries would be emboldened."
The court has no power of enforcement, but a victory for the Philippines could spur Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, which also have overlapping claims, to file similar cases.
(Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Beijing and Manuel Mogato in Manila,; Editing by Anthony Deutsch and Gareth Jones)
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The number of illegal migrants entering Europe has fallen since April after the European Union sealed a deal with Turkey to halt flows across the Aegean Sea, the border agency said, and Italy has become the new frontline for refugees, mostly from Libya.
"For the first six months of 2016, there were 360,000 illegal entries in the EU, which is higher than what we saw last year, but the influx has been diminishing since April," Fabrice Leggeri, executive director of Frontex, the agency in charge of protecting the bloc's external borders, told Europe 1 Radio.
Leggeri said Italy had overtaken Greece as the primary point of entry and most migrants were now embarking for Europe in Libya. About 750 were arriving in Italy daily compared with about 50 in Greece. "So the new frontline is Italy," he said.
In all of 2015, Frontex recorded more than 1.5 million irregular border crossings into Europe, mostly to Greece before marching north to Germany and Sweden, fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, North Africa and elsewhere.
A Frontex spokesman said the EU-Turkey deal, under which Turkey agreed to halt illegal migration through its territory in return for financial and political rewards, and the closure of the Greece-Macedonia border earlier this year, were the two main reasons behind the declining figures.
Leggeri was speaking ahead of a news conference on plans for the agency's future later on Tuesday.
A humanitarian group said it had recovered the bodies of four migrants and rescued around 400 survivors on Tuesday from an overcrowded wooden boat in the Mediterranean Sea en route to Italy from Libya. The dead suffocated below deck, the Malta-based Migrant Offshore Aid Station, whose rescue ship carried out the operation, said on Twitter.
The EU is preparing to rename Frontex, based in Warsaw, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, with a two-fold increase in staff and funding worth 322 million euros by 2020.
Border protection would remain a national responsibility and the agency will continue to rely on EU capitals for contributions to a proposed pool of 1,500 border guards ready for quick deployment to any crisis spot.
DUBAI/PARIS Iran said on Tuesday it had reached an agreement with France to take part in a multi-national nuclear fusion project, a year after it struck a deal with six world powers to curb its own atomic programme.
The Fars news agency quoted an Iranian official as saying there was a "general agreement" for Iran to join the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a project to build a prototype fusion reactor in southern France.
The French foreign ministry declined to confirm or deny the report and ITER was not immediately available to comment.
The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Ali Akbar Salehi, visited ITER's headquarters in France this month and discussed the prospect of Iran joining the project which was launched 10 years ago by Europe, the United States, China, India, Japan, Russia and South Korea.
Fars quoted AEOI spokesman Behrouze Kamalvandi as saying: "Iranian officials have reached a general agreement with the French side for joint cooperation on the international nuclear fusion megaproject known as ITER."
The director of the project to produce energy by combining rather than splitting atoms said in May it would be delayed by more than a decade and that costs would rise by another 4 billion euros in addition to the 14 to 15 billion euros previously estimated.
Asked to comment on possible Iranian participation, French foreign ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said: "France supports the full and rigorous implementation of the July 14, 2015 nuclear deal ... This agreement allows the development of nuclear cooperation with Iran."
"Regarding ITER, I revert you to that organisation."
ITER did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.
(Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in Dubai and John Irish in Paris; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
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DUBAI Iran summoned the French ambassador on Tuesday to protest about a meeting held in Paris by Iranians in exile who seek the overthrow of the Islamic Republic.
The rally was held on Saturday by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, the political wing of the Mujahideen-e-Khalq Organisation (MKO), a group that waged armed struggle against the Iranian government after the 1979 revolution and assassinated dozens of its top officials.
The MKO sided with Saddam Hussein during Iraq's war with Iran in the 1980s but fell out of favour with Baghdad after he was toppled by the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
"The gathering held by those whose hands are stained by the blood of the Iranian people ... is unacceptable," Abolghassem Delfi, director of the West Europe department at Iran's Foreign Ministry, was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.
The Paris rally was addressed by Prince Turki al-Faisal, former chief of Saudi Arabia's intelligence services, who openly supported MKO's struggle against the Iranian government.
Shi'ite Muslim power Iran and Saudi Arabia, bastion of Sunni Islam, are longstanding religious and political rivals.
(Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
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Baghdad: Iraqi officials say a car bombing at an outdoor market in a Shiite-dominated northeastern district of Baghdad has killed at least 11 people.
A police officer says an explosives-laden pickup truck exploded on Tuesday morning at a vegetable and fruit market in al-Rashidiya. He says up to 32 people were wounded in the attack and that the explosion also damaged several cars.
A medical official confirmed the casualty figures. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which bore the hallmarks of the Islamic State group. The extremist group was behind two large-scale attacks last week that killed more than 300 people.
Rome: Ten people were killed in a head-on collision between two trains in the southern Italian region of Puglia on Tuesday, firefighters said.
Footage showed emergency services racing to extract people from the wreckage of two smashed carriages thrown across a single track near the town of Andria, near Bari.
The chief of the firefighting service in Bari said 10 people had been killed and dozens injured.
"some of the carriages are utterly crumpled and the rescue services are pulling people out, many are wounded," Riccardo Zingaro, head of traffic police in Andria, told journalists from the scene.
Prime Minister Matteo Renzi interrupted a speech in Milan to say the country would "not stop until we know what happened".
"This is a moment for tears in which we need to work to recover the victims and wounded," he added.
Renzi said he was returning immediately to Rome following the crash.
Investigators said it was possible the collision was caused by human error.
One of the four-carriage trains was supposed to have waited at a station for a green light before heading down the single track between the towns of Corato and Andria.
Milan: Two Italian commuter trains collided head-on Tuesday in the southern region of Puglia, killing at least 20 people and injuring scores more, officials said. At least two passengers were pulled alive from the crumpled wreckage as the rescue operation took place in the scorching heat.
Giuseppe Corrado, vice president of the province of Andria, told Sky TG24 the death toll stood at 20 and that rescue operations were continuing. Another official stressed the final toll would not be known until the wreckage had been pulled apart.
The two trains, each with four cars, collided head-on at midday in an olive grove on flat terrain between the towns of Andria and Corato on a line with just a single track. The accident occurred around 11:30 a.m. some 50 kilometers (30 miles) northeast of the Puglia regional capital, Bari.
"It's a disaster as if an airplane fell," local Mayor Massimo Mazzilli said on his Facebook page, where he posted photos of the crash.
Italian Premier Matteo Renzi pledged a thorough investigation and returned to Rome from Milan to monitor the situation.
Riccardo Zingaro, the chief of the local police in Andria, told Sky it was "a great tragedy." Some rescue workers seemed overwhelmed by the scene and the heat.
A still photo of the crash showed cars crumpled together like an accordion and forced off the tracks at sharp angles. News reports said rescue workers pulled a small child alive from the rubble. Video images showed ambulances responding to the scene with other rescue workers.
"The impact was significant, and we are now verifying the consequences," said Giovanni De Siervo of Italy's civil protection service.
A field hospital was set up in the nearby fields to treat the numerous injured, who were also being transported to hospitals.
"Some of the cars are completely crumpled and the rescuers are extracting people from the metal, many of them injured," Zingaro told ANSA at the scene.
Italy's premier, Renzi, said the train crash "is a moment of tears" and pledged not to stop investigating until a cause was determined.
The trains were operated by a private rail company, Ferrotramviaria, that connects the city of Bari with towns to the north and the airport. Ferrotramviaria's website said its fleet comprises 21 electric trains, most with four cars each. The line serves mostly students and commuters.
In a phone interview with state TV, Ferrotramviaria Director General Massimo Nitti said the dynamics of what went wrong are still to be determined, but it is clear "one of the trains wasn't supposed to be there" at the same time as the other.
Washington: Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Tuesday defended her decision to close the Hillary Clinton email investigation without criminal charges, insisting that she had no reason to reject the unanimous recommendation of FBI investigators.
"The matter was handled like any other matter," Lynch told the House Judiciary Committee.
The panel's chairman, GOP Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, strenuously criticised Lynch over the investigation's outcome, charging that it "does not seem to be a responsible way to uphold your constitutionally sworn oath."
Goodlatte also questioned why Lynch didn't recuse herself after a recent meeting with former President Bill Clinton on her airplane. And he tried to draw her out on whether Clinton lied about her handling of classified email. Goodlatte and other House Republicans on Monday formally asked the Justice Department to investigate whether Clinton lied to Congress.
Lynch refused to be drawn into debating Clinton's conduct or the facts of the case, repeatedly referring Goodlatte to testimony given by FBI Director James Comey last week.
She praised the FBI team that investigated Clinton and recommended against charges. "I accepted that recommendation. I saw no reason not to accept it," Lynch said.
Lynch's testimony Tuesday came amid a roiling national debate over police violence and as House Republicans seek further investigations of Clinton months before the November election.
"This has now become an issue for Congress in that it appears Secretary Clinton testified falsely when appearing under oath before the Select Committee on Benghazi," Goodlatte told Lynch, referring to Clinton's assertions that she did not send emails marked classified at the time from her private server.
"Frankly, the FBI's conclusion leaves many more questions than answers."
Democrats criticized Republicans for their focus on Clinton's emails instead of trying to pass legislation on guns or deal with issues of policing.
"Today apparently Secretary Hillary Clinton's email takes precedence over gun violence and civil rights," said Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, the panel's top Democrat. "If any of my colleagues are not yet convinced it is because they don't want to be convinced."
Lynch touched on law enforcement and policing issues including last week's sniper shooting of five police officers in Dallas by a suspect who said he wanted to kill white officers. That followed police killings of Philando Castile, who was fatally shot near St. Paul, Minnesota, and Alton Sterling, who was shot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
"As we gather here this morning, that sense of safety has been shaken by the series of devastating events that rocked our nation last week," Lynch said in her prepared opening statement.
Lynch, who was sworn in as attorney general on the same day as racially tinged riots occurred in Baltimore, has repeatedly said that one of her top priorities in office is to improve relationships between police and the communities they serve.
The hearing marked Lynch's first appearance before Congress since the Justice Department closed without charges the federal investigation into Clinton's private email server.
The Clinton email investigation was spawned by the House probe into the attacks in Benghazi, Libya of 2012 that killed four Americans while Clinton was serving as secretary of State.
Lynch caused a stir with the meeting with Bill Clinton last month aboard her plane in Phoenix. She has said it was an unscheduled encounter and the two did not discuss the Hillary Clinton email investigation, but Lynch also previously expressed regret and acknowledged the meeting had "cast a shadow" on the public perception of the Justice Department's independence. Lynch then said that she would accept whatever recommendation the FBI and her prosecutors presented on Clinton.
PARIS France's Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday he was determined to take his recently launched political movement to victory in 2017 elections, but stopped just short of announcing he would run for president at a first rally in Paris.
The 38-year-old former investment banker, who launched the En Marche, or Forward, party in April, has kept the country guessing about his political ambitions, refusing to confirm or deny whether he would run for president in next year's election.
The movement he wants to be "neither of the left nor of the right" could shake up the political landscape, with the mainstream centre-right and centre-left parties under pressure from the rise of the far-right National Front.
At the Mutualite conference centre in Paris' Latin Quarter, a venue often used for rallies by the left, the pro-reform minister told more than 3,000 supporters he was ready to take risks in the upcoming political battle, but crucially stopped short of announcing a bid.
"Nothing will stop us," Macron, clad in a blue suit with no tie, said at the end of a more than one-hour-long speech as the crowd went wild, chanting "Macron President!".
"This movement, because it's the movement of hope and our country needs it, we will bring it all the way to 2017 and on to victory," he added, without making clear what he meant.
The rally, where several Socialist grandees such as Lyon Mayor Gerard Collomb and former trade minister Nicole Bricq showed up to support him, was the strongest sign yet Macron could challenge unpopular president Francois Hollande.
After thanking the Socialist leader for "trusting him", Macron went on to criticise those who did not keep their campaign promises and expressed his frustration with the rigidity of the current political system.
It remained to be seen whether Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who when asked about Macron's rally earlier on Tuesday said "it was time that all this stopped", would let the increasingly confident minister keep his job in government.
YELLOW JERSEY
Macron, who came to symbolize President Francois Hollande's 2014 pro-business U-turn, has been hinting at loftier political ambitions for months.
On the sidelines of the Tour de France race, he told the Journal du Dimanche last week: "When you cycle, you must aim for the yellow jersey."
His Paris rally also comes just two days before the annual Bastille day presidential speech, one of Hollande's last chances to shore up his popularity, the lowest of any post-war leader.
Macron's ambivalence has increasingly grated with fellow cabinet ministers and lawmakers in the Socialist majority, with some publicly expressing irritation with him.
Budget Minister Christian Eckert took to Twitter this month to criticise "superman" who by speaking outside his brief acted as if he was the only master of the sprawling Finance Ministry complex by the river Seine.
A leak at the Finance Ministry also caused him embarrassment last month when it revealed the value of the Macron couple's villa in the chic resort of Le Touquet near Calais had made him liable for the country's wealth tax.
But the episode has not dented his popularity. He came top as the politician the French most wanted the Socialist party to pick for presidential candidate, well ahead of Hollande who came 7th, according to an Elabe poll for BFMT TV released on Tuesday.
(Additional reporting by Elizabeth Pineau, Simon Carraud and Ingrid Melander; Editing by Janet Lawrence and James Dalgleish)
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Dadaab: Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai is spending her 19th birthday in Kenya Tuesday visiting the world's largest refugee camp to draw attention to the global refugee crisis, especially as Dadaab camp faces pressure to close after a quarter-century.
Since 2015, Malala has been in contact via Skype with a group of girls in Dadaab refugee camp and is looking forward to meeting them and others, said Taylor Royle, her spokesman.
Kenya's government says Dadaab camp, which hosts more than 300,000 mostly Somali refugees, will be closed in 2017 because it has become a security liability. The camp is in eastern Kenya, near its border with Somalia.
The possibility that the camp will be closed brings yet more uncertainty to the refugees, who face the prospect of returning to a Somalia still plagued with conflict. Kenya insists any returns will be voluntary, even as the international community has urged caution and warned against forceful evictions.
Many of Dadaab's refugees have lived most if not all their lives in the sprawling camp, which has been open for 25 years and is a vast settlement of established homes and newcomers' improvised huts of thorn branches and other materials.
Malala was expected to be asked about the fate of Dadaab during her visit. She won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize after militants shot her in 2012 while she was returning home from school in Pakistan, where she was an outspoken advocate for girls' education in a highly conservative culture. She now lives in Britain with her family.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has said repatriations from Dadaab will be done in a humane way.
The Kenyan government claims that attacks on Kenya by the Somali extremist group al-Shabab were planned and facilitated in Dadaab camp. Al-Shabab has carried out numerous attacks in Kenya that have killed scores since 2011, when Kenya deployed troops to Somalia against the militants. The Kenyan troops are now part of an African Union peacekeeping force there.
Al-Shabab, which is linked to Al-Qaeda, has vowed to continue attacking Kenya.
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Washington: President Barack Obama embarked on a sombre visit to Dallas on Tuesday, to memorialise five white police officers murdered by a black gunman and try to unify a country divided by race and politics.
Accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama, the president left Washington with the depressingly familiar task of ministering to a country stunned by gun violence.
Obama spent much of Monday preparing his address to an interfaith memorial service, which will also be attended by his predecessor, Republican former president George W Bush.
His address is a monumental test of leadership as tenure in the White House comes to an end.
Eight years ago, Obama's rhetorical prowess made him America's first black president and raised hopes that the country could overcome deeply entrenched societal divides.
Today, Obama insists those divisions are not as great as shootings, social networks or the media would have you believe.
"I firmly believe that America is not as divided as some have suggested," Obama said on a European trip cut short because of the Dallas shooting.
This is not, he argued, the dark days of the 1960s, when American cities burned and assassins' bullets killed President John F Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.
"The president recognises that it's not just people in Dallas who are grieving it's people all across the country who are concerned about the violence that so many Americans have witnessed in the last week or so," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday. "The president is hoping to offer some measure of comfort tomorrow."
The challenge for Obama is not to be seen as offering a professorial answer through yet another intricately crafted speech to people's visceral concerns.
From Charleston to Orlando to Dallas, the past year has seen a torrent of slaughter motivated by hate. The massacres have brought a measure of common revulsion, but not a common purpose.
Republicans in Congress steadfastly oppose even piecemeal gun controls.
Each week seemingly brings new shaky footage of a police officer shooting dead a black American -- images that quickly go viral and revive tough questions about race and policing.
America, black and blue
Last week, the fatal police shootings of two black men, Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota, prompted nationwide anger, with thousands of protesters taking to the streets from coast to coast.
They also seemingly triggered the deadly rampage in Dallas by black Afghanistan war veteran Micah Johnson, as a protest against police brutality was wrapping up.
Johnson, 25, used a high-powered rifle to kill five police officers and wound nine others in a sniper attack late Thursday. Two civilians were also hurt.
He told negotiators before he was killed that he wanted to murder white cops in revenge for the black deaths.
Obama has struggled most to tether the twin specters of race and guns that have been raised by the Dallas shooting.
"There is no contradiction between us supporting law enforcement... and also saying that there are problems across our criminal justice system, there are biases some conscious and unconscious that have to be rooted out," Obama said.
"So when people say 'black lives matter,' that doesn't mean blue lives don't matter; it just means all lives matter."
In Dallas, a black trauma surgeon Brian Williams, who treated several police officers, gave poignant voice to the fissures that have shaken the country.
He spoke of buying ice cream for a cops so that his young daughter could see him interacting normally with the police -- and not grow up with the same fears he has.
Addressing police, he said: "I support you, I will defend you and I will care for you. That doesn't mean that I do not fear you."
Houston: Over 1,000 people gathered to attend a candlelight vigil in honour of the victims of last week's sniper attack in which five police officers were killed at a protest decrying police shootings of African Americans. Portraits of the five slain officers were propped up in front of the speaker's platform surrounded by flowers.
Five police officers were shot dead and seven others injured in a "ambush style firing" by snipers in Dallas during a late night demonstration protesting the fatal police shootings on Friday, making it one of the deadliest days for police in US law enforcement history.
The shooting began near one of the busiest parts of the city's downtown, filled with hotels and restaurants. The four police officers who were killed were identified as Patricio Zamarripa, Brent Thompson, Michael Krol, Lorne Ahrens and Michael Smith.
Dallas Police Association president Ron Pinkston read out each name and asked officers to serve in the memory of the fallen heroes. Dallas Area Rapid Transit chief JD Spiller said if someone thought last week's violence would tear apart the city, "they were wrong," adding that the state of Texas must lead on race relations in America.
Five officers were selected to speak on behalf of the victims. Dallas police officer Josh Rodriguez, Zamarripa's partner, said it was important people know those taken were more than officers. He also thanked Dallas Fire-Rescue for their sacrifice. "We will miss you but we will never forget you," he said.
"Thank you Michael Krol for being a great friend," said senior officer Jaime Castro, struggling to find words to describe Ahrens, who he called a hero. "Lorne, I know you're up there listening, brother. I want you to know that I was outside the window when you took your final breath," he said. "You weren't alone, I had your back as you had ours,"
Senior officer Marcella St John, Smith's longtime partner, said they will continue to protect and serve the city Smith loved so much. "We are sad, we are overwhelmed, we are in disbelief and yes, we are angry," said St John. "But we do have choices. We can choose to let the anger fester inside of us, dragging us down to a better place. Or we can direct it toward good and fostering an environment of hope," she said.
Islamabad: Posters begging Pakistan's powerful army chief to launch a coup appeared in major cities including the capital Islamabad overnight, raising eyebrows in a country that has been ruled by the military for more than half its history.
The posters, which also appeared in Lahore, Karachi and the garrison city of Rawalpindi as well as several army-run cantonment areas, were placed there by "Move on Pakistan", a largely-unknown political party founded in 2013.
"Talk of leaving has become old, for God's sake come now," scream the posters, referring to General Raheel Sharif's decision to step down at the end of his tenure this year.
They feature a large photograph of the mustachioed general.
"Dictatorship is much better than this corrupt government," Ali Hashmi, chief organiser behind Move on Pakistan, told AFP Tuesday.
"The way General Raheel Sharif has dealt with terrorism and corruption, there is no guarantee that the next man would be as effective as him," he said.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is said to be preparing to name a successor to the wildly popular general, who is no relation and whose three-year tenure expires in November.
Widely credited with Pakistan's improved security situation, he is the frequent subject of hashtags such as #ThankYouRaheelSharif and #PakLovesGenRaheel.
The prime minister and his government, in contrast, have been plagued by accusations of corruption and inefficiency.
But, despite his popularity, the army chief's announcement in January that he would step down at the end of his tenure won him praise for respecting democratic institutions - unlike three of his predecessors.
There was no immediate reaction to the posters from the military or the federal government.
Political analyst Hasan Askari said he did not foresee any threat to the current political system in Pakistan. "There cannot be an organised movement unless there is a popular sentiment present," he said, dismissing the posters.
Hashmi said that authorities in Islamabad and Punjab province, the prime minister's power base, had removed the posters -- but that they continue to attract attention in other provinces.
Military dictatorships have ruled Pakistan for more than half its 69-year history, and the armed forces are widely seen as controlling defence and foreign policy.
Whoever takes over Raheel Sharif's role will face an array of daunting challenges, including keeping homegrown militants in check, vexed relations with India and the role Pakistan wants to play in promoting peace in Afghanistan.
Longueval: One hundred years after they fought together in World War I, white and black soldiers are finally being honoured equally at South Africa's memorial on the former battlefields in northern France.
South African President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday inaugurated a new memorial wall at the site of the Battle of Delville Wood where some 3,000 citizens fell in July 1916.
"We are here to honour in particular black people who fell in this war, who were not accorded the respect and recognition they deserved, and which is equal to that of their white compatriots," Zuma said at the commemoration ceremony.
When World War I broke out, South Africa was still a British colony and the segregationist policy of apartheid had not yet been set in law.
However, black South Africans faced strict movement and residential restrictions under white minority rule and were treated as lesser citizens.
The South African Native Labour Contingent (SANLC) was formed to provide workers for Allied forces who were struggling with a labour shortage on the Western Front.
However white authorities did not want black South Africans to have equal footing with Europeans and set strict conditions for the formation of the force, such as them not being allowed to bear arms and that they must live like prisoners in guarded compounds.
Scared that race relations would be undermined at home, the South African government ordered that "all familiarity between Europeans and Natives" should be prevented.
Zuma said the black South Africans were not allowed to bear arms as "the ruling white elite feared that training blacks in the handling of fire arms would empower them to, in future, use such military expertise to fight white supremacy."
However as the war intensified, regulations were relaxed and members of the SANLC were transferred to the trenches.
In northern France, a mixed force of 3,153 South Africans was ordered to hold Delville Wood "at all costs". They succeeded, but after six days of fighting only 142 soldiers were alive.
Up until 2014 when the remains of black soldier Private Myengwa Beleza were transferred to Delville Wood two decades after the end of apartheid black South Africans were buried elsewhere in France.
Pretoria has since constructed a memorial wall engraved with the names of all who fell in the battle one of the bloodiest ever fought.
The wall features the 14,000 names of all South Africans who fought in World War I and II, regardless of race.
"The transformation of the Delville Wood Memorial will therefore represent a powerful message of reconciliation and provide some redress that will further consolidate the diversity of our South African nation," said Zuma.
Revolt, rage and despair - there's nothing 22-year-old slam poet Caylah doesn't speak about. Whether it's the government, globalisation or domestic violence - this slam poet does not mince her words. This Malagasy slam poet recently created an internet sensation with a protest song called "Madagascar" but alongside performing she is also using the power of words to help others - especially young women - in a country where one in three are mothers by the time they are eighteen.
Caylah's first music video is a protest song which amongst other topics criticises the Madagascan government.
But Caylah isn't just about performing. Once a week she visits an organisation to speak with young mothers , encouraging them to use slam poetry to express themselves with abandon.
Washington: The United States put itself on a collision course with great power rival China on Tuesday, describing a ruling against Beijing's South China Sea claims as "final and legally binding."
Washington had carefully avoided taking a stance on the suit lodged by the Philippines against China's maritime territorial claims, but when judgment came down, it urged both sides to abide by the result.
"The United States expresses its hope and expectation that both parties will comply with their obligations," State Department spokesman John Kirby said. Beijing has already rejected the ruling out of hand.
Earlier, a UN-backed tribunal in The Hague the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that China has no historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the so-called "nine-dash-line".
The United States has no claims of its own within this three-million-square-kilometer (1.2-million-square-mile) patch of sea, but has asserted the right of all shipping to pass through areas it regards as international waters.
And Washington is an ally of the Southeast Asian countries which do dispute China's claim, including the Philippines, which lodged the international suit.
"The decision today by the tribunal in the Philippines-China arbitration is an important contribution to the shared goal of a peaceful resolution to disputes in the South China Sea," Kirby said.
US officials are "studying the decision and have no comment on the merits of the case," he added, but nevertheless asserted the right of the tribunal to make its ruling and said it should be respected.
"The United States strongly supports the rule of law. We support efforts to resolve territorial and maritime disputes in the South China Sea peacefully, including through arbitration," he said.
"As provided in the Convention, the tribunal's decision is final and legally binding on both China and the Philippines," he added, urging all claimants "to avoid provocative statements or actions."
But Beijing had already reacted furiously, saying it "neither accepts nor recognizes" the ruling.
Beijing: Hours ahead of the international tribunal's verdict on the Philippines' petition challenging China's claims in the disputed South China Sea, Beijing on Tuesday said it will not recognise the decision nor will it receive copies of the judgement.
"It is true that we do not recognise and accept the so called arbitration. We will have no legal connection with the arbitral tribunal and we will not accept whatever materials it provides," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told media here as the five-member tribunal appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration is set to deliver its judgment on Tuesday.
He was responding to a question on whether China will receive the judgement copies which the tribunal said will be provided to the concerned parties early before releasing it to the media.
China has boycotted the tribunal ever since Philippines filed the petition in The Hague international court.
China claims almost all of the resource-rich South China Sea but its claim is firmly contested by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan which have overlapping claims over the area
MediaConcepts, experienced provider of integrated digital solutions for the hospitality industry, today announced the successful launch of a new online booking website for Restel (https://booking.restel.fi).
Optimised for all devices, the responsive site uses MediaConcepts' Jasmine Booking and integrates with Restel's property management system (PMS). This allows users to search for rates and availability in real-time, and sends bookings directly to Restel's PMS. In addition, the site offers a quick (but optional) online profile creation process which gives users access to their current and previous bookings, and makes it even faster for them to make future bookings.
Visitors to Restel's new booking website can expect a fast loading, intuitive interface; clear imagery and descriptions; flexible search options with calendar views; simple steps to make single and multiple room bookings; a recommendation engine that offers room upgrade and add-on purchase options; an integrated payment gateway; currency conversion; pre-arrival online check-in and more.
Restel's new booking website also allows its corporate clients and travel partners to access and book negotiated rates. A customised portal will give Restel's corporate clients a secure area to manage their travellers' profiles, bookings (individual and event/group), as well as access reports on travel patterns.
"Our goal is to give our guests the best possible booking experience on our own website," said Anni Kallioniemi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations & CCO of Restel. "Taking our guests' booking behaviour, as well as global best practices into consideration, we worked with MediaConcepts to develop something we believe has achieved that. Even then, we already have plans to allow guests to further customise their stay when they book directly with us. MediaConcepts' expertise in this area has been really valuable and we look forward to our continual partnership."
"The challenge for most hotels is getting guests to book directly. Competitive pricing aside, your booking experience can make a big difference in whether they stay on your site or go elsewhere," said John Bowen, Founder and CEO of MediaConcepts. "We are honoured and excited to be working with Restel in their journey to create that perfect booking experience for their guests."
The fully customised solution was designed and developed to not only improve the direct booking experience for Restel's guests, but to also help increase Restel's online revenue without any transaction or commission fees.
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About MediaConcepts
MediaConcepts is an innovative provider of integrated digital solutions that help global hospitality organisations elevate their guest experience and optimise revenue. By combining years of industry knowledge, user experience expertise, technological know-how, and a robust suite of web-based applications, MediaConcepts enables its clients to create emotional connections that drive engagement, booking conversion and loyalty.
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Hospitality groups with properties around the world, as well as independent hotels have trusted MediaConcepts' expertise and solutions since its inception in 2002.
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About Restel
Restel Oy is Finland's leading company in the hotel and restaurant sector. Restel operates almost 50 hotels and approximately 240 restaurants. The company employs more than 5,000 hotel and restaurant professionals throughout Finland. Revenue in 2015 was 386.2 million. Restel's hotels include the domestic Cumulus and Rantasipi chains and Hotel Seurahuone Helsinki as well as the international Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn chains and Hotel Indigo Helsinki - Boulevard. Restel's restaurant selection includes BURGER KING, OLearys, Rax Buffet, HelmiSimpukka, Grillsson, Huviretki, Martina, Wanha Mestari and Hemingway's restaurants and Tapahtumaravintolat.
For more information, visit www.restel.fi
Contact Information
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E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: +65 6224 3994
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+65 6224 3994
In a landmark ruling, the U.N. arbitration court is dismissing China's territorial claims in the South China Sea, saying it has "no historic title" to the vast maritime region.
Tuesday's ruling by the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration answers a complaint brought by the Philippines in 2013 that accused Beijing of violating the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) with its aggressive actions on the Scarborough Shoal, a reef located about 225 kilometers off the Philippine coast.
Chinese President Xi Jinping rejected the ruling and said "China's territorial sovereignty and maritime interests in the South China Sea" will not be affected. China's foreign ministry said on its website, "The award is null and void and has no binding force."
The court said Beijing's claim of virtual sovereignty over nearly all the South China Sea under a so-called "nine-dash line" runs contrary to UNCLOS, which sets a country's maritime boundaries 22 kilometers from its coast, and control over economic activities up to 370 kilometers from its coast. The court ruled China had violated Manila's sovereign rights by interfering with Philippine fishing and oil exploration activities in the area.
In Manila, Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay called the ruling "a milestone decision" in a press conference moments after the announcement. Yasay said the ruling makes "an important contribution" to resolving the ongoing maritime disputes, and urged all parties "to exercise restraint and sobriety." New Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has called for bilateral negotiations to resolve the controversy.
U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby called the ruling "an important contribution to the shared goal of a peaceful resolution to disputes in the South China Sea."
China had boycotted the proceedings at the court, saying the body has no jurisdiction over the dispute, and insists it will not accept, recognize or implement any ruling on the South China Sea, despite being a signatory to UNCLOS along with the Philippines. In a statement issued just hours before The Hague panel announced its decision, a spokesman for China's foreign ministry said it would not accept "any so-called material" from the court.
Analysts said the court ruling is a significant decision in favor of the Philippines.
Ernest Bower with the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies said, "China now faces reality that if it continues to assert, through actions and words" its claims in the region, "it is breaking the law."
Amarjit Singh, a senior consultant at the British think tank IHS, said the ruling "undermines China's claims in the South China Sea and potentially limits China's negotiating stance" with other countries that have also asserted claims there, including, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.
Chinese dissatisfaction
State media Xinhua and online netizens expressed strong dissatisfaction the ruling. A Weibo user said in his posting that We should unite behind the countrys claim and make no concessions on the South China Sea dispute even if we have to go to war, while another user said China should show no fear for any future economic sanction shall China decide not to comply with the order.
In its harsh-worded editorial, Xinhua even lambasted the international arbitration court to be the source of chaos.
Meanwhile, the ruling is coming in the midst of the two-day EU-China bilateral talks, which began in Beijing on Tuesday. The EU advised China to stick to rules and abide by the ruling. German think tank, Mecator, said the EU would never grant China's request for a Market Economy Status if Beijing defies the court decision.
An estimated $5 trillion in global trade passes each year through the South China Sea, which is home to rich fishing grounds and a potentially vast wealth of oil, gas and other natural resources.
About 100 demonstrators marched outside the Chinese consulate in Manila, calling on Beijing to relinquish the Scarborough Shoal, shouting "Chexit Now" - a play on the term coined for Britain's controversial push to leave the European Union.
WATCH: Protest in Manila against China
China has launched a massive land seizure and rebuilding effort throughout the South China Sea in recent years, transforming numerous reefs into artificial islands that can support military installations, all the while ignoring competing claims over the region by Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan, as well as the Philippines.
The Hague court also ruled Tuesday that none of the Spratly Islands granted China an exclusive economic zone, and that its construction activities on Mischief Reef caused "irreparable harm" to the reef's ecosystem.
Enforcement of ruling
Despite Tuesday's ruling, the United Nations has no mechanism to enforce the decision, either through military action or economic sanctions. But it could prompt China's other Asia-Pacific rivals to also file suit, putting increased diplomatic pressure on Beijing to reduce its presence in the South China Sea.
The United States has also challenged Beijing's increasing aggressiveness in the region, holding a number of naval exercises and deploying warships near the rebuilt reefs to assert the international freedom of navigation rules.
WATCH: South China Sea Dispute - What You Need To Know
What's behind the dispute?
China claims nearly the entire 3.5 million square-kilometer South China Sea, based on its so-called "nine-dashed line," which it says is based on ancient maps. China's claims overlap with not only the Philippines, but also Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan. Some of the disputes stretch back decades or even centuries. But tensions have worsened in recent years, as Beijing has moved to assert its control over the territory.
Who brought the case against China?
The Philippines filed the case against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague in January 2013. Manila argues Beijing's territorial claims and recent aggressive activities in the South China Sea violate the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), an international treaty both nations have ratified.
How has China responded?
China refuses to participate in the tribunal, arguing it has no obligation to do so under UNCLOS. Beijing has also repeatedly insisted it will not recognize what it predicts will be a biased ruling. In the meantime, China has continued to build artificial islands and military outposts in the contested waters, in an attempt to create "facts on the ground."
What exactly did the court consider?
The Philippines brought a total of 15 complaints against China. The most significant is complaint number two, which claims China's "nine-dash line" is contrary to UNCLOS. So far, the court has not determined it has jurisdiction to rule on that complaint.
Instead, the tribunal announced late last year it would tackle seven other critical issues. These included complaints challenging specific Chinese activities around particular locations. It is also expected to officially categorize various land features as either rocks, islands, or low tide elevations - labels that would affect the rights of whoever owns the territory.
Malian soldiers opened fire Tuesday on anti-government demonstrators in Gao, killing three and wounding at least 31, two doctors at a hospital that received the bodies told Reuters.
The protesters were angry about the introduction of a new interim authority set to take charge of the region Friday, which they said would give power to armed groups and would not benefit local people.
The Malian government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A year ago, the government signed a peace deal with Tuareg-led rebels aimed at ending a long conflict that has destabilized the desert country and made it a base for violent jihad. There are signs the pact is unraveling.
The government and the rebel alliance the Coordination of Azawad Movements accuse each other of stalling on implementation, and the rebels complain that the U.N.-backed deal falls short of their demands.
Thousands of protesters gathered in the streets of Gao, marching to the central police station and surrounding it Tuesday. Many young people had knives, a Reuters witness said.
Protesters set fire to tires, filling the air with acrid smoke, and pelted the police with stones. Security forces attempted to disperse the crowd with tear gas, and then the military opened fire.
"Look, I was shot in my arm and foot," said a man running away from the crowd, nursing bleeding wounds.
Shooting had stopped and much of the crowd had been dispersed by late morning local time, but a heavy military presence continued to patrol the streets.
The U.N. Security Council decided last week to add 2,500 peacekeepers to the mission in Mali in order to "move to a more proactive and robust posture" in the fight against militancy, the resolution said.
French forces intervened in 2013 to drive back Islamist fighters who had hijacked the Tuareg uprising to seize Mali's desert north in 2012. The militants have since reorganized and launched a wave of attacks.
U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch says the Department of Justice is committed to building united communities in the wake of a series of police-related shootings and the killing of five police officers.
"As we grapple with the aftermath of these events, the Department of Justice will continue to do everything in our power to build bonds of trust and cooperation between law enforcement and the communities we serve," Lynch said Tuesday during testimony before the House Judiciary Committee.
"That work has never been more difficult or more important."
Lynch said the DOJ will continue to offer state and local law enforcement agencies funding for body-worn cameras as well as provide de-escalation training and education in implicit bias.
Lynch's testimony on Capitol HIll followed last week's sniper shooting of five police officers in Dallas, Texas and the police killings of Philando Castile, near St. Paul, Minnesota, and Alton Sterling, who was shot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
A second business matching session was held yesterday at the Ballroom of Wynn Macau. The 2016 Second Quarter Wynn Local SME Procurement Partnership Program Business Matching Session in Facilities Category attracted nearly 90 local merchants to attend the event.
The company presented an overview of its basic operations, as well as procurement procedures and requirements, to the attending SMEs. The company also met with local companies in a follow-up discussion. Three city banks Bank of China Macau Branch, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Macau, and Banco Nacional Ultramarino also attended the meeting in order to provide local SMEs with any needed business information.
A further highlight of the day was the Procurement Platform Mobile App Design Competition award presentation ceremony. The competition was co-hosted by Wynn Macau and by the Macao Chamber of Commerce (MCC). The panel was composed of representatives of the aforementioned organizations, as well as of representatives from other governmental departments and associations.
According to Wynn Macau, the mobile app will enable local SMEs to access opportunities presented by larger corporations, and to foster the growth of the local technology industry. Wynn informed that the platform will be open to the public, free of charge, in a collaborative effort to promote mutually beneficial development.
Currently, the gaming operator plans to provide a total of 36 categories of procurement items, and expects to organize quarterly business matching sessions. According to Wynn Macau, the development of local enterprises is crucial in promoting the diversification of Macaus economy.
Chui Yuk Lum Antonio, vice-president of the board of directors of MCC, informed that the participants of the program praised the offer of these opportunities made by large companies to SMEs. The SMEs have confidence and hopes in the large gaming companies, said Chui. In addition, Chui also applauded the local government for its hard work in helping small companies to grow. The government hopes large companies can help small companies to develop themselves, he noted, adding that through the program, SMEs can improve the quality of their products in order to meet the requirements of large companies.
Yesterdays business matching session was supported by several governmental departments, including the Secretariat for Economy and Finance, and the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute.
Wynn Macau issued a press release noting that this years opening of the Wynn Palace, in the Cotai area, will bring more business opportunities to local enterprises, thus further developing the local supply chain. Staff reporter
AirAsia has sought to be listed on Hong Kongs stock exchange market, following a move towards establishing a joint venture in China to help create traffic from rapidly growing secondary and tertiary cities.
The expansion comes in light of China heading to overtake the Western aircraft market despite the recent slackening growth of its economy, said sources to Reuters on the eve of Britains Farnborough Airshow.
The Malaysian low-cost airline, which already has an hub in Macau (linking the MSAR with several Southeast Asian cities), is currently searching for extra aircraft to meet the strong demand in North Asia and other regions, aiming to collaborate with the backing of a Chinese state-owned enterprise.
AirAsias co-founder and chief executive Tony Fernandes said the demand from Chinese travelers has recovered, following an almost six-fold surge in its quarterly revenue in May for the budget-carrier.
Fernandes now plans to use AirAsias short-haul and long-
haul flights to connect passengers from North Asia to Southeast Asia and Australia.
Meanwhile sources said a Hong Kong listing could help raise the airlines profile and will allow for the raising new capital, also revealing that the companys long term aim is to have a joint venture in either Hong Kong or China.
A Twitter post by Fernandes hinted at the potential dual listing without revealing the location, also implying the possibility of new aircraft.
Looking at more ancillary [revenues], more capacity and dual listing, he wrote in his post.
China contributes nearly 40 percent of the groups revenues. However, Fernandes believes that there is still a lot to do in North Asia as it is a significant long-haul market.
The airlines expansion also contributes to its recovery from the recent turbulence due to low oil prices, and a sharp drop in share price experienced in 2015.
The airline is preparing strategies to meet market demands in Korea and Japan, adding that they are also optimistic about India, as the country has recently eased restrictions on foreign direct investment. LV
A resounding election victory for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes ruling bloc has opened the door a crack for his long-cherished ambition to revise the constitution for the first time since it was enacted in 1947 a behind-the-scenes agenda that could over time change Japans future.
Gains in parliamentary elections Sunday mean that Abes ruling Liberal Democratic Party, with the help of coalition partner Komeito and fringe groups supporting constitutional change, now can cobble together the crucial two-thirds majority in the 242-member upper house needed to propose revision and put it to a referendum.
The LDP and Komeito already have a two-thirds majority in the lower house. Holding a so-called supermajority in both houses is rare, and the LDPs long-term goal of constitutional revision has never seemed so realistic.
Once the excitement subsides, however, the road to constitutional revision remains long and difficult. Fundamental change is unlikely in the remaining two years in Abes premiership, though he may angle for another three-year term. But if Abe sets his sights low, he may be able to win approval for a modest revision that could lay the groundwork for deeper change later.
Abe told a parliamentary session in March that he was hoping to achieve a revision during his term, which expires in September 2018, but he hasnt said specifically what change he would seek. After the election victory, he seems game to test the waters.
We will move on to a next stage and start discussing which articles should be revised and in what way, Abe said late Sunday, saying he would launch a parliamentary research committee.
As a grandson and admirer of Nobusuke Kishi, a former prime minister who despised the U.S.-drafted constitution, rewriting the charter is an important goal for Abe. For Abes Liberal Democratic Party, the 1947 charter is the legacy of Japans war defeat and an imposition of the victors world order and Western values.
Japans postwar constitution renounces the use of force in international conflicts, and limits its military to self-defense only, although Japan has a well-
equipped modern army, navy and air force that work closely with the U.S., Japans top ally.
Abes government adopted a new interpretation of the war-
renouncing Article 9 in 2014 so Japan can take on a bigger military role internationally, and parliament enacted a set of security laws last year to allow Japan to defend also the U.S. and other allies in certain circumstances.
Some Japanese agree with Abes views on security because of growing fears about terrorism, North Koreas missile and nuclear weapons ambitions and Chinas military assertiveness, while others appreciate the charter as a symbol of postwar democracy and take pride in the war-renouncing pledge.
Besides Article 9, the ruling party proposed changes in a 2012 draft revision that would restore pre-war traditions and family values centered on the emperor, and to balance the national interest with the constitutions basic human rights.
That kind of fundamental revision would be difficult to get through parliament, not to mention win approval in a referendum. The LDP would have to win over Komeito, a Buddhist-backed party not keen on that kind of change, or it would have to find other supporters in parliament.
Stephen Nagy, a professor of international politics at International Christian University in Tokyo, writes that despite a two-thirds majority in the upper house, constitutional revision is unlikely, citing public support for the pacifist constitution and divided views on both revision and legislative priorities within the ruling party.
Lawmakers are interested in prioritizing economic growth and a bolder commitment to structural reform instead of wasting valuable political capital on changing Article 9 of the Constitution, Nagy said in an online article for the Asia and Pacific Policy Society.
The LDPs election success largely reflects the choice of Japanese voters for stability and a lack of opposition alternatives, rather than an endorsement of constitutional change.
Many voters said in exit polls they were unaware of the significance of a two-thirds majority, suggesting their disinterest in the revision issue.
Abe could decide to pursue a less controversial change. Komeito, for example, prefers the addition of privacy and other rights to adapt the charter to societal changes since 1947, rather than revisions to the existing language.
There is also growing speculation that Abe may seek an extension as party leader, though LDP leaders generally step down after two terms to give a chance to others.
If he can continue another three years, which is until September 2021, then he might be able to accomplish the amendment. On top of that he can welcome the Olympic Games in 2020 as prime minister, said freelance political analyst Takao Toshikawa. Perhaps thats his ambition, even though he doesnt openly talk about it.
Asked about the possibility at a post-election news conference yesterday, Abe didnt comment one way or the other. Ultimately, it would depend on whether he can cement his grip on power within the party, and persuade his colleagues to grant him an unusual third term. Mari Yamaguchi, Tokyo, AP
China has intensified the drumbeat of its opposition to an international tribunals ruling expected today that could threaten its expansive claims in the South China Sea.
How Beijing responds to the ruling in the case filed by U.S. ally the Philippines could chart the course of global power relations in an increasingly dangerous hotspot. It comes as the U.S. has ramped up its military presence in the region and could seek to marshal world opinion to pressure Beijing into complying with the verdict. A new Philippine leader who appears friendlier to Beijing could also influence the aftermath of the ruling.
The Hague-based tribunal will decide on the 2013 case that challenges the so-called nine-dash line that China uses to claim virtually the entire South China Sea and which Manila opposes because it infringes upon its own 200-mile exclusive economic zone. The dispute centers on waters through which an estimated USD5 trillion in global trade passes through each year and are home to rich fishing stocks and a potential wealth of oil, gas and other resources.
The Philippines has also asked the tribunal to rule on whether several disputed areas are outcrops, reefs or islands, a move aimed at clarifying the extent of territorial waters they are entitled to or if they can project exclusive economic zones.
More than merely about the sovereignty over the rocks and reefs or the actual waters, the South China Sea dispute has become a testing ground for a rising China to challenge the U.S.s leadership in the Asian strategic order, analysts say.
Beijing wants to use this dispute to show how Chinas own growing maritime power and its economic significance to the United States and the global economy have reached the point where the United States can no longer afford to stand up to China, said Hugh White, professor of strategic studies at The Australian National University. That calculation might prove to be wrong.
China has boycotted the case, arguing that the tribunal has no jurisdiction and saying it wont accept the ruling. It has insisted that bilateral talks between Beijing and other claimants is the only way to address the dispute.
Some experts have speculated that China could respond to an unfavorable ruling by establishing an air defense identification zone over all or part of the South China Sea. There is similar speculation that China might militarize a reef off the Philippine coast, the Scarborough Shoal, where a standoff with China prompted the Philippines to initiate the tribunal case in 2013. Beijing has given no direct indication of a tougher response, saying it remains committed to bilateral negotiations with Manila.
Todays ruling might further pressure China to clarify what exactly it is claiming with its nine-dash line boundary.
Findings of the tribunal are binding on the parties, including China. But the court without police or military forces or a system of sanctions at its disposal cant enforce its ruling, so its potential impact remains unclear.
Still, in recent weeks, China has spared no effort to denounce the proceedings as unlawful, publishing state media commentaries and deploying senior military officers, current and former top officials and academics to relentlessly convey Beijings opposition. Yesterday, the day before the verdict, the overseas edition of the ruling Communist Partys mouthpiece, the Peoples Daily, urged the Philippines to return to talks with China and the U.S. to stay out of the dispute.
The arbitration outcome, known as an award, was dismissed by former Chinese state councilor Dai Bingguo, in a conference in Washington, D.C., last week, as nothing more than a piece of paper.
Beijing has faced mounting calls to observe international law. At a U.S. congressional hearing last week, Abraham Denmark, deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia, urged both parties to comply with the ruling. Denmark said it was a chance to determine whether the regions future will be defined by adherence to international laws or by raw calculations of power.
China might use strong rhetoric but not take aggressive action to avoid having the topic dominate the agenda at upcoming multilateral forums, said Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.
Glaser said Chinese officials shes spoken to say privately they hope the case would not rule entirely in the Philippines favor so that Beijing can say in internal discussions that Chinese interests have not been irreparably harmed.
A key factor that could change the equation of the consequences of this ruling is how the Philippines new President Rodrigo Duterte decides to respond. His predecessor Benigno Aquino IIIs government filed the case, straining Manilas relations with Beijing, but Duterte has shown readiness to mend frosty ties with China.
While Duterte has made critical remarks against the U.S., he has pointed out the benefits of nurturing friendly relations with Beijing, including a Chinese offer of financing railway projects in the Philippines. Dutertes rise has given China an opening to make inroads in one of Americas closest security allies.
Last week, Duterte said his government stood ready to talk to China if it gets a favorable ruling. When its favorable to us, lets talk, he said. We are not prepared to go to war, war is a dirty word.
It remains to be seen, however, how far Duterte can stray from Manilas critical stance on Chinas territorial assertiveness, given his countrys close ties with the U.S. and growing nationalist sentiment against Chinas actions.
Jay Batongbacal, an expert on South China Sea issues at the state-run University of the Philippines, said the government should avoid revealing its cards ahead of potential negotiations with Beijing, otherwise you lose the leverage that you have.
Left-wing activists protested at the Chinese consulate in metropolitan Manila yesterday, urging China to leave what they said were other countries territories.
Were calling on our brothers in Southeast Asia that this call for a Chexit, or China exit, now is not only for Filipinos but for all to call on China to respect our territorial integrity, said protest leader Mong Palatino.
Experts say the outcome of the dispute could provide ammunition for other countries involved in disputes with China. Six governments have overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei. In addition, Chinas nine-dash line overlaps waters that are part of Indonesias internationally recognized exclusive economic zone.
This is a time for China not to keep pushing forward too aggressively because they could embolden Vietnam and Indonesia to file a case as well, Glaser said.
Regardless, the ruling is unlikely to stop China from continuing to pursue more effective control over the sea space and airspace of the South China Sea, Glaser said.
Over the last few months, the U.S. has held combined exercises by two Navy aircraft carrier strike groups off the coast of the Philippines and freedom of navigation cruises near Chinas man-made islands to assert its presence in the Western Pacific. Chinese state media have accused Washington of trying to turn the South China Sea into a powder keg and warned it not to underestimate Chinas determination to defend its territorial claims.
Chinese warships, fighter jets and submarines have held live-fire war games as part of what the Peoples Liberation Army Navy called routine exercises in the week running up to the tribunals ruling, drills that were seen at least in part responding to the U.S. presence.
Theres a real game of nerves going on here with China perhaps assuming that the U.S. is bluffing and the U.S. hoping that China will actually not test American resolve, Australian National Universitys White said. Gillian Wong, Jim Gomez, AP
A Tajik and a Yemeni national each held for roughly 14 years at Guantanamo Bay have been freed and sent to the Balkan nation of Serbia, the U.S. Department of Defense announced yesterday.
The Pentagon said the two men were released from the U.S. base in Cuba after comprehensive security reviews. It identified the Yemeni as Mansur Ahmad Saad al-Dayfi and the Tajik as Muhammadi Davlatov. The latest detainee releases come amid a renewed push by the Obama administration to whittle down the number of men held at the U.S. base in Cuba. On Sunday, another Yemeni prisoner was released and sent to Italy after more than 14 years in custody.
Yesterdays transfers leave 76 prisoners at Guantanamos detention center, which was opened in January 2002 to hold foreign fighters suspected of links to the Taliban or the al-Qaida terrorist organization.
A dispute over the refusal of a taxi driver to accept the custom of a passenger has led to an accusation of assault against the physical integrity of two police officers that attended a call to help resolve the dispute, according to information released during a press conference yesterday afternoon at the Judiciary Police headquarters.
The incident occurred at midnight on July 9 when the police received a call to intervene in a dispute involving a client and a taxi driver in the Rua do Visconde de Paco de Arcos in the Inner Harbor area.
The dispute started when the taxi driver refused to transport a passenger to the requested destination after he noticed that the passenger was clearly under the influence of alcohol.
The police arrived, and after reconciling the two parties leading to the taxi drivers departure the would-be passenger unexpectedly lay down in the middle of the road and knocked his own head on the asphalt.
The police officers requested help from the Fire Department and an ambulance in their attempt to move the person to the sidewalk. The man in question resisted the effort of the officers and reacted in an aggressive manner. His action resulted in the injuries of at least one of the legs of one of the officers and the chest of the other.
While attempting to escort the man to the police station, the detainee reportedly continued to show aggressiveness, directing insulting and inappropriate language at the officers. He later denied such behavior when questioned at the police station.
Both police officers sustained minor injuries that were treated at the Public Hospital. The detainee was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Officer (MP) where he has been accused of aggravated offences against physical integrity.
Tree destroyer on the loose at Seac Pai Van
An unknown individual has reportedly destroyed trees and bushes in the surrounding areas of the public housing complex of Seac Pai Van in Coloane, the Judiciary Police (PJ) revealed. The occurrence was reported to the PJ by a staff member of the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, who discovered the scene on July 8, at around 10 am. According to the information from the PJ a total of four trees and 180 bushes were damaged in the area, plants that according to IACM have a value of around MOP49,000. The case is still under investigation by the police force.
At least five people from Macau were granted asylum abroad in 2015, according to the United Nations Refugee Agencys (UNHCR) latest Global Trends Report.
The report, which is compiled from government data, says that five Macau-based individuals were granted refugee status last year, having proven that their safety would be jeopardized should they return to the MSAR. Twenty-four similar cases are still undergoing review.
No data was available on the number of refugees who were granted asylum in Macau in 2015, though the report indicated that there were seven pending cases at the end of 2015.
Meanwhile, refugees from Hong Kong living in other locations numbered 33 at the end of 2015, with 79 pending cases. Mainland China had about 212,000 refugees abroad and more than 57,000 pending cases at the end of the year.
For those seeking shelter in mainland China and Hong Kong, there were more than 300,000 and 133 people, respectively, at end-2015. Hong Kong is reviewing another 2,315 pending applications.
The UN report is subjective as it relies on government data, based on individual countries definitions and methods of data collection. UNHCR said the origin of a person seeking asylum may be based on nationality, area of birth or area of residence, depending on how each government measures the number of people.
UNHCR added that the number of asylum seekers in Macau, as well as those granted refugee status, have remained in the single digits since 2010. The main countries of origin for those seeking refuge in Macau are Syria, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Cameroon.
Asylum seekers are typically individuals who have left their home country as political refugees to seek protection in another location. They often believe that their area of residence is unable to afford them the same protection that they could obtain elsewhere.
According to the South China Morning Post, scholars say that the number of asylum seekers from Hong Kong which has increased slightly may be a reaction to civil unrest in the city, the presence of organized crime or the actions of the mainland government in recent years.
In 2011, UNHCR announced a new record of 42.5 million forcibly displaced people around the world. The number has since risen sharply each year and was around 65.3 million at the end of 2015.
The UN Refugee Agency said earlier this year that the current number of displaced people is the highest ever recorded. DB
A delegation from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Industrial Park has recently toured the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Portugal.
A statement released by the Guangdong-Macau Traditional Chinese Medicine Technology Industrial Park Development Co., Ltd indicated that the delegation toured the three European countries from June 23 to July 1 and was led by Lu Hong, advisor of the Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lionel Leong.
Among other aims, the delegation discussed issues such as the establishment of an international quality control base for traditional Chinese medicine and the promotion of trade and the establishment of centers of traditional Chinese medicine abroad.
During the tour, the delegation visited several research institutions as well as universities and health related government departments. The highlight of the tour was a visit to the Biomedicine Laboratory at the University of Leiden (Netherlands) where they spoke to Wang Mei, a European Pharmacopoeia Commission member whose experience related to the registration of traditional Chinese medicine products within the European Union (EU). Topics related to the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in the EU were also addressed.
During a visit to Portugal, the delegation participated in another conference. During the event, Lu Hong stressed the importance always given by the MSAR government to the role of Portugal as a link to the Portuguese-speaking countries, hoping that this connection can also promote exchange in the field of traditional Chinese medicine.
The Health Bureau (SSM) said Macau will not provide vaccines to non-residents, with the exception of a small group of children who have established their residence in the territory.
SSMs statement last week comes after several mainland reports suggested that Guangdong is struggling with a shortage of several types of vaccines, including those for measles and polio.
SSM is responsible for purchasing vaccines under Macaus immunization vaccine program. However, the bureau stated that it would only assign approved vaccines to MSAR citizens, in keeping with regulations established years ago.
The bureau added that tourists can obtain vaccines in urgent circumstances, such as in cases of injury where the tetanus vaccine is needed. In these scenarios, all medical expenses should be covered by the patients.
SSM also said that local medical centers, including Kiang Wu Hospital, have been conducting collective vaccinations in local schools and institutions over the years.
The department emphasized that it has enough vaccines in Macau and that citizens should not be concerned.
Indian authorities struggled to contain street protests yesterday by Kashmiris defying patrols and a stringent curfew after at least 25 people died in clashes that followed the killing of a top rebel leader.
Paramilitary troops and police in riot gear patrolled villages and towns in the Himalayan region. Most shops were shuttered, businesses were closed, and cellphone and mobile internet services were suspended in parts of the region. But crowds ignored the clampdown and clashed with government troops in parts of the main city of Srinagar and several other places in the region.
At least two teenagers injured in the clashes died in a hospital yesterday, said a police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to reporters.
The protests erupted Saturday, a day after Indian troops killed Burhan Wani, the young leader of Kashmirs largest rebel group, Hizbul Mujahideen, which has been fighting since the 1990s against Indian rule. Wani, in his early 20s, had become the iconic face of Kashmirs militancy, using social media to rally supporters and reach out to other youths like him who had grown up while hundreds of thousands of Indian armed forces have been deployed across the region.
Police Inspector-General Syed Javaid Mujtaba Gillani described Wanis killing as the biggest success against militants in recent years.
Pakistans foreign secretary expressed its concerns over the killings of Wani and civilian protesters to Indian authorities yesterday. Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry conveyed to Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale that the use of force against peaceful protesters was a human rights violation and that a fair inquiry should be made into the killings, according to the secretarys statement.
At least 24 civilians and one policeman have died from wounds sustained in clashes since Saturday, as law enforcement officers used live ammunition, pellet guns and tear gas to try to break up the protests.
Pakistan and India each administer part of Kashmir but claim the region entirely. In the portion controlled by India, opposition to India is strong. Many in the region of 12 million people resent the deployment of hundreds of thousands of Indian troops and openly voice support for the rebels fighting for independence or a merger with neighboring Pakistan. MDT/AP
The opening of the Philippine Consulate General in Macau on Sundays for services to the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and the abolition of the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) constitute two of the most pressing concerns of the Filipino migrants in Macau.
Migrante Macau, an organization of Filipino migrant workers in Macau, has conducted a survey among OFWs in the region, garnering 113 respondents.
According to the organizations statement, 65 percent said they wished the administration of the new president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, to compel the Philippine Consulate General in Macau to operate on Sundays to serve Filipino domestic workers.
Many of us domestic helpers cannot just go out from our employers house to have our papers like passports processed. Since last year, we have been holding dialogues with the Philippine Consulate General to have the same operation as in Hong Kong. However, this demand of ours is yet to be acted upon, said Emer de Lina, chairperson of Migrante-Macau.
Fifty-eight percent of the respondents want the abolition of the OEC as they find the document redundant and a cause of inconvenience.
The OEC is sometimes called the exit pass, and is required to be presented to international ports of exit in the Philippines as proof that the holder is a bona fide OFW.
The chairperson said documents such as an employment contract, working visa or the like already constitute enough proof that one is an overseas worker and thus entitled to travel with tax and airport fee exemptions.
Other significant demands from the survey included opposition to arbitrary offloading of Filipinos bound to Macau; eradicating the bullet planting scam (the criminal practice of inserting bullets in travellers luggage) and defending the rights of OFWs.
The survey also shows that creation of employment in the Philippines topped the OFWs concerns.
This will ensure that no more Filipinos will be forced to endure whatever labor and living arrangements they are given overseas just so they can hold on to their jobs said de Lina.
According to the statement, the results of the survey will be presented to other organizations in the region in hopes of jointly urging the Duterte government to act.
The group also hopes to send a letter to the new government before the president delivers his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) this month.
During Dutertes candidacy rally, the president said his priority in terms of labor issues was the OFWs, and that he planned to create an OFW department. Lynzy Valles
North Korea said yesterday it will end a diplomatic communication channel with the United States and hinted at harsher punishment for Americans detained in the country in retaliation for U.S. sanctions that target leader Kim Jong Un.
The U.S. government last week imposed penalties on Kim and 10 other top officials for alleged human rights abuses. North Korea is already sanctioned because of its nuclear weapons program, but it was the first time that Kim has been personally sanctioned. The North called the sanctions tantamount to a war declaration.
Yesterday, the Norths state media said it told the United States it will terminate contact through a U.N. channel in New York that allowed diplomats to communicate.
The New York channel refers to a method for North Koreas U.N. diplomats to communicate with U.S. diplomats in New York. This is needed because the countries dont have diplomatic ties and their animosities have deepened because of the Norths nuclear and missile programs.
The North also said it informed Washington that it will handle all issues between the two countries according to an unspecified wartime law, including Americans detained in North Korea, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.
The Norths actions could complicate U.S. efforts to secure the release of at least two American citizens being held for alleged espionage, subversion and other anti-state activities. One is serving a 10-year prison term with hard labor while the other received 15 years.
The Norths threat, carried in state media, was typical of past bluster. It came three days after Seoul and Washington said they were close to determining a location in South Korea for the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, system to better deal with North Korean threats.
South Koreas President Park Geun-hye said yesterday she agreed on the U.S. missile deployment because North Korea has openly threatened to launch nuclear and missile attacks on South Korea. MDT/AP
Spains Foreign Ministry has called in the British ambassador to protest what it described as reckless behavior by a Gibraltar police boat patrol toward a Spanish police vessel.
In a statement, the ministry said yesterday it had lodged a serious complaint with Ambassador Simon Manley, saying Gibraltar police had approached a Spanish police vessel twice at great speed Friday and only diverted its direction and avoided a collision at the last moment.
It said the action, which occurred in waters between Gibraltar and Spain, had placed both crews at risk.
Spain ceded Gibraltars sovereignty to Britain in a 1713 treaty, but has persistently sought its return ever since. Diplomatic friction between Britain and Gibraltar and Spain isnt totally unusual.
Two Chinese peacekeepers were killed in South Sudans capital as the deaths of hundreds of people over the weekend raise the specter of the oil-producing African nations return to all-out civil war.
Heavy fighting continued in Juba yesterday, about four days after a shootout in the city between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar, the former rebel leader. The violence comes less than three months since the two sides formed a transitional government to end a conflict in the worlds newest nation that has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people since it began in December 2013.
The transitional administration is now dead, said Alex de Waal, executive director of the World Peace Foundation at Tufts University in Massachusetts. The idea of stationing two armies, still hostile, within or on the edges of Juba, and entrusting the security of the city to them, has been shown to be profoundly flawed.
The U.S. government has ordered the evacuation of non-
essential personnel from the capital and demanded an immediate end to fighting. U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Bob Godec yesterday said a regional force may need to deployed to stabilize South Sudan.
An arms embargo and other measures should also be considered to force leaders to rein in their troops, he told reporters in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.
South Sudan, which marked its fifth anniversary of independence from Sudan on Saturday, has been ruled by the transitional government since April, after Kiir and Machar agreed to work together to end the civil war. The conflict forced more than 2 million people to flee their homes and cut oil production in the country, which has sub-Saharan Africas third-biggest crude reserves, by at least a third to as little as 120,000 barrels per day.
The countrys crude, pumped by China National Petroleum Corp., Malaysias Petroliam Nasional Bhd. and Indias Oil & Natural Gas Corp., is exported via a pipeline through its northern neighbor. Sudanese officials dont expect the oil will stop coming, Information Minister Ahmed Bilal Osman said by phone from that nations capital, Khartoum.
President Umar al-Bashirs office contacted both Kiir and Machar on Sunday, although their inability to give assurances about the situation suggest it might be out of their hands, Osman said, without giving further details.
Forces loyal to Kiir and Machar clashed in Juba on the night of July 7, leaving at least five people dead. The following day, fighting at the presidential compound killed at least 115 people, a spokesman for Machars fighters, William Gatjiath Deng, said by phone.
On Sunday, heavy gunfire erupted in the west of the city, while government helicopters were seen attacking opposition bases. Machars troops were still under attack yesterday, and the situation is deteriorating, Deng said.
State-run China Central Television reported the deaths of the two Chinese troops serving with the United Nations peacekeeping mission via its Twitter account.
Heavy clashes continued yesterday near the UNs two bases in Juba, the missions acting spokeswoman, Shantal Persaud, said by phone. Both compounds were hit on Sunday, she said.
The UN Security Council urged an immediate end to the fighting, while Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was shocked and appalled by the bloodshed.
This senseless violence is unacceptable and has the potential of reversing the progress made so far in the peace process, he said in a statement.
The UN Refugee Agency said Monday that neighboring Uganda has closed its border with South Sudan, citing refugees near the crossing. Ugandan army spokesman Paddy Ankunda rejected speculation the country will deploy troops to South Sudan, as it did in support of Kiir in late 2013. Okech Francis and William Davison, Bloomberg
The Saudi-led coalition targeting Yemens Shiite rebels has caused extensive damage to the impoverished Arabian Peninsula countrys economic infrastructure in the year-long air campaign, an international rights group said yesterday.
Human Rights Watch said the coalition airstrikes have hit factories, warehouses, and power stations. In a new report, HRW documented airstrikes on 13 key facilities in Yemen since the beginning of the Saudi-led campaign in March 2015, until February.
The New York-based watchdog said those airstrikes killed a total of 30 civilians and left hundreds of Yemenis unemployed. The facilities that were hit had produced, stored, and distributed food, medicine, and electricity.
HRW said that taken together, the attacks on factories and other civilian economic structures raise serious concerns that the Saudi-led coalition has deliberately sought to inflict widespread damage to Yemens production capacity.
Yemen is in the grip of a civil war pitting government forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition against the countrys Shiite rebels known as Houthis and army units loyal to a former president. The conflict has killed an estimated 9,000 people and pushed the Arab worlds poorest country to the brink of famine. It created deep political and security vacuum that enabled Yemens al-Qaida branch, Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, and an upstart Islamic State affiliate to seize large swaths of land and carry out large-scale attacks.
U.N.-mediated peace talks hosted by Kuwait between Yemens warring sides almost collapsed last month after weeks of failed negotiations while a cease-fire declared by the United Nations since April 10 remains shaky, with both sides reporting numerous breaches.
Saudi Arabia, which perceives Yemen to the south as its backyard, accuses the Houthis of acting as Iranian proxy. The rebels accuse the Saudis of using Yemen as a stage for settling its scores with the Shiite power Iran, Saudi Arabias rival.
Brig. Gen. Ahmed al-
Asiri, the coalition spokesman, has claimed international rights groups and U.N. agencies are issuing misleading reports and depending on the Houthis as the primary source of information. Al-Asiri could not immediately be reached for a comment on the HRW report.
HRW said its report was based on interviews with 37 witnesses in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, and the city of Hodeida, as well as studies of remnants of munitions found on the site of the bombed facilities. It also said that in at least six of the sites, munitions were produced or supplied by the United States and Great Britain. Ahmed Al-Haj, Sanaa, AP
Suspected Abu Sayyaf militants kidnapped three Indonesian fishermen over the weekend in the latest in a series of incidents highlighting weak security in the Celebes Sea that borders Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
The head of Indonesias intelligence agency said yesterday that the men were working on a Malaysian fishing boat off Lahad Datu in the Malaysian part of northern Borneo. Sutiyoso, who goes by one name, said the kidnappers fled with their hostages into Philippine waters.
We suspect that the hostages are held by a militant group which is part of the Abu Sayyaf network, he said.
Several crew on the fishing boat escaped and are now in Malaysia.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said kidnappings cant be tolerated and urged the Philippines and Malaysia to ensure the safety of their territories.
She said defense ministers from the three countries will discuss plans to boost security at a meeting today.
Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines agreed in May to carry out coordinated patrols in border waters following the kidnappings of Indonesian tug boat and barge crews by Abu Sayyaf militants based in the southern Philippines. The three governments are concerned that unchecked kidnappings, piracy and other crime could undermine commerce in the region.
The Indonesians, who were held captive in the jungles of Sulu province in the southern Philippines, were later released. The Indonesian government denied it had been involved in paying a ransom.
Including the incident over the weekend, a total of 24 Indonesian have been kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf militants this year.
The Philippines, meanwhile, has stepped up its military offensive against Abu Sayyaf, which earlier this year beheaded two Canadians it had held hostage since September. AP
Michigan is trickier than it may appear for Hillary Clinton, a Democrat whose partys presidential nominees have carried the struggling manufacturing hub for decades.
Bernie Sanders beat her in the states Democratic primary by railing against the North American Free Trade Agreement. Republican Donald Trump is more popular with Michigans working-class white voters than past GOP candidates, and has pledged to back out of the treaty that some blame for the loss of countless Rust Belt jobs.
While Clintons history of supporting free trade may not cost her the state, it is costing campaign staff and money to defend its 16 electoral votes.
Its an issue that Sanders used to his advantage in the primary and obviously was successful, said Michigan Democratic organizer Amy Chapman, who was Barack Obamas state director in 2008 and a senior adviser in 2012. Obviously, its something they need to figure out as they figure out what it takes to win Michigan.
Trump last week blasted the pact signed by President Bill Clinton and predicted that backing out would restore millions of factory jobs.
At stake is the white, working-class vote, which Trump says he can turn out in droves, thereby putting upper Midwestern battlegrounds long carried by Democrats into competition in his quest for the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.
Trump says his appeal to disaffected workers has taken hold, and can put in play Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, states carried by Democratic presidential candidates since the 1980s.
Hillary Clinton supports renegotiating NAFTA, signed in 1992 and in effect since 1994, with Canada and Mexico. She also has said she opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership, an ambitious agreement with Asian nations.
But she also has demonstrated that Trumps argument is worth her time to rebut. Last week, Clinton criticized Trumps business practices and sought the help of U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence, D-Mich., to argue that Trumps practice as a real estate mogul contradicts his talk.
What happened in the Trump Casino in Atlantic City was the fact that he did not honor contracts, Lawrence told Michigan reporters after Clinton spoke in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He did not pay for services.
Trumps trade position, a sharp departure from Republican orthodoxy, has the appearance of moving to Clintons left on trade, and sounds an alarm for her to address the treaty in Michigan, say Democratic activists in the state.
She has to admit that NAFTA hurt people here tremendously, said Ed Bruley, Democratic chairman in Macomb County, a largely white, working-class suburban area stretching northeast from Detroit.
Clinton can still carry Michigan, he added. But she needs to really emote with people here and recognize that there is a problem.
Less than 20 miles away, the Mexican and Canadian flags fly alongside the stars and stripes outside General Motors Technical Center in Warren.
Michigan has lost a net of more than 500,000 manufacturing jobs since 2000, according to federal labor statistics, a dive that steepened during the recession that afflicted the rest of the nation in 2008.
In the chase for 270 electoral votes, Trump can afford to lose Floridas 29 electoral votes, if he can make up for it by winning, say Michigans 16 and Ohios 18, or Wisconsins 10 and Pennsylvanias 20. MDT/AP
CHINA has intensified the drumbeat of its opposition to an international tribunals ruling expected today that could threaten its expansive claims in the South China Sea. The Hague-based tribunal will decide on the 2013 case that challenges the so-called nine-dash line that China uses to claim virtually the entire area.
NORTH KOREA said yesterday it will end a diplomatic communication channel with the United States and hinted at harsher punishment for Americans detained in the country in retaliation for U.S. sanctions that target leader Kim Jong Un.
INDONESIA Suspected Abu Sayyaf militants kidnapped three Indonesian fishermen on the weekend in the latest in a series of incidents highlighting weak security in the Cerebes Sea that borders Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. More on p.14
GERMANY TURKEY Chancellor Angela Merkel says she will continue pushing for a reversal of Turkeys ban on Germany lawmakers to visit a Turkish base where German soldiers are stationed. The Turkish government last month banned the lawmakers from visiting the base. It said the country permits only military or technical teams to visit the base.
RUSSIA President Vladimir Putin has visited a famed Russian monastery to pray for Russian servicemen killed in Syria. Two airmen died over the weekend after their helicopter was shot down by Islamic State group fighters east of the ancient city of Palmyra.
INDIA KENYA Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday held talks with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi and agreed to further expand investment ties between the two countries and diversify trade.
YEMEN The Saudi-led coalition targeting Yemens Shiite rebels has caused extensive damage to the impoverished Arabian Peninsula countrys economic infrastructure in the year-long air campaign, an international rights group has said.
UNITED KINGDOM Prime Minister David Cameron says he will step down tomorrow, making way for Theresa May to succeed him as British leader. Mays only remaining rival, Andrea Leadsom, announced yesterday that she has withdrawn from the contest, a move that Cameron described as the right decision.
ETHIOPIA Government officials have blocked social media sites across the country until the national school examination is concluded on Wednesday. Citizens are complaining about the shutdown, but the government maintains that the move is meant to ensure an orderly exam process.
EU-CHINA European Union and Chinese leaders kick off a summit yesterday at a time of global uncertainty over Brexit and pressure from European companies for better access to Chinas market. EU leaders are expected to press their Chinese counterparts to accelerate their efforts to reduce overcapacity in sectors including steel amid complaints in Europe that low-cost Chinese competition is putting European steelworkers jobs at risk.
NORTH KOREA A U.S. website that monitors North Korea says satellite imagery shows a high level of activity at the isolated nations nuclear test site. The website says it is unclear whether this activity is for maintenance, excavation or preparation for a fifth nuclear test.
AUSTRALIA The first person charged in Australia with recruiting and sending fighters to Syria was convicted yesterday of recruiting seven foreign fighters. At least two of the recruits died in Syria.
CONGOs leading opposition candidate for president said Monday he was poisoned as part of a government plot to kill him, a dramatic claim almost certain to escalate tensions even further over upcoming elections in one of Africas largest countries.
PORTUGAL-SPAIN Portugal and Spain face the prospect of fines for failing to meet European Union budget rules. At a meeting in Brussels, finance ministers from the 28-country EU agreed that both countries havent taken effective action to get their borrowing down to prescribed levels. Under EU rules, countries have to get their budget deficits down below 3 percent of their annual gross domestic product.
HUNGARY Human Rights Watch says some migrants sent back to Serbia from Hungary have been severely beaten by Hungarian police and soldiers. They added that Hungary is accepting only 30 claims daily at border transit zones, leading to hundreds of refugees being stranded at the border in precarious conditions.
GERMANY Germany is affirming its growing role on the world stage in new security guidelines that mark another step away from its caution after World War II. A draft defense policy paper, due to be presented today, states that Germany is a globally highly connected country [] which has a responsibility to actively shape the global order.
Japans banks have reinvented themselves: In just four years, theyve found a whole new way to be miserable.
In the summer of 2012, Japan watchers were nervously drawing parallels with southern European banks holdings of their governments collapsing bonds. The anxiety wasnt baseless. Back then, the five city banks Mizuho, Mitsubishi UFJ, Sumitomo Mitsui, Resona and Saitama Resona owned the equivalent of USD1.4 trillion in Japanese government bonds. Throw in other domestically licensed banks, and the figure rose to USD2 trillion. A big spike in yield could doom the financial system.
Nothing of the sort happened. The big lenders got rid of more than half of their JGB pile by selling it to the Bank of Japan, which couldnt buy enough of the bonds; the yield on the 10-year security went from 1 percent to minus 0.28 percent. Yet shareholders of these banks today are less sanguine about them than they are about their large European rivals. The new fear is threefold.
The first worry is about additional monetary easing. Macquarie analysts said in early July that a deeper slide in what the Bank of Japan pays the lenders on some excess reserves to minus 0.3 percent from the current minus 0.1 percent could reduce profit at Japans top 10 banks by about 10 percent this fiscal year. Earnings are already fading: In May, Mitsubishi UFJ, Sumitomo Mitsui and Mizuho forecast net income will fall 5.2 percent to 2.15 trillion yen ($21.4 billion) in the year that started April 1, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg.
The second concern is about internationalization. Four years ago, U.S. banks had 20 percent more cross-border exposure than Japanese banks. But with overseas claims of $4.1 trillion at the end of last year, Japanese banks are leading now. Lending in a home market blighted by corporate deleveraging and an aging, shrinking population isnt very profitable, as Mizuho President Yasuhiro Sato noted in December. Not only have the lenders financed more assets abroad, theyve also acquired them, especially in Southeast Asia, where theyve been on a buying spree of banks. If Brexit-related concerns roil global credit markets, Japans lenders could end up paying the price for their global ambitions.
Even so, immediate fears about Brexit are overdone. Japans banks have modest exposure to Europe. MUFG, which garners 40 percent of its revenue from offshore operations, has said it has no plans to withdraw from Britain, which will continue to be an important market. In fact, Japans biggest bank has just 4.3 percent of its credit exposure, or 4.8 trillion yen, in the U.K., according to Deutsche Bank. Most of its offshore footprint is in Asia and the U.S., where its bound to keep expanding as it looks for ways to beat slow growth at home.
Mizuho, which formed an alliance with the U.K. research and trading house Redburn, remains a minnow in Europe, and is focusing more on headcount gains at its U.S. operations, the bank said in April. Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp, a unit of Japans second-biggest lender, has said Brexit wont affect it significantly.
Finally, a bigger apprehension than Brexit may be the Brexit-induced safe-haven surge in the yen.
The two-year JGB that yields negative 0.36 percent earns 1.4 percent if dollar funds are used to borrow yen. Thats 80 basis points more than the yield on U.S. Treasuries of similar maturity. Their perverse attractiveness could pull more foreign money into Japans negative-yielding notes, pushing their already elevated price even higher.
Japanese banks, which still hold a fair amount of the bonds, are sitting on a tightly wound spring that could uncoil any time. That would revive the worry Japan watchers had in 2012. Andy Mukherjee, Nisha Gopalan, Bloomberg
TWIN FALLS A proposed 24-hour day care center is coming before the planning and zoning commission Tuesday regarding changes to its special use permit.
The day care received a permit last year, but didnt open at 870 Eastland Drive. It has since changed ownership, and the lot adjacent to the center that was originally planned for parking has been sold. Owners Wayne and Marissa Swearingen have presented their plan for access and parking.
Fresh Start Childcare Center would offer services for children ages 6 weeks through 12 years, and eventually be open 24-7.
Theres a huge need for a 24-hour facility, Zoning and Development Manager Renee Carraway-Johnson said.
The commission meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Council Chambers, 305 Third Ave. E.
At the meeting, commissioners will consider approving changes to the special use permit, or determine whether a new one is needed. The project required the permit because a day care center is considered a change-of-use in the property that is zoned residential with a professional overlay.
The property owners have signed an agreement with Family Health Services, which owns the adjacent parking lot, Carraway-Johnson said. Without it, the day care would have no right to access Eastland Drive since vehicles would cross neighboring property. Because the agreement is subject to be discontinued leaving the day care with no parking or access to Eastland city staff recommends a new special use permit be required if that happens.
A building permit to renovate the former assisted living facility has already been approved, she said. The owners have plans to construct a fence around the property for safety.
Technically theyre ready to go, Carraway-Johnson said. They just need to get through the commission.
Commissioners will also be asked to award a special use permit to Wheeler Dealer. The used care dealership has plans to expand into property leased by Genghis Khan Mongolian Grill.
Also at the meeting, the commission will consider a recommendation to keep the R-2 (single household or duplex district) zoning on a parcel of land on Stadium Boulevard should it be annexed into the city. The City Council determines annexation, and the property owner has proposed dividing the 3.8-acre lot into six residential parcels. The lot has one home, barn and pastureland.
The commission is also reconsidering whether to initiate the process of revoking a special use permit granted to Mark Gordoski of Markys Supertow to operate an automotive impound facility on property located at 198 Gem St.
Americas job market stirred to life in June as payroll growth accelerated by the most since October after a two-month lull, assuaging fears of broader cutbacks by companies.
Payrolls climbed by 287,000 last month, exceeding the highest estimate in a Bloomberg survey, after a revised 11,000 gain in May, a Labor Department report showed Friday. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey called for a 180,000 increase. The jobless rate rose to 4.9 percent as more people entered the labor force. Wages advanced less than projected.
The figures will help reassure workers and Federal Reserve policymakers alike that companies are staying the course on hiring in the face of weaker profits and overseas developments such as Britains vote to leave the European Union.
Even with the outsized June advance, job growth over the last three months averaged 147,000, down from almost 200,000 in the first quarter and a sign of moderation as the economy approaches full employment.
If you take the last three months and smooth these numbers out which is really what you should do employment conditions are improving, but theres no question theres, to some extent, a slowdown in the improvement, said Hugh Johnson, chairman at Hugh Johnson Advisors in Albany, New York, whose forecast for payrolls was the closest in the Bloomberg survey. Thats to be expected when you reach what I would argue is full employment.
Payrolls in leisure and hospitality registered the biggest gain since February 2015, health care providers took on the most workers since October and factories added the most jobs in five months.
June payrolls were boosted by the return of 35,100 striking workers at Verizon Communications Inc. Estimates in the Bloomberg survey for total employment ranged from gains of 50,000 to 243,000 after a previously reported 38,000 May increase. Revisions to prior reports subtracted a total of 6,000 jobs to overall payrolls in the previous two months.
The unemployment rate, which is derived from a separate Labor Department survey of households, increased from 4.7 percent in May.
The labor force participation rate, which indicates the share of working-age people who are employed or looking for work, crept up to 62.7 percent from 62.6 percent.
The Labor Departments underemployment rate dropped to 9.6 percent in June, the lowest since April 2008, from 9.7 percent, reflecting a slump in the number of people working part-time for economic reasons. Some 5.8 million workers, the fewest since October, were in part-time jobs but wanted to be employed full time.
Wages improved modestly, with average hourly earnings climbing 0.1 percent from a month earlier. The year-over-year increase was 2.6 percent, less than the 2.7 percent median forecast.
The average work week for all workers held at 34.4 hours in June.
Factories increased payrolls by 14,000 after a 16,000 decline the month before, the latest indication that the industry is stabilizing after damage wrought last year by a strengthening dollar and plunging oil prices. Employment at construction companies was unchanged after falling in May.
Among services providers, retailers boosted payrolls by almost 30,000, while employment in health care climbed 58,400. In leisure and hospitality, payrolls jumped 59,000 in June. Governments added 22,000 workers, the most in almost a year.
After the U.K.s June 23 referendum led a vote to withdraw from the EU, policy makers around the world are watching for signs that weakness stemming from the heightened uncertainty is damping growth. Central banks have pledged to support global liquidity levels, and Fed officials say they are closely monitoring the situation.
Minutes from the Feds June meeting revealed that the policy makers wanted proof that job creation would resume a healthy pace and economic momentum remained intact.
If you have a summer vacation coming up, you may be considering a rental car. Rental cars can be great and convenient, but the process can be a real pain! There is a reason that Auto Renting and Leasing made the top 20 list of complaints at Better Business Bureau nationwide last year.
BBB recommends first and foremost: understand the agreement before you sign. Read all the details and fine print, because thats where those hidden fees pop up.
Before you select a company, shop around. Car rental rates can vary depending on the company or amount of time before you need the car. Compare prices and look for coupons. At the rental car counter, ask about discounts such as senior citizen or automobile club rates. Ask the final cost and make sure you understand all charges before signing.
Unexpected costs like mileage caps, insurance and drop off fees can change the price dramatically. Additional fees that may influence the overall price you pay are:
Size and type of car, such as compact, midsize, luxury or mini-van;
Drop-off charges may apply if you return the car to a different location;
Taxes for state, city or airport;
Location rates may vary within the city and at the airport for the same firm;
Daily rates may be higher during certain days of the week;
Special offers may be available during certain holidays or seasons;
Additional driver fees may apply for extra drivers.
Once you are ready to drive off with the car, take your time to inspect the vehicle. Thoroughly look for any damage such as scratches or dents in the body and spills, stains or tears in the interior. If you see any damage or defects during the inspection, make the company aware immediately and note it on the car condition form. Take pictures of the damage with your phone.
Understand your insurance options. Check with your agent regarding your personal car insurance before you leave home. In many cases, your policy will cover damage to a rental vehicle and you can skip insurance through the rental contract.
Ask about late or early return fees. Some renters have been surprised at being charged a fee for returning a car early or late. Sometimes, the penalty may be deducted from your deposit. If youre traveling over a holiday or have to return the car outside regular working hours, ask whether the office will be open or if you need to drop keys in a lock box.
Before returning the vehicle, be sure that the check-in attendant inspects the cars body in your presence and that you agree about any damage. Examine your rental agreement carefully for all charges and inspect your future credit card statements for any unforeseen charges.
And as always, check out the rental car company with BBB first. BBB Business Reviews will show whether a rental service has complaints and how those complaints have been resolved. Visit bbb.org to check out rental car companies and read customer reviews.
Idaho Department of Fish and Game biologists are monitoring this years sockeye return, river temperatures and weather forecasts in hopes of avoiding last years catastrophic conditions where 99 percent of the sockeye that crossed Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River died before reaching Idaho and their spawning grounds in the Stanley Basin.
So far, temperatures have remained suitable for sockeye migration, but theres been a recent temperature spike in the Columbia River. Biologists are closely watching to see if it reaches similar levels to last year, which could prompt another round of trapping sockeye at dams downstream.
Biologists first choice is to let sockeye naturally migrate through the fishes entire 900-mile, 6,500-vertical-foot swim from the Pacific Ocean to their namesake Redfish Lake deep in Idahos mountains. But last summer, river temperatures were so lethal they opted to trap some sockeye and truck them back to Idaho to ensure fish were available for spawning.
Were really watching fish passage and river conditions this year, Fish and Game fisheries staff biologist Russ Kiefer said. Things are setting up to be another challenging year.
In addition to water temperatures, Kiefer and other biologists will closely track key migration indicators, such as the time it takes tagged fish to move between dams, and the percentage of fish over Bonneville Dam that successfully make it to the Snake River.
Perilous migration
Every year is perilous for returning sockeye. Since 2009, survival from Bonneville Dam on the Columbia where the fish are first counted after leaving the Pacific to the Stanley Basin, has ranged from a low of 1 percent last year to a high of 60 percent in 2010.
Each sockeye is important because unlike Idahos Chinook salmon runs that have averaged about 95,000 fish annually in the last decade, annual sockeye returns have averaged 993 at Lower Granite Dam about 25 miles downstream of Lewiston.
From there, sockeye still have another 400-mile swim to the Stanley Basin. Annual sockeye returns since 2008 to the Stanley Basin have averaged only 837 fish, which includes a record 1,516 in 2014 the largest return to the Sawtooth Basin since 1955.
Platinum genetics
About 500 Idaho sockeye have passed through Bonneville Dam so far this summer, and biologist want them to complete their journey through the Columbia and Snake rivers and up the Salmon River to their spawning grounds.
The long-term goal, Kiefer said, is to have an Idaho sockeye population that is healthy, self-sustaining and reproducing in the wild.
While biologists want higher survival rates than 1 percent in the rivers, Kiefer described the 56 fish that completed the trip last summer as having platinum genetics in both hardiness and the timing of their return that maximized their odds of survival.
The ones that made it back are the toughest of the tough, and they can pass that fitness to the next generation, he said.
But Fish and Game biologists must also factor into the equation unusual river conditions like last summer and decide if its better to let nature run its course, or step in and ensure at least a portion of the run is available for spawning.
Trapping and hauling fish back to Idaho added 35 more sockeye available for spawning last year. Those fish had completed about half of the journey under very difficult conditions, which Kiefer described as gold-level genetics.
Ultimately, Fish and Game wants to have an annual sockeye run that completes an entire life history with fish being born and reared in lakes, migrating to the ocean and returning to spawn as adults. Research has shown those fish return at a higher rate as adults than their hatchery counterparts.
A critical safeguard
Kiefer pointed out that Fish and Game has additional insurance with its captive brood stock program, which are sockeye raised from eggs to adulthood in captivity to produce successive generations of smolts available to migrate to the ocean. The captive breeding program keeps two genetically identical populations in Eagle and Port Orchard, Wash.
A small portion of the eggs taken from captive adults, as well as some of the sockeye that return from the ocean, are used to rebuild the captive brood stock each year. The vast majority of the eggs are sent to hatcheries, including Fish and Games Springfield Hatchery in eastern Idaho.
The Springfield Hatchery was built in 2013 with money from the Bonneville Power Administration, and it is used exclusively for sockeye production to increase the departments capacity to grow young sockeye for future releases.
Fish and Game released about 630,000 sockeye smolts from the hatchery during spring, and hatchery managers hope to reach Springfields capacity of 1 million smolts to be released in 2018.
What better way is there to celebrate the uniquely American right to keep and bear arms than to take an All-American gun out into the field or to your local gun range? My candidate for this quintessential American gun is Mossbergs bolt-action MVP Predator (featured in my April 7 column), chambered for our current martial cartridge, the 5.56mm NATO (the ubiquitous .223 Remington in civilian guise).
Its handy, abbreviated brown-grey laminated varmint-style stock uses bedding pillars to stabilize the tubular steel short-action receiver and free float the 18.5-inch medium bull barrel for maximum accuracy potential. I chose a model variation with a threaded muzzle to allow for the possible addition of a custom muzzle break or sound suppressor.
The most notable feature of the MVP is its steel drop feed lip on the base of the bolt head that allows the rifle to feed 5.56 cartridges from AR-style detachable magazines. Although the magazine well can accommodate AR mags of any capacity (five to 40 rounds), for overall balance, as well as ease when shooting from a bench or while lying prone in the field, I prefer the 10-rounders.
Because of slight dimensional variations between different brands of AR magazines, Ive found that my rifle has its own unique preferences. It absolutely refuses to secure the popular polymer Hexmags, struggles with some aluminum magazines, like the Bushmasters, but absolutely dotes on all of my Magpul PMAGS and the new Elite Tactical Systems translucent bullet boxes. Youll just have to experiment with several to learn which are compatible with your particular gun.
Years ago, famous gun writer Townsend Whelen wrote that only accurate rifles are interesting. If accuracy is the gold standard for rifles, then my MVP has proven itself to be very interesting indeed. Even when fed economical steel-cased Russian 55- and 62-grain full-metal jacketed Wolf brand ammo, my rifle will consistently cluster five of the Soviet beauties into a ragged hole at 100 yards. With select handloaded ammunition, it is scary accurate out to 250-300 yards.
The fact that you can routinely obtain this level of accuracy and performance in a modestly priced (less than $500 locally) American-made (Mossberg of North Haven, Conn.) rifle chambered for Americas most popular centerfire cartridge fed from the prolific AR style magazines makes Mossbergs MVP Predator my No. 1 pick for an All-American gun designed for uniquely American fun.
Remember: Always wear eye and ear protection. Let freedom ring, not your ears.
SHOSHONE The victim of an attempted execution-style murder in the desert southwest of Shoshone testified Monday against the two men accused of shooting him, but the more shocking witness was a suspect in the case who testified for the state in exchange for immunity.
Erik Lopez, 23, of Wendell was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Monday morning alongside his codefendants in the shooting, 24-year-old David Gonzales Ceballos, of Jerome, and 21-year-old Antonio Buji Jacob Gallegos, of Twin Falls. The trio was charged with a variety of felony counts including attempted murder, robbery and kidnapping.
But when the 9 a.m. hearing began, only Ceballos and Gallegos were present and in custody. After testimony from the victim, Francisco Javier Bravo-Martinez, Lincoln County Prosecutor Scott Paul called his second witness: Lopez.
The 23-year-old Lopez turning witness for the state was the latest twist in a case thats been unpredictable and full of surprises, including Bravo-Martinezs girlfriend first being considered a victim of kidnapping, then being charged with ordering the murder, and finally having her charges dismissed the day she was set for a preliminary hearing last month.
Lopez charged with robbery, intimidating a witness and two counts of kidnapping in the case told the court under oath Monday he agreed to testify truthfully against Ceballos and Gallegos in exchange for immunity.
Youll walk out of here a free man for this testimony, is that right? Ceballos defense attorney asked Lopez.
Thats what they told me, Lopez answered.
He went on to provide testimony that at times was wildly inconsistent both with his own testimony and with that of Bravo-Martinez, a native Spanish speaker who seemed to struggle understanding and answering some questions in English.
But while much of the testimony from both men was conflicting and inconsistent, their testimony about the shooting itself was almost exactly the same, while Bravo-Martinez revealed new details about the shooting and how he survived.
Magistrate Judge Mark Ingram acknowledged the conflicting testimony and bound Gallegos and Ceballos over to district court on the charges of attempted murder in the first degree and conspiracy to commit murder. Paul motioned to dismiss the kidnapping charges because the evidence didnt support those charges.
New details emerge
Lopez testified that he met with Ceballos and Gallegos in a Twin Falls motel the night of the shooting where they talked about taking care of Bravo-Martinez. He said they left their cellphones in the motel so police wouldnt be able to ping their locations if they were ever caught.
Then they went to pick up Bravo-Martinez, who walked into the court with a limp from the bullet wound in his right leg.
He testified that he left his home early Jan. 23 believing he was going to help Lopez, Ceballos and Gallegos in a fight. He said he drove in his GMC Yukon with Murillo and Gallegos, who jumped in the Yukon uninvited, and followed Lopez and Ceballos driving a truck north out of Jerome and onto a desert road in Lincoln County.
Bravo-Martinez said at some point on the desert road, he got out of his Yukon to check a dead headlight, and thats when Gallegos shot him in the left side of his chest and in his right leg. Ceballos then walked toward him, said bye, bye, ass, and shot three times at his head. He said all three bullets at least grazed him, and one cracked his skull.
What happened next depends on who was testifying. Bravo-Martinez said after Ceballos shot him, Lopez stole his watch, phone, cash and a passport from his pockets; Lopez denied stealing anything from Bravo-Martinez.
But both men testified that after the shooting, the three men tried to steal Bravo-Martinezs Yukon, but it ran out of gas. They also both testified Murillo was then moved from the Yukon into Lopezs truck, and Bravo-Martinez was left bleeding in the cold to die.
About a half hour after they left, I got up and hopped on one leg back to my truck, Bravo-Martinez said.
Did you know at that point you werent going to die? asked Theodore Larsen, the defense attorney for Ceballos.
As soon as they left, I knew I was capable of surviving, Bravo-Martinez said.
He said he hopped to his Yukon, where he had an extra phone because he often bought and sold phones. He said it wasnt connected to a carrier to make regular calls but could still make emergency 911 calls, although he forgot the number and dialed 611 several times before finally calling police.
The defense attorneys argued Bravo-Martinez lacked credibility and was extremely hard to believe. He denied using methamphetamine the night before or morning of the shooting, but Lopez testified Bravo-Martinez took several hits from a meth pipe and was even the one suggesting they smoke on one occasion.
Other parts of the two witnesses testimonies diverged significantly also, but their testimonies were the same as far as the key details of the shooting, like where Gallegos was standing when he fired the first two shots, where Ceballos was standing when he shot Bravo-Martinez in the head, what type of guns were used and where the two vehicles were parked in relation to each other.
Gallegos and Ceballos are set to be arraigned in district court July 19, while Lopezs charges havent been officially dismissed. That will likely happen only once the other two cases are resolved.
JEROME A 68-year-old Jerome man will spend at least seven years in prison for sexually abusing an 11-year-old girl at least twice last year, though prosecutors argued the man is a pedophile and a predator who abused the girl for years.
Loyd Ray Wehrli pleaded guilty in May to two felony counts of sexual abuse of a minor under 16 after prosecutors originally charged him with two counts of lewd conduct with a minor under 16.
District Judge Richard Bevan sentenced Wehrli on Monday to 3 to 12 years in prison on one count and 3 years on the second count. Because the sentences are to be served consecutively, Wehrli will spend at least seven years in prison and could spend up to 15 .
Wehrli must also register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, must pay at least $5,000 to his victim and cannot have contact with the victim, her mother or her sister until 2041, at which time hell be 93. Hell also likely have to pay restitution, a matter that will be taken care of at later hearings.
Bevan took about 25 minutes to think over his sentence Monday after listening to nearly two hours of arguments from lawyers and listening to the victims mother read her own letter and those of her two daughters.
No amount of jail time can make up for the five years he spent molesting my daughter, the mother read through tears, saying when she asked her daughter how many times he molested her, the girl said it was too many to count.
The mother ended her letter with a plea to the judge.
Please remember that my girls matter and their voices matter.
As Bevan started to explain the reasoning behind his sentence, he took a moment to address the victim and her sister, who was the one who discovered the abuse when she walked in on it Dec. 11 at a home in Jerome. Wehrli also pleaded guilty to molesting the girl the day after Thanksgiving at his office in Idaho Falls.
My goal is to somewhat validate you, Bevan told the girls. Know that Ive heard you, Ive heard your mother and those who have advocated for you.
Addressing Wehrli, the judge went on to explain that among other things, he had to consider the good order and protection of society, saying that often the good order portion of that sentencing requirement gets over looked.
Good order means people who are not involved in the case, who dont know about the case, can read about it and think its fair, Bevan said.
The judge said the sentence will do little to make up for the life sentence Wehrli inflicted upon his victim and her family, but the minimum seven-year sentence went far beyond the probation sentence recommended by pre-sentence investigators.
Bottom line, this was a violation of trust, Bevan said. The effects of these kinds of cases are lifelong. We hope these girls will heal, but who knows?
The judge called Wehrlis actions despicable and said that despite living a life free of crime that we know of, Wehrlis true character came out when he was confronted with his actions. Thats when he screamed at the sister that she was lying about what she saw, threatened the victim and tried to blame others, including his wife for not having sex with him and his victim for seducing him.
You knew what you were doing, Bevan told Wehrli. It was horrible, but you certainly had an understanding of what was going on.
Jerome County Prosecutor John Horgan asked that Wehrli spend at least 20 years in prison and pulled no punches in a nearly hour-long sentencing argument that at times seemed indignant.
The girl was clingy, hugging, looking like she wanted to be kissed only a pedophile would think like that, Horgan said. Anytime they were together at a function of some kind, Pedophile Wehrli made it sexual.
Horgan argued that Wehrli was dangerous and would almost certainly reoffend if given the chance despite pre-sentence investigators concluding he was a low-risk to reoffend.
I think the punishment needs to be severe, Horgan said. I believe hes a major risk. He caused harm to those least able to defend themselves.
The prosecutor said that in a pre-sentence polygraph test, Wehrli was asked four questions and lied all four times, including one question about bestiality and one question about whether he had sexually touched any other minors.
Wehrlis attorney, Lynn Dunlap, countered that its typical for sexual offenders to fail miserably the first time they undergo a polygraph test without first undergoing counseling.
Horgan also alluded to the fact that Wehrli held leadership positions in the Mormon church and had worked with children as part of those positions. The victims mother said Wehrli left his wife to marry another woman, and she cant help but think if this was intentional to gain access to her daughter.
Given his chance to speak, Wehrli made a short statement apologizing to his victims family.
I do not have words to express how sorry I am for what Ive done, for the pain Ive created, he said. Ill live the rest of my life regretting what I did.
Dunlap argued his client accepted responsibility for what hed done, was a low risk to reoffend and should be placed on probation.
There should be a harsh penalty only if a future problem arises, Dunlap said, pointing out the treatment Wehrli has received thats helping him deal with his pedophilia.
But Bevan sided with Horgan, who argued if you molest a little girl, you go to prison.
Unlike the judge, who talked about the lifelong pain Wehrlis action would cause his victim and her family, Horgan ended his argument with a more positive outlook for the girls and their mother.
Im not going to say he stole thats up to the family, they have to be strong. But he certainly tried.
Correction: An earlier version of this story said Wehrli could spend seven to 12 years in prison, but because the sentences are to be served consecutively, he could spend seven to 15 years in prison.
KIMBERLY Amanda Suni Lisonbee started a teaching degree, but wasnt in a hurry to finish until her children got older.
But on Sept. 18, 2013, everything changed.
Her husband, Bradley Lisonbee, died in a motorcycle crash at 33. He left behind his wife, who was eight months pregnant at the time, and eight children.
Within a week of her husbands death, Lisonbee realized everything is different now and she was facing a new reality. As sad as she was, you have to deal with whats in front of you, she said.
Amanda pushed ahead to earn a bachelors degree in education through an online university. And now, the 33-year-old has reached the finish line.
She will deliver a commencement address at Western Governors Universitys graduation Saturday in Salt Lake City. And starting this fall, shell teach special education at Kimberly Elementary School.
About a year ago, Lisonbees mentor at WGU mentioned she should consider applying to be a graduation speaker. She decided to pursue that opportunity and was selected.
It really isnt about bragging, she said, but she wants other women particularly, single mothers to know theyre strong. She said shes proud of her demographic and wants to encourage others.
Lisonbee plans to pursue a masters degree in education through WGU. Ive always kind of had a natural draw to kids, she said.
As a teenager, she taught childrens Sunday school at church. And to this day, she said, she enjoys being a part of shaping who children become.
When she married Bradley in 2010, she had three children and he had three of his own. Together, they had three more children. He never got to meet the youngest one, she said.
Lisonbee started working toward a bachelors degree several years ago. She had always been a stay-at-home mother and planned to finish college by the time her children got older.
I didnt intend to finish and teach anytime soon, she said.
She had three children in a row, with only 11 months between their birth dates. Now, she has four children at home with her full time. Three of them are younger than 5 years old.
Its not a lie that Ive done my homework in the bathroom, she said.
Lisonbee was proud of being a stay-at-home mother and said it was heart-breaking to realize it was no longer possible.
But she wants to be an example for the children now ranging in age from 2 to 15 about how to overcome hardships. I dont want them to see me fail.
Her mentor through WGU was super supportive, she said.
Student mentor Lori Ellwanger said the universitys students take classes full time, while also juggling family commitments and often, a job.
Amanda dealt with what was just a pretty horrific tragedy, Ellwanger said. What helped her to be successful was her determination.
When Ellwanger asked Lisonbee what her thoughts were about college after her husband died, she responded she needed a college degree more than ever.
Lisonbee took three weeks off and started with school again.
She has an ability to just take life in stride, Ellwanger said. She was authentic.
Lisonbee said shes also thankful for the support she received from the community. Teaching in Kimberly, she said, is a way to repay the favor.
And her father, she said, is her biggest hero. He quit his job and moved in with her for a year to help out.
My kids dont have a dad at this point, she said. Im blessed to share mine with them.
TWIN FALLS The College of Southern Idahos medical assisting program is accepting applications for next school year.
Applications are due Aug. 1 to program director Kara Mahannah in the colleges Health Sciences & Human Services building at the Twin Fall campus. Fall semester begins Aug. 22.
Certified medical assistants are instrumental in helping patients feel at ease in doctors offices and often explaining the physicians instructions. They assist with clerical duties, insurance billing and coding, minor in-office procedures, and other administrative and clinical tasks.
People with good communication skills and a caring manner are well suited for a career in medical assisting.
Employment of medical assistants is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
For more information, call 208-732-6728 or visit http://hshs.csi.edu/medical_assistant/.
TWIN FALLS The 98-year-old Twin Falls School District administrative office is getting an overhaul this summer to add new offices and restrooms.
The $360,000 project is slated for completion early next month.
As enrollment continues to grow in the district with more than 9,000 students it means more employees could be needed.
With the growth of our district, it just became necessary to create additional office space, director of operations Brady Dickinson told school trustees Monday night. Theres no more room at the inn, so to speak.
In February, school trustees approved the district office remodel project. But they didnt take additional action Monday night.
Seven new offices are being added at the Main Avenue West facility in the historic downtown area, but one of the old offices was eliminated. The project will also include two new bathrooms.
Renovations are being paid for using plant facilities money, plus about $100,000 in general funds.
We did really well on the bids and came in under budget, Dickinson said.
Starr Corp. is the construction manager/general contractor for the project. The hope is in the next couple of weeks, things will finish up, he said.
The project comes after an electrical fire broke out in the buildings basement in April, causing about $70,000 in damage.
It also displaced about 30 employees, including many of the districts top administrators. Most are still working from the districts extension office.
The fire restoration is just about done, Dickinson told trustees. But employees will displaced for another few weeks while the renovation is underway at the central administrative office.
The building, with more than 13,000 square feet, was originally a post office. The district purchased it for $1 in 1963.
During their meeting, trustees also acknowledged a typographical error in a July 4 special board meeting agenda. Board chairman Bernie Jansen said the header on the agenda had the incorrect date, but the body of the document was correct. The board didnt vote on the item.
Twin Falls school trustees met on the Fourth of July to accept a top administrators retirement, leaving lingering questions about her departure.
The school district announced July 5 that director of support services Clara Allred submitted a letter of retirement. Allreds retirement was effective June 30, a day before the start of the districts new fiscal year.
School district spokeswoman Eva Craner declined to discuss the matter last week, saying its a personnel issue.
TWIN FALLS Fahira Kremic never met her father, but she still feels the pain of his death
Kremic woke up Monday morning feeling numb. Its a wound that doesnt heal, even after 21 years.
Monday marked the 21st anniversary of Europes worst mass murder since the Holocaust. After the breakup of the former Yugoslavia, the newly independent Bosnia was under attack by Bosnian Serb forces. In 1993, the United Nations Security Council declared Srebrenica a safe area, free from attacks, but the UN failed to protect the town from falling under control of the Serbs. On July 11, 1995, Srebrenicas Muslim population rushed to the nearby U.N. compound. Dutch peacekeepers there were overpowered and Muslim men and boys were separated and executed. The women and girls were sent to Bosnian government-held territory. More than 8,000 people mostly men and boys were killed.
In Twin Falls, about 50 Bosnians gathered at the American Legion Hall Monday to pay tribute to the people killed during the genocide.
Kremics father, Fadil Kremic, was one of those people. Her father was only 23 when he died. Three months after his death, Kremic was born. She was 6 years old when she moved to Twin Falls with her her mother, step-father, two step-siblings and a half-brother.
Shes been told by family members that she looks and acts exactly like her father. She is tall like him, and she shares the same sarcastic personality.
He had a big heart, Kremic said. He was very reserved, but if you got to know him, he would open up.
At age 20, Kremic is part of what is called the lost generation, children who are growing up and reaching adulthood without their fathers, uncles, brothers and grandfathers. The Lost Generation was the theme of this years remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide.
Four years ago, Kremic buried her father in Bosnia. She has gone back four times since to visit family and his grave.
It was very peaceful, Kremic said. I finally knew where his body was located.
Tens of thousands attended the funeral of 127 newly-found victims Monday in Srebrenica, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Victims of the Srebrenica Genocide were buried in mass graves, but many were dug up shortly after the war in an effort to hide the crime, the Associated Press reported. Bulldozers scattered the remains, which is why body parts are still being found in more than 100 different mass graves.
Nearly 15,000 residents also tried to flee through the woods, but were hunted down and killed.
Sakib Suljic, 52, is one of the survivors who ran into the forest.
Suljic wore a gray shirt with the words Remembering Srebrencia on the front, as he talked about hiding with 13 other people.
They were in the forest for 18 days.
Only nine of them survived. His two brothers didnt make it. Suljic was 27 at the time.
He left after they started killing everyone, said Meliha Zahirovic, translating for Suljic. He could hear bombing going off everywhere. He was expecting to be killed. Thats something he will never forget is falling asleep and waking up with dead people around you with missing legs and people hurt. Its something you never forget.
Suljic has lived in Twin Falls for 15 years. He named his two sons Suad and Mirzet after his brothers.
In March, former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic being convicted by a U.N. war crimes court of genocide and nine other charges for the deaths of 100,000 people during the 1992-95 war in Bosnia. Karadzic was sentenced to 40 years in prison for his role in these atrocities that included the Srebrenica massacre.
Zahirovic, 33, lost her father in Srebrenica. She was 9-years-old when she last saw him. Her grandfather, uncles and many friends were also killed.
He was a good dad, she said. He would never hurt anyone.
His remains were found in 2004. His clothing indicated he was shot in the heart.
Now that her children are getting older, Zahirovic said, her son has been asking about his grandfather. Her son recently went on a preschool field trip to a farm owned by the grandfather of a classmate. Zahirovics son asked his mother where his grandfather lived and if he had a farm too.
When he saw his mother cry Monday, he asked her why his grandfather died. Was he sick or old? he asked.
Next year, Zahirovic hopes to bring her children to their grandfathers grave in Bosnia.
I miss him every day, Zahirovic said. But especially in July and especially on the 11th.
This article appeared in Mondays Washington Post.
This election, a spokesman for Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., said Thursday, remains a dumpster fire. Well, yes, the two major-party candidates for president are historically unpopular. But if this election is unusually bad, it is not because both parties chose bad candidates. There is no equivalence between Donald Trump and Hillary Clintonas even responsible Republicans should be able to recognize.
Clinton is a knowledgeable politician who has been vetted many times over. She understands and respects the U.S. Constitution. She knows policy. She can cite accomplishments in the public interest, such as pressing through an important childrens health insurance program during her husbands administration. As a senator, she was respected by colleagues on both sides of the aisle. She completed four years as secretary of state to generally positive reviews. She began her presidential campaign by rolling out a series of serious policy papers.
None of this means you have to like Clinton or believe she would be a good president. You may disagree with her views; we have done so often enough and will do so again when we think she is wrong. You may believe she was foolish to push for the Libya intervention, arrogant to keep her emails out of the official State Department server, greedy to take large speaking fees as a private citizen. But measured against other major-party candidates of recent times, Clinton is well within established bounds of competence, knowledge, commitment and integrity. She is not a dumpster candidate.
Trump, by contrast, has waged a campaign based on bigotry, ignorance and resentment. He has no experience as a public servant, and his private record of bankruptcies and exploitation should be disqualifying. He regularly circulates falsehoods. He has no discernible interest in or knowledge of policy. Just in recent days, Trump tweeted out an anti-Semitic image circulating on neo-Nazi websites and attacked the media for reporting as much. He called one sitting senator a loser and threatened another while proving that he lacks even a passing familiarity with the Constitution. He praised one of the most vile dictators of the 20th century.
Those Republicans with enough self-respect to be mortified by the man their party is about to nominate continually hold out hope for some magical transformation. Yet even if Trump flipped his agendanot a problem for a man with almost no fixed beliefshe would still be the candidate who mocked a disabled reporter, proposed banning Muslims from entering the United States, attacked a judge based on his ethnicity, celebrated violence at his rallies, demeaned women and promised to round up and deport 11 million undocumented immigrants. He would still be the candidate who vaulted to political prominence with race-based attacks on the incumbent president and launched his campaign by calling Mexicans rapists.
Sasse has proved to be a rare Republican official with the moral courage to speak as honestly about Trump after he clinched the nomination as he did before. Its not surprising that the senator would want to dismiss the whole campaign as a mess, and we dont doubt that he genuinely fears the direction in which Clinton would lead the nation.
But to equate the two candidates as indistinguishably unqualified products of a rigged or failed system only feeds public cynicism while blurring distinctions that should not be blurred. Clinton is a politician, long in the arena, whom you may or may not support. Trump is a danger to the republic.
The following editorial appears on Bloomberg View:
Six months into a three-year moratorium on new coal leases, the federal government is considering how much to charge for them when the ban expires. The price, which has long been well below market value, stands to rise drastically. But here's a better idea: Stop issuing coal leases altogether, at any price.
The public-health stakes alone justify a permanent moratorium. Air pollution from coal-fired power plants caused an estimated 13,000 deaths in 2010, as well as 20,000 heart attacks and almost 10,000 hospitalizations, at a cost of more than $100 billion.
There would be climate dividends, too. Burning coal produced one-quarter of all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions last year -- more than any other source.
There was a day when burning dirty coal was considered a worthwhile price for running a successful industrial economy. That explains why the federal government has been leasing coal mines on public land for just $3 dollars an acre.
But now fracking provides access to an abundant supply of natural gas, which generates just as much electricity as coal, even more cheaply and with about half the carbon emissions. Meanwhile, solar power has increased by almost 60 percent a year over the past decade, as costs have fallen more than 70 percent. And in the past five years, the amount of wind energy in the U.S. has doubled.
By stopping new coal leases, the government could accelerate the transition to clean power. And it could lay the groundwork for ending all coal production on federal land. Existing leases account for about 40 percent of U.S. coal production, or almost 400 million tons annually. Cutting coal use by that amount would almost double the cuts expected under the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed regulations on power plants.
Unlike most climate policies, a ban on new leases would require no congressional action. And unlike the power plant rules, which the Supreme Court has put on hold, leases are a simple legal matter: The government has clear authority to set the terms for mining on federal lands.
Eventually, it might make sense to also stop new federal leases for other carbon-intensive fuels, chiefly oil. But the alternatives to gasoline-powered cars aren't nearly as far advanced as they are for coal-fired power.
And no other fossil fuel is anywhere close to being as dirty, unhealthy and harmful to the climate as coal. There's no good reason for the federal government to keep selling it.
This article appeared in Mondays Washington Post.
Members of Congress, in case you missed it: Florida health officials confirmed on July 1 the largest count of people with new infections of the Zika virus, 10 on that day. Then, on July 6, 11 new cases.
In all, at least 263 people in Florida have been infected since January, of which 43 have been pregnant women. In the United States, there are now 1,133 people who have been infected, including 320 pregnant women. The mosquito-borne Zika virus, for which there is no effective vaccine or cure, is mild in most people but can cause a serious birth defect known as microcephaly, as well as other fetal neural damage.
Florida is a bellwether, close to Latin America, origin of the current epidemic. Tom Frieden, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warned July 6 that at current trends thousands of pregnant women in Puerto Rico will catch Zika. While so far all cases in the United States appear to have been brought by travelers, local transmission may begin soon. The virus also spreads through sexual contact.
Five months have passed since President Obama requested nearly $1.9 billion in emergency funds to help states fight Zika. After stalling for months, the Republican-controlled House approved a $1.1 billion Zika aid bill laden with partisan baggage, including restrictions on the use of money for birth control services, a backdoor way to defund Planned Parenthood, and $750 million in offsetting cuts from other programs, including Obamacare and the Ebola virus response effort.
The White House threatened a veto, and Democrats balked in the Senate. They had earlier brokered a clean Zika bipartisan compromise bill in that chamber, without restrictions. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who pledged to end partisan gridlock at the outset of this Congress, told Democrats on June 28 they had no choice but to accept the GOP version. There are some disadvantages to not being in the majorityyou dont get everything exactly the way you want, he said.
Yet McConnell lacks 60 votes to get the heavily freighted GOP bill through the Senate. So another week of gridlock has passed, without action to combat Zika: helping states and local jurisdictions with the difficult mosquito eradication effort; researching new vaccines; improving diagnostics; and educating the public, particularly pregnant women, about the risks.
Now there is little time for Congress to act before it goes on summer recess, not to return until September. We agree with Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.: Stop wasting time on the Senate floor with political red meat. Now is the moment to set aside the maneuvering and blame-throwing and negotiate a truly bipartisan compromisewithout poison pills, without cuts in other programsto give public health officials the tools they need. The United States does not need or want a generation of brain-damaged babies. But Congress must act fast to keep that from happening.
Turkey Monday said it has not undertaken any step to normalize tensed ties with Cairo at the time it seeks to thaw ties with Israel and Russia.
No official or unofficial step has been taken on the normalization of the relationship between Turkey and Egypt at the moment, government spokesperson and Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told reporters.
Ties between Ankara and Cairo were severed in 2013 following the toppling of Mohamed Morsi; Egypts first democratically elected president. Turkey had backed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. Turkish President Erdogan had also hit al-Sisis regime for human right violation and crackdown on Islamists.
It has been rumoured that Turkish authorities would send a team of officials to Egypt to ease the tension but Kurtulmus rejected the reports, reminding of the initial and official stance of the Turkish government.
The Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus explained that Turkey suspended ties with Egypt because it is against military coups.
This kind of anti-democratic and oppressive implementation will not bring any benefit to the people and politics of Egypt. We wish the Egyptian government to review all of its actions, take steps to make progress [on these issues] and as a result of this, the normalization of the relationship between Turkey and Egypt.
Saudi Arabia and other regional leaders sought to heal the wounds between Erdogan and al-Sisi but attempts have yielded no results.
Morsi and several other Muslim Brotherhood figures have been handed heavy sentences, including capital punishment.
As the Iraqi army prepares to go on the offensive in Mosul against the Islamic State, US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced that 560 additional troops will be deployed in the country to help local forces capture the extremist groups headquarters.
These additional US forces will bring unique capabilities to the campaign and provide critical enabler support to Iraqi forces at a key moment in the fight, he stated. Mosul has been under the control of the extremist group since 2014 and serves as its headquarters. Many believe that its leader, self-declared caliph, Abubakar al-Baghdadi, is sheltering there.
The troops are expected to be deployed relatively soon according to top U.S commander in Iraq, Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland. The troops will be based at the Qayara airbase captured by the Iraqi forces last week. The base is 60 kilometers away from Mosul.
Controlling the airbase showed local forces strong will to fight, Carter said, adding he is confident that the additional US forces will help bring unique capability to the campaign and provide critical support to the Iraqi forces in the war against the Islamic State.
Members of the US-led coalition are expected to meet in Washington before the end of the month to discuss the campaign and certainly the Mosul offensive, as there are already plans to encircle the city before the operation begins. At every step in this campaign, we have generated and seized additional opportunities to hasten ISILs lasting defeat, Carter stated before adding that the coalition will continue to look at what more we can do to create and seize opportunities and accelerate ISILs lasting defeat.
The arrival of the additional troops will increase the number of US forces, termed as military advisers by Washington, to 4,647 excluding service members who are sent to Iraq on temporary basis. It will be Obamas second US troop increase in Iraq in the last three months.
The South African police foiled over the week-end travel plan of four alleged terrorists trying to fly to Syria. They are expected to appear in courts on terror-related charges, reports say.
Hangwani Mulaudzi, spokesman for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation indicated that the militants, including one woman, all of them in their 20s, were prevented from flying to Syria to join the ranks of the Islamic State (IS) group.
That is the first time authorities report cases of IS militants in the rainbow nation. For the chief Lieutenant General Mthandazo Ntlemeza of the Directorate, the arrest is a big step in the fight against terrorism.
The four suspects have been on police radar since last year when they attempted to travel to Syria.
Two of the suspects will appear in court on Monday in Johannesburg on terror-related charges, while the other two are due to appear before the Kagiso Magistrates Court west of Johannesburg, on firearms and explosive related charges, reports say.
South African authorities have been reportedly warned against possible terror attacks by American and British intelligence services.
Zimbabwean government this weekend accused the ambassadors of the United States and France of fueling recent demonstrations staged by opposition members and civil servants in the southern African country.
In an interview published by the state-owned Sunday Mail, Zimbabwe Home Affairs Minister, Dr Ignatius Chombo, said the countrys intelligence services gathered data showing that the US Ambassador Harry Thomas and France Ambassador Laurent Delahousse were working through dodgy groups and leveraging on social media to foment civil disobedience and ultimately destabilize Zimbabwe
We have gathered intelligence that there is the involvement of Western embassies in all these disturbances that have been taking place []. The evidence that we have gathered so far shows that the French Embassy in Harare and other Western embassies are part of this plot, fomented by their regime change machinations, he said.
Frances Ambassador to Zimbabwe Laurent Delahousse denied the allegations as ridiculous.
Im not in Zimbabwe to create problems, but to help and support the people of Zimbabwe. The authorities should instead focus their efforts to work for the good of the people and should investigate police violence, Laurent Delahousse told AFP.
Civil servants have not received their salaries for June and were instead given a $100 advance payment by government, which has promised to pay the balance later.
Violence erupted again in South Sudans capital on Monday a day after the UN Security Council urged President Salva Kiir and Vice-President Riek Machar to rein in their forces and end days of violence.
The capital has been mired in fighting since Thursday when troops loyal to Kiir and soldiers backing former rebel leader Machar clashed.
Earlier on Sunday the residence of South Sudans vice president and former rebel leader Riek Machar was attacked by government forces, Reuters reported.
Dr Machars residence was attacked twice today including using tanks and helicopter gunships. Helicopters from Kiirs side attacked the residence twice, Machars spokesman was quoted as saying.
Hundreds of civilians have fled their homes in Juba, seeking protection in UN premises.
We urge an end to these hostilities and hope they (political leaders) will return back to taking up all the action points of the peace agreement, Shantal Persaud, spokeswoman for the UN mission UNMISS said in a statement.
South Sudans civil war was supposed to have ended with a peace agreement signed last year. In April, Machar returned to Juba to become vice-president of a new unity government.
He was accompanied by his bodyguards and military units, creating a volatile situation and the danger of clashes with Kiirs forces.
Up to 300 British soldiers from the Royal Engineers arrived in South Sudan last month, joining a UN peacekeeping force.
There has been no official death toll but at least five soldiers died on Thursday and a Health Ministry source said 272 people, including 33 civilians, were killed on Friday.
The United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon on Monday said South Sudanese leaders have failed their people in the wake of renewed fighting in the country.
Renewed fighting erupted in South Sudans capital on Thursday and forces loyal to Vice-President Riek Machar said his residence was attacked on Sunday by the Presidents troops, raising fears of a slide back into full-blown conflict in the five-year-old nation.
The two leaders, who fought each other in a two-year civil war that started in late 2013, had made a joint call for calm.
Yet again, the leaders of South Sudan have failed their people, Ban said. What kind of leadership is it that resorts to deadly weapons and identity politics, time and again? Failed leadership.
At least 272 people have been killed in the fighting, a Health Ministry source told Reuters early on Sunday.
Ban Ki-moon promised to meet with the 15-member Security Council on Tuesday to discuss the situation in South Sudan.
He urged the United Nations Security Council to impose an arms embargo on the country.
I also urge all countries contributing to (the U.N. mission) UNMISS to stand their ground. Any withdrawals would send precisely the wrong signal, in South Sudan and across the world, Ban stressed.
The United Nations on Monday called Ivorian authorities to intensify their efforts to prevent and punish rape in the West African nation.
A report released jointly by the United Nations Operation in Ivory Coast (UNOCI) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), on Monday, mentioned 1,129 cases of rape in the West African nation between January 2012 and December 2015.
The report said some 66 percent of the victims in these cases were children.
The UN bodies report alluded to the fact that political instability in the country after the 2010/11 political crisis had contributed to the upsurge in rape cases.
The prevalence of rape was probably exacerbated by years of conflict in Ivory Coast, which fostered a culture of violence due to the general climate of insecurity and which were marked by persistent impunity due to the lack of systematic prosecution, the report noted
The document stated that even after the hostilities ended, individual cases have been reported.
Despite the end of hostilities since 2011 and the respite brought by the gradual stabilization, instances of rape, mainly committed by individuals, continue, the report noted.
It further noted that stigmatization forced many victims not to lodge complaints.
The two bodies have called for action on the part of non-governmental organizations and the international community, to support the governments efforts to fight the phenomenon.
Nigers President Mahamadou Issoufou said recent terrorist attacks in west-Africa means more effort is necessary to combat terrorism in the region.
The Nigerien President made the statement on Monday during a five nation Council Conference known in French as Conseil de LEntente, which brought together heads of state from Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Benin and Togo.
In order to combat terrorism effectively, in this neighboring country (Mali) we must put in place a joint multinational force like the one which operates in the Lake Chad basin, Nigers president Mahamadou said.
Jihadists groups linked to Al-Qaeda had taken over the North of Mali between March and April 2012.
Also last year and earlier this year, terrorist groups have carried out several attacks on luxury hotels in Africa, resulting in high death tolls and destruction of valuable property. Burkina Faso, Mali and Ivory Coast, among other countries, have all witnessed deadly terrorist attacks targeting hotels.
The assaults raised questions about the West African countries preparedness for such attacks.
The stability of our sub region depends on the stability of all the neighboring countries. In that light, we must work towards strengthening the mandate of MINUSMA to conduct offensive operations against the terrorist forces of all kinds in North Mali, Mahamadou said.
Georgia exports 44% percent more wine to 40 countries, earning $46.6m
Millions of dollars are flowing into the Georgian economy from increasing wine and brandy sales to markets all over the world, the latest figures show.So far this year, Georgia earned about $78.8 million USD from exporting alcoholic beverages, while in the same period of 2015 Georgia generated only $58.3 million.The National Wine Agency of Georgia released information about the export of Georgian alcoholic beverages between January-June 2016.Wine exports surge in January-June 2016Georgia exported 44 percent more Georgian wine between January-June 2016 than in the same period of 2015.The Agency said in the first six months of 2016, Georgia exported 19.8 million bottles of wine to 40 countries, which generated $46.6 million for Georgia.The five countries that imported the most Georgian wine in January-June 2016 were: Russia 10,198,085 bottles; Ukraine 2,286,977 bottles; China 1,884,665 bottles; Kazakhstan 1,764,286 bottles; Poland 1,070,454 bottles.Exports of Georgian wine increased to: China 148 percent (1,884,665 bottles); Belarus 96 percent (462,547 bottles); Kyrgizstan 89 percent (149,666 bottles); Ukraine 82 percent (2,286,977 bottles); Estonia 64 percent (331,884 bottles); Russia 56 percent (10,198,085 bottles); Germany 55 percent (166,636 bottles); United Kingdom 43 percent (58, 366 bottles); Poland 34 percent (1,070,454 bottles); Lithuania 31 percent (260,064 bottles); Canada 16 percent (96,300 bottles).The Agency noted China had moved from fourth to the third largest importer of Georgian wine, following Russia and Ukraine.The most popular Georgian wines exported in the first six months of 2016 were: Kindzmarauli 2,626,364 bottles; Mukuzani 1,006,732 bottles; Tsinandali 830,149 bottles; Akhasheni 426,899 bottles; Khvanchkara 132,033 bottles.Brandy exports increaseIn January-June 2016, Georgia saw a 47 percent increase in brandy exports.The Agency said Georgia exported 3,710,997 bottles of brandy, 47 percent more year-on-year, worth $8.5 million.
European Commission: Southern Gas Corridor a strategic initiative
The Southern Gas Corridor is a strategic initiative to bring the Caspian gas resources to the European markets, said the European Commissions Vice President for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic.He made his remarks during an interview with Greek news website Naftemporiki.gr July 4.Sefcovic said the EU will accelerate efforts to open the South Eastern European markets to the Southern Gas Corridor.These efforts are directly linked to the Energy Union framework, as one of its crucial objectives is that each member state in the region, including Greece, would have access to at least three different sources of gas, he added.The approval of the TAP [Trans Adriatic Pipeline] agreement and the subsequent ground-breaking ceremony are an important step towards completing the Southern Gas Corridor, Sefcovic noted. The project has been identified by the European Commission as a Project of Common Interest and we closely monitor the progress of this project in the three countries involved [Greece, Albania and Italy].Sefcovic added that the recent second Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council ministerial meeting confirmed the determination of all participating countries and consortia to complete this key infrastructure project in time.Progress has been achieved on all the projects along the Southern Gas Corridor (Shah Deniz II field development, the South Caucasus Pipeline, Trans-Anatolian pipeline and the Trans-Adriatic pipeline) and it is expected that gas will flow by 2019 to Turkey and by 2020 to the EU, he said.Commenting on the choice of TAP over other projects, such as Nabucco and ITGI (Interconnector Turkey-Greece-Italy), Sefcovic noted that TAP is an important project for the European Union, recognized as one of the Projects of Common Interest as well as a key security of supply project under the European Energy Security Strategy.TAP project has a strong political support, as well as backing from investors, which was lacking with regards to Nabucco and ITGI, he said.Sefcovic went on to add that the European Commission remains committed to the close cooperation with the stakeholders and supports the timely implementation of this important project.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 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.
NATO not afraid of Russia
By Messenger Staff
Decisions to be approved at this week's NATO summit in Warsaw will build a deterrence force that should make Russia "forget about threatening Poland" and other nations, Poland's Defence Minister said on Monday.Antoni Macierewicz spoke to The Associated Press several days before the NATO July 8-9 Warsaw Summit, where 2,000 delegates from the 28 NATO members and some partner nations will meet to approve the station of a few thousand troops in Poland and the Baltic states.Their presence was requested by these countries, which are nervous about their security after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and started supporting separatists in eastern Ukraine."Only a show of real readiness to defend our borders can effectively halt Russia's aggressive intentions," Macierewicz said. "Russia must forget about threatening Poland, Europe and other countries in the world."The summit will also debate deployment of allied command for intelligence and reconnaissance in the region that is collectively called NATO's eastern flank, Defence Minister stated.With the planned stationing of troops "we are becoming a full member of NATO," Macierewicz said. "Not only a political entity, but one that we have always very much wanted to be, the country that the Poles have waited 70 years to be. We will be fully protected by a joint force."It is not clear how soon the troops and their equipment will be deployed. Each of the battalions will be under the command of a Western NATO member: the U.S., Britain, Germany and Canada. A separate U.S. brigade is also to be stationed in the region on NATO's eastern flank, which borders the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad (former Koenigsberg).Leaders in Moscow have warned they will take steps in response, but have not specified what.A die-hard dissident repeatedly arrested under communism, Macierewicz said "we can forget about fear" even though, he said, Russia is taking steps that are a threat to regional and wider peace, such as their recent actions in Ukraine or moving troops and weapons on its own territory.Russia aims to constantly keep the West off balance, as it hates NATO's proximity to zones of influence. However, if NATO and the wider world ignores Russia's repeated warmongering and other violations of international laws, Moscow will not be deterred from its aggressive path.Georgia also needs some guarantees of defence. It is interesting how NATO intends to do this when Georgia is consistently refused a Membership Action Plan and membership.Now that Georgia has met all of NATO's demands, the Warsaw Summit will reveal NATO's true intentions towards Tbilisi.One should keep in mind that refusal of NATO to grant Georgia alliance membership or at least MAP at the Summit in April 2008 in Bucharest gave green light to Moscow, which started war with Georgia. As the result 20% of Georgias territory is occupied by Russia.
The News in Brief
Western and Georgian forces responsible for Ahmed Chatayev Chechen leader
If Ahmed Chatayevs link with the Istanbul attack is confirmed, then Western and Georgian special forces can bear the blame, Chechnyas leader Ramzan Kadyrov posted on Instagram.
Who is Chatayev? An Austrian citizen who also has Georgian passport. He personally knows Saakashvili. The special services of Belgium, Sweden, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Georgia and Turkey had relations with Chatayev for 13 years. He left Russia as an ordinary criminal but he turned into a terrorist in Austria, Georgia and Turkey, he claimed.
As reported by media, the Istanbul terror attack was organized by Ahmed Chatayev, an ethnic Chechen. (IPN)
Stoltenberg: Supporting Georgia is Important for NATO
At the summit in Warsaw later this week, NATO claims it will demonstrate its support for its partners in the east - including Georgia - to boost its defence capacity and resilience to resist outside pressure and to advance reforms, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at a news conference on Monday.
A NATO-Georgia Commission at the foreign ministerial level will be held on the sideline of the summit in Warsaw on July 8-9. The Georgian delegation will be led by President Giorgi Margvelashvili, who will participate in a meeting of leaders of NATO members and partner countries contributing to the Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan. The Georgian Defence Minister will participate in a meeting of NATO defence ministers with their counterparts from 25 partner countries, which cooperate with the Alliance on interoperability.
One of the reasons why we are stepping up our support and providing support to Georgia is to help Georgia increase its resilience and its capacity to resist outside pressure, Stoltenberg said at a news conference on July 4.
Of course, it is important for NATO to support Georgia, because Georgia has seen lot of pressure from outside and we will continue to help them resist that pressure, he said.
Georgian Defence Minister Tina Khidasheli says that Tbilisis goal is to receive more practical tools to help the country increase its self-defence capabilities.
Speaking at a news conference on June 27 in Tbilisi, Khidasheli said that one of the areas on which Georgia has worked actively over the past year was to make Georgia a full-fledged participant of NATOs Black Sea security concept.
Georgia is fully engaged in ongoing discussions over this concept, she said, adding that Georgia will be part of the any such concept if agreed at the summit in Warsaw. There is no Black Sea security without Georgias participation.
Our demand is simple: if one of the component of this security concept is patrols in the Black Sea, Georgia should be part of those [patrol] routes [NATO] vessels should make port calls in Georgia with the same frequency as they make it in Romanian, Bulgarian and Turkish ports, Khidasheli said.
She said that Tbilisi has also been pushing for Black Sea maritime security and intelligence data sharing.
The Black Sea security picture which NATO and its members are looking at should also be fully accessible for Georgia; likewise Georgias data should be fully accessible for NATO members, Khidasheli said.
The goal is clear-cut and simple Georgia should be part of any activity that will be planned by NATO in the Black Sea, Khidasheli said on June 27. Weve been working on this very actively for past year and I am confident that verbal agreements that we already have will also be reflected in documents in Warsaw.
Responding to a question on Black Sea security, which was not asked specifically in Georgias context, the NATO Secretary General said at the news conference on July 4, that the Alliance will continue discussions about it beyond the Warsaw summit.
One of the areas where I see a need for continued adaptation is when it comes to our presence in the Black Sea region. So that will certainly be on our agenda also after Warsaw [summit], Stoltenberg said.
Although NATO foreign ministers said in December that Georgia has all the practical tools to prepare for eventual membership, they also reaffirmed that before joining the Alliance the country should go through a Membership Action Plan (MAP) phase, which Georgia has been denied since 2008. Granting Georgia MAP at the Warsaw summit is not expected.
Georgian officials say that a decision on MAP will be made when there is a consensus on it within the alliance; however, this decision will purely be political and has little and less to do with the competence of Georgia's military forces. (Civil.ge)
Territorial seizures in Georgia and Ukraine mean Russia is trying to reconstruct Soviet empire UK report
Russia has become an increasingly active participant in conventional as well as multi-dimensional warfare. Russian cyber-attacks across Europe and territorial seizures in Georgia and Ukraine may not be isolated actions, but symptomatic of an ambition to stabilise domestic support, to reconstitute at least some of the former Soviet empire and to expand and restore Moscows global influence,' reads the report published by the Defence Committee of the UK Parliament.
Russia views NATO expansion not as a free choice by sovereign states but as a policy of encirclement by the West. The 2015 Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation stated that a main external military risk was a "build-up of the power potential of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)" and the military infrastructure of NATO member states moving nearer to the borders of the Russian Federation, the report reads.
The 2008 NATO Bucharest Summit had raised the possibility of future NATO membership of Georgia and Ukraine.Although this did not materialise, it has been used as a key factor to justify the expansion of the Russian military, the report says.
According to the report, Russian cyber-attacks across Europe and territorial seizures in Georgia and Ukraine may not be isolated actions, but symptomatic of an ambition to stabilise domestic support, to reconstitute at least some of the former Soviet empire and to expand and restore Moscows global influence.
The UK and NATO must employ robust and firm responses, the report reads. (IPN)
State Rep. Ritch Workman is looking to win a Florida Senate seat this fall, so hes hoping to educate voters on his record of opposing Common Core.
In an online campaign ad posted June 20, 2016, Workman said that eight years ago he "promised to go to Tallahassee and cut taxes and shrink the size and scope of government." He said he followed through, passing tax cuts, changes to government pensions and ethics reform.
"I also voted to remove Common Core from our schools," he said in the video.
That statement riled up groups like Florida Parents Against Common Core, which accused Workman of "misrepresenting the facts." The group supports Workmans opponent, Rep. Debbie Mayfield, who in 2013 sponsored a bill to repeal the standards . That bill never got out of committee.
But Workman told us he is telling the truth.
See what Joshua Gillin of PolitiFact Florida found as well as our past fact-checks about Common Core including a Pants on Fire claim that a Common Core testing company will "attract every one of your children to become as homosexual as they possibly can."
via @learyreports
Hands folded on a table, looking directly into the camera, the retired Army general speaks over dramatic music. Donald Trump doesnt have the temperament or judgment to be our commander in chief. Thats why Im speaking out. For America.
The ad began playing in Florida this week and builds on a wave of attacks that have gone virtually unanswered by Trump, an imbalance that would devastate most candidates.
TV spending by Hillary Clinton and allies in Florida: $12.3 million.
TV spending by Trump and allies in Florida: $78,000.
Normally that would be a very bad sign. But Donald Trump proved in the primary that the rules that weve always known to be true are no longer true, said George LeMieux, a Florida Republican and former interim U.S. senator.
Donald Trump is a known brand, said strategist Karen Giorno, who oversaw the candidates blowout win in the March 15 Florida primary. What well do after the convention is start to counterpunch.
Its a striking contrast replicated across battleground states.
More here.
Photo credit: Matt Rourke, Associated Press
@MichaelAuslen
The state attorney in Miami-Dade County is looking into allegations that Andrew Korge, a Democrat running for the Florida Senate, offered a sitting senator $25,000 to run for a different seat.
Sen. Dwight Bullard, D-Cutler Bay, told the Herald/Times last month that Korge, son of Democratic fundraiser Chris Korge, tried to convince him to run for the Senate from a Miami Beach seat recently vacated by Sen. Gwen Margolis.
On Tuesday, the state attorneys office confirmed Bullard has been in contact with prosecutors.
Sen. Dwight Bullard has now contacted us today to discuss his allegations, spokesman Ed Griffith said in an email.
The Miami New Times reported earlier Tuesday morning that the prosecutors office opened a probe into the case and asked Bullard for information.
In a statement, Korge reiterated his position that Bullards llegations are unequivocally false. He said Bullard asked him to raise money for him if he switched district.
Dwight Bullard has completely mischaracterized and exploited for political gain our conversations by saying that I offered him cash to switch races from District 40 to 38, Korges statement read in part. I welcome any inquiry by the appropriate authorities so that any manipulation of the facts and misconceptions that have been created for political gain can be cleared up.
Bullard could not be reached for comment.
Korge has switched races several times but will appear on the Democratic primary ballot in District 40, alongside Bullard, former state Rep. Ana Rivas Logan and Missalys Perez. Korge also tried to convince Rivas Logan to move.
Bullard said last month that he did not accept the $25,000 offer.
I told him to stick it where the sun doesnt permeate, he said.
Miami Herald staff writer David Ovalle contributed to this report.
Coming soon
Red Willow Center For more information on the following classes at the learning center, 825 W. Kent, call 721-0033 or visit redwillowlearning.org:
Releasing Anxiety: A Practical Class for Regaining Balance, Peace and Personal Strength with Patrick Marsolek, July 12-Aug. 2, 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, $125.
Basics of Resilience with Kathy Mangan, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, July 15. Free.
Caregiving for Veterans with Kristen Perry, 1-5 p.m. Saturday, July 16. Free for caregivers, spouses and partners of veterans.
Meditation for Beginners with Glenn Tousignant, July 28-Aug. 25, noon-1 p.m. Thursdays, $50.
Ongoing classes include "Yoga for Wellness" at noon Mondays, $12 or $40 for four weeks; "Mindfulness Meditation" at 12:10 p.m. Tuesdays, $12 or $40 for four weeks; "Yoga Beyond Cancer" at 4 p.m. Tuesdays, $10 or $45 for six weeks; "Yoga for Chronic Pain" at 4 p.m. Wednesdays, $40 for four weeks plus $50 for prerequisite screening; "Tai Chi Chuan" at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, $40 for four weeks; "Easy Yoga for Beginners" at 4 p.m. Thursdays, $12 or $40 for four weeks.
The Women's Club For more information on the following classes at The Women's Club, 2105 Bow St., call 728-4410:
Yoga Nidra, 1-2 p.m. Saturday, July 23. $10 members, $12 guests. Join Celeste for a guided relaxation meditation.
Foundation Training, 12:15-1 p.m. Monday and Thursday. Improve posture, strength and athletic ability.
Pickle ball open play, 1-4 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Paddles provided. All levels welcome.
Kick and Core high-intensity cardio workout with focus on strengthening core.
Ongoing programs
AA and Al-Anon For the latest Alcoholics Anonymous meetings list, visit aa-montana.org or call the Missoula hotline at 543-0011. For more information on Al-Anon and Alateen, which are 12-step recovery programs for relatives and friends whose lives have been affected by alcoholism, visit mt.al-anon.alateen.org.
Acupuncture for cancer caregivers Missoula Community Acupuncture, located in the Radio Central Building, 127 E Main St., Suite 314, offers free acupuncture treatments for friends, family, nurses, doctors or anyone who takes care of cancer patients 5-7 p.m. Wednesdays. No appointment is necessary. For more information, call Michael Peluso at 406-926-1611.
Adult Asperger's support group An open meeting for those with Asperger's as well as their family and friends is held every Thursday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the University Center, Room 216, on campus. Contact Monique Casbeer at 721-3947 or Cindy Bacon Janego at cjanego@communitymed.org for more information.
Alzheimers support Meets the second Wednesday of each month at noon at the Summit Independent Living conference room, 700 S.W. Higgins Ave. Another group meets the fourth Monday at 6:30 p.m. at the Missoula Senior Center, 705 S. Higgins Ave. For more information, contact Jackie Johnson at 549-3433 or jackiej45@yahoo.com.
Alzheimers caregivers support group Meets the fourth Monday at 6:30 p.m. of each month at the Missoula Senior Center, 705 S. Higgins Ave. For more information, call Jackie Johnson at 549-3433.
Arthritis programs The Montana Arthritis Program offers physical activity and self-management education programs, such as the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, Walk with Ease and Stanfords Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. Classes are available in several communities including Florence, Hamilton, Kalispell, Libby, Missoula, Plains and Polson. To find a class or for more information, visit dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/arthritis.
Bereavement support groups Frontier Hospice offers open door meetings 6-7 p.m. Thursdays at the following locations: The Springs at Whitefish on the first Thursday; Rising Mountains Assisted Living Community in Bigfork on the third Thursday; and Frontier Hospice in Kalispell on the second and fourth Thursdays. Call 406-755-4923 for more information.
Breast cancer support group Meets the first and third Wednesday of the month from 11 a.m. to noon at the Montana Cancer Center, St. Patrick Hospital Broadway Building, second floor. Call 329-5656.
Cancer Center support group Meets noon-1:30 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at the Montana Cancer Center, 500 W. Broadway. For more information, call Bonnie at 240-0996.
Cancer Resource Guide The online guide covers resources including support groups, treatment centers, camps and retreats, in Missoula, Mineral and Ravalli counties. It is available at CancerResourcesMT.org.
Cancer support group A support group for anyone affected by cancer meets noon-1 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays at the Polson United Methodist Church, 301 16th Ave. For more information, call Tammy at 406-883-7284 or 824-2868.
Celebrate Recovery The Christian-based 12-step recovery program meets 6-9:30 p.m. every Friday at Christian Assembly Foursquare Church, 1001 Cleveland St. Dinner is available from 6 to 7 p.m. and child care is provided for ages birth to 11. For more information, call 721-6884 or email cafc@4bible.com.
Cheerful Heart Lake County cancer patients in treatment can receive a massage and help with hair and skin problems, free of charge, from local therapists and cosmetologists. Other non-medical services include transportation to treatment and doctor appointments, running errands, yard work and meal preparation. Appointments may be scheduled by calling 406-883-3070.
Colorectal Cancer Support Group Meets 1-2 p.m. the third Friday of every month through March 20, Community Cancer Care Conference Room, 2827 Fort Missoula Road.
"Coping, Education & Support for Women with All Cancer Types" The support group for women in all stages of cancer treatment or survivorship will be held noon-1:30 p.m. the second Monday of every month through March 14, 2016, at the Community Cancer Care Conference Room, 2837 Fort Missoula Road. For more information, call Deb Rivey at 327-3912, Terri Paxinos at 327-3957 or Kimberly Hardwick at 327-3906.
Diabetes program At 6:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month, there will be a short presentation on a topic related to the management of type 1 diabetes at the YMCA, 3000 S. Russell St. It will be followed by the option for socializing in the foyer or being active together at the Y. A fee of $5 per individual will be collected at the door for those choosing to use the facility. Designed for ages 14 and older, children are welcome but must be accompanied by a parent/caregiver.
Double Trouble in Recovery The 12-step program for people with mental health and addiction issues meets 3-4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Winds of Change Recovery Mall, 2685 Palmer St., No. C (second floor). Coffee is provided. For more information, call Veronica at 721-2038.
Epilepsy support group Meets the first Monday of the month from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Summit Independent Living Center, 700 S.W. Higgins Ave., Suite 101. Patients, friends, family and caregivers welcome. Call Debbie at 721-0707 for more information.
Free health exams Women ages 30 to 64 who meet necessary income guidelines and either have no health insurance or have insurance that will not pay for breast and cervical health exams can receive free exams through Partnership Health Centers Montana Cancer Screening Program. Call 258-4162 for more information.
Gentle yoga class The Missoula Senior Citizen Center, 705 S. Higgins Ave., offers a class that focuses on balance training, back strength and core conditioning through gentle yoga matwork every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 9 a.m. Fee is $4 per class. All ages welcome. For more information, call 543-7154.
Health Insurance Assistance Service Montana cancer patients can call the American Cancer Societys 24-hour toll-free number to be connected to a health insurance specialist to ask about coverage and insurance programs specific to the state. The number is 800-227-2345.
Mens cancer support group Open to men in all phases of testing, treatment and followup, the group meets the fourth Tuesday of the month from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Montana Cancer Center, 500 W. Broadway. It is facilitated by Gary Weisbrich and Tom King. Call 329-5628 or email gary.weisbrich@providence.org for more information.
Narcotics Anonymous Meets at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Alano Club, 8 Third Ave. W., Polson. Call 406-883-4135.
National Alliance on Mental Illness NAMI Missoula meets every Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon in the lower level (behind the cafeteria) of the Providence Center. It is open to anyone affected by mental illness or interested in learning more about the group. The NAMI Connection group for adults living with mental illness meets 1:30-3 p.m. Thursdays at the NAMI offices, 202 Brooks St., Room 210. Call 880-1013 with questions.
NAMI Family Support Group National Alliance on Mental Illness Missoula meets Wednesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 202 Brooks St., in Room 210. The peer-led support for adult family members, caregivers and loved ones of individuals with mental illness is free. For more information, call 406-880-1013 or email namimissoula@gmail.com.
My No-Nonsense Nutrition Program A seven-week webinar course to improve your nutrition and fitness. Faith based approach to better health. Free initial consult with Judy Gilman, registered nurse, diabetes and wellness educator. mynononsensenutrition.com or 546-7819.
Overeaters Anonymous Local meetings include 7 p.m. Monday and 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 202 Brooks St. A meeting for newcomers is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday followed by a "Back to Basics" meeting at 7 p.m. at St. Paul's. Everyone who wants to stop eating compulsively is welcome. There are no dues, weigh-ins or lectures. For more meeting information, visit oa.org.
SAA For the latest Sex Addicts Anonymous meeting list visit saa-recovery.org, call the Missoula hotline at 241-4005 or email MissoulaBetterway@yahoo.com. SAA is a 12-step fellowship of men and women who share experience, strength and hope for the purpose of finding freedom from addictive sexual behavior and helping others recover from sex addiction.
S-Anon Local meetings are held weekly for this recovery program for people affected by another persons sexual behavior. Visit sanonmontana.org or call 406-544-1271 to learn more.
Stroke and Brain Injury Support Group Meets the second Thursday of each month from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Providence Center, 902 N. Orange St., in the dining area on the fourth floor. For details, call 329-5784.
Tai Chi for Arthritis Class offered 9:15 a.m. Mondays at the Missoula Senior Citizens Center, 705 S. Higgins Ave. $4 per class. All ages welcome.
Tai Chi Chih Classes are offered at the following locations: Missoula Senior Citizens Center, 705 S. Higgins Ave., 9:15 a.m. Wednesdays, $4 per class; PEAK Health & Wellness Center, 5000 Blue Mountain Road, 11 a.m. Tuesdays, call 251-3344; and The Womens Club, 2105 Bow St., 9 a.m. Fridays, call 728-4410.
TOPS Take Off Pounds Sensibly, an affordable, nonprofit, weight-loss support and wellness organization, meets at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the First Christian Church, 2701 S. Russell St. Another TOPS meeting is 6:30 p.m. Monday at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 2512 Sunset Lane. For additional meetings, go to tops.org, click on "Find a Meeting" and enter your zip code or call 800-932-8677.
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Submit items to newsdesk@missoulian.com by noon Friday for publication the following Tuesday.
HELENA Whether it was about honoring a survivor or tuning up for hunting season, the 2016 Shoot for the Cure inspired hundreds of archers to take aim for a good cause near Townsend on Saturday.
The first day of the annual two-day charity shoot sent archers prowling the Huth Ranch in search of challenging shots at 3-D targets. Now in its eighth year, proceeds from Shoot for the Cure are donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer research. The event wrapped up Sunday.
We get a lot of donations so our sponsors have been really good to us, said organizer Al Bodle. Its just amazing to see where this thing has gone.
Area residents Ann and Dave White were inspired to launch a Montana Shoot for the Cure after learning about the Pink Arrow Project, an effort to put a single pink arrow in archers quivers to raise awareness about breast cancer. Bodle, his wife Mary Huth and the Whites co-founded the nonprofit and in 2009 the Huth Ranch hosted 150 archers at the first shoot. This year Bodle expects close to 400 shooters.
Theres no award for first place everyone is here for the cause, he said.
Shoot for the Cure Montana has donated more than $62,000 since its founding, with a goal of $11,000 this year. Along with the entry fee, raffles and silent auctions put money towards the donation.
While the event takes a lot of time and the efforts of about 30 volunteers, Bodle says organizers are always thinking ahead, looking for sponsors for targets or donated auction items.
Getting ready for next year will probably start on Monday, he said.
Campers and tents lined a field off Gurnett Creek Saturday with many families planning to stay through the evening barbecue and shoot again Sunday. Archers lined up for a 100-yard shot at a 3-D elk target while families and friends hiked the four, 20-target loops.
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Shoot for the Cure has a different flavor than many 3-D shoots. Competitiveness is limited to friendly challenges between archers, and range finders are allowed and distances are only a suggestion. The goal is to foster a more casual atmosphere than other more intense archery events, Bodle said.
Its a family-friendly event and we dont want anyone to feel intimidated, he said.
Pink was a popular color among the archers, but John Geier of Helena took it a step beyond with a fluorescent tutu and matching angel wings. The ensemble was the loss of a bet at last years shoot, he claimed.
This is actually the G-rated version, he joked to several fellow archers.
Shoot for the Cure has become an annual outing and a good experience both for archery and atmosphere, Geier added.
Many parents and sons and daughters saw the shoot as both quality archery practice, but the loss of a loved one to cancer or the life saved by successful treatment remained foremost in many minds.
Patrick Bishop of Bozeman shot the course with his three sons, John, Benjamin and Joshua. Bishops mother is a breast cancer survivor and in remission for six years, he said, plus the shoot is a way to teach his kids the importance of hunting ethically.
This is the best way to train for hunting season, he said. If (his sons) want to put an animals life on the line, they need to show me they can put an arrow where it needs to be.
Gov. Steve Bullock pledged to throw new resources from his office toward improving Montanas outdoors economy Monday during a visit to Missoula.
Its more than just promoting Montana to get more visitors to come here, Bullock said during a presentation at the Montana Natural History Center. We need to address workforce challenges.
To do that, Bullock plans to:
Create a position in the Governors Office of Economic Development specializing in outdoor recreation.
Hire a person in the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation specializing in resolving public land access issues.
Maintain an email account where people can report problems getting to public land because of access, poor infrastructure or other reasons. The email address is keepitpublic@mt.gov.
Ask the Legislature to remove a block on the Habitat Montana land-purchase program, which he said left about $10 million in dedicated funds in limbo.
The states outdoor economy supports about 60,000 jobs and brings nearly $6 billion to the annual economy, Bullock said. An outdoor recreation economic development office would help attract and sustain businesses like gear manufacturers to Montana, and improve worker training opportunities for those businesses. It could also help balance competing interests between parts of the outdoor industry over things like access and activity restrictions.
Colorado, Utah and Washington state governments have similar outdoor recreation development positions.
The outdoor access specialist would concentrate on opening or improving public entry to public land, especially in places where easements or agreements are needed to cross private property. Bullock said about 2 million acres of state and federal land are landlocked by restricted travel across private land.
Trail Head outdoor gear store owner Todd Frank said that without access to public lands, his business would disappear.
This is a place where maps on the wall are considered a form of art, Frank said. As a way to attract new businesses and skilled workers, the outdoors is our greatest amenity.
Elke Govertsen, publisher of Mamalode Magazine, agreed and said Bullock's initiatives would improve quality of life for her employees and outdoor opportunities for her children.
Bullock said he was rearranging duties in the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation to create the land access specialist position.
But both the outdoor recreation specialist and the Habitat Montana funding release would require approval from the Legislature.
While he was able to preserve access to Habitat Montana funding by using line-item vetoes on legislative blocks in the past, Bullock said the 2015 Legislature drafted a block he couldnt undo without affecting the sale of fishing and hunting licenses. He vowed to resist further efforts to reduce public land improvements.
Not on my watch will we sell our public lands to the highest bidder, Bullock told the audience of about 30 outdoors enthusiasts.
Joseph Timothy Kinsey faces a felony charge after prosecutors say he pointed a handgun at another man and threatened to kill him.
Kinsey, 36, was arrested Sunday on a count of assault with a weapon.
According to a court affidavit, a sheriffs deputy responded to a home north of Florence shortly before 3 a.m. on July 10. The homeowner said he and his friends, including Kinseys partner, had been in the yard having drinks around a fire. He said Kinsey drove up to the house, got out of his truck and began to yell, Who is Gavin?
One of the men by the fire eventually said he was Gavin. Kinsey allegedly reached down near his leg and when he raised his hand, he was holding a gun, the home owner said.
Kinsey allegedly chambered a round in the weapon, then told Gavin he was going to kill him. The home owner said he was able to grab the gun and force it down. Kinsey then got back into his vehicle and left.
Kinseys partner told law enforcement that the two are in the process of separating. While she said she did not see the interaction with the gun, she said she was concerned for her safety based on his behavior.
A Montana Highway Patrol trooper found Kinsey near Lolo. He said he didnt want to talk about what had happened. The handgun was found in his truck, and he was arrested. He was released around 9 a.m. Sunday morning after posting his $50,000 bond.
During his initial court appearance on Monday, Justice of the Peace Marie Andersen allowed Kinsey to continue to be released on the bond, but ordered that he stay in Montana, surrender any weapons to law enforcement and have no contact with his alleged victim.
My family learned that recently under tragic circumstances. My parentsLarry and Christy Hammerwere killed aboard the Amazon River boat La Estrella Amazonica when their cabin caught fire through no fault of their own. Nowhere in their promotional materials did International Expeditionsthe U.S.-based travel company which proudly took credit for "designing and building" the boatmention the absence of basic safety measures like in-room fire alarms and safety-rated power strips, or the boat's poorly trained crew. To add insult to significant emotional injury, International Expeditions stonewalls us every step along the way as we search for answers.
BILLINGS - Authorities identified a 12-year-old girl who disappeared into a Huntley canal Saturday as Taeva Hawkins of Lockwood.
The search for her continued Monday along the Huntley Project Irrigation District canal.
Hawkins was swimming with two older girls, according to a release from Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder. All three attempted to swim through a tunnel in the canal. The two older girls made it through, but Hawkins never emerged.
None of the girls had flotation devices.
Crews from the Yellowstone County Sheriffs Office, Worden Volunteer Fire Department and employees of the irrigation district swept the area throughout the morning. Search dogs also returned to the scene, and divers will be back later in the day to check pinch points in the canal where the girl may have been snagged, Linder said.
The girl was reported missing at about 6 p.m. Saturday.
Linder said the search spans a 10-mile stretch of the canal. A cleanup area near Ballantine has been a focal point during the operation and is manned 24 hours a day.
"Through past experience we're expecting she'll get to that cleanup area, which is just a piece of equipment that brings stuff to the surface," Linder said.
He said aircraft flew over the canal on Saturday and Sunday but strong winds kept them grounded on Monday. The girl's family and volunteers have also assisted in the search. Some locals parked near parts of the canal that are visible from road and watched for any signs of the missing girl.
BILLINGS - A man charged with killing a motorcyclist while allegedly driving high on marijuana appeared Monday in Justice Court on a homicide charge.
Kent Roderick Jensen, 19, was charged with vehicular homicide while under the influence before Yellowstone County Justice of the Peace Pedro Hernandez.
Jensen is accused of killing Jashua James Fry, 31, of Billings, on March 7. The victim was riding a Kawasaki motorcycle eastbound on South Frontage Road when he was struck by a car that had turned west off Wise Lane, according to the Montana Highway Patrol.
The crash was reported at about 6:40 p.m., and Fry was pronounced dead at the scene.
Jensen was released on his own supervision Monday, but was ordered to wear a drug patch.
According to charging documents, Jensen told deputies he was driving to a Subway restaurant from a friends house when the crash occurred. The friend told deputies he and Jensen had smoked marijuana for most of the day.
In statements to Yellowstone County Sheriff Deputies, Jensen said he didnt see Fry before turning, and by the time he spotted Frys headlight, it was too late to react.
Jensen stayed at the scene until law enforcement arrived and consented to a blood draw. The draw showed he had THC in his system, and the concentration found was about four times the legal limit.
HELENA - The Helena Police Department received a call Monday evening reference to a missing female.
Miriam Esther Morrison, 41, is described as 5 feet 11 inches, 210 pounds, brown eyes and black hair. She reportedly had an appointment in the 900 block of Jackson around 11 a.m. Monday and was supposed to get back on a city bus and return to her Helena residence around. At approximately 1 p.m., she was seen walking north on Jackson heading in the direction of the Man Store. She did not get on the bus and return to her residence.
Miriam is cognitively delayed and has some mental health concerns. She also has some medical issues and does not have any of her medications with her. The Police Department has contacted the Department of Justice in which they are going to issue a MEPA (Missing and Endangered Person Advisory).
Officers are currently out looking for Miriam. There is no new information at this point and anyone with any information can contact the Helena Police Department at 442-3233 or 447-8461.
BILLINGS - At least 3,400 acres of private, state and federal land has burned in a Rosebud County wildfire this week.
The Harris Fire was started by lightning strikes on July 9 about 26 miles south of Ashland, according to an incident report filed on Monday.
Mark Jacobsen, Bureau of Land Management incident media contact, said the fire is not contained Tuesday morning. However crews have nearly surrounded the blaze and are working about 200 yards into the fires perimeter to mop up smoldering areas.
Jacobsen said an update on the size of the fire and the estimated level of containment will be released later Tuesday.
The last estimates released on Monday placed the fire at 3,400 acres and 20 percent contained.
BLM, United States Forest Service, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and Rosebud County equipment and crews were assigned to the fire. Jacobsen said Rosebud County assets including a bulldozer and two engines were released from the scene at about 7 p.m. Monday.
A new study confirms that black men and women are treated differently in the hands of law enforcement. They are more likely to be touched, handcuffed, pushed to the ground or pepper-sprayed by a police officer, even after accounting for how, where and when they encounter the police.
But when it comes to the most lethal form of force police shootings the study finds no racial bias.
It is the most surprising result of my career, said Roland G. Fryer Jr., the author of the study and a professor of economics at Harvard. The study examined more than 1,000 shootings in 10 major police departments, in Texas, Florida and California.
The result contradicts the image of police shootings that many Americans hold after the killings (some captured on video) of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.; Tamir Rice in Cleveland; Walter Scott in South Carolina; Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, La.; and Philando Castile in Minnesota.
Eight months after an armed man was fatally shot by a Dillon sheriffs deputy a public inquest will be held Wednesday into what led to the nighttime shooting outside the small agricultural town.
Authorities say Andrew Blake, 22, of Dillon was despondent and driving under the influence on a frontage road east of Interstate 15 when he was stopped by Beaverhead County Sheriffs Deputy Michael Miles on Nov. 10, 2015.
The sole on-duty deputy at the time of the 911 call, Miles shot Blake after law enforcement say he exited his pickup truck, returned to retrieve a rifle and refused to comply with the deputys commands to put down his weapon.
Blake died six days later at a hospital in Salt Lake City.
Coroner Ron Briggs will preside over the inquest in Dillon district court, with evidence presented by County Attorney Jed C. Fitch. As many as 12 witnesses will testify in court or via telephone including law enforcement officers, a Utah medical examiner and friends of the victim.
Fitch said footage from the deputys body and dashboard cameras will be shown in court.
A jury of nine will render a majority vote verdict and each is required to certify in writing, according to Montana statute. The verdict must determine the deceased individual; when and where the death occurred; if the deceased died by criminal means; and in this case if the deputy committed a criminal act.
Miles, who has worked for the sheriffs office since March 2013, was placed on administrative leave following the shooting. An administrative shooting review board determined that he followed agency policy and procedures.
The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation served as the lead investigative agency to provide oversight and ensure transparency.
Are we really united states?
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The answer is obvious: The United States needs to unite. The question is whether we can. Frankly, it's not at all certain that we're even capable. In the wake of the sniper attack in Dallas, where a crazed gunman went on a homicidal rampage against cops, and still more killings by police of people of color, many are only talking a good game.
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump -- would you believe -- made similar points. "Our country needs more love and kindness," Hillary told an AME church congregation. "I know it's not something presidential candidates usually say, but we have to find ways to repair these wounds and close these divides." Even Trump was temporarily subdued. "Our nation has become too divided," Trump said. "This is a time, perhaps more than ever, for strong leadership, love and compassion."
The delicate part is bridging the gaping divide between those who blame officers for brutalizing people of color and those who angrily defend law enforcement in spite of all the evidence. "I'd like all sides to listen to each other," said President Barack Obama. Obviously things are spiraling more out of control. There have been new shooting attacks against police even after Dallas. One of our go-to prominent police officials, Charles Ramsey, said our nation is "a powder keg."
For a few moments, our leaders were offering the right platitudes: Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, usually bitter adversaries in the House of Representatives, arranged a colloquy. Ryan, the Republican: "Let's not lose sight of the values that unite us ... our common humanity." Then the Democrat Pelosi: "I agree with the speaker that episodes like this must not harden our divisions, but should unify us as a country."
Let's face it: We are not unified. Race relations are a raw wound that fleetingly seemed to be healing when we elected a black president. In fact, we sadly realize that the infection has gotten worse, particularly given the hatred from bigots who refuse to accept that Barack Obama is the country's leader. He speaks of coming together, but his enemies insist on slamming him for the slightest hint of even-handed talk about the antagonism between minorities and police. William Johnson, who heads the National Association of Police Organizations, went on Fox News (where else?) to accuse the president of creating a deadly, dangerous climate. "It's a war on cops," he charged, "and the Obama administration is the Neville Chamberlain of this war." His remarks were typical of those who either have no interest in dialogue, as opposed to their angry monologues, or have decided that further whipping up a frenzy better serves their ambitions.
They have ample reason to believe that. America is bitterly divided. There are those who compare our fracture to the violent 1960s. But as dangerous as those times were, we didn't have the Internet back then. Now anybody has access to a worldwide audience. They can spew their ignorant hatred and fan the flames, which only encourages those who running for office to incite the mobs to fever pitch.
While it may seem obvious that we somehow need to come together, that would require everyone to step out from behind the barricades and constructively inspire a coming together. We'd all have to abandon our usual distrust. One has to wonder whether the conciliatory statements from the politicians are little more than cynical campaign tactics.
The optimist might suggest that once we get past the nastiness of the election, the time for banding together may be ripe. The problem is, we have a never-ending campaign. Besides, things are going crazy so fast that November may be too late for rescuing our nation from its accumulated antagonisms and increasing violence.
Ramsey compared our situation to "handling nitroglycerin." It's imperative that we find some way defuse this highly explosive situation. Immediately.
(c) 2016 Bob Franken
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
Last fall during Wood Products Week, a young man from the Seeley area approached me. He said his logging company had his and three other families working in the woods that very week because of our focused efforts. Families that wouldnt be getting that income from the forests, had we not been pushing to get more projects on the ground.
People talk about the timber industry in numbers of acres, board feet and stream miles restored. We cannot forget that people do that work people who know how to work in the woods, how to sustainably harvest trees, and how to restore our watersheds. Years ago, Colorado lost nearly all of its mills, and with it, the ability to keep Coloradans working in the woods. It also lost the families who know how to do this work. I will not let that happen to Montana.
Working on forestry with industry leaders and Montanans of all stripes has been a key priority. Together we launched the Forests in Focus initiative to encourage healthy forests and put Montanans to work. Through ups and downs in the timber markets, we've managed to keep a lot of our neighbors working in the woods.
When Congress gave states an opportunity to partner in timber and restoration work through the 2014 Farm Bill, I jumped in. No other Governor has done more with the farm bill to deliver healthier forests and more timber to our mills, with 15 projects already, that will produce of 55 million board feet for our mills.
I was also the first governor to sign a Master Stewardship Agreement with the Forest Service, giving our state a stronger hand in making sure projects provide the most value for our watersheds and our mills. For example, a project south of Helena has produced over one million board feet of timber for mills and has put people to work on important restoration projects in the watershed.
While my opponent is hung up on the fact that we havent signed an agreement to get Good Neighbor Authority projects done, sometimes a handshake will do. Were wrapping up the first project now. My priority was getting logs on trucks, not signing agreements. But, sure, later this month, well sign a broad agreement, enabling us to do even more.
Looking beyond federal lands, weve invested over $4 million on restoration projects on state, private and tribal lands. The state has a sustainable method that works for our forests and works for our mills, and Ill continue that work.
I worked with both parties in the legislature to create a $5 million hazardous fuel reduction fund. Ive authorized $3.5 million of that to be put to work on the ground. For the remainder, we are monitoring fire season and looking for the most strategic investments to keep mills open and restore our forests.
And we are working with the industry and Washington, D.C. to ensure that Montanans interests are front and center as a new Canadian Softwood Lumber Agreement is negotiated.
None of this work happened by accident. It came from people with different ideologies working together, project by project and dollar by dollar. As the election season heats up, you may have hoped to hear a fact-driven, engaging debate about how Montana can best support the timber industry. Instead my opponent offers only divisiveness. Its disappointing that Greg Gianforte would aim to tear down Montanas progress on forestry to prop himself up politically, rather than looking at facts and providing solutions.
A simple look at the facts, or a conversation with timber industry leaders, paint a very different picture than the one he is trying to sell. He even falsely said the Montana Wood Products Association endorsed him. They didnt. Facts matter when it comes to tough issues.
At a time when our economy is continuing to diversify, Montana needs a leader with ideas, with a vision, who understands the issues and brings people together. Not someone who misrepresents the facts and misleads Montanans for his own benefit.
These issues can be frustrating and often heart breaking, as we all felt with Weyerhaeusers recent announcement that it is closing two of its mills in Columbia Falls. But we know that the only way to solve them is by working hard, together.
Montanas natural resources are vital. They make Montana one of the best states in the country to do business, earn a good income, and raise a family. As governor I stand with our families in the timber industry, and I fight for them. And as your governor for the next four years, Ill continue to do so.
-- Gov. Steve Bullock, of Helena, a Democrat, is seeking re-election as governor of Montana.
The recent news of the Weyerhaeuser mill closures in Columbia Falls sent shockwaves across the state. For the Flathead Valley and our states struggling timber industry, its another 100 good paying jobs lost. For the community of Columbia Falls, the mill closures mean the loss of 2 mills that have been staples of the community for decades.
Unfortunately, this is a tale that played out all too often across Western Montana. Communities that have historically thrived on the timber trade have watched mills close and jobs go away. Everywhere the explanation is the same: There just is not enough supply of logs to feed the mills.
In the wake of Weyerhaeusers announcement, one local timber executive expressed the frustration of those in Western Montana who fight to keep the timber industry alive: whats most frustrating is that we are surrounded by trees. They are everywhere. Unfortunately, fringe environmental groups empowered by the federal Equal Access to Justice Act have nearly succeeded in closing our forests to timber management.
And managing our forests is about more than just helping the timber industry. When we manage our forests responsibly, we have healthier forests, fewer fires, and more wildlife. Good management is good environmental stewardship.
Ultimately, we need litigation reform and federal land management reform. However, we need leadership in this state that will use every available tool to defend Montanas interests and get more timber flowing to Montanas mills. The Governor of Montana has two very important and simple tools that he can use, but has failed to use, on this issue.
In 2015, the legislature appropriated $5 million over the biennium for a Hazardous Fuel Reduction Fund. Back in October, I called for the governor to release the full amount so we can better manage our forests and increase the timber supply. However, the governor has not released the full amount.
The governor has been given another tool to help alleviate the timber shortage thanks to the Good Neighbor Authority granted to states under the federal farm bill. It passed with bipartisan majorities and was unanimously supported by Montanas congressional delegation. The Good Neighbor Authority allows states to enter into contracts with the forest service to perform forest restoration programs, which includes timber sales.
Eighteen states have already entered agreements with the federal government to exercise the Good Neighbor Authority. The state of Wisconsin has used the authority to increase timber sales by a projected 25 percent on one forest. Despite having yet another valuable tool at hand, our current governor has yet to enter into an agreement with the federal government.
While these fuel reduction funds and executing a Good Neighbor Authority may not be the silver bullet needed to save the timber industry, the question remains: why isnt the governor using every tool in the toolbox to help with timber jobs in Montana?
The governor should also be working with the Congressional delegation to advocate for federal policy reform. It is certainly true that the federal government has not done its job when it comes to timber management. Yet, if the feds have failed to do their job, then why hasnt Governor Bullock supported any comprehensive federal land management reform proposals put forth by our own Congressman Ryan Zinke and Senator Steve Daines?
We need a governor who will work with our Congressional delegation towards meaningful reform. As it stands right now, the Bullock Administration is not very different from the Obama Administration on timber policy and litigation reform.
Unfortunately, as is all too common with this administration, Governor Bullock has failed to lead. He often tries to claim that he is powerless to act on these issues, yet he wont join with Attorney General Tim Fox and other states to take legal action against the feds, he wont use the remaining Hazardous Fuel Reduction Funds, he hasnt signed a Good Neighbor Authority Agreement, and he is not working with our congressional delegation to advocate for federal land policy reform.
In the business world, a CEO faced with challenges cannot just pass the buck and wish things were different. One must pursue all available avenues to tackle problems. With state revenues now on the decline and layoffs occurring all across the state, it is clear that Montana needs a new CEO.
-- Greg Gianforte, of Bozeman, is a businessman and tech entrepreneur. He is the founder and former CEO of RightNow Technologies and is a candidate for governor of Montana.
PRYOR On most nights, it may be easier to find meth on the streets of this small, isolated, Crow Reservation town than a police car.
Patrols are irregular and residents can wait 45 minutes or longer for officers to respond, whether they report a petty theft or a homicide.
But one resident started making nightly armed patrols and a grassroots movement known as the Arrow Creek Community Watch has grown up around him.
The seed was planted in July 2015 when the murders of Jason and Tana Shane shook the community.
The day of the murders, I got so mad that I couldnt sit in my chair and not do something to make it go away, said Cary Lance, who started the armed patrols.
Lance, known locally as White Buffalo, equipped his truck with an emergency band scanner and a two-meter radio so he can relay information when hes in the many areas of the Crow Reservation without cell service.
He packs a Taurus PT1911 .45 ACP pistol on his hip and an M4 style semiautomatic rifle in the truck while hes on watch. He totes a tactical vest carrying three spare 30-round magazines and a patch that reads Sheep Dog, symbolic of his mission to protect his community.
While just about everyone appreciates the volunteer patrols, not everyone is thrilled about Lance carrying guns. But, he says he wouldn't patrol unarmed. He holds a concealed carry permit, served in the United States Army and holds the second amendment to be a God-given right.
He said the firearms are for his own protection and he isnt acting as a vigilante. He grabs the radio before the rifle.
The last thing I want is a confrontation, he said. If I see something suspicious that doesnt look right, Ill leave the area. Ill get a vehicle description and the plate or whatever and leave the area.
On Tuesday, Lance received a tip that an unfamiliar man was walking along the Pryor St. Xavier Highway carrying a pack and sleeping bag. Lance looks for anything out of the ordinary and the traveler qualified that night.
Lance followed the highway to the eastern edge of his patrol area and pulled his pickup onto a dirt road leading to an area commonly targeted east of Pryor.
The rough path opens to prime pasture and mountain terrain where black angus and a small bison herd graze throughout the year. Just off the road, a modestly sized house sits abandoned.
Lance said the house was recently remodeled but has been empty since its owner died from hantavirus. The home held the homeowner's possessions long after his death but thieves ravaged the place despite the presence of the deadly disease.
Further up the trail, telephone poles are no longer connected after the lines were shot down with a high powered rifle. The scavenged cables held valuable metals and the scrap revenue likely supported a meth habit, Lance said.
The coulee is just one of the secluded places on his route seen as easy targets. Hell drive for hours every night looking for suspicious activity or anything out of place. His Ford F-250 burns about $25 worth of diesel fuel during his patrol, and he pays most of it out of his own pocket.
Lance has received some donations to offset his expenses, and Arrow Creek Community Watch is in the process of establishing itself as a nonprofit to open up funding opportunities.
Bryce Hugs, Arrow Creek Districts tribal senator, has been pushing for more organization and setting up formal meetings. On June 30, the group elected a board of directors and started planning a march to demonstrate the communitys solidarity and honor Jason and Tana Shane following the first anniversary of their passing.
Arrow Creek Community Watch still has some disagreements within the group and with local law enforcement officials, including the use of firearms.
Big Horn County Sheriff Frank Simpson has expressed concerns about citizens carrying guns while patrolling the community. He told the people gathered at the first group meeting in May the presence of weapons could escalate situations beyond control.
Jay Harris, Big Horn County attorney, said he supports community watch members carrying firearms. Open carry is legal on the Crow Reservation and they could find themselves in situations where self-defense is necessary.
He pointed to the shooting that killed Jason and Tana Shane and injured their daughter Jorah Shane as an example. The family was assisting a stranded motorist when the homicides took place and thats a likely scenario for a community watch member.
Despite the disagreement over the use of firearms, Simpson, Harris and Crow Agency Bureau of Indian Affairs Police Chief Jose Figueroa all support community watch programs as an aid in fighting drug-driven crime with limited resources.
Harris said he did a four-hour ride-along with Lance and he knows the Pryor area as well as anyone in the community. He knows owners and lease holders of the surrounding properties, and people know who he is. Theyve come to expect his patrols and Lance shines his flashlight at some houses to let the occupants know hes passing.
Harris said he wants the Arrow Creek Community Watch to allow people to rest easy when they go on vacation because they know their homes will be secure. He wants it to be a model for other districts on the Crow Reservation to replicate, and that the community builds a stronger relationship with law enforcement.
What thats going to take ultimately is continued effort, not going weeks on end or months on end without participation, he said.
So far Lance has made most of the patrols. But two other members started checking problem areas at times he wasnt already covering and folks in town have increased communication utilizing social media.
MUSCATINE, Iowa Little Caesars Pizza, 501 E. Sixth St., opens Tuesday at 11 a.m. in Muscatine, and the pizza is hot and ready.
Greg Jenkins, of the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said he has felt the anticipation building.
"Its already bringing excitement for the neighborhood and downtown community," Jenkins said.
He said he is looking forward to the good food Little Caesars has to offer.
The owner of the new restaurant said he also hopes to provide job opportunities to residents, especially those in the surrounding neighborhood.
"There's a lot of kids in this area here that actually don't have transportation so they're happy to have somewhere close by where they can work," said Kasey O'Kelly, owner of the new Little Caesars.
He said he has employed 45 people at the new business, which was one of his goals when he was planning to open.
The property Little Caesars is located on was vacant for years, O'Kelly said, and with a shortage of open property in the downtown area, he jumped at the chance to buy the lot.
O'Kelly came to Muscatine in 2000 from Iowa City to work at Hy-Vee, but after retiring he began looking for other business opportunities. Once the lot was purchased, O'Kelly had to decide what kind of business to open.
"I thought this franchise would fit best in the area," he said.
He said that affordable restaurant options were scarce, and many people cannot afford delivery pizza.
"This is more something they can afford, it's a good neighborhood pizza place, where it's quick and ready to go, and in a convenient location," he said.
O'Kelly originally planned to open the Little Caesars in the spring, but weather led to setbacks.
Tuesday is the business's first day, and O'Kelly said he is optimistic about the community reaction.
"I think the initial reception will be fantastic," he said.
He had heard people talk about wanting a Little Caesars in town, especially because the business had a location in Muscatine in the past.
Several residents and Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce members were present at Monday's ribbon-cutting, and taste-testers could be heard saying the pizza was some of the best they have had.
Little Caesars will be open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, call Little Caesars in Muscatine at 563-554-6600.
MUSCATINE, Iowa Local fourth- through eighth-grade students made cake, cooked eggs, and tasted bread to learn more about science during the What's on my Plate camp this week.
Merideth Nichols, a Muscatine County 4-H AmeriCorps member who led the camp, said STEM camps are important for students.
"The purpose of STEM in general is to keep the students engaged in science, technology, engineering and math throughout the summer," Nichols said.
What's on my Plate focused on cooking and food science, allowing the 11 students to have fun while learning.
On Tuesday, students learned about protein. They cooked eggs, combined milk and Red Bull, an acidic energy drink, and made brownies in mugs.
"Red Bull reacts with the protein in milk to coagulate it," Nichols explained.
She warned the students not to drink the mixture, and to avoid drinking Red Bull, and they gasped as they watched chunks form on the surface.
Lauren Audas, 10, said her favorite part of the camp was making (and especially eating) chocolate souffle.
"We're learning how to make stuff and what things to mix," she said.
Nichols said she planned the activities to be fun for all of the students.
"What we're trying to do here is kind of keep them engaged in some of those curriculum areas as well as give them a chance to kind of explore different areas," she said.
Sebastian Calderon, 12, said he had some experience in the kitchen before the camp but really enjoyed learning more.
"I like learning how to cook; this morning we made hard-boiled eggs," he said.
Another student, Alex Pautz, 11, said he had fun learning about the science behind cooking.
"It taught me names, like how gliadin and glutenin make gluten," he said.
On Monday, the students talked about different kinds of flour, including what type to use in cake and what to use in bread, and what breads had more gluten.
Nichols said she hopes the camps will help teachers as well, allowing them to review less with the students in the fall and instead pick up lessons where they left off in the spring.
"What parents really want and what the state of Iowa is striving for is to not let kids fall behind in the summer," she said.
WAPELLO, Iowa A reception to honor Hal Cross, former music instructor at Wapello High School for more than 30 years, will be held from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Saturday, July 16, in the high school gym.
Alumni and friends are invited to join the Wapello Alumni Marching Kazoo Band in the Chief Wapello Parade following the reception. A program will then be held at the southeast corner of the high school lot to dedicate the honorary naming of Hal Cross Street.
Harold V. Cross will be remembered by his former students and friends with the creation of the Hal Cross Wapello Music Endowment Fund administered by the Community Foundation of Louisa County.
Cross has been Wapello's "music man" for more than 60 years, contributing to the musical culture and heritage of the schools and community.
He directed the Wapello High School marching band for 31 years, and upon his retirement, established a community choral group in Wapello. He was also the composer and director of numerous musicals in the community.
The Hal Cross Wapello Music Endowment was begun by former students wishing to honor him for instilling admirable characteristics in his students, including strong work ethic, discipline, a spirit of competition, a sense of accomplishment, teamwork and a love of music.
Donations may be made online at cfgrb.org, and checks can be made payable to the Hal Cross Music Endowment Fund and mailed to Community Foundation of Great River Bend, 852 Middle Road, Bettendorf, IA.
Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi []
Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes []
Calistoga Police and the Napa County Sheriffs Office arrested two men suspected in an armed robbery in Sonoma County on Tuesday, one arrest coming after a search that locked down much of Calistoga for about four hours.
Law enforcement officers first located the suspects in Calistoga and detained one man shortly after the reported robbery, which occurred in Windsor in Sonoma County after 1 p.m. But they continued to search for a second man with the help of at least two helicopters, two SWAT teams and dog units until well into the evening.
The second man was found in a creek bed behind Rancho de Calistoga mobile home park just after 7 p.m., police said. He was positively identified by the officer who had the initial confrontation with the suspects in Calistoga.
The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office identified the first suspect as Serge Gutsu, 24, of Antelope. The second man, arrested hours later, was identified as Ivan Morales, 23, of Lakeport
The incident began after a Calistoga police officer located a vehicle on the side of the road matching the description sent out by Sonoma County Sheriffs Office shortly after the robbery, said Capt. Keith Behlmer of the Napa County Sheriffs Office. When the officer pulled up behind the Chevy SUV, Gutsu got out of the vehicle and started shooting rounds at him, Behlmer said. The officer responded by ramming the man with his patrol car.
Gutsu was detained and transported to the hospital. No details on his condition were available.
The officer was not injured, and his identity was not immediately released.
Morales also got out of the vehicle and began running toward the Napa River, Behlmer said.
With helicopters overhead and units on the ground, officers and deputies were seen searching for the suspect with guns drawn.
The men may have been involved with an armed robbery that occurred in the area of the Lakewood Shopping Center at about 1:15 p.m. in Windsor, according Sonoma County Sheriff's spokeswoman Cecile Focha.
Shortly before 3 p.m., after the confrontation with the Calistoga officer, law enforcement set up a perimeter from Tubbs Lane to Petrified Forest Road. Morales was last seen running toward the river., police said
Residents along Mitzi Drive in Calistoga were unable to return home and were offered shelter at the Calistoga Community Center downtown.
Lupe Martinez had gone to the store and was unable get back to her home on Mitzi. She has two daughters, ages 21 and 18, in the house.
"They were scared," she said.
A lot has happened over the last year or so in this area, she said, including a wildfire on Tubbs Lane, the Valley Fire and the resulting flood of evacuees at the Fairgrounds; and a bomb scare at the gas station across the street.
"It seems like everything happens on Mitzi," said Martinez.
Neighbor Lucy Curiel, meanwhile, was at work and was unable to get back home because of the police search. She waited in the parking lot of the nearby Home Plate Cafe for more than three hours before heading to the Community Center.
Police believe the men, masked and armed with a rifle, held up an armored car guard, leaving a security guard wounded and bags of cash gone, The Press Democrat reported.
One man, reportedly a 55yearold, was rushed to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with three gunshot wounds, the newspaper said.
The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said late Tuesday that the man had been released from the hospital, but declined to release his name or detail his condition.
Focha said the arrested men would be booked into custody in Sonoma County. Details of possible charges were not immediately released.
Windsor Police Chief Chris Spallino told the Press Democrat that a Loomis armored car security guard had been shot multiple times while leaving the Chase bank branch. He was carrying at least two bags of money back to the waiting vehicle where one security guard remained inside.
Two men wearing masks jumped from the vehicle, at least one carrying a rifle, and shots were fired, wounding the guard, the chief said. The robbers grabbed the money, got back in the vehicle and drove to the nearby post office where they ditched the vehicle for another vehicle, he told the Press Democrat.
Focha said information from the public was instrumental in locating and identifying the men. She asked anyone with further information to call investigators at 707-565- 2185.
"We grateful for the many citizens who came forward with information and support throughout this rapidly unfolding event," she said in a statement late Tuesday. "From eyewitness tips to bottles of water, the people of Sonoma and Napa Counties were instrumental in bringing these highly dangerous situations to a successful conclusion."
Anne Ward Ernst, editor of The Weekly Calistogan, contributed to this story.
The Table, located at First Presbyterian Church, welcomes anyone in need of a good meal every weekday afternoon.
Much appreciation is due all the groups who take turns purchasing, preparing, and serving the food: Living Vine Church, Sunrise Rotary, Board of Realtors, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, St. Vincent de Paul, Soroptimists, Friends of Napa Valley, Queen of the Valley Medical Center, American Association of University Women, St. Apollinaris Catholic Church, St. Johns Lutheran Church, St. Marys Episcopal Church, Community Seventh-day Adventist Church, First Presbyterian Church, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Congregation Beth Shalom, First United Methodist Church, Upper Valley Catholic Parishes, Covenant Presbyterian Church, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Napa Valley Quilters, Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church, Downtown Joes, Kiwanis Club, Parker Hall and friends.
You might be interested to know that most of these groups have been devoted volunteers for many years, and some have been doing it for decades. We give heartfelt thanks to all the people who helped The Table in any way.
One of our longest-serving groups has advised they are no longer able to provide their usual meal service. We are looking for another group who will prepare and serve the meal once a month. Anyone interested in helping with this worthwhile project should contact First Presbyterian Church at 224-8693.
Mary Beth Reyes
Table board member
Reagan Rombauer Blackwood, granddaughter of founder Koerner Rombauer, has joined Rombauer Vineyards as assistant regional sales representative, becoming the first member of the familys third generation to be employed at the 36-year-old Napa Valley winery.
In her new role, Rombauer Blackwood assists with sales- and marketing-related projects, as well as represents the winery at sales events, tastings and auctions in California, Nevada and the Southwest. She will be based in Las Vegas.
Rombauer Blackwood earned her bachelors degree in Business Administration from Boise State University.
Rombauer Blackwood grew up in Napa Valley and, like her mother before her, spent a good portion of her youth working at the family-owned winery. I was there all the time. Some of our long-term employees are just like family to me, she said. Her experience includes jobs in the accounting department and tasting room, and assisting with special events and wine clubs.
Most people familiar with U.S. history recognize that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a strong connection to pioneer history in the this country. There are many stories of pioneer families whose tragic situations were met with incredible faith and devotion. There were so many who in their search for opportunities to exercise their religious freedom gave up comforts of homes, friends, and other advantages to seek to live in new communities that could eliminate the discrimination and oppression they felt in Missouri and Illinois.
One such story involves John Linford, his wife, Maria, and their three sons, who made the decision to leave their home in England to journey thousands of miles to join over 20,000 new members of the church in the valley of the Great Salt Lake. This couple actually left their fourth son behind, who was serving a mission in Europe. They sold their belongings and took passage in Liverpool aboard the Ship Thornton. Their voyage was difficult, but once they ultimately arrived in Iowa City they joined the ill-fated James G. Willie handcart company.
The harsh weather and difficult travel took their toll on many in the company, including John Lindford. He eventually became so ill and weak that he had to be pulled in a handcart. By the time the company reached Wyoming, his condition had deteriorated significantly. A rescue team from Salt Lake City arrived just hours after Johns mortal journey on this earth ended. He died that same morning the rescue party arrived near the banks of the Sweetwater River in Wyoming.
Was John sorry he had traded comfort and ease from the struggles, privations, and hardships of taking his family to Zion?
No, Maria, he told his wife just before he died. I am glad we came. I shall not live to reach Salt Lake, but you and the boys will, and I do not regret all we have gone through if our boys can grow up and raise their families in Zion. Johns family completed their trek without him, and when Maria passed away nearly 30 years later, she and John left behind a legacy of faith, of service, of devotion and of sacrifice.
Such willingness to suffer and often die for ones beliefs is a characteristic of devoted Christians, who choose to follow the path of the Savior. To be a pioneer is to be acquainted with sacrifice. Many Christians make significant sacrifices that often are not supported by family members to follow obediently the commitments they make to the Savior to keep his commandments, remember Him, and be forever grateful for the power of the Atonement and His example for all of us.
We of all Christian faiths can all be pioneers in being examples of Christ-like principles, of doing good for others, and by being willing to sacrifice for those things that are both precious and eternal.
The NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg will hold a press conference on Wednesday 13 July, 2016 at 18.00 hours following a meeting that day of the NATO-Russia Council at the level of Ambassadors.
17.00 - Press conference by NATO Secretary General at NATO Headquarters (Luns)
General Information
Live footage of the press point will be available on the NATO website and satellite;
After the event photos, video and audio files will be made available on the NATO website in original sound, English, French and Russian. Broadcast quality videos will be distributed via the NATO TV Channel. Media representative that wish to be added to the distribution list can do so by sending an email content@natochannel.tv
Languages
Material from the press conference will be offered in English, French and Russian during the event live and afterwards on the NATO Website.
Accreditation and Access
Journalists in possession of a 2016 NATO media pass will be granted access to NATO upon presentation of their pass.
Media representatives that do not hold a 2016 NATO media pass will need to request accreditation directly at the main entrance of the NATO Headquarters. This may be done from 09.00 hours on 13 July.
In order to request accreditation, media representatives will be required to present an ID and a valid press card. The press card must be issued by a recognised national professional body of a NATO country (i.e. government, professional association or union etc.).
/
Those not in possession of a valid press card must send a signed letter from their editor to NATO Press & Media Service, no later than 18.00 hours on Tuesday 12 July.
(Fax: +32.2.707.1399, email: press@hq.nato.int).
Television networks requesting access of a sat van must inform NATO using the email above. Access from 7 a.m. will be possible for sat van installation.
Security Procedures
A security check will take place and all equipment and personal effects carried onto the site will be examined by security personnel. Media representative are therefore encouraged to arrive with sufficient lead time to allow for security proceedings.
Points of Contact
General queries: Front Office +32.2.707.5041
Press arrangements: Damien Arnaud +32.2.707.5038
Accreditation: Carmen de Jong +32.2.707.3910
TV/Radio issues: Henk Dekens +32.2.707.5051
Post-event Video distribution content@natochannel.tv +32.2.707.122
Follow us on Twitter (@NATOPress and @jensstoltenberg)
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Secretary of Armenian Security Council and representatives of French Ministry of Defense discuss cooperation prospects
Israel and Turkey to resume defense cooperation
Scholz says solidarity is the only way to deal with the energy crisis
Israeli and Turkish defense ministers meet in Ankara
Turkey to rewrite inflation forecasts again after rate cut
Azerbaijan does not want checkpoint on border with Armenia, it wants only 'corridor'
Putin plans to attend meeting of CSTO leaders
CSTO special session to be held Friday, assistance to Armenia to be discussed
Estonia urges Rishi Sunak to increase UK defense spending
Moscow perplexed by information about ban to enter Armenia for Konstantin Zatulin and Margarita Simonyan
Armenia PM honors October 27, 1999 parliament tragedy victims
U.S. and Western officials finalize plans to limit Russian oil prices
EU seeks Armenia-Azerbaijan peace for its own energy interests?
World economy is approaching recession
US Armenians demand Senate member candidate Mehmet Oz to stop his Armenian Genocide denial
Azerbaijan president, Russia deputy PM discuss prospects for unblocking South Caucasus communications
Armenia opposition MP: Azerbaijan attempting to fulfill much bigger task with its attacks of aggression
Armenia opposition pledges to become active again
Syria MFA: Terrorist attack in Shiraz shows that terrorism has become U.S. policy main tool
Lebanon and Israel approve maritime border agreement
Pashinyan to Sunak: Armenia attaches great importance to further development of cooperation with UK
U.S. accelerates deployment of modernized version of nuclear bomb at NATO bases in Europe
Armenian Foreign Ministry expresses condolences to Iran over Shiraz terrorist act
Premier: Armenia set new absolute record in income-salary jobs
Armenia premier: We need to ensure 7% economic growth in 2023 also
Gazprom: Creating gas hub will benefit Russia, Turkey, Europe and Azerbaijan
Ruling force MP: Azerbaijan must withdraw its troops from sovereign territory of Armenia
Armenia parliament speaker: We hope Uzbekistan will also remain part of building peace in our region
CNN: CIA Director visits Ukraine
OSCE needs assessment mission briefs deputy FM on their work in Armenia
European Parliament report amendment condemns Azerbaijan policy of erasing Armenian cultural heritage in Artsakh
Armenia to provide around $50M loan to Artsakh
EU monitors in Armenia set off on first patrol on Azerbaijan border
Armenia to introduce system of transition from compulsory to contractual military service
Newsweek: American troops are preparing for war with Russia
Azerbaijan and Russia discuss increasing number of checkpoints on border between 2 countries
Ombudsperson to attorneys of Frances Montpelier: POWs trials in Azerbaijan are aimed at terrorizing Armenian society
Karabakh parliament to convene special session Sunday
Today marks 23rd anniversary of Armenia parliament tragedy
Newspaper: October 31 trilateral meeting in Russias Sochi to not be groundbreaking
US State Department: Armenia-Azerbaijan direct dialogue is key to resolving issues, reaching lasting peace
Armenia MOD: No wounded soldiers in military hospitals who are in severe or critical condition
Ukraine Presidents Office: Kherson direction situation changing unpleasantly for Kyiv
Raisi: Terrorist attack in Shiraz will not go unanswered
Turkey arrests doctor who called for investigation into chemical weapons use in northern Iraq
Blinken: China has decided that the status quo in Taiwan is no longer acceptable
Steven Mnuchin says China will face significant economic downturn that will affect rest of world
German government allows Chinese company to buy reduced stake in Hamburg port terminal
'Corridor' between Armenia and Azerbaijan becomes subject of heated debate in European Parliament
Awkward lunch: Macron humiliates Scholz in Paris
Polish government prepares for 'potential use of nuclear or chemical weapons' by Kremlin
Iran: Unknown shoot and kill 2 IRGC members
EU calls on defense ministers of bloc countries to coordinate arms purchases
What will Israeli defense minister discuss in Turkey
Erdogan: We cannot allow 'terrorist organizations' to take the issue of Sweden's membership in NATO hostage
KGB: Opponents of authorities will begin to rock situation in country in November-December
Finance Ministry: Armenia plans to increase pensions in July next year
Terrorist who carried out shooting in Shiraz is foreigner
Saudi Arabia slams countries for using emergency oil reserves to manipulate prices
Azerbaijani who fought in ranks of AFU killed in Kiev as result of Iranian drone strike
Konstantin Zatulin: You don't have to be Armenian to love Armenia and Armenians
Biden's approval rating approaches lowest level of his presidency just 2 weeks before election
White House tones down its previous optimism about the midterm elections
Ford Motor leaves Russian market by selling its stake in Sollers joint venture
Council of Lazarev Club considers ban on Konstantin Zatulin to enter Armenia outrageous trick
The New York Times: Saudi Arabia pissed off U.S. by derailing a secret deal
Samvel Karapetyan: Various forces are pushing Armenia away from Russia, this cannot be allowed
Dubai Silicon Oasis interested in cooperation with Armenia in IT sector
Jens Stoltenberg announces his intention to visit Turkey
Wiktorin: EU observation mission will ease tensions
Saudi Aramco: European embargo on Russian oil increases uncertainty in global oil market
Commander of Lithuanian Armed Forces against transfer of howitzers and air defense systems to Ukraine
Armenian Finance Ministry gives outlook on economic activity and debt ratio
Minister: Rehabilitation works after Azerbaijani Armed Forces' invasion continue
About 230 kilometers of roads are being built and repaired in Syunik
Bloomberg: Europe has more gas than it can use
Pashinyan says he would like to sign Armenian-Azerbaijani peace deal before end of year
168.am: President of Artsakh leaves for Russian capital
Armenia's Pashinyan: I will attend trilateral meeting in Sochi
Bloomberg: China's budget deficit since beginning of year approached record trillion dollars
PM: There is expectation that CSTO will adopt roadmap to restore Armenias territorial integrity
Pope receives Armenian FM
Armenia ruling party convention to be closed to media
Dollar falls, euro rises in Armenia
Kremlin: Russia has information that Ukraine is preparing terrorist attack using 'dirty bomb'
Governor underscores EU envoy to Armenias efforts in returning of Shirak Province POWs (PHOTOS)
Putin: US is using Ukraine as battering ram against Russia, CSTO, and CIS
Russian journalist Ksenia Sobchak leaves Russia
Russian military practices massive nuclear strike in response to nuclear attack of adversary
Germany restricts visas for Iranian passport holders
Belarus Foreign Minister visits Iran
" " Many restaurants substitute the fish specified on the menu for a cheaper cut. webphotographeer/Getty Images
Americans have long been told that they should eat more fish. The American Heart Association, for example, recommends noshing on a variety of fish at least twice weekly. Many citizens have happily complied; the U.S. is the world's second-largest consumer of seafood, coming in second only to China [source: Oceana]. While that's great news in general, it comes with a word of caution: Rampant fish fraud is occurring around the globe.
Seafood fraud (aka fish fraud) is anything that disguises or falsifies information about the fish you purchase in order to increase profits. One example: changing the expiration date on packaging to make fish seem fresher. But most of the news about fish fraud centers on mislabeling one type of fish as another. In a damning 2012 study conducted by Oceana, an ocean conservation group, the organization reported 33 percent of the fish it tested in restaurants and markets weren't the ones they were purported to be. Since typical fish fraud involves swapping out pricier fish for cheaper varieties, these results translated into a $25 billion annual hit to Americans' pocketbooks [source: Lou].
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The FDA has laws on its books to thwart fish fraud, but some in the industry complain its enforcement efforts are weak. Less than 1 percent of all imported fish is inspected specifically for fraud. But that's partly because fewer than 100 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) agents are performing inspections, and due to budget cuts that number is likely to further diminish. A larger issue may be that 90 percent of the seafood Americans chow down on comes from foreign countries that often have lax aquaculture regulations. These include Canada, China, Ecuador, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, with Thailand and Vietnam by far the worst offenders [sources: Lou, Oceana].
Fraudulent fish most often come in filet form; it's harder to properly identify seafood without its head, tail or other features. Some of the more commonly swapped fish include grouper, cod and snapper, which are often replaced by fish that are much less expensive and/or desirable. And while Americans are talking about the issue a lot these days, it's hardly a problem unique to the U.S. Seafood is one of the world's most commonly traded foods, and more than 100 other studies have uncovered seafood fraud in 29 countries located in all continents save Antarctica [sources: Lou, Oceana]. Clearly, this is a global problem.
YEREVAN. We are looking forward to live up to our joint commitment to secure mobility and contacts between people by launching a Visa Liberalization Dialogue.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia informed Armenian News-NEWS.am that Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian on Monday stated the abovementioned in his statement at the Eastern Partnership 7th Informal Ministerial Dialogue being held in the Ukrainian capital city of Kiev.
This year we already have met twice - in Prague and Brussels, sharing our vision in regard to the cooperation with European Union and perspectives of multilateral relationship within the Eastern Partnership, said Nalbandian. We hope the EU will be able to overcome the situation created by the Brexit soon. As for Armenia, we will continue our efforts to further develop and deepen the partnership with the European Union, EU member states as well as the UK.
Months that passed since our last meeting in this format in Tbilisi were fruitful for the Armenia-EU cooperation. Negotiations on a new framework document between Armenia and the European Union were launched last December. This agreement will reflect the depth and essence of our bilateral relations and set new guidelines for enhanced and comprehensive partnership. Four rounds of negotiations have been held so far, recording a steady progress.
The outcomes of the Riga Summit and the Joint Declaration adopted in May 2015 provided a shared vision for our partnership and cooperation in coming years.
Agreement on the participation of Armenia in the COSME Programme (for small and medium-sized enterprises) was signed last December. A month ago Armenia joined Horizon 2020 programme (for research and innovation). We envisage becoming soon a part to the Creative Europe Programme, (which offers a broader frame for cultural exchanges) and we also expect the negotiations on the Common Aviation Area agreement to start this year.
The enhanced mobility remains one of the important prerequisites for making our societies closer. A month ago third meeting of the Joint Committees on monitoring the implementation of the Visa Facilitation and Readmission agreements took place in Yerevan. The parties highlighted their successful realization. We are looking forward to live up to our joint commitment to secure mobility and contacts between people by launching a Visa Liberalization Dialogue.
Speaking about the reforms being implemented in Armenia, the FM stated: The Government of Armenia continues the reform process aimed at the consolidation and strengthening of the democratic institutions. On May 25th the National Assembly adopted the new Electoral Code. The Joint opinion of the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR recognized the tangible efforts made by the authorities to take into account the recommendations on the basis of broad engagement with domestic stakeholders and stated that the draft electoral code could provide an adequate basis for the conduct of democratic elections.
To take an extra step forward the Government of Armenia continued to work with the opposition and civil society and a deal was signed between the Government and the representatives of the parliamentary opposition to introduce new amendments in order to conduct more fair, inclusive and transparent elections.
In this context, let me note that we highly appreciate the EUs continued support and assistance provided to our country over the years, which has been instrumental for the effective implementation and sustainability of the reform process and institutional capacity building in Armenia.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the 2016 Republican Convention convenes in Cleveland, Ohio next week, the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) embarked on an Armenian Genocide billboard campaign prominently displaying the statement of President Ronald Reagan affirming the Armenian Genocide.
With nearly 50,000 people expected at the Convention in Cleveland, the billboards are part of the Assembly's ongoing public awareness initiative. They serve as a reminder about the need to affirm the truth and learn from the past so as to prevent future genocides.
During his first term in office, President Reagan issued a proclamation which read in part: Like the genocide of the Armenians before it, and the genocide of the Cambodians which followed it - and like too many other such persecutions of too many other peoples - the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten.
The first two billboards, located on I-77 northbound near Grant Avenue (close to where the Convention will be held) and Carnegie Avenue westbound, features an excerpt from President Ronald Reagan's proclamation on April 22, 1981.
The Cleveland Armenian community, and, particularly, our parishioners, are overjoyed with respect to the presence of both billboards, Rev. Fr. Hratch Sargsyan, pastor of St. Gregory of Narek Armenian Apostolic Church, said. The billboards are the talk of the Armenian community. Folks are simply ecstatic.
The billboards' media campaign was overseen by the Assembly's Ohio State Chair Ara Bagdasarian, who is also a member of the Cleveland Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee.
Ronald Reagan, one of the most revered Republican leaders, is the only sitting president to recognize the Armenian Genocide and use the term genocide. With these billboards, we will reiterate Reagan's statement and help ensure that the next president - whether it be Republican or Democrat - reaffirms the Armenian Genocide, Bagdasarian said. We wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to share our message about the Armenian Genocide with the visitors coming to Cleveland during the Republican Convention. The world's spotlight and media will converge here, and we have the chance to be heard."
Donated by Debbie Abdalian-Thompson, owner of Cleveland Outdoor Advertising, the Assembly put up two of the billboards to commemorate the 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and to promote public awareness during the Convention. A third billboard was added following Germany's affirmation of the Armenian Genocide on June 2. The most recent billboard reads: Truth vs National Interest and Thank You Germany for Recognizing the Armenian Genocide, designed by Peace of Art and located on I-77 southbound near mile marker 157.
I would also like to give special thanks Debbie Abdalian-Thompson and Cleveland Outdoor Advertising for her generous support, Bagdasarian added.
12:35
Accusing the Mehbooba Mufti government of failing to assess the situation after Hizbul commander Burhan Wani's killing, NC leader Omar Abdullah today said the PDP-BJP combine had "forgotten" the lessons of 2008 and 2010 when the Valley witnessed largescale protests.
The former chief minister also charged that Mehbooba Mufti was "shamelessly" trying to convey message of normalcy in the state hit by violence.
"I will not go into whether the situation is worse or not than 2008 or 2010. That is something you people have to decide. However, I feel that unfortunately, the lessons which we learnt in 2008 and 2010, the present government has forgotten them for some reasons," Omar told reporters in Srinagar.
The former chief minister was speaking to media after paying tributes to the martyrs of 1931 at Martyrs graveyard in Khawaja Bazar in downtown area of the city.
Omar, who is the working president of the opposition National Conference (NC), said either the government's assessment of the situation after Wani's killing was wrong or their preparations were not right.
"Either the present government exhibited negligence in assessing the situation after Burhan's killing or they did not prepare for the situation. Some reason out of the two is true that either their assessment was wrong or their preparations were not right.So, it is the responsibility of the government to restore normalcy," he said.
The NC leader said it was the time to reach out to the Valley with a healing touch and requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send specialist doctors to the Valley for treating the injured.
"Hon (Honourable) @narendramodi ji. After Kerala fire you carried a plane load of burn specialists with you.Please send eye/trauma specialists to Kashmir," he said.
"Please don't let the fact that these youngsters people have been injured in protests stop us from giving the best care possible.Thank you jenab," he said. The NC leader also appealed to the Centre to order the forces to show restraint while dealing with the protests.
"I appeal the Centre to order the forces for exercising restraint and if people and forces can be ferried in planes, then what is the problem in getting medicine here.The news about dearth of emergency medicine is coming out of the hospitals.I request them to bring medicines and other such things in the planes in which forces are being brought.
"Our doctors must be tired now, how many hours can they work? Our operation theatres are overflowing, so I appeal them that normalcy cannot be restored by ferrying people in buses, we need some concrete steps like restraint and immediate assistance to hospitals," he said.
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Data accessed from the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association reveals an embarrassing statistic for the automotive industry in Pakistan. Latest numbers from Pakistan, when compared with those of India, show that exports of cars produced in India are four times that of total vehicles produced and sold in Pakistan. Such is the disparity between the two economies of South Asia. India sold nearly 23.56 Lakh passenger cars in its domestic market in 2014-2015 as compared to a meagre 1.52 lakhs by Pakistan in the same year. However, the statistics get more interesting when we compare Indian exports. At 5.74 lakh passenger vehicle units exported by India in 2014-2015, the number is 4 times that of total vehicles produced and sold in Pakistan. "The data has left us red faced, we are nowhere in the picture. No comparison with India," said a member of the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA), who wished to remain unnamed in this report. Pakistan, which some consider to be the gateway to Central Asia, has no indigenous car manufacturer, whereas Indian car manufacturers have embarked on an aggressive overseas expansion. TATA, Mahindra, Ashok Leyland, Hero Group are some examples of Indian car manufacturers who have made a mark on the international stage. Overseas acquisitions have gathered steam too with TATA's acquisition of Jaguar and Land Rover and Mahindra & Mahindra buying up SSyangYong Motors. With lax automotive safety and quality standards enforced in Pakistan, a significant number of Pakistanis are turning to Japanese cars which give better value for money and safety standards that outstrip those of their Pakistani counterparts. The member of the Pakistani Automotive Manufacturers Association who is quoted in this article, further went on to say that Pakistan has become a dumping ground for second hand cars from Suzukis to Humvees to Toyotas...Pakistanis will have to wait a long time for a viable indigenous, affordable car. "How can we say 'Make in Pakistan' when no Pakistani has 'Made in Pakistan' before," said the Pakistani Automotive Manufacturers Association member when asked if they will replicate the success of the 'Make In India' campaign. (ANI)
back2basics, a Bangalore based organic farming startup, has introduced a unique experience in the field of organic farming, called an "Experiential Farm visit". This farm visit is the first of its kind in India, which allows an individual or a group of people to visit the farm, experience, pluck, eat and enjoy organic produce with absolutely no commercials involved. The experiential farm, a mere 20-minute drive from ITPL, Whitefield, houses varieties of both exotic and local produce. Now, consumers can visit their experiential farm and see high-quality organic production, right from seed to harvest. The farm is spread across 3.5 acres, where consumers can learn about their chemical-free production techniques and pick the products on their own. Free farm visits are facilitated once a month for a group of 30 people registered online. back2basics was founded by S Madhusudhan, who is a veteran in the marketing and advertising industry. After working in leadership roles in many multi-national corporations across the globe, Madhu stopped to re-evaluate his own fast-paced lifestyle and food habits after a health scare. Madhu does not have any agricultural background - he last studied Botany in Class 10 - and started from humble beginnings by growing produce on a 30 ft x 40 ft plot. He spent a lot of time understanding both the challenges faced by the Indian farmer and those faced by the discerning Indian consumer with an appetite for fresh, high-quality fruits and vegetables. By applying several management techniques to improve current agricultural practices, back2basics is a unique blend of ancient wisdom and modern science. back2basics currently produces 90+ varieties of fruits, vegetables, greens and cold-pressed oils in the farms spread across close to two hundred acres around Bangalore. "The reason we decided to launch an experiential farm is because 99.9 percent of consumers don't know the source of the organic Fruits and Vegetables that they buy and consume. People buy their footwear from air-conditioned showrooms but don't hesitate to buy their Fruits and Vegetables from the footpaths," said Founder and Chief Farmer back2basics, Madhusudhan. "Our goal is to make buying organic vegetables a norm in our segment of households. More importantly, we want to make "going organic" a way of life. Our experiential farm was introduced to add a layer of credibility and honesty to all what we do today at back2basics. Promoting a healthy lifestyle by educating the consumer and their families, through experience, on the benefits of organic farm fresh produce, is the sole objective of our experiential farm visits," said Idea Cultivator back2basics, Bhairavi Madhusudhan. (ANI)
Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh), July 12 (ANI-Newsvoir): Infogain, a leading business and IT consulting firm, has named Sunil Bhatia as Chief Executive Officer effective July 1, 2016. Mr. Bhatia has held the position of CEO Designate at Infogain since the completion of Infogain's acquisition of the IT assets of Blue Star Infotech Ltd. (BSIL) in January 2016. Founder and former CEO Kapil Nanda will remain an active part of the company as full-time Executive Chairman of Infogain's board of directors. "It's been a great honor to serve as the founder and leader of Infogain since 1990. During my tenure, I have had the privilege to see the company achieve significant milestones and chart impressive growth. We accomplished this through strong relationships, and by providing strategic services and support to many of the world's largest enterprises and leading technology companies. Sunil's transition to CEO represents the next step in Infogain's evolution. His track record of successfully managing and growing global teams, both as CEO of Blue Star Infotech and as CEO Designate at Infogain, will help him propel Infogain to further growth and profitability as a recognized IT leader in the Digital Transformation space," said Nanda. With 25 years of experience, Mr. Bhatia's work history includes senior executive positions with IBM, Accenture and Tech Mahindra in the US and Asia. Prior to Infogain's acquisition of BSIL, he led the company as CEO and Managing Director.Mr. Bhatia holds an MBA from Mumbai University, in addition to completion of executive programs from Wharton and INSEAD. He lives in Silicon Valley, California. "As the new CEO, I am honored to lead and position Infogain as the next IT leader in Digital Transformation. With the successful integration of our companies and continued strong investments in solutions, leadership, and employee engagement, we are confident that our clients will benefit from our expanding expertise in IT solutions and services that align with the digital transformation era," commented Sunil Bhatia, Infogain CEO. Under Bhatia's leadership, the company will sharpen its focus to the following areas: Digital Transformation Services Industry focus: High-tech, Retail, Insurance/Healthcare and Travel & Hospitality AMS, Business Analytics, Testing, Mobility, UI/UX, SFDC and ERP Sanjay Kukreja, Infogain board member and Partner at ChrysCapital said, "During Kapil's leadership, Infogain achieved impressive growth and profitability while forming deep, long-term partnerships with some of the most prestigious customers in the world. We have another winner in Sunil based on his senior leadership experience and excellent track record. I am confident Sunil will lead Infogain to continued industry-beating growth and profitability." Infogain is a leading business and IT consulting firm specializing in digital transformation, business process, architecture design, end-to-end project implementation and managed services. With close to 4,000 employees, Infogain has built its industry-specific business consulting and technology solutions to deliver value and competitive advantage to leaders in the retail, high-tech, travel and hospitality, insurance and healthcare industries. (ANI-Newsvoir)
China on Tuesday suffered a major diplomatic blow when an international tribunal ruled that it violated the Philippines rights in the South China Sea. Beijing refused to accept the verdict, calling it "null and void". The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague accused China of interfering with the Philippines fishing and petroleum exploration, building artificial islands in the waters and failing to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing in the zone, media reports said. The tribunal held that fishermen from the Philippines had traditional fishing rights in Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, and that China had interfered with these rights by restricting their access. The court held that Chinese law enforcement vessels unlawfully created a serious risk of collision when they physically obstructed Philippine vessels in the region, the South China Morning Post reported. The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Karimata and Malacca Straits to the Straits of Taiwan, of around 3.5 million sq km. The South China Sea is a resource rich strategic waterway through which more than $5 trillion worth of global trade is shipped each year. Beijing has placed runways and radar facilities on new islets it has created in the disputed sea after piling huge amounts of sand onto reefs. The tribunal's much-anticipated verdict demolished China's expansive claims and its historical nine-dash line in the disputed South China Sea. "There is no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line," the court said. "China has violated the Philippines' sovereign rights with respect to its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf." China reacted angrily the ruling, saying it did not accept or recognize it. "The award is null and void and has no binding force," the Foreign Ministry said. China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea should under no circumstances be affected by such rulings, it said. Xinhua news agency issued a brief report reiterating Beijing's stance of rejecting the tribunal's authority over the case which Manila brought against Beijing. Beijing refused to participate in the case and has denounced it as a plot against China led by the US. Besides the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims with China in the South China Sea, one of the world's busiest trade routes. China, however, said it was ready to continue to resolve the dispute peacefully by negotiation "on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law". "Pending final settlement, China is also ready to ... enter into provisional arrangements of a practical nature, including joint development in relevant maritime areas, in order to achieve win-win results and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea." China said it respected the freedom of navigation and overflight enjoyed by all states in the South China Sea ... "to ensure the safety of and the unimpeded access to the international shipping lanes" in the region. The ruling from the Hague was harsh on Beijing. China caused severe harm to the coral reef environment in the South China Sea, the court said. The Chinese authorities were aware that Chinese fishermen had harvested endangered sea turtles, coral and giant clams on a substantial scale in the region using methods that inflict severe damage on the coral reef environment, it said. The announcement of the ruling came as China and its main rival claimants went on high alert amid heightened tensions over the maritime disputes. --IANS mr/vd/rn ( 607 Words) 2016-07-12-18:58:06 (IANS)
He is here to start shooting "Thor: Ragnarok", in which he reprises his role as Loki, and has been joined in by Swift.
The "Avengers" star was jogging along Broadbeach on Australia's Gold Coast when a journalist approached him to ask him some impromptu questions about his pop star girlfriend, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
Hiddleston, 35, seemed embarrassed when the journalist asked: "Is Taylor Swift the one?"
He then laughed nervously before replying: "I would rather just talk about my work if that's alright.
Hiddleston was then asked by the reporter how Swift was enjoying her time in Australia, to which he responded: "I'm not going to answer that if that's alright.
The duo, who started dating last month, were also spotted enjoying a romantic meal at Italian restaurant Gemelli on the Gold Coast.
--IANS ank/rb
( 157 Words)
2016-07-12-05:24:01 (IANS)
Melbourne, July 12, ANI: Looks like the ladies of the 'Ghostbusters' reboot have a perfect reply for the haters. Slamming critics who massively out cried on social media on the all-women 'Ghostbursters,' the leads of the reboot, in an interview said, the vitriolic comments do nothing but boost their will to do better. While Melisa McCarthy and Kate McKinnon said they have stopped listening to haters and do not even read their comments anymore, enraged Leslie Jones gave hard hitting reply to knockers, reports news.com.au. "Well I read everything. This kind of thing makes you a warrior and I am going to fight that (sexism) and I am going to win. It gives me fuel, I love it. Please tell me that I am not good, so that I can show you that I am," Jones quips. Further condemning the redundant terminology used at social media to describe the cast, she said, "Yeah, let's start with the term 'female comic'. Can people just get over it? Yes, I have titties and an ass so you know I am a female." Supporting her co-actress, Mckinnon added, "She sure does. If anyone does, it's my colleague Leslie Jones. But I haven't paid attention to the vitriol people have thrown my way. I am more of a delicate flower and don't read it." However, McCarthy expressed her anguish and said she no more pays hid to bitter comments on social media. "It's like critiquing a book that you are about to start in a month. How about you read it first?" she said. "I read one thing that made me burst out and cry because it attacked me, and it said something so awful against my children I thought, 'No good comes from reading this stuff", added the 45-year-old actress. Unfortunately, the fourth member of the quartet, Kristen Wiig was ill with flu and unavailable to comment on either the controversy of the movie. (ANI)
The 23-year-old popstar has launched a corresponding fashion line, a 23-piece collection, that prominently features words like 'Zayn' and 'Mind' written on hoodies and jackets in Urdu script, reports the Dawn.
Speaking to Vogue about his foray into fashion, Zayn stated, "Everything was created with the idea that this is something I would want to wear. I wanted to approach this as an opportunity to extend my ideas as an artist, and to give fans another facet of who I am."
"My family is from Pakistan, so having artwork in Urdu has huge significance to me," he said while explaining the reason to incorporate Urdu script.
In the month of June, his girlfriend Gigi Hadid was spotted rocking the Zayn jacket. (ANI)
That is what happened today during a promotional event of his upcoming flick 'Mohenjo Daro,' where he elegantly turned down the questions saying, "Sometimes the truth takes time."
When media, at the event, quizzed the 42-year-old actor to react on his long-drawn battle with his rumoured former girlfriend Kangana, he preferred turning down the question saying, "It's not elegant of me to speak about it right now."
The 'Bang Bang' actor along with the cast and crew of 'Mohenjo Daro' arranged a special event to tease fans with glimpses of the highly anticipated project, slated to release next year.
The Ashutosh Gowariker's directorial, set in 2016 BC in the ancient city of Mohenjo-daro in the era of the Indus Valley civilization, is about a man who falls in love with his enemy's daughter. (ANI)
The West Bengal Government will host a state reception in honour of the President at Chowrasta (The Mall).
On Wednesday, President Mukherjee will attend the birth anniversary celebrations of 'Shri Bhanubhakta Acharya', which will also be held at the Chowrasta.
On the same day, the state government will host a dinner in his honour.
The President would address the annual general meeting of Darjeeling Tea Association on July 14. (ANI)
Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Tuesday criticized Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for expressing deep shock over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, saying it is very ill-advised to be commenting on somebody (Wani) who was questioning India's sovereignty and integrity. Speaking to ANI, Khurshid said, "It is very ill-advised to be commenting on somebody who was questioning India's sovereignty and integrity, and who was equipped to hurt ordinary Indians who disagreed with him." "So, I don't think it is fair for Mr. Nawaz Sharif to be commenting on this," he added. Earlier today, Sharif expressed deep shock over the killing of Wani and other civilians and condemned the 'excessive and unlawful' use of force against people in Indian-administered Kashmir. "It is deplorable that excessive and unlawful force was used against civilians who were protesting against the killing of Burhan Wani," said Sharif in a statement. On Sunday, the Foreign Office spokesperson of Pakistan also issued a statement deploring the oppressive measures adopted by Indian forces and called the killing of Wani as extrajudicial. "Pakistan reiterates that the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is only possible by the realisation of the right to self determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, as per the UNSC resolutions, through a fair and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices," the statement said. "Such acts are a violation of fundamental human rights of Kashmiris and can not deter the people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand for the realisation of the right to self determination," the statement added. Islamabad also expressed its concern over the detention of Kashmiri leadership and called upon New Delhi to fulfill the human rights obligations as per the United Nation. Acknowledging Pakistan's statement on the current situation in the valley, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) yesterday responded saying that, Islamabad's statement reflected their attachment to terrorism. "They reflect Pakistan's continued attachment to terrorism and its usage as an instrument of state policy. Pakistan is advised to refrain from interfering in internal affairs of its neighbours," the ministry said in a statement. The 22-year-old commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen along with his two cohorts, was killed by the security forces on last week. The Kashmir valley has been on a boil since as widespread protests were carried out over Wani's killing with many separatists' calling for a shutdown. (ANI)
According to reports, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, along with other senior officials are likely to be the part of the meeting.
Prime Minister Modi, who returned from his four-nation five-day tour of Africa today, will reportedly be given a detailed presentation on the situation in the Kashmir Valley.
The Separatist groups, meanwhile, extended their strike call in Jammu and Kashmir by two more days till tomorrow.
Kashmir has been on a boil as widespread protests broke out across the valley over Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani's killing. Separatists' have been calling for a shutdown ever since.
The death toll in the clashes between protesters and security forces in Kashmir mounted to 23, as normal life remained paralysed in the Valley due to curfew-like restrictions and separatists-sponsored strike in the wake of Wani's killing in an encounter earlier on July 8. (ANI)
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways & Shipping Nitin Gadkari has called upon the US investors to invest in India, saying it is a golden opportunity for them as the present government is giving topmost priority to infrastructure development. Mr Gadkari held discussions with senior executives of the US and Indian companies regarding his plans and vision to strengthen India's infrastructure, investment opportunities in road construction and port-led industrialisation. The Minister was speaking at an event hosted by the US-India Business Council (USIBC) in Washington yesterday, an official statement said here today. USIBC is a premier business advocacy organisation, comprising 400 top-tier US and Indian companies. It is the largest bilateral trade association in the US, with liaison presence in New York, Silicon Valley, and New Delhi.Speaking to the investors, Mr Gadkari said, "Prime Minister Modi has made the country's infrastructure development the top-most priority of the government. We are committed to improving the country's road, highways, and port connectivity in a time-bound, result oriented, corruption-free and transparent manner". "The pace of road construction has accelerated to an all-time high of 20 kilometers per day and next year we plan to increase it to 41 km per day. This is a golden opportunity to invest in India," he added.More UNI RBE PR SB 1430 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0427-831581.Xml
Just hours after landing from South Africa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today reviewed the law and order situation in the Kashmir Valley, which flared up after gunning down of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, claiming 31 lives. The Prime Minister and the Jammu and Kashmir government have called for maintaining calm in the valley where Internet and mobile phone networks have been cut off to try to stop the protests spreading. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has appealed to separatists to help restore peace. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has also expressed concern over the situation in the state, according to a UN spokesperson. Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric was responding to a Pakistan reporter who claimed thatMr Ban had brushed aside the Kashmir issue and had not made any reference to it whiletalking to the media earlier yesterday. She said while there was no denying that the UN was concerned about the situationin Kashmir, but that the UN chief did not raise the matter as he ''did not raise many other critical situations around the world does not mean that he is brushing anything aside.'' Talking to reporters, Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Sigh said that the Prime Minister has assured the Mehbooba Mufti Government of every possible assistance to deal with the situation. Mr Modi expressed the hope that none of the innocent people would suffer from any kind of inconvenience or harm," Mr Jitendra Singh said. He also expressed satisfaction over the ongoing Amarnath Yatra and hoped that the situation in the Valley will return to normal very soon. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who had yesterday reviewed the situation in the valley and also reached out to the Opposition parties, will again speak to Ms Mufti. Mr Singh has postponed his US visit scheduled for next week. Though sources cited the coming monsoon session of Parliament as the reason, the visit has understandably been deferred in view of the situation in the valley. The Home Minister was to take part in the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue in Washington.More UNI BAS RP1450 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0103-831623.Xml
Six children of Delhi Public School (DPS) were injured when a van in which they were travelling was hit bya truck at the Ring Road-Bannur Road Junction on the outskirts of the city today. The children were treated at a private nursing home and discharged. "All the children are fine," an official from the school said. The injured children travelled to DPS from Srirangapatna, about 20 km from here in a private van. "The children were not travelling in a DPS school bus," the official clarified. UNI BSP MSP CS 1511 / 1514 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-831758.Xml
After failing to monetise the bidding round of 67 Discovered Small Fields (DSFs) in the country last year, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan has decided to launch the International Road-Show in Houston tomorrow in a bid to attract global investors. The road shows will take place in Houston, US and Calgary, Canada as a part of promoting the Discovered Small Fields Bid Round 2016, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry said in a statement.Houston road show is scheduled to take place on July14-15, 2016 while the Calgary road show will be held on July 18-19 July, 2016, it added. Mr Pradhan will visit Houston and Washington DC on July 13-18. He will meet Ernest Jeffrey Moniz, Secretary of Energy, US on July 18 in Washington and issues of bilateral hydrocarbon cooperation will be reviewed. The Minister will also hold interactions with various think-tanks working in hydrocarbon sector in Houston and Washington DC. Besides, he will also visit technology centres working in oil and gas spheres. The discovered small fields bidding were launched in New Delhi on May 25, 2016. Subsequently, road-shows for this round were held in Mumbai and Guwahati. Under this round, 67 DSF of ONGC and Oil India Ltd, which could not be monetised during previous years, are being offered for international bidding, it added.Progressive administrative and fiscal procedures have been introduced in this bidding process in sync with best international practices. During the road-show a data room will also be opened in office premises of ONGC Videsh Ltd in Houston.UNI ASH AE 1437 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0388-831648.Xml
IndusInd Bank today has announced the opening of its IFSC Banking Unit (IBU) at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) to meet the requirements of offshore banking operations from India. It is the sixth bank to open IBU at GIFT, as GIFT IFSC has seen a significant jump in business, with total business transactions crossing the US 475 million dollars mark, generated by five functioning IBUs consisting of YES Bank, Federal Bank, IDBI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank and ICICI Bank. Few more banks as well as insurance and other financial services companies too are expected to begin operations at GIFT IFSC in coming months, Mr. Ajay Pandey, MD & Group CEO of GIFT City said. The IBU of IndusInd Bank, a Mumbai based new generation bank, established in 1994 which offers commercial, transactional and electronic banking products and services will provide the bank access to International financial markets and deliver a complete range of products to its clients with foreign currency funding requirements. The Bank will now be able to actively offer products such as External Commercial Borrowings to its customers an area where it had limited capabilities hitherto, he said. "The entry of IndusInd Bank at GIFT IFSC is another feather in the hat of this unique and first of its kind project in India. It is an important development for us to have one of India's leading private sector bank set up base at India's first IFSC,'' Mr Pandey said. Mr Suhail Chander, Head, Corporate & Commercial Banking, IndusInd Bank said, "This is a significant development in the overall growth of IndusInd Bank and it helps us complete our off shore product offerings to corporate clients. This would be a step closer to cater to our customers overseas and will also address the growing demands of such services for Indian corporate in international markets." GIFT City, being developed near Gandhinagar, is India's First Global Financial Hub. Part of GIFT City is notified as multi-service SEZ with IFSC status catering to India's large financial services potential by offering global firms, world-class infrastructure and facilities. It is estimated that GIFT would provide five lakh direct and an equal number of indirect jobs which would require 62 million square feet of commercial, residential & social facilities with total investment of about Rs 78,000 crore over next 10 years.UNI XC PS AE 1508 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-831705.Xml
A division bench, headed by Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur, issued the notice to the Central government after hearing a Public Interest Litigation from the petitioner, Ankur Sharma.
Mr Sharma contended that Muslims, who almost constitute 68 per cent of Jammu and Kashmir's population, should not claim a "minority" status in the state.
The Supreme Court also issued notice to the Jammu and Kashmir state government and the National Minorities Commission, besides the Central government.
The petitioner has sought the SC's intervention in cancelling the benefits offered to the minorities welfare in the state under the Prime Minister's 15-point guidelines.
Mr Sharma told the court that there was no State Minority Commission in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Apex Court also refused to pass any interim order to block the benefits of the central schemes from being availed by the majority population in the northern state. UNI XC PS RP1543
-- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-831818.Xml
Zinc touched a 13-month peak and nickel hit the highest since last October on Tuesday as speculators piled in after the selection of a new prime minister for Britain and on hopes of more stimulus.Increased risk appetite among investors sparked a broad-based rally on the London Metal Exchange, but some analysts remained wary because little had changed in the supply-demand picture."I'm a bit nervous about these rallies, they do seem to be driven by investor buying rather than any change in the fundamentals," said Caroline Bain, senior commodities economist at Capital Economics in London."At the beginning of the year we were really positive, but prices have already risen beyond our end-of-year forecasts."Benchmark LME zinc had climbed 1.9 percent to $2,181 a tonne by 1051 GMT, the highest since June 10 last year.Zinc has been investors' favourite, surging 35 percent so far in 2016 as closures and suspensions of major mines tightened the supply picture.Nickel was the best LME performer on Tuesday, shooting up 3.4 percent to $10,385 after touching $10,435, the highest since Oct. 29 last year.Nickel climbed for a third day on concerns that the Philippines, China's top supplier of nickel ore used in making stainless steel, may shut some mines after a month-long review. Nickel prices in London have jumped more than 7 percent since the country announced the review on July 1."At the very least there is a reasonable portion of Philippine supply risk and at the margin that's going to tighten the nickel trade," said analyst Daniel Morgan at UBS in Sydney.Morgan sees prices steady to higher from current levels.Goldman Sachs hiked its nickel price forecasts by 29 percent to $11,000 for three months out, and for zinc by 15 percent, as it boosted price expectations for the next year.Adding to the lift on Tuesday, some China steel mills were ordered to cut output. That sent Chinese steel futures up more than 3 percent at one point and iron ore futures limit up.Among other metals, LME copper climbed 1.8 percent to $4,833.50, adding to a 0.8 percent gain from the previous session.Metals have heated up partly on expectations China may roll out fresh stimulus measures to counteract uncertainty in some of its export markets.REUTERS RSD GC1644 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-831987.Xml
Apollo Hospitals, a leading healthcare groups in the country, has inked MoUs to enhance healthcare cooperation with Kenya. Ms Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, who is in Nairobi as a leading member of the Indian Business delegation accompanying the Prime Minister inked two significant MoUs with Kenyatta National Hospital and Airtel Africa, at Nairobi, Kenya. The MoU with Kenyatta National Hospital is focused on capacity building in the Kenyan Healthcare sector. It is the oldest and most trusted Government hospital besides being the largest referral and teaching hospital in Kenya. Apollo Hospitals and Kenyatta National Hospital have identified various areas of collaboration and knowledge transfer to build local capacity in tertiary healthcare services. Apollo Hospitals will train Kenyan doctors and other healthcare staff at Apollo hospitals in India. Specialists from Apollo Hospitals will visit Kenyatta National Hospital to conduct joint medical camps, educational lectures and training programs. This is in line with India's support to Kenya in developing a self-sustainable healthcare services model. According to Ms Sangita Reddy, Apollo has partnered with Kenya for long duration by way of extending international care treatment to its patients and training their doctors. Now we are prepared to take it to new level and thereby further enhance India's contribution to the Kenyan healthcare services. The other deal signed by Ms Sangita Reddy with Airtel Africa, a leading telecom operator with operations in 16 countries in Africa, is focused on enabling easy access to Apollo specialists and enhance healthcare cooperation across Africa. This deal will enable Airtel Africa subscribers access personalized advice in real time thereby bringing world-class healthcare services at their fingertips. It will provide its customers with discounted consultation and enable easy payment options through Airtel Money or the customers Airtime. This partnership with Airtel Africa will revolutionize the access to healthcare system, Ms Sangita Reddy said. As part of this agreement, Apollo Hospitals and Airtel Africa will launch "Ask-Apollo", a simple and reliable service from a professional medical team at Apollo Hospitals. 'Ask Apollo' is a web & mobile enabled patient-centric service, which combines the expertise of world-renowned Apollo doctors, with the convenience of consulting them at any time, from anywhere around the world. This easy-to-use platform allows one to talk to doctors, face-to-face through video conferencing, or connect with them via voice or email, thus saving the time, money and energy of patients anywhere. One can also upload clinical information including reports, images and scans, to be analyzed by Apollo experts, who can then provide an opinion within a stipulated time.UNI VV CS 1727 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-832102.Xml
A horse named Kanthaka gifted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Mongolia by his counterpart, is hail and healthy and living a King size life in Ulan Bator. As Vice President Hamid Ansari prepares for his Mongolia visit on July 15-16 to attend the 11th ASEM Summit, the special horse presented to Mr Modi by his Mongolian counterpart Chimed Saikhanbileg, has again come into the spotlight. During a media briefing about the Vice President's upcoming visit, a question was raised about the horse, which Mr Modi accepted at the Mini Naadam sporting festival at Ulan Bator in May last year."Let me tell you, I have spoken to an officer concerned, who told me that the horse is hail and healthy," MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup replied, in a tongue-in-cheek remark. Mr Modi had to leave behind the brown horse gifted to him as the Ministry of Environment and Forests prohibits the exchange of animals as diplomatic gifts since 2005.Under the rules, diplomats and political leaders can accept animals as gifts, but cannot bring them to India.UNI MK RJ AE 1911 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0090-831947.Xml
From an acute power starved State, theStates in South, none of them ruled by the BJP, have emerged powersurplus thanks to the policies pursued by the Narendra Modi ledgovernment at the Centre during the last two years, Union Ministerfor Power, Coal and Mines Piyush Goyal said today. Talking to newsmen after a review with the State government onmatters relating to his ministry, he said during the last two yearsthe transmission capacity of the region increased by 71 per cent to5900 mw and within the next two years it would go upto 10,000 MW. He said coal was available in abundance in the country and froma state of shortages a situation of greater availability of coal hascome about. The Coal fired thermal stations in Karnataka today hadstock that could run upto 51 days as against two to three days inthe past. The enhancement in production capacity had resulted inimport saving to the tune of Rs 24,000 crore last year and this yearhe expected the savings to touch Rs 40,000 crore. Coal was beingimported only to those thermal stations which could not take highash content coal and in coastal regions where rail transportationcould not be linked. He said the Modi's government intention was to ensure that Indiaemerge self sufficient in coal requirement for industries and power plants. With regard to his new portfolio of Mining, the Minister saidthat he had sought the mining department to make sure the countryproduced adequate minerals to meet its requirement. The currentproduction capacity would be doubled and the country would emerge amineral exporter, he asserted. He said the power outages plaguing most parts of Karnataka,including Bengaluru was mainly due to transmission bottlenecks andsome painpoints relating to setting up of transmission towers. During his discussions today, he raised various points relating tolong pending right of way issues relating to four main high tensionlines and the State government had positively responded to removethe bottleneck at the earliest. This would enable Bengaluru to befree from power outages, he added.MORE UNI CNR MSP CS 1855 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-832498.Xml
Leader of Opposition in Telangana State Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir today said the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen's secret alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party was no more a secret. Reacting to Gujarat BJP MLA Yatin Oza's allegations of MIM's secret pact with BJP during Bihar election, Mr Shabbir Ali said that the Congress party had exposed this fact long back. In a media statement, Shabbir Ali said that the MIM has been acting as the 'Muslim Morcha' of BJP and Sangh Parivar since the last general election. "In the guise of party's expansion, MIM fielded its candidates on selective seats so as to divide non-BJP votes. In Maharashtra Assembly elections, MIM contested on 24 seats. Although it won only two seats, it divided Muslim votes in other seats. The division directly helped BJP-Shiv Sena win eight seats. It tried to implement the same strategy in Bihar Assembly election, but MIM was outrightly rejected by the people of Bihar," the Congress leader said. Shabbir Ali asked BJP President Amit Shah and MIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi to clarify on the meeting which they had before Bihar election. "MIM contested Bihar election only to benefit the BJP. If Mr Owaisi is serious, then MIM should have contested in entire Bihar. Initially, AMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi announced that his party will contest on all 24 seats in Muslim-dominated Seemanchal. Finally, it contested only on six seats out of 243 constituencies in Bihar. All this was done at the instance of BJP leadership only to polarise election," he alleged. "Owaisi brothers, alongside Sangh Parivar, are on a mission to divide the country on communal lines. By playing the Hindu-Muslim card, the BJP-MIM combine is aiming at political gains. They were successful in Maharashtra, failed in Bihar and now adopting a similar approach in Uttar Pradesh election. In Telangana too, both BJP and MIM are supplementing each other," he said.UNI VV CS 1948 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-832612.Xml
Four dalit youth were beaten black and blue and dragged for almost a kilometer allegedly for possessing cow beef in Una town in Gir Somnath district in Saurashtra. The report of the incident has gone viral on social media. The Dalit from Samadhiyala village were called to collect flesh after the information of a dead cow in the village. The Dalit youth, who belong to a community of leather traders, when came to Una for the purpose, they were cornered by a group of men near the Una bus stand. These men then stripped the youth half naked before tying them to an SUV and beated them in full gaze of the public. Though a large crowd gathered at the place, no one came forward to rescue the youth. The men who intercepted the youth claimed to be working for the cause of cow protection. The men continued to beat the four youth for over half an hour before dragging them to the police station a kilometer away. It was only when people from Dalit community gathered at the police station demanding action, did the police register an FIR against five men and admitted the victims for treatment to a local hospital. Among those against whom FIR has been filed include Pramodgiri Goswami, claiming to be district president of Shiv Sena and organization working for cow protection. The police has booked the five men under Section 307 (attempt to murder), Section 395 (loot) and Atrocities Act under IPC. The police claimed to have identified the three accused and begun the process to arrest them, even as two others have been declared as absconders. UNI ND PS AE 1959 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-832652.Xml
"We have arrested Narender today," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav told IANS.
He was arrested as he was not cooperating during the investigation, a senior police officer said.
Narender was posted in the Surveillance Cell at Inspector General of Police office in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur district. He was brought to the national capital for questioning by a team of the Delhi Police on Monday.
The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police had on Sunday busted an inter-state gang involved in illegally getting call detail records (CDRs) and then selling them to various people.
Police had arrested Jaiveer Singh Rathore, 46, Pankaj Tiwari, 26, Aditya Sharma, 32, and Sanjeev Chaudhary, 42, for illegally obtaining CDRs.
Investigators had said that Rathore, owner of a detective agency based in Uttam Nagar in west Delhi, got the call records from Narender.
Rathore used to sell the CDRs to private detective agencies, including BLS firm, for Rs 5,000 to Rs 30,000.
On Monday, Crime Branch sleuths had also carried out searches at the office premises of detective agency BLS Management Solution Pvt Ltd in central Delhi's Barakhamba road and seized several incriminating documents.
--IANS aks/rn/vm
( 224 Words)
2016-07-12-21:16:05 (IANS)
The Supreme Court is likely to give on Wednesday its judgment on the petitions challenging Arunachal Pradesh Governor J.P. Rajkhowa's decision to advance the state assembly session and directing it to take up the resolution for the removal of the then Speaker Naban Rebia as first item. Rajkhowa had advanced to December 16, 2015 the commencement of the assembly session, earlier scheduled to meet on January 14, in the wake of dissident activities in the State. He had directed that the resolution for the removal of Speaker Rebia moved by the dissidents including opposition BJP lawmakers taken up as item number one and the party composition of the state assembly would remain unaltered. It was argued on behalf of Governor Rajkhowa that if Governor, under the constitution, had power to prorogue the House then he could as well advance its commencement otherwise scheduled for later date. While reserving their order on the petitions challenging the role of the Governor on February 22, 2016, the constitution bench comprising Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar, Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Madan B. Lokur, Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh and Justice N.V. Ramana had said that if they come to conclusion that Rajkhowa had exceeded his jurisdiction in exercise of his discretionary powers then it would put the clock back to the situation prior to December 16. The constitution bench declared its stance after Governor Rajkhowa had told the court that if it (constitution bench) came to the conclusion that he had exceeded his jurisdiction in the matter, then only these two decisions would be quashed and not his recommendation for the imposition of President's rule in the State. --IANS pk/vd ( 290 Words) 2016-07-12-21:24:01 (IANS)
India today indirectly rejected China's contention that its disputes with the littoral states of South China Sea could not be settled under the UN Convention on Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS). ''As a State Party to the UNCLOS, India urges all parties to show utmost respect for the UNCLOS, which establishes the international legal order of the seas and oceans,'' Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement while reacting to today's ruling of an international tribunal that China had no exclusive rights over the South China Sea. ''India believes that States should resolve disputes through peaceful means without threat or use of force and exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that could complicate or escalate disputes affecting peace and stability,'' the MEA said. Earlier, Beijing rejected the judgement of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague that came on an appeal of the Philippines which has territorial dispute with China in the Sea. Beijing said that since the two countries had agreed to resolve the issue bilaterally, the Philippines had no right to take the issue to the International Tribunal under the UN Convention on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS). It said that China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by the tribunal award. Questioning China's stand, India said it supported freedom of navigation and over flight, and unimpeded commerce, based on the principles of international law, as reflected notably in the UNCLOS. ''Sea lanes of communication passing through the South China Sea are critical for peace, stability, prosperity and development,'' the MEA said.UNI NAZ CJ RJ 2136 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0091-832878.Xml
Samajwadi Party MP from Kannauj Dimple Yadav today said the government was committed to provide quality education to children, particularly girls, because only light of knowledge dispels the darkness of ignorance. Addressing a function after honouring 45 girls drawn from 16 districts on Mallala Day here, she said that if a girl is educated, she can light the lamp of knowledge in three families. The Samajwadi Party government realises the importance of knowledge and therefore, has launched many schemes, which target only girls, she said. The wife of Chief Minister Akhikesh Yadav talked at length about Kanya Vidya Dhan, where government gives financial help to educate girls. Money is no problem as far as girls' education is concerned. ''Recently, the Samajwadi Party Government launched special education scheme for minority girls. We have bouquets of different schemes, which benefits girls. Our emphasis is that poor should get quality education at the village level,'' Ms Yadav said and stressed on education pattern of inclusive education and mixing of children of the deprived section with other children. ''The mantra of Samajwadi Party is that roti, kapda and education should be cheap and we are sticking to this. It is only Samajwadi Party Government that has ensured holistic development, particularly when it concerns education and girl child,'' she said. Ms Yadav also talked about Right To Education and said this scheme will help in bringing a gap between the poor and rich. Basic Education Minister Ahmad Hasan said the Samajwadi Party believes only that state can march to the path of development, where its people are educated. "The government has ensured that poor children can get admission in private schools under RTE," he said. Chief Secretary Deepak Singhal said this government will implement the directives of RTE in letter and spirit. The private schools should give admission to poor children. If they fail to do so, action would be taken against the management, he said. The Malala Day function was to be addressed by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, but he failed to reach Lucknow as his chopper failed to take off because of bad weather in Saifai. The 45 children drawn from 16 districts, were honoured, who are poor and got admission because of RTE. UNI MB CJ RJ 2058 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-832818.Xml
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has condemned the "media trial" of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik. The Hyderabad based political outfit said that their party respects and follows the law of the land and feels that nobody could be pronounced guilty unless the court gives its judgment by following the due process of law. "By hounding Zakir Naik, the media, particularly some national television channels, have already pronounced their judgment even when a formal case is yet to be registered against him. The media cannot pronounce anybody as supporter of terrorism,'' said Shaukat Ali, Uttar Pradesh, president of the AIMIM. "So called charges of fanning and promoting terrorism against Zakir Naik is a mere pretext to bully the Muslims of the country. If his speeches are inspiring the terrorists and Zakir Naik is a supporter of terrorism then why action was not taken against him for the last 25 years,'' asked Mr Ali. He said that Zakir Naik is neither the mass leader nor the undisputed leader of the Muslims of all sects and denominations. He said there were many sects of Muslims among whom Zakir Naik has no following. Demanding a fair investigation and an end to the witch hunting against Zakir Naik, the AIMIM leader said "Zakir Naik has been preaching for nearly 25 years in the country and he also travels abroad. If he is so dangerous for the peace and social harmony then why no action has so far been taken by the government in his home country". He said that the media trial of Zakir Naik should end. "If any individual, whosoever it may be, breaks the law of the land, the law should take its own course. If there is concrete proof of violation of any law by anyone, strict action shall be initiated," Shaukat Ali alleged. The AIMIM leader said that the right to practice religion and the right to free expression are fundamental rights of every Indian as enshrined in the Constitution. "This means any individual can practice, profess and propagate his religion without hurting the religious beliefs and sentiments of other religions," he said."Ever since the BJP came to power at the Centre, the general trend is that the investigating agencies charge someone with wrongdoing and the media pronounces the accused as guilty even before the court delivers its judgment. This poses a grave threat to the social fabric and democratic set up of the country and could prove to be detrimental to communal harmony," said the MIM leader. Terming Naik as a "well-known specialist" who has been delivering lectures on comparative studies of different religions, he said, " Naik commands a following among Muslims but there are many others in the community who do not concur with his views." He said all Muslim leaders in India have consistently condemned the ISIS from the very beginning and maintained that ISIS is a threat to mankind. "AIMIM strongly condemns the ISIS of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Al-Qaeda of Osama Bin Laden. Both are evil outfits. These terrorist groups have been the cause of the killings of countless Muslims and non-Muslims," the MIM leader added.UNI MB PS SHK 2010 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-832586.Xml
With the arrest of the two police constables namely- Vikram Singh and Jitendra Yadav, the total arrest toll has gone up to three.
Last week, the Special Investigation Team of the Mumbai Police had arrested sub-inspector Pradyumna Yadav, who led the team during the encounter.
Gadoli, who was carrying a reward of Rs. 1.25 lakh, was killed in an encounter with the Gurgaon Crime unit on February 7.
A team of Gurgaon city crime branch had come in search of Gadoli, who was residing in a hotel in Mumbai's Andheri East.
When the police team entered his room, there was cross firing between the accused and the police men.
Gadoli was admitted to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Two policemen were also injured in the incident. (ANI)
"My trip to Kenya was memorable. Has made economic and cultural relations between India and Kenya to be more consistent," he said prior to his departure.
Earlier in the day, India and Kenya exchanged several agreements ranging on a number of fields and Prime Minister also held bilateral talk with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on a wide range of issues aimed at boosting ties in the African continent, particularly in the economic sphere.
"India-Kenya ties have stood the test of time. Both our nations have had very strong people-to-people ties and both nations have successfully fought colonialism in the previous century," the Prime Minister had said ahead of the visit.
Before arriving in Kenya on the last leg of his visit, Prime Minister Modi had visited Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania.
The Prime Minister held active interacions with the Indian communities during his visit to South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya. (ANI)
"After a vital Africa tour which witnessed key talks, interactions & agreements, PM @narendramodi reaches Delhi," tweeted the Prime Minister's Office upon his arrival here.
"My trip to Kenya was memorable. Has made economic and cultural relations between India and Kenya to be more consistent," he said prior to his departure from Nairobi.
Earlier, India and Kenya exchanged several agreements on several spheres and Prime Minister also held bilateral talks with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on a wide-ranging issues, particularly in the economic sphere, aimed at boosting ties with the African continent.
"India-Kenya ties have stood the test of time. Both our nations have had very strong people-to-people ties and both nations have successfully fought colonialism in the previous century," the Prime Minister had said ahead of the visit.
Before arriving in Kenya on the last leg of his visit, Prime Minister Modi had visited Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania.
The Prime Minister also held active interactions with the Indian communities during his visit to South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya.
This was Prime Minister Modi's first official visit to continental Africa. He had earlier visited the island nations of Mauritius and Seychelles.
This also was the first prime ministerial visit from India to the southeast African nation in 36 years since the visit of former prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1982.
Ahead of his trip, the Prime Minister had said that his visit was aimed at enhancing the India-Africa ties. (ANI)
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, who is on a week-long visit to the United States with the aim to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for the infrastructure sector, on Tuesday said road safety is the government's utmost priority, adding that the Road Safety Bill is at the final stage. Speaking to ANI, Gadkari said every year many people die in road accidents and that is one of the reasons why they have already taken up the issue with U.S. Transport Secretary Anthony Foxx. "Road safety is the highest priority for our government because every year five lakhs accidents and 1.5 lakh deaths take place. That is one of the reasons we discussed these issues at a length with Transport Secretary Foxx when he came to India last year. Our Road Safety Bill is already in the final stage," he said. Gadkari pointed out that India is critically facing the problem of road accidents. "We have 96,000 km of road length as national highway and 40 percent of our national traffic is on just two percent of this road - one of the reasons of accidents on the national highway," he added. He further said that the government is soon going to implement an Intelligent Traffic Management System in India. "Regarding the rules and regulations of the road sector in India; India is a federal system. The state governments are equally responsible for that. So, making unanimity on this subject is a big task. So, I have decided to appoint a committee under the leadership of Younus Khan, who was transport minister of Rajasthan," he added. Talking about the Road Safety Bill, Gadkari said the agenda of the bill was prepared by considering the rules and regulations in the U.S. Canada and Singapore. "A group of state ministers also discussed the issue. Finally, they recommend me the draft. On that basis we prepared the bill," he added. Expressing confidence, Gadkari said the government will be successful in passing the Road Safety Bill in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament. "I am expecting that with the cooperation of all the parties, we will succeed to pass this bill in the Parliament," he added. He said he has discussed all the problems related to road safety with the U.S.A Transport Secretary. "There was interactions with different secretaries belonging to different transports, particularly the road sector, inland waterways, aviation. The good thing is they are ready to cooperate with us. In India, we are going to plan it in detail and we are going to take cooperation from the U.S. Government in the road safety issue," he added. Reports state that Gadkari would be looking to deepen the scope of the Indo- US cooperation in innovative technologies, including improvement of highway development, road engineering, road safety and development of green fuels in the automobile sector and electric vehicles. During his week-long visit, Gadkari is scheduled to visit Washington and Los Angeles, with in between stops in New York, St Louis and San Francisco. (ANI)
Senior security officials have told Pakistan Daily Dawn that Umar Mansour, the mastermind of the massacre, in which 144 students and staff members were shot dead, has been killed along with another militant leader Qari Saifullah, in the US drone attack in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province on July 9.
''We have credible reports of Mansour having been killed with Saifullah,'' one of the officials said.
Saifullah was in charge of suicide bombers. UNI XC SV SB 1119
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About half of Europeans fear the arrival of refugees raises the risk of attacks in their countries, a survey published found, and many, especially in the east, see them as a burden on their economy.Yesterday Washington-based Pew Research Center found the share of people believing that "refugees will increase the likelihood of terrorism in our country" was, among others, 46 per cent in France, 52 per cent in Britain, 61 per cent in Germany, 71 per cent in Poland and 76 per cent in Hungary.The Hungarian and Polish governments have led criticism of European Union efforts over the past year to distribute asylum seekers around the bloc, mostly from Syria and Iraq.Chancellor Angela Merkel, who oversaw a welcome in Germany for about a million refugees last year, said on Monday that Islamist militants had used the wave of arrivals to infiltrate Europe. Some of those involved in Islamic States attacks in Paris and Brussels are believed to have come from Syria.Asked whether refugees were a burden because they took jobs and benefits, respondents in the 10 states surveyed gave diverse answers, from 31 percent of Germans who agreed to 82 per cent of Hungarians. In Italy, 47 per cent thought refugees more to blame for crime than other groups, a little more than in Sweden and Hungary. Only 13 percent of Spaniards thought that, however.Asked for their view of Muslims, Some two thirds of Poles, Greeks, Italians and Hungarians were "unfavourable", a view shared by fewer than a third of French, Germans and Britons.The Pew data tracked changes over time in some countries.In Germany in 2005, only 9 per cent of people thought Muslim immigrants wanted to adopt local customs, whereas now 32 per cent hold that view. In France, that opinion is shared by 43 per cent of people, up from 36 percent in 2005. REUTERS AKC 0415 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-831161.Xml
In 2010, then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton provoked outrage in Beijing when she pushed the South China Sea to the top of the regional and US security agendas.Now as an international court prepares to hand down a ruling that threatens China's sweeping claims in the vital waterway, Beijing is watching Clinton's presidential run with trepidation.Combined with her tough line on human rights and role in leading President Barack Obama's Asia "rebalancing", Clinton is well-known in China - but not well liked.While presidential rival Donald Trump has irritated Beijing with comments such as comparing the US trade deficit with China to rape, he is largely an unknown quantity, a person who even privately officials shrug their shoulders over."Clinton will be a difficult partner," one senior Chinese diplomatic source told Reuters, having just admitted to not knowing much about Trump or what he stands for.China remembers clearly a 2010 Southeast Asian security summit in Hanoi, when Clinton waded into the South China Sea dispute, saying open access and legal solutions were a US "national interest" and "pivotal to regional security".In a strongly worded response, China stressed the South China Sea as one of its "core interests", putting the issue up there with Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang in terms of its importance to Beijing.China warned its rival claimants and neighbours not to be emboldened by US support - a line it has repeated ever since.An arbitration court hearing the dispute between China and the Philippines over the South China Sea is set to hand down its ruling on in the Dutch city of The Hague today. Legal experts expect at least some substantive findings to go against China, which has vowed to ignore the ruling.STRENGTH, RESPECTChina's military, which is ramping up its presence in the South China Sea as part of a major modernisation programme, is also watching the election closely."Hillary is very fierce when it comes to China," a Chinese official close to the military establishment told Reuters.While the Chinese government has been largely quiet about the US election, state media has not been so restrained, with one paper even equating Trump to Hitler.In May, China's official Xinhua news agency noted Trump's more isolationist campaign compared to Clinton's, who it described as an "old foreign policy hand" and important backer of the Asia-Pacific "pivot" that China considers a threat."As far as she's concerned, being tough on foreign policy is perhaps the best way to show America's so called 'leadership'," it said in a commentary.Laura Rosenberger, a Clinton campaign foreign policy adviser who worked with her in the State Department, told Reuters Clinton would remain tough on the South China Sea issue."She believes that we need to be very strong in terms of standing up to many of the actions the Chinese have taken," Rosenberger said."She believes in the principles of freedom of navigation in international waters, that commerce on the high seas in incredibly important to the United States, and that these are really very direct interests that we need to continue to stand up for."Trump adviser Peter Navarro, an economist at University of California Irvine and the author of the book, "Crouching Tiger: What China's Militarism Means for the World," said a Trump presidency would lead to respect."The central difference between a Trump administration and the current administration or a Clinton administration is respect. The leaders of Russia, the leaders of China will respect Mr. Trump, will respect America because we will be strong economically, militarily and politically."UNKNOWN QUANTITYTrump may actually find some sympathy in China, even if he is seen as an unknown quantity."Who is Trump? We don't really know. We do know he hates Muslims though - and that will be well received in some circles here," said the Chinese official with ties to the military, pointing to what China views as its war on terror in its Muslim-populated far western region of Xinjiang.China also views Trump as a businessmen with whom they can probably negotiate."It would be very transactional for the Chinese," said a senior Western diplomat in Beijing. "He's a businessman they think they'll be able to strike a deal with."Trump may also be less tough on China over human rights than Clinton, who has frequently clashed with Beijing on the issue.In 2011, Clinton said China was on a "fool's errand" to try to halt the march of freedom, while in 2012 she was deeply involved in efforts to get blind dissident Chen Guangcheng out of China after he fled to the US embassy in Beijing.Trump advisor Navarro said Clinton's record on human rights abuse was "sketchy at best and abysmal at worst", highlighting her first trip to Asia as Secretary of State in 2009, where other issues were given priority."So it's difficult to see how she would have someone would view her as credible on that issue."Rosenberger, the Clinton adviser, rejected that view, highlighting comments from Trump in a 1990 interview referring to the "strength" of the Chinese government in its bloody crackdown of student-led protests in Tiananmen Square a year earlier."It's ironic for Trump's adviser to criticize Hillary's statement there when Trump himself has actually praised the Chinese for the Tiananmen massacre," Rosenberger said.Still, China is hoping that whoever wins they will understand that both countries need each other and will have to work closely, a source with ties to the Chinese leadership told Reuters, requesting anonymity."It is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. China needs the United States and vice versa," the source said. "We don't know who will be the lesser of two evils."REUTERS AKC 0434 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-831169.Xml
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is concerned over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir where widespread protests had followed the killing of a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, according to a UN spokesperson. Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric was responding to a Pakistan reporter who claimed thatMr Ban had brushed aside the Kashmir issue and had not made any reference to it whiletalking to the media earlier yesterday. She said while there was no denying that the UN was concerned about the situation prevailing in Kashmir, but that the UN chief did not raise the matter as he ''did not raise many other critical situations around the world does not mean that he is brushing anything aside.''UNI SD AE 1430 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0005-831615.Xml
Maoist leaders Hitraj Pandey and Janardan Sharma reached the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers this afternoon and formally conveyed their party's decision to withdraw support from the government.
They handed over a letter in this regard to Prime Minister Oli.
While receiving the letter, Prime Minister Oli extended his best wishes to the CPN-Maoist Center.
According to CPN (Maoist Center) Chief Whip Hitraj Pandey, they had also informed President Bidhya Devi Bhandari about the withdrawal decision after meeting the prime minister. (ANI)
Tanzanian police said today it had seized elephant ivory worth more than 2 million dollars and arrested nine suspected smugglers in June in an operation supported by Interpol and police forces in the region.Poaching has risen in recent years across sub-Saharan Africa. Gangs kill elephants and rhinos, both endangered animals, and ship their tusks and horns to Asia for use in ornaments and medicines."We were able to seize 666 pieces of elephant ivory, weighing 1,279 kilogrammes valued at 2.11 million dollars," Diwani Athuman, director of criminal investigation, said in a statement.Among the suspects arrested were two citizens of Guinea and one Ugandan. Interpol and police forces in eastern and southern Africa took part in the operation, he said.The elephant population in Tanzania shrank to around 43,000 in 2014 from 110,000 in 2009, according to a census released last year, with conservationists blaming "industrial-scale" poaching. The rhino population is much smaller.The East African country relies heavily on revenues from safari tourism and new President John Magufuli has pledged to root out poaching as part of a wider war on corruption.A prominent Chinese businesswoman Yang Feng Glan, 66, dubbed the "Ivory Queen", is facing trial in Tanzania on charges of running a elephant ivory smuggling network.REUTERS RSD AS1524 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0387-831718.Xml
The Philippines' foreign minister called for "restraint and sobriety" in the South China Sea today after an international arbitration court issued a decision favourable to Manila and condemned by Beijing."Our experts are studying this award with the care and thoroughness that this significant arbitral outcome deserves," Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay told a news conference."We call on all those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety. The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision." REUTERS RSD AS1506 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-831739.Xml
Qatar Airways has agreed to acquire up to 10 per cent of Latin America's largest airline LATAM Airlines, in a deal that would inject 613 million dollars into the Chile-based carrier, the two companies said today."We have signed a subscription agreement that provides for Qatar Airways to acquire up to 10 per cent of LATAM's total shares, which will be acquired in connection with a capital increase," Qatar chief executive Akbar Al Baker told a media briefing at the Farnborough Airshow.Under the agreement, LATAM will hold an Extraordinary Shareholders Meeting by Sept. 2 to propose a capital increase of 613 million dollars through the issuance of new shares at 10 dollars per share, the companies said in a statement. REUTERS RSD RK1533 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-831802.Xml
An arbitration court ruled today that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea and that it has breached the sovereign rights of the Philippines with its actions there, a long-awaited ruling sure to infuriate Beijing.China, which has boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, vowed again to ignore the ruling and said its armed forces would defend its sovereignty and maritime interests.China's state-run Xinhua news agency said shortly before the ruling was announced that a Chinese civilian aircraft successfully carried out calibration tests on two new airports in the disputed Spratly Islands.And China's Defence Ministry announced that a new guided missile destroyer was formally commissioned at a naval base on the southern island province of Hainan, which has responsibility for the South China Sea."This award represents a devastating legal blow to China's jurisdictional claims in the South China Sea," Ian Storey, of Singapore's ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute, told Reuters."China will respond with fury, certainly in terms of rhetoric and possibly through more aggressive actions at sea."China claims most of the energy-rich waters through which about 5 trillion dollars in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.Finding for the Philippines on a number of issues, the panel said there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within its so-called nine-dash line, which covers much of the South China Sea.It said China had interfered with traditional Philippine fishing rights at Scarborough Shoal, one of the hundreds of reefs and shoals dotting the sea, and had breached the Philippines' sovereign rights by exploring for oil and gas near the Reed Bank, another feature in the region.None of China's reefs and holdings in the Spratly Islands entitled it to a 200 mile exclusive economic zone, it added."No matter what kind of ruling is to be made, Chinese armed forces will firmly safeguard national sovereignty, security and maritime interests and rights, firmly uphold regional peace and stability, and deal with all kinds of threats and challenges," China's Defence Ministry said earlier in a bilingual Chinese and English statement shortly before the ruling was made public.GROUND-BREAKING RULINGThe ruling is significant as it is the first time that a legal challenge has been brought in the dispute, which covers some of the world's most promising oil and gas fields and vital fishing grounds. It reflects the shifting balance of power in the 3.5 million sq km sea, where China has been expanding its presence by building artificial islands and dispatching patrol boats that keep Philippine fishing vessels away.The United States and China often conduct military exercises in the area and regularly accuse each other of militarising the region."Our experts are studying the award with the care and thoroughness that this significant arbitral outcome deserves," Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay told a news conference, reading from a prepared statement."We call on all those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety. The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision as an important contribution to the ongoing efforts in addressing disputes in the South China Sea." Japan said the ruling was legally binding and final.US diplomatic, military and intelligence officers said China's reaction to the court's decision will largely determine how other claimants, as well as the United States, respond.If, for example, China accelerates or escalates its military activities in the disputed area, the US and other nations will have little choice but to respond with new and possibly enlarged and multinational maritime freedom of navigation and aerial missions, the US officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.Contingency planning for such exercises is already completed or is in its final stages, said one of the officials, who quickly added: "We hope it doesn't come to that."OIL PRICES JUMPOil prices jumped following the findings from The Hague, with international Brent crude futures up over a dollar, or more than 2 per cent, to 47.29 dollars per barrel at 1402 IST.The deep waters of the South China Basin between the Spratly and also-disputed Paracel Islands are the most direct shipping lane between northeast Asia's industrial hubs of China, Japan and South Korea and Europe and the Middle East.The case, brought by the Philippines in 2013, hinged on the legal status of reefs, rocks and artificial islands in the Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Island group.Manila's 15-point case asked the tribunal to rule on the status of the nine-dash line, a boundary that is the basis for its 69-year-old claim to roughly 85 per cent of the South China Sea.The court has no power of enforcement, but a victory for the Philippines could spur Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei to file similar cases.Ahead of the ruling, around 100 members of a Philippine nationalist group demonstrated outside the Chinese consulate in Manila today, calling on Beijing to accept the decision and leave the Scarborough Shoal, a popular fishing zone off limits to Filipinos since 2012.Spreading fast on social media in the Philippines was the use of the term "Chexit" - the public's desire for Chinese vessels to leave disputed waters.REUTERS RSD RK1548 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-831837.Xml
The number of illegal migrants entering Europe has fallen since April after the European Union sealed a deal with Turkey to halt flows across the Aegean Sea, the border agency said, and Italy has become the new frontline for refugees, mostly from Libya."For the first six months of 2016, there were 360,000 illegal entries in the EU, which is higher than what we saw last year, but the influx has been diminishing since April," Fabrice Leggeri, executive director of Frontex, the agency in charge of protecting the bloc's external borders, told Europe 1 Radio.Leggeri said Italy had overtaken Greece as the primary point of entry and most migrants were now embarking for Europe in Libya. About 750 were arriving in Italy daily compared with about 50 in Greece."So the new frontline is Italy," he said.In all of 2015, Frontex recorded more than 1.5 million irregular border crossings into Europe, mostly to Greece before marching north to Germany and Sweden, fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, North Africa and elsewhere.A Frontex spokesman said the EU-Turkey deal, under which Turkey agreed to halt illegal migration through its territory in return for financial and political rewards, and the closure of the Greece-Macedonia border earlier this year, were the two main reasons behind the declining figures.Leggeri was speaking ahead of a news conference on plans for the agency's future later on Tuesday.Most of those arriving in Italy were from sub-Saharan Africa, he said.A humanitarian group said it had recovered the bodies of four migrants and rescued around 400 survivors on Tuesday from an overcrowded wooden boat in the Mediterranean en route to Italy from Libya. The dead suffocated below deck, the Malta-based Migrant Offshore Aid Station, whose rescue ship carried out the operation, said on Twitter.The EU is preparing to rename Frontex, based in Warsaw, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, with a two-fold increase in staff and funding worth 322 million euros by 2020.Border protection would remain a national responsibility and the agency will continue to rely on EU capitals for contributions to a proposed pool of 1,500 border guards ready for quick deployment to any crisis spot.REUTERS RSD RK1550 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-831846.Xml
The KP Oli government in Nepal was today reduced to a minority as a key coalition partner CPN Maoist Centre withdrew its support, plunging the Himalayan nation into a political crisis yet again.In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Dahal accused him of failing to honour the past agreements made with it. However, sources in the government indicated that Mr Oli is not likely to resign and would rather insist on a floor test in Parliament. The Maoist party has also pulled out its ministers from the government.The party has announced its intention to form a national government. More UNI MK AE RP1618 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0090-831906.Xml
Global oil and shipping markets reacted nervously today after an international arbitration court ruled against Beijing's claims across large swathes of the South China Sea, fuelling geopolitical tensions in the vital waterway.A tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, found China had breached the sovereign rights of the Philippines and had no legal basis to its historic claims in the South China Sea, a major shipping lane between Europe, the Middle East and Africa.The ruling will be seen as a victory by other regional claimants such the Philippines and Vietnam, but with China rejecting the ruling and saying its military would defend its sovereign rights, nerves were on edge.Although shippers and oil traders said they did not expect an immediate impact on shipping as a result of the ruling, oil prices jumped following the findings. Brent crude futures were up over 1 dollar, or more than 2 per cent, to 47.60 dollars per barrel at 1640 IST."It is vital that merchant ships are allowed to go about their lawful business on the world's oceans without diversion or delay. We will of course be monitoring for any interference in the coming weeks," said Peter Hinchliffe, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping in London.The deep waters of the South China Basin between the Spratly and also-disputed Paracel Islands are the most direct shipping lane between northeast Asia's industrial hubs of China, Japan and South Korea and Europe and the Middle East.The geography of the region offers few economically viable alternative routes for large oil tankers or dry-bulk ships and container ships.Esben Poulsson, president of the Singapore Shipping Association, said any actions that restricted the right of innocent passage and freedom of safe navigation for merchant shipping would potentially drive up shipping costs, resulting in a detrimental impact on maritime trade.Reuters shipping data shows that, counting just Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) super-tankers, some 25 VLCCs are passing between the disputed Spratly and Paracel islands at any time, with enough capacity to carry the equivalent of about 11 days' worth of Japanese demand.Some industry participants were more relaxed, however."It's just pure politics," Ralph Leszczynski, head of research at ship broker Banchero Costa said."China will simply ignore it, and it will not change in any way the reality on the ground. All there is at stake is access to offshore oil and gas deposits and perhaps fishing grounds," he said.Insurers said costs were unlikely to rise in the short term."We don't currently foresee any increase in insurance costs as a result of the ruling and would be surprised to see operators being penalised by the insurance market for trading in this area," said Andrew Brooker, founding partner, at Hong Kong marine marine insurance broker's Latitude Brokers.Neil Roberts, manager of marine underwriting at the Lloyd's Market Association, said the South China Sea is not listed by the LMA's joint war committee which highlights insurance hotspots."Unless it is there would be no prospect of premiums rising," Roberts told Reuters. "The shallow waters and numerous reefs in the Spratly island region means that commercial shipping is unlikely to be sailing within the territorial waters of any of the islands."REUTERS RSD BL1702 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-832019.Xml
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said today China hoped for a "powerful" European Union and he had faith it would develop despite Britain's vote to leave."China firmly supports the process of EU integration and believes that the EU's development will not stop, and furthermore is willing to see a stable, flourishing, and powerful EU," Li said during a summit of Chinese and European leaders."This suits EU-China cooperation, and also suits China's interests," Li said.The two-day China-EU summit, which began today, is the fist meetings between Chinese and European Union leaders since the British vote to leave the EU in a June 23 referendum.European leaders have sought to allay Chinese fears that Britain's withdrawal, known as "Brexit", would harm economic ties between China and the EU and cause economic instability.Li said last month Brexit had increased uncertainty in the global economy and China wanted to see a united and stable 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 promoted by President Xi Jinping and British Prime Minister David Cameron.Cameron, who campaigned to remain in the EU, announced his resignation after the referendum.Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, stressed the importance of adhering to international rules when it comes to trade.The EU has criticised China for adopting what it sees as unfair policies to protect its companies while denying market access and equal treatment to European companies. China denies that.Tusk also pointed to "differences of opinion" between China and the EU on human rights and the rule of law."I stress the importance for the European Union of the freedom of the press, the freedom of expression, association and assembly, including for minorities," he said.China says human rights are its domestic affair and other countries should refrain from offering opinions on the matter. REUTERS RSD GC1743 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-832162.Xml
The United States urged all parties to avoid provocative statements or actions after an arbitration court ruled today that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea."The decision today by the Tribunal in the Philippines-China arbitration is an important contribution to the shared goal of a peaceful resolution to disputes in the South China Sea," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. He urged parties to comply with the legally binding ruling and avoid provocations.REUTERS RSD BL1753 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-832206.Xml
Prime Minister Oli had convened an informal meeting of the Council of Ministers on Tuesday soon after receiving the letter of the CPN-Maoist Center informing him of the party's decision to quit the government.
After the meeting, the Prime Minister told the media that he is thinking over the issue.
When asked if he would resign or seek other alternative after his government turned into a minority government, Prime Minister Oli restated that he is still thinking about that issue as well.
In the informal meeting of the Council of Ministers that lasted for 40 minutes, the letter submitted by the Maoist Center was read out and general discussions were held about the recent developments.
However, no concrete decisions were taken.
"The Maoists have breached the 14-point agreement reached while forming the government. We will take the next step after discussing with the other parties," said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Bhim Rawal.
Earlier today, Maoist leaders Hitraj Pandey and Janardan Sharma reached the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers and handed him a letter stating that the party had withdrew its support to the government.
Pandey and Sharma also informed President Bidhya Devi Bhandari about the party's decision to withdraw its support to the government. (ANI)
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Pandey and Sharma also informed President Bidhya Devi Bhandari about the party's decision to withdraw its support to the government. (ANI)
A Zimbabwean preacher leading the biggest protests against President Robert Mugabe in a decade was charged today with inciting public violence but, in a video recorded before his arrest, urged supporters to go ahead with demonstrations.Baptist minister Evan Mawarire has become a household name in Zimbabwe since he started a social media campaign in April that has tapped into mounting public anger over corruption, high unemployment and economic woes.Africa's oldest leader at 92, Mugabe has led the former British colony since independence in 1980. Since then it has gone from being one of the continent's most promising countries to an economic basket case with a reputation for rights abuses.After initially ignoring his grainy online videos, shot on a cellphone and calling for a mass 'stay at home', Mugabe's administration has started to push back, especially after they attracted support from thousands of unpaid civil servants."Yes, he has been arrested for inciting public violence and disturbing peace," Mawarire lawyer Harrison Nkomo told Reuters. He said police had raided his client's Harare home, office and church.Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba was not available to comment on the charges.A copy of a search warrant seen by Reuters said police believed Mawarire was in possession of a stolen police helmet, button stick and "other subversive material" that could be used to incite public violence.The law under which the bespectacled 39-year-old has been detained carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years. According to Zimbabwean law, he must appear in court within 48 hours. He was summoned by police early on Tuesday morning.Mawarire said today he broke no law in calling for a one day shut-down last week. That protest closed businesses across the southern African nation, the biggest strike since 2005.International Crisis Group analyst Piers Pigou said Mawarira's #ThisFlag movement had rattled Mugabe's government but was still a long way from becoming the first "Arab Spring" south of the Sahara."It's provoked a certain amount of panic from the authorities given the scale of the stay-away," Pigou said. "But a stay-away doesn't translate into active support for rebellion against the regime."GANDHI COMPARISONMore protests are planned for tomorrow and Thursday as part of #ThisFlag, which aims to appeal to Zimbabweans' national pride and exploit the widespread use of social media in the country.In a pre-recorded video posted on Twitter under the #ThisFlag hashtag after he was charged, Mawarire said his arrest should not stop Zimbabwe's 13 million people going ahead with demonstrations."No matter what has happened to me, you and I have done well. We have stood up and raised our voices to build this nation," Mawarire said.Last Friday police summoned and arrested Prosper Mkwananzi from social media group Tajamuka (We refuse) on charges of public violence. Mkwananzi was released on bail yesterday.Mawarire launched #ThisFlag in April after struggling to pay school fees for his two daughters or buy bus fares. His complaints struck an immediate chord with Zimbabweans and 120,000 people watched his video in its first week.Within three months, some have even started likening him and his adherence to non-violence to Indian anti-colonial hero Mahatma Gandhi, who started becoming politically active as a lawyer in neighbouring South Africa in the early 1900s."There is nothing wrong from learning from the people like Gandhi because they achieved a lot of things in pushing the non-violent aspect of things," he said in an interview this month with the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper."If we fight violence with violence, the result will be more violence," he said. "There comes a time when we have to use a different strategy to that being used by the people we are confronting."REUTERS RSD VN1952 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-832646.Xml
Policemen walk to the Maalbeek metro station investigation zone in Brussels, capital of Belgium, March 22, 2016. The death toll has risen to 34 in the deadly blasts in Brussels on Tuesday morning, according to the latest figures. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)
THE HAGUE, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The threat of a terrorist attack in the Netherlands remains substantial, the Dutch counter-terrorism service announced Monday, warning of the likelihood of new terrorist attacks occurring in European countries in the short term.
"The chance of an attack in the Netherlands is real. However, there are no concrete indications that terrorists are making preparations to commit an attack," said the Dutch National Coordinator for Counter-terrorism and Security (NCTV) in a new report published Monday.
The Dutch counter-terrorism service warned there were increasing links of trans-national terrorist networks with the Netherlands. The current threat level in the country is level 4 on a scale of 5.
The "jihadist" movement has hundreds of supporters and a large number of sympathizers in the Netherlands. A total of approximately 260 Dutch nationals have travelled to Syria or Iraq since 2012. About 40 of them have returned and 42 have been killed. At present, there are still about 170 Dutch nationals in Syria and Iraq, including women and minors.
The "jihadist" threat remains the main terror threat, although the likelihood of violent incidents from left and right-wing extremism has increased since 2015. Factors such as the the arrival of refugees and the fear of terrorism have contributed to the increase of violent acts, the report said.
Referring to the Islamic State (IS) attacks in Paris in November 2015, Brussels in March this year, and in Istanbul in June, the report warned, "attacks like these, but smaller-scale attacks can take place again in the short term."
Even after arrests of individuals from the network that carried out the Paris and Brussels attacks, there are probably several IS cells present in Europe said the report, noting also that IS operatives appeared to remain undetected for a long time by the European authorities.
According to the report, arrests and house searches conducted in various European countries have led to valuable information on the "jihadist" networks in Europe, but it warned that the perpetrators of new attacks might avoid these specific networks. It also noted there was still not much known about the people in Syria who play a coordinating role in carrying out attacks in Europe.
As well, non-jihadist, often criminal, networks played an important role in the preparation or execution of attacks by "jihadists", the report noted.
Although it is mainly adult men who carry out attacks in both Syria and Iraq as well as in the West, the possibility that women and children will carry out attacks in the West is increasing due to the increasing pressure IS is under.
Despite the decrease in IS-controlled territory in Iraq and Syria, the terror organization is far from defeated, the report said.
HELSINKI, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Microsoft has finalized the co-determination negotiations in Finland. As a result, up to 1,350 employees will lose their jobs, the Finnish news agency STT reported on Monday.
The number of layoffs is the same as that was told by the company previously in the end of May, when the negotiations began.
According to STT, Microsoft said that most of the layoffs will be implemented soon and the process of the redundancies is expected to be finished at the end of June 2017.
The company revealed that some employees involved in the co-determination negotiations have opportunities to move to the company's headquarters in Redmond, northwestern the United States or other units of the company in Finland.
In May, Microsoft announced to slash 1,350 people in Finland as a result of its plan to streamline its smart phone hardware business. The company's product development unit in Tampere, central southern Finland would be shut down.
Microsoft's layoff plan created anxieties in Finland after it was announced. Some Finnish politicians accused the company of breaking promises, as it had pledged to inherit nearly 5,000 former Nokia workers when it purchased Nokia's phone business.
HONG KONG, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague has no jurisdiction over South China Sea disputes between China and the Philippines, which unilaterally filed an arbitration case, a Hong Kong law expert said on Monday.
Teresa Cheng, Chair of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Center (HKIAC) made the remarks here during a media briefing, citing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Cheng said that according to the UNCLOS, both sides in the disputes should conduct negotiations prior to filing an arbitration, while the Philippines has not conducted negotiations with China.
China and the ASEAN member states, including the Philippines, jointly signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), agreeing to solve disputes by peaceful means.
"The DOC is still under implementation, therefore both the Philippines and China do not have the right to file an arbitration during this process," Cheng said, "From legal aspect, the PCA has no arbitration jurisdiction over the case as the Philippines did not take the right steps."
In addition, the sovereignty and territorial disputes are not under the jurisdiction of the UNCLOS, Cheng said, adding China has made related declaration excluding disputes concerning the above issues.
Cheng also said a conference under the title of "Public International Law Colloquium on Maritime Disputes Settlement" will take place in Hong Kong on Friday and Saturday.
The colloquium, co-hosted by the HKIAC and the Chinese Society of International Law (CSIL), aims to provide a unique platform for scholars and practitioners from all over the world to share views mainly on territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation, the disputes settlement mechanism under the UNCLOS, Cheng said.
The PCA will publish the award of the arbitration on Tuesday. In reaction to the award, the colloquium will provide a special session dedicated to discussion and comments on the topic from a legal perspective, Cheng said. Enditem
KIGALI, July 11 (Xinhua) -- African economies need to lessen regulations and restrictions of markets in order to allow intra-Africa trade and induce greater structural change of the continent, say participants at the ongoing 27th African Union (AU) summit in Rwanda's Capital, Kigali.
The high level meeting that runs from July 10th -18th is under the theme; "2016: African Year of Human Rights, with particular focus on the Rights of Women".
Speaking at 32nd ordinary session of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC), Cherif Mahamat Zene, Chad's ambassador to Ethiopia and permanent representative to the AU said that economic liberalization of Africa will boost exports and imports across the continent.
"We want to see liberalized African economies because they have the potential to change the economic geography of the region. Low intra-African trade and limited integration pose a serious challenge to boosting the global competitiveness of African economies," he added.
Zene stated that the continent needs to accelerate efforts towards continental integration, boost intra-African trade and improve connectivity through infrastructure development.
The summit opened with a session of the permanent representative committee for the African Union, which features ambassadors of the 54 member states and AU officials.
According to Hope Tumukunde, Rwanda's ambassador to Ethiopia and permanent representative to the AU, the development of infrastructure and connectivity between the different African countries is key to continent's integration efforts to facilitate people to people relations and to facilitate intra-African trade.
"Restricted economies is one of the key factors hindering the successful integration of the African continent into the global trading system due to high trade costs. Liberalization result in increased aggregate regional demand which in turn would lead to higher industrial production in the region," she said.
Sebade Toga, Togo's ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Ethiopia and permanent representative to the AU echoed Tumukunde's words of removing restrictions to regional trade.
"We want our leaders to address the issue of restricted economies in Africa. Many initiatives to enhance Africa integration and trade have been taken into consideration but not followed through," he added.
The PRC session is expected to come up with an agenda for the summit that will be tabled before the executive council scheduled to take place beginning Wednesday.
During the summit, the AU is expected to launch the AU Passport, a flagship project of Africa's Agenda 2063 with the view to facilitate free movement of persons, goods and services around the continent in order to foster intra-Africa trade, integration and socio-economic development.
Agenda 2063 is a strategic framework for the socio-economic transformation of the continent over the next 50 years. Enditem
BAGHDAD, July 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter met here Monday with Iraqi leaders, during which they discussed means to increase support to the Iraqi forces to recapture a strategic city from the Islamic State (IS) group.
"Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi discussed with Ashton Carter the military operations in Iraq against IS, in addition to updating security plans," said a statement released by the prime minister office.
The Iraqi Defense Ministry said in a separate statement that Defense Minister Khalid al-Obeidi also met with Carter.
"The U.S. will provide all the required support to meet the requirements of the Iraqi forces and to speed up the operations to liberate Mosul," the ministry's statement said.
Obeidi also asserted that the Iraqi preparations have reached an advanced stage for the liberation of Mosul, the capital of Iraq's northern province of Nineveh, the statement said, adding the two sides discussed the international support to liberate Nineveh province after the latest victory in Qayyara area.
During his visit, the Pentagon chief said that 560 more U.S. troops will be deployed in Iraq to help establish a newly retaken airbase of Qayyara, some 55 km south of Mosul, as a staging hub for the long-awaited battle to recapture Mosul from the IS extremist militants.
Once known as Saddam airbase, it is one of the largest airbases in the Middle East region and was widely used by the former Iraqi air force during the Iraqi-Iranian war in 1980s.
The airbase is vital for the Iraqi security forces in the coming battles that aimed to free Mosul and other areas.
Most of the new U.S. troops will be devoted to the build-up of the Qayyara airbase, including engineers, logistics personnel and other forces to help the Iraqi security forces plan to encircle and eventually retake Mosul.
Earlier in the day, Carter arrived in Baghdad on an unannounced visit.
Hundreds of U.S. marines are already deployed in Iraq, serving as trainers and advisers, and were helping the country to win the battle against the IS extremists in Iraq's western province of Anbar as well as in northern regions.
Iraq's security situation has drastically deteriorated since June 2014, when bloody clashes broke out between Iraqi security forces and IS militants.
The IS took control of the country's northern city of Mosul and later seized territories in Nineveh and other predominantly Sunni provinces.
A U.S.-led international coalition has been conducting air raids against IS targets in both Iraq and Syria.
Many blame the current chronic instability, cycle of violence, and the emergence of extremist groups such as the IS on the U.S. that invaded and occupied Iraq in March 2003.
UNITED NATIONS, July 11, 2016 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addresses the press on the on-going situation in South Sudan, at the UN headquarters in New York, the United States, July 11, 2016. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday condemned the killing of two Chinese peacekeepers in renewed fighting between South Sudan's rival army factions in capital Juba. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)
UNITED NATIONS, July 11 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday condemned the killing of two Chinese peacekeepers in renewed fighting between South Sudan's rival army factions in capital Juba.
"I condemn the killing of two Chinese peacekeepers and one UN national staff," the secretary-general told reporters here. "Let me start by expressing my deep condolences to the families and loved ones of all those who have been killed in the fighting that has consumed Juba over the past four days."
"Many people have been killed in heavy fighting. There are growing fears that many more could die in another round of violence," Ban said.
"The renewed fighting is outrageous. It is yet another grievous setback. It deepens the country's suffering," he said. "It makes a mockery of commitments to peace."
The UN mission in South Sudan on Monday reported heavy fighting in Juba, including in areas close to its compounds in Jebel and Tomping.
The latest round of violence followed deadly clashes between the rival factions on Friday and Sunday in the capital city.
South Sudan's Health Ministry says at least 271 people were killed in Friday's clashes. The exact number of those killed in fighting since Sunday is not known. On Sunday, the UN Security Council said in a press statement that the 15-nation UN body "condemned in the strongest terms the escalation of fighting in Juba," and they expressed their sympathies and condolences to the families of Chinese peacekeepers who were killed or injured in the attacks.
South Sudan has canceled this year's independence celebrations due to the economic crunch resulting from more than two years of civil conflict. It won independence on July 9 2011 from Sudan after more than two decades of war that ended in a bitter divorce.
The country again plunged into conflict in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup, which the latter denied, leading to a cycle of retaliatory killings.
President Kiir and former rebel leader and now First Vice President Machar signed a peace deal in August that paved way for the formation of the transitional unity government to end more than two years of civil conflict.
MANILA, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Kristie Kenney, a State Department counselor of the United States, on Monday reminded the Philippines of the alliance between their two countries.
Kenney made the remarks a day before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague is set to announce its final decision Tuesday in territorial disputes between China and the Philippines.
China has reiterated that it will neither accept nor recognize any award in the South China Sea arbitration unilaterally initiated by the Philippines.
"You know our commitment to the Philippines is iron-clad. We're allies. We're friends. We're cultural partners. We have a treaty alliance. You know we will obviously respect that treaty alliance in every way," Kenney told ANC in an interview, reacting to a question regarding the upcoming ruling.
Kenney, a former U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, arrived in Manila last Saturday. She is the first high-level U.S. official to meet Duterte administration representatives since the June 30 inauguration of the new government. Enditem
ROME, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni and United Nations (UN) Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura urged a swift revival of the Syrian peace talks, after a meeting held here on Monday.
Both officials stressed the next months will be essential to finding a path toward political transition in the war-torn country.
"This is a crucial moment for Syria," Staffan de Mistura told a join press conference after the meeting.
"From now on to September, there is still an open window to find a formula able to combine the fight against terrorism and the political transition in Syria. And a key factor is an agreement between the United States and Russia," he said.
Syria's civil war erupted in early 2011. Full-scale fighting between government forces on one hand, and opposition armed factions and Islamic extremist groups on the other, killed at least 270,000 people and forced 4 million Syrians to flee abroad so far.
Some 13.2 million people within the country are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
During Monday's meeting in Rome, Italy's efforts to effectively relaunch the truce and encourage a political transition were highlighted.
"Italy is working to facilitate the transition process," Gentiloni said.
A first, immediate goal was indeed to consolidate the ceasefire, which has allowed several results such as the humanitarian aid access to besieged Syrian towns, according to the minister.
The second goal was to revive peace talks, and Gentiloni voiced Italy's full support to the UN's action plan to bring the parties back to the negotiating table in the coming months.
"We need to return to the negotiating path, and without preconditions, to allow things to change," Gentiloni said.
Also on Monday, Gentiloni held talks with the Chief Coordinator of the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) of the Syrian opposition Riad Hijab.
"We ask guarantees to start political negotiations," Hijab told a press conference after the talks.
"Italy and its partners in the European Union (EU) can indeed play a great role in stopping the haemorrhage of Syrian blood, and launching a real political transition," the Syrian opposition representative added. Enditem
BEIJING -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has sent a message to Jargaltulga Erdenebat to congratulate him on his appointment as Mongolia's prime minister.
In the message, Li said China and Mongolia, as close friendly neighbors, are currently witnessing the sustainable development of their comprehensive strategic partnership, with continuously deepening practical cooperation in various fields.
China attaches great importance to its relations with Mongolia and is willing to make concerted efforts to promote bilateral ties, so as to bring more benefits to the two countries and peoples, he said.
SINGAPORE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The Asia- Europe Meeting (ASEM), which was firstly held in 1996, has become an important platform for interaction between Asia and Europe at a range of different levels of engagement, said Alvin Lim, a research fellow with International Public Policy Pte. Ltd.(IPP) in Singapore.
Mongolia will host the 11th ASEM summit from July 15 to 16 in the capital Ulan Bator, during which representatives of ASEM member countries will also celebrate ASEM's 20th anniversary.
"The informality of ASEM meetings allows the member-states to have greater freedom to discuss issues of common concern. ASEM meetings are also flexible enough to provide a platform for its diverse member-states to meet under the condition of equality," Lim said in a recent interview with Xinhua.
He added that such characteristics allow ASEM to achieve rapid and open communications.
Since the first meeting, the global situation and challenges countries face have also changed dramatically. This also requests member states of ASEM to work together on global issues such as terrorism, climate change and regional conflicts.
During this year's summit, member states of ASEM will review the cooperation within the framework over the last 20 years and seek new potentials for ASEM cooperation in the next decade.
"The global war on terror is definitely a key concern, and the participation in ASEM of countries impacted by terrorism ... could make ASEM an important venue for these countries to discuss strategies to jointly combat the terrorist groups operating in their territories," Lim emphasized.
"They should continue to use informal communications channels like ASEM, and perhaps develop other informal communications channels, to allow maximum opportunities for their governments to work with one another to smooth out disputes before they escalate to dangerous levels. This is especially important with climatic changes increasing the risks of resource conflicts, terrorism, and refugee flows," he added.
ISTANBUL, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The 40th session of the World Heritage Committee, now underway in Istanbul, on Monday called for more efforts to fight against damages being done to heritage sites worldwide.
The meeting adopted a declaration voicing "serious concern" about the destruction of cultural heritage sites around the globe, in particular growing deliberate attacks on them.
Since 2014, the Islamic State group has been deliberately destroying cultural heritages in Syria, Iraq and Libya, targeting various places of worship and historical artifacts.
The declaration said the members of the committee were also "deeply distressed" by the increase in illegal excavations, looting and illicit trafficking of artifacts.
The negative impact of other factors on heritage properties, like climate change, environmental hazards and increasing social and economic pressure, was recognized as well in the document.
Reaffirming the commitment made at its last session in Bonn, Germany in 2015 to strengthen the international protection of cultural and natural heritage, the committee's members called for "innovative and effective" solutions from all states parties as well as their integration of heritage protection into policy-making processes and security strategies.
"The UNESCO has created considerable pressure on the shoulders of international community, especially at the political level, in preventing the illegal trafficking of cultural heritage," Francesco Bandarin, assistant director general of the UN cultural agency, said at a press conference.
He stressed, however, that the agency does not have all the tools needed to counter illegal trafficking.
He drew attention to the fact that 95 percent of the objects found in markets around the world are not stolen but rather illegally excavated.
As organized crime rings are behind the chain of trafficking the artifacts from the excavation sites to markets in may parts of the world, "anyone can actually buy Syrian, Iraqi or Malian heritage from these markets," said Bandarin.
"If you believe in heritage preservation, if you believe in the heritage as a component of social life, you have to support us," he added. "We should multiply our efforts."
Nabi Avci, Turkey's minister of culture and tourism, noted that illegal trafficking in cultural relics has become an important means of financing for terrorist groups.
"Terrorists have established the biggest ever illegal market where they sell the world cultural relics," he said at the press conference.
Avci called on the international community to show greater solidarity in countering the destruction of cultural heritage properties in war zones.
At its 11-day Istanbul session, the World Heritage Committee under the UNESCO will also review the nominations of 27 new sites to the prestigious World Heritage List.
Previously the number stood at 29, but Thailand and Croatia had withdrawn their nominations, said Mechtild Rossler, director of the World Heritage Center.
"In some cases when the recommendation of the advisory bodies is not positive, then the state party prefers to withdraw to make their sites better," she told reporters.
As of now, the World Heritage List has 1,031 sites in more than 160 countries.
The heritage committee will also examine the state of 156 sites already on the heritage list and the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Some 2,500 people from around the world are participating in the annual session of the heritage committee, which was formed in 1977 to enforce the World Heritage Convention and manage the heritage list created based on the convention. Enditem
UNITED NATIONS, July 11 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday urged the UN Security Council to "impose an immediate arms embargo on South Sudan" in response to renewed fighting in the nation's capital Juba, which killed around 300 people since the latest conflict began a few days ago.
The secretary-general made the remarks while speaking to reporters here, saying that "The gravity of the situation demands a rapid response."
The proposed arms embargo requires approval by the Security Council.
Ban also urged the Security Council to enact additional targeted sanctions on leaders and commanders blocking implementation of the Agreement, signed in August 2015 to seek a return to peace and security in the world's youngest country.
Meanwhile, the secretary-general also asked the 15-nation UN body to fortify the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), saying that "We desperately need attack helicopters and other material to fulfil our mandate to protect civilians."
At least 271 people were killed in the renewed fighting which began on Thursday between South Sudan's rival army factions in the capital Juba.
Two Chinese UN peacekeepers were killed in the fighting in Juba on Sunday. The secretary-general and the Security Council condemned the killing of the Chinese peacekeepers.
"I also urge all countries contributing to UNMISS to stand their ground," Ban said. "Any withdrawals would send precisely the wrong signal, in South Sudan and across the world."
South Sudan has canceled this year's independence celebrations due to the economic crunch resulting from more than two years of civil conflict. It won independence on July 9, 2011 from Sudan after more than two decades of war that ended in a bitter divorce.
The country again plunged into conflict in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup, which the latter denied, leading to a cycle of retaliatory killings.
President Kiir and former rebel leader and now First Vice President Machar signed a peace deal in August that paved way for the formation of the transitional unity government to end more than two years of civil conflict. Enditem
CAIRO, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The Cairo-based Arab League (AL) voiced concern over the recent deadly clashes in South Sudan between loyalists of the country's president and vice-president in the capital Juba, the pan-Arab body said in a statement Monday.
"Escalation of violence and fights to reach several areas in South Sudan topped by the capital city Juba may have serious consequences that could be hard to control or completely contain in the short run," the statement warned.
Hundreds have been killed in the recent three-day confrontations in South Sudan's capital Juba between soldiers loyal to President Salva Kiir and troops backing his rival Vice-President Riek Machar. South Sudan's health ministry said 271 were killed in the fighting on Friday alone.
"This issue raises great fears about the future of security and stability in this newly-established country that represents an important neighborhood to the Arab region," the AL statement added.
That Arab organization also urged the fighting parties to abide by the peace agreement they signed in August 2015, which ended a civil war that broke up in December 2013.
Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Ministry also expressed "great concern" over South Sudan deadly clashes, calling both sides for self-restraint to avoid returning to war and destruction and waste the gains of peace.
"Egypt will always be ready to provide assistance to the brothers in South Sudan to overcome their disagreements," the Egyptian ministry said in a statement Monday, voicing support for every regional and international effort to end bloodshed and restore stability in South Sudan. Enditem
MADRID, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The aircraft Solar Impulse II, powered completely by solar energy, on Monday left the Spanish city of Seville to attempt to land in Cairo, Egypt on Wednesday.
The route will be between 48 and 72 hours long depending on weather conditions. This will be the penultimate flight of the plane that will travel to Abu Dhabi afterwards.
Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard, who have been working on the aircraft for more than a decade, will pilot the aircraft. Borschberg will pilot the plane from Seville to Cairo crossing seven countries, after which Piccard will fly to Abu Dhabi.
Borschberg said that the trip was "meaningful as it is my last flight in this round-the-world epic. I am happy that we're close to the end but also prudent knowing that it is not done yet. I have to stay really focused."
The aircraft had been in Seville, in the south of Spain, for two weeks after successfully crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
Solar Impulse II is able to fly night and day without any fossil fuel. It travels at between 45 and 55 km/hour reaching an altitude of 8,500 meters. The plane is wider than a 747 jumbo jet and weighs 2.3 tons.
UNITED NATIONS, July 11 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday said that helping hundreds of millions of people out of poverty is crucial for the successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, a set of 17 development targets approved in September 2015 to serve as the blueprint for global development efforts.
In his message to mark World Population Day, which falls on July 11, the secretary-general said, "The international community has committed to a new sustainable development agenda built on the principles of equity and human rights. A central objective of the Sustainable Development Goals is to leave no one behind."
"On this World Population Day, I urge all Governments, businesses and civil society to support and invest in teenage girls," the secretary-general said. "Everyone deserves the benefits of economic growth and social progress. Let us work together to ensure a life of security, dignity and opportunity for all."
World Population day is an annual event, observed on July 11 every year, which seeks to raise awareness of global population issues. The event was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989. This year's theme is "Investing in teenage girls."
"Despite significant gains made in reducing poverty and improving opportunity and well-being for many people around the world, hundreds of millions remain desperate for a chance of a better future," Ban said. "Among those least served by previous development initiatives are girls, particularly those in their formative teenage years."
Just when girls should be in school and imagining the possibilities ahead, too many are held back from pursuing their ambitions by social and cultural traps, he said. "While a boy's options and opportunities tend to expand when he becomes an adolescent, those of a girl too often shrink."
Half of all sexual assaults worldwide are committed against girls aged 15 or younger, he noted. "In developing countries, one in three girls is married before she reaches 18. And teenage girls are less likely than teenage boys to start or finish secondary school."
"Rectifying these inequalities is critical for the success of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," he said. "That is why it includes the specific Goal of achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls." Enditem
WASHINGTON, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Bacteria carrying the MCR-1 "superbug" gene, which makes the last-resort antibiotic colistin useless against them, have been found in a second U.S. patient, researchers said Monday.
The gene was detected in an isolate of Escherichia coli that was originally recovered in 2015 from a patient in New York, according to the research published in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
Previously, Escherichia coli bacteria carrying the MCR-1 gene was identified in a urine sample from a Pennsylvania woman with no recent travel outside of the U.S. this May.
The mcr-1 gene makes bacteria resistant to the antibiotic colistin, which is used as a last-resort drug to treat patients with multi-drug-resistant infections, including carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE).
U.S. health experts said the discoveries would be concerning because the mcr-1 gene exists on a plasmid, a small piece of DNA that is capable of jumping between different bacterial species, spreading any resistance genes it carries.
In the current study, the researchers, who coordinated the worldwide SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program, first tested 13,526 Escherichia coli and 7,480 Klebsiella pneumoniae strains that had been collected from hospitals in the Asia-Pacific region, Latin America, Europe, and North America in 2015.
They found that 390, or 1.9 percent, were resistant to colistin, and that 19 of these isolates tested positive for mcr-1.
The 19 isolates originated in ten countries representing all of the above regions. It involved a New York patient infected with Escherichia coli whose name was not disclosed.
The isolates that tested positive for mcr-1 were susceptible to several commonly used antimicrobial agents, including carbapenems, and recently approved anti-microbial agents that can be used against gram negative bacteria, said corresponding author Mariana Castanheira, Director for Molecular and Microbiology at Iowa-based JMI Laboratories.
That means these and similar isolates are unlikely to cause hard to treat infections at this time, Castanheira noted.
The presence of the mcr-1 gene, however, and its ability to share its colistin resistance with other bacteria such as CRE raised the risk that pan-resistant bacteria could develop, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said earlier.
The mcr-1 gene was first isolated from food animals and humans in China in late 2015. Following that, scientists across the globe began searching for other bacteria containing the mcr-1 gene, and the bacteria have since been discovered in Europe and Canada.
ISLAMABAD, July 11, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Advisor to Pakistani Prime Minister on National Security, Lieutenant-General (retd) Nasser Khan Janjua, addresses a meeting of senior members of the core committee Pakistani think tank "101 Friends of China" in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan on July 11, 2016. A Pakistani strategic think tank passed a resolution on Monday to support China's stand over the Philippine-initiated arbitration on the South China Sea issue, calling for the international arbitral institutions to avoid being used as instrument for political purposes to fuel tensions and disputes, and that the Permanent Court of Arbitration should conduct business strictly within its jurisdiction.(Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)
ISLAMABAD, July 11 (Xinhua) -- A Pakistani strategic think tank passed a resolution on Monday to support Chinas stand over the Philippine-initiated arbitration on the South China Sea issue, calling for the international arbitral institutions to avoid being used as instrument for political purposes to fuel tensions and disputes, and that the Permanent Court of Arbitration should conduct business strictly within its jurisdiction.
Over 40 senior members of the core committee Pakistani think tank, 101 Friends of China, including famous law makers, retired judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, top lawyers, retired army generals, diplomats, intellectuals and experts on international affairs gathered in Pakistani capital of Islamabad and approved the resolution unanimously, expressing serious concerns over the escalation of tension in the South China Sea and alarm over the military buildup in the recent weeks in the region.
Advisor to Pakistani Prime Minister on National Security, Lieutenant-General (retd) Nasser Khan Janjua, also attended the meeting and endorsed the resolution.
Its a great resolution. The U.S.-dominated uni-polar world is under threat that is why the U.S. wants to curtail rising China. The U.S. is well aware of that it will soon be taken over by China economically, so it is creating unrest around China, said Janjua.
The Philippines filed a compulsory arbitration against China at The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in 2013.
China maintains that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case, which is in essence about territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation. China, therefore, has made it clear it will not accept or get involved in those proceedings.
Chairman of the think tank and Editor-in-Chief of Pakistans leading English daily Pakistan Observer, Zahid Malik, said The South China Sea and adjoining areas are being militarized by the U.S. It is cooking something bad in the region. We have passed the resolution to urge the world, to go for peace, to avoid the confrontation and to support Chinese stand to solve the issue peacefully through negotiations.
The resolution recognized China's declaration to defend its historical territory and fully endorsed the position taken by China on the South China Sea in regard to its sovereignty over Nansha Islands and the surrounding waters.
A peaceful resolution of disputes through bilateral channels will reinforce the rule of law, while an escalation can drift towards open confrontation leading to disastrous consequences for the region and the globe, reads the resolution.
Addressing the gathering, Political Councilor of Chinese Embassy in Pakistan, Zhao Lijian, termed the resolution appropriate and in time and said It shows the strong support from Pakistani people to the Chinese people.
Expressing hope that no steps will be taken to hurt China's sovereignty and security interests, the resolution also urged all powers in the region to take steps to de-escalate the situation, demilitarize the region and, in doing so, avoid misjudgments that could lead to accidents or unintended conflagration.
Calling for the universal ratification of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the resolution urged all parties to resume bilateral dialogue, including quiet diplomacy, in accordance with their agreements and past practices, in order to explore bilateral peaceful settlement of disputes.
Urging all parties involved to avoid provocative pronouncements and actions, and to exercise utmost restraints and seek peaceful settlements through negotiations, the meeting also acknowledged that China is keen to promote common interests in keeping peace and freedom of navigation in the area and thus explore ways to co-operate.
PRAGUE, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Negotiations and goodwill are necessary to definitively solve the situation in the South China Sea, Czech expert, Prof. Oskar Krejci told Xinhua in an interview recently.
Krejci is the director of the Institute of Global Studies at the University of Jan Amos Komensky Prague and former adviser to two prime ministers of the former Czechoslovakia.
"Forced arbitration cannot be a rational solution," Krejci said. The Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, which China signed in 2002, together with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), could be a start, he indicated.
In Article 4 of the declaration, it is stated that disputes shall be resolved directly by the countries concerned by negotiations and consultations. "With goodwill, a basis for negotiations could be found," Krejci added.
He said the idea of forced arbitration is not a suitable solution in this dispute. "It is in itself very questionable," Krejci said.
Arbitration differs from regular courts, where both sides of dispute give permission to the third party to decide for them which of those two is right. The general rule, agreed by China and 30 other countries in signing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, stipulates that there cannot be an arbitration case against territorial integrity.
In this particular case, China has announced that they are refusing to participate in the arbitration initiated by the Philippines. "It is very difficult to describe what is happening in The Hague. I hope that the verdict of the Permanent Court of Arbitration will be: 'This case is not for us,'" Krejci said.
According to him, calm negotiation and renegotiations are the best solutions to the issue. Enditem
CAIRO, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Egypt saw its population growing 23.7 percent within a decade, said the country's official census authority on Monday to mark the World Population Day.
The Egyptian population jumped from 72.8 million in 2006 to 90.1 million at the beginning of 2016, the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics said in a statement.
Almost one third of the Egyptian population are under 15 years old, while the elderly (65 years of age upwards) make up four percent of the total population, the census agency said.
The fertility rate of Egyptian women is around three children, contributing to the growing number of young people, according to another report issued by the agency recently.
This year's World Population Day focuses on providing safety, education and opportunity for teenage girls.
The number of people worldwide will increase from 7.3 billion to 8.5 billion in 2030, according to the United Nations Population Fund. Enditem
DAMASCUS, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army announced Monday evening extending a regime of calm for additional 72 hours, the third consecutive extension to take place recently, state news agency SANA said.
The new extension will enter into effect on July 12 and will end on July 14, said the report.
The first recent 72-hour ceasefire went into effect last Tuesday, and was extended for a similar duration for the second time on Saturday.
The regime of silence was planned to be nationwide, but the northern city of Aleppo has seen one of the most violent situation during the last week, when the rebels went on retaliatory offensives on government-controlled areas, to revenge the government troops' control over the last supply line for the rebels in the northern countryside of Aleppo.
Over 60 people were killed and hundreds of others wounded over the past few days, when the rebels of the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Fornt and likeminded groups rained down Aleppo with hundreds of mortar shells.
On Monday morning, the Nusra and allied militants unleashed simultaneous attacks on government-controlled districts in western Aleppo.
Opposition activists said the rebels advanced near the historic citadel of Aleppo, where government forces have for long been stationing.
Pro-government reports denied the claim, amid a definitive truth that the city is living a bloody nightmare.
Aleppo, strategically located near the borders with Turkey, is Syria's largest city and once an economic hub. It has been a focal point of clashes between the Syrian army and the rebels.
In the summer of 2012, thousands of armed militants stormed residential districts of Aleppo from its countryside, striking the economic nerves of the Syrian government, which has repeatedly accused Turkey of supporting the rebels for undeclared interests in Aleppo.
The rebels captured several districts in eastern Aleppo city and tried repeatedly to expand their presence to government-controlled areas in the west.
The rebels laid siege to western Aleppo districts after cutting the international road to Aleppo in 2014, a siege broken later by the Syrian army, with the help of Hezbollah.
Military experts say the initial aim of the new Syrian army's battles in Aleppo is to lay a siege on the rebel-held areas and cut off their supply lines to force a surrender.
Another aim is to ensure the security of government-controlled areas and to prevent the militant groups from blocking the main road connecting Aleppo with the Syrian coast and other provinces in central and southern Syria.
Observers say the Syrian military campaign also aims to recapture areas in the northern and southern countryside of Aleppo in the face of Turkey's perceived attempts to establish a safe zone in northern Syria.
by Maria Spiliopoulou
ATHENS, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Greece has submitted a proposal to its creditors for further significant easing capital controls, Central Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras told the parliament on Monday, Greek national news agency AMNA reported.
The Greek official expressed optimism that lenders will give the green light and positive announcements will be formally made in a few days.
On June 29, Greece marked the first anniversary from the introduction of the capital controls as part of efforts to avert a collapse of the banking system as the debt-laden country was teetering on the brink of default.
Following the signing of the third Greek bailout since 2010, Athens has gradually stepped back from meltdown with the further support of international lenders and relaxed a bit capital controls.
Currently Greek citizens can withdraw up to 420 euros (464 U.S. dollars) per week from their bank accounts. In case they do not withdraw the amount one week, they cannot withdraw more the next one.
Addressing the parliament's Economic Affairs Committee during a debate on the central bank's annual report on monetary policy, Stournaras told lawmakers, according to AMNA, that the Greek plan foresees among others that from now on people will be able to withdraw up to 840 euros every two weeks if they have not withdrawn any cash in the same period.
Athens' proposal also includes the lifting of the ban on withdrawing cash for new cash deposits and the full lifting of the ban on repaying loans, according to the central banker.
Athens also suggests the increase of limits in credit card use abroad and for almost all online purchases as well as the increase of the limits of payments for banks and institutions to 1,000 euros.
The Greek official also appeared confident that from August this year, Greek bonds worth 3.7 billion euros will be included in the European Central Bank's Quantitative easing program, as Greek economy is gradually being restored.
According to the central bank of Greece's annual monetary report, Greece will return to growth in the second half of 2016, but still will contract by 0.3 percent before growing by 2.5 percent in 2017.
Stournaras reiterated a call for debt relief and lower primary surplus targets after 2018 to 2 percent of GDP in exchange of more reforms.
"We should trade structural reforms and privatizations with less austerity," he stressed.
Asked about the state of the banking sector, he said that non-performing loans reach 108 billion euros while some four billion euro deposits have returned to the banks over the past year.
Regarding the impact of a Brexit, Greece's central banker stressed that it will be significant on Britain, less for the European Union and almost insignificant for Greece. (1 euro= 1.1 US dollars) Enditem
LONDON, July 11 (Xinhua) -- A wrecked car, sliced into two in an horrific crash, was displayed outside the Houses of Parliament in London Monday as part of a national campaign for tougher sentences for criminal drivers.
Heartbroken parents, Dawn and Ian Brown-Lartey, lost their son Joseph, 25, when a speeding driver ran a red light at more than 128 km/h miles an hour, in Greater Manchester.
The car their son had been driving was put on public display for the first time, showing the public how it had been cut into two by the force of the crash.
The car was taken to the House of Commons with help from Greater Manchester Police who investigated the crash.
The charity Brake is calling on the British government to review guidelines for both charging and sentencing criminal drivers.
A spokesman for the charity said Monday: "This new campaign is being backed by a number of recently bereaved families who feel they have not had justice for their loved ones."
A survey to mark the launch of Brake's new "Roads to Justice" campaign shows there is huge support for strengthening sentences faced by criminal drivers.
A survey by Brake showed 91 percent of people questioned believed that if someone causes a fatal crash when they drive after drinking alcohol or taking drugs, they should be charged with manslaughter, which carries a maximum life sentence in prison.
Current charges mean guilty drivers face between six months in prison and 14 years, though Brake says sentences at the higher end of the range are rarely handed out.
Ian and Dawn Brown-Lartey, said in a joint statement: "We will never get over the loss of our beautiful son Joseph, who had his whole life ahead of him. Hearing that his killer will serve half of a six-year sentence was a further slap in the face to us and our family. The law needs to change so that sentences for causing death by dangerous driving reflect the crime."
"We can't bring Joseph back, but what we can do is campaign in his name to stop other families going through what we are. Joseph's car was split in two. The emergency services said it was the worst road crash they had ever seen. We want people to see that devastation first hand in the hope of educating young drivers but also to hit home with the government the importance of our campaign," the statement said.
Brake spokesman Gary Rae said: "There are too many families, like the Brown-Lartey's, who suffer the double trauma of losing a loved one in a sudden and violent way, and then witness the judicial system turning its back on them." Enditem
TIRANA, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Albanian Minister of Social Welfare and Youth Blendi Klosi and his Macedonian counterpart Dime Spasov signed an agreement on the recognition of pension rights on Monday, which will benefit Albanian citizens who live and work in Macedonia and Macedonian businessmen based in Albania.
The accord came at an meeting between the two officials.
Klosi stressed that there are hundreds of Albanians working in Macedonia while dozens of Macedonian entrepreneurs have opened their companies in Albania. The agreement is going to pave the way for further developments and exchanges in joint labor market.
Spasov also highlighted the importance of the agreement and said that it will help strengthen the communication and cooperation for the creation of a regional labor market.
In addition, both ministers agreed to boost cooperation in the sector of vocational education. They also discussed seasonal employment for citizens of both countries. Enditem
DAMASCUS, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Syrian observers have condemned the frequent targeting of civilians by the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition airstrikes, whose declared goal is striking the Islamic State (IS) group.
The U.S.-led anti-terror coalition started pounding the IS positions in northern Syria in September of 2014.
While the U.S. boasts killing thousands of the IS militants, civilian victims also fell in the process.
In a recent report, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based watchdog group, said 366 civilians, including 92 children and 64 women, were killed in northern Syria since September of 2014 till February of 2016.
The death toll has surely risen ever since.
The Observatory, which relies on a network of activists on ground, said Sunday that 67 civilians, including 23 children and 14 women, were killed since May 31, 2016 till this July in the town of Manbej in the northern province of Aleppo.
The U.S. Central Command acknowledged last April the falling of civilians during the airstrikes, providing a death toll far less than that of the Observatory.
At least 20 civilians died in the U.S. airstrikes between September and February, including eight in a single attack on a mortar position used by militants, it said.
Colonel Patrick Ryder, a spokesperson for central command, said the casualties were "deeply regretted" but maintained that the campaign was the "the most precise air campaign in the history of warfare."
In Syria, experts questioned the entire intention of the United States and its coalition, saying their strikes are "politicized."
Maher Ihsan, a journalist and political expert, told Xinhua that the intension of the U.S. coalition is under a lot of suspicion.
"It's not strange that the U.S.-led coalition targets civilians in Syria, because the intention of such a coalition to truly target the positions of the IS is questionable," he said, adding that "I think the U.S. strikes are the reflection of the U.S. interests and plans only."
Ihsan gave the example of the IS invasion of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria last year.
"Everyone saw how the convoys of the IS moved through the Syrian desert toward Palmyra last year, and how the U.S. coalition didn't strike them. Ironically, the IS entered Palmyra under the sight of the U.S. coalition," he said.
For her part, Sana Ali, a Syrian political writer and journalist, shared the same views with Ihsan.
Citing Syrian soldiers she had interviewed before, Ihsan said Syrian soldiers stressed that they have seen how the U.S.-led coalition airdropped munition boxes on areas controlled by the IS in the northern city of al-Raqqa, the de facto capital of the terror group.
The U.S. said it was dropping weapon aid to "moderate" rebels it's backing.
"I think the U.S. doesn't truly distinguish between the IS and other rebel groups, and if it couldn't distinguish between them, it will not distinguish between civilians and combatants," she said.
"While targeting civilians is condemned, it will not look strange when understanding the double standards and the hidden agendas of the United States, which doesn't care about the Syrians in general, let alone having a concern about the lives of the civilians," she added.
BUCHREST, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The Romanian Foreign Ministry on Monday voices its profound regret over the death of the honorary consul to the Republic of El Salvador, Emanuel Ricardo Salume Barake.
Salume Barake's body was found at his home on Sunday in San Salvador, bound and gagged in what is suspected of being a homicide, the Salvadoran police said.
The details about the death of the honorary consul are going to be clarified in the judicial investigations conducted by local authorities, said a release of the Romanian Foreign Ministry.
The ministry also expressed the hope that those responsible for the act will be identified in the shortest time and held accountable before justice.
According to the ministry, Salume Barake, 71, was appointed as Romania's honorary consul in 1994, after consultations with the Foreign Ministry of El Salvador.
The honorary consuls aren't Romanian state employees and neither paid for their activity, as they are elected from the Romanian or foreign citizens with residence in the accrediting state, according to the Foreign Ministry.
It is the second murder involving a diplomat in the Central American country, after the body of Panama's honorary consul, Carlos Armado Lemus, was found in an abandoned car in the capital on May 26. Enditem
(Xinhua photo)
by Lan Xi, Lu Chengyi
BERLIN, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Arbitration on the South China Sea initiated unilaterally by the Philippines is a possible abuse of international law, Cai Congyan, international law professor at Xiamen University and visiting scholar at Humboldt University told Xinhua here in a recent interview.
Cai said: "The Philippines' unilateral request for arbitration on the South China Sea could be deemed as abuse of international law, at least not in good faith."
He said China and ASEAN countries including the Philippines have signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in 2002 that includes a dispute settlement mechanism. However, the Philippines did not fully utilize the mechanism in accordance with the Declaration.
What China opposes is the unilateral initiation of arbitration by a concerned party in the South China Sea when the dispute settlement mechanism under the Declaration is not fully made use of, Cai said.
"In this case, the arbitral tribunal did not interpret the rules of international law as well as the real intention behind the Philippines' arbitration claims appropriately. It also presents a higher risk in abuse of international law by international dispute settlement bodies and their problematic expansion of jurisdiction prevails," he added.
An increasing number of countries are also raising doubts on the neutrality and independence of arbitrators in this case. "The appointment of arbitrators in this case is obviously unjust. Therefore, the legitimacy of such a formation can hardly be guaranteed," said Cai.
According to him, China excluded maritime delimitation from compulsory arbitration in a declaration made in 2006, in accordance with UNCLOS concerning the optional exceptions to the applicability of the U.N. Convention, which means the arbitral tribunal has no jurisdiction on such issues.
In the arbitration on the South China Sea, the tribunal held that the Philippines' "pretending" claims only refer to the interpretation of UNCLOS, only because the exempted issue of maritime demarcation was not literally included in the Philippines' claims.
"However, the interpretation of UNCLOS in this case involves disputes among China and other neighboring countries, including the Philippines, on maritime delimitation and islands sovereignty and maritime demarcation in the South China Sea," Cai said, adding that the arbitral tribunal in this case has misinterpreted the meaning of optional exceptions made by China.
Cai said negotiations were a legal obligation under the DOC. The Declaration was signed by multilateral parties including China and other neighboring countries of the South China Sea and was repeatedly reiterated by leaders of the signatory countries in their intergovernmental engagements over a long period of time.
"In my view, the arbitral tribunal did not conduct adequate review or a reasonable judgment on the legal role of negotiation in this case," he said.
In Cai's opinion, consultation and negotiation can better facilitate the settlement of disputes, especially sensitive ones between countries.
"The arbitral tribunal on the South China Sea will not help solve the dispute," Cai said, "Such practice of the tribunal could worsen the dispute. The international community should focus more on dispute settlement and restoring order."
According to the Statute of International Court of Justice (ICJ), an important mission of ICJ is to settle disputes and restore order, Cai said. The tribunal of this case merely has a single-sided understanding of what an international dispute settlement body should do and its understanding on its own mission and nature is not in line with the statute of ICJ, he added.
He said legal loopholes sometimes exist in international law, part of which are "constructive ambiguities," which should have given some leeway with intent for various parties to reach agreements. However, the South China Sea arbitration represents an abuse of an incomplete system of international law, Cai said.
MONTEVIDEO, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Uruguay said on Monday that the decision whether to hand over the rotating presidency of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) bloc to Venezuela during the second half of 2016 would be postponed until Thursday.
"Each country is maintaining its position," said Foreign Minister of Uruguay Rodolfo Nin Novoa after a meeting with diplomats from Mercosur members, that include Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Venezuela.
The minister told a press conference that the decision would be "taken by consensus," adding that he hoped the handover of the presidency would be settled in the coming days.
Paraguay has maintained its public opposition to the handover of Mercosur presidency from Uruguay to Venezuela for weeks, saying the economic crisis and rising violence in Venezuela made it unsuitable to govern the bloc.
Last week, Brazil joined the dissenters, saying the handover should at least be postponed.
After the news was announced, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez criticized the two countries, saying that "officials from Paraguay and Brazil have only presented excuses while pretending to not know the Mercosur rules."
"Venezuela has every right, as per Mercosur's treaties, to receive the rotating presidency," the minister told the state-owned Venezolana de Television in Montevideo.
The rotating presidency of the bloc is passed from member to member every six months, in alphabetical order.
MEXICO CITY, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Mexico is in dire need of an educational reform to bring about several changes, including in regular testing and supervision of teachers, to improve the efficiency of its school system, experts said.
Angel Diaz-Barriga, an emeritus researcher on higher education at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), told Xinhua that evaluating the development of teachers is necessary, although the current method suggested by the government's reform is not adequate.
"Such inspections could be carried out through observations in class and would allow teachers to self-improve, while also recording classes for later examination," he suggested.
These planned evaluations, however, drew protests from teachers belonging to the National Coordination of Education Workers (CNTE). They are demanding the cancellation of the reform, which they see as punitive and opening the door to mass firings.
The Ministry of Public Education (SEP) has denied the allegation, saying that the reform does not aim to fire anyone but simply to ensure better results by training teachers.
Diaz-Barriga has his doubts as exams of teachers not affiliated with the CNTE in 2015 have not yet concluded. This leads him to believe the process, as designed by the current reform, is too long and does not really track the development of teachers in class.
"The teachers are complaining about all the evaluation processes, not just one," he said.
According to SEP, the evaluation process would consider four aspects, the opinion of the school director, the teacher's communications ability to students, a written exam, and oral and written evaluation of class planning ability.
This week, the SEP has begun a dialogue with teachers' unions to analyze problems in the reform and discuss how to improve its implementation.
"The vision of the evaluation will have to be changed to consider and utilize the teachers' opinions," Diaz-Barriga added.
Dissident teachers have been opposing the reform since it first emerged in 2013. However, since May, they have increased their protests, suspending classes and blocking off highways in the states of Oaxaca, Chiapas, Guerrero and Michoacan, where sentiment against the reform is particularly strong.
Hugo Casanova, an investigator at UNAM, told Xinhua that while the reform had "structural errors", an overhaul of teacher training and evaluation was bitterly needed.
According to Casanova, Mexico has around 5 million illiterate people and 32 million people who did not complete primary or secondary education.
"This is not just about making the CNTE happy or not, it is a matter of getting a reform that will help resolve deep structural problems," Casanova warned.
UNITED NATIONS, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Ten of the 12 candidates who have announced their bids to replace UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will take part in a first-ever "globally televised" debate, President Mogens Lykketoft of the General Assembly said here Monday.
It is to be held in the UN General Assembly hall from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday (2300 Tuesday-0200 Wednesday GMT) and available free from UNTV and Al Jazeera Media Network, producers of the broadcast, Lykketoft said at a press conference here.
"The first globally televised event where 10 of the 12 candidates for the position of the next secretary-general are able to be present," Lykketoft said.
"We all know that this is a unique process up until now of transparency," he said of the process to select a successor to Ban, who retires at the end of 2016 after two five-year terms. "This televised event open for any kind of broadcaster around the world and for social media will be yet another step forward."
"The aim we are looking for is much broader participation in the general (UN) membership and the general public of the world in the selection of the next secretary general," the president said. "This is the town hall of the United Nations."
Ten candidates who have confirmed participation, after drawing of lots, have been split into two groups to participate in discussions and answer questions, Lykketoft said.
The first group consists of Vesna Pusic of Croatia, Antonio Guterres of Portugal, Susana Malcorra of Argentina, Vuk Jeremic of Serbia and Natalia Gherman of Moldova. In the second group are Helen Clark of New Zealand, Danilo Turk of Slovenia, Christiana Figueres of Costa Rica, Igor Luksic of Montenegro and Irina Bokova Bulgaria.
Srgjan Kerim of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Slovakia's Miroslav Lajcak were unable to attend, Lykketoft said.
According to the UN Charter, "The secretary-general shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council."
Previously, this has resulted in the council secretly choosing a single candidate for recommendation to the General Assembly.
The current selection process was opened up in the name of transparency and so far nine of the 12 candidates have been publicly interviewed by members in the General Assembly. The 10th interview, of Figueres, is scheduled for Thursday.
Policemen block a march of education workers in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, June 17, 2016. The march was held to oppose the education reform promulgated in 2013 by Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto. (Xinhua/Str)
MEXICO CITY, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Mexico is in dire need of an educational reform to bring about several changes, including in regular testing and supervision of teachers, to improve the efficiency of its school system, experts said.
Angel Diaz-Barriga, an emeritus researcher on higher education at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), told Xinhua that evaluating the development of teachers is necessary, although the current method suggested by the government's reform is not adequate.
"Such inspections could be carried out through observations in class and would allow teachers to self-improve, while also recording classes for later examination," he suggested.
These planned evaluations, however, drew protests from teachers belonging to the National Coordination of Education Workers (CNTE). They are demanding the cancellation of the reform, which they see as punitive and opening the door to mass firings.
The Ministry of Public Education (SEP) has denied the allegation, saying that the reform does not aim to fire anyone but simply to ensure better results by training teachers.
Diaz-Barriga has his doubts as exams of teachers not affiliated with the CNTE in 2015 have not yet concluded. This leads him to believe the process, as designed by the current reform, is too long and does not really track the development of teachers in class.
"The teachers are complaining about all the evaluation processes, not just one," he said.
According to SEP, the evaluation process would consider four aspects, the opinion of the school director, the teacher's communications ability to students, a written exam, and oral and written evaluation of class planning ability.
This week, the SEP has begun a dialogue with teachers' unions to analyze problems in the reform and discuss how to improve its implementation.
"The vision of the evaluation will have to be changed to consider and utilize the teachers' opinions," Diaz-Barriga added.
Education workers hold a march in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, June 17, 2016, to oppose the education reform promulgated in 2013 by Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto. (Xinhua/Str)
Dissident teachers have been opposing the reform since it first emerged in 2013. However, since May, they have increased their protests, suspending classes and blocking off highways in the states of Oaxaca, Chiapas, Guerrero and Michoacan, where sentiment against the reform is particularly strong.
Hugo Casanova, an investigator at UNAM, told Xinhua that while the reform had "structural errors", an overhaul of teacher training and evaluation was bitterly needed.
According to Casanova, Mexico has around 5 million illiterate people and 32 million people who did not complete primary or secondary education.
"This is not just about making the CNTE happy or not, it is a matter of getting a reform that will help resolve deep structural problems," Casanova warned.
Photo shows informal dialogues with additional candidates for the position of the next Secretary-General at the United Nations headquarters in New York, June 7, 2016. The United Nations on Tuesday kicked off a second round of public audition with another two new candidates for the position of next UN secretary-general. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)
UNITED NATIONS, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Ten of the 12 candidates who have announced their bids to replace UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will take part in a first-ever "globally televised" debate, President Mogens Lykketoft of the General Assembly said here Monday.
It is to be held in the UN General Assembly hall from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday (2300 Tuesday-0200 Wednesday GMT) and available free from UNTV and Al Jazeera Media Network, producers of the broadcast, Lykketoft said at a press conference here.
"The first globally televised event where 10 of the 12 candidates for the position of the next secretary-general are able to be present," Lykketoft said.
"We all know that this is a unique process up until now of transparency," he said of the process to select a successor to Ban, who retires at the end of 2016 after two five-year terms. "This televised event open for any kind of broadcaster around the world and for social media will be yet another step forward."
"The aim we are looking for is much broader participation in the general (UN) membership and the general public of the world in the selection of the next secretary general," the president said. "This is the town hall of the United Nations."
Ten candidates who have confirmed participation, after drawing of lots, have been split into two groups to participate in discussions and answer questions, Lykketoft said.
The first group consists of Vesna Pusic of Croatia, Antonio Guterres of Portugal, Susana Malcorra of Argentina, Vuk Jeremic of Serbia and Natalia Gherman of Moldova. In the second group are Helen Clark of New Zealand, Danilo Turk of Slovenia, Christiana Figueres of Costa Rica, Igor Luksic of Montenegro and Irina Bokova Bulgaria.
Srgjan Kerim of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Slovakia's Miroslav Lajcak were unable to attend, Lykketoft said.
According to the UN Charter, "The secretary-general shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council."
Previously, this has resulted in the council secretly choosing a single candidate for recommendation to the General Assembly.
The current selection process was opened up in the name of transparency and so far nine of the 12 candidates have been publicly interviewed by members in the General Assembly. The 10th interview, of Figueres, is scheduled for Thursday.
CHICAGO, July 11 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. inmate shot dead two bailiffs on Monday at a courthouse in the state of Michigan before responding officers returned fire and killed him, authorities said.
A deputy sheriff and a civilian were also shot and wounded in the shooting at the Berrien County Courthouse in St. Joseph city, about 160 km from Chicago, Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey said at a news conference.
The shooting occurred at 2:25 p.m. on the third floor of the courthouse when the inmate being moved to the courthouse grabbed a gun from a law enforcement officer and opened fire.
The identity of the inmate was not released. But Bailey said that the inmate had been in custody for "several charges."
The deputy sheriff was rushed to hospital for treatment and was in stable condition, he said.
An investigation was underway, Bailey said.
The shooting came amid tensions across the United States following the killing of five police officers in Dallas, the state of Texas, last week by an Army veteran upset about the fatal police shootings of two black men in the U.S. states of Louisiana and Minnesota.
The police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota have ignited nationwide protests by African Americans against police brutality and racial discrimination.
MELBOURNE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The University of Tasmania in Australia has this week welcomed welcome 21 Chinese students who will take part in a two-year marine and Antarctic science course, as part of an innovative university collaboration.
Students from the highly regarded Ocean University of China (OUC) in Qingdao have travelled to Australia to begin the course at the University of Tasmania's Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS).
Researchers and scientists from IMAS aim to improve the understanding of the ocean climate, the Southern Ocean and Antarctic environments, as well as its resources and impact on the global climate system.
The China-Tasmania study relationship has been ongoing for a few years, with IMAS staff most recently having travelled to the Chinese University in mid-2015, helping to teach an initial intake of 48 Chinese students, who have the option of completing their four-year course in Tasmania.
The students who complete the course will receive a Bachelor of Marine and Antarctic Science with Honours (Physical Oceanography) from the University of Tasmania as well as a bachelor degree from OUC.
IMAS Executive Director Professor Richard Coleman said the partnership with OUC confirmed the innovative and quality curriculum of marine and Antarctic science that was being taught at the University of Tasmania.
"We are delighted to welcome to Tasmania the first of what we expect will be many cohorts of Chinese students from OUC as part of the new 2+2 Program," Coleman said in a University of Tasmania media release on Tuesday.
"Over the next two years they will benefit from IMAS's world-class teaching in marine and Antarctic science while experiencing life in Tasmania.
"There are obvious synergies between IMAS and OUC's teaching and research programs and our collaboration reflects the strong international reputation that IMAS has in its key areas of focus."
Coleman said the collaboration would be a valuable boost for Tasmania's education ties with international universities in the future.
"With more than 45,000 students, Ocean University of China is a major centre for oceanography and fisheries science in China and has taught 70 per cent of the country's PhD graduates in those disciplines," he said.
"Coming from China's premier teaching institution for physical oceanography, these students are among the country's top students in this discipline.
"We expect student intakes for the course to increase significantly in future years and look forward to welcoming a second cohort of OUC students in second-semester 2017."
TOKYO, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Japan's wholesale prices dropped 4.2 percent on year in June, marking the 15th consecutive month of decline, the Bank of Japan (BOJ) said on Tuesday.
According to the central bank, the drop was in line with median market forecasts and comes on the heels of a 4.3 percent annual decline logged in May.
The index of corporate goods prices stood at 99.2 against the 2010 base of 100, the BOJ's preliminary report showed.
In yen terms, the bank said that export prices were down 14.4 percent, while those for imports tumbled 23.2 percent.
Overall final goods prices, which refers to the price of finished products charged to businesses, retreated 3.7 percent in the recording period from a year earlier, the bank said.
Domestic final goods prices, which loosely track the consumer price index, meanwhile, dropped 1.2 percent from a year earlier, the BOJ also said.
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government has allocated 560 million yuan (83.67 million U.S. dollars) to disaster relief efforts in four flood-affected provinces, including Anhui, Hubei, Hunan and Guizhou.
The money, which was processed jointly by the civil affairs and finance ministries, will be used to help people through emergency relocation, transitional settlement, reconstruction of damaged houses and console those who lost loved ones in the disasters, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Rain in the Yangtze River basin has left 161 dead with 61 people unaccounted for since China entered the flood season in March, according to the Yangtze River flood control headquarters.
The casualties have mostly been caused by collapsing houses and floods.As of Monday, 2.9 million people living in the basin had been evacuated.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs and the China National Commission for Disaster Reduction have initiated a grade IV emergency response and have dispatched teams to guide and assist disaster relief in the region.
MELBOURNE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese tourism in the Australian state of Victoria is set for a major boost after Beijing Capital Airlines announced on Tuesday that it would become the latest international carrier to fly into the city of Melbourne.
Victoria's Minister for Tourism and Major Events John Eren joined Beijing Capital Airlines president and chief executive, Xu Jun, on Tuesday to announce the tri-weekly service between Shenyang, Qingdao and Melbourne, which is set to begin in September this year.
Eren said Beijing Capital Airlines' new deal was a further boost to Victoria's tourism industry.
"Beijing Capital Airlines has chosen to fly to Victoria because it knows we are an attractive destination for thousands of Chinese nationals each year," he said in a Victorian State Government media release on Tuesday.
"International visitor expenditure is crucial to Victoria's prosperity, and our long list of international airlines are our allies in the sky."
"More international visitors means more opportunities for Victorian businesses and more jobs for Victorians."
More than 530,000 Chinese nationals visited Victoria in the year ending March 2016, providing 1.7 billion U.S. dollars in expenditure, and helping support the 200,000 Victorian jobs in the tourism sector, according to the media release.
LIMA, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The Peruvian business community expressed optimism about the country's economic outlook, according to a new report released by the country's central bank on Monday.
The report came out on the same day President-elect Pedro Pablo Kuczynski announced that the current central bank governor Julio Velarde would stay in office under his government.
According to the report, the businessmen interviewed were optimistic on 16 out of 19 economic indicators, especially in terms of rising demand, job creation, revenue for companies and productivity.
The interviews, carried out in the second half of June, covered 357 important Peruvian companies.
The results also showed that those interviewed expected Peru's economy to grow 4 percent in 2017 and 4.5 percent in 2018.
The news that Velarde will stay in office seems to have raised confidence further as people believe Peru's monetary and fiscal policies will remain the same.
MEXICO CITY, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Investment in teenage girls helps to change the world and reduce poverty, violence, and discrimination, said a UN envoy on Monday.
In a statement to mark World Population Day, Arie Hoekman, representative of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in Mexico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic, said teenage girls still face risks such as genital mutilation, early pregnancy, sexual violence and sexually transmitted diseases.
"Teenage girls have the right to a safe and healthy life with access to education, not only during these critical formative years, but as they mature to become adult women," said Hoekman.
He said that providing efficient assistance to teenage girls could unlock their potential to change the world by helping them to become workers, mothers, business owners, teachers and political leaders of tomorrow.
"Ensuring the rights of teenage girls means ensuring the rights of women. It also implies reclaiming gender rights, from infancy, and building alternative ways of being women and men, in order to build new ways of interacting among adults," he added.
The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development includes an objective on ensuring gender equality and empowerment for all women and girls, which calls on all countries to eradicate all forms of discrimination, said the envoy.
"There is no more intelligent form of investment, or one with higher returns. It is equally important for a developed country like Japan, for a middle-income country like Mexico or for a poorer country," Hoekman added.
WELLINGTON, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A surge in Chinese visitors helped to offset a drop in visitor nights at commercial accommodation in New Zealand in May, according to figures from the government statistics agency.
International guest nights were up 9.7 percent year on year in May, while domestic guest nights fell by 6.4 percent, Statistics New Zealand said Tuesday.
Overall, total national guest nights for May were down just 0.4 percent year on year.
"International guest nights continued to rise strongly, but were offset in May by a fallback in domestic guest nights," business indicators senior manager Neil Kelly said in a statement.
"May 2015 was a record May month for domestic and total guest nights."
Visitor arrivals numbered 193,600 in May, a new May record, Statistics New Zealand said last month.
For only the second time on record, tourist arrivals from China at 22,200 exceeded those from Australia at 20,200.
The only other time when arrivals from China surpassed those from Australia was February 2015.
For the year ended May, national guest nights were up 5.3 percent from the May 2015 year.
(Xinhua photo)
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- An arbitral tribunal with widely contested jurisdiction Tuesday will issue its final award on the South China Sea case unilaterally initiated by the Philippines.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), acting as the registry of the tribunal, said on June 29 that "the Award will first be issued via e-mail to the Parties, along with an accompanying Press Release containing a summary of the Award."
China has refused to participate in the proceedings and declared that it will never recognize the verdict, stressing that the tribunal has no jurisdiction because the case is in essence related to territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation.
Beijing has pointed out that territorial issues are not subject to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and that as early as in 2006 it declared -- in line with UNCLOS -- to exclude disputes concerning maritime delimitation from mandatory dispute-settlement procedures. Some 30 countries have also filed declarations of this kind.
The government of former Philippine President Benigno Aquino III filed the arbitration against China in 2013, despite an agreement his country had reached with China on resolving their South China Sea disputes through bilateral negotiations.
Although Manila asserted that its submissions do not concern territorial sovereignty or maritime delimitation, the Philippine Foreign Ministry, a day after launching the arbitration, described the purpose of the case as being to "protect our country's territory and oceanic area" and vowed not to "give up our country's sovereignty."
Abraham Sofaer, a former legal adviser to the U.S. State Department, said last month that the tribunal's ruling "will broadly undermine the potential utility of international adjudication."
Meanwhile, Beijing, whose stance on the arbitration case has drawn support from more than 60 countries and international organizations, insists that the South China Sea issue should be resolved through negotiations and consultations between the directly involved parties.
Many in the Philippines share this view. Rosario Manalo, a former Philippine foreign affairs under-secretary for international economic relations, said the best thing for both the Philippines and China is to "sit down and talk."
The country's new President Rodrigo Duterte also said he will pursue bilateral talks with China, adding he might explore possible joint exploration in the disputed South China Sea.
Related:
Backgrounder: A brief look at the South China Sea arbitration case
More countries voice support for China's stance on S. China Sea
BEIJING, July 11 (Xinhua) -- More countries have voiced their support for China's position on the South China Sea issue "despite pressure," a spokesperson for Chinese Foreign Ministry said here on Monday.
Lu Kang's remarks at the ministry's routine press briefing came after Cambodia reiterated on Saturday that the country would not support the arbitration court's upcoming decision over the South China Sea issue. Full story
Commentary: U.S. should stop treating South China Sea as next Caribbean
MEXICO CITY, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The United States should stay away from the South China Sea issue and avoid repeating its history of military intervention and political manipulation in the Caribbean in the past century.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague will announce its award on Tuesday in an arbitration case filed unilaterally by the Philippines against China on disputes over the South China Sea. Full Story
Commentary: U.S. cold-war mentality not solution to South China Sea issue
BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The South China Sea arbitration initiated by the Philippines and without China's consent is a political farce.
NANJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- China's new generation of space tracking ship, the Yuanwang-7, which will perform maritime tracking of manned spaceflight Shenzhou-11 and other space missions later this year, was formally launched on Tuesday after a 60-day trial period.
The vessel, designed by China, marks a new high for China's space tracking technology, said a statement.
The construction of the ship started on Oct. 10, 2014 in Jiangnan Shipyard (Group) Co., Ltd. The 220 meter-long, 40 meter-high ship has a displacement of 25,000 tons. Capable of resisting strong typhoons, the ship can carry supplies to last for 100 days, the statement said.
China boasts a fleet of seven Yuanwang space tracking ships, which have carried out some 70 expeditions and traveled more than 1.5 million nautical miles in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
Shenzhou-11 will carry two astronauts to dock with Tiangong-2, China's second orbiting space lab to be launched in the fall. The docking is expected to allow two astronauts to live in space for up to 30 days.
The Yuanwang-1 and Yuanwang-2 ships, China's first-generation space tracking vessels, were launched in 1979, making China the fourth country to master space tracking technology after the United States, Russia and France.
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- For years, the Philippines and Vietnam have built infrastructures on islands and reefs or even artificial islands in the South China Sea, in an attempt to consolidate their illegal occupation, justify their claims for "sovereignty" or exclusive economic zones and continental shelves.
Facts speak louder than words. Xinhua correspondents have recently conducted a series of interviews and research to expose such illegal activities by the two nations.
THE PHILIPPINES ILLEGALLY OCCUPIES, EXPANDS CHINA'S ISLANDS
China has indisputable sovereignty over its South China Sea islands and their adjacent waters. However, after World War II ended and the Cold War began, the Philippines started to covet those islands.
In the 1970s, the Philippines, in violation of international law including the Charter of the United Nations (UN) and the basic norms of international relations, illegally seized control of eight islands and reefs that are part of China's Nansha Islands.
The seized Chinese islands and reefs are Mahuan Dao, Feixin Dao, Zhongye Dao, Beizi Dao, Nanyao Dao, Xiyue Dao, Shuanghuang Shazhou and Siling Jiao. Manila also attempted to encroach on China's Ren'ai Jiao and Huangyan Dao.
Over the years, the Philippines has continuously built and expanded facilities on those illegally seized islands and reefs, as well as deployed military forces on them.
On Zhongye Dao, for example, the Philippines constructed an office building, dozens of residential buildings, an airstrip guarded by two 40mm-caliber anti-aircraft guns, and a nearly four-story-high sentry tower at the highest point of the island, the Philippine Star quoted reporters invited to visit the island by the Philippine military in May 2015 as saying.
With dozens of Philippine soldiers stationed on the island, there are also barracks, a medical center and a temporary dock, through which supplies are shipped in every three months.
According to the Filipinos now living on Zhongye Dao, Manila provides every household on the island with 16 kg of rice, some canned food and noodles every half month, all free of charge so as to boost migration and achieve the so-called "manifestation of sovereignty."
However, due to the country's limited logistics capabilities, the island can currently only accommodate around 200 people, with a civilian population ceiling of 110.
Ironically, while announcing a halt on further construction on Zhongye Dao not long ago, the Philippine government dispatched several transport aircraft to the island to deliver a large amount of construction materials, believed to be needed for an airport upgrading project.
In addition, the Philippines has built so-called "tourist facilities" on some of the seized Chinese islands, such as Zhongye Dao, Mahuan Dao and Feixin Dao.
VIETNAM EXPANDS LAND RECLAMATION FROM SEA
Media reports said Vietnam started to reclaim land from the sea on its illegally seized islands in the South China Sea as early as the 1980s and the 1990s. It has expanded land reclamation in the past two years.
Currently, Vietnam has reclaimed land from the sea on more than 20 South China Sea islands and reefs, on which Vietnam has built a lot of infrastructures including harbor basins, an airstrip, missile positions, office buildings, barracks, hotels and lighthouses.
Vietnam has also built many water chalets and helicopter platforms on shoals such as Wan'an Tan, Xiwei Tan, Lizhun Tan and Aonan Ansha.
A report released in May by the U.S. Center for Strategic and International Studies' Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative said that satellite photos showed at least 10 sites of Vietnamese construction throughout the region.
Together, Vietnam has built on slightly more than 120 acres (about 48.56 hectares) of land mainly in Nanwei Dao, Xi Jiao and Jinghong Dao; most of the construction work was carried out in the past two years.
Among them, Nanwei Dao is considered by Vietnam as the "military command center" and the "administrative center" for illegally occupying the Nansha Islands. The area of land reclaimed on Nanwei Dao has reached 37.19 acres (about 15 hectares), with military forces stationed and military camps built on the island.
Since April and May 2015, Vietnam has conducted large-scale expansion of the airport and the harbor on Nanwei Dao. On the northeastern side of the island, Vietnam has carried out a harbor basin construction project, including digging a large harbor basin and building a breakwater, while transporting the digged coral sands to the southwest of the island to reclaim land for airport expansion.
On Xi Jiao, Vietnam built a lighthouse and some military infrastructures in 1994 and began large-scale land reclamation and military infrastructure construction in 2011. Satellite photos showed that the area of the land Vietnam has reclaimed on Xi Jiao from the sea has reached 70.5 acres (about 28.5 hectares) in April, 34 times larger than Xi Jiao's original land area.
On Jinghong Dao, Vietnam started to reclaim land in 2006; the area of reclaimed land has reached 26.07 acres (about 10.5 hectares) in March, more than three times larger than the island's original land area. Military camps, family areas and residential areas have been set up on the island.
by Jose Aguiar
CARACAS, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Despite its declared willingness to improve ties with Venezuela, the United States has so far shown no sign of halting its "double agenda" with the South American country, a leading political analyst told Xinhua.
Luis Delgado Arria noted that after U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon visited Caracas in June, some local observers were so optimistic as to say that the visit marked a turning point in the two countries' troubled relations.
However, the atmosphere did not last long as the Obama administration soon started a new round of pressure tactics against Caracas, said Arria, a columnist and author interested in politics.
On June 29, Obama told Venezuela to free "political prisoners" and warned against any attempt to derail a referendum on removing President Nicolas Maduro.
On July 6, the U.S. Congress decided to extend sanctions against Venezuelan politicians linked to alleged human rights violations.
The law, first proposed in 2014 by Senators Marco Rubio and Robert Mendez, suspends visas of certain Venezuelan government officials and freezes their assets in the United States.
The U.S. attacks on Venezuela come from beyond the executive branch, as the Senate shows similar bias, Arria said.
"The United States says it is in favor of dialogue with Venezuela, yet with these political gestures, it is encouraging historically undemocratic and violent segments of the opposition to do anything to sabotage peace and stability," said Arria.
The U.S. State Department on Thursday issued a travel alert against Venezuela, citing increasing "violent crimes" in the Caribbean nation.
For Arria, all these U.S. policies "are blind and all its institutions are at the service of the foreign policy of the State Department ... which seeks to lead a low-intensity war against the government and the people of Venezuela."
HUARONG, July 12, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers work at the plugged dike breach in Huarong County, central China's Hunan Province, July 12, 2016. The dike breach in Huarong was plugged after two days of rescue work. (Xinhua/Li Ga)
CHANGSHA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A dike that was breached two days ago in central China's Hunan Province was closed Tuesday morning.
The 47-meter gap was fixed as of 8:15 a.m., according to the Hunan Provincial Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.
More than 20,000 residents were evacuated after a breach at a flood detention basin in Huarong County, which covers 4,400 hectares.
Two thousand people, including soldiers and police, worked to close the breach, and drivers of more than 10 trucks voluntarily joined in the efforts.
Hunan is on high alert for floods after precipitation in some areas over the weekend hit record highs.
ULAN BATOR, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's upcoming visit to Mongolia will add momentum to bilateral cooperation and further the development of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) mechanism, a Chinese diplomat has said.
At the invitation of Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj and Prime Minister Jargaltulga Erdenebat, Li will pay an official visit to Mongolia from Wednesday to Thursday and attend the 11th ASEM summit in the Mongolian capital of Ulan Bator from Friday to Saturday.
Li's visit to Mongolia will be the first by a Chinese premier in six years and the first by a foreign leader since the recent parliamentary elections and the formation of a new government in Mongolia, Chinese Ambassador to Mongolia Xing Haiming told Xinhua.
Li's visit comes as China-Mongolia relations are facing important opportunities for development, Xing said. "It is expected to be a trip that carries on the past heritage and open up the future. The Mongolian people are eagerly looking forward to Li's visit."
Xing said that China and Mongolia are good neighbors that share a 4,710-km border line and they upgraded bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership -- the highest rank in Mongolia's diplomatic relations -- during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Mongolia in 2014.
The two countries have deepened their relations in recent years in political mutual trust, cooperation in economy and trade as well as people-to-people exchanges, the ambassador said.
Since the normalization of bilateral relations in the 1990s, leaders of the two countries have held frequent meetings, Xing said, adding that China has always highlighted its respect for Mongolia's sovereignty and independence while Mongolia considers its relations with China as a top priority.
China has been Mongolia's biggest trade partner and main source of investment for many years, with Mongolia's trade with China accounting for more than 60 percent of its total foreign trade volume, Xing said.
The two countries have set up intergovernmental cooperation commissions in science and technology, mineral resources and interconnectivity, aiming for a goal of 10 billion U.S. dollars in bilateral trade by 2020.
On people-to-people exchanges, Xing said that there were 1.5 million people traveling between China and Mongolia in 2015, among which 1 million Mongolians -- one third of its population -- visited China.
A series of famous Chinese films and TV dramas translated in the Mongolian language, which China provided for free to Mongolia this year, have proven to be popular in the country, Xing said.
With the Chinese Culture Center in Ulan Bator and Confucius Institutes in Mongolia exerting positive influence, cultural exchanges between China and Mongolia have been active and the Mongolian people are having increasingly deeper feelings toward China, Xing said.
Currently, China and Mongolia are accelerating the strategic synergy between China's Belt and Road Initiative and Mongolia's Steppe Road plan and actively promoting cooperation in production capacity, so as to realize win-win results and common development, the diplomat said, urging the two countries to explore new areas and space for cooperation.
China in 2013 proposed to build the Silk Road Economic Belt, which links China with Europe through Central and Western Asia by inland routes, and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road connecting China with Southeast Asia, Africa and Europe by sea. The Belt and Road Initiative is aimed at promoting policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, trade and financial integration as well as cultural exchanges.
The Steppe Road plan is an infrastructure construction proposal aimed at boosting the Mongolian economy through trans-border transportation.
"Li's visit is expected to point out the direction and lay the foundation for the two countries' all-round cooperation in a variety of areas," Xing said.
Li's visit also comes as ASEM celebrates the 20th anniversary of the birth of the dialogue mechanism.
As Mongolia's good neighbor, friend and partner, China has provided support for Mongolia in hosting the ASEM summit, Xing said, adding that Premier Li's attendance at the summit is the biggest political support for Mongolia and represents high-level bilateral ties.
China will put forward a proposal to promote peaceful cooperation and common development of Asian and European countries at the summit, he added.
"I am convinced that Li's visit will yield fruits, push forward the China-Mongolia relations to a new height and contribute to guiding the Asia-Europe Meeting dialogue to a right path," Xing said.
Related:
Spotlight: China seeks to enhance Asia-Europe connectivity
BEIJING, July 11 (Xinhua) -- China is expected to contribute more to the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) by promoting greater relations between the two regions at an upcoming summit.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will unveil new proposals in deepening cooperation between Asia and Europe during his first foreign visit this year.
Li will attend the 11th ASEM summit in Mongolian capital Ulan Bator from July 15 to 16, after an official visit to the country from July 13 to 14. Full story
Foreign Ministry expecting fruitful Mongolia trip by Premier Li
BEIJING, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's upcoming visit to Mongolia will encourage closer alignment of China's Silk Road Economic Belt initiative with Mongolia's Prairie Road program, according to a senior official from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
by Shristi Kafle
KATHMANDU, July 12 (Xinhua) -- After making history with the appointment of the first female head of state and speaker in the country, Nepal has made another landmark achievement in gender equality by appointing the first female chief justice of the Supreme Court.
On Monday, Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari conducted the oath of office and secrecy ceremony to induct the first female head of judiciary Sushila Karki following the unanimous endorsement by the Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee.
Sixty-four-year-old Sushila Karki's appointment as head of the judiciary is a milestone in the six-decade-long judicial history of Nepal, which over the years has comprised only male legacies. She also became the first female member of the Judicial Council last January.
After the rise of females to the top three leading roles of the state, the Himalayan nation has reintroduced itself as one of the most progressive nations in South Asia by bestowing power to more women.
At a time when women are still suffering from violence and gender discrimination at some parts of the globe, many believe that such an achievement gives cause to celebrate female power, women's rights and gender equality.
Sushila Karki is widely known for her "zero tolerance" stance against corruption, a highly-revered attribute for the post of chief justice, as well as having a track record clean of controversy or disputes.
Born in June, 1952, in the eastern development region, Karki, the wife of a political leader and mother of a son, earned her master's degree in political science from Benaras Hindu University and a Bachelor of Laws Degree prior to that from Nepal's Tribhuvan University.
Karki has experience of working as an advocate for more than three decades and as a Supreme Court justice for seven years. This professional proficiency, her qualifications and sincerity has led her to the leading post of judiciary, leaving many male colleagues and counterparts in her wake.
Local media reported that Karki has solved 8,765 cases in seven years and seven months and looked into 935 more after being appointed the acting chief justice.
Justice Karki has been praised for some of her landmark verdicts over the past few years. In 2012, Karki and Justice Tarkaraj Bhatta issued a verdict to convict the then Minister for Information JP Gupta. The joint bench of Karki and Bhatta had convicted Gupta on the charge of corruption, upon finding he had movable and immovable property worth 8.4 million Nepalese rupees (78,142 U.S. dollars) from unknown sources.
Justices Karki and Bhatta slapped a sentence of one and half years imprisonment and 8.4 million Nepalese rupees in fines to Gupta, overturning a verdict of the Special Court that had given him a clean sheet in the corruption charge filed by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).
"Karki and Bhatta issued the verdict against Gupta, a corrupt politician, even though they had received death threats. It proved that she has zero tolerance towards corruption," a lawyer close to Karki told Xinhua prior to her appointment, requesting anonymity.
Her capacity will undoubtedly be tested in the weeks, months and years to come, as there are numerous disputed issues to be resolved by the Supreme Court. However, Karki's professional career has given many confidence in her ability to face the toughest challenges, and continue with her impartial decision-making.
During the Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee meeting on Sunday, Karki accepted that the Supreme Court is facing a tough time due to a shortage of judges and had appealed to conduct a hearing for appointments as early as possible.
Her remarks had signified her urgency to resolve the existing complexities in the Supreme Court, her first call of duty in the lead post. At present, the special house panel is yet to conduct a hearing of 11 nominees for their appointment as Supreme Court judges.
Legal experts, who are familiar with Karki, are of the view that she has set exemplary principles when it comes to good governance.
Women comprise more than half of Nepal's population of 28 million. As such, the appointment of three females to the posts of handling top national affairs has encouraged Nepalese women to disregard gender barriers to improve their situations and roles in the society.
KABUL, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A local Taliban leader has been killed in an operation in Afghanistan's eastern province of Ghazni, said the country's Interior Ministry on Tuesday.
"An Afghan National Police (ANP) unit killed a Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Shokor along with three of his associates during an operation in Ghazni province on Sunday evening," the ministry said in a statement.
The statement said Shokor served as Taliban shadow judge in Abbad district of the province, 125 km south of Kabul.
"Shokor was responsible for extrajudicial murdering of several innocent Afghans in Ghazni. He was also directly responsible for several terrorist activities and ambush attacks targeting Afghan security forces," the statement noted.
The ANP also found and confiscated several rounds of weapons and ammunition, the statement said, adding no member of the ANP was hurt during the raid.
The Afghan security forces have beefed up security operations against militants since early April after Taliban militants started their so-called annual spring offensive and stepped up attacks across the country.
The militant group has yet to make comments.
FAIZABAD, Afghanistan, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Militants loyal to the ultra-extremist Islamic State (IS) outfit have made their debut in the northern Badakhshan province over the past weeks, a local police official said Tuesday.
"Bunches of new militants carrying the black flag of Islamic State group have seen operating in the far-flanged areas of Jarm district including the strategically important mountainous Khostak valley over the past couple of weeks," Mohammad Akram told Xinhua.
The newly emerged hardliner militants have been pressing the villagers to joint their rank in the fight against government, the official added.
Ignoring the activities of IS militants in Badakhshan province by central government would destabilize Badakhshan and the neighboring Takhar, Kunduz and several more provinces in the north and northeastern region of Afghanistan, the official warned.
Militants loyal to IS have been operating in parts of the eastern Nangarhar province over the past one year and it is the first time that their activities have been reported outside Nangarhar in Badakhshan province.
Meanwhile, Badakhshan provincial police chief Ghulam Sakhi Ghafoori, in talks with local said that he would investigate the report on IS emergence in the relatively peaceful province.
HANOI, July 12, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and visiting Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos attend a press conference in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, on July 12, 2016. Dacian Ciolos said here Tuesday that his ongoing visit to Vietnam is the first of this kind in the past 21 years. (Xinhua/VNA)
HANOI, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos said here Tuesday that his ongoing visit to Vietnam is the first of this kind in the past 21 years.
Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos made the remark at a joint press briefing with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Vietnam's capital Hanoi on Tuesday.
According to Ciolos, during talks with Phuc, two leaders discussed cooperation in potential areas of energy, trade, agriculture and infrastructure.
The visiting Romanian prime minister said as his country is an active member of the European Union (EU) while Vietnam is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), two countries can take roles as bridgehead to connect the two regions.
Announcing that his government intended to double the number of scholarships granted for Vietnamese youth to study in Romania, the Romanian PM added that over 3,500 Vietnamese people have studied in Romania.
Elaborating regional cooperation between Vietnam's southern Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre and Romania's Danube Delta County of Tulcea, the Romania PM said the ties hold potentials in bilateral and inter-regional cooperation between the Europe and the Southeast Asia.
The two countries will boost cooperation in international and regional organizations including the United Nations and International Organization of La Francophonie among others, said the Romanian guest.
Vietnamese PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc, for his part, said at the press briefing that despite positive developments over past time, the bilateral ties between Vietnam and Romania remains modest compared to the two sides' potentials.
Phuc urges the two countries to boost cooperation in areas with strengths such as electricity, railway, agriculture, shipbuilding, and labor.
Prior to the press briefing, two leaders held talks and witnessed the signing of three cooperation agreements between Vietnam and Romania in culture, education-training and electricity transmission.
At the invitation of Vietnamese PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos is touring Vietnam from Monday to Thursday.
Vietnam and Romania established diplomatic ties 66 years ago.
In 2015, bilateral trade revenue reached some 175.6 million U.S. dollars, compared to over 10 million U.S. dollars during 1995-1999 period, statistics by Vietnam's state-run news agency VNA showed.
In the first four months of 2016, bilateral trade revenue between Vietnam and Romania hit over 46 million U.S. dollars. Vietnam mainly exported coffee, seafood, garment, footwear, electronic products and computers to Romania while importing wheat flour, tools and accessories, chemicals, steel material among others from the European country.
Patrol vessel Haixun-21 arrives in Yongxing Island of Sansha City on the SouthChina Sea, south China, April 22, 2015. (Xinhua/Guo Qiuda)
BERLIN, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Arbitration on the South China Sea initiated unilaterally by the Philippines is a possible abuse of international law, Cai Congyan, international law professor at Xiamen University and visiting scholar at Humboldt University told Xinhua here in a recent interview.
Cai said: "The Philippines' unilateral request for arbitration on the South China Sea could be deemed as abuse of international law, at least not in good faith."
He said China and ASEAN countries including the Philippines have signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in 2002 that includes a dispute settlement mechanism. However, the Philippines did not fully utilize the mechanism in accordance with the Declaration.
What China opposes is the unilateral initiation of arbitration by a concerned party in the South China Sea when the dispute settlement mechanism under the Declaration is not fully made use of, Cai said.
"In this case, the arbitral tribunal did not interpret the rules of international law as well as the real intention behind the Philippines' arbitration claims appropriately. It also presents a higher risk in abuse of international law by international dispute settlement bodies and their problematic expansion of jurisdiction prevails," he added.
An increasing number of countries are also raising doubts on the neutrality and independence of arbitrators in this case. "The appointment of arbitrators in this case is obviously unjust. Therefore, the legitimacy of such a formation can hardly be guaranteed," said Cai.
According to him, China excluded maritime delimitation from compulsory arbitration in a declaration made in 2006, in accordance with UNCLOS concerning the optional exceptions to the applicability of the U.N. Convention, which means the arbitral tribunal has no jurisdiction on such issues.
In the arbitration on the South China Sea, the tribunal held that the Philippines' "pretending" claims only refer to the interpretation of UNCLOS, only because the exempted issue of maritime demarcation was not literally included in the Philippines' claims.
"However, the interpretation of UNCLOS in this case involves disputes among China and other neighboring countries, including the Philippines, on maritime delimitation and islands sovereignty and maritime demarcation in the South China Sea," Cai said, adding that the arbitral tribunal in this case has misinterpreted the meaning of optional exceptions made by China.
Cai said negotiations were a legal obligation under the DOC. The Declaration was signed by multilateral parties including China and other neighboring countries of the South China Sea and was repeatedly reiterated by leaders of the signatory countries in their intergovernmental engagements over a long period of time.
"In my view, the arbitral tribunal did not conduct adequate review or a reasonable judgment on the legal role of negotiation in this case," he said.
In Cai's opinion, consultation and negotiation can better facilitate the settlement of disputes, especially sensitive ones between countries.
"The arbitral tribunal on the South China Sea will not help solve the dispute," Cai said, "Such practice of the tribunal could worsen the dispute. The international community should focus more on dispute settlement and restoring order."
According to the Statute of International Court of Justice (ICJ), an important mission of ICJ is to settle disputes and restore order, Cai said. The tribunal of this case merely has a single-sided understanding of what an international dispute settlement body should do and its understanding on its own mission and nature is not in line with the statute of ICJ, he added.
He said legal loopholes sometimes exist in international law, part of which are "constructive ambiguities," which should have given some leeway with intent for various parties to reach agreements. However, the South China Sea arbitration represents an abuse of an incomplete system of international law, Cai said.
BAGHDAD, July 12 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed and some 20 others wounded on Tuesday in a car bomb explosion at a marketplace in northern the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, an Interior Ministry source said.
The attack occurred in the morning when a booby-trapped car detonated in the wholesale vegetable market in Husseiniyah neighborhood in northern Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The source added that the toll could rise as ambulances and police vehicles continue to evacuate the casualties to hospitals and medical centers.
The attack took place as Baghdad witnessed severe traffic jam as the security forces blocked most of the city's main streets and bridges on the Tigris River that bisects the Iraqi capital.
The source said the traffic congestion was temporary as military convoys were marching slowly in downtown Baghdad during the morning hours and attributed the situation to the preparations for military parade in Baghdad during the upcoming days.
A report by UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) estimated that 662 Iraqis were killed and 1,457 others wounded in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in June across Iraq.
HANOI, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Representatives from the Vietnamese foreign ministry's Consular Department have met with officials of the Thai Embassy in Hanoi to protest the use of violence against Vietnamese fishermen and requested Thailand's foreign ministry to investigate the incident.
Vietnam said Thai navy have fired at three Vietnamese fishing boats with 18 fishermen on board, injuring two fishermen, while two other Vietnamese fishing boats sank while being escorted to land, leaving a captain missing.
The remaining 15 crew members were taken ashore by Thai naval vessels, the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand has said.
Deputy Spokesperson of Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang, while answering reporters' question on Monday about the incident, said the Vietnamese embassy has taken necessary citizen protection measures for the detained Vietnamese fishermen.
The embassy has also urged the Thai side to urgently search for the missing sailor, Hang said, adding that the Thai side said they had dispatched helicopters and ships to look for the missing captain.
According to the deputy spokesperson, the Vietnamese foreign ministry is also coordinating with relevant domestic agencies to obtain more information in order to address the incident.
She noted that officials from the Vietnamese embassy visited the wounded sailors, who were confirmed as being in stable conditions on Monday, reported Vietnam's state-run news agency on Tuesday.
The incident took place at around 14:00 local time (0700 GMT) last Friday, according to the Vietnamese embassy.
The fishing boats were chased off by Thai naval police after they were allegedly found illegally operating in Thailand's waters earlier on the same day, according to Nguyen Hai Ngoc, first secretary of the Vietnamese embassy.
Thai media reported on Monday that the Thai navy have arrested the crew members of three Vietnamese trawlers for allegedly illegal fishing in Gulf of Thailand.
KABUL, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Tuesday arrived in Afghan capital of Kabul in an unannounced visit to hold talks with Afghan leaders and U.S. military officials, a source said.
"Defense Secretary Ashton Carter arrived in Afghanistan at around midday. He will meet with Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and Afghan Defense Minister Abdullah Khan Habibi later on the day," a source told Xinhua but declined to be named.
The Pentagon chief will also meet with U.S. and NATO military commanders during his trip, he said.
Foreign dignitaries usually pay unannounced visit to militancy-hit Afghanistan and return to their home countries secretly due to security concerns.
The NATO and U.S. forces completed their combat mission in Afghanistan by the end of 2014, after 13 years of military presence in the country.
Nearly 13,000 foreign forces, including some 9,800 U.S. troops, are currently stationed in Afghanistan for the NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) mission to help Afghan forces in the field of training and advising and backing Afghan troops in the war on insurgents.
ISLAMABAD, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Unidentified gunmen have assassinated a senior political leader in a Pakistani tribal region, local officials said on Tuesday.
Hamid Hussain Turi was shot dead inside his office in Parachinar, a main city in Kurram tribal agency, late Monday, an official of the local administration said.
Slain Turi was the president of the opposition Pakistan People's Party, in Kurram agency and was also an active social worker.
No group has claimed responsibility.
Senior official in Kurram Shahid Ali Khan told the media that authorities were investigating motives behind the murder.
Hundreds of tribal elders have been killed in Pakistan tribal regions in target attacks in recent years. Most of the deaths were blamed on the Taliban and other militant groups.
Officials said Turi had arrived in his office after he received a phone call from an unidentified man late Monday. The assailants had also tortured the politician before he was shot dead, officials said.
The party workers found Turi's body when they opened the office Tuesday morning.
ABOARD "ZHANG JIAN" SHIP, July 12, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Oceanographic research ship "Zhang Jian" sails in the Hangzhou Bay, east China's Shanghai Municipality, July 12, 2016. The ship on Tuesday left Luchao Port in southeast Shanghai for its first voyage to Papua New Guinea and its nearby seas for a research expedition. The ship is 97 meters long and 17.8 meters wide, with a displacement of about 4,800 tons and a cruising speed of 12 knots. The cruising radius of the ship is 15,000 nautical miles, with a carrying capacity of 60 people. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)
SHANGHAI, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese deep-sea explorer ship, Zhang Jian, set sail on Tuesday from Shanghai to the South Pacific for scientific research.
The vessel is the mother ship of the 11,000-meter Rainbow Fish submersible, which Chinese researchers are preparing to send to the Mariana Trench late this year or early next year, said Fang Jiasong, chief scientist of the mission.
During the two-month journey, scientists will test the navigation abilities of the ship and its scientific equipment, said Fang. The ship carries the landing device for the Rainbow Fish submersible, he added.
Its destination is the waters of the New Britain Trench, which is more than 8,000 meters deep in the Solomon Sea off Papua New Guinea, he said.
"The journey is an important step in our efforts to take on the Mariana Trench," said Fang.
The ship, named after the founder of Shanghai Ocean University, is 97 meters long and 17.8 meters wide. It has a designed displacement of around 4,800 tonnes and an endurance of 15,000 nautical miles.
It will be used for general ocean expedition missions, deep-sea engineering, rescue and salvage, underwater archaeology and film shooting.
China began developing Rainbow Fish in 2014. It will be able to go much deeper than the Jiaolong submersible, which set a Chinese record for manned diving when it reached 7,062 meters in the Mariana Trench in June 2012.
With a combined area larger than the United States, the world's 26 hadal trenches, at depths of 6,500 meters or more, are home to many unknown species as well as energy and metal resources. Explorations at these depths have been held back by difficulties including high pressure and low temperatures.
MANILA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government issued its final award on Tuesday, amid a global chorus that the panel has no jurisdiction and its decision is naturally null and void.
In the 479-page award, the five-member tribunal sweepingly sided with the claims filed by the administration of former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III.
Among other conclusions it reached in blatant disregard of historical facts and general international law, the tribunal denied China's long-standing historical rights in the South China Sea.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a meeting with visiting European leaders on Tuesday, said that China will not accept any proposition or action based on the award, and that China's territorial sovereignty and maritime interests in the South China Sea will under no circumstances be affected by it.
China has refused to participate in the proceedings, reiterating that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case, which is in essence related to territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation.
The Chinese government has pointed out that territorial issues are not governed by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and that it has -- in line with UNCLOS -- excluded disputes concerning maritime delimitation from mandatory dispute-settlement procedures. Some 30 other countries have also made similar exclusions.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China solemnly declares that the award is null and void and has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it," the ministry said in a statement shortly after the award was announced.
Describing the arbitration as a political farce under the pretext of law, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that by not participating in and not accepting the arbitration, China is upholding international law and regional rules.
The Aquino administration filed the arbitration against China in 2013, despite the agreement his country had reached with China on resolving their disputes in the South China Sea through bilateral negotiations.
Although Manila asserted that its submissions do not concern territorial sovereignty or maritime delimitation, the Philippine Foreign Ministry, a day after launching the arbitration, described the purpose of the case as to "protect our country's territory and oceanic area."
Xu Liping, a senior research fellow with the National Institute of International Strategy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), stressed that UNCLOS should never be allowed to serve as a tool for certain interest groups to decide on sovereignty-related disputes.
"The award, a typically unfair and arbitrary verdict, represents a huge blow to the world's confidence in the international legal system and the integrity of arbitration proceedings," he said.
While rejecting the award, the Chinese Foreign Ministry also reiterated that China will continue to work with directly concerned countries to resolve the relevant disputes in the South China Sea through negotiations and consultations.
In the latest count, more than 70 countries and international organizations, as well as over 230 political parties and groups in more than 90 countries, have voiced support for China's principled position, far outnumbering those backing the assertions of the Aquino administration and the United States, which is widely considered as a primary instigator behind the arbitration case.
The Chinese public has also kept a close eye on the South China Sea issue, standing firmly behind the government's resolve to safeguard China's sovereignty over the South China Sea Islands as well as its call for dialogue to settle the complicated disputes.
The new Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, recently said that Manila is ready to talk to China even if the South China Sea arbitration tribunal rules in the Philippines' favor.
China has said that the door of China-Philippines dialogue on the South China Sea issue is always open, but it will not negotiate with the Philippines on the basis of any ruling in the arbitration case.
In its statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said negotiations and consultations should be carried out "on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law."
Noting that China has solved border issues with 12 of its 14 land neighbors with over 20,000 km of borderlines delineated and demarcated, Xu, the CASS scholar, said the record "is solid proof that China has been strictly law-abiding."
China has been dealing with its border disputes on land in a very professional and thorough way, agreed Abraham Sofaer, a former legal adviser to the U.S. State Department, adding that "it is also shortsighted ... to assume that no hope exists for diplomacy on maritime disputes."
Related:
Backgrounder: A brief look at the South China Sea arbitration case
More countries voice support for China's stance on S. China Sea
BEIJING, July 11 (Xinhua) -- More countries have voiced their support for China's position on the South China Sea issue "despite pressure," a spokesperson for Chinese Foreign Ministry said here on Monday.
Lu Kang's remarks at the ministry's routine press briefing came after Cambodia reiterated on Saturday that the country would not support the arbitration court's upcoming decision over the South China Sea issue. Full story
Commentary: U.S. should stop treating South China Sea as next Caribbean
MEXICO CITY, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The United States should stay away from the South China Sea issue and avoid repeating its history of military intervention and political manipulation in the Caribbean in the past century.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague will announce its award on Tuesday in an arbitration case filed unilaterally by the Philippines against China on disputes over the South China Sea. Full Story
Commentary: U.S. cold-war mentality not solution to South China Sea issue
BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The South China Sea arbitration initiated by the Philippines and without China's consent is a political farce.
HOUSTON, July 11 (Xinhua) -- More than 1,000 people attended a candlelight vigil Monday night in downtown Dallas to honor the five police officers killed by a sniper during a peaceful march.
During the vigil, which was also attended by police officers, relatives and friends of the killed officers, Dallas Police Association President Ron Pinkston read out all the fallen officers' names, according to the local daily The Dallas Morning News.
Pinkston asked fellow officers to serve in the memory of their lost colleagues while Dallas Police Chief David Brown hailed the police officers as superheroes.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit chief James Spiller said Texas, the second-largest state in the nation, must lead on race relations in America and on supporting and protecting police officers.
In a related development, U.S. President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush are scheduled to attend a private memorial for the slain officers in Dallas on Tuesday.
Last Thursday, a sniper named Micah Johnson opened fire on police officers during a downtown peaceful protest against police's killing of African-Americans in two other states, killing five officers and injuring seven others and two civilians.
It was reported that the shooter, who was wearing a bulletproof vest, used three guns that appeared to have been bought legally.
On Tuesday, some Dallas downtown streets will reopen to normal traffic while some others, such as Main Street and Austin Street, will remain closed until further notice.
FLASH: CHINA ISSUES STATEMENT, REAFFIRMING TERRITORIAL SOVEREIGNTY, MARITIME RIGHTS AND INTERESTS IN SOUTH CHINA SEA
Related:
Backgrounder: A brief look at the South China Sea arbitration case
More countries voice support for China's stance on S. China Sea
BEIJING, July 11 (Xinhua) -- More countries have voiced their support for China's position on the South China Sea issue "despite pressure," a spokesperson for Chinese Foreign Ministry said here on Monday.
Lu Kang's remarks at the ministry's routine press briefing came after Cambodia reiterated on Saturday that the country would not support the arbitration court's upcoming decision over the South China Sea issue. Full story
Commentary: U.S. should stop treating South China Sea as next Caribbean
MEXICO CITY, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The United States should stay away from the South China Sea issue and avoid repeating its history of military intervention and political manipulation in the Caribbean in the past century.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague will announce its award on Tuesday in an arbitration case filed unilaterally by the Philippines against China on disputes over the South China Sea. Full Story
Commentary: U.S. cold-war mentality not solution to South China Sea issue
BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The South China Sea arbitration initiated by the Philippines and without China's consent is a political farce.
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government issued its final award on Tuesday, amid a global chorus that as the panel has no jurisdiction, its decision is naturally null and void.
In a press release accompanying the 479-page award, the five-member tribunal offered a summary of its decisions, which sweepingly side with the claims filed by the administration of former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III.
China has refused to participate in the proceedings, reiterating that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case, which is in essence related to territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China solemnly declares that the award is null and void and has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it," the ministry said in a statement shortly after the publication of the award.
More than 60 countries and international organizations, as well as over 130 foreign political parties and groups, have voiced support for China's principled position, far outnumbering those backing the assertions of the Aquino administration and the United States, which is widely considered as a primary instigator behind the arbitration case.
Related:
Backgrounder: A brief look at the South China Sea arbitration case
More countries voice support for China's stance on S. China Sea
BEIJING, July 11 (Xinhua) -- More countries have voiced their support for China's position on the South China Sea issue "despite pressure," a spokesperson for Chinese Foreign Ministry said here on Monday.
Lu Kang's remarks at the ministry's routine press briefing came after Cambodia reiterated on Saturday that the country would not support the arbitration court's upcoming decision over the South China Sea issue. Full story
Commentary: U.S. should stop treating South China Sea as next Caribbean
MEXICO CITY, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The United States should stay away from the South China Sea issue and avoid repeating its history of military intervention and political manipulation in the Caribbean in the past century.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague will announce its award on Tuesday in an arbitration case filed unilaterally by the Philippines against China on disputes over the South China Sea. Full Story
Commentary: U.S. cold-war mentality not solution to South China Sea issue
BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The South China Sea arbitration initiated by the Philippines and without China's consent is a political farce.
TOKYO, July 12, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Li Zhaoxing, President of the China Public Diplomacy Association and former Chinese foreign minister, speaks at a forum commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Sun Yat-sen, in Tokyo, Japan, July 12, 2016. A forum commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Sun Yat-sen, a great forerunner of China's democratic revolution, was held in Tokyo Tuesday, with a number of celebrated politicians and scholars from China and Japan attending. (Xinhua/Ma Ping)
TOKYO, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A forum commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Sun Yat-sen, a great forerunner of China's democratic revolution, was held in Tokyo Tuesday, with a number of celebrated politicians and scholars from China and Japan attending.
The forum, with the theme "Sun Yat-sen and the future of the Asian Community of Common Destiny", was dedicated to reviewing and studying Sun's ideals and their connection and significance to the current world, and exploring ways to build the Asian Community of Common Destiny.
Li Zhaoxing, President of the China Public Diplomacy Association and former Chinese foreign minister, made a keynote speech at the forum, pointing out that Sun's ideal that Asian countries should cooperate together on equal footing to achieve regional prosperity, is still relevant today.
"Mr. Sun Yat-sen's Great Asianism aimed to change the unequal relationship between Asian countries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which is still of realistic value to promoting the cooperation between Asian countries today. China's current objective of building an Asian Community of Common Destiny was also a lifetime goal of Sun's," he said.
Liu Shaobin, temporary acting ambassador of China to Japan, pointed out that Sun had fought in his life for revitalizing China and achieving national unity. "Through reviewing his revolutionary ideals and practices, we could get a deeper understanding of the historical meaning and rich connotation of the Chinese Dream, and have more confidence for China's rejuvenation," he said.
Liu also referred to Sun's revolutionary years in Japan and the friends he made here. "Mr. Sun Yat-sen has spent a third of his revolutionary life in Japan. He set up the revolutionary organization Tongmenghui (Alliance for Democracy) in Tokyo. He has also made friends from all circles in Japan and received selfless support from them for China's revolutionary cause, which was an embodiment of the friendship between Chinese and Japanese people," he said.
Yasuo Fukuda, former Japanese Prime Minister, said that the relationship between China and Japan, as well as the status of world affairs nowadays, were different from Sun's days, but "Sun's ideals, including the one that Asian countries should cooperate together, are not outdated, and should become guidelines for Asian countries to deal with their relations."
Toshihiro Nikai, chairman of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party's General Council, said that Sun was famous in Japan as a forerunner of China's revolution and when he made a speech on the Great Asianism in 1924, he attracted thousands of listeners. "Sun's ideals made us think about what we could do to help promote the peace and development of our countries as well as of Asia."
The forum was co-sponsored by China Public Diplomacy Association and Japan Sun Yat-sen Cultural Foundation.
JUBA, July 12, 2016 (Xinhua) -- UN peacekeepers help South Sudan civilians settle down at UN house in Juba, South Sudan, July 12, 2016. Tense calm returned to South Sudan's capital after the two leaders called on ceasefire and ordered all commanders to lay down arms and report to their unit bases. (Xinhua)
By Daniel Majack and Ben Ochieng
JUBA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Tense calm returned to South Sudan's capital, Juba on Tuesday after five days of fierce fighting between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar.
There were no sounds of gunfire across the city, which has been deserted as residents had either fled or went into hiding to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
The relative calm comes after the two leaders called on ceasefire and ordered all commanders to lay down arms and report to their unit bases.
Machar on Monday evening told Eye Radio he had ordered his soldiers to put down arms, after 272 people were killed in renewed fighting that is threatening to plunge the world's youngest nation in war.
"I want to reciprocate the declaration of universal ceasefire and I am informing the troops that have been fighting to respect this ceasefire and to remain where they are now," he said.
Last week's sporadic gunfire were the first major outbreak of violence in Juba since President Kiir and rebel leader Machar formed the transitional unity government on April 29.
Residents across the restive city who had remained indoors confirmed tense calm returned to Juba as a few who turned up in the city converse in low tones perhaps over the prevailing situation in the world's youngest nation.
"Juba is calm now although tense because we do not know whether there would be an eruption of gunfight again. But for now, things are okay," said Peter Chol, a Juba resident.
He said some businesses were opened on Tuesday with police providing security.
Meanwhile, South Sudan's Ambassador to Kenya Chol Ajongo said Tuesday that the Juba International Airport has reopened.
"However, it is up to individual airline companies to resume flights to the capital if they feel the compulsion to do so," said the ambassador.
"The airport is safe and is under protection by South Sudanese forces," he told journalists in Nairobi.
Ajongo added that the over 30,000 Kenyans residing and doing business in South Sudan are out of harm with no reported death so far following security challenges that have since killed over 270 South Sudanese nationals.
The airport had been mostly closed except to military traffic. Ajongo said it is the obligation of Nairobi to evacuate its nationals, especially if they feel threatened, adding that normalcy has been restored in the capital and there should be no cause for alarm.
"President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar are in control of their troops and that is why fighting stopped when they directed their respective commanders to abide by the orders and declare cessation of hostilities," he said.
Ajongo said he attended the Foreign Ministers of Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) meeting held on Monday in Nairobi that called for an immediate ceasefire and the protection of civilians and assured that Juba was reinforcing the peace agreement to the letter.
"Peace cannot be forced. It comes from within and South Sudanese nationals have a bigger role to play to ensure that calm returns to their country," the ambassador remarked.
ANKARA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Turkey will continue to improve relations with its neighbors, including Syria and Egypt, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Tuesday.
"There are not many reasons for us to fight with Iraq, Syria, Egypt and countries in all regions. But there are many reasons to carry relations forward," Yildirim was quoted by Hurriyet News as saying at a meeting of his Justice and Development Party's (AKP) in Ankara.
Yildirim stressed that Turkey has recently moved to normalize strained ties with Russia and Israel, and that Ankara "regards all countries as friends."
"We will increase our friendships and decrease enmities. We will also increase our friendships within the country. We will refrain from meaningless and empty discourse. From now on, we will improve our friendships with all countries surrounding the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. We will keep our disagreements at a minimum," he vowed.
However, the premier maintained that Turkey was right to down the Russian jet in November last year over border violations, which led to the breakdown in relations between Ankara and Moscow.
SINGAPORE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Four Bangladeshi nationals, who were detained in April under Singapore's Internal Security Act, were sentenced to between 24 and 60 months' jail for financing terrorism on Tuesday.
The four workers, Rahman Mizanur, Miah Rubel, Md Jabath Kysar Haje Norul Islam Sowdagar and Sohel Hawlader Ismail Hawlader, pleaded guilty in May for one or two counts each of providing or collecting hundreds of dollars to fund terror attacks in Bangladesh.
Rahman, the group's leader, was sentenced to five years' jail. Sohel was given two years in the prison, while Miah and Jabath were given 30 months respectively.
The four Bangladeshi nationals are part of the six charged under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act (TSOFA), which is the first time the Act has been used for prosecution. The other two members, Zzaman Daulat and Mamun Leakot, have denied the charges and are claiming trial.
Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs on May 3 announced that eight radicalized male Bangladeshi nationals were detained under the Internal Security Act.
The eight-member group, called itself Islamic State in Bangladesh, had planned to conduct attacks back home in the hope of toppling the Bangladeshi government.
Another two men who were also part of the group, Sohag Ibrahim and Islam Shariful, will be dealt with separately.
KABUL, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Two militants of Haqqani militant group were detained following a special operation in Afghanistan's eastern province of Khost, the command of Afghan Special Forces said on Tuesday.
"On Monday, the Afghan forces conducted a raid against a militants' hideout in surrounding areas of Khost city, capital of Khost province. As a result two members of Haqqani outfit were detained," it said in a statement.
As a Taliban-linked group of militants, the Haqqani network mostly operating in eastern provinces and capital Kabul, has been responsible for many high-profile attacks against security forces.
The captured men were responsible for several direct attacks against Afghan security forces in Matun district in the province, 150 km southeast of Afghan capital of Kabul, the statement added.
The Afghan security forces have beefed up security operations against militants recently as spring and summer known as fighting seasons are drawing near in the country.
The network, which was designated as terrorist group by the United States in 2012, has yet to make comments.
by Xinhua Writer Jiang Li
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The South China Sea arbitration came to an end with an arbitral tribunal in The Hague issuing an award on Tuesday, but the verdict is null and void and only serves to complicate the situation in the region.
With obvious loopholes and deliberate proceedings circumventing regular arbitration rules, the tribunal undermines international law and sets a bad example for settling sovereign disputes.
China has reiterated its stance of non-participation in and non-acceptance of the arbitration. To fully respect international law and justice, China will never recognize the verdict and never be "forced" into accepting it.
The former Philippine government and the United States behind it have conspired for a long time to blackmail China regarding its historic rights to the South China Sea, but to do it through a tribunal that tramples on international justice goes too far.
For starters, Manila broke its own commitment made in the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in 2002, which was signed between China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to settle disputes through consultation and negotiation.
Without consulting with China over the means of dispute settlement, the former Philippine government unilaterally filed a compulsory arbitration against China in 2013.
Despite Manila's claim to seek a verdict over the status and maritime entitlements of relevant features in the Nansha Islands, the subject matter regards sovereignty and delimitation issues clearly beyond the jurisdiction of the arbitral tribunal.
To make matters worse, some countries outside the region have been making waves to serve their own interests.
The United States has been attempting to "fish in troubled waters" while instigating the Philippines to act on the so-called legal front. Sending warships and warplanes and holding military maneuvers, the United States has spared no efforts to stir up the waters of the South China Sea with its so-called "Pivot to Asia" strategy.
Meanwhile, Japan is an accomplice that attempted to hijack the Group of Seven meeting in April with the South China Sea issue as part of its efforts to serve its audacious ambitions.
The arbitration has only escalated tensions in the region and by no means helps to solve the disputes. The undermining of international law and the repercussions of a law-abusing arbitration are even more worrying than the dispute itself.
The new Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed the desire to engage in dialogue with China on the South China Sea issue, which is a welcomed sign.
Under the dual-track approach initially proposed by ASEAN, China and the Philippines could negotiate in line with international law and get bilateral ties back on track.
It's high time to put an end to this farce that has dragged on for too long.
Related:
Backgrounder: A brief look at the South China Sea arbitration case
Full text of statement of China's Foreign Ministry on award of South China Sea arbitration initiated by Philippines
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Following is the full text of the Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China on the Award of 12 July 2016 of the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration Established at the Request of the Republic of the Philippines issued on Tuesday. Full story
Full text of Chinese gov't statement on China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in S. China Sea
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Following is the full text of a statement of the Chinese government on China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea issued on Tuesday. Full story
More countries voice support for China's stance on S. China Sea
BEIJING, July 11 (Xinhua) -- More countries have voiced their support for China's position on the South China Sea issue "despite pressure," a spokesperson for Chinese Foreign Ministry said here on Monday.
Lu Kang's remarks at the ministry's routine press briefing came after Cambodia reiterated on Saturday that the country would not support the arbitration court's upcoming decision over the South China Sea issue. Full story
Commentary: U.S. should stop treating South China Sea as next Caribbean
MEXICO CITY, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The United States should stay away from the South China Sea issue and avoid repeating its history of military intervention and political manipulation in the Caribbean in the past century.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague will announce its award on Tuesday in an arbitration case filed unilaterally by the Philippines against China on disputes over the South China Sea. Full Story
Commentary: U.S. cold-war mentality not solution to South China Sea issue
BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The South China Sea arbitration initiated by the Philippines and without China's consent is a political farce.
South Sudan Ambassador to Kenya Chol Ajongo addressing journalists at his offices in Nairobi on July 12,2016 where he said that Juba is peaceful after President Salva Kiir and his opponent Vice President Riek Machar called for ceasefire .He added that so far 272 people have died following four days of deadly gun battles in Juba. (Xinhua/John Okoyo)
By Daniel Majack and Ben Ochieng
JUBA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Tense calm returned to South Sudan's capital, Juba on Tuesday after five days of fierce fighting between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar.
There were no sounds of gunfire across the city, which has been deserted as residents had either fled or went into hiding to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
The relative calm comes after the two leaders called on ceasefire and ordered all commanders to lay down arms and report to their unit bases.
Machar on Monday evening told Eye Radio he had ordered his soldiers to put down arms, after 272 people were killed in renewed fighting that is threatening to plunge the world's youngest nation in war.
"I want to reciprocate the declaration of universal ceasefire and I am informing the troops that have been fighting to respect this ceasefire and to remain where they are now," he said.
Last week's sporadic gunfire were the first major outbreak of violence in Juba since President Kiir and rebel leader Machar formed the transitional unity government on April 29.
Residents across the restive city who had remained indoors confirmed tense calm returned to Juba as a few who turned up in the city converse in low tones perhaps over the prevailing situation in the world's youngest nation.
"Juba is calm now although tense because we do not know whether there would be an eruption of gunfight again. But for now, things are okay," said Peter Chol, a Juba resident.
He said some businesses were opened on Tuesday with police providing security.
Meanwhile, South Sudan's Ambassador to Kenya Chol Ajongo said Tuesday that the Juba International Airport has reopened.
A screenshot shows local militants gathering in Juba, capital of South Sudan, on July 10, 2016. Heavy fighting erupted again on Monday in South Sudan's capital Juba between government troops of President Salva Kiir and forces loyal to Vice President Riek Machar. (Xinhua)
"However, it is up to individual airline companies to resume flights to the capital if they feel the compulsion to do so," said the ambassador.
"The airport is safe and is under protection by South Sudanese forces," he told journalists in Nairobi.
Ajongo added that the over 30,000 Kenyans residing and doing business in South Sudan are out of harm with no reported death so far following security challenges that have since killed over 270 South Sudanese nationals.
The airport had been mostly closed except to military traffic. Ajongo said it is the obligation of Nairobi to evacuate its nationals, especially if they feel threatened, adding that normalcy has been restored in the capital and there should be no cause for alarm.
"President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar are in control of their troops and that is why fighting stopped when they directed their respective commanders to abide by the orders and declare cessation of hostilities," he said.
Ajongo said he attended the Foreign Ministers of Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) meeting held on Monday in Nairobi that called for an immediate ceasefire and the protection of civilians and assured that Juba was reinforcing the peace agreement to the letter.
"Peace cannot be forced. It comes from within and South Sudanese nationals have a bigger role to play to ensure that calm returns to their country," the ambassador remarked.
YANGON, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities exposed nearly 60 human trafficking cases within the first half of 2016 and arrested 98 traffickers, official media reported Tuesday.
The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division rescued nearly 130 victims who were sold into forced labor and forced marriage in neighboring countries. However, 67 others are on the lamb.
Shan state registered the highest human trafficking cases, followed by Kachin state and Yangon. No such case has occurred in Nay Pyi Taw, the capital of Myanmar and Bago region this year, the report added.
Myanmar is working assiduously to alleviate poverty, a primary breeder of conditions that lead to human trafficking.
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- China will train village teachers to teach a broader variety of subjects to cover for a shortage of teaching staff, said a senior education official on Tuesday.
Liu Limin, vice minister of education, said at a press conference that the biggest challenge facing village schools was the insufficient number of teachers, particularly of music, physical education, art, foreign languages and computer science.
China wants versatile teachers who will be able to perform multiple roles, just like general practitioners in the medical field, Liu said, citing a guideline the State Council issued on keeping the development of compulsory education in villages commensurate with that in cities at county level.
The guideline set the objective of compulsory eduction developing at the same pace as urbanization by 2020, meaning significant progress must be achieved in village elementary schools, junior high schools and boarding schools.
It also said village school teachers should enjoy a steadily increasing income.
DAR ES SALAAM, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian police in collaboration with Interpol have seized 1.2 tonnes of ivory and arrested nine suspects in connection with the haul, investigators said on Monday.
Diwani Athumani, the east African nation's Director of Criminal Investigations, said the seizure of the 1.2 tonnes of ivory and arrest of the nine suspects followed a two-day special operation in June by the local police and the Interpol in southern and eastern African zones.
"The nine suspects arrested in connection with the ivory were among 256 suspects who were arrested in the operation after they were linked with different criminal offences," Athumani told a news conference in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.
He said the criminal offences linked to the 256 suspects as drug trafficking, human trafficking, possession of illegal firearms, illegal trading of minerals and theft of vehicles.
Athumani said other items seized during the operation were 116 firearms of different makes, 83 grams of heroin, explosives and detonators.
He said other seized items were 10 vehicles stolen from England, three from South Africa and two from Malaysia.
The police also seized 30 stolen motorcycles and arrested 43 illegal immigrants, including Congolese, Burundians, Rwandans and Kenyans.
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese government on Tuesday refused to recognize the award by an arbitral tribunal on the South China Sea, insisting that bilateral negotiations should settle the dispute.
President Xi Jinping said China's territorial sovereignty and maritime interests in the South China Sea will not be affected by the award in any circumstances.
In a press release accompanying the 479-page award, the five-member tribunal offered a summary of its decision, which almost completely accepted the claims filed by the administration of former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III.
The arbitration was "a political farce under the pretext of law," said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi after the award was announced.
"Now the farce is over," the minister said. "It is time that things come back to normal."
INVALID AWARD
The Philippine government initiated the arbitration in January 2013 and in February, the Chinese government declared that it would neither participate in nor accept any outcome of the process.
In a statement Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry said the award "is null and void and has no binding force". It accused the Philippines of "bad faith," saying that the aim was not to resolve the dispute nor to maintain peace and stability, but simply to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
"The conduct of the Arbitral Tribunal and its awards ... are unjust and unlawful," the statement said.
There is plenty of evidence that the Nansha Islands and adjacent waters are Chinese territory. The Chinese people were the first to name and develop the islands and it was the Chinese government that first asserted sovereignty over them.
A group of Chinese and Iranian scholars recently published research findings from a series of maps drawn by Persian and Arabian geographers from the ninth to 17th centuries, which show the disputed waters and islands as Chinese territory.
Victor Gao, a current affairs commentator and director of the China National Association of International Studies, told Xinhua that the establishing of the tribunal was a serious breach of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and of China's rights as a State Party under the UNCLOS.
"The tribunal is the tool of a handful of countries. It is in essence illegal, and the outcome is not binding," he said.
The arbitration and the out-of-bad-faith dramatization and political manipulation that ensued have putt the South China Sea issue to a dangerous situation, with growing tension and confrontation, Wang Yi said.
It is detrimental to peace and stability in the region, and it does not serves the common interests of China and the Philippines, countries in the region or the wider international community, he said.
OUTCRY AT HOME, ABROAD
The award has barely sent a ripple to islanders who have fished in the waters for generations.
Tanmen, a township in south China's Hainan Province, has almost 5,000 fishermen, including nearly 1,000 who regularly work in the Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha island groups and surrounding waters
Lu Jiabing, 66-year-old fisherman from Tanmen, was puzzled by the news about the award.
"For many generations, our ancestors sailed into that waters that we consider part of our home. No court can change that," he said.
On social media "South China Sea arbitration" is drawing disappointment and anger.
"I will firmly stand by my country. Not a slice of China's territory should be compromised," wrote Weibo user "Shinianxuyuan."
Some protested about the United States and some other countries meddling in the issue and exacerbating the situation.
"Please don't make a mess in the South China Sea under the name of doing good. It is our territory, not your business," said "Huahua_Gloria."
Taiwan said Tuesday that it "absolutely will not accept" the arbitration result and that the decision "is not legally binding."
So far more than 60 countries have publicly voiced support for China's stance.
When co-chairing the 18th China-EU Summit on Tuesday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said by not accepting nor recognizing the award, China is in fact safeguarding the international law.
Li called on the European Union to maintain an objective stance and neutrality on the issue.
THE RIGHT WAY
The Foreign Ministry stressed that China does not accept any third party settlement nor any imposed solution.
To resolve the disputes, China will continue to work with states directly concerned through negotiations on the basis of historical facts and international law, it said.
"China respects and upholds freedom of navigation and overflight enjoyed by all states under international law in the South China Sea, and stays ready to work with other coastal states and the international community to ensure the safety of and the unimpeded access to international shipping lanes," read a separate missive "Statement of the Government of the People's Republic of China on China's Territorial Sovereignty and Maritime Rights and Interests in the South China Sea".
Also on Tuesday, China tested two new airports on the Nansha Islands, adding more landing choices for flights across the South China Sea. The airports are to facilitate transportation, emergency rescue and medical services for people on the islands.
A Cessna CE-680 from the flight inspection center of the Civil Aviation Administration of China flew between the new airports on the Meiji and Zhubi reefs.
Making his remarks before the arbitration award, Yang Yujun, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, said that no matter how the tribunal decides, Chinese military will resolutely protect its national sovereignty, security and maritime rights and interests; safeguard regional peace and stability; and cope with all kinds of threats and challenges.
The Chinese navy conducted a combat drill in waters adjacent to south China's Hainan Island and Xisha Islands on Friday, which Yang insisted was a routine matter in line with the military's annual exercise plan.
Related:
Backgrounder: A brief look at the South China Sea arbitration case
Full text of statement of China's Foreign Ministry on award of South China Sea arbitration initiated by Philippines
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Following is the full text of the Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China on the Award of 12 July 2016 of the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration Established at the Request of the Republic of the Philippines issued on Tuesday. Full story
Full text of Chinese gov't statement on China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in S. China Sea
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Following is the full text of a statement of the Chinese government on China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea issued on Tuesday. Full story
More countries voice support for China's stance on S. China Sea
BEIJING, July 11 (Xinhua) -- More countries have voiced their support for China's position on the South China Sea issue "despite pressure," a spokesperson for Chinese Foreign Ministry said here on Monday.
Lu Kang's remarks at the ministry's routine press briefing came after Cambodia reiterated on Saturday that the country would not support the arbitration court's upcoming decision over the South China Sea issue. Full story
Commentary: U.S. should stop treating South China Sea as next Caribbean
MEXICO CITY, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The United States should stay away from the South China Sea issue and avoid repeating its history of military intervention and political manipulation in the Caribbean in the past century.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague will announce its award on Tuesday in an arbitration case filed unilaterally by the Philippines against China on disputes over the South China Sea. Full Story
Commentary: U.S. cold-war mentality not solution to South China Sea issue
BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The South China Sea arbitration initiated by the Philippines and without China's consent is a political farce.
MADRID, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Acting Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy begins two days of meetings with leaders of Spain's main political parties on Tuesday which could decide the country's political future.
Although Rajoy's right-wing People's Party (PP) won the June 26 general election, claiming 14 more seats than in December last year, the 137 seats the PP have in the Spanish Congress still falls short of the 176 needed for a majority in the chamber.
Rajoy has already held talks with minority parties Canaria Coalition, the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) and Catalan Nationalist Party (ERC) as he looks for support, with ERC and PNV refusing to back him in an investiture debate.
On Tuesday, Rajoy is meeting with Pablo Iglesias, the leader of left-wing Podemos party and Ciudadanos' leader Albert Rivera, before holding talks with the leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday.
Iglesias, whose party won 71 seats in the general election, has already ruled out supporting a Rajoy-led government, but if center-right party Ciudadanos are willing to support Rajoy, that would give his party 169 seats in Congress, just seven short of a majority.
Acting Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo commented on Monday that the PP and Ciudadanos had many things "in common," but Rivera is thought to favor a three-way pact including the PSOE and has also said that although he would support a PP-led government, he would not support Rajoy as prime minister.
An agreement between the PP and the PSOE (who have 85 seats) would mean Rajoy wouldn't need pacts with other parties, but in the opening speech at Saturday's meeting of his party's federal committee on Saturday, Sanchez made his position clear, commenting that Rajoy, "should look for other allies," and "not count on us."
Rajoy hopes that the fact nobody in Spain wants a third general election within a year -- a possibility he called a "bad joke" on Sunday -- can help him to at least persuade Rivera and Sanchez to abstain, rather than to vote against him in an investiture debate and thus allow him to form a minority PP government.
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Culture (MOC) Tuesday announced that it had punished a number of companies for hosting obscene, violent or illegal content on the Internet.
In total, 4,313 live feeds on 26 websites run by 23 companies were shut down and another 16,000 live-feed rooms were ordered to rectify their practice, the MOC said, adding that the companies had been forced to terminate contracts with 1,502 online performers.
Douyu.com, which broadcast a live sex show in January; 6.cn; panda.tv; and nine other companies were ordered to cease or remove illegal content that was deemed obscene, violent or that encouraged netizens to break the law.
Eleven other companies were punished for publishing live broadcasts without permission from the cultural department.
ABOARD "ZHANG JIAN" SHIP, July 12, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Oceanographic research ship "Zhang Jian" berths at Luchao Port, east China's Shanghai Municipality, July 11, 2016. The ship left Luchao Port on July 12 for its first voyage to Papua New Guinea and its nearby seas for a research expedition. The ship is 97 meters long and 17.8 meters wide, with a displacement of about 4,800 tons and a cruising speed of 12 knots. The cruising radius of the ship is 15,000 nautical miles, with a carrying capacity of 60 people. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)
SHANGHAI, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese deep-sea explorer ship Zhang Jian has set sail from Shanghai to the Southern Pacific for scientific research.
The vessel is the mother ship of Rainbow Fish, a submersible capable of diving to 11,000 meters, which Chinese researchers are preparing to send to the Mariana Trench late this year or early next year, said Fang Jiasong, chief scientist of the mission.
During Zhang Jian's two-month journey to the Southern Pacific, scientists will test the navigation abilities of the ship and its scientific equipment, said Fang. The ship is carrying the landing device for the Rainbow Fish submersible.
Its destination is the waters near the New Britain Trench, which is more than 8,000 meters deep in the Solomon Sea near Papua New Guinea.
"Zhang Jian is China's first ship specially designed and built for deep-sea exploration. The journey is an important step in our efforts to take on the Mariana Trench," said Fang.
Sixteen scientists from China and Papua New Guinea will work on board the ship and take part in exploration of the trench, which is about 750 kilometers long, with its deepest point measuring 8,320 meters.
"We will study the terrain of the trench, take samples of seawater, sediment and explore the bio-diversity, and increase our understanding of the Earth's deepest water," Fang explained.
Zhang Jian, named after the founder of Shanghai Ocean University, is 97 meters long and 17.8 meters wide. It has a designed displacement of around 4,800 tonnes and an endurance of 15,000 nautical miles.
It will be used for general ocean expeditions, deep-sea engineering, rescue and salvage, underwater archaeology and film shooting.
China began developing Rainbow Fish in 2014. It will be able to go much deeper than the Jiaolong submersible, which set a Chinese record for manned diving when it reached 7,062 meters in the Mariana Trench in June 2012.
With a combined area larger than the United States, the world's 26 hadal trenches, defined as those with depths of 6,500 meters or more, are home to many unknown species as well as energy and metal resources. Exploration at these depths has been held back by difficulties including high pressure and low temperatures.
ABOARD "ZHANG JIAN" SHIP, July 12, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Oceanographic research ship "Zhang Jian" sails in the Hangzhou Bay, east China's Shanghai Municipality, July 12, 2016. The ship on Tuesday left Luchao Port in southeast Shanghai for its first voyage to Papua New Guinea and its nearby seas for a research expedition. The ship is 97 meters long and 17.8 meters wide, with a displacement of about 4,800 tons and a cruising speed of 12 knots. The cruising radius of the ship is 15,000 nautical miles, with a carrying capacity of 60 people. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)
GENEVA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A United Nations spokesperson said Tuesday that an upsurge in violence in and around Syria's largest city of Aleppo has blocked the only road providing access to some 300,000 civilians living in eastern parts of the war-torn city.
"Since 7 July, the intensification of hostilities between Government of Syria forces and non-state armed groups has rendered the Castillo road impassable, the only access in and out of eastern Aleppo city," Alessandra Vellucci told reporters in a regular press briefing.
"Given the history of the tensions in the area, most people in eastern Aleppo city rely heavily on humanitarian assistance. Price increases have already been reported in eastern Aleppo city," she added.
Humanitarian actors are also concerned about reports of aerial bombardments and shelling targeting civilian locations in both western and eastern parts of the northern Syrian city, she continued.
The UN official urged all parties to the conflict to protect civilians and facilitate the provision of humanitarian aid.
No date has been set for the resumption of intra-Syrian peace talks seeking to broker an end to the five-year conflict.
Though negotiations have been on hold since April, Vellucci reminded that the UN is striving to reach a political solution as soon as possible, with the target date of August 1 still in play.
HAIKOU, July 12 (Xinhua) -- China tested two new airports on the Nansha Islands on Tuesday, adding more landing choices for flights across the South China Sea.
A Cessna CE-680 airplane from the Flight Inspection Center of the Civil Aviation Administration of China flew between the new airports on the Meiji and Zhubi reefs.
The two airports are capable of handling civil aviation flights and will facilitate transportation, emergency rescue and medical services for people on the islands.
Related:
Backgrounder: A brief look at the South China Sea arbitration case
Full text of statement of China's Foreign Ministry on award of South China Sea arbitration initiated by Philippines
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Following is the full text of the Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China on the Award of 12 July 2016 of the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration Established at the Request of the Republic of the Philippines issued on Tuesday. Full story
Full text of Chinese gov't statement on China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in S. China Sea
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Following is the full text of a statement of the Chinese government on China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea issued on Tuesday. Full story
More countries voice support for China's stance on S. China Sea
BEIJING, July 11 (Xinhua) -- More countries have voiced their support for China's position on the South China Sea issue "despite pressure," a spokesperson for Chinese Foreign Ministry said here on Monday.
Lu Kang's remarks at the ministry's routine press briefing came after Cambodia reiterated on Saturday that the country would not support the arbitration court's upcoming decision over the South China Sea issue. Full story
Commentary: U.S. should stop treating South China Sea as next Caribbean
MEXICO CITY, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The United States should stay away from the South China Sea issue and avoid repeating its history of military intervention and political manipulation in the Caribbean in the past century.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague will announce its award on Tuesday in an arbitration case filed unilaterally by the Philippines against China on disputes over the South China Sea. Full Story
Commentary: U.S. cold-war mentality not solution to South China Sea issue
BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The South China Sea arbitration initiated by the Philippines and without China's consent is a political farce.
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- While many Chinese associate Mongolia with its rolling, green pastures, Li Pengyuan sees the country as a huge opportunity.
Two year ago, Li co-founded ubmall.mn, the first online marketplace for China-Mongolia trade.
"At the beginning, there were just a handful of transactions every day.Now, on average, we handle 20,000 parcels, bound for Mongolia or Russia, daily," said Li, 35.
Ubmall is the biggest e-commerce platform in Mongolia. Chinese-made clothes, food, home appliances and machinery are all very popular, Li explained.
"Our success shows that Mongolia and Russia are great consumption markets," Li said.
The parcels are delivered by train through Erenhot land port in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
In the first five months of 2016, 1,745 standard containers passed through Erenhot Port, up 150 percent year on year, along the 10,000-km long China-Europe rail route.
To facilitate transportation, Erenhot Port, the largest one between China and Mongolia, has streamlined procedures and shortened the time it takes for freight to be processed and wait at the port.
China has begun constructing the first unified standard railway to Mongolia, which will be 1,435 mm wide, rather than the Mongolian gauge of 1,520 mm. This will cut costs for shipments between the two countries.
The line will pass through Inner Mongolia's Ceke, the second largest port of entry between China and Mongolia.
Burgeoning commerce and construction has been noted since China proposed a trilateral "economic corridor" in 2014.
The corridor will align China's Silk Road Economic Belt initiative with Mongolia's Prairie Road program and Russia's transcontinental rail plan.
This June in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, a development plan on the China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor was inked, which is expected to boost transportation connectivity and economic cooperation.
Premier Li Keqiang will pay an official visit to Mongolia from July 13 to 14 and attend the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting summit in Ulan Bator from July 15 to 16.
Li and Mongolia's new Prime Minister Jargaltulga Erdenebat will discuss cooperation in trade, industrial capacity, energy, finance, agriculture and animal husbandry, said China's Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Kong Xuanyou.
A number of agreements will be signed during Li's visit, which will "inject new impetus into the development of bilateral ties and benefit the people of the two nations", Kong added.
Mongolia's Prairie Road program includes expressway, railway and natural gas and oil pipeline projects. The whole program should cost around 50 billion U.S. dollars.
The Prairie Road program complements China's Belt and Road initiative, according to Gao Shumao, China's former ambassador to Mongolia.
"The connection of the two strategies is vital to Mongolia's development and the China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor," said Gao.
He said there was plenty of potential to collaborate on road and rail projects, power, clean energy, tourism, medical care and people-to-people exchanges.
CHANGSHA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A driver steered his truck to the breached dike, opened the door and jumped out, then watched the vehicle as it sunk into the water.
Liu Sheng, 27, was one of 12 truck drivers who volunteered to help close a breached dike in central China's Hunan Province.
A breach in the Xinhua flood detention basin in Huarong County, Hunan occurred Sunday. More than 20,000 residents were evacuated.
Liu belonged to a WeChat group along with other truck drivers in Huarong County. He saw group members chatting on the messenger app about helping with the closure, and decided to join the efforts.
When Liu arrived at the site, he was told that he would have to use both rocks and his truck to plug the 47-meter gap.
"Rocks are too small and can be easily washed away by the flood," he said. "So they told me that filling the gap with big vehicles could help stop it from widening further."
Although the father of two wasn't prepared to lose his truck when he decided to volunteer, he soon agreed.
He stepped on the gas pedal then abandoned the truck while it was about two meters from the gap.
The strategy worked. The drivers, along with 2,000 others, including soldiers and police officers, had fixed the gap as of 8:15 a.m. Tuesday.
Liu admitted he was a little scared of the task and sad about his truck, which he bought late last year.
"I bought the truck with about 300,000 yuan (about 44,866 U.S. dollars) and I didn't want to lose it," said another driver, Liu Kang. Seeing its lights turn dim in the water, he struggled to hold back his tears.
They know they will receive compensation. The command center for closing the breach had them register their trucks and took photos for them. But life will be different without their vehicles.
Hunan is on high alert for flooding as precipitation in some areas hit record highs over the weekend.
"I will work with others for disaster relief first," said Liu Sheng, while Liu Kang told Xinhua that he plans to help his parents with farming.
Cheng Jixian, a third driver, had a wish: "If only I could retrieve the logo from my truck," he said.
ROME, July 12 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 people were killed and dozens injured as two trains collided and clashed head-on in southern Italy on Tuesday, local media reported.
According to the latest reports of ANSA news agency and Rai state television, the collision happened on a single-track railway around 11:30 a.m. local time in the southern Puglia region.
After the accident, rescue operation was in full swing. Police, emergency personal and ambulances rushed to the crash site, located in a countryside area between the towns of Ruvo di Puglia and Corato.
Firefighters were at work to pull survivors out of the twisted metal of the first two cars on each train, but there could be more victims, according to ANSA sources.
Rai said all hospitals in the region were involved in the emergency operations. Three helicopters were deployed to rush the most seriously injured passengers to nearby hospitals, including a child aged just a few years who was reportedly extracted from the wreck.
A technical failure could have led to the disaster, Rai said. The two regional trains, generally used by commuters and students, are run by a private local company named Ferrotramviaria, it added.
"The situation is tragic. We saw two crumpled trains and a lot of people transported on several ambulances which were in trouble in reaching the open countryside," said a journalist with a local newspaper who rushed to the spot, Lucia Olivieri.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi immediately left Milan in northern Italy, where he was about to inaugurate an exhibition, for Rome. "We will not stop until we will have found those responsible for the accident," he said.
YINCHUAN, July 12 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday afternoon started a military drill at an unidentified training base in the northwest, with army units from different theaters.
The nine-day drill is the first cross-theater drill since China established a new command system in January.
Artillery from the 31st Army Group of the Eastern Theater Command joined the drill after marching 2,500 km, while its antagonist in the drill is a brigade from the 47th Army Group of the Western Theater Command.
The drill aims to train firepower applications in encounters, attack and defense, landing and anti-landing, etc. the army said.
From the middle of July to the end of August, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Army will organize artillery brigades from all of the five theater commands to join cross-theater drills.
BEIJING, July 12, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli (R) holds talks with First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Bakytzhan Sagintayev during a meeting of the China-Kazakhstan Cooperation Committee in Beijing, capital of China, July 12, 2016. Zhang and Sagintayev are co-chairs of the meeting of Committee. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli on Tuesday held talks with First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Bakytzhan Sagintayev in Beijing, and agreed to step up the alignment of development strategies of the two countries.
Zhang and Sagintayev are co-chairs of the China-Kazakhstan Cooperation Committee.
Zhang called on the two sides to jointly promote the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative, advance manufacturing capacity cooperation and further encourage and protect mutual investment.
He also called for deepened cooperation on finance, infrastructure connectivity, oil and gas, agriculture, people-to-people exchanges and tourism.
Sagintayev said Kazakhstan attaches great importance to relations with China and is willing to dovetail its new economic policy of the Bright Road with the China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt.
Kazakhstan is willing to expand and deepen all-round cooperation with China, so as to open a new chapter for bilateral ties, he said.
The two sides also reviewed the results of cooperation which have been achieved since the 7th meeting of the China-Kazakhstan Cooperation Committee.
The committee, established in 2004, oversees bilateral cooperation ranging from trade, transport, to science and technology.
BUCHAREST, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A 27-year-old woman is the first person in Romania to test positive for the Zika virus, after she returned from French Island of Martinique in the eastern Caribbean Sea, the Romanian ministry of health announced Tuesday.
"Her case is an isolated one, linked to a trip taken in an area with active transmitter of the virus," said ministry spokesperson Laurentiu Colintineanu, stressing, "We are not talking about an infection in Romania, but a so-called imported case."
"The risk of transmission is minimal in Romania," he added.
According to the spokesman, the 27-year-old woman made a trip to Martinique in late June.
File photo shows Kenya Defence Forces soldiers beef up security in Mandera, Kenya, July 8, 2015. The town's proximity to Somalia makes it an easy target for Al-Shabaab militants to carry out its attacks. (Xinhua/Stephen Ingati)
MOMBASA, Kenya, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's security apparatus are pursuing suspected Al-Shabaab militants after a foiled ambush on a security convoy at Baure in the coastal town of Lamu on Tuesday.
A search has so far been mounted by Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the rest of security units on the ground following the spate of attempted Al-Shabaab attacks on military vehicles in the past one month.
According to security reports the militants had planted Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) along the roads targeting police and military vehicles.
Lamu County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri said more 50 heavily armed men suspected to be Al-Shabaab militants were spotted along the Kiangwe-Majengo road in the coastal region.
"They had targeted the convoy but our security officers acting on intelligence information managed to detonate the IEDs and they are currently pursuing the militants. Nobody was injured," Kanyiri said.
Lamu County security team has warned locals in Mangai, Baure, Kiangwe and Milimani areas against collaborating with militants by hiding them in their houses and even giving them food.
Kanyiri has called on locals to report such individuals harbouring the group to the nearest police station for appropriate action to be taken. He said police and military personnel have mounted patrols in the area as a result.
The incident comes weeks after four al-Shabaab militants were gunned down by KDF in the same area on June 29.
A KDF soldier was injured in the altercation during which four AK-47 riffles, a rocket propelled grenade, an IED and two hand grenades were seized by the soldiers.
BEIJING, July 12, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd R, front) meets with European Council President Donald Tusk (3rd L, front) and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (2nd L, front) in Beijing, capital of China, July 12, 2016. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese president and premier said China will not accept any proposition or action based on the decision Tuesday by the South China Sea arbitral tribunal.
President Xi Jinping said the South China Sea Islands have been China's territory since ancient times. China's territorial sovereignty and maritime interests in South China Sea, in any circumstances, will not be affected by the award.
He made the remarks on Tuesday afternoon while meeting with European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Beijing.
China has always been a guardian of international rule of law and of fairness and justice, and will always adhere to the path of peaceful development, Xi said.
China is firmly committed to peace and stability in the South China Sea, and to settling the disputes with countries directly involved, through peaceful negotiations based on the recognition of historical facts and in accordance with international law, he said.
Also on Tuesday, Premier Li Keqiang said that by not accepting nor recognizing the award, China is in fact safeguarding the international law.
Li's statement came as he co-chaired the 18th China-EU Summit with Tusk and Juncker at the Great Hall of the People.
As a country directly concerned, China cares most and is committed to the peace and stability of the South China Sea region, Li said.
China will also be committed to peaceful settlement of disputes through negotiations and consultations in line with the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and international law, said Li.
He called on the European Union to maintain an objective stance and neutrality on the issue.
China has refused to participate in the arbitration proceedings, reiterating that the tribunal in The Hague has no jurisdiction over the case, which is in essence related to territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation.
Related:
China refuses South China Sea arbitration award
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- China said Tuesday it neither accepts nor recognizes the award of an arbitral tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration established at the request of the Philippines. Full story
China military will firmly protect national sovereignty, maritime interests: spokesman
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Yang Yujun, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, has said that Chinese military will resolutely protect the country's national sovereignty, security and maritime rights and interests, and will address threats and challenges. Full story
Backgrounder: A brief look at the South China Sea arbitration case
Full text of statement of China's Foreign Ministry on award of South China Sea arbitration initiated by Philippines
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Following is the full text of the Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China on the Award of 12 July 2016 of the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration Established at the Request of the Republic of the Philippines issued on Tuesday. Full story
Full text of Chinese gov't statement on China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in S. China Sea
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Over 20,000 people have signed an open letter contesting the award on the South China Sea (SCS) arbitration case by an ad hoc tribunal here on Tuesday.
The 2,500-word letter, drafted by a group of young Chinese scholars who currently study international law in the Netherlands, slams the controversial case unilaterally initiated by the Philippines for its lack of legality, noting that the arbitral decision violated the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Shortly after the tribunal issued the award, the scholars sent the letter to the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea under the United Nations (UN) Office of Legal Affairs, and required the institution to forward it to all parties of the UNCLOS.
Copies of the letter were also sent to international judicial and arbitral organs, such as the International Criminal Court, the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, as well as major law schools across the world.
The letter has been posted online and circulated on social media platforms, inviting people to participate and show solidarity against the ungrounded ruling. It has collected over 20,000 signatures in less than two hours.
Many law schools have voiced support for the letter and retweeted it on their official social media accounts.
The letter criticizes the tribunal for ignoring the nature of the SCS disputes, and ruling on a case that it has no jurisdiction over.
"The real disputes in the arbitration are those regarding territory and maritime delimitation," it says. "With respect to the jurisdiction, the UNCLOS does not address territorial disputes, and delimitation disputes have been excluded from compulsory procedures by China's declaration under Article 298."
Therefore, the case demonstrates how the legal process is abused by one party to the dispute, and how the arbitral organ acts beyond its power, according to the letter.
"By obscuring the real disputes and bypassing the limits to compulsory procedures, the Philippines does abuse the legal process, the tribunal does exceed the state consent and act ultra vires (acts beyond one's legal power or authority)," the letter says. "According to Article 296 (of the UNCLOS), the awards on jurisdiction and on merits will have no binding force whatsoever."
In conclusion, the letter requests international judicial and arbitral organs to act strictly within their mandate under international law, calls on all parties to the UNCLOS to join China in the efforts to combat abuse of legal process, and invites scholars, students and lawyers to further study the UNCLOS disputes settlement mechanism so as to contribute to a peaceful settlement of SCS disputes.
Among 8,000-more Chinese students studying in the Netherlands, over 100 are in faculties of law across the country. Those specializing in international law and the Law of the Sea set up a research group for the drafting of the open letter.
"We cannot believe that such a bizarre case was able to keep advancing in The Hague, capital of international law," said Peng Qinxuan, 29, PhD candidate of international law at Utrecht University and active member of the group.
"In this case, the arbitrators failed to see the wood for the trees. But we scholars of international law have the duty to present the truth," she said.
Peng and her peers spent three months drafting the letter in English and translating it into Chinese and Dutch.
"In my six years of life in the Netherlands, I have noticed that the Western media coverage on China is full of bias and there is no exception when it comes to the arbitration," said Wang Zhili, a candidate for master degree from the Ultrecht University who also participated in circulating the open letter.
"In-depth articles with a neutral stance over the issue are really hard to find. That's why we decided to post the letter online," Wang added.
DUBAI, July 12 (Xinhua) -- China's Huawei said Tuesday it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Dubai South to bring future-city capabilities and services to Dubai South's Business Park Free Zone in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Huawei said in an e-mailed statement the Dubai South Business Park Free Zone comprises 11 buildings and offers commercial space to support diverse sectors including aviation, logistics, general trading, finance, business consultancies, training institutions, retail, fitness and food and beverages.
"The MoU between Dubai South and Huawei will see the deployment of Huawei's Smart City and Safe City Solutions to provide enhanced services to residents and businesses in the Park," said Colin Hu, Managing Director of Huawei Enterprise (UAE).
He added that Huawei will provide strategic counsel to support the development of a blueprint for Dubai South's smart initiatives.
"Huawei will also share its global expertise through training sessions, expert workshops and guided visits to other key customer sites where Huawei Smart City solutions have been implemented," said Hu.
Dubai South, formerly called Dubai World Central, is a development which is partly ready, but mainly under construction and located on 145 million square kilometers in the south-west of the emirate of Dubai.
It engulfs the new Al Maktoum International Airport that is poised to become the biggest airport in the world, capable of hosting 160 million passengers per year after 2025.
Dubai South also includes the expo site that will be the center of the World Expo 2020 which Dubai will host as the first Arab metropolis.
NEW DELHI, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday appealed for calm in Indian-controlled Kashmir where clashes between government forces and protesters have left at least 30 people dead.
Modi's appeal came immediately after he chaired an emergency meeting in New Delhi after returning from a five-day tour of four African nations.
The meeting was attended by senior federal ministers including Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, among others, to take stock of the prevailing situation in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Violent clashes broke out in the region Saturday, a day after killing of top commander of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) Burhan Muzaffar Wani, along with two associates.
Life in Muslim majority areas of the region including the capital city Srinagar remains paralyzed for the fourth straight day due to curfew and separatist call for shutdown.
Hundreds of Indian paramilitary troopers and police personnel remain deployed across towns and some villages to enforce restrictions and prevent clashes.
However, reports of clashes between irate youth and government forces continue to pour in from various places.
About 350 people are reported injured in the violent clashes since Saturday with majority of them having firearm wounds. According to police, around 90 policemen were also injured in the crowd control.
Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their Independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
LHASA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu will give an important four-day Buddhist ritual known as Kalachakra in Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery in Xigaze, southwest China's Tibet, later this month.
The temple and the Buddhist Association in Xigaze jointly announced on Tuesday that the Kalachakra service will last from July 21 to 24.
Kalachakra, which means the wheel of time, is a key ritual in Tibetan Buddhism. If offered by senior monks, it often draws a huge crowd. No such service has been done in Tibet in the past 50 years.
An altar covering 200 square meters has been built for the ritual on a meadow outside the Panchen Lama's summer residence in Xigaze. The altar is covered by yellow silk cloth embroidered with auspicious Tibetan designs. A large LED screen is erected on each side of the platform.
The Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery in Xigaze is known as the home temple for Panchen Lamas. It hosted the 20th anniversary of the enthronement of Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, the 11th Panchen Lama, in December 2015.
Currently serving as vice president of the Buddhist Association of China, the Panchen Lama has become an accomplished Buddhist leader, who has given head-touching blessings to 1.5 million Buddhists.
Tibetan Buddhism devotees believe a Kalachakra initiation by a senior guru can extricate them from pains through the cycle of life.
The ninth Panchen Lama is the only Panchen Lama to have given Kalachakra. He did so twice, in Beijing and Hangzhou, in the last century. Several Tibetan Buddhist gurus have held the service in Tibetan prefectures in Gansu and Qinghai provinces.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to receive Kalachakra from the Panchen Lama," said Palden, a 54-year-old farmer in Xigaze. He has signed up to the ceremony's official account on messaging service WeChat on his smartphone so he can receive timely information.
KAMPALA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Tuesday appealed to armed parties in South Sudan to ensure safe passage for people fleeing the fighting that erupted late last week in the capital, Juba.
The UN refugee agency in a statement called on the rival troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar to keep borders open to people fleeing and seeking asylum in the neighboring countries.
"UNHCR is calling on all armed parties to ensure safe passage for people fleeing the fighting that erupted late last week in Juba and we urge neighboring countries to keep borders open to people seeking asylum," said the statement.
UNHCR noted that some borders have been affected such as the Uganda-South Sudan crossing, where security is tightened on the South Sudan side.
"This has led to a significant decrease in the number of new arrivals coming into Uganda over the weekend," it said.
Just 95 people crossed on Saturday, dropping to 36 on Sunday, compared with a daily average of more than 200 for July, noting that it expects a higher level of new arrivals once the border reopens.
"Those that have managed to cross have reported indiscriminate attacks against civilians, with buses from Juba to the Uganda border being stopped and robbed," said the statement.
In western Ethiopia's Gambella region, UNHCR has stepped up border monitoring with Ethiopia's refugee commission. Emergency preparedness is in progress in Kenya, Sudan and other neighbouring countries in case of a major influx.
The agency noted that there has not been any big influx at the Kenya-South Sudan border, though over the weekend UNHCR received 36 individuals from Eastern Equatoria state.
UNHCR like the UN Security Council condemn the violence in Juba but welcome efforts by the two sides to implement a ceasefire and hope this holds.
"Our office in Juba reports a tense calm overnight with no reports of more population displacement," said the statement.
The fighting displaced some 36,000 people, according to United Nation Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Inside South Sudan, some 7,000 internally displaced people have sought shelter in the UN's bases in Juba.
"Providing them with food, shelter, water, hygiene and sanitation facilities will remain a critical challenge so long as the security situation remains bad," said UNHCR.
UNHCR is also worried about the situation of some 9,000 urban refugees, who have told the agency about their security concerns as well as difficulties in getting food and water.
The refugee agency noted that the other refugee-hosting sites across South Sudan are reported to be calm.
President Kiir and Vice President Machar on Monday evening ordered ceasefire respectively after days of heavy fighting between their forces in the capital Juba.
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson said Tuesday that both the mainland and Taiwan should safeguard territorial sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea.
Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said the two sides share responsibility for the overall and fundamental interests of the Chinese nation.
Ma made the remarks after Taiwan authorities said Tuesday it "absolutely will not accept" the award of an arbitral tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration established at the request of the Philippines.
The tribunal in The Hague issued its decision on Tuesday, despite a global chorus that the panel has no jurisdiction.
The Chinese mainland neither accepts nor recognizes the award.
MOMBASA, Kenya, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's clearing and forwarding firms on Tuesday said the renewed fighting in South Sudan has affected business at the regional Mombasa-based regional port amounting to millions.
Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (Kifwa) said many of the transporters have lost millions of shillings since clashes between the rival leaders' forces began.
KIFWA Secretary Bernard Simiyu said many transporters have pulled out of South Sudan, noting that the furthest they can deliver cargo is Elegu town on the Uganda-South Sudan border point.
"Many clients in South Sudan cannot be reached on phone. They have gone silent since the war broke, many clearing agents are counting losses amounting to millions," Simiyu said.
The association has instructed all transporters to suspend their services until calm in Juba. "We expect to see cargo destined to South Sudan to start piling up at the port of Mombasa, since no one is ready to take up the risk," he added
Kenya's Long Distance Drivers and Allied Workers Union, Secretary General Nicholas Mbugua warned its members against transiting into South Sudan, following a spark of attacks and ongoing political unrest until calm is restored.
According to Mbugua, violence in the world's youngest nation has continued to expose its members to danger.
Reports indicate that most of the transporters are stranded along the major highways since they cannot be allowed to deliver cargo in Juba because of the fighting.
Kenya Ports Authority said they expect cargo destined for Juba to be affected if the violence continues to rock that youngest East African nation.
KPA head of Corporate Communications Bernard Osero said they are still assessing the impact of the war on cargo off take at the port. The clashes came at a time when South Sudan was marking its fifth year since independence.
KPA said a total of 702,531 tonnes passed through the port of Mombasa were destined for South Sudan
Uganda remains the second biggest user of the port with an 11 per cent share, with its share in transit cargo 8.2 per cent year-on-year, rising to 5.9 million tonnes from 5.5 million tonnes in 2014.
According to KPA records, South Sudan cargo through the Port of Mombasa dropped 7.7 per cent last year compared to 2014.
Kenya Airways and Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Group were among Kenyan companies that are counting heavy losses following a fresh outbreak of political violence in Juba.
KCB, which has branches in all the 10 South Sudanese states, said it had scaled down operations in view of the deteriorating security situation in the country.
"We have reviewed and scaled down branch operations in the country until the situation improves in the affected areas. We apologise to our esteemed customers affected by the disruption of services," the bank's chief operating officer, Samuel Makome, said.
"We stand with the people of South Sudan during these difficult times and we look forward to a quick return to normalcy," he added.
Kenya Airways said it would indefinitely extend its suspension of flights to Juba, citing safety concerns.
"We advise that our flights to and from Juba remain suspended following unrest in the South Sudan capital," the airline said.
Kenya Airways, which operates 14 flights a week to Juba, had announced the suspension of flights citing "an uncertain security situation." It however said on Monday it would be monitoring the situation.
Kenya's small scale traders lobby said many Kenyan businesses in South Sudan were suffering major disruptions and workers were leaving in large numbers.
KAMPALA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The Ugandan military announced on Tuesday it will not unilaterally deploy troops in the neighboring South Sudan to stop the ongoing heavy fighting between two rival forces in the capital, Juba.
Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda, Uganda People's Defence Forces spokesperson, told Xinhua by telephone that the East African country will not single handedly deploy troops in South Sudan, like it did in December 2013 to stop fighting troops between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar.
"We shall not unilaterally deploy in South Sudan. But as a region," said Ankunda.
Uganda deployed its troops in South Sudan in December 2013 after violence broke out in the country's capital Juba between troops loyal to President Kiir and his former deputy, Machar, who became opposition and rebel leader.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni deployed the troops after a request by his counterpart Kiir for evacuation of thousands of Ugandans and other foreigners who were trapped in the conflict, secure Juba airport and other strategic installations.
However, Uganda in November 2015 completed the withdrawal of its troops from South Sudan, two years since it deployed them there to stop fighting.
Uganda's withdrawal of about 2,500 troops was in compliance with a peace agreement signed between the countries warring parties, which stipulated all the foreign troops to withdraw from the country before the Oct. 10, 2015 deadline.
Ankunda on Tuesday told Xinhua that Uganda's military has deployed its troops along the common border with South Sudan to ensure the fighting doesn't spill over.
"We have enhanced border security. It is disappointing to see what is happening in South Sudan after all these efforts to stabilize the country," said Ankunda.
President Kiir and Vice President Machar on Monday evening ordered ceasefire respectively after days of heavy fighting between their forces in the capital Juba.
BEIRUT, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Visiting French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault urged Tuesday all Lebanese parties to engage in dialogue to "find a solution" to the political stalemate the country has been going through.
Ayrault said that Lebanon must overcome the crisis to confront the economic, security and social challenges, including the Syrian refugee crisis.
He made the remarks following his meeting with Lebanon's Prime Minister Tammam Salam on the second day of his official visit to the country.
"This is a call for everyone to shoulder their responsibilities in order to find a solution through dialogue," he added.
The French minister had voiced the same call on Monday evening during a dinner banquet in honor of the presidential candidates and heads of the political parties.
Lebanon has been without a president since May 25th, 2014 when the tenure of former President Michel Suleiman ended and the parliament failed to elect an incumbent due to the sharp political division among the Iranian and Syrian backed March 8 camp and the Saudi and western backed March 14 camp.
After talks with Salam, Ayrault said he will soon resume his international contacts "so that we cooperate for the sake of finding a solution for Lebanon."
Ayrault's arrived in Lebanon on Monday and inspected his country's battalion working within the frame of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and held talks with al-Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri.
Ayrault also met on Monday with leaders of some political parties, including Free Patriotic Movement, Marada Movement and Lebanese Forces.
He is scheduled to meet Tuesday with the head of Hezbollah's Loyalty to Resistance bloc MP Mohammed Raad.
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A fugitive on a list of China's 10 most-wanted telecom and Internet fraud suspects has been seized by police, the Ministry of Public Security said on Tuesday.
Liao Naijian, 33, is accused of conspiring with others to defraud 12.5 million yuan (1.9 million U.S. dollars) from a corporate accountant in Jiangsu province by impersonating the head of the company on an instant messenger app in September 2015.
The following day, Nanjing police, acting on tip-off, froze most of the money and seized two suspects, but Liao had fled.
The ministry published the top 10 wanted list on April 10, offering groups or individuals 50,000 yuan for information leading to the arrest of each suspect. Liao is the seventh suspect caught by police, according to the ministry.
On July 10, police caught Liao in Laibin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. He is now in custody, pending further investigation.
KAMPALA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday ordered the country's military to immediately evacuate its citizens currently trapped in the ongoing fighting between two rival forces in the neighboring South Sudan, a spokesperson said here.
Ofwono Opondo, the government spokesperson, told reporters here that President Museveni has directed Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) to cross and evacuate the citizens currently stranded at Nisitu as fighting between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Deputy President, Riek Machara continues in the capital, Juba.
"Following the ongoing fighting in South Sudan, the president has ordered the UPDF to safely evacuate Ugandans trapped in the country," said Opondo.
Lt. Col Paddy Ankunda, Uganda's military spokesperson in a statement issued here on Tuesday said that a few UPDF troops were heading to Nisitu for evacuation exercise.
"UPDF to conduct safe evacuation for Ugandans trapped in South Sudan. Few troops will secure the movement of civilians," said Ankunda.
President Kiir and Vice President Machar on Monday evening ordered ceasefire respectively after days of heavy fighting between their forces in the capital Juba.
President Kiir directed all commanders to cease hostilities, control their forces and protect civilians, Information Minister Michael Makuei said in a televised speech on the state broadcaster.
At least 271 people have been killed since the clashes broke out last week in Juba, according to the country's ministry of health.
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The award announced Tuesday by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague on the South China Sea went beyond its legal powers and will eventually destabilize the Asia-Pacific region, a scholar has said here.
The ruling by the PCA is should be null and void since issues of territorial sovereignty and maritime demarcation are not subject to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), said Aamir Khan, a visiting faculty member at Beijing Dublin International College at Beijing University of Technology said in an op-ed published in China Daily last week.
"That the Philippines has camouflaged its case under the cloak of a generation of entitlements to islands does not hide the fact that its dispute with China is indeed about territorial sovereignty and maritime demarcation," said Khan.
He said Article 281 of UNCLOS stipulates that the convention applies only if the parties have not agreed on a settlement, while the Philippines has jointly issued a series of bilateral agreements with China and signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
The Philippines will not benefit from the ruling as it will "only succeed in plunging its long friendly relations with the economic powerhouse to a nadir and lose the golden opportunity to develop its economy" as well as lose the chance to jointly develop disputed waters in the South China Sea with China, said Khan.
Also, the ill-founded arbitration may "open a can of worm," leading other countries to follow suit with filing abusive lawsuits, he added.
More alarmingly, Khan pointed out that the ruling will destabilize the South China Sea by encouraging military existence, taking the United States as an example, which deployed two aircraft carriers in seas east of the Philippines last month and started monitoring the South China Sea with guided-missiles destroyers.
"History provides ample examples of small incidents leading to major consequences," warned Khan. "The Asia-Pacific region, brought to its knees by Japanese aggression in World War II, has taken 70 years to rise again and achieve unparalleled economic growth. It will be heartbreaking to see this reversed."
Manila, despite gaining a closer relationship with the United States, may find that Washington's "pivot to Asia" strategy is not in line with its own long-term interests, said Khan.
The author cited China's Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai's recent remarks that the United States often misperceives China's efforts in maintaining its legitimate position as a move to challenge the super power's global dominance. He further cited the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Belt and Road Initiative as other examples of how the country is misinformed of China's intentions.
There actually were better choices in front of the United States and the Philippines to help keep peace and stability in the Asia Pacific, said the author.
"Well-wishers of the United States will want it to resume the role of a 'wise leader' and jointly enact with China ... a more inclusive security structure to help maintain peace and stability in the region," Khan said. "And well-wishers of the Philippines would advise President Rodrigo Duterte to withdraw its case before it is too late and return to the negotiating table," he added.
UN peacekeepers help SouthSudan civilians settle down at UN house in Juba, South Sudan, July 12, 2016. Tense calm returned to South Sudan's capital after the two leaders called on ceasefire and ordered all commanders to lay down arms and report to their unit bases. (Xinhua)
KAMPALA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday ordered the country's military to immediately evacuate its citizens currently trapped in the ongoing fighting between two rival forces in the neighboring South Sudan, a spokesperson said here.
Ofwono Opondo, the government spokesperson, told reporters here that President Museveni has directed Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) to cross and evacuate the citizens currently stranded at Nisitu as fighting between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Deputy President, Riek Machara continues in the capital, Juba.
"Following the ongoing fighting in South Sudan, the president has ordered the UPDF to safely evacuate Ugandans trapped in the country," said Opondo.
Lt. Col Paddy Ankunda, Uganda's military spokesperson in a statement issued here on Tuesday said that a few UPDF troops were heading to Nisitu for evacuation exercise.
"UPDF to conduct safe evacuation for Ugandans trapped in South Sudan. Few troops will secure the movement of civilians," said Ankunda.
President Kiir and Vice President Machar on Monday evening ordered ceasefire respectively after days of heavy fighting between their forces in the capital Juba.
President Kiir directed all commanders to cease hostilities, control their forces and protect civilians, Information Minister Michael Makuei said in a televised speech on the state broadcaster.
At least 271 people have been killed since the clashes broke out last week in Juba, according to the country's ministry of health.
BEIJING, July 12, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese PresidentXi Jinping(2nd R, front) meets with European Council President Donald Tusk (3rd L, front) and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (2nd L, front) in Beijing, capital of China, July 12, 2016. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping said here on Tuesday that China will not change its policy of support for European integration and is glad to see a prosperous and stable EU as well as a prosperous and stable Britain.
Xi made the remarks when meeting with visiting European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in central Beijing.
China hopes European countries will actively participate in the Belt and Road initiative, Xi said, with better docking of development strategies and mutual learning.
Xi also called on China and the EU to enhance coordination and collaboration under the G20, IMF and other multilateral frameworks.
China hopes the EU will carry out its obligations on Article 15 of the protocol on China's accession to the WTO as scheduled, he said.
In addition, Xi urged both sides to work for the success of the 2016 G20 summit, scheduled for Sept. 4-5 in China's Hangzhou.
The EU leaders said the EU side will cooperate with China in a wide range of areas to contribute more to world peace, security and prosperity.
Britain's exit from the EU will not affect EU-China relations, they said.
The EU wants to remain China's largest trading partner, they said, and both sides can do more in innovation, the environment, digital economy, green growth and other fields.
The EU will work to fulfill its obligations to the WTO, they said.
They stressed the EU is willing to make joint efforts with China to make sure the G20 Hangzhou summit will achieve positive results.
Earlier on Tuesday, Premier Li Keqiang co-chaired the 18th China-EU summit with the two EU leaders.
Li said China wants a high-level investment agreement at an early date and a feasibility study on a China-EU FTA.
Li called on both sides to enhance cooperation in infrastructure construction, 5G, network security, maritime sectors and people-to-people exchanges.
He also mentioned China's ties with the Central and Eastern Europe, the Southern Europe as well as China-EU cooperation in Africa and other third-party markets.
Both sides exchanged views on climate change, global development and other affairs of shared interest.
The EU leaders expressed condolences to the two Chinese UN peacekeepers killed in South Sudan.
PHNOM PENH, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Tuesday maintained its position of not supporting the arbitration court's award over the South China Sea dispute between the Philippines and China, a government spokesman said.
The former Philippine government unilaterally filed compulsory arbitration against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2013 with respect to the two sides' dispute in the South China Sea. An award was issued on Tuesday.
"We remain with our 3-point statement released on July 9, 2016,"Cambodia's Foreign Ministry spokesman Chum Sounry told Xinhua after the award was released.
According to the 3-point statement, Cambodia viewed that this arbitration case was not related with all ASEAN member states.
Therefore, Cambodia would not join in expressing any common position on the arbitration court's verdict on the dispute between the Philippines and China, it said.
The statement also called on the Philippines and China to continue settling their dispute through peaceful means.
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen announced twice last month that his ruling Cambodian People's Party did not support, and more so was against, any declaration by ASEAN to support the verdict in relation to the South China Sea disputes.
He said the party considered the arbitration court's decision as "the worst political collusion in the framework of international politics," the result of which would lead to division among ASEAN members themselves and between ASEAN and China.
Shortly after the verdict was issued, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared that"the award is null and void and has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it."
CAPE TOWN, July 12 (Xinhua) -- South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed serious concern on Tuesday over the outbreak of violence in South Sudan.
"We join the international community in expressing our deep concerns at the recent outbreak of violence between Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and SPLA in Opposition (SPLA-IO) which resulted in the loss of lives in the country," said Ramaphosa, who is also the special envoy to South Sudan.
"We condemn this outbreak of violence in the strongest terms possible and call for the immediate restoration of peace in the country," said Ramaphosa.
He said South Africa knows too well the burden of pain and sorrow that war has brought to bear upon the majority of the people of South Sudan over the past few years.
Ramaphosa called on the leadership of South Sudan to take the necessary steps to end the current conflict and to ensure the country remains on course towards the consolidation of the hard-won peace.
"In this regard, we welcome the resolution of the Extra-Ordinary Session of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Council of Ministers held on Monday 11 July 2016 in Nairobi Kenya for an immediate ceasefire and the call on President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar to assume their responsibility and to take immediate measures to prevail upon their respective military leaders and to end the fighting," Ramaphosa said.
South Africa President Jacob Zuma on Monday also expressed great concern over the shooting incidences that took place in the past few days in South Sudan.
These shooting incidences threaten to draw back the promising gains made through the compromised Peace Agreement and the recently formed Transitional Government of National Unity, Zuma said.
PARIS, July 12 (Xinhua) -- French energy company EDF announced its first wind power development project in China on Tuesday, after the acquisition of the Chinese firm UPC Asia Wind Management (AWM) by its renewable energy subsidiary EDF Energies Nouvelles.
According to the French renewable energy company, China is a priority market that has a strong growth potential in the coming years. In this regard, the Chinese government intends to attain 200 gigawatts (GW) in installed wind energy capacity by 2020, which represents an average increase of 15 GW per year.
Through this acquisition, EDF Energies Nouvelles now holds 80 percent of the shares of the Hong Kong-based company UPC AWM, which develops and builds wind projects in China. The remaining 20 percent of the shares remain in the hands of its partners, the local developer UPC China and the U.S.-based investment fund Global Environment Fund (GEF).
EDF is Europe's first major energy company to move into the Chinese renewable energy market. According to the French company, their new partnership with China in the wind energy sector is backed by EDF's strong roots in the country, with over 30 years of joint activities in nuclear, thermal, hydro generation, and energy services.
Jean-Bernard Levy, chairman and chief executive officer of EDF Group, stated: "Our goal is to accelerate our low-carbon generation, with a diversified energy mix where nuclear and renewable energy balance each other. Our development in high-potential markets, such as China is a full part of this dynamic process."
EDF now operates more than 10 GW in installed wind capacity in the world through this new project in China. In fact, development, construction or operation in the country helps increase its wind energy portfolio by over 1.3 GW.
EDF has developed a diversified generation mix based on nuclear power, hydro, new renewable energies and thermal energy. The group generated consolidated sales of 75 billion euros (83 billion U.S. dollars) in 2015, of which 47.2 percent was outside France.
ADDIS ABABA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian government on Tuesday issued a statement supporting China's stand on the South China Sea.
Ethiopia has noted the recent situation pertaining to the South China Sea and China's position on this issue, said the statement.
Ethiopia supports the position that any disputes over the South China Sea should be peacefully resolved through direct consultations and negotiations in accordance with bilateral agreements and regional consensus, the statement said.
Ethiopia maintains that the international community should play a constructive role in supporting all efforts aimed at safeguarding peace and stability in the region, which is in the interests of all parties.
KHARTOUM, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese legal experts on Tuesday described the ruling by an arbitral tribunal in The Hague on the South China Sea dispute as "biased and legally flawed" with many faults.
A number of Sudanese experts on international law, interviewed by Xinhua Tuesday, said the award is not abiding to China and would not change the historical facts about the Chinese sovereignty over the South China Sea.
They stressed that in the case of the dispute over the South China Sea, the the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) cannot legally be applied.
"The dispute over sovereignty between two countries is not referred to arbitration except by the agreement of the two parties," Dr. Bukhari Al-Ja'li, a professor of international law at a Sudanese university, told Xinhua Tuesday.
"There is nothing binding to China, including appearance before the Permanent Court of Arbitration, therefore, it is natural for China not to be bound by what the court issues," he noted.
Dr. Farouq Mohamed Adam, a Sudanese professor of international law, said the award of the arbitral tribunal would only further complicate the situation at the South China Sea.
The arbitral tribunal in The Hague has become a trouble maker which creates chaos instead of seeking to resolve disputes. It is apparent that the decision of the court, issued Tuesday, came as a result of U.S. political pressures," Adam told Xinhua.
"The proceedings of the arbitral tribunal on the dispute over the South China Sea is legally flawed, if China has not agreed on referring the file to the court," he added.
He went on saying "it is clear that the Philippines is moving by a U.S pushing force and it is also clear the U.S. is tending to instigate some issues in the Far East through exploiting issues such as the South China Sea dispute."
Adam regarded the award of the arbitral tribunal as "a serious precedent" that harms the international law and undermines all international norms which have been built on basis of solution for all disputes over sovereignty, pointing out that arbitration is not resort to unless with the consent of the two parties.
He agreed with China's stance that it neither accepts nor recognizes the award of the arbitral tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration established at the request of the Philippines.
"The award is null and void and has no binding force," he appreciated the statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday.
MADRID, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish Civil Guard confirmed on Tuesday they had participated in an international operation against a drug trafficking ring which has led to 29 arrests.
Operation Spax saw the Civil Guard collaborate with French, Dutch and Belgian police with raids carried out simultaneously in all four countries.
As well as arrests, the operation saw the seizure of a ton and a half of hashish, cash, vehicles, computers, telephones and numerous documents which authorities hope will give them further leads into the activities of the organization.
The drugs were smuggled into Europe in a total of 16 vehicles with hidden compartments, which transported it from the Spanish North African enclave of Melilla to Malaga from where it was distributed to northern Europe, via Madrid and Barcelona.
One of the gang's supposed leaders was detained in Madrid, where a workshop for adapting the vehicles was also discovered in the Villaverde neighborhood in the south of the city.
Another arm of the organization was based in Barcelona and contained equipment to manufacture fake visas. There were used to help smuggle Moroccan and Algerian immigrants into Europe, with Belgium as their final destination. Enditem
GAZA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A high-ranking Turkish delegation arrived in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Tuesday to explore a solution to a 10-year electricity crisis in the enclave, Palestinian officials said.
"The Turkish delegation, which includes experts in electricity visited the main power station in Gaza to see the possibility of operating the station with natural gas instead of fuel," said Abu al-Amrin, an official from the Hamas-run energy authority in Gaza.
Officials in the Palestinian energy corporation in Ramallah said they discussed with the delegation the possibilities of increasing Israeli electricity aid to Gaza by launching a natural gas pipe from Israel to Gaza to operate the power station.
Turkey pledged to enlarge Gaza's electric-power grids and build a water desalination station as well as a large hospital for the enclave.
This commitment was part of a recent agreement between Israel and Turkey on normalizing their political and economic relations.
According to the agreement, Israel would allow the shipment of 11,000 tons of Turkish humanitarian aids to the Gaza Strip.
With a population of 1.88 million, the coastal enclave, that has been controlled and ruled by Islamic Hamas movement since the summer of 2007, needs 480 to 500 megawatts of power on a daily basis. Gaza currently only receives 210 megawatts.
Due to this severe shortage, the Gazans can only have less than 8 hours of electricity a day.
BEIJING, July 12, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Yu Zhengsheng (R, front), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), meets with a youth delegation from Taiwan, in Beijing, capital of China, July 12, 2016. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese official Yu Zhengsheng met with a youth delegation from Taiwan here on Tuesday, encouraging them to have a better understanding of the mainland.
Young people carry the burden of hope for the future, said Yu, chairman of the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the top political advisory body.
Compatriots from both the mainland and Taiwan belong to the Chinese nation and share common history and culture, Yu said, adding that the young Taiwanese people should visit the mainland more often and have a better understanding of it.
"I believe that young Taiwanese people have self-identity as part of the Chinese nation. Its great rejuvenation needs common efforts from people across the Taiwan Strait," he said.
The delegation includes 90 students from higher learning institutes across the Taiwan island. They visited Jilin Province and Beijing.
AMMAN, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Jordan called for the international community to exert more efforts to help the Syrian refugees on Tuesday, the state-run Petra news agency reported.
The remarks were made by Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh at a meeting with Ertharin Cousin, executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).
Judeh called for more aid to the Syrian refugees, and also discussed with Cousin the cooperation between the two sides in this regard.
Stressing the key role the WFP plays in helping Syrian refugees, the minister called for more coordination among international agencies.
The two sides also urged the international community to boost aid to countries that host Syrian refugees including Jordan, when Judeh reviewed pressure on the country by hosting some 1.3 million Syrian refugees.
A Syrian girl walks with her mother in the rebel-held town of Douma east of the capital Damascus on the first day of the Eid al-Fitr holiday which marks the end of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan on July 6, 2016. (Xinhua/AFP)
DAMASCUS, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Syrian observers have condemned the frequent targeting of civilians by the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition airstrikes, whose declared goal is striking the Islamic State (IS) group.
The U.S.-led anti-terror coalition started pounding the IS positions in northern Syria in September of 2014.
While the U.S. boasts killing thousands of the IS militants, civilian victims also fell in the process.
In a recent report, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based watchdog group, said 366 civilians, including 92 children and 64 women, were killed in northern Syria since September of 2014 till February of 2016.
The death toll has surely risen ever since.
The Observatory, which relies on a network of activists on ground, said Sunday that 67 civilians, including 23 children and 14 women, were killed since May 31, 2016 till this July in the town of Manbej in the northern province of Aleppo.
The U.S. Central Command acknowledged last April the falling of civilians during the airstrikes, providing a death toll far less than that of the Observatory.
At least 20 civilians died in the U.S. airstrikes between September and February, including eight in a single attack on a mortar position used by militants, it said.
Colonel Patrick Ryder, a spokesperson for central command, said the casualties were "deeply regretted" but maintained that the campaign was the "the most precise air campaign in the history of warfare."
An injured Syrian boy receives treatment at a make-shift hospital following reported airstrikes in the rebel-held town of Outaya, east of the capital Damascus, on June 30, 2016. (Xinhua/AFP)
In Syria, experts questioned the entire intention of the United States and its coalition, saying their strikes are "politicized."
Maher Ihsan, a journalist and political expert, told Xinhua that the intension of the U.S. coalition is under a lot of suspicion.
"It's not strange that the U.S.-led coalition targets civilians in Syria, because the intention of such a coalition to truly target the positions of the IS is questionable," he said, adding that "I think the U.S. strikes are the reflection of the U.S. interests and plans only."
Ihsan gave the example of the IS invasion of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria last year.
"Everyone saw how the convoys of the IS moved through the Syrian desert toward Palmyra last year, and how the U.S. coalition didn't strike them. Ironically, the IS entered Palmyra under the sight of the U.S. coalition," he said.
For her part, Sana Ali, a Syrian political writer and journalist, shared the same views with Ihsan.
Citing Syrian soldiers she had interviewed before, Ihsan said Syrian soldiers stressed that they have seen how the U.S.-led coalition airdropped munition boxes on areas controlled by the IS in the northern city of al-Raqqa, the de facto capital of the terror group.
The U.S. said it was dropping weapon aid to "moderate" rebels it's backing.
"I think the U.S. doesn't truly distinguish between the IS and other rebel groups, and if it couldn't distinguish between them, it will not distinguish between civilians and combatants," she said.
"While targeting civilians is condemned, it will not look strange when understanding the double standards and the hidden agendas of the United States, which doesn't care about the Syrians in general, let alone having a concern about the lives of the civilians," she added.
A fishing fleet returns to Sanya Port in the southernmost province of Hainan, July 29, 2012, concluding its voyage of casting nets in the South China Sea. (Xinhua/Hou Jiansen)
by Xinhua Writers Meng Na and Cheng Zhuo
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Much like a poisoned tree, which will never bear good fruit, the award issued in the South China Sea arbitration was contaminated from the start.
A belligerent claimant, a biased arbitrator and an absence of rationality: Hardly fertile ground for impartiality.
The arbitration is the sum of its parts, and it was doomed from the beginning. Thus, rather than setting a precedent, the whole process has left an ugly scar on the international legal system.
The tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government issued its final award on Tuesday, amid a global chorus that the panel has no jurisdiction.
The five-member tribunal offered a summary of its decisions, which sweepingly side with the claims filed by the administration of former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III.
China said it neither accepts nor recognizes the award.
The international justice and dispute settlement system should be a bastion of impartiality, rationality and fairness. On this occasion, however, it appears that politics and vested interests have chipped away at these foundations and undermined the legal forum itself.
The award, cloaked under the name of law, is a poor imitation of justice.
The unilaterally-initiated arbitration was an attempt by the Philippines to discredit China's territorial sovereignty, and its maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. Unsurprisingly, the Philippines has kept quiet over its own illegal practices on some islands and reefs around China's Nansha Islands.
Moreover, interference from certain countries has only muddied the water further, exposing the arbitration case for what it is: Pure political provocation.
The United States, for example, is not a directly concerned party nor a signatory of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, nor a country that has acceded to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Yet, this has not stopped it from being vocal about the issue.
The arbitral tribunal has failed to be objective, and seems to have forgotten the essence of UNCLOS and international law, which encourage respect, understanding and cooperation.
Consequently, the only precedent that has been set is that opportunistic claims will be encouraged, leaving negotiations by the wayside.
The pursuit of a peaceful, cooperative South China Sea region should be the common goal of everyone, regardless if they are directly involved or not.
To that end, it is imperative that the issue is brought back to the negotiation table, as peaceful settlement through dialogue and consultation are the only viable way to solve disputes.
Also, those who are not directly concerned should at least refrain from meddling in and escalating the tensions.
The award could never have solved the issue but at least it puts an end to this unfair arbitration process, allowing all concerned parties to restart negotiations.
China's commitment and resolve to seek solutions via peaceful talks and to work with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to encourage cooperation and uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea will never change.
Related:
Spotlight: Law-abusing tribunal issues ill-founded award on South China Sea arbitration, draws worldwide criticism
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government issued its final award on Tuesday, sweepingly siding with Manila's cunningly packaged claims.
The process and outcome of the three-year-long arbitration have drawn criticism from dozens of countries and numerous experts across the world, who pointed out that the panel has no jurisdiction and its decision is naturally null and void. Full story
Spotlight: Ill-founded award on South China Sea arbitration draws worldwide criticism
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- An arbitral tribunal on the South China Sea rendered ruling on Tuesday, resulting in a deluge of criticism from China and other countries.
The 479-page award issued by a five-member tribunal is sweepingly in favor of the claims filed by the administration of former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III, which unilaterally lodged the arbitration. Full story
China refutes U.S. statement on South China Sea arbitration award
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- China is strongly displeased with a press statement issued by the Spokesperson of the U.S. State Department on Tuesday on the award issued by the South China Sea arbitration tribunal unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said in a statement that China is firmly opposed to the U.S. statement and has lodged solemn representations with the U.S. side. Full story
Chinese foreign minister says South China Sea arbitration a political farce
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The South China Sea arbitration, unilaterally initiated by the Philippines, is a political farce made under the pretext of law, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday.
Wang made the remarks after an Arbitral Tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case issued its final award on Tuesday. Full story
International law dishonored by illegal award on South China Sea arbitration: Chinese diplomat
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The ruling on the South China Sea arbitration issued by a court in The Hague is a disgrace to international law, Chinese Ambassador to the Netherlands Wu Ken told the press on Tuesday.
"Today is a 'black Tuesday' for The Hague, 'the capital of international law'," Wu commented. Full story
China asks Japan to stop interfering in South China Sea
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- China has asked Japan to stop interfering in the South China Sea issue, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.
China hopes Japan will bear in mind the terms of China-Japan relations and of regional peace and stability, and reflect on its position on South China Sea disputes, Lu Kang said. Full story
China resolved to defend territorial sovereignty, maritime interests: People's Daily
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese people are resolved to defend the country's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, said the People's Daily in a commentary to be carried on Wednesday.
The tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case issued its award on Tuesday, amid a global chorus that the panel has no jurisdiction. Full story
Commentary: South China Sea arbitration a scar on international legal system
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Much like a poisoned tree, which will never bear good fruit, the award issued in the South China Sea arbitration was contaminated from the start.
A belligerent claimant, a biased arbitrator and an absence of rationality: Hardly fertile ground for impartiality. Full story
Interview: South China Sea arbitration award resolves nothing, stirs tension: expert
PHNOM PENH, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The award of an arbitral tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration established at the request of the Philippines will resolve nothing and merely stir regional tension, an expert here said Tuesday.
The tribunal unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government issued its final award on Tuesday, amid a global chorus that the panel has no jurisdiction. Full story
Interview: S. China Sea arbitral tribunal not to solve disputes, nor should accept jurisdiction, Dutch expert
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The award issued by the South China Sea arbitral tribunal will not resolve any disputes and the court had no authority to accept the case, a Dutch law expert told Xinhua.
"The tribunal should not have accepted jurisdiction," said Tom Zwart, professor of law at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, referring to the court's acceptance of a case involving territorial claims of which it has no authority to issue a ruling. Full story
Commentary: Time to end South China Sea arbitration farce
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The South China Sea arbitration came to an end with an arbitral tribunal in The Hague issuing an award on Tuesday, but the verdict is null and void and only serves to complicate the situation in the region.
JERUSALEM, July 12 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli civilian had crossed the Israeli-Gaza border fence and entered the Gaza Strip on Tuesday noon, the Israeli army said.
"Earlier today, an Israeli man was identified crossing from Israel into the Gaza Strip," an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday.
"The incident is being reviewed," it added.
Israel occupied the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip territories, home to several millions of Palestinians, in the 1967 Mideast War.
Israel evacuated its Jewish settlements and withdrew its military forces from the Gaza Strip in 2005. After a bout of internal strife among the Palestinians in 2007, the Hamas Islamist organization took over the Gaza Strip.
Israel and Egypt operate crossings into and out of the strip and a naval siege is placed on the Gaza enclave.
Israel had conducted several rounds of fighting with Hamas in the past decade. The latest round of fighting took place in the summer of 2014 for two months, claiming the lives of more than 2,200 Palestinians and over 70 Israelis and wreaking havoc on the enclave.
The war ended with a fragile ceasefire, mediated by Egypt, in August 2014. Since then the situation remained mostly calm, with sporadic rocket fire from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, retaliated by Israeli air strikes in the strip.
However, there have been several incidents across the border fence, amid the discovery of two underground tunnels apparently used by Hamas recently, as well as an ongoing wave of violence in Israel and the West Bank territories in which 34 Israelis and 215 Palestinians were killed.
This is not the first time an Israeli civilian crossed into the Gaza Strip.
Last July, it was revealed that two Israelis are thought to be held captive in Gaza for several months after crossing the border on two separate occasions.
The first is an Israeli Ethiopian, Avraham Mengistu, from the southern coastal city of Ashkelon. He had crossed into the strip in September 2014. Hamas acknowledged he was captured by them, but said he had since been released and had crossed into Egypt.
The other Israeli is a Bedouin citizen whose name was not cleared for publication. Bedouin Arabs are desert dwelling tribes, located mostly in Israel's southern Negev Desert. Hamas did not acknowledge his capture. Enditem
Missile destroyer Guangzhou launches an air-defense missile during a military exercise in the water area near south China's Hainan Island and Xisha islands, July 8, 2016. Chinese navy conducted an annual combat drill in the water area near south China's Hainan Island and Xisha islands on Friday. [Photo/Xinhua]
The Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration will pass its ruling on July 12 on a case filed by the Philippines against China over a dispute in the South China Sea. Anticipating an unfavorable ruling, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei reiterated on Friday that Beijing will not accept it no matter how much diplomatic pressure is put on it.
The ruling is likely to have a variety of diplomatic implications for Asia-Pacific affairs. The United States, Japan and some ASEAN member states that have maritime disputes with China would like it to accept the ruling, which they believe is the most convenient way of encroaching upon China's sovereignty and maritime interests in the South China Sea.
Beijing has to stay alert to such dangers, for they could deal a major blow to its legal status in the South China Sea, be it in reclamation work or territorial claims. Beijing has to stick to its stance of not acknowledging or accepting, let alone implementing, the arbitral tribunal's ruling, simply because it will be illegal and thus null, and void.
But having made plenty of diplomatic, political and military efforts to hype up the arbitration during the past three years, the US will not sit idle while China tries to safeguard its lawful rights. Such are their differences on the South China Sea issue that many fear they could lead to a military conflict.
But China has no option but to defend its lawful rights. The South China Sea dispute between Beijing and Manila is essentially about territorial claims and maritime delimitation. Thanks to the US' abrupt intervention and the support of its allies, including Japan, Australia and some European countries, the Beijing-Manila dispute is being used as a bargaining chip in a strategic contest between the major powers in the Asia-Pacific region.
As President Xi Jinping declared in his speech on July 1 to mark the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, Beijing will not use the threat of force nor will it flaunt its military power unnecessarily. This demonstrates not only China's determination to protect national interests but also serves as a warning to non-regional players such as the US.
Xi's remarks were echoed four days later by former State councilor Dai Bingguo, who said at a meeting in Washington that the tribunal's ruling would be "nothing but a piece of paper".
Once issued, the ruling will serve as a barometer of future China-US relations, but it is not likely to lead to a military conflict because it will not be good for either side and neither wants to escalate the already high tensions in the South China Sea.
Beijing should not only keep a close eye on countries that put military pressure on it to accept the arbitral tribunal's ruling, but also take measures to challenge the tribunal because it has exceeded and abused its powers by dealing with a case it has no jurisdiction over.
China and the US, on their parts, should exercise restraint and seek ways to reach a compromise on the South China Sea issue, because it does not define their bilateral ties. In particular, Washington should not overreact or overstate what the ruling stands for. More importantly, the fact that newly elected Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has hinted that Beijing and Manila deserve better ties could be a silver lining in bilateral exchanges irrespective of the outcome of the tribunal's ruling.
The author is a professor and executive director of the China Center for Collaborative Studies of the South China Sea at Nanjing University.
MOSCOW, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Six Russian TU22M3 strategic long-range bombers have launched strikes against positions of Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in three locations in Syria, Russian defense ministry said Tuesday.
"The airstrike was made against targets identified and confirmed through intelligence channels in recent days," a ministry statement said.
It added that a large IS field camp, three ammunition depots, three tanks, four infantry fighting vehicles were destroyed, also killing a large number of militants.
The ministry noted that to ensure flight safety, the U.S.-led international coalition had been warned of the attacks in advance.
All planes returned safely and landed in their airfields located in Russia, it said.
Russia started airstrikes against terrorist targets in Syria at the request of the country's President Bashar al-Assad in September last year, with its aircraft deployed at a local airbase, while also using long-range bombers and missiles from Russian Navy ships in the Caspian sea.
In March, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the withdrawal of most of its air force from Syria, but Russia kept striking terrorist targets and maintained military coordination with the U.S.-led coalition forces.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier in the day urged to resume the intra-Syrian talks brokered by U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura with a view to peacefully settle the Syrian crisis.
Lavrov added that related issues would be discussed with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who will visit Russia from July 14 to 15.
"We will try to coordinate the common approach that should be based on absolutely clear and unambiguous principles outlined in the UN Security Council resolutions," Lavrov said as quoted by an official transcript.
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The Hague-based arbitration court issued on Tuesday an ill-founded award on an arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the Philippines against China regarding their dispute in the South China Sea. The Chinese government officials and overseas experts have voiced their disapproval of the court's verdict.
Xi Jinping, Chinese President
-- China will not accept any proposition or action based on the award. The South China Sea Islands have been China's territory since ancient times. China's territorial sovereignty and maritime interests in the South China Sea, in any circumstances, will not be affected by the award.
Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign Minister
-- The arbitration is a political farce under the pretext of law.
Spokesman of Pakistan's Foreign Ministry
-- Pakistan opposes any imposition of unilateral will on others, and respects China's statement of optional exception in light of Article 298 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Countries outside the region should fully respect efforts made by China and the ASEAN countries to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea, and play a constructive role to this end.
Zheng Yongnian, director of the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore
-- The arbitration, initiated by the Philippines against China, is a political issue manipulated by the United States, which demands political solutions, instead of the employment of the law.
Satur Ocampo, a former member of the Philippine House of Representatives
-- The Aquino government should not initiate an arbitration case on the disputed South China Sea to the arbitral tribunal. If a conflict arises between China and the Philippines, it would provide the United States with the excuses they need in interfering in the regional affairs.
Saeed al-Lawindi, a political researcher and expert of international relations at the Cairo-based Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies
-- I believe that the ruling issued today is completely biased and it might in some way or another stir up serious conflict in the region.
What is happening now is a kind of cold war, directly between China and the Philippines and indirectly between the United States and both China and Russia.
Mahmoud Allam, former Egyptian ambassador to China
-- International arbitration is one of the mechanisms used for settling disputes as stated by the United Nations charter, but this mechanism must meet several conditions, otherwise it would be null and void.
Accordingly, it is obvious that the Philippines' unilateral resort to arbitration regarding the South China Sea issue without the approval of the other party, which is China ... makes the arbitration itself null and void in form.
Related:
Spotlight: Law-abusing tribunal issues ill-founded award on South China Sea arbitration, draws worldwide criticism
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government issued its final award on Tuesday, sweepingly siding with Manila's cunningly packaged claims.
The process and outcome of the three-year-long arbitration have drawn criticism from dozens of countries and numerous experts across the world, who pointed out that the panel has no jurisdiction and its decision is naturally null and void. Full story
Spotlight: Ill-founded award on South China Sea arbitration draws worldwide criticism
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- An arbitral tribunal on the South China Sea rendered ruling on Tuesday, resulting in a deluge of criticism from China and other countries.
The 479-page award issued by a five-member tribunal is sweepingly in favor of the claims filed by the administration of former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III, which unilaterally lodged the arbitration. Full story
China refutes U.S. statement on South China Sea arbitration award
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- China is strongly displeased with a press statement issued by the Spokesperson of the U.S. State Department on Tuesday on the award issued by the South China Sea arbitration tribunal unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said in a statement that China is firmly opposed to the U.S. statement and has lodged solemn representations with the U.S. side. Full story
Chinese foreign minister says South China Sea arbitration a political farce
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The South China Sea arbitration, unilaterally initiated by the Philippines, is a political farce made under the pretext of law, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday.
Wang made the remarks after an Arbitral Tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case issued its final award on Tuesday. Full story
International law dishonored by illegal award on South China Sea arbitration: Chinese diplomat
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The ruling on the South China Sea arbitration issued by a court in The Hague is a disgrace to international law, Chinese Ambassador to the Netherlands Wu Ken told the press on Tuesday.
"Today is a 'black Tuesday' for The Hague, 'the capital of international law'," Wu commented. Full story
China asks Japan to stop interfering in South China Sea
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- China has asked Japan to stop interfering in the South China Sea issue, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.
China hopes Japan will bear in mind the terms of China-Japan relations and of regional peace and stability, and reflect on its position on South China Sea disputes, Lu Kang said. Full story
China resolved to defend territorial sovereignty, maritime interests: People's Daily
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese people are resolved to defend the country's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, said the People's Daily in a commentary to be carried on Wednesday.
The tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case issued its award on Tuesday, amid a global chorus that the panel has no jurisdiction. Full story
Commentary: South China Sea arbitration a scar on international legal system
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Much like a poisoned tree, which will never bear good fruit, the award issued in the South China Sea arbitration was contaminated from the start.
TIKRIT, Iraq, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces on Tuesday severed the supply routes to two towns held by the Islamic States (IS) militants in northern Iraq, after seizing villages to the south of the IS-held city of Mosul, a security source told Xinhua.
Security forces and allied paramilitary units, known as Hashd al-Shaabi, recaptured the villages of Ich'hala and Imam in the south of the IS-held town of Qayyara, some 50 km south of Mosul, the source said on condition of anonymity.
By retaking control of the two villages on the west side of Tigris River, the troops have cut off the IS supply routes from Mosul to IS-held Shirqat, a town about 30 km south of Mosul, and Hawijah, a town located some 45 km southeast of Shirqat, the source said.
The security forces plan to seize other villages on the east bank of the river to encircle the militants, the source added.
The U.S.-backed security forces recaptured a strategic airbase near the town of Qayyara on Saturday.
Once known as Saddam Airbase, it is one of the largest airbases in the Middle East and was widely used by the former Iraqi air forces during the Iraqi-Iranian war in 1980s.
During his meetings with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad on Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said 560 more U.S. troops will be deployed in Iraq to help establish the airbase as a staging hub for the long-awaited battle to recapture Mosul from the IS extremist militants.
According to the Pentagon chief, most of the new U.S. troops will be devoted to the build-up of the Qayyara airbase, including engineers, logistics personnel and other forces, to help Iraqi security forces encircle and eventually retake Mosul, some 400 km north of Baghdad.
Hundreds of U.S. marines are already deployed in Iraq as trainers and advisers to help the country win the battle against the IS extremists in Iraq's western province of Anbar as well as in northern regions.
Iraq's security situation has drastically deteriorated since June 2014, when bloody clashes broke out between Iraqi security forces and IS militants.
The IS took control of the country's northern city of Mosul and later seized territories in Nineveh and other predominantly Sunni provinces.
A U.S.-led international coalition has been conducting air raids against the IS targets in both Iraq and Syria.
Many blame the current chronic instability, cycle of violence, and the emergence of extremist groups, such as the IS, on the U.S. that invaded and occupied Iraq in March 2003.
by Xue Lei, Nguon Sovan
PHNOM PENH, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The award of an arbitral tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration established at the request of the Philippines will resolve nothing and merely stir regional tension, an expert here said Tuesday.
The tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government issued its final award on Tuesday, amid a global chorus that the panel has no jurisdiction.
China, on the same day, said it neither accepts nor recognizes the award. "The award is null and void and has no binding force," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Joseph Matthews, director of ASEAN Education Center, said in an interview with Xinhua that from the beginning, the arbitral tribunal was under the sway of the United States and its ally Japan.
"This is a one-sided verdict based on China-phobia, which ultimately creates the tensions, and confrontational situations in the South China Sea," he said.
Matthews pointed out that the dispute between the Philippines and China is absolutely a bilateral issue, which can only be solved through bilateral dialogue and consultation.
"Today's ruling will change nothing in the South China Sea," he said, adding that China is committed to safeguarding its own territorial sovereignty and legitimate maritime rights as well as peace and stability in the sea.
He also stressed that countries outside the region should not interfere in the South China Sea issue.
"It is very important for the U.S. to stop all kinds of interference and its suggestions regarding the regional conflicts," the expert said.
If the United States opts, however, to continue its intimidating policy and hegemonic presence there, it will clearly show that its intention is to deliberately stir tension in the region, he said.
Matthews noted that it is also the responsibility of the incumbents in Manila to understand and recognize the importance of dialogue and negotiation without involving any third party.
"Manila should and must be mindful that any conflict in the region will jeopardize its economy and regional stability, and hence must not let outsiders guide or sway it on the foreign and internal policy of the Philippines," he said.
An Iraqi policeman inspects the aftermath scene of a mortar and bombing attack on the Sayyid Mohammed shrine in the Balad area, located 70 kilometres (around 45 miles) north of Baghdad, on July 8, 2016. (Xinhua/AFP)
TIKRIT, Iraq, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces on Tuesday severed the supply routes to two towns held by the Islamic States (IS) militants in northern Iraq, after seizing villages to the south of the IS-held city of Mosul, a security source told Xinhua.
Security forces and allied paramilitary units, known as Hashd al-Shaabi, recaptured the villages of Ich'hala and Imam in the south of the IS-held town of Qayyara, some 50 km south of Mosul, the source said on condition of anonymity.
By retaking control of the two villages on the west side of Tigris River, the troops have cut off the IS supply routes from Mosul to IS-held Shirqat, a town about 30 km south of Mosul, and Hawijah, a town located some 45 km southeast of Shirqat, the source said.
The security forces plan to seize other villages on the east bank of the river to encircle the militants, the source added.
The U.S.-backed security forces recaptured a strategic airbase near the town of Qayyara on Saturday.
Once known as Saddam Airbase, it is one of the largest airbases in the Middle East and was widely used by the former Iraqi air forces during the Iraqi-Iranian war in 1980s.
An Iraqi policeman inspects the aftermath scene of a mortar and bombing attack on the Sayyid Mohammed shrine in the Balad area, located 70 kilometres (around 45 miles) north of Baghdad, on July 8, 2016. (Xinhua/AFP)
During his meetings with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad on Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said 560 more U.S. troops will be deployed in Iraq to help establish the airbase as a staging hub for the long-awaited battle to recapture Mosul from the IS extremist militants.
According to the Pentagon chief, most of the new U.S. troops will be devoted to the build-up of the Qayyara airbase, including engineers, logistics personnel and other forces, to help Iraqi security forces encircle and eventually retake Mosul, some 400 km north of Baghdad.
Hundreds of U.S. marines are already deployed in Iraq as trainers and advisers to help the country win the battle against the IS extremists in Iraq's western province of Anbar as well as in northern regions.
Iraq's security situation has drastically deteriorated since June 2014, when bloody clashes broke out between Iraqi security forces and IS militants.
The IS took control of the country's northern city of Mosul and later seized territories in Nineveh and other predominantly Sunni provinces.
A U.S.-led international coalition has been conducting air raids against the IS targets in both Iraq and Syria.
Many blame the current chronic instability, cycle of violence, and the emergence of extremist groups, such as the IS, on the U.S. that invaded and occupied Iraq in March 2003.
Turkish Prime Minister and leader of Turkey's ruling party, the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Binali Yildirim (C) waves to MPs during the AKP's group meeting at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) in Ankara on July 12, 2016. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)
ANKARA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Turkey will continue to improve relations with its neighbors, including Syria and Egypt, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Tuesday.
"There are not many reasons for us to fight with Iraq, Syria, Egypt and countries in all regions. But there are many reasons to carry relations forward," Yildirim was quoted by Hurriyet News as saying at a meeting of his Justice and Development Party's (AKP) in Ankara.
Yildirim stressed that Turkey has recently moved to normalize strained ties with Russia and Israel, and that Ankara "regards all countries as friends."
"We will increase our friendships and decrease enmities. We will also increase our friendships within the country. We will refrain from meaningless and empty discourse. From now on, we will improve our friendships with all countries surrounding the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. We will keep our disagreements at a minimum," he vowed.
However, the premier maintained that Turkey was right to down the Russian jet in November last year over border violations, which led to the breakdown in relations between Ankara and Moscow.
KAMPALA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Uganda's Foreign Affairs ministry on Tuesday said several embassies and organizations have evacuated their staff and citizens from South Sudan to the country following fighting between two rival factions in the capital, Juba.
James Mugume, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Xinhua by telephone that a number of embassies and international organizations have temporarily evacuated some of their staff and citizens to the East African country over security reasons.
"Following the temporary opening of the Juba airport on Tuesday, a number of countries and organizations have flown their staff and citizens here for security reasons," said Mugume.
He added a number of the evacuated persons landed safely at Entebbe International Airport, about 40 kilometers south of the capital, Kampala.
Mugume however didn't specify which countries and organizations that have evacuated their staff to Uganda following the fighting between government troops of President Salva Kiir and forces loyal to Vice President Riek Machar.
The United States government on Monday announced the evacuation of part of its employees from its embassy in Juba, according to U.S. Department of State.
"In response to ongoing violence in South Sudan, the Department of State ordered today the departure of non-emergency personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Juba," it said in the statement.
The violence in South Sudan has raised fears that the war-torn country could descend into war again.
President Kiir and former rebel leader Machar have fought a civil war which broke out in December 2013 and left tens of thousands dead.
A peace deal signed by the two men last August under UN pressure led to the formation of a national government in April with Machar returning to his old post. Enditem
GENEVA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The UN human rights agency on Tuesday said that it is deeply worried at reports that UN compounds and "protection of civilians" sites have been directly caught in the fighting, and apparently at times directly targeted, in South Sudan.
A spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights cited the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) as saying that eight people were killed and 59 injured, in or around "protection of civilians" sites between Sunday and Monday.
"We are also deeply concerned at reports of civilians being prevented from seeking refuge in the premises of the UNMISS and, in some cases, being shot at while trying to do so," the spokesperson told a regular press briefing here.
The spokesperson added that the security and human rights situation in South Sudan is under rapid deterioration. Since Thursday last week, the capital Juba has experienced repeated clashes between soldiers loyal to President Salva Kiir and those backing First Vice President Riek Machar.
A South Sudan government source said that so far at least 272 people have been killed, including 33 civilians, according to the UN agency.
"In spite of the call for calm by the two leaders in a joint press conference on Friday, and a brief lull on Saturday, heavy fighting resumed in Juba on Sunday and yesterday, with both sides blaming each other for the escalating violence," the spokesperson noted. Enditem
File picture of TU22M3 released on Sep. 16, 2015, by Russian Defense Ministry
MOSCOW, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Six Russian TU22M3 strategic long-range bombers have launched strikes against positions of Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in three locations in Syria, Russian defense ministry said Tuesday.
"The airstrike was made against targets identified and confirmed through intelligence channels in recent days," a ministry statement said.
It added that a large IS field camp, three ammunition depots, three tanks, four infantry fighting vehicles were destroyed, also killing a large number of militants.
The ministry noted that to ensure flight safety, the U.S.-led international coalition had been warned of the attacks in advance.
All planes returned safely and landed in their airfields located in Russia, it said.
Russia started airstrikes against terrorist targets in Syria at the request of the country's President Bashar al-Assad in September last year, with its aircraft deployed at a local airbase, while also using long-range bombers and missiles from Russian Navy ships in the Caspian sea.
In March, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the withdrawal of most of its air force from Syria, but Russia kept striking terrorist targets and maintained military coordination with the U.S.-led coalition forces.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier in the day urged to resume the intra-Syrian talks brokered by U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura with a view to peacefully settle the Syrian crisis.
Lavrov added that related issues would be discussed with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who will visit Russia from July 14 to 15.
"We will try to coordinate the common approach that should be based on absolutely clear and unambiguous principles outlined in the UN Security Council resolutions," Lavrov said as quoted by an official transcript.
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- An arbitral tribunal on the South China Sea rendered ruling on Tuesday, resulting in a deluge of criticism from China and other countries.
The 479-page award issued by a five-member tribunal is sweepingly in favor of the claims filed by the administration of former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III, which unilaterally lodged the arbitration.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a meeting with visiting European leaders on Tuesday, said that China will not accept the award, and that China's territorial sovereignty and maritime interests in the South China Sea will under no circumstances be affected by it.
Shortly after the publication of the award, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a statement that the arbitration is a political farce under the pretext of law and the ruling has no legal force at all.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately issued a statement saying it "solemnly declares that the award is null and void and has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it."
The verdict against China also drew condemnation from other countries.
A spokesman for the Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that maritime disputes in the South China Sea should be addressed in accordance with bilateral agreements and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), adding that Pakistan opposes any imposition of unilateral will on others.
The DOC calls for states directly involved in territorial and maritime disputes to resolve their differences through peaceful negotiations and was signed by China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The ministry added that it further respects a declaration China made in 2006 under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea not to involve a third party to resolve disputes over maritime delimitation.
The Thai Foreign Ministry in a statement also mentioned the DOC, adding that disputes in the South China Sea should be addressed on the basis of mutual trust to reflect the nature of the long standing ASEAN-China relations.
Scholars, too, have voiced their suspicion over the arbitration.
Saeed al-Lawindi, a political researcher and expert of international relations at Cairo-based Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, believed that the ruling is completely biased and could result in serious conflict in the region. The ruling may lead to instability instigated by the United States and other Western states, he said.
Tom Zwart, professor of law at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, told Xinhua that the award will not resolve any issues in the region because the tribunal lacked jurisdiction in its ruling.
"From the outset, critics like me said that it would be very difficult to avoid sovereignty issues (when handling the Philippines' claims)," said the professor.
"Another reason for the tribunal not to accept jurisdiction is that the S. China Sea issue is a too complicated a matter for them to decide. There are so many issues involved and some of them are outside of that jurisdiction."
Related:
Spotlight: Law-abusing tribunal issues ill-founded award on South China Sea arbitration, draws worldwide criticism
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government issued its final award on Tuesday, sweepingly siding with Manila's cunningly packaged claims.
The process and outcome of the three-year-long arbitration have drawn criticism from dozens of countries and numerous experts across the world, who pointed out that the panel has no jurisdiction and its decision is naturally null and void. Full story
China refutes U.S. statement on South China Sea arbitration award
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- China is strongly displeased with a press statement issued by the Spokesperson of the U.S. State Department on Tuesday on the award issued by the South China Sea arbitration tribunal unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said in a statement that China is firmly opposed to the U.S. statement and has lodged solemn representations with the U.S. side. Full story
Chinese foreign minister says South China Sea arbitration a political farce
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The South China Sea arbitration, unilaterally initiated by the Philippines, is a political farce made under the pretext of law, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday.
Wang made the remarks after an Arbitral Tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case issued its final award on Tuesday. Full story
International law dishonored by illegal award on South China Sea arbitration: Chinese diplomat
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The ruling on the South China Sea arbitration issued by a court in The Hague is a disgrace to international law, Chinese Ambassador to the Netherlands Wu Ken told the press on Tuesday.
"Today is a 'black Tuesday' for The Hague, 'the capital of international law'," Wu commented. Full story
China asks Japan to stop interfering in South China Sea
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- China has asked Japan to stop interfering in the South China Sea issue, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.
China hopes Japan will bear in mind the terms of China-Japan relations and of regional peace and stability, and reflect on its position on South China Sea disputes, Lu Kang said. Full story
China resolved to defend territorial sovereignty, maritime interests: People's Daily
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese people are resolved to defend the country's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, said the People's Daily in a commentary to be carried on Wednesday.
The tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case issued its award on Tuesday, amid a global chorus that the panel has no jurisdiction. Full story
Commentary: South China Sea arbitration a scar on international legal system
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Much like a poisoned tree, which will never bear good fruit, the award issued in the South China Sea arbitration was contaminated from the start.
A fishing fleet returns to Sanya Port in the southernmost province of Hainan, July 29, 2012, concluding its voyage of casting nets in the South China Sea. (Xinhua/Hou Jiansen)
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government issued its final award on Tuesday, amid a global chorus that the panel has no jurisdiction and its decision is naturally null and void.
In the 479-page award, the five-member tribunal sweepingly sided with the claims filed by the administration of former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III.
Among other conclusions it reached in blatant disregard of historical facts and general international law, the tribunal denied China's long-standing historical rights in the South China Sea.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a meeting with visiting European leaders on Tuesday, said that China will not accept any proposition or action based on the award, and that China's territorial sovereignty and maritime interests in the South China Sea will under no circumstances be affected by it.
China has refused to participate in the proceedings, reiterating that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case, which is in essence related to territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation.
The Chinese government has pointed out that territorial issues are not governed by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and that it has -- in line with UNCLOS -- excluded disputes concerning maritime delimitation from mandatory dispute-settlement procedures. Some 30 other countries have also made similar exclusions.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China solemnly declares that the award is null and void and has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it," the ministry said in a statement shortly after the award was announced.
Describing the arbitration as a political farce under the pretext of law, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that by not participating in and not accepting the arbitration, China is upholding international law and regional rules.
The Aquino administration filed the arbitration against China in 2013, despite the agreement his country had reached with China on resolving their disputes in the South China Sea through bilateral negotiations.
Although Manila asserted that its submissions do not concern territorial sovereignty or maritime delimitation, the Philippine Foreign Ministry, a day after launching the arbitration, described the purpose of the case as to "protect our country's territory and oceanic area."
Xu Liping, a senior research fellow with the National Institute of International Strategy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), stressed that UNCLOS should never be allowed to serve as a tool for certain interest groups to decide on sovereignty-related disputes.
"The award, a typically unfair and arbitrary verdict, represents a huge blow to the world's confidence in the international legal system and the integrity of arbitration proceedings," he said.
While rejecting the award, the Chinese Foreign Ministry also reiterated that China will continue to work with directly concerned countries to resolve the relevant disputes in the South China Sea through negotiations and consultations.
In the latest count, more than 70 countries and international organizations, as well as over 230 political parties and groups in more than 90 countries, have voiced support for China's principled position, far outnumbering those backing the assertions of the Aquino administration and the United States, which is widely considered as a primary instigator behind the arbitration case.
The Chinese public has also kept a close eye on the South China Sea issue, standing firmly behind the government's resolve to safeguard China's sovereignty over the South China Sea Islands as well as its call for dialogue to settle the complicated disputes.
The new Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, recently said that Manila is ready to talk to China even if the South China Sea arbitration tribunal rules in the Philippines' favor.
China has said that the door of China-Philippines dialogue on the South China Sea issue is always open, but it will not negotiate with the Philippines on the basis of any ruling in the arbitration case.
In its statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said negotiations and consultations should be carried out "on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law."
Noting that China has solved border issues with 12 of its 14 land neighbors with over 20,000 km of borderlines delineated and demarcated, Xu, the CASS scholar, said the record "is solid proof that China has been strictly law-abiding."
China has been dealing with its border disputes on land in a very professional and thorough way, agreed Abraham Sofaer, a former legal adviser to the U.S. State Department, adding that "it is also shortsighted ... to assume that no hope exists for diplomacy on maritime disputes."
WASHINGTON, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Hillary Clinton's bitter rival in the Democratic Party presidential nomination race Bernie Sanders on Tuesday endorsed Clinton for the 2016 U.S. election.
"Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process," said Sanders in New Hampshire during his first joint rally with Clinton after a chaotic primary season.
"She will be the Democratic nominee for president and I intend to do everything I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United States," said Sanders.
Sanders' endorsement came more than a month after Clinton clinched the Democratic Party nomination, and brought to an end a chaotic and divisive Democratic primary season where he questioned Clinton's judgement as the country's future leader.
Standing onstage with Clinton on Tuesday in a state where he crushed the former U.S. secretary of state with a sweeping victory in the primary season, Sanders called Clinton "far and away the best candidate" to address the serious crisis facing the country.
"Too many Americans are still being left out, left behind and ignored. In the richest country in the history of the world, there is too much poverty, there is too much despair," said Sanders, adding that Clinton understood better than Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, that the country must fix a rigged economy that "sends almost all of the new wealth and income to the top one percent."
During the primary season, Sanders was a constant critic of Clinton's close tie to the Wall Street and criticized Clinton for her decision not to release transcripts of her paid speeches to big banks, such as Goldman Sachs.
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The South China Sea arbitration, unilaterally initiated by the Philippines, is a political farce made under the pretext of law, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday.
Wang made the remarks after an Arbitral Tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case issued its final award on Tuesday.
"The South China Sea arbitration is completely a political farce staged under legal pretext. Such a nature must be exposed for everyone to see," said Wang.
Plotted and manipulated by certain forces outside the region, the former government of the Philippines unilaterally initiated the arbitration with no consent of the other party, he said.
"Such an act ran counter to the agreement previously reached between the two sides to resolve disputes through bilateral negotiation and consultation. It also violated the commitment the Philippines made in the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC)," said the foreign minister.
Its purpose is clearly not to seek proper settlement of disputes with China, but to violate China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and put peace and stability in the South China Sea in jeopardy, he noted.
The arbitration was conducted according to unwarranted procedure and application of law, and was based on flawed evidence and facts. Such as it is, it will never be accepted by the Chinese people. Nor will it be recognized by anyone in the world who stands on the side of justice, said Wang.
Wang said China's position of non-acceptance and non-participation is aimed at upholding international rule of law and rules of the region.
According to international law, each country has the right to choose on its own will the means of dispute settlement.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) gives the State Parties the right to exclude relevant disputes from the application of compulsory dispute settlement procedures.
The DOC signed by China and the ten ASEAN countries manifestly stipulates that relevant disputes should be resolved by countries directly concerned through dialogue and negotiation.
"China's non-acceptance of and non-participation in the arbitration is solidly based on international law, and is consistent with the norms and rules of the international law of the sea. China is acting in strict accordance with the law," said Wang.
The award given by the Arbitral Tribunal violates China's lawful rights. It challenges the norms of international law, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. It undermines the sanctity and integrity of the system of international law of the sea, and has a negative impact on the rules of the region established on the basis of the DOC, he said.
The establishment of the Arbitral Tribunal has no legitimacy and the Arbitral Tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case. The award is clearly out of the Arbitral Tribunal's acts of self-expansion of power and ultra vires, and has no legal effect, he emphasized.
Wang pointed out that more and more countries in the world as well as people with vision have expressed concerns and doubt about the case, especially legal experts worldwide.
Over 60 countries have publicly expressed their understanding and support for China's position.
"These are voices of justice that the international community should well listen to," he said.
China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea are based on solid historical and legal ground.
They shall not be affected by the award of the Arbitral Tribunal, Wang stressed.
The statement issued Tuesday by the Chinese government reaffirmed once again China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea.
They include, inter alia: China has sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao (the South China Sea Islands); China has internal waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf based on its sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao; and China has historic rights in the South China Sea, according to Wang.
He stressed that China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea are not new claims. These, including the dotted line, have been formed in the long course of history, and have been upheld by the successive Chinese governments.
"Any attempt by any force to undermine or deny in any way China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests will be futile and will fail," he said.
On issues of territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, China will not accept any means of third-party dispute settlement without China's prior consent or any imposed solution. This temporary tribunal, unjust and highly controversial, does not stand for international law, the rule of law or equity and justice in the world, said Wang.
He said China will remain committed to peaceful settlement of disputes through consultation and negotiation, and will continue to work for peace and stability in this region.
China is a contributor to global order and regional peace, he said, adding that China will stay committed to peaceful settlement of disputes with parties directly concerned through negotiation and consultation and in accordance with international law.
China is committed to upholding the freedom of navigation and overflight enjoyed by all other countries under international law, he said, noting that China is committed to the full and effective implementation of the DOC, and will work to advance the consultations on a Code of Conduct within the framework of the DOC.
The arbitration and the out-of-bad-faith dramatization and political manipulation that ensued have put the South China Sea issue to a dangerous situation, with growing tension and confrontation, said Wang.
It is detrimental to peace and stability in the region, and it does not serve the common interests of China and the Philippines, countries in the region or the wider international community, he said.
"Now the farce is over. It is time that things come back to normal," said Wang.
China has noted the latest statements by the new government of the Philippines, including its readiness to re-open consultation and dialogue with China on the South China Sea issue.
China hopes that the goodwill of the new Philippine government for improving relations with China will be accompanied with real actions, and that the Philippine side will work with us to properly manage differences and bring China-Philippines relations back to the track of healthy development at an early date, said Wang.
He reiterated that it is China's long-standing commitment to grow good-neighborly and friendly relations with its neighbors.
China has an international responsibility to uphold peace and stability in this region, and China will remain firm in its strategic determination to pursue peaceful development, he said.
China will continue to do what it can to safeguard the purposes of the Charter of the United Nations and the basic norms governing international relations, to uphold international rule of law and equity and justice in the world, and to promote peace and development of mankind, he added.
Related:
Spotlight: Ill-founded award on South China Sea arbitration draws worldwide criticism
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- An arbitral tribunal on the South China Sea rendered ruling on Tuesday, resulting in a deluge of criticism from China and other countries.
The 479-page award issued by a five-member tribunal is sweepingly in favor of the claims filed by the administration of former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III, which unilaterally lodged the arbitration. Full story
Spotlight: Law-abusing tribunal issues ill-founded award on South China Sea arbitration, draws worldwide criticism
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government issued its final award on Tuesday, sweepingly siding with Manila's cunningly packaged claims.
The process and outcome of the three-year-long arbitration have drawn criticism from dozens of countries and numerous experts across the world, who pointed out that the panel has no jurisdiction and its decision is naturally null and void. Full story
China refutes U.S. statement on South China Sea arbitration award
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- China is strongly displeased with a press statement issued by the Spokesperson of the U.S. State Department on Tuesday on the award issued by the South China Sea arbitration tribunal unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said in a statement that China is firmly opposed to the U.S. statement and has lodged solemn representations with the U.S. side. Full story
International law dishonored by illegal award on South China Sea arbitration: Chinese diplomat
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The ruling on the South China Sea arbitration issued by a court in The Hague is a disgrace to international law, Chinese Ambassador to the Netherlands Wu Ken told the press on Tuesday.
"Today is a 'black Tuesday' for The Hague, 'the capital of international law'," Wu commented. Full story
China asks Japan to stop interfering in South China Sea
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- China has asked Japan to stop interfering in the South China Sea issue, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.
China hopes Japan will bear in mind the terms of China-Japan relations and of regional peace and stability, and reflect on its position on South China Sea disputes, Lu Kang said. Full story
China resolved to defend territorial sovereignty, maritime interests: People's Daily
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese people are resolved to defend the country's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, said the People's Daily in a commentary to be carried on Wednesday.
The tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case issued its award on Tuesday, amid a global chorus that the panel has no jurisdiction. Full story
Commentary: South China Sea arbitration a scar on international legal system
BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Much like a poisoned tree, which will never bear good fruit, the award issued in the South China Sea arbitration was contaminated from the start.
DHAKA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- There is no reason for China to accept the award of an arbitral tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration established at the request of the Philippines, Bangladeshi experts said here Tuesday.
The tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government issued its final award on Tuesday, amid a global chorus that the panel has no jurisdiction.
China, on the same day, said it neither accepts nor recognizes the award. "The award is null and void and has no binding force," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Bangladeshi experts said the Philippines has lied in its unilaterally-initiated case since 2013.
They said people all around the world know clearly that China has refused to participate in the arbitration proceedings as the tribunal in The Hague has no jurisdiction over the case, which is in essence related to territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation.
"What the tribunal has done can never be called an arbitration," said Ashfaqur Rahman, former Bangladeshi Ambassador to China.
He said, "Arbitration is a process in which both the disputed parties agree to argue their cases and agree to accept verdict whatever it is."
In this case, he said, "We all know that China was not a party. It did not take part in the process. So how can it be called an arbitration?"
A law professor, who did not like to be named, said, "It's very clear to us that the so-called arbitration on the South China Sea initiated unilaterally by the Philippines is abuse of international law."
China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by the so-called award, he said.
Bangladeshi experts pointed out that by refusing to engage in consultation and negotiation with China, and by unilaterally initiating the case, the Philippines has shifted away from its commitment to seek to settle its disputes with China in the South China Sea in good faith, and attempted to obtain unlawful interests in the South China Sea.
Bangladeshi experts also called on the United States to stop its interference in the regional affairs.
Lieutenant General (retired) Mahbubur Rahman, former chief of army staff of the Bangladesh Army, said, "I think what America is doing over the South China Sea issue is just disturbing the region."
"America should refrain from its naked interference in the affairs of the South Asia and the Southeast Asia regions," he stressed. Enditem
BRATISLAVA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A total of 25 Slovak police officers are currently helping the police in Macedonia in the fight against illegal migration, Slovak Police spokesperson Denisa Baloghova said on Tuesday.
Slovak police officers along with local observation patrols are carrying out border surveillance on foot or in vehicles, she informed.
"Slovak police officers perform their duties in their own uniforms and equipment. Their work is being carried out in line with Macedonia's laws and only in the presence of a member of the Macedonian police," Baloghova added.
Although Macedonia isn't a member of the European Union, it's located on the so-called Balkan route used by migrants on their way to western European countries. Slovak police officers have now been sent out three times to help the Macedonian police deal with illegal migration. Enditem
MADRID, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The creation of new businesses in Spain rose by 9.3 percent in May when compared with the same month a year earlier, according to data published on Tuesday by Spain's Statistical Office (INE).
The INE said 8,812 new companies were created in the fifth month of the year, 23.9 percent of them being trade companies and 18.2 percent building companies.
Business creation in the country has been rising for two consecutive months on a year-on-year basis after rising by 14.8 percent in April.
New businesses in Spain used a subscribed capital of 382.8 million euros (422.9 million U.S. dollars), which meant a 15.9 percent fall when compared with May 2015, while the average amount of capital fell by 23 percent to 43,442 euros.
The INE said that 1,351 businesses were dissolved in May which meant a 0.8 percent fall when compared with a year earlier. A total of 70.9 percent of them were dissolved voluntarily, 7.3 percent via mergers and 21.8 percent for other reasons. Enditem
by Maria Vasileiou
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Officials from Europe and the United States on Tuesday called for urgent action worldwide to effectively crack down on the multibillion illicit businesses of counterfeit and pirated goods.
They said the scope of these illegal activities was expected to increase further, partly also due to the growing use of Internet as a key enabler for illicit trade, during a two-day conference to mark the launch of a new Intellectual Property Crime Coordinated Coalition (IPC3) within Europol, the EU law enforcement agency based in The Hague.
"Intellectual property crime is a global play. No single agency or organization can hope to tackle it on its own," said Antonio Campinos, executive director of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the EU agency set to provide intellectual property protection in the bloc's member states.
The EUIPO chief specifically called for a "coordinated coalition" among all players involved to effectively combat infringements of intellectual property rights.
"Cooperation between intellectual property offices and all law enforcement and business community actors plays a crucial role in effectively fighting against these illegal activities," he said at the beginning of the conference.
The alarming increase in counterfeit purchases online, coupled with the results of a new EUIPO report showing that online business models infringing Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) are thriving, have led the EUIPO and the Europol to join forces to strengthen the fight against counterfeiting and piracy online and offline, Campinos explained.
"This shadow landscape thrives on the misuse of IPR belonging to others, and is often built on domain names and other digital identifies," the EUIPO chief told experts from several EU organizations and law enforcement authorities as well as U.S. officers convening in The Hague to attend the conference.
Europol's director Rob Wainwright agreed that infringements of IPR are a big and increasing business representing a clear threat to consumers, citizens and companies throughout EU and worldwide.
"The criminal networks involved in offences of intellectual property crimes expand beyond EU borders. They are also linked to other serious forms of criminality such as human trafficking, money laundering and cyber crime," he said.
"The launch of the IPC3 coalition comes at a key time when EU and U.S. are adopting and putting into use measures and strategies to more effectively respond to the criminal exploitation of intellectual property rights," said Danny Marti, the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator.
Marti specifically referred to the "differences among national regulatory regimes and gaps among the global economic, finance and transportation systems" as key factors fuelling growth in illicit trade and called for "a coordinated global approach."
"It is imperative that governments adopt effective measures to address these threats," Marti stressed, pointing out the need of a highly specialised and coordinated approach. "The biggest challenge is a lack of coordinated global response. We need to coordinate with one another and share appropriate information."
According to the U.S. IPR chief, profits generated by the unlawful use of IPR are used to finance other criminal activities such as drug trafficking, money laundering, bribery, people smuggling and even terrorism, which pose increasing threats to national security.
International trade in counterfeit products represents up to 2.5 percent of world trade, or as much as 338 billion euros (374 billion U.S. dollars), according to Wainwright.
This is the equivalent of the GDP of Austria or the combined GDP of Ireland and the Czech Republic. The impact of counterfeiting is particularly heavy in the EU with counterfeits and pirated products amounting to up to 5 percent of imports, representing a value of 85 billion euros.
"IPR infringements negatively impact the revenues of the affected businesses and produce adverse social and economic effects that result in thousands of job losses," said Wainwright, underlining that about 39 percent of the EU's total economic activity is generated by IPR-intensive industries, providing 26 percent of the bloc's employment.
They increasingly cause serious harm to the health and safety of consumers as counterfeit products are produced without regard to the health and safety standards applicable within the EU market, the Europol chief added.
"Recent cases notified to the Europol by EU member states include medical and dental equipment and airbags," he said. "In particular the online distribution of counterfeit medicines and medical devices has been growing over the past years."
His concern is shared by Marti, who said that intellectual-property-based crimes subject consumers to "unacceptable risks to their health and safety."
The newly-established IPC3, with an annual budget of 500,000 euros, will provide operational and technical support to law enforcement agencies and other partners in the EU and other areas worldwide by facilitating and coordinating cross-border investigations, monitoring and reporting online crime trends and emerging modus operandi, according to the officials.
It is also expected to enhance the harmonization and standardization of legal instruments, as well as operating procedures, to counter intellectual property crimes globally, and reach out to the public and law enforcement by raising awareness and providing training on this specific field of expertise. Enditem
A fishing fleet returns to Sanya Port in the southernmost province of Hainan, July 29, 2012, concluding its voyage of casting nets in the South China Sea. (Xinhua/Hou Jiansen)
THE HAGUE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The award issued by the South China Sea arbitral tribunal will not resolve any disputes and the court had no authority to accept the case, a Dutch law expert told Xinhua.
"The tribunal should not have accepted jurisdiction," said Tom Zwart, professor of law at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, referring to the court's acceptance of a case involving territorial claims of which it has no authority to issue a ruling.
In January 2013, the Aquino administration in the Philippines unilaterally initiated the arbitral proceedings and asked the tribunal to decide on issues such as China's historical rights and legal status of certain maritime features in the South China Sea.
"From the outset, critics like me said that it would be very difficult to avoid sovereignty issues (when handling the Philippines' claims)," said Professor Zwart.
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the tribunal cannot rule on issues concerning territorial sovereignty. Through a UNCLOS declaration, China has said it won't take part in any third-party arbitration involving maritime delimitation. Dozens of other countries have taken a similar stance.
"Another reason for the tribunal not to accept jurisdiction is that the South China Sea issue is a too complicated matter for them to decide. There are so many issues involved and some of them are outside of that jurisdiction," he explained.
The tribunal ruled in October 2015 that it has jurisdiction over part of the claims submitted by the Philippines and deferred the judgment on jurisdiction over other claims until after further hearings, a decision that sparked widespread scepticism among international law experts.
"The tribunal after having decided it has jurisdiction should have taken a step back, for example by saying 'by having another look we have come to the conclusion that that is not the best way forward' or 'this is a political question which does not belong in a tribunal but should be decided through diplomacy and political discussions'," said the professor.
Professor Zwart, who has repeatedly called on the tribunal to step aside and make way for a negotiated settlement, believed that the ruling "will not solve any disputes but only fan the flames."
On the Philippines' possible reaction to this award, the professor noted that "if they are smart politicians, they will know that is not going to work because China does not agree with the ruling."
"I hope that after a day of celebration perhaps in Manila, they will come to their senses and pick up the phone to contact the leaders in Beijing and say 'we have to resolve this peacefully'."
As to the role played by Washington and Tokyo in the dispute, Professor Zwart said only states directly involved should "solve this problem peacefully and in a harmonious way."
"What I find important ... is that this very legalistic approach which now characterizes international law, perhaps even Western law in general, is not helpful to solve problems in other parts of the world, outside the West," he said.
"In Asia, states have been dealing with the South China Sea for ages in a peaceful and constructive manner," Professor Zwart said. "People should go back to the situation where they tried to find diplomatic solutions."
by Matthew Rusling
WASHINGTON, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Rising racial tensions in the United States could help Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in his narrative that law and order is breaking down in the country.
Last week saw several events that foreshadow a chaotic summer. In two separate incidents, two black men were fatally shot by police, and a dozen police officers -- including five fatally -- were shot by a black sniper in Dallas, Texas, who wanted to kill white cops.
Riots broke out over the weekend over the shootings of African Americans, and 300 people were arrested in protests around the country. Demonstrators in the city of St. Paul, Missouri threw Molotov cocktails and rocks at police, grabbing headlines nationwide.
"I think this might benefit Trump's campaign given that the promise of law and order has been central to his campaign," Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, told Xinhua.
Trump will clearly use this as a way to rally supporters who feel that the nation has moved in the wrong direction, Zelizer said, referring to his supporters' sense that the country is becoming more dangerous amid what is perceived as less support for police officers.
Indeed, Trump is a staunch supporter of police at a time when many officers feel they are under siege.
Speaking via video on Friday, Trump said the deaths of the officers had shaken "the soul of our nation," adding that such an attack on a police force is "an attack on our country, and an attack on our families."
"We must stand in solidarity with law enforcement, which we must remember is the force between civilization and total chaos," Trump said.
Referring to the two black men killed by police last week, Trump said the incidents show "how much work we have to do in order to make every American feel that their safety is protected."
The New York real estate tycoon added that the country's racial divide has "gotten worse, not better."
In a campaign speech in Virginia on Monday, Trump claimed that he is the "law and order candidate," vowing to maintain law and order at the highest level, "or we will cease to have a country, 100 percent."
For her part, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has called for police reform, and national standards on police use of force.
Zelizer said last week's violence can help Clinton within her party if she demonstrates that she is committed to dealing with issues of criminal justice reform.
"If she does not, I suspect that she could be harmed by this," he said.
Accusations of police bias against African Americans have for decades been in the public eye in the United States.
The issue once again came to the forefront in 2014, after the killing of Michael Brown, a black man, by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, which set off massive riots in the city and continued nationwide.
NICOSIA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The leaders of the estranged Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities tackled yet another issue on Tuesday in their quest for a solution reunifying their partitioned island-country.
Cyprus' President Nicos Anastasiades said that in a meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci they made inroads in discussing the economy and the relations of a reunified state with the European Union.
Anastasiades said that the two leaders instructed a joint committee of technocrats to work on the issue with a view of striking absolute convergence on all points.
"We have to reach concrete results, so that we get to convergences. I wouldn't say that I am not optimistic that we can agree. I see an intention on both sides to make efforts to eliminate any divergences," he said.
Anastasiades and Akinci are scheduled to start discussing perhaps the most complicated chapter of the 4-decade old Cyprus problem - territorial adjustments, withdrawal of occupation troops, repatriation of tens of thousands of Turkish settlers and security arrangements.
Actual decisions on the issue have to be made by the Turkish government, which has said that it supported a Cyprus solution but did not yet give any indication how far it is prepared to go to reach this target.
A solution to the Cyprus problem will unlock Turkey's negotiations for accession to the European Union.
Anastasiades met on Tuesday with visiting United States Assistant Secretary of State in charge of European affairs Victoria Nuland, saying he requested an intervention by the American government towards Turkey to respond positively to moves required for a solution.
"There are problems which exist because of the Turkish stand on the problem," said Anastasiades. Enditem
UNITED NATIONS, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Tuesday stressed that urgent funding is required for Northeastern Nigeria as humanitarian convoys have uncovered emergency levels of severe acute malnutrition and famine-like conditions in Nigeria's Borno State, a UN spokesman told reporters here.
Some 221.6 million U.S. dollars are needed to respond to immediate humanitarian needs in the Lake Chad Basin, which includes the northeastern part of Nigeria, between now and the end of September, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here.
In Boro State, particularly in 15 satellite camps, where some 275,000 people are living, the United Nations relief aid wing has warned.
According to an OCHA report, these camps are in hard-to-reach, insecure areas, many of them still in locations of active conflict. Humanitarian actors are working with the Nigerian government to provide the immediately required assistance.
Meanwhile, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and partners in newly accessible areas in Borno State have reported alarming levels of severe acute malnutrition.
On June 27, the Nigerian government declared a food and nutrition emergency in the state, and a UN fund that supports rapid humanitarian responses, known as the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), disbursed 13 million U.S. dollars to provide life-saving assistance to 250,000 people in the conflict-hit northeastern region.
The situation in the Lake Chad Basin has been the subject of discussions at regional dialogues and at the UN Headquarters. Around 3.8 million people are currently facing severe food insecurity across the Basin, where the lean season has now set in in many parts.
The conflict has aggravated the effects of erratic rainfall and other environmental factors that hamper good food production. Those forced to flee their homes are among the worst-affected by the rising food shortages.
A regional protection dialogue, held on June 6-8 in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, brought together participants from the governments of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria, international and regional organizations, donor governments and civil society.
The participating governments agreed on measures to provide better protection and assistance to populations of the Lake Chad Basin, in particular to refugees and internally displaced persons.
During the Humanitarian Affairs Segment of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), a dedicated side-event on the Lake Chad Basin, titled "Ending Needs in the Lake Chad Basin," explored how best to achieve collective outcomes for people affected by the crisis.
In Chad, improved security has allowed humanitarian actors to accelerate delivery of assistance in previously hard-to reach areas in the western and northern parts of the Lac region. The CERF has approved 10 million U.S. dollars to respond to the humanitarian crisis in the Lac region and food insecurity in the Sahel regions.
However, malnutrition rates in Chad are alarming, with preliminary results of a screening conducted in June by the World Food Programme (WFP) on 11 sites showing 33 percent of moderate acute malnutrition and 11.5 percent of severe acute malnutrition among children under two, well above emergency thresholds.
From June 1 to June 15, WFP provided assistance to more than 37,000 displaced people in these 11 sites, and 3,200 children received a malnutrition prevention ration.
Boko Haram insurgents have mounted several attacks in recent weeks, displacing tens of thousands of people in the conflict-hit regions of the Lake Chad Basin. In Bosso area in the southeastern Niger, attacks displaced some 70,000 people. Assistance is being provided in the various sites where the displaced have settled. Enditem
RIO DE JANEIRO, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The Union of South American Nations (Unasur) warned Brazil on Tuesday that planned budget cuts by its interim government could lead to an increase in poverty in the country.
"We cannot allow the economic crisis and the application of economic measures in response to it to allow the least favored segments of society to fall back into poverty," Ernesto Samper, Unasur's secretary-general, said in a speech here.
According to Samper, a recent report by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) had found that between 8-10 million Latin Americans who had left poverty behind in the last decade have now fallen back into it due to recent economic pressures.
Brazil was at the greatest risk of seeing this economic downturn, due to its severe recession, he added.
Without commenting directly about the impeachment process against suspended President Dilma Rousseff, Samper did caution the interim government against taking illegitimate actions.
"We cannot fall prey to the totalitarian aims of those who feel that the solution to the political crisis lie in shows of strength or in raising up factions that have no political legitimacy," he said.
Samper acknowledged that Latin American democracies "face many difficulties" but said that the "difference between dictatorship and democracy is an effective parliament." Enditem
TORONTO, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Canada's main stock market in Toronto on Tuesday reached its highest level since August as shares in oil and gas producers jumped with higher crude prices.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's benchmark Standard & Poor's/TSX Composite Index gained 115.79 point, or 0.81 percent, to close at 14,477.67 points. All of the TSX index's eight main sub-sectors were higher.
Oil prices rebounded as much as 4 percent on Tuesday from two-month lows in the previous session as investors were covering short positions.
The West Texas Intermediate for August delivery added 2.04 U.S. dollars to settle at 46.80 U.S. dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, while Brent crude for September delivery gained 2.22 U.S. dollars to close at 48.47 U.S. dollars a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange.
TSX energy sector was boosted up 3.19 percent as Canadian Natural Resources advanced 3.71 percent to 41.41 Canadian dollars (31.78 U.S. dollars), Suncor Energy added 2.59 percent to 37.23 Canadian dollars, and Baytex Energy went up 4.75 percent to 7.50 Canadian dollars.
Financials stocks also lent support with a 1.24 percent rise, as Royal Bank of Canada went up 1.24 percent to 79.08 Canadian dollars and Toronto-Dominion Bank rose 1.37 percent to 56.29 Canadian dollars.
Shares in Northland Power Inc. jumped 6.65 percent to 24.22 Canadian dollars after the green energy company said it was considering its strategic options as it eyes more and larger opportunities.
Canadian National Railway Company added 2.23 percent to 79.79 Canadian dollars and rival Canadian Pacific Railway Limited rose 2.00 percent to 177.94 Canadian dollars.
The most influential drags on the index were its gold miners, with Barrick Gold down 7.02 percent to 26.89 Canadian dollars, Goldcorp off 3.50 percent at 25.39 Canadian dollars, and Silver Wheaton Corp. fell 4.36 percent to 33.12 Canadian dollars.
Economists found that TSX index will likely notch only minor gains by year-end, as investors remain cautious about global growth, the U.S. election in November, and whether oil prices will hold on to their recent strength.
The Canadian dollar traded higher at 0.7675 U.S. dollar, compared with Monday's closing rate of 0.7621 U.S. dollar. Enditem
by Marzia De Giuli
ROME, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A dramatic head-on crash between two trains, one the most serious accidents in Italy in recent years, has left at least 25 victims and more than 50 injured, according to local press.
The accident happened at around 11:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday, when one train hit another going the other way on a single-track railway in a countryside area between the towns of Ruvo di Puglia and Corato in Puglia region.
Both trains had four carriages. The first aerial photograph from firefighters showed the twisted metal of the first two carriages on each train, with wreckage strewn across a large area.
"It was a frightful, unbelievable scene," one of the first police officers who rushed to the spot was quoted as saying by ANSA news agency. "I saw dead people, others asking for help, people crying. It was the most terrible scene in my life," he added.
The bodies of a mother and her daughter were found holding onto each other in the debris, according to ANSA sources.
"My daughter also was on that train, she was here on a holiday," a woman in tears told Rai state television. "Her cellphone has been disconnected for three hours. I do not know anything about her," she said.
"I was about to irrigate my field when I first heard a siren from the trains, but it was useless because immediately after there was the crash. I saw some girls shouting and crying, and other people coming out of the trains with parts of their body missing," said one of the first witnesses on the scene.
A six-year-old child was the first passenger rescued by firefighters who pulled him out of the debris. The child, named Samuele, was brought to hospital in helicopter and was not in life peril.
Rescue activities were in full swing until late in the evening, but the operations were very complicated because the crash happened in a remote rural area.
One of the drivers was reported dead in the impact, said sources from the private local company named Ferrotramviaria.which runs the two trains. "One of the two trains was too far, and investigators will tell us which one," Massimo Nitti, the general manager of Ferrotramviaria, said.
Meanwhile,the local authorities appealed for blood donors to come forward urgently to help save the life of dozens of passengers hospitalized throughout the region.
"The entire region is participating in this drama with huge blood donation," Loreto Gesualdo, head of the school of medicine at the university of Bari, capital city of Puglia, said. Photographs published by local media showed dozens of students were on the queue at local hospitals to donate blood.
No immediate reason was given for the crash, which may have been triggered by a technical failure or by the error of one of the train drivers who may have not observed a stop sign, according to first speculations. Local experts said, however, that it was too early to find out the cause.
The estimated speed of the two trains was around 100 km/h, and works had been reportedly planned to add an extra line. Commuters, students and also international tourists in the current summer season use the line every day, but the number of passengers that were on the trains on Tuesday was also not immediately available.
"An investigation committee will seek clarification about this tragedy," Italian Transport and Infrastructure Minister Graziano Delrio told journalists after he rushed to the scene. "The collision was extremely violent," he added.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi left Milan in northern Italy, where he was about to inaugurate an exhibition, to reach the scene in the evening. President Sergio Mattarella defined the disaster as "unacceptable" and pledged to "immediately ascertain the responsibilities and possible lacks precisely."
According to consumers association Codacons, Tuesday's accident highlighted the "intolerable level of backwardness" of rail transport in less developed southern Italy. "Italy is continuing to invest in high speed rail, often leaving the railway system in the south behind," Codacons head Carlo Rienzi observed in a statement.
Over the past 15 years,four major train accidents occurred across the country and have caused a total of 56 victims, of which 32 died in 2009 when a freight train derailed in the town of Viareggio, in Tuscany region, and caused a large fire.
OSLO, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A 26-year-old Norwegian man is wanted all over the world by Interpol as he is accused of joining the Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq in the past three years, local newspaper VG reported on Tuesday.
Kim Andre Ryding from the southern Norwegian town of Moss, about 60 km south of Oslo, was a member of the IS group in the period between June 2013 and June 2016, and the National Criminal Investigation Service, Norway's police unit for organized and serious crimes, does not know his current whereabouts, the report said.
"We have sent a petition to the Oslo District Court that he should be apprehended and extradited to Norway as he is wanted internationally," senior adviser Martin Bernsen of the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) was quoted as saying.
Currently there are only six other Norwegians listed in Interpol Red Notices, including Anders Cameroon Ostensvig Dale, a 35-year-old man who was accused of being tied to al-Qaida in Yemen, according to VG.
Since the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011, nearly 90 men and women from Norway traveled to join the IS group. About 20 of them are considered dead, 40 are still alive in Syria and around 30 have returned to Norway, the report said. Enditem
UNITED NATIONS, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The special representative of the UN secretary-general for South Sudan, Ellen Margrethe Loj, strongly urged all parties to adhere to a ceasefire called by both President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar in South Sudan's capital Juba.
The UN envoy called on South Sudanese leaders to ensure that the ceasefire order is conveyed through all security forces chains of command so that soldiers return to their barracks, a UN spokesman told reporters here Tuesday.
Loj also urged security forces in Juba to allow unhindered access to patrols by the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to protect the civilian population and called on the parties to allow civilians to move freely to places of refuge, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
"She urged the government to open up corridors to allow UN and humanitarian actors to provide vital supplies and other assistance to the affected civilians, as well as access for medical evacuations," he said.
Also on Tuesday, UNMISS welcomed the ceasefire ordered respectively by South Sudanese President Kiir and Vice President Machar on Monday evening after days of heavy fighting between their forces in Juba.
The ceasefire order took effect from 18:00 local time and any member of the Machar-led forces who surrender must be protected as well. The ceasefire orders came after the UN Security Council called for both sides to end fighting.
Heavy fighting between the rival factions erupted again on Monday. Local residents told Xinhua that heavy artillery shelling and mortars were heard in parts of Juba. It followed deadly clashes on Friday and Sunday in the capital city.
The Health Ministry said at least 271 people were killed in Friday's clashes, while the number of casualties in fighting since Sunday was not yet known.
"UNMISS also reported that the ceasefire seemed to be largely holding, barring sporadic gunfire, and that the airport in the capital had reopened although commercial flights remained suspended," Dujarric said. "Peacekeepers were able to conduct a limited number of short patrols in Juba today."
Since fighting began on July 8, some 5,000 additional internally displaced people have sought protection in the UN's Tomping compound in the capital.
Another 3,000 internally displaced people who arrived at the UN House premise have been relocated to the protection of civilians site nearby.
UNMISS said more than 7,000 people had sought protection in its compounds. UN peacekeepers have been protecting the UN compounds and Protection of Civilian sites, which house internally displaced people.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also reported that preliminary estimates indicate that at least 36,000 people have been displaced by the fighting, the spokesman noted. "Most of the affected people are women and children."
"The humanitarian situation is grave and the needs are immense, made worse by heavy rains," he said. "Humanitarian partners are assisting wounded civilians within the UN sites and providing health services at the clinic in the ADRA compound. However, the prevailing security situation has severely limited their ability to reach populations in need."
Earlier Tuesday, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) issued a statement calling on all armed parties to ensure safe passage for people fleeing the fighting and urging neighbouring countries to keep borders open to people seeking asylum.
In a statement issued on Monday, the UN special adviser on the prevention of genocide, Adama Dieng, expressed deep concern at the threat the renewed fighting posed to the population of South Sudan.
Dieng reminded the South Sudanese government of its responsibility to protect its populations, irrespective of their ethnicity or political affiliation.
He also stressed the urgent need to end impunity in South Sudan and to bring to justice all those responsible for violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.
The renewed fighting raised fears that the war-torn country could descend into civil war again.
Kiir and former rebel leader Machar have fought a civil war which broke out in December 2013 and left tens of thousands of people dead.
The peace deal signed by the two men last August under UN pressure led to the formation of a national government in April.
DAMASCUS, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague against China's right in the South China Sea territories is "politicized," analysts here said on Tuesday.
"The decision taken by the tribunal in the Hague is politicized and has deliberately overlooked the historic facts about China's sovereign right over the South China Sea territory," Omar al-Mekdad, a Syrian expert in the Chinese affairs, told Xinhua.
Earlier in the day, an arbitration tribunal in The Hague rejected China's claims to economic rights across large swathes of the South China Sea, ruling in favor of the Philippines in that maritime dispute.
China rejected the ruling, branding it as null, void and a farce.
Al-Mekdad said the tribunal decision was taken under pressure from the United States on the judges, noting that the pretexts on which the decision was made were "flimsy."
"We all know that the Chinese culture has been prominent in the South China Sea over the period of 6,000 years," he said.
He added that the South China Sea overlooks six countries, among which the United States is trying to foment tension.
"The main goal for Washington is to have a foothold in that sea, which is a hub for a huge global trade," he said.
The crisis in the South China Sea is an old one, but Washington tries to create tension spots in that region to destabilize it.
"The decision that was taken today is politicized and China has all right to undertake whatever it sees proper to respond to this outrageous decision," he concluded.
For his part, Sharif Shehadeh, a former Syrian parliamentarian, said the decision reflects Washington's scheme against Beijing.
"What was decided today is a void and null decision for a simple reason, which is that China overlooks this sea and has full control over it, which means that the tribunal decision is an American one, a politicized move disconnected from geographical reality," he said.
Shehadeh reiterated his conviction that "something is being plotted against China," particularly as the U.S. Navy has been sending ships to the South China Sea recently.
China has recently stressed that the only way out of the dispute is through bilateral talks and friendly dialogue, warning the Philippines that it does not accept or recognize any decision by the tribunal.
Chinese President Xi Jinping rejected the decision on Tuesday, saying that "China will never accept any claim or action based on those awards."
He said the South China Sea islands have been China's territory since ancient times. China's territorial sovereignty and maritime interests in South China Sea, in any circumstances, will not be affected by the award.
PARIS, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Maitre Samia Maktouf, a lawyer defending 17 victims of Paris terror attacks in 2015, announced on Tuesday that her clients intended to file charges against the French government,according to local media.
"We will do everything to obtain the condemnation of the French government for failing to prevent the action of the terrorists, while some of them were under judicial supervision," said the lawyer to the French channel BFM TV.
At the same time, the report of the parliamentary committee of inquiry on terrorism was being delivered to the president of the French National Assembly, media report said.
According to several French media, the committee's report revealed in particular that one of the suicide bomber of the Bataclan Theater was able to go to Syria in September despite the judicial supervision put into place after his indictment for a failed attempt to head for Yemen in 2012.
The French government has been already condemned for negligence by the administrative court of Nimes (Gard) in the case of master corporal Abel Chennouf who was assassinated in March 2012 by Mohamed Merah in Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne), France.
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve expressed his reservation concerning some suggestions of the committee's report in a press release on Tuesday, namely, the creation of a new intelligence agency and the fusion of some terrorist monitoring systems.
"This prudence regarding the creation of new structures results in a will to exempt the intelligence service from undergoing perpetual process of reforms without guaranteed substantial gain in efficiency, " said the official.
Cazeneuve added, "In fact, these services have already been subject to numerous reorganizations in the past few months to adjust their practice to a particularly high and constantly changing threat. Moreover, in this context, the urgency of the situation drives them to focus on the protection of the French citizens."
Cazeneuve spoke on Tuesday to the president of the association of the November 13. 2015 Paris attack victims in order to outline French government's position on questions related to counter-terrorism efforts.
WASHINGTON, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Commerce Department on Tuesday announced its preliminary affirmative determination in a countervailing duty (CVD) investigation against imports of stainless steel sheets and strips from China, signaling that it may pose punitive duties on the products.
The department said that producers and exporters of such products from China had received countervailing subsidies from 57.3 percent to 193.12 percent.
As a result of the preliminary affirmative determinations, the Commerce Department will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to require importers of stainless steel sheets and strips from China to deposit estimated countervailing duties at the time of importation.
The Commerce launched antidumping duty and CVD investigations against imports of such products from China in March 2016, in response to a request from AK Steel Corporation and three other U.S. steel companies, the department said in a statement.
The department is scheduled to make its both final determinations in November this year, unless the statutory deadline is extended.
Punitive duties would be imposed after both the Commerce Department and the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) make affirmative final rulings. The USITC is scheduled to make its final determination in January 2017.
Imports of these products from China were estimated at about 302 million U.S. dollars in 2015, according to U.S. official data.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has kept urging Washington to abide by its commitment against protectionism and help maintain a free, open and just international trade environment.
HOUSTON, July 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday called on protesters, police and the public to open their hearts and drop their preconceptions to deal with racism and violence in the country.
At a memorial service held Tuesday in the Texas city of Dallas to honor five police officers killed Thursday by an Army veteran Micah Johnson, Obama lamented a flood of guns in cities, and a glaring and chronic mistrust between police and citizens.
The five police officers was ambushed and killed by Micah Johnson, who was upset about the fatal police shootings of two black men in the U.S. states of Louisiana and Minnesota, at the end of a peaceful Black Lives Matter-organized protest.
Obama called on the country to confront racism and at the mean time support the ordinary Americans.
He encouraged police and the public to acknowledge and confront the implications of entrenched institutional racism, while also demanding respect for police and the role they play.
"The deepest fault lines of our democracy have suddenly been exposed, perhaps even widened," he said. "Faced with such violence, we wonder if racial divides can ever be bridged."
Calling the shootings of police an act of demented violence and racial hatred, Obama offered empathy to those who view police with suspicion, and to those who view anti-police protesters as disruptive and disrespectful.
For those who take offense at the "Black Lives Matter" message, the president called on people to open their hearts. "Surely we should be able to hear the pain of Alton Sterling's family," he said, referring to the black man killed earlier this month by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Obama said that race relations had improved dramatically in his lifetime, adding that those who deny it were dishonoring the struggles that helped them achieve that progress.
"But America, we know that bias remains. We know it. Don't dismiss peaceful protesters as troublemakers or paranoid."
Meanwhile, former U.S. President George W. Bush, now a Dallas resident, also attended the service and urged Americans to reject the unity of grief and fear.
"At times it feels like the forces pulling us apart are stronger than the forces binding us together," Bush said.
"Too often we judge other groups by their worst examples, while judging ourselves by our best intentions. And this has strained our bonds of understanding and common purpose," he said.
Last Thursday, a sniper named Micah Johnson opened fire on police officers during a Dallas downtown peaceful protest against police's killing of African Americans.
Another seven officers and two civilians were wounded in the attack, which marked the deadliest day for U.S. law enforcement since the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.
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Spotlight: U.S. police targetted in at least three shootings after Dallas attack
WASHINGTON, July 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Police officers were targeted in at least three separate shooting incidents on Friday as the country was still reeling from three deadly shootings in four days which threatened to pit the country's African-American community and law enforcement officials against each other.
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Dallas police chief defends use of bomb-carrying robot to kill gunman
HOUSTON, July 10 (Xinhua) -- David Brown, chief of the Dallas Police Department on Sunday defended use of a bomb-carrying robot to kill a gunman who ambushed the police during a protest on Thursday night over police-shootings at black Americans.
HAVANA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The governments of Cuba and Italy signed four agreements on Tuesday to regularize outstanding debt, with restructuring to happen in the medium and long term.
According to an official press release from the Cuban government, these deals came as part of the implementation of the Multilateral Agreement signed between Cuba and the Ad-Hoc Group of Creditor Nations in the Paris Club.
The Paris Club is an informal group of 21 developed nations who meet to seek sustainable solutions to help debtor countries reduce and manage their foreign debt.
The documents were endorsed by Cuban Vice President Ricardo Cabrisas and the Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Mario Giro, together with Ivan Scalfarotto, the Italian Deputy Minister of Economic Development.
The agreements cover Cuba's debt to the ODA, Italy's development fund, and to SACE, the Italian export credit agency. The two countries also established a bilateral committee to govern future economic matters.
In the statement, Havana said it has now fully normalized its long-term debt with 12 of the 14 members of the Ad-Hoc Group of Creditor Nations of the Paris Club.
Since taking office in 2008, the government of President Raul Castro has taken steps to reduce foreign debt and elevate the business reliability of the country among the global investment community.
Antiguan man held with US$186,000
The man, who told immigration officers that he was in Trinidad for a one-day vacation, aroused suspicion prompting immigration officers to alert Customs and Excise officers.
The mans immigration documents did not indicate that he had over US $5000 in his possession.
Customs and Excise officers took the man to a room where his luggage was scanned and US currency found.
The man began crying and threw himself on the ground where he began shouting and rolling when he exclaimed, They set me up, they set me up. I know nothing about this money!! The money was counted and the man taken to another room where he was being interrogated yesterday.
He is expected to be taken to the Piarco Police Station where he will be charged with a series of offences. Newsday understands that officers of the Financial Investigations Bureau will be called in to assist in this investigation.
Cops search for missing girl
According to police, Celina Ramkissoon, of Unity Trace, Bon Air North, Arouca, was last seen by her twin sister, Celine, as she boarded a maxi-taxi along the Priority Bus Route in Tunapuna on July 8.
When her mother, Nyoka Duntin, realised that Celina had not returned home, she became worried and contacted the police.
The missing girl is of African descent, 157 centimetres tall, of slim built and dark brown is in complexion.
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact the police at 555, 999, 911 or any police station.
IM READY TO DIE
Relatives of the slain man revealed this yesterday, claiming that after he shot one of the policemen during the encounter, Khan had concluded he would not make it out of the house and he was prepared to die.
Khan was being sought by the police for the murder of father and son Ryan and Lloyd Ramkissoon, whom he shot on May 13.
He had been on the run since that incident in which relatives claimed yesterday he was acting in self-defence.
At the Forensic Science Centre in St James, Port-of-Spain, yesterday, relatives who described Khan as a humble man, defended him, saying the Ramkissoons had attacked him with a cutlass and that he shot them in self-defence.
They beat him and chop him and he just tried to defend himself, said his brother Roberto Dalipsingh. But when he found out they died, he told me he is already 41 years old and he not going to spend the rest of his life in jail, so he was not giving himself up. Khans distraught brother told Newsday, We were begging and pleading for him to give himself up, but he kept saying that he was afraid police would kill him, Newsday was told that on May 12, Khan got into an argument with Lloyd Ramkissoon, 41, who was bitten by one of Khans dogs.
The following day, according to Khans relatives, Lloyd, along with his son Ryan and a group of men, blocked Khans van and confronted him. It was during this confrontation that the two Ramkissoons were shot and killed.
Dalipsingh told Newsday that when Khan shot the men and fled into the bushes on that Friday in May, he did not know that they would have died.
It was only when I called him that I told him that the two men were dead, Dalipsingh said.
He was like: What?! Brother talk serious! I had to tell him yes, they were really dead. I asked him if he was leaving the country, and he said no, he was going to stay here like normal and live out whatever days he had left. When police officers finally received information that Khan, a father of one from Guaico, was hiding in a house in Sangre Grande some two months after the shooting incident a party of officers that included the Sangre Grande Task Force, Sangre Grande CID and Crime Suppression Unit (CSU) surrounded the house.
According to reports, Khan ran out of the back of the house with a shotgun in his hand, and into a neighbours house.
When police officers shifted their attention to this neighbours house two gunshots rang out and one of the officers of the Sangre Grande Task Force, Darren Francis, a policeman with 15 years service, was shot in his left arm. A gun battle ensued between Khan and the officers and Khan was killed in that shootout.
Dalipsingh said during the initial exchange of gunfire, when Francis was shot, Khan had also been shot.
While the shooting was taking place, Khan, according to relatives yesterday, called family members by phone to say his final goodbyes.
He called my sister and said he now shoot a policeman and he got shot himself, and that it was the end for him, said Dalipsingh. My sister tried to assure him and said he would come out of it if he gave himself up, and he still said: Na girl, this is it here, I am not going to give myself up. We didnt even ask him where he was or where he got shot, Dalipsingh told Newsday.
We were just worried about him. By the time we found out where he was and we fly up the road, he was already dead. At the end of the day he shoot a police officer. He didnt suffer or anything and he went out how he wanted to go out. Dalipsingh yesterday described his brother as a calm and humble man. He said of his brother, He would not just come around men just so, but he was not backing out of any fight or anything at the end of the day. He was stubborn in that way; it doesnt matter if it is police or what... he would not back down from a fight. A video circulated on social media provided graphic coverage of the shooting incident in which Khan was killed.
In the video, police officers are heard making several calls for him to come out of the house and surrender, but Khan did not respond.
It showed the policemen storming the house with weapons raised, and recorded the sound of the several gunshots as the officers went into the building.
An autopsy done at Forensics confirmed that Khan died from multiple gunshot wounds.
Francis, the police officer who was shot in his left arm by Khan during the incident, is said to be in a stable condition at a private hospital.
He will undergo several tests today to determine what further treatment he will require for his injuries.
Divine Echoes set to rise again
The band regrouped and performed in Patrick Mannings honour last Saturday. The band was first formed in 2007 by Manning (P) in an attempt to revive the big band era. In separate phone interviews, former band manager Tamba Gwindi and vocalist Moricia Cagan said the band would keep the music going on, whether or not it got the support of the Government.
Gwindi said, Well I just giving thought to Mr Manning, even in his passing there is a a presence. I heard those words and they could really bring the band to life again. He said a lot of debate is set to occur since Parliament has to decide that this has to happen. Gwindi said the members were feeling that they were good and ready to return to the national stage.
He said three days prior to the rehearsals for Mannings funeral the band learnt that some of the equipment went to the Fire Services band. He also noted that some of the equipment purchased under the Manning administration would have to be updated if the band comes together again.
The band was disbanded in August 2012 after the contracts were not renewed.
Gwindi said he hopes things work out positively for the group.
Yet for Cagan and Gwindi, this signals a Phoenix-like rebirth for the band. Cagan said, hearing Brian Mannings request in his fathers honour made them elated.
She said many band members, however, had continued Mannings vision and went on to do work within their respective communities.
Cagan said the group has not been contacted by anyone and they dont expect to be.
If anything has to be done it has to be done on a Government level. We will just wait and see like everyone else. We will not let the music stop.
We intend to continue playing, in whatever capacity is open to us, we will continue. Cagan said even though the band was disbanded in 2012, small factions came together and did work still. Cagan herself continued by singing at various events.
She said it was unfortunate that politics stopped the music but the group felt that the music had to continue.
Band members met yesterday to determine its way forward.
Attempts to contact Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly were unsuccessful.
Reema Carmona: Invest in teenage girls
She explained that in this age of internet, camera phones, and reality television there are many breeding grounds for unhealthy sexual practices and pitfalls among adolescents.
We will be left to clean up the mess of premature and irresponsible sexual practices among our young people, she said.
Carmona was yesterday addressing a large gathering on the occasion of World Population Day under the theme Investing in Teenage Girls. In commemoration of World Population Day a forum of youth, government officials, civil society and representatives from the UN spoke at the Little Carib Theatre, corner White and Roberts Streets, Woodbrook.
Carmona said this years theme belies grave concern that the nations teenage girls run the risk of not fulfilling their God-given talents, aspirations and ambitions, in the Caribbean and worldwide.
She said parents must be vigilant to ensure that their teenage girls do not fall prey to the roaming predators that exist in cyber space.
We no longer can simply hope for the best, leaving it up to the teachers in the schools or the church, Carmona said.
The battle is sometimes not one steeped in poverty but rather, it has become a battle of the minds and for the minds, of our teenagers. She explained that when population- related issues are added, such sexual exploitation, violence to young women, forced child marriages, the issue of adolescent pregnancy translates to nothing short of a crisis. Carmona indicated that governments everywhere need to invest in teenage girls in ways that empower them to make important life decisions.
I think everyone gathered here today can agree that equity, equality and respect for human and womens rights are the standards to which every initiative geared toward women empowerment, including addressing issues of adolescent pregnancy, must aspire toward, achieve and adhere, she said.
She noted that organisations such as Girl Guides, the Red Cross, Salvation Army, the Coterie of Workers and St Vincent De Paul can be used in the development of teenaged girls.
Also speaking yesterday, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, Ayanna Webster- Roy said there are too many teenage girls living unhealthy lifestyles either because of their sociological background, ethnicity, geographical location or just the lack of the right guidance, support and supervision from a trustworthy guardian.
A shrine for Darian
The family is missing him so much that about a month ago, relatives constructed a mini shrine on the same location where his remains were found. Inside it contains two pictures of Darian as well as his personal items recovered from the burnt ruins of the house at Red Brick Trace, South Oropouche . These items included two burnt toy cars and a rubber alligator - toys from his childhood days.
He had a big aquarium with fishes and so we put a small one in here. He loved flowers. Darian never liked the dark and so there are also lighted candles. We are always here and I am always speaking with him. It hurts. Every night I does study my child in a drawer at Forensic (Sciences Centre), Nedd said.
A neighbour, Roger Ragoopath, 26, a fisherman, appeared before in the Siparia First Magistrates Court days after the discovery charged with the murder. However, Nedd and other relatives are awaiting confirmation via DNA testing as to whether or not the charred unrecognisable remains are that of Darian. He was a Form One student of the Siparia East Secondary School.
Since the familys modest wooden structure was destroyed, the homeless family members have relocated. But about two months ago they returned to the location and constructed a one-bedroom structure meters away from the original location.
Nedd, 44, an oyster vendor, admitted that as a single parent, it is a constant struggle to live a comfortable life. Her youngest child, Christian Mahabir, five, has Down Syndrome and attends kindergarten. Coupled with those problems, she hopes to have a proper funeral service for Darian.
The remains were not given to us and so, since the incident, we have not had a funeral service.
I want the remains to do what I have to do. I do not even feel like going out to sell oysters. Plenty of his friends come here (in the shrine) and lime, Christine added.
Since murders are non-bailable offences, the accused was remanded into police custody by the Siparia magistrate.
Bus driver goes missing
Newsday was told yesterday by his nephew, Randy Lawrence, that Hamilton was last seen entering his home on Munroe Road, Cunupia, last Wednesday, at about 10 pm. Lawrence told Newsday he had called his uncle when he got to his home.
When he did not report to work on Thursday, relatives contacted the police.
Hamilton, one of five children, has been a PTSC bus driver for about six years.
Anyone with information on Hamiltons whereabouts can call relatives at 391-7735, 348-8866, 319-5020, or the nearest police station.
Beetham Landfill workers want backpay
The protest, blocking the entrance to the dump, comes exactly four weeks after they took similar action, demanding outstanding backpay and improved working conditions.
The Beetham Landfill is managed by the Solid Waste Management Company Limited (SWMCOL).
Workers are owed backpay for the period 2011 to 2013 but their union says that figure has to be paid up to June 2015 because thats when negotiations were signed off on. Speaking with Newsday yesterday, President of the Industrial, General and Sanitation Workers Union (IGSWU), Robert Benacia, said after the failure of the Public Utilities Ministry and the Finance Ministry to keep their promise of backpay in June, workers are now sceptical of any promises made to them. When SWMCOL officials went to check on the money, they were told it is being processed, so they dont know when workers will get their money. After setting up workers in November and December last year, they were set up again at the end of June. Like every time we take protest action, they just fabricate a story to keep workers quiet. We are not tolerating that anymore, Benacia warned.
He argued that sanitation workers provide an essential service and that those who work at the Beetham Landfill and other public dumps do so under some very poor conditions - mud, dust, no pipe-borne water, mosquitoes, pigeon infestation, dilapidated buildings and (malfunctioning) toilets. WASA was supposed to re-connect the pipe-borne water supply three weeks ago but we still waiting. The water they bring in trucks so brown, it come like if you bathing with mauby, Benacia told Newsday. SWMCOLs CEO, Robert Roach, told Newsday the company is dependent on the Finance Ministry releasing funds to our line ministry (Public Utilities) before the workers can be paid. I know my ministry is working on it. I also spoke with (senior officials) in the Ministry of Finance today (yesterday), so I know theyre putting their full attention on it. While a confirmed payment date was uncertain as of yesterday afternoon, Roach assured that WASA is expected to re-connect the Beetham Landfill very soon.
The issue was where to get the water supply from. WASA has dealt with that, so we expect within the next week or two, the Beetham Landfill will once again have a pipe-borne water supply.
Lewis fell asleep at the wheel
He had a long night, and when he was coming home he must have been tired, said his mother Marceline Shawa while at the Forensic Science Centre, St James yesterday.
According to reports, Lewis of Fairley Street, Tunapuna was driving east along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway when, at about 7.05 am, he slammed into another vehicle which was driven by Denzel Ramdath.
He was rushed to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, in Mt Hope, where he died. Shawa described her son as an amicable and loving person.
Everyone who came across Christopher loved him, said Shawa.
He had a way in which he could relate to people.
He understood human nature.
He never disrespected anyone and, no matter who you are, he would treat you like a person. Newsday was told that Lewis began doing events management for a number of years, but was only doing it on a temporary basis.
He was originally a maritime navigator.
UNC local govt screening starts in Siparia on Friday
And, unlike previous years, the party would not be based at its Rienzi Complex, Couva headquarters but would be moving from corporation to corporation for the screening exercises.
We are looking at moving around the different corporation areas to have the screening so we will be going to the people instead of having the people coming to us, UNC chairman, Dr David Lee, said yesterday.
The Opposition party was placed in election mode by UNC political leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who told party faithful at a UNC Monday Night Forum, on June 27 at the Rio Claro West Secondary School, to prepare for local government elections saying the partys headquarters would be calling for over 400 nominees to begin the screening process.
In a telephone interview, Lee said the party would be focusing particularly on those corporations which did not have a sitting UNC councillor.
Lee said the party had targeted the first week in August as the date for the completion of the screening exercise.
And asked whether the party was confident that local government elections would be held later this year, he said this was based on statements by Rural Development and Local Government Minister, Franklin Khan, who had stated that the election would be held when it is constitutionally due.
There will be three months from October 25 to call local elections, so we feel strongly that the PNM would keep their word, Lee said, adding, so it all depends on the strategy the PNM would want to use given how they feel the timing. But, in my view, I want to believe that election might be called sometime the ending of November.
I dont think they would want to carry it into December, which is Christmas, or January which would be competing with Carnival.
UNC: Make Colman Report public
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessars action comes after Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley made a statement about the report in the House of Representatives on July 1.
The Prime Minister said that in the report a number of adverse findings of criminal misconduct of a kleptocratic nature were found and recommendations made which would be for the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) to consider. Rowley expressed the hope that the commission of inquiry findings would be acted upon quickly.
In a statement, UNC political leader Persad-Bissessar said she was acting as the attorney for party chairman David Lee who made the FOIA request for the Colman Report to be made public.
Persad-Bissessar indicated she formally wrote to Rowley, informing him of Lees request.
In a signed letter from her law office in Woodbrook, Persad- Bissessar alleged that some of Lees constituents are concerned that the Governments failure to publicise the report is politically motivated as a number of persons who are known supporters of the Peoples National Movement (PNM) held key positions in the CL Financial Group of Companies.
What you need to know about the Octagon Art Festival on Sunday in Ames
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Text of the PM's address at India-Kenya Business Forum in Nairobi (July 11, 2016)
Nairobi, Tue, 12 Jul 2016 NI Wire
Your Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya;
Cabinet Secretaries;
Chairmen of various Chambers and associations of Commerce & Industry;
Friends from the Business Community of Kenya and India;
Ladies and Gentlemen!
I am happy to be with you on my first visit to Kenya as Prime Minister. Indians in general, and Gujaratis in particular, have had their second home in Kenya. So, from that perspective, I am really late in visiting this great country. There has been a long gap of nearly 35 years for the visit of Indian Prime Minister. Though at a personal level, I was able to maintain engagements with Kenya. As Chief Minister of Gujarat, I visited Kenya in 2008. We also received delegations in Gujarat from here.
At the outset, I must compliment the people and leadership of Kenya for overall development and stability since independence. Kenyas economy and its infrastructure make it an influential player in the region. You are the only developing country which hosts the headquarters of UN agencies.
Friends!
India and Kenya have had a very special relationship.
Thousands of Indians were brought here to build railways in 19th and 20th centuries;
Mahatma Gandhi has been a common inspiration for the Struggle against colonialism;
Indian banks have been operating in Kenya since 1953.
The first cuttings of the famous tea plantations of Kericho came from our Assam state.
In addition to being loyal citizens, Indians are also the third largest group of tourists to Kenya.
Your scholars and students consider India as a very comfortable place to live, learn and work;
No wonder, many words in Swahili language have their origin in Indian languages;
Both countries have had very old maritime contacts over the Indian Ocean;
Many Indian companies have made Kenya their base to operate in the entire East Africa.
Mr. President, I am aware that your government has laid great emphasis on the use of solar energy in daily life. We are also working on an ambitious renewable energy programme. India and Kenya are blessed by sufficient solar radiation. Solar energy is a real solution for global warming. It is also a good strategy for providing electricity to remote villages and hamlets. We look forward to work together on this front under the International Solar Alliance.
Similarly, health sector is another area of great interest to both sides. We are happy that thousands of Kenyan patients have returned from India after a successful treatment. I understand that Kenya would like to replicate the Indian experience in Medicare and become a medical hub in the region. We would be happy to support you in this process.
These are just a few indicators of the depth of our relationship and the potentials for co-operation.
Friends!
Our predicament of the past is same;
Our problems of the present are same;
We have had common enemies;
Earlier it was colonialism;
Now it is poverty.
So, as we worked together in the past; we have to work together even now. Like Kenya, India is also a young country. Your workforce is sought after in Africa. Similarly, the Indian work force is sought after in the entire world. We can do a lot together to nurture and train this human capital which can serve the whole world.
Today, India is the fastest growing large economy of the world. We are not only having a high growth rate; we are also going up in various global indicators.
We have jumped 12 ranks in the latest global ranking on Ease of doing business by the World Bank.
India has also jumped 16 places on the World Economic Forums global competitive index.
Friends!
India has changed a lot in last two years. We are now the most preferred destination for FDI. In the year of 2015, we have received highest ever FDI. And for you the good news is that India is the largest trading partner of Kenya. India is also the second largest investor here. We will be happy to further remove the imbalance in trade between us. We will also be happy to enhance the level of investment in Kenya.
I am here to assure the people and Government of Kenya that India stands by you. Our friendship is only a win-win game. Whether it is Kenyan students in India; or Indian professionals in Kenya- both should shine. Whether it is mines, minerals or machines; all are rewarding areas. We should jointly explore the opportunities. Various initiatives during my visit including this meeting are indicators in that direction.
Friends! I assure Kenya that India will always work to strengthen your processes and enrich your resources.
You may be knowing that we have launched Make in India campaign;
To make India a global Manufacturing hub;
Similarly, you have launched Make it Kenya;
To promote business and holiday opportunities;
In fact, the two can become complimentary
Since our commitment is;
To make the future of the people;
And since the people are largely the same;
Sweat of Indians has cemented the foundation of this nation
Indian blood has colored it's wings of freedom
It doesnt matter whether we
Make in Kenya
Or
Make in India.
And Friends!
As a demonstration of our commitment for Make it Kenya;
We have printed a guide book on Doing Business in Kenya.
This is for guiding the Indian Investors to invest here.
It is my pleasure to present the book to His Excellency the President of Kenya.
Thank You!
Source: PIB
Essel Infraprojects Limited has been bestowed with the prestigious Golden Peacock Eco-Innovative award 2016
New Delhi, Tue, 12 Jul 2016 NI Wire
Essel Infraprojects Limited conferred with the Prestigious Golden Peacock Eco-Innovation Award
Honored for Conversion of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) into power generation for Jabalpur plant
18000 households to be benefitted from 11.5 MW energy generated by processing 219000 tons of Municipal Solid Waste annually in Jabalpur city
Company's contribution towards the Union Government's Pet Missions like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan & UDAY Yojana
New Delhi: Essel Infraprojects Limited has been bestowed with the prestigious Golden Peacock Eco-Innovative award 2016 for disposing of Municipal Solid Waste & generating 11.5 MW through its waste to energy plant at Jabalpur city. Golden Peacock Awards, established by the Institute of Directors, India in 1991, are regarded as a benchmark of Corporate Excellence worldwide.
The award was presented on Friday, July 8, 2016 at The Ashoka Hotel in New Delhi by Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon'ble Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal & Renewable Energy, Government of India to Mr. Harshad Joshi, Business Head Environment , Essel Infraprojects Limited.
Essel Infraprojects Limited was honored with the prestigious award in the presence of distinguished gathering of business leaders, academics, boardroom professional and policy makers during the 18th World Congress on Environment Management. The awardees were selected by the jury under the chairmanship of Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah, former Chief Justice, Supreme Court of India.
The award highlights the best in class quality process that Essel Infraprojects have build up at Jabalpur MSW plant to protect and preserve environment.
CEO Ashok Agarwal, Essel Infraprojects Limited, on accepting the award said, We are pleased to receive the Golden Peacock Award for the second time in succession. Such recognition positions us as a prominent infrastructure player which constantly focuses on innovations and expertise. Essel Infraprojects Limited has ambitious plans and is committed towards building sustainable green smart cities along with expanding its foot-print in the Green Energy field. These projects generate clean, reliable energy from a renewable fuel source, thus reducing dependence ons fossil fuels, the combustion of which is a major contributor to GHG emissions.
The Jabalpur waste to energy plant is operating at European Standards. It saves 4.4 hectares of land just by processing 2, 19,000 tons of municipal solid waste in Jabalpur city per year & generates 11.5 MW energy which is equivalent to powering 18000 households. Generally 1 ton of Solid Waste emits 2 tons of CO2 and this plant resulted in an overall reduction of 438000 tons annually of CO2 emission for city of Jabalpur.
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There is a very popular TV series in the U.S. called Project Runway. On it, fashionista Tim Gunn urges aspiring designer contestants while they are making their creations for a panel of judges to Make It Work! In fact, the phrase has become something of an icon in American culture as a result.
The reason to bring this up is that making it work (aka interoperability) when it comes to the inner workings of communications infrastructure, particularly in regards to the core area of Operations Support Systems (OSS), by necessity has become an industry priority. After all, the global network has little value if it is not capable of providing a seamless experience despite it being composed of network elements, systems and software from a multitude of solutions providers. And, there are very few parts of the infrastructure as critical as OSS.
Back in 2013 there was recognition by key industry players as to why all boats would rise on the tide of OSS interoperability coming in. This was cemented in the creation of the OSSii (Operations Support Systems interoperability initiative) which started with founding members Nokia (News - Alert), Ericsson and Huawei.
As the founders appreciated, OSS interoperability is a complex and costly undertaking. It encompasses a lot of very difficult tasks as can be seen below.
Source (News - Alert): OSSii
The initiative over the years has made some impressive headway, and there was news recently that Nokia has renewed its OSSii Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ericsson and Huawei (News - Alert). What is new about the MoU is that it extends the duration and scope of the initiative to cover IP multimedia subsystems and virtualized network functions.
Bhaskar Gorti, Nokia Applications and Analytics president, said: "We have expanded our collaboration with the OSSii to new areas so our customers, who run multi-vendor networks, are able to easily introduce IMS services and virtualized functions in multi-vendor OSS environments. This effort reflects Nokia's longstanding commitment to openness."
For more details on OSSii, its portal is www.ossii.net. There you can find a list of contact partners, Q&A documents and the full text of the MoU.
As noted at the top, making it work is hard work. Hence, what is extremely encouraging here is not just the willingness between very fierce competitors to cooperate and collaborate but also the fact that they are looking not just at todays challenges but toward the more virtualized and more mobile future.
Edited by Alicia Young
The Philippines took China to the PCA (Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague) in January 2013 after the Chinese navy seized control of Scarborough Shoal, a largely submerged chain of reefs and rocks amid rich fishing grounds off the Philippine island of Luzon.
The ruling could lead to more friction between China and the United States, with the issue seen as a key test of Washingtons ability to maintain its leading role in Asian security in the face of Chinas rising power.
The decision was hailed as a landmark victory for those worried that Beijing is extending its military control over waters with key strategic and commercial significance. But Chinese President Xi Jinping signaled that he was in no mood to back down.
The islands in the South China Sea have been Chinese territories since ancient times, he said, according to state media. China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on these awards.
The Foreign Ministry said China solemnly declares that the award is null and void and has no binding force.
There is about $5 trillion of resources in the South China Sea and China wants to control for geopolitical and security reasons. How will the decision be enforced ?
In a few years China will have the worlds second most capable navy. China is already a world leader in shipbuilding, and it has the worlds largest fishing industry. Its merchant marine ranks either first or second in terms of total number of ships owned by citizens. It already has the worlds largest number of coast guard vessels.
For China to satisfy the maritime power objective, it must be able to defend all of Chinas maritime rights and interests in its near seas in spite of U.S. military presence and alliance commitments. In short, it must be able to successfully execute what the latest defense white paper terms offshore waters defense for China to be considered a maritime power.
Many nations, including Russia, the United States and Britain, have disregarded international rulings at some point. And, unlike China, the United States has not even ratified the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, which underpinned Tuesdays ruling, so Washington could not be held accountable in a similar way.
There are mixed consequences when countries disregard rulings such as Tuesdays determinations by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. But the biggest one is a hit against a countrys global reputation. Chinas leaders probably figure they can weather it.
They follow a well-worn path. Most recently, Britain tangled with the same Permanent Court of Arbitration. It ruled that the British government which sought to create a marine reserve in part of the Indian Ocean violated the fishing rights of citizens of the island nation of Mauritius. Britain said the tribunal had no jurisdiction to make the ruling. Last year, the tribunal ruled that it did. It is still not clear whether Britain will abide by the ruling
SOURCES- Washington Post
Russia has offered its nuclear aircraft carrier, dubbed Storm, to India for purchase, a senior Indian Navy official said. The offer comes as India and the US discuss the transfer of technology for Indias future nuclear aircraft carrier, the INS Vishal. Krylov State Research Center (KSRC), a Russian shipbuilding research and development institute, is designing the carrier, also known as Shtorm or Project 23000E.
The Indias first domestically built carrier, the 40,000-ton INS Vikrant, is also delayed in part due to problems with Russian components.
The follow-up to Vikrant the 65,000-ton indigenous aircraft carrier-II (IAC-II) Vishal program is still in the early planning phases. Last year, India issued letters of request to U.K. firm BAE Systems, DCNS in France, Lockheed Martin and Russias Rosoboronexport
According to the LoR, the IAC-2 is envisaged as a 300 m-long flattop vessel with a catapult- assisted take-off but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) capability that can embark around 35 fighters and 20 helicopters, read the Janes report.
Its unclear how the 90,000 to 100,000-ton Shtorm or Storm would fit into Indias carrier plans.
Project 23000E Shtorm carrier. Krylovsky State Research Center (KRSC) Photo
SOURCE- Defense News, USNI
A railgun is an electromagnetic cannon using rails to accelerate a projectile through the electromagnetic effects. The pressure in the railgun is comparable with the pressure at the bottom of the Mariana Trench and amounts to over a thousand atmospheres.
Russian railgun developed by scientists of the United Institute of High Temperatures at the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) will help study matter at extremely high temperatures and pressure and understand how the Universe is organized,
According to RAS President Vladimir Fortov, frequently, when something goes differently from what is expected, screws are torn apart.
This is what happened on Tuesday during the demonstrative trials of a railgun at the practice range when two fastening pins broke away from the devices bandage after a projectile weighing 2 grams was launched with a velocity of 3.2 km / s.
Russian scientists are currently working on reaching the hypersonic mode of speeds. Thus, similar railguns have helped reach a speed of 11 km / s with a projectile weighing about 1.5 grams.
Russian scientists feel they areon the right track and the equipment was working at its maximum capacity, adding that the device would have been fully repaired by the evening.
The efforts to develop an electromagnetic cannon have been under way throughout the world in the past 45-50 years. Today China is actively working on this technology. In particular, about 150 articles on this issue were published in China last year, Fortov said.
US railgun projectiles are 10,000 times larger and are progressing to deployed weapon status
Intensive work in this area is also being conducted in the United States where a railgun weapon was mounted on a ship about a year ago. The United States said at the time that this technology could accelerate a projectile weighing 10-20 kg to 2.5-3 km / s, Fortov said.
As the RAS president said, the Russian Academy of Sciences is dealing only with the physical issues, studying the destruction mechanics, which has relation to fundamental science.
US Railgun
SOURCE- Tass
Nebraska is facing one of the worst droughts in years. We see the effects of this drought in our everyday lives. When driving down the highway, we see our once verdant landscape replaced with yellowing and desiccated crops and plant life. This dryness provokes hardships for the economy and a
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The election of Algerias man Brahim Ghali, which came as no surprise since he was the sole candidate, bodes ill for the regions peace and stability, Spanish expert in Sahara issue Chema Gil said.
Brahim Ghali, former polisario representative in Algiers, represents the most dangerous group in the Polisario, Gil told Moroccos national news agency, MAP.
As a polisario hardliner blinded by his obedience to his Algerian paymasters, Ghalis election came as an ominous news to the sequestrated population held in the camps of Tindouf, where the Polisario has been trading in their suffering by denying them refugee status and the right to return to their homeland, Morocco, in addition to embezzling humanitarian aid destined to them.
In this regard, the designation of Ghali shows the Polisarios authoritarianism, the Spanish expert said, deploring that the UN and the UN Secretary Generals Personal Envoy are turning a blind eye to the dictatorial character of the Polisario.
Gil also pointed out to the crimes against humanity haunting the new Polisario administration. He mentioned that Ghali was accused in Spain of killing civilians back in the 1970s and 1980s when he was a separatist militia commander.
He said that Ghali should be brought before justice for the terrorist attacks that targeted fishermen from the Canary Islands who were killed upon orders from the Polisarios militia leaders.
The election of Ghali as a President of the self-proclaimed SADR augurs ill for a peaceful settlement of the Sahara issue, regretted Gil, while warning against the possible return to an armed conflict in the Sahara.
For Gil, the designation of Ghali by the Kingmakers at the Algerian regime aims at deviating attention from the uncertainties surrounding Algerias future and social cohesion at a moment of low oil prices. Igniting tensions in the Sahara will serve that purpose, he said.
Two Egyptian police officers travelling in a patrol Monday lost their lives as a roadside bomb went off in Arish city, capital of the North Sinai province.
A statement by interior ministry said three other security forces were wounded in the blast.
The officers vehicle was hit by the blast of a bomb apparently planted by the Islamic State (IS) affiliated group in the Sinai.
IS said, via its media agency Amaq, a bomb planted by militants targeted a police mine-clearing vehicle.
Egyptian security personnel have been in open-ended conflict with militants in the province since the overthrow of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in 2013 by current president al-Sisi.
President al-Sisi has declared state of emergency in the province where fighting between insurgents and security forces have left more than 500 state forces dead and over 1,000 militants killed.
Hillary or Bust. Photo: Darren McCollester/Getty Images
On Tuesday in New Hampshire, Bernie Sanders delivered a ringing endorsement of every policy that he and Hillary Clinton mutually support. He also put in a good word or two about the candidate herself.
Sanders began by reminding his supporters that the political revolution was never intended to be about a single candidate or election cycle and that the revolutions next strategic priority must be to elect Hillary Clinton.
Together we have begun a political revolution to transform America, and that revolution continues, the Vermont senator said, standing in front of a nodding Clinton, a large American flag, and several banners stamped with the slogan Stronger Together. I have come here today not to talk about the past but to focus on the future. That future will be shaped more by what happens on November 8 in voting booths across our nation than by any other event in the world.
Sanders then made his pitch to the Bernie or Bust crowd, the disaffected voters that Hillary Clinton loses when pollstsers include Gary Johnson and Jill Stein in their queries.
This campaign is not about Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, or any other candidate. It is about the needs of the American people and addressing the very serious crises that we face, he said. And there is no doubt in my mind that as we head into November, Hillary Clinton is far and away the best candidate to do that.
A message from Bernie Sanders on Hillary Clinton. https://t.co/MO5h81VeTthttps://t.co/w08a2YVUgB Los Angeles Times (@latimes) July 12, 2016
Sanders reminded voters of the sorry shape the country was in when George W. Bush moved out of the White House. He praised President Obama for guiding the country out of a recession. But then Sanders reiterated the central premise of his primary campaign that Obamas reforms have not been adequate for addressing the crisis of economic inequality.
I think we can all agree much, much more needs to be done, Sanders said. In the richest country in the history of the world, there is too much poverty, there is too much despair. This election is about the single mother I saw in Nevada who, with tears in her eyes, told me she was scared to death of her future because she and her daughter were not getting by on the $10.40 an hour she was making.
Sanders proceeded to make his way through his stump speechs parade of outrages, favorably comparing Clintons policy response to each injustice to that of Donald Trump.
Hillary Clinton understands that if someone in America works 40 hours a week, that person should not be living in poverty. She believes, we all believe, that we must raise the minimum wage to a living wage, Sanders said. But her opponent, Donald Trump, has a very different view. He thinks that states should have the right to lower the minimum wage or even abolish the concept of the minimum wage.
Sanders went on to praise Clintons taste in Supreme Court justices, her belief in climate science, and the consensus health-care plan that their campaigns recently unveiled, which includes a public option, Medicare buy-in for anyone over 55, and a dramatic expansion in community health centers Sanderss main contribution to the Affordable Care Act.
Significantly, Sanders signaled that he would not contest the Democratic platform in Philadelphia. The initial goal of Sanderss candidacy was to move the Democratic Party in his ideological direction. On Tuesday, the senator declared victory on that score.
It is no secret that Hillary Clinton and I disagree on a number of issues. That is what this campaign is about, thats what democracy is about. But at the platform committee, there was a significant coming together of the two campaigns, and we produced by far the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic Party, Sanders said to raucous applause. Our job now is to see that platform implemented by a Democratically controlled Senate, a Democratically controlled House, and a Hillary Clinton presidency. And I intend to be in every corner of this country to make certain that happens.
Finally, Sanders championed Clinton personally, praising her push for universal health care as First Lady and her advocacy for the rights of children in the Senate, while noting that she is one of the most intelligent people he has ever met.
Clinton returned this kindness by rejecting Sanderss offer of a handshake, insisting on a hug instead.
Clinton and Sanders hug it out. pic.twitter.com/DCz9xgwNWT Rebecca Perry (@Rebecca_Perry) July 12, 2016
Clinton then thanked Sanders for his campaign and the lifetime of fighting injustice that preceded it.
His reputation for passionate advocacy hasnt made him the most popular person on Washington, Clinton said. But you know what, thats generally a sign youre doing something right.
Donald Trump, meanwhile, hopes Sanders supporters will see Clintons praise as a sign that the democratic socialist has done something wrong.
Watch the highlights here:
Photo: Konstantin Sergeyev
A majority of registered voters consider racism against African-Americans to be an extremely serious or very serious problem. Alas, the same poll finds that only 23 percent of Republicans feel this way. And while the horrifying police murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile have inspired some intellectuals on the right to acknowledge the persistence of racial disparities in law enforcement, the voice of racial backlash has predictably emerged. Conservatives like Brit Hume and Myron Magnet are lashing out at a wide array of subjects Black Lives Matter activists, President Obama, black crime in general in a perfectly emblematic display of the reflexive denial that remains the foundation of right-wing racial thought.
The reactionary beliefs are hard to pin down, as they are more diffuse expressions of resentment than any kind of specific analytic claim. But their few points of specific argumentation are instructive. Hume, for instance, cites Harvard economist Roland Fryers study of police violence. The study found that while police were more often likely to get physical with black suspects than with white ones, when it came to police shootings, there was no racial bias, rages Hume. Did you hear that, Mr. President? No racial bias.
This is a remarkable conclusion. It is true this study does find no racial bias in police shootings. It is one study; others have arrived at different conclusions, because it is common for social scientists to yield differing conclusions when measuring difficult-to-measure social phenomena. But even if we assume this one study is completely correct, Hume is bizarrely downplaying its other conclusions about the greater use of police force against African-Americans. The study found police were more likely to use their hands, handcuffs, pepper spray, batons, and so on if the suspect was black rather than white. Isnt that in and of itself a social problem worthy of addressing?
Fryer himself explains to the New York Times the importance of police mistreatment to the African-American experience of racism:
Who the hell wants to have a police officer put their hand on them or yell and scream at them? Its an awful experience. Every black man I know has had this experience. Every one of them. It is hard to believe that the world is your oyster if the police can rough you up without punishment. And when I talked to minority youth, almost every single one of them mentions lower-level uses of force as the reason why they believe the world is corrupt.
John McWhorter, a moderately conservative writer, draws the same conclusion as Fryer, writing, More than anything else, the reason black Americans say racism persists is this: the cops. If Hume requires more trustworthy sources of authentication than a moderate conservative like McWhorther or the author of the study Hume is citing as evidence for his own position, he could perhaps listen to the police officers from New Mexico and Michigan who, following Hurricane Katrina, spent time working with the Baton Rouge Police Department. Those officers found the racism and brutality among Baton Rouge cops so pervasive and disturbing it included referring to African-Americans as animals who needed to be beaten down that they registered complaints. Or perhaps Hume could simply trust his own eyes and watch officers from that same department carry out a summary execution of a prone Alton Sterling.
The reactionarys response to this reality is to change the subject to the sources of his own grievance. Hume complains that Obama spends too much time talking about police abuses. Hes not failed to speak out whenever a black is killed by a white police officer, but has said next to nothing about the continued slaughters of blacks by other blacks in the streets of Chicago, Baltimore, and other cities. Really? Obama has not failed to speak out whenever a black is killed by a white police officer? Since the beginning of 2015 alone, police have shot and killed 381 African-Americans. Hume believes Obama has spoken out about every single one of these episodes? Plus every other police killing of a black person during his two terms in office? Magnet likewise asserts, bizarrely, Anytime a non-black man killed an African-American, Obama cried racism and said it could have been him or his son, if hed had one. By anytime he means literally one time.
What could possibly be driving these conservatives to imagine that Obamas rare and inevitably measured responses to instances of police abuse are happening hundreds of times more often than they actually are? Their argument is difficult to discern because it is so deeply embedded in fantasy. But to the extent a concrete claim can be discerned, it is that the offenses they see by or on behalf of black America simply negate any offenses against it. That is what seems to be behind their invocation of black crime. It is also the apparent point of Magnets feverish rant, which names such disparate outrages as busing in Boston, school-funding equalization in Kansas City, affirmative action in higher education, curricula that replaced Plato with Ta-Nehisi Coates, welfare payments, the foolish notion that black crime was a manly revolt against oppression, an unwillingness of courts to punish black criminals, ghetto blacks going around with chips on their shoulders and Glocks in their waistbands, plus, of course, Micah Johnson.
Suppose Magnets entire litany of historical grievances was completely justified. What would any of this have to do with the question at hand, the treatment of African-Americans by police? Do the 1970s school busing experiment and Aid to Families With Dependent Children mean that its wrong for police departments to implement the bias awareness training and deescalation techniques that Obamas administration has urged? Do elevated crime rates in African-American neighborhoods mean Roland Fryer and John McWhorter do not deserve to be able to interact with police free of fear?
Veep? Photo: John Thys/AFP/Getty Images
Donald Trump has been loudly weighing the possibility of choosing a military man as his running mate. Hillary Clinton has been quietly doing the same, the New York Times reported Tuesday.
James G. Stavridis is a retired four-star Navy admiral, former supreme allied commander of NATO, and current dean of the Fletcher School at Tufts University. He is also, reportedly, on Clintons short list for vice-president.
Nonetheless, Clintons potential military running mate is a more plausible vice-president than Trumps: The Donalds favored general, Michael Flynn, is a lifelong, pro-choice Democrat who co-authored a book with one of Americas foremost defenders of Italian fascism. By contrast, the main dirt on Stavridis is that he was once investigated for commandeering a military aircraft to fly his wife to a fancy wine party in Burgundy, France.
A sad and strange scene played out at an R train subway station in Brooklyn, after a train operator tried to run from police while being questioned about striking and killing a man who leaped in front of the oncoming train.
A sad and strange scene played out at an R train subway station in Brooklyn, after a train operator tried to run from police while being questioned about striking and killing a man who leaped in front of the oncoming train.
The victim, who hasnt been identified, allegedly tried to commit suicide as the R train pulled into the station at 77th Street-4th Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, just before 10 a.m. and at the tail-end of the morning rush. Cops pronounced the man dead at the station. Police then went to question the train operator and he reportedly freaked out and bolted onto the tracks himself. Per the New York Post: >
Responsible Rhetoric Matters. Photo: Marc Piscotty/Getty Images
Donald Trump believes the Black Lives Matter movement has a responsibility to distance itself from the horrible rhetoric of its most hateful supporters.
On Monday, the presidential candidate who keeps accidentally disseminating his fans neo-Nazi memes told the Associated Press that he has heard some Black Lives Matter activists say horrible, horrible things about police and about others.
And certainly if theyre going to allow that to go along rhetorically, this is not a good thing for our country, the mogul who recently suggested that the U.S. president is an ISIS sympathizer continued.
The tycoon who has campaigned on a proposal to ban all Muslims from entering the United States also expressed concern with the protest movements divisive name.
A lot of people feel that it is inherently racist, the real-estate heir who contends that judges with Mexican heritage are innately opposed to protecting our borders told the wire service. And its a very divisive term. Because all lives matter. Its a very, very divisive term.
When he wasnt scolding protesters for their political incorrectness, Trump offered what was, by his standards, a measured response to the terrible events of last week. Speaking at a rally in Virginia on Monday, Trump called for an immediate end to hostility against our police, before referring to the tragic deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, which the presumptive GOP nominee called horrible to witness.
Trump went on to suggest that some police could use more training, while African-Americans need to regain their spirit. Somewhat refreshingly, Trump attributed the black communitys dispiritedness to economic disadvantage rather than cultural pathology.
Jobs can solve so many problems, Trump said. And were going to open our country up and were going to be a huge jobs producer again instead of having terrible jobs.
Asked by the AP what he would say to African-Americans who feel targeted by police because of their skin color, Trump replied, We have to talk to em and we have to build up the spirit We have to talk with the police. And we have to get people to really get along. People are not getting along in this country. We are in a divided country.
Trump proceeded to argue that President Obama was wrong to claim that the nation is united in its shared desire to see greater peace in our communities.
When President Obama said the other day that he doesnt think its as bad as people think, I think its far worse and certainly far worse than he believes it is, the candidate who self-identifies as a unifier declared. I mean, you were having big, big trouble in many cities. And I think that might be just the beginning for this summer.
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks to reporters at Abe's official residence in Tokyo, Japan, January 28, 2016. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Thursday he wants the new economy minister, Nobuteru Ishihara, to continue the government's efforts to push through structural reforms. [Photo/Agencies]
The victory of the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Japan's upper house election on Sunday may pose a threat to regional stability, as it could give Abe enough power to put Japan's postwar pacifist Constitution in jeopardy.
The victory is considered more a result of the lack of better choices and the electorate choosing to maintain the status quo, rather than their endorsing Abe's constitutional designs.
But over the past three years, Abe has exploited every opportunity to firmly push forward his political agenda and gradually overturn 70 years of pacifism in Japan despite public protests. Abe has managed to enact controversial security laws, which enable Japan's Self-Defense Forces to fight overseas for the first time since the end of World War II and made it possible for Japan to intervene militarily in regional conflicts.
The Abe administration has also cemented its alliance with the United States and begun meddling in issues that do not directly concern it, such as the disputes in the South China Sea.
As the ruling coalition looks set to secure the two-thirds majority necessary to set in motion Abe's long-cherished ambition to change the Constitution, the path Abe seems determined to embark upon is cause for alarm.
With Japan's pacifist Constitution at stake and Abe's power expanding, it is alarming both for Japan's Asian neighbors and Japan itself, as Japan's militarization will benefit neither.
Japan owes its rapid economic development in the initial decades after World War II partly to its promise of peace. Any deviation from that path may cost Japan heavily both in economic terms and in its relations with its neighbors.
And as Japan becomes more involved in overseas military conflicts, it will become less secure, not safer.
I stand by my idea of Kerry Washington being the next Bond.
I feel like Idris might wanna focus totally on The Dark Tower at this point honestly though he'd be a good choice as well.
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What panties, OP? I'm pretty sure his voice would disintegrate them immediately.
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My boyfriend and I both salivate over him together.
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My dad and I do too. He's straight, of course, but he has no issue calling a man attractive, and has been very audible with his "Dayum!"s towards him. lol
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He is so so so so beautiful.
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no lies in that title. bless.
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Hasn't he said before he has no interest in Bond? It's super weird how people keep pushing it on him.
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i know he doesn't want bond, but i needed a hiddleston palette cleanser so let me live
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He said that people pushing for it so hard makes it a boring choice now. It's gotten old already.
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they were all so beautiful
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Gawdamn
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Heart eyes for real.
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King Idris wouldn't wear no damn TSwift tank top.
Anyways I'm soo late but I've I've yet to finish Luther but I like it. It's just really heavy so I can't finish it all at once. I'll watch 1 or 2 episodes and then watch Bend It Like Beckham or something to balance out the heaviness.
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He's HELLA good-looking, but I wouldn't want to sleep with him. He's significantly older than I am, and I'm just not into that.
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Good for you! Seriously.
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You're not being snarky, are you? I can never tell in this comm.
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So hot. My panties would melt.
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He is so handsome. I was well surprised to see him in the new Macklemore video though.
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He's such a compelling actor sometimes I actually forget that he's also so good looking
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they need a fucking auditorium to house all the spider-man cast hanging out
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lol the dude in the back
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first thing i noticed lol
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lmao I feel so bad for laughing at him.
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Awww, they're so cute!! :')
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I hate myself because I'm already shipping Zendaya and Tom.
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I was about to say "me too" but then I mean their characters. But lol, I can see what you mean since it seems like they're all having fun together, and it's cute.
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We need more interracial couples in Hollywood, tbh. Both on screen and off screen. So, I'm here for it. Lol. Enough of beige couples like Taylor and Hiddlestone.
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i would love it if she were playing the love interest in this film (MJ would be ideal but even if not)
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lmao same
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its happening
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ummm same.
oops! :P
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You're not the only one I've been feeling like Tom would be into it and I just. I think they're cute and want it.
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it makes no sense to me why they need to ramaks spider man for the 3rd time, do they think this new franchise is gonna make huge money?
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This is literally mentioned in every Spider-Man post. Yes, Spider-Man is the Marvel character that sells the most merch, so of course they're gonna keep making movies about him.
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As the poster above said:
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Yeah, the remakes for Spider-Man has been a bit over-the-top, but I honestly can't complain as I personally enjoy him! And I don't believe it's a matter of them THINKING they'll make money from this, but more along the lines of them KNOWING they'll make money. Spider-Man is a really huge brand on its own, so I think they're safe with that assumption. :)
Edited at 2016-07-11 11:08 pm (UTC)
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Loving the cast bonding. Tbh when Tom Holland was announced as SM I didn't think he was that cute but then I saw him in Civil War and now I find him so attractive.(for now)
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at first i was side-eyeing this comment b/c i thought he was 15. then checked imdb... turns out he's 20. oop.
i know i'm old when he seems like a literal child to me.
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side eying some of you bitches i'm only a year older than him and he looks prepubescent to me...is this him?side eying some of you bitches
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He's sf cute
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luvs it
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i already like it better than og bfast club
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same lmao
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Yesss the breakfast club of the mcu
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lol this is really cute
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lol i love this
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Love how young they all actually are. Finally.
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mte, finally they aren't hiring ppl in their mid-twenties to play kids
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For real. When people started complaining about how young the cast looked I was confused because that's how teenagers are supposed to look like. Maybe it's because Hollywood always hires actors on their mid-twenties to play kids in high school.
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IA it's refreshing
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MTE, as a teen for once they are realistic young actors playing teens, not 30 yr olds.
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It was clearly strategic. If they wanna drag out the franchise, they don't want their cast to crinkle up. Same with X-men Apocalypse.
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cute
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My favorite part about the first photo is that there are only two white people in it
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And Harrison is just a production assistant according to IMDB, so Tom is actually the only white actual cast member there.
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Bless these casting directors
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well it's about time lbr
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Cute. I have a feeling this will be more successful/be generally better than andrew giraffefield's version (what happened to him btw)
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He's in a Mel Gibson directed movie :/
And he's also the star in Scorsese's new movie that's coming out this fall (Silence) where I think he plays a Jesuit priest in Japan
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These pictures are really cute.
Actually looking forward to Spiderman.
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OP, apparently Harrison is a production assistant according to IMDB.
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Ah, gotcha. Some of the pictures on his account make more sense now. Will adjust.
But lol when I saw this comment on one of his posts: "Are u even in the movie or are u doing nothing but beings friends with Tom so that u can meet all these famous people and pretend ur friends with them and that you actually have input on on the movie?"
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Lmfao. I don't get why people leave comments like that. Do they really expect them to reply after pretty much insulting them?
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lmaoo
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Waffle House!!!! I miss living by a Waffle House
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She's a white Christian lady. Of course she didn't.
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Exactly. I'm still pissed that motherfucker from yesterday at the courthouse did all that killing but his face is hardly anywhere but yet Hughes' picture was plastered virtually everywhere. Fucing rednecks.
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MTE
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BLOOP
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you know shes one to stay quiet then hashtag blue lives matter
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lmao of course not
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if the associated press don't go find some real news to report on...
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LOL
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It's a nice gesture, but can she just fuck off already?
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mte. I'm sick of her.
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It's like the video was cute, but the fact she's still being rewarded for it is just maddening. People hate on the Kardashians for having no talent, yet we let randos like this get and stay famous for far too long.
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Is it tho?
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i mean dont fucking click if u dont want to?
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MTE. Jfc she annoys me so much
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If she doesn't stop....
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I hate white mediocrity so much.
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lmao she has a public figure facebook profile all because she laughed like a dumbass in an internet video?
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she had a pretty big following before that on her facebook. I don't know what from but before this whole thing happened, she would regularly make public posts
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idgi either the video was creepy to me. I hate puppets/masks. shudder.
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do you think she walks around with the mask on hoping people will notice her
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You know she does
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Considering she'll literally show up to the opening of an envelope, I'm sure you're right.
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LOL did people not know that it's a common phrase?
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I hope so because this is making me laugh irl
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This mental image is the best omg
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Yeah, I mean after all, no one cared who she was until she put on the mask.
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oh
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flawless af bop
ugh if only he wasn't such a
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My second favorite MJ song.
The prison video is kinda... no thanks.
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The idea of a white lady having the audacity to sing this song in tribute to dead cops is honestly the most hilariously disgusting thing I've thought about today.
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this song is such an amazing black anthem
too bad mj is a disgusting pos
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exactly! This song was the absolute shit.
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lmao
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The fact that she can be verified or the Jamie Vardy lookalike can be verified cracks me up tbh.
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yep
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Mediocre is a generous term for this woman
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/end post
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Perfect
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mfte
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fucking seriously.
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yup
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I was hoping I'd see this gif
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this gif is always so relevant
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came in here just to make sure this was posted
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I was hoping for a Star Wars-related post to pop up because I need to talk about Hux's first name in a way it suits him but it's still kind of rediculous.
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I had to stare at it for like, five minutes to comprehend it lol
But it's kind of perfect ngl
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Wait what
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His name is Armitage Hux.
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even though i hate hux i want to know
what is his name
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Is she a Republican?
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Probably on the DL lbr.
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She's ever Republican's dream girl, so either way close enough
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she has never gotten involved with politics but said she was 'so happy' after obama was elected and described michelle obama as a role model. she's friends with some pretty vocal democrats like lena dunham.
pretty sure her parents are republicans, or at least her dad is
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Aw, those kids look so happy. That's really nice of her.
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aw little ones. my heart.
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i know:(
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living life as a photo op must be so tedious
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fr
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this is cute
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Idc what people say about her being calculating, when you see the face on that girl in the video as she's taking pics w/ Taylor, that's so sweet.
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Aw, that's really sweet.
Did she get her teeth done or something? Her face looks different.
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I didn't notice it until you pointed it out, but it totally does look different. Her teeth look bigger(is that possible?).....?
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They looks bigger than usual. I think she had them done a little while ago. But they definitely look big in these pictures
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she's had shitty too big veneers FOREVER. they make me rage bc no respectable dental professional would endorse such poorly fitted work.
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They look different now, though! It makes the entire lower part of her face seem fuller.
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awn this is very cute ;;;
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that video was so cute, i love that little girl
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she looks a little different here but i can't figure out what it is
anyway, this is really sweet of her!!!
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It's the pregnancy glow.
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that's sweet, something about her face looks off to me
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what is that horrible hair-do?!
is she trying to look 40, just like her boyfriend?
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That's cute. It's nice when celebrities do that. I wonder if it's awkward when the kids don't know who they are lol
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tbh I think most kids are probably just excited to meet celebrities. I remember being excited about meeting Donny Osmond as a kid even though I had never heard of him.
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Waterworks right now
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same omg
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omg i'm about to cry here in the middle of work. this looks very good and very well done. i can't wait to see it.
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omg same holding back tears at my desk
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okay, I'm tearing up and this was only the trailer, the movie will probably wreck me lol.
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this looks so heartbreaking.
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Tell the judge I love my wife.
HFT. HFT.
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I was holding back tears and then it was a monsoon on my face at that moment
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ikr? that #s when i started to cry, no lie.
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I love Ruth. Can't wait to see this.
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So yeah,I'm definitely going to watch this. It looks like they are doing well by the story.
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Ugh this has been on my list forever but I don't want to watch it in the theater because I know I'll be bawling.
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i think ill watch this... but the trailer lmao
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Wow, Ruth looks almost exactly like Mildred did irl.
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I wonder if their daughter Peggy had a lot of input because it's remarkable casting.
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I ACTUALLY SCREAMED WHEN I SAW NICK KROLL LMAO WHAT
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LOL Same. I was so emotionally invested with the trailer, and then it cut to Nick Kroll and I began laughing a little.
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exactly! the fact i was so touched and moved and then all of a sudden....gil faizon
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Same and I did it when he they showed him at Cannes during the premiere.
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i literally had to rewind to make sure that was him? like what?
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ME TOO
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me too lmao yet i love this piece of casting. it's ameezing.
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lol a LOT of comedic actors do an amazing job when they get the chance to do drama. Robin Williams was a great example.
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yeah that took me out of my cry fest for a second
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i remember seeing him in the gif of ruth negga crying at cannes and was like wtf is nick kroll of all people doin there????
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omg ok i wasn't imagining that bc i'm so stoned rn and was just watching kroll show earlier and suddenly his face in the trailer lmfaoooo i cannotttttttt
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Comedic actors probably are better actors than actors who do drama because comedy is harder.
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lol like why him?
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holy shit it's that creepy dj fom parks and rec. i knew his ugly mug looked familiar
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same , all i could think back was his previous characters XD
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I'm looking forwards to this so much. LOVE Ruth!
What up Cato(Alano Miller) from Underground!
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he's so good on underground. i tweeted that i loved to hate his character and he favourited it!
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That last line
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damn this trailer made me cry
but also damn just when i thought Joel Edgerton couldn't get any uglier, they bleach his hair
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lmao he's already weird looking to me but the blonde hair? yikes.
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SCREAMING
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The Flash Season 3 - Filming Underway!
Candice Patton Reacts to the Recent Tragic Shootings.
Tom Felton NOT Playing Godspeed.
Kevin Smith Returns To Direct 3x07 & Puts Arrow On Blast.
Arrow
Teddy Sears Talks Pop!s.
MATES Reaches Its 100th Episode.
This Summer Hiatus On: 'The Flash Cast Doing Stuff & Things On Social Media'...
Stars Candice Patton, Keiynan Lonsdale (and Grant Gustin) took to twitter last Thursday to announce that The Flash season 3 filming has commenced!Undisputed star of, Candice Patton, reacted on twitter to the spate of recent shootings and police violence against black POC in America.Bonus Keiynan.Sources reveal that Tom Felton, who will be playing new series regular CSI 'Julian Dorn', willbe playing the villain 'Godspeed', who was recently introduced in DC Rebirth.There has been supposed fan outcry about him being the TV version of Godspeed, but it was considered that the villain is too new and has too much comic development yet to come for him to be translated so quickly over to the show.We already know Kevin Smith was asked to return to the Flash director's chair this coming season, but it has finally been revealed for which episode - 3x07, for which he'll be heading up to Vancouver first week of September!Speaking toabout the success of Season 2 episodeSmith revealed that he has expressed interest in bringing his 2002 comic arc super villain Onomatopoeia to life on CW's, a misguided show few people have heard of and even fewer still watch, led by Robbie Amell's cousin.He has even considered deeply how to translate Onomatopoeia into a live action villain with little cards instead of vocalised sound, but 'unfortunately' he saysCreated with artists Phil Hester back in 2002, and debuting in Green Arrow #12, the highly praised and popular run of new super villain Onomatopoeia had IGN calling him 'one of the coolest new villains of the decade'.Smith has long wished to bring him to the live screen.But he's not too pressed, because not like he needs them.Teddy recently sat down withto talk about his Funko Pop! Collection of Jays/Jooms/etc.-Heard about the Zoom Pop and thought it was the coolest thing in the world, then saw one and it really was, and felt it looked just like him!-Was waiting for the Zoom Pop to come out, but then saw on Instagram a Jay Garrick Pop, tracked it down, and THAT became the first in his collection.-He only has Pop figures of characters he has played on Flash Jay, Joom, Black Flash.-Also owns a Jay Garrick CUSTOM Pop that someone on Etsy made him without the helmet and costume, aka-Teddy loves his Pops:-He LOVES signing Pops of himself!! He says hes thrilled, its so much fun, and he hopes to sign lots more of them.-He doesnt collect anything, he claims, just his Pops! Although he admits to snatching a tiny prop or two from on set to remember the job by. Bless.-He would LOVE to see an E1 or E1 Hunter Zolomon Pop:(Attention Custom Funko Makers of ONTD-Etsy, Teddy is crying out for you.)-Finally, he thinks Funko Are CRAZY for not having made a Cisco Pop yet, as-Will we be seeing his return to The Flash?!Popular Snack Podcast 'Mates' (aka 'ikendomatnacks') has reached the 100th episode.Based around the premise of the PER System (pick a snack, eat a snack, rate a snack), Tom Cavanagh and bff Michael Ian Black of NBC's classic sitcom 'Ed', adored by mums/moms everywhere, discuss life and put their lives on the line with snacks which are not always safe for human consumption.The summer is always a strange time for the cast, either involving promotional duties, other projects, photoshoots, conventions, or just vacation.With SDCC around the corner, and the cast have JUST BEGUN FILMING SEASON 3 (!!!), not a huge amount going on, but YES to filming! And of course the bigreveal! How's your Summer Hiatus going, ONTD Flash Fam? Miss you all!
Some excerpts from the interview, although the whole thing is here and actually a quick and easy read.I read this very experimental script on the first season we were shooting [Mr. Robot]. It was really poetic and cool, and it left so much to the imagination. So much of it was just scene descriptions, and we would improv the meat of the dialogue. That was something I looked at and was like, "Well, I'll probably never get a chance to do something like this again." I think it's done now. Sarah Adina Smith directed it and is editing it, and is probably submitting it to festivals right now.I was actually just working on some scenes for the show and reading a script and trying to get work done, and I realized quickly that was not going to happen because my sister is getting married, and she wanted help with finding some of my dad's clothes to weave into her wedding dress. That was cool. We ended up getting nostalgic and reminiscing about the good old days. It was a fun little bonding experience, so that supersedes all work at some point.This year, he's coming to terms with this reality of having this kind of dual existence, knowing thatThat creates an entirely different focus for him. I think he's in a really guilty place when you first see him. As much as I thought that I had this guy down and understood him and was living in his skin, I realized there was so much of him that I had yet to discover.Bonus videos!Hacking Facts with Rami and Christian Slater for Buzzfeed:False or Real: Startups, Rami for GQ:source: Interview
Argentina has been shaping up as one of the best places on Earth for oil and gas exploration. With high and rising government-mandated prices helping to spur big investments in exploration and development.
But those plans hit a major hitch late last week. When the countrys Supreme Court stepped into the regulation of commodities pricing.
Argentinas highest judges moved last Thursday to suspend planned price hikes for natural gas. Which Argentinas new government had previously promised would fix natgas rates as high as $7.50/MMBtu an elevated level that would have given producers and explorers in the country a big leg up.
But the courts ruled that forcing Argentinas gas consumers to pay more is unconstitutional. With judges saying that the government must first hold public hearings on the proposed price increases before finalizing the measures and cementing higher prices for producers.
That puts the future of natgas pricing across Argentina in limbo. Making it look like the current, lower-price regime will stay in place for at least the next several months, while the government prepares its next moves. Related: Merger Of Libyas Rival Oil Companies Meaningless Without Control Over Oilfields
Officials in the government of new president Mauricio Macri did speak out against the court ruling. Saying that delays in raising prices will hamper the investment Argentina badly needs in order to ensure oil and gas production.
Overall however, this looks to be a brewing standoff between public sentiment and project economics. With the complicated dynamics here representing a critical wrinkle in Argentinas plans to modernize its oil and gas sector.
Government representatives said they plan to appeal the Supreme Court suspension order watch for the outcome of this key legal case over the coming months, and for other strategies the government might try in order to incentivize petroleum exploration.
Heres to finding a way.
By Dave Forest
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After oil prices rallied more than 80 percent between February and June, WTI and Brent have fallen back more recently, dropping from above $50 to just $45 per barrel. Oil traders are searching for more clarity on what to expect next, but the cacophony of data pointing in different directions is leading to confusion for analysts and speculators.
On the bullish side for oil prices is Citigroup, which published a research note on Monday saying that it is especially bullish on commodities in 2017. Citi says that the oil markets continue to balance, and the concerns over global economic growth are not as important as the demand trajectory. Moreover, the crash in oil prices has forced the industry to make cuts that will only sow the seeds of the next boom. The oil market is treading water for now, but the oil price overshot to the downside earlier this year and this is clearly setting the stage for a bullish end to the decade, Citi analysts, led by Ed Morse, said.
That optimistic outlook is countered by an array of voices on the other side worried about a renewed slump for crude oil. Lets look at just a sampling of a few of the warnings signs.
The oil rig count in the U.S. jumped once again on last week, rising by 10 to 351, according to Baker Hughes. Oil rigs are now up by 35 since touching a low at the end of May. The prospect of new drilling is causing some concern in the markets about a return of supply. Also, while the Brexit worries may be overdone, the political uncertainty in Europe is contributing to a rally for the U.S. dollar, which is pushing down oil prices.
Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley says that global refiners are overproducing, churning out more refined produce than the world needs. A glut of gasoline or diesel will push down crude prices as refiners will eventually be forced to trim production, which means they will buy less crude. Morgan Stanley is backed up by the stubbornly high levels of gasoline inventories, which have refused to substantially fall in recent months despite widespread expectations of robust demand. This comes on heels of a remarkable downward revision by the EIA of gasoline demand in the United States. The energy agency lowered April demand by 260,000 barrels per day, suggesting American motorists are not consuming gasoline as vigorously as previously thought. Related: Musk Ready to Release Part 2 of Teslas Top Secret Master Plan
Also, storage levels of gasoline, diesel and heating oil in Europe are filling up, causing delays in deliveries. Reuters reported that oil shipments on the Rhine in Germany are having trouble unloading because storage was too full.
One other major bearish factor looming over oil prices is the return of Libyan supply. The two rival oil companies in the eastern and western sections of the country, backed by different governments, decided to put their differences aside earlier this month, announcing their decision to merge.
The merger is a major political breakthrough for a country that has been torn apart since the overthrow of Muammar Qaddafi in 2011. The deal could lead to the reopening of several of Libyas major oil export terminals, unleashing long-sidelined supplies back onto the oil market. After the unification of NOC, the opening of the ports and the increase of production are absolutely our top priorities, the chairman of the National Oil Corporation Mustafa Sanalla said in an interview posted on the companys website.
It is not a foregone conclusion that the merger of the two national oil companies will lead to a huge ramp up in production. After all, the deal does not cover the oil fields where oil is produced, but only covers the NOCs budgeting, governing structure, and relocation of its headquarters to Benghazi. The deal also recognizes the Presidency Council in Tripoli in the west as the highest executive authority while the parliament in the east as the highest legislative authority. Agreement on recognizing those institutions will help build political unity and reconciliation. Related: Using Renewables In Oil Recovery
And while the deal says very little about how much oil will be produced upstream, reconciling the two companies does increase the chances that the oil ports will be reopened. We have heard hopeful noises in recent days about the opening of the ports, Sanalla said.
Libya has four main oil ports that have been closed for more than a year, with a combined export capacity of 860,000 barrels per day. Libya produced 320,000 barrels per day in June, but could double that in a relatively short period of time.
In summary, the four-month oil price rally between February and June has come to a halt. WTI and Brent have dropped from just over $50 per barrel down to $45 per barrel. And the bears are back. Hedge funds and other money managers have slashed their net-long bets on oil to their lowest levels in four months. Sentiment on the oil market is turning negative, analysts at Commerzbank said, according to the WSJ. [Investors] appear to have eyes only for bearish factors again.
By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com
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An international tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, has ruled against Chinas territorial claims in the South China Sea, spurring concern about Asias biggest economys next moves. China immediately rejected the Permanent Court of Arbitrations ruling and said its army will defend what it deems to be its legitimate territorial claims to a basin that is not just rich in oil and gas, but is also a major waterway connecting Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
(Click to enlarge)
Image source: NPR
The news worried the energy and the shipping industry alike: the South China Sea is the only economically viable channel for oil tankers and large dry bulk carriers in the region.
Commenting on the courts ruling, Peter Hinchliffe, secretary general of the International Chamber of Shipping in London said, It is vital that merchant ships are allowed to go about their lawful business on the world's oceans without diversion or delay. We will of course be monitoring for any interference in the coming weeks.
Should China get really serious about its claims and force ships to find another route to and from Asian markets, everyone involved will suffer higher insurance and transportation costs, to say the least. However, this is unlikely to happen, according to several shipping and insurance sources who spoke to Reuters. Related: Merger Of Libyas Rival Oil Companies Meaningless Without Control Over Oilfields
The so-called South China Sea dispute between China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and even tiny Brunei, has been going on for a long time, and heated up recently when China stepped up its policies of securing as much of the basins oil and gas reserves as possible, despite dwindling demand.
The region is already home to many neighborly tensions, and the likelihood of these increasing is significant since China didnt just reject The Hague courts rulingit said it did not recognize it at all. While the Philippines may consider it a win, and while it is almost certain that China will not move to close this major shipping route, it remains to be seen what Beijing is keeping up its sleeve for later use.
By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com
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Five oil wells set on fire is the latest disaster caused by ISIS militants. The de facto rulers of Mosul set the wells on fire in a bid to stop the Iraqi army, which has been steadily advancing to the capital of the terrorist group, Fars News reports. In addition to the well blow-ups, ISIS also mined roads in the vicinity.
The wells were located near the Qayyrah refining complex in the province of Nineveh, where the Iraqi army has been preparing to take on Mosul the city that fell to the militants in 2014. A day ago the army successfully took control of the Qayyrah airbase, which is 60 miles south of Mosul.
Blowing up the wells is a desperate measure: ISIS relies on oil for its funding and the destruction of refineries and oil tankers in the territories under its control has been a priority for the army. Earlier this month, media reported that the terrorist group is digging pits in the oil fields around Mosul to use as storage, and is also constructing makeshift teapot refineries to process the crude.
The information came from aerial photos taken by Stratfor, showing scores of tiny little refining units. These typically require just a pit for the crude and a portable furnace to separate the fuel fractions.
Related: The Bears Are Back Oil Slides On Negative Sentiment
ISIS bore down on Iraq and Syria in 2014 and managed to capture large swathes of the two countries before their respective armies started striking back. Oil has been essential for the organizations survivaland theyve been more than just surviving, even thriving. One analysis from Al Jazeera notes that the terrorist group can count on the services of petroleum engineers and technicians, and that even at prices of US$20-40 a barrel, its making US$1-1.5 million a day from sales of crude.
The buyers are hard to identify on this black market, but the main route for exporting the crude has been established to be through Turkey, according to a research paper from Columbia Universitys Institute for the Study of Human Rights.
By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com
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LNG Canada, a Shell-led consortium formed to construct a liquefied natural gas export terminal on the Canadian coast, has for the second time delayed its final investment decision on the US$40-billion project. Big hopes are pinned on the terminal, which is supposed to supply LNG to the Asian markets.
The CEO of the consortium, Andy Calitz, explained the delay with the drop in natural gas prices all over the world and particularly in Asia, which has made the project too costly for the time being. "The whole global energy industry is in turmoil," he noted, adding that representatives of the four partners in the consortium are currently in Canada in order to discuss next moves. LNG Canada features Shell as its largest shareholder with 50 percent, and Mitsubishi Corp, PetroChina, and Korea Gas Corp holding the rest.
LNG has been touted as the next star on the hydrocarbon scene since its cheaper and cleaner than crude oil. As a result, a number of large-scale projects have sprouted across the world, including the Gorgon and Wheatstone off the Australian coast, operated by Chevron, Cheniere Energys Sabine Pass terminal, and Italian Enis Coral development in Mozambique.
Related: The Fracking Evolution: Better, Safer, Stronger
With so much supply coming on stream and unsteady demand growth, prices have understandably tanked and large projects have become temporarily unviable. Calitz made a point of emphasizing that LNG Canada was not canceled but just delayed, although he added that there was no timeframe for the final investment decision at this point.
The mid-term prospects are not too good. The International Energy Agency expects LNG demand around the world to average 1.5 percent annually through 2021, while the current oversupply persists. Thats down from 2.5 percent, which the IEA forecast last year. This, moreover, could prove too optimistic, because it assumes LNG demand growth in China of 9 percent. If reality fails to live up to expectations, the glut will take longer to disappear.
By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com
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The late Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe once said, "There are different forms of dispossession, many, many ways in which people are deprived or subjected to all kinds of victimization." Speaking about the power of literature, he continued, "Once you allow yourself to identify with the people in a story, then you might begin to see yourself in that story even if on the surface its far removed from your situation. Its not difficult to identify with somebody like yourself, somebody next door who looks like you. Whats more difficult is to identify with someone you dont see, whos very far away, whos a different color, who eats a different kind of food. When you begin to do that then literature is really performing its wonders."
In September, I will start my sophomore English classes with this quote, not only because we will later read Achebe's novel "Things Fall Apart," but also because Achebe's message defines the foundation for every day of instruction of every class I teach, every year I teach.
There's more, of course writing well, thinking critically, making better decisions like keeping that phone in your pocket or solving conflicts with words rather than fists. But if my students get to the end of the year without gaining some empathy, without the ability to look at someone else's situation and not merely see it but identify with it in some way, then I have failed to do my job.
Achebe's words have been on my mind for the last week, for reasons I hope are obvious. I firmly believe that what the United States needs at this moment is more empathy, a greater sense of shared purpose and shared experience.
It is a grand overstatement to suggest that the U.S. in 2016 is more divided than ever before I mean, we did have that whole Civil War thing, not to mention, say, the 1960s but it is accurate to say that never before have so many fractures been so very visible at the same time. In Lincoln's day, the new-fangled telegraph system and the printing press allowed news of the war and the president's assassination to spread across the country within a day or two (it took the news a week on a steamship to reach Europe).
In the '60s, you had to wait for the evening news for footage of that day's riots and demonstrations. Today, it takes just microseconds for news to spread across social media platforms, even if some of that reporting is wrong, like the initial reports of multiple coordinated snipers in Dallas last week when it was just one man.
That immediacy contributes to how overwhelmed so many of us have felt the last couple of years in this country, to the fear that the social fabric is unraveling before our very eyes.
The reality, though, is that we are not only in a statistically safer and more peaceful moment than at any previous time in recorded history a time when empathy is more and more the norm than antipathy or apathy but I believe our connection on social media is accelerating that trend, despite how grim any given moment may seem these days.
Here's an example: We all know (or should know) the story of Emmett Till. But Till, as a victim of the white racist South of the last century, is an outlier; the vast majority of those who died are anonymous, and if we know their names, we know little about them. Till's murder was the exception that proved the rule. It opened many Northern eyes to the horrors that were happening in this country, in no small part because his mother and activist publishers in Chicago dared the world to look at Till's broken face.
Till's murder happened between the landmark Brown decision desegregating schools and the Montgomery bus boycott, right at a pivotal time for the nation and its nascent Civil Rights movement. Most of America did not know who Martin Luther King was and Lyndon Johnson was a decade away from strong-arming the Civil Rights Act through Congress and then passing the Voting Rights Act. But Till's death galvanized Northern support for civil rights, especially among whites who might not have given it a second thought, at a time when the country needed all the help it could get.
Till's open casket and brutal photographs were 1955's equivalent of today's smartphone footage and livestreams. When lynchings happened in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere, when the only ones around to witness the lynchings fully supported what was happening, the perpetrators controlled the narrative. The literal and figurative darkness kept the rest of America from hearing the victims' stories, from developing the empathy necessary to propel the country into a real fight for civil rights.
For Till, though, his mother, the Chicago Defender and Jet Magazine wrested control of the narrative from the perpetrators. Today, when every corner store has security cameras and every potential witness has a smartphone with a camera, the perpetrators can't control the narrative anymore. We can watch, real-time, as peaceful marchers are tear-gassed and arrested for spurious reasons.
Last weekend, just hours after the carnage in Dallas, police in Houston shot a African American man they said was "waving a gun around and pointed it at them," though surveillance camera footage seems to show the man's hands empty and in the air. While this case is clearly ongoing, it's just the latest in a series of incidents in which the official police narrative contradicts or appears to contradict what's in video footage from security cameras, witness video or even their own body cameras.
And today, we know far more names than just one. Thousands who died as Emmett Till died are and were unknown. But from Trayvon Martin to Philando Castile, the last several years have produced a litany of names though there is a strong case to be made that we should know many more names than we do. This, to me, is real progress, progress of a sort that Emmett Till's family and media champions could never have imagined.
But it makes us uncomfortable. Progress always does; even small changes are hard to deal with, and a shift in perspective of the size and import of what is happening today is doing a lot more than just making us fidget in front of our TV screens or scroll faster through Facebook. Not to get too political though you should have known it was inevitable but I believe this year's election is the consequence of this discomfort.
Donald Trump, presumptive Republican nominee, is clearly a relic of America's past, a near-literal personification of white privilege. He inherited his wealth and status, and has been able to trade on that for decades, building his brand and skating through various bankruptcies and personal and professional failings. His campaign has been a series of vaguely racist dog-whistles and blatant provocations that have attracted the support of many whites nursing a racial animus (does anyone look at Trump and think, "Yeah, that guy has empathy written all over him"?). But the resentful white man is a disappearing class, a shrinking minority, and this will probably be their last hurrah. They're also why so many mainstream and forward-thinking Republicans have refused to line up behind Trump or offer only tepid support: They know Trump represents the end of an era.
The presumptive Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, is (I think) on the right side of history when it comes to the issues of the moment, but she, too, represents much about the old America. Her rise from Goldwater Girl to Wellesley activist to First Lady is a path that in her generation was not available to much of America; she, like Emmett Till, was born in Chicago in the 1940s, but clearly was on a very different trajectory.
Larry Wilmore, of Comedy Central's "The Nightly Show," jokingly calls the 2016 "The Un-Blackening," as whoever takes the oath next January will almost certainly be white. However, if Clinton wins, she will continue the trend that began with the election of Barrack Obama in 2008. The White House may be un-blackened, but the era of the white male as the dominant cultural and political force will be over.
And how can it not be? There's a demographic inevitability, for one: White guys like me are a minority in the U.S. today (I'm okay with that. I don't need the pressure). For another, there's the democratization of media that comes when everyone has not just the means to passively watch media in their pockets, but also the means to actively produce it. That includes the ability to produce and control the narrative of what is happening to people like Alton Sterling and Sandra Bland and Sam Dubose and Eric Garner.
The power to spark empathy is not limited to literature. It also lives in the presidency of Obama, the candidacy of Clinton and the documentary evidence of the dispossession and victimization, to use Achebe's words, of the men and women around us in the U.S. today. I have to believe I have to hope that we will look back on this point in American history as we do 1955 or 1968, turbulent years that signaled not a breakdown of American society, but the birth of empathy. I have to believe that we're amid a shift in how we see and understand each other, and that the moral arc, to steal Dr. King's line, keeps bending toward equality and justice and peace.
When I first read the inevitable, that Bernie Sanders had endorsed Clinton in New Hampshire, one of his strongest states, I went into mourning. The mourning period lasted for about 12 minutes. Even the Washington Post said it sounded like he was continuing the fight.
The pundits may speculate endlessly about this new development, but I must go on record right here and now to say that I don't see a way Clinton can win without Bernie Sanders as her running mate. As repulsive as that has sounded in the past, this might be an inexorable truth, which may become clear to Clinton as time goes on, especially as her credibility woes and legal baggage increase.
Sanders' June speech was titled "The Political Revolution Continues." This one in New Hampshire was more conciliatory: "This campaign is about the needs of the American people and addressing the very serious crises that we face," he added, with Clinton nodding at his side. "And there is no doubt in my mind that, as we head into November, Hillary Clinton is far and away the best candidate to do that."
There is no one other than Sanders that has the ideological pull, the candidate's charisma, and the devoted followers, who might mourn and/or gag for 12 minutes like I did, and then move on to the Real Politik and realize that as President of the Senate, one of the major functions of the Vice President, Bernie's ability to further advance his plans and reforms would make a quantum leap from platform planks to actual legislation.
I am a member of some 800 Facebook Bernie Groups, some of which are virulently anti-Hillary. I will spare you the names of the groups, but suffice it to say that if he is not on the ticket, a lot of them will go for Jill Stein, or will write Bernie's name in. On the other hand, such a ticket would pick up most of the Sanders supporters, I would surmise, about 80-85% thereof.
He didn't convince me today to vote for Hillary Clinton, not at all. I have devoted months and thousands of hours to researching and writing about election rigging, vote "flipping," and, what I know the most about, the voter purges in New York State. I wrote a petition on Moveon. Org that almost 7000 people signed, asking the Attorney General of New York, Eric Schneiderman, to go to Federal Court to get an order for a new primary for New York. That was ignored, as were the hundreds of letters to the crusading US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara, asking the same thing. As a last resort, we turned to Bernie's campaign lawyer , Brad Deutsch, sending him several hundred emails from many still devoted to the apparently naive concept that elections should be honest and clean, and those, too, I regret to say, were ignored. We had held out, hoping that either before the convention or at the convention, these grave concerns would be aired, but that is not going to happen, I am sad to say, not by the victim of these stolen elections, anyway, Bernie Sanders himself. Maybe that is what it really boils down to for Bernie: how to help the American people to whom he is so deeply devoted, the voiceless, the poor, and even a few of the disenfranchised, by putting aside personal ambition and going for the greater good.
Maybe even the Republicans and Trump himself will allow all of those rigged primaries to be swept under the rug. Maybe even the Right Wing Radio Talk show hosts will ignore them in toto. Maybe I and those 7000 signers of the moveon.org petition were just too naive and too hopeful that something as unprecedented as a Federal court order for a state primary to be entirely redone, with monitors and safeguards, as if New York had become a Third World nation, could actually happen.
We will have to learn to be silent, but cannot forget what happened, nor should we ever forget this hijacked election that proved so important in the scheme of things. It is like the Emperor's New Clothes, or perhaps more like the DNC ushering all of the lemmings to jump off the cliff.
If Bernie Sanders is not to be the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate, it will be a long drop for all of those lemmings, and we will have 4 or 8 years of Donald Trump. Not only would Hillary lose, but it would be the end of the Democratic Party for decades.
On the other hand, if Bernie were the VP candidate, there would be a coattails effect and many of the Bernie Congressional Candidates would pull through to victory.
I am not a soothsayer, nor an apparatchik, nor a defeatist trying to make the best of a defeat. I know enough about the Senate that I can accurately predict that Sanders would make a brilliant and very active Vice President of the United States. Clinton is a smart woman, and may in due course recognize that her election depends on Bernie Sanders being on the ticket.
If she hasn't by now, her counselors should tell her, and certainly this message should show up in thousands of letters to the editor all over the United States, as the Battle of the Editorial page continues.
Brief History of the US Vice President
Vice Presidents who Became President
John Adams, elected president in 1796, lost reelection in 1800
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Tony Blair and George W. Bush
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It is with an uncanny sense of irony that President Obama announced a slowdown to ending the "war on terror" on the same day former Prime Minister Tony Blair was branded a "war criminal" by members of his own government.1 After a six-year inquiry to examine Britain's role in the invasion of Iraq (commissioned in 2009 by Blair's successor Gordon Brown), its findings were released to the public on July 6th, the same day President Obama declared:
[T]he security situation in Afghanistan remains precarious " Instead of going down to 5,500 troops by the end of this year, the United States will maintain approximately 8,400 troops in Afghanistan into next year, through the end of my administration.2
Titled the Iraq Report, the inquiry includes memos that Tony Blair wrote to George W. Bush prior to the invasion of that country. One, dated the day after the 9/11 attack, shows that Blair encouraged the president to consider regime change in Afghanistan; to employ "war methods" in the days ahead; to "act now and explain and justify" decisions later; to "co-opt the rest of the world" to support U.S. action while it "is in a state of shock" and "feels maximum sympathy;" and to use "the heat of the moment to get maximum support for what [will be] done." 3 Of course within hours of the 9/11 attack the President had already stated to his senior advisors that "We are at war against terror, and from this day forward, this is the new priority of our administration." 4
Exactly one month after September 11, a memo confirms Blair's knowledge of a pending U.S. invasion of Iraq. The Prime Minister assures Bush that while "we need to deal with Saddam " I am sure we can devise a strategy for [him to be] deliverable at a later date." 5 In a December 4th memo the same year, Blair tells Bush that "any link to 11 September and AQ is at best very tenuous"so we need a strategy for regime change that builds over time." To "soften-up" Iraq, Blair advises Bush that "we should mount covert operations." 6 He was apparently unaware that the CIA had convened a "covert Iraqi Operations Group" a month before the 9/11 attack. 7 A July 2002 memo finds Blair telling Bush, "I will be with you whatever "we will need to commit to Iraq for the long term. Bedding down a new regime takes time." 8
It should go without saying that such machinations constitute a war crime. How so? According to the Nuremberg Principles that define war crimes (a document both the United States and Great Britain helped draft in the aftermath of Nazi atrocities), the "Planning, preparation, initiation or waging of a war of aggression" is "a crime against peace" and punishable "under international law." 9, 10 The Nuremberg Principles also state:
Any person who commits an act which constitutes a crime under international law is responsible therefor and liable to punishment. The fact that internal law does not impose a penalty for an act which constitutes a crime under international law does not relieve the person who committed the act from responsibility under international law. The fact that a person who committed an act which constitutes a crime under international law acted as Head of State or responsible Government official does not relieve him from responsibility under international law. 11
To be clear, the United States was not unaware of the consequences of its role in drafting the Nuremberg Principles. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson, chief prosecutor during the Nuremberg Trails from which the principles were taken, stated:
If certain acts of violation of treaties are crimes, they are crimes whether the United States does them or whether Germany does them. And we are not prepared to lay down the rule of criminal conduct against others which we would not be willing to have invoked against us" We must never forget that the record on which we judge these defendants is the record on which history will judge us tomorrow. To pass these defendants a poisoned chalice is to put it to our own lips as well. 12, 13
Once derided by early Americans for having no respect for law, the British have come a long way in producing a report to hold their government responsible for "crimes against peace." How is it, we may ask, that the United States, a nation according to George W. Bush that "has always been guided by a moral compass," has not conducted its own Iraq inquiry? 14 While there is plenty of evidence that pertains to the war's senior architect, of particular interest is the so called Manning Memo detailing a two-hour meeting between Tony Blair and President Bush on January 31, 2003. The memo makes clear that the president intended to invade Iraq regardless of whether weapons of mass destruction were found, and set a date of March 10th to "begin the bombing." Particularly damning is the revelation of his plan to provoke Saddam Hussein into initiating conflict by disguising a U.S. surveillance plane as belonging to the United Nations in hopes that the Iraqi leader would shoot it down. The memo shows the president also entertained an outright assassination, also defined as a war crime in the Nuremberg Principles. 15
President Bush responded to the release of Britain's Iraq Inquiry through a spokesman who stated that the president "continues to believe the whole world is better off without Saddam Hussein in power." 16 Too bad we can't ask the more than 160,000 Iraqi civilians who have died since the invasion to share their thoughts on the matter. 17
Sources
1. Tony Blair is branded a 'war criminal' as Chilcot Report implies Blair took the country to an 'illegal war' : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3677360/Tony-Blair-branded-war-criminal-Chilcot-Report-implies-Blair-took-country-illegal-war.html
4. Karen Hughes remembers the 9/11 terror attacks: http://opinion.foxnews.mobi/quickPage.html?page=34606&content=56269329&pageNum=-1
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(Dr. Stein will host a livestream broadcast on her Facebook page on Tuesday July 12th at 8pm Eastern time on the subject "What's next for our revolution?")
"I join millions of Americans who see Hillary Clinton's campaign as the opposite of what they and Bernie Sanders have fought for. Despite her penchant for flip flopping rhetoric, Hillary Clinton has spent decades consistently serving the causes of Wall Street, war and the Walmart economy.
The policies she fought for - along with her husband and political partner, Bill Clinton - have been foundations of the economic disaster most Americans are still struggling with: the abuses of deregulated Wall Street, rigged corporate trade agreements, racist mass incarceration, and the destruction of the social safety net for poor women and children. The consistent efforts of the Democratic Party to minimize, sideline, and sabotage the Sanders campaign are a wake up call that we can't have a revolutionary campaign inside a counter-revolutionary party.
Sadly, Sanders is one of a long line of true reformers that have been undermined by the Democratic Party. The eventual suppression of the Sanders campaign was virtually guaranteed from the beginning with super-delegates and super Tuesdays, that were created after George McGovern's nomination to prevent grassroots campaigns from winning the nomination again.
Sanders, a life-long independent who has advocated for building an independent democratic socialist party similar to Canada's New Democratic Party, has said that his decision to run as a Democrat was based on pragmatism, but there is nothing pragmatic about supporting a party that for decades has consistently sold out the progressive majority to the billionaire class. This false pragmatism is not the path to revolutionary change but rather an incrementalism that keeps us trapped, voting for lesser evil again and again.
Each time a progressive challenger like Sanders, Dennis Kucinich or Jesse Jackson has inspired hope for real change, the Democratic Party has sabotaged them while marching to the right, becoming more corporatist and militarist with each election cycle.
Millions are realizing that if we want to fix the rigged economy, the rigged racial injustice system, the rigged health care system, toxic fossil fuel energy and all the other systems failing us, we must fix the rigged political system, and that will not happen through the rigged Democratic Party.
Right now we have a real chance to change our rigged political system, and we must not squander this opportunity by pledging allegiance to a corrupt political insider who the majority of Americans do not like, trust or believe in.
What is most disappointing is that Sanders has refused invitations to speak to the Green Party, a truly democratic national party that has long championed the progressive stands that lifted the Sanders campaign to the top of national polls.
Fortunately, this November voters across America will still have the choice to cast a revolutionary vote to cancel student debt, achieve full employment and stop the climate meltdown through a Green New Deal, provide universal healthcare with Medicare for All, provide a welcoming path to citizenship, end mass incarceration and create a foreign policy based on international law and human rights. We need to commit to improving the lives of all Americans, not just the wealthy and special interests.
As the Sanders campaign's dominance of national polls has shown, our positions are shared by a majority of voters, and with the Green Party on the ballot in November the majority can vote for what they want and get it. Together we can beat both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the two most unpopular and least trusted presidential candidates in American history.
I call on the tens of millions inspired by Bernie Sanders' call for political revolution, the 60% of Americans who want a new major party, and the independents who outnumber both Democrats and Republicans to reject the self-defeating strategy of voting for the lesser evil and join our fight for the greater good.
I ask the rising independent majority to demand our inclusion in the Presidential debates, for as Sanders proved, in fair debates we can rally the majority of Americans behind a plan for an America and a world that works for all of us.
I congratulate Bernie Sanders on running an impressive campaign within an undemocratic primary, and I thank Bernie for showing clearly how a grassroots campaign, armed only with a progressive vision and small contributions from real people, can win over the majority of Americans. Let's keep the revolution going and build it into the powerful force for transformative change that it is becoming. Together we are unstoppable."
Reprinted from Consortium News
President Barack Obama walks from Marine One on arrival on the White House's South Lawn, July 5, 2016, a few days before leaving to attend the NATO Summit in Warsaw, Poland.
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It's unnerving to realize that the NATO alliance -- bristling with an unprecedented array of weapons including a vast nuclear arsenal -- has lost its collective mind. Perhaps it's more reassuring to think that NATO simply feels compelled to publicly embrace its deceptive " strategic communications " so gullible Western citizens will be kept believing its lies are truth.
But here were the leaders of major Western "democracies" lining up to endorse a Warsaw Summit Communique condemning "Russia's aggressive actions" while knowing that these claims were unsupported by their own intelligence agencies.
The leaders -- at least the key ones -- know that there is no credible intelligence that Russian President Vladimir Putin provoked the Ukraine crisis in 2014 or that he has any plans to invade the Baltic states, despite the fact that nearly every "important person" in Official Washington and other Western capitals declares the opposite of this to be reality.
But there have been a few moments when the truth has surfaced. For instance, in the days leading up to the just-completed NATO summit in Warsaw, General Petr Pavel, chairman of the NATO Military Committee, divulged that the deployment of NATO military battalions in the Baltic states was a political, rather than military, act.
"It is not the aim of NATO to create a military barrier against broad-scale Russian aggression, because such aggression is not on the agenda and no intelligence assessment suggests such a thing," Pavel told a news conference.
What Pavel blurted out was what I have been told by intelligence sources over the past two-plus years -- that the endless drumbeat of Western media reports about "Russian aggression" results from a clever demonization campaign against Putin and a classic Washington "group think" rather than from a careful intelligence analysis.
Ironically, however, just days after the release of the British Chilcot report documenting how a similar propaganda campaign led the world into the disastrous Iraq War -- with its deadly consequences still reverberating through a destabilized Mideast and into an unnerved Europe -- NATO reenacts the basic failure of that earlier catastrophe, except now upping the ante into a confrontation with nuclear-armed Russia.
The Warsaw communique -- signed by leaders including President Barack Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and British Prime Minister David Cameron -- ignores the reality of what happened in Ukraine in late 2013 and early 2014 and thus generates an inside-out narrative.
Instead of reprising the West's vacuous propaganda themes, Obama and the other leaders could have done something novel and told the truth, but that apparently is outside their operating capabilities. So they all signed on to the dangerous lie.
What Really Happened
The real narrative based on actual facts would have acknowledged that it was the West, not Russia, that instigated the Ukraine crisis by engineering the violent overthrow of elected President Viktor Yanukovych and the imposition of a new Western-oriented regime hostile to Moscow and Ukraine's ethnic Russians.
Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses a crowd on May 9, 2014, celebrating the 69th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany and the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Crimean port city of Sevastopol from the Nazis.
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In late 2013, it was the European Union that was pushing an economic association agreement with Ukraine, which included the International Monetary Fund's demands for imposing harsh austerity on Ukraine's already suffering population. Political and propaganda support for the E.U. plan was financed, in part, by the U.S. government through such agencies as the National Endowment for Democracy and the U.S. Agency for International Development.
When Yanukovych recoiled at the IMF's terms and opted for a more generous $15 billion aid package from Putin, the U.S. government threw its public support behind mass demonstrations aimed at overthrowing Yanukovych and replacing him with a new regime that would sign the E.U. agreement and accept the IMF's demands.
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NYPD'S Cardona Previously Attacked Protesters On Friday a protester on the streets of New York was assaulted in an unprovoked attack by a ranking white-shirted NYPD officer. That officer has now been identified as Deputy Inspector Johnny Cardona. Cardona was previously captured on video in a similar unprovoked and violent attack on a young woman on 9/24 in the incident which precipitated the notorious Pepper-Sprayings. Sunday, October 16, 2011On Friday a protester on the streets of New York was assaulted in an unprovoked attack by a ranking white-shirted NYPD officer. That officer has now been identified as Deputy Inspector Johnny Cardona. Cardona was previously captured on video in a similar unprovoked and violent attack on a young woman on 9/24 in the incident which precipitated the notorious Pepper-Sprayings.
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Anatomy of a Deception: How a Conservative Magazine Attempted to Discredit the Occupy Movement On 10/8 Stop the Machine attempted to protest at the National Air and Space Museum. Shortly after a march of about one hundred protesters arrived at the Museum security guards came out of the front doors and began indiscriminately pepper spraying random individuals. At first it was unclear what provoked this response. It has since been revealed that an editor of the American Spectator had been involved. This analyzes his role. Monday, October 10, 2011On 10/8 Stop the Machine attempted to protest at the National Air and Space Museum. Shortly after a march of about one hundred protesters arrived at the Museum security guards came out of the front doors and began indiscriminately pepper spraying random individuals. At first it was unclear what provoked this response. It has since been revealed that an editor of the American Spectator had been involved. This analyzes his role.
by NW Spotlight
CNN reported yesterday that President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush on Tuesday will speak at an interfaith memorial service in Dallas for five police officers slain late last week, as well as meet with the victims families.
The interfaith memorial service will be held today at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, with the Arlington Police Department providing security for the memorial.
The Hill reported last Friday that former President George W. Bush said in a statement Laura and I are heartbroken by the heinous act of violence in our city last night. Murdering the innocent is always evil, never more so than when the lives taken belong to those who protect our families and communities. Laura and I have seen firsthand the dedication, professionalism and courage of the Dallas Police Department. Their commitment to safety and justice makes us proud to call Dallas home. Our hearts go out to the families of the fallen. We pray for the wounded officers to recover fully and quickly.
For those who are interested, KDFW FOX 4 in Dallas provided a list of ways to donate money to slain and injured officers families.
Banners urging Raheel Sharif to impose martial law
ISLAMABAD/KARACHI/PESHAWAR: A little-known political party of Punjab put up banners in 13 cities across the country on Monday with its leaders urging Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif to impose martial law and form a government of technocrats.
The banners have been put up in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Hyderabad, etc, by the Move on Pakistan party and unlike its earlier campaign requesting the army chief to reconsider his retirement plan due in November the message is quite ominous this time around.
A banner hanging at a traffic intersection on the thoroughfare between Chief Minister House and the Rangers headquarters in Karachi reads: Janay ki baatain hui puraani, Khuda k liye ab ajao (Talks of leaving are now old; for Gods sake now come).
Ali Hashmi, the central chief organiser of the party, told media men that the goal of their campaign was to suggest to the army chief that after imposing martial law a government of technocrats should be made in Pakistan and Gen Raheel should himself supervise it.
While the official mouthpiece of the army the Inter-Services Public Relations remained silent, analyst Amir Rana believed that the latest move strengthened the view that something was cooking up.
Interestingly, the banners sprang up overnight on all major thoroughfares in the 13 cities, even in cantonment areas, despite the presence of several checkpoints and extra security.
Mr Hashmi claimed that his partys banners were removed in Lahore and Faisalabad in the morning.
The Move on Pakistan party which has little grass-root support has been registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan for the past three years and a Faisalabad-based businessman, Mohammad Kamran, is its chairman. He runs a number of schools and businesses in Faisalabad, Sargodha and Lahore.
The party came into the spotlight in February when it put up posters and banners across the country asking the army chief not to retire and help in eradicating terrorism and corruption.
Though five months back the party maintained that it was not inviting the army to take over, this time it said that there is no choice but to enforce martial law and form a government of technocrats.
Mr Hashmi said that the absence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from the country for more than 40 days proved that there was no need of a political government. Those who have been running the country will keep running it.
Regarding his future plans, he said: We have been considering holding rallies from Faisalabad to Lahore and Karachi to Sukkur in the second phase to convince the army chief that he should intervene for the betterment of the country and nation.
Analyst Rana said that there could be some forces behind the persons responsible for the latest campaign.
Some elements always remain ready to find ways to come close to the armed forces and make an alliance with the establishment, he said, adding: Although a change cannot be brought with such moves, it strengthens the doubt that something is going on.
The issue was widely discussed on TV talk shows and on the social media. The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, however, was cautious in making any comment.
At a private TV programme, Minister of State for Privatisation Mohammad Zubair said that the army chief had already expressed his intention that he would not seek an extension in his tenure. He [Gen Raheel] is the head of a great institution. Im sure the person who will replace him will be equally professional and competent.
He said that only legal experts could say what action be taken against those putting up such banners and posters.
Pakistan Peoples Party leader and Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister on Information Maula Bux Chandio said in a press talk that Gen Raheel would take a decision in the best national interest.
He, however, asked the army chief not to pay any heed towards the advice or suggestions of sycophants.
Meanwhile, when asked whether the inscription on the banners amounted to sedition, a Peshawar police official said in a lighter vein that the message on the banners was vague and the organiser of the party might be asking the army chief to come to Peshawar.
Protesters storm military airbase in Indian-held Kashmir
SRINAGAR: Hundreds of protesters tried to storm a military airbase in Indian-held Kashmir on Monday, the third day of deadly clashes between the Indian forces and demonstrators angered by the killing of a popular young separatist.
Police said 30 people had now died in the violence, most of them protesters killed by gunshot wounds as Indian forces fired live ammunition and tear gas to try to enforce a curfew imposed across the Kashmir Valley.
Thousands again defied the curfew to take to the streets on Monday. Police said several hundred protesters tried to storm an Indian Air Force base about 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of the capital Srinagar as the worst civilian unrest since 2010 spread.
"A few hundred protesters stormed the air force base," said a senior officer on condition of anonymity. "We do not know if firearms were used, but the protesters were pushed back," he said, adding there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Protesters also set police stations and vehicles on fire. On Sunday one police officer drowned when his armoured vehicle was pushed into a river.
The demonstrations follow the killing on Friday of Burhan Wani, a 22-year-old commander of Kashmir's largest separatist group Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), during a gun battle with the Indian forces.
HM is one of several homegrown groups that have for decades been fighting around half a million Indian troops deployed in the region, calling for independence or a merger with Pakistan.
Around 300 people have been injured, including nearly 100 police, and hospitals say they are overwhelmed. There were also reports of injured protesters being targeted -- one local doctors' association said Sunday that tear gas canisters had been fired inside a hospital emergency room.
Another group, the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition for Civil Society, alleged that police had attacked ambulances taking the wounded to hospital. The state government has called for calm and has cut off Internet and mobile phone networks to try to stop the protests spreading.
It is the worst civilian violence to hit the restive region since 2010, when mass protests broke out against the Indian occupation of the Muslim state.
New Delhi warned Islamabad late Monday not to meddle in India's "internal matters" after Pakistan accused it of violating human rights in the aftermath of Wani's killing.
"We have seen statements from Pakistan on the situation in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. They reflect Pakistan's continued attachment to terrorism and its usage as an instrument of State policy," an Indian Foreign Ministry statement said.
"Pakistan is advised to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of its neighbours."
On Sunday, Pakistan expressed deep shock at Wani's death. A statement from the prime minister's office condemned the "excessive and unlawful force" used against those protesting the killing, adding: "Oppressive measures such as these cannot deter the valiant people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand for exercising their right to self-determination."
Kashmir has been divided between rivals India and Pakistan since 1947, but both claim the territory in its entirety.
Tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, have died in the fighting since 1989. Violence has sharply declined in recent years following a major crackdown by the hundreds of thousands of Indian forces deployed in the region.
On Monday, separatist leaders said a shutdown protesting Wani's death should be extended by two more days, and called a rally in the main city of Srinagar on Friday. Also Monday, paramilitary troops evacuated 23,000 Hindu pilgrims left stranded after authorities shut the main highway.
The sister of deceased American journalist Marie Colvin has filed a civil lawsuit in U.S. district court in Washington D.C. against the state of Syria, alleging that Colvin was deliberately targeted for extrajudicial killing by the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The 2012 artillery attack on a media center in Homs killed Colvin, 56, and French photographer Remi Ochlik, 28, and injured British photographer Paul Conroy, who was working with Colvin, and French journalist Edith Bouvier.
According to the lawsuit, the Assad regime received tips from intelligence sources in Lebanon that Colvin and other foreign journalists were traveling to Syria through Lebanon and reporting from the Baba Amr Media Center [in Homs]. Acting on these tips, senior members of the Assad regime formed a plan to intercept the journalists communications, track their movement to locate the Media Center, and kill the journalists with artillery fire.
In an interview with the Washington Post, Conroy recalls the day that the Syrian militarys indiscriminate shelling of Homs evolved into an attack that targeted the journalists at and the Media Center in the citys Baba Amr neighborhood. According to Conroy, nothing about the Syrian armys shelling up to that point had indicated that they were targeting anything in particular. The idea seemed to be doing as much damage, and it was random.
On the morning of Feb. 22, 2012, however, Conroy, who says he served as an artilleryman in the British military before becoming a photographer, noted that the Syrians began targeting the media center building. In many ways, it was perfect artillery work, he told the Post. That was my major response, even before they hit us, was that these were professional gunners who knew exactly what they were doing. There was nothing random about that attack.
Conroy says he hopes the lawsuit will focus attention back on al-Assads regime. Ask the world to sit and look when were desperately seeking answers to Syria. Five years this has been going on. When I was there, 8,000 people were dead. Its getting to over half a million now.
Read Conroys full account of his time working with Colvin here.
Related: Photographer Remi Ochlik Killed in Homs, Syria
Photographer William Daniels, Edith Bouvier Safe in Lebanon
Were Journalists in Homs Targeted for Bombing?
KOJO Bonsu, the embattled Mayor of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, will have to slaughter three white sheep with schnapps, when he faces the Kumasi Traditional Council and the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu ll, tomorrow a sign of appeasement before his apology to the council would be considered the daily statesman has learnt.
He has also been asked to appear personally during tomorrows meeting of the Kumasi traditional Council, or risk the opportunity of his apology over being accepted.
The Mayors apology comes on the heels of recent reunification by the Kumasi Traditional Council after the council members raised concerns over certain distasteful developments in the metropolis.
The Asanteman Council last week demanded of President John Mahama to immediately remove the Chief Executive Officer of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly for his gross insubordination ever since he took over the position.
The Council at a meeting at Manhyia insisted that the president relieved Kojo Bonsu of his post as it could no longer accommodate the disrespect meted out to them by the Mayor.
The call followed the alleged removal of the Kumasi Traditional Councils representative on the committee supervising the ongoing Kejetia market project by Mr. Bonsu.
Kojo Bonsu is also reported to have defied a request to appear before the council following the removal of their representative.
The Manhyia Palace earlier severed ties with the Kumasi mayor, it was the decision to unilaterally remove the Otumfours representative is a show of impudence and an act of disrespect to otoumfour Osei Tutu.
And Asanteman, in demonstrating its level of annoyance over the lack of respect to the Great King, last week Thursday slaughtered a sheep and summoned the KMA Boss to appear before it to answer certain queries against him.
Instead, the Mayor was represented by the Ashanti Regional Minister at the meeting, something the council considers disrespectful.
Sensing danger and the level of anger in the eyes of the council members, Kojo Bonsu has in a letter apologizing to the council.
Parts of his apology letter read: I have taken notice of concerns raised by Nananom of the Kumasi Traditional Council over recent developments in the metropolis. I wish to render an unqualified apology to Asantehene Otumfour Osei Tutu II and Nananom for any actions and inactions on my part, which may have incurred their displeasure.
According to him, since assuming office as the Metropolitan Chief Executive Kumasi, he has enjoyed tremendous support and cooperation from Nananom, and had together developed a healthy working relationship as stakeholders in the collective pursuit of the development, peace and progress of the Kumasi Metropolis.
Source: Daily Statesman
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has failed to find solutions to certain important concerns, which raises doubts about its commitment and readiness for this years elections, Campaign Manager of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Peter Mac Manu has stated.
C.I.75 is in the offing, which is regulations on elections, that is on the table for amendment; when is it going to mature so that it can take effect for the upcoming elections looking at the date? And that even when the amendment is passed by Parliament, you will still need a C.I., which will also take another 21 days. Are we ready for that? he queried.
He made the comments at a public forum organised by the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee of Parliament on the Constitutional Amendment Bill in Accra.
The programme, which was held on Monday July 11, was organised to solicit public input after the EC activated legislative instruments, which are meant to allow it to organise elections on the first Monday of every November in an election year instead of the December 7.
The NPP also raised concerns about funding for the commission to enable it procure all the necessary logistics for successful polls.
Meanwhile, the General Secretary of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, who represented his party at the forum, said he had no objections to the decision of the committee and parliament, since a change in date will not grant undue advantage to any party.
For his part, the President of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA), Affail Monney, called for the protection of journalists, who cover events during elections.
Other political parties, civil society groups, religious bodies and members of the public were given the opportunity to also make contributions. They are were in agreement with the proposed change in date.
Source: Classfmonline
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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The Syrian government has besieged Madaya a small town controlled by opposition forces an hours drive from Damascus trapping residents inside without access to supplies, food, or services outside the town since July 2015, in violation of international humanitarian law.
During the governments siege, Madayas 40,000 residents roughly four times the towns original population have been surrounded by landmines, checkpoints, and snipers, forced to survive on the meager supplies and services available inside the towns narrow boundaries. With inadequate food stores and medical care, they have suffered from starvation and malnutrition, and succumbed to disease, traumatic injury, and other life-threatening conditions.
Through May, at least 86 people have perished from siege-related causes since the siege on Madaya began 65 from malnutrition and starvation, 14 from landmines, six from snipers, and one from a chronic health condition Almost all 86 could have been saved if they had had access to food, medication, medical equipment, and medical treatment by specialized health workers. But there is grossly insufficient food, medicine, and medical equipment in Madaya and two dentistry students and a veterinarian are left to care for the towns 40,000 residents. The lives of Madayas remaining residents hang in the balance, with hundreds suffering the untreated effects of malnutrition, chronic health conditions, infectious diseases, and traumatic injuries.
Physicians for Human Rights and the Syrian American Medical Society demand that all warring parties in Syria immediately end their deliberate starvation of civilians and blocking of humanitarian aid. Members of the UN Security Council and the International Syria Support Group must demand and guarantee freedom of movement and unimpeded and constant access to all needed humanitarian aid and commercial access for Syrias besieged population, from food to medical supplies to life-saving services. World leaders must support humanitarian agencies in pursuing every means possible including airdrops to deliver life-saving aid and services to everyone in need. Each additional day under siege causes untold suffering to more than one million Syrians and brings them one day closer to death.
Hyperwallet Expands Developer Toolkit with New API Functionality and SDKs
Added development features and functionality signal Hyperwallets long-term commitment to back-end integration.
San Francisco, California Hyperwallet, a top global payouts provider to the new economy, revealed today that its REST payout API have moved from public beta to full public availability. The announcement coincides with the launch of new Hyperwallet developer features, including software development kits (SDKs), additional API calls, and a bolstered self-serve developer portal. Hyperwallet has indicated that these new tools are intended to further expand API functionality and streamline the development process.
Hyperwallets SDKs will be released in the Java, PHP, and Node programming languages, allowing for maximum compatibility and a streamlined API integration process. Hyperwallet has also enabled account balance and transaction API calls, providing clients with more robust payout functionality. The expansion of the developer portal includes additional step-by-step tutorials and extended documentation. Hyperwallet also revealed that it is implementing a webhook framework and prepaid card API calls for release this fall, indicating that these latest features will be the first in a long line of updates to the platforms developer tools.
Whether were talking about ecommerce, gig platforms, or digital marketplaces, today there is a tremendous demand for flexible and unobtrusive integration options, said Brent Warrington, Hyperwallets CEO. Going forward, Hyperwallet will continue to expand our developer tools to facilitate more seamless and functional payout integrations for our clients.
Hyperwallet will be showcasing its new developer toolkit at FinDEVr Silicon Valley in October later this year. CMS Wire named Hyperwallet one of their Six Young Companies to Watch following the fourth annual DeveloperWeek last February.
For more information, please contact .
About Hyperwallet
Hyperwallet is a purpose-built payout platform that provides growing organizations with a frictionless, transparent, and reliable way to manage payments and enhance the payees experience anywhere in the world. Trusted by enterprise, ecommerce, and on-demand platforms, Hyperwallets advanced payment architecture unifies fragmented financial infrastructure in a singular environment. Put your payees in control of their earnings with enhanced financial management tools, integrated payment tracking technology, and payment choice. Hyperwallet has offices in San Francisco, Austin, and Vancouver. You can learn more at http://hyperwallet.com.
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States are keeping the Common Core standards but dropping the tests that were designed based upon them, according to an analysis by Education Next magazine.
A total of 45 states and Washington, D.C. had signed onto the standards by 2011 and joined one or both of two consortia that had been set up to design tests based on the standards. Advocates at the time wanted to have the same tests, so they could compare student results from state to state.
However, there was a backlash against the standards, according to the article by Ashley Jochim of the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) and Patrick McGuinn of Drew University.
Among the political pressures during this time were concerns from parents that the tests were too long and there was too much teaching in the test. Many states also rolled out new teacher evaluation systems that tied student test results to teachers scores, which prompted an outcry from educators and union officials.
Now, 38 states including New York have dropped out of one or both of the consortia and decided to design their own exams instead of a common one. Only 20 states are still using participating.
New York has contracted with a new test vendor Questar Inc. to design new tests.
When Glens Falls Police officers arrived at the 70 Dix Avenue home of Kevin J. Jenks on Thursday afternoon, they were fairly certain a crime occurred.
Jenks was dead in the home, though police have yet to say where he was found. The home had been ransacked, valuables were missing and his prized Cadillac sedan was unaccounted for.
Police and emergency medical technicians could see no obvious injuries on Jenks. So the death didn't strike them at first as an obvious homicide. Still, someone had been in the home and stolen thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, electronics and personal belongings.
Did the thefts occur before, during or after Jenks' death, and how did he die?
As they awaited an autopsy, Glens Falls Police investigators began talking to relatives and friends of Jenks. When did they last see him? Had they known him to have any plans Wednesday night? His cellphone yielded clues about who he had been talking to in the days before his death.
Jenks was known to loan his vehicles to others, so the missing car wasn't necessarily viewed as having been stolen. Police had an all-points bulletin issued for the car nonetheless, even before they got autopsy results back around mid-afternoon Friday.
When police learned Friday that Jenks had in fact been killed, the full-court press began. The State Police Major Crimes Unit was brought in, Hudson Falls Police pitched in, and less than 15 hours later the car was recovered and the first of two suspects was in custody.
It seems the two men who have been charged didn't make it exceedingly difficult for police to link them to Jenks.
Phone records led police to them, and investigators recovered much of what was stolen from Jenks, which will help link the suspects to the home.
Who had it and where it was hasn't been released publicly, but State Police in central New York have been backtracking the items since Friday night.
Sadly, a man who was known for his giving spirit and a willingness to help others apparently had helped the wrong person at some point years earlier.
The evidence seems to show the suspect who police said knew Jenks, a career criminal named Robert M. Henry, repaid him for a friendship started years ago with a plan to rip him off that ended with unspeakable violence.
And a world that it seems can't spare any more good people lost another one.
-- Don Lehman
SARATOGA SPRINGS Tim Reed, owner of Reeds, a shop for locally sourced, handmade goods located at 18 Echange St. in Glens Falls, has opened a pop-up store at 24 Caroline St. in Saratoga Springs.
The store, called Rov and Reeds, sells rugs, textiles, pillows and baskets imported from Morocco, Nepal, India, Myanmar and other areas of Southeast Asia. The store also sells items made by Reed, including repurposed industrial furniture and lighting, as well as oil paintings. Other items include leather and canvas totes, bags and journals, woodworking and equestrian sculptures, Reed said.
Editors note: This is part two of a three-part series on the Amish community in Whitehall and Hampton. It was sensitively reported and photographed, keeping in mind that Amish people generally avoid media interviews and shun photographs for religious reasons. All photos were taken from public roadways and attempted to avoid faces. The few Amish individuals interviewed were told it was for stories on them and their new community and agreed to talk without the use of names.
They all wear the same style clothes and hats. They use no electricity, use horses and buggies to get around instead of cars, outhouses instead of indoor toilets, and they farm the land as farmers did long before the tractor.
But why?
Why do the estimated 200 Amish residents on 16 farms in Whitehall and Hampton shun modern technology in favor of tradition and a simpler life?
Experts say the Amish lifestyle is rooted in both tradition and in strict adherence to the Bible. And the rules governing each Amish settlement are spelled out in what they called the Ordnung, which may vary from group to group.
They want to live a scriptural life. They want to follow Christs example, said Karen Johnson-Weiner, a SUNY Potsdam professor who has written extensively on the Amish, including in a book, New York Amish: Life in the Plain Communities of the Empire State.
She said the Ordnung contains rules and traditions that were decided upon by good church members over generations. Although the Ordnung can flex, she said, many principles governing the lives of the Amish have remained in place for many years.
Theres not a scriptural reason why they dont drive cars or buy a smart phone, but over the years theres an understanding that these kinds of things will have an impact on the community and it will make it much harder to follow Christs example, she said.
Edsel Burdge, research associate for the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania, said the Amish are Christian people who apply the biblical principle of separation from the world regarding clothes, technology, transportation and leisure.
Burdge said the Whitehall Amish are a daughter settlement of the Amish community in Fort Plain, New York, which was a sub-group of the New Wilmington, Pennsylvania Amish.
This New Wilmington group tends to be more conservative and to focus on farming compared to the well-known Lancaster, Pennsylvania Amish, where tourism now is king.
But many of the rules governing their lives are the same, he said.
Their attitude toward photographs and media attention is an example, he said. The Bible states that Thou shalt not make unto thyself a graven image, and the Amish translate that to include photographs, which is why they prefer not to be photographed, Burdge said.
But their lack of interest in media attention stems more from their desire for a humble, communal lifestyle, he said.
They place a strong emphasis on humility and not being singled out individually, he said.
The women
Amish men are the decision-makers in their communities. They serve on the school board that governs their one-room schoolhouses, and they decide when barns and homes are built.
If you buy items at a stand when both the husband and wife are present, he will likely be the one talking to you.
But Amish women are not marginalized in their society, said Johnson-Weiner, who is working on a book about Amish women and who said she has several Amish women friends.
Despite public appearances, she said the relationship between Amish husbands and wives is a true partnership.
One Amish man told me, I wear the pants in the family, but my wife tells me which ones to put on, she said, adding that she has retold that story to Amish residents and gotten lots of laughs.
She said both husband and wife are scripturally obligated to serve each other, and though the men are seen as the speakers and decision-makers, the women are often behind the decisions being made.
I had someone on a school board tell me they voted on something and then they went home and talked to their wife and came back and did what they were supposed to, she said. Often, the Amish man is the face of the Amish to the outside world and is considered head of the family, but he has a scriptural responsibility to her and to listen to her, and they consider things together.
Schooling, beards, church and technology
Amish children go to school through the eighth grade. The belief is that by the time they hit that level, theyve had enough formal education to allow them to function in their community and its time for vocational skills to take over so they can prosper on the farm, Burdge said.
Theyre essentially getting the three Rs, probably not a lot of science, Burdge said. But youre going to have very few Amish leaving school who cant read and do arithmetic and thats not true with public schools.
Hampton Supervisor Dave OBrien said he often sees Amish children near him walking six miles to school each day on county Route 18.
You ask them if they want a ride and they say, No, we like to walk, he said.
Ruth Scribner, wife of former Whitehall Supervisor Vernon Scribner, whose farm neighbors an Amish farm, said one of her neighbor girls is a voracious reader. She said she supplies the 18-year-old with newspapers to read and loves chatting with her about news.
She goes through every one I bring, Scribner said. One day I saw her and she said, I have a surprise for you! She had found two clippings about me and was so proud.
The traditional Amish beards without mustaches, according to Burdge, are a sign that a man is married. Sometimes, he said, the facial hair can start in the days leading up to a wedding, but generally a beard on an Amish man means he has already wed.
And although the Amish are very religious, they dont worship in churches. Church services are held in homes every other week. And to be chosen to host the church service is a big deal, Burdge said.
It will involve a major cleaning and maybe even painting, he said.
Both Burdge and Johnson-Weiner said the Amish arent anti-technology. In fact, a tour of Amish farms in Whitehall reveals gas-powered sawmills and gas-powered wringer washing machines. They will also accept rides in cars and will use a neighbors phone or chainsaw and will always want to pay the neighbor who helped them.
The Ordnung simply prohibits ownership of these items, and Burdge said the steel-wheeled buggy mandate has another purpose. Being restricted to travel by horse and buggy means less access to the outside world and its pressures and temptations, he said.
They dont say cars are wrong, they say the horse and buggy helps maintain the community, he said.
The same with computers, smart phones, televisions, radios and power tools, he said.
They think about and see how these things can tear down a community, he said. They think about the implications technology might have on them.
And although the Amish do pay sales tax on items they sell, school tax for schools their kids dont attend and property taxes, they dont pay Social Security taxes nor do they collect benefits. They also dont have to abide by local codes that would alter their religious freedom by dictating how they live and are not required to have insurance of any kind.
They believe its their responsibility to take care of their people, he said. And ultimately they feel they should be depending on God, not the government.
In Whitehall Town Hall hangs a two-page letter from the town attorney, essentially spelling out that the town legally cant tread on the religious rights and beliefs of the Amish community when it comes to code issues like indoor plumbing and smoke detector use.
When dealing with specific enforcement issues with the Amish, the town will need to consider if enforcement of the law can be done in such a way that limits or narrows infringement upon Amish beliefs, the letter reads.
Normal people
But despite all those differences, there are a lot of similarities between the Amish residents and the rest of the towns residents.
One Amish farmer on county Route 11 seemed a little perplexed that a reporter was standing in his shed, surrounded by bent hickory chairs and tables and stacks of saplings in the background to make more, asking questions.
But he was cordial and the conversation moved from the $150 chairs, to the sheds his sons were building, to Danby, the town in Vermont where he bought the silo that had to be dismantled, moved and rebuilt on his farm.
He spoke about high taxes and about building a new house, but he also seemed to want to dispel any notions that the Amish are different from the rest of the community.
Were just ordinary people, he said.
And thats a message Ruth Scribner wanted to convey, too, as she told a story about a funny encounter with a neighbor boy. She was in her car and he was on his horse-powered buggy when he threw out a challenge to Miss Ruth.
You wanna race? he said to her with a smile.
I got more horses than you do, she replied with a just-as-big smile.
Scribner said her new Amish neighbors are extremely friendly and helpful. When she recently broke her neck in a car accident and was recuperating at home, she said the Amish women, men and children were stopping by to check on her to make sure she was OK.
Theyre very good neighbors, she said. I go to visit them and I call their kids my kids. Theyre growing up right in front of me.
Burdge, too, stressed that the Amish like to laugh as much as anyone.
Sylvia married Ronald McCullen. Together they had many happy years. They loved camping and riding scooters. She was an avid fisherman. They like Sunday rides together through the countryside. Sylvia enjoyed doing craft projects, plastic canvas, wood cutouts and many other things. She and Ron also like tackling numerous remodeling projects throughout the years, and in many different homes. You could always count on a hand or two of cards in an evening at the McCullen home, favorites being pitch and King Pede. Sylvia fed the birds and looked forward to watching their antics and the various species that visited her at the birdfeeders. The children reminisced about their parents forays into computers. Though they always said they didnt want one or to learn how to use it, eventually they did. Then they needed two, one for each. They could be found in the living room, each on their own computer, competing against each other at games. Her son, Ronald, got her caught up in the NASCAR web, where she became a fan of Dale Jr. Ronald and Sylvia took trips to Disney World and Disney Land, along with the San Diego Zoo. They were their most favorite trips.
GRANVILLE -- The Granville volunteer firefighter who was arrested last week for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old girl he met at the fire station was arrested Tuesday on charges that accuse him of having sex with a second 15-year-old girl, police said.
Justin Martindale, 26, is also accused of sending "indecent photos" to the second girl through online social media, according to Washington County Sheriff Jeff Murphy. He faces additional felony charges of third-degree rape and disseminating indecent material to a minor and a misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a child, police said. Martindale was charged with third-degree rape in connection with the first girl's allegations last week.
Martindale was a firefighter with Granville Hook & Ladder Co., and met the girls at dances for teens that the fire company held at its station on Quaker Street.
The second girl came forward in recent days after learning of Martindale's arrest last week. The Sheriff's Office said he met her while serving as a volunteer chaperone at dances, and was accused of having sex with her at a location in the town of Granville in May.
He is not accused of physically forcing either girl to have sex, but both are too young to legally consent to sexual relations. The state's age of consent is 17.
Sheriff's Senior Investigator Tony LeClaire said Martindale is believed to have sent picture of his genitals to the second girl, and police believe he may have done the same with the first girl. Cellphones were being analyzed as part of the investigation, he said.
Disseminating indecent material to a minor is punishable by up to 7 years in state prison. A conviction on a third-degree rape charge can bring a sentence of up to 4 years.
Martindale was arraigned Tuesday and sent back to Washington County Jail, where he has been held since Thursday night, for lack of bail.
Dan McClenning, chief of Granville Hook & Ladder Co., would not discuss the matter when reached by phone Tuesday afternoon.
The arrest was made by sheriff's Investigator Matt Lohret. Police said they are looking into whether there are additional victims, and asked that anyone with information in the case call them at 747-4623.
"He (Lohret) is working on some leads with some other girls to figure out if there was something going on with them too," LeClaire said.
GLENS FALLS A Warren County grand jury will decide Friday whether to indict two suspects in the murder of Glens Falls resident Kevin J. Jenks, as prosecutors are hoping to have an indictment in hand before evidentiary hearings scheduled for late Friday morning.
The Warren County grand jury will hear evidence against suspects Kevin S. Chapman and Robert M. Henry on Friday morning in the July 6 choking death of Jenks in his Dix Avenue home. The two men, who lived in a motel in Ilion, went to Jenks home with the intent of stealing from him, but the visit ended with Jenks dead and the two suspects being arrested in central New York late Friday and Saturday.
Both face second-degree murder charges, while Henry, 45, was also charged with first-degree robbery, which accuses him of stealing property from another person by force. Chapman, 49, was also charged with first-degree burglary.
The two men were in Glens Falls City Court on Tuesday for arraignment before Judge Gary Hobbs. The judge set preliminary hearings for Friday at 11 a.m. for Henry and noon for Chapman. Neither man spoke to the judge.
The two defendants are entitled to have preliminary hearings within 144 hours of arrest on a felony charge when they are jailed. At a preliminary hearing, prosecutors have to present evidence to convince a judge to continue to hold the defendants in jail, pending further court action.
Police and prosecutors who would rather not expose evidence to defense lawyers before they are required to try to avoid having those hearings. So the district attorneys office will hope to have an indictment in hand before 11 a.m. Friday.
Henrys lawyer, Tucker Stanclift, questioned whether his client was entitled to a preliminary hearing before Friday morning, based on court records that show he was picked up for questioning on Saturday. He said it was unclear exactly when his client was actually arrested.
Indictments would result in the case being transferred to Warren County Court, where a trial could be held later this year.
Both defendants cooperated with police, but have blamed each other for strangling Jenks. Police believe Chapman, who did not know Jenks, likely killed him, based on the evidence in the case.
Stanclift said he has not been told whether his client is accused of inflicting the fatal injuries.
Its not clear to me who the government claims was responsible, Stanclift said.
Chapmans lawyer, Gregory Teresi, had no comment on the case Monday.
Police believe Henry had arranged to meet with the 58-year-old Jenks, who he had known for years, with the intent of stealing from him. Both men have extensive theft-related criminal records that include multiple felony convictions.
Funeral services are set for Jenks at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Sullivan Minahan Potter Funeral Home on Bay Road in Queensbury. Calling hours were set from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Jenks former co-workers at C.R. Bard on Bay Road plan to line the road in support of him Friday morning as the funeral procession passes by on its way to Glens Falls Cemetery.
CAMBRIDGE The schedule for the village's sesquicentennial celebration on Saturday includes a parade, music and food.
The Fire Department celebration begins with a parade at 10 a.m., with float awards following at Durrin Park. Beginning at noon and running until 2 p.m., the Fire Department will host events at the school, while Durrin Park hosts food vendors, music and Argyle Brewing.
The Main Street Block Party is scheduled from 2 to 6 p.m. and will feature food vendors on Broad Street as well as childrens activities in Rail Road Park, music and a picnic on Main Street, and various vendors up and down Yellow Brick Path at Rail Road Park. Round House Cafe will be open.
An evening dance will be held at Durrin Park with the band Thirsty. Fireworks are at 10 p.m. During this time, Main Street will be closed at St. Lukes Place to Washington Street.
Municipal parking will be available on Washington Street, and Broad Street will be accessible from Spring Street. Handicapped-accessible restrooms will be available throughout the celebration on Main Street and at Durrin Park.
Those interested in learning more about the schedule of events or the celebration itself can visit the parade section of the official Cambridge, New York, government site, https://parade.cambridgeny.gov.
State officials announced Tuesday that the Washington County Soil & Water Conservation District will receive more than $1.7 million in state funding to address farm pollution in the Hudson River, Lake Champlain and Batten Kill watersheds.
The district will receive $1,733,254 as part of $13.1 million dedicated statewide for 42 projects on 120 farms to address water quality challenges stemming from farms on or near waterways.
The projects will address pollution, erosion and sediment deposits that affect nearby streams, rivers and a canal. Washington Countys agency got the highest funding amount of any of the 25 soil and water conservation districts that received money from the state in this round.
Washington County Soil & Water Conservation District will pursue three projects on five farms to address water quality issues singled out for funding.
The state didnt publicly identify the farms or say in which towns they are located, but indicated that one farm is in the Batten Kill/White Creek watershed, two farms are near the Hudson River and two are near the Champlain Canal. The Batten Kill project will cost $757,691, the Hudson River project $670,928 and the Champlain work $304,635.
These systems will keep nutrients and other pollutants out of the watershed while helping the farm remain economically viable, the governors office announced.
Corinna Aldrich, district manager for Washington County Soil & Water Conservation District, would not identify the farms involved or say in which towns they are located, pending notification of the farmers involved. The timetable for the projects was not available Tuesday.
Its great we were able to get this funding to help water quality, she said.
The funding will allow the soil and water conservation district to install drainage systems and protection to stop runoff, treat silage leachate, protect from heavy livestock use on streambanks and plant trees and plants to stop erosion.
The district also received $404,590 in state funding earlier this year for work on a farm in Cambridge to improve water quality in the Hoosic River watershed.
The Essex County Soil & Water Conservation District was the only other agency to receive funding for the agricultural improvements announced Tuesday. It will receive $167,901 for a project to address waste runoff from a farm into Lake Champlain. That project will include installing a waste composting system on an unspecified farm.
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The workers grinded domestic flights across the country to a halt when they embarked on a strike action to press home demands for all the release of the 640 acres of land belonging to the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority but has been taken over by government.
READ MORE: Ghana Civil Aviation Striking GCAA workers halt domestic flights
Just as they turned down an offer of a 20-acre land from government on Saturday, reports say the leadership of the aggrieved workers again refused a 40-acre land offered by government, leading to breakdown in talks with the Chief of Staff on Monday.
Spokesperson of the GCAA staff, Michael Atiemo made it clear in an interview with Pulse.com.gh that they would not accept any offer less than the 640 acres of land belonging to the Authority.
We told the Chief of Staff even before the meeting that we will not accept anything less than the 640 acres of land belonging to the authority.
The Chief of Staff, whose intervention led to the resumption of domestic flight on Saturday afternoon, called the meeting to find an end to the impasse.
However, the meeting with the Chief of Staff ended inconclusively.
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources offered the authority 20 acres of land out of 640 acres of land at the La Nkwantanan near Adenta but the workers rejected the offer.
Spokesperson for the workers, William Amoako, in an interview with Joy FM said It is our desire to have the whole land because we have a land use plan for every piece of the land.
He said they cannot guarantee smooth operations of domestic flights until their demands are met.
Asked if this could extend to international airline operators, Amoako said yes, adding that there is even a possibility of extending it to departures and arrivals.
Domestic airlines are reeling from Saturday strike action by the traffic controllers at the Kotoka International Airport.
The CEO of Starbow, James Eric Antwi, lamented about the impact of the strike action in an interview with Accra based Citi FM. According to him, he recorded losses of almost GHC150,000 due to the strike action.
Antwi said: "We cancelled three flights. These included flights to Takoradi and Kumasi. Well, if you talk in terms of money, it will cost between GHC120,000 to GHC150,000... so in terms of money and inconveniences, it's been very bad."
Ground Operations Manager at Africa World Airlines (AWA), Rainer Yeboah also said they had to refund money to passengers they could not fly.
"We had to refund monies to some passengers. Some customers were asking why we couldn't fly them to their respective destinations, which of course was also beyond our control," Ms Yeboah said.
While the country's Constitution mandates governments to work towards making education free for citizens, the parties have proposed differing strategies towards achieving this.
It was the biggest bone of contention during the 2012 campaign season. While the NPP proposed free senior high school education for all, President Mahama argued against a blanket implementation. On the contrary, he promised to build 200 community day schools towards making secondary school education 'progressively free'.
Many educators have waded into the debate over the years and the latest to do so is Patrick Awuah Jr, the founder and president of Ashesi University; one of Ghana's leading private higher education institutions.
In an interview on the Ghana Report show this week, he was asked by an audience member about his thoughts on the controversial policy and his response appears to endorse some aspects of the way President Mahama is taking education.
"The way you do progressively free in my view is to build more schools and as you build more schools, you lower the price steadily. So you have supply going up and price dropping and by the time the price is zero, there are enough seats for everybody. If you set it to zero before you have enough seats, there is going to be two possible outcomes.
[First] is, you overcrowd the classrooms and the second is, you leave it the way it is, but even though it is free, it is still competitive to get in and the people who are going to get in are the middle class and the wealthy from private primary schools. So you would have just made education free for people who could have afforded it.
President Mahama in 2014, in an address to Parliament, announced that his government would be making education free for senior high school students.
After nearly four years in office, less than 10 percent of the schools that were promised have been completed. Many are still under construction.
Last month, Mahama announced that students in the boarding school system would from August benefit from the Free SHS policy. This comes after those in the day school system had been attending for free for a year.
However, Patrick Awuah does not believe this is the way to go.
"I think we need to be very practical, very pragmatic about education. We should take the view that this is where we are and this is where we want to be. And then we take steps every year to get there. [But] when we try to do everything as one, and you dont implement it well and it is very difficult to implement it all at once. Then you have problems. And right now, we have a problem."
In what Awuah describes as a stepwise approach; he proposed what he believes the free SHS should look like.
[We should build] community day schools and we are going to build it in rural areas; near where the kids live. And the kids who go to those community schools are going to go for free. The kids that go to the national schools like Achimota and Wesley Girls will pay for it.
That is a stepwise approach where you have made sure that you are not giving free education to people who could afford it but you have also made sure you are very targeted in making it free for the people who need it and made sure that those people actually have the seats and that they have teachers there that are going to teach them.
The opposition NPP has accused the government of bad mouthing the policy for votes only to steal it when they assumed office. The NPP has also accused the government of not implementing the policy well and has promised to revive and truly implement the Free SHS policy for the benefit of all Ghanaians."
It appears, free education will continue on as a major campaign point four years after it divided the country.
It applies to banks, specialized deposit-taking institutions, financial holding companies and affiliates of banks.
The new bill follows the passage of the Deposit Protection Bill to protect the savings of depositors and also promote confidence in the financial system.
READ MORE: Deposit Protection Bill passed by parliament
The bill highlighted the Bank of Ghana the sole regulator charged with financial regulations in the banking sector.
In addition, the bill also consolidated all laws covering the regulations of institutions involved in Deposit talking business.
A Member of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Benjamin Kpodo outlined the difference between the Depositors Protection Bill and the Bank and Specialized Deposit-Taking Bill.
He said:one creates the insurance scheme-the other one seeks to regulate how they operate-licensing, reporting, their relationship with the Bank of Ghana.
Kpodo also urged banks to cooperate with the new regulations.
Highlight of the Bill
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The President has 10 days after the date of the receipt of the letter to give his response, sources at CHRAJ told the Daily Graphic.
The letter, dated July 7, 2016, is in line with the (Investigations Procedure) Regulations, 2010 (CI) 67.
Many anti-corruption campaigners slammed the president for what they describe as his disregard for the guidelines on conflict of interest in accepting the vehicle gift.
However, Government in a statement issued by Communications Minister, Edward Omane Boamah said even though the car was received, it had nothing to do with the contract awarded.
President John Mahama subsequentlyrubbished corruption allegations against him, saying such claims are baseless.
He also indicated that he is aware that some Ghanaians have petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), over the matter, and he will respond to it soon.
People should also expect the Peace Council, Christian Council and other civil society organisations to come out with a lot of calls for peace and calm over the next few months.
This is the time politicians make very passionate and insightful statements many people consider will disturb the peace in the country, but executive director for (WANEP) Chukwemeka Eze thinks otherwise.
READ ALSO: Ministerial Appointment
To him
The faculty member of the West Africa Peacebuilding and Institute and Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Centre, who has also served as the programme director at the Regional office for five years and national network coordinator for Nigeria for seven years says Ghanaians are beyond the point where they will allow themselves to be influenced by politicians.
READ ALSO: Ford Gift Saga
One of the sub chiefs in Kumasi Otumfuo Asafohene Baffour Achemfuor Akowua told Kumasi-based Ultimate FM that government must heed their calls and replace Mr. Bonsu before next week.
The ultimatum comes on the back of an apology letter by Kojo Bonsu to the Kumasi Traditional Council after he allegedly took a unilateral decision to remove Amoamanhene, Nana Agyenim Boateng from the Kejetia Market project board without informing the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
In his apology letter, the KMA boss said: I wish to render an unqualified apology to Asantehene Otumfour Osei Tutu II and Nananom for any actions and inactions on my part, which may have incurred their displeasure.
Meanwhile, the Ashanti regional minister John Akon has said that the Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Kojo Bonsu is still at post.
According to them, President Mahama must intervene and not allow chiefs to meddle in politics.
Background
The Manhyia Palace has given government a one-week ultimatum to remove the embattled Mayor of Kumasi Kojo Bonsu from office or face its wrath.
At an emergency meeting by the Kumasi Traditional Council on Monday, the chiefs unanimously stated that they can no longer work with the KMA boss and are therefore calling on government to sack him.
The ultimatum comes on the back of an apology letter by Kojo Bonsu to the Kumasi Traditional Council after he allegedly took a unilateral decision to remove Amoamanhene, Nana Agyenim Boateng from the Kejetia Market project board without informing the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
In his apology letter, the KMA boss said: I wish to render an unqualified apology to Asantehene Otumfour Osei Tutu II and Nananom for any actions and inactions on my part, which may have incurred their displeasure.
Meanwhile, the Ashanti regional minister John Akon has said that the Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Kojo Bonsu is still at post.
In all humility, I am grateful to his Excellency the President. There is no greater service than the service to your country and people, he said.
If approved by parliament, he will work under Foreign Affairs minister Hanna Tetteh.
Read also:Nii Lante Vanderpuye
Emmanuel Bombande wrote on his Facebook page, I just came out of a meeting assisting my Boss the Special Representative of the Secretary General and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel as he presented and briefed the Security Council on the Secretary Generals Report on West Africa and the Sahel.
I followed the news from back home of His Excellency President John Mahamas nomination of my humble self to serve in his Administration and assist his Foreign Minister as her Deputy Foreign Minister. In all humility, I am grateful to his Excellency the President.
There is no greater service than the service to your country and people. I am grateful His Excellency has called me to Public Service. When the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces calls you to service, you respond.
I am responding with much appreciation and humility. Grateful that I can assist you and your Government with all my abilities and integrity.
He resigned after he could not deliver on his promise.
The minority leader made the call on the floor of parliament Tuesday when the Speaker announced to the house the presidents latest appointment.
Kyei Mensah said current challenges in energy supply makes it urgent for the president to act.
On the key matter which was still outstanding, Mr. Speaker, the sudden transition that affected our own colleague Dr. Kwabena Donkor and because of the affliction this nation is experiencing, wouldnt it be prudent to have a substituted minister of Power? he quizzed.
The Deputy Majority Leader, Alfred Agbesi, responded to the Minority Leader's call by asking him to 'mind his own business.'
He has raised a good point but what I want to tell him is that, there is a popular saying that di wo fie asem [mind your own business].
Ogbamey told Accra based OKAY FM that Tullow had informed Ghana Gas that "due to the challenges with the weather condition, gas supply had to be reduced till the end of the week so that they [Tullow] can be able to run operations there."
The supply cut over the weekend had led to the loss of 230 megawatts (MW) of power.
Explaining further, Obgamey said two weeks ago, Tullow supplied Ghana Gas with a maximum of 85 million standard cubic feet (scf-d) but as of yesterday (Sunday June 10), it was receiving just 46.7 scf-d.
"Because of that reduction, we have also reduced gas supply to VRA. We now give them 46 scf-d."
Effect on Power generation
Ogbamey said power generation will be affected by the latest development because some of the turbines will be dormant due to inadequate gas supply.
"There are some plants at Aboadze that runs only on gas, Ogbamey told OKAY FM. "For example all the AMERI plants or turbines run on gas."
He added that "there are some plants that also run on gas and light crude oil."
Rawlings said he instead received $2 million from the late president of Nigeria.
Ex-president Rawlings made these revelations when he spoke to The Guardian Newspaper in Nigeria. In 1998 after the death of the then Nigerian president Gen. Sani Abacha the media revealed that Rawlings had received $5 million from the deceased. But Rawlings said he received $2 million, which was used for the preparation of an upcoming election.
Even though the then opposition failed to find enough evidence to impeach him, Rawlings in the interview stated that he was not a corrupt president during his governance.
Find below excepts of the interview
On things that destroy the moral fabric of societies
In the first place, I think that things have gone astray since the collapse of the bipolar world. I keep talking about Pope John Paul II castigating the dominant Western economic philosophy when he called it the savagery of capitalism.
The conduct of affairs internationally has pretty much gone out of hands. But some of us appear to be immune to it or appear to be getting used to it. All the things you dont expect to happen in a healthy government, in a democratic context, are happening: the greed, the impunity, the selfishness being displayed. And it is even worse with us in the so-called developing world in terms of the monetisation of values. The very moral fabric of integrity is broken. I am saying that there was a dramatic moment when this turning point could actually be felt. That was when George Bush Jnr moved into Iraq. That cynical moment turned a very important human value upside down in the sense that, from that moment, as they stepped in and decided to just move into the capital and literarily destroyed so much human life and natural habitat, I told the world in one sentence that, the right of might now supersedes the might of right. So, others began to take a cue. I do recall that when Bush and Blair made their presence felt, like this is going to be a new world order under our leadership, I think they attempted to crack a whip on Africa because things are not going well on this black continent either.
President Mugabe was to be their first victim, if you remember. His name was the one poisoned the most. Two people were sent down there to go and ask him to get out of office: Obasanjo and Kufuor, who were then in office. The Southern Region leadership told them to get out. Fantastic, beautiful!They needed a culprit. If they couldnt have Mugabe, then someone else. That was how Charles Taylor was picked up. I am not saying that Charles Taylor to an extent didnt deserve what he got or completely ignorant of the Liberian brutalities. But Obasanjo had gone to the US at that time for whatever reason, but not even the State Department would receive him unless he produced Charles Taylor. Remember at that time, Charles Taylor was living in Nigeria and he set off, attempting to go to another country, when he was arrested at the border and handed over.
Now, generally speaking, and you know, a whole lot of nasty things were going on following the Bin Ladins insurgency on September 11 with his allied Taliban forces. That moment brought another face in the history of humanity across the globe and has reshaped the Americas home security and international policy. All of a sudden, America decided to start chasing people up. They erred in some ways. Instead of chasing, arresting and bringing to justice, they used the words: We would hound and kill. The word justice was lost and it appeared every statesman or woman had to use the same language, otherwise they would lose their political influence. If a world like that is going to talk about pursuing people, so-called terrorists, and kill them, without justice, we also take the cue. I am saying so much went wrong, so much impunity. The world is still in search of true Justice.
It is no surprise President Carter, many years down the line, should castigate the US and say America had lost its moral standing. That is why the world at that time, even the USA, was so excited that the world simply wanted, was craving for some international political morality with such a passion. If you remember, the world held on to people like Mandela. But that was earlier.
When somebody like Obama emerged, didnt you see how the world was excited about him? He clearly represented the new spirit, the refreshing spirit that the world was looking for, and especially to be a leader in the US. He has been doing his bit. But the point is that the wrongdoings, the manner in which things have gone astray since the collapse of the bipolar world, much of that has taken a life of its own in various ways.
On Ghana and corruption
Not too long after I left office, I was giving a talk in Tanzanian and I said the world was going to see an exponential growth of terrorism. I had left office and the western media and western governments were desperately whitewashing the image of Ghana in spite of the atrocities and the corruption that was going on in my country after we had left office.
Ghana had become a captive state, being whitewashed. You see how they orchestrate things? This is what I want you to wake up to. Now, it might interest you to know that, while they were whitewashing, making these claims and things were also falling apart, as late as just a few months ago, BBC now claims that terrorism had risen by 84%, creating a false impression at that time. This is the power of the Western media.
They kept whitewashing the image of my country in order for it to serve as the role model for the rest of Africa. It is shocking and mindboggling to know that, some perceived celebrated companies in Ghana and Africa with so much media hype and political patronization, were just nothing but a package of mirage. It is no wonder Ghana is so corrupt today.
Remember when I said the world would see a multiplier effect of terrorism, I knew what was going on in Ghana; I knew what was going on in Africa: the way the global situation was affecting us; our country was suffocating but leadership seemed immune to the realities.
Meanwhile, I am repeating what the Pope says about the savagery of capitalism. Where is it going to lead to and what was going on for him to describe this kind of scenario? Corruption could get worse. Even as a party, we used to win elections with the force of conviction. The one who came after I left office just capitulated and decided to use the money factor.
On Nigerias decision to change things
Out of this growing darkness, Nigerians of all people seem to have decided that enough is enough and they voted for a man with the qualities to deal with the problems of Nigeria. For me, this is one of the greatest gifts that your country has offered us. Hold on to it and support it to restore the foundation of integrity in your national affairs. You can do things the corrupt way. But I believe it is better to do things the non-corrupt way. The non-corrupt way is healthier, more stable and takes away anxieties. It can achieve a lot more; even take you to the moon.
So, a lot of these things just destroyed the moral fabric of our societies. For me, it is just a sweet sensation to think that Nigeria came out of that construct, showing us that that kind of corrupt environment that seemed to have solidified can be turned around, can be reversed. I am just hoping that it can inspire the rest of West Africa. Im not saying is a single effort of an individual but rather a sense of responsibility of every individual to take ownership of integrity and accountability but somebody must take the lead. We had a taste of that.
On his relationship with Abacha
It is unfortunate that Abacha should also be caught up in such practices like a few of his predecessors. But he was one hell of a nationalist and very patriotic. Abacha saved the country. Some of you may not know this. But I also had my fingers on things. Some may not want to hear it. But the departure of that gentleman called Abiola, the one who passed away, saved Nigeria from a probable explosion.
Shonekan couldnt handle the situation and Abacha stepped in. There is also something else we shouldnt lose sight of. When I am talking about the possibility of an explosion, its about the circumstances and the personalities involved. Abiola plus Shonekan (who was a man of integrity) could not even be seen to hold it. Does it surprise you that Nigerians, I think either through some national instinct or wherever the perception came from, some think that they needed retired generals who cannot be intimidated by the military? That was how come characters like Obasanjo could come back or for that matter, this gentleman, President Buhari, who cannot be intimidated by the military.It has its value, but I think it is a transition that we are all going through or you are going through.
On his anti-corruption and alleged $5million gift from AbachaThe point I want to make here is around that period, we were preparing for constitutional rule. We needed funds for some activities and we got contributions from few places. The interesting thing is that I never went to, or asked Abacha for any contribution. And this is something that impressed me about the man. I didnt ask him for a penny. But he obviously understood certain situations, our situation, and graciously sent me a small suitcase of money. I think there were two cars or three that came to the Air Force station to look for me. I was going for fly at that afternoon.
So, I was at the Air Force Station when a gentleman came over there and when he said he had a message from Abacha, I cancelled my flight and they set out to wait for me. I drove after them to the caste. As we got out of the car and we were about to move up, this elderly gentleman, Gwarzo he is called, had one of his assistants try to bring out a suitcase from the boot of a car. I had an idea of what it could be. So I said: Leave it, shut your boot and lets go upstairs first and talk. He said he had brought something from Abacha. I said two things: I hear you people dont provide assistance without the world hearing it with a twist.
He just kept quiet looking at me. I said two: Dont think that when you bring this, whatever it is, that would shut me up from criticizing if I think you are wrong, or if I disagree. He then opened his mouth and said Sir, we need you more than you need us.I am quoting him. He didnt speak much. He was a very noble, quiet looking and elderly man. He was respectable looking. In fact, what he said simply disarmed me. So I said it was okay. He could send for the parcel. His assistant then went and brought in the parcel: 2million dollars: new notes packed in plastic bags, fairly heavy. We left it in the sitting room.
We finished with some niceties and he left. I informed some of my close comrades of the parcel from Abacha. I gave away about 350,000 dollars to two people for urgent disbursements. One of our senior colleagues who was in charge of an exercise drew down certain amounts.We went on like this until the suitcase was exhausted. Later when Abacha died and your country instituted an investigation into his assets, I read in one of your newspapers that Mr. Gwarzo, this fine gentleman, allegedly said that he brought me 5million dollars. I am glad I still have that suitcase. It shocked me a bit that such a fine respectable man could make such a claim. The amount he mentioned shocked me. That he could tell such a lie.
My colleagues knew about it. I didnt know why I should be keeping these things secret. Moreover, I didnt have any personal account to be putting these things into anyway. Besides we needed to use them for some national needs.
But lo and behold! Many years down the line when I fell out with some of my colleagues and they decided to get poisonous, two of them wrote a book on district assembly elections and the decentralization programme, and inserted in somewhere, when it was absolutely not necessary, something about Gwarzos supposed $5million just to poison my name. I just feel sad that Gwarzo should do this. I am prepared to be subjected to polygraph test. May be thats what he needs also.
When General Abubakar took over, I told him to watch out. That that report in the papers about $5million was $2million and not $5million. He didnt make any comment. He didnt say anything. Obasanjo took over I thought I should straighten it out with him. The comment he made was: Yes, that is how they behave. When they are given something to take somewhere, they will take the majority, the bigger share. That was the comment Obasanjo made.
I wasnt used to those things. Otherwise, I could have called Abacha. I dont even think I even called him over that. Maybe I should have called him to say thank you for the $2million and then he would have called his people to order. You see what I mean? I wasnt used to money being thrown up and down. Money was not my thing. Yes, we were poor enough as a country, but we were working day and night to making sure we put the country on a solid foundation for economic explosion. We had our pride and our dignity was not out for sale.
I recall that in the early days I didnt have any money in the account and somebody gave me a million dollar cheque. I just threw it on the workshop table. Eight years later, one of our comrades reminded me about the cheque and said we would need the money for something and I asked him to go look for it.The mischief that our people get involved in hurt me. When I was a kid my grandmother used to say: A liar is more dangerous than a thief, and we could never understand it. It didnt make sense to us, because as kids we were always denying something or telling fibs about something, and nobody gets hurt or anything. But you get whipped for stealing and more. When you grow up to my situation today then you wake up to what my Granny was saying, how liars are the most vicious and cowardly creatures. They can destroy a whole image and reputation.
That was why Chinua Achebes counterpart, Ayi Kwei Armah, wrote The Beautiful Ones are Not Yet Born. When I grew up, I realized he was wrong. The beautiful ones are born. They are there, but the platform is so dirty they dare not step on it to campaign to be leaders, because they would be slammed down with some of the nastiest fabrications. Nobody wants to have their name spoilt, so politics becomes a monopoly. No wonder he said the beautiful ones were not yet born.
But no, when I got in, I said no way. I brought the beautiful ones all on board when I came back the second time. That was how come we succeeded so beautifully. We provided a leadership of credibility and integrity. These are the hallmarks I stand for.
How to strengthen institutions to keep beautiful ones alive
A lot depends on the leader, his sensitivity, his will, his strength and determination, because the vast majority of the people are suffering from the decay. They want to see a change for the better. I think that the number one should be bold enough and identify the right people to take over and move to those institutions in an effective and efficient way. Put your foot down, because those institutions are manned by human beings; and if those human beings lack the character, the strength and the spirit to be able to defy that which is wrong, then we cannot defend freedom and justice. The leader has to give a clear signal, sense of direction and the passion to drive the change. When I was in office, I spent 30-40 per cent of my time watching out for corrupt or corruptible indications or behaviour or lifestyles. I wouldnt tolerate it. It is so easy. It brings the best out of your people. They would do 70 per cent of the work for you.
I can understand Buharis style. It is okay. Let it be. My style was to provoke the needed consciousness and invite the involvement of our people so that you had moral outrage from the general populace. So, even in your villages and workplaces, you cant misbehave and get away with it. I dont have to have a policeman there. We dont have enough policemen. But the moral outrage of the society is dynamite. It is a weapon waiting to be used and utilized. The people were policing themselves for the just course. Do you get me? Do you get me, my brother? Thats what I meant by positive defiance.
Some may end up being intimidated by it, sadly. But no, it is there to help you. After all, that is what you have in those countries, those developed countries. They have not destroyed their moral outrage.
Halting Ghanas slide on the corruption table
All I can do is speak up. I find myself in a situation where I have moral responsibility and no executive authority. I would have wished that my moral authority could have the same influence. But that is not the case, corruption has infiltrated our institutions and their leaders so badly today that they use some kind of lens to demonstrate that you can keep your moral authority, but this is executive power at work.
So all I can do is to critique and advocate for my people. I cant hide it. And I believe that was how I won the respect from the larger populace, from both sides of the political divide. I have remained principled. My wife is still standing where she is, cut off from our party that she was very responsible in building up because it became corrupted from Mills time.
We now fight on the terms of the opposition or the main opposition party. Fortunately for them, they have a leader who is not known for messing around with material things. The situation is so bad. So unfortunate! This is why Buhari has to alter things. You have got to make it. He doesnt have much time and cant afford for inertia to set in or for the momentum to go down.
On remarks by Kofi Annan that some African leaders were tempting the militaryThe point is that in waging a campaign in the international community, bringing pressure to bear to keep the military in the barracks, our hope was that the quality of democracy would also have improved.
I like to think that you can use good governance to prevent military intervention. Quite frankly, our parliaments do not appear to be strong enough to impeach Presidents who are getting out of hand. That is one way of preventing a coup. That is a legitimate way of doing it, an institutional way of doing it. But too many of us appear to have been compromised and our principles also compromised. So we seem unable to make a move against an erring government and a government that is becoming very corrupt and endangering situations. So I am not surprised he said what he said. I am not surprised at all.
We left behind an exemplary institution or institutions the Armed Forces. But they made sure they corrupted it in order to survive because they could not measure up to the standards that we left behind. That is as far as that is concerned.I could have said this, but if I had done so it would seem that I was calling for it. People would misinterpret it. Now that Kofi Annan himself has said it, I hope people will see through the situation.
Meanwhile, President Mahama will visit the Northern Regional Capital Tamale with the last leg of his Accounting to the People tour.
He is expected to pay a courtesy call on the Regent of Dagbon at Yendi .
President Mahama would also proceed to Saboba where he is expected to cut sod for construction of the Saboba Yendi road and then move to Chereponi where he would inspect the ongoing water projects and the construction of a Day Senior High Schools at Wapuli.
Read also:Election 2016
Speaking at a short press conference organised by the group on Tuesday July 12, 2016 ahead the tour, Secretary of the group, Musah Abdul Rahim urged supporters of the party to come out in their numbers to give the President a rousing welcome.
He also emphasised on the efforts of the group in canvassing for votes for the NDC party ahead of the November polls.
Speaking at a Public Forum on the Constitution Amendment bill on Monday, Mr. Iddrisu said that Government would willingly provide the EC with more financial resources as and when the need arises.
So far, government has released GHc 693 million to support the operations and activities of the Electoral Commission out of a budget request of GHc 822 million.
As and when they [the EC] make additional requests, government will support and finance it, he added.
Haruna Iddrisu further assured that the finance ministry had made budgetary provisions in case of a run-off.
Ghana will honor its obligation to adequately finance and resource the EC to conduct a free and fair election, as and when they make additional requests, the Minister of Finance has made extra budgetary provisions in the event of a run-off, he said.
The EC has already benefited from a 5 million Euro EU grant that was released to them and two other constitutional bodies, the National Media Commission (NMC) and the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE).
It was in response to the Enquirer, a pro NDC newspaper publication that he had been hospitalised after he had to suspend his campaign in the region for a day.
"I did indicated at the end of Sundays campaign (at Subinso, in Wenchi), that I had to attend to urgent business in Accra and would return on Monday. Here I am." He said.
Nana Addo said the NDC is making every attempt to discredit his ability to be a good and effective president by using his age against him.
The NDC clearly will have no message for Ghanaians if it stops talking about his health. Nana said to the supporters who kept cheering after every sentence.
"To the NDC, at all cost I have to be sick. If Im not sick, it means they have no message to campaign with and that would mean defeat for them in this years election. They seem to have invested all their political capital in my state of health."
"God is the One who looks after us all, and not the wishes of human beings. The NDC is claiming that I am a very old man, who is unable to walk. I am fit, and full of strength to campaign and, if God so wishes, govern this nation in a proper manner.
The NPP flagbearer will today round off his tour in the region which began 5 days ago with a tour of the Nkoranza North and Nkoranza South constituencies.
Speaking on Monday in the Garu-Tempane District at the beginning of a two-day visit to the region, President Mahama said the dam is also expected to irrigate 3,250 acres of land, giving relief to farmers.
This irrigation dam will allow us to create more than 5,000 direct and indirect jobs. The land would be apportioned to farmers. They would be assisted. We are going to set up a farmer service centre. All the farmers who are working on the project will be registered. They would be provided with fertilisers. They would be provided with seeds. They would get agric extension advice. Their lands would be ploughed for them. It would be harrowed. They would use planters to plant the seeds.
They would get the most modern agricultural technologies to execute their work. The farmer service centre will be the heartbeat of all farmers in the area. So, if you need tractor services, ploughing, you will go and register, they will send the tractor to plough for you. The farmer service centre would even be a microfinance centre. So, if your wife gives birth and you need 100 Ghana cedis or 50 Ghana cedis to go and look after her, if you go to the farmer service centre, they would give it to you, the president added.
According to a government spokesperson, the ban will last until Wednesday; while students sit for exams that allow them to attend universities in the country.
In May, university entrance exams were cancelled after pictures of the test circulated on social media.
This ban is a "a temporary measure until Wednesday. Social media have proven to be a distraction for students" - Getachew Reda, a government official told AFP.
The blocked sites include Facebook, Instagram and Twitter; which are hugely popular among the youth.
In June, Algeria blocked access to social media to prevent the leakage of exams for final year students in secondary schools.
Students have had to retake the countrys equivalent of WASSCE after the questions were initially leaked on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
Ethiopia regularly imposes restrictions online to prevent opposition elements from disseminating information.
Ghana has experienced similar situations at both the junior and senior high school levels. Earlier this year, four papers including Social Studies and Integrated Science were leaked online, during the senior high school exams, hours before they were due to be taken. Platforms including WhatsApp have been major contributors to the menace.
Last month, the United Nations Human Rights Council declared that restricting access to the internet was a violation of human rights.
The latest Industry Information Telecom Subscriptions Report by the National Communications Authority (NCA) for the month of April saw Airtel lose as many as 70,042 subscribers.
Airtels voice subscribers decreased from 5,012,239 as at the end of March 2016 to 4,942,197 as at the end of April 2016, according to the NCAs report.
This represents a percentage decrease of 1.40%, bringing its market share for the month under review to 13.58%.
Glo, which has struggled to make any significant impact in the sector since its launch in 2013, saw the heaviest drop in voice subscribers from 1,048,635 as at the end of March 2016 to 962,338 at the end of April 2016.
This reflects a percentage decrease of 8.23% for the month. Glo's total market share for the month under review was 2.64%.
Expresso, which is facing ownership challenges was the least performing in the sector.
Its voice subscriber figures decreased from 110,549 as at the end of March 2016 to 108,292 as at the end of April 2016.
This represents a percentage decrease of 2.04%, with a market share of 0.30%.
According to the data, at the end of April 2016, the total number of mobile voice subscribers had increased from 36,138,706 at the end of March 2016 to 36,395,116 as at the end of April 2016. This represents a percentage increase of 0.71%, bringing the total penetration rate for the month under review to 131.63%.
South African telecom giant MTN dominated the market with an increase in voice subscription from 17,004,445 in March to 17,192,543. This represents a percentage increase of 1.1 percent and a market share of 47.24%.
Vodafone maintained its second position for the month under review.
Vodafones mobile voice subscribers increased from 7,900,534 at the end of March 2016 to 7,976,348 as at the end of April 2016. This represents a percentage increase of 0.96%. Vodafones market share for April 2016 was 21.92%.
Tigo came in as the third largest telecom company with an increase in voice subscribers from 5,062,304 as at the end of March 2016 to 5,213,398 as at the end of April 2016.
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According to Mr. Clive Horwood, Editor of Euromoney Magazine, Competition for the awards this year was tough, arguably the toughest it has been since the start of the global financial crisis. In winning these awards, GTBank stands out not only because of its stellar performance but by its ability to define what its core strengths are, abide by these strengths and build its business around them. According to him, banking in the future will be about what you do, as well as what you don't do. GTBank stands out as Euromoneys best bank in Nigeria & Africas Best Digital Bank for its ability to adapt to local situations while maintaining international standards of best practice."
The collection was seen first at the 2015 Heineken Lagos Fashion Design Week where she made her runway debut.
Showing off stunning intricate details on bridal pieces she shared a first look at via her Instagram page, the designer brings fierce bridal to life.
Always one to outdo her previous works, Toju Foyeh went from classic bride to chic to fierce to daring to sultry to feminine and to ultimate bridal pushing the boundaries with her fusion of modern sheer, embellished, adorned and more details for the 20th century bride.
The styles are done in ball dresses, sheer bubble bodice detailed dresses, bone structured dresses, jumpsuit with details, tiered dresses, bustier with tulle details, short hi-lo dress and more offerings screaming unique in the collection.
The Nigeria based designer definitely went all out as well as provided a range of looks to choose from for the modern bride.
Take a look at the pieces featured in the collection and some behind the scenes action from the shoot. What do you think of the bridal collection?
Credits:
Photographer: @bighstudios
Assistant Photographers: @blvckcreed_ and @nonso_okoye
Model: @thenwando
Makeup: @abekemakeovers
Hair: @raphealmaria
Jewellery: @tsegattigold
The woman, Nwakaego Oramalu, an indigene of Enugu State, narrated that the boy, a primary two pupil, Chibuike Oramalu, is being detained by the State Police Command for the alleged murder of a 12-year-old boy, Oluebube Boniface, on May 29, 2016, and has been detained since May 30.
The single mother of five children, said that the incident that led to her young son's arrest and detention, happened at a residence in the Independence Layout area of Enugu, where she works as a housekeeper.
Orumalu said that the owenr of the property, one Edwin Oforma, gave her an accommodation in the house where she lived with her children and on the fateful day, her son was helping her boss' son to clean his room when he found the loaded gun.
On May 29, while I was away at the Adoration Ministry at Emene in Enugu, for the Sunday church service. My boss son, , a National Youth Service Corps member, asked my son, Chibuike, and Chibuikes 10-year-old brother, , to tidy up a room belonging to his father.
While Ifeanyichukwu swept the room, Chibuike laid the bed. Chibuike found a gun near the bed where he was working, and he took it to Ifeanyichukwu, who asked him to return it.
It was while he was returning the gun that he mistakenly pulled the trigger, releasing a bullet which struck , who was in the next compound, on the chest. He died on the spot.
The sad mother added that both Chukwunanu and the father had absconded since the incident and are yet to be seen while her son is being made to undergo the harrowing experience of detention.
She explained further that when she was called to return home from the church over the incident, policemen from the New Haven Police Station, who removed the corpse, took her and her children into custody.
Mail Online reports that the woman's brother, Mohammad Nayeem, hatched a plan to kill his sister as a way to avenge his family's honour after she married for love, refusing the family's plan of an arranged marriage.
Luckily for her, the bullet struck a metal locket she had been wearing around her neck at the time of the attack.
The police reveals that, after Nayeem had gone to the mosque to pray, he had taken a gun and shot his sister at close range.
The medics who attended to the victim revealed that she would be dead had it not been for the locket.
The police have been reported to be waiting to act on the case as a complaint is yet to be lodged with them by the young lady who was not seriously injured but is still being treated at the hospital.
The Senior Magistrate, Mrs Elizabeth Jones, ordered the defendant to produce two sureties in like sum.
Jones said that one of the sureties must be a civil servant on no less than Grade Level 10, whose office and resident must be within the jurisdiction of the court.
She said that the sureties must submit a passport photograph and evidence of utility bills each and adjourned the matter till Sept. 12 for further hearing.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr Patrick Ebong, told the court that Benedict Igbadio of Abuja, reported the matter to the Commissioner of Police, FCT, Abuja.
Ebong said that sometimes in February 2016, the defendant and four others at large approached the complainant with a land document located at Lugbe layout, Abuja.
He said the defendant pretended to be the owner of the plot of land and collected the sum of N15 million from the complainant.
"After the transaction the real owner of the land emerged with genuine document of the land.
"In the course of investigation it was discovered that the defendant forged the land document and impersonated the real owner, he said.
The prosecutor also said that the defendant made confessional statement during police interrogation.
He said the offences contravened sections 97, 312, 322, 179, 364 of the Pena Code, which the defendant pleaded not guilty.
Earlier, the Defence counsel, Uma Kalu, had made an oral application for the bail of his client.
Kalu said the defendant would not jump bail or interfere with the investigation.
But the prosecution opposed the application, contending that the defendant had jumped police bail twice.
Adetunji who is facing trial on a four-count charge of conspiracy, assault, breach of peace and obstruction, was said to have tried to evade arrest and in the process, used his teeth as as weapon against one Corporal John Olusegun at Odunfa Street in Lagos Island.
The police prosecutor, Sergeant Kehinde Omiseki, told the court that the accused and others at large, had conspired and committed the offences on July 9, 2016, at about 9 p.m.
Omiseki said that the accused bit Olusegun on his left arm, taking off a large portion of the skin in the toothy attack.
He added that the accused also conducted himself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by throwing stones, sticks and bottles at some police officers on lawful duty, and by blocking the road with sticks and tricycles.
While the mother and her daughter are in good health, they are not allowed to leave the public hospital until Amadi settles the 543,000 naira ($1,900) bill for their care.
Amadi, who makes a living selling stones to construction workers for 40 naira ($0.15) per sack, fears she may never be able to clear her debt - leaving her and her baby trapped in the Umuahia Federal Medical Centre (FMC) for the foreseeable future.
"I have really suffered ... and they do not allow me to go out," said Amadi, who relies on her mother to bring food into the hospital and to help her care for her baby, Oluebubechi.
New mothers like Amadi are stuck in maternity wards across Nigeria - forbidden from leaving until their debts are settled.
Known as Awaiting Bill Settlement (ABS) patients, these women are responsible for looking after and feeding themselves and their newborns.
Few Nigerians have health insurance, leaving many patients clinging to the hope their bills will be waived by hospital directors or covered by visiting well-wishers.
Meanwhile, whenever the maternity ward at the hospital is full, many ABS patients are forced to sleep on the floor.
"Sometimes, we place all the babies on one bed while the mothers sleep in chairs," said one nurse, who asked not to be named as she was not authorised by the hospital to speak.
"Some babies have stayed here until they started crawling," the nurse said, adding that some mothers had managed to escape the hospital with their babies when no one was watching.
HOPING FOR CHARITY
Like Amadi, nine other nursing mothers in the FMC's maternity ward are stuck in limbo, having been discharged by the doctors but trapped within the hospital grounds by their debts.
Janet Moses, 19, said the father of her twin boys had stopped visiting or answering her calls over the past month. She believes he has been scared off by the bill.
No one visits Moses or brings her food, so she depends on other patients to share their meals with her.
Other patients on the ward are slightly more fortunate.
Adaku Mmaduabuchi, a 25-year-old housewife who gave birth to her first child in May, is brought meals daily by her husband.
But they too have been struggling to pay off their debt.
"I have been phoning my friends and relatives to see if anyone can lend me the money," said her husband, Ihunze, who has so far only paid a third of the 200,000 naira ($700) they owe.
There are a large number of ABS patients at the FMC due to the hospital's policy of treating every patient who arrives, regardless of whether they can afford to pay upfront for their treatment, said Chuku Abali, the director of the hospital.
Abali said he frequently waives the bills of the hospital's patients, many of whom are nursing mothers, with amounts ranging from 10,000 naira ($35) to 1.5 million naira ($5,300).
"But if we continue to run on charity, we will fold. Things have to be paid for," Abali told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Many patients wait in the hope that philanthropists, who sometimes visit during Easter and Christmas holidays, will clear their debts when they next visit, the hospital director said.
"We also conduct investigations to find out if patients have any relatives who can afford to pay, then we write to them."
CALL FOR INSURANCE
Other hospitals, like the University College Hospital (UCH) in the southwestern city of Ibadan, are taking a more novel approach when it comes to dealing with their ABS patients.
The UCH has set up a fund which allows hospital staff to make voluntary monthly contributions from their salaries towards patients' bills. Abandoned teenage mothers are given priority.
Yet these contributions alone are not enough to solve the problem, said Adefemi Afolabi, the UCH's deputy director.
"There is no day I get to my table without seeing letters from people applying for cancellation of bills," Afolabi said.
The health ministry announced plans earlier this year to build 10,000 health clinics across the country, which could provide maternity care at a lower cost, according to Afolabi.
"The government also needs to extend the National Health Insurance Scheme so it goes to the grassroots," he said. "Only government workers and some private workers are entitled to it."
The Nigerian health ministry was not available for comment.
Back at the FMC's maternity ward, the mothers talk about the day when they will finally be free to go home with their babies.
But 25-year-old Blessing Godfrey has no such hope.
The student was rushed to the hospital after she fell unconscious when her baby was born unexpectedly.
Godfrey woke up on the ward to learn that her baby had died. Two weeks later, the grieving mother is still in hospital, discharged but unable to settle her 19,000 naira ($67) bill.
Her mother, a widow, makes very little selling vegetables, while her boyfriend, also a student, denies he is the father.
Shittu said this on the sideline of a symposium on the post MDGs: Maternal and Child Health in Nigeria at the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in Lagos.
The symposium was organised to mark the 6th anniversary of Prof. Innocent Ujah, the Director-General of the institute.
He said that a healthcare unitary system would enable medical experts to strategise on government policies and ensure that every Nigerian benefit from such policy.
``Most countries around the world have single health system, which is centrally operated at their capital cities.
``But our healthcare system in Nigeria is a shared responsibility between the federal, state and local government, which hinders the sole influence of the federal health policies.
``When the Federal Government makes a decision, it is not assured how it will be implemented at the state level, which leads to fragmentation.
``This is why there should be a unitary system that can help us strategise on policies released to ensure that every Nigerian benefit from it, said the expert.
Gov. Sani Bello said this at the state executive council meeting in Minna on Tuesday.
Bello said that the salary ratio was reached after wide consultations with all stakeholders in the state.
According to him, the action by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is rigid because the state government has decided to pay workers 90 per cent salary in July as against the 70 per cent paid in June.
Bello said that he met earlier with officials of NLC to forestall the strike but the union refused to accept government proposal.
"I had a meeting with labour and I gave details of our incomes, the on-going developmental projects and why we have to sacrifice today for the future of our children, who are leaders tomorrow.
But from the action the workers exhibited, it is clear that they are only interested in their salary alone.
"They are not bordered about the state of our schools. All labour wants is for us to use all we have for their salaries.
I told them that we have to attend to the critical areas as highlighted in our cardinal priority programmes.
That is why we are fixing our schools in Izom, Bida, Maryam Babangida Girls, Bosso, Kutigi, Kontagora and Rijau. The work in these schools are there for all to see.
"I have made it categorically clear that the 70/30 per cent ratio is not a policy. It is a temporary arrangement.
"If tomorrow our FAAC is increases, workers take home will also increase. I have no intention to punish anybody.
" If I have a revenue of N5 billion, I will gladly pay the N2.4 billion wage bill and still have what to work with. Of what gain is it to me to deny workers their pay," he said.
Meanwhile, the NLC has decided to go ahead with the strike until their demands are met.
The appeal is contained in a statement issued by Malam Garba Shehu, the Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media andPublicity in Abuja.
Shehu stated that the President made the appeal when he received the AU Envoy on the Peace Fund, Dr Donald Kaberuka, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The President said what was happening in South Sudan was extremely disturbing and a very dicey situation.
Buhari said that ``what we can do urgently to stabilise South Sudan is very important as African leaders meet in Kigali, Rwanda this month and later in September at the UN.''
The President pledged that Nigeria would continue to fulfill its financial obligations to the AU to ensure peace, stability and security on the continent.
According to him, supporting peace operations, under the auspices of the AU in several countries affected by conflict remains a foreign policy priority for his administration.
He assured the AU envoy that Nigeria would also play a central role in seeking the EU and the UN to strengthen their support for crisis-prone African countries despite competing priorities on security and the economic downturn in the country.
In his remarks, Kaberuka said funding AU-led peace support operations which had remained a challenge for member-countries was further compounded early this year with the EU cut in its allocation to the AU Mission in Somalia by 20 per cent.
According to Leadership newspaper, Olive warned that if President Muhammad Buhari does not stop the persecution of Saraki, Ekweremadu, PDP members, the Director, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu and other innocent Nigerians, what happened to the ancient Biblical Egyptians and Israelites is about to happen in Nigeria.
He was said to have stated this while addressing newsmen in Abuja on Monday, July 11.
The cleric, who attempted to be Nigeria's president in 2003, disclosed that he had a revelation 31 years ago that he should be fasting and praying for the total liberation of Nigeria, Africa and the whole world in all areas.
He said Buhari should stop the killings of Nigerians and the taking of their lands by Fulani herdsmen.
The COAS had admitted that he owns two choice properties in Dubai, but insisted he purchased the assets with his personal savings and not with illicit funds as been reported - he also claimed to have declared the properties twice in his assets declaration documents, in which the CCB corroborated.
Prominent groups and individuals, including human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, had called for Buratai's resignation or sack since the story of the assets, valued at $1.5 million, broke out.
In a statement by Adeniran, he said the purpose the CCB was created for was to verify assets declared by public officials so as to detect and avoid cases of false declaration of assets.
The truth is that we need to be circumspect in approaching the Buratai case, for it is the duty of the CCB to ascertain the value of all assets declared by a public official before it and bring to fore if discrepancies exist in the declarations.
"That is how other agencies like EFFC can swing into action to investigate if financial or economic crimes are being violated, he said.
Adeniran however called on the Economic Financial Crimes commission (EFCC) to investigate Buratai.
With the benefit of the information on the ground, the EFCC must commence investigations into all angles to the case as the commission is empowered in Section 7 of its Act.
"How an Army General managed to save $1.5m has to be explained to Nigerians. Thus the EFCC needs to thoroughly carry out its investigations, including the verification of the value of the assets declared by the COAS.
"Should any crime be found to have been committed by the COAS, then he should be tried, and if found guilty, he must resign and face the sanctions of his crime."
The group, championed by a former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, had accused the government of being lackadaisical in the handling of the girls' release.
Over 200 girls were kidnapped from their school dormitory in Chibok town, Borno state by the Boko Haram sect in April 2014.
Speaking in defence of the government, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, said if the military had any clue as to the whereabouts of the abducted girls, they would have moved to rescue them.
The President is conscious always about the fact that terrorism in Nigeria is part of a global phenomenon. Since coming to office, his response to it has been firm and well considered, Shehu said in a statement.
President Buhari will never make bogus promises or play to the gallery. It is misleading of anyone to preach that the Chibok girls are within an easy grasp. If the military under the President knew where they are held, they will bring the Chibok girls home today.
The Presidency is open to renewed cooperation with the BBOG group, international bodies, religious groups, social workers, and all others who are assisting in the field to ensure that those who have so far been rescued from Boko Haram captivity are given the support they need to make a full recovery and be reintegrated fully into the society."
This silence is made worse by the fact that hundreds of Nigerians were murdered in the same state and by the same herdsmen in February.
Also, in another vein, the United Nations (UN) is now comparing the food crisis in North-Eastern Nigeria with the terrible situation in South Sudan.
I have worked in many, many places -- Central African Republic, Darfur, South Sudan -- and the condition of people in very rural parts of Borno state is as bad as I have ever seen. It is an acute emergency, UN regional humanitarian coordinator, Toby Lanzer told AFP.
The condition of people is awful. There are dozens of people dying daily of malnutrition... Our assessment is there are 15,000 people and five of them are dying daily as we speak, he added.
The food crisis in Borno has drawn the worlds attention, but the Nigerian government is blissfully unaware of the impending disaster within its shores.
In fact, President Muhammadu Buhari was bold enough to express his dismay at the fresh crisis in South Sudan, with apparently no inkling that his concern was also needed at home.
What is happening in South Sudan is extremely disturbing and it is a very dicey situation, Buhari said, on Monday, July 11, while receiving the African Unity (AU) envoy on the Peace Fund, Dr Donald Kaberuka in Abuja.
Its extremely disheartening that President Buhari cannot spare a care for his people, but always seems eager to lend his voice to happenings abroad.
One would think that the idea of children starving to death in a wealthy country like Nigeria would break the hearts of its leaders, but it appears that one is expecting too much.
For isnt it in this same country that people are killed by police officers over meagre sums of money? Is it not in this same country that a public official spent 600,000 on a wristwatch while thousands were being slaughtered by terrorists?
The soul of Nigeria is dissipating slowly, theres no conscience left, no compassion, no milk of human kindness. Its now merely us vs. them, the rich vs. the poor, the politicians vs. the electorate.
Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) promised change, but it is now clear that theres no such change to be expected. All we have is a black-hearted political class, and we've simply exchanged one pack of wolves for another.
"The attention of Adamawa State Government has been drawn to a false, malicious and unfounded rumour making rounds that Adamawa State Government under Senator Muhammadu Umar Jibrilla has sacked all workers employed by the previous governments in the state.
"This is totally false. However, if reference is made to the outcome of Local Government workers verification, then it is necessary to observe that certain anomalies were quite manifest and require remedies which were appropriately recommended."
He said no government would fold its arms and watch such anomalies, adding that Gov Jibrilla had given three months to any worker whose name was omitted in the verification to come for confirmation.
He noted that the verification was not to sack workers but to ensure "a smooth payment of salaries at all levels devoid of the corrupt systems of the past."
It was reported that the incident occurred during the Eid-El- Fitri celebration - four persons were killed in Lamba, Paikoro local government, while another seven were butchered during another clash between the same ethnic people in Barakuta in Boss local government area of the state.
The cause of the two clashes was unclear as at the time of filing this report.
The State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, condemned the attacks and vowed to bring the perpetrators to book, describing the killings as "senseless and unwarranted."
Nobody has the power or right to take the life of others. These senseless and unwarranted killings cannot and will not be condoned. You cannot just take machete and kill somebody because of disagreement. There are laws and nobody can claim to be above the law," Bello said while speaking at the Bosso Primary School, where the displaced women and children from Bara-Kuta were being temporarily sheltered..
"Whatever maybe the grievances, people cannot take laws into their hands. I have instructed the chairmen of the affected councils, Commissioner of Police and my Special Adviser, Security to fish out the masterminds of the two clashes as well as their accomplices. I have also directed for comprehensive investigations into the incidences with a view to prosecuting and bringing to book the culprits. We are determined to bring an end to this barbaric act. The Police and other security agencies should ensure that we get to the root of these sad events, prosecute and punish those found culpable, he added.
Bello, who announced this at a meeting with traditional rulers in Minna on Monday, said it was also the result of consultations with the labour unions in the state.
Seventy per cent of all incomes accruing to the state, the FAAC and Internally Generated Revenue, and 30 per cent from budget support will be given to NLC to pay salaries.
The 70 and 30 per cents will pay 90 per cent of workers basic salary.
I appeal to all civil servants to understand the sacrifice we have asked them, and even ourselves to make, is in the best interest of the state", he said.
Bello called on traditional rulers and religious leaders to pray for the state, urging them to be security-cautious in their communities.
He commended the leaders for supporting government policies and programmes for the development of the state.
Leader of the traditional rulers, Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, called on the people to continue to support the administration to overcome its economic challenges.
The Magistrate, Mrs Elizabeth Jones, convicted Adewumi, who resides at Dutse Alhaji, Abuja, after he pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of criminal breach of trust and cheating.
Jones said the sentences would run concurrently and gave the convict an option to pay N20, 000 fine.
She also ordered him to pay the complainants Uguru Emmanuel and Okuaka Joel a compensation of N80, 000 and N56, 000, respectively.
The convict and before the sentence had begged for leniency And also promised to desist from committing crime.
``I am sorry for the act I committed and I am pleading with the court not to convict me as I promise to pay back their money.
``I collected the money from them to help them but when NSCDC shortlisted candidate names, their names were not among.
``Though I was sacked in January from NSCDC after a 21 days absence from work, all I intended doing for them was to help, '' the convict said.
Earlier, the prosecuting counsel, Mr Patrick Ebong, had told the court that on June 3, Joel of Suleija, Niger and Emmanuel of Lokogoma Apo, Abuja, lodged a complaint at the Wuse Police Station.
Ebong told the court that sometimes in June, the convict who was the complainants secondary school classmate, called them and said that his office, the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps was recruiting
He said the convict told them that he could get them recruited but that they should pay some money, totaling N136, 000.
``After collecting the said amount, the convict absconded to an unknown destination and refused to pick up their calls until on July 9, he was sighted and arrested, he said.
He made the call at an interactive session with journalists on Tuesday at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Imo Council Press Centre in Owerri.
He also urged journalists to concentrate more on issues and defend them instead of personalities, noting, however, that journalists were supposed to check the excesses of those in government.
Okorocha then announced his resolve to move the main Owerri Market (Ekeukwu Owerri) and the artisans to another location to give the state a face lift.
He said the state had cleared all its bank loans and was repaying the bailout funds gradually.
He added that the state government had also resolved to revoke all undeveloped lands and enjoined journalists to provide a well structured proposal for a media village.
Earlier, the NUJ Chairman, Mr Innocent Igwe, had thanked the governor for finding out time to interact with journalists.
He commended the governor for his passion to take the state to greater height.
Ortom made the call on Tuesday in Abuja when he paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau.
He said that the Federal and state governments were already collaborating to address the issue, but that a lot still needed to be done urgently.
The governor advocated for a round table discussion between the affected groups to fashion out lasting solutions to the problem.
He said that although Benue was constantly affected by the crises, the recent incident had been exaggerated especially in the social media.
Ortom called on the media, particularly the social media, to shun rumour-mongering and unnecessary speculations so as to reduce tension and disaffection in the country.
He called for harmony and peaceful co-existence as prerequisite for growth and development which are ingredients for stability in a democratic setting.
Earlier, Dambazau pledged the readiness of the Federal Government to intensify collaboration with the various state governments to resolve the skirmishes in different parts of the country.
The minister emphasised the need for the protection of investments in all sectors of the economy for investors confidence and ease of business in the country.
He, however, acknowledged the existence of criminal elements within the herdsmen and pastoralists and stressed the need to flush them out.
Danbazau said that the Federal Government had begun deployment of security personnel consisting of officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to the hot spots.
Onyeama stated this on Monday at a pre-AU session news briefing in Abuja.
He said that the occasion would afford Nigeria the opportunity to showcase the successes recorded by the current administration.
The minister said that at the summit would also provide opportunity for critical appraisal of the 20 billion dollar Nigeria-Algeria trans-Saharan gas pipeline project under the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that when completed, the trans-saharan project would transport about 30 billion cubic metres of natural gas from Warri through Niger Republic to Algeria.
The pipeline would be operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Sonatrach of Algeria.
Both parties will hold 90 per cent shares of equities of the project, while the National Oil Company of Niger Republic will hold 10 per cent equity
According to Onyema, the Nigeria-Algeria gas pipeline is a major project of NEPAD that the summit will give attention this year.
"Nigeria will be letting other African countries to know what we are doing to promote human rights, including steps taken to extend and uphold human right while dealing with tumour in the country.
The occasion will permit Nigeria the opportunity to showcase the successes recorded by this current administration in the area of human rights enthronement.
As part of measures at enthroning human rights in the country particularly in the North-East, the administration has taken steps to de-militarize the zone as well as investigating and punishing reported cases of abuse," he said.
The minister added that the summit would also focus on the full integration of the continent through the establishment of Free Trade Area and the African Union passport.
He described the adoption of AUs passport, which would be issued to Heads of States and Governments of the African Union at the summit as a ``major step towards trade liberalization in Africa.
While noting that 10 per cent of trade in Africa was among African countries, he said that with AU passport coming into operation, it would be easier for member-countries to do business with each other.
Onyeama, however, stated that while the AU passport would allow freer movement of people in the continent, it would engender movement of arms to fuel violence.
But, he said that with the conscious efforts of member-countries, particularly in intelligence gathering and stringent border policing, the challenge of arms proliferation could be easily curtailed.
He emphasized that Africas integration was a win-win situation for all members, adding that Nigeria would benefit a lot from the situation as it provided access to trade and a large market for the nation.
The minister also said that Nigeria may not field any candidate for vacant positions in the AU during the meeting.
According to him, Nigeria had initially planned to sponsor candidate for the peace and security commission currently occupied by Algeria.
He explained that the country withdrew interest in the position following Algerias decision to retain the office.
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Do you know what oil prices were when former President Olusegun Obasanjo came to power? We have learnt to spend recklessly without saving; they bought private jets and some people were stupid enough to buy three to show who they were.
Leaders are not people who tar roads. Any moron can sign a cheque and ask Julius Berger to tar roads. Leadership is about shaping culture so that there is human progress. The kind of value you have as a country determines (your) economic performance. It is the leaders that will initiate those values.
Everything in our country is reduced to politics. The biggest danger to Nigeria is the overrating of politics and government. I can actually prove with case studies that the government is more responsible for preventing progress in Nigeria than for making it happen. This is not because these men hate Nigeria.
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A man cannot give what he doesnt have. They are working hard for the good of this country but systematically preventing good from taking place because of their limitations, he added.
Minister of Labour and Employment Sen. Chris Ngige, made the appeal on Tuesday in Abuja at a meeting he held with the leadership of PENGASSAN, NUPENG and the International Oil Companies.
He said that the meeting was fallout of Mondays meeting held to address the concern raised by PENGASSAN and NUPENG on the declaration of redundancy by the major oil marketers.
PENGASSAN had threatened to embark on a nationwide strike beginning from July 7 over some issues, including the alleged mass sacking of its members by various oil and gas companies.
Ngige urged the IOCs not to declare redundancy as the last resort if there was economic downturn in the country, saying that it should be declared in the proper manner.
He said: ``Government will not say you should not declare redundancy; redundancy will always come if the economy is not doing well.
``That is why it is in the Labour Laws of every country; but what we are against is when this particular law is applied strictly as it is enshrined in the labour laws.
``Companies sometimes carry out redundancy immediately without discussion or without even informing the workers, this is very wrong.
``The redundancy law as stated in Section 20 of the Act defines redundancy as when you cannot carry on with the number of staff you have due to circumstances beyond your control.
``You must discuss with the workers or the workers representatives directly and you must show them why the situation is like that.
``This may include showing them the books of the company, explaining to them that the company is not doing well and then you all agree on the difference.
He urged the companies to adhere to the rules and regulations when dealing with the issue of redundancy if such issue was already in the purview of the ministry.
He noted that labour laws were meant to protect the employees and iron out issues affecting both parties before things are damaged.
``There are other ways of preventing redundancy -that is by looking at the expatriate quota; you know what it costs keeping one expatriate in this country, so you can find a way of reducing them.
``Another way is that you can also look at the peaks of offices in the managerial and the management section and you can come down on it.
``These are some of the various ways we can use to maintain equilibrium in the employment of labour market in any country.
``When you push people into the labour market, they will join the army of unemployed persons and can constitute security nuisance to us,'' he said.
The minister said other issues being discussed at the meeting include unjust labour practices by the oil companies, cases of rustication of job and positions due to union activities , among others.
``I want to assure that if this meeting is properly concluded, we will do the needful,'' he said, and commended the minister for his commitment to amicably resolve the issues affecting the sector.
"The magnitude of killings is enormous. Scores of people were killed in the past two weeks by Fulani herdsmen in at least 10 local government areas of the state," spokesman Tahav Agerzua told AFP.
Farmers who should be in the farms have been scattered within schools which have been converted to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Makurdi, the state capital.
As usual, malnourished children, poor living conditions are common sights in the camp which is home to IDPs in Ukum, Logo and Agatu local government.
Enugu, Delta and Niger state have also been affected by this sad event. At least 11 persons were reported to have died after a clash between suspected Fulani Herdsmen and Gbagyi communities in Niger state during the Eid-el-Fitri celebration.
Four persons were killed in Lamba, Paikoro local government, while another seven were butchered during another clash between the same ethnic people in Barakuta in Boss local government area of the state.
The Gbagyi's are farmers who produce food for Nigerians resident in the North Central region. Such situations will only scare them from the farm.
Continuous attacks in the Northeast region by members of the Boko Haram terrorists sect has led to devastating effects in the area. The federal government under former President Goodluck Jonathan declared war on the insurgents. The military seem to have won the fight following recent successes in the area.
Also, when the Niger Delta Militants resurfaces, President Muhammadu Buhari immediate ordered the deployment of military personnel to the oil-rich region. President Buhari is yet to give such directive against the herdsmen. The federal government has received backlash from Nigerian for not reacting to the situation.
Pulserecalls that the Former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode accused President Buhariof silently aiding and abetting attacks by Fulani herdsmen in the country.
The Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh had disclosed plans to set up grazing reserve areas within some states in the federation for the over 8.5 million cattle. He also revealed plans to import a "special grass" from Brazil for these cattle that continuously get into Nigeria through our porous borders. Not much has been heard in this heard about this plan in recent times following widespread criticism by Nigerians against the move.
Towards finding a lasting solution to this occurrence which has been considered by most analysts as "a ticking time bomb," the federal government should deploy security men to guard the entry points into Nigeria. This would prevent the in flock of the herdsmen and their animals.
The federal government should investigate claims linking the herdsmen to Boko Haram insurgents who have escaped from Sambisa Forest into other parts of the country and take necessary actions to stop the trend.
There government should establish grazing areas for animals in the country, put in place restrictions to the movement of these animals by their owners and enforce strict penalties for defaulters.
The movie achieved this with $423 million, beating "Civil War's" $406.2 million. It has also become one of only 24 films ever to reach $400 million domestically.
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The animated film which is a sequel to the 2003 film "Finding Nemo" takes place six months after the first film.
In the sequel, Dory suddenly recalls her childhood memories. Remembering something about "the jewel of Monterey, California", accompanied by Nemo and Marlin,she sets out to find her family.
She arrives at the Monterey Marine Life Institute, where she meets Bailey, a white beluga whale; Destiny, a whale shark; and Hank the octopus, who becomes her guide.
"Finding Dory" features the return of Marlin, Nemo, Tank Gang among others, and introduces new characters like an octopus, sea lions, a beluga whale, among others.
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The bill which also seeks to amend Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) was sponsored by the minority leader, Leo Ogor.
"The amendment is straight forward but it needs some clear explanation. The amendment seeks to strengthen the national assembly, they (leadership) should be protected in the period they are in office, Ogor said.
He argued that the bill (if passed into law) would ensure the independence of the legislature.
The majority leader, Femi Gbajabiamila in a reaction faulted the timing of the bill. This sparked several other comments among the lawmakers; a situation which caused a frenzy in the green chambers for close to twenty (20) minutes.
Shortly after normalcy was restored, Speaker Yakubu Dogara, referred the bill to the special committee on constitutional review in accordance with the house rules.
Pakistani couple Huma Mobin and Arsalaan Sever Bhatt planned to go on a second honeymoon to Greece in June 2016 but was disrupted when the groom was not granted visa.
Though the Mobin didnt want to travel without her husband, but the entire holiday was already paid for, she had to go without her husband.
The trip which was not a smiley one, was worsened by the lost of Mobins phone in the Aegean Sea.
In most of her travel pictures, which she posed with a distraught look on her face, Mobin had an arm outspread as if hugging her absent husband, making for hilarious holiday snaps.
The statement confirms earlier media reports that said Manning's hospitalization last week near the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, resulted from a suicide attempt.
They said the U.S. military committed a "gross breach of confidentiality" for revealing her "personal health information" and hospitalization to the press.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The U.S. Army had not officially confirmed the hospitalization was due to a suicide attempt.
Manning, a former intelligence analyst in Iraq, is serving a 35-year sentence after a 2013 military court conviction of providing more than 700,000 documents, videos, diplomatic cables and battlefield accounts to WikiLeaks. It was the biggest breach of classified materials in U.S. history.
Among the files that Manning turned over to WikiLeaks in 2010 was a gunsight video of a U.S. Apache helicopter firing at suspected Iraqi insurgents in 2007. A dozen people were killed, including two Reuters news staff.
Manning, who was born male but identifies as a woman, in May appealed to a military court to overturn her court-martial conviction.
He said the two leaders discussed cooperation in potential areas of energy, trade, agriculture and infrastructure.
The visiting Romanian PM said as his country was an active member of the EU while Vietnam was a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and that the two countries could take roles as bridgehead to connect the two regions.
Announcing that his government intended to double the number of scholarships granted for Vietnamese youth to study in Romania, the Romanian PM added that over 3,500 Vietnamese people had studied in Romania.
He elaborated also on regional cooperation between Vietnam's southern Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre and Romania's Danube Delta County of Tulcea.
The Romania PM added that the ties held potentials in bilateral and inter-regional cooperation between the Europe and the Southeast Asia.
"The two countries will boost cooperation in international and regional organisations including the UN and International Organisation of La Francophonie among others, the Romanian guest said.
Vietnamese PM Nguyen Phuc, for his part, said that in spite of positive developments over the years, the bilateral ties between Vietnam and Romania remained modest compared to the two sides' potentials.
While the international community deems it safe for those involved in a decade of trouble to return, Ange-Pelagie Baya told AFP: "We would prefer to die of hunger rather than go back."
On Tuesday, a UN refugee agency-brokered meeting opens in Abidjan to prepare for the return of all the Ivorians who fled the bloody post-electoral violence that erupted in 2010-11.
Ivory Coast's social cohesion minister Mariatou Kone has pledged that "no-one would be arrested on their return" and indicated a possible amnesty for those opposed at the time to current President Alassane Ouattara.
But of the 11,000 Ivorian refugees in Ghana, only four have officially returned since Kone visited Accra in May.
Ivorian minister of Social Cohesion Mariatou Kone speaks during an interview with AFP, in Abidjan, in May 2016
Ouattara won a second mandate in October on pledges of restoring longtime stability following the troubled 2010 elections which saw him compete against former strongman Laurent Gbagbo.
Gbagbo now is behind bars on trial in The Hague following the deaths of some 3,000 in post-election violence in 2010-2011.
In Ghana's Central Region, the 2,200 refugees at the Egyeikrom camp, all of them Gbagbo supporters, are adamant they cannot return.
"We can't go back as long as the (Ouattara) regime remains," said Baya.
- Budget cuts -
Baya doesn't recognise Ouattara's legitimacy as president, labelling him a "rebel" and a "foreigner".
Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara won a second mandate in October 2015 on pledges of restoring longtime stability
Food distribution to the refugees was stopped in November and only three percent of the aid promised by donors to the UNHCR has been allocated since the start of the year.
"The donors would rather invest in the country, given that the situation in Ivory Coast is stabilising," said the UNHCR spokesman in Ghana, Nii Ako Sowa.
With growth at eight percent last year, Ivory Coast, Ghana's neighbour to the west, is no longer a priority for aid.
But for the groups representing the Ivorian diaspora, the budget cuts have been brutal and are seen as a way of forcing the poorest refugees to return home.
Leon-Emmanuel Monnet, a former member of Gbagbo's Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) in exile in Accra, said the promises of reconciliation were a smokescreen and Kone's visit "a publicity stunt".
According to the UNHCR, more than two-thirds of the 300,000 Ivorians who fled in 2010 to Ghana, Guinea or Liberia are no longer registered.
Yet last year there were only 10 official returns from Ghana. Diaspora groups say many have gone to north Africa or Europe.
- Reprisal fears -
In reality, no-one really knows where they are. Besides some risk being considered as traitors if they return home.
"Refugees leave the country unofficially and this is a problem, since we don't have any record of their return and don't know how they reintegrate," said Ghana Refugee Board (GRB) regional coordinator Charles Yorke.
"We've organised 'go-and-see, come-and-tell' missions. But when they come back and say things are going OK, they (the refugees) don't believe them."
Monnet for instance said the fact that Simone Gbagbo, the former president's wife, was on trial in Abidjan, was proof they could not expect to go home and stay out of trouble.
"There is no process of reconciliation or justice -- unless you're talking about victors' justice," he said.
In Egyeikrom, near the town of Elmina, Jean-Louis Zougbo has lived in dire poverty in a UNHCR tent for five years.
In Ivory Coast he was a pastor from the FPI stronghold of Guiberoua some 300 kilometres (190 miles) northwest of Abidjan and headed a civilian militia.
He played a small part in the conflict but fears reprisal attacks if one day he has to go back to his home region. "I'm a nobody. If I disappear, if I go home and am killed, no-one will know."
Authorities said the men contributed from S$60 ($45) to S$1,360 ($1,000) to fund attacks in their homeland in the name of Islamic State in Bangladesh. It was Singapore's first case of terrorism financing.
The sentences would send a "strong message that every and all terrorism financing will be dealt with", he said.
The four were among eight Bangladeshi men detained under the Internal Security Act in April for planning attacks in their home country. The colonial-era law allows suspects to be held for lengthy periods without trial.
The group's leader, Rahman Mizanur, 31, a draftsman earning S$1,800 ($1,300) a month, was jailed for five years.
"I wanted to learn my religion but they show me the wrong way, the wrong activities," Mizanur said in court. "My intentions were wrong ... I'm very remorseful."
Two others were jailed for two and a half years and the fourth for two years.
Bangladesh, a deeply religious but mostly moderate Muslim-majority country of 160 million people, has faced a series of militant attacks over the past year, the most serious on July 1 when gunmen stormed a cafe in the capital, Dhaka, and killed 20 people, most of them foreigners.
Wealthy, multi-ethnic Singapore, has not faced any successful militant attacks in decades. There were no indications the men had planned to carry out attacks in Singapore.
Most Bangladeshis in Singapore are low-skilled and employed in construction and shipping.
Of the other four Bangladeshis detained in April, two who have yet to face trial pleaded not guilty when charged, saying they were unaware where their money was going.
The remaining two have yet to be charged and remain in detention. No other details have been given.
Singapore authorities said the eight men, aged 26-34, plotted attacks in parks where they shared radical propaganda and videos.
Five other Bangladeshis who came to the attention of authorities attention during the investigation were sent home in April and arrested upon their return. Bangladesh police said they were being investigated for connections to the Ansarullah Bangla Team militant group.
Baptist minister Evan Mawarire - who has issued a series of online video statements tapping into mounting public anger over corruption, high unemployment and other economic woes - said no one had told him the reasons for the order.
Mawarire said the police criminal investigations department in Harare had called him on Monday evening, telling him to go to the city's central station. "I will be going there because we have not broken any law," he told Reuters.
Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba said she had no details on the issue and could not immediately comment.
Mawarire called a one day shut-down last week that closed businesses across the southern African nation, the biggest strike action since 2005.
More protests were planned on Wednesday and Thursday as part of his #ThisFlag movement - a reference to a reflection on the colours of the national flag during one of his talks.
Last Friday police summoned and arrested Prosper Mkwananzi, spokesman for social media group Tajamuka (We refuse) on charges of public violence. Mkwananzi was freed on $300 bail on Monday.
Five years after the Ivory Coast returned to peace, rape remains prevalent in the country, according to the report by the United Nations OperationinCote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) published late Monday, warning that a sample of cases suggested well over half of the victims could be minors.
"Cote d'Ivoire in recent years has recorded significant progress in terms of human rights, but the persistence of rape and impunity towards their perpetrators remain of serious concern and requires urgent action," UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a statement launching the report.
The UN could not provide a clear overview of the number of rape cases in the Ivory Coast, since the country itself did not keep such statistics, according to Sarah de Hemptinne of UNOCI's protection and documentation unit.
And while 90 percent of these cases were subject to an investigation, fewer than 20 percent of them resulted in a conviction, the report found.
All 203 cases that ended in conviction were meanwhile "reclassified" -- "a common practice of judging rape as a lesser offence and for which the sentencing is less severe," the report said, warning that while this might allow more victims to see their rapist sentenced, it "minimises the gravity of rape."
The report also cautioned that the widespread recourse to settlements out of court, especially in cases where the rape victim is a child, which prevents the alleged rapist from ending in prison, also "undoubtedly contributes to the trivialisation of rape and puts the victim in a position of weakness and vulnerability."
In its report, UNOCI urged the Ivorian authorities "to intensify their efforts to prevent and punish rape, a crime that continues to claim many victims in the country."
The Ivory Coast has been buffeted by crisis for the past decade, split by a rebellion in the north and controlled in the south by partisans of ex-president Laurent Gbagbo, who ruled from 2000 to 2011.
High Court judge Wilson Musene granted the former presidential candidate bail during a hearing on Tuesday morning.
"I'm very, very happy to be free, for now," Besigye said outside the court.
Besigye was arrested in May and charged with treason after releasing a video in which he held a mock swearing-in ceremony to protest what he claims was a fraudulent election in February, won by President Yoweri Museveni.
An official from Beisgye's Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party said the bail decision showed the "regaining of credibility" by the judiciary which is sometimes accused of being under the government's thumb.
A long-standing opponent of Museveni, Besigye has been frequently jailed, placed under house arrest, accused of both treason and rape, tear-gassed, beaten and hospitalised over the years.
The arbitration court in The Hague ruled that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea and that it has breached the sovereign rights of the Philippines with its actions there, infuriating a defiant Beijing.
Taiwan, formally known as the "Republic of China", is also a claimant in the South China Sea. The maps China bases its South China Sea claims on date to when Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists ruled China before they fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war to Mao Zedong's Communists.
Manila had challenged the legality of China's claims to virtually the entire South China Sea, in part by arguing that no reefs, atolls or islets in the Spratly archipelago can legally be considered an island, and therefore hold no rights to a 200 nautical mile (370 km) exclusive economic zone.
As it struggles to end the war and cope with famine, the world's newest nation this weekend cancelled its fifth independence celebrations.
- 2011: Independence -
On July 9, South Sudan's President Salva Kiir proclaims independence before tens of thousands of jubilant citizens and several foreign leaders.
Southern Sudan split from Sudan after six years of autonomy and decades of civil war, which lasted from the late 1950s to 1972, and then again between 1983 and 2005, leaving millions dead.
A peace accord signed in 2005 by north and south opens the way to a referendum on independence, in which nearly 99 percent of southerners vote for secession.
However numerous disputes remain between the two countries, notably on how to share oil revenues, the tracing of their common border and the status of disputed regions like Abyei.
- 2012: Oil -
AFP/File / Tony Karumba
Spent munitions lie on the ground at an abandoned oil treatment facility at Thar Jath in Unity State, South Sudan in February 2015
From March to May deadly clashes pit the armies of Juba and Khartoum against each other in the oil fields of Heglig, an area to which both countries lay claim.
South Sudanese troops briefly occupy the area, which accounts for half of Sudan's crude oil production.
Upon independence, South Sudan inherited three quarters of Sudan's oil reserves, but, being landlocked, depends on the north's infrastructure to export crude.
With bitter arguments over pipeline transit costs, the north confiscates part of the oil and Juba in response halts its production in January. More than a year later, in April 2013, oil from the south starts flowing again through Sudan.
- 2013: Civil war -
On December 15, heavy gunfire erupts in Juba. Tensions had spiked after Riek Machar, from the country's second-largest ethnic group, the Nuer, was fired as vice-president in July.
Kiir, from the majority Dinka people, accuses Machar of a failed coup.
AFP/File / Albert Gonzalez Farran
UN experts say Riek Machar (left) and Salva Kiir are both responsible for most of the violence committed during the civil war
Machar denies this and accuses Kiir of starting the war by launching a purge. The fighting is marked by ethnic massacres in Juba, spreading to several states.
The northern city of Bentiu, capital of oil-rich Unity State, Malakal in Upper Nile, and Bor in Jonglei are among the main centres of the fighting. All three are razed by fighting.
- 2015: Peace accord -
On August 17, Machar signs a peace accord in Addis Ababa providing for a ceasefire and a power-sharing mechanism.
On August 26, Kiir signs the accord, while expressing "serious reservations" on several of its provisions.
- 2016: Unity government -
On April 26, Machar finally returns with members of his security forces to Juba, where he is sworn in as vice-president of a unity government. Three days later, Kiir forms his transitional government. Fighting continues.
On July 8, as many as 150 fighters are killed in a shootout between soldiers and former rebels in Juba that begins near the presidential palace as Kiir and Machar were due to address the press with a joint message of peace ahead of independence day.
AFP/File / Albert Gonzalez Farran
A UN peacekeeper from Rwanda walks through the remnants of a looted and burnt clinic in the UN Protection of Civilians site in Malakal, on February 26, 2016
On July 10, fighting erupts again in South Sudan's capital with former rebels and government soldiers exchanging heavy fire.
In New York, the UN Security Council urges the two rivals to call a ceasefire, redeploy their forces outside the capital and implement the peace agreement.
But intense battles resume July 11 involving tanks, helicopter gunships and artillery and mortar fire, sending thousands of people fleeing to safety.
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, in a visit to the Quad-Cities on Tuesday, said he intends to interview somebody soon to fill a vacancy on the state panel overseeing whether a Tennessee company can build a psychiatric hospital in Bettendorf.
At the same time, the governor continued to express misgivings about the process that requires the state's approval before new health facilities can be built.
The five-person State Health Facilities Council eventually will decide whether Strategic Behavioral Health LLC is allowed to build a 72-bed psychiatric hospital at Golden Valley Drive and Tanglefoot Lane. The Memphis-based company proposed the hospital last year, but it is being opposed by Genesis Health System and UnityPoint Trinity.
Branstad addressed the matter in a stop at Scott Community College's culinary arts program. After a tour there, he told reporters he intends to meet with a prospective council member "in the very near future." The governor did not say when a replacement might be selected, but when he was asked whether he would share his concerns about the process with the new appointee, he said: "I want to share my concern about the fact that this is something that may not continue on."
Branstad has said that he thinks the certificate of need process has not stopped cost increases in the medical field and that it has sometimes served as a way to limit competition.
"That's why I'm somewhat skeptical about its continuation," he said Tuesday. As for the new council member, he said: "We want to find the very best person and somebody that would be fair and really recognize the need to provide the best health care to the citizens of Iowa."
The health facilities council deadlocked earlier this year on whether to grant a certificate of need allowing Strategic to build the hospital. It was scheduled to take it up again last week, but the resignation of a council member and the absence of another forced a delay. The council plans to meet again in October.
Who Branstad names as a replacement is a key question. The person who resigned voted against Strategic's application earlier this year, so a replacement has the potential of tipping the balance.
Five years ago, Bruce and Sue Peterson were looking for a lifestyle change.
Bruce was CEO of a hospital in Rochelle, Illinois, and Sue was a teacher in Aledo, where they had a home.
We passed each other on the weekends," Bruce said. "I thought theres a better ways to spend our time than that.
Sue found the answer online: Navarro Canoe Co.
It was a big leap for the couple, but now they're building canoes from a shop on 3rd Avenue in Rock Island.
"Ive worked with my hands before, small wood projects, but never a canoe," Bruce said.
The business started in the late 1970s in California, named for the Navarro River in northern California where the canoes were being built.
The company had good reputation, Bruce said, but its canoes could not be produced as cheap as they were being sold for. The company eventually was sold to a partnership in Minneapolis, but that quickly dissolved into a lengthy legal battle between the partners. Thats when the Petersons found it.
The purchase included a manual laying out the steps involved in construction, and one of the previous owners spent 30 days working with them to help them understand the process.
The canoes are not mass produced, he said.
I can have multiple canoes in some stage of production at a time, but from beginning to end, it takes about six weeks to complete each one, Bruce said.
The ribs are always made from black cherry, but customers have to make decisions about other wooden pieces, hull color, style and materials to be used in construction.
No two are alike," he said. "You have a hundred different options.
And customers can come up with unusual requests. Recently, a customer wanted his canoe decks to be made from cherry wood to match the cherry mantle above his fireplace, because that's where the canoe would be displayed during the winter months.
Sue Peterson said the change has been a good fit for the couple.
"Bruce had some experience with building things, and we both grew up around water, outdoor activities, and we enjoy the healthy lifestyle, she said.
Part of the challenge for the Petersons is the company's history. When production stopped before they bought the business, customers thought the doors were closed for good.
"It takes a lot to get the word back out since the company was down, Sue said. We have to re-educate people that were still around.
Now, the Petersons are taking orders from across the country and even Japan. This also is their biggest year for sales from inside Illinois, and it's keeping the couple busy.
Im busier now than Id like to be, Bruce said, laughing. Id like to have some time to play and paddle.
A Moline man accused of taking his 6-year-old son out of the country in violation of a court-arranged visitation agreement was arrested Sunday in Bangkok, Thailand.
Daniel R. Glaus, 48, was detained by Royal Thai Police on a $500,000 East Moline arrest warrant on kidnapping charges. Extradition is pending.
East Moline Police Lt. Darren Gault said the department received a complaint for unlawful visitation interference on June 19.
The mother of a 6-year-old boy reported that Glaus, who is the non-custodial parent, had not returned the boy after his normal court-arranged visitation, Gault said.
After the boy was not returned the next day, police attempted to contact Glaus.
An investigation determined that Glaus had left the United States on an international flight and was accompanied by the boy, Gault said.
The East Moline Police Department Investigation Division, working with multiple federal agencies, located Glaus in Bangkok and detained him on an immigration violation.
The boy was turned over to the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok. The FBI Office of Victim Assistance and the State Department American Citizen Services made arrangements to have the child fly back to the U.S. with a consular officer.
The boy arrived to the U.S. on Tuesday and was reunited with his mother, Gault said.
The case is still under investigation by police.
Kidnapping is a Class 2 felony punishable by three to seven years in prison.
US Ignores Iraqi Christians for Fear of Being Called 'Crusader Army'
The United States government is afraid to work directly with persecuted Iraqi and Syrian Christians because it doesn't want America to look like a "crusader army," prominent human rights lawyer and religious freedom advocate Nina Shea said Friday. While speaking on a panel discussion focusing on global persecution at International Christian Concern's first annual conference on the persecuted church, Shea, the director of the Washington-based Hudson Institute's Center for Religious Freedom, detailed the U.S government's troubling pattern of indifference toward the plight of persecuted Christians across the world. In addressing whether or not it will be plausible for Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq to have their own province in the Nineveh Plain once the Islamic State is defeated so that Christians can return to their homelands, Shea stressed that she doesn't think that such outcome could happen because Christians would have serious trouble defending the land. "I am not terribly optimistic about the Christians getting their own province, at least not right now," Shea bluntly asserted. Shea said that although it is plausible to train Assyrian and Chaldean Christians and other religious minorities to defend their own province, the U.S. has a "complex" when it comes to working directly with Christian people groups. "Maybe they can be trained, maybe the U.S. can overcome its reluctance to work directly with Christians because it has a complex that it doesn't want to look like a 'crusader army,'" she explained. "This was true under the [George W.] Bush administration and more so now that the United States is desperate to avoid the label that we're a 'crusader army.'" In general, Shea added, the U.S. government is "so unsympathetic" to the plight of Christians. "The day before [Sec. of State John] Kerry designated [ISIS' atrocities against Christians and other religious minorities] as genocide officially, the [State Department] were announcing they were only going to name Yazidis as victims of genocide," Shea stated. "We signed petitions and put enough pressure on them with facts and arguments that [Kerry] listened but he hasn't done anything since then." "In fact, he went to Iraq and gave two speeches a month later and never mentioned the genocide issue," Shea continued. "This is Secretary Kerry, he gave a speech on the anniversary of the Holocaust and said 'never again must we forget' and never mentioned the ongoing genocide in Iraq and Syria right now." In addition, Shea pointed out the fact that Syria's Christian population has not been fairly represented in U.S.' Syrian refugee resettlement program. "Christians comprised 10 percent of the population of Syria before the war five years ago, they constitute less than one percent of the refugee resettlement in the United States. The United States has resettled about 60 christians in five years from Syria," Shea said. "I don't think at this point, we want to see all the Christians pull out but there are certainly more than 60, like the woman who saw her husband [crucified on their front door], she is not going back. She doesn't ever want to go back. She wants to get out." "The United States as a government is absolutely indifferent and keeps its distance from oppressed Christian minorities," she added. As Shea does not believe that Christians will be able to defend their own province in northern Iraq, she believes the best thing for Christians who want to remain in the region to do is stay in Kurdistan under the protection of the Kurdish government. However, fellow panelist Juliana Taimoorazy, the founder of the Iraqi Christian Relief Council and an Assyrian Christian who fled persecution in Iran in 1989, warned that Christians also face injustices living under Kurdish rule. "The priests and clergy do not openly speak. Many of them are under pressure. So, they come in with a different message," Taimoorazy detailed. "There are many Assyrian businesses that have Assyrian names and Aramaic letters on their stores. According to a new law, the new businesses that are opening are not allowed to have Assyrian names. They have to be Kurdish." Taimoorazy added that the Kurdish Regional Government also makes it hard for internally displaced Christians to get a job and gain economic stability. "When a Yazidi is given a permit to work for six months, an Assyrian Christian is given a permit to work for a month. There were many cases that came to us complaining about that," she said. "They said, 'They make us go back over and over again and sometimes they deny the permit that we are given on a monthly basis.'" Taimoorazy explained that the Iraqi Christian Relief Council went to Kurdistan about a month ago and most of the Christians whom her organization spoke with expressed a desire to ultimately return home to the Nineveh Plain one day. But after speaking with Kurdish generals, Taimoorazy said that the only way the peshmerga will liberate Christian lands is to claim them as Kurdish lands. "Our ancestral homeland is the Nineveh plain. When we met with the Peshmerga generals, many of them were very much not in favor of the Assyrians and the Yazidis and the Turkmen shiites having their own province," Taimoorazy said. "We have to fight against that here in the West. It is absolutely to be detrimental to Assyrians if we are completely tied to Erbil."
A Rock Island man arrested in Maquoketa Monday afternoon in connection with the death of a Rock Island infant in August will return to Illinois to face charges.
Jackson County Attorney Sara Davenport confirmed Tuesday that Robert J. Brewer, 31, waived extradition Tuesday. He was not in the Rock Island County Jail as of Tuesday afternoon.
On Monday, Rock Island police obtained a $1 million warrant for first-degree murder against Brewer in the death of Eli John Brewer, who was 3 months old.
Prosecutors claim in court documents that Brewer placed an object against the babys mouth, causing his death, on Aug. 16.
Police found Eli, who was not breathing and had no pulse, at a home in the 1200 block of 31st Street.
He was taken to Trinity Rock Island and later transferred to OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.
Eli died two days later. A police investigation determined that he sustained injuries that were consistent with having been intentionally inflicted and that the injuries directly led to his death, police said in a news release.
Eli was the son of Lindsey Brower and Russell Burmeister Jr., according to an obituary published Aug. 23 in the Quad-City Times.
Brewer was listed as the baby's stepfather in the obituary.
Although police said Tuesday that he is from Rock Island, a Davenport address was listed in court documents for Brewer.
The Rock Island Police Department is asking anyone with information related to the case to call 309-732-2677 or Crimestoppers of the Quad-Cities at 309-762-9500.
ALEDO, Ill. The attorney for former Aledo police officer Steven Bonynge has filed a speedy trial demand in Mercer County Circuit Court.
Bonynge, 34, was charged in December 2014 with two Class 2 felony sex abuse counts stemming from an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old girl.
There has been little activity in the case over the past year. Judge Richard Zimmer granted a defense motion to suppress in May of last year as Bonynges attorney, Bill Gullberg of Monmouth, took issue with the action of Illinois State Police investigators involved in the case.
Gullberg filed the speedy trial demand on June 17. He said the filing means the state has 120 days from that date to try the case. The special prosecutor originally assigned to the case Michael Vujovich has since retired and a new special prosecutor is now handling the matter. Bonynge remains free on $40,000 bond.
Davenport Mayor Frank Klipsch took pity on the three city administrator finalists when he said they didn't have to get up and make speeches at Monday evening's meet-and-greet because they had been meeting and greeting and talking all day long.
So after a whirlwind day filled with introductions, meetings over lunch and tours with City Hall staff, Stephen Riley, Corri Spiegel and Kevin Woods were greeted with a low-key event inside a community room at River Music Experience, 129 Main St., chatting mostly with residents over lemonade and iced tea.
"I'm really impressed," Loxi Hopkins, president of Quad-Cities Interfaith, said after meeting the finalists. "I'm glad I don't have that decision to make."
Riley is town manager of Hilton Head, South Carolina; Spiegel is interim city administrator of Davenport; and Woods is city manager of Stallings, North Carolina. The City Administrator Search Committee selected the three from among 34 applicants.
Klipsch said Monday he is "facilitating a process whereby the council and I will make the decision after receiving all the input from the selection committee coupled with all the community feedback."
There's no word on how soon the decision will be made.
With floor-to-ceiling photos of local jazz legends Bix Beiderbecke and Louie Bellson looking on, dozens of residents and community leaders attended the event at the RME Monday evening.
Donning a bright yellow Iowa Hawkeyes cap, longtime resident and Citizens Advisory Committee member Jay Williams said he would "like to see some experience in the post," adding he wants an administrator who is "forward thinking" and can "respond to changing conditions, quickly."
Davenport's city administrator should work well with the other Quad-City communities, said Susie Greenwalt, a member of the Davenport Civil Rights Commission.
"Instead of being in competition, you have to learn to work together because we're one big community," Greenwalt said.
Joe Taylor, president of the Quad-Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau, also spoke of the "regionalist" approach to the administrator's office, adding the candidate should be open to ideas.
"My way or the highway won't work in our community," Taylor said.
Taylor singled out Riley with regard to working in a tourism destination, but he thought it unfair after having just met the finalists to rate them.
"Hilton Head you don't get more touristy than that," Taylor said. "He understands tourism, and I think he's asking the right questions."
Mary Rourke is a fan of the interim.
"I'm for Corri," Rourke said. "She's been here, and she's doing a great job."
Kyle Carter, director of the Downtown Davenport Partnership, said he wants to hear the finalists' views on RiverVision, which is a plan to redevelop the riverfront.
"I'm trying to keep an open mind," Carter said, adding the administrator should understand the importance of downtown development.
Bob Babcock, a local activist who ran unsuccessfully for 8th Ward alderman last year, said he was "impressed with the majority" of the finalists.
"Nothing against anybody, but we need good solid experience," he said. "I'm hoping that wins out in the final analysis over any other factor."
The two outsider candidates shared their first impressions of Davenport, and they both seemed most taken by the views of the Mississippi River and access to it.
Riley said Hilton Head, which is on an island on the Atlantic Coast, has "struggled" with creating public access to the water.
"If you didn't live on the water, access was hard to come by," Riley said. "We worked hard on that to see that it was accessible."
Woods enjoyed how the "Mississippi dominates" the city skyline.
"It's a significant body of water that really draws the eye," he said.
The male candidates attended the event with their wives, who also shared their reactions.
"It's a cute town," Mary Jo Riley said. "I love the waterfront and the parks."
Andrea Woods said Davenport's amenities are like a larger city.
"You have the symphony and theaters," she said. "It's a nice balance. You've got everything."
Spiegel said she is proud to have been a part of Davenport for the past two years.
"We've made a lot of great progress," she said. "The best is yet to come. There's so much ahead of us, and it's right within reach."
Be compliant, answer questions.
Davenport Police Chief Paul Sikorski directed that message Monday to mothers worried about their black teenage boys behind the wheel.
If he gets pulled over for a traffic violation, he should not have to get out of his vehicle, Sikorski told about 60 community members at a meeting organized by a grassroots organization called Boots on the Ground, urging parents to share his words with their sons.
But others in the audience respectfully responded with concerns of their own regarding distrust between police and minority communities in the Quad-Cities and throughout the country.
We hear whats supposed to happen, but it doesnt always play out like that when were in the streets, said the Rev. Daniel Teague, who leads Boots on the Ground.
The group pushed up its monthly meeting in light of last weeks police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota and the ambush of Dallas police officers.
We dont have those issues here, Teague went on to say. We need to respect our officers.
Discussion transitioned from the recent tragedies across the country to local community policing efforts.
Heidi Graves brought her teenage niece and daughter to the meeting. They both knew Ayana Culbreath, the 15-year-old girl who was shot and killed June 26 in Davenport.
I think they need to see there are more people in the community who want to help, she said. Not everyones against them.
Two Davenport teenagers with a history of gun offenses have since been charged in connection with the fatal shooting.
Sikorski stressed his department is focused on reducing gun violence in the community.
Its our highest priority, he said. We are tracking every single firearm we come across.
While some people expressed their fears of police, several addressed their concerns about a lack of strong parenting.
Jackson Horace, who raised seven children in Davenport, said families should hold as much responsibility as police when it comes to setting an example for children.
Were going to quit pointing the finger at the police, and the police are going to quit pointing the finger at us when we start doing something about this, he said. The police arent going to do it all, so we need straighten this up.
Sikorski encouraged the discussion, noting his commitment to increased interactions between the department and the community.
"These problems don't go away," he said. "We need to stay committed, and it takes all of us."
Quad-City Animal Welfare Center and Tippi Yogis are partnering to offer Kitten Yoga at the shelter 10-11 a.m. Saturday. Cost is $15 to participate, and includes $10 being donated to the shelter. Participants must reserve their spot in advance by registering online at www.qcawc.org/KittenYoga.html through PayPal, or in person at the shelter at 724 W. 2nd Avenue, Milan. Space is limited and refunds will not be available.
Kitten yoga attendees will practice yoga while shelter kittens play in the room. Attendees must bring their own yoga mats. Participants age 16 and older are welcome, but participants ages 12-15, can participate if they are accompanied by a participating adult.
The mission of the Quad-City Animal Welfare Center is to operate a shelter for homeless animals, to offer a spay and neuter program, and to provide humane education to the community. QCAWC was founded in 1977 and is the only full-service, no-kill shelter serving the Quad-Cities area.
WAPELLO, Iowa -- A tour on Tuesday of the former Louisa County Jail Annex by the Louisa County Board of Supervisors and several department heads revealed a few changes will be needed in the buildings upcoming remodeling project
Veterans affairs director Andy Beaver, emergency management director Staci Griffin and general assistance director Cyndi Mears met with the supervisors, county engineer Larry Roehl and information technology director Chuck Borschel and agreed to several renovation changes.
Roehl designed the remodeling project after the supervisors agreed several months ago to separate the annex from the original jail. Eventually, the supervisors agreed to house the veterans affairs, emergency management and general assistance offices in the building, along with a meeting room for the supervisors.
Currently the veterans affairs and emergency management departments have offices at the Louisa County Complex, four miles northeast of Wapello. The supervisors also hold their weekly meetings there. The general assistance office is in the courthouse, although it was previously located in the annex.
Security and space appeared to be the primary concerns of the department heads after comparing Roehls planned renovation to the actual building. Beaver said his proposed office would be too small.
Im going from 370 square feet to 130 square feet. Thats not going to work, he told the supervisors.
Griffin also said she was worried about being crammed into a small front office of the building.
I dont know if I can put my desk in here, she said.
After Beaver was shown another, slightly larger interior room, he agreed it would work, provided a window is installed. That left his initial room open and Griffin said it would work for her.
Mears said her proposed office space would work, but she worried about potential security issues. Borschel said an intercom would be installed that would provide direct communication between the annex offices and also with the courthouse.
The supervisors also agreed Mears could lock the entry door if she was alone in the building.
Mears suggested her office might need a waiting area for clients, and Beaver agreed he could also utilize a waiting room. Everyone agreed the room that was initially identified for emergency management would fit that need.
The supervisors also later acknowledged the annex parking area would likely need some repaving and other work, but indicated that would probably not be completed as part of the current project.
Officials said they are hopeful the remodeling work could be completed by September.
In other action, Beaver met earlier with the supervisors and presented his monthly update. He reviewed his annual report and also presented financial information showing Louisa County veterans received over $5 million in payments and other benefits in FY15. This was an increase of over $550,000 from FY14.
The supervisors also:
Approved the Whiskey Hollow and Gerot subdivisions;
Signed an Iowa Economic Development Authority form acknowledging the county would conduct a single audit for the County Highway 99 bridge at Oakville;
Approved the treasurers semi-annual report and quarterly reports from the auditor and recorders offices;
Met new Louisa County Sheriff Deputy Zack Archer, Mount Pleasant;
Received an update on a laborshed study from supervisor chair Paula Buckman.
Brandon, son of the late William Ketchum and Beverly Ertz was born Oct. 18, 1982, at Darnell Army Community Hospital in Killeen, Texas. He was a graduate of Wisconsin Dells High School, Class of 2001. At the age of 21, Brandon enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and proudly served from 2004-2008 as a combat engineer, serving two tours in Iraq. In July of 2008, he joined the Army as a combat engineer, and in 2010 he was deployed to Afghanistan with the Iowa National Guard. After being injured in the line of duty and enduring multiple surgeries he was honorably discharged. He had great enthusiasm for the armed forces and was known for being a man that would drop everything to support his fellow brothers and sisters or anyone in need. His true loves of his life were his daughter, Layla, and soulmate, Kristine. Brandon and Layla had a special bond that will be remembered. After his time in the military Brandon took up the hobby of woodworking and excelled in his craft by making beautiful butcher blocks, cutting boards and shadow boxes for fellow military friends and family. He was proud of his skill and took great time to master the art. Family and friends will forever remember Brandons unique sense of humor and ability to bring laughter and happiness to anyone he came in contact with. He was a likable person who was able to make friends where ever he went.
The Board of Supervisors reviewed recommended changes in Scott Countys internal forensic investigation procedures at Tuesdays committee-of-the-whole meeting.
David Farmer, the county's director of Budget and Administrative Services, described the adjustment of daily operations and financial records control as a real learning process for administration and the sheriffs department. All safeguards are now in place.
County Attorney Michael Walton told supervisors the investigation into the alleged theft of more than $165,000 from the sheriffs department by a county employee was conducted by Davenport police.
The investigation is complete, Walton said.
The Iowa Attorney Generals Office will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney on criminal proceedings in the case that could advance to the federal level, Walton said. The county will reclaim $160,345 of the covered loss, less the $10,000 insured deductible. The forensic audit that uncovered the loss cost the county $35,352. Of that, $5,000 will be reimbursed through the insured policy. The total anticipated payout from the insurance policy is $160,345.
Farmer told supervisors the procedural review from December 2015 through March of this year strengthened financial documentation as well as improved the reconciliation process and written policies.
Supervisor Brinson Kinzer commended supervisors and staff for taking immediate steps that will make this very difficult to do again.
Last fall, Scott County officials discovered money was missing from accounts handled by a former Sheriff's Department employee, who had been dismissed for performance reasons. The missing funds were discovered when a new employee took over.
In other business, Sheriff Dennis Conard reported on an ongoing Violence Against Women grant contract with the state of Iowa. Conard told supervisors the statewide effort is money for a job were already doing. Were trying to address a huge problem.
Supervisor Diane Holst asked Conard if the incidence of domestic violence has increased in Scott County.
Domestic violence is not going up, but reporting is, Conard said.
Corri Spiegel said she is ready to push her staff of 750 public employees harder if shes given the Davenport city administrator job.
Spiegel, who has been serving as interim administrator for a year, was interviewed by panel of local civic leaders Tuesday morning in City Hall.
From a style standpoint, Corri Spiegel is Corri Spiegel, she said in answer to how her role in a permanent post will differ from the interim position she now holds. I enjoy collaborating with people. That wont change.
She expects her management style will change.
Its time to put my foot on the gas. In a permanent capacity, I will push harder, build talent and expect more. Ill have the authority to do that.
Spiegel, 38, was asked a series of written questions that Mayor Frank Klipsch said was submitted by SGR, the firm that conducted a search that netted 34 applicants. She is among the three finalists.
Panelists also were able to ask their own follow-up questions.
In response to questions ranging from her role in economic development to team leadership, Spiegel pulled from her two years of experience in Davenport as well as earlier experience in municipal management in Arizona and Colorado.
She said her biggest controversy was dealing with annexation issues in Colorado. When asked for a Davenport example, Klipsch told her to keep her answer vague, with no names, no dates.
Spiegel was asked how she has improved customer service while serving as interim administrator. She said that under her public works created a "customer experience" staff that was cross trained to take a variety of calls.
She prioritized Davenport's top three economic development opportunities being Elmore Avenue, downtown and the Kraft factory site on 2nd Street after the operation moves to the northwest end of town.
Kevin Woods comes from a leadership background in the military, private and public sectors, and during his interview Tuesday, he explained the differences of all three.
Woods is one of three finalists for Davenport city administrator.
A former commander in the U.S. Army, he said strong leadership is required for the role, but as city manager of Stallings, North Carolina, leadership comes from the residents through their elected officials.
He learned that when he tried to pitch an idea for a community center.
If it was the city managers idea, it was never going to fly, he said. It had to come from the people. Thats the approach we took.
Alderwoman Rita Rawson, 5th Ward, who sits on the panel that interviewed him, pointed out a gap in Woods wanting to move from Stallings, which has a population of 16,000, to Davenport, which has 103,000 residents.
Woods countered that he supervised much larger staffs than Davenports serving in his last position in the military and then as vice president of Versar Inc.
Asked for an experience when he had to sell Stallings council on an idea, he brought up changes to the staff employee pay plan to accommodate raises, so he did not have to go back to council every year and have the issue turn political. He said employees now feel very good where they are.
To research Davenport, Woods said he called former city administrator Craig Malin and talked for "awhile." He did not elaborate on what they talked about.
Woods said he has experience ranging from overseeing a military budget of $220 million to a smaller municipal budget in Stallings.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation verified what weve long known: For the last 16 months, Hillary Clinton has been lying to Iowans and the American people by showing bad judgment and reckless behavior with classified information, all the while, endangering national security.
Earlier this month, when most Iowans were enjoying the holiday weekend, Hillary Clinton spent more than three hours meeting with the FBI. The interview came just days after Attorney General Loretta Lynch met privately with former President Bill Clinton.
Then last week, FBI Director James Comey, who labeled Clinton and her aides conduct extremely careless, contradicted her original lies in a series of detailed, evidence-based statements. Clinton originally claimed she had used one device for convenience to access her emails, but the FBI found she used several different servers and multiple mobile devices to access her email. Despite Clinton claiming there was no classified material, the FBI found Clinton sent or received more than 100 emails containing material that was classified at the time these messages were transmitted. While Clinton claimed her server was secure, the FBI found that it is possible that hostile actors gained access. Despite Clinton saying a thorough search was conducted and nothing was deleted, the FBI found that individual emails were not reviewed by Clintons lawyers in full and that the devices were wiped clean.
This wouldnt have been an issue had Hillary Clinton followed the law like everybody else and used a State Department account. Instead, Hillary Clinton set up a system for herself to evade the established rules because she didnt want anybody according to her top aide to know what she was doing. Clinton even went a step further and destroyed daily schedules.
This administration's behavior will leave the American people second guessing that this was a fair and honest process. President Obamas decision to campaign with Clinton this week is an endorsement of her reckless and disgraceful actions. Recall it was Obama who also claimed, without evidence, that Clintons email use was not a national security problem. This whole investigation into her email server by Obamas Department of Justice has been rigged in Clintons favor.
When you factor in that Clinton directed this server be established just to cover up a tangled web of donors, State Department actions and her family foundation, we must ask ourselves if this is the kind of leadership we want in the White House. How can we trust that Clinton is out for anyone but herself when nearly every single talking point Hillary Clinton has given to the American people over the past 16 months has been an outright lie?
If Hillary Clintons lips are moving, shes probably lying.
Jon Alexander Editorial Page Editor Editorial Page Editor, Quad-City Times Follow Jon Alexander Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
Hate speech is protected speech, the U.S. Supreme Court has rightfully declared. Until Friday, Iowa flirted dangerously with state-sponsored infringement on intolerant religious speech. And, judging by their swift response, state officials knew it.
That's when the Iowa Civil Rights Commission revised its guidance on Iowa's non-discrimination law, which first included protections for the LGBTQ community since 2007. The language was, at best, sloppy. At worst, the brochure was unconstitutional censorship of religious speech. At least two evangelical churches -- Fort Des Moines Church of Christ and Cornerstone World Outreach in Sioux City -- were ready to throttle the state's obvious impingement on the First Amendment in court. Fort Des Moines, last week, filed a federal lawsuit against the state directive with the backing of the Alliance Defending Freedom. For its part, Cornerstone was heading in that direction.
Even the most pro-gay rights proponent should have rejected the government's intrusion into speech and religion should have been troubled by the Iowa Civil Rights Commission's slapdash use of language. Yes, a transgender bathroom directive was part of the complaint, but it wan't the crux of the matter.
"Where qualifications are not related to a bona fide religious purpose, churches are still subject to the laws provisions. (e.g. a child care facility operated at a church or a church service open to the public)," stated the previous guidance last updated in 2008.
A "bona fide religious purpose" is murky enough. "Church service open to the public," was even worse. Most churches have an open-door policy during services, the lawsuit noted. As such, the state's directive could, effectively, muzzle the pulpit.
Commission Executive Director Kristin Johnson, an appointee of Republican Gov. Terry Branstad, didn't disagree with the lawsuit's assertion. Certain anti-gay messages from the pulpit could, in theory, be considered harassment under state law, she said last week.
Dangerous ground, indeed.
To its credit, the Iowa Civil Rights Commission reacted quickly. The lawsuit was filed July 4. By Friday, a new guidance aimed at dispelling the churches' fears was rolled out.
Places of worship (e.g. churches, synagogues, mosques, etc.) are generally exempt from the Iowa laws prohibition of discrimination, unless the place of worship engages in non-religious activities which are open to the public," reads the new brochure.
Fort Des Moines Church of Christ has indicated that the change isn't good enough and plans to continue its lawsuit. Church leaders seem intent on challenging the legality of transgender bathrooms on bingo night. That's their prerogative. But, they're probably headed toward a string of courtroom defeats. Similar "house of worship" arguments, mind you, were unsuccessful in the mid-1960s when various religious institutions tried to circumvent the federal Civil Rights Act, which outlawed racial segregation. The tactic failed again in 1967, when Virginia state officials tapped biblical interpretation to justify that state's laws against interracial marriage.
Over and over, religious extremists have wrongly predicted that anti-discrimination protections would rot the country.
But the fact that, either by accident or intent, Iowa basically outlawed religious speech is troubling. Good intentions aren't enough to justify such an infringement on speech. Nowhere does the U.S. Constitution guarantee someone's right to not be offended.
I have no doubt that many, myself included, would find the religious doctrine spoken from the pulpit at Fort Des Moines Church of Christ hateful and discriminatory. And I have a right to criticize the message and not put cash into the Sunday till.
But the state has no place quashing a churches' biblical interpretation, no matter how bigoted.
Since the Orlando mass shooting on a gay nightclub, it seems this tragedy has given the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community another reason to stand behind their righteous pulpit to justify their sinful lifestyle.
If youre a true Christian and follow Gods law and live by it, then you are fully aware of the sinful and un-Godly world we are living in today. People want to say the Bible is out of touch or old-fashioned, but this is simply dangerous thinking.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, Hebrews 13:8. In Genesis 19:12, God destroyed the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of its corrupt people. The day will come, and I hope it is soon, when God will bring his wrath upon his people and send his son to destroy this sinful world.
If you are a true Christian, his return will be glorious, not fearful. Today, we have corrupt churches, corrupt government and corrupt Supreme Court justices who will answer to him one day for what they have done against him.
Today, as Christians, we are being intimidated, crushed and silenced by those who feel threatened by us. We, as followers of Gods word, should stand together and pray for those who are lost in his world.
My dad once told me, if God blesses America, then he owes Sodom and Gomorrah an apology.
Teresa J. Roesger
Durant, Iowa
I wrote a thank you note to Davenport Police Chief Paul Sikorski, and to all men and women of the DPD.
The tragedy in Dallas, where five officers were assassinated by a sniper, reminded me how grateful I am for the good work and community spirit demonstrated by the Davenport Police Department.
I thank the DPD men and women for their good work, and for keeping open the lines of communication with our African-American community, as well as other community members.
Thank you for your good work, Chief Sikorski, and all ladies and gentlemen of the Davenport Police Department.
Suzy Hartung
Davenport
SPRINGFIELD Bloomington physician and frequent Democratic congressional candidate David Gill is facing two challenges to his nominating petitions for his independent bid in the 13th Congressional District.
The objections, filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections, come from current Democratic candidate Mark Wicklund of Decatur and former Macon County Republican Party Chairman Jerry Stocks. Gill is attempting a rematch against U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, who bested him in 2012.
Wicklund said he decided the challenge the validity of the signatures on Gill's nominating petitions after hearing reports and seeing photos suggesting that his supporters were collecting signatures from voters who live outside the district, which stretches from Champaign County to the Mississippi River and includes parts of Bloomington and Normal and all of Decatur.
Wicklund said he objected to a little more than 1,300 of the signatures Gill collected. As an independent candidate, Gill needs 10,754 valid signatures to earn a spot on the Nov. 8 ballot.
With the help of eight to 10 volunteers, Wicklund's campaign reviewed the signatures on Gill's petitions, focusing their attention primarily on McLean County but also scrutinizing those collected in Champaign and Sangamon counties. The signatures to which he objected were allegedly collected from voters who live outside the 13th District.
Stocks objected to even more signatures and claimed other issues, such as voters listing addresses where they're not registered.
"With the two challenges being relatively the same, we stayed ours," Wicklund said, adding that he hopes letting the board focus on one case will allow the process to move more quickly.
Stocks is out of the country and unavailable for comment.
The State Board of Elections is scheduled to conduct a review of the signatures on Gill's petitions Monday, said Ken Menzel, the board's general counsel. Menzel said the board will likely vote at its Aug. 26 meeting on whether Gill can remain on the ballot.
Sam Cahnman, a Springfield attorney representing Gill before the board, said they plan a two-pronged approach to combating the objections.
"We're going to contest the objectors' petitions," he said.
In addition, they're also contemplating a lawsuit to challenge the number of signatures needed for an independent congressional candidate to get on the ballot in Illinois.
Gill was required to collect about 10,000 more signatures than Wicklund or Davis.
"The signature requirement for independent candidates for the U.S. House is way out of whack," Cahnman said, noting that independents in congressional races are required to collect nearly 15 times as many signatures as major party candidates. For U.S. Senate races, independents need about five times as many.
If Gill survives the challenges, it will be his fifth time appearing on the ballot in a congressional race. He has yet to win.
SPRINGFIELD Gov. Bruce Rauner announced Tuesday that he is convening a bipartisan panel to propose an overhaul of the way Illinois distributes money to local school districts.
It is widely acknowledged that the current funding formula, which has been in place for two decades and relies heavily on local property taxes, does a poor job of directing state money to the schools that need it most. In fact, a study last year from The Education Trust found that Illinois has the widest funding gap between high-poverty and low-poverty districts.
Rauner said his goal and the goal of the new commission is to find a way to provide adequate and equitable funding to all schools in the state.
We are the worst state in America for funding our schools, the governor said at a Chicago news conference announcing the plan.
The states overreliance on local property taxes to fund schools denies the American dream to low-income families because they dont get the same level of resources as higher-income families do, Rauner said.
Education is a fundamental right in America, he said. Its the way that people raise their quality of life, their standard of living, their incomes. Education has got to be the priority, and low-income kids deserve the opportunity for a good education just as much as any other young person.
The commission will be made up of 25 members, with each of the four leaders of the General Assembly appointing five members and Rauner naming the remaining five. One of the governors picks is Education Secretary Beth Purvis, who will serve as chairwoman.
The group will be assigned to produce recommendations for an overhaul of the funding formula by Feb. 1, which should provide time for the General Assembly to take up the issue during its spring session and approve legislation ahead of the 2017-18 school year, Purvis said. She said the group plans to meet at least monthly beginning in August.
Just before the states new fiscal year began July 1, Rauner and legislators reached an agreement on a plan for the upcoming school year that boosts funding for schools but doesnt address the underlying formula used to divvy out the money.
We believe right now is the time to work in that bipartisan spirit to move forward with something that is important to both parties and to every parent, teacher and administrator in the state, Purvis said.
Spokesmen for House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton, both Chicago Democrats, confirmed that they will appoint members to participate.
The school funding formula has long been a contentious issue at the Capitol, dividing lawmakers based on party and geography, while also highlighting differences between majority Democrats in the House and Senate.
The Senate has approved several school funding bills in recent years, including versions two this spring, that have languished in the House. The House, meanwhile, convened its own panel this spring to conduct a series of hearings on the issue.
Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, has been a leading voice in his caucus on school funding reform and is one of Cullertons five appointees.
While hes criticized Rauner in the past for not taking a leading role in the conversation, Manar praised the governors latest effort.
Im of the belief that anytime there can be a public conversation between Republicans and Democrats representing all geographic areas and school districts in our state, thats a step in the right direction, Manar said. Im encouraged that this can be a forum that can finally produce the overhaul thats desperately needed.
He said the Feb. 1 deadline is aggressive but achievable.
Like Manar, Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, has been a point man on education funding for his party and will serve on the commission.
Barickman said the fact that Democrats havent been able to come to an agreement among themselves on rewriting the formula demonstrates the complexity of the issue.
The Legislatures like a bunch of cats, and somebody needs to herd them, he said, adding, For the first time, we have a governor who is engaged and recognizes the problem that exists and says he wants to provide the leadership necessary at the statewide level for us to come to a bipartisan agreement.
Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, a retired teacher, also was named to the panel by Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont.
Good afternoon, Quad-Cities. Here is your National Weather Service forecast.
Hazardous weather outlook:
Late this afternoon and evening thunderstorms and evening thunderstorms will redevelop with some storms becoming strong to severe. The greatest risk area looks to be south of Interstate 80. The primary threats will be heavy rains possibly very heavy with rain totals over two inches and damaging straight line winds of 60 mph or higher. A secondary threat will be hail to the size of quarters and isolated. Brief tornadoes near the Iowa Missouri border cannot be ruled out.
There is currently a low confidence on the location and extent of convection developing later this afternoon and evening. The low confidence is due to the fact that the morning convection will greatly impact redevelopment later today.
The Storm Prediction Center has a slight risk of severe storms for locations generally along and south of Highway 34 later this afternoon and evening.
There is a 20 percent chance of isolated showers this afternoon. Skies will be partly sunny with a high near 84 degrees. Southwest winds will be around 10 mph.
Tonight there is a 50 percent chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch. Higher amounts are possible during thunderstorms. Skies will be mostly cloudy with a low around 70 degrees. South winds will be 5-10 mph.
Wednesday there is a 40 percent chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms mainly after 4 p.m. Skies will be partly sunny with a high near 88 degrees. South winds will be 10-15 mph.
Wednesday night there is a 60 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms mainly between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m. New rainfall amounts could be between a quarter and half of an inch. Skies will be mostly cloudy with a low around 68 degrees. Southwest winds will be 5-10 mph.
PHILIP | A Philip area rancher is being treated at a Minneapolis burn center for injuries suffered while helping fight a neighbors wheat field fire on Sunday.
Mike Gebes brought his tractor-pulled cutter to create a fire break when the wind shifted. The flames burned one tire on the tractor and he suffered first- and second-degree burns, according to his cousin Ralph Gebes, a spokesman for the Philip Volunteer Fire Department. He said Mike Gebes was initially treated at the Philip hospital, then flown by Black Hills Life Flight air ambulance to the Minnesota medical center.
Ralph Gebes on Monday said high heat and shifting winds added to firefighters' challenges to control the fire. In addition to individual neighbors, crews from as far as Midland and Faith assisted the 36-member Philip department.
It was amazing, the amount of neighbors who came together. Everybody and their brothers were there, Gebes said. The wind shifted, and they were afraid it was going to jump Highway 34, but they ganged up on it and got it stopped.
He said sparks from a wheat combine are blamed for starting the blaze, which burned about 1,500 acres of private land, 32 miles northwest of the Highway 14-Highway 73 junction.
Gebes said 100-degree temperatures caused fire engines and water tankers to overheat. One truck had to be towed back to Philip and some volunteers were diverted to quick field engine mechanical work.
It was warm. There was a pickup that was in front of the fire and the wind shifted and the fire came right for it. Fortunately, they got out of there pretty fast.
PIERRE | If the people in paintings could talk, a visitor to the states Capitol gallery of portraits of past governors might overhear them gossiping about how Leslie Jensen suddenly looks 20 years younger.
His old portrait, painted near the end of his life, several decades after he had left office in 1938, is gone.
That image of Jensen is now in safe keeping at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center.
In its place in the Capitols first-floor hall is a new portrait, painted to reflect a more energetic and enthusiastic and younger Jensen.
His son, Les, said the new portrait is based on a snapshot taken of the family at home one evening in about 1945, shortly after the former governor returned from service in World War II.
The photograph happened to show the wry smile the three children recalled from his days as governor, according to the son. The new portrait shows that smile.
The two pictures reflect the difference between a man at about age 50 and a man about 20 years older.
Were very satisfied, Les Jensen said.
Two of the Jensen children, Les and Karen, and Gov. Dennis Daugaard attended the simple, informal unveiling Thursday afternoon.
It was very nice, said Tony Venhuizen, who as Daugaards chief of staff attended the event and posted photos on Twitter from the proceedings.
The replacement request originated more than a quarter century ago.
Les received formal approval in 1990 from the states Capitol complex commission to proceed with a replacement portrait for his father.
The new one is the work of David William Terry, who happened to move about two years ago to Ashland, Oregon, where Les Jensen lives. Terry is a professional artist and an instructor at the Ashland Arts Center.
From 1990 to 2014, it was basically looking for someone we had confidence in, Les said in a telephone interview Monday about the long path that led eventually to Terry. Turns out hes an outstanding guy.
The man who would become Gov. Jensen was born in 1892 at Hot Springs, South Dakota, and grew up there. His father, Chris, formed the local telephone company in 1895.
Jensen served in the South Dakota National Guard and as a captain in the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I.
While attending law school at the University of South Dakota, Jensen received a federal appointment in 1921 to be the Internal Revenue Service collector for South Dakota in Aberdeen.
There he married Elizabeth Ward, the daughter of the famed hotel builder and operator Alonzo Ward of Aberdeen, in 1925.
The Jensens had two children while in Aberdeen, Les officially Leslie Ward and Natalie. During the time as governor, their third child, Karen, was born at Pierre.
In 1926, Chris Jensen began building Blue Bell Lodge in what today is Custer State Park. Leslie Jensen sold the lodge to the park in 1935, just before he was elected governor.
Les said Monday that the family members flew into Rapid City for the unveiling last week. They had dinner at Blue Bell Lodge one evening.
The Jensen family made history as the first to live in South Dakotas first governor mansion.
The big house, which sits adjacent to the Capitol with a small man-made lake between, was moved a decade ago and sold to a private buyer. A new mansion, much larger, stands at the same site.
The new Jensen portrait is next to Tom Berry, the two-term Democrat whom Jensen upset in 1936, and Harlan Bushfield, the Republican who followed Jensen.
Les Jensen, whos now 85, said the 1936 campaign featured a lot of back-and-forth and pithy remarks by both candidates.
He said Berrys portrait captured that spirit that his fathers old portrait missed.
The new Jensen portrait shows his fathers vitality, the son said.
Now I think theyre good portraits showing two lively people, he said.
Bushfield won the office in 1938 after Jensen decided against seeking re-election and instead ran for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.
Jensen wanted to succeed his fellow progressive and political patron, the late U.S. Sen. Peter Norbeck. But Chan Gurney beat Jensen in the Senate primary.
Jensen was the only Republican willing to put his name forward against Berry in 1936. After ousting Berry, Jensen took a variety of tax-reform ideas to the Legislature in 1937 but met mixed results.
For example, lawmakers increased the state sales-tax rate to 3 percent from 2 percent, which Jensen didnt favor. But the Legislature agreed with Jensens proposal to raise the ore tax on mining companies.
He did achieve a strong working relationship with President Franklin Roosevelts Democratic federal government on aid programs.
And the Legislature agreed with Jensens efforts for eliminating South Dakotas state government debts accumulated during the years leading into and during the Depression and to put the government back onto firmer financial footing.
Jensen remained in the South Dakota National Guard while governor. He returned to Hot Springs and the telephone company after he lost.
He went back to active military service during World War II as a colonel, going first to Australia and then commanding a jungle base in New Guinea.
But illnesses led to reassignment back to Australia and then back to the United States where he was hospitalized. In 1945 he went home again to Hot Springs and the family-owned Peoples Telephone and Telegraph Company.
The snapshot used for the new Jensen portrait came in those months after the war ended. The former governor invited a friend and political ally from Sturgis for a family dinner. The friend brought along a teenage son, who snapped the picture of the family.
Leslie Jensen died Dec. 16, 1964, three days after a truck struck a car in which he was a passenger on Highway 79 south of Rapid City. His widow continued as secretary for the phone company, and his son managed it.
Golden West bought the telephone company in 1979. Elizabeth died Feb. 8, 1985, in San Diego, Calif. By that time all three children lived outside South Dakota.
The former governor and first lady are buried in Hot Springs, and their house there was added to the national register of historic places in 1987.
Portraits of governors have hung in the Capitols first floor east-west hallway since at least 1914. Viewers in the future might have a very different and more favorable opinion about Leslie Jensen with the new portrait from his children.
A Rapid City man who was arrested twice in one day last February for driving drunk received suspended prison and jail sentences Monday.
James R. Buchholz, 37, had earlier pleaded guilty to a third offense of driving under the influence of alcohol for the arrests on Feb. 10.
At around 7:37 that morning, Rapid City police booked Buchholz at the Pennington County Jail after responding to the call of a motorist who saw him hit another vehicle, then continue driving. The witness looked for an opportunity to take away the pickup drivers keys to keep him off the road.
Buchholz bailed out at 8:15 a.m. and two hours later again came face-to-face with the police. Responding to a drunken driver report, officers found him asleep in the drivers seat of a different pickup, which was parked at a roadside.
Laboratory tests showed Buchholzs blood-alcohol content at .325 after the first incident and .379 after the second arrest, according to court documents. They are more than four times the DUI threshold of 0.08 percent.
The incidents were similarly charged as DUI No. 3 since Buchholz had two previous drunken-driving convictions, which dictate the severity level of a new offense. His previous convictions occurred in Meade County in 2007 and 2013.
I am an alcoholic, Buchholz told a Pennington County judge before his sentencing Monday morning. I recognize that within me.
Buchholz said he had since undergone treatment, including participating in Alcoholics Anonymous.
His defense lawyer, Ellery Grey, said Buchholz has learned he has a liver condition and his doctor has also recommended no drinking. Grey said his client operates several businesses and knows that drinking also will jeopardize his livelihood.
Judge Jeff Davis gave Buchholz suspended sentences of four years in prison and 60 days in jail. He put Buchholz under probation and said Buchholz has to continue participating in South Dakotas 24/7 sobriety program.
Davis said the state will take away Buchholzs drivers license. The court will issue him a driving permit so he can get to work.
Under a plea deal, the Pennington County States Attorneys Office had recommended for each incident 30 days in jail and probation, to run consecutively. Prosecutors also dismissed Buchholz's charge of failure to report an accident.
An 18-year-old male claiming to be the getaway driver for the thieves was arrested, but nine handguns stolen from the Ace True Value store in Martin on July 1 are still missing.
Bennett County State's Attorney Ken Orrock said the man claiming to be the getaway driver has not had an initial appearance, so Orrock did not release his name.
But he is asking for the public's help to find the guns. Orrock said having them on the loose makes for a scary situation.
"We are concerned about the safety of the community with this many guns being out there," Orrock said.
He said after seeing what happened when the guns were stolen in Rapid City and used later in horrific crimes, this theft has police and investigators on edge and asking for any information the public may have.
"We need the publics help because everybodys safety is at risk as long as those nine guns are out there," Orrock said.
Officers were called to the True Value at 2:20 a.m. July 1, according to Martin Police Chief Thomas Jeans.
He said officers did not find any suspects, but did discover the glass broken on the gun case and guns missing. He said nothing else was taken from the store.
Orrock said the burglary investigation will continue until the guns are recovered.
The Martin Police Department, South Dakota Attorney General's Division of Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are involved in the investigation.
Anyone with any information on the stolen handguns can call the Martin Police, SD Attorney General's Office DCI, or the Bennett County State's Attorney.
Though they had never met, Grant Blacksmith of Oglala threw open his arms and wrapped them around sculptor Masayuki Nagase in downtown Rapid City on Monday morning.
Blacksmith, describing himself as an Indian artist who primarily works with paint and beads, popped in Monday to the makeshift plexiglass studio on Main Street Square in downtown Rapid City where Nagase is working on a 5-year public art project.
The heartfelt hug was born of mutual respect as artists.
And it was exactly the type of interaction sought by the long-range public sculpture project to create a moment where a Native American man hugs an Asian man and dozens of children and adults hang out in a splash park nearby.
During a brief but warm meeting, Blacksmith shared with Nagase that he had served in Iraq during the Gulf War 25 years ago, and it was apparent the war still haunted him some.
"I've seen the worst part of humanity, and you're doing such great work here," Blacksmith said to Nagase, who nodded in appreciation. "Thank you for bringing such beauty into the world."
Blacksmith then engulfed Nagase in an embrace. Nagase paused, then sat down on a wooden box and returned to his work.
A few feet away, outside the glass walls, children screamed with joy and kept cool by dancing amid the water jets at Main Street Square.
Nagase, meanwhile, sat inside the steamy enclosure and used a hammer and chisel to chip away at a giant gray chunk of granite.
Only a box fan and small umbrella kept Nagase from overheating as the California-based sculptor braved piercing summer heat to resume his quest to complete the sprawling public art form known as "The Sculpture Project: Passage of Wind and Water."
Nagase, known as "Yuki," worked on a small section of stone located along Sixth Street on Monday, just a few feet from the square water park. He is on his penultimate visit to Rapid City, having begun work three years ago on the $2 million public art project that will feature 21 individual stone sculptures when complete.
Nagase returned to Rapid City in mid-June to continue working on the project; on Monday he was pounding out pieces of rock to form flowing layers on a piece he called "Reintroduction of the Horse."
To keep down noise and dust, Nagase said he uses power saws and tools in his makeshift studio early in the morning, but once children and their parents begin to arrive by mid-morning, "then I'm just in here chipping away."
Small shards of stone flitted about the room as he hammered carefully but with conviction to give the stone an appearance of motion when seen from afar. Once he completes work on the pyramid of stone along Sixth Street, Nagase will take to the air to begin work on one of the remaining raw spires of stone that jut 35 feet into the air.
He plans to complete the fourth of five phases in October, then go back home before returning again next summer to carve the final pieces. In the end, scheduled for sometime in October 2017, the pieces will reflect the winds of the Badlands and the water of the Black Hills and tell the story of the land's people and history.
Working in such public conditions is a key component of the public art project and infrequent but valuable connections with people like Blacksmith are part of the idea that art can be a part of all our lives, and that everyone can find inspiration in seeing art created.
Nagase will be working at Main Street Square most weekdays between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m., though Nagase said that on oppressively hot days, he wraps up his carving around noon. For those who want to meet the sculptor or learn more about the project, an artist's lunch is held most Thursdays at noon on the square.
Trysten Bowman is an honor student, a cheerleader, a nursing assistant at a senior center and a community volunteer.
But this teen, who is about to enter her senior year at Sturgis Brown High School, says she is certainly not a drug smuggler.
And yet, while returning from a recent humanitarian mission trip with friends in the Bahamas, Bowman says customs agents manhandled her during a strip-search in which she was required to remove her shirt and pants, and was touched beneath her clothes.
The incident has left the 17-year-old traumatized and dumbfounded.
"To be treated like a criminal, after I had done missions work and helped children in their country, was a stab in the back to me," she said.
A different Bahamian customs agent, who provided security while the mission group was in the Bahamas and came to know Bowman, also is appalled at the actions of the TSA and U.S. Customs agents.
"What those guys did was completely inappropriate," said Kevin Renaldo Collie.
Bowman and others were on the mission trip as part of their community service as representatives of the World's Miss Tourism program. This is the second year Bowman has made the trip. She is this year's South Dakota representative.
The group's chaperone, Bridget Gasper, said this year's trip spanned from June 22 to July 3. But Bowman and Gasper stayed longer because they scheduled the trip to coincide with the World's Miss Tourism national pageant in Nashville on Saturday. During the trip, participants worked in children's homes and churches, as well as serving as goodwill ambassadors while touring the country.
On Thursday, Bowman and Gasper went to the airport in Nassau. They checked in with American Airlines then went through TSA and customs with no problem.
They headed upstairs in the terminal to grab a bite to eat before boarding their flight. While Bowman headed for the cafeteria, Gasper stopped off at the restroom.
Bowman said she sat down with her makeup bag next to her at a table in the cafeteria when she realized there was a dog beside her.
"I honestly didn't know it was a drug dog so I petted it," Bowman said.
The agent then told her not to pet the dog. He also said that they would need to check her bag because the dog was showing interest in it.
"They first took me into the family bathroom and asked me to open the bag," she said.
They found nothing incriminating and told Bowman they needed to X-ray the bag.
"It was embarrassing. Here I was wearing my sash and carrying my crown and being escorted by these agents," she said.
Once they reached the area where the bag was to be X-rayed, the agents began asking more pointed questions, Bowman said.
"I was just standing there watching what they were doing, and they asked if I had been around drugs. They started interrogating me with all these questions," she said.
It was at that point that Bowman asked if she could text Gasper and let her know where she was.
Bowman said an agent told her to type a message saying: "My bag is being checked. I will be up soon."
The officer then took the phone and began looking through Bowman's pictures and messages, she said.
Gasper then received a text, which the two realized later must have been sent by the customs agent asking: "Where are you at?"
Gasper replied saying: "I am at our gate. C43."
Much to Gasper's surprise, the customs agent showed up while she was waiting at the gate and told her she needed to follow him.
"I picked up my bag and phone and noticed he had Trysten's phone," she said. "He then started interrogating me. He wanted to know why we had stayed in the country so long."
Gasper and Bowman were finally reunited in the customs office area of the terminal, but it was short lived.
They took Bowman into a room and continued to interrogate her.
"They asked if I had ever done drugs. Had anyone slipped me anything? Did I have a past with crime? That's when I started giggling and told them, 'I'm really a pretty good girl,'" she said.
They then told Bowman she was going into a nearby room to be body searched.
"I put my crown down on the table. I just thought they were going to pat me down. They had me put my hands on the table. Then they asked me to pull up my shirt. I did and they searched in my bra. Then they told me to pull down my pants. I did. It was really traumatic," she said.
Gasper said as Bowman's legal guardian, she was not asked for her consent to the strip search, nor was Bowman read her rights.
A short time later, they told the two they were free to go.
Bowman's mom, Kendra Lawson, said she believes something one of the agents found while snooping through her daughter's phone may have saved her daughter from more heartache. She thinks they saw photos of Gasper and Bowman with Collie, the Bahamian customs agent.
"They asked her how she knew him. Then the questioning ended very quickly," Lawson said.
Lawson has been in contact with Collie, who is working to investigate the handling of Trysten Bowman. He said no one disputes the fact that they have stringent processes for customs, but this time the agents went too far.
"What bothers me is how they handled her," he said. "She certainly isn't the profile of a drug smuggler. I've met her. I've spent time with her. She's a little girl full of life. I was totally baffled and shocked at what happened."
Lawson found out about the incident when her daughter and Gasper landed in Nashville late Thursday.
"(Trysten) was crying and telling me what happened," Lawson said. "It kills me as a mom. She's 17. I know in a year she will be out on her own, but she's still my baby."
In addition to asking Collie to investigate the incident, Lawson called the office of South Dakota Sen. John Thune.
Thune spokesman Ryan Wrasse confirmed the senator's staff received a call on the matter, but declined to comment on details.
Collie said he is encouraging Trysten's mom to sue the agents that he says terribly mishandled the situation.
He said they violated her daughter's rights as an individual by not reading her rights, going through her private phone messages and luring Gasper to them in a message sent by a customs agent.
"The family does have the right to sue for damages," he said. "I'm definitely going to be suing. For me to be dragged into something like this should not happen. What we have here are some overzealous agents overstepping their boundaries."
Hague court rules China holds no rights to territories in South China Sea
MOSCOW, July 12 (RAPSI) The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has ruled that Chinas claims to territories in the South China Sea have no legal ground, the Court ruling reads.
The Xinhua News Agency has published the official statement by Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It reads that Chinese government does not accept the ruling of the Court and does not recognize its legal force.
In 2013, Philippine authorities initiated legal proceedings in the Court, claiming that China violated the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, signed by both Philippines and China. The latter country refused to participate in the legal dispute, claiming that the Court has no proper authority to review the case and called the claims unfounded.
Proceedings were concerned with increased activity of China in the South China Sea. The dispute was instigated, over the development of resources in the disputed maritime areas as well as worries over build-up of Chinese military forces in the region.
Navalnys claim over The Browder Effect dismissed
MOSCOW, July 12 (RAPSI, Yevgeniya Sokolova) The Savyolovsky District Court of Moscow has dismissed a lawsuit lodged by opposition politician Alexey Navalny against the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK), Dmitry Kiselyov, the companys deputy director, and journalist Yevgeny Popov, RAPSI reports from the courtroom on Tuesday.
Navalny filed a claim against the media company over the April 10 airing of The Browder Effect documentary segment during Vesti Nedeli weekly news show on Rossiya 1 TV channel, broadcasted by VGTRK. Kiselyov is the anchor of the program; Popov is the author of the documentary.
Vyacheslav Gimadi, Navalnys lawyer, has said that the claim asks the court to rule the information contained in the aired segment of the documentary to be defamatory and not consistent with the facts.
Rossiya 1 TV channel aired a documentary segment alleging that Navalnys activities were funded by a British intelligence agency and presenting documents and correspondence claimed to be evidence of his connections to William Browder, a financer and former head of Hermitage Capital investment fund. According to the documentary segment, in 2008 Navalnys activities were financed via a proxy person in the Moscow Helsinki Group, the fact Lyudmila Alexeyeva, the head of this NGO, had already refuted earlier.
Russias General Prosecutors Office has informed that it is going to study the materials presented in The Browder Effect documentary segment aired by Rossiya 1 with regard to information of possible infringements on federal laws on the part of a number of Russian citizens and foreigners.
Moscow imam charged with justifying terrorism
MOSCOW, July 12 (RAPSI, Yevgeniya Sokolova) - Investigators have charged Moscow imam Makhmud Velitov with justifying terrorism, RAPSI learnt in Russias Investigative Committee on Tuesday.
On September 23, 2013, Velitov, being a council chair and imam of a religious organization, made a public speech justifying activity of one of Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami terrorist organizations members during a prayer in a Moscow mosque, according to investigators. This organization has been banned by Russias Supreme Court.
As follows from the conclusion of a forensic examination, the imams speech contained a set of psychological and linguistic features of justifying terrorist activities, the statement reads.
Investigators have filed a motion with court demanding house arrest for Velitov.
Hizb ut-Tahrir (the Party of Islamic Liberation), founded in Jerusalem in 1953, is banned in several Arab and Central Asian countries. Russia's Supreme Court banned the group from operating on the territory of the country in 2003, describing it as a terrorist organization.
Hizb ut-Tahrir members are regularly arrested by the police across Russia, mainly in big cities in central Russia, the Volga region and Siberia. Also, there are many supporters in Crimea, which rejoined Russia last spring.
Russian Supreme Court upholds life sentence for leader of Orekhovo gang
MOSCOW, July 12 (RAPSI) The Supreme Court of Russia has upheld the life sentence for the leader of Orekhovo organized criminal group Dmitriy Belkin, RAPSI learned in the courts press-service.
Belkin was sentenced to life in prison in 2014. Investigation showed that in 1995-1998, he committed more than 20 murders in Moscow. Another member of the gang, Oleg Pronin, was sentenced to 24 years in prison and was ordered to pay a 2 million ruble fine ($31,150) in favor of the complainants.
Investigators believe that the Orekhovo gang carried out no less than 50 murders and murder attempts in Moscow city, in the Moscow and Vladimir regions, Greece and Ukraine. The most notorious hits include the murder of the head of Foundation for Social Support to Athletes, Otari Kvantrishvili, in 1994; the murder in Greece of infamous hitman Alexander Solonik and his friend Svetlana Kotova; and the murder of major crimes police investigator Yury Kerez in 1998.
Belkin had been on the international wanted list since 1998 and was hiding abroad. He was arrested in 2011 in Spain by local police and then extradited to Russia.
In September of 2015, star attorney Tatyana Akimtseva, who represented the interests of the victims in an Orekhovo ring trial, was shot and killed near her home.
BILLINGS The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services is lowering its fee for medical marijuana cardholder registrants by about 94 percent.
The department, which administers the program, announced the change this month. As of Saturday, people renewing or applying for a new medical marijuana card will pay $5 instead of $75.
"The fee change is necessary because current program revenues are in excess of what is needed to operate the program," Jon Ebelt, a health department spokesman, said in a statement. "Fee changes have occurred in previous years when warranted."
Registration fees from cardholders and providers cover most of the cost to administer the program. The outgoing fee of $75 was set in 2012. At that time, the program had run at a deficit of $500,000 annually for the previous two years, Ebelt said.
The Montana Legislature did appropriate additional funding for the Montana Marijuana Program to deal with an explosion in the number of registered cardholders. Those appropriations went unused, however, after lawmakers passed SB 423 in 2011, which curtailed the program.
Instead, the health department raised its fees to cover costs.
Though SB 423 wasn't fully implemented due to a lawsuit, the number of cardholders dropped after its passage. From a high of about 30,000 in 2011, there are about 13,000 cardholders in Montana as of June.
Now the health department is lowering its fees because it deals with fewer patients in the registry, Ebelt said. Montana Marijuana Program fee revenues were estimated to reach $375,000 at the onset of the current fiscal year, state records show.
The fee change comes at another period of change for the state-run program, which could again alter the number of cardholders.
The fully provisioned version of SB 423 will go into effect on Aug. 31 following a long legal battle brought by the Montana Cannabis Industry Association.
Those in the industry fought certain parts of the bill, claiming that they would put providers out of business. One such provision requires that only three patients be registered to a provider, though many had served hundreds previously.
In June, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of the case, marking a last-ditch effort by the trade group.
"It's been five-and-a-half years of this," said Bob Devine, president of the Montana Cannabis Industry Association. "And we're still here. We're going to be here next year."
Though the law will take effect in August, things could change again this fall if voters approve one of two marijuana-related ballot initiatives. I-182, brought by Devine's organization, would remove the restrictions like the three-patient limit.
A competing initiative, I-176, would repeal the state program and defer to federal drug laws.
Neither initiative has been officially approved for the ballot, though both campaigns have claimed to have collected enough signatures for approval.
The state health department previously voiced concern for patients who might lose access to medical marijuana as a result of the new law. As it stands currently, health officials are working to accommodate the August deadline.
"DPHHS is currently working on communications to notify providers and cardholders about the new regulations and options for complying," Ebelt said.
Hopefully this doesn't ruin Calvin and Hobbes for you...
Humans aren't the only primates that use tools! According to a new archaeological find, capuchin monkeys have been using them for 700 years.
The way coffee affects you is predominantly determined by your genetic makeup.
Scientists have used their smarts to develop a perfectly rationed bar of fancy weed chocolate. Thanks, guys.
This uniquely addictive game is Pavlov's-dogging your brain.
Artistic genius fueled by mental illness?
Sea explorers discover nearly two dozen sunken ships in the Aegean Sea spanning more than 2,000 years of Greek history.
Kathmandu, Nepal: CPN Maoist Centre, one of the major allies of the incumbent government, has withdrawn support to the CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli-led government.
A meeting of the Maoist Center decided to withdraw the support to the government. Earlier, the party headquarter had instructed the party leadership to withdraw the support to the KP Oli led incumbent government.
The decision to withdraw the support to the Oli led government is informed to the president Bidhdyadevi Bhandari. With the decision of the CPN Maoist Center, the incumbent Oli led government has lost majority support in the parliament.
The Maoist has decided to withdraw the support to the government alleging the Prime Minister Oli for not abiding the nine-point deal. The Maoist had repeatedly been claiming the leadership of the government as per the deal signed with the UML.
The Maoist Center has also alleged the government for failing to implement the constitution by addressing the concerns of Madhesis, Janajatis and Tharus. We have always stand in favor of national consensus, the Maoist has stated in the statement.
Kathmandu, Nepal: The CPN UML has vertically divided over the issue of whether to face no-confidence motion in parliament or resign from the post of Prime Minister.
Though the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is also the chairman of the CPN UML, is in firm stand not to resign from the post, the dissident faction of the same party has exerted pressure to step down from the post.
With the differences in the UML over the issue of incumbent government, the future course of the politics seems to have complicated.
In a standing committee meeting held on Tuesday evening, the leaders close to the dissident faction including the Vice- president Bam Dev Gautam, who was loyal to Oli while forming the incumbent government, suggested Oli to resign from the post.
However, the Oli led faction denied the proposal stating that the Prime Minister should not step down, but need to be ready to face a no-confidence motion in parliament.
Following the meeting of the Standing Committee, Prime Minister Oli has been consulting with his loyalist including the legal experts to set the future strategy.
KATHMANDU, July 12: The proposed Manmohan Adhikari Memorial Medical College has stated that it has been granted permission to operate the college but was denied approval for conducting teaching and learning activities despite having in place all the required infrastructure and facilities for the same.
Medical Director of the proposed college, Dr Ram Kumar Adhikari told RSS that denying approval to the college was unfair and they would also stage a hunger strike to get justice.
"We are not launching the hunger strike against anybody, it is for establishing the rule of law," he said.
It is stated that more than two billion rupees have been invested in establishing the college and the number of share-holders of the college has crossed 2,400.
Adhikari said the Supreme Court has issued verdict against staging sit-in or a hunger strike inside the hospital premises but rued that that decision was not being followed. He added that such anarchic tendency will push the country towards bankruptcy, stressing the need for all to be creative and positive for building a prosperous new Nepal rather than blame each other.
Director Adhikari said preparations have been made for launching a fast-unto-death on behalf the college in coming Saun putting forth various demands including upholding the rule of law.
A physician and an economist shall take part in the hunger strike. RSS
File a Leaders of ruling parties hold a meeting at the Prime Ministeras residence in Baluwatar, on Sunday, July 10, 2016. Photo: https://twitter.com/PM_Nepal
Kathmandu, Nepal: The ruling allies of the incumbent government except CPN Maoist Center have concluded that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli should not resign from the post even though the major ally Maoist pulled out of the coalition government.
In a meeting called by the Prime Minister at his official residence at Tuesday evening, the representatives of all the 15 political parties have suggested the Prime Minister to face the challenges in the parliament.
The meeting has also concluded that the CPN Maoist Centers decision to pull out of the government without consulting the ruling parties was impractical. The Maoist had already informed to the Prime Minister Oli about its decision to withdraw the support to the government.
In the meeting, some leaders from the fringe parties including Deputy Prime Minister Chitra Bahadur KC suggested Prime Minister Oli to move ahead according to the parliamentary practice but not resign.
HRW calls for probe into Saudi-led airstrikes on Yemen
NEW YORK, July 11 (Saba) The Human Rights Watch (HRW) called for an independent probe into air raids carried out by Saudi-led coalition on Yemen, especially on economic establishments.
"The raids of Saudi Arabia and its allies on Yemen violate the international humanitarian law and are considered war crimes," the organization said in a report released on Monday.
It called for suspending the Saudi regime membership in the United Nations Council for Human Rights until it stops raids or agrees on conducting investigations that meet international standards and opening an independent international probe in this regard.
In its report, HRW pointed to the absence of credible and impartial investigations in Yemen. "It seems that all these attacks violated the international humanitarian law or the laws of war and some of them may amount to war crimes."
The report pointed out "that the attacks on factories and other civil economic facilities raises serious concerns that the Saudi regime is deliberately inflicting great damage to the productive capabilities of Yemen."
The HRWs report counted 17 air raids carried out by the Saudi-led coalition war jets on 13 civil economic locations, including factories, trade warehouses, a farm and two power plants, and resulted in the killing of 130 Yemenis and injuring 171 others.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations Zeid bin Ra'ad Al-Hussein has already said that the Saudi regime and its allies are responsible for most civilian victims in Yemen.
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[12/July/2016]
July 12, 2016
TEXT OF STATEMENT ISSUED BY CONCERNED CITIZENS
We write this in anguish at another alarming spiral of violence in Kashmir, when a discredited old playbook has yet again been deployed to wreak havoc with civilian life.
Kashmiras escalating violence follows a familiar pattern: a killing, a funeral where rage is vented through slogans and stones, and volleys of lethal gunfire in response. In 2010, this cycle rolled on repeatedly through four months, claiming over 110 lives, mostly of Kashmiri youth, including a number who were too young to know.
Nothing has been learnt from that year of catastrophe. The trigger for the current surge of unrest in Kashmir was the killing on July 8 of Burhan Wani, a militant of the Hizbul Mujahedin. The circumstances of Wanias killing are yet to be fully explained. It is nonetheless ironic that it occurred on the very day the Indian Supreme Court issued a far-reaching judgment in the context of fake encounters in the state of Manipur, emphasising the illegality of the use of excessive and retaliatory force by the army, security forces and police. These strictures apply even in disturbed areas under AFSPA. Kashmir is an arena where the Supreme Courtas observations that the rule of law would apply aeven when dealing with the enemya , and that indeed, whatever the challenges, athe countryas commitment to the rule of law remains steadfasta , are breached on a daily basis.
Available accounts of Burhan Wanias life in militancy indicate that he was as a 16-year old, embittered and radicalised during the 2010 turmoil by the casual humiliations heaped on ordinary Kashmiris by the mass deployments of security personnel. He witnessed repeated violent incursions into his home and the harassment of near relations in what are called acrackdownsa , in terminology that has entered the youth argot of the valley. The death of his brother in a police encounter, when he had nothing to do with the militancy, is believed to have further hardened his resolve.
Burhan Wanias life story should be cautionary warning that the heavy-handed, militaristic Indian approach to Kashmir, has only led to a quarter century of siege and growing alienation.
Wanias funeral on July 9 in the southern Kashmir town of Tral witnessed a gathering of several tens of thousands. As protests broke out in this and other locations, security forces responded with maximum force. The death toll of thirty in a matter of three days, tells its own grim story.
Excessive and indiscriminate lethal force continues to be used for purposes of law enforcement. This is in brazen contempt of the U.N. Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, which do not allow for departure even in exceptional circumstances such as internal political instability or public emergency. Pellet guns, introduced in 2010 for crowd control, purportedly on the ground that it injures and does not kill, have caused permanent injuries and irreversible loss of eyesight to at least 92 young men.
The upsurge of civil unrest comes after a long sequence of intelligence reports that flagged rising discontent at the new political arrangements in Jammu and Kashmir. The BJPas arrival in the portals of power and its determined pursuit of a majoritarian agenda, have much to do with this.
Curiously, the intelligence warnings have focused on widening access to the internet and social media as a disruptive influence. This diagnosis which focuses on the symptoms rather than underlying realities, has fed directly into the shutdown of internet services in Kashmir, the thirteenth such closure in three years.
Certain recent observations of the Supreme Court, though made in reference to Manipur, bear repetition as general principles. Mass deployment of the army and security forces in aid of civil authorities always is predicated on the premise that anormalcy would be restored within a reasonable perioda . If normalcy is not restored for a aprolonged or indeterminate perioda , it would be firm evidence of the afailurea of the civil administration or of the armed forces, or both. Whatever the case, an unending state of unrest could not abe a fig leaf for prolonged, permanent or indefinite deployment of the armed forces as it would mock at our democratic processa .
The time is long past, if ever there was one, when a solution to the Kashmir problem could be achieved through force. Continuing recourse to this option and the prolonged and bloody stalemate that has ensued, have fuelled a mood of anger and despair in Kashmir. But with firmer iterations of the military option from the highest political leadership, a dark mood has taken hold in the rest of the country, a doubling down on the current strategy and a tendency to brush off every manifestation of failure with hateful and intemperate rhetoric directed at the people of Kashmir.
We recall the statesmanship shown by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in 2003, when he went to Srinagar during a particularly dark time, held out a ahand of friendshipa to Pakistan and said that the dialogue on Kashmir would be held within the paradigm of humanity (insaaniyat ke daayre mein). It is particularly unfortunate that no Union Minister has visited Kashmir in this crisis and that the state leadership and elected legislators are reportedly too insecure to venture out among the people.
We call for urgent steps from the Central and State government to prevent civilians being killed and injured, and immediate steps towards demilitarisation of the Valley and an inclusive political initiative. This has to go along with an urgent review of AFSPA, leading to its repeal alongside the entire constellation of special security laws that reward atrocities on civilians and encourage impunity. We urge all political parties to pressure the Government to open a political dialogue in good faith with all relevant parties to ensure that the bleeding wounds of Kashmir are staunched.
[26 June 2016 Text of Letter by Professor Irfan Habib and Sayera I Habib to the Leadership of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)]
The Statement issued by the Central Committee after its deliberations on 18-20 June 2016 deals item-wise with various issues without going into what are the essential features of the present situation in the country and thus fails to offer a tactical line appropriate to that situation.
The CC statement, while criticising the BJP Government, omits to underline the fact that this government at the centre is not just another parliamentary government of a bourgeois party, but represents a regime which openly acclaims the semi-fascist ideology of the RSS, is unconditionally committed to meeting all the demands of the top elements of the corporate sector, Indian and foreign, and is continuously undermining, in the most naked fashion (through saffronzing education, raising new communal issues, etc.) the secular basis of our nation. It is trying to seize power in state after state either through unconstitutional intervention (Arunachal, failed attempt in Uttarkhand); or, as in the case of Assam, by invoking extremes of chauvinism and communalism. In other words, the major task today of all democratic forces, including the CPI (M), should be to offer firm united resistance to the BJPs offensive and its attempt to seize total power.
The primary object of our Party should, therefore, surely be to isolate the BJP as far as possible, and form a broad united front with all other democratic forces so as to foil the BJPs plan of gaining control over the states still outside its orbit, and finally, to secure its defeat at the parliamentary elections due in 2019.
Unfortunately, our Partys official tactical line is the reverse of it. In Bihar in 2015 we only united with CPI(ML), besides CPI, and rejected any understanding with the JD(U) - RJD -Congress alliance. The result was that in the elections the Party failed to get a single seat, while the BJP was defeated in a popular wave against it, from which we had simply opted out. We welcomed the outcome, but the CC never squarely faced the fact that our entire tactical line was dangerously mistaken, and could have fatally divided the anti-BJP vote.
In West Bengal, had we failed to work out an accommodation with the Congress, our defeat would have been much severer under the Trinamools onslaught, our Party and its members would have suffered still greater attacks, and we would have made the BJP the main opposition party. Our fault was surely that we did not work out in time a common programme with the Congress to present before the people of West Bengal a real alternative to the Trinamool regime. Tamilnadu is another example where our policy of a front only with "left" and obscure parties has landed us in a situation where we have had nothing to show for our effort. Would it not have been better to have had adjustments with the DMK-Congress alliance? The CCs failure to draw any lesson from our experience in Tamilnadu, where the official tactical line has been religiously followed, is, again, unfortunate.
In Assam too we followed the official tactical line, rejected the Congress open invitation for electoral adjustments, and thus contributed our small bit to split the anit-BJP vote. The CCs statement that the Party asked voters "to oust the Congress from power" in Assam is rather disquieting, since it should have been foreseen that the result would be to bring BJP to power there, as the Left by itself was in no position to even win a single seat, let alone offer an alternative to the Congress.
In Kerala the victory of the Left and Democratic Front, led by our Party, is the lone bright star for us in the recent elections. But the CCs equation of "the BJP and Congress" as our principal opponents in Kerala is unfortunate. We must be ready to build a movement against the RSS in Kerala, which could include other non-communal politicians and supporters as well. We must surely not allow legitimate electoral considerations in Kerala to bar cooperation with the UDF components and others in the struggle against the BJP and the RSS.
The Central Committee and the Politburo should consider seriously the issue of the tactical line and not just invoke the technicality of the decisions taken at the last Party Congress for following a policy which has neither reason nor experience to justify it. Lohia-like "anti-Congressism" will not serve us very much. Indeed, there has arisen in this country already, as we saw in Bihar, a revulsion against the BJPs aims and actions among many democratic elements and secular parties. We have to decide whether we can stand aside from joining this movement, just because of the inclusion within it of the Congress party, which is still the principal opposition party at the national level. Incidentally, it cannot be anyones position that the Party should refrain from opposing the Congress on issues on which we differ or accept alliance with it everywhere whatever its terms.
What has been said above should not be taken to mean that building our Party and its mass organisations is not an important task as well. But mere calls for Party-building "through class and mass struggles" in Tamilnadu and Assam and presumably elsewhere (CCs statement) are not enough. Ideological education and organisational effort are necessary, but these too would be really successful when our Party has a tactical line which can appeal to the largest possible sections of our people. A sectarian approach towards other secular mainstream parties is not going to win us much ground among ordinary people.
Indeed, we must also realise that the Party cannot be built up in a position of isolation. Even building a trade union requires not only the support of factory workers concerned, but also sympathy of people outside. The Party would invite sympathisers to its cause once they know it has some immediate means of bringing relief to people; and this only the perspective of a broad united front can provide. Experience throughout the world has shown that building a united front is essential to genuine growth of the Party. After all, the Communist Party in India grew most when it regarded itself as a militant detachment of the National Movement in the late 1930s and 1940s: Surely, we must learn from the Dutt-Bradley theses, which the Party has always acclaimed.
We hope that as Party members for more than 60 years our views would receive due consideration from the PB and CC.
s/d
1. Irfan Habib
2. Sayera I Habib
Aligarh
26 June 2016
UPDATE: Fatal Crash North of Lincoln City Closes Hwy 18 for Hours
A westbound van went off the road and caught fire.
Fatal crash north of Lincoln City.
Photo: OSP
(LINCOLN CITY, Ore.) - UPDATE: The driver has been identified as 22-year old Shaypher Lee Hendricks, from Ellensburg, Wa. Hendricks is currently at Legacy Emmanuel in Portland for treatment of serious injuries. The passenger has been identified as 27-year old Austin M. Mayhak, from Union Gap, WA.
Just before 3 a.m., early Tuesday July 12th, OSP Troopers and emergency personnel responded to the report of a single vehicle crash on Highway 18, near milepost 3.5 (north of Lincoln City).
Preliminary investigation reveals a white in color 15-passenger GMC van, was traveling westbound when it departed the highway and for unknown reasons, striking several large trees and catching fire.
The driver was transported to North Lincoln Hospital and immediately flown to Legacy Emmanuel in Portland for treatment of serious injuries. The right front passenger was found deceased in the burnt van. Alcohol may have been a contributing factor.
Highway 18 was closed completely for approximately 8 hours. Traffic was re-routed onto North Bank Road during that time. The highway was opened briefly a few times to let commercial motor vehicles clear.
OSP was assisted by the Oregon Department of Transportation, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, North Lincoln Fire and Rescue and Pacific West Ambulance.
More information will be released when available as the investigation is continuing and names will be released pending notification to next of kin.
Source: Oregon State Police
_________________________________________
Filmmaker Jeff Nichols has distinguished himself with finely-wrought, outstanding dramas (Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter, Mud, Midnight Special) that develop in unexpected ways. His newest film, Loving, debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in May and is heading for theatrical release on November 4.
Our own Jason Gorber saw the film at Cannes and noted in his review:
With Loving, Nichols has dialed the intensity down to a slow, quiet burn, making his gifts as a filmmaker even more acute. The story of a couple in Virginia who committed the crime of falling in love despite their different racial backgrounds is told as quietly as a murmur, as powerful and lyrically as an epic poem. It's a film whose tonality matches the affections of its leads, never even hinting at histrionics or cinematic bravado.
Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga star as the couple in question. The first trailer has just dropped and, to be frank, it looks rather like many other films about important subjects: a bit stodgy and expected. But I'm counting on Nichols' gifts as a filmmaker -- and the talents of Edgerton and, especially, Negga -- to help it stand out as much more than that.
You can watch the trailer below. What do you think? Does the trailer make you want to see the movie?
The mainland Chinese government labelled Ten Years a virus of the mind and accused its creators of spreading anxiety. After the film, a collection of shorts pondering Hong Kongs future, was nominated for Best Picture by the Hong Kong Film Awards and Taiwans Golden Horse Awards, the Mainland opted not to broadcast the ceremonies on television or online.
Yet, true to the spirit of Hong Kong, after Ten Years was unceremoniously pulled out of packed moviehouses, it was summarily screened privately in HK universities, churches, under bridges, and even in front of government headquarters, where large crowds viewed the film despite the unofficial official ban.
The five directors and producer brought their film to the New York Asian Film Festival and spoke with me about the unexpected firestorm and the equally astonishing support from the Hong Kong public if not its celebrities Ten Years has received.
Ten Years Filmmakers: - Ng Ka-leung (director/producer): Local Egg - Jevons Au (director): Dialect - Chow Kwun-wai (director): Self-Immolator - Kwok Zune (director): Extras - Wong Fei-pang (director): Season of the End - Andrew Choi (producer): Ten Years
The Lady Miz Diva: When did you get the sense that something different was happening with this movie?
Andrew Choi: The first showing the film in December of last year and I think it was in January that there was a Chinese government newspaper called the Global Times that wrote an article, actually it was a review, saying that we are spreading a virus, that we were pessimistic. I think it was the first time that we were mentioned by the so-called mainland government voice.
Of course, later on, different media came out and said that we were really reflecting what is happening in Hong Kong. So I think it was the whole media response that made us think that our film is actually kind of making an impact to the Hong Kong community. And of course the story about our screenings came out; we were shown in the cinema for eight weeks, but even later on, though they were full houses, we didnt have the opportunity to continue our screenings for various reasons, but we knew the reason behind it.
Later on, we were nominated for the Hong Kong Best Film award, and for me, personally, the first time that I felt real pressure was when the mainland China TV station, CCTV, and one of the major online media outlets said they were not broadcasting the Hong Kong film awards. I thought, Are we making such a big impact in the mainland in China?
I was thinking we were just a very low budget film by five young directors, how can our film become such a big influence? I think that was when they were really starting to look into our film. I think it was that experience that made us feel that Ten Years has really raised some concerns; positively, and of course a lot of people are against our whole movie.
LMD: There are many Asian filmmakers gathered here at the Festival, but what was interesting for me as press was that we were told specifically to not ask about TEN YEARS with regard to certain stars who shall remain nameless
Kwok Zune: We know! We heard about that already. {All laugh.}
LMD: The stars in question didnt really have anything to do with your movie, but we were given that warning anyway, so I get a sense of celebrities distancing themselves from you, but Im curious if you had any well-known Hong Kong artists come out in support of the film?
{Long, thoughtful silence ensues.}
Kwok Zune: Adam Wong, the director of She Remembers, He Forgets, and some young artists and actors who are popular with the young generation, like Neo Yau Hawk-Sau, who is in our film, Self-immolation. He has openly said he is supportive of Ten Years.
{Otherwise, theres.} not so many.
LMD: Ng Ka-leung, I understand that the entire project began with you. Can you please talk about how you found five other like-minded filmmakers to collaborate on this piece with you?
Ng Ka-leung: Actually, at the beginning, we didnt think that would make five different stories. At the beginning, Andrew contacted Jevons, and Jevons said, Dont be stupid. {Laughs.} Youve got just a limited budget, how about making a film with different directors with different perspectives, to make maybe five short films would be good to talk about the future of Hong Kong?
But before that, actually we just asked some simple questions, what is your dream? What is going on in Hong Kong? And we started to talk with different people and asked three questions; one was, is there anything that happened you in the past ten years that made you what you are, or lead to where you are today? The second question was, what obstacles are they facing today? The third question was, what do you think about the future?
I found out when I asked these three questions, that they all had the strongest reaction to the third question; they all have this desire and energy to get out of the current predicament. Thats why I decided to make this film project based on this third question; what do you think is going to happen in the future? Thats when I started contacting Jevons Au to collaborate with me on this project.
LMD: Besides its political message, TEN YEARS is a really beautiful film, aesthetically. Each sequence has its own very distinct style, artistically and narratively, but to have all these filmmakers with such different styles, did you discuss the structure of the film and how it would flow harmoniously?
Andrew Choi: We gave total freedom for each director to create their own stories. Of course we had meetings before they wrote the scripts about which topic they were interested in. I think our basic line was, dont have a similar story line, and that was it. And then they went out to do their research, so we have a different style.
Initially, we didnt have the order of the sequences of the films: After all the production was finished, we started watching the rough cuts of the films and we set up the order then. I think that we gave the directors total freedom to portray their point of view of Hong Kong and whats happening in Hong Kong in the future, and thats it. The order that we have now was basically decided later.
LMD: In the film, SELF-IMMOLATOR, theres a wonderful line about the act of self-immolation that says, It is not necessarily a desperate move, it could be a flame to light up hope. I wonder if that is part of the overall sense behind TEN YEARS? To hear your critics from mainland China, you guys are trying to incite fear in the Hong Kong people, but I would like to hear from you what exactly your intention was in making this film?
Chow Kwun-wai: If youre asking about that particular line in the film, I guess for me it is the most positive way to look at self-immolation. It can have many interpretations: For some, self-immolation can be peaceful, for others, it can be violent because it involves burning and dying, but the point that I trying to make is to start a discussion.
I dont want the act of self-immolation to be 100% good or 100% bad. To me, this could be one of the many ways of protest about Hong Kong as an independent city or nation. So, self-immolation is one of the ways that you can express your thoughts about this, but my main point of making this segment of using self-immolation as a topic is to ask questions. Im here to bring up the questions for people to ponder.
On a more personal level, I want to give hope and I also want to convey the power and the spirit of sacrifice. You might have probably noticed that in my story, the person who committed the self-immolation never spoke a word; they were silent. Its just an act. The self-immolation itself is an act; it is not a stand on any particular public goal, or ideal, or perspective, or opinion. Because I felt that once the self-immolator starts speaking, youre adding opinion or perspective into the picture.
What I wanted to bring out from the act of self-immolation was to think about justice, independent thinking, forms of protest, and also I hope the viewers can see the act of self-immolation as a symbol of hope, that, we, as Hong Kong people, can be like the self-immolator and sacrifice yourself for your own Hong Kong.
LMD: After watching the film and reading about all the controversy, I was worried about you guys and what you must have endured at home. Have you directly felt any kind of pressure or blocking with regard to your filmmaking from the Mainland?
Andrew Choi: Not directly. Weve never tried to go to China after we made the movie, but I think there are some trails that you can see. People are also concerned about us.
Jevons can tell more. He has a new project coming up and the investor kind of told him because he wanted to invite Ka-leung to become a producer on his new film, and that particular investor said he shouldnt invite any of the Ten Years crew to be on his film.
That kind of thing I think happens not just to him, but also to Wong Fei-pang, who almost got a job as a cinematographer on a film, and at a later stage, he was excluded from the crew.
So, I think this kind of thing is happening, and of course its not directly by the government officials, but I think people kind of are aware that these guys are kind of dangerous and they dont want to get too close to us.
Jevons Au: These are things that are happening in Hong Kong. They dont want to get into trouble. Just like in New York, how you are worried about us, they are also worried that if they have a close relationship with us, they are afraid. In Hong Kong now, the political environment there is quite sensitive.
LMD: Did you originally have any intention that the film would be seen internationally? And if so, or now that it is being seen by audiences outside of Hong Kong, do you worry that those audiences might not get all the references in the film?
Jevons Au: Actually, this film was so low budget, we hadnt thought that we would have so many responses, or such large audiences from the public. We didnt expect that we would get an international release, or that we would show it at film festivals. We never thought of that. We just thought that we were just trying to do what we wanted to do, and what we believed, and to be honest to ourselves to work on a project like this.
We thought it was just a local independent project; we never wanted to be commercial. I dont think we really expected an international audience. But first and foremost, I think we were really concerned about the people around us: We wanted to show the audience, the youngsters, we wanted to have some kind of private screenings, we didnt initially have any ambitions. The idea of this project for me was just to relieve my expression, my fears, my emotions about Hong Kong.
Andrew Choi: After we had been to several film festivals, like Osaka, like Singapore, London, Italy, I think we were surprised that even though our film has a very local context about Hong Kong, that people kind of get the message. That there are echoes about how we all need to think about our own future in our own cities. I think that kind of message echoes into the audiences that weve been to, no matter where. Some of the topics that we bring up kind of hit the audience, as well. So, I think we are surprised. We could never have imagined that. We are curious about how the audience in the US will respond to our film.
LMD: Director Ng has said in previous interviews that the film was not inspired by the Umbrella Revolution, but it happened and it appears in the film. The use of the footage kind of showed me that there is this huge likeness of mind between your film and young Hong Kongers. What kind of responses have you had from audiences that have been gratifying; that have showed support. or made you feel that you did the right thing in making TEN YEARS?
Ng Ka-leung: I definitely felt that making Ten Years was a great decision to make. I believe we asked the right questions, and judging from the audiences reaction from various screenings, they tell us that we all have some kind of a consensus. We have this common understanding or realisation; whether it be hopelessness, the wish to change, or the feeling that there is no exit for Hong Kong right now. The five of us were just trying to express our own thoughts and our own concerns and our own worries about the home that were living in.
Through the film medium, we were able to express the questions that we wanted to ask about our concerns. From the audiences reaction, we were actually quite glad to realise that we were not the only ones that were asking these questions. We were willing to honestly ask these questions and when wed go to the audience screenings, the audience would come up and say, Thank you for making this for Hong Kong.
They may not say a lot to us; we might not start having a political discussion, but the idea that they would just come up and say. Hey, thank you for making this movie for the Hong Kong people, even though they didnt say a lot, it meant a lot. It tells us that theres some connection between us and the viewers and that we were asking the right questions.
In addition to the live audience reaction that we would get after a commercial theater screening, many communities, many organisations, they also held their own community screenings in schools and churches. We didnt initiate that. They asked, can we show your film in our school, in our church, in our community? It tells us that in a way, there are many more people beyond those who saw this in the theater that are trying to support us.
Kwok Zune: I think its interesting that after the screenings of the films, several important incidents happened, just like the disappearance of the bookseller, the conflicts in Hong Kong - if youve heard about them- and people just directly thought about our film. Like Ngs segment, Local Egg, and the Voice of Hong Kong Independence, and people thought about his segment. I think its interesting that the film is synchronised with the audience and it has a very strong reference to reality. Definitely, at that point, I think we have done the right thing, because even though the film is talking about the future, but we are making a movie for the people now. So thats good.
LMD: The whole movie just rings in your head after the last sequence, but then theres the end credit with a quote from the prophet Amos, and then the words Already too late appear on screen, which then disappear and say, Not too late. Please tell me what you meant by these words?
Ng Ka-leung: Regarding what you mentioned about the change of words from too late to not too late, I feel that it is never too late. And why is that? Because it really depends on what you are going after, what you are trying to achieve. The five stories within this film, they all talk about real things that are happening right now. Even though it is set in the future, these are not imaginary scenarios. To us, it is actually happening. But in the end, whether we believe it or not, like Fei Pang always mentioned, the question always comes back to what is it to be a man, to be a human, to be a person? Sometimes we have to let certain things go.
The reason we used the ancient quote was to let people realise that the darkness that we are facing now is not new; its been happening for centuries, back in ancient times. History repeats itself, but its the value and the spirit that we need to preserve. If we look at just only what is happening now, with all these issues and crises, we may think, Oh yeah, its too late.
Booksellers are getting kidnapped and detained, snatched right in the middle of Hong Kong; its too late, freedom is gone. But, if we step back and look at history, then what we want to achieve is never too late. This is the message that we want the audience to take home with them at the end when they see the switching of the message.
Look, it might feel pessimistic, but we dont think so. We still think theres time to change things, but it is up to you to make the right decisions.
With an attraction to capturing the seamier side of life, director Shiraishi Kazuya came to the New York Asian Film Festival with his darkly comic tale of a corrupt cop, Twisted Justice. Director Shiraishi spoke with me about his star, Ayano Go, and the real life incidents behind the film.
The Lady Miz Diva: Weve heard about how Ayano Go gained and lost an exceptional amount of weight to play the character of Moroboshi in your film. Was that at your suggestion? Please talk about your instructions to Mr. Ayano regarding his character in TWISTED JUSTICE?
Shiraishi Kazuya: I didnt really think about what would happen if I did it this way, or directed it that way, so in order for Mr. Ayano to live as Moroboshi, I think it was important that he needs not a straight line, but a very bumpy road, in that sense. I wanted him to be a ball of energy, a ball of passion; I think the heat was important in this role.
I never asked Ayano-san to gain any weight, but I think the fact that the real-life character was a very tough judo player was stuck in Mr. Ayanos mind, so it was him that suggested that maybe he should gain some weight.
LMD: Was there more to Moroboshi that was originally written than we saw in the film?
SK: Yes, there were so many parts. The first draft was actually 3 hours long. It was much more extreme, actually.
LMD: Its an interesting balance that Ayano-san has to walk because depending on the viewer, Moroboshi can be viewed as sympathetic or unsympathetic. An unsympathetic protagonist can sometimes be a challenge for the audience to appreciate; did you sense the risk of creating a film around such a character?
SK: I always felt that you didnt need to sympathise with him as long as you found him charming. {Laughs.}
LMD: Before TWISTED JUSTICE you made THE DEVILS PATH and LOST PARADISE IN TOKYO. Is exploring and capturing the underbelly of society a fascination for you?
SK: Yes, I think Im very much drawn by the underworld, because rather than depicting or seeing a normal, everyday landscape, I want to see a landscape that you cannot normally see or encounter. And I think depicting people at the bottom of society really allows you to create a film that is full of passion.
LMD: Please tell us how the project of TWISTED JUSTICE came to you?
SK: Its not that it just came to me, but the screenwriter, Mr. Ikegami Junya, weve never worked together, but Ive always known him, and one day we were just drinking and he said, Theres a screenplay that I would love for you to read.
LMD: Also involved in TWISTED JUSTICE is our old friend Chiba Yoshinori, who Ive known pretty much since the start of his Sushi Typhoon production company. Please talk about having Chiba-san as your producer?
SK: Chiba-san was the producer for my last film The Devil's Path as well. Chiba-san is a very esteemed producer: He is known for completing very difficult materials and making a film out of it, and actually doing a good job of doing so, so I very much trust him fully. When I happened upon this project, he was, without question, the first guy that I considered to consult.
LMD: I understand the TWISTED JUSTICE is based on the true story of a police inspector. How closely did you stick to the biography by Mr. Inaba and did you, the writer, or Ayano-san have any interaction with Inaba, himself?
SK: A lot of the scenes with a female characters are my creation. And from the time that hes caught and released from jail, his actual family was waiting for him, so I didnt want to make that too scandalous. But the scenes where he is working in the police station, his work as a policeman, 90% was based on real incidents.
LMD: Has Inaba seen the film yet?
SK: Yes.
LMD: What did he think?
SK: It depressed him because it made him reflect back on all the evil and wrongdoings that he committed. About that last scene in jail, where he says, Im still dedicated to being a policeman, when Inaba-san actually saw that scene and he realised that back then he was still very much loyal to the organisation of the police, that scene really made him remember how stupid he was being and it made him very much remorseful.
LMD: Did you ask your cast to prepare by reading Mr. Inabas memoir?
SK: No, I didnt ask them to read the book. I told them that the screenplay alone was enough. I just asked them to read the screenplay, but of course I verbally communicated to them that this was basically a story of real incidents.
LMD: You mentioned earlier that the original draft of the film was 3 hours long. What might weve seen that ended up cut?
SK: I dont think Moroboshi wouldve changed at all, even if it was a 3 hour movie. Of course I had to work hard to shorten the 3 hours into what you saw. At the same time, this character was so strong so it never blurred for me; it was always sharp, this character.
LMD: In my interview with him, Ayano-san was very insistent that he intended to be a part of your next project, whatever the project might be. Does that mean that there is a new project in the works from you?
SK: {Laughs.} So, yes, Im very much interested in crime stories, but I am also intrigued by family stories, as well, so perhaps that could be a possibility. The thing about Mr. Ayano is that he really stirs my imagination; there are so many roles that he can do. So, we dont have a concrete plan, but he really inspires me.
LMD: Its a perfect set up for my next question, which is since your last films deal with the darker side of life, whether you were interested in making something lighter, like a rom-com; something completely different than what might be expected of you?
SK: So, yes, of course I do feel that I want to take on different genres. I see myself not so much as a writer than as a craftsman, so in that sense I dont want to inhibit myself by binding myself to a particular genre. As long as its interesting, I love to challenge myself.
LMD: Speaking of comedy, TWISTED JUSTICE has a very dark sense of humor. How did you judge where to place the humor in this film?
SK: Its not as if Im calculating every little scene to make it work to maintain that balance, I think its very much instinct how I maintain that balance. For the comedic scenes, the scenes that make you laugh, I think what worked for this film is that it was all unintentional. The characters in these funny scenes were very much serious; they never set out to make you laugh. I think theyre being serious, but when you see it from the outside, its very comedic and humorous. I think that worked well in this film.
LMD: Humor can sometimes get lost in translation when youre showing it to another culture. What were your thoughts screening the film earlier this week to the American audience?
SK: Id screened the film last week here in New York and I actually got more laughs here than I did in Japan, so it shows that humor translates and is communicable. I was able to communicate that. But its very curious because on Netflix there is a Japanese show called Hibana, and the general director of that is Hiroki Ryuichi (Kabukicho Love Hotel), and the show is about a Japanese comedian. So this Japanese story I think is much more difficult to communicate, so Im curious how thatll do. This show is about manzai, so its very Japanese. I am one of the directors but the general director is Hiroki.
This interview is cross-posted on my own site, The Diva Review. Please enjoy additional content, including exclusive photos there.
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June 29, 2011
Bold (and misguided?) prediction of 20-25 years in the federal pen for Blago
Attorney Jami Floyd has this notable new commentarysuggesting that a very stiff sentence is in Rod Blagojevich's future. The commentary is titled "His Own Worst Enemy: Why Rod Blagojevich Should Expect a Stiff Sentence," and here are excerpts:
[W]hatever the relative arguments for or against conviction, the jury has spoken. Now, comes the penalty. It will take weeks, if not months to formulate the sentence in the case. At first blush, the sentence is somewhere in the neighborhood of 250-300 years. As the verdict came down Monday, the pundits were quick to point out that Judge James Zagel will have to follow the federal sentencing guidelines, leaving most to surmise that Blago will get somewhere in the neighborhood of 7-10 years. I think Blagojevich will do much more time, however, and here's why: 1. His Testimony.... 2. The Public Trust.... 3. The Madoff Example.... You will recall that many of the experts who are now predicting a ten-year sentence for Blagojevich also predicted a ten-year sentence for Bernard Madoff. Madoff was older (71). He was also convicted in federal court and the sentencing guidelines in that case suggested a 13-year term. Instead, Madoff was sentenced to 150 years and will never see the light of day. I predict a slightly kinder, gentler sentence for Blagojevich; something in the order of 20-25 years.
I am not yet ready to make my own Blago sentencing predictions, but I am ready to assert that this sentencing commentary seems quite misguided. Blago's crimes strike me a radically different than Madoff's, especially because there are no proverbial widows or orphans who had their life savings wiped out by Blago. (And I am certain that Floyd is badly mistaken when asserting that Madoff's guideline calculation called for only a 13-year term from bad Bernie.)
That all said, if Judge Zagel is eager to send a stern message with his sentencing of Blago, I do think it is quite possible that Blago will having to count down years, not merely months, when ultimately in federal prison awaiting release.
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June 29, 2011 at 12:07 PM | Permalink
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Well, while I think that Jami may be right, I have to disagree with her on certain points. NOTHING trumps one's Constitutional rights, especially the right to testify on one's own behalf. Judge Zagel is an intelligent person, who knows the political realities. You have to keep in mind that even the appointment to the Federal judgeship is a political game and in most cases, has absolutely nothing to do with the nominees' abilities and knowledge of the law and society. (In this regard, I feel that Richard Posner - whom I admire despite that he places an economic value on everything - should have been a US Supreme Court Justice a long time ago, but he is not.) Based on my "incomplete" understanding of the case, he will most likely be sentenced to 6 years - using the prevailing sentences in similar cases; in any event, not more than 10 years (which I strongly doubt). Look, every politician is corrupt - most of them protected under the guise of the public's First Amendment rights (the "right to petition the government"). This is also the reason why all efforts to curtail (if not eliminate) the lobbying have failed. I personally have dealt with numerous politicians - on both Federal and state levels - only to come away with the impression that they are all what can potentially be construed as "corrupt." One glaring example is Paul Maggliochetti's case (the venerable PMA Group lobbying firm). He quickly pleaded guilty to avoid dragging all the politicians' "good" name through the mud. (That is putatively the real reason.) One name (although I hesitate to name "names") that comes to my mind is the one who was involved in the Abscam scandal of the early 1980s, but narrowly avoided implication and prosecution (thanks to the politician's own gut feeling that it was a sting!).
At bottom, recent bribery and malfeasance convictions and sentences lead me to think that Blago might not be sentenced to more than 6 years.
Posted by: John Marshall | Jun 29, 2011 3:41:21 PM
"The jury said that "business" as usual will not be tolerated. What is the difference between bribery that results in a criminal conviction and what corporations do on a regular basis?
I am less troubled by this conviction than I am over the relative indifference to conduct that looks more like bribery than corporate lobbying.
Posted by: Stanley Feldman | Jun 30, 2011 10:38:57 AM
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June 28, 2011
Do would-be white-collar offenders actually "get the message" from long sentences?
The question in the title of this post is prompted by this new piece by Professor Peter Henning from the New York Times headlined "Long Sentences Send a Message Few May Hear." Here are excerpts:
The Justice Department has asked for a sentence of as much as 385 years for Lee B. Farkas, former chief executive of the Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corporation, who was convicted of orchestrating a $2.9 billion fraud that caused the collapse of Colonial Bank. The reason for seeking such a severe penalty is to draw the attention of corporate executives to the potential for severe punishments for fraudulent activity, but the question is whether anyone will actually listen. Mr. Farkas was convicted by a jury on 14 counts for selling falsified mortgage loans in a scheme that lasted from 2002 to 2008, and then trying to orchestrate a $533 million investment by the federal government through the Troubled Asset Relief Program to keep Colonial Bank afloat. Prosecutors say that he diverted some $40 million from Taylor Bean for personal investments in bars in Atlanta and Fort Lauderdale along with various trinkets, including a $28 million jet.... In order to grab the attention of other executives, Justice Department officials have asked for more than just a life sentence, instead requesting the maximum term for each charge to be served consecutively, which adds up to 385 years. In seeking a punishment even greater than that imposed on Bernard L. Madoff, now serving a 150-year sentence, the Justice Department wants to use Mr. Farkass sentence as an example to other corporate officers who might be tempted to stray into illegality. According to prosecutors: Sentencing him to the maximum penalty allowed by law will send the most forceful and unequivocal message to senior corporate executives that engaging in fraud and deceit in order to pump up your company or line your own pockets is unacceptable and will have severe consequences.... It is an interesting question whether the unequivocal message to senior corporate executives from a particularly harsh sentence would in fact be heard. I think the answer is that it would not. Taylor Bean was a privately held company based in Ocala, Fla., and its primary lender, Colonial Bank, was based in Montgomery, Ala. Both were far from the major financial and banking centers. Taylor Bean was not a major player in the mortgage-backed securities market, and the prosecution took place somewhat off the beaten path for financial prosecutions: in the Eastern District of Virginia in Alexandria, not in New York where it might have garnered more attention.... It is unlikely that Mr. Farkas will become the face of the governments efforts to root out criminal conduct arising from the financial maelstrom that hit in 2008. The intended audience for the governments recommendation may well write off whatever sentence Mr. Farkas receives as hardly a blip on their radar screen. Packaging fake mortgages and diverting corporate funds to private ventures like bars is not something any self-respecting Wall Street executive would ever stoop to doing, at least so the thinking might go. Mr. Farkas can be classified an outlier who engaged in the type of naked fraud that corporate executives would never be so crass as to try, at least in their own minds.... In United States v. Martin, a case involving the sentencing of a former chief financial officer at HealthSouth, the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit asserted that because economic and fraud-based crime are more rational, cool, and calculated than sudden crimes of passion or opportunity these crimes are prime candidates for general deterrence. I wonder whether corporate executives can be deterred by sentences given to others when they can rationalize misconduct they might engage in as necessary to preserve the company or to make a quarterly estimate, and they would never be caught doing something blatantly illegal. Even Mr. Madoff did not view himself as doing anything particularly troublesome while taking money from new investors and passing much of it on to old investors -- he even described some of his victims as greedy. If executives can convince themselves that theres nothing really wrong with what was done, like inflating revenue or paying a foreign official to obtain a contract, because there was a good reason for doing it, then the likelihood of being deterred by a long prison sentence seems fairly minimal. Corporate executives might not be good candidates for deterrence because they perceive themselves as different from -- and often better than --those who have been caught and punished, even if they are not.
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I agree that after reading dozens of white collar cases, they often seem to stem from "fixing" problems in an inappropriate way that led to disaster---or the idea to temporarily "hide" a problem: a cash deficit, an unexplained loss, a shortage; until the fix or solution comes along, and it just can't be done, and then comes criminal indictment. Was it just poor judgment? A genuine belief things would work out? If the case actually goes to trial (and now ONLY about 5% of all cases do---which is absolutely astounding) and a jury finds guilt, there are seldom ANY breaks to the defendant---see judicial comments such as "a rational juror could infer...." "harmless error", etc. One thinks that "beyond a reasonable doubt" would rule, and then one wonders if in fact, in complex cases,
the jury, bless their hearts, really understood the case.
Posted by: folly | Jun 28, 2011 10:54:37 PM
Folly:
I am glad (seriously) that you hit the nail on its head. That is why I have been advocating circumstances should govern the crimes and their consequences. (In Madoff's case, I sadly cannot find even one mitigating ground.) Please see my post at
http://sentencing.typepad.com/sentencing_law_and_policy/2011/06/judge-denny-chin-and-bernie-madoff-talk-about-a-sentence-of-150-years.html#comments.
What I said was this:
"What I really think that convicted white-collar defendants should get is what hits them the most in their pocketbooks. They should be forced to pay back the monies that were wrongfully obtained. This way, everyone could be made whole. Yes, I do realize that the fulfillment of this seemingly noble goal may not happen in many cases, but it will at least make the defendants realize that they have the Damocles sword hanging over their head and they, I believe, would be more productive (and not to mention the reduced costs to the government). You see, by sending these defendants to prison for 5, 10, 20, or even 30 years, everyone knows that they are not going to pay back the victims. Most of these defendants literally hide their money, or cut deals with the prosecution to let them keep the money, with the hope that once they get out, they would be able to enjoy life again. (Of course, there are exceptions to every position.) A better way, in my opinion, to enforce money judgments by civil penalties and forfeiture actions. In Madoffs particular case, he could not have done all this fraud on this massive a scale without external help (read: banks, PE firms, investment banks, etc.). There are civil RICO provisions to get the money back for these alleged victims from these coconspirators, even if the defendants are allegedly pauperized during the proceedings. Criminal restitution statutes are sheer farce and they look fantastic on paper, but enforcing them is whole different ball of wax. Defendants have and do use numerous legal loopholes to get around these restrictions. Just incarcerating these guys (for however long) does not make any economic sense at all."
Posted by: John Marshall | Jun 28, 2011 11:42:44 PM
My intuition is that longer sentences won't deter more. Longer sentences only deter more when the decisionmaking calculus is: Expected Value Accrued by Crime >= (chance of getting caught) times (punishment). I think that these crimes are committed by people who estimate (chance of getting caught) as zero.
Posted by: Gray Proctor | Jun 29, 2011 10:01:48 AM
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June 28, 2011
You make the sentencing call: What sentence should Blago get?
As highlighted by this Chicago Tribune article, which is headlined "Rod Blagojevich sentencing: Experts weigh in on possible prison term," there is already no shortage of speculation as to what kind of sentence the former Governor of Illinois will be getting following his conviction on 17 counts of corruption in federal court yesterday. Here is some of that speculation:
On paper at least, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich could be sentenced to as much as 300 years in prison following his conviction Monday on 17 counts of corruption. But how much does he really face? Seasoned criminal-defense attorneys and former prosecutors consulted by the Tribune estimate Blagojevich could be looking at about 10 years, based on recent public corruption sentences here. The sentence could take months to formulate. While many factors will go into the decision by U.S. District Judge James Zagel, Blagojevich's unorthodox strategy to repeatedly go public with his claims of innocence could come back to haunt him, the experts said. His conviction also means Blagojevich's decision to testify could hurt him at sentencing if the judge concludes the former governor lied under oath, they said. Zagel's displeasure with the former governor's behavior has been on display at his retrial as well as the first trial last summer that ended with the jury largely deadlocked except for one guilty count. The judge "is not going to sentence him on who he is," veteran attorney Robert Loeb said of Blagojevich. "He is going to sentence him on what he has said and done." Blagojevich already faces sentencing for lying to the FBI, the lone count on which he was convicted at the first trial. That jury deadlocked on the remaining counts, setting the stage for the retrial. Before Blagojevich is sentenced, a probation officer using federal sentencing guidelines will calculate the range of punishment faced by Blagojevich. Then prosecutors and Blagojevich's lawyers will argue about why more time should be added or shaved off. Since the sentencing guidelines were made advisory and not mandatory about six years ago, Zagel has wide discretion to impose the sentence he thinks is just and fair.... The experts said Zagel is likely to punish Blagojevich as well as a deterrent for other elected officials. With four Illinois governors convicted three on charges related to their office since the 1970s, Zagel could decide to send a strong message. "Apparently the convictions have not served as a deterrent to the culture of corruption," Loeb said.
As suggested in this article, the way in which the guideline range gets calculated for Blago will be subject to much discussion and debate. And yet, this unique prosecution hardly seeming like it is within the "heartland" of the usual political corruption offenses; plus, the sentencing judge now has a distinct obligation to work through all the 3553(a) sentencing factors to decision what kind of sentence would be "sufficient but not greater than necessary" to achieve congressional sentencing purposes.
As the question in the title of this post suggests, though I am interested in reader predictions as to what Blado will get, I am especially keen to hear what folks think he should get. Months? Years? Decades? Severe lternative sentencing terms (like daily head-shavings)? Feel free to answer with clever Blago jokes, though I am turly interested in what folks truly think ought to be Blago's punishment.
June 28, 2011 at 10:54 AM | Permalink
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NOTHING! a second trial is ILLEGAL under the double jeopardy rules!
Posted by: rodsmith | Jun 28, 2011 11:29:46 AM
Normally, I would tend toward leniency for white collar offenses: massive fines; little or no jail time. In this case, though, he has been so blatantly unrepentant. It's one thing to maintain one's innocence and argue against the state's case. It is another to appear on every talk show and reality show you can book yourself into and thumb your nose at the system for years. I'll put my bid in for 10 years.
Posted by: Ala JD | Jun 28, 2011 12:54:21 PM
He could get roughly 2 for the lying...17 counts of misc political rubbish...I'm thinking like ALA JD did exactly... He actually challenged Fitzpatrick to the 2nd trial....Like whos gonna win repeated trials, the Feds or a smuck....His first attorney (high roller from chicago??) quit. He said he doesn't require his clients to do everything he reccommends, but does require them to at least listen to him..
I will say, 12-18 yrs.....If he would have kept his mouth shut and acknowledged his mistakes, maybe 5-8....Even if he had plead guilty, he wouldnot have gotten the 3 level drop for acceptiong responsibility, with his trap flapping on Tv...Shocking to see an ex Gov. so inept at operating a cell phone or laptop...Referring to Donald Trumps show..and simple clerioal type jobs as well..The boys will have fun with Blago, where ever they send him..
Posted by: Josh | Jun 28, 2011 2:28:57 PM
This Judge (repellent though he is) will no doubt enhance Blago for perjury...he testified...the jurors chose to disbelieve him..ergo, he lied. As Jackie Wilson, of blessed memory, once sang: "Higher and higher!" And, if the Blago jurors were as gleeful in convicting him, think how even more gleeful the Judge will be in being able to increase his sentence.
The U.S. and sentencing: tis a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
Posted by: FluffyRoss | Jun 28, 2011 6:43:07 PM
Fluffy --
"This Judge (repellent though he is)..."
Blago, by contrast, is the Second Coming of Honest Abe. Yikes.
"...will no doubt enhance Blago for perjury...he testified...the jurors chose to disbelieve him..ergo, he lied."
No, what makes him a liar is that the stuff he said was false.
Posted by: Bill Otis | Jun 28, 2011 7:01:49 PM
At least until his hair falls out of its own accord.
Posted by: John | Jun 28, 2011 7:34:58 PM
It will be interesting to see if the judge makes anything of the fact of Blago's numerous attempts to poison the jury pool by his repeated lies in the media that the government was withholding tapes. I remember news articles reporting that the judge had said in pretrial hearings that it was up to him, not the prosecutors, which tapes get played.
Posted by: domino | Jun 28, 2011 8:31:29 PM
Six years!
Posted by: John Marshall | Jun 28, 2011 11:36:34 PM
What do folks think the advisory guideline range is?
2C1.1(a)(1) Base Offense Level (public official) 14
2C1.1(b)(1) the offense involved more than one bribe or extortion +2
2C1.1(b)(3) the offense involved an elected public official or any public official in a high-level decision-making or sensitive position +4
I don't think there can be much dispute regarding the applicability of any of those. So, he starts at a 20.
The cross-reference from the bribery value to the fraud chart will be heavily litigated. Totaling all of the schemes alleged, Blagojevich attempted to pocket over $1 million.
2C1.1(b)(2) & 2B1.1(b)(1) Amount of value, benefit, or loss: > $1,000,000 +16
He should probably receive a two-level adjustment for obstruction of justice. He was convicted of lying to agents in the investigation and it is likely he perjured himself at trial.
3C1.1 Obstruction of Justice +2
Is an adjustment for being an organizer/leader under 3B1.1(a) appropriate? Given the number of schemes, bribes, and phone calls, it's arguably 'extensive' criminal activity. Two levels? Four?
Is an upward departure for loss of public confidence in government appropriate? See Guideline 2C1.1, Application Note 7.
It's not hard to make the case that the offense level is in the high thirties, if not > 40.
Posted by: Marty | Jun 29, 2011 11:49:24 PM
iPad 3 has slowly become the most awaited gadget out there.
Posted by: ipad 3 | Jul 11, 2011 7:14:23 AM
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I am a bit skeptical of, though still quite intrigued by, this new story from the Chicago Sun-Times headlined "Feds say Rod Blagojevich could get 30 years to life in prison." Here are the basics:
Federal prosecutors argue Rod Blagojevich could serve 30 years to life in prison, sources say a sentencing range that will be bitterly disputed by the former governors defense lawyers.
Blagojevich attorney Sheldon Sorosky called the governments numbers harsh and cruel, Wednesday but said he wouldnt discuss them. The prosecutions calculation was submitted in private. Sorosky said the defense would put forth its own version that is a far cry from the governments.
We are preparing a submission to Judge Zagel, which is far, far, far under those draconian and harsh and cruel numbers, Sorosky said. We are making our own guideline calculation which is fair and based on facts and the evidence at trial.
Blagojevich, 54, who is now scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 6, was convicted in June on 17 of 20 counts of corruption, including charges that he schemed to sell President Obamas vacant U.S. Senate seat. Blagojevich was also convicted last year of one count of making false statements to the FBI....
U.S. District Judge James Zagel will have wide discretion over the former governors prison term, as sentencing guidelines for federal judges are advisory. Judges typically listen to all sides and then decide, based on a number of factors that make up the sentencing range....
While that may be the governments calculation, its good to keep in mind that Judge Zagel has ultimate discretion, said Patrick Collins, a former prosecutor in the Ryan case. I would be shocked if he would consider a sentence anywhere near that.
In the prosecutions calculations, the government says Blagojevich faces more time because he took the witness stand and allegedly obstructed justice, sources said. As governor, he was also leader of an enterprise, they will argue. The U.S. Attorneys office had no comment.
Court filings involving Blagojevichs sentencing are expected on Friday. Though his sentencing is set to begin Oct. 6, Sorosky has previously questioned whether it would begin on time since the same judge is set to begin the corruption trial of Springfield power broker William Cellini three days earlier.
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November 30, 2011
Feds asking for prison term of 15 to 20 years for Rod Blagojevich
As detailed in this local press account, "federal prosecutors asked a judge Wednesday to sentence convicted former Gov. Rod Blagojevich to as much as 20 years in prison." Here is more from the press report on the feds' sentencing filing:
In light of Blagojevichs extensive corruption of high office, the damage he caused to the integrity of Illinois government and the need to deter others from similar acts, the government suggests a sentence of 15 to 20 years imprisonment is sufficient but not greater than necessary, prosecutors said in a court filing Wednesday. Blagojevich, 54, who was convicted of 18 corruption charges, is set to be sentenced next week. His sentencing hearing will be Dec. 6 and 7 before U.S. District Judge James Zagel. Blagojevichs lawyers have said they will seek probation. Theyre expected to file their suggested sentence later Wednesday. Blagojevich was found guilty of charges that included allegations he tried to sell or trade an appointment to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama. Prosecutors said Blagojevich deserves stiffer sentences than the 6 1/2 years given to former Gov. George Ryan and the 10 years given to Tony Rezko, a former Blagojevich adviser and onetime top campaign fund-raiser. They noted that Rezko got that stiff term even though he didnt hold public office, wasnt involved in the attempted sale of the Senate appointment in 2008 and immediately turned himself in to begin serving his prison time after his 2008 conviction.... Blagojevich needs to be hit with a tough sentence to deter others, prosecutors said, pointing out that the six and a half years given to Blagojevichs predecessor, Ryan, did little to persuade Blagojevich not to misuse his public office. The six-and-a-half-year sentence did nothing to stop Blagojevich, as the very next governor, from engaging in significant and ongoing bribery, extortion, and fraud, prosecutors wrote.
The 21-page Government Sentencing Memorandum in this case is available at this link.
UPDATE: I am still looking for a copy of the sentencing filing of the defense team, but this local article, headlined "Blago Defense Asks for Leniency in Sentencing," reports on some of its points:
[D]efense lawyers argued that Blagojevich received no monetary gain, and caused no public harm, and that he deserved a lenient sentence. Defense attorneys said by their analysis of federal sentencing guidelines, Blagojevich faced at the extreme, 41 to 51 months in prison. Prosecutors argued that the correct range should be 30 years to life, but suggested a term of between 15 and 20 years behind bars. "Mr. Blagojevich followed the law as he understood it to be," wrote defense lawyer Carolyn Gurland. "Mr. Blagojevichs profound devotion to his wife and young children, and the devestation that his absence will cause his family, provide further support for the exercise of leniency in his sentencing." For their part, prosecutors cited what they called Blagojevichs "extensive corruption in office, the damage he caused to the integrity of Illinois government, and the need to deter others from similar acts."
I have highlighted a segment of the article which reports the wildly disparate guideline calculations being peddled by the adversaries in this case: the feds think the guidelines recommend 30 or more years, while the defense say they recommend less than 4.3 years. (In a future post, I will discuss in more detail why this guideline-calculation reality itself highlights that an undue focus or concern with disparities resulting from departures or variances tends to distract and distort any truly sophisticated analysis of modern federal sentencing realities.)
ANOTHER UPDATE: Thanks to one of my students, I have now found here a copy of the defense filings for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
November 30, 2011 at 03:13 PM | Permalink
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hmm
"Defense attorneys said by their analysis of federal sentencing guidelines, Blagojevich faced at the extreme, 41 to 51 months in prison. Prosecutors argued that the correct range should be 30 years to life, but suggested a term of between 15 and 20 years behind bars."
This just proves what i've said before. IF the current system of calculating a prison sentence has become so complicated even those most familiar with it can't figure it out. TIME TO SCRAP IT.
reminds me of when the first CLD tests were created for the nation wide Commercial Drivers license. The very people who WROTE the test....FLUNKED IT!
Posted by: rodsmith | Dec 1, 2011 12:26:49 PM
Rod,
It's not so much that people can't "figure it out" so much as the guidelines are a ouija board that allows people to claim that their preferred outcome is what the rules mandate. Think of it more like a weighted system of revealed preferences than a sentencing automata (where the weighting is in favor of the house, of course).
Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Dec 1, 2011 4:18:07 PM
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December 4, 2011
Insightful commentary questions why Blago is getting huge break from federal prosecutors
Alison Siegler, who directs the Federal Criminal Justice Clinic at the University of Chicago Law School (and who once honored me with an invite to her class there), has this fantastic new op-ed in the Chicago Tribune, which is headlined "The advantage of being Blago." Here is the text, every line of which merits emphasis:
Rod Blagojevich is a lucky man. He is lucky that the U.S. attorney's office is asking U.S. District Judge James Zagel to send him to prison for only 15 to 20 years. He is lucky that the prosecution is not asking for him to do 30 years to life in prison, which is the amount of time called for by federal sentencing guidelines the laws that set punishment in federal cases based on the severity of the crime. Blagojevich is especially lucky that he is not my recent client, a drug-addicted man who grew up on the South Side and pleaded guilty to selling two ounces of drugs to a government informant for $200. I represented this man, and the same U.S. attorney's office asked Zagel to follow the sentencing guidelines strictly and send him to prison for up to 27 years. Luckily for Blagojevich, the prosecutors filed a motion asking for a far lighter sentence for the former governor who, they themselves contend, deeply damaged the integrity of the political system by trying to hand over a U.S. Senate seat in exchange for $1.5 million in donations and then blatantly lied about his conduct on the stand. The U.S. attorney's office is treating Blagojevich shockingly differently than it treats poor, minority defendants charged with less serious crimes. I have been representing indigent defendants in Chicago for nearly a decade, and in almost every one of the hundreds of cases I have litigated, the U.S. attorney's office has asked for the guidelines sentence, which is usually quite harsh. But in Blagojevich's case, the prosecution has asked the judge to chop the guidelines sentence in half. It might be different if the prosecution's request for a sentence below the guidelines were supported by facts about Blagojevich or his offense that merit leniency. But the prosecution argues strenuously that Blagojevich's personal circumstances do not warrant mercy and that his crimes were heinous and driven by greed. They wax rhapsodic about his "extensive corruption of high office." And then they inexplicably request a sentence that is fully 10 to 15 years lower than the sentence they would request if this were an ordinary case. Perhaps the prosecution's request in the Blagojevich case is driven by a sense that the guidelines sentence is not always the just sentence. If so, the prosecutors should also take a hard look at their practice of requesting guidelines sentences for indigent defendants, and should question whether it is fair to demand that a man spend up to 27 years in prison for selling a small amount of drugs to their own informant. Otherwise, the prosecution's sentencing request is not fair. The inescapable message the request sends is that the lives of privileged defendants who have been given every opportunity and have nevertheless flagrantly violated the public's trust are worth more than the lives of impoverished defendants who have caused far less societal harm. This message undermines the public's faith in the fairness of the system and reinforces the perception that there are two very different kinds of justice, one for the haves and the other for the have-nots.
Before sentencing day(s) this coming week, I will have a series of addition posts that will discuss some of the additional insights we can and should take away from the run up to Blago judgment day.
December 4, 2011 at 09:23 AM | Permalink
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1. Ms. Siegler does a lot of speculating about why the USAO made its recommendation for Blago, but, so far as her article reveals, she never did the one thing you'd expect from someone teaching at a law school: ask. Some of us think inquiry is better than speculation.
2. Since speculation is the order of the day, however, here's mine, having been at the business for quite some time.
The government asked for a below guidelines sentence because it thinks, based on experience, that this is in the ballpark of what it can actually get from this judge, and that if it asks for something higher, the judge will just disregard its recommendation entirely.
Ms. Sieler, like so many others, likes to see racism behind every prosecutorial decision, never -- so far as her words reveal -- thinking that practical realities and experience with a particular judge tell the tale.
The idea that the Obama/Holder-appointed US Attorney in a thoroughly liberal and heavily minority city like Chicago is a racist is absurd, but Ms. Sielgler is evidently too invested in her racism-is-everything world to see it.
Posted by: Bill Otis | Dec 4, 2011 9:46:46 AM
I don't necessarily agree with all of her points, but the bottom line is that the USAO probably should explain itself here, and there is nothing wrong with people questioning the government here. Perhaps the USAO is motivated by the fact that Blago has already lost a lot. Who knows? As Bill indicates though, the first tack should be asking the question, rather than making thinly-veiled accusations of racism.
I don't think it can be forgotten that Blago tried to use government power to get people fired from their jobs. That's soft tyranny, and, in my view, means he ought to go to jail for the rest of his life. I think the USAO should have tried for more.
Posted by: federalist | Dec 4, 2011 10:56:39 AM
It is still unclear that Blago committed any crime outside of political horse trading. He was blatant and crude, but doing no worse than every other politician. So his sentencing is not really privileged, but represents scapegoating and grandstanding by the local federal prosecutor.
I strongly urge all innocent defendants to take on these Federal bullies. Demand all out discovery on all work and personal computers of both the prosecutors, and judge. Use every untoward utterance or image to seek their personal destruction. To deter. No one has ever done that. It will have to be done by a pro se litigant. The defense lawyer owes its job to the prosecution, and wants nothing to scare off or deter the federal bullies, and the little Caesars on the bench. It appears that attacking a judge is a bigger taboo than incest with one's mother in the legal profession. After all, the judge is the source of the make work jobs. Mothers are not.
Posted by: Supremacy Claus | Dec 4, 2011 12:45:15 PM
After I was convicted in the Abramoff scandal, the government told the probation officer that the appropriate offense level for me was a 43, a sentence of life in prison. (The government had recommended 4 years for Abramoff and 2 years for Michael Scanlon.) After agreeing to use the 2003 guidelines rather than the 2010 edition, the government said the range was 17 to 22 years. They did not concede that life was excessive, mind you, but just that the wrong edition of the guidelines has been used. The judge pushed back, noting that the government used a high calculation for loss despite not even trying to calculate loss for earlier defendants who pleaded guilty. As my attorneys argued, if the guidelines were designed to do anything, they were meant to treat similar defendants alike, and in my case, this goal was ignored by the government who argued that the willingness to plead guilty justified any discrepancy in recommended sentences. The judge concluded that the appropriate guideline range was 46 to 57 months. In response, the government sought 50 months and stated all the reasons why that was appropriate. The judge asked what the government would have argued had she agreed with them on the 17 to 22 year range. The prosecutor said he didn't know and that perhaps he would have sought something below.
I share all this to make this point: the op-ed writer is right that judges seem more willing to go below the guidelines for white-collar offenses than, say, drug offenses. But so are prosecutors, though they do not like to admit it. This consensus among reasonable prosecutors and reasonable judges to ignore the guidelines (in practice) is the product of the fact that the fraud guideline is ridiculous. It is so malleable as to be unworthy of respect. That flexibility might be helpful to prosecutors seeking to browbeat a defendant into a plea (much as mandatory minimums do for drug and gun offenders), but it does not promote parity or fairness.
-Kevin Ring
Posted by: Thinkaboutit | Dec 4, 2011 1:32:35 PM
Mr. Ring, yours is an interesting perspective.
What's your view of Blago's attempt to get editors at the Trib fired? To me, that calls for life. You simply cannot do that as an elected official (i.e., use government power to coerce someone's firing in the private sector).
Posted by: federalist | Dec 4, 2011 1:38:33 PM
Thinkaboutit --
Thank you for identifying yourself and giving some background. I admired your book about Justice Scalia.
Posted by: Bill Otis | Dec 4, 2011 1:58:31 PM
Siegler leaves out -- presumably purposefully -- a vital piece of information: What was her client's criminal history? By leaving out something so obvious, she invites us to believe that she is operating in bad faith, and that her client in fact has a huge number of prior convictions.
That may or may not mean her client's sentence was just. But by depriving us of the info needed to make a meaningful comparison, she eviscerates all the power of her argument. Shame on the Tribune editors for not demanding that she add that information before publishing the article.
(And what's with the silliness complaining that her client only sold drugs to a government informant. Does anyone think he wasn't also selling drugs to others? I hope instruction at the U Chicago federal criminal law clinic is better than this article leads one to believe.)
Posted by: problem | Dec 4, 2011 2:03:46 PM
Excellent point, problem.
Posted by: federalist | Dec 4, 2011 2:15:39 PM
"Rod Blagojevich is a lucky man. He is lucky that the U.S. attorney's office is asking U.S. District Judge James Zagel to send him to prison for only 15 to 20 years."
Yeah, compared to the DP he is lucky. What is at work here is soemething the conservatives call "moral realativism."
Posted by: Anon | Dec 4, 2011 3:51:57 PM
Anon --
"What is at work here is soemething the conservatives call 'moral realativism.'"
What do liberals call it? A Democratic-run DOJ giving a break to a corrupt Democratic politician? Chicago ward politics as usual? What?
While we're at it, would you be happier if the government were seeking a HIGHER sentence for Blago? If so, it would be the first time I've seen one of the liberals here speak up for a within-guidelines sentence (except when the defendant is a sleazy Republican). But, really, do you want Blago to get a higher sentence than the one the government is seeking? If so, why? If not, why are you complaining?
Posted by: Bill Otis | Dec 4, 2011 4:59:37 PM
"the lives of privileged defendants who have been given every opportunity and have nevertheless flagrantly violated the public's trust are worth more than the lives of impoverished defendants who have caused far less societal harm."
Their lives are worth more. Such has it always been, such will it always be, forever and ever world without end, amen.
Posted by: Daniel | Dec 4, 2011 5:23:28 PM
Specifically, what damage did Blago's crime cause? Shouldn't a crime cause damage? The lawyer profession causes massive damage to our nation, allowing 20 million serious crimes by protecting the criminal, destroying the family, knocking growth to zero, instead of its more natural 10%, plundering the assets of all productive males, directly causing 9/11.
Yet, it feels sanctimonious, and gets away with its all out insurrection against the constitution with its supernatural doctrines. The profession is a devastating criminal cult enterprise, yet remains totally immune, thanks to its self dealt immunities.
Posted by: Supremacy Claus | Dec 4, 2011 5:27:07 PM
Bill - thanks. I am glad you liked the book.
Federalist - I didn't follow the Blago case closely enough to know the evidence. But in terms of pressuring someone in the private sector to fire an employee, I can tell you that members of Congress have been known to do it. Both parties used to have a version of the K Street Project, in which members push companies and/or trade groups to get rid of people working against them. Also, when Cassidy & Associates hired Abramoff, Sen. Inouye, one of the most respected members of the Senate, told Gerry Cassidy he wouldn't work with the lobbying firm until they got rid of Abramoff. Is that unethical? Just politics, i.e., not wanting to associate with certain people? You can decide but it's not as uncommon as you might think. But with regard to the specifics of Blago, I simply don't know enough to comment intelligently as to whether that situation was different.
Posted by: Thinkaboutit | Dec 4, 2011 8:06:44 PM
"The idea that the Obama/Holder-appointed US Attorney in a thoroughly liberal and heavily minority city like Chicago is a racist is absurd...."
I doubt he is a racist, but the current U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois is Patrick Fitzgerald, and he was appointed by George W. Bush, not Obama/Holder.
Posted by: Anon | Dec 4, 2011 8:55:08 PM
Anon --
That's true, and a fair point, (1) Obama can remove Fitzgerald at will, and (2) Fitzgerald, far from having developed a reputation as a racist, developed his reputation by going after and nailing powerful whites like Blago and Libby.
Posted by: Bill Otis | Dec 4, 2011 9:28:51 PM
The client was charged federally for selling 2 ounces for $200.00!?!? What was he selling? MJ costs less. I have never seen the feds prosecute this type of case as it is described. I bet there was a gun and an extensive criminal record.
Posted by: scott | Dec 5, 2011 8:24:21 AM
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As reported in this local article, headlined "Feds: Give Blago 14 years all over again," federal prosecutors do not believe that the partial success that former Illinois governor had when appealing his corruption convictions should produce any benefit at his upcoming resentencing. Here are the details from resentencing memos filed this week:
Federal prosecutors want former Gov. Rod Blagojevich sentenced to 14 years in prison all over again. But Blagojevich hopes the federal judge who originally hammered him with that 14-year sentence will reconsider and give him as little as five years behind bars.
Blagojevich has already been locked up for four years in a Colorado prison. Next month, his battle to overturn his conviction could land him back in front of U.S. District Judge James Zagel for re-sentencing, after years of cries that Blagojevich was dealt too severe a punishment. The feds stood by the sentence in a sentencing memo filed just before midnight Monday, though.
Corruption spreads unless it is deterred, Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Riggs Bonamici wrote in the memo. Public officials who gain from corrupt deals are incentivized to do more, and successes inspire other public officials to see if they can do it too.
Meanwhile, Blagojevichs lawyers made an appeal for mercy and opened a window into Blagojevichs four years behind bars. They said the former governor worked in the kitchen warehouse, taught Civil War and World War II history and studied music as a way to connect to his daughter Annie, who studied classical piano. Lawyer Leonard Goodman wrote that Blagojevich formed a band with another inmate called The Jailhouse Rockers that broke up when the other inmate was released.
Blagojevichs number one priority during his four plus years of incarceration has been to repair and mitigate the harm that his actions have done to his wife and children, Goodman wrote. Blagojevich speaks to his family nearly every evening.
Federal prosecutors want former Gov Blagojevich to get same 14-year prison term at resentencing despite a few vacated convictions | Main | Some mid-summer highlights from Marijuana Law, Policy & Reform
July 12, 2016
"Why Capital Punishment Is No Punishment at All"
The title of this post is the title of this provocative article by Jason Iuliano just recently posted to SSRN. Here is the abstract:
Capital punishment has generated an incredible amount of public debate. Is the practice constitutional? Does it deter crime? Is it humane? Supporters and opponents of capital punishment disagree on all of these issues and many more. There is perhaps only one thing that unites these two camps: the belief that the death penalty is societys most severe punishment. In this Article, I argue that this belief is mistaken. Capital punishment is not at the top of the punishment hierarchy. In fact, it is no punishment at all. My argument builds from a basic conception of punishment endorsed by the Supreme Court: for something to qualify as a punishment, it must be bad, in some way, for the person who is punished. By drawing upon the philosophical literature regarding death, I show that this is not the case. Contrary to our intuitions, the death penalty is not bad, in any way, for a condemned criminal. This conclusion should not be understood to suggest that death is never bad. In most circumstances, death is bad. There are, however, situations in which it is not, and capital punishment, as employed in the United States penal system, is one such situation. By showing that capital punishment is not bad for the condemned criminal, I provide a strong constitutional objection to the practice.
July 12, 2016 at 10:09 AM | Permalink
Comments
Sounds interesting -- maybe he can provide a condensed version not 65 pages long.
For instance, if death isn't that bad, why are there so few "volunteers" even given the horrible nature of prison itself and death row in particular (usually the actual punishment given only a small subset actually are eventually executed)? You get the idea here from some arguments that the death penalty is a "relief" in a way and thus heinous murderers have it better than those who sell drugs and are in prison for a long time. It seems like the prisoners (and their families) think executing them is a punishment. Maybe, they are confused.
Maybe this is covered -- so much to read though.
Posted by: Joe | Jul 12, 2016 10:53:36 AM
Way to miss the point, dumbass philosopher. Obviously death is not intrinsically bad because how can something which is undefined be intrinsically anything other than undefined? But that's not the logic. The logic is that life in intrinsically good and to deprive someone involuntary of something intrinsically good must be bad. In other words, it is not the imposition of a thing called "death" which is the penalty; it is the deprivation of a thing called "life" which is the penalty.
@joe
"if death isn't that bad, why are there so few "volunteers" even given the horrible nature of prison itself and death row"
He answers that question by arguing that death row prisoners lack full information of what life is like behind bars for 20+ years and that in the presence of full information they would kill themselves rather than serve their sentence.
Posted by: Daniel | Jul 12, 2016 11:28:26 AM
Thanks Daniel. Don't find that overly convincing (realizing that is just a summary) especially for those who already have been in prison for significant time (many of these people have been). Plus, some of these cases HAVE been been behind bars and even on death row for that long. They STILL don't want to die. Get the idea there is some basic human desire not to die, even in this situation.
Posted by: Joe | Jul 12, 2016 11:48:00 AM
If execution isn't a punishment then it should be able to be imposed without even a criminal conviction (after all the constitution directly contemplates depriving people of life and limb, merely requiring due process of law in order to do so).
Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Jul 12, 2016 3:54:59 PM
California has over 740 individuals sentenced to death! These individuals, DO NOT "lack full information of what life is like behind bars"! They have an ARMY of lawyers at tax payers expense. They do not want to die nor KILL THEMSELVES! I suggest JASON argue his opinion in front of crime victims! YOU DO NOT GET THE DEATH PENALTY IN CALIFORNIA FOR JUST MURDER......These individuals did things to their victims that no human should ever have to endure nor any juror have to listen too as the people argue their case! I am California's expert on the Death Penalty. I was also the Death Row Lieutenant at San Quentin......These individuals do not have any remorse and they would KILL again! And JASON death is FOREVER! RIP
John McAuliffe
Posted by: John McAuliffe | Jul 12, 2016 5:48:23 PM
I wonder if the author (and how many people on this blog) have witnessed the State kill someone, like I have? The notion that killing someone is not punishment is ludicrous.
bruce
Posted by: bruce cunningham | Jul 12, 2016 10:47:31 PM
Bruce,
Agreed. This is naive in the extreme. This is another great example of why the academy's interaction with the actual practice of law is so weak.
Posted by: John | Jul 13, 2016 12:17:59 PM
This article is great (sad) example of reason being tossed out the window.
Murders are considered the greatest/worst of crimes.
Why? Because life is considered the greatest of gifts.
Executions are considered the greatest/worst of sanctions.
Why? Because life is considered the greatest of gifts.
About 99% of capital murderers agree, which is why nearly all of them do all they can to get a jail sentence, even life, as such is much preferred over death.
Posted by: Dudley Sharp | Jul 13, 2016 12:55:01 PM
"Execution" and "death penalty" are weeny words for killing a human.
Posted by: Liberty1st | Jul 13, 2016 4:53:39 PM
The death penalty is not a punishment as we typically think of punishment, because it does not allow any contemplation by the recipient after it is imposed. So what? Punishment is not the only purpose of sentencing. A sentence is a consequence with punishment as one of several goals. There are cases where the death penalty is an appropriate and effective consequence, even I accept that is not precisely or exactly like most punishments.
This semantical weenie waving provides no insight into anything.
Posted by: USPO | Jul 13, 2016 9:58:27 PM
even if I accept that it is not...
I really hate that posts can't be edited after I discover I whiffed the typing.
Posted by: USPO | Jul 13, 2016 9:59:59 PM
USPO:
I understand what you are saying.
But my guess is that death row inmates do more reflection on their punishment than any other inmates.
Posted by: Dudley Sharp | Jul 14, 2016 9:27:07 AM
"does not allow any contemplation by the recipient after it is imposed"
seems we have a disbeliever in the afterlife here
Posted by: Joe | Jul 14, 2016 10:00:55 AM
Post a comment
A year-long probe by the district attorney into the conduct of the San Francisco Police Department is now complete and its results paint a portrait of a department that disproportionately targets racial minorities and sorely lacks oversight. The Blue Ribbon Panel on Transparency, Accountability and Fairness in Law Enforcement was launched by former police chief and current DA George Gascon, prompted by the department scandal involving officers' racist text messages. Among its findings are that while just 5.8 percent of San Francisco residents are black, 15 percent of those people pulled over by police are black. By contrast, with 41 percent of the population of San Francisco being white, just 36 percent of the people pulled over by police officers at traffic stops are white. 20 of 51 victims of police shootings from January 2010 through July 2015 were African American, making up 40 percent of those deaths, and that number might even be higher as the races of 18 more people killed by police gunfire were not recorded by the department.
Nationally, people would be surprised by this because we are such a wealthy and diverse city, the New York Times quotes Joi Jackson-Morgan, the executive director of the 3rd Street Youth Center and Clinic in Bayview-Hunters Point But theres an explicit bias that directly impacts my community.
Though preliminary information was available as early as May, the final findings of the panel are more detailed and include recommendations. For example, a new inspector generals office to regularly audit the department should be created, and the Office of Citizen Complaints should be afforded more oversight.
The panel was composed of three volunteer former judges Justice Cruz Reynoso (California Supreme Court), Judge LaDoris H. Cordell (Superior Court, Santa Clara County), and Judge Dickran M. Tevrizian, Jr. (U.S. District Court for the Central District of California) who drew on public hearings, hundreds of interviews including dozens with current and former SFPD officers, public documents and nearly 4,000 police reports.
Repairing trust between the SFPD and the communities it serves requires a department transparent enough for the public to hold it accountable, a statement quotes Panel Executive Director Anand Subramanian. The Panels findings and recommendations provide a roadmap to get closer to that goal.
The department doesn't appear to have been completely cooperative during the probe, denying requests for information such as access to a copy of the training manual used at the police academy. "Without access to training materials or knowledgeable witnesses, the Panel is unable to evaluate the SFPDs use-of-force training," the report reads.
As is true with added oversight for the Office of Citizen Complaints, approved by voters in June, some of the recommended reforms from the report are already in place. As the Chronicle observes, the report cites poor data collection and record-keeping, but efforts to improve them were in the works before today's results came in. Meanwhile, the department's practice are also being reviewed by the Justice Departments Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
Perhaps predictably, this somewhat damning document has already rankled the Police Officer's Association. "The report is divisive at a time when San Francisco sorely needs unity between police officers and the community we serve, union President Martin Halloran said in a statement. On Thursday, a sniper in Dallas took aim at police officers and murdered five in cold blood. Today, George Gascon is taking aim at police officers in San Francisco with half-truths and distortions. Were sitting on a tinderbox and Gascon is lighting a match.
The POA, of course, was itself a target of the report: The SFPD blurs the line between it and the POA, and allows the POA to take on an outsized role inside and outside the department, making it more difficult to address the issue of bias within the department, the report reads. The POA has historically taken positions resistant to reform and insisted that there is no widespread or inherent bias in the department. Because the department has consistently ceded the ground of discourse to the POA, theirs is the dominant law enforcement voice heard on this issue.
The report was careful not to indict all SFPD officers. "Although this report examines some of the SFPDs shortcomings and the areas in which the department can potentially improve, the Panel acknowledges the work of the many fine SFPD officers who do an excellent job every day, serving their communities with distinction, dignity, and respect," the report emphasizes. "This report does not seek to overlook, trivialize, or undermine their dedication, sacrifices, or hard work."
Related: Federal Judge: SFPD Shows 'Substantial Evidence Of Racially Selective Enforcement'
These days it seems like each week brings with it another tragic story of someone being forced out of the apartment they call home, and today is no different. The Chronicle reports on the story of a man who, in May, lost his partner to suicide. They lived together in a studio apartment near Alamo Square, and, you guessed it, the deceased was the master tenant. And now, of course, the landlord is raising the rent.
Christopher Holden, 42, spoke with the paper and explained how just two weeks after his partner passed he was told the apartment rent would increase from $1,390 to $2,150. Holden, a social worker who works with elderly who risk homelessness, was previously paying half of the $1,390 rent. The means his rent was set to jump from $695 to $2,150 and yes, the apartment is rent controlled.
"I don't want to speak about all landlords, but I've seen this type of situation again and again," executive director at the San Francisco Tenant's Union Deepa Varma told the paper. "On top of losing a loved one, dealing with a divorce or a death in the family, we see people faced with high rent increases and evictions that can lead to homelessness. You see it happen when someone passes away from cancer or people leave their partners, or situations where there's domestic violence come up."
Holden, speaking of his work with the elderly, seemed in disbelief that he had become the one on the edge of being forced out. "One time I saw a 90 year old woman get kicked out because of an Ellis Act situation," he told the Chron. "She had nowhere to go. She was crying."
It should be noted that the landlord's actions are completely legal, as Holden was not on the lease and the landlord had no obligation to add him.
This calls to mind the recent case of a 47-year-old video engineer hit with a rent increase on his North Beach three-bedroom apartment that would send his monthly rent from $1,800 to $8,000. In that incident, too, the master tenant moved out leaving the remaining tenants at the whim of the landlord.
So all of you out there living as subtenants, this is friendly reminder that just because you're paying rent doesn't mean you have legal rights to stay on at the same rent if and when the master tenant leaves regardless of the circumstances surrounding the departure.
Related: Protesters Disrupt SoMa Office Of Man Evicting School Teacher
Though there are likely to be future decisions that limit the ramifications of this one, a three-judge panel on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals last week ruled that without specific authorization from a company, sharing personal passwords that access that company's information is now a federal crime. The case, United States v. Nosal, which as Fusion says has "been bouncing around the courts for almost a decade," goes back to the prosecution of a former employee of the Korn/Ferry International research firm who with a couple of other co-conspirators launched his own executive search firm by illegally accessing his former company's database using a current employee's credentials. Civil liberties advocates have leapt on the case over the years as one that directly criminalizing password sharing, though the circumstances here appear to have more to do with an employer's right to keep private data secure from all but authorized users.
At issue is the case's use of the much maligned "hacker law," the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), which the New Yorker referred to in 2013 as the "worst law in technology" because of the ways in which it's been invoked to prosecute people who are not hackers.
In writing the majority opinion in this appeal, as Motherboard points out, Judge Margaret McKeown says, "This appeal is not about password sharing," focusing on how defendant David Nosal was no longer authorized to access his employer's system, so he gained access through another employee's password.
The question remains, if he was given authorization by that employee, this makes both of them culpable, and more broadly, anyone who shares a password with anyone else without a content provider's permission.
Writing his dissent, Judge Stephen Reinhardt argues:
This case is about password sharing. People frequently share their passwords, notwithstanding the fact that websites and employers have policies prohibiting it. In my view, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) does not make the millions of people who engage in this ubiquitous, useful, and generally harmless conduct into unwitting federal criminals.
Unfortunately, the language of the CFAA, written in 1996, is open to wide interpretation when it comes to accessing a "protected computer" system "without authorization," and the law itself is an amendment to a law that originally written in 1986, and which previously only made it an offense to hack into a "federal interest computer."
Reinhardt writes that we must reign in "the governments boundless interpretation of the CFAA," saying that as it stands, "There simply is no limiting principle in the majoritys world of lawful and unlawful password sharing." And he says this case should have more appropriately been tried in civil court, not in a criminal one.
Netflix, for their part, has maintained a pretty consumer-friendly view on password sharing, however, as TechCrunch reminds us by way of stopping this new panic. Though CEO Reed Hastings has mostly only spoken of parents sharing passwords with children who then leave home and open accounts of their own, he made statements earlier this year suggesting that sharing passwords was seen by the company as more of a marketing tool than anything.
That position, of course, could change, now that a crackdown could come with the warning that what you're doing when you let your roommate catch up on House of Cards while on vacation is now officially a crime.
Previously: Vandal Tags Netflix HQ Sign With 'And Chill' Graffiti
Discontented voters in both San Francisco and Oakland are gathering support for recall campaigns for the mayors in both cities, largely due to what is seen as their inaction or lack of leadership following multiple police department scandals and the fatal shootings of civilians by police. The campaign to recall Mayor Ed Lee will kick off with a rally Friday at San Francisco City Hall, and though it's now too late to get a recall measure on the November ballot, the campaign is moving forward with the intent of having a special election, perhaps next June.
Organizer David Carlos Salaverry told San Francisco Magazine last week that he's hoping to build multiple coalitions in support of ousting Lee, saying, "Were not a bunch of left-wing crazies." The Facebook invite for Friday's rally argues that Lee "ignored the will of the people and stood by an inept police chief" following the shootings of Mario Woods and Luis Gongora, and that Lee has "shown his callous disregard for the most vulnerable of our community, the homeless."
To recall the mayor, organizers need to gather 60,000 signatures for their petition, which Salaverry thinks won't be a problem, though it will require a small army of clipboard-carrying supporters.
Not that we can blame all the economic forces at work here on Lee, but Salaverry thinks many see the city headed in the wrong direction and would want to cut Lee's current term short by at least a couple years. "San Francisco in 10 years will be an all-white whatever... San Ramon with hipster cafes," he told SF Mag. "Thats a direction I dont think the majority of San Franciscans, even conservatives and moderates, want to head in."
In Oakland, Mayor Libby Schaaf has now been in office 18 months and has faced her most vociferous criticism just in the last month following news of several new scandals in the already scandal-prone Oakland Police Department. Schaaf had to fire two interim chiefs within a week after Chief Sean Whent stepped down, after it came to light that he had been aware for months of a sex scandal involving an East Oakland sex worker, Celeste Guap, who had been underage when she began trading sex for information with several OPD officers. Allegedly Guap made her way around to 14 different officers in the department in addition to others in the Alameda County Sheriff's Department, the Richmond Police Department, and three in the SFPD as well.
As KRON 4 reports, activists announced Monday that they were filing a letter of intent to recall Schaaf, citing a "litany of grievances," but mostly centered on the OPD.
Schaaf said she welcomed "the opportunity to have my record examined and what Ive accomplished in Oakland in the past year and a half."
The recall effort there, which will require over 20,000 signatures (10 percent of the electorate), is running up against deadlines of its own, though there may still be a week or two to get it on the November ballot if it comes together quickly. All signatures need to be certified 88 days before the November 8 election, and should technically be submitted 134 days before, meaning they're basically out of time.
Organizer Cat Brooks, who's spoken out in the wake of multiple protests in the city, tells ABC 7, "The people in the hills are happy. Developers are happy. But the black and brown, who make up the heart and soul of this city, are sick and tired of being sick and tired."
Unfortunately, the group submitting the letter of intent for their campaign in Oakland, the Anti-Police Terror Project, made a procedural mistake, and will need to resubmit their letter to the City Clerk. "Apparently we need 24 signatures," Brooks says to ABC 7. "We will be back."
Sidebar: Who would Salaverry and the Recall Lee folks like to see take his place in an election that probably wouldn't happen until 2018? He says tech writer Kara Swisher, who has already announced her intent to run for mayor in 2023, as "one very interesting potential candidate."
Previously: Effort To Recall Mayor Stalls As Department Of Elections Rejects Filing On Disputed Grounds
Activists Now Want To Oust Newly Elected Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf Over Police Scandals
A San Francisco man is getting around town a little more slowly today, after a gang of muggers callously pulled his mode of transportation from his feet.
It was 1:15 Monday morning when the victim, a 29-year-old man, was rollerblading near 23rd and Dakota Streets, which is between the Potrero Hill Recreation Center and the Potrero Terrace and Annex public housing developments.
According to the San Francisco Police Department, four men approached the rollerblader, "and began forcefully going through his pockets and asking him where his money was."
Two of the suspects then punched the rollerblader "in his face and head multiple times," and he fell to the ground, police say.
Once the man was on the ground, one of the suspects pulled the rollerblades from the victim's feet and swiped his cell phone charger, police say. They then fled with the loot, and haven't been seen since.
The victim, who was suffering from head pain following the attack, didn't require transport to the hospital, police say.
SFPD didn't have any additional suspect information, but confirmed that no arrests have been made in the crime As always, if you know anything about the case, police ask that you call SFPD's Anonymous Tip Line at 415-575-4444 or to text a tip to TIP411 with SFPD at the beginning of the message.
Though Proposition J, legislation to financially assist so-called legacy businesses as selected by the Historic Preservation Commission, was approved at the ballot box last November, the program's implementation has been slow to arrive. Business owners like Tony Huerta of 30-year-old SoMa gay bar the Lone Star Saloon, himself a prominent campaigner for Prop. J, are still waiting for the program to come together.
"I was one of the first businesses to turn in my paperwork," he told SFist in an email from May, distraught that his landlord, who had declined to renew the business' lease beyond the next few years, was prepared to put the Lone Star's building on the market. Incentives for landlords willing to extend the stay of legacy businesses appear, at least to those like Huerta, to be arriving too late. Furthermore, such assistance won't be available according to a previous timeline, Office of Small Business Director Regina Dick-Endrizzi informs SFist. No hearings for businesses have yet taken place (the first will be on July 20th), and although many eager businesses like the Lone Star were sure to apply immediately, the application process will be extended for as many as three more months, increasing with it the wait for all businesses. That's in order to, as Dick-Endrizzi, explains it, "err on the side of more time" for businesses to apply.
"Due to staffing reasons, the implementation was a bit delayed, and we will be extending the application period for three months," said Dick-Endrizzi, though it's possible the extension will be shorter. Assistance funds like those that could extend the life of the Lone Star Saloon won't be dispersed until after that grant application period is complete. Those funds are grants of up to $500 per full time employee per year to legacy businesses, plus additional grants to their landlords of up to $4.50 per square foot of leased space if they see fit to extend long-term leases to the businesses in question.
As the Planning Department explains, legacy businesses must be 30 years or older to apply, then they must be nominated by a member of the Board of Supervisors or the mayor, and finally, be approved before a hearing before the Small Business Commission. 300 can be nominated per year. A 2014 report by the Citys Budget and Legislative Analysts Office, quoted here by San Francisco Heritage, showed that the closure of small businesses in San Francisco had reached record highs: Nearly 4,000 small businesses closed in 2014 alone, staggering when compared to the just 693 that closed a decade earlier, in 1994.
In a taped update on the legacy business program from last night, Dick-Endrizzi introduced the extended application process and a new commissioner for the program to ferry it along. As Mark Dwight, the Office of Small Business President put it, "There's been a lot of criticism for the speed with which this has been rolled out, and there have been some false assumptions about how quickly new legislation happens in any circumstance. Once you make a law doesn't make it immediately effective, you need to figure out how you're going to administer it, how you're going to staff it." Dwight went on to call the criticism "frankly unwarranted." With that in mind, he seemed eager to manage expectations going forward, especially with regard to grant amounts.
As an article originally published in Central City Extra and republished by Hoodline makes note, small businesses employ nearly 30 percent of the city's work force in San Francisco. The article also included quotes from leaders like Supervisor Peskin, who expressed skepticism at the new program. There was no implementation of this legislation until mid-May. Im not confident the legacy program will succeed. The rules seem to be made up as we go along. Its unfair, the Supervisor said.
When I heard about Measure J, I was excited," George Leeson, who runs the longtime art publisher Image Conscious, told Central City Extra. "So did many others. Now, I feel the city has disenfranchised me. Its denying my vote. The process for legacy review is near nonexistent."
"Ive called the Office of Small Business many, many times," he added. "They dont call back. Miss your payment of property taxes by one day and you pay a penalty. So, I know the city can move fast when it wants to."
Related: Owner Of SoMa's 30-Year-Old Lone Star Saloon Says Bar Could Be Endangered
Ernest Hemingway, who rose from his Oak Park, Ill., roots to become one of the greatest writers of the 1920s Lost Generation expatriate community in Paris, is the author of classics including The Sun Also Rises (1926), For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940) and The Old Man and the Sea (1952). His adventurous stories, famously told through spare, direct prose, take readers from war-torn battlefronts across Europe during both World Wars to the exigencies of the bull-fighting ring in Spain and the far-flung savannas of East Africa. His Nobel Prize-winning writings, along with his mythical public image that ended tragically with his suicide in 1961, make Hemingway one of the most iconic writers of the 20th century.
Now, the complicated and tumultuous life of one of Americas best-known literary artists is revealed with remarkable new insight in journalist Robert K. Elders fascinating hardcover coffee table book Hidden Hemingway: Inside the Ernest Hemingway Archives of Oak Park. This invaluable book includes manuscripts, original family photos and intimate correspondence that together reveal new pieces of Hemingways life and legacy. Painstakingly researched, this unique biography uncovers a deeply troubled and creative mind for both a new generation and established Hemingway fans alike to discover.
Hidden Hemingway is the work of Elder and co-authors Mark Cirino and Aaron Vetch. Elder, a Chicago-based journalist who is the author of six previous books including The Best Films Youve Never Seen, will discuss the book at Boswell Book Co. at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20.
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Indian-born writer Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is the author of 17 books. Her newest novel, Before We Visit the Goddess, is a tender family saga that follows three generations of womengrandmother, mother and daughterand the complex relationships and ancestral ties that bind them. Filled with beautiful prose and exquisite narrative detail, Before We Visit the Goddess moves seamlessly from rural Bengal to urban America to uncover the lengths that women will travel to find freedom, love and connection. Divakauruni has received numerous accolades for her work including the American Book Award.
The ideal of black and white together is one of the noblest goals of decent Americans from different backgrounds working to overcome our nations long, intractable history of racial separation.
But within three days last week, blacks and whites in this country were drawn irrevocably together by incidents of sheer horror.
Each incident was inexcusable, although, sad to say, the first two have occurred far too often to be shocking any longer.
That would be police in Baton Rouge, La., pumping bullets into an unarmed black man on the ground and a black man dying on video while his girlfriend and her 4-year-old daughter watched after he was shot by police, who allegedly stopped him for a faulty taillight in a white St. Paul, Minn., suburb.
The third incident was shocking and terrifying for both blacks and whites. Police were patrolling a peaceful protest in Dallas over the first two incidents when shots were fired. The first instincts of police were to protect the protesters and hurry them toward cover.
It turned out police themselves were the targets of a hate-filled sniper. In the end, five police officers were killed and seven others and two civilians were wounded.
Every decent American, whatever their race, should feel sickened by each one of those inexcusable murders.
Not Just an Issue for Black Activists
The only good thing to come out of those three horrible days was to broaden the conversation to make it clear that the familiar repetition of police fatally shooting blacks in our streets isnt just an issue for black activists.
Its an issue for all of us. Thats why all those whites were joining their black and brown neighbors in large, multiracial community protests televised from across the country, including Dallas.
And it has to be an issue for anyone who supports community police officers, who, when they do the job we pay them to do, protect all of us.
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Recognizing that is a healthy improvement over right-wing demagogues, including some we know very well, denying there are any racial issues we need to worry about when black men are shot for such horrific crimes as non-functioning taillights or selling CDs without a license.
Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, a right-wing African American, seemingly has another full-time job on Fox News, where he demonizes black activists for raising public awareness of the brazen racial disparities involved in police shootings.
The Black Lives Matter movement has improved police screening and training around the country, expanded the use of police body cameras and is initiating the very beginning of a national system of police accountability. For the first time in many departments, officers are being fired and even prosecuted for illegal use of lethal force.
Now Clarke and others who oppose such positive reforms are smearing legitimate protest for the deaths of Dallas police because the sniper turned out to be an angry black man.
Theyve convinced some whites its impolite even to mention racial disparities. Like the old beer commercial battle over whether Miller Lite Tastes Great! or is Less Filling!, whites who hear Black Lives Matter! are encouraged to shout back All Lives Matter!
Thats true, of course, but it also misses the point.
Weve never had any need for slogans or banners in America declaring: White Lives Matter! White lives have always mattered far more in America than any other lives. Black and brown lives, not so much.
That basic rule is built directly into every vital public service in this countryeducation, health care, employment, housing, you name it. None of those are distributed equally. And, deep down, we all know who gets the best and who gets the worst.
And when were talking about getting the best or worst of policing from armed officers, the difference can be life or death.
Everyone feels a little tingle of fear when stopped by a traffic cop. But no white person in America ever feels his life is in danger. As weve all become aware of just how often deadly police shootings end black lives, its hard to believe any African American would not feel such fear.
We learned a couple of years ago that Milwaukee police were performing illegal anal searches for drugs after routine traffic stops in black neighborhoods. Did any white Milwaukeeans worry such crude sexual assaults by police would spread to white neighborhoods?
Of course not. Police would never do that to us. So why werent all of us outraged that police were doing it to others?
All Americans going about their everyday lives, even those with black skin and cars that might have bad taillights (or not, lets be honest) have the same right to live free from deadly attacks as police officers of all races doing their legitimate, necessary jobs of protecting the equal rights of everyone.
Were all in this together and deserve to return home safely to our own loved ones at the end of the day.
This past week has been one of the saddest and most tragic weeks in recent years. First we had two African Americans shot and killed by police when they appeared to be posing absolutely no threat. Then we saw a lone gunman in Dallas shoot 12 innocent police officers, five of them fatally. Something is seriously wrong. Our system is more fragile than it has been at any time during our lifetimes. Unfortunately, we have become a very divided people. Prominent and longtime pollsters, both conservative and liberal, have said that they are seeing the most serious divisions in our population in their 40-plus-year careers.
If you are concerned about the disproportionate number of young African Americans killed by police and support some version of the Black Lives Matter movement, does that mean you are anti-police? And if you believe that the vast majority of police are trying to do their best in a very difficult and dangerous job, does that mean you in any way condone these police shootings of young black men by some outlier police officers? Unfortunately, too many of our fellow Americans think the answer to those questions is yes, and this is only one of the big divisions in our society. The real question facing us is the existential question: How can we survive as a society or country if these divisions continue to grow as they have in the past 10 years?
We dont think that things are going to change by the simple passage of some new law or the election of any particular person. Things need to change on two levels. We need to bring individuals together to begin to talk to each other and to begin to understand that there is not a particular group of people who is the problem. There are good and bad individuals in all groups, but if you can sit down and truly get to know individuals from different groupswhether it is race, religion, ethnic origin, class, sexual orientation, urban/suburban/rural to name just a fewyou quickly realize that people are basically good and desire the same things, like having a safe and secure environment where they can make a living and raise a family. Secondly, we need to make the world fairer for minorities of all kinds and for the less-educated white working class. The Great Recession, which according to economists ended in 2009, is still having a heavy impact on the majority of the American people. At the same time, the richest one tenth of 1% have done very well. That is not a sustainable economic model. We flourish as a country when we have a large and strong middle class.
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What can we do now in Milwaukee? Our societal problems are very serious and daunting, and it is easy to throw up our hands and give up. That, however, does not fix a problem, and this is not a problem that will go away by itself. Realistically, we can only do what we can do so you start there. We can start by trying to build local models to develop understanding and thereby empathy with groups of people very different from us. It is not easy, since we have all kinds of notions of what these other folks are like, but we need to get beyond that if we want to heal our country. Places of worship can be leaders in this by simply organizing a picnic or some social event with a very different place of worship. Community organizations can invite members of other communities with a very different demographic to participate in some shared activity, especially one that has a social benefit, like cleaning up a riverbank or doing minor home repairs for frail elderly people struggling to stay in their homes. Cities have very successful Sister City programs with cities with very different cultures; likewise, communities could have sister community programs.
If the Milwaukee area would set its mind to trying to become a national model in understanding, we could have an impact much beyond our metropolitan area. We in Milwaukee are not afraid of hard work, but we are afraid to get out of our comfort zone. It is not easy. It will be very uncomfortable at first. There will need to be much discussion with various group leaders so people ease into these activities. Talk to co-workers who are very different from you and brainstorm on how your communities can build better communication. If you want a very easy first step, simply go to an ethnic restaurant that is foreign to you and talk with the owner as he or she recommends their favorite foods. This can be a comfortable and easy starting point of what might slowly develop into a friendship.
Finally, if readers have better ideas, let us know and the Shepherd would be very interested in promoting them. The Shepherd would be happy to highlight any current local efforts or programs that are working to build greater understanding among our very insulated communities. Its time that Milwaukee becomes a national leader again. Too often, when Milwaukee makes the national news, it is not for something positive. Lets change that and lets start locally, where we have the ability to make some real change and be a national model. No one is stopping us from doing our small share.
State Rep. Mandela Barnes is giving up his Assembly District 11 seat to challenge Sen. Lena Taylor for a place in the state Senate. Two Democrats are vying for this open Assembly seat: community organizer Darrol Gibson and former state Rep. Jason Fields. Both candidates spoke to the Shepherd about their campaigns and their goals for this district. Since no Republicans have jumped into this race, the winning Democrat in August will take office in January.
Darrol Gibson
Darrol Gibson took a leave of absence from Wisconsin Jobs Now, where he was the political director. Gibson grew up in the district and after experiencing homelessness for a period as a child, attended Rufus King High School and graduated from Messmer High School. With the help of the Educational Opportunities Program, he attended and graduated from Marquette University.
I want to make sure that someone from the district is representing the district, he said. Who understands what its like to not know where your next meal is coming from, who understands what its like to have a sobbing mother who is struggling, who understands what its like to go to school and understands what its like to be successful and have done something with your life and not have your circumstances dictate your future. We need that fight in Madison, desperately, more than ever.
Gibson said that while he doesnt want to abolish the voucher system, he wants to invest in public schools and enact more accountability measures for charter and voucher schools so that the students who attend those schools receive a high-quality education.
I think the concept of the voucher school system is great, Gibson said. But the execution, practice and implementation of it has been detrimental to my community. There needs to be stricter policies, regulations and standards for the voucher school system.
He opposes the Republican-mandated Opportunity Schools and Partnership Program (OSPP), saying that Milwaukee legislators, teachers and residents werent involved in the Legislatures decision to impose a Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) takeover.
The community doesnt want this, Gibson said.
Gibson is also prioritizing criminal justice reform. Funding for corrections has increased at the same time public schools funds have been slashed, which he said sends the wrong message to young people.
There definitely needs to be a chokehold on funding our prisons, he said. If we made sure that the money we are spending on prisons goes to education, that kind of defeats the purpose of having a prison system. When you have a better education system you are more likely to have a good job and a stable family and less likely to go to prison.
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He said he would like to legalize medicinal marijuana and eventually recreational marijuana, since African American men are disproportionately jailed for low-level drug offenses even though people of color are not more likely to use drugs than white people.
He also said hes troubled by the police shootings of unarmed black men, and said that police officers need to undergo more cultural sensitivity training, which is especially critical now that the state Supreme Court terminated residency requirements for city employees, who now can live in the predominantly white suburbs and work in Milwaukee.
To police the community, you have to be a part of the community, Gibson said. Youve got to know who to talk to and where to go and where the kids hang out.
Gibson supports a $15 minimum wage, larger investments in workforce training, better access to small business loans and improved public transportation.
We need a well-trained and educated workforce that can get to where the jobs are, Gibson said. We cannot attract businesses with cuts to public education and higher education.
To learn more about Darrol Gibson, go to darrolgibson.com.
Jason Fields
Jason Fields represented Milwaukee in the state Assembly for eight years. Since leaving office in 2012, when he lost to Barnes, Fields has launched consulting firm, and has written two booksa self-improvement title, currently in revision, and Lets Talk Business, an introductory business book for young adults who would like to become entrepreneurs. He is in the process of obtaining a bachelors degree from Cardinal Stritch University and has worked as a stock broker and financial analyst. He said hes in the process of moving back into the district.
Fields said hes running on his experience in the Assembly as someone who can get bills passed, even when hes in the minority party. He said he was the Wisconsin Democrat with the most bills signed into law in the 2011-2012 session, including a law on procedures following youth concussions.
I decided to run because I looked around at the City of Milwaukee and what was happening in Wisconsin and I thought there needs to be more solutions-based leadership, he said of his current campaign. There needs to be people who will go into office and have a priority to get things done in the areas of jobs, crime and education.
Fields said that if elected he would work to reduce crime, specifically targeting car thefts in Milwaukee by teens and young adults, many of whom are repeat offenders.
Through legislation you could look at the sentencing structure, what is the process of when you make a decision on increasing time or the penalty, Fields said. Or is it mandatory community service that they can do? Whereas now theyre going into the courts and theyre getting let out.
He said he would use his position as a leader in the community to foster more partnerships and dialogue between the police and residents.
As a legislator, you have the ability to pull those parties together, Fields said.
To spur job creation, Fields said he would focus on jobs that will help Milwaukee become more competitive in the regional and global marketplace, such as those in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and agriculture. He said hed like to partner with the nonprofit JASON Learning, which helps students, especially African American students, learn more about STEM careers. Hed also like to bring thinkLaw to Milwaukee, which helps students become critical thinkers. He said he also has a plan to help adults get certification and training in software platforms.
My whole shift is to complement what were doing, Fields said. To really position the city and the 11th Assembly District on a competitive scale. We cant do that if all were focused on is the supply-side jobs and hotel and retail management. Theres a place for those but that cannot be the core of what we do.
Fields said hed want to halt the cuts to the University of Wisconsin System and support K-12 education in all systemspublic, voucher and charter.
On K-12, I want to focus on quality education, thats throughout all education, and making sure that regulations and standards are comparable across the board so that parents have the option to look at the value of the school and placing their child there, Fields said.
Fields said hes well positioned to work across the aisle in the Republican-dominated Legislature, especially on education issues.
There has to be the political will to do something, Fields said. Unfortunately, when you have so many grownups in the room, this is where the problems begin. The grownups are fighting for what the grownups want. Rarely will you hear someone say and mean it that this is about the children.
To learn more about Jason Fields, go to Jason Fields for 11th Assembly District on Facebook.
BLENCOE, Iowa | Rescue workers temporarily called off a search for a Blencoe man who fell into the Missouri River in Monona County Sunday.
David Pettit, 75, fell into the river south of Huff's Access near Blencoe after 7 p.m. Sunday, according to a release from the Monona County Sheriff's Office. He did not resurface.
A search of the area lasted until 11:30 p.m. Sunday night. The search resumed Monday morning but was called off due to high winds creating unsafe conditions for searchers.
The river will continue to be monitored for the next several days until Pettit is recovered, the release said.
The accident is under investigation by the Monona County Sheriff's Office and the Iowa DNR Enforcement. Tekamah Fire Rescue, Washington County Sheriff's Office, Harrison County Sheriff's Office, Iowa State Patrol and Omaha Police Air Wing are assisting in the search.
DES MOINES -- Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad on Monday defended the state rule that requires convicted felons to apply to him in order to have their voting rights restored.
They were Branstads first extended public remarks on the subject since a recent Iowa Supreme Court ruling upheld the policy.
Branstad also announced Monday his office has streamlined the petition for convicted felons who apply to have their gun possession rights restored. Similar changes were made earlier this year to the application for the restoration of voting rights.
Iowa is one of eight states in which convicted felons must have their voting rights restored by the governor or the courts, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Other states restore voting rights upon completion of the sentence, or do not revoke voting rights.
Iowas rule was challenged in court by voting rights groups, but was upheld by the Iowa Supreme Court in a 4-3 ruling issued June 30.
Branstad called voting a privilege, and said that privilege must balance a persons rights and responsibilities.
Restoring voting rights to Iowans who have committed felonies is something that I take very seriously as governor, Branstad said Monday during his weekly news conference.
To automatically restore the right to vote without requiring the completion of the responsibilities associated with the criminal conviction would severely damage the balance of rights and responsibilities that we all have as citizens.
Critics of the rule say it places undue stress on a person who has paid his or her debt to society, and that requiring convicted felons to pay all court costs before having voting rights restored unfairly punishes low-income residents.
Branstad said the application is simple and does not require a lawyer, and that paying court costs is a part of the punishment that must be completed.
Branstad said there is more than $699 million in unpaid fines and court costs in Iowa.
We have a huge amount of people that are not meeting their obligations, that are not paying their court costs. And that really creates disregard for the law and to the responsibilities of citizenship, Branstad said.
We expect people to meet their responsibilities in order to get their rights restored, he added. Thats the balance. Justice is a balance.
Earlier this year, Branstads office streamlined the application for the restoration of voting rights, reducing from 29 to 13 the number of questions on the one-page form.
Branstad on Monday announced a similar tweak that reduces from 43 to 29 the number of questions on the application to have an individuals gun possession rights restored or to be pardoned.
The tweaks are part of an initiative on the part of the governors office to streamline clemency applications.
Branstad insisted the process to have a convicted felons gun possession rights restored, despite the newly streamlined application, remains thorough. Branstad said he rules out those who committed violent crimes. All applicants undergo a criminal background check through the state Division of Criminal Investigation.
Branstad said he also personally interviews any individual deemed to be a good candidate for having firearms rights restored or for a pardon.
DES MOINES -- Gov. Terry Branstad on Monday applauded a revision made by a state commission to clarify that religious activities at churches are exempt from sexual orientation and gender identity public accommodation guidelines under Iowas civil rights law.
Officials with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission made changes on Friday to published advice regarding gender segregated restrooms after wording indicating there was no bona fide religious exemption to the laws provisions was challenged in federal court by a Des Moines church and the Arizona-based Alliance Defending Freedom.
I didnt ask them to change it, Branstad said Monday, but I support the action that they took. I think they wanted to clarify the law and make it clear that they have no intention of going after people for exercising their freedom of religion.
Commission executive director Kristin Johnson issued a statement last week indicating revisions had been made to a publication that had not been updated since 2008 clarifying that religious activities by a church are exempt from the Iowa Civil Rights Act."
The Iowa Civil Rights Commission has never considered a complaint against a church or other place of worship on this issue, Johnson said in a statement. This statute was amended to add these protected classes (sexual orientation and gender identity) in 2007 and has been in effect since then.
The Iowa Civil Rights Commission has not done anything to suggest it would be enforcing these laws against ministers in the pulpit, and there has been no new publication or statement from the ICRC raising the issue, she added. The commission regrets the confusion caused by the previous publication.
However, Christiana Holcomb, an alliance attorney who is representing the Fort Des Moines Church of Christ in its lawsuit against the state, said the revision made by unelected commission officials would not head off a federal lawsuit challenging what her group views as bad law.
The alliance brought the pre-enforcement challenge lawsuit seeking injunctive and declaratory relief under the U.S. Constitution at the Iowa churchs request, she said, to stop the potential for government interference with the exercise of its religious beliefs and practices.
Holcomb said the commission made a minor revision to its public accommodations providers guide to Iowa law that failed to alleviate the concerns regarding a vague state law at issue in the lawsuit her organization filed on behalf of the Des Moines church.
Cosmetic changes to the alarming language in one brochure wont fix the unconstitutionality of the Iowa Civil Rights Act," Holcomb said in a statement.
"Churches should be free to communicate their religious beliefs and operate their houses of worship according to their faith without fearing government punishment."
The revised commission publication answers no to questions of whether Iowas law prohibits gender-segregated restrooms or sex-segregated locker rooms and living facilities.
It is still legal in Iowa for businesses to maintain gender-segregated restrooms. The new law does require, however, that individuals are permitted to access those restrooms in accordance with their gender identity, rather than their assigned sex at birth, according to the commission.
Also, the publication says Iowa law does not prohibit places of public accommodation from maintaining separate facilities for the different sexes, so long as they are comparable. The new law does require, however, that individuals are permitted to access those facilities in accordance with their gender identity, rather than their assigned sex at birth, without being harassed or questioned.
The commission revision notes that places of worship, such as churches, synagogues and mosques, are generally exempt from the Iowa laws prohibition of discrimination, unless the place of worship engages in non-religious activities which are open to the public. For example, the law may apply to an independent day care or polling place located on the premises of the place of worship.
A roundup of state government and Capitol news items of interest for Monday:
RFS DEFENSE: Top state leaders sent a letter to the federal government imploring regulators to increase the required amount of corn-based ethanol in the nations fuel supply. Gov. Terry Branstad, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, Ag Sec. Bill Northey, economic development director Debi Durham, transportation director Paul Trombino, and natural resources director Chuck Gipp signed the letter, which encourages federal officials to revise their proposed rule changes on the Renewable Fuels Standard. The federal government hosted a public comment period on the RFS rules that closed Monday evening. Iowa leaders have continued to actively engage on this issue, which is so important to a healthy economy in rural America. There remains a strong consensus in the Heartland that the EPA needs to reverse course on their once again flawed proposal and reject Big Oils counterproductive arguments, the letter reads in part.
SEWER BLOCKAGE: Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources say a blockage in a sewer main caused an estimated 4,000 gallons of wastewater to overflow into Big Spirit Lake late Sunday morning. The blockage caused wastewater to backup into at least one home and out of a manhole prior to the Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary District getting the overflow stopped by noon. DNR officials say the city of Spirit Lake Water Department was notified of the bypass. Strong south winds on Sunday helped direct the overflow away from the beach and water intake but, as a precaution, the Ainsworth-Orleans beach owned by the Dickinson County Conservation Board posted a swimming advisory, according to a DNR news release.
DES MOINES --- Two of the men reportedly on the short list of potential running mates for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will be in Des Moines this weekend.
Republican governors Mike Pence of Indiana and Chris Christie of New Jersey tentatively plan to attend the National Governors Associations annual summer meeting, which this year is being held in Des Moines from Thursday to Sunday.
Pence, Christie and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich are being considered by the Trump campaign as the GOP candidates running mate, according to the Washington Post and other national media outlets.
Pence and Christie have registered for this weekends governors meeting, according to the events website. Pences office confirmed his plan to attend; Christies office did not return a message seeking confirmation.
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad on Monday praised both of his fellow Republican governors. When asked which he would recommend to Trump as a running mate, Branstad deferred, saying doing so would be like choosing which of his children he likes best.
Branstad said the governors likely will discuss public safety issues in the wake of a tumultuous week that include high-profile police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota and the killing of five police officers in Texas.
Im sure that will be a topic, Branstad said. Governors take the responsibility to protect the safety of their citizens very seriously. Thats why weve had concerns about a number of issues involving public safety and Im sure there will be discussions about that.
Branstad praised the work of Iowas law enforcement agencies.
I just think we all as citizens need to try do to what we can to respect and appreciate the tough job (law enforcement officers) have, Branstad said. And I know that we're always looking at ways that we can improve the training and prevent tragic incidents like what occurred (this past week).
The governors meeting, which is for governors of all political parties, features events on the nations opioid crisis, Iowas first-in-the-nation caucus status, and food production, among others.
HARTINGTON, Neb. | A Hartington woman has paid nearly $8,500 in restitution after pleading guilty to Medicaid fraud.
Esther Larsen entered her plea Monday in Cedar County District Court to one count of fraudulently obtaining a payment on behalf of a recipient of medical assistance.
She was placed on six months probation and paid $8,498 in restitution.
According to the Nebraska Attorney General's Office, Larsen worked as a personal care aide for three Hartington-area agencies that provided in-home care services to Medicaid recipients. An investigation found that from January 2013 to September 2014, Larsen filed claims for payment that had overlapping times and billed for services she never provided.
SPENCER, Iowa | A Lake Park, Iowa, man who shot himself after being stopped by law enforcement officers has been charged with the armed robbery of a restaurant.
Joshua Mandelkow, 40, has been charged in Clay County District Court with first-degree robbery, going armed with intent and intimidation with a dangerous weapon. His arraignment is scheduled for July 25.
According to court documents, Mandelkow entered Barb's Corner restaurant, 1290 U.S. Highway 18 in Everly, Iowa, on March 11, brandished a shotgun and pointed it at a worker's head while demanding money. The worker emptied the cash register into a duffel bag, and Mandelkow left.
Clay County Sheriff's deputies spotted Mandelkow about 15 minutes later. When a deputy tried to stop Mandelkow, he shot himself. No deputies were injured.
Prosecution of the case was delayed while Mandelkow was hospitalized and recovering from his injuries.
SIOUX CITY | More than 100 potential jurors arrived at the Woodbury County Courthouse Tuesday to see if they would be deciding the Timothy Schroeder murder case.
Many of them will wait well into Wednesday for an answer.
By late Tuesday afternoon, attorneys were short of approving the 44 people needed before they could make their strikes to reach 12 jurors and four alternates.
Jury selection will resume Wednesday morning. Court officials said it was possible that opening statements by the prosecution and defense could take place Wednesday afternoon.
Schroeder, 30, of Sioux City, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, going armed with intent and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is accused of the Jan. 9, 2015, shooting death of Dustin Wilder, 29, of Sloan, Iowa.
According to court documents, Wilder left the Sloan Tap early in the morning with Schroeder and his wife, Amanda Schroeder, who told investigators that they were in Wilder's house in the 600 block of Buckley Street in Sloan when Timothy Schroeder fired two or three shots with a handgun.
Wilder was found unconscious later that morning by a dog sitter and was declared dead at the scene.
If found guilty of first-degree murder, Schroeder would face a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.
SIOUX CITY | Just what happened inside a Sloan, Iowa, house on Jan. 9, 2015, will become clearer over the coming days when Timothy Schroeder stands trial for first-degree murder.
Jury selection begins Tuesday morning in Woodbury County District Court, with witness testimony likely to begin on Wednesday. The trial is scheduled to continue into next week.
Dustin Wilder, 29, was found unconscious in his house in the 1600 block of Buckley Street in Sloan by a dog sitter early in the morning. Wilder was later declared dead at the scene.
According to court documents, Wilder left the Sloan Tap early that morning with Schroeder and his wife, Amanda Schroeder, who told investigators that they were in Wilder's house when Timothy Schroeder fired two or three shots with a handgun.
Schroeder, 30, of Sioux City, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, going armed with intent and being a felon in possession of a firearm. If found guilty of first-degree murder, Schroeder would receive a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.
More than 100 potential jurors have been summoned and will report to the Woodbury County Courthouse Tuesday to begin the questioning process that will result in a jury of 12 members, plus four alternates.
Schroeder is represented by public defenders Jennifer Solberg and Greg Jones. Prosecuting for the state are Assistant Woodbury County Attorney Jill Esteves and First Assistant Woodbury County Attorney Mark Campbell.
District Judge Jeffrey Neary will preside over the trial, the first murder trial in Woodbury County in more than a year.
The last murder trial was in April 2015, when Jayden Chapman was found guilty of the shooting deaths of two people in rural Crawford County. That trial had been moved to Sioux City because of pretrial publicity in Crawford County.
The last Woodbury County murder case to go to trial was Juan Nino-Estrada in August 2014. He was found guilty of the shooting deaths of two people and a nonfatal shooting of a third person.
WASHINGTON -- Horror. Shock. Disbelief. Numbness. Grief. Anger. And terrible sadness.
These fractured thoughts were all I could muster upon waking Friday to news of the ambush on Dallas police. They were still fresh in my mind from the night before when I'd turned in early, exhausted by the images of 32-year-old Philando Castile dying in Minnesota after a police officer shot him.
As we all know by now, the officer was white and Castile, African-American. It started as a routine stop for a broken taillight and ended in what has become a routine shooting followed by a routine headline.
Black man shot by white police officer. How many times must we read those words?
Just 24 hours earlier, another black man, Alton Sterling, 37, was shot to death by police while being restrained in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Like Sterling, Castile did have a gun. Castile also had a conceal permit, which he apparently told the officer as soon as he was stopped. Why would someone tell a police officer he had a gun if he intended to use it?
Castile was reaching for his driver's license and registration when the officer opened fire, says his girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds.
Reynolds used her cellphone to film the aftermath of the shooting, careful to address the officer as "sir" and follow his instructions. Over and over I watched the video, trying to imagine being in that car, while at the same time feeling shame about watching a stranger who is mortally wounded.
Nothing is more intimate than death, which we all hope to face with dignity in the comforting presence of loved ones. Castile had no such luck. Instead, he was surrounded by millions of onlookers, most of whom, I feel certain, suffered with and for him.
"[Expletive]!" "[Expletive]!" "[Expletive]!" On the video, we hear the officer repeating the F-word as he realizes what has happened. Reynolds is saying, "Please don't tell me this, Lord. Please, Jesus, don't tell me that he's gone," she said. "Please, officer, don't tell me that you just did this to him."
My God.
Friday morning, Castile's mother bore into the television camera. She said people can look into her eyes, at that point 48 hours without sleep, and know that she's not going away until justice is served. Across the country, protesters had gathered peacefully Thursday evening to demonstrate against the shootings.
Enough.
Then suddenly in Dallas, the peace was shattered when shots were fired from a high vantage point. A shiver. Not again. When it was all over, five officers were dead and another seven were wounded.
A suspected shooter is dead, too, killed by a police bomb robot. Why not. An un-human kills the in-human. Before he died, the man told officers he was upset about Black Lives Matter. He wanted to kill white people, and white policemen, reported Dallas Police Chief David Brown at a news conference.
In Minneapolis, Gov. Mark Dalton said he thinks that if Castile had been white, the officer wouldn't have shot him. A retired New York City police detective wept as he spoke to CNN's Chris Cuomo about the bravery of the Dallas officers who, carrying only pistols, were wearing protective vests they knew couldn't deflect the bullets of the shooter's weapon.
Imagine.
Then, too, imagine being a young black man who is taught early on that he has to be extra careful around the police. The worst will be expected of him.
"He shot his arm off," we hear Castile's girlfriend saying on the video. We see Castile's blood-soaked shirt; we hear him groan and watch his head drop.
Black lives matter. White lives matter. Blue lives matter. Does anything matter anymore? What is happening to this country? A wall-mounted gun manufacturer's video ad welcomes visitors to the Columbia, South Carolina, airport. In Chicago today, no one will be surprised if a child is killed in gang crossfire. Will another black avenger try to kill another white cop? Will police still give black neighborhoods protection? "They're hunting us," said Castile's mother.
Madness.
For now we grieve with the families of the dead and talk of ways to stem the violence. But there's really only one way to stop the killing and it lies in changing our culture, beginning with recognizing every single person's humanity -- the black youth's, the white officer's, and every other in between. As Charles Blow, the New York Times columnist put it: "Everyone deserves to go home."
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Back in the day, when it was time to find a manufacturer for your product, finding the information and contacts you needed was a challenge. Nowadays, in our interconnected online world, theres a wealth of information available. You just need to know where to look. To help you get a jump-start on your search, weve gathered the best online resources for you to find a manufacturer for your product.
Before you start making phone calls however, you should take the time to do the preliminary work needed to answer the questions prospective manufacturers are going to ask. This work includes: designing your product, building a prototype to shake out all the kinks and prove your product works as designed, and protecting your idea by getting the patent process underway. Youll find resources for all these steps below.
Ready? Lets roll up our sleeves and begin.
Online Resources for Designing Your Product
The first step is to design your product. While its likely youve already done this when you thought up the idea, it helps to get professional input so your product is what you envision while also being easy, or at least feasible, for a manufacturer to produce.
Enter the industrial designers. These folks are pros at helping you design your product so it both matches your vision and meets manufacturing standards. Whats more, they can provide design drawings and documentation, both of which will be useful when its time to find a manufacturer.
Use these online resources to find the industrial designer whos right for you:
Core77 Design Firm Directory
Created in cooperation with Bloomberg Businessweek, the Core77 Design Firm Directory is a great place to start your search for an industrial designer and other professionals who can help prepare your product for manufacture.
The site lets you search by type of professional, location and even budget a critical concern for small businesses.
The Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA)
The IDSA provides a directory of members broken down by state (and sometimes city). Unlike Core77s search, its more difficult to quickly focus in on exactly the type of resource you need. That said, you will find plenty of industrial designer listings here.
Elance
Elance is a well-known online marketplace for hiring freelance professionals. They have a section devoted to product design and CAD freelancers, complete with past project reviews and other useful information.
Online Resources for Creating a Prototype
Next its time to go from paper to reality by building a prototype. This is sometimes called, proof of concept because youre essentially validating that your design can be produced and that it looks and operates as designed.
If the design doesnt pan out, you need to head back to the drawing board for some redesign. It may be frustrating, but this step can save the time and effort of revising your patent application later.
Use these online resources to find the prototype creating pros.
ThomasNet
Though ThomasNet is best known for its online US manufacturer listings (well talk about them again when its time to find a manufacturer for your product below), they also provide listings for other types of services, one being prototype creation. Head on over and look for this preliminary search to get you started.
JobShop.com
JobShop.com is another directory that will be discussed below. However, like ThomasNet, they also list folks who produce prototypes.
IndustryNet
Finally, our third resource for prototype producers is IndustryNet. As with the previous two resources, this site includes many types of suppliers including a handy selection of prototyping professionals.
Online Resources for Patenting Your Product
Once you have a well-documented design and a working prototype, its time to apply for a patent. Having either a Patent Pending or Patent Applied For label in the documentation you send to manufacturers makes it much harder for another company to steal ownership of your idea. The patent office already has your proof of ownership in your patent application.
Use these online resources to apply for your patent:
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
The USPTO is where all the patent action goes down. The site is a veritable goldmine of information, making it the perfect resource for any questions you may have. If youre preparing your own patent application, youll also find information on how to do so as well as the form youll need to use.
The United States Patent and Trademark Offices Patent Attorney/Agent Search
Preparing a patent application on your own can be a daunting task. So it may be time to have someone else dotting your Is and crossing your Ts. For just that reason, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office provides a handy search tool for finding a licensed patent attorney or agent near you.
Online Resources to Find a Manufacturer for Your Product
Now that you have a well-designed, patent-pending prototype, its time to look at online manufacturer resources. This is the moment weve been working towards so lets get started.
Online Resources to Find A Manufacturer for Your Product North America
ThomasNet
As noted above, ThomasNet is the ultimate product sourcing and supplier discovery platform. With almost 5,000 manufacturer listings, youre bound to discover one that can produce your product.
Did we mention that its free?
Makers Row
Claiming to offer, factory sourcing made easy, Makers Row is an attractive site and powerful under the hood. There are lots of ways to search for manufacturers on this site, though using the system does require a free registration. For more advanced features, a monthly fee is required.
IndustryNet
IndustryNet provides listings for many service categories above and beyond the previously noted prototype makers. From manufacturers to consultants and software providers, youll find enough links to keep you busy for a while.
JobShop.com
Last but not least in our list of North American manufacturer resources, JobShop.com offers over 400 product and service categories to search. Unlike IndustryNet, there are less non-manufacturing listings, such as the prototype categories noted earlier. But sometimes less is more when you need to focus in and find a manufacturer for your product.
Online Resources to Find A Manufacturer for Your Product Beyond North America
Whether its because of unit cost, production capacity or speed to market, youre more likely to find a manufacturer for your product more quickly if you broaden your search beyond North America.
At first glance it may look like some of the sites in this section offer only finished products for sale. However, dig a bit deeper and youll find that many of the listed exporters also make products for small businesses like yours. That said, youll also find straight-up manufacturer directories here as well.
Alibaba
One of the most well known resources in this list, Alibaba is a site on which you can spend a lot of time. With thousands of listings in hundreds of categories, finding a manufacturer for your product wont be a snap, but you can definitely do it here.
MFG.com
MFG.com is one of the easiest-to-use resources included in this list. Youll find straightforward categorization of over a hundred manufacturing disciplines on this site and listings that include manufacturers from almost every country in the world.
Bizbilla
Bizbilla offers a broad range of listings ranging from manufacturers to wholesalers, agents and more. Theres also a product tab that can be used to find manufacturers as well.
Global Sources
While it looks like they list only end products available for export, Global Sources does contain tons of manufacturer listings. It might take a bit of digging, but the results may well be worth the hunt.
HKTDC
Focusing exclusively on Hong Kong, China and Taiwan based companies, HKTDC offers not only manufacturer listings but many other types of service listings as well. One tip: to focus in on manufacturers, choose a product category and then in the right column of the category page, click on the Manufacturer box under the Business Type header.
Think Outside of the Box
Quirky
Finally, if you want to skip the manufacturer search altogether, then check out Quirky. Theyve set up a unique system where you can submit product ideas and the ones that get the most votes (and meet their specifications) get designed, produced and sold on their site.
Now thats a great idea.
Manufacturing a product of your own can be a challenge, especially if its something youve never tried before with your business. Hopefully, this list of resources will make it easier to bring your concept to life for your customers.
Starbucks is giving all of its employees a raise. The coffee shop giant recently announced a 5 percent increase in base pay across the board beginning this October.
CEO Howard Schultz explained in a letter to employees, Striking the delicate balance between profit and a social conscience is a responsibility I take personally.
This announcement comes after an online petition started by a Starbucks employee in California, as well as national conversations surrounding living wage for employees.
The Goal is Happy Employees
For Starbucks, the move is intended to improve employee morale, which could help the business provide great customer service and potentially decrease employee turnover. It could also have an impact on the companys reputation with employees and non-employees alike.
And though most small businesses certainly dont have the huge number of employees that Starbucks does, the idea behind listening to what your employees want and supporting them with fair pay still holds up. Profits are, of course, important. But if your employees are unhappy with their compensation, things like customer service could suffer. And thats likely to hurt your business more in the long run.
In addition, improving morale can encourage employees to stick around instead of searching for work elsewhere. And if you can decrease turnover, you can lower the costs involved with things like hiring and training.
So the next time your employees ask for a raise, think about more than the immediate cost. You could learn from Starbucks and think about how the change can really impact your business in the long run.
PRINCE FREDERICK, Md.
Booking photos.
Booking photos.
Disclaimer: In the U.S.A., all persons accused of a crime by the State are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. See: http://so.md/presumed-innocence. Additionally, all of the information provided above is solely from the perspective of the respective law enforcement agency and does not provide any direct input from the accused or persons otherwise mentioned. You can find additional information about the case by searching the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Database using the accused's name and date of birth. The database is online at http://so.md/mdcasesearch . Persons named who have been found innocent or not guilty of all charges in the respective case, and/or have had the case ordered expunged by the court can have their name, age, and city redacted by following the process defined at http://so.md/expungeme.
(July 11, 2016)The Calvert County Sheriff's Office today released the following incident and arrest reports.WEEKLY SUMMARY: During the week of July 1 through July 11, deputies responded to 1907 calls for service throughout the community.BURGLARY CASE #16-38677: On July 10, Deputy A. Curtin was dispatched to Chesapeake Lighthouse Drive, in North Beach, for the report of a burglary. The victim reported locking their home at 4:00am on June 16, and upon returning on July 10th, they observed an Xbox 360 missing from the home. There were no signs of forced entry.BURGLARY CASE #16-37142: On July 2, Deputy J. Buck was dispatched to Broome's Island Road, in Port Republic, for the report of a burglary. The victim stated they left their locked home, at 7:00pm on July 1 and returned at 8:30pm on July 2, to find items in disarray and multiple items missing (Nintendo games, electronics, liquor, food, prescription medications and a kitten). Deputy Buck was able to quickly develop a suspect, their neighbor,. He admitted to having made entry through a rear doggie door of the home. He was arrested and charged with 3rd Degree Burglary, Theft $1,000 to under $10,000, Theft Less than $1,000, Theft Less Than $100, False Statement to an Officer and Obstructing and Hindering.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-38333: On July 8, Deputy S. Moran was dispatched to Thunderbird Drive, in Lusby, for the report of an auto accident. Upon arrival he made contact with Rosalinda Smith who was standing outside the vehicle. She had slurred speech, bloodshot watery eyes and a strong odor of alcohol emitting from her person. Deputy Moran quickly determined, to be the driver of the vehicle. She was placed under arrest for DUI/DWI and for possession of a controlled dangerous substance (Oxycontin).CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-38289: On July 8, Deputy V. O'Donnell conducted a traffic stop at southbound Rt. 4/Rousby Hall Road, in Lusby, on a vehicle he determined to be operating with a suspended registration. The driver,, was found to be in possession of a large amount of marijuana. He was transported to the Detention Center and charged with possession of Marijuana more than ten grams and issued a traffic citation for driving with a suspended registration.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-38248: On July 8, at approximately 3:15pm, Deputy J. Livingston was dispatched to Claggett Road, in Sunderland, for a disorderly call. Upon arrival and questioning the parties, he determined, to be in possession of a metal container containing an illegal substance. He was arrested for Possession of a Synthetic Narcotic (Suboxone) and for Possession of Paraphernalia (container).CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-38131: On July 7, at approximately 10:00pm, Deputy K. Williamson conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle, at Chesapeake Beach Road/E. Street, in Chesapeake Beach, which was operating with no tag lights. He determined both occupants to be in possession of an illegal substance and paraphernalia.and, were both arrested and charged with one count of CDS: Possession-Not Marijuana (Heroin) and with Possession of Paraphernalia (hypodermic syringes). Ziberg was also issued a Maryland Safety Equipment Repair Order for the inoperable tag lights.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-38112: On July 7, Deputy S. Moran conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle reported to be crossing into oncoming traffic multiple times. He made contact with the driver,, who was impaired and unable to operate a vehicle safely. He was arrested and charged with CDS: Possession-Not Marijuana (Heroin), CDS Administer Equipment Possession/Distribute (syringe), Possession of Paraphernalia (cotton wad) and Driving a Vehicle while Impaired by Drugs.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-38559: On July 10, Deputy R. Spalding was traveling in the area of MD Rt. 4/Church Street, in Prince Frederick, and observed a passenger riding in a vehicle unrestrained. A traffic stop was initiated and Deputy Spalding discovered, to be in possession of cocaine. He was transported to the Detention Center and charged with CDS Possession of Cocaine.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-37581: On July 5, Deputy S. Trotter responded to the Detention Center on Stafford Road, in Prince Frederick, for the report of a controlled dangerous substance violation., who was incarcerated, was found to be in possession of an illegal substance. He was charged with CDS: Possession-Not Marijuana (Cocaine) and Possession of Paraphernalia (bag).CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-37480: On July 4, Deputy R. Wilson responded to the Anglers Restaurant on Lore Road, in Solomons, for the report of a person engaging in drug activity in the restaurant. He located, who was in possession of illegal drugs. He was transported to the Detention Center and charged with CDS: Possession with Intent to Distribute a Narcotic (Oxycontin), CDS: Possession-Not Marijuana (Lorazepam) and four (4) counts of CDS: Possession-Not Marijuana (Synthetic drugsDilaudid, Suboxone, Oxycontin, Fentanyl).CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-37441: On July 4, Deputy R. Spalding responded to the Detention Center for the report of an inmate found to be in possession of an illegal substance., was charged with CDS: Possession-Not Marijuana (Suboxone) and Possession of CDS within a place of Confinement.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-37298: On July 3, at approximately 10:00pm, Deputy D. Clark approached the driver of a vehicle parked at the Lord Calvert Bowl, located on Solomons Island Road, in Huntingtown. The bowling alley was closed and the vehicle was running with its' lights on. He detected a strong odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle and discovered the driver,, to be in possession of an illegal substance. She was arrested for Possession of CDS: Possession-Not Marijuana (2 grams of Molly/common name for MDMA), two (2) counts of Possession of Paraphernalia (cut straw and baggies) and for a driving citation. The passenger of the vehicle, identified as, was charged on a Civil Citation for possessing less than 10 grams of marijuana.CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-37278: On July 3, at approximately 8:20pm, Deputy T. Buckler approached a vehicle stopped at a stationary traffic post, located at Mears Avenue/C Street, in Chesapeake Beach. Upon verifying whether the occupants had a community pass to enter the area, the driver,, rolled down her window and Deputy Buckler was able to detect a strong odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle. She was arrested for Possession of Marijuana (10+ grams) and CDS: Possession-Not Marijuana (Alprazolam). The passenger of the vehicle, Lisa Maszkiewicz, 21, of Silver Spring, MD, was also charged with CDS: Possession of Marijuana (10+ grams).CDS VIOLATION CASE #16-37155: On July 2, Deputy K. Williamson conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle making a turn without using their turn signal. The driver,, was found to be in possession of illegal drugs. She was arrested for CDS: Possession-Not Marijuana (Zolpidem and Carisoprodol) and Possession of Paraphernalia (syringes). She was also issued a traffic warning for "driver failing to give proper turn signal".DISORDERLY CONDUCT CASE #16-37346: On July 4, Deputy R. Shrawder responded to Breezy Point Road, in Chesapeake Beach, for the report of a disorderly subject at the camp ground., was instructed to retire to his tent for the night and not continue disrupting other campers. Deputy Shrawder left the area and later received another call to return to the campground, as the same camper continued to yell, curse and be disorderly. He was transported to the Detention Center and charged with Disorderly Conduct.DISORDERLY CONDUCT CASE #16-37081: On July 2, at approximately 2:50pm, Deputy T. Phelps responded to a call for a disorderly subject at the Breezy Point Beach, on Breezy Point Road, in Chesapeake Beach., who had been yelling profanity towards Park staff, was advised to leave the Park or he would be arrested for trespassing. When he did not cooperate, he was taken into custody and charged with Disorderly Conduct, Fail Obey Reasonable/Lawful Order, Resist/Interfere with Arrest, Trespassing and Destruction of Property Less than $1,000.00.DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY CASE #16-38163: On July 8, Deputy Y. Bortchevsky responded to 8th Street, in North Beach, for the report of damaged property. At approximately 4:30am, the victim reported hearing several loud bangs outside their residence. Upon inspection the victim observed a vehicle window shattered. No items were taken from the vehicle.DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY CASE #16-37747: On July 6, Deputy G. Gott responded to the Southern Library, in Solomon's, for the report of damaged property. Sometime between 9:00pm on July 5 and 8:30am on July 6th, an unknown person(s) damaged a flower box and dumped its' contents on the ground.DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY CASE #16-37365: On July 4, while Deputy S. Trotter was travelling on Mackall Road, in St. Leonard, he noticed damage to a mailbox post and observed a mailbox laying in the grass a few yards away. As he returned mail to the victim, he was told this has happened on several other occasions.DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY CASE #16-37002: On July 2, at approximately 12:30am, Deputy C. Callison was dispatched to Ray Norwood Road, in Prince Frederick, for the report of a damaged door. The victim reported hearing a loud noise and glass shatter in the basement of their home. There are no suspect(s) at this time.FLEEING AND ELUDING CASE #16-38145: On July 8, at approximately 12:30am, Deputy B. Pounsberry observed a motorcycle travelling southbound on Solomon's Island Road, near Bowie Shop Road, in an unsafe manner. The motorcycle was seen traveling at excessive speeds, running red lights, not using proper turn signals and traveling in the opposite lane of travel. He was able to eventually bring the driver,, to a stop at Solomon's Island Road/Governor Run Road. Due to his slurred speech and strong odor of an alcoholic beverage, Jost was charged and arrested for Fleeing and Eluding, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, as well as eleven (11) other traffic offenses.THEFT CASE #16-38676/38671: On July 10, Deputy A. Curtin responded to Chesapeake Lighthouse Drive, in Owings, for the report of thefts from vehicles. The victims reported items stolen from their unlocked vehicles: Cobra Radar Detector, Ipod mini, Swiss army knife, black folding knife, Portable REFUEL Charger, Canon T31 Camera, Canon 55x80mm Lens and an external NS-DXFL2C flash attachment. These thefts took place between 1:00pm on July 9 and 8:45pm on July 10. No known suspects at this time.THEFT CASE #16-37870: On July 6, Deputy G. Gott was dispatched to Calvert Internal Medicine on HG Trueman Road, in Solomons, for the report of a theft from the medical office. Sometime between 8:30pm on July 5th and 9:00am on July 6, an unknown suspect(s) stole a Lexmark external Hard Drive.THEFT CASE #16-37777: On July 6, Deputy C. Childress responded to the Sheriff's Office to take a statement from a victim reporting a theft from their vehicle. The victim reported parking their vehicle across the street from the Mexico Restaurant, in North Beach, and realized a couple of days later that their Dell Laptop computer was missing from the vehicle.THEFT CASE #16-37627: On July 5, Deputy R. Spalding responded to Rachel's Way, in Prince Frederick, for the report of a theft from an unlocked vehicle. The victim reported that sometime between1:30pm on July 5 and 4:30pm that same day, a Low Pro slingshot Camera bag, Nikon D5300 Camera, Nikon 17-55mm Lens, Nikon 12-24mm Lens, Nikon Flash, GoPro Sport and 5 flash drives were stolen.THEFT CASE #16-37601: On July 5, Deputy C. Callison responded to Oakwood Drive, in Dunkirk, for the report of a theft. The victim reported that sometime on July 2 and 11:30am on July 5, someone dug up and stole four (4) landscape bushes.THEFT CASE #16-37518: On July 5, Deputy R. Spalding responded to Great Reward Way, in Huntingtown, for the report of a theft from a locked vehicle. The victim advised that sometime between 8:30pm on July 4 and 4:00am on July 5th, she discovered her car window shattered and her (brown) purse, money, credit cards, Driver's License, wallet and social security card were all stolen. Later the same day a neighbor reported finding the purse along the edge of their property, but the other contents were still missing.THEFT CASE #16-37055: On July 2, Deputy A. Ostazeski responded to Piute Court, in Lusby, for the report of a theft. The complainant stated their Schwin BMX 20/21" bicycle and Rigid Tool Set (containing a Cordless Drill, Impact Drill, Reciprocating Saw, charger and two batteries) were stolen from a toolbox next to the residence. This theft took place sometime between 9:00pm on June 15 and noon on July 2nd.
Charles County Sgt. Harry Ivers and Sheriff Troy D. Berry.
From left to right: Capt. Dan Gimler, Cpl. Sean Brown, Sgt. Haven Smith, Cpl. Renee Cuyler, Sheriff Troy Berry, PFC Colby Shaw, PFC Byron Clark, Maj. Chris Becker, Mr. William Cotton, PFC Darin Behm, and PFC Kevin Makle.
Charles County Sheriff Troy D. Berry is proud to recognize Sgt. Harry Ivers, a staff trainer at the Southern Maryland Criminal Justice Academy and former narcotics detective, who received an award on June 21 at the 34th Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony hosted by the U.S. Department of Justice. Sgt. Ivers helped investigate a major narcotics case that led to the arrest of narcotics dealer, Raymond Proctor, and his co-conspirator, former MPD detective Stephanie Ellison.Proctor had a wide customer base throughout the metropolitan area. During the two-year investigation, he sold heroin to undercover officers on numerous occasions throughout Washington, D.C. and Charles County. Ellison laundered money and purchased vehicles used to conduct their drug trade.Proctor pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. He was sentenced to 63 months incarceration. Ellison pled guilty to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. She was sentenced to 15 months incarceration."Anytime a drug dealer is arrested, our community becomes a safer place," Sheriff Berry said. "We are thankful for Sgt. Ivers and the rest of these hard-working officers and agents for their tireless dedication to ridding our communities of these dangerous drugs."Ivers was nominated for this award by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla-Dee Clark and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zia M. Faruqui. Six other law enforcement agents and officers also worked with Ivers to investigate the case.A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) will arrive August 1 to examine all aspects of the Charles County Sheriff's Office policies and procedures, management, operations and support services as part of the Agency's continued efforts to maintain its accreditation. The Sheriff's Office is seeking its 6th re-accreditation."The purpose of this visit by the team of assessors is to confirm the Charles County Sheriff's Office continues to meet the commission's standards and is part of a voluntary process to maintain CALEA accreditation," said Sheriff Troy D. Berry.During the on-site assessment, Agency employees and members of the community are invited to comment at a public information session Monday, August 1 at 7 p.m. The session will be conducted in the training classroom located at the Charles County Sheriff's Headquarters, 6915 Crain Highway, La Plata, MD.Any person who cannot speak at the public information session but would still like to provide comments to the assessment team may do so by telephone. Calls will be taken by the assessment team at 301-609-6517 on Tuesday, August 2 between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the Agency's ability to comply with CALEA standards. The CALEA standards are available for review from the office of Planning and Accreditation at the Sheriff's Office Headquarters, located at 6915 Crain Highway in La Plata. The Planning and Accreditation Office may be contacted at 301-609-6419.Anyone wishing to offer written comments about the Charles County Sheriff's Office's ability to meet the standards for accreditation may write to John Gregory, Regional Program Manager, at the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. 13575 Heathcote Blvd. Suite 320 Gainesville, VA 20155."CALEA assessors are law enforcement professionals from agencies located some distance away in order to maintain the objectivity of the assessment process," said Danny Johnson, the Agency's Deputy Director of Planning and Accreditation.The assessors this year are Major Paul Baggett, Polk County Sheriff's Office, Lakeland, Florida, and Lt. Virgil Hubbard, Knoxville Police Department, Knoxville, Tennessee. They will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit offices and other places where compliance with CALEA standards can be verified. Once the Commission's assessors complete their review of the Agency, they report to the full Commission, which will then decide if the Agency is to be re-accredited.Accreditation is for three years, during which the agency must submit annual reports affirming continued compliance with those standards under which it was accredited. For more information regarding CALEA, call 800-368-3757 or 703-352-4225 or visit www.calea.org.Attention all neighborhoods: On August 2, 2016, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., neighborhoods throughout Charles County are invited to team up with thousands of communities across the country for the 33rd Annual National Night Out (NNO). Sheriff Troy Berry and members of the CCSO will join residents to celebrate the community's alliance against crime, drugs and violence. Representatives from Charles County Crime Solvers, Explorers Post #1658 and even McGruff the Crime Dog and McGruff's nephew Scruff will be on hand to meet residents.The National Association of Town Watch (NATW) launched National Night Out 33 years ago. According to the website, NATW.org, "National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. It furthermore provides an opportunity to bring police and neighbors together."Neighborhoods across Charles County will host block parties with food, games, music, and other activities. Many residents will light their porch lights to demonstrate their support for NNO. "National Night Out is a fantastic community event which aids in our mission to continue to build on the great relationship we have with the citizens of Charles County. Residents can not only come out and meet their neighbors, but also meet the officers that serve in their neighborhoods," said Sheriff Berry. "This is a great opportunity for citizens and law enforcement to build camaraderie and together take a stand against crime."The CCSO is also holding its annual coloring contest for children ages 4-12 in participating neighborhoods. Neighborhood representatives will be provided with the coloring pages after their neighborhoods are registered for National Night Out. The coloring pages can then be distributed to the children in their particular communities. The artwork is due by August 29th and can be turned in to any CCSO district station or to the Community Services office located on Audie Lane in La Plata. The pages are judged, and two winners will be selected from several age groups. The winners will be notified by mail, and awards will be presented in October.For over 20 years, the National Association of Town Watch has recognized Charles County's participation by awarding the agency its Category II Award for Community Participation. Last year, 158 neighborhoods in Charles County participated in National Night Out.To find out if your neighborhood is participating, to register your neighborhood to participate, or to make a donation to NNO, contact Community Organizer Connie Gray at 301-932-3080.The Charles County Sheriff's Office is pleased to announce that additional contributions will be made to Special Olympics Maryland. In the spirit of giving back and making a difference in people's lives, Mr. Phil Hinkle, Chief of Staff of the Charles County Sheriff's Office, announced a challenge to everyone participating in the June 9 Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics: Phil would donate $1 to Special Olympics for each and every person who made it to the finish line before he did. He challenged the Charles County Correctional Officers Association and the Charles County Fraternal Order of Police to match his donation, even after being told there were hundreds of runners, including nearly 100 Marines from the Indian Head base. With a time of 8:05 per mile, for a total of 3.53 miles, 39 people were steps ahead and made it to the finish line before Phil. Most importantly, after increasing his personal donation, and with contributions from the CCCOA, the FOP, and Deputy Director Brandon Foster of the Charles County Detention Center, more than $300 extra is going to Special Olympics Maryland.On Friday, June 10, the Charles County Sheriff's Office K9 unit celebrated the graduation of two K9 officers and their partners: PFC Colby Shaw and his partner, Vader, and PFC Byron Clark and his partner, Dino. Both teams received Patrol Certification and Narcotics Detection Certification.In order to receive their certifications, the K9 teams had to complete a rigorous 7-month training program under the direction of K9 Trainer, William "Billy" Cotton. "The work of our K9 teams is crucial to the CCSO and to the safety of our community. They do everything from finding missing persons to detecting explosives. We take the responsibility of their training very seriously," said Cotton."I'm continually impressed by our K9 Unit and their trainers," said Sheriff Berry. "Completing this program takes a great deal of dedication and discipline, and we are proud to have these teams assisting in our mission to serve and protect Charles County." With the completion of their training, Vader and Dino have now begun their careers in patrol.
LA PLATA, Md. (July 11, 2016)Charles County Administrator, Michael D. Mallinoff, Esq., ICMA-CM today announced that the Director of the Department of Economic Development, Darrell Brown, Esq. will serve on Maryland's Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Advisory Board. SBDCs are a part of the federal government's Small Business Administration, which works with colleges, universities, and communities to assist small business and entrepreneurs.
Locally, the SBDC, Southern Region, partners with the College of Southern Maryland, to assist new and existing businesses with everything from business planning to growth strategies to complying with legal and tax issues. They offer free counseling and low-cost training.
"Mr. Brown's knowledge, experience, and continued support for small business development will certainly contribute to the improvement and expansion of the SBDC Network," said state director of the Maryland SBDC, Renee C. Sprow.
SBDC offices are composed of a network of knowledgeable professional staff and engaged stakeholders who provide expert advice and specialized training to current and aspiring businesses. Their assistance results in successful businesses that create employment and contribute to the growth of local, state and national economies.
"I am excited to be a part of the Maryland SBDC Advisory Board and will do all that I can to support our small businesses in Charles County," said Brown.
"Darrell's participation on the Maryland SBDC confirms the continued collaboration with state government, county government, and the small business community," said Mallinoff.
The SBDC believes businesses need three things to succeed: money, management, and marketing. These three needs correspond with the primary responsibilities of the SBDC Advisory Board: strategic planning, advocacy, and policy development.
To learn more about the SBDC visit www.marylandsbdc.org/.
Board of Education Meeting Rescheduled
The meeting of the Board of Education of St. Mary's County previously scheduled for Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at 9:00 a.m., has been rescheduled to Thursday, July 14, 2016 at 9:00 a.m., in the Board of Education Meeting Room, 23160 Moakley Street, Leonardtown, Maryland. For additional information, call (301) 475-5511, ext. 32177.
Administrative Transfer Announced
Superintendent of Schools, Mr. J. Scott Smith, announces the administrative transfer made by the Board of Education at its meeting of June 29, 2016.
The Board approved the transfer of Ms. Madeline "Maggie" Giles to the position of Academic Dean II at Fairlead Academy II. Ms. Giles holds a Master's Degree from University of Mary Washington and a Bachelor's Degree from Wilkes University. She currently serves as Assistant Principal of the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center.
This transfer will become effective Friday, July 1, 2016.
St. Mary's County Public Schools' Ethics Panel To Meet
The St. Mary's County Public Schools' Ethics Panel will be holding a meeting on Thursday, July 14, 2016, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., in the Fiscal Services/Human Resources Suite 2-C Black Conference Room, 23160 Moakley Street, Leonardtown, Maryland 20650. For more information, call 301-475-5511, ext. 32247.
A juvenile diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is released by staffers from the Chesapeake Bay Program offices in Annapolis, Md., on July 17, 2010. (Photo by Alicia Pimental/Chesapeake Bay Program, CC BY-NC 2.0 license via Flickr)
Some days, you hit it right. I offer into evidence Tuesday, June 7, 2016. Towing a fine-mesh net for plankton in a Virginia inlet, our apparatus was fairly clogged with red-fringed clam worms, bottom dwellers summoned by the new moon from their homes in the dark sediments to wriggle and mate, then gloriously die at the sun-spangled surface.On the backside of a nearby beach, we seined up silverside minnows full of eggs and sperm, ensuring the continuation of a species that, along with menhaden and bay anchovies, form the forage base for striped bass and other predator fish.Mixed in with the minnows were more wrigglers: little eels spawned last fall in the cold black depths of the faraway Sargasso Sea, delivered here by ocean currents, destined to populate rivers and streams throughout the Chesapeake and East Coast. Years from nowcued by what, science really doesn't knowthey will somehow navigate back to the Sargasso deeps, expiring there in a burst of reproduction with eels from across North America.From a clump of marsh burst a big female diamondback terrapin, headed landward to excavate a nest and deposit her clutch of soft, leathery pinkish-beige eggs. By the distinctive terrapin tracks scrawled all along the sandy shore, she was not alone this hot June morning.Gliding into the warm shallows came a female horseshoe crab. Soon, a male would emerge and attach with special clasper claws to the rear of her shell. She'd drag him to the high tide line to fertilize the eggs she'd inject into the beach edge. At peak spawning on the full and new moons in May and June, a mammoth outpouring of horseshoe eggs provides fuel for migrating shorebirds from as far off as Argentina and Brazil.As my college class pulled the seine, I wandered down the marsh edge, spooking a railbird from her nest, exposing 10 mottled eggs. In the next few hundred yards, had I been a fox, I could have gorged my fill on several more just like it.In a few more days, water temperatures were set to trigger an explosion of sperm and eggs from oysters that lined the coves and marsh banks. As the tide receded, exposed mudflats began to swarm with flights of migrating shorebirds extracting feisty fiddler crabs from their burrows.All of what I've described above was the barest sample from the merest scrap of the edges of land and water that define and enliven our planet. Chesapeake Bay alone has perhaps 11,000 miles of such land-water merge. Most of the year, in the classroom, I preach the concept of these edges: the most productive ecosystems on Earth, from mangroves and coral reefs to tidal wetlands and seagrass meadows and oyster rocksall of these nurturing an astounding quantity and variety of bird and fish life. They are also the most seductive ecosystems on Earth, with half of the world's human population living on about 5 percent of the globe, most of that near the natural bounty of the edges.There is no better place to learn peaceful coexistence between us and the rest of nature. And the concept is fine enough; but it is days like today, out here with life just detonating all around and above and beneath you, that affirms it in a way no PowerPoint or lecture or nature film could ever do.It's the reason for this class, which takes students in kayaks camping for a month around Delmarva, a peninsula washed by Chesapeake and Delaware bays and the Atlantic, and divided by the Chester, Choptank, Nanticoke and Pocomoke rivers.A typical reaction from people we meet: "Wish I could have gotten six credits for that when I was in school." Amen.We see it all, from fresh to salt, from the solitude of quiet creeks and cypress swamps, to the big salty waters in sight of Norfolk and Virginia Beachthe last week capped with a 40-mile paddle from Dorchester County south to Smith and Tangier islands. Always, we're following those edges.And in recent years, we're looking at the edge through another lens, that of traveling a landscape that will change drastically in the students' lifetimes. One of our maps shows in shades of orange the land we're destined to lose around the region to sea level rise. It's dated 2010 and predicated on a rise of about a meter by 2100which is already beginning to look conservative.There will still be edges of land and water, just farther inland. Many islands will depopulate or disappear. Many peninsulas, including the huge Delmarva, will be skinnier. The best we can do is to leave the vital edges room to migrate; stop developing there.And of course, do all in our power to forestall the worst of climate change. If you need reasons, start with appreciating the amazing fecundity of life where water meets the land.
On this photo by cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka you can see a process of docking of first Soyuz MS spacecraft with the International Space Station. Spacecraft delivered the crew of Roscosmos cosmonaut Anatoli Ivanishin, NASA astronaut Kathleen Rubins and JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi. Credit: Roscosmos. ROSCOSMOS
Today: 47 Soyuz (47S) Docking 47S successfully docked to the ISS at 11:06 PM CDT last Friday. The arrival of Expedition 48 crew members Anatoly Ivanishin, Takuya Onishi and Kate Rubins, the ISS will be in 6-crew operations until 46S return on September 6.
Dose Distribution Inside the ISS 3D (DOSIS 3D): Over the weekend, the crew installed passive radiation detectors in the Columbus module in support of European Space Agencys (ESAs) DOSIS 3D investigation. Data from the various active and passive radiation detectors installed in the ISS are used in the determination of the radiation field parameters absorbed doses and dose equivalents inside the ISS. A concise three dimensional (3D) dose distribution map of all the segments of the ISS will be developed based on this data as well as data from JAXA and NASA monitoring devices.
Space Headaches: Over the weekend and today, the European Space Agency (ESA) Space Headaches questionnaire was completed to provide information to help in the development of methods to alleviate associated symptoms and improvement in the well-being and performance of crew members in space. Headaches during space flight can negatively affect mental and physical capacities of crew members which can influence performance during a space mission.
Fine Motor Skills: A series of interactive tasks on a touchscreen tablet were completed over the weekend and today for the Fine Motor Skills investigation. This investigation is critical during long-duration space missions, particularly for those skills needed to interact with technologies required in next-generation space vehicles, spacesuits, and habitats. Crew fine motor skills are also necessary for performing tasks in transit or on a planetary surface, such as information access, training, subsystem maintenance, and medical treatment.
Marrow Blood, Breath, and Ambient Air Sample Collection: Today the crew took blood, breath, and ambient air samples for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Marrow experiment which investigates the effect of microgravity on human bone marrow. It is believed that microgravity, like long-duration bed rest on Earth, has a negative effect on bone marrow and the blood cells that are produced in the marrow. The extent of this effect and its recovery are of interest to space research and healthcare providers on Earth.
Mouse Epigenetics Setup Operations: In preparation for the Mouse Epigenetics experiment which arrives on SpaceX-9, the crew set up the Mouse Habitat Cage Unit and installed the food cartridge, odor Filter, water fill-up, and the Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) filter caser. The Mouse Epigenetics investigation studies altered gene expression patterns in the organs of male mice that spend one month in space, and also examines changes in the DNA of their offspring. Results from the investigation identify genetic alterations that happen after exposure to the microgravity environment of space.
EarthKAM Module Installation and Activation in Service Module (SM): The Russian crew set up the EarthKAM payload components in SM which begins a week-long imaging session. The objective of Sally Ride EarthKAM is to integrate Earth images with inquiry-based learning to enhance curricula in support of national and state education standards; to provide students and educators the opportunity to participate in a space mission and to develop teamwork, communication, and problem solving skills; to engage teams of students, educators, and researchers in collaborative investigations using remotely-sensed data; and to incorporate the active use of Web-based tools and resources in support of the learning process.
Habitability Human Factors Directed Observations: The crew recorded and submitted a walk-through video documenting observations of an area or activity providing insight related to human factors and habitability. The Habitability investigation collects observations about the relationship between crew members and their environment on the ISS. Observations can help spacecraft designers understand how much habitable volume is required, and whether a missions duration impacts how much space crew members need.
47S Crew On Board Training (OBT): The newly arrived crew reviewed and practiced emergency mask don and purge technique. They also performed emergency hardware familiarization to review locations of equipment and valve positions in the event of an emergency. During these training sessions the crew consulted and coordinated with specialists from all control centers.
SSRMS Mobilt Transporter (MT) Translate: Today, the MT was translated from worksite 4 to worksite 6 in preparation for SpaceX-9 arrival OBT and capture.
Todays Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
MARROW air sampling
Calf Volume Measurement / r/g 2748
CSA Blood Collection
CSA Refrigerated Centrifuge Configuration
Daily Planning Conference (S-band)
CSA Refrigerated Centrifuge Close Out Ops
CSA Sample Insertion into MELFI
MOUSE Pre-experiment Mouse Habitat Cage Unit Setup
On MCC Go Brine and urine transfer from EDV-U to Progress 432 [AO] Rodnik H2O Tank2 / r/g 2750
EarthKAM Experiment in SM. Battery Charge
Deactivation of Souyz 731 Gas Analyzer
FINEMOTR Experiment Test
Replacement of CO2 Filter Unit ??0501
Soyuz 731 Transfers and IMS Ops / r/g 2734
CSA Blood Sample Collection Closeout Ops
Crew time for ISS adaptation and orientation
Study of veins in lower extremities / r/g 2749
FINEMOTR Experiment Test
Double Cold Bag (DCB) trash the Double Coldbags
Study of veins in lower extremities / r/g 2749
Life On The Station Photo and Video / r/g 2747
Crew time for ISS adaptation and orientation
LAB HD camera adjustment to view TREK laptop
MARROW Breath And Ambient Air Sample Setup
Crew time for ISS adaptation and orientation
WRS Sample Collection
CALCIUM. Experiment Session 2 / r/g 2746
Crew time for ISS adaptation
TOCA Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Analysis
Unlatching N2 Nadir Hatch
MELFI HW Overview
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Profile of Mood States (POMS) Questionnaire
CSA Blood Collection Setup
Deactivation of Soyuz 720 Gas Analyzer
MRM1-FGB Screw Clamp Tightening
Emergency Mask OBT
Water Processing using MCD
Air Heater Fan (???) Screen Cleaning in ?? 720
Maintenance activation of Atmosphere Purification System Emergency Vacuum Valves
ISS Emergency Hardware Familiarization OBT
Maintenance activation of Atmosphere Purification System Emergency Vacuum Valves
Auxiliary Laptop Anti-Virus Update / r/g 8247
??? Maintenance
EarthKAM Module Installation and Activation in SM
ISS Crew Adaptation
SSC 5 and 16 Config for ROBoT Ops
TOCA Data Recording
IMS Delta File Prep
URAGAN. Observation and Photography using VSS / r/g 2751
HABIT Preparing for the experiment
Conference Requested by Crew
ISS Crew Adaptation
Terminate BSA Battery Stowage Assembly Maintenance Cycle
Exercise Data Downlink via OCA
SHD Weekly Questionnaire
Preparing for Antivirus scan on Auxiliary Computer Laptops / r/g 8247
Completed Task List Items
M-Bag relocate
IMV CTB divider stow
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
RoBOT OBT support
MT translate from WS6 to WS4
Nominal ground commanding.
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Tuesday, 07/12: Mouse HU prep, EarthKAM ops, Dragon OBT, ARED/CEVIS crew handover
Wednesday, 07/13: JPM Cabin smoke detector cleaning, 3D Printer experiment stow, RaDI-N sensor uninstall, EarthKAM ops, Dragon OBT, 47S unpack
Thursday, 07/14: Emergency Book update, Dragon OBT, Heart Cells hardware setup, STRATA card changeout, EarthKAM ops
QUICK ISS Status Environmental Control Group:
Component Status
Elektron On
Vozdukh Manual
[???] 1 SM Air Conditioner System (SKV1) Off
[???] 2 SM Air Conditioner System (SKV2) On
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab Standby
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab Idle
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 Operate
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 Full Up
True love in coffee isnt hard to find. Its like the old rhyme goes: First comes love, then comes marriagealthough it isnt always as cut and dry as all that. Its more like: First comes a TDS reading, then a staff cupping, then a clopen shiftthen maybe you go out for a beer together or something after work, you know, blowin off some steam, hanging outTHEN comes love, then comes marriage, and probably some more good coffee after that. Thats certainly the case for Meraki Coffee Company, a new pop-up coffee bar moving around Rochester, NY from Ryan and Holli Baker, who fell in love and got married after meeting as employees at Glen Edith Coffee Roasters.
So before you resort to barista speed dating allow us to paraphrase F. Scott Fitzgerald: There are all kinds of love (and coffee) in this world but never the same love (or coffee) twice.
As told to Sprudge by Ryan Baker of Meraki Coffee Company.
For those who arent familiar, will you tell us about your company?
Meraki (may-rah-kee) is a new business venture of Ryan and Holli Baker in Rochester, New York. They met at formerly named Pour Coffee Parlornow Glen Edith Coffee Roastersand fell in love, got married, and decided soon after to open up a coffee business. Well be popping up around the city of Rochester, trying to influence areas that currently do not have specialty coffee in their neighborhood.
Can you tell us a bit about the new space?
Its a 3 x 4 mobile space, the mobile Meraki Coffee bar. Our friend, Bryan March, built out the bar for us. It is being made out of repurposed barn wood that was taken from Ryans grandparents torn down barn. Using this wood makes the bar extra special for us.
Whats your approach to coffee?
Its in the name, Meraki, To do something with soul, creativity, or passion; to put something into your work. With that being said, the bar is set high for quality coffee, the bar for quality customer experience even higher. We view it this way: we can have a customer come up and try to give them the best cup of coffee theyve ever had. If that person has a poor experience, you can be sure theyre not going to want to come back.
But, if someone comes up to us and we give them a great experience, well have plenty of opportunities after that to give them the best consistent coffee they can enjoy.
Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?
Were starting off with a La Marzocco GS3 and a Mahlkonig K30 duo on bar. Well be working exclusively with our friends downstate at Parlor Coffee. We have wanted to work with these guys for a long time and they have been nothing but a pleasure to collaborate with.
Whats your hopeful target opening date/month?
June 24th.
Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that youd like to mention?
A lot of the work has been put together by some of our very skilled friends. The branding/logo was done by Chelsea Phillips. Bryan March has been putting together our bar. Well also be rocking some aprons from my co-worker and friend, Mario Rocchio. At certain locations, we will be offering ceramic mugs made by Kathy Norman at Totes Mugotes Ceramics. For our first pop-up location, we will be working with Cheesy Eddies bakery who certainly are craftspeople as their products are out of this world.
Whats the address?
No permanent location, but one of our regular pop-up spots to start will be Cheesy Eddies at 602 South Avenue, Rochester, New York.
Photos courtesy of Ryan Baker.
61.8926 N, 6.9118 W. The far reaches of the North Atlantic. Situated between Iceland and Norway, near the northern Scottish isles, is a set of islands steeped in beauty, ruggedness, a fearless nature, and tradition. With a population of just 50,000 and their geographic isolation, trends in the Faroe Islands tend to follow mainland Europe in a predictably slow fashion. Coffee is no exception.
Life in the Faroe Islands truly isnt much different than life elsewhere, only in terms of scale. There are movie theaters, albeit a bit smaller. There are bars, though scattered only in a handful of towns. And there is coffee: black, bitter, and consumed for caffeine without pomp or circumstance. Recently, an advertising blitz has made small waves amongst the locals, pushing vending machine coffees and Nespresso. But brewing underneath all of that, ten years of passion and word of mouth have finally culminated in the first modern coffeehouse that the islands have ever seen: Brell Cafe.
Faroe is a near-autonomous country under Danish rule, and outside of the more political arenas, it feels as such. However, it is not uncommon for Faroese people to leave the region for a time, often to Copenhagen. While not everyone does go abroad, doing so (at least to an outsider) appears to be a rite of passage for the younger generations. Often they return when theyre older, bringing back the aspects of fashion, food, and culture that fit within the progression of Faroese life. Roaldur Jakupsson, Owner and Roaster at Brell Coffee and owner of Brell Cafe, was one such person.
There are plenty of cafes scattered across the country, but most are food-centric, even those serving espresso-based drinks. My wife and I stumbled upon Brell purely by accident. We were at Gurun & Gurun, a shop famous for traditional Faroese knit sweaters and patterns. While checking out I asked the woman at the counter for a coffee recommendation nearby; her answer was immediate, The shop next door. As it happens, this is precisely how Jakupsson has generated business since he began roasting, proclaiming, I used to [do advertising] in the beginning, but found it useless. Now I only rely on word of mouth.
Jakupsson left the Faroe Islands when he was younger, living on the West Coast of the US and in Copenhagen during and after universitythe city where his love of high-quality, well-roasted beans began. Though globalization is swiftly closing the gap, trends in the islands tend to follow the Danish mainland by five to 15 years. Roaldur knew he could be on the forefront of the Faroe Islands coffee scene, well-established by the time the trend reached the islands. Starting up shop in a summer home, he began to roast.
The roaster is now located in a single-room storefront on a pedestrian-friendly street within the downtown area of Trshavn, the Islands capital. Its the fourth move for Brell, following time in an old factory space and a less ideal shop down the block. Its a small space, housing only a small storage area for green coffee, merchandise-adorned shelves and windows, and the 12-kilogram Probat roaster. A wall of the current roasts sits in the back, each enclosed in a glass display, each origin showcased.
Jakupsson sources coffee from green importer Nordic Approach, his goals familiar to those in Third Wave culture, but revolutionary to the Faroe Islands: display the merits of fresh, high-quality roasts while amplifying the range of tastes available through different origins. He rarely buys the same coffee twice, and roasts two or three times a week for a variety of five to eight types of coffee. Currently in rotation are coffees from Colombia, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, with flavor notes ranging from nuts to chocolate to light, bright fruits. Spreading the gospel of fresh coffee has been a slow, but successful process. Working alongside the largest restaurants, such as Barbara Fish House, in the area helps as well. However, Jakupsson felt it was time to take it a step further. As he describes, I want the aha! experience in coffee to alter peoples idea of what coffee is. It was time to introduce new methods of brewing and showcase what was possible when coffee was done right.
Steps away from the quaint House of Parliamenta building styled in traditional, unassuming Faroese architectureBrell Cafe sits at the edge of a plateaued hill. The front faces busy squares and streets with plenty of foot traffic. The back is directed toward the city, with the ocean and rolling highlands in the near distance. The right motif was important to create an inviting and cozy atmosphere. A combination of Danish, Nordic, and Faroese design is used, with plenty of color. When approaching from the doors, you are greeted by talented baristas and immaculate coffee equipment. But its just behind the counter where youre struck by a small and beautiful view of Trshavns surroundings.
The space is open and airy, with plants and large windows. Tradition in Faroe has dictated speed and a jolt of caffeine as the primary factors for drinking coffee. Solutions and paths from that mentality to one rooted in quality had to be created. So, while Brell indulges in Nuova Simonelli-fueled espresso drinks and syphons, he also lines up their French presses, ready to go as customers come in for black, filter-style coffees. A small detail, but proof that Jakupsson is focused on the convenience of his patrons as he says, I personally hate queues, so I strive to eliminate them in my cafe.
This focus stretches into the shops talent. For baristas and managers, Brell looked to those who had returned from Copenhagen; folks whod worked in fast-paced cafes, such as Starbucks or Baresso, and knew the trends of craft shops. Under Jakupssons guidance, the baristas then begin to educate inquisitive customers about coffee, utilizing analogies of fresh bread and fruit. Jakupsson describes the response: People are fascinated by the beauty of the syphon and thrilled about the thoroughness and care we take of the drip. Its a strategy that has broken down barriers in Faroe and paid off.
Talented baristas, a multitude of quality, fresh roasts alongside top-notch equipment has the cafeand the islandspoised well for the future. Jakupssons humbleness shone through as he discussed it, People know the brand Brell well enough today to trust the quality, so I might keep a solid position, even if competitors might show up in the long run. His roasts and his cafe have made an impressionable mark on these small isles in the North Atlantic.
On our last day, a friend wed met on the plane took us on a gorgeous, informative walking tour of the city. We stopped by the coffeehouse one more time. Discussions about coffee were happening at the bar, the queue moved fast, the couches were occupied, and our coffee was delectably light with notes of blackberry abounding. Great coffee had truly arrived in the Faroe Islands.
Adam Arcus (@aarcusphoto) is a journalist and photographer based in Chicago. Read more Adam Arcus on Sprudge.
KHARTOUM (Sputnik)The situation in South Sudan's capital Juba normalized after President Salva Kiir called for the immediate ceasefire, presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny told Sputnik on Tuesday.
"The situation in the capital Juba has become stable and peaceful, all troops returned to their barracks," Ateny said.
An armed ethnic conflict erupted in South Sudan in December 2013, 1.5 years after the nation gained independence from Sudan, when Kiir accused First Vice President Riek Machar of preparing a military coup. Over a million people have fled their home amid the conflict.
DUBAI (Sputnik) Fierce clashes between forces loyal to Kiir and those supporting Machar occurred in the South Sudanese capital of Juba on July 7, on the eve of Independence Day. The violence continued later in the week, claiming lives of hundreds. On Monday, the leaders of the rival parties ordered their forces to disengage.
At the meeting dedicated to the discussion of development of situation in South Sudan chaired by Sudanese Vice-President Sudan Hassabo Mohammed Abdul Rahman, State Minister of Foreign Affairs said that Sudan is preparing "for dealing with the expected influxes to Sudan by the big numbers of the citizens of the State of South Sudan," as cited by the Sudanese news agency SUNA.
Earlier on Tuesday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said it was concerned by the escalation of hostilities in South Sudan, adding that the crisis in this country had already displaced millions of people, both internally and outside the African nation.
UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) Fierce clashes between forces loyal to Kiir and those supporting Machar occurred in the South Sudanese capital of Juba on July 7, on the eve of Independence Day. The violence continued later in the week, claiming lives of hundreds. On Monday, the leaders of the rival parties ordered their forces to disengage and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon requested the UN Security Council to impose an immediate arms embargo on South Sudan in response to renewed clashes.
"We need a comprehensive assessment of the situation. I believe that the arms embargo is not a magic wand or the recipe to prevent the worst," Churkin told reporters after the session of the UN Security Council.
In addition to arms embargo on South Sudan, Ban requested to fortify the 12,000 peacekeeping mission.
MOSCOW (Sputnik Press-Office) The poll was conducted by French opinion and marketing research company Ifop and UK polling agency Populus for Sputnik News Agency and Radio.
When asked whether or not they agreed with the premise that immigration was taking jobs from locals residents almost a quarter (24 per cent) of UK residents were unable to answer. Meanwhile, respondents from France and Germany demonstrated better awareness of the issue with only 5% of French people and 6% of Germans choosing to answer "do not know".
In the UK, Populus conducted the poll from April 15 to April 21.
"She called the boy on the phone that night and said she would commit suicide if he did not come to kidnap her. Then the boy kidnapped her. Afterwards they got married according to the norms of the neighborhood," he said.
"When the case came to us, they were already married officially and they had three kids. Before the [new] law came into force, the boy would have been sentenced to a minimum eight years and four months [in prison]. Now it is 16 years and eight months. Do I find this fair? No I dont. But I am the implementer of the law."
Turkey has struggled to address widespread domestic violence and sexual assault of women by men. Last month, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the Turkish government discriminated against and violated the right to life of a woman killed by her husband in 2008.
The court issued a 65,000-euro fine to Ankara.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) He will attempt to circumvent the world under 13 days to beat US aviator Steve Fossett's record, who completed the only successful solo quest around the globe in a hot air balloon in 2002.
Official (@fedorkonyukhov) 11 2016 9:34 PDT
The 65-year-old Russian adventurer plans to cover 20,500 miles, flying from Australia over New Zealand to South America and South Africa before landing back in Australia, according to local broadcaster ABC.
#morton #mortonballoon # #aroundtheworld # Official (@fedorkonyukhov) 24 2016 10:36 PDT
He will cross three Oceans on the way.
. Burner tests. #mortonballoon #aroundtheworld #burnertest #fedorkonyukhov # #toyotahilux # Official (@fedorkonyukhov) 20 2016 3:03 PDT
Konyukhov will be travelling in a small gondola carried by his 170-feet helium balloon. His son Oscar Konyukhov and around 30 volunteers saw him off. Oscar told reporters the quest took two years to prepare. He said he would be tracking his father's whereabouts through a satellite tracker.
Principals from schools in the Norwegian city of Stavanger are scheduled to receive training this summer so that they can respond to serious incidents such as mass shootings at schools. All of the city's teachers will follow the program, which is set to begin after the summer vacation and include a number of classes and exercises, Norwegian national broadcaster NRK reported.
"We have been anticipating this issue on the agenda. Certain things are lacking at schools and we have been wondering what kind of routine procedures we need. It's important, because this [a mass shooting] is something that could happen at any time," Stein Endresen, outgoing principal at Kannik Secondary School in Stavanger, told NRK.
Earlier, school principals in Stavanger voiced concern that there was no emergency procedure in place to allow them to adequately respond to violent incidents such as school shootings.
In some institutions, the ban implies all kinds of kisses (on the forehead, cheek and hair), whereas others only banned kisses on the mouth. In some cases, kisses are allowed regardless of the spot, but only at the child's request, and never the educator's initiative.
"My impression is that the society's attention to the kissing rule only strengthened our conviction that a child should only be kissed by their mother, father and siblings, therefore our staff takes no initiative to kiss," Sanne Nielsen of the Rainbow kindergarten in Tnder told Danish newspaper Berlingske.
As the new anti-kissing law is steadily gaining ground in Denmark, a humanitarian organization Children's Welfare (Brns Vilkar) expressed strong criticism of the ban, saying that there is no harm in showing love and care by means of a kiss.
Police reported Tuesday that forensic tests have revealed traces of narcotics in the coffee consumed by workers at a Posti outlet in Savonlinna, southeastern Finland. Last week, five workers had to be hospitalized after experiencing a number of unsettling symptoms, such as loss of balance, blurred vision, dizziness, restlessness and muscle cramps, after drinking the coffee, Finnish national broadcaster Yle reported.
Following the incident, the coffee was sent for testing. The police confirmed that the narcotic had been identified, yet kept silent about exactly what substance had been found in the coffee.
"At some point we will of course tell, but because of the ongoing investigation we will not yet say," lead investigator and senior criminal officer Seppo Leinonen said.
NEW DELHI (Sputnik) Around 30 people lost their lives in violence after Indian security forces killed a commander of the regions largest militant group, Hizbul Mujahideen, last week.
The home minister was scheduled to visit the United States this Sunday for the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue in Washington, D.C.
Rajnath Singh attended a high-level meeting on the Kashmir crisis on Tuesday. The emergency talks were chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who returned from his four-nation Africa tour earlier today.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) A top Australian court in New South Wales convicted a man on Tuesday on charges of supporting engagement in Syrian hostilities , local media reported.
Hamdi Qudsi, a Sydney man of Palestinian descent, faces 10 years in jail after he recruited seven men to fight alongside Daesh, al-Qaeda and the Nusra Front, national broadcaster ABC said.
Qudsi was found guilty by a NSW Supreme Court jury on seven counts under the Commonwealth Foreign Incursions and Recruitment Act, the first convict to do so. The judge denied him bail.
NEW DELHI (Sputnik) Clashes broke out between protesters and security forces in the region after last week's killing of local militant leader Burhan Wani.
"There's blood everywhere" a volunteer at a hospital in Srinagar tells me, "it's like a war zone" #KashmirUnrest AssedBaig (@AssedBaig) 12 July 2016
Most of those killed were protesters, who took to the streets after the death of Burhan Wani, the young leader of the region's largest rebel militia, Hizbul Mujahideen.
Situation in Kashmir is getting bad to worse & I suggest that Govt should call all parties meeting. SHARAD YADAV (@SharadYadavMP) 12 July 2016
Wani was killed by Indian security forces in a shootout on Friday, according to AP.
NEW DELHI (Sputnik) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for peace and stability in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir facing continuing clashes since last week , Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh said Tuesday.
Clashes broke out between protesters and security forces in the region after last week's killing of local militant leader Burhan Wani. At least 31 people have been killed and a total of 1,365 injured.
"The prime minister has called for peace and stability. He also expressed hope that civilians wouldn't suffer inconvenience or harm," Singh told reporters after the cabinet meeting.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)In January 2013, the Philippines filed a suit against China, claiming that Beijing had violated the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) by its actions in the South China Sea. China refused to participate in the case. Earlier on Tuesday, the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that China has no legal basis to claim historic rights to South China Sea resources and violated the sovereign rights of the Philippines in the countrys exclusive economic zone.
"The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision as an important contribution to ongoing efforts in addressing disputes in the South China Sea. The decision upholds international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS. The Philippines reiterates its abiding commitment to efforts to pursue the peaceful resolution and management of disputes with a view to promoting and enhancing peace and stability in the region," Yasay said in a statement, published on the ministry's website.
The secretary added that Filipino experts were studying the decision and the related issues "with the care and thoroughness," and called on the concerned parties "to exercise restraint and sobriety."
"Clearly this is slap in China's face, but I think it is something that they have been preparing for. They knew that their claims were not going to be valid; they are not legitimate. They have based their claim to the South China Sea on historical facts and that is not valid in the International Court. This is a big win for the Philippines because clearly the verdict says that the Philippines' sovereignty has been violated; their basic fishing rights have been abrogated. There are several issues on which China has been found violating," Rajeswari Rajagopalan, a Senior Fellow with the Observer Research Foundation told Sputnik in an exclusive interview.
N N Jha, a former Indian Diplomat, told Sputnik that "The decision of the International Court has been significant but what remains to be seen is China's attitude. China is very possessive and aggressive about the South China Sea, so it would further aggravate the problem. Now the US and its allies, along with littoral countries will put pressure on China to abide by the decision of the International Court."
China is still adamant regarding its earlier stand and denounces the decision of the International Court. It said that it does not accept and does not recognize the Hague tribunal's judgment.
"Chinese military will resolutely protect the country's national sovereignty, security and maritime rights and interests and will address threats and challenges," said Yang Yujun, Spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense.
New Delhi (Sputnik)The Anti-terrorist Youth Front will work under the guidance of the Muslim Rashtriya Manch (Muslim National Forum), an affiliate of Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (National Volunteer Organization), a right-wing Indian Hindu youth group. According to sources, a formal announcement will be made in the first week of August this year.
Mohammad Afzal, President of the Muslim National Forum, says The anti-terrorist Youth Front will work mainly in Madrasas (Islamic schools)."
Afzal told Sputnik that the decision to form such a front was taken during the RSS national body conclave, which was held in April of this year. The meeting concluded that it had become necessary to check the growing influence of Daesh on India's vulnerable Muslim community a matter of great concern for the society and the country as a whole. Therefore, it was decided that young people from diverse educational and professional backgrounds be brought together to form a front, which would be named the Anti-Terrorist Youth Front.
Sputnik's correspondent obtained access to the Home Ministry document regarding the governments Kashmir strategy.
First of all, the government has decided to send adequate security forces in the valley so as to intimidate young people, in the hopes of dissuading them from pelting people with stones. Furthermore, it will help quell the violence immediately, before it has the chance to flare into a full-fledged conflict.
The government has decided to reach out to the opposition parties to heed their advice and India's central government will impress upon them that Kashmir crisis is a national problem which has to be dealt with unilaterally. By taking this step, the government hopes to get the full backing of all the political parties.
The government has also decided to reach out to the separatist leaders of Jammu and Kashmir and compel them to dissuade Kashmiri youths from engaging in street violence and pelting people with rocks.
The Indian government believes that there has been a lack of communication between the central leadership and the leaders of the various political parties of Jammu and Kashmir. So the government will initiate a political conversation among the different political party leaders, which will help it in the event of future unrest.
The central government will send religious leaders to pacify the rebellious teens in Kashmir. Furthermore, in the long term, these religious leaders will help guide the teens, who might otherwise fall prey to the ideologies of terrorist organizations. The national government has also asked its intelligence machinery to be more vigilant, since the state machinery of Pakistan has also been influencing the young Kashmiris.
The security forces have been asked to adopt a prudent approach to the use of force and not react instantly when dealing with hostile teens. Additionally, the central government will enlist the support of community elders to guide young people and change their mindset. It has been learned that due to the Pakistani propaganda, young Kashmiris consider security forces, state police and administrators to be their enemy. The government is keen to change this perception.
New Delhi is convinced that radicalization is the main reason for the growing unrest in the Kashmir valley, since radicalization has been on rise for the last year, fueling unrest among young people.
Now its time for the government to take the right long-term steps to tackle the Kashmir problem. Over the past year, Indias status has increased internationally, so it can take some tough and concrete measures, Lt Col (Rtd) Ashok Mehta told Sputnik.
The river's water remains severely polluted due to industrial runoff and human waste. Studies have revealed levels of bacterial contamination that are so high that the water is not fit for bathing in most areas, and certainly not potable. Gangajal is bottled at the Gangotri and Rishikesh streams, which feed the Ganga and are considered to have the purest water. The 200ml and 500ml bottles are priced at 15 and 22 Indian Rupees respectively (US $0.22 and US $0.33).
The new scheme was announced on Sunday by Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad and Union Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha in Siliguri, a city in the Indian state of West Bengal.
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This means that US troops no longer need to wait for Afghan government troops to request assistance before acting.
While Carters comment came on Tuesday, the new rules were put in place by the White House last month. While one military official claims the new authority has been used two dozen times so far, General Nicholson said it is being used "almost daily."
"I think all of the uses have been right in line with the intended purpose that the President gave us," Nicholson said.
The NATO-led combat mission in Afghanistan officially ended in 2014, and while Obama previously announced plans to withdraw as many as half of US soldiers in the country by years end, that decision has been scrapped. On Wednesday, the President said the Pentagon would keep 8,400 troops in Afghanistan through the end of Obamas term.
Tensions have been high in the waterway, through which roughly $5 trillion in international trade passes annually. Beijing has constructed artificial islands in the region that the US and its Pacific allies claim is an attempt to establish an air defense zone.
In response, the Pentagon has performed a number provocative patrols within the 12-mile territorial limits of the land reclamation projects and performed a number of military exercises with regional partners.
China maintains that it has every right to build within its own territory and maintains the islands will be used primarily for civilian purposes.
Responding to the Hagues decision, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said it does not accept the ruling as valid.
"With regard to the award rendered on 12 July 2016 by the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration established at the unilateral request of the Republic of the Philippinesthe Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Peoples Republic of China solemnly declares that the award is null and void and has no binding force.
"China neither accepts nor recognizes it."
"Dictatorship is much better than this corrupt government," he said. "The way General Raheel Sharif has dealt with terrorism and corruption, there is no way that the next man would be as effective as him."
The posters, which also popped up in army-run cantonment areas, have since been removed by the government.
There is little reason to suspect that the Pakistani government is at risk of destabilizing. Current Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will select the generals successor in the months to come, and the military has denied any affiliation with a coup campaign.
"There is the expectation that there is a blood-letting coming in the next few years, [and] some but not all planes will be dead. The irony is, they will probably be American planes," he added, referring the Super Hornet, the F-15, and the F-16.
Part of the reason is political. Many Middle Eastern countries have been forbidden from purchasing the fighter. Western adversaries have no interest in the aircraft, given that such an arrangement could pose problems if conflict were to break out.
But the overwhelming reason behind the F-35s lagging sales is its cost paired with its many technical flaws. With a price tag of nearly $100 million per plane, not including exorbitant maintenance costs, countries like Brazil are looking elsewhere.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) He added that another issue to be discussed is a possibility of resuming directs flights between Russia and Egypt, which were suspended after the crash of a Russian airliner in in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on October 31, 2015.
"The Egyptians offer Russia, as one of the closest partners, to participate in the development of the industrial areas close to the channel. This is a evidence of the level of trust which Egypt has towards us," Makhmutov told Izvestiya newspaper in an interview.
The Suez Canal is the fastest link between Asia and Europe and accounts for around 7% of global seaborne trade. It has long been a principle source of state revenue for Egypt.
BEIJING (Sputnik) The BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) will issue its first five-year "green bonds" valued at 3 billion yuan ($448.9 million) in China's interbank market on July 18, the bank said in a statement Tuesday.
"This is a significant milestone for the Bank and the Green Bond would help fulfill the sustainable development mission of the Bank. Furthermore, the NDB funding strategy will aim to ensure that the Bank contributes to the development of local capital markets in our member countries," NDB President K. V. Kamath said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The resumption of direct flights between Russia and Egypt may take place within six months, Russian State Duma lawmaker Sergei Gavrilov said Tuesday.
"I think regular flights will be resumed within half a year At least regular flights and then charters," Gavrilov said, following the meeting with speaker of the Egyptian parliament Ali Abdel Aal, currently paying an official visit to Moscow.
According to Gavrilov, the speaker of the Arab country's parliament said that Cairo had implemented 75 percent of the Russia-proposed recommendations on the safe stay of Russian tourists in Egypt.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said he discussed cooperation in the areas of space , nuclear power and aviation with China's Vice Premier Wang Yang.
"During a meeting with Chinese State Council's vice premier that lasted over three hours, we discussed cooperation in space, nuclear and aviation sectors, as well as other areas," Rogozin wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday.
Both officials are currently in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, where they are due to attend the third China-Russia Expo industrial exhibition. Over 280 enterprises from 10 Chinese provinces have sent applications to attend the event, including 150 from the Heilongjiang province, which borders Russia and takes up a large part of Russian-Chinese trade.
"Considering that Russia is the biggest country in the world, it's normal," Cardin said.
"Since I am very famous there, from a commercial point of view if I open production there, it will help to make important connections. That's the reason why I'm doing it."
Cardin said his company has maintained business in Russia for more than 40 years, and he feels a strong cultural affinity with the country.
"It is respect. I really love your country. This is a country with a very rich culture, and music. At the same time, this is a country that is worth getting to know, people don't know it well enough."
Cardin, who is also a theater producer, and UNESCO goodwill ambassador, said that art has an important role to play in diplomacy.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russia's Investigative Committee said Tuesday it had opened a criminal case against the leader of the Misanthropic Division organization, members of which have taken part in the Euromaidan protests and the war in East Ukraine.
"Members of the Ukrainian branch of this organization took part in the Euromaidan events, as well as in hostilities in eastern Ukraine. In addition to this, they are popularizing the Bandera ideology and Ukrainian radical nationalist armed groups [Right Sector, Azov]," Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin told reporters.
The organization's leader, Dmitry Pavlov, is accused of creating an extremist organization, calls to engage in terrorist activities, as well as Nazism rehabilitation. Pavlov is currently in hiding on the territory of Germany, according to the Investigative Committee.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Leaders of the 28 NATO nations agreed last week to deploy four multinational battalions to the countries bordering Russia on a rotational basis. Russia warned this would undermine security in the region.
"The decision of the blocs July 8-9 summit in Warsaw to increase military presence in the eastern flank and its consequences for European security will be the main topic on the agenda," Maria Zakharova said in a statement.
Russia is also going to discuss a Finnish plan on enhancing air security in the Baltic airspace, as well as assess risks that the US missile shield pose to strategic stability in Europe, she added. The peace process in Ukraine, Afghanistan and regional terror threats will also be raised.
May's installation as Conservative leader after the only other candidate, energy minister Andrea Leadsom, pulled out, put an end to what would have been nine weeks of campaigning, catapulting May into Downing Street with stunning speed.
She has attended Cameron's last cabinet meeting Tuesday (July 12) and will now begin talks with colleagues to start putting together her first cabinet, which should be in place by the end of the week. She will have her work cut out. Having herself campaigned albeit not very vigorously for Britain to remain in the EU, she now has to reunite her party, which is split over Europe.
She will clearly have to give senior positions to those that supported the successful Brexit campaigns, while also bringing in those who voted to remain, in an effort to head up a cabinet of unity. She must also reunite the country which voted 52 percent for Brexit and 48 percent for remaining.
EDINBURGH (Sputnik) A passenger plane of the US United Airlines UA929 flying from London to Chicago safely landed on Tuesday at the Edinburgh airport after declaring emergency over Scotland, a spokesperson for the Scottish police said.
"Police at Edinburgh Airport were working with other emergency services to assist with the landing of an aircraft which was experiencing difficultyThe plane landed safely around 9.45am," the spokesperson told reporters.
In May, Dijsselbloem said that the restrictive measures against Madrid and Lisbon were "absolutely a possibility." According to him, "when you look at the current situation in Portugal and Spain, there was a serious reason to look at sanctions."
Last week, Reuters quoted Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development chief Angel Gurria as urging the European Commission to forgo launching sanctions against Portugal and Spain.
If @EU_Commission recommends sanctions against Portugal and Council approves, the blow to Portuguese pro-European views will be immense Joao_D (@Joao_Bx) 27 2016 .
According to him, the sanctions were "the last thing we need" amid Europe's efforts to cope with Brexit and other challenges.
Earlier this month, European Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis recommended triggering Article 126(8) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to extend the deadline for the countries to "get back on a sustainable track."
#EU in technocratic implosion mode: according to Le Monde EC will recommend enforcement of 'symbolic' sanctions against #Portugal and #Spain rui borges (@homo_viator) 27 2016 .
The rule gives a 20-day window for the European Commission to propose a fine or a suspension of structural and investment funds.
Juan Aguilar, member of the European Parliament and former Spanish Justice Minister, said in turn that Madrid's willingness to meet the EU's requirements "will have devastating consequences" for the country, according to RIA Novosti.
Speaking to Aftenposten, Sven Biscop, the director of Belgium's Egmont Royal Institute for International Relations, explained the logic behind the idea of an EU-based military force. "I believe that the EU must develop the capability to carry out their own military operations from their own headquarters. Europe must be able to carry out operations without Americans." This, the analyst suggested, is virtually impossible today.
Naturally, Langenberg wrote, "NATO diplomats aren't exactly thrilled over the idea. Stoltenberg himself personally spoke out against the creation of [an EU] military headquarters and command structure."
"The important thing is to avoid duplication. NATO's command structures have been well tried and tested over the course of decades," the secretary general warned.
Sources within NATO, furthermore, believe that a European defense force would spread out scarce military resources even further.
"The last thing Europe needs right now is to alter its underlying security structures. In the worst case, this could lead to the re-nationalization of security policy and the weakening of NATO," an unnamed NATO official told Aftenposten.
The subject of pan-European security was discussed during dinner at the NATO Summit on Friday. According to Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, while the EU certainly has areas to focus on in terms of security policy, the focus should be concentrated on 'soft power', institutional construction and joint police work. "There is no sense in starting to create alternative command structures," she warned.
Exciting to be there to hear @TheresaMay2016 declared new Party leader. Challenges & opportunities ahead but she's the woman for the job. Jane Ellison MP (@JaneEllison) 11 July 2016
The UK's Home Secretary Theresa May, 59, will head HM's Government effective Wednesday, succeeding David Cameron and leading the nation through the muddy waters of Brexit into a new economic reality, allegedly based on a surplus in its international trade balance sheet, fiscal stimulus and the non-financial private sector incentive. The Conservative Party (also known as the New Tories) picked May over other claimants based on hers hardline approach to decision-making.
"She's strong, she's competent, she's more than able to provide the leadership our country will need in the years ahead," Cameron said in a statement.
Earlier this year, May favored the UK remaining in the EU, even though she has been described as significantly more conservative, isolationist and tougher on immigration than prominent "Out" campaigners, such as Boris Johnson.
Portrayed in the media as a right-wing, free market conservative, May has been described as an English rendition of Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany. Her personality was referred to as that of a "a bloody difficult woman" by Kenneth Clarke, one of the prominent figures in the New Tory camp.
Great to see a strong woman like @TheresaMay2016 leading the @Conservatives during this transformative time for Britain-JG Julia Gillard (@JuliaGillard) 12 July 2016
"Brexit means Brexit, and we're going to make a success of it," May said on national television on Monday. "We need a strong new positive vision for the future of the country, a vision that works not for the privileged few but for every one of us, because we're going to give people more control over their lives, and that's how together we will build a better Britain."
Boris Johnson endorsed the May candidacy for PM, having said that she "has the authority & the leadership necessary to unite the Conservative Party & the country."
3/3 Ive no doubt Theresa will make an excellent Prime Minister and I'm encouraged that she's made it clear that Brexit means Brexit. Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) 11 July 2016
Meanwhile, in the Ukip camp, which represents a wide variety of stiff right-wing pro-Brexit "little England" voters, May's appointment to the PM post stirred a fair amount of concern. She would be "the death of Brexit, by a thousand cuts" and abandon the results of the referendum, said millionaire businessman Arron Banks, one of Ukip's biggest donors.
'Together, we will build a better Britain' watch Theresa's speech after being chosen as @Conservatives leader: pic.twitter.com/MIUIqRVSoM Theresa May (@TheresaMay2016) 11 July 2016
After May's appointment, the UK's stocks rallied 1.4 percent on Monday, entering bull market territory as evidenced by FTSE 100 dynamics. The index is now up 21 percent compared to its February low. Investors are now seeing Brexit as an opportunity rather than a concern. May has already announced the government would abandon its planning to meet its budget surplus target by 2020, meaning greater budget spending aimed at spurring economic growth.
"The markets are likely to be more positive on Theresa May, as much for the greater political calm that her victory should engender," Donal Kinsella of London-based Henderson Global Investors said.
The collision took place between the towns of Andria and Corato at about 11:30 a.m. local time (09:30 GMT), the RaiNews TV channel reported.
Ambulance cars and fire vehicles arrived at the site.
Ricardo Zingaro, the head of the municipal department of Andria, arrived at the scene and said he feared there might be more dead.
The train's passenger cars literally crumpled into pieces; sheet of metal flew dozens of meters from the sides of the tracks. One of the trains had only two carriages which remained almost intact, local media wrote.
#Puglia, due treni regionali si sono scontrati a nord di #Bari causando almeno dieci morti e decine di feriti. pic.twitter.com/XxkRDYSETA 360 (@360Giornale) July 12, 2016
The area where the collision occured has a single track. There are no buildings nearby. About 200 trains pass on the line per day.
Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, in the beginning of his speech at the Museum of Science and Technology in Milan, has expressed his condolences to the families of the railway accident victims. After a brief greeting in the museum, the prime minister said he should immediately return to Rome to monitor the situation. Renzi also called for a speedy investigation of the tragedy.
BRUSSELS (Sputnik) The Council's decisions will trigger sanctions under the excessive deficit procedure. They are based on article 126(8) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the statement reads.
"On 12 July 2016, the Council found that Portugal and Spain had not taken effective action in response to its recommendations on measures to correct their excessive deficits. It confirmed that the two countries will not reduce their deficits below 3% of GDP, the EU's reference value for government deficits, by the recommended deadline. And in both cases, it found the fiscal effort to fall significantly short of what was recommended," the Council said in a statement.
Highlighting concerns over EU proposals for a refugee quota, Hungary has announced it will hold a referendum on the whether it will take part in any future refugee distribution plan.
#Hungary to hold referendum Oct 2 on #EU refugee quota policy.
Hungarians will basically vote on a policy that's doesn't exist in practice. Yannis Koutsomitis (@YanniKouts) July 5, 2016
While Hungary and Poland are among EU countries to have received proportionately fewer migrants than others, there was also concern about a link between refugees and terrorism in countries that have received high numbers of refugees, with 61 percent of Germans and 60 percent of Italians saying they had worries about the risk of terror attacks.
Meanwhile, in perhaps surprising statistics, only 46 percent of those surveyed in France a country that has experienced multiple jihadist attacks in recent years drew a link between increased numbers of refugees and incidents of terrorism.
'Refugee Crisis and Terrorism Very Much Related'
Reflecting on the results, Pew said "the refugee crisis and the threat of terrorism are very much related to one another in the minds of many Europeans," in seemingly a rejection of the European Commission's stance towards encouraging countries to accept refugees.
"The recent surge of refugees into Europe has featured prominently in the anti-immigrant rhetoric of right-wing parties across the continent and in the heated debate over the UK's decision to exit the European Union," the report stated.
The EU elites need a serious rethink of the EU. The Euro, refugee & terror crises have exposed the fundamental weaknesses of the EU. Zeeshan Shah (@zeeshan_shah_dc) June 24, 2016
On top of terrorism concerns, Europeans also highlighted worries associated with the economic impact of the increased influx of refugees, with a majority in seven of the ten countries surveyed describing the arrival of refugees as "a burden on our country because they take our jobs and social benefits."
Merkel Admits Refugee Crisis Used to Smuggle Terrorists'
The concerns over terror attacks in the wake of the refugee influx comes as German Chancellor Angela Merkel admitted that some terrorists entered Europe among the wave of migrants that entered the continent from Syria last year.
Speaking to supporters of her Christian Democratic Union Party (CDU) party, Merkel said that militant groups had used the refugee crisis to smuggle jihadists into Europe.
#Turkey #Ankara Merkel Stands by EU-Turkey Refugee Deal Amid Hail of Criticism David (@follownewsnow1) April 21, 2016
"In part, the refugee flow was even used to smuggle terrorists," she said.
The admission will give fuel to many of Merkel's critics who have strongly protested against the country's open-door refugee policy, which saw more than one million people enter the country in 2015.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Reviving the relations between Russia and the United Kingdom would serve the interests of both countries, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday.
"Of course, Russia has always been a supporter of maintaining and restoring friendly relations with the United Kingdom. We have very long traditions in our relations and believe that they are in this state of stupor quite unfairly and illogically. We believe that resuscitating these relationswould serve the interests of both Moscow and London," Peskov told reporters.
The majority of Brits voted on June 23 referendum to quit the European Union, despite London, Scotland, and Northern Ireland voting predominantly against.
The statement added that Ana Gomes, Pirkko Ruohonen-Lerner, Fabio de Masi and Eva Joly were elected as vice-chairs of the committee.
In April, the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung exposed the alleged involvement of the world's wealthy including a number of former and current leaders, in offshore schemes by publishing materials it claimed came from Mossack Fonseca, a Panama firm selling offshore companies.
Mossack Fonseca responded by refusing to validate the information contained in the leaks and accused reporters of gaining unauthorized access to its proprietary documents. It warned that using unlawfully-obtained data was a crime that it would not hesitate to punish by legal means.
Cameron failed for too long to see the importance of the rise of ant-EU party UKIP and support for Britain leaving the EU rising among Conservative grassroots. He even referred to them as "swivel-eyed loons", which caused anger among euroskeptiks within his own party.
Finally, he was forced to concede and announced ahead of the 2015 election that he would hold an In-Out referendum of Britain's membership of the EU by the end of 2017. In February 2016, Cameron attempted to renegotiate the UK's membership of the EU in an attempt to get a deal that would convince doubters to remain in a "reformed EU".
#VoteRemain today and secure a stronger future for our country. We're stronger, safer and better off in Europe. pic.twitter.com/x08rC0lAUW David Cameron (@David_Cameron) 23 June 2016
His plan failed. A major issue was in-work benefits for EU migrant workers. He got an agreement that these would be delayed for four years, but only on a sliding scale and then only with the permission of other states. An agreement on the UK not moving towards "ever closer union" was promoted as being significant, despite already having been previously agreed.
The "reforms" he won were hollow.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The ability of the United Kingdom to consider new trade agreements is significantly restricted, as the country is still part of the European Union and should act within its international obligations, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said Tuesday.
"Until we have served an Article 50 [of the Lisbon Treaty] notice, we remain a full participating member of the European Union and our ability, of course, to negotiate new trade agreements is restricted by the continued application of EU law, until we have negotiate the exit from the European Union," Hammond said.
The foreign secretary added that it was necessary to act carefully and to participate in preliminary discussions, ensuring that London acted within the framework of its international obligations.
Expressing frustration at the lack of pace at which some Gulf States had tried to crackdown on Daesh funding, the report highlighted that Saudi Arabia had waited until March 2015 to make it illegal for Saudi residents to provide support for Daesh.
While losing territory in #Iraq, #daesh has lost around 50% of its oil revenue, thanks to airstrikes & financial counter measures. #ISIS John Rendon (@JohnWRendon) May 14, 2016
Alternatively, the UK had designated Daesh as a terrorist organization as early as June 2014.
Questions Raised Over Royal Links
There has also been long held suspicions that figures close to ruling families in Gulf states had been donating money to Daesh.
Addressing these claims, UK Foreign Office Minister Tobias Ellwood said:
"It is very opaque, it has to be said. When somebody who is close to the top of a royal family is a very rich individual donor and chooses to do so, that is very likely to happen."
"The Saudi royal family is terrified that the jihadist fervor inflaming the region will catch fire at home & threaten its control" 1/2 Laura Rozen (@lrozen) July 11, 2016
Senior Foreign Office civil servant Dan Chugg added that it was often difficult to ascertain information on the finances of certain governments and royal families.
"It is difficult with some of these countries to know exactly what is Government funding and what is not when you are dealing with royal families, wealthy princes and those kind of things Our strategy was not to try to ascertain whose problem and whose fault it was, but to stop the funding going to Daesh. That was what was important. And that is what our efforts have been focused on."
Erdogan says "we must commit to defeating ISIS" & all along it has been Turkey that has been arming, supplying, and funding Daesh in Syria Doloroso (@Pynnha108) May 23, 2016
Chugg also addressed speculation that some countries in the region were turning "a blind eye" to the funding of the terror group.
"There were allegations that Gulf countries were turning a blind eye, at the very least, to what was happening allegations that Saudi, Qatar and Turkey were involved in funding Daesh in some ways I am not aware of hard evidence that those countries were funding Daesh, but there was a lot of speculation that those countries were not playing a terribly helpful role."
'UK Should Ask Hard Questions'
While acknowledging there was no evidence that any state in the Middle East was providing money to Daesh "as a matter of policy," the committee said "the UK should be able to ask hard questions" in trying to suffocate the group's revenue.
The report comes as a sharp rebuke to a number of Middle Eastern states in their efforts to defeat Daesh, while it also places more pressure on the UK to take stronger action and pressure Gulf allies into stronger action.
The UK government has been heavily criticized for failing to publicly condemn alleged human rights violations and breaches of international law committed by Saudi Arabia through its justice system and during the Saudi-led military offensive in Yemen.
Passengers using Southern Railway Services between London and the south coast have endured months of disruption and delay due to industrial action leading to staff shortages.
The rail network has subsequently implemented an emergency timetable, canceling 350 services. Passengers already cramming into full carriages are now expected to pile into even more tightly packed trains many paying US$5,200 dollars for the privilege the cost of an annual season ticket.
First day of new timetable and still shocking figures from #southernfail franchise removal should happen ASAP. pic.twitter.com/56FFcfXP62 Warren Pilkington (@zawtowers) July 12, 2016
Andy McDonald, Labour's minister for Transport also attended the protest in Victoria railway station and told the Standard that Southern was "failing in its duty to passengers."
"Clearly people are very angry about the service that has continued to deteriorate.," McDonald said, adding that passengers "have been pushed beyond tolerance levels."
Protest at Victoria station about the dreadful @SouthernRailUK lack of service #stripthefranchise pic.twitter.com/dvyLTP1S3v martinangus (@martinangus) July 11, 2016
'Unceasing Misery'
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has also waded into the row and called for the operator of Southern Rail, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), services to be stripped of the franchise. Khan says he is appalled at the "unceasing misery" passengers are suffering on their daily commute to work and has urged the Department for Transport to take temporary responsibility for the franchise, nicknamed "Southern Fail" rather than Southern Rail.
A Southern Rail spokesman apologized for the delays, blaming "unnecessary industrial action," by National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) members.
"We understand the strength of feeling amongst passengers, and their frustration at the poor service and increase in random cancellations since the dispute with the RMT began."
The day GTR introduced the amended timetable 15 percent of all services were canceled, many on the day and one in six trains ran late.
MADRID (Sputnik) Voting in the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of Spanish legislature, on the candidacy of Mariano Rajoy for prime minister is due to be held in late July-early August, the leader of the Spanish liberal Citizens party, Albert Rivera, said Tuesday.
"On July 19, the Congress of Deputies will meet for its first session, and then will consult with King Felipe VI. I think, in the last week of July the first week of August the vote on Rajoy candidacy will likely to take place," Rivera said at a press conference.
LONDON (Sputnik) London Mayor Sadiq Khan is expected to hold a meeting with EU ambassadors on Tuesday to reassure that Europeans living in the UK capital are always welcome here, the UK governmental press service said.
"Ive invited European Ambassadors based here in London to City Hall to send a crystal-clear message that all EU citizens living in London who make a huge contribution to our city are very welcome here Im calling on Theresa May to say very clearly now that she will guarantee that EU citizens who were living here before the referendum can remain," Khan is expected to say during the meeting, as quoted by the press service.
CHISINAU (Sputnik)According to Colintineanu, a girl tested positive for the disease shortly after returning from a trip to Caribbean island Martinique. She went to hospital only two days after arrival.
"Her case is a one-off incident and it is associated with traveling in the area with active transmission of the virus. We are not talking about the infection within the Romanian territory, but about the so-called case of delivery," Colintineanu said.
The current Zika outbreak originated in Brazil in the spring of 2015, spread across Latin America and gained much media attention as confirmations of first cases emerged in Europe and the United States.
The European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats (EPP) group in the European Parliament called for the special committee to be set up and has demanded registers of company owners.
Burkhard Balz, an EPP MEP, who is also the group's spokesman in Parliament's Special Tax Committee which was set up after the so-called LuxLeaks revelations, told Sputnik:
"The EPP Group wants the law firm Mossack Fonseca and the Panama government to testify in Parliament. We want to systematically end secrecy on who owns letter box companies.Nobody can explain why it should be a secret who owns a company. If somebody founds a company be it in Europe, Panama or elsewhere there must be no secrecy about it. A real entrepreneur is not ashamed of what he does," Balz said.
MADRID (Sputnik) The European Union will confine its penalty against Spain over its excessive budget deficits to ''zero sanctions," as the country's economy is performing well, acting Spanish Minister of Economy and Competitiveness Minister Luis de Guindos said Tuesday.
"Sanctions against Spain and Portugal will amount to zero, as they say It would be a paradox if sanctions were applied to a country that has the highest growth rate in Europe I said this at the meeting. I think that Spain will be treated appropriately. I don't think there will be a fine," de Guindos said during a press conference aired by the 24 Horas news channel.
Earlier on Tuesday, EU economic ministers recognized that Spain and Portugal had not acted in time to rein in their budget deficits to keep excess government spending below 3 percent of GDP in order to meet EU reference values. The Economic and Financial Affairs Council gave both countries 10 days to prove otherwise, with the final decision on fines and other sanctions due to be taken in 20 days. The fines may amount to as much as 0.2 percent of GDP, but may also be less.
BERLIN (Sputnik) In June, delegates from the lower house of the German parliament, Bundestag, were barred from visiting German soldiers stationed at the Incirlik airbase after they passed a resolution labelling the 1915 killings of Armenians by the then Ottoman Empire as genocide.
"Members of the German Bundestag must be allowed to visit our soldiers serving outside Germany. Weve held the first round of talks [with Ankara] and more will follow, well take it from there," Merkel told reporters at a press briefing in Berlin.
Bundestag speaker Norbert Lammert suggested in an interview with a national newspaper on Monday that Germany could withdraw troops from Turkey.
MOSCOW(Sputnik) German Die Linke party condemns the NATO decision to deploy four battalions on a rotational basis in Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia announced at the summit in Warsaw, the party's member of the German parliament Andrej Hunko told Sputnik on Tuesday.
"The Warsaw summit decisions are the continuation of the escalation we witnessed in the last two years. DIE LINKE rejects the plans to raise expenditure for armament and condemns the deployment of NATO troops to Eastern Europe," Hunko said.
Last week, Bundestag rejected a Die Linke resolution calling to replace NATO with a system of collective security, which would include Russia. German lawmakers also rejected two more initiatives of the party concerning withdrawing German troops from the Turkish Incirlik military base and giving up the idea of stationing German troops in Lithuania, according to the Bundestag website.
The agreement has been under negotiation for months ever since the because the European Court of Justice ruled in October 2015 that the previous EU-US data agreement Safe Harbor was invalid. The issue arises from the strict EU laws enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union to the privacy of their personal data.
#PrivacyShield allows companies to "self-certify". Great news everyone! It's a certified data company! pic.twitter.com/3gOByRgVmH Hacker Fantastic (@hackerfantastic) 12 July 2016
Facebook Lawsuit
The Safe Harbor agreement was a quasi-judicial understanding that the US undertook to agree that it would ensure that EU citizens' data on US servers would be held and protected under the same restrictions as it would be under EU law and directives. The data covers a huge array of information from Internet and communications usage, to sales transactions, import and exports.
The case arose when Maximillian Schrems, a Facebook user, lodged a complaint with the Irish Data Protection Commissioner, arguing that in the light of the revelations by ex-CIA contractor Edward Snowden of mass surveillance by the US National Security Agency (NSA) the transfer of data from Facebook's Irish subsidiary onto the company's servers in the US does not provide sufficient protection of his personal data.
The court ruled that: "the Safe Harbor Decision denies the national supervisory authorities their powers where a person calls into question whether the decision is compatible with the protection of the privacy and of the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals."
Launching Privacy Shiled, Vera Jourova, European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality said the deal promised:
"Strong data protection obligations that we be more robustly enforced by US authorities. Secondly, reassurance from the US Government that any access to personal data for law enforcement or national security purposes is limited to what is necessary and proportionate, building on the important intelligence reforms by President Obama. Thirdly, easier redress possibilities for European in case of complaints about how their data is handled."
However, Monique Goyens told Sputnik: "The Commission should have listened more to data protection bodies and privacy advocates rather than giving in to political and commercial pressure from the tech industry and the US government. Sadly, commercial motivations seem to have outweighed citizens' right to privacy."
MOSCOW (Sputnik)Following the revision by Norway's Directorate of Immigration (UDI) of the number of refugees that may come to the country this year down to a third from previously estimated 33,000 people, this week several Norwegian political parties suggested also reviewing the use of money for migrants-related purposes left unused.
"The Government's budgetary prioritizations, including those pertaining to international aid and refugees, are included in the annual Budget Proposals. The Budget Proposal for fiscal 2017 is due to be submitted before the Storting [parliament] in October," the spokeswoman said.
Last summer, when Norway faced a peak in migrant numbers, UDI forecast another 33,000 asylum seekers in 2016 in addition to over 31,000 that came in 2015. Thus the government allocated 9.5 billion krones (about $1.12 billion) to deal with the influx, with a little less than a half from this sum being derived from the international aid budget.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) UK incoming Prime Minister Theresa May has failed to reach targets on immigration and curb crime and terrorism during her time as home secretary, the British Democratic Party told Sputnik on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, May, known for her tough stance on immigration, is set to become the United Kingdoms next prime minister, following David Camerons official resignation, after being home secretary for the past six years.
"Mrs. May was a disastrous failure as Home Secretary, presiding over near record immigration, including the return into the UK of ISIS [Islamic State] terrorists," the far-right UK party stated.
According to CAAT, Saudi forces have used UK-made weapons and military vehicles to commit human rights abuses. In its review, the High Court will have to ascertain if UK arms sales to Riyadh should be considered as a breach of British and European arms export laws.
"We are calling for an end to arm sales to Saudi Arabia based on extensive evidence that UK weapons are being used to violate international humanitarian law by Saudi Arabia in Yemen," Smith told Sputnik.
At the main doors of science museum, which is trying to host an arms trade dinner tonight pic.twitter.com/XjZxFAf5Rn CAAT (@CAATuk) July 11, 2016
"In fact, Human Rights Watch managed to link specific British weapons to specific attacks on civilian targets in Yemen. It's clear that as long as the UK is arming Saudi Arabia, it is not only providing military support, but also political support to what is a humanitarian catastrophe."
As the UK is still reeling after the shocking result of the EU referendum, and Theresa May is set to take over Downing Street on Wednesday (July 13), CAAT expressed little hope that the new Prime Minister could change the UK's policy towards the Saudi regime.
If anything, May could be even less sensitive to the topic of human rights violation than his outgoing predecessor David Cameron: as Home Secretary, she has repeatedly proposed that the UK leave the European Convention on Human Rights.
LONDON (Sputnik) Incumbent UK Labour Party's leader Jeremy Corbyn will be automatically nominated for the post in Labour's fresh leadership contest, the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) announced on Tuesday.
"The NEC has agreed that as the incumbent leader Jeremy Corbyn will go forward onto the ballot without requiring nominations from the Parliamentary Labour Party and the European Parliamentary Labour Party All other Leadership candidates will require nominations from 20 percent of the PLP [Parliamentary Labour Party] and EPLP [European Parliamentary Labour Party]," a party spokesman said in a statement.
He was echoed by Vice-president of Association of Petrobras Engineers Fernando Siqueira who told Sputnik that the issue pertains to the development model Brazil is due to choose. According to him, there will be no alternative to mineral resources in the next thirty years.
"On our coast we have a treasure the whole world eagerly looks upon. By voting against Petrobras' monopoly in developing the pre-salt layer, they can take away from Brazil the ability to use these resources in the name of the country's development," he said.
Brazilian MP Jose Carlos Alleluia, for his part, told Sputnik that the bill would give Petrobras time to recover from the financial crisis and the aftermath of its corruption scandal. According to him, Petrobras desperately needs more money to deal with investments.
"We should do our best to help Petrobras ride out of the current crisis because the situation is critical. Under the new bill, the company will preserve preferences, but it will not take part in mandatory investments if it does not want to," he said.
In May, Bloomberg reported that Brazils state-controlled Petrobras oil company had a net loss of 360 million dollars in the first quarter of 2016 and its sales fell 5 percent from a year ago, Bloomberg reports.
"In the most recent catalogue of Colombian plants, almost 3,600 orchid species representing nearly 250 genera are included," said Dr. Kolanowska, the author of a study published in the botanical journal PhytoKeys . "However, there is no doubt that hundreds of species occurring in this country remain undiscovered. In 2015 alone, over 20 new orchids were published based on material collected in Colombia."
With its only known habitat restricted to a single population in the Colombian forest, the diabolical orchid was immediately assigned as a Critically Endangered species in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. According to the scientists, the possibility of the species' extinction is quite high, as the Colombian government is building a new road in this area.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Garcia Padilla called the legislation to restructure more than $70 billion in debts owed by Puerto Rico a mixed bag. On one hand, it protects the island from aggressive debt-collection efforts that could force a shutdown of programs such as hospitals, ambulance services and schools, he said.
However, the legislation also reverses the territorial status granted to Puerto Rico in 1953, which ended the islands status as a US colony by establishing an elected government, Garcia Padilla explained.
"The bad side of Promisa messes with that," the governor said, using the name of an appointed board that will effectively take over the islands taxing, spending and budgeting from elected officials. "So the United States needs re-enter the dialogue with the people of Puerto Rico so that we can achieve again the autonomy level that allows us not be a colony."
MOSCOW (Sputnik) P5+1 countries and Iran will hold a meeting in Vienna on July 20 to settle the technical issues of the establishment of the committee on fuel manufacturing in the Islamic Republic, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said.
"Two weeks ago in Vienna, we have held the first expert meeting on the subject. We agreed to present the preparations for the beginning of the work of this committee and to approve the work plan for the committee at the next meeting of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA] commission, which will be held on July 20," Araghchi told Sima 2 TV channel in an interview.
He did not specify the precise tasks of the committee.
BAKU (Sputnik) Russia is concerned that UN's Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura is shying away from his responsibilities by avoiding to convene a new round of intra-Syrian talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday.
"We are concerned that the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura has been shying away from his duties recently, not calling another round of intra-Syrian talks, and starting to make public statements on the need for Russia and the United States to agree on how to proceed with the political settlement in Syria, and then the UN will convene a new round of intra-Syrian talks. This is the wrong approach. Replacing the intra-Syrian dialogue with a Russia-US duet is impossible and I believe this is a very harmful signal that is being sent to the irreconcilable opposition in the so-called High Negotiations Committee, which just keeps voicing ultimatums on [Syrian President Bashar] Assad's resignation and some sort of deadlines. This is not helping the case," the minister underlined.
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to President Bashar Assad fighting a number of opposition factions and extremists. A Russia-US-brokered ceasefire came into effect in Syria in February. Extremist groups operating in the country are not part of the cessation of hostilities.
Near the front lines of northern Iraq, there are a number of volunteer brigades comprised of locals who have taken on the bold task of defending their villages from Daesh. They are located west of the city of Mosul, the self-proclaimed Islamic caliphate's largest stronghold in the country.
One of the villages, Wadi Shlo, is being defended by an atypical battalion an all-female Yazidi group. The Yazidis are ethnically Kurdish and native to the region; they practice their own monotheistic religion.
Faced with the prospect of living as slaves under Islamic fundamentalist tyranny, these ladies chose instead to put on military uniforms, take up arms and look bravely into the frightening eyes of the terrorist threat.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)President of the so-called National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces, Anas Abdah, called on Tuesday for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, which would consider the future of the Security Council resolutions on Syria.
"The Security Council has to hold an emergency meeting, which will examine the future of its resolutions on Syria and why they remain not applied, who violated them, and who rejected," Abdah said at a press conference in Istanbul.
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups.
DUBAI (Sputnik) Yemen's Houthi rebels intend to return to the intra-Yemeni talks in Kuwait, Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam said Tuesday.
Talks between the Yemeni government and Houthis brokered by the United Nations have been held in Kuwait since April 21 but have brought no results so far.
"We confirm our adherence to the agreements struck during the first round of talks with the UN special envoy and to the deadline for the next round of talks in Kuwait without preliminary conditions for reaching full-scale decisions," Abdul Salam was quoted as saying by the Kuwaiti newspaper Al Rai.
Iranian archeologists have managed to unearth a number of stone tools from the Middle Paleolithic era on Qeshm, an Iranian island in the Persian Gulf.
In an interview with Iran's Mehr News Agency, Seyyed Morteza Rahmati of Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicraft and Tourism Organization said that the artifacts uncovered by archeologists date back to between 40,000 and 200,000 years ago.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The US-led coalition against the Islamic State (ISIL, or Daesh) conducted 23 airstrikes against the terror groups positions in Syria and Iraq on Monday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a press release.
"In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 16 strikes using bomber, attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL [Islamic State] targets," the release stated Tuesday. "Additionally in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted seven strikes coordinated with an in support of the Government of Iraq."
The 16 airstrikes in Syria hit positions near Raqqah and Manbij, destroying tactical units, fighting positions, a bridge and a wellhead, according to the Central Command.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)According to the Fars News agency, citing its own sources, aerial attacks were registered in several provinces across the country, in particular, in the Marib, Hajjah, Amran and Sanaa provinces.
The Saudi forces reportedly attacked Yemeni army and popular forces' positions, damaging civilian infrastructure, residential buildings, as well as killing a number of civilians.
In some regions, the Saudi forces failed to attack Yemeni military as they were pushed back, and scores of Saudi servicemen were killed and wounded in a counteroffensive, the agency reported, stressing that the Saudi-led forces suffered losses in weapons and ammunition depots.
Hamas, an Islamist political and militant group, seeks to create an independent state of Palestine and wants Israel to withdraw from the Palestinian territories it occupied after the 1967 war. Hamas currently governs the Gaza Strip independently of the Palestinian Authority.
The group of Italian politicians is from a party called Movimento 5 Stelle (the Five Star movement). They said they had wanted to visit the Palestinian territory in order to see for themselves the living conditions of residents there, and the results of Italian development aid.
"Today the Israeli government denied (us) permission to enter the Gaza Strip. In fact, it has denied entry to anybody since Operation Protective Edge in July 2014," Manlio Di Stefano, a Five Star deputy in the Italian parliament, wrote on his Facebook page.
The July 2014 Gaza-Israel conflict erupted after three Israeli teenagers were killed by Hamas members when they were hitchhiking near Hebron in the West Bank. Israel's response left over 2,000 Gazans dead; four Jewish Israeli civilians died.
"I sincerely believe it unacceptable that a delegation of Italian deputies, led by the Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies (Luigi Di Maio), doesn't have permission to visit a non-governmental project that is paid for with money from Italian citizens," Di Stefano wrote.
Italian senator Ornella Bertorotta, also a member of the Five Star delegation, told Sputnik Italian that the decision to bar their access is a "mistake by the Israeli government."
"Currently no clashes are being reported in the Gaza Strip, at least according to the information we have. There is probably no particular threat to our safety, at least not the kind which would prevent us from visiting the area," Bertorotta said.
After the refusal, the politicians said that the group would be visiting Italian-supported projects in the West Bank, for example the Rubber-Tire School, a school for Bedouin children made from tires to give it insulation from the summer heat and cold of winter.
During their five-day visit to Israel, the Five Star delegation also met with Arab Israeli community representatives and Knesset politicians in a bid to foster a dialogue between Israel and Palestine.
A current resident of the city of Mosul told Sputnik that Daesh (ISIL/ISIS) terrorists are now threatening pharmacy owners with reprisals if they find any contraceptives or any medication which can be used to cause miscarriage for sale in their stores.
With such a ban, Daesh militants want to prevent any attempts of the women they rape to get rid of their children. Thus the terrorists could reproduce massively with a long-term perspective for their own future generation, he told Sputnik.
According to the man, it is for future reproduction the terrorists bring foreign girls to Iraq, to father more children and have numerous younger generations at their disposal.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The additional 560 US forces being sent to Iraq will remain hidden from public view given that much of the population blames foreign and especially US military intervention for creating and strengthening the terrorist group, the private intelligence firm Soufan Group said in a report on Tuesday.
"The presence of foreign troops is an understandably combustible issue for Iraq; the scars of past battles are, for many Iraqis, equal to current battles against the Islamic State," the report stated.
There is a sizable percentage of Iraqis, the report noted, who believe "the US and other foreign powers are in some way supporting the Islamic State as a disruptive wedge against a stable Iraq."
Asked why the group chose Hamas, rather than some other group such as Daesh (ISIS), which is universally recognized as a terrorist organization, Darshan-Leitner explained that it comes down to the fact that Facebook as well as Twitter have both actively engaged in fighting ISIS.
Unfortunately, according to the lawyer, "neither of these companies is doing anything against Hamas. Hamas for some reason is totally ignored; you complain, you bring it up [before the companies], and they simply don't care. This is why we concentrated on Hamas."
Ultimately, Darshan-Leitner suggested, the lawsuit organizers' chief concern is that "Facebook connects those who cause murders, those who incite to kill Jews, those who have knowledge on how to kill and teach on Facebook how to carry out stabbing attacks against Israelis, to those who potentially want to do it; those who are dreaming to go out and stab Jews. They make the connection. They basically recruit people that without the instructions or without the incitement may have not gone out and carried out the attacks."
Earlier this year, the de facto Kurdish administration of northern Syria declared the establishment of a federal system the Federation of Northern Syria-Rojava. Speaking to Sputnik Turkey, Constituent Assembly co-chair Hediye Yusuf emphasized that while the region's administrators seek autonomy, they do not seek the country's destruction.
"We believe that a federal system is ideal form of governance for Syria," the official said. "We see that in many parts of the world, a federal framework enables people to live peacefully and freely within [inter]territorial borders in the country. The people of Syria can also live freely in Syria. We will not allow for Syria to be divided; all we want is the democratization of Syria; its citizens must live in peace, and enjoy and cherish the ethnic diversity of the national groups inhabiting the country."
UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) Russia is set to continue providing Syria with assistance in the anti-terrorism fight, Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said Tuesday.
"For our part, we are going to continue providing the Syrian government with assistance in fighting terrorist groups, led by the Islamic State and the Nusra Front. Undoubtedly, there should be neither delays nor concessions in this struggle," Churkin said at the session of the UN Security Council.
He noted that there were significant problems in the area of fighting terrorism in Syria, with extremists continuing to move through national borders, getting weapons and money as well as having access to chemical warfare agents.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)President Barack Obama pledged last year that the United States would accept at least 10,000 Syrian refugees by the end of fiscal year 2016.
"The Obama administration has made progress in addressing some of the backlogs and delays that have hampered its ability to resettle refugees, but with three months left in the fiscal year, it is still far from meeting its goal of resettling at least ten thousand Syrian refugees this fiscal year," Human Rights Firsts Refugee Protection Program Director Eleanor Acer stated.
US officials have cited backlogs and staffing gaps as hindrances to resettlement, but the Obama administration has also faced resistance from Republican lawmakers over the security vetting process and possible impact of resettlement on US national security.
French President Francois Hollande has protested that Russia should be seen as a partner rather than a threat while German and French Foreign Ministers Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Jean-Marc Ayrault have irritated the United States by calling on the European Union to develop its own military resources,Lazare said.
If Steinmeier and Ayrault's proposals come to pass, the effect would be to shift power away from the union's eastern flank, which is why Poland and the Baltic states are so anxious to shore up military ties with the United States, Lazare explained.
The Patriot missile deployments in Romania and Poland were clearly aimed at Russia and constituted a serious provocation to Moscow, Lazare warned.
NATO's claim that its new forward-based missile-defense system in Romania and elsewhere is aimed not at Russia but at Iran and Syria is laughable, Lazare added.
The decision in Warsaw to invite the unstable former Soviet republic of Georgia to join NATO was even more ominous, Lazare cautioned.
The invitation that NATO foreign ministers extended to Georgia to join the alliance on Saturday meanwhile couldn't be more dangerous, Lazare claimed.
Lazare recalled that the invitation came just eight years after then-Georgia President Mikheil Saakashvili now mayor of Odessa in US-backed Ukraine launched an ill-planned and unsuccessful bid to reconquer the breakaway province of South Ossetia at the urging of US neoconservatives.
Independent Institute Center on Peace and Liberty Director Ivan Eland told Sputnik that the Warsaw summit would encourage militarism and reckless policies in its member-states.
NATO's surge of activities is the greatest since the Cold War ended and is in response to [Russias] annexation of Crimea and destabilization of eastern Ukraine. But one could argue these two events were caused by NATO's relentless expansion west to the borders of Russia, Eland explained.
Tensions across Europe had also been stirred up by then-US President George W. Bush informal pledge to bring Georgia and Ukraine into NATO and US attempts to foster unrest in the then pro-Russian Ukraine, Eland recollected.
On Sunday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said NATO continues to ignore security risks posed by the forced deployment of its missile defense systems in Europe. She also said that Moscow expects explanations from NATO on the Alliance's decision to bolster its eastern flank at the upcoming meeting of NATO-Russia Council.
"I think the president is genuinely committed to the cause of nuclear arms control, but obviously world events have made progress pretty difficult," Kearn added.
Discussions of the US nuclear deterrent have been placed on the back burner, Kearn explained, but there are some huge decisions coming considering that all three legs of the nuclear triad are in need of recapitalization.
"Given the expected costs and commitments of scarce resources, it probably is a very good time for thinking about the requirements for robust nuclear deterrent, but the nature of the international environment is such that any dramatic changes from the current status quo are highly unlikely," Kearn said.
Woodrow Wilson Center scholar Michael Kofman told Sputnik it was unlikely that talks over extending the New START treaty would happen during the Obama administration.
"I don't think its a plausible scenario," Kofman stated. "Russia will no doubt seek to discuss its extension with the next administration."
On Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia is unaware of reported US plans to offer Russia a five-year extension of the New START treaty.
A US Department of State official told Sputnik on Monday that the United States will continue pursuing options to further bolster the global nuclear non-proliferation regime.
"Surely, the politicians and military personnel in Washington must realize that they are playing nuclear chicken with Russia," Caldicott, founding president of Physicians for Social Responsibility, the co-winner of the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize noted.
The two-day NATO summit on Friday and Saturday approved the deployment of four battalions on Russian borders, including the dispatch of 1,000 US troops to Poland, and rubber-stamped the deployment of Patriot anti-missile batteries and radars in Poland and Romania.
Moreover, the summit also invited the former Soviet republic of Georgia to join the military alliance.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) In 2010, India began a 10-year lease of the nuclear-powered attack Akula-class submarine Nerpa. After joining India's Navy, the submarine was renamed to INS Chakra.
"India agreed to lease a project 971 submarine which will be withdrawn from the Russian Navy," the source told Kommersant newspaper.
Akula-class submarines feature very low acoustic signatures and can carry up to 12 submarine-launched cruise missiles with nuclear warheads and a range of 3,000 kilometers (1,860 miles) in addition to anti-ship missiles and torpedoes.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Farnborough International Airshow will run in Hampshire, England from Monday through Sunday. It is expected to draw thousands of trade visitors. In 2014, it brought $204 billion worth of confirmed orders.
"The Mi-38 multirole helicopter showcased by the [Russian Helicopters] holding at Farnborough Airshow attracted considerable interest of foreign contractors from several countries," the companys statement read.
The Russian helicopter-maker plans to build the passenger and "offshore" versions of the Mi-38 helicopter to widen the range of missions it can be deployed in. The chopper can be used for search-and-rescue operations and serve as a flying hospital.
Sweden's Competition Authority recently reproached the Swedish Maritime Administration for its acquisition of seven new rescue helicopters; the deal apparently violated the country's anti-trust laws, Swedish national broadcaster SVT reported.
The Competition Authority's report pointed the finger at the Maritime Administration for breach of transparency and favoritism. The Maritime Administration was also blamed for lacking documentation, and for its preferential treatment of suppliers.
"There are really no meeting notes on all of these meetings [which were] held, which hampers our investigation as we try to objectively clarify what has happened. It's very difficult," Competition Authority Director General Dan Sjoblom told SVT.
The massive aircraft carrier design envisions transporting up to 90 aircraft, including MiG-29 and T-50 (PAK FA) fighter aircraft, early warning aircraft, and Ka-27 helicopters. Designed with two landing strips, the 330 meters-long carrier would enable planes to take off and land almost without interruption. Capable of serving in frigid temperatures, the prospective carrier's hull design also allows for a significant reduction in water resistance.
For air defense, the prospective carrier is expected to be equipped with Russia's next generation air defense system, the S-500 surface-to-air missile system, currently being developed by the Almaz-Antey Air Defense Concern.
: http://t.co/4oC0xRyW7J pic.twitter.com/6wJv87wSVV (@Science_Russia) July 7, 2015
The Krylov Center presented its latest designs: the aircraft carrier 'Shtorm' and the destroyer 'Shkval'.
Speaking to Defense News, the unnamed senior Naval official described the carrier, pointing out that it is "designed to conduct operations in remote and oceanic areas, engage land-based and sea-borne enemy targets, ensure the operational stability of naval forces, protect landing troops, and provide anti-aircraft defense."
India, Raghuvanshi wrote, currently "plans to build its second homegrown aircraft carrier, [the] INS Vishal, which will be nuclear-powered, 300 meters long, 70 meters wide and displace 65,000 tons."
NEW DELHI(Sputnik) Highly placed sources in India's Defense Ministry have confirmed that France has been exerting undue pressure on India to seal the Rafale fighter aircraft deal without finalizing the mandatory offset contracts. The offset clause of India's Defense Procurement Policy (DPP) mandates that foreign vendors spend a portion of the deal's amount on projects within India.
France has proposed that it would assist India in reviving the unsuccessful Kaveri gas turbine jet engine project and a host of other projects including the manufacturing of fighter jet components, but it would take a final call only after the contract for the procurement of Rafale jets is formally signed.
Expert has view that India's revised Defense Procurement Policy (DPP) has no room for such an arrangement.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower strike group has moved from the Eastern Mediterranean to the edge of the Arabian Peninsula, where it will continue supporting efforts to defeat Daesh terrorist group, the US Navy said in a press release on Tuesday.
"The strike group will conduct maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Inherent Resolve," the campaign to defeat the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, the release explained.
Repositioning of the Eisenhower strike group was the first under a new US fleet response plan that is intended to meet military needs in a region that also includes Yemen and Somalia.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The deal between Canada and Saudi Arabia on supplies of Light Armored Vehicles (LAV) was prepared and signed in 2013-2014 fiscal year. It is worth some $15 billion and is said to be the largest arms contract in Canada's history . Last year, the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) brokered a deal for LAVs to be manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) based in the United States to be purchased by Saudi Arabia.
"GDLS-C requires the use of a suitable Canadian Forces Base [as well as] support, staff coordination, administrative and logistics assistance," a memo prepared for Minister of International Trade Chrystia Freeland and obtained by VICE News reads.
According to the documents obtained by the broadcaster, the test-drive is being carried out using Canadian Forces facilities, while the Department of National Defence only allows for the use of its bases for non-disturbing activities.
MOSCOW, (Sputnik) The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Monday that US State Secretary John Kerry will visit Moscow on July 14-15.
We expect @JohnKerry's visit to Russia will facilitate the improvement of atmosphere for Russian-US relations pic.twitter.com/eLiRHrwLIs MFA Russia (@mfa_russia) 11 July 2016
"We are hoping that the visit of US Secretary of State John Kerry to Russia the fourth since may 2015 will help improve the atmosphere of Russia-US relations, whose quality significantly influences global stability and ways to resolve a wide range of global problems," the ministry said in a statement.
"The United States is happy that the British be their lapdog (as one used to say) and does not have to listen to their advice, but the lapdog is not necessarily happy with that status. Beware of the lapdog!" he warned.
Bricmont interpreted the publication of the Chilcot report as an effort to minimize the harm US policies in Iraq had and their consequences had done to Washingtons standing with the UK public.
"I see the Chilcot report as an attempt by the British ruling circles to do some sort of damage control: given that the invasion ended up in disaster, increased terrorism exposed the warmongering role of the media, and deeply divided British society," he explained.
Institute for Public Accuracy Communications Director Sam Husseini noted that for all its criticisms of UK decision-making, the Chilcot report failed to address some major and embarrassing revelations.
"The report contains stark gaps. Particularly glaring is that there is no mention of Katharine Gun in the 2.6 million-word report. She exposed US and UK spying against United Nations Security Council members prior to the invasion," Husseini noted.
Before the 2003 Iraq invasion, Gun, who worked at the General Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) the UK equivalent of the US National Security Agency (NSA) exposed a damning NSA memo discussing how to influence the UN Security Council to approve war goals, he said.
"While President Bush was claiming during the buildup to the invasion that we are doing everything we can to avoid war in Iraq, in fact, the US government was going to great lengths to ensure war," Husseini pointed out.
The Chilcot report also failed to address the implications of the memo leaked by Gun, he noted.
BAKU (Sputnik) The normalization of relations between Russia and Turkey will help in the search for solutions to the Syrian crisis, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday.
"All this will have a positive impact on the overall situation in the region and, importantly, I hope it will help us to search more efficiently for joint approaches to the settlement of the Syrian crisis," Lavrov told reporters.
The November 24 airstrike at the Russian Su-24 plane prompted Russia to impose trade restrictions on Turkey. Last month, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan apologized for the air incident, in a letter to Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration's decision on the South China Sea is "null and void" and Beijing does not accept or acknowledge it, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
"With regard to the award rendered on 12 July 2016 by the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration established at the unilateral request of the Republic of the Philippinesthe Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China solemnly declares that the award is null and void and has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it," the ministry said in a statement.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that China has no legal basis to claim historic rights to South China Sea resources.
According to the expert, the mistrust between Moscow and London that has lasted for more than a decade is of a "systemic nature."
Bordachev believes that a "thaw" between the UK and Russia may occur if either Moscow refuses to pursue its geopolitical goals and recognizes the West's leadership or London reconciles itself with the reality that the West is no longer the sole center of power on the world arena.
However, the media outlet suggests that Theresa May is not interested in further inflaming tensions with Moscow.
It refers to the fact that in January 2016, the politician played down the scandal triggered by the controversial report denouncing the Kremlin for allegedly "killing" Alexander Litvinenko, a former officer of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), in London.
Indeed, following the report's publication, Home Secretary Theresa May called attention to the fact that there was a "wider national security interest in retaining a guarded engagement with Russia, including working with Moscow to bring about a peace settlement with Syria," according to the Guardian.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Riyadh-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) hopes that Russia and the United States will take steps to reiterate commitment to the UN resolution on ceasefire in Syria in order to push forward the peace process before the start of the next round of talks, HNC adviser Yahya Aridi told Sputnik on Tuesday.
On Monday, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura met with Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni and HNC General Coordinator Riyad Hijab. After meeting with the envoy, Gentiloni said the renewal of intra-Syrian talks would be more possible if the United States, Russia and other members of the international community make steps forward.
"They can, and we expect them to do so. They can re-state commitment to the UN resolution that they passed, on the cessation of hostilities," Aridi said, asked whether Russia and the United States should take any steps before the start of the next round of talks.
There are several reasons for China's pivot to the Middle East and most notably Iran.
According to the scholar, Middle Eastern markets are essential for Beijing's New Silk Road initiative to create a network of manufacturing and logistics centers in Central Asia and Europe.
"China's demand for oil imports is expected to grow from 6 million barrels per day to 13 million by 2035, and Iran, ranked fourth in the world in proven oil reserves and second in terms of natural gas reserves, is considered a reliable supplier," she underscores.
Ghoshal points to the fact that China's interest in Iran goes "beyond its energy resources."
"It [China] has a keen interest in Iran's geostrategic location, bordering both the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf. The location enables China to carry out the One Belt One Road agenda," the Indian scholar emphasizes.
"China has already declared that it will not follow the court's decision as it doesn't recognize its jurisdiction. The question is, exactly how harsh Chinas reaction will be? There were rumors that China may withdraw from the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, but that sounds unlikely. Theres also a possibility that Beijing may establish an air identification zone over the South China Sea, like it already did over the East China Sea," Tsvetov said.
His concerns were echoed by Alexander Gabuev, chairman of the Russia-Asia Pacific program at the Carnegie Moscow Center, who mentioned that the current situation remains unpredictable, and that one can only hope that Chinas response will be limited to rhetoric and not result in a military action.
"The worst thing is, all those reconciliatory measures that were proposed like a mutual de-escalation, allowing fishermen access to the disputed territories and withdrawing military assets from there all of it becomes impossible, first and foremost for China. And that means that theres no de-escalation in sight," Gabuev said, according to RIA Novosti.
In January 2013, the Philippines filed a suit against China, claiming that Beijing had violated the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea by its actions in the South China Sea. China refused to participate in the case.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that China has no legal basis to claim historic rights to South China Sea resources and violated the sovereign rights of the Philippines in the countrys exclusive economic zone.
Having read declassified US plans on nuclear warfare from the Cold War period, the analyst pointed out that for US nuclear war planners, 'a couple million casualties' was entirely within the range of acceptable losses. Therefore, he noted, "it is a myth that the Americans will be frightened by the prospect of a few warheads falling on targets inside the United States."
"The problem is that the US missile defense system is being deployed too close to our country. They are looking to shoot down missiles even before the separation of the warheads to intercept a missile armed with ten warheads. In this way, the anti-missile system's effectiveness increases considerably. If we maintain the same number of missiles, while the US continues to expand their missile defense system, we will lose. Extending START-3 gives Washington carte blanche for the deployment of a missile defense system; there is no other way of looking at it."
Alexandrov suggested that Russia, in the interests of preserving the strategic nuclear balance, must engage with new missile technologies the so-called supersonic missiles, like Sarmat, expected to replace the R-36, and the Barguzin rail-based ICBM system.
The analyst emphasized that "it would be another thing entirely if the Americans were to reject the development of their missile defense system; then it would be possible to conduct serious negotiations. In the meantime, there is no sense in doing so."
"It should be Kurds, Arabs and Syriac Christians from the Self-Administration [Rojava] who should be invited. This will ensure stability in our region," Igrek added.
The recently-started normalization of relations between Russia and Turkey may help to ensure Kurdish participation at the talks "if that means that Turkey will stop blocking the Self-Administration and if Turkey stops firing at Syrian Democratic Forces in Syria," according to Igrek.
A Syrian government delegation, as well as three opposition groups the Riyadh-formed HNC, the Moscow-Cairo and the Hmeimim groups have been taking part in the UN-mediated Geneva talks.
The Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party claims that its participation in the intra-Syrian talks was blocked by Ankara because of its assumed links to the pro-independence Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant movement, which is active in southeastern Turkey.
The latest round of intra-Syrian talks took place in Geneva on April 13-27. The HNC walked out of the negotiations, citing the continuous fighting in Syria and the lack of progress on humanitarian issues.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The document with the FSB's confirmation was attached to the civil lawsuit case filed by Navalny against Russias state-run broadcaster VGTRK, which on April 10 aired a preview of a documentary on its show Vesti Nedeli, claiming that Navalny had received money from the UK intelligence service MI6, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported from the court.
The request to attach the response from the FSB to the case was filed by Navalny.
"I made a request after [watching] the documentary, because it is actually an accusation of a crime. If I really were a British spy, the FSB would have to open a criminal case, or at least to carry out the check, but nothing of this has been done," Navalny said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Volga-Dnepr Group, the world leader in transportation of unique and outsize cargo, signed a deal with Boeing on Tuesday to buy 20 freighters, the US aircraft-maker said in a statement.
The terms of the deal for the sale of four-engine 747-8 Freighters were finalized at Farnborough International Airshow underway in Hampshire, England. Four aircraft have already been delivered.
Boeing will also provide logistics support to the groups subsidiaries, AirBridgeCargo Airlines and Atran Airlines. The new planes will replace its fleet of the Boeing 747-400 family.
The ceremony was conducted at a military airfield located near the town, and was attended by the base personnel, his widow Ekaterina Dolgina, and the governor of Pskov Region Andrei Turchak.
"Yevgeny was a kind and talented man, a loving husband and a steadfast comrade-in-arms. He will forever remain in our memory as a true professional, a brave aviator devoted to his duty," Lt. General Sergei Kuralenko said, according to RIA Novosti.
During the ceremony, Dolgin was given full military honors, and after a minute of silence four military helicopters a pair of Kamov Ka-52 and two Mil Mi-8 made a pass over the airbase, firing off signal flares.
Most recently, the government of NATO member Norway announced a defense spending bonanza, aimed at heavily modernizing all three branches of their military. Meanwhile, earlier this year, the US mulled placing a powerful new radar complex in the country, on top of the one they already have, and aimed primarily at spying on Russia.
In light of the changing conditions, Moscow found it necessary not only to ensure coastal defense, but to create a mobile force capable of reacting anywhere in the Russian Arctic.
"In 2012, the creation of a [new] separate Arctic brigade was announced. In 2014, the government signed a corresponding decree. And on January 17, 2015, the 80th Motorized Arctic Brigade (stationed in the locality of Alakurtti on the Kola Peninsula) received its colors."
The new unit's tasks aren't easy, the journalist noted. "Not only do they have to operate in extreme climactic conditions, but their 'sworn friends' [among foreign militaries] have already set the bar very high."
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Proton-M is the largest carrier rocket in Russia's fleet of space launch vehicles. The rocket has lifted dozens of Russian-made and foreign satellites into orbit since it was first commissioned into service in 2001.
"Altogether we plan to carry out seven commercial launches of 'Proton' in a year, its composition will depend on customer's request," Kalinovskiy told Izvestiya newspaper in an interview.
He added that the center is now working on the Angara-A5 project, which is scheduled for launch in 2021, trying to construct it as cheap as Proton-M is.
In the case of Philando Castile, his girlfriend was able to film and live-stream the actual shooting and the moment her partner died via Facebook. Not the prettiest or most comfortable thing to see, but in a world where these things have previously gone unseen for so long, citizen journalism is gaining momentum.
"Sometimes, media is very biased and only shows one side of the story, so social media is very important and allows others to look for all sides of a story.
"I believe that the institutionalized racism in law enforcement systems may hinder any progress that may bring change. Racism is still very much present and with every step we take towards change, there will always be people who want to keep us oppressed and voiceless but it's time we stopped that. The only thing to do is keep persistent until our voices are taken seriously," Ms Ali told Sputnik.
However, since the protest in the UK, several BLM protestors were arrested in the US on Sunday June 10. These included the lead activist for the group, Deray McKesson. It also sparked global outrage at an iconic photo of a young nurse standing still while she was being arrested by three riot police officers. This led to some anti-Black Lives Matter campaigners speaking out and saying that in fact, all lives matter, and that they believe the "black agenda" is being pushed, when really, everyone's life is of importance.
The woman in this iconic @Reuters photo, Ieshia Evans, got a nursing diploma from Scranton CTC. #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/PaxDh8pJFD Jim Hamill (@JimHamill) 12 July 2016
"The All Lives Matter hashtag was created in response to the Black Lives Matter, so it was taken negatively because it was initially used as a tool to silence the black lives being lost. Although some people may see this hashtag as something that is undeniably stating the truth, it cannot be ignored that most ignorant people will use it as a chance to take away the voice of those fighting for their black sisters' and brothers' lives.
"The Black Lives Matter tag does not at all suggest that all lives do not matter that's not at all what it means. It's a reminder, since so many seem to forget, that countless murders keep happening. All lives will matter once black lives start mattering. The ALM tag overshadows the BLM movement and we want change for us first and we will work towards that," Ms Ali told Sputnik.
However, for the BLM movement it's not just about the US and the UK, lives of others also suffering from inequality are of importance and change must take place to provide equality for all.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to CBS Baltimore, some 30 people gathered on Monday evening at the corner of North and Fulton avenues to mourn a 24-year-old Jermaine Scofield, who was killed the day before.
Someone in the crowd opened fire during the vigil, injuring five people, including four women. The gunman managed to escape, the media outlet said.
According to the investigators, two victims remained at the scene, while the others managed to get into hospitals, the daily added.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) In March, the DOC reportedly inked a $1.2-million contract with a Virginia-based firm to provide training to elite prison officers, who were normally armed with pepper sprays, batons and shields.
Under a plan proposed by Correction Commissioner Joseph Ponte, guards at New York Citys notorious Rikers Island prison complex will be allowed to use the electroshock device on resisting inmates or those trying to "physically injuring themselves," according to a directive seen by the Daily News.
"Considering the decades long culture of violence on Rikers its appalling that Mayor [Bill] de Blasio and Commissioner Ponte would invest in tools that have been shown to cause death," the outlet quoted Glenn Martin, from a group advocating the prisons closure, as saying.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) It took only a week to surpass the 100,000-signature threshold necessary to put the issue on the presidential administration's agenda.
"It is time for the pentagon to be consistent in its actions and just as they rightfully declared ISIS [Islamic State] a terror group, they must declare Black Lives Matter a terror group on the grounds of principle, integrity, morality, and safety," the text of the petition reads.
The petition was started on July 6 after the shooting of African-American man Alton Sterling by two policemen in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Another African-American man, Philando Castile, was killed by police in the state of Minnesota the following day.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)The family of Philando Castile will file a civil lawsuit in connection with his death after the African-American man was killed by police in the US state of Minnesota last week, the familys attorney Glenda Hatchett said during a press conference on Tuesday.
Police shot and killed 32-year old Castile late on July 6 after pulling his car over for a broken tail light.
"With respect to the next steps and the legal actions, yes, we will aggressively pursue justice on [Philando Castile] his behalf. Yes, there will be a lawsuit," Hatchett told reporters. "We will not share those details of the lawsuit now."
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The US Congress should address a legislative gap that is used to launder money through shell companies in the United States, US Treasury Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Adam Szubin said on Tuesday.
"Congress could close this loophole by passing a simple, two-page law requiring the beneficial owner of a company to be identified whenever a US company is formed, Szubin stated in an op-ed for the Hill.
A small perimeter will be set up around the immediate vicinity of the Quicken Loans Arena, where the convention is being held, where only law enforcement and the Secret Service will be allowed guns.
The president of the Cleveland Patrolmens Association, Stephen Loomis, is urging those attending the event, whether inside or out, to leave their guns at home.
The last thing in the world we need is anybody walking around here with AR-15s strapped to their back, Loomis told the New York Times. And the absolute tragedy in Dallas is proof positive that we just cannot allow that to happen. I would really just beg these folks, just leave your guns at home. Come, say whatever it is that you want to say, make whatever point it is that you want to make, but its going to be very, very difficult to deal with the R.N.C. as it is.
Nzinga stated that he expects a couple hundred members of the New Black Panther Party to join a protest at the convention, scheduled for Thursday.
Abdullah Muflahi, co-owner of the Triple S Food Mart, alleges in the lawsuit that he was locked in the back of a police vehicle for four hours after witnessing the shooting, and that police illegally seized his surveillance video of the shooting. Muflahi had filmed the disturbing footage of the shooting on his cellphone that has since gone viral.
"Not only did Mr. Sterling lose his life, but my client also lost his liberty," Muflahi's lawyer, Joel Porter, told Reuters.
Muflahi had been allowing Sterling to sell bootleg compact discs outside the store, and had a friendly relationship with him. On Tuesday evening, Sterling was pinned face down by police officers and shot multiple times in the back, following law enforcement claims that a man had been threatening people with a gun.
Radio Sputniks Loud & Clear spoke with Green Party candidate Jill Stein and Gloria La Riva, presidential candidate for the Party for Socialism and Liberalism, about how third parties will fare in the wake of Sanders concession.
Stein, who has been polling at unprecedentedly high numbers following Sanders endorsement of Clinton, said, "What Bernies doing is not so much endorsing Hillary, as he is mobilizing against Donald Trump Eliminating political opposition is not whats good for a wounded democracy."
Stein suggests that the Trump campaign is exploiting worsening economic conditions in the US, and that Sanders endorsement will incline people to vote based on fear instead of principle.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) US Senator Bernie Sanders decision on Tuesday to formally endorse his former rival for the Democratic Partys presidential nomination Hillary Clinton is critical in such a close presidential race, US House of Representatives Progressive Caucus Chairman Raul Grijalva told Sputnik.
"The strength of the endorsement was important," Grijalva said on Tuesday of Sanders decision to formally back Clinton. "Because as much as people might think that [Republican candidate Donald] Trump is a buffoon, which he probably is, the fact remains that this could be a close race and there has to be a unified constituency."
Earlier on Tuesday, Sanders announced that he would do "everything" he can to ensure Clinton wins the White House in November.
The Caribbean-island nation of the Bahamas, with a predominantly black population, released a warning Saturday through its foreign ministry for citizens to be careful in America because of "shootings of young black males by police officers. In particular young males are asked to exercise extreme caution in affected cities in their interactions with the police." The alert also admonished, Do not be confrontational and cooperate."
The United Arab Emirates used language similar to that of the US State Department, in a travel alert to citizens and students in the US. "Please be aware of immediate surroundings and avoid crowded places when possible," the UAE notice reads, adding, "Exercise particular caution during large festivals or events, be alert and stay safe."
It is well-known that Turkey has not supported the sanctions imposed by the EU and the US on Russia, Ismayl tokld Sputnik.
Hence, the EU might try to exert certain pressure on Turkey with regards to further implementation of Russian-Turksih energy projects. However I doubt that this pressure will have any sensitive effect, he added.
The major resistance might come from NATO, the political analyst further said. And Turkey might experience certain difficulties. However even during the Cold War Russia was trading freely with Europe in the energy sphere. Thus I dont think that such difficulties migh cause a negative impact on Russian-Turkish economic relationship or otherwise get Turkey cornered.
The political analyst also noted that the major task is now to lift the sanctions imposed on each other during the recent crisis and to gradually increase the trade turnover between the two to $100 billion, the target the two countires announced before the downing of the Russian jet in November last year.
"Both the international community and Afghan authorities are interested in doing away with terrorism. But I feel that the money is allocated only under the slogans because just few people want and can fight terrorism in Afghanistan. In order to practice what they preach, Afghan authorities must be responsible for the distribution of these funds," he said.
In this regard, he lamented the fact that President Obama had abandoned the Afghan people by adopting his strategy to withdraw US troops. According to him, the strategy brought "no real achievement related to the peace process" in the country.
"Afghanistan followed Iraq's way. The thoughtless and crumpled withdrawal of [US] troops from the two countries helped regional terrorism enter a new stage of development, with terrorists continuing to bring death and destruction. Almost every country in the world is currently under the remote threat of terrorism," he added.
He also praised Russia's efforts to fight Daesh (ISIL/ISIS) in Syria, urging the efforts of all parties concerned to contain this terrorist group.
"There are no real mechanisms for joining forces in Central Asia and the Middle East due to differences between regional 'great powers' and NATO.Russia, China and Iran offered a full-fledged plan to rectify the situation by involving the Taliban in talks, something that was opposed by Afghanistan," he said.
Earlier in the day, the 18th EU-China Summit kicked off in the Chinese capital of Beijing. Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker head the delegation of the 28-nation bloc.
"As in every mature partnership we may sometimes have differences of opinion. And being able to discuss these differences openly is part of the strength of our relationship," Tusk said at the summit, as quoted by the European Council's press service.
BERLIN (Sputnik) Germany may withdraw its troops from the Incirlik airbase in southern Turkey after its delegation was barred from visiting the facility, parliamentary speaker Norbert Lammert told local media.
"It should probably be underscored again that Bundestag only allows sending German soldiers on international missions abroad when they are needed and welcome there," Lammert told the German newspaper Sueddeutschen Zeitung on Monday.
BEIJING (Sputnik) Beijing has made a representation to the South Sudanese ambassador to China about the killing of peacekeepers from the country in South Sudan's capital Juba, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Tuesday.
Fierce clashes between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar occurred in Juba on July 7-8, on the eve of Independence Day. The clashes left more than 270 dead, including two Chinese peacekeepers. Another five peacekeepers are said to have been injured.
"[Chinese] Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Ming has already met with the South Sudanese ambassador in Beijing and made a representation about the killing of the Chinese peacekeepers," Lu said at a press conference.
And the third the Americans should sign a legally binding agreement on restrictions on the deployment of their anti-missile defense systems, which could otherwise offset the worlds strategic balance, the military analyst added.
Korotchenko also noted that in the event of a refusal to fulfill any of the above conditions, any negotiations on the possible reduction of Russias nuclear potential are out of the question.
Additionally, he added, one should take into consideration that in recent decades, the significance of the nuclear potential of the US has steadily fallen due to the non-nuclear high precision weapon systems it has started developing. The high precision of such weapon systems ensures an effect similar to the one produced by nuclear weapons, he explained.
In this segment the US has considerable preponderance over Russia. Moreover, it has set up its Global Strike Command, an infrastructure filled up with these high precision weapon systems which are capable of making a strike to any part of the world within 30-40 minutes after such a decision is made by the US president, said the defense analyst.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)The United Kingdom's exit from the European Union may have a number of implications for commodity market regulation, given London's key role in global markets and its contribution to setting EU rules, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said on Tuesday.
"The UKs exit from the EU will potentially have implications for commodity market regulations, given the important role that London plays as a global financial centre. The most immediate impact will come from the fact that the UK will no longer be in a position to exert influence on EU financial services regulations including those that apply to commodity markets.Going forward, the status of the infrastructure of the UKs financial markets will need to be negotiated," OPEC said in its July Oil Market Report.
The United Kingdom has contributed its expertise to ensure that the European Union adopts suitable regulations, the report added.
#SYRIA Airstrike was made against recently detected and confirmed through several intelligence channels #ISIS terrorist objects (@mod_russia) July 12, 2016
Among the targets identified and confirmed through intelligence channels in recent days, the ministry said a large IS field camp, three arms depots, three tanks and a large number of militants have been destroyed in the attack.
All bombers returned safely to airfields after striking Daesh targets in Syria.
"All planes returned safely and landed in their airfields. In order to ensure flight safety, representatives of the [US-led] international coalition have been notified of the attacks in advance," the ministry underscored.
The representatives of the US-led international coalition have been notified in advance about the Russian airstrikes and the flight corridors of long-range Russian bombers.
Syria has been suffering from the fighting between government forces and opposition, as well as extremist groups.
The Russia-US brokered ceasefire regime in Syria came into force on February 27. The al-Nusra Front and Daesh terrorist groups, which are outlawed in Russia, are not part of the ceasefire deal.
Everybody talk about #SouthSudan ethnic tensions, but what if this wasn't all? What if somebody used it in order to stage a coup? #Juba Itay Ron (@itayron5) 9 2016 .
"Some circles interested in reducing China's influence in Africa on the whole may be behind the latest events in South Sudan. Given that the US and its allies have repeatedly opposed China's African clout, it is safe to assume that the US intelligence agencies could add to the deterioration of the situation in South Sudan," he said.
He was echoed by Tatyana Deych of the Moscow-based Institute for African Studies, who said that the current escalation of the conflict in South Sudan may damage China's oil interests in the country.
"Suffice it to recall the simmering conflict between Sudan and South Sudan after the latter was recognized as an independent state, something that led to a decrease in oil production and a drop in oil supplies abroad. This is why the current conflict will most likely affect South Sudan's oil production and export supplies," she said.
Currently, 80 percent of South Sudan's oil exports are sent to China, with Chinese firms remaining the main shareholders of the two major oil consortiums in South Sudan: Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company and Dar Petroleum Operating Company. The China National Petroleum Corporation holds a 40 percent stake in a major joint venture dealing with South Sudan's oil reserves.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The UN World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes an EU donation worth some 800,000 euros (about $890,000) to support the WFP-headed Logistics Cluster in Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict in the country's southeast, the WFP said in a statement on Tuesday.
"This significant contribution from the EU is perfectly timed, allowing the WFP-led Logistics Cluster to continue reaching areas where many people do not have the means to secure their most basic needs," WFP Representative in Ukraine Dorte Ellehammer was quoted as saying by the WFP press service.
The Logistic Cluster is the WFP's coordination mechanism which oversees emergency responses in areas in need of humanitarian assistance. The European Union is a major donor to the project.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The United States and France are committed to working together to reach an agreement on the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) trade deal despite the UK decision to leave the European Union, known as Brexit, US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said after meeting with French Finance Minister Michel Sapin in Paris on Tuesday.
"Throughout [Brexit negotiations], we must maintain the strength and unity of the transatlantic community and alliance," Lew stated. "That is why we are committed to continuing to work together on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership to enhance trade, job creation and growth."
In June, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom stated that Great Britain will continue to be included in TTIP negotiations despite its decision to leave the European Union.
NEW YORK (Sputnik) An American Airlines flight from London to New York returned to the city of departure because of a technical issue with the aircraft, American Airlines said in a statement on Tuesday.
"American Airlines Flight 105 from London Heathrow (LHR) to New York John F. Kennedy (JFK) has returned to Heathrow due to a technical issue," the statement noted.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) A trip by the German parliamentary delegation to the Turkish Incirlik airbase in mid-September is likely to be seen as a test of relations between Ankara and Berlin, German lawmaker with Die Linke party Alexander Neu, who was a member of the delegation, told Sputnik on Tuesday.
A delegation of German lawmakers was barred in June from visiting the airbase in southern Turkey, which hosts aircraft from Germany, as well as the United States, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and Qatar who participate in the US-led coalition against the Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) terrorist group, outlawed in many countries including Russia. Earlier in July, Germany decided to send a delegation to the base between September 15 and 17.
"A delegation of seven MPs has decided to visit the Turkish airbase in mid-September and this trip will be seen as a test of our relations," Neu, who is a member of the parliamentary defense committee, said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)The statement was made after Turkey barred in June German lawmakers from visiting the base and German Chancellor Angela Merkel failed to settle the issue during her meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Warsaw on Saturday.
"It is strange that the Chancellor in this situation sought a mandate on sending AWACS [Airborne Warning and Control System] jets for securing Turkish airspace at the NATO Summit in Warsaw. Because the Parliament makes decision on such a mandate. And it is more than questionable whether we would vote for that under current circumstances," Arnold, who is a member of the Bundestag Defense Committee and the defense policy spokesman of the SPD parliamentary group, warned.
Germany has about 250 soldiers stationed at the Incirlik base who help fly planes on reconnaissance missions to locate the Islamic State fighters in Syria. But following numerous refusals by Turkey to let German lawmakers visit the soldiers, many Bundestag members from different political factions said that military personnel should return home and promised to block the AWACS reconnaissance flights that NATO wants to fly over Syria.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Parties involved in the South China Sea dispute should recognize the binding nature of the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration's decision, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said on Tuesday.
"This tribunal ruling is final and binding on both parties," Earnest stated as quoted by the White House pool.
Glitter, who survived a shipping misadventure en route to The Meadows, sparkled in a Pennsylvania Stallion Series event, capturing her division in a stakes-fastest 1:57.3.
Mondays $120,000 event for freshman filly trotters was contested over six divisions, with Donna Elvira, Electric Lemonade, Perfect Lady, Its Hallright and One Class Act also taking $20,000 splits.
Corey Callahan won two divisions (Donna Elvira, Its Hallright) while Dave Palone and trainer Jimmy Takter teamed for another pair (Electric Lemonade, Perfect Lady).
Winning driver Aaron Merriman said Glitter managed to climb over a stall partition in the trailer on her trip to The Meadows but emerged from it little worse for wear.
Her legs got a couple scrapes, but the vet checked her and said, go ahead and race her, Merriman indicated. She won very easy, very professionally. Thats as nice a race as you could ask of a two-year-old.
Glitter made it look easy for owner/trainer Steve Bauder, as the daughter of Glidemaster-Luscious Glitter cruised up first over and won handily, defeating Trixie Dust by four lengths. Weekend Wit Chucky finished third.
Donna Elvira saved ground until the final turn, when Callahan cut her loose. She zipped by the leader, All Set Lets Go, downing her by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:58.3, with Keystone Angel third.
I really liked her the last time I raced her at Pocono, Callahan said. She was a little bumpy she has some lameness issues. But she has a great attitude, and she tries hard.
Jenny Melander trains Donna Elvira, a daughter of Yankee Glide-Ashleys Carousel, for Steve Organ.
In her career debut, Electric Lemonade had a sizable lead on the field, with only one rival cutting into her margin. But there was a catch. The horse on the move was the first-timer Broadway Photo, a full sister to millionaire Action Broadway, the 2011 Mare Trotter of the Year.
I was well aware who was chasing me, Palone said. I knew I had two handfuls of trot. I never really took her plugs out. I just wanted to get her over this racetrack, her first time over it. She was well within herself. Looks like shell graduate to the sires stakes, I would guess.
Electric Lemonade prevailed in 1:59.4, three-quarters of a length better than Broadway Photo. Neptunes Daughter completed the ticket.
Christina Takter, John Fielding, Herb Liverman and Jim Fielding campaign Electric Lemonade, a daughter of Cantab Hall-Birthright.
Tony Hall piloted three winners on the 14-race card.
Tuesdays program at The Meadows features the Meadow Gladys, a $195,560 PA Sires Stake for freshman filly trotters. First post is 1 p.m.
(The Meadows)
There was a 22-year gap between drives at Buffalo Raceway for John Campbell when he finally made a return visit in July of 2015. Fortunately for harness racing fans in western New York, they won't have to wait that long again to see Campbell in the sulky.
Campbell will return to the Hamburg half-mile oval Wednesday evening (July 13) to drive in the New York Sire Stakes stop for two-year-old colt and gelding trotters.
Campbell's return last season was a good one, as he guided Jewels In Hock to an easy victory in the NYSS for three-year-old trotting fillies. While that was his first appearance since 1992, his last victory at Buffalo Raceway before the win in 2015 was back in 1990.
The 61-year-old Campbell was elected into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 1990. He has won over 11,000 races in his career and has steered his mounts to with purse earnings to over $300 million. He has won the prestigious Hambletonian and North America Cup six times apiece and has also captured the Little Brown Jug three times.
Campbell will shuffle back to Buffalo on Wednesday and try his luck in four events, as he is set to steer American Cheque and Eastern Promise in the NYSS and Carmens Fluke and Winter Mint in Excelsior A series dashes.
There are four $27,250 divisions for the young male trotters.
Such An Angel (Credit Winner-Michelles Angel) has drawn Post 7 for the opening leg (Race 2). He beat three of this week's rivals on June 30 at Monticello Raceway by two and three-quarter lengths in 2:01.1, but did it from the rail. Sam Caruso Jr. will be in the bike again and will have to maneuver Such An Angel from the outside.
Big Man Ev (Chapter Seven-Possessed By Lindy) finished second to Such An Angel in his last try and will get the services of Andy Miller.
Neon Lights (Chapter Seven-Flourescent) looked home free on June 30 at Monticello, but jumped it off in the stretch and finished third (he was then disqualified and placed fourth). Chris Lems will be at the controls and will start from Post 4.
Devious Man (Credit Winner-Miss Garland) has received the 3-1 morning line nod for the second division (Race 3). He just missed by a neck to Barn Winner last time out and Miller will start from Post 4 on Wednesday.
Optimist Blue Chip (Deweycheatumnhowe-Winning Jonlin) was heavily favoured is his career debut, but broke stride at the gate and finished a distant seventh. Jim Morrill Jr. hopes to keep Optimist Blue Chip on his best behaviour Wednesday. The duo will start from Post 7.
Money Macintosh (Credit Winner-Apple Plush) gets the five hole in the sixth race with Miller in the sulky. He was an impressive winner last time out, posting a two length decision over American Cheque in 2:00.3. Money Macintosh is the 3-1 choice.
Campbell and American Cheque (Conway Hall-Cheque Lavec) will get another shot at Money MacIntosh, as they will start from Post 3.
Lindy The Second (Credit Winner-Lundys Heiress) started from the eight hole at Monticello on June 30 and had the lead, but just missed by a half length and finished third at 27-1 to Barn Winner.
The final division (Race 7) will feature local hopeful Barn Winner (Credit Winner-Hallmarker). Owned by Steve and Nancy Pratt of Corfu, N.Y. and Out In The Country Stables of nearby Darien Center, N.Y., Barn Winner hopes to take advantage of the home cooking.
He posted three qualifying victories before winning his career pari-mutuel debut, which came in the NYSS at Monticello on June 30 in 2:00. Former Hamburg regular Jeff Gregory will be in town to steer Barn Winner from Post 2.
The main threat could come from Zack's Zoomer (Deweycheatumnhowe-Passageway), who was an impressive winner in 1:59.3 at Monticello. Miller will drive him and they drew the sixth position on the starting gate.
The Buffalo track record for the two-year-old colt trotters is 1:59.3, set in 2013 by Royal Deceptor, while The Lindy Treaty holds the standard of 2:01.2, established in 2013 for the geldings.
The 14-race card will get underway at 5 p.m. There will also be a $597 carryover in the Pick-5, which begins in the fifth race.
(Buffalo Raceway)
Less traffic, cleaner air and a slower pace of life these were all traits that drew Rachel and Micheal Beaver to Southwest Washington from Southern California last year. And buyers like them are a sign that Cowlitz Countys housing market has finally recovered from the great recession.
Here its a different way of living. People drive slower, and youre not in a rush to get everywhere all the time. My kid can go fishing, and he can ride his dirt bike, said Rachel, 32.
Prices were another motivator. You have to be making $300,000 a year to afford anything (in California), really, said Rachel, who works from home for an e-commerce company.
So when Michael had an opportunity to transfer to Vancouver last August, he took it. The couple chose Longview so that their son Nathan could attend Three Rivers Christian School.
After several months renting, the Beavers paid about $229,000 in June for a two-story home with a large backyard in West Longview. That gave them more room for their son and their young foster boy than they would ever have had in the Golden State.
It kind of fit everything we need, it was very turn-key. We didnt get the 10 acres we wanted, but the yard is huge, and the neighbors are super nice, so it was the perfect home. It feels good, Rachel said.
Families like the Beavers are becoming more common in Cowlitz County, as buyers from outside the area swoop in to capture affordable houses here. But even current residents are buying more here, too. The market here isnt as frenzied as the Puget Sound or Portland areas, but prices and sales activity have fully rebounded from the 2008 recession.
The median price for a home in Cowlitz County reached $200,000 in June, up 13 percent since the same month last year, when the median price was $176,000, according to Northwest Multiple Listing Services.
Taking the last six months of sales into account, the median price for a home so far this year is $189,900 the highest since 2007, when the median price hit $186,000, according to data from Kathy and Steve Real Estate with Real Living.
Last month, the number of new listings rose 9 percent year over year, slightly easing some tight supplies, according to Northwest Multiple Listing Services. However, demand continues to outpace supply.
If housing sales continued to sell at their current pace, the entire inventory would be sold out in slightly less than two months. Last year it would have taken slightly more than three months, according to NWMLS. Realtors typically consider a balanced market to have between four and six months of inventory. So the market is now considered imbalanced in favor of sellers.
Homes under or near $200,000 are in particular demand, especially ones with rural property, said Mark Scroggins, branch manager at Longview Coldwell Banker Bain. So when Scroggins clients Rob and Desiree Chick were looking for a rural property in Woodland, they didnt hesitate to bid $4,000 above the asking price of $255,000 on a relatively new manufactured home.
We were out for Valentines when we found it and we went looked at it (that weekend). We put our offer in Saturday night, and by Sunday night we found out that we were the fifth offer, recalled Chick, 25. He even wrote a personal letter to the seller introducing himself, and explaining how he had just finished service with the U.S. Army and was searching for his first home to start a family. The Chicks did end up with the home, even though they werent the highest bidders.
Theres plenty of acreage (in the county) but finding acreage with a nice house thats not half a million bucks is another matter, Chick said. What we got is pretty close to a happy medium.
The couple moved from Washougal to Cowlitz County in April to be closer to Chicks family and still near his job at Solar City in Portland.
I think Cowlitz County has always been the little hidden island. Our prices have been a lot less than Clark County, especially now because Clark County has no inventory, Scroggins said.
In May, Clark County had just 1.2 months of inventory,after adjusting for new homes from planned construction, according to Regional Multiple Listings Services.
Although there are more out-of-towners, realtor Eric Pucci said they arent flocking here just yet.
I think theres a few more people coming up from down south for sure, but I dont know its a tidal wave of them, said Pucci, owner of Re/Max and Newrock Homes in Longview.
The state estimates that there will be a net increase of 469 people moving to Cowlitz County this year, according the Office of Financial Management. Thats fewer than last year, but significantly higher than in 2010, when net migration was negative 43 people.
And even with a relatively short supply of housing tilting in favor of sellers, buyers still have some wiggle room.
It is still definitely a sellers market, but people still need to price competitively and they cant be way outside the range , said Longview realtor Kathy Thompson.
Thompson expects prices to continue to rise at a healthy clip until late fall, when prices typically dip with the temperatures. But she still thinks this year will end on a higher price than last year. Foreclosures also are making up less of home sales. Banked-owned homes accounted for about 10 percent of sales this year, compared to 43 percent at the depth of the recession in 2011.
Were improving year-over-year and thats whats a really helpful, she said.
Drivers should expect delays in the next couple weeks as county crews conduct chip sealing to roads in the Longview area.
Roads scheduled for chip sealing include:
Wednesday: Skyline View Drive, Alta Vista Road (Fairhaven Court), Foss Road, Kirkland Road, Kensington Court, Brentridge Court, Sweet Birch Road, St. James Court, St. James Place, West St. James Place and West Beacon Hill Drive.
Thursday: East Canyonview Drive, Canyonview Drive, Crestline Place and Burdick Place.
Monday: South Nevada Drive and Nevada Place. Weather permitting.
Chip sealing operations will continue in the rural Longview area the following week.
The West Side Highway Overlay Phase 2 Project, from milepost 4.23 to milepost 8.33 (roughly three-quarters of a mile north from the north end of Chapman Road to the Lewis County line), is expected to begin on Monday and continue through late August. Drivers should expect delays of up to 20 minutes between the hours of 7:00 am and 6:00 pm in work zones.
Hermiston watermelons arrive at market
PENDLETON Oregons famous Hermiston watermelons are back in season.
The East Oregonian newspaper reports that farmers began harvesting them last week. Hermiston watermelons were for sale at the Pendleton Farmers Market on Friday and will be shipped this week to stores across the Pacific Northwest.
Jack Bellinger of Bellinger Farms says the growing season in Hermiston has been hit and miss, with some weeks topping out around 65 degrees and others reaching triple-digits. That type of variation can interrupt watermelons while theyre growing, but he anticipates the crop will fare well this summer.
Arrest made in fatal Portland crash that sent Jeep onto yard
PORTLAND A driver is facing charges for a crash that left one person dead and another severely injured after police say she struck another vehicle, sending it onto the front porch of a Portland home.
The Oregonian reports 21-year-old Rayna Johnson has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, assault and reckless endangering. She was booked into the Multnomah County Jail in connection with the Saturday incident.
Police say Johnson drove a Volkswagen Jetta through a red light and hit the side of a Jeep Grand Cherokee. The collision had enough force to knock the Jeep onto its side and push it near the front door of the home.
-The Associated Press
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A meeting between Bangladesh central bank officials and the New York Federal Reserve scheduled for this week to speed up efforts to recover $81 million stolen from Bangladesh Bank's account at the Fed has been postponed, officials in Dhaka said. A four-member Bangladesh Bank team headed by deputy governor Mohammad Razee Hassan, who also heads its financial intelligence unit, was to meet Fed officials in New York on July 15.
"We are in talks with the Fed and hoping that the meeting will take place anytime at the end of this month or next month," said a senior Bangladesh Bank official, declining to be named. Another official in Dhaka confirmed the postponement. Both declined to give the reason for the delay.
More than five months have passed since hackers issued fake payment instructions on the SWIFT transactions system to steal $81 million from the Bangladesh central bank's account with the Fed, but authorities in various countries have yet to identify the criminals or make any arrests. Bangladesh Bank officials have said more coordination was needed with the Fed to recover the $81 million, most of which went to accounts in the Philippines before ending up with casino agents.
A New York Fed official, who requested anonymity, said on June 30 that the goal of a meeting with Bangladesh Bank would be to "understand what happened, what remediation steps have been taken by Bangladesh Bank to meet its contractual obligations, and to begin a path to normalize operations". This would be the second face-to-face encounter between Bangladesh Bank and Fed since a May 10 meeting in Basel, after which they agreed to jointly work to recover the stolen money and catch the culprits. Officials from SWIFT were at the Basel meeting but will not join the New York discussions.
Reuters
Nimish Sawant
Social media has become a sort of go-to point for us to express ourselves in times of joy as well as in times of uncertainty. Facebook, with its billion-plus users, is a platform that is used by many individuals to stay in touch with family and friends, participate in discussions around news or hobbies and interests, shine a light on issues bothering the society and so on. A lot of events happening in India see a lot of discussion on Facebook which can sometimes lead to a lot of invigorating debates.
In the on-going issue surrounding the death of Burhan Wani and its after effects, which has left 23 people dead, Facebook and Twitter are yet again emerging as important platforms. Not just for those affected by the curfews happening in the Valley, but also for those who want to show their solidarity with the issue at hand. Huma Dar, an academic associated with the University of California, Berkeley and a pro-Kashmir activist had her account allegedly banned by Facebook. She put out a Tweet mentioning it and this issue became quite talked about the Indian social media circles specially for those following this news.
Facebook's response
We reached out to Facebook to get an answer about the alleged ban of Dars account. A spokesperson associated with Facebook told tech2, Our Community Standards prohibit content that praises or supports terrorists, terrorist organisations or terrorism, and we remove it as soon as were made aware of it. We welcome discussion on these subjects but any terrorist content has to be clearly put in a context which condemns these organisations or their violent activities.
According to Facebooks Community Standards, users can report offensive content to Facebook via a Report tool, which is then reviewed by Facebooks internal team which takes a call based on whether something is in violation of the standards. In this particular case, we are assuming either Facebook has got too many complaints with regards to statuses updated by Dar or some of her statements have been in violation of the Community Standards. However, just high number of reports about a status is not the only parameter to block a user account or pull down a status or a photo say Facebooks standards.
We have reached out to Dar for further clarification on the matter, with regards to the alleged blocking of her account. We will update the story accordingly.
But under Facebooks Community Standards, theres also a line that says, Governments also sometimes ask us to remove content that violates local laws, but does not violate our Community Standards. If after careful legal review, we find that the content is illegal under local law, then we may make it unavailable only in the relevant country or territory.
Violation of terms
Every social media site be it Facebook, Twitter or Instagram has its own way of ensuring a semblance of checks and balances to prevent abuse. The most common way of getting things blocked / banned or removed, is via user reporting or flagging of social media updates which can be offensive or too graphic or so on. There have been popular personalities who have been banned from social media sites, because of such technicalities. For instance, renowned author Salman Rushdie was banned from Facebook, because he was using Salman (which happens to be his middle name, a name he is known by) rather than using Ahmed (which happens to be his first name).
Facebook does give users whose accounts have been blocked, the option to learn why it has been blocked with fb.me/disabled and in a lot of cases users whose accounts have been blocked have been able to restore them. The exact reason of blocking or banning of an account on Facebook may or may not be given. According to this experience on The Next Web, you may not get to know the specific reason behind the ban. This is a bit extreme.
With regards to Dars account blockage, the Facebook spokesperson also pointed to a clause in the Community Standards around terrorism: We dont allow any organisations that are engaged in the following to have a presence on Facebook: Terrorist activity, or Organised criminal activity. We also remove content that expresses support for groups that are involved in the violent or criminal behavior mentioned above. Supporting or praising leaders of those same organisations, or condoning their violent activities, is not allowed. We welcome broad discussion and social commentary on these general subjects, but ask that people show sensitivity towards victims of violence and discrimination.
Anirudh Regidi
Facebook is facing a $1 billion lawsuit for willingly providing material resources to Hamas. The lawsuit was filed in New York by families of 5 Americans who were killed or hurt in a recent wave of attacks in Israel.
The lawsuit is only the latest in a string of lawsuits filed against social media platforms including Google, Twitter and Facebook and they all allege the same thing. Under the US Anti-Terrorist Act, US businesses are barred from providing supported to designated terrorists and terrorist organizations.
This lawsuit, along with at least two separate lawsuits filed for terrorist acts in Paris and Jordan (in 2014), allege that Facebook, Google and Twitter provided aid to these known terrorist organisations. The lawsuits all claim that the aforementioned social media platforms dont do enough to curb or stop terrorism and terrorist propaganda on their site. They claim that these terrorists relied on Facebook, and others, for communicating and carrying out their terrorist activities.
Luckily for these social media platforms, Americas own Communication Decency Act protects them from content posted by third-party users.
A spokesperson from Facebook told Bloomberg that wanted people to feel safe on Facebook, that there was no room for such violent content and that they have a moderation and reporting system in place to deal with the issue.
I can sympathise with Facebook and the like because theyre in a very tough spot. On the one hand, these platforms comprise the bulk of online communication, on the other hand, that very popularity makes them inevitable platforms for terrorist communication.
It also doesnt help that users demand privacy and, at the same time, transparency. This is made worse by the fact that many governments expecting free access to all communication data.
Its likely that nothing significant will come of the lawsuits, but they do place these companies in a rather unenviable position.
Censoring the web is also a very sensitive issue, as seen in the most recent case involving the banning of activist, Huma Dars account. The whole issue of censorship boils down to the right to censor something. Who has that right?
While one might argue that the government or the courts have that right, things get muddled when youre an international organization like Facebook or Twitter. Terrorism is terrorism, but in some cases, it comes down to a matter of perspective. In the case of Israel and Palestine for example, each side has its own justification for declaring the other a terrorist state.
Aditya Madanapalle
Tor is one of the world's most used anonymity networks, and offers a safe haven for internet users in oppressive regimes as well as criminals operating in cyberspace. The development of Tor was partly founded by the US government to help dissidents in countries with extreme internet censorship. The FBI however allegedly harassed a Tor developer after it started being used for criminal activities. Tor is one of the most used ways for users to hide their identity online.
However, the Tor network can be compromised because of vulnerabilities in the network. The NSA and US Intelligence agencies could compromise the network by monitoring some key computers that acted as an address book for Tor users. Security researchers were aware of theoretical ways in which the network could be compromised, exposing over 2.5 million Tor users to various kinds of risk. A paper was supposed to be presented at the Black Hat Conference, but was cancelled.
The paper was titled "You dont have to be the NSA to Break Tor: De-Anonymizing Users on a Budget." One of the ways the Tor network can be compromised is to track the flow of data and analyse the traffic between nodes. Machine learning algorithms deployed to study the movement of traffic can predict with high accuracy, the nature of the activity without having to crack any encryption.
Artificial intelligences can first train on analysing traffic between nodes for known internet usage, and then find similar patterns on the network. This can be used to guess which web sites an anonymous user is accessing. Tor works by sending requests for access to urls through multiple machines, or nodes in the network, wrapped in many layers of encryption. This technique is known as onion encryption.
There are three types of nodes, guards, relay nodes, and exit nodes. The network of nodes is known as a mixnet. No single entity on any of the nodes receives the complete information of who or where a user is from, and what is it that they wanted. Compromising the guard nodes would break the anonymity on the network. This is where MIT's Riffle has improved over Tor.
Riffle shuffles the messages sent and received by each node in the mixnet. The shuffling of message order is why the network is called Riffle. This throws off machine learning algorithms that can analyse traffic movement. Riffle can work in situations where nodes of guards are spies. In fact, the information on Riffle networks are cryptographically secure even if only one server is not compromised. Riffle sends the messages for authentication not just to the next machine in the network, but to all the systems in the Mixnet.
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By Rahul Sethi
Technology, in today's world, is one of the strongest threads binding the human kind. It often skirts the line between imagination and reality, and many believe that it is one of the most exciting aspects of life since the discovery of fire and linguistics.
But not all new inventions are useful in the day-to-day life. And when I say useful, it is not in any random context, but specifically for the genuine upliftment of our species. Wheel is a good example, it has taken us places. In the present day, Virtual Reality can do something similar. But, is it as useful?
It is mesmerising
Virtual Reality or VR, is a recent technology that uses complex 3D graphics and our sense of physical interpretation of depth, dimensions and motion to create a parallel world. All you need to do is strap on a VR headset over your eyes.
As soon as you put it on, theres a whole new world to explore where you can look around, feel what it would be like to be there, and witness it; so real that you would want to touch it, and you struggle to beat off the notion. You could be anywhere you wish to be deep underwater, running alongside wild animals, in outer space, or in the middle of an eerie battleground.
If executed properly, VR delivers a phenomenal visual treat, a being there experience that you can never hope to get from something like a TV be it curved or flat.
Is it also as mesmerising in India?
The state of Virtual Reality devices in India isnt very exciting right now. The most affordable and basic VR option available is the Google Cardboard; wherein you can strap a phone behind a pair of lenses housed in a cardboard assembly and view the freely available VR content on YouTube. They are very limited in graphics though imagine a Mario to GTA level difference when compared with other specifically designed content, like for the Oculus VR.
At the moment, the Samsung Gear VR is the best variation available to the Cardboard, but it requires you to have a high-end flagship device like the Samsung Galaxy S6, S7. You can also get a ton of content available on the Oculus app.
But due to reasons like the additional weight, due to the fact that you insert your phone into the device, and the heating issues of the phone, or the lack of serious content means that the Gear VR is not counted as the best. HTC Vive, on the other hand, solves many of these problems, but would be expensive to own, if and when it arrives in India.
HTC Vive the best way to VR, tethered
Think of HTC Vive as a VR headset fitted with just the phone screen. All of its processed visual input is from a computer (with tremendous graphic prowess), to which it remains connected using a couple of cables. Consequently, its lighter, isnt limited in graphics and can have several variations like having sensors implanted on the headset. Using detectors placed across the room, your position can be marked and you can not only look around, but move in the virtual world at your own will.
Of all the advantages, seeing a virtual realm in high definition makes a world of difference. As all the graphical processing is outsourced to the computer, VR gaming also becomes possible, employing controllers with trigger buttons, their movement too, sensed by the detectors.
The Cons
HTC Vive is expensive, has setup tantrums and is still a complicated technology to use for fun, for many.
But when compared to portable phone powered VR technology which is bulky, has heating issues that make it uncomfortable to use, and the limited VR content you get the sense that the 'good ones' are far-off.
Viewing reality artificially can also cause psychological and physiological harm. Eye strain is common, and motion sickness can take over in as low as two minutes of use time. A predicted shortcoming is that it may steer away the newer generations (of humans) from the nuances of real life, and may actually end up making them dumber.
On the contrary, VR can also have a lot of potential for use in educational and training purposes, if used correctly. At least as far as the concept of psychic continuity explains it.
The Noam Chomsky Virtual Reality conundrum we know its not reality
In his interview documentary Is the man who is tall happy? multi-talented cognitive scientist Noam Chomsky points out a classical error that runs through our prevailing knowledge about how we interpret things.
He says that we identify things in terms of their psychic continuity, which is not a physical property but a property we impose on things. Simply put, we identify things from our metal constructions of them, aided by our fragmented experiences.
Virtual reality takes this a step ahead. We see things in their visual form, not physical. But according to Chomsky, we are anyways disconnected from physical reality most of the times and live based on just our mental images. This proves that if something is demonstrated to us visually, be it virtually, we can grasp it.
And at the same time, we can be aware of the fact that it is not the reality. Did you touch what you have been reading?
The author (@techysethi) is a technology writer at Techmagnifier and tweets at . Apart from writing on technology, he dwells on photography and music.
Kunal Khullar
A Noida based company announced back in February that it will sell a smartphone for as low as Rs 251. This was something that made everyone lose their minds and went on to become one of the biggest controversies in the smartphone world. In my head, I knew that this was a scam but more than that what really annoyed me was how horribly the whole launch was executed. I mean you should at least sound believable, right? The company even tried using words like Make in India and Skill India to sound legit, but thanks to its sloppy website and a dodgy looking office in Sector 62, Noida, it wasnt very successful.
Ringing Bells has been the target for media, journalists, bloggers and alike ever since. The company was also accused of false information and cheating when the Noida Police registered an FIR against the owners. Even after all the chaos, some customers went on and pre-ordered the smartphone expecting to get the device somewhere by the end of June, which was later moved to July. Oh and that didnt work out and the company had to return all the money.
Just last week, the company hosted another media event where owner Mohit Goel made a comeback with new handsets and an LED TV priced at Rs 9,900. He also confirmed that delivery of the Freedom 251 will finally begin but only 5000 units of the promised 2 lakh have been made. Ouch. To add insult to injury he said the company will analyse the feedback it gets from the first batch of consumers and then THINK about making more units. He also added that the Government is not providing any support without which, making the rest of the promised units will be impossible. Wait a minute, so exactly how are they planning to make, or rather outsource, the LED TV and the handsets that they showcased last week?
Our team reported yesterday that the 5000 units have indeed started shipping and a state-wise breakup was given to us. But that doesnt solve anything because that is just a very tiny portion of the promised units.
The whole fiasco has made me a strong believer that Ringing Bells is just an attempt to gain attention which is going to fade away very soon. Even after getting a hands-on of the actual smartphone, which wasnt half as bad for the price, I wouldnt be very happy investing any money in a brand that has been doubtful of all the claims that it has made.
Sheldon Pinto
Xiaomis rise to fame and popularity in India has certainly not peaked. Not yet at least and we expect better smartphones to come from the Chinese smartphone maker in the years to come. Setting things in concrete, Benchmark creator AnTuTu has also clearly laid out how the Xiaomis smartphones along with OnePlus dominate its '10 Most Popular Smartphone in India list with not one, but two smartphones taking two out tens spots in the ranking.
Everything seems to be just fine. In fact, it now appears that Xiaomi is confident about its supply-demand problems as well, as it soon plans to look at offline channels for sales. But appearances can be deceiving and the cracks are gradually beginning to show.
While the above mentioned moves may seem like positive ones in terms of expansion and reach, to me this appears to be one of desperation.
Xiaomi has started to look for offline sales recently and this stems from consumers inability to procure a Xiaomi smartphone. Gone are the days when flash sales were a thing, everyones following that model now(even OnePlus has moved on). They were good to build the hype, but consumers have moved past that and want to buy a smartphone, right now and not a day or a month later.
Selling in offline in stores is not going to be easy either. First you enter an existing smartphone market, force everyone to avoid brick and mortar retailers by lining for your online sales. Now that sales are down, you head back to the same retailers for help and that does not look like a great move, its a sign of tough times.
The push for offline came just around the same time that reports about the companys worrying investors came to light. Xiaomi had missed it 80 million smartphone sales target that now puts the company in a spot in terms of valuation.
Xiaomi recently announced its investment in Hungama for content, a move that should have come long before or may be when LeEco (a major player in the content business) began selling its first smartphones in the country. We arent clear where Xiaomi fumbled, but its costing the company now since users will easily get more by switching to brands like LeEco.
Another indicator of desperate times can be derived from the fact that the smartphone maker has begun to experiment with segments and form factors. We loved the recently launch Mi Max in our review. But it was a bit surprising as to why Xiaomi would suddenly jump on to the max smartphone bandwagon and that too with a big-screened smartphone. Kind of reminds us of Apples move to a bigger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus, which was soon followed by a 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
Recently we even heard about Xiaomi moving to the premium smartphone segments with its first smartphone expected to priced around the Rs 40,000 mark. Indeed, the first question that comes to mind is Why would I pay Rs 40,000 for an Xiaomi smartphone?. This is something that even Xiaomis own Mi Fans would think about before investing, forget the casual premium smartphone buyer who is probably flashing an Apple or a Samsung Galaxy flagship.
Then again theres the confused software. Xiaomis MIUI was a safe haven for Android tweakers at a time when Googles Android did not look polished, but now it does and this poses one too many question for Xiaomi. This is because even with Android 6.0 onboard its latest MIUI V8, it is getting hard to believe that one of the most highlighted features, Google Now on Tap is missing. Many may not use it, but theres more coming from Google (in Android Nougat) and we arent too sure how much Android users will begin to miss these new features; because Xiaomi is not providing any alternatives. While this may work in China(that is mostly devoid of Google) it becomes hard to explain the lack of it to Indian audiences.
Xiaomis success to the general public seems like joyride right now and like every joyride it has to end. The company seems to be struggling with pushing out new software (MIUI V8 with Android 6.0 mind you) and premium smartphones, but is not delivering enough to make for worthy innovations that it can showcase in its portfolio. Do this a bit too frequently and consumers begin to lose interest, which could lead to its downfall. Today, even Apple seems to be finding ways to make its iPhone more useful and standout from the crowd. The companys hero product after almost ten years, finally seems to be losing steam.
Xiaomi needs to innovate and its upcoming premium smartphone really needs to showcase that innovation, else its doomed. Software features and affordable pricing only works in the lower rungs; competing with the big boys like Samsung and Apple will need a lot more than that.
Pranjal Kshirsagar
Growing up, brothers Alok and Atul Aggarwal would be stumped when extended family members, based in smaller cities, would complain about the limited options of fashion clothing available there. This sparked the entrepreneurial gene in them as they saw huge potential in a solution that could address the demand and supply chain gap when it came to fashion clothing in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. The brothers thus founded Teesort in February 2010. Atul, who holds a B.Tech in Computer Science from BITS Pilani, Dubai, was working in France with TCS at that time. He noticed that every second TV ad there was of an e-commerce company and fashion as a category was big.
"This made us think that India will also have a disruption in fashion via a digital medium. That is when we decided to start Teesort.com. By the end of 2011, the brand started getting traction and thereby Atul left his job came back India, to lead the business as a full time venture," explains Alok. An IMT graduate with extensive experience in operations in the Indian telecom industry, Alok also quit his job the moment they crossed a crore in sales in 2013 and dedicated all his time to entrepreneurship.
Teesort currently functions with a team of around 40. "We have a disciplined team. But we follow an informal culture in office. Fun at work is one of Teesorts core value. Our employees are allowed to express themselves through their clothing. We dont follow a formal dress code at work. Work life balance for all our employees is also very essential to us. We have regular team outings to ensure our team is strong and comfortable with each other. We also always keep looking for talent that fits into our team. We ensure that our team feels worthy and confident at all times," says Alok, sharing more about the team and culture at Teesort. Alok adds that Teesort also has an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) plan in place which ensures shares for employees at higher levels. "So the more Teesort grows, the more its employees grow with it," says Alok.
Alok informs Tech2 that Teesort is a bootstrapped company and all the money put into building it came out of their life savings. At the end of the first year of operation, they saw a turnover of Rs 1 crore in 2010. Since then, the company has grown at a rate of 300% year on year, resulting in a turnover of Rs 100 crore for the financial year 2015-16. While they are sufficiently equipped in monetary terms, they are looking for investors who bring more than just money to the table. "We focus on unit economics and ensure that profits are reinvested efficiently, contributing towards the growth in business. When it comes to investors, we want someone who fits into and understands our business model," he says. Talking about the technology areas that the company invests in, Alok says that sizing is a major concern in the sector and they investing in that domain to be able to deliver perfect customer.
When asked what sets them apart from other e-commerce ventures, Alok says Teesort is extremely focused on having its business economics in place. "We ensure that each and every penny spent is efficiently utilised by the business. We are in a very high exponential growing market in this digital world. Very few e-commerce companies currently focus on business economics and profitability," he explains. He adds that the company's aim for FY 2016-17 is Rs 200 crore in revenue.
Talking about expansion plans, Alok says that they have forayed into mens accessories and within the coming quarter they are looking to expand into women and kids segment as well. They have also collaborated with Amazon for the launch of Teesort in US, which will go live within a span of a month. The company is also aiming for expansion in the Middle East in the coming quarters.
Man stabbed by daughter-in-law in Jessore
Jessore Correspondent :
An elderly man named Hasan Ali, 60, was critically injured allegedly by his daughter-in-law at Chopdarpara in Jessore town at 11am on Tuesday.
Reba Begum, wife of the victim, said that her husband had been admitted to Jessore Medical College and Hospital in a critical condition. He was hit in the shoulder with a sharp weapon used to cut vegetables and other kitchen items over family feud at 11am on Tuesday.
Dr Mouri, Medical Officer, Jessore Medical College and Hospital stated the condition of the man as critical.
Sub-Inspector Mosaddek Hossain of Kotwali Police Station told the newsmen that local people handed Rikta Begum, alleged attacker, over to the police after the incident.
Admitting her involvement, Rikta Begum told a group of journalists that she stabbed her father-in-law failing to control her anger over a sudden feud.
One-sided meeting frustrates oppositions
Reza Mahmud :
Leaders of the country's opposition parties have expressed frustrations over the visit of US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Affairs Nisa Desai Biswal as she did not meet any of them in her two days Dhaka visit to discuss militancy issue.
They said, the militancy is now an important national issue but they have been kept outside the discussion during the visit of Nisha Desai Biswal.
"We hoped that the US assistant secretary of state will discuss the militancy issue with the opposition parties along with the government. But we have observed with frustration that she met only with the government. We think such partial effort will not be fruitful," BNP standing committee member Brig. Gen (retd) ASM Hannan Shah told The New Nation on Tuesday. He said, the government has intentionally kept the US assistant secretary of state away from meeting with leaders of opposition parties. "The government wants to show that the foreigners are supporting them. But if the people of the country do not support them how long they survive in power?"BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, "It was government to government meeting. So, we did not approach to meet with the visiting US assistant secretary of state."
Jatyio Party Secretary General ABM Ruhul Amin Howladar told to The New Nation that, "If the US assistant secretary of state met with the opposition leaders, that would have been more fruitful to fight with the militancy.
"It will have been fair if the United States work with all the parties in the vulnerable situation to eliminate extremism. But unfortunately it did not happen," he said.
Howlader, however, said that the US might thought the government is the perfect tool to combat militancy. Or Nisha Desai Biswal had not enough time to meet with opposition leaders.
Nisha Desai Biswal arrived Dhaka on Sunday for a two-day visit to discuss her country's probable assistance to Bangladesh to combat militancy. During the visit, she met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and Home Minister Asaduzzaaman Khan Kamal. The politicians said, such type of foreign officials generally meet various stakeholders like opposition political parties, business bodies and others. But the US assistant secretary of state met only with government leaders and officials. Besides, she also met with some senior journalists. The opposition leaders said, Nisha Desai Biswal should meet with former President and Jatiya Party Chairman Husain Muhammad Ershad, former Prime Minister and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and the opposition leader in Parliament Begum Rawshan Ershad. But that did not happen. It made our people deeply frustrated.
Teresa resumes charge as UK PM today
Britain\'s Home Secretary Theresa May, who is due to take over as prime minister on Wednesday, arrives for a cabinet meeting at number 10 Downing Street, in central London, Britain on Tuesday.
An "emotional" British Prime Minister David Cameron on Tuesday chaired his last cabinet meeting before handing over the baton to Theresa May who will assume charge on Wednesday , becoming the UK's second woman premier after Margaret Thatcher. Cameron will cede power to 59-year-old May after visiting Buckingham Palace to resign tomorrow. May will become the UK's second female Prime Minister after Margaret Thatcher. In one of the final tasks of his premiership, Cameron today gathered his top team for a final time.
The meeting was described as "emotional" by Culture Secretary John Whittingdale who said "there was a touch of sadness" to the Prime Minister and his ministers.
Cameron had announced he would be stepping down for a new prime minister to take the Brexit negotiations forward with the European Union a day after the June 23 vote in favour of Britain leaving the economic bloc.
"It was emotional but quite rightly we spent a lot of time on the Government business. But then we had a period in which people paid tribute to the extraordinary service the Prime Minister has given, led off by George Osborne and Theresa May our new prime minister. And then we looked forward to getting back to work," the leading Brexit campaigner told Sky News.
Whittingdale said his Cabinet role was "entirely a matter" for Theresa May to decide on but said he was "very happy to continue" in Government if asked to do so.
Deal to build Rampal power plant signed
Anisul Islam Noor :
Ignoring widespread protests among locals and green activists, Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Limited and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) have signed engineering, procurement and construction contract on Rampal thermal power project on Tuesday.
"No body will be able to stop the development of the country by creating militancy or any other terrorism activities," Prime Minister's Adviser for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Dr Tawfiw-e-Elahi Chowdhury said while addressing the signing ceremony as chief guest.
"The people of our country peace loving, they are religious minded and hate terrorism and militancy," he added.
Tawfiq Ilahi urged the youths to work for the betterment of the country and not to be involved with any heinous activities instigated by the evil force.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid spoke at the function as the special guest.
Principal Secretary Abul Kalam Azad, Power Secretary of Bangladesh Monowar Islam, Indian Power Secretary Padeep Kumar Pujari, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shrngla, Chairman and Managing Director of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) India Gurdeep Singh, Chairman of Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) Md. Shamsul Hasan Mia, representative of BHEL Prem Pal Yadav and Managing Director of BIFPCL Ujjal Kanti Bhattacharya, among other, spoke on the occasion..
Ujjal Kanti Bhattacharya and Prem Pal Yadav signed the deal on behalf of their respective sides.
As per the contract the BHEL will supply the necessary equipment for the project. The government hopes to implement the project on time although the contract already delayed.
The contract value of the project is 1.49 billion USD which will be financed by Indian Exim Bank. Bangladesh has to pay the loan with 1.5 per cent interest. The plant is expected to come to generation during the fiscal year 2019-20.
BIFPCL is a company registered in Bangladesh and promoted by BPDB and NTPC with equal (50:50) equity contribution for development of power project. It is one of the fast tract projects identified by the government of Bangladesh, sources said.
The government expects to begin generating electricity at Rampal power plant by December 2018. The cost of the total project implementation is around US$2 billion. BIFPCL Project is a 2x660 Megawatt coal-based power project with super critical technology being developed at Rampal in Bagerhat district under Khulna Division.
Ujjal Kanti Bhattacharya told The New Nation that, "We are trying to implement the project in time. Already we have started to develop the project site."
"Coal will be cost-effective for Rampal project. There are no alternative of coal as fuel for the project. Coal will be used in an environment-friendly way," he said.
However, BHEL will have to make the first unit operational within 41 months and the second unit within 46 months, right after the financial agreement is being signed.
70 per cent funding of the Rampal's project cost will be collected as a loan and the rest 30 percent will be borne by PDB and NTPC collectively.
Biswal terms Dhaka visit `important`
She flies for Colombo
Staff Reporter :US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal on Tuesday termed her two-day visit to Bangladesh as an 'important' one, saying discussion on security cooperation with the country's leadership was in a very broad way."Concluding an important visit to Bangladesh. I conveyed support & solidarity of the United States to stand with Bangladesh in combating terrorism," Biswal tweeted after ending her two days visit in Dhaka on yesterday. Apart from this, in her four other separate tweets, she said, "I am so proud & honoured to work with @USAmbBangladesh Bernicat and the dedicated team @usembassydhaka who are committed to this partnership."Besides, Nisha Desai Biswal tweeted that "Made a solemn visit to the site of Holey Bakery to pay respects and honour the victims of this heinous attack."In another she said "Met with Diplomatic community and Business leaders who are concerned but committed to stand with Bangladesh." "Discussed with Bangladesh govt specific ways US can support law enforcement & security forces in investigating & responding to terror attacks," US Assistant Secretary of State also tweeted. In the morning, Nisha Desai Biswal also held meeting with the Editors of different national dailies at the US Ambassador Marcia Bernicat's residence in Gulshan. In her two days visit she held meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. Besides, Biswal also called on Prime Minister's Security Adviser Major General (retd) Tariq Ahmed Siddique and International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi.Apart from them she also held meeting with Dhaka-based diplomats including the Indian High Commissioner, Canadian High Commissioner Benoit-Pierre Laramee, acting British High Commissioner Mark Clayton and acting Australian High Commissioner Sally-Anne Vincentand, to discuss security issues.During the visit Nisha Biswal assured Bangladesh of giving full support against terrorism and violent extremism and appreciated the law enforcement agencies' ongoing efforts to protect US citizens in Bangladesh.She arrived in Dhaka on Sunday morning to discuss security issues with Bangladesh after the deadliest terrorist attack on a Dhaka Cafe and left Dhaka for Colombo, Sri Lanka at 12:05pm yesterday. Biswal last visited Dhaka on May 5 and 6 this year after the brutal murder of USAID staff Xulhaz Mannan in Dhaka on April 25.
Foreigners leaving country?
Staff Reporter :
The U.S. State Department has warned again Americans to consider carefully whether they need to travel to Bangladesh following a series of attacks claimed by Islamist militants.
"The U.S. government assesses that the terrorist threat is real and credible," the department said in a statement.
The department said it also authorized the voluntary departure of family members of U.S. government
personnel posted to the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka. The embassy remains open, the statement said. Besides, many foreigners employed in different projects are reportedly leaving Bangladesh with their families fearing possible terror attacks.
Meanwhile, an Asia-Pacific money laundering group has moved its meeting out of Bangladesh citing security concerns. Some 350 foreign delegates had been expected in Dhaka to attend the July 24-28 annual meeting of The Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering that seeks to pool efforts to fight illegal money transfers and terrorist financing. Another conference on telecommunications, the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre, scheduled for Sept. 29 in Dhaka, has also been moved and will be held either in Sri Lanka or Thailand. Around 450 foreign delegates had been due to attend the meeting. On July 1, 28 people, including nine Italians, seven Japanese, one Indian national and two policemen, were killed during the Gulshan cafe attack. The next morning, thirteen hostages were rescued alive in the army-led operation.
Keep close watch on children's movement: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday also urged all, including parents, teachers and government officials, to remain vigilant about the movement of their children to prevent them from getting detailed.
"The people of the country are pious, but not bigots. I simply cannot understand why the children of these pious people who are receiving education from reputed institutions, good schools and colleges, and English medium ones are turning bigots," she said. The Prime Minister was delivering her speech during a videoconferencing with a cross-section of people of 16 districts of Dhaka and Mymensingh divisions from her official residence Ganobhaban.
Sheikh Hasina said, it needs to be dug out how the culprits are misguiding meritorious students. "We don't want these students to lay down their valuable lives indiscriminately getting derailed from the right path," she said.
The Prime Minister also asked the public servants to find out the culprits who are trying to derail the softhearted youths. "We must get rid of this situation, we'll have to take our country to the path of development, we must accelerate our socioeconomic development, and I believe we can get rid of this situation," Hasina said.
Reiterating her resolve not to allow the emergence of militancy in the country, the Prime Minister said the government does not want any recurrence of the incidents happened recently.
"We won't allow any sort of emergence of militancy in the country, we don't want Bangladesh to be the land of militancywe'll have to take some measurers keeping this view in mid," she asserted.
She said, some unwarranted incidents have been taken place in Bangladesh and it has to be dealt with strongly.
"Bangladesh has been marching ahead so fast under the current government! And this might have triggered a jealousy to some quarters, many don't like to see such huge development of the country, they want to stop the development. This pace of development, I think, has prompted a conspiracy against our country," she said.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan were, among others, present at the programme.
Security beefed up at all airports
M Faruque Hossain :
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon has said he himself decided to look after the ongoing security tightening efforts at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) following the two recent attacks in Gulshan and Sholakia.
"The attacks are part of global conspiracy against Bangladesh to brand our country as a militant state, he said this at an emergency meeting with Civil Aviation officials at Kurmitola on Tuesday.
The Minister added that they would never be successful if we take proper steps on time. "We are taking measures to root out militancy from the country." As part of the government's zero tolerance policy against militancy, security has been beefed up in all airports in the country. The general passengers may face problems temporarily for the greater benefit of the country, he said.
"The air cargo ban by the UK and Germany from Bangladesh was a political decision by the two countries. Bangladesh government has tightened security at the airports. But, they are yet to lift the ban despite the improved security measures," he said.
A post on the UK government's recent website headlined 'Bangladesh Airport Update' said, "As part of a set of interim measures, cargo will not be allowed on direct flights from Dhaka to the UK until further notice." The Minister hoped that the temporary ban on direct cargo flights to the UK would be withdrawn soon and relations between Dhaka and London would be further warmed and deepened in the days to come.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has awarded a BDT 732 million contract to British firm Redline Aviation Security to upgrade security screening procedures and equipment at Dhaka Airport. London has asked airlines carrying cargo between Bangladesh and the UK on indirect routes to ensure it is re-screening before its final leg into the UK.
In December last year, Australia banned all passenger and cargo airlines from ferrying freight heavier than 500gm to the country from any of Bangladesh, as well as Syria, Egypt, Yemen and Somalia.
Following the bombing and crash of a Russian jet over Egypt's Sinai desert in October last year, the UK Department for Transport made a list of 38 airports of 20 countries, including the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, that have security concern.
Whenever an act of killing, particularly of foreign national, occurred in Bangladesh, it was thought of that ISIS was behind the killing as the group claimed responsibility of these attacks. The US and other European countries sent travel alert to their respective citizens on several occasions in the past. However, ban on direct cargo flights or travel alert is an uneasy development for Bangladesh which the country cannot ignore.
Teachers` activities to be monitored
Meetings with pvt varsities July 17, public varsities July 23
Sagar Biswas :Government has taken decision to bring all the private, public educational institutions under the scanner of intelligence agencies apparently to address the militancy problem when several students have reportedly been joined in different Islamist terrorist outfits. At the same time, the government has also instructed the concerned agencies to bring teachers of educational institutions under round-the-clock surveillance, officials said on Tuesday. The government will also conduct a massive awareness programme in the Bengali and English medium educational institutions across the country involving the teachers, administrative officials and guardians to expose the dreadfulness of militancy. As per its strategy, the Ministry of Education has called a meeting with the heads and representatives of country's public universities on July 23 at International Mother Language Institute under Dhaka University. The Vice-Chancellors, presidents and general secretaries of teachers' associations, 3/4 teachers, president and secretary of Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers Associations have been urged to attend the meeting. Home Minister Asaduzzamn Khan Kamal will address the meeting as chief guest when Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid will be in the chair. In the meeting, the ministerswill focus the government's latest stance about the militancy issue, officials said. "The government has taken initiatives to save students from the clutch of militancy. Same types of meetings will be held with all educational institutions throughout the country accordingly," Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said. The Minister said: "The teachers and administrative staffs will also be brought under close surveillance. We'll see what they are teaching and what their activities are." Earlier, the Ministry of Home with cooperation of Education Ministry has called another meeting with private universities and English medium schools on July 17 at Krishibid Institution in the city. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid will address the meeting while Home Minister will preside over the meeting. All the Vice-Chancellors, members of Trustee Boards, Principals, Head Masters, Managing Committee members and representatives of teachers-students have been invited in the meeting. The issue of militancy involvement of the students of some English medium schools and private universities has come into light when several students of the private-run North South University [NSU] were found involved with two deadly terrorist attacks, one at Gulshan and another at Sholakia. "The attacker who died after killing police personnel near Sholakia Eidgah was also a student of NSU. What are they teaching there? Actions must be taken against them," Health Minister Mohammad Nasim said recently. Raising a call for forming anti-terrorism committees at every village and town, Nasim further said, "Imams of mosques and school teachers should be made head of the committees comprising people of all classes." Apart from NSU, several high-profile educational institutions, such as Scholastica, Turkish Hope and BRAC University have earned blame for nourishing the students who are allegedly involved in terrorist activities. Not only that, a number of students of public varsities, including Chittagong University, Rajshahi University and Islamic University, earlier were arrested by the law enforcement agencies for their alleged link with militant outfits. "If any students stay absent in the educational institution for ten days, it should be informed to his guardians. It will also be informed to government in written. Here, the guardians will have to take responsibilities. We've sent notice to all educational institutions asking the heads to take it seriously," the Education Minister said.
Hunt for militant dens, training camps, financiers
Security agencies also asked to find out links with terrorists abroad
Kazi Zahidul Hasan :The government has asked the security agencies to trace the militant dens, training camps and their financiers in the wake of recent deadly militant attacks in the country. At the same time, they have been asked to examine the link between the local militants and international terrorist groups as many of them were reported to have taken training in foreign lands."We have ordered the security agencies to trace the militant training camps and funding sources of militant groups in a bid to root out terrorism and militancy from Bangladesh," Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told The New Nation on Tuesday.He said, "Security agencies have also been asked to collect authentic information about those militants who were reported to have gone to foreign countries for training". When asked, Kamal said the recent trends of militant attacks indicate that cooperation between the country's Islamist militants and international terrorist groups is becoming closer. Ideological belief helps them to come closer. Quoting intelligence reports, the Minister said, "We are yet to find any training camps inside the country operated by Islamists militant network. Students of various educational institutions are being indoctrinated into violent jihad and training for attacks mainly from bachelors' mess in the capital and elsewhere in the country"."The law enforcement agencies have already busted many of the militant dens from various parts of the country, including Dhaka. Security agencies have been asked to find out militant dens if there are more hideouts," he said. The Home Minister claimed that they have already arrested militant kingpins and hunts for their associates are on. Terming the recent wave of militant attacks as a local and international 'conspiracy,' Kamal said, "A vested quarter is hatching conspiracy to create an unstable situation in the country to push the government on back foot"."We are aware of this conspiracy. We have already taken tough stance to root out the conspiracy as well all forms of terrorism from the country," he added."We are working relentlessly to combat terrorism and militancy from the country. Members of security agencies are working round the clock to collect information from the field level," Colonel Ziaul Ahsan, a Director of National Security Intelligence (NSI) told The New Nation on Tuesday.He said, the security agencies have yet not found existence of militant training camps in Bangladesh. The militants are mostly hiding in the residential areas and getting arms and ammunition from foreign sources through underhand dealings.Asked about the Gulshan shooting, the NSI Director ruled out the intelligence failure saying that they have many successes in this field also."Based on one incident, we cannot ignore the successes of security agencies," he added.
People are helpless before police power, but terrorism is growing
THE questions have been raised in BBC Bengali radio programme yesterday about how effective is the government's policy to fight terrorism. The question was asked why Home Ministry's sanction would be necessary to try terrorists in speedy trial courts. Instead of fighting terrorism effectively the government has laid emphasis on close interaction of parents with teenage boys and girls in the family and ensure monitoring their movement for their orderly growth without being misled by wrong perceptions and radical ideologies. We must say the advice makes no sense at a time when the nation is facing the specter of rising militancy and more surprisingly our teenage boys from private universities live a life of frustration with no hope of honest future. Many being misdirected, they killed 32 people including 18 foreigners in an attack on a Gulshan Cafe last week followed by another attack at Sholakia Eidgah ground killing two more. It has brought Bangladesh on global spotlight but question arises whether the government is really serious to fight terrorism and eliminate it from the country. It has become a critical issue since the government is holding three high profile terrorist leaders in custody - two from 2010 and one from 2013 without putting them on trial. It contradicts the government claim of terrorists' attempt to topple the government by use of terror when the government itself is protecting them in safe custody.Terrorists are persistently hitting sensitive targets killing foreigners, free thinker, bloggers and members of Muslim, Christian and Hindu communities in the recent past. The government is now under severe pressure to arrest the killers and prosecute them but it continues to blame BNP-Jamaat for having hands behind such attacks. This is how the government is trying to win global support and sympathy to fight terrorism. Particularly after the killing of Italian national Caeser Tavella and Japanese citizen Kunio Hoshi Bangladesh became branded as terrorists infested country but news report said the government is rather protecting the leaders of the real killers in safe custody without arranging their prosecution. One of those terrorist Moulana Saidur Rahman is leader of Jamiatul Mujahedeen Bangladesh (JMB) arrested in May, 2010. The head of Hijbut-Tahrir, Jasimuddin Rahmani was arrested in April 2010 and the head of Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) Mohiuddin Ahmed was arrested in August 2013. All three organizations are blamed for carrying out dreaded attacks and high profile target killings. But it appears that the court's move to open trial of JMB leader has been halted twice as the Home Ministry did not clear the move. Permission for trial of Hijbut Tahrir leader Mohiuddin Ahmed has been denied three times and he is now on bail. We don't know how many terrorists accused of target killings are in jail and if anyone was so far prosecuted. The government this week has asked all public and private organizations and individuals to undertake self-censorship and vigilance against militants. Schools, colleges and universities, mosques, and madrashas must ensure their own vigilance. The mystery remains over the fact that police power is increasing making the people helpless, yet terrorism is growing. Such a situation makes people powerless while police become all powerful. This is not the way to fight terrorism. But by playing politics with terrorism, Bangladesh can become another Syria.
4 killed in Tangail road crash
Four people, including a minor girl, were killed and 13 others injured in separate road accidents in Basail upazila on Tuesday morning. Three people, including a covered van driver, were killed and 11 others injured in a collision between a truck and a covered van on the Dhaka-Tangail highway in Koratipara area of the upazila around 7am. Two of the deceased was identified as Abdur Rahim, 40, son of Samir Uddin of Pirgachha upazila in Rangpur district and Ajit, 30,son of Kamel, a resident of Sundarganj upazila in Gaibandha district. Humayun Kabir, officer-in-charge of Gorai highway police camp, said the accident took place in the area around 7am as the truck collided with the covered van, leaving the latters driver dead on the spot and 13 passengers of two vehicles injured. The injured were admitted to Tangail Medical College Hospital where two others succumbed to their injuries. Meanwhile, a minor girl was killed and her parents were injured as a covered van hit a motorcycle carrying them on the highway in Korotia Bazar bypass area around 9am. The deceased was identified as Mirza Sadia, 6, daughter of Mirza Arfan, a resident of Bhojdatta village in Ghatail upazila. Sergeant Shah Alam of Elenga highway police camp said the accident took place while they were going to Delduar from Ghatail.--Tangail, Jul 12 (UNB)
Wild elephants damage 200 houses in Rangamati
BSS, Rangamati :
Wild elephants destroyed more than 200 dwelling houses in Langadu upazila of the district.
Fearing further attacks of wild elephants, many villagers deserted the hamlets of Amtalipara, Mymensinghpara, Boro Math and some other remote places, said victims.
They sought urgent steps to save their lives from the attacks of elephants. Local people said the number of wild elephants have increased manifold in recent times. Police of local police station visited the area. When contacted Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati, Shamsul Arefin said he would send a team there soon to take necessary steps.
Housewife gang- raped in presence of husband yet to be rescued
Jhenaidah Correspondent :
A house wife was raped in the presence of her husband in a Kaliganj village could not be rescued in 15 hours of the rape incident. The police at last arrested two of the criminals as per the order of the local law maker of Jhenaidah-4 constituency Anwarul Azim Anar, locals alleged.
The victim was identified as Arjina Khatun, 22, wife of Rajan Hossain, son of Abdul Kader of Andulbaria village in Chuadanga Sadar upazila. She was a daughter of Abul Hossain of Ghoramara village of Jhenaidah Sadar.
The locals said, both Rajan and his wife Arjina were waiting at main bus stoppage at Kaliganj town at about 8.30 pm for the transport. Shiplu, son of Abul Kashem motivated the couple at the bus stoppage and requested them to stay in his house safely.
At about 2 PM, Shiplu's elder brother Hasan, professionally a drug peddler, Ibrahim alias Ibra and Jahurul and Prakash Kumar of the same village and Abdul Alim of Gorela village in Jhenaidah Sadar took the couple at Paikpara Gorsthanpara. They tied Rajan with a near by tree with ropes. The miscreants started gang raping the house wife in front of the husband till Monday morning. The miscreants also looted gold ornaments and cash from the couple then. Later the miscreants left the scene taking the house wife with them, the locals said.
The husband in the early hours of Monday any how managed to flee and rushed to local police station at Kaliganj to inform the matter to police. But the police men attending there allegedly denied of considering the appeal of Rajan. The police rather advised him to come once again after 9.00 am.
As Rajan told the matter to his near and dear ones including the musallees of a near by mosquein the town, they met the local law maker Anwarul Azim Anar and he (law maker) criticized the police men and advised them to rescue the the house wife at no delay. Then the police arrested two of the rapists.
Kaliganj Gorshthanpara Jame Mosque general secretary Mustafizur Rahman said, as he was informed, met the law maker and told him in detail what the police men did with Rajan.
CAAB, Southtech sign deal on e-governance
Economic Reporter :
Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) recently signed an agreement with Southtech Limited for the "Implementation of ICT and e-Governance including Networking, Automation and Computerization of CAAB on Turnkey basis", says a press release.
Md. A. Hamid Zamadder, Director, Central Engineering Maintenance and Stores Unit (CEMSU) of CAAB and Syed Mamnun Quader, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Southtech Limited, signed the agreement in a ceremony held at CAAB Headquarters in the city's Kurmitola.
A joint venture consortium, led by Southtech Limited, a renowned IT software company in the country, won this competitive bid to implement the project, the press release said.
Kate Hudson pens poem on Dhaka and other terror attacks
Actress Kate Hudson has lent her voice to the chorus of individuals demanding action in the wake of the senseless tragedies that have the recent months. Following the fatal terrorist attacks in Bangladesh and Istanbul, shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile and the attack on the Dallas police force Thursday night, the actress put figurative pen to paper to produce a poem about the seemingly never-ending patterns of violence. The star took to Instagram to share the poem. She specifically noted Sterling, Castile, Orlandos Pulse nightclub massacre, the Dallas shootings, and recent terror attacks around the world. These last few months have brought so much sadness. From Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Orlando shooting, Dallas, to terrorist attacks of Bangladesh, Istanbul, Baghdad, Somalia, the 37-year-old captioned the poem. Everyday there is violence like this reported and not reported. It becomes overwhelming that there could be such hatred and senseless killing. When I cant make sense of things I just start to write. I dont usually share my writing but I felt a desire to put this out there. Peace, she added.
According to Meg Casper, the communications director for the secretary of states office, there could be as many as 475 Louisiana races on the Nov. 8 ballot.
Candidates from all around Louisiana will begin qualifying for a smorgasbord of different elections that touch upon nearly every level of government, from local all the way up to federal.
According to Meg Casper, the communications director for the secretary of states office, there could be as many as 475 Louisiana races on the Nov. 8 ballot.
Qualifying begins Wednesday, July 20, and ends Friday, July 22. This process will determine exactly how many of those races end up on the ballot. During last years round of qualifying, more officials were elected without opposition than in any other time in recent history, according to Secretary of State Tom Schedler.
The top of the November ballot belongs to the developing presidential contest. The Republican Party meets in Cleveland on Monday, July 18, for four days of convention activity to select its official nominee. The Democratic Party gathers the week after in Philadelphia, beginning July 25, to do the same.
The premier race for Louisiana politics, however, is the seat being vacated by senior U.S. Sen. David Vitter. Its expected to draw a large field of contenders and, in turn, create two vacancies in congressional districts.
Running in the open U.S. Senate race will be U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany of Lafayette from the 3rd Congressional District and U.S. Rep. John Fleming of Minden from the 4th Congressional District. Candidates have already started lining up for those elections, and both should create competitive congressional races.
U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond in the 2nd Congressional District may also have an opponent in Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden, who has said he intends to run.
Judge Jimmy Genevose
There will be two elections for the Louisiana Supreme Court, three court of appeal races and three district judge contests. Vying for the Supreme Court District 3 seat are 15th Judicial District Judge Marilyn Castle and Third Circuit Court of Appeal Judge Jimmy Genevose, both Republicans. The District covers eight parishes Lafayette, Acadia, Vermilion, St. Landry, Avoyelles, Jeff Davis, Cameron and Calcasieu.
Judge Marilyn Castle
There will also be only one election for the state Legislature, for a House seat based in Jefferson Parish; two posts on the Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities, are up for grabs.
Additionally, there are a slew of local races for mayoral positions, city councils, parish councils and other elected seats.
Runoffs, as needed, are scheduled for Dec. 10.
The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now.
Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market.
In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender.
India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex.
Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted.
But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted?
Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner.
If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems.
I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now.
I want more variation in masturbation
I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own.
If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end.
What is sex toys for Indian?
Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation.
It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms.
They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable.
Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner.
The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner.
It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past.
In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping.
Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order.
In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing.
Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome.
Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own.
But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance.
More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around.
Sextoy situation in India
Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years.
In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India.
Mumbai
Kolkata
Bangalore
Delhi
Chennai
Hyderabad
These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India.
In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well.
If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too.
If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it.
What are Sextoys for beginner?
Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms.
Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy.
I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion.
I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy.
If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma.
Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it.
Advantages of using sextoy for Indians
There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians
You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways.
Can have stimulating sex
Can develop new sexual zones
If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern.
However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways.
You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation.
Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever.
There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure.
This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it.
When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems.
It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms).
For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles
[Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou...
Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India.
Sextoy for beginner men in India
So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners.
For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men!
The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men
Masturbator
Cock rings
Love Doll
Sex Lubricants
Toys for the prostate
Lets check each one in detail.
Masturbator
The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products.
It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands.
Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands.
They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.)
Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much.
Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! !
Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa SEXToys India PR (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018
Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood.
If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here
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Cock Ring
A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis.
It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow.
It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber.
In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection.
Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction.
It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it.
Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time.
Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function.
Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy.
You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect.
[Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat...
Love Doll
Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex.
There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women.
Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price.
The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true.
You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste.
There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice.
You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls.
If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here
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Sex lubricants
Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules.
It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution.
Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse.
There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent.
Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent.
If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here.
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Toys for the Prostate
Another sextoy for men is prostate toys.
The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line.
Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men.
Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men.
What is the prostate?
The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm.
You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus.
By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms.
Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.)
The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation.
Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure.
sextoy for beinner women in India
The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy.
The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy.
Vibrator.
Dildo
Electric Masserger
Lets check out what each one is in detail.
If you want to check out womens toys, click here.
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Vibrators
A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator.
Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy.
It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy.
Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women.
For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators.
Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex.
Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself.
This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual.
Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men.
When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons.
Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most...
Dildo
A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis.
It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass.
A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it.
They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well.
It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device.
A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo.
Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands.
For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis.
This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one.
To learn more about dildo, please click here.
What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th...
Electric Masserger
A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores.
It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low.
Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels.
Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation.
It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure.
For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm.
It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out.
If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager?
To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here.
What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th...
How to choose a sextoy for Indian
Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one.
Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points: Does the size fit you (the partner)?
Does the size fit you (your partner)?
Is the environment able to produce sound without problems?
Price range
First of all, the choice of size is quite important.
Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women.
For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage.
Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems.
Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise.
If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level.
Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it.
Finally, there is the price range.
The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest.
Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy.
Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy?
I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance.
For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics.
If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out.
How to buy sextoys in India
The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping.
For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below.
Sextoy is one of them.
Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping.
SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India.
They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry.
Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card.
To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy.
ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal.
Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on.
Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture.
Cautions for Indians using sextoy
When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind
Keep sex toys clean
Watch out for electrical leakage
Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy
As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone.
Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there.
It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case.
In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness.
Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful.
If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it.
You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly.
Summary
What did you think?
In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India.
The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future.
As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values.
However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health.
If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try?
Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women.
I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it.
BENTON From time to time, Jay D. Williams gets a call from someone with a physical challenge wanting to come to Illinois to enjoy some of its natural wonders or enjoy some hunting or fishing.
When they talk to him, they invariably discuss their physical handicap, hoping that he can recommend the perfect place for them to enjoy the great outdoors. Oftentimes, as they discuss their physical disability, they tell him that he doesnt understand.
Williams, who was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident when he was 13 that left him as a paraplegic, tells them he understands. For the past 16 years, he has worked as the disabled outdoor opportunities coordinator for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, working to ensure that people with physical challenges enjoy this area's great outdoors as much as anyone else.
I eventually have to tell them, George, Joe, Ralph, yes, I do get it, and this is why,' Williams said. Its really a big deal. What we do, we make, reasonable accommodations.
He stresses "reasonable," noting that it would be impossible to have every part of the state's lands be accessible to those with physical disabilities. He noted that he often gets calls from a hunter wanting to hunt in a specific area, but notes that if that area is not used by someone who does not have a disability, it will not be available to those who have physical challenges.
"You can't make the outside ADA compliant," Williams said.
Job comes from need for ADA compliance
Williams' job grew out of the state's need to comply with an update to the Americans with Disabilities Act calling for people with disabilities to have equal access to participate in outdoor activities. He began the job in 2000.
He ensures that parks allow hunting and fishing, for instance, to those with disabilities. If someone with a disability wants to experience hunting or fishing in a state park, for instance, and that park is not accessible to them, the park staff can exercise whats called a 10 Day Rule, which allows them that much to make that area disability-accessible. That could include creating a space for fishing from the banks, for instance.
Jeremy Holderfield, a 40-year-old who lost his vision in 2005, would like the Department of Natural Resources host a Saturday or Sunday hunt for people with vision problems. His vision was impacted by complications from diabetes and glaucoma.
"I think that would peak the interests of the blind individuals into getting out into nature again," he said.
He still hunts with assistance from his wife and sons; he said he could go alone into parks like Ferne Clyffe in Goreville, but not Giant City State Park in Makanda.
"It's just enjoyable to spend time outside with your children," Holderfield said. "I really want my kids to know as much as they can about the outdoors ... to live off the land as much as they can. You respect the land; the land respects you."
This past year, he said he shot nine ducks, 15 snow geese and two deers and still traps animals.
Others, like Art Hunt of Harrisburg, still boat, getting assistance from a friend who drives him to the launch and helps get him in the boat. There's not a lot more Hunt, also a paraplegic who critically injured himself when he fell out of a deer stand years ago, said he wants from local state parks, other than some sort of way to drive himself to the lake and put his boat in alone a thought he expressed, but then said he thought better of.
Hundreds of thousands of acres to access
States areas such as the Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area at Rend Lake and Giant City State Park in Makanda are among the 480,000 acres overseen by administrators at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
When people call looking for a place to go that's ADA accessible, Todd Rettig, director of the DNRs Office of Land Management, said he typically asks them what part of the state they're in and where they want to go. He then gives them the name of the site superintendent for the park they're planning to attend.
If its something in this area they want, they could be referred to Giant City State Park, which has a path that is asphalt or concrete-covered that allows better mobility for those in wheelchairs; those with disabilities can also apply for special permits when they visit these parks, for the privilege of using an All-Terrain Vehicle or an Off-Highway Vehicle to access parts of the area they might be hard-challenged to get to. Using these vehicles, these park guests must travel from a Point A to a Point B, Williams said.
The parks that have cabins must have at least one for those needing handicapped accessibility, he said.
At Wayne Fitzgerrell, there is bustling work to make the space more accessible for those with disabilities.
A $5,000 donation from the Safari Club International allowed the staff there to upgrade its boat dock ramp to make the lake more accessible to those with disabilities. Builders are about two-thirds completed with the project, according to Ted Lieferi, site supervisor for Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area.
The donation allowed the builders to widen the walkway, which has aluminum railing on each side and the landing near each boat slip, creating a solid surface where someone in wheelchair, for instance, could fish.
In addition to making this park more compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the staff are also organizing various other events:
Plans are also underway for the 18th annual Rend Lake Shooting Classic on Sept. 10;
On Oct. 1, Dixon Springs State Park, near Golconda; Fort Massac State Park, near Metropolis; and Ten Mile Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area in McLeansboro, will host archery deer and archery turkey hunts.
This fall, from Nov. 4 to 6, Wayne Fitzgerrell staff will host the park's first shotgun deer hunt for the disabled on park campgrounds; those participating will have specially designed deer stands.
The Touch of Nature will host an archery deer hunt the week before Thanksgiving at Wayne Fitzgerrell.
Williams is hoping that organizers of the Paralyzed Veterans Association bring their Bass fishing tournament to Wayne Fitzgerrell sometime in October; those plans have not yet been confirmed, though.
Spaces like Giant City Park boasts a trail, the Post Oak Trail, a third of which is a paved to accommodate wheelchairs, according to park naturalist Jennifer Randolph, a natural resources coordinator. Randolph said she believed that trail is one of the most developed for handicapped accessibility.
"There's just not a lot that I'm aware of," she said.
WEST FRANKFORT It was back to the classroom for local educators on Monday as about 125 teachers and administrators gathered at Central Junior High School for a second annual Edcamp a professional development conference with a twist in that it is organic and participant-driven.
Several participants said they were relieved to have budget issues settled for the upcoming school year so that they could regain focus on what they do best: educating children.
The participants attended sessions throughout the day on topics that they helped select, including social media, poverty, behavioral issues, parent engagement, teacher evaluations and other hot school-related topics.
Instead of worrying about how were going to pay for things, which is always going to be a concern in Southern Illinois schools until they fix this on a bigger level, at least now we know we can start and continue with business as usual, said Belinda Conner, principal at Elverado Junior High.
Elverado Community Unit District was among schools in the area that had been considering delaying the start date of school in the face of months of uncertainty as to whether lawmakers and Gov. Bruce Rauner could agree to a spending plan for an overall state budget, or at least funding for K-12.
Ultimately, lawmakers did approve a full years budget for K-12 on June 30. It fully funded the General State Aid formula for the first time in seven years, said Greg Goins, the superintendent of Frankfort Community Unit School District 168, providing much needed relief to local schools. Goins said school funding reform still needs to happen, but the budget deal still brings much desired relief in the short term, he said.
The budget deal also included a $250 million "equity" grant for schools with high poverty populations. While Chicago Public Schools is to receive the vast majority of the equity grant funding, many Southern Illinois schools also stand to benefit.
Goins said the teachers and administrators who attended the West Frankfort event on Monday are employed by more than 30 school districts.
Goins said what he likes about the Edcamp a learning model for educators by the national Edcamp Foundation is that it offers a very positive place in which we promote innovative ideas and networking.
Its a no-pressure day, Goins said of the event. When you go to camp, its supposed to be fun. So leave your tie at home and just come and have a good time.
Given all the uncertainty surrounding K-12 education in recent months, Goins said it offered a great opportunity for educators to tap into the passion that drove them into the profession in the first place, and helps build excitement around the start of a new school year.
Parents are certainly pleased were not going to have any delays, Goins said. So its nice to be able to shift the focus to thinking about teaching kids and creating an environment in which everyone is going to be engaged and ready to learn when the school year starts.
Rachel Jenkins, a teacher at Goreville Elementary, who attended the session, said she believes it helped build positive momentum among teachers from across the region. That was especially needed, she said, given all the angst those in the educational arena have been experiencing over the state budget.
Jenkins said one of her favorite sessions from the day dealt with brainstorming ways to better engage parents, and to work with students who may be falling behind at school because they go home to environments that are less than ideal for a variety of reasons. She said she learned a lot listening to other teachers about creative things they have done to "build that bridge between home and school."
Part of the joy of the day, she said, was just walking away reminded that teachers are not alone.
"Its always great to meet with other educators and talk and feel like youre not the only one in the middle of something," she said. "There are other people who share your concerns."
SPRINGFIELD Gov. Bruce Rauner announced Tuesday that he is convening a bipartisan panel to propose an overhaul of the way Illinois distributes money to local school districts.
It is widely acknowledged that the current funding formula, which has been in place for two decades and relies heavily on local property taxes, does a poor job of directing state money to the schools that need it most. In fact, a study last year from The Education Trust found that Illinois has the widest funding gap between high-poverty and low-poverty districts.
Rauner said his goal and the goal of the new commission is to find a way to provide adequate and equitable funding to all schools in the state.
We are the worst state in America for funding our school, the governor said at a Chicago news conference announcing the plan.
The states overreliance on local property taxes to fund schools denies the American dream to low-income families because they dont get the same level of resources as higher-income families do, Rauner said.
Education is a fundamental right in America, he said. Its the way that people raise their quality of life, their standard of living, their incomes. Education has got to be the priority, and low-income kids deserve the opportunity for a good education just as much as any other young person.
The commission will be made up of 25 members, with each of the four leaders of the General Assembly appointing five members and Rauner naming the remaining five. One of the governors picks is Education Secretary Beth Purvis, who will serve as chairwoman.
The group will be assigned to produce recommendations for an overhaul of the funding formula by Feb. 1, which should provide time for the General Assembly to take up the issue during its spring session and approve legislation ahead of the 2017-18 school year, Purvis said. She said the group plans to meet at least monthly beginning in August.
Just before the states new fiscal year began July 1, Rauner and legislators reached an agreement on a plan for the upcoming school year that boosts funding for schools but doesnt address the underlying formula used to divvy out the money.
We believe right now is the time to work in that bipartisan spirit to move forward with something that is important to both parties and to every parent, teacher and administrator in the state, Purvis said.
Spokesmen for House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton, both Chicago Democrats, confirmed that they will appoint members to participate.
The school funding formula has long been a contentious issue at the Capitol, dividing lawmakers based on party and geography while also highlighting differences between majority Democrats in the House and Senate.
The Senate has approved several school funding bills in recent years, including two versions this spring, that have languished in the House. The House, meanwhile, convened its own panel this spring to conduct a series of hearings on the issue.
Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, has been a leading voice in his caucus on school funding reform and is one of Cullertons five appointees.
While hes criticized Rauner in the past for not taking a leading role in the conversation, Manar praised the governors latest effort.
Im of the belief that anytime there can be a public conversation between Republicans and Democrats representing all geographic areas and school districts in our state, thats a step in the right direction, Manar said. Im encouraged that this can be a forum that can finally produce the overhaul thats desperately needed.
He said the Feb. 1 deadline is aggressive but achievable.
Like Manar, Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, has been a point man on education funding for his party and will serve on the commission.
Barickman said the fact that Democrats havent been able to come to an agreement among themselves on rewriting the formula demonstrates the complexity of the issue.
The Legislatures like a bunch of cats, and somebody needs to herd them, he said, adding, For the first time, we have a governor who is engaged and recognizes the problem that exists and says he wants to provide the leadership necessary at the statewide level for us to come to a bipartisan agreement.
Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, a retired teacher, also was named to the panel by Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont.
SPRINGFIELD Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Wednesday morning will make her second appearance of the campaign season at the Old State Capitol in downtown Springfield.
The former first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state will speak to an invited audience about building an America that is stronger together and an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top," according to her campaign.
The stop comes a day after Clinton's former rival for the nomination, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, endorsed her at a campaign event in New Hampshire.
She previously appeared at the Old State Capitol, where Abraham Lincoln made his famous house divided speech and where Barack Obama officially launched his first presidential campaign in 2007, in March on the eve of the states presidential primary. An Illinois native, Clinton won the state with 50.6 percent of the vote to Sanders 48.6 percent.
Dan Petrella
Union County States Attorney Tyler R. Edmonds was re-appointed to the Board of Governors of the Illinois States Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor for a second term in June during a quarterly board meeting in Chicago, according to a news release from his office.
He is the only Union County States Attorney ever to be a member of the Board of Governors.
The Appellate Prosecutor serves as the attorney for the people of the State of Illinois in all criminal appeals outside Cook County, prosecutes serious drug cases, and acts as Special Prosecutor at the trial level for felonies when appointed by the Court. In addition, the Appellate Prosecutor is the primary training agency for all Illinois prosecutors.
The Appellate Prosecutor is also responsible for thousands of cases each year and is currently handling cases throughout the state ranging from sexual assault to murder.
The Southern
A local family physician believes there must be a greater focus on research in the fight against opioid addiction.
Dr. Monnie Singleton of Singleton Health Center in Orangeburg says the over-prescription of opioids, which can be used to treat moderate-to-severe pain and are often prescribed following surgery or injury, is part of the problem.
Opiate addiction is a very, very serious problem that is increasing with time. Unfortunately, I am seeing more and more people who are identifying as opiate addicts becoming addicts from their doctors," Singleton said. "It is incredibly easy for patients to go to their primary care doctors and the emergency rooms and get opiates almost for any condition."
Im seeing opiates being given for sore throat. Im seeing where opiates are being given when someone comes in complaining of a urinary tract infection. You dont need opiates for that," he said. "Im seeing them given to control coughs. Opiates can certainly control coughs, but you dont need an opiate for that either."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that opioids, including prescription opioid pain relievers and heroin, killed more than 28,000 people in 2014 -- more than any year on record. At least half of all opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid.
The CDC also reports that since 1999, the amount of prescription opioids sold in the United States nearly quadrupled. Yet, there has not been an overall change in the amount of pain that Americans report. Death from prescription opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone and methadone have also quadrupled since 1999.
Singleton said his treatment includes group counseling sessions for opioid addicts. After agreeing to only have their first names used, some of his group members talked about their problems with opioid abuse during a June 6 interview.
Kim, 33, said she became hooked on Vicodin at the age of 19 because of what she considered the over-prescription of pain killers by her doctor.
My body got immune to the Vicodin, and then he put me on Percocet. He was giving me 60 every two weeks. Every two weeks I could go in there and get it, and thats how I got hooked on them. Then when I didnt have them, I would get sick, she said.
Then you gotta try to find it, and you can buy them off the street until you can go back and get them from your doctor. Everybody sells it, Kim said.
Joyce said she battled opioid addiction, along with her parents and her brother.
I lost everything. I almost lost my kids, my home. It was to the breaking point where I said, I gotta do something different. You want to stop, but there are not enough people to help you and there are not enough programs, she said. I thank God for Dr. Singleton.
Sheryl said she had also hit rock bottom, and at one point could not pay her bills because of what she was spending to support her addiction.
In the beginning, it gives you like a high and when you get that high, you want to continue that high. Mine became a mind thing; thats how it affected me. But in the process, I was still hurting myself. I was killing myself. I dont think I needed it (opiates) so much, but my mind was telling me that I did, she said. I thank God I found Dr. Singleton because I dont know what would have happened.
It is a chronic illness," Singleton said. "Incarceration does absolutely nothing, and there certainly needs to be more emphasis put on effective treatment. With some testing that is now becoming available, were seeing a strong genetic component to opiate addiction.
He added, We need to do so much more research. Were just scratching the surface in terms of it being a brain disease, but one of the interesting things that were beginning to take a closer look at -- and I certainly hope will be part of the research -- is a condition called reward deficiency syndrome.
RDS is a psychological theory that is characterized by reward-seeking behavior and/or addictions stemming from genetic variations.
A majority of patients who have become addicted to opiates have had some painful experiences not only in terms of physical pain, but emotional pain down through the years as well, and the opiates numb all of that, said Singleton, whose group counseling sessions are held once a month on topics such as stress management.
Providers need to do a better job of listening and treating patients with painful conditions and avoiding those medications that are potentially addictive," he said. "We need to use some of the technology thats available to do DNA testing to see who is at risk for addictions."
Removing the stigma associated with addiction will also contribute to more addicts seeking help, Singleton noted. His medical center is certified to write prescriptions for the current treatment for opioid addiction.
We have to increase access to getting help. Im limited to a 100 patients (with opioid addiction) at any given time. Since I have been treating patients, Ive been at the 100-level for five years," Singleton said. "Ive always got a waiting list of 50 to 75 patients."
He said he would be interested in knowing how many addicts are covered under Medicaid and/or Medicare because, I sense that the majority of them are getting them paid for through government programs.
If the government on one hand is saying, Oh, weve got to do something about it, but yet are paying for the prescriptions on the other hand, there is a mismatch and disconnect in terms of what theyre saying and what theyre doing, Singleton said.
At the same time, however, he has hope for the future.
I am hopeful and I think that were going to be putting in a new facility that has the capacity to have larger group sessions. Id like to also bring in psychologists and mental health workers," Singleton said. "We have specialists to help deal with them as well because the addiction is only one part of the problem. Theres many other socioeconomic areas as well.
Singleton said he is particularly proud of patient Kims progress along the path to recovery.
She was very destitute when she came here. And one of the things we did as part of her overall treatment plan is put her back in school," he said. "She got her GED and is now a certified welder who is getting advanced training in welding. Whereas she was living on her mothers couch, shes now able to find housing for her and her children."
Singleton added, Its more than just giving them a medication -- its having to rebuild their confidence.
The South Carolina Academy of Family Physicians as named an Orangeburg native the 2016-2017 Family Physician of the Year.
Fran Mixson Kunda, MD of Chesnee, was awarded the honor at the SCAFP's Annual Assembly held June 12-16 at the Sonesta Resort on Hilton Head Island.
The Family Physician of the Year award honors an outstanding South Carolina family physician who provides patients with compassionate and comprehensive care, and serves as a role model professionally and personally to his or her community, other health professionals, residents and medical students.
Kunda has practiced in Spartanburg County since completing her residency and has been an integral part of the community since that time. Initially in private practice, she invited numerous medical and nursing students into her office for their elective rotations.
She joined the Spartanburg Regional Family Medicine Residency Program as an assistant professor of Family Medicine three years ago and has been named the Faculty Member of the Year for two of the past three years. Kunda has been described as a genuine and compassionate teacher to the family medicine residents and medical students.
She has represented her profession on a local and state level -- having served as the Spartanburg County Medical Society president, medical director of St. Lukes Free Medical Clinic, SCAFP president and board chair -- and is currently the SCAFP alternate delegate to the S.C. Medical Association.
Kunda has vast international medical experience volunteering throughout Central America and Africa, and she also volunteers at her local Free Medical Clinic.
She is a graduate of the College of Charleston and earned her medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina. She completed her Family Medicine residency at the Spartanburg Regional Family Medicine Residency Program.
The Rotary Club of Orangeburg-Morning celebrated its 20-year anniversary of serving the community during last months Service Above Self banquet
During the event, the club recognized its member-selected Rotarian of the Year and the Law Enforcement Officers of the Year.
The dinner was held in the S.T.A.T.E. Room on the campus of South Carolina State University.
Rotary District 7770 Gov. Rod Funderburk and Assistant District Gov. Paul A. Miller joined in the evening of recognition and commemoration.
Funderburk revealed the 2016 Rotarian of the Year honoree as Brenda L. Williams.
Williams is the vice president of strategy and compliance at the Regional Medical Center of Orangeburg and Calhoun Counties and has served RMC since 1979.
She has more than 35 years of experience in hospital administration after earning a bachelors degree in biology from South Carolina State University and a masters degree in hospital administration from the Medical College of Virginia.
Williams is a founding member of the Orangeburg Family YMCA and former president of both the local United Way and the Carolinas Society for Planning and Marketing. She is currently VP of community betterment for the Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce, commissioner at Denmark Technical College, VP of the Regional Economic and Educational Community Development Corporation and serves as a founding member of the Orangeburg/Calhoun Free Medical Clinic.
She is also a former school board trustee, a life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church.
The 2016 Law Enforcement Officers of the Year are:
Cpl. Albert Black of the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety
Cpl. Karl Stoller of the Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office
Sgt. Michael D. Tomson of the South Carolina Highway Patrol - Troop7/Post B
Officers and board members for the 2016-2017 Rotary Club of Orangeburg Morning are:
President Dr. David Staten
President-elect Ralph Faulling
Treasurer Melissa Cain
Secretary Henry Miller
Past president Lee L. Given
Board member Sandra Bethune
Board member Tom Cassidy
Board member Mike Dennis
Board member Joslyn DiPasalenge
Board member Michelle Holbrook
Board member Charlie Spell
The Rotary Club of Orangeburg-Morning supports many projects and activities including: distributing free dictionaries to every third-grader throughout Orangeburg County; sharing with second-graders at Mellichamp and Whittaker elementary schools the story of Andy and Elmers Apple Dumpling Gang; supporting Into the Mouths of Babes food snack program and participating in community events such as the Festival of Roses and the Taste of Orangeburg.
If you are interested in learning more about Rotary or the possibility of joining, contact Lee L. Given at 803-707-5540 or LLGiven@gmail.com. Find out more at the clubs Facebook page
Hate and violence have become standard practices in the United States. I dont know how else to say it. Police shooting seemingly innocent people, snipers shooting police officers, homegrown terrorists killing out of hate, horrendously vile racist dialogue from a major party candidate for president and even worse from his supporters.
The Land of the Free and Home of the Brave? There is no freedom for any of us in what is happening right now. Hatred and violence are the tools of cowards, not the brave. We may be united as a residents of these states and territories but we are deeply divided in so many other ways. Its in the news practically every day.
This is quite simply unacceptable in the 21st century in our country that has from its inception lauded diversity of opinion even in heated debate. It is unacceptable that we are in such conflict with each other when what we so desperately need is to come together.
There will be no winners in this growing battle, I assure you. All that will be left will be the blood-stained memories of lives that could have been, the destroyed lives of the survivors and families, and an even deeper divide among us.
We cannot look to political leaders for the answers. While they can be helpful, far too many are engaging in hurtful ways. Its up to us to carry the heavy load and walk the long walk toward a better, more peaceful, world.
Many ideas for solutions will continue to be bantered around. Gun control, police accountability, tougher hate crime laws, tougher terrorism laws, and so many more ranging from the excellent to the totally absurd.
And while the adoption of these ideas may yield progress on the symptoms and side effects of hatred they, sadly, will likely only be temporary bandages on the gaping wounds within the hearts of those who love and those who hate. There is no way to legislate away hate, to mandate understanding, nor to order empathy.
We, and when I say we I mean every single one of us, must take a deep breath. Step away from what are often irrational, albeit frequently passionate, beliefs and strive every day to better understand people and communities of people that are not like ourselves. Stop shouting down those with which we disagree. Whether thats black or white or Latino, Republican or Democratic, Christian or Muslim or agnostic, liberal or conservative we must better understand who the human beings that we share this country and planet with really are.
So I call on you to put your preconceptions aside and to seek out, listen to, and contemplate the differences among us but most important to find and bond with the shared connections that we have as human beings longing for better lives for ourselves, our families and our children.
At our core, I think we would all find that we are very much the same in our basic lives. While differences are very real, I think an understanding of those differences would actually lead us to better see our similarities.
Share your stories and beliefs, soak in the stories and beliefs of others, follow up with questions, keep your calm when stories and questions may be on the surface offensive, and search for meaning and connection.
I call on community leaders such as pastors, school leaders and elected officials to use their platforms not to direct the conversation but to open it up within the wider community and listen.
We can heal ourselves, we can better understand one another, and we can reverse the damaging trend toward hate and violence. We must to do it deliberately and together, though, and we have to start now.
Fort Sumter isn't just a national historic site, it's a national historic treasure. So why isn't it being treated like one?
In a recent report, The Post and Courier reporter Bo Petersen cited the numerous existing structural problems with the fort, and the pending hazards it faces as the State Ports Authority moves ahead with the deepening of the channel serving Charleston Harbor.
The fort's problems are in sharp to contrast to its popularity with the throngs of tourists who come to Charleston to see the place where the Civil War started.
The hundreds of thousands of tourists who visit the site each year contribute to its upkeep, but not enough to take care of all the wear and tear on the fort. The National Park Service clearly recognizes the many structural problems facing the fort, but can barely keep up with the crumbling brickwork and deteriorating walkways.
Similar problems are being experienced by other national park sites across the United States because of a long-term lack of adequate funding. But Fort Sumter can't sustain ongoing budgetary shortfalls as easily as most other sites.
It constantly endures the effects of waves, boat wakes and water seepage. Consequently, its maintenance problems have to be met, or the damage will only get worse.
As a national historic site, the fort is mainly the responsibility of the federal government. And federal lawmakers are failing Fort Sumter. The backlog of needed maintenance and repair work is $10 million for Fort Sumter and the associated sites of Fort Moultrie and the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site.
First District Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., acknowledges the need for more funding, but in his view there are complications.
"What folks in government don't do very well is differentiate investment from consumption," Sanford said. "We have to be careful not to give away the farm. Everyone has to take part concessionaires, users. It can't just be the taxpayer."
If there needs to be a balance of contributions among those various groups, then the congressman and his colleagues should work on an arrangement that will provide the necessary funding from each and then implement it. The situation at Fort Sumter shows a long-standing shortfall both in cash and congressional responsibility.
Credit Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., for attempting to gain more funding for Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie by combining them to create a new national park.
Meanwhile, Petersen points out the pending need for a $3 million breakwater to protect the fort from the wakes of larger ships that will be coming into the harbor after the channel is deepened to 52 feet.
Congress, the State Ports Authority, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Park Service should be working on a plan to put that structure in place before the deepening gets underway.
Beyond its historic value, Fort Sumter has a symbolic importance equal to any site in the nation. National leaders recognized that when they raised Old Glory there after the end of hostilities between the North and the South. It is a must-see attraction for visitors to Charleston.
Its current deterioration says it should be a must-fund site for the federal government. Gaining the necessary resources to ensure that repairs can be made before further damage is sustained would be a sound investment.
No reasonable taxpayer would consider such an essential allocation as "giving away the farm."
From The Post and Courier of Charleston via The Associated Press.
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/By Azernews/
By Nigar Abbasova
Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) will sign a contract on the purchase of 10 aircrafts MC-21 in the first quarter of 2017, said Alexander Rubtsov, the general director of "Ilyushin Finance Co."
The sides have signed a memorandum of intent for purchase the aircrafts in June, expiration date of the document is February 2017, Trend reports.
We are waiting for the first flight of the aircraft. After that we will prepare more solid agreement which will contain all necessary information. The agreement is expected to be ready in the first quarter of 2017, Rubtsov said.
Meanwhile, the first flight of Russias MC-21, which was presented on June 8 at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, is planned for December 2016-February 2017, Air Transport World reported.
MC-21 which is also referred to as main plane of the 21st century is assembled and developed by Russias Irkut Corporation, which is part of the United Aircraft Corporation.
MC-21 is a family of new generation medium range single-aisle jets with wide-body aircraft comfort. The aircraft combine the latest trends in global aviation with Russia's experience in aerospace industry.
The Irkutsk Aviation Plant is planning to produce three versions of the MC-21, including the 150-seat MC-21-200, the 180-seat MC-21-300 and the 212-seat MC-21-400.
The Russian flag carrier Aeroflot has ordered 50 planes, while Egypt's KATO Investment company ordered six planes during the Dubai Airshow 2015. In late April, Irkut Corporation and Air Tanzania signed a memorandum of understanding, expressing mutual interest in the Tanzanian flag carrier acquiring Russian MC-21 airliners, Sputnik News reported.
For now, only the first instance of the aircraft is totally assembled.
Ilyushin Finance Company provides aircraft sale and lease services combining financial solutions with aircraft marketing and complete asset management, including aircraft customization and after sale support.
Azerbaijan Airlines is a major air carrier and one of the leaders of the aviation community of CIS countries. AZAL with the newest airplane fleets, consisting of 25 airplanes, does not have a single old plane. Azerbaijan Airlines is a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
/By Azernews/
By Amina Nazarli
The government of Azerbaijan plans to invest more than 1.1 billion of manats (about $704 million) in development of the industrial parks.
Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev made this remark at a ceremony for signing the United Nations-Azerbaijan framework agreement for 2016-2020.
The government plans to allocate more than one billion manats (about $640 million) to Sumgayit Chemical Industrial Park, 30 million manats ($19 million) to Balakhani Industrial Park, 100 million manats ($64 million) to Mingachevir Industrial Park and 40 million manats (425 million) to Neftchala industrial quarter, said the minister.
Mustafayev noted that 17 entrepreneurs received the documents in the framework of the projects worth 180 million manats ($115 million).
"These measures will help to open thousands of working places, the minister added.
Azerbaijan has entered a new phase of industrialization, whose ultimate goal is to turn the country into a strong industrial center of the region.
This step is important for the country to provide better employment opportunities, increase incomes, and form a highly skilled workforce. In recent years, the country opened Sumgayit, Balakhani, and Mingechevir industrial parks.
To improve the investment attractiveness of the parks their residents are exempt from income tax, land tax and property tax for seven years. Also equipment and technology used in the park are exempt from value added tax (VAT).
Speaking at the event, UN Resident Coordinator Ghulam Isaczai said that the UN is ready to support reforms in Azerbaijan.
Referring to the signed deal, Isaczai said the document is being signed in an important period for Azerbaijan, when the government is carrying out reforms and is preparing a strategic roadmap for economic diversification.
He added the UN is ready to contribute to the implementation of these processes. Our contribution includes political consultations and experience, and we can support the development of agricultural sector, healthcare, migration and others, the UN Resident Coordinator emphasized.
The document will cover 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and set sustainable development goals.
Mustafayev said the framework document covers the strategic spheres of activity such as diversification of the economy, promotion of sustainable economic development, institutional capacity strengthening, effective public and social services, improving the management of environment, increasing sustainability against risks and natural disasters.
/By Azernews/
By Nigar Abbasova
Azerbaijan State Oil Fund (SOFAZ) is considering the possibility of making investment in Turkey, the Funds CEO Shahmar Movsumov said.
He also mentioned that the fund constantly examines possibilities of investment making in different countries of the world.
Speaking about the geography of assets allocated by the funds asset allocation he said that about 60.46 percent of the assets are in the European countries.
As much as 20 percent falls to a share of North America while the share of Australia is 3.62. Asian-Pacific region accounts for 11.80 percent, while the assets in the Middle East, South America and Africa are 0.63, 0.27 and 3.21 percent respectively. As much as 3.21 percent of the funds assets are in the international financial organizations.
The assets of the fund have increased by 2 percent as of April 2016, as compared to the beginning of the year. The assets increased from $33.57 billion up to $34.25 billion.
Talking about the deal on the purchase of real estate in Milan, Italy, Movsumov said that the deal has been totally closed. He also mentioned that the fund faced no obstacles in the process of real estate acquisition. We have already become the owners of the object, he added.
SOFAZ reached an agreement with the sovereign-wealth funds of Abu Dhabi and Qatar on the investment of $380 million to purchase and develop three separate properties in Milan. The fund has acquired Palazzo Turati, an office property in Milan's historical Central Business District, for 97 million with the aim to further diversify its real estate portfolio. This is the first property acquisition of SOFAZ in Italy. Alongside with Italy the fund has properties in the UK, France, Russia, South Korea and Japan.
Earlier, the funds chief investment advisor Ziya Kangarli said that SOFAZ plans to increase the profitability of asset management in the years to come. The advisor also emphasized that increasing the share of real estate in the fund's portfolio is not a random decision either, as it is one of the most popular and profitable assets, particularly in developed countries. The economic indicators show that SOFAZ is on the right path.
Currently, as much as 4.6 percent of the investment portfolio falls to a share of real estate while the share of gold amounts to 3.1 percent. Some 80.6 percent of the investment portfolio is placed in bonds.
SOFAZ was established in 1999 with assets of $271 million. The funds of the entity may be used for the construction and reconstruction of strategically important infrastructural objects as well as for tackling national problems.
Main objectives of the fund include accumulation of resources and the placement of the funds assets abroad in order to minimize the negative effects on the economy, to promote resource accumulation for future generations and to support current social and economic processes in Azerbaijan.
Speaking about the political reforms in the country President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan said these reforms will be continued.
"Positive steps to build a democratic society are being undertaken with the rule of law and all freedoms ensured. Azerbaijan is growing into one of the leaders in implementation of political reforms, the President noted at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers dedicated to the results of socioeconomic development in first half of 2016 and objectives for the future.
"The measures to fight against corruption and bribery, which make the society concerned most, were undertaken in current year on a wider scale. We have achieved jaw-dropping successes. Combating corruption and bribery is one of the major directions of our policy. Punishment and administrative measures are helpful but reforms of the systematic nature also opened the way to achieve a significant progress in this field. I want to mention the activity of the "ASAN Xidmet" (Easy Service). The "ASAN Xidmet", which earned the society`s acclaim within short span of time, also proved its worth today as the Azerbaijani brand all over the world. Millions of people have applied to this service. The number of "ASAN Xidmet"`s services will go up in the future along with more electronic ones, too," President Aliyev said.
President of Azerbaijan said the ASAN-Xidmet will have its new centers in regions and introduce a new system - ASAN-Train Service this year.
/By Azernews/
By Rashid Shirinov
The military output produced in Azerbaijan played an important role in the April battles provoked by Armenia, said Azerbaijan's Defense Industry Minister Yavar Jamalov.
He made the statement at the Cabinet meeting on the Results of Socio-economic Development in the First Half of 2016 and the Upcoming Challenges chaired by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on July 10.
Jamalov mentioned a number of reforms carried out in the army building in terms of strengthening the logistics base of the Armed Forces.
Today, the Azerbaijani army is among the strongest ones -- that was proved by the April fights. Thus, in April of this year, in reply to the provocations of Armenian army, our Armed Forces have struck hard blows to the army of the occupant-country in the frontline, and a number of settlements and important heights were liberated. I would like to mention, that a number of local defense products were widely used during the fighting, the minister claimed.
They were anti-tank grenade launchers, mortars, sniper rifles, universal machine guns, including ??74? assault rifles and ammunition of different caliber. Moreover, a number of modern unmanned aerial vehicles produced in Azerbaijan have been used for accurate detection and destruction of the enemy targets.
On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani civilians. Azerbaijan had to respond with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements.
This year, the Ministry of Defense Industry is implementing intensive work on creating new types of defense products. The main directions are designing educational and combat aviation bombs, systems of defense of special-significance facilities, as well as missiles of medium and long range.
Seven new-established enterprises will produce Revolver grenade launcher and its ammunition, fire sets for R?G-7V2 manual anti-tank grenade launcher, M-6 & M-12 mine fuzes, big- and small-caliber automatic guns, shells for tank guns.
Moreover, the Ministry will develop a prototype of the national armored vehicle, namely, Ildirim and Gasirgha vehicles will be introduced at the ADEX-2016 Second International Defense Exhibition. The exhibition, taking place in Baku on September 27-30, 2016, has already drawn international attention -- the Ministry got orders from more than 200 companies of 38 countries.
Jamalov noted that, to date, the Ministry of Defense Industry has successfully met its objectives: In 2016, in accordance with the orders of the Defense Ministry and other power structures, the production, repair and disposal of defense products in the amount of 192.2 million manats ($123 million) were planned. In this field, intensive work is undertaken and the products are provided to customers.
Overall, for the six months of 2016, the Ministry of Defense Industry completed the forecast GDP on 101.7 percent. The figure exceeds the data of the same period of 2015 by 5.1 percent, the Minister informed.
Meanwhile, the Ministry also expanded production of civil products: prototypes of Dalma deep-water pumps for artesian wells were developed. The forecast GDP on civil production was over-fulfilled as well 108.8 percent for the half-year.
Yavar Jamalov also spoke about the export potential of the national military products: The enterprises of the Ministry have been announced the winners of various tenders in the international markets. In turn, this indicates compliance of the products with international quality standards. He also mentioned the DSA-2016 exhibition in Malaysia, April 18-21, where the enterprises of the Ministry introduced a range of their new products.
As a result, contracts for the export of various defense products were signed, and their implementation initiated. The products consist of different ammunition, modern weapons, sniper rifles, drones, etc. To date, The Ministry of Defense Industry has signed contracts of $106 million total in value with countries of Europe, Americas, Asia and Africa. In order to expand our export opportunities in the years to come, measures on finding new markets will be taken, Jamalov assured.
/By Azernews/
By Amina Nazarli
The fight against religious radicalism in Azerbaijan is one of the most important tasks.
Mubariz Gurbanli, Chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations said speaking at the presentation of the documentary film "Fitna".
We are not fighting against religion and religious radicalism. Some people mix these two things. In Azerbaijan, the attention and care of the state towards religion were always in the foreground. Recently, the head of state has allocated funds to religious communities of the country, which is a big care of the state of the field, he said.
To support the existing religious confessions in the country and the improvement of their material conditions, the Presidential Reserve Fund allocated 1 million manat (about $644,000) to the confessions.
The head of the State Committee said that the fight against religious radicalism in Azerbaijan is carried out in three directions. One of them, according to Gurbanli is an ideological struggle. "In Azerbaijan, there is no environment for strengthening radical religious groups. It is not allowed by our values, culture and history," he added.
The second direction implies the job of law-enforcement bodies in fighting against religious radicalism, Gurbanli stressed. And the third one, is a struggle in the economic sphere.
We must not allow such people use their funds to influence the youth. By mobilizing all the forces of society, we must prevent the penetration of such groups and elements into Azerbaijan. Religious radicalism is a common human disaster. Where religious radicalism grows, there a tragedy occurs. To avoid this, the whole society and government agencies must work together to combat religious radicalism, Gurbanli emphasized.
Being a secular Muslim country Azerbaijan is one of just four countries in the world with a Shia majority population. Some 96 percent of the population are Muslims, and four percent are representatives of the Christian, Jewish and other religions.
Azerbaijan is a multinational, multi-religious country, being a home for 649 religious communities. Representatives of all the nations, all religions, all ethnic groups in the country enjoy equal rights. Of course, it is stipulated by the Constitution of the country, but its also the reality.
Religious freedom and support in Azerbaijan is fully provided by the government. The government makes everything possible to restore the historical and religious monuments and the construction of new mosques, synagogues and churches.
/By Azernews/
By Gunay Camal
Early results of the reforms made in the economic and social spheres, as well as priority directions for the national economy were considered in the Cabinet meeting chaired by President Ilham Aliyev on July 10.
The president, speaking about results of socioeconomic development in the first half of 2016, reminded that threats have increased in the world, while the economic crisis deepened affecting each and every country, Azertac reported.
President Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan has managed to achieve successful development, and socio-political situation in the country remains stable.
Referring to the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as the most concerning issue for the state, the president highlighted the fact that the Azerbaijani Army stopped the provocation committed by Armenia in early April and as a result of counter-offensives liberated an area of 2,000 hectares.
The conflict should be resolved in the near future, and the status quo should be changed, said President Aliyev noting the importance of settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the norms and principles of international law and the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
The president emphasized that the only possible solution of the conflict is a step by step solution, the president said, stressing that the co-chair countries of the OSCE should make serious pressure on Armenia to achieve it.
"We simply hope that the conflict could be solved through negotiations. At the same time, we have great achievements in the army build-up. The Azerbaijani army is one of the world`s strong armies. We have still to do more in this regard, and reforms must be continued. I must say that military potential of our country is sufficiently strong. We continue to purchase modern weaponry, ammunition and hardware. Azerbaijan produces necessary military goods. Military potential, combat capabilities of our army are increasing and it makes us happy because every powerful country should have a powerful army, he said, emphasizing that the state will further continue active policy in this direction.
Azerbaijan continues and will further continue to strengthen its army, its material and technical base, at the same time, solve daily problems of servicemen. Azerbaijan is strong state with strong army," President Aliyev stated.
Speaking about the active foreign policy pursued by the countrys leadership, Peresident Aliyev stated that more than 10 heads of state and government have visited the country with a view to boost the bilateral ties. The president stated that these visits will help to further strengthen international relations of the country.
President Aliyev also spoke about the economic development process, mentioning that over the past six months roughly $6.3 billion was invested in the country's economy, while the country preserved attractiveness for foreign investors.
Emphasizing that about 78,000 permanent jobs opened in the first half, the president went on to say that social reforms continues in the country.
This year, we intend to proceed with construction of social housing, the president said, adding that the State Housing Agency was created with an aim to provide low-income families with housing on very favorable terms. Also, when this process will take a massive scale, it will have a very positive impact on the sectors of construction and production of building materials, and overall on our industrial potential.
The head of state voiced his confidence that 2016 will remain in history as a period of deep reforms, pointing to continuation of measures for the successful implementation of strategic energy and transport projects.
President Aliyev, in his concluding speech, stressed the importance of implementing the tasks set in priority areas, naming manufacturing and agriculture sectors as key directions.
The Head of State gave instructions to establish large-scale, export-oriented industrial enterprises along with strengthening small and medium-sized businesses.
Among the major projects being carried out in the country, I want to mention projects in Sumgait Chemical Industrial Park. The construction of SOCAR Polymer complex takes a special place among them. Huge investments were made in this project - about $700 million invested. Two years later, this company will be producing finished products. Dependence on imports will be completely eliminated and a large export potential will be displayed. This should be the main direction, a priority for our future activities. There must also be carried out serious work aimed at maximum elimination of the dependence on imports, increase of our export capacity and, in parallel with this - search for and identification of export markets, the president said.
In addition, the president said, it is planned to put into operation the plant of nitrogen fertilizers in 2018. Using this plant, the private sector should carry out operational activities and pursue a flexible policy. If there is a need, numerous small and medium-sized enterprises should be created with the state support in the near future so that they produce finished products in Azerbaijan, he added.
The president further added that the work is underway for deployment of medicine production in the country, along with creating industrial centers and upgrading industrial potential of each region in this year.
Today the time has come for Azerbaijan to begin production of medicines. Relevant instructions have been given negotiations with several foreign companies are underway. There is a big interest, as the Azerbaijani market is big enough, he said.
We will develop the industrial potential in this area, reduce dependence on imports, but at the same time, we will be able to provide our citizens with more high-quality medicines. I believe that before the end of the year all of the negotiation process, all organizational matters should be resolved. This year we should start the construction of pharmaceutical factories.
Further speaking about creation of industrial parks, the president mentioned that Ganja, Sumgayit and Mingachevir enjoy a huge industrial potential, well-trained human resources along with Baku, the largest industrial city of the South Caucasus.
This year a foundation of the light industry complex must be laid in Mingachevir. This will positively affect unemployment issue in Mingachevir, and we will create a very large, new industrial center. In Mingachevir it is planned to build several large industrial enterprises. The light industry will also develop here. In the near future, thousands of jobs will open here. The number of people, who will work primarily in the construction sector, and then in these enterprises, will be thousands. Thus, we will create a new industrial center and provide people with jobs, added the president.
President Aliyev emphasized that creation of industrial areas and parks will be a key priority of the government in the non-oil sector of the national economy.
Giving orders over continuation of the state support to development of the carpet industry, silk, cotton and tobacco growing in Azerbaijan, ensuring the supply of necessary food products, demand for meat and dairy products, continuation of ameliorative measures, rational use of land, the head of the state voiced the necessity of considering every opportunity that will allow to expand the export potential of the country.
Today, we create a strong non-oil export potential. At the same time, there should be taken and are taken institutional measures capable of boosting exports, so that the entrepreneurs could sell more products abroad, he said.
The head of state noted that in recent years Baku hosted international events, including the European Grand Prix "Formula 1" and the state provided strong support for the development of tourism in the country.
Referring to the activity of the ASAN xidm?t, President Aliyev highly appraised the Agency saying that this year the new centers will be opened in Gabala and Masalli along with the currently operating nine centers.
The "ASAN Xidmet", which gain the society`s acclaim within short span of time, also proved its worth today as the Azerbaijani brand all over the world. Millions of people have applied to this service. The number of "ASAN Xidmet" services will go up in the future along with more electronic ones, too," President Aliyev said.
The president said the ASAN-Xidmet will have its new centers in regions and introduce a new system - ASAN-Train Service this year.
Stressing the successful execution of orders related to the reduction of unnecessary inspections of businesses, President Aliyev expressed confidence that the second half of 2016 will also be successful.
Al Tamimi & Company, the largest law firm in the Middle East, has advised on three rights issues on Dubai Financial Market (DFM) in the last three months.
In total, the rights issues raised more than Dh5.5 billion ($1.5 billion), and they were all significantly oversubscribed.
In April, Al Tamimis Equity Capital Markets team advised leisure operator Dubai Parks & Resorts on its 1.6 billion rights issue, which was launched primarily to fund the development of a Six Flags theme park within the Dubai Parks and Resorts destination. The rights issue was 60 per cent oversubscribed and included a minimum commitment subscription from certain investors. This is the first new issue of shares in the UAE to have such an underwriting arrangement.
Earlier in June, Al Tamimi advised Ajman Bank on a rights issue to raise Dh675 million. Of this, Dh500 million was raised through the issue of new ordinary shares and Dh175 million represented share premium, making it the first rights issue to take place on DFM that includes a share premium component. The rights issue was 195 per cent over-subscribed.
At the end of June, Dubai Islamic Bank, advised by Al Tamimi, completed a 3.2 billion rights issue, which was approximately three times over-subscribed.
Husam Hourani, managing partner at Al Tamimi & Company, said: Through our close involvement with SCA in the development of the new regulations, we believe we are the best qualified law firm to provide advice to companies seeking equity funding through such mechanisms, as demonstrated by the leading role we have played in these recent rights issues.
We are very pleased to have advised on these transactions, which have each established new precedents through their various structural and funding elements. Such innovation clearly contributed to their success and Al Tamimi is proud to have played its part in the injection of new levels of sophistication into the DFM. A market which enables successful companies to access capital to support their growth plans is in everyones interests and the level of investor interest in these transactions is a clear expression of confidence in it, Hourani added. TradeArabia News Service
The UAE Ministry of Finance has signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) on the automatic exchange of information for tax purposes in its premises.
This step follows the ministrys commitment to exchange tax information according to international requirements and sign agreements on the avoidance of double taxation.
The MoU was signed by Younis Haji Al Khoori, undersecretary at the ministry and Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, chairman of ADGM, in the presence of Khalid Ali Al Bustani, assistant undersecretary of international financial relations.
The agreement stipulates both parties commitment to implement international standards and requirements on the automatic exchange of information for tax purposes, establish a formal basis for co-operation in order to implement any requirement under any international tax agreement, update and maintain the guidelines specific to the regulations and laws that serve its purpose.
Commenting on the deal, Al Khoori said: "The ministry continuously seeks to sign similar agreements to ensure implementation of international standards of transparency, by ADGM providing information and data for tax purposes which the ministry exchanges with different countries to maintain the global financial and trading position of the country."
Signing the agreement contributes in maintaining confidentiality of tax information circulated among stakeholders, as well as in setting plans to face potential data leakage risks, he said.
Al Sayegh lauded the ministrys efforts to strengthen economic co-operation and security by signing international agreements with local entities.
"This helps in preventing tax evasion and enhancing tax collection efficiency; the automatic exchange of information is considered as a new standard for international cooperation to achieve transparency and tax justice, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower) said its chief executive Ahmed bin Shafar has been re-elected to the board of directors of The International District Energy Association (Idea) for a second three-year term till 2019.
In 2013, the US-based Idea appointed Bin Shafar to its board thus making him the first Arab from the UAE to hold this title in the history of the association which was founded over a century ago, said a statement from the company.
The membership reflects the leading role played by Empower on local and international levels to popularise the district cooling sector worldwide. It also clearly indicates the success of the companys strategy and its regional and global active role as far as district cooling is concerned, it added.
Commenting on the renewal of his membership, Bin Shafar said: This membership is to voice out the Arab district cooling industry to the world.
The UAE is garnering a leading role in the environmental sustainability sphere, and this membership shows the greater awareness district cooling is achieving among energy decision makers and specialists as a sustainability alternative to conventional cooling systems, he said.
We have noticed international interest to transfer our business model to other parts of the world being a leader in adopting best practices worldwide. We are delighted with the appreciation to our sustainability practices in our operations, he added.
Bin Shafar pointed out that this membership goes along with Ideas objective of advancing future water and clean energy technologies and will lead to pioneering partnerships locally and internationally.-TradeArabia News Service
Jazan Gas Projects Company (JGPC), a joint venture between Saudi-based Acwa Holding and US-based Air Products, has broken ground on an industrial gas complex being developed by Saudi Aramco at an investment of $2.1 billion.
The upcoming facility will serve Saudi Aramcos Jazan refinery and terminal.
Once ready, the complex will supply a total of 75,000 tonnes per day of industrial gas (20,000 of oxygen and 55,000 of nitrogen), for 20 years to Saudi Aramcos refinery.
The contract was awarded to JGPC by Saudi Aramco in 2015 to build, own and operate the worlds biggest industrial gas plant.
At the site of the air separation unit (ASU) facility which is a vital component of the oil refining operations in Jazan, representatives from Saudi Aramco, Acwa Holding, Air Products, JGPC board members and employees gathered to commemorate the special occasion.
Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony, Mohammad Abunayyan, the chairman of the JGPC board and chairman of Acwa Holding Board (the majority shareholder) said: "Since the contract was awarded, we are very proud to have demonstrated outstanding infrastructure financing which has enabled us to be well advanced with the build schedule. We have also recruited a highly skilled team to manage operations and underpin our values for exceptional quality and customer service."
"Construction on-site started a month earlier than planned, initial drawings have been issued and we have a clear plan of mobilisation to Jazan from this date," stated Abunayyan.
The gas complex will require 600 MW to operate and will consist of six air separation trains.
Implementing unique technology developed by Air Products, the plant will produce oxygen and nitrogen which will supply the gasifier to generate the gas necessary to run the power generators and to provide feedstock to the refinery and the adjacent Jazan Economic City.
This will allow the integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plant to economically and efficiently generate enough electricity to cover the refinerys needs, enable the development of small industries, and provide power for communities in the area.
Fuad Al Azman, the general manager of Jazan Area Projects, said: "This is the largest third party project Saudi Aramco has awarded to the private sector, and as such, demonstrates its faith in the joint capabilities of Acwa Holding and Air Products to develop giant infrastructure projects of strategic importance in the Kingdom."
The ground-breaking ceremony also included the unveiling of an inscribed foundation stone.
The gas complex will create an estimated 100 direct local jobs when in operation and be a cornerstone development in the expansion of Jazan Economic City, a strategic area of growth for Saudi Arabia.
We have a strong commitment to excellence across all areas of the project in particular health and safety, social responsibility and environmental stewardship and sustainable practices," remarked Abunayyan.
Together, we will continue to drive strong performance across the company and look forward to the commissioning of the most advanced industrial gas facility in 2018 in tandem with the refinery, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
The British Academy for Training and Development (BATD) has joined hands with Senior Leaders Development Centre (SLDC) to conduct an advanced training programme for senior Saudi officials in London, UK.
BATD is one of the leading global academies in training and development solutions.
The programme will target several of the kingdoms leaders and officials from across government organisations and ministries, said a statement from BATD.
The programme, planned for late July, will focus on Leadership in Crisis Management, where participants will learn how to craft plans to improve work and mitigate risks at the times of the crisis, remarked Adam Wilson, head of training at BATD.
The project will help participants to be aware of most advanced strategies, he said.
Dr Hamad Al Omran, director, SLDC, pointed out that the project was part of a plan to prepare leaders in the country for the 2030 development programme.
It is a step towards preparing and developing an advanced and expert workforce, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
An arbitration court ruled on Tuesday that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea and has breached the Philippines' sovereign rights with its actions, infuriating Beijing which dismissed the case as a farce.
A defiant China, which boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, vowed again to ignore the ruling and said its armed forces would defend its sovereignty and maritime interests.
China's state-run Xinhua news agency said shortly before the ruling was announced that a Chinese civilian aircraft had successfully tested two new airports in the disputed Spratly Islands.
And China's Defence Ministry said a new guided missile destroyer was formally commissioned at a naval base on the southern island province of Hainan, which has responsibility for the South China Sea.
"This award represents a devastating legal blow to China's jurisdictional claims in the South China Sea," Ian Storey, of Singapore's ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute, told Reuters.
"China will respond with fury, certainly in terms of rhetoric and possibly through more aggressive actions at sea."
The US, which China has accused of fuelling tensions and militarising the region with patrols and exercises, urged parties to comply with the legally binding ruling and avoid provocations.
"The decision today by the Tribunal in the Philippines-China arbitration is an important contribution to the shared goal of a peaceful resolution to disputes in the South China Sea," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.
US officials have previously said they feared China may respond to the ruling by declaring an air defense identification zone in the South China Sea, as it did in the East China Sea in 2013, or by stepping up its building and fortification of artificial islands.
China claims most of the energy-rich waters through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.
Finding for the Philippines on a number of issues, the panel said there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within its so-called nine-dash line, which covers almost 90 per cent of the South China Sea.
It said China had interfered with traditional Philippine fishing rights at Scarborough Shoal and had breached the Philippines' sovereign rights by exploring for oil and gas near the Reed Bank.
None of China's reefs and holdings in the Spratly Islands entitled it to a 200-mile exclusive economic zone, it added.
China's Foreign Ministry rejected the ruling, saying its people had more than 2,000 years of history in the South China Sea, that its islands did have exclusive economic zones and that it had announced to the world its "dotted line" map in 1948.
"China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards," it said.
However, the ministry also repeated that China respected and upheld the freedom of navigation and overflight and that China was ready to keep resolving the disputes peacefully through talks with states directly concerned.
In a statement shortly before the ruling, China's Defence Ministry said its armed forces would "firmly safeguard national sovereignty, security and maritime interests and rights, firmly uphold regional peace and stability, and deal with all kinds of threats and challenges"
The judges acknowledged China's refusal to participate, but said they sought to take account of China's position from its statements and diplomatic correspondence.
"The award is a complete and total victory for the Philippines ... a victory for international law and international relations," said Paul Reichler, lead lawyer for the Philippines.
Vietnam said it welcomed the ruling.
Taiwan, which maintains that the island it occupies, Itu Aba, is legally the only island among hundreds of reefs, shoals and atolls scattered across the seas, said it did not accept the ruling, which seriously impaired Taiwan's territorial rights.
"This is the worst scenario," Taiwan Foreign Minister David Tawei Lee told reporters, promising unspecified "action" from Taipei.
GROUND-BREAKING RULING
The ruling is significant as it is the first time that a legal challenge has been brought in the dispute, which covers some of the world's most promising oil and gas fields and vital fishing grounds.
It reflects the shifting balance of power in the 3.5 million sq km sea, where China has been expanding its presence by building artificial islands and dispatching patrol boats that keep Philippine fishing vessels away.
Andrew Mertha, a China specialist at Cornell University in the US, said the ruling further isolated China internationally.
"Domestically, Beijing has painted itself into a corner and may find itself compelled to act in a potentially reckless fashion, if only to demonstrate to its domestic audience that it is not ... an 'empty cannon' in the eyes of its own citizens."
The Philippines said it was studying the ruling.
"We call on all those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety," Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay told a news conference. "The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision as an important contribution to the ongoing efforts in addressing disputes in the South China Sea."
Japan said the ruling was legally binding and final.
The court has no power of enforcement, but a victory for the Philippines could spur Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei to file similar cases.
Ahead of the ruling, around 100 members of a Philippine nationalist group demonstrated outside the Chinese consulate in Manila, calling on Beijing to accept the decision and leave the Scarborough Shoal, a popular fishing zone off limits to Filipinos since 2012.
In China, social media users reacted with outrage at the ruling.
"It was ours in the past, is now and will remain so in the future," wrote one user on microblogging site Weibo. "Those who encroach on our China's territory will die no matter how far away they are."
Spreading fast on social media in the Philippines was the use of the term "Chexit" - the public's desire for Chinese vessels to leave the waters.-Reuters
Swiss luxury brand Saint Honore has launched a new womens timepiece for women in two versions in Dubai, UAE.
With the new Charisma, Saint Honore affirms its taste for pure, pared-down designs, contriving two arching forms that embrace the contours of the round 35 mm case, thus connecting it to its strap or bracelet with the utmost finesse, a statement said.
The clasps go one step further in accentuating the cases delicate, feminine curves.
The watch comes in two versions, one combining lacquered and sunray satin finishes, the other the opalescent allure of mother-of-pearl and the radiance of diamonds. The latter also has an Eclair Effect finish, an exclusive innovation by Saint Honore. The black onyx cabochon enhances the crown and the centre of the dial echoing the lines of the case
Customers could opt for a model in rose or yellow PVD-coated steel on a range of leather straps or metal bracelets. TradeArabia News Service
Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corps on Monday dispatched five military vessels to monitor a US warship hosting one of America's top generals on a day trip through the Strait of Hormuz, coming as close as 500 yards (metres).
For Army General Joseph Votel, who oversees all American military forces in the Middle East, the approaches were a safe though worrying reminder of how little time American forces have to decide whether IRGC ships might pose a threat.
The five Iranian vessels consisted of four speedboats, three with mounted machine guns, as well as a guided missile patrol ship.
"As you've seen in a relatively compressed space here, there is great opportunity for miscalculations," Votel, head of the US military's Central Command, told reporters on the bridge of the USS New Orleans, an amphibious dock ship with about 650 Marines aboard.
It was also the latest sign that the IRGC appears to be sticking to a familiar posture in the Gulf that predates last year's nuclear accord between Iran and six world powers including the United States.
One of the four speedboats that approached the New Orleans and its escort, a Navy guided missile destroyer, the USS Stout, cut its engines and watched as the US warships passed. An hour before, a larger Iranian guided-missile patrol craft came by.
US officials stressed that such approaches fell within the category of professional interactions, the kind they see during 90 percent of the US Navy's roughly 250 transits through the Strait of Hormuz each year. But the Navy says some 10 percent are classified as unsafe, abnormal or unprofessional.
"We don't always have a lot of time to deal with those interactions. I think what we've probably learned here today is that it's measured in minutes," Votel said.
For its part, Iran sees the Gulf as its backyard and believes it has a legitimate interest in expanding its influence there. It has long argued that the region should organise its own security collectively, without outside powers. Accordingly Iran uses its sea power in the Gulf to show it will not be cowed by Washington's naval presence, analysts say.
But in 2008 and 2010, in moves that prompted critics to accuse Iran of destabilising the region, the Islamic Republic threatened to disrupt oil shipping in the Gulf by shutting the Strait of Hormuz if there were any attack on its nuclear sites.
CAPTURE OF US SAILORS
The US military's concerns about Iran's behaviour in places like the Strait, one of the world's most important oil shipping channels, have persisted despite the accord under which Tehran curbed its disputed atomic program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.
"That (the nuclear deal) certainly has addressed one very important threat ... but their other activity out here has not changed," Votel said.
Memories of Iran's brief capture of 10 US sailors in January are also still fresh. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei awarded medals to IRGC commanders after the incident. Iran took video and pictures of the American sailors surrendering after blundering into Iranian territorial waters.
A US Navy report also said the Iranians replaced an American flag on board with an IRGC one, ransacked the vessels, and damaged equipment. The Navy also admonished US sailors for straying into Iranian waters.
Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said there were no signs of a change in the Revolutionary Guards' culture of viewing the United States as an inherent threat.
"Ayatollah Khamenei, the commander in chief of the IRGC, regularly praises Iranian officials who defy the US and scorns officials who advocate cooperation with the US," Sadjadpour said. "I haven't seen any signs that this institutional culture has changed after the nuclear deal."
Votel said Iran needed to be held accountable for its behaviour and scorned its treatment of the US sailors.
The US Navy says it has given assistance to 11 Iranian-flagged vessels in distress in the Gulf since 2012. "If we came across a ship, a small vessel in the area, we would try to assist it," Votel said. Reuters
The US is stepping up its military campaign against Islamic State by sending hundreds more troops to assist Iraqi forces in an expected push on the city of Mosul, the militants' largest stronghold, later this year.
US Defense Secretary Ash Carter made the announcement on Monday during a visit to Baghdad, where he met US commanders, as well as Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi.
Most of the 560 additional troops will work out of Qayara air base, which Iraqi forces recaptured from Islamic State militants and plan to use as a staging ground for an offensive to retake Mosul, Iraq's second biggest city.
Government forces said on Saturday they had recovered the air base, about 60 km (40 miles) from the northern city, with air support from the US-led military coalition.
"With these additional US forces I'm describing today, we'll bring unique capability to the campaign and provide critical support to the Iraqi forces at a key moment in the fight," Carter told a gathering of US troops in Baghdad.
The new troops were "ready to come" and it would be a matter of "days and weeks, not months," he said.
Abadi has pledged to retake Mosul by the end of the year.
TIMING
However, there is still debate in Washington about the timing of a move on Mosul.
Some US and allied military and intelligence officials warn that aside from its elite counter terrorism force, the Iraqi military is not ready to take on Islamic State militants in Mosul without significant assistance from the Kurdish peshmerga and Shi'ite militias.
Moreover, Baghdad and Arbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region, do not appear to have agreed on a plan for Mosul, and any significant participation by Kurdish or Shi'ite forces in a Mosul campaign, one US official said, "would create a whole new set of problems that the Abadi government is incapable of managing, or even mitigating."
Separately, the Republican chairman of the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee said on Monday that President Barack Obama must ask Congress for additional funds to pay for the deployment of more troops to Iraq, as Congress and the White House debate defense spending amid mandatory budget cuts.
LOGISTICS HUB
Still, the latest US force increase comes less than three months after Washington announced it would dispatch about 200 more soldiers to accompany Iraqi troops advancing towards Mosul.Carter told reporters ahead of Monday's trip that the United States would now help turn Qayara into a logistics hub.
The airfield is "one of the hubs from which ... Iraqi security forces, accompanied and advised by us as needed, will complete the southernmost envelopment of Mosul," he said.Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, commander of the coalition against Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq, said the additional troops would fill a variety of roles.
"(They are) coming in to help expand the base at Qayara West airfield into a node that can support the Iraqi security forces as they move forward with the Mosul operation, and itll be an operational air base."
US forces have already visited Qayara to check on its condition, and advisors can offer specialized engineering support in Mosul, where Islamic State has blown up bridges across the Tigris, US officials said.
Iraqi forces were already improving the base's perimeter in case of a counterattack from the nearby town of Qayara, which Islamic State militants still hold, another US official in Baghdad said.
The recapture of Mosul, Islamic State's de facto Iraqi capital, from which its leader declared a modern-day caliphate in 2014, would be a major boost for the plans by Abadi and the United States to weaken the militant group.
NO FOLLOW-UP PLAN
Still, retaking Mosul without a plan to restore security, basic services and governance and the money and personnel to implement it immediately would repeat the mistake the Bush administration made in 2003, by ousting Saddam Hussein with no plan for installing a new government, said three officials from the US and Britain.
And as Islamic State militants have lost part of their self-proclaimed caliphate in Iraq and Syria, they increasingly have turned to suicide attacks. These included a bombing in the Iraqi capital last week that left nearly 300 people dead, the most lethal bombing of its kind since the 2003 US-led invasion.
US and Iraqi officials have touted such bombings as proof that battlefield setbacks are weakening Islamic State, but critics say a global uptick in suicide attacks attributed to the group suggests the opposite.
"In fact, it demonstrates (Islamic State's) strength and long-term survival skills," terrorism expert Hassan Hassan wrote in a recent article. "The threat is not going away."- Reuters
The oil industry needs a price of more than $50 per barrel to sustain investments, Saudi energy minister Khalid Al Falih told a German newspaper while adding that downward pressure on prices would prevail because of a huge stocks overhang.
"We need a price higher than $50 to achieve a balance in oil markets in the long term," Falih, who took over earlier this year from veteran Saudi oil minister Ali Al Naimi, told German business daily Handelsblatt.
"And just as $50 is too low to sustain investment, prices in excess of $100 are too much. The optimum lies somewhere in between," he said.
Falih said the oil markets were rebalancing thanks to output drops in countries such as the United States but it would take a long time before balance was achieved.
"We have seen a decrease in supply by roughly one million barrels of crude oil per day," he said, referring to output in the United States and Canada.
"At the same time, demand has recovered, meaning that supply and demand are now more balanced again. But there are still excess stocks on the market hundreds of millions of barrels of surplus oil. It will take a long time to reduce this inventory overhang."
"That said, there are economic headwinds in some important markets and we hope this does not trigger a slowdown in global demand," he said. --Reuters
Leaders of a Nigerian trade union whose members are on strike held talks with government officials on Monday aimed at resolving the dispute, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and a union leader said.
The strike by about 10,000 Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) members, including refinery workers and office staff, began on Thursday over issues the union said were "critical to the survival of the oil and gas industry in the country".
The industrial action has raised fears there could be fuel shortages in the Opec member country which last week prompted NNPC to caution the public against panic fuel purchases.
There have been no signs of fuel shortages so far and, although the strike is being enforced by PENGASSAN members, workers from other trade unions such as Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) are not involved.
NNPC spokesman Garba Deen Muhammad and PENGASSAN'S acting general secretary Lumumba Okugbawa said talks took place on Monday afternoon.
"The meeting was fruitful," Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for oil, said of the six-hour talks with union leaders at NNPC's headquarters in the capital, Abuja.
PENGASSAN's president, Francis Johnson, said there had been "a very robust engagement" and added that the union's leaders would meet on Tuesday to "take some decision" on the industrial action.
The union said it decided to strike over issues such as joint venture funding and cash call arrears, which it said had stalled the creation of new jobs and investment in the sector.
Cash calls are the government's financial obligations to joint venture projects between NNPC and international and local oil companies.
A petroleum ministry source said these issues were discussed along with pay disputes and reforms to be carried out once the Petroleum Industry Bill is passed into law.
The bill, which has been in the works for a decade to overhaul the industry, will call for environmental, tax and revenue-sharing rules.
The strike comes as Nigeria's energy sector contends with a spate of attacks by militants on oil and gas facilities in its southern Niger Delta region over the last few months which briefly pushed oil production this spring to 30-year lows.
Earlier this year petrol shortages caused lengthy queues for motorists seeking to fill their tanks after fuel importers struggled to find dollars to pay for refined oil products due to central bank foreign exchange restrictions. --Reuters
India's biggest gas importer Petronet LNG aims to spend up to $3 billion in the next five years to expand overseas, setting up terminals in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka among other countries, its managing director said.
Falling spot LNG prices have boosted consumption of the fuel in India and triggered demand for LNG infrastructure in countries long shut out of the gas trade.
"We are thinking global and we are not looking inwardly only at India ... we have potential and we should aim for 30 billion-40 billion rupees' ($445 million-$596 million) worth of projects every year for five years," Prabhat Singh told Reuters in an interview.
Petronet has previously just focused on importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) for regasification at its plants at Dahej in Western Gujarat state and at Kochi in the southern state of Kerala.
Singh said the company plans to invest 50 billion rupees to build a 5 million tonne a year (mtpa) terminal at Kutbdia in Bangladesh and company officials would visit Bangladesh on July 23 to take the proposal forward. "We are hopeful of a favourable response from them," he said.
Last month Petronet also submitted a proposal for a 1-mtpa floating LNG terminal in Sri Lanka, which wants a gas link for its 600-megawatt power plant, Singh said. That would require 13 billion rupees in investment, if approved by the Sri Lankan government.
Rising Indian demand for LNG has prompted Petronet to operate its 10 mtpa Dahej plant at 120 percent capacity, meaning it is regassifying and selling an additional 20 percent gas.
However, its Kochi plant is operating at a fraction of its 5-mtpa capacity as pipelines linking the terminal to industrial clients are not ready yet.
India's current LNG consumption is about 58 million cubic metres a day (mcmd), up from about 45 mcmd last year, Singh said, and Petronet is on the lookout for overseas gas deals to meet rising Indian demand.
Russia last month offered Petronet and other Indian companies a stake in the second phase of its Yamal LNG project.
Singh said any deal with Russia would only be possible if the price of LNG from Yamal matches the spot market, which is flooded with cheaper supplies.
"India is a buyers' market and we will need lots of gas, (but) the ... price needs to be to our satisfaction," he said.
Last year India renegotiated a long-term deal with Qatar's RasGas to buy LNG at cheaper rates aslocal demand for the fuel was slowing. --Reuters
Panasonic has annoucned plans to launch a new palm camcorder - AG-AC30 - in the Middle East and Africa region, aimed at semi-professional event videographers.
The new model, to be available from September onwards, is a one-chip Full-HD camcorder, designed and built in Japan, which includes an exceptional number of useful tools and features, which will help deliver professional looking pictures in all environments.
The camcorder offers a newly designed lens capable of a very wide focal range (20x zoom and 29.5mm wide angle), three manual rings for focus, iris, and zoom and two-channel XLR audio inputs, said a statement from the company.
The compact camera is one of the lightest in its class, weighing just 1.5 kg and includes a powerful, integrated LED video light, capable of 300 lx at one metre, that supports shooting in dim light, such as night time wedding parties and run and gun interviews, it added.
It has a new 1/3.1-type back side illumination (BSI) sensor, which is larger than the sensor on the current model and offers excellent resolution and superb image quality, said a statement.
It has a major new feature, the Level Shot, a function that automatically detects and corrects the tilting of captured images and complements the OIS for professional looking pictures.
The camcorders dual recording functionality can also ensure safe, secure, simultaneous recording so the user has instant fail safe backup, it added.
Masa Kitamura, general manager broadcast division, PMMAF, said: This is a compact camcorder that fully meets the on-site acquisition needs of professional videographers.
When the card in slot one becomes full, the camcorder automatically continues to record onto the card in slot two, he said.
In addition, the camcorder lets the user exchange cards while shooting. By sequentially exchanging recorded cards with blank ones, the AC30 achieves endless recording to capture extended events, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
DENVER Colorado officials say two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees pleaded guilty to poaching-related charges.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife said Tuesday 44-year-old Thad Bingham and 45-year-old Brian Scheer pleaded guilty to trespassing in the 2014 killing of a bull elk on private land that was closed to hunting.
Officials say Bingham also pleaded guilty to illegal wildlife possession.
No phone number could be found for either man. Fish and Wildlife Service spokeswoman Anna Munoz said the agency was aware of the case but couldn't comment on whether the service took any action against the men.
Bingham was fined $200 and ordered to donate $5,000 to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Scheer was fined $86.
They could also be barred from hunting and fishing in Colorado for up to five years.
A Laramie resident accused of stabbing a woman during Laramie Jubilee Days weekend an attack the victim claims was racially motivated was arrested early Sunday morning, according to a Laramie Police Department news release.
Sydney P. King, 21, was charged with aggravated assault and battery, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, in connection with the incident.
Officers were dispatched to the 600 block of Mitchell Street about 3 a.m. Sunday following a report a person was stabbed. They provided medical care to the victim on-site until ambulance personnel from the Laramie Fire Department arrived, the release states.
The victim, who asked not to be identified because of safety concerns, reported in a Facebook post she and her friends were attacked by a group of four people making racist slurs and threats.
While trying to defend myself the girl who kept yelling those foul words stabbed me three times, her post states. Two of the stabs were minor but next thing I know my wrist is sliced and Im bleeding everywhere. Thank God the ambulance came and took me to the hospital because she hit an artery. The cowards of course ran off. (Name redacted) is ok thank God just bruised and sore. But beyond our physical wounds are hearts our deeply wounded. I love my home town. I cant believe this happened! Please whatever you think stop and realize. This was a racist attack. This country has to change. Im afraid for my children. Im glad Im ok because I truly love my life and family.
In a separate news release sent late Monday afternoon, LPD acknowledged the investigation includes people of different racial backgrounds but stated officials had not yet determined whether the incident qualifies as a bias-related crime. When the investigation is finished, LPD will conduct a multi-tiered review of the reports; if the department determines the incident was racially motivated, the alleged crime will be reported as a bias related crime to the Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Wyoming does not have any provisions for enhancements for bias crimes beyond the original charge, the release states. The City of Laramies bias crime ordinance requires collection of data on bias crimes that is then reported to the City Council, and the training of Police Officers in the investigation and identification of bias crimes.
The investigation is ongoing, and the Albany County Detention Center declined to release a mug shot of King until she appears in court. The Laramie Boomerang will continue to provide updates on the case as new information comes to light.
As word of the alleged attack spread throughout Laramie, a group of around three dozen concerned citizens gathered at the Otto Dahl shelter in Washington Park to discuss ways to help the victim and respond as a community.
I do find it tragic and disturbing, and I think even more tragic and disturbing is if we do nothing if we just let this pass, said The Very Rev. Stephen Askew of St. Matthews Cathedral. And it may be that one of the things that we do is to issue a statement or a petition saying this is not something we tolerate or would like to see tolerated in our community.
He also suggested launching a petition calling for recognition of hate crimes.
RAWLINS A Wyoming with at least 13 aliases will serve time in prison after being convicted for fraud in March.
Carbon County District Court Judge Wade Waldrip found that probation was "entirely inappropriate" for the woman addressed as Alex Taylor in the courtroom. She was sentenced to 18-34 months in prison.
The charging documents list her name as Deborah K. Klausner.
Witness testified during the March trial that Taylor portrayed herself as a wealthy woman looking for real estate in the Saratoga area to get free hotel stays and cash.
The woman's attorney asked the court to consider Taylor as indigent for the purposes of public defender fees and medical bills. The judge agreed but said Taylor will have to pay restitution to a Saratoga resident and hotel.
The gunning down of five cops in Dallas was terrorism, pure and simple. The lunatic who did it framed his rampage as retaliation for police shootings of African-Americans. But these were not two sides of the same coin. They were different coins altogether.
The early evidence suggests that the fatal confrontations in Baton Rouge and St. Paul resulted from bad policing with a possible racial component. But each case involved an interaction between a specific officer and an identified civilian. In piecing together exactly what happened, the actions of the deceased are as important as those of the police.
The Dallas gunman was going after cops, any cops. Before a police robot bomb neutralized him, Micah Johnson told negotiators that he wanted to kill white cops. How he could detect the skin color of officers shot from a distance in the dark some mixed in with the Black Lives Matter demonstration is unclear. The color he definitely saw was the blue of their uniforms.
Johnson bragged of plans to detonate explosive devices in the city and beyond all designed to intimidate a larger population. This is the definition of terrorism. It belongs with the mass murder of innocents at a black church in Charleston, South Carolina, and the bloody attacks on nightclubs in Paris and Orlando.
That the perpetrator was, to use the politically correct term, troubled does not make his crime something other than terrorism. Johnson left the Army Reserve, reportedly after stealing womens panties. On seeing his record, several black power groups shunned Johnsons efforts to join them. Police said he was singing and laughing as they tried to negotiate with him.
Red flags that somethings not right in the head wave in almost every terrorists bio. Dylann Roof, the 22-year-old white supremacist charged with the mass shooting in the church, had sunk into drugs and alcohol.
In 2014, a troubled black man, citing the Eric Garner and Michael Brown police shooting cases, traveled from Baltimore to Brooklyn, where he assassinated two officers sitting in their patrol car. He shot his ex-girlfriend on his way. Race shouldnt matter here, but for the record, one of the murdered officers was Asian, the other Latino.
Of course, Johnson claimed to be serving a cause greater than himself in his case, Black Lives Matter. Terrorists almost always do.
Much of the scorn subsequently heaped on Black Lives Matter is unfair. In social media, there are no controls on who may attach their repugnant views to a hashtag. And frankly, theres hardly a bizarre thought that cant find validation somewhere online.
Randomly shooting at officers could be one definition of mental illness, but aiming at the Dallas police hit a new low in rationality. Under Chief David Brown, Dallas has become one of the most progressive big-city police departments in the country. It has gone far in repairing relations with locals feeling harassed and endangered by rogue cops. Complaints of police violence have plummeted.
Left to his own unstable devices, Johnson probably didnt register that he was shooting at a peaceful Black Lives Matter demonstration. Nor did he seem to notice the officers role in encouraging and protecting the demonstrators.
This discussion is in no way intended to downplay the accusations of police brutality against minorities. Every charge deserves a thorough investigation.
There are, in the words of New York Police Commissioner William Bratton, cops who shouldnt be here. But there are over 800,000 police officers in this country, all of them human, most trying to do their hard job. It was a terrorist who judged total strangers by the color of their uniforms.
Tucson-based Raytheon Missile Systems stands to gain a new production program as it finalizes a deal with Norways Kongsberg Defence Systems to build a naval missile system in the United States.
Production of Kongsbergs Naval Strike Missile, including final assembly, system integration and testing, would take place at Raytheons Tucson missile plants, Raytheon said Tuesday at the Farnborough International Airshow near London.
Launchers would be manufactured at Raytheons site in Louisville, Kentucky, the company said.
We will assemble the missile and launchers in the same Raytheon factories where we produce many of the worlds most advanced missiles and other weapons systems, Raytheon Missile Systems President Taylor Lawrence said.
Harald Annestad, president of Kongsberg Defence Systems, said U.S. production of the NSM will help ramp up production and sustain the program while creating jobs in both nations.
A Raytheon spokesman said it is unclear how many new jobs could be created by the new program. Missile Systems is Southern Arizonas largest private employer and second-largest overall, with an estimated 9,600 employees at the start of the year.
With a range of more than 100 miles, the Naval Strike Missile is capable of striking targets on land as well as sea with a combination of advanced guidance and homing technologies.
It is currently used by Norway, Poland and Malaysia, and the U.S. Navy is testing the Naval Strike Missile to add long-range offensive punch to its new littoral combat vessels.
Kongsberg has also developed a longer-range, multirole version called the Joint Strike Missile to fit internally on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
Kongsberg and Raytheon also are teaming up on further development of the Joint Strike Missile to compete for a U.S. Navy offensive anti-surface warfare program, to replace the aging Harpoon anti-ship missile.
In the 1990s, Raytheon and Kongsberg co-developed the Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, a ground-based, medium-range air defense system that uses Raytheons Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile.
Lindsey Stirling is heading back to Tucson, this time to Centennial Hall on the University of Arizona campus.
Her concert on Nov. 11, presented by Rialto Theatre, is her third. The Rialto has been behind each, beginning with her debut in spring 2014, followed up by her encore at Tucson Music Hall last August. Each time she has played before a bigger audience in a bigger venue.
Stirling, a YouTube sensation and Gilbert native, plays electric dub-step violin and dances a lot. She prances and sprints around the stage accompanied by a cast of dancers and occasional instrumental accompanists. There's big lights, big dance moves and big, magical musical moments.
Y Accommodations On Border for Guardsmen
Twenty Y. M. C. A. Stations Will Be Established by Association
A series of army Y. M. C. A. stations will be established along the border for the benefit of the troops called for patrol service, according to local Secretary E. Kinney Miller, who was in conference yesterday with urban Williams and W. E. Adams, International Y. M. C. A. army secretaries, who were on their way to Nogales to start an army Y. M. C. A. there.
There will be 20 in all, secretary Miller stated. They will be stationed at convenient places, and will include reading rooms, rest rooms, with facilities for billiards and pool and other accommodations needed by the soldiers.
International Army Secretary F. A. McCarl will have charge of the stations from El Paso west, while G. A. Reeder will have charge of the stations form El Paso east.
Interstate Secretary Day, of Albuquerque, appointed a special representative at Columbus, Secretary Miller stated yesterday evening, and he did the very best that he could. However, in the present situation it is necessary for the international organization to take charge of the movement and I have been expecting an announcement of this kind for some time.
Even though special master Ken Feinberg, who was in charge of the first federal Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Fund, distributed $6 billion to the estates of those killed on 9/11 an average of more than $2 million to the nearly 3,000 victims the House of Representatives passed its new Fairness for 9/11 Families Act to allow additional claims for the deaths inflicted by the terrorists and set aside $2.7 billion for them.
PHOENIX A pair of Arizona Supreme Court rulings Monday allows law enforcement officers to pursue a search of a persons residence or vehicle solely based on the odor of marijuana.
Attorneys for two men convicted based on such searches argued the 2010 voter-approved law that allows some people with certain medical conditions to legally possess or use marijuana means the smell alone is no longer evidence that a crime is occurring. The fact that neither of them was a medical marijuana cardholder, the lawyers said, is irrelevant.
But Chief Justice Scott Bales, writing for the unanimous court, said that 2010 law did not legalize the drug for the vast majority of Arizonans.
The odor of marijuana in most circumstances will warrant a reasonable person believing there is a fair probability that contraband or evidence of a crime is present, he wrote.
And Bales specifically rejected the contention the law and the fact some people can possess and use the drug means the smell alone cannot trigger a search.
Under that view, no person in Arizona would be subject to search or seizure by state or local police officers based only on an officer seeing or smelling marijuana, the chief justice said. He said the 2010 law does not broadly alter the legal status of marijuana but instead specifies particular rights, immunities, and obligations for qualifying patients and others, such as designated caregivers.
And the court specifically rejected arguments that a search based merely on smell runs afoul of state and federal constitutional provisions protecting the right to privacy.
The right to privacy ... is not a guarantee against all government searches and seizures, only unreasonable ones, Bales explained.
That, in turn, gets back to the fact that marijuana use remains illegal for most of the public, at least for the time being.
The most recent figures from the Arizona Department of Health Services show there are close to 98,000 people legally qualified to use the drug. On top of that there are 853 people certified as caregivers plus another 2,625 dispensary agents.
By contrast, the states population exceeds 6.7 million.
In this respect, registered qualifying patients are not denied Fourth Amendment rights or privileges based on their medical marijuana use, Bales wrote. They are simply treated like the broader public.
He stressed, though, that police, in deciding whether there is enough evidence for a search, cannot ignore indicia of AMMA-compliant marijuana possession and use that could dispel probable cause.
David Euchner, a deputy Pima County public defender, said that is hardly enough to protect individual rights.
How would you feel if you were the guy using legally and the police broke into your house and kicked down the door and only later found out that you had a (medical marijuana) card? he asked. Now, according to this decision, they basically are allowed to search first, ask questions later.
Euchner also said the ruling would appear to allow searches based solely on smell especially of vehicles where a warrant is unnecessary even if voters approve a ballot measure in November to allow Arizonans to possess and use marijuana for recreational purposes.
He noted the initiative only legalizes possession of up to one ounce of the drug by individuals.
Can the officer search first and determine whether he had the right amount? Euchner asked.
Weve had situations where the officers know that the person is a (medical marijuana) patient and still say, Im going to search you just to see if you have the right amount, he said.
Whats legal now under the 2010 law is that those with certain medical conditions can obtain up to 2 ounces of marijuana every two weeks. Those who qualify are issued special cards by the health department.
Presentation of a valid AMMA registry identification card, therefore, could indicate that marijuana is being lawfully possessed or used, Bales explained.
Such information could effectively dispel the probable cause (for a search) resulting from the officers detection of marijuana by sight or smell, unless of course other facts suggest the use or possession is not pursuant to AMMA, he continued.
The ultimate inquiry, as in other probable cause determinations, turns on a practical, common-sense consideration of the totality of the circumstances, Bales said.
And theres something else.
Bales said the 2010 law does not provide patients with greater protections from searches or increased expectations of privacy than those enjoyed by the public at large.
What it does, he said, is protect a legitimate cardholder from arrest, prosecution or any other penalty for their medical use of marijuana.
The rulings most immediately affects two individuals.
One is Ronald J. Sisco II who was represented by Euchner. His arrest stems from police saying they smelled the overpowering odor of fresh marijuana at a storage warehouse on West 35th Street in South Tucson.
Based on that, they obtained a search warrant and, according to court records, found 357 plants and 53 pounds of cultivated marijuana. Sisco, who apparently was living in the unit, was convicted of multiple charges and sentenced to concurrent prison terms, the longest of which was 3 years.
The rulings affirm the decision of the trial judge to allow the marijuana police found into evidence.
The second case involves Ian Cheatham whose vehicle was stopped by police on the suspicion that the window tinting violated Arizona law.
Officers said they noticed a pretty strong odor of burnt marijuana. They then searched the vehicle and found what was described as a marble-sized piece of unburnt drug under the drivers seat.
PHOENIX Foes of legalizing marijuana for recreational use in Arizona are trying to block voters from getting their say on the measure.
In a lawsuit filed Monday, challengers say the 38-page initiative is legally flawed, to the point where it would be illegal to put the question on the November ballot.
It specifically says the legally required initiative summary fails to tell those who sign the petitions all the different things the measure, if approved, would do. And that, according to the lawsuit, means it is so misleading voters as to cause a fraud on the electorate.
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery, a foe of the pro-marijuana measure and one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, conceded that Arizona law allows initiative organizers just 100 words for a summary. And Arizona courts have ruled that not every single provision of a measure needs to be detailed in those 100 words.
But Montgomery said he believes this description is so flawed as to preclude it from going to voters.
If your summary cant fairly encompass everything youve thrown into an initiative, its probably your first indication that your initiative is not going to meet constitutional and statutory muster, he said.
The lawsuit also claims that some of what the initiative seeks to do is inherently unconstitutional.
Montgomery cited a provision that would give owners of existing medical marijuana dispensaries first preference for the limited number of legal pot shops the law would initially be set up.
You cant pass a law that gives special advantages to just a particular corporation or group or individuals, he said, saying it runs afoul of the Gift Clause provision of the Arizona Constitution. Montgomery said the measure is being financed in part by those who already have medical marijuana dispensaries.
I think they got greedy in that regard, he said.
The legal filing drew an angry reaction from initiative organizers.
Our opponents have demonstrated that they are willing to do and say just about anything to maintain the failed policy of marijuana prohibition, campaign chairman J.P. Holyoak said in a prepared statement. This lawsuit is simply a desperate attempt to deprive Arizona voters of the right to vote on this ballot question.
But a spokesman for the pro-legalization campaign said there would be no response to the specific legal issues raised in the lawsuit until the groups attorneys have more time to study it.
A hearing is set for July 19 in Maricopa County Superior Court.
In 2010, Arizona voters agreed to allow those with certain medical conditions and a doctors recommendation to obtain up to 2 ounces of the drug every two weeks. The new measure would allow any adult to have up to an ounce of the drug for recreational use.
Individuals could obtain the marijuana from one of what would initially be about 150 shops, or they could grow their own.
Questions about the adequacy of the summary aside, the lawsuit contends the initiative itself is so poorly written as to make it unacceptable to go to voters.
For example, it says the ballot measure allows employers to ban possession or consumption of marijuana ... in the workplace. And it permits companies to enact policies restricting marijuana use by employees.
But attorney Brett Johnson, who represents the coalition of initiative opponents, said the initiative makes it difficult for an employer to actually prove a worker is impaired, the standard for taking action against an employee. And he said there are no exceptions for companies that employ first responders or teachers, Which means that in most instances, an employer would not be able to take action against those categories of employees until the employee first actually commits negligence of professional malpractice, despite actually being impaired.
Other changes the initiative would make that Johnson contends are not disclosed to voters include:
Overriding current laws that require drug testing of people who get certain welfare benefits or unemployment insurance;
Affecting the ability of homeowners associations to prohibit residents from growing marijuana;
Prohibiting courts in child-custody cases from making a decision based solely on one parents use of marijuana;
Limiting the ability of local governments to regulate marijuana sales.
Foes also contend even the title of the initiative, the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, is misleading because it would not subject marijuana use to the same restrictions as alcohol.
Both existing laws on alcohol and the initiative make it illegal to drive while impaired. But unlike the drunken-driving laws, there is nothing that sets a level of impairment, similar to blood-alcohol content.
TOHONO OODHAM NATION Steel barriers line most of the 75 miles of the Tohono Oodham Nations southern boundary. But a wall?
Over my dead body, says Verlon Jose, the nations vice chairman.
We have animals that migrate back and forth, and when you start affecting one animal, its going to change the entire ecological system, says Tribal Chairman Edward Manuel. The plants that grow here rely on some of those animals, the animals rely on each other and we have to rely on all those in order to survive in our way of life.
Besides, artificial barriers are never going to stop human trafficking, theyll find a way to get through, he adds. What he hopes is that the government comes up with comprehensive immigration reform.
Over the years, the reservation has been caught in the middle of illegal trafficking and enforcement.
The reservation, roughly the size of Connecticut, is sparsely populated with about 30,000 members and thick vegetation of tall saguaros, mesquite trees and creosote.
Before the fence, dozens of loaded trucks used to barrel through daily on their way north.
Then came 9/11, followed by the 2006 Secure Fence Act, which aimed to add barriers along most of the border. The three-strand, barbed-wire fence was replaced by waist-high metal posts.
We are older than the international boundary with Mexico and had no role in creating the border, former Chairman Ned Norris Jr. testified before Congress in 2008. But our land is now cut in half, with Oodham communities, sacred sites, salt pilgrimage routes and families divided.
The traffic, the cartels and the hundreds of agents and technology that followed have changed the Oodham way of life.
Some members stopped crossing the border to avoid the hassle. Trips to ceremonies in Mexico got longer. Tribal members cant hunt without running into a Border Patrol agent.
Apprehensions are down, but the western corridor is still busy, especially for drugs. Besides, how many get through is unknown.
Now, a plan for 15 surveillance towers within the Chukut Kuk and Gu-Vo border districts is underway.
WAR ZONE
The tightening of border security in cities in the 1980s and 90s funneled more traffic through the reservation.
Homes got broken into, Jose says. He remembers an incident where an elder was tied, beaten and robbed.
It looked like a war zone out here with abandoned vehicles, he says. Wherever they were caught, they would abandon them and run.
The tribal council asked Washington for help. First came more agents, then the fence.
We didnt agree to this overnight, Jose says, but they settled on a vehicle barrier that would allow wildlife through.
Through the Gadsden Purchase in 1853, Oodham land was cut almost in half between both countries. But the division was never as visible as when the fence went up.
Ofelia Rivas, an elder and activist who lives in the Gu-Vo district, remembers the screeching sounds as workers sunk steel poles in concrete less than a mile from her house.
I would tell people its Mother Earth crying because they are digging holes, putting these metals on her.
In 2006, Rivas told the Arizona Daily Star a fence would triple the distance to a sacred site across the border through the nearest port of entry in Lukeville. And it has, she says.
Dwindling Mexican villages were further isolated.
Tribal members use three remaining gates to cross the border. Some stopped using one to avoid the cartels on the other side and another one was locked on a recent trip, although leaders say a Border Patrol agent opens it as needed. The most widely used is the San Miguel Gate south of Sells, but in March a Mexican ranching family said to own the land installed a gate on the other side. Its unlocked, but tribal members are concerned.
For Francisco Valenzuela, who crosses several times a week to haul water or groceries, the fence hasnt caused major issues.
After 9/11 this is what we got, he says after he parks his truck by the San Miguel gate to show his ID to a border agent. Its an inconvenience when they hold you here for half an hour or 45 minutes while they run your name. If its windy, they cant get through their system and they are sitting in the AC vehicle and you are sitting here.
But he deals with it.
Some Oodham have brought their elders to the U.S. side to avoid the hassle, and some stopped visits altogether.
We used to get up early and drive there because we knew a lot of people and our grandparents are from there, says Francine Pearl Jose, Verlons cousin.
Now you go and you have to have your ID, show proof of everything, she says. I just dont go anymore because I dont want to deal with all that stuff.
VOICES FROM THE ARIZONA BORDER
RESERVATION IS HOME
Growing up on the reservation, we rode horses, fixed fence, worked hard, Verlon Jose says. They hiked all over the mountains, but kids cant do that anymore.
On a recent visit, a group of Oodham leaders found a camouflage backpack with matching carpet booties and a brown leather jacket. You dont know what you can run into, he says.
Still, the reservation is home, says Rivas, from Gu-Vo district.
If the Border Patrol sees you, they say, You shouldnt be here, its dangerous. But this is my homeland, she says.
Near her house is a hill where the Border Patrol parks a camera-mounted truck. Further up the road, the agency wants to put a fixed camera. Depending on the location, towers would be visible for up to 15 miles.
I cant put it into English words, Rivas says. Its devastating. It disrupts all of our land, the animals, the plants, our sacred places.
Her districts leadership opposes the towers, part of a broader Arizona technology plan. In a letter to Customs and Border Protection, Gu-Vo District Chairman Rodrick Manuel Sr. wrote that the Border Patrol presence has hurt vegetation and animal habitat and that the agency hasnt provided enough information about the impacts.
It is our responsibility to protect our lands and mountains as they have protected us since the beginning of time, Manuel wrote.
But the tribal chairman has told them to work with the Border Patrol to find alternatives.
The neighboring Chukut Kuk district has already approved the project.
Kendall Jose, vice chairman for the district and Verlons son, points to a recent incident where the police and Border Patrol were looking for a group of armed men.
I believe if they had the aid of the camera, it would have helped in that moment, another eye watching out for them, he says. Of the three, agents caught only one.
BORDER-RELATED INCIDENTS: FISCAL YEAR 2015 45 Sexual assaults 65 Remains recovered 71 Aggravated assaults 126 Abandoned or stolen vehicles recovered 301 Drug offenses 368,916: Pounds of marijuana seized Source: Tohono O'odham Police Department
AGENTS ABOUND
When Manuel rejoined the tribal council in 2009, one of the biggest complaints he heard was that agents were cutting fences on ranches and driving everywhere.
Theres one area right now on the west where they have a hard time finding big game because of Border Patrol being in all different areas and scaring away big game, he says.
Members cant hunt anymore without triggering a sensor, says Richard Saunders, director of public safety and a former police officer. Suddenly, a helicopter hovers above or agents show up.
Many have stories of tribal members harvesting saguaros and being confronted by agents demanding to know who they are and what they are doing. Of being pulled over because their truck was reported as suspicious. Of being held at one of the three checkpoints surrounding the reservation.
We are under constant surveillance, says Rivas. There are also two law enforcement centers on the reservation where the Border Patrol works.
But if its not the Border Patrol, it is the illegal traffic.
The community is impacted on a daily basis, with people knocking on doors, wanting food and water, Saunders says. Just a few weeks ago we recovered dead bodies around here, he says.
Francine Pearl Jose came home at about 6 p.m. recently to find a man dressed in camouflage sleeping under her ramada. Her 5-year-old grandson thought he was with the Army, but his older brother quickly countered that he was with the cartels.
She had to call the Border Patrol twice before they came for him at 11 p.m.
Rip crews are becoming more violent and moving further north.
The biggest threat for the community is getting involved, either housing or transporting the contraband, Saunders says.
In a poverty-stricken reservation, the temptation is strong.
But the problem is too big for the tribe or the Border Patrol to solve alone. Im not 100 percent pro-Border Patrol, but Im 100 percent pro-working together, Verlon Jose says.
District leaders meet regularly with agents to address issues, and things are getting better, says Elaine Delahanty, chairwoman for the Chukuk Kut district. Tribal leaders let the Border Patrol know of planned gatherings or when they will be in remote areas. Agents are becoming more involved in the community.
But for some, its a long road toward harmony between the two groups.
Rivas wears a green bracelet with the word autonomia, braided on it. Its a reminder that we are autonomous, she says.
We are connected to our homelands, whether its in Mexico or in the United States. Thats where we have our sacred burials, our ceremonies, our communities. No border is going to wipe that away.
SAN LUIS RIO COLORADO, SON. The shelter for deportees is a 10-minute walk from the U.S.-Mexico border.
But the shelters ledger shows that people staying here who plan to cross into the United States again dont intend to do it here. Time and time again, their destination is 150 miles to the west, in Tijuana.
They barely cross here anymore, says Olga Escalante, assistant manager of the Casa del Migrante la Divina Providencia shelter.
Most of those who do are Central American families turning themselves in.
The Yuma Sector is the gold standard of border enforcement, thanks largely to 35 miles of fencing that runs along the Colorado River and heads west through the Imperial Sand Dunes places the Border Patrol said in 2006 were too difficult to fence. To the east, the fence runs through the desert until it hits the mountains.
Downtown San Luis, Arizona, is a fortress, with eight miles of triple-layered fencing and nearly two miles of stadium lighting between the first two layers. The Yuma Sectors 800 Border Patrol agents are stationed throughout the enforcement zone and are ever-present on the streets of San Luis and the other towns in the sector.
Escalante and several migrants at the shelter say the triple-layer fencing, the use of surveillance technology, and prison sentences for illegal re-entry in the Yuma Sector make San Luis an inhospitable crossing point.
Ubaldo Gutierrez, 39, has just been deported and doesnt like his chances crossing the border there.
The wall is taller, more surveillance, drones going around watching everything, helicopters, agents everywhere. Its very difficult, Gutierrez says.
Another man at the shelter, Eduardo Lucas, 23, is headed to Tijuana after being deported to try to get back to his family in San Diego.
Lucas parents brought him to San Diego from Michoacan, Mexico when he was 7 years old. After graduating from high school, he went to work as a cook in local restaurants.
But a DUI, followed by what he called fraud on the part of his lawyer, led to his deportation in early April through San Luis.
Here, its difficult, and if they catch you they give you time behind bars, Lucas says. As part of the stepped-up enforcement regime, the Yuma Sector was one of the first border areas to adopt Operation Streamline, a federal program that criminally prosecutes for illegal entry.
With the threat of prison looming in San Luis, he figures he has a better chance of avoiding prison by crossing the border in southern California.
My familys there so I have to try again, he says. I dont know anything here, I left when I was really small. Everythings new.
Much of the increased enforcement effort in the Yuma Sector began in 2005, with 138,500 apprehensions, giving the sector one of the highest rates along the U.S.-Mexico border. After building more fencing, adding agents and implementing a strict prosecution program, apprehensions fell to 7,000 in 2015.
Escalante has seen a rise in people like Lucas who were arrested in California and deported through San Luis.
The Border Patrols San Diego Sector deports some Mexican nationals detained there through San Luis under the Alien Transfer Exit Program, agency spokesman John Lawson says. The program is meant to break up smuggling networks by deporting people far from where they were detained.
With the rise in border enforcement and deportations, the shelter in San Luis, Sonora, regularly fills up with deportees, as well as some northbound migrants from southern Mexico and Central America.
The ledger Escalante maintains at the shelter shows the number of migrants who stayed there more than doubled from 13,000 in 2006 to 27,000 in 2013. Last year it dipped to 21,000.
Despite the seemingly insurmountable difficulty, people still cross the triple-layered border fence, climbing a ladder or sometimes scaling the fence with grappling hooks.
And drug traffickers still see San Luis and the Yuma Sector as a smuggling corridor. While illegal migration fell precipitously, the amount of marijuana agents seized actually rose in the past decade, from 46,000 pounds in 2006 to 53,000 pounds in fiscal year 2015. Agents also seized 643 pounds of methamphetamine last year most hard drugs are seized at legal crossing points.
Drug smugglers try to get around the fences by digging tunnels, including one that popped up under a store in downtown San Luis, Arizona, in 2012. They also fly ultralight aircraft over the border or shoot packets of drugs over the fence with a cannon. In April, the Border Patrol saw so many drug-smuggling drones in the Yuma area that it issued a public advisory.
As fewer Mexicans tried to cross the border illegally, more came from Honduras, Nicaragua and other Central American countries.
In 2006, nearly all apprehensions in the Yuma Sector were of Mexican nationals. By 2015, about half the apprehensions were of people from countries other than Mexico, mostly from Central America.
Recently, the number of people detained with family members has skyrocketed. Since October, agents in the Yuma Sector detained 2,900 people traveling as a family, a sixfold increase from the same period in fiscal year 2015. Unaccompanied children detained by agents nearly quintupled from 363 to more than 1,700.
In the most common scenario, agents encounter Central American families at the primary fence, where they turn themselves in, says Border Patrol agent Richard Withers.
Escalante says most people who come through her migrant shelter are searching for a way to stay with their families.
They left their families and they cant get back. Of course, theyre going to try, right? she asks.
People at the shelter tell her about violence and a lack of jobs where they come from.
Its very painful for them. You see a lot of sadness here, she says.
Gutierrez was deported to San Luis in early April. After leaving his native Guanajuato, Mexico, he spent 15 years in Stockton, California, with his family, working in the nearby produce fields.
He says he ran into trouble when he tried to get his immigration papers in order. As a result, he was told he had to leave the United States for 10 years.
My family is up in California suffering, he says. I want to get home to help them, but I cant.
Gutierrez doesnt have any money left to pay a coyote, so he is looking for a way to cross the border on his own.
In the meantime, he says he is going to find a job in Mexico. But that doesnt mean hes giving up on returning to the United States.
What you make in one day there, he says, you dont make in a week here.
Beyond The Wall Arizona: Border fence cuts Tohono O'odham Nation in half 'After 9/11 this is what we got,' tribal member says of increased Border Patrol agents, electronic surveillance on the border-spanning reservation.
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The "beautiful wall" Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump envisions would be 35 to 40 feet tall and 1,000 miles long, covering roughly half of the U.S.-Mexico border. Along the rest, natural barriers like rivers and mountains would continue to divide the two countries.
Trump estimates the project would cost $12 billion although one estimate puts the pricetag as high as $25 billion. Whatever the amount, he says he'll make Mexico pay by confiscating money its residents living here send back to their families.
It's tough to find anyone living along the borderlands even those who agree with Trump that the international line is not secure who thinks a wall is the solution. Instead, many border residents want fencing that makes sense for their area, agents and surveillance technology closer to the border, and a way for migrants to come here legally and work.
More than half of the 1,000 miles where Trump wants to build a wall are already fenced with a hodgepodge of steel plating, heavy-duty mesh, towering metallic slats and barbed wire. In remote areas, where the Border Patrol wants to stop cars loaded with illegal goods, chest-high vehicle barriers line the border. In cities, where crossers try to scale the fence and run, the poles are high and smooth.
Trump has given few details about his plan, but his August 2015 reference to it as being fashioned from "beautiful nice precast plank" indicate a solid wall one that could take the place of the various fences that divide the border now.
We've been here before. In 2006, six Arizona Daily Star journalists traveled the entire U.S.-Mexico border, analyzing the feasibility of the 700-mile, double-layer fence proposed then through the federal Secure Fence Act. The team's conclusion was that a continuous fence would not work natural barriers like rivers, canyons, mountains and shifting sand made fencing the entire border impossible.
MAP OF U.S. MEXICO BORDER RED LINE = AREAS FENCED Drag to move along the border. Tap dots to learn more about key spots along the way.
Congress tweaked the law in 2008, requiring the Department of Homeland Security to build fence where and however the agency felt it was needed.
This spring, with Trump's "build the wall" message resonating so powerfully that he became the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, a new team of Star reporters went back to the border. Their goal: to go beyond the political rhetoric and talk with people who live and work along the international line.
Much is different after a decade. The border now has 703 miles of barriers 653 miles of linear fence, plus a double or triple layer along 50 of those miles most of it built in the last decade at a cost of $2.3 billion.
And that's not including the roughly $55 million a year Customs and Border Protection spends to maintain and repair the fence, along with associated roads, lighting and other infrastructure.
As the fence went up, the number of Border Patrol agents jumped from roughly 12,000 to 20,000 and the agencys annual budget almost doubled, to nearly $4 billion. Thousands of ground sensors, dozens of camera towers, helicopters, drones and blimps now keep watch 24 hours a day.
Border Patrol apprehensions are a third of what they were a decade ago and those arrested are more likely to be prosecuted. More Mexicans are leaving than coming for the first time since 2009.
It's impossible to say how much of that is due to enforcement, since the drop coincided with an improved economy in Mexico and the worst financial conditions in the United States since the Great Depression.
Still, people come.
Handprints dot the steel fence poles from crossers who scale it; thousands of etchings indicate repairs made after trucks barreled through; wooden ladders are piled on the ground.
On a series of border trips this spring and summer, four Star reporters and two photographers talked with about 100 residents on both sides of the border along with ranchers, business owners, environmentalists, Border Patrol agents and researchers about the impact and feasibility of a solid wall.
The team found that some stretches the Border Patrol considered 10 years ago to be "unfenceable" a canyon in California, for example, and shifting sands near Yuma were, indeed, fenced, but at great financial and environmental costs.
BORDER PATROL SOUTHWEST SECTORS
SAN DIEGO SECTOR Staffing Apprehensions Drugs Minors/Prosecutions Deaths/Rescues EL CENTRO SECTOR Staffing Apprehensions Drugs Minors/Prosecutions Deaths/Rescues YUMA SECTOR Staffing Apprehensions Drugs Minors/Prosecutions Deaths/Rescues TUCSON SECTOR Staffing Apprehensions Drugs Minors/Prosecutions Deaths/Rescues EL PASO SECTOR Staffing Apprehensions Drugs Minors/Prosecutions Deaths/Rescues BIG BEND SECTOR Staffing Apprehensions Drugs Minors/Prosecutions Deaths/Rescues DEL RIO SECTOR Staffing Apprehensions Drugs Minors/Prosecutions Deaths/Rescues LAREDO SECTOR Staffing Apprehensions Drugs Minors/Prosecutions Deaths/Rescues RIO GRANDE VALLEY SECTOR Staffing Apprehensions Drugs Minors/Prosecutions Deaths/Rescues
With the changes in border enforcement in the past decade, the Star team determined that Trump's proposed "great, great wall" is already built in some ways and building the rest is either not needed or not feasible:
The jagged mountains, deep canyons, and winding rivers that remain unfenced pose a more effective natural barrier than humans could build.
Illegal traffic has shifted to rugged areas where building a fence would be tremendously expensive and would slow smugglers and border down only by seconds on a multi-day journey.
In Texas, the state with the least fencing, the border runs along private land. Forcing landowners to sell would lead to drawn out and costly lawsuits.
Beyond the logistical challenges, even the tallest wall would not solve the most serious problems at our border:
Hard drugs, a chief reason Trump said he wants a wall, mostly come through the southern border's 328 legal ports of entry. Those crossing stations see $500 billion in trade every year and are used by many of the 15 million border residents in the United States and Mexico.
A wall wouldnt stop the current wave of Central American families and children who turn themselves in rather than evade capture.
It wouldn't keep out people who overstay their visas a group that makes up about half of the unauthorized population in the United States.
In short, the fence we already have has done most everything a fence can do.
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Help India!
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Mumbai: Aggrieved Muslims of Sillod district in Maharashtra are eagerly waiting to see police action against what they termed as the circulation of derogatory posts on mobile application Whatsapp, the content of which maligns the image of Islam in general and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in specific, they allege, adding that it is an attempt at disturbing the communal fabric.
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Police have not apprehended anyone so far despite presence of evidence to book miscreants and filing of timely complaint with the names of anti social elements behind circulation of the message.
Complaint lodged in Sillod Police Station.
Abdul Hafeez Deshmukh, a resident of Nandra Ghat in Sillod district filed a complaint before Sillod Dehi Police station stating that he received a message on his mobile on Tuesday from a group Happy Diwali sent by Anil alias Baburao Ambhore which purportedly urges Muslim girls to marry Hindu boys.
The complaint reads that the alleged message circulated on Whatsapp maligns image of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his daughter Fatima. The message is titled as Muslim girls are requested to read carefully to secure their future and subtitled Benefits and only Benefits and One decision, many benefits.
The message purportedly lists some benefits under the line If a Muslim girl marries non-Muslim then she will be entitled to following benefits without any request and tries to convince Muslim girl while making derogatorily references to life of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his daughter. In the end sender requests non-Muslims to forward message to as much people as possible.
When learned about such messages making round on social media, the Muslims in the area came together and approached police for immediate action, against the miscreants for trying to disturb the communal harmony and maligning their religion.
Due to lackadaisical behavior of the local police, Muslims in the region have reportedly got aggravated and wrote a letter in this concern to API Sillod Dehi Police Station with a copy to Tahesildar ,Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) and Superintendent of Police (SP) Aurangabad demanding urgent and stern action.
Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to be the last messenger of Almighty, preserve highest respect for him and regard defending his prestige to be a religious duty upon every Muslim. This is the reason that Muslims in Sillod have approached police to book offenders under sections of IPC for hurting their religious feelings.
(With inputs from Aurangabadtimes)
Help India!
By TCN News
A group comprising of Sanjay Parate, Secretary State CPI-M, Vineet Tiwari, Joshi-Adhikari Institute of Social Studies and CPI, New Delhi, Archana Prasad, Jawaharlal Nehru University and member AIDWA, and Nandini Sundar, Delhi University visited Bastar Division from 12 to 16 May 2016.
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The visit covered Bijapur, Sukma, Bastar and Kanker districts. The focus of the visit was on the situation of ordinary villagers who are living through the conflict between the state and Maoists. In all four districts, the team visited villages chosen randomly, but with a focus on the most interior villages. In both Bijapur and Bastar for instance, they visited villages located in or at the boundaries of National Parks to try and assess the role of the revenue and forest departments. Our conclusions on incomes etc. are based on rough estimates, and proper surveys need to be carried out. In all they visited eleven villages.
The following is a summary of the report.
The team pointed out that this is a drought year and as a result, there has been a mass migration to Andhra Pradesh and other places for work. The team observed that there is no sign that the administration responding by providing rural employment as required under MNREGA. In Somanpalli village (the panchayat headquarters near the road) all villagers have ration cards, get about 45 days of MNREGS work (at Rs. 160 per day) and 15 days tendupatta work. While the official rate is Rs. 150 per saikda or 100 bundles of 50 leaves each, the traders give Rs. 50 extra, such that the villagers are getting Rs 200 for 100 bundles. They also sell about 50 percent of their paddy production and get a profit of Rs 2500 per acre. The average size of land is three acres. Overall the family makes about Rs. 1300-1500 per month. In another remote village, Tadmendri in neighbouring Sagmeta panchayat (at a distance of 14 Km on the forest road), the villagers have not got any MNREGA work and had not even heard of it. They also have to walk 14 km for their rations and were not able to produce anything from their land this year because of the drought. The households of this village barely make about Rs. 1000 per month, the report said.
The team observed that as soon as one enters Kanker, it is clear that the conflict zone has arrived. The whole division is heavily militarized with CAPF camps every 5 km, and in the villages around Raoghat in Kanker district, every 2 km. These are being set up in complete violation of the 5th Schedule, Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas Act, 1996 (PESA) and the Scheduled Tribes and other Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 (FRA), under which the consent of the gram sabha has to be taken and the villagers claims settled. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs Annual Report, 2015-16, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has given general approval under Sec 2 of the Forest Conservation Act of 1980, to divert 1-5 ha in LWE affected areas, for developmental purposes. However, under this head it has also smuggled in police establishments like police stations/ outposts/ border outposts/ watch towers in sensitive area as well as two lane roads. It is not clear that this blanket permission is entitled to ride over the requirements of PESA and FRA. Just as irrigation facilities, schools, dispensaries etc. must be built in consultation with the villagers, so should police outposts, the report said.
Reports of fake encounters, rape
Marjum fake encounter:
In first week of May, 2016 one police personnel died and one got injured in a cross firing between Police/Pamilitary forces and the Maoists near Marjum village in Dantewada district. After a few days, on May 7, the villagers of Junglepara went to Bheemapara to celebrate Beej Pandum, a traditional festival of the villagers. At around 12 noon, they were informed by the villagers of the neighboring village Chitrapal that there was a firing in the forest and two boys were shot. Two boys aged around 17-18 years, namely Markam Mangloo and Podiyam Vijja, who went to bathe in the nearby stream, were found missing from the group of the Junglepara villagers. According to the villagers, the patrolling force found them alone, shot them there and declared them Maoists.
At a press conference called on May 12, 2016 the villagers who were brought to the press conference accused the police of the fake encounter. Villagers said that both the boys had no connection with Maoists at all. Ms. Balmati, the Sarpanch of the village and the Anganwadi helper Aaiti were also present along with the family members, relatives and other villagers in the press conference who also confirmed that the police was making false allegations. The deceased boys and their families were well known to them and these were nothing else but the murders of innocent tribal boys. They also said that later that day, two more boys namely, Dewa and Podiyam were arrested from their houses in the village.
Across the four districts, villagers complained to the team about people being arrested in large numbers. The villagers have no understanding of the legal system, are forced to pay high fees to lawyers, and their lives are ruined. The law is being used as an instrument of torture rather than of justice or peace keeping, the report said.
Alleged rape in Indrawati National Park
A rape case was alleged of a young woman, Phullo, of Chuchkunta village, while she was working on an irrigation pond. The villagers said she was not a Naxalite, but has been raped and then arrested as one. She was raped by SPOs and men from the district force on 17-18 January 2016. The Pharsegarh camp forces patrol the area frequently. The team asked the Camp-in-charge charge of Pharsegarh, Shivanand Tiwari, who said that she was from Platoon 2 of the local area Dalam, and denied any rape. He claimed that her father was kept along with her till she was taken to jail. She is now in Jagdalpur jail.
A visit to Etebalka resulted in the revelation of a case of a young girl being exploited by an SPO, Budu Ram, s/o Phagu Ram, attached to the nearby BSF camp. He regularly visited her house and raped the girl 2-3 times. When the girl protested, the SPO threatened her and said that the reward for being a police informer and SPO is that he is free to do all these things. The girl was married off to another person by her family in June 2015 without any knowledge of this incident. Her in-laws discovered she was pregnant and she was sent home with a demand that the husbands family should be compensated. The SPO already has two wives. A Panchayat was called to settle the matter. It decided that the SPO should pay Rs 51,000 to the girls family, but only Rs 25,000 has been so far paid. The girl wrote a complaint to the district collector for which she has not got any response. There is no action by the BSF against the SPO.
The existence of such camps and the authority it gives jawans and SPOs/sahayakarakashak/DRG leads to sexual exploitation, and makes all women in the vicinity vulnerable. also heard allegations of rapes, at least one of which resulted in death, in the vicinity of other BSF camps but the families were unwilling to talk, the report pointed out.
Maoist violence
In villages in both the Kanger Park area and in Antagarh, the team heard stories of both police and Maoist killings in the past. For instance, in village Sarandi, in Antagarh, three men have been killed by the police in the past ten years. Four men have been killed by the Maoists, including Meghnath Dhuru Gond who was sarpanch for 15 years and was killed by the Maoists with an axe in 2011. For the past five years, however, the Maoists had not been coming to this area. However, as mentioned above, Maoist beatings and killings of so-called informers have gone up in parallel with state repression and co-optation of villagers.
Recommendations
The team recommended that an all-party delegation should visit Bastar, especially some of the interior villages, and initiate conversation with a wide range of stakeholders to suggest measures for conflict resolution. The parties should demand that the Centre and state government initiate a dialogue with all political parties and the Naxalites, and come up with a comprehensive plan that recognizes the rights and development needs of the people.
The BJP must allow opposition political parties to operate freely without arresting and intimidating their members. There should be a high level judicial enquiry on all the encounters, arrests, surrenders and rapes and other atrocities by police, security forces and Naxalites since 2005.
There should be prosecution of all these cases and compensation should be paid regardless of perpetrator. The forest rights, and land rights of the people should be recognized. No projects should be implemented, including mining, without the full knowledge and consent of the gram sabha. There should be a full accounting with on the ground verification of all works done under government schemes. In particular MGNREGA should be implemented, and all pending dues must be immediately paid. The harassment of political activists, scholars, journalists, lawyers and others fighting for adivasi rights must be stopped and their freedom of movement and security ensured.
The team also asked the Maoists to allow all development works to take place along with elections and that they should stop beating people, and killing so-called informers.
Related:
Fact-finding team to Bastar exposes numerous cases of fake encounters, religious persecution and wrongful arrests
Help India!
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
A report filed by The Hindu has said that Maharashtra State Intelligence Department (SID) has for now given a clean chit to preacher Zakir Naik, conceding that there is simply no case to be made out against the televangelist.
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Sources in the special SID team handling the probe ordered by the State government said Dr. Naik will not be and cannot be arrested upon his return to India, the report in The Hindu said.
Nine teams of SID had been asked to study hundreds of YouTube videos and speeches given by him in and outside India.
Senior officials said a dossier of evidence has also been received and collected from the other intelligence teams in various States, including Hyderabad, where an IS module, reportedly inspired by the speeches of Dr Naik, was busted, the Hindu report added.
There is no case to be made out against the English-speaking preacher, except maybe the possible charge of hurting religious sentiments, but even that cannot be established from his speeches. We are tracking his movements and only if he speaks something out of turn, we can pin him down on a charge. For now, we are closely monitoring him, a senior police official, who on Monday conveyed the preliminary assessment of the SID findings to the higher-ups, told The Hindu.
On Saturday, the Bangladesh newspaper Daily Star denied televangelist Zakir Naiks allegations that the website had published a report in which it claimed that the Dhaka attack terrorists were inspired by Naiks speeches.
The Daily Star categorically denies this allegation and wants to say it did not report that any terrorist was inspired by Zakir Naik to kill innocent people. The report said that one of the terrorists had propagated on Facebook last year quoting Peace TVs preacher Zakir Naik urging all Muslims to be terrorists. In his video speech, Dr Naik himself said he has millions of followers in Bangladesh. Our report was an attempt to show how young minds were interpreting Dr Naiks views in ways that were perhaps not intended for, the newspaper said in a statement.
Help India!
By Maariyah Siddique and Ieshan Wani for Twocircles.net
As tension escalates for the fourth day in the Valley, the death toll in Kashmir has officially reached 30. Adil Ahmad Mattoo, who was injured in police firing at Bijbehara in South Kashmir, succumbed to injuries last night at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital in Srinagar.
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As a journalist, our job is to inform. We will be very direct and personal while informing the readers for their right to be informed.
While the deceased include a 13-year-old boy, a 24-year-old woman, and many youth protesters, the injured 1,300 includes children, women and even passers-by who were directly not involved in the protests. Among the civilians are those killed either by immediate police firing or succumbing to their injuries during treatment. According to locals, many of them died due to delayed treatment as officials kept attacking ambulances while on their way to hospitals.
Why such brute force to quell unarmed protesters?
Also, on one hand, J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti questions the use of disproportionate force against civilians and appeals to locals to maintain calm, but lets Kashmir go unrepresented in the high level review committee meeting called by the Home Ministry on Tuesday morning. Even if we assume that she he is sensitive enough towards her people to not leave the State at such a crucial moment, why couldnt she arrange for a video presence when such an arrangement can be made for all sorts of ceremonious events?
Mobile internet services remain suspended for the fourth day in a row, and the whole of South Kashmir suffers total blockage of communication lines. After a temporary two-day suspension of the Amarnath yatra, pilgrims from Jammu resumed the Yatra amid heavy security. Public life remains stagnant with shops, private establishments, and business enterprises closed for the fourth day. Public transport continues to remain off-the-roads and only private vehicles, in scant number can be seen on streets. A visibly complete lockdown prevails in the entire valley.
While the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh claimed on Sunday that the situation in the Valley has been brought under control, the news of death toll rose to 23 from 19.
The sudden unrest sparked off by the killing of the 22-year-old Burhan Wani, also triggered an unprecedented number of mourners at his native village in Tral, with back-to-back 50 absentia funerals. Massive protests rocked the State. With a fresh batch of 800 CRPF to be dispatched to the State, security is being kept beefed up in the Valley.
Major hospitals across the districts fearing a shortage of staff and scarcity of equipment have declared a medical emergency. Hospitals are witnessing an uncontrolled rush of crucial injuries and emergency cases. Hospital beds are filled with those who have lost their vision permanently, those with severe muscle and bone injuries, and those with injuries in vital organs, according to reports from local news agencies.
Gathering from ground reports, it is known that forces even tried to barge into hospital complexes and tried upsetting the order of things. Police inside the buildings tried to meddle with the staff while admitting patients, leading to clashes between patients families and officials.
Teargas shelling was done which caused severe suffering of those with COPD (lung disease) who were being managed in emergency rooms. This is in gross violation of international laws, said Dr Aadil Ashraf, President, Resident Doctors Association, SMHS, Srinagar.
Ashraf, along with associated hospitals expressed serious concern and has lodged a strong protest against harassment of hospital staff on Sunday evening. The staff has been working tirelessly without any breaks in the emergency section but still we are having a shortage of staff, added Ashraf.
He, along with the associated staff are constantly reaching out to the victims via the Facebook page of Resident Doctors Association of SMHS, requesting all resident doctors and paramedical staff to come to hospitals in whatever ways they can.
Due to the continuous imposition of curfews in several districts, the locals complain of running out of their rations. Earlier in the morning we were warned by the officials against stepping out of our homes or strict action will be taken against us, said Aasiya, a resident of Bandipora.
An ambulance carrying two injured was attacked by police forces Monday evening as it passed through Bijbehara in Anantnag district of South Kashmir. The vehicle was obstructed and glasses were shattered while on the run. One of two injured is being treated for severe abdomen and leg injuries while other succumbed to injuries last night.
I have talked to my family in Nowshera and they are very scared. My two daughters who are both less than ten years of age havent slept for nights as they fear that due to an absence of male members in the family there is no one to protect them, says Shehzad Shafi, a Kashmiri shop owner in Kolkata who is stuck in the city due to cancelled flights.
My relatives stay in Kulgam and there is no way they can reach my family in Srinagar at the earliest so I am really worried, says Shafi. He has been waiting for normalcy to return so he can make his Eid-visit back home in Nowshera, a few kilometres north from district headquarters, Srinagar.
Meanwhile, we have heard three versions of the story in various TV channels in just four days. The first was, Burhans indulging in lavish love affairs leading to his death as one of his girlfriends, unhappy of her relationship with the youngster became an informer for the police. The second one, Burhan being lionized by the Kashmiris is only their misjudging of a local poster boy who wasnt even involved in any serious liberation activities. The third and the latest one, Pakistan is behind the terrorism in Kashmir. Yes, let us play blame-game when we are incapable of bringing a situation under control. Waiting for more creative opinions, our mind races back to the moment we heard about a 5-year-old victim of pellet injury in a hospital in Srinagar.
For once, keep aside your religious bias. For once, forget your boiling debate on nationalism. And for once acknowledge the fact that deeming something right and wrong is more than just a matter of words. Sitting in posh offices and a voracious browse-through of a dozen online portals doesnt grant you the expertise to comment on longstanding issues like these. The issue of Kashmir is a grave one. It needs to be addressed, discussed, and settled immediately.
The authors are students of M.A in Convergent Journalism at A.J Kidwai Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi
Our new Prime Minister will certainly have to be tough and headstrong given the huge challenges that Britain faces in the coming months and years. Having remained stoically quiet during the Andrea Leadsom rows about motherhood, resultingin her opponent bowing out, these are two characteristics that her friends and allies say Theresa May has by the bucketload. Nevertheless, she's not all gruff and no fluff, as the daughter of a vicar she appears tohave a concern for social justice and equality. This is perhaps surprising for someone who isseen as right-wing after her anti-immigration speech at last year's Tory Conference and her forceful opposition to both civil liberties in the digital arenaand the European Court of Human Rights, which is separate from the EU.
Allegedly liberal leanings.
However her strong sense of morality is not only manifest in many of the policies that she has pushed for, apparentlyindependently of her seniors in the Cameron Cabinet, but also in the revelation that she gives bountifully to charity. We are aware of thanks to the release of her tax records, which indicate her gift aid was around 3500, which only indicates the tax-rebate part of her donation. In terms of liberal policies, she has fought against Stop-And-Search, which unfairly targeted ethnic minority individuals and has stood up formore tangible civil liberties by scrapping proposed ID cards and a database which critics argued would unfairly treat everyone as a suspect.
Strong moral duty.
This strong sense of moral duty may come from her upbringing as the daughter of a vicar and her strong Christian faith, evidenced by the fact that she attends Church once a week. Robert Halfon, a champion of blue collar 'working class' conservatism sees great hope in her leadership for ordinary people describing her as "more NHS than BHS".
This perception of a leader determined to seek a greater level of equality is aided by her most recent speech where she has pledged to deal with the "housing deficit" by building more homes and to "crack down on tax avoidance and tax evasion".
Liberal conservative - oxymoron?
However, only time will tell if these liberal stances come to fruition, havingalready been criticised by corners of the media for hervoting record,whichcontradicts these stances.
As Holly Baxter of the Independent points out, all of the pledges mentioned in her speech have an opposite example in her voting record, including voting "against giving the Financial Conduct Authority duties to combat abusive tax avoidance arrangements" just weeks ago. One thing is for sure, she will either be a roaring success, a champion of the working class and a grave threat to Labour or a disappointing incarnation of continuity Cameron and crony capitalism. As a Labour supporter, I cannot decide which one is worse.
The motherhood row and the reality of fighting for the leadership of the Conservative Party with mud being slung has weighed too heavily on Andrea Leadsom who has quit the conservative leadership race. In an interview with the Telegraph she says that she was reduced to tears by the row and therefore decided that she may not be ready for the scrutiny of Government. Her campaign manager, Tim Loughton, has contributed to this perception of a candidate struggling to cope with the pressures of media scrutiny and has since condemned the media for an "onslaught of often very personal attacks".
Nevertheless, the specific reason that she cited in her resignation speech is that she commandsthe confidence of just 25% of the Conservative Parliamentary Party. This, she decided, was too little to leadan effective and stable government, therefore deciding that she did not want to emulate Jeremy Corbyn, with a mandate only from party members.
Theresa ToryLeader
Nigel Farage has expressed his disappointment, after he backed her for the leadership. This is likely to be due to the fact that Leadsom was the last Leave supporter in the running to be the next Conservative Leader and Prime Minister. Instead, that privilege will go to frontrunnerTheresa May, in what could be seen as a coronation by the rank-and-file membership who will not be given a proper choice of candidates.
This may be particularly disappointing of them, given that they are nowforced to select a Remain supporter, despite being a largely eurosceptic crowd.
Disappointed that @andrealeadsom has decided to withdraw from the Conservative leadership contest. Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) July 11, 2016
A Eurosceptic Twist
Nevertheless, Theresa May has always appeared among the most eurosceptic of Remain supporters, having given only one notable speech during the campaign, which condemned the European Court of Human Rights.
Despite this being separate from the EU, it may have been a signal that she could implement Brexit, given a Leave vote. She has also signalled today that restricting freedom of movement is a more important priority in negotiations than retaining full access to the single market. This was at the launch of her national campaign to become leader, which has becomemeaningless given the fact that Leadsom has bowed out.
May's strong eurosceptic speech at her campaign launch may, however, have contributed to Leadsom's surrender, due to the fact that the Leave supporter will feel that Brexit is in safe hands, and will not be hijacked.
Graham Brady, the chairman of the powerful Conservative 1922 backbench committee has announced that May will now be formally confirmed, however there are hints that David Cameron would like to do one last Prime Minister's Questions before officially stepping down as prime minister. The next few days and hours will truly be fascinating, as have the past few, with many a comparison between the Conservative Party, Game of Thrones and House of Cards. Watch this space!
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Agtech pushes to fore Updated: 2016-07-12 10:50 By Lia Zhu in San Francisco(China Daily USA)
From precision agriculture and food safety, to energy efficiency and water conservation, Silicon Valley and China have much to collaborate on through agtech innovation, insiders say.
Both countries face common challenges in agriculture, such as a shortage of farm labor, water scarcity risks, rising temperatures and a decrease in arable land per capita.
Over the past 50 years, arable land has decreased 60 percent as a result of population growth and rapid urbanization.
"The major discrepancy between supply and demand for food creates a major opportunity for innovation to come up with new ways of farming and delivering food," said John Hartnett, founder and CEO of SVG Partners, a Silicon Valley-based investment and advisory firm.
The world population of 7.3 billion is expected to reach around 9.7 billion by 2050, according to a report by the United Nations' Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
The middle class is projected to increase from 1.2 billion people to 4.5 billion by 2050, which is "very much led by China", Hartnett said.
This is creating a massive demand - over 70 percent more food has to be produced by then - and the No 1 country being affected by the challenge around supply of food and population is China, he added.
"The solution is going to be innovation, as technologies will improve logistics, robotics and information to farmers," he said. "We must partner together to solve these problems between Silicon Valley, the Salinas Valley and China."
Hartnett founded the Thrive Accelerator program in Salinas, California, home to some of the world's pioneering agricultural firms, to help agtech and food-tech startups deploy their technologies and improve their businesses.
This year, the program has attracted 200 participants from 38 countries, double the number of the previous year. Three winners in "overall innovation", "sustainability" and "operational excellence" will be announced Wednesday during the demo day.
Partnered with some of the big names in agriculture and technology, including Land O'Lakes, Verizon and Taylor Farms, the program will mentor the startups in marketing, finance and other areas.
Hartnett said the firm expects "greater participation with Chinese startup companies. "We are actively looking to partner and work with Chinese accelerators, investors and government to help fund some of the startups in China," he said.
"China-US collaboration in agricultural technology is a natural trend, because we share one global village," said Qian He, a professor of food safety and quality control at China's Jiangnan University in Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu province.
"We have reached consensus that it takes every country's efforts to meet the food demand while considering the environment and people's health.
"Now is an opportune time to push for agtech innovation and collaboration," she said. "Chinese people are increasingly aware of the significance of innovation, as the government has been actively promoting mass innovation and entrepreneurship."
Silicon Valley is the No 1 location in the world in creating technologies and attracting entrepreneurs, said Hartnett. "So on the technology front, we would like to build a strong gateway between Silicon Valley and China to identify some of the top tech companies and solutions and deploy the technologies in the industry," he said.
There's also great momentum for investment, according to Hartnett. "Two years ago, investment in agriculture and agtech was less than $1 billion in the US, and this year, it attracts $4 billion. So this is a forward-looking indicator for a new 'big opportunity' area," he said.
"We see investment both ways," Hartnett said. "We'd also like to partner with Chinese investors who are looking at other companies through our program and potentially bring those companies to China and deploy their technologies."
liazhu@chinadailyusa.com
LUO JIE/CHINA DAILY
Together with the top European Union leadership, I will be in China on July 12-13 to participate in 18th EU-China Summit. I was in Beijing at the end of April and in the past three weeks my fellow commissioners in charge of transport, energy and climate change, and trade have all made high-level visits. The EU's new China strategy, released on June 22, will guide bilateral relations for the coming years.
Our economies are going through profound transformations. The EU is making a digital and innovation leap as it recovers from the financial crisis and China is transitioning into a fundamentally new economic model, with formidable challenges. As vice-president in charge of the EU's broad economic relationship with China, I believe this will not only mean a new era for both of us, but also a new era for the EU-China relationship itself, where we can contribute more than ever to each other's success and prosperity.
All this underlines the importance of the EU-China partnership. In the wake of the new situation after the United Kingdom referendum (resulting in the UK's exit from the EU), it also illustrates the importance of the EU's vast single market as a powerful engine of prosperity for EU citizensand for key partners like China. The EU is the world's largest trader of goods and services.
Our relationship must build on our strong trade in goods, where we are top partners, to expand into two areas of vast untapped potential: services and investment. Also, as our cooperation increasingly involves high technology, it is essential that China's technological upgrading is based on openness to EU business. Huge mutual benefit lies ahead.
The success of this new era will depend very much on how we handle this complex transformation process together. The friction caused by vestiges of the old model, such as huge industrial overcapacity, including in steel, has to be managed well so that it does not have repercussions in the new era.
In the past two years, we have embarked on the first steps of a "new agenda" for this new era, with ongoing negotiations toward a Comprehensive Agreement on Investment, which should give wide market access to as well as state-of-the-art investor protection for both sides. We are exploring new areas of collaboration, such as China's participation in the European Investment Plan, or synergies between China's Belt and Road Initiative and the EU's flagship initiatives through our Connectivity Platform. Also part of this new agenda is the digital economy, innovation and the environment. In all these areas we need to ensure a level playing field. Reciprocity will be the watchword of this new era of our relationship, as openness on one side breeds openness on the other.
In this new era, the EU has embraced China's ever growing role in international governancefor example via participation of our member states in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and China's membership of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. We have engaged constructively in China's G20 agenda which we expect will deliver ambitious outcomes in economy, finance and trade. We must build on these steps to implement commitments taken at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, as well as inject new momentum in World Trade Organization talks.
As a fundamental element of our partnership, we look to China to exercise leadership and ambition to support a rules-based, transparent and accountable system of global governanceas the EU has long championed as the essential backdrop to our bilateral relations in this new era of EU-China cooperation.
The author is European Commission vice-president for jobs, growth, investment and competitiveness.
Japan's Constitution in jeopardy Updated: 2016-07-12 09:08 (China Daily)
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks to reporters at Abe's official residence in Tokyo, Japan, January 28, 2016. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Thursday he wants the new economy minister, Nobuteru Ishihara, to continue the government's efforts to push through structural reforms. [Photo/Agencies]
The victory of the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Japan's upper house election on Sunday may pose a threat to regional stability, as it could give Abe enough power to put Japan's postwar pacifist Constitution in jeopardy.
The victory is considered more a result of the lack of better choices and the electorate choosing to maintain the status quo, rather than their endorsing Abe's constitutional designs.
But over the past three years, Abe has exploited every opportunity to firmly push forward his political agenda and gradually overturn 70 years of pacifism in Japan despite public protests. Abe has managed to enact controversial security laws, which enable Japan's Self-Defense Forces to fight overseas for the first time since the end of World War II and made it possible for Japan to intervene militarily in regional conflicts.
The Abe administration has also cemented its alliance with the United States and begun meddling in issues that do not directly concern it, such as the disputes in the South China Sea.
As the ruling coalition looks set to secure the two-thirds majority necessary to set in motion Abe's long-cherished ambition to change the Constitution, the path Abe seems determined to embark upon is cause for alarm.
With Japan's pacifist Constitution at stake and Abe's power expanding, it is alarming both for Japan's Asian neighbors and Japan itself, as Japan's militarization will benefit neither.
Japan owes its rapid economic development in the initial decades after World War II partly to its promise of peace. Any deviation from that path may cost Japan heavily both in economic terms and in its relations with its neighbors.
And as Japan becomes more involved in overseas military conflicts, it will become less secure, not safer.
Talk reports underline US has own agenda Updated: 2016-07-12 09:08 (China Daily)
Yongxing Island is home to the government of Sansha, China's southernmost city. [Photo/Xinhua]
The United States and some of its allies are already eying Tuesday as a day of triumph, as they believe the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration will rule against China in a case unilaterally brought by the Philippines over their South China Sea dispute. Much fanfare can be expected should the farce directed by Washington finally reach the climax it anticipates.
But before it makes any ballyhoo depicting China as a bully disrespectful of international law, the US should bear in mind it will be standing on shaky ground should it choose to trumpet the observance of international rules.
It has yet to ratify the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea that it claims to seek to safeguard. And its track record in respecting international laws is poor. The report of the United Kingdom's official inquiry into the Iraq War shows how the US and its allies bypassed the United Nations to illegally invade that country, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians.
So like the ruling itself, a new round of US mudslinging against China will not stick. It will not change the fact that China holds historical claims and sovereignty over those islands and reefs in the South China Sea, nor will it shake its resolve to defend every inch of them.
But still China has to stay on high alert, for the US military has been trying to turn the previously tranquil waters in the region into a sea of troubles. Three US destroyers have been patrolling near Chinese isles, and the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and supporting vessels are also in the South China Sea in "a deliberate show of force".
Escalated US military provocations cannot be ruled out in the wake of the arbitration ruling should it be able to claim that the ruling "justifies" them. After all, keeping tensions high serves the US' interests and helps justify its huge military presence in the region as part of its "rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific" strategy.
Such belligerency would put to the test the capabilities of the People's Liberation Army to cope with what would become an ever more complicated situation.
China has consistently called for negotiations and consultations to peacefully solve the maritime disputes. So it is a welcome change to see reports that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said his administration will begin direct talks following Tuesday's ruling, on topics such as jointly exploiting natural gas reserves and fishing grounds.
Let us hope this will be the start of the process to defuse the tensions in the South China Sea.
Asset managers missing China chances: report Updated: 2016-07-12 10:50 By Paul Welitzkin in New York(China Daily USA)
China continues to produce most of the world's new wealth, yet investment management companies are struggling to attract those individuals as customers, according to an industry report.
In its annual look at the asset management industry, Global Asset Management 2016: Doubling Down on Data, the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) said Monday that business stalled in 2015, giving the industry its weakest year since the 2008 financial crisis.
The report said that Asia - and in particular China and India - led in growth of assets under management (AUM) last year compared to 2014. The value of AUM globally edged up just 1 percent to $71.4 trillion in 2015 from $70.5 trillion in 2014.
The report noted that growth fell slightly in North America and the Middle East, rose modestly in Europe and advanced strongly in Latin America and Asia. (BCG excludes Japan and Australia from Asia.)
"Asset management's penetration of the wealth market in Asia continues to lag behind its penetration in other parts of the world, restraining the industry in that region that is setting the global pace of private-wealth expansion," the report said.
Qin Xu, a BCG partner in Hong Kong, said Chinese investors appear to be most comfortable with bank offerings in wealth management. "Bank wealth management is very important (in China) and the most favored are bank-led products," she said.
Brent Beardsley, a senior partner at BCG, said culture and the newness of the China market are also responsible for the lack of acceptance.
"The Chinese are still most comfortable with conservative investments and the industry is still in its infancy," he said.
Still the report said global asset managers should see this disparity as "a missed opportunity in a region whose wealth is quickly gaining on Europe's".
Xu said China's new goal of about 6.5 percent growth in gross domestic product hasn't slowed the expansion of the ranks of the affluent in China. "I don't think the new normal has had much of an effect," she said.
Beardsley said 2015 was a challenging year for asset managers and was reflective of equity markets that were largely positive in Europe and mostly negative elsewhere, especially in the US. That was the main reason for the stalled growth in AUM, BCG said.
Margins continue to face pressure, yet the industry as a whole remains relatively profitable, noted Beardsley.
"Essentially the profit pool is where it was at nearly a decade ago," he said. "But operating margins are steady - in the 35-to-40 percent range."
Beardsley said the industry can't wait for capital markets to return to historic performance levels to fuel a new round of growth.
"Weak and turbulent global financial markets are today's reality," he said.
paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com
Europeans fear job competition from migrants: poll Updated: 2016-07-12 17:25 (Sputnik)
A Sputnik.Polls survey has revealed that 47% of people in the UK, as well as 36% in Germany and 50% in France, believe that immigrants take jobs from local residents. The poll was conducted by French opinion and marketing research company Ifop and UK polling agency Populus for Sputnik News Agency and Radio.
When asked whether or not they agreed with the premise that immigration was taking jobs from locals residents - almost a quarter (24 per cent) of UK residents were unable to answer. Meanwhile, respondents from France and Germany demonstrated better awareness of the issue with only 5% of French people and 6% of Germans choosing to answer "do not know".
In the UK, Populus conducted the poll from April 15th to April 21st 2016. The polls in France and Germany were conducted by Ifop from April 14th to April 18th 2016. The total number of respondents was 3,042: 989 in Germany, 1,008 in France, and 1,045 in the UK. The sample was representative of each countrys populations in terms of sex, age, and geography. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.1%, with a confidence interval of 95%.
China will need to push agtech innovation: insiders Updated: 2016-07-12 10:50 By Lia Zhu in San Francisco(chinadaily.com.cn)
From precision agriculture and food safety, to energy efficiency and water conservation, Silicon Valley and China have much to collaborate on through agtech innovation, insiders say.
Both countries face common challenges in agriculture, such as a shortage of farm labor, water scarcity risks, rising temperatures and a decrease in arable land per capita.
Over the past 50 years, arable land has decreased 60 percent as a result of population growth and rapid urbanization.
"The major discrepancy between supply and demand for food creates a major opportunity for innovation to come up with new ways of farming and delivering food," said John Hartnett, founder and CEO of SVG Partners, a Silicon Valley-based investment and advisory firm.
The current world population of 7.3 billion is expected to reach around 9.7 billion by 2050, according to a report by the United Nations' Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
The middle class is projected to increase from 1.2 billion people to 4.5 billion by 2050, which is "very much led by China", Hartnett said.
This is creating a massive demand over 70 percent more food has to be produced by then and the No 1 country being affected by the challenge around supply of food and population is China, he added.
"The solution is going to be innovation, as technologies will improve logistics, robotics and information to farmers," he said, "We must partner together to solve these problems between Silicon Valley, the Salinas Valley and China."
Hartnett founded the Thrive Accelerator program in Salinas, California, home to some of the world's pioneering agricultural firms, to help agtech and food-tech startups deploy their technologies and improve their businesses.
This year, the program has attracted 200 participants from 38 countries, double the number of the previous year. Three winners in "overall innovation", "sustainability" and "operational excellence" will be announced Wednesday during the demo day.
Partnered with some of the big names in agriculture and technology, including Land O'Lakes, Verizon and Taylor Farms, the program will mentor the startups in marketing, finance and other areas.
Hartnett said the firm expects "greater participation with Chinese startup companies. "We are actively looking to partner and work with Chinese accelerators, investors and government to help fund some of the startups in China," he said.
"China-US collaboration in agricultural technology is a natural trend, because we share one global village," said Qian He, a professor of food safety and quality control at China's Jiangnan University. "We have reached consensus that it takes every country's efforts to meet the food demand while considering the environment and people's health.
"Now is an opportune time to push for agtech innovation and collaboration," she said. "Chinese people are increasingly aware of the significance of innovation, as the government has been actively promoting mass innovation and entrepreneurship."
Silicon Valley is the No 1 location in the world in creating technologies and attracting entrepreneurs, said Hartnett. "So on the technology front, we would like to build a strong gateway between Silicon Valley and China to identify some of the top tech companies and solutions and deploy the technologies in the industry," he said.
There's also great momentum for investment, according to Hartnett. "Two years ago, investment in agriculture and agtech was less than $1 billion in the US, and this year, it attracts $4 billion. So this is a forward-looking indicator for a new big opportunity' area," he said.
"We see investment both ways," Hartnett said. "We'd also like to partner with Chinese investors who are looking at other companies through our program and potentially bring those companies to China and deploy their technologies."
liazhu@chinadailyusa.com
UK's Farnborough International to help China stage new air show in 2019 Updated: 2016-07-12 21:07 By Angus McNeice in Farnborough(chinadaily.com.cn)
Organizers of the UK's biggest military and civil aviation event signed an agreement with representatives from Chengdu to launch a new airshow in China in late 2019.
The Sichuan International Airshow will bring together 300 to 400 exhibitors from within the civil and commercial aerospace industry and help demonstrate how companies can become involved in the Chinese market. Farnborough International, organizers of Britain's largest biennial air show, will supply consultancy services along with the EU Project Innovation Centre (EUPIC).
"The opportunity to host the Sichuan International Airshow in such a prime location in the heart Chengdu will make the event even more attractive for international participants," Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) Commercial Director Amanda Stainer said from the One Belt One Sky conference at the FIA 2016, running this month from July 11-17.
Plans for a biennial air show in Sichuan were first announced at the International Paris Airshow last year and the inaugural event was originally scheduled for 2017. However, organizers now aim to bring the event in line with the completion of a new international airport in Chengdu in 2019. The air show will take place at the two-terminal six-runway Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, which is scheduled to begin operations the following year.
Farnborough International signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday with the EUPIC and the Chengdu Hi-Tech Zone on Monday, detailing the event will showcase COMAC, AVIC and Sichuan Airlines, Haite group, Sigma Components and other state representatives' supply chains.
"Chengdu is already an established aerospace hub," Fu Yonglin, deputy mayor of Chengdu, said. "The Hi-Tech Zone and the Sichuan International Airshow will help put Chengdu as China's aerospace capital. The Farnborough International Airshow has a reputation as a world class trade event and we are looking to working with the organizers to hosting our first show in 2019."
The airshow will take place over five days in September organizers aim to welcome 30,000 visitors to three trade days and 100,000 visitors over two days open to the public. Between 60 and 70 aircraft will take part in flying displays while 60 will be on static display.
The airshow will offer an opportunity for industry players looking to enter or expand in the growing Chinese market.
China is currently the world's second largest aviation market and will become the largest within the next decade, according to a report released by aircraft manufacturing giant Airbus on Monday. Boeing predicts that Chinese airlines will need nearly 6,000 new aircraft over the next 20 years, and plans are in place for the addition of 56 new airports countrywide.
At a breakfast roundtable at the FIA 2016 on Tuesday, Rolls-Royce Chief Executive Warren East said the UK-based jet engine manufacturer will see three quarters of its business come from outside the European Union over the next ten years and that: "Most growth over the next decade is from Asia and the Middle East."
Boeing forecasts that just under 40 percent of all new aircraft made over the next two decades will be sent to Asia, and Airbus China CEO Chen Juming said half of Airbus's current orders are from Asia, with half of Asia's orders coming from China. Chen said the economic center of the aviation industry has been "shifting eastward" over the last 20 years.
To contact the reporter: angus@mail.chinadailyuk.com
On Wednesday, at the Federal Reserves meeting, they raised mortgage rates for the first time in 2017, and the market expects it to just be the first of many.
In December, the Fed moved to raise rates from a range of 0.5% to 0.75%. Afterwards, they elected to raise them again, another 25 basis points to a range of 0.75% to 1%. The Federal Funds Rate represents the overnight rate which financial institutions provide short-term lending to one another, and it is the basis for capital markets liquidity.
According to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, only one official voted against the action Neel Kashkari, who preferred to maintain the existing target range for the federal funds during the March meeting.
Experts now say that rate increases will continue throughout 2017, with the next hike coming as soon as this summer.
Rising inflation will predominantly dictate the next monetary policy decision, but another short-term rate hike should be expected by the end of the summer, said Lawrence Yun, National Association of Realtors chief economist.
One expert explained that it was indicated by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen that more rate hikes are on the way this year.
As anticipated, the FOMC went forward with the first rate hike of 2017, said Curt Long, National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions chief economist.
Given that inflation is rising and approaching the Feds 2% target, Fed officials had little choice but to raise rates, Long said. Chair Janet Yellen has indicated that more rate hikes are on the way later this year.
However, Yellen also cautioned that should the economy take an unexpected turn, the Fed is not locked into a policy path, according to CNBC.
The big question still remains how many rate hikes is the market expecting in the near future?
Overall, we still expect that in response to rising inflation, the Fed will hike rates by a total of four times both this year and next, taking the fed funds target range to between 1.50% and 1.75 by end-2017, and to between 2.50% and 2.75% by end-2018, Capital Economics Chief Economist Paul Ashworth said.
Meanwhile, other experts are predicting a more conservative three rate hikes this year.
Todays FOMC decision to increase the target rate and the updated Fed officials economic projections that continued to show a median of three hikes this year are in line with our expectations in the March forecast released earlier today, Fannie Mae Chief Economist Doug Duncan said. We believe the Fed could stay on course to achieve its dual mandate with a gradual monetary normalization, which would allow housing to continue to expand.
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Commuters who crossed HCM Citys Sai Gon Bridge last Thursday afternoon panicked when they saw a young boy jump into the river. People found his backpack and sandals placed neatly on the bridge. Photo infonet.vn
HCM CITY Commuters who crossed HCM Citys Sai Gon Bridge last Thursday afternoon panicked when they saw a young boy jump into the river. People found his backpack and sandals placed neatly on the bridge.
Local police and rescuers spent hours searching for the boy who was presumed dead. But witnesses were surprised to see the boy re-appear early that evening. He contacted police and asked for his belongs.
He admitted to police that he jumped into the river to kill himself because he felt very depressed.
But as he fell, he found he no longer wanted to die. He can swim, so he swam ashore.
He caught a xe om (motorbike taxi) from the foot of the bridge to the area where police were searching for him. He wanted his belongings back.
Remember: Think twice before you act. VNS
Vntrip.vn connects to 6,000 hotels in Viet Nam and 900,000 in the world. File Photo
HCM CITY Vietnamese online hotel booking start-up vntrip.vn yesterday said it got US$3 million from a group of foreign investors led by Fenghe Group and Hancock Revocable Trust.
The company told Viet Nam News this is the largest investment by foreign investors in a series A round financing a startup in the growth stage in a Vietnamese online startup.
The funding comes less than six months since the website www.vntrip.vn was launched, it added.
The website provides Vietnamese consumers a localised platform to make international hotel bookings by tying up with global leaders like Booking.com and YieldPlanet.
It connects to 6,000 hotels in Viet Nam and 900,000 in the world.
FengHe Group is led by John Wu who began his career in Silicon Valley in the late 1980s and most notably was an angel investor and CTO of Alibaba.
Scott Hancock has more than 20 years private-equity and early stage investing experience while holding senior positions at Oak Hill Capital, Continuity Capital Partners and Deep Sky Capital.
Both will have board seats to provide guidance and oversight to vntrip.vns strategy and growth.
The investors said they saw potential in the company before deciding to invest.
Scott Hancock said it is exciting to be an earlystage investor in vntrip.vn because we can see the opportunity to build the dominant market leader in an industry that will reach nearly $1 billion in revenue within the next 5 years.
Le ac Lam, co-founder and CEO of vntrip.vn, said: We are extremely pleased to have two renowned firms with proven track records in the technology sector investing in our company and supporting our vision and strategy going forward.
Local online bookings are estimated to reach US$750 million in revenues by 2020.
After the funding, vntrip.vn is valued at VN300 billion ($13.6 million) by investors. VNS
HA NOI The Intra Asia (IA) cable system connecting Viet Nam to Hongkong and the United States was reportedly broken.
The damage will be repaired between July 12 and 19.
The break will slow down Internet speed between Viet Nam and other countries. The cable was broken some 45km off the coast of Singapore.
The IA is used by major local providers FPT, Viettel and CMC. According to Viettel Group, they will be the most affected Internet provider, so they have transferred traffic from IA to the Asia America Gateway (AAG) undersea cable to maintain the quality of the connection.
The AAG in late June also had technical problem but had been fixed.
Other Internet providers are mainly using the AAG and landlines, so they will not be as affected by the IA breakdown.
The group said they were working with their partner, Tata Communications, the operator of the IA connection to Singapore, to fix the damage.
The IA undersea cable system was officially launched in November 2009, connecting Singapore, Viet Nam, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Japan. The 6,800km-long system boasts a data transfer speed of 3.84Tbps. VNS
HAU GIANG Politburo Member, Chairman of Southwestern Steering Committee and Deputy Prime Minister Vuong inh Hue urged local governments to perform better administration reforms to attract more investment to the Mekong Delta.
Deputy PM Hue spoke during the opening speech for the 9th Mekong Delta Economic Develoment Forum, on the theme Mekong Delta Active Integration and Sustainable Development last night in Vi Thanh City, Hau Giang Province.
He praised several policies have been brought to life, stimulating the deltas development after previous forums where local officials, scientists and entrepreneurs suggested the deltas sustainable development amid climate change challenges.
Connectivity between provinces in the delta and with other localities in the country has been improved. Forum participants should discuss how the Delta can be proactive in global integration and work closely with other countries since Viet Nam has great opportunities and challenges in the integration period, Hue suggested.
Mekong Delta faces serious losses from climate change and sea level rises and salt water intrusion. People in the delta have deployed various solutions to adapt with climate change and prepare for global economic integration, he said.
Connectivity between localities, sectors and people is key for a sustainable livelihood of inhabitants in Mekong Delta under the threat of climate change, said Hue, reminding Viet Nam of its membership of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
At the opening speech, Hue announced that the World Bank and the State Bank of Viet Nam yesterday signed an agreement in Can Tho City on a US$560-million loan package for sustainable development of the Mekong Delta, adapting to climate change.
At the forum, major issues related to climate change and sea level rises, such as drought and salinity intrusion, are also being discussed, along with technology applications in agriculture and assistance to local enterprises and farmers.
At the end of the week, the forums participants plan to issue a joint statement, with suggestions on solutions for the regions development. It will be sent to the Prime Minister for approval.
Climate change is no longer an abstract warning, but is directly threatening the deltas sustainable development, said Son Minh Thang, deputy chairman of the Southwestern Steering Committee, a central group that oversees the Deltas 13 provinces and city.
With recent events like the historic drought, the worst in 90 years, along with saline intrusion, the need to improve linkages among provinces as well as with other regional countries is more important than ever, Thang said, adding that Mekong Delta has advantage, but it faces much challenge.
With 1.5 million hectares of land for paddy cultivation, the Mekong Delta plays a key role in the countrys food security goals. It produces 50 per cent of food, 70 per cent of seafood exports, and 90 per cent of rice exports of the countrys total.
It has 700 kilometres of coastline with picturesque beaches and three biosphere reserves recognised as international Ramsar sites, a rich resource for tourism development.
As of June 2016, the delta had attracted 1,348 foreign direct investment projects with total registered capital of US$20 billion, contributing seven per cent of the countrys FDI, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
During the first six months of the year, the region received investment from 80 large projects in various sectors, including power, infrastructure, shoes and paper.
Before this year, total foreign direct investment in the region accounted for only 5 per cent of the FDI in the country, but the rate is now seven per cent, indicating that new roads and bridges between the Delta and HCM City have shortened travel times and attracted more investors.
Though the Delta has a large labour force and abundant raw materials, its economic growth has yet to meet its potential, as regional linkages remain weak. It also lacks quality agricultural raw materials to export, and has inadequate infrastructure.
To take advantage of the upcoming Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, officials, experts and entrepreneurs at the forum will suggest solutions to increase the value of the regions products.
Other events at the forum include seminars on credit, integration and sustainable development, ways to control drought and salinity, and storage of fresh water for business production and residential use.
The Mekong Delta, one of the richest deltas in South East Asia also contributes 55 percent of paddy output, 60 percent of seafood, 70 percent of fruits and 90 percent of the exported rice of Viet Nam.
The region contributes 20 per cent of the countrys GDP. --VNS
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (R) receives Lao Vice President Phankham Viphavanh yesterday. Photo sggp.org.vn
HA NOI Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has described the official visit to Viet Nam by Lao Vice President Phankham Viphavanh as a significant contribution to deepening traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.
At a reception for Phankham Viphavanh in Ha Noi yesterday, the Party chief said Viet Nam strongly supports Laoss renovation and believes that under the leadership of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party (LPRP), Laos will successfully implement the Resolution adopted at the 10th National Party Congress and build Laos into a country of peace, independence, democracy, unity, and prosperity towards socialism, particularly fulfilling the role of ASEAN Chair in 2016.
He extolled the remarkable achievements that Laos has gained over the past 30 years of renovation, and congratulated Phankham Viphavanh on his new election as Politburo member, Standing member of the LPRP Central Committees Secretariat and Vice President.
He highly valued the outcomes of the talks between the two countries high-level Party delegations and suggested the two sides enhance coordination to actively realise the agreements reached by the two Parties and States along with the Viet Nam Lao Joint Statement issued in April 2016.
It is recommended for the two nations to increase information exchanges in Party building and socio-economic management; and deepen bilateral cooperation in politics, defence, security, economy, culture, education and science-technology, he said.
The Party chief urged the two sides to bolster collaboration at multilateral forums, especially within the framework of ASEAN and sub-regional cooperation mechanisms to help maintain peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and beyond.
For his part, the Lao Vice President expressed his pleasure in visiting Vietnam for the first time since his election. He took the occasion to thank the Vietnamese Party, State and people for their invaluable assistance to Laos in the past and at present.
He confirmed that Laos will work together with Viet Nam to nurture the special rapport between the two countries and increase it to a new height for the sake of the two peoples.
He earlier held talks with Politburo member and standing member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee inh The Huynh and Vice President ang Thi Ngoc Thinh, during which he confirmed that the Lao Party and State will closely coordinate with Viet Nam to implement effectively the Viet Nan Lao Joint Statement issued in April 2016, as well as the cooperation agreements reached by the two Parties and States.
Meeting with Greek counterpart
Yesterday, Trong also hosted the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) General Secretary Dimitrios Koutsoumpas in Ha Noi during his July 9-15 visit.
"The Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) wants to maintain and enhance relations with KKE, creating an important political base for bilateral rapport," he said.
Trong thanked the KKE and Greek people for supporting Vietnamese national liberation and unification in the past - and for boosting and safeguarding the countrys current sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
The Party chief informed the guest about the outcomes of the 12th National Party Congress and the election of deputies to the 14th National Assembly and Peoples Councils at all levels for 2016-2021.
He reiterated Viet Nams standing policy of prioritising relations with traditional friends while expanding ties with important political parties in other countries.
He hailed the KKEs efforts to maintain its position within the political arena of Greece and Europe. He also acknowledged the KKEs role in strengthening solidarity among parties in the international communist and worker movements.
The Party leader suggested the two sides push ahead with specific cooperation initiatives to deepen bilateral relations.
He highlighted the KKEs viewpoint in addressing disputes in the East Sea , which actively contributes to maintaining peace and security in the region and world.
Trong proposed the KKE persuade both the Greek Government and the National Assembly to support the settlement of disputes in the East Sea via peaceful means in line with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
For his part, Dimitrios Koutsoumpas expressed his pleasure at visiting Viet Nam for the first time and witnessing the countrys remarkable socioeconomic achievements over 30 years of Doi Moi (renewal). He described these Vietnamese accomplishments as an inspiration for Greek communists in their fight for peace, democracy and socialism around the world.
Regarding the East Sea issue, the KEE General Secretary affirmed the significance of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each nation and supporting the settlement of disputes through peaceful methods, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNLOS. VNS
HA NOI Viet Nam yesterday welcomed the final ruling issued by an international tribunal in The Hague, which rejected Chinas territorial claims in the South China Sea (East Sea).
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Le Hai Binh, said in a statement that Viet Nam would issue a more detailed statement on the content of the ruling later.
"Viet Nam once again confirmed its consistent stance on this lawsuit, which was fully reflected in the Statement dated December 12, 2014 that Viet Nams Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent to the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal," he said.
Binh also reiterated that "Viet Nam strongly supports the resolution of the disputes in the East Sea by peaceful means, including diplomatic and legal processes and refraining from the use or threats to use force, in accordance with international law."
"On this occasion, Viet Nam continues to assert its sovereignty over the two archipelagoes of Paracels (Hoang Sa) and Spratly (Truong Sa) islands, over the internal waters and territorial waters," and its "sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the exclusive economic zone and Viet Nams continental shelf", as well as all the legal rights and interests of Viet Nam related to the geographical structures of the Paracels (Hoang Sa) and Spratly (Truong Sa) islands.
The ruling
The arbitral tribunal under Annex VII to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) yesterday concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas enclosed by the nine-dash line.
There was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the South China Sea (East Sea) waters or their resources, said the five-member tribunal of maritime affairs experts at The Hague as they issued the ruling over the case filed by the Philippines to contest Chinas claims and activity in the South China Sea.
"None of the Spratly Islands are capable of generating extended maritime zones," and that none of the features claimed by China were capable of generating an exclusive economic zone, the ruling said.
The tribunal also said that China had contravened international law when it violated the Philippines sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone and by failing to prevent Chinese fishermen from harvesting endangered sea turtles and other species on a substantial scale.
In terms of effects on marine environment, the tribunal found that China had caused severe harm to the coral reef environment.
Finally, the tribunal found that Chinas recent large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands was incompatible with the obligations of a State during dispute resolution proceedings.
In 2013, the Philippines brought the case to the UNCLOS tribunal, asking the tribunal to reject Chinas claims to sovereignty over as much as 90 per cent of the South China Sea, marked by a "nine-dash line" on official Chinese maps. It also accused China of interfering with fishing, dredging sand to build artificial islands, and endangering ships, among other claims.
China has boycotted the tribunal from the very beginning, saying that the panel has no jurisdiction. It has already said it will not "accept, recognise or execute" the decision.
Legally, the Permanent Court of Arbitrations decision will be binding. However, there is no ability to enforce the ruling.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, originally agreed to in 1982, was designed to allow countries to clearly define areas of control off their coastline.
An island controlled by a country is entitled to "territorial waters" of 12 nautical miles (22 kilometres) as well as an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) -- whose resources, such as fish -- the country can exploit, of up to 200 nautical miles (370 kilometres).
A rock owned by a state will also generate a 12 nautical mile territorial border but not an economic zone under UNCLOS, while a low-tide elevation grants no territorial benefits at all.
Both China and the Philippines are signatories to the UNCLOS, as is Viet Nam.
Parties reactions
While Chinas Foreign Ministry comprehensively rejected the ruling, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay said his countrys experts would be studying the ruling with the care and attention-to-detail that this significant arbitral outcome deserves.
We call on all those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety. The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision as an important contribution to the ongoing efforts in addressing disputes in the South China Sea," he told a news conference after the publication of the tribunals ruling.--VNS
HAU GIANG The Mekong Delta has vast tourism potential but it has not been exploited well, partly due to poor communications among relevant players, a seminar on tourism development in the delta heard yesterday.
Experts and officials attending the meeting, held under the auspices of the 2016 Mekong Delta Economic Co-operation Forum, said tourism development in the region has seen much planning but little execution.
Officials and tourism business executives discussed three issues: development policies; tourism products, markets, and promotions in the Mekong Delta; and measures to enhance tourism performance, making the delta a key destination in the region.
Ha Van Sieu, deputy director general of the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), said though the delta has more tourism potential than other regions, it has not thrived due to various challenges.
The seminar provided an opportunity for government agencies and enterprises to discuss solutions and draft plans to improve tourism in the delta and review its competitive advantages, he said.
Deputy chairman of the Hau Giang Province Peoples Committee, ong Van Thanh, said the seminar is expected to help strengthen the linkage between southern provinces and the government, enabling smooth co-operation for better performance.
The delta has 700 kilometres of coast with several picturesque beaches and three biosphere reserves recognised as world Ramsar sites, a rich tourism resource.
But connectivity and long-term investments are missing, according to Tran Huu Hiep of the committee.
Locals have not exploited their unique culture and natural values for tourism development, he said.
Lack of well-trained human resources and infrastructure for tourism development, and poor inter-provincial co-operation, mean tourism here cannot match its potential, he said.
Leaders of the deltas provinces have focused on establishing regional linkages to develop tourism, but there is no system in place to foster its development.
Nguyen Hoang Hanh of the committee said relevant agencies have been ordered to promote the deltas unique tourism products, create favourable policies to attract large investors, and encourage local residents to embrace regional competitive advantages.
In 2015 the delta welcomed more than 25 million local and international visitors, an increase of 19.4 per cent over the previous year, with revenues topping VN8.6 trillion (US$3.9 billion), a 30 per cent rise.
An Giang and Kien Giang provinces and Can Tho city attracted the most visitors. VNS
HCM CITY Residents in HCM City are worried about commuters safety after several trees fell on roads during recent rains.
According to HCM City Green Tree and Park Company under HCM Citys Department of Transport, nearly 70 trees have fallen in the first six months of this year, damaging over 10 vehicles and injuring eight people. The incidents have also paralysed traffic on many routes.
Rains carrying strong squalls hit the city in late June, knocking down many trees and injuring some people.
On June 26, fierce winds uprooted a tree, which fell onto a man riding a motorbike on Truong Chinh Street in Tan Phu District, causing serious injuries.
The rainy season in HCM City usually starts in May and ends in October. During this period, it rains heavily almost every afternoon, but the rainfall generally ends quickly.
Three main types of trees planted on city streets include phuong (flamboyant or royal poinciana,), xa cu (African mahogany) and me tay (Albizia saman).
These kinds of trees have been uprooted easily during heavy rains in recent years.
Kieu Thi Han, 50, of District 2s Thao ien Ward, said many trees on Nguyen Van Huong Street had been uprooted recently. Thus, local residents were afraid that trees could fall at any time, especially during the rainy season, she said.
Han said she was also anxious because an African mahogany tree measuring nearly 1m in diameter in front of her house was tilting, and its root damaged a portion of pavement.
Trees fall every year on this street. Luckily enough, no casualties have been reported, she said.
The concern is shared by other city dwellers, as well.
Every year, when the rainy season comes, we fear our lives will be threatened by fallen trees, said Le The Cong, 60, of District 3s Ward 6.
According to Nguyen Khac Dung, head of Green Tree and Park Company, the fact that trees fall during the rainy season is inevitable because many of them were infected with diseases, and their roots were not planted deep into the ground.
Extreme weather, which causes the trees to grow poorly, was the main reason, he said.
He also blamed the construction of concrete pavements, sewage systems and underground power cables, which limit photosynthesis and water absorption, decreasing plant vitality.
Improper care was another cause, Dung said, pointing to the fact that trees only get periodic care based merely on the number of yellow leaves they have, or the manifestation of plant diseases.
To minimise the damage caused by tree collapses, he said, the company has mobilised its staff to check old trees that were at risk of falling and cut down trees that were suffering from age, disease, hollowness and tilting.
Dung also advised residents to avoid standing under trees and travelling on roads during rainstorms, and to seek safe shelter as soon as possible. -- VNS
HCM City Ho Chi Minh City police and customs officials yesterday seized a batch of ephedrin - used to produce synthetic drugs - hidden in motorbike tyres.
The police and customs officials found the drug hidden in a parcel of 20 motorbike tyres of the Yokohama brand, which were being sent from Viet Nam to New Zealand by international fast delivery service on July 4, the police said.
The officials found white powder inside the tyres, after noticing a 3cm to 4cm-long cut in each of them, the police said.
A police test later showed the powder was 4.5 kg of ephedrin, a substance used to produce methamphetamine - a very addictive stimulant drug that has a strong effect on the central nervous system.
The police have detained the two persons who had sent the parcel, a male foreigner and a Vietnamese woman, they said.
The case is under further investigation. VNS
NGHE AN Four children and an adult drowned yesterday while swimming in a dam and a river, adding to the countrys grim statistics of drowning fatalities.
Drowning kills 3,500-4,000 children in Viet Nam every year, according to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.
Nguyen Huu ai, chairman of Yen Thanh Districts Tien Thanh Commune in the central province of Nghe An, said local authorities had mobilised nearly 100 people to find the bodies of the three children, including two siblings.
The victims were identified as Truong Thi Mai, 14, his sister Truong Thi Thuong, 11 and Nguyen Thi Loan, 13, who had gone swimming at Choac dam.
In central Ha Tinh Province, Nguyen Thanh Hai, head of Huong Son Districts Son Truong commune, said a man and a child were washed away while the man was trying to rescue the child swimming in Ngan Truoi River.
Also yesterday, a 15-year-old child was reported missing after going swimming in ao River in Thanh Hoa provinces Tho Xuan District.
As of this morning, the body of the missing victim has not yet been found. VNS
BAGHDAD Pentagon chief Ashton Carter has said that Washington will deploy 560 additional troops to aid Iraqs fight to retake Mosul from jihadists, deepening US military involvement in the country.
The announcement, which will bring the total authorised number of American military personnel in Iraq to more than 4,600, came two days after Baghdad said it had recaptured an airbase south of Mosul that is seen as key for the eventual battle for the city.
Iraqs second city Mosul has been under Islamic State group control since June 2014, when the jihadists overran large parts of the country, carrying out atrocities including execution-style killings, mass kidnappings and rape.
IS also holds territory in neighbouring Syria, but has lost significant ground in both countries, and Carter wanted to highlight successes, even as the jihadists have struck back with devastating attacks in Iraq and abroad.
"I am pleased to report today that... we agreed for the United States to bolster Iraqi efforts to isolate and pressure Mosul by deploying 560 additional troops," Carter said at the Baghdad airport following meetings with the Iraqi premier and defence minister on Monday.
"With these additional US forces we are describing today, we will bring unique capabilities to the campaign and provide critical support to Iraqi forces at a key moment in the fight," he said.
Springboard to Mosul
President Barack Obama made ending Americas nearly nine-year war in Iraq a centrepiece of his presidency, but Washington has been pulled back into the country by the war against IS.
And while most of the US forces in Iraq are in non-combat roles, others have directly battled IS, and three American military personnel have been killed by the jihadists.
"The additional troops will provide a range of support for Iraqi security forces, including infrastructure and logistical capabilities at the airfield near Qayyarah," the Pentagon said in a statement.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced on Saturday that Iraqi forces had recaptured the Qayyarah airbase, some 60km south of Mosul, which IS seized in June 2014. The facility had suffered some damage and IS fighters put up only minimal resistance.
The Pentagon said the base would become a vital "springboard" for the Iraqi forces push on Mosul.
Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland, commander of the US-led operations against IS, said the "preponderance" of the 560 additional troops will be based at Qayyarah, and would start being deployed "in fairly short order".
Earlier on Monday, Carter met with Abadi as well as Defence Minister Khalid al-Obeidi, offering condolences for recent IS attacks and congratulations on Iraqi advances.
Carter said he and Abadi discussed the next moves in the war against the jihadists, including Mosul and ways the United States could help beef up security into Baghdad and assist in detecting explosives being smuggled into the capital.
These steps include the recapture of several important areas across the two countries, including Ramadi in Iraq and Al-Shadadi, a town in northeastern Syria previously considered a strategic IS stronghold. AFP
CHICAGO A shooting on Monday at a county courthouse in the US state of Michigan has left three people dead including the attacker and several others injured, local media reported, citing the county sheriff.
Two of the dead are court bailiffs, while the shooter was the third, local ABC affiliates reported, citing Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey.
The shooting came amid jitters across the United States following the killing of five police officers in Dallas last week by an Army veteran upset about the fatal police shootings of two black men in Louisiana and Minnesota.
A sheriffs deputy was also shot and several civilians were injured, Bailey said. All were reportedly in stable condition at the hospital.
A local ABC News affiliate said a man being taken to prison in the mid-afternoon grabbed a deputys gun and started shooting at the courthouse in the city of Saint Joseph.
Michigan State Police "secured the scene at the Berrien County courthouse and started its investigation into the shooting that occurred this afternoon," Michigan Governor Rick Snyder said on Twitter. He asked for prayers for those affected.
Crime tape could be seen around the perimeter of the courthouse, which was closed for the remainder of the day, according to its website. AFP
THE HAGUE - An international tribunal today ruled against China in a bitter row over territorial claims to the South China Sea that is likely to ratchet up regional tensions.
"The tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line," the Permanent Court of Arbitration said in a statement.
China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the strategically vital waters in the face of rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbours.
Manila had lodged the suit against Beijing in 2013, saying China was in violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both countries are signatories, and that after 17 years of negotiations it had exhausted all political and diplomatic avenues.
Beijing waged a months-long campaign to discredit the panel, which it says has no jurisdiction in the multinational dispute, and it refused to take part in the case.
The Philippines welcomes a ruling by a UN-backed tribunal today that declares China has no "historic rights" in the South China Sea, Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said, as he urged restraint.
"The Philippines welcomes the issuance today... on the arbitration proceedings initiated by the Philippines with regard to the South China Sea," Yasay told reporters minutes after the court in The Hague released its verdict.
One of the key issues was whether the land features in the area are islands capable of supporting human habitation -- which under UNCLOS are entitled to territorial waters and an exclusive economic zone -- or rocks, which only have territorial waters, or low-tide elevations, which get neither.
If none of the outcrops are islands, then none of the claimants to them would gain sole rights to major expanses of the waters around them.
Philippine Foreign Minister Perfecto Yasay said on Friday that Manila hoped to open direct talks with Beijing on the dispute, and presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said today: "The top priority will be national interest."
The Philippine embassy in China has warned its citizens to beware of personal "threats" and avoid political debates. AFP
India on Monday rebuffed Pakistan's demand for a plebiscite in Kashmir and said its criticism of the killing of Hizbul commander reflected Islamabad's "continued attachment to terrorism" and its use of terror "as an instrument of state policy".
"We have seen statements from Pakistan on the situation in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. They reflect Pakistan's continued attachment to terrorism and its usage as an instrument of State policy. Pakistan is advised to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of its neighbours," said a Ministry of External Affairs statement.
The statement comes in the wake of comments by Pakistan alleging human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, where clashes between mobs protesting the killing of Wani, a poster boy of militancy in the state, and security forces has claimed over 20 lives.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday called for a plebiscite in "occupied" Jammu and Kashmir to let its people decide if they want to be with India or align with Pakistan.
In a statement, Sharif also voiced "concern and deep sorrow" over the killing of Wani on Friday by security forces.
Radio Pakistan quoted Sharif as saying in a statement that the "massacre of citizens by Indian forces and use of brutal force against Kashmir is regrettable".
On Sunday, the Pakistan Foreign Ministry said the "extrajudicial killing" of Wani "and scores of other innocent Kashmiris" violated the fundamental human rights of Kashmiris.
This, a statement from the ministry said, "cannot deter the people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand for the realisation of the right to self determination".
The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the group to sell properties other than those entrusted to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) at up to 90 per cent of their respective circle rates. This would include two lists of 19 properties submitted to courts and other assets.
Australian workers will soon be entitled to paid domestic violence leave More than 11 million Australians will be able to access 10 days of paid domestic violence leave from February 2023 after the Labor government passed a milestone bill on Thursday.
Coalition slams Labor for empowering far-left climate activists The Opposition has slammed Tanya Plibersek's defence of the almost $10 million Labor spent on funding climate groups in Tuesday night's budget, accusing the government of "empowering far-left activists" and inflicting "massive damage on our national economy".
My lifes been publicly scrutinised: Brittany Higgins tearful statement Brittany Higgins has delivered a tearful statement declaring her life has been publicly scrutinised outside court after the judge in the Bruce Lehrmann rape case discharged the jury.
Labor reveals cheaper medicines win The Albanese Government has officially reduced the cost of prescription medicines and revealed how much money millions of Australians can expect to save.
Theresa May to be new British PM
LONDON (AP) A political era ended Monday unexpectedly and without an election as Prime Minister David Cameron said he will step down in two days in favor of Theresa May, a senior member of his Cabinet who will become Britains second female leader.
Cameron announced his resignation last month because he backed the losing side in a referendum for Britain to leave the European Union. So did May but infighting, bad timing and cold feet among leaders of the victorious leave campaign mean she will have the task of leading a divided country out of the EU.
Marshmallow death prompts lawsuit
TAUNTON, Mass. (AP) The family of an 11-year-old Massachusetts girl who choked on a marshmallow at a friends birthday party and died has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed Monday and seeks unspecified monetary damages in the April death of Azriel Estabrooks, who lived in Somerset.
The complaint alleges the parents who hosted the birthday party failed to provide adequate supervision for the children who attended it.
The lawsuit says Azriel had been without oxygen for an extended period of time when she was found unconscious on the floor. She died several days later.
Owner arrested
after dogs drug test
FONTANA, Calif. (AP) A 21-year-old Southern California man has been arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty after his pet Chihuahua tested positive for methamphetamine, police said Monday.
Isaiah Nathaniel Sais of Fontana brought his Chihuahua, named Jack Sparrow, to an emergency center in Upland on July 5, telling the veterinarians the dog had ingested the drug after finding it in his house.
The dog was in danger of dying, suffering from convulsions, seizures and an irregular heartbeat, veterinarian Dr. Allison Pope said.
When the drug-test results came back positive, Sais reportedly declined treatment for his dog and left the building against Popes advice.
Sanders expected
to back Clinton today
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) It looks as if Bernie Sanders is ready to back Hillary Clinton. But not all his supporters are prepared to give up revolution for realism.
After weeks of stalling as he sought liberal policy concessions from Clinton and lobbied to push the party platform to the left, the Vermont senator is expected to appear with Clinton in New Hampshire today to endorse her as the Democratic Party presidential nominee.
Still, despite some major victories in the latest draft of the platform and big concerns about presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, many Sanders fans at a Democratic meeting in Orlando over the weekend had clear reservations about casting a ballot for Clinton.
Police nail suspect
in polish theft
NEW ORLEANS (AP) A 27-year-old woman is accused of stealing $860 worth of fingernail polish from a CVS drug store in one day.
New Orleans police said Raushawn Ford was arrested Monday on charges of theft and possessing stolen property. The news release quotes CVS loss prevention officer as saying Ford also had stolen from two other stores.
The release did not elaborate on when and how Ford allegedly stole the polish or how she was caught.
Ranger saves
men from lake
COUNCIL BLUFFS (AP) An Iowa park ranger is being credited for saving two Council Bluffs men whose boat on Lake Manawa filled with water because of high winds.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources saidWilliam Buchholz, 72, and James Tanga, 54, were fishing on the western Iowa lake around 10 p.m. Monday when winds kicked up. The men were about 100 yards from a boat ramp when the boat became swamped.
Lake Manawa State Park Ranger Aaron Johnson, who had been monitoring the boat because of the weather, went to the mens rescue. Johnson and Council Bluffs firefighters were able to pull the men, who were treading water, to safety.
Authorities say there were life jackets on board the boat, but the men were not wearing them.
Woman killed in riding accident
LUCAS (AP) Authorities released the name of a woman who died after a horse she was riding fell on her.
The accident occurred Saturday at Stephens State Forest near Lucas in south-central Iowa. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources said 58-year-old Carole Renaud of Lacona was riding with a friend when the horse lost its footing and fell. It landed on Renaud.
She was flown to a Des Moines hospital, where she later died.
Budget cuts close DOT facilities
DES MOINES (AP) The Iowa Department of Transportation is closing two drivers license stations and seven maintenance garages because of reduced funding from the Legislature.
An agency spokeswoman said Tuesday the changes do not include layoffs, but 67 open positions will be permanently removed. Another 28 employees will be given the option to relocate to other DOT locations.
The department sought $9.7 million in additional dollars from the Legislature for the budget year that began in July. Lawmakers approved half the money, despite the department predicting it would affect agency services.
The drivers license stations are in Spencer and Carroll. The maintenance garages are in Sabula, Akron, Soldier, Corning, Gowrie, Rock Valley and Centerville.
Man gets prison
in car chase death
CEDAR RAPIDS (AP) An eastern Iowa man was sentenced to 40 years in prison for a crash that killed a Cedar Rapids city worker.
Lawson Chadwick of Hiawatha was sentenced Monday. Chadwick had pleaded guilty to one count of vehicular homicide while under the influence of methamphetamine and amphetamines in a plea agreement with prosecutors. Two other vehicular homicide charges were dropped. Chadwick also pleaded guilty to theft in a separate case and to being a habitual offender.
Police said Chadwick was fleeing from police in April 2015 when his pickup smashed into a city van being driven by Stephen Cook, who died a day later at an Iowa City hospital.
Des Moines death investigated
DES MOINES (AP) Police are investigating the death of a 32-year-old Des Moines man.
Ryan Thompson died at a hospital Monday after being taken there Sunday afternoon, Des Moines Police said. He was found by medics and officers dispatched after a report about an assault.
Police said they have a suspect, but no charges have been filed.
Sixth in a series
WATERLOO Olabelle Reed knew what she wanted to do from the time she was very young teach.
She started as a Sunday school teacher at age 16 at Antioch Baptist Church.
The experience fired her passion to pursue her calling.
But she had a lot of obstacles to overcome. Nobody in her family had gone to college. As a young black woman, shed have to break some barriers.
And at home shed have to break a couple of rules.
My mother had told me I couldnt go to college, because with 11 children she was trying to get me a job behind my back, Reed said.
But Reed was determined to pursue her goal. So, I defied her and went to school anyway, she said.
For two years Reed went to school during the day and then rode the bus to Waterloo to work a job at the YWCA from 5 to 9 p.m.
After two years she was licensed. But she couldnt get a job because she was black.
I was devastated because I couldnt get a job, not even in Waterloo, Reed said. The placement director at UNI had a talk with me and was so apologetic. He thought I should get my full four-year degree and maybe that would help in the long run.
In the interim Reed got married, but she went back to school. Her son was born three weeks before graduation.
She got her degree, having paid for her education herself.
Then came one of the most important dates in Reeds life.
I was offered a job on April 24, 1960, and signed a contract to teach in Waterloo.
Reed joined the staff at Longfellow Elementary School that fall. The job gave Reed an opportunity to be a role model.
It was a good thing, not only for the black kids but for the white kids, for me to be at Longfellow, she said. The reception I received from the other teachers was just wonderful. They just took me under their wing.
Reed, now 80, was proud to be among the first black teachers in the district.
We were pioneers, she said.
She and friend Janet Norman Jackson took that pioneer spirit a step further when they started Club Les Dames in 1960 to promote personal growth, better community relations and education among young black women.
The club has come a long way.
When the club first started, it was more of a social outlet. Now, its a scholarship program for the girls, and the cotillion is an on-ramp for the next phase of their lives, she said.
After 11 years at Longfellow, Reed moved on to Jewett School in Evansdale.
She has been an exemplar for the community, said Judy Finkelstein, a 2014 Eight Over 80 laureate who nominated Reed for the honor this year.
When Walter Cunningham, a neighbor, returned from service in the U.S. Army, Olabelle encouraged him to go to school at UNI, Finkelstein said. A brilliant career in education resulted.
Reeds strength flowed through succeeding generations of her family as well.
Olabelles fortitude in seeking to educate herself in spite of various obstacles helped her to develop and pass on to future generations in her family a dedication to become leaders in the education of others, Finkelstein said. Both of her daughters received B.A. and masters degrees from UNI. Her niece, Loleta Montgomery, has had an outstanding career in education and is now an adjunct professor at UNI. Her nephew, Michael Denton, is an administrator with the Waterloo Schools. His son is a graduate of Iowa State University. All of her five grandchildren are college graduates and three of them have masters degrees.
Montgomery lauded her aunts courage in nominating her for the award.
Despite the societal and personal odds that were many at the time, Aunt Olabelle persevered in obtaining a college education and a teaching position in the Waterloo Schools and served hundreds of children and families as a teacher for over 35 years, Montgomery said. She serves as a role model not only in her immediate family, with each of her four grandchildren graduating with either a bachelors or masters degree, but in her extended family, as well. She is a voracious reader of African-American history and is always ready to recommend an interesting book or article to read.
SIOUX CITY With racial tensions simmering after a week of horrific violence, U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, is facing criticism for displaying a Confederate flag in his congressional office.
Sioux City television station KCAU ran a news report Thursday that included footage of several flags, including a Confederate flag, on Kings desk.
The banner was the battle flag of Southern states during the Civil War.
The controversial flag, cited as a symbol of heritage by some in the South, is considered an emblem of slavery and white supremacy by many.
The congressman defended the display of the rebel flag a year ago after a shooting left nine African-Americans dead in South Carolina and spurred removal of the flag from the state Capitol.
King, a Republican from Kiron, is a 14-year officeholder. It is not known how long the flag has been on his desk, along with a U.S. flag, an Iowa flag and a Gasdsen flag with the phrase Dont Tread On Me.
Gov. Terry Branstad on Monday criticized Kings decision to display the flag.
I dont agree with that. I guess thats his decision, Branstad said. People have a right to display whatever they want to, but Im proud to say that (Iowa was) on the side of the Union, and we won the war.
Kings office put the KCAU story on the congressmans YouTube page. After several calls to Kings office Monday, his spokeswoman said a comment on the flag is unlikely, but provided a link to a C-SPAN video of Kings 2015 comments about the Confederate flag.
After the mass shooting in a predominantly African-American church in Charleston, S.C., federal lawmakers debated whether to allow Confederate flags on some federal lands. King in a July 9, 2015, speech on the House floor said he had ancestors who were abolitionists. Nonetheless, he thinks the Confederate flag shouldnt be pulled down.
I grew up in the North, Mr. Speaker, and the Confederate flag was a symbol of pride of the South, King said.
He said the country healed in the decades after the Civil War, and he decried the division that occurred after the Charleston slayings.
I regret deeply that we are watching this country be divided again over a symbol, King said on the House floor.
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a Republican, in 2015 ordered the removal of the Confederate flag from the state capitol.
King is running for re-election in Iowas 4th congressional district, and his Democratic opponent is Kim Weaver of Sheldon. Weaver said she is troubled by a congressman who proudly displays a symbol of racism and white supremacy on his desk.
DES MOINES Two of the men reportedly on the short list of potential running mates for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will be in Des Moines this weekend.
Republican governors Mike Pence of Indiana and Chris Christie of New Jersey tentatively plan to attend the National Governors Associations annual summer meeting, which this year is being held in Des Moines from Thursday to Sunday.
Pence, Christie and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich are being considered by the Trump campaign as the GOP candidates running mate, according to the Washington Post and other national media outlets.
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad on Monday praised both of his fellow Republican governors. When asked which he would recommend to Trump as a running mate, Branstad deferred, saying doing so would be like choosing which of his children he likes best.
Branstad said the governors likely will discuss public safety issues in the wake of a tumultuous week that included high-profile police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota and the killing of five police officers in Texas.
Im sure that will be a topic, Branstad said. Governors take the responsibility to protect the safety of their citizens very seriously. Thats why weve had concerns about a number of issues involving public safety, and Im sure there will be discussions about that.
Branstad praised the work of Iowas law enforcement agencies.
I just think we all as citizens need to try do to what we can to respect and appreciate the tough job (law enforcement officers) have, Branstad said.
The governors meeting, which is for governors of all political parties, features events on the nations opioid crisis, Iowas first-in-the-nation caucus status and food production, among others.
WATERLOO A legal quagmire over the Sunnyside South housing project has some city leaders skittish about donating land for the VGM Group expansion.
Waterloo City Council members voted unanimously Monday to approve the second reading of an ordinance vacating an acre of San Marnan Drive roadside right-of-way to expand the VGM parking lot.
But councilmen Tom Lind and Steve Schmitt called for assurances from city legal counsel before voting on the third and final reading next week and conveying the property for the project.
I just want to make sure we dont get burned like we did on Sunnyside South, Lind said. I support the project, its not that.
VGM certainly has come to the table several times here and gotten money from us, which is great, he added. They know how to work the system, but lets make sure were conveying it legally.
The city has been in litigation over the Sunnyside South project for more than three years, and issues related to the case are slated for an Iowa Supreme Court hearing later this year.
In 2013, the council voted to donate a portion of San Marnan Drive along Sunnyside Country Club for a private housing development. The Supreme Court ruled after the road had been relocated and lots developed the city violated state rules for the sale of unused highway right-of-way.
Schmitt joined Lind in suggesting the city would be wise to wait until Sunnyside South is resolved before donating additional right-of-way to the VGM Group.
Im certainly supportive of everything thats going on out there, but I hate to get into another tussle, he said.
Community Planning and Development Director Noel Anderson said the city did not make the same mistakes with the land to be sold to VGM.
The city had the land appraised at $174,000 and offered it for sale to the past and adjoining property owners. After getting no bids, Anderson said, the city has satisfied the code requirements and can dispose of the property as it sees fit.
We dont believe theres anything the judges could come back and say we did it improperly on this one since we followed it to the letter, Anderson said.
The City Council voted in April 2015 to approve a development agreement with VGM, providing a land acquisition grant, tax breaks, road improvements and a promise to make a good faith effort to donate the San Marnan right-of-way in return for the companys $20 million expansion project.
The additional parking spaces are designed to replace property lost through the building expansion while accommodating new employees at the corporate headquarters.
OWASA One person is dead following a crash involving two vehicles near mile marker 170 on U.S. Highway 20 in Hardin County.
Lucas Lodermeier, 34, of Zearing, was killed after his 2007 Volvo tractor-trailer struck another vehicle that was rolled onto its passenger side.
His vehicle struck a 2002 tractor-trailer driven by Alberto Sosa, 30 of Melrose Park, Ill. Sosa was traveling west on U.S. 20 when he lost control of the vehicle and it rolled onto its passenger side and came to rest partially in the roadway.
Lodermeiers vehicle struck the rear portion of Sosas trailer causing extensive damage to Lodermeiers vehicle. Lodermeier was thrown from the vehicle when his seat belt was cut upon impact.
Sosa and a passenger in his vehicle, Martin Feliz, 27, of Illinois, were transported via ambulance to Ellsworth Hospital in Iowa Falls.
Funeral services for Lodermeier are being arranged by Woodley Funeral Service in Iowa Falls.
Iowa State Patrol was assisted in the incident by Hardin County Sheriffs Office, Iowa Department of Transportation Maintenance, American Medical Response Ambulance Service and Iowa Falls Fire Department.
WATERLOO There are more than 2,000 refugees from Burma in Waterloo, and most who are old enough work at Tyson Fresh Meats.
The reason? Tyson is one of the few major employers that hires non-English-speaking recent refugees.
But its fair to say many new arrivals are interested in a variety of jobs. Theres a program to help these people, and now its being expanded.
RefugeeRISE AmeriCorps (Rebuild, Integrate, Serve, Empower) launched late last year through the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service. Its administered by EMBARC, which has offices in Waterloo as well as Marshalltown and Des Moines.
RefugeeRISE partners new arrivals with other AmeriCorps workers, and that pair then is hired by local businesses and nonprofits as well as at EMBARC.
One of those pairs includes Laldin Liani, who came to Waterloo five years ago from a Burmese refugee camp. She works with Mallory Petsche both are co-coordinators of EMBARCs mentorship program.
When we got (to the U.S.), it was very difficult to find a job, Liani said. We didnt speak English, there was no caseworker thats why most of the people joined Tyson. But they dont know how to find another job.
Liani can speak to other Burmese refugees a valuable skill at EMBARC while Petsche helps Liani improve her English skills and other skills like using email and Google Drive.
A computer Ive never seen in Burma, Liani said. And now I can use it easily.
That job readiness will help Liani down the road she eventually wants to either be a certified interpreter for her community or get her nursing certification and work in a nursing home.
RefugeeRISE is specifically designed to support job readiness, said Alicia Soppe, program manager at EMBARCs Waterloo office. Our emphasis is on addressing workforce shortages.
EMBARCs lobbyist at the state level is the Iowa Refugee Alliance, which represents more than 100 organizations like EMBARC.
That organization backed a bill asking for $300,000 from the state to expand the RefugeeRISE program. If the state didnt promise the money, the federal AmeriCorps wouldnt kick in $650,000 in matching dollars.
Soppe didnt expect it to pass in the divided Legislature. But it did.
We fought really hard, she said.
Once its allocated this fall, that money will go toward 30 full-time RefugeeRISE positions throughout the state.
EMBARC will help distribute the money to get pairs of full-time workers to businesses and nonprofits. And theyre cheap: The $20,000 it would normally cost an organization to hire the AmeriCorps pair full-time for a year is being subsidized -- Meghan Smith, program director in Des Moines, said it's expected to be just $3,000-$5,000 per individual.
They go right into the business. They have direct service hours and training hours, said Chris Apling, who also works in the RefugeeRISE program.
Plus, recent arrivals speak a variety of languages, ostensibly helping organizations reach populations they might not otherwise.
Theyre working together, learning from each other, Soppe said. Theyre teaming up to combine their strengths.
And the partnerships make Waterloo feel more like home to Liani.
I love them, Liani said of EMBARC. I feel like theyre family.
Organizations interested in hiring a RefugeeRISE pair can contact program director Meghan Smith in Des Moines at (641) 752-8658 ext. 308, or at meghan@embarciowa.org.
This story has been updated to adjust the spacing in the name of RefugeeRISE and clarify the amount businesses will pay for each individual.
WATERLOO A Vietnam anniversary exhibit at the Grout Museum has run its tour of duty, but its major elements will become a permanent part of an enhanced permanent Vietnam exhibit at the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum.
That permanent exhibit can be continually added to and expanded by the public to make sure that conflict, and those who died in it, are not forgotten, said Chris Shackelford, research and programming assistant for the Grout Museum District.
That permanent exhibit will be dedicated July 16, the same day the year-long exhibit, 365 Days and Counting: Iowans in the Vietnam War, closes down, said Chris Shackelford, research and programming assistant for the Grout Museum District.
The Faces to go with Names exhibit, an initiative of Vietnam veteran Tom Brickman of Janesville who secured photos of nearly all the Iowans killed in Vietnam, will be incorporated into the permanent Vietnam exhibit at the Sullivan museum.
The interactive exhibit will be enhanced with biographies of the individuals added, Shackelford said, and family members and friends may be able to add details and photos. Visitors will be able to do an electronic rubbing of a fallen service members name, as they would at the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall in Washington, D.C., and receive a printout of that rubbing as a memento. Shackelford has completed more than 500 expanded biographies of the 866 Iowans who died in Vietnam in preparation for the permanent exhibit.
Brickman and other local Vietnam veterans who set up the 365 Days exhibit will be on hand on the 16th to answer questions, serve as guides and be resources for guests.
Brickman said hates to see the 365 Days exhibit close down but is glad his Faces project and other features will be part of the permanent one. He undertook the Faces project with his daughter, Shari Kirkpatrick of Reinbeck. They put the names together for the national Vietnam memorial history center and made them available to the Grout.
The exhibit turned out just so impressive, Brickman said. The Vietnam vets that have gone through, I truly believe its kind of a healing process for them too, and the families.
Im a proud vet, Brickman said. I feel this was my calling because I was lucky enough to make it home. It has been an honor for me. When one puts a face with a name, and sees how young they were, it has an impact, he said. Hes glad it will be a permanent part of the museum, and noted its accessible to many people unable to get to the national memorial and do a rubbing of the name.
The cutaway portion of the fuselage of a Huey helicopter, which actually served in Vietnam and is now on display at the museum, also will be enhanced, Shackelford said, including an expanded history of the helicopter and its service. It flew in Vietnam from 1967-69 and was in the battle of Tay Ninh in 1968, Shackelford said. The fuselage, which has visible battle damage, is iconic in that the helicopter was the major means of troop transport and combat in Vietnam.
A new video on the war also will be included in the permanent exhibit, produced by museum district staff with help from the Ideum exhibit design firm of Corrales, N.M.
Its kind of close to my heart because Im a veteran myself, of Afghanistan, said Rafael Picco, interactive designer with Ideum. He served with the New Mexico Air National Guard in Afghanistan in 2011. Thats why I really focused on Faces to go with Names. Im in the fatality search and recovery program. It was good to recover loved ones. Thats why this project is pretty dear to me, just because I know how powerful that is for the loved ones, to have people remember their names. Ideum plans to submit the project for a national award from the American Alliance of Museums.
The Vietnam exhibit has inspired others. Grout staff and volunteers are working on a project to get photos of all the Iowans killed in the Korean War.
Shackelford indicated working on the exhibit, and with veterans like Brickman, has had an emotional impact on him as well.
Its important to always remember, whether we agreed or disagreed with a particular conflict, the true heroes are the ones who don t come back, he said.
For more information on the exhibits, call 234-6357 or go to www.GroutMuseumDistrict.org
After a week of shootings that horrified a nation too accustomed to senseless acts of violence, a quote from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is appropriate.
Violence begets violence; hate begets hate; and toughness begets a greater toughness, King said. It is all a descending spiral, and the end is destruction for everybody. Along the way of life, someone must have enough sense and morality to cut off the chain of hate.
If we listen only to extreme voices fomenting discord rather than cutting that chain, the descent into all-consuming hatred is inevitable.
We can only guess what prompted police officers in Baton Rouge, La., and Falcon Heights, Minn., a St. Paul suburb, to shoot black men in incidents that seemingly didnt require lethal force.
We know Micah Johnson, a former Army reservist, was retaliating Thursday night when he shot 12 officers in Dallas, killing five before a robotic bomb ended his rampage. Johnson belonged to the Peoples New Black Panther Party, a virulently racist and anti-Semitic organization, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Incendiary voices seemed intent on inflaming matters.
A New York Post headline proclaimed CIVIL WAR. The Drudge Report mocked Black Lives Matters demonstrations with its headline Black Lives Kill, which some intemperate St. Paul protesters sought to validate while occupying an interstate Thursday and yelling, Kill the police.
An unconscionable, now former Overland Park, Kan., police officer wrote a Facebook post directed at a black Dallas woman holding her baby, Well see how much her life matters soon better be careful leaving your info open where she can be found:) hold her close tonight, itll be the last time.
The overwhelming majority of police officers acquit their jobs with dignity and honor, often in tense situations requiring split-second decisions. But abuses have been evident in videos.
Whatever the reasons, fatal shootings by police were up 16 to 491 in the first half of 2016, according to a Washington Post database. Less than 10 percent of the victims were unarmed; one-quarter were mentally ill. Nearly half were white, the other half minorities.
Officers have reason to be on edge. According to USA Today, 26 have been killed in the line of duty this year (compared to 18 at the same time in 2015), including 11 ambushes.
As a nation, have we become immersed in hate?
Or has our national identity been hijacked by well-armed loners filled with hate who have been responsible in recent years for the multiple slayings of black Christians; gays, lesbians and transgender individuals; Jews; Sikhs; Muslims; immigrants; military personnel and police officers?
We believe its the actions of the few rather than widespread, although its hard to deny vitriol is in vogue, often rearing its ugliness online.
Any hope electing an African-American president would usher in greater racial understanding has proven unfounded.
Its been a no-win situation for Barack Obama. Empathize with victims of excessive force by police, and hes anti-cop; celebrate police officers and hes an Uncle Tom.
Tensions have increased during his tenure. The Pew Research Center in June 2009 found 66 percent of whites thought race relations were generally good. Its only 46 percent now. For blacks, its dropped from 59 percent to 34 percent.
Newt Gingrich, a conservative white Southerner and former House speaker, wont get the same blowback as Obama when stating, If you are a normal white American, the truth is you dont understand being black in America, and you instinctively underestimate the level of discrimination and the level of additional risk.
He added, It is more dangerous to be black in America. It is more dangerous in that they are substantially more likely to end up in a situation where the police dont respect you and you could easily get killed.
As Charlie Beck, the chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, told a graduating class of cadets Friday, We have broken into tribes. All of a sudden it becomes more important who your parents are, what the color of your skin is, than whether you are American. This is not about black lives, or brown lives or blue lives. This is about America.
Indeed, if we truly care about America and its destiny, it is critical to view each other as individuals and not through the lens of skewed stereotypes.
As you press on for justice, be sure to move with dignity and discipline, using only the weapon of love. Let no man pull you so low as to hate him, King warned. Always avoid violence. If you succumb to the temptation of using violence in your struggle, unborn generations will be the recipients of a long and desolate night of bitterness, and your chief legacy to the future will be an endless reign of meaningless chaos.
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By The Associated Press
Jul. 09, 2016 | LOUISVILLE, KY
By The Associated Press Jul. 09, 2016 | 10:42 AM | LOUISVILLE, KY
Police in Metro Louisville will patrol in pairs until further notice in response to the fatal shootings of five officers in Dallas.
Police spokesman Dwight Mitchell told media on Friday morning that the decision was made to ensure the safety of officers. He said it would also give officers a chance to talk with a colleague about what happened and decompress.
Five Dallas police officers were fatally shot and seven others wounded during a protest over the deaths of black men killed by police this week in Louisiana and Minnesota. It was the deadliest day for U.S. law enforcement since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Dallas Police Chief David Brown blamed "snipers," but it was unclear how many shooters were involved in Thursday's attack.
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A 16-year-old accused of shooting and killing his own brother faced a Lucas County juvenile judge Monday morning.
13abc was inside the courtroom and talked with his family.
"Shocking, heartbreaking." That's how Ray Williams feels after losing one of his six brothers.
His oldest sibling, 18-year-old Bryan Henry was shot and killed.
The alleged suspect: their own brother.
"It was hard for me to hear that my brother got killed by my other brother."
Toledo police say on Saturday night, 16-year-old Breon Henry shot Bryan in their Georgetown Village apartment.
Family members say the two brothers had a close relationship.
The boys' grandfather called this all one horrible accident.
"They were playing games and one picked up the gun and it went off," Egbert Williams said. "They play a lot and it was an accident. I talked to Breon he said it was an accident."
Family say they don't know where Breon got the gun, or what led up to the shooting.
Monday morning, a Lucas County Juvenile Court judge denied Breon community detention.
The state prosecutor says they plan to try the 16-year-old as an adult.
"Had it been a death or not, gun cases in juvenile court they are the most serious offense that we get here and generally asking for release to any kind of thing under our secured detention will not be granted," Lori Olender, deputy chief of juvenile detention, said.
Egbert Williams says it feels like he lost two grandsons.
"Breon should be at home with his family and its a tragedy. Right now its a hard thing, but he is there suffering by himself. No one to hold and condole him."
Breon is being held at the Lucas County Juvenile Detention Center and he is due back in court on July 20th.
The family is accepting donations to cover the cost of funeral expenses. A fund has been set up at any local PNC Bank under the name: Bryan Henry Memorial Fund.
Canl Bahis siteleri sektoru son derece onu ack ve farkl ozelliklere sahip bir sektordur. Elbette bahis secenekleri arasnda yuksek kazanc getiren alan kuskusuz canl bahistir. Peki, canl bahis nedir?
Canl Bahis Nedir?
Canl bahis adndan da anlaslacag gibi devam eden musabakaya bahis yapmaktr. Bu bahis musabaka devam ederken de yaplabilir olmasdr. Basta futbol olmak uzere voleybol, tenis, hentbol, basketbol, buz hokeyi ve masa tenisi gibi spor organizasyonlarna canl bahisler yaplabilmektedir. Canl bahis siteleri bu oyunlarn hepsine yuksek oranlara bahis yapmanza imkan tanr. En fazla tercih edilen futbol canl bahisleri diger alanlara gore daha fazla on plandadr. Siteden siteye degisen sartlar ve uygulama esaslar soz konusu olsa da kurallar sabittir.
Canl bahisi populer klan ve heyecan katan en onemli ozellikle musabakann basladg ana dek bahis yapabilmedir. Canl bahis icerisinde yer alan secenekler kazanma sansnz da dogrudan arttrmaktadr. Ilk korneri kim kullanr, ilk tac, gol, sar kart, krmz kart gibi futbol musabakas icerisinde olabilecek hemen hemen her seye bahis yaplabilmektedir. Normal bahisegore de son derece yuksek oranda olmas avantajl yonlerini ortaya koymaktadr. Nitekim dogru secenek ksa surede kazancl ckmanza etki edecektir.
Strateji ve dogru analizle 90 dakika gibi bir surede anaparanzkatlayabilirsiniz. Tabi bunu basarabilmek icin mutlaka musabakaya dair ayrntlar iyi degerlendirmek gerekir. Soz konusu musabakann detaylarn inceleyip, cezal, sakat oyuncu veya performans dusen takm oyunu gibi detaylar bilmek canl bahiste kazanc belirleyen onemli unsurdur. Guvenilir Canl bahis hem heyecanl zaman gecirmeyi hem de musabakalar takip ederken para kazanmay saglamaktadr.
Canl Bahis Nasl Oynanr?
Bahislerinizi guvenilir sitelerden gerceklestirdiginiz zaman herhangi bir sekilde para cekme de sorun yasamazsnz. Guvenilir bahis siteleri tespit edip sonrasnda da uyelik islemlerini tamamlamanz gerekmektedir. Belirlenen uyelik sartlarn yerine getirip hesabnza da paray aktardktan sonra bahis islemlerini sorunsuz yapabilirsiniz. Peki, canl bahis nasl oynanr?
Oncelikle bahis konusunda mutlaka dogru site arastrmas yapmalsnz. Yapacagnz arastrma neticesinde buldugunuz site uzerinden canl bahisislemlerini gerceklestirebilirsiniz. Bunun icin uye olup, hesaba para atp, canl bahis bolumune girmelisiniz. Sonrasnda dahil olmak istediginiz musabakann saatini ogrenip, gerekli analizleri yapmalsnz. Tahminlerinizi belirledikten sonra karsnza ckacak olan bahis sayfasndan istediginiz hamleyi yapmalsnz. Bahis tutarn belirledikten sonra musabaka baslayacaktr.
Canl bahis diger normal bahis esaslarna gore farkllklar icermektedir. Bunlardan en onemlisi musabakann gidisatna gore islem yapabilir olmaktr.Ayrca musabakann 2. Yarsna gore hamle yapp ayr bir bahisin soz konusu olmas da ciddi avantajdr. Dogru hamle ile sizde istediginiz bahisi yapp kazanc elde edebilirsiniz. Nitekim canl olarak yapacagnz bahis icin mac oncesi raporlara gore hareket etmek onemlidir. Cunku takmlarn durumlarn analiz etmek tahmin gucunu arttracaktr. Misal tamnn en iyi oyuncusu sakat ya da kart cezals ise takmn performansnda dusus yasanacaktr. Buna ek olarak takmn deplasman performans ile evinde ki performans ayr olacaktr. Burada da takmn musabakay nerede yaptgna bakmak gerekir. Bu ayrntlar da iyice analiz ettikten sonra bahsinizi yapp kazanmann keyfini yasayabilirsiniz.
Canl Bahis Siteleri
Son derece yuksek getiriye sahip bahis sektoru uzun zamandr faaliyet gostermektedir. Cok ciddi rakamlarn soz konusu oldugu bu sektor zamanla sanal ortamlara donusmustur. Elbette guvenli ve bir o kadar da avantajl olan bu siteler cok yonlu frsatlar sunmaktadrlar. Canl iddaa siteleri gerek yeni uyelere gerekse de hali hazrdaki uyelerine bolca bonus frsatlar vermektedir. Yatracagnz tutara gore belirlenen bonuslar site icerisinde rahat hareket etmenizi de saglayacaktr.
Canl bahis sitelerini kullanmadan once mutlaka guvenli olup olmadgna goz atmalsnz. Zira baz kullanclar guvenli olmayan sitelerden yaptklar islemlerden dolay magdur olmaktadrlar. Nitekim guvenli ve sorunsuz hizmet sunan yurt ds site tercih etmek en dogru secenektir. Sektorde uzun yllar faaliyet gosteren siteleri tercih edebilirsiniz. Bu alanda yer alan yabanc siteler musteri memnuniyetine onem vermektedir. Oncelik site kullanclarn sorunsuz sekilde bahislerini yapabilir olmasn saglamaktr. Bahis sitelerinde amac hem daha fazla kullancya hizmet vermek hem de sektorde emin admlarla ilerlemek onceliklidir. Dogru site tercihi ile sizde canl bahislerinizi sorun yasamadan gerceklestirebilirsiniz. Sizler icin hazrlams oldugumuz canl bahis siteleri listesi su sekildedir;
Mobilbahis Tempobet Bets10 Bahigo 1xbahis Betboo Youwin Superbahis
Sralams oldugumuz bu siteler sektorde basarl islere imza atms sitelerdedir. Canl bahis konusunda beklentileri karslayacak olan bu siteler sizlere kolaylk sunmaktadrlar. Bol bonuslu secenekle de sizlere farkl bahis yonlerini sunacaklardr. Sistemsel etki icerisinde her zaman etkin sonuc alabilmek icin surekli olarak faaliyet icerisindedirler.
Canl Bahis Taktikleri
Bahis sektorunun en fazla dikkat edilmesi gereken hususu dogru taktik ve dogru tahmindir. Elbette dogru tahmini yapabilmek icin analizi cok iyi yapmak gerekir. Canl bahis taktikleri arasnda ilk sra analiz gelmektedir. Analiz yapamadgnz zaman basarl tahminlerde bulunmanz pek de mumkun degildir. Cunku bahiste onemli olan konu musabakann analizini cok iyi yaplmas gerektigidir. Canl bahisin ozelliklerini iyi bilmek ve nasl bir hamle yapacagnz bilmek gerekir. Ozellikle riskli maclarda yaplacak degerlendirmeler cok daha onemlidir.
Canl bahis yapacaklarn takip edecegi degerler takmlarn durumlar ile alakal olmaldr. Performans uzerine kurulu bahis sisteminde takm degerlendirmesine iyi bakmak gerekir. Iki takmn son 5 macta nasl bir sonuc ortaya koyduguna bakarak hareket etmek onemlidir. Ayrca hangi takm evinde daha iyi performans sergiliyor diye de ayrca bakmak gerekir.
Analizlerle alakal puan durumlarna da goz atmak cok onemlidir. Puan degerlendirmesinde oncelikle takmlarn ihtiyaclar ile dogru orantl hareket etmek gerekir. Cunku olusturulan performans takmn da durumunu ortaya koymaktadr. Nitekim istenilen sonucu elde edebilmek icin tum ayrntlar bilmek gerekir. Takm ici duzenden tutunda da takmn son durumuna kadar her ayrnt onemlidir. Iki takmn birbirleri arasnda ki sonuclar da incelemek gerekir. Burada dikkat edilecek detaylarn basnda maclarda kac gol oldugu ve gollerin hangi dakikalarda atldgdr. Cekismeli gecen musabakalarda bazen goller ilk yarda daha fazla olurken baz maclarda da ikinci yarda daha cok gol olmustur. Iki takm arasnda ki maclarda gollerin cogunlugu ilk yarda geliyorsa buna gore bahis yapabilirsiniz.
Canl Bahis Siteleri Bonuslar ve Kampanyalar
Bahis yapanlar veya yapmay dusununler sitelerin sunmus olduklar frsatlar merak etmektedirler. Cunku siteler daha fazla kullancya erismek icin her donem kampanyalar duzenleyerek kullanc odakl hamleler yapmaktadrlar. Canl bahis bonuslar ve kampanyalar oldukca populer olup, siteler bu konuda adeta birbirleri ile yarsmaktadrlar. Birbirinden farkl ozelliklere sahip olan kampanyalar size frsatlar sunmaktadr. Daha cok kazanma ihtimalinizi arttran bu bonuslar daha cesur olmanza da dogrudan etki edecektir. Nitekim bonuslar sitelerin cekiciligini ve avantajlarn arttrmaktadr. En cok kazandran canl bahis siteleri bedava bonuslar ve kampanyalar icin http://www.milano2018.com/canli-bahis-siteleri-2022/ linkinden yardm alabilirsiniz.
Hos geldin bonusu ile baslayan ve sonrasnda para yatrdkca bonus veren cok sayda site bulunmaktadr. Canl bahis bonusu veren siteler yeni uyelere sunduklar frsatlar farkl kampanyalarla mevcut uyelerine de sunmaktadrlar. Hali hazrda siteyi kullananlarn da bonus frsatlarndan yararlanmalar icin donemsel kampanyalar olusturmaktadrlar. Boylece baska sitelere gidisler olmayacag gibi site de daha keyifli zaman gecirmek mumkun klnmaktadr. Bu tur eklentiler yapan sitelerde musteri memnuniyeti daha fazladr.
Bahis siteleri ozellik ve uygulama bakmndan farkllklar bunyelerinde bulundurmaktadrlar. Verilen bonuslarn olusturulmas ve kullanclar aktarlmasnda yatrlan para miktarlar belirleyici olmaktadr. 1.000 TL yatran bir kullanc yuzde 20 bonus frsat olan bir kampanyadan 200 TL bonus kazanabilmektedir. Yatracag tutar 10.000 TL oldugunda bu bonustutar 2.000 TL olabilmektedir. Gerceklesen ve uygulanan esaslar tamamen donemsel olarak yaplan kampanyalarla alakaldr. Iyi Canl bahis siteleri bonuslar ve kampanyalar icin sitelerin vermis oldugu oranlar takip edebilirsiniz.
Canl Bahis Siteleri Para Yatrma
Online Canl bahis yapacaklarn merak ettigi konulardan bir digeri de para yatrma islemleridir. Oldukca onemli olan bu konuda hata yapmamak cok onemlidir. Canl bahis sitelerine para yatrma islemi sanlann aksine son derece basittir. Oldukca basit ve uygulama esas dogru etki olusturan bu yapda sizde islemi rahatca tamamlayabilirsiniz. Para yatrma konusunda su yolu izleyebilirsiniz.
Guvendiginiz ve herhangi bir sekilde aklnzda soru isareti kalmayan bahis sitesine uye olmanz gerekmektedir. Uyelik islemini sorunsuz sekilde tamamladktan sonra para yatrma islemine gecebilirsiniz.
Kullanacagnz siteye uye olduktan sonra karsnza kullanc ad ve sifresini gireceginiz yer gelecektir. Buraya giris yaptktan sonra site icerisine islemlere devam edebilirsiniz.
Sitede yer alan para yatrma sekmesine tklayp sonrasnda karsnza gelen sayfay inceleyebilirsiniz. Para yatrma bolumunde yer alan ksma ne kadar para yatracagnz yazp devam tusuna basmalsnz.
Yatrmak istediginiz tutar girip sonrasnda da devam tusuna bastktan sonra karsnza kart bilgilerinizi gireceginiz sayfa gelecektir. Kredi kart kullanarak para gondermek isteyenlerin tercih ettigi bu sayfa tum bilgiler girilip islem onaylanmaldr.
Canl bahis sitelerine para yatrma islemini gerceklestirmek icin hesaba havale secenegini de kullanabilirsiniz. Site icerisinde musteri hizmetleri ile iletisime gecerek banka hesap numaralarn ogrenebilirsiniz. Belirtilen IBAN numarasna istediginiz tutar havale edebilirsiniz. Havale ederken acklama ksmna yazlacak bilgilere dikkat etmelisiniz.
Kredi kart veya banka havalesi ile gerceklesen para yatrma islemi sonucunda site hesabnzdan bakiyenize bakabilirsiniz. Bakiyenize gore dilediginiz sekilde bahislerinizi gerceklestirebilirsiniz.
Canl Bahis Siteleri Para Cekme
Canl bahiste dogru hamleler ve dogru tahminler sonucunda kazandgnz bedeli geri almak isteyebilirsiniz. Kazanclarnz istediginiz banka hesabnza cekebilmek icin uymanz gereken kurallar soz konusudur. Oncelikle bahis sitelerinden para cekebilmeniz icin uye olurken dogru bilgi paylasmnda bulunmanz gerektigidir. Cunku canl bahis sitelerinden para cekme islemi icin kullanc hesab ile talep edilen banka hesap bilgilerinin ortusmesi gerekir. Yani uye olurken verilen bilgi ile banka hesab kime ait ise o bilgiler ayn olmaldr. Bu uygulama sitenin hem kullancsn hem de kendisini guvene alma politikasdr. Ayrca frsatclarn onune gecerek yeni bir uye olusumunun da onune gecmek amac gutmektedir. Uye olan kisi farkl para cekilme talebi verilen hesap farkl oldugunda para cekme islemi gerceklesmeyecektir.
Bahisleriniz sonucunda kazanc elde edebilir ve bu kazancnz da hakknz olarak almak isteyebilirsiniz. Burada son derece basit uygulama soz konusu olurken siteler aras farkl gorunumler soz konusu olabilir. Fakat yine de tum sitelerde uyenin site icerisinde para cekme bolumune girmesi yeterlidir. Burada cekilecek olan tutarn belirlenmesi ve hesap numarasnn girilmesi ile birlikte islem onay gerekecektir. Para cekme taleplerinde sizden gerekli bilgiler istenmekte ve havale islemi istenilen bilgiler esliginde yurutulmektedir. Dogru bilgi paylasmak sorunsuz para cekebilmeniz en onemli kuraldr. Istenilen bilgiler girildikten sonra site sorumlular gerekli kontrolleri yapp herhangi bir sorun yoksa ksa surede hesabnza gerekli paray aktaracaklardr.
Canl Bahis Sitelerinden Para Cekmek Icin Istenen Belgeler
Bahis sitelerine uye olduktan sonra baz kullanclar para cekme taleplerinin karslanmadg konusunda sikayetlerde bulunmuslardr. Bu sikayetlersektorde uzun zamandr bulunan guvenilir bahis siteleri de yer almaktadr. Fakat sikayetlerin dayanaklarna bakldgnda ise islerin tamamen farkl oldugu gorulmektedir. Yasanan bu durum kullanclarn hatal bilgi girmesi ve uyelik bilgileri ile banka bilgilerinin uyusmamas ile dogru orantldr. Birde canl bahis para cekmek icin istenen belgeler eksik ya da hatal olarak sunulmus olabilir. Ortaya ckan karsklar neticesinde para cekme talebinde bulunan kisi istedigini alamadg icin sikayetci olmaktadr. Oysa ki istenilen bilgiler dogru ve istenilen evraklar eksiksiz sunulsa para cekme islemi sorunsuz olacak.
Sitelerin para cekme konusunda dikkatli hareket etmesi hilelerin ve illegal faaliyetlerin onune gecmek adnadr. Cunku baz kullanclar farkl bilgiler vererek ikinci hesap acabilmektedirler. Bazen de bilincsizce hatal bilgi girilebilmektedir. Hatal islemlerin cozumu konusunda islem yaptgnz sitenin musteri temsilcileri ile gorusebilirsiniz. Talepleriniz dogrultusunda para cekme islemlerinde ki sorunlar giderilecektir. Canl bahis para cekmek icin istenen belgeler listesi su sekildedir;
Kullanc bilgileri ile banka bilgilerini karslastrmak icin kimlik fotokopisi
Banka hesap bilgileri
Ikametgah ve kisiye ait herhangi bir fatura.
Kacak Iddaa
Turkiyede dogrudan bahis yapmak icin resmi kanallar kullanlabilmektedir. Fakat tercih edilen ve oran olarak cok daha fazla frsatlar sunan kacar iddaasiteleri bulunmaktadr. Bu siteler kanunlara aykr sekilde yaplmakta olup, yasal bir dayanag yoktur. Elbette bu sitelerin kurulus merkezi Turkiye olmayp, ds ulkelerdedir ve faaliyetler belirlenen siteler uzerinden yaplmaktadr. Kacak Iddaa oldukca riskli olup, cok dikkatli olunmas gerekir.
Kacak Bahis
Kanunlar cercevesinde istediginiz gibi bahis yapamayabilirsiniz. Bahis yapabilmek icin ya kanuni olarak sorun olmayan ulke dsnda ki kumarhanelere gitmeniz veya kacak bahis sitelerinden islem yapabilirsiniz. Zira bu durum tehlikeli olsa da cok sayda site guvenli sekilde bu alanda hizmet vermektedir. Kacak bahiste oldukca fazla secenek bulunurken yuksek oranda kazanc sunuyor olmas da ragbeti arttryor.
Illegal Bahis
Bahisin bircok alanda yasak oldugu Turkiyede bu alanda cok sayda yabanc merkezli siteler hizmet vermektedir. Illegal bahis sektorunde faaliyet gosteren siteler guvenli hizmet anlays ile kullanclarna frsatlar sunmaktadr. Yurt ds merkezli bu siteler sorunsuz sekilde hizmetlerini surdururken bulunduklar ulkelerde kanunlara uygun sekildedir. Elbette faaliyet noktasnda bulunduklar ulkelerde sorun teskil etmese de Turkiyede faaliyet gostermeleri kanunin yasaklanmstr.
Yasads Bahis
Gerek olusturulan etkenler gerekse de ortaya konulan riskler yasads bahis de oldukca tehlikelidir. Kanunlarn mudahil olduklar bu alanlar da hem kullanclar hem de populer bahis yaptranlar tum riskleri goze almaktadrlar. Fakat yasaklardan uzak sekilde guvenli hizmet sunan siteler de bulunmaktadr. Takipler neticesinde kapatlan sitelerin muhakkak alternatifleri kurularak yollarna devam etmektedirler.
Canl Iddaa Siteleri Nelerdir?
Dunya genelinde kabul gormus cok sayda guvenli hizmet veren populer bahis siteleri bulunmaktadr. Elbette bu siteler dunyann bircok ulkesinde faaliyet gosterse de Turkiyede yasaktr. Sektorde yer alan cok sayda legal iddaa siteleri bulunmaktadr. Herhangi bir kanunsuzlugun olmadg bu sitelerden hzl ve guvenli islem yaplabilmektedir. Tabi bu sitelerde uygulanan oranlar yasal olmayan sitelere gore daha dusuktur. Illegal sitelerin tercih edilme sebeplerinin en onemli etkeni de olusturulan oranlardr. Peki, Iddaa siteleri nelerdir? Faaliyetleri ve uygulama esaslar nelerdir?
Turkiyede faaliyet gosteren yasal iddaa siteleri listesi su sekildedir;
Iddaa
Bilyoner
Tuttur
Birebin
Oley
Nesine
Misli
Iddaa
2004 ylnda hizmet vermeye baslayan Iddaa Spor toto tarafndan kurulmus olup, ilk etapta bayilik seklinde calsmaya baslamstr. Elbette zamanla gelisen teknolojiye ayak uydurarak internet uzerinde de populer bahis severlerin hizmetine sunulmustur. Kuruldugu donemde devletin resmi kurumu olarak faaliyet gosterirken gelinen yeni donemde ozellestirilmistir.
Bilyoner
Turkiyede faaliyetine 2006 ylnda baslayan Bilyoner ilk ozel yasal bahis sitesi olma ozelligine sahiptir. Guvenilir bahis siteleri Turkiyede bunlardr. Ksa surede populer olan site halen faaliyetlerini sorunsuz sekilde surdurmektedir.
Tuttur
Ksa surede adndan bahsettirmeyi basaran Tuttur 2009 ylnda faaliyetlere baslamstr. Guvenilir bahis siteleri arasnda yerini almstr. Gunumuze dek bircok alanda populer bahis yapanlara frsatlar sunarken avantajlar ile de begeni toplamstr.
Birebin
Kullanc odakl calsmalar surdurse de 2011 ylnda sektore giren Birebindiger sitelere gore daha az ragbet gormektedir. Bahis oynamak ise bu sitede oldukca kolaydr. Elbette farkl yaklasmlara sahip olmasndan dolay ilerleyen sureclerde adndan sklkla bahsettirecek gibi gorunuyor.
Oley
2009 ylnda Dogus yayn gruplarnn istiraki olarak kurulmus olup yasal olarak herhangi bir sorunu olmayan sitelerdendir. Bahis siteleri arasnda hzl cks yapms bir sitedir. Oley yapms oldugu yenilikler ile kullanclarn da dikkatini ksa surede cekmeyi basarmstr.
Nesine
Birbirini takip eden surecte Nesine de yine 2006 ylnda hizmet vermeye baslamstr. Yasal bahis siteleri arasnda yerini almay basaran firma ksa surede sevilen ve ragbet goren bir site olmustur.
Misli
2009 ylnda sektore cok hzl giris yapan Misli cok sayda reklam filmi ile on plana ckmay basarmstr. Internet uzerinden hem yasal hem de sorunsuz hizmet veren bahis sitelerinden bir tanesi olmustur.
Canl Bahis Siteleri Kayt ve Uyelik Islemleri
Her zaman populerligini koruyan ve surekli gelisim gosteren canl bahis gun gectikce daha da gucleniyor. Bahis oynamak icin ise sitelere uye olunmas gerekir. Yuksek getirisi ve begeni toplayan faaliyetleri ile cok sayda site bu alanda faaliyet gostermektedir. Elbette sorunsuz sekilde uye olmanz ve faaliyetler gostermeniz de oldukca kolaydr. Canl bahis siteleri kayt ve uyelik islemleri dakikalar icerisinde gerceklestirilecek yapya sahiptir.
Uye olacagnz siteyi belirledikten sonra siteye girmeniz gerekmektedir. Girdiginiz sitenin ana sayfasnda uye ol ya da kayt ol bolumu bulunacaktr. Siteler arasnda degiskenlik gosteren bu alanda temel unsurlar bulunmaktadr. Elbette farkllklar olsa da temelinde benzer bilgiler uye olmak isteyen kisilerden talep edilmektedir.
Uye ol bolumune tkladktan sonra karsnza uyelik bilgi formu ckacaktr. Bu formda sizin kim oldugunuzu ogrenmek ve sitenin guvenligini saglamak adna islemler yaplmaktadr. Uyelik formunda yer alan ad soyad bolumunu eksiksiz ve dogru sekilde doldurmalsnz. Sizden bu formda istenen bilgilerin tamamn girmeniz istenecektir. Istenen bilgiler mutlaka dogru ve eksiksiz sekilde olmaldr. Eksik veya hatal bilgi uyelik islemlerinde sorun teskil edebilir. Yine de yanls bilgi girisine ragmen uyelik islemleri tamamlanabilir. Fakat boyle bir yol izleyenler sonrasnda buyuk skntlarla karslasabilirler. Bu skntlarn basnda da para cekme islemlerinde yasanan sorunlardr.
Uyelik islemleri dikkatli ve ozenle doldurulmas gereken yapdadr. Canl bahis siteleri kayt ve uyelik islemleri gerceklestirilirken verilen bilgiler site yonetimi tarafndan muhafaza edilmektedir. Herhangi bir sekilde 3. Sahslarla paylaslmas gibi bir durum soz konusu degildir. Bu faaliyetleri surduren sitelerin guven unsurlar arasnda bu nokta onceliklidir.
Bahis sitelerine uye olurken hatal bilgi paylasmnda bulunmak size faydadan cok zarar verecektir. Diyelim ki bilgileri hatal girdiniz ve uyelik onayland. Uyelik tamamlandktan sonra siteye para yatrdnz ve kazanc elde ettiniz. Kazancnz sonrasnda hesabnza almak istediginizde karsnza banka bilgileri bolumu gelecektir. Para cekme talebi gerceklestikten sonra site uyelik bilgileri ile banka hesap bilgileri ortusmez ise paranz alamazsnz. Boyle bir durumla karslasmamak adna bu hususa ayrca dikkat etmelisiniz.
...We are committed to helping Small Business Owner's run their companies in the most cost effective manner, keeping more of their hard earned capital... - Mark Witt
ALLEN, TX, July 12, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Financial Gravity is pleased to announce that Witt Financial Group, LLC, located in Crossville, Tennessee is partnering with Financial Gravity to bring tax savings to business owners.
Witt Financial Group was founded 15 years ago. It was always a dream of its founder, Mark Witt, to start his own company and help people achieve their financial goals. Witt Financial Group brings together complex investing concepts and solid, down to earth values that make sense.
Mark Witt commented, "Small business owners are under attack from lawmakers who are making it increasingly difficult for them to survive. They are looking for answers and are having trouble finding financial professionals who understand their situation.
We are committed to helping SBO's run their companies in the most cost effective manner, keeping more of their hard earned capital. We have seen the same commitment to SBO's from Financial Gravity. We are excited to bring Financial Gravity, and their cutting edge wealth building and tax reduction strategies to our area. SBO's will now have the tools to significantly reduce their tax obligations while remaining completely legal and compliant with industry standards."
Financial Gravity's Director of Business Development David Crowley stated, "Financial Gravity actively seeks to work with financial advisors of Mark Witt's caliber. We're excited about bringing our tax planning process to Tennessee and with Mark's direction we'll be able to help many small business owners keep those hard earned dollars instead of overpaying the tax man."
About Financial Gravity Holdings
Financial Gravity Holdings, Inc., based in Allen, TX was formed specifically to be the parent company of several subsidiaries that provide integrated tax, business, and financial solutions. Financial Gravity's clients include small businesses, small business owners, and high net-worth individuals. Financial Gravity's services are focused on helping its clients' personal and professional goals, while building wealth, most often with potential tax savings, lowering costs, and improving efficiency. For more details, please visit www.financialgravity.com.
Contact
Jennifer Sanford
Financial Gravity Holdings, Inc.
Allen, Texas USA
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MOSCOW, RUSSIA, July 12, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- AIRR (www.i-regions.org) and MasterCard have signed an agreement on joint work on introduction of modern systems for electronic education, management and MasterCard electronic technologies and services in the fields of education, medicine, transport and culture.
The partners also plan to run educational programs aimed at raising the level of financial literacy. "In Russia, as elsewhere in the world, MasterCard actively introduces reliable and advanced technological solutions. The extension of new payment technologies changes the daily lives of people around the world, making it better and more comfortable, but also opens up new opportunities for entrepreneurs, financial institutions and the state. Together with the metropolitan areas and entire regions we are implementing large-scale infrastructure projects and create the basis for "smart" cities," commented Alex Malinowski, president of the Russian Association of MasterCard.
In addition, a cooperation agreement was signed with EY company.
The partners agreed to promote the concept of smart cities. Joint projects in the field of smart city, integrated into conventional processes and standard tasks of the city, will be tested in 14 innovative regions of Russia, which are members of the AIRR.
Experts of EY and the AIRR will be engaged in the development the potential of Russian technology parks and will facilitate the commercialization of Russian scientific developments. "Regardless of the country the process of urbanization stimulates the demand for resources and infrastructure - providing food and water, energy and telecommunications, roads. In the world there are already many projects under the concept of "smart city." According to the world statistics, every week for the next two decades more than one million people - roughly the population of Stockholm - will move to a permanent place of residence in the city. Obviously, most of this migration process will occur in Asia. This means that right now we must begin to implement projects that facilitate the creation of a favorable environment for residents of megacities,"says Alexander Ivlev, Managing Partner of EY in Russia.
"Practical implementation of high-tech systems in the Russian regions is an important step on the way to transition from an outdated model of development to the innovative one," considers the Director of the AIRR Ivan Fedotov. "It is logical that the first projects in this area will be implemented at the site of the most advanced innovative regions - members of AIRR. I am sure that following us the remaining constituent entities of the Russian Federation will join the project."
Note that the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is also interested in partnership with the AIRR. In early June AIRR delegation paid a visit to Paris. In the framework of the OECD forum representatives of the Association presented the rating of "Innovative business in regions of Russia". The project has aroused great interest among Western colleagues. As a result AIRR and OECD have agreed to use these rankings to prepare analytical products and reports of the OECD.
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Jul 12, 2016 | By Alec
It looks like 3D printing is becoming more and more commonplace within the U.S. Air Force. Back in January, the Air Force approved the first ever 3D printed components for E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) surveillance aircraft, and they are about to explore a much wider range of 3D printing solutions as well. This is made possible by a $10 million America Makes grant that has just been awarded to the University of Dayton Research Institute, which will be used to develop 3D printing solutions for aircraft maintenance and repair procedures through a Cooperative Agreement (CA) with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).
This huge grant was just awarded at an event at the Youngstown State University (YSU), during which U.S. Representative Tim Ryan and officials from America Makes, YSU, and the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) discussed the impact of new 3D printing innovations on the Air Force and other research initiatives. America Make is the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute that is affiliated with YSU. Acting as the national accelerator for 3D printing innovations, it has been one of the leading partners for numerous ongoing high tech 3D printing research projects since being founded in 2012.
Specifically, UDRI has been awarded a Directed Project Opportunity focused on maturing 3D printing procedures for aircraft maintenance. Driven by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), America Makes will give the UDRI $8 million in AFRL funding, with the AFRL providing a further $2.87 million in matching cost share taking the complete tally up to $10.87 million.
This remarkable grant was first announced during a special event at the University of Dayton in April, and will also affect a large collection of other institutes and partners from the Ohio region. YSU will be involved as the co-leader of the technical efforts, while Bastech Inc., Case Western Reserve University, Deloitte Services, DRT Mfg. Co., GE Aviation, Humtown Products, M-7 Technologies, Slice Manufacturing Studios, the Youngstown Business Incubator, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) and the 910th Airlift Wing will also be involved.
But thats not all, as a host of 3D printing partners will also provide their expertise. This includes experts from 3D Systems, the American Foundry Society, Boeing, Honeywell International Inc., Lockheed Martin, the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences, Optomec, Pennsylvania State University, Raytheon, and the University of Northern Iowa. The Air Force will be represented by officials from the three Air Logistics Complexes located at Robins Air Force Base (AFB) in Georgia, Hill AFB in Utah, and Tinker AFB in Oklahoma, though other Air Force units and Defense depots will also be involved.
It is thus a huge project, with its ambitions matching its size. This project is significant on a number of levels. It marks the first funded project under our new, five-year Cooperative Agreement with AFRL. It is also an important area of research not only for the Air Force, but for the entire military and manufacturing community as well, said America Makes Director of Operations Rob Gorham. Lastly, the impact of this project on the Northeast Ohio region with the strong showing from Ohio-based companies is tremendous, underscoring the manufacturing innovation coming out of the Youngstown and Mahoning Valley region. We are very excited to get this effort underway.
So what is it focusing on? Specifically, this Direct Project Opportunity aims to enhance the Air Forces ability to use 3D printing during the development, demonstration, transition, maintenance and repair of their technologies and aircraft. This should greatly improve the efficiency of the Air Force Logistics Complexes when providing part replacement services for a wide range of aircraft. This should, said Scott Deutsch of the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining, reduce the complexes dependency on suppliers.
In fact, sustainment forms one of the biggest challenges in the aerospace industry, and the Air Force believes that much can be achieved by introducing reverse engineering tools, 3D scanners, CAD systems, non-destructive evaluation (NDE) systems, and 3D printing. America Makes went as far as arguing that this project can form a baseline for sustainable 3D printing innovations, especially when it comes to tooling applications, best practice assessment and transition procedures. It will also demonstrate the benefits of large scale 3D printing.
But considering the size of the US Air Forces operations, this will require a lot of work, said America Makes Deputy Director of Technology Development John Wilczynski. This Directed Project Opportunity represents the largest additive manufacturing focused effort on sustainment, maintenance, and repair technologies ever organized to date, Wilczynski said. Maintaining its fleet in a cost-efficient manner using advanced manufacturing technologies, including additive manufacturing, is critical to the strategic readiness of the Air Force today and into the future. Through its outlined approach combined with the diverse project team assembled and led by UDRI, a research leader in its own right, the Institute is highly optimistic that the resulting outcome will successfully address the Air Forces sustainment needs and possibly extend beyond the Air Force to other military branches.
Democratic representative of Ohios 13th district Tim Ryan put it in much simpler terms. We are trying to help the military fight more effectively, be safer and also grow our economy, he said during the YSU press conference. At this pace, 3D printing is heading towards a golden military future.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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Jul 12, 2016 | By Alec
Theres finally some good news for MakerBot. The class-action lawsuit that was brought against MakerBot about a year ago has been dismissed by a Minnesota court. The Stratasys-owned MakerBot was accused of fraudulently misleading investors and customers after serious glitches in the MakerBots 5th Generation Replicator 3D printer became apparent, but this lawsuit was dismissed due to a lack of strong evidence. The judges were still critical of MakerBot, saying that the executives were behaving badly though there wasnt strong enough evidence to suggest serious fraudulent behavior.
Thus another chapter in MakerBots history ends inconclusively. As 3D printing veterans doubtlessly know, MakerBot is becoming increasingly controversial in the community. Though once the most promising name in 3D printing, their sales figures failed to meet the companys ambitions in recent years. This led to serious cutbacks in April 2015, when several retail locations were shut down and a fifth of the staff was laid off. The company was trying to lay low and reorganize its finances in the months that followed; among others, incoming CEO Jonathan Jaglom was forced to fire more staff and outsource production a few months ago.
But before they could repair the companys reputation (and their stock value), the faulty 5th generation Replicator caught up with them last summer. The 3D printer was glitchy, to put it mildly, and quickly became known for its poor printing quality and recurring problems. In particular, the machines Smart Extruder promoted as a novel way to re-load filament proved to be poorly designed and prone to clogging. Some users were even reportedly forced to replace their machine several times within a single six-month warranty period.
This led to the lawsuit, which argued that the problems could be traced back to poor quality control, an overly-aggressive growth strategy, and the companys inability to own up to their mistakes. Defendants rushed MakerBots 5th generation printers to the market despite their knowledge of serious quality and reliability issues plaguing the printers, the lawsuit stated. Because the new MakerBot printers were so poorly designed and manufactured, significant number of purchasers demanded refunds, repairs, replacement printers or [parts], which were costly to MakerBot given that the 5th generation printers were under warranty. The replacements were equally flawed and prone to failure.
In particular, investors and customers were angry over the companys promises. The MakerBot leadership repeatedly described their 3D printers as being of a good quality, even though the flaws must have been known within the company. The critical judges dismissed the leaderships statements as non-actionable puffery, the kind of positive business remarks that accompany every release by every company.
Whats more, the court found no evidence of a purposeful fraud in regards to the malfunctions. While some internal discussions about the problems were found within the MakerBot company, they never led to the pinpointing of the root of the problems. While the judges did criticize the MakerBot leadership, there simply enough evidence to suggest that any serious wrongdoing had taken place.
While MakerBot will probably take this as a win, its still a situation that no one will be truly happy with. MakerBot reputation remains tarnished, as the court effectively revealed that there was mismanagement, but the company has not been put out of its misery either. Combine that with the 36 percent of its initial workforce that has been fired over the last 16 months and the serious product flaws, it becomes clear that MakerBot will have to work very hard to get back on top.
Posted in 3D Printer Company
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MW wrote at 7/15/2016 1:34:40 PM:the same way Solidoodle tried & failedI.AM.Magic wrote at 7/12/2016 4:33:08 PM:I haven't come across a single working 5th generation makerbot... 4th are running with a lot of maintenance. How can you get away with selling a non-working machine? It is just a big paper weight.
The newly launched Mission D&A is a series of themed, pop-up dinners hosted by dynamic duo David Nayfeld and Angela Pinkerton in the former Roosevelt Tamales Parlor space on 24th Street. But for fans of the former Mexican eatery, don't expect to see any of the old decor in this revamped restaurant. The space was completely renovated by interior designer Jon de la Cruz, owner of DLC-IDwho even personally designed the wallpaper with scenes depicting the two chefs-owners and Nayfeld's dog, Cassidy.
Wallpaper designed by Jon la Cruz. (Kira Lauren Photography)
The idea all stemmed from the fact that Nayfeld, Pinkerton and their business partner Matt Brewer, are all set to open a new rustic Italian restaurant, called Che Fico, in Hayes Valley later this year.
"We had to keep us busy while waiting for the opening of the restaurant," explained Nayfeld. "So we created this new concept which would allow us to explore culinary traditions from around the world. As chefs, we need to be in the kitchen and cook, it is an urgency."
So, the trio decided to start a pop-up restaurant concept, similar to the Mina Test Kitchen, that would allow them to start from scratch every monthincluding all new decor, menu, and set up.
Mission D&A at work. (Kira Lauren Photography)
This month, Nayfeld and Pinkerton are honoring Nayfeld's Belarusian heritage with traditional dishes revisited for a Californian palate at Mama Galina. The $75 dinner is five-courses, including wine and beer pairings provided by sommelier Peter Weltman. The night starts off with a series of hors d'oeuvres such as rye sprouted bread, house cultured butter, and salmon roe, before moving on to cold appetizers like Ukrainian-cured pork belly, salad Olivier with potatoes, English peas, carrots, and onions, and uzbek plov (lamb and rice pilaf). Baked rice with lamb and Ukrainian-style holubtsi (cabbage leaves stuffed with ground pork) serve as main courses.
Meanwhile, the dining room is warm and friendly with six community tables where guests share their meals with strangers. The culinary feast ends with Pinkerton, who takes the stage to introduce her awe-inspiring array of desserts: tort Napoleon Russe, walnut and honey cake, and kartoshka (truffled candies soaked with spirits). An interesting combination of flavors that close the eveningthough they opt for white wine instead of vodka.
(Kira Lauren Photography)
In August, Mama Galina will come down and be replaced with Bistronomy, a modern exploration of the traditional Parisian bistro. We can't wait. // $75/ person (beverages included); 2817 24th St. (Mission), nayfeldpinkertonproject.com
We did not ask any of the physicians to change their schedules, but several saw more patients per hour and overall productivity increased approximately 12 percent. Documentation for EHR-challenged providers improved, which in turn supported more appropriate coding. Physicians involved in the pilot reported having more time to review test results and correspondence, which led to a doubling of the percentage of lab results being reviewed in a timely manner. Finally, five of the six participants said working with the scribe made them more efficient, cut their post-patient documentation time drastically, and improved their joy of practice. One of our six participants indicated he preferred using a dictation service to working with a scribe. However, even that physician noted improved rates of same-day document completion and better billing workflow, so ultimately agreed to remain in our program.
Meet the four candidates vying for two District 1 House seats
The four candidates running for District 1 House are all from Sisseton. They include Steven McCleerey, Tamara St. John, Kay Nikols and Joe Donnell.
WASHINGTON Since its unfortunate Brexit vote to leave the European Union, Britain has experienced a tragi-comic round of back-stabbing, foot-dragging and second-guessing. Europe, meanwhile has mostly behaved with admirable good sense.
The Europeans seem to understand that the Brexit vote is a wake-up call about dissatisfaction with the EU thats nearly as widespread on the Continent as it is in Britain. Germany, in particular, recognizes that unless the EU can quickly show a readiness to reform and streamline its bureaucracy, other nations may follow Britain out the door.
This desire to salvage and repair the EU helps explain the hard-line position that European governments have taken toward Britain since the vote.
The Brits have been vague about when they will invoke Article 50 of the EU Treaty formally stating their intention to withdraw. But the 27 remaining members insisted last week on their expectation that this would happen sooner rather than later, according to one EU source, and that there would be no talks about withdrawal terms before the formal negotiations begin.
This isnt just the pique of a spurned divorcee. The Europeans have to get on with it. They need finally to address the yawning gap between the elites love for the EU and the ordinary citizens frustration and growing antipathy.
The pathway for Europe will be discussed at a special summit in Bratislava, Slovakia, in September. As Europes strongest power, Germany is signaling that it wants the meeting to focus on reforming the EU.
A German source describes the agenda: Things to be discussed include a better consideration of citizens discontent with the EU, different levels of ambitions as regards further European integration, stronger focusing on core issues (i.e., external and internal security, immigration, economic performance and competitiveness on a global scale) that should be handled on the European level, while other questions should be left for national and regional decision-making.
The Germans are arguing that the EU should concentrate on the things citizens want, starting with security and migration issues, and cut back, over time, on the things they dislike, such as intrusive regulation and bureaucracy.
Thats a wise choice: A union that cant reassure its members that they are safe and secure wont survive.
Europeans protest that Britain wants to have it both ways. They want to dispense with the encumbrance of Brussels and to restrict migration from EU countries (two key Brexit demands) but remain within the single market, for only a small entry fee.
Once you decide to leave a family like the EU, with all its privileges and duties, you cannot keep privileges and get rid of duties, notes the German source.
The Brexit vote had a lot of nationalistic sentiment, and even a measure of idealism about British life and values. But good decisions must have a core of pragmatic self-interest. Its hard to see how this choice will serve Britains interests, at least in the near term. Whether this choice will begin a cascading downward spiral depends on whether the country can stay together as the United Kingdom, and whether it can find strong new political leadership.
Secretary of State John Kerry hinted at the Aspen Ideas Festival last week that the Obama administration is exploring whether the British decision might be reversed, as the costs become clearer and the second-guessing increases.
There are various possibilities: a parliamentary rejection; a second referendum; a refusal to invoke the EU treaty article necessary for withdrawal negotiations to begin.
Maybe such a Brexit redo is still possible, but politics rarely gives such second chances.
The angry populism of Britains rebuke to its elites is a sobering reminder for America in this crucial election season.
It may seem inconceivable that the American public would choose to elect a president who has never served in public office or the military, and whose public pronouncements are a souffle of vanity, exaggerations and falsehoods. People couldnt be so short-sighted, right?
But thats what many people said about Brexit: The British people wouldnt walk away from Europe out of injured pride and anger at their elites. But they did. And something even more disastrous could happen in America, if good judgment doesnt prevail.
Email: davidignatius@washpost.com. Copyright, Washington Post Writers Group
Peter principle: Observation that in a hierarchy people tend to rise to their level of incompetence.
businessdictionary.com
The above online posting could include the VA medical center in Albuquerque as a textbook example. Thats where the business manager who investigators found actively encouraged schedulers to misreport appointment wait times in 2014 was promoted twice first while the investigation into the wait-time scandal was ongoing and then again while the report showing her malfeasance was pending.
To No. 2 in command, no less.
The No. 1 guy at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center, director Andrew Welch, would have taxpayers including veterans whose care he is entrusted with believe he first learned about then-business manager Julie Dreikes actions at the same time they did, when the feds released the Office of the Inspector General report around two weeks ago.
There are plenty of facts that make that story suspect, or in the alternative to lead one to believe that Welch truly is clueless. The scandal broke in September 2013 (Dreike was promoted to chief of the VA Medical Centers health administration service by the end of that year) and the report pinpointing her involvement was actually completed a year ago (Dreike was promoted to the No. 2 spot, acting associate director, April 28).
The OIG report found the desired date for veterans future appointments was substituted for the actual date of the appointments to hide long waits for care. Two VA officials a nurse manager and a business manager were identified as having played an active role in encouraging this activity.
Welch has been at the VA for a year and a half, but said last week he wasnt aware there was an active investigation involving Dreike when he oversaw her promotion. After the OIG report was released on June 24, Dreikes photo and new title were removed from the VA website. Welch says he asked Dreike to return to her old job as chief of the health administration service because of the OIGs concerns regarding medical records management.
Because she did such a bang-up job for our military veterans the first time around?
Allowing Welch to plead ignorance while he returns Dreike to the scene of her misconduct defies credulity. A VA audit in 2014 showed more than 1,000 veterans in New Mexico had been waiting three months or more for initial medical appointments; now, the current average wait time to see a medical provider in New Mexicos VA health system is 3.36 days for primary care, 4.73 days for specialty care and 3.68 days for mental health care.
But if Dreike and Welch are the folks providing those numbers, New Mexicans should consider the Peter principle and take a wait-and-see attitude as to their veracity.
This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
Copyright 2016 Albuquerque Journal
A district judge has refused to throw out a lawsuit that contends Albuquerque Public Schools violated state law in its recent bond and mill levy election, which the district says could cost it $65 million over the next year and delay numerous school projects.
Local attorney Robert Pidcock filed the suit on his own behalf in February, outlining a number of complaints about the election process for the $575 million bond and mill levy, and raising particular concerns about a planned $5 million APS employee health clinic, which he argues should not qualify for funding because it is not a school building.
But Pidcock stressed that he filed the lawsuit to help kids by forcing APS to be accountable for its bond and mill levy projects.
This lawsuit is about making sure APS spends money on the kids, not on things like this employee health clinic, he said.
On Thursday, 2nd Judicial District Court Judge Nan Nash ruled against APS request for a summary judgment that would have dismissed the portions of the lawsuit dealing with the $375 million mill levy on property taxes. She stated that she is concerned the ballot language may not have been clear enough for voters to understand that the mill levy is a public schools building tax.
A summary judgment was granted regarding the $200 million general obligations bond sale portion of the Feb. 2 election.
Members of the APS Board of Education and district administrators voiced concerns about the lawsuit during Monday nights capital outlay, property and technology committee meeting before going into a closed session to discuss the case in more detail.
Kizito Wijenje, executive director of the APS capital master plan, warned that the future of the bond and mill levy is unclear.
We are in uncharted territory, he said in an interview with the Journal . This is very disruptive.
Time is of the essence, Wijenje explained, because APS typically puts projects out to bid in August on a schedule that ensures they will be complete at the beginning of a school year. For instance, the district might need a year to build a new gym building, so work would start next month and end in August 2017 when kids are coming back to school.
If the money is tied up by the lawsuit, APS will be forced to push back many projects for a full calendar year, Wijenje said, a process that would demand a reprioritization of the entire five-year capital master plan.
In addition, Bernalillo County might hesitate to collect the mill levy money from property owners until the lawsuit is settled, Wijenje said, adding up to $65 million lost this school year.
Four community members who spoke at the committee meeting said they were also upset by the lawsuit because APS and Central New Mexico Community College won the bond and mill levy election by a comfortable margin, despite scrutiny over a lack of early voting sites on the West Side.
CNM received voter approval to sell $84 million in bonds thanks to the election. A spokesman for the school declined to comment on the litigation, but said none of the bond projects has started yet.
APS board member Steven Michael Quezada told the Journal he is concerned the lawsuit is hurting students and hopes to find a quick solution.
Quezada mentioned a planned $50 million northwest K-8 school designed to alleviate crowded classrooms and was concerned that it may not be built on schedule.
We really need that school, he said.
Pidcock anticipates that his lawsuit will reach the New Mexico Supreme Court relatively quickly, but added that he would have dropped the whole thing if APS had agreed to demands he laid out in a June 14 letter.
The first item states that the employee clinic is just a nonstarter because it is not a school building.
He also asks that APS list the bond projects on the ballot by category and spread the voting sites evenly across the city. Finally, he said the district should spend more to inform the public about the elections, which typically have very low turnout. The recent election turnout was around 7 percent, according to the county clerk, about twice the average for school elections.
APS could have resolved all of this a month ago, Pidcock said. But they didnt even respond to the letter.
These past several, violent months, brought to a sickening climax last week with more deaths in Dallas, Baton Rouge and Minnesota, are painfully familiar to Americans who survived the racial and political chaos of the 1960s and 1970s.
Race riots ruined cities like Detroit and neighborhoods like Watts in Los Angeles. Anti-war protests closed campuses across the country. Self-styled urban guerrillas ambushed police, and questionable police raids on black activists homes left more dead. Assassins gunned down political leaders like Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., who had galvanized millions of Americans to confront injustice. In the Jim Crow South, American citizens were murdered for trying to vote. In the North, black residents were practically imprisoned in some cities ghettos.
Democrats who had had enough of the Vietnam War gave peace candidates for the presidency 5.2 million primary votes in 1968 only to see the nomination go to Hubert Humphrey, the sitting vice president of the administration that prosecuted the war who had won 166,000 votes in the primaries. Riots erupted at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The system really was rigged.
Writers and commentators started quoting The Second Coming, a William Butler Yeats poem written in 1919:
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Yeats described the 1960s well. He describes our own time well.
And then the insanity stopped, or at least paused.
America did not suddenly become the embodiment of justice and harmony, but rioting stopped for the most part (the Rodney King riot in Los Angeles in 1992 was a notable exception). Elections seemed to become less fraught. American wars, though generally as pointless as Vietnam, at least claimed fewer American lives. Our all-volunteer army ended the conscription that brought so many people to the barricades in the 1960s who might not have been especially concerned about the Vietnam War but for the distinct possibility that they might actually have to fight it.
People got older, and older people tend to be more patient. People saw the futility of violence as a means to effect change in a society as committed to maintaining order as ours seems to be. People got tired of chaos.
As a nation, we could congratulate ourselves on winning the Cold War. We saw the Soviet Union collapse and most of the Eastern bloc of nations join NATO. Dictatorships ended in places as varied as South Africa and Argentina. We had some confirmation that what we were doing as a society was probably more right than not.
Perhaps more important, the country entered an era of prosperity that began in the Reagan administration and didnt end until Bill Clinton left office. When incomes rise, a societys sense of humor seems to improve.
It really doesnt matter why that awful era came to a close. All awful eras come to a close, sooner or later. Maybe people get tired of violence. Maybe people get tired of feeling angry all the time. Maybe they found that they had better things to do and more profitable ways of spending their time.
Our own age is made all the worse by terrorism on a scale not seen since the 19th century in the years preceding and following the Civil War. The technology of modern arsenals means the body counts get higher more quickly than ever, but the existence of random violence in our nation is the rule, not the exception.
We face an eroding sense that our individual efforts no longer matter. We do not automatically get ahead if we work hard and play by the rules. We must also have the right degree and live in the right part of the country.
Our government seems especially feckless. Our politicians seem especially self-serving. Our elites, in media, in academia, in business, seem horribly out of touch with the needs, lives and concerns of the majority of their fellow citizens.
This too shall pass.
Maybe there is a truly great leader waiting in the wings, someone candid enough to admit not having all the answers but inspiring enough to make the search for answers worthwhile. Maybe people in local communities all over the country will decide they have had enough of violence and hatred and will reform their own block, then their own neighborhood, then their own city. Maybe there is a technology working its way through our society that will kick off the next virtuous cycle of economic growth.
There is no telling what will end this ugly time. There is only the assurance, millenniums in the making, that it will end.
UpFront is a daily front-page news and opinion column. Comment directly to Winthrop Quigley at 823-3896 or wquigley@abqjournal.com. Go to www.abqjournal.com/letters/new to submit a letter to the editor.
NEDERLAND, Colo. Firefighters worked in gusty winds on Monday to try to stop the spread of a wildfire believed to have been sparked by a smoldering campfire left behind by transients camping out near a Colorado mountain community.
Officials say that a total of five homes have been lost since the fire flared up in extremely hot and windy weather on Saturday near Nederland, about 20 miles west of Boulder.
According to court documents, people reported seeing Jimmy Andrew Suggs, 28, and Zack Ryan Kuykendall, 26 both of Vinemont, Alabama and Elizabeth Blair Burdeshaw, 20, camping in the area where the fire started and they told investigators that they had started two campfires while camping out at different sites on what turned out to be private property on the previous three days. Investigators say they voluntarily showed them where they had camped but they werent able to go to the site of the campfire that is believed to have flared up because of the wildfire.
According to the documents, Suggs told investigators that it had to have been their fire that started the blaze because there was no one else around. He also told them that he and Kuykendall didnt put dirt on their campfire to extinguish it, just the rocks from the fire ring.
They were arrested Sunday at a shelter for people evacuated by the fire, which has burned about a square mile. A day before they were coincidentally interviewed by a reporter from the Daily Camera about the fire with Suggs saying they had never seen anything like it.
Investigators dont believe Burdeshaw helped build the fire.
According to the court documents, the trio told investigators they had been camping in the area at different sites and reading their Bibles. Suggs and Kuykendall briefly appeared in court in Boulder on Monday.
Some residents have lashed out at Suggs on a Facebook page that appears to be his and expressed frustration with people living in campsites in the area.
The campfire that sparked the fire was about a mile away from an established campground popular with transients, Boulder County Sheriffs Office division chief Heidi Prentup said.
Several wildfires are burning in Colorado, including one that has scorched almost 19 square miles near Salida. The Hayden Pass fire is burning in dead and downed timber and has forced the evacuation of campsites in the area.
Colorados largest current wildfire has blackened almost 30 square miles in the northwest part of the state near the Wyoming line. Firefighters dont expect to have that blaze contained until October.
A grand jury indicted three men Friday in connection with the killings of three people whose bodies were found in shallow graves in rural Sandoval County in late May.
Samuel Jimenez-Perez, Omar Flores-Castillo and Alberto Rodriguez were indicted on the same 14 felony charges, which include three counts of first-degree murder, three counts of kidnapping and one count each of extreme cruelty to animals, receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle and tampering with evidence.
The indictments allege that around Feb. 28 the defendants killed Samuel Sena, 25, Geraldine Sena, 48, and John Santistevan, 32, in Sandoval County.
The Sandoval County Sheriffs Office started investigating the triple homicide Feb. 29 after a stolen truck riddled with bullet holes and spattered with blood was discovered about a tenth of a mile from Hagen Road, according to a department incident report.
Sheriffs office spokesman Keith Elder said detectives found Geraldine Sena, Samuel Sena and Santistevan dead on May 31 about 12 miles southeast of San Felipe Casino. They had been reported missing March 17.
Elder said investigators learned that the Senas and Santistevan had been associated with people who were involved in criminal activity including mail theft, drug trafficking and transporting stolen vehicles to Mexico.
Details of the homicides remain elusive as some documents in the case have been sealed by court order. Elder said that making the documents public could put the victims family members in danger.
Rodriguez, Jimenez-Perez and Flores-Castillo are all scheduled to be arraigned before Judge George Eichwald on July 18.
Samuel Sena is Geraldine Senas son, and Santistevan was her boyfriend, according to a family member.
Two Valencia County dental office employees were arrested Monday on an 11-count federal indictment charging the two with forging prescriptions from a dental office for the painkiller hydrocodone and selling the pills.
Pamela Suniga, 52, and Barbara Hussey, 40, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute hydrocodone.
Suniga is charged with six counts of distributing hydrocodone from 2012 through 2015 and two counts of acquiring the drugs by forging prescriptions. Hussey is charged with one count of acquiring hydrocodone in 2015 by prescription forgery.
Suniga also is charged with embezzling more than $17,000 from dental insurance companies from December 2014 through October 2015. She also is charged with identity theft and making false statements.
The two are scheduled to appear in federal court this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven Yarbrough on an initial presentment of the charges.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy.
New Mexico Democrats called for a federal takeover of the states food assistance program Monday, just three days after the release of an internal Human Services Department report that found a long-standing pattern of program administrators disqualifying food stamp applicants from getting emergency benefits.
The report was unsealed last week by the federal judge overseeing a decades-long lawsuit against the agencys handling of the food assistance program. Human Services Secretary Brent Earnest had ordered the internal investigation after caseworker testimony in April.
07_08_2016_Interim ROI
His agency released a redacted version of the report on that investigation, but staff at the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty pointed out that the investigators with the HSDs Office of Investigator General did not interview any of the staffers who were identified by whistleblowers as having worked to falsify food stamp applications in order to disqualify emergency benefits, among other violations within the program.
The report is inadequate and incomplete, said Louise Pocock, staff attorney with the center. And the preliminary results are concerning.
Her organization has asked for a federal takeover of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. On Monday, leaders of the Democratic Party of New Mexico also called for a federal takeover.
Pocock said her group would like to see a takeover of about a year. Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, said Monday that six months would be a reasonable oversight duration.
HSD attorneys in court last week conceded that the department had failed to meet court-ordered deadlines for reform and agreed that it needed help. But they advocated for a less severe alternative to a takeover: a court-appointed special master with expertise, paid for by HSD, who could make recommendations for change.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Carmen Garza last week concluded testimony about the fraud and conspiracy allegations, among other issues. She will now rule on what level of oversight the department will receive.
Gov. Susana Martinezs office on Monday said the priority should be on delivering aid and continuing the investigation.
The governor takes any allegations of misconduct seriously and that is why HSD is conducting a thorough investigation. Protecting food assistance for our most vulnerable continues to be a priority, which is why more people than ever before are getting the SNAP benefits they need, Chris Sanchez, a spokesman for Martinez, said in a statement.
Meanwhile, HSD and investigators from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which funds food stamp programs, continue a separate investigation into the allegations, according to the report. Results could be forwarded to the state Attorney Generals Office or federal prosecutors.
As weve said before, we find the allegations very troubling, which is why we immediately launched an investigation and asked the USDA to assist us. In fact, our Inspector General continues to work with the USDA Office of Inspector General and will continue to do so until this investigation is complete, said Kyler Nerison, the agencys spokesman.
First and foremost, our priority is ensuring that New Mexicans who need assistance get the help they need.
Democracy is threatened
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY no better public example of cronyism and corruption than what has been revealed by the announcement of FBI Director (James) Comey regarding Hillary Clinton (Extremely careless but not criminal, July 6).
This administration, promising to be the most transparent in American history, has demonstrated just the opposite lies, deception and corruption on public display, using every department the FBI, the CIA, the DOJ, the State Department and the IRS to achieve its means to a goal the complete destruction of our American society through the abuse of personal power and privilege.
We know that politicians will be corrupted after they go to Washington, but who in the world would have ever thought that a candidate running for president would be proven to be corrupt before Election Day. The fact that the primary investigation into her violation of federal law is being protected for political reasons should send shivers down your spine even if you are a diehard Democrat.
If those in power will stop at nothing to maintain power, do you think that your puny life as a democratic voter will matter? You are foolish beyond words.
Trust me, (Donald) Trump winning the presidency will matter little in this ocean of political corruption. He is only one man. Every aspect of government has the dark stain of self-seeking on it.
But what is more disturbing is the ignorance and apparent willingness to allow it to continue by the majority of voters. In-your-face, blatant lies, corruption and lawlessness does not seem to matter any more. A sad reflection of the very society in which we now live.
GARY HAYS
Albuquerque
Clarifying details omitted
ON JULY 6, YOU published a front-page article on FBI Director James Comeys statement clearing Hillary Clinton of criminal charges (Extremely careless but not criminal.) Everything stated in the article was generally correct, but the writer omitted critical details which make the decision not to charge understandable.
The article does not mention that Comey stated that every case prosecuted under the relevant statutes in the past has involved some combination of intentional and willful mishandling of classified information or vast quantities of information exposed in such a way as to support an inference of intentional misconduct, or indications of disloyalty to the United States, or efforts to obstruct justice. We do not see those things here.
The FBI found only 110 emails, including both incoming and outgoing messages, containing classified material out of over 30,000 over four years. The statement does not indicate how many of those emails were marked as classified, noting only that only a very small number of the emails containing classified information bore markings indicating the presence of classified information. Considering the vast amount of information Clinton dealt with during her term, this seems to be a rare and unintentional error, properly described as regrettable carelessness.
One of your bullet points indicated that Clinton used not one, but multiple, servers. Comeys statement and example indicate that that was because, as one server was decommissioned, another was put into service.
Another bullet point was that Clinton and her team did delete emails as personal that contained professional information. Nowhere did you mention that the FBI found no evidence that any of the deleted emails were intentionally deleted in an effort to conceal them. Additionally, in referring to the sorting process of personal and professional done by Clintons lawyers, Comey stated that, although they could not reconstruct the record completely, he believed that their investigation has been sufficient to give us reasonable confidence there was no intentional misconduct in connection with that sorting effort.
In reporting on matters so critical to our democratic process, responsible journalists should take care not to omit critical clarifying details. This gives the impression of partisanship or, at least, sensationalism. In doing so, you discredit the efforts of Comey and the FBI to give the nation a careful and objective analysis of an overwhelmingly complicated issue.
KATHLEEN A. MILLER
Albuquerque
Intent was patently obvious
FBI DIRECTOR (James) Comey limply stated that there was no evidence of intent by Hillary or her staff concerning the handling of emails.
Has Comey really overlooked the most compelling piece of evidence proving intent? It is the establishment, location (and) covert use of the server itself, not to mention the wanton deletion of thousands of emails.
Heaven help us.
JOHN KRAPCHA
Albuquerque
Coverage was careless
THE COVER PAGE of the Journal (Extremely careless but not criminal, July 6) following the FBIs exoneration of Hillary Clinton was inappropriate, sensational and even careless not giving sufficient attention or thought to avoiding harm or errors.
The FBI conducted an extensive investigation of Clinton and found she had broken no law. And yet the Journal, in the biggest, boldest headline of recent times, chose to emphasize the FBIs finding that she had been careless. She was careless, but so is (Donald) Trump every time he opens his mouth to make another ill-informed remark.
Is it not careless to praise dictators, to send anti-Semitic tweets, to disparage people with disabilities, to show disrespect for Hispanics and to impugn the integrity of a judge because Trump believes his honor is from Mexico?
What is careless is the Albuquerque Journals excessive attention to Clintons faults and its lack of attention i.e., carelessness to Trumps obvious prejudices, his inadequate experience and his very unpresidential demeanor.
NAN BURKE
Albuquerque
Secrets will be at risk
ANY THINKING person knew long ago (that) (President) Obama, (Hillary) Clinton, the DOJ and the FBI decided how this would turn out before the review even started. No surprise disgust, but no surprise.
Forget an indictment, forget the circus show put on by the FBI for the benefit of the unwashed masses, of which I am a member. I would, however, ask folks to consider just how stupid we are as a nation in this day and age. To that point, I have held a secret or above security clearance for over 40 years. Without a doubt, if I had done anything even remotely resembling what Clinton has done, I would have lost my clearance forever and would have likely gone to jail.
Dont take my word for it, find an intellectually honest Clinton supporter who holds a clearance and ask them. I do understand the difficulty of that task since you are more likely to find Bigfoot first. I digress.
The point is this, as president, not only will Clinton have access to our most sensitive security information, but so will that bunch of horseholders and hangers-on that trail in her wake. There will (be)no problem rubber-stamping security clearances for anyone she wishes to have a clearance at any level. Obviously, laws and security procedures are for the little people.
However, I do have a suggestion to derive some benefit from this sad state of affairs. Why dont we just get rid of the FBI? We are apparently ruled by Roman-type emperors, so why not officially let our president/emperor simply give a thumbs up or down on national TV, and save all the time and expense?
TOM CHILDRESS
Albuquerque
Laws rewritten for powerful
THE FBI HAS now inserted a new diminution into our criminal law structure its called intent.
Based on this new defense, we should empty all our prisons and jails. The gangbanger who shot at his drug dealer, and instead hit and killed a six-year-old girl really didnt have the intent to kill the child and therefore should be set free. The drunk driver who ran a stop sign and killed three nuns walking across the street didnt have the intent of killing the nuns, so obviously he should be set free with no penalty. Right?
So, now, what is the difference between that and Hillary (Clinton) after signing a contract promising to keep information confidential by only using the State Department email system and then decided to use her own hidden system so no one could snoop on her. She didnt intend to get caught did she? So the FBI cleared her from criminal prosecution.
Not much different than our Supreme Court (Chief) Justice (John) Roberts throwing out a case against Obamacare by inserting language into the bill, calling a penalty charge a tax.
So this is the way the establishment violates the laws with total impunity, by adding language that was never intended. We need to fire all the crooked establishment and start all over again to Make America Great Again.
TOM BACON
Corrales
WHAT IS THE point of making certain types of fireworks illegal and having noise ordinances if there is zero enforcement? Albuquerque sounded like Fallujah until way past midnight on the Fourth, as well as for the three days prior. S.G.
WE DO NOT I repeat, do not as a city need the return of those awful red light cameras. Bad, bad idea. E.J.G.
THE NEW MEXICO Supreme Court pushes New Mexico back toward 50th place on quality of life with their ruling on right to die with dignity. Whats in it for us in the future? There will be more patient pain, bankruptcies and suicides. T.A.C.
THE NM State Fair is a shell of what it once was, the result of over 30 years of neglect and inept management. The once-exciting annual exposition has lost its mission. Its so bad that the number of days its open have been reduced. The attendance and revenues speak for themselves. Ninth best? Compared to what? E.A.P
AS LONG AS Albuquerque Police Department officers arent doing anything illegal, I dont care what they do on their time off. J.R.
MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS, legal or illegal, believe in hard work, opportunity and freedom. So I suggest we keep the 12 million illegal immigrants here, make them citizens and deport 12 million college-educated white liberals instead. A.P.
WERE THE Republicans worried about the no fly list when it was just about flying? Or is it only now that it might be used for buying guns that theyre all concerned about due process? Just wondering. J.H.
IT IS TIME for New Mexico to lead, not lag, in the drive toward renewable energy and zero carbon emissions. A.C.
NEW MEXICO isnt at the bottom of everything it has one of the highest numbers of uninsured drivers and some of the highest insurance rates in the country! D.C.
ONE OF THE greatest friends of poor people around the world an estimated 1.3 billion who lack running water and electricity is carbon-based fuels. D.M.
THE VETERANS Administration is a government-run single-payer system. Do we really want a single-payer system for everyone? Be careful what you wish for. The government does not do anything efficiently. L.W.
HOW ABOUT making it affordable to actually fly to Albuquerque? I cant find an affordable flight out of Milwaukee, Chicago or Madison (Wisc.). Dont you want people to visit your city? H.R.
ONE WAY TO improve education is to stop charging $550 per summer school credit! A.F.
DECADES OF Democrat rule in the states legislature has done its job ruining New Mexico. Whats the line about doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? Ask a Democrat. J.K.A.
IF I HAVE learned anything in my 73 years, it is this: When a project is shoved down the throats of a citys population, it is due to money. In this case, money from the federal government. Follow those funds to their final destinations and you will find the power behind ART. But, I also have learned, no one will. D.H.
GREAT, AN AUTO glass replacement company to fix the ever popular plastic/cardboard/duct-taped vehicles from the constant vandalism that happens here. Now, if only they can require the insurance to cover the replacement. D.P.
WE NEED DIVERSITY, with passion, to keep New Mexico strong. Speak up, not down. If you need help, ask for help to keep our society free of passive behavior. M.G.
RETURNING THE LAND to its ancestry is a value beyond description! The Santa Ana Pueblo has always been a leader for its people and its roots! It is a great day to be a Native American. Other tribes should take note! H.S.
THE BOSQUE DOESNT need improving. It just needs to be left alone. The fauna and flora will do their job if we leave them alone. Keep dog poop out and dogs on leashes. V.H.
Speak Up Rules
If you want to gripe, grouse, whine or bellyache about a generic topic, submit your message at www.ABQjournal.com/letters/speakup . The same goes if you want to dish out praise or thanks. Either way, you have to do it in 50 words or less. You cant identify anyone you criticize. Keep it clean. No cursing, please. We dont need your name, just initials. And its cheaper than therapy.
TALKaOF THEaTOWN
Key info left out of ART presentations
RE: CITY OFFERS virtual tours of rapid transit stations, (June 29).
Wow. We are making some gains with our stop this ART campaign. The city is having now to go out with this tech gimmick to sell this project, which has very little public support.
I have not seen this virtual tour, but I bet it shows nothing of the damages to the communities along Lead/Coal/Zuni that will be negatively impacted by this ART.
That is one of the main points of the legal challenges there was no environmental impact study done of this project, which alone makes it an illegal and doomed project. The city probably knew that, once folks along the impacted new traffic routes through the highly dense communities would find out about it, they would strongly come out against it, which they have. This key information was left out of the public presentations as non-essential. Hell and high water is not unimportant.
I am glad so many businesses along Central got the resistance started as it now gives time to the rest of those impacted to get organized and supportive.
ROBERT ANDERSON
Albuquerque
Jill Stein is a good option for president
HURRAY FOR JILL Stein! And hurray for Daniel McLaughlin for his letter of July 3 about her and for you, Albuquerque Journal, for printing his letter!
Readers of newspapers arent many these days, but they seem to share a need for knowledge and are already aware of the grim state of the world and of our country. Some do not know, though, that Jill Stein is running for president; that shes the Green Party candidate on the November ballot; and that the Greens goals are almost identical to Bernie Sanders.
The time for political revolution is now, as Bernie has said repeatedly. Its time to rebel against global warming, war, inequality and being taken to the cleaners day after day. Bernies been sidelined, but the need for revolution is real and attainable through Jill Stein!
Experienced Hillary Clinton is too close to Wall Street and too inclined to war; maybe-billionaire Donald Trump has no experience governing, is untrustworthy and too rude to represent the nation; Governor no Gary Johnson wants government out of peoples lives so they can fend for themselves, would cut or eliminate all government activities in order, above all else, to balance the budget.
Only Jill Stein offers, as McLaughlin writes, a reasoned, progressive vision with bold solutions to the problems that our country faces. Look up Jill Stein. Join the revolution! Do something to help make Jill Stein our next president!
LYNN OLSON
Deming
Zika rider targets poorest of women
CONGRESS HAS AGAIN failed to pass the bill to fund a fight against Zika (virus), because of a rider that intends to de-fund Planned Parenthood in Puerto Rico. Could someone please explain to me why limiting access to contraceptives to the poorest of women is what we should do? Puerto Rico is poverty-stricken.
I cannot understand why anyone would attach such a rider to the anti-Zika funding. Not controlling the mosquitoes means more Zika-infected mothers, which means more deformed children.
So, is this some sick subversive ploy to keep Puerto Rico in poverty? Or is it some sick, subversive ploy to blame our president for not stopping the Zika virus? Or is it some sick, subversive ploy to bring more microcephalics into the world? Why would anyone put such a rider onto the Zika funding bill? Please explain this to me!
I hope Congress will pass the presidents request for funding to fight this mosquito-borne horror. I can only hope the persons responsible for these sick, twisted riders will take pity on us women who have such terrible choices to make. Where is your humanity? Please write your congressperson!
I see that (Rep.) Steve Pearce was absent again on this vote, but perhaps he is among those who have those sick, subversive motivations. If there is some other explanation, please explain it to me!
MICHELE BUCHANAN
Albuquerque
IMF bosss suggestions echo Bernies
FROM THE BEGINNING of Bernie Sanders campaign, the Socialist Democrat from Vermont faced a press that either ignored him or made fun of him. The comedians still make jokes about his hair and his age. Donald Trumps coverage was 23 times the coverage of Sanders, although Bernie broke records for fundraising in March with $44 million raised without Super PACs.
People laughed at Sanders platform for being unrealistic and too expensive. Among Bernies ideas were relieving college students with huge debts by providing free tuition for public schools, increasing the minimum wage to $15, breaking up Wall Street, and providing paid maternity and sick leave.
Yet, on June 26, the Albuquerque Journal printed a surprising speech in the business section reported by Paul Wiseman, an AP economics writer. The reporter covered a news conference where the International Monetary Managing Director, Christine Lagarde, announced that the IMF is downgrading the forecast for the U.S. economy this year. The U.S. faces longer term economic problems, including an aging labor force, weak productivity growth and growing income inequality.
In addition, the IMF managing director recommends raising the minimum wage to help the poor and offer maternity leave to encourage more women to work. Offering paid family leave and help with childcare costs could encourage more women to seek jobs. Lagarde noted that the U.S. is the only rich country in the world that does not offer paid maternity leave . She added that, to combat widening income inequality and help for the poor, she recommends a higher minimum wage and expanded tax breaks for low-income Americans. If you think this sounds familiar, it certainly is! Many of her ideas are strikingly similar to Sanders.
Lagarde is widely respected and has been the managing director of the International Fund since July 2011. I dont believe anyone is laughing at her suggestions to promote a better economy in the United States. Let us look closely to see what Hillary Clinton and her delegates adopt from Sanders at the Democratic convention.
I applaud Bernie for introducing his radical and unrealistic vision to America.
SARA VANCE
Albuquerque
We need correct information on issue
FEW PEOPLE WILL read the opinion in favor of Whole Womens Health v. Hellerstadt handed down by the Supreme Court (last month). Instead, they might read this opinion piece (Top courts abortion ruling perpetuates misogyny, June 29) which states uninformed, irrational and incorrect information. The policies (author Kristen) Hatten supports do not improve health care or empowerment for women, despite what she is claiming here. She has one position: disregard a womans decision and force a woman to continue a pregnancy.
The laws she supports only placed barriers in the way of women making important life decisions. These policies only gave lip service to better care while the data showed the opposite. The state of Texas could not show one instance where these laws meant to improve the health and safety of women actually did so.
By continuing to publish these spurious ideas, the Albuquerque Journal does a disservice to our community. Correct information is needed to help people understand what is going on in the world. Immunizations do not cause autism. Over-exposure to the sun damages skin. Abortion is legal, safe and should be a part of any womans health care without interference. I hope that the Journal will do more to prevent disinformation from misinforming our community.
SANDRA F. PENN
Albuquerque
Keep Warren, Sanders in the Senate
WHILE THE CHOICE of a running mate by Hillary Clinton of either Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders may seem attractive, I think it would be a grave mistake.
It is logical to assume that either choice would gather progressive Democratic and independent votes into Clintons fold. It no doubt would, but what would happen if she were elected?
Traditionally, a vice president publicly supports his/her presidents political agenda. While you might assume that Vice President Sanders or Warren could hold President Clinton to the progressive views she expressed while campaigning, they would have no real power to do so. His/her voice would be muted or completely silenced.
But, if Warren and Sanders remained in the Senate, they would be focal points for rallying Americans who support progressive platforms. With millions of voters behind them, these powerful leaders could demand that President Clinton heed those citizens expectations.
ADELE E. ZIMMERMANN
Embudo
Words are failing; we now need actions
ACROSS THE GLOBE, we hear world leaders utter the words We must stand together against terrorism.
So far, standing together has resulted in condemnation of terrorist acts in the strongest words. Those words have not stopped the heinous acts. Not even slowed them.
When, for goodness sake, will we move from reactive to proactive?
JACK HERTZ
Albuquerque
Give dogs on buses plan a chance
LINDSAY SLOANS June 28 letter to the editor (Protection animals could be a threat) makes some good points, especially regarding allowing protection dogs on buses. I question the assumption, however, that there will be increased danger because of untrained animals freaking out on the buses.
I have seen many dogs on buses, most of which were not service dogs, and have yet to see one which wasnt well-behaved and properly restrained by its owner. I also question how many people would actually take advantage of the new rule. Unless one is taking ones pet to the vet, dog park, hike in the country or a friends home, why would the dog be along? Pets are not welcome in stores or in restaurants without patios. In this climate, it is in the dogs best interest to be home.
One solution to the problem of dogs getting rowdy on the bus and attacking one another is to allow only one dog per bus, or require two dogs to be at opposite ends. On many bus lines, this would work and has in other communities. On, say, the 31 Wyoming, however, this could present a problem, since those buses only come along once in a short lifetime and dog number 2 or 3 might get a tad antsy waiting, as do the owners.
There does need to be a safe, reasonable solution for those of us who have pets, rely on public transport and must take the dog. If my dog, a small long-haired dachshund, needs to go the vet, we walk. If he is very ill, I carry him, from Pennsylvania to halfway between Wyoming and Eubank. Uncomfortable for him if we walk, for me if I carry him. Taxis are out of the question here in Albuquerque due to the ridiculous cost.
So I applaud the City Council for at least giving this plan a chance.
KRISTIN MASTERS
Albuquerque
Wilderness designation is not working
I AM A 30-year-old and I am also very concerned with the future of the landscape in New Mexico specifically. I want to do my best to ensure a future for my three young children.
Wilderness designation is the worst decision that New Mexicans and any politicians who work for us could make. By designating any land as wilderness, we would be doing nothing but hurting the land, the water and any animals, wild or domestic, as well as humans that depend on the landscape to survive.
The forests in New Mexico are already so mismanaged that devastating wildfires sweep through and have so much fuel to burn (that) they sterilize the land-killing native plants and grasses; in years to follow these devastating fires come rains which cause flooding, erosion, ash to be swept into rivers and streams suffocating all living species.
If the forests were open to multiple use, this would reduce fuels and support local economies, create jobs and more revenue for the state.
Wilderness and the Endangered Species Act have trumped any hope or ability to do that. It is time to say enough is enough and become true conservationists!
MEGAN RICHARDSON
Winston
EDINBURG, Texas Border Patrol agents have found the bodies of two immigrants in rural South Texas on a day when temperatures topped the 90s.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials on Tuesday announced the deaths and warned about the dangers of human smuggling during the summer heat.
A CBP statement says the Kenedy County Sheriffs Office received an anonymous call about a body at a ranch. The caller described the location, which assisted agents in locating the victim on Friday.
Agents in McAllen, working in the brush near Havana, discovered another body later Friday.
Authorities did not immediately release additional information about the victims.
The National Weather Service predicted highs in the upper 90s on Tuesday for parts of far South Texas.
COLUMBIA, S.C. A fire department captain in South Carolinas capital has been dismissed for posting on social media that he would run over protesters if they were still blocking traffic when his shift ended.
News media outlets report that Capt. Jimmy Morris, a 16-year veteran of the department, was fired Monday over Facebook posts about Black Lives Matter protesters.
Protesters closed an intersection near the Statehouse and prompted the closing of a small section of Interstate 126, a thoroughfare into Columbia, late Sunday. There were no arrests, injuries or property damage reported.
The protests came after blacks were killed by police in Minnesota and Louisiana and white officers were gunned down in Dallas.
The news reports say that in one post, Morris said the idiots blocking traffic better not be there when I get off work or there is gonna be some run over dumb a-.
The next read, Public Service Announcement: If you attempt to shut down an interstate, highway, etc on my way home, you best hope Im not one of the first vehicles in line because youre a WILL get run over!
Morris did not respond to several messages left at telephone numbers listed with his name.
Columbia Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins called the posts totally inappropriate, especially following last weeks violent events.
The Columbia Fire Department will not condone or tolerate this type of unprofessional behavior by any employee, Jenkins said in a statement, saying Morris discredited the reputation of his colleagues in the department.
City Manager Teresa Wilson said the posts violated the citys handbook regarding employees conduct and responsibilities when communicating and working with the public.
Any actions taken to communicate or demonstrate a lack of respect for the lives and safety of others falls into the category of zero tolerance,' she said in a statement.
University of New Mexico nanoscience and microsystems engineer Harry Pappas believes an anti-microbial cleaning wipe he helped develop at UNM will allow hospitals and medical clinics to kill bacteria in a single swipe.
Pappas, who graduated from UNM this year, is working to market the product through his recently formed company, BioSafe Technologies LLC. The startup already has financial backing from the Nevada-based venture investment firm Sunbelt Technologies Management LLC, allowing it to license the technology from UNM, seek U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approval to sell its anti-microbial wipes and begin marketing efforts in the medical industry.
Pappas personifies the type of young, aspiring student-turned-entrepreneur that UNM is seeking to inspire, train and assist through Innovate ABQ, the high-tech research and development hub the university is building at Central and Broadway Downtown with the city, the county and private partners.
To highlight those goals, Innovate ABQ invited Pappas to speak at the groundbreaking Tuesday morning for the projects first building a six-story, 160,000-square-foot facility that will open in August 2017. The ground floor will house commercialization programs for emerging technology from UNM and the states other research universities and national labs, UNMs educational Innovation Academy for student entrepreneurs, and up to 310 students in two-bedroom apartments on the buildings five upper floors.
Innovate ABQ will allow students and researchers to surround themselves with others who have similar goals in entrepreneurship and innovation, Pappas told about 75 people who gathered for the groundbreaking. They need lots of skill sets, such as communications, team work, problem solving and critical thinking. They can learn those things from the new opportunities offered through Innovate ABQ and the Innovation Academy.
UNM President Robert Frank said Innovate ABQ will provide a place where students and researchers can come together with entrepreneurs and business professionals to gain the skills and access the resources they need to launch and grow new businesses like BioSafe.
These startups, these seedlings, I think will grow into full-scale businesses here, Frank said at the event.
Local, state and private sector leaders attended the groundbreaking, which kicked off the first new construction at the old Baptist Church property, a seven-acre site UNM acquired in 2014 with funding from its public and private partners.
Mayor Richard Berry called the groundbreaking a new day for economic development based on the public and private sectors working together.
Its the wave of the future, Berry said. (Were) taking risks on behalf of the next generation of leaders.
Pappas said such efforts are critical for young people like him to pursue entrepreneurship.
Pappas is now president and CEO of BioSafe, which is using technology developed by David Whitten, associate director of UNMs Center for Biomedical Engineering, in cooperation with University of Florida chemist Kirk Schanze. They developed a synthetic compound that attaches to bacteria and, when hit by light, emits an element that kills bacteria and most other pathogens.
Pappas worked to imbed that compound in an anti-bacterial cleaning wipe.
Young people like Harry Pappas are key to commercializing technology like this, Whitten said. Hes now gained far more business knowledge than I have to take this to market.
Bernalillo County announced Tuesday it again is seeking a new jail administrator to manage the Metropolitan Detention Center after Michael A. Watkins of San Benito, Texas, withdrew.
He was selected to head the jail just three weeks ago and was to begin work next Monday.
The organizational structure of the Metropolitan Detention Center is critical, County Manager Julie Morgas-Baca said in a news release announcing the unexpected reopening of the job. We will move forward to ensure we hire the best candidate for this position.
The county will meet this week to discuss the next steps for filling the position. Capt. Ray Gonzales will be acting as interim jail administrator until a replacement is hired, the county said.
County officials offered no explanation for Watkin's withdrawal, and he was not immediately available for comment.
A county hiring committee considered 45 applications, interviewed 11 people and named three finalists, finally settling on Watkins, who is retired but had worked as a corrections executive for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
A spokeswoman for the jail didn't say if Watkins gave a reason for turning down the position. A message left at his Texas home wasn't returned.
The Metropolitan Detention Center has 586 employees and 2,236 beds for inmates. MDC continues to strive to keep its population below a court-ordered cap of 1,950 inmates and to end a 20-year lawsuit that focuses on overcrowding.
Watkins was deputy field office director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Harlingen, Texas, from 2012-15. He supervised 1,400 employees across five detention centers with roughly 3,500 beds, according to Bernalillo County.
Watkins has also worked as a detention chief for the U.S. Department of Justice.
Hugh Jackman is suiting up for the third installment of the Wolverine franchise.
And New Mexico is getting a piece of the pie.
The New Mexico Film Office announced the project as Fox Louisiana Production on Tuesday, although its clear the film is Wolverine 3 based on the director and producers.
The feature is directed by James Mangold, who was at the helm of The Wolverine in 2013.
It is also being produced by Hutch Parker and Simon Kinberg who produced X-Men: Days of Future Past. Parker also produced The Wolverine.
According to the state Film Office, principal photography began this month and will run through August in the Duke City, Rio Rancho, Abiquiu and Chama.
The production will employ about 130 New Mexico crew members and two New Mexico cast members, as well as 600 extras throughout the production, the film office stated.
New Mexico continues to be a top player in the film and television industry, said Nick Maniatis, Film Office director. This latest production announcement is a testament to the hard-working and talented people in our state who have become a vibrant, sustainable and diverse contributor to our economy.
Also starring in the film is Boyd Holbrook, who is a regular on the Netflix series Narcos. He has appeared in past New Mexico-made films Jane Got a Gun, The Host and The Reunion.
Holbrook will play the lead villain opposite Jackman and Patrick Stewart. He will play a relentless, calculating and intense head of security for a global enterprise who is set against Jackmans clawed Wolverine/Logan hero.
Eriq La Salle, Stephen Merchant, Elise Neal and Elizabeth Rodriguez will also star.
According to the Internet Movie Database, the estimated budget for the film is $127 million. Production began in New Orleans in May. It is slated for a March 3 release.
PHOENIX A former Glendale elementary school physical education teacher who pleaded guilty in a sex case has been sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Maricopa County Superior Court officials say John Todorich was sentenced Tuesday.
Prosecutors say Todorich changed his plea to guilty on June 9 as jury selection was beginning for his trial.
Todorich pleaded guilty to three counts of luring a minor for sexual exploitation, transporting persons for purposes of prostitution, sexual conduct with a minor, child prostitution, attempt to commit child prostitution and attempt to commit luring a minor for sexual exploitation.
Todorich was arrested in September 2012 and charged with 10 counts including child molestation, luring a minor for sexual exploitation and child prostitution.
He was 55 at the time and taught phys-ed at Arroyo Elementary School.
The Oregon-based company behind the Volcanes Commons apartments on Albuquerques West Side is now looking to build another affordable housing community in the Duke City.
Tirol Housing LLC is planning a 190-apartment development on a vacant site near Pan American Freeway and Montgomery NE, between the FBI building and the North Diversion Channel.
The project estimated at $17 million in construction could break ground early next year, said Tirols development project manager, Casey Cameron.
Tirol is a familiar name in Albuquerque. It also owns Volcanes Commons near West Mesa High School, a 198-unit development previously known as Glenrio.
Like Volcanes Commons, the new project currently called Arroyo Vista Apartments would be built by Pavilion Construction, which Cameron estimated has done projects with an estimated 4,000 units across New Mexico.
As planned, Arroyo Vista will have five three-story buildings and a one-story office. The apartments will all be income-restricted, Cameron said.
The developer is seeking a zone change for the 6.8-acre property, which is currently zoned to allow for certain industrial park uses like warehouses, manufacturing and offices. Tirols request to rezone for multifamily residential use is scheduled to go before the citys Environmental Planning Commission on Thursday.
DENVER Two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees pleaded guilty to poaching-related charges in the killing of a trophy-class bull elk in western Colorado, state officials said Tuesday.
Thad Bingham, 44, and Brian Scheer, 45, pleaded guilty to trespassing on private land that was closed to hunting at the time of the 2014 incident, Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Mike Porras said.
Bingham also pleaded guilty to illegal wildlife possession, the state said. Bingham shot the animal with a bow and arrow, Porras said. Scheer and two other men who didnt work for the federal agency were along on the hunt, he said.
The investigation began after Bingham posted a photo of himself with the elk online, and state officers could tell from the image that the area was off-limits to hunting, officials said.
Investigators obtained warrants to search a federal fish hatchery where Bingham and Scheer work as well as Binghams home. Officers recovered the elks antlers at Binghams home, Porras said.
No phone number could be found for Bingham or Scheer. Both live in Fruita.
Fish and Wildlife Service spokeswoman Anna Munoz said both men still work for the agency, but she couldnt comment on whether the service took any action against them.
Poachers come from all walks of life, but everyone is subject to the same rules and regulations, said JT Romatzke, a Colorado Parks and Wildlife area wildlife manager.
State officials identified the other two men on the hunt as Josh Fitzsimmons, 45, of Rifle and Barrett Rowles, 48 of Collbran. Both pleaded guilty to trespassing, the state said.
Fitzsimmons didnt immediately return a phone message. No number could be found for Rowles.
Bingham was fined $200 and ordered to donate $5,000 to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. The other three were fined $86 each.
They could also lose their Colorado hunting and fishing privileges for five years after a review by a hearing officer.
The nations highest court will likely have to settle a dispute between Texas and New Mexico over management of water from the Rio Grande a case with the potential to dramatically curb groundwater pumping in some of New Mexicos most fertile valleys and force the state to pay as much as $1 billion in damages.
Officials in both states have been waiting nearly a year for a recommendation on how the case should be handled.
Now, a special master assigned by the U.S. Supreme Court is recommending the rejection of a motion by New Mexico to dismiss the case, meaning it can move forward as long as the high court agrees.
Texas sued in 2013, claiming New Mexico failed to deliver water as required under a decades-old compact involving the river that serves more than 6 million people in several major cities and irrigates more than 3,100 square miles of farmland in the U.S. and Mexico.
Sen. Joe Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, whose district includes the border region, said the special masters recommendation was not a surprise, and that he and a small group of lawmakers have been warning about potentially dire outcomes if Texas gains the upper hand in the legal battle.
Cervantes said the recommendation to let the case proceed seems to support demands by Texas for more water from the Rio Grande.
A great deal more water delivered to Texas to make up for historic shortfalls seems to be a clear direction hes going, Cervantes said of the special master. And since water wont make up for all of the shortfalls, were looking at the risk of large financial damages.
The parties have a chance to respond to the special master before the Supreme Court weighs in on what is the latest legal battle over water to pit states against one another. Connecticut and Massachusetts, Nebraska and Wyoming, and New York and New Jersey all have been embroiled in water disputes over the decades.
The federal government has weighed in on the New Mexico-Texas case, arguing that pumping north of the border is tapping a shallow aquifer that would otherwise drain back into the Rio Grande and flow to Texas and eventually to Mexico.
Officials in Texas made similar claims about water shortages under the compact more than a decade ago. Irrigation districts that serve farmers on both sides of the border reached an operating agreement with the federal government in 2008 that shared the burdens of drought while ensuring everyone received water allotments.
NM Fired first shot
Local water managers say the agreement worked even during the driest of times, but former New Mexico Attorney General Gary King insisted the deal was more beneficial to Texas and sued over his concerns, setting the stage for Texas to take its complaints to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Current Attorney General Hector Balderas said New Mexico will continue to work diligently to protect state residents and their water supply.
New Mexico argues that its only duty under the compact is to deliver water to Elephant Butte Reservoir for storage for downstream users. It also argues that state law, not the compact, governs the distributions of water released from Elephant Butte within state boundaries.
Officials with the Elephant Butte Irrigation District responsible for funneling Rio Grande Project water to farmers and other users say the special masters report implies that the water is protected by the compact and federal law.
In his report, the special master suggested New Mexico has a stunted interpretation of the compact and that the state may not divert or intercept water its required to deliver downstream.
The Rio Grande stretches from southern Colorado, through New Mexico and Texas and into Mexico. In recent years, stretches of the river have gone dry in New Mexico and flows often dont reach the Gulf of Mexico.
HOBBS, N.M. Former long-time Hobbs News-Sun editor Gil Hinshaw has died at the age of 89.
The Hobbs News-Sun reports (http://bit.ly/29V22jd) that Hinshaw died Saturday. No cause of death was listed.
An editor at the paper for nearly two decades, Hinshaw started in journalism at his high school newspaper in Tennessee. He joined the Army, serving during the Korean War, and later enlisted in the Air Force and worked in journalism and public affairs overseas.
After returning to the U.S., he worked as a reporter in Altus, Oklahoma, before coming to New Mexico, where he worked for The Associated Press and The Albuquerque Tribune.
He later served as the editor of newspapers in Tucumcari and Carlsbad and was known for chronicling Lea County history.
A private service for Hinshaw will be held in Hobbs.
___
Information from: Hobbs News-Sun, http://www.hobbsnews.com
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By Jon Rappoport
Heres your chance to take to the streets and protest for a cause you believe in. Many thousands will be at your side. When the violence hits, you can run, go crazy, and hopefully escape police batons, water cannons, and flying bullets
This isnt one company looking for actors and extras to protest against Trump in the streets of Cleveland, during the Republican National Convention next week. This is much bigger.
This is a year-long recruitment drive for extras.
You cant have violence from just a few lone individuals on a quiet street in a city. It doesnt play well for the media.
No, you need lots of extras and dupes and know-nothings to be therepeople who commit no violence themselves, but give the impression of supporting it, people the cops can attack when the going gets nasty, people who will scream and scatter and run in every direction and throw trash and destroy cars. You need a full-blown theatrical production. For the news.
So weve had the US Attorney General, the US President, and Hillary Clinton meeting with Black Lives Matter (BLM) leaders. Weve had major media promoting BLM. Were seeing violent street protests against police violence across the country, and were seeing violence against the police.
This pumps up recruiting for the RNC Cleveland Convention next week, in a city where local officials seemed to have just awakened to the scope of the problem theyre going to face. A few months ago, they put in an order for a several hundred bicycles for cops. Cops on bikes? Really? How about cardboard barriers, too, and free marshmallows?
On the one hand, in Cleveland, we have DHS and FBI and Secret Service officers visiting the homes of activists, asking them what their plans are for the Conventiona clear attempt at intimidating them. On the other hand, city officials are still trying, at this late date, to work out arrangements with other cities, so policemen can be brought in to ramp up security.
Clearly, there are agent provocateurs of various persuasions, blending in and among the BLM and pro-immigration groups. These agents would commit the incendiary violence. They would strike the match. To say they are a rerun of the old FBI Cointelpro operation is an oversimplification. The infiltrators could come from several different groups with different ideologies and agendasbut initiating violence is the common denominator.
There is also no telling what kind of blanket the DHS, FBI, and Secret Service are going to try to throw over Cleveland. Is it going to be intentionally light and tattered, to give the violence a chance to spread? Are emergency calls from the mayor of the city, to the governor, going to be answered casually, and with intentional delays? After all, the governor of Ohio is John Kasich, a Republican who ran against Donald Trump for the nomination and despises him. Will Kasich send in state-guard troops right away, or will he hold back? Will the feds, who are supporting Hillary, slow-play the arrival of their forces?
Judging from the way the city government of Cleveland has handled its budget problems over the years, as the city has sunk into further debt and poverty, there is no reason to expect local security for the Convention to be anywhere near sensible or adequate.
Meanwhile, the recruiting for extras and actors continues. People-protestors are needed in the streets. People who avidly support: Bernie Sanders, BLM, unlimited immigration, gender equality, politically correct speech, gun control, the upcoming Globalist trade treaties, more jobs leaving America, the federalization of polices forces, the manufacture of running shoes overseas in slave-labor camps, love and unity, it takes a village, free cell phones, free tuition at illiterate colleges, Hobbits, Harry Potter, the EU, cheap lead-based imports from China, the full CDC schedule of vaccines, more chewing gum for the masses, and the imminent landing of humane messiahs from Andromeda.
Climb on board. Fill out the crowds in Cleveland next week. Be there. Be an extra. Be an actor when the violence begins. Feel the surge of adrenaline.
Youre a dupe.
Youre there because somebody is willing to risk your life in the service of a greater cause: creating chaos, and eventually coming in behind it to install order that sucks away rights and freedoms from everyone. Exactly what you want, right?
When freedom disappears, that must mean more free government goodies are on the way, correct? Those goodies assuage the loss of liberty.
Ill take three gallons of ice cream in return for my First and Fourth Amendments.
Wait, I also want professional help with my social media, so I can broadcast messages about killing people I dont like.
Sign up now. Free hotel rooms in Cleveland while supplies last. Practice your facial expressions of extreme anger and outrage for the news cameras. Some signs available, but make your own. Just be on the streets. Help fill out the crowds. Put your body on the line. The advancing police state needs you.
The upcoming Cleveland production isnt about Bernie or the BLM or pro-immigration or Trump or the Republicans. Its about orchestration.
Its about planned theater. Its about rigging conflict and rigging a formula which will appear to demand greater clamp-down on everyone living in America.
And its also about using the residents of poverty-stricken inner cities across America, who have descended to new lows of desperation, as pawns in the whole drama. Pawns are sacrificed.
On a final note, Ill present whats called a Clue. During the entire history of the so-called federal War on Poverty, which was launched in 1966, and after the estimated expenditure of two trillion dollars, what is the result we see now?
We see a worsening of life.
During this humane campaign, when did a President or high government official highlight a single stunning individual success? Im talking, for example, about an inner-city businessman who, against all odds, created a thriving local company.
When did we see that person held up for praise, not just for a moment, not just at a White House photo-op, not just at a local city picnicbut for the purpose of learning, for the purpose of understanding how success is achievedso that others could follow in those footsteps?
After all, isnt this kind of success the prime concept in winning the war on poverty? Isnt this the path? Isnt this the way out of poverty, as opposed to the expansion of eternal dependence on the government?
But you see, actual success and victory were never the goals. The goal was the creation of a permanent underclass, which could be provoked and manipulated and used for exactly the kind of violence were seeing now.
Violence, then clamp-down, then more loss of freedom, and the expansion of a police state. Follow the bouncing ball.
The cynical exploitation of the upcoming Cleveland Convention is just one more step in that progression.
And street actors and extras are needed.
People who wont ever know what role theyre actually playing in a piece of live theater theyll never understand.
(To read about Jons mega-collection, The Matrix Revealed, click here.)
The author of three explosive collections, THE MATRIX REVEALED, EXIT FROM THE MATRIX, and POWER OUTSIDE THE MATRIX, Jon was a candidate for a US Congressional seat in the 29th District of California. He maintains a consulting practice for private clients, the purpose of which is the expansion of personal creative power. Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, he has worked as an investigative reporter for 30 years, writing articles on politics, medicine, and health for CBS Healthwatch, LA Weekly, Spin Magazine, Stern, and other newspapers and magazines in the US and Europe. Jon has delivered lectures and seminars on global politics, health, logic, and creative power to audiences around the world. You can sign up for his free NoMoreFakeNews emails here or his free OutsideTheRealityMachine emails here.
By Janet Phelan
Dual-use may be best understood by considering the functions of a knife. Used against an enemy, a knife can be deadly. In the hands of a skilled surgeon, a knife may be life-saving, removing a gangrenous appendage or excising a cancerous mass.
Wikipedia defines dual-use this way: In politics and diplomacy, dual-use is technology that can be used for both peaceful and military aims. More generally speaking, dual-use can also refer to any technology which can satisfy more than one goal at any given time.
Behind the debate over the Iran nuclear deal lurked the dual-use issue. On the one hand, there were those claiming that Iran had every right to develop nuclear power in pursuit of peaceful aims. In the other camp were those who maintained that possession of nuclear technology was a path towards developing nuclear weapons, and in the hands of a regime hostile to Americas purported friend and ally, Israel, was too dangerous to be allowed to manifest.
Dual-use has implications reaching beyond nuclear science. Those watching the development of what is termed biodefense are uncomfortably aware that the production of countermeasures for biological weapons also necessitates the development and possession of the weapon itself. Increasingly, accusations are being levied that countermeasure research may be a cover for weapons development.
In the biological sciences, the debate concerning dual-use technology just ramped up a notch. Recently, the office of the US Director of National Intelligence issued a report declaring that genome editing constituted a weapon of mass destruction. Stated the report: Given the broad distribution, low cost, and accelerated pace of development of this dual-use technology, its deliberate or unintentional misuse might lead to far-reaching economic and national security implications.
Although the report did not cite Crispr-Cas9 by name, the reference to this gene editing tool was clear. The Crispr-Cas9 was developed in 2012 by Jennifer Doudna, a Berkeley professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and is considered revolutionary in its potential impact on life sciences. Cheap (one can acquire the components for $60 online) and easy to use, the Crisp-Cas9 allows scientists to edit genes in order to correct genetic illnesses.
Doudnas discovery has some folks positively chirping. Gushes Techcrunch,
Doudna found a protein in Streptococcus bacteria that will snip certain DNA at precise areas. Its like a sort of biological scissors that cuts the DNA where you want to cut. And it has the potential to eradicate cancer, Parkinsons, herpes, or even do away with disease-bearing mosquitoes. It can also make microorganisms produce spider silk, the scent of roses, glow in the dark and many other actions so far. What Doudna has embarked upon, in short, is the find of the century.
Applied to the human germline, however, some darker concerns emerge. Germline editing would impact those cells which would transmit the alterations to future generations. And it is this potential that has Director of National Intelligence James Clapper worried.
For not only can the Crispr-Cas9 replace cells which are causing illness; it can also be used in editing heritable cells in embryos which will pass on the changes. It is now possible for scientists (and whomever else has the 60 bucks) to create a new line of human beings. And here potentially lies the dual-use conundrum of Crispr-Cas9.
The office of the DNI declined to comment further on the inclusion of germline editing as a potential weapon of mass destruction. However, the DNI report contains some language that deserves further scrutiny and elucidates why this technology has hit the intelligence communitys radar.
According to the DNI report,
Research in genome editing conducted by countries with different regulatory or ethical standards than those of Western countries probably increases the risk of the creation of potentially harmful biological agents or products.
The regulatory standards of Western countries, however, do not necessarily prohibit this kind of research.
While Great Britain is often cited as having laws which prohibit germline editing, the British government permits, at its discretion, this research. Recently, TIME Magazine reported that Great Britain has given the green light to a germline editing research project. According to TIME, The U.K.s Human Fertilization and Embryo Authority (HFEA) decided to approve a researchers request to use Crispr to permanently change DNA in a human embryo.
The project, which is launched by the Francis Crick Institute, is specifically a research-only project, we are told. I promise you she has no intention of the embryos ever being put back into a woman for development, Robin Lovell-Badge, group leader at the Crick Institute, told TIME.
Germline editing got a big dose of publicity last year, when it was reported that researchers in China had accomplished germ-line editing on embryos, also without implanting the embryos. As a result, an international summit was called last December, for the purposes of examining the ethics of this technology. The summit, which took place in Washington, DC, issued a statement which fell short of condemning this research. Instead, the summit asserted that the technical and ethical issues should be settled before anyone attempts to edit the human germline.
The closing statement read:
It would be irresponsible to proceed with any clinical use of germline editing unless and until the relevant safety and efficacy issues have been resolved, based on appropriate understanding and balancing of risks, potential benefits, and alternatives, and there is broad societal consensus about the appropriateness of the proposed application.
The US does not prohibit the use of germline editing. The National Institutes of Health has declared, NIH will not fund any use of gene-editing technologies in human embryos. The concept of altering the human germline in embryos for clinical purposes has been debated over many years from many different perspectives, and has been viewed almost universally as a line that should not be crossed.
While appearing to condemn the use of this technology, what the NIH has done here is to allow it to be privately funded. This opens the door for wealthy eugenicists, such as Bill Gates, to create an entirely new strain of human beings, and to do so without violating any law.
This may be seen as an aspect of a duality in US law, which appears to discourage while actually is encouraging certain types of activity.
The fix may be in. Recently, the Hastings Center announced it received a grant to study the ethics of human genome editing. In its news release, Hastings stated that The three-year project, which is supported with nearly $1 million from the Templeton Foundation, is examining a variety of fundamental questions about how use of gene editing in humans might affect human flourishing and core human values such as love, compassion, acceptance, and respect for those with disability.
The Templeton Foundation funds research into eclectic areas and provides grant money to speculative research on spiritual issues. Sir John Templeton was a follower of the Chicago School neoliberal giant, Milton Friedman, whose ideas translated into dollar signs for the well-to-do and a short stick for anyone else. Along with funding research into goodness and moral character, the Foundation has provided donations to the neoconservative think tank, the Cato Institute, and has funded research into GMOs.
At least one of the principal researchers in the Hastings Center genome research project may have her mind already made up. Addressing the argument that parents will want to use this new technology to provide their children with a better prospective future, Hastingss research director Josephine Johnston wrote: It will be difficult to ban the use of gene editing for this purpose, because doing so would restrict both parental rights and reproductive freedom.
Erik Parens, who is also one of the chief researchers in this project, has already been found leaning towards a future which involves genetically modified humans. In an article entitled, Can Parents Be Trusted with Gene Editing Technology? Parens discusses the obligation of parents to not only accept their children, but to shape them. Parens writes, Grasping the nature of this tension in the context of embryo editing forces us to revisit the question, Is eugenics inherently bad? It forces us to see why it wont be enough to assert, You cant do that, its eugenics! and why we need to distinguish between good and bad eugenic practices.
There is some essential hubris involved in the very concept of this level of tinkering with nature. Gene drives, defined by Science Magazine as stimulating biased inheritance of particular genes to alter entire populations of organisms, have got some thinking about the potential for eradicating entire populations. MITs Sculpting Evolution recently waxed rhapsodic about these possibilities:
Gene drives could benefit human health by altering insect populations that currently spread diseases such as malaria, schistosomiasis, dengue, and Lyme so that they can no longer transmit the disease to humans. They could improve the sustainability of agriculture by reducing the need for and toxicity of pesticides and herbicides. Finally, they could aid ecological restoration by removing invasive species and bolstering the defenses of threatened organisms. Collectively, they offer a way to solve biological problems with biology instead of broadly toxic pesticides and bulldozers. On a metaphorical level, we are finally learning to speak with the living world using natures own language.
Through the centuries, the potential of remaking the world in a better image has motivated both political activists and mad dictators, Gandhis and Hitlers. Before the final weighing in on dual-use technologies such as genome editing, it might be best to revisit the dual nature of humanity and how power tends to corrupt whomever bears its mantle.
Janet C. Phelan, investigative journalist and human rights defender that has traveled pretty extensively over the Asian region, an author of a tell-all book EXILE, exclusively for the online magazine New Eastern Outlook.
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The unique camps on financial literacy were launched as an extension of the Jaanoge tabhi toh Maanoge initiative by Birla Sun Life Asset Management.
Lokmat Connect, an entity of Indias largest read regional publication- Lokmat, in association with Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund recently launched awareness camps across 5 locations in Maharashtra as part of the Jaanoge tabhi toh Maanoge campaign - a National Investor Education and Awareness Initiative. The unique campaign was initially rolled out by Birla Sun Life Asset Management with the objective of increasing awareness on the different investment opportunities that are available to people today. The 2 month long initiative educated individuals on making better financial decisions through various engaging sessions that included insights from eminent personalities like Mr. Prashant Gupta - Regional Head, Rest of Maharashtra & Goa and Mr. Gururaj - AVP, Investor Education & Distribution Development.
By virtue of this partnership, Lokmat Connect in association with Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund organized a series of investor awareness camps to highlight the various investing opportunities with mutual funds. Reaching out to over 2000 people in Maharashtra, the Jaanoge tabhi toh Maanoge awareness camps aimed at spreading financial literacy not only in the state, but across the length and breadth of the country. The camps provided significant and insightful knowledge on the benefits of mutual funds, systematic investment plans, goal based investing and allocation of equities among other mutual fund based concerns.
Commenting on the partnership with Lokmat Connect and sharing his views on the success of the campaign, K.S Rao, Birla Sun Life Asset Management Company Ltd Head - Investor Education & Distribution Development said, Our sincere thanks to the Lokmat team for their support and smooth execution on the Investor Awareness Sessions in Maharashtra, as part of our mission of spreading Financial Literacy in the state. The sessions were thoroughly engaging and were bolstered by the presence of eminent personalities who interacted with the attendees. We look forward to more such collaborations towards our mission to empower investors through our Jaanoge Tabhi Toh Maanoge series.
Adding to the same, Ajit Nair, National Sales Head, Lokmat Media says, At Lokmat we have created impactful on ground connect directly with target audience for brands through various innovative programs across the state. Our widespread reach and best understanding of the local nuances in Maharashtra has helped us execute various such brand programmes seamlessly. With a large team across the state coupled with our print we can create unique brand solutions that enhance the brand experience with their target audience.
Lokmat Connect houses various forums as well as engagement activities and events to create an instant connect with consumers, brands, women, youth, children, artists and entrepreneurs; spanning all aspects centered around societal development. The forums currently listed under the entity include Lokmat Knowledge Forum, Lokmat Sakhi Manch, Lokmat Yuva, Lokmat Bal Vikas Manch and Lokmat Campus Club.
Newly launched Wedding Wishlist, in association with their creative agency Whats Your Problem Brand Solutions, recently launched their first digital film and content, which was created out of an activation program-cum-social experiment. Wedding Wishlist allows prospective couples to share a list of desired wedding gifts with their guests and receive the gifts they truly need.
It all began when Kanika Subbiah, CEO and Founder of Wedding Wishlist, was in a conversation with a frustrated friend frustrated because she had received a pile of useless gifts at her wedding. Too big, too garish, tooeverything, said the friend. The couple only chose four gifts out of the 200-odd gifts they received. But they ended up writing 200 thank you notes for the guests and shopping for items to set up their new house. Every day in India, thousands of married couples receive unnecessary gifts at their nuptials. Most of these gifts join the recycle pile that every Indian home has or lie unused at the back of someones closet, said Subbiah. To find a solution to this problem and bridge the gift divide the immense gap between gifts received and gifts desired Subbiah launched the web portal Wedding Wishlist in February 2016.
As part of the campaign, Wedding gift scanners were placed at select weddings. These scanners were X-Ray machines, the kind one sees at airport security, where the gifts had to be kept on a belt and then scanned. These were manned by Wedding Gift Inspectors, who checked the quality of each gift and marked the gifts against the entering guests. When guests understood that their gifts were actually being checked for quality, they were shocked. Some resisted the checking, most were surprised but relented, some found it rude. At which point the Wedding Gift Inspectors revealed that this was all a joke, that they were actors and that there were hidden cameras capturing it all. They took the opportunity to explain to the guests that Wedding Gift Scanners and Gift Inspectors werent obviously the solution but Wedding Wishlist, which allowed couples to make a list of gifts that they needed and shared with their friends was great way out. This way guests could give couples gifts they actually needed and cherished. These reactions were captured on hidden cameras placed across the wedding entrance, amongst flower arrangements, decor, etc. The footage captured created a two-and-a-half-minute film released on social media. The film ended with the message and hashtag Theres an easier way to avoid useless wedding gifts - #AvoidUselessWeddingGifts.
Amit Akali, Managing Director and Creative Head, Whats Your Problem, explained, This is not a typical ad film, its a social experiment and activation, which doubles up as content and a digital video. And it makes the point in a very real yet entertaining way. Obviously, couples cant employ Gift Inspectors at their weddings to keep useless gifts away, but they surely can register their wedding on Wedding Wishlist, select the gifts they want and share it with their friends. Wedding Wishlist is a new, but much needed concept in India. And therefore, it was important that we introduced it in an attention grabbing way.
Huzefa Roowala, Director Content and Creative, Whats Your Problem, added here, We wanted to deliver the proposition of Wedding Wishlist Useless wedding gifting habit in a unique, fun way that made the prospective clients experience the need first hand. So we created a social experiment in the form of an activation. To pull this off in real time we worked with Baraka Productions Nishant Nayak and Mithun Gangopadhyay, who have worked on reality shows like Bakra and Date Trap. The social experiment was designed to deliver stimuli to instigate the guests via Wedding Inspectors. The guests were caught completely unawares and were surprised, which helped drive through Wedding Wishlist as a fantastic solution to their useless wedding gifting habit. The surprise and candidness of the film makes it an interesting film to watch, one that youll hopefully share.
Four Airmen receive highest maintenance award
Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James presented the 2015 Gen. Lew Allen, Jr. trophy to four Airmen from around the globe during a ceremony at the Pentagon on July 8.
The annual award is named after the 10th chief of staff of the Air Force whose legacy was attention to detail and technical expertise and credits the accomplishments of base-level officers and senior NCOs in their performance of aircraft, munitions or missile maintenance.
Prior to presenting the awards, James spoke to the many challenges these Airmen face on a daily basis, fully confident they can, and will, do what it takes to keep the mission going.
We are here today to receive this award, but its on behalf of the men and women at whatever duty location we were at that helped us, Shepard said. Its a team award and we are just here to receive it on their behalf. Without them, none of this would have been possible.
Each recipient echoed Shepards sentiments saying it is an honor to receive such a prestigious award, giving credit to their units Airmen.
We are the greatest Air Force on this planet, precisely because we have Airmen like Capt. Shepard, Capt. Kapets, Senior Master Sgt. McCoy and Senior Master Sgt. Cave, James said.
The Air Force Civil Engineer Center, in partnership with researchers from the University of Arizona, is exploring an innovative way to dispose of the Air Force's toxic firefighting foam stockpiles -- using only sound waves.The project, funded by the AFCEC Broad Agency Announcement program, demonstrates a potentially safe and cost-effective disposal method for more than 619,000 gallons of the foam, which has been found to contain toxic perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) "The Air Force has been evaluating various options to dispose of its existing firefighting foam stockpiles," said Dr. Adria Bodour, the BAA program manager. "This technology could provide a safe method of disposal at a fraction of the cost of other potential methods of disposal, including incineration."Similar to lithotripsy, which is used medically to destroy kidney stones, the technology uses sound waves to create small, oscillating stable or imploding transient bubbles that release shock waves and produce heat energy -- ultimately capable of destroying the molecular structure of the foam's PFCs and leaving only fluoride, sulfate, carbon dioxide and water in its wake."The novelty here is that we are using two different sound frequencies at the same time, both ultrasonic and megasonic, to more efficiently and effectively destroy these chemicals," said Manish Keswani, an associate research professor at UA's Department of Materials Science and Engineering and principal investigator on the project.The technology was first used successfully on a small scale in 2015, where it was shown to be effective at destroying the compounds in a firefighting foam sample size of about 2 1/2 gallons.Based on this success, the Air Force renewed funding last year to expand the technology for addressing larger sample sizes of about 21 gallons.To address these larger quantities, the team has been identifying the frequency combinations and other critical conditions that offer the most effective degradation of the chemicals, with the ultimate goal of effectively degrading PFCs in sample sizes that are about 100 times larger, or around 2,100 gallons."Based on the success of this research, we could eventually partner with a manufacturer to develop a mobile unit capable of processing large volumes of the foam at installations across the country," Keswani said.
Airman links deployed operators to human performance experts
Many scientists and engineers go directly from school to laboratories and do not get the opportunity to work side by side with customers who use the products they create.
For a behavioral scientist in the 711th Human Performance Wing here, thats not the case.
First Lt. Anthony Eastin, a member of the the Battlefield Air Targeting Man-Aided Knowledge (BATMAN) team in the Airman Systems Directorate, had an upcoming deployment and saw an opportunity to conduct field research downrange. He then shared what he discovered from his fellow deployed Airmen with his team at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
The mission of the Airman Systems Directorate, part of the 711th HPW and Air Force Research Laboratory, is to exploit biological and cognitive science and technology to optimize and protect the Airman's capability to fly, fight and win in air, space and cyberspace.
Some of that mission is tasked to the BATMAN team.
"Essentially, the BATMAN team is charged with finding out what the operators need and what is available out there to make them lighter, smarter and deadlier," Eastin said. "Our goal is to find commercial off-the-shelf technologies, test them, give it to the operators and find out if that's good enough, or we create new technologies that haven't been developed yet."
Eastin explained that in the past, operators out in the field were left to their own devices to create and rig various technologies.
"The operators don't have a lot of experience in creating software materials or brand new technologies -- they would literally just go to Best Buy or Radio Shack," he said.
But since 2005, the experts in the 711th HPW have worked in-house and with industry partners to create gear and technologies to best assist Airmen.
"This wing is all about collaboration," said Dr. Rajesh Naik, the wings chief scientist. "Whether its collaboration between the wing and our industry partners, or between the various experts within the wing, our goal is to work together to advance human performance for our Airmen."
The wing employs teams of experts in fields such as mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, software engineering, psychology and human factors, among others.
"There's a vast expertise across the table," Eastin explained. "When we are presented with a problem, we all can come together and use our individual insights toward a solution, which will be largely beneficial for the operators."
The directorate stresses the three Is -- interaction, innovation and integration.
"The Bat Rack, for example -- one of our operators came to us and explained that they had just received tablets (tuff pads) and that they loved them. They told us that this is next generation material and this is what they want to use," Eastin said. "But the problem was that they needed the tablets to be mounted on them.
"They said, 'And, oh, by the way, we are deploying in three weeks."
The tablets enable combat controllers and other operators to use android mapping applications (or apps) that allow them to conduct close air support, best place to land an aircraft, etc., he said.
This type of mounting device hadn't been developed yet, so the BATMAN team had to create a completely new product.
"So we sat down and created solutions for this. Human factors expert Capt. Caroline Kurtz designed the mounting system that puts the tablet on the operator's chest and makes it easily accessible," Eastin said. "Within two to three weeks, we had it mass produced and given to the operators for their deployment.
Four months later, Eastin then deployed.
Eastin was the executive officer to the commander of Joint Special Operations Air Component-Central, a unit that had air combat controllers, pararescuemen and many other special operators. These operators could be charged missions such as infiltration, extraction, targeting enemies, and close air support. The very tech that his BATMAN team had designed and produced at Wright-Patterson AFB was on the chests of these special operators in Qatar.
"I noticed many were wearing a Bat Rack for their tablets, he said. I asked them, 'Do you know what this is?' and they said, 'No, we just got them out in the field and we've been using them.
After Eastin explained his team had created the Bat Rack, one of the operators took him into a room stacked with them.
"So, the team here provided a solution for the operators who needed to be able to wear their tablets on their gear, and I got to see firsthand all the operators using it downrange, he said.
Eastin wasn't just an observer; he saw the opportunity to interact with Airmen in the field as a way to obtain even more feedback.
"When I was out there, I was able to interact and talk with (the operators) to see what they needed. Then I was able to link up the 720th Expeditionary Special Tactics Group commander with Dr. Gregory Burnett and the BATMAN team here," Eastin said. "This enabled us to have conversations with the people who are actually deployed and not just when they are in training.
"It was extremely beneficial to have one of us on the BATMAN team deployed with the special operations group, he added, because if they had any issues with tools or tech for their missions, I could link them directly with the 711th (HPW)."
China has no legal basis to claim historic rights (sic) to islands in the South China Sea and has violated Manilas sovereign rights, an international tribunal ruled on Tuesday, in a bitter dispute that risks stoking further tensions in Southeast Asia.
The tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line, The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration said in a statement.
Manila which had lodged the suit against Beijing in 2013 welcomed the ruling but China reacted furiously, saying it does not accept and does not recognise the decision.
Beijing had refused to participate in the case, saying the tribunal had no jurisdiction over the issue.
Beijing claims most of the South China Sea, even waters approaching neighbouring countries, as its sovereign territory, basing its arguments on Chinese maps dating back to the 1940s marked with a so-called nine-dash line.
But in its hard-hitting ruling, the PCA said Beijing had no historic rights to resources in the waters of the South China Sea and that such rights were extinguished to the extent they were incompatible with the exclusive economic zones provided for in the Convention, referring to the U.N. Law of the Sea.
China had violated the Philippines sovereign rights in the exclusive economic zone by interfering with Philippine fishing and petroleum exploration, by constructing artificial islands and failing to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing in the zone, the PCA said.
The tribunal further ruled that the disputed Spratly islands cannot generate maritime zones collectively as unit as claimed by China.
The Philippines welcomed the ruling, Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said, as he urged restraint.
The Philippines welcomes the issuance today on the arbitration proceedings initiated by the Philippines with regard to the South China Sea, Mr. Yasay told reporters minutes after the court in The Hague released its verdict.
Tuesdays judgement comes against the backdrop of frequent military brushes between China and its Asian neighbours the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan, which ring the waters believed to hold untapped oil and gas reserves.
The tensions have also alarmed the United States which has key defence treaties with many regional allies, and in a show of strength last week sent warships to patrol close to some of the reefs and islands claimed by China.
New Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had said he was optimistic of a favourable ruling, but offered to hold conciliatory talks with China and vowed he would not taunt or flaunt any favourable ruling.
Referring to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Manila contended the nine-dash line had no basis under international law and that Beijing had no historic claim to the waters.
The Bombay High Court asked Maharashtra government and Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) to submit their replies to a PIL seeking transfer of probe into the alleged road contract and desilting scams from city police to Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
A bench, headed by Justice V M Kanade, asked the two authorities to file their responses to the PIL within two weeks and adjourned the matter till July 26.
MCGM informed the court that police probe into the road and desilting scams was already on and some arrests have been made. Even the municipal corporation is conducting an inquiry into the alleged scams, MCGM lawyer said.
The PIL, filed by advocate Vivekananda Gupta, argued that a probe by ACB would expose the unholy nexus between contractors and civic staff.
The petition said there was water-logging in the city on July 19 and 20 last year due to heavy rains, following which the Municipal Commissioner had ordered an inquiry into the desilting contract work.
The probe revealed unholy nexus of contractors and civic officials, the petition alleged.
Subsequently, the Commissioner ordered filing of an FIR against the contractors involved in the desilting scam, also known as nullah safai scam.
The Chief Engineer (Vigilance) and a few officials of MCGM were suspended. The nullah cleaning scam exposed the fraud and nexus of contractors with MCGM officials, the PIL alleged.
In another development in the road contract scam, a probe was ordered by the Municipal Commissioner on a complaint received from BJP MP and the Mayor.
The probe pertained to the construction of roads during 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16. The interim probe showed serious irregularities in the road work. The municipal chief ordered registration of an FIR.
The FIR named six accused, including third party road auditors, and the Chief Engineer (Roads) was suspended immediately.
Both the FIRs were registered with Azad Maidan Police station, said the petition and demanded that the probe be transferred to ACB in view of alleged nexus of contractors with the civic staff, the PIL demanded.
Later, the FIR pertaining to the desilting scam was transferred from Azad Maidan Police Station to the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police.
The EOW arrested five desilting contractors recently.
Curfew remained in force in many parts of the Valley on Tuesday, including pockets of Srinagar city and Pulwama district as authorities braced for more protests on the fourth day of militant commander Burhan Wanis killing even as the toll in the violent clashes between protesters and security forces climbed to 30.
A youth injured on Monday in the protests succumbed at a hospital in Srinagar. Adil Ahmad Mattoo, who was injured in the firing incident at Bijbehara, succumbed to injuries at SMHS Hospital here late Monday night, a police official said on Tuesday.
More than 350 persons including over 115 security force personnel have been injured in the clashes and militant attacks following killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Wani as the situation continued to be tense across the Valley.
Authorities are braced for more protests on the occasion of the fourth day of Wanis killing.
Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama, Muneerul Islam said the government will open all ration stores on Wednesday if the day passed off peacefully.
If the situation remains peaceful, we will open all the ration stores tomorrow despite a public holiday, he said.
Authorities have strengthened the presence of security forces on ground in vulnerable areas of the city and elsewhere in the Valley to contain the protests, the official said.
He said the restrictions were being enforced strictly to avoid any further loss of life or damage to property.
PM Modi chairs high-level meeting
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who returned to India on Tuesday after his Africa tour, chaired a high-level meeting on the situation in the Kashmir Valley, which has been rocked by violent protests in the wake of the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani.
HM Rajnath Singh postpones US trip
With Kashmir on the edge, Home Minister Rajnath Singh has postponed his visit to the United States to attend the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue scheduled for next week.
Restrictions continue in Srinagar, four districts
The restrictions will remain in force even today in most areas of Srinagar city and four districts of south Kashmir as a precautionary measure, officials said.
They said the restrictions were imposed to maintain law and order in the Valley.
Meanwhile, the strike called by the separatist groups also affected normal life in the Valley. The separatist groups, earlier on Friday, had called for a one-day strike following Wani s killing and extended it further to protest the killings of civilians in firing, allegedly by security forces.
The separatist groups on Monday extended the strike call till July 13 to coincide with the 85th anniversary of those who laid down their lives fighting the Aristocratic rule in the State in 1931.
Normal life affected
Shops, private offices, business establishments and petrol pumps remained shut, while government offices and banks witnessed thin attendance, the officials said.
Public transport was completely off the roads for the fourth consecutive day, while private cars and auto-rickshaws were seen plying at few places in the areas where there were no restrictions, they said.
Educational institutions in the Valley were closed on account of the ongoing summer vacations, while Central University of Kashmir (CUK), Kashmir University, Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) and Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) have postponed the examinations due to the prevailing situation.
Mobile Internet services across the Valley and train services remained suspended for the fourth day even as mobile telephony was partially restored in the four districts of south Kashmir.
Most of the separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik, are either in custody or house arrest.
(With Agency Inputs)
You cannot refute the stereotype of men that we commonly hear, just a lust-driven beast only interested in a womans body. They behave like godmen but they too need womans body without any close emotional attachment to her at the end. These godmen rather give impression that God have designed the male sex drive. Didnt He originally make it good?
Freshly, yet another case of a godman being involved in sex crime has come to light. A 22-year-old woman from Jaipur has filed the case against Rajneesh Grover alias Ashok Kumar, a godman. The woman along with her family used to visit Grovers satsang organised at Delhis Chhatarpur area. The woman had invited Grover to Jaipur after the family bought a new shop there. Grover, upon reaching Jaipur, stayed at the womans house. He then, in the name of prasad, gave an intoxicating biscuit to the woman and her mother and sexually assaulted them. He even took their objectionable pictures. Grover later warned the woman against filing a complaint as he was in possession of her pictures. However, the woman got her hands on Grovers mobile and saw explicit photos of other women allegedly assaulted by him. The woman took the mobile phone to the police station and registered a case against the so-called godman with the evidence.
Godmen are no strangers to controversy and they are definitely not unknown to sex scandals. Odishas Sarathi Baba, who claims to be the reincarnation of Lord Krishna, has joined the long list of godmen who have been caught in the act. A local channel aired a sting operation showing a man resembling Sarathi Baba checking into a hotel with a woman in her twenties. However, the man in the video is not in the traditional godman attire that Sarathi Baba usually dons. He is seen wearing jeans and T-shirt. This angered the locals and a mob gathered outside his ashram in Kendrapada in Odisha protesting against his immoral activities.
Asaram Bapu is currently lodged in jail for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl at his ashram near Jodhpur in Rajasthan in 2013. After his arrest, many of his former female disciples have recorded statements about how Asaram and his son Narayan Sai used satsangs and other spiritual events to sexually exploit them.
Swami Nityananda is another victim of sting operation. He landed in a controversy after a purported video footage showing him in a compromising position with an actress was telecast by local TV channel in Chennai. He, however, claimed that the footage was morphed. In 2012, he was back in news. An Indian-American and his long time follower Arthi Rao accused him of raping her, on national television.
Sant Rampal, the Hisar godman, who is facing a series of charges including conspiracy to murder, was arrested on November 19, 2014 after a two day violent clash between his followers and the Haryana police a spectacle telecast live on news channels. Once, he was arrested, murky details of his sexual activities started emerging. There were reports about his habit of keeping sadhikayaen the chosen ones who were allowed inside his private mansion as his sexual partners.
Ichchadhari Sant Swami Bhimanand Ji Maharaj Chitrakoot Wale, till the time he was arrested in 2010 for running a prostitution racket, this baba had the best of both worlds. He set up his spiritual business in a Sai Baba temple in Badarpur and gradually started a flourishing flesh trade racket. He simultaneously gave spiritual sermons through CDs and DVDs while also running a massage parlour.
Above are just few examples but the list is endless, these Godmen have strong urge and no control over their lust and organs. In the name of spiritual business, they exploit women. While there is no reason to suspect all godmen of depravity, it is alarming how common it is for them to sexually exploit their trusting disciples. There are dozens of FIRs and testimonies of victims, as also the views of sociologists and psychologists who have helped victims and interacted with godmen. The term godmen here refers not only to cult leaders like Asaram, but all yogis, maulvis, fakirs, gurus, swamis, pastors and priests who make mystical claims and hold devotees in awe. The way many of them operate as sexual predators can be generalised. In terms of psychology, they create the gear to overcome what they suffer from. Many of them try to draw legitimacy from dubious interpretations of ancient beliefs. Typically, the victims of such predators are either foreigners seeking spiritual solace or girls hailing from middle-class families struggling with the pangs of early adulthood. Sometimes the victims are children, sometimes girls and boys with disabilities.
(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com)
The mastermind behind the December 2014 massacre at Peshawars Army Public School, has been killed in a US drone strike in Afghanistan, senior Pakistani security officials claimed.
The officials told Dawn on Monday that Umar Mansour was killed, along with another militant leader Qari Saifullah, in the US drone attack in the Bandar area of Afghanistans Nangarhar province on Saturday.
One of the officials said they had credible reports of Mansour having been killed with Saifullah, who was in charge of suicide bombers.
What we have is pretty credible, the official said.
On May 25, the US State Department had declared Umar Mansour a global terrorist, thus clearing the path for his inclusion in the hit-list.
The State Departments announcement came four days after a drone strike killed Afghan Taliban leader Akhtar Mansour in Balochistan on May 21.
Mansour orchestrated the attack on December 16, 2014, on the Army Public School which killed 122 students and 22 teachers. It was one of the worst terrorist attacks which prompted the government to declare an all-out war against terrorist outfits in the country.
Mansour and Saifullah belonged to Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistans (TTP) Tariq Geedar group and used to operate in Peshawar and adjoining Frontier Region Peshawar and Darra Adamkhel.
Mansour fled to Afghanistan following a military operation in Khyber tribal region and continued to operate from there. He was held responsible for the September 2015 attack on a Pakistan Air Force base in Peshawars Badaber area, which killed 29 people.
He was also behind the January 2016 attack on the Bacha Khan University in Charsadda in which 18 students and faculty members lost their lives.
Sadabhau Khot comes to the rescue of farmers and assists them to sell vegetables directly to consumers at Dadar during traders strike.
At a time when traders have gone on strike for protesting against the amendments made in the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act, 1970, Mos for agriculture, horticulture and marketing Sadabhau Khot has come forward to help farmers by assisting them to sell vegetables directly to consumers at Dadar. Khot himself had gone to hawkers plaza in Dadar for selling vegetables. Around 300 vehicles had arrived in Dadar for selling vegetables directly to consumers. Khot also was overseeing the sale transactions occurring in central Mumbai. He arrived with 10 tempos from Junnar and also helped farmers to sell their produce to customers.
Traders should call off their strike and government is keen to have a meeting with them for addressing their concerns. Farmers are already facing huge hardships since last three years due to weak monsoon in the state. Many farmers had committed suicide due crop failure and increasing debt burden. Traders should think about the welfare of farmers and allow them to sell their produce directly to consumers. Agricultural and marketing department has created a mechanism where farmers can bypass middleman and earn more money, said Khot.
This is the first instance where a minister has directly come forward to assist farmers. Khot also said that the Maharashtra government will take every effort to provide relief to distressed farmers.
Earlier farmers were only known for cultivating crops as the marketing part of the produce was handled by middleman. As a result of this only middlemen used to rake lumpsum profits as farmers used to earn less money. However, today the scenario has changed as farmers also have learnt to market their produce. The government wont allow farmers and customers to suffer due to the strike called by traders, he added.
Meanwhile the government will have a meeting with traders to resolve the problems faced by them. It is expected that the traders will call off their strike soon.
The traders are protesting a recent ordinance issued by the State Government, which has removed vegetables and fruits from the scope of the APMC.
Until the ordinance was issued, farmers had to sell most of the produce to the traders who were issued licenses by the APMC. The old APMC Act mandated farmers to sell the produce in the APMC run market yards. Over and above selling the produce to the designated traders, the farmer had to pay APMC cess, taxes, and commissions. Now the farmers can sell their produce openly outside the APMC markets. Meanwhile prices of vegetables have skyrocketed due to the strike called by traders. Most of the vegetables like tomatoes, lady finger, cauliflower, cabbage have become dearer.
Posters begging Pakistans powerful army chief to launch a coup appeared in major cities including the capital Islamabad overnight, raising eyebrows in a country that has been ruled by the military for more than half its history.
The posters, which also appeared in Lahore, Karachi and the garrison city of Rawalpindi as well as several army-run cantonment areas, were placed there by Move on Pakistan, a largely-unknown political party founded in 2013.
Talk of leaving has become old, for Gods sake come now, scream the posters, referring to General Raheel Sharifs decision to step down at the end of his tenure this year.
They feature a large photograph of the mustachioed general.
Dictatorship is much better than this corrupt government, said Ali Hashmi, chief organiser behind Move on Pakistan.
The way General Raheel Sharif has dealt with terrorism and corruption, there is no guarantee that the next man would be as effective as him, he said.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is said to be preparing to name a successor to the wildly popular general, who is no relation and whose three-year tenure expires in November.
Widely credited with Pakistans improved security situation, he is the frequent subject of hashtags such as #ThankYouRaheelSharif and #PakLovesGenRaheel.
The Prime Minister and his government, in contrast, have been plagued by accusations of corruption and inefficiency.
But, despite his popularity, the army chiefs announcement in January that he would step down at the end of his tenure won him praise for respecting democratic institutions unlike three of his predecessors.
There was no immediate reaction to the posters from the military or the federal government.
Political analyst Hasan Askari said he did not foresee any threat to the current political system in Pakistan. There cannot be an organised movement unless there is a popular sentiment present, he said, dismissing the posters.
Hashmi said that authorities in Islamabad and Punjab province, the Prime Ministers power base, had removed the posters but that they continue to attract attention in other provinces.
Military dictatorships have ruled Pakistan for more than half its 69-year history, and the armed forces are widely seen as controlling defence and foreign policy.
Whoever takes over Raheel Sharifs role will face an array of daunting challenges, including keeping homegrown militants in check, vexed relations with India and the role Pakistan wants to play in promoting peace in Afghanistan.
I have his vaccination cards here. I actually looked at his vaccination records. At seventeen months old, he had received thirty-seven vaccines, which is about three times the amount I got in my entire adult life. He ended up paralyzed with transverse myelitis .
We showed up at the capitol and there was a large rally, hundreds and hundreds of parentspossibly about a thousandshowed up and several of us gave speeches. I spoke about my experience with vaccines. My son was vaccine injured at seventeen months old.
"We asked why this had happened, and the doctor said it was most likely a reaction to either a vaccination or an airborne virus, the latter being rejected since he'd had no signs of illness. The doctor then slammed the door shut on further discussion of how our healthy son went from walking to being paralyzed. There was no investigation to specifically determine what had caused our child to go from walking and running into a wheelchair for the rest of his life. At a later date, we took our son to Johns Hopkins for further testing. There, doctors investigated every possible reason why our son might have become paralyzed from Transverse Myelitis, every possible reason except for vaccines. This made no sense then, and it makes no sense now, as every doctor that Otto saw at four different hospitals mentioned that the vaccines he received in close proximity to his paralysis were the most likely culprit."
Here is part of what Joshua had to say about the reality of vaccine injury and what doctors and legislators are willing to close their eyes to.
Despite the fact that he wasn't able to address the Health Committee, Joshua did make his speech before a huge crowd at the capitol on June 25, 2015.
Joshua came to Sacramento on June 10, 2015 to speak to the California Assembly Health Committee about what happened to his son. In this Age of Autism piece Disabled CA Boy's Testimony to SB277 Lawmakers: "I Love Going To School. Please Don't Take That Away From Me." we can read what Joshua wanted to tell legislators.
By Anne Dachel Joshua Coleman is the father of eight year old Otto Coleman, who was vaccine-injured at seventeen months of age. Joshua was very involved in the efforts to stop the bill that would end vaccine choice in California last year.
I was very much under the impression that vaccine injury was extremely rare, thats what they told me at the time. Right off the bat, after the MRI, they were aware that it was in all likelihood a vaccine injury, which of course was later proven at Johns Hopkins. --But that it was very, very rare.
And when something like that happens to your child, you want to be under the impression that okay, if this happened, they were as careful as possible and this couldnt be avoided. Over time, doing my research, I, in fact, saw that the vaccine program is extremely careless, and possibly this could have been prevented had they just done better safety studies.
...And nobody told me about VAERS, so there was no VAERS report submitted by the doctors who saw him, which they are obligated by law to do. They didnt tell me about Vaccine Injury Court. I had no idea the kind of expenses that come along when you have a child thats a paraplegic. I very quickly learned how expensive it can be. It makes it very difficult to work or do the types of things to earn money. Its extremely difficult, and I just think that theres no way SB277 is something that should be enacted where it can do this type of damage to a family.
We discussed how the issue of vaccine damage has been narrowed to the controversy over autism and vaccines, yet other injuries are just as important to consider.
Autism is the main focus of vaccine injury right now. I think thats very relevant; its a huge part, if not the biggest part of vaccine injury. But it is not the only part of vaccine injury. When you read an article in the media, the public perception is The people that are worried about vaccines are worried about autism, and weve proven that thats not true. They dont even discuss the other things that can happen. Things like what happened to my son, or what happened to Karen Kains daughter, and the deaths that happen from vaccines. These are all very, very relevant. They dont need to be discounted. They need to be part of the discussion, and I think people will start to understand what were talking about here.
Now when people see Otto in a wheelchair, the most common thing that I am asked is, What happen?
And Ill say, Its a vaccine injury.
And the most common response is, Vaccine injury? Whats that?
Literally these parents, these people, these people who have been vaccinated, these people who have vaccinated their children, they dont even know what a vaccine injury is. Which is extremely disturbing and really shows how very purposefully the industry has given this public perception that its not even a real thing. And of course, we know that it is.
With the push to end vaccine exemptions and the publicity surrounding VaxXed, I asked Joshua whats ahead.
I think right the most important thing is, I think its a numbers game. I think we all need to band together, and we all need to be very vocal.
Unfortunately, even though there are a lot of us, there are more than our group who are being quiet, who are standing by the side lines and just kind of hoping that we succeed here.
These people need to come out of the closet. We need to all join together. You need to be brave and be vocal. We are not going to conquer this demon unless we all together stand and fight.
And even more importantly, or just as important, are people in the medical community: doctors, nurses, people who are part of these vaccine research tests. You need to stand up. And were actually seeing more and more of that, but the more the better. Dont be afraid to come out of the closet.
I hate to be overly dramatic here, but we are talking about the future of the human race. Were talking about the lives of babies, families. Theres probably nothingI cant think of anything that is more important right now in the world.
The media conditions people to ridicule youridicule usif you say anything against vaccines, the vaccine program whatsoever. You need to not be afraid of that. When I came out two years ago, I was a little bit worried, and I felt like I had no choice because SB277 had come out and I was not going to sit on the sidelines and let this pass.
Please, please come out! Be brave, stand with us. You wont regret it, and we can beat this thing together.
Joshua and I talked about how this needs to be a major presidential campaign issue in 2016. What could be more important than the health of our children?
Beyond this being just somewhere that we need to be more vocal about, its a political issue, unfortunately. Right now its more important than ever before.
Absolutely, if Hillary Clinton gets into office, were going to be looking at federal mandates coming down. Mandates that are going to be almost impossible to fight.
You have Donald Trump who has recognized and acknowledged that vaccines do in fact cause autism; there is a problem with the vaccine program. And he is absolutely against mandates. As far as Im concerned, this is a one issue election year. Theres nothing more important to me than this issue. I think people have to think about that and vote with that in mind.
Finally I brought up the claim that for the greater good we all must be vaccinated, and unfortunately, some children will be at risk for a reaction. Joshua showed how protecting the herd isnt a valid reason.
SB277 came about over the measles issue at Disneyland. They say we need herd immunity to protect everyone, and the interesting thing is that herd immunity was a concept that came before vaccines. It was talked about as far as people getting the disease and passing immunity on. So for instance, with measles, vaccines have destroyed herd immunity. If we really had a perfect system there, people would get measles at an age appropriate timethey say the first two years of life, it can be a little scarybut they would get it at an age appropriate time, and then the mothers pass down immunity to their children which protected them for the first two years of life. How perfect is that?
So now with vaccinations, they have created immuno-compromised children that are immuno-compromised that the scariest time to get this disease. And their solution to this problem is EVERYBODY HAS TO GET VACCINATED. This is insane.
There is no product ever that has required every single person on the planet to use it in order for it to work. How convenient for them.
It should be very obvious whats going on here--that this is not about safety; its about money. The fact that SB277 came around when not one person dieda bunch of people got a rash and got over it. I believe more than half of them were vaccinated. Its absolutely absurd, and not to mention, the Disneyland incident went on for six days. ...And it wasnt just Disneyland, it was also Disneys California Adventure, and between the two parks, youre looking at 70,000 people in attendance everyday for six days. And the amount of people that actually got the disease falls within under one percent of the amount of people exposed, which falls within the efficacy of the vaccination. The whole thing is absolutely absurd and makes no sense whatsoever.
Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism.
WASHINGTON, July 12, 2016 The U.S. Cattlemens Association has sent a letter to the National Cattlemens Beef Association asking why the organization lobbied for rules that would have limited Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to checkoff organizations.
The letter notes that when NCBA lobbied for the changes through the Fiscal 2017 appropriations process, the organization should have consulted the Beef Checkoff Enhancement Working Group (BCEWG), a group of industry organizations that was seeking to make changes to the beef checkoff, primarily through an increased dollar to the $1 per head assessment on cattle sold in the U.S.
The effort to increase the assessment has stalled, but USCA says NCBA should talk to the other organizations in the BCEWG before lobbying for changes that could impact the checkoff.
A random lobbying effort to attach report language in the FY2017 funding bill is not a constructive path forward, USCA President Danni Beer said in a letter to NCBA CEO Kendal Frazier. This approach does not place Beef Checkoff stakeholders in a positive light, rather, it adds additional and unwarranted scrutiny from groups already in opposition and antagonistic towards the program.
The language USCA is referring to would have prevented FOIA requests from probing into communications of checkoff employees. Communications between government and checkoff employees still would have been subject to FOIA requests, but only because of the correspondence with the government. The change was attached to the House agriculture spending bill as report language, but has yet to be considered by the full House after passing through the Appropriations Committee.
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In all, eight groups are in the BCEWG: NCBA, USCA, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the American National CattleWomen, the Livestock Marketing Association, the Meat Import Council of America, the National Livestock Producers Association and the National Milk Producers Federation. The National Farmers Union was previously in the BCEWG before deciding to leave, citing frustration with the groups lack of progress and other factors.
NCBA did not respond to a request to comment on this letter.
#30
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Qatar Airways signed a deal at the Farnborough Air Show today to acquire up to 10% of shares in LATAM.
Qatar Airways group chief executive Akbar Al Baker, described the move as an exciting opportunity to invest and support the development of our long-term relationship. As a leading airline in Latin America, and key member of oneworld, this investment provides potential opportunities for Qatar Airways global network, alongside our successful investment in IAG."
The South American carrier will also hold an extraordinary shareholders meeting no later than 2 September, to propose a capital increase of US$613 million by issuing new shares at $10 per share. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of 2016.
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July 12, 2016
Algeria is warning US lawmakers of "consequences" if they continue siding with regional rival Morocco in the dispute over the Western Sahara.
In a letter to House appropriators late last month, Ambassador to Washington Madjid Bouguerra expressed his "deep disappointment" with language in the pending annual foreign aid spending bill that echoes Rabat's stance on the decades-old conflict. Morocco claims the disputed territory and administers about 85% of it, while many indigenous Sahrawis have taken refuge across the border in Tindouf, Algeria.
The ambassador in particular objects to a new provision in this year's draft bill that instructs the State Department to pressure Algeria to cooperate on a UN census of the Sahrawi refugee camps. Algeria insists the pro-independence activists in the camps have a right to self-determination under international law.
"The Embassy of Algeria does not understand nor does it accept this undue reference to Algeria in the context of an issue to which it is not a party," Bouguerra wrote in a June 24 letter obtained by Al-Monitor. "I respectfully draw your attention to the seriousness and the consequences of such an unwarranted and objectionable provision."
While Bouguerra doesn't spell out what those "consequences" might be, Algeria's friends on Capitol Hill helped fill in the blanks.
"This provision is an inappropriate attempt to assess the demography of a vulnerable refugee population that is being sheltered within Algeria's sovereign borders," Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis., chairman of the Algeria Caucus, wrote to committee leaders Hal Rogers, R-Ky., and Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., in a July 11 letter obtained by Al-Monitor. "The retention of this provision in the final spending bill would damage Washington's relationship with Algiers, which has been an important security partner in the region, and give the wrong impression that the United States no longer supports the UN-led mediation effort regarding the future of the Western Sahara."
Duffy's colleague on the Caucus, Appropriations Committee member Betty McCollum, D-Minn., drove the point home during the markup.
The Tindouf language, she said, "appears to have no effect other than to offend the government of Algeria and harm our important bilateral relationship," McCollum said. "At a time when fighting terrorism ... is a national security priority, I don't think it's a good idea to poke a stick at a friendly government like Algeria."
The bill also repeats language from the past two years calling on the State Department to make economic development funds earmarked for Morocco available in the Western Sahara, in effect recognizing Rabat's control over the territory. A UN mission was set up 25 years ago with the goal of organizing a referendum on independence, but Congress and the State Department have made it clear in recent years that they think Rabat's counterproposal of autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty offers the best chance for peace and stability in the volatile region.
The census debate is flaring up as the European Union and others insist that an accurate count of the refugees needs to be established so countries that contribute aid know how much is actually needed amid allegations that Algeria and the Polisario Front, which leads the fight for independence, have inflated the need and are embezzling excess aid. The Polisario Front counters that Morocco is lowballing refugee numbers to undermine the front's case for an independent state. And Algeria appears unwilling to circumvent the Polisario Front's system of governance, ministries and administrative resources.
House appropriators appear to have heard the accusations that they're too close to Morocco loud and clear. At the start of the July 12 markup, foreign aid panel Chairwoman Kay Granger, R-Texas, unveiled a manager's amendment that moves the census language out of the bill's Morocco section and into a new section titled "refugees in North Africa" in effect erasing any Moroccan fingerprints on the provision.
"Given the significant need for humanitarian assistance around the world," Granger said, "the committee should support efforts to ensure the highest level of accountability with respect to refugee and disaster assistance."
The change did little to assuage McCollum, who vowed to continue fighting for the provision's removal.
"This language is highly damaging to US-Algerian relations at a time when our two countries have made major, major strides in combating terrorism and strengthening trade ties," she said.
While the House committee retained the census provision at its July 12 markup, it may not survive reconciliation negotiations with the Senate when lawmakers return from their long summer recess. Indeed, the Senate foreign aid bill is less overtly pro-Morocco.
Like the House bill, the Senate version authorizes US assistance to the Western Sahara but it treats the territory as its own category rather than putting it under the Morocco umbrella. And the Senate bill reiterates that "nothing in this act shall be construed to change the policy of the United States to find a peaceful, sustainable and mutually agreed-upon solution for the Western Sahara."
July 12, 2016
CAIRO Egyptian-Israeli relations are witnessing unprecedented cooperation under Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Since the signing of the Camp David Accords in September 1978, Egypt has cooperated with Israel on certain matters, but what is new is the Israeli sides attitude. As Sisi denies Egypt its leading role in the region, the Israeli political administration continues to hold talks with regional countries. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that relations with Turkey were normalized again June 28, and that he had briefed the Egyptian president on the progress of the talks with Turkey. Netanyahu gave no details, however, about his phone call with Sisi.
Only four days later, Netanyahu announced a whirlwind tour of Africa to visit Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Ethiopia, as Israel sought to embellish its image and change it from a colonial entity to a state that enjoys bilateral security and economic cooperation with African countries.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced July 10 a visit to Israel by Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. The ministry described the visit as important, as Shoukry's meeting with Netanyahu was the first visit by an Egyptian foreign minister in nine years. Shoukry had met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on a similar visit to Ramallah on June 29, during which he conveyed a message from the Egyptian president to his Palestinian counterpart. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry did not disclose the content of the message, and the two sides agreed to coordinate in the days following the visit.
Tarek Fahmy, the head of Israeli studies at the National Center for Middle Eastern Studies, told Al-Monitor that Shoukrys visit is an exploratory visit aimed at discovering the dimensions of the Israeli position on ideas previously put forward by Sisi in regard to the Arab initiative, all the while listening to the Israeli proposals regarding any amendments or ideas related to this initiative.
Fahmy explained that communication between Netanyahu and Sisi following the normalization of the Israeli-Turkish relations came to reassure the Egyptian side that the Gaza Strip is still under siege and that Turkeys calls to establish a port, a floating airport or a border island in Gaza have not been fulfilled. Therefore, the agreement satisfies both Egypt and Jordan. Jordan dreads the expansion of the influence of Hamas, which is considered an ally of the political opponents of the ruling regime in both Egypt and Jordan.
Fahmy said that Israel's moves in Africa especially in the Nile Basin countries came as an obstacle to Egypt with respect to the national security file. He shared his view that the moves aim to support Ethiopia in completing the construction of the Renaissance Dam, which will contribute to the development of Israeli agricultural production in Ethiopia.
Fahmy hinted that Egypt aims to hold a tripartite summit between Palestine and Israel in Sharm el-Sheikh to reach a solution before the holding of the Arab summit in Nouakchott, Mauritania, this month.
He predicted that Jordan will join the summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, being an active party to the issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and pointed out that the Egyptian actions are taken amid complete coordination with Saudi Arabia so as to agree on a final statement at the Arab summit.
Israel no longer receives policies from Arab countries like it used to. It is now making policies for Arab countries, he said.
Following Shoukrys visit to Israel, human rights lawyer Negad El Borai wrote on Twitter on July 10 that Arab countries will rush to build relations with Israel, and Sisi will succeed where the late President Anwar Sadat failed.
In another tweet, he said, Israel is becoming a kingmaker, and noted that the transfer of the Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi control and the meetings held between Saudi officials and Israelis will reveal a lot.
On the other hand, Israeli Deputy Knesset Speaker Ahmad Tibi asked in a July 10 tweet how Netanyahu could talk about a two-state solution following his meeting with Shoukry on the same day when the Israeli government agreed to transfer 50 million shekels ($13 million) for the construction of Israeli settlements in the Palestinian city of Hebron.
For his part, Hatem Bashat, a member of the Egyptian parliament and the chairman of the Committee on African Affairs, said that Shoukrys visit to Israel is a serious step toward the desired peace between the Palestinians and Israelis, and stressed that Egyptian-Israeli relations cannot be deemed close. The visits and talks that are being carried out, he said, are calculated steps aimed at pleasing the West on the one hand and maintaining the goals of the Palestinian cause on the other.
In a telephone interview with Al-Monitor, Bashat said that the recent Israeli moves in Africa are an attempt to extend economic influence over the region.
He added that Netanyahu's visit to Africa revealed the intentions of some African countries in terms of dealing with Israel in the region, and explained that such visits have a negative impact on Egypt's historical record in the African continent.
It should be noted that Sisi called on the Palestinian and Israeli sides in May to seize the opportunity to achieve a historic peace as he made a link between the establishment of a "warmer peace" between Egypt and Israel and the conclusion of a peace deal between the Palestinians and Israelis is achieved.
July 12, 2016
One day after the first visit in nine years of an Egyptian foreign minister to Israel on July 10, a senior Israeli official told Bloomberg that in recent years Israel has been striking Islamic State (IS) targets in the Sinai Peninsula in coordination with Egypt, and with its blessing. The use of drones in Sinai is directed at IS fighters, which Hamas leaders are keenly aware of. However, they have been careful not to set out against Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi concerning the cooperation with Israel, so as not to further exacerbate the already strained relations between them.
The timing of the recent report was no accident. It sought to provide proof to the countries in the region specifically to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and Ramallah that the relationships between the two countries are closer than ever and that Egypt is resuming its role as the most influential player in the region.
Back in the day, when President Hosni Mubarak was in power, it was Intelligence Minister Omar Suleiman who managed the contacts between the two countries. The fact that it was Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry who visited Israel and not the intelligence minister has far-reaching critical implications for Hamas in Gaza and the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah. The cooperation between the two countries is no longer restricted to security matters; the relations between them are now also based on joint diplomatic interests.
And this is precisely what worries Hamas the most. The security cooperation between Israel and Egypt in Rafah and Sinai is something the movement feels firsthand on a daily basis. Yet, for the two to have mutual diplomatic interests is a game changer. A diplomatic process led by Sisi, in the framework of the 2002 Arab Initiative, means that the Palestinian key player vis-a-vis whom negotiations will take place is PA President Mahmoud Abbas. Any Hamas resistance to such a diplomatic process could result in greater Egyptian pressure on Gaza, potentially bringing about its collapse.
A day after Shoukry returned to Cairo, Al Arabiya reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to a triad summit in Cairo with Abbas. While the prime minister's office did not confirm the report, it did note that Israel was always prepared to hold direct negotiations without preconditions.
Hamas leaders realize that the physical blockade on Gaza is now being compounded by a diplomatic chokehold. Contrary to their expectations, the blockade on Gaza was not lifted in the wake of the June 28 reconciliation agreement between Jerusalem and Ankara. After the agreement went into effect, the Turkish ship Lady Leyla arrived at the port of Ashdod, bringing aid to the Gaza Strip. Draped in Turkish flags, its containers carried medicines, diapers, toys and foodstuffs for the people in Gaza. Still, more than alleviating the dire economic distress in Gaza, the cargo was designed to help Turkey withdraw its demand that Israel lift the blockade as a condition for reconciliation. Hamas leaders, who had their hopes riding on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, now realize that he, too, will not be their savior.
At this time, Hamas leaders both in Gaza and abroad, including Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Meshaal, have been maintaining radio silence. Ever since Sisi rose to power, they have been very careful not to come out with statements concerning Egypt. On the one hand, ever since he was nominated in 2014, the Egyptian president has waged an all-out war on the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and its Gaza-based Hamas proxy. Unquestionably, he is considered a partial broker who prefers dealing with Abbas to Hamas, hoping for the latters collapse. On the other hand, given the disappointment with Turkey and Erdogan, it appears that only Sisi can help Gaza come out of the nine-year-long blockade. If he wants to, he can bring relief to Gaza. But at the same time, he can also perhaps in collaboration with Israel ratchet up the blockade.
The only remaining option for Hamas is damage control. As previously reported in Al-Monitor, the movements leaders in Gaza view their former Fatah enemy, former Palestinian Security Minister Mohammed Dahlan, as the key to a solution. The excellent ties he has fostered with Sisi and the massive amounts of money he has infused into Gaza through various charity funds have prompted the movements leaders in Gaza, including his archrival Mahmoud al-Zahar, to believe that Dahlan is the one who can bring about an agreed-upon Palestinian solution that as far as they are concerned will be the lesser evil. This is why senior Hamas leaders Mousa Abu Marzouk and Zahar the only two leaders holding a dialogue with Cairo have relayed messages to Egypt to the effect that if Dahlan were to resume a key position in the Palestinian leadership, the obstacles to an internal Palestinian reconciliation and the resumption of PA rule in the Gaza Strip would be removed.
Equally interesting, by contrast, is the reaction of senior Palestinian leaders in Ramallah to the Egyptian initiative and the possibility of a summit meeting in Cairo between Netanyahu and Abbas. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior PA official told Al-Monitor that in a meeting that Shoukry held with Abbas after his meeting with Netanyahu, the PA president did not present any preconditions for such a tete-a-tete. Though fully aware of Sisis clout and influence, what PA officials really want is to use the Egyptian track in order to expose Netanyahus true colors. Before the planned meeting in Cairo made the news, a Palestinian security source told Al-Monitor that Netanyahu always says aye in public, yet is opposed to any move that could promote a solution. According to him, before long the Egyptians will find that out for themselves.
July 11, 2016
Despite reports that members of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) are torturing and committing other atrocities against Sunnis, the forces appear to be indispensable in battling the Islamic State (IS) and are likely to be involved in future fighting.
The PMU took part in operations to recapture Tikrit in March 2015 and Fallujah in June 2016 and helped achieve great successes against IS. The forces have become a key element in the fight against IS and are ready to fully participate in liberating Mosul, according to Hadi al-Ameri, leader of the Badr Organization, a PMU faction.
PMU abuses
Every time the Iraqi security forces achieve victory with PMU participation, there are reports of abuses by the mostly Shiite PMU, followed by demands that the group be excluded from operations to liberate Sunni areas.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadis office announced June 5 that a fact-finding committee had been formed to investigate the allegations. Human Rights Watch said in a June 9 report that it has received credible allegations of summary executions, beatings of unarmed men, forced disappearances and mutilation of corpses by government forces over the two weeks of fighting, mostly on the outskirts of the city.
The Anbar provincial council has confirmed PMU abuses during and after the Fallujah battles. Anbar Governor Suhaib al-Rawi announced during a June 12 press conference the results of an investigation into the massacre of the mostly Sunni al-Mahamda tribe in Saqlawiyah, a village north of Fallujah. He said 49 refugees were killed after surrendering and more than 640 people were missing.
Rawi said a PMU faction that he did not specifically name had subjected the surviving detainees who were saved when federal police intervened to torture.
PMU commanders denied the charges and blamed what happened on individuals, adding that abusers will be referred to special courts.
PMU role in the battles
When the Fallujah operations started May 22, political and military leaders said there would be no need for the PMU to enter and liberate the city's center because that area would be handled by federal police and Anbar's police, counterterrorism office and emergency service units. The leaders said the PMU role would be limited to liberating villages and areas surrounding Fallujah.
Gen. Talib Shagati, commander of the Iraqi Joint Special Operations Command, told Al-Sumaria News, The PMU leaders declared that they will not enter Fallujah."
At first, that claim seemed to hold true. The PMU spearheaded the liberation of the surrounding villages. PMU security spokesman Youssef Kallabi said June 4, The PMU, after managing to take control over the Saqlawiyah city center, are tasked with preserving control over the liberated territory and will not take part in the operations to enter the Fallujah city center, which the counterterrorism office will be tasked with.
Yet despite those repeated assurances, fierce IS resistance forced Abadi to rely on the PMU to penetrate the center of Fallujah. Thus, the PMU ended up being involved in the battle for Fallujah's center in two ways.
First, on June 21, six brigades of the Badr Organization consisting of 10,000 fighters fought under the banner of the federal police wearing police uniforms. This explains why the federal police appeared to play such a significant role. The combined forces had the upper hand and hastened the liberation process, Al-Monitor learned in a phone interview with a federal police official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
However, the Iraqi National Alliance, a Sunni parliamentary coalition, accused the federal police of not complying with the prime minister's orders and of intentionally coordinating with the PMU to enter the heart of Fallujah.
Second, on June 17, Abadi announced the liberation of the city with the exception of some slums. Yet Iraqi forces withstood severe attacks by IS snipers, suicide bombers and car bombs, according to the official IS Amaq News Agency. The attacks embarrassed Abadi and forced him to resort to the PMU to enter from the northern axis. These forces managed to take control of the railroad and liberate al-Mukhtar, a village north of Fallujah. Thus, these forces became the demarcation line with Fallujahs northern areas, increasing the pressure on these areas and helping to liberate them. The PMU and federal police came in from the north, and the Golden Division and the federal police, backed by the PMU, covered the south.
Now, even though the battle for Fallujah is over, the PMU are refusing to withdraw from the city and its outskirts. PMU deputy head Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis said June 28, The PMU in Fallujah will remain where they currently are and will not leave their positions. They will maintain control of the land. He added, The Iraqi forces needed and are still in need of the assistance and support of the PMU, which represents backup" for them.
Based on all these events and the critical role the PMU has assumed, its participation in the upcoming battles, particularly the battle for Mosul, seems inevitable.
July 12, 2016
Online news site Akher Khabar reported June 27 that Tunisias Ministry of Defense had dismissed four soldiers on charges of religious extremism, saying it had obtained documents showing their dismissal by the administrative court.
It is not the first time that members of Tunisias security and military establishments have been dismissed on charges of religious extremism and collaboration with jihadi organizations active in the country. In September 2015, Tunisias Ministry of Interior dismissed 110 security members on suspicion of having ties with terrorist organizations. The ministry claimed that the suspects were affiliated with various agencies, including the police, gendarmerie, army and customs.
General Inspector of National Security Taoufik Bouaoun confirmed the incident in an interview with Tunisias MAD radio station on Sept. 14, 2015. He said, Five or six of these [suspects] were referred to the judiciary for their direct collaboration with smuggling networks or some terrorist members.
Bouaoun said that some of the suspects have revealed to terrorists information on the security [forces'] patrols and positions in exchange for a bribe.
The Interior Ministrys announcement of the dismissal of a number of security members on charges of collaboration with jihadi groups ended the controversy of whether or not jihadis had indeed infiltrated the Tunisian security establishment. Confrontation with these groups had started in 2012, under the rule of the Islamic Ennahda movement.
Yet the military establishment seems more discreet regarding extremist members infiltrating the army. In July 2015, 33 youths disappeared from Remada, a city in the countrys far south, including three soldiers, one of whom was a pilot. After a US raid earlier this year on Sabratha in Libya, the youths were found in an Islamic State camp.
Jihadi organizations have focused their efforts on infiltrating security agencies rather than the army, given the important tasks of countering terrorism in Tunisia entrusted to these agencies. Moreover, the types of infiltration vary according to the nature of the organizations goals.
Some jihadi organizations, for instance, are involved in the recruitment of security agents at the border to facilitate the smuggling of their members into Libya and back, as happened with Ansar al-Sharia leader Saif Abdullah bin Hussein (Abu Ayad). In May 2014, the Tunisian authorities arrested a member of the border guard on charges of smuggling Abu Ayad to Libya.
Jihadi organizations also rely on recruited security members to leak reports on the investigations with their members detained in prison, as happened in 2013, when reports of the investigation into the assassination of opposition members Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi were leaked. The general prosecutor in Tunisia opened an investigation at the time, after investigation reports fell into the hands of Ansar al-Sharia.
According to Bouaoun, these organizations rely also on the security members they recruit to inform them of the movements of the security forces and police patrols and positions used in attacks against the jihadi organizationsm.
The methods used by jihadi organizations to recruit soldiers and policemen include ideological polarization, bribery and kinship.
The infiltrations were revealed following Zine El Abidine Ben Alis fall in 2011, as the jihadi Salafist movement spread throughout the country. In this context, Bouaoun said, Security appointments following the overthrow of Ben Ali from 2011 until 2013 did not comply with security regulations and those appointed were not subject to a background check at the judicial, criminal and political levels.
He added, Those who were dismissed were not originally well-trained after they joined the security establishment, and they lacked immunity to ideological polarization.
In 2011, the Ministry of Interiors agencies were subjected to a restructuring, which consisted of dissolving the intelligence agency and dismissing a number of security leaders with extensive experience in countering terrorism, under the reasoning of sending away the symbols of the former regime.
A senior official at the Ministry of Interior who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity said, Since the end of 2015, we have been reviewing the security appointment standards, which once again became strict, by conducting the necessary investigations and checks prior to the security establishment appointments.
He added, Such infiltrations have always occurred globally. There is an self-reform system at the Tunisian security establishment that allows getting rid of whoever does not abide by internal regulations or was proved to have ties with extremism, smuggling or criminal networks. The regulatory bodies within the security institution are the ones following up on this issue and imposing all of the necessary sanctions on violators, starting with a warning followed by dismissal and prison sentences."
Historically, Tunisias security services and army were not spared infiltration attempts by Islamic groups. In December 1987, the authorities dismantled a group affiliated with the Islamic Tendency Movement, which later became the Ennahda movement, found within the army and security establishment. The group had planned a military coup to overthrow Habib Bourguiba, but then Ben Ali came to power. Moncef Ben Salem, the late leader of Ennahda, revealed in 2003 the plan of the coup and infiltration of the military establishment.
After the fall of the Ben Ali regime and the rise of Ennahda, several sources indicated that the movement had tried to take over the Ministry of Interior and infiltrate security agencies.
In the Arab world, various Islamic movements have succeeded in infiltrating the army, some of which came to power. In Egypt, for instance, a jihadi cell within the army managed to assassinate President Anwar Sadat in 1981. In 1989, the Sudanese National Islamic Front, led by Hassan al-Turabi and army officer Omar al-Bashir, brought down the democratically elected Sadiq al-Mahdis government.
The Tunisian security agencies continue to be engaged in intelligence warfare against jihadi groups. The party that is able to infiltrate its opponent successfully and obtain information on it and its movements could win the battle. The issue of intelligence infiltration has also revived talk of reforming security institutions according to political changes the country witnessed following the departure of Ben Ali. While the reform has started, its pace has been very slow.
July 12, 2016
Anybody who thinks Turkey needs Europe more than ever to extricate itself out of its diplomatic isolation would be misguided. If there is one unequivocal consequence of Turkeys recent dual reconciliation with Russia and Israel, it is enhanced self-confidence to stand up to the European Union.
The shortcut to standing up to the European Union does not lead to Brussels but rather to Berlin. As long as the strong lady of Europe professed a visible soft spot in her dealings with Turkey due to her need for a deal to stem the refugee flow across the Aegean, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan behaved relatively mercilessly toward Germany and through it, toward the EU when he felt it was necessary to alleviate the sentiments of his nationalist constituency at home or to deter the Europeans from pursuing any sort of policies that he thinks may impair Turkeys interests.
Erdogan did not have much leverage with the Europeans. However, he now believes that he does, particularly after reconciling with Israel and primarily with Russia. His room for maneuver in foreign policy has expanded considerably. Feeling emboldened during the recent NATO summit in Warsaw, he challenged the demand of the German parliament to send a delegation to visit German military personnel deployed at Incirlik Air Base for the coalition effort against the Islamic State.
The controversy of a German parliamentary delegation visiting German military personnel at Incirlik has been looming for some time. German Defense Ministry Undersecretary Ralf Brauksiepe was denied a visit to Incirlik by Turkish authorities.
The explanation offered by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was cynical. Military and technical delegations could come to Incirlik. But we do not see visits to Incirlik by nonmilitary personnel, especially politicians, as appropriate, he said. In response, German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen put up a challenge and said she would go to Incirlik and see the German military personnel.
The issue was taken up at the highest level between Erdogan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel during the recent NATO summit. Erdogan set a condition for such a visit that no European political leader could accept: He asked Merkel to state that the recent Bundestag resolution on the Armenian Genocide of 1915 does not reflect the view of the German government she heads.
Even if she might not agree with the German parliaments decision, she could not do it. In no democratic European country could the executive declare itself totally insensitive to the legislative branch. For Erdogan, who believes in a strong executive, what he asked seems very reasonable. However, such a cleavage does not exist in Western European political culture.
Naturally, no compromise on the issue resulted from the meeting of two leaders. Merkel tried to keep her head high and played down the disagreement. She spoke to the German ZDF television channel and said, Disagreements cannot be overcome in one meeting.
Such an explanation seems far from mitigating the discontent of the German politicians who had expected she could resolve the Incirlik issue with Erdogan. However, her inability to do so is bringing further pressure from the German legislators to the extent that Germans began to consider withdrawing the German military personnel from Incirlik altogether.
According to the German official news source Deutsche Welle, Andreas Scheuer, secretary-general of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria, which is the sister party of Merkels Christian Democratic Union, told the German daily Tagesspiegel, The soldiers and the bases of an army of a parliament can be visited always and wherever they are by parliamentarians. Because of his attitude, Erdogan will cause the withdrawal of the German military (from Incirlik).
The notion of a military subservient to the legislative organ, in this case the German Bundestag, is alien to Turkish thinking.
A spokesman of Merkels coalition partner the Social Democratic Party, Niels Annen, also told Tagesspiegel that Merkel should get the commitment of Erdogan in order to gain the access of German parliamentarians to the base in southern Turkey.
In addition, a former chief of staff of the German military, Harald Kujat, told the daily Ruhr Nachrichten that Ankaras position was unacceptable.
Incirlik Air Base has a squadron of German Tornado aircraft and 240 German military personnel deployed to contribute to the coalition against IS.
The German military presence at Incirlik, despite its modest numbers, is significant in terms of asserting Germanys determination to emerge from 70 years of postwar restraint to play a greater military role on the world stage.
Merkel recently promised to increase military spending from 1.2% of GDP to close to the NATO preference for 2%. She believes that Germany should step up because of the threats facing Europe.
This writer, who participated in a closed roundtable conference in London on July 11, was privy to information presented by a high-ranking British official who had just returned from the NATO Summit in Warsaw that the alliance discussed at length the threat emanating from the South meaning the south of Turkey, implying mainly the Islamic State (IS) or jihadi threat. In terms of confronting such threats, the deployment of AWACS warning and control aircraft to Incirlik Air Base is being planned. The AWACS aircraft would be manned by German military personnel and would monitor Iraqi and Syrian airspace on behalf of the alliance.
Therefore, the Turkish-German friction on the issue of letting German parliamentarians visit Incirlik, if it remains unresolved, could have serious ramifications when it comes to NATO's plans to combat IS.
Equally, it could have a bearing on the place of Turkey in the Western alliance during the upcoming period.
How and when they might be resolved is far from certain, but Erdogan seemingly is assured of two things:
The turmoil Europe finds itself in following the Brexit vote in the UK is supplying new leverage to the Turkish president in his dealings with the EU, particularly with its leading country, Germany
He feels emboldened with the dual reconciliation between Turkey and Russia and Turkey and Israel.
He also regards it as leverage he could use not only vis-a-vis Europe but also if need be the United States.
July 11, 2016
Since the deadly attack June 28 on Istanbul Ataturk Airport, Turkey has become more alert about threats from the Islamic State (IS). Turkish police arrested more than 20 suspected IS members in a search for the group's secret cells; meanwhile, the Turkish military began hitting IS targets inside Syria with its jets and artillery. In other words, as belated as it is, Turkey has begun taking a bolder stance against the terror organization that now threatens the world.
However, Turkey also needs a war of ideas against IS. Sadly, Turkeys ruling religious-minded class seems to have little willingness and potential to do that. The reason is not any love affair with IS or any sympathy with its carnage. The reason is that most of Turkeys Islamic opinion leaders who have the means to counter IS ideology instead choose to blind themselves to the nature of the problem and explain it as a Western conspiracy against Islam.
This tirade is most visible in the pro-government media sector, which reflects a large part of the Islamic camp. As explained in a recent Al-Monitor piece, several articles appeared in this sector after the attack on the Istanbul airport, putting the blame on the CIA. Moreover, there is a whole narrative explaining the very rise of IS as nothing but a Western plot to create a Trojan horse within Islam in order to stain the religion and advance Western imperialism in the Middle East.
A recent gem reflecting this narrative is a new book titled DAISH: The Code of World War Three. (DAISH is the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham and is conspicuously preferred by Erdogan and his supporters to eliminate any visible reference to Islam.) The book is written by Betul Soysal Bozdogan, a popular female anchor on state TV TRT, with interviews with some 19 academics most of whom are unmistakably pro-government. It was promoted with heavy advertising including a slick video, which states the following:
The globalization project collapsed. Capitalism is on the brink of death. While the darkness of nihilism [dominates] the whole world, Islam is the last free citadel that offers a global resistance. Hence the mastermind created its latest invention to conquer the citadel: DAISH, which wants to bring Islam and terror together.
So IS and all of its cruelty exists because of the evil mastermind a term Erdogan invented last year, as I explained in Al-Monitor, as a Western center of conspiracy. Moreover, the books promotion film tells us, the target of this conspiracy is not just Islam but, more specifically, the glorious New Turkey of Erdogan. The film states, DAISH has a second mission: to stop Turkey, which is the candidate to be the reference country of history and civilization. Since they know that we will once again shape history if the roadblocks are eliminated, they want to render both Turkey and Islam ineffective by pointing to DAISH.
The breathtakingly self-serving tone of this argument apparently did not look too kitsch to the pro-Erdogan media. Quite the contrary, it has been welcomed and applauded. An article in the pro-Erdogan daily Sabah defined the book as a must-read for politicians and intellectuals. Other op-eds in the same media zone declared DAISH is a product of the West or DAISH is a puppet, the West is the puppeteer. Last year, even a government minister had argued, DAISH and PKK are the Wests toys.
The big problem now with this entire obsession with Western conspiracies is not that it looks ridiculous to anyone who has a better sense of the world. The big problem is that it keeps Turkeys new ruling class in a bubble of self-delusion, blinding them to the bitter and complex realities that Turkey faces. They seem to have almost no idea about the religious ideology of IS and its brand of Salafi-takfiri-jihadism, or of the social and political dynamics that drive thousands of young Muslims to this zealotry.
Meanwhile, in the real world, IS has been making alarming inroads into Turkish society and not because of any Western conspiracy, but because of the Turkish blindness in question. As explained by Yusuf Muftuoglu, a former adviser to former President Abdullah Gul, in an incomparably sober and sobering piece, Turkey has witnessed a normalization of Salafi extremism in the past five years, giving IS a fertile ground.
Muftuoglu said, Some of Turkeys Islamist NGOs and media have assumed prominent roles in this process, not just proselytizing an extremely sectarian discourse, but also silencing anyone who warned against the Islamic State. A great deal of Iran, and hence Shiite, bashing has gone on, labeling the Shiites with insulting adjectives throughout, justified by the argument that Salafi extremism was a result of Shiite extremism and hence understandable.
Now the same people who helped advance "Salafi extremism" the government-allied media and its many columnists, as Muftuoglu puts it are telling us that its ultimate product, IS, is nothing but a Western conspiracy. Moreover, when their ideas are objected to, they typically lash out by blaming their critics to be Western agents trying to whitewash their supposed masters.
Yet the issue is not the West here, which indeed has many relevant sins of its own to account for, such as the 2003 invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq which is now widely accepted as a disastrous folly. The real issue is whether the members of Turkeys new ruling class have the intellectual capacity to understand the world as it is and the moral capacity to admit their own failures along with the problems in their own tradition. So far, they have not done an impressive job. Understanding that IS is not a conspiracy against Islam but a disease within Islam would be a great step forward.
July 12, 2016
Thanks to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the plight of the 3 million Syrian refugees in Turkey has once again become the subject of an acrimonious debate. Erdogan announced on July 2 that the government was working on offering citizenship to Syrians. He did so while addressing a crowd of Syrians in the southeastern town of Kilis, near the Syrian border, which has borne the brunt of the Syrian conflict more than any other place in the country. I want to give you good news tonight, Erdogan said. There are those among our brothers and sisters who I believe want to become citizens. Our Interior Ministry is taking steps for this.
Returning July 11 from a NATO summit in Warsaw, Erdogan tried to clarify the matter by telling reporters on his plane that what was actually being proposed was dual citizenship for the Syrians, who could later decide which country they preferred to live in. That aside, he ended up further fueling the public debate by saying that the Syrians could be lodged in housing built by Turkeys Mass Housing Authority (TOKI), which provides low-cost housing for lower-income groups.
The uproar was immediate, accompanied by hostile and racist verbal attacks against Syrians and claims that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) was more sympathetic toward Syrians than needy Turks. Erdogan was also accused of trying to shore up the AKPs political support base by using the Syrians.
There were violent incidents between locals and Syrians in various parts of the country following reporting on Erdogan's remarks on the citizenship issue. In Beysehir, a town attached to the central Anatolian city of Konya, a fight broke out the night of July 10 between Turkish and Syrian youths over a stray dog kicked by a Syrian. Security forces intervened, but could not prevent a Syrian and a Turkish youth from dying from stab wounds.
A day later, tensions emerged between locals and Syrians in the predominantly Kurdish southeastern city of Sanliurfa after a local youth was attacked, stabbed and had his phone stolen. Local youths who blamed a Syrian for the attack gathered in the city center and chanted Out with the Syrians and similar slogans.
Such incidents have not exactly been rare in Turkey since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, but because the latest tensions flared after Erdogans remarks, the general inclination has been to make a connection to them. Sozcu, a stridently secular daily, wasted no time poking the hornets nest. Under a giant headline, its July 9 edition listed the benefits accruing to the Syrians before being offered to millions of needy Turks once they become citizens.
Cemil Ipekci, one of Turkey's best-known fashion designers, pitched in, causing an uproar with a blatantly anti-Syrian remark following Erdogans announcement. Ipekci tweeted, There are those who are trying in the name of injecting fresh blood to put 3 million more people among us who sold their country and fled. His words were derided, but many shared the sentiment.
Ahmet Hakan, a popular columnist for the mass circulation daily Hurriyet, argued that opposition to Syrians being give citizenship cut across party lines, and summed up the situation, stating, Our people, who for years have been unable to agree on anything, who have been divided, and who some believe have lost their character as a nation because of this, have become a nation again due to the Syrian question.
The head of TOKI was eventually forced to announce that the authority had not received any instruction from the government in regard to the Syrians, adding that even if it did, Turkeys new citizens of Syrian origin would have to pay for their homes, just like everyone else. His statement mollified few, leaving many still questioning why Syrians should receive preferential treatment, even if they paid for it, while tens of thousands of Turks have been waiting years for TOKI housing.
Pro-government commentators moved to support Erdogan, regardless of many AKP supporters' wariness about Syrians receiving citizenship. Erdal Tanas Karagol, a writer for the daily Yeni Safak, argued that the Syrians would not take jobs from Turks, but would contribute to economic growth, like Turkish workers in the past who moved to Germany.
Karagol wrote, We read about how academics, doctors, engineers, teachers and other white collar workers are going to rich countries because they do not have Turkish work permits. Why should Turkey, which has extended a helping hand and paid a high price for this, not avail of this human resource?
Although his argument might have some merit, he will not convince many Turks of it, because Germany had a labor shortage when the Turks were invited, which is not the case with Turkey today. The overwhelming majority of Syrians here are thought to be poor and unqualified peasants or city dwellers likely to strain Turkeys labor market.
Osman Koruturk, a retired ambassador who served as special envoy to Iraq during 2003-2005, believes that Erdogans announcement will likely make conditions for the Syrians even worse because of the public backlash it has created.
It is very unlikely that citizenship will be given to the Syrians en masse, said Koruturk, currently a deputy for the main opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP). There is no example in the world for this. Individuals can apply for citizenship through regular channels, of course, but that is not what is being talked about here.
He also spoke to Al-Monitor about the claims that Erdogan is using the Syrians to try to shore up his public base of support. [Erdogan] is saying that the Syrians can be settled in certain parts of the country. This suggests that he has demographic considerations in mind, Koruturk said. However, there has been no proper vetting of Syrians entering Turkey, so there is no guarantee that they would vote for Erdogan or the AKP if they became citizens. Not everyone from Syria fled from Assad. Many simply fled the war.
The bottom line is that the Syrians are in Turkey, and the problems resulting from their presence are likely to last for years. Turkey has to cope with this problem, one way or another, in a realistic manner.
Erdogans unrealistic approach, however, appears to be exacerbating the problem rather than offering solutions. Even if Syrians are granted citizenship, most will recognize that it is not the panacea they might desire. They will also see that Turkey is not necessarily an accommodating country when it comes to issues related to basic subsistence, which is something with which most Turks must cope.
July 12, 2016
Turkey has a long history of dealing with terror and has accumulated a wealth of experience coping with its complexities. But the June 28 attack against Istanbul Ataturk Airport that killed 45 people signaled that Turkey is now facing a new type of assault.
These attacks come from extremist Salafi ideology groups with a loose network of links to the Islamic State (IS). They aim to take hostages and use armed assaults and suicide bombings to target areas where foreigners congregate, such as airports, hotels and shopping and tourism centers. Such attacks have taken place before in Mumbai, India; Nairobi, Kenya; Jakarta, Indonesia; and most recently Dacca, Bangladesh.
Ankara is now busy thinking of ways to deal with these types of incursions. But instead of developing a comprehensive and integrated strategy of coping with religiously motivated radicalism, Turkey is approaching the issue solely from the perspective of anti-criminal security and combating terror acts.
Security sources told Al-Monitor after the June 28 airport attack that they believe Ankara is finally recognizing the seriousness of the issue. But when asked whether Ankara is too late, the sources remained mute.
The new security package Ankara is putting together has two primary goals: to minimize the mobility of Salafi foreign terrorist fighters already in Turkey and to hunt them down.
Here, an important distinction must be made: IS in Turkey no longer relies on local networks such as the ones used for the Ankara train station attack Oct. 10 that killed 107 people, the July 2015 Suruc suicide bombing that killed 34 young peace activists and the attack at a political rally at Diyarbakir on June 5, 2015, that killed five people. IS is aware that Turkish security agencies have improved their surveillance and tracking of its networks in Turkey, so the group has shifted to foreign terrorist fighters.
"This explains why IS now prefers to use fighters coming from Central Asia and the Caucasus. IS has noted the tolerance shown by Turkish security agencies and also by the Turkish public to those fighters," a security source told Al-Monitor. "Until the airport attack, nobody in Turkey paid much attention to what an Uzbek or a Chechen was doing in Turkey, as long as he was fighting against [the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad] or the YPG [People's Protection Units] in Syria. We were actually looking the other way. Not anymore."
Now the activities of Central Asian and Caucasian jihadi fighters are watched as closely as the operations of the Kurdish YPG.
So what are the measures Ankara is taking to restrict the mobility of these fighters and hunt them down?
In the past five years, about 4,000 people have been deported from Turkey because of their links to terrorism. Moreover, according to Abdulkadir Selvi of the daily Hurriyet, about 49,000 people from 100 countries have been banned from entering Turkey.
Meanwhile, serious steps are also being taken to boost the capacity of the Migration Management Directorate of the Ministry of Interior with new equipment, personnel and legislative support. The objective is to provide the directorate with more transportation and accommodation facilities to enable it to cooperate with the security and intelligence services and speed up deportation of illegal migrants.
Another major project is to regulate and control the accommodations of foreigners. In Turkey, especially in Istanbul, there are tens of thousands of furnished apartments rented out by the day. Foreign terrorist fighters in Turkey generally prefer to stay in these apartments.
The local administrator of Istanbul's Iskenderpasa neighborhood, where the airport attackers had stayed, said: "Today there are about 2,500 unregistered apartments in my district. Every day, 30-40 people come to complain that there are foreigners living in their buildings and nobody knows who these people are."
According to new directives to be issued by the Ministry of Interior, real estate agents will now be required to report to police the names of new tenants. A new software system will be made available to coordinate communications between the real estate agents, landlords, the local administrator and the police.
In interviews with Iskenderpasa residents, Al-Monitor noted that many had no idea how to report suspicious foreigners they see in their area. Some residents say they actually reported their suspicions to police but no action was taken.
Ankara is also trying to overcome the frequent mistakes made in foreign names used on domestic bus and air travel tickets. More than 3 million foreigners are frequently traveling inside Turkey, often with misspelled or incomplete names on tickets issued by bus and air travel companies. This makes police investigations after an incident extremely difficult. Ankara is trying to devise a system that will result in full, accurate names on passenger manifests. One security official said there is even a proposal to use biometric passport photos. This could be relatively easy with air travel, since only a small number of companies would be involved. But at least 1,000 travel companies operate in Turkeys widespread bus transportation market and nobody has yet figured out how their generally small offices could deal with biometric requirements.
"Since the October 2015 attack in Ankara, security services show absolutely no tolerance for extremist Salafi bodies and networks. That forced IS to practically end its use of Turkish IS militants. Jihadi terrorists from Central Asia and Caucasia were the soft underbelly of Turkey," a security official told Al-Monitor.
Another security official confirmed that Turkey is working hard to limit foreign terrorists' mobility and to apprehend them, but that it is a complicated affair. "We know that IS militants, especially foreigners among them, are seriously under pressure in Syria and Iraq. They are now in reverse migration, trying to return to Turkey with their families."
At first, Turkey was not affected by jihadi migration to Syria and Iraq, but it is now becoming the first country to be seriously threatened by this reverse migration. Ankara has belatedly realized that it is the nearest "Western" target for IS. While everyone seems to be debating whether 2016 will be the end of IS in Syria, Turkey is just starting to deal with its struggle against IS and foreign fighters.
July 12, 2016
RAMALLAH, West Bank The West Bank suffered through a bloody week, with six deaths in a few days. On June 29, three people were killed and 13 wounded in a shooting in Yaabad in Jenin province in the northern West Bank over a family dispute. On that same day, fugitives in Nablus shot two police officers dead, while the sixth victim was killed during another family quarrel in the Shuafat refugee camp on July 1.
Dozens of the quarrels that have taken place in the cities, villages and camps of the West Bank were characterized by the use of weapons by civilians. Fired on celebrations or during family quarrels, intermittent gunshots are heard almost every night in the West Bank, raising concerns about lawlessness amid the security forces inability to confiscate arms.
The governor of Nablus, Maj. Gen. Akram Rajoub, told Al-Monitor, Arms proliferation has become an alarming phenomenon driven mainly by the Palestinian securitys failure to deal with it effectively. Also, morals and values have changed, making it easier to settle conflicts and violate the law using arms.
He added, Should our armed forces fail to solve the problem and strike all those who use arms with an iron fist, this phenomenon is likely to expand further.
Security official Maj. Gen. Adnan al-Damiri told Al-Monitor, Israel controls the borders, which makes it the main source of arms in the West Bank through arms dealers, since Palestinian security forces are absent in some areas, mainly Area C, which is under Israels control, where arm dealers can find a hideout.
By using arms to settle conflicts, Palestinians show a lack of trust in official authorities. Writer and political analyst Jihad Harb addressed this issue in an interview with Al-Monitor, saying, The populations resorting to weapons reveals a mistrust in authorities amid the absence of security and stability in Areas A, B and C. Such a situation puts the Palestinian Authority and its security forces at stake, testing their abilities in terms of ensuring the peoples security and intervening fast to settle conflicts.
Consequently, the Palestinian government now shares the peoples concerns about arms proliferation. On the evening of July 1, President Mahmoud Abbas convened a meeting of security leaders to discuss the issue at the PA headquarters in Ramallah. Abbas issued instructions that stressed the need for preserving security and stability according to the law in all areas and striking with an iron fist anybody who breaks the law and sheds Palestinian blood to fuel chaos, regardless of this persons background.
Rajoub explained, The president and the leadership issued instructions to address the problem of arms proliferation. According to these new instructions, anyone who uses illegal arms or carries them in public should be dealt with immediately. Moreover, anyone who fires at civilians or security forces will be shot as well. Officials are alarmed by the situation, and the new instructions are firm and will be implemented.
Damiri said, The Palestinian security apparatus is keen to curb this phenomenon despite the gaps, as no security apparatus in the world is capable of completely stopping shooting incidents. Security forces have recently confiscated dozens of weapons in the northern West Bank.
The security services in Jenin are also preparing for a wide security crackdown campaign in the upcoming days to track down those causing chaos and insecurity and to collect weapons.
The Palestinian peoples concerns about the use of arms to settle family conflicts are intensified by the political systems instability, as observed in its failure to set a date for presidential and legislative elections, disagreement on Abbas successor and the ongoing division.
Hassan Khreisheh, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, holds the PA responsible for the proliferation of arms. Khreisheh told Al-Monitor, The security forces were not serious about dealing with this problem. Gunshots are fired in the air on a daily basis in all the cities, but security officials have been cautious about confiscating arms. Some of them fear losing their positions because these arms belong to certain strongmen who may resort to violence to solve internal disagreements, prove their strength or intimidate their opponents. He added, I dont think the PA is inadequate. It is rather unwilling to deal with this issue, because the arms in question could be used in future national conflicts.
Khreisheh argued, Those who buy and collect arms should understand that this isnt the right way to settle any future political conflicts. Palestinians are now well aware that the legitimacy of any official can only be asserted through the ballots and not by the use of arms.
Harb pointed to several problems hindering efforts to rein in this phenomenon. Among them are the PAs lack of a strong policy and weak laws. Therefore, the PA is facing a serious test and must make a difficult choice: It can either continue to allow the proliferation of arms, which will lead to chaos, or it can impose its power.
Harb said, Palestinians are right to be concerned that organized armed groups may eventually seize power or drag us into security chaos. This is why the issue of arms proliferation should be brought to an end by adopting laws to govern Palestinian politics and domestic affairs. Otherwise, the country will be dragged into hell.
According to many officials and observers, facing the arms proliferation phenomenon in the West Bank requires the armed forces not only to take a strong stand, but also to adopt an impartial approach toward everyone. New legislation should also be enacted to legally deter the use of arms. Failure to do so will keep the door open for this phenomenon to drag society into a lawless state that will jeopardize the peoples security and stability and undermine the PA along with its institutions and security bodies.
July 12, 2016
TINDOUF, Algeria The newly elected president of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Brahim Ghali, is calling for a peaceful settlement of its decades-long quest for independence.
He made it known, however, that Sahrawis are ready to fight for their freedom.
In a July 9 election in a Sahrawi refugee camp in Algeria, the indigenous people of the Moroccan-occupied territory in disputed Western Sahara chose Ghali as their president and secretary-general of their liberation movement, the Polisario Front. Ghali replaces longtime leader Mohamed Abdelaziz, who died May 31.
Ghali was one of the front's founding members. He led the movement's first military operation against Spain in 1973. In 1991, he began a new career as a diplomat, holding different posts, from Polisarios representative in Spain to its ambassador in Algeria.
He was sworn in July 9 before an audience that included delegations from Africa, Latin America and Europe. In his first speech as president, Ghali called for a peaceful resolution to the Western Sahara dispute.
We are advocates of peace and are ready to cooperate with the kingdom of Morocco in order to exploit opportunities for a solution that still exists, which enjoys the consensus of the world, based on respecting the Sahrawi peoples inalienable right to self-determination and independence," he said.
He explicitly stated that such opportunities might be lost. It's an open door toward real peace, and the Moroccan kingdom will bear all consequences when closing it, because the Sahrawi people will relentlessly cling to defending their rights by all means, Ghali said.
The movement has been fighting for the independence of SADR, the state declared by the Sahrawis, for more than 40 years. It first fought the former colonial power Spain before unleashing a guerilla war against Morocco and Mauritania, who wanted to divide the region between them when Spain left in 1975.
The Polisario Front declared the SADR state in 1976. Mauritania retreated on its demands in 1979 and recognized SADR.
But Morocco still claims the territory and controls more than 75% of the area. It blocked a referendum called for by the African Union in the late 1980s under United Nations auspices that was supposed to take place when a cease-fire agreement was signed in 1991. The cease-fire has held, but no solution has been reached.
While the front has been calling for a vote to determine the fate of the Sahrawis, Morocco in March expelled the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), which was working to resolve the dispute.
The mission has not returned to the Western Sahara yet, putting a huge burden on the UN Security Council to ensure its decision is implemented. Ghali said in his first presidential statement that "MINURSO, as a symbol of the world's commitment to the decolonization of the Western Sahara," should return to "conduct its full mandate, namely to organize a referendum for the Sahrawi people to decide on their fate."
"We reject that MINURSO just keeps guarding the status quo, to a simple observation of the cease-fire.
Mohamed Yeslem Baisat, governor of the Laayoune refugee camp, expressed a similar opinion.
We are not asking for the restoration of the mission per se; we are asking the mission to fulfill its mandate. If it is not going to do so, it is better for it not to be there. And we will handle things on our own. We have done it before and we can do it today," said Baisat, who was Polisario's ambassador in Algeria and its representative in the United States.
The UN Security Council is expected to hold a meeting July 26 to discuss developments in Western Sahara, especially MINURSO's return.
Meanwhile, about 2,400 voters attended the one-candidate congress. The opportunity was open for others to run for the presidency, but there was no other contender. Despite that, the congress committee insisted that an election take place, providing one other option, which was not voting by leaving a blank ballot. Ghali received 93% of the votes, starting a new era in Western Saharas history.
When asked why there was no other candidate, Baisat said, "This time it was a consensus candidate. The Sahrawis want to send the message of unity and cohesion to close ranks behind the banner of the Polisario Front as the sole liberation movement to achieve our independence.
Others who came to the congress shared that belief. Nafi Rais, secretary-general of the union for Sahrawi journalists, has participated in 10 Polisario elections. We want to show the world that we are united, he said. Rais was a member of the preparatory committee that laid the groundwork for the congress. Sahrawis from all backgrounds participated in the electoral process, he told Al-Monitor.
A German automotive supplier has selected Montgomery for its first North American facility, the company announced today.
Gerhardi Kunststofftechnik GmbH will invest $37,865,000 in the new facility and employ 235 workers.
"This is a great opportunity for Gerhardi and we are very excited," Gerhardi Managing Director Reinhard Hoffman said in a statement. "Montgomery Industrial Park offers a great infrastructure, attractive support and is located close to many OEM's. These benefits convinced us that this is the best place for our new facility."
Gerhardi's Montgomery facility will be located at Montgomery Industrial Park. Construction will begin in 2017. Production is expected to start in 2019.
"Montgomery has assembled a robust network of Asian auto suppliers to service the Hyundai assembly operation," Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, said in a statement. "As a German company, Gerhardi adds another dimension to Montgomery's auto supply chain, along with 235 new jobs."
Gerhardi manufactures a variety of products including radiator grilles, handles and chrome trims for its clients worldwide using such technologies as injection molding, advanced electroplating and hot stamping,
This is a tremendous win for Montgomery," Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange said in a statement. "Gerhardi could have chosen any place in North America to locate this facility and they chose the Capital of Dreams. This shows that we are not only excelling nationally, we are also continuing to boost our global presence. Gerhardi has seen that great things happen when you do business in Montgomery, and we are honored to welcome this world-class organization to our community."
A north Alabama restauranteur wants to inspire other local eateries to help feed hundreds of hungry residents this year in the Rocket City.
Rahul Arora, who runs The Original Public House, Beauregard's and Andale Andale in Huntsville, recently became a partner with Manna House's Mobile Kitchen, a trailer that serves hot meals at least three days a week to needy children, elderly people and families who are struggling to put food on the table.
Arora, who served food through Manna House in 2014, recently reconnected with the faith-based charity about the project.
"(Director Fran Fluhler) reached out to me a week or two ago and said, 'Hey, we're doing this Mobile Kitchen. I remember you saying that if we were ever doing something different, to let you know,'" he said. "'We're doing it 12 days a month and we don't have anybody really signed up on a consistent basis.'"
The rest is history.
Arora's restaurants are the first to volunteer for monthly recurring events with Manna House's Mobile Kitchen. They plan to feed hungry people three days a month through the initiative.
Last week, his restaurants prepared hot chicken tenders, French fries and coleslaw for about 200 Mobile Kitchen recipients, while Manna House provided rolls and dessert.
"I know I took three days, but there's still nine more days (of the month)," Arora said. "That's still nine more restaurants that have the opportunity to help serve the community."
The idea was born about three years ago from a small group with Leadership Huntsville/Madison County, which recognized Manna House's need and helped jumpstart the project. The Mobile Kitchen, which is towed behind a Chevrolet pick-up truck, has been rolling through local neighborhoods since 2014.
Despite the success of the Mobile Kitchen, Fluhler said the number of hungry residents is growing.
"Even with the amazing Summer Feeding Program, not everybody qualifies to go there, like older people who may not have children but they still need to eat," she said. "We see younger moms who work late hours and so they're not able to get to the schools to eat, but they've still got kids to feed. We're just excited we get to be a part of making sure those kids get healthy, nutritious meals."
Fluhler said Manna House needs more restaurants with commercial-sized kitchens to produce food on a larger-scale to meet the needs of the community. Businesses interested in helping can email fran.mannahouse@gmail.com.
Arora hopes more Huntsville-area businesses sign on soon.
"It doesn't take as much time or money as what people think it does," he said. "To have the opportunity to serve 200 people that are less fortunate -- it's a no brainer for me -- so I hope that it would be a no brainer for other restaurants in town."
TVA islands
If you want a true rustic getaway, try one of these TVA islands that are open to the public. (Courtesy/TVA)
(Damien Power)
It's summertime and we're all itching to get out of town a bit. OK, maybe a lot. A whole lot.
There are plenty of places across the state to for quick weekend getaways. There are the Gulf Coast beaches. The adventure in the Magic City. And plenty of island camping in North Alabama, from the Shoals to Lake Guntersville.
Yep, that's not a typo. You can camp on islands (for free), thanks to TVA. They have dozens of islands across the northern part of the state that are available for public use.
The one catch? If you're looking for a pampered getaway, well, this isn't for you. There are no restrooms, phones or electricity. This is truly primitive camping. These are undeveloped islands for people who want to get away from it all.
But how exactly do you find these islands?
Starting in the '70s, TVA printed maps of their undeveloped land and islands available for public use (229,000 acres worth). You'd have to use that to find your ultimate destination. But now, things are a bit (OK, a lot) easier.
Now, you can use download TVA's app on your smartphone to help you find where you want to go. The app is georeferenced, so it'll show you exactly where you are - and where the undeveloped recreational land is in relation to you.
(But before you try to find the TVA land, check out their map here. Zoom in on the map for details. If you're on your phone, check out instructions for downloading the app on an iPhone here and Droid here.)
People camp on an island in Wheeler Lake in northwest Alabama. (Courtesy/TVA)
Your best bets
Before you paddle or boat to an island, you should proceed with caution. Not all islands are for everyone. (For example, Patton Island in the Shoals is near two major roadways - so forget about peace and quiet - and is occupied by some wild hogs. So if you don't want to make four-legged friends, I'd rule that out.)
If you're in the Shoals area, Clay Guerry, TVA's senior natural resources specialist, recommends State Line Island downstream from Florence. It is half in Alabama, half in Tennessee, and is a popular spot for camping, he says - plus, as an added bonus, there's a large chunk of TVA land to the east of it.
On the east part of the state, in Guntersville, Guerry recommends the Conners Island area, where there are a bunch of islands to choose from. He says: "It's a really nice area. It's got really good boat ramp access and an extremely short boat ride."
There's one thing to look out for, though: Many of the islands have a significant cormorant population.
"(The large rookeries of cormorants have) made some of those islands not so desirable," Guerry says. "You don't want to camp underneath a whole bunch of birds - you can imagine why."
If you want to go out of state, there are also excellent options in Tennessee, Guerry says. One recommendation is Burns Island, which is just north of Alabama near the Nickajack Dam. The island has a swamp in the middle of it and is popular for nature photographers. (Make sure to pay attention to your map, though: There are some islands south of that that are not TVA land and not available to the public.)
Or, if you want to go a little further out, try Norris Reservoir, which is 30 minutes north of Knoxville. "It's what we call a mountain reservoir," Guerry says. "So unlike Guntersville and Wheeler, it doesn't have commercial traffic or recreational traffic." Plus, there's cooler water - and weather - than you'd get in Alabama.
What to pack
Remember - camping on a TVA island isn't like going to a campground. You won't have the amenities you have at those places. So you'll need to pack and plan wisely ahead of time. (Seriously, y'all. This is not a spontaneous trip.) Here are some of Guerry's suggestions:
Plenty of water and food
Sunscreen
An Epipen if you have any allergies
Make sure you don't go alone, and if you do, make sure someone knows of your whereabouts.
Bring an extra set of clothes - you never know when you'll tip over on your ride to the island. (Make sure the clothes are secured in a durable dry bag.)
First-aid kit
Any medication you need (plus extra).
Remember - download TVA's smartphone app, and find their map to figure out your destination here. And this is pretty obvious: clean your mess afterward. TVA is a partner in Leave No Trace, which is exactly what it sounds like: a nonprofit that urges you not leave anything behind.
Jon David Serio.png
Jon David Serio
(Shelby County Jail)
Authorities have now identified an Alabaster man arrested by a SWAT team Sunday after police say he assaulted his girlfriend, held her against her will and threatened to kill police officers if they came to the home.
Jon David Serio, 37, is charged with two counts of domestic violence strangulation or suffocation, interference with a domestic violence emergency call, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana, and drug possession. Alabaster police Lt. Grant Humphries said investigators obtained the warrants Serio on Monday.
The situation began Saturday night at Serio's home in the 100 block of King James Court. Police say Serio assaulted his girlfriend and held her against her will. "He beat her up pretty badly,'' Chief Curtis Rigney said in a previous interview. "He broke her cell phone so she couldn't call for help."
Sometime overnight, the victim was able to escape and alerted police to her injuries and the threats. "He had made statements he would kill law enforcement if they approached the house,'' Rigney said.
The girlfriend was treated at a hospital, and later released.
Officers began watching the home about 9 a.m. Because of the threats, Rigney said he called in the department's Tactical Response Unit. Later in the day, an undisclosed number of residents were evacuated from the immediate area because of the potential for gunfire.
Police obtained a search warrant for the home based on the domestic violence assault and the TRU tried to make contact with Serio, but there was no communication. After unsuccessful attempts to reach him, the officers entered the home about 4 p.m. and took him into custody. There was no standoff or shots fired, and no injuries.
Police have not said whether there were any weapons found inside the home. Serio was booked into the county jail, where he was released today after posting $29,000 bond.
Kalyn Chapman James, the first black Miss Alabama, has been placed on administrative leave at her job with a local public television station in Miami for her comments on Facebook about last week's shooting deaths of five Dallas police officers.
The Miss Alabama pageant also distanced itself Monday from James' comments.
WPBT2, without using James' name, issued a statement on its Twitter account Monday afternoon stating that "WPBT2 South Florida PBS does not condone the personal statements made by one of its independent contractors regarding the events in Dallas."
Kalyn Chapman James (2011 file photo)
"It placed the contractor on administrative leave while it actively and carefully looks further into the matter and will determine additional course of actions based on its thorough review of the matter," according to the station's post.
The station's Twitter statement also stated it supports non-violent approaches to complicated issues and policy reforms. "In fact, we go to great lengths to bring viewers in-depth and meaningful programming that examines important issues that directly impact our communities and country such as criminal justice reforms and race relations."
James is the host of Art Loft, a weekly art program on WPBT2 that showcases local artists, exhibitions, performances, and arts groups in South Florida, according to the Art Loft website.
James had not responded to a request by AL.com via email for comment on the television's Twitter statement prior to the publication of this story.
But in a Monday interview, which does not mention the administrative leave, James told television news station WPMI 15 in Mobile that her words have been taken out of context.
James told the TV station that since she posted the video she has gotten mixed responses.
The wife of a Dallas police officer also reached out to her, James said. "She said that she watched my video and she wasn't mad, she understood what I was saying and that she forgave me," James told the TV station.
But she also has gotten threats, James said.
Miss Alabama pageant organizers on Monday also distanced the group from James' Facebook comments in a statement to AL.com.
"Kalyn Chapman James was Miss Alabama 23 years ago in 1993," according to the Miss Alabama statement. "The opinions she expressed are her own, and do not represent the viewpoint of the current Miss Alabama or the Miss Alabama Organization. We have nothing but the utmost respect and appreciation for the men and women of law enforcement, and would never condone violence of any kind.'
The controversy came after James, a Mobile native, on Sunday posted a tearful video on her Facebook page in which she states she doesn't want to "feel this way" but she finds it hard to be sad for the Dallas police officers and "can't help but feeling like the shooter was a martyr."
She later clarified her thoughts and expressed her condolences to the families of the slain officers in a statement to AL.com.
"The fact that my opinion was considered newsworthy makes me feel like speaking up was exactly what I should do, because I can voice what so many people are feeling and dealing with and they should know they are not alone," James stated in the email. "I reiterate that I do not condone violence or killing at all. I offer my deepest condolences to all the families who lost their loved ones this week, including the officers in Dallas."
On Tuesday on her Facebook page James wanted people to know some things:
"I'm being threatened, harassed and called awful names. I have a few things to share on this issue that I want everyone to know and then I am done:
1. Micah Johnson is NOT a hero.
2. I do not condone violence against anyone - I am against violence. I would like to see an end to black on black crime, white on white crime, black on white crime, white on black crime, ALL killing needs to stop!
3. I want healing and peace for our nation and it will come when we can process our feelings, address the ones that don't align with our values (like I did) and reach out for help INSTEAD of causing more conflict or taking innocent lives.
If anyone else wants to join together in peace, healing and love just let me know. Because a cry for help and understanding has turned into a hate fest and only we can stop that. #lovematters #spreadlove."
James, in an interview Tuesday with the show Inside Edition said she regretted using the word "martyr" to describe the Dallas shooter. "I do wish that I hadn't used it in my video. I was very emotional," James told the show. "I only used the word in the context of a person who feels like they're dying for something they believe in. What he did was wrong...He is not a hero to me. I do not condone what he did."
James,however, told Inside Edition that she intends to keep her video posted on Facebook. "As long as people know that that video is just an expression of my sadness and anger and hurt, and that it is not a call to incite more violence, then I'm fine with the video being there," she told the show.
Representatives from several Birmingham groups held a press conference Tuesday evening to demand that James be immediately reinstated by the public television station in Miami.
Frank Matthews, president of the Outcast Voters League, said that he and representatives from the Magic City Black Lives Matter, Jefferson County Young Millennial Democrats, and the Birmingham chapter of the Nation Action Network, were sending a letter to the station in Miami. The press conference was held outside the offices of the Alabama Public Television on Southside in Birmingham.
"There is no investigation to be had (by the Miami station). She exercised her right to freedom of speech," Matthews said.
Matthews said he "condoned" the statements James had made in her Facebook video. He said many are keeping their feelings to themselves to be politically correct.
Le'Darius Hilliard, president of the Millennial Democrats, said that others such as Fox TV commentator Rudy Giuliani have made racially charged comments and didn't get suspended.
Carlos Chaverst said "we will not accept her being suspended."
Updated at 2:05 p.m. Tuesday with comment by James on Facebook. Updated at 6 p.m. Tuesday July 12 with comments from press conference.
A terminally-ill 6-year-old boy saw his dream come true earlier than planned tonight when he was made an honorary firefighter.
Connor Wilson, who has been battling anaplastic ependymoma since he was just 18-months-old and who is now in the end-stages of the rare disease, was named Honorary Firefighter of Year by the Center Point Fire District. "This means so much to us,'' said Karen Hodges, one of Connor's grandmothers. "He came up here last year and that's all he's talked about. He's just one of the most special kids you'd ever want to know."
Connor lives in Homewood with his mother, Rachel Boren. His other grandmother, Suzanne Boren, lives in Trussville. Shortly before he turned 2, Connor woke up one day and couldn't walk. Extreme nausea followed. They took him to the doctor, where he was diagnosed with a stomach virus and sent home.
After more tests were run, however, they discovered he had a brain tumor close to his brain stem. Connor underwent surgery followed by 30 radiation treatments. Once the radiation was completed, Connor had MRI's done every three months for two years to make sure there was no new growth.
At the three-year mark, a routine MRI showed a new tumor in the same location, family members said. Once again, Connor had surgery and 30 more radiation treatments. The first follow-up MRI at three months was clear, but the next test - in June of 2015 - showed multiple tumors in his brain and down his spine. The tumors were inoperable, but he has had numerous radiation treatments to try to shrink them and has tried chemotherapy as well as an experimental drug trial.
The treatments have not been successful, and now Connor lives with pain, nausea, excessive sleeping and poor motor coordination skills, as well as double vision. He has to have help to walk and has to wear an eye patch to help with his vision.
Last week, doctors told the family that the disease has progress and said Connor has two weeks to two months to live. That's when his family contacted Center Point Fire District and asked for a second visit. The firefighter took it a step or two further.
From his wheelchair, Connor got to spray the massive fire hose in the parking lot of Station 1 on Center Point Parkway and operate the ladder truck. Then firefighters and family members encircled Connor while Center Point Fire Battalion Chief Brad Appleton prayed for the boy. "The family is just trying to make him as happy as they can right now, and this is one thing he wanted to do,'' Appleton said. "We love kids anyway. We're all in this to serve the public. Having a special visitor like Connor is very special to us."
At the fire board meeting that followed, Center Point Fire Commissioner Forney Howard, a retired Birmingham firefighter and Orange Beach fire chief, read a resolution making Connor an honorary firefighter. Fire Chief Donnie West presented Connor with a badge, and shadow box filled with commemorative firefighter coins.
West said it was as special for the firefighters as it was for Connor. "These guys get real attached to these kids because they have kids too. When you have a sick child, it just draws you a little be closer to what the reality is about living,'' West said. "I know it's hard on these guys when we respond to calls on small kids, and they really kind of rallied together on this one."
Hodges said her grandson has talked about becoming a firefighter for several years. He likes police officers too, and as spent time with the Alabama State Troopers. "He loves it all,'' she said. "It's real exciting for him."
"To go through what he's gone through and have the spirit that he does, he doesn't let anything get him down,'' Hodges said. "He's just happy and tries to make the most of every day."
The family is not thinking about what might come next. Instead, they are focusing on the here-and-now. "We try to do anything he wants to do when he wants to do to keep him happy,'' Hodges said. "Miracles happen every day."
Mike Hubbard
Former Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard looks toward his family after he was sentenced to to four years in prison and another eight on probation for breaking the state ethics law, Friday, July 8, 2016, in Opelika, Ala. (Todd Van Emst/Opelika-Auburn News via AP, Pool)
(Todd J. Van Emst)
State prosecutors have filed a motion opposing former Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard's request for an investigation into claims of possible misconduct by the jury that convicted him.
On Friday, Hubbard's lawyers filed an affidavit from an unnamed juror who claimed to have heard other jurors make comments that indicated a bias against Hubbard as early as the first day of the nearly three-week trial.
The affidavit in the public court file is redacted to conceal the identities of jurors.
Hubbard's lawyers also gave the court an unredacted version filed under seal.
Lee County Circuit Judge Jacob Walker ordered prosecutors to file a response by today.
In today's motion, prosecutors oppose the request for an investigation and ask that the defense immediately provide the state with the unredacted affidavit.
"What Hubbard is seeking is an unfettered fishing expedition into the deliberations of the jury, without any possibility for the state to conduct a similar investigation or object," prosecutors said.
"The State has a right to know the basis of Hubbard's request to investigate the Lee County jurors that found him guilty after seven hours of deliberation," they said.
The affidavit mentions comments that the juror who submitted it found troubling.
For example, after a prosecution witness testified about Hubbard's family income, jurors speculated in the jury room about why he needed "all that money" and said "he was just plain greedy," according to the affidavit.
It's not clear from the affidavit if the juror who submitted it was a juror who took part in deliberations or was one of the alternates.
Hubbard's lawyers asked that the Lee County sheriff's office or another "neutral" agency conduct the investigation, not the attorney general's office, which prosecuted Hubbard, or the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
On Friday, Walker sentenced Hubbard to four years in prison, eight years probation and fined him $210,000 for 12 felony ethics convictions handed down by the jury on June 10.
Hubbard's lawyers said they will appeal. Hubbard remains out on bond.
Madison County investigators have arrested a staff member of a Madison church who stands accused of possession and dissemination of child pornography.
John Lindbergh Ellar Martin (Madison County Jail)
John Lindbergh Ellar Martin, 57, is charged with possession of child pornography. He is being held in the Madison County Jail in lieu of $30,000.
Madison County Sheriff's Office Captain Michael Salomonsky announced the arrest Tuesday afternoon at a news conference, where he detailed the weeks-long investigation into Martin's alleged crimes.
Salomonsky said a search warrant was executed around 6:45 a.m. at Martin's home on Barcody Road SE in Huntsville, where investigators took as evidence several electronic devices, including cell phones.
A search warrant was also executed at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Madison, where Martin worked as assistant director of the parish's religious education program. A desktop computer, as well as a laptop, was seized from his office there.
Photos and videos of sexual abuse of children were found on both computers from the church, as well as the devices taken from Martin's home.
Salomonsky said church officials were "extremely helpful" during the search and the investigation of the case.
Though Martin is an ordained minister, he did not serve in that capacity at the church. Salomonsky said Martin was terminated Tuesday following his arrest.
"It's been extremely hard to track this individual," Salomonsky said, pointing out that the Sheriff's Office's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigator had to track IP addresses and use other technological data to trace the pornography back to Martin.
The investigator initially found the pornography by surfing websites dedicated to sexually abusive materials involving children. Salomonsky said monitoring such websites is a large part of her daily duties.
"We didn't get any tips, we didn't get any help from anybody. It was the Madison County Sheriff's Office's ICAC investigator's proactive approach to protecting children" that broke the case, he said.
There were multiple victims involved, he said, though it is not yet known if any of the children are from the Madison County area. Salomonsky called child pornography a global crime.
"The investigation will take months to track down the victims," the captain said.
Martin did not appear to be in any of the pornographic videos found by deputies.
The U.S. Secret Service has agreed to assist Madison County investigators in analyzing the photos and videos seized so the children who were being abused can be identified and given help, Salomonsky said.
He urged parents whose children have had contact of any kind with Martin to talk to their children. If sexual abuse is suspected, parents can call the Sheriff's Office at 256-533-8820 to talk to an investigator.
john meredith
John Meredith is running for Huntsville city council. (AL.com file photo)
John Meredith's father took a sniper's bullet in 1966 while raising awareness to the need for minorities to register to vote.
On the 50th anniversary of that seminal event, Meredith wants your vote as he runs for Huntsville city council.
"The irony, if you will, of the situation was not lost on either of us," Meredith told AL.com in a recent interview.
Meredith is challenging incumbent Will Culver for the District 5 seat in west Huntsville. But beyond the issues of that race, beyond the differences between Meredith and Culver, there is a civil rights history that brings a dramatic element to the Aug. 23 municipal election.
James Meredith in 1962 broke the color barrier at the University of Mississippi, though it took a federal court order for him to gain entrance at the school after Gov. Ross Barnett attempted to block it. U.S. Marshals escorted Meredith onto campus, igniting riots that left two students dead.
James Meredith. (AL.com file photo)
"Most people know of my father and what he did at Ole Miss," his son said. "Most people approach that as an educational issue and wanting to get the best education you can, which is true. But it was always about citizenship and how the government treats his citizens.
"He did that because he felt, as a taxpaying citizen in good standing in the state of Mississippi, he should be entitled to go to the state-supported school. So that was a government thing."
James Meredith, who previously attended Jackson State College earned his degree from Ole Miss in 1963 in political science.
Three years later, Meredith began a one-man march to drive minority voter registration - a march that eventually Martin Luther King Jr. joined.
"When he got shot, he got shot trying to get blacks in Mississippi to register to vote," John Meredith said of his father. "It was a year after the Voting Rights Act had been enacted and the (voter) rolls were actually decreasing. They certainly weren't increasing with the numbers of these new black voters.
"So my father struck out to do a one-man march to encourage the people on his route to go and register and to vote. The second day, he got shot. And other civil rights personalities and organizations came together to finish the march. My father did rejoin at the end. But it became the biggest march in Mississippi history and it was a very successful voter registration event."
Meredith came to Huntsville almost five years because his wife, Tina, is from the Rocket City. He previously lived in Washington as president and CEO of Meredith Advocacy, a boutique lobbying group.
Meredith said there are plans for his father to make an appearance in Huntsville as part of his campaign.
"I like to think one of pride," Meredith said of his father's reaction to his son's first foray into seeking public office. "He was a little speechless, which is unusual. But he smiled bright and I knew that it was something that was happy that I decided to do in spite of telling him many times I never would."
A Phenix City man killed in a Monday traffic crash allegedly slammed the driver's head into the steering wheel just prior to the vehicle running off the roadway, a report states.
Jeremie Markey Perry, 25, was pronounced dead at the scene of the single-vehicle crash off J.R. Allen Parkway in Columbus, Ga., the Ledger-Enquirer reported.
The driver of the vehicle, a 2006 Honda Accord, told police she and Perry were arguing prior to the crash. She accused him of shoving her head into the steering wheel.
This caused the Honda to veer off the roadway, slide down an embankment and hit several trees. The vehicle landed on its roof.
According to a police report, the driver of the vehicle was ejected but not the passenger.
A Brantley police officer was arrested July 5 and accused of trying to sell 29 stolen road signs from Crenshaw County.
Jeremy Ray Walker, 30, of Glenwood, was arrested in Pike County and charged with receiving stolen property third degree, a felony, court records show. He is out of jail after posting $1,500 bond.
Walker is now on paid administrative leave from his post with the Brantley Police Department, WSFA reported. He is also a former Crenshaw County Sheriff's deputy.
According to court documents, a Pike County business owner contacted the sheriff's office after Walker asked to leave several road signs at his business.
Walker claimed he sold the signs online to a person from Mobile, the business owner claimed. The buyer was going to pick the signs up at the business.
The Crenshaw County engineer confirmed the signs had been stolen, according to court documents.
The signs included: a traffic law photo enforcement sign, a red light sign, a stop sign, two yellow marker signs, six speed limit signs, two yellow direction arrow signs, two 35 mph signs, a speed bump ahead sign, a do not enter sign, a one-way sign, a raised letter speed limit sign, nine Crenshaw County Road signs and a entering Crenshaw County sign.
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Alabama Power's new logo
The late Paul Rand, a well-known graphic designer once said:
"Pictures, abstract symbols, materials and colors are among the ingredients with which a designer or engineer works. To design is to discover relationships and to make arrangements and rearrangements among these ingredients."
While Rand - best known for his corporate logo designs - didn't design the new looking "A" logo that Alabama Power unveiled Monday, company President, Chairman and CEO Mark Crosswhite could have been echoing Rand when he talked about the new company logo.
"I do like it," said Crosswhite when asked what he thought of the new multi-colored, three dimensional single A, a marked departure from the old logo.
Alabama Power Company building
That old logo spelled out Alabama Power in bold block lettering with a red triangle A on top and a white lightning bolt streaking through it, a symbol of electricity, the commodity Alabama Power has been providing to customers for 110 years.
"I think the company has had maybe eight logos in our 110 year history and I'm confident each was a symbol of what the company was about and so is this new one," said Crosswhite.
The new symbol is a three dimensional triangle.
"I think that is symbolic. We have become multi-dimensional. We are no longer only in the electricity business," said Crosswhite. "Yes providing electricity is and will still be our main business and responsibility, but we are really becoming an energy business and in that way we are not changing as much as we are rearranging what we do."
Southern Company, the parent company of Alabama Power and four other utility companies in the southeast, and Kinder Morgan reached a deal that will see Southern Company buy 50 percent of the Southern Natural Gas pipeline from Kinder Morgan for $1.47 billion.
Southern Natural Gas is a 7,600-mile pipeline system connecting natural gas supply basins in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Gulf of Mexico to markets in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee.
SNG is a principal transporter of natural gas to Alabama, Georgia and Florida which are part of one of the fastest-growing natural gas demand regions in the country.
The deal to acquire half interest in SNG follows Southern Company's merger with Atlanta-based AGI Resources, which has been renamed Southern Company Gas. The merger expands the Southern Company system to more than 9 million customers and expands operations from four states to 18 states.
Crosswhite, who serves as a member of Southern Company's management council, said the moves are significant as Southern Company, Alabama Power and the other utility companies reposition themselves as not just providers of electricity, but energy providers.
But as big as the developments are, Crosswhite said Alabama Power customers will probably notice them very little in their day-to-day lives.
"We will remain the Power Company, the guys who supply electricity to our customers. What and who Alabama Power is, is not changing in that sense. What most will see will be our new logo, a symbol for a changing time.
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German auto supplier Gerhardi Kuntstofftechnik announced Tuesday plans to invest $37.9 million building in Montgomery its first North American manufacturing plant.
The company will employ 235 workers at its new Montgomery facility.
"This is a great opportunity for Gerhardi, and we are very excited," said Gerhardi Managing Director Reinhard Hoffman at a groundbreaking ceremony. "Montgomery Industrial Park offers a great infrastructure, attractive support and is located close to many OEMs (original equipment manufacturers).
"These benefits convinced us that this is the best place for our new facility."
Gerhardi officials were joined at the groundbreaking ceremony this morning by state and local leaders, as well as officials from the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce. Construction on Gerhardi's new Alabama facility will begin in 2017, with the start of production slated for 2019.
"Alabama's leading advanced industry is the automotive industry, and it's closely followed by the aerospace industry which has grown tremendously thanks to Alabama's involvement in the Farnborough Airshow this week and others in previous years," said Gov. Robert Bentley in a prepared statement. "This week while I'm continuing Alabama's aerospace mission in London, I'm honored to welcome Gerhardi's first U.S. automotive supplier plant to Montgomery.
"We look forward to forging a strong and lasting partnership with the company," he added.
Gerhardi, which was founded in 1796 as a maker of brass and copper buckles, now focuses on the production of innovative interior and exterior auto plants. It produces radiator grilles, handles, chrome trims and other parts for clients worldwide.
The company will join a large network of auto suppliers in the Montgomery region.
"Montgomery has assembled a robust network of Asian auto suppliers to service the Hyundai assembly operation," said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. "As a German company, Gerhardi adds another dimension to Montgomery's auto supply chain, along with 235 new jobs."
Gerhardi is headquartered in Ludenscheid, Germany. It employs approximately 1,400 workers at four production plants throughout Germany and has annual sales totaling $200 million.
Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange said landing Gerhardi's first U.S. plant in a major victory for the city, which has developed a strong and expanding automotive manufacturing cluster.
"Gerhardi could have chosen any place in North America to locate this facility and they chose the 'Capital of dreams,'" Strange said. "This shows that we are not only excelling nationally, we are also continuing to boost our global presence."
Gay Marriage comes to Mobile, Ala., in 2015
Ernesto Mena was the lone person protesting gay marriage in front of Mobile County Probate Court n Mobile, Ala., as dozens of people waited inside to apply for marriage licenses on Monday Feb. 9, 2015. Mobile County probate judge Don Davis refused to issue licenses. (Sharon Steinmann/ssteinmann@al.com)
For the first time in its history, the Republican Party considered adding support for same-sex marriage to its platform, but the change was widely opposed in a vote.
Judy Carns, an Alabama delegate and member of the GOP convention platform committee, was among the roughly 80 percent of Republicans against the platform change, which was introduced Monday by D.C. delegate Rachel Hoff, according to NBC News.
"I don't want our platform watered down like that," Carns said.
Hoff's platform suggestion marked the first time that a Republican requested the party's platform be changed from support of traditional marriage to "respect for all families." In a show of hands vote, a large majority of committee members effectively struck down the proposal.
Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, the party's standard bearer heading into the 2016 election, has some positions on gay rights that are a departure from the GOP mainstream, including his opposition to North Carolina's controversial transgender bathroom law. But Trump, who is taking an off-hands approach to the party platform, opposes same-sex marriage.
The platform committee also voted against adding language specifically mentioning the LGBT community as a target of radical Islamic terrorism.
The platform reads: "Radical Islamic terrorism poses an existential threat to personal freedom and peace around the world." The committee struck down adding "LGBT individuals in particular have been a target of violence and oppression."
Bernie Sanders
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during a news conference outside his campaign headquarters in Washington, Tuesday, June 14, 2016.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
This is a breaking news story. Refresh for updates.
Update 10:50 a.m.: Sanders' speech has also been an attack on presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.
"While Donald Trump is busy insulting Mexicans, Muslims, women, African Americans and veterans, Hillary Clinton understands that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths," he said.
Update 10:44 a.m.: In endorsing Clinton, Sanders said she is committed to fighting income inequality, nominating Supreme Court justices who would overturn Citizens United, raise the minimum wage, making the tax code fairer and more progressive and making public colleges and universities tuition-free.
Update 10:32 a.m.: Sanders has officially endorsed Clinton. He said the election is about the crises the American people face.
"Hillary Clinton is far and away the best candidate to do that," he said.
"Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process and I applaud her for that. She will be the Democratic nominee for president. And I intend to do everything I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United States."
Original story:
Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is expected to endorse presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton today during a rally in New Hampshire.
A live stream of the rally can be viewed below:
Italy Train Crash
This aerial handout photo shows what is left of two commuters trains after their head-on collision in the southern region of Puglia, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. At least 10 people died and several others are reported injured. (Italian Firefighter Press Office via AP)
(Uncredited)
Italian officials said that at least 20 people were killed in a train collision today, in what the country's prime minister called "a moment of tears."
The number of people injured has not been released, but officials said that blood donations are needed.
Two four-car trains collided head-on in Puglia, which is located in southern Italy, around 11:30 a.m. local time.
Police said that officers were responding to the call and could not give an official statement. A cause of the accident has not been determined.
The BBC reported that both trains were traveling at a high speed. The two trains were both on a single-track line. The line is used by thousands of people and about 200 trains every day.
The line managing company, Ferrotramviaria, said to the BBC that work is underway to make the line a double-track.
According to CNN, the area where the crash happened is remote.
"It's not an area that's easily accessible. The closest highway is miles away," one of the station's reporters said.
Officials asked on social media that any nearby doctors respond to the crash to help while medics were en route.
"I think many are dead," Riccardo Zingaro, commander of the regional government of Andria, said to an Italian news agency.
Pictures from the scene showed responders pulling people from the wreckage. A child was pulled out alive and immediately airlifted to a local hospital.
Updated at 10:26 CST with an updated number of victims.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
An Illinois man pleaded guilty on Monday to committing wire fraud during his operation of a business that unlawfully sold Iraqi currency over the internet.
Husam Usama Tayeh, 36, of Oak Lawn, Ill., pleaded guilty in federal court in the Middle District of Alabama.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Alabama and Alabama Securities Commission, Tayeh contracted with a resident of Dothan, Ala. to launder the proceeds of his company, Dinar Corp., through Dothan banks.
Tayeh couldn't find banks in or around Chicago that would take his money, according to court documents.
Dinar Corp. was registered in Nevada and headquartered in the suburbs of Chicago.
Through the company, Tayeh operated a website where he offered to sell customers Iraqi dinars. One of the ways he did this was through installment contracts.
When a customer entered into an installment contract, Tayeh promised to place in reserve the quantity of dinars to be purchased by the customer.
Tayeh assured customers that he would ship them the reserved dinars upon the customers making their final contract payments, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Tayeh then defrauded customers in that he never actually placed dinars in reserve and never had access to enough dinars to fulfill all orders should the orders all come due.
A sentencing hearing has yet to be set. Tayeh faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison as well as a fine.
"Tayeh used advanced technology to commit classic fraud--he duped people into spending their hard-earned money on his worthless wares," United States Attorney George L. Beck Jr. said. "Tayeh's caused harm all over the country. I am proud to say that we in Alabama put a stop to this far-reaching scheme."
When she was 12, Grace was abducted and then raped and beaten every day for 11 months.
READ THE GRAPHIC NOVEL: Cash Cow
So common are the practices of abduction, rape and forced marriage of girls in northern Tanzania that a single word is used to encapsulate them all: kupura. It is a word used by people from the Sukuma tribe to describe the snatching of girls in broad daylight as they walk to school; a three-syllabled euphemism that downplays their long-term physical and sexual abuse.
And yet here in the region of Shinyanga, the practice of kupura is validated by the oft-recited motto of Sukuma men: alcohol, meat and vagina.
This slogan is in their blood and a way of life, says Revocatus Itendelebanya. These are the three things they feel entitled to as men.
Itendelebanya, the legal and gender officer for the local NGO, Agape, says this sense of entitlement, in what is a perennially patriarchal society, also explains why passers-by dont intervene when they witness an abduction.
When a Sukuma man is attracted to a girl he will start asking people where she lives, and what her routine is, explains Itendelebanya.
Once he finds out these details he might wait for her near the borehole or whatever he thinks is the best place to get that girl and then grab her.
Kupura is so prevalent in the region that when a girl disappears, her parents will suspect what has happened. But rather than calling the police, they will seek the man out not to rescue their child, but to negotiate the dowry or bride price in cattle.
Cash cows
For daughters are sadly seen as a short-term investment for poor, rural households cash cows that can boost a familys financial position at the expense of a girls schooling and wellbeing.
Such is the value placed on a girls head that Itendelebanya says parents will take their daughters to a witch-doctor if they are not attracting any suitors.
The ensuing samba ritual involves cutting cruciform nicks into the girls chest and hands with a razor to not only help cleanse her of her bad luck, but to make her more attractive to older men.
And if ever there was a poster child to highlight the pernicious effects of child marriage, its Grace Masanja.
Bitterness still fills my heart when I look at them, she says, pointing at the cows grazing at the rear of her familys compound. For Grace they are a daily reminder of how she was treated like cattle, a commodity to be bought and sold.
But given what I went through, I sometimes wish I had been born a cow, she whispers.
Her father had bartered a dozen cattle for his daughter but, despite daily beatings with sticks and her fathers belt, she still refused to marry the older man.
But a deal had been made; a dowry had been paid.
And so it was that Grace was abducted on motorbike by her betrothed early one morning all with the complicity of her father.
That night, and every day for the next 11 months, she was raped and beaten.
She was only 12.
That day felt like the end of everything, Grace recalls, glancing again at the cattle.
A country of contradictions
When it comes to child marriage, Tanzania was until very recently a country of contradictions.
The 1971 Marriage Act set the minimum age of marriage for girls at 15 with parental consent but a girl of 14 could wed where judicial approval was given.
And while the 2009 Child Act did not expressly outlaw child marriage, it did define a child as a person under the age of 18, stating that a parent should protect the child from neglect, discrimination, violence, abuse, exposure to physical and moral hazards and oppression.
READ MORE: Child Marriage in Bangladesh
This contradictory legal Venn diagram was further obfuscated by the Local Customary Law of 1963, which allowed Tanzanias many ethnic groups to adhere to their customs and traditions.
The Tanzanian government had long made noises about a constitutional review process to address these conflicting laws, but last years presidential election campaign, in addition to a lack of consensus in community surveys, had served to stall any political momentum on the issue.
Only in July 2016 did the government finally ban child marriage outright but will it actually make a difference?
Female genital mutilation was outlawed in Tanzania in 1998, and yet a 2010 government survey found that in remote parts of the Mara region, more than 40 percent of girls and women had been cut.
While it is true that Tanzania does not rank among the countries with the highest rates of child marriage, with four out of 10 girls being married before their 18th birthdays, it seems to be a problem that is not going away.
And this national average masks more disturbing regional trends in the vast East African country.
In the Shinyanga region, more than 59 percent of girls like Grace some of them as young as nine are forced into child marriages.
Police corruption
Itendelebanya believes that the actual figure is concealed by the remoteness of many rural communities, as well as widespread reports of corrupt police and court officials burying cases in return for bribes by family members.
The legal and gender officer says there have been cases of police being paid to ignore some early marriages in villages, to lose crucial evidence, and to even help forge the incriminating birth certificates of child brides.
Police entertain corruption because they benefit from it, claims Itendelebanya. And police see NGOs like Agape as preventing the flow of money into their pockets.
But Superintendent Pili Simon Misungwi, who heads the gender desk at the Shinyanga district police station, dismisses any claims of wrongdoing by her staff.
In 2008, the Tanzanian government requested that every police station have such a specialist unit, with trained personnel who could handle cases of gender-based violence and child abuse across the country.
I cant deny that corruption does exist because its mostly done in private, she says. But I also cant say that 100 percent of all cases are delayed because of corruption.
For example, the poverty-stricken parents of a victim may accept financial compensation from the perpetrators family, which would lead to the adjournment of a case.
Misungwi says its also not uncommon for a child brides parents to scupper investigations.
A girls parents may be offered two, three or five cows by the husbands family to derail the case, she says. And because life is hard for these people, they often take the money.
The police may think the family is cooperating with them, but then when the time comes to testify they tell us the girl is sick, in another village, or even dead.
Misungwi stresses that her officers were hired because of their high moral standing, and then provided with the necessary training.
And we provide people with a confidential environment where they can have a one-on-one conversation in private rooms where others cannot listen, she adds.
But what the superintendent says, and what actually happens in her absence, appear to be two different things.
Before Misungwi arrives at the station, a young mother sits in the main office as she tells a police officer about the regular sexual assaults she endures at the hands of her husband the private rooms sit empty.
The officer takes no notes, his attention not on the mother, but on the Nigerian soap opera blasting from the television set in the corner of the room.
Other staff members sit nearby, staring into space, periodically checking their phones for text messages.
Meanwhile incidents related to child marriage have doubled over the past two years.
When staff compile a list of these they do not use the Swahili terms, instead opting for the English equivalents, to mitigate the shocking nature of the crimes.
Kubaka is replaced with rape, kulawiti is replaced with sodomy, kumpa mimba mwanafunzi is replaced with child pregnancy.
And Misungwi says it is the lack of police resources, rather than corruption, that has contributed to the prevalence of child marriage in the region.
When the government is giving budgets to ministries like Home Affairs, they dont have a separate pot of money for the police gender desk, she says.
As a result, her unit has to rely on using one of the stations three vehicles to reach remote villages where child marriages have been reported to them but these are often already being used for routine police business.
And the witnesses may live very far in the villages and cant afford to come to town to do a follow-up interview, says Misungwi. As a result we often cant reach a conclusion on a case.
The curious case of Agnes Dotto
There can be no secrets in the villages. So says Paulo Kuyi, who is fighting the ground war against child marriage in the nearby town of Muchambi.
The 53-year-old activist acts as a primitive early warning system for the NGO Agape, which in turn tips off the local police force.
Last September, it was the sudden appearance of 16 cows in a familys compound that triggered alarm bells for Kuyi. And he knew the poor family had a 13-year-old daughter, Agnes Dotto.
When a dowry has been paid a feast is arranged before the wedding, Kuyi explains. The family now has cows coming into their clan and they want to celebrate and invite other villagers.
Ten days later, thanks to Kuyis regular updates by phone, police and Agape staff raided the wedding ceremony.
READ MORE: Child marriage is real: it almost happened to me
The husband-to-be was arrested and taken to the local police station in Maganzo, where he should have remained until his case went to trial.
The next day the man walked free; neither he nor Agnes has been seen since.
Kuyi says that he saw a Maganzo police officer leaving a late-night meeting with village leaders.
These leaders were paid by Agnes parents to help arrange the marriage, he claims. It was because of that complicity they paid a police officer to release the perpetrator.
These are the meanders as Itendelebanya euphemistically calls them that child marriage cases take on their way to the courts.
Three months on, the police tell the legal officer that they are no closer to finding Agnes or the man.
Assistant Superintendent Meshack Sumuni says the village leaders and the girls parents have refused to cooperate.
And we dont have the resources to be more proactive in our investigations, he says. The Tanzanian government provides no specific budget for gender-desk teams, which means we often rely on NGOs for assistance.
The lack of police resources is felt even more keenly here than in Shinyanga.
Roads are regularly washed out in the rainy season, the unit has no dedicated car pool of its own, and their office is bereft of furniture or computer equipment and has a leaking roof, which in the past has led to important legal documents being damaged.
So the gender desk staff feel like they have been given this role as a punishment, says Sumuni. So this in turn affects their motivation to chase down reports of child marriage and related cases of abuse.
Back in the village, where there can be no secrets, it is common knowledge that Kuyi is the one reporting cases of child marriage to the police.
Resentful of the potential loss of income that marrying off their daughters can generate, villagers have threatened to lock the activist in his hut and burn it down.
Kuyi says that he doesnt care; he is an old man and he has nothing left to fear.
But what worries him are what advances in technology mean for future child marriages going undetected by him.
He has heard rumours that a dowry has already been paid for Agnes sister but by mobile money transfer, and not cattle.
This shift from the traditional, physical form of payment means Kuyi can no longer be visually tipped off about an impending marriage.
Many other activists are now reluctant to report cases to the police, Kuyi says. Theyve been intimidated by death threats, or demoralised when they see only a few cases actually go to court.
Picking up the pieces
Only through death has Grace Masanja clawed back something resembling a life.
After physically and sexually abusing her for 11 months, her husband was killed in a motorbike accident.
Grace, now 13, was filled not with joy, but sorrow.
The man who had raped and beaten her for the better part of a year was dead but she now has a child to take care of, and no income.
Grace and her child Mathias are at her familys home, where she and her father live out an uneasy truce.
After hearing an announcement on the radio, she applied to enrol on one of Agapes vocational skills courses. Each year, the organisation provides dozens of girls with an opportunity to learn a trade so that they can become breadwinners in their own right.
The majority of the girls opt for tailoring classes, but others want to take the courses in welding and electrical engineering professions that challenge the patriarchal and gendered stereotypes so ingrained in Tanzanias communities.
It is also hoped that the lure of this additional income will lessen the short-term appeal of a dowry to parents.
Graces father, Kurwa Masanja, says that he now regrets what he did to his daughter.
It was Sukuma tradition that forced me to have Grace married when she finished primary school, says Kurwa. When she came back I apologised, and I hope now that we can slowly become father and daughter again.
I cannot repeat this mistake because when Grace came back, she told us what had happened to her.
But Grace has her doubts, and fears for her four-year-old sister Birha.
My father has only six of the cows left from my dowry, she says. He sold the others to build a second home.
What do you think he will do when the others have gone, and he is poor again?
READ THE GRAPHIC NOVEL: Cash Cow
This research was conducted with the support of the International Development Reporting Fellowship (http://www.akfc.ca/en/get-involved/reporting-fellowship), a joint programme of the Aga Khan Foundation Canada and the Canadian Association of Journalists.
Tastubek, Kazakhstan The little village of Tastubek is situated in the North Aral Sea, 90km from Aralsk, a former port on the Aral Sea.
This part of what remains of the Aral Sea is known as the Small Aral. The Aral Sea was once the worlds fourth-largest inland body of water, but has been for ever altered by the Soviet era irrigation policies to reclaim the desert for cotton farming by rerouting the rivers the Amu Darya and Syr Darya.
Two separate lakes the North and South Arals are all thats left, while most of its former seabed has been reclaimed by the sand.
But efforts to restore the lake have yielded some results recently. Since the completion of the Kokaral dam in 2005, financed by the World Bank, and the completion of hydropower stations, the winds of change have reached Tastubek.
Akerke and her husband Nurzhan moved to the village a few years ago and make a living from fishing, an industry which, until recently, seemed to have been wiped out in this part of Kazakstan.
The sea, which was over 80km away in 2010, is now only 20km from the houses of the village. More than 15 kinds of fish have reappeared, allowing fishing production to expand from 600 tonnes in 1996 to 7,200 tonnes today, according to Serik Dyussenbayev, a guide living in Aralsk.
Bracing the 45C heat in the summer and the -25C winters, Nurzhan and his fishermen friends work every day of the week catching fish.
In Tastubek, Akerke, Nurzhan and their daughter Dilnaz feel hopeful for the future. Fortunes at the Small Aral region may be changing. The ground is getting greener and birds sing along in the reeds.
The second phase of the dam project, with a 4m higher wall, will bring the water to Aralsk and fully restore the North Aral part of the lake, explained Dyussenbayev.
READ MORE: Uzbekistan A dying sea, mafia rule, and toxic fish
NATO leaders committed to continuing support for Afghan security forces until 2020 at the summit in Warsaw over the weekend. In addition, last week President Barack Obama confirmed that US troop levels would remain more or less constant until the end of his presidency.
It is an important reversal of his planned drawdown to 5,500, which sends a message to the Taliban that the United States is not about to walk away. This is welcome relief for President Ashraf Ghani, who is encircled by profound security, economic and political threats.
Despite these chronic pressures Ghani continues to push for an ambitious reform agenda, and deserves to be given this breathing space by the Afghan governments international military allies.
That said, US and NATO support should not be unconditional, and should be directed at getting Afghan security forces to better protect their civilians.
They should do this not just for moral and legal reasons, but because a failure to protect civilians can have profound strategic implications, as I documented in a the recent The Strategic Costs of Civilian Harm report published by Open Society Foundation with former Pentagon adviser, Christopher Kolenda.
Performed better
Afghan forces have performed better than many expected, and the transition from international forces, with their air supremacy and precision weapons, to more traditional ground engagements was always going to pose a greater threat to the civilian population.
ALSO READ: US must challenge Pakistans duplicity on Afghanistan
But civilian harm from Afghan security forces has jumped sharply, up 70 percent in the first quarter of 2016 compared with 2015, according to United Nations data.
There is also a strain of thinking within the security forces that sees the Taliban as an existential threat whose defeat justifies any means necessary. by
Everyone remembers the shock of Kunduz falling to the Taliban last September, which led to the devastating US air strikes on the Doctors Without Borders hospital. But those air strikes resulted in less than a tenth of the total civilian casualties in the Kunduz attack and counterattack.
Of the 896 civilian casualties recorded by the UN in Kunduz, the vast majority resulted from ground engagements between the Taliban and government forces.
Although the UN was unable to attribute responsibility for most of these deaths and injuries, we can assume that a large share were caused by the pro-government forces, since in 2015 they caused 30 percent of civilian casualties from ground engagements, compared with the Talibans share of 25 percent (the rest was unattributed).
In Kunduz, both sides were implicated in grave crimes including the mutilation and desecration of bodies of the opposing side, as well as the use of low-precision weapons in an urban environment. This contributed to making Kunduz a terrifying experience for civilians who fled the city in their thousands, also contributing to the surge in migration to Europe.
Afghan leaders take civilian protection seriously, as witnessed by numerous statements by the president and other senior leaders. But there is also a strain of thinking within the security forces that sees the Taliban as an existential threat whose defeat justifies any means necessary.
Civilian harm
Recent history shows the folly of this thinking: the Afghan government would be facing a far less grave security situation today had the US and NATO not caused so much civilian harm prior to transition, as we heard from many senior US and Afghan officials and experts in our research.
ALSO READ: The end of Pakistans double-games in Afghanistan
This harm was caused in a number of ways, including entrenching abusive local commanders for short-term security gains, or being hoodwinked into targeting civilians accused of being Taliban by their rivals, as well as civilian casualties in air strikes and detention operations.
Despite the very real short-term threat from the Taliban, the Afghan security forces need to recognise that restraint is a strategic necessary in the mid to long-term. In practical terms this means that the Afghan National Security Council should publish its national policy on the protection of civilians, which was promised months ago.
Second, the Afghan government needs to put more into accurate reporting of civilian harm, and analysing mitigation efforts.
The Afghans have a civilian casualty tracking unit, but it is currently hugely underestimating the harm caused by government forces they estimate responsibility for 200 civilian casualties in 2015 compared with the UNs estimate of 1,200.
This is a result of poor reporting channels, low literacy rates, and a culture that doesnt encourage transparency. International mentors could boost the capacity of the tracking unit and result in real improvements. Government investigations into major civilian harm incidents should be professionalised, instead of ad hoc and often highly political delegations being handpicked after each emergency.
It is important for NATO leaders to keep faith with Afghanistan to the extent that their support helps maintain the gains of the past 15 years. But that needs to be tempered with unflinching attention to the protection of civilians. The Afghan National Defence and Security Forces still have a great deal of national support. This can only be maintained if they are seen as their peoples protectors, and dont sink to the level of the Taliban.
Rachel Reid is the advocacy manager for Middle East, North Africa, and Southwest Asia at Open Society Foundations.
The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
As ISIL loses territory in Iraq and Syria, the nature of the threat in Southeast Asia is set to change.
Until recently much of the violence caused by extremists in Southeast Asia has been as much about local conditions as Islamist ideology. The return of local jihadists from the Middle East threatens to change this.
As the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group continues to lose territory as it battles on all fronts in Iraq and Syria, so the nature of the threat in Southeast Asia is set to change.
Evidence of this came last week when Malay police, investigating a hand-grenade attack on a bar on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, announced that ISIL (also known as ISIS) had carried out their first successful attack in the country.
Malaysias chief of police, Inspector-General Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, confirmed that the attack had been carried out by locals under the direct command of a Malay national based and fighting in Syria.
Simplistic nature
Despite its simplistic nature police initially dismissed it as a dispute between business rivals it serves to highlight the threat ISIL poses to the wider region.
While the figures are not exact, it is thought that about 1,000 individuals have travelled from Southeast Asia to join ISIL, with the majority coming from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
READ MORE: A very secular jihad
Such sizeable contributions have allowed for the formation of regional groupings, such as the Malay-speaking Katibah Nusantara (Malay Archipelago Combat Unit).
While the figures are not exact, it is thought that about 1,000 individuals have travelled from Southeast Asia to join ISIL, with the majority coming from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. by
Similarly, individual volunteers have also taken part in high-profile attacks, including two Malay suicide bombers who killed up to 30 people in separate incidents in Iraq and Syria earlier this year.
While these numbers need to be seen in context 6,000 volunteers have been drawn from Tunisias population of 11 million, while only hundreds have come from Indonesias Muslim population of 217 million they still demonstrate the ability of ISIL to attract foreign adherents even at the expense of other long-established Islamist militant groups closer to home.
Violent Islamist groups have long played a small but important part in the political landscape of Southeast Asia. Often originating out of former anti-colonial or separatist movements as their individual fortunes waxed and waned, so too has the threat level they pose changed accordingly.
Their arrival on the world stage, however, really came when the al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah carried out the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings which killed 202 people.
Numerous other groups
Although Jemaah Islamiyahs capabilities have since been eroded, particularly by the actions of Indonesias anti-terrorism unit Detachment-88, there remain numerous other groups across the region.
Inevitably, given their number, their stated ideologies are as complex as the affiliations that link them. Yet some 30 have now pledged allegiance to ISIL, including the Philippines-based Abu Sayyaf group, which carried out the worlds deadliest terrorist attack at sea when it bombed the SuperFerry 14 in 2004, killing 116.
What this oath of allegiance or bayat actually entails remains unclear. Previously, groups that pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda did so with the understanding that they would receive funding and some form of training in exchange for a degree of strategic control.
Yet while ISIL may aspire to claim control over a regional province, much like they do through Boko Haram in Nigeria, their newly found local adherents motives are probably more self-interested.
READ MORE: ISILs grand plan in Asia
For some of the groups this oath of allegiance may be little more than a means of generating publicity and an enhanced aura of fear about their activities. This may be of particular value to groups such as Abu Sayyaf, which are looking to give a veneer of legitimacy to their criminal activities as well as bolster the ransom demands for their many hostages.
However, even if those groups declaring allegiance to ISIL may not be committed to its regional aspirations there is no reason to suggest that those volunteers who left to fight in Syria are not.
Hardened and radicalised
Just as many of the foreigners who went to fight against the Russians in Afghanistan during the 1980s returned home trained, hardened and radicalised, so too do regional governments in Southeast Asia fear the return of their own nationals from Syria.
Although it is by no means certain that those returnees would wish to continue the fight, even if only a handful are able to link up with and radicalise indigenous extremist groups, then events such as last weeks hand-grenade attack, or Januarys ISIL-inspired shooting in Jakarta, will become far more likely.
Similarly, their arrival may also herald a shift in tactics with an increase in the use of suicide attacks or the targeting of Shia Muslims.
While regional governments no doubt welcome ISILs recent setbacks in its home territory of Iraq and Syria, so too are they fearful of the ensuing local implications. Success in one theatre of the campaign could be about to bring the threat much closer to home.
Crispian Cuss is a former British Army officer who lives and works in Southeast Asia. He currently acts as a defence and security consultant.
The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Arbitration court in The Hague will deliver ruling on dispute in the South China Sea between Beijing and Manila.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague is to rule in a dispute between the Philippines and China over maritime claims in the South China Sea particularly who has the right to exploit resources in the strategic territory. The ruling on Tuesday is expected to further increase tensions in the region, where Chinas increased military assertiveness has spread concern among its smaller neighbours and is a point of confrontation with the United States.
China has boycotted the court, saying it does not have jurisdiction to decide on the matter and has campaigned for months to discredit the outcome.
In advance of the ruling, the China Daily newspaper, which is published by the government, topped its front page on Tuesday with a picture of Woody Island in the South China Sea emblazoned with the words: Arbitration invalid.
State-run news agency Xinhua included headlines such as: South China Sea arbitration abuses international law: Chinese scholar.
The Philippines embassy in China warned its citizens to be careful due to tension before the ruling and to avoid political debate. The embassy also urged its citizens to carry identification papers at all times and report any threat received to the embassy and Chinese police.
Key sea lane
China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the South China Sea, a strategic waterway through which more than $5 trillion of world trade is shipped each year, despite rival claims from the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations.
The US says it wants the crucial sea lane to be treated as international waters.
Both Beijing and Washington have accused each other of provocations in the South China Sea.
OPINION: Chinas peripheral diplomacy disaster
Al Jazeeras Adrian Brown, reporting from Beijing, said Chinas leaders would simply shrug off the tribunals rulings.
In recent weeks, theyve labelled the court illegal, irrelevant and said it had no jurisdiction. And they appear to care little about Washingtons renewed threats and warnings.
Karl Friedhoff, an Asian affairs expert at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, said China had made it clear that it was in no mood for negotiation.
They are really trying to get access to the open ocean, so they can start to really project their power, he told Al Jazeera.
Friedhoff added, however, that if Beijing decided to press the matter aggressively with the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries, then it is going to undercut the soft power that China has worked so hard to grow.
Even if Beijing ignores the courts decision, it is significant as it will be the first time that a legal challenge has been brought against China in the dispute.
While China insists that it does not care about the decision, its actuations clearly reveal that it is worried about its image, Alexander Yano, a former diplomat and top military commander in the Philippines, told Al Jazeera.
Beijing is certainly concerned about the negative psychological impact in the international arena should the Hague court rules in favor of the Philippines.
Chinas expanding presence
Including the Philippines, the dispute draws in a total of five countries with overlapping claims in the 3.5 million square kilometre sea, where China has been expanding its presence by building artificial islands and dispatching patrol boats that keep fishing vessels from other countries away.
The arbitration court ruling will not decide on matters of territorial sovereignty, but will apply the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in determining which countries can claim economic exploitation rights, based on geographic features.
The court has no power of enforcement, but a victory for the Philippines could spur Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, which also have overlapping claims, to file similar claims.
Additional reporting by Ted Regencia
The 74-year-old US senator from Vermont vows to work hard to make the former Secretary of State become president.
US Senator Bernie Sanders has withdrawn his presidential campaign and endorsed his one-time rival Hillary Clinton in the race to the White House, ending his long-shot bid as the Democrat nominee.
Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process, Sanders declared on Tuesday in a joint appearance in the US state of New Hampshire.
After an often bitter campaign, Sanders said he will do everything he can to make Clinton the next president of the US.
This campaign is about the needs of the American people, Sanders added, echoing some themes of his own year-long campaign.
He also criticised Clintons presumptive Republican opponent Donald Trump for his reckless economic policies, which he warned could lead to trillions of dollars of debt.
Al Jazeeras Kimberly Halkett, reporting from Portsmouth, said that while Clinton and Sanders have differences in policies, they share ideological beliefs.
OPINION: Muslims for Bernie Sanders
In her remarks accepting Sanders endorsement, Clinton embraced many of his causes, vowing to oppose trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, fight to raise the federal minimum wage adopting Sanders tone, she called it a starvation wage and overhaul the campaign finance system.
These arent just my fights. These are Bernies fights. These are Americas fights, Clinton said.
The 74-year-old Sanders, a US senator from Vermont, waged a tougher-than-expected year-long battle against the former secretary of state, but Clinton clinched enough delegates to secure the nomination in early June.
Sanders, a feisty self-described democratic socialist, nevertheless has long resisted conceding defeat to his rival, although he has said he would vote for Clinton and do anything to help defeat Trump.
On Tuesday, Trump said Sanders totally sold out to Clinton. Trump is expected to announce his vice presidential pick in the next few days.
I am somewhat surprised that Bernie Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters. They are not happy that he is selling out!
I am somewhat surprised that Bernie Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters. They are not happy that he is selling out! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2016
Sanders wants to ensure that his ideas are part of the party platform presented at the Democratic National Convention later this month in Philadelphia, when Clinton will formally be nominated.
Party officials met over the weekend in Orlando, Florida to finalise the Democratic platform, which they described as the most ambitious and progressive yet in history.
A new secretary-general will replace Ban Ki-moon in 2017 and those vying for the job face many challenges ahead.
United Nations - Believers in true democracy may be disappointed.
Choosing the next head of the United Nations has enlivened the organisations usually sedate headquarters in New York, with high hopes for an energetic idealist to shake up the world body and do more to end wars and fight poverty.
A push for transparency by many smaller UN members means that everybody can see who is running in the 2016 race. A dozen candidates are being grilled in public hearings; a televised Al Jazeera debate on Tuesday will see more tough questions fielded.
Yet despite this openness, the final result will probably be another stitch-up. The UNs 193 General Assembly members can nominate candidates, but its key five states the US, China, Russia, Britain and France still make the big decision.
Al Jazeera Exclusive: The UN Debate
One of the candidates, Croatian politician Vesna Pusic, praised the new transparent process for giving visibility to herself and her rivals. However, the permanent five (P5) UN Security Council members still fix who is going to be selected, she added.
The UN without the big powers would be meaningless, Pusic explained to Al Jazeera.
Search for next UN chief to begin
The winner will replace the current UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, on January 1, 2017, once the South Korean diplomat ends his second five-year term, which critics lament as among the least-inspiring in the world bodys history.
Sure, it is a tough job. Ban has faced a platter of calamities and wars in Syria, Mali, and eastern Congo that elude easy fixes. Meanwhile, the globe is getting hotter than climatologists would like and has more refugees than ever before.
If Ban made a big decision without first getting a nod from Washington, Moscow and Beijing, he would stick his neck out more than diplomats are wont to do. Better to play safe and keep the P5 happy, even if that sidelines you on such hot topics as Ukraine.
Despite these handicaps, Ban has notched up some successes. He brought states together for gruelling talks underpinning a climate-change accord in December in Paris, and a set of global anti-poverty goals a few months earlier.
His list of shortcomings is longer. Under Bans watch, UN blue helmets brought cholera into earthquake-struck Haiti and started an outbreak that has claimed more than 9,000 lives. The world body has since tried to dodge compensating bereaved Haitians in US courts.
Then there was the sexual abuse of women and children in Central African Republic by peacekeepers.
According to Richard Bennett, a UN expert for the pressure group Amnesty International, Ban has stood idle as global security has gone backwards. He failed to act decisively when Sri Lanka brutally quashed its decades-old Tamil insurrection in 2009, he said.
The secretary-general is not only a bureaucrat, they are a world leader who has a strong political and moral voice and should use it, Bennett told Al Jazeera.
More stinging rebukes come from within. In March, Anthony Banbury became the latest top UN official to break ranks and blast the world body. He decried an Orwellian dystopia of red tape that is driven by political expediency, not values.
Today, the UN can look far removed from the idealistic 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is both bloated and overstretched; its staff can seem more interested in winning promotions than fighting malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.
UN: Dealing with rape in Central African Republic
Against this backdrop, diplomats have worked hard to reform it. A long-standing bid to expand the Security Council which makes the UNs major, binding decisions with seats for Brazil, India, and other rising nations has failed to gain traction.
This years effort to throw light on the selection of the secretary-general is more promising. Campaigns, such as 1 for 7 Billion, call for a highly-qualified and visionary leader to streamline archaic UN systems and stand up to the big powers.
Past UN leaders were chosen in secret ballots by the P5 before being rubber-stamped by the General Assembly. Ban and his predecessors were thus lowest common denominators the candidate deemed least offensive by the great powers.
The P5 is still expected to choose its preferred candidate behind closed doors, but the public debates and probing of resumes are designed to make it harder to advance the name of an unqualified or undeserving lackey.
If there is a critical mass of member states rallying around one candidate it will be much more unlikely that the Security Council would come forward with quite another name, Mogens Lykketoft, president of the UN General Assembly, told Al Jazeera.
UN: African Union must investigate Eritrean crimes
There are no guarantees this will work, he added, and we could see the same old process once again.
So far, there is no clear frontrunner. There are calls for the next UN chief to be an Eastern European woman, as neither criteria has been met before. The current list includes men, South Americans, and others. They are more technocrats than visionaries.
Irina Bokova of Bulgaria, head of Unesco, the UNs cultural arm, is lauded as a competent desk-jockey, though her leftist past may spur a US veto. Argentine Foreign Minister, Susana Malcorra, a seasoned UN insider, is likewise viewed as a safe, if uninspiring, pair of hands.
Antonio Guterres, a former Portuguese prime minister and UN refugee tsar, can show pizzazz before a press pack. On Thursday, the Costa Rican diplomat Christiana Figueres said her success in managing the climate change talks made her a tested candidate.
A successful diplomat is impartial and independent, but does not use the UNs 38th floor as a bully pulpit. Better to get countries to talk to each other to come to common ground, and not for ourselves to take positions, she told Al Jazeera.
Although Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel is discussed excitedly in UN corridors, nothing formal suggests she is interested. No announced candidate has Merkels gravitas; the job is likely to stay in the hands of a secretary rather than a general.
UN concerned about Israels excessive use of force
Helen Clark, former prime minister of New Zealand and current UN development chief, appeared unwilling to rock the boat in April. Asked whether she would challenge the big powers, she phrased her answer diplomatically.
I acknowledge the importance of the P5, as I acknowledge the importance of every member state, Clark told Al Jazeera.
The 2016 selection process has let outsiders peek into the UN machine, but P5 countries will not give up powers they won after World War II readily. Hand-picking the UN secretary-general is still one of their trump cards.
Follow James Reinl on Twitter: @jamesreinl
Beating to death of 45-year-old man under police custody sparked riots in the city of Luxor in November.
An Egyptian court has sentenced six policemen to up to seven years in prison over the death of a detainee in the southern city of Luxor.
The Qena Criminal Court convicted policeman Samir Imam, 24, on Tuesday and sentenced him to seven years for beating the detainee to death.
Another five officers were sentenced to three years.
The court also ordered the Interior Ministry to pay 1.5 million Egyptian pounds ($170,000) to the mans family.
Seven policemen were acquitted. The policemen can appeal against the verdict.
The death of 45-year-old Talaat Shabeeb al-Rashidi in police custody in November sparked riots in Luxor. His family accused police of beating him to death, saying that they saw bruises on his body.
Rights groups say torture is widespread in Egyptian detention facilities.
They allege a culture of impunity in which police are rarely held to account over accusations of torture of suspects and have called for an independent body to investigate.
But authorities say abuses are rare.
The interior ministry has said that it would investigate all abuse allegations.
Police brutality
Public anger over allegations of police brutality has been bubbling over the past months, with several incidents spilling over into skirmishes and protests, five years after the ministrys officers were a major focus of a 2011 uprising.
An end to police brutality was one of the key demands of the uprising which ended Hosni Mubaraks 30-year rule.
Unlike in the past, the families of those who have died in custody have been vocal in their demands for transparent investigations.
Prosecutors had ordered the trial in December after a coroners report found Shabeeb had received blows to the back and neck that had broken his vertebrae and severed his spine.
READ MORE: Irish citizen on hunger strike turns 20 in Egypt prison
Rashidi was picked up by police at a cafe in Luxor and was dead within hours.
Police accused him of dealing in drugs. His family denied that and a cousin said they had been seeking redress days after Rashidi was involved in a public spat with a policeman.
They said Rashidi, in his 40s, worked in a tourist bazaar but had fallen on hard times as the 2011 uprising had hit tourism.
A riot erupted in a Cairo suburb in April when a policeman shot three people after an argument over the price of a cup of tea, killing one of them.
In February, a policeman shot dead a driver in the street in an argument over a fare, prompting hundreds to protest outside the Cairo security directorate.
Also, according to reports, more than 1,000 supporters of former President Mohamed Morsi have been killed in clashes with police since President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi overthrew him in July 2013. More than 600 of them were killed in a single day when police dispersed a Cairo protest camp.
How scholars, historians and activists work together to protect and preserve Syrias rich cultural heritage.
A group of scholars, historians and activists have been working to protect and preserve the rich cultural heritage of wartorn Syria.
The members of the initiative, a joint effort by people on the ground and an organisation called The Day After Heritage Protection Initiative (HPI) have been carrying out the dangerous work in places such as the Maarat Mosaic Museum, in Idlib provinces Maarat al Numan.
They use sandbags in an effort to shield Roman and Byzantine era mosaics, some of which are 600 years old, from bombs and shrapnel.
We were worried that the museum would get targeted, so we managed to raise some money in early 2015 and we were able to sandbag the museum, Amr Al Azm, the founder and board member of The Day After project HPI, told Al Jazeera.
That is the best kind of protection for these kinds of buildings.
Indeed, a few months after the sandbagging was complete, the Syrian government dropped a barrel bomb on the museums courtyard.
Yet, the valuable mosaics were left intact, as the sandbags absorbed the impact of the blast.
However, Syrias cultural monuments are threatened not only by bombs.
Looting is happening in all areas, Al Azam said.
Its happening in areas of regime control; and in [areas of] opposition control. But, most seriously, it is happening in areas under ISIL [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] control.
But throughout this war, nothing has been stolen from the courtyard at the mosaic museum.
And this is happening not only at the mosaic museum in many places across Syria, people are risking their lives to protect the countrys heritage.
Ruling seen as a victory for the Philippines, which filed the case before the tribunal at The Hague.
An arbitration tribunal in The Hague has rejected Chinas claims to economic rights across large swaths of the South China Sea, in a ruling that will be claimed as a victory by the Philippines.
There was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line, the Permanent Court of Arbitration said on Tuesday, referring to a demarcation line on a 1947 map of the sea.
The South China Sea is a resource-rich strategic waterway through which more than $5 trillion of world trade is shipped each year.
In the 497-page ruling, the court also found that Chinese law enforcement patrols had risked colliding with Philippine fishing vessels in parts of the sea and caused irreparable damage to coral reefs with construction work.
China, which boycotted the case brought by the Philippines, rejected the ruling, saying its islands had exclusive economic zones and the Chinese people have more than 2,000 years of history of activities there.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said his country will not accept the decision, adding that China under any circumstances, will not be affected by the award, Xinhua state news agency reported.
READ MORE: Tensions ahead of Hague ruling
Al Jazeeras Adrian Brown, reporting from Beijing, said: Its fair to assume that the Chinese government knew which way this was going to go.
Within minutes of the decision, the Chinese government released a fairly detailed statement restating why China always believes these islands belong to them, so now the question is really what is going to happen in the coming days.
China has sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea, including the Spratlys and Paracels, and Beijings position is consistent with international law and practice, the Chinese foreign ministry said.
The United States, which China has accused of fuelling tensions and militarising the region with patrols and exercises, said the ruling should be treated as final and binding.
We certainly would urge all parties not to use this as an opportunity to engage in escalatory or provocative action, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters in a briefing.
Al Jazeeras Marga Ortigas, reporting from Manila, said the Philippine government has called for calm in terms of how to move forward after the decision despite now having gained leverage with this court ruling.
President Rodrigo Duterte seems to want to retain friendly relationship and open ties with China. However, there is concern among many Filipinos here that its current government might be a little too friendly, Ortigas said.
Perfecto Yasay, the Philippine foreign secretary, said in Manila that the milestone decision was an important contribution to efforts in addressing disputes in the sea.
The Philippines reiterates its abiding commitment to efforts of pursuing the peaceful resolution and management of disputes with the view of promoting and enhancing peace and stability in the region, he said.
The ruling is expected to further increase tensions in the region, where Chinas increased military assertiveness has spread concern among its smaller neighbours and is a point of confrontation with the US.
It could also spur Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, which also have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, to file similar claims.
This award represents a devastating legal blow to Chinas jurisdictional claims in the South China Sea, Ian Storey, of Singapores ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute, told the Reuters news agency.
China will respond with fury, certainly in terms of rhetoric and possibly through more aggressive actions at sea, he said.
US diplomatic, military and intelligence officers told Reuters that Chinas reaction to the courts decision would largely determine how other claimants, as well as the US, respond.
In China, social media users reacted with outrage to the ruling.
It was ours in the past, is now and will remain so in the future, wrote one user on microblogging site Weibo. Those who encroach on our Chinas territory will die no matter how far away they are.
Spreading fast on social media in the Philippines was the use of the term Chexit the publics desire for Chinese vessels to leave nearby waters.
Al Jazeeras Jamela Alindogan, reporting from northern Luzon, near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, said Filipino fishermen affected by the dispute have welcomed the decision, but are awaiting for Philippine President Dutertes help in improving their livelihood.
The bill has come under fire by human rights groups as an attack on critics of Israeli policies towards Palestinians.
The Israeli parliament has passed a controversial law compelling non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that receive more than half of their funding from foreign state entities to declare so publicly.
Titled the NGO transparency law, the legislation had come under fire from left-wing groups largely relying on funding from foreign governments as an attack against critics of Israeli policies towards Palestinians.
Israeli officials who voted in favour of the law late on Monday said it served democratic purposes and boosted transparency.
Critics, however, said the bill targeted human rights groups critical of Israeli government policy and would not affect right-wing and pro-settlement NGOs, whose budgets are mostly made up of private donations.
The idea behind the bill is not transparency, which already exists, but rather, public shaming of left-wing NGOs and the attempt to present them as foreign agents, Anat Ben Nun, director of development and external relations at Israeli rights group Peace Now, told Al Jazeera.
The only groups affected by this legislation are groups working for equality, human rights and peace. The criteria of the law were tailored in order to target these organisations specifically and not affect others, and thereby to silence criticism on government policies.
Peace Now said it intended to challenge the laws validity in the Israeli Supreme Court.
We will continue to fight this anti-democratic wave in the streets.
Public disclosure
Under the law, NGOs are now required to disclose details of overseas donations on various public platforms, including their websites, newspaper ads, campaigns and at government meetings.
Traditionally, these groups are known to receive overseas funds from European governments, including Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands, as well as bodies such as the United Nations, among others.
READ MORE: Israeli Knesset to vote on divisive NGO bill
In a statement published on his Facebook page after the vote, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: The purpose of the law is to prevent an absurd situation, in which foreign states meddle in Israels internal affairs by funding NGOs, without the Israeli public being aware of it.
Unlike the lefts claims, the laws approval will increase transparency, contribute to creating a discourse that reflects the Israeli public opinion, and will strengthen democracy.
A list obtained by Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post in February, however, revealed that 25 of the 27 NGOs that will be affected by this law are left-wing, while two are non-affiliated.
The organisations listed include groups such as BTselem, Breaking the Silence, Yesh Din, the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel and the al-Marsad Arab Human Rights Centre.
When applied, NGOs said the law would mistakenly depict them as minions of foreign governments.
The attempt to depict civil society organisations that receive public funding from abroad as proxies or agents of foreign governments is factually wrong and only seeks to delegitimise them in order to marginalise their impact in the country, read a statement released in February by the Heinrich Boll Foundation, which relies on funds from the German government.
What other explanation is there to the selective nature of a bill that calls for more transparency, yet deliberately leaves out private donors?
READ MORE: Concern in Israel over bill on foreign-funded NGOs
The bill was first proposed in November 2015 by Ayelet Shaked, Israels justice minister and leader in the ultra-nationalist Jewish Home political party.
A previous version of the legislation stipulated it would be mandatory for members of such organisations to wear tags during Knesset sessions detailing their NGO name and the foreign involvement in their activities a clause which was later removed.
Kashmiri doctors have lamented the use of pellet-firing shotguns on protesters after more than 100 people suffered grievous injuries to their eyes in a weekend of ferocious violence following the killing of rebel leader Burhan Wani.
According to local media reports, at least 32 people have been killed and 1,365 others injured in some of the deadliest clashes between protesters and Indian security forces in Indian-administered Kashmir since 2010.
The divisional commissioner, Asgar Samoon, said that 80 percent of the injuries were minor, although the Hindustan Times reported on Tuesday that they had counted 110 people with bullet wounds in Srinagar, the summer capital of the Indian state, alone.
Doctors said that security forces had been deliberately using rubber pellets to inflict maximum physical and psychological damage on protesters without risking further fatalities.
Although rubber pellets are not fatal, when fired by hydraulic pump action guns they can cause blindness, disfigurement and damage to organs.
Sajjad Khanday, a doctor at the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital, in Srinagar, told Al Jazeera that at least 105 people had come to the hospital with severe eye injuries from rubber pellets.
Khanday said that the hospital had been overwhelmed by injured protesters at the weekend, adding that it was very likely that most victims would suffer permanent damage to their vision.
We have operated on more than 90 people with injuries to their eyes. Many have multiple injuries with pellets lodged inside their eyes, forehead, back and abdomen. Many need multiple operations. It is very painful and gruesome.
READ MORE: Kashmiris decry worlds silence over killings
Khanday, who is an ophthalmologist with 16 years experience, said that security forces began using pellets more often from 2010, when the weapon was categorised as non-lethal.
He said he had seen pellet injuries before, given that security forces had often used the method to quell protests over the past five years. He added that the difference in latest protests is the numbers of such injuries.
Nothing I have ever seen before, he clarified. It does not kill, but it is brutal and destroys entire families because people are left with a son, a child who can no longer work, or earn, Khanday said.
A surgeon at the Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences hospital corroborated Khandays claims.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the doctor described the use of pellets as out of control. He also said it was simply erroneous to call pellets non-lethal weapons, considering how they damaged lives.
Al Jazeera tried without success to secure comments on the issue from the Jammu and Kashmir police department, the state government as well as the ruling Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party.
Colonel Rohan Anand, a spokesman for the Indian army, said it was a matter for the state police to comment on.
Challenging environment
On Tuesday, Mehbooba Mufti, chief minister of the Jammu and Kashmir, said in a statement that she felt regret for the loss of life, in what she described as her governments best attempts to manage the situation. She blamed the violence on unruly elements taking advantage of a sensitive situation.
The chief minister also alluded to an inquiry into the alleged excesses by the security forces. Over the weekend, Indian media also reported incidents of police intimidation at hospitals, with one doctor claiming that police fired tear gas inside a subdistrict hospital.
But Sameer Patil, a security analyst with think-tank Gateway House in Mumbai, said that while he disapproved of the use of pellets, it was important to understand the complex conditions security forces were working under.
The protests in Kashmir no longer involve just the unarmed stone-pelting civilians. Today they are also seeing participation from some armed militants who use the civilians as human shields to attack the forces, he told Al Jazeera.
So it is a very difficult choice. But I agree that their use should be minimised and the security forces need to hone their crowd-control skills and look at other ways to contain the protesters, he said.
A police officer based in Srinagar told Al Jazeera that security forces used shotgun pellets because they were an effective tool for crowd control.
In the past we used water cannons, tear gas canisters and other methods for crowd control, but they became ineffective with time The use of pellets proved to be effective with an added advantage of easily tracing down the protesters when they reach out for medical assistance at the hospital, the police officer said, on condition of anonymity.
On Monday, UK-based rights group Amnesty International said in a statement that the pellet-firing shotguns were not in line with international standards.
They fire a large number of small pellets spreading over a wide range and cannot ensure well-targeted shots, so risk causing serious injury to bystanders or protesters not engaging in violence, Amnesty said.
One victim, Ahmad, 17, receiving treatment for multiple pellet injuries to his eyes, said that police opened fire without any provocation from he protesters.
We all took to the roads, it was peaceful, but then police fired pellets. The moment I was hit, everything became dark Ahmad told Al Jazeera from his hospital bed.
On Tuesday, protests continued for a fourth day in parts of Kashmir.
Local media reported clashes in the northern district of Sopore and Srinagar.
Meanwhile, large swaths of Kashmir remained under curfew, with internet and mobile connections in southern Kashmir still suspended.
Legal team confirms that the 28-year-old US army whistleblower tried to kill herself in prison.
The lawyers of imprisoned US army whistleblower Chelsea Manning have confirmed that she attempted to kill herself in jail last week.
Manning, the 28-year-old transgender soldier, is serving a 35-year sentence after she was convicted in 2013 of leaking more than 700,000 secret military and US State Department documents to anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks.
The soldiers legal team released a statement on Monday saying that Mannings attempt to take her own life was unsuccessful.
She wants everyone to know that she remains under close observation by the prison and expects to remain on this status for the next several weeks, the statement said.
READ MORE: Chelsea Manning targeted for her public persona?
Mannings lawyers also accused the US military of violating her privacy by publicly revealing that she had been admitted to hospital.
The governments gross breach of confidentiality in disclosing her personal health information to the media has created the very real concern that they may continue their unauthorised release of information about her publicly without warning, the statement said.
Manning was an intelligence analyst in Iraq at the time that the documents were sent to WikiLeaks.
A tweet posted on Monday on her behalf read:
I am okay. I'm glad to be alive. Thank you all for your love <3 I will get through this. #standwithchelsea Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea) July 12, 2016
For us, hearing Chelseas voice after learning that she had attempted to take her life last week was incredibly emotional, her lawyers said.
She is someone who has fought so hard for so many issues we care about and we are honoured to fight for her freedom and medical care.
Initially arrested as Bradley Manning, the soldier later announced she would start living as a female and filed a transgender prisoner rights lawsuit.
She appealed against her conviction, arguing that her sentence was grossly unfair and that her actions were those of a naive, troubled soldier who aimed to reveal the toll of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The appeal contends that Mannings disclosures harmed no one, but prosecutors said the leaked material damaged US security and identified informants who helped US forces.
Ramallah, occupied West Bank Palestinian Authority (PA) leaders are in the process of amending a controversial social security act after mass public mobilisation against what analysts have called increasingly authoritarian measures taken by the governing body.
The act, which defines benefits for retirement, maternity, work accidents and other areas, was single-handedly signed into law by PA President Mahmoud Abbas in March, despite protests from multiple sectors of society. Demonstrators say the new law violates basic workers rights, complaining that it was passed without a national discussion. One recent protest brought an estimated 10,000 people to the streets of Ramallah.
This process is not how the law should come. We need a real discussion, parliamentarian Khalida Jarrar told Al Jazeera, calling the move by Abbas illegal. While the president can enact laws without a Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) vote in cases of necessity, according to Article 43 of Palestinian Basic Law, Jarrar said the article has been misused time and again to pass unnecessary laws that serve the interests of businessmen or Abbas Fatah party, rather than the broader public.
READ MORE: The Palestinian Authoritys war on Facebook dissent
The genesis of the social security law dates back to 2012, when a committee of representatives from government, labour, the private sector and civil society was struck to discuss and draft the legislation with the assistance of the International Labour Organization.
There is no law in Palestine that has taken all of these years to make. It took so long because of cooperation and dialogue, maintained Palestine Liberation Organisation executive member Ahmad Majdalani, who headed the committee.
But Nidal al-Azza, a Palestinian lawyer and director of the BADIL human rights centre, told Al Jazeera that average Palestinians were cut out of the drafting process, arguing that the committee was not truly representative of the general public.
Azza catalogued a host of criticisms of the law, including that it abandoned rights for disabled workers, included a minimum wage and retirement benefits that would force workers and retirees into poverty, and denied death benefits to dependents of female workers, among other issues.
PA leadership has responded to the backlash by forming a ministerial committee that has since met with NGOs, trade unions and rights organisations to discuss amendments to the law, although there is no set timeline for a final decision.
Jamal Dajani, a spokesman for Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, said people might have overreacted to the new legislation.
From the get-go, [Hamdallah] stated on more than one occasion that he was open to all suggestions, and this is something that can, just like any other law, be a work in progress, Dajani told Al Jazeera.
The PLC has not convened since a violent fallout between Hamas and political rival Fatah led them to rule separately in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, after Hamas won national elections in 2006. The Coalition for Accountability and Integrity said in a 2015 report that a defunct PLC eliminated official accountability, providing a favourable environment for corruption.
Critics say the social security act was passed under pressure, and for the wrong reasons.
It was clear that the PA accelerated [passing the law] because they wanted to get the cash, Azza said, pointing to the Paris Protocol, which stipulates that social security fees collected by Israel for West Bank Palestinians working in Israel could not be transferred until the PA established a social security system and institution for managing the funds, which is set out in the new law.
When I say 'passive', it's not that people don't want to do something - it's that they can't. by Firas Jaber, Palestinian social analyst
Palestinian social analyst Firas Jaber estimated that between $6bn and $18bn could be transferred annually under the law. Jaber and other critics have said that some members of the drafting committee had links to banks that could reap the benefits by holding these funds.
Majdalani denied any such motivations.
We dont have any special interests There was a misleading campaign against this law, especially by some of the parties who think they wont benefit from it, and owners of large companies, Majdalani said, calling the campaign politically motivated. He says that some large companies oppose the law because it requires them to contribute social security funds on behalf of their employees.
Suspicions of corruption have led some critics to fear that the social security fees will be mishandled. As it stands, the law would establish an independent body to manage the funds, which Azza said would exempt the PA from responsibility.
Government intervention would be permitted if funds were misused, Majdalani said, noting that the independent body would create a business investment plan to specify where to invest the money.
READ MORE: Blindfolded and beaten Palestinians decry PA torture
The campaign against the legislation, Jaber said, was not only about undoing an unjust law, but also about reversing the image of a passive Palestinian public.
When I say passive, its not that people dont want to do something its that they cant, Jaber said, citing the unbalanced PA power structure - and foreign governments that financially sustain it - as the root of public inaction, noting there is no room in this structure for substantive public input.
Legal scholar Emilio Dabed, who teaches at Columbia Law School, said that the current structure enables the PAs executive to govern alone in an empty space, adding that no Palestinian leader has ever had the powers concentrated today in Abbas hands.
Room for political dissidence has also been silenced amid increased crackdowns by PA security forces. Prisoners rights group Addameer said that political detentions have reached a level not seen since the Fatah-Hamas fallout 10 years ago.
Jaber lauded the unprecedented willingness of Palestinians from across the social stratum to mobilise against the social security act, despite all odds.
Before, they would say, OK, its fine, let [the PA] do whatever they want,' Jaber said. But they decided, for one of the first times, to change that.
Air strikes targeting armed fighters in besieged city kill at least 12 people, including fighters and children.
Air strikes in Raqqa, Syria have killed at least 12 people, among them fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), as well as civilians and four children from one family, according to activist groups.
War planes dropped bombs on the city and its outskirts on Monday night and Tuesday morning, according to the activist group Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently.
In a Twitter post, the group said that four children from a local family were killed in air strikes on the city, which has been held by ISIL for more than three years.
The United Kingdom-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said at least seven ISIL fighters were also left dead.
Elsewhere in Syria, the SOHR said air strikes in Idlib killed a child and injured several others on Tuesday.
Earlier on Monday, the Syrian army unilaterally extended a nationwide truce for an additional 72 hours, the state news agency SANA reported.
On the ground, however, fighting has continued unabated in many parts of the country.
Aleppo supply line
Fighting over a government-blockaded supply line the Castello Road has also intensified throughout Aleppo in recent days.
The Castello Road is the last supply route into the rebel-held eastern part of Aleppo, where up to 300,000 people live.
Rebels launched an offensive to take back the vital route on Monday, but government forces repelled them and continue to control it. At least 29 rebel fighters were killed during that operation.
READ MORE: Death of Aleppo
Shells fired by rebels killed at least 57 people and injured nearly 500 others in the government-held parts of Aleppo, SANA reported.
The severing of the Castello Road has already created shortages of food and fuel in the east of Aleppo, with local market stalls sparsely stocked.
Residents also described searching in vain for fuel, whether for vehicles or home use.
According to the UN, nearly 600,000 Syrians live in besieged areas, most surrounded by government forces, although rebels are also besieging civilians.
The Syrian conflict started as a largely unarmed uprising against President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011, but it quickly turned into a full-scale civil war that has now left an estimated 280,000 dead, according to the SOHR.
UN refugee agency calls on armed parties to protect civilians and demands neighbouring countries keep borders open.
At least 36,000 people have been displaced as a result of the fighting that has flared in the South Sudanese capital Juba in recent days, according to the UN refugee agency.
At a news briefing in Geneva on Tuesday, the UNHCR representatives called on armed parties to protect civilians and demanded neighbouring countries keep their borders open for people fleeing from the violence.
Inside South Sudan, some 7,000 internally displaced people have sought shelter in the UNs bases in Juba, said spokesman Leo Dobbs.
Providing them with food, shelter, water, hygiene and sanitation facilities will remain a critical challenge so long as the security situation remains bad.
The agency noted that security at the Uganda-South Sudan crossing had been tightened, restricting the number of individuals crossing to seek asylum.
READ MORE: South Sudan crisis Renewed fighting in Juba
Just 95 people crossed on Saturday, dropping to 36 on Sunday, compared with a daily average of 167 for July and 171 for June, said Dobbs.
Those that have managed to cross have reported indiscriminate attacks against civilians, with buses from Juba to the Uganda border being stopped and robbed.
Fighting broke out between troops loyal to rival leaders President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar on the eve of the five-year-old countrys independence anniversary last week, killing hundreds of people.
A ceasefire order was announced by Kiir on Monday and was quickly reciprocated by Machar.
It has been relatively calm after the ceasefire was declared. But people dont know how long this ceasefire will hold. And they prefer to sleep at UN compounds in case of attacks, Al Jazeeras Haru Mutasa, reporting from Wau in the northwest of Juba, said.
READ MORE: S Sudan Al Jazeera meets Salva Kiir and Riek Machar
South Sudan overwhelmingly voted to break away from Sudan in a referendum in 2011.
The country descended into civil war in 2013 after Kiir accused Machar, his former deputy who he had sacked earlier that year, of plotting to overthrow him.
Soldiers from Kiirs Dinka ethnic group clashed with troops loyal to Machars Nuer ethnic group, leaving tens of thousands of people dead in the conflict that followed.
A peace agreement in August 2015 saw Machar rejoin the government as vice president.
Theresa May will succeed David Cameron as British prime minister on Wednesday, having served as home secretary for six years the longest-serving politician to hold that post in the countrys recent history.
The 59-year-old is relatively unknown internationally, while at home she is often described as a tough negotiator. During her tenure in the home office, media reports often referred to May as steely, single-minded, and even ruthless.
May outmanoeuvred all other contenders to the position of the leader of the ruling Conservative Party, simply by outlasting rivals as they imploded around her in the wake of Britains vote to leave the EU including former London Mayor Boris Johnson, who led the Brexit campaign, as well as his one-time Brexit ally, Justice Secretary Michael Gove.
Most recently, Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom pulled out of the leadership contest following criticism of comments she made in a newspaper interview about May and the experience of motherhood as an important quality for a prime minister. May does not have any children.
So, who is May and where does she stand on key issues such as Britains EU membership, freedom of movement and human rights?
Immigration
May is probably best known for her tough stance on immigration as home secretary, including efforts to cut net migration numbers such as barring British citizens from bringing spouses and children into the UK unless they earn in excess of 18,600 ($24,000).
One study estimated that 15,000 children had been affected by the minimum income requirement since its implementation in 2012.
Many parents are suffering from anxiety and depression as a result of the separation and the pressure of meeting the financial threshold. This also directly impacts their children, said the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, who carried out research on the issue with Middlesex University.
The Divided Families Campaign accused May of making family reunification a privilege for only the wealthy and turning the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on its head as it pertains to families and home life.
In April, the home office introduced hefty new earnings thresholds for non-EU citizens who want to live in Britain. Those living in the country for less than 10 years now need to earn at least 35,000 (46,000) a year if they want to settle permanently in the UK. Nurses are among the few who are exempt from the rule.
An online petition against the new charges said the fee hike discriminated against low-earners and Britain would lose thousands of skilled workers as a result. The petition has more than 114,000 signatures.
Freedom of movement
THERESA MAY The daughter of a Church of England vicar, May studied geography at Oxford University, joining the Bank of England after her studies. She worked as a financial consultant at the Association for Payment Clearing Services before becoming a politician for Maidenhead, west of London, in 1997. She became chairman of the Conservative Party in 2002, famously telling supporters at its conference that year that people saw them as the nasty party.
Following last months referendum vote, May has not clarified whether she believes the rights of EU citizens living in the UK should be protected, Al Jazeeras London correspondent Laurence Lee said.
She has said, however, that the EU ideal of freedom of movement could no longer prevail in post-Brexit Britain.
Im very clear that the Brexit vote gave us a very clear message from people, that we couldnt allow freedom of movement to continue as it had done hitherto, May said.
We need to bring control into movement of people coming into the UK from the EU Still I believe we should have that goal of bringing immigration down to sustainable levels.
Human rights
Controversially, May hinted in April that she might move to withdraw Britain from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which she said bound the hands of the British parliament in its ability to enforce laws, particularly the deportation of foreign criminals.
May scored a victory in 2013 over the European Court of Human Rights with the deportation of Islamic cleric Abu Qatada to Jordan after a 10-year-long legal battle. The Court had initially barred his deportation from the UK owing to concerns he might face torture.
In April, Amnesty International responded to Mays comments on withdrawing from the Convention, saying the move would jeopardise the Good Friday agreement, which had brought peace to Northern Ireland.
And at the launch of her party leadership campaign, May said she would no longer seek an ECHR withdrawal as prime minister.
Britains EU relationship
While she must now take charge of delicate negotiations to separate Britain from the EU, May stayed out of the spotlight during Britains divisive referendum campaign and only tepidly backed remaining in the bloc in a single speech.
Al Jazeeras Lee said that even though May was formally against leaving the EU, many suspected her heart was never really in the European project particularly its rules on free movement.
May was almost entirely silent during the referendum yet now she seems convinced that Britain is headed for the exit, Lee said. Now she has to stop the UK from fracturing any further.
May has been more forthright recently on what should take place following the victory for the Leave side in the referendum.
Brexit means Brexit. The campaign was fought, the vote was held, turnout was high, and the public gave their verdict. There must be no attempts to remain inside the EU, no attempts to rejoin it through the back door, and no second referendum, she said on June 30.
We have a job to do in making the best deal we can in coming out of the EU and I am very clear that I will deliver Brexit.
Committee says UK opposition head, who currently faces a crisis in his party, has right to appear on leadership ballot.
A committee in the UKs Labour Party has decided that leader Jeremy Corbyn has the right to automatically appear on a ballot for a new leadership vote, amid efforts by members of parliament to oust him.
During a long meeting on Tuesday night, the partys National Executive Committee (NEC) decided in a secret ballot that Corbyn, who comes from the partys left, has the right to appear on a ballot and defend his leadership if challenged.
Corbyns opponents insisted that he needed the support of 51 MPs, or 20 percent of their total number, in order to appear on the ballot.
The decision may still be challenged in court.
The NEC has agreed that as the incumbent leader Jeremy Corbyn will go forward on to the ballot without requiring nominations from the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) and the European Parliamentary Labour Party (EPLP), a party spokesman said in a statement.
All other leadership candidates will require nominations from 20 percent of the PLP and EPLP.
While a growing number of MPs oppose Corbyn, he commands the popular support of party members and supporters.
Challenge
Corbyns shadow cabinet endured a wave of resignations last month, with many MPs demanding that he step down.
More than two-thirds of Labour MPs, 172, backed a motion of no confidence in Corbyns leadership last week; 40 voted to support him.
READ MORE: The wavering fortunes of Jeremy Corbyn
His former shadow business secretary, Angela Eagle, announced on Monday that she is standing against Corbyn for the leadership of the party.
Jeremy Corbyn is unable to provide the leadership that this huge task needs, she told press and supporters on Monday. I believe I can.
But Corbyn said he will win any vote owing to his popularity among party members and supporters. He was voted into the leadership with nearly 60 percent support in September 2015.
Radical change
A recent study by academics from Queen Mary University and Sussex University found that 55 percent of Labour members who joined since May 2015 support deselecting MPs who challenge Corbyns leadership.
Deselection is the process of replacing MPs with new candidates in future elections.
A recent poll of Labour Party members by YouGov found that any of Corbyns potential opponents would be unlikely to beat him in a leadership election. The survey concluded that 51 percent of members were satisfied with Corbyns performance.
Richard Seymour, a British writer and author of a book on Corbyn, said the MPs big mistake was to assume that members had given up on the idea of radical change, and would keep the party anchored to the centre ground.
READ MORE: Veteran leftist MP Corbyn voted leader of UK opposition
Having let Corbyn get through the nominations barrier last time, just to avoid a completely barren leadership contest with no ideas, they are determined to re-stage that contest without him in it, he told Al Jazeera.
Corbyn said his re-election campaign would be based on tackling inequality and poverty in Britain, adding that he would be reaching out to everyone in the party.
Corbyns opponent, Eagle, said she was pleased the NEC had reached a decision.
I welcome the contest ahead, she said on Twitter. And I am determined to win it.
Possible split?
The ongoing turmoil inside Labour has sparked fears that the party could split, as it did in the 1980s, and dilute the centre-left influence over the negotiations for Britaiins exit from the EU.
Labours internal strife has also fuelled tensions among its supporters. Police said on Tuesday that Eagles constituency office in northern England had been vandalised
It is bullying. It has absolutely no place in politics in the UK and it needs to end, Eagle said about the incident.
Corbyn said he and other MPS had received death threats.
Government seizes plant after Kimberly-Clark halts operations because of the countrys worsening economy situation.
Venezuelas government says it is taking over and reactivating a factory belonging to the US company Kimberly-Clark, after the consumer products giant announced last week that it was suspending operations because of the countrys deteriorating economic situation.
Speaking on state television on Monday, Venezuelan Labour Minister Oswaldo Vera said President Nicolas Maduro had ordered the seizure of the plant at the request of its 1,200 workers.
He said the government would supply the raw materials the plant needed to operate.
Kimberly-Clark, which manufacturers a series of products, including facial tissues, toilet paper and nappies, announced on Saturday that it was halting production in Venezuelas northern Aragua region because of a lack of hard currency and raw materials.
READ MORE: Thousands of Venezuelans pour into Colombia to buy food
Bridgestone, General Mills, Procter & Gamble and other multinational corporations have also reduced operations in Venezuela amid a deepening economic crisis.
Kimberly-Clark said on Monday that it had acted appropriately in suspending operations.
If the Venezuelan government takes control of Kimberly-Clark facilities and operations, it will be responsible for the wellbeing of the workers and the physical assets, equipment and machinery in the facilities going forward, the Texas-based company said in a statement.
Maduro accused Kimberly-Clark of participating in an international plot to damage Venezuelas economy.
READ MORE: Lootings soar in Venezuela amid food scarcity
Venezuela has been mired in an economic crisis that has emptied shop shelves and created shortages of food, medicine and household supplies.
The recent slump in oil prices devastated the OPEC nations economic model, leading to growing anger among the roughly 30 million residents.
The Venezuelan opposition launched its efforts to remove the president, including a bid for a recall referendum, after winning control of the legislature in January.
But Maduro has challenged his rivals through the Supreme Court, which they accuse him of controlling.
Preacher Mawarire, who started a campaign against government, has been arrested for inciting public violence.
A Zimbabwean protest leader has been charged with inciting public violence, but still urged supporters to go ahead with demonstrations and strike against President Robert Mugabe.
Baptist preacher Evan Mawarire was arrested and charged on Tuesday with inciting public violence and disturbing peace, his lawyer Harrison Nkomo told the Reuters news agency.
Nkomo said police had raided his clients home, office and church in the capital, Harare.
READ MORE: Zimbabwes season of rising discontent
Mawarire started a social media campaign against the government last April, tapping into public anger over corruption, high unemployment and economic woes.
Mawarire has recorded a series of online videos, urging Zimbabweans to reject the governments proposed economic measures as the country faces the risk of a recession.
After initially ignoring his grainy videos calling for demonstrations and strikes, Mugabes administration started to push back, especially after the videos attracted support from thousands of civil servants whose salaries have not been paid.
Mawarire said on Tuesday he broke no law while calling for a one-day strike last week. The stay away from work action closed businesses across the southern African nation, the biggest strike since 2005.
A copy of a search warrant seen by Reuters said police believed Mawarire was in possession of a stolen police helmet, button stick and other subversive material that could be used to incite public violence.
Protests will continue
#ThisFlag, the opposition protest group led by Mawarire, has vowed to go ahead with a two-day stay away from work action despite the arrest of the leader.
Henry Munangatire, a group spokesman speaking to Al Jazeera, said #ThisFlag was surprised by the arrest and hoped Mawarires lawyers could get him released.
READ MORE: Zimbabwe shuts down in protest over economic collapse
We are shocked and perplexed by the charges because our movement has always preached non-violence. In his videos, Evan has always called for peaceful protests, but now we see how things work in this country, he said.
We are going ahead [with our protests] as the government has ignored our demands. In his videos Pastor Evan has always said we should continue even if he gets arrested, so we have to do this, Munangatire added.
The law under which the 39-year-old preacher has been detained carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
Africas oldest leader at 92, Mugabe has led the former British colony since independence in 1980. The country has been in chronic economic hardship, with a reputation for corruption and rights abuses.
Additional reporting by Tendai Marima in Harare. Follow her on Twitter @i_amten.
The mayor of Gainesville, Lauren Poe, started a new community book club that will use books to spark discussions on a broad range of topics, Poe said.
Mayors Book Club will have its first official meeting Sept. 12 at 6 p.m. at the Library Headquarters downtown. A new book will start every three months, he said.
The first book is the award-winning Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. The book deals with race issues and what its like to be black in America, Poe said.
I wanted to pick books that are challenging, he said. Get us to ask questions of ourselves that we usually wouldnt consider or give us a perspective on something that we dont currently have.
Mayor Poe, who has not read the book yet, said he wants to experience it at the same time as the rest of the club.
Faye Williams, a community organizer for the Porters Quarters neighborhood, said she knew the authors father when she owned a bookstore in Washington, District of Columbia. She said she loved the power and voice Coates writing had even before he won awards.
Gainesville is still segregated, economically and geographically, Williams said. She said she hopes people will read the book and feel empowered to become active in their communities.
Im really impressed with Poe, when you think about it this is a southern white-man mayor who chose a northern black mans book, she said.
China may have invented fireworks more than 2,000 years ago, but fireworks have been linked to America since the birth of this country. In a letter to Abigail Adams on July 3, 1776, John Adams wrote that the signing of the Declaration of Independence should be celebrated with ... Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. While fireworks were once championed by a future president and first lady, they are now advocated by Joe Dirts with butane lighters.
Theres a reason we do not partake in some practices they used to do back in 1776. No wait, theres a reason we do not, not partake in a lot of the practices they used to do back in 1776. Times change. Although fireworks may have been a tradition to celebrate the birth of this country since its founding, it is time to say farewell to fireworks.
Fireworks are very dangerous, yet they arent treated as so. Unlike 240 years ago, anyone with $20 can buy professional-grade fireworks to not only possibly put on a spectacular show, but also hurt themselves and others. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 11 firework-related deaths and an estimated 10,500 treated injuries occurred in 2014. Sparklers are the source of the most injuries, and children 5 to 9 years old have the highest rate of emergency-treated injuries. This isnt what John Adams had in mind.
A view of dumb people hurting themselves as the reason for firework injuries may yield fireworks as a low concern for many on their priority scale. Okay, because theres another reason that is a main concern of almost all Americans. Even before 1776, the idea of America had to be protected by its citizens from those looking to threaten its existence. But that threat is no longer the British waiting just outside our borders. Todays threat is anyone looking to make an explosive. In the beginning of July, it could be anyone looking to buy fireworks. If the American government does everything in its power to keep people from attaining the resources to harm others and then turns its back one day each year, counterterrorism efforts the other 364 days may prove to be a moot point. Americans shouldnt give up all activities that bring enjoyment because they could be used for the wrong reason, but when an activity includes explosives, its time to give up that activity.
Stricter firework regulations could be the answer, but they havent been effective so far. According to the Florida State Fire Marshal, fireworks that propel themselves into the air or contain more than 100 grams of explosives are illegal. I was almost sure the fireworks keeping neighbors awake through the night werent abiding by these regulations, so I journeyed in search of how easy it is to purchase illegal explosives. I only had to drive three miles to George you know, that local guy under a white tent on the side of the road who sells roses in February, fireworks in July and Christmas trees in December. There I found fireworks that shot up to 200 feet in the air for $15 and fireworks fueled by 500 grams of explosives for $75. Banning fireworks altogether is safer and more effective than wasting money cracking down on sellers of Screaming Meemies.
A firework is basically an explosive propelled into the air. This isnt the 18th century anymore. Americans can satisfy their inner need for flashing colors and loud noises without bombs bursting in air. Giving people explosives that pollute the air, cause millions of dollars in property damage and injure thousands is no longer the way to go. This country has experienced countless changes in the past 240 years. How we celebrate the Fourth of July will have to be added to that list.
Joshua Udvardy is a UF mechanical engineering sophomore. His column appears on Thursdays.
2005 ..
English News South Sudan peace agreement 'not made to be implemented' - Kiir
- 12 Juillet 2016
The fifth anniversary of South Sudans independence from Sudan on Saturday coincided with renewed fighting in Juba between forces loyal to the president and vice-president. This led to fears and claims of a renewal of the civil war that started in late 2013 and has left tens of thousands dead, created over 850 000 refugees and asylum-seekers, and crippled the fledgling economy.
Just before the renewal of violence, Talk To Al Jazeera interviewed both president Salva Kiir and first vice president Riek Machar. Both said they were working together, with Kiir even calling them friends, and both expressed remorse over the civil war, but areas of tension remained apparent.
Kiir criticised last Augusts peace deal that paved the way for Machars much publicised return to the capital in April this year.
The problem, that we are not moving smoothly on the implementation of the agreement, are the issues with the way the agreement was designed, Kiir told Al Jazeeras Peter Dobbie. And when I signed this agreement in August last year, I said this in front of the president of Uganda. I told him that this agreement was not made to be implemented.
So you signed up to an agreement that you believe was essentially wrong?
It was wrong. It was wrong because even the - to sign it was the problem. They said that if there is a wrong sentence in English, don't correct it. Don't put a comma or a full stop.
When Dobbie reported the presidents statements to Machar in a separate interview later that day, the first vice president said, Well, he hasnt told me that. Because we have been discussing the implementation of it. So I expect that he will respect this bargain in the agreement.
Kiir also implied that Machars delayed return in April 2016, when the peace agreement had been signed in August 2015 was an attempt to delay funding from the international community so that the government will fall.
When Dobbie asked Kiir how he planned to deal with the hundreds of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers, the president admitted, Our problem is money. We have no money.
Dobbie replied that the donors say, We will not give you money until you get genuine security and stability. Thats the starting point.
Kiir questioned the logic of this. "When you deal with a hungry person, don't expect that hungry person to be listening to whatever you are saying. No matter the nice words that you will tell him or tell her, they will be thinking of their stomachs."
He added, The international community have been shifting their goal posts from the beginning. They said they cannot help the government, unless you sign the agreement. We signed the agreement in August last year. They said, again that we will not assist your government until you form the transitional government of national unity. And that has been our problem. Dr. Riik Machar refused to come to South Sudan. He stayed outside. He might have been assuming that if he doesn't come, there will be no support to the government from the international community, and the government will fall. Because the saying was that, there is no money.
Kiir also expressed his frustration with being at the mercy of international community. I'm just like a child being ordered by everybody.
Watch and embed both interviews at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB0kf_liEQ4.
For more information, visit http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/07/al-jazeera-meets-talks-salva-kiir-riek-machar-160707220605803.html.
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"We live in a financial age, not a technological age." Marc Andreessen
Online lenders believe they are all operating in the same universe, subject to the same fundamental laws. Among other things, the new crop of digital lenders believe: Faster is better for consumers and loan buyers; everything should be automated; millennials are one homogenous group who need to be coddled with an unbelievable customer experience; credit risk is to be avoided; they are technology companies first and lenders second; and that they are marketplaces, while their borrowers are members.
However, I believe the opposite is true. Each lending product and service is unique and in its own universe; thus, attempting to impose the fundamental laws of a particular lending universe on another will lead to an eventual collapse of a particular firm or industry segment.
Just look at the recent carnage in the marketplace lending industry. Kicked off by some issues related to Lending Club, the damage to investor confidence was significant, and most likely, it will prove fatal to some of the platforms. For example, touting your company as a "marketplace" that doesn't take credit risk and then ramping up growth through the originate-and-sell model to hot institutional money proved unsustainable. This model proved to be brittle and with nothing to fall back on; there was no flexibility in the system.
Physics is a good metaphor to make the point clear. Multiverses is the concept that not only does our universe exist, but that others exist in dimensions we cannot experience given our adaptation to our own universe. By random chance, a universe will support life and the fundamental laws of nature may only be specific to that specific universe. The term "accidental universe" states that our universe just happens to be an accident, given our specific physical circumstances.
The best coherent description of the unsecured personal loan accidental universe is in a white paper by Frank Rotman, a partner with QED Investors. In the piece, Rotman does a great job of describing the right circumstances of finance that made the rise of firms like Lending Club and Prosper possible. If you read his paper with the idea that if certain aspects of the then-world were not present, then you will see the importance of accidental initial conditions. For instance, Lending Club and Prosper may not have been possible if banks weren't pulling out of unsecured consumer lending, stockpiling liquidity and pulling back on credit card offers, among other factors. The key, as Rotman has shown, is being able to clearly see the initial conditions.
For example, given the "success" of automating the origination and underwriting of consumer loans, other lending products are trying to automate their entire processes from A to Z, with varying levels of success. Small business loans seem to be benefitting from such automation, real estate not so much. If you accept that automation is now a fundamental law of the new financial order, then you will raise a lot of money, hire a lot of engineers (not necessarily subject matter experts), throw in a dash of big data, leaven with some algorithms, and think you are good to go. When your firm is struggling to make a profit come its B Round, then a relook at the model will be necessary if you make it that far.
Extrapolating the accidental universe Rotman describes leads a future lending startup to believe that what works, or worked, for Lending Club should work for them. We have all seen companies describe themselves as "The Lending Club of ______" (fill in the blank with your debt product of choice). I'm sure those comparisons ended the moment Lending Club's chief executive stepped down.
Rather than the lemming approach, the focus of online lenders should be on the specific processes and procedures, financial engineering and market positioning that makes each product possible (in the right regulatory context at the right time) and profitable in the not-too-distant long run.
What is happening now is that everybody is clustering around the same ideas automated, instant, and convenient. These are lofty goals. The last decade's subprime residential loans could arguably be described as having these same attributes of automated (i.e., everybody was approved), instant and convenient and we are still paying the price.
But in consumer lending, this has brought about loan stacking, less-than-optimal verification of loan customer data, the onslaught of a regulatory juggernaut, and in many cases, lending products that are not sustainable at a profit.
So, how to survive? New lending firms will survive by finding the faults and vulnerabilities of the existing firms, incorporating the solutions into their own business models, and exploiting them for maximum leverage. Combine this with incorporating what is working with incumbent firms and you have the classic mutation, which ensures the survival of the nimblest. There are firms and there are models. Keep this distinction in mind go long the model and short the firm.
Peter Currie, a former chief financial officer of AOL, has said, in relation to AOL, to a somewhat dour conclusion:
Maybe the best way to think about it is as a classic tech story: a company creates, invests, succeeds and gets bypassed.
The same holds true for all fintech lending companies. Again, focus on the model, not the company.
Loren Picard is managing executive of G5, a development and consulting firm in the marketplace lending industry focused on creating products and platforms for financial intermediaries and investors.
The buzz around blockchain has been loud in financial services many call the technology overhyped and oversold. Some have suggested it will take 10 years to achieve wide adoption.
But for a bank in Edmonton, Canada, distributed ledger technology is here and now.
ATB Financial recently sent $1,000 to ReiseBank in Germany in eight seconds, using the Ripple network. It wants to do more.
"We think blockchain technology would be good for low-value, high-volume payments between banks at first," said Tim Wan, director of innovation at ATB, a $43 billion-asset bank.
[Get up to speed on distributed ledgers, cryptocurrencies and the bleeding edge of fintech at American Banker's third annual Blockchains + Digital Currencies conference July 28 in New York. Click here to read the agenda and register.]
At this point, Wan said, his bank is not trying to nail down all the uses for the technology. "It depends on the growth of the network," he said. "I think the use cases will prove themselves, with the efficiencies and the potential of the technology, and the speed of the tech and real-time settlement."
ATB is one of a group of banks that have gone public with their use of Ripple's blockchain technology for cross-border payments. Others include Santander, UniCredit, UBS, ReiseBank, CIBC, and National Bank of Abu Dhabi. (Santander has created an iPhone app with Ripple that lets customers initially the bank's own staff members make a payment in U.K. sterling and send it to anyone in the eurozone or the U.S. with a bank account. The bank has a lot of employees from Spain who work in the U.K. and send money back home. The sender can see the foreign exchange rate before approving the transaction. The app is still going through Apple's approval process.)
Is this distributed ledger-based global payment network a potential alternative to the decades-old Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication?
"That's a loaded question," Wan said. "It could possibly be. We also know that Swift is working on evolving their network as well. We're open to any technology that improves the customer experience. Whether it's Swift or Ripple, we're open to all of that. I'm not going to say sweepingly that it will or can replace Swift, because there are more components than just the technology involved."
For one thing, Swift has a large network of banks that participate in its payment messaging system. "Their reach is incredible, and that in itself carries a value proposition further than the time and cost of using Ripple," Wan said.
For its part, Ripple would like to work with Swift. "We're a software company, we're not a Swift," said Marcus Treacher, Ripple's London general manager. "We could create networks that do what Swift does, or the technology we make could be used by Swift. There are lots of ways it could be adopted. If I were Swift, I'd generally be intrigued and interested by what we're doing."
Swift signaled a willingness to work with blockchain technology in a paper it published with Accenture in April.
"As a financial industry cooperative, SWIFT's focus is on building technical, operational and business capabilities with a view to evolving our platform such that distributed ledger technology-based services could be offered to our 11,000+ members, when the technology matures and firm business use cases emerge," the paper stated. "Such distributed ledger technology-based services could be provided by SWIFT, our community or third parties. In this context, we will continue to work with the financial industry to guarantee end-to-end automation and backward compatibility with legacy processes." (Swift did not respond to a request for an interview by deadline.)
Most of the white paper takes an enthusiasm-curbing look at eight factors that would have to be addressed for industrywide adoption of blockchain technology to happen: governance, data controls, compliance with regulatory requirements, standardization, identity framework, security and cyber defense, reliability, and scalability.
In Wan's view, all the questions Swift raised in the paper are valid.
"In talking to some of the larger banks in the past year, my advice would be to ask the right question at the right time," he said. "If you want to prove the validity of this technology and whether it can move in real time, then answer that question first. Compliance and security and all those pieces are inherent benefits of blockchain technology. Let's test those sequentially. If you ask the right questions at the wrong time, meaning, at the very beginning, you can talk yourself out of anything."
Asking the right questions at the right time "would enable banks to grow with some of these fintechs that have some incredible value proposition that we haven't seen before in banking," he said.
Wan said he sees three advantages to using blockchain technology for sending payments to other countries.
One is the ability to know when the payment will arrive and how much it will cost, including fees and exchange rates. In global payments today, where payments pass through multiple correspondent banks, it can be hard to estimate the fees each bank will charge and how long each "hop" will take.
"Blockchain provides certainty where at times in networks and transactions, we may not have visibility into the rate and the fees associated, especially if there are multiple banks between each transaction," Wan said.
Speed is a second advantage. The transaction ATB sent from Canada to Germany that took eight seconds typically takes two to six business days, he said.
The third benefit, in Wan's view, is "the ability to layer on opportunities to maximize margin and reduce cost." The bank could offer its business customers new products or services built atop the blockchain, for instance.
"We have an oil and gas company that was buying 50,000 fuel injectors from a Chinese supplier they've never dealt with before, but they needed them to be on a flight that day," he said. "Our existing payment systems can't settle that payment in real time. But imagine a world where you could, where the supplier could take the money and trust was not in the phone conversation you'd have with that person or supplier, but in the transaction. Imagine the money was in that supplier's bank account that day and they were able to release that inventory."
Blockchain-based payments could give banks a way to help their business clients handle supply chain and procurement management more efficiently, Wan said. "We believe that we can build new services that consumers never thought they could have."
Other potential use cases for blockchain technology ATB is considering are digital identity management and internal process improvement.
"The sky is limitless when it comes to what blockchain can do," Wan said.
For Ripple's version of blockchain-fueled cross-border payments to take off, it will have to expand its network.
"Having the right partners at the right time will be incredibly useful to the success of Ripple as a network," said Wan. "I will do what it takes to help grow that network. It's like the fax machine. We could build the best fax machine, but if you have no one to fax to or receive faxes from, it's just another dead weight in your office."
In addition to signing 12 banks, Ripple recently received a BitLicense from New York regulators to sell and keep custody of XRP, the digital currency that serves as a sort of postage stamp for transactions on its network (a tiny amount is "burned" to process each transaction). The company also opened an office in Luxembourg.
The company is about to release what it calls the Interledger protocol, which would allow private blockchains to interact with one another.
"You can't put every bank in the world on one blockchain," Treacher explained. "The world would not agree to one blockchain. And even though the Ripple blockchain encrypts all of the transactions that are recorded, banks don't want to have the footprint of transactions to be inspectable or viewable. They want privacy."
To satisfy that want, the Interledger protocol would let two private blockchains connect briefly, just long enough to execute a transaction.
"If my customer wants to move money to your customer in Germany, when their app says it's gone, I want to make sure the money is actually gone," Treacher said. "We use our technology to take control of the funds movement just for the seconds it takes to move funds across. In that time, that technology is coordinating your bank system with mine as if they were part of a permanent blockchain only for a couple of seconds." It also connects to third parties that hold money in the currencies required. "For a couple of seconds only, we're joined as if we were part of a permanent blockchain distributed ledger. When our balances have been updated, we let go."
Having modern core technology allowed ATB Financial to jump in where all U.S. banks have hesitated so far, Wan said.
"Part of why we think we were able to pull this off so quickly and so well was having a full SAP digital core banking platform," he said. "We took that huge leap that other banks have found hard."
A real-time core system isn't necessary to use blockchain technology, Wan said. "But for us it was foundational to being able to pull this off within a few months of signing an agreement with Ripple."
Integrating ATB's payment systems with the Ripple system was "simple but not easy," he said.
"There are some infrastructure pieces that need to fall in place for it to happen," Wan said. "Ripple is not SAP or IBM or some of these larger blue-chip companies, they're a startup. There are inherent shifts in thinking about architecture and payment messaging that need to happen at your IT and your business levels."
The challenge for ATB now will be finding other correspondent banks that are as technologically and psychologically ready to test blockchain payment technology.
"I think probably what's held our industry back is an unwillingness at times to move too quickly," he said.
The original blockchain, developed for the bitcoin network, is open, public and permissionless anyone can use it, and everybody can see what's going on and verify transactions (even though the identities of all the participants are not known). While the transparency might be a selling point for regulators, it's a sticking point for bankers.
"That was one of my major questions right at the beginning," Wan said. "The inherent nature of a public blockchain with visibility is something we don't care to be a part of. There are competitive elements here. What if I knew that a competing bank here in Canada was doing more business with another bank that I had assumed I was the number one partner for? That's highly competitive information that could be revealed."
When ATB sent its payment to ReiseBank over Ripple Connect, a third party was able to independently verify over the network that the payment was made. "At first it scared me, I did not like it at all," Wan said. "As a bank, we don't want that information to be public. Those are questions that need to be answered over time. Ripple's going to be making changes to their network to make that more private."
A permissioned environment is the only way banks can start using blockchain technology, Wan said. But that doesn't mean waiting around for all the rules to be set. They can be added as needed, he argued.
"If we believe we live in a world that needs to consume innovation and is maybe disruptive at some point, we need to evolve," he said. "Because inherently the technology does offer immutability, reputability and security that our existing database structures don't provide."
Wan sees blockchain technology as a great democratizer. "Now we're playing on the same level playing field larger and smaller banks alike," he said.
But its success will require a new mindset, Wan said. "If instead of starting the question with, 'but what about," you reframe it as, 'what if,' then you're pulling rather pushing an idea," he said.
Editor at Large Penny Crosman welcomes feedback at penny.crosman@sourcemedia.com.
BankUnited in Miami Lakes, Fla., has expanded its small-business lending operations into three new states.
The $25 billion-asset company said in a press release Tuesday that BankUnited Small Business Finance is now making loans in Ohio, Washington and Wisconsin.
The company said it had added five officers to its business development team, including executives who already work in the newly added states.
BankUnited hired Michael Gawlik from Northwest Bank in Appleton, Wis.; Wan Kim from Hana Small Business Lending in Bellevue, Wash.; and Stephen Neal from Liberty Bank in Beachwood, Ohio.
The unit makes small-business loans in several markets, with a focus on real estate acquisitions, construction, refinance and franchise and equipment.
"It's a national platform and we didn't have any presence in those states," a BankUnited spokeswoman said in an interview.
In March 2015, BankUnited paid about $233 million to buy the small-business finance unit of CertusHoldings in Greenville, S.C., along with its $203 million loan portfolio that sold and serviced loans under the Small Business Administration's 7(a) and CDC/504 programs.
"In the past year, the BankUnited Small Business Finance team has focused significant effort on improving overall efficiencies to support growing originations as a part of the bank's lending efforts throughout most major markets across the U.S.," Hakim Kassam, BankUnited's managing director, said in the release.
In June BankUnited appointed two former Capital One Financial executives, Daniel McKew and Greg Faherty, to lead its new equipment and franchise finance unit.
Santander Consumer Holdings in Dallas on Tuesday appointed William Rainer chairman, and it announced that Blythe Masters has resigned to advise Banco Santander its Spanish parent company on the blockchain.
Masters a former JPMorgan Chase executive who is currently chief executive of Digital Asset Holdings will serve on Banco Santander's international advisory board, and she will also join the board of Openbank, the company's online bank.
Rainer is currently a member of the Santander Consumer board, serving on the audit and regulatory oversight committees. From 2001 until 2004, he served as chairman and CEO of OneChicago, a futures exchange. Before that, he served as chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
In a press release, Ana Botin, executive chairman of Banco Santander, praised both Masters and Rainer, saying that she is "very excited" that both have agreed to take on new roles.
[Get up to speed on distributed ledgers, cryptocurrencies and the bleeding edge of fintech at American Banker's third annual Blockchains + Digital Currencies conference July 28 in New York. Click here to read the agenda and register.]
The change comes nearly a year to the day after Masters took over as chairman of the subprime auto lender, as part of a broader executive reshuffling.
It also caps off what has been a tumultuous year for the Santander Consumer, marked by accounting woes and broader concerns about the credit quality of its loan book.
Santander Consumer is scheduled to report its second-quarter earnings on July 27.
Dallas was not just another attack by a lone shooter against defenseless civilians. Rather, it was a highly symbolic act against those who defend order.
The target was order. The target was the uniforms and badges the officers were wearing. Those who died were merely representatives of order. They were the defenders of the principles and institutions around which society agrees to be organized.
Defending this order is made more difficult by the fact that the Dallas massacre was directed against an order of things that is decaying. As society unravels, the order that once united us as a people is also coming apart. Our political leadership no longer strongly defends societys core principles. Those who target this weakened order know that revolutions always take place against decaying orders, not healthy ones.
The order that used to unite us together as a people was a social consensus that centered on an array of principles, social institutions and religious beliefs that enriched and gave meaning to our lives. The warm social bonds of family, local communities and faith were the glue that gave unity and purpose to the nation. A moral code based on the Ten Commandments gently informed order and encouraged civility in society.
When this order prevailed, it was harder for deeds like those in Dallas to occur. A person was part of society, and a crime brought dishonor upon oneself, ones family and community. It was also harder for a policeman to make judgment errors since he also was part of the community. His role was more often keeping watch over those he knew, rather than engaging violent criminals he did not know.
Such a description appears almost idyllic today, but everyone back then knew it was not a perfect society. It had defects and limitations as all societies do. It was a system laden with duties and responsibilities. However, with an admirable can-do attitude, we did not founder among our shortcomings but worked hard to overcome them, with great confidence in God and only minimal assistance from government.
We should see the Dallas terrorist attack in this context.
These sniper kills were not about the color of ones skin or any other narrative created to obfuscate the issues and fan discontent. The subversives who openly support Dallas-type violence direct their hatred against what remains of the American consensus and the structures of order that used to unite us as a people.
The underlying philosophy behind the nations unrest is the extreme individualism born in the sixties. We have established a situation where individuals have set themselves up in their own little worlds with their own sets of rules. It is a social world that Alasdair MacIntyre calls a meeting place for individual wills, each with its own set of attitudes and preferences and who understand that world solely as an arena for the achievement of their own satisfaction.
In the frenetic intemperance of our days, so many want everything instantly, effortlessly, and without hardship. They howl with indignation and resentments when others deny them the object of their desires. When an institution demands of them responsibilities beyond their gratifications, they call for its suppression. When personal rules run contrary to public laws, order breaks down.
It is no coincidence that nearly all our recent atrocities happen against a backdrop of broken families, shattered communities, and empty churches that blight our social landscape.
Those who see order as impermissible restraint and swap liberty for license take advantage of our social weakness to peddle politicized narratives that foment unrest against order.
In times such as ours, there should be political leaders, educators, parents and priests with the courage to defend the order we so desperately need. They should be on the front lines in the fight for our culture. Instead, so many of them can be seen yielding to the demands of microaggressed millennials or surrendering to the tyranny of political correctness.
In contrast, we see courage in the policeman who is sent to do a job that is not properly his. He is sent to represent and defend an order abandoned by many of it leaders. Nevertheless, obedient to his honorable calling, the policeman risks everything he has in the fulfillment of his duty. He goes out to protect that decadent society which refuses to be serious about defending itself and tumbles to its ruin. He advances into the line of fire to shield the rest of us, even those calling for his death. Every day, as he comes on duty, he is ready to die to defend the remnants of order, safeguard the public peace, and uphold the common good of the nation. Indeed, the thin blue line is the last low rampart between order and chaos.
Thus, more than just our support, the police officer deserves our profound respect and admiration. And those who foment social disorder ought to be denounced and rejected.
Indeed, we must remember the target is order. Once order is gone, there is nothing left. As Russell Kirk said, Order is the first need of the soul without which there can be no law, justice, or freedom.
John Horvat II is a scholar, researcher, educator, international speaker, and author of the book Return to Order, as well as the author of hundreds of published articles. He lives in Spring Grove, Pennsylvania where he is the vice president of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property.
The Democratic National Committee was on record as endorsing Black Lives Matter during its summer meeting of 2015, shortly before BLM activists chanted "Pigs in a blanket, fry 'em like bacon." "Pigs in a blanket" refers apparently to police officers in body bags. The DNC did not withdraw its endorsement after this display; it instead invited BLM activists to organize a town hall meeting on "racial justice."
'Pigs in a blanket, fry 'em like bacon' demonstrators
We are emphatically not singling out one or two rogue activists as the face of BLM. The video shows a large number of protesters who call unanimously for the murder of police officers, while nobody among them objects visibly to this kind of language. Barack Obama later praised the organization's leaders even though, by February 2016, it was long on record as calling for "pigs in a blanket." Obama's guests at this meeting included Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) of the recent House sit-in, and the prominent racist and anti-Semite Al Sharpton who also is on record as advocating the murder of white people in general and police officers in particular.
I don't believe in marching! I believe in offing the pigs! Well, they got pigs out here! You ain't offed one of them! I'll off the man. Well, off him! Plenty of crackers walking around here tonight!
Prominent Democrats such as Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have, in fact, been frequent guests at Al Sharpton's National Action Network; the same organization whose racist and anti-Semitic hate speech helped incite the fatal arson of Freddie's Fashion Mart in Harlem. This is "Pay your respect to the black fist/ Or we'll burn your store right down to a crisp" in action against Jews rather than Asians, who were the original subject of these lyrics.
On Thursday, July 7, Micah Johnson gave BLM and Al Sharpton what they wanted: five dead police officers, and nine other people wounded. The Democratic Party, as represented officially by the DNC, is therefore pandering to BLM and Sharpton to appeal to the lowest socioeconomic class of Black voters; the ones who listen to and act upon misogynistic and violent rap lyrics such as those from "Cop Killer."
I got my twelve gauge sawed off.
I got my headlights turned off.
I'm 'bout to bust some shots off.
I'm 'bout to dust some cops off.
The remaining lyrics consist primarily of a well-known four letter word and the refrain, "Cop killer."
The same socioeconomic group as represented by BLM then jeopardized public safety by blocking interstate highways in Saint Paul, MN and San Francisco, CA. 21 police officers were injured during the Saint Paul riot, and I am calling it a riot because a protest, as sanctioned by the First Amendment, does not involve throwing rocks, bottles, fireworks, and bricks at the police or anybody else. BLM also staged recent riots in Rochester NY and Baton Rouge, LA. Most of the Rochester arrests were for disorderly conduct, a relatively minor violation, but rocks were again thrown.
The Saint Paul Police Department just reported on Facebook, meanwhile,
"A molotov cocktail has been thrown at officers. It is unclear if anyone has been injured. Some also dropped a large chunk of concrete onto an officer's head from a bridge. Officer injured."
If the Democratic National Committee wants and needs this kind of vote, it does not want or need anybody else's.
Does Black Lives Matter have a legitimate reason to protest? With the sole exception of what looks like the actual murder of a suspect by a police officer (who was subsequently charged), there are almost universally two sides to each of the stories that prompted the riots.
There Are Two Sides to Most Stories
Nobody condones for an instant unjustified police shootings. A bad cop is infinitely more dangerous than most criminals because the law is on the cop's side unless and until he does something so egregious that the law cannot stand behind him. It is astounding that the Wilkes-Barre police union filed a grievance when the mayor fired an officer "accused of pointing his loaded duty weapon at two other city cops in the police station." Somebody who negligently points a firearm, and all firearms are assumed to be loaded, at another person requires disciplinary action and/or retraining at the very least, but somebody who does so intentionally does not belong in any kind of job where he carries or handles a weapon. A willful firearm safety violation should be a "one strike and you're out" offense. Bad police are therefore dangerous to other officers as well as to ordinary citizens.
There are, however, two sides to most stories including the shooting in Ferguson that spawned Black Lives Matter in the first place. Here is a video in which a Black civil rights activist, who was previously highly critical of police, shot a "gentle giant" like Michael Brown in a simulated use of force exercise. His decision was correct because the other man was reaching for him and, even though he was unarmed, he could have taken the officer's weapon. Anybody who advances on a drawn gun is so malicious or deranged that one can reasonably assume one's life to be in danger.
The activist and another participant were also "killed" by a suspect whose hands they allowed to go out of sight for a couple of seconds, and the same thing happened to me during a gun training simulation; the aggressor had a knife behind his back. This Facebook video meanwhile shows actual surveillance videos of criminals attacking police with guns and other weapons, and so quickly that the officers often cannot react in time.
An instructor at FrontSight proved that the bad guy can shoot you while you are telling him to drop a pistol he is holding down by his side. He not only raised and fired the weapon before somebody could get past "Drop," he hit the target in front of the backstop. That means that a real criminal with equivalent skills would have shot the law-abiding citizen or police officer that had ordered him to drop his weapon. A typical thug is not going to have equivalent skills, but nobody is obliged to bet his or her life on the proposition that their thug is typical. At about 1:55 in the Facebook video, an above-average thug draws a pistol from his waistband and shoots a police officer who already has his weapon in his hand. The outcome is totally contrary to the well-known adage that it is suicide to try to draw a weapon while the other person has one in his hand, and suggests that the officer should have shot the other man the instant his hand moved toward his pocket or waistband.
The other side of the story recently came out in the Alton Sterling case. The police were not responding to a report of somebody peddling CDs without a license (much as Al Capp's Fearless Fosdick opened fire on a suspect for selling balloons without a license). A homeless man had apparently called 911 to report Sterling, or somebody who looked like him, for brandishing a gun. This video from Blue Lives Matter reinforces the point that there is another side to the story.
It is also alleged that Philando Castile, who was killed during a traffic stop, had reached for his gun rather than his wallet. The BLM camp nonetheless rushed to judgment against these officers almost before investigations began, much as the Ku Klux Klan once rushed to judgment against Black suspects with a burning cross in one hand and a hangman's rope in the other. This is the camp that the Democratic National Committee supports officially while Barack Obama continues to defend BLM after the Dallas shooting.
William A. Levinson is the author of several books on business management including content on organizational psychology, as well as manufacturing productivity and quality.
While recently discussing how President Obamas relationship to Islam is undermining U.S. security, Fox News Bill OReilly offered up some strange analogies:
Barack Obama has deep emotional ties to Islam. Now to some extent I can identify with Barack Obama on the religious issue. As a Roman Catholic I was appalled when the priest pedophilia scandal broke. Theres absolutely no excuse for the Catholic Church covering up many horrendous crimes However, like Barack Obama I do make the distinction between the faith and the people who abuse it. But heres where I depart from the president. I went after the American Catholic leaders of the church with a vengeance President Obama should do what I did. Aggressively call out those who abuse the Muslim faith, who commit atrocities under a religious banner.
OReillys claim that I do make the distinction between the faith and the people who abuse it presumably means that he distinguishes between Catholicism -- which does not promote the molestation of children -- and those who abuse it for such ends.
Yet how exactly did pedophilic priests abuse the teachings of Catholicism? Is there some biblical scripture or church mandate that is ambiguously worded enough for them to twist in a way that justifies the molestation of boys, the way intolerant and violent Muslims are supposedly always twisting the Koran?
No. Such priests were not abusing their religion. They were directly violating it in both spirit and letter. Thats why they did it in secret and hiding, in the dark, and not under a religious banner. Thats why, unlike the jihadis, they were unable to write and issue lengthy treatises littered with scriptural references justifying their behavior. And thats why OReilly -- and many other Catholics -- were rightly appalled and vociferously condemned it.
From OReillys false premise, the errors naturally morph and multiply: President Obama should do what I did. Aggressively call out those who abuse the Muslim faith, who commit atrocities under a religious banner.
Unlike the Catholic example -- where there is no biblical or ecclesiastical reference that can be abused to support the priestly rape of boys -- armed violent jihad is a clear mandate of Islam, one that manifests itself repeatedly and vociferously in both the history and doctrinal teachings of Islam.
According to the authoritative Encyclopaedia of Islam, which was published between 1913-1936 -- before the great age of political correctness set into the West -- the spread of Islam by arms is a religious duty upon Muslims in general Jihad must continue to be done until the whole world is under the rule of Islam Islam must completely be made over before the doctrine of jihad [warfare to spread Islam] can be eliminated.
Even the atrocities that groups like ISIS engage in -- beheadings, crucifixions, church bombings, sexual enslavements -- are supported by the doctrines and historical practice of Islam. Indeed, even that one ISIS atrocity that the West is convinced has nothing to do with Islam -- burning people alive -- stretches all the way back to the example of prophet Muhammad and is taught in the curriculum of Egypts Al Azhar University, widely regarded as the worlds most prestigious seat of Islamic learning.
This is why, Mr. OReilly, most Muslims are not aggressively condemning ISIS, the way you condemned the pedophilic priests. Neither ISIS nor the pedophilic priests abuse their religion: Catholicism offers nothing that can be abused to justify the rape of children -- hence why Catholics denounced the priests -- while ISIS behavior falls squarely within the pale of Islam -- hence why poll after poll shows widespread support for ISIS among Muslims.
In reality, and to use OReillys own words in describing his response to pedophilic priests, Muslims are indeed often appalled, and do aggressively chase down -- with a vengeance -- those who besmirch or contradict the teachings of Islam. When non-Muslims mock or blaspheme Muhammad, Muslims riot and kill all around the world (in Pakistan, a Christian man and his pregnant wife were slowly roasted alive by an appalled mob on the accusation that they had insulted Muhammad last year). When non-Muslims try to build churches in Muslim majority lands, or merely meet in private homes to worship, Muslims riot and rage (recently in Egypt, burning 80 Christian homes).
But when groups like ISIS wage jihad in order to create a caliphate that enforces Sharia -- a requirement of Islam -- why expect Muslims to condemn it?
This is why people like Bill OReilly are forever taking one step forward followed by one step back. On the same segment he said, The jihad is solely based on theology [correct], perverted as it may be [false]. As discussed here, such Western people apparently cannot accept that their values are historically singular -- not universal -- and that Islam has its own antithetical worldview.
Either that or theyre too scared of the ramifications of acknowledging that reality.
Raymond Ibrahim, author of Crucified Again, holds fellowships at the David Horowitz Freedom Center and the Middle East Forum.
The term seems absurd. Weren't the Latins a Western people? Yes, at one time they were. Two millennia later their culture is awash around the globe, primarily as an example of poor governance, corruption, and quasi-military rule. America and Europe are headed in that direction.
The Latini were an Indo-European (IE) people (read "White") who migrated into the Italian Peninsula around 1000 BC. We first take notice of them when the Latins overthrew their monarchy to set up Rome, as an aristocratic Republic -- a common government structure among IE tribes. In 509 BC, the monarchy was overthrown, with a preliminary Republic being set up.
The Republic was initially weighted in favor of noble families, but over time rights were extended to the common man.
At that time, were one in Rome, one would have found an Indo-European (IE) people at every point. Yes, there were some non-European elements in the local Italian populations. Early Phoenician settlers had left their DNA all over the Mediterranean basin, but ancient Rome was, to put it bluntly, white. Let us not devolve into debate whether the nobles were untainted Nordics -- as some claim -- or generic Europeans. What is clear is that Rome and its early days were European.
As Rome expanded, it incorporated into its fold various non-Latin peoples: Southern Italians; the Phoenicians and Greeks of Sicily; the Celts of North Italy (Cisalpine Gaul); the Gauls of France; the Celts, Iberian-Basque, and Phoenicians of Spain; the Brythonic Celts of Britannia (the name of England would not be affixed to the area until the later Anglo-Saxon invasions); the Greeks of Greece and Anatolia, and some Germano-Celtic mixes near the Rhine valley. With the exception of the Basque and Phoenicians, almost all of these people were IE. And it is not clear if the Phoenicians and Basque did not have some IE elements among them.
However, when Rome went south, into North Africa and Asia Minor, it incorporated inassimilable elements. The eastern Semitic areas were constantly rebellious, the most famous being the Jews who were eventually expelled from the area. The wars between Persia and Rome lasted for seven hundred years, from the Republican era until the Eastern Roman Empire of Heraclius finally throttled the Persians -- something that Julius Caesar could only have dreamed about -- only to lose it a few years later to the Muslims.
The Romans believed that Republican virtues were incompatible with Eastern civilization. The Romans knew enough to tread lightly with the Celts, who would rise up over minor infringements on their rights; but to bear down on Eastern peoples who were ungovernable apart from despots; and the Romans chose their local rulers accordingly. Republican principles were fostered in the West -- even in the age of Empire; while the Easterners were considered incapable of civilization, and ruled by force.
The Romans managed their empire by nepotism and corruption. There is no other way to rule divergent and distinct peoples. Provinces were doled out to friends, generals, and political allies. Their chief duty was to garner taxes for Rome. Wise governors attenuated their rule to local customs and needs, often achieving a symbiosis and a degree of freedom, as was common in the West; much rarer in the East.
The originally ferociously hostile Celtic Britons eventually came to love Roman rule and order, and -- as the empire collapsed -- were sorry to see it fall. So they invited in some Germanic tribes from Denmark and North Germany as mercenaries to keep order. The Anglo-Saxons soon took over.
As Rome collapsed, the peasants who had some rights under the Roman system, had to surrender them to local fiefs in exchange for protection. The feudal system was born.
Simultaneous with this collapse, the Islamic invasions of South Europe happened. Spain was under the scimitar for 781 years. Greece was under Ottoman rule for 400 years. The Balkans similarly. Sicily was under Islamic rule for 240 years. Crimean Ukraine was under Islamic tyranny for over 300 years. Southern Italy was regularly sacked.
Given the sexual predations of the Muslims, it would be only natural to assume that the genetic makeup of Southern Europe was altered; and indeed it was so.
Southern Europeans get a significant portion of their genetic ancestry from North Africa, new research suggests. ... The team found that for Southwestern Europeans (those from Italy, Spain and Greece), between 4 and 20 percent of their genomes came from North Africa ... Live Science
Essentially, South Europeans are mixed. When the Spanish and Portuguese Empire took over the Americas, many of the IE whites sent out were not as white as they thought they were. Moreover, the Spanish and Portuguese sent out soldiers, not families, with the natural outcome being that a class of mestizos (children of European conquistadors, and native women) soon arose.
America and Canada were unique in that most of the arriving colonists brought European women with them; and by 1900 they had eventually recapitulated Europe in North America. Not so with Latin America, where the mixing had produced mind-numbing classes of people: mestizos (mixed white-Indian); castizos (mixed white-Indian, favoring the white); cholos (white-Indian, favoring the Indian); zambos (mixed black-Indian); pardos (a mix of white, black, and Indian). There were ridiculous charts to make classification easy; but the variety of mixes always ran ahead of the bureaucrats ability to classify. In the end, Latin America produced ruling white elites that ran whole countries with an iron fist. Government was corrupt, the heritage of Roman and Moorish civilization.
Still, such white rule was often by an unstable minority; and today the veneer is cracking. In much of Latin America, the indigenous elements are reasserting themselves. Paraguay has made Guarani an official language. Peru and Bolivia have re-invigorated the Quechuan and Aymara affiliated tongues. If this sounds wonderful, let us remember that some barbaric practices are also returning.
In Peru, sacred fighting rituals are common,
In Santo Tomas, the festival is known as Takanakuy, everybody fights everybody, and it happens bright and early Christmas morning. - CNN
The Peruvian government no longer tries to suppress the festivities. In Bolivia, Tinku brawling is common. There is evidence that occasional ritual human sacrifice still goes on in the Andes. In a famous 1960 incident, in Chile, a six-year-old was killed by Mapuche Indians to placate the gods.
Today, as European "white" Christian civilization is denigrated, these indigenous practices will once again bubble up. Already this is happening in Latin America.
Now that all civilizations -- rather than individuals -- are considered equal, Western Civilization will decay into a Latin American mode of rule. The semi-civilized will rule over retro-barbaric people. Rather than civilizing these people -- which would, of course, be cultural imperialism -- the situation will descend toward barbarity. Brazil is the ultimate example, where quite prosperous whites are known to take helicopters to work to avoid the nearby heavily black favelas
As the United States imports more non-Europeans, it will be impossible to rule democratically, and the Latinization of the USA will be complete. As whites intermarry with non-whites, we will recapitulate the phenotypical appearance of many Latins as well.
This is not racism. The problem here is that Western civilization is no longer being taught to the kids. It was once considered okay to Christianize the pagan blond Scandinavians and Slavs, but heaven forfend that we proselytize a Muslim or a Buddhist.
Hence, we get the academe's celebration of voodoo in the Caribbean and Candomble in Brazil as vital expressions of Afro-Latin culture rather than destructive practices that hold Afro-Latins back. We get celebrations of Islam in the halls of institutions once founded by Christian clergy, like Harvard.
And how many of you knew that Ricky Ricardo's Babalu was based on the Santeria Afro-Orisha-Yoruba deity of Babalu-Aye? Hollywood cleaned it up and Americanized Babalu in the 1950s; but Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) might as well have been singing to African demons. In fact, he was. Babalu was one nasty pagan deity. Of course, it is impolitic to say that,
I am not saying whites are superior, but Western civilization clearly is -- a result of Christianity, an outgrowth of Judaism. As we abandon that heritage, we will end up losing democracy, and running our countries as the Latins do ... by elites who seek only to sustain their class, while surrendering the poor pagans -- and indeed, many of the indigenous are pagan -- to their own devices, unworthy of education and enlightenment.
The Latin elites acted out of racism. They considered the darker elements inferior. Today, we are doing it out of a misapplication of egalitarianism. We consider our civilization unworthy to recommend. The effect is the same, a class of uneducated people will arise who can only be contained by force.
Islam, as bad as it is, is no match for this degree of anarchy. The inevitable result of multiculturalism will be the morass of Latin America. If you want to see where the West, and ultimately the world, is going, take a look at Eva Morales' Bolivia or Maduro's Venezuela.
Mike Konrad is the pen name of an American who is neither Latin, nor Arab. He runs a website, http://latinarabia.com, where he discusses the subculture of Arabs in Latin America. He wishes his Spanish were better.
Barack Obamas position on police shootings seems to be that more blacks get shot by police than their percentage of the population tells us is reasonable. In other words, about 45 a year is okay, any more is racist.
Where the idea of a quota comes from no one knows. Maybe in a babys rocketship sent to Earth just before the planet Stupid exploded, because we dont find it in the Constitution. But regardless how it arrived, we find this ridiculous belief about death quotas almost universally shared by the governing liberal elite in the nation (shouldnt there be a quota for believing in quotas?) In short, for every one hundred people that get shot by police liberals believe no more than14 may be Black, 17 Hispanic, 60 White and the remainder miscellaneous.
But heres where apportionment gets tricky. Among these last are American Offshore Islanders, Native-American, Eskimo, Moslems, Orientals, and Orthodox Jews. All of whom insist upon getting shot at different rates. Except for those pesky American Offshore Islanders and Orthodox Jews because they never seem to get shot at all. Yet if society is fair, police should be shooting at least I dont know how many Islanders and one half an Orthodox Jew every year or so or maybe a whole one every two to three years. Which in turn means that absent any volunteers, were going to have to convince these communities to begin trying their hand at armed home invasions, carjackings, convenience store stickups, and other criminal scenarios in which the perpetrator is likely to get plugged.
Is this what would Barack Obama and the liberal elite would have us do?
Or maybe just lift the quota on whites in order to balance things out? Somehow one gets the impression that with these people in Washington shooting more Whites always tends to balance things out.
This is how insane this discussion has gotten.
Obviously blacks get shot at a higher rate than whites because their crime rate is higher, and not just by a smidgen. But the liberal elite can never say that, can they? Because they cannot believe how the police (working class, generally white, maybe college educated maybe not at state schools, often sons of police themselves, military veterans in large measure and frequently seen kneeling on a black guys head in order to get a pair of cuffs on) cannot be bigoted. So therefore they must be.
This is called a Divine Fallacy -- I cannot imagine how something may be true therefore its false.
Its true that police prejudge people. That comes from experience. Years ago when I was a village police chief I worked almost exclusively when it was dark. We had a six-block Main Street with eleven bars on it. Problems began as soon as people started drinking in those bars and reached a crescendo just after 4:00 AM when they closed. We had only two murders when I worked for the village but innumerable drunken fights on the street, assaults, spousal abuse, car wrecks, drug sales, DUIs and so on. After a couple of years I thought I knew everybody in the village, and what trash they were.
Then I filled in for one of my officers guarding the polls on village election day.
Who were these people? The guys coming in their work clothes joking and laughing, the neatly dressed and well-groomed women wheeling a baby carriage into the voting machine with them, the guys in suits appearing after five, the old ladies and old gentlemen quietly chatting.
I didnt know them. Any of them. Why? Because they had jobs, families, went to church, patronized the library, kept to themselves, paid taxes and took care of their children. They werent beating each other up at three in the morning outside a ginmill. They werent crashing their cars in a drunken stupor or punching their girlfriend. They were the people who came out when it was light and I could have patrolled that Main Street for a hundred years after dark and not ever met one.
To some degree every policeman falls into a similar error and has to think his way out of it. I work in a black area where everybody I arrest every night, night after night, year after year, is black, so therefore criminals are black or Hispanic or white trailer park trash or whatever. But the glory of the job is that police do think their way out of it. As we saw in Dallas, they will throw their bodies over a black woman in order to protect her. And not even think twice about it.
Theres a brutal point to be make about this issue. In the 1960s, London and New York City were distinguished by the difference in their murder rate. New York being very high -- London extraordinarily low and in the British capitol the police never seemed to shoot anybody. Why? Well, it was pointed out to me that faced with a savage crime problem two hundred years ago, London began hanging four times as many criminals as New York did. A policy continued well up into the twentieth century. The result over generations was a society much less inclined to violence.
Something similar has to occur with the black community where blacks today kill other blacks with astounding frequency. But the politics of liberal whites, not to mention the Federal courts, will not allow black leaders to even think about going down that path. And blacks have to do the hanging themselves, not whites. Otherwise there would be an explosion.
The same dynamic applies to other aspects of black life.
The schools in black areas are, by and large, an expensive joke. The solution quite simply is easy: found charter schools. Allow that and my guess is that after a few years every black church will be educating its members children, and educating them well. And study what? I once heard a white sneer the Bible? Well maybe. But so what? Lincoln taught us that the King James Bible and Shakespeare are the greatest examples of the English language ever assembled, and what employer wouldnt hire a man or woman who could write and speak as well as Lincoln? Or half as well as Lincoln, half as well as Frederick Douglass.
But the white liberal establishment, in the service of teacher unions and the tens of thousands of employees of state departments of education, wont allow that. They have their foot on the neck of black education and theyre going to keep it there.
The same liberal arrogance obtains in the judiciary, which operates well in my white rural community but not in the liberal-dominated cities. Gun control acts the same way in those liberal-controlled cities, where law-abiding blacks are not allowed the means to defend themselves.
So thank you Barack Obama and the liberal establishment, both white and black. Youve got the minority community organized just the way you want it.
Which means were stuck.
With five dead police officers in Dallas.
Richard F. Miniter is the author of The Things I Want Most, Random House, BDD See it Here. He lives and writes in the colonial era hamlet of Stone Ridge, New York, blogs here and can also be reached at miniterhome@gmail.com
Detective Nathan Weekley of the Detroit Police Department has been busted back to ordinary officer, losing his gold shield for something he posted on Facebook. Katrease Stafford of the Detroit Free Press writes:
A Detroit Police Department detective has been demoted and an internal investigation has been launched after his Facebook post deriding the Black Lives Matter movement went viral and drew harsh public criticism. Chief James Craig identified the detective as Nathan Weekley, the brother of Officer Joseph Weekley, who fatally shot 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones during a police raid in 2010. All charges including a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter and a separate misdemeanor charge were dropped against Joseph Weekley after two mistrials. "I became aware the night of the posting on social media," Craig said Monday. "And once becoming aware of it I notified my team so we could have a discussion. And based on the preliminary discussion assessment of it, Detective Weekley has been de-appointed down from the ranking of detective to police officer and he has been reassigned and we have opened an internal investigation into the matter."
Here is what he wrote and later deleted:
For the first time in my nearly 17 years as a law enforcement officer, I contemplated calling into work in response to the outrageous act perpetrated against my brothers[.] ... It seems like the only response that will demonstrate our importance to society as a whole. The only racists here are the piece of s--t Black Lives Matter terrorists and their supporters.
We certainly hear such sentiments from both sides in even stronger terms. But Weekley is a representative of the DPD, which must interact with angry supporters of BLM every day.
Sarah Larrimore of the Washington Post garnered outraged rections to the post from, among others, a representative of Al Sharptons National Action Network. (I suppose Sharptons people are presumed to know about inflammatory rhetoric, because Al agitated against outside interlopers in Harlem shortly before Freddies Fashion Mart there was attacked by arsonists, with loss of life.)
In these times, we believe that the chief should take swift and direction action, the Rev. Charles Williams II, president of the Michigan chapter of the National Action Network, told The Washington Post in a phone interview Monday. So were glad that the chief has decided to demote him, and he will not be on the streets of Detroit. However, this type of talk should be no-tolerance, especially in light of what weve seen happen across the country.
We dont want to see a vacation, we dont want to see administrative leave we want to see termination, Williams said. If that means that the city of Detroit has to fight the union, then that just means the city of Detroit should fight the union.
Raw Story bluntly headlines:
Detroit detective rants about piece of sh*t Black Lives Matter terrorists and only gets demoted
Weekley has lots of due process protections and presumably has the union behind him. This story will play out over time, and it represents another milestone in the story of the alienation of cops.
screen grab via Raw Story
A new national poll from Rasmussen shows that Hillary Clinton is losing respect among the American electorate.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that just 22% of Likely U.S. Voters agree with Obama's statement that "there has never ever been any man or woman more qualified for this office than Hillary Clinton." Sixty-five percent (65%) disagree with the president's statement. Thirteen percent (13%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Two thirds of voters see through the propaganda line on offer from Obama, spinning her disastrous term as secretary of state and her do-nothing term in the Senate into phantom competence and purported qualification for the presidency. That landslide rejection comes despite concerted media support and lavish television ad campaigns on Hillarys behalf.
Perhaps most startling:
even Democrats aren't convinced: 42% of voters in Clinton's and Obama's party agree with the statement, but 36% do not, with another 21% who are not sure.
Fewer than half agree with Obama! One third of Democrats disagree with the Party Line, and they constitute a majority when combined with the not-sure respondents.
Meanwhile, Trump is moving up into a statistical tie with Hillary on qualifications:
When given the choice, 41% of all voters think Clinton is better qualified to be president, but just as many (40%) say that of Trump. A sizable 19% are undecided.
There is little question that Hillary has been damaged by the FBI investigation. With the party conventions coming up, the race is moving to its next stage close to a dead heat.
The Nordic Council, an inter-parliamentary elected body of the Nordic region, is debating a proposal to force all citizens - including senior citizens - to go back to school to "refresh" their skills. The proposal would make adult education mandatory for all throughout the citizen's life.
One politician referred to the idea as a "mandatory right."
Quartz:
To prepare ourselves for the future we need to think out of the box, writes Nordic Council rapporteur Poul Nielson in Proposal 7 of a new report (pdf) about the future of work in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Aaland. His proposal outlines a plan for mandatory adult education and continuing education in the region, in order to stay competitive in the global market. A startling point in Nielsons proposal is the word mandatory. He hopes to make continuous education compulsory for all, and to build it into the regular career cycle of Nordic workers. The combination of rapid technological development with the gradual increase in retirement age increases the need for new forms of education, the 73-year-old Danish politician explained to EU Observer: It is not a huge problem for the very well-educated. But with a rising pension age, people approaching 60-65 yearswho still have 510 years more on the labour marketthey should have the opportunity to refresh their skills seriously. And as a new mandatory right. Basically it is like lifting mandatory education to the next level. Continuing education and adult education is not a new idea in Scandinavia. In Denmark, elderly learners can enroll in designated folk high schools that provide short-term training in subjects like history, science, literature, and math, without the pressure of exams and papers.
Everything about this proposal is fine - except for the "mandatory" part. What is it with these socialists that everything about them is coercion? Removing the individual's right to choose whether to further their education is positively draconian.
It's justified by the claim that the state will benefit by workers being better educated. Those who don't wish to go to school are brushed aside as being irrelevant to promoting the "greater good" - as decided by bureaucrats and managers.
A perfect example of why individual rights are dying in Europe and a warning that it could easily happen here.
In an article published in the AMA Journal, President Obama called for establishing a public option for Obamacare websites.
The reason for the public option is simple: the spectacular failure of Obamacare state co-ops that were supposed to be a lower-priced alternative to private insurance. To date, 13 of the 23 state co-ops established when Obamacare was rolled out have since failed, with more collapses expected by year's end.
Two more state co-ops bit the dust in the last few days. InHealth Mutual, Ohios co-op, is closing shop after losing $129 million of taxpayer funds. And Oregon's beleaguered co-op is also going under. That collapse follows the spectacular failure of the Oregon Obamacare health insurance portal that cost taxpayers more than $300 million and whose website was so dysfunctional that it never signed up a single customer.
Reuters:
"Now, based on experience with the ACA, I think Congress should revisit a public plan to compete alongside private insurers in areas of the country where competition is limited, the president wrote. Public programs like Medicare often deliver care more cost effectively by curtailing administrative overhead and securing better prices from providers, Obama said. Republicans and some Democrats opposed the inclusion of a government-run plan similar to Medicare in the original Obamacare law, and the so-called "public option" did not make it into the final legislation. Since the ACA became law, the uninsured rate has declined to 9.1 percent in 2015 from 16 percent in 2010. Most enrollees live in counties with at least three policy issuers, which helps keep down costs, Obama said. However, 12 percent of those enrolled in plans through the exchanges live in areas with only one or two issuers. Adding a public plan in such areas would give consumers more affordable options, he said. Obama also called on Congress to increase financial assistance to purchase coverage, which he said would help middle class families who are stilling struggling with premiums. Obama said spending on prescription drugs, which rose 12 percent in 2014, remains a problem, and he urged Congress to act on his proposal to increase transparency around manufacturers' production and development costs. He said the federal government should be given the authority to negotiate prices for certain high-priced drugs.
Spending more taxpayer money to get a public option up and running, increasing subsidies due to soaring costs for insurance companies, browbeating drug companies to reveal why it takes a billion dollars to get a drug to market does this sound like a program that's thriving and successful?
The public option is a Hail Mary pass for Obamacare a last-ditch effort to salvage the program and cement the president's legacy. There's always a single-payer option, but that would eliminate the need for state exchanges and make several other Obamacare programs superfluous. The public option is the last chance to keep Obamacare relatively intact.
The president doesn't expect Congress to pass a public option while he is in office. But Hillary Clinton has endorsed the idea, so if the Democrats ever seize control of Congress, we can expect the public option to become law.
How many more of these exchanges have to fail before Obamacare collapses on its own? The latest two are Connecticut and Oregon!
Obamacare failed because it was rushed without any open discussion or effort to attract Republican support. The "I won" comments may have been good politics, but they doomed the stimulus in 2009 and Obamacare in 2010.
Many on our side believe that Obamacare was created to fail, or the one about the government stepping in with a single-payer plan after thousands are left without coverage. However, I think that idea is going to crash, too, according to Brenda Kirby:
Some critics of the Affordable Care Act have suggested that it was designed to fail to pave the way for what liberals truly want a completely government-run health care system. Indeed, both the Hillary Clinton campaign and the proposed Democratic Party platform call for moving the health care system in that direction. But Haislmaier said he believes neither a universal health system nor a full repeal of Obamacare are likely. "The Left wants to go to strongly to single payer," he said. "They won't get there because they won't be able to sell the tax increases."
That's correct. No U.S. Congress is going to pass the tax increases necessary to bring Obamacare back to life, assuming that it can be revived with fresh dollars.
So what happens?
President Hillary Clinton will be forced to reform it. It will continue to be called Obamacare, but no one will remember it as the act that was designed to give us affordable health care.
President Trump will try to repeal it, but they won't get the 60 votes in the U.S. Senate to kill it. So he may use executive orders to smash it whenever possible.
One way or another, Obamacare is in the E.R., and calling a priest for last rites may be appropriate.
P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 83 years old and still mourning the passing of her best buddy, Justice Antonin Scalia, doesnt give a damn what anybody thinks about decorum. On the Friday before Independence Day weekend, she unburdened herself on the candidacy of Donald Trump in two high-profile interviews (The New York Times and Associated Press). Andrew Liptak of the NYT wrote of his interview in her Supreme Court chambers:
Unless they have a book to sell, Supreme Court justices rarely give interviews. Even then, they diligently avoid political topics. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg takes a different approach. These days, she is making no secret of what she thinks of a certain presidential candidate. I cant imagine what this place would be I cant imagine what the country would be with Donald Trump as our president, she said. For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be I dont even want to contemplate that. It reminded her of something her husband, Martin D. Ginsburg, a prominent tax lawyer who died in 2010, would have said. Now its time for us to move to New Zealand, Justice Ginsburg said, smiling ruefully.
Now the female justice, a beloved icon to many on the left, is facing blowback for her violation of etiquette. Aaron Blake of the Washington Post writes:
"I find it baffling actually that she says these things," said Arthur Hellman, a law professor at the University of Pittsburgh. "She must know that she shouldnt be. However tempted she might be, she shouldnt be doing it." Similarly, Howard Wolfson, a former top aide to Hillary Clinton and former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, said Ginsburg shouldn't have said it. I RBG but I don't think our Supreme Court justices should be publicly offering their opinions about POTUS candidates. howard wolfson (@howiewolf) July 11, 2016 Has a SCOTUS justice made an endorsement like this before? https://t.co/ARHBNLBuoP Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) July 11, 2016
Of course, Ginsburg is a progressive, so she thinks she can get away with it. Were Clarence Thomas to insert himself in a presidential race, there would be an organized movement to impeach him, with massive media coverage. But Ginsburg is also issuing an open invitation for demands that she recuse herself in the future, should the unthinkable happen and Trump wins or contests a decision.
[Justices] have to hear cases involving political issues and people. Having offered their unprompted opinions about such things can lead to questions about prejudice and potential recusal from future cases. As Greenfield notes, Ginsburg was a part of the court that decided who the president was when the 2000 election was thrown to the Supreme Court, so this isn't uncharted territory. Had she said something similar about either Bush or Al Gore, would she have been able to hear the case? Louis Virelli is a Stetson University law professor who just wrote a book on Supreme Court recusals, titled "Disqualifying the High Court." He said that "public comments like the ones that Justice Ginsburg made could be seen as grounds for her to recuse herself from cases involving a future Trump administration. I don't necessarily think she would be required to do that, and I certainly don't believe that she would in every instance, but it could invite challenges to her impartiality based on her public comments." Hellman said Ginsburg's comments could muddy the waters when it comes to decisions not just involving Trump but also his policies something that could come up regularly should he win the presidency. "It would cast doubt on her impartiality in those decisions," Hellman said. "If she has expressed herself as opposing the election of Donald Trump, her vote to strike down a Trump policy would be under a cloud." Ed Whelan, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center and who once clerked for conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, has criticized Ginsburg before for her public comments. But he said this one is more indefensible than any of its predecessors. "I think this exceeds the others in terms of her indiscretions," Whelan said. "I am not aware of any justice ever expressing views on the merits or demerits of a presidential candidate in the midst of the campaign. I am not a fan of Donald Trump's at all. But the soundness or unsoundness of her concerns about Donald Trump has no bearing on whether it was proper for her to say what she said."
Ginsburgs willingness to risk calls for recusal illustrates the ambient level of Trump Derangement Syndrome among the nations elites. They are not just opposed to him; they are offended at his candidacy. Trump merits no protection from conventional ethics and practices. The refusal to follow the conventional rules is a sure sign of actual clinical derangement.
With Ginsburg, we have to remember that earlier in Obamas second term, there was some public discussion on the left that Ginsburg should retire so a younger leftist could take her seat. Having survived breast cancer, Ginsburg was in no way anxious to declare her life over and retire into political irrelevance.
In the end, it will be up to Ginsburg to recuse herself, and given her feistiness lately, she might simply ignore the calls to do so.
A delegate in Virginia who was bound to vote for Donald Trump at the GOP convention has won a partial victory in court that will allow him to vote for whomever he chooses.
The narrow ruling has given hope to #NeverTrumpers, but the scope of the decision hardly justifies it.
Fox News:
An anti-Donald Trump delegate to the Republican National Committee convention won a small legal victory Monday he hopes will provide a boost to longshot efforts at derailing the billionaire businessman from formally clinching the GOP presidential nomination. But the ruling issued Monday by a federal judge in Richmond is limited in scope. It means that delegates cannot be obligated to vote in a winner-takes-all fashion, as stated in an obscure portion of Virginia election law. But the law in question was so obscure that Republicans had already decided to allocate delegates in a proportional fashion, based on the results of the state's March 1 primary, which Trump won. The ruling leaves that unchanged. Still, Virginia delegate Carroll Correll Jr., who filed the lawsuit last month, counted the ruling as a symbolic victory. "Requiring delegates to vote for any candidate is unconstitutional and today's announcement is a blow to Trump's efforts," said Correll. Correll's lawsuit was backed by Citizens in Charge Foundation, which is part of a diverse group of Trump opponents still trying to find a way for the party to pick another candidate at next week's convention. But Trump supporters scoffed at the notion that the ruling will have any noticeable effect. "It will have no impact on the Virginia delegation," said John Fredericks, a Trump supporter who fought the lawsuit. "Nor will it have any long term ramification for Donald Trump's quest for the nomination on the first ballot." At issue in the lawsuit was a previously ignored part of Virginia election law that mandates delegates to the national convention to vote in a winner-take-all fashion, instead of proportionally as Republicans had planned. Judge Robert E. Payne said Monday the winner-take-all portion of the state law was unconstitutional and can't be enforced. The ruling means that Republicans can vote how they have always intended to with the state's 49 delegates bound to vote proportionally based on the March 1 results without fear of criminal prosecution. Though the changes of prosecution were always remote: state officials said before the ruling they had no plans to prosecute anyone for how they voted at the GOP convention.
In essence, this was a nuisance suit that never should have been brought. With no chance of prosecution and the law already saying delegates could vote the way they choose, Correll was just kicking up dirt hoping to obscure the issues.
The anti-Trump crowd keeps plugging away, but it's as though they're living in an alternate universe. The Trump train left the station long ago, while #NeverTrumpers think they can change history to bring it back.
Not. Going. To. Happen.
The convention could still turn out to be a mess. But it won't be because there is a serious challenge to Trump's nomination.
The Digital Single Market has called upon the European Commission and member countries to expedite a 5G Action Plan to ensure rollout of 5G in the European Union by 2020. Aside from recommending a number of steps to accelerate the process, a number of Telecom companies, including the likes of BT Group, Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, Hutchison Whampoa, and Ericsson, have also asked the Commissioner for Digital Economy & Society to ensure the availability of sufficient spectrum through harmonized licensing, to remove restrictive Net Neutrality rules, and to ensure 5G monetization to meet the 5G implementation target. In a 7-page 5G Manifesto, the twenty-two telecom companies, with support from the likes of Royal Philips, Airbus, and Siemens AG, have also urged the Commissioner to necessitate a dialogue between vertical industries and themselves to build future roadmaps.
Among the list of necessary steps which telecoms consider indispensable while implementing a 5G Action Plan are creating and supporting 5G standards, conducting pan-European trials from time to time, funding start-ups and innovations along with 5GPPPs research and innovation projects and creating deployment priorities. Asking the Commissioner to facilitate the creation of rules that are future-oriented, pro-investment and pro-innovation, telecoms added that an Open Internet should be the priority and that existing Net Neutrality guidelines pose significant uncertainties around 5G return on investment, are restrictive and should allow for both innovative specialized services required by industrial applications and the Internet Access quality expected by all consumers. The telecoms also agreed that fair return on investments on 5G wouldnt be possible until monetization is targeted across the board and covers end-users, service providers, and industry verticals.
The fact that the European Union is serious about implementing 5G across all member countries by 2020 became apparent back in 2013 when the Commission made a 50 million investment into researching 5G technologies. Earlier this year, the Commission also proposed that TV broadcasting spectrum can be used for enabling 5G networks to handle speeds of up to 1 gigabits. G.H. Oettinger, the Commissioner, states the 700 MHz band will be ideal for new promising fields like connected driving and the Internet of Things. I want Europe to lead in 5G. That is why all Member States must act by 2020. Whether the European Commission will be able to create 5G standards, make more spectrum available and open up funding sources for start-ups, innovations, and telecoms within a stipulated time will be interesting to see in the coming days. A number of carriers in the United States as well as in some Asian countries have expressed confidence in implementing 5G network by 2020, with time as well as availability of funds and ideas having now become a crucial factor in the implementation process.
Niantic, the company behind the wildly successful Pokemon Go and its predecessor, Ingress, was once owned by Google. It all started in 2010, when John Hanke, the grandfather of Google Earth, was given a task. That task was quite simple, in theory; put some kind of interesting stuff on top of Google Maps. Back then, augmented reality and consumer GPS on phones were in their infancy. Hanke and his team experimented with different applications and ways to implement them and eventually came up with Field Trip, an app that launched in 2012 and was made to help people explore their city, popping up interesting locales, businesses and other points of interest on a map, with the users location shown via GPS. This was the predecessor to Ingress, which was the predecessor to Pokemon Go.
When Niantic first became a company, it was with the 2010 initiative for Hanke to build something on Google Maps. They were known as Niantic Labs. Owned by Google, they could only spread their wings so far; they werent as agile as a startup, and didnt have the opportunities to secure outside funding that a startup may enjoy, though they did have Googles backing. When Ingress hit the ground in 2013, it showed that Niantic Labs was all grown up, able to churn out good products and hook users on their own merits, without having to piggyback off of Googles name. While Ingress popularity was in part owed to Googles partnership, it was clear that Niantic Labs was a capable firm.
In September of 2015, just as Google announced the formation of Alphabet and the spinning off of some of its projects and departments into individual companies, Hanke and his team decided to break Niantic off from Google entirely, rather than become an Alphabet company. Now more autonomous than ever, they were able to begin exploring different avenues for business. This eventually led to them seeing dollar signs in Googles Pokemon themed April Fools joke, and partnering up with Nintendo to make it real. After a $30 million fundraising round, which Google participated in, Niantic was ready to take on the world on their own. At this point, Google is a shareholder and provides the mapping data that Niantics creations use as a backbone, and thats about the extent of their relationship.
Families of four Israeli-US dual nationals and one American citizen have filed a private lawsuit against Facebook on Monday claiming that the most popular social network on the planet assisted in the planning of Hamas attacks in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and the occupied West Bank between 2014 and 2016 which resulted in the deaths of their loved ones. The plaintiffs are suing for $1 billion in damages and have filed their lawsuit at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. In it, theyve accused Facebook of not only providing material support and other resources to Palestinian militants but also doing so knowingly, which is a pretty large claim and the main basis for the 10-digit figure mentioned above. The lawsuit concludes that Facebooks actions had directly facilitated the terrorist groups operations which resulted in the tragic deaths of their family members.
The lawsuit was filed less than a week after Israels Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan blamed Facebook and its founder Mark Zuckerberg specifically for the recent killings of Hallel Ariel and Michael Marks. Erdan stated that the social network was unwilling to help track suspected Palestinian militants while Facebook went on to defend its rules and regulations against online abuse. Interestingly enough, while Zuckerberg was accused of assisting terrorists, he himself was recently threatened by another militant group.
Its worth noting that while this lawsuit states experts have linked Hamas to all of the terrorist attacks which resulted in deaths of five US citizens, the Palestinian Sunni-Islamic terrorist group only claimed responsibility for one of them. The lawsuit itself is based on the Anti-Terrorism Act passed in 1992 which prohibits American businesses from giving out any material support and services to organizations that the US has designated as terrorist groups.
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Facebooks representatives did not directly comment on the lawsuit but have stated that theyre always sticking to their set of community standards for preventing abusive and terrorism-related content on the social network, adding that they want people to feel safe when using Facebook. The spokesperson also urged users to use Facebooks reporting tools if they happen to stumble upon content they believe is related to encouraging violence, hate speech, and terrorism in general. Interestingly enough, while Facebook has yet to respond to the lawsuit, Hamas already did. Sami Abu Zuhri, the terrorist groups spokesperson in Gaza stated that this is just the latest Israeli attempt to blackmail Facebook into becoming a spying tool against Palestinians.
The IBM X-Force Application Security Research Team recently revealed that it has discovered a vulnerability in Xiaomis MIUI operating system, which would technically allow for an attacker to execute code remotely on a device through man-in-the-middle attacks. The good news is that the vulnerability has been addressed by Xiaomi, and as a PSA, owners of Xiaomi smartphones are advised to update their devices to the latest available firmware.
IBMs security team have discovered the remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in Xiaomis proprietary operating system many months ago, and the issue was privately disclosed to the Chinese smartphone maker in January 2016. In a recent article, IBMs researchers revealed that the vulnerability was found in the analytics package, which accompanies a variety of preloaded applications within MIUI. This type of RCE vulnerability can allow attackers to execute arbitrary code remotely and with the privileges of the host application. Technically speaking, the way the vulnerability works is as follows: an analytics package polls RESTful web services periodically in order to determine whether or not an update is available for a given application. The server then responds with a short JSON response which includes a URL, and assuming that the application is outdated, the Android application package (APK) linked through the said URL is downloaded and extracted. The vulnerability itself lies in the fact that the update transaction is carried over insecure connections such as HTTP, meaning that an attacker could use a man-in-the-middle attack to replace the URL with one that contains malicious APK.
The security team has identified at least four vulnerable applications within MIUI developer ROM version 6.1.8, one of which was the built-in browser application. Fortunately and according to IBM, Xiaomis security team was quick to confirm and classify the vulnerability. Moreover, the issue has already been fixed in Xiaomi MIUI Global Stable version 7.2, and Xiaomi users around the world are advised to check their firmware version and update their devices, if applicable. As for mitigating future vulnerabilities, IBMs security team believes that developers should transact code-related data only over verified connections such as TLS. Additionally, because this type of vulnerability seems to become an increasing issue in the security community, the team believes that a discussion should take place in regards to whether or not any applications should be able to execute unsigned code via DexClassLoader or indeed, any other method on the Android platform.
Samsung usually releases quite a few smartphones per year, and this year is no exception. This Korea-based company had introduced a number of devices since January, including their Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge flagship smartphones. That being said, were not here to talk about the companys premium offerings, but their more affordable handsets. The company had introduced the Galaxy On5 and On7 smartphones back in October last year, and there were some rumors that Samsung might introduce second-gen Galaxy On5 and On7 devices sometime soon. Well, Samsung did introduce these two phones, but their Pro variants, rather than next-gen offerings, even though these phones are, in a way, successors to the Galaxy On5 and On7.
The Galaxy On5 and On7 were originally introduced in China, and the company has decided to release the Pro models in India first. The Samsung Galaxy On5 Pro features a 5-inch 720p (1280 x 720) display, along with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of native storage (expandable up to 128GB via a microSD card). This smartphone is fueled by the Exynos 3475 quad-core SoC running at 1.3GHz, which ships with the Mali-T720 GPU. The 8-megapixel shooter (f/2.2 aperture) is placed on the back of the Galaxy On5 Pro, while youll find a 5-megapixel snapper (f/2.2 aperture) on the phones front side. The 2,600mAh battery is also a part of this package, and youll also find two SIM card slots here. The phone measures 142.2 x 72.1 x 8.5mm, weighs 149 grams, and ships with Android 6.0 Marshmallow with the companys TouchWiz UI on top of it.
The Galaxy On7 Pro, on the other hand, features a 5.5-inch 720p (1280 x 720) display, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable internal storage. This smartphone is fueled by the Snapdragon 410 64-bit quad-core SoC running at 1.2GHz, along with the Adreno 306 GPU for graphics. The 13-megapixel camera unit (f/2.2 aperture) is located on the back of the device, and a 5-megapixel shooter (f/2.2 aperture) can be found up front. The 3,000mAh battery is placed on the inside of this device, and Android 6.0 Marshmallow comes pre-installed on the phone, and so does the companys TouchWiz UI. There are two SIM card slots available here as well, while the device measures 151.8 x 77.5 x 8.2mm, and weighs 172 grams. These two phones come in Black and Gold color variants, and are priced at Rs. 9,190 ($137) and Rs. 11,190 ($167), respectively. The two phones are exclusively available from Amazon India, in case youd like to pick one up.
The famous video sharing platform Vine seems to be struggling to maintain its user base, all the while rival applications including Snapchat are enjoying increasing exposure. With the number of Vine users decreasing at the same time as more Vine executives are leaving the company, the platforms future seems uncertain. However, despite these recent outcomes, Twitter which is Vines parent company since 2012 maintains a positive view on Vine, and claims that the platform is an important part of its strategy to refine core services, live-streaming videos and more.
As some readers will recall, Vines former General Manager Jason Toff left the company in January 2016 when he was employed by Googles VR division. Following Jason Toffs departure, Twitter looked for potential candidates for the GM spot inside the company, but ultimately, CEO Jack Dorsey has appointed Hannah Donovan as Vines new GM. This decision surprised some people including Vine employees, primarily because Hannah Donovan was an outside candidate for the job. As a matter of fact, Jason Toff was not the only Vine employee to leave the company earlier this year, and sources cited by Recode suggest that some employees took their leave after Hannah Donovan was appointed as the new GM. Reportedly, some of these employees have decided to leave Vine because they expected Twitter to hire a new General Manager from the inside, who would not disrupt the way Vine has been operating so far. An unnamed former employee cited by Recode says this is the risk you run when you bring in someone from the outside. Its worth noting that according to the report, among the executives who have left Vine so far count interim GM AJ Frank, head of engineering Ben Sheats, senior product manager Adam Feldman, senior product manager Brittany Mennuti, head of data science Robbie Dunnete, head of business development and operations Meghan Malaviya, and more.
Meanwhile, data gathered by comScore (image below) shows that the number of unique Vine visitors in the US throughout the first 5 months of the year has declined from roughly 30 million to roughly 24 million. Nevertheless, according to a Twitter spokesperson cited by the source, despite these recent developments Vine represents an important part of our strategy for improving its core services. In addition, while some may not agree with Twitters decision to shuffle management at Vine, others see this as an opportunity for re-evaluation and growth. Either way, its too early to determine and evaluate the changes made by Donovan so far, but the bigger picture and Twitters plans for the future of Vine should become clearer in the coming months.
Xiaomi has, since its inception, been an online only company. Theyve been selling their devices online, through flash sales, for a long time, and even though they did set up a few offline stores to show off their newest tech in China, they never actually opened up a chain of retail stores. That is going to change soon though. The companys CEO had announced yesterday that Xiaomi plans to open up over 1,000 retail stores in the next couple of years, which managed to surprise quite a few people, even though it makes sense considering Xiaomis competitors managed to profit quite a bit from such approach.
Having that in mind, lets talk about Xiaomi India for a bit. The company is selling their devices in India with the help from various partners, and theyre looking to expand their offline sales chain in the country. Xiaomi has announced that theyre partnering with Just Buy Live and Innocomm in order to expand their offline distribution in India. Xiaomis devices will, thanks to this partnership, be available through retailers such as Sengeetha, Big C, LOT Mobiles, etc. Xiaomi believes that these new partnerships will help them to hit over 5,000 offline stores all over the country. The companys Redmi 2, Redmi 2 Prime, Redmi Note Prime, Redmi Note 3, Mi Max and Mi 5 will be available in a number of larger cities in India thanks to this offline expansion. The best thing of all, the prices will be comparable to the online prices, so you basically wont have any perks buying online, other than the fact you dont have to physically go over to the store, but many people actually want to try out a device before they purchase it, which is probably why such model has been so successful for OPPO and Vivo.
Xiaomi is currently working on expanding their production capacity in India as well, they intend to manufacture even more devices in India as part of the Make in India initiative, mainly so that they dont have to import devices from China in order to sell them in India. They currently manufacture the vast majority of their products in the country, but a smaller portion is still being imported from China.
Brexit therapy: How to mend Broken Britain
Good news. Leave voters can be cured of mental disorders through therapy, wonder of the age and booming business sector to boot.
Ewan Cameron, a psychologist who provides assessment and treatment of forensic and clinical clients, writes on Politics. co.uk:
So your mother voted Leave: How to fix a family broken by Brexit
Its a new version of David Camerons broken Britain, the former Prime Ministers view of the working class and other Untermensch. Its no longer the much-derided, dystopian Tory vision, what the Guardian called glib jargon that feeds off popular anxieties, a popular, ill-defined sense that somehow things are going wrong in society, adding that there is real hostility to being tarred as a broken society. That broken Britain was offensive. This broken Britain is all about helping. It is, of course, entirely offensive, bigoted, condescending, ageist, and dismissive of the working class and the right of one person one vote.
Says E. Cameron:
Its not just political parties that are being torn apart by the Brexit vote. Across the country, families have been pitted against each other, usually on generational lines, as the emotional fallout continues. Millions of older voters feel theyve taken back control of their country. But for many of their sons and daughters, its like someone just stole their future. The political has never felt more personal.
Never felt more personal? Its history day one all over again. What about when being gay was a crime? What about when women were banned from voting? What about abortion law? What about 1780, when less than 3% of the total population of England had the right to vote? Democracy won the day in the EU Referendum. The people voted in large numbers. The Leave vote won. The therapy should be short and succinct: suck it up and crack on.
But Cameron E has tips on what you should do if you cant grasp the concept of democracy and are slamming bedrooms doors and shouting I never asked to be born:
1. Seek to understand before being understood Try to understand not just your mothers political arguments, but the personal reasons and emotions that contribute to them. Maybe her fears are both political and personal, reflecting a general fear of change or a core belief that unknown others can never be trusted.
A fear of change for the woman who, er, voted for change, who embraced the new and the risky.
Personality factors are also relevant are your mothers view sustained by a sense of entitlement? Do her political views conform to a broader sense of personal alienation, or vulnerability? Seek to understand not just what but why she has the views she does.
In a word: experience.
2. Communicate in neutral, non-judgemental language
What an utter kno..
Simple techniques like avoiding the pronoun you and instead structuring sentences around I can reduce the potential for the other person feeling blamed, and keeps the focus on your needs.
Why not go the full superior and opt for one.
Examples might include I have noticed that when I express those thoughts, I am often not heard, as opposed to youre ignoring everything I say.
More!
3. Specify the problem, even if it seems obvious Maybe its that your mother deliberately ignores certain widely known facts in order to sustain a distorted worldview.
You: you need to look at the facts.
Mum: I do. You lost.
4. Express the emotion you are feeling Tell your mother what emotion you feel when you bring up this problem. Telling someone how you actually feel makes an issue harder to ignore. Examples might include I feel hurt that you voted in a way that I believe damages the future of my children, or I actually feel quite alone and sad when I think about the political distance between us. Be honest when you do this.
Mum to child: I feel hurt that you voted in a way that I believe damages the future of my children.
5. Specify what you want and be realistic Maybe you need to tone down the moral certainty.
But without moral certainty youre left with nothing apart from the T-shirt that orders Hug An Immigrant.
6. Practice Acceptance
If you are troubled by any of the above or see assurance and direction, seek help immediately. No, not therapy. That clinic has a revolving door. Ask your mum what you should do.
Remember: mother knows best.
Anorak
Posted: 12th, July 2016 | In: Key Posts, Politicians, Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
(ANSA) - Cosenza, July 11 - Cosenza prosecutors on Monday requested a four-year prison term for newspaper publisher Pietro Citrigno on charges of violent coercion against journalist Alessandro Bozzo, who committed suicide in March 2013.
Bozzo, 40, worked at the now-defunct L'Ora della Calabria daily. He was married and the father of a four-year-old girl.
Citrigno is charged with forcing Bozzo to quit his full-time job under duress and without severance, and to sign a temporary contract with the paper instead.
On Monday, prosecutors also requested the defendant be investigated further on charges of attempted extortion against another five journalists who worked at the same paper.
"(Testimony about) new and even more serious crimes emerged during trial, to the detriment not only of the injured party but also of other journalists," said Chief Prosecutor Mario Spagnuolo.
(ANSA) - Rome, July 12 - Deputy Foreign Minister Mario Giro was in Cuba on Tuesday to strengthen economic, development and cultural cooperation with Italy.
"I am pleased to report the strong commitment by major Italian industrial groups, particularly in the hotel and cruise sectors," Giro said. "Tourism, together with the entire Cuban economy, will derive further benefit from revamping port and railway infrastructure and our companies...are ready to play their part," he continued. The deputy foreign minister described his mission as the "natural continuation" of growing bilateral relations over the last three years, which have also seen the historic visit by Cuban President Raul Castro to Rome in May 2015 and by Italian Premier Matteo Renzi to Cuba last October. There is also potential for collaboration in the energy sector, thanks to the potential leadership role of green energy companies such as Enel Green Power and other Italian firms, Giro said.
Yildirim says Turkey to continue improving relations After Israel and Russia, focus on Egypt, Iraq and Syria
(ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, JULY 12 - Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Tuesday said his country plans to continue improving relations with neighbouring countries.
"There aren't many reasons to clash with Iraq, Syria or Egypt, while there are many reasons to develop our cooperation," Yildirim said.
"We will improve our friendships with all countries that surround the Black Sea and the Mediterranean," he said.
"We will keep our disagreements to a minimum".(ANSAmed).
ISTANBUL - Saudi Arabian Prince Nawaf al Saud has landed on the front pages of tabloids and drawn cries of hypocrisy over his vacation in Bodrum, where his mega-yacht has been moored for four days, and during which pictures have emerged of Swedish models, parties and alcohol.
The prince's yacht has been called "the world's most expensive", and Bodrum, on the Aegean coast, is one of the most exclusive vacation spots in Turkey.
Among the gossip, reports have surfaced of a dinner in a luxurious restaurant after which the royal left a 1000-euro tip for the waiters.
One of Turkey's most well-known journalists, Ahmet Hakan, wrote an open letter to the prince in Turkish daily Hurriyet, asking for his "definition of hypocrisy".
BERLIN - Among Europeans, Germans are the most relaxed about the refugee influx, while Italians and Eastern Europeans harbor greater worries, according to a survey by the US-based Pew Research Center published in German daily Die Welt on Tuesday.
Despite the fact that Germany has received more than a million migrants in one year, only 31% of Germans surveyed said that "refugees are a burden on our country because they take our jobs and social benefits".
By comparison, 82% of Hungarians agreed with that statement, as well as 75% of Poles, 72% of Greeks, and 65% of Italians. Germans were more concerned about the risk of refugees increasing the likelihood of terrorism: 61% agreed with that statement, compared to 76% of Hungarians, 71% of Poles, and 60% of Italians.
The survey revealed that views of Muslims are more negative in eastern and southern Europe.
Hungarians and Italians have "unfavorable views of Muslims" at 72% and 69% respectively, followed by 66% of Poles, 65% of Greeks, and 50% of Spaniards. At 29%, Germany and France were the European countries with the lowest percentage of respondents who have unfavorable views of Muslims.
(ANSAmed) - BERLIN, JULY 12 - The International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced on Tuesday that it will host a Global Migration Data Portal for tracking refugees, based at its Global Migration Data Analysis Centre (GMDAC) in Berlin.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said there needs to be increasingly closer and more active cooperation with regards to migrants.
"We have to make information circulate, because the migrant phenomenon can be controlled," he said.
According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), there are 65 million refugees worldwide, half of whom are children and adolescents.(ANSAmed).
ROME - Senate Speaker Pietro Grasso has called for a "joint strategy" against terror involving "slow and patient dialogue" between government and parliamentary institutions and "concrete action" in favour of a progressive solution to conflict and crises. "Conscience-shaking and sentiments of human pity are not enough," Grasso said at a seminar following the first meeting of the Italian-led Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly - Union for Mediterranean (PA-UfM) in Rome on Monday. "The Italian presidency intends to launch intense and serene discussions with the commissions and governments in order to identify precise action tackling the root causes od ideological radicalism and terrorism," he continued. The first strategic priority for the Euro-Mediterranean area is to create a political future in the more unsettled countries by promoting the emergence of pluralist institutions, Grasso said.
The second and third priorities are to deploy all military, investigative and financial resources to counter terrorism and to focus on prevention. "In this last respect the UfM has the as yet largely unexpressed potential for contributing to an undeferrable policy of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation," Grasso said. Likewise, Lower House Speaker Laura Boldrini stressed the importance of "working on what unites and not on what divides" and of creating "a Mediterranean context where there is peace, freedom, security and also well being". Boldrini also invited Europe to invest in rebuilding the region in the same way that the United States invested in Europe after the Second World War. "Bombs are not enough" against terrorism because "when military action causes civilian casualties, this creates even more resentment and hatred", she said, calling for an "essentially political" solution to the conflicts in Syria and Iraq. "And then of course it is necessary to combat terrorism, Islamic state, by striking its resources and then avoid creating fertile ground for terrorism: because everything that is accidentally destroyed makes recruitment easier," Boldrini concluded.
Italy wants rapid EU integration of Western Balkans Deputy foreign minister meets with Serbian Prime Minister Vucic
(ANSAmed) - BELGRADE, JULY 12 - Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Vincenzo Amendola concluded a two-day visit to Serbia on Tuesday and said Italy intends to initiate a rapid process of European Union integration for countries of the Western Balkans.
"We are firmly determined to advance the process of European Union integration for the Western Balkans," Amendola said.
"Following Brexit, (the EU) is going through a very delicate phase".
Amendola met with the country's outgoing prime minister, Aleksandar Vucic.
He also met with Italian ambassadors to the Western Balkan countries to begin planning for next year's Western Balkans Summit to take place in Italy.
He said the key themes of the Italian presidency of the Western Balkans Summit will be security, integration and economic growth.
"We want to work in a simple, practical and concrete way towards achievable and interconnected projects in the fields of energy, infrastructure, transport, and growth-oriented small and medium-sized businesses," he said.
ROME - A book of 79 photographs portraying the West Bank and the result of the Israeli occupation was presented at the Palestinian Embassy in Rome on Monday.
Titled "The Land That Remains", the book by photographer Federico Busonero opens with the image of a sitting man and ends with that of a sitting woman.
"They can't move, they're imprisoned, but the photos can do it on their behalf," Busonero said.
Busonero shot the photos over the course of three trips to the area between 2008 and 2009, visiting Jerusalem, Jericho, Hebron, Nablus, the Ein Al Fashkha nature reserve on the Black Sea, and Mt. Gerizim.
The work was commissioned by Italian architect Giovanni Fontana, who has worked for a decade in the area and was called on by UNESCO to make a survey of Palestinian cultural heritage to show the violent transformation in the area.
"The only condition UNESCO gave was to not show raw violence, checkpoints and the occupation, and the brutality of Israeli forces," Busonero said.
Navblue will function as a wholly owned subsidiary of Airbus and be a key unit of Services By Airbus. Navblues main offices are located in Waterloo, Ontario Canada, Hersham in the United Kingdom and Toulouse in France, with satellite sites around the world.
Its portfolio integrates the existing product offer of Navtech which is now bolstered by Airbus ProSkys Air Traffic Management solutions, as well as Airbus popular Flight Operations innovations such as ROPS and FlySmart. The new subsidiary will also draw upon the unique expertise of Airbus Defence and Space coupled with proprietary high quality satellite data and extensive data analysis expertise, to deliver the most accurate solutions. Navblues solutions and services will not be limited to Airbus aircraft, but will build on the independent scope and position of Navtech. The product families will support both civil or military environments, on the ground or on board any aircraft.
Mike Hulley, President & CEO of Navblue said: I am looking forward to lead into the future our new company, NAVBLUE, which is fuelled by the customer-centric agility of Navtech, combined with the pioneering philosophy of Airbus. Together, we will benefit from an expanded global footprint stretching from Waterloo to London to Toulouse and beyond. He added: With NAVBLUE we will reinforce and accelerate an already successful business with innovative, complementary flight operations services, talent and customer base around the world.
Laurent Martinez, SVP of Airbus Services business unit said: Navbluewill give a new impetus to the market and bring confidence in fully digital value propositions to our existing and future customers for all types of aircraft. He added: I am also confident that Navblue will evolve and thrive, in the same entrepreneurial spirit as Navtech has done over the last 30 years, as an agile, independent challenger and global flight operations and air traffic management service provider.
Held recently in Shanghai, Air Cargo China 2016 brought together airlines, freight forwarders, GSSAs and other logistics businesses to seek new opportunities, establish new partnerships and renew existing relationships.
Oman Airs delegation to this major industry event was headed up by Mohammed Al Musafir, senior vice president - commercial cargo to promote Air Freight and Logistics to and through Oman. His team used Oman Airs impressive dedicated stand as a venue in which to meet with a range of invited customers and industry partners. They also met with a large number of contacts throughout the exhibition.
Mohammed Al Musafir said: Air Cargo China 2016 has been a great success for Oman Air. As our airline continues to expand and prepares to launch a new service from Muscat to Guangzhou, we have been able to use this event to strengthen existing partnerships and to enter into new relationships which will benefit the company and our customers.
We were able to secure some excellent deals at a regional level by promoting Oman Airs cargo incentive programme, which will improve our overall cargo load factors going forward. And, vitally, Air Cargo China 2016 provided a great platform to promote within the local market our upcoming direct flights to Guangzhou (CAN) and to get essential ground-work done before the start of operations.
I would like to thank my colleagues for their invaluable commitment throughout the event. I am also grateful to our existing and future industry partners, and to Air Cargo China 2016s organisers, for ensuring that Oman Airs presence in Shanghai delivered such positive results.
Air travellers chose Qatar Airways as the World's Best Business Class in the 2016 World Airline Awards, also voting the airline top for Best Business Class Airline Lounge and the Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East. The consumer-voted awards recognised the airline for its commitment to offering passengers an unrivalled travelling experience.
Qatar Airways Group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: It is a very proud moment for Qatar Airways to be named World's Best Business Class, Best Business Class Airline Lounge and Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East by the prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards, not only for myself, but for every individual at Qatar Airways who creates the passengers experience from our on-board cabin crew to the chefs overseeing our catering, to the technicians who ensure the cabin is in perfect working order. Our commitment to continued success is unwavering and a testament to the dedication of our global teams. The airlines renowned service, modern aircraft and luxurious cabins, combined with an expanding global network, continue to set Qatar Airways apart from the competition.
The $613 million deal, undertaken through a capital increase, promises to deliver longer-term strategic benefits in areas like network development and codeshares.
LATAM represents an excellent opportunity to invest and support the development of our long-term relationship, says Qatar Airways group chief executive Akbar Al Baker.
The deal will involve Qatar Airways paying $10 a share for the $613 million total. LATAMs shares are currently being traded at $7.
LATAM was approached by its Oneworld alliance partner about a potential deeper link-up some six months ago, according to the Latin American airline CEO Enrique Cueto. We had not been seeking an investor of this kind but the move did come at a good moment in view of the turmoil in the Brazilian economy. We are suffering with the price of our shares, he said.
"LATAM represents an excellent opportunity to invest and support the development of our long-term relationship," says Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker.
Qatar already has a stake in another Oneworld partner, IAG, which it recently lifted to 15%.
Meanwhile, Flightglobal has reported that Qatar Airways is in talks with Boeing over a potential order for up to 30 737s are Al Baker said are quite advanced as he examines alternatives to his stalled Airbus A320neo deal.
The Qatari flag carrier is at an impasse with Airbus and Pratt & Whitney over teething problems that the re-engined airliner has suffered. These issues prompted the airline to trigger the walk-away clause in its contract for the first of its aircraft earlier this year.
Al Baker reported that there had been no progress in the discussions with Airbus and P&W over the A320neo, and we will continue walking away until the problem is resolved.
Qatar is now actively talking to Boeing about a deal for 25-30 737s a mix of NG and Max aircraft, he says. We would also look at 737NG because the Max is still not certified, he told the UK-based aviation insight company.
YEREVAN, JULY 12, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Ministry of Nagorno Karabakh says the Azerbaijani forces violated the ceasefire regime by firing small arms in the eastern and northern directions of the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijani contact line.
The Ministrys announcement reads: Overnight July 11-12 relative calm was maintained in Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact.
The Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime by firing irregular shots from small arms in the eastern and northern directions of the contact line.
The Defense Army forces refrained from taking counter measures and continued confidently carrying out their military duties.
Parviz Tanavoli, whose passport border officials confiscated last week at Tehrans international airport, said I learnt this morning in court that the police had accused me of publishing false information and disturbing the public peace. They told me my sculptures are examples of disturbing the public peace.'
Whether or not artistry is a formal profession in the eyes of the state, and what states do or dont do to support that profession, reflects different agendas within different political systems. While the American model mostly distributes public funding for the arts indirectly, via tax deductions for nonprofit organizations and their donors, many other governments provide substantial direct support to individual artists.
Should museum directors and curators parlay their nonprofit contacts into for-profit pursuits?
The latest news in museum-to-market defectionslast weeks announcement that Eric Shiner, the five-year director of the Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, will leave Aug. 15 to join Sothebysis one of several eyebrow-raising transitions suggesting that the financial incentive and frisson of becoming an art-market player are overcoming some directors and curators reluctance to forsake disinterested scholarly, educational and populist pursuits.
Shiner will become a senior vice president of Sothebys Fine Art Divisionthe new incarnation of Amy Cappellazzos and Allan Schwartzmans Art Agency, Partners, a boutique art-advisory firm recently acquired by Sothebys. Its a safe bet that Eric has been hired as a potential rainmaker, exploiting his museum-cultivated contacts with collectors and collections to help boost supply-and-demand in the Warhol market. Andys status as this countrys king of contemporary art sales makes Eric a desirable get.
Lisa Dennison, another museum director (Guggenheim)-turned-marketer (chairman of Sothebys Americas) said as much in the auction firms press release:
At the Andy Warhol Museum, Eric gained unparalleled knowledge of one of the most important American artists of the 20th century, whose work is perennially sought-after in the market.
Given his evident market-friendly proclivities at the Warhol, Shiners crossing of the nonprofit/for-profit divide seems meant-to-be. As I tweeted here:
I had chatted with Shiner in 2013 at the Armory Show (a commercial art fair in New York), where he was serving as curator of Armory Focus USA. Heres what he then told me about his decision to curate a display at a for-profit venue [emphasis added]:
When I first was approached, I thought, Theres always a divide between the commercial world and the museum world and many people are afraid to tread over those borderlines. And I thought, We are always working together with commercial galleries for exhibitions and loans to museums. We certainly have a symbiotic relationship. And I thought, What other opportunity am I ever going to have [now, apparently, many] to curate something within a commercial environment and to perhaps make fun of that environment and perhaps tweak it a little bit from within? And I then realized that if anyone was able to do this, the director of the Andy Warhol Museum would be able to do something like that, because Andy saw no discrepancy at all between art and business. It was the same. That gave me enough confidence to move forward to do this sort of thing, and I really wanted to see what it would mean to do a creative section within the commercial environment.
Now doing a creative section [i.e., art installation] within the commercial environment is going to become Shiners stock in trade.
In comments for the Warhol Museums farewell press release (linked at the top), Shiner remarked that he was leaving an institution that was strong in both financial health and in future potential. Unmentioned, though, were several weaknesses in those areas: Shiners scheme to open a New York branch of the museum fell apart due to business and other operational considerations, as reported last year by Marylynne Pitz in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
And the museums lack of acquisition funds set the stage for an unorthodox arrangement with mega-dealer Larry Gagosian to snare this work to which Shiner had taken a shine:
Two months ago, the museums press release said this about that transaction:
To achieve the goal of acquiring a painting from the Do It Yourself series, despite not having an acquisition fund, The Warhol with its museum board and Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh leadership, after thoughtful deliberation made the decision to deaccession paintings from its collection. Following industry guidelines and procedures [emphasis added] several pieces from the museums collection were traded for this new work. These deaccessioned works were all from series in the museums collection which were already well represented.
Wait a minute! The bible of museum ethicsthe Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMDs) Professional Practices in Art Museumssays this (on p. 20) about museum disposals:
A member museum should publish on its website [emphasis added] and within a reasonable period of time works that have been deaccessioned and disposed of.
Far from following these industry guidelines and procedures, the Warhol Museum refused to disclose the identity of the works it had swapped for Gagosians Warhol. Shiner is a member of AAMD.
Heres what the museums spokesperson told me today, in response to my queries about what works were involved in the Do It Yourself transaction, and how the museum had ascertained that the monetary value of what it was getting was comparable to what it was giving up:
The trade involved five paintings from the mid-1970s to the late 1980s. We dont identify the works by name because the museum no longer owns them. [AAMD: Do you copy?] The Warhol makes no comment on the commercial value of its collection or individual pieces in its collection. This policy is in place both for security reasons and because the museum views the value of its collection in artistic rather than monetary terms. However, the exchange of collection items for Warhols Do It Yourself (Sailboats) was supported by several outside valuations and fully vetted by the appropriate leadership. The addition of Do It Yourself (Sailboats) to the museums collection helps The Warhol achieve its mission of being the keeper of Warhols legacy through better telling the story of his artistic achievement. As such, the picture is priceless to the museum [emphasis added].
Priceless??? All works have prices, as a future Sothebys operative must surely know. We can only hope that Shiner was confident that the shrewd dealer didnt get the better of him on this deal.
The Warhols new director, when chosen, should abandon Shiners strategy of using works from the collection as trading chips, without transparency about which works are being jettisoned. Patrick Moore, the Warhols managing director, will serve as interim director during the search for Shiners permanent replacement.
Europe beckonedthat is where I have been. Not to the art sales in London, but rather to Berlin and then to Bulgaria for a week. I saw a lot of artfantastic art in Berlin, of course, and some interesting things in Bulgaria. Ill share some of that here in the future.
But while I was goneon SaturdayThe Wall Street Journal published a piece Id written a few weeks ago in the weekly Masterpiece column. Headlined Dazzling Reminders of Mortality, my piece examined four 18th Century sculptures carved by Ecuadorian master Caspicara. Never heard of him? He was an indigenous artist of whom Spanish King Charles III once said, I am not concerned that Italy has Michelangelo; in my colonies of America I have the master Caspicara.
Well, thats a little bravado. But the four little sculptures in question, just acquired by the Hispanic Society of American Museum and Library, are spectacular. I invite you to read my piece. Heres a look at all four of them
Caspicara was known for his exquisite carving and attention to anatomical details. You can see both in the backs of these pieces as well as the fronts:
by Sumon Corraya
Maya Karmokar lives with her elderly mother in the village of Kajura. Relatives report that the woman has no enemies. After the attack she was admitted to a hospital, but then returned home because has no money to pay for treatment. Local Catholics count about 4 thousand, mostly poor and needy.
Jessore (AsiaNews) - A Catholic woman was doused with gasoline and set on fire in the village of Kajura, Jessore district (southwest Bangladesh). The woman, named Maya Karmokar, was asleep in her bed when unknown persons entered the house and attacked her.
Her desperate cries attracted the attention of relatives, who arrived just in time to save her life. Rushed to the hospital, doctors found burns over most of the body. Now, however, she has returned home and is under the care of a local doctor, because she can not afford specialized medical treatment.
The attack took place Sunday, July 9, just 15 days after the massacre in Dhaka, where five Islamic terrorists killed 20 people. Yesterday the local police returned to the place of the attack and gathered information. The criminals are still unknown.
The dynamics of the attack was so sudden that the woman herself was not able to recognize who attacked her. "I could not figure out who they were - she said - I only felt the fire burning my skin and I started crying in pain."
Maya, 45, has worked as a nurse in the medical facility operated by the diocese of Khulna. Single and childless, she lives with her elderly mother and takes care of her.
She remained hospitalized just for one day and had to return home because they can not afford better treatment. She says: "I have no enemies, I do not know why they want to kill me!".
Salomon Das, a relative, confirmed that the woman has good relations with everyone, and this is why family members are shocked by the brutal violence and demand that justice be done.
Fr. Ananda Gopal Biswas, parish priest of the Catholic church of Shimulia, which serves the Maya's village, told AsiaNews: "I heard of the attack and I strongly condemn it. I express my closeness to my parishioner".
The Catholic community of Shimulia consists of about 4 thousand faithful, mostly poor and needy. The violence against the Catholic woman is not the first incident of this kind. Recently several members of Bangladesh's minorities, Christians, Hindus and Buddhists, have been attacked but also moderate Muslims who are targeted for their liberal ideas.
The chaplain of a Manila university pushes young Christians of all denominations to recite together the chaplet proposed to the world by Saint Faustina Kowalska. Despite doubts among Protestants who consider the prayer too Catholic, praying together has become a moment of ecumenism and togetherness. Divine Mercy is the focal mystery that unites all Christians.
Manila (AsiaNews/CBCP) A group of Catholics and Protestants from the School of Education and Human Development recently prayed the Divine Mercy chaplet proposed to the world by Saint Faustina Kowalska under the guidance of a Catholic priest.
The prayer beads of the Divine Mercy are universal as is the mystery of the Divine Mercy, which is the focal mystery that unites all Christians, said Fr Caesar Santos, chaplain to the University of Asia and the Pacific School of Education and Human Development. For him, such unconditional love [. . .] summons all who believe in him to conversion and repentance.
Whilst some Protestants might scoff at the idea of praying a very Catholic prayer, 21-year-old John Bernard Ordonez Caasi noted that even the prominent American Evangelical pastor and author Rick Warren is said to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet everyday.
For Caasi, This devotion can provide us a breakthrough that through the grace and mercy of Christ, we may achieve unity for after all it was His prayer that we may all be one. Let us not be tired of asking the Father to have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Thanks to a catechesis led by the chaplain, the group meets regularly to read the chaplet.
I think that there is a need for us to relive this wonderful tradition of the Church. The youth today shall be able to see the richness of this prayer, Caasi stressed.
This Divine Mercy Chaplet brings us back to the moment when Christ poured out Himself entirely upon us, drenching the world with His endless mercy. Through the Cross, the whole humanity was reunited to the love of God regardless of their race and creed.
With 57 votes in favor and 48 against, parliament passes the norm that regulates the activity of NGOs that receive foreign funding. Prime Minister Netanyahu says it will block the activity of those "meddling in internal Israeli affairs". Opposition denounces "seeds of fascism". Arab politicians: "An norm that is intimidating for those working for equal rights".
Jerusalem (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Israeli parliament has finally approved a controversial law regulating the activities of NGOs. It is now law that organizations that receive most of their funding from abroad - governments or institutions - will have to denounce their activities to the public revenue. Critics say the rule would favor some sort of witch hunt against progressive or "left-wing" groups and organizations, who are fighting for the rights of Palestinians.
This morning, a spokesman for the Knesset, Israel's parliament, confirmed the green light given to the law, approved with 57 votes in favor and 48 against, out of a total of 120 deputies and at the conclusion of a long and heated debate.
The preamble specifies that the norm wants to "regulate" the "phenomenon" of non-governmental organizations that "represent the foreign interests of foreign states" and that they act "under the aegis" of local realities with the aim of serving the interests "of the Israeli public".
The bill was vigorously promoted by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which has long targeted NGOs and and human rights activists struggling against the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. He stated that the official purpose is "to prevent absurd situations", which allow foreign nations "to meddle in internal Israeli affairs" without the public's knowledge.
In a statement on his Facebook profile at the end of the vote he also added that this bill "will increase transparency" and "strengthen democracy."
Government officials say that the law is not intended to affect any organization and NGOs in particular. Instead, it will promote transparency and will serve in the fight against "foreign interference" and attempts to "delegitimize" the State of Israel.
Israeli opposition leader Isaac Herzog has responded that the law is "the sign of a budding fascism that is beginning to flourish in Israel." Ayman Odeh, the leader of the Arab deputies in parliament, adds that the norm will seek to "intimidate and close down" organizations that "are fighting in the public sphere for the equal treatment" of Arabs and Israelis.
In fact, it is the left wing NGOs left that are being targeted because other NGOs - the reference is to the right-wing groups - which especially benefit from private donations, most of them from wealthy Americans of Jewish origin.
Among the movements that could fall victim to the law are the peace movement "Peace Now" (which receives EU funds), "B'Tselem" active in defending human rights in the territories, and even "Breaking The Silence", which collects evidence of Israeli soldiers involved in abuse and violence against Palestinians.
The All India Organisation of Imams met today with the Home Minister Rajnath Singh and announced they want to speak with the Chief Minister and religious leaders to restore calm.
New Delhi (AsiaNews/Agencies) A group pf imams have stepped forward offering to act as intermediaries to stop the violence devastating India Kasmir. They met with Home Minister Rajnath Singh and have announced their desire to speak with the Chief Minister and other religious leaders to help restore calm.
"We had detailed discussions with the Home Minister on the prevailing situation in Kashmir. We have urged him to ensure that calm and peace returns to the Valley. Just like Muslims from any other part of the country, Kashmiris are also our brothers. We are with them and appeal them to bring normalcy and peace," Umer Ahmed Ilyasi of All India Organisation of Imams of Mosques said after the meeting.
Ilyasi confirmed that a group pf imams are willing to meet with teh JAmmu and KAshmir Chief Minister and other regional imams to guarantee peace as quickly as possibile. He added that they oppose all forms of terrorism and violence in all parts of the world.
The toll from the latest outbreak of violence in Kashmir is of 30 dead and at least 1000 injured.
by Shafique Khokhar
A 14-year-old girl has been abducted on the pretext of a job. Her father was persuaded to withdraw a complaint against her abductors, but instead of getting his daughter, he was killed in cold blood on his way to rescue her. His wife and three daughters now live in fear of reprisals, and ask for help from God's people.
Faisalabad (AsiaNews) Two months ago, a group of Muslims abducted a 14-year-old Christian girl in Faisalabad, and later killed her father in cold blood when he tried to bring her home.
Since then, the kidnapped girls mother and three sisters live in fear and indigence. They cannot leave home, go to work, or attend to chores for fear of retaliation from the Muslims against whom the girls father had filed charges before being killed.
Najma Bibi, the girls mother, told AsiaNews that "several months after my daughter's kidnapping, the police have not done anything because we have no money to defend our rights. We live in a hopeless situation, we need help. I pray that my daughter will continue to place hope and faith in Jesus Christ."
The murder victim is Tanveer Masih, 42, Najma Bibis husband and Mehwishs father. He and his family lived in Khalid Colony slum. He worked as a rickshaw driver. Whilst his eldest daughter looked after the house and the younger sisters, his mother and Mehwish served as domestic workers in private homes.
Mehwish went to school until eighth grade, but then had to abandon her studies for lack of money and to help the family. On 12 March, a Muslim family visited the Masih-Bibi house to ask if they could hire Mekwishs services for a party that evening. They said they would bring her back at the end of the celebrations.
However, she never made it home, and has been missing ever since. Tanveer, desperate, went several times to the Muslim family that had hired his daughter, asking them to release her. Every time he was prevented from seeing her, given some explanation like she was out on some errands.
He also tried reconciliation through the village council, without success. After several failed attempts, Tanveer went to Raza Abad police station on 10 May and filed a complaint of abduction against Umar Daraz, Muhammad Zahid and Mobeen Rehman.
Immediately, Tanveer began receiving threatening phone calls, telling him to withdraw the complaint. But he refused to be intimidated and made a supplementary statement before the police.
At that point, two of the accused went to Tanveers house and told that they could settle the matter out of court if he withdrew all charges.
When he agreed to do so in order ensure his daughters safety, he went to a prearranged meeting, but instead of his daughter, he met two gunmen on a motorcycle who shot him to death on Jhang Road, in Thikriwala.
Local police filed a murder case, but did not arrest anyone. For this reason, Najma Bibi and the other three daughters live holed up in their home in fear that the accused of the two crimes murder and kidnapping might want to kill them too.
In the past few months they have survived thanks to the support of relatives, who bring them bread and butter.
"I want my daughter back, Tanveers widow said. I want the perpetrators brought to justice. I have no money to buy food or continue the legal battle. I ask help from God's people."
By express wish of the Pope, the secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue will be in Cairo tomorrow to discuss ways to resume dialogue with top Sunni leaders.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) The Council for Interreligious Dialogue issued a statement today saying that its secretary, Bishop Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, will be in Cairo tomorrow to explore avenues to resume the dialogue with Al-Azhar.
Mgr Ayuso Guixot will take part in a preliminary meeting together with the Holy Sees Apostolic Nuncio in Egypt, Archbishop Bruno Musaro, and Dr Mahmoud Hamdi Zakzouk, member of the Council of Senior Scholars of Al-Azhar University as well as the universitys Director of the Centre for Dialogue.
The visit comes at the express wish of Pope Francis following his historic meeting with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Prof Ahmad Al-Tayyib in the Vatican on 23 May 2016.
Abbas Shuman, deputy to Grand Imam, met with Ayuso Guixot and Musaro at the prestigious Sunni institution on 16 February of this year.
Closed five months ago because of increased tension between North and South of the peninsula, the inter-Korean industrial complex is under Pyongang army control. The South's government denies investors the ability to control plants, and 124 companies involved in the project at risk of bankruptcy.
Seoul (AsiaNews) - Five months since the closure of the inter-Korean industrial complex in Kaesong, the South's entrepreneurs who have invested time and money in it are demanding it be reopened "before it is too late".
The owners of the 124 industries in the complex - for years a sign of rapprochement between the two Koreas - denounce that they are being used like "political pawns" to attack: either the complex be restarted or they be fully compensated. Also because bankruptcy is imminent.
The inter-Korean industrial complex in Kaesong was opened in 2004 thanks to detente policies put in place by the then South Korean President Kim Dae-jung (ousted from office in 2003).
Since opening it has yielded to the Northern government about 616 billion won (about $ 560 million) in remittances and taxes. In essence, the area combines South Korean capital and technology with the North Korean labor: the 124 South companies that operated there last year employed 54 thousand workers from the North. In 2015 this resulted in assets worth approximately $ 550 million.
Along with the tour to Mount Kumgang, the "red" direct telephone line and the "peace village" of Panmunjon, the industrial complex has been for years one of the few bridges between the two nations. In February 2016, at the height of an escalation of military and bilateral diplomatic provocations, Pyongyang closed the structure. And Seoul, denounce entrepreneurs, "did not lift a finger to protect us".
The managing director of S & G, a company of the textile sector, says: "For years the government has praised us for our work in favor of cooperation between the two Koreas and has always promised that politics would have no impact on our business. We were told several times that we would be protected. Were they only empty promises? ".
Forced to leave the complex with 12 hours notice, now investors want to at least check the situation of the factories. But the request to visit was rejected, in early June, by the Ministry of Unification: a trip "would be inappropriate." For its part, the regime in Pyongyang announced that it has put the complex "under military control" and has said no more on the matter.
The Buddhist leader has given his approval to the construction of a "Dalai Lama Library Lama" - similar to presidential ones - in Ithaca, New York. The structure will contain writings, teachings and artifacts of the 14 leaders of Tibetan Buddhism. The choice of America "to preserve Tibetan heritage".
Dharamsala (AsiaNews) - The Dalai Lama has chosen Ithaca, in the State of New York, as the location for the construction of the "Library of the Dalai Lama". The building, in the style of "Presidential Libraries", will contain writings, teachings and artifacts of the 14 leaders of Tibetan Buddhism. In addition there will also be a large area to accommodate Tibetan students and visiting lamas.
The announcement was made by Svante Myrick, mayor of the city 400 kilometers from New York: "The library and museum named after His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama will be built on the South Hill. Although dozens of cities in the area applied, Ithaca was chosen because it is home to a branch of the Namgyal Monastery ".
This is one of the most important training places of Tibetan Buddhism, the monastery and its leaders have proposed the building of the Library. The chairman of the Namgyal council , Ven. Tenzin Choesang, explains that the choice of America "aims to protect the legacy of the Dalai Lama and allow access to these documents to the millions of Tibetans around the world."
The Permanent Court of Arbitration rules on a case brought by Philippines. According to the judges China has no claim over the disputed waters. The legal decision has great political significance, but Beijing does not feel bound by it. For the Philippines legal representative, the ruling was "clear and unanimous".
The Hague (AsiaNews) An international tribunal has ruled against Chinese claims to rights in South China Sea, backing a case brought by the Philippines.
According to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, China has no claim to the South China Sea, and that building lighthouses and airstrips on atolls constitutes a violation of international law.
Although the decision is legally and politically relevant, it has no practical consequences. In fact, China has refused to accept the courts jurisdiction, calling the ruling ill-founded and does not feel bound by it.
With Chinese actions in the disputed waters to boost its claim to 90 per cent of the sea deemed illegal, other countries in the region may be tempted to follow the Philippines and challenge Chinas stance.
Beijing has never tried to settle the dispute multilaterally, preferring direct negotiations with single nations so as to assert its political, military and commercial power.
The tribunal in The Hague found that China had violated the Philippines' sovereign rights. It also found that China had caused "severe harm to the coral reef environment" by building artificial islands.
The ruling came from an arbitration tribunal under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which China signed in 1996. The latter allows countries to bring a case to their attention.
The ruling is binding but the tribunal, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, has no powers of enforcement.
Philippe Sands, a lawyer for the Philippines in the case, said it was a "clear and unanimous judgement that upholds the rule of law and the rights claimed by the Philippines". For him, it was a "definitive ruling on which all states can place reliance".
By contrast, the Chinese state news agency Xinhua said that "as the panel has no jurisdiction, its decision is naturally null and void".
Disputes over the area have dragged on for years. The Chinese government claims most of the South China Sea, including sovereignty over the disputed Spratly and Paracel Islands, in opposition to Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia.
Beijing has started to build artificial islands with military installations and lighthouses, and has sunk Vietnamese and Filipino ships and fishing boats, escalating tensions.
To counter Beijings militarisation of the South China Sea, the Philippines turned to the United Nations tribunal in 2014.
Beijing has refused to take part in the proceedings saying the tribunal has no jurisdiction in the matter. It argues that territorial disputes in the region should be settled by direct negotiations between the nations involved.
A few days ago Dai Bingguo, former State Councillor and top diplomat in Washington, claimed that the international court ruling on Chinas claims in the South China is only a piece of trash paper.
US sources said that if China stick to its vow to ignore the unfavourable ruling, the United States could step up its patrols in the disputed waters to guarantee freedom of navigation.
Some analysts and experts believe the United States is concerned that China may respond by declaring an air defence identification zone in the South China Sea as it did in the East China Sea in 2013.
The Law Council of Australia is asking for more action from the Australian government on what is said is a targeting of lawyers and their families in China, saying that a fair and robust Chinese legal system is in the best interest of Australia.In a statement, the Law Council urged the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to redouble efforts with the Chinese government specifically on securing the release of the 23 lawyers and activists still in detention, ending torture and ill-treatment of those detained, removing travel bans against 39, and stopping the harassment of the families of lawyers.According to the organisation, at least 319 lawyers, law firm staff, activists and their family members have been targeted since the start of the 709 crackdown which has been named after the day and month it began last year.The Council expressed its continued concerns with Chinas respect for the rule of law and a rules-based international order as it marked the anniversary of the crackdown with the International Bar Association.It also expressed alarm at alleged reports that some of the detained have been tortured or have been sexually abused.The organisation also encourages further multilateral efforts and calls for a joint statement by like-minded governments condemning the attacks on the legal profession in China and requesting the release of those still detained.Both the Australian legal profession and the Australian community as a whole has an interest in ensuring that the Chinese legal system is robust, fair and impartial, said Law Council of Australia President Stuart Clark AM.He explained that there are concerns of sudden and arbitrary retribution for lawyers practicing in China, Australias top bilateral trading partner.To maintain confidence in the service sector and sustain robust trade relations, there must be adherence to rules-based international order, he said.The 709 crackdown is a clear violation of human rights and the Law Council of Australia will continue to be active in international efforts to redress the situation, said Clark.The scale of this crackdown is larger than any other targeting the legal profession in China in recent years. Consistent with the Basic Principles on the Role of the Lawyers, it is vital for every nation to have an independent legal profession which can practice without fear of reprisal.The Law Council said that it appreciates the Australian Governments advocacy to date, particularly a joint statement with 11 other countries at the 31st Session of the Human Rights Council on 10 March 2016 expressing concerns about Chinas deteriorating human rights record, which referred to the arrests and detention of lawyers.The organisation said that it has met with senior DFAT officials and senior advisers to the Prime Minister since the 709 crackdown began.
by Mark Abernethy Norton Rose Fulbright has announced another Australian partner as it continues to expand its local presence.Experienced employment and labour lawyer Samantha Maddern has become a partner of Norton Rose Fulbright in Perth, bolstering the firms expertise in industrial matters and particularly in occupational health and safety law.Maddern joins Norton Rose from Herbert Smith Freehills , where she managed workplace relations matters for clients in oil & gas, mining and tertiary education. Before her five years at Herbert Smith Freehills she worked at Corrs Chambers Westgarth Norton Rose said Maddern would add depth to the employment and labour offering, and she also had considerable experience in organisational change, enterprise bargaining, employment law (hiring, termination, unfair dismissal) and industrial disputes.Managing partner at the firm in Australia, Wayne Spanner, said Madderns hiring would inject more talent into the partnership, coming soon after the July 1 promotion of six new partners.Samantha is a well-known and highly experienced workplace adviser in the Perth market, with strong links to major companies in the energy and mining industries, said Spanner. Beyond the contribution she will make to our national employment and labour team, we also look forward to her continuing to develop her passion for mentoring, thought leadership, volunteering and pro bono work.Norton Rose Fulbright in Australia has now added six new lateral partners since January 2016: as well as Samantha Maddern, there are Peter Lamont, Ellen Thomas, Jacques Jacobs, Samantha Kelly and Peter Bowden.Maddern said she was impressed by Norton Rose Fulbrights commitment to corporate social responsibility and workplace diversity, as well as the focus on WAs main industriesWhat appealed to me in joining an elite global law firm like Norton Rose Fulbright was its global commitment to the core industries of energy and mining, said Maddern. There is a strong alignment between my existing major clients and the firms, many of which are active in the West Australian market.
The British government must consult Parliament before any decision is made to leave the European Union, more than 1,000 lawyers will urge UK Prime Minister David Cameron.
Last months historic vote to quit the EU was advisory and not legally binding, the lawyers said in a letter to Cameron to be delivered this week. Lawmakers should be allowed a free vote on an Act of Parliament before Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty can be triggered and the two-year timeline to Britains exit formally starts, they said.
There is evidence that the referendum result was influenced by misrepresentations of fact and promises that could not be delivered, wrote Philip Kolvin, the lawyer who coordinated the letter, according to an e-mailed statement. "Since the result was only narrowly in favor of Brexit, it cannot be discounted that the misrepresentations and promises were a decisive or contributory factor in the result."
British voters chose to sever the country from the EU in a June 23 referendum that roiled markets, pushed the pound to its lowest level since 1985, threw the main political parties into turmoil and led to Camerons resignation. It followed months of increasingly acrimonious campaigning, in which both camps were accused of misleading statements and smearing one another.
The lawyers called on the government to establish a Royal Commission to report on the benefits, costs and risks of a Brexit, before any parliamentary vote should take place. They said special consideration needs to be given to the populations of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Gibraltar who voted to remain inside the EU.
"Fully informed discussions and deliberations within and between our parliaments is the only proper constitutional way to achieve this," Aidan ONeill, a lawyer who specializes in constitutional and EU law, said, according to the statement. "Precipitate or unilateral action by the U.K. government to trigger Article 50 will simply further divide us.
Top London law firm Mishcon de Reya said earlier this month its representing a group of unidentified clients threatening legal action against the U.K. government if it starts the process of leaving the EU without first consulting Parliament.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is not afraid to speak her mind about Donald Trump.In fact, the US Supreme Court Associate Justice revealed that she may move to New Zealand if The Donald is ever elected president.I cant imagine what this place would be I cant imagine what the country would be with Donald Trump as our president, she told The New York Times For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be I dont even want to contemplate that.The remarks are a departure from the usual as Supreme Court justices usually steer clear from comments on politics.Now its time for us to move to New Zealand, the justice said, smiling ruefully, according to the publication.This was something that her husband, the world-renowned tax expert Martin D. Ginsburg, would have said, she noted.The opinionated Associate Justice also talked about the US Senates inaction on President Barrack Obamas nomination of Judge Merrick B. Garland to the Supreme Court and the courts latest term in the interview in her chambers.
I've spent a lot of time in Sydney (lived there) and have travelled through Gold Coast, Brisbane and Sunshine Coast.
Main difference between Sydney and Brisbane/Sunshine Coast/Gold Coast is the weather. It is more humid in Queensland.
I found the Brisbane public transport system far better than Sydney.
Gold Coast is very touristy in many places. If you want a suburban feel near the beach, then the Sunshine coast is your best bet.
Sydney property is expensive.
Sydney has a lot more going on and I would say more culturally diverse.
Is there a reason you have chosen those cities? Some of the other Australian cities are amazing (I'm in love with Melbourne)
Bobinoz [dot] com has some good reviews of different Australian cities
All-new MPV from Mahindra (Codename: U321) to take on Innova Crysta; likely to come with carmaker's new 1.99-litre diesel engine.
An all-new MPV from Mahindra has been sighted testing. In the June 2016 issue of Autocar India, we reported that Mahindra had begun work on a new MPV that would likely replace the aging Xylo. Now, fresh spy photographs confirm that the carmaker has indeed begun work on this new model. The vehicle was sighted near Mahindras vehicle development centre, Mahindra Research Valley, which is usually responsible for initial vehicle development and testing.
Going by the spy shots, this new vehicle has the traditional tall MPV stance with a long wheelbase and short front and rear overhangs for maximum interior room. Up front, the now-familiar Mahindra grille is an instant giveaway about its identity. The shape of the headlights resemble the recently-launched Mahindra Imperio pickup, while the bumper looks tall with a prominent air intake and provisions for fog lamps. It has a very cab-forward shape, with a relatively short bonnet, which again should translate to better interior room. Moving on to the sides, the glasshouse gives it a typical MPV look however, going by the recent Mahindra designs, the final design may end up getting a number of aggressive lines and slashes here and there in a bid to make the design more interesting.
There are no interior pictures out as of now, but one can expect ample room for eight passengers and segment-rivalling creature comforts and equipment-levels.
Mahindra, like other manufacturers, has seen the runaway success of the recently-launched Toyota Innova Crysta, despite it being banned in the Delhi NCR. Whats more, Mahindra also has an advantage of its new 1.99-litre diesel engine, which will most likely power this MPV, allowing it to be sold nationwide without any issue. Mahindra is also reportedly working on a larger-capacity petrol engine from the same new-generation 'mFalcon' family that originated in the KUV100, which could also find its way under this MPV's bonnet in the future.
Mahindra has announced that the new MPV will hit Indian showrooms in the second half of next year.
ABS
A short teaser video, appearing to be made by an official Indonesian Honda dealership, has surfaced the web, and it looks ready to hit the market later this fall. The bike generated a lot of interest in the ASEAN part of the globe so were expecting it to be available there at first, following to hit Europe and other markets later or next year.The video doesnt reveal much information on the new CBR250RR, but we can tell you it will come with a single front disk brake, LED daytime running lights and stoplights, as well as, which will be offered as standard equipment in Europe according to latest regulations.Judging by its competitors, the KTM RC250, Yamaha YZF-R25 and the Kawasaki Ninja 250, the Honda CBR250RRs newly developed 250cc parallel-twin should develop between 30 and 37 hp.However, the bike is supposed to be sold in Europe and North America too, so Honda might have to come up with a beefed up model to rival the likes of Yamahas R3, KTMs RC390 or Kawasakis Ninja 300. No word on those so far, so well have to wait and see.Being a step forward from the low-cost CBR250R, the new high-performance model will come with many high-specced parts like the USD front suspension, rear performance mono-shock, and might even feature a couple riding modes along with traction control settings. Although the bike is intended for beginner riders, its still best suited for the track where such settings come in handy.Considering all these features, its sharp looks, and the small price tag, its quite easy to say proper fun can be had on small displacement bikes.
Word has it the seventh generation of the BMW 5 Series has been pushed back to January 2017. At least thats what BMW Blog is implying. More than that, this hearsay could turn out to be true because the BMW X2 SAV is slated to premiere in Paris later this year. The BMW-oriented publication also highlights that the G30 will be unveiled in the upcoming weeks on the Internet, then the G30 will put through the first press drives in the fall.The sportier brother of the X1 is nice and all, but the all-new BMW 5 Series is the model that will help the Bavarian brand reclaim the top spot in the premium mid-size sedan segment. In order to one-up the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W213) , the G30 5 Series has a handful of aces up its sleeve.Firstly, the Bavarian luxobarge will grow in size. Despite that, the G30 will be lighter than the F10 because it is built upon the so-called CLAR platform. Similarly to the latest 7 Series, the 5 Series will use a mix of high-strength steel, aluminum, and carbon fiber in its structure. This should translate into a more rigid body shell and a slight drop in curb weight over the F10 5 Series.Thats not all there is to the upcoming G30, though. Not only will it be available with the gesture control-enhanced iDrive infotainment system, but the 2017 BMW 5 Series is also expected to get more autonomous tech than the G11/G12. Hopefully, the key fob will be what the label reads, not a touchscreen-enhanced device that needs to be recharged just like a iPhone. On a final note, the 2018 BMW F90 M5 will go all-wheel-drive to harness the mountains of torque produced by an uprated 4.4-liter force-fed V8.
Since then, Tesla has built its Gigafactory and Volkswagen has plans to erect a similar plant, so it may have been nothing more than just a flash in the pan. The issue with the rare-earth metals that go into the making of electric motors, however, is real, and it could pose a threat to the forecasted expansion of the hybrid segment.Honda, however, has just announced the completion of a new type of electric engine to be used in hybrid vehicles that contains none of these hard to get materials. Rare-earth metals such as dysprosium or terbium are often causing bottlenecks in the manufacturing process due to them being so scarcely available. And since the laws of economics dictate that where there's a high demand and low supply, the price tends to rise, they have also become extremely expensive lately.The market release of this newly created motor will take place this fall when it will equip the hybrid Freed version - a small minivan only available on the Japanese market that's based on the Fit (aka Jazz ) platform. Honda was not alone in this breakthrough having worked together with Japanese metal supplier Daido Steel Co.A reduction in the use of heavy rare earth elements has been one of the major challenges needing to be addressed," read a joint press release. Indeed, by avoiding the use of these metals that go into the making of the motor's powerful magnets, Honda may be solving one of the industry's biggest issues even before it got really serious.Without going into too much detail, we'll just say that the new method devised by Honda and Daido uses a hot deformation process to create the magnets, as opposed to the traditional sintering method. This means that the magnet's microscopic crystals can align in a much finer structure, increasing the material's heat resistance - which is what the rare-earth metals were used for before.
HP
The British company wanted to celebrate 50 years since it opened its factory and headquarters in Hethel. Lotus had decided that a special edition of the Evora 400 would form the basis for the anniversary model.So they turned to social media to choose the color of the production car. Fortunately, users did not have to submit a color they created, but had to choose from a selection of curated designs.Lotus placed a poll on Facebook, but the event was announced on its official Instagram and Twitter accounts, where many modern interpretations of classic racing liveries were presented. Naturally, the attires were once used by Lotus cars, while the company's motorsport activity did not inspire the other color options, which came from a palette of classic combinations.The winning combination for the Evora 400 is the Blue and Orange version, which recalled a famous livery used in the 1960s. The ten cars that will feature the distinctive combination will also have a complementary palette inside, in the form of black leather upholstery with orange contrast stitching. The car comes with forged alloy wheels painted in black, which hide a set of red brake calipers. Lotus officials are excited with the number of votes they registered for this poll, and have announced that thousands of people participated in their social media campaign. The British brand expects the ten cars to sell quickly, and their values are set to increase considering their rarity.The Lotus Evora 400 has a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) acceleration time of just 4.2 seconds. Its top speed is 300 km/h (186 mph), and it comes with a supercharged 3.5-liter mid-mounted V6 engine.The power plant, sourced from Toyota and heavily modified, provides 400and 410 Nm, and it's matched to a six-speed manual gearbox. An automatic unit is also available as optional equipment, and so is cruise control.
HP
For the first 2.0-liter diesel engine in the 200 horsepower outboard engine class, Opel sells the unit to Cimco Marine AB, then the Swedish company works its magic on it. Based on the 2.0-liter CDTI found in models such as the Cascada convertible , Insignia sedan, and the Zafira MPV , the marine version is good for 200at 4,100 rpm and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque at 2,500 rpm.By selling components we are tapping into small but important market segments in which our products are very popular, declared Alex Thielemans, Manager Components Sales at Opel. The OXE Diesel is the perfect example. We are playing an important part in the capacity utilization of our engine production in Kaiserslautern by providing Cimco Marine AB with this engine.So why has the Swedish company chosen a mill from Opel and not Ford , for example? Well, Ill let Cimco Marine AB chief exec Magnus Folin explain what's what: The need to change from petrol to diesel was seen as necessary to reduce any fire hazards, provide a longer and more reliable product life with longer service intervals for heavy commercial use, a greater range per hour at full throttle and the increased geographical availability of diesel.The four-cylinder maritime powerplant needs to be serviced every 200 hours. A major overhaul is necessary after 2,000 hours. The problem with boat engines is that they run at full throttle most of the time theyre used. As such, very frequent servicing is recommended to keep things nice and tidy.As for fuel economy, the OXE Diesel needs 43 liters of Satans fuel per hour. By comparison, a two-stroke outboard engine uses 73 liters. In contrast to those numbers, the Opel Insignia 2.0 CDTI drinks just 4.5 l/100 km combined.
According to Porsche , the printed document unwittingly transposed the locations for the screws which tighten the seat belt mount and the belt reel mount. Since those screws are one-time-use only, and are also not the same, technicians who had to work on them might have unintentionally installed the wrong screw in the wrong position.Because of this mishap in the original parts catalog, which has since been corrected, there is a risk of some Porsche 918 Spyder models having wrong screws fitted to their seatbelt mounts and seat belt reel mounts.As Porsche North America explains in a press release that targets the matter, there is a risk that the seat belt system might be impaired in the event of an accident. The campaign is a voluntary action which does not target a manufacturing fault, but a potential problem that has been discovered after internal analysis.Porsche has decided to recall all of the 918 Spyder vehicles to check the fastening screws on the seat belt mount and the belt reel. Upon the result of the examination, Porsche will replace the screws described above fort the models which have suffered from this potential problem.The German automaker has not mentioned any known injuries or fatalities related to the problem. The recall campaign started by Porsche has been classified as a safety-related recall, so that the car maker will contact all owners of the 918 Spyder and invite them to authorized dealers to perform the check.Porsche has not specified whether the issue affects only the 918 Spyder models sold in the USA, or if this recall campaign will target the entire production run of its hybrid hypercar. The Porsche 918 Spyder has been recalled before, making this action the fourth to focus on the German contender of the Ferrari LaFerrari.The previous recalls for the 918 Spyder focused on the rear control arms, as well as other suspension components. The third recall only affected 223 units , which were sold in North America and had a carbon-fiber part which could damage the harness of the radiator fan.
While not officially confirmed by the Securities and Exchange Commission and denied by the automaker, Tesla Motors is reportedly being investigated by the SEC over a potential breach of securities law.The unnamed source who disclosed this information claims it happened because the company did not notify investors of the fatal accident involving the Autopilot system , which was active at the time of impact.The information mentioned above comes from a source who contacted the Wall Street Journal, the publication that was the first to report this investigation.Meanwhile, a spokesperson from Tesla Motors explained to CNBC that the company has yet to receive any communication from the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding the information presented by the Wall Street Journal. This is not the first time when Tesla is under fire because of the accident that occurred on May 7, 2016, and it may not be the last.The claimed SEC investigation of Tesla Motors is maybe linked to a $2 billion offering of Tesla stock on May 18, 2016. Some accused the automaker of intentionally not disclosing the accident to investors, so that it would achieve a better financial position on its $2 billion offering in Tesla stock on May 18, 11 days after the fatal incident.On the other hand, Tesla Motors has explained it considered the accident was not material to the value of Tesla, and reminded everyone that a car maker does not have to notify investors of every or any fatal accident that occurs in one of its models.Moreover, Tesla says its investigators did not get the chance to recover the complete logs until May 18, when they inspected the car and the crash site . Tesla says it completed its investigation in late May.Once an article was published in Fortune Magazine, Tesla replied with a post on its official blog, where they called the piece misleading, and fundamentally incorrect.We must note that Tesla representatives claim that they were been contacted during the 4th of July holiday and requested a day to comment the matter thoroughly, but the article was rushed to print before company spokespersons managed to reply.
Photo courtesy of The Hertz Corp.
Hertz Global Holdings Inc. will host a live webcast discussion of its 2016 second quarter financial results on Tuesday August 9 at 8:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern time.
This webcast can be accessed through a link on the Investor Relations section of the Hertz website and will remain available for replay for approximately one year, according to the company.
Hertz will issue a press release detailing the company's financial results and will file its SEC Form 10-Q after market close on Monday August 8.
Chart courtesy of the GBTA Foundation.
Global business travel spend topped $1.2 trillion USD in 2015, growing 5% over 2014, and is forecast to reach 1.3 trillion in 2016, according to the GBTA BTI Outlook Annual Global Report & Forecast, a new report released by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Foundation and sponsored by Visa Inc.
Despite continued global uncertainty, cautious optimism rules the forecast, which predicts global business travel spend to advance 5.8% on average over the next five years reaching $1.6 trillion in 2020, according to the report.
Global business travel remains a critical driver of the success of organizations around the globe, said Michael W. McCormick, GBTAs executive director and COO. Business travel has demonstrated a tremendous resiliency as it continues slow and steady progress even in the face of global uncertainty, a weakened global economy, terrorist attacks, world health issues, and other obstacles. Companies across the globe clearly understand the return on investment business travel delivers for their bottom line.
At $291 billion, China surpassed the United States as the largest business travel market in the world in 2015.
Sustained economic uncertainty and mixed results among the major business travel markets will drive continued moderate growth, but as GBTA looks ahead towards 2020, it expects there will be a difference in the relative performance of business travel markets around the globe, according to the company.
Both India and Indonesia will average double-digit growth in business travel spending over the next five years. Chinas economic growth continues to moderate, and according to GBTA, Chinas business travel market will be the fifth fastest growing major market in the world over the next five years a vast departure from their #1 average ranking over the last 15 years.
Despite declines in growth, China remains the largest single market opportunity for travel suppliers and marketers as their $291 billion market size coupled with 8.4% average growth will lead to the largest gains in spending of any major market by far, according to the report.
The annual forecast was compiled before the U.K. voted for Brexit on June 23, but the added uncertainty the vote brings will likely make its mark felt on business travel. The financial upheaval and pending changes to trade and immigration rules will raise management heartburn causing some postponement, and even outright cancellation of business trips, according to the GBTA. It may also trigger travel budget constriction as management seeks to hedge the uncertainty.
While overall growth has remained steady despite global uncertainties, signs are good for a solid end to the decade as we approach 2020, said David Henstock, vice president of Global Business Solutions at Visa Inc. Business travel has continued to evolve as the world is becoming more connected, and the transition to electronic payments will help businesses reduce costs and pay for travel expenses more efficiently.
Russian balloonist Fedor Konyukhov took off early this morning from western Australia, near Perth, on a quest to fly around the world nonstop and solo. Konyukhov, 64, an artist, author and adventurer, hopes to beat Steve Fossetts record, set in 2002, of 13.5 days to complete the journey. Hes flying a Roziere-style balloon, which is a hybrid that uses both hot air, heated by propane tanks, and helium to provide lift. If he succeeds, hell be only the second person to complete the solo circumnavigation. As of Tuesday morning, he was flying eastward above the Australian continent.
The planned route for the journey will cover more than 20,000 miles, crossing the southern Pacific Ocean to the tip of South America, then crossing the southern Atlantic to South Africa, and finally flying above the Indian Ocean to land in Australia. Konyukhovs resume includes climbing Mount Everest, sailing around the world, completing the Iditarod dogsled race and rowing solo across the Atlantic. He and his team have been preparing for the flight for about a year. The 180-foot-tall balloon was manufactured in England by Cameron Balloons.
12 July 2016 10:00 (UTC+04:00)
By Federica Mogherini
The purpose and even the survival of the European Union is being questioned as never before. In fact, Europes citizens and the world need a strong EU now more than ever.
Europes wider region has become less stable and more insecure in recent years. Moreover, the crises within and beyond the EUs borders are directly affecting the lives of all European citizens.
In challenging times such as these, a strong EU is one that thinks strategically, shares a vision, and acts together. In the wake of the United Kingdoms vote to Brexit the EU, we Europeans will indeed have to rethink how our Union works; but we know very well what we need to work for. We know what our principles, interests, and priorities are. This is no time for political uncertainty. The EU needs a strategy that marries a shared vision to common action.
None of the EUs member states, acting alone, has the strength to address the threats that Europe faces. Nor can they seize the opportunities presented by todays global economy alone. But as a Union of more than a half-billion citizens, Europes potential is unparalleled.
Our diplomatic network is broad and deep, covering every corner of the globe. Economically, we are in the worlds G3, alongside China and the United States. We are the top trading partner and foreign investor for almost every country in the world. Together, the EUs member states invest more in development cooperation than the rest of the world combined.
It is also clear, though, that we in Europe are not making full use of this potential, at least not yet. A vast majority of our citizens understands that we need to take collective responsibility for our role in the world. Our partners, too, expect the EU to play a major role, including as a global security provider.
The EU can deliver on its citizens needs and make its partnerships work only if we all act together EU institutions and national governments, at all levels, united. This is exactly the aim of the Global Strategy for European Foreign and Security Policy, which I recently presented to the leaders of the member states and to the European Commission and European Council.
This Strategy, the EUs first in over a decade, focuses on defense capabilities and anti-terrorism as much as on job opportunities, social inclusion, and human rights. It deals with peace building and the resilience of states and societies in and around Europe.
The EU has always prided itself on its soft power and it will continue to do so, because we are the best in this field. But the idea that Europe is an exclusively civilian power does not do justice to an evolving reality. For example, the EU currently conducts 17 military and civilian operations around the world. In places as far afield as Afghanistan and Congo, Georgia and the Sahel, Moldova, Somalia, and the Mediterranean, thousands of men and women serve under the European flag. For todays Europe, soft and hard power go hand in hand.
The Strategy nurtures the ambition of strategic autonomy for the EU, which is necessary to promote our citizens common interests, as well as our principles and values. Yet we know that such priorities are best served when we are not alone, and in an international system based on multilateralism and rules, not on global policemen and lone warriors.
This is why the EU will continue to deepen the transatlantic bond and our partnership with NATO, while also connecting to new players and exploring new formats to advance our Strategy. The EU will invest in regional institutions, and in cooperation within and among regions. And we will promote global governance reforms that can meet this centurys challenges.
As we do this, we will engage in a practical and principled way, sharing global responsibilities with our partners and contributing to their strengths. Two decades of spreading global uncertainties have taught us a clear lesson: my neighbors weaknesses and my partners weaknesses are my own weaknesses. So we will move beyond the illusion that international politics can be a zero-sum game.
Acting with resolution in this way will make each of the EUs member states and each citizen of our Union better off. But all the goals outlined here can be achieved only by a truly united and committed Europe. Joining all our cultures together to achieve our shared goals and serve our common interests is a daily challenge, but it is also our greatest strength: diversity is what makes us strong.
Our interests are indeed common European interests, and the only way to serve them is by common means. That is why all Europeans, and all EU member states, have a collective responsibility to strengthen our Union.
The people of Europe need unity of purpose and action among our member states. A fragile world calls for a more confident and responsible EU, equipped with an outward- and forward-looking foreign and security policy. The new Global Strategy will guide us as we work toward a Union that truly meets its citizens needs, hopes, and aspirations; a Union that builds on the success of 70 years of peace; and a Union strong enough to contribute to peace and security in our region and worldwide.
Copyright: Project Syndicate: A Strategy to Unite and Safeguard Europe
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12 July 2016 18:34 (UTC+04:00)
By Nigar Abbasova
Azerbaijans Silk Way Airlines has signed a preliminary agreement with the Russian "Ilyushin Finance Co." (IFC) on leasing of AN-124-100 aircraft, IFC website reported.
Conditions of the delivery have not yet been disclosed. The solid agreement is expected to be signed within 30 days. Talks on the delivery of aircraft have lasted 6 month. Closing date for the delivery is the first quarter of 2017.
President of Silk Way Group Zaur Akhundov talking to Ato.ru said that the aircrafts are used for the transportation of special freight. Moreover, the aircraft can also be used in the implementation of oil and gas projects.
The aircraft has double-deck arrangement. Upper deck is comprised of the cabins for flight and relief crew as well as for accompanying persons. Lower deck represents an air-locked freight cabin which allows transporting of cargo to the distance of up to 5,000 kilometers.
Talking about the procedures of technical maintenance the head of Silk Way Airlines said that Ulyanovsk possesses good infrastructure for the provision of technical service. Preventive maintenance procedures will be implemented in Ulyanovsk, he added.
Up to now, Silk Way Airlines were operating IL-76 cargo aircrafts which are considered to be less capacious. The new type of aircraft is expected to let the airline to increase its competitive advantage and strengthen positions in the market of cargo transportation. Akhundov also underlined the carrying capacity of IL-76 is insufficient for the fulfillment of certain orders.
We have an experience in the operation of IL-76 on charter programs. We have many orders from Europe and the South-East Asia. As many as 80 percent of transportations fall to a share of commercial freight, he said.
Akhundov said that the airline wants to expand the park of IL-76 aircraft. The problem that we face in this regard is that the volume of output of the aircrafts does not even meet the needs of the state budgetary agencies of the Russian Federation.
He also underlined that the carrier has terminated the operation of AN-12 aircrafts as the running turned out to be unprofitable due to difficult maintenance procedures.
Silk Way Airlines has also signed a contract on the acquisition of AN-178 aircrafts. The delivery is scheduled for 2018. The contract envisages delivery of 2 aircrafts.
Silk Way Airlines is a cargo airline with its head office and flight operations at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku. It operates freight services linking Europe and Asia, as well as services for government and non-governmental organizations.
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12 July 2016 12:10 (UTC+04:00)
By Amina Nazarli
AIDS, also dubbed as the most important global health challenge in modern history, has ceased to be deadly.
The announcement this week from the Australian Federation of Aids Organizations that AIDS is no longer a public health issue is going to be one of the most important global health achievements of our time.
Finding a cure to the HIV/AIDS virus close to 40 million people worldwide live with, Australian doctors have declared victory over AIDS in their country.
AIDS cases in Australia have plummeted since the advent of anti-retroviral medication in the mid-1990s, which stops HIV from progressing to AIDS where the immune system is so badly damaged it cannot fight off infection.
The number of AIDS cases in Australia is now so small that doctors and scientists do not even record the numbers anymore.
About 1,000 Australians died from AIDS each year at its peak in the early 1990s,
When the world just began to know about this disease, "AIDS" had quite scary echo for many alerting people to be more careful with their health. As years passed the frightening acronym has become common to the lexicon of humanity, almost losing its edge.
Then, people called AIDS "the plague of the 20th century," as they really believed that the way it is. Now the disease is already called "the plague of the 21st century", but simply out of habit, since many studies show, that diseases such as cancer and tuberculosis, carry even more lives than AIDS.
Despite the progress, researchers warn that the end of AIDS is not the end of HIV, as the number of HIV infected people is still high in Australia. Although AIDS is always caused by an HIV infection, not everyone with HIV has AIDS.It can take 10-15 years for HIV to damage the immune system to the point Aids develops
Azerbaijan, where HIV infection was first recorded in 1987, is among the countries with a low level of the infection.
Some 4,815 HIV-infected people have been recorded from 1987 to late March 2016. The infection is widespread among high-risk drug injection users.
Director of the Republican AIDS Center Esmira Almammadova in May announced that 48.9% of the HIV patients have been infected via narcotic injection, 41.3% via heterosexual intercourse, and 1.8% via homosexual contact. 1.8% children have been infected from their mothers, 0.02% (1 person) via donor blood. The cause of infection is unclear of 7% patients.
Currently, 3,093 HIV-infected people are undergoing antiretroviral therapy in Azerbaijan, she added.
During the first quarter of 2016, 125 new persons were diagnosed with HIV infection. Of them, 121 are Azerbaijani citizens, while four are foreign citizens.
Under the amendment made to the Family Code of Azerbaijan in June 2015, 117,435 people underwent pre-marital medical examinations to detect HIV. The examinations revealed that 75 of them are carriers of AIDS.
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a disease spectrum of the human immune system caused by infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Following initial infection, a person may experience a brief period of influenza-like illness. This is typically followed by a prolonged period without symptoms.
As the infection progresses, it interferes more and more with the immune system, making the person much more susceptible to common infections like tuberculosis, as well as opportunistic infections and tumors that do not usually affect people who have working immune systems.
Today, however, the achievements in modern medicine not only allow extend the lives of HIV-infected people, but also give birth to healthy children. Specialists claim that the infection can be avoided if to diagnose the disease on time. Even an infected woman can give birth to a healthy baby and not every child born by infected women is a carrier of the human immunodeficiency virus.
AIDS also increases the risk of developing other life-limiting conditions, including cancer.
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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli
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12 July 2016 09:43 (UTC+04:00)
Moscow hopes to more clearly define the further steps towards the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a meeting with Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev in Baku July 11.
He said the conflicts settlement process continues and Russias President Vladimir Putin is satisfied with the negotiations.
Lavrov also noted that he visited Yerevan and is now in Baku under Russian presidents instructions.
We hope that todays meeting will make it possible to more clearly define the further steps towards the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, he added.
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.
During the meeting in Baku, Lavrov also noted that the Russia-Azerbaijan relations have a very rich bilateral agenda.
He also pointed to the upcoming events, including the meeting of the intergovernmental commission and the humanitarian forum to be held in Baku in September.
We are interested in developing the cooperation in all the spheres, added Lavrov.
Touching upon the upcoming meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of Caspian Sea countries in Astana, the minister said the sides will continue the efforts and will try to achieve a result.
Lavrov also conveyed greetings of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
12 July 2016 11:17 (UTC+04:00)
The talks held with Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev in Baku on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were quite useful and will make it possible to move forward in the conflicts settlement after the meetings in St. Petersburg and Vienna, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Lavrov made the remarks in Baku July 12 at a joint press conference with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov.
President Aliyev met with FM Lavrov on July 11 in Baku.
Russia and Azerbaijan have partnership relations, Lavrov further said. We have an intensive political dialogue.
He said the economic and trade relations of the two countries demand special attention.
Lavrov also pointed out that the dynamics of cooperation in the humanitarian sphere is satisfactory.
Russias foreign minister said the details of the meetings on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are not discussed for known reasons.
It is necessary to be careful towards those sprouts of hope so that not to hamper the progress, said Lavrov, adding that this is the ethic norm of any diplomatic process.
But there are grounds to presume that currently we are closer to success than ever before, he added.
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.
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12 July 2016 16:57 (UTC+04:00)
By Gulgiz Dadashova
Until the April escalation on the contact line of the Armenian and Azerbaijani troops, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was referred as the frozen one. Indeed, that escalation played a critical role in bringing the urgency of the conflict resolution to the agenda of world powers.
The Four Day War in Nagorno-Karabakh was a shock for many; the renewal of a battle between Armenia and Azerbaijan seemed practically inevitable.
Just as the escalation was a negative surprise, the response of the international community to it was quite sound. Rather than treating the escalation as a temporary outbreak, the mediators seemed to seize the opportunity to resolve the conflict making the South Caucuses the place where security and development takes deep routes.
Russia, a big global player and a member-state of the OSCE Minsk Group established to mediate between the parties to the conflict, outmaneuvered other players through huge and consistent political steps to achieve the conflict resolution. Russia is widely considered to be the most relevant and concerned regional power, as the escalation in the Nagorno-Karabakh will first of all hit Moscows security.
Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev, who received Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Baku on July 11, voiced that Baku appreciates the efforts made by President Vladimir Putin and Minister Lavrov for settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and expressed gratitude for those efforts.
Referring to the intensification of negotiations on the conflict, President Aliyev described the negotiations as the most dynamic ones.
He also expressed hope that the positive dynamics in the talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will continue, adding that Russia is interested in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Touching upon the relations between the two countries in various spheres, the president said the main task is to strengthen them, and noted that Azerbaijan and Russia have friendly and partnership relations.
Moscow hopes to more clearly define the further steps towards the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Lavrov during the meeting, mentioning that President Putin is satisfied with the negotiations.
Lavrov also noted that he visited Yerevan and is now in Baku under Russian presidents instructions. We hope that todays meeting will make it possible to more clearly define the further steps towards the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, he said.
The positive pulsbeat of the Baku talks continued on the second day, when the Russian minister met with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov.
"Russia and Azerbaijan in the course of bilateral contacts discussed concrete steps that can and should lead to progress in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," Lavrov said on July 12.
"Yesterday we had a detailed, frank and confidential dialogue with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. We discussed the bilateral relations in principle and identified further steps that can and should lead to progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement. I fully share your words as regards our bilateral relations and strategic partnership: they are developing in all directions, without exception," TASS quoted Lavrov as saying.
Refusing to disclose the details of the meetings on the Nagorno-Karabakh for known reasons, Lavrov said it is necessary to be careful towards those sprouts of hope so that not to hamper the progress.
But there are grounds to presume that currently we are closer to success than ever before, he added.
Mammadyarov, for his part, emphasized that the "high level of the dialogue that is intensifying", further elaborating that the parties are engaged in dialogue on many issues, including the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement.
"There is the hope that the intensification of the negotiating process will make it possible to untie the knot of the conflict," he said.
Substantive talks are being held on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and while resolving the remaining issues, we can be cautiously optimistic about the future.
He added that a concrete decision will be made later with regard to the next meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents, adding that it is still unknown where the meeting will be held.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has met his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan twice in the past month and half first in Vienna in May, and the second time in St. Petersburg in June along with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Experts have positively assessed the intensification of talks, along with the signs of more constructive spirit of the talks.
For over the past 20 years the OSCE-led Minsk Group is dealing with the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which emerged in 1988 as a result of Armenia's illegal territorial claims on 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.
Region in focus
The Russian-Azerbaijani bilateral ties, the North-South railway transportation corridor as well as Moscow-Ankara rapprochement were among the topics discussed during the Baku visit of FM Lavrov.
Russia and Azerbaijan have partnership relations, and enjoy an intensive political dialogue, said Lavrov at a joint press conference with Elmar Mammadyarov.
The minister emphasized that the economic and trade relations of the two countries demand special attention, adding that the dynamics of cooperation in the humanitarian sphere is satisfactory.
Lavrov pointed out that the Baku-Moscow relations cannot be affected by any conjuncture.
The minister, speaking about improvement of relations between Russia and Turkey, said that it will have a positive and effective impact on overcoming the Syrian crisis.
Mammadyarov, for his part, has voiced that Baku welcomes the creation of good relations between its neighbors, he added.
Earlier, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, commenting on the improvement of relations between Turkey and Russia, thanked Azerbaijan for its contribution to normalization of the relations.
The North-South railway transportation corridor project will be discussed during the meeting of Azerbaijani, Russian and Iranian presidents in Baku in August, said Mammadyarov.
Noting that the exact date of the presidents meeting will be set in August, Mammadyarov noted that the North-South project has great economic prospects
The North-South transportation corridor is meant to connect Northern Europe to South-East Asia. It will serve as a link connecting the railways of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia. At the initial stage, the North-South corridor will transport 5 million tons of cargo with further expansion of transportation to over 10 million tons.
12 July 2016 18:38 (UTC+04:00)
Armenia, through its policies in the last two years, has been seeking to prevent progress in the negotiations on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Hikmat Hajiyev, spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry July 12.
He made the remarks at an event dedicated to the day of Azerbaijani diplomatic service employees.
Hajiyev said Armenia, preventing the progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts settlement, is conducting political provocations.
For example, Armenia conducted military exercises in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan over the past period, he stressed.
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.
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12 July 2016 11:06 (UTC+04:00)
Reforms will be continued in Azerbaijan, said President Ilham Aliyev as he chaired the Cabinet meeting on July 10, Azertag reported.
"Positive steps to build a democratic society are being undertaken with the rule of law and all freedoms ensured. Azerbaijan is growing into one of the leaders in implementation of political reforms, the President noted at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers dedicated to the results of socioeconomic development in first half of 2016 and objectives for the future.
"The measures to fight against corruption and bribery, which make the society concerned most, were undertaken in current year on a wider scale. We have achieved jaw-dropping successes. Combating corruption and bribery is one of the major directions of our policy. Punishment and administrative measures are helpful but reforms of the systematic nature also opened the way to achieve a significant progress in this field. I want to mention the activity of the "ASAN Xidmet" (Easy Service). The "ASAN Xidmet", which earned the society`s acclaim within short span of time, also proved its worth today as the Azerbaijani brand all over the world. Millions of people have applied to this service. The number of "ASAN Xidmet"`s services will go up in the future along with more electronic ones, too," President Aliyev said.
The president said the ASAN-Xidmet will have its new centers in regions and introduce a new system - ASAN-Train Service this year.
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12 July 2016 11:08 (UTC+04:00)
During their meeting in Baku, Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev and Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed both the bilateral cooperation and the ways to resolve the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.
He made the remarks during a joint briefing with Lavrov July 12.
President Aliyev and FM Lavrov met in Baku on July 11.
Mammadyarov said the information provided by Lavrov in Baku on the talks for settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict creates a positive mood.
He said it is important to move step by step for the conflicts resolution, adding that work is underway on the remaining undecided formulations and points.
Substantive talks are being held on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and while resolving the remaining issues, we can be cautiously optimistic about the future, he said.
He added that a concrete decision will be made later with regard to the next meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents.
For present, it is unknown whether it will be held in France or in another country, said Mammadyarov.
Russia and Azerbaijan have a very high level of cooperation, Mammadyarov further said, adding that the economic relations are of great interest.
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.
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12 July 2016 13:32 (UTC+04:00)
By Laman Ismayilova
The 200th anniversary of independence of the Republic of Argentina was marked in Baku on July 11.
Officials, MPs, foreign ambassadors to Azerbaijan and public members attended the event, Azertac reported.
Argentinean Ambassador Carlos Dante Riva, addressing the event, informed about his country's achievements in various fields after gaining independence.
He has also touched upon strong partnership between Azerbaijan and Argentina, saying that his country has become one of the main economic partners of Azerbaijan in recent years.
Speaking about relations in the field of agriculture, Dante Riva stressed great potential for further expansion of cooperation between the two countries.
Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Economy Sahil Babayev, for his part, spoke of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Argentina.
He assessed economic relations between the two states as dynamically developing, emphasizing the importance of mutual visits in development of bilateral relations.
The deputy minister also expressed his hope in rapidly developing of further relations between the two countries.
Recently, the Chamber of Deputies of the Argentine National Congress has adopted a resolution on the establishment of the inter-parliamentary friendship group with Azerbaijan.
The two countries cooperate successfully in the fields of ICT and agriculture. Argentina's high-technologies company INVAP, engaged in the construction and delivery of complex equipment, does business with Azerbaijans space industry.
The sides are also interested in the joint development of agriculture in both countries. Argentina has recently achieved positive results in agriculture with the aid of modern technologies and intends to share this experience with Azerbaijan.
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12 July 2016 16:10 (UTC+04:00)
By Rashid Shirinov
The military output produced in Azerbaijan played an important role in the April battles provoked by Armenia, said Azerbaijan's Defense Industry Minister Yavar Jamalov.
He made the statement at the Cabinet meeting on the Results of Socio-economic Development in the First Half of 2016 and the Upcoming Challenges chaired by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on July 10.
Jamalov mentioned a number of reforms carried out in the army building in terms of strengthening the logistics base of the Armed Forces.
Today, the Azerbaijani army is among the strongest ones -- that was proved by the April fights. Thus, in April of this year, in reply to the provocations of Armenian army, our Armed Forces have struck hard blows to the army of the occupant-country in the frontline, and a number of settlements and important heights were liberated. I would like to mention, that a number of local defense products were widely used during the fighting, the minister claimed.
They were anti-tank grenade launchers, mortars, sniper rifles, universal machine guns, including 74 assault rifles and ammunition of different caliber. Moreover, a number of modern unmanned aerial vehicles produced in Azerbaijan have been used for accurate detection and destruction of the enemy targets.
On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani civilians. Azerbaijan had to respond with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements.
This year, the Ministry of Defense Industry is implementing intensive work on creating new types of defense products. The main directions are designing educational and combat aviation bombs, systems of defense of special-significance facilities, as well as missiles of medium and long range.
Seven new-established enterprises will produce Revolver grenade launcher and its ammunition, fire sets for RG-7V2 manual anti-tank grenade launcher, M-6 & M-12 mine fuzes, big- and small-caliber automatic guns, shells for tank guns.
Moreover, the Ministry will develop a prototype of the national armored vehicle, namely, Ildirim and Gasirgha vehicles will be introduced at the ADEX-2016 Second International Defense Exhibition. The exhibition, taking place in Baku on September 27-30, 2016, has already drawn international attention -- the Ministry got orders from more than 200 companies of 38 countries.
Jamalov noted that, to date, the Ministry of Defense Industry has successfully met its objectives: In 2016, in accordance with the orders of the Defense Ministry and other power structures, the production, repair and disposal of defense products in the amount of 192.2 million manats ($123 million) were planned. In this field, intensive work is undertaken and the products are provided to customers.
Overall, for the six months of 2016, the Ministry of Defense Industry completed the forecast GDP on 101.7 percent. The figure exceeds the data of the same period of 2015 by 5.1 percent, the Minister informed.
Meanwhile, the Ministry also expanded production of civil products: prototypes of Dalma deep-water pumps for artesian wells were developed. The forecast GDP on civil production was over-fulfilled as well 108.8 percent for the half-year.
Yavar Jamalov also spoke about the export potential of the national military products: The enterprises of the Ministry have been announced the winners of various tenders in the international markets. In turn, this indicates compliance of the products with international quality standards. He also mentioned the DSA-2016 exhibition in Malaysia, April 18-21, where the enterprises of the Ministry introduced a range of their new products.
As a result, contracts for the export of various defense products were signed, and their implementation initiated. The products consist of different ammunition, modern weapons, sniper rifles, drones, etc. To date, The Ministry of Defense Industry has signed contracts of $106 million total in value with countries of Europe, Americas, Asia and Africa. In order to expand our export opportunities in the years to come, measures on finding new markets will be taken, Jamalov assured.
12 July 2016 17:52 (UTC+04:00)
By Gunay Camal
Early results of the reforms made in the economic and social spheres, as well as priority directions for the national economy were considered in the Cabinet meeting chaired by President Ilham Aliyev on July 10.
The president, speaking about results of socioeconomic development in the first half of 2016, reminded that threats have increased in the world, while the economic crisis deepened affecting each and every country, Azertac reported.
President Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan has managed to achieve successful development, and socio-political situation in the country remains stable.
Referring to the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as the most concerning issue for the state, the president highlighted the fact that the Azerbaijani Army stopped the provocation committed by Armenia in early April and as a result of counter-offensives liberated an area of 2,000 hectares.
The conflict should be resolved in the near future, and the status quo should be changed, said President Aliyev noting the importance of settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the norms and principles of international law and the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
The president emphasized that the only possible solution of the conflict is a step by step solution, the president said, stressing that the co-chair countries of the OSCE should make serious pressure on Armenia to achieve it.
"We simply hope that the conflict could be solved through negotiations. At the same time, we have great achievements in the army build-up. The Azerbaijani army is one of the world`s strong armies. We have still to do more in this regard, and reforms must be continued. I must say that military potential of our country is sufficiently strong. We continue to purchase modern weaponry, ammunition and hardware. Azerbaijan produces necessary military goods. Military potential, combat capabilities of our army are increasing and it makes us happy because every powerful country should have a powerful army, he said, emphasizing that the state will further continue active policy in this direction.
Azerbaijan continues and will further continue to strengthen its army, its material and technical base, at the same time, solve daily problems of servicemen. Azerbaijan is strong state with strong army," President Aliyev stated.
Speaking about the active foreign policy pursued by the countrys leadership, Peresident Aliyev stated that more than 10 heads of state and government have visited the country with a view to boost the bilateral ties. The president stated that these visits will help to further strengthen international relations of the country.
President Aliyev also spoke about the economic development process, mentioning that over the past six months roughly $6.3 billion was invested in the country's economy, while the country preserved attractiveness for foreign investors.
Emphasizing that about 78,000 permanent jobs opened in the first half, the president went on to say that social reforms continues in the country.
This year, we intend to proceed with construction of social housing, the president said, adding that the State Housing Agency was created with an aim to provide low-income families with housing on very favorable terms. Also, when this process will take a massive scale, it will have a very positive impact on the sectors of construction and production of building materials, and overall on our industrial potential.
The head of state voiced his confidence that 2016 will remain in history as a period of deep reforms, pointing to continuation of measures for the successful implementation of strategic energy and transport projects.
President Aliyev, in his concluding speech, stressed the importance of implementing the tasks set in priority areas, naming manufacturing and agriculture sectors as key directions.
The Head of State gave instructions to establish large-scale, export-oriented industrial enterprises along with strengthening small and medium-sized businesses.
Among the major projects being carried out in the country, I want to mention projects in Sumgait Chemical Industrial Park. The construction of SOCAR Polymer complex takes a special place among them. Huge investments were made in this project - about $700 million invested. Two years later, this company will be producing finished products. Dependence on imports will be completely eliminated and a large export potential will be displayed. This should be the main direction, a priority for our future activities. There must also be carried out serious work aimed at maximum elimination of the dependence on imports, increase of our export capacity and, in parallel with this - search for and identification of export markets, the president said.
In addition, the president said, it is planned to put into operation the plant of nitrogen fertilizers in 2018. Using this plant, the private sector should carry out operational activities and pursue a flexible policy. If there is a need, numerous small and medium-sized enterprises should be created with the state support in the near future so that they produce finished products in Azerbaijan, he added.
The president further added that the work is underway for deployment of medicine production in the country, along with creating industrial centers and upgrading industrial potential of each region in this year.
Today the time has come for Azerbaijan to begin production of medicines. Relevant instructions have been given negotiations with several foreign companies are underway. There is a big interest, as the Azerbaijani market is big enough, he said.
We will develop the industrial potential in this area, reduce dependence on imports, but at the same time, we will be able to provide our citizens with more high-quality medicines. I believe that before the end of the year all of the negotiation process, all organizational matters should be resolved. This year we should start the construction of pharmaceutical factories.
Further speaking about creation of industrial parks, the president mentioned that Ganja, Sumgayit and Mingachevir enjoy a huge industrial potential, well-trained human resources along with Baku, the largest industrial city of the South Caucasus.
This year a foundation of the light industry complex must be laid in Mingachevir. This will positively affect unemployment issue in Mingachevir, and we will create a very large, new industrial center. In Mingachevir it is planned to build several large industrial enterprises. The light industry will also develop here. In the near future, thousands of jobs will open here. The number of people, who will work primarily in the construction sector, and then in these enterprises, will be thousands. Thus, we will create a new industrial center and provide people with jobs, added the president.
President Aliyev emphasized that creation of industrial areas and parks will be a key priority of the government in the non-oil sector of the national economy.
Giving orders over continuation of the state support to development of the carpet industry, silk, cotton and tobacco growing in Azerbaijan, ensuring the supply of necessary food products, demand for meat and dairy products, continuation of ameliorative measures, rational use of land, the head of the state voiced the necessity of considering every opportunity that will allow to expand the export potential of the country.
Today, we create a strong non-oil export potential. At the same time, there should be taken and are taken institutional measures capable of boosting exports, so that the entrepreneurs could sell more products abroad, he said.
The head of state noted that in recent years Baku hosted international events, including the European Grand Prix "Formula 1" and the state provided strong support for the development of tourism in the country.
Referring to the activity of the ASAN xidmt, President Aliyev highly appraised the Agency saying that this year the new centers will be opened in Gabala and Masalli along with the currently operating nine centers.
The "ASAN Xidmet", which gain the society`s acclaim within short span of time, also proved its worth today as the Azerbaijani brand all over the world. Millions of people have applied to this service. The number of "ASAN Xidmet" services will go up in the future along with more electronic ones, too," President Aliyev said.
The president said the ASAN-Xidmet will have its new centers in regions and introduce a new system - ASAN-Train Service this year.
Stressing the successful execution of orders related to the reduction of unnecessary inspections of businesses, President Aliyev expressed confidence that the second half of 2016 will also be successful.
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12 July 2016 18:46 (UTC+04:00)
By Rashid Shirinov
Azerbaijans state energy giant SOCAR has conducted environmental monitoring in the Guneshli oil field located in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea.
The company reported on July 12 that its Department of Ecology organized a monitoring in late June using the "Mamed Suleymanov research vessel. The research group visually investigated the area of Guneshli, Platform No. 10 of which blasted last December.
Then, samples of sea water were taken and inspected for concentration of hydrogen ions, oxygen amount, salinity, conductivity and temperature by using Professional Plus multi-mode analytical instrument in the laboratory of the vessel.
The analyses found that the obtained physico-chemical parameters are within the normal limits typical for the Caspian Sea, SOCAR reported.
Additionally, samples of bottom sediments, benthos, phytoplankton and zooplankton were taken during the monitoring. All collected samples were sent for hydro- and microbiological analysis to the Laboratory of Complex Researches under the Ecology Department of SOCAR.
A fire broke out on the offshore platform #10, December 4, as a strong storm damaged an underwater high-pressure gas pipeline. As many as 33 people were rescued in an ensuing large-scale operation. The tragedy killed 14 people, while 16 are reported missing. On 10 February, the fire at the Platform was completely extinguished.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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12 July 2016 16:06 (UTC+04:00)
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is providing a 10 million sovereign loan to Georgia to be on-lent to Municipal Development Fund (MDF) to improve solid waste management throughout 64 municipalities including remote areas of the country.
The funds will be used to purchase approximately 140 new solid waste collection vehicles and approximately 7,000 containers, according to the bank.
The EBRD loan is supported by an investment grant of 2 million provided by the EBRD Shareholder Special Fund (SSF) in recognition of the substantial environmental and social improvements within the frames of the project.
Preparatory technical assistance for the investment has also been provided by the SSF while a post-signing stakeholder participation programme and assistance to develop and implement municipal waste management plans and environmental and social action plans will be financed by an international donor.
This project is a significant step forward in the implementation of the Georgian governments plans to modernise and upgrade the countrys waste management system to European Union (EU) standards, as well as working to improve the environment. This investment will upgrade the waste services in the country and produce significant environmental and public health benefits.
The loan agreement was signed today by Nodar Khaduri, the Minister of Finance of Georgia, and Bruno Balvanera, EBRD Director for Caucasus, Moldova and Belarus.
I am very happy to sign this agreement which marks another important successful cooperation in the municipal infrastructure sector in Georgia, said Mr Balvanera. The project confirms the EBRDs commitment to supporting government plans for the modernisation and upgrading of Georgias waste management system to European standards. This will bring substantial benefits to the residents of Georgia and the countrys environment. Creating better public awareness of the benefits of sustainable solid waste services is an integral part of the project and we will continue working on a better and healthier environment.
Georgia has committed to improve solid waste management throughout the country in line with the EU Association Agreement. There are already EU-compliant regional landfills in Georgia and the new equipment will ensure that solid waste is disposed at these landfills.
The EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Georgia. Since the start of its operations in the country, the Bank has invested over 2.73 billion in 195 projects in the financial, corporate, infrastructure and energy sectors, with 91 per cent of these investments in the private sector.
The EBRDs strategic plan for the countries where it invests, including Georgia, for the period 2016-18 has three priorities: strengthening economic resilience, addressing global challenges and supporting regional integration.
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12 July 2016 17:49 (UTC+04:00)
Prospective routes are becoming much more concrete for the Turkmen electricity export, in particular to Pakistan and Tajikistan, the Turkmen government reported on July 12.
The government further said that the export opportunities can be expanded thanks to the commissioning of the gas-turbine power plant with annual capacity of 254 megawatts in the Beyik Turkmenbashy district of Turkmenistans Lebap region.
The project was implemented by Turkeys Calik Enerji.
Thus, the countrys eastern region becomes a base for the export of Turkmen electricity, primarily to Afghanistan, the territory of which can be used as a transit territory in the future.
In late June it was reported that Turkmenistan supplies electricity to Afghanistan on easy terms and makes efforts to increase the volume of its exports to the neighboring country.
Also there is an opportunity to increase the electricity volume exported to Afghanistan in the direction of Serhetabat-Herat-Turgundi from 200 million kilowatt hours to 400 million kilowatt hours.
Previously, the countrys energy ministry reported that the volume of electricity output amounted to 22.5 billion kilowatt per hour in 2015. Export volume to neighboring countries in this period was at the level of 3.2 billion kilowatt per hour.
Turkmenistan plans to increase its electricity output up to 27.4 and 35.5 billion kilowatt per hour by 2020 and 2030 respectively, according to the countrys power industry development plan.
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East London-based sourdough bakery Today Bread has reached out to the community to help fund a new Ramalhos oven on its premises.
The company is looking to raise 9,000, via a Kickstarter campaign, to buy the new oven and, as of 11 July had reached just over 6,000 in funding. It is offering a series of rewards in exchange for funding; for example, a 50 donation will buy the funder three months worth of bread, plus a variety of other incentives. However, funding can be from as little as 1.
Today Bread was set up by Alexandre Bettler in 2014, who quit his role as a designer to fulfil his dream as an artisan baker. Bettler started his new business with a small team of bread enthusiasts - baking over 400 loaves of bread a week in an unreliable pizza oven in a small room at his home in Clapton.
However, the team wanted to expand to run food-related workshops and events, as well as being an important part of the local community, and the company has recently expanded into new premises in Walthamstow as part of a creative hub.
Today Bread spent months looking at ovens around the UK and went on road trips, visiting bakeries late at night and speaking with bakers across the country. It has now found what it considers to be the perfect oven, the Ramalhos, which it says will allow it to bake high-quality breads.
Sussex premium pie maker Higgidy has recorded a double-digit sales growth for the year, but its recent expansion has pushed it into the red.
Higgidys 2m investment to expand its West Sussex factory was announced in April, after the company won a major food contract, requiring it to double annual output by 2018.
Revenues increased 24% to 22.6m in the year ended 30 September 2015, which the business said was mainly due to growth with Tesco, Sainsburys, Waitrose and Booths, as well as the continued development of its meat and vegetarian sausage rolls.
James Foottit, one of the companys co-founders, said Higgidy has doubled sales from 11m since 2011, and has outperformed the market and has cemented its place as the nations fastest-growing premium savoury pastry brand.
The update said the business had recorded a pre-tax loss of 173k in 2015, compared to a profit of 296k in 2014, as it chased its ambitious target of 50m in sales by 2020.
Higgidy said the loss was largely the result of the 2013 purchase of two neighbouring units at its site in West Sussex, which would allow it to increase production space to 25,000 sq ft.
Foottit said sales were on track to hit 26m in the current 2015/16 financial year. This coming year we will remain focused on increasing our penetration and developing other channels both within our existing customer base and beyond.
We will continue to invest in product development with a focus on ranges that can work well for convenience.
Mark Campbell, Higgidys managing director, added: Weve invested a huge amount into the business and it is great to see the impact this has had on sales. At Higgidy we are focused on innovation and growing the categories we operate in.
The expansion of our kitchens onto the neighbouring site will give us the flexibility to take this approach to the next level. Ultimately we want Higgidy to become an enduring British brand known for exciting flavour combinations and homemade quality.
FT. WAYNE, IND. For more than 50 years, Ellison Bakery supplied cookies for Archway Cookies. When Archway declared bankruptcy in 2008 (it is now a brand of Snyders-Lance. Inc.), however, Ellison wasnt up a creek. Thats because in the 1980s, a chance opportunity to bake a cookie as a component in an ice cream sandwich snowballed into a full-fledged business of making cookie-based ingredients for all sorts of ice cream, yogurt and confectionery products. While the cookie industry itself may be experiencing flat sales, these other food industry segments are seeing plenty of growth, and so is Ellison.
For the past few years, all that growth had the bakery running full-out, filling up a major expansion done originally in 2006. It was time to add to production capacity, and Ellisons put in a new mixer and oven line at the end of 2015.
We have had tremendous opportunities as our existing customers volume has grown, and we have also brought on several wonderful new customers, so we were operating at nearly 100% capacity, said Todd Wallin, president of Ellison Bakery. Running at 100% capacity is very difficult on resources, both equipment and, more importantly, our people. In addition, we had potential customers who wanted to come on board with Ellison, and we could not accept new business since we were, in essence, out of capacity.
With these latest additions, Ellison now operates three production lines with Line 1 running at 85% capacity, Line 2 at approximately 65% and the latest, Line 3, at 45%. That leaves Ellison Bakery poised to take on new business that Mr. Wallin expects will continue due to the companys capabilities and size.
There are fewer and fewer flexible, privately held, independent bakeries out there today, he said. This leads to more opportunities for those of us who are still in that space, have the flexibility and dont need a million pounds of one item to build it into our system, Mr. Wallin said. We are fully capable of handling huge volumes or smaller volume projects and are nimble enough to do it very quickly in a cost-effective manner.
The latest production line installed at Ellison Bakery only enhances the companys ability to produce the wide variety of products its customers demand.
A companys evolution
Like many bakeries in the industry, Ellison is an established family business. Started in Don Ellis garage in 1945, the company has stayed in the Ellis family throughout its history. Mr. Wallin is the first company president to not bear the name Ellis; however, he might as well be family.
When he was 14 years old, Mr. Wallin met Rob Ellis, current chairman of the board, when his family moved to Ft. Wayne. When he returned home after college in 1982, Rob offered Mr. Wallin a job at the plant. Mr. Wallin has worked in various roles at Ellison Bakery ever since shipping, distribution, plant management, sales before taking over as president in 2010.
Rob and his two sons Jeremy and Jon Ellis remain the sole owners of the bakery and are heavily involved in the business, with Jeremy as QA/R&D manager and Jon as plant manager. The family was supportive of Mr. Wallin taking over as president and made the transition easier because, as Mr. Wallin said, the Ellis family treats its employees like family. Many of those employees have worked at Ellison Bakery for decades. It has felt like family for many of us for many years and continues today, he said.
During Mr. Wallins time at Ellison Bakery, hes seen the company make the shift from Archway Cookies supplier to ingredient supplier and private-label manufacturer. In 1950, Don signed the first licensing agreement with Archway Cookies, and until the 1980s, that was Ellison Bakerys business: baking Archway Cookies for the Indiana, Kentucky and Wisconsin markets. That was until an ice cream company in Green Bay, WI, decided that the Archway Cookie was the best chocolate chip cookie to serve as the base for its newest product: an ice cream sandwich. The company approached Ellison Bakery with the proposition of baking a similar cookie for the new product.
After clearing it with Archway, Ellison Bakery collaborated with the ice cream company to develop a cookie that would hydrate with the ice cream without softening too much. That new customer returned to Ellison with more new product opportunities.
That was one of our first forays into products outside of Archway and into the ice cream industry, Mr. Wallin said. And then we had the opportunity to grow and develop from there. More food manufacturers came to Ellison looking for cookies for ice cream sandwiches, cookie crumbles for ice cream toppings and other ways cookies could be incorporated into a host of products.
To keep up with this burgeoning side business, Ellison Bakery expanded its facility in 2006. However, by 2008, Archway Cookies, which had been sold and its contract with Ellison renegotiated several times, was gone. By that time, Archway had already shrunk to 15% of Ellisons volume. Ellison grew with its new marketplaces needs and paved new paths for additional expansion.
Over the years, we have evolved from only producing retail branded 10- to 11-oz overwrapped packaged cookies for grocery stores to having more than 100 S.K.U.s serving the retail private-label market, food service segments and other industrial manufacturers making ice cream, pies and confectionery products, Mr. Wallin said
With such a diverse product line, Ellison Bakerys capabilities enable the business to be game to try anything as long as it starts out as a cookie.
Product development
Product innovation has become a foundational pillar of Ellisons business.
One of the things that we do well, and have since we expanded our business in the 1980s, is we work with our customers and ask, What do you want to bring to the marketplace, and how can we provide that? Mr. Wallin explained. We start with a cookie-based product and find out how we can provide what theyre looking for from a cookie-based product.
R.&D. runs the gamut at Ellison. Sometimes, a customer comes to the baking company with all the R.&D. completed. Other times, Ellisons R.&D. team works with the customer to find the right solution. Then there are others who outsource their R.&D. to Ellison. The bakerys R.&D. team can accommodate it all.
Our R.&D. department is small, very skilled and able to create excellent opportunities for our customers to launch new innovative products on an extremely tight timeline, Mr. Wallin said. In many cases, our R.&D. group works with our customers to develop new products that create either a value add or improvement for them, or allow them to add a new product to their lineup.
For existing customers, Ellison Bakery will also present new ideas to them, either potential new products or a way to improve the existing process. This is a benefit of the long-standing relationships Ellison has with many of its customers. Were not an in-and-out supplier, Mr. Wallin said. We really like to build relationships with our customers. We like to understand their businesses and what their needs are so we can fully support that.
The turnaround time on a new concept can be anywhere from only a few months to two years, depending on the particular customer or the idea itself. For example, it took Ellison just three months to turn around a request from an ice cream sandwich maker wanting to release an existing product in a smaller size. We have other customers for whom its a year-and-a-half to two-year development process, so weve got everything in between the very short timelines to working on stuff now for 2018, he said.
The flexibility Ellison Bakery offers its customers, long-standing and brand new, as well as its pursuit of quality and innovation, has driven the past few years of booming growth. At the end of 2014, the company found itself at 100% capacity, with equipment and personnel feeling the strain of that demand. It was time for a new production line to allow Ellison Bakery to continue growing.
Investing in new technology
When looking to install a third production line, Ellison Bakery searched for an oven that could produce a better rotary moulded product more effectively with higher throughput than the existing lines similar cookies. The company started shopping around for the new oven in early 2015.
Mr. Wallin and Jon Ellis, plant manager, spent time at the Biscuit & Cracker Manufacturers Associations Technical Conference that year discussing their equipment needs with various suppliers. When they returned from the conference, they enlisted the help of many in the company to divide and conquer supplier interviews and testing to determine which oven would be right for the new line. Then the team reconvened to review their findings. The group decided to go with Reading Bakery Systems indirect-fired tunnel oven for the new Line 3.
One of the things we were positive about with the Reading system was the way air is handled in the oven; it really lends itself to rotary moulded products, Mr. Wallin said. Since rotary moulded items were the intended use for Line 3, it was the right fit. He said the company might retrofit a wire-cut machine for Line 3, but all products made on that line will be used as ingredient components in ice cream, yogurt and confectionery products.
If I do wire-cut on Line 3, Im still going to grind those cookies up, and theyre going to be either an inclusion in an ice cream product, a yogurt product or a candy product, so the characteristics that I need from that product are totally different than a traditional wire-cut cookie, he explained.
Initially, Ellison planned to add a new 90-ft oven with two burner zones, but Mr. Wallin said after working with Reading, the bakery decided that a 120-ft-long oven with three burner zones would be better suited to what it wanted to accomplish.
Reading expanded the oven to give better control with the extra burners as well as higher throughput, he said. The new oven can handle a 48-in. rotary moulder but currently uses a 39-in. moulder with plans to expand to its full capacity in the future.
Ellison Bakery also added an exhaust hood at the end of the oven to remove some of the heat and humidity out of the building. A transition conveyor linking the oven band to the cooling conveyor offers a clean transfer for cookies as they exit the oven.
Once the oven was chosen, most of the project planning was handled within Ellison Bakerys staff, but contractors were hired when necessary. The plant remained in operation during installation, which required preparation beforehand and plenty of site preparation before the oven arrived.
Planning is key to this process, Mr. Wallin said. Our team reviewed with contractors and equipment vendors the needs that we had in terms of what could and could not be done at certain times or in certain locations within the plant. This was something that we had to monitor constantly, and as customer needs changed, we had to adapt and alter our plan. Constant vigilance is required.
With the addition of Line 3, Ellison Bakery went from approximately 85 employees to 120. With so many new people most without food manufacturing experience the company had its work cut out for itself. New employees were scheduled for training in flights to keep things manageable.
Our existing staff was taxed, so bringing those guys in was a big relief to our personnel, he said.
When all was said and done, the new oven was installed before the Christmas holiday, a goal the company had set to provide inspiration to have the project finished on time.
Operating with flexibility
Line 3 currently runs cookies that will become components for other food manufacturers products. With the new oven taking some strain off of the other two lines, the bakery is in the process of moving most of its retail and private-label business onto Line 2, leaving Line 1 mainly for food service products.
Line 1 has a Baker Perkins 48-in.-wide oven thats 120 ft with two zones; Line 2 relies on a Baker Perkins three-zone, 39-in.-wide oven running 150 ft. Ovens 1 and 2 can produce both wire-cut and rotary cookies, and there is talk of retrofitting an older wire-cut machine to give Line 3 wire-cut capabilities to keep production as flexible as possible. Ellison Bakery has about two dozen rotary dies to create a wide variety of cookies.
Ellisons ability to remain flexible has contributed to its growth, and the additions of the new line as well as a new wrapper on Line 2 have only increased overall capabilities. Production is scheduled based on historical sales and customer forecasts.
Weve done business with a lot of these folks for a very long time, so we have a pretty good idea of what we run week in and week out, Mr. Wallin said.
With the master plan of orders in place, production is scheduled based on product mixes and allergen and sanitation requirements. The bakery has a built-in segregation system to allow employees to clean one line while the other two continue running.
Bulk ingredients are stored in Shick Solutions silos: one that holds 150,000 lbs of sugar and two 120,000-lb flour silos. High-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup and maltitol are all stored in 40,000-lb tanks. A computerized batching system measures out these ingredients while smaller-quantity ingredients like cocoa, salt and eggs are hand-scaled. Ingredients are added to one of three mixers, the newest being a Shaffer, a Bundy Baking Solution, mixer that turns out 2,400-lb batches. Dough is dumped into troughs for transfer to either wire-cutters or rotary moulders at the beginning of each of the three ovens.
After baking, products on Line 1 move into a 66-foot forced-air cooler, Line 2 sends products to a spiral cooler, and Line 3 feeds its output via a short conveyor to a crunch room where items will be crumbled before packaging.
The packaging department features six lines with some built-in redundancy for added flexibility.
If Line 1 is tied up, and I need retail product, then I can shift it to Line 2 because I have the same packaging capabilities on both lines, Mr. Wallin said.
Mobile equipment and easily moved conveyors mean different lines can feed multiple packaging systems or even send products into the crunch room when necessary. Because of the complexity of the operation, the packaging department needs much more labor than the front of the lines. While mixing and oven operations require eight employees, the packaging department needs 20 to 40 people, depending on the products being packaged.
Three wrappers one Doboy and two FMS systems can go as fast as 180 to 450 pieces per minute and handle individually wrapped and twin-packed products. Two Formost Fuji horizontal wrappers provide retail packaging.
Weve designed equipment so we can lower one conveyor out of the way and bring in another that will feed a different packaging line, Mr. Wallin said. We can convey off of Line 1, we can run into the bagging system, run into the bulk system or run into the high-speed wrappers that will do individually wrapped or twin packs.
The packaging department also features a Matrix Mercury vertical form/fill/seal machine. Each packaging line includes metal detection for food safety.
Food service products come in 20-lb cases, and cookies for ice cream sandwiches are boxed in 500-count cases. Ellison packages crumbled cookies in 20- to 40-lb bulk pack cartons.
After packaging, products are held in Ellisons warehouse. The bakery doesnt have its own distribution system, so it schedules freight for some customers while others provide their own shipping. Products for food service customers are turned over quickly, often being picked up a week after the order is placed. Commercial orders cookies for ice cream sandwiches and cookie crumbles are sent off to be microbiologically tested and wont ship until the samples are cleared. For a small handful of customers who require frozen storage, Ellison Bakery contracts out.
Meeting the specifications
Ellison Bakerys unique position as an ingredient supplier means that quality control takes on a whole new meaning. Ice cream, yogurt and confectionery customers want specific particle sizes, cookie roundness, thickness and/or consistency. While the end consumer only cares about taste, Ellison Bakerys customers are looking for just the right size, shape, diameter and thickness for the components of its final product.
When youre an ice cream manufacturer and youve got to make ice cream sandwiches with those cookies through automated equipment, those things the size, the shape, the diameter, the thickness are pretty critical, so we have to measure all of those parameters, Mr. Wallin said.
Ellisons vision system quantifies the diameters and thickness of all cookies, and the data is entered into an SPC program. If anything is detected outside the set parameters, the system notifies Jeremy Ellis in real-time via email.
We know ASAP if there is product coming out of the oven that is outside of acceptable specification limits, Mr. Wallin said. Those kinds of things have helped us dramatically be a top notch supplier to our customers.
Controls on the front side of production also ensure that products coming out of the oven are within specification. Servo-driven technology ensures wire-cutters produce accurately shaped and sized dough pucks.
Ovens 1 and 2 feature custom control systems Ellison Bakery developed with a programming group to meet the bakerys specific needs. Oven 3 uses its own system to control burner zones, air flows and velocities.
Integration of computer controls, servo drives and upgraded electronics in all of our processing systems has improved our ability to control our processes much more precisely than in years prior, Mr. Wallin said. This has helped in the consistency and repeatability of our processes, which our customers expect.
The computerized batching system is tied into the companys ERP system through the mixers. These tie-ins ensure that as raw materials are used, the appropriate quantities are depleted from the ERP systems records, keeping raw material inventories up-to-date in real-time. As the computerized batching system draws 1,000 lbs of flour for the Line 3 mixer, 1,000 lbs of flour is subtracted from Ellisons inventory system.
Ellison Bakery has come a long way from the days when Archways name graced the buildings silo tower. Despite the disappearance of its once-largest client, Ellison endured by finding creative avenues for growth and playing to its strengths: cookie baking expertise and flexible production lines. With capacity aired out for future growth, Ellison Bakery expects to continue forging long-term customer relationships as a private-label, food service and ingredient supplier.
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When a candidate is seeking election or re-election, voters often turn to previous years of service to look for guidance on performance. The same can be said of candidates running for president of the United States.
During a nationally televised interview, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton spoke about her years at the U.S. State Department hoping to win over voters.
She said, When I was Secretary of State, I had a very high approval rating.
PolitiFact Florida heard the claim and gave it a TRUE rating.
Writer Josh Gillin said Clinton has been in public life for many years meaning shes been polled regularly, and the numbers have not always been kind. He noted her approval rating was in the 30s just after becoming the First Lady of the United States. Those numbers were attributed to the fact Americans really hadnt gotten to know her yet.
Thats not the case come 2009 when shes appointed Secretary of State, Gillin said. And then were seeing numbers up 65 percent approval rating. By the time you get to 2011, 2012 it bumps up a little to 66 percent. That made her more popular than both Barack Obama and Joe Biden at the time.
For that reason, Clintons claim received a TRUE rating on the PolitiFact Truth-O-Meter.
SOURCES: Clinton had high approval rating as Sec. of State?
See how PolitiFact ranks Clinton in other areas.
A group of pastors, city leaders and police officers gathered at Tampa City Hall to ask the community to come together.
Community members focused on unity and promoting an open dialogue
The Beulah Baptist Church will be holding a community forum Thursday at 7 p.m.
Everyone is invited to the church, located at 1006 W Cypress St, Tampa
Hours after a peaceful protest shut down a city block downtown, everyone asked for unity, though they acknowledge there is still plenty of work to be done.
It was the start of a bigger conversation about law enforcement and race relations.
At the meeting Tuesday, some black leaders talked about their own experiences being racially profiled.
My point is there are some police officers who spend their time profiling and harassing a segment of the populous instead of policing, said Dr. Mark Jones with the Center for Manifestation.
Representatives from Tampa Police Department and the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office were on hand to talk about their own training, including sensitivity training.
Those in attendance learned that Hillsborough County deputies receive well over the 40 hours of advance training in a three year period required by law. They also learned how Tampa Police meet with demonstrators before a protest to keep everyone safe.
Both police and black leaders have agreed that coming together with community forums and creating a conversation will help everyone.
Holding a community forum for our young people in particular so they can better understand how to interact with police officers, whether we like that or not, thats the reality that were dealing with, said Rep. Edwin Narain.
The Beulah Baptist Church will be holding a community forum this Thursday at 7 p.m. to discuss issues facing the black community and the police. Representative from local departments are slated to be there for an open conversation, Councilman Frank Reddick said.
One person was killed in an early-morning crash Tuesday on U.S. 19 in Pinellas Park.
Speeding car crashed into back of dump truck
Crash happened on U.S. 19 near Mainlands Blvd.
Car criver killed on impact
According to Pinellas Park police, the crash happened just before 2 a.m. on U.S. 19 just north of Mainlands Boulevard.
Police said the driver of a four-door sedan was speeding and could not slow down enough to avoid hitting a dump truck in front of it. The car crashed into the back of the dump truck, killing the driver on impact.
There was a right front seat passenger who suffered serious injuries. The passenger was transported to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg as a trauma alert and remains in serious condition.
The driver of the dump truck was not injured.
Authorities have not released the identity of the sedan driver as of yet.
The outside southbound lane of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge will remain closed overnight after a tanker crash and diesel-fuel fire shut down traffic on the bridge in both directions for hours Tuesday.
NB reopened, outside SB lane closed overnight
Tanker's tire blew out; diesel fuel caught fire
Driver escaped with minor injuries
Troopers said a tractor trailer fuel tanker's tire blew out on the southbound side of the bridge at about 10:40 a.m., causing the driver to crash and 4,000 gallons of diesel fuel to catch on fire. The 2007 Mack Truck's fuel burned on the Dick Misener approach to the main part of the bridge. A large plume of dark smoke billowed into the sky near the bridge.
Firefighters said the driver did a good job escaping on his own.
"Where he ended up with the crash, he knew that the product, if it was coming out of the tank, was going to go down the bridge. So he had the smarts to go up," St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Lt. Steven Lawrence said.
The driver, Ulises Hernandez-Fernandez, 48, of Tampa was taken to Manatee Memorial Hospital with minor injuries.
The crash closed down both lanes for hours. The northbound lanes reopened a couple of hours after the crash. But drivers going south toward Manatee County had to take the long way home.
"I spent one hour over there, and now I spent three hours here and maybe another two hours to go back, motorist Juan Guzman said.
Brothers Frederico Carvalho (left) and Judel Sanchez decided to make the best of the situation and began fishing from the top of the Sunshine Skyway.
Carvahlo said he wasn't sure his line would make it about 200 feet down to the water.
"As soon as the lines actually hit the water, everyone's looking at us like, 'These guys are crazy,' Carvalho said. We got some nibbles, and I ended up catching a nice little snapper. But the funny part was just trying to actually bring it up. I didn't think there was any way we were going to bring it up, but it did."
The men posed with a black drum and mangrove grouper that they threw back.
"It was definitely a form of extreme fishing, Sanchez said.
"I feel like it's a privilege, Carvalho said, "because I don't think a lot of people have been able to be at the very top of the Skyway Bridge and say they actually caught something."
People like Dan Dennis were trying to keep their cool about the delays by sitting in the air conditioning and relying on a sense of humor.
"I'm going to swim across. No, I'm joking, he said. I'll probably, you know, call around making other arrangements and probably drive the Gandy to the Crosstown."
Police arrested 10 people after a day-long protest in the Orlando building that houses Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's office.
#Sitinforthe49 protest for gun control
10 arrested once building with Sen. Rubio's office closed
The sit-in for the 49 protest was supposed to last 49 hours, but when the building closed at 7 p.m., police were called to arrest those who would not leave. They were charged with misdemeanor trespass after warning.
Those arrested, all of Orlando, were: Geoffrey Paquette, 32; Maria Bolton-Joubert, 34; Angelica Brown, 45; Charlotte Davis, 42; Joan Erwin, 72; Ida Eskamani, 26; Jill Giese, 62; Robin Harris, 49; David Moran, 32; and Frederick Velez, 26.
Bolton-Joubert is running for a seat on the Orange CountySoil and Water Conservation Board.
The protesters were demonstrating to demand action on gun violence. Other protesters continued their demonstration outside the building.
The U.S. Senate held a vote for four amendments, two Democratic and two Republican, on gun control issues last month, including amendments to curb the abilities of those on the terror watch list from getting firearms. All four amendments were voted down.
Rubio said at the time he could not support the Democratic ones because he said it would have denied Americans' Second-Amendment rights without due process.
Protesters are vowing to return.
The "49" refers to the 49 people killed in the Pulse nightclub attack last month.
In a solemn event Tuesday, 49 handmade, white wooden crosses, representing the 49 victims of the Pulse attack, were removed from outside of Orlando Regional Medical Center and moved to the Orange County Regional History Center in downtown Orlando.
49 wooden crosses are used to represent the victims who died in the terror shooting
For many, the hate crime feels like it was just yesterday
The ceremony marked one month since the early morning massacre on June 12.
Staff members and volunteers will keep the crosses safe until theyre ready to be displayed as a part of permanent memorial.
Laly Santiago-Leon attended the ceremony to remember her cousin Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon and his partner, Jean.
I wanted to be part of this, to see that Dani and Jean were together," said Santiago-Leon.
Each cross bears the name of a victim.
Its been a month and today was just one of those days. Its been a difficult time and I wanted to be in the spirit of community and family," added Santiago-Leon.
It was also a moving display for community leaders.
When you are a parent, its like every one of these kids is yours. They could be and in some ways they are," shared Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs.
The One Orlando Collection Initiative is tasked with documenting the impact and legacy of the Pulse tragedy.
We collect history, good and bad," said Jeff Jakubik, who serves as the board president for the Historical Society of Central Florida.
"A 100 percent commitment that everyone who is touched by this will be involved in how the History Center permanently remembers this moment in time," Mayor Jacobs said.
Santiago-Leon says that memorial cant come soon enough.
Its very important. I believe that our community and our world needs to continue learning and keep hearing their stories," Santiago-Leon explained.
Local leaders say its still too early to make any decision on a permanent memorial but theyre dedicated to collecting items for any future Pulse memorials.
Its also about making sure that what we do with this moment in time, projects positively into the future, Jacobs said. That we take this horrendous, horrific act of hatred and we respond to it, with such a compelling sense of unity and love that we change the future, right here in this moment in time.
A month may have passed, but for many, like Jordan Morrissey, the victims will not be soon forgotten.
If you knew somebody like I did, you try to just remember the better memories, you dont want to think about that night and that sum up your relationship with them, said Morrissey, who lost two friends in the shooting.
Makeshift memorials for the victims continue to grow, especially in front of the nightclub.
I cant believe it has been a month already, it was so tragic, it feels like it was just yesterday, said Martinez.
Families, survivors, gather at Pulse memorials
Family members of the victims were invited to a candlelight vigil outside the Orange County Regional History Center in Orlando Tuesday.
Forty-nine wooden crosses made by an Illinois artist were displayed there for the last time before being made into a permanent memorial.
Earlier, people gathered outside of Pulse, like Orlando Torres, who is still wearing the hospital bracelet from the night of the tragedy.
Torres says he was trapped inside during the massacre on June 12 and made a special visit Monday night.
I brought my friend that I was with in the bathroom stall that night. We spent three hours with the gunman, he said.
While people gathered outside of Pulse, others, like Ana Bateman, visited the memorial at the Dr. Phillips Center.
Its hard to want to celebrate something but we have to celebrate the fact that this city has come together, she said.
Organizers say the memorial at the Dr. Phillips Center will be moved at the end of the month and will also eventually be on display with the crosses at the History Center.
Many, like these people here, pack up the crosses so they can be moved. (Vincent Earley, Staff)
It comes as no real surprise to political junkies that Democratic challenger Bernie Sanders endorsed his Democratic rival.
Bernie Sanders supports Hillary Clinton for president
Sanders does not mention ending his own campaign in speech
He admits that Clinton has more delegates than he does to win nomination
In a speech from New Hampshire on Tuesday, the U.S. Senator from Vermont announced that he will be backing the presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
"Together we will continue to fight for a government which represents all of us, not just the 1 percent," Sanders said with Clinton by his side, adding he was proud of his campaign.
Sanders admitted that Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process and has more delegates than he does.
"I congratulate her for that," he said. "I intend to do everything I can to make sure she is the next President of the United States."
Sanders stated that both he and Clinton want to raise the minimum wage and create millions of new jobs.
While he was building up his once-Democratic challenger to the White House, Sanders was taking shots at another challenger.
Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump wants to lower the minimum wage to a "starvation" wage, Sanders told the crowd.
Sanders said Trump wants to abolish the Affordable Care Act while Clinton wants to give universal health care to Americans.
Trump also wants to give tax breaks to wealthy Americans, according to Sanders. He called Trump's economic policies "reckless" and said they would contribute to wealth inequality.
Then the topic turned to the enviroment, where Sanders said that Clinton is concerned about global warming and wants to move away from fossil fuel and adopt sustainable, alternative energy. This will create jobs, Sanders added.
But he said that Trump is rejecting science and says that climate change is a hoax and wants to expand the use of fossil fuel.
Sanders also took a shot at Trump's comments about illegal immigrants and Muslims.
"Our diversity is one of our greatest strengths," Sanders said.
Sanders admitted to his followers that there are differences between he and Clinton, but turned it into a positive by saying that was the whole point of a democracy: People coming together and sharing different ideas.
"Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding president," he said.
During his speech, Sanders did not say he would suspend his campaign.
Clinton then took the stage and thanked her the crowd.
Hours before Sanders and Clinton made their speech, Trump tweeted this:
I am somewhat surprised that Bernie Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters. They are not happy that he is selling out! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2016
Trump also posted this on his Facebook page:
The signs were there of Sanders endorsing Clinton
After losing the majority of pledged delegates to Clinton, Sanders has all but flown the white flag in the last couple of weeks before his announcement on Tuesday. He has said that he would vote for Clinton and after losing the D.C. primary race last month to Clinton, the former Secretary of State and Sanders had a closed-door meeting at the Capital Hilton in Washington. The exact nature of the conversation is not known.
In less than two weeks the Democratic National Convention will be held in Philadelphia, where it is expected that the former First Lady will be named the official Democratic nominee, a title that Sanders hoped to win many months ago.
But with one battle won, the next one for Clinton when it concerns Sanders is whether or not his supporters will join her camp. Some polls are saying that it is likely, while other polls suggests that Sanders supporters would support either Trump or Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson, reported Bloomberg.com last month.
What may help Clinton win over Sanders supporters is her embracing some of his ideas, such as the college tuition plan.
Hillary Clintons campaign announced a proposal on Wednesday to eliminate tuition at in-state public colleges and universities for families with annual incomes up to $125,000 largely embracing a core position of Senator Bernie Sanders, who had pledged to make tuition at public institutions free for all students, The New York Times reported last week.
Clinton will have to unite a divided Democratic Party before the November elections.
Over the next three years, Lamar University will use $1 million to pay for five faculty proposed "Visionary Projects," which range from the preservation of regional history to a new freshman experience.
Administrators this past September gave professors the opportunity to propose projects that they felt would advance instruction, research and service.
Candidates wrote letters and presented proposals for consideration by a selection committee. Lamar Provost James Marquart said the committee received 49 proposals. Of those, 13 focused on instruction, 28 were for research projects and eight involved service initiatives.
The university will pay for the projects with grant funding approved during the 84th Legislature. The five selected projects can receive up to $100,000 per year for the next three years to help pay for faculty stipends, graduate assistants, supplies and travel expenses.
Of the five projects selected, Marquart said they have already been funded for this year or the money will distributed soon.
The university's "Visionary Projects" include:
1. Center for Applications of Digital Technologies in Health and Disability
Monica Harn, professor of Speech and Hearing Sciences, along with professors and students of the Nursing and Computer Science department will focus on technology that can help patients suffering from dementia, autism and hearing loss.
"We're very excited to have the opportunity to develop something that will impact Lamar University and the community to innovate health care," Harn said.
Harn said she hopes to expand the center's field of study in coming years.
2. Mirabeau B. Lamar Center for the Study of Southeast Texas and the Upper Gulf Coast
The center will "promote the creation, preservation and transmission of knowledge of Southeast Texas," according to Lamar.
Mary Scheer, professor and chair of the Department of History, and other colleagues proposed the center.
"Our goal is to preserve and support the history in the region and at Lamar," Scheer said.
Sheer said a possible exhibit highlighting the upcoming 100th year anniversary of Lamar has been discussed.
3. Interdisciplinary Freshman Experience at Lamar University
The "freshman experience" won't be just another orientation based program, according to Lamar. Instead it will run throughout the school year and focus "on mimicking the working world and challenges professionals face in it," according to Lamar.
The program, which was proposed by Paul Latiolais, director of the Center for Innovation, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship, and his colleague Mahdi Safa, director of the Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, will force students of different fields of study to work together to find solutions to real-world problems.
Teams are expected to comprised of five students from completely different areas of study. In addition, students are not allowed to lead in problems that match their field of study, only contribute, said Latiolais.
"We want to start off early. We want to provide practical experiences. We want students to know by their senior year what careers they want to go into," Latiolais said.
4. Center for Digital Learning
Robert Spina, the Dean of College of Education and Human Development, along with other colleagues will create a center "to enhance management and administrative skills that contribute to the digital learning environment," according to Lamar.
Participants in the CDL will perform research studies, write research papers, collaborate with technology companies, and provide professional development, the university reported.
Kim Brent
5. Flare and Abnormal Situation Management Research for Petroleum and Chemical Process Industries
The goal of this project is "to reduce flaring emissions in a cost-effective and profitable way through the creation of technologies and software with commercial applications," according to Lamar.
The project will invite engineering, computer science and chemistry students at both undergraduate and graduate levels to participate in research.
Latiolais ,who was involved in this proposal, said: "This is a critical part of what the industry needs. It needs a practical solution."
SFlores@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/_saraeflores
By late October, Jefferson County and the city of Beaumont could have money to buy body cameras for law enforcement, but video of officers interacting on patrols with people isn't likely to materialize until well into 2017.
Jefferson County Commissioners Court on Monday formalized its request for $43,000 to buy 70 cameras for patrol deputies.
Today, City Council will consider asking the Governor's Office Criminal Justice Division for $192,500, which the city would supplement with $48,125, to buy 140 body cameras. The rest of the money would pay for hardware and software to store the videos, said Beaumont police department Assistant Chief Jim Clay.
The request has been a year in preparation, Clay said, and it's still a long way from requesting the money to having officers using body cams.
In the past year, cell phones have captured police in altercations or fatal encounters with people, including a McKinney police officer throwing a teenaged girl in a bikini to the ground at a pool party, several police shootings of suspects and last week's murders of five Dallas police officers.
The move toward body cameras has been driven by law enforcement agencies and public opinion since a fatal shooting of an 18-year-old black man by a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer on Aug. 9, 2014.
Jefferson County Sheriff Mitch Woods said he did not oppose body cameras but wanted more specific guidelines on their use before applying for a grant.
He said the Legislature in 2015 clarified use of the cameras enough to warrant the county buying them for deputies.
"At the outset, there was no uniformity in their use," Woods said. "My opposition was there was no standard. We want there to be clarity."
Woods said he hopes the cameras would help the public gain in confidence that what law officers are doing is legal and justified.
The state's guidelines would prevent use of the cameras in people's homes, he said.
"We're involved more in domestic and civil situations than we are in criminal situations," Woods said. "There were some privacy and liability concerns for the county that taxpayers would have to bear."
Clay said if a grant for the city is approved, the body cameras integrate with the dashboard cameras in police vehicles and that uploading doesn't occupy an officer's time away from patrol.
State law now outlines that body camera video is not releasable to the public if recorded in a private space or in a non-arrest case without the person's consent, like a traffic case that is punishable by fine only.
"We've got a draft policy, but it's in revision," Clay said. "There are technology, privacy and accessibility concerns."
DWallach@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/dwallach
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At a community meeting designed to forge "unity, harmony and solidarity" between Beaumont's police and the community amid national strife, a who's who of officials spoke broadly of ensuring peace but lacked some of the specific answers their audience craved.
A week after police in Baton Rouge and Minnesota killed black men and days after a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest in Dallas ended when a sniper killed five police officers, locals filled Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Beaumont to capacity in anticipation of the discussion.
"There is a lot of frustration around our country. We are not here to feed or fuel it," said the Rev. John Adolph, Antioch's pastor. "Our aim and ambition for tonight's rally is not to fix what went wrong there (in Dallas, Minnesota and Baton Rouge), but prevent that from ever happening here."
Top brass from the Beaumont Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and District Attorney's office sat on stage to answer questions posed by the church's pastor and the audience. The group also included district judges and candidates for public office in this year's elections.
Beaumont Police Chief James Singletary asked for the community to file complaints and speak with supervisors when they feel wronged, an effort that would call attention to any bad cops in the department, as he noted there are "bad people in every discipline."
"Human beings make mistakes, and our officers make mistakes," said Singletary, who has worked with local ministers and hosted events geared toward establishing relationships with children as part of efforts to build community relations. "I will not allow bullies, cowards, criminals and thieves in the Beaumont Police Department."
Rod Carroll, assistant chief deputy in the sheriff's office, called on law enforcement to "de-escalate rather than escalate" situations. District Clerk Jamie Smith asked for "candid conversations about race." Judge Donald Floyd said the answer is to have "good police-community relations." Officials also said the community should "comply" with officers' orders at all times.
District Attorney Bob Wortham, noting that blacks have not been killed by police in Jefferson County, asked attendees to trust the department.
"I don't think you need to have distrust in the Beaumont Police Department," Wortham said. "I don't think any of you need to be concerned, scared or afraid."
The forum was third one organized since 2014, when the issue of officers shooting blacks was thrust into the national spotlight in Ferguson, Missouri.
About one hour into the presentation, when the audience was first given the opportunity to directly address officials, some pushed for more detail and asked pointed questions.
"What is the plan of action?" asked Kiara Colbert, 28. "I don't want to be placated. I want answers," not "really good opinions that might soothe us."
"It starts right here tonight," County Commissioner Bo Alfred responded. "It's your community. We work for you."
Another attendee asked for more diversity and sensitivity training for officers.
A third requested that white officials specifically answer her question, which focused on what residents should do when confronted with an aggressive officer. The response: Follow orders and file a complaint afterward.
Amber Fannin, a 26-year-old Lamar University student who has attended four meetings focused on the relationship between police and their communities, said she wanted to hear more specific solutions posed by officials.
"It's nothing I haven't heard already," Fannin said.
EBesson@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/ericbesson_news
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Photos have surfaced online that claim to show the body of Micah Johnson, the shooter who killed five police officers and injured nine others and two civilians in downtown Dallas last Thursday night, after he was killed by police.
RELATED: Images from the aftermath of the killing of 5 Dallas police officers
The two photos were posted to LiveLeak anonymously Sunday with the headline "Micah Johnson dead" one of a bloodied body and another of a semi-automatic rifle. The body is in tact, with no missing limbs, and sits in the middle of what appears to be broken pieces of cement. The gun also sits on a pile of rubble, much like the body.
The Dallas Police Department and FBI will not confirm that photographs being circulated are from the crime scene in downtown Dallas, according to an email from the department sent to MySA.com Monday.
Dallas Police Chief David Brown told reporters Monday that 11 officers used their firearms against Johnson and that two of them used the robot that killed him with explosives inside a downtown parking garage .
The Daily Mail spoke to Bryan Woolston, a former senior explosive ordinance disposal technician with U.S. Army, who said the photos are consistent with the device that was used to kill Johnson.
RELATED: Surviving Dallas officer recounts trying to save colleagues
He said that the Remotec ANDROS Mark V-A1 robot that was used, which had a claw and arm extension with an explosive device attached, would result in Johnson dying from "catastrophic" internal injuries.
In the photo, Johnson, if it is in fact him, does not have any limbs missing, and Woolston said the "most significant injuries would have resulted from the blast over pressure generated by the detonation."
He said that "This would have created a blast wave of pressure far higher than normal atmospheric pressure, causing catastrophic injuries to the cardiac, respiratory, gastrointestinal organs and other soft tissue. These injuries alone could cause death."
RELATED: Front pages from newspapers covering the Dallas police shooting that left 5 dead
Woolston said he saw no obvious reasons to believe the photos are fake and that "additional injuries would have resulted from the secondary fragmentation created by the blast."
The Dallas Police Department is sifting through 170 of body camera footage from Thursday night and are conducting more than 300 witness and officer interviews.
kbradshaw@express-news.net
Twitter: @kbrad5
Gov. Greg Abbott has been admitted to San Antonio's Brooke Army Medical Center for treatment of a "minor infection" related to second- and third-degree burns he suffered on his lower legs and feet, his office announced Monday.
Abbott, 58, is scheduled to receive skin grafts to repair damage to his feet on Tuesday.
Bearing a striking resemblance to the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and presumably owning enough "pantsuits" to outfit an army of Hillary Clinton wannabes, Teresa Barnwell has successfully made a living off of her Clinton impersonation skills.
Traveling all parts of the globe including Mexico, Australia, Sweden, England, The Netherlands and Italy as a Clinton impersonator, Barnwell, 61, has also appeared on MAD TV, the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
But, it wasn't always that way for Barnwell, who said she wrestled internal doubt she could make it as a full-time Clinton impersonator.
Putting her doubt aside, Barnwell made the gradual transition from an advertising sales representative for The Daily Pilot newspaper in Costa Mesa, California, according to a Desert Sun profile, to a full time impersonator in 2000.
RELATED: Former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro being vetted as Hillary Clinton's potential running mate
Barnwell said her transition to a full-time impersonator was "a little bit of a risk," but had the benefit of slowly easing into the role, first working for a neighbor's small company who afforded her a flexible schedule to do impersonation appearances at a short notice and allowing her to build her resume and a reputation for herself.
"I kind of lucked out, I got connected with the Tonight show with Jay Leno and (my career) took off like a rocket form there," Barnwell said via phone Monday. "I was a business woman. I worked in the newspaper industry. I had a regular job just like everyone else."
Now known as "America's best known and most versatile Hillary Clinton impersonator," according to her website, Barnwell admitted she's met Clinton once in her excess of 20 years of impersonation.
Barnwell had seen the late first lady at various events but wanted a more "dignified opportunity" to meet Clinton versus yelling, waving and screaming at Clinton in a sea of people. Barnwell got that opportunity 20 years ago at a promotional event for Clinton's book in Beverly Hills.
RELATED: Hillary Clinton to speak at NAACP convention in Cincinnati
"I said 'I'm so happy to finally meet you. Has everyone told you look like Teresa Barnwell?," Barnwell said. "The people behind me who I had been chatting with also noticed the resemblance and told her 'Hillary, it's your evil twin,' and she said 'you're the one who can stand in for me to do the bad stuff I don't want to do,' and I was like 'oh sure whatever my country needs.'"
Through studying Clinton, Barnwell said she has found herself to possess more in common with the presidential candidate than looks, including their horoscope, both Scorpios, and the namesake of beloved family for Barnwell, her puppy, and for Clinton, her daughter.
"The reason I named (the dog) Chelsea was because when I was a senior in college we took a trip and one of the areas we went through was an area called Chelsea," Barnwell said. "It was such a pretty part of London and we just liked the name. I told myself if I ever had a daughter or a dog and I was going to name her Chelsea."
Making between $0 and thousands of dollars on a monthly basis for her appearances impersonating the Democratic nominee, Barnwell said she foresees herself being busier should Clinton be elected president in November, but as of late, Barnwell said Clinton isn't the focus of the political scene.
"I think the political joke right now is with Trump," Barnwell said "Trump impersonators have been pretty busy. It's starting to get busier for me. I have a job in early August but it's top secret and it's going to be a doozy."
RELATED: Bernie Sanders is set to endorse Hillary Clinton at their first campaign event together
Still, she understands the responsibility associated with poking fun at the former first lady, turning down jobs she feels may go beyond the boundaries of humor including one political commercial protesting the Iranian arms deal, a national political commercial for the NRA and one requesting she act out a situation portraying Hillary as a stripper the stripper skit was later revised to feature the impersonator doing a silly dance.
"I was asked to do a national political commercial for the NRA," Barnwell said. "They wouldn't tell me who the client was, but when I finally talked to the people involved they were very up front about it. I told them 'my husband and I are gun owners, I believe in the second amendment but I'm not a supporter of the NRA because of the tactics they use are what I consider a lie... They said 'it's going to be real faint snippets of you, no one will be able to tell it's you,' and I said 'then why don't you get some actress?'"
Despite making a career of poking fun at the former first lady, Barnwell said she truly respects the presidential candidate and will be voting for her in November.
See photos of Barnwell in her element in the slideshow above.
MMedina@mySA.com
Twitter: @MariahMedinaaa
Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes is not allowed to oversee a medical laboratory for two years, according to The New York Times.
Here are six things to know:
1. Effective Sept. 5, federal regulators uncertified Theranos' laboratory in Newark, Calif.
2. The Theranos' laboratory will not be allowed to accept Medicare or Medicaid payments.
3. If Theranos does not comply with the regulations, it will pay $10,000 for each day it isn't complying.
4. These regulations spur from questions about Theranos' technology efficacy as well as laboratory operations. Regulators found poorly trained employees and blood samples stored in inappropriate temperatures.
5. The Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into the company in April.
6. Theranos reported it will still operate in its Arizona laboratory.
U.S. public medical schools pay female academic physicians less than male academic physicians, even after accounting for age, experience, medical specialty, faculty rank and other factors, according to a study published by JAMA Internal Medicine.
When comparing men and women's average salaries without adjusting for other factors, the pay gap was $51,316, according to the study. However, the 3,549 female physicians in the study were less likely than the 6,692 male physicians to be full professors, to have funding from the National Institutes of Health and to have conducted a clinical trial. The women also tended to be younger, were more likely to specialize in internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics, and had fewer total publications than their male counterparts.
Once these factors were included, researchers found a $19,878 difference remained between the average salaries of male and female academic physicians. Women's average adjusted salaries were $227,783 and men's average adjusted salaries were $247,661. Researchers noted surgical subspecialties had the largest gender gap and that the gap existed at all faculty ranks.
"Fixing the pay gap between male and female physicians in academic medicine requires more than just studies showing that it exists; concerted efforts are needed to understand and eliminate the gap," Vineet Arora, MD, of the University of Chicago, wrote in a commentary accompanying the study in JAMA Internal Medicine.
The study authors noted they did not have access to information on faculty track or part-time status, and that reported incomes at some institutions may exclude other payments made to the physicians.
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As patients take on more responsibility for their healthcare costs, decisions about where to receive care are frequently made based on out-of-pocket fees and their satisfaction with the provider.
This shift from payer reimbursement to patient reimbursement has major implications for revenue cycle management, forcing hospitals and health systems to abandon traditional processes for the adoption of patient-centric practices.
Here, healthcare leaders share their advice for improving revenue cycle performance. The leaders work with organizations that received either the Healthcare Financial Management Association's 2016 MAP award for high performance in revenue cycle, or HFMA's 2016 MAP Certificate of Recognition in Revenue Cycle Achievement.
Note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Brad Arthur. Director of the business office for St. Elizabeth Healthcare (Edgewood, Ky.).
You have to have access to good data and analytics. Build your key performance indicators that align, support and cascade with all areas of the revenue cycle including access, pre-access, clinical documentation improvement, health information management and the business office. Review data that supports your key performance indicators every single day of the year. There should never be surprises to your financial leaders in an effectively ran business office.
Also, hire the right people and create a culture that aligns with your organization's strategic plans and goals. It's not always about financial metrics, it can be about culture. For example, net revenue is important to most financial leaders but do you review your cost to collect to determine the overall effectiveness of your revenue cycle? Is it more effective and efficient to insource a particular part of the revenue cycle and does the culture support that? Will your leaders support adding full-time equivalents that in the end will drive down outsourcing costs? At St. Elizabeth Healthcare we have created a culture where ideas are supported by data and analytics but most importantly by effective leaders.
Drew von Eschenbach. Vice President of Revenue Cycle for CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System (Tyler, Texas).
It all begins with creating a purpose, and our purpose/mission within our revenue cycle is "to support the delivery of care in order to better serve our patients and our community." This is shared with all revenue cycle staff so they understand the importance of what we do and why we do it.
We also have created an environment of transparent accountability. This transparency begins at the macro level of our revenue cycle tracking and monitoring the trends of 20+ key performance indicators. These indicators cascade down to the micro level with each of our revenue cycle departments, teams and staff so that all employees know how their work and efforts are impacting our performance. Teams meet in daily huddles to review prior day performance and goal set for [the] current day.
Additionally, we couple our cascading metrics with an operational workflow that demands production and efficiency in what we do. This is evident in solid work queue management and throughput to ensure we avoid bottlenecks or inefficiencies.
Laura Holt. Director of Revenue Cycle Management for St. Luke's Hospital (Chesterfield, Mo.).
Healthcare providers should examine the entire lifecycle and not overlook the simple steps at the beginning. Recently, St. Luke's smart use of technology has propelled performance forward. We carefully select appropriate forms of technology to support our revenue cycle and make sure we use it to its fullest potential.
At the core is having an engaged, productive staff and forming great relationships with other departments in the hospital. Cross collaboration is vital, and providers should create a culture of teamwork among all areas. Focusing on the patient experience and helping patients understand how to access the healthcare services they need and how to manage healthcare costs also positively impacts the revenue cycle.
Each of these pieces is great individually, but the trick is getting them all to work together. That's when you get outstanding performance in your revenue cycle management.
Rick Lyman. Vice President of Shared Revenue Cycle Organization for Advocate Health Care (Downers Grove, Ill.).
A little over two years ago Advocate Health Care started on a journey to centralize its revenue cycle operations. A key component of this effort was to never forget that the shared revenue cycle organization was there to serve the hospital. That attitude and strong leadership from [Barrington, Ill.-based] Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital enabled the hospital to be recognized by HFMA for revenue cycle excellence.
Jon Neikirk. Assistant Vice President of Revenue Cycle for Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin (Milwaukee).
My advice would be to focus on the patient experience, and make it the driving force behind projects you take on. Price transparency is our biggest one lately. The healthcare industry needs to move this topic to the front of conversations with patients. Let them know what to expect in a way that's meaningful to them. We recently started giving patients out-of-pocket cost estimates. I also would recommend keeping an eye on self-service technology apps that let patients self-schedule and do other things. It's the way things are going in the future.
Kathleen Stapleton, CFO of Baptist Easley (S.C.) Hospital.
At Baptist Easley Hospital we focus on teamwork among the various components of our revenue cycle so that we can provide an improved patient experience. What is best for our patients focuses on getting the right insurance, right estimates, right point of service collections and working closely with our hospital-owned physician practices to improve access and information flow. We have a goal of a "high reliability" revenue cycle to match Baptist Easley's high reliability safety culture on the clinical side.
William F. Wyman. Vice President of Revenue Services for Lowell (Mass.) General Hospital.
Continuous improvement through cycles of learning and improving has been characteristic of our ability to achieve top metrics. We take a focused review of our metrics on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Using those metrics we identify annually about three metrics that, if improved, could have the most positive impact to our organization. The initiative chosen must align to an overall hospital strategy goal for the year. If it aligns to a strategy objective, a revenue cycle leader will lead a multidisciplinary group to drill into the areas of opportunity for improvement related to that metric. This team will use cycles of learning and improving to achieve success over a multi-month process. The progress is reported monthly to our Revenue Cycle Excellence Team. Once we achieve top decile or better performance as compared to our national benchmark we select another metric and charter another team. Our success has been achieved by focusing on metrics, continuously learning and improving, and the use of multidisciplinary teams.
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President Barack Obama on Monday suggested adding a government-run, or public, insurance option to the Affordable Care Act, The Wall Street Journal reports.
President Obama, writing as Barack Obama, JD, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, lauded the Affordable Care Act's progress, pointing to an uninsured rate that has declined by 43 percent, from 16 percent in 2010 to 9.1 percent in 2015, primarily because of the law's reforms. But he noted that major opportunities to improve the health care system remain.
He said Congress, which previously considered but then abandoned the idea, should revisit a public plan to compete alongside private insurers in areas of the country where there is limited competition.
Arguing for a public option, President Obama noted the majority of the country has benefited from competition in the marketplaces, with 88 percent of enrollees living in counties with at least three issuers in 2016. Still, he said, the remaining 12 percent of enrollees live in areas with only one or two issuers.
"Adding a public plan in such areas would strengthen the marketplace approach, giving consumers more affordable options while also creating savings for the federal government," he concluded.
Following President Obama's editorial, Adam Brandon, CEO of conservative and libertarian advocacy group FreedomWorks, called for Americans to reject a public option in the ACA.
"ObamaCare, a creature of big government, is falling apart at the seams as more health insurance cooperatives fold and premiums on the exchanges rise. But rather than pursue patient-centered reforms, President Obama wants more even more government involvement in our healthcare system. Americans, who've seen the failures of this law, from its horribly botched rollout to its limited provider networks and costly premiums, should reject this idea," he said in a prepared statement.
Creating a public option is not the only thing on President Obama's wish list. He said policy makers should also continue to implement the health insurance marketplaces and delivery system reform, increase federal financial assistance for marketplace enrollees, and take actions to reduce prescription drug costs.
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Some freestanding EDs charge 10 times more than urgent care centers: 4 statistics
In a bid to offer its employees more affordable health plans, Starbucks said it plans to cut certain benefits and offer less comprehensive insurance options, reports Los Angeles Times.
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said Monday the company will begin offering employees low-cost, less-comprehensive insurance plans in addition to more substantial coverage plans. The company has yet to specify which services it will discontinue.
In a letter to employees, Mr. Schultz said the company is evolving its benefits program so workers have the freedom to shop, compare and choose health coverage that best suits their needs, according to the article. "The new healthcare options allow partners to only pay for the coverage they want and will actually use," said Mr. Schultz, according to Los Angeles Times.
U.S. employers have increasingly offered high-deductible, low premium health plans as a way reduce healthcare costs. In 2016, about 72 percent of employers offered HDHP options, according to PwC.
As America's two major political parties ready for conventions, hospitals in host cities Philadelphia and Cleveland are postponing elective surgeries and bulking up on supplies, according to STAT.
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and the Republican party will convene in Cleveland from July 18 to 21. Because earlier rallies for Mr. Trump have been accompanied by smatterings of violence, and the large crowd the convention is expected to draw, Cleveland hospitals are preparing for an emergency. Some Cleveland hospitals are requesting trauma surgeons alter vacation plans and stockpiling enough medical equipment and medications to last nearly 100 hours without requiring resupply, according to STAT.
Cleveland Clinic has run six drills in four months in preparation for the RNC.
"At the suggestion of the Secret Service, we need to be able to act independently for four days," Robert Wyllie, MD, the chief medical operations officer at the Cleveland Clinic, told STAT. "We know there's probably going to be some public disturbance that will occur at the RNC. We have to be able to think in advance of how we'd be able to handle a number of protesters who might need assistance, or police who might need assistance."
Philadelphia will play host to Hillary Clinton and the Democrats from July 25 to 28, and hospitals there are also preparing. According to STAT, Temple University Hospital is replenishing its blood supply and plans to keep hospital census low during the convention. Temple University Hospital regularly conducts exercises to prepare for mass casualty situations. After the May 2015 Amtrack derailment, the hospital took in more patients (54) than any other hospital in Philadelphia.
Roger Band, MD, an associate professor of emergency medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals in Philadelphia, reported exceptionally high anxiety in the wake of the shooting in Dallas.
"I think it's obvious that the threat level, especially with higher-profile events like these, is increased quite a bit in the wake of what's happened recently. Even at a major trauma center, getting five or six critically injured patients is an extraordinary undertaking...so when you multiply that by five, or 20, or 200, you can very quickly overwhelm even an expert center," Dr. Band told STAT. "We've prepared for a really wide variety of scenarios. I don't even want to say what...I don't want to plant any seeds, or give anyone bad ideas."
Note: An update has been made to this article to include more information about preparedness measures at Temple University Hospital.
Many board directors believe their peers could do a better job. In fact, almost 40 percent of board directors say someone on their board should be replaced, according to PwC's "2015 Annual Corporate Directors Survey."
On top of that, corporate governance circles are demanding more diversity. A whopping 95 percent of directors surveyed by PwC said adding diversity was important, and 84 percent felt a more diverse board would enhance effectiveness. This increased attention to diversity coupled with peer dissatisfaction indicates directors are turning a critical eye on board composition and with good reason.
Filling board seats with the right mix of people is crucial to success, according to Denise Kuprionis, president of The Governance Solutions Group, a Cincinnati-based board advisory practice. But even the best boards need to evaluate composition as a company shifts strategy, which is increasingly the case, according to PwC. The survey indicates directors are beginning to look further ahead 58 percent said their company's strategic timeline is five or more years, up from 48 percent in 2011.
"As company strategy shifts board composition must be revisited to affirm alignment between the support a company's strategy requires and director expertise and experience," Ms. Kuprionis said in a webinar on board evaluations hosted by Passageways, an enterprise collaboration software firm.
Here are five steps board chairs can take to evaluate composition and effectiveness, based on Ms. Kuprionis' discussion in the Passageways webinar.
1. Identify whether your board's needs have changed
"An enlightened board evaluates and really dives into company strategy so that they know what skills are needed to drive the business forward," said Ms. Kuprionis. She suggested annual evaluations using a skills matrix.
This chart helps a board map out board members' strengths and experience, identify gaps and consider future needs as it addresses succession planning. Most matrices include a handful of core attributes, such as financial, industry or operations expertise, but after that Ms. Kuprionis advised customizing this matrix based on company culture and what skills would best support the management team. This is a point when boards must think critically about diversity, including gender and racial diversity as well as a range in tenure and knowledge.
2. Ease into composition decisions
Once a board's needs are identified, evaluations help measure further effectiveness. Evaluations range from full board performance or board relations with management, to peer reviews to self-assessments. No matter the form, evaluations can be difficult to introduce if a board is unaccustomed to them. "Let's get the elephant out of the room and face the fact that nobody likes evaluations, most of all directors," said Ms. Kuprionis. She suggested dealing with that discomfort upfront and slowly introducing the concept. To get a board in the correct frame of mind for evaluations, she suggested first giving directors some light reading on good governance practices and evaluation trends. Eventually, evaluations can become an agenda item so the board can discuss an approach.
3. Do self-evaluations first
Individual assessments are a great launching pad into the world of evaluations, according to Ms. Kuprionis. A self-assessment comes in the form of a brief online or paper survey and the results are often kept private. The process lets directors reflect on personal performance. "It's really an internal look and if you are just starting to do this, directors are a little nervous," said Ms. Kuprionis. Reflection alone will oftentimes motivate discussion organically. Sometimes boards formally ask a lead director or outside individual to facilitate a dialogue based on recurring themes from the self-assessments.
4. Step back to assess the aggregate
There is no magic combination that creates an effective board. Effectiveness is a mix of company metrics, board performance reviews, shareholder feedback, participation, board culture and CEO engagement. It is tough to assess this aggregate in surveys alone, but it is essential to understanding if a board is positioned for the future, according to Ms. Kuprionis. Sometimes a full board evaluation is done through individual interviews with each director, but often the best evaluation tool is an independent observer. Sitting in on meetings can be very telling, according to Ms. Kuprionis. Additionally, at the end of each meeting, the board should determine if they accomplished what they needed to, identify if anything could have been done better and if they had the right materials to make decisions. This can help determine what goes on the next meeting agenda.
5. Refresh your talent with outside expertise, new knowledge
Most boards are comprised of highly intelligent, successful individuals looking for the company to succeed. So why do evaluations? "The answer is clear to me," Ms. Kuprionis said. "The best boards want to get even better." This improvement may mean a board needs new directors, but that is not the only way to refresh governance. Many boards get hung up on tenure, but Ms. Kuprionis believes there is no hard and fast rule for term limits. Instead, boards should consider the educational resources they provide to members. Effective board education may include external speakers or updates from employees outside of the management team.
Ultimately, the point of evaluating composition is not to root out what's wrong with a board, it's to identify how it can improve and how it can improve more efficiently.
To view the full webinar, "How the Best Boards Are Made: Evaluating your Board Composition and Effectiveness," click here.
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The following healthcare mergers, acquisitions and general partnerships took place or were announced in the past week.
1. Ministry Door County Medical Center, Hospital Sisters Health System pursue formal partnership
Ministry Door County Medical Center in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., and Green Bay, Wis.-based Hospital Sisters Health System will enter into a minority interest affiliation that will permit the two organizations to work as partners.
2. Baylor Scott & White acquires Lakeway Regional Medical Center
Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health acquired the operations of 106-bed Lakeway (Texas) Regional Medical Center, which has faced financial challenges since it was founded in 2012.
3. Jefferson, Aria Health systems officially merge
Philadelphia-based Jefferson, which includes Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health, closed on a joint venture with Aria Health in Philadelphia.
4. Erlanger joins Vanderbilt Health Affiliated Network
Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Erlanger Health System and Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., inked a strategic affiliation agreement, and Erlanger is also joining the Vanderbilt Affiliated Network.
5. Providence Health & Services, St. Joseph Health officially merge|
Renton, Wash.-based Providence Health & Services and Irvine, Calif.-based St. Joseph Health officially joined forces to create Providence St. Joseph Health, a nonprofit health and social services system that will serve as the parent organization for more than 100,000 caregivers across seven states.
6. Capella, Regional Care spinoff RCCH Healthcare Partners strikes first JV
Nashville, Tenn.-based RCCH Healthcare Partners closed on a joint venture with Saline Memorial Hospital in Benton, Ark. RCCH Healthcare is comprised of Brentwood, Tenn.-based Regional Care Hospital Partners and Franklin, Tenn.-based Capella Healthcare.
7. NYU Langone, Winthrop-University Hospital to begin merger talks
Manhattan, N.Y.-based NYU Langone Medical Center and Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, N.Y., signed a letter of intent to discuss the possibility of forming a healthcare network.
More articles on hospital transactions:
6 recent hospital transactions and partnerships
Do hospital affiliations risk becoming the next Brexit?
21 hospital transactions and partnerships in June
For the first time since 4,800 nurses from Minneapolis-based Allina Health staged a week-long strike in June, the Minnesota Nurses Association and the health system will resume negotiations, according to the Star Tribune.
Talks are expected to take place July 22. Negotiators intend on addressing a dispute over the cost and design of the nurses' union-backed health insurance.
The nurses started a walkout Sunday June 19 at five Minnesota facilities, including Abbott Northwestern in Minneapolis, UnityHospital in Fridley, UnitedHospital in St. Paul, MercyHospital in Coon Rapids and Phillips Eye Institute in Minneapolis.
The MNA announced June 6 that the nurses at Allina Health voted to reject Allina Health's contract offer, which would have eliminated union-backed health insurance and moved the workers to plans that other health system employees receive. Nurses at the voting locations said they either wanted to keep their current health benefits, or didn't want to give them up with concessions.
Allina believes it would save $10 million a year by switching the nurses to its corporate health plans. In a statement, the health system responded to the nurses' vote, expressing disappointment and saying it is "ready to meet with the union whenever they are, but any meeting must include meaningful discussion about the health plans."
Following the end of the strike, Allina made a new offer to the nurses. The proposal still calls for nurses to switch from their union-backed health plans to the system's corporate plan. However, the proposal gives them until 2020 to make the move, according to the Star Tribune. The report states that the new offer also includes concessions in other areas such as allowing the union to appoint nurses to workplace safety committees as well as 2 percent annual raises for the next three years. The MNA and Allina Health officials will review this deal on the July 22 meeting.
Medtronic is ready to invest an additional $20 million in Mazor Robotics, an announcement that broke just ahead of Mazor announcing its newest technology: Mazor X, according to the Star-Tribune.
Here are six key notes on the Mazor X technology:
1. The platform expands on Mazors robotic guidance technology to include analytical tools, multiple-source data, precision guidance, optical tracking, intra-op verification and connectivity technologies. The company hopes Mazor X will enhance predictability and patient benefit.
The Mazor X platform expands the field of spine surgery from trajectory guidance to assisting surgeons with a total patient treatment strategy, said Mazor CEO Ori Hadomi. Following our recently formed partnership with Medtronic and the increased market access it provides us, the launch of Mazor X positions us for accelerated growth and long term leadership in the spine market.
2. Mazor has spent several years developing the technology. The Mazor robot has been used by hundreds of surgeons to place more than 100,000 guided spine implants and the company leveraged that experience to develop the Mazor X system.
Mazor X is the culmination of a multi-year development effort to proactively address our target market, surgeon and patient needs for todays reimbursement environment, by applying multi-disciplinary principles to achieve a Surgical Assurance platform, said Mr. Hadomi.
3. The technology will be launched at the North American Spine Society annual meeting in Boston in October. Mazor has received FDA clearance for the technology.
4. Medtronic, which purchased 4 percent of Mazor in May for $11.9 million, placed a purchase order for 15 Mazor X systems. The Mazor X unveiling triggered the second tranche of equity investment by Medtronic in Mazor. The start of a global distribution agreement, among other things, will trigger the third tranche.
5. Medtronic X provides Surgical Assurance, which includes preoperative analytics, intraoperative guidance and real-time three-dimensional verification. The system cost $850,000 as an introductory price, according to the Star-Tribune report.
6. Despite the partnership between Mazor and Medtronic, the robotic technology is open to all implants, not just Medtronics. However, Mazors stock has gone up 91 percent since the agreement with Medtronic was first announced. Analysts report physician interest in robotic assisted surgical tools is growing, according to the Star-Tribune report.
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A resident of Rathlin has launched a cheeky bid for the island to become part of Scotland in the wake of the UK's decision to leave the European Union.
Northern Ireland's only inhabited offshore island has close links to the Caledonian mainland, and now one local has appealed to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon "take us with you" should Edinburgh call and win a second independence referendum.
He believes most islanders voted to remain in the EU and it is time that Rathlin threw its lot in with Holyrood.
The resident, who wants to remain anonymous, admits the move is tongue-in-cheek, but hopes it will open up debate on more serious issues. He said the island's EU funding had brought major infrastructure improvements which had contributed to a near doubling of the population in recent years.
"It was very much an immediate response to the EU referendum that Friday morning when the results were slowly beginning to sink in," he said.
"Everybody was in a daze and in shock. It was almost like when you hear about a terrible natural disaster. Not everybody on the island voted Remain, but it's a safe bet that most people did."
That night a few people in the island's bar - McCuaig's - joked about declaring independence and drew up a Cabinet list of locals. But the notion sparked other ideas, including the plan to unite Rathlin with Scotland.
The resident explained: "Rathlin's close association with Scotland stretches back to the early medieval period and far beyond, and in particular to the kingdom of Dal Riata, which encompassed much of western Scotland and north-eastern Ireland, with Rathlin at its heart.
"Add in Celtic Christianity and monks sailing from the island north to Iona, the power struggles of the MacDonnells of Antrim and a terrible massacre at the hands of the Campbells - and of course a Rathlin sojourn by none other than Robert the Bruce - and you have an island community steeped in Scottish history and heritage."
He added that Rathlin had done well out of EU membership, with major improvements to the harbour in the 1980s and huge breakwaters that were installed in the 1990s.
Rathlin was only linked to the National Grid for the first time in 2007 with an undersea electricity cable funded by the EU with the help of MEPs John Hume and Ian Paisley.
"We don't believe that money would have been spent here if it was just down to London," he pointed out.
The resident, who has launched the Twitter handle @RathlinScotland, said that thanks to those structural improvements, the island is thriving, with increasing enrolment in the school.
There are now 145 inhabitants after the population plunged to below 100 at one point.
"In 2007 during his first visit to Northern Ireland as Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond noted the bonds that echoed down the years between these islands, and in response to Ian Paisley's recognition that Rathlin had been 'at times an island of Scotland, at times an island of Ulster and Ireland', Salmond announced that he'd like to have Rathlin back again," he said.
"Could the time for this have unexpectedly arrived in the febrile atmosphere of Brexit Britain? Stranger things have happened. One thing is sure; many on Rathlin have just one thing to say across the North Channel: take us with you, Scotland."
He explained that in 1617 a Scotsman named Crawford of Lisnorris launched a legal bid for the ownership of Rathlin resting on the claim that the island had been granted to his ancestor in 1500 by James IV. If Rathlin was Irish, James would have had no right to grant the land.
"The dispute ultimately came down to the introduction of a snake to the island - with St Patrick's banishment of snakes from Ireland, it seemed obvious that if the serpent were to survive, the island must belong to Scotland, but if it were to die, then Rathlin must belong to Ireland," the campaigner said.
"The unfortunate reptile didn't last too long, and Rathlin's fate was sealed - at least until now."
Aerospace companies in Northern Ireland are joining forces as Causeway Aero to offer a one-stop shop to big aircraft manufacturers.
And Denroy Plastics - one of the companies forming part of Causeway Aero - said the first deals for the new entity would be announced in coming months.
Economy Minister Simon Hamilton announced the new plan at Farnborough Air Show, which continues until Sunday.
Causeway Aero will target major players like Airbus and Boeing, and bring together the separate expertise of each firm within the entity. It also hopes to gain work in aircraft interiors and for helicopter manufacturers.
Bangor firm Denroy would be able to offer its plastic components experience alongside the precision engineering prowess of companies like Moyola Precision Engineering in Magherafelt and Dontaur in Ballymena, and the design abilities of BASE in Belfast, in a single package.
Kevin McNamee, finance director at Denroy, cautioned that Causeway Aero does not represent a merger of Moyola Engineering, Denroy Plastics, BASE, Dontaur Precision Engineering and Hutchinson Aerotech.
Nor will Causeway Aero be capable of building its own planes, he added.
"It will mean that companies will have one point of contact and one company with which to contract, instead of five."
Stephen Cowan, vice-president of supply chain at Bombardier Belfast - which buys parts from some of the companies involved - said: "It is vital that we have suppliers that can compete and win business in this high-technology, highly competitive and constantly changing international industry. We therefore support the aims of this new venture to improve the capabilities and competitiveness of the local supply chain."
Simon Hamilton said: "Northern Ireland is a global leader in aerospace technology with every major commercial aircraft programme depending on structures, components and expert services from our local supply base. Causeway Aero brings together the combined skills, capabilities and experience of a number of our local Aerospace businesses to pursue larger and more complex work packages in the global aerospace industry.
"This exciting new venture aligns with the Northern Ireland Aerospace Partnering for Growth Strategy, where local companies committed to doubling the size of the aerospace sector to 2bn sales annually and increasing employment from 8,000 to 12,000 by 2024."
Causeway Aero was offered over 95,000 under the National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP), through Invest Northern Ireland's grant for research and development (Ra&D).
Secretary of State Theresa Villiers also visited Farnborough yesterday, where she pledged government support for Northern Ireland's aerospace industry. And she said growth in civil aviation around the world would bring opportunities for the province. Already, the province has 60 firms which produce structures, components and services for most of the world's biggest aircraft programmes.
The Secretary of State said: "Northern Ireland firms are well placed to make the most of the transformation under way in the international aerospace market. The UK Government, together with Invest NI, is committed to supporting them however we can.
"Direct UK Government launch funding is available - and has already supported Bombardier's excellent C Series aircraft which makes its maiden commercial flight this Friday."
A cut in corporation tax will help to improve the residential rental market in the greater Belfast area, an estate agent has said.
Ryan Andrews, a director of Reeds Rains, said the number of rental properties around Belfast has increased steadily in the past decade and he is optimistic that it will continue to grow.
Mr Andrews spoke as the Homelet Rental index today showed an increase in monthly rents in Northern Ireland to 612 a month, up from 587 last year.
Out of 12 UK regions, Northern Ireland had the second lowest rents, the lowest being 540 per month in the north east of England.
Mr Andrews said the rental market in the areas where Reeds Rains operates - Glengormley, Newtownards, Lisburn, Carrickfergus, south Belfast and Bangor - is strong.
He also said he believes that rents will increase in the coming months.
"There are a lot more professional people renting now than there have been for the last few years," he said.
"People who would have never rented before have been looking at it as a viable option.
"For example, with the jobs market maybe not doing so well, people might not want to commit to a mortgage, but they may be in a position where they have to move, perhaps to accommodate a growing family.
"Maybe they cannot afford the house they want in the location they want, so they decide to rent instead."
At the same time, Mr Andrews said more properties are coming on to the property market.
As a result of the property crash, many homeowners ended up in negative equity, so rented their property instead of selling it when it came to moving on themselves.
Overall, he said that demand remains high for rental properties.
"We had a semi-detached house in Bangor recently that six people all wanted to take," he said.
"That means that landlords have more say over who lives in their property, which makes renting more attractive.
"At the same time, people wanting to rent a property have higher standards and they expect more from a property.
"I do think things are going to continue to improve and I don't think Brexit will have any long-term negative impact.
"You may have people putting off signing up to a 25-year mortgage and renting for a few years while waiting to see how things pan out.
"I think a competitive reduction in corporation tax will increase jobs.
"You're more likely to get companies wanting to invest here and especially the likes of the IT companies that tend to have short contracts, their employees will be looking for short term lets."
William McFarland - a director of Enniskillen-based estate agency Eadie McFarland and Co - said he believes the rental market in Co Fermanagh has improved, although he said he does not expect the rental market in rural areas to grow as fast as in Belfast.
Brown Thomas will double the size of its store in Dundrum
Luxury retailer Brown Thomas is set to double the size of its BT2 outlet in Dundrum Town Centre after entering into talks with the shopping centre's new owners, Hammerson.
According to a report in the Irish Times, Brown Thomas is not alone in looking to expand its footprint at one of the Republic of Ireland's favourite retail destinations.
River Island and H&M are also said to be in discussion with Hammerson and Allianze Real Estate, which took control of the high-end shopping centre outside Dublin last Friday.
The BT2 store in Dundrum spans 9,000 sq ft with Brown Thomas hoping to increase that to 18,000 sq ft.
Hammerson acquired Dundrum Town Centre as part of its 1.85bn (1.6bn) purchase of the 'Project Jewel' loan portfolio from Nama last year.
The deal also gave it 50% stakes in Dublin's Ilac Centre and the Pavilions Shopping Centre in Swords, as well as control of a major development site extending from the former Carlton cinema on O'Connell Street to Moore Street.
The estranged wife of celebrity chef Marco Pierre White has been cleared of assault after son Marco Jr was "too hungover" to give evidence against her.
Matilde White, who is separated from their father and known by her maiden name Conejero, was accused of attacking her adult sons, Luciano and Marco Jr.
She allegedly "burst her way" into Marco Jr's Chiswick flat and told him: "You're a f***ing loser junkie - you're going to prison."
White apparently then kicked Marco Jr in the groin repeatedly before dragging him along by the hair.
When Luciano tried to separate them, she allegedly lashed out at him and bit him on the arm.
The trial collapsed after both Luciano and Marco Jr failed to attend Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, where they were due to give evidence.
Marco Jr, who recently appeared on Big Brother, told police he was "too hungover" to attend after apparently going out partying last night. Police were unable to make contact with Luciano.
District Judge Deborah Wright dismissed the case after prosecutor Katie Weiss offered no evidence.
Michael Smith, defending, said Marco Jr's attitude to the criminal justice system was "utterly outrageous".
White, 51, of Chiswick High Road, London, was formally cleared of two counts of common assault by beating.
She denied the charges and claimed she was acting in self defence during the incident on September 20 last year.
Star Trek actor and writer Simon Pegg urged Theresa May to consider "What would Kirk do?" when she takes over as prime minister.
Pegg, who plays Scotty in the rebooted franchise, said he hopes Mrs May follows the example of the captain of the starship USS Enterprise after she takes up residency in 10 Downing Street.
Arriving at the UK premiere of Star Trek Beyond, which he co-wrote, Pegg urged: "Lead for the people, don't forget anybody. Don't just protect the people who are well off, look after everybody. There are a lot of people in this country who need to be looked after, who are so often forgotten.
"Ask yourself 'what would Kirk do?' Theresa."
Pegg said the film, which sees the crew of the USS Enterprise face a new and ruthless enemy, has messages that could benefit the British people following the vote to leave the European Union.
He said: "Ironically the message is it's better together, unity is strength. It's about co-operation and breaking down the boundaries between races and species and types and working together and it seems incredibly apposite at the moment considering the decision this country has just made, which feels a little bit to me like a retrograde step.
"We need to be a little bit more Star Trek, a bit more like the Federation."
Pegg, who described himself as a "dyed in the wool" left-winger, also voiced his support for embattled Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn saying: "I respect Jeremy Corbyn because I like that fact he's brought some opposition back into party politics.
"Party politics had become very bland, they had almost become the same party and you need someone to mix it up. You need the dark and the light, you need the opposites, you need debate and you need to move forward through debate and I think Jeremy is just standing up for shit and I have got to respect that."
Zachary Quinto, who plays vulcan Spock in the film, echoed Pegg's sentiment about the film's message, saying unity is "something a lot of people in the world could benefit from right now".
He added: "We all feel pretty fractured right now and the divisiveness seems really pervasive and overwhelming and that is unfortunate. There seems to be one way of thinking which is much more progressive and accepting and open and one which is much more xenophobic and nationalistic and closed off. I think there is only one clear path forward."
Quinto said he could see parallel divisions in society in the UK and USA, as well as other parts of the world, adding: "It's shocking to me how quickly it has happened, that we have split off into these two factions that are not really interested in what the other group has to say, it's very intolerant on both sides.
"Openness and curiosity and connectivity are things that could benefit all of us in this day and age."
Pegg and Quinto were joined at the premiere by their co-stars Chris Pine, John Cho and Karl Urban, as well as franchise newcomers Idris Elba and Sofia Boutella.
Star Trek Beyond is released in UK cinemas on July 22.
The mental health charity AWARE is running a series of Mood Walks around Northern Ireland to raise awareness of depression and boost much-needed funds. Ahead of events in Portstewart in September and Omagh in October, well-known strongman Chris McNaghten and school pupil Emma Norris tell Lisa Smyth about their own battles with the condition.
'If I get my A-levels I'd like to be a teacher and give something back'
Emma Norris, from south Belfast, was in upper sixth at Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School when she was diagnosed with depression. Now she is finally able to look forward to life, thanks to the medical profession and the teachers at her school. She says:
I wanted to take part in the Mood Walk because I thought it was a brilliant way to celebrate my 18th birthday. Normally, I'd have a party with my friends, but I was suffering with depression this year and ended up having dinner with my parents and my brother, Peter. When I heard about the Mood Walk, I asked friends and family to join me as a belated birthday celebration.
It was brilliant - about 40 people came along and it was just so special to have them all there supporting me and supporting the charity as well, especially since a lot of people don't know what to say to someone with depression and feel uncomfortable about it.
My symptoms probably started around last August, just before I began my final year at school. It was all quite sudden and there wasn't a specific trigger - my depression was all down to a chemical imbalance in my brain.
I had a very privileged upbringing and while I was growing up nothing occurred that might have triggered the depression.
Initially, I wasn't quite sure if I'd just been feeling down for a week, but then I realised that the bad week had turned into two bad weeks and then into a bad month.
I was quite aware of depression, but my own illness was my first personal experience of it, so I monitored myself to see whether it would get better by itself and when it didn't, I went to the doctor.
Some of my family and friends knew what was going on, but others didn't. Some school pals had no idea because they didn't see me first thing in the morning and had no idea how much I had struggled just to get myself up and go to school.
Different people are affected differently, but for me I had real problems sleeping. I wouldn't say that I was up all night, but I would go to bed at 11pm and there would be no chance of me getting to sleep before 2am and then I would have to be up again for school the next morning.
I was getting by on five hours of sleep and I was supposed to be studying for my A-levels, so it was really hard. I had some real problems with concentration, although that was also probably a symptom of the depression.
A-levels aren't the easiest of exams at the best of times. I would have good days where I could follow what was going on, but those days would follow a couple of bad days, so I'd still be lost as to where I was in my studies. I wasn't getting the continuity I needed to do well.
Eating was also a problem for me; there were days when I wasn't hungry and couldn't eat and there were other days where all I did was eat rubbish. It was also more of an effort to look after myself, to do things like have a shower and take care over my appearance.
After I saw my doctor, I was referred to CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services) and I got an appointment within a week. I was assessed for my needs and diagnosed with depression and anxiety.
It was a bit of a vicious circle because I would worry about things, wanting things to be perfect, and then that would put me in a low mood. The doctor prescribed anti-depressants and I had no problem taking them.
My depression was down to a chemical imbalance in my brain and just like you would take medication for something physical, like iron for an iron deficiency, I was more than happy to start taking medication for my depression.
I think I needed the medication to help me with the cognative behavioural therapy (CBT), which was really about teaching me coping mechanisms. I found CBT brilliant; it really helped me to learn how to manage my thoughts and my depression.
I wouldn't say that I'm cured, I'm definitely still working on my recovery, but I'm a lot better than I was.
It was about March time that I really started to feel better and it was at that point that I realised I didn't have very long before my exams. Essentially, I studied for my A-levels in a matter of weeks, so I'm not entirely confident I will get the grades I need.
I come from a medical background, I always wanted to do medicine and I have an offer to study medicine, but I changed my mind recently and now I want to go to St Mary's and study to become a maths teacher. In a way, I was inspired to become a teacher because of how good my teachers were to me. They were so understanding and helped me so much when I was trying to make up on all the work I missed.
In total, I missed about six weeks of school, which is a lot when you're studying for A-levels. But if I can do for someone else what my teachers did for me then I will be happy.
Depression can happen to anyone, which is why I'm more than happy to talk to anyone in detail about my illness.
It's so important that people are able to talk about depression and that they get help as soon as possible, because the quicker you do that, the quicker you can recover."
If I felt down Id tell myself I was Irelands strongest man
Former Ireland Junior Strongman Chris McNaghten (27), from Larne, owns Inspire Gym in the town. After battling crippling depression throughout his teens and early 20s, he is determined to help others beat their demons. He says:
When I was at school, I was bullied for my weight and that had quite an effect on my self-confidence. I never really dealt with what had happened to me as a teenager and over the years my self-worth got less and less. It really affected my self-esteem.
In the beginning I knew I felt depressed but it was for a reason; however, later on I knew I had a real problem when I was depressed for no reason.
Theres a difference between being depressed and having depression. Everyone gets depressed about something at some stage in their life, but its when youre depressed and theres no reason for it that alarm bells should start ringing.
I had never really resolved the issues from being bullied while at school and the depression really set in when I was in my late teens. It got to the point where I was avoiding going out with friends. In fact, I was pushing them away. I didnt feel deserving of friends or any kind of relationship, I just couldnt lift myself up.
I put off going to the doctor, because I never really thought they would care about what I was saying to them. I just expected them to tell me to lose weight.
In the end, though, I just knew I couldnt live like that any more, so I went to the doctor and they listened to me for 30 seconds and handed me a prescription for anti-depressants. I took them, but they ended up making me feel worse. I looked at the bottle afterwards and one of the side effects was depression, I mean, seriously, what was the point in that?
It was after I started on the anti-depressants that my thoughts became really dark, I started to feel suicidal.
I dont know what prompts it, but some people get to a point in their life where they just decide to lose weight, or stop smoking, or stop taking drugs or stop drinking and I just got the point where I decided I had to do something to help myself.
I had played rugby until I was about 18 and then I would have gone to the gym, but it was when I got into lifting heavier weights and decided to go for a Strongman competition that things started to change for me.
I realised that I felt better about myself; it was as if I had finally found the person I was supposed to be.
I also suffer from anxiety and people have asked me how I can enter Strongman competitions when I also have those feelings, but strangely, when Im doing that, I can stand up in front of hundreds of people and it doesnt bother me.
The first competition I entered was Ulsters Strongest Man and I came ninth. Then, I won the Junior Ireland Strongest Man. All of this wasnt just about how strong I was physically, it was about who I was mentally as well.
Any time I would get down, I would remind myself that I was Irelands strongest man and tell myself to get it together. It was a brilliant way for me to help myself. I felt like I could do anything, like I could achieve anything.
A year ago I opened my own gym, an experience that has been scary at times, but also great. I thought long and hard about launching my own business I had a job in a bank that paid well, but I realised, and my family realised, that it was dragging me down again.
Ultimately, I decided to take the chance because money isnt the only thing in life and as it turned out, since I left the bank job I havent really wanted to buy anything anyway.
When I was working at the bank, I used to buy things as a way of retail therapy, but I dont need to do that anymore.
I got involved with AWARE and took part in the Mood Walk, because I really like the way the charity works. There are so few organisations out there for people with depression.
Quite a lot of young people in Larne have taken their own lives in the past year and there are also a number of young people who are self-harming. I wanted to use my profile in the town to try and help people.
I want people to know that I went through depression and hopefully make them realise that it can happen to anyone and encourage them to get help.
I use social media a lot and make sure I have pictures on there of myself wearing AWARE T-shirts. The charitys website is bright, colourful and really positive. Like me, many people are reluctant to go to their doctor, and AWARE offers so many services to help people with their mental health.
Im hoping to bring a Mood Walk to Larne next year, to let people out there know what is available when they need help.
Medication didnt work for me, but Im not saying that if someone needs medication that they shouldnt take it.
What I am saying is there are organisations out there like AWARE that can offer an alternative first and really make a difference.
Charitys network of 24 support groups
AWARE is the only charity in Northern Ireland working exclusively for people with depression and bipolar disorder.
The organisation has an established network of 24 support groups in rural and urban areas across the country, which are run by trained volunteers.
The groups welcome people with depression and bipolar disorder, as well as carers for people with the illness.
AWARE also delivers mental health and well-being programmes to communities, schools, colleges, universities and workplaces. These programmes include the Mood Matters programmes, Living Life to the Full, Mental Health First Aid and Mindfulness.
It runs a series of Mood Walks around Northern Ireland, with more coming up in Portstewart on September 9 and in Omagh on October 2.
For more information on the charity or to find out about the Mood Walks, log on to www.aware-ni.org.
The 10 signs to tell if youre depressed
An unusually sad mood that doesnt go away
Loss of enjoyment and interest in activities that used to be enjoyable
Tiredness and lack of energy
In addition to this, people who are depressed can also have a range of other symptoms, such as:
Loss of confidence in themselves or poor self-esteem
Feeling guilty when they are not really at fault
Wishing they were dead
Difficulty in making decisions and concentrating
Moving more slowly or becoming agitated and unable to settle
Having difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
Loss of interest in food or eating more than usual, leading to weight loss or weight gain
Anyone who experiences any of these symptoms for more than two weeks is advised to go and see their GP
The family of a Northern Ireland-born banker who died in a plane crash in the Congolese jungle have had their 7m compensation bid thrown out by a London judge.
James Cassley (30) was killed with 10 others when a pilot flew into cloud as he descended and crashed into a ridge in June 2010.
Antrim-born Mr Cassley left a widow, Hong, and parents Mona and Hector. A multimillion-pound damages claim against his employer, GMP Securities Europe LLP, was rejected by the High Court in London last year.
The family continued their fight at the Court of Appeal, where judge Mr Justice Baker has now thrown out their case.
"I have profound sympathy for the family, but my clear conclusion is that there is no real prospect of an appeal succeeding," he told the court.
Mr Cassley, who grew up in Quin, Co Clare, and lived in London, was in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for work purposes.
The aircraft he was travelling in had been chartered by an Australian mining company for a tour of a project in Cameroon, near the DRC border. The plan was to use a charter flight company but, in the days before the trip, the mining company changed to another provider. The flight took off at around 8.15am on June 19 and crashed an hour later.
Mr Cassley's widow and parents claimed at the Court of Appeal that his employer should have done more to make sure he was safe.
But Mr Justice Baker said that High Court judge Mr Justice Coulson had found that the cause of the horror crash was "pilot error".
No enquiries that GMP Securities could have made before the flight would have saved him, he said.
In addition, the employer did not know and had no reasonable way of knowing that the mining company had changed carriers, Mr Justice Baker continued, adding: "Mr Justice Coulson's findings were plainly based on a meticulous examination of the evidence, and within the ambit of his discretion."
The family's appeal bid was rejected.
Italy has warned of the "dangerous consequence" of hardening the border in Ireland
Italy has warned of the "dangerous consequence" of hardening the border in Ireland.
Paolo Gentiloni, Rome's foreign affairs minister, has also called for an orderly and timely withdrawal of Britain from the EU that will leave no room for a "domino effect".
Speaking in central Dublin, where he was holding talks with his Irish counterpart, Mr Gentiloni cautioned against any moves to impose new border controls between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.
"We do hope and are confident that the British referendum will not have as a consequence to raise new frontiers, new barriers, new borders in Ireland," he said.
"This would be a really very, very negative and dangerous consequence of the referendum, and I am confident that together we can avoid this kind of consequence."
The 310-mile frontier that separates the island is the only land border between the UK and the rest of the EU.
Although heavily militarised with checkpoints and road closures during the Troubles, the peace process has opened up a seamless crossing between both jurisdictions.
Hundreds of thousands pass over the border every day on their way to work, for shopping or on day trips.
Incoming prime minister Theresa May said during the EU referendum debate it was "inconceivable" that there would not be any changes to border arrangements in the event of a Brexit.
But Mr Gentiloni said the imminent "redefinition" of the relationships between Britain and the EU should not impact on a pre-existing agreement allowing free travel between Ireland and the UK.
The Common Travel Area deal has been in effect since the 1920s.
"I think it can be absolutely maintained, but it is an issue between Ireland and the UK - it is not an EU issue," said Mr Gentiloni, adding: "It is a concern of all of Europe to avoid negative consequences in this particular aspect."
The Italian foreign affairs minister said his country would approach the UK's withdrawal process with an attitude of friendship towards an ally and "very close friend of Italy".
But he added it must be an orderly process that does not take too long.
"We cannot leave any room for a domino effect, or ideas of Europe a la carte, ideas of each single country imagining having a European Union tailor made to their own interest," he said.
"We should, on the contrary, make an effort in the European Union to face the two or three main issues our citizens are asking us to face.
"This means migration, politics for growth and jobs and security. If we give answers on these issues, I think we give to the Union a really serious perspective."
Dublin's foreign affairs minister Charlie Flanagan said he very much appreciated Italy's understanding of "our unique position on the island of Ireland" which he said must be "fully considered by EU colleagues" in the forthcoming negotiations.
A fire which spread from a Shankill bonfire 'could have killed' and a review must take place to consider the safety of the annual fires, Belfast Lord Mayor Brian Kingston has said.
Homes in the lower Shankill Road area were destroyed after they caught fire during an Eleventh Night bonfire.
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said it had four appliances dealing with a significant fire involving a row of terrace properties in Hopewell Square in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Moments before the fire service arrived a man had climbed up on the roof in a bid to extinguish the flames but then slipped as he tried to put it out.
He steadied himself and did not appear to be injured as he climbed down.
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Spectators could be seen shielding themselves with pieces of wood as burning debris was strewn across the street.
Two of the homes have been left gutted while one other has been significantly damaged.
Belfast Lord Mayor Brian Kingston said a pensioner and a child were asleep in their beds when a shower of sparks ignited their home and they had to be rescued.
He said the bonfire was part of the council's protocol and organisers had taken advice on the location of the pyre from the Housing Executive and the Fire Service.
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PA PA A man dampens down a building as a bonfire is lit on the Shankill Road in Belfast on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PA PA A man dampens down a building as a bonfire is lit on the Shankill Road in Belfast on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PA PA A bonfire is lit on the Shankill Road in Belfast on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PA PA A bonfire is lit on the Shankill Road in Belfast on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PA PA A man uses petrol to light a bonfire on the Shankill Road in Belfast on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PA PA Bonfire at Tennent Street in west Belfast. 11th July 2016. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Highfield Estate bonfire in west Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Bonfire at Tennent Street in west Belfast. 11th July 2016. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Bonfire at Tennent Street in west Belfast. 11th July 2016. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Eleventh night bonfire in the Highfield Estate in west Belfast July 11 2016. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Eleventh night bonfire in the Highfield Estate in west Belfast July 11 2016. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Eleventh night bonfire in the Highfield Estate in west Belfast July 11 2016. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Eleventh night bonfire in the Highfield Estate in west Belfast July 11 2016. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. A huge bonfire in Tigers Bay area of Belfast before it is lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PA PA An 11th Night bonfire at Edgarstown, Portadown, covered in at leat 30 Sinn Fein and SDLP election posters. This follows a complaint to police about another bonfire in Portadown's Corcrain Estate as a hate crime by Sinn Fein. A huge bonfire in Tigers Bay area of Belfast before it is lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PA PA A huge bonfire in Tigers Bay area of Belfast before it is lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PA PA Loyalists climb up one of the largest 11th night Bonfires with Irish tricolour flags in the lower Shankill road area of Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 11, 2016, ahead of the lighting of the traditional 11th night bonfires. The Eleventh Night refers to the night before the Twelfth of July, an annual Protestant commemoration of the famous battle were Protestant King William III of Orange defeated Catholic King James II at the battle of the Boyne on July 12, 1690. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Two women take photographs of one of the largest 11th night Bonfires in the lower Shankill road area of Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 11, 2016, ahead of the lighting of the traditional 11th night bonfires. AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Children atop the huge bonfire in Sandy Row, Belfast with a banner displaying an offensive message directed at SDLP MLA Clare Hanna. PA Loyalists gesture at the foot of one of the largest 11th night Bonfires after raising Irish tricolour flags in the lower Shankill road area of Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 11, 2016, ahead of the lighting of the traditional 11th night bonfires. The Eleventh Night refers to the night before the Twelfth of July, an annual Protestant commemoration of the famous battle were Protestant King William III of Orange defeated Catholic King James II at the battle of the Boyne on July 12, 1690. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Loyalists gesture from the top of one of the largest 11th night Bonfires after raising Irish tricolour flags in the lower Shankill road area of Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 11, 2016, ahead of the lighting of the traditional 11th night bonfires. The Eleventh Night refers to the night before the Twelfth of July, an annual Protestant commemoration of the famous battle were Protestant King William III of Orange defeated Catholic King James II at the battle of the Boyne on July 12, 1690. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images A youth balances on a fence as Union flags flutter in the breeze beside one of the largest 11th night Bonfires in the lower Shankill road area of Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 11, 2016, ahead of the lighting of the traditional 11th night bonfires. The Eleventh Night refers to the night before the Twelfth of July, an annual Protestant commemoration of the famous battle were Protestant King William III of Orange defeated Catholic King James II at the battle of the Boyne on July 12, 1690. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Loyalists climb up one of the largest 11th night Bonfires with Irish tricolour flags in the lower Shankill road area of Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 11, 2016, ahead of the lighting of the traditional 11th night bonfires. The Eleventh Night refers to the night before the Twelfth of July, an annual Protestant commemoration of the famous battle were Protestant King William III of Orange defeated Catholic King James II at the battle of the Boyne on July 12, 1690. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images A youth balances on a fence beside one of the largest 11th night Bonfires in the lower Shankill road area of Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 11, 2016, ahead of the lighting of the traditional 11th night bonfires. The Eleventh Night refers to the night before the Twelfth of July, an annual Protestant commemoration of the famous battle were Protestant King William III of Orange defeated Catholic King James II at the battle of the Boyne on July 12, 1690. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images A youth balances on a fence as Union flags flutter in the breeze beside one of the largest 11th night Bonfires in the lower Shankill road area of Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 11, 2016, ahead of the lighting of the traditional 11th night bonfires. The Eleventh Night refers to the night before the Twelfth of July, an annual Protestant commemoration of the famous battle were Protestant King William III of Orange defeated Catholic King James II at the battle of the Boyne on July 12, 1690. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Foreign tourists take a tour past one of the largest 11th night Bonfires in the lower Shankill road area of Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 11, 2016, ahead of the lighting of the traditional 11th night bonfires. The Eleventh Night refers to the night before the Twelfth of July, an annual Protestant commemoration of the famous battle were Protestant King William III of Orange defeated Catholic King James II at the battle of the Boyne on July 12, 1690. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images A man climbs up one of the largest 11th night Bonfires in the lower Shankill road area of Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 11, 2016, ahead of the lighting of the traditional 11th night bonfires. The Eleventh Night refers to the night before the Twelfth of July, an annual Protestant commemoration of the famous battle were Protestant King William III of Orange defeated Catholic King James II at the battle of the Boyne on July 12, 1690. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images A woman steps out of a taxi to take a photograph of one of the largest 11th night Bonfires in the lower Shankill road area of Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 11, 2016, ahead of the lighting of the traditional 11th night bonfires. The Eleventh Night refers to the night before the Twelfth of July, an annual Protestant commemoration of the famous battle were Protestant King William III of Orange defeated Catholic King James II at the battle of the Boyne on July 12, 1690. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 11: Loyalists make final preparations to their bonfire on the Newtownards road on July 11, 2016 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The lighting of the bonfires at midnight on the eleventh night marks the start of the annual twelfth of July celebrations within the protestant community. The Orange marches and demonstrations celebrate the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 when the Protestant King William of Orange defeated the Catholic King James II on the banks of the river Boyne. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 11: A woman walks past tables stacked with sweets, fizzy drinks and crisps as Loyalists make final preparations to their bonfire on the Newtownards road on July 11, 2016 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The lighting of the bonfires at midnight on the eleventh night marks the start of the annual twelfth of July celebrations within the protestant community. The Orange marches and demonstrations celebrate the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 when the Protestant King William of Orange defeated the Catholic King James II on the banks of the river Boyne. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 11: Loyalists make final preparations to their bonfire on the Newtownards road on July 11, 2016 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The lighting of the bonfires at midnight on the eleventh night marks the start of the annual twelfth of July celebrations within the protestant community. The Orange marches and demonstrations celebrate the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 when the Protestant King William of Orange defeated the Catholic King James II on the banks of the river Boyne. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 11: A Loyalist poses for a drone as he is filmed making final preparations to a huge bonfire on the Ballymacash estate on July 11, 2016 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Ballymacash bonfire is reported as the largest bonfire construct in the province. The lighting of the bonfires at midnight on the eleventh night marks the start of the annual twelfth of July celebrations within the protestant community. The Orange marches and demonstrations celebrate the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 when the Protestant King William of Orange defeated the Catholic King James II on the banks of the river Boyne. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 11: Loyalist Peter Stenhouse carries a wooden pallet as he makes final preparations to a bonfire on the Ballymacash estate on July 11, 2016 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The lighting of the bonfires at midnight on the eleventh night marks the start of the annual twelfth of July celebrations within the protestant community. The Orange marches and demonstrations celebrate the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 when the Protestant King William of Orange defeated the Catholic King James II on the banks of the river Boyne. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 11: A Loyalist poses for a drone as he is filmed making final preparations to a huge bonfire on the Ballymacash estate on July 11, 2016 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Ballymacash bonfire is reported as the largest bonfire construct in the province. The lighting of the bonfires at midnight on the eleventh night marks the start of the annual twelfth of July celebrations within the protestant community. The Orange marches and demonstrations celebrate the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 when the Protestant King William of Orange defeated the Catholic King James II on the banks of the river Boyne. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 11: A Loyalist poses for a drone as he is filmed making final preparations to a huge bonfire on the Ballymacash estate on July 11, 2016 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Ballymacash bonfire is reported as the largest bonfire construct in the province. The lighting of the bonfires at midnight on the eleventh night marks the start of the annual twelfth of July celebrations within the protestant community. The Orange marches and demonstrations celebrate the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 when the Protestant King William of Orange defeated the Catholic King James II on the banks of the river Boyne. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 11: A Loyalist poses for a drone as he is filmed making final preparations to a huge bonfire on the Ballymacash estate on July 11, 2016 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Ballymacash bonfire is reported as the largest bonfire construct in the province. The lighting of the bonfires at midnight on the eleventh night marks the start of the annual twelfth of July celebrations within the protestant community. The Orange marches and demonstrations celebrate the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 when the Protestant King William of Orange defeated the Catholic King James II on the banks of the river Boyne. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images Men construct a bonfire in the Ballymacash area of Lisburn, as building continues on huge loyalist bonfires, which are traditionally lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday July 10, 2016. Authorities in Northern Ireland are cautiously optimistic the main fixture in the loyal order parading season can pass off peacefully, but have a major policing operation planned to deal with any unrest. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire PA File photo dated 10/07/16 of a completed bonfire in the Hopewell area in the Lower Shankill, Belfast, as huge bonfires, are to be lit in loyalist communities across Northern Ireland ahead of the main date in the loyal order parading season - the Twelfth of July. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo.Issue date: Monday July 11, 2016. Authorities in Northern Ireland are cautiously optimistic the main fixture in the loyal order parading season can pass off peacefully, but have a major policing operation planned to deal with any unrest. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire PA An bonfire under construction in the Ballymacash area of Lisburn, as building continues on huge loyalist bonfires, which are traditionally lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday July 10, 2016. Authorities in Northern Ireland are cautiously optimistic the main fixture in the loyal order parading season can pass off peacefully, but have a major policing operation planned to deal with any unrest. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire PA An bonfire under construction in the Ballymacash area of Lisburn, as building continues on huge loyalist bonfires, which are traditionally lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday July 10, 2016. Authorities in Northern Ireland are cautiously optimistic the main fixture in the loyal order parading season can pass off peacefully, but have a major policing operation planned to deal with any unrest. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire PA Men construct a bonfire in the Ballymacash area of Lisburn, as building continues on huge loyalist bonfires, which are traditionally lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday July 10, 2016. Authorities in Northern Ireland are cautiously optimistic the main fixture in the loyal order parading season can pass off peacefully, but have a major policing operation planned to deal with any unrest. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire PA Men stand on a bonfire under construction in the Ballymacash area of Lisburn, as building continues on huge loyalist bonfires, which are traditionally lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday July 10, 2016. Authorities in Northern Ireland are cautiously optimistic the main fixture in the loyal order parading season can pass off peacefully, but have a major policing operation planned to deal with any unrest. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire PA A completed bonfire in the Hopewell area in the Lower Shankill, Belfast, as building continues on huge loyalist bonfires, which are traditionally lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday July 10, 2016. Authorities in Northern Ireland are cautiously optimistic the main fixture in the loyal order parading season can pass off peacefully, but have a major policing operation planned to deal with any unrest. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire PA A completed bonfire in the Hopewell area in the Lower Shankill, Belfast, as building continues on huge loyalist bonfires, which are traditionally lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday July 10, 2016. Authorities in Northern Ireland are cautiously optimistic the main fixture in the loyal order parading season can pass off peacefully, but have a major policing operation planned to deal with any unrest. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire PA A bonfire under construction near Chobam Street, Belfast, as building continues on huge loyalist bonfires, which are traditionally lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday July 10, 2016. Authorities in Northern Ireland are cautiously optimistic the main fixture in the loyal order parading season can pass off peacefully, but have a major policing operation planned to deal with any unrest. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire PA Men construct a bonfire in the Ballymacash area of Lisburn, as building continues on huge loyalist bonfires, which are traditionally lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday July 10, 2016. Authorities in Northern Ireland are cautiously optimistic the main fixture in the loyal order parading season can pass off peacefully, but have a major policing operation planned to deal with any unrest. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire PA A completed bonfire in the Hopewell area in the Lower Shankill, Belfast, as building continues on huge loyalist bonfires, which are traditionally lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday July 10, 2016. Authorities in Northern Ireland are cautiously optimistic the main fixture in the loyal order parading season can pass off peacefully, but have a major policing operation planned to deal with any unrest. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire PA A completed bonfire in the Hopewell area in the Lower Shankill, Belfast, as building continues on huge loyalist bonfires, which are traditionally lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday July 10, 2016. Authorities in Northern Ireland are cautiously optimistic the main fixture in the loyal order parading season can pass off peacefully, but have a major policing operation planned to deal with any unrest. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire PA A completed bonfire in the Hopewell area in the Lower Shankill, Belfast, as building continues on huge loyalist bonfires, which are traditionally lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday July 10, 2016. Authorities in Northern Ireland are cautiously optimistic the main fixture in the loyal order parading season can pass off peacefully, but have a major policing operation planned to deal with any unrest. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire PA Pacemaker Press 11/7/2016 A on looker watches on at the preparations the for 11th night Bonfire at Ballymacash in Lisburn, ahead of the 12th of July celebration across Northern Ireland. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 11/7/2016 Preparations the for 11th night Bonfire at Donegall Road in Belfast, ahead of the 12th of July celebration across Northern Ireland. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press Belfast 11-07-2016: Pallets for a bonfire are stacked near Sandy Row in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture By: Pacemaker. Pacemaker Press Belfast 11-07-2016: Pallets for a bonfire are stacked near the Comber Greenway in east Belfast, blocking a cycle path leading into the city Swings and a climbing frame have been removed from a 250,000 playground next to the Comber Greenway in east Belfast because of the dangers posed by an Eleventh Night bonfire. Homes and windows are being boarded up near the bonfire. Picture By: Pacemaker. Press Eye - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2016 Ballymacash bonfire in Lisburn in the final stages of preparation for the 11th July celebrations. Picture: Philip Magowan / PressEye Philip Magowan Ballymacash bonfire in Lisburn in the final stages of preparation for the 11th July celebrations. Picture: Philip Magowan / PressEye Philip Magowan Press Eye - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2016 Ballymacash bonfire in Lisburn in the final stages of preparation for the 11th July celebrations. Picture: Philip Magowan / PressEye Philip Magowan Pacemaker Press Belfast 11-07-2016: Pallets for a bonfire are stacked near the Comber Greenway in east Belfast, blocking a cycle path leading into the city Swings and a climbing frame have been removed from a 250,000 playground next to the Comber Greenway in east Belfast because of the dangers posed by an Eleventh Night bonfire. Homes and windows are being boarded up near the bonfire. Picture By: Pacemaker. Press Eye - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2016 Ballymacash bonfire in Lisburn in the final stages of preparation for the 11th July celebrations. Picture: Philip Magowan / PressEye Philip Magowan Press Eye - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2016 Ballymacash bonfire in Lisburn in the final stages of preparation for the 11th July celebrations. Picture: Philip Magowan / PressEye Philip Magowan Press Eye - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2016 Ballymacash bonfire in Lisburn in the final stages of preparation for the 11th July celebrations. Picture: Philip Magowan / PressEye Philip Magowan Press Eye - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2016 Ballymacash bonfire in Lisburn in the final stages of preparation for the 11th July celebrations. Picture: Philip Magowan / PressEye Philip Magowan Press Eye - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2016 Ballymacash bonfire in Lisburn in the final stages of preparation for the 11th July celebrations. Picture: Philip Magowan / PressEye Philip Magowan Press Eye - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2016 Ballymacash bonfire in Lisburn in the final stages of preparation for the 11th July celebrations. Picture: Philip Magowan / PressEye Philip Magowan Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye Sunday 10th July 2016 The Bonfire at Drumtara, Ballee, in Ballymena which is stacked with tyres. Press Eye - Belfast - Norther The Edgarstown bonfire in Portadown in the final stages of preparation for the 11th July celebrations. Photo: PressEye Philip Magowan The Edgarstown bonfire in Portadown in the final stages of preparation for the 11th July celebrations. Photo: PressEye Philip Magowan Ballycraigy bonfire in Antrim Pacemaker Press Belfast 08-07-2016: Bonfire in the Loyalist Ballybeen estate in Dundonald, close the Parliament buidlings, Stormont. Picture By: Pacemaker. Pacemaker Press Belfast 08-07-2016: Bonfire in the Loyalist Ballybeen estate in Dundonald, close the Parliament buidlings, Stormont. Picture By: Pacemaker. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 8th July A bonfire is prepared on the Milltown Road in south Belfast ahead of the 11th night bonfire celebrations which will take place across Northern Ireland this Monday night. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Credit - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast, UK - July 07 , Tyres on the Ballybeen Bonfire in Dundonald on July 07, 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Credit - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast, UK - July 07 , Tyres on the Ballybeen Bonfire in Dundonald on July 07, 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Pacemaker Press 5/7/2016 Preparations get well under way at Chobham Street Bonfire in East Belfast, on the run up to The 12th of July. Pic Pacemaker / Facebook
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Whatsapp A house catches fire at the Lower Shankill bonfire as it is lit during July 12th celebrations in Belfast , 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)
He added: "We are very lucky we are not looking at a death or injury. I have spoken to the relatives of one of the families affected and they say they are angry and alarmed at what has happened.
"There will have to be a review and possibly statutory measures."
Three of the homes significantly damaged, the Lord Mayor said, were Housing Executive properties. It is working on repairs and finding the residents alternative accommodation.
A number of other properties in the row of terraced homes have also been damaged by heat and water, the DUP councillor said.
Mayor Kingston added: "Bonfires are an important part of the loyalist community culture. They can be dangerous and a spectacle, which is probably part of the attraction.
"But it is clear that there has been damage here because of the bonfire.
"Ultimately no one should lose their home because of a bonfire and we have to consider ways of reducing the danger and that needs to be worked through."
A funding page has been been set up to help the families of those affected.
The Fire Service remained at the scene on Tuesday morning.
Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Shankill bonfire: Belfast terraced houses gutted in fire. Picture By: Arthur Allison /Pacemaker. Shankill bonfire: Belfast terraced houses gutted in fire. Picture By: Arthur Allison /Pacemaker. General view of two terraced houses have been gutted and one damaged close to a bonfire in the Shankill area of Belfast. Fire fighters said at this stage it looked like the fires at Hopewell Square may have been caused by burning embers carried through the air. Investigations are continuing. Eleventh night bonfires had been lit across Northern Ireland. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. General view of two terraced houses have been gutted and one damaged close to a bonfire in the Shankill area of Belfast. Fire fighters said at this stage it looked like the fires at Hopewell Square may have been caused by burning embers carried through the air. Investigations are continuing. Eleventh night bonfires had been lit across Northern Ireland. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. General view of two terraced houses have been gutted and one damaged close to a bonfire in the Shankill area of Belfast. Fire fighters said at this stage it looked like the fires at Hopewell Square may have been caused by burning embers carried through the air. Investigations are continuing. Eleventh night bonfires had been lit across Northern Ireland. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. General view of two terraced houses have been gutted and one damaged close to a bonfire in the Shankill area of Belfast. Fire fighters said at this stage it looked like the fires at Hopewell Square may have been caused by burning embers carried through the air. Investigations are continuing. Eleventh night bonfires had been lit across Northern Ireland. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. General view of two terraced houses have been gutted and one damaged close to a bonfire in the Shankill area of Belfast. Fire fighters said at this stage it looked like the fires at Hopewell Square may have been caused by burning embers carried through the air. Investigations are continuing. Eleventh night bonfires had been lit across Northern Ireland. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Shankill bonfire: Belfast terraced houses gutted in fire. Two terraced houses have been gutted and one damaged close to a bonfire in the Shankill area of Belfast Northern Ireland . Fire fighters said at this stage it looked like the fires at Hopewell Square may have been caused by burning embers carried through the air. Picture By: Arthur Allison /Pacemaker. Pacemaker Press Belfast 12-07-2016: Shankill bonfire: Belfast terraced houses gutted in fire. Two terraced houses have been gutted and one damaged close to a bonfire in the Shankill area of Belfast Northern Ireland . Fire fighters said at this stage it looked like the fires at Hopewell Square may have been caused by burning embers carried through the air. Picture By: Arthur Allison /Pacemaker. Shankill bonfire: Belfast terraced houses gutted in fire. Two terraced houses have been gutted and one damaged close to a bonfire in the Shankill area of Belfast Northern Ireland . Fire fighters said at this stage it looked like the fires at Hopewell Square may have been caused by burning embers carried through the air. Picture By: Arthur Allison /Pacemaker. Shankill bonfire: Belfast terraced houses gutted in fire. Two terraced houses have been gutted and one damaged close to a bonfire in the Shankill area of Belfast Northern Ireland . Fire fighters said at this stage it looked like the fires at Hopewell Square may have been caused by burning embers carried through the air. Picture By: Arthur Allison /Pacemaker. Shankill bonfire: Belfast terraced houses gutted in fire. Two terraced houses have been gutted and one damaged close to a bonfire in the Shankill area of Belfast Northern Ireland . Fire fighters said at this stage it looked like the fires at Hopewell Square may have been caused by burning embers carried through the air. Picture By: Arthur Allison /Pacemaker. Pacemaker Press Belfast 12-07-2016: Shankill bonfire: Belfast terraced houses gutted in fire. Two terraced houses have been gutted and one damaged close to a bonfire in the Shankill area of Belfast Northern Ireland . Fire fighters said at this stage it looked like the fires at Hopewell Square may have been caused by burning embers carried through the air. Picture By: Arthur Allison /Pacemaker. Pacemaker Press Belfast 12-07-2016: Shankill bonfire: Belfast terraced houses gutted in fire. Two terraced houses have been gutted and one damaged close to a bonfire in the Shankill area of Belfast Northern Ireland . Fire fighters said at this stage it looked like the fires at Hopewell Square may have been caused by burning embers carried through the air. Picture By: Arthur Allison /Pacemaker. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2016 - General view of firemen at the scene of the 'eleventh nightAo bonfire in the Lower Shankill Estate in west Belfast where several house caught fire from embers. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said it had four appliances dealing with a significant fire involving a row of terrace properties in Hopewell Square in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Traditionally, bonfires are lit in many loyalist areas of Northern Ireland on the 'eleventh night' - on the eve of the Twelfth of July. They celebrate William of Orange's victory over King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2016 - General view of firemen at the scene of the 'eleventh nightAo bonfire in the Lower Shankill Estate in west Belfast where several house caught fire from embers. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said it had four appliances dealing with a significant fire involving a row of terrace properties in Hopewell Square in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Traditionally, bonfires are lit in many loyalist areas of Northern Ireland on the 'eleventh night' - on the eve of the Twelfth of July. They celebrate William of Orange's victory over King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2016 - General view of firemen at the scene of the 'eleventh nightAo bonfire in the Lower Shankill Estate in west Belfast where several house caught fire from embers. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said it had four appliances dealing with a significant fire involving a row of terrace properties in Hopewell Square in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Traditionally, bonfires are lit in many loyalist areas of Northern Ireland on the 'eleventh night' - on the eve of the Twelfth of July. They celebrate William of Orange's victory over King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2016 - General view of firemen at the scene of the 'eleventh nightAo bonfire in the Lower Shankill Estate in west Belfast where several house caught fire from embers. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said it had four appliances dealing with a significant fire involving a row of terrace properties in Hopewell Square in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Traditionally, bonfires are lit in many loyalist areas of Northern Ireland on the 'eleventh night' - on the eve of the Twelfth of July. They celebrate William of Orange's victory over King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2016 - General view of firemen at the scene of the 'eleventh nightAo bonfire in the Lower Shankill Estate in west Belfast where several house caught fire from embers. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said it had four appliances dealing with a significant fire involving a row of terrace properties in Hopewell Square in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Traditionally, bonfires are lit in many loyalist areas of Northern Ireland on the 'eleventh night' - on the eve of the Twelfth of July. They celebrate William of Orange's victory over King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2016 - General view of firemen at the scene of the 'eleventh nightAo bonfire in the Lower Shankill Estate in west Belfast where several house caught fire from embers. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said it had four appliances dealing with a significant fire involving a row of terrace properties in Hopewell Square in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Traditionally, bonfires are lit in many loyalist areas of Northern Ireland on the 'eleventh night' - on the eve of the Twelfth of July. They celebrate William of Orange's victory over King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. A house catches fire at the Lower Shankill bonfire as it is lit during July 12th celebrations in Belfast , 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Lower Shankill bonfire is lit during July 12th celebrations in Belfast , 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Lower Shankill bonfire is lit during July 12th celebrations in Belfast , 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Lower Shankill bonfire is lit during July 12th celebrations in Belfast , 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Lower Shankill bonfire is lit during July 12th celebrations in Belfast , 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph A man dampens down a building as a bonfire is lit on the Shankill Road in Belfast on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. PA PA The Lower Shankill bonfire is lit during July 12th celebrations in Belfast , 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook
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Whatsapp Shankill bonfire: Belfast terraced houses gutted in fire. Picture By: Arthur Allison /Pacemaker.
Late last night families were seen fleeing from their home with bags of belongings to a neighbours house.
On Tuesday morning the extent of the damage caused to the houses could be seen.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Alan Walmsley told the BBC that the properties were 50 metres from the bonfire.
NIFRS is currently attending bonfire incidents in Belfast, Portadown and Dungannon protecting adjacent properties. pic.twitter.com/4FC4kqv8Gx NIFRSWalmsley (@NIFRSWalmsley) July 11, 2016
From 1800hrs to 0100hrs NIFRS received a total of 123 emergency calls of which 42 were bonfire related.#protectingourcommunity NIFRSWalmsley (@NIFRSWalmsley) July 12, 2016
He said that the cause of the blaze was being investigated but that they believed the fire was caused, not by heat radiating from the bonfire, but rather burning embers blowing from the pyre.
Overnight the Fire Service handled 123 emergency calls, which was an increase in last year.
Of those incidents, 42 were bonfire related and 16 of these required active intervention by crews.
During the evening the Fire Service attended bonfire related incidents across in Bangor, Coleraine, Banbridge, Rathfriland, Dungannon, Derry City, Portadown, Ballyhalbert and Limavady.
On the Albert Bridge Road fire crews were called to dampen down buildings next to a bonfire.
The traditional "Eleventh Night" fires mark the start of commemorations of the victory of the Protestant King William of Orange over Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland in 1690.
Filmed this at Coolfin street beside City Hospital just now pic.twitter.com/lj9HitPCh6 Declan Lawn (@DecLawn) July 11, 2016
Crowd being moved back at Chobham St bonfire in case it falls forward pic.twitter.com/FReywn0TID Maria McCann (@journomaria) July 11, 2016
Flames getting higher at Sandy Row pic.twitter.com/TIwwKwQSS2 Damien Edgar (@damien_utv) July 11, 2016
Here's hoping for a quiet 11th night, I really hope everyone will take care and come safe. Dale Ashford (@NIFRSAshford) July 11, 2016
Lord St bonfire and party in full swing #EleventhNight pic.twitter.com/jzHro6nwjF john kyle (@cllrjohnkyle) July 11, 2016
Looking forward to having a tour of the bonfires across Belfast later #Eleventhnight #Bonies @Kscott_94 Rebecca Black (@RBlackBT) July 11, 2016
Depressing to still see Irish flags burned on bonfires for #EleventhNight. Celebrating your culture doesn't require disrespecting others'. Christine Quigley (@c_quigley) July 11, 2016
Well done Ladyhill Bonfire Group .. Donation to Meningitis NI .. & great turnout from families and local groups pic.twitter.com/tsQug6nPp5 Danny Kinahan (@DdeBK) July 11, 2016
Disappointing to see Danny Kinahan,a credit to NI in the commons,with bonfire group going to burn Irish flag @DdeBK https://t.co/4GbJi9bVxj Gabe Doran (@GPDoran) July 11, 2016
If your bonfire gets out of control, call 999 immediately and ask for Fire & Rescue Service #protectingourcommunity pic.twitter.com/PSeCXGHQ5a NIFRSSouth (@nifrssouth) July 11, 2016
Chobham Street Bonfire
east Belfast pic.twitter.com/1HuRSS1s7g Gary (@UlstersNo1) July 11, 2016
Praying for a peaceful & enjoyable #EleventhNight and #Twelfth for all! Have a good one! pic.twitter.com/Vawm2HqHDd RangersLinfieldFC (@bluesbrothers86) July 11, 2016
Just the standard Cluan Place bonfire, on a road, damaging public property and burning flags. pic.twitter.com/5AQb0HPIRL Kris Nixon (@belfastbarman) July 11, 2016
Everyone welcome. All inclusive event we're told. Even "Taigs" like me? pic.twitter.com/hdqOX7o0tI Orla Boyle (@The__Boyler) July 11, 2016
Oh joy, I can hear the pipes and drums in the distance #EleventhNight Rachel (@rmoomin84) July 11, 2016
A few Bonfire photos all set for the main event #Bonfire pic.twitter.com/0D5ibHK03s Gary (@UlstersNo1) July 11, 2016
I could have written an essay, but I'll keep it short and sweet...for now! #EleventhNight #TwelfthOfJuly pic.twitter.com/oyhVDDxh6m Emma Wheatley (@EmmaAWheatley) July 11, 2016
Happy 11/12th July. Bangor's finest bonfire now completed and ready for our celebrations. #Remember1690 pic.twitter.com/Mrl85poN42 Jamie Bryson (@JamieBrysonCPNI) July 11, 2016
You couldn't move for the Prime Time specials and liberal think pieces if this was somehow a Republican bonfire. pic.twitter.com/7kSFu4jOpW Paul Reynolds (@PaulFedayn) July 11, 2016
The only bonfire our wee one is bigger than is last yearspic.twitter.com/B1HcXwqmL5 Izzy (@Izzy_Giles) July 11, 2016
Disgusting act by so-called loyalists. Posters of SDLP's Joe Boyle & Alliance's @Kelmba on Killyleagh #bonfire . pic.twitter.com/XVxnLtpt1n Yvette Shapiro (@yvetteshapiro) July 11, 2016
1st call from a constituent telling me my posters are on Bonfire in Ballymena area.
I ran for election in 2014.
What idiot kept my posters? Patrice Hardy (@MisssPatrice) July 11, 2016
Bonfire before it gets lit pic.twitter.com/21PBzBxRev Kacey :)) (@kaceylovessam) July 11, 2016
Responsible adults should look after lighting bonfires - before lighting the fire, check that no children or pets are hiding inside it NIFRS (@NIFRSOFFICIAL) July 11, 2016
Oh my God Belfast is thick with smoke already! It's not midnight yet people #BonfireNight #EleventhNight Joanne (@JoSamberdoodle) July 11, 2016
The lighting of the towering structures, most built with stacks of wooden pallets, drew thousands of onlookers, but was again the source of controversy despite the efforts of organisers to improve their image.
To their defenders they make for a family-friendly, spectacular celebration of loyalist/Protestant culture; to their detractors they are potentially dangerous, environmentally damaging, magnets for anti-social behaviour and alienating to nationalists.
There were complaints of the burning of Sinn Fein election posters made for May's Stormont Assembly poll as well as the use of toxic tyres.
In recent years, bonfire builders have faced criticism after items linked to the nationalist/republican tradition - such as Irish flags and posters, and effigies of high-profile politicians - were placed on top of some of the fires and torched.
Last year, homes near Chobham Street in east Belfast had to be evacuated over fears the giant nearby bonfire could topple onto property.
While this year's bonfire in that neighbourhood has been moved away from those homes, and is set to be smaller in scale, the fire is still proving contentious. Equipment in a newly-built children's play park has had to be moved amid fears of damage.
At the Ballybeen bonfire at Dundonald in greater Belfast, environmental concerns about noxious fumes have been raised after footage emerged of a large number of tyres being dumped at the site for burning.
Many fires were lit late on Monday night, ushering in Tuesday's Twelfth of July parades.
Authorities in Northern Ireland are cautiously optimistic the Twelfth can pass off peacefully, but have a major policing operation planned to deal with any unrest.
Two homes near Belfast's Shankill Road which were damaged by the bonfire
Children climbed the huge bonfire in Sandy Row, Belfast, before it was lit
A bonfire is lit in Shankill Road, Belfast, on the Eleventh night
Members of the Orange Order march on Crumlin Road in Belfast
PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton looks on as thousands of Orange Order members take part in annual Twelfth of July parades across Northern Ireland
Flashpoint Orange Order parades marking the Twelfth of July across Belfast have passed off virtually without incident.
Marches near Catholic churches in the east and city centre were largely uneventful while the most volatile sectarian interface at the nationalist Ardoyne remained calm amid claims a deal to end the long-running dispute had been close.
However, several families near the staunchly loyalist Shankill Road were left facing homelessness after their properties were burned beside an Eleventh Night bonfire marking the start of festivities on Monday. And a normally liberal Ulster Unionist MP apologised after tweeting a photograph of him standing in front of a bonfire with the Irish flag on top.
The vast majority of the 600 parades on the Twelfth commemorating the anniversary of King William III's victory over James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 are free of trouble each year.
But the threat of disorder at a small number of sectarian junctions between Catholic and Protestant residents always has the potential to mar the day.
More than 3,000 police officers were on duty but the situation remained peaceful and low key.
During recent Twelfths, police have come under attack at a temporary barrier on the Woodvale Road as they prevented three Orange lodges and their supporters from reaching Ardoyne.
In recent days a deal between the Orange Order and residents fell through but community workers on both sides of the divide have expressed hope the work can be salvaged.
This year, in what was apparently a pre-planned move, only a dozen members of one of the lodges approached the barrier, with a small number of supporters watching on.
After handing a letter of protest to the police officer co-ordinating the operation, they stood with their backs to the railings for over an hour before dispersing.
The intention was for the other two lodges to also walk to the barricade, but they did not arrive because a timing issue meant they missed a deadline set by the Parades Commission for loyal order members to leave.
Afterwards there was a minor incident on the nearby Crumlin Road when loyalist and nationalist youths shouted abuse at each other but police moved in swiftly to prevent trouble. Republicans tried to set fire to Union flags while some children threw a couple of bottles at police.
The main Belfast parade, the longest, had passed St Patrick's Catholic Church on Donegall Street without major incident. There has been a long-running confrontation between bandsmen and residents over songs played outside and tight restrictions were imposed.
Bands were told to only play a single drumbeat near the church, and most abided by the Parades Commission ruling.
Later a stand-off developed at Ardoyne between around 200 loyalists and republicans after the parade had passed without incident.
Riot police moved in among members of the republican crowd.
The road was later reopened and the police operation stepped down.
Finance ministers from the UK's three devolved administrations have pledged to fight Westminster austerity measures in the wake of the Brexit vote.
Stormont's Sinn Fein Finance Minister Mairtin O Muilleoir took part in talks in Cardiff yesterday with the Scottish Government Finance Secretary Derek Mackay and his Welsh counterpart Mark Drakeford.
They are seeking a meeting with Chancellor George Osborne in a bid to avoid public spending cuts and to push the Government to reimburse them for any shortfall caused by the eventual withdrawal of EU funding.
They said: "We are determined to act to protect the interests of all our people, especially against further austerity policies that might be considered as a consequence of the referendum. This is particularly relevant in the context of the majority vote in both Scotland and the North of Ireland to remain within the EU."
Urging the Government to take the opportunity provided by the referendum to think again about economic and fiscal policy, they added: "It is essential we assure potential investors, the business community and those in receipt of European funding that we will endeavour to put in place the necessary measures to safeguard our interests. Certainty on future budgets will underpin those assurances."
They also sought clarification on alleged plans to cut some spending by 3.5bn in 2019-20.
Mr O Muilleoir said it was vital the interests of the people across the devolved administrations were protected and ministers worked together on areas of common interest. He added: "Together we are seeking assurances from the Government around budgets and that the levels of current significant EU investment will be sustained.
"Obviously, the potential economic impact on the border region in the North of Ireland, which has greatly benefited from European funding, is of particular concern."
Mairtin O Muilleoir: Vital the interests of the people across the devolved administrations were protected
Finance ministers from the UK's three devolved administrations have pledged to fight Westminster austerity measures resulting from Brexit.
Northern Ireland finance minister Mairtin O Muilleoir held talks in Cardiff on Monday with his counterparts from Wales and Scotland, Mark Drakeford and Derek Mackay.
They are seeking an urgent meeting with Chancellor George Osborne in a bid to avoid further public spending cuts or savings and protect EU funding.
They said: "We are determined to act resolutely to protect the interests of all our people, especially against further austerity policies that might be considered as a consequence of the referendum result.
"This is particularly relevant in the context of the majority vote in both Scotland and the North of Ireland to remain within the EU."
They urged the UK Government to take the opportunity provided by the referendum to think again about its economic and fiscal policy.
They said: "It is essential we assure potential investors, the business community and those in receipt of European funding that we will endeavour to put in place the necessary measures to safeguard our interests; and certainty on future budgets will underpin those assurances."
They sought clarification on alleged plans to reduce some spending by a further 3.5 billion in 2019-20.
Mr O Muilleoir said it was vital the interests of the people across the devolved administrations were protected and ministers worked together on areas of common interest.
He added: "Together we are seeking assurances from the Westminster Government around budgets and that the levels of current significant EU investment will be sustained.
"Obviously the potential economic impact on the border region in the North of Ireland, which has greatly benefited from European funding, is of particular concern."
Mr Mackay said: "We remain unclear on the likely impact of Brexit on UK Government finances, and we are already seeing the UK Government suggest changes to future spending plans as well as considerable concern over the economy and investment levels.
"The devolved administrations need urgent answers from the UK Government on the impact that the Brexit vote could have on future budgets, and that is why it is crucial that we meet with Mr Osborne imminently."
Mr Drakeford said the impact of Brexit on the UK's finances would feed into devolved budgets.
He said: "Today's meeting gave us an opportunity to come together to share our concerns and to explore how we can speak with one voice in our talks with Westminster.
"That is why we have written to the Chancellor requesting a meeting to raise our collective concerns and to seek assurances for our people, communities and businesses."
Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton, right, with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. E Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye
Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye
Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
A heavy police presence flanked the contentious Orange Order parade past the Ardoyne shop fronts while protesters shouted "walk of shame".
A major PSNI security operation will be ready - if needed - to tackle any disturbances across Northern Ireland as Twelfth parades get under way.
The vast majority of almost 600 parades are free of trouble every July, but a threat of violent disorder remains at a handful of flashpoints.
There was loyalist anger earlier this month when the Parades Commission again banned a return parade in north Belfast from passing the Ardoyne shop fronts.
Received briefing from officers on duty at Ardoyne & Woodvale facilitating parade and protests #KeepingPeopleSafe pic.twitter.com/fCsKS6odQ0 George Hamilton (@ChiefConPSNI) July 12, 2016
Loyalists at a protest camp at nearby Twaddell Avenue have been calling for the Ligioniel lodges to be allowed to complete their return evening parade along the Crumlin Road since it was initially banned three years ago.
The nationalist Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) has threatened action if the return parade is allowed.
On Tuesday morning the parade passed peacefully with a single band as Orangemen walked the route.
Protestors shouted "walk of shame" as the parade passed.
Others held a banner saying "resolution is possible".
Floral tributes outside the Bataclan Theatre in memory of the victims of the Paris attacks
France's intelligence chief believes Islamist extremists like those who carried out two waves of attacks in Paris last year will look to use booby-trapped cars in the future.
The remarks by Patrick Calvar, testifying before a parliamentary commission examining French efforts to fight terrorism, have been published in a 300-page report.
Last year's November 13 attack on a stadium, a concert hall, bars and restaurants were carried out by suicide bombers and assailants with assault rifles.
But Mr Calvar said in his May 24 testimony that he thinks attack methods will evolve.
He said: "I'm convinced they'll go to booby-trapped vehicles and bombs, thus upping their power."
The commission's work uncovered intelligence issues which led to authorities' failure to foil the attacks that killed 147 people.
Mr Calvar said: "We know very well they're going to use this mode of operating.
"They're going to end up sending commandos whose mission is to organise terrorist campaigns without necessarily going to the assault with death awaiting them."
He also raised the possibility of extremists using "dirty bombs" and the natural poison ricin, saying several groups had studied the toxin in the past.
The Armed Islamic Group, which caused terror in Algeria in the early 1990s, was looking to put the substance on car door handles to create a panic effect, Mr Calvar said, and this tactic was also studied in northern Iraq and in the remote Pankisi Valley in Georgia, once a stronghold of Chechen militants.
Mr Calvar did not elaborate on when this new approach to attacks could become an imminent threat to France or other western targets. He noted before the commission that he cannot reveal all that he knows.
Several associations representing victims and their families also met French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve.
Mr Cazeneuve had earlier rejected one of the 40 proposals contained in the report - the establishment of an American-style intelligence agency that combines numerous others currently existing in France.
Belfast businesswoman and celebrity hairdresser Brenda Shankey tells Karen Ireland how she has endured three months of hell since splitting with husband Jason - but also why she now feels excited and optimistic about what lies ahead.
After months of constant rumours and speculation that they were living separate lives, Brenda Shankey today confirms that she and her husband Jason have been separated for the past six months.
The couple, who had been together for 18 years and married for 14 years, and who run four salons together as well as supplying a successful range of hair products, are parents to Lauren (15) and Will (13).
"The children and the businesses will remain our priority," stresses Brenda (45) in her first interview since the split.
Asked how she has been coping, she replies with complete honesty: "I went through three months of sheer hell when I did all the stages of the grieving process. First, there was absolute hysteria and shock. I thought I could fix things and we would get back together again.
"Next, there was anger and blame and I worried that I should have done more to make it work.
"Then I went through the feelings of loss that comes with being with someone for 18 years and realising that you are not with them anymore.
"Finally, reality hit me and I started to accept the situation. And when that happened, I went into the stage I am at now, which is looking after myself and preserving my own life."
Brenda, who is known for her bubbly, outgoing personality, says she hit rock bottom six months ago when she found herself alone in a rented house after leaving her beautiful marital home.
"I think we'd both known for a few years that things weren't right, but we tried to hang in there and cling on because of the children and the businesses," she explains.
"Then one day about six months ago we were rowing and I just put my hand up and said, 'No, I can't do this anymore. I am not going to do this for the next 40 years and live half a life'."
Brenda says she and Jason, who is also 45, then decided in a very mature and amicable manner to go their separate ways. She moved out of the family home and the children divide their time between the two houses.
"The children have been my rock," she admits. "They are amazing and say they are much happier now as they know we were making each other unhappy and now we both have a chance of happiness.
"In ways this has been an education for them as they have seen that sometimes relationships don't work out, but there is a way to walk away with dignity. They have seen me cry and they have seen me come out the other side."
Evidently, though, her new-found acceptance with finding herself single again has come after many weeks of turmoil and anguish, and Brenda talks openly about how, in those difficult first few months, she felt lost and alone.
"I suddenly found myself in a strange house which wasn't my home," she says. "I had to take care of all these things Jason had taken care of - from simple things like working the heating in the house to taxing and insuring my car. I'd never done any of that. Jason always took care of things like that for me."
At the same time, Brenda says that while she found the break-up incredibly difficult, she also knew that once she had accepted the love in the marriage was lost there would be no going back. "We had become two functioning business partners, rather than a married couple - the love was gone and all that was left was the business," she explains. "So we both held our heads up and walked away diplomatically and amicably. We both knew it was gone and there was no point in trying anymore."
Brenda says they have worked hard at remaining friends as they know they still have to work together, running their impressive business empire.
At the moment they are in the process of growing the business - next month their salon in House of Fraser in Victoria Square, Belfast, will double in size, while they are currently finalising the details on the opening of a new salon in a prestigious hotel. They also have two other salons in Belfast and one in Holywood.
"Business is fantastic and will remain so as that is what we are good at," says Brenda. "We meet twice a week to discuss the business and email each other constantly. We are polite and courteous to each other and continue to operate well as business partners as that is what we know how to do best. We had simply fallen out of love, which is sad but it happens so often."
The support of close pals has proved invaluable as Brenda navigates uncharted waters in her personal life. "I am surrounded by friends who are in a similar situation and they have been a great support," she admits. "My friends have been amazing.
"I have all this extra time now I don't have the children every night, so I see a lot more of my friends. I honestly feel like I have been given a second chance at life. I now feel happy and free. I can do what I want when I want and I don't have to consider anyone else - only me.
"I enjoy the time I have with the children much more as I don't see them every day, so when I do see them it is precious and I make the most of it. For the first time in years I am excited about the future and what it holds for me."
When asked what she wants to do with her new-found freedom, Brenda says she hopes to travel more. She has just returned from France with son Will and plans to take both her son and daughter back to the country, to Nice, in a few weeks.
"I want to enjoy my time with the children before they head off to university and do their own thing," she says.
"I want to make the most of every second. So I am going to spoil them and go on lots of trips."
For some time Brenda, former Belfast Telegraph Business Woman of the Year winner, has been a passionate advocate of the benefits of mindfulness.
In January, she brought out her first book, Be Fabulous, which has more than 14 chapters examining topics such as morning meditation, evening meditation, how to talk to yourself positively, coping with hardships and beating stress. It's a technique she has found especially helpful over the past emotionally challenging months, and she now has plans for more projects in this area.
"I also want to concentrate on my mindfulness and write more books," she says. "I am working on a book for children and planning classes for children in September."
She attributes all her studying of mindfulness to how well she has been able to cope with the shock and change the separation has brought.
"It has taught me that everything happens for a reason and there is no point in getting angry - that won't solve anything," Brenda says.
"It has taught me to accept things that happen and that after the storm comes the sunshine. I truly believe what is coming is better than what has been.
"Yes, I went through hell in the early days and I cried myself to sleep and there were days when I could barely function. I had been with Jason for 18 years, and that's a long time. But I wouldn't change anything and I certainly wouldn't go back. Now I have come out the other side I am happier now than I have ever been.
"The children and I are just like three free birds in the new house. We do what we want when we want together. I have them on a Thursday through to a Sunday and Jason has them the rest of the time."
When asked how she thinks Jason is coping with the split, Brenda remains ever diplomatic.
"Jason keeps his cards close to his chest so it is hard to know what he is feeling but he, too, seems happier and freer," she says. "He is enjoying going out with his friends and riding his motorcycle and just having the freedom to be himself. I think he is also happier than he has been in years. He seems happy and relaxed.
"It is like the pressure is off both of us. We know we gave it our best shot, but in the end it wasn't meant to be. Jason is a fantastic businessman and a great dad and he will continue to be all those things."
Brenda is adamant that there was no one else involved in the breakdown of the marriage. And when asked whether she would like to meet someone else, she smiles and dismisses the notion, saying that she wants to take time to savour her new-found independence.
"Definitely not at the minute," she laughs. "I am just finding me and loving being by myself. I do think everyone needs someone and I would hate to think that I will be on my own for the rest of my life, but right now I am totally happy being me. I don't need anyone else.
"I don't want to have to impress anyone else or make them happy. I just want to make myself happy.
"I want to try new things and do new things now that I have this extra time. I want to learn a new language and I want to travel."
So for Brenda there is no going back - only looking forward.
She adds with conviction: "I am so excited to see what the future brings."
Gabina VOA is designed to be an infotainment youth radio show broadcasting to Ethiopia and Eritrea in the Amharic language. The show brings varied perspectives on issues concerning young people in the Horn of Africa region. Gabina in the Amharic language is a front row taxi ridesymbolic of the shows content as a fun ride that takes audiences from point A to point B. Gabina VOAs main goal is Enlightening young people, introducing them to cutting-edge technological innovations, exposing them to new processes and ideas so they can be productive, informed and self-governing citizens.
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Is it true what they say that you live longer if you attend church? Research has suggested the probability looks good for churchgoers. This includes seeing a boost in overall happiness, health and social relationships from attending church. The reasons many people attend church is it makes them feel connected to God and to a community that share their same interests. Now science is coming into the faith arena, giving what some believe is clarity on the influence that faith has on individuals and how it impacts their longevity.
Over the years there has been criticism that there is no correlation between prayer and church attendance, making it hokum. Dr. Dan German Blazer II is a professor of psychiatry at Duke University and was not supportive of one study done by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), a peer-reviewed medical journal and the findings showed there was a connection between religious services and health.
Actually attending religious services is good for their health because they are taking actions that are in line with their beliefs
Actually attending religious services is good for their health because they are taking actions that are in line with their beliefs, Blazer said in an interview with CNN. The study in question conducted by Harvard, surveyed 74,534 nurses in the nation and asked if they attended religious services. The researchers discovered that the females, who attended church service, had a 33 percent lower risk of fatalities than those who did not attend a service. Frequent attendance at religious services was associated with significantly lower risk of all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality among women. Religion and spirituality may be an underappreciated resource that physicians could explore with their patients, as appropriate.
Research also showed that people are experiencing increased health later in life, although researchers cant figure out the conclusive reason. People who are retired have more time to attend church on a regular basis, this could be the reason for the uptick in health. Going to church and praying could lower blood pressure, help with relaxation, help with family conflicts, and gives offers hope. All these things support a healthy life. WebMD supported that spirituality may help people live longer. A growing body of research is beginning to define the complex connections between religious and spiritual beliefs and practices and an individual's physical and psychological health. No one says it's as simple as going to services or "finding religion" later in life. It may be that people who are more involved in religious activities or are personally more spiritual are doing something that makes them feel better emotionally and helps them live longer.
Studies from Duke University also found the health benefits of faith. There was less mental illness, less sickness that led to being hospitalized, and church members saw a reduce risk in having heart attacks. Dr. Harold Koenig is the Director of the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health at Duke University Medical Center. He believes that there is an amazing connection with our bodies and going to church. Also, a leading psychiatrist in the field of religion, Koenig spoke with CBN News regarding how people of faith live longer than atheists. "The benefits of devout religious practice, particularly involvement in a faith community and religious commitment, are that people cope better. In general, they cope with stress better, they experience greater well-being because they have more hope, they're more optimistic, they experience less depression, less anxiety, and they commit suicide less often.
You dont need to be religious to enjoy the benefits of a community and some of the beliefs offered by faith organizations. Places of worship may emphasize that we honor the body by eating better, and stopping poor habits like smoking. Just like many faiths, there is gratitude, serving others, giving, or knowing that there is something bigger out in the universe. Services preach love, forgiveness, and finding hope in the good and the bad times. These messages are vital to our health as humans. Additionally, there are sermons and teachings on these subjects that we can all rally around and honor in our lives. People who on average went to church also had more positive emotions per day than those who didnt go to church. Church goers were less stressed, physically fit, and had less health ailments. Scientists believe that religion is helpful for those sick. The social support that comes from attending services helps people feel needed, supported, and is a community of one where people have the common interests. People following a religion admitted to be happier and it serves as a function that helps society--a Gallup poll found in 2011.
Of course there are many factors that contribute to the health of the religious. Seventh-Day Adventists dont smoke, and have a vegetarian diet. Christians believe their body is the temple of God. Muslims dont drink. Gallup found: It is possible, of course, that the noted relationship between health and religiosity could go in the other direction -- that people who are healthier are the most likely to make the decision to be religious.
Corine Gatti-Santillo is a freelance digital journalist, editor, and content producer. She is also the The Christian Post Voices Editor. She is also a former editor at Beliefnet.com.
This could be particularly relevant in terms of church attendance, one of the constituent components of religiousness. Healthier people may be more likely and able to attend religious services than those who are less healthy. Also there are certain individuals who make better lifestyle changes and that needs to be considered. With so many studies coming to the surface regarding the health benefits of attending churchthere has to be a grain of truth to it. Maybe not. It is bizarre and false, Psychology Today contributor Doctor Nigel Barber presented. Health researchers that give religion credit for longevity is a false hope, it is the result of being in the majority. "Americans have much lower life expectancy than is enjoyed by secular countries at a similar level of economic development such as Japan and Sweden," he wrote. "Evidently, the lower quality of life here both provides a market for religion and reduces life expectancy. If religion really promoted longevity, how could people have such short life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa where virtually everyone is deeply religious? Not everyone is on-board with the health and church link. One cant deny though the impact that church has made on individuals. How has church impacted your life and even your health? Share your findings.
Most of us know that a Christian is someone who follows Jesus Christ, who calls upon Him as his or her Lord as well as Savior. As Christians, we are Disciples of Christ. Jesus commissions us to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you (Matthew 28:10-20). We are sent by God and used to fulfill His purpose. However, when it comes to understanding doctrine and theology, many of us struggle to understand it and the ways they are relevant to our daily lives. In the study of God, we better understand who God is and what He has done for us. Here are some of the essential beliefs that all Christians share:
We Believe In One God
Contrary to polytheistic religions, Christians believe there is one God. Paul says that while the Gentiles worshiped many so-called gods, yet for us there is but one God, the Father from whom all things came and through whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live (1 Corinthians 8:6). Pauls mission was to turn the Gentiles away from idol worship and serve the living and true God. We profess in the Nicene Creed that we believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, Maker of all that is seen and unseen. The Bible tells us that we shall have no other Gods before us (Exodus 20:3, Deuteronomy 5:7). We worship God because the Bible makes it clear that God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). If God created all things, then there can be no other God. Any other gods that people worship are false idols.
We Believe In Three Persons
Both Christians and non-believers have trouble understanding the idea of three persons. The Trinity is a term used to denote the Christian doctrine that God exists as a unity of three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Despite the term persons in God there are not three entities not three beings; God is a trinity of persons consisting of one substance and one essence. How did it come to be that these Jewish apostles and the first Christian communities began to worship Jesus of Nazareth and the Holy Spirit as God? This worship is established fact which we know not only from biblical sources but also from description of early Christian worship by non-Christian sources, explains theologian and author and theologian Michael Horton. The Trinity is more clearly revealed in the New Testament; however, we pick up references of the Trinity in the Old Testament. In the first two verses of Genesis, Scripture tells us that when the Father spoke creation into existence, the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters (Genesis 1:1-2). The angel of the Lord is identified as God Himself several times in Genesis and Exodus. In the Psalms, the coming Messiah described has attributed that belong to God alone.
We Believe In Gods Greatness
Christians believe that God is great and does wondrous things. This greatness is central to all life. When people feel lost or empty, they are craving the presence of God in their lives, even when they dont know it. What we need most is God. While we tend to think of God as bigger, smarter and more powerful than we are, God is not just more than we are. He is unparalleled. He is eternal, immortal, all-wise, all-powerful and all-knowing. Who else do you know that matches this description? His majesty is beyond our power to comprehend. In Hortons book Core Christianity, he breaks down Gods greatness into four parts: (1) Aseity (God is self-existent and independent from creatures) (2) Unity or Simplicity (God is not made of different parts; He is undivided. His attributes are identical with His being (3) Immutability (God is unchanging) and (4) Eternity (God transcends our categories of time, space, and freedom. He is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent.
We Believe In Gods Goodness
Not only do Christians believe that God is great, we also believe that God is good .He reigns in majesty beyond our human comprehension or experience. He also reveals Himself by stooping down to our level to reveal Himself and save us. When we say that God is good, we are affirming His love, compassion, faithfulness, justice, righteousness and holiness.
We Believe God Speaks to Us
Christians believe that God speaks to them. Many people have attracted media attention for claiming to have died and returned from heaven with details. Others say that God speaks in audible terms, telling them where to go and what to do. If youre asking yourself why this doesnt happen to you, youre not alone. But the truth is, it does happen to You. God speaks to us through His word. He also speaks to us through the preaching of His word. Though you may not hear Gods voice, He is speaking to you right now, walking alongside you and guiding you in Your decision-making.
Good theology brings us joy and confidence and allows us to better understand who God is and what He has done for us. Even Christians can get lost when trying to unpack what they truly believe. For many of us, it is easier to understand our faith when we study theology and unpack the beliefs. The more we understand what we believe, the better position were in to grow in our relationship with Christ and communicate the message of God to others. For more on what Christians believe and why it matters, read Core Christianity: Finding Yourself in Gods Story by Michael Horton.
Lesli White is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth with a Bachelors degree in Mass Communications and a concentration in print and online journalism. In college, she took a number of religious studies courses and harnessed her talent for storytelling. White has a rich faith background. Her father, a Lutheran pastor and life coach was a big influence in her faith life, helping her to see the value of sharing the message of Christ with others. She has served in the church from an early age. Some of these roles include assisting ministry, mutual ministry, worship and music ministry and church council.
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The world began with a story. A spoken word made material through the power of an omniscient and omnipotent creator, whose metaphors reside among the stars, the moon, and the rising sun. Far from being a one-time event, creation is constantly continuing, and whats more, is constantly revealing to us the presence, the power, and the creativity of God. Dr. David Bradstreet, award-winning professor, author, and master of astronomy, is a theistic creationisthe sees the work of a divine creator when he studies the heavens. In his book, Star Struck, Bradstreet explores the ways in which he sees God in the wonder of our natural universe, and shows us how we can see the samean act which can only strengthen our faith.
Dr. Bradstreet writes of our Goldilocks World,a planet which is just right for the sustaining of life in innumerable and improbable ways. For example, if our world were tilted at a slightly different angle, if out atmosphere were but a little different in composition, if Earth had less water, and had no tectonic movement, life would not be possible. Our very position in the galaxy itself, on a quiet arm of the spiral-shaped Milky Way, away from danger, speaks of intelligent design. And then there is the fact that everything we see, all of our enormous universe, came from nothing. The Big Bang does not contradict Gods creation of the world. The fact that something came from nothinga scientific impossibilitypoints toward a divine creator. God, Himself, speaks of His role in fundamental natural processes in Job 38, proclaiming his dominion over everything from underground deposits of water to the path of light, itself.
It is understandable why atheistic materialiststhose who believe that creation arose from natural, impersonal processes that have no spiritual componentbelieve as they do. It is their worldview, and an integral part of their entire belief system. But it is puzzling why so many Christians shy away from meeting God through scientific inquiry. Romans 1:20 reads, For since the creation of the world, Gods invisible qualitieshis eternal power and divine naturehave been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Paul, here, is verifying the fact that we can see Gods hand in all of creation. So why doesnt the Christian church embrace this and use science as another tool to strengthen the faith of believers, and to the general population?
It is because there is a longstanding, false dichotomy between faith and sciencean illusory wall constructed out of mutual distrust that stretches far into the past. Historically, what tends to happen is that the scientific community makes a discovery, and the church reacts against it, its leaders thinking that the discovery contradicts scripture. But can reality really contradict scripture? What happens when the two disagree?
We must remember one thing. God makes sense.
God is the God of heaven and earth, of the observable physical laws, of all realityit was religion which gave rise to the idea of an ordered universe that can be studied. In fact, it may surprise you to know that, as Dr. Bradstreet writes, The Big Bang Theory was first proposed by a Roman Catholic Priest. All truth belongs to God, and so it follows that if a scientific discovery reveals something about reality that seems to contradict scripture, our understanding of scripture may need some revising.
Note that we are talking about scientific discovery, and not cultural and moral shifts. Scripture is not, and has not ever been in line with these fluid systems, and to attempt reinterpretation of the Bible based on every cultural change would rip the objectivity from Gods Word, leaving it distorted, shapeless, and ineffective.
What were talking about is the fact that reality and scripture will never, ever disagree.
The reluctance to take a second look at scripture in light of new discoveries has ever been a source of the Christian churchs antagonism toward the scientific community. This antagonism has resulted in an unfortunate strain of anti-intellectualism within American culture in which scientists, intellectuals, and scholars are distrusted. We must remember, though, that the Bible is a living document that continually speaks, but must also be continually interpreted in light of what we know of reality, and when what we know changes, that interpretation must necessarily change. And who is often the herald of that change? Thats rightscientists, intellectuals, and scholars.
Why is any of this information important for the Christian church? For one, shunning scientific discovery limits our understanding of our Creator. Relegating science to the domain of atheists leaves a Christian, as Dr. Bradstreet writes, secretly afraid lest some new truth may expose the juvenility of his faith. Looking for God in the workings of the physical universe is not only faith-affirming, but faith-protecting. We stand more strongly in our faith if we pursue Gods truth rather than attempting to hold to our own, human, interpretation of it.
Denying science can also have a profoundly negative effect on new believers. New Christians are often given a certain set of expectations concerning who God is, expectations which they embrace zealously. Of course, God will get me out of debt if I pray. Of course, Ill live a charmed life as a Christian, now. Of course, God will refute those atheists who posit that the world is billions of years old.
And then those expectations are shattered, and like a young lover who discovers that the deeply idealized object of his desire is a flawed human, the new believer flees, heart and faith, broken.
Establishing expectations which are grounded in all of Gods truth, however, leads to a greater, more secure faith in new believers. God is bigger than what we often give Him credit for. He isnt afraid of our scientific discovery of reality. He created it, after all.
And what of the worlds view of the Christian church? Does it hurt itself in its mission to bring the message of God to others when it actively casts aside scientific discovery? Almost certainly. The church does not need science to function, of course, but the acknowledgment of discoveries, and the flexibility to adapt to new information, aids in bringing God to others, tearing down those illusory walls of mistrust.
In the field of literature, authors often use metaphor to communicate what straightforward words cannot. Metaphors hold our attentionthey involve imagery, motion, action, and engage the senses. They can often teach us better than direct language can. God was the first, and remains the ultimate storyteller, and the whole universe is His metaphorthe prime metaphoreverything from the farthest galaxy to the smallest subatomic particle of our bodies. We can take simple, sweet joy in using scientific methods and tools to continue to discover the wonder of creation, which we can be confident will only continue to affirm our faith, never destroy it.
As Dr. Bradstreet writes, Who wouldnt want to look, to watch, and to wonder?
Wesley Baines is a graduate student at Regent University's School of Divinity, and a freelance writer working in the fields of spirituality, self-help, and religion. He is also a former editor at Beliefnet.com. You can catch more of his work at www.wesleybaines.com.
Confession
One of the reasons for a prayer meeting is to have the platform to confess our sins. However, its important that we confess our sins to God but also to each other. James 5:16 says, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. Through prayer and communication, Christians can utilize prayer meetings to spiritually restore themselves.
Forgiveness is one of the key elements to Christianity. Not only is it important to understand that God forgives His children for their sins, but as a whole we must forgive each other for our own sins as we come together in prayer meetings. Jesus wants his people to encourage and support each other through love and understanding. The fellowship that is developed through a prayer meeting will help to encourage spiritual strength within individuals and overcome other obstacles that happens on a daily basis.
Armored vehicles used to transport four Bangladeshis who have been convicted on terror-related charges are seen outside the State Court in Singapore, July 12, 2016.
A Singaporean court Tuesday sentenced four Islamic State-linked Bangladeshis to between two and five years in prison for financing terrorist plots back home, according to news reports from the city-state.
The four construction workers from Bangladesh are the first convicts to go to prison in Singapore under its terrorism-financing law.
Unless the two governments decide otherwise, the convicted persons will complete their sentences in Singapore because they violated Singaporean law, Masudur Rahman, spokesman for Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told BenarNews.
Singapores State Court convicted them on May 31 when they pleaded guilty to charges of raising money for plots to overthrow the Bangladeshi government as well as target Bangladeshi officials for assassination, according to information posted online by the Singaporean Ministry of Home Affairs.
The four were among eight Bangladeshis arrested in Singapore in April under its Internal Security Act, and who were suspected of being members of a militant group calling itself Islamic State Bangladesh (ISB), the ministry said.
According to the state-owned Straits-Times newspaper, the four men sentenced to prison on Tuesday are Mizanur Rahman, 31; Rubel Miah, 26; Md Jabath Kysar Haje Norul Islam Sowdagar, 31; and Sohel Hawlader Ismail Hawlader, 29.
Mizanur Rahman was the alleged ringleader of ISB, which was established in Singapore and was made up of Bangladeshis who had intended to join Islamic State in Syria or Iraq, the Singaporean home ministry said. But because they encountered obstacles in their plans to travel to the Middle East, members shifted their focus to fomenting a terror plot on Bangladeshi soil, it said.
Authorities in Bangladesh have rejected claims that Islamic State is present in their country. However, IS has claimed several killings of religious minorities and foreigners in the South Asian nation dating to last year, and the group has also said it was responsible for an attack at a cafe in Dhakas diplomatic quarter that killed 20 hostages and two police officers on July 1.
Rahman, who was responsible for radicalizing the other Bangladeshis, got a five-year sentence while Miah and Sowdager, who served as the groups treasurers, each received sentences of two and a half years, Channel NewsAsia of Singapore reported. Hawlader, who donated S$300 (U.S. $223) to the ISB cause, was sentenced to two years in prison.
Overall, the group raised a total of only about S$1,360 (U.S. $1,010) for their cause, Channel NewsAsia quoted Singaporean prosecutors as saying.
I wanted to learn my religion but they [radicals] show me the wrong way, the wrong activities, Mizanur told the court on Tuesday, according to Reuters. My intentions were wrong Im very remorseful.
Among the four other suspected ISB members who are in Singaporean custody, Zzaman Daulat, 34, and Mamun Leakot Ali, 29, have pleaded not guilty, and Sohag Ibrahim and Islam Shariful, both 27, have not yet been charged, Channel NewsAsia said.
The arrests of the eight came three months after Singapore announced in January that it had sent 26 Bangladeshis, who were arrested on charges of links to IS or al-Qaeda, back to Bangladesh.
Unthinkable
The Bangladeshis who were expelled from Singapore were among a multitude of people from Bangladesh who travel abroad in search of unskilled and low-paying jobs in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
Extremism among migrant workers was unthinkable until Singapore deported 26 Bangladeshis on charges of terrorism. Surely this is an infiltration by the extremists. This is not the real picture of Bangladeshs migration regime, Saiful Haque, who heads the Warbe Development Foundation, a Bangladeshi advocacy group for migrants, told BenarNews.
Remittances sent home by Bangladeshi migrants are an important piece of Bangladeshs revenue.
We are highly dependent on remittances from our hard-working migrants who send billions of dollars every year, said Nazneen Ahmed, an economist who specializes in labor issues.
I think the sector will not be affected for the bad activities of a handful of migrant workers, she told BenarNews.
Three Indonesian sailors were kidnapped Saturday night from these boats in the waters off Lahad Datu, in the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah.
Indonesias government Monday confirmed that Abu Sayyaf militants had kidnapped three Indonesian sailors off the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah, and called on Malaysia and the Philippines to stop more hijackings and abductions by launching joint maritime patrols at once.
Indonesia cannot tolerate this incident and we ask the governments of Philippines and Malaysia for their strong efforts to secure their land and sea, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters in Jakarta on Monday. Especially to the Philippines government, we ask their help in freeing the Indonesian hostages immediately.
The Saturday night abduction of the three Indonesians from Malaysian-registered tugboats sailing off Lahad Datu, Sabah, brought to 10 the number of Indonesian sailors abducted by Southern Philippines-based Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) militants in two separate hijackings since June 20 in the waters that separate the three countries, according to Indonesian officials.
Earlier this year four Malaysian sailors and 14 Indonesian sailors were abducted but later released after three hijackings carried out by ASG and another southern Philippine militant group.
At a trilateral meeting in Jakarta on May 5, the foreign ministers of the three countries agreed to stop the hijackings and abductions along their common sea boundaries, including by mounting joint maritime patrols.
Last month, defense ministers from the governments in Jakarta, Manila and Kuala Lumpur met in the Philippine capital to discuss the plan further, including coordinating air-sea patrols. However, the three neighbors have yet to implement their plan.
Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo, the chief of the Indonesian armed forces, said that Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu was due to meet with his Philippine and Malaysian counterparts on Tuesday in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the latest hostage crisis and to follow up on the earlier trilateral talks.
So, now I would like to emphasize that it is urgent to start cooperating, the military chief told reporters in Jakarta on Monday, following an emergency meeting with Retno and other officials over the crisis.
If we are asked to go there to release the hostages, we will be prepared. We are also ready for the joint patrol. Whatever we are asked, we are ready for it, Gatot added. The Philippine government has given the green light for Indonesia to do joint military operations, but not in writing yet.
Perilous waters
In Saturdays incident off Lahad Datu, the three abductees were taken to the Sulu Archipelago in the southern Philippines, according to Sabah Police Commissioner Abdul Rashid Harun, who cited Philippine intelligence reports.
The crewmembers were abducted by five armed men who were dressed in black and wore black face paint, he said. Four other crewmembers three Malaysians and an Indonesian were released and allowed to sail home, he said.
We are investigating together with the authorities of Indonesia and the Philippines in tracking the terrorist group involved in the latest abductions, Abdul told BenarNews.
Many of the abductions that have occurred in recent months in waters that separate the southern Philippines from northern Borneo island have been linked to Abu Sayyaf, a militant group that has pledge allegiance to the extremist group Islamic State (IS).
Before Saturdays kidnapping, seven crew members of an Indonesian tugboat were abducted on June 20 as they sailed in the waters off Tawi Tawi, in the southern Philippines.
ASG recently executed two Canadians whom it had abducted after deadlines for ransom expired.
In the cases of the 14 Indonesian ex-hostages who were freed in May, the Indonesian government claimed that no ransom money was paid to secure their release.
However, according to an Indonesian analyst, Abu Sayyaf is addicted to the financial benefit that it can reap from ransom money, and therefore is likely to carry out more abductions.
When there is a chance and the opportunity to act, they will do so with the hope of getting a ransom, Harits Abu Ulya, a terrorism expert with the Community of Ideological Islamic Analysts (CIIA), told BenarNews.
Hata Wahari in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report.
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First up, Joe Biden is thinking about dropping tariffs against China. But theres a spy in prison this morning that helps us understand why he shouldnt. Ill explain.
Your second brief, If youre looking for a good paying job, you might consider being a CEO for a health insurance company. One executive made $142M dollars last year. Let's talk about that.
And as always, Im keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put this one on your radar. Mexican cartels are grooming American kids online and paying them cash to traffic illegals or run drugs across the border. Ill share details.
If you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief, remember to subscribe and listen daily at podfollow.com/pdb.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For Immediate Release, July 12, 2016 Contact: Michael Saul, (303) 915-8308, msaul@biologicaldiversity.org Historic Petition Calls on Obama Administration to
Immediately Halt All New Fossil Fuel Leases on Federal Lands 264 Groups Join Call to Align Federal Energy Policies With U.S. Climate Goals WASHINGTON More than 250 climate, community and tribal organizations filed a landmark legal petition today calling on the Obama administration to halt all new fossil fuel leasing on federal lands a step that would align U.S. energy policies with its climate goals and keep up to 450 billion tons of greenhouse gas pollution from entering the atmosphere. The petition, filed under the federal Administrative Procedures Act, calls on Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to place an immediate moratorium on new leases for federally managed, publicly owned oil, gas, tar sands and oil shale. The moratorium would remain until and unless it can be demonstrated that resumption of fossil fuel mining on public lands is consistent with meeting the U.S. goal of holding global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, as agreed to by the United States and 194 other countries in the 2015 Paris Agreement. The clock is ticking on the climate crisis, and one of the most powerful steps the Obama administration can take right now is turn off the carbon pollution spigot on Americas public lands, said Michael Saul, a Center for Biological Diversity attorney and primary author of the petition. A moratorium on federal leasing is critical to ensure the United States does its part to meet the global climate commitments we made last year in Paris. Led by the Center, the petition follows on the heels of a new analysis that finds that already leased federal fossil fuels will last far beyond the point the world will exceed the carbon pollution limits set out in the Paris Agreement. Crude oil under lease will produce through 2055, 34 years past the 1.5 degree Celsius warming threshold; gas under federal lease will produce through 2044, 23 years beyond the 1.5 degree Celsius threshold; and coal under federal lease will produce 25 years through 2041, 20 years past the 1.5 degree Celsius warming threshold. The Department of the Interior has the statutory authority under the Mineral Leasing Act to determine if and when to lease federal lands for fossil fuel extraction. Given that fuels already under lease exceed any sustainable climate targets, the secretary can and should exercise that authority to halt new leasing, according to todays petition. The findings support the growing call to President Obama by hundreds of organizations to immediately halt new federal fossil fuel leasing a step that will keep up to 450 billion tons of potential greenhouse gas pollution in the ground (EcoShift 2015) and prevent 100 million tons in annual emissions through 2030 (SEI 2016). Download the petition. Statements From Petition Signatories
If there's any chance of preventing the worst impacts of climate change, we must keep coal, oil and gas in the ground, said May Boeve, executive director of 350.org. But we can't do that if the Obama administration continues to sell that ground to the highest bidding fossil fuel companies. Now President Obama has a choice to make: expand oil and gas drilling indefinitely, or join us in doing whats best for communities and the climate. These lands are meant to benefit the public as a whole. Instead, they are being used to enrich fossil fuel companies while devastating our shared natural resources and putting communities around the world at risk, said Marc Yaggi, executive director of Waterkeeper Alliance. We must end federal fossil fuel leasing now to ensure our resiliency against climate change. This is a health issue as much as it is an environmental issue, said Barbara Gottlieb, director for environment and health at Physicians for Social Responsibility. Our use of fossil fuels is driving climate change and accelerating the heat waves, extreme storms, spread of insect-borne diseases, and other health effects associated with an overheated planet. A moratorium on fossil fuel leases on public lands is a smart step to slow the damage and lessen the dangers to health. Fossil fuel companies have already made millions off public land leases while wrecking the environment. We know that continuing the leasing program will create catastrophic climate change. Its time for President Obama to follow through on the climate commitment he made in Paris, end the corporate giveaway, and halt all new leases on public lands, said Amanda Starbuck, climate and energy program director at Rainforest Action Network. Florida is on the front lines of climate change. As sea levels rise, our coastal freshwater ecosystems are being lost and our underground aquifers are being inundated with salt water. Florida reefs have suffered unprecedented bleaching due to higher temperatures even as increased ocean acidity makes ocean chemistry incompatible with corals and other marine life, said Matthew Schwartz, executive director of South Florida Wildlands Association. We must do all we that we can to reverse this alarming trend. This moratorium is an excellent step in the right direction. On the heels of yet another hottest-month-on-record for the U.S., it's clear that climate change is already here. The question is how much worse will it get. We simply can't continue to drill, mine and burn more fossil fuels while global warming passes the point of no return. By ending new leasing on federal lands, President Obama can start us on the path to a just transition away from fossil fuels and toward a 100 percent clean, renewable energy future, said Rachel Richardson, director of the Stop Drilling Program for Environment America. The world's mainstream medical organizations are acknowledging that the climate crisis is the greatest public health threat of our time. The health and well-being of billions of people will be put at risk if we do not act quickly and decisively to end our world wide fossil fuel dependency. For the United States to do its share, and maintain its leadership role with other nations, we cannot continue to open up federal lands for dirty energy leasing, said Dr. Brian Moench, president of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment. We work to create resilient communities here in Texas and climate change is a top concern. We must transition away from fossil fuels that are destroying our communities. Ending new federal fossil fuel leasing would be a big step to averting dangerous climate change," said Kathy Redmond, Organizer Resilient Nacogdoches, Texas. Halting fossil fuel leases on federal lands is a necessary step to move the country, and Nevada, toward a clean energy solution to this climate crisis, said Ellen Moore of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada. The Obama administration must listen to the thousands of people who have protested the leasing of public lands for oil and gas. Without the moratorium public lands in our state will continue to be auctioned off to the highest bidder, presenting immediate risks to the health of our communities and wildlife, and putting the future of the planet in peril. The science is clear if we are to avoid the worst effects of climate change, we must keep dirty fuels in the ground, said the director of Sierra Clubs Beyond Dirty Fuels campaign, Lena Moffitt. The Obama administration was right to have placed a moratorium on coal leasing on our public lands, and it should expand that to cover all fossil fuel operations. Protecting our public lands and ensuring they remain open for future generations enjoyment is a clear and obvious place for this process to continue. Background
The American public owns nearly 650 million acres of federal public land and more than 1.7 billion acres of Outer Continental Shelf and the fossil fuels beneath them. This includes federal public land, which makes up about a third of the U.S. land area, and ocean areas such as Alaskas Chukchi Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Eastern Seaboard. These places and the fossil fuels beneath them are held in trust for the public by the federal government; federal fossil fuel leasing is administered by the Department of the Interior. Over the past decade, the combustion of federal fossil fuels has resulted in nearly a quarter of all U.S. energy-related emissions. An 2015 report by EcoShift Consulting, commissioned by the Center and Friends of the Earth, found that remaining federal oil, gas, coal, oil shale and tar sands that have not been leased to industry contain up to 450 billion tons of potential greenhouse gas pollution. As of earlier this year, 67 million acres of federal fossil fuel were already leased to industry an area more than 55 times larger than Grand Canyon National Park containing up to 43 billion tons of potential greenhouse gas pollution. Download the September Keep It in the Ground letter to President Obama. Download Grounded: The Presidents Power to Fight Climate Change, Protect Public Lands by Keeping Publicly Owned Fossil Fuels in the Ground (this report details the legal authorities with which a president can halt new federal fossil fuel leases). Download The Potential Greenhouse Gas Emissions of U.S. Federal Fossil Fuels (this report quantifies the volume and potential greenhouse gas emissions of remaining federal fossil fuels) and The Potential Greenhouse Gas Emissions fact sheet. Download Public Lands, Private Profits (this report details the corporations profiting from climate-destroying fossil fuel extraction on public lands). Download the Center for Biological Diversitys formal petition calling on the Obama administration to halt all new offshore fossil fuel leasing.
For Immediate Release, July 12, 2016 Contact Brett Hartl, (202) 817-8121, bhartl@biologicaldiversity.org EPA Weakens Water Quality Standard for Harmful Selenium Gift to Industry Threatens Endangered Animals, Migratory Birds, Human Health WASHINGTON The Environmental Protection Agency finalized nationwide water-quality criteria for selenium today that are substantially weaker than proposed standards issued nearly six years ago. The EPA ignored the recommendations and concerns of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service regarding what levels of selenium pollution would be harmful to endangered species. Although selenium is beneficial to human health in very small doses, this metal becomes toxic as it accumulates in larger and larger amounts through the food chain. Selenium pollution, which causes grotesque spinal deformities in fish, is a common byproduct of mountaintop-removal coal mining, coal-fired power plants and many industrial processes. These selenium standards are a step backward for water quality and little more than a green light for industry to keep polluting our rivers and streams, said Brett Hartl, endangered species policy director at the Center for Biological Diversity. Endangered freshwater fish, amphibians and mussels are some of the fastest-declining species in the United States in large part because toxic pollutants like selenium continue to be poorly regulated by the EPA. In 2010 the EPA recommended water-column criteria of 2.6 micrograms of selenium per liter in flowing waters and 1.3 micrograms per liter in impounded waters, but in 2016 the agency adopted water-column criteria of 3.1 micrograms per liter in flowing waters and 1.5 micrograms per liter in impounded waters. Despite expert wildlife agencies comments that the EPA is relying on out-of-date methodologies, developed in the 1980s, to assess harm to freshwater ecosystems, the agency continues to base its analysis almost entirely on this approach, which does not include the precautionary approach of the Endangered Species Act. The wildlife agencies also expressed their concerns that the EPA was not considering species higher up the food chain, like migratory birds, that feed on fish and other freshwater animals contaminated by selenium. The EPA is basing its analysis for selenium on assessment guidelines from 1985 the year the 3-inch floppy disk became popular, said Hartl. The EPA needs to start protecting water quality and protecting the most sensitive endangered species by listening to the experts and 21st century science. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.
#MandelaMonth is all about work that uplifts and business that's aimed at more than just plumping up the business bottom line. House of Brave's latest purpose-driven brand campaign for client Tracker shows how 'lighthouse brands' do just that.
A TV ad has to really resonate to garner on online orchid from Independent Medias media and marketing editor, Brendan Seery. Thats what happened with the latest Tracker ad a few weeks ago. In what Seery calls a big story that packs a ray of inspiration, House of Brave used beautifully crafted storytelling to begin repositioning Tracker from its former pure stolen vehicle recovery space to something more altruistic.
It does this by shifting focus of what the brand actually cares for, from the obvious metal vehicle to the consumer the vehicle belongs to and whose life is tied to that vehicle, which is todays emotional advertising high ground. Its an ad thats striking the right chords in keeping it true, writes Seery.
Telling true stories for true advertising resonance
Titled Wiley Pitman and five notes that changed a life, the ad focuses on the true story of a young, blind boy living a difficult early life in post-depression America. His only joy is listening to a local shopkeeper play piano, and when the shopkeeper takes the boy under his wing and teaches him how to play, it changes his life for good.
Howard Audio, commissioned to oversee the musical direction of the commercial, reveals that Wiley Pitman was the real-life shopkeeper in the story, who cared enough to nurture and protect the talent and love for music in the young, blind boy who went on to become musical legend, Ray Charles:
House of Braves executive creative director, Vanessa Pearson says the ad needed to shift the focus from Trackers reputation as South Africas leading stolen vehicle recovery brand to actual people and their inherent value, because: People know what the brand does, now they need to know what the brand stands for and believes in.
So its a logical progression. Charlotte Roetz, head of marketing for Tracker, adds: With a growing customer base and our technology, we are able to derive insights into consumer behaviour and their use of cars, which allow us to offer a far more diverse range of services that will continue to grow into the future.
Lighthouse brands, lighting up lives
Pearson adds that Tracker is a lighthouse brand - generally high quality brands with emotional resonance. They are brands that are purpose driven in everything they do. They are brands that can be trusted to do right by their customers, and to do that often and consistently. Their behaviour, their products and services all align in terms of offering and follow through. They embody individuality, confidence and integrity. What they say and do and believe in is consistent with their messaging. They know who they serve and why they do it.
Lighthouse brands also understand the emotional and rational attributes relevant to their customers and appeal to their hearts and minds consistently by tapping into those two aspects in an engaging, tangible and believable way. Customers then support lighthouse brands, because they demonstrate leadership and actually make a meaningful difference. Pearson says the campaign idea is therefore based on the unknown people who made a huge difference in the young lives of future world legends, without knowing at the time the full impact of their intervention or their moment of care or protection the names and people behind the scenes who just cared enough at a particular moment in time.
That means the association in this specific ad is actually more with Wiley Pitman than with Ray Charles himself.
Wiley Pitman gave a damn. He took the time to care and engage with a poor, young, hopeless boy who didnt have much to look forward to. Wiley was not in it for the fame or the pay back. He had no idea that this young, blind boy would become the world-famous, legendary musician that Ray became. Wiley just gave Ray his time, care and protection, because he was that kind of guy.
Its exactly this quality of standing for something beyond the pay back that resonates, especially in #MandelaMonth.
Click here for a reminder of House of Braves innovative work. For more on the agency, visit their website or follow their Twitter stream.
The SABC public broadcasting mandate must evolve with the changing needs of its viewers and listeners. The imminent changes to SABC TV channels programming line-up, particularly the increase of local content quotas to eighty percent is long overdue and in line with the objectives of the Electronic Communications Act, Local Content Regulations and SABC ICASA License Conditions. The six hundred million set aside by SABC for local content development will make a huge economic impact in the short to medium term.
The SABC is under increasing pressure from Mzansi Magic to increase its local content offering. Isibaya, Igazi, Our perfect Wedding, Date my Family are just some of few Mzansi Magic programmes that are eating away SABC TV viewership and advertising pie share. The increase of local content on SABC TV is not necessarily being implemented for the sole reason of empowering local producers; the public broadcaster has to defend its dominance in the broadcasting market.
Mzansi Magic dominates the airwaves on Sunday evenings with its compelling and addictive programmes, partly due to Basetsana Khumalo produced content. In the advent of democracy, SABC used to be the exclusive broadcaster producing African languages content; however Mzansi Magic and Mzansi Wethu disrupted the market when they introduced vernacular movies, lifestyle programmes and dramas.
123RF
Good, compelling content attracts audiences, listeners and advertising, and SABC is well familiar with this tact. In anticipation of the advent of DTT multiple channels by Mnet and e.tv, the SABC also has to up its game. Generations, Muvhango, and Uzalo are currently the most watched dramas on SABC TV and the other shows are not as successful in terms of audience ratings.
In terms of the ICASA TV Local Content Regulations, the public service channels, SABC 1 and SABC 2, are required by 2018 to have a minimum average of sixty five percent of local television content. These channels are also required to have the following genres, thirty five percent of South Africa drama, eighty percent South African current affairs, fifty percent South African documentaries, fifty percent South African knowledge building content, sixty percent educational content and fifty percent children programming. SABC 1 languages in terms of its ICASA License Conditions are Ngami and English. SABC 2 languages are Sesotho, Tshivenda, Setswana, Sepedi, Xitsonga and Afrikaans.
With regards to the commercial channels of the SABC, SABC 3 is required by 2018 to have a minimum of forty five percent of its programming consisting of South African local content. The channel's local content must consist of the following genres, twenty percent of South African drama, fifty percent South African Current Affairs, thirty percent South African documentaries, thirty percent South African knowledge building content and twenty five percent children programming. SABC 3 principal language is English.
The SABC is also required by the ICASA Local Content Regulations to ensure that forty percent of the programming is produced by Independent Producers. The public broadcaster must also ensure that by 2018, fifty percent of its annual production budget is spent on African languages programmes and content produced outside Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. SABC has therefore indicated it will build production studios in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North-West to support regional production companies.
It is therefore critical to note that the changes that the SABC is introducing, even though earlier than required, these changes are within the regulatory intervention by the Regulator ICASA.
When ICASA introduced license conditions for SABC around 2003, the Regulator approved that SABC 3, Metro FM and 5 FM would constitute the commercial wing of the public broadcaster. SABC 1 and 2 and the rest of the SABC radio stations would constitute the public service wing. During the deliberations with the Regulator, submissions were made that SABC 3, Metro FM and 5 FM were to financially subsidise the public service stations through their advertising revenue. The submissions were made within the context that the SABC funding model consisted of advertising, license fees and some government funding. At that time government funding and license fees revenue were shrinking.
At the current moment, SABC 1, Ukhozi FM, Metro FM and 5 FM largely contribute revenue of the SABC. Therefore, the commercial wing business model has silently become obsolete. It is therefore not surprising that the local content quotas that the SABC is introducing across its radio and TV platforms seem to be shifting away from the requirements imposed by ICASA with regards to the commercial and the public service stations.
What becomes critical as the SABC introduces more South African local content on TV and its radio stations is to ensure that the local content creates social cohesion and at the same time ensures the viability and sustainability of the public broadcaster as a whole. One hopes that the SABC will continue to ensure that its programming is also informed by market research. Even though the SABC, particularly its public service stations are targeted at specific tribes, South Africa is gradually integrating and it becomes critical that content on SABC stations is not narrowly defined to be aimed at a particular tribe, for example a Mosotho speaking listener may opt to listen to Ukhozi FM. This mindset shift is more critical on SABC TV, as more South Africans are becoming multilingual. Phalaphala FM has an Afrikaans rugby presenter who speaks fluent Tshivenda for example.
The introduction of more South African content will always be controversial because international content will have to fall by the wayside. The European Commission is also grappling with a policy proposal to ensure that TV broadcasters, particularly the VOD broadcasters in the European Union play more local content from Europe. The SABC has also announced that its bulletins must have the discretion and flexibility to diversify its news content due the current scenario wherein its bulletins are a cut and paste of each other.
The similarity of the news bulletins across SABC radio and television platforms reduces creativity and diversity of news. The SABC coverage area is South Africa and it becomes a complex exercise to have news that is relevant to all its viewers and listeners across all provinces. The SABC also has approval from ICASA for regional TV stations and one assumes SABC will introduce these stations during the DTT era that is upon us. As we go to the municipal elections different communities are anxious to see their local service delivery problems on TV and the SABC is a key broadcaster.
*Note that Bizcommunity staff and management do not necessarily share the views of its contributors - the opinions and statements expressed herein are solely those of the author.*
Media buying (online in particular) is evolving. Believe it or not, your target audience is smart. It's no longer about placing an advert during the 8pm news or a banner ad on a news website.
Media buyers need to understand their audiences communication and consumption patterns - or die.
Ive seen it time and time again; a media buying agency or firm will pre-buy large media blocks to secure discounts for their clients. I call this the discount-first media buying approach. Its like putting the cart before the horse, or before you even have the horse. Next thing the horse comes along and cant pull your cart because its simply the wrong cart for the horse. But at least we secured your discount, right? At least you paid less for the cart.
We need to move from discount thinking to insight thinking. All media buyers will sell you on insight-driven buying, but we seldom see the fruit thereof. Thats because true insight takes time. You actually need to sit down and think about it. It takes effort, planning, re-working, testing and testing again.
The online sales funnel
The online environment is the perfect playground to buy media based on insight. Programmatic media buying has changed the landscape in a way that has taken insight-based media buying to a level where we can understand buying funnels like never before. Yet still, we see media buyers winning accounts because they managed to sell the client on the idea of the discount they secured with Media24. Stop doing that!
I sat in a client-agency status a while back with one of our bigger corporate clients. I remember seeing the frustration on my clients face when the media buying agency insisted on the package deal they secured with a TV company. The client had been asking for out-of-the-box thinking and an innovative approach which they said needs to be TV free. Even I wanted to pull out my hair.
Where does performance come into the equation? Where do corporates and clients start waking up and pushing for the leads and the ROI, and not the discount? I believe that the online space is going to do just that. Im a firm believer that impressions means nothing. And funnily enough, impressions is where the discount is sitting (makes winking smiley face).
What were really after is action online. We want users to do something, not just see something. We have the power to target so specifically and track users through a sales funnel into performing an action; asking for a quote, signing up, buying something. Thats got nothing to do with discount, thats got everything to do with insight. Insight-based media buying is what drives down the cost per lead and delivers ROI, which is what ironically ends up not only saving you money, but making you money.
In closed bidding systems like Googe Adwords and social media buying, one cannot rely simply on mass purchasing. Facebook has a habit of not spending all the budget youve placed down because theyre not going to force users to click on your ad, or serve them an ad too many times. Its about smart creative, insightful targeting and a deeper understanding of how online advertising really works.
Please can we kill the discount media buying approach? Please!
Country Bird Holdings (CBH) looks to be on track to block a proposed scheme that threatens to put control of Sovereign Foods out of its reach.
On Monday, Kevin James, CEO of CBH, said the company had secured the backing of 26.6% of Sovereigns shares. "We either own the shares or have the backing of shareholders sufficient to block the scheme."
Although the scheme had irrevocable support from institutions with a combined 70%, some of the smaller institutions are reported to have sold out to CBH. With just more than 25%, CBH can block the scheme, which needs the support of 75% of shareholders.
The meeting, scheduled for July 25, will vote whether to implement a proposal that would introduce black economic empowerment (BEE) shareholders to Sovereign. In addition, the proposal would create an effective control block with top management and BEE shareholders holding 27%. This would make it almost impossible for a third party to wrest control.
Tuesday is the last day to trade to be able to vote at the Sovereign meeting. But even if CBH succeeded in cancelling or delaying the scheme meeting, it might have to sweeten its offer if it wants to gain control of Sovereign. Small shareholders, such as Albie Cilliers and Asief Mohamed of Aeon Investments, are not convinced the offer of R9 a share is sufficiently attractive.
Last week, CBH announced the offer for 50% plus one share of Sovereign at a price that was significantly greater than that at which it was trading ahead of the announcement. But shareholders say the offer excludes a dividend or interest payments critical in what could be a drawn-out battle for control.
In what may have been a bid to calm the concerns of Sovereigns management, CBH has said it views the commitment of Sovereigns management and employees as important to the continuing success of the combined businesses. CBH also said it would "seek to ensure that Sovereigns management and employees are given the financial and operational support necessary to manage and grow Sovereigns business".
But CBH did say it could not confirm whether any of the directors of Sovereign would continue to act as directors if the offer succeeded. It lacked specific information on the service contracts of the Sovereign directors. "CBH cannot confirm whether or not the emoluments payable to Sovereign directors will be affected by the offer."
We live in an increasingly connected world and organisations are under pressure to be available to their customers on multiple platforms at all times. However, organisations also have access to huge amounts of data about their customers.
Organisations that are not actively mining customer data and using that to support business decisions are missing valuable opportunities. They are also putting themselves at risk of not providing their customers with what they actually want and could lose those customers to competitors. This is particularly true in more mature industries such as financial services and telecommunications where products and services have diverged and are no longer a competitive advantage.
Sandra Galer, consulting director at Merchants, says, Most organisations already know everything about their customers, such as their buying habits, demographics and age. By applying that information appropriately, they could be using the analytics to target the right people, with the right products, at the right time. What this means for consumers is that you do not get random calls offering you irrelevant products. Your service providers know exactly who you are, what products and services you already have and what you are likely to want next.
Through proper analytics, organisations could identify products and services that a customer is considering, but might not necessarily have made a final buying decision yet.
According to Dimension Datas 2016 Global Contact Centre Benchmarking Report, almost 85% of South African respondents in the banking and investment sector believe that analytics helps develop customer experience (CX) and 73% state that it drives agent performance. Now in its 19th year, the Benchmarking Report not only highlights where customer service organisations are today, but where they are trying to take CX in the future.
Stokkete via 123RF
Self-service offers growth
Galer adds that self-service is another area showing massive growth. Its very important for cost-saving, but we, as customers, also want to do things for ourselves. We do not want to talk to somebody unless we absolutely have to and then you want that person to know who you are, understand what you have done and be able to talk to you properly. That means the focus on the contact centre is even more important. When a customer does call you, you are facing a real moment of truth. So, it is so important that when a customer does need to call you, their engagement with your organisation is easy, simple and you have all the information about that customer at your fingertips as an agent, so that you can offer the service they expect.
Darren Arnold, strategy director at Merchants, believes customer experience will ultimately be the only differentiator in certain industries. For mature markets, such as banking, where every other aspect of the service is starting to converge and the products and costs are fundamentally similar across the service providers, one of the only differentiators there is, is the experience that you provide your customer when they are interacting with you. The service we provide in these industries is much less transactional than it used to be. So, enabling our agents to provide an extraordinary customer experience through using technology is crucial.
Self-service channels enable organisations to be available 24/7, not just in emergencies. The Benchmarking Report also shows that the self-service platforms South African companies are providing for their customers are in line with the rest of the world and, when you ask these organisations why they are investing in those technologies and platforms, South Africa is ahead of the curve in terms of relating that to the customer experience.
Customer experience is a competitive differentiator
Galer says over the past three years, globally, they have witnessed a 30% increase in organisations that see customer experience as a competitive differentiator. Of the South African banking and investment organisations surveyed, 96% agree with their global counterparts, which should relate to a better service to you as the customer. These local organisations are also saying that CX is increasing their revenue and profit and they are seeing a direct link between the service they are offering their customers in their contact centre and their bottom line.
There are two fundamental areas for organisations when it comes to customer experience and they are linked, continues Arnold. One is omnichannel or the ability for customers to interact with an organisation across any channel they choose. Historically when an organisation decided to introduce new channels, it was to reduce their costs and broaden their service to their customers. That is no longer the case and customers are now driving channel choice. They are telling organisations how and when they want to interact, so having a seamless view of the customer across all those channels is important.
This is being enabled by cloud technology. Take the label away and focus on why it is important to organisations. Cloud allows organisations to access new channels and technologies on demand and the commercial constructs tend to be much more flexible. Therefore, the ability to try and react to customer demand with lower investment reduces the strain on trying to develop a business case and allows you to be much more agile to deliver on customer requirements. And, because you are paying on demand, it really gives the organisation access to technology in a much more flexible way.
Where traditional technology procurement methods resulted in organisations having to deal with legacy infrastructure, cloud gives them access to far more modern solutions. Historically, by the time organisations were ready to invest in new technology, they were already behind the curve, adds Galer. Traditional purchasing methods also saw organisations catering for peak volumes, resulting in wasted licences during quieter periods. Agility is the keyword for most organisations today. It is a case of being quick to respond to what customers are saying and being able to adopt new technology quickly. As we have said before, if you are not giving your customer what they want via the channels they want, they can easily go elsewhere and they will, she concludes.
Launched in 2008, the Youth in Construction (YIC) initiative exposes learners to the opportunities that exist in the construction and engineering space.
We interviewed Marie Ashpole, outreach officer at the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE), to find out how the initiative came together, what it hopes to achieve, and what can be done to accelerate youth development in construction.
Marie Ashpole, outreach officer at the SAICE
What does the Youth in Construction (YIC) initiative entail?
It offers learners the opportunity to be exposed to the diversity that the civil engineering and construction industry offers, addressing the skills shortages in the sector. The initiative provides learners with practical experience and the necessary information to guide them in choosing a career in the industry.
What is its primary goal?
The primary goal is to expose learners to the possibilities in the industry, and the importance of the civil engineering and construction industry as a national asset, and its critical link to skills development, infrastructure creation and maintenance, and service delivery to improve the quality of life of the majority of South Africans.
What factors prompted the industry to come together and launch this initiative?
There were many misconceptions on what the construction industry entailed. One of these is the fact that many regarded it as a dirty job, exclusively for males. Meeting people in the industry, both male and female, addresses the issue and opens up a whole new world to, especially, girl learners.
It was necessary to lay the groundwork for future development and progress in the industry where there are wonderful career opportunities and where construction skills are well rewarded. Through these expositions, young people are shown what is available and what can be achieved with the hope that they will join in building South Africas future.
It is important to notice that it is essential for the industry to have a highly skilled workforce with the right balance of professional and technical qualifications.
Because of this lack of knowledge on the industry among learners, and many adults, the role-players in the civil engineering and construction industry joined forces to encourage learners and students to join the industry, through the Youth in Construction Week initiative.
The initiative, which was launched in 2008, was done in support of National Construction Week and organised by the Construction Industry Development Board (cidb), the South African Forum of Civil Engineering Contractors (Safcec), the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE), the Gauteng Master Builders Association, now MBA North, and further education and training (FET) colleges.
Since its inception, about 35,000 learners, from grade 8 to grade 12, as well as FET college students from diverse backgrounds, had the opportunity to experience the excitement and diversity of the industry, while also receiving guidance and information on careers.
How will the Youth in Construction initiative be taken forward in terms of events, programmes, or workshops?
In the present economic climate where construction companies experience financial pressure, sponsorships are hard to find. However, we are positive that this initiative will again be well-supported as soon as there is an upturn in project roll-out by government.
What are some of the challenges the youth of today face in entering the construction sector?
There are many challenges, of which the lack of core mathematics as a matric subject is a stumbling block. Furthermore, a lack of knowledge on where to study and where to find learnerships or bursaries, is a concern. Learners can use the websites of all the above institutions to gain information on civil engineering and construction, as well as to possible sources of funding studies.
What can be done to accelerate youth development in construction?
Firstly, exposure to exactly what civil engineering and construction entails is necessary to alert learners to its possibilities. Secondly, for youth development within the industry it is necessary for government to roll out the promised more than R870bn worth of projects to put the industry on a solid footing again to enable them to provide employment to the youth in the industry.
Any words of encouragement for those wanting to enter the construction space in SA?
If you are looking for a career where you can solve problems, where you can really make a difference to peoples lives by bringing water, sanitation, roads, waste management and everything else that improves quality of life in communities, then you have to consider a career in civil engineering and construction! I have yet to meet someone in the industry who is not passionate about what they are doing!
Representing SAICE, Marie Ashpole was part of the original group of organisations that established Youth in Construction in 2008. She has been in her current position for the past 13 years, responsible also for the media, and the running of both the SAICE International Schools Water Competition, AQUALIBRIUM, and the SAICE International Bridge Building Competition.
The Gateway to Space: The Exhibition with a selection of 60 space exhibits, running at Sandton Convention Centre is the biggest exhibition to be hosted in South Africa.
Last year the venue hosted the Ice Age exhibition, a huge 3,000m display of 45 life-sized moving animals and 12 different scenes that document the 27th Ice Age period and ran for seven weeks to 8 August, and in 2014, the massive 3,600m Days of the Dinosaur exhibition was held at the Sandton Convention Centre for 31 days. It was the first and biggest interactive dinosaur exhibition of its kind in the country featuring 45 life-sized dinosaurs in 12 scenes, as well as two skeletons and seven dinosaurs in the animatronic interactive area.
The Gateway to Space exhibition, organised by Media24s Huisgenoot, YOU and Drum magazines, was assembled by the US Space & Rocket Centre, an official NASA Visitor Centre, and shipped in 20 containers from Budapest, Hungary, where it was last on display. It delivers an amazing space experience that includes a look inside the 15m life-size model of the Mir space station, a Sputnik 1 model, a full-size lunar rover model, an Apollo capsule design for future space exploration, a chance to touch the moon, and 55 other exciting space exhibits, such as a glimpse of a scale-model space toilet, and much more.
In South Africa, the Gateway to Space also features an exhibit that focuses on the South African space sector and highlights astronomy as well as space science and technology. The Department of Science and Technology, along with organisations such as the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory, Southern African Large Telescope, SA National Space Agency, Square Kilometre Array Project (SKA), Cape Peninsula University of Technology and Denel Spaceteq, is exhibiting a collection of artefacts that depict success stories in this field. According to SA Techie blog, if you like space at all, you have to make time to see it.
Pre-bookings by schools for Gateway to Space had reached 20,000 children before the exhibition opened. Were equipped to cope with the huge onslaught of eager visitors with tickets for specific staggered time slots for visitors to walk around the exhibition, ensuring smooth flow throughout the exhibition, says Debra de Sousa, operations manager at Sandton Convention Centre. She adds that Sandton Convention Centres very close proximity to the Gautrain, to Sandton City and other leading malls and hotels, adds to the appeal for families making a full day or even a night out when visiting the exhibition.
For more information visit The Gateway to Space.
The term 'artificial intelligence' (AI) was first used back in 1956 to describe the title of a workshop of scientists at Dartmouth, an Ivy League college in the United States. At that pioneering workshop, attendees discussed how computers would soon perform all human activities requiring intelligence, including playing chess and other games, composing great music and translating text from one language to another language. These pioneers were wildly optimistic, though their aspirations were unsurprising.
Trying to build intelligent machines has long been a human preoccupation, both with calculating machines and in literature. Early computers from the 1940s were commonly described as electronic brains and thinking machines.
The Turing test
The father of computer science, Britains Alan Turing, was in no doubt that computers would one day think. His landmark 1950 article introduced the Turing test, a challenge to see if an intelligent machine could convince a human that it wasnt in fact a machine.
Research into AI from the 1950s through to the 1970s focused on writing programs for computers to perform tasks that required human intelligence. An early example was the American computer game pioneer Arthur Samuels program for playing checkers. The program improved by analysing winning positions, and rapidly learned to play checkers much better than Samuels.
But what worked for checkers failed to produce good programs for more complicated games such as chess and go. Another early AI research project tackled introductory calculus problems, specifically symbolic integration. Several years later, symbolic integration became a solved problem and programs for it were no longer labelled as AI.
Speech recognition? Not yet
In contrast to checkers and integration, programs undertaking language translation and speech recognition made little progress. No method emerged that could effectively use the processing power of computers of the time.
Interest in AI surged in the 1980s through expert systems. Success was reported with programs performing medical diagnosis, analysing geological maps for minerals, and configuring computer orders, for example. Though useful for narrowly defined problems, the expert systems were neither robust nor general, and required detailed knowledge from experts to develop. The programs did not display general intelligence. After a surge of AI start-up activity, commercial and research interest in AI receded in the 1990s.
In the meantime, as computer processing power grew, computer speech recognition and language processing by computers improved considerably. New algorithms were developed that focused on statistical modelling techniques rather than emulating human processes. Progress has continued with voice-controlled personal assistants such as Apples Siri and Ok Google. And translation software can give the gist of an article.
But no one believes that the computer truly understands language at present, despite the considerable developments in areas such as chat-bots. There are definite limits to what Siri and Ok Google can process, and translations lack subtle context.
Another task considered a challenge for AI in the 1970s was face recognition. Programs then were hopeless. Today, by contrast, Facebook can identify people from several tags. And camera software recognises faces well. But it is advanced statistical methods rather than intelligence that helps.
Clever but not intelligent yet
In task after task, after detailed analysis, we are able to develop general algorithms that are efficiently implemented on the computer, rather than the computer learning for itself. In chess and, very recently in go, computer programs have beaten champion human players. The feat is impressive and clever techniques have been used, without leading to general intelligent capability.
Admittedly, champion chess players are not necessarily champion go players. Perhaps being expert in one type of problem solving is not a good marker of intelligence. The final example to consider before looking to the future is Watson, developed by IBM. Watson famously defeated human champions in the television game show Jeopardy.
Dr Watson?
IBM is now applying its Watson technology with claims it will make accurate medical diagnoses by reading all medical research reports. I am uncomfortable with Watson making medical decisions. I am happy it can correlate evidence, but that is a long way from understanding a medical condition and making a diagnosis.
Similarly, there have been claims a computer will improve teaching by matching student errors to known mistakes and misconceptions. But it takes an insightful teacher to understand what is happening with children and what is motivating them, and that is lacking for the moment.
There are many areas in which human judgement should remain in force, such as legal decisions and launching military weapons. Advances in computing over the past 60 years have hugely increased the tasks computers can perform, that were thought to involve intelligence. But I believe we have a long way to go before we create a computer that can match human intelligence.
On the other hand, I am comfortable with autonomous cars for driving from one place to another. Let us keep working on making computers better and more useful, and not worry about trying to replace us.
Transnet Port Terminal's GM of the Eastern Cape, Siya Mhlaluka, has been recognised at the Titans Building Nations awards, among other business leaders, for his contribution in the Public Enterprises category. Since 2000, the awards have acknowledged leaders who are making a positive difference across the continent, in 25 sectors with the purpose of sustainable growth and development of their nations.
Siya Mhlaluka
Mhlaluka has been the recipient and driving force behind a number of accolades received and achievements reached by Transnet Port Terminals Eastern Cape region. According to his colleagues at Transnet Port Terminals (TPT), Mhlaluka is an integral part of the management team at TPT and embodies the essence of what a great leader entails. Kevin Hustler, CEO of Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, was one of the first to congratulate Mhlaluka on his award. The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber wishes to sincerely congratulate Siya Mhlaluka on his prestigious Titans Award."
The Titans Building Nations Awards are coordinated by Celebrating Excellence in Organisations (CEO) and the recognition process is a stringent one, with a four tier judging process and auditing done by KPMG to ensure that their processes are equitably applied to all participants. The Johannesburg event saw the winners at country and regional level announced with the regional winners automatically becoming finalists in the continental awards. According to the chief executive for CEO, Annelize Wepener, the judging panels commented on the exceptional standard of nominees saying, this year was the best year with phenomenal leadership qualities. The leaders recognized today are special and unique.
After receiving his reward Siya Mhlaluka added, I am humbled to have been honored with this prestigious award. I do believe that this award also belongs to my entire Eastern Cape and Transnet Port Terminals team who constantly demonstrate their commitment and dedication to excellence and upholding the very values of innovation and superior service delivery that, as a business, we strive for. This is a milestone for the organisation and I am honoured to extend my appreciation and recognition to all colleagues who played a role in what we have achieved as a team.
Siya, in his role as GM of the Eastern Cape, has demonstrated time and time again his commitment to this role within TPT to ensure that the Eastern Cape region contributes significantly to the strengthening of the economy and growth of business in the region.
Blood Brothers will take place at Carnival City on 9 September 2016. The rock concert will raise funds for The Vrede Foundation in its fight against cancer.
The Vrede Foundations aim is to generate awareness amongst young South Africans (aged 15-29) regarding cancer and at the same time raise funds to provide financial aid to young South Africans with this disease.
The Blood Brothers were South Africas first rock group to band together at Carnival City and Grand West Casino in 2015 to raise funds for the Vrede Foundation through the concert. They also produced the war anthem, People Gotta Know as another fundraising avenue for the foundation.
Ten SA rock bands were recruited to perform their owns songs and the songs from their favourite international bands (which influenced their sound), during a three hour set.
2015s Line-Up:
Arno Carstens (Springbok Nude Girls)
Francois van Coke (Fokofpolisiekar)
George van der Spuy (Taxi Violence)
Albert Frost (Blues Broers)
Kobus de Kock Jnr. (Black Cat Bones)
Hunter Kennedy(Fokofpolisiekar)
Rian Zietsman (Taxi Violence)
Jason Hinch (ex Black Cat Bones, Boargazm)
Isaac Klawansky (Shadowclub)
Loedi Van Renen (Taxi Violence)
The original line-up will see Arno Carstens exit, while Zolani Mahola from Freshlyground will be a new addition to the concert.
Zolani looking is very much looking forward to being a part of this years set-up: I am so excited to be a Blood Brother this year, because it means I can rock out with some of my favourite colleagues and rock legends of our time. Possibly the only thing better than that is that we are bringing attention to and lending our voices in the fight against an invisible, but lethal enemy - cancer. If you have known anyone who has fought against this dreaded illness then you will understand how important it is for me to lend my support to those suffering. I'm thoroughly pleased to wear this badge of honour as the first female Blood Brother and walk in solidarity with my rocker comrades. Aluta continua!
Event details:
Doors open at 8pm-11pm
Tickets at TicketPros - Range from R250-R395
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Blood-Brothers/980280501985260?fref=ts
Twitter: @BloodBrothersSA
Vrede Foundation: www.vredefoundation.co.za
#TenUnite
Social media, supplemented by news apps, is the go-to place to find the latest news happenings; it is also on these platforms where job seekers are finding out about available positions.
Gone are the days of employers and recruiters advertising a position in print and online and being inundated by quality candidates. Recruiters now use social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram in addition to LinkedIn to find and engage with prospects, sometimes starting off with a very small pool of candidates meeting the criteria.
New generation of career hunters
What the water cooler of old was for office gossip, social media networking is for careers in the 21st century. Social hiring, also referred to as 'social sourcing', is an emerging recruitment strategy that delivers results and is here to stay. Every year, more digital natives are entering the job-seeking fraternity, but the challenge for recruiters is how to reach and engage them.
Social recruitment is gaining popularity as it allows recruiters to reach passive candidates. Its important for recruiters to familiarise themselves with social media, to start using it and build on their connections for now and in the future.
Dedicated resources
Businesses that want to use social media in their recruitment drives need to allocate a dedicated resource to create a healthy online company profile and authentically build an employer brand. It is important to update prospective employees about available positions, but to also give them a peek at the working environment. Future employees from Generation Y and Z are interested in the company culture, so it is important to think about the employer brand and how it translates in words, images and video across the various platforms.
Build a following
It takes time to build an active social media following and even more resources to continue engaging with the community and feeding it relevant content that it will respond to. Customers of online career portals dont always grasp the lengths sites go to to foster their communities and keep the content fresh and relevant. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to make a job portal translate well socially.
Benefits of partnerships
Recruiters save time and cost by partnering with a career portal that has a large and active social media community and offers online tools to make it easy for candidates to be notified of and apply for available positions via their device of choice.
Social media hiring is here to stay and recruiters have to determine the amount of time and resources required to find, attract and hire the right talent through social media networking as well as measure its effectiveness.
The world may still argue about whether or not climate change is for real. But in vast expanses of arid southern Africa, the daily struggle to cope with a changed climate is well under way. The lessons being learnt here on a small scale could prove vital in the fight for human survival.
The impact of drought has been felt acutely this season over southern Africa, as El Nino hit hard. Perhaps this is what we might expect under future climate change conditions and so we had better learn how to prepare for it: more frequent years that record less rainfall than usual, along with the associated crippling impact on livelihoods and the economy.
This is particularly the case in semi-arid regions of Africa and Asia. These climate change hotspots are highly dynamic systems that already experience harsh climates, adverse environmental change and a relative lack of natural resources. People here are often further marginalised by high levels of poverty, inequality and rapidly changing socio-economic, governance and development contexts.
This requires an effective response. In northern Namibia and eastern Botswana, research is already under way into whats currently working and not working in relation to managing climate impacts. A major regional project is seeking ways to reduce vulnerability and develop longer term climate adaptation responses.
Minimising vulnerability
The Adaptation at Scale in Semi-Arid Regions (ASSAR) project aims to redress the lack of information about the best ways to minimise vulnerability and develop adaptation responses. In addition it aims to produce future-focused and societally-relevant knowledge of pathways to wellbeing.
One of the initial steps has been to undertake vulnerability and risk assessment workshops. The case study sites are in northern Namibias Omusati region and eastern Botswanas Bobonong district. These workshops differ from many vulnerability assessments that often focus either on the village scale or on a resource-based sector.
The workshops bring together people from all walks of life. These include village leaders, nongovernmental organisations and government officials among others. This group is called the Knowledge Group. Issues and hazards of most concern are identified through prior interviews and then refined by this group. During a two-day workshop the Knowledge Group unpacks how the most important issues impact different livelihood groups in the area and the best responses.
During workshops in Botswana in November 2015 and in Namibia in March 2016, drought was found to be one of the three most important issues facing both regions. One of the exercises was to develop an impact chain to assess possible positive and the negative future impact of drought.
Impact chain from Botswana workshop - the red text shows potential interventions that were identified. Gina Ziervogel
Groups mapped how drought affects the biophysical system farming, water and natural resources, for example and then how this will further impact on families' lives, economic activities and broader political and institutional environments.
How drought affects Namibia
In Namibia, the indirect impact of drought on livelihoods that were identified included:
Reduced crop yields from crop failure leading to loss of income and inadequate food supply in households. This has an impact on health.
Reductions in water available to wildlife leading to loss of wildlife. This affects the number of tourists and earnings from tourism.
Reduced fodder production, heat stress and outbreak of diseases affecting livestock health and mortality rates. This reduced milk and meat production leads to loss of income.
Livestock mortality had an impact on cultural practices. The death of livestock often leads to loss of status, prestige and participation in social networks. Livestock deaths limit the ability of people to participate in social and cultural events like wedding ceremonies.
All of the above lead to lower household incomes which increases hunger. Malnutrition of school children leads to poor health and an increased number of school dropouts. Limited household food availability can also increase participation in risky behaviour such as theft and transactional sex in exchange for food or cash. This then leads to an overall increase in household social conflicts.
Impact of drought in Botswana
In Botswana, there were some similarities and some additional points that were raised related to the impact of drought:
Rainfall patterns had not been consistent in the past 15 years and the frequency and impact of drought had increased.
Arable farmers, livestock keepers and phane (mophane worm) harvesters are most vulnerable to drought because a lack of water increases the likelihood that their crops will fail, animals will die and mophane worms will be in short supply.
Livestock farmers in the area are highly vulnerable to drought because they are not able to migrate with their animals in search of water. Those who have migrated have experienced livestock theft when they move closer to the border.
Traders were thought to be moderately affected by drought because some items are more scarce in a drought but also because households have less income to spend.
Youth are particularly sensitive to drought. In some cases, youth who take out loans for an agriculture business cannot pay them back during a drought resulting in further hardship. In some families, the assistance of youth is not needed in the fields or to harvest phane during drought and so they are unoccupied and get into trouble.
When there is a drought the elderly have to use their old age grant for food instead of other vital supplies and services. This is made worse by their limited physical fitness.
The associated lack of food and income can have far reaching social consequences. These include people adopting risky behaviours include drug and alcohol abuse, truancy, criminal activities, theft and corruption that lead to family breakdowns.
Solutions from local communities
One of the strengths of the workshops is that they help the Knowledge Group to identify solutions they think could be strengthened or implemented at the local or district level. So in Namibia, there was a discussion about promoting food banks to address food insecurity at the community level. As part of this, each household is encouraged to contribute 20 litres of mahangu (millet) that is stored by the traditional authority and used in time of distress.
In Botswana, a number of strategies were mentioned like irrigation using underground water, leaving phane worms on the ground to allow them to reproduce for the next season and using water harvesting more. There was also support for moving away from dependency on government projects.
Food banks were suggested to address food insecurity issues. Gina Ziervogel
In Namibia, the regional actors talked about the impact of drought on their activities. Water in northern Namibia is transferred from Angola first through an open canal and then through a piped reticulation system. When there is a drought there is greater demand for water and people land up damaging the canal when getting water for their livestock. This reduces both the overall amount of water and reduces the water pressure.
The decrease in water pressure reduces the reliability of water supply for the villages at the end of the pipeline. During droughts people move even further afield with their livestock for grazing and so require water in these far off areas too. These additional challenges not only compromise the water supply system, but lead to increased maintenance and operational costs.
To help meet the water supply demands, the Omusati Directorate of Rural Water and Sanitation requests resources from the national level to drill more boreholes, particularly in remote areas. NamWater also has plans to improve the quality and extent of pipes in the area over the coming five years.
The Department of Planning, in the Regional Council, is central to managing drought, even though this might not be obvious at first. It helps with sanitation which is particularly important during disease outbreaks that commonly occur during drought. It also tankers water into villages when supply is low.
One of the departments responsibilities is for constructing clinics, hospitals and schools. Illustrating how drought can impact on these services, the director explained that the construction of a school in the region had been put on hold for two months tin 2016 as there was not enough water for the building process. Examples like this show how education and other services can be impacted by drought directly.
It is clear that drought is already affecting many parts of the system in semi-arid regions. Unfortunately with climate change, drought is likely to become more frequent. It is critical to assess the viability of scaling up successful local solutions as well as identifying new solutions. Importantly, this needs to be done by including local stakeholders, as well as local government and NGOs and connecting them to international funding and organisations.
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) could, in an "extreme" case, see its licence revoked.
That's according to the Independent Communication Authority of SA's (Icasa) Rubben Mohlaloga when questioned by 702's John Robbie about SABC chief operations officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng's reaction to its ruling against the broadcaster.
Hlaudi Motsoeneng had on Monday said "no one will tell us what to do" after Icasa made a decision that compels the SABC to reverse its ban on airing the destruction of property during protests.
Mohlaloga told 702 on Tuesday that various sanctions "from a caution to a fine, and, in extreme cases, a licence being 'suspended or revoked'" were available to Icasa should there be a lack of compliance with its rulings.
He said the SABC had seven days to comply or indicate that it would take the ruling on legal review.
The SABC's Kaizer Kganyago later on Tuesday told the radio station that the SABC would indeed be taking the decision to the courts, echoing Motsoeneng's vow on Monday to approach the High Court or the Constitutional Court for relief.
"We are challenging that ruling... we are equal to the task," said the COO.
Motsoeneng had also said all newsrooms censored news in taking daily publishing decisions.
The fact that no good news was published showed that there was censorship in all news organisations, he said.
In May, Media Monitoring Africa, the SOS Support Public Broadcasting Coalition and the Freedom of Expression Institute lodged a complaint with Icasa's complaints and compliance committee, challenging the validity of the SABC's protests ban.
In the aftermath of the ban, a number of senior journalists at the broadcaster are facing disciplinary action for questioning the decision.
The media briefing was disturbed by a protester who shouted, "away with Hlaudi" and "history will judge you". He was subsequently removed by security.
Source: The Times via I-Net Bridge
The Haller Prize for development journalism is now open for entries for the 2016 awards to writers and journalists living in sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr Rene Haller
The Haller Prize 2016 is given to unpublished work focussing on development journalism in Africa, particularly where the emphasis is on how technology empowers people. The Haller Prize for Development Journalism was created in order to promote African-led discussions around development.
The continent is changing and as issues facing the developing world grow more complex, journalism has become a critical medium in which to throw light on them and chronicle real change. The Haller Prize will be awarded to a writer able to explore insightfully the challenges and opportunities of digital technology in the development sector.
There will be three winners (1st, 2nd and 3rd place) and the successful entries will offer unique interpretations: either shedding light on sector failings or offering comment on best practice. The Prize is open to all sub-Saharan African nationals who are resident in the region and will be awarded for a piece of original, previously unpublished written work up to 1000 words in length.
Haller has been partnering with communities in Kenya for over 30 years. The organisation has created an impactful model that has transformed the lives of over 45,000 people along the coast in Mombasa. Hallers overriding uniqueness lies in its innovative farming solutions developed by Dr Rene Haller, a UNEP Global Laureate.
In 2014, Haller developed a Farmers App, taking advantage of Africas burgeoning smartphone market in order to put best practice in affordable, sustainable, scalable farming into the hands of smallholders.
Said Hallers CEO, Alia Malik, We developed the Haller Farmers App in order to connect more farmers with information that could enable sustainable livelihoods. Digital technology is necessarily dynamic. It is the first step of a learning process - maybe what farmers really want is to be connected to each other. It is for this reason we have chosen to have technology as this years theme as it is an integral part of both Hallers future and Africas more widely.
Entries: must be received by 24.00hrs. GMT on Friday 16th September 2016 and will be judged by an independent panel of international repute, including Mary Harper, currently Africa Editor at the BBC World Service.
Prizes: 1st Prize GBP 3000, 2nd Prize GBP 1000 and 3rd Prize GBP 500. The Prizewinners will be announced on Thursday 17th November 2016 through a virtual Prize ceremony on the Haller website.
The Angolan Supreme Court last week provisionally released 17 members of a book club who were jailed after they discussed peaceful protest and democracy at a meeting last June, inspired by Gene Sharp's book, 'From Dictatorship to Democracy'.
Image by 123RF
Public prosecutors charged the group members with preparatory acts of rebellion and plotting against the president and state institutions. The latter charge was dropped during their trial, and a new charge of criminal conspiracy added.
After six months in pretrial detention, the activists were put under house arrest in December. In March 2016 they were convicted and received sentences of between two and eight years in prison and returned to jail.
Their lawyers appealed their convictions to the Supreme Court, arguing they were unconstitutional and in violation of the activists' fundamental rights. Under Angolan law, they should have been freed pending a decision of the Supreme Court. But instead they languished in jail for another three months, while their relatives and friends held several protests outside the courts.
In its ruling last week, the Supreme Court ordered the group's conditional release pending a final decision on their case. They will not be allowed to leave the country, and must check in with the authorities every month.
The first group of activists left the Sao Paulo Hospital-Prison in Luanda that afternoon. As they walked through the streets of the Angolan capital for the first time in more than a year, they shouted: Reading is not a crime!
Source: IFEX
Kristina: What is location intelligence?
Jorge Hermez, Director of Marketing, SiteZeus: Location Intelligence (LI) is a business intelligence tool that can be used for a multitude of reasons. Today we see LI mainly used for deriving meaningful insight from geospatial data to solve specific problems. Data by design can be intricate and overwhelming; for that reason, SiteZeus, a location intelligence SAAS solution, built a software platform for commercial real estate at large that takes copious amounts of data and makes sense of it all. It does so through organizing the data & relationships in a digestible, visually appealing experience. This results in an actionable insight, generated in real-time, for location based decisions.
Kristina: How does Location Intelligence work with Artificial Intelligence?
Jorge: For starters, its important to recognize the need for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in a market like commercial real estate. LI in the past required many man hours and a big wallet. The process would take months and required the skill-set of a data scientist and a team of consultants. AI has meshed with LI out of need, not desire; it exists to facilitate a tumultuous process.
Data sets continue to become more granular, accurate and plentiful while machine learning and computing power grow exponentially, adding value to its AI. Machine learning is a product of AI and is not meant to eradicate human interaction. Quite the contrary, humans are and will always be needed to work with machines in a symbiotic manner. Its the human touch that makes our AI so powerful.
Kristina: Why do brands need to be aware of location intelligence?
Jorge: In a world of ever growing data; enterprises, businesses and entrepreneurs are relying far less on gut, intuition and uninformed risk-taking to deliver results. Many brands are already aware of LI, and theyre chomping at the bits. Those that are not weve noticed are still relying on old tactics and are quite frankly missing out on an opportunity to secure predictable forms of success and ultimately gain higher return on investment.
LI will help you understand the factors driving success and will give you insights to make more beneficial and targeted actions. With SiteZeus you can report and visualize multifarious location based metrics and comparisons in real-time, saving enormous amounts of manual analysis and time. Weve designed a user driven predictability tool that represents what level of accuracy a user has attained pertaining to their model. Brands must acknowledge, LI is instrumental in relevant data aggregation, consumption and distillation; ultimately increasing performance metrics through location based analysis.
Around 500 people attended the public forum, including representatives of the six ethnic Kachin tribes and civil society and youth organizations.
Dr Kawn La said during the public forum they chose representatives to work in six main sectors. These sectors include politics, security, economic, social, environmental protection and land.
Twelve representatives were chosen to be negotiators with the central Burma government. Among these, three will attend the 21st Century Panglong Conference led by State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The remaining representatives will serve as technical advisors
Some of the groups that were invited refused to attend because they didnt regard it as a genuine Kachin public forum.
Translated by Thida Linn
Reporting by Nawng Nawng for KNG
Edited by BNI staff
The upcoming meeting comes after a request from the UNFC delegation at a 3 June meeting with the preparatory sub-committtee-2.
During the meeting with the preparatory committee-2, the DPN expressed its willingness to work out ways for non-signatory ethnic-armed organisations to join the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement and participate in the Union Peace Conference, the report said.
Tablets of methamphetamine, or ya ba
(Photo: internet) Tablets of methamphetamine, or ya ba(Photo: internet)
Methamphetamine pills were confiscated in 7 of Mon States 10 townships in June, with the largest police seizure of 2450 tablets conducted in Moulmein Township. Police have yet to identify criminal drug activities in Kyaikmayaw, Chaungzone or Thanbyuzayat Townships, said Police Chief U Win Nyunt.
In townships like Chaungzone and Kyaikmayaw, it is not that we didnt seize drugs because they are not using drugs, but because we did not have solid evidence to conduct a seizure. Mistakes can be made if we initiate a raid using unreliable information. We have to respect the dignity of the public. But when we receive concrete proof, we go ahead and confiscate the drug and arrest the dealers and users.
In June police arrested 44 men and 1 woman in Mon State who now face criminal charges of drug dealing and consumption, according to the Mon State Anti-Narcotics Association.
Referring to the anti-drug association, Police Chief U Win Nyunt said the group continues to spearhead awareness campaigns about the dangers of illicit drugs by organizing public discussions, setting up billboards, distributing pamphlets, and hosting events. But Nai Aung Ma Nge, chairman of the Dawei District in New Mon State Party (NMSP)-controlled area, said progress is still far off.
This year has seen more drugs than last year. High school students have started using drugs. We are arresting drug users and dealers as fast as we can, but the spread of drugs is more powerful than our anti-drug groups. We wont easily succeed in eliminating drugs.
In addition to the Anti-Narcotics Association, other groups are organizing anti-drug campaigns in Mon State, including the Mawlamyine 38 Force, Ye 39 Force, and the NMSP.
After Moulmein Township, methamphetamine pills seized in Mon State in June totaled 1524 pills in Kyaikhto Township, 1106 in Mudon, 394 in Ye, 181 in Thaton, 171 in Paung, and 24 in Belin.
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Smoking Can Damage Sperm DNA, Affects Fertility: Study Reveals Wellness oi-Staff
The sperms of men who smoke have a greater extent of DNA damage than that of non-smokers, says a new study that points out the harmful effects of smoking on male fertility.
Male infertility accounts for about 30% to 50% of all infertility cases, and infertile men tend to have high levels of damage in the sperm DNA.
"More and more studies are demonstrating a harmful effect of smoking on male fertility," said the senior author of the study, Ricardo Pimenta Bertolla from Sao Paulo Federal University in Brazil.
"Our results point in the direction of important semen alterations: Semen of smokers presents an inflammatory nature, associated with decreased capacity of sperm to achieve fertilisation and generate a healthy pregnancy," Pimenta Bertolla noted.
The study involved 20 non-smoking men and 20 men who smoked. Researchers also assessed 422 proteins in the participants' sperms. The analysis revealed that one protein was absent, 27 proteins were underrepresented, and six proteins were over-represented in smokers.
Analyses of these proteins suggest that cigarette smoking may promote an inflammatory response in the male reproductive tract.
"It is especially noteworthy that, in our study, sperm DNA fragmentation was increased. Other studies have proposed this to be a potentially promutagenic effect, which is to say that sperm with altered DNA may lead to health problems in the offspring," Pimenta Bertolla explained.
(Inputs from IANS)
Botswana National Front Youth League (BNFYL) President, Khumoekae Richard has demanded that Parliament retract a letter threatening action against him over involvement in politics or he will proceed with a legal suit. Through his lawyer Mboki Chilisa of Collins Chilisa Consultant Richard warned that failure to retract the letter a legal action would be instituted against Parliament in the event that any action detrimental to Richard in pursuance of the said letter is taken.
In amplification, our client has a long standing political reputation known to yourselves prior to his appointment and assumption of duty. It is his political involvement and experience thereof that motivated his appointment to serve under the Member of Parliament Dr Phenyo Butale whose job is in its very nature political. Additionally, the direct correlation or link between our clients tenure and that of the aforementioned Member of Parliament as specified in our clients contract of employment is indicatory of the fact that he is exempt from the impugned provision of the Public Service Act and that it is in his best interest that he promote the interests of this Member, which in many instances involves political participation, stated Chilisa in the letter.
The attorney further contended that the said restriction is in essence unconstitutional as it serves no legitimate purpose and is not reasonably justifiable in a democratic society. It serves to impede our client from effectively discharging his duties, which as already established are political in nature, said Chilisa, adding, it would therefore defeat the very import of his job to place upon him and any other officer serving in similar capacity the restriction under Section 5 (5) of the Public Service Act.Parliament through office of Clerk of National Assembly wrote the said letter of the 3rd June 2016 after the Botswana Democratic Party Youth Wing expressed worry that Richard continues to serve as a public servant while he holds a political office.
Clerk of National Assembly in the letter gave notice that due to Richards and or other active involvement in partisan politics contrary to Section 5 (5) of the Public Service Act,appropriate action would be taken against them. The complaint came a few days after Richard was voted the BNFYL President in Mahalapye. Richard is a Senior Administration Officer/ Researcher at the Gaborone Central Constituency Office.
BDP Secretary General Botsalo Ntuane said they await to see if action would be taken against Richard if he does not resign. The law is the law and must be complied with. It cannot make an exception because an individual is leader of the BNFYL and therefore wants to have his cake and eat it. We trust Parliament to act accordingly. Parliament Acting Corporate Services Manager Nametso Sephephe had not responded to our enquiries at press time.
Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) in partnership with SADC Development Finance Resource Centre (SADC DFRC) has this week brought together stakeholders for a two day empowerment training course on the Public Private Partnerships (PPPs).
Through Business Botswana, formerly BOCCIM, the government of Botswana positively embraced the call in establishing PPPs policy framework in 2009. This was anchored and enabled by a fully-fledged coordinating unit within the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
Business Botswana President, Lekwalo Mosienyane officiating at the opening of the training programme this Wednesday, admitted that, while PPPs are always reflected in different forums as the way to go for Botswana, very little has been achieved on the ground owing to a number of challenges particularly availability of necessary capacity. He said this therefore calls for a renewed discussion by relevant parties, to establish interventions required to accelerate the adoption and utilization of PPPs in public infrastructure project delivery in Botswana.
The training programme started on Wednesday and ended on Thursday and it was to establish their benefits to Botswana if well implemented, as well as the opportunity costs that arise out of the prolonged delay in implementation of the policy framework.
Botswanas pension industry is highly liquid, with funds in excess of P 60billion. The fact that more than 70 percent of these funds are currently invested abroad points to some subdued ability to create investment opportunities for this money to flow back and stimulate the domestic economy.
The creation of such opportunities is enabled by the level of appetite by government to partner public funds with private funds in delivering social and economic public infrastructure projects. With regard to such investments, Mosienyane indicates that, there is need to establish the level of appetite, but in saying so, I can assure you that the private sector is ready, we just need government to commit to facilitate us.
On the governments side, when recently launching the new SADC DFRC head office in Gaborone, Finance Minister, Kenneth Matambo is reported to have indicated that the government is fully committed. Matambo has since indicated that implementation of these PPPs will need technical support from experienced partners such as the SADC DFRC to establish the PPP office. However, all is still not lost, as BITC Chief Executive Officer, Letsebe Sejoe, says at the end of the training programme government and its agencies would have gained an in-depth and technical knowledge of PPPs in order to develop policy frameworks and manage various elements of the projects.
Participants can understand and apply the PPP concepts they have learned in their respective environments break the glass ceiling and adopt this instrument, he said. At a British High Commission sponsored PPPs seminar, earlier this year, the chairperson of UK PPP advisory board, John Davie was of the view that Botswana was not ready for this and that the public still needed to fully understand the PPPs.
PPPs, he said are about better procurement, better strategic planning, public sector reforms as well as sharing of risks between the parties. The government needs to explain the PPPs policy to the public. It seems like citizens do not understand its benefits but rather see the involvement of the private sector as a profit motive coming in government service delivery. In order for people to back it, it needs to be discussed and understood. He went on to add that, Botswana needs to implement mechanisms for citizen participation to ensure citizen consultation, transparency and community representation on key decisions.
Infrastructure
World Bank studies have shown that infrastructure is responsible for driving more than 50 percent of the improvement in economic growth for the of sub-Saharan Africa region, in recent times. It has been proven that its potential impact on the performance of the regional economy is substantial. Sub-Saharan Africas infrastructure development increasingly lags behind those of other developing regions. It has further proved that, Sub-Saharan Africas infrastructure services are twice as expensive as elsewhere, reflecting public inefficiencies and possibly lack of economies of scale from the absence of regional integration of projects
Power is by far sub-Saharan Africas largest infrastructure challenge, with 30 countries regularly unable to meet domestic demand and facing power shortages. Sub-Saharan Africas infrastructure requires an investment of $93 billion a year, and approximately 33 percent of this is for maintenance alone.
Thousands of refugees at Dukwi Refugee Camp in northern Botswana would be left in the lurch as the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) scaled down its operations in the country effective last week Thursday (June 30th 2016). Botswana Guardian has established that even though Botswana government has demonstrated its ability to ensure the legal and social protection of refugees nothing on the ground is showing.
The 2 123 refugees in the country are said to be restless due to no communication regarding their future. Refugees in Botswana are from Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia Uganda and Zimbabwe among other countries. UNHCR is expected to maintain a reduced presence in the country but will continue to provide support in Botswana for various programmes until December this year. Sources at the Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security have however revealed that government is still discussing this matter with UNHCR.
Information gathered indicates that the refugees have since approached Ditshwanelo- The Centre for Human Rights for intervention. The refugees complain that ever since the refugee profiling and assessment exercise was conducted in March 2015, it is not clear what the outcomes of the exercise were in relation to some of the refugees in the Dukwi Camp.
This publication has it on good authority that a new delegation from the UNHCR Southern Africa regional office in Pretoria- South Africa, expected to assist the refugees, arrived in Dukwi early this week after the Head of field officer and Associate protection officer left the camp last week and only the Database Manager remained. A letter from Ditshwanelo Director, Alice Mogwe written to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence Justice and Security seen by this publication, calls for urgent attention to the situation at Dukwi. Mogwe points out that the most affected are the Congolese refugees from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Ditshwanelo requested information on durable solution for the refugees since the profiling exercise was done last year.
It appears that there are a number of refugees whose applications for refugee status have been rejected, without providing the applicants with reasons for these. We are aware that during the years of conflict, which the DRC has experienced, there have been several armed groups and armies from neighbouring countries. Could those who have been rejected and are either at Dukwi Refugee Camp or are currently detained at the Centre for Illegal Immigrants, be informed about their future options. We are informed that the majority of those whose cases have been rejected and are at the centre for illegal immigrants; comprise women, children and the sick, Mogwe wrote in the letter received by the ministry on the 14th of last month.
Ditshwanelo also wanted to know what was happening to the children detained at the Centre for illegal Immigrants in Francistown following the death of their father the late Bawili Kashindi. Kashindi was allegedly buried at the Dukwi Camp. Ditshwanelo asked if there were any alternative options for orphaned children, other than indefinite detention, without resolution to the above matters, there is a possibility that the issue of statelessness may arise. UNHCR Protection Officer Madipa Machacha could not be reached as she was said to be out of the country.
A shooting incident at Botswana Defence Force training in Ntwetwe Firing Range near Maun resulted in one death, two serious injuries, 3 minor injuries and the army official statement insists it was an accident. As part of the Botswana Defence Forces continuous arm specific training, one member of the BDF lost his life and two others are critical after an accident during a basic gunnery course at Ntwetwe Firing Range today 6th July 2016, reads the statement from the Director of Protocol and Public Affairs, Colonel Tebo Dikole.
For now details are scanty, but sources that spoke to Botswana Guardian report that there was an argument between the deceased and his colleagues. It looks like there was an argument and exchange of words which ended up leading to this unfortunate incident. Botswana Guardian was unable to validate this version of the incident with sources immediate to the incident.
Another source, a former military officer revealed that safety at Ntwetwe Firing Ranges is of top priority. He expressed doubt that this could have been a human error because all units and their leaders who use the range know the importance of safety when handling these machines. He suspects it could have been a mechanical fault with the machine adding that continuous inspection of the machines is key especially during training to avert any unforeseen incident.The source further suspects that a mortar from the SK 105 light tanks went off prematurely. The Austrian tanks are said to be old and in the past calls were made for them to be decommissioned. The tanks are very old, maintained a source.
He informed the paper that of late the tanks have been misfiring and therefore have mechanical faults and indications are that the shell from the tank went off prematurely. When further contacted, Dikole rubbished the speculations that were imputing some altercation or defective machines. What you are telling me is pure speculation; I would not like to speculate because we have expertise that is capable of thoroughly investigating and will ascertain the cause of the accident. It must be noted that in BDF we have different arms and equipment and our troops are put through military occupational arms specific training.
Dikole further denied that army tanks were used and revealed that the incident was caused by fixed 120 mm artillery Mortar that has a detachment of six operators. It exploded killing one, leaving two seriously injured and three escaping with minor injuries.
This was just Artillery Unit training, there were no tanks involved as tanks belong to a different unit called
Armour Unit, he said.
He further said they are currently investigating to find out what exactly happened. I wish to underscore the fact that as much as we put safety first and we regret the death and, or incident, but in our scope of work we cannot completely 100 percent insulate ourselves against injury. However all the necessary precaution is taken in every stage of our work.
Former Nollywood actress, Yoko-Ono Manowe has returned home to Botswana to share everything she has learned via a film and television expo billed for August 8th at Cresta President Hotel. This was revealed at the press conference Manowe and her team held last week.
Manowe said as a person whos in love with her country, she found it fit to leave what she called the booming markets of acting in Nigeria because she felt unfilled there and felt she had no artist identity as a Motswana in a foreign country. The expo will be divided into four categories; the expo activity which is meant to provide a platform for people to come and engage with the different departments in the film and tv industry such as light and sound. Participants will also get a chance to ask what they want to know about the industry.
The second category is the Expo forum; where there will be words of motivation and encouragement by people who have already had some breakthrough in the industry such as the Nigerian actor and director, Chike Osuji Brown. The third category will be the Expo Corporate which will be the part where the business part of the industry will be discussed. The last and final category is the Expo special where the question, What will happen after the expo will be answered.
Manowe explained that the expo is an opportunity for Batswana to come together and build the nation using the film industry. However, she cited that one of the challenges she has come to notice is that Batswana do not support each other. A re bopaganeng bagaetsho and come together to ensure that the expo is a success, she said.
One of those present at the conference, Charity Keobokile explained that she was sold on the idea of the expo as it is a way of getting other people to know about Botswana and its culture. She said that Batswana should take every opportunity to help in gaining exposure for Botswana in other parts of the world.
Thokolosi actor, Letsomo La Tshipa revealed that he was ecstatic about the expo because it showed progress in the film and television industry. He also cautioned locals to tell their stories because in his opinion, Hollywood lacks creativity and he fears that they will come to Africa to look for new stories to tell.
All roads lead to Maitisong this Saturday for the inaugural Tatso Ya Setswana taste explosion. The event, the brainchild of Sgotti Cocktail & Bar, offers patrons a chance to sample some of the best traditional cuisines. We normally have a problem of finding reliable suppliers of local food items such as kgodu and phane, and this will also be our way of finding reliable suppliers, the owner of Sgotti, Tebogo Matenge, explained.
About the concept, Matenge said Sgotti specializes in traditional cuisine and that the event comes on the backdrop of Botswana celebrating her golden Jubilee. According to her, the event aims at creating awareness of the traditional cuisine as well as negates the perception that traditional food is scarce.
On the menu, guests will enjoy dishes that include Bogobe jwa lerotse, seswaa and many more. Beverages on the day will include traditional brew as well as Gemere. What distinguishes this event from other similar concepts is the fact that this one is very intimate, and only targets a small number of patrons. One of the challenges that the organisers came across had to do with logistics of sourcing some food items from different parts of the country. Their initial plan was to have almost every food item from different tribes, but that proved to be a mammoth task.
On promoting youth entrepreneurship, Matenge said they are catered for in the exhibition platform. We have companies that are owned by young Batswana. She added that the fee to exhibit also goes hand in hand with the fact that they wish to expose them.
She points out that like other local companies they dealt with challenges such as shortage of funds and sponsors. But she says that all is not lost as they have partnered with Maitisong, as well as the artists who will perform on the day including Mafitlhakgosi Traditional Dance Troupe.
Close to a solid ten years has passed since Batswana sampled and enjoyed the enchanting debut album of local songbird Lister Boleseng titled Lifes journey. Prior to embarking on his solo career, the Saxophone player, music composer and Jazz artist worked with a number of well-known international acts such as the legendary Dorothy Masuku.
He has also played with and alongside a good number of local bands and artists including Badiri, Abraxas Jazz Combo, Friends & Unity as well as Ndingo Johwa. It took him a decade or two before he spread his wings having joined his first band, Badiri in 1986. Having released a wonderful piece of work that serenaded many hearts, with hits such as O tlhokana le nna, admits that he was under pressure to return with a bigger project. Inspired by legends such as Ratsie Setlhako and Duncan Senyatso, Boleseng brings Moratisi, an album that he hopes would surpass the success of the first project.
Moratisi is something that you just cant get enough of. The minute you listen to the first track, you will not want to play anything else, he explains. The album launch is set for July 29th at Maitisong. He will feature other acts such as his daughter, Refiloe, who plays Jazz and R&B, as well as the choral duo, Kago Regoeng and Gape Motswaledi. He also says that his goal was to work on a project that would once more cement his status beyond the local scene borders. The eight-track album was recorded live at David Ski Molosis Tracks Studio.
In the album he features Sello Montwedi (Drums) who played in most of the songs, Leroy Nyoni also on the drums (former Sankomota drummer), Saki Nonong (Bass Guitar), Kapenda Katuta (Acoustic Guitar), Gomotsegang Rapoo (lead guitar), Andrew Chinganga (Alto Saxophone), as well as three men on the keys namely Gavin Banton, Lamek Ngwako and Bonnie Keabile. Chesza Majwabe, Pretty Mothobi are the backing vocalists. Samantha Mogwe is featured on a rearranged Malaika song. Other songs in the album include Ke Swa Hela, Running Back, Dumelang, Nkinele Matsogo, Sebouledi, as well as Mma Mmati. Songs such as Ke Swa Hela have been played a number of times in his previous shows.
His humble beginnings in music can be traced to years ago when he made his way into the capital city when the great Hugh Masekela and the late Dennis Mpale resided in Gaborone. He liked the saxophone very much, and was just learning his way around the instrument. He would later be approached by Masilonyana Radinoga and the late Rampholo Molefe who were searching for a sax player. They went on to form Badiri. The group also had the legendary Mpale as a member. He learnt how to read and write music during his tenure with the Botswana Defence Force band.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (PTI): Defence Secretary G Mohan Kumar on Monday reviewed the progress of ongoing defence infrastructure projects and security at the Southern Air Command headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram.
Kumar, who arrived at the state capital on a one-day visit, also interacted with the senior officers of the Air Command, a defence release said.
He later visited Sainik School at nearby Kazhakoottam.
During his interaction with the cadets and staff at the school, the official said, being a cadet of Sainik School is a great honour and each one of them should have an aim to become an Armed Forces Officer.
"No other profession can give you dignity, challenge and satisfaction simultaneously other than the Armed Forces," he said.
He laid a wreath at the 'Stupa of Remembrance' at the school premises and paid homage to the war heroes.
The Defence Secretary, who was on his maiden visit to a Sainik School, also promised to extend his maximum support to solve the long term issues related to Sainik Schools, the release added.
VISAKHAPATNAM (PTI): Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba on Monday highlighted the importance of the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) and termed it as the "pride" of the maritime force.
The city-headquartered Command is the "pride" of the Indian Navy on the eastern seaboard, he said.
"It is not only our eastern shield, but also our eastern punch. It has shaped a favourable maritime environment in countries around the Bay of Bengal and South East Asia, extended a helping hand in times of crises and also deterred those with ill intentions towards our nation," he said.
The Chief of Naval Staff was speaking after reviewing a ceremonial parade held in his honour at INS Circars Parade Ground in Visakhapatnam.
He inspected a 50-man armed guard and reviewed the platoons of Naval and DSC personnel drawn from various ships and establishments of the Command.
The primary responsibility of every organisation afloat and ashore, also of every individual of ENC, is to ensure all sea-going platforms remain combat-ready at all times, the Admiral said.
The Navy chief arrived in Visakhapatnam on Sunday on a three-day visit to the ENC.
Admiral Lanba will leave for New Delhi on Tuesday after attending commissioning ceremony of a batch of MARCOS (marine commandos) inside INS Kalinga, a Naval establishment at Bheemunipatnam in the district.
Official figures on Ireland's economy have been branded a farce.
Finance Minister Michael Noonan said the phenomenal growth numbers - 26.3% last year - combined with rising employment and strong consumer spending showed the signs of "real growth".
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) said the numbers were down to a surge in aircraft leasing business being recorded in Ireland, a 300bn increase in company assets being transferred and a 200% jump in intangible assets such as patents being recorded.
But it refused to divulge the true extent of each, citing confidentiality clauses with companies.
It also said multinationals were continuing to use so-called inversions to base their businesses in Ireland and reclassify balance sheets which gives the appearance of more work being done in the country.
And it accepted that "employment has not changed greatly as a result".
Economists lined up to dismiss the numbers.
Aidan Regan, assistant professor in the School of Politics and International Relations at University College Dublin, called on the Irish Government to make a public statement on the confusion created by the report.
"The 26.3% makes for a great media headline. But if the media want to go find this growth, they might as well go plane-watching at Dublin airport," he said.
"It's a farce. There is simply no credibility to the national accounts. Most serious observers looking in at Ireland know this. And this is what should really concern the Government and civil servants."
Professor Regan called on the CSO to print a clear disclaimer on the economic report.
"These figures have to be taken with a pinch of salt," he said.
The CSO originally estimated that the economy grew by 7.8%.
Seamus Coffey, economics lecturer at University College Cork, said some of the transfer of assets to Ireland can be explained by companies wanting to prevent allegations of tax avoidance.
"Any US multinational engaged in manufacturing in Ireland could be doing it - it is about aligning profits with substance," he said.
Mr Coffey said reports on unemployment and job creation were better measures of how an economy was changing.
The CSO report for 2015 said gross domestic product (GDP), which calculates the value of all business - including multinationals - grew by 26.3% and gross national product (GNP) - which reflects Irish-owned companies - was up 18.7%.
In the first quarter of this year, GDP contracted by 2.1%.
Mr Noonan, in Brussels for talks with European counterparts, said: "People's lives are improving, with more at work than at any time since the onset of the downturn.
"We no longer need to impose swingeing cuts to public services, rather we have room to invest in services and infrastructure."
Sinn Fein finance spokesman Pearse Doherty urged people to take the numbers with "a ton of salt" and the 26.3% number was a "nonsense".
"It is irrelevant. It does not reflect any sort of reality as to how the economy is faring," he said.
Mr Doherty called for a new way of analysing economic growth. He said the numbers are "polluted" and "intertwined with international tax and accounting stunts".
Britain's exit from the European Union makes deeper integration between eurozone countries even more necessary than before, France's finance minister has said.
Although some have seen the vote as a warning against further integration, others see the UK's departure as an opportunity to tighten the bonds between the other member states, particularly those in the 19-nation currency union dubbed the eurozone.
"A greater integration of the eurozone is something desirable from the point of view of global stability (and) European stability," French finance minister Michel Sapin told reporters following talks with US treasury secretary Jack Lew in Paris.
"I think Americans see things the same way. Brexit makes an acceleration of this process necessary."
He repeated twice that Britain's decision to leave the EU "can only be negative" for the country.
Still, he said: "We have to accept the vote."
Mr Sapin said he was pleased David Cameron's soon-to-be successor, Theresa May, was moving into Number 10 on Wednesday, quicker than anticipated.
He said he hoped that meant Britain's formal notification to depart the EU "will happen as quickly as possible".
Mr Lew called for pragmatism as the UK and the EU negotiate the terms of their divorce.
Asked twice whether Britain would be at the "back of the queue" following Brexit - as President Barack Obama warned in April - Mr Lew gave a minute-and-a-half-long series of answers which did not once feature the word "queue".
"I think we will all have to work together as the UK and the EU go through the process of working out the relationship that the UK will have after the referendum," he said.
The Nashville International Convention of barbershop singing witnessed something pretty special this weekend, all thanks to a group from New Zealand.
The Vocal FX from Wellington were mid-performance in their Glee-style medley when they broke into James Browns Living in America.
A row of terraced houses caught fire close to one of the huge loyalist bonfires lit in the North to usher in the main date of the Orange Order's parading season.
Two homes adjacent to the Hopewell Square bonfire in Belfast's Shankill Road were gutted when a blaze broke out on the roofs of the terrace at around 1am. At least one other house was damaged.
It is suspected that hot bonfire embers were blown on to the roofs by the wind.
Almost 600 loyal order parades will take place across the North today to mark the Twelfth of July.
The total number of call-outs received by the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) overnight was up on last year.
Of the 123 calls between 9pm and 1am, 42 were bonfire-related. At 16 of those callouts, firefighters had to actively intervene.
As well as Belfast, fire crews attended bonfire-related incidents in Bangor, Coleraine, Banbridge, Rathfriland, Dungannon, Derry City, Portadown, Ballyhalbert and Limavady.
The NIFRS said there were no reports of any crews being attacked.
The lighting of the towering bonfires, most built with stacks of wooden pallets, drew thousands of onlookers, but the structures were again the source of controversy, despite the efforts of organisers to improve their image.
Flames ever growing as the fire service continue to battle now 3 rooftops ablaze in the Shankill Estate - @BelTel pic.twitter.com/GEMR8zCD8j Kevin Scott (@Kscott_94) July 12, 2016
To their defenders they make for a family-friendly, spectacular celebration of loyalist/Protestant culture; to their detractors they are potentially dangerous, environmentally damaging, magnets for anti-social behaviour and alienating to nationalists.
There were complaints of the burning of Sinn Fein election posters made for May's Stormont Assembly poll as well as the use of toxic tyres.
In recent years, bonfire builders have faced criticism after items linked to the nationalist/republican tradition - such as Irish flags and posters, and effigies of high-profile politicians - were placed on top of some of the fires and torched.
Last year, homes near Chobham Street in east Belfast had to be evacuated over fears that the giant nearby bonfire could topple on to property.
Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness called for any Twelfth of July events to be done in a peaceful way - which would not undermine law and order.
Thousands of Orange Order members will take part in annual parades across Northern Ireland later today.
And, in a joint statement First Minister Foster, Deputy First Minister McGuinness and Justice Minister Claire Sugden appealed for a "peaceful, respectful and safe parading season".
They said: "As we move into a period which has in the past resulted in heightened tensions, we encourage everyone to conduct themselves in a dignified and lawful way.
"We all have a responsibility to show leadership and to continue to seek resolutions to contentious issues through discussion and ensure any difficulties are identified and resolved peacefully, thus showing respect for the views and wishes of everyone in the community."
Some 18 demonstrations are being staged to mark the 325th anniversary of King William III's victory over James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
The biggest demonstration will be in Belfast with two "flagship" events in Kilkeel, Co Down and Portadown, Co Armagh.
The Independent Loyal Orange Institution will also hold a separate parade in Portglenone, Co Antrim.
Last night, huge bonfires were lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations.
Culture and controversy - Bonfires will be lit across Northern Ireland for #EleventhNight #Twelfthhttps://t.co/k9oG6jFcNV BBC News NI (@BBCNewsNI) July 11, 2016
While the vast majority of the 600 parades are free of trouble each year, the threat of disorder at a small number of marching flashpoints always has the potential to mar the day.
Thousands of extra Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers will be on duty throughout the region and there are contingency plans in place to call on additional Mutual Aid support from other UK forces if required.
Undoubtedly the largest and costliest security operation will be rolled out in Ardoyne - a volatile community interface in north Belfast where attempts to end the bitter dispute over a contentious parade have failed.
The Parades Commission - a government-appointed body set up to rule on controversial marches - gave permission for the morning feeder parade to go ahead shortly after 8am with certain restrictions, but has prohibited Orangemen from three lodges passing along the road when they return from traditional celebrations elsewhere.
Instead, marchers and bandsmen will be stopped at police lines in the unionist Woodvale area close to where loyalists have manned a protest camp at Twaddel Avenue for the past three years.
The Crumlin Ardoyne Residents Association (CARA) has been granted permission for a counter protest comprising of 60 people.
There will also also be a separate picket from the hardline Greater Ardoyne Residents' Collective (GARC) which was widely blamed for orchestrating disorder during previous years and has vowed on social media to "mobilise hundreds" again.
Last year, spontaneous rioting broke out when loyalists clashed with police who had blocked access to the contested stretch of the Crumlin Road.
Empty bottles, bricks and stones were thrown at riot squad officers and at one point intoxicated youths broke through police lines and were dancing on the bonnets of the PSNI's armoured Land Rovers.
A teenage girl was also knocked down close to where crowds of nationalists had gathered at a row of shops on the edge of Ardoyne.
Some 24 police officers were injured, including one senior policeman whose ear was almost severed by a piece of flying masonry and another who required 12 stitches after his finger was bitten.
In previous years, republicans have rioted when Orangemen were given the go-ahead by the Parades Commission.
PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton said he had been "encouraged" by the level of positive dialogue ahead of this year's Twelfth.
He told a meeting of the NI Policing Board oversight body: "I think it does a create a more optimistic outlook for the rest of the parading season."
Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers has also expressed optimism about the outcome of the day.
Meanwhile, in his pre-Twelfth message, Orange Order Grand Master Edward Stevenson said the Institution hoped to attract record numbers of tourists.
He said: "The Twelfth of July offers a unique opportunity for the Orange Institution and the bands' community to showcase our culture and heritage, and we are confident of welcoming increasing numbers of visitors, tourists and families to all of our demonstrations across Northern Ireland."
By Fiachra O Cionnaith, Political Reporter, Berlin
Embattled Taoiseach Enda Kenny has told party colleagues either publicly or privately calling for him to step down as leader to "concentrate on their duties" instead of plotting to overthrow him.
However, the Fine Gael leader has once again failed to give any indication as to when he will set out plans for his departure from office, risking creating a fresh wave of dissent before a weekly party meeting on Thursday.
Speaking at a joint Brexit press conference in Berlin with German chancellor Angela Merkel after a week in which a potential back bench revolt was stamped out by senior Cabinet ministers, the Fine Gael leader said despite ongoing criticism of his time in office his party colleagues need to "bed down" and focus on their work.
And in a thinly veiled warning to a number of Cabinet members who are believed to privately want the Taoiseach to step aside sooner rather than later despite publicly backing their leader, he added ministers in particular need to "concentrate on their duties" instead of their personal ambitions.
"In respect of the Government and the party, we are in a position now where the Government is in situ.
Enda Kenny tells dissenting gov voices to "concentrate on those duties they have now", does not clarify when he will depart #iestaff #berlin Fiachra O Cionnaith (@Ocionnaith) July 12, 2016
"Every minister has a brief and a set of commitments to follow-through, so what I am interested in is that ministers have time now to bed themselves down, do the department work they have to undertake, and move the country forward.
"We have an agreement with Fianna Fail in terms of confidence and supply, we have a Programme for Government with the Independent Alliance and the Independents with over 600 commitments and my focus is entirely on that future in making this happen.
"We have a great deal of work to do in the time ahead and I would like to think that people can concentrate on their duties in the time ahead," he said.
The Taoiseach's comments were made in response to a specific question on when he intends to step down as leader and when party colleagues will be informed of the schedule for a takeover before the next election - issues which he failed to answer in his response.
Press conference with Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Chancellor Angela Merkel at Federal Chancellery Berlin @merrionstreet pic.twitter.com/ztxjdqV1mi IrelandEmbassyBerlin (@irlembberlin) July 12, 2016
The remarks - at a press conference in which Chancellor Merkel also congratulated him on his recent re-election as Taoiseach and said it is "important we continue our good co-operation" - also came before Fine Gael's weekly parliamentary party meeting this evening, in which Mr Kenny is likely to address the dissent of recent days.
While weekend reports suggested a number of back benchers may table a motion calling for a new leader to be put in place by the end of this year due to the risk of a general election early next year, those involved in the plot confirmed in today's Irish Examiner this will not now take place.
Almost all Fine Gael Cabinet members have stressed their ongoing support for Taoiseach Enda Kenny in recent days.
They include Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar, Housing Minister Simon Coveney, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Paschal Donohoe and Health Minister Simon Harris - all of whom have been touted as potential replacements for the long-serving Mayo TD.
One of the main dissenters, Kerry TD Brendan Griffin, today said back bench TDs have now done all they can to force the leadership issue and that any further movement "requires" ministers with ambitions to replace Mr Kenny to make their view known.
The Taoiseach will travel to Berlin today, to meet with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel for discussions on the outcome of the UK referendum.
Enda Kenny will call for a calm and measured approach to future negotiations with the UK.
TV3 and the Irish Daily Mail have apologised to former Minister Phil Hogan for "untrue and damaging" publications.
It relates to comments on The Vincent Browne Show in 2013 and articles published by the Mail in 2012.
Former Minister Phil Hogan launched legal proceedings after media coverage which alleged that he made representations to Kilkenny County Council asking them not to house a Traveller family in a particular area.
They alleged that Mr Hogan had engaged in racist behaviour and was prejudiced against the Travelling community.
Both TV3 and the Irish Daily Mail accepted the publications were defamatory and apologised to the former Environment Minister.
They told the High Court the publications were "untrue, unwarranted and misleading".
In a statement, Phil Hogan said he was pleased to be vindicated by today's apologies.
He said he hopes he can continue in his role as EU Commissioner without further wrongful and damaging media comment.
TV3 and the Daily Mail have agreed to pay costs and undisclosed damages to Mr Hogan.
Ulster Unionist MP Danny Kinahan has apologised for posting a photograph on Twitter which showed him standing in front of a Co Antrim bonfire with an Irish tricolour placed on top of it.
The South Antrim representative posed for the photograph while holding a cheque for charity.
The Anglican Church of Canada has voted against allowing same-sex marriages by the thinnest of margins after nearly a week of passionate debate about blessing the unions.
More than 200 delegates attending the six-day General Synod 2016 north of Toronto rejected the resolution after 60-plus speakers made their points, with most supporting the resolution.
Members of the 61 General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada meeting for 5th day. About to discuss gay marriage. pic.twitter.com/On3we23fEj Matthew Bingley (@mattybing) July 11, 2016
Same-sex marriage has been legal in Canada since 2005 and yesterday's vote puts the Anglican Church - the third largest in Canada - out of step with most Canadians, including prime minister Justin Trudeau, who recently took part in a gay pride parade in Toronto.
The resolution required two-thirds support from each of three orders - the lay, clergy and bishops - to pass.
The bishops voted 68.42% in favour of the resolution and the lay delegates 72.22% in favour.
But the clergy voted 66.23%, missing the percentage needed by a single vote.
The vote sparked bitter disappointment among some members.
"It is breaking my heart that there are people who see gay marriage as a separation from God and from love," said Eliot Waddingham, 24, a transgender person from Ottawa, who was an observer at the conference and worried that the vote was tantamount to a "death sentence" for the church.
"Woah. One vote," said the Rev Jeremy Smith in a tweet. "Prayers for all those wounded by the anti-LGBTQ vote."
The electronic voting was conducted secretly at the request of delegates as a privacy measure.
Earlier, Archbishop Colin Johnson of Toronto cited his own decades of marriage in arguing for the motion.
"I want my gay and lesbian colleagues to have the same joy," he said. "I believe it's the right thing to do."
Some speakers urged delegates to reject the resolution, with one saying it would cause "ghettos of resentment" if allowed, while several aboriginal delegates denounced it as condoning an "abomination" and disobedience of God.
The General Synod is held every three years and the vote was the culmination of work that began when the last General Synod, the church's legislative body, asked a panel to come up with a draft motion.
Even if it had passed, the decision would have needed to be affirmed by the next General Synod in 2019, which could have made its own amendments.
If the resolution passed it would have changed the denomination's definition of marriage and would have permitted clergy to conduct gay marriages.
The vote followed complaints about bullying during weekend discussions on the resolution in smaller working groups. In remarks ahead of the vote, Archbishop Fred Hiltz urged respectful discussions on a topic that has proven bitterly divisive.
"Some members of our synod are deeply hurt. Some of them are deeply offended. Some are feeling unsafe to continue to speak lest they be reprimanded," he told the gathering.
"This kind of behaviour is not appropriate. It's unacceptable."
About 1.6 million Canadians identify themselves as Anglican, according to Statistics Canada.
The US Episcopal Church, the Anglican body in the United States, is alone among Anglican bodies in approving gay marriage and has faced a backlash for its support of same-sex unions.
Earlier this year Anglican leaders temporarily restricted the role of the US Episcopal Church in their global fellowship as a sanction over the American church's acceptance of gay marriage.
Other Anglican national churches in Brazil, South Africa, New Zealand and Scotland have taken steps towards accepting same-sex relationships.
Bernie Sanders has endorsed Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee in the race for the White House.
The Vermont senator stood side-by-side with his rival as he backed Mrs Clinton at a rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
He pledged that his "political revolution" would continue, but acknowledged that Mrs Clinton had won the delegates required to snag the nomination.
This has been true for weeks, and Democrats have been angling for Mr Sanders to drop out of the campaign and endorse the former secretary of state.
Mr Sanders promised to work to help Mrs Clinton win in November, calling her "far and away the best candidate" to confront the challenges facing America.
Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump has been trying to draw Sanders supporters towards his campaign.
Mr Sanders called for unity just two weeks shy of the Democratic National Convention.
The self-described democratic socialist, whose calls for a "political revolution" energised millions of American voters, congratulated Mrs Clinton for winning the nomination and vowed to do everything he can to help her beat Donald Trump.
Listing his reasons for the endorsement, Mr Sanders said: "Hillary Clinton understands that we must fix an economy in America that is rigged and that sends almost all new wealth and income to the top 1%.
"Hillary Clinton understands that if someone in America works 40 hours a week, that person should not be living in poverty."
Democrats have coalesced around Mrs Clinton's candidacy since she defeated Mr Sanders in primaries last month in California and five other states, led by endorsements from president Barack Obama, vice president Joe Biden and others.
Mr Sanders has spent the past month seeking to influence the party's platform at the Philadelphia convention and promote electoral reforms, including allowing independents to participate in future primaries.
The platform includes many of his proposals, including a 15 dollars per hour (13.50) minimum wage, tougher restrictions on Wall Street and an end to the death penalty.
The event at a Portsmouth high school sought to project Democratic unity before Republicans formally nominate Mr Trump next week in Cleveland - but some Sanders supporters in the crowd did not appear to be ready to move on.
Chants of "Bernie" broke out in the gymnasium while opening speakers addressed the crowd, prompting Mrs Clinton's backers to chant: "Unity".
When senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Clinton supporter, told the audience: "We need to elect Hillary," some Bernie supporters stood and shouted "No," which was followed by chants of "Hillary" from other parts of the crowd.
The Vermont senator saw his longshot bid for the White House quickly catch fire in 2015 at large-scale rallies where he denounced income inequality, the influence of Wall Street and the role of big money in politics - all part of a system he described as "rigged".
Mr Sanders was powered by an impressive online fundraising machine which raised more than $200m (181m) and threatened Mrs Clinton's once overwhelming lead in the Democratic primaries. He drew upon the support of college students, independents and white voters drawn to his anti-establishment message.
His endorsement could help bring some of those supporters into the fold for Mrs Clinton as she prepares to face off with Mr Trump in the autumn.
Mr Trump, who previously said Mr Sanders had been "treated terribly by the Democrats" and should have run as an independent, wasted no time in going after the Vermont senator.
"Bernie Sanders, who has lost most of his leverage, has totally sold out to Crooked Hillary Clinton," Mr Trump wrote on Twitter.
"Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters."
Donald Trump's campaign said Mr Sanders "is now officially part of a rigged system".
Senior policy adviser Stephen Miller said the Vermont senator is "endorsing one of the most pro-war, pro-Wall Street, and pro-off-shoring candidates in the history of the Democratic Party".
He added: "The candidate who ran against special interests is endorsing the candidate who embodies special interests."
US President Barack Obama is to lead the nation in honouring victims of the Dallas shooting.
He will visit the Texas city less than a week after five of its police officers were shot dead by an army veteran-turned-sniper during a brazen act of violence that Mr Obama denounced as a "vicious, calculated and despicable attack on law enforcement" by a "demented" individual.
Just a few weeks ago, he spent hours in Orlando, Florida, consoling the loved ones of 49 people who were killed in a shooting rampage at a gay nightclub.
In what has become a difficult but regular duty of his presidency, Mr Obama was preparing to address an interfaith memorial service in Dallas for the officers.
They were killed last Thursday while standing guard as hundreds of people peacefully protested over the police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota earlier in the week.
The attack ended with the gunman, Micah Johnson, 25, blown up by a bomb delivered by a police robot.
The black army veteran portrayed the attack on the white officers as payback for the fatal police shootings of black men in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and suburban Minneapolis.
Portions of both shootings were videotaped and broadcast nationwide, leading to fresh outrage, protests and scores of arrests.
The killings also put the country on edge, heightened racial tensions and pushed the issue of the use of deadly force against black males by white police officers to the forefront.
Mr Obama will seek to bridge those issues with his tribute to the fallen five, who included a former army ranger, a navy veteran and a newlywed starting a second family.
The President, joined by his wife, Michelle, and Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, will also meet privately with the dead officers' families as well as the injured to convey the support and gratitude for their service and sacrifice that has been expressed around the country.
At least nine other officers and two civilians were injured in the attack.
Former president George W Bush and his wife, Laura, will also attend. Mr Bush, who settled in Dallas after leaving office in 2009, will also speak at the service.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Mr Obama recognises that people across the US join Dallas in grieving over the recent, troubling events.
"The President is hoping to offer some measure of comfort," Mr Earnest said.
Mr Obama and Mr Biden met police chiefs, sheriffs and rank-and-file officers on Monday to discuss adopting a series of reforms that were drafted by a White House taskforce on policing, as well as how to restore trust between police officers and the communities they are sworn to serve and protect.
Mr Obama is planning a meeting tomorrow with a broader group that includes law enforcement, activists and academics.
Update 4.25pm: Italian transport minister Graziano Delrio has announced an official inquiry into the accident.
Speaking from the scene, he said: "We must begin to understand the causes of this tragedy that has saddened the whole country.
"The crash was certainly violent. Extremely violent."
Update 2.45pm: At least 20 people have been killed in a head-on train crash in southern Italy.
Massimo Mazzilli said rescuers had just pulled a passenger out alive, and are poised to extract a second one.
On his Facebook page, Mr Mazzilli posted photos of the wreckage.
He wrote: "It's a disaster, as if an aeroplane fell. Rescue workers and civil protection are on the scene, but unfortunately there are victims."
Riccardo Zingaro, the chief of the local police in Andria, told Sky the crash was "a great tragedy".
"Some of the cars are completely crumpled and the rescuers are extracting people from the metal, many of them injured," he added.
Update 2.10pm: Some people may still be trapped in the wreckage following the collision on a single track in the province of Andria, with rescue operations continuing, officials said.
Italy's prime minister Matteo Renzi said the crash "is a moment of tears", and pledged not to stop until the cause has been determined.
Both trains involved belong to a Bari-based private rail company, Ferrotramviaria SpA.
Mr Renzi called the crash "a moment of tears" and pledged not to stop investigating until a cause has been determined.
Ferrotramviaria director general Massimo Nitti said the details of what went wrong are still to be determined, but added that it is clear "one of the trains wasn't supposed to be there" at the same time as the other.
A still photo of the crash showed cars crumpled together like an accordion and forced off the tracks at sharp angles. News reports said rescuers had pulled a small child alive from the rubble, while video images showed ambulances responding to the scene.
Giovanni De Siervo, of Italy's civil protection service, said: "The impact was significant, and we are now verifying the consequences."
The mayor of nearby Corato has described the scene as horrific.
An image of the crash site showed cars had been badly damaged and forced off the rails at sharp angles.
News reports said a seven-year-old boy had been pulled alive from the wreckage.
Local officials have also issued a request for blood donations.
Update 1.45pm: The death toll from today's head-on train crash in Italy has risen to 20, officials have said.
Update 12.21pm: At least a dozen people have been killed and scores more were injured after two trains collided head-on in southern Italy, firefighters say.
The incident is reported to have taken place on a single track near the town of Andria, in the Puglia region.
News reports said rescue workers are pulling injured people from the wreckage, including a small child.
Video images showed ambulances responding to the scene.
National police and carabinieri could not immediately provide details about the extent of the crash.
Italy's prime minister Matteo Renzi said the crash "is a moment of tears", and pledged not to stop until a cause is determined.
Both trains belong to a local private rail company, Ferrotramviaria SpA.
Italy's national rail service, Ferrovia dello Stato, identified the company in a statement, in which it also offered its condolences and support services.
Ferrotramviaria is a Bari-based company which connects the capital of Puglia with regional towns to the north and the airport, operating about 20 small electric trains.
Update 12.11pm: At least a dozen people have been killed in a train crash in southern Italy, firefighters say.
Earlier
Two passenger trains have crashed head-on in southern Italy today.
Four people have reportedly died, with some media reports putting the death toll as high as 10.
Emergency services are at the scene near the town of Andria in the Puglia region.
National police and carabinieri could not immediately provide details about the extent of the incident.
A woman charged with murder after the remains of eight babies were found last year at her home in southern Germany has admitted killing several infants.
The 45-year-old mother, identified only as Andrea G, is charged with four counts of murder in the trial at the Coburg state court.
Her 55-year-old husband, Johann G, is charged with being an accessory to murder.
Prosecutors said they could not establish whether the four other infants were actually born alive, so the indictment does not cover those cases.
The mother told the court via her lawyer that she had wrapped the eight newborns in towels and hidden them, regardless of whether they showed signs of life, news agency dpa reported.
In her statement, she said that her husband and her mother had pushed for her to be sterilised, but she did not comply. Her husband did not want any more children, she said.
The couple have three living children, and each has another two from previous marriages.
The defendant said that, when she told her husband in 2003 that she was pregnant again, he had been furious and demanded an abortion.
The woman claims she then repressed thoughts of the pregnancy and was surprised by the birth - a pattern that was repeated during the subsequent seven pregnancies, according to her lawyer.
A police investigator in protective cloth enters a house in Wallenfels, southern Germany, where police found bodies of multiple babies in November 2015. Pic: AP
She was not sure how many of the babies were born alive.
The bodies were left in a sauna that was used for storage, the court heard.
There are no formal pleas in German trials, and the husband did not respond to the charges.
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A 42-year-old man reported missing in Canberra has been found, ACT Policing said.
Jason McGregor was last seen by his family last Thursday but a missed appointment on Monday raised red flags. Police said about 3pm Tuesday that he had been found.
A prominent trainer who came out in opposition of an imminent ban on greyhound racing has defended his wife, after it was revealed she had twice been disqualified from the sport for breaching anti-doping regulations.
Jodie Lord, wife of veteran breeder and trainer Andy Lord, is currently serving an 18-week disqualification after one of her dogs was found to have oxazepam in its system.
The anti-anxiety drug is considered a category 5 prohibited substance under the Greyhound Racing New South Wales guidelines.
Greyhound Racing NSW records show Mrs Lord, who is also an experienced trainer, was also barred from competing in the sport for four months in 2009 after one of her greyhounds was found to have the steroid dexamethasone in its system.
The Manuka Occasional Childcare Centre has won a permanent stay of execution, with the ACT government revealing they will no longer be forced to move from their prime parcel of inner-south land.
The decision comes after nearly two years of uncertainty over the future of MOCCA's site and intense lobbying by community groups.
MOCCA director Robby McGarvey is pleased the centre does not have to move from its current site. Pictured with Ivy McKay 3 of Narrabundah, Trajan Strang 5 of Campbell and Alex Dowden 4 of Hughes
MOCCA director Robby McGarvey welcomed the decision, saying staff and families now had some peace of mind around the future of the Flinders Way childcare centre.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr confirmed late last month that the government no longer required the centre to relocate.
Dick Smith chairman Rob Murray has hit back at allegations the electronics chain's managers and directors used rebates and stock to inflate profits, characterising the letter that was the source of the claims as "deeply flawed".
The Metcash chairman and former Lion Nathan chief broken his silence this week after a letter from lawyers acting for Dick Smith's receivers, Ferrier Hodgson was leaked. The letter intended for Dick Smith's directors and managers, including executives from former owner Anchorage Capital Partners alleges a number of "wrongful acts", which played a role in the dramatic collapse of the high-profile electronics chain in early January.
Just hours out from the release of the administrators' report into Dick Smith, Mr Murray said: "Dick Smith non-executive directors are looking forward to co-operating fully with any investigation into the company.
"It is disappointing that correspondence from the Receivers' lawyers, which is deeply flawed in many respects, has been leaked to the media. I am confident that we were diligent and compliant at all times in exercising our duties as company directors."
Frozen yoghurt chain Yogurberry faces legal pressure to submit to a national audit after it was found to be allegedly underpaying overseas workers thousands of dollars.
Hot on the heels of Fairfax Media revelations about rampant underpayment of 7-Eleven workers, the national fair work watchdog is now taking aim at the national yoghurt retail chain.
Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James Credit:Jesse Marlow
Young backpackers were allegedly paid as little as $8 an hour at the Yogurberry frozen yoghurt outlet in the World Square shopping centre in Sydney's CBD.
The head of the Australian company and master franchisor of the Yogurberry chain faces legal action and tens of thousands of dollars in fines for allegedly short-changing four Korean nationals who speak little English.
As the end of his time in office draws near, US President Barack Obama is pulling rank and urging world leaders to come together in September for a summit in New York to address the global migrant crisis.
Malcolm Turnbull will barely have time to lick his election wounds before he is confronted with a serious question: will Australia come to this party and make a meaningful contribution to alleviating the worst global refugee crisis since World War II?
The stakes are high. Failure to take meaningful action will confirm Australia's international ignominy concerning the compassion for people fleeing war and persecution.
Along with his co-hosts from Sweden, Canada, Germany, Mexico, Ethiopia and Jordan, Obama wants countries to bring fresh commitments to accept more refugees and increase humanitarian funding so that millions of displaced families can be assured of food, clean water and education.
The ACT government has some explaining to do after an independent review of its budget projections concluded claims of a return to surplus in 2018-19 were little short of fanciful.
A Pegasus Economics report found while predictions of a return to surplus in the forward estimates have been a feature of ACT budgets for the past six years, this had never actually happened.
Is it a case of the government being poorly advised by the normally staid and conservative gnomes in treasury or does the fault lie with politicians and spin doctors washing down the bitter taste of the latest deficit with a Pollyanna-like vision of what may happen, in the best of all possible worlds and if all the planets align, many years from now?
The latter explanation seems most likely to be the closest to the truth.
It is now election folklore that a cleverly crafted "Mediscare" campaign pushed the ALP to within an inch of victory. There's more to the story than this. Whatever the truth of the privatisation claim, people believed it because it was the kind of thing they expected the government to do.
The government's first big mistake began in May 2014 when it announced a radical and harsh program of budget cuts to social security, health, education and community services, including the extraordinary proposal to deny income support for six months of every year to young people struggling to get a job.
Despite repeated warnings from ACOSS and many others this pattern continued in the 2015 and 2016 budgets. Two precious financial supplements in total $8 per week for people surviving on the $38 per day unemployment payment were cut, access to social security was reduced and an increasing number of people with disability were transferred to unemployment payments (losing more than $160 a week). Family payments to those on the lowest incomes (bound to increase child poverty) were cut and access to Centrelink services via the telephone severely reduced.
As well as high-profile cuts to health and education, $1 billion was taken from vital community services including refuges for homeless people and community legal centres, with half this coming from services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Fuzz is plonking his big slobbery snout on my lap far more often these days.
I have to wipe the gunge off his eyes. Scratch under his scarred ears. Give him a full face pat.
He stands his long-nailed clodhoppers on my foot so I can't shoo him away.
His vision's gone and he can't hear. Yet the old bloke knows when someone's near that thing that produces toast and vegemite with his arthritis pill hidden in the lumps of butter.
When the producers of the rebooted Star Trek decided the Starship Enterprise's iconic helmsman Mr Sulu was gay, they no doubt prepared themselves for a fiery discussion on all sides.
After days of debate, actor/writer Simon Pegg, the man who steered the decision for Star Trek Beyond, has responded with a full comment on his website, saying the character in the rebooted franchise is "a different Sulu".
When the news broke that Sulu has a male partner in the new film, a surprising response was the comprehensive rejection from the actor who made Sulu an icon, George Takei.
As many as 140 million people in Bangladesh may be at risk from a huge earthquake as pressure builds beneath the surface of one of the world's most densely populated nations, US and Bangladeshi scientists say.
Sediment flows from the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers have layered parts of the country with as much as 20 kilometres of sand and mud, masking until now the extension of the same fault line that triggered the 2004 Sumatra tsunami and killed 230,000 people.
"The fault is entirely in the sub-surface," said Michael Steckler, a geophysicist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and lead author of a paper published this week in Nature Geoscience. "It's been suspected but we haven't had the data to prove that [the pressure] is actually been building up."
Data collected since 2004 by Professor Steckler's team has found that a juncture between major tectonic plates in the region is locked and loading up with stress.
As Julie Bishop made a point of stressing, the Hague ruling was not about such sovereignty disputes .
Beijing argues that its fight with the Philippines is all about who owns disputed rocks and reefs - and thereby commands rights over the waters around them - in the South China Sea.
Beijing's dismissive response to the ruling against it by The Hague sums up precisely why we should be worried about rules and law and order as China pushes outward.
Rather it was about what a country is allowed to do at sea. It is not allowed to build a new island in another country's exclusive economic zone, as China has done to the Philippines. It is not allowed to claim rights over waters extending well out from artificial islands built on rocks and reefs that otherwise could not sustain a human community, as China has done. It is not allowed to destroy evidence of what kind of rocks and reefs were there in the first place by building military airstrips over them, as China has done.
Beijing Evening newspaper headlines on Tuesday, the day of The Hague ruling. Credit:Getty Images
Beijing wants it to remain a simple sovereignty dispute because it has been steadily changing the facts on the ground so that the dispute becomes ever harder to resolve in favour of the Philippines - or any other country China is in dispute with.
It's rejected "third party" views - such as courts ruling on international law - because it prefers to negotiate directly with its rivals, denying these smaller contestants a level playing field.
This would be the new world without a rules-based order. As a middle power, Australia relies heavily on the rules-based order and has a particular interesting in making sure it's maintained.
US Vice-President Joe Biden will deliver a "major policy speech" in Sydney next week, the White House says.
Mr Biden, who has served in the role since 2009, will speak at an event hosted by the Lowy Institute and the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney.
US Vice-President Joe Biden will speak in Sydney during his visit to Australia. Credit:AP
The speech will be on "the future of the US-Australia relationship", the White House said in a statement.
During his brief visit to Australia, Mr Biden will first travel to Melbourne.
"The timing is extraordinary," Ms Jacenko said in the interview with News Corp, published late on Tuesday evening.
Ms Jacenko, the founder and director of Sweaty Betty PR, said in a newspaper interview she had discovered a lump in her breast just ten days ago and expected to undergo a "partial removal" within days.
Prominent Sydney publicist Roxy Jacenko has revealed she was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, only weeks after her husband was jailed for insider trading.
"What I have experienced in the past three weeks is the most shocking thing I have ever experienced. I don't think there is anything that could shock me more now."
PR queen Roxy Jacenko Credit:Nick Cubbin
Ms Jacenko's husband Oliver Curtis was sentenced to a maximum two years jail for insider trading on June 24, though he could be released after one year on a good behaviour bond.
The businesswoman said she told her husband, who is being held in Parklea Correctional Centre in north-west Sydney, about the diagnosis during one of the short phone calls allowed by the institution.
"Obviously he has got no control to be able to assist with anything, so it is particularly challenging for him. He is a broken person, an absolutely broken person," she told News Corp.
Put away that box set and close that souvenir book. Fans of the Sex and the City have yet another way to relive the magic through a new Instagram feed that aims to document every outfit worn on the hit TV series.
Who can forget the time Samantha, fresh from a face peel, rocked up at a friend's book party in a full veil, or the time Carrie wore a white flower brooch and the whole world went bananas for white flower brooches?
TV shows like "Sex and the City" broke new ground introducing sex toys as a norm to a mass audience.
While some of the fashions led to an explosion of trends if you're reading this you probably have a name-plate necklace in a drawer somewhere some of them were downright hideous.
"The course helped take the fear away": Amanda Robinson. Credit:Wolter Peeters The results raise serious questions about how women are prepared for labour, the researchers say. The trial of the antenatal course, which focused on pain relief techniques, found it significantly reduced the use of epidurals and caesareans. Amanda Robinson with her oldest son, Jasper, and twins Luca and Tristan. Women enrolled in the two-day program had a 65 per cent lower epidural rate and a 44 per cent lower caesarean rate than women offered a standard course, found the 'complementary therapies for labour and birth' study published in BMJ Open.
They were taught evidence-bas d the problem with current hospital-based programs was their focus on medical interventions and that they covered pregnancy through to the first few weeks of a newborn's life. "Birth is seen as 'a day in the life', rather than something you need to be prepared for," said Dr Levett of WSU's National Institute of Complementary Medicine. "Our method was effective because we approached birth education in a different way. We gave women options," Dr Levett said of the trial, based on a childbirth education program called She Births combined with acupressure for labour and birth protocol. A rapid increase in medical interventions and a concerted push by women's rights advocates to give women more control over their labour prompted the the state government to introduce the Towards Normal Birth policy in 2010.
The landmark initiative aimed to increase the vaginal birth rate to 80 per cent and had ambitious targets for vaginal births. But the latest figures from Health Statistics NSW show less than 57 per cent of mothers in NSW had a vaginal birth in 2014, compared with 58.2 per cent in 2008. The rate of women being induced has jumped from 34.9 to 38.6 per cent since 2012 and more women are having serious haemorrhages after birth. Critics of the current push towards natural birth argue the goal should be reducing complications in childbirth rather than cutting the rates of - often live-saving - interventions such as epidural and caesarean sections Setting targets may lead to women having longer, more difficult labour. In the UK women may soon be given official advice about the risks of vaginal births as well as caesarean sections.
During labour, women find themselves caught in a "cascade of interventions", with epidurals increasing the risk of artificial augmentation, caesarean and tearing, Dr Levett said. "There will always be a percentage of births that need medical intervention, but we wanted to give couples lots of different tools to manage their labour so that it becomes a reserve option if something goes wrong," she said. Women enrolled in the WSU trial had half the rate of inductions, were less likely to experience perineal trauma and their labours were on average 32 minutes shorter, the study of 176 Sydney women with low-risk first pregnancies found. Nadine Richardson, the creator of She Births, said the program aimed to help women manage the intensity and pain of labour, ease their fears and quash the judgment surrounding childbirth. The course occupied the middle ground between hospital programs and the "hardcore natural cult" that created unrealistic expectations around natural births, Ms Richardson said.
"I've seen so many women secretly, quietly ashamed that they weren't able to have a natural birth. They felt like they had done something wrong. "I saw women in shock when they felt pain, and were terrified of asking for medical assistance," she said. Amanda Robinson was just over 34 weeks pregnant with twins when she went into labour. The trained nurse braced herself for the epidural that is almost routine for multiple births. Just 34 minutes after arriving at the hospital fully dilated, Ms Robinson gave birth to her son Luca. His brother Tristan soon followed. "We were the talk of the hospital. A lot of the nurses and midwives hadn't seen a vaginal birth of twins with no epidural," Ms Robinson, 34, said.
Three years earlier she was enrolled in the WSU trial while she was pregnant with her first son, Jasper. She had always wanted a natural birth. "The biggest thing for me is that women really fear childbirth and the course helped take the fear away," she said. "I felt really empowered to have the birth that I wanted but we were also reassured that intervention is OK, and sometimes necessary." The skills she was taught allowed her to remain calm and accept the necessity of an induction during her first labour. "It also made a huge difference with the twins. I believe the outcome could have been completely different if I hadn't used those techniques," she said.
Obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Royal Hospital for Women Associate Professor Andrew Bisits said he was amazed by the findings. "Several studies have attempted to decrease the rate of epidurals and caesareans and it's not often we meet with success," Professor Bisits said. The participants were largely well off, well-educated women, a demographic that boasts the highest rates of epidural use and caesarean section. President of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Professor Michael Permezel said suggestion that epidurals and analgaesia was something to be avoided ignored the wishes of a large proportion of pregnant women. "The priority for many women is to have as natural a birth as possible, but that's not suitable for everyone.
NSW water and health agencies are on alert for cross contamination issues as they assess the subdivisions at either end of the village before making a decision. Of nine bores tested previously in the village, Yass Council found half had disease-causing E.coli.
Yass Council says residents can't afford Murrumbateman's water systems and has recommended to NSW Planning approval of two new subdivisions for Gundaroo, with on-site septic systems.
Austin Goodfellow, who runs an engineering services company from Gundaroo, has put his water treatment proposal to Yass Valley Council, while a private developer proposing the 65-lot "Kyema" subdivision in the village has included a community wastewater system that would add $22,500 to the cost of each block, under a cost-sharing arrangement.
Mr Goodfellow said Gundaroo has a contamination issue in ground and surface water. "They have to stop septics, they have to stop aerated wastewater treatment systems and go and put sewerage systems into these villages, or we are going to end up with a big issue, and that is why Murrumbateman has gone the same way. They had an issue."
Yass Council drew on reserve funds, borrowed money and used a small NSW Government grant to pay for Murrumbateman's $8 million sewerage system.
Mr Goodfellow said rural councils do not want to address the problem because they do not have the money.
"Villages, whether they know it or not, will have some kind of contamination issue. It is only people like us that have pushed the barrow for council to go and investigate. We have stepped up to the plate and put a proposal together. The council will look at it and talk to the rest of the agencies."
Yass Council's director of planning and environmental services Chris Berry said all septic tanks or aerated systems are being inspected in Gundaroo, including ones in flood affected areas. "We are not seeing any failures, they seem reasonably well managed, and don't need to be replaced," he said.
A furious Brisbane lord mayor Graham Quirk has promised to pursue the owner of an East Brisbane home, illegally demolished in April, through the courts.
But the owner, who faced the prospect of a fine of nearly $200,000, could still be free to do what he likes with the property he bought late last year for almost $1 million.
On Monday night, Fairfax Media revealed Nomad Investment Fund Pty Ltd had purchased the 10 Stafford Street house for $913,000.
Nomad Investment Fund's sole director, Duncan Bourne, did not return Fairfax Media's calls on Tuesday, but said in an email he had contacted the council "as soon as (the demolition) happened".
The federal election may have been decided, but the funding battle over one of the state's busiest roads continues.
The Gold Coast arterial, which connects the nation's sixth-largest city to the nation's third-largest city, is notorious for gridlock and congestion, particularly the closer it gets to the NSW border.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk were all smiles during his trip to the Gold Coast but Ms Palaszczuk is not happy with his M1 offer. Credit:Kim Stephens
Upgrading the M1 is a popular election issue, at both a state and federal level, but the coming 2018 Commonwealth Games has made it a priority.
But any announcement regarding upgrades was overshadowed by a funding stoush between the federal Coalition and the state Labor governments.
A man has died in hospital following a bike crash in Toowoomba last month.
The 73-year-old rider was hurt when his tricycle collided with a vehicle in Newtown at about midday on June 30, police say.
Police say a 73-year-old man was riding a tricycle when he was involved in a collision with a vehicle in Toowoomba. Credit:Nicolas Walker
He died from his injuries on Tuesday night.
AAP
Queensland police are investigating after shots were fired at a house south of Brisbane.
Police said the shots damaged two windows of the Berrinba property about 5am on Tuesday, however two men, aged 38 and 39, who were home at the time were not injured.
Forensic officers are investigating after shots were fired at a home in Berrinba. Credit:Marina Neil
Forensic officers are combing the scene.
AAP
Boasting half a kilometre in diameter, it is the largest telescope dish in the world to date. The 500-metre Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), which has been under construction in the Guizhou Province in south-west China since 2011, was completed on July 3 when the final panel was lowered into position. Excitingly, this new eye on the sky will be able to search for new exoplanets, gravitational waves and even signals from extraterrestrial civilisations.
FAST handsomely beats the Arecibo telescope in Puerto Rico into second place, with its 305-metre diameter dish. But the two giant telescopes are similar. Each uses natural geological depressions in the landscape known as "karst", giant sinkholes created by nature, that fit the rough outline of the telescope dish. Both are static structures in the sense that the dish only looks straight up, staring at the zenith. They therefore depend on the rotation of the Earth for different parts of the sky to come into view over the course of the day. To follow an object for a few hours at a time, the detector, which is suspended above the centre of the dish, can be shifted. This is much akin to moving ones head in front of a mirror left to right in order to scan what lies behind.
China's FAST telescope is the biggest of its kind in the world.
But while the Arecibo detector cage hangs in a fixed position, the FAST telescope uses an ingenious mechanism based on cables and pulleys that allows it to position the entire detector cage anywhere across the face of the dish. Another major difference is that Arecibos dish is of a fixed, spherical shape whereas FAST uses an advanced system of cables and actuators that deform the spherical mirror, much like a rubber sheet, to create a parabolic shape. This allows a two to three times larger part of the sky to be accessed than is possible with Arecibo.
Thanks to its innovative design, FAST can track objects passing overhead for longer than Arecibo. It is also expected to be twice as sensitive and have five to ten times the surveying speed of Arecibo.
An elderly Melbourne man has been charged with sexually attacking two teenage girls and a woman at multiple suburban medical practices over a 30-year period.
Police said the 72-year-old Clifton Hill man was charged on Tuesday with 19 sex offences, including rape, sexual penetration of a child under 16, indecent assault, and attempting to procure a female to become a prostitute.
The alleged offences occurred at two medical centres in Wantirna South, in Melbourne's east, between 1974 and 1980, where he allegedly assaulted two females aged 14 and 21 in separate incidents.
In another alleged incident, in the northern suburb of Roxburgh Park in 2004, the man allegedly sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl.
A police spokeswoman said the man had been bailed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on July 15.
Former Geelong mayor Darryn Lyons Credit:Michael Dodge While it is illegal to serve an intoxicated person at any venue, the harsher condition banning drunks from a venue makes it easier to prosecute a licensee, as authorities do not have to prove the licensee even knew the patron was drunk. The commission decided against imposing the condition, and then upheld that ruling in May. Inspector Peers argues that the Eureka is worse than the Mid City, as the licensees gave an undertaking in 2013 that no drunks would be allowed in the pub, which was then breached on six occasions. On another 10 occasions, there was a "reasonable likelihood" a drunk was at the pub, police argue.
The undertaking was given after an investigation into the pub, which had been marred by brawls - including two glassings - in the previous three years. There were 48 incidents of drunkenness, assaults, and illicit drug taking involving the pub between June 2013 and November 2014, police state in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court last month. Eureka and the commission are both defendants in the matter. Police submitted during a commission review hearing earlier this year that the condition was only sought in the most serious of cases, and that the Eureka fell into this category given its history. "The intention ... is to reduce the high incidence of drunken patrons involved in assaults and brawls within this premises," police wrote.
"[The condition] will reduce the detrimental impact on the amenity of the area as a result of patrons that are drunk and disorderly." In documents filed to the Supreme Court, police argue that the commission erred in law and had taken into account irrelevant considerations. These considerations included that police had not charged the Eureka licensee for any of the 48 incidents that had been recorded, nor requested that the commission conduct an inquiry. The licensee for Eureka submitted during the commission review hearing that these incidents "were not serious or extreme in nature". It was also submitted that imposing the condition would undermine state policy and legislation, such as the statutory offence for permitting drunks on a premises, and the laws permitting licensees to be charged increasing amounts for their licences based on the history of their venues.
Mr Lyons referred Fairfax Media to Mario Gregorio, the general manager of the hotel, for comment, as he is not involved in the daily running of the business. Mr Gregorio said police were using incidents from years ago to justify the ban, but the venue had improved significantly since 2014. He believed the majority of incidents referred to by police in the affidavit came to their attention after the offenders were presented to them by the hotel's security. "It's not like they came on the venue and found people drug dealing. We handed them over," he said. "This has been dragging on three long years, cost $150,000 to $200,000 in legal fees, and for what? Now it's got to the point that one government agency is taking the other to court."
Police have charged a Menora 19-year-old with the sexual grooming, then rape, of three girls aged between 14 and 15 over the past year.
Sex Assault Squad detectives allege that between July 2015 and May 2016, the man befriended the victims, groomed them into engaging in a sexual relationship, then assaulted them.
The man will face Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday, Credit:Glenn Hunt
He was charged with three counts of aggravated sexual penetration without consent.
He also faces three charges of indecent dealing with a child aged 13 to16, two of sexually penetrating a child aged 13 to16, two of using electronic communication to expose a child under 16 to indecent matter, one of encouraging a child aged 13 to 16 into an indecent act and one of possessing child exploitation material.
Los Angeles: A young American living in Australia used the Google Translate service in an attempt to contact Arabic-speaking Islamic State recruiters, according to US prosecutors.
Asher Khan, 21, faces life in prison if convicted at a trial in the US District Court in Texas in September.
Asher Abid Khan and his mother at his high school graduation. Credit:Facebook
Khan moved from Houston to Sydney in 2013 to live with relatives and while in Australia allegedly hatched a plan to fly to Turkey and cross into Syria to fight for IS.
Prosecutors revealed in a new pre-trial court filing authorities have forensically examined Google searches, Skype Chat messaging and other applications on Khan's iPhone and computer.
London: Theresa May has pledged to "forge a new role" for Britain outside the European Union after it was announced that she will become the second female prime minister in the nation's history on Wednesday.
Mrs May, the Home Secretary, said that "Brexit means Brexit" as she pledged to "make a success" of life outside the EU after Andrea Leadsom, her rival for the Conservative Party leadership, stepped aside from the race.
David Cameron told broadcasters outside Downing Street that Mrs May would "provide the leadership that our country is going to need".
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October 3, 2022
Dee Gambit
Hundreds if not thousands of new and returning TV shows and movies are released every month your options of what to watch are endless. Variety, they say is ...
Research News
Relationship quality tied to good health for young adults
Young people who are in high-quality relationships experience better physical and mental health, UB sociologist Ashley Barr says.
By BERT GAMBINI
Its not being in a relationship that matters; its being in a long-term, high-quality relationship thats beneficial.
For young people entering adulthood, high-quality relationships are associated with better physical and mental health, according to the results of a recently published study by a UB-led research team.
Health benefits begin to accrue relatively quickly with high-quality relationships and supportive contexts, says Ashley Barr, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology, College of Arts and Sciences. And then we see detrimental effects from low-quality relationships particularly, those low-quality relationships that last a long time.
Over the past few decades, the transition into adulthood has been extended, according to Barr. Younger people today are waiting longer to get married than those in previous generations and theyre waiting longer to finish school. During this period, theyre moving in and out of relationships.
Much of the research literature focuses on relationships and health in the context of marriage, she says. The majority of our respondents were not married, but these relationships are still impactful to health, for better or for worse.
This is Barrs second study looking at how the quality of relationships during the transition into adulthood affects health. The findings were published recently in the Journal of Family Psychology.
She previously conducted research with an all-African-American sample that suggested patterns of instability in relationships mattered when it came to depressive symptoms, alcohol problems and how people reported their general health.
Given those findings, the researchers wanted to see if the same patterns held true in a very different sample.
And they did.
Using the Iowa Youth and Families Project, a sample of all-white youth coming from two-parent, married families in rural Iowa, Barr says about one-third of the sample experienced relatively large changes in their relationships over a two-year period.
We took into account satisfaction, partner hostility, questions about criticism, support, kindness, affection and commitment, she explains. We also asked about how partners behave outside of the relationship. Do they engage in deviant behaviors? Is there general anti-sociality?
Barr says the longer people are in high-quality relationships or the faster they get out of low-quality relationships the better their health.
Its not being in a relationship that matters; its being in a long-term, high-quality relationship thats beneficial, she says. Low-quality relationships are detrimental to health. The findings suggest that its better for health to be single than to be in a low-quality relationship.
Barr says the attention to changes in these relationships is important, particularly in the context of the extended transition to adulthood.
Its rare today for young adults to enter a romantic relationship and stay in that relationship without ever changing partners or relationship characteristics, she says. We now have two studies that found similar patterns and similar implications for those changes.
To acknowledge the 30th anniversary of the introduction of its iconic Cambrian Slate, Redland has launched a promotional campaign designed to drive sales towards its merchant customer base.
Launched in 1985 and winning the Queens Award for Technological Achievement in 1991, Cambrian Slate firmly established itself as a premium slate product. Focusing on the numerous benefits of Cambrian Slate, the campaign is targeting housebuilders, architects and specifiers through various channels with a call-to-action to register for a tile sample.
A new full-colour presentation box has been designed to showcase the Cambrian Slate samples, which feature one sandblasted corner to demonstrate how the slate will look after 18 months of weathering on the roof. A striking flick book style piece of direct mail is being sent out, to be followed by a series of targeted eDMs. Central to the campaign is a competition to win a weekend break at the Celtic Manor Resort.
Digital marketing will also play an important role in this campaign with a new Cambrian video featuring on the custom landing page www.redland.co.uk/cambrian. The campaign will also utilise new email marketing tools to create targeted messaging and personalised communications.
The company is deploying engaging content across all mainstream social media channels; and accompanying PR activity will feature notable Cambrian installations and case studies, focusing on aesthetically or technically interesting projects.
Trade supplier Screwfix, welcomed local Member of Parliament Theresa May to its new Maidenhead store on Friday 8 July, prior to the announcement that she would become the next Conservative Party leader and UK Prime Minister.
Screwfix is currently opening new stores at the rate of one a week. The new store in Maidenhead, which opened in February, is now one of a network of 470.
Screwfix employs over 9,000 people across the UK. The new Maidenhead store will initially employ 17 people from the local area. Mrs May was given a tour of the new store where she met store staff.
John Mewett, marketing director at Screwfix, shared with Mrs May some of the feedback from its trade customers and some of the key issues, opportunities and challenges facing people in the trades in the local area.
Last year, Screwfix launched its Tradesman Manifesto, which highlighted the desire of UK tradesmen and women to hire their own apprentices, and called upon the government to support this increase in the trades. Many of the plumbers, electricians, builders, carpenters and other tradespeople questioned had little or no experience of taking on apprentices, with only a small percentage taking on an apprentice in the last year.
In response to this Screwfix, alongside the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, has launched a handy guide for tradespeople on how to go about hiring an apprentice. Mrs May was keen to learn more about how Screwfix is helping people in the trades hire apprentices.
For one in three tradespeople, cost is the biggest barrier to taking on an apprentice and research shows more available funding would allow small businesses to hire and train the tradesmen and women of tomorrow.
Mr Mewett commented: "As a key supplier to the trade, we have a great relationship with our trade customers and can really help amplify their voice by getting their message across on visits like today's.
"Many of our customers are busier than ever right now so it's important we work closely with the wider industry and the government to consider ways to help them and to encourage growth in their businesses."
Mrs May MP commented: "I am delighted to visit this new Screwfix store in Maidenhead. It is always good to see the businesses bringing jobs to Maidenhead and this is another boost for the town centre."
Pictured: (from left) Scott Parsons, director of retail operations; John Mewett, marketing director; Theresa May MP; Carl Dinsmole, store manager; Steve Youens, area manager; John Kirkham, supervisor
Free legal clinics to help clear criminal records Friday in Burlco
The events run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., one in Burlington City and the other in Browns Mills. Both will also feature free food and a job fair.
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The Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tour to Africa has revived enthusiasm over agriculture in African continent. Indian have started looking at African continent as the potential destination for investment in agriculture to meet deficit in India and elsewhere in the world. However, past experience suggests that the road is not free of hurdles.
To begin with, the government of India has signed a pact with Mozambique to import 100,000 tonnes of (with the potential to double the quantity later) for which the government of India has committed supply of seed, technology and intelligence to the farmers of Mozambique. India is looking at similar opportunities in other countries including Kenya, Ethiopia, Congo and Tanzania that offers tremendous potential with very limited possibilities of success.
GoAir, preparing for expansion, has placed an order for 72 Airbus A320neo planes. The order comes ahead of its proposed initial public offering (IPO). Chief Executive Officer Wolfgang Prock-Schauer responded to queries over the telephone to Aneesh Phadnis, after signing the deal. Edited excerpts:
What is the delivery schedule for the A320neo aircraft?
We had ordered 72 in 2011. These will be delivered till 2020. The 72 planes we ordered today (Tuesday) will be delivered between 2020 and 2025. So, this order takes care of fleet requirements till 2025. We are yet to select the engine option for the second batch of 72 planes. We are confident about the A320neo and feel it is the right aircraft for us.
Edinburgh-based has spurned the Indian government's scheme for tax dispute resolution by December 31. The company has filed an arbitration claim which is about 18 per cent higher than the Rs 29,047 crore being sought by the government for a retrospective tax levy.
Ratan Tata has emerged as Indias most active angel investor in the first half of 2016. He invested in 14 start-ups, compared with eight during the same period in 2015.
SYNNEX Corporation, the United States-based business process services firm, on Tuesday announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire BPO firm for a price of approximately $420 million (about Rs 2,820 crore), subject to closing adjustments.
Temasek Holdings is for the first time considering investment in real estate as an asset class in India. Last year, private equity-owned real estate funds invested $5 billion in India, which is the highest since the 2008 financial crisis, according to investment advisory firm Venture Intelligence.
It is not only Made in China products that e-commerce companies such as Paytm and Snapdeal sell on their platforms. Their business model is also being imported from that country.
Worldwide sales of personal computers (PCs) fell 5.2 per cent in the June quarter, totalling 64.3 million. It was a fall for a seventh consecutive quarter, said Gartner, the research and advisory entity in the information technology sector.
During the recently held meeting in Seoul, South Korea, China adopted a very coercive and aggressive stance on the issue of India's membership application, it has emerged.
According to sources who kept a close watch on the meeting, China was extremely aggressive and coercive in asking the smaller countries to take a strong position on India's application, even though the consensus was that it had been decided to discuss New Delhi's application because of its impeccable non-proliferation record.
Even before the meeting got underway, China had raised objections, saying "There has to be considered consensus before discussing India's case."
Both the United States and France, according to the sources, took a strong stand in support of India and used tough language against China, saying, "We are the founding members, we know the rules better than you."
According to the sources, given the firm stand taken by the United States and France, China had reportedly asked, "We are ready to discuss India's application, but give us your word that you won't take a decision on India in this meeting."
The 26th plenary of the ended in Seoul last month with the two-day proceedings remaining inconclusive over India's application for its membership.
The 48-member block saw a broad consensus between its members over non-inclusion of the countries who are not signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
As predicted, China opposed New Delhi's entry into the NSG, saying the global non-proliferation order would collapse if the latter was allowed exception.
"If exceptions are allowed here or there on the question of NPT, the international non-proliferation order then will be collapsed altogether," Wang Qun, Director General of the Department of Arms Control of China's Foreign Ministry, said in a statement from Seoul then.
"In the absence of NPT as a political and legal basis, it will be inconceivable for the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or the Iran nuclear deal) to be reached," he added.
The then anti-India stand clearly indicated that Chinese President Xi Jinping had not responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal in Tashkent made on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit to support India's case in a "fair and objective" manner.
Bollywood star on Tuesday tweeted External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to take speedy measures for evacuation of Indians stuck in Juba, South Sudan.
The city is witnessing escalated violence due to clashes between anti and pro government forces. India has been putting in place an evacuation plan for its nationals from the war-torn country.
In the movie "Airlift," the 48-year-old actor played Indian businessman Ranjit Katyal, who lead the the evacuation of his countrymen based in Kuwait during the invasion by Saddam Hussein's Iraq.
Requesting the minister, Akshay wrote, "@SushmaSwaraj Ma'am request for speedy measures and actions to evacuate Indians stranded in Sudan. Prayers with them. SaveIndiansInJuba."
Swaraj, who is known for her prompt replies on the micro-blogging site, assured the government is working for the same.
" ji - Please do not worry. We are evacuating Indian nationals from Juba (South Sudan)," she wrote.
On July 10, Indian embassy in South Sudan had asked Indians stranded there to stay calm and assured them that they are in constant touch with authorities in the home country.
Burhan Wani, the deceased Hizbul Mujahideen commander who has ostensibly set the Kashmir valley on fire, was not always regarded as a hero by the common folk of Kashmir despite his popularity on social media, the Times of India reported on Tuesday.
Activists of Congress and Jammu and Panthers Party (JKNPP) held separate protests here against the ongoing violence in Valley which led to the suspension of Amarnath Yatra from Jammu.
The Congress activists said the state government has failed to provide security to the Amarnath pilgrims.
"The state government has failed to provide security to the Amaranth pilgrims who are left stranded in the base camp in Jammu for the past three days," Congress leader Anil Chopra said.
The activists also burnt the effigy of the state government and raised anti-government slogans.
The activists of JKNPP led by party president Balwant Singh Mankotia held a protest and blocked the Jammu-Srinagar highway causing inconvenience to the commuters for several hours.
"The BJP-PDP government has failed to provide security to the Amarnath pilgrims which resulted in injuries to several pilgrims and damage to hundred of vehicles that were attacked by the stone pelters in Kashmir," he said.
Mankotia said the state government had released 634 stone pelters three days ago in the Valley which is root cause of stone pelting on Amarnath Yatris.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued here, senior Congress leaders accused the state government and district administration for the alleged neglect and failure to address the grievances of stranded Amarnath pilgrims.
Five Indians have made it to the Forbes Asia's annual Heroes of Philanthropy list that highlights some of the region's noteworthy givers.
The list, which included 40 philanthropists from 13 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, includes Vineet and Anupama Nayar, founders of the Sampark Foundation; Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India and Pune-based billionaire Cyrus Poonawallas son; Bain India CEO Amit Chandra and his wife Archana Chandra, CEO of Jai Vakeel Foundation.
The Sampark Foundation boasts of a USD 100 million outlay funded entirely by the Nayars and represents more than half of their wealth. It is rolling out kits with child-friendly teaching aids to 50,000 government schools and 3 million students across Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh.
Another notable philanthropist is Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India, who pledged USD 15 million last year to clean up Pune city with a fleet of 50 garbage trucks and a crew of 70 people.
Amit Chandra, CEO of Bain India, and Archana Chandra, CEO of Jai Vakeel Foundation, are the other two philanthropists from India.
The husband and wife donate 75 per cent of their earnings each year to causes ranging from education to healthcare. Amit was one of the founding donors to Ashoka University and has funded an upcoming children's hospital in Mumbai that will be the country's largest.
Taiwanese mogul Terry Gou, Chairman and CEO of Hon Hai Precision, donated USD 6 million in disaster relief after a devastating earthquake struck southern Taiwan in February and claimed 115 lives.
He also pledged in 2013 to give away 90 per cent of his wealth, which now totals USD 6 billion.
"The list not only features philanthropists who have made news with their donations in the past year, but recognises people who have compiled a long record of supporting worthy causes," Forbes Asia said.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh today met a group of Imams who urged him to help restore calm in the Kashmir Valley which is witnessing turmoil following the killing of Hizbul commander .
The Imams told Singh that they would be meeting Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and local clerics of the state in an attempt to help bring calm in the Valley.
"We had detailed discussions with the Home Minister on the prevailing situation in Kashmir. We have urged him to ensure that calm and peace returns to the Valley. Just like Muslims from any other part of the country, Kashmiris are also our brothers. We are with them and appeal them to bring normalcy and peace," Umer Ahmed Ilyasi of All India Organisation of Imams of Mosques said after the meeting.
He said a group of Imams will be meeting the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and also Imams in the Valley to ensure peace and calm is restored as quickly as possible.
Ilyasi said they are opposed to any kind of terrorism in any part of the world.
"We are talking about Kashmir but not Kashmiris. It is time that we take forward dialogue with Kashmiris," he said.
Yesterday, the Home Minister reached out to opposition leaders including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Parliamentary leaders of all parties, and discussed the prevailing situation there.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting of his ministers and senior officials to review the situation in Kashmir after returning this morning from his four-nation Africa visit. The meeting was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, among others.
President on Tuesday greeted the government and people of the African island nation of Sao Tome and Principe on their Day.
"Warm greetings and felicitations to Government and people of Sao Tome and Principe on their Day," Mukherjee tweeted.
Sao Tome and Principe, located near the equator, achieved independence on July 12, 1975.
In a message to Manuel Pinto da Costa, the President of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Mukherjee said: "I am confident that our developmental partnership will be strengthened in the years ahead to the mutual benefit of the people of our countries."
Acknowledging that road safety is a "big problem" in India, Union Road Transport Minister has said that safety of roads is of highest priority for the government and the US has assured full co-operation in meeting the challenge by sharing its technical knowledge.
"Road safety is highest priority for our government," Gadkari told Indian journalists during a media round-table after his-day long meetings including that with US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and American business community.
"Today we discussed all our problems related to road safety with the (US Transportation) Secretary. The good thing is the Secretary promised me all types of co-operation with the rules, regulations, the software they have already developed, the system, the technology, the innovation. They are ready to co-operate with us in everything," Gadkari said.
Acknowledging that road safety is a "big problem" in India, Gadkari said every year more than 150,000 people die in five lakh road accidents.
"We are taking the co-operation of the US Government in particularly in road safety and intelligent traffic management system, which we are also going to implement in India," he said.
"I am very much disturbed (by the status of road safety)," he said.
Gadkari said the US has also promised to give "all technical co-operation for standardisation of our Indian code" for road construction, bridges and flyovers.
"Their experience and their present rules and regulations, codification, all the manuals are there and they are ready to share all types of manuals, code and rules and regulations with us," he said.
"In India we are critically facing the problem of road accidents. We have 96,000 kms of road length as highway and 40% of traffic on this 2% of road. We are facing a lot of accidents on highway," he said.
During the meeting the US also promised full co-operation in the development of inland waterways.
The Minister also spoke on new highways under construction in the country, financing mechanisms under PPP models, framing policies for logistics parks, modernisation of roads, building intelligent traffic systems for road safety and further innovation and technology to India's logistics sector.
Rohit Kumar Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, highlighted specific investment opportunities in the highways sector whereas Alok Srivastava, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Shipping, shared details on the Sagarmala Program - the Ministry's flagship port-led development initiative to bring down logistics cost and boost investment, exports, and jobs.
"India needs $1 trillion for developing new roads, ports, rail lines, and airports over the next few years and US companies can provide the necessary expertise as well as capital to enable the robust growth of this sector," he said.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Centre on a plea that Jammu and Kashmir's majority population, Muslims, should not be allowed to reap the benefits of the Central schemes for the welfare of minorities.
Notice was also issued to the state and the Minorities Commission.
The bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur issued notice after PIL petitioner Ankur Sharma told the court that Muslims constitute 68% of Jammu and Kashmir's population and thus were not a "minority" in the state.
The petitioner has sought that the benefits offered under the Prime Minister's 15-point guidelines for the welfare of minorities too should not go to the majority segment of the state population.
Sharma told the court that there was no State Minority Commission in .
While the bench issued notice to the Centre returnable in four weeks, it refused to pass any interim order to block the benefits of the central schemes from being availed by the majority population in the northern state.
Union Power Minister has blamed the reluctance of the Karnataka government in providing right of way for power lines for the electricity crisis that has seen constant blackouts in Bengaluru.
The Union government is holding road shows in Houston, United States of America and Calgary, Canada for promoting the Discovered Small Fields Bid Round 2016. Houston road show is scheduled on July 14 and 15 while the Calgary road show will be held on July 18 and 19.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Tuesday reiterated its position on having a flat rate regime for spectrum usage charges (SUC). Trai, however, suggested a formula to calculate the weighted average in case the government still wants to go ahead with the weighted average method to levy SUC from telcos. It said the government could include factors such as last market-determined price and technical efficiency of spectrum bands to calculate the weighted average.
The telecom regulator said taking the spectrum quantity in a band as the sole weightage in the weighted average formula might lead to certain shortcomings. While the optimal solution in the view of the Authority is to move to a flat rate regime, we are constrained to limit ourselves to examine the weighted average solution, Trai said in its reply to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
Trai said if DoT chooses to adopt weighted average rate of SUC, it should explore alternative methods for computing weighted average. The ease of implementation, level-playing field, and encouragement to bidders to participate in the auction are key rationales for such a position being taken, it added.
SUC, one of the many levies that operators pay the government, has been a bone of contention. Telcos have been asking for a uniform charge across bands, given the difficulty in calculating separate charges across bands with multiple operators offering data services on various bands. The SUC varies from five per cent to one per cent across bands. The government gets Rs 8,000-8,900 crore annually from SUC.
In a presentation to telecom secretary J S Deepak on June 10, the Cellular Operators Association of India sought a uniform SUC at three per cent of adjusted gross revenue for all bands, and for existing and new spectrum. The industry body argued it would remove arbitrage.
Currently, the SUC levy on the 2,300-MHz band spectrum is one per cent, while it is higher for other bands.
Trai had earlier recommended an SUC at a flat three per cent across the industry and gradually bringing it to one per cent. However, the Attorney General (AG) was of the opinion that a flat rate for all past, present and future spectrum was not appropriate in legal terms.
The Telecom Commission, the highest decision-making body of DoT, had decided that an SUC of three per cent of adjusted gross revenue would be charged from mobile operators for spectrum acquired in upcoming auctions, whereas a weighted average formula would be applied for calculating the SUC on the total spectrum holding for all bands.
The DoT had written to Trai on June 24, enclosing a report of its internal committee on revenue segregation for broadband wireless access (BWA) spectrum and the opinion of the AG. While introduction of normalisation factor will still result in reduction of SUC in case of some operators holding BWA spectrum, this gap will be less than that produced by DoT suggested formula. DoT may take a call on the issue of imposing floor amount to cover the revenue shortfall, the regulator said.
Road shows to be held in the USA and Canada to promote Discovered Small Fields Bid Round 2016; Shri Dharmendra Pradhan to launch Houston Road-Show .
Road shows in Houston, United States of America and Calgary, Canada will be held as part of process of promoting the Discovered Small Fields Bid Round 2016. Houston road show is scheduled on 14th and 15th July, 2016 while the Calgary road show will be held on 18th and 19th July, 2016. .
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Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan will visit Houston and Washington D. C, during 13 18 July, 2016. During this official visit, he will launch the International Road-Show for the 67 Discovered Small Fields (DSF) in Houston. He will also visit Washington during which he will meet his counterpart Dr. Ernest Jeffrey Moniz - Secretary of Energy, USA on 18th July. .
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Discovered Small Fields bidding was launched in New Delhi on 25th May, 2016. Subsequently, Road-Shows for this round were held in Mumbai and Guwahati.
Under this round, 67 DSF of ONGC and Oil India Ltd, which could not be monetized during previous years, are being offered for international bidding. Progressive administrative and fiscal procedures have been introduced in this bidding process in sync with best international practices. .
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During the Road-show a data room will also be opened in office premises of ONGC Videsh Ltd in Houston. During Shri Pradhans meeting with his US counterpart in Washington D. C., issues of bilateral hydrocarbon cooperation will be reviewed. Shri Pradhan will also hold interactions with various think-tanks working in hydrocarbon sector in Houston and Washington D. C. He will also visit technology centres working in oil and gas spheres. .
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During the visit, Shri Pradhan will be accompanied by Secretary, MoP&NG, Senior officers and CMDs of ONGC, IOCL, GAIL, HPCL and MD-BPRL. .
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Roadshows are being organized in India and abroad to attract investors for the bidding round. .
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Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways & Shipping Shri Nitin Gadkari has called upon investors in the United States to invest in India, saying it is a golden opportunity for them, with the present government giving topmost priority to infrastructure development . At an event hosted by the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) in Washington yesterday, Shri Gadkari held discussions with senior executives of United States and Indian companies, regarding his plans and vision to strengthen Indias infrastructure, investment opportunities in road construction and port-led industrialization, and how U.S. industry can collaborate with the Government of India. The U.S.-India Business Council is the premier business advocacy organization, comprising 400 top-tier U.S. and Indian companies, advancing U.S.-India commercial ties. USIBC is the largest bilateral trade association in the United States, with liaison presence in New York, Silicon Valley, and New Delhi. .
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Speaking to investors, Shri Gadkari said, Prime Minister Modi has made the countrys infrastructure development the top-most priority of the government. We are committed to improving the countrys road, highways, and port connectivity in a time-bound, result oriented, corruption-free and transparent manner that includes e-governance and fast-tracking decision-making. The pace of road construction has accelerated to an all-time high of 20 kilometers per day and next year we plan to increase it to 41 km per day. This is a golden opportunity to invest in India." The Minister also spoke on the new highways under construction in the country, financing mechanisms under PPP models, framing policies for logistics parks, modernization of roads, building intelligent traffic systems for road safety and further innovation and technology to Indias logistics sector . Shri Gadkaris team also outlined the progress that has already been made in the roads, highways, and shipping sectors. Shri Rohit Kumar Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, highlighted specific investment opportunities in the highways sector while Shri Alok Srivastava, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Shipping, shared details on the Sagarmala Program the Ministrys flagship port-led development initiative to bring down logistics cost and boost investment, exports, and jobs. .
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USIBC President Dr. Mukesh Aghi said, With an upsurge in Indias e-commerce markets and the unprecedented growth in Indian cities, there is a critical need for advanced logistical services and better transportation infrastructure. India needs $1 trillion for developing new roads, ports, rail lines, and airports over the next few years and U.S. companies can provide the necessary expertise as well as capital to enable the robust growth of this sector. We are excited to witness the rapid growth of this sector under Minister Gadkaris leadership, road construction rates have gone up, infrastructure spending has received a boost and India has jumped ranks in the Logisitics Performance Index. It is timely and urgent to explore the full potential of U.S.-India collaboration in this sector." .
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Dr. Ravindra Verma, Managing Director of TransAsia Infrastructure Group, a confederation that manages and executes multi-modal integrated transport and logistics infrastructure in Asia provided an industry perspective during the discussion. Dr. Verma said, Under Minister Gadkari's leadership, the Indian highways sector is now at a critical turning point. More than $100 billion in capital is now needed over the next several years to expand existing corridors and build new ones to keep up with the growth in traffic. This presents an opportunity for all players in North America to mobilize resources on a major scale. We are now actively gathering over $1 billion in global capital towards a dedicated multi-modal surface transport platform RoadStar, with major focus on India." .
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British Prime Minister David Cameron is to resign Wednesday, paving the way for Home Secretary to take the reins. May was officially named Conservative Party leader and successor to Cameron "with immediate effect".
As the UN-backed tribunal struck down China's claims over almost all of the (SCS), China on Tuesday directed its ire against the US, accusing America and its Asia Pacific Pivot policy for stirring trouble to blunt Beijing's rise.
"Before the implementation of the so-called rebalance to Asia Pacific by the US, the SCS is very tranquil and peaceful. Then comes the Americans and their policy of rebalance to Asia and since then things have changed," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang told reporters.
Before the rebalance was implemented there were disputes between the relevant parties in the SCS but they properly managedand maintained peaceful situation.
"No matter how the US argues, they cannot deny that things changed after the implementation of the Asia rebalance policy," he said.
In a case brought by the Philippines, the Hague-based tribunal appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled "there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights within the sea areas falling within the 'nine-dash line'", which is based on a Chinese map dating back to the 1940s.
"The US poses itself as guardian of the maritime rule of law but refuses to approve the UN Convention on Law of Seas, (UNCLOS) 34 years after it was reached. It asks the other parties to accept the third party approach for dispute settlement but even refuses to accept the order and judgement by the supreme judicial organ of the UN which is internationalcourt of justice," Lu said.
"Its action severely erodes the authority, sanctity and effectiveness of the law. It is very dangerous and the community should be on high alert against that," Lu said.
Asked about the report that China may pull out of the UNCLOS as the tribunal was constituted based on it, Lu said, "I do not know where did you see that".
"Ever since China approved UNCLOS in 1976, we have been loyal party to UNCLOS and we upholdit with faithful observance. We have to say that we should maintain the authority of the UNCLOS no matter what instead of making selective use of it based on the likes and dislikes and or even violate the clause of the UNCLOS," he said.
Reports also said China which has already developed several islands and reefs in the SCS may declare Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) of the SCS under which all the incoming aircraft have to identify themselves.
A protest was staged outside the Chinese consulate in Philippines capital city on Tuesday ahead of a long-awaited ruling over the disputed .
One of the protest organisers included the leftist political party Bayan Muna, which brought some of its members to the event, as well as several fishermen from the Masinloc area of northwestern Zambales province, EFE news reported.
That province is near the Scarborough Shoal, a chain of reefs and rocks with rich fishing grounds and the subject of the Philippines vs China case at the Tribunal of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands.
During a speech by the leader of the Masinloc fisherman, one of the organisers said that if The Hague court rules in favour of the Philippines, fishermen can return to catching many large fish in the disputed area, which they had struggled to do for some time because Chinese coast guard ships blocked their boats.
A Philippine-American group in Manila plans to hold a balloon-releasing event later in the day in anticipation that the arbitration court will rule in the Philippines' favour.
The Philippines first filed the islands dispute case at the court in 2013, which irked China as it claims the matter should be settled through bilateral negotiations.
China claims about 90% of the South China Sea, including reefs and islands, which are also claimed by .
China said it does not recognise the tribunal and has refused to take part in the hearings.
Describing himself as the law and order candidate, Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said that if elected he would protect everyone and treat them justly without prejudice.
"Not only am I the law and order candidate, but I am also the candidate of compassion, believe it. The candidate of compassion. But you can't have true compassion without providing safety for the citizens of our country," Trump told his supporters at an event in Virginia.
"Every kid in America should be able to securely walk the streets in their own neighbourhood without harm. Everyone will be protected equally and treated justly without prejudice. We will be tough. We will be smart. We will be fair and we will protect all Americans," he said amidst big applause from the audience.
"Without safety, we have nothing. It is the job of the next president to make America safe again for everyone," he said in his first public event after last week's shooting incidents in Dallas that killed five policemen and the killing of two other African Americans in different parts of the country at the hands of police.
"The attack on our Dallas police is an attack on our country. Our whole nation is in mourning, and will be for a very long time. Yet we have also seen increasing threats against our police and a substantial rise in the number of officers killed in the line of duty very big rise," he said.
Observing that America's police and law enforcement personnel are what separates civilisation from total chaos and the destruction of the country, Trump said it's time to "immediately end" the hostility against police and against all members of law enforcement.
The Japanese government on Tuesday lifted an evacuation order for two areas in Fukushima, affected by radiation from the 2011 nuclear accident, allowing more than 10,000 people to return to their homes.
Both areas, with a combined total of 3,487 households and population of 10,807, are in the city of Minamisoma, around 25 km north of the nuclear power plant, EFE news reported.
The city, which has a population of around 63,000, will be completely habitable again, except for one area with one house, government official said.
However, many are reluctant to return.
According to surveys of those obliged to leave their homes due to radioactive emissions, between 30 and 50% of families are unsure whether they will return to their houses.
Eight municipalities in Fukushima still have areas designated as evacuation zones, classified into three different categories.
Except for areas in the third category - which states that radiation levels are too high for people to live in those areas, and will not change in the medium term - the government plans to lift evacuation orders for all remaining areas by March 2017.
Clean-up and decontamination activities in residential areas have been completed, and these tasks were now being carried out on roads and farmlands.
The nuclear accident at the Fukushima plant, caused by the earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011, was the worst since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine.
Radioactive emissions still prevent thousands of people living near the plant from returning to their homes, and have severely affected agriculture, fishing and local livestock.
The mastermind of the Pakistani Taliban attack on an army school here that left over 140 schoolchildren dead in 2014 has been killed in a US drone strike in neighbouring Afghanistan, security officials said.
Officials said Umar Mansour, alias Umar Naray, had been killed along with another militant leader Qari Saifullah, in the US drone attack in the Bandar area of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province on Saturday.
An official said they had credible reports of Mansour having been killed with Saifullah, who was in charge of Taliban suicide bombers, the Dawn reported.
"What we have is pretty credible," he was quoted as saying in the report.
The massacre on December 16, 2014, left 144 students and staff members dead after seven gunmen of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) stormed the Army Public School in the northwestern city of Peshawar.
The US State Department had on May 25 designated Umar Mansour as a global terrorist, clearing the path for his inclusion in its hit-list.
There was no official confirmation of Mansour's death from either the TTP or any independent source. If true, his death would be a severe blow to the terror group.
Mansour, because of his violent and major terrorist attacks, was regarded by Pakistani security agencies as a major threat.
US President today attended a White House meeting of law enforcement officials in the aftermath of the tragic shooting incident in which five police officials were killed.
"This was a meeting that the vice-president convened with leaders and law-enforcement to talk about of course the tragedy that occurred just a few days ago in Dallas, but to talk about the challenging job that police officers across the country have," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily news conference.
During the meeting, Obama had opportunity to meet with law enforcement leaders on a number of occasions, and he's quite interested in making sure that, that dialogue continues, Earnest asserted.
On Tuesday, Obama is travelling to Dallas to attend and speak at a memorial service for the five police officers who were killed there last week.
"President Obama will speak there. He will be joined on the trip by the first lady, Mrs Obama, and Vice-President Biden will also be attending the service, and he will be joined by his wife Dr Jill Biden," he said.
The former president George W Bush will also be there.
After coming back from Dallas, on Wednesday Obama will convene another meeting here at the White House.
That will include not only law enforcement officials, but also include activists, academics, civil rights leaders, local political leaders from across the country to further the dialogue and the identification of specific solutions to repairing the bonds of trust that have frayed in so many communities between law enforcement officials and the citizens that they have sworn to serve and protect, Earnest said.
Racial tension following police violence against African-Americans continued ahead of President Barack Obama's visit to Dallas, where five police officers were gunned down last week.
Obama is scheduled to travel to Dallas where he will pay tribute to the five officers killed during a "Black Lives Matter" protest on July 7, together with his wife, Michelle; Vice President Joe Biden and former US President George W Bush.
"Last week was a tough week for our country," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest in his daily press briefing on Monday, adding that the government wants to "ensure that the rights of all citizens are protected, and law enforcement officials, who have a very dangerous job, are also protected."
In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 52 people were arrested on Sunday evening in a new day of protests against police violence because of the killing by police of an African-American resident of the city in an incident on July 5.
In many other cities across the US similar demonstrations occurred after the events of last week with the cases of Baton Rouge and Minnesota, where another African-American man died in a shooting by a policeman, and the killings of Dallas.
The Dallas shooting is the deadliest attack for police officers since September 11, 2011.
On Wednesday, President Obama will host a meeting at the White House with representatives of civil rights leaders and law enforcement officials to address the violence in the country.
Obama said that it is possible to "honour the incredible courage and service" of the police and also "recognise the racial disparities" in the criminal justice system.
"There's no contradiction there. And if we are going to come together to solve these problems, we have to understand that. So we'll have to talk to each other. We'll have to listen to each other. And we'll have to see each other as equal parts of the American family," Obama added.
Sierra Leone's foreign minister says no ransom was paid in the release of a diplomat who was abducted and held captive for five days in Nigeria.
Alfred Nelson Williams, Sierra Leone's deputy high commissioner to Nigeria, was abducted on June 30 while traveling to a military parade in the northwest.
At the time, Nigerian workers at Sierra Leone's embassy told Associated Press that the unidentified abductors were demanding $40 million.
Williams was released on July 5 and appeared before reporters in Sierra Leone's capital today.
He provided few details of his captivity. Foreign Minister Samura Kamara said "intense pressure by the Nigerian police" helped secure the diplomat's release, but he didn't elaborate.
Williams was traveling on a major highway well known for armed robbery and abductions.
A local official in central was killed in an attack that left his body "riddled" with bullets, security sources said.
Deputy mayor of the Wouro-Mody commune Kola H. Dia became the latest victim of jihadist and criminal groups which take advantage of Mali's dire security situation by frequently targeting symbols, of state power including government officials and soldiers.
A Malian security source told AFP under condition of anonymity that "terrorists slaughtered the deputy mayor of the commune" on Tuesday morning.
He said it was a "targeted attack."
A resident of Wouro-Mody who saw Dia's body said the gunmen left him "riddled" with bullets before making off with his mobile phone.
Dia was killed in the same area of the Mopti region where five Togolese UN peacekeepers were fatally ambushed on May 29. There was no claim of responsibility but the UN at the time called it a "terrorist" attack.
Northern has seen repeated violence since it fell under the control of Tuareg-led rebels who allied with jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda in 2012.
Attacks are now becoming more frequent further south, in the country's centre, close to its borders with Burkina Faso and Niger.
Although Islamists were largely ousted by an ongoing French-led military operation launched in January 2013, sporadic attacks from desert hideouts are common.
Senior US Department of Justice officials overruled internal recommendations to prosecute global bank Holdings Plc for money-laundering violations because of concerns about the stability of the financial system, according to a congressional report released on Monday.
In 2013, the Financial Services Committee of the US House of Representatives, led by Jeb Hensarling, a Republican of Texas, began investigating the Justice Department's November 2012 decision to enter into a $1.92 billion settlement agreement with .
The report, which relies on internal records from the Department of the Treasury, said the US attorney general at the time, Eric Holder, "misled" Congress about the Justice Department's reasoning for declining to prosecute.
Holder and other top officials decided against criminal charges for London-based over the recommendations of prosecutors because they had concerns about financial stability, the report said.
Politicians and others have criticized the Justice Department for not sufficiently cracking down on big banks following the 2008 financial crisis. The report said it sought to shed light on the department's decision-making and did not outline specific recommendations.
The 2012 settlement detailed how Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel and Colombia's Norte del Valle cartel laundered $881 million through HSBC and a Mexican unit and how the bank violated US sanctions laws by doing business with customers in Iran, Libya, Sudan, Burma and Cuba.
No HSBC executives or employees were prosecuted for the violations, the report said.
HSBC declined to comment on the report. The Treasury Department also declined to comment.
Justice Department spokesperson Peter Carr said a series of factors are weighed when determining how to resolve a case, including "adverse consequences for innocent third parties, such as employees, customers, investors, pension holders and the public." He said US District Judge John Gleeson approved the agreement.
Internal emails cited in the report show the Justice Department's Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, represented by then-chief Jennifer Shasky Calvery, was "considering seeking a guilty plea from HSBC" as early as September 2012.
Shasky Calvery earlier this year joined HSBC in a senior global financial crime-fighting role, a source familiar with her plans told Reuters in April.
Senior leadership at the Justice Department, including Holder, ultimately overruled criminally charging the bank, even though Holder had testified in front of Congress that "banks are not too big to jail," the report said. A spokesperson for the law firm where Holder now works said he declined to comment.
The report also claims that the involvement of the United Kingdom's Financial Services Authority influenced the Justice Department's decision to settle the case.
"George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, the UK's chief financial minister, intervened in the HSBC matter by sending a letter to Federal Reserve Chairperson Ben Bernanke ... to express the UK's concerns regarding US. enforcement actions against British banks," the report said.
Carr said the Justice Department routinely seeks input on the impact of prosecutions from subject-matter experts, "such as domestic and foreign regulators." He said final decisions are based on the unique facts of each case.
Britain's finance ministry declined to comment.
The Congressional report said both the Justice Department and Treasury did not comply with the committee's request for documents, forcing them to issue subpoenas.
As part of HSBC's agreement with the US government, the bank installed an outside monitor, former prosecutor Michael Cherkasky, to improve its anti-money laundering controls. A court heard in April that despite progress, HSBC was still not doing enough to thwart money laundering.
In January, Thomas J Donohue, the feisty chief executive of the US Chamber of Commerce, noted - without naming names - that there were "loud voices" this election season who talked about walling off America from talent and trade. He called that position "morally wrong and politically stupid."
In March, Donohue got a little more blunt. " has very little idea about what trade really is," he told Bloomberg television. And recently, the gloves came off completely. As the presumptive Republican nominee gave a speech, threatening to rip up trade accords and put tariffs on goods from China, the chamber live-tweeted its jabs and counterpunches. "Under Trump's trade plans, we would see higher prices, fewer jobs, and a weaker economy," read one tweet.
The Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar conducted an offshore recruitment of faculty and selected six Indian-origin candidates, who wanted to return to their roots.
A team of delegates headed by Sarit Kumar Das, Director, IIT-Ropar, travelled to UK, Canada and the US in June this year to select faculty from among the Indian diaspora to further improve the educational quality the institute.
China restated its territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests over the South China Sea on Tuesday, after rejecting the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague on the South China Sea dispute, which said that China has no "historic title" over the waters of the disputed sea.
In a statement released by the Chinese government on China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, it said, "To reaffirm China' s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, enhance cooperation in the South China Sea with other countries and uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea, the Government of the People' s Republic of China hereby states as follows."
1. China' s Nanhai Zhudao (the South China Sea Islands) consist of Dongsha Qundao (the Dongsha Islands), Xisha Qundao (the Xisha Islands), Zhongsha Qundao (the Zhongsha Islands) and Nansha Qundao (the Nansha Islands). The activities of the Chinese people in the South China Sea date back to over 2,000 years ago. China is the first to have discovered, named, and explored and exploited Nanhai Zhudao and relevant waters, and the first to have exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over them continuously, peacefully and effectively, thus establishing territorial sovereignty and relevant rights and interests in the South China Sea.
Following the end of the Second War, China recovered and resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao which had been illegally occupied by Japan during its war of aggression against China. To strengthen the administration over Nanhai Zhudao, the Chinese government in 1947 reviewed and updated the geographical names of Nanhai Zhudao, compiled Nan Hai Zhu Dao Di Li Zhi Lue (A Brief Account of the Geography of the South China Sea Islands), and drew Nan Hai Zhu Dao Wei Zhi Tu (Location Map of the South China Sea Islands) on which the dotted line is marked. This map was officially published and made known to the by the Chinese government in February 1948.
2. Since its founding on 1 October 1949, the People' s Republic of China has been firm in upholding China' s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. A series of legal instruments, such as the 1958 Declaration of the Government of the People' s Republic of China on China' s Territorial Sea, the 1992 Law of the People' s Republic of China on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone, the 1998 Law of the People' s Republic of China on the Exclusive Economic Zone and the Continental Shelf and the 1996 Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People' s Congress of the People' s Republic of China on the Ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, have further reaffirmed China' s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea.
3. Based on the practice of the Chinese People and the Chinese government in the long course of history and the position consistently upheld by successive Chinese governments, and in accordance with national law and international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, China has territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, including, inter alia:
i. China has sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao, consisting of Dongsha Qundao, Xisha Qundao, Zhongsha Qundao and Nansha Qundao;
ii. China has internal waters, territorial sea and contiguous zone, based on Nanhai Zhudao;
iii. China has exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, based on Nanhai Zhudao;
iv. China has historic rights in the South China Sea.
The above positions are consistent with relevant international law and practice.
4. China is always firmly opposed to the invasion and illegal occupation by certain states of some islands and reefs of China' s Nansha Qundao, and activities infringing upon China' s rights and interests in relevant maritime areas under China' s jurisdiction. China stands ready to continue to resolve the relevant disputes peacefully through negotiation and consultation with the states directly concerned on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law. Pending final settlement, China is also ready to make every effort with the states directly concerned to enter into provisional arrangements of a practical nature, including joint development in relevant maritime areas, in order to achieve win-win results and jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.
5. China respects and upholds the freedom of navigation and overflight enjoyed by all states under international law in the South China Sea, and stays ready to work with other coastal states and the international community to ensure the safety of and the unimpeded access to the international shipping lanes in the South China Sea.
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday set aside a trial court order of summoning documents from the Finance Ministry and other agencies in connection with the Herald case.
The trial court had earlier this year summoned various documents from the Finance Ministry and other agencies, including the Congress Party's balance sheet for the year 2010-11.
The High Court had earlier on April 18 reserved its order on the pleas of Congress leaders challenging summoning of documents from different ministries in connection with this case filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy.
A Delhi Court had on March 11 given its nod to Swamy's plea, seeking the balance sheets of the Indian Congress (INC) and Associated Journals Pvt Limited (AJL) for the purpose of investigation in this case.
Swamy had on March 1 approached a Delhi Court seeking summoning of certain documents related to the financial details of Congress, AJL and Young Indian Pvt. Ltd.
In an application moved before Metropolitan Magistrate Lovleen, Swamy sought to summon the balance sheet, receipts, income and expenditure statements for assessment years 2010- 11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 of the INC, AJL and Young Indian Pvt. Ltd.
Besides the Congress president and her son, Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda are the other accused in this case.
Swamy had accused Sonia, Rahul and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by just paying Rs. 50 lakh by which YI obtained the right to recover Rs. 90.25 crore which the AJL had owed to the Congress.
The Delhi High Court is likely to pronounce its verdict today on the pleas of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi and other leaders of the grand old party against a trial court order in connection with the Herald case.
The trial court had summoned various documents from the Finance Ministry and other agencies and the party's 2010-11 balance-sheet.
The High Court had earlier on April 18 reserved its order on the pleas of Congress leaders challenging summoning of documents from different ministries in connection with this case filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy.
A Delhi Court had on March 11 given its nod to Swamy's plea, seeking the balance sheets of the Indian Congress (INC) and Associated Journals Pvt Limited (AJL) for the purpose of investigation in this case.
Swamy had on March 1 approached a Delhi Court seeking summoning of certain documents related to the financial details of Congress, AJL and Young Indian Pvt. Ltd.
In an application moved before Metropolitan Magistrate Lovleen, Swamy sought to summon the balance sheet, receipts, income and expenditure statements for assessment years 2010- 11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 of the INC, AJL and Young Indian Pvt. Ltd.
Besides the Congress president and her son, Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda are the other accused in this case.
Swamy had accused Sonia, Rahul and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by just paying Rs. 50 lakh by which YI obtained the right to recover Rs. 90.25 crore which the AJL had owed to the Congress.
Over the past month, reports are floating around that multinational cement producer LafargeHolcim is in the process of divesting and selling its Sri Lankan subsidiary Holcim Lanka Ltd.
The divestment plan is said to be in its final stages. Binding bids have been received from several companies with final negotiations to be concluded shortly.
According to local media reports, there are six leading bidders, including China, the UAE, Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka.
The latest to join the Holcim Lanka Ltd. bidding process is reportedly Dubai-based Sri Lankan businessman, Nandana Lokuwithana, who owns and runs the Onyx Group and the Ceylon Heavy Industries and Construction Company (CHICO). Lokuwithana is said to have bid USD 400 million to buy Holcim Lanka Ltd., which as per reports, is valued at only USD 200 million.
An unheard of bankrupt villager from Nattandiya, Lokuwithana, is a Dubai-based Sri Lankan businessman who has the rare distinction of being named in the Panama Papers.
He is alleged to be a front man of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa, and is more popularly known as the 'Sri Lankan who bought the Marriott Hotel, Dubai'. It is widely believed that this hotel (owned through Onyx) is amongst the many properties in Dubai in which Rajapaksa had invested through Lokuwithana.
Aside the investments in Dubai, Lokuwithana had also bought Ceylon Heavy Industries and Construction company (CHICO) for US$ 77 million.
Lokuwithana is said to have strong links with China and there is speculation on whether the bid by Onyx is just another Chinese attempt at gaining competitive control in the key and strategic ports of Sri Lanka.
This bid by the Chinese to take over strategic ports of Sri Lanka has reportedly taken India by surprise and the latter could register its concerns over this development with Colombo.
The USD 400 million Onyx's bid is reportedly backed by a comfort letter issued by a State Bank of Sri Lanka in the same amount. Lokuwithana has apparently deposited USD 200 million with the bank, and taken the letter against that deposit and monies held for Steel Corporation.
The fact is that Sri Lanka's cement sector and market appears to be heading for an irreversible change in the wake of the Sri Lankan Industry and Commerce Ministry's expression of interest to buy out Holcim Lanka Ltd.
Holcim Lanka Ltd. has a total cement manufacturing and bagging capacity of around 3.9 million tons per annum (MTPA) and is the only integrated cement plant in Sri Lanka with access to captive limestone mines. It is seen as an attractive strategic buy.
Sri Lanka has an overall market of around 6.5 MTPA, while China has a 474 MTPA capacity and a keen desire to export its cement.
With cement being one of the key industries for a growing country like Sri Lanka, it does not come as a surprise that Colombo is being careful about giving the green signal to bidders like China to establish its presence in this sector, given that the latter has a reputation and a national strategy of "dumping" exportable products at prices that are way below what they are sold in the domestic space, or below its cost of production.
China also has acquired a reputation for capturing markets and then destroying competition. So, therefore, the Government of Sri Lanka would be assessing the short and long-term effects of it entering the cement sector.
In theory though, China could consider importing large quantities of clinkers (stony residue from burnt coal or from a furnace) using the three key port terminals of Colombo, Galle and Trincomalee, instead of manufacturing cement at Holcim Lanka's integrated Puttalam plant.
Holcim invested USD 26 million as part of the 1993 agreement which gave the company the right to extract limestone for 50 years in Sri Lanka. The commerce ministry claims that Holcim has extracted nearly 4000 metric tons of limestone, the value of which is in the region of Rs. 48 billion. Holcim has also enjoyed a 12-year tax holiday from funds borrowed from within Sri Lanka, the commerce ministry has claimed, according to a report appearing in Sri Lanka's Daily News.
Sri Lanka, therefore, needs to be protective about its local industry, especially against China.
The Chinese already have access to the Colombo and Hambantota Ports, and giving them further access to the ports of Trincomalee and Galle may raise concerns. Allowing Beijing to get a foothold in the country with no conceivable benefits to Colombo could raise political eyebrows.
Holcim Lanka's assets include two packing plants in Galle and Trincomalee, a cement plant in Puttalam and a cement grinding plant in Galle.
Given Colombo's wariness over a direct entry by China in one of its key commercially profitable sectors, Lokuwithana's Onyx Group may have been recruited as a possible proxy for Beijing.
If you think the recently released track 'Jaaneman Aah' from upcoming movie 'Dhishoom' is just another item number, then you are wrong.
According to Varun Dhawan, this song is the most important one in the movie as it "completes Junaid's love track."
To mention, Junaid is the character portrayed by the 'Badlapur' actor in the movie.
"I think this is a very special song for me and Parineeti. It is the first time we are pairing together. Its probably the most important song from 'Dhishoom.' This song completes Junaid's love track," he said during the song launch event today in Mumbai.
The 29-year-old actor also thanked Pari for doing the song.
"Just want to tell Parineeti thank you for doing this for us," he said.
The 'Ishaqzaade' actress also expressed her excitement of working with Varun and said, "Varun and I have worked on many ads. But we never got any film offered together. Hopefully will get now."
'Jaaneman Aah' is an out-and-out dance number which ups the temperature on screen with a sizzling chemistry between the two amidst a lavish set.
Washington D.C., July 12 (ANI): Asserting that there is a huge opportunity of investment in the port sector in India, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said investors are impressed with the India's scheme and are willing to harness the opportunity.
"We are planning to start three new ports in India - Colachel port (Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu), Sagar port (West Bengal) and Wadhawan port (Mumbai). So, there is also huge opportunity for investments in our port sector. We have discussed all these issues with the Indo-American Chambers Of Commerce. They are very much impressed by the presentation and are willing to invest in India," Gadkari told ANI here.
Taking about ease of doing business in India, the minister said, "At present, there are no roadblocks - no land acquisition or forest clearance problems. When I took over as minister, 403 projects were there with the state governments, with our departments and National Highway Authority of India (NHI), of which 90% have been cleared. Our Cabinet has approved 21 decisions from our department and today, frankly speaking, there is no problem."
Talking about clearances to various projects, he said, "Now we are not giving appointment aid without 80% land accusations. And first, we issue forest and environment clearances, railway clearance, utility shifting and 80 percent land acquisition and then we are giving the appointment aid."
Speaking about speedy road construction, the minister said, "Today, the road sector is moving fast and that is the reason the speed of road construction has increased. I just want to give one example that Axis control express highway that is ring road of Delhi, easterly bypass and westerly bypass. Actually, there was a big land acquisition problem in Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi, particularly in U.P. But with our new Land Acquisition Act in place, we don't have any problem."
"The Prime Minister has given us a task to complete highway, road construction within 400 days. And we are confident that we will be able to complete this project within 400 days. So, the work culture is changed and the decision making process is fast with full transparency, so it is very easy for the contractor and for the company to construct..there is a good positive environment for development," he added.
"Presently, in the Bank report, financial report the performance of India from the logistic point of view has increased. The way this government is working, the response is very good. Now the people are really interested to invest in India," he said.
Talking about people's expectation, Gadkari said "People have more expectation from my government, especially in the road safety department. And even I am not satisfied with it. Unfortunately in the past two years, two percent accidents have also increased, so, it is a big problem. We are very much disturbed, because every day there is an accident in Himachal Pradesh. We have taken lot of decision on this. We have made barriers; we need to improve the system and we have to use the latest technology. We have to make it axis control. Most important is as to how to save lives of the people."
Talking about setting up of 4,000 driving institutes across India, Gadkari said, "In the whole world, it is easiest to get license in India, and India has maximum bogus licenses. Most of the license holders have never been to the office and that is why we are going to build four thousand driving institutes, where computer will take the test and declare the result."
"We are taking all the help from the transport ministry in London. so now it will not be very easy for anyone to take a license. National registration of licence, the licence and registration everything will be available in the website," he added.
Asserting that Islamic preacher Zakir Naik was being targeted for sheer political motives, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) MP ET Mohammed Basheer on Tuesday categorically ruled out allegations that Naik was a terrorist, adding that he was being branded and hunted down without any proof.
Speaking to ANI here, Basheer said Naik, who is a known personality across the globe, has not hidden any of his works and is complete transparent about his intentions.
"He has written books published in many languages across the world. He has not hidden any of his works and they are all in the open. It is very clear according to our assessment that he is not instrumental in making any kind of terrorist activities in our country. So, I have categorically told on behalf of my party that he cannot be branded as a terrorist because his activities are crystal clear and transparent," he said.
Asserting that he has read all of Naik's works, Basheer added that nowhere in his books was there any content motivating terrorism.
He also said that the preacher was being branded and hunted, adding that he was victim to a strong agenda against him as he is a very strong preacher of the Islamic principles.
"Before proving that he is inspiring people for any kind of terrorism, there is no meaning of branding him. He is being politically targeted and an innocent man is being branded. He has said himself that ISIS is anti-Islam," said Basheer.
Meanwhile, Naik has said that he has been misquoted by the media as most of the clips shown on the television and his print statements are either out of context or doctored.
Issuing a statement, Naik expressed shock at the 'media trial on him regarding the recent terrorist attack that took place in Dhaka.'
"According to me, the media is the most important weapon in the world. It can convert a hero into villain or even a villain into a hero. I'm shocked at the media trial on me regarding the recent terrorist attack that took place in Dhaka Bangladesh on 1st July 2016. Most of the clips shown on the television of myself are either out of context, half statements or doctored. So are my statements in the print media," he said.
Following the Centre's tough stand on Zakir Naik's controversial comments on terrorism, nine teams from the Intelligence Agency (NIA), the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and other agencies earlier began scanning the former's activities, while special teams scanned every footage of his speeches.
Sources stated that Naik may be banned soon and the Centre has sought fresh legal opinion regarding the controversial preacher.
The government is most likely gearing up to make a strong legal case against Naik.
Naik is expected to give a press conference through Skype at the World Trade Centre in Cuffe Parade, Mumbai, on Thursday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who chaired a high-level meeting today to review the situation in Kashmir, presently rocked by violent protests in wake of the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani, appealed to people of the valley to maintain peace and assured them that no innocent would be harmed.
Emerging from the meeting, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh told the media that Prime Minister Modi has extended every possible assistance and cooperation to the state government in dealing with the present situation.
"The Prime Minister has made an appeal for maintaining peace and calm in the valley. He has hoped that the situation would come back to normal very soon," he added.
Singh said the Prime Minister has also expressed hope that none of the innocent people would suffer from inconvenience or harm in this hour of crisis.
The Minister of State in the PMO also said that the Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction over the Amarnath Yatra, as it was proceeding as expected.
Singh further informed the media that the Prime Minister had expressed his desire to convene an urgent meeting to discuss the Kashmir issue soon after his arrival from four-nation Africa tour.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar were among those present in the meeting held at the Prime Minister's official 7, Race Course Road (RCR) residence here.
The meeting took place a day after Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry summoned Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale and conveyed Islamabad's serious concerns over the recent killing of Wani who they termed a "Kashmiri leader".
Meanwhile, the militants today attacked a police party at Warpora area of Sopore town in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir.
However, there was no immediate report of any injuries.
The entire area has been cordoned off and a hunt operation has been launched to trace the militants.
The attack on the police party comes at a time when the valley is boiling over protest against Wani's killing.
The death toll in the clashes between the protesters and the security forces in Kashmir has reached 30, as normal life remained paralysed in the valley due to curfew-like restrictions and separatists-sponsored strike in wake of Wani's killing in an encounter on July 8.
Japan organizes Washoku World Challenge, an annual contest of Japanese cooking for foreign chef.
Last year's winner was Gonzalo Santiago Bautista, a chef from Mexico. He was astonished as many foreign chefs are not getting expertise in Japanese cuisine. After winning in last competition,
Gonzalo was spotlighted by media and his restaurant picks up.
He believes the glorious certification made him an honorable banquet chef and missionary of Washoku.
Similarly, two years ago, the winner was Thailand's Jaran Deephuak. His restaurant 'Nanohana' gets big fame in Bangkok afterword.
"Washoku is a healthy cuisine, associated with the four seasons of the nature. The most important thing is to cook cordially and wholeheartedly," said Jaran Deephuak from Nanohana Restaurant Bangkok.
This year, the contestants will compete on Ichiju-issai the basic style in Japanese cooking that consists of a bowl of rice, a bowl of soup, and one dish.
After preliminary nomination, 10 finalists are invited to Tokyo final competition in December.
All finalists will have the opportunities to participate in various training courses to learn about the finest in Japan before and after the competition.
Washoku is listed as an intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO.
The Washoku World Challenge has been established as the biggest and authorized Japanese cuisine competition.
Washoku World is the password for foreign Washoku chef. Everyone should make check Washoku World 2016 on the internet.
Such events also attract more tourists towards Japan. By the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Japan is aiming to have 40 million foreign tourists annually.
JCB, the international credit card brand that originated in Japan is planning various promotional activities for its over 21 million users overseas.
"JCB is currently expanding, centered in East Asia and Southeast Asian territories. Now, visiting Japan is trendy and becoming a boom. As a Japanese brand, we strive to create policies that enable our clients to enjoy their visit in Japan," added Sales Promotion Department JCB International Co., Ltd., Yi Wang.
Based on the policy that JCB's overseas members are entitled to enter for free, over 30,000 tourists from overseas have benefited from it.
JCB has been practicing similar policies in more than 10 locations all over the country. Shopping is one of the pleasures of visiting Japan.
Partnered with large appliance stores, popular drugstores, and well-known department stores, JCB implements promotional campaigns to supply products with high-quality at a discounted price.
AEON Mall Narita, a shopping mall that exists near the airport, has become popular among overseas tourists.
With fully equipped bus terminals, it has easy access to the airport and travel agencies have also made this shopping mall part of their tour route.
"Including our overseas branches, AEON has over 160 retail stores. Through those stores, posters, or SNS such as DM, Facebook, we want to convey a message: "Welcome to Japan, welcome to AEON." We are pleased to see more and more clients visiting," said Senior manager Corporate Communications Aeon Co. Ltd., Otsuka Satoshi.
Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria has said that the Kashmir dispute has international ramifications and rejected India's assertion that it is an internal matter where Islamabad has no role to play and should have no role to play.
"The dispute of Kashmir has international recognition. It is not an internal matter of India. Such an assertion is a violation of UN Security Council's Resolutions," The Express Tribune quoted Zakira, as saying.
He said the current situation on the Indian side of Kashmir is a manifestation of what Kashmiris wanted, their right to self-determination.
Reportedly, Pakistan has decided to be aggressive diplomatically on the Kashmir issue.
A senior Foreign Office official said Islamabad has directed all diplomatic missions, particularly those in key capitals, to brief the host governments about the current situation in Kashmir.
The Congress Party took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's African visit, saying that he was busy 'playing drums' and tweeting about his travels instead of paying attention to Jammu and Kashmir which is in a state of turmoil.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted a picture of Prime Minister Modi with Tanzanian President John Magufuli playing drums during the ceremonial welcome at State House in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
He had also advised the Prime Minister, who was on a five-day tour to the African countries, to learn from US President Barack Obama, who had cut short his visit to European countries in the wake of the Dallas shootings of policemen.
"Kashmir is burning. 21 people have died. Security forces are being attacked daily. Amarnath Yatra suspended and Modi ji is playing the drums. At least wake up now," he said in his tweet.
He further reminded Prime Minister Modi that the PDP-BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir is unable to handle the situation and he should not throw Kashmir in the 'shadow of the gun' to ensure that the peace process remains unaffected.
The Kashmir valley has been on a boil as widespread protests were carried out over Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani's killing with many separatists' calling for a shutdown.
The death toll in the clashes between protesters and security forces in Kashmir mounted to 23, as normal life remained paralysed for the third day today in the Valley due to curfew-like restrictions and separatists-sponsored strike in the wake of Wani's killing in an encounter on July 8.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has cancelled his visit to the United States in view of the ongoing unrest in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Home Minister was to visit US to attend the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue in Washington scheduled for next week.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is chairing a high level meeting to review the situation in the Kashmir Valley, where one of the worst violence in recent years has left 23 people dead.
Kashmir has been on a boil as widespread protests broke out across the valley over Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani's killing. Separatists' have been calling for a shutdown ever since.
The death toll in the clashes between protesters and security forces in Kashmir mounted to 23, as normal life remained paralysed in the Valley due to curfew-like restrictions and separatists-sponsored strike in the wake of Wani's killing in an encounter earlier on July 8.
Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said that Pakistan is directly or indirectly sponsoring and promoting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Pakistan is directly or indirectly sponsoring perpetrating promoting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
Singh further stated that Pakistan is playing significant role in breeding militancy in Kashmir.
"It is hardly a secret that Pakistan has been playing a significant, rather, negative role as far as militancy in Jammu and Kashmir is concerned," Singh told ANI.
Singh's remarks comes a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Nawaz expressed deep shock over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commader Burhan Wani and other civilians and condemned the excessive and unlawful use of force against innocent people in Kashmir.
"It is deplorable that excessive and unlawful force was used against civilians who were protesting against the killing of Burhan Wani," said Sharif in a statement on Sunday, reports the Express Tribune.
The 22-year-old Burhan Wani, along with his two cohorts, was killed by the security forces earlier on Friday.
On Sunday, the Foreign Office spokesperson also issued a statement deploring the oppressive measures adopted by Indian forces and called the killing of Wani as extrajudicial.
Islamabad also expressed its concern over the detention of Kashmiri leadership and called upon New Delhi to fulfill the human rights obligations as per the United Nation.
The Kashmir valley has been on a boil since widespread protests were carried out over Wani's killing with many separatists' calling for a shutdown.
Many protestors have lost their lives so far.
The mastermind of the December 2014 Peshawar Army Public School massacre that claimed the lives of 144 innocent students and staff members, Umar Mansour, has reportedly been killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan.
Two senior security officials claim that Umar Mansour, alias Khalifa Mansour, alias Umar Naray, had been killed, along with another militant leader Qari Saifullah, in a U.S. drone attack in the Bandar area of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province on Saturday, reports the Dawn.
One of the officials said they had credible reports of Mansour having been killed with Saifullah, who was in charge of suicide bombers saying "What we have is pretty credible."
There was, however, some confusion over the death of Qari Saifullah.
The US State Department had on May 25 designated Mansour a global terrorist, thus clearing the path for his inclusion in the hit-list.
However, there is neither any official confirmation from the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) about Mansour's death.
"The focus would now be on getting Abdul Wali, alias Omar Khalid Khurasani, and Maulvi Fazlullah, also believed to be in Afghanistan," the officials said.
Want to have a birthday bash in Hollywood style? Then do try Sofia Vergera's lemon-themed party.
From a lemon costume to lemon decorations, an elaborated lemon infused menu and a custom lemon snapchat filter, the 'Modern Family' actress rang in her 44th birthday on June 10 with an adorable citrus soiree for close friends and family.
Along with her hubby of eight months Jeo Manganiello and 23-year-old son, Manola Vergera, the actress' look-alike niece Claudia and her 'Modern Family' co-stars attended the bash in Los Angeles, reports People Magazine.
"Happy birthday, Mom," Manola told the camera while Manganiello, gives a thumbs up while relishing gourmet treats from the food table.
"I can't believe you're turning-" the son added.
"18. She's turning 18. #HappyVerde," Manola captioned the video.
Many of her costars including Paul Reubens, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Ariel Winter, who plays Alex Dunphy on the hit comedy show took to social media to show her some birthday love as well.
Co-star Ferguson too Instagrammed a youthful photo of Vergara and himself laughing together.
"Happy birthday to my wacky, beautiful friend @sofiavergara! The only person I know who likes cake more than I do! I hope you eat a lot of it today!" he wrote alongside.
While the four time golden globe nominee looked stunning in a black laced, two-piece ensemble, she revealed the birthday party was a last minute celebration.
"I thought I was not going to be in town. I organised something really fast last week, so it's just going to be, like, a dinner; it's not going to be that big or that crazy, it's just going to be simple, 'cause I thought I really was going to be in New York," she stated.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday assured Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar that Indians, who are presently stuck in Juba (South Sudan), would be evacuated as early as possible.
The Bollywood superstar had earlier in the day asked Sushma to ensure speedy measures and actions to evacuate Indians stranded in Sudan.
".@SushmaSwaraj Ma'am request for speedy measures and actions to evacuate Indians stranded in Sudan. Prayers with them. #SaveIndiansInJuba," Kumar said in a tweet.
In response to this, the External Affairs Minister said, "Akshay Kumar ji - Pl do not worry. We are evacuating Indian nationals from Juba (South Sudan)."
She also asked the Bollywood actor to ask his brothers in Juba to register with the Embassy.
"WE are evacuating Indian nationals from Juba (South Sudan). Please ask your brothers to register with the Embassy.@styleprer," she said.
Earlier in the day, Swaraj asserted that security of Indians in Sudan is of paramount importance, adding that New Delhi has formed a task force to take stock of situation there.
Swaraj said the evacuation scheme is fully ready and if the situation worsens then the government will not delay and immediately evacuate Indians from there.
"The situation in South Sudan deteriorated suddenly in the past three days. We have constituted a task force to constantly study the emerging situation in South Sudan and to closely tab on the occurrences there. The task force held a meeting in the morning," Swaraj told ANI.
"There are around 600 Indians in South Sudan, of them 450 are in Juba (capital city of South Sudan) and nearly 150 are outside Juba. At present, the fighting is taking place in Juba," she added.
The External Affairs Minister, however, said as per morning reports, the situation have improved and normalcy is returning.
"We are looking forward. If the situation improves, we will even then ask them if they want to return. But if the situation worsens, we will not delay and immediately evacuate them from there," she added.
Swaraj had earlier in a series of tweets asked the nationals to register themselves with the Indian Embassy and not to panic.
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has ordered a ceasefire after days of intense fighting in Juba left more than 150 dead and many more injured since fighting broke out on Thursday.
The ceasefire announcement came as United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon called on the Security Council to impose an "immediate arms embargo" and targeted sanctions on leaders and commanders blocking implementation of the peace deal.
There was renewed fighting between the government and former rebel forces since Thursday in Juba. The latest exchanges were apparently sparked by a shootout between President Kiir's and Vice President Riek Machar's bodyguards.
U.S Defense Secretary Ash Carter made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Tuesday where he will meet President Ashraf Ghani and CEO Abdullah Abdullah alongwith senior U.S military commanders.
His visit comes days after U.S President Barack Obama announced that nearly 8,400 troops will remain in Afghanistan until end of his Presidency in January 2017, reports Tolo News.
Meanwhile, Afghan leaders attended the NATO heads of state summit in Poland on Sunday where they discussed the security situation in Afghanistan and the reform process carried out by the Afghan National Unity Government.
Jens Stoltenberg NATO Secretary General after the meeting with Afghan leaders said they pledge funding the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces through 2020.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister on Tuesday said the US has extended its support and cooperation to India in road and transport sector.
"We have discussed road engineering, because for flyovers and concrete pyramids there are rules and regulations for the construction. They offered us that they will give us all technical cooperation for standardisation of our 'Indian core' for road construction, bridges and flyovers," Gadkari told ANI.
Gadkari, who is on a week-long visit to the US with an aim to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for the infrastructure sector, said the US is ready to share all kind of manuals and rules and regulations with India.
"The US National Highway Traffic Safety Authority is ready to cooperate with us. I feel it is a big task for the Indian Government, particularly for my department, that we can save the life of people, because this number is very big," he added.
Asserting that inland waterways is also one of the important subjects in India, the minister said the government has already passed a bill in Parliament.
Gadkari said the Government of India has within two years constructed 20 kms of road a day.
"We have already signed the road contact for more than 18,000 km. We have taken decision to convert our national highway from 96,000 km to 2 lakh km. Out of it, we have already cleared 55,000 as national highway," he added.
In a bid to woo investors, Gadkari said there is a huge opportunity for them.
"We explained all type of plans in the road sector. We talked particularly about the Sagarmala project, where we are expecting 12 lakh crores of investment," he added.
He said the government is very soon going to implement the Sagarmala project.
"In Indian scenario, our logistic cost is 18% and that is one of the obstacles for our exports. In China, it is 8%, and in European countries it is 8-12%. So, by creating this coastal transport and transport inland waterways, we can reduce the cost up to 12%. Only then it will be possible for us to fulfil 'Make in India'," he added.
India's leading diversified natural resources company Vedanta Limited announced signing of two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with South African companies for the development and supply of equipment and transfer of technology with the aim of improving safety and productivity at the mechanized underground mines of Vedanta's subsidiary, Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL).
The first MoU relates to development of ground support systems that are critical for operational safety in underground mines.
It is envisaged that these systems will be manufactured in India.
The second MoU covers the manufacture of underground utility equipment and specifically the development of local skills in India to maintain this equipment.
"India's partnerships with South Africa over one and a half centuries have contributed to the bedrock of global economic growth," said Chairman Vedanta, Anil Agarwal.
"South Africa's economy continues to benefit from India's highly skilled and sophisticated services sector while India is securing its growing need for natural resources through ever-deepening bilateral trade ties. These two emerging powers give rise to countless opportunities and Vedanta is perfectly poised to facilitate development and prosperity in both nations," added Anil Agarwal.
South Africa offers a unique opportunity for Indian companies with an environment conducive to engagement with local stakeholders.
"Vedanta is investing significantly in a green field project at Gamsberg in South Africa's Northern Cape with a view to forming partnerships with companies in South Africa in future," said Chief Executive Officer of Vedanta Zinc International, Deshnee Naidoo.
He further elaborated that Vedanta has a global footprint with operations across four continents and it is the company's responsibility to make every effort to understand the local social, environmental and economic implications of our operations.
Vedanta has also invested in health, education, livelihoods, and environmental projects and other sustainable development activities in its South African host communities.
The key initiatives in the Northern Cape include the treatment of more than 1 000 cataract cases, a full brick-making plant run by the local community, and numerous school support and sustainable livelihood programmes.
The company is committed to ensuring that it leaves a positive legacy when its operations reach the natural end of their economic lives. As such, the company has committed to all closure processes reflecting best practice in terms of sustainability and environmental rehabilitation.
Greaves Cotton rose 3.33% to Rs 142.80 at 10:10 IST on BSE after the company said it ventured into multi-brand spares business.
The announcement was made during trading hours today, 12 July 2016.
Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was up 57.43 points, or 0.21%, to 27,684.12.
On BSE, so far 46,000 shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 22,331 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 145 and a low of Rs 141.10 so far during the day. The stock hit a record high of Rs 162.40 on 20 November 2015. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 114.20 on 29 February 2016. The stock was flat in the past one month till 11 July 2016, underperforming the Sensex's 3.72% rise during that period. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one quarter, rising 8.82% as against Sensex's 10.41% rise.
The mid-cap company has an equity capital of Rs 48.84 crore. Face value per share is Rs 2.
Greaves Cotton announced its foray into multi-brand spares business, an extension to its after-market services. The engineering major, with a strong presence in the after-market services with a network of over 3,000 outlets spread across the country, will provide a complete range of multi-brand spares across categories like engine, transmission, electrical, rubber parts, lubricants and body parts.
The company, will initially, offer fast-moving vehicle and engine spare parts through its strong retail network. This will be in addition to generic parts. In the next phase even relatively slow- moving parts will also be offered to customers thus becoming a one-stop-shop for most parts requirements irrespective of the brand of 3-wheeler passenger and commercial vehicles. The company said it will be the first to offer spares across all categories in three wheeler segment.
Sunil Pahilajani, the company's MD & CEO said that there is a vast untapped potential in the after-market space. To begin with, the company has tied up with more than 40 vendors for the supply of various spares. With its strong and increasing network across the country, the company is in a position to provide one-stop solution to its customers. The company has a strong distribution channel and service network which can be utilised to serve customers of other brands. All other brands are not doing enough in this space and the company believes there is an opportunity to create value, he added.
Greaves Cotton will be using its manufacturing facility and sourcing capability to produce and source vehicle and engine parts. The company further plans to increase its footprint by adding an additional 1500 outlets in the coming three to five years.
Currently, the size of the spare part markets in India is Rs 3500 crore in the space that Greaves Cotton is addressing.
Greaves Cotton's net profit rose 47.8% to Rs 42.74 crore on 3% rise in net sales to Rs 403.83 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015.
Greaves Cotton is one of the leading engineering companies in India with core competencies in diesel/petrol engines, farm equipment and gensets. The company sustains its leadership through seven manufacturing units which produces world class products backed by superior R&D, comprehensive marketing and service/parts network.
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In All-Asia Executive Team rankings 2016 by Institutional Investor magazine
HDFC Bank has emerged as the Most Honoured Company in the latest ranking released by Institutional Investor magazine. Called the All-Asia Executive Team rankings 2016, the survey had 1394 investment professional 582 financial institutions participating. The bank ranked first in the "Best CEO", "Best CFO", and "Best IR Company" categories. The survey encompassed 1,541 companies from 18 sectors across Asia excluding Japan.
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IDFC Bank rose 7.80% to Rs 51.85 at 15:30 IST on BSE after the bank said it signed an agreement to acquire Tamil Nadu-based Grama Vidiyal Micro Finance.
The announcement was made during trading hours today, 12 July 2016.
Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was up 181.45 points, or 0.66%, to 27,808.14.
On BSE, so far 41.51 lakh shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 11.07 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 53.90 and a low of Rs 48.15 so far during the day. The stock hit a record high of Rs 73.45 on 6 November 2015. The stock hit a record low of Rs 43.15 on 21 January 2016. The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 11 July 2016, rising 1.26% compared with 3.72% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one quarter, falling 8.99% as against Sensex's 10.41% rise.
The large-cap company has an equity capital of Rs 3394.90 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10. Shares of IDFC Bank listed on the stock exchanges on 6 November 2015.
IDFC Bank signed a share purchase agreement to acquire 100% of Grama Vidiyal Micro Finance, one of the largest microfinance institutions in the country. Upon completion of acquisition, Grama Vidiyal will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of IDFC Bank.
Grama Vidiyal will act as a dedicated Business Correspondent of IDFC Bank, and will help deepen reach and widen the delivery mechanism for banking services. The move enables IDFC Bank to significantly enhance its network and reach and make basic banking services available to a large customer base.
The acquisition will give IDFC Bank immediate access to 1.2 million rural and semi-urban households and Grama Vidiyal's network of 319 locations across 65 districts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Pondicherry, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh will act as BC centres to IDFC Bank. Current customer households of Grama Vidiyal, in turn, will benefit from IDFC Bank's full range of liability products, customised credit offerings, innovative digital services and doorstep banking.
The 30-year-old, Tamil Nadu-headquartered Grama Vidiyal has an AUM (Assets Under Management) of Rs 1502 crore of micro finance assets, as on 31 March 2016. All loan assets on the book will be transferred to IDFC Bank.
Grama Vidiyal's employee base of over 3000, with an understanding of the needs of local communities, will represent IDFC Bank, in their branch locations. Members of Grama Vidiyal will use IDFC Bank's innovative and inter-operable Micro ATM, which functions like a Bank-in-a-Box, allowing customers as well as non-customers to transact from the comfort of their homes and neighbourhoods. In addition to Grama Vidiyal's existing locations, IDFC Bank plans to set up new bank branches in areas where Grama Vidiyal's presence is concentrated to complement and support the BC operations.
IDFC Bank reported net profit of Rs 165.06 crore on operating income of Rs 1953.20 crore in Q4 March 2016.
IDFC Bank is a subsidiary of IDFC. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) granted a universal banking license to IDFC on 23 July 2015. IDFC demerged on 1 October 2015, transferring all assets and liabilities of its lending business to IDFC Bank.
IDFC Bank is a universal bank, offering financial solutions through its nationwide branches, internet and mobile. IDFC Bank will focus on serving the rural underserved communities and the self-employed, while continuing to support the country's infrastructure sector. IDFC Bank provides customized financial solutions to corporates, individuals, small and microenterprises, entrepreneurs, financial institutions and the government.
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IndusInd Bank rose 0.27% to Rs 1,126.95 at 13:41 IST on BSE after the bank announced the opening of IFSC banking unit at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City to meet the requirements of offshore banking operations in India.
The announcement was made during market hours today, 12 July 2016.
Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 78.61 points or 0.28% at 27,705.30.
On BSE, so far 62,000 shares were traded in the counter as against average daily volume of 82,906 shares in the past one quarter. The stock was volatile. The stock rose as much as 1.53% at the day's high of Rs 1,141.15 so far during the day. The stock lost as much as 0.07% at the day's low of Rs 1,123.10 so far during the day. The stock had hit a record high of Rs 1,147.50 yesterday, 11 July 2016. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 799 on 11 February 2016. The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 11 July 2016, gaining 1% compared with Sensex's 3.72% rise. The scrip had, however, outperformed the market in past one quarter, advancing 17.04% as against Sensex's 10.41% rise.
The large-cap bank has equity capital of Rs 595.87 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.
IndusInd Bank's International Banking Unit (IBU) will provide the bank access to international financial markets and will allow IndusInd to deliver a complete range of products to its clients with foreign currency funding requirements. The bank will now be able to actively offer products such as external commercial borrowings to its customers, an area where it had limited capabilities hitherto.
IndusInd Bank's net profit rose 25.96% to Rs 661.38 crore on 22.36% growth in total income to Rs 4264.66 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015. The result was announced during trading hours yesterday, 11 July 2016.
IndusInd Bank is a leading private sector bank in India.
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Jyoti Structures rose 17.16% to Rs 16.11 at 15:08 IST on BSE, extending yesterday's 20% rise triggered by media reports that Amin group is likely to acquire the company.
Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was up 142.33 points, or 0.52%, to 27,769.02.
On BSE, so far 25.59 lakh shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 1.63 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 16.31 and a low of Rs 14.10 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 28.80 on 24 July 2015. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 8.30 on 24 May 2016. The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 11 July 2016, rising 55.02% compared with 3.72% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had also outperformed the market in past one quarter, rising 25.34% as against Sensex's 10.41% rise.
The small-cap company has an equity capital of Rs 21.91 crore. Face value per share is Rs 2.
Shares of Jyoti Structures surged 20% to Rs 13.75 yesterday, 11 July 2016, after media reports suggested that Amin group, which has business interests ranging from medical and health to power generation and transmission, will invest Rs 500 crore as equity for a majority stake in Jyoti Structures. This will be the first stake sale by the contractor of transmission projects since lenders took its control after a strategic debt restructuring (SDR). Post the transaction, promoter stake in the company is expected to halve from the current 23.5%, reports added.
In August 2015, consortium of 21 banks led by State Bank of India had taken operational control of the company by invoking SDR. Jyoti Structures has debt of over Rs 3800 crore, including short term debt of Rs 3043 crore, reports added.
Jyoti Structures clarified during market hours yesterday, 11 July 2016, that SDR lenders have invited final offer from the investor for their consideration.
Jyoti Structures reported net loss of Rs 52.31 crore in Q4 March 2016 as against net loss of Rs 90.95 crore in Q4 March 2015. Net sales declined 15.88% to Rs 740.02 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015.
Jyoti Structures is in turnkey/EPC projects in the field of power transmission. The company's main business focus areas are transmission lines, substations and distribution projects. The company undertakes turnkey projects on a global scale, offering a complete range of services in design, testing, manufacturing, sourcing, supply and construction with its in-house expertise.
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Record date is 22 July 2016
Novartis India announced that the Buyback Committee Meeting held on 12 July 2016 fixed 22 July 2016 as the Record Date for the purpose of determining the entitlement and the names of the Shareholders, who are eligible to participate in the Buyback Offer.
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Strike for 13 July 2016 stands deferred
Punjab & Sind Bank announced that, vide Circular dated 11 July 2016 received from representative of AIBOA and AIBEA that the strike for 13 July 2016 stands deferred.
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An Australian man was found guilty on Tuesday of recruiting seven jihadis in 2013 to fight for the Islamic State (IS) terror group in Syria.
Sydney resident Hamdi Al Qudsi, 42, could face a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, ABC News reported.
Al Qudsi, who is of Palestinian origin, was arrested in August 2015 for working with Mohammad Ali Baryalei, a well-known IS member, to recruit jihadis to fight in Syria.
The police intercepted several Skype and WhatsApp messages between Al Qudsi and Baryalei through which they were organising the trips for the new hires.
Of the seven people recruited, two died in the war, two returned to Australia, one never got out of the country and the whereabouts of the remaining two are unknown.
Baryalei travelled to Syria in April 2013 and Australian authorities believe he died fighting in October 2014, Efe news reported.
Al Qudsi's defence argued that his intentions were not to recruit jihadis to fight in Syria but send volunteers for humanitarian work.
However, the Supreme Court of the state of New South Wales is yet to pronounce his sentence.
--IANS
ksk/vt
An international tribunal on Tuesday ruled against China's claims to rights in South China Sea, backing a case brought in by the Philippines.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration said there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or resources, BBC reported.
The case was brought to the tribunal by the Philippines in 2013.
China described the ruling as "ill-founded", according to the BBC.
China claims almost all of the South China Sea, including reefs and islands also claimed by others.
The tribunal said China had violated the Philippines' sovereign rights and had caused "severe harm to the coral reef environment" by building artificial islands, BBC noted.
It also said China had caused "severe harm to the coral reef environment" by building artificial islands.
In a statement released immediately after the ruling, the Philippines government said it "strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision as an important contribution to ongoing disputes in the South China Sea," CNN reported.
--IANS
ksk
Scottish DJ Calvin Harris is reportedly unhappy with his former girlfriend Taylor Swift's romance with British actor Tom Hiddleston.
"He's not happy about their relationship. He was hurt," a source close to Harris told pagesix.com.
"Looking back, some friends do feel like Taylor's team manipulated and orchestrated part of (her) relationship (with Calvin) after seeing how public she is with her new guy. It makes sense," the insider added.
Harris and Swift broke up last month, only days before she was photographed packing on some public display of affection with Hiddleston at a beach near her Rhode Island home.
The new couple has since been seen travelling together multiple times.
They are currently in Australia, where Hiddleston's filming his new movie "Thor: Ragnarok".
--IANS
ank/rb/vt
It's that time of the year again when 14 Hindu deities are out in full glory, worshipped by thousands of tribals in Tripura. It's time for the Kharchi Puja -- the annual festival meant to cleanse the sins of mortal souls.
Seamless festive spirit is now sweeping through Puran Habeli, the erstwhile capital of Tripura, where the puja began on Tuesday. With colourful marquees, illuminations, religious rites and chanting of the 'mantras' amid drum beats, the festival features 14 deities -- Shiva, Durga, Vishnu, Laxmi, Saraswati, Kartik, Ganesha, Brahma, Abadhi (god of water), Chandra, Ganga, Agni, Kamdev and Himadri (Himalaya).
As per the tradition, the week-long festival began with a procession. All along the deities and the priests were escorted by the Tripura Police which also presented a guard of honour for the chief royal priest known as the Raj Chantaia.
Other priests held bamboo umbrellas and followed the chief priest. Thousands of devotees joined them en route to Howrah river for the customary bathing.
"Traditionally, the worship starts with the dip of 14 deities in the Howrah river, followed by the sacrifice of 108 animals in the presence of hundreds of thousands of devotees, all at government expense," Tripura assembly Deputy Speaker and puja committee Chairman Pabitra Kar told IANS.
For the past several decades, successive Tripura governments have been bearing the expenses of this festival, living up to the agreement with the erstwhile royal family of Tripura.
Writer and historian Panna Lal Roy said: "Though the Communist Party of India-Marxist does not believe in gods or pujas, its government is abiding by the 1949 merger agreement with the royal family to uphold the faith of the tribals year after year."
"Kharchi Puja is the biggest for the Hindu tribals in northeast India," Roy added.
"Over the years, Kharchi Puja has become an annual carnival of both the tribals and the non-tribals, besides people of all religions," Kar said.
"On an average, 10 lakh to 15 lakh people gather from all over the country and neighbouring Bangladesh to join in the Kharchi Puja," he added.
So how did it all begin?
According to Tripura royal family's chronicle 'Rajmala', Queen Hirabati once went to take a bath in the river Maharani and noticed a wild buffalo chasing the 14 gods. With the help of the queen's cloth the gods managed to kill the beast. Happy with Hirabati's help, the gods visited the palace and the royal family offered puja by sacrificing wild buffaloes.
Since then it's been an annual affair in the region's calendar.
Once there were gold idols of the deities, but these were stolen several hundred years ago. Then the king ordered their recreation with 'ashtadhatu' -- an alloy of eight metals.
After the monarchy came to an end when Tripura merged with independent India on October 15, 1949, it was agreed that the state government will bear the expenses of the puja. The agreement also made it obligatory for the Tripura government to continue sponsorship of 18 temples, pujas and festivals managed earlier by the royals. And that has been continuing for the past 67 years.
Roy, who wrote several books on Tripura's royal era, said: "Tripura is perhaps the only Indian state where the state government is at the forefront of funding such a religious festival."
(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)
--IANS
sc/bim/vm
China on Tuesday suffered a major diplomatic blow when an international tribunal ruled that it violated the Philippines' rights in the South China Sea. Beijing refused to accept the verdict, calling it "null and void".
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague accused China of interfering with the Philippines' fishing and petroleum exploration, building artificial islands in the waters and failing to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing in the zone, media reports said.
The tribunal held that fishermen from the Philippines had traditional fishing rights in Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, and that China had interfered with these rights by restricting their access.
The court held that Chinese law enforcement vessels unlawfully created a serious risk of collision when they physically obstructed Philippine vessels in the region, the South China Morning Post reported.
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Karimata and Malacca Straits to the Straits of Taiwan, of around 3.5 million sq km.
The South China Sea is a resource rich strategic waterway through which more than $5 trillion worth of global trade is shipped each year. Beijing has placed runways and radar facilities on new islets it has created in the disputed sea after piling huge amounts of sand onto reefs.
The tribunal's much-anticipated verdict demolished China's expansive claims and its historical nine-dash line in the disputed South China Sea.
"There is no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line," the court said.
"China has violated the Philippines' sovereign rights with respect to its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf."
China reacted angrily the ruling, saying it did not accept or recognize it. "The award is null and void and has no binding force," the Foreign Ministry said.
China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea should under no circumstances be affected by such rulings, it said.
Xinhua news agency issued a brief report reiterating Beijing's stance of rejecting the tribunal's authority over the case which Manila brought against Beijing.
Beijing refused to participate in the case and has denounced it as a plot against China led by the US.
Besides the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims with China in the South China Sea, one of the world's busiest trade routes.
China, however, said it was ready to continue to resolve the dispute peacefully by negotiation "on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law".
"Pending final settlement, China is also ready to ... enter into provisional arrangements of a practical nature, including joint development in relevant maritime areas, in order to achieve win-win results and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea."
China said it respected the freedom of navigation and overflight enjoyed by all states in the South China Sea ... "to ensure the safety of and the unimpeded access to the international shipping lanes" in the region.
The ruling from the Hague was harsh on Beijing.
China caused severe harm to the coral reef environment in the South China Sea, the court said.
The Chinese authorities were aware that Chinese fishermen had harvested endangered sea turtles, coral and giant clams on a "substantial scale" in the region "using methods that inflict severe damage on the coral reef environment", it said.
The announcement of the ruling came as China and its main rival claimants went on high alert amid heightened tensions over the maritime disputes.
--IANS
mr/vd/rn
The will set up 300 'dengue clinics' to tackle dengue cases in the city, as around 40 cases of the vector-borne disease have been reported so far.
"To address the dengue problem this year we have decided to set up 300 dengue clinics in the capital. Tests for dengue will be conducted at these clinics and primary treatment for the same will also be provided here," Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain said on Tuesday.
According to a civic body report, of the 39 dengue cases reported in the national capital so far, 15 were reported in June, while 24 cases were reported in the first 10 days of July.
The vector-borne disease claimed at least 80 lives in 2015, a year that saw 15,867 cases of dengue.
Sources in the said dengue clinics will work like the mohalla (area) clinics that are aimed at providing good quality door-step medical facilities to people.
"These dengue clinics will be set up in various localities of the city and work on the lines of mohalla clinics. Nodal officers will be appointed for these clinics. The government might also pool private clinics in this move," a source in the told IANS.
On Monday, Union Minister J.P. Nadda chaired a meeting with Jain and Mayors of Delhi's all municipal corporations here to review the preparedness for prevention and control of dengue in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).
In the meeting, Nadda assured all necessary help to the government in dealing with the situation. Nadda said that 33 surveillance labs, and two apex labs with advanced diagnostic facilities were adequately equipped to undertake dengue tests.
The Bangladeshi government has been taking extra security measures at all domestic and international airports as part of its efforts to thwart any untoward terrorist incident.
Bangladeshi Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon on Tuesday said the extra security measures have been taken in the wake of the two recent terrorist attacks -- one at a cafe in Dhaka's diplomatic enclave Gulshan and the other near the country's largest Eid congregation venue.
Passengers may have to face some inconvenience due to the security measures, Xinhua news agency quoted Menon as saying.
--IANS
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Former Kerala Agriculture Minister K.P. Mohanan has decided to return to journalism -- his profession till he joined the government.
"I am planning a new edition of my paper 'Padayani'. From now on you will see me more as a person than a politician," Mohanan told IANS and showed his pass to the state assembly.
Mohanan belongs to the Janata Dal-United, which now has no legislator in the house.
In the assembly elections, Mohanan lost to K.K. Shailaja, the present Health Minister, at Kuthuparambu in Kannur district. Kuthuparambu was represented by his father P.R. Kurup, who was also a minister.
Since his defeat, Mohanan, who used to occupy the front seat in the treasury benches, was on Tuesday seated among journalists in the box.
--IANS
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The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has dismissed a petition challenging the election of Congress President Sonia Gandhi to the Lok Sabha from Rae Bareli.
The petition filed by Rae Bareli resident Ramesh Singh contended that Sonia Gandhi was a citizen of both Italy, her place of birth, and India where she took up residence after her marriage into the Gandhi family
Justice Tarun Agarwal, after hearing the case, said on Monday that the petitioner did not have sufficient grounds to sustain the petition and hence it was being dismissed.
The petitioner had also pleaded that Gandhi's election be set aside as she had asked the Imam of New Delhi's Jama Masjid to vote on religious grounds.
Gandhi's counsel said she had long ago given up her Italian citizenship and alleged that the petition was a "low-level conspiracy".
--IANS
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Union Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday said students should be made more aware and sensitive to environmental issues.
He stressed on popularising sustainable practices among the students as part of long- term plan for mitigation of climate change.
"The role of HRD Ministry is to make the students aware and environmentally sensitive by adopting sustainable practices and low-carbon lifestyle," the minister said in his inaugural address at the 'National Conference on Post-Paris Climate Change Action'.
He lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi in upscaling renewable targets which changed the narrative of India's negotiation in the global climate change discussions.
"Instead of opposing the terms, we set out to propose alternative formulations and India has led from the front," he said.
Recounting the numerous green initiatives by the central government like the coal cess, he said: "India has taken the lead and the world must follow to realise our commitments. Nations across the world are trying to be part of the solar alliance."
--IANS
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday appealed for peace in Jammu and where more than 30 people have been killed in widespread protests after the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani.
Modi chaired a high-level meeting in New Delhi and voiced concern over the incidents of violence in the Valley, where curfew continued for a fourth consecutive day.
"Prime Minister has appealed to the people of Jammu and to maintain calm and peace so that normalcy returns and no innocent lives are disturbed," Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh told reporters after the meeting.
The meeting was attended by Modi's senior cabinet colleagues.
In Kashmir, amid curfew in most parts of the valley, the authorities grappled to control continuing violence that has also left nearly 1,400 people wounded, many seriously, in clashes between thousands of protesters and security forces.
Police said "strict curfew shall continue" almost all across the valley to prevent the spillover of street violence and counter-violence.
The protests erupted over the weekend after security killed the 22-year-old commander of Kashmir's largest rebel group, Hizbul Mujahideen, and his two associates in a south Kashmir village on Friday.
On Tuesday, Amir Nazir Latoo, who was injured in firing at Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's hometown in Bijbehara, succumbed to injuries at a hospital in Srinagar, doctors said.
The latest death took the toll to 33, including a police driver, who was drowned by an angry mob in the Jhelum river near Sangam village.
All business and other aspects of normal life remained completely paralysed. Mobile internet facility remained cut off across the valley and cell phone operations in south Kashmir's Shopian, Anantnag, Kulgam and Pulwama districts also remained suspended.
Train services were also suspended for a fourth day as protesters damaged railway tracks at many places in south Kashmir.
There was an eerie calm on Srinagar's deserted streets, with no reports of fresh protests in the state capital.
However, police sources said protests erupted at a "couple of places" in south Kashmir. The dead militant commander belonged to this region.
In north Kashmir Sopore town, gunmen fired upon a police patrol but "no one was injured in the attack", a police officer told IANS.
Separatist groups have extended the ongoing protest shutdown in the valley until Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the annual Amaranth Hindu pilgrimage that resumed on Monday after remaining suspended for two days continued as some 300 vehicles carrying pilgrims from different states of India entered the Kashmir Valley on Monday night.
"All the yatris have safety reached the Baltal base camp (in north Kashmir) and are now proceeding towards the cave shrine in regulated batches," said an official of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) that manages the affairs of the annual pilgrimage.
--IANS
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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday urged the civil society, religious groups and the media to help restore peace in the Kashmir Valley.
"I am pained by the killings that occurred here recently. I appeal to the eminent religious leaders and the civil society members to cooperate and help in restoring peace in Kashmir," Mehbooba Mufti told Etv Urdu.
"We must all come together in the time of distress to take control of the situation," she added.
After security forces killed over 30 people in the aftermath of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani's killing, the Peoples Democratic Party chief also said that inquiry would be done in cases were security forces "have used extra force causing deaths".
"I will ensure that a fair enquiry is done," she added.
Mehbooba Mufti said she was aware that people would take to the streets after the killing of Wani as they would be "high on emotions".
"Despite all our efforts, it's sad that we could not save the life of youths." Most of the protesters who died in firing by security forces have been young males who clashed with police and paramilitary personnel.
--IANS
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The Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) has condemned media trial of Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, saying nobody could be pronounced guilty unless the court gives its judgment.
This is the first time the party has reacted since the row following reports that some of those involved in Dhaka terror attack were inspired by him.
While MIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has not yet reacted, he let his party's Maharashtra unit issue a statement about the Mumbai-based preacher.
MIM's Syed Imtiaz Jaleel, who is a member of Maharashtra assembly from Aurangabad (Central), said that the party condemns media trial of Naik, "a specialist in comparative religions".
The legislator pointed out that under the Indian Constitution, an individual can practice, profess and propagate his religion without hurting the religious sentiments of other religions.
"By hounding Zakir Naik, the media, particularly some national television channels have already pronounced their judgment even when a formal case is yet to be registered against him. On mere heresay, the media cannot pronounce anybody as a supporter of terrorism," said Jaleel while calling for an end to the trial by media.
The legislator said if any individual break the rule of the land, the law should take its own course.
"But ever since the BJP came to power at the Centre and in Maharashtra, the general trend is that the investigation agencies charge someone for wrongdoing and the media pronounces the accused as guilty even before the court delivers its judgment. This poses a great threat to social fabric and democratic setup of the country and could prove detrimental to communal harmony," the MIM leader said.
He said Naik is a well known specialist who has been delivering lectures on comparative studies of different religions. He noted that Zakir commands a following among Muslims but there are many others in the community who do not concur with his views. "Islam is a very liberal religion and there may be differences of opinions and views about certain rituals but in the end every Muslim follows one Allah, one prophet and one Quran," he added.
The MIM leader pointed out that all Muslim leaders and ulemas have consistently condemned the IS and termed it as a threat to mankind. He said both IS of Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi and Al Qaeda of Osama Bin Laden are evil forces responsible for killing of countless Muslims and non-Muslims.
--IANS
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In a sudden but not surprising move, the Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'-led CPN (Maoist Centre) on Tuesday withdrew support from the KP Sharma Oli government in Nepal, reducing it to a minority.
A meeting of the party's senior leaders here had earlier decided to withdraw support to the barely nine-month-old Communist Party of (Unified Marxists-Leninists) -led government that came to power shortly after the Himalayan nation adopted a new Constitution.
"I have decided to withdraw support from the government," said Dahal in a statement later.
Dahal said the party decision has been conveyed to President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister Oli and Pratinidhi Sabha (lower house of the Nepali Parliament) Speaker Onsari Gharti.
While receiving the letter of withdrawal of support, Prime Minister Oli congratulated Dahal for "the new government", sources said conjecturing that the comment was perhaps made in a sarcastic vein.
The rift between Pushpa Kamal Dahal's CPN (Maoist Centre) and Oli's CPN(UML) has been growing since May when the Maoists found support in the country's main Opposition, Nepali Congress. Dahal had then asked Oli to join the government under his leadership.
However, a day later, Dahal changed his mind and decided not to break the "Left-led and Left-dominated government" thus giving Oli "a reasonable amount of time to quit with dignity" and subsequently support Dahal as his successor.
With political parties now engaged in talks to form a new alliance, the developments were being keenly watched by observers as the decision to withdraw support to the incumbent government by CPN (Maoist Centre) was ostensibly to clear the path for the formation of a consensus government in the country.
Prachanda, in his abortive May 5 quit-notice to the Oli government, had also won the support of the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) that had launched a five-month-long protest movement against the Oli government after the promulgation of the Constitution on September 20 last year.
In case Oli decides to resign, it will pave the way for Prachanda's return as Prime Minister, seven years after he quit following the President's "veto" upsetting his decision to sack then Army chief Rukmangud Katawal.
A meeting of senior civil and police officers of four states was held here on Tuesday for chalking out a strategy for the impending arrival of a large number of 'kanwarias' in the city by August 3.
The kanwarias, devotees of Lord Shiva, will bathe the Hindu deity's statue here with holy water they will bring from the Ganga river from Haridwar and other places in containers carried on shoulders on August 3.
The officers from Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana and Uttarakhand mulled over regulation of traffic and maintenance of law and order during a meeting at the Ghaziabad Police Lines here, UP Principal Secretary Home Devashish Panda told the media here.
As many as 2 to 2.5 crore kanwarias from Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and other places are expected to converge here.
The meeting decided to manage traffic and alternate routes in advance.
The Chaudhary Charan Singh Marg on the Upper Ganges Canal is being strengthened and widened.
Official plan to persuade kanwarias to use this route from Haridwar to Murad Nagar, enabling commuters on the National Highway-58 to travel without hassles.
For this, maximum number of community kitchens and medical camps will be set up on this route. Bhandaras/community kitchens will be allowed only on the left side of the road.
Forty companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary, National Disaster Relief Force, Anti-Terrorist Squad and Special Task Force have been asked to be ready for deployment.
The religious festival will start on July 19 and end with the bathing of Lord Shiva's statue.
Traffic diversions for heavy vehicles and light vehicles like two-wheelers etc. will begin from July 24 and July 27 respectively, Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Javed Ahmad said.
--IANS
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Pakistan's Foreign Secretary on Tuesday briefed the envoys of the UN Security Council over the protests in the Kashmir Valley, accusing Indian security forces of violating human rights.
Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry conveyed this to ambassadors of China, France, Russia, Britain and the US and expressed concern over the "killings of civilians and violation of their fundamental human rights".
Due to the use of force against civilians demonstrating against "the killing of (militant commander) Burhan Wani, more than 30 innocent people have lost their lives and over 350 injured so far", a statement from the Foreign Office quoted Chaudhary as saying.
The statement said India should conduct a fair and transparent inquiry against individuals responsible for these killings.
Pakistan urged the international community to take notice of the gravity of the situation in the Kashmir Valley and called on India to implement UN Security Council resolutions.
Rejecting Indian claims that the situation in Kashmir was its internal affair, Chaudhry said the "disputed nature of Jammu and Kashmir was awaiting the implementation of the UNSC resolutions".
--IANS
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held a high-level meeting over the violence in Jammu and that has claimed over 30 lives, and appealed for calm even as curfew continued for the fourth consecutive day in the Valley.
Modi, who returned to the capital early in the morning after his four-nation tour of Africa, held the review meeting that was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar besides senior security officers.
The meeting took stock of the situation in the valley that has seen repeated clashes between thousands of protesters and security forces following the killing of Hizbul Mujahiddin commander Burhan Wani last Friday.
Besides 33 people killed in the violence so far, nearly 1,400 people have been wounded, many seriously.
The Prime Minister also voiced concern over the violence in the Valley where curfew continued for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday.
"Prime Minister has appealed to the people of Jammu and to maintain calm and peace so that normalcy returns in the valley and no innocent lives are lost," Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh told reporters soon after the meeting concluded.
Jitendra Singh also said that the Prime Minister offered every assistance to the state government and assured it of providing every help.
He said the Prime Minister is keeping a close watch on the sequence of events in the valley.
The Prime Minister also expressed hope that innocent people should not face inconvenience and expressed satisfaction over the ongoing Amarnath Yatra.
In Kashmir, amid curfew in most parts of the valley, the authorities grappled to control continuing violence.
Police said "strict curfew shall continue" almost all across the valley to prevent the spillover of street violence and counter-violence.
Separatist groups have extended the ongoing protest shutdown in the valley until Wednesday.
National Conference leader and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah raised questions on Jammu and Kashmir being "unrepresented" at the high-level meeting.
In a tweet, Abdullah said that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's presence at the meeting could have been ensured via video-conferencing.
"I understand if Mehbooba Mufti didn't leave the state to attend (the meeting) but why not by video conference? State unrepresented," Abdullah tweeted.
Reacting to the prevailing situation in the valley, Congress Vice president Rahul Gandhi said that the gains made during the UPA regime in Jammu and Kashmir have been nullified by the "fatalistic policies" of the Modi government.
Speaking at an Eid Milan reception hosted by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind chief Maulana Asad Madni here on Monday night Gandhi said that mishandling the situation in the Kashmir Valley had led to political turmoil.
MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi urged the Centre to call an all-party meeting on the violence in the Kashmir Valley.
The Hyderabad MP said the meeting should be called to discuss how to end the cycle of violence and to show empathy following street protests that have claimed 32 lives.
A group of Muslim clerics met with Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss ways and means to restore normalcy in the Kashmir Valley.
The clerics said the Minister assured them of all possible help in restoring peace in the disturbed valley.
Umer Ahmed Ilyasi of All India Organisation of Imams of Mosques told media later that they will visit Kashmir and urge people, specially religious leaders, there to help the valley to return to normalcy.
Ilyasi said he along with other Muslim religious leaders will also meet Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
Meanwhile, the annual Amaranth Hindu pilgrimage that resumed on Monday after remaining suspended for two days continued as some 300 vehicles carrying pilgrims from different states of India entered the Kashmir Valley on Monday night.
--IANS
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President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday greeted the government and people of the Central Pacific island republic Kiribati on their Independence Day.
"Warm greetings and felicitations to the government and people of Kiribati on their Independence Day," Mukherjee tweeted.
Kiribati got independence on July 12, 1979.
In a message to the President of Kiribati Taneti Mamau, he said: "On behalf of the Government, the people of India and on my own behalf, it is with great pleasure that I extend warm greetings and felicitations on the occasion of the Independence Day of the Republic of Kiribati."
President Mukherjee, in his message said that India and Kiribati have traditionally enjoyed warm and cordial relations based on respect, goodwill and mutual understanding.
"India remains committed to support Kiribati and other Pacific Island Countries in their developmental needs. I firmly believe that in the near future, our joint developmental initiatives in the areas of renewable energy and Information Technology will help create a solid foundation for the further strengthening of this valued partnership," the president added.
--IANS
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Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday met with a group of Muslim clerics, who discussed with him ways and means to restore normalcy in the Valley, which is in turmoil following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani last week.
The clerics said they were satisfied after meeting the Home Minister, who assured them of all possible help in restoring peace in the disturbed valley.
Umer Ahmed Ilyasi of All India Organisation of Imams of Mosques told media later that they will visit and urge people, specially religious leaders, there to help the valley to return to normalcy.
"Just like Muslims from any other part of the country, Kashmiris are also our brothers. We are with them and appeal to them to bring normalcy and peace," he told reporters.
Ilyasi said he along with other Muslim religious leaders will also meet Jammu and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Sayeed.
On Monday, Rajnath Singh reached out to opposition leaders, including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and discussed with them the prevailing situation in Kashmir.
--IANS
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A senior Tripura government officer, missing and on the run for a fortnight after rape accusation, was arrested on Tuesday in neighbouring Assam's Karimganj, police said.
"Acting on a tip-off, a Tripura Police team went to Karimganj town and arrested Panna Ahmed, 44, from a house there. He will be brought here and presented in a court for seeking his police custody," West Tripura district police chief Abhijit Saptarshi told reporters.
The Tripura government suspended Ahmed, who was a sub-divisional magistrate in Sonamura sub-division of Sepahijala district.
"The state government had recently requested the Union Home Ministry for issuance of a red corner notice to track the official," Saptarshi said.
Opposition Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and Trinamool Congress have been holding protest demonstrations at Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar's official residence and other places in the state almost daily since June 27.
A Muslim woman filed an FIR with the West Agartala police station here on June 27 that Ahmed, a state civil service official, called her to his private residence here and raped her.
"After getting report from the District Magistrate and police, the Chief Minister ordered Ahmed's suspension," a top Tripura government official told IANS.
The West Tripura District Magistrate and police are separately inquiring into the incident.
Ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist's State Secretary Bijan Dhar told the media that the officer should be punished if found guilty.
--IANS
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Republican Party members have formally asked the US Department of Justice to open a criminal investigation for perjury against the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee to determine if she lied to Congress.
"The evidence collected by the FBI during its investigation of Secretary Clinton's use of a personal email system appears to directly contradict several aspects of her sworn testimony," chairmen of the US House Judiciary Committee and the Oversight Committee, Bob Goodlatte and Jason Chaffetz, said in a statement on Monday.
Clinton testified at length before Congress regarding the scandal surrounding her use of private e-mail servers to handle official business while she was secretary of state, but the Federal Bureau of Investigation last week determined, after investigating the matter, that she should not be indicted, EFE news reported.
In light of that investigation, the Justice Department accepted the FBI recommendations and did not file charges against Clinton for using a private server during her 2009-2013 tenure as the top US diplomat, although FBI Director James Comey called her actions in handling certain secret information "extremely careless".
Republicans said that a contradiction exists between Clinton's testimony before Congress on being questioned why she had sent classified information from her server and the federal law enforcement agency's conclusions.
"In light of those contradictions, the (Justice) Department should investigate and determine whether to prosecute Secretary Clinton for violating statutes that prohibit perjury and false statements to Congress, or any other relevant statutes," the chairmen added.
On July 7, Comey revealed that Clinton, in fact, did exchange e-mails containing classified information via her private server, although she had denied it in her testimony.
When asked last week, in the House Oversight Committee hearing, if it would be possible to undertake an investigation for alleged perjury by the former secretary of state, Comey said that a request from the legislative branch would be necessary and that was presented on Monday with an eye toward opening such a probe.
Pakistan on Tuesday said disputes over the South China Sea should be peacefully resolved through consultations and negotiations by states directly concerned.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman in a statement said the maritime disputes should be addressed in accordance with bilateral agreements and the declaration on the conduct of parties in the South China Sea, Xinhua news agency reported.
Pakistan opposes any imposition of unilateral will on others, and respects China's statement of optional exception in light of Article 298 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the statement said.
The spokesman made the remarks in response to a verdict against China by an arbitral tribunal in the South China Sea case initiated by the Philippines.
China said it neither accepts nor recognises the verdict, dismissing it as "null and void".
"Pakistan believes that maintenance of peace and security is the collective responsibility of all parties to the South China Sea."
"Countries outside the region should fully respect efforts made by China and the Asean countries to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea, and play a constructive role to this end," it said.
--IANS
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In a major breakthrough, scientists have successfully restored vision in mice affected by glaucoma-like condition.
The unprecedented, if partial, restoration could pave the way to future work that enables blind people to see, the study said.
Cataracts can often be surgically removed, but there's no cure for glaucoma, said the study's senior author Andrew Huberman, Associate Professor of Neurobiology at Stanford University School of Medicine
Glaucoma, caused by excessive pressure on the optic nerve, affects nearly 70 million people worldwide.
Vision loss due to optic-nerve damage can also accrue from injuries, retinal detachment, pituitary tumors, various brain cancers and other sources.
In experiments with mice described in a study published online in the journal Nature Neuroscience, the scientists reported regenerating severed nerves responsible for conveying visual information from the eye to the brain, thereby re-establishing the connection between their eyes and brain.
The mice were tested three weeks later after the experiment for their ability to respond to certain visual stimuli.
However, even mice whose behaviour showed restored vision on some tests failed other tests that probably required finer visual discrimination, Huberman said, suggesting the the restoration of vision in the animals was only partial.
The study was conducted in collaboration with researchers at University of California-San Diego, Harvard University and Utah State University.
--IANS
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Around 100 snakes have been ruthlessly killed as part of a so-called magic show at the Karachi zoo, it was reported on Tuesday.
Titled "The snake-eating man", the stunt has been attracting hundreds of visitors since the first day of Eid and is likely to continue for a few more days, the Dawn reported.
The snakes are killed by a performer who breaks their necks with his teeth before skinning them, and tasting their blood dripping from their mutilated bodies.
This act is done in front of a large audience, mainly children, Dawn said.
"I have been holding these shows in all major cities of the country for a long time. No government official has ever stopped or fined me on my acts," said performer Talib, who hails from Nawabshah.
The 31-year-old, also a snake-hunter, said the number of snakes in Pakistan had not declined over the years despite their frequent killing in his shows.
"I eat all kinds of snakes that include cobras and vipers but they are often not easily available," Dawn quoted him as saying.
According to him, he has developed immunity against snake poison and suffers no effects from a snake-bite.
He added that he was also fond of frogs and lizards too and he used them in his performances if he could not get snakes.
Dawn said the Karachi zoo defended the show.
"The show is being held only for a few days and in no way damages the public image of the zoo," said zoo director Fahim Khan.
Wildlife conservator Sindh Saeed Baloch, however, criticized the zoo administration for "showing cruelty to animals" and said that the facility was encouraging the public to destroy wildlife.
But Baloch said the wildlife ordinance of 1972 neither awards protected status to species like snakes, lizards or frogs, nor covers the subject of cruelty to animals.
--IANS
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Three suspected Maoist guerrillas were arrested and 15 improvised explosive devices (IED) seized in two districts of Jharkhand on Tuesday, police said.
The three guerrillas, including a woman, were arrested from Shikaripara in Dumka district and were said to be involved in the killing of Pakur Superintendent of Police Amarjit Balihar.
Security forces seized the 15 IEDs from Budwa Pahad in a search operation in Latehar district following a gunfight on Monday in which one Central Reserve Police Force trooper was killed.
Maoists are active in 18 of the 24 district of the state.
--IANS
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US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter arrived in Kabul on Tuesday in an unannounced visit to hold talks with Afghan leaders and US military officials in the country, a source said.
"Carter arrived here around midday. He will meet Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and Afghan Defence Minister Abdullah Khan Habibi later on the day," a source told Xinhua news agency.
The Pentagon chief will also meet US and NATO military commanders in the country during his trip, he said.
Foreign dignitaries usually pay unannounced visit to militancy-hit Afghanistan and return to their home countries secretly due to security concerns.
The NATO and US forces completed their combat mission in Afghanistan by the end of 2014, after 13 years of military presence in the country.
Nearly 13,000 foreign forces, including some 9,800 US troops, are currently stationed in Afghanistan for the NATO-led Resolute Support mission to help Afghan forces in the field of training, advising and backing the troops in the war on insurgents.
--IANS
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National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Tuesday raised questions on Jammu and Kashmir being "unrepresented" at a high-level meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review the law and order situation of the state following the spate of violence.
In a tweet, Abdullah said that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's presence at the meeting could have been ensured via video-conferencing.
"I understand if Mehbooba Mufti didn't leave the state to attend (the meeting) but why not by video conference? State unrepresented," Abdullah tweeted soon after the meeting began at 7 RCR, the official residence of the Prime Minister.
The meeting was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and other high officials.
Abdullah said that despite having the provision for video links, nothing was done to include Mehbooba Mufti in the meeting.
"We set up video links for all sorts of meaningless things but here where it matters to have Mehbooba Mufti involved in the process - nothing," Abdullah said in another tweet.
On Monday, Rajnath Singh took stock of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir in a meeting with Parrikar, Jaitley, Doval and top security officials.
At least 32 people have been killed in violent protests in the Kashmir Valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani on Friday.
Modi returned on Tuesday morning after a five-day official tour of four African nations.
--IANS
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Kuwait could be about to follow Saudi Arabia's lead. OPEC's fifth-largest crude producer may partially privatise its state-controlled oil industry. That could generate billions of dollars for the government. But maximising proceeds will probably mean ceding more control over crude still in the ground than the emirate's rulers want.
HSBC's "Too Big to Jail" saga may have been in 2012, but the fallout is still going on. A Republican-led committee's review of the UK bank's punishment - when it received a $1.9 billion fine for money-laundering and sanctions-busting - focuses on why it escaped criminal sanctions. The answer will have European rivals on tenterhooks.
With reference to "Kashmir gets out of hand" (July 11), it is time that we took count of the number of times since Independence that hopes have been raised about a solution to the Kashmir problem, only to end on a note of despair. We have fought three wars with Pakistan over Kashmir, and billions of rupees that are much needed for the education and health of our people have gone down the drain.
Minority Affairs Minister and G M Siddeswara, Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, have been dropped from the Union council of ministers. Heptulla is the first Cabinet minister to have been dropped in the two-year term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led council of ministers. A statement from the President said Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Heptullas junior at the minority affairs ministry, would now have independent charge of the ministry. Babul Supriyo, a minister of state, has been shifted from the ministry of urban development to heavy industries and public enterprises.
Heptulla, an aspirant for the post of the Vice President of India, could get a gubernatorial assignment. Governors to a few states are likely to be announced later this week. Vice Presidential elections are due for August 2017. Heptullas Rajya Sabha term ends in April 2018, which she would need to quit if she were to take up any gubernatorial role. I am extremely thankful to the PM for giving me the honour to be in his Cabinet and I tried best to fulfil his expectations towards Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Heptulla tweeted.
With these two resignations, the strength of the council of ministers is now 76. The number of ministers cannot exceed 82. Government sources claimed both Heptulla and Siddeswara had been asked to quit as part of the Cabinet expansion and reshuffle on July 5, but they could not do so as they were out of Delhi. And, the two submitted their resignations as soon as the PM returned after his four-nation Africa tour. However, other sources say Siddeswara was asked to quit as his performance was found to be poor. After three decades in the Congress, Heptulla, who holds a PhD in cardiac anatomy, had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2004 is a known L K Advani acolyte. I will always be available for any responsibility given to me in future. I have resigned from my post due to personal reasons, said Heptulla.With these two resignations, the strength of the council of ministers is now 76. The number of ministers cannot exceed 82. Government sources claimed both Heptulla and Siddeswara had been asked to quit as part of the Cabinet expansion and reshuffle on July 5, but they could not do so as they were out of Delhi. And, the two submitted their resignations as soon as the PM returned after his four-nation Africa tour.However, other sources say Siddeswara was asked to quit as his performance was found to be poor. But, the 64-year-old Lok Sabha member from Karnatakas Devangere had organised a public rally in his constituency on July 5, also his birthday, and requested the leadership that he be spared the ignominy of being dropped on the day of his birthday. Heptullas case is a more curious. She had turned 76 on April 13 this year. In constituting his council of ministers in May 2014, Modi had kept out all party leaders above 75 years of age. Now, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Kalraj Mishra, who is 75, is the oldest minister. He is an important Brahmin leader of Uttar Pradesh, which is slated to go to polls in early 2017. Sources close to Heptulla told Business Standard she was very much in New Delhi on the eve of the reshuffle. She had not only heaved a sigh of relief that she wasnt dropped but had started planning projects that she thought her ministry should take up with renewed vigour. After the reshuffle, Heptulla went to Chicago to celebrate Eid with her daughter. The sources said Heptulla considers it a betrayal that she was dropped now in such a manner, although senior leaders have phoned her indicating remaining out of the government for a year would be tactically good for her Vice Presidential bid.
Heptulla is a veteran Rajya Sabha member. A Dawoodi Bohra Muslim from Bhopal, Heptulla was handpicked by the then PM Indira Gandhi in the 1980s and served in key positions in the Congress party and as Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha in the 1980s and 1990s. She quit the Congress in 2004 and was accepted in the BJP with open arms. Her being a known Advani camp follower - although she read the tea leaves early enough to become a Modi supporter in 2013 - is remembered by the current leadership.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who returned Tuesday morning from his first official visit to continental Africa, has now completed 24 international trips in a little over 25 months since he took charge in May 2014. He has been to 42 countries and stayed out of India for 113 days during this period, according to government data.
Altogether 14 persons, including four bank employees, were arrested in connection with the bank dacoity case in Thoubal district on July 4.
SP (Thoubal) Radheshyam said police, as of now, recovered Rs 17,06,840 in cash and 4.697 kg of gold valued at Rs 1.30 crore.
The law enforcing agency also confirmed that the accused Mutum Gandhi is the leader of the six-member gang which actually looted the bank.
The accused Gandhi is still at large, said SP Thoubal.
Except Gandhi, all other accused including four bank staff are in police custody.
On July 4 last, six individuals forcibly entered a private bank and looted around Rs 2.6 crore in cash and jeweleries.
The robbers took with them three bags but left behind one bag as they could not carry it along with them.
The private bank is located just half a km from Thoubal police station and 300 metres away from the office of Thoubal Deputy Commissioner.
Fifteen men have been arrested for rape and sexual assault at Spain's famed San Fermin bull-running festival in the northern town of Pamplona, the city hall said today.
The nine-day festival, which began on July 6 and ends on Thursday, mixes concerts, daily bull runs and round-the-clock drinking.
It has become infamous for reports of sexual assaults, including men groping women's breasts at the opening party known as the "Chupinazo".
Pamplona city officials have in recent years launched various initiatives to curb such assaults at the fiesta, which was immortalised in Ernest Hemingway's 1926 novel "The Sun Also Rises".
Police have received 15 complaints of assault so far this year, including six for "sexual aggression" which under Spain's penal code includes rape. The other complaints were for the lesser charge of "sexual abuse".
A total of 15 men were arrested, city hall said in a statement.
Two of the suspects have since been released without charge and one of the complaints has been shelved.
A 22-year-old French woman filed a complaint with police for rape on Saturday. According to Spanish media reports she was attacked in the bathroom of a car park.
A 19-year-old woman told police she had been raped in the early hours of Thursday in the doorway of a building in central Pamplona by five men who filmed the attack with a mobile phone.
Five men have been arrested in connection with that assault.
Thousands of people, wearing the festival's traditional red neckerchiefs and white clothes, gathered outside Pamplona city hall yesterday night to protest against sexual attacks against women.
They held their hands up in a "stop" gesture or carried red signs reading "No is no".
As many as 21 Indian startups showcased their innovative products at a business enclave in Nairobi during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kenya, industry chamber Ficci said today.
Ficci and the Technology Development Board (TDB) took a delegation of 21 Indian startups to Nairobi.
They showcased technology driven innovative solutions at the business enclave that was addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday, Ficci said in a statement.
Responding to the needs of the African markets, these technologies and innovations provide low cost affordable solutions in different sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, water and sanitation and financial inclusion, the statement said.
The endeavour was aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation between India and Africa through technology and knowledge exchange.
The technologies showcased have been developed, tested and validated in India and are now being replicated and scaled in Africa, it said.
The participating companies come from several national flagship programs such as the DST-Lockheed Martin India Innovation Growth Programme, Millennium Alliance and DRDO- Ficci Accelerated Technology Assessment and Commercialization initiative.
"They represent a unique opportunity for India to enhance its South-South cooperation while opening new markets for Indian startups," FICCI said.
Some of the technologies exhibited include CassavaTech, a patented technology that brings down capital cost of processing cassava from USD 15,000 to USD 200 and reduces operating cost from USD 20 to USD 2 for 200 kg processing capacity, it added.
Five persons, including at least three Nepalese nationals, were today killed and 27 others injured when a Delhi-bound bus from Nepal was hit by a truck near Bhopatpur on National Highway 28, police said.
While four persons died on the spot, 29 others were rushed to a hospital where the bus driver, whose nationality is yet to be ascertained, died during treatment, they said.
There were 41 passengers on the bus which was coming from Butwal in Nepal.
Those killed include bus driver Nazir Ahmad (30), truck owner Nafis (45), Teju (12), Dhanu Prasad (38) and Khum Bahadur (30), they said, adding that the condition of two injured was said to be critial.
In a shocking incident, a man allegedly killed his six-year-old daughter by stuffing onion into her mouth after he lost his cool over her failure to recite numerals from 1 to 13 near Aurangabad, police said today.
The incident took place on July 9 at Balapur village near Aurangabad and the accused, Raju Kute, was last night arrested for killing his daughter Bharti, a police official from Chikalthana police station told PTI over phone.
"Bharti recited numerals from 1 to 12, but stumbled thereafter, which enraged Raju. He was so livid that he took an onion and stuffed it in her throat, following which she choked to death," police said.
After the gruesome deed, Raju buried his daughter's body near a crematorium, police said, adding the victim's mother witnessed the crime.
On the basis of her complaint, Raju was arrested and a case has been registered against him under IPC sections 302 (murder) and 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender).
Further investigation into the case is underway.
Eight persons have died in rain-related incidents in Maharashtra which has been pounded by heavy rains, an official said today.
Heavy rains had lashed Thane, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Raigad districts and other parts of the state even as the meteorological department has predicted heavy rains coupled with thundershowers in parts of the state.
"Eight persons have died in the last 36 hours in rain related incidents across the state," an official of the State Disaster Management Authority said.
A IMD official said heavy rains coupled with thundershowers are likely to occur in the Konkan region, north Central Maharashtra and South Central Maharashtra.
State Disaster Management Authority Director Suhas Diwase said heavy rains in Nashik, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Akola, Ratnagiri and Kolhapur districts have broken the record for average rainfall.
"This year, the average rainfall recorded for the month has been 104 per cent so far. Last year, the average rainfall as of today was 366.2 mm, whereas the average rainfall recorded today stands at 382.8 mm," he added.
"The water stock in Koyna dam in Satara district has increased by 6 TMC due to heavy rains in its catchment areas," the officer added.
The water level in the dam, which generates hydel power, has now reached to 94 TMC, he said.
Diwase said following heavy rains in the catchment area of river Godavari in Nashik, authorities in Nashik and Ahmednagar districts have put the villages along the embankment of the river on high alert.
"Authorities are continuously monitoring the water discharge from the irrigation dams in the state. Heavy rains has led to parts of eastern Gadchiroli district being completely cut-off from the rest of the state," he said.
The incessant rains have also disrupted rail traffic between Surat (in Gujarat) and Nandurbar as the earth work underneath the railway tracks was washed away forcing railways to divert rail traffic.
Mizoram Excise and Narcotics Department officials have seized 83 grams of heroin and arrested four people, an official spokesperson today said.
The spokesperson Peter Zohmingthanga said that the officials seized eight grams of heroin in Mizoram-Myanmar border Zokhawthar hamlet in Champhai district yesterday and arrested Laldawngkima (32) and Laltlanmawia (31) both of Bungzung village in Champhai district in this connection.
Lalnuntluangi (29) of Zokhawthar village was arrested by the department officials at Seling village in Aizawl district for alleged possession of 63 grams of heroin while Lalthankhuma (44) of Tahan in Myanmar was nabbed in Aizawl last night for alleged possession of 12 grams of heroin.
The four accused persons were booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
An advocate was allegedly assaulted by his son with a machete causing grievous injuries to him over a family feud in the Madras High Court premises today which led to tense moments, police said.
Advocate Manimaran was attacked by his son Rajesh on the ground floor of the five storied additional law chamber buildings in the High Court premises and he began bleeding after sustaining grievous injuries.
Soon, the assailant was overpowered and roughed up by the public and some advocates. He was later handed over to the police. Both the victim and assailant were rushed to separate government hospitals.
Preliminary probe indicated that the motive for the attack was family dispute, police said.
Esplanade police have registered a case and are investigating the incident. The attack led to tense moments in the high security High Court premises, the inner precincts of which is being guarded by the CISF and outer parts by Tamil Nadu police.
The incident happened in the area under the ambit of state police.
Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel, who obtained bail in three cases and is set to walk out free after being in jail for nine months, has claimed he did nothing that could cause law and order problem and invoked the famous phrase 'Satyamev Jayate' (truth alone prevails).
Extolling the virtue of the phrase in a letter, addressed to Gujarat government, Hardik said, "Satyamev Jayate. This phrase has been the guiding force for Lord Rama and Mahatma Gandhi, and remains so for today's youth. I have full faith in India's judiciary. I believe that innocents and poor do get justice. I was thrown in jail even when I am not guilty," he said.
"Let me tell you the truth: only a goat is made to sacrifice, not a lion," the 22-year-old leader said in the letter, written by him a day after the court granted him bail in two sedition cases on Friday last.
"I have never supported violence in any from...Till date, I have never done anything that could cause law and order problem, nor do I intend to do any such thing in the future. I want to be the voice of the state through non-violence and work for the uplift of poor, farmers, youth and women," he said in the letter which was made public by his lawyer Yashwant Vala today.
Claiming that his nine-odd months of jail term has taught him how to "cleanse dirty politics", he expressed his distrust in political parties like Congress and BJP.
"I have spent nine months in my mother's womb, and another nine months in jail, totaling eighteen months. In this period I understood how to cleanse dirty politics," he said.
Hardik said he comes from a simple farmer's family and has full faith in judiciary, and the court's verdict has strengthened his belief that "innocents and poor do get justice".
After nine months of incarceration, Hardik is set to walk out of jail as the Gujarat High Court yesterday removed the last hurdle by granting him bail in a case related to violence at Visnagar MLA's office.
However, the Patel quota agitation spearhead will have to stay outside Gujarat for the next six months, as directed by the high court on Friday when it granted him bail in two sedition cases.
Hardik was accused of inciting violence to put pressure on the government to accept the demand of OBC reservation for Patels.
His mega rally on reservation held in Ahmedabad on August 25 last year had sparked violence, in which, 10 people, including one policeman, were killed and public properties and vehicles damaged across Gujarat.
The pressing issue of terrorism is expected to be discussed among other important topics at the 11th ASEM Summit this week in Mongolia where Vice President Hamid Ansari will lead the Indian delegation.
Ansari would travel to the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar on Thursday for the two-day summit from July 15 and would expound India's stand on various issues at the meeting, said Preeti Saran, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs.
The theme for the Summit is "20 Years of ASEM: Partnership for the Future through Connectivity" and India's efforts would be inclined towards more successful outcomes and the building of a resilient and multidimensional web of interconnectivity between the two continents, she said.
Ansari will also hold bilateral meetings with a few other participating leaders on the sidelines of the Summit.
During the visit, Ansari may also have an opportunity to meet the new Mongolian leadership after elections were held in the land-locked country in June this year, she said.
"We hope to have an opportunity to meet with the new leadership of Mongolia after elections there in June," she said.
India's relations with Mongolia was upgraded to strategic partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country last year.
On the ASEM Summit, Saran said since the theme of the meeting was connectivity, the Vice President will focus on it.
"We look at not just the vast geographical space between India and Europe and Asia. The Vice President will focus on all the broad aspects encompassing the theme of connectivity. Of course, the current theme that is of huge concern to us as a country and that of the global community is terrorism. So I imagine that would definitely come up for discussion," she said.
India joined ASEM in January 2007 and has taken part in four earlier summits. This year is unique for ASEM as it celebrates 20 years of its establishment in 1996.
ASEM comprises of 53 entities - 51 countries from Asia and Europe and two regional bodies - the European Union and the ASEAN Secretariat. It represents around 62.3 per cent of the world's population, 57.2 per cent of the global GDP and almost 60 per cent of the world's trade.
"It is a unique platform that serves to bridge the two continents of Asia and Europe for constructive partnership and exchange, under the three key pillars of political dialogue, economic collaboration and socio-cultural exchanges," she said on ASEM.
Since this Summit is the first ever international event of such stature that Mongolia is hosting, the participation of Vice President signifies the importance that India attaches to its Strategic Partnership with Mongolia, she added.
Apollo Hospitals Group today said it has inked MoUs with Kenyatta National Hospital and Airtel Kenya in the field of healthcare in Kenya.
According to a statement, Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, who was in Nairobi as a leading member of Indian Business delegation accompanying Prime Minister Narendra Modi, inked two MoUs with Kenyatta National Hospital and Airtel Africa, at Nairobi.
The MoU with Kenyatta National Hospital is focused on capacity building in Kenyan Healthcare sector. Kenyatta National Hospital is the oldest government hospital besides being the largest referral and teaching hospital in Kenya.
"Apollo Hospitals and Kenyatta National Hospital have identified various areas of collaboration and knowledge transfer to build local capacity in tertiary healthcare services. Apollo Hospitals will train Kenyan doctors and other healthcare staff at Apollo hospitals in India. Specialists from Apollo Hospitals will visit Kenyatta National Hospital to conduct joint medical camps, educational lectures and training programs," the release said.
The deal with Airtel Africa - a leading telecom operator with operations in 16 countries in the continent, is focused on enabling easy access to Apollo specialists and enhance healthcare cooperation across Africa.
"This deal will enable Airtel Africa subscribers access personalised advice in real time, thereby bringing world-class healthcare services at their fingertips. It will also provide its customers with discounted consultation and enable easy payment options through Airtel Money or the customers Airtime.
As part of this agreement, Apollo Hospitals and Airtel Africa will launch 'Ask-Apollo', a simple and reliable service from a professional medical team at Apollo Hospitals, the release added.
The Arunachal Pradesh government has decided to release six per cent Dearness Allowance (DA) to state government regular employees, pensioners and family pensioners from January 1 this year at par with central government employees.
The decision was approved in a cabinet meeting held on Monday, an official release said here today.
The cabinet under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister Kalikho Pul also approved for creation of 411 posts for establishment of the state's first medical college of which 200 are posts for faculty members and 211 for supporting staff.
The Cabinet also approved the creation of 106 posts of different cadres for Arunachal Civil Secretariat under GA department as well as opening of 21 women police stations along with creation of 401 posts under various categories.
The proposal for promotion of Constables to Head Constables under the Police Department was also approved.
The cabinet also discussed the issues proposed for the 11th meeting of Inter-State Council scheduled on July 16 in New Delhi under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister.
The Arunachal Pradesh government is all geared up to have its first Software Technology Park of India (STPI) here soon.
"Through STPI, we hope to provide skill training to the youth, while empowering them digitally and economically," said Chief Minister Kalikho Pul in a meeting here yesterday.
He said the project would generate employment opportunities for educated youths.
STPI is under the administrative control of union Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and set up with a mandate to promote software exports from the country.
Four software technology parks are already operational in the NE regions at Guwahati, Imphal, Gangtok and Aizawl, the release added.
BJP today claimed that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind kejriwal has been "unmasked" and will go to jail for "defaming" Finance Minister Arun Jaitley after the Delhi High Court framed issues against Kejriwal and other AAP leaders in a suit filed by Jaitley seeking 10 crore damages.
Jaitley has also filed a criminal case against the AAP chief over his corruption charges against him in DDCA affairs.
The party also termed Kejriwal's claim in the court that he had not said anything defamatory against the BJP leader an attempt to take a U-turn, saying he had done the same in previous cases.
"Kejriwal and other AAP leaders dialled the wrong number by targeting Jaitley who enjoys a reputation for probity across party lines. He has been unmasked and we are sure that he will go to jail in the defamation case," BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said.
He also referred to Kejriwal being sent to jail in a defamation case filed by Union minister Nitin Gadkari after he refused to submit bail bond.
The Delhi Chief Minister claims that he fears none and would not apologise but he had apologised in several matters including the fake degree case involving the then Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar, he said.
"He used to speak about transparency and probity. Now he is standing in support of corruption," he alleged.
Bangladesh is preparing to erase "extremely provocative" Islamist speeches from the internet a day after it banned the Peace TV, run by India's controversial preacher Zakir Naik, a senior minister said today.
"We already issued a circular, now a specific directive is being issued for the BTRC (Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Authority) to find out and erase provocative speeches of Islamist leaders. Zakir Naik's speeches will also be erased," information minister Hasanul Haq Inu told PTI.
Inu said he has asked his office to ensure that the directive reaches BTRC by tomorrow.
Earlier, BTRC chairman Shahjahan Mahmood said that the regulatory body awaited a government directive to erase the provocative speeches from Youtube and other internet systems after it emerged that perpetrators of the two recent Islamist attacks in the country were inspired by Naik or some other Islamist leaders.
"We are aware of the reality, but we need to receive instructions from the government," Mahmood said.
BTRC officials said their monitoring unit found that apart from Naik, three other Islamist leaders including one of the banned Ansaral Islam Bangladesh (ABT) to be "extremely provocative".
Bangladesh has yesterday scraped downlink permission for the broadcast of Peace TV for "provoking Islamists".
"It's (Peace TV) downlink permission has been cancelled in line with an information ministry decision," a spokesman of BTRC said.
The action came a day after the high level meeting of the cabinet committee on law and order decided to ban the Peace TV amid allegations that at least one of the five slain perpetrators of the deadly terrorist attack in Dhaka's diplomatic zone that killed 22 people, mostly foreigners, were inspired by Naik's preaching.
The information ministry directive said, "Based on the Cabinet committee's decision, free-to-air TV channel Peace TV's downlink permission has been cancelled for violating downlink conditions".
Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan has earlier said that Naik "is on our security scanner" and "our intelligence agencies are investigating his activities as his lectures appeared provocative".
He added that the investigators were also focusing on Naik's financial transactions.
Naik's Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation run the Peace TV, which has a Bangla version targeting the Bangladeshi audience.
BJP youth wing BJYM today filed a complaint with police demanding arrest of JNU student Umar Khalid under sedition charges for allegedly posting anti-national comments on social media and "spewing hatred" against Indian Armed Forces.
The complaint was filed by Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM) national media coordinator Shivam Chhabra and Parekhseet Dagar at the DCP (South) office.
"Umar Khalid is 'constantly flooding' the social media platforms with 'anti-national' comments. He is constantly posting derogatory comments against the Indian government on the killing of terrorist and Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani," alleged the complainants.
They also accused the JNU student of trying to "incite" feelings of "hatred and contempt" of the public against the Armed Forces and "indirectly" against the government of India, demanding his arrest under charges of sedition (Section 124 A of IPC).
He should be also charged for promoting enmity between different groups and for doing acts against maintenance of harmony, they said in the complaint.
"We have received the complaint and are looking into it," said a senior police officer.
Umar had courted controversy for being one of the organisers of the controversial event in JNU against hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which anti- national slogans were allegedly raised. He was later arrested in this connection under charge of sedition.
Out on bail, he kicked off another controversy by comparing Wani with a revolutionary.
Umar could not be reached for his comments despite several attempts.
Meanwhile, several students and social organisations have decided to hold a protest demonstration at Jantar Mantar tomorrow demanding immediate end to violence in Kashmir.
Federal prosecutors are asking a judge to order former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to serve his entire 14-year prison term when he returns to court for resentencing next month.
But his attorneys want about nine years lopped off the sentence of the man they say has been a model prisoner who's tutored, taught and counseled fellow inmates while also forming an Elvis-inspired rock band.
The motions filed late today are part of a legal battle between federal prosecutors and the former governor's attorneys over the sentence imposed in 2011 by US District Judge James Zagel after a jury convicted Blagojevich of 18 corruption counts, including attempting to sell the vacant US Senate seat once occupied by President Barack Obama.
In March, several months after a federal appeals court panel tossed five of 18 counts against Blagojevich, prosecutors said they would not retry him on those counts and requested that he return to Zagel's courtroom for resentencing.
Neither motion was surprising, as prosecutors argued that Blagojevich has never taken responsibility for his crime and the defense reiterating a long held argument that the sentence was too long.
But the 22-page defense motion does offer a glimpse into the life of a man who has not been seen or heard from since he reported to a Colorado federal prison in 2012.
Attorney Leonard Goodman writes that Blagojevich has been tutoring inmates studying for their GED, teaching history and providing job interview counseling for soon-to-be-released inmates. He talks almost daily to his family on the phone, quizzing his children to help them prepare for exams.
Fellow inmates also have offered letters of support, including one prisoner who credits Blagojevich with helping him reconnect with his daughter.
And in an effort to share in his youngest daughter's interest in music, Blagojevich has studied guitar and vocals, according to Goodman. Well known for his love of all things Elvis Presley, his life-sized statue of Presley was auctioned off after he went to prison Blagojevich, formed with another inmate a band called "The Jailhouse Rockers."
In its own 14-page filing at midnight yesterday, the U.S. attorney's office said that "nothing in the dismissal of the five counts undermines the need for a very significant sentence ... To deter current and future public officials from engaging in similar criminal activity."
They also said that Blagojevich has never taken responsibility for his crimes.
BOV Capital has set up a Rs 100 crore fund to focus on Sri Lankan startups with participation from investors like Google VP South East Asia and India Rajan Anandan and Prajeeth Balasubramniam.
Ambit, a leading investment bank in India, will be the fund partner for BOV Capital.
The fund, which will focus on early stage startups, plans to invest in 7-10 companies with an investment in the range of Rs 5-10 crore each, BOV said in a statement.
While the target is to raise Rs 100 crore, the fund has already closed in Rs 30 crore.
The funds have been raised from high net-worth individuals in India and Singapore and the founding partners -- Anandan, Balasubramniam and Eric Wikramanayake.
The fund will concentrate on investing and working closely with Sri Lankan technology startups that can build large regional and global businesses, it added.
"Over the past 5 years, we have seen the emergence of an exciting startup ecosystem in Sri Lanka... Skills in computer science and engineering, combined with the global exposure that many of our entrepreneurs have, is leading to the creation of very interesting software product companies and Internet companies that have tremendous regional and global potential," Balasubramaniam said.
"BOV Capital has received huge interest from investors in India and Singapore, who are excited about investing in a resurgent Sri Lanka," Ambit CEO Structured Finance and Private Wealth Hrishikesh Parandekar said.
BJP MP Subramanian Swamy today advised the government to "cautiously assess" a UN tribunal ruling on the row in the South China Sea, saying tomorrow such a tribunal can sit on Jammu and Kashmir.
"The ruling against China by a UN Tribunal over South China sea islands must be cautiously assessed. Tomorrow such a Tribunal can sit on J&K.
"US in a similar investigation in 1986 by a UN Tribunal on the Nicaragua invasion refused to accept the Tribunal verdict," he said in his tweets.
India is "carefully studying" the verdict by an UN-backed tribunal which today ruled that China has no legal basis to claim "historic rights" to islands in South China Sea, the Ministry of External Affairs had said in a statement.
A central database of NGOs in the country may come up soon with the Home Ministry planning to ask states to ensure that the voluntary organisations register themselves with a portal started by NITI Aayog.
Under the plan, drawn up in close coordination with the Prime Minister's Office, the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog-run portal would issue a unique number to each NGO.
"Provision has been made to enter the details of members of the NGO's governing body as well," a document circulated to all Chief Ministers ahead of Inter-State Council meeting on Saturday said.
The Home Ministry is likely to tell the states to get all registered NGOs to log in to the portal started by NITI Aayog.
The move came in the wake of a crackdown on several NGOs for allegedly violating Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.
The central government is expected to ask the states to issue instructions to their regulatory bodies such as the Registrar of Societies and Charity Commissioner to ensure that the NGOs enrol on the portal.
Union Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot today announced a financial aid of Rs six crore for augmenting the infrastructure facilities of the Central University of Kerala.
Inaugurating the "Mahatma Ayyankali Centre for Kerala Studies" at the university's capital centre here, the Social Justice and Empowerment said the fund could be utilised for the development of the centre and the for construction of boys and girls hostels that would accommodate 200 students.
The minister also said he would facilitate to get sanction of an Ambedkar Chair at the Kasaragod-based University.
Paying glorious tributes to social reformer Mahatma Ayyankali, Gehlot said that the path shown by champion of the oppressed and great visionary Ayyankali, was a guiding force for Mahatma Gandhi and later to Dr B R Ambedkar in drafting our Constitution ensuring equality and social justice for all.
With the predicted rise in vector borne diseases like dengue and malaria during the monsoon season, the Centre today asked states to develop micro-plans for endemic districts and underlined the need for undertaking house-to-house surveillance for its prevention.
The Union Health Ministry also asked states to review and strengthen coordination between municipal bodies and other departments to keep public and private buildings vector free.
With the predicted rise in dengue, malaria, Japanese Encephalitis (JE), Union Health Minister J P Nadda today reviewed the status of such diseases and preparation of states through video conferencing.
"Stressing on the importance of inter-sectoral coordination and convergence of efforts in not only the prevention but also management of vector borne diseases, Nadda advised them (states) to review and strengthen inter-sectoral coordination...
"...With municipal corporations and departments of sanitation, drinking water and urban development for more focused efforts such as keeping premises of all public and private buildings free of vector-breeding," an official statement quoting him said.
Nadda interacted with Health ministers and senior officials of Assam, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, MP, Telangana, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh.
"Municipal Corporations need to undertake house-to-house surveillance for more effective prevention and breeding control," Nadda said during the meeting.
At least 39 cases of dengue have been reported in the national capital this year with 11 of these recorded in the month of July, according to a municipal report released yesterday.
Amidst concerns that hospitals, including the premiere institute AIIMS in the national capital, are "breeding ground" for dengue mosquitoes, Nadda had recently also directed heads of all hospitals in Delhi to ensure that their premises are "mosquito-free".
Nadda also assured the states of all necessary support to
enhance their capacity to manage these diseases as he emphasised that effective surveillance and monitoring was key to success in combating these diseases.
"The Minister also underscored need to develop special strategy and effective micro-plans for endemic districts," the statement said.
Nadda who also reviewed the availability of diagnostic kits, drugs, testing labs, manpower and funds also asked states to ensure price capping on dengue testing by private health facilities.
Most states during the meeting said that they had adequate stored capacity of necessary drugs and testing kits.
The statement said that states during the meeting reported that they have carried out rounds of fogging and DDT spraying and will also undertake other measures to prevent vector breeding.
Nadda advised states to involve Resident Welfare Associations to sensitise them to keep the localities free of mosquitoes.
With the predicted rise in number of such cases, the Health Minister also asked states to fill the vacant posts of entomologists at the state, zone and district level.
"Awareness being the key to prevention of many diseases, Nadda stressed on the importance of conducting focused and intensive IEC campaigns and sustaining them through the monsoon season," the statement quoting him said.
A Delhi court has remanded a British national, facing extradition proceedings here and wanted in a child abuse and trafficking case in the Philippines, to judicial custody till July 25.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Shunali Gupta sent Lennox James Ellis, arrested in Goa last month following a Red Corner Notice, to jail after senior advocate N K Matta, appearing for the Centre, submitted that the work regarding his extradition to the Philippines was going on.
The accused was produced before the court in pursuance to the production warrant issued by it last week.
Ellis was arrested in Goa on June 8 on the basis of the notice issued by the Interpol at the behest of the Philippines government earlier this year.
The counsel had said that Ellis was required to face trial in a child sexual abuse and trafficking case of last year.
Delhi High Court has observed that though child witnesses are "dangerous" as they could be easily influenced, there was no obstacle in accepting their evidence if the courts find it truthful after careful scrutiny.
A bench of Justices G S Sistani and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal said a trial judge may resort to the examination of such a witness which could disclose the child's capacity and intelligence as well as his or her understanding of obligation of an oath.
"Though it is an established principle that child witnesses are dangerous witnesses as they are pliable and liable to be influenced easily, shaken and moulded, but it is also an accepted norm that if after careful scrutiny of their evidence the court comes to the conclusion that there is an impress of truth in it, there is no obstacle in the way of accepting the evidence of a child witness," the bench said.
The court observed this while dismissing an appeal filed by a man challenging the trial court order acquitting four persons of charges of murder and criminal conspiracy, in a case in which his brother had died here in 2008.
The bench noted in its judgement that precaution regarding intelligence of a child witness was required to be taken as they were "amenable to tutoring and often live in a world of make-believe".
The case pertains to the death of a man whose body was found in a pool of blood having stab injuries here in August 2008.
The counsel appearing for the petitioner sought setting aside of the trial court's March 2012 verdict acquitting the four accused in the case.
His lawyer had argued that the case was based on the testimony of victim's daughter who was an eye witness to the incident.
The high court observed that evidence of the girl recorded during the trial "has no credibility and does not reveal a truthful approach and her evidence appears to be tutored by the appellant."
It further observed that the witness had not withstood the cross-examination by defence counsel as there were "material improvements and exaggerations".
"Furthermore, she has not stuck to her statement made during investigation in all material particulars. That being so, the trial court was justified in not relying on her testimony," the court said.
China has no legal basis to claim "historic rights" to islands in the South China Sea, an international tribunal ruled today in a bitter dispute that risks stoking further tensions in Southeast Asia.
"The Tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights within the sea areas falling within the 'nine-dash line'," the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration said in a statement.
The Philippines welcomed the ruling while urging restraint.
Calling for national unity ahead of today's verdict by an tribunal on China's claims in the South China Sea, state media directed its ire against US and Japan saying that Beijing should be on high alert if tensions escalate putting to test the PLA's military strength.
"The US and Japan have claimed that relevant countries, including China, should comply with the arbitration result. They stand in sharp confrontation with China, which has announced that the award would be 'nothing but a piece of paper'," state-run Global Times said ahead of the verdict of the five-judge arbitral tribunal constituted Permanent Court of Arbitration adjudicating on the Philippines' petition against China's claims.
Besides accusing China of taking control of the area around 140 miles from its coast, the Philippines' petition asked the tribunal to reject China's claim to sovereignty over waters within a 'nine-dash line' that appears on official Chinese maps.
The U-shaped line represents China's claims to as much as 90% of the (SCS) important for global trade and rich in natural resources, including oil deposits.
"Whether the arbitration will lead to a severe geopolitical crisis has come under the global spotlight," it said in its editorial titled "China's reaction to arbitration depends on provocation".
"We believe the Chinese government must have made a series of contingency plans to deal with subsequent actions. What actions China may take on Huangyan and Ren'ai, (the area under contention) and whether China will announce a SCS Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) depends on the reactions of Philippines to the arbitration result and the degree of US and Japanese provocations," it said.
"So far, none of the concerned parties want military confrontation. But all are ratcheting up military preparations. The has been clouded by unprecedented tensions. It's uncertain where the situation will head to," it said.
In a similar editorial another state-run newspaper China Daily said, "The United States and some of its allies are already eyeing Tuesday as a day of triumph, as they believe the Arbitral Tribunal in the arbitration will rule against China in a case unilaterally brought by the Philippines over their South China Sea dispute. Much fanfare can be expected should the farce directed by Washington finally reach the climax it anticipates".
China claims almost all of the SCS bit its claim is firmly contested by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan which have overlapping claims over the area.
"But before it makes any ballyhoo depicting China as a bully disrespectful of law, the US should bear in mind it will be standing on shaky ground should it choose to trumpet the observance of international rules", it said.
"Escalated US military provocations cannot be ruled out in the wake of the arbitration ruling should it be able to claim that the ruling "justifies" them. After all, keeping tensions high serves the US' interests and helps justify its huge military presence in the region as part of its 'rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific' strategy," it said.
"Such belligerency would put to the test the capabilities of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to cope with what would become an ever more complicated situation," it said.
"China has consistently called for negotiations and consultations to peacefully solve the maritime disputes. So it is a welcome change to see reports that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said his administration will begin direct talks following Tuesday's ruling, on topics such as jointly exploiting natural gas reserves and fishing grounds," it said.
Calling for national unity, the Global Times said, "After the post-arbitration wrestling begins, the most important thing for China is to show the outside world the solidarity of its society. For one thing, Chinese society has full confidence in the country's diplomatic and maritime strength; for another, no matter what price China has to pay for the wrangling, all the Chinese will squarely accept it," it said.
"The Chinese people and government share the same interests and responsibilities. We should not only safeguard territorial sovereignty, but also make the utmost efforts to maintain peace in China's periphery, prolonging China's strategic opportunities for China's rise," it said.
"The SCS is a big arena. China will devote its varied resources there. China in the past was weak. It could only express determinations through demonstrations or a few activists visiting its own islands in the South China Sea. But now it has multiple means at its disposal. It has become a formidable competitor that deserves respect. No power in the world could split a united China. As long as we stick together, provocateurs are doomed to fail," it said.
Hours ahead of the international tribunal's verdict on the Philippines' petition challenging China's claims in the disputed South China Sea, Beijing today said it will not recognise the decision nor will it receive copies of the judgement.
"It is true that we do not recognise and accept the so called arbitration. We will have no legal connection with the arbitral tribunal and we will not accept whatever materials it provides," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told media here as the five-member tribunal appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration is set to deliver its judgment today.
He was responding to a question on whether China will receive the judgement copies which the tribunal said will be provided to the concerned parties early before releasing it to the media.
China has boycotted the tribunal ever since Philippines filed the petition in The Hague international court.
China claims almost all of the resource-rich South China Sea but its claim is firmly contested by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan which have overlapping claims over the area.
REOPENS FGN 10
Asked whether China will give its reaction after the
tribunal delivered its verdict, Lu said, "We will not have any legal connection with the arbitral tribunal because from the very beginning we have not recognised this illegal organ".
On how the verdict would impact the SCS dispute in the region, Lu said the arbitration case was unilaterally initiated by former Philippines president Benigno Aquino's administration in 2013. "The Chinese side has already expressed its position clearly three years ago," he said.
"The so called arbitral tribunal was built on the illegalities and illegal application. Its existence has no legal ground and the award whatever it is invalid," he said.
"On the effects of the arbitration, if the so called award will result in rise of tension in the relevant region, it will not serve the common interest of the parties of the region," he said.
"As for how it effect China's policy, I cannot see any effect. China's relevant policy will remain unchanged. We will stick to resolving the relevant disputes with parties concerned with negotiations and consultation and work together with ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) countries to maintain peace and stability of SCS and the dual track approach of China will remain unchanged," he said.
"But at the same time if any one challenges China's interests by siding with the award of the arbitration then China will take solemn response," he said.
To a question whether China will have any dialogue with the Philippines after the award, he said "China and the Philippines have good relations over a long period of time. Our bilateral ties have encountered some difficulties in recent times".
"On China's part we are willing to maintain peaceful, mutually beneficial relationship will all our neighbouring countries including the Philippines," he said.
"We have noted the new Philippines government has expressed willingness to hold dialogue with China in a bid to promote common development and properly manage dispute between the two sides. Our door to that is widely open," he said.
Lu also lashed out at the US for stirring trouble in the SCS region with its Asia Pacific rebalance strategy.
"Before the implementation of the so called rebalance to Asia Pacific by the US, the SCS is very tranquil and peaceful. Then comes the Americans and their policy of rebalance to Asia and since then things have changed," he said.
Before the rebalance was implemented there were disputes between the relevant parties in the SCS but they could be properly managed and maintained peaceful situation," he said.
"No matter how the US argues, they cannot deny that things changed after the implementation of the Asia rebalance policy," he said.
"The US poses itself as guardian of the maritime rule of
law but refuses to approve the UN Convention on Law of Seas, (UNCLOS) 34 years after it was reached. It asks the other parties to accept the third party approach for dispute settlement but even refuses to accept the order and judgement by the supreme judicial organ of the UN which is international court of justice," he said.
"Its action severely erodes the authority, sanctity and effectiveness of the international law. It is very dangerous and the international community should be on high alert against that," Lu said.
Asked about the report that China may pull out of the UNCLOS as the tribunal was constituted based on it, Lu said, "I do not know where did you see that".
"Ever since China approved UNCLOS in 1976, we have been loyal party to UNCLOS and we uphold it with faithful observance. We have to say that we should maintain the authority of the UNCLOS no matter what instead of making selective use of it based on the likes and dislikes and or even violate the clause of the UNCLOS," he said.
Running out of patience on double standards by Pakistan in combating terrorism, top US lawmakers today called for cutting financial aid and imposing sanctions against it while prominent think tanks said it is time to consider putting Pakistan on the list of state sponsor of terrorism.
"Patience (on Pakistan) is growing very thin," Congressman Matt Salmon, Chairman of the Asia and Pacific subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said.
Just cutting off the funding is not going to be enough, he said and sought for additional measures.
"Those who suggest giving aid to Pakistan need to give justification for using the tax payer's money," Congressman Brad Sherman, Ranking member of the subcommittee joined Salmon and other lawmakers for actions against Pakistan.
Congressman William Keating, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Non-Proliferation and Trade argued that there is little reason to believe that Pakistan is going to change its policies of using terrorism as a tool to meet its strategic needs.
Two of the top al Qaeda leaders have been killed in Pakistan, he said.
Keating that the US arms supply to Pakistan is unlikely to help it in the fight against terrorism, but would arm it to be used against India.
Meanwhile, former top diplomats and think tanks said it is time that US consider putting Pakistan on the list of state sponsor of terrorism.
"Pakistan now is a state sponsor of terrorism. There is no question that ISI supports the Haqqani network, which we regard as a terrorist network," said Zalmay Khalilzad, a former top American diplomat of the Bush Administration, who played a key role America's policy towards Afghanistan and Pakistan and Iraq after 9/11, told lawmakers during a Congressional hearing.
"It is also clear that the Pakistani military and intelligence provide sanctuary and support to the Taliban," Khalilzad said and described in detail the duplicity of the Pakistani leadership.
"I believe we need to consider a different policy... One of increasing the cost of the policy of Pakistan," he said and called for additional drone attacks against terrorist groups.
He suggested specific sanctions against individuals in Pakistan military and ISI officials.
"We also need to suspend all military and non-education assistance," he said in his testimony during the hearing titled 'Pakistan: Friend or Foe in the Fight Against Terrorism?'. It was jointly convened by the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Non-Proliferation and Trade and Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Coal problems are now history and the target is to further boost domestic production to cut down on the imports that will result in savings to the tune of Rs 40,000 crore this year, Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal said today.
"Coal problems are history in India. Last year, the reduction in imports of coal saved Rs 24,000crore and this year the target is Rs 40,000 crore," he told reporters here.
The Minister was in the city for reviewing issuesrelated to power, coal, renewable energy and mines sectorswith Karnataka government.
From 2-3 days stock of coal available to power plantsto 51 days stock, it was a reflection of thehard work and commitment of all mine employees, Goyal said.
He also said the country should look at doubling its mineral output in the next 3 to 4years and become a net exporter of minerals.
Goyal said he had requested Karnataka government to come up with plans for rapid expansion of output of mines and creation of jobs in the state.
On Karnataka government signing central power scheme UDAY, even though it has accepted only the operational efficiencies and not itsfinancial aspects, he said union governmentwas willing to help the state in every possible way.
"The Central government has been requesting Karnataka government to sort out right of way issues so that transmission lines can be laid out smoothly," he added.
In the last 2 years, the capacity of the Southern gridhas been increased by 71 per cent, he said.
Goyal said there were four ongoing power projects linking various states to bring surplus power from the central grid to Karnataka but these had been stalled for last several years due to demand of high compensation.
Karnataka government had now agreed to provide all assistance to complete these projects, Goyal said, adding, once operational these would help the state in getting additional power.
The centre has also approved a Renewable Energy Management Centre for Bengaluru to support large scale grid integration, Goyal added.
A special court today fixed August 11 for consideration on framing of charges against a Ranchi-based company, its three directors and others in a coal scam case for allegedly misrepresenting facts to bag a Jharkhand coal block.
Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar put up the matter for the next date in the case in which it had earlier summoned the accused after taking cognizance of the CBI charge sheet against M/S Domco Pvt Ltd, its three directors Binay Prakash, Vasant Diwakar Manjrekar and Parmananda Mondal, chartered accountants Manoj Kumar Gupta and Sanjay Khandelwal and one Shukdeo Prasad.
The court fixed the matter for consideration after hearing the arguments on framing of charges from the counsel of CBI and the accused.
The CBI had earlier filed the charge sheet for alleged offences of cheating and criminal conspiracy under the IPC.
CBI has claimed in its charge sheet that Domco Pvt Ltd had applied to the Steel Ministry for allotment of a captive coal block to set up a pig iron plant of two lakh tonnes per annum capacity at Rairangpur in Odisha.
On the asking of the Ministry in November 2000, the firm had also submitted an application for allotment of coal block to the Ministry of Coal (MOC).
CBI said that on the basis of information and documents furnished, MOC proceeded to finally allocate Lalgarh (North) Coal Block in West Bokaro Coal Fields of Jharkhand in favour of the firm for their plant at Rairangpur.
It has alleged that during the probe, it was found that the firm, M/S Domco Smokeless Fuels Pvt Ltd had misrepresented to the Ministries of Steel and Coal on a number of counts.
Congo's leading opposition candidate for president said he was poisoned as part of a government plot to kill him, a dramatic claim almost certain to escalate tensions even further over upcoming elections in one of Africa's largest countries.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Moise Katumbi said he was roughed up by police in May who injected him with an unknown substance outside a courthouse in the city of Lubumbashi.
"Their plan was to kill me," Katumbi said yesterday, "because they are scared about my popularity."
Katumbi said the directions came from the highest levels of Congo's government, but he did not provide details about whom he specifically believes was responsible.
Katumbi and other critics of President Joseph Kabila have expressed concern that the election set for November will be delayed so that Kabila will stay in power longer.
Kabila is supposed to leave office in December, but he has not publicly declared his intentions.
Congo's communications minister, Lambert Mende, was unavailable to comment, but he had previously dismissed allegations Katumbi had been harmed by the police.
He noted that Katumbi was allowed to leave Congo for medical treatment elsewhere.
"If the objective was to kill him as he claims, why let him go and vilify us in the press?" Mende said in a recent interview with a radio station.
Since Congo won independence from Belgium in 1960, there has never been a peaceful, democratic transition of power in the country.
Kabila has been in office since 2001, taking over less than two weeks after his father, President Laurent Kabila, was shot by a bodyguard in the presidential palace.
He was elected president in 2006 and again in 2011.
Kabila is barred by Congo's constitution from a third term.
Congo, which has vast mineral deposits, is nearly one-fourth the size of the United States and has a population of more than 79 million.
More than a decade after Congo's back-to-back civil wars ended, the country's east remains in discord.
Scores of militias and armed groups are blamed for violence against civilians, and nearly 2.7 million Congolese are internally displaced as a result, according to figures compiled by the United Nations.
Taking strong objection to Gujarat Police's failure to produce Kartik Haldar, alleged henchman of Asaram, in connection with the Akhil Gupta murder case, a local court today directed it to do so on August 8.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Garima Choudhry issued the order on the request of local police that it is necessary to interrogate Haldar to proceed in the investigation in the murder of Gupta, a prime witness in a rape case against self-styled godman Asaram.
The court had earlier directed Gujarat Police to produce before it Haldar, who is lodged in Ahmedabad jail after his arrest from Raipur in Chhattisgarh in March.
35-year-old Akhil was shot at by unidentified persons on January 11 last year. Subsequently, he was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. He was a cook and personal aide of Asaram, who has been in jail since August 2013, for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old schoolgirl.
A local court here today convicted father-son duo and sentenced them to life imprisonment in a murder case.
Additional District Sessions judge Abhimanun convicted Anchal Singh Verma and his son Agul Verma after holding them guilty under section 302 (punishment for murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of IPC for killing one Shiv Kumar and injuring three others when they opened fire on them over a monetary dispute at a restaurant on Delhi-Dehradun national highway near Nawla village on July 2, 2001.
A fine of Rs one lakh each has also been imposed on them.
The court asked the convicts to pay Rs 1,50,000 to the family of the deceased from the total fine, public prosecutor, Narender Sharma said.
CPI-M in Kerala today said the party is in favour of entry of women of all age groups to the Lord Ayyappa hill shrine at Sabarimala, where as per tradition entry of women of menstruating age is restricted.
The party is of the view that all women should be allowed to enter the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told reporters here.
"In fact, party is of the view that women should be allowed in all the temples," he said.
"If there is any practical difficulty in allowing women (of all age groups) to Sabrimala hill shrine, Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the temple, should bring that matter to the notice of the Supreme Court," he added.
The party-led LDF government would file a fresh affidavit in the apex court in a case related to the issue of women's entry to the Sabarimala Temple, he said.
The previous Congress-led UDF government and Travancore Devaswom Board had taken the stand that customs and traditions of the temple should be preserved.
The apex court had yesterday indicated that it may refer to a five-judge constitution bench the issue of the centuries-old practice of barring entry of women between 10 and 50 years of age to the historic temple, saying it pertains to violation of fundamental rights.
On reports of some Keralities gone missing and suspected to have joined the terror outfit Islamic State, Balakrishnan said efforts to blame the entire Muslim community on the issue "is not appropriate."
"CPI-M is against all types of terrorism... Those type of people should be isolated from the society," he said.
Referring to some IUML leaders in the state supporting Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who came under scrutiny after it was reported that his speeches inspired some of the Dhaka attackers, he said, "IUML should make its stand clear on Zakir Naik."
Asked about the CPI-M stand, he said, "After getting more information about Naik, the party would make its stand known (on the issue).
A 38-year-old CPI(M) worker was allegedly hacked to death by an unidentified gang at Payyanur here, police said today.
The assailants who came in a jeep and motorcycles attacked Dhanaraj, a native of Kunnaru in the district, with machetes around 10.30 p.m. yesterday when he was entering his house, police said.
Though he was rushed to Pariyaram Medical College Hospital by locals, he succumbed on the way, they said.
Police suspect the murder was related to the political violence in the district post elections.
Police have registered a case and are investigating.
A group of Dalits were allegedly beaten up by six persons for skinning a dead cow at a village in Gir Somnath district, following which three persons were arrested, police said today.
The victims, belonging to a Dalit community at Mota Samadiyara village of Una taluka in Gir Somnath, claimed that they were skinning an already dead cow, while the six accused claimed that the animal was killed before being skinned, police said.
A purported video showing the persons being beaten with iron rods and sticks went viral on social media platforms like Whatsapp. In the video, some people are seen chained to a car, while the accused are seen thrashing them mercilessly.
"We have arrested three persons in this connection while three others are absconding. We have also called a team of forensic science laboratory (FSL) experts and veterinary doctors to ascertain if the cow was already dead before being skinned or was killed for skin," Gir Somnath district's Deputy Superintendent of Police K M Joshi said.
The incident took place yesterday when the six people started beating up the Dalits after they saw them skinning a dead cow near Mota Samadiyara village, which is a forest area, Joshi said.
At least two persons sustained severe head injuries and were referred to Junagadh civil hospital for treatment, he said.
According to an FIR lodged at Una police station, the six accused, identified as Ramesh Giri, Balwant Simer, Ramesh Bhagwan, Rakesh Joshi, Rasikbhai and Nagjibhai Vaniya, came in a car and allegedly started hurling casteist abuses on the group on finding that they were skinning a dead cow.
They then allegedly took out iron rods and wooden sticks from their car and started beating them up. Around seven persons sustained injuries.
According to complainant Vasrambhai Sarvaiya, the accused also looted three mobile phones.
Out of the six accused, Ramesh, Rakesh and Nagjibhai have been arrested so far, police said.
A case was lodged under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder), 395 (dacoity), 324 (causing hurt by dangerous means or weapons), 323 (causing hurt), and 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), and relevant sections of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and further probe was on, police added.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said Delhi government will begin the repair work in colonies where the families of 1984 riot victims reside in different areas of the national capital.
The Chief Minister has directed Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) to immediately begin repair in eight localities.
The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by the CM and attended by the heads of various departments of Delhi government.
"Delhi government will provide funds for this work and the initial estimate is Rs 10 crore, which will be revised on the basis of the actual estimate," said a senior government official.
The official also said that it was reported in the meeting that immediate repair work in common facilities in the colonies is required. These colonies are located in Tilak Vihar, Garhi, Raghubir Nagar, Sangam Park, Jahangir Puri, GT Road Shahdara, Kalkaji and Madipur.
The DUSIB has initiated the process of surveying these colonies following directions that the condition of colonies where the families of victims reside is worrying and requires urgent attention.
The AAP government's decision comes at a time when the Aam Aadmi Party is gearing up for Punjab Assembly elections to be held next year.
With national capital region recording 39 cases of dengue so far, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain today said that his government will set up 300 'Fever clinics' across the national capital to tackle cases of the vector-borne disease.
"We have decided to set up around 300 fever clinics in the city to deal with cases of dengue this year. Tests for dengue will be conducted at these clinics," Jain said.
"These clinics will become operational from September onwards. We are fully prepared for any emergency," he added.
According a senior Health department official, these fever clinics will be set at mohalla clinics, hospital and dispensaries. Government has also appointed nodal officers for these clinics.
Jain further said, like last year, government will fix the rates for platelet and dengue tests in private hospitals so that they are not able to charge more than Rs 50 for platelet and Rs 600 for dengue tests.
According to a municipal report released yesterday, 39 dengue cases have been reported in the national capital.
Jain said out of this 39 cases, 14 patients were from Delhi while 25 were from outside Delhi.
Yesterday, Union Health Minister JP Nadda held a meeting with Jain and Mayors of Delhi's all municipal corporations to review the preparedness for prevention and control of dengue in Delhi and NCR.
Dinosaurs are often depicted as roaring ferociously, but it is likely that some of these prehistoric creatures may have mumbled or cooed with closed mouths, according to a new study.
The researcher from The University of Texas at Austin, Midwestern University in Arizona examined the evolution of a specialised way birds emit sound - closed-mouth vocalisation.
The study helps understand the origin and evolution of the unique vocal organ of birds and the large array of sounds it can produce. Since birds descended from dinosaurs, the research may also shed light on how dinosaurs made sound.
Closed-mouth vocalisations are sounds that are emitted through the skin in the neck area while the beak is kept closed.
To make them, birds typically push air that drives sound production into an esophageal pouch rather than exhale through the open beak. The coos of doves are an example of this behaviour.
Compared with sounds emitted through an open beak, closed-mouth vocalisations are often much quieter and lower in pitch.
Birds making closed-mouth vocalisations usually do so only to attract mates or defend their territory. At other times, they emit sounds through an open mouth.
To understand when and how closed-mouth vocalisation evolved, researchers including those from Memorial University of Newfoundland and the University of Utah used a statistical approach to analyse the distribution of this vocal ability among birds and other reptilian groups.
In total, the researchers identified 52 out of 208 investigated bird species that use closed-mouth vocalisation.
"Looking at the distribution of closed-mouth vocalisation in birds that are alive today could tell us how dinosaurs vocalised," said Chad Eliason, a postdoctoral researcher at The University of Texas.
"Our results show that closed-mouth vocalisation has evolved at least 16 times in archosaurs, a group that includes birds, dinosaurs and crocodiles. Interestingly, only animals with a relatively large body size (about the size of a dove or larger) use closed-mouth vocalisation behaviour," Eliason said.
Researchers still are not certain about how the ancestors of modern archosaurs vocalised. However, the occurrence of closed-mouth vocalisation across birds and crocodiles - the two surviving groups of archosaurs - indicates that closed-mouth vocalisation can emerge in diverse archosaur species depending on behavioural or environmental circumstances, said Tobias Riede, from Midwestern University.
Since dinosaurs are members of the archosaur group, and many had large body sizes, it is likely that some dinosaurs made closed-mouthed vocalisations in a manner similar to birds today, perhaps during mating displays.
However, at this point in time, no direct fossil evidence exists to reveal what dinosaurs sounded like.
The study was published in the journal Evolution.
A District Mining Officer has lodged a written complaint with the district magistrate against BJP MLA Vijay Khemka for allegedly threatening him for taking action against those doing illegal mining of sand and stone chips.
"I have lodged a written complaint with District Magistrate Pankaj Kumar Pal yesterday against BJP MLA Vijay Khemka who threatened me for taking action against those carrying business of sand and stone chips without license," District Mining Officer Motiur Rahman said.
He said the DM has assured him of appropriate action into the matter.
Khemka, however, denied the charge saying he has not threatened the officer.
"I have neither used any unparliamentary word nor threatened him," the BJP MLA from Purnea Sadar assembly constituency, said.
In his complaint, Rahman had said that the legislator had threatened him of dire consequences if he continues to take action against the businessmen dealing in sand and stone chips.
The MLA further, reportedly asked Rahman to issue licenses to the businessmen for selling sand and stone chips.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav Prasad expressed surprise over BJP's "silence" on its MLA threatening an officer.
Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi is completely silent on the issue, Yadav said, adding had any ruling party MLA would have done such thing, the opposition would have created a hue and cry across the state.
The double standard of the BJP has been completely exposed now, he said and demanded that the party should sack its MLA for such an activity.
Under intense attack over alleged suicide of DySp M K Ganapathy, senior Karnataka minister K J George said he was being targeted for belonging to minority community, even as the state Assembly was rocked by pandemonium over the issue for the second day today.
As the House was engaged in a heated debate on the issue, a war of words between a state minister and BJP members spun out of control leading to ugly scenes with both trading charges and at one point even moving menacingly towards each other.
Keeping up its pressure on the Congress-led state government, BJP also held statewide protests demanding resignation of George, who was named by Mangaluru DySP M K Ganapathy before he allegedly hanged himself to death at a hotel in Madikeri on Thursday last.
Hours before taking the extreme step, Ganapathy had also named A M Prasad (IG-Intelligence) and Pranab Mohanty (IGP-Lokayukta), saying they would be responsible "if anything happens to me."
George, Minister for Bengaluru Development, said in his reply in the Assembly that he was ready to face any punishment if an inquiry finds him guilty and was ready to resign if the Chief Minister asks for it.
"I'm not here to stick to power, let the inquiry happen. I will not resign just because you are asking, I will resign immediately if my leader Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asks for resignation...
"I'm being targeted by BJP because Opposition leader's name is Jagadish Shettar, while my name is George," he said.
Stating that he will only resign on the orders of Siddaramaiah, he added Ganapathy had "misconceptions" about him.
Maintaining that he has never acted against his conscience, the Congress leader said he has worked efficiently in his 45-year political career and had never targeted any officer.
"Ganapathy had said that some Christian leaders had complained against him to me after Church attacks, it is not true. He has said I had malice against him, but the fact is that after I became Home Minister he was given posting at Rajgopalnagar as Circle Inspector. If I had malice, why would I have given him the posting," George said.
"I had met him only once when he had come to me seeking revocation of his suspension (in connection with an encounter case), to which I had said that I will not interfere in disciplinary action. That was the last I had met him," he said.
Asserting that there was no evidence against him, George
said, "I'm unnecessarily being targeted as though I have committed some grave mistake. Where is the evidence for it? If at all he was troubled by officials he should have complained to IG, DGP, Home Minister G Parameshwara or Chief Minister himself."
Earlier, Environment Minister B Ramanath Rai and BJP members were locked in a wordy duel.
Losing his cool in the midst of the heated exchanges, Rai tried to barge towards opposition MLAs but was stopped by Congress MLAs and ministers.
During the acrimonious exchanges between Rai and BJP members, senior ministers H K Patil and R V Deshpande intervened to pacify their colleague, while Siddaramaiah asked in a raised voice as to what the marshals were doing.
The Congress and BJP members then hit out at each other with both accusing the other of crossing the limit.
Bhopal-based metal band Elemental India won the 'G-Shock Wacken Metal Battle 2016' at Bangalore Open Air (BOA) one of the country's biggest metal music festival.
The band won a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and the opportunity to represent India at the world's biggest metal music festival, Germany Open Air in Wacken, Germany next month.
The event saw performances by some of the top international metal bands. The Polish band Vader, Canadian band Skull Fist and Egyptian band Nader Sadek.
The four-piece band Elemental India, said in a statement, "G-Shock Wacken Metal Battle is one of the best platforms to perform for any metal band. The competition was tough and intense and winning such an honorable feat is a feeling of great prestige for all of us."
The 'Wacken Metal Battle' competed in eight cities across the nations including Guwahati, Kolkata, Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad.
The bands, which were shortlisted for finale including Elemental India, were Godia, Gaia's Throne, Corpulent Deformity, Vidyut, Jammers Graveyard, Rectified Spirit, and Godless.
"India has a growing metal music fan base, and internationally acclaimed heavy metal bands are looking towards the country as a wonderful destination to perform. By this association, we were looking to leverage the synergy between the brand and the audience and we did achieve that while promoting the metal culture of the country on a global platform," Sachin Sharma, Assistant General Manager, Marketing Casio India said.
Panun Kashmir today demanded evacuation of minority Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir Valley fearing danger to their lives.
"We urge the government of India to realise the dangers to the life and existence of Hindus living in Kashmir. We appeal to the government to evacuate Hindus living in Kashmir to safe places outside," Panun Kashmir convener Agnishakher told reporters here.
"Life, safety and honor of the minorities living in Kashmir is the responsibility of the government and it should show no dithering in fulfilling this responsibility," he said.
Batting strongly for 'homeland' for 7 lakh Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley, Panun Kashmir said that current situation in Kashmir justified its demand.
"After whatever has happened with the Hindus living in Kashmir in the aftermath of the killing of the dreaded terrorist Burhan Wani nobody should have any doubt that the creation of Union territory of Panun Kashmir north and east of River Jhelum is the only way for the safe and lasting rehabilitation of KPs," he said.
Panun Kashmir Chairman Ajay Chrungoo said "the attacks on minority Kashmiri Hindus have happened all across the Valley. The reports of the incidents of burning Hindu houses, desecrating temples are pouring out and a comprehensive picture of the situation will appear before us in coming days".
"It is more than clear that entire Kashmir is in the grip of a fundamentalist Islamist order," he claimed.
He said the terrorist Burhan owed allegiance to Hizbul Mujahideen which is motivated by the same regressive ideology as that of LeT, al Qaeda and ISIS.
"If the killing of such a dreaded terrorist invokes widespread public outrage it is only a measure of the extent to which Islamic fundamentalism has made inroads into the society," he stressed.
As Dallas came to grips with the aftermath of last week's sniper shooting targeting police, more details emerged about the gunman and his troubled past.
People took to the streets again in fresh protests over police shootings of black Americans, with hundreds of protesters blocking streets in America's third largest city Chicago.
The parents of gunman Micah Johnson, who killed five police officers during an ambush in Dallas on Thursday, said yesterday he was "disappointed" and grew reclusive after being discharged from the US Army in 2015.
"The military was not what Micah thought it would be," his mother Delphine told TheBlaze network.
"He was very disappointed, very disappointed. But it may be that the ideal that he thought of our government, what he thought the military represented, it just didn't live up to his expectations."
Johnson served six years as a private in the Army Reserve force and was in Afghanistan from November 2013 to July 2014.
His father James said it was after military service that Johnson began studying black history.
But relatives stressed that Johnson had never shown any signs of hatred for white people or other racial groups. His stepmother Donna is white.
"I didn't see it coming," said the 25-year-old's father, breaking down in tears.
Johnson opened fire at the Dallas demonstration that followed the deaths of two black men at the hands of police. In addition to killing five police officers, he also wounded nine others and two civilians.
Johnson was killed by a bomb carried by a robot, in what experts have called a first. The city's police chief vigorously defended the tactic.
"This wasn't an ethical dilemma for me. I'd do it again," Dallas Police Chief David Brown said at a press conference. "I would use any tool necessary to save our officers' lives. I'm not ashamed to say it."
The police chief told reporters that Johnson, who used a high-powered rifle, may have been planning a major bomb attack, with a "large stockpile" of bomb-making materials found at his home.
"He knew what he was doing. This wasn't some novice," Brown said. "We don't think he learned that in the military. We don't have any evidence of that."
Police investigators are combing through hundreds of hours of video evidence -- from officer body cameras, dashcams and nearby businesses -- to try to piece together what happened.
"Detectives are reviewing over 300 statements to determine which witnesses and officers need to be brought back for further interviews," Brown added.
A video showing a man and his son being brutally thrashed by three policemen in full public view in Tiruvannamalai district has gone viral, sparking an outrage with DMK slamming the incident.
The video, aired by some Tamil channels, purportedly showed the policemen assaulting and kicking Raja and his son Suriya, even as Raja's wife is seen pleading with the cops to relent.
Raja told reporters that he and his wife yesterday had an argument at a public place and when the policemen enquired about it, he said it was a family matter and that they would settle among themselves.
However, the policemen suddenly started beating him and his son, Raja alleged.
The three policemen -- Nammazhvar, Vijayakumar and Murugan -- have since been transferred out of Chengam, where the incident took place, police said.
Rajan and Suriya being treated at a local hospital.
DMK President M Karunanidhi criticised the incident and urged police to be more "humane" towards public.
Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi founder T Velmurugan said that the assault on the persons went on for about 20 minutes despite their pleading with the policemen to spare them.
He sought suspension and departmental enquiry against the three policemen.
The first political conclave of the Democratic Alliance (NEDA), a platform of BJP and its nine regional alliance parties of the North East, will be held here on Wednesday with BJP national president Amit Shah attending the meet.
The conclave will also be attended by chief ministers of Assam, Nagaland, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, besides leaders of other political parties, convener and Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters here on Tuesday.
"This will be the first political conclave of since its formation in May this year. The conclave will come out with a Guwahati Declaration focusing on three issues ranging from local to national to international importance," Sarma said.
"The conclave has three important objectives. One will be expansion of the base of BJP and its NE allies to make a Congress-free region at the local or regional level," he said.
"Secondly, at the national level, will work to put in sync NE's growth with the national growth and how NE MPs can work together towards that end and strengthen it as the region has an important role to play in the development of the country," Sarma said.
"At the international level, NEDA will focus on NE's role in the Act East Policy taking forward the region's strategic advantage," the minister said.
Former Mizoram CM Zoramthanga, Meghalaya's ex-CM Donkupar Roy, Meghalaya MP Conrad Sangma, BJP's alliance partners Bodoland People's Party chief Hagrama Mohilary, Asom Gana Parishad president Atul Bora and Ganashakti Party head Ronuj Pegu are also scheduled to attend the meeting, he added.
Fishermen of the island today announced the withdrawl of their two-day fishing boycott from tomorrow, which was called to press their charter of demands.
The protest is being withdrawn from tomorrow keeping in mind the livelihood of the fishermen, leaders of fishermen associations P Sesuraja and S Emerit told reporters.
They said the fishermen would stage a "massive" agitation on July 28 to draw the attention of the Centre and the state government towards their demands including the release of fishermen and boats from Sri Lankan custody.
The fishermen were also protesting the alleged cartelisation by five fishing companies and fixing lower prices for the prawn catch and demanding steps for fair price.
Emerit said the Centre should take steps to retrieve Katchatheevu, ceded to Sri Lanka, so that fishermen could fish in their traditional areas.
Four Nepalese nationals were today killed and 29 others injured when a bus going to Delhi from Nepal was hit by a truck near Bhopatpur on National Highway 28, police said.
While four persons died on the spot, 29 others were rushed to a hospital where condition of three was stated to be critical, they said.
The bus was coming from Butwal in Nepal and 41 passengers were travelling in it.
Those killed have not been identified yet. All the victims are from Nepal.
Four men claiming to be army recruits were arrested after the documents they submitted for formal joining at the Artillery Centre here were found to be fake, police said today.
The accused, hailing from Rajasthan, were held last night after the officials at Army's Artillery Centre alerted the local police after examining the documents.
"The four men were arrested under various sections of IPC for forgery and cheating by producing fake transport certificates and other documents at Artillery Centre at Nashik Road where they had come to join as recruits," Deputy Commissioner of Police Shrikant Dhivare said.
The accused -- Balbir Gurjar, Tejpal Gopiram, Suresh Kumar Shivcharan Mahanto and Sachin Kumar Kishankumar were produced before a local court which remanded them in police custody until July 18.
"During the verification, the Artillery Centre found the documents in possession of the quartet, like the transport certificates containing their residential address as well as the seal of Army and signature of recruitment officer fake," Dhivare said.
He said the forged documents were given to the accused by a Delhi-based "recruitment agent" who charged Rs 25,000 from each of them.
"Their joining letters containing the stamp of army and signature were found to be fake. The papers were in disorder," stated the complaint lodged by Artillery Centre.
However, the post the accused wanted to "join" is not known yet.
The DCP said the investigation in this connection is on and police is on the looking for the recruitment agent.
Electronics equipment maker Foxconn India has re-employed over 2,000 workers of its two closed plants near here for its assembling unit at Sri City SEZ in Andhra Pradesh.
The company has also hired most of around 3,000 staff at Nokia's facility at Sriperumbudur where production was suspended last year after a long drawn tax dispute.
Foxconn was a major supplier to Nokia's plant and its two facilities run into rough weather after suspension of production at the Finnish company's facility.
It has now set up a new manufacturing unit at Sri City Special Economic Zone located at Tada about 110 km from here which assembles smartphones for Chinese firm Xiaomi.
An official of Foxconn India said that the company has re-employed almost all workers of its two plants at Sriperumbudur. Also, most of the workers who took voluntary retirement at Nokia's facility have been recruited by it.
"Actually, we have taken "hundreds of them" to our factory. They are now employed in our factory at Sri City SEZ..," the official told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
The official, however, refused to reveal the number of workers that have been hired.
"Most of the employees who were working in Nokia factory were in the age group of 20 years to 35 years. They have received training (at Nokia plant)," the official added.
The Chennai plant of Nokia was kept out of the USD 7.2 billion deal signed by the company with Microsoft for selling its mobile handset unit in 2014 due to a tax dispute.
Fearing job losses, several employees had observed a hunger strike in Chennai in 2014. However, the company offered them voluntary retirement service.
France today showed keen interest in investing in Haryana in the areas such as new and renewable energy, semi hi-speed train, management of railway stations and water and waste management.
A four-member delegation led by Ambassador-designate of France to India, Alexandre Ziegler met Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here and discussed various issues to explore the potential areas of partnership between France and Haryana.
Ziegler informed Khattar that a special seminar of French companies will be organised in Chandigarh in September and Haryana can also take part in it.
The chief minister said the state government would nominate an officer to remain in touch with the French Embassy in India, a government release said.
Khattar invited the envoy to join the golden jubilee year celebrations of the state on November 1 in which Prime Minister Modi will be the chief guest.
The delegation was informed that the state government has laid emphasis on ensuring ease of doing business, the release said.
Under the new Enterprises Promotion Policy, there is a single window system for all kind of clearances for setting up of ventures in the state which is being directly monitored by the chief minister.
Tulsi Gabbard, the first ever Hindu elected to the US House of Representatives, has asked a Californian educational board to give Hinduism its due place in school text books and not to describe it inaccurately as 'religions of ancient India'.
California State Board of Education is in final stages of revising and updating the K-12 History-Social Science Framework for public schools.
In a letter ahead of their final hearing on Thursday, Gabbard - who represents the Democratic Party from Hawaii - urged the board to preserve Hindu history and identity by restoring all references to "Hinduism" that were removed or replaced with the ahistorical and inaccurate phrase, like "religions of Ancient India, including but not limited to early Hinduism".
Just as other religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism are given their own separate and distinct space for discussion in the Framework, so should Hinduism.
"Replacing Hinduism with the term 'religions of Ancient India, including but not limited to early Hinduism' is not only inaccurate, but it will cause confusion for students and teachers alike," she said in her letter dated July 8, a copy of which was obtained by PTI.
In the letter, Gabbard also urged the board to acknowledge the positive roles played by women in Ancient Indian and Hindu society.
"While it is important to discuss the existence of patriarchies in ancient civilisations, it is also critical to discuss the positive contributions and unique roles played by women in those societies," she noted.
"In the context of Ancient India, Hindu women were able to perform their own religious rites and also authored the Vedas, Hinduism's sacred texts.
"The framework should thus acknowledge these historical facts when describing the roles of women in ancient Indian society," she argued.
Gabbard asked the California Board to accurately represent the caste-system in the framework by not depicting it as a defining feature or a foundational religious belief of Hinduism.
"While caste-based discrimination is a reality that must be dealt with, it goes against the essence of Hindu teachings and scriptures, which posit that divinity is inherent in all beings," she said.
Gabbard said as the first and only serving Hindu-American
Member of Congress, she has worked actively throughout her many years of service to promote diversity, equality, and pluralism.
"I firmly believe in the significance of creating an education system and textbooks that uphold these important American values," she said.
Meanwhile, in another letter to the board, some two-dozen Indian-American organisations requested "fairness and equity" in the way Hinduism and Ancient India are taught in comparison to other world religions and civilisations.
"Hinduism and Indian history are taught to 6th and 7th graders in an outdated, inaccurate, and stereotyped manner. The teachings and histories of other religions are highlighted positively, while Hindu teachings are oversimplified and inaccurate," the letter said.
"Gender bias, subjugation and discrimination are only conflated with Hinduism, in spite of their presence in every religion's history. And Hinduism's pluralistic ethos, concept of spiritual unity of everyone and everything, and contributions of women are ignored," these organisations said.
Two Haryana police officials were today arrested by Mumbai Police in connection with the alleged fake encounter of Haryana-based gangster Sandeep Gadoli here.
The policemen, identified as constables Vikram Singh and Jitendra Yadav, were arrested from the city.
Last week, police had arrested Sub-Inspector Pradhyuman Yadav who led the team of Haryana police that killed Gadoli in an encounter at Hotel Airport Metro here on February 7.
Gadoli's family had moved the Bombay High Court alleging that it was a fake encounter, following which Mumbai police had started a probe.
Actor George Takei is disappointed to know that his legendary character Sulu will be gay in "Star Trek Beyond".
Hikaru Sulu, who is played by John Cho in Justin Lin's follow-up to Star Trek into Darkness, will be shown to be the father of a young girl with a same-sex partner in the movie, said The Hollywood Reporter.
"I'm delighted that there's a gay character. Unfortunately, it's a twisting of Gene's creation, to which he put in so much thought. I think it's really unfortunate," Takei said.
The actor is not happy with the change because "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry envisioned Sulu as straight - with a daughter named Demora.
"I told (John Cho), 'Be imaginative and create a character who has a history of being gay, rather than Sulu, who had been straight all this time, suddenly being revealed as being closeted," he added.
Worldwide PC shipment fell by 5.2 per cent to 64.3 million units in the second quarter of 2016 against the year-ago period, impacted by decline across geographies except North America, research firm Gartner said today.
This is the seventh consecutive quarter of decline, even though the market is showing some signs of improvement, Gartner said in a report.
"One of the ongoing problems in the PC market has been the price hike in selected regions due to the weakening local currency against the US dollar," Gartner Principal Analyst Mikako Kitagawa said.
The price issue has impacted the EMEA and Latin America regions for the past year, Kitagawa added.
"However, PC shipment declines became rather modest in the second quarter compared with previous quarters, which suggests a fading currency impact," Kitagawa said.
All regions except North America experienced a PC shipment decline.
Lenovo remained the numero uno player despite a 2.2 per cent decline in units in the said quarter from the year-ago period. It had a 20.5 per cent share.
HP (19.1 per cent), Dell (15.2 per cent), Asus (7.3 per cent), Apple (7.1 per cent) and Acer (6.9 per cent) followed in the tally, the report said.
In the US, PC shipments totaled 15.2 million units in the second quarter of 2016, a 1.4 per cent increase from the second quarter of 2015.
The Latin America region, on the other hand, was very weak largely because of political and economic instability.
While the UK's vote to exit the European Union did not have a major impact in the worldwide PC results in the second quarter of 2016, Gartner expects Brexit could potentially create uncertainty, not only in currency, but also the entire economy beyond Europe.
PC shipments in Europe, Middle East and Africa totaled 17.8 million units in the second quarter of 2016, a decline of 4.3 per cent year-on-year.
Asia Pacific shipments totaled 22.7 million units in the second quarter of 2016, a 6.3 per cent decline from the second quarter of 2015.
With a stagnant economy in the region, it put pressure on discretionary spending, and smartphones ranked as a higher priority to purchase than PCs, Gartner said.
While there were election activities in Australia, the Philippines and South Korea, which created a lull in IT spending from government sector, weak business confidence affected consumer buying patterns in China, Gartner said.
Government is in talks with the US over a dispute at global trade body WTO on a solar mission and would decide on filing suits against the western country based on the outcome of the talks, Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal said today.
"The Indian government believes in discussion, dialogue, consultation and resolution of issues, rather than going through the legal processes, which are usually long-drawn," he told reporters here.
"Therefore, after having acceded to that request, consultations are going on. Should the United States agree to our point of view, which is a very honest and fair point of view. We may not need to file those cases. If they do not agree with our point of view, we can always file those cases," he said.
The Minister, who was here to review Karnataka's coal, power and mining sectors, said the government was on the verge of filing seven of the 16 cases initially after receiving the request from the United States for bilaterla discussions and consultations.
India's ambitious Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission was in the eye of a storm after the US filed a case in WTO against the government's support to the programme.
The WTO had subsequently ruled that the government's support to the programme contradicts trade-related investment measures signed by India. The solar mission aims to generate one lakh MW of electricity through solar installations.
On ultra mega power projects, Goyal said the union cabinet would take an early decision on the standard bid document which will facilitate auctioning of domestic coal-based four or five UMPPs.
"UMPP is now before the cabinet. I am sure it will take an early decision on this," he said.
The government was looking at making sure that these projects were not afflicted with problems including environmentalclearances, which earlier UMPPs faced.
He also said the country was having surplus power capacity, as of now, and there was no pressing and tearing hurry, and would rather do it smartly and efficiently.
Asked about coal linkage policy for regulated sector, Goyal said it could happen any day, adding the government was running a transparent process and there would be an equal opportunity given.
Most of the linkages will be given to the states so that they can use them efficiently for their power purchase.
"Finally, we will have a situation where coal linkage and power purchase agreement will be packaged into one so that the stranded power plants also get chance to re-function," he said.
On state-run Coal India Limited approving buyback of 10.89 crore shares worth Rs 3,650 crore, Goyal said the investors would benefit from it and the move was a reflection that the PSU was performing 'exceedingly well'.
The government has invited applications from merchant bankers to assist in carrying out a proposed disinvestment of Housing and Urban Development Corporation (Hudco).
"The government of India is considering to divest 10 per cent paid-up equity capital of Hudco out of its shareholding of 100 per cent in the domestic market through initial public offering of shares by promoters through stock exchanges," a public notice said. Proposals for the Securities and Exchange Board of India-registered merchant bankers are invited to act as Book Running Lead Managers and to assist and advise government in the process of IPO, it said.
The last date for submission of bid for BRLMs is August 3, it added.
Last month, the Cabinet cleared proposal for 10 per cent disinvestment in Hudco which is under administrative control of the Urban Development Ministry.
"The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for disinvestment of 10 per cent paid-up equity of Hudco," an official statement had said.
The CCEA also approved allowing a price discount of up to 5 per cent on the issue price to retail investors and HUDCO employees.
As on March 2015, HUDCO's paid-up equity capital was Rs 2,001.90 crore and the net worth is of Rs 7,800 crore.
The government has set a disinvestment target of Rs 56,500 crore for the current fiscal. Of this, Rs 36,000 crore is to come from minority stake sale in PSUs and Rs 20,500 crore from strategic sale.
The government has already kick-started the disinvestment programme for the current fiscal with 11.36 per cent stake sale in NHPC, which fetched Rs 2,700 crore.
It has lined up as many as 15 PSUs, including Coal India, NMDC, MOIL, MMTC, National Fertilisers, NALCO and Bharat Electronics, for divestment in 2016-17.
During 2015-16, the government managed to notch up Rs 25,312 crore through disinvestment, less than half the target of Rs 69,500 crore.
It had raised around Rs 24,500 crore in 2014-15 by selling stake in public companies, about Rs 16,000 crore in 2013-14 and Rs 23,960 crore in 2012-13. It had raised around Rs 14,000 crore in 2011-12 and over Rs 22,100 crore in 2010-11.
A preliminary probe into the foreign funding of the NGO run by controversial preacher Zakir Naik has found most of it came from the UK, Saudi Arabia and some Mideast countries and it allegedly received about Rs 15 crore during a five-year period preceding 2012.
As the probe by Union Home Ministry amid allegations that the funds were used by Islamic Research Foundation for political activities and inspiring people towards radical views was underway, some Muslim academics and religious scholars today asked it to "tread cautiously" on any action against Naik.
Separately, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) condemned what it called the "media trial" of Naik. The televangelist, whose speeches allegedly inspired some of the Dhaka attackers, is currently facing multiple probes.
A senior Home Ministry official said in New Delhi that an investigation was underway on IRF, which was registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), and it was found that most of his foreign funds came from the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and a few other Middle East countries.
IRF has allegedly received about Rs 15 crore for a period of five years, preceding 2012, the official said.
The Home Ministry probe covers the allegations that foreign funding to IRF was used for political activities and that the NGO's funds were used to induce people towards Islam and "attracting" youths towards terror, the official said.
All such activities are contrary to the FCRA provisions and any violation invites punitive action.
IRF's source of foreign funding are being examined thoroughly by the Home Ministry, the official said, adding its ccounts are being checked to find for what purpose the funds were sent from abroad and for what purpose the funds were utilised.
"While all sections of the society have to take a united stand against anything which remotely promotes extremism, the ongoing attempts to single out Zakir Naik even before any investigation has been conducted doesn't bode well", Spokesperson of Nadwatul Uloom, Lucknow Maulana Syed Hamza Nadwi said in Aligarh.
"We differ with them on some matters, but we are yet to find evidence of any hate content in their teachings," he said.
General Secretary of the Paghamey Insaniyat Committee Maulana Syed Bilal Hasni said that any attempt to "single" out Naik without proper investigations is not "correct" and government should "tread cautiously" on the issue.
AIMIM MLA from Aurangabad Imtiaz Jaleel, in a statement, said that his party respects and follows the rule of the land and feels nobody could be pronounced guilty unless the court gives its judgement by following the due process of law.
Upset over delay in expansion of National Consumer Helpline system, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today said the number of telephone lines will be increased to 60 from the current 14 in one month to address the rising consumer complaints.
The government also decided to set up a committee for preparing a detailed proposal to establish National Consumer Helpline (NCH) centres at four different locations in the country.
Paswan today visited the National Consumer Helpline centre in the national capital and reviewed the operation.
"I had directed one-and-a-half years ago to increase the number of telehone lines. Why there has been a delay in increasing the telephone lines," Paswan asked the officials.
He said 14 lines are very less in a country of over 120 crore population for redressal of consumer grievances.
Consumers would not wait for six minutes to register their complaints, he said, while emphasising on the need to strengthen the National Consumer Helpline to widen its reach.
The officials explained that because of procedural delays the expansion of telephone lines of NCH was held up.
Briefing media after the meeting, Paswan said: "We have decided that number of telephone lines will be increased to 60 in next one month. We will also create a mobile app to help guidance to consumers."
That apart, Paswan said, the ministry will create a system to address the complaints through web-chats and emails.
A committee under the chairmanship of Minister of State for Consumer Affairs C R Chaudhary will consider mechanism for setting up four regional centres of helpline to address complaints in regional languages. The committee has been asked to submit the reports within a month, Paswan said.
Consumers from across the country can access the toll free National Consumer Helpline number '1800-11-4000' and seek telephonic counseling for consumer-related problems.
The helpline, managed by Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), also provides information, advice and guidance related to consumer issues.
At present, NCH gets an average 18,000 complaints a month. During March-May 2016, products contributed 21 per cent to the total complaints, followed by e-commerce at 18 per cent and telecommunication 16 per cent.
More than 200 companies have voluntarily tied up with NCH for quick redressal of consumer complaints.
Besides less number of telephone lines, the officials said that old software and problems in MTNL connection are hurdles in meeting the objectives of NCH.
Paswan said that very soon his Ministry will come out with guidelines for 'Direct Selling' to protect the interests of consumers.
The ministry also held a separate meeting today with the industry associations and corporates including from e-commerce sector where they were asked to be pro-active in the matters of redressal of consumer complaints.
The industry associations were asked to convince their members to partner with NCH and put all policies related to return or refund of products in public domain.
The Afghan Journalists' Safety Committee says that 2016 has been the most dangerous so far for journalists in Afghanistan, with 10 professionals killed in the first six months of this year.
A new report by the committee says 54 incidents of violence against journalists were recorded during the first half of the year, 38 per cent higher than the same period of 2015.
The report, released yesterday, says the incidents included killings, assaults, detentions and intimidation. It says most were carried out by "individuals linked to the government." It did not elaborate.
The Taliban were behind 30 per cent of the attacks on journalists, or 16 of the 54 recorded incidents.
The also noted that the number of Afghan women playing a role in the media is falling as security worsens.
Terming the Goods and Services Tax Bill "Brahmastra" for the country, industry body Assocham today said the country needs to have a simple platform to move goods within states.
"GST is a Brahmastra for the country. Actually, we need to have a simple platform to move goods within India than we move goods outside the country," Assocham president Sunil Kanoria told reporters here.
Stating that the present movement of goods within the country involves multiple processes, he said "it is more difficult to move trade within the country than moving it externally (outside India)".
"We believe GST is possible and expect it to be passed during the monsoon session of Parliament. To the Tamil Nadu government, we will appeal to support the GST," he said.
Madras Chambers of Commerce and Industry president S G Prabhakaran said Tamil Nadu is not only a manufacturing state but also a consuming one, when compared to other states.
"It (GST Bill) will have a multiplier effect across states in the country. It is our endeavour to seek Tamil Nadu government to support it (GST)," he said.
After releasing the 'Action Agenda for the New Government,' prepared by Assocham and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Kanoria said, Tamil Nadu has the potential to create 90 lakh new jobs and can attract investments worth Rs 22 lakh crore.
"Eradication of poverty and illiteracy, improving standard of living, reducing gender and regional inequality and improving the infrastructure are key areas that need to be focused on by the new government to drive the state towards a new growth strategy," the report said.
Between 2006-07 and 2015-16, Tamil Nadu has been growing at a compounded annual growth rate of about 16 per cent and had attracted investments of Rs 11 lakh crore, it said.
Noting that agriculture is pursued by about 40 per cent of the State's total population, the report said this sector grew by only three per cent since 1993-94 and the state government should look at doubling the growth of agriculture output.
The report said there was a need to revive sectors like textile, garments and leather as they comprise large number of small scale industries.
Gujarat Congress in-charge Gurudas Kamat today said the party will announce list of candidates for 2017 state Assembly elections by this year end.
"Unlike in the past, when we declared the final list of candidates at the last moment, we will announce the names by December end (for the forthcoming polls), so that candidates get enough time to prepare," Kamat told reporters after the two-day state executive committee meeting ended here.
"Aspiring candidates are required to attach consent letter of at least 15 persons from each booth in support of their candidature along with their application. It needs to be submitted by the end of August to GPCC. Party high command will announce the final list of candidates by the end of December," the senior Congress leader said.
Kamat claimed that the entry of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will not make any difference to Congress's poll prospects.
"I don't think that AAP's announcement to contest polls will make any difference to Congress" he said.
AAP National Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had visited Gujarat and announced to contest all 182 seats.
According to Kamat, Gujarat Congress will take up the issue of development, price-rise and corruption "in a big way" during its poll campaign.
"Development will be our key issue along with corruption and price rise. BJP government here only made fake promises of development. BJP is only doing drama for the last 10 years in the name of Vibrant Gujarat, which has failed to attract new investment or create employment," Kamat claimed.
"During the UPA regime, when prices of dal (pulses) went up to Rs 65, (Narendra) Modi did a huge drama. Now, BJP is silent when prices touched Rs 200. Congress will also take up the issue of corruption, which is rampant in this BJP government," he said.
The leader also raked up the issue of former BJP MLA Yatin Oza's claims that BJP chief Amit Shah had struck a secret deal with AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi ahead of the Bihar polls last year.
"Oza has proved that BJP used Owaisi to polarise votes in Bihar polls. Why is Amit Shah silent now? He must come out with an explanation," said Kamat.
Haryana government is considering setting up a Short Term Service Commission on the lines of Army in the state to recruit specialist doctors.
Stating this here today, Health Minister Anil Vij said that such doctors would be able to serve in government hospitals for a fixed period.
He said that the department would soon recruit 1,000 medical officers and 127 dental doctors to overcome the shortage of doctors.
These posts have been taken out of the purview of the Haryana Public Service Commission. Now they would be recruited directly by the department, he said.
Recruitment of 1,394 paramedical staff and to fill clerical posts would be made directly on contract basis, Vij said.
He said that the state government is also considering other options to overcome the shortage of doctors, which included creation of separate cadre for specialist doctors.
The Madras High Court has directed the Chennai Corporation Commissioner to spell out its stand whether any place can be declared as a slaughter area under the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act-1919, when under the Central Act on Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 there are rules framed known as Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules 2001.
The First Bench Comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan gave the direction yesterday on a PIL filed by Radha Rajan seeking to direct the authorities to ensure that no camel slaughter takes place in Tamil Nadu.
The court asked the Food Safety and Standard authority of India to file Counter affidavit within two weeks failing which the Joint Secretary of the department shall remain personally present in Court with records.
Stating that certain aspects which need to be addressed by the authorities of the Centre and the state such as whether slaughtering of camel is permitted, whether there are abattoirs in existence where slaughtering of camel can take place after completion of requisite formalities, the mode and manner of transportation of camels and posted the matter for further direction to August 18.
The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu Government to take a stand on the draft rules proposed by the Wakf Board expeditiously and file its compliance report in September.
The First Bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan gave the direction yesterday on a PIL by one K Madhu seeking the government to take necessary steps to constitute the Wakf Tribunal consisting of three members by issuing notification within a stipulated time.
"The draft rules have already been proposed by Wakf Board and sent to the State Government. We would have expected the government to take a stand that they will do so expeditiously rather than pleading for a prolonged period of time to be consumed over a non-complicated issue."
The question of selection of persons would arise only after the rules have been framed and notified and we expect this process to be completed within three months.
Madhu is one of the partners of M/s Million Foundations, which has purchased a property at Linghi Chetty Street in the city on February 5, 2007.
After the purchase of the property, the Wakf Board claimed that it their property.
Madhu challenged the claim before the Wakf Tribunal, which is pending for consideration.
He submitted that as per the amended Wakf Act of November 1, 2013, it was the mandatory duty of the Government to constitute the Wakf Tribunal consisting of three members by issuing notification.
The Supreme Court had also issued a direction in 2015 to all state Governments to take steps for constituting the three members Wakf Tribunal.
In spite of the direction, the Government had not taken any serious steps to constitute the three members of Wakf Tribunal, he submitted.
B R Ravindran Deputy, Secretary to Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare Department, filed a counter Stating that formation and running of Tribunal requires concurrence of several departments and sought for eight months time to complete the entire process.
The directed the government to file the compliance report on September 21.
Delhi High Court today expressed displeasure over the Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) not having any criteria for deciding 'modern heritage' status of post-Independence buildings in the national capital ever since the panel was set up in 2004.
"From 2004 you have no criteria? Have you held any building to be heritage since then? If yes, on what basis?" Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva asked HCC and added "It appears they are only enjoying, not working. Why have a committee, disband it".
The court made the observation during hearing of a petition filed by the Delhi chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) alleging "complete abdication" of responsibility by HCC and Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC) to protect the city's "contemporary architectural heritage".
INTACH, in its plea filed through advocate Ishwar Mohanty, has sought protection of 62 buildings, including the Hall of Nations and Nehru Pavilion in Pragati Maidan, in the national capital which it has identified as modern heritage.
The court also observed that ITPO has been projecting the Hall of Nations as a iconic structure and the organisation has also been awarded for it.
The court while ticking off HCC, after it said one of its sub-committees was yet to decide which buildings are heritage due to lack of criteria, issued notice to HCC, DUAC, the three municipal corporations, New Delhi Municipal Council and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and sought their responses to INTACH's plea.
It also issued notice to the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) which owns the Hall of Nations and Nehru Pavilion.
The court allowed ITPO to be made a party in the case despite objection raised by INTACH and listed the matter for hearing on September 15.
It did not pass any interim order after ITPO said that decision to demolish the two buildings and refurbish and renovate the area was taken in 2010 and this will take time as tendering process for the same was going on.
The court also took note of a letter sent in May this year by National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) which had said that dismantling of the buildings will start in December this year.
"In view of this no interim order is being passed injuncting the tender process. In case dismantling starts before next date, petitioner can approach the court," Justice Sachdeva said.
The Hall of Nations and Nehru Pavillion have been earmarked for demolition by the government to pave the way for a new world-class facility.
In its plea, INTACH has submitted that the post-1947 period was one of architectural importance since at that time the country was forging a "modern identity".
INTACH, in its plea, has contended that the list of 62 such structures was submitted to HCC and DUAC in 2013 but till date they have not notified the list resulting in a "legal vacuum".
The NGO has also sought directions from the court to the civic bodies to not damage or demolish any of these buildings.
As per INTACH, besides the Hall of Nations, other modern structures that need to be protected include India International Centre, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Lotus Temple (Bahai House of Worship), Sri Ram Centre for Performing Arts and Crafts Museum which currently are not protected under any law.
Delhi High Court today protected the estranged wife of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and their children from being evicted from their government residence here till July 28.
Justice Indermeet Kaur asked the Centre not to take any coercive steps against Payal Abdullah and her two sons till next date pursuant to the eviction order of June 30.
The court asked the Ministries of Urban Development and Home Affairs to reply to the petitioners plea that if they are found to be entitled to an alternate government accommodation then the Centre be directed not to evict them till a suitable residence is alloted to them and it is cleared and equipped by the security personnel.
The Estate officer, Resident Commission, Government of Jammu and Kashmir was asked by the court to respond to the plea that petitioners should not be evicted or a suitable alternate accommodation be allotted to them where they can be effectively protected.
In their plea, the wife and sons of Omar Abdullah, have claimed the Centre, through a letter dated September 9, 2015, allotted the 7 Akbar Road bungalow to the state of Jammu and Kashmir as the Chief Minister's residence with retrospective effect from August 11, 2009, without following the due process of law, which was thus illegal.
They have contended that even now the website of the Department of Hospitality and Protocol of Government of Jammu and Kashmir shows that the residence of Chief Minister of the state was at 5, Prithviraj Road.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sanjay Jain, during the hearing, told the court that the petitioners were not entitled to stay on at the premises as Omar Abdullah was no longer the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
Payal Abdullah, in her plea filed through advocate Amit Khemka, has claimed that she moved the high court as Omar Abdullah in his response to the estate officer's show cause notice had said he was no longer in occupation of the said premises and hence the authority was free to take whatever steps necessary to take over the premises.
The petitioners, including the two children, have sought
parity with Priyanka Gandhi, Subramanian Swamy and several others who have been granted government accommodation on security grounds.
However, ASG Jain told the court that the petitioner's case was different from that of Priyanka Gandhi as she was a special protectee of SPG.
Khemka, appearing for the petitioners, told the court that today was the last date for filing their appeal challenging the eviction order and they would be filing it today itself.
The court, thereafter, directed the appellate body, the District Judge of Patiala House Courts, to dispose of the appeal expeditiously.
The petitioners have contended that the eviction order was passed without allowing them to lead evidence and without granting any personal hearing to them.
As per the eviction order, the petitioners were given 15 days to vacate the premises.
The petitioners have sought that they be either allowed to continue at Bungalow No. 7, Akbar Road, or allotted another suitable government accommodation where the security personnel, numbering 94, can effectively protect them.
Payal Abdullah, in the plea, has said she has a flat in the city but it would be "totally insufficient for making elaborate security arrangements for their protection" as there are other flats in the same building.
The Bombay High Court today asked Maharashtra government and Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) to submit their replies to a PIL seeking transfer of probe into the alleged road contract and desilting scams from city police to Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
A bench, headed by Justice V M Kanade, asked the two authorities to file their responses to the PIL within two weeks and adjourned the matter till July 26.
MCGM informed the court that police probe into the road and desilting scams was already on and some arrests have been made. Even the municipal corporation is conducting an inquiry into the alleged scams, MCGM lawyer said.
The PIL, filed by advocate Vivekananda Gupta, argued that a probe by ACB would expose the "unholy nexus between contractors and civic staff".
The petition said there was water-logging in the city on July 19 and 20 last year due to heavy rains, following which the Municipal Commissioner had ordered an inquiry into the desilting contract work.
"The probe revealed unholy nexus of contractors and civic officials," the petition alleged.
Subsequently, the Commissioner ordered filing of an FIR against the contractors involved in the desilting scam, also known as 'nullah safai' scam.
The Chief Engineer (Vigilance) and a few officials of MCGM were suspended. The nullah cleaning scam exposed the fraud and nexus of contractors with MCGM officials, the PIL alleged.
In another development in the road contract scam, a probe was ordered by the Municipal Commissioner on a complaint received from BJP MP and the Mayor.
The probe pertained to the construction of roads during 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16. The interim probe showed serious irregularities in the road work. The municipal chief ordered registration of an FIR.
The FIR named six accused, including third party road auditors, and the Chief Engineer (Roads) was suspended immediately.
Both the FIRs were registered with Azad Maidan Police station, said the petition and demanded that the probe be transferred to ACB in view of alleged nexus of contractors with the civic staff, the PIL demanded.
Later, the FIR pertaining to the desilting scam was transferred from Azad Maidan Police Station to the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police.
The EOW arrested five desilting contractors recently.
The FIR pertaining to road inquiry is with Azad Maidan
police station. The Deputy Commissioner of Police concerned has formed a team to investigate the road scam. On June 16, police arrested ten employees of third party auditors, the petition said.
"In both the alleged scams, public money is involved. The probe in both scams exposes an unholy nexus of the civic officials (from Chief Engineer to Sub-Engineer) with that of MCGM contractors and third party auditors. All of them have committed fraud and siphoned of public money for poor quality work and/or for which work was not executed," the PIL said.
The petition also demanded immediate suspension of the Chief Engineer (Storm Water Drain) for his alleged role in the desilting scam.
The PIL also demanded that the high court should monitor the probe in both the FIRs.
The House passed an aviation bill aimed at boosting airport security, reducing screening lines and refunding fees to passengers whose luggage is lost or arrives late.
The bill also extends the Federal Aviation Administration's programs for 14 months at current funding levels. It was approved by a voice vote.
The Senate is expected to vote later this week. Action is required by Friday, the day the FAA's current operating authority expires, to avoid a partial shutdown of the agency.
House and Senate lawmakers had reached an agreement last week clearing the way for passage after Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., chairman of the House transportation committee, agreed to temporarily drop his effort to remove air traffic control operations from the FAA and place them under the control of a private, nonprofit corporation.
The plan ran into opposition from other powerful committee chairmen opposed to ceding Congress' authority over aviation matters to a corporation.
Segments of the aviation industry that feared a corporate board would be dominated by large airlines also opposed the plan.
The aviation bill will provide stability to the nation's aviation system, and "includes limited but critical and time-sensitive provisions to improve aviation safety and security," Shuster said on Monday.
The bill authorises a doubling of Transportation Security Administration teams that stop and search suspicious passengers in airport public areas that are outside the security perimeter, often using bomb-sniffing dogs.
The provision responds to airport attacks in Brussels and Istanbul this year.
The bill would toughen the security clearance for airport employees who have access to secure areas, expand random employee inspections and require reviews of perimeter security.
That is a response in part to the "insider threat" problem raised by the destruction last year of a Russian Metrojet airliner over Egypt. Investigators suspect a bomb was smuggled aboard.
A separate bill also passed by the House requires the TSA to update a national risk assessment of airports within 90 days, conduct more frequent risk assessments of airport access points and perimeter security, and to develop better perimeter security strategies.
The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) today said it is working towards forming international consensus on a Global Corporate Governance Code that could help in ease of doing business.
Mamta Binani, president of ICSI, a professional body under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, said it is organising a global congruence here on December 9-10 to create global consensus and moot a proposal with United Nations Organisation to declare a day as 'International Corporate Governance Day'.
"We have conceived the idea (of having a Global Corporate Governance Code) and conceptualised it. This is the first time that anything like this is happening in the world.
"We are writing to all the countries through their respective ambassadors. We want to have a round of meeting with UNO also. It may take three to six years to arrive at a consensus among all the countries," Binani told a press conference here.
She said ICSI had organised International Corporate Governance Day celebrations in Delhi in April this year, which was attended by representatives from countries such as France and Germany.
"There will be a series of meetings in the future. We are planning to have meeting with the Consul Generals of all the countries next month. We are seeking UNO support for declaring a day as International Corporate Governance Day and also to have a Uniform Corporate Governance Code globally," she said.
To a query, she said there is a proposal to set up a chapter in Dubai which has to be cleared by the Union Cabinet.
According to Binani, the global congruence to be held here in December is expected to be attended by nearly 2,500 delegates.
ICSI plans to open its chapters in all 'smart cities' declared by the government, even as a majority of them have been covered as of now, she added.
The body has 45,000 members and four lakh students are pursuing the course run by it.
India is carefully studying the verdict by an UN-backed tribunal which today ruled that China has no legal basis to claim historic rights to islands in .
India has noted the Award of the Arbitral Tribunal constituted under Annex VII of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the matter concerning the Republic of the Philippines and the Peoples Republic of China and is studying it carefully, the external affairs ministry said in a statement in New Delhi.
India supports freedom of navigation and over flight, and unimpeded commerce, based on the principles of law, the statement added.
For the publicity of two of its schemes, the Department of Posts is going to adopt four inmates of the municipal corporation-run zoo here.
It will adopt a python, an emu, a fox and a sauras crane housed at the Kamla Nehru Zoo here for six months.
The DoP will pay their food expenses for this period -- Rs 11,400 -- and put up banners of Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana and Dak Jivan Bima Yojna near their cages, an official said.
The DoP and the zoo authorities will soon be signing an agreement.
Quentin Tarantino believes the role of sadistic Nazy officer Hans Landa in "Inglorious Basterds" is by far the best character he has ever written in his career.
The 53-year-old "Hateful Eight" filmmaker has loved all his characters but found Landa, which won Christoph Waltz the best supporting actor Oscar, his favorite, reported Screen Daily.
"Landa is the best character I've written and maybe the best I ever will write," the director said during an appearance at the Jerusalem Film Festival.
"I didn't realize that he was a linguistic genius. He's probably one of the only Nazis in history who could speak perfect Yiddish," Tarantino said.
The director, who was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the festival, also talked about how he found Waltz.
Tarantino was initially worried about finding the perfect actor for Landa and even thought of shelving the movie until Waltz came along.
"I was getting worried. Unless I found the perfect Landa, I was going to pull the movie. I gave myself one more week and then I was going to pull the plug.
"Then Christoph Waltz came in and it was obvious that he was the guy; he could do everything. He was amazing, he gave us our movie back," he added.
The Austrian-German actor won a second best supporting Oscar for his role in another Tarantino movie "Django Unchained". Waltz has forged a successful career in Hollywood but Landa remains his most memorable performance.
At the festival, Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" was screened on 35mm. The director, who often talks about retirement, reiterated the idea but said he may come back if a story beckons him.
"I am planning to stop at 10, but at 75 I might decide I have another story to do."
Tarantino's filmography includes cult hits like "Pulp Fiction", "Kill Bill" and "Reservoir Dogs".
The Israeli parliament finalised a controversial law compelling NGOs that receive most of their funding from foreign state entities to declare it in official reports, a Knesset spokesman said.
The law, seen by critics as targeting leftist groups that campaign for Palestinian rights, was passed in a 57-48 vote following a lengthy debate.
"The law wishes to deal with the phenomenon of NGOs which represent foreign interests of foreign states, while acting under the cover of local organisations seeking to serve the interests of the Israeli public," its introduction read.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the law's goal was "to prevent an absurd situation, in which foreign states meddle in Israel's internal affairs by funding NGOs, without the Israeli public being aware of it."
"Unlike the left's claims, the law's approval will increase transparency, contribute to creating a discourse that reflects the Israeli public opinion, and will strengthen democracy," he wrote on his Facebook page following the final vote.
Earlier versions of the law had included the requirement that representatives of applicable NGOs must wear identifying tags and declare their funding sources when speaking at a Knesset, or parliament, committee.
Opposition head Isaac Herzog said ahead of the vote that the law represents "the buds of fascism blooming in Israel."
Head of the Arab Joint List Ayman Odeh said the law sought to "intimidate and wipe away the few organisations that act and fight in the public sphere for equality to the Arab public."
The law does not specifically refer to leftist organisations, but will be applicable to some 25 NGOs. Right-wing NGOs, such as those supporting Israel's occupation of the West Bank, tend to rely on private donations, to which the law does not apply.
Several left-wing Israeli NGOs receive large percentages of their funding from abroad, including from European governments.
Israel's parliament has passed a controversial law that will increase the regulation of many Israeli human rights organisations.
The law approved by a vote of 57 to 48 yesterday targets groups that receive more than half their funding from foreign governments or political organisations.
Hawkish groups in Israel largely rely on private donations, which are exempt.
The law requires the organisations to state that they rely on foreign funding in all communication with public officials and on TV, newspapers, billboards and online.
Lawmaker Robert Ilatov of the hard-line nationalist Israel Beitenu party says he co-sponsored the law because "intervention in Israel's internal affairs is not acceptable." Opposition lawmaker Nachman Shai says Israelis "will pay for this damage for many generations.
As violent protests continue to rock Jammu and Kashmir over the killing of a Hizbul Mujahideen militant, CPI today demanded that the Centre convene an all-party meeting "without any ego" and make a joint appeal for restoration of peace in the state.
"Communist Party of India (CPI) is of the opinion that the Union government should call an all-party meet to discuss the situation in Kashmir and make a joint appeal for restoration of peace. Ego should not hinder calling of the meeting," party general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said in a statement.
He also asked the government to order a judicial probe into the matter to instill confidence among people.
Reddy alleged that there was "something wrong" in government's dealing of the entire affair as he stated that people in the Valley "have never reacted so massively with anger" over death of a youth earlier.
The Valley was hit by violent clashes between security forces and protestors following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani last Friday during an encounter.
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During the meeting, Yechury asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to use the hotline to talk to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on the issue.
He said this channel of communication should not be stopped.
Seeking to deepen defence ties amid increasing Chinese assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region, Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani will arrive here tomorrow on a three-day visit.
During the visit, greater defence cooperation including defence manufacturing would be a focus of discussion here with the top civil and military leadership besides the issue in Asia Pacific region.
Gen Nakatani will hold delegation level talk with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on July 14.
During Parrikar's visit to Japan last year, Japanese leaders had emphasised on the commonality of strategic interests between the two countries and conveyed Japan's desire to enhance bilateral defence and security cooperation including in the field of maritime security.
They had also said Japan would like to further enhance economic cooperation with India and work jointly to enhance regional connectivity.
India and Japan are looking at deepening bilateral defence cooperation amid Tokyo's ongoing tussle with Beijing.
Japan has been witnessing conflict with China over control of private islands in South China sea. A territorial dispute even exists between China and Japan over the Senkaku Islands, which Beijing refers to as the Diaoyu Islands.
India considers relations with Japan very important, which is evident from the fact that Parrikar chose Japan as the first country to visit after assuming office of Defence Minister.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abehad had told Parrikar that "a strong" India-Japan partnership was not only in the "national interest of the two" but also "important for peace and security in the region".
A city court today took on record the status report filed by Delhi Police in its probe in a sedition case against JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar and others for deciding the maintainability of AAP government's plea seeking action against three media houses.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sumit Dass perused the report but rejected the request of Special Cell of the Delhi Police that it be kept in a sealed cover.
The prayer was made by the probe agency citing the ongoing investigation in the sedition case.
According to an investigator involved in the probe, the status report said that the video of a prominent channel has been found to be genuine. The channel has been arrayed as one of the accused in the complaint.
The court has fixed the matter for August 24 for further hearing in the case.
The status report was filed by the police in pursuance to the court's earlier order on Delhi government's complaint seeking prosecution of three channels for allegedly showing "doctored" videos relating to a controversial event held in the JNU campus on February 9 where anti-India slogans were allegedly raised.
The complaint said the channels had reported about clash between students groups at JNU and showed footage of the incident. The court is yet to pass an order on Delhi government's complaint.
The government's counsel had said the video was inaudible so the channels had showed a bubble on the screen with an alleged text "Pakistan Zindabad" and the anchor/reporter suggested that such anti-national slogans were being shouted by JNU students which would not be tolerated by the country.
The complaint claimed that these programmes were also uploaded on the websites of these channels on 'YouTube', adding that a CD of the footage was sent to forensic science laboratory and the experts have opined that all these bubbles were insertions and the tapes were tampered with.
The APP government's plea has sought prosecution of the
three channels, their editors and anchors for alleged offences under various sections including 415 (cheating), 465 (punishment for forgery), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record) of IPC and provisions of the Information and Technology Act.
It has also sought examination of its complaint under Section 200 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and made 12 respondents as parties in the matter.
The plea, which was filed through SDM of Vasant Vihar Sunil Dutt Sharma, also annexed list of witnesses which they sought to examine in support of the complaint.
Seeking a Supreme Court monitored probe into the killing of five tribals during an anti-maoist operation in Odisha's Kandhamal, a joint fact finding team comprising civil right activists today demanded lodging of a murder case against persons responsible for the incident.
"The explanation given by the state police that the villagers died during cross fire between police and Maoists is 100 per cent lie and a cruel joke," Narendra Mohanty, State Convener of Campaign Against Fabricated Cases (CAFC) told reporters at a joint press conference here.
Mohanty was part of the four-member fact finding team that made inquiry at the spot of the Friday night incident. They alleged that the injured persons were not immediately taken to the hospital for treatment.
While on one side, the state government is claiming that Maoist problem has been successfully tackled, on the other hand, it demands more funds from the Centre.
"The state through its police has been terrorizing the people in the tribal areas at gun point for the so-called development," said Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF) and spokesperson of CPI (ML) (New Democracy) Bhalachandra Sarangi.
Member of All India Peoples Forum (AIPF) Mahendra Parida and Tapan Mishra, made five demands including a Special Investigation Team probe under the supervision of Supreme Court, immediate suspension of the Kandhamal SP and all police officials involved in the "fake" encounter cases and file cases against them for murder under section 302 of IPC.
This apart, the team also demanded Rs 50 lakh compensation to each deceased's family and withdrawal of all paramilitary and security forces from Kandhamal.
Union minister Jual Oram today accused the Odisha government of shielding the culprits behind the killing of five villagers during an anti-Maoist operation in a forest in Kandhamal district.
"They (the state government) have been trying to shield the culprits in the killing of five villagers in Kandhamal. They have committed a blunder," Oram told a local channel while giving his reaction on the killing of five persons, including two woman and a child during during an anti-Maoist operation on Friday night.
"Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) Rameswar Oraon will visit the district tomorrow. Action will be taken after the Centre gets the report," the Union Tribal Affairs Minister said, adding the state government has been trying to cover up the matter. It will be responsible for the consequences.
Rejecting the Union minister's allegation, ruling BJD spokesman PK Deb said "Jual Oram has been trying to do politics over the matter. The chief minister had ordered a judicial probe immediately after knowing about the incident. He has also set up a special investigating team (SIT) to probe the case. What more can Jual Oram do?"
This apart, Patnaik has also announced stringent action against persons found responsible for the killing of the five villagers.
Five villagers, including two women and a child, died when they were caught in a cross fire between security personnel and Maoist in a forest in Kandhamal district on the night of July 8.
Government is keen to encourage foreign investment to strengthen tourism and industrial sectors in the Union Territory, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said here today.
"I have expressed the Puducherry government's willingness to the Consul General of Malaysia to consider tourism and industrial sector for development through investment by Malaysian government and its entrepreneurs," he told reporters.
Narayanasamy said such investments would help the UT make rapid strides in industrial as well as tourism sectors, resulting in employment generation.
He said Puducherry and Karaikal offered good scope for developing software technology parks and also processing of sea food.
Puducherry government would also consider extending several sops and concessions in taxes to Malaysian entrepreneurs to lure investments.
Malaysian government had already invested in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and similar investment could be made in Puducherry also, he added.
A technical team from Malaysia would soon visit Puducherry to hold talks with the Chief Secretary, Narayanasamy said.
On the Puducherry airport runway expansion, he said it would be expanded and the required site falling under the neighbouring Tamil Nadu would also be sought by holding talks with the Tamil Nadu government, he said.
Kolkata Police has summoned IPS officer Saiyaad Mustafa Hussain Mirza in connection with its probe into the Narada sting operation.
A senior officer, who is part of the probe team, said the former Burdwan SP has been summoned for questioning "on the authenticity of the scam and his links to Narada CEO Mathew Samuel".
The controversial Narada sting operations had shown Mirza purportedly accepting money.
Kolkata Police sleuths were also looking into any legal problems that may be faced in questioning the IPS officer.
Samuel on June 7 wrote to Kolkata Police asking it to reconsider his request to withdraw the summon against him in connection with its probe into the Narada sting operation, since the matter is sub-judice and under consideration of the Calcutta High Court.
On July 1, the Assistant Commissioner of Economic Offence Wing of Kolkata Police Detective Department had dismissed Samuel's request to withdraw the summon and issued a fresh one asking him to appear within seven days, which ended on Thursday.
In his mail to Kolkata Police, Mathew wrote, "In response to your notice mailed to me on 1 July, 2016, it has been stated that a case has been registered at the New Market Police Station under IPC Sections 120B, 469, 505(1B), 171G, 500 (Punishment for defamation)."
"I have already responded to you that the matter is under consideration at the Calcutta High Court and I have submitted all documents, materials, original footage and all the equipment that I have used as per the direction of the High Court."
"Despite my response, I have again received a memo dated 1 July, 2016 seeing my presence. In this regard I reiterate that the subject matter is pending for consideration of the Calcutta High Court," he said.
The controversial Narada sting operation, which surfaced ahead of the assembly elections in the state, purportedly showed several Trinamool Congress leaders and an IPS officer accepting money for consideration.
An investigation into the Narada sting operation is currently on by the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee, while a case is pending on the issue in the Calcutta High Court.
Actress Kristen Stewart has pitched for a female James Bond and said a male actor playing the much sought-after spy would be "stale" now.
While promoting her new film "Equals" with co-star Nicholas Hoult, the subject turned to James Bond, and Stewart voiced her interest in seeing a woman portray the iconic British superspy, reported E! Online.
When asked Hoult what he thought about his name being included as a potential successor to Daniel Craig's 007, the 26-year-old actor said, "I think I'm a bit too young, to be honest," noting that Bond is usually in his "30s or 40s."
"Yeah, but that's getting a little stale," Stewart interjected.
The pair then dismissed critics of casting a black or female actor as Bond. Stewart, 26, even imagined how a female version of the character could be introduced.
"You start off as the Bond girl and then you think it's just the girlfriend and then you're like, 'She's actually [Bond]'," she said. "In the trailer, it's him and then [a] bait and switch.
Sri Lanka today warned of a legal action against media which would carry inaccurate and distorted reports that may cause divisions in the country and disrupt reconciliation process with the minority community.
Ranga Kalansuriya, Director General of Media at the Government Information Department said that certain media have been carrying incorrect information with the aim to cause divisions in the current reconciliation environment.
He cited a report which said that a war crimes tribunal would be set up soon with the participation of foreign judges as suggested by the UN Human Rights Council resolution of last year.
President Maithripala Sirisena had also taken exception to the same lead story which appeared on a Sunday Sinhala language newspaper.
Kalansuriya has warned that the government may resort to legal and regulatory action against such media who would be carrying inaccurate and distorted reports.
Lil Wayne's friends, including Nicki Minaj and 2 Chainz, are reportedly fearing for his health after the rapper was hospitalised last week for a severe seizure.
The hospitalisation forced him to cancel a performance in Las Vegas. It was just a month after his plane made emergency landing in Nebraska and Omaha following two seizures, reported Hollywood Life.
"Lil Wayne's got issues, bro. It's like he has a death wish by the way he's taking care of himself. Every night is a party. Nicki and 2 Chainz have been talking to him behind the scenes, trying to get him to slow down but they're not getting through to him. At this point, those close to him expect the worst," a source said.
"Nicki has told him in the past that his ass needs to stop risking his life," said another source, noting that the "Anaconda" rapper has planned to "grill him like never before once he's 100-percent in perfect health."
Wayne, 33, was released from hospital after a brief stay in the ICU and he's now resting in Miami.
Punjab Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said Ludhiana city will soon have the first-of-its-kind hi-tech cycle valley in 300 acres of land with an investment of around Rs 300 crores in Dhanansu village.
"This will attract new industries not only from India but also abroad," he added.
Besides, it will provide alternative business activities to the existing units running in the residential areas of Ludhiana city, he said.
The panchayat of Dhanansu village handed over 300 acres of land for this purpose to the Punjab government, he said.
Sukhbir said this exclusive cycle valley, being setup by the Punjab State Industries Export Corporation (PSIEC), would script a new chapter in furtherance of business progress of Ludhiana and local industry as it is being setup on the vital Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor.
"The main idea behind this project is to create an eco-system for hitech bi-cycle manufacturers which will give impetus for upgradation in technology thereby enabling cycle industry of Ludhiana to remain relevant and competitive in the world-wide scenario", he added.
He said this project would help in decongestion and relocating industry at Ludhiana giving a boost to the setting up of anchor units in the sector specific field of cycle and its ancillaries.
Apart from investment on laying infrastructure to develop cycle valley of around Rs 300 crore, the project would attract an estimated investment of Rs 1000-1500 crore and would provide employment opportunities to thousand of youth directly and indirectly, he added.
He said this cycle valley would provide developed industrial plots to the prospective investors at affordable prices equipped with modern amenities alongwith integrated support services covering banking, health, institutional, recreational, education.
It may be recalled that PSIEC has been developing industrial focal points to facilitate industrial development in Punjab having a network of 42 focal points across the state.
Maharashtra government today issued an ordinance amending the Agricultural Produce Market Committee Act, 1963, deregulating sale of vegetables and fruits.
Terming the decision as historic, state's Additional Chief Secretary, Marketing, Sunil Porwal said the objective was to ensure that the farmers get a fair price and the consumers get vegetables and fruits at a cheaper rate.
But the move is being opposed by traders at APMCs in Vashi in Navi Mumbai and Nashik, who have gone on strike.
As the prices of vegetables and fruits have begun to skyrocket in Mumbai region, direct market licensees and farm produce companies have set up open markets in suburban Mahim, Mulund East, Andheri, Goregaon West and Kandivali West.
"The government is working on plans to bring vegetable trucks from Nashik. A large number of trucks laden with vegetables, fruits have been coming to Mumbai," Porwal said.
On what action the government was going to take against the striking traders at APMCs, he said it is for the government to decide.
Most of the vegetables and fruits in the markets of Mumbai come from Nashik, Pune, Thane, Ahmednagar and Satara.
The state government has urged the farmers to directly bring their produce for sale in Mumbai. Of the 307 APMCs in the state, 219 are operating, while some are closed due to holidays. The government has granted 148 Direct Marketing Licenses of which 91 are for fruits and vegetables.
An official statement said heavy rains too had affected the supply, though there was no production shortage.
Dipti Goradia, a Direct Marketing License holder, said their organisation of direct marketeers has identified 10 open plots across the city for selling vegetables, such as Mahim (behind Sitladevi temple), Mulund East (Chaphekar Bandhu Marg), Andheri (Lokhandwala), Goregaon West (Jawhar Nagar), Kandivali West (Raghuleela Mall), Borivali and Ghatkopar.
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The Pune APMC, meanwhile, appealed to the farmers from
the state as well as from outside to bring their produce to the market and sell those directly.
"We received 10 per cent of the regular agriculture produce supply. However, APMC helped the farmers to sell their vegetable to the customers directly, providing them necessary help," said Dilipkumar Khaire, secretary of APMC Pune.
"We appeal to the vegetable growers from the state as well as out of Maharashtra to bring their produce here and we assure that necessary help will be given to them to sell their produce to the consumers directly," Khaire said.
A control room has been set up at the APMC Market Yard to help the farmers, he said.
MP and president of Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghtana, Raju Shetti, said he would be in Pune Market Yard on Wednesday morning and support the farmers.
"I will see to it that vegetable growers sell their produce to the buyers directly and they do not face any problem from the traders and commission agents," said Shetti.
European aviation major Airbus Helicopters has awarded a contract to Mahindra Aerostructures to supply airframe parts for its AS565 MBe Panther copter.
The contract positions Mahindra Aerostructures as the first Indian company to receive a direct manufacturing contract from Airbus Helicopters as a Tier 1 supplier, Airbus said in a statement.
Mahindra Aerostructures will gradually emerge as the global single source supplier to Airbus Helicopters for these parts, the statement said.
The parts will be produced at Mahindra's facility in Bengaluru. They will be shipped directly to the Airbus Helicopter production line in Marignane, France, where they will be integrated with the rest of the airframe assembly and will form a critical part of the Panthers sold worldwide.
Airbus Helicopters and Mahindra Defence are in the process of forming a joint venture to target India's military helicopter programmes such as the Naval Utility Helicopter, the Naval Multi-Role Helicopter and the Reconnaissance and Surveillance Helicopter.
The AS565 MBe Panther is competing for the Naval Utility Helicopter programme. In case the Indian Government selects the Panther, Airbus Helicopters will establish India as a global hub for Panther production in partnership with Mahindra Defence.
Airbus said that the work package is the first amongst a series of work packages which would embed Mahindra Group firmly in the Airbus Helicopters' global supply chain and bind the two companies in a long-term 'Make in India' partnership.
"We are playing an active role in the development of a helicopter-focused Indian industrial eco-system, and are embedding Indian suppliers into our global supply chain,""said Fabrice Cagnat, Director - Make in India, Airbus Helicopters.
He said the contract will allow Airbus to qualify Mahindra Aerostructures as a Tier 1 supplier, establish a manufacturing relationship with them on the Panther, and also lay the ground work for a rapid acceleration in terms of industrialising production in India, in case they are selected for the Naval Utility Helicopter programme.
"We believe this manufacturing relationship will allow us to demonstrate the quality and competitiveness of Mahindra Aerostructures to Airbus Helicopters. We are already committed to become a trusted partner and supplier to the Airbus Group for airframe parts and assemblies," said Arvind Mehra, Executive Director & CEO, Mahindra Aerospace.
Airbus Helicopters' Panther is an all-weather, multi-role light rotorcraft, designed for operation from ship decks, offshore locations and land-based sites.
It is made for a multitude of naval warfare and coast guard missions such as maritime surveillance, search and rescue, casualty evacuation, EEZ Surveillance & control counter-terrorism and anti surface/anti-submarine warfare.
A local court today remanded a man, accused of murdering his Congolese wife, in three-day police custody, and allowed the police to take DNA sample of the couple's daughter to establish the victim's identity.
The metropolitan magistrate's court allowed the application filed by the Central Crime Station of the Cyberabad police for the custody of Rupesh Kumar Mohanani.
Mohanani (36) was arrested on July 5 for allegedly strangling his wife Cynthia Vechel, who worked as a club dancer, and burning her body after pouring petrol on it.
Police had sought permission for DNA test as the body was charred beyond recognition. "The DNA sample of the girl will help establish identity of the deceased," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police B Sreenivasa Reddy told PTI.
On July 7, officials from the Embassy of Congo had met senior police officials and demanded that Cynthia's remains be handed over to them so that they can be sent to her family in Congo. They also sought the custody of Cynthia's daughter, who is currently in the care of Child Welfare Committee of Ranga Reddy district.
Mohanani married Cynthia in Congo in 2008 and the couple lived there till 2012 before shifting to India.
The couple, which lived in Gachibowli area here, fought frequently over financial issues and Mohanani also suspected her fidelity, police said.
According to DCP Sunpreet Singh, the two fought in the wee hours of July 3, following which Mohanani strangled her.
To destroy the evidence he cut the body into pieces, stuffed them into a bag and burnt them at Madanpally, on the outskirts of the city. But some locals saw the burning body and caught him.
The son of notorious wildlife trafficker Sansar Chand, was arrested today in connection with recovery of two leopard hides from two persons last year, police said today.
Two leopard hides were recovered from two bike-borne persons, Ganesh and Prabhulal, following which a case under Wildlife Act was registered against Akash at Hathipole police station in Udaipur of Rajasthan last year.
Eight persons, including Akash's mother Rani, were arrested in this case, but he was absconding. A non-bailable warrant was issued against him, police said.
Yesterday, when crime branch sleuths arrived at Motia Khan in Paharganj area to arrest Akash, his family members allegedly pelted stones and bit them.
"Akash, his sister Seema, cousin Jatin, brother-in-law Sandeep and father-in-law Azad Ram accompanied by others tried to overpower the police party. They even bit Head Constable Hamender and Constable Pankaj and pelted stones at police party," said Ravindra Yadav, Joint Commissioner (Crime) of Police.
Akash's father Sansar Chand was a notorious interstate trafficker of wild animals and booked in several cases under Wildlife Act. He died at a hospital in Jaipur in 2004. He was lodged in Alwar jail at that time and was suffering from cancer.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) today condemned the "media trial" of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik.
AIMIM MLA from Aurangabad Imtiaz Jaleel, in a statement said that his party respects and follows the rule of the land and feels nobody could be pronounced guilty unless the court gives its judgement by following the due process of law.
"By hounding Zakir Naik, the media, particularly some national television channels, have already pronounced their judgement even when a formal case is yet to be registered against him. On mere hearsay, the media cannot pronounce anybody as supporter of terrorism.
"This media trial of Naik should end. If any individual, whosoever it may be, breaks the rule of the land, the law should take its own course. If there is concrete proof of violation of any law by anyone, strict action shall be initiated," he said.
The AIMIM MLA said that the right to practice religion and the right to free expression are fundamental rights of every Indian as enshrined in the Constitution.
"This means any individual can practice, profess and propagate his religion without hurting the religious beliefs and sentiments of other religions," he said.
"Ever since the BJP came to power at the Centre and in Maharashtra, the general trend is that the investigating agencies charge someone with wrongdoing and the media pronounces the accused as guilty even before the court delivers its judgement. This poses a grave threat to the social fabric and democratic set up of the country and could prove to be detrimental to communal harmony," the MLA said.
Terming Naik as a "well-known specialist" who has been delivering lectures on comparative studies of different religions, Jaleel said, "he commands a following among Muslims but there are many others in the community who do not concur with his views."
He said all Muslim leaders and ulemas in India have consistently condemned the ISIS from the very beginning and maintained that ISIS is a threat to mankind.
"AIMIM strongly condemns the ISIS of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and al-Qaeda of Osama Bin Laden. Both are evil outfits. These terrorist groups have been the cause of the killings of countless Muslims and non-Muslims," the MLA said.
SP Maharashtra unit chief Abu Azmi had earlier come in support of Naik and sought to know why action was not taken for last 25 years if his speeches are inspiring terrorists, and called for a fair inquiry into the charges against him.
However, Shiv Sena had demanded his arrest and dismantling of his TV network.
Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Surakhsha Samiti (ABHSS) today burnt an effigy of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti at Sugar Mill crossing on National Highway 1 here, prompting authorities to make a minor diversion in the route of Lahore-bound Indo-Pak Sada-e-Sarhad international bus to avoid the protest site.
However, the Delhi-bound Lahore-New Delhi bus followed its normal route as it came much later, police said.
Police said the Lahore-bound bus was diverted from Hargobindnagar locality to Phagwara-Banga road near Mehli village.
From thereon, it travelled on the Phagwara bypass till Mehli-Mehtan village where it came back on NH 1, thus skirting the protest venue on NH1, they said.
Since the other bus came after the protest time, it took its normal route, they said.
Meanwhile, led by ABHSS's Punjab chief Deepak Bhardwaj, the protesters stopped some trucks coming from Jammu and Kashmir for some time and allegedly warned the drivers that in case Amarnath Yatra was again disrupted in their state, they should not come to Punjab.
They raised slogans against the J&K government, terrorists and Pakistan.
Addressing the protesters, Bhardwaj alleged that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had "failed" to maintain the regular flow of the Yatra as her party PDP was "hand in gloves" with terrorists and their Pakistan sponsors.
He demanded dismissal of the Mehbooba government and dismantling of terrorists camps in POK through military strikes.
"The shock caused to Pakistan Prime Minister by death of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani proved beyond doubt that Pakistan was patronizing trans-border terrorists to destabilize India," he said.
"Dreaded terrorists like Hafiz Sayed and Syed Salahudin were patting terrorists in P0K for creating turmoil in J&K", he alleged.
An 11-year-old girl was abducted and allegedly raped before being killed by her 25-year-old relative here, police said today.
"Preliminary findings indicate that the child could be sexually assaulted. However, we are awaiting the autopsy report to see if the girl was raped," Deputy Superintendent of Police S Vanitha told PTI.
When police zeroed in on him, it was found that the accused, identified as Karthik, had slit his neck. He had also consumed poison, she said.
The girl's mother had filed a complaint after the class VI student did not return home from school till late last evening.
Investigation revealed that she was last seen going with Karthik, a truck driver, on his motorcycle, the DSP said.
"The gullible child did not suspect the accused as he was a close relative and she went with him from school," Vanitha said, adding he kidnapped and later killed her.
The accused buried the victim's body in a desolate area and was later found by the police, she said.
Vanitha said the motive behind the murder is being investigated.
She said Karthik has been admitted to Sivaganga Government Medical College.
"The cut injury is superficial. However, the kind of poison that he allegedly consumed is being ascertained by the medical authorities," she added.
The incident comes in the backdrop of the murder of a techie, Swathi, in full public view in Chennai. The accused in the case, Ram Kumar, had also allegedly slashed his neck when police went to arrest him.
In a separate incident, a nine-year-old girl at a private school in Chennai was today allegedly molested by her teacher.
He was arrested and is being questioned, police said.
The Mizoram government will formally convey to the leadership of Manipur-based Hmar People's Convention (Democratic) its willingness to hold talks.
A senior official in the state home department today said the proposal for initiating negotiations with HPC(D) was already approved by Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla.
The home department has been asked to pursue the matter.
Earlier, Mizoram Home Minister R Lalzirliana announced that the state government was willing to initiate talks with the Hmar outfit after people of the north eastern part of the state adjoining Manipur, who have been hit by insurgency for years, made a number of appeals to the government to bring peace in the area.
The official, however, did not say whether HPC(D)'s self-styled Army Chief Lalropuia Famhoite, now incarcerated at the Central Jail near here, would be released to participate in the talks.
The HPC (D), formed in 1997, had been demanding a separate autonomous district council in the north eastern part of the state and indulging in violent activities to press their demands from across the Manipur border.
Prime Minister returned home today after his four-nation Africa tour aimed at enhancing ties with the continent.
Modi came back from Kenya, which was the last leg of his visit that also covered Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania.
"After a vital Africa tour which witnessed key talks, interactions & agreements, PM @narendramodi reaches Delhi," the PMO tweeted.
After a vital Africa tour which witnessed key talks, interactions & agreements, PM @narendramodi reaches Delhi. pic.twitter.com/7L4yNC3hmz PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 12, 2016
Modi yesterday held talks with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta during which the two sides decided to deepen and expand cooperation in a wide range of areas as they signed seven pacts, including in the field of defence and security and avoidance of double taxation.
Earlier the prime minister visited Tanzania, South Africa and Mozambique as part of the five-day tour.
India has offered $92 million Line of Credit to Tanzania for a key water supply project and signed five agreements with it.
In South Africa, Modi held talks with South African President Jacob Zuma on a wide range of issues, particularly in the economic sphere.
Showcasing India as an attractive destination for defence production, the Prime Minister also sought deeper collaboration in the sector with South Africa, a major arms exporter, even as he thanked it for supporting India's bid for membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group.
In Mozambique, Modi held wide-ranging talks with President Filipe Nyusi. The two countries signed three pacts, including a significant "long-term agreement" under which India will buy pulses from this African nation to meet its recurring shortfall and contain prices of this commodity.
The mother of a young pregnant woman, among 21 people from Kerala suspected to have joined the Islamic State, today met Union minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot and submitted a petition seeking a probe into the missing of her daughter.
Bindu, mother of 25-year-old Fatheema Nimisha who converted to Islam after marriage, met the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment who is on a visit here, and submitted the petition seeking Centre's intervention, BJP sources said.
Gehlot assured her that the petition would be handed over to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for necessary action, they said.
Bindu in her petition said her daughter was missing for the past one month and sought a probe.
She had earlier stated that Nimisha came to see her along with her husband on May 16 and on May 18, she received a call from her daughter that she was going to Sri Lanka for some business. After that there was no information about her daughter, she had said.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had yesterday informed the state assembly that his government viewed the matter of missing Keralites very seriously and would take necessary steps with the support of the central agencies.
Amid ongoing violence in Kashmir, moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today said there is a need to understand the "truth and reality" of the Kashnir issue and address it accordingly.
"Kashmir issue is not about governance or giving economic packages, neither is about economic incentives," he said.
"The only way out of this problem is to address the problem political and not militarily and initiate engagements among all stakeholders to the issue; that is India, Pakistan and most importantly the people of Jammu and Kashmir with the view to resolve the issue once for all," he said.
He criticised the Centre's decision of sending more paramilitary forces to Kashmir to deal with the unrest, saying it will only add fuel to the fire.
Meanwhile, the moderate Hurriyat Conference, along with hardline Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and JKLF issued a joint statement, saying local police should not carry weapons, lethal or otherwise, while dealing with protesters, since the are a "part and parcel" of the Kashmiri society.
Violent protests erupted in Kashmir Valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen's poster boy Burhan Wani in an joint operation by Jammu and Kashmir Police and the army last Friday.
So far, 25 civilians have been been killed and more than 350 people, including over 115 security forces, injured in the clashes between people and security personnel.
Prime Minister K P Oli-led coalition government on Tuesday plunged into a serious crisis after its alliance partner CPN-Maoist Centre withdrew support to the nine-month old government, accusing him of failing to implement past agreements.
CPN Maoist chairman Prachanda announced the withdrawal of support from the CPN-UML-led coalition government, saying Oli's party was hesitating to implement the past agreements - the nine-point agreement signed between CPN-UML and the Maoist Centre in May and the gentlemen's agreement for the change of guard.
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Prachanda referred to the promulgation of new Constitution and the past agreements, and said his party was always in favour of forging a national consensus.
He further said the party's decision to withdraw support from the government would help build the national consensus.
"Our party saw the need for national consensus to implement the new statute, complete the remaining tasks of peace process along with the transitional justice, resolve the issues raised by Madhesis, Janajatis and Tharus, and provide relief to the people and carry out reconstruction of the country in the wake of the last year's devastating earthquake," reads the letter signed by Prachanda.
"And the spirit of nine-point agreement that the Maoist party and CPN-UML forged in May was also national consensus," he pointed out.
"But as the leadership of the existing government was not ready to implement the nine-point agreement and the three-point gentlemen's agreement (including change in government leadership), it would be politically inappropriate for our party to remain in this government. Thus, we withdraw our support from this government now."
Prime Minister Oli and the Maoist chief had reached a verbal agreement in May to hand over the leadership of the government to the latter after the Parliament endorses the new budget, according to sources close to Prachanda.
However, Prime Minister Oli turned his deaf ear towards the top Maoist leader and asserted that he would continue in power till the new election is held in one and a half year's time.
The Maoists have also called back all of its ministers from the Oli-led government.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the CPN-UML's leadership, the Maoist Centre had recently intensified intra-party and inter-party dialogues to form a new government in its leadership.
Maoist chief Prachanda had met Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba yesterday and held discussion on the issue of the latest political developments in the country.
During his talk with Deuba, Prachanda is learnt to have sought the support from main opposition Nepali Congress to form a new government under the leadership of his party.
A new tri-weekly express train between Vijayawada and Dharmavaram in Anantapur district was today flagged off, improving rail link between Rayalaseema region and upcoming state capital Amaravati.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Y S Chowdary flagged off the train through video linking from New Delhi.
This is the second train introduced by the Railways in Andhra Pradesh in just over a month. On June 4, a new superfast inter-city express between Vijayawada-Secunderabad via Guntur was launched.
Speaking on the occasion, Prabhu said the new train would provide more connectivity for the people of Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh with its new capital Amaravati. "The long-cherished demand of the Rayalaseema people has been fulfilled with the introduction of this train'.
The new train will depart on every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 23.10 hours from Vijayawada and arrive Dharmavaram the next day at 10.45 AM.
On return, the train will depart from Dharmavaram on every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at 17.50 hours and arrive in Vijayawada at 6.50 hours the next day.
Scientists have identified a new species of orchids - that have features resembling a devil's head - from a lone and unique population of about 30 flowers growing on the small patch in Colombia.
With its only known habitat restricted to a single population spread across a dwarf montane forest at the border between departments Putumayo and Narino in southern Colombia, the devilish orchid is assigned as a Critically Endangered species in the IUCN (The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) Red List.
Named after its demonic patterns, the new orchid species, Telipogon diabolicus, grows a stem measuring between 5.5 to 9 cm in height.
It was discovered by Marta Kolanowska and Dariusz Szlachetko, both affiliated with University of Gdansk in Poland, together with Ramiro Medina Trejo from Colombia.
Although the curious orchid could be mistakenly taken for a few other species, there are still some easy to see physical traits that make the flower stand out.
Apart from the demon's head hidden at the heart of its colours, the petals themselves are characteristically clawed.
This feature has not been found in any other Colombian species of the genus.
"In the most recent catalogue of Colombian plants almost 3600 orchid species representing nearly 250 genera are included," researchers said.
"However, there is no doubt that hundreds of species occurring in this country remain undiscovered. Only in 2015 over 20 novelties were published based on material collected in Colombia," they said.
Irked over indiscriminate dumping and burning of municipal solid waste in Ghaziabad, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued show cause notices to the District Magistrate and two other senior officials as to why "punitive action" should not be taken against them.
The order came after the tribunal was told that despite its order of September last year directing the authorities not to allow dumping or burning of any municipal solid waste anywhere in Ghaziabad, particularly on the bank of the Hindon river, it was still continuing.
"We direct issuance of show cause notice to all the three officers i.E. Secretary, Ghaziabad Development Authority, District Magistrate, Ghaziabad, and Additional Municipal Commissioner, Ghaziabad, to show cause as to why we should not direct that punitive action be taken and impose cost on them which would be personally recoverable," a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar said.
"Furthermore, we also direct them to show cause as to why environmental compensation in terms of section 15 and 17 of the NGT Act, be not imposed upon all these authorities," the bench said and fixed the matter for hearing on August 18.
During the hearing, the counsel for petitioner Krishan Pal said that despite its order and undertaking given by the concerned authorities, "there is indiscriminate dumping of municipal solid waste and its continuous burning in various parks."
"The applicant has filed photographs showing huge waste being dumped and even animals are eating plastic and other municipals solid waste. These photographs be taken on record," the bench noted.
The NGT, in its September 1 last year order, had asked the authorities to submit a comprehensive proposal on collection and disposal of municipal solid waste in the Ghaziabad.
The bench had observed that no system was placed before it which would suggest that authorities had drawn up a plan to collect and dispose of the municipal solid waste.
It had also asked the Ghaziabad municipal authority to place dustbins for encouraging people to dump the wastes in it and directed that these wastes should be transported to a duly identified site meant for the purpose of dumping after segregation.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has pulled up Punjab authorities for undue delay in building and operationalising a sewage treatment plant (STP) in Amritsar originally slated for May 31, observing that all stakeholders were indulging in blame game against each other.
Holding that the project was of public importance and a utility, a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar said "vague reasons" were given in the applications moved by the concerned authority seeking extension of time to complete the project.
The tribunal, however, granted final extension of time till November 15, for completion of the project subject to Rs 50,000 cost to be paid by Water Supply and Sewerage Board.
"Fact remains that the project has been unduly delayed. Each one of the stake holders is trying to shift the blame for delay on other agency. It is a project of public utility and public importance. All authorities are expected to execute the work expeditiously and as per the design finalised," the green panel said.
The tribunal also said it was expected from the state government and other authorities to ensure timely execution of the project.
"In the application for extension of time, vague reasons have been stated. However, in the interest of justice and larger public interest, we grant one final extension of time for completion of the project, subject to payment of Rs 50,000 costs which will be paid by Water Supply and Sewerage Board, at the first instance. The cost would be payable to National Green Tribunal Bar Association," the bench said.
During the hearing, the Board's counsel prayed for further extension of time but the NGT declined the request.
"The Superintending Engineer and Chief Executive Officer of the Board and contractor executing the work would be personally responsible for compliance of this order. We would be compelled to take punitive action if the project is not completed within time granted," it said, adding there was no justification for extending the time beyond November 15.
The board had sought extension of time for completion of project on various grounds, including submission of documents to the Finance Ministry of Punjab for signature of the competent authority, delay in supply of cement and steel and change in the project design.
The tribunal had earlier noted that the STP was to be operationalised by March 31 this year. It had directed all the concerned authorities to expedite the project and ensure that the plant becomes operative by May 31.
Nigerian police today announced the arrest of 11 members of a "daredevil" gang after the kidnapping of a senior Sierra Leone diplomat to Abuja last month.
The men are alleged to be part of a "kidnapping gang" that on June 30 seized Alfred Nelson-Williams, Sierra Leone's defence attache and deputy head of the country's mission in Nigeria. He was released on July 5.
Police said the "daredevil criminal gang" also kidnapped an executive director of the Dangote Group, one of the continent's largest companies.
The kidnappers mounted "road blocks on highways in military uniforms" to capture victims, and relocated "from one point to another in the forest with their victims to avoid detection and arrest", police said in a statement.
Nelson-Williams said today he was stopped at a checkpoint by men armed with AK-47 assault rifles and dressed in military fatigues while travelling to Kaduna, 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of Abuja.
His abduction was the first of a Sierra Leone diplomat anywhere in the world since the country gained independence in 1961, according to foreign ministry sources in Freetown.
Nigeria has long been plagued by kidnappings for ransom where wealthy locals and expatriate workers have been seized and usually returned after payment several days or weeks later.
In the past, kidnapping happened more frequently in the oil-producing south, but the phenomenon has spread to the country's north, with criminal gangs breaking into the lucrative kidnapping trade.
Asserting that JD(U) has no presence in Uttar Pradesh, senior Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi today charged Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with trying to eat into BJP's votes in the poll-bound state at the behest of Congress.
"Nitish Kumar is working at the behest of Congress by frequently visiting Uttar Pradesh in order to create a division of Kurmi votes which traditionally goes to BJP," he told reporters on the sidelines of his weekly Janata Darbar at his official residence.
The JD(U) national president, however, will not succeed in his mission to either divide the Kurmi votes or help Congress in any manner as he does not have influence to make any difference in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Modi said.
He said that Kumar's gameplan in Uttar Pradesh stands exposed as the reputed poll strategist Prashant Kishor happens to advise both the Chief Minister and the Congress.
Modi alleged that JD(U) president will prove to be a 'votekatwa' (one who chips away some votes), a remark that BJP national president Amit Shah had made against Kumar recently.
In response to a query that the RJD supremo Lalu Prasad wants a Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) in UP on the lines of Bihar, he said first of all Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar should decide whether or not they would fight together before taking on BJP.
Stating that both Prasad's and Kumar's parties are regional outfits which do not have any influence in UP, he said "Both Lalu and Nitish would meet the same fate in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections just as Mulayam Singh Yadav faced in Bihar assembly elections late last year."
Modi was referring to the SP's drubbing in Bihar.
They are regional leaders and just go on 'pleasure trips' in various states, the senior BJP leader said referring to Nitish Kumar and others.
In reply to the opposition criticising central government's decision to sell holy Gangajal at a nominal price through India Post, he said that this is a welcome step and they should have praised the government for noble cause instead of politicising it.
Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Manoj Sinha had on Sunday launched the sale of 'Gangajal' collected from Gangotri and Rishikesh at Patna GPO.
"Ganga is most polluted in Bihar and hence no one would like to take 'Gangajal' of Patna which is polluted. Instead, everyone would like to take the pure 'Gangajal' of Gangotri from where the holy river originates. People want to have the holy Ganga water of places like Rishikesh and Sangam," he said.
Ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament, Congress today said there is no change in its stand on the three principal demands on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill and it is still awaiting the government's offer on the issue.
"Till the time the government doesn't share with us its offer on the issue, we will not comment. There is status quo on GST bill. There is no change in our stand," party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said amid reports of a thaw between Congress and the BJP on the issue.
Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha where the Constitution Amendment Bill is pending, said though a proposal from the government has come to resolve the pending issues, Congress is yet to decide on it.
"Government has given a proposal for resolving pending issues. We will decide. There is still time for the Parliament session. We will put forth our views and hold discussions with government sitting across the table," he said.
Singhvi was more categorical in stating that Congress is firm on its three demands, two of which had been backed by the government-appointed panel on the tax reform legislation which seeks to bring in uniform tax regime across the country.
"Congress is never dogmatic or unreasonable. It has never practised rigidity on this issue. The government hasn't proposed anything. Till the government spells out its proposal our stand is as it is," he said.
Azad and Anand Sharma, the Deputy Leader of Congress in the Rajya Sabha, met party president Sonia Gandhi earlier in the day to discuss the issue. However, Singhvi said the meeting was not limited to a particular issue.
Congress has been demanding a cap of 18 per cent as part of the Constitutional Amendment bill to which the government is not agreeing. Insiders say, this very demand has become a sticking point between Congress and the government.
The government plans to push the Constitution Amendment bill in the Rajya Sabha for roll-out of GST in the Monsoon session beginning July 18. The bill was approved by the Lok Sabha earlier.
US President Barack Obama today asked Americans to "reject despair" and insisted that the country is not as divided as it seems by race and politics as he paid tributes to five police officers killed during a deadly sniper attack in Dallas.
"We see all this and it's hard not to think, sometimes, that the center won't hold and that things could get worse," he said.
"I understand. I understand how Americans are feeling. But Dallas, I'm here to say we must reject such despair. I'm here to insist that we are not as divided as we seem, and I know that because I know America. I know how far we've come against impossible odds."
Speaking to a packed hall, barely a mile from where the gunman opened fire last week, Obama invoked the names of the five police officers killed in the shooting rampage, describing details about each of their lives.
"All of it left us wounded and angry. And hurt. The deepest fault lines of our democracy have suddenly been exposed, perhaps even widened," Obama said at an interfaith service in Dallas, joined by several members of Congress, Vice President Joe Biden and his immediate predecessor George W Bush.
He spoke about the tensions between police and some of the minority communities they serve, saying recent events should inspire both sides to seek common ground--and that no institution, including police departments, is "entirely innocent."
Obama also said it's imperative not to let the "evil" of people like Dallas shooter Micah Xavier Johnson exacerbate divisions in this country.
"We know there is evil in this world. That's why we need police departments," he said. "But as Americans we can decide that people like this killer will ultimately fail, they will not drive us apart."
His speech comes a week aftera sniper killed five Dallas police officers, seemingly in response totwo high-profile killings of African American men by police: Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota.
The Dallas attack occurred at a peaceful protest of the two earlier killings, subsequently plunging the nation into turmoil over race, police violence, and gun rights.
Further protests have occurred, withhundreds of Black Lives Matter protesters arrestedjust this past weekend.
"Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action", Obama said.
Bush said that Americans should "remember their shared commitments for common ideals" as a means of bridging divisions.
Bush said that Americans know we have one country and don't want the unity of grief and fear, but hope.
Radio New Zealand International
BOUGAINVILLE president John Momis wants the International Council on Mining and Minerals to sanction Rio Tinto.
This comes after the multinational miner gave away its shares in Bougainville Copper Ltd in equal amounts to the Papua New Guinea and Bougainville governments.
The move means Bougainville has not got the majority shareholding in the company it had been demanding ahead of a possible resumption of mining in the autonomous PNG region.
Rio Tinto also told Bougainville it now has no ongoing obligations over environmental and social issues blamed on the mine.
Survivors described being thrown forward violently and then freeing themselves from a tangle of metal and body parts after two Italian commuter trains collided head-on today in the southern region of Puglia, killing at least 22 people and injuring scores more.
At least two passengers were pulled alive from the crumpled wreckage as the rescue operation took place in the scorching heat.
Premier Matteo Renzi traveled to the scene, where prosecutors and investigators were at work trying to determine why two trains were on a single track.
Railway police Commander Giancarlo Conticchio told Sky TG24 said that the number of dead was 22 with 43 people injured, adding that the numbers could change.
Officials stressed the final toll would not be known until the train cars had been pulled apart; a giant crane arrived at the scene to remove the mangled debris.
"Surely one of the two trains shouldn't have been there. And surely there was an error. We need to determine the cause of the error," Conticchio said.
An aerial photo showed the cars crumpled together like an accordion, and forced off the tracks at sharp angles. The two trains, each with four cars, collided head-on in an olive grove on flat terrain between the towns of Andria and Corato.
The accident occurred around 11.30 AM some 50 kilometers (30 miles) northwest of the Puglia regional capital, Bari.
One elderly couple described their ordeal to local television Telesveva. The man, his head covered in gauze, said he was knocked to the ground, while his wife, still barefoot, described how she came across body parts as she freed him.
"I pulled him from under the debris, myself barefoot, from under the debris and metal," the woman, who was not identified, told local TV. "I went to my husband screaming. I pulled him by the legs and feet. I climbed past people in pieces, how sad. There was nothing I could do.
A woman who is eight months pregnant described being thrown forward.
"I don't know what happened, it all happened so quickly, I don't know," she told The Associated Press. "I saw my mother on the ground, my father and my sister bleeding, I don't know, I don't know, even I don't know."
Another survivor described the scene as "hell." Corato Mayor Massimo Mazzilli said debris was scattered all over the countryside.
"It's a disaster as if an airplane fell," Mazzilli said on his Facebook page, where he posted photos of the crash.
Premier Renzi pledged a thorough investigation. He returned to Rome from Milan to monitor the situation, and then traveled on to the scene of the accident. His transport minister, Graziano Delrio, as well as local prosecutors were at the scene.
Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Tuesday, took a swipe at Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for not taking part in the crucial meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to review the volatile situation in .
However, a senior official in Jammu and clarified that since it was a briefing by central ministers on the situation, Mehbooba had no role in the high-level meeting.
On the micro blogging site twitter, Omar criticised Mehbooba, who is heading PDP-BJP Government in the state, for leaving the meeting unrepresented by the state.
"I understand if @MehboobaMufti didn't leave the state to attend but why not by video conference? State unrepresented.
"We set up video links for all sorts of meaningless things but here where it matters to have @MehboobaMufti involved in the process nothing," the former chief minister tweeted.
Modi chaired a high-level meeting on the situation in Kashmir Valley which has witnessed violent protests in the wake of the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani, leaving 24 dead and over 300 injured.
The meeting was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh, Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar among others.
Sporadic violence continued in Kashmir today, leaving one more person dead and raising the unrest toll to 25, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the situation and appealed for calm with the hope that no innocent person would face any inconvenience or suffer any loss.
Five other people were injured and several police structures were damaged in violence and arson by mobs at nearly two dozen places in the valley, a police spokesman said, while describing the situation as "under control".
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti reached out to the parents, as a "parent myself", appealing to them to restrain their children from participating in such violent protests as these lead to "unfortunate" loss of lives.
In a televised address, she said anti-social elements were out to misguide common people, leading them to violence, which provokes reaction by security forces.
In Delhi, Modi held a high-level meeting to review the Kashmir situation soon after his return from his five-day Africa visit. It was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
The Prime Minister voiced concern over the situation in the state where the death toll rose to 25 in the violent protests and clashes with security forces, triggered by the killing of Hizbul militant commander Burhan Wani last Friday.
"He (PM) has appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain peace so that the situation can normalise. He (PM) also expressed hope that no innocent person should face any kind of inconvenience or loss," Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said after the meeting.
Modi said the Centre will provide whatever help is needed by the state government, according to Jitendra Singh.
The Prime Minister also expressed satisfaction over the progress of the Amarnath Yatra.
The Prime Minister was given a detailed presentation of the situation prevailing in the Valley.
"The Prime Minister kept taking updates about the Jammu and Kashmir situation during his visit abroad. The biggest evidence of his concern is that he called this review meeting within hours of returning from the tour and took details," Singh told reporters.
In the valley, one person was killed when policemen opened fire to disperse a stone-pelting mob outside Kralpora police station in Kupwara district of north Kashmir, the police spokesman said.
"A mob attacked the Police Station and set on fire a Police vehicle in which policemen got trapped. While dealing with the incident, one person was injured who later on succumbed to injuries," he said.
Adil Ahmad Mattoo, who was injured in the firing incident at Bijbehara yesterday, succumbed to injuries at SMHS hospital here late last night, the spokesman said.
Mattoo was reportedly pursuing M.Com course from Delhi University and had returned home recently to celebrate Eid- ul-Fitr with his family.
Kashmir today saw sporadic violence which left one person dead, raising the toll to 25, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the situation and appealed for calm with the hope that no innocent person would face an inconvenience or suffer any loss.
One person was killed in firing by security forces on a mob in Kupwara district of Kashmir, police sources said.
There were some other incidents of violence, including a militant strike on a police post and a mob attack on the family of a police officer in which his wife and daughter were injured.
In Delhi, Modi held a high-level meeting to review the Kashmir situation soon after his return from his five-day Africa visit. It was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
The Prime Minister voiced concern over the situation in the state where the death toll rose to 25 in the violent protests and clashes with security forces, triggered by the killing of Hizbul militant commander Burhan Wani last Friday.
"He (PM) has appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain peace so that the situation can normalise. He (PM) also expressed hope that no innocent person should face any kind of inconvenience or loss," Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said after the meeting.
Modi said the Centre will provide whatever help is needed by the state government, according to Jitendra Singh.
The Prime Minister also expressed satisfaction over the progress of the Amarnath Yatra.
The Prime Minister was given a detailed presentation of the situation prevailing in the Valley.
"The Prime Minister kept taking updates about the Jammu and Kashmir situation during his visit abroad. The biggest evidence of his concern is that he called this review meeting within hours of returning from the tour and took details," Singh told reporters.
In Kashmir, while normal life remained paralysed, unidentified militants targeted a police post in Sopore, about 55 kms from Srinagar, firing seven to eight rounds but no one was injured.
In another incident, unidentified persons hurled a petrol bomb towards security forces posted on law and order duty in Noorbagh area of Srinagar, an official said, adding nobody was injured in this too.
In Awantipora area of Pulwama in south Kashmir, a mob beat up and injured wife and daughter of a police Sub- Inspector Mohammad Ashraf Pal and damaged his house.
The injured were shifted to Sub District Hospital Awantipora where their condition is stated to be stable.
Pal, who is posted as duty officer at Sangam police post in Bibjehara area of Anantnag district, was not at home at the time of the attack, which follows a series of attacks on police personnel and installations since the killing Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on last Friday.
Meanwhile, restrictions continued on the movement of
people in Srinagar and four districts of south Kashmir, officials said.
The strike called by the separatist groups also affected normal life in the Valley.
The separatist groups yesterday extended the strike call till July 13 to coincide with the 85th anniversary of those who laid down their lives fighting the Aristocratic rule in the state in 1931.
Shops, private offices, business establishments and petrol pumps remained shut, while government offices and banks witnessed thin attendance, the officials said.
Public transport was completely off the roads for the fourth consecutive day, while private cars and auto-rickshaws were seen plying at few places in the areas where there were no restrictions, they said.
Educational institutions in the Valley were closed on account of the ongoing summer vacations, while Central University of Kashmir (CUK), Kashmir University, Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) and Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) have postponed the examinations due to the prevailing situation.
The separatist groups earlier on Friday had called for a one-day strike following Wani s killing.
The strike was then extended for two more days to protest the killings of civilians in firing allegedly by security forces.
The shutdown call was again extended yesterday.
Most of the separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik, are either in custody or house arrest.
Four miscreants looted
over Rs eight lakh at gun-point from a man at Dakbunglow chhak near Kalinga Nagar industrial complex in Jajpur district, police said today.
Utsav Charan Sahu was attacked by the motorcycle borne miscreants when he was going to a bank to deposit Rs 8.08 lakh of his office yesterday.
The miscreants fled with the bag containing the cash when locals gathered on the spot hearing alerm from Sahu.
Sahu sustained head injuries and is curently undergoing treatment at a local government hospital.
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi today sought an all-party meeting to discuss the situation in Kashmir and expressed concern over use of pellet guns to quell protests leaving many with eye injuries.
"We have to show empathy because 32 people have been killed so far to end the cycle of violence. Let the government call an all-party meeting either before Parliament session or during the Parliament session," he told PTI here.
Owaisi charged the NDA government with abandoning the "2003 process that was started by (then Prime Minister) Atal Bihari Vajpayee which was security to deal with militants and development to isolate separatists from general public. There was also a political process in that which even the UPA government did not pursue."
The Hyderabad Lok Sabha MP said he was really concerned about the usage of pellet guns which has led to more than 60-70 people receiving eye injuries.
Owaisi said, "Within the BJP-PDP Alliance (in J&K), they have talked about removing AFSPA. They have talked about (holding) talks with separatists and other stakeholders. Let this be started because it's in their own agenda for alliance."
He also regretted that people show concern only when killings happen in the border state.
He said 110 people were killed in 2010 in Kashmir, after which an all-party delegation went there but "we don't know about the interlocutor's report. In fact, UPA government completely ignored the interlocutor's report".
Referring to the current outpouring of support for slain militant Burhan Wani, Owaisi said, "We don't want anyone to be behind militants but what is happening in Kashmir is that not hundreds but thousands and thousands of people are turning up in funeral prayers of militants. This in itself should really concern us."
"The blame also lies with the UPA government. Why is there so much alienation among the youth in (Kashmir) valley? Let them (BJP-PDP govt) implement their own agenda for alliance which talked about removing of AFSPA and talks with separatists and other stake holders. And this government does not want to give enough compensation for floods which happened there (Kashmir). This has to be seen in light of all this things," he said.
The AIMIM chief alleged that the amount of force used by police during riot in Jammu was not as strong as the one seen in the last few days in Kashmir.
"So, what does all these things tell us?" he asked.
US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter reiterated Washington's support for "courageous" Afghan security forces today, days after the United States and NATO pledged to keep thousands of troops in the troubled country.
Carter spoke as President Ashraf Ghani welcomed the "environment of trust" between Washington and Kabul at a joint conference in the Afghan capital.
"The Afghan security forces have demonstrated the motivation, the will and the resilience in the face of a persistent enemy," Carter said.
"I have confidence in the ability of the Afghan forces to provide for the stability and security that the Afghan people deserve and I commend them for fighting courageously last year during a tough fighting season."
The Pentagon chief's unannounced visit follows a renewed commitment to Afghanistan from NATO, which said over the weekend it would keep forces there until the end of 2017 at least.
Most are American, but around 40 countries have deployed troops there. Their official role is to train Afghan forces, which are now responsible for their country's security.
Despite a massive, nearly 15-year international effort to defeat the Taliban, the resurgent group controls large areas of Afghanistan and has vowed to keep fighting until foreign forces leave.
Both Carter and Ghani also addressed the role of Afghanistan's neighbour Pakistan, long accused by Kabul of sponsoring militants including the Taliban.
Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed by a US drone in Pakistan earlier this year in a strike that Islamabad said violated its sovereignty.
But Carter, while stressing the US would work with Pakistan "wherever it can" on extremism, warned that Washington would "continue to target and strike terrorist leaders everywhere in the world where they might threaten Americans or our interests and our friends".
"Pakistan has a fundamental decision to make," added Ghani, who has loudly demanded in the past that Pakistan take action against the Taliban. "There is no difference between good terrorists and bad terrorists."
President Barack Obama, elected eight years ago on a pledge to end the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, has been unable to do so given the fragile security situations in both countries.
Last week he dialled back plans to cut US troop numbers in Afghanistan from 9,800 to 5,500 by the end of the year.
Instead, around 8,400 US troops will remain, providing training and air support to the Afghans.
US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said today that the decision to give US commanders more authority to work with Afghan troops and strike the Taliban will maximize the use and effectiveness of American forces in Afghanistan.
Carter is in Afghanistan to meet with US commanders in the wake of a pledge by NATO allies to keep troop levels stable as they battle a resilient Taliban.
Speaking during a press conference with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Carter also said that progress by the Afghanistan government on economic and anti-corruption reforms "is central" to the continued international support for the country.
Ghani said his government is working to remove corruption and also on the economic reforms.
This is Carter's second stop in a war zone in as many days, part of a weeklong trip that has underscored America's growing commitment to two wars that President Barack Obama inherited but has not been able to end.
Carter was scheduled to meet with both Ghani and chief executive officer Abdullah Abdullah, as well as his top US commander in Afghanistan, Army Gen. John W. Nicholson.
Nicholson told reporters that he will have 3,000 US troops working as advisers in Afghanistan, 2,150 troops doing counterterrorism and 3,000 working in a supporting role as enablers.
In addition, he said he will keep "some hundreds" of forces "over the horizon" out of the country that will be considered part of the NATO advise and assist mission.
Yesterday, in Iraq, Carter announced that the US would be sending 560 additional troops there in the coming days and weeks.
Obama announced last week that he would keep 8,400 US troops in Afghanistan after this year, rather than cut their numbers to 5,500 as he once planned.
In addition to taking part in the NATO advisory-and-assist mission, the US has special operations forces in the country that conduct counterterrorism missions.
The planned force levels allow NATO allies to remain in regional hubs around Afghanistan, with Germany in the north, Italy in the west, Turkey in the capital of Kabul and the United States in the east and south.
Earlier plans to consolidate forces in Kabul and Bagram were scrapped amid resurgent Taliban fighting and the growing presence of Islamic State militant, including many that simply switched allegiance from one insurgent group to another.
A US drone strike in Afghanistan has killed the mastermind of the attack on an army school that left over 140 school children dead in 2014 in Pakistan's northwestern Peshawar city, security officials said today.
Officials said Umar Mansour, alias Umar Naray, had been killed along with another militant leader Qari Saifullah, in the US drone attack in the Bandar area of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province on Saturday.
"Umar Naray was killed with his three associates," an intelligence official said.
Another official confirmed the death of Qari Saifullah, who was in charge of Taliban suicide bombers, in the attack.
Both Naray and Saifullah belonged to Geedar group of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and had shifted to Afghanistan due to Zarb-e-Azb military operation launched in June 2014.
Naray took responsibility of Peshawar school attack on December 16, 2014, which killed around 150 people including at least 136 students. He also was the mastermind of an attack on Bacha Khan University in Charsadda near Peshawar in January that left at least 21 people dead.
The killing of leading Pakistani militant in Afghanistan shows what Islamabad has been saying that militants have shifted across the border.
The US State Department had on May 25 designated Umar Mansour as a global terrorist, clearing the path for his inclusion in its hit-list.
There was no official confirmation of Mansour's death from either the TTP or any independent source. If true, his death would be a severe blow to the terror group.
Mansour, because of his violent and major terrorist attacks, was regarded by Pakistani security agencies as a major threat.
A representation to central and state governments to transfer Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict Santhan, a Sri Lankan national, to a prison in his country of origin, has been prepared for his approval.
The representation has been sent through jail authorities to Santhan by his counsel for consent.
One among the convicts in the case, T Suthendraraja alias Santhan, a Sri Lankan citizen, is lodged in the central jail here.
"Advocate for Santhan has given us a representation requesting us to forward it to him so that he could sign it. We have forwarded it to the prisoner," a jail official said requesting anonymity.
"Only if the prisoner (Santhan) signs the petition, appropriate action will be considered in accordance with law," the official told PTI.
The petition urges state and central authorities to shift Santhan to a prison in Sri Lanka. The request is based on bilateral prisoner exchange pacts between New Delhi and Colombo.
Meanwhile, according to official sources, it needed to be seen by top authorities if such a request fits within the scope of bilateral agreements between the two countries as Santhan is a life convict.
When contacted, Sri Lanka Deputy High Commission declined to comment on it.
On February 18, 2014, the Supreme Court commuted Santhan's death sentence alongside that of Murugan and Perarivalan, who were also convicted in the case.
A day after the ruling, Tamil Nadu government had proposed to remit the sentences of life imprisonment on seven prisoners. It included the three whose sentences were commuted by the apex court.
However, the Centre approached the top court against the state government's move and Supreme Court posted the matter to a five-judge bench.
In March this year, Tamil Nadu government for the second time sent its proposal to the Centre to release the seven convicts that also included Nalini, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Jayakumar, which was turned down.
A veteran police officer who responded to the Christmas Eve shooting in West Webster in 2012 is seeking the Republican nomination to succeed state Sen. Michael Nozzolio.
Jon Ritter, a Webster resident who is originally from Geneva, officially announced his candidacy Tuesday. He has been circulating petitions to secure his spot on the Sept. 13 primary ballot and previously sought the GOP designation in the 54th Senate District race.
The party's designation was won by Canandaigua Supervisor Pam Helming.
Despite not winning the party's endorsement at the May meeting, Ritter believes his 27 years as a law enforcement officer sets himself apart from the other candidates in the race.
"I think I bring a completely different objective to it," he said in a phone interview. "I've literally worked with people these are probably the same people that I'm going to be working with in the district."
Most of Ritter's law enforcement career was spent in the Rochester suburb of Greece, where he served for 20 years on the town's police department.
He received recognition following the West Webster shooting for his actions responding to that incident.
On that day, William Spengler murdered his mother and lit his house on fire. He then shot and killed two firefighters who responded to the blaze.
Ritter, who wasn't on duty at the time, arrived at the scene and Spengler fired at his vehicle. Ritter used his truck to block the road and prevent first responders from entering the area a move that may have saved many lives.
In 2013, Ritter retired from the Greece Police Department. He now serves with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office as a security officer at the Greater Rochester International Airport.
As a state Senate candidate, Ritter said he's focused on a range of issues, including the economy, job creation and making changes to the SAFE Act, a gun control measure that was signed into law in 2013 shortly after the West Webster shooting.
He also wants to make ethics reform a priority. He supports limiting legislators to no more than four or five terms in office.
"We need people that aren't involved in politics to become more involved in politics and maybe then the state will be run or we can start to make some changes for the people," he said.
Ritter isn't alone in the campaign for the Republican nomination. There are at least six other candidates who are circulating petitions to secure spots on the primary ballot.
To be eligible for the primary, candidates must submit 1,000 valid signatures from Republicans in the 54th District.
On the Democratic side, Rose Supervisor Kenan Baldridge and Charlie Evangelista, a member of the Ontario County Board of Supervisors, are in the race for the party's nomination.
The winner of the general election will fill the seat being vacated by Nozzolio, R-Fayette, who announced his retirement in February.
Nozzolio had surgery in April to repair faulty heart valves.
The 54th Senate District includes all of Seneca and Wayne counties, plus portions of Cayuga, Monroe, Ontario and Tompkins counties.
Mocking the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in the Mumbai civic body and showcasing the plight of city roads riddled with potholes, the Congress today held a 'potholes photo exhibition' near the BMC office here.
Inaugurating the day-long exhibition displaying about 402 photos of potholes surfacing on in the wards represented by Sena, BJP and MNS corporators, Congress MLA Nitesh Rane criticised the BMC's ruling coalition for jeopardising the lives of city dwellers "through their corrupt practises".
"These two coalition parties are ruling BMC for last many years and have put lives of people in the city in danger through their corrupt practices. And these potholes (on roads) are an example of their misdeeds," Rane said.
According to Rane, the pictures were shot on the day when Birhanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Ajoy Mehta took a stock of road conditions and had said that there were only 62 potholes in the city.
The exhibit pictures carry details like location, name of ward and constituency.
"I don't say that there are no potholes in the wards represented by Congress corporators. But if there are any, then let the ruling party corporators show them," he said.
Former MP Nilesh Rane, who was also present on the occasion, alleged that the civic corporation was currently in a mess due to "corruption in awarding raod contracts by BMC officials".
"BMC's annual budget runs up over Rs 40,000 crore. The Sena-BJP leaders have failed to run the city. Now that (BMC) elections are approaching, it is high time that people should know the realities and these potholes are a tip of the iceberg of the corruption done by them," Rane further alleged.
He said they had written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, Mumbai's Guardian Minister Subhash Desai, corporators and other civic body officials to attend the exhibition, but no one turned up.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is said to have expressed his 'unhappiness' over the media coverage on violent protests in Kashmir Valley following killing of Burhan Wani saying the Hizbul Mujahideen militant has been portrayed as a "hero".
This was conveyed by the Prime Minister at the high-level meeting he convened this morning to review the situation arising in Jammu and Kashmir after Wani's killing in an encounter, sources privy to the meeting said.
In the meeting, attended by top Union Ministers and officials, the Prime Minister was given a detailed briefing about Wani, the encounter, subsequent protests and drowning of a policeman.
Modi was believed to have expressed 'unhappiness' over the media coverage of Kashmir situation saying a militant, who was involved in terror activities and was working for disintegrating the country, has been portrayed as "hero" giving more traction to his followers to whip up frenzy, sources said.
The Prime Minister has also cited over a dozen cases registered against Wani, most of which were serious in nature under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
The meeting also reviewed the Rs 80,000 crore financial package announced by the NDA government for Jammu and Kashmir and its implementation.
In the meeting, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar briefed the Prime Minister on Pakistan's response to Wani's death, including the statement issued by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, statement by their Foreign Office and summoning of Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale by Foreign Office in Islamabad.
Meanwhile, sources said, the Home Ministry was worried over the situation in Kashmir Valley in the next two days.
July 13 (tomorrow) is commemorated as "martyrs day" in Kashmir and Friday is the 'jumme ki namaz'.
Intelligence agencies have reported that Pakistan-supported groups have been trying to incite violence in the next two days, sources said.
Two police officers fatally shot a knife-waving man during a confrontation on a street in Sacramento, California, authorities have said.
The shooting occurred after witnesses called police to report that a man was waving a knife over his head and was showing "very threatening, erratic behaviour," police spokesman Sgt Bryce Heinlein said yesterday.
One witness told police the man had a gun in his waistband, Heinlein said.
Police said the man threw an object at a police vehicle and was seen reaching for his waistband as if he was trying to retrieve a weapon, the Sacramento Police Department said in a statement.
It also said the man later raised a knife over his head while charging one officer who locked himself in his patrol car to escape injury.
Two more officers arrived and eventually shot the man when he turned toward them with the knife, Heinlein said.
Officers later found a folding knife but no gun, he said.
"He was non-compliant throughout the whole ordeal," refusing repeated commands to drop the weapon, Heinlein said. "I'm not sure if he came at the officers ... But he turned toward the officers in a threatening manner and at that point the officers fired."
The man was shot on a sidewalk while the two officers were close to him, said Officer Matthew McPhail, another police spokesman.
"It sounds like a couple of paces. I don't have an exact foot measurement," McPhail said.
The man was not immediately identified. Police described him as a black man in his 50s or 60s.
The shooting came amid high tensions nationwide over recent police shootings of black men in Minnesota and Louisiana, and the slaying of five Dallas police officers during a Black Lives Matter rally last week.
There was no indication that the man in Sacramento was targeting police officers, Heinlein said.
"It's more erratic behaviour," he said of the circumstances. "At this point I don't know what his mental stability was."
Witness Alton Ford told The Sacramento Bee that officers tried to calm the man without success.
"He was cussing at them," Ford said. "They gave him plenty of opportunity."
The names of the veteran officers involved in the shooting were not immediately released. One has 25 years on the force, and the other has 22 years.
They were not wearing body cameras and apparently did not try to use less-lethal force before they opened fire, Heinlein said.
Gumudamaha, a nondescript village under Baliguda block of Kandhamal district, has suddenly turned into a one-stop destination for politicians as they are heading to the modest dwellings of five gun-shot victims in anti-Maoist operation on Friday night.
While Odisha Congress chief Prasad Harichandan has already visited the village, state BJP President Basant Panda and a delegation of the ruling BJD headed by Transport Minister Ramesh Majhi today met the bereaved family.
"We expressed our sympathy to the victims' families and spoke to the family members. We will submit the report to the chief minister. Action will be taken against the persons responsible for the killings," Majhi, who headed the four-member BJD team of three ministers and a former MP, later told media.
After visiting the affected people, Panda said, "We will submit the report to the central leadership. Our party does not believe in doing politics. We believe in social service."
Panda said considering the situation, the saffron party had to call a bandh today.
Taking the Kandhamal incident seriously, BJP President Amit Shah has constituted a committee of three MPs which is likely to visit Gumudumaha village soon.
BJP party Vice-President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, national secretaries Jyoti Dhurve and Ramvichar Netam were scheduled to visit the spot to probe the incident and submit a report at the earliest, a BJP release said.
Meanwhile, a team of National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) headed by its Chairman Rameswar Oraon arrived in the state capital.
"We are on the way to the affected village in Kandhamal district. It is unfortunate that the poor and innocent tribals and dalits died during the anti-Maoist operation. Those responsible for the incident should be punished," he told reporters at the airport.
Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra said a delegation of Congress MLAs will visit Gumudimaha village on July 15.
Mishra demanded a high court monitored SIT probe into the incident.
Both BJP and Congress separately gave call for a 12-hour Kandhamal bandh protesting against the killings which caused outrage in the state.
Embassies and aid organisations in South Sudan were trying to evacuate staff from the capital, Juba, today as a precarious calm settled over the city following several days of deadly clashes.
Hundreds have been killed in the fighting that began Thursday night. South Sudan's government has said at least 272 were killed, including 33 civilians.
President Salva Kiir and former rebel leader, First Vice President Riek Machar, declared separate cease-fires last night. The cease-fires appear to have held so far.
Military trucks are driving up and down Juba's roads with megaphones ordering soldiers back to barracks.
Japan has urged dozens of its nationals including aid workers in Juba to leave the country and dispatched military aircraft to evacuate them following the fighting.
The US Embassy, Doctors Without Borders and the International Medical Corps are among organisations pulling out their staffs from South Sudan.
Private chartered planes flew foreigners out of Juba's reopened airport today, as regional carriers including Kenya Airways had cancelled flights there.
Neighboring Uganda will send troops to Juba to evacuate its citizens, said Ugandan army spokesman Paddy Ankunda.
The fighting in Juba severely threatened a peace deal signed last year between Kiir and Machar that brought them and their supporters into a transitional coalition government in April.
It is "hugely worrying" that the fighting appeared to be spreading outside South Sudan's capital, the UN human rights office in Geneva said today.
Government troops lined up tanks and fired on a UN base where tens of thousands of civilians are sheltering, according to witnesses. At least eight civilians in the UN camp were killed in the crossfire. Two Chinese peacekeepers with the UN mission were also killed.
Government officials have repeatedly accused the civilians inside the UN bases of being rebels or rebel supporters.
However, South Sudanese nationals trying to escape the capital were prevented from doing so by authorities, according to a security worker in Juba who insisted on anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the press.
Aid groups are warning about the lack of clean water for the tens of thousands of people sheltering in various sites around Juba as water tankers have not been able to make deliveries.
Kiir and Machar fought a civil war against each other since late 2013 which killed tens of thousands of people.
It was a moment of complimenting each other for President Pranab Mukherjee and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who was praised by the Head of State for doing good work in the state.
Speaking at a banquet hosted in his honour, the President showered praises on the functioning of Mamata government in the state, which returned to power with an overwhelming majority in the recently concluded assembly elections.
A bonhomie between the President and Banerjee was also at display in a function here during which Mukherjee recalled his association with the state's chief minister.
"She is just like my younger sister. We have shared many moments of joy, trouble. Many experiences...We have shared many ideas (through) many years working together. I would simply say you are doing well. Carry on. God bless you," the President, who is in Darjeeling, said.
Earlier in the function, Banerjee, in traditional style, touched feet of the President and sought his blessings and surprised him when she handed over a copy of a photograph that she had taken.
During the function, the President gave message of unity in diversity in this hill town, which he termed as 'Mini India'.
"Whenever we look at the map of our country and ponder for a while about India, we are simply mesmerised," the President said explaining the diversity.
There is a huge diversity in a country with 1.28 billion or 128 crore people, where 100 languages and 1,600 dialects are spoken everyday and people of all the major ethnic groups living under one rule, one flag and one Constitution, Mukherjee said during the 'State Reception' hosted in his honour here.
He appreciated the efforts by Banerjee to bring integration among the various ethnic and cultural groups, and providing them the opportunities for their self development.
"Darjeeling is mini India. Truly a Mini India," the President said at the function which was attended also attended by West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi and others.
The President said recent West Bengal Assembly elections demonstrated the strength of Indian democracy and said he was touched by the warmth of reception received from the people of Darjeeling who have assembled despite the cold and rain.
"I am delighted to be in Darjeeling and I am not a guest but one amongst you," he said.
Pakistan today asked the five permanent UNSC members to take notice of the tense situation in Kashmir and call on India to "respect human rights" of the people in the violence-hit Valley.
Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry briefed the envoys of China, France, Russia, UK and US on the situation in Kashmir, the Foreign Office (FO) said.
"He (Chaudhry) expressed Pakistan's serious concern over the brutal killings of civilians and violation of their other fundamental human rights by the Indian security forces," it said in a statement.
The foreign secretary said that India should conduct a fair and transparent inquiry against the individuals responsible for these killings.
Chaudhry urged the international community and particularly the five permanent members of the UN Security Council "to take notice of the gravity of the situation, call on India to respect human rights" of the people of Kashmir and implement UNSC resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.
The Foreign Secretary rejected "India's attempts to claim that the deteriorating human rights situation" in Kashmir was its "internal affair" and emphasised that "the disputed nature of Jammu and Kashmir is awaiting the implementation of the UNSC resolutions."
He said "killings of innocent Kashmiri people could not be condoned under the pretext of terrorism."
Chaudhry said "the just struggle of the Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination" cannot be equated with terrorism.
"Such inhumane and oppressive measures cannot deter the valiant people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand of exercising their right to self-determination in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions," he said.
India had yesterday asked Pakistan to refrain from interfering in its internal affairs after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif issued a statement expressing "shock" at the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani in Kashmir during an encounter.
President Pranab Mukherjee today sent out a message of unity in diversity from this hill town which he termed as 'Mini India'.
A bonhomie between the President and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was also at display during a function here.
"Whenever we look at the map of our country and ponder for a while about India, we are simply mesmerised," the President, who is on a three-day visit to Darjeeling, said explaining the diversity.
"There is a huge diversity in a country with 1. 28 billion or 128 crore people, where 100 languages and 1,600 dialects are spoken everyday and people of all the major ethnic groups live under one rule, one flag and one Constitution", Mukherjee said during the state reception' hosted in his honour here.
He appreciated the efforts by Mamata Banerjee to bring integration among the various ethnic and cultural groupsand providing them opportunities for their self development.
"Darjeeling is mini India. Truly a Mini India," the President said.
Mukherjee also remembered his association with the state's chief minister.
"She is just like my younger sister. We have shared many moments of joy, trouble. Many experiences...We have shared many ideas (through) many years working together. I would simply say you are doing well. Carry on. God bless you," the President said.
Earlier in the function, Banerjee sought the blessings of the President by touching his feet.
She also gave a copy of photograph taken by her to Mukherjee.
West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi and other dignitaries were also present during the function.
Priyanka Gandhi today met Congress general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Ghulam Nabi Azad amid speculation about her assuming a bigger role in the party ahead of the 2017 Assembly polls in the state.
Party sources said Priyanka had an hour-long meeting with Azad at his residence here. They are learnt to have discussed her role in the party ahead of the Assembly polls in the state next year.
According to reports, Priyanka may assume an active and bigger role for Congress and may be its top campaigner in UP.
Congress has so far remained tight-lipped on her role but several party leaders have batted for her assuming a bigger role and canvassing for the party all over the state.
Priyanka has earlier campaigned in Rae Bareli and Amethi parliamentary constituencies, represented by her mother and Congress President Sonia Gandhi and brother and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi, respectively.
Azad had held meetings with Sonia and Rahul in the past few days over the party's poll strategy in UP.
He has favoured Priyanka becoming pro-active and campaigning throughout the state.
Poll strategist Prashant Kishor, who has been roped in by Congress to help and assist the party in Uttar Pradesh, has reportedly suggested Priyanka's name for leading the party in the state.
Reports also have it that veteran leader Sheila Dikshit is likely to assume an active role in the key state. Party's state president Nirmal Khatri is likely to be replaced, the sources said.
There has been divergence of opinion in Congress over Priyanka being made the top campaigner in Uttar Pradesh with a section insisting that she should canvass support for the party all over the country in the next Lok Sabha polls and should not focus on a state poll.
Congress is in political wilderness in UP for the past more than 26 years which saw emergence of 'Mandal' and 'Mandir' issues and the rise of BSP.
Director Pallav Gupta had a long cherished dream to pay his tribute to celebrated women TV journalists on the big screen and the crime reporter in his film "Sesh Sangbad" has traces of all his favourite reporters.
Having been part of a production team of a national channel working on crime stories and political happenings in the national capital, Pallav now zeroes on the crime scene in rural Bengal in his Bengali film with actress Srabanti Chatterjee playing the role of the journalist.
"In a profession like journalism and channel reporting, at times girls are marching ahead of men in on-spot reporting besides keeping pace with them always. My crime reporter Srabanti Chatterjee has traces of all such women characters in her role," he said.
"But if you ask me personally I liked the Kargil adventure of Barkha Dutt the most and my principal character is largely modelled on her though the beats and circumstances are different. It is not a film based on the exploits of a certain individual."
The filmmaker said the movie is a statement on women empowerment.
"Girls are making their presence felt in media in an increasing way. And with the rise in incidents of crimes against women, it will be befitting to cast a woman crime reporter to bring the perpetrators to book," Pallav explained.
Srabanti, one of the most popular Bengali actresses, said she was inspired by Rani Mukerji for her portrayal of a journalist in "No One Killed Jessica".
"Films like 'No One Killed Jessica', 'Mardaani' showed
women not hesitating to fight back while facing physical torture. There is only one life and yes there are certain similar scenes in 'Sesh Sangbad', arguably the first such film in Bengal," Srabanti said.
Pointing out that women journalists have to cater to family needs as well as professional commitments without fail, Srabanti said, "I had often wished to portray their stress-full lives and here it comes in a more realistic form.
An agreement between House and Senate leaders on legislation to combat the opioid epidemic includes legislation sponsored by U.S. Rep. John Katko that would help the federal government crack down on drug kingpins.
The final version of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act was approved by the House on Friday. The Senate will vote on the measure this week.
Katko's Kingpin Designation Improvement Act is part of the legislative agreement. The bill would allow the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control to submit classified information in a non-public setting to defend designating drug traffickers as kingpins.
House passes Rep. John Katko's bill targeting drug kingpins, heroin epidemic For the 10th time, a bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. John Katko has been approved by the House o
According to Katko, R-Camillus, current law doesn't provide protections for classified information when kingpins challenge their designation in federal court.
Katko also touted other elements of the larger anti-opioid legislative package, including a provision he pushed for that would give central New York and other areas affected by drug epidemics, especially higher levels of methamphetamine and opioid use, the ability to apply for community-based coalition enhancement grants.
"I've heard heartbreaking stories from families across central New York who have lost loved ones to this epidemic, and from those who continue to struggle with opioid and heroin abuse and I've made it a priority to address this epidemic in Congress," Katko said.
"(On Friday), the House took a major step forward to reduce abuse, improve patient care and ensure that all individuals who are seeking treatment are able to receive it. Addressing this epidemic requires a multifaceted approach and this legislation attacks the problem from every angle to curb abuse and to help prevent these tragedies from happening to families in our community."
Other provisions in the CARA legislation approved by the House include:
Allows for a greater focus on office-based treatment from a doctor and various therapies
Focuses on granting resources to rural communities to train first responders on how to administer drugs such as Naloxone, which can reverse the effects of a drug overdose
Ensures the federal government emphasizes the various aspects of the fight against the heroin epidemic, including criminal justice reform, prevention, recovery and treatment
Katko said the bill also would give nurse practitioners and physician assistants the authority to prescribe buprenorphine, which is used to treat opioid addiction.
"It should not be the case that accessing life-saving treatments is more difficult than accessing heroin and opioid drugs," Katko said. "This measure explicitly grants the Secretary of Health and Human Services the ability to raise the cap on individuals that are able to be treated, and doing so will allow increased access to medication-assisted treatment to cut down wait times for treatment."
Once the Senate passes the measure, it will go to President Barack Obama's desk for final approval. It appears the president will sign it, despite concerns from Democrats about a lack of funding for many of the initiatives included in the legislation.
Democrats, including U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer of New York, pushed for millions of dollars in funding to be attached to the bill. But Republican majorities in both chambers said the funding question would be addressed through the appropriations process this year.
"This is how the legislative process is supposed to work," Katko said. "Both chambers pass a bipartisan bill. A conference committee resolves the differences. I look forward to the Senate passing this conference agreement to demonstrate that Congress works and, more importantly, to finally deliver results to combat this growing epidemic."
Punjab government today slashed the VAT on e-bikes, e-scooters and e-rickshaws to check pollution by promoting these modes of public transport which are environment friendly.
A cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here slashed the VAT from 13 per cent plus 10 per cent surcharge (14.30 per cent) to 5.5 per cent plus 10 per cent surcharge (6.05 per cent) on e-bikes, e-scooters and e-rickshaws.
Disclosing this, a spokesperson of the CM's office said this decision has been taken to check the pollution by way of promoting these modes of public transport, which were environment friendly, instead of diesel autos.
VAT on the these items in Uttarakhand, Delhi and Rajasthan was 0 per cent, whereas in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh was 5.25 per cent and 13.75 per cent respectively.
"The reduction in the rate of VAT on e-bikes, e-scooters and e-rickshaws from 14.30 per cent to 6.05 per cent would result in loss of Rs 2 crore to the state exchequer," he said.
The Cabinet also gave nod to modify its earlier decision to bring the authority already constituted under the control of Tourism and Cultural Affairs Department to undertake the maintenance of Sri Harmandir Sahib, Sri Durgiana Mandir, Ram Tirath, Town Hall, Gobind Garh Fort and Urban Haat at Amritsar instead of local government department.
It was also decided to name it as 'Amritsar Tourism Development Authority' and Gobindgarh Fort Amritsar had also been included within its ambit.
Approximately 500 to 750 meters area around Sri Darbar Sahib, Gobindgarh Fort, Durgiana Mandir and Ram Tirath Complex would be under the jurisdiction of this authority.
The authority has been authorised to execute works related to maintenance, cleanliness, electricity, monuments- lighting, sanitation, upkeep of roads, solid waste management and other related works in this area.
"The funds would be provided from the Cess collected under the Excise Policy of the state government to carry out the activities of the authority," he said.
In order to impart quality Higher education to the people, the Cabinet also approved the setting up of two self-financed private universities 'Sri Guru Ram Das University of Health Sciences' and Khalsa University both at Amritsar.
The Cabinet also gave ex-post facto approval for the creation of three posts of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPSs), to bring far more efficiency in state administration besides dissemination of policies and programmes of the state government in a result oriented manner.
Quality of the country's growth is improving with focus shifting from boosting cyclical growth through fiscal and monetary stimuli to "repairing the system and initiating structural reforms", rating agency said.
"The biggest positive is that the policy focus hasn't been based on populism, or on boosting cyclical growth through fiscal and monetary stimuli, but on improving the 'trend' growth by repairing the system and initiating structural reforms wherever possible," it said in a report.
The report also noted that unlike China, the current growth in India is not supported by rampant credit creation.
"Credit growth has averaged 9.8 per cent in the last two years, almost in lockstep with 10.2 per cent nominal GDP growth, underscoring sustainability," it said.
According to Crisil, structurally positive steps have been taken such as mending the electricity and banking sectors, but they remain "work in progress".
"The focus on quality of growth with reform initiatives means there will not be significant upsides immediately," Chief Economist Dharmakirti Joshi said.
"But if relentlessly implemented, they will do more to raise the trend growth rather than cyclical growth that we are seeing now. We believe this will remain a work in progress for some more time and the momentum needs to continue," he said.
However, Joshi added that the government needs to create 6,00,000 jobs a month but is falling short of target.
"Food processing and textiles are two sectors where maximum job creation is possible," he said.
has estimated the GDP to grow at 7.9 per cent in the current financial year, provided the monsoon is normal and the global situation does not deteriorate.
Last month, the government had announced a Rs 6,000-crore package for the textile sector, which envisages billions of dollars investment over the next four years leading to an intended generation of new jobs to the tune of 10 million.
In a relief from incessant downpour for the last couple of days, rains today abated a bit in Madhya Pradesh with no rain or flood-related casualty being reported from the state in the last 24 hours.
Flood and rains claimed 22 lives in the state in last couple of days till yesterday.
"There was some let up in the rainfall activities in the state today," India Meteorological Department Bhopal Centre's Director, Dr Anupam Kashyapi, told PTI.
"Monsoon is going to weaken over the state in next two to three days," he said.
East MP today received a meagre rainfall while the south-west parts did receive rains at few places abundantly, the official said.
Meanwhile, State Disaster Management Centre spokesperson Brij Mohan said this evening, "No rain and flood-related death has been reported from any part of the state."
He said some flooding has been reported from Sehore district but the situation was under control.
According to weather warning issued by the Meteorological centre, heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected to lash isolated places over Hoshangabad, Betul, Harda, Khandwa, Ujjain, Dewas, Sehore, Dhar, Ratlam districts in next 24 hours.
Heavy rains are likely to occur at few places over Bhopal, Indore, Burhanpur, Khargone, Barwani, Jhabua, Alirajpur, Shajapur, Chhindwara, Mandla, Seoni, Narsinghpur, Raisen districts in next 24 hours.
An IPS officer involved in the extradition proceedings of Chhota Rajan from Indonesia to India today gave a detailed report on the underworld don's arrest to a special court.
Sonal Mohan Agnihotri, a senior police official, made the submission before Special CBI Judge Vinod Kumar and provided details of Rajan's extradition and arrest in Bali on the basis of a Red Corner Notice issued by the Interpol.
The officer was deposing as a prosecution witness in a fake passport case against Rajan and three former passport officers.
The court, which fixed the matter for tomorrow for further proceedings, had earlier framed charges for alleged offences of cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy against Rajan and others in the case. The accused had pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.
The charges were framed against Rajan for allegedly procuring a fake passport in the name of Mohan Kumar with the help of three government officials, also accused in the case.
The court had ordered trial in the case on daily basis noting that Rajan was in judicial custody for a long period and trial should be started on a day-to-day basis.
Besides Rajan, the court also put on trial three retired public servants.
The four accused have been charged for alleged offences under sections 420 (cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 467(forgery of valuable security or will), 419(cheating by impersonation) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and section 12 (offences and penalties) of the Passport Act.
Besides this, the court framed charge against the retired public servants under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The CBI had earlier told the court that the government officials had conspired to issue the passport to Rajan in name of one Mohan Kumar, a non-existent person in complete violation of procedures.
It had told the court that Rajan, currently lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody, was accused in several cases of heinous nature involving charges of murder and extortion and when in 1995, a Red Corner Notice was issued against him, he had used a new identity to escape.
Rajan has denied the allegation that he used a fictitious identity with the help of fake passport to escape the law as he was accused in several cases of heinous nature.
According to another journalist, Rajan told him that Dey
was hand-in-glove with "traitors", and he killed Dey.
A close friend of Dey's told the investigators that Dey had told him that Rajan was calling him frequently. He found the gangster to be very "polite".
"I told him...One should be alert...Because dons are polite when they want to deceive someone," he told CBI.
On the day of the murder, Dey had told this witness on phone that Rajan had again spoken to him recently.
As Dey was worried about getting frequent calls from Rajan, the witness suggested that he should see if he had made any mistakes (so as to offend the gangster).
"Dey said so far he had done nothing wrong... But he had shared a very secret information with Vinod Chembur and from that day calls from Rajan increased," the witness said.
According to a police constable, who is a witness in the case, Chembur's son Sanjay told him Dey wanted to get Rajan killed and was supplying information to Dawood gang.
According to CBI, Rajan was upset with Dey over certain articles written by him, and also because Dey's planned book described Rajan as "chindi" (a small fry).
The book, 'Chindi -- Rags to Riches', was to tell stories of 20 gangsters with humble origins. It was supposed to describe Dawood, Rajan's friend-turned-foe, as being superior to the gangster.
Rajan was arrested at Bali airport in Indonesia on October 25 last year and deported to India.
The 300-page charge sheet against him was filed at the special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court here last week.
The first charge sheet filed in the case in 2011 names Satiah Kaliya, Abhijeet Shinde, Arun Dake, Sachin Gaikwad, Anil Waghmode, Nilesh Shendge, Mangesh Agawane, Vinod Asrani, Paulson Joseph and Deepak Sisodia (all arrested).
Another charge sheet was filed against Vora next year. Accused of instigating Rajan against Dey owing to her own professional rivalry, she is currently on bail.
At least 10 people were killed in rain-related incidents in Maharashtra and Rajasthan even as there was some let up in the flood situation in Madhya Pradesh and Assam with no casualty reported from the two states since yesterday.
Several parts of the country received monsoon rains with heavy rainfall in the national capital, some places in Rajasthan and in eastern Uttar Pradesh, but precipitation eluded Bihar, Punjab and Haryana, where sultry weather caused discomfort to people.
In Maharasthra, eight persons have died in rain-related incidents in the past 36 hours.
Gaganbawda taluka received highest rainfall in Kolhapur district in last 24 hours ending at 8 AM today.
The heavy spell caused a substantial rise in the water level of Panchganga river near Kolhapur city which is now flowing near the danger mark, following which a disaster management team has been put on alert.
An IMD official said heavy rains coupled with thundershowers are likely in the Konkan region, north and south central Maharashtra.
He said following heavy rains in the catchment area of Godavari in Nashik, the authorities there and in Ahmednagar districts have put the villages along the embankment of the river on high alert.
Incessant rains also disrupted rail traffic between Surat (in Gujarat) and Nandurbar as the earth work underneath the tracks was washed away forcing railways to divert traffic.
Meanwhile, in Madhya Pradesh, where rain-related incidents claimed 22 lives till yesterday, there was as no fresh casualty reported in the last 24 hours.
"Monsoon is going to weaken over the state in next two to three days," India Meteorological Department Bhopal Centre's Director, Anupam Kashyapi, told PTI.
Officials said some flooding has been reported from Sehore district but the situation was under control.
In Rajasthan, two people were washed away in flood waters in two separate incidents, as rains continued to lash several parts of the state with heavy precipitation in Ajmer, Bharatpur and Udaipur divisions.
Dungla in Chittorgarh recorded maximum of 11 cm rains while Danpur in Banswara registered 9 cm rains till the morning since yesterday.
A 35-year-old man was swept away in the flood waters of Ghadawali river under NH 27 bridge yesterday in Baran district. In another incident, a 40-year-old government school teacher was swept away in the flood waters yesterday while he was crossing culvert of river in Samraniya village.
Restrictions on the movement of people in Srinagar and four districts of south Kashmir, which were imposed in the wake of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani and the ensuing deadly violence, remained in force today.
The restrictions will remain in force even today in most areas of Srinagar city and four districts of south Kashmir as a precautionary measure, officials said.
They said the restrictions were imposed to maintain law and order in the Valley.
Meanwhile, the strike called by the separatist groups also affected normal life in the Valley.
The separatist groups yesterday extended the strike call till July 13 to coincide with the 85th anniversary of those who laid down their lives fighting the Aristocratic rule in the state in 1931.
Shops, private offices, business establishments and petrol pumps remained shut, while government offices and banks witnessed thin attendance, the officials said.
Public transport was completely off the roads for the fourth consecutive day, while private cars and auto-rickshaws were seen plying at few places in the areas where there were no restrictions, they said.
Educational institutions in the Valley were closed on account of the ongoing summer vacations, while Central University of Kashmir (CUK), Kashmir University, Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) and Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) have postponed the examinations due to the prevailing situation.
The separatist groups earlier on Friday had called for a one-day strike following Wani s killing.
The strike was then extended for two more days to protest the killings of civilians in firing allegedly by security forces.
The shutdown call was again extended yesterday.
Most of the separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik, are either in custody or house arrest.
The Bombay High Court today granted interim protection from arrest to two road contractors who are accused in a Rs 350-crore road repair scam.
Justice P N Deshmukh, while granting the interim bail to road contractors Jitendra Kikavat and Manish Kasliwal, observed that others accused in the case got bail from lower court, and that the duo cooperated with the police in the investigation.
The high court granted interim bail to the two contractors for a surety of Rs one lakh each, and directed them to appear daily before the police concerned from July 20 to 23.
A case was lodged with Azad Maidan police station on April 27, this year after BMC's internal probe revealed that more than two dozen roads in the city were of poor quality.
The police registered a case under IPC sections 420 (cheating), 197 (issuing or signing false certificate) and 120(b) (criminal conspiracy).
Police have so far arrested 22 junior-rung officials of six contractors.
The six firms named in the FIR are Relcon-R K Madhani (JV), R K Madhani, Relcon Infra Projects Ltd, Mahavir Road Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, J Kumar K R Construction and RPS K R Construction.
The Russian Information Center in India (RIC) has issued a handbook with a detailed list of Do's and Don'ts for Indian tourists visiting the country.
Based on the opinion of the Consulate General of Russian Federation here, the booklet aimed at reducing stressful situations and misunderstanding in predominantly non-English speaking and non-vegetarian country.
The RIC creates a detailed list of Do's and Don'ts for Indians travelling to Russia.
The handbook, that will be shared with tourism departments and associations and all travel agencies, says "the mentality and traditions of Russian and Indian people are similar in many ways - despite the significant difference in the lifestyles".
"These differences, as well as language gap, according to RIC experts, often create unnecessary problems for both Indian tourists and tour operators in Russia for whom RIC has issued a separate guidance on working with Indian tourists," it said.
Ekaterina Belyakova, head of RIC in India, said "We have been working on promoting bilateral tourism between Russia and India for over three years and have noted many cases of misunderstanding, concerns, that we've tried to address in this handbook. We felt warning people about some cultural traditions, social norms and customs, sentiments, even tastes, especially when it comes to food, is very important."
The handbook contains information and recommendations on how to go through immigration and passport control after arrival in Russia, how to take care of meals and where to find vegetarian options in Russia, how to behave with Russian authorities and common people and how to read their behaviour, which is often misleading.
"Smiling to strangers is not a part of Russian culture. Russians are polite and professional, and they do smile whole heartedly after they come to know you - which often takes time," the handbook says.
The handbook also deals with situations often leaving Indian tourists in Russia outraged - such as, for example, paid toilets or paid water.
"Drinking water is not free anywhere, like in other parts
of Europe. You will have to buy small quantities which is expensive or stock up 5 litre cans available in product shops or hyper markets," the handbook says.
The handbook comes at the time when RIC is organising another 'fam' trip to to Moscow and St Petersburg for Indian travel agents as a part of the 'Indo-Russian Tourism Exchange' initiative launched in February 2016 in Mumbai. The first trip was in April.
"As outbound tourism in India grows faster than that of China, India as a target market has huge and largely unrecognised potential for Russian tourism industry," Paresh Navani, Managing Partner, RIC said.
"Russia has a lot to offer for Indian tourists, and it is not only beautiful nature or cultural heritage, but the warmth of Russian 'chai' and Russian peoples, too," he said.
According to the 'India Outbound Tourism Market' report by Renub Research, out of more than 18 million Indian tourists travelled abroad 2015, only 30 thousand had visited Russia.
Considering that by 2030 the number of outbound tourists in India may reach 50 million, Russia has a huge potential to attract more Indian tourists in future, he said.
Launched in 2013, RIC in India works towards building positive relations between the citizens of Russia and India by promoting exchange of people visiting the respective countries.
With the support of central and state tourism departments in Russia and India, RIC is running its 'Indo-Russian Tourism Exchange' since earlier this year, with the objective of increasing tourism flow between the two countries and exploring investment opportunities in tourism sector.
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton today received a long- awaited endorsement from her party rival Bernie Sanders as the two leaders put aside their differences and joined hands to beat Republican Donald Trump in the November 8 election.
"Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process. And I congratulate here for that. She will be the Democratic nominee for president. And I intend to do everything I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United States," Sanders, 74, told cheering supporters at a joint election rally in New Hampshire with Clinton, 68.
"I remember her as a great first lady who broke precedent in terms of the role that a first lady was supposed to play. And as she helped lead the fight to universal health care. I served with her in the US Senate and know her as a fierce advocate for the rights of our children," he said.
The Vermont Senator, who has been a thorn in Clinton's side over the last year, pledged to support his former rival through Election Day.
"I know her and all of you know her as one of the most intelligent people that we have ever met. Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding president and I am proud to stand with her today," Sanders said.
While acknowledging the two have had disagreements, Sanders said both campaigns found common ground over the past weekend at the Democratic Platform Committee meeting in Orlando, Florida. He said he would work hard to elect Clinton, and that he was "proud to stand with her today."
He used the occasion to lash out at Trump.
"While Donald Trump is busy insulting Mexicans and Muslims and women and African Americans and our veterans, Hillary Clinton understands that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths," he said.
"Donald Trump, like most Republicans, sadly and tragically is choosing to reject science, something no presidential candidate should ever do. He believes that climate change is a hoax. In fact, he wants to expand the use of fossil fuels. That would be a disaster for our country and for the entire planet," he added.
Clinton said the party is now united and is ready to defeat Trump in the November general elections.
"With your help, we are joining forces to defeat Donald Trump, win in November, and yes, together build a future we can all believe in," she said amidst laud applause from her supporters.
Clinton thanked Sanders for his lifetime of fighting injustice.
"I am proud to be fighting alongside you, because, my friends, this is a time for all of us to stand together. These have been difficult days for America," she said.
(Reopens FGN 50)
"And taking on the systemic racism that plagues our country, and rebuilding the frayed bonds of trust and respect between law enforcement and the communities they serve will require contributions from all of us," Clinton said.
"We have to begin by starting to listen to each other, and more than that, we then have to come together to do something that will help us fix these problems and heal these wounds.
"We have to reform our broken criminal justice system, take back our democracy from the wealthy special interests, and make our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top," she added.
All these things needs to be done at the same time.
"That's why throughout this campaign we've been calling for eliminating racial profiling and disparities in sentencing, ending the era of mass incarceration, dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline, providing more employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated people," Clinton said.
By endorsing Clinton, Sanders has sold himself out to the former Secretary of State and the move has made his fans angry, Trump alleged.
"Bernie Sanders, who has lost most of his leverage, has totally sold out to Crooked Hillary Clinton. He will endorse her today - fans angry!" Trump said in a tweet Tuesday morning hours before Sanders was to endorse Clinton at an election rally in New Hampshire.
"I am somewhat surprised that Bernie Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters. They are not happy that he is selling out!" Trump said in another tweet.
In the past few days, the real estate tycoon has said that supporters of Sanders would switch over to him.
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump today criticised Bernie Sanders for endorsing his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton and said by supporting her the Vermont Senator has sold himself out to the former Secretary of State.
"Bernie Sanders, who has lost most of his leverage, has totally sold out to crooked Hillary Clinton. He will endorse her today - fans angry!" Trump said in a tweet hours before Sanders was to endorse Clinton at an election rally in New Hampshire.
"I am somewhat surprised that Bernie Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters. They are not happy that he is selling out!" Trump said in another tweet.
In the past few days, the real estate tycoon has said that supporters of Sanders would switch over to him.
Sanders has taken an unusually longer time to endorse Clinton, who has won Democratic presidential primary.
In a statement, Trump listed out five reasons why Sanders' supporters would not be excited about Clinton.
Sanders stance on trade stands in stark contrast to the radical, corporate globalist agenda that Clinton represents as she refuses to disavow TPP, he said.
"Sanders has said that Clinton is in the pocket of big banks, saying that wall street has been the major campaign contributor to Clinton," he alleged.
Meanwhile, the Clinton campaign in an email said that Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have some of the best and smartest ideas they have ever heard for addressing the economic disparity of the country.
"Take student loans. Hillary and Bernie both agree that the high rate of student debt keeps thousands of bright young people from making investments or starting small businesses every year -- and our economy loses out, Lalit," said Mike Shapiro, economic policy advisor, Hillary for America.
"So together, they're fighting to make it so future students won't have to borrow a dime to go to in-state public colleges or universities. Not one dime! Instead, for students whose families make less than USD 125,000 per year, tuition at those schools should be completely free," he said.
After being unable to get answers from the Transportation Security Administration on whether Cuban airports have the necessary security equipment, U.S. Rep. John Katko opted for a new approach.
Katko, R-Camillus, introduced legislation Tuesday that would prohibit all commercial air travel between the U.S. and Cuba until TSA confirms that Cuba's last-point-of-departure airports are meeting security standards to protect Americans traveling to and from the island nation.
The bill, the Cuba Airport Security Act, is cosponsored by two Republicans House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul and U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson and U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, a Democrat.
During a floor speech Tuesday, Katko said he has "serious concerns" about Cuba's airport security equipment and how the country's aviation workers are screened.
"As chairman of the (House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security), I believe it is my duty to do everything in my power to ensure the security of the traveling American public and I take that duty very serious," he said.
Earlier this year, the U.S. and Cuba announced plans to resume commercial air travel between the two countries. The agreement would allow for up to 110 daily roundtrip flights, including 20 flights to Havana.
Katko expressed concerns about the plan and decided to hold a subcommittee hearing on whether Cuba's airports had the equipment to provide adequate security and ensure the safety of air travelers coming to the United States.
Representatives from the TSA and Department of Homeland Security testified at the hearing, which was held in May. Despite providing information about Cuban airport security to members of Congress in a non-secure setting, the witnesses refused to answer questions about Cuba's security equipment. They claimed the details were too sensitive to be revealed in public.
After the hearing, Katko accused President Barack Obama's administration of not being open about Cuba's airport security.
In June, Katko and other members of Congress planned to travel to Cuba to see the security equipment for themselves. However, Cuba didn't issue the delegation visas, so the trip was cancelled.
"We still don't know if Cuba has the adequate body scanners and explosive detection systems in place, whether it has the technology to screen for fraudulent passports or ID, whether or how aviation workers are screened and if federal air marshals will be allowed to fly missions to Cuba," Katko said in June.
He added, "The (Obama administration) is eager to have as many people as possible visit Cuba except for those who are attempting to examine Cuban security infrastructure."
At a hearing last week on TSA misconduct, Katko questioned DHS and TSA officials on whether the agency was misusing security classifications to avoid public discussions on "unpleasant" topics, such as Cuban airport security.
The DHS inspector general is reviewing the matter.
While Katko is seeking to bring more attention to concerns about Cuba's security equipment, it's unlikely that his bill will become law. If the House and Senate approve the measure, President Barack Obama would certainly veto it.
'Sarbat Khalsa', a congregation of Sikhs, today announced it will hold a peaceful march on July 17 here to protest against the alleged failure of police to arrest those involved in desceration of holy book last year.
'Sarbat Khalsa' met here to chalk out the plan for the protest march under the leadership of SAD (Amritsar) head Simranjit Singh Mann.
'Sarbat Khalsa'accused the SAD-BJP combine government in Punjab of failure to protect the lives of common men, Mann said.
He also attacked the government for the recent incident of sacrilege at Malerkotla.
Supreme Court today asked Pearls Agrotech Corporation Ltd (PACL) to approach the expert panel appointed by it to monitor the sale of assets and refund of money to the investors, for any relief for release of funds.
A bench comprising Justices A R Dave and L Nageshwara Rao asked the group to move its application for release of funds to pay statutory dues with the expert committee headed by former Chief of India R M Lodha.
"Petitioner (PACL) is directed to approach the Justice R M Lodha committee with its application seeking relief. The committee can take appropriate decision with regard to the application," the bench said.
During the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the company needed to pay statutory dues like litigation costs, Provident Funds and insurance of the employees and other expenses, for which SEBI should release the funds.
Counsel appearing for Security and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) opposed the plea and said they had only Rs 112 crore which will be paid to the investors and company's application should not be entertained.
The apex court had on February 2 appointed the expert committee to monitor the sales of the assets of company and refund of money to the investors of PACL.
It had directed that title deeds of various lands of PACL should be handed over by the CBI to the SEBI, which shall accordingly take appropriate steps to ensure their sale for the purpose of refunding the money to the investors.
It also directed the Pearls Agrotech Corporation Ltd (PACL) not to accept any deposit from the public and restrained any court from interfering with sale proceedings.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has initiated recovery proceedings against PACL Ltd and its promoters and directors, including Nirmal Singh Bhangoo, for their failure to refund Rs 49,100 crore to investors.
Earlier, SEBI had passed a refund order against various PACL group companies after holding them guilty of illegitimately pooling funds from the public through a collective investment scheme.
SEBI found that PACL had collected money from crores of investors through unauthorised collective investment schemes in the name of real estate projects and some agricultural land-related schemes.
The apex court's direction had come after a plea was filed by PACL Customers and Employees Association seeking a direction to SEBI to initiate proceedings against PACL for allegedly swindling around Rs 500 crore from various investors in Kerala.
The Supreme Court today asked the organisations representing the Sikh community to make a united effort in their endeavour to ban jokes on them rather than being divided in giving suggestions and evolving mechanisms to curb such activity.
"You should be united in the effort rather than divided," a bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice D Y Chandrachud observed at the end of hearing on a batch of petitions seeking ban on circulation of jokes on Sikhs.
The remarks came as various Sikh bodies said they have formed their committee and were in the process of coming out with the final suggestions and guidelines on the issue.
The bench listed the matter after six weeks and suggested that all stakeholders should come forward to form one committee to go into the issue.
"Why different committees are formed," it asked during the hearing in which Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Amritsar, Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC), Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee from Haryana and Gurudwara Management Committee from Patna Sahib in Bihar, competed with each other in making submissions.
Senior advocate R S Suri, appearing for DSGMC, said a committee comprising former apex court judges -- Justices H S Bedi, M Y Eqbal and former diplomat Pavan Verma and former bureaucrat M P Bezbaruah, an expert on northeast -- was working and all of them will meet shortly to come out with the guidelines.
The court, which agreed with his plea seeking a month's time, said "Suri himself is a Sikh and is working very hard."
The senior advocate said there was a need for simple guidelines which can be executed and "one final meeting is required."
The first PIL on the issue was filed by a woman lawyer, Harvinder Chowdhary, who today got emotional and spoke about the menace of jokes on the community by referring to the suicide of a boy, upset by one of the many jokes that lampoon the community. She said she has been travelling across the country to take feedback on the issue.
Chowdhary said she herself has been the victim of being a Sikh and treated in a discriminatory manner and suffered humiliation. She contended that such jokes were a violation of Sikhs' right to equality and an attack on the dignity of the community.
A Supreme Court judge, Justice L Nageshwara Rao, today recused himself from hearing the pleas challenging the NEET ordinance which allowed states to continue with their separate entrance tests for MBBS and BDS courses for academic year 2016-17.
A bunch of pleas listed for hearing before the bench of Justices A R Dave and L Nageshwara Rao was adjourned for July 15, after the latter sought recusal from hearing the matter.
Earlier, a vacation bench of the apex court had refused to accord urgent hearing and directed the matter to be listed before the regular bench which was seized of the matter.
Petitioner Anand Rai, who also claims to be a whistle blower in the Vyapam scam, had contended that the Government was not competent to nullify the judicial order by promulgating the ordinance.
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi had told the court that the ordinance, which keeps state boards outside the purview of single medical entrance test NEET, is only for this academic year and the government was well within its right to come up with it.
States like Tamil Nadu, Goa, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, which conduct separate tests in their respective vernacular languages, had demanded this practice to be continued for the present academic session only, keeping interests of students in mind, Rohatgi had said, adding that NEET question papers are either in English or in Hindi.
Rai in his plea had sought seeking quashing of the ordinance, which got Presidential assent on May 24, and sought a stay on the operation of the ordinance as an interim relief.
Referring to Centre's stand to support the single-window National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) for admissions to MBBS and dental courses, the plea said the government has now taken a "complete U-turn" which shows "mala fide and ill intent towards the process of admission of students who shall suffer the most".
Meanwhile, NGO Sankalp Charitable Trust, which had earlier moved the apex court in support of NEET, had also filed a fresh plea challenging the ordinance.
The plea, moved through advocate Amit Kumar, said the ordinance is "illegal" as it is inconsistent with the fundamental rights.
Two court bailiffs were killed and some others injured in a shootout outside a courthouse in the US state of Michigan, media reports said.
The shootout occurred yesterday afternoon outside the Berrien County courthouse in St Joseph, Michigan, in which the two bailiffs were killed, Sheriff Paul Bailey said, adding the suspect attacker was also gunned down, CNN said.
A sheriff's deputy was also shot and several civilians were injured, Bailey said. They have been hospitalised, he said.
"The courthouse is secured and the scene is rendered safe. No further victims are involved," Bailey said.
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder said police have secured the incident spot and started probe into the shooting.
"MSP has secured the scene at the Berrien County courthouse and started its investigation into the shooting that occurred this afternoon," he said in a tweet.
"I'm en route to St. Joe for a briefing on the situation in Berrien County from Sheriff Bailey. Please keep those affected in your prayers. (sic)," Snyder said in another tweet.
Last week five police officers were killed in Dallas by an Army veteran "protesting" the fatal police shootings of two black men in the US states of Louisiana and Minnesota.
Four Bangladeshi nationals were today sentenced in Singapore to up to five years in prison for raising money for the Islamic State terror group and plotting to overthrow the government back home.
Ringleader Rahman Mizanur was sentenced to five years in prison. Sohel Hawlader Ismail Hawlader was sentenced to two years in jail while Miah Rubel and Md Jabath Kysar Haje Norul Islam Sowdagar were handed down 2.5 years jail term each.
They were earlier charged with providing or collecting money to fund terrorist acts in Bangladesh.
Asking for deterrent sentences, the prosecution pointed out that the accused men have caused public disquiet and were funding one of the Islamic State militant groups.
The four were part of a group of six charged under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act the first time the Act has been used for prosecution.
The other two Zaman Daulat and Mamun Leakot Ali have denied the charges and are claiming trial.
Court documents had shown that the men had clearly defined roles. They were led by Rahman, with Mamun as the group's deputy leader.
Miah was in the group's financial council, while Jabath handled the group's media.
Zaman and Sohel were in the group's security and fighter councils, respectively.
Miah and Jabath were also accused of possessing money for terrorist purposes.
Court documents also showed that Jabath was in possession of $1,360 this includes a sum of $1,060 that he was handed by Miah last month.
In all, the six had contributed sums of $60 to $500 to the cause.
They were planning attacks back home in hopes of toppling their government, Strait Times reported.
Their goal was to set up an Islamic state in Bangladesh and bring it under the self-declared caliphate of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, it said.
The six were among eight men arrested between late March and early April this year.
Bangladesh has been reeling under a spate of terror attacks.
Victims of the attacks by suspected Islamists have included secular bloggers, gay rights activists and followers of minority religions including Hindus, Christians and Muslim Sufis and Shiites.
Recently, gunmen stormed a popular restaurant in Dhaka's diplomatic enclave and killed 22 people, most of them foreigners from Italy, Japan, India and the US in an attack that was claimed by the Islamic State.
Drug firm has been granted a patent each by India and South Africa for a drug used in treatment of neuro-degenerative diseases.
In a BSE filing today, Suven Life said it has been granted "one product patent from India and one product patent from South Africa corresponding to the New Chemical Entities (NCEs) for treatment of disorders associated with neuro-degenerative diseases".
The patents are valid through 2028 and 2032, respectively, the company added.
Suven Life CEO Venkat Jasti said: "We are very pleased by the grant of these patents to Suven for our pipeline of molecules in the CNS arena, which are being developed for cognitive disorders with high unmet medical need with a huge market potential globally."
With these new patents, Suven has a total of 18 granted patents from India and 23 from South Africa.
"These granted patents are exclusive intellectual property of Suven and are achieved through internal discovery research efforts. Products out of these inventions may be out-licensed at various phases of clinical development like phase-I or phase-II," Suven said.
The stock of was trading 2.23% up at Rs 209 on BSE in the morning trade.
A rights group today slammed foreign representatives for attending a Chinese government-organised forum in Tibet that claimed international support for a "Lhasa Consensus" on economic development in the mainly Buddhist region.
Chinese state media said that "130 guests from over 30 countries and regions" agreed "Tibet will have a bright future!" at a two-day meeting in the regional capital.
The official Xinhua agency said the document stressed the ruling Communist Party's traditional view that economic development was Tibet's most important task, adding that growth should be environmentally friendly.
"Cultural preservation with development is the best way to carry Tibet's outstanding traditional culture forward," the Consensus reportedly said.
It made no reference to the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader and a Nobel laureate.
Beijing says its troops "peacefully liberated" Tibet in 1951 and insists it has since brought development to a previously backward region where serfs were exploited.
But many Tibetans accuse officials of repressing their religion and eroding their culture, adding that natural resources are exploited to benefit China's ethnic Han majority at the expense of the environment.
More than 140 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 in protest against Beijing's rule. Most have died.
The US-based International Campaign for Tibet slammed the forum as a whitewash of political repression and environmental damage in the Himalayan region.
"Instead of seeking to protect this fragile high-altitude environment, China is building multiple dams on all the major rivers running off the plateau, devastating the landscape with large-scale copper, gold, silver and lithium mining, and intensifying urbanisation," it said in a statement.
"It is astonishing that foreign individuals representing respectable institutions would endorse Beijing propaganda, while hundreds of Tibetan political prisoners are still in jail for expressing their views," said Matteo Mecacci, the group's president.
Beijing restricts access to Tibet by foreign journalists and non-governmental organisations more strictly than any other area, and a German lawmaker was refused a Chinese visa in May after he criticised rights violations in the region, Berlin said.
The full list of international participants in the forum was not available. Xinhua indicated that a representative of the New York-based Asia Society attended, alongside "researchers" from Italy and South Africa, and reporters from Indian, Russian and Thai media.
Trinamool Congress is likely to take stern action against a party councillor who was today arrested on the charge of extorting money, a move aimed at conveying a strong message to the TMC rank and file, a senior district party leader said.
TMC councillor of ward no 41 of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, Anindya Chattopadhyay, was arrested by the police this morning on a complaint by a resident of the area that he had been "forced to pay" Rs 12,00,000 for construction work at his residence.
A senior TMC leader of North 24-Parganas district told PTI that several complaints of extortion by Chatterjee had been received in the past several months and he had been cautioned for that, but he didn't mend his ways.
"Our party supremo Mamata Banerjee time and again had cautioned a section of party leaders against involvement in syndicate business and extortion. Anindiya didn't mend his ways. Stern action will be taken against him to send out a strong message," he said.
According to TMC sources, police action was initiated against Chatterjee after a green signal had been received from the top level of the state administration.
Terming the e-visa initiative as a "game-changer" for tourism sector, has asked Union Home Ministry to extend the facility to the citizens of 36 more countries, including Turkey, Italy, Saudi Arabia and Morocco.
"E-visa has proved to be a game changer. We have recently wrote to the Home Ministry to consider granting e-visa to the citizens of 36 more countries which are important from tourism point of view," Secretary, Tourism Ministry, Vinod Zutshi said.
The Home Ministry has informed that the request was being processed, he said, and expressed hope that soon these countries would be in the list of nations availing of the facility.
Launched in November 2014, the scheme was initially available for the citizens of 113 countries, it was further extended for the nationals of 37 more countries this year, taking the total numbers to 150.
Some of the names of the countries which have been recommended for granting the e-visa facility include Maldives, Iran, Nigeria, Egypt, Ethopia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kazakhstan, Zutshi said.
"These are the source countries...If e-visa is extended to these countries, it would lead to increase in footfalls from such nations," he added.
Stating that e-visa has received a "great response" from visitors, he said there has been an increase of whopping 273% at 4.71 lakh tourist availing of the facility during January to June this year as compared to 1.26 lakh during the corresponding period last year.
Last year, the facility was available for 113 countries but it was increased to 150 in February this year, whose full impact would be seen in the coming days, he said.
Under the e-visa scheme, an applicant receives an email authorising him or her to travel to India after it is approved and he or she can travel with a print-out of this authorisation.
On arrival, the visitor has to present the authorisation to the immigration authorities who would then stamp the entry into the country.
More than 40 agricultural projects involving water quality conservation were awarded $13.1 million in total across the state through the Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program. Among those funded projects included three from Cayuga County and one involving Skaneateles Lake in Onondaga County.
The three projects from Cayuga County, proposed by the Soil and Water Conservation District, involve work with farms in the Cayuga Lake Watershed.
One project was awarded $105,177 for the implementation of best management conservation practices including agricultural waste treatment systems and a riparian buffer to address water quality concerns on one farm in the watershed, according to a release. The systems will keep nutrients, sediment and other pollutants out of the lake.
Another grant in the amount of $205,530 was awarded to the district to address water quality concerns on two farms in the Salmon Creek Watershed, a sub-watershed of Cayuga Lake's and a major tributary to the lake. The project will include creating silage leachate treatment systems, erosion control and riparian buffers.
The state awarded the district $277,960 for the implementation of cover crop systems on eight farms in the Cayuga Lake Watershed in order to keep nutrients, sediment and pollutants out of the lake.
The Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District also received funding for several projects including $200,831 to implement cover crop systems and a prescribed rotational grazing system on Skaneateles Lake and the Greater Oswego River Watershed. The district will work with 11 farms on these systems.
"Ensuring that New York's waterways remain pristine is essential to the long-term viability of our booming agricultural industry," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a release. "This funding will provide farmers with the resources they need to protect our treasured waters and surrounding communities, and foster sound environmental stewardship while supporting more than 120 farms across the state."
The Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program is administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and the New York State Soil and Water Conservation Committee. Funding for the program has increased to $19 million from the state.
For a complete list of funded projects, visit agriculture.ny.gov/Press%20Releases/20160630_AgNPS_R22_Project.pdf.
Muslim academics and religious scholars today asked the government to "tread cautiously" on the issue of action against Islamic preacher Zakir Naik.
"While all sections of the society have to take a united stand against anything which remotely promotes extremism, the ongoing attempts to single out Zakir Naik even before any investigation has been conducted doesn't bode well", Spokesperson of Nadwatul Uloom, Lucknow Maulana Syed Hamza Nadwi said.
"We differ with them on some matters, but we are yet to find evidence of any hate content in their teachings," he said.
General Secretary of the Paghamey Insaniyat Committee, Maulana Syed Bilal Hasni said, "we have always had reservations about some of the teachings of the Ahle Hadees School of thought. They have full right to their views, but we do not approve of their approach of running down other schools of thought, while trying to appropriate Islam".
However, he said, any attempt to "single" out Zakir Naik without proper investigations is not "correct" and government should "tread cautiously" on the issue.
"It is apparent that many other people in the country are preaching hatred and issuing inflammatory statements in all forms, and no action is being taken. There has to be a single yardstick," he said.
Prof Asmar Baig Chairman Department of political science AMU said that the ongoing attempt to drag AMU in the controversy surrounding Zakir Naik is "unfortunate".
Baig said, "Naik's three year term as a member of the AMU Court began and ended much before the government found anything inappropriate in his preaching. He played no role whatsoever in AMU affairs.
Border Security Force today seized two Pakistani fishing boats abandoned in the Indian territory at Harami Nala area in Kutch district near Indo-Pak border.
"The occupants of these mechanised fishing boats having Pakistan origin fled into the Pakistani territory after seeing patrolling party approaching them, as they were fishing in the Indian territory," Gujarat Border Security Force (BSF) said in a release.
The boats were around 28-feet long and and 4-feet wide in size.
4 kilograms of fish, 50 fishing hooks, one ice box and a plastic can was recovered from the boats, it said.
The UK today said it is "very keen" on developing further the trade relationship with India and does not see any "adverse impact" on Indian investments flowing to England post Brexit.
"Very positive, we are very keen on developing further trade relationships (with India)...There are huge opportunities looking to develop," British High Commissioner Dominic Asquith said here today.
He said discussions were held with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on "what the trade relations might look like".
"That's the direction where we will be going and building on what is already extraordinary strong relationships... The UK is the largest G20 investor in India and India is third largest investor in the UK.
"Indian companies in the UK which have grown more than 10 per cent last year have doubled. In case of one Indian company it has grown by over 700 per cent..Huge opportunities looking to develop," he said.
On the impact of Britain's exit from the European Union, Asquith said he does not see any adverse impact on Indian investments to the UK following Brexit.
"There are a lot of and plenty of opportunities to invest in the UK at the moment. It has always been in the interest from Indian investors many of whom are already invested in the UK in terms of expanding and we would welcome new investments and I do not see any adverse impact," British envoy said.
To a question on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, British Ambassador showered praise on Modi for "creating conditions" to attract new investments into the country.
"He (Modi) is making progress and creating the conditions to attract investors. That is exactly you need to create a climate in terms of regulations, in terms of incentives that encourages investors to come and invest in the country that helps economies to grow," he added.
"If you close your economy to the outside, that has very negative consequences for the economy...Protectionism, closing your economy is not going to be good idea. Opening it up, making it attractive for people to invest and trading that is what he (Modi) seems to be doing."
He also spoke about the education opportunities and prospects in the UK.
Asquith said, "I had always been interested in India. I had not had a professional background there but had always visited as a tourist. It is a hugely important country and so when I was asked to do this job I decided to accept. We like to work with the next generation of young Indians to help them improve their economic, social and cultural opportunities."
"Our priority is to celebrate the great things about both countries, reconnect the young people of India with the UK and make people in the UK get to see what India is today. Education is at the heart of our mission to strengthen the UK's relations with India. And young Indians studying in the UK is one of the best ways to make that happen," he said.
British High Commissioner Dominic Asquith today pledged support and cooperation to Punjab government in the field of agriculture diversification, skill development and providing English language trainers.
An assurance in this regard was given by the visiting delegation led by Asquith during a meeting with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here today, an official release said.
Asquith assured the chief minister that he would soon take up this matter with the British Council to include Punjab in their National Training for Trainers programme in collaboration with Ministry of Human Resources, to train nearly 3,000 teachers across the state during its three years course.
He said after this training module, if needed, another year will be exclusively devoted to further upgrade their skills in teaching English as per international standards.
There will also be English teachers' exchange programme between the United Kingdom and Punjab, the release said.
Badal also impressed upon Asquith to provide technical know-how to pig farmers to promote piggery on scientific lines for giving a major fillip to the allied farming activities, besides enhancing the income of farmers.
He apprised the British envoy that the state government had already taken an initiative to ink a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with British Pig Association (BPA) to develop and promote piggery and sought his personal intervention to get it expedited without any further delay as Punjab has a tremendous export potential of pig meat to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
Badal told the British High Commissioner that the state government was in touch with BPA to get live pigs and frozen semen for developing high quality breeding facilities at government pig farms, which in turn would supply the best quality piglets to the local farmers.
Appreciating Punjab government's initiatives for the development of piggery, Asquith promised to provide all technical support and expertise to pig farmers to further consolidate their economic position.
The chief minister sought cooperation from Asquith to help the state to start internationally accredited vocational training/skill development programmes to equip unemployed youth to be gainfully employed across the globe, the release added.
Top British universities are facing difficulties while working with their European partners after the Brexit vote, with academics are being asked to pull out of leadership roles and leave EU-funded projects.
In a confidential survey of the UK's Russell Group universities, reports of the backlash came from across the natural sciences, the engineering disciplines and social sciences.
Academics said they have been asked to leave EU-funded projects or pull out of leadership roles, the Guardian reported.
British researchers receive about 1 billion pound a year from EU finding programmes such as Horizon 2020, but access to the money must be completely renegotiated under Brexit.
The Russell Group is made up of the UK's 24 leading universities which have a commitment to high-class research. With Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, University College London and Imperial College among their number, they are renowned for world-class research and academic excellence.
Before the referendum, leading scientists and academics had warned that leaving the EU would cause a major funding blow to British universities and scientific research.
In a historic referendum on June 23, Britishers voted in favour of Britain leaving the 28-member European Union (EU).
Anecdotes reported as part of the survey include an EU project officer recommending that all UK partners be dropped from research group because their share of the funding was not guaranteed, according to the report.
In another case, a university reported that two social science collaborations with Dutch universities had been told partners from the UK were not welcome.
One university said that there had been "a substantial increase in definitive evidence" that EU projects were reluctant to collaborate with British partners.
Not all universities in the group responded to the survey and not all of those that submitted responses reported discrimination.
A UN-backed international tribunal today struck down China's claims of "historical rights" in the strategic South China Sea, prompting Chinese President Xi Jinping to reject its ruling and asserting that Beijing will not accept the verdict "under any circumstances".
Xi's strong remarks came immediately after The Hague- based tribunal dismissed the core of China's claims over the 90 per cent South China Sea (SCS), ruling that "there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights within the sea areas falling within the 'nine-dash line'", which is based on a Chinese map dating back to the 1940s.
In his meeting with European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, President Xi, also the General Secretary of the ruling Communist party and commander-in-chief of the military, said China's territorial sovereignty and maritime interests in SCS will not be affected by the ruling under any circumstances.
Xi's comments indicates China's tough stand on the ruling by the five judge tribunal appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration which struck down Beijing's controversial nine- dash line on the SCS claiming over 90 per cent of the area.
China "neither accepts nor recognises" the ruling of the tribunal in the SCS arbitration established at the request of the Philippines, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in Beijing.
"The award is null and void and has no binding force," it said in a statement minutes after the tribunal delivered its judgement striking down Beijing's claims of historic rights over the area, strongly disputed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the SCS shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards. China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards, the statement quoted by state-run Xinhua new agency said.
The tribunal concluded that "to the extent China had historic rights to resources in the waters of the SCS, such rights were extinguished to the extent they were incompatible with the exclusive economic zones provided for in the Convention" (UN Convention on the Law of Seas), it said.
"The tribunal also noted that, although Chinese navigators and fishermen, as well as those of other States, had historically made use of the islands inthe SCS, there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or their resources," it said.
For decades China, which boycotted the tribunal questioning its legality has been asserting that its emperors have discovered the islands hundreds years ago and have been exercising control over the area throughout the history.
But is claims came into conflict with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan as they hardly have exclusive economic zones (EEZ) provided by UNCLOS which Beijing declined to recognise.
While the Philippines filed the case in 2013, Beijing's claims over the SCS are also contested by Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan and Indonesia as well.
Xi said that China has always been a guardian of
international rule of law and of fairness and justice, and will always adhere to the path of peaceful development.
"China is firmly committed to peace and stability in the South China Sea, and to settling the disputes with countries directly involved, through peaceful negotiations based on the recognition of historical facts and in accordance with international law," the President said.
Scientists believe that the seabed of the SCS could contain unexploited oil, gas and minerals. Major shipping lanes vital to world trade pass through the SCS, carrying raw materials, finished products, as well as huge quantities of oil and gas.
Ahead of the verdict, the US had asked China to learn from India's handling of its maritime disputes with its neighbours.
In 2014, the same court that gave verdict on the SCS - ruled against India in favour of Bangladesh in a three-decade- old maritime dispute. To India's great credit, it accepted the decision and has abided by it.
As the concerns over the verdict rose here, specially its international impact, the Chinese military which is building its installations on the artificial islands asserted that it will "resolutely protect" Beijing's sovereignty over the area, where the US navy has made big inroads.
Yang Yujun, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defence, said that Chinese military will resolutely protect the country's national sovereignty, security and maritime rights and interests, and will address threats and challenges.
"The position of the Chinese government on the SCS arbitration initiated by the Philippines is consistent and clear," Yang said, stressing that no matter how the tribunal decides, Chinese military will resolutely protect its national sovereignty, security and maritime rights and interests; safeguard regional peace and stability; and cope with all kinds of threats and challenges.
Responding to questions on the Chinese navy's recent drills in the SCS, Yang said that the drill was a routine matter in line with the military's annual exercise plan.
Yang said that the drill, seen as a muscle flexing by China ahead of the tribunal verdict, targeted potential situations at sea and was a live-fire test to boost the navy's capabilities to fulfil missions.
Hours before the tribunal delivered its verdict, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China will not even officially receive the judgment of the tribunal as it has no legal basis.
"It is true that we do not recognise and accept the so- called arbitration. We will have no legal connection with the arbitral tribunal and we will not accept what ever materials it provides", he told a media briefing replying to questions whether China will receive a copy of the verdict.
Lu warned warned that China will resort to "solemn response" against anyone challenging its stand with the award.
"If any one challenges China's interests by siding with the award of the arbitration then China will take solemn response," he said without elaborating.
Meanwhile, police in Beijing sealed off the area around
the Philippines Embassy building with heavy deployment amid speculation of demonstrations to protest Manila's decision to opt for arbitration. Similar demonstrations were held against Japan over the disputed islands in the East China Sea.
The disputes in the SCS and with Japan have become rallying points to arouse national sentiments by the ruling Communist Party of China in recent years. The "nine-dash" line is printed in all the Chinese passports.
The Philippines issued an advisory to its nationals based in China not to discuss the SCS verdict and avoid arguments.
In its verdict, the tribunal was emphatic that its judgement is binding despite China's rejection.
"The Award is final and binding, as set out in Article 296 of the Convention (UNCLOS) and Article 11 of Annex VII," said the summery of the judgement sent to media here by PCA in the form of a press release.
The tribunal also held that the Spratly Islands, which China claims as Nansha Islands, "cannot generate maritime zones collectively as a unit.
"Having found that none of the features claimed by China was capable of generating an exclusive economic zone, the tribunal found that it could - without delimiting a boundary - declare that certain sea areas are within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, because those areas are not overlapped by any possible entitlement of China."
It slammed China for causing harm to marine environment.
"The tribunal considered the effect on the marine environment of China's recent large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands at seven features in the Spratly Islands and found that China had caused severe harm to the coral reef environment and violated its obligation to preserve and protect fragile ecosystems and the habitat of depleted, threatened, or endangered species," the PCA verdict summery said.
"The tribunal also found that Chinese authorities were aware that Chinese fishermen have harvested endangered sea turtles, coral, and giant clams on a substantial scale in the South China Sea (using methods that inflict severe damage on the coral reef environment) and had not fulfilled their obligations to stop such activities," it said.
"The tribunal considered whether China's actions since the commencementof the arbitration had aggravated the dispute between the Parties," it said.
"The arbitration is a political farce under the pretext of law," said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
"The unilateral initiation of arbitration by the Philippines is out of bad faith. It aims not to resolve the relevant disputes between China and the Philippines, or to maintain peace and stability in the SCS, but to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the SCS," the Foreign Ministry statement said.
It further said that China stands ready to continue to resolve the relevant disputes peacefully through negotiation and consultation with the states directly concerned on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law.
"The Chinese government reiterates that, regarding territorial issues and maritime delimitation disputes, China does not accept any means of third party dispute settlement or any solution imposed on China," it said.
Days before a meeting with the Labour Minister, central trade unions have sought the presence of entire group of ministers on labour issues, headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, to discuss their 12-point charter of demand.
Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya has invited the unions to discuss the demands on July 18. In response, as many as 11 unions have confirmed that they would attend the meeting.
"The Central Trade Unions (CTUs) will participate in the meeting but they felt that it would have been beneficial and useful if the Group of Ministers appointed for holding discussions with CTUs on 12 points charter of demands also participated in the meeting...As some to the demands concern with policy issues related to other departments," they said.
The ministerial panel had discussed their 12-points charter of demands on August 27-28 last year. After that the panel did not meet the unions to discuss their memorandum.
As many as 10 trade unions excluding RSS affiliate Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh had gone on day long nation wide strike on September 2, 2015.
Earlier this year, CTUs decided to go on strike on September 2, 2016 to protest against government's "unilateral" labour law amendments in the name ease of doing business.
The CTUs in its letter to the Labour Minister has said: "While reiterating our resolve to find amicable solution to issues through discussion, we would request you to kindly consider the presence of Group of Ministers appointed for holding the discussions with CTUs.
Uttar Pradesh Police constable Narendra, who was in the custody of Delhi Police for illegally obtaining and selling call detail records (CDRs), was today placed under arrest.
Narendra was detained by Crime Branch of Delhi Police from Kanpur where he was posted with surveillance cell at IG office. He was brought to Delhi on Sunday and was interrogated to find out if he acted alone or any other policemen were involved in illegally obtaining the CDRs.
He will now be confronted with Jaiveer Singh who was by Crime Branch sleuths for obtaining CDRs from the former and selling to his clients, said Joint Commissioner (Crime) of Police Ravindra Yadav.
Police had busted a big snooping racket involving several private detective agencies that supplied clients with CDRs wanted by them after charging high rates and arrested four persons.
Sleuths are also going through the bank account details of Narendra to establish money transactions between him and Jaiveer. It has been found that Narendra had earned nearly 25 lakh through selling CDRs, police said.
The four persons previously arrested include Jaiveer, Pankaj Tiwari who reportedly owns a media company and a detective agency, Aditya Sharma, a freelance detective and Sanjeev Chaudhary, a sales manager of a management consultancy company.
Uttar Pradesh Principal Secretary (Home) Debasish Panda and Director General of Police (DGP) Javed Ahmed took stock of the security arrangements for Kanwad Yatra here and chalked out a blueprint for deployment of police forces in the area.
Officials of Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand will share information to maintain law and order during Kawad Yatra, Panda said here.
Police and administrative officers of all the four states were present in the meeting.
For the ease of traffic movement, the kanwadiyas will be allowed to use only the left side of the highway here and the same rule is applicable for all those which will be providing food to the pilgrims, he said.
All the hospitals located along the highway have been directed to keep their emergency wards ready in case of any untoward incident, Panda added.
Ahmed said 40 companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), National Disaster Relief Force, Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), Special Task Force will be deployed on the routes.
Movement of heavy vehicles will be stopped on July 24 and light vehicles from July 27 to August 1, he added.
Uttarakhand PCC chief Kishore Upadhyay today demanded that the expansion of state council of ministers should take place at the earliest and suggested Chief Minister Harish Rawat it could be done after the conclusion of special session of the Assembly.
"For quite some time two cabinet berths have been lying vacant and after the two-day Assembly session ends on July 22, the cabinet expansion can take place on July 23," said Upadhyay.
However, the government sources claimed that the Chief Minister is not in favour of cabinet expansion.
In February last year, the post of Social Welfare Minister
Had fallen vacant after the death of incumbent Surendra Rakesh.
Another post had fallen vacant after state Agriculture Minister Harak Singh Rawat was expelled from the cabinet in March for rebelling against the government.
Rawat has been under intense pressure from party and MLAs to fill the vacant slots given that Assembly polls are due in the state next year.
"The expansion of the cabinet should take place at the earliest so that our MLAs and workers stay motivated for the elections," Upadhyay added.
In a likely scenario of cabinet expansion, former union minister's son and Vikasnagar MLA Nav Prabhat and Badrinath MLA Rajendra Singh Bhandari could be the front runners, party sources said.
Also the names of the said leaders have been cleared by the party high command, sources added.
Currently, there are nine members in council of ministers besides Chief Minister Rawat.
A US envoy has commended the steps taken by Sri Lanka to foster reconciliation between the sides that fought a long civil war that ended seven years ago.
Assistant Secretary of State Tom Malinowski said Sri Lanka had taken concrete steps forward in its reforms in democratization and reconciliation.
Sri Lanka has faced criticism for failing to properly investigate alleged human rights abuses by both sides during the final phase of the war in which government forces defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels.
After the war ended, the US demanded investigations into the abuse allegations, and bilateral relations became strained under Sri Lanka's then-government.
Their ties have improved under the government that came into power last year.
Describing the recently held Malabar naval exercise with India and Japan as "fantastic", the US today hoped that Indian aircraft carrier Vikramaditya will take part in next year's edition to increase complexities of the war game and for greater interoperability avenues.
The US also said it welcomes India's growing defence capability and its commitment to freedom of navigation.
"This year was fantastic. We all had high level of preparedness and coordination. We have a lot of confidence on how we all operate with regard to Malabar," a US navy official told a select group of reporters here via satellite link from onboard nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan operating in the contentious South China Sea.
Asked if they are keen on having India's Vikramaditya in next year's Malabar naval exercise, another official said "any sort of opportunity linked with cooperation and interoperability will be great."
During this year's drill, the focus was on anti-submarine warfare, search and seizure, besides maritime patrol, helicopter operations and explosive disposal exercise.
The officials said the US' focus has been on increasing their relationship with navies of both India and Japan and "we have accomplished that".
They said it will be too early to say if Australia can be a part of the next year's edition.
Last month, India, Japan and the US had taken part in Malabar exercise near the troubled waters of East China Sea that saw over 100 aircraft and 22 naval ships, including a nuclear submarine, in action.
The exercise assumed significance as it was conducted close to East China Sea at a time of Chinese assertiveness in the region.
It was held close to the uninhabited isles in East China Sea, called Senkaku by Japan, which controls them. However, they are aggressively claimed by China as its Diaoyu islands.
Indian ships, which participated in the exercise, were from the Eastern Fleet and included INS Sahyadri and INS Satpura, indigenously built guided missile stealth frigates, INS Shakti, a modern fleet tanker and support ship and INS Kirch, an indigenous guided missile corvette.
The US will cooperate with India in making its roads safe by offering a range of innovative technology and software in intelligent traffic management to reduce road accidents in the country, Union for Road and Surface Transportation Nitin Gadkari has said.
Acknowledging that road safety is a "big problem" in India, Gadkari said every year more than 150,000 people are killed in five lakh road accidents.
"We are taking the co-operation of the US Government in particularly in road safety and intelligent traffic management system, which we are also going to implement in India," he said.
"I am very much disturbed (by the status of road safety)," he said.
Gadkari said the US has also promised to give "all technical co-operation for standardisation of our Indian code" for road construction, bridges and flyovers.
"Their experience and their present rules and regulations, codification, all the manuals are there and they are ready to share all types of manuals, code and rules and regulations with us," he said.
"In India we are critically facing the problem of road accidents. We have 96,000 kms of road length as national highway and 40 per cent of national traffic on this two per cent of road. We are facing a lot of accidents on national highway," he said.
"Road safety is highest priority for our government," Gadkari told Indian journalists during a media round-table after his-day long meetings including that with US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and American business community.
"Today we discussed all our problems related to road safety with the (US Transportation) Secretary. The good thing is the Secretary promised me all types of co-operation with the rules, regulations, the software they have already developed, the system, the technology, the innovation. They are ready to co-operate with us in everything," Gadkari said.
During the meeting, the US also promised full co-operation in the development of inland waterways.
The Minister also spoke on new highways under construction in the country, financing mechanisms under PPP models, framing policies for logistics parks, modernisation of roads, building intelligent traffic systems for road safety and further innovation and technology to India's logistics sector.
Rohit Kumar Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, highlighted specific investment opportunities in the highways sector whereas Alok Srivastava, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Shipping, shared details on the Sagarmala Program - the Ministry's flagship port-led development initiative to bring down logistics cost and boost investment, exports, and jobs.
"India needs USD 1 trillion for developing new roads, ports, rail lines, and airports over the next few years and US companies can provide the necessary expertise as well as capital to enable the robust growth of this sector," he said.
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Meanwhile, Gadkari will arrive in New York today from Washington for the second leg of his week-long official visit to the US.
He will visit the state transport department in New York to understand the country's intelligent transport management system, besides meeting investors to seek investments in India's crucial infrastructure sector.
In the city, he will tour the New York City and State Departments of Transportation and meet officials.
His focus would be to understand intelligent transport management, city traffic management and control centre and other technology- based transport solutions, officials said.
During his two-day visit to the city, Gadkari will have a series of interactions with investors at the meets organised by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs and the US Indian Business Council.
Officials said some of these interactions will be a follow-up of the deliberations at the Maritime India Summit in Mumbai where a large number of US companies had evinced interest in promoting cooperation with India in the maritime sector.
More than 150 projects were identified under the ambitious Sagarmala Programme at the recent Maritime India summit in Mumbai.
India has 7,500 Kilometres-long coastline, 212 ports, 70 coastal districts, one Billion tonne cargo handling currently, 111 waterways and 90 per cent of export-import trade (by volume) handled at ports.
According to officials, Gadkari has envisaged USD 50-60 billion FDI for infrastructure and another USD 100 billion towards industrial development for port-led economic growth in the maritime sector and inland waterways, water transport, coastal and cruise shipping, solar and wind energy generation to further boost the country's growth momentum.
Gadkari's visit will focus on inviting US companies for technology cooperation in road and highway building, road engineering, innovations in automobile sector, road safety and green fuels.
The Overseas Friends of BJP will also host a reception for him in the city.
Gadkari will then leave for St Louis to understand Inland Waterways System on the Mississippi River.
In San Francisco, Gadkari will hold talks with senior officials from the California Transportation Agency, and departments of International Affairs and business development.
He will also visit manufacturer of quality electric cars Tesla and hold a meeting with investors and interact with TiE Charter members over dinner.
Congress today hit out at BJP for the large-scale violence in Jammu and Kashmir and said it is the "backlash" against the RSS agenda being "imposed" there.
"What is happening in Jammu and Kashmir is unfortunate. BJP should own direct responsibility for all this as BJP cannot run away from its responsibility as it is in government there.
"This is a big backlash against the agenda of RSS that is being imposed there. BJP should admit that it exerted pressure on the regional party to form the government in the state by saying otherwise it won't give funds. BJP will have to own up its responsibility for what is happening in Jammu and Kashmir," senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said.
He said that "it is terrible the way police has been "let loose" on the youth and the elderly, in which 1,500 people have been injured and more than two dozen people have died".
Azad said it is understandable that government initiates some steps to control the law and order situation but it is a "very serious issue" when people are being killed in dozens.
The Congress leader, a former chief minister of the state, said Jammu and Kashmir is a sensitive area and is "religiously sensitive, politically sensitive and geographically sensitive, being a border area".
He said "imposition" of RSS ideology in Jammu and Kashmir is having a "backlash" and that is why the law and order situation is getting out of control there.
On Pakistan's support to separatists and attack on India for using force on protesters in Kashmir, Azad said "I condemn Pakistan. Pakistan is fishing in troubled water.
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Azad said BJP should take "responsibility" for the killing of over two dozen people and injury to 1500 people.
"BJP should own direct responsibility for all this, as BJP cannot run away from its responsibility. BJP is in government in Jammu and Kashmir and has its deputy chief minister and Ministers. Law and order is a state subject and BJP is a party in the state administration," he said.
The Congress leader, who is Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said he had said in Parliament in the presence of Prime Minister when talks about forming a government with PDP were going on with BJP, that Jammu and Kashmir is a very sensitive area and "You are forming a government in Jammu and Kashmir to impose your philosophy there and not for bringing any change there."
Asked about violence having taken place in the state earlier too when it was ruled by Congress and National Conference, he said it was there but not like what is happening now when there was violence spread across the state.
"This type of violence is spread across in different parts of the state for three, four days. It is not that some people have died in one firing. In different parts of the state, there is violence and there are hundreds of bullet injuries and serious cases," he said.
Azad said it is "compounding" now and is "brewing" further.
To a question on whether the issue will be raised in the Monsoon session of Parliament, he said the issues will be decided soon.
Asked if Congress would soften its stand on GST and if the bill would be passed in this session, he said, "Government has also given a proposal for resolving pending issues. We will decide. There is still time for the Parliament session. We will put forth our views and hold discussions with government sitting across the table.
The US today said a UN-backed tribunal's verdict on South China Sea gives a new opportunity to address maritime disputes peacefully and asked both China and the Philippines to "avoid provocative actions" after the "final and legally binding" ruling.
"In the aftermath of this important decision, we urge all claimants to avoid provocative statements or actions. This decision can and should serve as a new opportunity to renew efforts to address maritime disputes peacefully," the State Department Spokesman, John Kirby, said.
He said the tribunal's decision in the Philippines-China arbitration "is an important contribution to the shared goal of a peaceful resolution to disputes in the South China Sea."
Kirby, however, said the US is still studying the decision and have no comment on the merits of the case.
"As provided in the Convention, the Tribunal's decision is final and legally binding on both China and the Philippines," Kirby said.
"The United States expresses its hope and expectation that both parties will comply with their obligations," he added.
"We encourage claimants to clarify their maritime claims in accordance with international law -- as reflected in the Law of the Sea Convention -- and to work together to manage and resolve their disputes," Kirby said.
The Hague-based tribunal today struck down China's claims over the SCS saying Beijing has no "historic rights" in the disputed area.
China however, rejected the ruling as "null and void" and said it "neither accepts nor recognises" the verdict of the tribunal established at the request of the Philippines.
Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) that had two months ago banned the use of plastic bags in the city, has now allowed the use of plastic bags above 40 microns.
The civic body had issued a notification on May 10 banning the use of plastic carry bags. It has now issued a fresh notification on July 6, citing that plastic bags below 40 microns, which are difficult to recycle, have been banned in the city.
"The previous notification required some corrections. So, VMC has issued another a fresh notification banning plastic bags below 40 microns. Restrictions on its use will be with retrospective effect from May 1," VMC Commissioner Vinod Rao told PTI.
Plastic waste cause clogging of drains, which leads to flooding of streets during monsoon. Also, the practice of burning plastic poses serious health problems, he said.
"The restrictions have been imposed taking into consideration health hazards and also to preserve beauty of the city," Rao added.
The civic body has been collecting nearly 70 tonnes of plastic waste every day.
With the ban, Rao said, the corporation intends to create awareness among public and inform them about stringent action taken on flouting norms.
A 40-year-old woman was marched around the village here with her face painted black for her son eloping with a girl recently.
Five persons have been arrested in connection with the incident, police said today.
A panchayat was held yesterday in Chandpur village under Signapur gram panchayat in Talgram police station limits after the girl's father brought the issue to its notice, police said.
The woman had stayed away from the panchayat. Subsequently, some men, including the husband of the pradhan (village head) barged into her house and as per the orders of the panchayat, painted her face black before marching her in the village with a garland of shoes around her neck.
Circle Officer Ambrish Bhadauria said on a complaint from the woman, five accused have been taken into custody, assuring that strict action will be taken on those who took law in their hands.
The son of the woman is still missing while the girl has returned to her relatives' house in a nearby village, police said.
- Indian shares gained for a second consecutive session on Tuesday, with the NSE Nifty hitting its highest in nearly 11 months, on the back of encouraging U.S. data and expectations of further monetary stimulus from global policymakers.
The broader NSE Nifty ended up 0.63 percent at 8,521.05, after earlier reaching its highest level since Aug. 17, while the benchmark BSE Sensex closed 0.66 percent higher at 27,808.14.
(Reporting by Samantha Kareen Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
Why is Lalit Modi trying to change his base? Is it because of changed business situation after Brexit or does he fear for his security in the UK? In what appears to be plan B, he has applied for citizenship for another country.
This question has arisen as former chairman of Indian Premier League, who is presently residing in the UK, is moving his base to the Caribbean. He has applied for citizenship of Saint Lucia and wishes to settle down in its capital, Castries.
As per Interpol document available with INDIA TODAY GROUP, he has applied for citizenship in St Lucia under an investment scheme. Under this scheme an applicant has to invest at least $2.5 lakh to attain citizenship along with his wife and children below the age of 25 years.
His application for citizenship is for himself, wife Minalani Modi and children Ruchir and Aliya. The application mentions them as Indian nationals presently residing in the UK.
Saint Lucia is a small but beautiful country in the Caribbean Islands and if he gets citizenship of the country, he will be able to travel to at least 100 countries without any visa requirements. Moreover, St. Lucia is considered to be one of the best tax haven as it maintains highest standards of banking secrecy.
The cat got out of the bag when Saint Lucia started its verification process.
According to the process, before granting citizenship, the country runs a thorough background check on the person applying for its citizenship.
As per Saint Lucia's procedures this due diligence or background check is done by its Central Intelligence Unit, which seeks help of the Interpol, which in turn writes to the Central Bureau of Investigation. CBI is the nodal agency for Interpol in India.
Now CBI's Interpol wing is running the background check on him. Though there are no cases against his family members, there are criminal proceedings pending against him. There is a registered case against him with the Chennai Police and PMLA case against him with Enforcement Directorate.
Enforcement Directorate has issued at least three showcause notices to him and even sought non-bailable warrant and permission to initiate his extradition.
They have also requested Interpol to issue red corner notice against him. But this this been challenged by his lawyer on the grounds that he is being victimised due to political rivalry.
Taking into account these situations, Interpol India is duty bound to report that a number of criminal proceedings are pending against him. However, sources say Lalit Modi enjoys political clout in Saint Lucia and is very well connected with the top leaders there. Saint Lucia will now have to take a call whether it wishes to grant him citizenship under the present circumstances.
(In association with Mail Today Bureau)
Reserve Bank on Monday said Rs 10 lakh penalty has been imposed on Prathamik Shikshak Sahakari Bank, Kolhapur for violation in regards to dividend for 2013-14.
Earlier, RBI had issued a show cause notice to the lender.
After considering the facts of the case and bank's reply in the matter, Reserve Bank said it has "come to the conclusion" that the violation(s) was/ were substantial and warranted imposition of the penalty.
A "monetary penalty of Rs 10 lakh" has been imposed on the Prathamik Shikshak Sahakari Bank, Kolhapur (Salary Earners' Bank) for violation of operational instructions relating to declaration and payment of dividend for 2013-14 without prior permission of the central bank.
Meanwhile, an article on International Banking Statistics of India-2015 in RBI's monthly bulletin said international liabilities (based on Locational Banking Statistics) of banks in India recorded a gradual deceleration in annual growth rate.
Further, annual growth rate of international claims of the Indian banking system recorded an increase since June 2015.
Share of Non-Resident (External) Rupee Account [NRE] and Foreign Currency Non Resident (Bank) Account [FCNR(B)] in total international liabilities remained more or less the same during 2015 as in 2014.
"The share of foreign currency loans to residents in total international claims declined during 2015," the article said.
It was a tough week for START-UP NYs head salesman, Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Fortunately, in this capacity he doesnt work on commission.
In 2013, the governor presented New Yorkers with a new economic-development toy called START-UP NY. The goal was to stimulate growth by eliminating taxes for 10 years on new or expanding businesses enrolling in the program.
Like any good salesman, the governor did not hold back when describing the promise and potential of START-UP NY. This new initiative was not only game-changing and a major transformation, it was much more. This was, in the governors words, the most ambitious economic development program in New York States recent history. Even better, it was presented as a cant-miss proposition because, companies are lining up for the launch of START-UP NY.
What a difference two years makes. Apparently those companies were forming a line to the exits.
WOEFUL RESULTS AND A HIDDEN REPORT
Despite being required to produce a report by April 1, Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) didnt release START-UP NY information until July 1. The report was 90 days late, issued on the Friday of a holiday weekend, and posted online without notification or an accompanying press release. These are all deliberate, tactical decisions intended to limit the amount of attention and interest given to the report.
To call it a report probably insults all other reports. The highly-anticipated START-UP NY details were merely a section of a larger ESDC document on tax-credit programs. Think of a child cracking a drinking glass, and putting it in the cabinet with the other glasses so no one will notice thats how the state handled the START-UP NY results.
And the job-creation numbers show us why. In 2015 START-UP NY created a total of only 332 jobs, bringing its two-year total to a paltry 408. Despite $53 million in taxpayer-funded advertising and lofty promises from the governor, START-UP NY has produced fewer jobs than those at a single Wegmans.
TAXPAYERS PATIENCE SHOULDNT COME AT A PRICE
When asked this week by a reporter about the expense of START-UP NY and the $53 million advertising campaign, the governor ridiculously denied there was any cost because the ads were generic. In his modified sales pitch, he wants us to believe that advertisements containing START-UP NY logos, descriptions and details arent specific to the program. That position is even more disingenuous than the advertisements themselves.
One START-UP NY advertisement features the Chief Executive Officer of an Arizona company, proclaiming that he is moving his firm to New York for the business climate. Years after the ad first appeared, that company and CEO remain in Arizona.
We are now being urged to be patient. But in this case our patience comes with a price tag and that is unacceptable. It has cost $130,000 for every job created by START-UP NY. Thats not game-changing, thats failing.
Its time to stop: the advertising, the spin, the rhetoric and the approach. Economic development will only come through permanent, comprehensive policies that reduce costs, limit regulations and change the culture for businesses that are already here.
Two years have shown that this economic development gimmick isnt working. New York taxpayers arent getting what theyre paying for. And the business community isnt buying what the governor is selling.
What do you think? I want to hear from you. Send me your feedback, suggestions and ideas regarding this or any other issue facing New York State. You can always contact my district office at (315) 781-2030, email me at kolbb@assembly.state.ny.us, find me by searching for Assemblyman Brian Kolb on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter.
Verizon Communications, one of the world's largest telecom companies, is looking to double its headcount in its Labs division in India, according to Guru Pai, the global Chief Product officer and Senior VP of the company.
In 2015, Verizon had revenues of $131.62 billion and net income of $17.87 billion. While Verizon does not have a consumer telecom business in India, it is present in enterprise data services through AOL India. It might be recalled that in June 2015, Verizon acquired AOL (America Online) for $4.4 billion.
Formed in 2013, Verizon Labs is a technology centre of excellence for the company. The labs works in several different areas, and the technology developed is used inside Verizon's products and core networks.
The Pai-led Verizon Labs (VL) has developed the company's interent offerings - FiOS Quantum TV and its OTT (Over The Top) Video as well as IPTV solutions. "From ThingSpace, which is our Internet of Things (IoT) platform, to secure cloud interconnect offerings, Orion - our Big Data and Predictive analytics platform, VL has several achievements to its credit. We are moving from being a mere network/carrier company to also one which has value added offerings like applications," says Pai.
The Indian arm of Verizon Labs is a wholly owned subsidiary of Verizon Data Services India. "Verizon Labs India is the only facility of its kind outside of the US. VL India has contributed to all our global products. We hire high-end product development talent and growth of the India labs is dependent only on the quality of talent available here," says Pai. Verizon India Labs will double headcount from 200 to 400 by December 2017. Globally Verizon Labs employs about 2,000 people of its total workforce of about 180,000.
Verizon already outsources a large amount of system integration, application maintenance and development work to Indian IT companies such as Tech Mahindra, HCL Technologies, TCS, Wipro and Infosys. "While I cannot take specific names, yes we do work with a number of Indian IT companies," Pai added.
VL Labs, however, focuses on high-end work. "The India labs team works closely with their global peers in the company to deliver world-class products and services. I expect with addition of more people, this will accelerate even further," he added.
In a bid to promote gas based transport, the government could soon introduce CNG fuelling for trucks on long distance routes such as the Delhi-Mumbai corridor. According to a report in The Financial Express, the petroleum ministry has chalked out a plan regarding the same.
The government is in consultation with various groups such as Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and plans to roll out the pilot phase in the next three-four months, the report said.
The move could help reduce dependence on diesel, one of the major polluters in the country besides expanding a cleaner gas market. According to an AC Nielsen survey, transport sector accounted for 73.58 per cent of diesel sales in the country.
Majority of the retail pumps selling CNG in the country are present in the cities. With this pilot project, the government plans to assess the feasibility of CNG corridors in the vicinity of pipeline networks. In order to attract investment, the ministry is contemplating to lower the threshold investment limit to Rs 500 crore as against Rs 2,000 crore required for retail fuel stations, the report said.
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All you need to know about South China Sea dispute
A panel of five judges at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague will announce on Tuesday their ruling in a case brought by the Philippines against China over its actions in the South China Sea.
Photo: Reuters
Theresa May will take over as new British Prime Minister on Wednesday to become the country's first woman leader in more than a quarter of a century since Margaret Thatcher after her only rival in the race to become Conservative Party's leader pulled out unexpectedly.
Outgoing Prime Minister David Cameron said he will chair his last Cabinet meeting tomorrow and attend House of Commons for his last Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday before heading to Buckingham Palace to offer his official resignation to Queen Elizabeth II.
"We will have a new Prime Minister in that building behind me by Wednesday evening," Cameron told reporters outside 10 Downing Street.
"I am delighted Theresa May will be Prime Minister. She has the overwhelming support of the Conservative parliamentary party...she is strong, she is competent, she is more than able to provide the leadership that our country is going to need in the years ahead," said Cameron, who had announced he would be stepping down for a new prime minister to take the Brexit negotiations forward with the European Union a day after the June 23 vote in favour of Britain leaving the economic bloc.
59-year-old May, who would become Britain's second female Prime Minister after Margaret Thatcher, made a statement outside the Houses of Parliament here soon after saying she is "honoured and humbled" to be chosen as leader of the Tory.
She paid tribute to Cameron for his "leadership" and other Tory party leadership contenders.
"Brexit means Brexit and we are going to make a success of it. We need to unite our country... we are going to give people more control over their lives and that is how we will build a better Britain," she, who is currently the home secretary said in her first speech.
The Prime Minister designate said she wants "best deal for Britain" with EU.
Earlier today, May's only rival Andrea Leadsom pulled out from the two-way contest for the Conservative party leadership in a dramatic move, leaving May sole contender.
The Oxford graduate is among longest-serving home secretaries in British history and has long been regarded as a potential future leader of the party.
Her political stock rose when, in 2013, she succeeded where many other home secretaries before her had failed and successfully deported radical Islamic cleric Abu Qatada to Jordan.
Leadsom, who was energy minister in the Cameron-led Cabinet, threw her support behind May as "ideally placed" to enforce the vote for Brexit in last month s referendum on Britain s membership of the European Union (EU).
"The interests of our country are best served from the immediate appointment of a strong and well-supported Prime Minister. I am therefore withdrawing from the leadership election and I wish Theresa May the very greatest success.I assure her of my full support," Leadsom told reporters.
"The best interests of our country inspired me to stand for our leadership. I believe in leaving the EU a bright future awaits. The referendum result represented a clear desire for change," the 53-year-old senior Tory MP said.
When 37-year old Akash, working with a top IT company in Bengaluru decided to change jobs, he was concerned about shifting his group health insurance from his present company, to an individual policy. He knew this can be done but was largely unaware about the portability norms regarding health insurance in India. There were many questions in his mind and he did not know where to hunt for answers.
Several issues need to be addressed once you decide to shift from a group mediclaim scheme to a personal policy. These include the norms of porting, carrying forward the waiting period, and whether you can shift to a different insurer.
If you are in the same boat as Akash, scratching your head in the dark about what to do, here is a quick glance of the facts involved in the switch over and the steps you need to follow.
The basic conditions
Group mediclaim policies are offered by all leading insurance companies in India, both in the public and private sector. These schemes underwrite a group and hence the norms are more relaxed. It allows you to carry forward the waiting period which you accumulated for your pre-existing health conditions when you decide to switch over to a personal policy. However, one of the most important points to remember is that it is allowable only with the same insurance company. You can of course switch insurers, but only after the completion of at least one year of having a personal policy with the present insurance company. You can also switch policies even if your family is covered under it, and have the flexibility to choose personal policies for each of your family members or go for a family floater cover.
But group mediclaim schemes are undeniably more lenient regarding terms of coverage. Some schemes, for instance, extend facilities like family floater plans and maternity health benefits that are often excluded under personal policies.
What about the waiting period?
A group mediclaim cover, usually, has no waiting period and you can get coverage on all your pre-existing conditions right from day one. However, according to IRDA guidelines, you may carry over the credit gained on your pre-existing health conditions in the form of a waiting period. A big advantage of shifting policies these days is that the waiting period is not wasted. But if the group insurance scheme at your present company has a waiting period and you have served a part of it, the balance would be carried over to the new individual policy under the same insurer.
So what is the procedure?
First, you have to fill up a form to change from group insurance to individual cover. While filling up the form, you have to disclose the details about your existing policy, medical history and declarations, and other relevant information. Some insurance companies may ask you to take some medical tests. It is also important that you submit the form for changing at least 45 days before the date of renewal.
After your application for portability has been successfully processed, the insurer will underwrite a new policy and specify the terms and conditions along with it, besides stating the new premium. The form is typically processed within 15 days. The new policy begins as soon as you pay the premium.
It is important to note that you can avail the portability benefits only if your previous health insurance policy is carried forward sans any interruption.
Understood, but why should I shift?
A personal health insurance scheme often gives people a more exhaustive coverage, as against a group policy. You have the flexibility to choose a policy which is tailored to your needs. At the same time, there are no worries about the expiry of the waiting period, which makes the switch over much easier. You can also forward the benefits from your existing policy to the new one.
While changing, you may increase the policy cover as well. But in such cases, the benefits of the waiting period would be applicable only on the present sum assured and not on the new one.
What the IRDA says:
Market regulator IRDA protects mediclaim customers by giving them rights to change their health insurance policies from one insurer to another. The new insurer, according to IRDA, must allow for all credit acquired by the insured for all pre-existing conditions in terms of the waiting period. This is applicable not only while switching over from one insurer to another company, but also when you change between plans under the existing insurer.
IRDA rights to customers
The market regulator has extended the following rights to all health insurance subscribers.
You can change your mediclaim between any specialised mediclaim provider or general insurance company.
You can change any individual or family policies.
The new insurance company must extend the credit related to the waiting period regarding any pre-existing health condition that you acquired with your present insurer.
The new insurer must assure you the sum assured under the present policy as the minimum. Under no circumstances it can give you a lesser sum assured.
Both the new and existing insurers must carry out the switch over according to the timeframe prescribed by IRDA under its Protection of Policyholders' Interest regulation and guidelines.
IRDA conditions
Changing from a group health insurance cover to a personal policy is subject to the following conditions.
The policy is portable only at the time of renewal of the existing one i.e. the next period will commence with the new insurer
All terms and conditions of the new scheme along with the premium, except the waiting period credit, would be at the sole discretion of the new insurer
Before the 45 days of your switch over date, you have to write to your existing insurance company to request the change. You must also specify the new company.
You have to renew the policy with a break. IRDA, however, extends a 30-day grace period if the changeover is under process.
Domain registrar and web hosting company GoDaddy recently launched its services in Hindi, Tamil and Marathi. The $1.6-billion US-based company, which launched operations in India in 2012, claims to have grown massively in the past four years. The company targets SMBs (small and medium businesses) and assists them in bringing their business online. Rajiv Sodhi, Vice President and Managing Director, GoDaddy India and Australia, talks to Business Today about the shift to regional languages and other aspects of the business.
BT: GoDaddy is the world's largest ICANN-accredited registrar with more than 62 million domain names under management. Where is India in this growth?
Until 2012, the company was based only in the US. Then, it decided to go international and launched its business in India. That tells you how important GoDaddy thinks India is. Unlike most tech companies, which migrate from the US to Europe to Asia to Singapore and then come to India, we came directly to India. That has worked to our advantage. India is still GoDaddy's largest presence outside the US.
We are based out of Gurgaon, which is our head office. We also have a care centre in Hyderabad. When we started our care centre, we used to get 3,000 calls a month from India SMBs. Today, we get about 2500 calls a day. Last year, we became the market leader in .in domains, as per the Government of India. Our market share is over 33 per cent.
Also, our paid customer base in India is over 600,000, growing at 36-38 per cent year-on-year. We expect this growth to stabilise as we go forward, as India is now the second-largest connected market in the world. The India business is one of our fastest growing and priority businesses.
BT: Which regions are doing well for you?
Metros are really strong and give us volumes, but growth is in Tier-II, Tier-III cities. So Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune are the cities from where we get a lot of our traffic and call volumes, but we are seeing this trend move to Tier II, Tier-III cities as well.
BT: India has so many languages. Why did you choose Hindi, Marathi and Tamil?
These three languages help us cover 61 per cent out of 51 million SMBs in India. There were also some technology considerations. We have also localised our support. Now, when you call our care centres, you can chose the language and speak to agents in Hindi, English, Tamil and Marathi.
GoDaddy is available in 53 markets around the world, in 26 languages, and 44 currencies. So, our de facto motto is, when you enter a new market, localise the offering and the payment system into that language and come up with offers that are relevant to that market.
Most markets in the world are largely single language countries but India has a large base of English-speaking people, so we to started India with English. But after four years, the market is at a stage where a large part of growth is going to come from regional languages.
BT: You mentioned that you tweak your strategy for any new market you enter. What was your strategy for India?
Word of mouth is very strong in India and that is something we have used in creating awareness. That strategy was completely localised for India. The ads showed here were developed here. They were very different from what we have been showing in other countries.
The second part is driving relevance, which means giving offers which are relevant to the market, bringing products that are relevant to the market and offering payment types that are relevant to the market. For example, we built an online store last year. If an SMB wants to sell online, it can come to us and create its own online store. As e-commerce cannot work without payment, we localised that whole product. India was the first country where we built the CCAvenue payment gateway. That is not available in any other country.
Another good example is hosting. When we came to the country, we realised we need a mini version of our servers. We actually created something. That has been very successful and is being exported and sold in other emerging markets too.
And finally we come to care. We offer 24x7 free customer care both in and out, which means a customer can call us and we can also call him. We have also added web chat. This is the largest care centre GoDaddy operates outside the US.
BT: Are you going to launch services in more languages?
Right now our focus will be to get this right. We want to see the feedback. Once that is there, we will look at other languages. We also look at technology. If technology doesn't support a language we can't take up that language. Also, it depends on how India's Internet grows.
Budget hotel aggregator OYO Rooms says it has hit a $200 million revenue run rate. And in May this year, the firm also announced that it has "hit unit profitability at an aggregate level across its cities". What it means is that the company makes a profit on every room sold, on an average. CEO and founder Ritesh Agarwal spoke to Business Today about the company's secret sauce.
What do you think makes OYO cool?
Oyo was never the idea where you knew what the solution is going to be. You always knew what the problem was. The problem was that finding predictable experiences at the right price point was almost unheard of in this country. We wanted to fix it. What makes us cool specifically is that we, as a company, is an original innovation out of India. We have solved a problem which existed without emulating how an European or a North American company would be solving it.
How is the company an "original" innovation?
There were either hotel chains who used to be franchisees. On the other side, there were distributors who were offline. Our belief is that great brands will become their own distributors. Uber doesn't sell somebody else's brand. They can charge a premium for the brand but not rely on a third party to distribute, which means their marketing expenses are zilch. OYO is that value proposition. Not only am I the Bestwestern and Holiday Inn of the hotel owner, I am also the largest distributor of demand to that hotel. What that does is on one side, you become the leader in terms of the number of customers, and hence do a lot of things in terms of technology, processes, network effects, demand and so on. At the same time, you can build loyalty as a hotel brand. People say they "stayed at an Oyo" and an "Oyo person came and helped me with the experience". Which means if anything went wrong, you don't think the hotel owner did anything wrong. His loyalty is to OYO as a brand, not to the hotel. If his loyalty was to the hotel, he would buy it from one of the channels. The channel's value is like a commodity. If you have to become the brand, you have to become one level above the commodity. You have to play the experience game. This is a unique model, tough to execute. But it has huge value impact. Brands always have a much higher multiple.
What was the tipping point for the business?
I think last year was the tipping point. In the first year, we brought together a team which was very strong. By the end of 2014, we were very clear that this would work. 2015 was the year of massive growth in terms of the number of supplies and cities. OYO's brand visibility and understanding to the last mile user phenomenally increased. In 2015, we grew more than 100 times - in supply, demand, room nights.
How could you add supply so fast?
It was because during our first year, we fixed everything. We have a supply playbook. The playbook would have the detail to the level of saying what are the 20 things that make an ideal OYO. Without that I wouldn't even sign the hotel. Once you sign a hotel, how do you standardise it in seven days? We have a large offline operations process as well - auditing the hotel and standardising it. We figured such things out in the first year. We made documents, the supply play book, the demand playbook, our operations playbook, our audit playbook. It was learning and documenting of all of these, with great leadership and engineering. In half year 2013 and the entire 2014 we just operated in Gurgaon. We said we will just build one city and a defensible business. We had 40 hotels in Gurgaon by 2014. Today, Gurgaon would have more than 350.
Is ensuring supply your primary challenge?
We operate in a model where demand is infinite and supply is limited. Which means, there are markets where we are running out of supply. Over the next two years, a big focus area is working with entrepreneurs to help them open new supply. Second, is the quality of experience we deliver. We have done a huge jump. But the problem in our kind of services business is getting better every day. You need to keep your head down, and make sure you do the same thing over and over again. A lot of times, the secret is not doing new things but doing the regular ones very well, every day.
Have you slowed down growth to focus on experience?
First two months of the year - January and February - yes, we did. We weeded out 51 hotels. We did a huge customer experience exercise. We think of ourselves as a consumer brand more and less like an Internet brand. It is incumbent on us to be a better consumer brand. We made some huge investments there.
What role has discounting played in the growth story thus far?
At any point in time, OYO will enable you the best quality of experience in any segment for a price that is at least 30 per cent cheaper than other platforms available, net of discounts. So if a competitor sells for X price, we will always be 30 per cent cheaper. The question after that is how do you reach them? There are multiple ways. One of the big ways is what Uber has proven globally - efficiency. A car is empty for 60 per cent of the time. If you increase that, your fixed cost will remain static or grow incrementally but revenue will increase significantly. That delta will enable you to pass part of the benefit to your guest. That's the ideal way we are enabling benefits to our guests. But at the same time, in the newer markets where we are trying to enable habit of the customer, we incentivise either the customer or the owner. In markets such as Shimla on the weekends, the problem is that the merchant won't give you a room. So for the first two months, I incentivise them.
Will OYO expand into newer segments beyond short-stay?
We would want to focus on one thing and do that very well. But over the long-term, we would like to be leaders in everything that is connected to real estate. That's a 30-40 year pipeline.
The government is hoping to get the Goods and services Tax (GST) Bill passed in the monsoon session of Parliament. Business Today's Dipak Mondal spoke to Navin Kumar, Chairman of GST Network, the company floated by the central and state governments to build the information and technology (IT) network for GST, on whether the system is ready for the timely roll-out of the new law.
What's the status of the IT infrastructure need to build for GST?
We have taken Infosys as our IT partner. They will build the application and the infrastructure as per our specifications. In the RFP (request for proposal), we had given our requirement and specifications. We gave the contract to Infosys in October 2015, and we had hoped that the constitutional amendment would happen in the winter session. That did not happen, but we decided was to go ahead with the application development.
The entire system consists of hardware (servers storage, network, connectivity, etc) and software. We decided to hold back the procurement of hardware but decided to start the work on software and we have made very good progress on that. We are hoping that in July when the Rajya Sabha meets and passes the bill , we would give Infosys the go-ahead for the procurement of hardware. When that happens, installation and testing part would begin and by then parallely the software development would be completed, which would then be installed in the hardware and testing could be done.
So, we hope that our system would be ready by February.
Would you explain how the system would work?
The IT system that we are building, the entire system involves all the tax authorities (all the state, union territory governments along with the Centre). We would build a common GST portal. On this portal, three essential services would run-registration, filing of return and payment.
When a taxpayer comes on our portal and registers himself, then the information that he files at our portal is sent to the tax authorities. As you know GST is a dual tax--the state GST and the Central GST-so his application would be sent to both, the central government and the state government. They will approve the application and then we would generate his GSTIN (GST Identification Number) and he becomes the registered taxpayer.
Every month or every quarter, depending on the kind of taxpayer, he would file returns. So he comes to our portal to file returns and again we send this data to concerned tax authorities. He can also pay the taxes from our website. The money would not come to us but would go to the respective tax authorities. The consolidated funds of states or consolidated funds of the centre.
This is the front end, this is what we are doing. As I told you all the data would go to the respective tax authorities - the CBEC (Central Board for Excise and Customs) and the tax department of states. Therefore, they should have their own system also to receive this data, and do their functions--audit, assessment, refund and recovery, etc. We call that the back end. The responsibility of developing the back end is with the respective tax authorities.
Have you assessed the preparation of back-end required to be built by the states and the CBEC?
When we started out in 2014, we realised that doing the front-end alone was not sufficient and we started asking the states what their status was. The government had done a study of all the states in 2012 to see where did the computerisation of their tax system stood. We updated and studied that data, and found that half of the states were not prepared.
We reported this to finance minister and told that these states would not be able to do it on their own and that we are ready to help them in building their system if they want us to. The revenue secretary then convened a meeting of all the states and asked them if they would be able to do the back end on their own or they would want GST Network to help them out. As many as 12 states and union territories said that they would be happy to allow GSTN to do the back end for them.
When we made that offer we made it clear that we cannot develop separate (customised) back end for them, we create one application and they all have to use it. We basically wanted them to agree on a common processes.VAT was standalone tax for each state and every state has its own processes. So, to make them agree on a common set of processes was tough, but we made them do that.
The remaining states decided to build their own system, but we had this sense that not all of them would be able to do it on their own. So, we made an open offer whichever states - up to the end of 2015 - would realise that they could not develop the system on their own could ask us to build it for them. Later seven other states approached us to build the back-end for them.
So, we categorised the states as Model 1 states, which were building their own system and Model 2 states for which we were building the system.
The CBEC and the remaining states are doing it on their own. I am happy to note that most of them have made good progress and now if the GST Bill is passed (in the monsoon session), all of them would take the work in all seriousness and go full steam. I think they would be able do it on time.
We are interacting with the states on a regular basis. We have held eight workshops with them. We inform them what progress we have made, what they need to do and they apprise us of the progress they have made. We also keep reporting that to the central government so that if there is any problem they can intervene.
What are the major challenges that you faced?
When we started, we approached the IT companies. We wanted to sensitise the industry about the kind of system we wanted and we also wanted their advice on the issue. We had planned to keep the project in BOOT (Build-own-operate-transfer) model which means that the company which gets the project would invest their own money, and when the system starts working they would recover their money through user charges. We wanted the system to be built on BOOT model so that we do not have any financial liabilities.
But the IT companies were reluctant to work on BOOT model. They said they had worked on that model in the past and they have a lot of money stuck with the government. They said something like Rs 5,000 crore of their payments were stuck with various government departments.
So, we were very worried that if companies did not come forward for the project, we could not do it on our own.
So, we held three interactions with the industry in December 2014, and we asked them what their concerns were, how do they want the project to be modelled. All these interactions helped and we were relieved to see big companies like TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Tech Mahindra and Microsoft bid for the project and finally Infosys got the project. We had Infosys to do the work, but we have to tell them
How are you funding the IT infrastructure building since companies were not ready to do the project on BOOT model?
So, we agreed to fund it ourselves. The total cost of the contract to Infosys is Rs 1,380 crore. We have already made two payments to Infosys for two milestones delivered. When GSTN was incorporated in March 2013, the government sanctioned Rs 315 crore and we have been able to spend only Rs 150 crore. The two payments made to Infosys is from this Rs 150 crore only. We would borrow Rs 500 crore from financial institutions and the rest of the fund would be generated from user charges when the system starts working.
The key to success of the GST is trained personnel. What have you done for training of tax officials?
All states have people doing VAT and the central government has people doing excise and service tax. All these people are well-versed in VAT, and GST is also not very different from VAT. The law is similar, the logic is similar but the processes are different. Therefore, you have to train the officers. That work has already begun. For the law part, department of revenue has already started a training programme for state officers and CBEC officers. We are also collaborating with them.
For technology, that we will do. We have drawn up a training programme, we are waiting for the bill to pass. Hopefully, we would start that from August.
This is going to be very important because in most states the VAT system is not automated. While the front end is computerised, the back end in many states is still manually done. Therefore, the tax authorities have to be trained in IT system. We also have a training programme for taxpayers.
There will be around one lakh tax officers in the states and centre. We can't train all of them on our own. So, our strategy is to train some master trainers. We would be training a number of officers from states and CBEC, and they would then go back and train other officers.
But for that training, on our portal we will make arrangements. We will give these master trainers a schedule--on our website we will have a schedule for each of these master trainers - so when they put in request that on these particular days they want to train these many officers, we would give them access to the system.
Jet Airways on Tuesday announced introduction of a new flight on Bengaluru-Mangaluru sector with effect from August 1.
Flight No 9W2404 ATR-72 would depart from Mangaluru at 5.15 pm and arrive at Bengaluru at 6.25 pm. In return direction, flight no 9W2782 ATR-72 would depart from Bengaluru at 3.40 pm and arrive at Mangaluru at 4.50 pm, the airline said in a release here.
It also announced change in the schedule of daily flights to Mumbai from August 7.
The details are as follows: Boeing 737 flight no 9W307 would depart from Mangaluru at 8.50 am and arrive at Mumbai at 10.20 am.
Boeing 737 flight no 9W438 would depart from Mangaluru at 7 pm and arrive at Mumbai at 8.35 pm.
Boeing 737 flight no 9W437 would depart from Mumbai at 5.30 pm and arrive at Mangaluru at 7 pm. Boeing 737 flight no 9W334 would depart from Mumbai at 9 pm and arrive at Mangaluru at 10.25 pm, the release added.
Notwithstanding the security concerns raised by the Urban Development Ministry, the government is all set to begin work on India's first pod taxi service in Gurgaon by this month-end.
Even as the Centre has given its nod to the project, the UD Ministry has sought to know as to which ministry will be responsible for the safety audit of the taxi service. Sources said the UD Ministry has claimed that since pod taxi is part of the mass rapid transit system, it cannot be executed without ministry's clearances.
The Transport Ministry, on the other hand, has claimed its right, saying the project aims at decongesting NH-8 is NHAI's domain and comes under it.
Sources say the contract may be awarded by the end of July or next month. Sources said Nitin Gadkari and Venkaiah Naidu, being senior ministers of the Union Cabinet, would sort out the issue so that the project is not delayed. Gadkari is currently on the US visit to invite investments in the highways development, road engineering and safety and maritime sectors.
"We have received four bids from several companies, including two foreign firms. The bids are being scrutinised. The contract will be awarded after a formal decision is taken," said a transport ministry official.
Earlier, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had announced to begin work on Metrino pod taxi service by July this year. The Rs 4,000-crore public transport project will enable travelling in driverless pods suspended on a ropeway in the NCR. The first project will be from Dhaula Kuan in Delhi to Manesar in Haryana. The 70-km stretch from Dhaula Kuan to Manesar will decongest the NCR and ease traffic on NH-8, offering great relief to airport passengers and lakhs of daily office-goers. The first phase will include a pilot project covering 13-km stretch from Gurgaon-Delhi border to Badshapur Mod with 16 stations.
The Transport ministry has earmarked Rs 850 crore for the pilot project. The ropeway-like system runs on electricity and driverless pods and comes down at designated stations, thus removing the traffic burden from already congested roads. The capital cost of metrino is Rs 50 crore per km against Rs 250 crore per km of the metro.
(In association with Mail Today Bureau)
On the Friday of graduation weekend, the Skaneateles High School class of 1962 and friends gathered at the Skaneateles Methodist Church to honor Carol Adams and hear her amazing story.
For an hour, Carol captivated the audience as she recounted the journey her life has taken from the time she arrived in Fort Portal, Uganda in 1995 to the present.
Arriving in Fort Portal after being told she "did not have enough education and was too old" to undertake such a mission, she was even more convinced that she should follow her calling to care for African children.
There, she found children barely existing without food, clothing, shelter and adult supervision. Conditions were the result of the ravages of war and AIDS. Through the ensuing years, Carol persevered and prayed. She was able to find substantial donors from around the world and some government assistance.
A "wonderful staff" was pulled together. Youth Encouragement Services was born. Today Carol's kids number close to 300. They receive food, clothing, education and hope for a better life. A thousand kids have graduated with vocational and agricultural skills. Some have gone on to careers in medicine and engineering.
The goal of "lifting children out of the poverty of the area" is being realized.
Skaneateles residents Mary Blatz and Peggy Card reconnected with Carol through the internet. Both had received horse back riding instruction from Carol in Skaneateles. When Mary found her on the internet, "I knew it had to be the same Carol Adams."
In December, Skaneateles classmates of Carol's started to discuss ways to support her work in Uganda. When asked what was needed, Carol replied financial donations for food and clothing. Mail and packages are expensive to send and often don't reach the intended destination. She suggested that the group adopt a child-headed family of four girls and one boy.
Through the efforts of Nancy Tokarz, Peggy Kennedy and Kathy McCullough, other class members were notified of this and an organization of financial donations was set up on a monthly basis. The response was good. Clothes and food were able to be provided for the family.
Anna Mary, one of the adopted children wrote in a letter, "the reason why I am writing this letter is to thank you for the love and care you are giving me." This will be an ongoing endeavor of the class of 1962. There is also the hope that an education link can be set up between Uganda and Skaneateles students.
As Carol said, "40 years is a long time to be away." However, reunions have a way of melding the past, present and future together. The past was shared. There were laughter and tears as Carol recounted her life in the present.
There is hope for the future in the most difficult of circumstances as we listened to Carol' s words, "You may not be able to change a country or the world, but you can change one life at a time."
The President of the Irish Farmers Association, Joe Healy, has called on Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, Mary Mitchell-OConnor, to to oversee the enforcement of the new regulations by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CPCC).
At a meeting with the Minister, Healy said the Minister must ensure the CPCC is very strong in its role of monitoring the compliance of retailers and wholesalers with the legislation, including all the requirements for retailers/wholesalers in staff training, annual compliance reporting and maintaining of records.
The IFA President told the Minister that the new Grocery Regulations will have to lead to a fundamental change by retailers and wholesalers when it comes to paying their suppliers promptly, citing the vulnerability of producers in this situation.
While he welcomed the progress made in the enactment of the Grocery Goods Regulations, the IFA President said the legislation must go further and provide for a ban on below cost selling and the establishment of an independent retail ombudsman.
The IFA President, Joe Healy commented, "Wholesalers and retailers will have to step up to the mark and comply with the new legislation, which provides for payment within 30 days as a standard provision.
He added,"There is no justification for retailers or wholesalers to insist on contractual terms longer than the standard 30 days, for short shelf-life products such as fruit, vegetables, milk and other fresh product."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
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Italy's economy will grow by less than one percent this year and only marginally faster in 2017, the International Monetary Fund said on Tuesday, cutting its previous forecasts as a result of Britain's decision to leave the European Union.
The outcome of last month's referendum in Britain has heightened volatility on financial markets and increased downside risks for Italy, the Fund said in a report following its annual Article IV meetings with the Italian authorities.
The euro zone's third-largest economy is now seen growing at "just under 1 percent in 2016 and at about 1 percent in 2017," the IMF said. Its previous projections, at the end of May, were for growth of 1.1 percent this year and 1.25 percent in 2017.
Economists have been racing to downgrade Italy's outlook since the British referendum. Employers' lobby Confindustria now sees growth of just 0.8 percent this year and 0.6 percent in 2017.
Italy, long one of Europe's most sluggish economies, will struggle to close the gap with its peers even if recent reforms are fully implemented, the IMF report said.
Only in around 2025 will Italian output return to its 2008 peak before the global financial crisis, it said. In the same period, growth among Italy's euro zone partners is expected to rise by 20-25 percent above their pre-crisis levels.
"The authorities thus face a monumental challenge. The recovery needs to be strengthened to reduce high unemployment faster and buffers need to be built, including by repairing strained bank balance sheets and decisively lowering the very high public debt," the report said.
BANKING WOES
"Risks are tilted to the downside," it added, listing a raft of issues including the poor asset quality of Italy's banks, financial market volatility and the impact of a global trade slowdown on exports.
"If downside risks were to materialize, regional and global spillovers could be significant given Italy's systemic weight," it said.
Italy's banks, which are saddled with some 360 billion euros ($397.55 billion) of bad loans and whose share prices have fallen by more than 50 percent this year, are a particular threat to the economic outlook, the IMF said.
"Unless asset quality and profitability problems are addressed in a timely manner, lingering problems of weaker banks can eventually weigh on the rest of the system," it warned.
If EU-wide stress tests show that financial stability is at risk, there is scope for Italy to use public money to recapitalise its banks, the head of the IMF's mission to Italy, Rishi Goyal, said in a conference call.
To what extent this could be done without triggering losses to investors under newly adopted "bail-in" rules would depend on negotiations between Italy and the EU, Goyal said.
Italy's public debt, the highest in the euro zone after Greece's, will not fall this year as targeted by the government of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, the IMF said.
In a forecast made before the UK referendum, the IMF said Italy's debt would edge up to a new all-time peak of 132.9 percent of gross domestic product from 132.7 percent last year. (Reuters)
Source: www.businessworld.ie
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The books and manuscripts were disappearing from a room no one seemed to be entering. Its doors were almost never opened, the room itself closed to public view. There was no believable explanation for where the materials might be going, so the least believable reasoning soon took hold. It was the work of the devil, the residents said. A poltergeist. A symbolic act of God meant to communicate something, if only they could interpret the signs.
This was, after all, a monasteryindeed, one of the worlds most picturesque, Mont Sainte-Odile, perched high in the mountains of France, nearly on the border with Germanyand its library was vanishing into thin air. A manuscript here, a bound volume there; five, six, a dozen, all quickly adding up to nearly a thousand key pieces of church scholarship missing from the shelves and tables.
When the police were finally notified, they chose not to perform an exorcism. Being a secular institution, they instead installed a hidden surveillance camera, and, in May 2002, the truth came to light. It was not a ghost at all, but an engineering teacher from Strasbourg. He had been entering the room through a long-forgotten secret passage, access to which was hidden inside one of the bookcases. Unseenindeed entirely unsuspectedhe was able to remove the librarys priceless collection piece by piece, emerging from the walls to take entire shelves of books at a time.
Perhaps more spectacular than the teachers indirect method of approach was how he came to know the passage was there in the first place. According to the Guardian, this otherwise law-abiding engineer first learned about the route after discovering a forgotten map in public archives revealing how the monasterys attic was covertly joined to the library on a lower floor. This chance discovery of a discarded floor plan made him one of the very few people in the world who knew the architectural connection existed at all; it had long ago ceased being used by the monks themselves, having fallen into a state of neglect resembling spatial hibernation.
Bringing the passage back into service as a reliable form of internal circulation was not, in fact, easy. According to some newspaper accounts, doing so required scaling the outside walls of the monastery, then navigating a precipitous attic stairway. According to others, the man posed as an overnight guest staying in another part of the monastery that had been converted into a hotel; carrying a suitcase, he would slip into a room with access to a hidden passageway, climb down a rope ladder, then enter the library through the trick bookcase. Some reports also claim that he had to locate a hidden mechanism tucked inside the wall that would cause the back of the bookcase to flip open, allowing entrance into the library. Regardless of how he ultimately gained access to the books, his actions transformed the confines of the monastery into a kind of three-dimensional puzzle. Indeed, the very fact that these accounts diverge suggests something of an epistemological uncertainty at the heart of such crimes: that a burglar can misuse a piece of architecture so radically it becomes almost impossible to narrate what actually took place there.
How to safeguard state lands for the benefit of education is a big topic at the Western States Land Commissioner Conference being held in Sandpoint, Idaho this week. On KVNUs For the People program on Monday the director of the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration for the Utah Board of Education was our guest.
Tim Donaldson says the idea goes back to Thomas Jefferson in that a self-governing republic needed an informed, educated citizenry and land was needed to fund schools.
Donaldson explained,By the time Utah entered the nation, we got four sections per township, or about 11 percent of land in the state to support schools. Sadly, its kind of been a promise unfulfilled throughout history because of just mismanagement, corruption, just a lack of good trust management from state governments.
Some years back, this resulted in Utah implementing a big reform effort that led to the Trust Lands Management Act. The goal being to manage the trust lands like a business through oil, gas, mining and even real estate development to make as much money as they could through these lands.
The money goes into an endowment and then goes out to Utah schools. Donaldson says they try to work out land exchanges with the federal government.
But out West, pretty much every Western state still does have these lands and we just face a shared set of interests, Donaldson said. Right now a hot topic is monument designation. President Obama has already designated 24 monuments andprobably by the time hes done (will) have declared more national monuments than any other president has.
Donaldson agrees with Representative Chris Stewart, R-District 2, that a mixed use, balanced approach to resources and locally-driven solutions are a better way to solve these issues.
Michael Finnerty was recently named state director for the Utah Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which is hosted and located at Utah State University and operated through USU Extension. Finnerty has been state director for the Montana Small Business Development Centers in Helena, and is also president of NxLeveL Education in Sandy, Utah, which provides entrepreneurial adult and continuing education.
Finnerty will be responsible for providing the leadership, vision and direction for the network of SBDC centers located at colleges and universities around the state. His primary responsibility includes creating and managing a $2.5 million budget funded by the Small Business Administration, the Utah Governors Office of Economic Development and other participating partners. The funding provides the means for 14 network centers to deliver small business counseling and training services to their clients. In addition, the funds help generate new business starts, increase sales and employment, provide new capital investment and support other local economic development endeavors in Utah communities.
We are pleased to have someone of Mikes experience and background lead the Utah SBDC Network, said Dillon Feuz, USU Applied Economics Department Head. His vision and leadership will provide support and direction to Utahs excellent network of small business service providers.
The SBDC Program is the largest government-funded small business management and technical assistance program in the United States. The program currently includes 63 lead centers and more than 900 service delivery points throughout the United State and its territories. For further information visit http://sbdc.usu.edu/.
LOGAN A 69-year-old Logan man accused of trying to lure a teenage boy into having sex with him appeared in court again on Monday.
Police arrested Thomas M. Thackeray June 7 after he allegedly was caught on security video, mailing sexually explicit packages to the Logan High School student. He was later charged with one count of stalking, a third-degree felony.
Court records show Thackeray was on parole from the Utah State Prison at the time of his arrest. He had been charged multiple times with similar crimes in Weber and Davis Counties.
In 2009, he was sentenced to one-to-15-years in prison for stalking and dealing harmful materials to a minor. He served six-years before being paroled and moving to Logan.
Police said Thackeray sent at least five packages to the alleged victim. The packages contained adult-oriented material and sexually-explicit letters. When officers and agents with Adult Probation and Parole arrested him at his Riverwalk Parkway apartment, they also found evidence of other potential victims and criminal events. He was later transferred back to prison for possible parole violations.
During Mondays court appearance, Thackeray told 1st District Court Judge Thomas Willmore he had hired an attorney to represent him. He also explained that he is scheduled to appear before the prison parole board on Thursday. Judge Willmore ordered him to appear again in court August 1.
will@cvradio.com
Charged with DUI
City and county residents who want to report a crime but wish to remain anonymous may call Silent Witness at 774-6111 or (877) 29-CRIME, submit a tip online at www.coconinosilentwitness.org, or text the word Flagtip along with your information to 274637 (CRIMES). Rewards of up to $2,000 are given for information that leads to an arrest.
SALT LAKE CITY The fugitive that military veteran Kurt Harris believes stole his car, laptops, marine uniforms and medals was found and brought into police custody Sunday night. John Michael Manning, 28, was arrested in Missoula, Montana, just more than one week after Harris last saw Manning and his belongings.
Harris, who said he was conned by Manning, created a Facebook post bringing attention to the alleged crimes. The post, which was shared more than 3,500 times, led to news media coverage, which helped lead to Mannings recognition and capture.
According to Harris, it wasnt very long ago that he met Manning at a gym in Salt Lake City. The two quickly became friends when Manning told Harris he was also a marine veteran.
He had a couple of marine tattoos on his sleeves, Harris said. He talked like a marine, he acted like a marine. There was another marine that worked there as well as a personal trainer, he was completely fooled. He was a really convincing guy. I did ten years and I had no reason not to believe he wasnt a marine.
Harris said Manning claimed to have had a fight with a roommate and needed a place to stay. Harris opened his house to Manning, and soon after, his belongings were gone.
After I found out everything was stolen, I called the cops. The cops were like, he has no military records, he has never been in the military.
Harris said he received a phone call Sunday night saying his car was found in Missoula, Montana. He was relieved, but most of his worries came from his missing military items, which he felt were irreplaceable. Harris said about an hour later the really good news came in, when he learned Manning had been caught.
I got a call from an officer in Missoula who was actually on the sting operation to capture Manning, he said. He called me to give me an update. He basically told me that Manning had established an online relationship with this woman in Missoula.
Harris said he soon after he spoke with the cop, he spoke with the woman on the phone, who told him Manning had tricked her into letting him stay at her house. After he started to show odd behavior, her roommate used Google to search Mannings name, which brought up an internet article about the robbery against Harris.
The police were called, and Manning was arrested. Harris said upon hearing the news, he was unable to sleep.
I was just ecstatic last night, overwhelmed with joy, he said.
The officers hadnt obtained a search warrant at the time of the phone call, so they were unable to search the car, but Harris said one of the officers may have seen some of his missing military items through the window.
He peered in the back of the car and he saw what looked like dress blues, he said. So Im really optimistic that those are in there but Ive got to wait for the detective to call me.
Harris said if presented with opportunity he will testify against Manning in court.
Slug: BC-CNS-Military DREAMers,540
WASHINGTON Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar introduced a bill Monday to bar certain immigrants from serving in the military, a move he said is needed to keep the Obama administration from enlisting DACA aliens through a backdoor amnesty program.
Gosars Military Amnesty Prevention Act comes just three weeks after an attempt to pass a similar measure as an amendment to the Pentagon budget failed by one vote in the House.
It also comes the same day that Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Tucson, announced plans for a bill that would essentially do the opposite, creating a special visa program to let military veterans return to the U.S. if they had been deported.
Gosar, a Prescott Republican, said his bill is needed to rein in the administration, which accused of trying to cement President Obamas lawless immigration agenda by hijacking a Pentagon pilot program for limited enlistment of lawful immigrants.
Military enlistment rules explicitly prohibit illegal aliens from enlisting in the armed forces, and DACA aliens do not have lawful status, Gosar said in a statement from his office announcing the bill.
DACA the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program was instituted by the White House in 2012 for people in this country who were brought here illegally as children. If they met several other criteria they had to have had a steady presence in the U.S, have a clean criminal history and have been in school or the military, among others they could apply for a two-year deferral of any deportation action.
During those two years, they could get authorization to work in the U.S. The deferral could be renewed after two years.
Gosar said that not only is it an overreach for the administration to allow DACA recipients to enlist, its unnecessary at a time when the Defense Department has more applicants than jobs to fill, and plans to shed 160,000 jobs in coming years.
But Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Phoenix, derided Gosars bill as just another in a long series of thus-far unsuccessful attempts he has made to ban DREAMers from serving our nation in the armed forces.
Gallego said in a statement from his office that the Defense secretary has the authority to allow any immigrant to enlist if its in our national interest including DACA recipients who want to fight for the country they call home.
A Marine veteran who was deployed to Iraq, Gallego said letting immigrants serve is in the national interest.
I fought in Iraq, and I know that on the battlefield what matters is the skills, character and commitment of the people you serve with, not their immigration status, his statement said.
Grijalva, meanwhile, announced plans Monday to introduce the Veteran Visa and Protection Act, which would let deported veterans return to the U.S. permanent lawful residents. The bill, a copy of which was not available Monday, would also give those veterans access to their military and veteran benefits, according to a statement from Grijalvas office.
The statement cited the case of Hector Barajas, who was deported to Mexico after serving in the Armys 82nd Airborne Division. He is one of 59 vets who have been deported or are facing deportation, according to a recent report by the American Civil Liberties Union of California.
GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES Nigel Green talks to his attorney Dee Ann Torres as he appears at the 105th District Court on Monday at the Nueces County Courthouse in Corpus Christi. Green is accused of killing his girlfriend and dumping her body in Mathis.
By Fares Sabawi of the Caller-Times
Nigel Green kept his answers short while State District Judge Jack Pulcher asked him questions during Green's first hearing Monday afternoon in the 105th District Court.
Green, who police say admitted Thursday to killing his girlfriend Carina Castellanos, told Pulcher he would need a court-appointed attorney before the brief hearing was adjourned. Green, 30, faces two domestic violence charges and a murder charge.
Castellanos, 26, called police June 10 from a corner store telling them Green had threatened to stab her and "bash her head" in with a vase. Castellanos told police Green strangled her while sitting on her legs so she couldn't move. Castellanos was taken to the Women's Shelter of South Texas to stay the night and she left the next morning.
On June 15, Castellanos leaves a detective on her case a two-minute voice mail asking to drop charges on Green because he left town.
Castellanos was last seen by a neighbor June 21, and sent a text to her mother for the final time June 27. The text message had two hearts and a cat emoji.
Police issued a missing-person report for Castellanos on June 30 after her mother was unable to contact her after several tries. Police found Castellanos' vehicle abandoned several blocks from her Herndon Street house.
On July 6, police obtained an arrest warrant for Green based on the aggravated assault report they took June 10. Green was arrested by U.S. Marshals in San Antonio and questioned by police in Corpus Christi. Police said Green admitted to killing Castellanos and dumping her body in a ditch in Mathis.
Green remained Nueces County Jail on Monday afternoon with a bail set at $765,000, jail officials said.
Twitter: @Caller_Fares
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By Natalia Contreras of the Caller-Times
Border Patrol agents found two dead bodies, one in Kingsville and another in Havana, officials said.
According to a Department of Homeland Security news release, Border Patrol agents from the Kingsville station were advised by the Kenedy County Sheriff's Office on Friday about an anonymous call about a dead person on a local ranch.
The caller gave a description of the location and agents were able to find the body, the release states.
Later that day, McAllen agents working in the brush near Havana found a body and the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office was notified.
Officials believe both were immigrants who died after exposure to the South Texas heat. Information: www.cbp.gov.
Twitter: @CallerNatalia
Take a look at Corpus Christi's $125 million bond program in 2022 election
There's more than political hopefuls appearing on this year's crowded ballot. For Corpus Christi residents, there's also $125 million.
GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar talks Monday about the results of a study examining the economic impact of the naval air stations in Corpus Christi and Kingsville.
SHARE GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar talks to Rep. Todd Hunter on Monday after giving results of a study examining the economic impact of the naval air stations in Corpus Christi and Kingsville.
By Natalia Contreras of the Caller-Times
Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, the Corpus Christi Army Depot and Naval Air Station Kingsville are a vital part of South Texas economy.
According to a recent Comptroller study, the installations combined contribute about $5.3 billion to the state's economy, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said Monday during a visit and news conference at the Corpus Christi and Kingsville Naval Air Stations.
The visit was part of Hegar's tour of Texas military bases, which will end July 14 after he visits Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo and Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene.
"These numbers are significant. In Corpus Christi we have the training and that's significant for our national defense," Hegar said. "The men and women who have been fighting for our country for generations, their equipment was refurbished around here."
NAS Corpus Christi contributes about $2.1 billion to the state's economy and supports about 13,000 residents, which provides about $800 million in personal income, according to the study.
The station administers the training and operations of the Navy's Southeast Region and Training Air Wing Four. The base was the military's largest air training facility at the end of World War II.
"South Texas, specifically around NAS Corpus Christi and NAS Kingsville, is a great place to train future Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard pilots," said Capt. Steve Banta, NAS Corpus Christi Commanding Officer. "In this area we enjoy a stronger support for our military mission than any I've encountered elsewhere in my 25 years of naval service."
NAS-Kingsville adds another $700 million to the state's economy and provides about 4,500 jobs, Hegar said.
The Kingsville base opened in 1942 as an auxiliary station for NAS Corpus Christi. It provides pilot training in dogfighting, carrier divebombing, anti-submarine warfare and cockpit gunnery and artillery.
NAS Kingsville public affairs officer, Kevin Clarke, said the numbers speak of the good partnership between Coastal Bend residents and the military.
"There's value in what (the naval air stations) bring to the Coastal Bend area," Clarke said. "That good relationship is why people want to come here, because of that good working relationship."
The Corpus Christi Army Depot, a helicopter repair facility, including Department of Defense helicopters and parts, contributes another $2.5 billion to the economy.
State Representative Todd Hunter, who attended the Monday news conference at NAS Corpus Christi said the Coastal Bend has always cared about the military.
"We must continue to care for our military and our naval air stations," Hunter said. "The numbers reflect how much this area cares about its great economic impact not only locally, but state and nationwide."
Twitter: @CallerNatalia
SHARE President Barack Obama heads to Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base in Md., Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Obama is traveling to Dallas to speak at an interfaith memorial service for the fallen police officers and members of the Dallas community. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
By Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY
DALLAS President Obama hailed as heroes Tuesday the Dallas Police Department and the five officers slain last week in a gunman's rampage that rocked this city and the nation.
"When bullets started to fly, they did not flinch," Obama said at an emotional interfaith memorial service Tuesday honoring the officers. "In some cases, helped by protesters, they... saved more lives than we will ever know.
Obama said the city has "shown us the meaning of perseverance." He thanked Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and Police Chief David Brown for their work and noted that Rawlings is white, Brown is black.
"These men, this (police) department, this is the America I know," Obama said.
He said policing is made harder because the nation fails to fund mental health and drug abuse efforts. He said guns are easier for youths to obtain then computers.
"If we cannot talk honestly and openly ... than we will never break this dangerous cycle," he said.
Texan and former President George W. Bush also spoke, stressing the need for national unity.
"Too often we judge other groups by their worst examples, while judging ourselves by our best intentions," Bush said. "This has strained our bonds of understanding and common purpose... We want the unity of hope, affection and higher purpose."
Five seats at the front at the packed Meyerson Symphony Center held only folded flags in honor of the victims. Amazing Grace and The Star Spangled Banner kicked off the service, followed by a brief statement from Mayor Mike Rawlings.
Rawlings welcomed the nation to his city, saying all citizens shared the grief enveloping his city.
"Dallas' pain is a national pain," Rawlings said. "The past few days have been some of the darkest in our city's history."
But Rawlings added that he was "in awe" of the Dallas Police Department, saying it set a standard for strong, smart policing.
"This is our chance to lead, to build a new model for a community, for a city, for our country," Rawlings said before Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious leaders spoke of the importance of love and unity.
One of the injured officers has arrived here for the service in #Dallas. Huge cheers for him! pic.twitter.com/RDYnBbrpX5 Trevor Hughes (@TrevorHughes) July 12, 2016
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, lauded the fallen officers for putting the people of Dallas above their own safety.
"They overcame evil by sacrificing their own lives so that others might live," Cornyn said.
Obama, in a show of unity, brought outspoken critic Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, with him to Dallas on Air Force One. On Wednesday, Obama is scheduled to meet with civil rights leaders and law enforcement officials on the broader issues regarding race and law enforcement that have sparked demonstrations nationwide.
Obama met Monday at the White House with representatives of police organizations. Obama has labeled the Dallas attack a hate crime. Dallas police killed the shooter, Micah Johnson with a bomb delivered by a robot.
Johnson, 25, was an Army Reserve veteran who served in Afghanistan. During the standoff, he talked of wanting to kill white police officers, according to Dallas police.
The dead officers included Michael Smith, 55, Patrick Zamarripa, 32, Lorne Ahrens, 48, Michael Krol, 40, and Brent Thompson, 43.
Last weeks melee in Dallas followed the shooting deaths of two black men by police in Baton Rouge, La., and in a suburb of Minneapolis. The White House said Obama called the families of Alton Sterling, shot in Baton Rouge, and Philando Castile, shot in Minnesota, on Tuesday to express condolences on behalf of his family and the nation.
Obamas speeches and meetings with grieving relatives following mass shootings have become nearly routine. Last month, he went to Orlando to speak with loved ones of 49 people shot to death at a nightclub.
Today, once again, as has been true too many times before, I held and hugged grieving family members and parents, and they asked, why does this keep happening? Obama said in remarks distributed to reporters.
Vanden Brook reported from Washington; Bacon reported from McLean, Va.
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About 2.9 million Texans elected Greg Abbott governor in 2014. About 2.7 million elected Dan Patrick lieutenant governor. In a state of 27 million people, Abbott and Patrick are obliged to govern the roughly 10 percent who voted them in and the 90 percent who didn't preferably by seeking unity.
Last week, after five Dallas police officers were slain at a Black Lives Matter protest march, these two had a duty and opportunity speak for all Texans. Often they are dividers, not uniters. But the shock and grief of the Dallas shooting transcended race relations and politics. All Abbott and Patrick had to do was say the right words.
Abbott fulfilled his role eloquently and, it turns out, heroically. He urged Texans not to listen to those who "foment distrust and fan the flames of dissension," in a letter published first in The Dallas Morning News. "To come together that would be the greatest rebuke to those who seek to tear us apart."
Abbott also cut short a vacation in Wyoming to speak in Dallas on Friday, the day after the sniper attack. The governor, who uses a wheelchair, concealed that his paralyzed legs and feet had been burned in a scalding accident the day before. His injuries were severe enough that he may miss next week's Republican Party convention. But he made the trip from Wyoming and appeared in public anyway.
Patrick also spoke Friday, going out of his way to foment distrust and fan the flames of dissension.
"All those protesters last night, they ran the other way, expecting the men and women in blue to turn around and protect them," Patrick told Fox News, rage evident in his voice. "What hypocrites!"
Later, on CNN, Patrick tried to soften what he had said earlier but delivered essentially the same message. He blamed the protesters and the Black Lives Matter movement for causing the conditions that encouraged the shooting. And he said, in essence, that if people want the police to protect and serve them, they shouldn't protest against them. That was Patrick's way of backtracking on his earlier remark.
In Patrick's world, evidently, expecting police to do their jobs without discriminating or using excessive force is asking too much. It's not a problem that affects him directly. The people whose life experiences say otherwise are not his demographic. Patrick's idea of defending police is of no help to police. They are much more likely than he to empathize with the protesters. Indeed, Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said "shame on him" for calling the protesters hypocrites.
Patrick's warped sense of right and wrong puts us in the awkward position of having to declare the obvious that running from gunfire, which the police ordered the protesters to do, is not hypocritical, cowardly or entitled.
Protester Shetamia Taylor ran. After she was wounded in one leg, she shielded her son with her body. Then officers shielded her with theirs. Taylor later thanked the police, tearfully. She did not apologize for attending the protest and bringing her children nor should she, ever. Recent killings of black men by police in Louisiana and Minnesota precipitated the Dallas protest, which was peaceful until a lone sniper opened fire.
Patrick told CNN that he had seen dead police officers on gurneys as if it should mitigate his "hypocrites" remark. His statements show how ill-suited he is to lead. He used a time of crisis as a pulpit to speak against wide swaths of Texans, and to spew ignorance and hate. He also made Texas look foolish on a national stage.
He owes Black Lives Matter an unqualified public apology. They are part of his constituency of 27 million. If they and their sympathizers aren't already a majority of Texans, Patrick should do all he can to turn that around. It may be unlikely but it's not unreasonable. He has built a wall. We're only asking that he tear it down.
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Professors at the University of Texas at Austin, my alma mater, are considering if and how their classes will be different this fall when, beginning Aug. 1, their students will be allowed to carry concealed handguns into campus classrooms.
Others have pointed out the irony of this particular date, which is the 50th anniversary of the day in 1966 when Charles Whitman lugged a small arsenal to the top of the tower that overlooks the campus and began to kill 14 people. The day was the iconic precursor of events that became so common that they acquired their own immediately understood designation: school shooting.
And a half-century later the only solution we've managed to come up with is to allow the students and professors to arm themselves.
The change is controversial. The UT system chancellor, the UT president, the Austin police chief and several of the state's law enforcement agencies objected. In protest, a few faculty members resigned or retired, and last week three UT professors filed a lawsuit in federal court for the right to maintain their classrooms as gun-free zones.
Administrators and law enforcement are concerned that more firearms on campus means more shootings, accidents and suicides. The three suing professors have these concerns, as well as others.
They're arguing that concealed handguns in the classroom will, according to my local paper, "chill their manner of teaching," especially in courses that deal with "abortion, homosexuality and other topics that are often charged with emotion."
This is the kind of reasoning that proponents of concealed carry and open carry find easy to dismiss as intellectual hand-wringing by effete liberal professors. In fact, Texas' attorney general has already called the suit "baseless" and "an insult to the millions of law-abiding gun owners in Texas and across the country."
On the other hand, it's easy to underestimate the depth of passion that attaches to contentious subjects such as race, abortion and, for that matter, gun control. And since a significant element of a college education involves exposure to ideas outside the so-called comfort zones that students grew up with, the professors' concerns are not unreasonable.
Of course, most people who have concealed carry permits are ordinary, law-abiding citizens. On the other hand, 30 Americans per day are murdered with firearms, and I suspect that a significant number of the murderers were ordinary citizens who were overwhelmed by the passions of the moment and turned to what increasingly seems like a feasible option, one of the 300 million guns in our society.
Here's another concern: at the end of each semester college professors are required to make judgments about student performance and readiness for the next level. Sometimes these decisions have considerable impact on students' sense of self-worth, and, especially these days, they involve considerable sums in tuition and fees.
In fact, assigning several hundred A's or F's at the end of each semester has the potential to ignite much more passion and anger than are typically faced by judges in traffic court or small claims court, places where our society still prudently forbids guns.
The desire to carry a concealed weapon into a classroom isn't irrational, but concerns about the increased dangers that professors may face are far from "baseless."
And neither are fears about the "chill" that the presence of weapons may create. It's worth noting that the law that permits handguns in classrooms emanated from an extremely pro-gun Republican legislature and governor. Generalizing only slightly, their goal is virtually no firearms restrictions.
And if you can force weapons into the classrooms at a university that many Republican legislators see as a holdout of liberalism in a very conservative state, you make nearly anywhere safe for unrestricted open carry.
About the "chill" that the presence of weapons might induce: Texas legislators and top officials have very definite positions on subjects such as abortion and certainly gun control; a "chill" on discussion at a place like U.T. could be thoroughly in line with their agenda.
The fact is, even if a gun never leaves its holster, if it's present, it's always part of the conversation.
John M. Crisp, an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service, teaches in the English Department at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas. Readers may send him email at jcrisp@delmar.edu.
Editor's note: First in a series of profiles on the candidates for Flagstaff City Council and mayor.
Karla Brewster: Directed, business-friendly growth
Finding a way to still grow while managing the impacts is foremost in Flagstaff City Councilmember Karla Brewsters mind. Brewster is running for a third term on Council this year.
The growth of the city is linked with a number of important issues, including the lack of affordable housing, traffic issues, new businesses moving in and the end of the recession, she said.
Were not the tiny town we used to be, nor will we ever be that tiny town again, she said. And I dont think people really would like to return to that.
Flagstaff is going through an economic boom at the end of a very long recession, Brewster said. Its a desirable place to live and its going to grow. Its how that growth is directed that makes the difference.
Growth is not necessarily a bad thing, she said. New businesses, redevelopment and new development bring in new revenue to the citys coffers and lets the city expand the services that residents want and cherish, such as biking and hiking trails, open spaces and parks. Cities that dont grow dont bring in that kind of income and end up cutting services.
Growth can help pay for things like the widening or improvement of Milton Road, adding an interchange at Lone Tree Road and Interstate 40. Both Milton and I-40 are controlled by the Arizona Department of Transportation, but the department doesnt have the funding to pull off either project by itself. A partnership with the city, funded by revenues from new growth could bring both projects to the forefront quicker and make them a reality sooner.
In order to bring in new businesses to the city, Flagstaff needs to be more business-friendly, Brewster said.
We cant make it so tough to start a business here or move a business here that people get discouraged, she said.
At the same time, the city needs to recruit the right types of business for the city, Brewster said. Businesses that are environmentally friendly, clean and provide good-paying jobs for residents.
The Northern Arizona Center for Entrepreneurship and Technologys Incubator and Accelerator on Gemini Road are important in attracting, creating and encouraging new businesses to flourish and grow in the city, she said.
More workforce housing needs to be built to provide homes for current residents and to show businesses that there is room for their employees here. Large apartment complexes, such as The Hub and The Standard, can be a key ingredient in freeing up housing for working families that need to rent or want to purchase a home.
While Brewster supports higher-paying jobs, she does not agree with a proposed increase in the state or local minimum wage. There should be a minimum set by the state to make sure that employees are adequately compensated for their work. However, wages above that state minimum should be set by businesses, she said. They know what their market can bear better than any elected official.
Its a market decision, not a city decision, she said.
Jim McCarthy: Reopen zoning code on housing
Flagstaff City Council candidate Jim McCarthy thinks it may be time to take a second look at the citys Zoning Code.
We need to go back and look at the Zoning Code and see if its doing what people want it to do, he said. People arent happy with whats happening and they dont understand the Zoning Code.
Its a complex document thats hard to understand under the best of circumstances, McCarthy said. But it could be made clearer to both residents and developers. Revisions to the Code could also be made to better protect the character of the city overall and its individual neighborhoods.
For example, the mixed use, high density zoning that is being used by large apartment complexes geared toward students, like The Standard and The Hub, was not intended for that type of development, McCarthy said. It was designed for family apartments rented by the apartment, not by the room.
The committee that added high density housing to the Zoning Code and the public were expecting a gradual transition to larger housing complexes, not the quantum leap of The Hub and The Standard, he said. The Council members who voted for the Zoning Code had the same idea in mind. No one thought that it would be used for this purpose.
However, McCarthy believes there is a time, place and need for these types of student-orientated apartment complexes in the city. But the middle of one of the citys historic neighborhoods is not the best location. An open discussion with both the public and developers can help better locate these types of development.
McCarthy also said that developers and the public should be treated fairly by the citys laws, staff and Council. Everyone should have equal time to speak at a Council meeting. There have been times when it seems that the mayor and others on Council have been anxious to cut the discussion on a topic short.
Staff should give projects by small business owners or developers the same weight and priority as projects from larger, out-of-town developers, he said. Why does it take so long for a small business owner to get clearance to add a parking lot, when a larger project like The Hub seems to sail through the process?
McCarthy also has his eye on the citys infrastructure. The citys streets are being repaired due to the voter-approved Street Safety sales tax, but what about the citys aging water and sewer systems?
McCarthy has served on the citys Water Commission for a number of years. The water and sewer systems are in pretty good shape for the short run, he said. But the city could do more to encourage the conservation of water through higher rates for customers that use the most water. It could also encourage conservation through a tiered rate system for commercial customers.
Conservation could also be encouraged through the citys building code by mandating or offering rebates for low-flow shower heads, toilets and other fixtures in new homes.
| BY Lynchy |
Digby Richards and Adam Rose, the founding partners and leaders of AJF Partnership Sydney, have agreed terms to buy out their Melbourne partners to form new independent creative agency, Richards Rose. Richards and Rose will continue as CEO and ECD respectively.
The relaunch coincides with the new agencys appointment as the creative agency for Mitsubishi Motors, after a competitive pitch. Both the agency relaunch and the Mitsubishi appointment is effective mid July.
Digby Richards (above left) and Adam Rose (above right) issued the following joint statement: As both AJF Sydney and AJF Melbourne built relationships with more clients in different categories, potential client conflicts were becoming an issue. In order for the Sydney business to grow, we felt the time was right to separate the agencies and for us to buy out our Melbourne partners. Were fortunate to have a fantastic group of clients and of course the Mitsubishi win is a huge thrill for us. We look forward to helping all of them continue to grow their respective shares in the market.
AJF Partnerships Melbourne partners, Andrew Fabbro, Adam Francis, Andrew Foote and Josh Stephens, issued the following joint statement: In 2011 we launched an agency in Sydney with no clients and no staff. But what we did have were two talented, ambitious partners whom we backed to succeed. And succeed they have. The agency has grown to some 45 staff and counts many prominent brands and companies amongst its clients. It is with some pride and the very best wishes that we pass our shareholdings over to Digby and Adam, and we look forward to watching the continued growth and prosperity of Richards Rose, Australias next great independent agency brand.
| BY Lynchy |
Each week Bestads picks the very best advertising in the world, in every medium which is reviewed by a top creative director or team to select their own personal favourites.
This weeks guest judges are Gian Lanfranco & Rolando Cordova, creative directors global brands, McCann New York.
A powerful message of how differences are a big part of such a diverse country. The execution reminds us a bit to the man walking from johnnie walker.
| BY Lynchy |
Following the success of the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge Now You Can campaign, Samsung in New Zealand has continued with a new burst of activity, with the release of the second piece of locally produced film via agency Colenso BBDO.
Directed by Riley Blakeway via production company Robbers Dog, the film showcases the low light capabilities of the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge camera.
The latest film focuses on how the Galaxy S7 can help kiwis capture the best of their nighttime experiences by not killing them with harsh light. Drawing the audience into a series of distinctly kiwi settings, the film documents the after dark adventures of groups capturing life at night, positioning the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge as the perfect companion for your low light experiences.
The locally inspired approach has hit a chord with mobile buyers, with the video accumulating over 500,000 video views across YouTube and Facebook and helping to drive sales that have put Samsung in the number one spot in a hotly contested market.
Says Samsung marketing director Mike Cornwell: Following the success of the first campaign, which communicated the experiences that could be had through the GS7s water resistant feature, we decided to embark on a second phase activity which would shift the focus onto the Galaxy S7s superior low light camera.
Adds Aaron Turk, creative director at Colenso BBDO: Weve all tried capturing photos at night on our mobile phones. Unless you use a flash, which blows out everyones face and blinds them in the process, you end up with a very grainy out of focus image. The beauty of the Galaxy S7 is that it can capture these moments without killing them with harsh light and that resonates with an audience thats all about sharing lifes experiences as they happen.
| BY Lynchy |
Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness, Sydney has launched a unique campaign via an outdoor event yesterday in Martin Place for client ANZGOG (Australia and New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group).
Exactly 1,743 simple cardboard boxes were used to create a huge series of walls and structures, each box representing a death from gynaecological cancer over the previous year. Large billboards were placed nearby, explaining that this box memorial was designed to get Australians to open up about a subject the majority of women are embarrassed to talk about. The campaign informed viewers through relevant facts incorporated throughout the entire installation and leaflets distributed by women wearing cardboard boxes, the carefully positioned triangular logo leaving viewers in no doubt as to the subject matter.
To coincide with the event, an original song and video-clip was launched online, depicting a large number of women, many of them cancer survivors, marching and drumming while wearing the boxes. The film finishes with the cast solemnly bowing their heads in memory of those lost to the disease.
Within hours of launch, #savethebox was all over social media, and the video had been viewed by thousands. The cause was also taken up through selfies and social posts by several high-profile stars including Ita Buttrose, Johanna Griggs, Jane Azzopardi, Lavinia Nixon, Jessica Rowe and Annalise Braakensiek, just to name a few.
Media outlets also picked up the story including the ABC, Channel 10, Channel 9, The Daily Telegraph and various radio stations.
LOS ANGELES (TNS) This may be what the start of a water war looks like.
Drought is draining the Wests largest reservoir, Lake Mead, to historic low levels. Forecasts say climate change will make things worse. Headlines warn of water shortages and cutbacks. Members of Congress are moving to protect their states supplies.
Yet if war is really imminent, why is one of the regions most experienced water managers doing the same thing he has done for years: tinkering?
I like to describe this as another incremental step, said Tom Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources.
Buschatzke was talking about a plan he is helping develop, along with water managers in California, Nevada and Mexico, that would voluntarily reduce water allocations from the Colorado River to those three states and Mexico. They hope to have it in place in time to avoid steeper, mandatory cuts that could begin as soon as 2018.
Would their plan change everything? Would it finally fix the increasingly inadequate blend of canals, conservation and compromises that somehow keeps water flowing to more than 25 million people, including a substantial chunk of those in Southern California?
Not even close.
But for Buschatzke, who has spent decades efficiently providing water for a desert population Arizona uses less water now than it did 60 years ago even though the population has soared from 1.1 million to 6.7 million the big fix is actually in the accumulation of all the little fixes he and others are constantly making. A federal grant for new technology that will better measure water use. Paying a farmer to fallow a field. Saying nice things about your colleagues across the state line and the fine folks in Washington. Keeping things collegial. Sharing. Saving. Preserving the process and the peace.
I dont think a water war is inevitable, he said. I think weve proven over the last 20 years that we can effectively work together to find solutions that really work. And as long as we continue to do that, the water war wont happen.
The current project, called the drought contingency plan, is a tweak to a previous tweak. Nearly a decade ago, water managers recognized that Lake Mead was draining faster than predicted. They recalibrated plans for how they could handle cutbacks. Now, with Lake Mead dropping even faster, they are recalibrating again.
The goal, as has been the case for years, is for water users to limit how much they take out of Lake Mead. The less they take, the less likely the lake will drop to levels that prompt mandatory cuts.
Yet the cuts would not apply evenly. Under an agreement reached in the 1960s, California is not required to make any cuts, even if the lake drops so low that Arizona and Nevada lose everything.
But now, even California is willing to conserve because officials know that, in the event of catastrophe, they will be forced to share anyway. It is better to try to prevent the catastrophe in the first place and keep the federal government from taking over a process the states want to control.
There is no firm draft of the drought contingency plan, but the gist of it has been floated at meetings for several weeks. Under the plan, Arizona and Nevada would take cuts before California, but California eventually could take cuts too again, with the goal of staving off even more severe cuts if it does nothing.
Buschatzke, who speaks weekly with managers in other states, said he thinks California has a new appreciation for Arizonas endless search for efficiency.
I think the drought in California, the severe impacts on the state water supply, have made them feel what its like to be Arizona, he said.
That said, Arizona does not completely trust California. Nor does California necessarily go looking for ways to help. California has resisted legislation sponsored by Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., that would ensure that any water Arizona chooses to leave in Lake Mead to prop up elevation levels actually stays in the lake, that another state cannot take it.
Arizona has an elaborate underground storage system and some residents want to fill it by drawing down all of the Colorado River water the state is allowed to take under the law. Water managers choose not to do so, believing it will help the state in the long run to safeguard Lake Mead. The Flake legislation would add protection for taking that approach.
We have a finite amount of water to put underground, Buschatzke said, And so every gallon that we dont put underground, that we put into Lake Mead, makes a difference. Our ability to continue to add to our underground storage is decreasing over time.
There are expensive and controversial ideas for solving the Wests water problems: desalination; transforming sewage into tap water; scaling back agriculture; water markets. But until a cure-all comes along and somebody agrees to pay for it expect more nipping and tucking.
We are offsetting that first shortage declaration by the action we are taking, Buschatzke said.
There is strong interest in completing the drought contingency plan before top officials at the Bureau of Reclamation and the Department of Interior, agencies that oversee the Colorado River, are replaced by the next presidential administration.
If an agreement is reached, it may only delay the inevitable. But delaying a war is no small feat.
"You might still see a few centimetres on the higher peaks of brindabellas, but in the Canberra suburbs themselves, it is looking less likely later on, although you will some showers about this morning," Ms Duma said.
As I was never ever going to vote for Pauline Hanson's version of One Nation, I didn't explicitly seek to read her website or her policies. Now Hanson will, along with other senators, make decisions which affect us all so to truly understand what will happen to our country, we need to understand those who will make decisions on our behalf. I felt it was important to see exactly what she said about one of the issues which divides our nation, immigration.
"The best time to catch it is the morning as by the afternoon it will still be fairly cool but probably warm enough for the snow to melt."
Telebras is presently constructing a submarine cable that could potentially connect with both the station and data centre.
Angola Cables and Telebras previously partnered in South Atlantic Cable System (SACS) but the latter pulled out as a result of a limited budget as well as a change in its strategic priority moving from Africa to Europe.
Angola Cables CEO Antonio Nunes said: "It was a natural process of financial prioritisation [by Telebras]. They pulled out from the Brazil-US and the Brazil-Africa projects, prioritising the route to Europe. We carried on with our own project. There was no incompatibility, nor does this means we cannot work with Telebras again.
Nunes added that its offer to co-share with Telebras is presently under review and a deal has yet to be confirmed.
Breitbart by EDWIN MORA
WASHINGTON, D.C. The chairman of the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare tells Breitbart News that Americas longtime ally Egypt is turning to Russia for military assistance because the Obama administration has abandoned the North African country.
Rep. Robert Pittenger (R-NC), the chairman, spoke to Breitbart News after his recent meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
The North Carolina congressman indicated that Sisi has been denied military assistance requested to combat the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) threat in Egypts volatile Sinai Peninsula.
Pittenger told Breitbart News:
The Egyptian president is always expressing great respect and gratitude towards the United States for all it has done for Egypt. In the same spirit, I think it was clear that he has not received the support that he wishes to receive in fighting ISIS in the Sinai and the Muslim Brotherhood and also confronting the threat of ISIS coming from Libya
Sisi has requested military supplies and assistance and he just hasnt received that The Obama administration has not given the Egyptian president the same measure of support it has received from the United States in the past.
Pittenger went on to note that Egypt is turning to Russia for military aid.
The Russians are reportedly holding naval exercises with Egypt. All of this is because weve abandoned a 40-year-old relationship with Egypt despite Sissi standing strong and very vocal against Islamic terrorists, pointed out the congressman.
He said the Obama administration has absolutely pushed the Egyptian president closer to Russia.
Theres no doubt about it, he continued. If were too stuffy to help them and think were too good, they will continue to turn to Russia.
Pittenger praised President Sisi for leading a crackdown against Islamic extremists within Egypt, namely members of the Muslim Brotherhood, and for helping religions minorities like the Coptic Christians.
He has built over a hundred churches for the Coptic Christians. The Coptic Christians are pleased they are so grateful to the Egyptian president for the stability and ability to worship without being slaughtered by the Muslim Brotherhood, he told Breitbart News.
When I thanked him for his efforts to protect religious minorities, he said Congressman, we have no minorities everyone is an Egyptian and then he clasped his hands together and said Muslims and Christians are brothers, noted Pittenger.
Although acts of aggression against Coptic Christians have dropped under Sisi, the president has been accused of ignoring the ongoing tensions between Muslims and Christians in Egypt.
The Obama administration has described its relationship with Egypt as complicated.
Sisi became president under circumstances considered undemocratic by the Obama camp although he won the leadership post through an election.
Long-standing relations between the Obama folks and Egypt began to deteriorate after Sissi, then military chief, led the public movement to remove the Muslim Brotherhoods Mohamed Morsi, who was backed by the Obama camp, from power.
The tensions between the two nations escalated after the Obama administration suspended the sale of certain weapons to Cairo in the wake of President Morsis removal.
In response, Egypt has reportedly reached out to China and Russia for weapons.
In late March of this year, President Obama decided to release the U.S. military aid to Egypt that had been suspended.
Nevertheless, Pittenger told Breitbart News that Sissi is still being denied certain military supplies and assistance to combat ISIS.
The congressman noted:
So what are we looking for? What is the problem here? Why dont we provide full support? Egypt is a democratic state that is very pivotal for us in the Middle East
We need to work with Sissi. He did agree to work with the U.S. Treasury Department on addressing the need to combat terrorism financing
Sissi is looking for a stable country, a free country, an open country, a democratic country, but he has internal opposition such as the Muslim Brotherhood that we dont seem to want to recognize.
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Paladion Networks partners with M. S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences to provide a highly specialized M. Tech course in Cyber Security technology.
- Students completing the course will be directly absorbed by Paladion for any of its global offices
- New courses will inspire college students to build innovative information security solutions for the marketplace
New Delhi, July 12, 2016: Paladion Networks, a globally acclaimed cyber security provider, is partnering with Karnataka's leading engineering college MS Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences to launch an M.Tech program in Cyber security and Information Assurance. The course is a first-of-its-kind in India and aims to fill the talent crunch in the information security space.
The Curriculum is co-designed and co-administered by MSRUAS and Paladion Networks jointly, which will bring select experts from Paladion as visiting faculties to impart the most up-to-date knowledge in information security.
The course will also give students access to Paladion labs and cyber security intelligence amassed from its various cyber security centers. On successful completion of the course, students would be absorbed into Paladion Networks and placed in any of its global offices. An aptitude test and interview will be part of the selection process.
Ethical Hacking - An Offbeat Career Prospect
Speaking on the association, Dr. Jagan Vaman, Executive VP - Corporate Development & Strategy, from Paladion Networks said, "Digitization and the internet economy are fuelling the need for cyber security professionals at an exponential rate.
Cyber Security talent, however, is scarce, and is unable to fill this need. Our partnership with MSRU for the M. Tech course in Cyber Security is designed to cater to this growing need. The course is designed in such a way that the students would have hands-on exposure to unique and up-to-date cyber security software and practices, so they are equipped with the right tools and knowledge to combat today's sophisticated cyber threats."
Prof. Dr. Kadambi and Dr. Kulkarni, M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences commented, "Paladion Networks is a leader in cyber security and the first to spearhead information security in India. Their expertise in the field would be a great value-add to this course, and students in the cyber security program will benefit from real life scenarios and the latest developments in the industry, making them industry ready upon course completion.
Additionally, the course is specifically tailored to suit the business requirements of Paladion as an organization and the candidates stand a chance to get directly employed by Paladion across any of its corporate offices worldwide."
In order to make the course as thorough and as best-in-class as possible, paid-internships and joint projects on live problems are also included as an integral part of the course.
The faculty at M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences will also undergo training in this specialized course, so that they are qualified to impart better training to students who are aspiring to be job-ready professionals.
At the launch, Dr. MS Vijayaraghavan - Former Advisor to the Indian Government, PMO and the Chief Technology Advisor to Paladion Networks gave an inspiring speech about the opportunities, complexities and skills required in the Cyber world. He stressed that the Industry needs more than a million Cyber security professionals and this unique M.Tech in Cyber Security is a step in the right direction.
Rajat Mohanty, CEO of Paladion Networks addressed the students over Skype from the US and elaborated his vision of Cybersecurity, the strategic directions and opportunities for the Cyber skills. He added "We have certain strategies that we are working on- more IP driven offerings, more automation and differentiation in what we do, greater play in the market covering both large enterprises as well as mid markets through cyberactive and ondemand offering, expansion in US and dominance in India & ME. That means fantastic opportunities for the MSRUAS students joining Paladion."
About Paladion
Paladion Networks is a specialized partner for information risk management providing end-to-end services and solutions in the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Paladion is rated and has been recognized and awarded by Gartner, Asian Banker and Red Herring, amongst others. For over 15 years, Paladion has been actively managing information risks for over 700 customers.
Paladion provides a complete spectrum of information risk management comprising of security assurance, compliance, governance, monitoring, security analytics and security management services to large and medium-sized organizations. Paladion is also actively involved in several information risk management research forums and has authored many books on the same. With a staff of over 800 dedicated security experts, Paladion has 6 Security Operations Centers (SOCs) across the world.
For more information, visit www.paladion.net
You may think car photographers have it easy, but as this startling clip shows, they can face quite serious on-the-job dangers.
Filmed in Ramona, California, it shows a group of car photographers snapping some pictures of a white Audi on a small public road near a local airport. Sounds pretty innocent right?
Well, one local resident wasnt too pleased and suggested that the road was in fact his private driveway before he started hurling expletives towards the photographers. On two occasions he almost runs over the man filming the ordeal before jumping out of his car and getting physical with one of the photographers.
Upon leaving the scene, the photographers rang the police who said theyd visit the resident to find out if, as the film man asserts, was intoxicated during the incident.
VIDEO
After launching in San Francisco this summer and scheduled to hit LA by the fall, Lyfts Express Drive service will offer more Californian users the chance to access not just the 2016 Chevrolet Volt, but also the all-new Bolt EV.
Express Drive will also launch operations in Denver before the end of the year, with Lyft now estimating that over 130,000 people will receive the opportunity to drive on the platform.
This expansion comes on the heels of other successful launches in cities such as Chicago, Boston, Washington DC and Baltimore. In fact, 30% of new Lyft-driver applicants in Chicago have gone on to request an Express Drive vehicle, while Bostons program was fully subscribed in less than 4 days after launching.
Expanding Express Drive provides opportunities to hundreds of thousands of new potential Lyft drivers and continues to make car ownership optional for both drivers and passengers, said Lyft president & co-founder John Zimmer. We are also excited to be adding electric vehicles to Express Drive, which is an important milestone for Lyft and the industry.
GM and Lyft are also working together to create an autonomous ride-sharing service. Part of this original alliance was GM providing vehicles to Lyft drivers through multiple rental hubs across the US, while Lyft drivers and customers are to have access to GMs OnStar services.
PHOTO GALLERY
Nevada treasurer Dan Schwartz has expressed his concern about the funding of start-up electric automaker Faraday Future.
While speaking with Bloomberg, Schwartz pinpointed his caution at Jia Yueting, a self-made billionaire who owns the prospective Tesla rival. Schwartz remains unconvinced that Yueting can secure the necessary funding to build the companys proposed $1 billion factory in Nevada.
Yueting relies heavily on equity-backed loans and Schwartz is worried that this financing strategy could hurt local taxpayers due to the volatility of the Chinese stock market. Compounding this is the fact that the stock price of Yuetings main company, Leshi Internet Information & Technology Corp, has dropped 11 per cent since trading of it resumed on June 3, after a five-month trading halt at the start of the year.
Schwartz told Bloomberg You can see where this leads. His Internet company is successful, but that doesnt generate the billions of dollars hed need. Wheres he going to get the money?
Schwartzs concerns are understandable as he will be the man to sign off on state bonds for $120 million worth of power lines, water mains, roads and other infrastructure improvements around Faradays factory.
PHOTO GALLERY
The Wrangler is arguably the most important model in Jeeps line-up, stretching its off-road roots 75 years into the past, as a direct descendant to the iconic Willys MB.
Thats why the American car manufacturer has to be very careful with the current variants replacement, which will reportedly arrive next summer or later as a 2018MY.
The new 44 is expected to keep the models defining characteristics, but its also rumored to employ an all-aluminum construction, and fuel-saving suspension changes. As Jeeps first major overhaul of the Wrangler in the last decade, the automobile will remain the rugged anchor were used to seeing as Autonews reports that Mike Manleys mission (the head man at Jeep), is to dont screw it up, and respect tradition.
That said, the Wrangler will bear a revised design, but it will retain its utilitarian boxy appearance, solid front and rear axles, and body on frame construction, although under the hood there will be more efficient engines and a fuel-saving eight-speed automatic transmission. Underpinning its construction will be a lighter, stronger frame, while aluminum will replace many of the body parts as well.
You have to be very careful with the aero of Wrangler, because at the end of the day, it needs to be recognizable as a Wrangler. To some extent that restricts you on some of the aero that you can do. But with weight and a number of the changes that weve made, youre going to see that weve really pushed that vehicle forward in terms of its fuel economy, said Mike Manley.
Its clear that the future model is going to be what the current Wrangler was and then some more, bringing the Willys MBs philosophy into the future.
Weve push-ed this vehicle forward in many areas fuel economy being one of them and thats going to help us in many of the international markets, concluded Manley
PHOTO GALLERY
Despite having launched their own proposal, Red Bull went on to try out rival Ferraris Halo cockpit protection system.
After launching the first halo design, Ferrari recently conducted tests with the so called Halo 2 ahead of last weekends British Grand Prix, when Sebastian Vettel raised visibility concerns with the device.
Because Red Bulls own idea, the aeroscreen, struggled during FIA crash tests, the Halo is thought to be the most likely system to be adopted by the FUA. Even so, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner continues to voice his concerns regarding this particular design.
Its an inelegant solution to the problem it is trying to deal with, said Horner while discussing the halo after Sundays race at Silverstone. I would prefer there to be more research time taken to do the job properly rather than rushing something through that may have other consequences.
Horner went on to make himself abundantly clear on the matter, adding that hes not a big fan of the Halo and the limitations that it has. I certainly wouldnt vote in favor at the moment.
While the FIA remains determined to see it in action during the 2017 season, according to Autosport the design still has to be voted through by the teams at Strategy Group and F1 Commission levels.
Almost one year after the cheating emissions scandal surfaced, governments from all over the world are starting to take measures against Volkswagen and its subsidies.
The latest country to consider ordering a stop-sale on the Groups vehicles is South Korea, led by the local environment ministry, which announced that a final decision will be made later this month after a hearing that will be held on July 22, as AutomotiveNews reports.
Out of the 32 models that are currently under investigation in the Asian country, 27 of them are sold locally under the Volkswagen, Audi and Bentley badges, but the action doesnt seem to scare the German automotive giants local arm, which will figure it out how to respond once the decision is official.
Volkswagen sales plunged 33 percent in the first six months of this year, to 12,463 units, following the brands statement in the USA to be using software that fakes emissions tests on some diesel-powered vehicles. This led to legal action taken in the States, Germany, South Korea and other parts of the globe.
South Korean authorities shifted their attention from issuing a stop-sale of the Nissan Qashqai, earlier this year, accusing the Japanese brand of manipulating emissions tests, to arresting a local Volkswagen AG executive, last month, as part of the widening probe.
PHOTO GALLERY
Koenigsegg doesnt ask its employees to drive great cars, but most of them do it anyway.
If youre wondering what it takes to be one of the worlds greatest, innovative supercar manufacturer that crafts iconic machines with astonishing attention to detail, the answer (probably) is a passionate team. And Koenigsegg, like its employees, doesnt use many words to describe its passion, but lets the cars do the talking instead.
The Swedish car maker recently had a family day dedicated to its staff, and welcomed them to bring their loved ones, and their cars, to the factory. The result is a gathering that can put many car meets to shame, and heres a small selection of some of the cars that came.
The American car culture in Sweden is strong, so it comes as no surprise to see a Mustang, a Charger, a Camaro and even a Mercury Grand Marquis GS among the protagonists. Speaking of American cars, the red Tesla Roadster was owned by Koenigsegg for a little while, and then bought by one of the employees.
The assembly counted for some top-notch European and Japanese rides as well, including a BMW 1M, a Mazda MX-5 (belonging to Koenigseggs test driver) and a rather special, resto-modded Opel Kadett with a C20LET taken from a Calibra (good for 240hp), a BMW gearbox and a Volvo rear axle.
Nevertheless, the attention grabber was the 1.8-litre Nissan 200SX, which had a better specific output (HP per liter) than the One:1. Yes, a bit over 482 HP from an old, humble Nissan doesnt even come close to the outrageous hypercar, but its the same philosophy. Kind of, anyway.
PHOTO GALLERY
The Chinese CG-animated feature Monkey King: Hero is Back, which holds the current record for the highest-grossing domestic animation in China, is being distributed in the United States through a partnership between AT&Ts DirecTV and Viva Pictures.
The English version stars Jackie Chan in the lead role of the Monkey King (Chan also plays the monkey in Dreamworks Kung Fu Panda franchise). James Hong (Mr. Ping in Kung Fu Panda) also provides a voice in the English dub. Here is the trailer:
The English version of Monkey King is currently available to rent on DirecTV. A theatrical release of the PG-rated film, in both 2D and digital 3D, is scheduled for July 29, but it is not easy to find information about where the film will be screened. Considering that Monkey King is Vivas most high-profile animation pick-up to dateother titles in their library include clunkers like Caroline and the Magic Potion, The Aviators, and Foodfight!theyve done little to spread word about it.
Photo: Google Street View
Members of the public stepped in and stopped a brawl in downtown Salmon Arm over the weekend.
Staff Sgt. Scott West said on July 8 at around noon, there was an fight between two parties who police believe were known to each other.
The altercation occurred on Lakeshore Drive downtown in Salmon Arm, said West. Witnesses were able to restrain the combatants and call 911. The police attended and the parties did not wish to co-operate with police.
One of the combatants was checked by provincial ambulance crews and released.
Photo: Contributed
The B.C. Coroners Service has confirmed the identity of a man whose body was found in a Kamloops park on July 6.
The victim's name is Kelly Ernest Brewer, 26, of Merritt.
A jogger in Peterson Creek Park came upon Brewer's body on the banks of the creek that afternoon.
The jogger immediately notified authorities, but Brewer was already deceased.
The Coroners Service and RCMP continue to investigate the cause and manner of Brewers death.
Foul play has been ruled out.
Some of the hottest steel, chrome and rubber on four wheels will be rumbling into Vernon this weekend for the Sun Valley Cruise-In.
Hotrods, cruisers, trucks, ratrods and more will be on display on 30th Avenue from Friday, 4-9 p.m., and then again in Polson Park Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Vehicles are attending from as far away as Vancouver Island and Saskatchewan for an event that is returning after being absent for several years.
There are also numerous prizes in a variety of categories for the vehicles on display.
Photo: City of Vernon
First the design was too bland, now there is little interest in building them.
The City of Vernon will be issuing a second request for bids to create and construct three welcome signs for highway entrances into town.
That's because the city received only one $200,000 bid to make the three signs almost four times the approved $55,000 budget.
City staff reached out to potential bidders about the low response and project costs, said Tanya Laing Gahr, city spokesperson.
She said their feedback will be included in the new bidding process.
The current budget for the signs remains at $55,000, said Laing Gahr.
Over the spring, council struggled with the design of the signs and twice sent them back for changes.
The signs would replace those on Highway 6 and Highway 97 north and one would be placed at a new location to the south of the city near the historic Watson House.
Photo: Google Maps
The Capri-Landmark area of Kelowna is at the top of the city's urban makeover list.
The area is one of five defined urban centres, along with downtown, South Pandosy, Midtown (Orchard Park area) and Rutland town centre.
A clear planning and development plan will eventually be written for each of the five areas.
"The city has a major opportunity to make our urban centres the engines of our city moving forward," planner Ross Soward told city council Monday.
"These can be places that will attract growth, attract investment, and at the same time, deliver a high quality of life to future residents and employees."
Soward said looking at the areas where specific amenities are lacking, Capri-Landmark, Rutland and Midtown are the three areas most in need of an urban centre plan, with Capri-Landmark at the top of the list.
"There is a deficit in amenities. It doesn't deliver in terms of sidewalks, public spaces or access to green spaces we want to see in our urban centres. We need to have some plans in place and strategies on how to work toward that."
"Redevelopment of the Parkinson Rec Centre could be a catalyst for further investment and further development in this area."
Soward said this planning roadmap is a tremendous opportunity to look at how to transform these urban centres, to make them the hubs for investment, where people want to live and set up their businesses.
"We need a detailed plan that is going to guide the development, it's going to guide where we put our investment in terms of public spaces and where we look to improve our streets."
Planning staff will tackle each urban area individually, starting with Capri-Landmark.
Soward said detailed planning work will take about a year for each area.
A famous West Coast rapper's visit to the Okanagan has apparently made a big impression.
According to Centre of Gravity founder Scott Emslie, Ice Cube is considering buying a home in Kelowna.
His manager and crew said he just loves it here," Emslie said Monday, following the weekend music festival.
The former N.W.A. rapper wasnt the only one impressed with the city, says Emslie.
The artists I talked to thought the venue was amazing, the people were awesome and the town itself, the geography of the area with the lake and the mountains had them saying it is a very special city, he explained.
Despite a dreary forecast for the three-day festival, the sun did make an appearance and rain didnt dampen any spirits.
It didnt rain for any of the big shows, the crowd was really well behaved, and there was a really positive vibe on site, said Emsle. Everyone was really well behaved and having a good time.
While the festival didnt sell out, Emslie says 80 per cent of tickets were purchased.
It was still really busy on site, a good energy. We had about 24,000 (festival goers) come through.
Friday had the biggest draw of the festival, with headliner Ice Cube taking stage. Saturday was the second busiest day with artists Afrojack and Showtek, then surprisingly Grammy winner Skrillex played for a smaller audience on Sunday.
Centre of Gravity attracted the largest crowds since it was previously held on the August long weekend. But since changing the dates, the festival has not had the same numbers. Emslie is considering speaking with city council about the possibility of changing the festival to another weekend for 2017.
Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet Dr. Kari Primak
It's a cause that's near and dear to her heart.
So much so that Dr. Kari Primak will ride a second time across Canada to raise money in support of pediatric cancer.
It's part of the Sears National Kids Cancer Ride, an event which will see about 20 riders from across Canada pedal from Vancouver to Halifax in September.
"It will take about three weeks," said Dr. Primak.
"I am going to be riding 200 kilometres a day. There are two groups of people doing that so we are going to be able to cover about 400 kilometres a day. It's like a relay race."
Dr. Primak, a chiropractor at Okanagan Health and Performance, is the lone cyclist from B.C.
Monday night was a kick-off of sorts at Stuart Park in Kelowna, where 12 teams pedalled stationary bikes to raise money for the cause.
"I have 12 teams of people from all over the Kelowna community. Each team has about six people and each person will ride as hard as they can for 10 minutes. Over the past few weeks, everybody has been out there fundraising.
"I think today is going to be a big event. I love this location because I think we're going to spread a lot of awareness for the importance of the cause."
Primak completed the ride is 2009 and raised $25,000 for pediatric cancer research, and has set the same goal this year.
She has already raised about $5,000 and hopes Monday's event will raise another $10,000 to $15,000.
Money raised during the ride will go towards 16 cancer fighting agencies across Canada, including research being conducted at BC Children's Hospital in Vancouver.
"I did the ride seven years ago, and I was really touched by my boss who had done the ride the year before," said Primak.
"There are so many kids out there that are living with cancer, and I feel I'm living my dream life, so I want to do what I can to help kids out there lead their dream life."
The The Sears National Kids Cancer Ride will leave from Vancouver Sept. 7. An event is planned outside the Sears location at Orchard Park that same day.
You can click here to donate to make a donation and follow Dr. Primak's daily ride blog.
Photo: Contributed
Watch the Academy Award winning movie, Spotlight, for the gripping portrayal of investigative journalists working passionately and tenaciously to shine their spotlight on the widespread and systemic abuse of children by Roman Catholic priests in the Boston area.
The investigation started small, with one abusive priest. It soon became apparent that the abuse was widespread and systemic, the journalists eventually uncovering close to 90 abusive priests in the Boston area alone. How could that scale of abuse have been kept under wraps?
The movie exposes how the Roman Catholic Church used their considerable influence to discourage disclosure, moved abusive priests from diocese to diocese as their abuse became uncovered, and insisted that the many claims brought against them by victims be settled with confidentiality terms so that they would never see the light of day.
One particular lawyer, Eric MacLeish, had acted for a large number of abuse victims. Frustrated by Mr. MacLeishs continual refusal to provide details about those settlements, one journalist threatened that the story might focus on his apparent cottage industry of profiting from confidential settlements with the Church.
The confidentiality terms of those settlements, of course, were a key part of the cover up.
The lawyer was portrayed as a villain for his complicity in the cover up. In answer to the defence that he was simply doing his job, one journalist drew an analogy to those complicit in the Holocaust who had been just doing their jobs.
The analogy felt very uncomfortable. I, too, have entered into settlements on behalf of clients that contained confidentiality clauses. Those settlements have included sexual abuse claims. Have I been complicit in the cover up and perpetuation of abuse?
Mr. MacLeish comes to his own defence in a Facebook post where he sets the record straight. The reality is that without legal advocates like Mr. MacLeish and others, the power of the justice system behind them, the widespread and systemic abuse within the Church might still be covered up.
Priests preyed on underprivileged, vulnerable youth. Abuse often contributed to the development of alcohol and drug addiction. Put the allegations of an addict, of events occurring years previously, up against a highly respected priest and who is going to believed?
Add to that the legal framework at the time in Boston, that claims made more than three years after the abuse occurred were barred, and its a wonder any lawyers took on these difficult cases.
But they did, and that important work brought justice to the abused victims they acted for. Settlements were achieved only on the condition, imposed by the Church, of confidentiality. The victims instructed their lawyers to agree to that condition because without it there would be no settlement.
Confidentiality in the settlement of legal disputes is a problem. In the case of the systemic abuse within the Church, that confidentiality delayed public exposure that has led to more abuse victims being compensated and, most importantly, has led to steps being taken to prevent the abuse from continuing.
Every confidential settlement covers up whatever wrong it was that led to the claim. That wrong might be a public danger that, covered up, will continue to cause damage. It might be an employment breach that, if not exposed to the public, might lead other employees to be similarly mistreated.
Whatever the situation, keeping the settlement of legal claims confidential is a strike against accountability and prevention.
How might we fix this problem? Some jurisdictions have laws that prohibit confidentiality terms in certain types of settlements. Should British Columbia move in that direction? I definitely think that our political leaders should explore it.
On the one hand, confidentiality terms result in higher settlements (or any settlement at all) for many injured victims. On the other hand, those terms have covered up wrongs that would best be avoided in the future if a spotlight were shone on them.
Interested in a copy of Mr. MacLeishs Facebook post, or of a legal paper discussing confidentiality agreements in general, e-mail me and I will be happy to send them to you.
This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: Contributed
UPDATE: 11:30 a.m.
Kelowna RCMP report missing senior Edward Mann has been located and is safe.
Central Okanagan Search and Rescue was preparing to search the KGH area when it received a tip Mann was in the Oyama area and headed towards Vernon.
A member of the public found Mann near Oyama while COSAR volunteers were en route to the area.
ORIGINAL: 6 a.m.
Kelowna RCMP are seeking the public's help in locating an elderly man who wandered off from Kelowna General Hospital on Monday.
Edward Mann is 88 and suffers from dementia.
He left KGH sometime before 7 p.m. Monday, and his whereabouts are unknown.
Police and family are concerned about his ability to care for himself.
MANN is described as five feet five inches tall, with a slender build, brown hair and was last seen wearing beige hospital pyjamas. He took his belongings with him, and may have changed into jeans, a black T-shirt, black velcro running shoes and a black ball cap with the words "Canada, Eh" on it.
Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet
The City of Kelowna expects to make a small profit when it flips a downtown property it purchased four years ago.
The city parking lot at the corner of Ellis Street and Lawrence Avenue is up for sale.
The asking price is $2.35 million. In 2012, the city purchased the property, which formerly housed Henderson Cleaners, for $1.7 million.
The city hopes a developer will purchase the property for a residential, mixed-use development.
With the addition of the Kelowna Community Health Services Centre, Okanagan Centre for Innovation, Kelowna Yacht Club and more than $20 million in investment in parking, public spaces and transportation infrastructure over the last five years, the successful strategic disposition of these properties will continue to achieve the goals of attracting people, increasing vibrancy and building on the economy of our city, said strategic land development manager Graham Hood.
Enabling residential growth downtown will allow for easy access to transit, services and other amenities and less reliance on vehicles.
Increased density is anticipated on the Ellis Street properties as outlined within the Downtown Plan.
The majority of investment in the downtown has been through commercial and institutional office projects in the last five years and the lot on Ellis Street will support the ongoing revitalization of the downtown.
Commercial space at the ground floor would contribute to the active street life envisioned for the downtown.
City council will have the final say on any sale.
Photo: Facebook - Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders, whose calls for a "political revolution" energized millions of voters across the nation, offered a long-awaited endorsement of his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton Tuesday, calling for unity just two weeks shy of the Democratic National Convention.
Standing alongside one another at an event in Portsmouth, N.H., Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, congratulated Clinton for winning the nomination and vowed to do everything he can to help her beat presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.
"It is no secret that Hillary Clinton and I disagree on a number of issues that's what this campaign has been about," Sanders said.
"There was a significant coming together between the two campaigns and we produced, by far, the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic Party," he added. "Our job now is to see that platform implemented by a Democratic Senate, a Democratic House and a Hillary Clinton president - and I am going to do everything I can to make that happen."
Democrats have coalesced around Clinton's candidacy since she defeated Sanders in primaries last month in California and five other states, led by endorsements from President Barack Obama, Vice-President Joe Biden and others.
Sanders has spent the past month seeking to influence the party's platform at the Philadelphia convention and promote electoral reforms including allowing independents to participate in future primaries. The platform includes many of his proposals, including a $15 an hour minimum wage, tougher restrictions on Wall Street and an end to the death penalty.
Following the senator's speech, the two former rivals embraced one another, Clinton then taking to the microphone to welcome "friends, old and new." She echoed her campaign slogan, telling the crowd "we are stronger together."
The event at a Portsmouth high school sought to project Democratic unity before Republicans formally nominate Trump next week in Cleveland but some Sanders' supporters in the crowd did not appear to be ready to move on.
Chants of "Bernie" broke out in the gymnasium while opening speakers addressed the crowd, prompting Clinton's faithful to chant, "Unity." When Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a Clinton supporter, told the audience, "We need to elect Hillary," some Bernie supporters stood and shouted, "No," which was followed by chants of "Hillary" in the crowd.
"It's like he's giving up if he endorses her," said Steve Rand, a hardware store owner from Plymouth, New Hampshire, before the two candidates took the stage. He added: "She stands for everything that I am against.
The Vermont senator saw his longshot bid for the White House quickly catch fire in 2015 at large-scale rallies where he denounced income inequality, the influence of Wall Street and the role of big money in politics all part of a system he described as "rigged."
Sanders was powered by an impressive online fundraising machine that raised more than $200 million and threatened Clinton's once overwhelming lead in the Democratic primaries with the help of college students, independents and white voters drawn to his anti-establishment message. His endorsement could help bring some of those supporters into the fold for Clinton as she faces Republican Donald Trump.
"In these stressful times for our country, this election must be about bringing our people together, not dividing us up," Sanders said. "While Donald Trump is busy insulting Mexicans, Muslims, women, African Americans and veterans, Hillary Clinton understands that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths."
Trump, who previously said Sanders has been "treated terribly by the Democrats" and should have run as an independent, wasted no time going after the Vermont senator.
"Bernie Sanders, who has lost most of his leverage, has totally sold out to Crooked Hillary Clinton," Trump wrote Tuesday as part of a series of Tweets ahead of the Portsmouth event. "Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters."
Photo: CTV
While a notorious convicted rapist will be released this week, he will not be coming to Kelowna.
The Parole Board of Canada now says it mistakenly said yesterday that Falconridge Rapist Andrew Aurie Jefferson would be taking up residence in Kelowna.
The Parole Board won't say where Jefferson will be released, but is adamant it is not Kelowna.
Jefferson, 31, gained notoriety nearly a decade ago after terrorizing women at knifepoint during a series of armed street attacks.
He was convicted in 2008 of the 2006 violent rape of two women in Calgary.
After spending time in prison for the assaults, Jefferson was supposed to be released in Kelowna in 2011, but chose Mission as his new home instead.
Two years later, he was put back behind bars after a violent 2013 carjacking in Langley.
Friday will mark his second statutory release from the federal system, mandated by law when offenders complete two-thirds of their sentence.
Just like his release in 2011, the Parole Board states that Jefferson is considered a high risk to reoffend sexually.
He will be required to follow a strict list of release conditions, including reporting all relationships with women and living in a halfway house.
He will be watched closely by probation officers and the RCMP.
Jefferson is described as a Caucasian male, five feet nine inches tall and 183 pounds.
Photo: Flickr - BC gov't
An Okanagan politician is refusing to apologize for musing about when the legacy of residential schools will "burn itself out."
During a health parliamentary committee hearing late last week, Boundary-Similkameen MLA Linda Larson wondered: How long do you think before the legacy of those residential schools finally burns itself out of the First Nations people?
Later in the meeting she added: How many generations is it going to take before the words residential school no longer play a part in how people feel?
The NDP demanded she apologize to First Nations. Instead, Larson pushed back.
"At that committee meeting we were talking to the health authority about how we can help people. Im surprised and disappointed that (B.C. NDP leader John) Horgan would try and use my comments for partisan purposes, she said in a statement.
Horgan says Premier Christy Clark should demand Larson apologize for her "insensitive" remarks.
A question like that reveals remarkable insensitivity on the part of an elected representative toward the tragic experiences suffered by First Nations people in B.C. residential schools, Horgan said.
We should never forget what happened, so that we can ensure nothing like that ever happens again.
Horgan also noted Larson is the premiers parliamentary secretary for rural education, and saying these comments is particularly troubling coming from an MLA with responsibilities for First Nations children in the school system.
Larson did acknowledge the tragedy of residential schools.
What happened with residential schools was an absolute tragedy. There was and continues to be horrible consequences to peoples lives because of residential schools. I know too many people in our community who have suffered," she said.
Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer
Premier Christy Clark joined local dignitaries from throughout the South Okanagan for the ground breaking for the new patient care tower and parkade at Penticton Regional Hospital on Tuesday.
Clark told those in attendance, including hospital staff and patients, that they were there today keeping the promise to get the tower built and thanked all those who have worked hard to make it a reality.
"We all know someone who has needed hospital care and when that happens they deserve the best possible care, close to home in the South Okanagan and Similkameen," she said. This is the value of a strong, growing economy, it gives us the ability to make investments in the services we all depend on."
The hospital opened its doors at the current location in the early 1950s and the last major addition to the site happened 25 years ago.
So building more patient care and improving service efficiency and patient flow with a new state-of-the-art medical building has been a top priority for Interior Health and the province.
The 281,700-square-foot patient care tower will bring together outpatient care services into one building, provide five modern operating rooms, expand the medical device processing/sterilization unit to nearly triple its current size and provide three floors of single-occupancy inpatient rooms with private washrooms.
Also included in the new tower is expanded space for the UBC Faculty of Medicine program.
"This is a historic day for health care in the South Okanagan and Similkameen," said MLA Dan Ashton. "This expansion of our regional hospital will have long-lasting positive impacts in our community through job creation and improved patient experiences."
Janice Perrino, executive director of the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation, has worked tirelessly on the project, along with Ashton. She said Tuesday that she felt wonderful.
"Every single blessing I've ever had for this community arrived today, and it will just go forward," she said.
The new tower is expected to open in 2019.
Photo: Castanet Staff - File photo
By Dermod Travis
Another vacancy in a public boardroom and another B.C. Liberal party supporter ready and willing to fill it.
News that Frank Carson a partner at Victoria law firm Cox, Taylor was appointed chair of B.C. Transit's board of directors last week was met with the expected cynicism.
Carson has been described as well-connected to the B.C. Liberals. His wife is executive director of the B.C. Liberal caucus.
One upside with his new post is he can comfortably talk shop with sympathetic colleagues at the office. Four of the other 13 lawyers at Cox, Taylor are also recipients of B.C. government appointments.
What are the odds?
Given that there are likely thousands of qualified candidates in B.C., the government seems surprisingly short of nominees.
You would have thought BC Hydro president and CEO Jessica McDonald already had her hands full with Site C, yet she's also the vice-chair of the board at ICBC.
In 2014, she was paid $13,959 in fees for attending five ICBC meetings over six months. Salary top-ups are catching on.
Joining her on the ICBC board are former MLAs Barry Penner and Sheila Orr who, between them, sit on five public boards.
Nine other former MLAs are on the appointee gravy train as well.
Philip Hochstein, president of the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association, is a member of B.C.'s Roundtable on the Economy and the Environment, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and chair of the Turkey Marketing Board.
While the government may be short of prospective candidates, it's not short of boards. It's a patronage trough.
Seats on the boards of more than 300 public agencies are available as rewards for a B.C. Liberal donor or friend of government (FOG).
Looking at 33 of them including the B.C. Lottery corporation, PAVCO, the province's six health authorities, the Vancouver police board, three universities and two airport authorities at least 166 of the 248 board members are party donors or FOGs.
Vancouvers police board has nine members, seven of whom are appointed by the government. Six are donors.
Nine of the 13 members who make up the Order of B.C. advisory committee and the Medal of Good Citizenship committee are donors.
Fifty-eight individuals sit on the boards of the provincial health authority and its five regional authorities. Thirty-five are donors and two others are FOGs.
For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016, they received a total of $897,142 in retainers, fees and expenses. Only one Wynne Powell didn't accept his pay.
Among their ranks a car dealer, the director of communications for B.C. LNG Alliance, a former CEO of the Canadian Home Builders's Association of B.C., a cross-border tax consultant and four property developers.
Seven of the 58 have a background in health care.
These are not titular positions.
Under the Hospital Act, the boards are ultimately responsible for approving physician privileges.
As a 2012 KPMG report for the B.C. health ministry pointed out: Although boards receive reports and approve privileges, most directors noted that they had to have a high level of trust that the processes within the authority were being followed(but) there is little evidence, by way of audit or similar routine checks, to give boards comfort that these processes have been followed.
With three seats on the Real Estate Council of B.C. you would have thought the government might have heard about 'issues' in the industry, before they read about them in the morning newspapers.
Not all the boards are stacked, likely more by legislative necessity than desire.
The Organized Crime Agency of B.C. is bereft of donors. Others are entirely overseen by senior public employees, such as the B.C. Immigrant Investment Fund. And some boards have highly qualified individuals in the right role.
But too many are. The potential check and balance they could provide falls by the wayside.
By appointing a majority of the boards of governors of colleges and universities in the province, the government is in the odd position of both allocating budgets and having the ultimate say on how they're spent.
There are some odd matches among the appointments.
Perhaps it was an attempt at dark humour to appoint a coroner to the B.C. Agricultural Land Commission, albeit a coroner with dairy experience?
Dermod Travis is the executive director of IntegrityBC.
Photo: Contributed
The Penticton RCMP is looking for the owner of a bicycle that was turned into them on Saturday.
The person who turned it in believes it may have been stolen in Surrey two or three years ago, said Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth.
It had been stored for several years in the belief that one of their friends had left it behind after a large party. When the person who turned it in saw the bike at his sister's house and realized the value of it, he checked for a serial number and saw it was removed.
Knowing the bike was more than likely stolen he turned it over to the RCMP.
Given the time and lack of a serial number, it is difficult to check police records without the name of the owner who had reported it as stolen in the first instance.
The search is now on for the rightful owner.
Wrigglesworth said if it is their bike then they should be able to prove it with a sales receipt, a police record of their report to Surrey or something of that nature.
The purchase price at the time may have been in the $4,000 range.
The bike is described as: specialized Roubaix, carbon fibre frame, blue with grey stripes, Bontranger tires, Shimano Ultrega wheels and components and a Selle Italia ladies gel seat.
The Penticton RCMP can be reached at 250-492-4300.
Photo: Contributed
Premier Christy Clark's dreams of a booming liquefied natural gas industry in British Columbia were dealt another blow Monday when a Shell-backed venture delayed a final decision indefinitely on a project in Kitimat.
Experts say LNG Canada's decision to put the $50-billion project on hold amid weak global prices isn't surprising, but it adds another dark cloud to an industry that already has a gloomy outlook.
Martin King, vice-president of institutional research at FirstEnergy Capital Corp., says a lack of Asian demand growth and price indexing to crude oil have dragged down the value of liquefied natural gas.
He says the profit margin for companies considering LNG projects on B.C.'s west coast is nowhere near as attractive as it was even 18 months ago.
Clark made a massive political bet on LNG in 2013 with promises of 100,000 jobs and $100-billion in revenue over decades, but one social policy professor doubts the industry's failure to materialize will hurt her much at the ballot box next year.
Michael Prince of the University of Victoria says the province is in good financial shape without LNG and other issues including affordable housing are dominating the early campaign, but the NDP could still use the LNG issue to attack Clark's Liberals.
Photo: Google Maps
The BC Coroners Service has released the identity of a man who was killed in a motorcycle accident on July 7.
Preston John Smith, 35, was riding eastbound on Highway 33 in the Joe Rich area at 10 p.m. when he hit a deer.
Smith, who was from Calgary, lost control of the bike, crossed the centre line, and hit an oncoming Nissan sedan.
Smith died at the scene.
Police determined the 31-year-old driver of the oncoming Nissan was intoxicated. He was arrested at the scene and faces charges of impaired operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm.
[JPG - 861 KB] CDC disease detective Morgan Hennessey (pictured third from right) was among the first group of responders to help fight Zika.
Not long after CDC activated its Emergency Operations Center, Morgan Hennessey left his home in Fort Collins, Colorado, for CDCs Atlanta headquarters. Hennessey was among the first group of responders to help fight the outbreaks of Zika in the Americas, and he was on the frontlines when important discoveries about the virus were made.
As a CDC disease detective, Hennessey helps interpret laboratory results of patients who have Zika, and determine how they got the disease. He was part of a team that helped determine that Zika can be sexually transmitted from an infected man to his partners. It was a surprising discovery, he said.
Anytime you identify a new mode of transmission, there are a lot of questions to answer, Hennessey said.
Answering tough questions is part of the job description for Hennessey and other disease detectives. When the initial case of sexually transmitted Zika was determined, Hennessey and others worked tirelessly to rule out any other possibilities. They interviewed the patient and asked many questions, getting a detailed history and making sure that the patient had not traveled and did not get Zika by a mosquito bite.
Morgan Hennessey (pictured center) works with a team of epidemiologists in the Emergency Operations Center at CDCs Atlanta headquarters
As more cases of suspected sexually transmitted Zika were identified, each case required in-depth investigations by Hennessey and others. As Zika continued to spread through the Americas and some US territories in early 2016, there was hardly a break in Hennesseys work. Investigating a Zika case starts with a positive laboratory sample, and CDC has seen thousands of positive samples in 2016 alone.
For Hennessey, the biggest challenge is just the number of unknowns about Zika, he said.
Before the first Zika outbreaks in Brazil last year, most people didnt know about the virus. Hennessey remembers the early days of the Zika response in January, when it was first suspected that Zika infection during pregnancy could cause microcephaly (a condition in which a babys head is much smaller than expected). In April, scientists at CDC concluded that Zika can cause microcephaly and other severe birth defects.
Every day, were finding out more and more. But when you find out more, you find out theres more you dont know, he said. With each increase in our knowledge, we improve our ability to prevent new infections and limit the spread of Zika and its damaging effects.
Vietnam offers support for state-owned cement firms
ICR Newsroom By 12 July 2016
According to figures released by the Ministry of Finance, the Vietnamese government is providing restructuring loans to unprofitable state-owned cement firms, VietNamNet Bridge reports.
Firms, including Song Thao, Thai Nguyen and Ha Long, are being supplied with cash in an effort to prepare the cement sector for part-privatisation. Already, some plants have been transferred to Vicem from other state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and the government is understood to want to begin the sell-off, perhaps as early as this year.
Vietnams public debt stood at US$86bn in 2014, the last year for which full figures are available. Government-guaranteed foreign loans to SOEs reached US$21bn by the end of 2015.
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Algeria: CILAS clinker line successfully commissioned
ICR Newsroom By 12 July 2016
Algeria's CILAS saw the successful start-up of its new clinker production line with the ignition of the kiln on 10 July 2016, 11 days ahead of schedule, in the presence of Didier Michel, representing CILAS' parent company LafargeHolcim, and Wang Hui of contractor CBMI. Both companies expressed their thanks and appreciation for the work completed and the teamwork shown.
Algeria Spa CILAS awarded the EPC contract for a new 5000tpd line on 28 April 2014 to CBMI. The contracts scope ranged from limestone crushing to cement packaging and dispatch and included engineering, supply, civil work, erection, training and commissioning over a 21-month lead period.
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A man accused of skipping out on his bar tab Tuesday morning was arrested for multiple offenses after authorities were alerted he drove away from the bar intoxicated.
Nicholas L. Breeding, 27, was arrested for failing to maintain his lane, refusing a preliminary breath test, second offense DUI, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana and obstructing a police officer.
Shortly after 2 a.m. the Beatrice Police Department was dispatched to Biggs Bar in Beatrice after Breeding allegedly attempted to assault a bartender and left without paying his tab. A bartender told officers Breeding was likely intoxicated and left the bar driving south on Highway 77 in a black Chevrolet pickup with Kansas plates.
A sheriffs deputy was near Highway 77 and Osage Road at the time of the call and headed north on the highway. He met the truck near Oak Road and turned around to catch up to the truck after observing it cross the center line three times, Gage County Court documents state.
The deputy initiated a traffic stop and observed Breeding to have slurred speech. He appeared disoriented and unsteady, and documents state the deputy could smell alcohol.
He told the deputy he had a couple drinks that evening and initially agreed to a field sobriety test. He was unable to maintain his balance during a maneuver, became argumentative and began acting as though he didnt understand the deputys instructions that were given to him several times.
The deputy had Breeding sit in a patrol unit to take a breath test, which he refused.
He was then placed under arrest and transported to the Sheriffs Office, where he refused a blood draw.
A Gage County Court judge issued a warrant for Breedings blood sample and Breeding was transported to Beatrice Community Hospital and Health Center, where he still refused to give a sample. He was then turned back over to deputies and transported to the jail.
During an inventory of the vehicle deputies found 1.8 grams of marijuana and a wooden pipe. Breeding has a prior DUI conviction from Kansas.
His bond was set at $7,000 with a 10 percent deposit Tuesday in Gage County Court. His next court date is July 26.
GLYNCO, Ga. -- Gage County's Chief Deputy Sheriff Doug Klaus recently received a Certificate of Graduation from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia.
Klaus earned the certificate after completing the FLETC's Homeland Security Leadership Academy, according to a press release from the Gage County Sheriff's office. Attendees at the academy included law enforcement executives from more than 20 state, local and territorial police and sheriff agencies.
The HSLA is a two-week professional development and leadership training program designed for law enforcement executives. It is the result of collaboration between FLETC and the National Sheriffs Association. Some of the topics covered included leadership in a crisis, the art of perception, exemplary leadership, emotional intelligence, and ethics in leadership.
Upon completion of the training in Georgia at FLETC, follow-up training was completed in Minneapolis, Minn., through the National Sheriffs Association. Upon completion of this training course, Klaus was certified as a homeland protection professional through the Homeland Protection Professional Certification Board/NSA Global Center for Public Safety. The graduates are the first in the United States to receive this certification.
FLETC is the primary provider of basic and advanced law enforcement training to federal law enforcement agencies, as well as a significant contributor to advanced training for state, local, and international law enforcement officers and agents, according to the Sheriff's Office press release.
All funding for the FLETC training was provided at no cost to local agencies and included air fare, meals, lodging and other expenses.
The Chattanooga based logistics accelerator, Dynamo, opened its door to 10 startups for the inaugural cohort on Monday.
With over 120 applicants, we had to make some hard decisions, Director of Dynamo Santosh Sankar, said. We are confident in the startups selected for our 2016 class.
There are 10 teams total, with international founders representing London, Dublin, and Monterrey. The domestic teams span the country, ranging from San Francisco, Des Moines, Boston, Atlanta, and Chattanooga.
We look forward to these next several months where we, along with the broader Dynamo family, will be focused on driving the fundamentals of each business, Mr. Sankar said.
The 10 startups will work from Chattanooga for the three month accelerator which will culminate in a demo day on Oct. 4.
About the 2016 Cohort:
Locatible
Locatible is a platform that allows logistics and operations leaders to pinpoint the location of their assets within 5 cm, allowing them to gain valuable real-time insights around workflow, asset optimization, workforce efficiency, and more. Based in Dublin, Ireland. Founders: Ronan O'Coigligh, Peter Kortvel.
Shipamax
Based in London, England, Shipamax provides an end-to-end digital brokerage for bulk freight ships carrying agriculture commodities, metals, gasoline products, and other carbons. Leveraging real time data around pricing, asset utilization, and more, shippers can seamlessly book a ship to suit their needs. Founders: Jenna Brown, Fabian Blaicher.
Sirenum
Based in London, Sirenum is the worlds first fully automated staff management solution. Sirenum leverages cloud and mobile technology in order to transform the way organizations connect with their staff, increase the engagement of part-time, temporary and mobile workers, and improve health and safety compliance in highly regulated industries. Founders: Ben Rubin, Ben Hizak, Josh Pines.
SKUPOS
A two-sided network marketplace for the retail industry, providing store owners and distributors with a clear view into inventory, ordering, delivery, and critical timed opportunities. Inventory is automated with POS integration,s and orders are automatically placed when minimums are met. Distributors have access to all in-network inventory levels, providing a one-push campaign for increased sales and quicker inventory turns. Founders: Jake Bolling, Linh Nguyen, Mike Glassman.
SkyDrop
Based in Monterrey, Mexico, Skydrop is a platform that connects local, independent delivery agents with small businesses that need last mile pickup or delivery services in Latin America. Founders: Armando Solbes Arguello, Arnoldo Rodriguez, Jose Zambrano.
Slope.io
From fulfillment to automation, Slope provides specialized, software-driven logistics services for companies operating in the clinical research space. Based in Mobile, Al. and Chattanooga. Founders: Rust Felix, Michael Felix.
STORD
An Atlanta-based company allowing you to instantly book full service moving and storageon demand. Whether you are moving cities or need just a few belongings moved into storage, Stord is a simple, fast, and cost-effective solution. Stord picks up, inventories, and manages your belongings, giving the customer a modern and hassle-free experience. Unlike traditional moving and storage, Stord uses technology to make sure you only pay for the storage space and moving time you need. Founders: Sean Henry, Jacob Boudreau.
SynapseMX
A real-time, mobile-first platform that allows teams to plan, track, and accomplish aircraft maintenance from anywhere to limit the amount of time aircraft are out of service. SynapseMX is based in Atlanta, GA. Founders: Shane Ballman.
Wise Systems
Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Wise Systems is an enterprise software solution that simplifies last-mile delivery. Through real-time updates to drivers, fleet managers and customers, Wise Systems increases efficiency, transparency and reliability and decreases costs. Founders: Chazz Sims, Jemel Derbali, Ali Kamil, Layla, Shaikley.
WorkHound
WorkHound is a software platform built to help carriers keep drivers and improve the truck driver experience. Truck drivers use their smartphones to share feedback and ideas with the carrier, which WorkHound aggregates and turns into actionable insights to help manage and retain drivers. Based in Des Moines, IA. Founders: Max Farrell, Andrew Kirpalani.
This schematic shows the chemical assembly of two-dimensional crystals. Graphene is first etched into channels and the TMDC molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) begins to nucleate around the edges and within the channel. On the edges, MoS2 slightly overlaps on top of the graphene. Finally, further growth results in MoS2 completely filling the channels.
In an advance that helps pave the way for next-generation electronics and computing technologies--and possibly paper-thin gadgets --scientists with the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) developed a way to chemically assemble transistors and circuits that are only a few atoms thick.
What's more, their method yields functional structures at a scale large enough to begin thinking about real-world applications and commercial scalability.
They report their research in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.
The scientists controlled the synthesis of a transistor in which narrow channels were etched onto conducting graphene, and a semiconducting material called a transition-metal dichalcogenide, or TMDC, was seeded in the blank channels. Both of these materials are single-layered crystals and atomically thin, so the two-part assembly yielded electronic structures that are essentially two-dimensional. In addition, the synthesis is able to cover an area a few centimeters long and a few millimeters wide.
"This is a big step toward a scalable and repeatable way to build atomically thin electronics or pack more computing power in a smaller area," says Xiang Zhang, a senior scientist in Berkeley Lab's Materials Sciences Division who led the study.
Zhang also holds the Ernest S. Kuh Endowed Chair at the University of California (UC) Berkeley and is a member of the Kavli Energy NanoSciences Institute at Berkeley. Other scientists who contributed to the research include Mervin Zhao, Yu Ye, Yang Xia, Hanyu Zhu, Siqi Wang, and Yuan Wang from UC Berkeley as well as Yimo Han and David Muller from Cornell University.
Their work is part of a new wave of research aimed at keeping pace with Moore's Law, which holds that the number of transistors in an integrated circuit doubles approximately every two years. In order to keep this pace, scientists predict that integrated electronics will soon require transistors that measure less than ten nanometers in length.
Transistors are electronic switches, so they need to be able to turn on and off, which is a characteristic of semiconductors. However, at the nanometer scale, silicon transistors likely won't be a good option. That's because silicon is a bulk material, and as electronics made from silicon become smaller and smaller, their performance as switches dramatically decreases, which is a major roadblock for future electronics.
Researchers have looked to two-dimensional crystals that are only one molecule thick as alternative materials to keep up with Moore's Law. These crystals aren't subject to the constraints of silicon.
In this vein, the Berkeley Lab scientists developed a way to seed a single-layered semiconductor, in this case the TMDC molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), into channels lithographically etched within a sheet of conducting graphene. The two atomic sheets meet to form nanometer-scale junctions that enable graphene to efficiently inject current into the MoS2. These junctions make atomically thin transistors.
"This approach allows for the chemical assembly of electronic circuits, using two-dimensional materials, which show improved performance compared to using traditional metals to inject current into TMDCs," says Mervin Zhao, a lead author and Ph.D. student in Zhang's group at Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley.
Optical and electron microscopy images, and spectroscopic mapping, confirmed various aspects related to the successful formation and functionality of the two-dimensional transistors.
In addition, the scientists demonstrated the applicability of the structure by assembling it into the logic circuitry of an inverter. This further underscores the technology's ability to lay the foundation for a chemically assembled atomic computer, the scientists say.
"Both of these two-dimensional crystals have been synthesized in the wafer scale in a way that is compatible with current semiconductor manufacturing. By integrating our technique with other growth systems, it's possible that future computing can be done completely with atomically thin crystals," says Zhao.
On July 23, top teenage girls representing every state will convene in Washington, D.C. to vote on important legislation. But these representatives haven't been elected by the American people yet. The group of 100 high school senior girls will assemble for the 70th annual American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation, an intensive weeklong program that teaches responsible citizenship grounded in ethics and the principles of our nation's founders.
The American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) is a nonpartisan organization committed to advocating for veterans' issues, mentoring America's youth and promoting patriotism. They advance the mission of The American Legion, incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization founded on four pillars: Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, National Security, Americanism and Children & Youth.
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Every year the ALA underwrites and presents the experiential learning program for exceptional female students, two from each of the 50 states, who serve as mock senators in ALA Girls Nation, a unique government-in-action leadership development program designed to educate future leaders on U.S. government fundamentals and the rights, privileges and responsibilities of citizens by forming a fictitious nation.
More than 6,500 aspiring young women have attended ALA Girls Nation since its inception in 1947. Each new class gathers to participate in compelling debates, run mock political campaigns, visit historical sites and have the chance to meet with their real life counterparts on Capitol Hill.
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"My most sacred memory from ALA Girls Nation was when I took down and folded the American flag," recalls 1991 participant Kate Kohler, a U.S. Army veteran who is now principal in the Washington, D.C. office of executive search firm Korn Ferry. "To me, it symbolizes not only freedom, but the impressive girls that I shared the experience with."
ALA Girls Nation is a "leadership laboratory," as Kohler describes it. "In your life, you will have experiences where you realize we are all bound by the commonality of democracy. ALA Girls Nation was the first time in my life that I was able to be a part of this great experiment."
For some girls, ALA Girls Nation is their first opportunity to connect with peers with common interests. For others, it is the first time they encounter students whose perspective differs from their own. For all, it is a moment in time where similarities and differences come together to symbolize strength, democracy and freedom.
Jessie Heidlage was the first ALA Girls Nation senator selected from her high school in Claremore, Oklahoma. A member of FFA (Future Farmers of America), Heidlage presented legislation that would give government awards to farmers who employed environmentally friendly farming practices.
"ALA Girls Nation was one of the hardest things I've ever experienced, but I knew in that week that my calling was something greater," Heidlage says. "Heidlage was invited back as a junior counselor in 2013 and again in 2014 as dean of junior counselors. Today she attends law school at The University of Oklahoma.
"Seven days can really change the trajectory of your life," remarked Riya Patel, a 2012 alumna. "Meeting these diverse women and hearing about what they wanted to do with their lives pushed me into a new direction in my own life."
Patel is a rising senior at Harvard University. She is currently interning with a team that offers financial advisory services for municipalities and aspires to pursue her interests in international trade and economic development in graduate business school.
ALA Girls Nation alumnae have gone on to hold leadership roles in industries spanning government, media, education and law, and many have become high-ranking members of the military.
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Notable alumnae include Jane Pauley, national media personality; Susan Bysiewicz, Connecticut Secretary of State; Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson, superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy and former Air Force aide to the President; Ann Richards, former governor of Texas; and Susan Porter-Rose, former chief of staff to First Lady Barbara Bush, among many others.
ALA Girls Nation lasts for one short week. Yet, the seven-day experience with our legislative process and diverse minds from across the country has proven to be a strong foundation for thousands of bright futures.
For more information on ALA, visit www.alaforveterans.org.
LONDON Chicago-based Boeing has announced an order from Kunming Airlines for 10 of the U.S. maker's 737 Max 7's, which are designed for operations from high-elevation airports.
The memorandum of understanding was announced Tuesday at the Farnborough International Airshow.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner says the new planes will support the airline in its "strategic plan to establish an extensive flight network throughout China."
Kunming Airlines, which began operations in 2009, is based at Changshui International Airport in the capital city of Yunnan province and serves 40 cities across China.
Associated Press
Bob Mariano, CEO of Roundy's, plans to retire in September, but will stay on as a strategic consultant to Kroger for two years. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
Bob Mariano, the Roundy's CEO who launched the fast-growing Mariano's grocery chain in the Chicago area before negotiating the sale of Roundy's to Kroger late last year, will retire from his post Sept. 1.
In November, after Kroger's $800 million acquisition of Roundy's was announced, Mariano told the Tribune that he wasn't going anywhere. On Tuesday, he insisted that was still the case, as he will continue to work part time as a Roundy's strategic adviser for two years. But Mariano said the time had come to let someone else lead after his more than 42 years in the grocery business.
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"As I look at my career, I always knew there would come a time to step aside and make way for the next generation," Mariano, 66, said. "I feel very good about the leadership in place."
The first Mariano's opened in 2010 in Arlington Heights, bringing a new model to the rapidly changing grocery landscape in Chicago as a relatively affordable version of an upscale grocer with a focus on in-store restaurants and prepared foods. Now there are 37 stores with two more coming before the end of the year, Mariano said. Another five Mariano's stores are slated to open next year, part of a "very aggressive capital plan," Kroger executives have said.
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On Tuesday, Mariano called the rapid growth and popularity of the Mariano's stores the "centerpiece" of his long career. But prior to the Kroger takeover, Mariano's stores reported struggling sales numbers, which executives attributed to cannibalization of sales from its own new stores, and from competitors who, like Mariano's, had moved into former Dominick's stores.
When Kroger acquired Roundy's, a deal that closed in December, analysts speculated Kroger could provide the Wisconsin-based grocery company with increased capital and efficiencies of scale. It's unclear whether the relationship has yet benefited Mariano's stores. Kroger does not break out Mariano's sales in its filings. And Mariano declined to comment, saying only that the merger continues to be in the best interests of all parties.
Asked whether he was pushed out, Mariano said: "Nothing could be further from the truth."
At the time of the Kroger deal, Mariano was set to receive a payment package valued at about $8 million.
On Tuesday, Mariano didn't rule out future business ventures just not in Chicago's grocery industry, he said.
No immediate replacement as Roundy's CEO was announced. Don Rosanova, president of Mariano's, and Michael Marx, president of Roundy's Supermarkets Wisconsin, will continue in their current roles, according to a Kroger news release.
Mariano, who said he lives in Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood with his wife, Nina, began his grocery career as a Dominick's clerk in 1967. After working his way up the ranks of Dominick's, eventually becoming the company's president and CEO, he left to take the helm at Roundy's in 2002.
"Bob has been a tremendous leader for Roundy's and the entire supermarket industry. The centerpiece of his career, of course, is the Mariano's chain of stores in his hometown of Chicago," Rodney McMullen, Kroger's chairman and CEO, said in a statement. "The entire Kroger and Roundy's family extends our best wishes to Bob and his family in retirement."
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Twitter @GregTrotterTrib
Without taking things such as faculty rank and other professional achievements and experience into account, a study of public medical school physicians found that the average woman's salary was $206,641 and the average man's salary was $257,957 - a whopping $51,315 difference. (Dan Dalton / Calaimage via Getty)
You've probably heard that women make 79 cents (or 84 cents, 92 cents or some other number depending on whom you ask) to every dollar that men make. Although the exact number may be under dispute, nearly everyone agrees there's still a pretty significant gender pay gap in the United States.
Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have both called for the passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would add additional protections to ensure equal pay by forcing employers to demonstrate that wage differences are not based on gender and prohibiting retaliation against workers who ask about wage practices. Donald Trump has said that they should get "equal pay for equal work."
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So it should not be surprising to hear that new data shows that this pay gap also applies to female physicians in academia.
For a study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine on Monday, Anupam B. Jena obtained salary information for academic physicians at 24 public medical schools through the Freedom of Information Act. The analysis included 10,241 faculty members, 34.7 percent female and 65.3 percent male from a lot of big-name medical schools including the No. 3 on U.S. News & World Report's annual ranking, the University of California at San Francisco and the world-renowned University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The study is thought to be the largest on gender differences in earnings among physicians in academia.
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Without taking things such as faculty rank and other professional achievements and experience into account, Jena found that the average woman's salary was $206,641 and the average man's salary was $257,957 - a whopping $51,315 difference. To put that into context, the median income for a whole household in the United States in 2014 was $51,939.
Jena, an associate professor of health-care policy at Harvard Medical School, adjusted the salaries based on faculty rank, age, years since residency, specialty, National Institutes of Health funding, clinical-trial participation and publication count. There was still a pretty big gap of $19,878 between men and women, with men making the higher average salary.
Jena also found that female physicians were less likely than their male counterparts to be full professors. That could partially have to do with the fact that they also tend to be younger and that getting tenure in academia can take a long time. It also could have to do with the fact that the women in the study had fewer total publications and were less likely to have conducted a clinical trial or have funding from the NIH. It could also have to do with the fact that they are more likely to choose different specialties than men. It turns out that women are more likely to be in internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics.
Of course, it's just as possible that the causation is the other way around and that discrimination -- blatant or subconscious -- is at play. It's impossible to tell from this study and is something that merits further study.
One significant finding is that in one subfield -- radiology -- and two locations there was virtually no pay gap.
"These findings, although still sobering, emphasize the importance of understanding these positive deviants.What policies, procedures, leadership, or culture at these sites helps to counteract a gender pay gap? Recognizing these factors could help to create a potential remedy that could be adopted and tested in the sites that experience the greatest disparity in income by sex," Vineet Arora, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, wrote in a commentary.
Plaintiffs' lawyer Matthew Patterson of Beam & Raymond in Chicago talks to reporters after a Cook County judge denied a University of Chicago hospital's request for a mistrial July 12, 2016, after a $53 million malpractice verdict last month. (Becky Yerak / Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune)
The University of Chicago Medical Center failed to get a mistrial Tuesday in a case in which a Cook County jury awarded $53 million to a brain-damaged Hickory Hills boy.
In court proceedings lasting more than 90 minutes, Cook County Circuit Judge John Kirby dismissed about a half-dozen reasons, including one involving "Nazi" propaganda techniques, that were laid out by a lawyer for the hospital as grounds for a mistrial. The 2013 lawsuit was filed on behalf of 12-year-old Isaiah Ewing, who was born with a serious brain injury at the hospital. Most of the hospital's arguments for a mistrial centered around what it characterized as inflammatory statements made by Ewing lawyer Geoffrey Fieger of suburban Detroit.
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The underlying lawsuit outlined about 20 alleged missteps by doctors and nurses after Lisa Ewing arrived about 40 weeks pregnant at the hospital and was experiencing less movement by her baby. The mistakes, the lawsuit alleged, included failures to perform a timely cesarean section, follow a chain of command and be aware of abnormal fetal heart rate patterns that indicated distress to the baby, including hypoxia, or a drop in the supply of oxygen.
The hospital has said Isaiah and his mother were treated for infection, which can cause cerebral palsy. "Isaiah was born with normal oxygen blood levels," and the "injury occurred before the care Mr. Fieger criticized."
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Lisa Ewing and her son Isaiah Ewing, 12, at their Hickory Hills home on June 30, 2016. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
Before the case went to the jury, the hospital filed for a mistrial.
Fieger's "closing argument shattered the line between zealous advocacy and improper prejudicial comments, rendering it impossible for defendant to receive a fair trial," the hospital's lawyer said in a court filing. "He also prejudicially argued that the defendant's case was built on a falsehood and proceeded to equate defendant's conduct and testimony of its witnesses with the propaganda techniques notoriously and unmistakably associated with Nazi Germany."
Kirby determined the language also seemed like something out of George Orwell's "1984," a novel about people being monitored by Big Brother government. He said it wasn't appropriate to dismiss the case based on that, as well as other factors argued by the hospital Tuesday.
Kirby entered a judgment Tuesday on the $53 million verdict.
The hospital is weighing its options.
Lisa and Isaiah Ewing and their lawyers, Geoff Fieger and Jack Beam, at a news conference on June 30, 2016. (Becky Yerak/Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune)
"Our trial judge, like many trial judges, expressed that he did not want to second-guess the jury, so he declined to overturn the verdict at this time," according to a defense-team statement shared by the hospital. "When we file our post-trial motions with the trial court and, if necessary, file an appeal in the appellate court, those courts will be allowed and, in fact, be required to consider the numerous arguments that we will be making regarding our entitlement to a new trial, largely due to Mr. Fieger's conduct at trial."
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Twitter @beckyyerak
The 17-acre Salvation Army property at the corner of Mount Prospect and Algonquin roads. (CBRE)
A German pharmaceutical manufacturer plans to build a production facility in suburban Des Plaines that would create at least 300 jobs, Illinois officials said Tuesday.
The project would be one of the largest economic-development victories in Des Plaines history, said City Manager Michael Bartholomew.
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Vetter, based in Ravensburg, Germany, has signed an economic development agreement with the state. The news release from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity did not provide details of financial incentives Illinois plans to give Vetter. A department spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment.
The state said Vetter plans to invest $320 million in the facility. The family-owned company is not new to the Chicago area. It has a production facility and sales office in Skokie. Vetter officials weren't immediately available for comment.
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Vetter provides contract manufacturing services, specializing in filling syringes and vials with liquid medicines in sterile environments. One of the company's customers is North Chicago-based AbbVie, which sells Humira, one of the highest-selling prescription drugs in the world used to threat arthritis and other conditions. Humira is delivered by injection.
Vetter plans to buy from the Salvation Army a 17-acre property at the northwest corner of Algonquin and Mount Prospect roads, Bartholomew said. The vacant site was the home of the Salvation Army's central territory headquarters since 1991 before the organization moved last year to Hoffman Estates.
Vetter plans to construct up to 1 million square feet over time and demolish a six-story building, one of three properties on the site, Bartholomew said.
The project will provide a financial boost to the city, Des Plaines school districts and Cook County because Vetter will pay property taxes. The property had been tax-exempt under the Salvation Army's ownership, Bartholomew said.
Des Plaines residents will get their first look at the project Tuesday night at a public meeting at City Hall. Des Plaines' Planning and Zoning Board and City Council still have to approve the project.
Vetter executives first approached Des Plaines officials in December to express interest in the former Salvation Army site, Bartholomew said. The company liked the location because it's close to expressways and O'Hare International Airport and has all the necessary utility infrastructure, Bartholomew said.
Jim Schultz, head of the newly formed private not-for-profit corporation that handles the state's business recruitment efforts, met with Vetter officials during an April trip to Germany.
"We know that foreign direct investment is a major opportunity for Illinois," Schultz said in a news release. "By working in partnership with the Illinois Department of Commerce and local governments and marketing Illinois' assets in person to Vetter executives, we were able to drive a deal that's good for Illinois and good for Vetter."
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According to Bartholomew, Vetter considered sites outside Illinois.
"In this instance the state wasn't willing to allow them to go anywhere but here," Bartholomew said.
Bartholomew said he didn't know whether Vetter would keep the Skokie production facility open once the Des Plaines factory is built.
Des Plaines considered buying the Salvation Army property last year. At the time Bartholomew estimated the price tag to be $8 million, according to published reports.
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Twitter @ameetsachdev
Xerox, which plans to separate into two companies by the end of the year, is in talks to acquire R.R. Donnelley & Sons, people with knowledge of the matter said.
Xerox Corp. would acquire R.R. Donnelley Co., founded in 1864 and based in Chicago, and merge some of it with its copier, printer and related-services business and the rest with its smaller business process outsourcing services, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the negotiations are private.
The talks are at an early stage, one of the people said. A deal could be announced before Xerox's split is completed, another person said. R.R. Donnelley jumped as much as 12 percent in afterhours trading, while Xerox climbed as much as 3.2 percent.
R.R. Donnelley, the owner of the Edgar financial-statement wire service, announced it planned to split into three publicly traded companies last year. A deal with Xerox would negate that plan, the people said.
Representatives of Xerox and R.R. Donnelley declined to comment. Xerox has a market value of about $9.6 billion based on Monday's closing share price, while R.R. Donnelley has a market value of about $3.9 billion.
Last month, Xerox named Jeff Jacobson the new chief executive officer of its copier business. Ashok Vemuri is slated to take on the CEO role for the smaller of the post-split companies, which will be called Conduent. Xerox's document technology generated about $11 billion in 2015 revenue, compared with $7 billion in sales from the outsourcing business.
Xerox and R.R. Donnelley have both seen opportunity in pursuing a merger, one of the people familiar with the matter said, after Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. and Computer Sciences Corp.'s market valuations climbed following their announcement of a spin-merger in May.
Trading in R.R. Donnelley call options quadrupled on July 7 compared with the average of the previous 20 days, while open interest also increased, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
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Stars defenseman Joel Hanley pressures Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane on May 10, 2021, at the United Center. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Blackhawks right winger Patrick Kane on Tuesday placed his two-bedroom, 2,076-square-foot condominium unit in the Trump International Hotel and Tower on the market for $2.15 million.
Kane, 27, clearly isn't looking for much of a profit if any on the 33rd-floor unit, which he bought for $2.06 million in September 2008.
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The unit has 2 1/2 baths, views of the south, east, lake and river, high ceilings, Snaidero cabinets, a kitchen with Wolf, Miele and Sub-Zero appliances and bathrooms with limestone, slate and marble finishes.
Kane's listing agent, Chezi Rafaeli, was not immediately available for comment. However, Kane, whom the Blackhawks signed to an eight-year, $84 million contract extension in 2014, isn't leaving town.
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Instead, local agents have said Kane and Rafaeli have been spotted recently looking at single-family homes that are for sale.
Kane's departure from Trump Tower would reduce the building's star wattage. He and former Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose, who recently was traded to the New York Knicks, long have been the two best-known celebrities owning units in the building. Rose, who is a Chicago native, hasn't listed his 84th-floor unit for sale.
Another recent, high-profile resident of the building is former Bulls power forward Pau Gasol, who rented in Trump Tower this past season. Gasol recently left the Bulls and signed with the San Antonio Spurs.
Goldsborough is a freelance reporter.
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 16 (VHT Studios)
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 5 Billionaire Ken Griffin, Illinois richest man, paid $58.75 million in November for the top four floors in the Near North condominium building at 9 W. Walton St., known as No. 9 Walton. This photo shows a rendering of the lobby. (JDL Development / E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune (inset))
With a bouquet from Random Acts of Flowers, actor John Cleese arrives at Chicago's Center on Halsted, welcomed by Modesto Tico Valle, CEO of the Center. (Random Acts of Flowers)
British actor, author and comedy legend John Cleese surprised patrons at Chicago's Center on Halsted on June 16 with a colorful bouquet from Random Acts of Flowers, a non-profit organization based in Evanston that repurposes flowers and sends them to people in healthcare facilities across Chicago and the suburbs.
In light of the tragic massacre in Orlando, Cleese's friendly visit brought comfort and support to this key agency of Chicago's LGBT community. After delivering the flowers he stayed for photos, autographs and signed the card that was sent to family and friends of Orlando victims.
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"I think [RAF] is an absolutely wonderful idea because it leads to those tiny little moments of kindness that make everybody feel that life's worthwhile," Cleese said. "I heard today that a member of Parliament [Jo Cox] in England was shot and killed in the streets. It's never happened before in my lifetime so, in this time of crisis, when there's so much mindless violence, aggression and hatred, these little acts of kindness begin to reverse the momentum."
Modesto Tico Valle is the CEO of the Center on Halsted welcomed Cleese and his flowers, along with Joanie Bayhack of Wilmette, executive director of RAF and Brooke MacLean of Lake Forest, RAF Chicago's Board chairman.
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More information at rafchicago.org or call 847-430-4751.
Tyann Stubbs, a full-time student at Western Carolina University, works two jobs on-campus to pay for her education, facing restricted hours due to insurance mandates for employees who works 30 or more hours each week. (Photo by Mark Haskett)
RALEIGH Western Carolina University senior Tyann Stubbs juggles two on-campus jobs to help pay her own way through school. And she loves her work. But while the studio art major's jobs at WCU's career center and art museum offer great experience, she is limited to working just 25 hours per week during the school year - a rule the university put in place to avoid triggering the Affordable Care Act's employer mandate, says Chancellor David Belcher.Under current ACA rules, all full-time college students who work 30 or more hours a week for their school must be offered the opportunity to sign onto their employer's ACA-mandated insurance plan. It's a regulation that can incur high costs to both universities and students, and deters schools like WCU from hiring student workers to work in full-time capacities, Belcher said.Many students at WCU and other schools within the University of North Carolina System face similar challenges, says Belcher, who last year alongside U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows, R-11th District, helped introduce legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would exempt student workers from the employer mandate.Belcher told Carolina Journal, noting that in 2014 the university calculated a starting cost of $302,515 to insure 75 approved full-time workers of the school's total 1,500 student employees.Belcher continued.Belcher also pointed to proposals that suggest WCU and other universities reduce their number of student employees, calling such effortsWCU's 25-hour weekly limit is less-than-ideal for Stubbs, who averages 15-18 credit hours a semester and depends on her paychecks to cover living expenses and curb any costs not covered by her student financial aid package.Stubbs said.While Stubbs says she feels lucky to have good jobs and financial aid to help make ends meet, her limited earning potential is a very real problem.Stubbs said.Belcher said.Meadows' House Resolution 210, " The Student Worker Exemption Act of 2015 ," passed the Ways and Means Committee on June 16 and will next be considered on the House floor. The bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code to ensure that full-time college students who are also employed by their schools to work 30 or more hours a week would not be classified under the ACA as "full-time employees."Such a change is about common sense, Meadows said, calling the ACA's employer mandate a burden on both students and universities.according to a statement Meadows made when the bill passed the committee.The UNC system is a model for this redundancy in coverage under the ACA, as students at any of the 16 universities already are required to have health insurance - whether they are covered through their parents' policies, or decide to purchase coverage at a student rate through UNC's plan, Belcher said.If a student worker reaches full-time status under the employer mandate and decides to enroll in WCU's mandated employer insurance plan, the cost to the university would be $122.78 per student per month, Belcher said. The student would be responsible for covering $93.16 of that cost.Neither students nor universities should be saddled with that extra financial burden, he said, pointing to the ACA's unintended impact on student workers as the catalyst for his work to help Meadows develop H.R. 210.Passing such legislation would help students who have the ability to reconcile work and academic schedules the opportunity to work more hours, Stubbs said, pointing to her experiences at WCU's career center as evidence that many undergraduates would work more hours - if they could without incurring prohibitive insurance obligations."We get calls all the time with students saying, 'Well, I have a 4.0 GPA, I can juggle [more hours].' But we have to say, 'Sorry, you can only work so many.'"Congressional support for the legislation has been promising, said Meadows spokesman Ben Williamson, and the bill is likely to go before the House soon, though no vote has been scheduled.The bill's 33 sponsors include North Carolina U.S. Reps. Renee Ellmers, R-2nd District, Walter Jones, R-3rd District, and Robert Pittenger, R-9th District. No Senate sponsors have been enlisted, Williamson said.Williamson said.
The following items were taken from Lake Zurich Police Department reports and press releases. An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt.
DUI
Melissa K. Burks, 39, of the 1900 block of Jackson Avenue, Evanston, was charged June 27 with driving under the influence of drugs subsequent to a traffic stop on Route 22 and Buesching Road, police said. Burks failed field sobriety tests, police said. She also was charged with driving with a suspended license and improper lane use, police said. She was released on $3,000 bond with a court date set for July 26 in Waukegan, police said.
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Felix Alvarez, 46, of the 12200 block of West 33rd Street, Beach Park, was charged June 29 with driving under the influence of alcohol after he was called in as a reckless driver in the 1000 block of Old McHenry Road, police said. Alvarez failed field sobriety tests, police said. He also was charged with DUI with a blood-alcohol concentration greater than .08 and illegal transportation of open liquor, police said. Alvarez was released on $3,000 bond with a court date set for Aug. 2 in Waukegan, police said.
Jose W. Alejo-Perez, 30, of the 2800 block of West Schoenbeck in Arlington Heights, was charged July 4 with driving under the influence of alcohol in connection with an incident in the 400 block of Whitney Road, police said. Alejo-Perez was involved in a hit-and-run traffic crash, police said. Alejo-Perez failed field sobriety testing, police said. Alejo-Perez also was charged with leaving the scene of a property-damage accident, driving without a valid license, and DUI with a blood-alcohol concentration greater than .08, police said. Alejo-Perez was issued a Waukegan court date of Aug. 9 and released on $3,000 bond, police said.
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Identity theft
A man reported on June 28 that his bank account was accessed without his permission to pay for four Uber rides and make a purchase at a gas station in Texas, police said. No estimate for loss was available, police said.
Burglary
Virginia A. Waychoff, 52, of the 100 block of North Arthur Avenue in Fox Lake, was charged July 2 with burglary after an incident at Walmart, 820 S. Rand Road, police said. Waychoff entered the store and removed merchandise without paying for the items, police said. The total loss is valued at $555.94, police said. Waychoff also was charged with retail theft, police said. Waychoff was held at the Lake Zurich Police Department to await a bond hearing, police said.
Retail theft
A store in the 300 block of South Rand Road reported July 3 two men entered the store and removed 13 bottles of liquor without paying for the items, police said. The total loss is estimated at $401.37, police said.
A store in the 300 block of South Rand Road reported July 3 two men entered the store and removed 18 bottles of liquor without paying for the items, police said. The total loss is estimated at $548.38, police said.
Chloe H. Patch, 18, of the 3200 block of Oxford Court, Island Lake, was charged July 4 with retail theft in connection with an incident at Walmart, 820 S. Rand Road, police said. Patch was observed concealing makeup in her purse, police said. The total loss was $61.63, police said. Patch was released on $120 bond with a court date set for Aug. 5 in Mundelein, police said.
Theft
A man reported July 3 license plates were removed from his vehicle while it was parked in the 600 block of Cypress Bridge Road, police said.
Phil Rockrohr is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Exteriors of the Home Smart Garden, on Thursday, July 10, 2008, with it's landscape, organic food, skylights, composts, green roof, and storm water holding areas. The Smart Home is located at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. The village of Niles plans to construct a bioswale and permeable parking lot in the area surrounding Oak Park beginning this fall. A bioswale is a broad, shallow, earthen channel designed to slow runoff, promote infiltration, and filter pollutants and sediments in the process of conveying runoff, wrote Tom Powers, an engineer for the village, in an email. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
An estimated $400,000 project set to begin later this year will keep the equivalent of nearly 1,000 rain barrels of water out of Niles' overburdened stormwater system, according to village officials.
The village plans to construct a bioswale and permeable parking lot in the area surrounding Oak Park beginning this fall. A bioswale is "a broad, shallow, earthen channel designed to slow runoff, promote infiltration, and filter pollutants and sediments in the process of conveying runoff," wrote Tom Powers, an engineer for the village, in an email.
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A bioswale, which are generally filled with some form of vegetation, is designed to filter out pollutants from the water and to hold water within the swale as long as possible. Powers said the bioswale will be constructed in the village right-of-way adjacent to Oak Park and run the length of Lee Street from Overhill Avenue to Ottawa Avenue.
Native plants within the bioswale will be used to maximize the infiltration capacity -- the rate at which soil is able to absorb rainfall, Powers said. He said residents will benefit from the project because the bioswale will capture stormwater that would otherwise drain directly to the village's "overtaxed" sewer system.
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"The bioswale also provides stormwater storage to capture and hold stormwater providing extra time for the receiving drainage systems to recover and receive stormwater flow," Powers wrote.
A permeable parking lot will also be constructed along the west side of Ottawa Avenue and will replace an existing impermeable parking surface, he said. The new lot is also designed to provide stormwater relief.
"Rather than directing run off straight to a roadway inlet or catch basin, rainwater infiltrates through the surface of the pavement," Powers wrote. The rainwater is collected beneath the parking lot and then "slowly infiltrates into the ground below," he wrote. In a heavy rain, the storage capacity under the parking lot may not be enough to hold all the water coming through, and in that case, excess water will flow directly through to the village's stormwater system, according to Powers.
"Considered together, the bioswale and permeable pavement store 53,811 gallons of stormwater (this is equivalent to almost 1,000 rain barrels)," Powers wrote. As a result of the project, he added, there will be that much less polluted water discharged to the North Branch of the Chicago River per every 1-inch to 2-inch rain event.
The exact costs for the project are not yet known but the village has budgeted $400,000 for the improvements, with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District picking up half the cost, according to Powers. The village also received a $10,000 grant from the Royal Bank of Canada to help offset the costs of the project.
"If the project is completed for the budget amount then the village will be responsible for funding $190,000 of the improvement," he wrote. "We expect the project to be complete at or below the budget amount."
Power said construction will begin in September and the plantings in the bioswale will be completed in the spring of next year.
Lee V. Gaines is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
The Hobart Plan Commission once again tabled action on a proposal by Luke Builds to construct its new three-story office building on its County Line Orchard property after the company returned to its original plan, not a revised one that met with the approval of nearby residents.
The commission also tabled action in May, after hearing several concerns about the project from nearby residents on Wayne Street, and again in June, at Luke Build's request.
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Elmer Embry, designer/project manager for Luke Builds, told the commission July 7 that after considerable discussion, officials with Luke Builds felt the original site plan presented to the commission was best for the company's long-term goals.
"If it's denied, we understand we'll need to find something that will work for ourselves, the neighbors and the city," Embry said.
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"This is no small investment," he told the commissioners.
He said with future expansions, the total investment could be $5 million to $10 million in five years. He said the building would be 36,000 square feet.
Embry said the original plan includes a road from Indiana 130 leading to the new building, which would be in the rear of the orchard. Embry said the road would be lined with trees, creating a nice setting for the anticipated 200 to 300 employees the company expects to have in the office in the next five years.
The company now has 70 employees and the new building would initially house 100 to 120 people, with expansion capabilities to house up to 300, Tom Collins, an official with Luke Oil, said at a previous meeting.
Wayne Street residents speaking at the May plan commission meeting were against having a three-story building at the proposed location, and asked that it be moved to Indiana 130.
City Planner Sergio Mendoza said the city encouraged Luke Builds to provide an access off of Wayne Street on the east side of the road so residents, police and fire would have access to Indiana 130.
"It wouldn't be a through-street. Residents of Wayne Street would be able to reach 130 through (Luke's) property," Mendoza said. "We need to have a connection for the safety aspect."
Mendoza said the commission needed more information from Luke Builds before it could act on its original request. Plan commission member and Councilman John Brezik, D-5th, added that the Wayne Street residents needed to see the plans presented July 7, too.
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"We're not ready to move on this at all," Brezik said, moving that all three actions involving the office building be tabled.
"It's a beautiful project," Brezik said. " I was hoping at least a majority of the people would be comfortable with it."
Karen Caffarini is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
A Wilmette resident is suing the owner of Backyard Barbecue and the village, asking the court to nullify an ordinance the village passed earlier this year, allowing Backyard Barbecue to operate its expanded business in an empty car wash in downtown Wilmette. (Kathy Routliffe / Pioneer Press)
The village of Wilmette, and a downtown businessman to whom Wilmette trustees granted zoning permits allowing him to move his business into a former carwash and operate a three-barrel beer brewery there, are being sued as a result of that March 8 vote.
The suit by Wilmette resident Max Schanzenbach seeks to have a judge declare the village's decision, specifically the ordinance that granted Dan Marguerite and Backyard Barbecue zoning permissions to operate in an empty carwash at 535 Green Bay Road, "null, void, and unconstitutional."
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It also seeks a permanent injunction preventing Wilmette from enforcing the ordinance or granting permits to Marguerite for work on the property, and to revoke any permits previously issued for construction or development of the property.
Schanzenbach, a law professor who lives on Park Avenue and who testified against Marguerite's request in March, confirmed July 7 that he and his attorney had filed the suit in Cook County Circuit Court.
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However, Wilmette hasn't been served in the suit, Village Counsel Michael Zimmerman said July 7. Schanzenbach said he did not know when that would happen, saying that would be up to his attorney, Thomas Ramsdell. A call to Ramsdell's office July 7 was not returned.
Schanzenbach also suggested in a July 7 email that he and other neighbors of the Green Bay Road property still want to talk with Wilmette, if that allows all sides to find ways to control traffic and business problems that neighbors fear Marguerite's business could bring.
"We hold out hope that a reasonable compromise can be reached, but if not we are willing to continue the litigation to protect our families and neighborhood," he said in the email.
Schanzenbach said village officials had spoken with neighbors after the board approved Marguerite's zoning, and said neighbors thought some of their problems could be solved with restrictions on the business' parking and hours of operation. That discussion stopped after the lawsuit was filed, he said.
Michael Braiman, Wilmette's assistant village manager, said July 11 that neighbors did meet in March with village officials including him, Police Chief Brian King, and Engineering and Public Works Director Brigitte Berger. The village had outlined several things it hoped to do to mitigate some of the traffic problems in the alleys and streets near Marguerite's Green Bay Road property, Braiman said.
Those included improvements to stop signs and pavement markings at the Park and Linden Avenue intersection, increased policing of the area during school pickup and drop-off times at nearby McKenzie Elementary School, as well as plans to study traffic in alleys surrounding the Marguerite property, he said.
"The village felt good about the progress made through these discussions and we were looking forward to continuing our efforts prior to the lawsuit," Braiman said. "Once the lawsuit was filed, we had to cease meetings, as we do not meet with plaintiffs suing the village without our attorney present."
Schanzenbach's suit claims that the village board's decision to approve a special use permit and zoning variation for Marguerite fails to meet village zoning requirements, contravenes Wilmette's comprehensive plan, and represents "spot zoning" that was passed "to satisfy the individual desires of one individual, Marguerite, and over the strenuous objection of the Plaintiff and the residents in the surrounding neighborhood (including 40 residents who signed a petition opposing the proposed Special Use and variance.)"
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In the suit, Schanzenbach also states that area property values would suffer and that he would suffer "ills and harms" if Marguerite was allowed to move from his current store at 1147 Greenleaf Ave., and expand his barbecue and grill sale operation at the new address, with a permanent outdoor display area, a larger indoor area for in-house private parties, and an area for tastings of the small batch beer Marguerite brews for those occasions.
Although the suit does not state specifically what those ills and harms are, it says that Marguerite's property can only be accessed through "already overburdened" alleys that exit near nearby residential neighborhoods.
On June 28, village trustees approved a joint defense agreement between Wilmette and Marguerite and his business. Zimmerman said such an agreement wasn't uncommon.
"The village is defending its ordinance and doesn't appreciate a court getting involved in what was a thorough zoning process. In that regard, the village's interest aligns with Mr. Marguerite," Zimmerman said.
"This went through an exhaustive process at the zoning board of appeals, the village board, then at the (board's) judiciary committee and finally back to the board," he said. "The village is going to vigorously defend the ordinance."
Marguerite declined to comment about the legal action on July 8.
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kroutliffe@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter: @pioneer_kathy
Bryan Cranston is an actor, you know what I mean? Capital A. He relishes the work, probably because it took him a decade or two, pre-"Breaking Bad," to snag the roles he deserved. (Guest stints on "CHiPs" and "Hill Street Blues" came a long time ago.) With that voice of steel and a face that can go from hangdog to top dog in 0.3 seconds flat, Cranston is gleefully capable of chewing scenery with the best of them I believe he's still picking little bits of "Trumbo" out of his teeth but at this busy point in his career, his mixture of confidence and technique is reliably, wholly entertaining.
"The Infiltrator" is a true-crime story, familiar but compelling, about false identities, affording Cranston the chance to play a man who is pretending to be another, more swaggering, more dangerous man. Screenwriter Ellen Brown Furman adapted the 2009 autobiographical account by longtime U.S. Customs agent Robert Mazur, a Tampa-based undercover narcotics specialist who masqueraded as "Bob Musella," money launderer and party host to the Medellin cartel stars.
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MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR
In an elaborate sting operation, Mazur weaseled his way into the good graces of the Medellin cartel, right to the top and to the rarefied, lethal realm of Pablo Escobar. To do this, Mazur got himself a glamorous fake fiance; Diane Kruger takes the role of his fellow deceiver, and she's no less effective, in a no-fuss, keep-the-scenes-moving way, than headliner Cranston.
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True, true-ish or fabricated, many of the narrative and character details recall a host of previous drug-related crime dramas. Mazur's partner, brash and risk-prone where Mazur tends toward incremental stealth, is played by John Leguizamo. At this point in our popular culture the mismatched buddy-cop gambit couldn't be more threadbare. Yet when good actors play the material for honest tension, a miracle: You buy it.
Mazur gains the trust of Escobar's associates, including the decadent, unsettling money manager played by Yul Vazquez. Gradually the story focuses on Mazur's social interactions, always with a business rationale, with supercool cartel front man Roberto Alcaino (Benjamin Bratt, excellent, sidestepping every cliche) and his wife Gloria (Elena Anaya).
Bryan Cranston, left, and Benjamin Bratt star in "The Infiltrator." (Broad Green Pictures)
The sting takes Mazur and company from Florida to Central America to Europe. Cinematographer Joshua Reis' garish, heavily saturated color attack stylizes the atmosphere away from the direction of realism. Even so, "The Infiltrator" works best in its unglamorous scenes of everyday deception. Furman, who worked with Cranston on the Matthew McConaughey vehicle "The Lincoln Lawyer," can handle pure action (there's an extremely well-staged bit of vehicular mayhem that, in a good way, comes out of nowhere). But two smaller scenes stand out here. In one, Mazur is out to dinner with his wife (Juliet Aubrey), not in disguise, not playing Musella. Then an Escobar employee, recognizing his money-laundering pal Bob, comes over to the table, wondering who the woman is. Mazur improvises, quickly, and the scene crackles with nervous suspense.
The other choice moment involves the briefcase, the tape recorder and a malfunction. This is what espionage looks like, finally: a look of momentary human panic on an agent's face, especially if the face belongs to Cranston, when the jig's up.
Michael Phillips is a Tribune Newspapers critic.
mjphillips@tribpub.com
Twitter @phillipstribune
"The Infiltrator" 3 stars
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MPAA rating: R (for strong violence, language throughout, some sexual content and drug material)
Running time: 2:07
Opens: Wednesday
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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 126 Woody introduces the gang to a homemade spork toy with self-esteem issues in "Toy Story 4." Read the review. (Pixar / AP)
U.S. Atty. Gen. Loretta Lynch has closed the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server as secretary of State. (Yuri Gripas / AFP/Getty Images)
Reporting from Washington Republican lawmakers Tuesday lambasted Atty. Gen. Loretta Lynch over her refusal to discuss the details of the Justice Department's recent decision not to prosecute Hillary Clinton for using a private email server as secretary of State.
As a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee stretched into the afternoon, GOP representatives grew increasingly frustrated and angry as they pushed Lynch without success to answer their specific questions about the email probe.
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Lynch responded time and time again that she had accepted the unanimous recommendation of career agents and prosecutors, including FBI Director James Comey. But she said it would be "inappropriate to comment further" on the facts of the case or the decision-making process.
Lynch also faced criticism from lawmakers over her decision to meet with former President Clinton last month, which she has previously admitted cast a shadow over the Justice Department's probe.
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Following the uproar over that meeting, Lynch publicly announced that she would remove herself from the final decision about whether to file charges, saying she would abide by the recommendation of Comey and career prosecutors.
GOP lawmakers Tuesday accused Lynch of failing to live up to her constitutional duty by not personally analyzing the case.
"The buck stops with you,'' Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) said.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte called her refusal to discuss the matter an "abdication of your responsibility."
Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) and several others said the decision against filing charges gave the appearance of a double standard in Clinton's favor because of her political power.
At one point, an exasperated Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) told Lynch he was frustrated with what he called the lack of ownership within the Department of Justice.
"I miss Eric Holder," Collins said, referring to the Lynch's predecessor, who had a notoriously frosty relationship with congressional Republicans. Collins said that he may not have liked the answers that Holder gave, but that at least he answered questions.
Lynch vigorously defended the department's handling of the case as independent and objective. She said career agents and prosecutors, not political appointees, reviewed the case and made the recommendation.
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She said repeatedly she was proud of the work they had done.
The committee divided along party lines in its questioning, with Republicans focusing on Clinton's email server and Democrats instead focusing on the Orlando, Fla., terror attack, the need for law enforcement reform, the recent police shootings of black men, the killings in Dallas of five police officers and strategies for repairing relationships between police and minority communities.
Democrats accused Republicans of politicizing the email scandal to hurt the presumed Democratic nominee.
"We are beating this email horse to death." said Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.).
Comey, testifying last week before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, defended the agency's investigation into Clinton's email server and reiterated that a criminal case against the presumptive Democratic nominee would not hold up in court.
Comey stated there was "no basis to believe" Clinton lied to the FBI during its investigation and assured committee members there was no political motivation to the timing of Comey's announcement or the agency's decision to recommend charges not be filed.
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Lynch was scheduled to testify before the House committee before Comey announced his decision. Her submitted testimony focused on the killings of five Dallas police officers by Micah Xavier Johnson, an Army veteran apparently angry over police shootings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota.
jill.ornitz@latimes.com
Follow me: @Jill_Ornitz
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Comey says FBI did not 'give a hoot about politics' in Clinton email investigation
Obama heads to Dallas, determined to bridge the divide deepened by shootings
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Bernie Sanders offers long-awaited endorsement: Hillary Clinton is 'far and away the best candidate'
UPDATES:
1:29 p.m.: The story was updated after the hearing's conclusion.
9:33 a.m.: The story was updated with additional comments from the hearing.
8:35 a.m.: The story was updated with additional comments from the hearing.
7:53 a.m.: The story was updated after Lynch's opening statement.
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7:11 a.m.: This story was updated once the hearing began.
This story was originally published at 5 a.m.
Reporting from Portsmouth, N.H. For months, two dangers have hovered over Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign the possibility of criminal proceedings resulting from the investigation into her email practices and the risk that large numbers of Bernie Sanders supporters would desert her in the fall.
Last week, the first of those evaporated with a statement by FBI Director James B. Comey that sharply criticized her, but closed the door on prosecution. Tuesday, the second risk diminished greatly with a sentence from Sanders at a rally in a crowded high school gymnasium here.
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I am endorsing Hillary Clinton, Sanders declared to cheers from a couple of thousand partisans. She must become our next president.
One rally, of course, will not bring every Sanders voter over to Clinton some will not shift for weeks, others never will. But Sanders' words, which were noticeably more enthusiastic than many Democrats had expected, will almost certainly hasten a party unification process that polls indicate is already well underway.
"This campaign is about the needs of the American people and addressing the very serious crises that we face," Sanders said as Clinton stood nodding at his side. "And there is no doubt in my mind that, as we head into November, Hillary Clinton is far and away the best candidate to do that."
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Although long-awaited and, to some extent, anticlimactic, since many of Sanders' backers already have moved Clinton's way, the rally was nonetheless a positive moment that the Clinton campaign had badly wanted and worked hard to achieve. It opens the way for a nominating convention later this month that can showcase party unity, in likely contrast to the GOP convention that begins next week.
Sanders dispelled doubts about how strongly he would back the woman who had beaten him by delivering a half-hour litany that not only denounced Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, but praised the former secretary of State, saying repeatedly that "Hillary Clinton understands" the key issues he campaigned on.
On issues including healthcare, the minimum wage and aid for college students, he stressed how much he and Clinton agreed a sharp turnaround from months of detailing their differences.
He said he would "go to every corner of this country" to try to ensure her election.
Clinton returned the favor, inserting into her standard stump speech a strong endorsement of Sanders' position on an issue on which they have differed one that the Vermont senator had not mentioned. In her administration, she said, the U.S. would say "no to unfair trade deals including the Trans-Pacific Partnership."
President Obama has asked Congress to approve the massive trade pact, which Clinton had praised while it was being negotiated. Earlier in her campaign, she said the final agreement fell short of her standards and she would not support it, but many of Sanders' supporters have doubted her commitment.
Thanking them, Clinton pledged, "You will always have a seat at the table when I am in the White House."
Not everyone in the crowd was convinced. Earlier in the event, some pro-Sanders hecklers jeered Gov. Maggie Hassan when she praised Clinton.
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And among Sanders' delegates to the Democratic convention, some said they were still not sure they could bring themselves to vote for her.
"I still can't speak to that," said Natalie Higley, a 23-year-old delegate from Lakeport, in Northern California. "I think he's doing what he has to do," she said of Sanders.
Nominating Clinton "is going to greatly reduce the participation in the Democratic Party, to elect a candidate who has some of the lowest favorable ratings in history, who is squeaking by, barely beating Trump in November. I think they are committing suicide, honestly," she said.
In an email to supporters, Sanders acknowledged "that some of you will be disappointed" by the decision to endorse Clinton. But, he said, Clinton had embraced "the most progressive Democratic platform in the history of our country," in part because of the pressure exerted by the 13 million people who had voted for him in the Democratic primaries.
If Trump were to win, not only would none of those policies be adopted, his victory would be "a devastating blow to all that we are fighting for," Sanders warned.
That was a persuasive argument for Robert Nelson, a retired scientist from Pasadena who is also a Sanders delegate.
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"This election is not about Hillary Clinton anymore. This election is about Donald Trump," Nelson said. "Donald Trump represents the true threat of fascism, and fascism is a very, very dangerous thing."
The joint appearance here, in the state whose primary did more than any other to propel Sanders into the role of a true threat to Clinton, came after weeks of negotiations and careful choreography.
Sanders moved cautiously in Clinton's direction too slowly in the eyes of some Democrats as her campaign edged toward his positions on major issues, most notably proposals to increase federal help with the cost of going to college and expanded efforts to cut the cost of healthcare.
Clinton's new healthcare proposal, announced over the weekend, included a $40-billion increase in money for community health centers, a priority for Sanders, and a renewed call for the sort of "public option" insurance plan for which President Obama failed to secure when Congress passed the Affordable Care Act in 2010.
By now, polls show that most Sanders supporters already have made their peace with voting for Clinton spurred on by the prospect of Trump. Democrats are more unified than they were at this point in 2008. That relative party unity is a big part of the reason Clinton has held a consistent lead over Trump of about 4 to 6 percentage points in polling averages since the start of June.
But a significant minority of Sanders voters have resisted calls to fall into line behind Clinton, some feeling that her policies are not far enough to the left to suit them, others opposed to her personally.
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Disaffected Sanders voters, especially men, provide a notable chunk of support for the Libertarian nominee, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson.
If a Sanders endorsement brings more of those voters over to Clinton's side, her lead over Trump could be expected to grow by another percentage point or two nationally enough potentially to swing some close-fought states in her direction.
In part to engineer that outcome, the two sides spent considerable time over the last several weeks negotiating steps toward unity. Clinton's campaign manager, Robby Mook, and his counterpart from the Sanders camp, Jeff Weaver, took the lead, said a Clinton campaign aide, speaking on condition of anonymity to talk about the private negotiations.
The two met for nearly two hours in early June after Clinton and Sanders got together at a downtown Washington hotel. They followed up with a dinner in Vermont a burger for Weaver and salad for Mook and have been in near daily contact by email and text messages, the campaign aide said, noting that Sanders' wife, Jane, also played a major role in negotiations.
From early on in the discussions, it was clear that Sanders was focused mainly on specific issues that he could influence Clinton on and that Clinton was willing to accommodate him on at least some of those.
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That contrasts with some previous elections in which defeated candidates needed help retiring large debts or wanted jobs for supporters. The Clinton campaign has, however, begun hiring some key Sanders operatives, including a new director of on-campus political organizing.
Over the weekend, the Democratic platform committee finished drafting the party's positions for this election. Sanders' top aide at the committee said his side had gotten 80% of what it wanted.
Staff writers Seema Mehta in Los Angeles and Chris Megerian in Sacramento contributed to this report.
david.lauter@latimes.com
For more on politics and policy, follow me @DavidLauter
ALSO
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Voters are fascinated and repelled by their presidential campaign choices
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Many Sanders delegates are new to the Democratic Party
UPDATES:
2:46 p.m.: This article was updated throughout with new comments and details.
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9:48 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from Clinton and Sanders.
8:41 a.m.: This article was updated with Sanders' endorsement.
This article was originally published at 4 a.m.
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."
In this June 30, 2016 photo, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner speaks to reporters in front of his office at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Ill. (Seth Perlman / AP)
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on Tuesday tried to hit the reset button on a bruising battle over the state funding formula for elementary and secondary schools, tasking a commission of lawmakers and policy advisers with a Feb. 1 deadline to propose ideas for changing the system.
The move comes after Rauner spent the better part of this year resisting calls for an immediate change to the formula while he sought to keep schools afloat financially this fall and leave for another day the politically fraught issue of how state tax dollars are doled out.
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On Tuesday, Rauner said he was ready to take up the issue, but by setting a February deadline he ensured that the political fallout that could come from whatever his commission produces will land after the November election.
The promise of the panel remains to be seen. In politics, commissions, task forces and advisory panels are where the state's most vexing problems go to languish because they're often used as tools to delay action on touchy topics or provide cover for the handling of controversial issues.
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And the education funding formula is one of the most politically charged issues in Illinois.
Critics contend the formula shortchanges districts that serve poor children and doesn't do enough to compensate districts that can't rely on high real estate values to cover their spending needs with property taxes. But ideas to fix the problem usually hinge on raising taxes or reducing the amounts that go to wealthier districts in order to boost funding for poorer ones, both of which are difficult to sell politically.
In the meantime, the issue has been studied and bandied about in countless panels such as the one created by Rauner. So-called "blue ribbon" school funding panels were a hallmark of former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar during the 1990s, but he gained little traction.
Rauner tried to put an optimistic spin on the idea Tuesday, saying he thinks that given "the financial pressures that school districts are facing, the state is facing, the city of Chicago is facing, there's a lot of motivation to try to improve the system."
Still, the commission's structure appeared designed to give Republicans a louder voice, even though Democrats hold supermajorities in both chambers of the legislature. Rauner stacked the panel with allies by appointing his education secretary as chair and allowing Republicans to select 15 of the 25 members.
And Rauner was vague about what he'd like to see emerge from the commission. While he acknowledged that spending more money on schools will require the state to find a way to pay for it, he wouldn't commit to raising taxes to do so, saying he's an "anti-tax person" who ran for office "to try to bring down the tax burden."
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Democrats said they were willing to participate, and House Speaker Michael Madigan on Tuesday released a list of lawmakers he'll assign to the panel. At the same time, Madigan's office said the speaker would send Rauner background information on a tax on millionaires, which the speaker has been pushing as a way to help fund education, and which the wealthy private equity investor Rauner has opposed.
By simply forming the commission, Rauner is able to make good on his pledge to take up the sticky issue of changing the school funding formula. The governor has long contended that the formula is flawed and should be changed, but he ended up crosswise with that message for the better part of this year as he battled Democrats over a budget for state government.
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In the political maneuvering at the Statehouse, Senate President John Cullerton, a longtime proponent of changing the formula, initially insisted on an immediate change to the formula before lawmakers approved money for the school year that begins this fall. Rauner, in turn, accused Cullerton of trying to hold up the opening of schools as a way of taking money from wealthier school districts and funneling it to others, particularly Chicago Public Schools. In doing so, Rauner positioned himself as the chief obstructionist in the school funding formula issue, even though lawmakers themselves couldn't agree on how the formula should be changed.
"The current school funding formula is not good, I have never supported it," Rauner said last month as he was pressuring lawmakers for a school spending bill. "I'm willing to change it. It's hard to do. But what would be wrong, would be unfair, is to say to the schoolchildren around the state, let's not let the schools open unless the formula changes and changes in a way that gets tremendously more money for Chicago. That's not fair."
In the end, Rauner and lawmakers agreed on a spending plan for schools that ensured that no district would receive less money that it got last year, while sending extra money to poorer districts, including an additional $130 million to CPS and potentially more than $200 million for teacher pensions on top of that. The funding formula issue was set aside.
kgeiger@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @kimgeiger
Chicago State University was sanctioned by the Higher Learning Commission, the agency responsible for accrediting the school. The university will remain accredited as it works to resolve the agency's concerns about financial strife. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
In continuing fallout from the statewide budget uncertainty, Chicago State University on Tuesday was notified that financial strife has put the institution's accreditation at risk.
The sanction from the Higher Learning Commission, the agency responsible for accrediting the school, could erode public confidence and affect student enrollment, which already is projected to decline significantly this fall. The university will remain accredited as it works to resolve the agency's concerns.
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The South Side public university, which depends heavily on state funding, was hit hardest by the budget stalemate in Springfield that left universities with no funding for much of the last academic year, and then only a fraction of the financial support they had received in the past.
Chicago State declared a financial emergency earlier this year and then laid off one-third of its employees, or more than 300 administrators and staff, after the spring semester ended. About 10 faculty members were recently laid off, and the university plans to operate with a significantly smaller budget of about $70 million this year.
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"Despite steps taken by the university to respond to the challenges precipitated by the Illinois state budget impasse, difficulties continue that pose a risk to the university's ability to remain in compliance with HLC's criteria for accreditation related to financial resources and planning," according to a statement from the agency.
Accreditation affirms a university's quality and reputation and ensures that students can get financial aid.
None of Illinois' other public universities have been put on notice by the HLC for concerns over their finances.
But in March, the agency made a special visit to Chicago State to evaluate whether the university's resources were sufficient to fulfill its mission and whether any sanctions were appropriate.
As part of the sanction announced Tuesday, the university is required to submit evidence that it has improved by December. The agency will visit the university again next spring. It will decide in June whether the sanction can be removed or if other penalties are necessary.
"I am disappointed. I had hoped they might be able to come to a different conclusion," Chicago State President Thomas Calhoun Jr. told the Tribune. "We are confident that we are in good shape. We are fully accredited and have no concern that we won't maintain full accreditation and the sanction will be lifted."
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About 30 percent of Chicago State's funding approximately $36 million a year comes from the state. Last year, lawmakers and the governor eventually approved about $20 million of funding for the school. So far this year, about $13 million has been approved as part of a stopgap measure to keep government afloat through the end of the year.
Calhoun acknowledged that the sanction could impact student enrollment, which is projected to drop about 20 percent this fall from 4,500 students last year.
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"When you have a financial (emergency) and rumors about your stability and whether you will be open or closed and that gets out into the public discussion, there is a loss of public confidence," Calhoun said. "We would interpret a sanction, however mild, from the Higher Learning Commission to be something that would raise concerns that we are trying to ameliorate."
"We are alive, we are well, we are financially sound, we are in operation now and we will open in the fall. That is the message," he said.
The HLC oversees about 1,000 institutions in 19 states. Five institutions have been put on notice since November, including the National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, which was sanctioned over concerns related to the quality of educational programs, assessment of student learning and institutional planning.
jscohen@tribpub.com
Twitter @higherednews
These photos were taken before the arrest of JaMal Green (in yellow shirt) during a protest in downtown Chicago on July 9, 2016. After the incident shown here and a later one, Green was charged with striking a police officer and attempting to disarm another. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)
Activist Ja'Mal Green was released from Cook County Jail Tuesday evening after he was arrested during a police brutality protest over the weekend and charged with hitting one officer and tryng to disarm another.
Community members and relatives, who complained that the $350,000 bond for Green was too high, collected enough money to pay 10 percent of the bond to release Green, according to Cara Smith, a spokeswoman with the Cook County sheriff's office.
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As a condition of his release, Green was placed on electronic monitoring and home confinement, Smith said.
Green was arrested Saturday evening during a demonstration in downtown Chicago against last week's fatal shootings by police in Louisiana and Minnesota. He was charged with five felony counts: two of aggravated battery to a police officer, two of aggravated battery in a public place and one of attempting to disarm a police officer, according to a statement from Chicago police. Green was also charged with two misdemeanor counts of resisting/obstructing arrest.
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During a news conference Tuesday morning at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, community and family members said the charges against Green were meant to "send a message."
Eric Russell, a community activist who has represented a number of families with relatives killed by police, called Green a "political prisoner" and the target of a vendetta because of his advocacy work.
Tio Hardiman, president of Violence Interrupters, said community advocates are petitioning for a reduced bond.
"This young man is a standup individual in the community at a much-needed time in our history in the United States," Hardiman said. "The police cannot continue to get away with abusing our people."
Ayana Clark, Green's fiancee, said she encouraged people to help post his bond through a PayPal account. She said authorities are upset about the continuing protests, and that State's Attorney Anita Alvarez has a grudge against Green for helping Kim Foxx defeat her in the March primary.
On the phone, Green urged activists to stay strong and thanked everyone for their support.
Green's mother, Herlyn Oatis, said Green has been doing peace walks since he was 5 and that everyone has been peaceful. She noted his commitments to youth in the community, anti-bullying campaigns and anti-violence.
"Everyone knows he doesn't touch anyone, he does a peaceful protest, he's out here for the youth, and I think they're just upset about that," Oatis said. "What we're trying to do now is just get him out."
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A small group of people yelled "Free Ja'Mal Green!" a few times at the end of the news conference.
On Monday, prosecutors said Green, 20, was among 150 to 200 demonstrators who were leaving the Taste of Chicago on Saturday evening. An officer saw Green climb a fence and ordered him to get down, they said.
Prosecutors said Green threatened the officer, saying he was "going to beat his ass" and stood face to face with him, swinging his arms. Green was allowed to continue the protest but later struck a police commander in the shoulder, prosecutors said.
Part of the incident was captured by a Chicago Tribune photographer, and a photo was published on the Tribune's website. Prosecutors and the judge cited that photo in court.
Later, on Michigan Avenue near Water Tower Place, Green grabbed the duty belt of a police captain about an inch away from the officer's service revolver, prosecutors said.
A police lieutenant pulled Green's arm away and attempted to take him into custody, but Green resisted, saying, "You're going to get it I'm going to have your badge," prosecutors told the judge.
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A video posted Sunday on Clark's Facebook page shows some of the chaos from the protest.
It begins with protesters yelling, "Hands up, don't shoot." The camera does a quick pan to Green, who is standing on a metal barricade in a yellow tank top and beige shorts with one hand outstretched. A whistle blows and a police sergeant tells another police supervisor, "Please, can you tell him to get down?"
The police supervisor grabs the bottom of Green's pants and pulls him down from the metal barricade. A man shouts obscenities at the police, and the protesters and police break into a shoving match. The crowd quickly separates the police supervisor from Green.
The police supervisor says, "Relax. I'm not doing nothing. I'm just standing here, just relax. All right? Relax. Everyone calm down. Everyone calm down."
Then the crowd erupts in a chant of "Let him go."
gwong@tribpub.com
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Chicago police investigate the shooting deaths of two males in the 6000 block of South Carpenter Street in the Englewood neighborhood July 12, 2016. (Alexandra Chachkevitch / Chicago Tribune)
Three people, including a 17-year-old boy, were shot to death and at least seven others were wounded in shootings on the South and West sides of Chicago late Tuesday morning into the evening, police said.
Two people were shot to death in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side around 10:50 p.m., according to police.
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Officers responding to a call of a person shot discovered two men, each shot in the head, in the 6000 block of South Carpenter Street. One was in the driver's seat of a parked silver Toyota and the other, a 34-year-old man, was lying in the street near the car, police said.
Both victims were pronounced dead on the scene.
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Tuesday morning, a 17-year-old boy was shot to death in the Morgan Park neighborhood on the Far South Side, police said.
James R. Moore, of the 10800 block of South Sangamon Street, was pronounced dead at 12:06 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
Officers responded to a call of gunfire about 11:40 a.m. and found Moore shot several times behind a home in the 10900 block of South Peoria Street, said Officer Thomas Sweeney, a police spokesman.
Other shootings:
Around 10:20 p.m., a 23-year-old man was wounded in a shooting in the 1600 block of West Marquette Road in the West Englewood neighborhood, police said. The man was standing on the sidewalk when he heard gunshots and realized he was struck in the back. He managed to get to St. Bernard hospital, where his condition stabilized, police said.
Chicago police investigate the shooting death of James R. Moore in the 10900 block of South Peoria Street on July 12, 2016. Officers responded to a call of gunfire about 11:40 a.m. and found Moore shot several times behind a home. (Eric Clark / Chicago Tribune)
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Around 10:10 p.m., a 30-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy were wounded in a shooting in the 7200 block of South May Street in the Englewood neighborhood, police said.
The two were inside a red sedan traveling south on May when someone fired shots from the sidewalk. The man was hit in the back and grazed in the face, and he was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where his condition stabilized. The boy was shot in the neck and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where his condition also stabilized, police said.
Around 10:05 p.m., a 27-year-old man was wounded in a shooting in the 2600 block of West 64th Street in the Marquette Park neighborhood, police said. The man was standing on the sidewalk when two male attacker approached him and fired shots, striking him in the left hand. He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital, where his condition stabilized.
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About 5:15 p.m., someone shot a 17-year-old boy in the foot in the 1400 block of South Pulaski Road in the Lawndale neighborhood. He was shot in the leg and foot and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital.
About 4:30 p.m., a 29-year-old woman was shot during an argument with a "known female" in the West Englewood neighborhood, police said. She was in the 6700 block of South Ashland Avenue when she was shot and drove to the Englewood District Police Station with neck and wrist wounds, police said. Paramedics took her from there to Stroger Hospital, where she was in serious condition, and no one is in custody.
About 2:10 p.m., a 25-year-old man was shot and wounded in the abdomen in the East Garfield Park neighborhood. Police said he was shot in the first block of South Pulaski Road and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where his condition stabilized.
Editor's note: The characterization of when 17-year-old James R. Moore was shot to death in relation to the two men shot to death has been corrected in this story.
Jack McCullough, convicted in the 1957 killing of 7-year-old Maria Ridulph, appears in court at the DeKalb County Courthouse in Sycamore on April 15, 2016. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
A DeKalb County judge made final rulings Tuesday in advance of a hearing that will help him decide whether a special prosecutor should review the case of a man convicted and then freed in the 1957 slaying of a Sycamore girl.
Judge William Brady set Aug. 5 to hear testimony from two witnesses, including Charles Ridulph, whose 7-year-old sister, Maria, was killed. The man found guilty of murder, Jack McCullough, was freed from prison this spring after DeKalb State's Attorney Richard Schmack said he became convinced of McCullough's innocence.
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Ridulph, who believes McCullough, 76, is responsible for his sister's death, is asking the judge to appoint a special prosecutor to review Schmack's findings.
Ridulph is expected to testify at the August hearing, as is Julie Trevarthen, a former DeKalb prosecutor who helped convict McCullough in a 2012 trial. Both are expected to testify in support of the idea that Schmack, without a review of the evidence, had made up his mind that McCullough was innocent.
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Schmack, who was not state's attorney when McCullough was convicted, has denied that assertion, saying that his decisions in the case were driven by evidence and ethical obligations.
Maria Ridulph of Sycamore. (Chicago tribune archive)
At Tuesday's hearing, Brady denied a motion filed last week by Schmack, in which the prosecutor sought to limit Ridulph's testimony. Schmack said he had conversations with Ridulph about the case in 2014 and 2015, long after Schmack had been elected chief prosecutor in 2012.
Due to the timing of those conversations, it would impossible for Ridulph to offer relevant testimony on whether Schmack had "prejudged" McCullough's innocence, Schmack argued. But the judge said he would not strictly limit Ridulph.
Maria Ridulph's body was found in northwest Illinois in April 1958, more than four months after she disappeared from a Sycamore street corner. Her case at the time drew a huge local, state and federal law enforcement response, but no arrests were made until McCullough was charged in 2011. In 1957, the Seattle-area retiree had lived in the same neighborhood as the Ridulphs.
He was convicted in 2012, based in part on an eyewitness identification, but his conviction was vacated earlier this year when Schmack said he found evidence that he said made it impossible for McCullough to have been in Sycamore when Ridulph disappeared. At the time McCullough was found guilty, his case was believed to have been the coldest case in U.S. history to result in a conviction.
During an appearance before the Tribune Editorial Board in 2015, Donald Trump addressed Chicago crime, saying "tough cookies" are needed to combat it. (Brian Ernst/Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune)
Presidential candidate Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday morning about Chicago's crime problem hours before he was scheduled to attend a private fundraiser in the city one that may draw protests.
"Crime is out of control, and rapidly getting worse. Look what is going on in Chicago and our inner cities. Not good!" he tweeted. He later followed up that tweet with another: "This election is a choice between law, order & safety or chaos, crime & violence. I will make America safe again for everyone. #ImWithYou"
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So far this year in Chicago, more than 2,100 people have been shot compared with more than 2,900 people for the entire year of 2015, according to Tribune data. Chicago's homicide tally is at 342 people for the first half of the year, a pace not seen since the late 1990s. New York and Los Angeles combined have fewer shooting and homicide victims than Chicago this year so far.
A year ago, Trump told the Tribune Editorial Board that crime is damaging the city's reputation.
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"You've got to stop it. You're not going to stop it by being nice. You're going to stop it by being one tough son of a bitch," Trump said at the time.
During the June 2015 appearance before the editorial board, Trump acknowledged there have been cases of police brutality but said he believed police today are not as tough as when he was growing up in the mid-1960s.
"You need tough cookies. These are tough kids. These are not babies. These are tough, tough kids," he said at the time. "If they saw you walking down the street, they wouldn't give a damn about you," he said then. "You can't be so gentle with these people."
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"I'm a big fan of the police, but I think the police now are afraid to act. They're afraid to be tough."
Tuesday's fundraiser in Chicago marks Trump's first campaign-related visit to Chicago since the canceled rally at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where supporters and protesters converged in March. Tickets are $10,000 to attend, $25,000 to get a photo with a candidate and $100,000 to be part of a VIP roundtable that includes photos and two lunch tickets, according to an invitation for the event.
A protest is planned downtown for 10 a.m. Tuesday outside Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago organized by a number of community leaders calling on Trump to end his divisive rhetoric. Among the scheduled speakers are Illinois National Organization for Women President Susan Straus, SEIU Healthcare Illinois Executive Vice President Greg Kelley and Inner-City Muslim Action Network Executive Director Rami Nashashibi, according to news releases issued about the planned protest.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky is in Washington, D.C., but helped spread word of the event by emailing her Chicago-area constituents.
"She feels strongly Trump's message is overly divisive at a time when our nation needs unity," said Ben Head, the congresswoman's political director.
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lvivanco@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @lvivanco
Press Release:
Background:
LIE #1: ON THE MATTER OF NUMBER OF DEVICES USED BY CLINTON
LIE #2: ON THE MATTER OF CLINTON TURNING OVER ALL OF HER WORK-RELATED EMAIL
LIE #3: ON THE MATTER OF TRANSMITTING CLASSIFIED INFORMATION AT THE TIME OF SENDING OR RECEIVING
LIE #4: ON THE MATTER OF CLINTON'S SECRET SERVER BEING VULNERABLE TO HACKERS
LIE #5: ON THE MATTER OF CLINTON OR HER AIDES DELETING EMAILS AND WIPING DEVICES
AND THE FBI PUSHED BACK ON OBAMA'S CLAIM THAT CLINTON'S SECRET SERVER IS NOT A SECURITY PROBLEM
"Media organizations from across North Carolina sued Gov. Mike Easley on Monday, accusing his administration of violating the state's public records law through the "systematic deletion, destruction or concealment" of e-mail messages." (Gary D. Robertson, "Media Outlets Sue N.C. Gov. Over E-Mails," The Associated Press, 4/15/2008)
Contact: NCGOP Communications
NCGOP Communications communications@ncgop.org
Raleigh, N.C. After a week of hearing nothing asked nor answered, the North Carolina Republican Party (NCGOP) today questioned whether Roy Cooper and Deborah Ross support Hillary Clinton's "extremely careless" handling of classified material while serving as Secretary of State.The state's top two Democrats have remained notably silent, especially considering they proudly campaigned with Clinton hours after FBI Director Comey debunked the many lies she peddled to the American public over the last 16 months. Just years ago, Attorney General Roy Cooper defended Mike Easley's administration for their practice of deleting emails to avoid public records laws. Certainly with his experience, Cooper has thoughts on Hillary Clinton's email practices.said Chairman Robin Hayes.FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY: "There is evidence that they were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information. For example, seven e-mail chains concern matters that were classified at the Top Secret/Special Access Program level when they were sent and received. These chains involved Secretary Clinton both sending e-mails about those matters and receiving e-mails from others about the same matters. There is evidence to support a conclusion that any reasonable person in Secretary Clinton's position, or in the position of those government employees with whom she was corresponding about these matters, should have known that an unclassified system was no place for that conversation. In addition to this highly sensitive information, we also found information that was properly classified as Secret by the U.S. Intelligence Community at the time it was discussed on e-mail (that is, excluding the later "up-classified" e-mails). None of these e-mails should have been on any kind of unclassified system, but their presence is especially concerning because all of these e-mails were housed on unclassified personal servers not even supported by full-time security staff, like those found at Departments and Agencies of the U.S. Government-or even with a commercial service like Gmail." (FBI Director James Comey, Remarks, Washington, D.C. , 7/5/16)CLINTON: "First, when I got to work as secretary of state, I opted for convenience to use my personal email account, which was allowed by the State Department, because I thought it would be easier to carry just one device for my work and for my personal emails instead of two. Looking back, it would've been better if I'd simply used a second email account and carried a second phone, but at the time, this didn't seem like an issue." (Hillary Clinton, Remarks At The United Nations , New York, NY, 3/10/15)FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY: "I have so far used the singular term e-mail server in describing the referral that began our investigation. It turns out to have been more complicated than that. Secretary Clinton used several different servers and administrators of those servers during her four years at the State Department, and she also used numerous mobile devices to send and to read e-mail on that personal domain. As new servers and equipment were employed, older servers were taken out of service, stored and decommissioned in various ways." (FBI Director James Comey, Remarks, Washington, D.C. , 7/5/16)CLINTON: "Third, after I left office, the State Department asked former Secretaries of State for our assistance in providing copies of work- related emails from our personal accounts. I responded right away and provided all my emails that could possibly be work-related, which totalled roughly 55,000 printed pages, even though I knew that the State Department already had the vast majority of them. We went through a thorough process to identify all of my work- related emails and deliver them to the State Department." (Hillary Clinton, Remarks At A Press Conference , New York, NY, 3/10/15)FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY: "The FBI also discovered several thousand work-related e-mails that were not among the group of 30,000 e-mails returned by Secretary Clinton to state in 2014. We found those e-mails in a variety of ways. Some had been deleted over the years and we found traces on them on servers or devices that have been connected to the private e-mail domain. Others we found by reviewing the archive government accounts of people who had been government employees at the same time as Secretary Clinton, including high ranking officials at other agencies, folks with whom a Secretary of State might normally correspond. This helped us recover work-related e-mails that were not among the 30,000 that were produced to state. Still others we recovered from the painstaking review of the millions of e-mail fragments dumped into the slack space of the server that was decommissioned in 2013. With respect to the thousands of e-mails we found that were not among those produced to the State Department, agencies have concluded that three of those were classified at the time they were sent or received, one at the secret level and two at the confidential level." (James Comey, Remarks , Washington, DC 7/5/16)CLINTON: "I did not email any classified material to anyone on my email. There is no classified material. So I'm certainly well-aware of the classification requirements and did not send classified material." (Hillary Clinton, Press Conference , New York, NY 3/10/15)FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY: "From the group of 30,000 e-mails returned to the state department in 2014, 110 e-mails in 52 e-mail chains have been determined by the owning agency to contain classified information at the time they were sent or received. Eight of those chains contained information that was top secret at the time they were sent. 36 of those chains contained secret information at the time. And eight contained confidential information at the time. That's the lowest level of classification." (FBI Director James Comey, Remarks, Washington, D.C. , 7/5/16)It Was On Property Guarded By The Secret Service. There Were No Security Breaches" CLINTON: "Well, the system we used was set up for President Clinton's office. And it had numerous safeguards. It was on property guarded by the Secret Service. And there were no security breaches. So, I think that the - the use of that server, which started with my husband, certainly proved to be effective and secure." (Hillary Clinton, Remarks At A Press Conference At The United Nations, New York, NY , 3/10/15)FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY: "Given the nature of the system and of the actors potentially involved, we assess that we would be unlikely to see such direct evidence. We do assess that hostile actors gained access to the private commercial e-mail accounts of people with whom Secretary Clinton was in regular contact from her personal account. We also assess that Secretary Clinton's use of a personal e-mail domain was both known by a large number of people and readily apparent. She also used her personal e-mail extensively while outside the United States, including sending and receiving work-related e-mails in the territory of sophisticated adversaries. Given that combination of factors, we assess it is possible that hostile actors gained access to Secretary Clinton's personal e-mail account." (James Comey, Remarks , Washington, DC 7/5/16)QUESTION: "Did you or any of your aides delete any government related emails from your personal account, and what lengths are you willing to go to to prove that you didn't, some people including supporters of yours suggest having an independent arbiter look at your server for instance?" CLINTON: "We did not. In fact, my direction to conduct the thorough investigation was to air on the side of providing anything that could be possibly viewed as work related, that doesn't mean they will be by the State Department once the State Department goes through them but out of an abundance of caution and care, we wanted to send that message unequivocally." (Hillary Clinton, Remarks At A Press Conference At The United Nations, New York, NY , 3/10/15)FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY: "The lawyers doing the sorting for Secretary Clinton in 2014 did not individually read the content of all of her e-mails as we did for those available to us. Instead, they relied on header information and used search terms to try to find all work-related e-mails among the reportedly more than 60,000 that were remaining on her system at the end of 2014. It's highly likely that their search missed some work-related e-mails and that we later found them. For example, in the mail boxes of other officials or in the slack space of a server. It's also likely that there are other work-related e-mails they did not produce to state and that we did not find elsewhere and that are now gone because they deleted all e-mails they did not produce to state, and the lawyers then cleaned their devices in such a way as to preclude complete forensic recovery."(FBI Director James Comey, Remarks, Washington, D.C. , 7/5/16). CBS'S STEVE KROFT: "Do you think it posed a national security problem?" PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: "I don't think it posed a national security problem, I think that it was a mistake that she has acknowledged." ( CBS Interview With President Obama , 10/11/15)FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY: "Given the nature of the system and of the actors potentially involved, we assess that we would be unlikely to see such direct evidence. We do assess that hostile actors gained access to the private commercial e-mail accounts of people with whom Secretary Clinton was in regular contact from her personal account. We also assess that Secretary Clinton's use of a personal e-mail domain was both known by a large number of people and readily apparent. She also used her personal e-mail extensively while outside the United States, including sending and receiving work-related e-mails in the territory of sophisticated adversaries. Given that combination of factors, we assess it is possible that hostile actors gained access to Secretary Clinton's personal e-mail account." (James Comey, Remarks , Washington, DC 7/5/16)"Cooper attempted to settle the lawsuit for $20,000...Kelley also said that Attorney General Roy Cooper 'has always indicated to me that he believed the lawsuit should be settled.'" (Rick Henderson, "Depositions Could Pose Legal Peril for Easley Aides," Carolina Journal, 2/4/2010)"Attorney General Roy Cooper has asked a state judge to dismiss a lawsuit against embattled former Gov. Mike Easley and several top officials from his administration, arguing that because Easley is no longer in office, and others named in the suit no longer hold the jobs they did with Easley, they cannot be held liable for alleged violations of the state's open records law." (Rick Henderson, "Cooper: Easley's lawbreaking doesn't matter," Carolina Journal, 12/9/2009)
Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield.
Topspin
Add former governor hopeful Kirk Dillard to the list of prominent Republicans who won't be heading to the GOP convention for the formal nomination of polarizing presidential candidate Donald Trump -- and to the list of those who don't want to talk about why they won't be there.
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Dillard, who chairs the Regional Transportation Authority after losing the 2014 Republican primary for governor to eventual winner Bruce Rauner, said he might attend a reception in Cleveland for transit officials. But he won't be going to the convention itself, which runs from July 18-21.
Asked Monday why he won't go to the convention to support Trump, Dillard paused, smiled at a group of reporters and said, "You know, I'll get to you later on that," before walking away.
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Dillard ran in the March 15 primary as a delegate for Jeb Bush, who had long folded his tent by then (the delegate filing deadline is well before the primaries start and candidates drop out along the way). Dillard joins Rauner, U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk and U.S. Rep. Robert Dold, who faces a tough re-election effort in the North Shore 10th District, on the list of Illinois Republicans staying away from the convention. (John Byrne)
What's on tap
*Mayor Rahm Emanuel is scheduled to appear at a tech event in Portage Park.
*Gov. Bruce Rauner will hold a late morning news conference at the Thompson Center to announce a commission to make recommendations on changing the state school funding formula. That move has been tried a number of times in Springfield over the years.
*Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is in town for a campaign fundraiser.
*Irony alert: The Chicago City Council ethics committee meets to approve a third and final referendum question for voters. The practical effect will be to keep off the fall ballot a question asking if Chicago should have an elected airport authority, something the mayor and his council allies would rather not see put to even an advisory vote.
What we're writing
*Trump expected to haul in $1 million at Chicago fundraiser Tuesday.
*Emanuel tries to thread needle on protesters, police.
*Rauner-appointed state education board ends PARCC test in favor of SAT.
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*Union Station renovation inches forward with selection of engineering company.
*State kicks in $21 million for Joliet transportation hub toll bridge.
What we're reading
*Peoria reporter shaves off budget (impasse) beard (includes before & after photos).
*Perhaps next IDOT can do a public service campaign for people going speed limit in left lane.
*Cook County judge sets bail at $350,000 for protester accused of hitting police officer.
From the notebook
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*New House GOP TV attack ad: The House Republican Organization has been prolific in its TV advertising against potential Democratic targets in the fall's legislative contests, and it's back at it again.
But in its latest ad, linking three Downstate Democrats to powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan, it accuses them of backing "a bailout for Chicago schools."
This raises the conundrum facing Republicans including Gov. Rauner. They vowed not to give the city's financially troubled schools any extra money. But in a full-year school funding deal that Rauner and many Republicans supported, CPS gets extra funding, including the possibility of a state taxpayer-financed pension subsidy.
Republicans backing the deal quickly wanted to let their suburban and Downstate constituents know that the bill was not a Chicago "bailout," just as Democrats had insisted. Now, Republicans may be faced with being asked to define the word "bailout." (Rick Pearson)
*Texts from CPS: To help Chicago Public Schools students work their way to and through college, Mayor Emanuel's office proclaimed the school system will send text messages to recent graduates and deploy a new, unspecified, "senior seminar" to a group of high school seniors.
Emanuel's press shop promoted the initiatives Monday while announcing the school district "will aim to have" half of all CPS high school students earning college credit by 2019.
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"This new goal is particularly bold, considering that five years ago just 56.9 percent of CPS students were even graduating high school," the mayor's office said in a news release to promote the college credit and text messaging initiatives.
Emanuel's office was referring to a recently revised five-year CPS graduation rate for the 2010-11 academic year. CPS lowered the graduation rates -- months after Emanuel won re-election -- to correct for the district's old practice of counting students who left CPS for GED and job training programs as "transfers" instead of dropouts.
While school officials and researchers agree the district's graduation rates have been on a steady climb, last year's formula changes to account for the additional dropouts resulted in an average drop of more than two percentage points in graduation rates between the 2010-11 and 2013-14 school years.
As for what the senior seminar trial program would entail, Emanuel's office didn't provide a lot of details, other than that the curriculum will roll out to 13 high schools. The mayor's office said the curriculum was designed by a CPS working group, though there's no direct mention of such a program in a six-page report that group published in April.
Meanwhile, Emanuel's office said CPS will soon blow up the phones of roughly 6,000 recent graduates. Text messages sent to CPS graduates will remind the former students of "key milestones related to enrollment, financial aid and counseling throughout the course of this summer." (Juan Perez Jr.)
*City Council is pro-gun control, part 4,993: The Chicago City Council Public Safety Committee on Monday voted in favor of a resolution urging Congress and the General Assembly to ban semi-automatic assault weapons, with Ald. Raymond Lopez, 15, leading the charge.
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Although no such ban appears to be on the horizon, and the urban Democrats are unlikely to sway pro-gun Republicans or even rural Democrats who rally behind the Second Amendment, aldermen were undeterred.
"I know we have no direct authority to tell members of Congress or the legislature to act," Lopez said. "However, we have a moral obligation to stand up not only for Chicago, but indeed the entire country, and call for an end to having weapons of war available on our street." (Hal Dardick)
*Illinois Dems want meeting with AG Lynch: Two House Democrats from the Chicago area say they're asking Attorney General Loretta Lynch for a meeting "so that together we can work towards resolving our nation's epidemic of black men being shot dead by police officers."
There is no national strategy "to stop police from killing people especially black people, especially black men," Reps. Luis Gutierrez of Chicago and Robin Kelly of Matteson wrote in a letter to Lynch following last week's police shootings in Baton Rouge, La., and suburban St. Paul, Minn.
Gutierrez and Kelly had asked Lynch to visit Chicago after she announced in December that the Justice Department would conduct a civil rights investigation of the Chicago Police Department. The federal probe was launched following the release of police video showing a white police officer shooting black teen Laquan McDonald. Lynch has yet to make an announced visit to the city.
Kelly spokeswoman Kayce Ataiyero said the preference is for a meeting with Lynch to take place in Chicago so the attorney general can talk to residents about "how they are affected by the adverse actions by bad-actor police officers and the daily plague of gun violence that has been ravaging Chicago for far too long."
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The Justice Department "will review the letter when we receive it," a spokesman said. (Katherine Skiba)
*New Illinois House member: Illinois House Republicans welcomed a new member on Monday after Grundy County Board Chairman David Welter was picked by party officials to represent the 75th District.
Welter replaces former Rep. John Anthony, who resigned in June to begin a new position as executive assistant to the director of the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Welter, of Morris, has served as Grundy County Board chairman since 2014 and first joined the county board in 2010 when he was 19.
In a statement, House GOP Leader Jim Durkin said Welter was joining the legislature "during very difficult times" but said he was confident the newest member of his caucus was prepared "to do the heavy lifting required to get Illinois back on track." (Monique Garcia)
Follow the money
*A bunch of road building political funds kicked in more than $350,000 to the Citizens to Protect Transportation Funding political action committee. The PAC formed last month with lobbyist Jennifer Morrision and election law attorney Andrew Raucci as officers. The fund is supporting a Nov. 8 constitutional amendment that would prevent cash-strapped state government from raiding funds intended to be used on transportation projects.
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*Track campaign contribution reports in real time with this Tribune Twitter account: https://twitter.com/ILCampaignCash
Beyond Chicago
*Sanders to endorse Clinton at New Hampshire rally.
*Trump bills self as the "law and order" presidential candidate.
*In southwest Michigan, two bailiffs, one suspect dead in courthouse shooting.
*Theresa May poised to be Britain's next prime minister.
Officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, observed the butt of a gun in Alton Sterling's front pants pocket while they were trying to restrain him, then saw him reach for the weapon before they opened fire, according to an affidavit that a Baton Rouge detective filed for a search warrant in the case.
The details, while spare, provide the first account of what police said preceded the fatal encounter last week that set up a public outcry anew over police fatal shootings of black men. Two videos circulated of the death have shown officers with Sterling pinned to the ground when they begin firing. Authorities have refused to discuss what occurred, citing an ongoing investigation, which is being led by the Department of Justice.
Both officers involved in the shooting had been interviewed by Baton Rouge police investigators, and "the officers feel they were completely justified," East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore said during a news conference last week. On Monday, Moore recused himself from the investigation, citing his relationship with the parents of one of the officers involved in the shooting.
The affidavit indicates that homicide investigators sought the search warrant and retrieved surveillance video from the Triple S Mart a few hours after Sterling was pronounced dead. Police had responded to a complaint of a black male standing outside the convenience store who had threatened someone with a gun. Sterling, who was selling CDs outside the store in the early morning hours of July 5th, fit the description of the person with the gun, the affidavit states.
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The affidavit sheds no light on what verbal conversation the officers, who the police chief identified last week as Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake, had with Sterling. It states the officers "contacted the subject and gave him direct orders to place his hands on the hood of a nearby vehicle."
When Sterling did not comply, the officers tried to physically restrain him and then "deployed" their Tasers, the affidavit states.
"While the officers were attempting to subdue the subject the officers observed the butt of a gun," the affidavit states, and, when they saw him attempt to reach for the gun, one officer fired. Police have not said which of the two officers fired.
They have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Sterling's public funeral is scheduled for Friday at Southern University, the Advocate reported.
The district attorney in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, said Monday that he will recuse himself from the investigation into the death of Alton Sterling, the man fatally shot by police last week outside a convenience store.
Hillar Moore, the prosecutor, said in a report that he came to his decision to have another official oversee the case based on his relationship with the parents of one of the officers involved in the shooting, both veteran members of the Baton Rouge Police Department.
The Justice Department quickly moved last week to take over the investigation into the police officers involved in Sterling's death, a decision that Moore had said he supported. Baton Rouge Police Chief Carl Dabadie said the two officers are Blane Salamoni, a four-year veteran from a prominent local law enforcement family, and Howie Lake, a three-year veteran of the department.
On Monday, Moore released a 10-page report outlining details of the case as well as the district attorney's role in presenting murder cases to a grand jury for a determination about whether to seek or decline criminal charges.
"The only factor for the District Attorney in reaching this [recusal] decision involves his relationship to the parents of officer Blane Salamoni," Moore said.
He wrote that Salamoni's parents have histories working with him while members of the Baton Rouge police force. In these roles - Salamoni's mother as the violent crime and crime scene commander, Salamoni's father commanding a special operations unit - both of them have worked with Moore for years. Moore added that he, his family and his staff have been given 24-hour security by Salamoni's father before.
While Moore said he has "no direct connection to either officer involved in this shooting," he said that legal precedent requires him to look beyond any direct ties and to consider whether there may be any conscious unconscious factors that could impact an impartial trial.
"It is my determination as District Attorney that given the history of a long and close working relationship with the parents of one of the officers involved in this shooting, there would always be questions of my partiality," Moore said in his report. "I state explicitly that this decision does not change my office's history of continuing to prosecute any local law enforcement officer responsible for violating our criminal laws. As we have always done, however, we will recuse ourselves when I have relationships that prevent me from handling the matter."
Moore said that he was asking for an attorney from the state attorney general's office or another prosecutor to take over the investigation into Sterling's death.
The Washington Post
Dylan Noble died on the last Saturday of June.
Police in Fresno, California, received a report of a man walking a downtown street with a rifle, but when they arrived, they instead found Noble speeding by in his pickup truck.
When they tried to pull him over, the 19-year-old led police to a nearby gas station and then exited his car.
"The driver then turned towards officers with one hand concealed behind his back, and told officers he hated his life," the Fresno police department said in a statement. "As he continued to advance towards officers, an officer-involved shooting occurred."
The department framed it as a "suicide by cop." His family insisted that could not be the case, urged federal officials to investigate and demanded that video from the body cameras worn by both officers involved be released.
"I am outraged that the police would shoot my son and say that it is his fault," Veronica Nelson, Noble's mother, told reporters at a news conference not long after the shooting. "So please join me as I'm demanding justice for Dylan."
Noble's friends and family gathered for days at the gas station parking lot where he was killed - some waving Confederate flags and others chanting, "White lives matter."
And soon, they were angry at their inability to garner more attention. At a time when dozens of police killings have prompted outrage, why hadn't this one? Was it because Noble was white?
Many across the nation find themselves this week asking a similar question in the days since two recent police shootings of black men - in Baton Rouge and Falcon Heights, Minn. - have sparked nationwide protests:
Doesn't the available data show more white Americans are being killed by police officers? Where is the outrage for them?
"If we have a shooting, we end up assuming that it had to be racial," former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, R, said Saturday during an interview with Fox News, in which he argued that national concerns about police killings of black men are overblown.
"When in fact, as we know . . . more white people have been shot by police officers this year than minorities," he said.
Huckabee is not, factually, incorrect.
In 2015, The Washington Post launched a real-time database to track fatal police shootings, and the project continues this year. As of Sunday, 1,502 people have been shot and killed by on-duty police officers since Jan. 1, 2015. Of them, 732 were white, and 381 were black (and 382 were of another or unknown race).
But data scientists and policing experts often note, comparing how many or how often white people are killed by police to how many or how often black people are killed by the police is statistically dubious unless you first adjust for population.
According to the most recent census data, there are nearly 160 million more white people in America than there are black people. White people make up roughly 62 percent of the U.S. population but only about 49 percent of those who are killed by police officers. African Americans, however, account for 24 percent of those fatally shot and killed by the police despite being just 13 percent of the U.S. population. As The Post noted in a new analysis published last week, that means black Americans are 2.5 times as likely as white Americans to be shot and killed by police officers.
U.S. police officers have shot and killed the exact same number of unarmed white people as they have unarmed black people: 50 each. But because the white population is approximately five times as great as the black population, that means unarmed black Americans were five times as likely as unarmed white Americans to be shot and killed by a police officer.
Police have shot and killed a young black man (ages 18 to 29) - such as Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri -175 times since January 2015; 24 of them were unarmed. Over that same period, police have shot and killed 172 young white men, 18 of whom were unarmed. Once again, while in raw number there were similar totals of white and black victims, blacks were killed at rates disproportionate to their percentage of the U.S. population. Of all of the unarmed people shot and killed by police in 2015, 40 percent of them were black men, even though black men make up just 6 percent of the nation's population."
And, when considering shootings confined within a single race, a black person shot and killed by police is more likely to have been unarmed than a white person. About 13 percent of all black people who have been fatally shot by police since January 2015 were unarmed, compared with 7 percent of all white people.
In response to these statistics, critics of police reform - often political conservatives and police unions - typically argue that the reason more black men and women are shot and killed by police is that black Americans commit more violent crime.
"There's too much violence in the black community," former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani said Sunday on CBS's "Face The Nation." "If you want to deal with this on the black side, you've got to teach your children to be respectful to the police, and you've got to teach your children that the real danger to them is not the police; the real danger to them, 99 out of 100 times, 9,900 out of 10,000 times, are other black kids who are going to kill them. That's the way they're gonna die."
As the New York Daily News noted: Giuliani is wrong about the so-called "black-on-black" crime rate. According to FBI numbers from 2014, about 90 percent of black homicide victims were killed by other black people. The "white-on-white" murder rate that same year - homicides in which a white person was killed by another white person - was 82 percent of all murders of white people.
But it is true that a disproportionate amount of murders and other violent crimes are committed by black Americans.
Because detailed FBI data on crime can lag by several years, the most-cited statistics on this point refer to 2009 data. According to that data, out of all violent crimes in which someone was charged, black Americans were charged with 62 percent of robberies, 57 percent of murders and 45 percent of assaults in the country's 75 biggest counties - despite the fact that black Americans made up just 15 percent of the population in those places.
"Such a concentration of criminal violence in minority communities means that officers will be disproportionately confronting armed and often resisting suspects in those communities, raising officers' own risk of using lethal force," wrote Heather Mac Donald, a conservative researcher, in a Wall Street Journal column headlined "The Myth of Black Lives Matter" that was originally published in February and re-published this weekend. The assertion that the black men and women killed by police are primarily violent criminals and the explanation for racial disparities in who gets killed by law enforcement is the premise of Mac Donald's new book, "The War on Cops."
"Blacks are three times as likely to be killed by cops as are whites, on a per-capita basis," Peter Moskos, a former Baltimore police officer and criminal justice researcher at John Jay College of Criminal Justice told the New York Times last April. "But part of that is because of crime in predominantly black neighborhoods."
Despite these arguments, police reform advocates and researchers as well at The Post's own analysis has consistently concluded that there is no correlation between violent crime and who is killed by police officers.
A 2015 study by a University of California at Davis researcher concluded there was "no relationship" between crime rates by race and racial bias in police killings. A report released last week by the Center for Policing Equity, which reviewed arrest and use-of-force data from 12 police departments, concluded that black residents were more often targeted for use of police force than white residents, even when adjusting for whether the person was a violent criminal.
"We've been hearing these arguments going around without any data or any evidence from folks who are saying that police are killing so many people - particularly black people - because they say black people are in high-crime communities and potentially involved in criminal activity," Samuel Sinyangwe, a data analyst and activist with Campaign Zero - a policy-oriented activist collective associated with the Black Lives Matter protest movement - told the Huffington Post in December.
In a report covering 2015 data, Campaign Zero compared violent crime rates of 50 major cities to the rate at which police officers killed people, concluding that there was no correlation.
As part of its data effort, The Post tracks the "threat level" of each person who is shot and killed by a police officer: Were they shooting at the officer? Were they threatening the officer? Were they fleeing?
Overall, the majority of the people who have been shot and killed by police officers in 2015 and 2016 were, based on publicly available evidence, armed with a weapon and attempting to attack the officer or someone else.
But an independent analysis of The Post's data conducted by a team of criminal-justice researchers concluded that, when factoring in threat level, black Americans who are fatally shot by police are, in fact, less likely to be posing an imminent lethal threat to the officers at the moment they are killed than white Americans fatally shot by police.
The study also sought to answer whether officers were more likely to shoot and kill someone who is unarmed if the shooting happened to occur in a high-crime area. They concluded that is not the case.
"The only thing that was significant in predicting whether someone shot and killed by police was unarmed was whether or not they were black," said Justin Nix, a criminal-justice researcher at the University of Louisville and one of the report's authors, said in April. "Crime variables did not matter in terms of predicting whether the person killed was unarmed."
"This just bolsters our confidence that there is some sort of implicit bias going on," Nix said. "Officers are perceiving a greater threat when encountered by unarmed black citizens."
Racial disparities in the rate of police shootings does not mean, though, that criminal-justice experts are not concerned about how many people are being killed by police officers - including white people.
Statistics kept by the FBI have never counted more than 460 police shootings in a single year. However, The Post's database chronicled 990 fatal police shootings in 2015, and 494 of those people were white.
Among them are several cases that drew national headlines. Two officers will face trial for the shooting of 6-year-old Jeremy Mardis, 2015's youngest police-shooting victim. The family of Zachary Hammond, who was shot and killed by officers in Seneca, S.C., received a $2.15 million settlement.
And the civil suit is still pending in the case of Deven Guilford, a white 17-year-old who was killed during a traffic stop. Guilford flashed his headlights on a snowy Michigan night in February 2015 to signal to an oncoming driver to turn off his high beams. The driver turned out to be an officer, who did a U-turn and pulled Guilford over. In a confrontation captured on several cameras the two argued, then fought.
Guilford voluntarily exited the car and laid on the ground when commanded - but he refused to set down his cellphone. Sheriff's Department Sgt. Jonathan Frost shocks him with a stun gun. The video goes black. Then the sound of gunshots.
"Deven went from flashing his lights to being dead six minutes later," Hugh Davis, an attorney for Guilford's family, told The Post in December. "And there is no explanation for it."
In Fresno, Noble was at least the seventh person shot and killed by city police since 2015, and one of three white men (the other four were Hispanic men), according to The Post's database.
And cellphone video obtained by the Fresno Bee raises new questions about the police account of the shooting.
In the video, Noble can be seen lying on the ground next to his pickup truck as officers yell at him to keep his hands up. One officer fires one shot. Noble can be seen raising his arm and heard saying, "I've been shot." Then another shot can be heard.
Late last, week the FBI said it would open an investigation.
The Washington Post's Steven Rich contributed to this report
WASHINGTON Police in Washington have arrested five people they say opened fire on police.
No injuries were reported early Tuesday.
The latest incident follows protests over police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota and the fatal shooting of five police officers in Dallas last week.
Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck said by telephone that officers responded to gunshots in southeast Washington. When officers arrived in marked police cruisers, people inside an SUV began shooting at them. Sternbeck says police returned fire at the suspects, who barricaded themselves in the vehicle.
Police ordered the people to come out, but they refused. After about 30 minutes, three women and two men in the SUV surrendered.
Sternbeck says it's not clear why they fired on officers. The investigation will include whether they were involved in any other crimes before police arrived.
Associated Press
Bill Johnston was an artist who worked for many years as an interior designer of commercial spaces before devoting himself to silverpoint drawings, which employ a painstaking technique once used by medieval scribes.
"Bill was quite a character, endearing and remarkable as an artist to whom certain talents and abilities were gifted," said Beth Franke, co-founder of the Gallery 28 art gallery in west suburban Geneva, where some of Johnston's works were displayed. "Bill was quite a unique and memorable character in our introduction to opening an art gallery certainly the most memorable artist, characterwise, who walked through our door."
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Johnston, 86, died of cardiac failure on June 13 at his home, said his daughter Amy Phelps. He had been a resident of Wayne since 1961.
Born Billy Mitchell Johnston in Milwaukee, Johnston was named after the famed Milwaukee-area general and aviator, Billy Mitchell. After earning a bachelor's degree in applied art from the University of Wisconsin, Johnston served in the Air Force for several years during the Korean War.
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He moved to Chicago to pursue a design career and found work designing retail store spaces for department stores such as Montgomery Ward and Carson Pirie Scott, his daughter said. Johnston and his wife, Gladys, married in 1953 and moved in 1955 from the Rogers Park neighborhood to Lombard.
In 1959, the couple started a design business, B&G Johnston Design, which focused on commercial and institutional commissions.
"He wanted to work for himself and wanted to be able to design things out of his head without someone telling him what to do," Phelps said. "I think the originality was lost when he worked for somebody else."
Johnston's work included the designs for the restaurant at the Abbey Resort on Geneva Lake in Fontana-on-Geneva Lake, Wis., and for the Presidents' Walk restaurant at the McCormick Place convention center on South Lake Shore Drive. He also designed the Enrico Fermi exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and created an exhibit speaker that is commonly used in museums.
Johnston's work drew admirers, to the point where he didn't need to advertise his services, his daughter said. "He was kind of a word-of-mouth guy," she said.
In 1961, Johnston and his wife moved to an 1893 Queen Anne-style house in Wayne, which they completely renovated. "I don't remember a time as a child when the house wasn't under construction," Phelps said.
In 1983, Johnston started devoting himself to art. His medium of choice was silverpoint drawings often nudes which are made by applying silver to a prepared surface.
Jan Schmuckal, who owns Gallery 28, remembered when an "older gentleman who looked a bit like Ernest Hemingway" walked in to her business with his portfolio.
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"He introduced himself (saying), 'Hello, I am Bill Johnston. I'm an artist who draws naked ladies. It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.'" Schmuckal recalled in an email.
That led to a good laugh, but the gallery owners were quickly impressed when they saw Johnston's work.
"The work itself was impeccable, and, the titles, as Bill explained, had nothing to do with the women in the work each title was a description of the piece of furniture or ornament that the model was perched upon or wearing, further illustrating that the artist himself had a great and wry sense of humor."
Johnston also sold artwork at the now-closed Wild Rose Springs Art Gallery in Wayne. Gene McCormick of Wayne, who ran that gallery, remembered Johnston's frequent visits to the gallery on his bicycle and his far-ranging interests, including a love of literature.
"I had a real respect for his talent as an artist," McCormick said. "He was an iconoclastic guy, and he chose silverpoint, which only a handful of artists in the world use. It's a very difficult technique and very unforgiving."
Johnston and his wife also did some restoration work of oil paintings, including reframing them, his daughter said. Johnston was making silverpoint drawings as recently as this past spring, his daughter said.
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In addition to his wife and daughter, Johnston is survived by another daughter, Annie Lesieutre, and four grandchildren.
A private family memorial celebration is planned for later this summer.
Bob Goldsborough is a freelance reporter.
Secretary of Labor Tom Perez, shown in June 2016, is one of two Latinos whose names have been mentioned as potential Democratic vice presidential candidates. The other is U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra. (Bill O'Leary / The Washington Post)
As Democratic presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren fire up campaign crowds, speculation about adding Warren to the ticket has prompted even conservative firebrand Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, Warren's political opposite, to talk up her bona fides.
But if Clinton is smart, she'll find a job in her Cabinet for Warren. And it's not just because Warren as veep could scare off moderate Republicans or dry up Wall Street donors. It's because, if Clinton wants to win, she'd be wise to make another choice. And, no, it's not Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, the safest, least exciting choice just look at the yawns that followed all the trial balloons this month.
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Whom should Clinton choose? Most important, she should select someone who's ready to be president in case of calamity. (That alone eliminates Julian Castro, the boyish secretary of Housing and Urban Development, also widely rumored to be a vice presidential possibility.). But though the VP choice is no longer about geographic balance, it's still very much about electoral votes.
And that's why Clinton should choose a Hispanic. There's simply no other group that can bring enough new voters to the polls with the potential to turn swing states in her favor.
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While African-Americans her secret weapon during the primaries currently support Clinton over GOP presumptive nominee Donald Trump by more than 90 percent, a poll from Florida Atlantic University shows only 50 percent of Latinos in her column. With 23 percent undecided, that means there's room to grow. (The same poll shows Trump getting support from 27 percent of Hispanics.)
How can Latinos help Clinton? They'll be important in electoral vote heavy states such as California, New York, New Jersey and Illinois. But they'll be crucial in some of the most important swing states.
In Florida, for example, there are 1.7 million Hispanic registered voters, according to Pew Research Center, and a rich booty of 29 electoral votes. Latinos make up almost 15 percent of all Florida voters, the second largest group after whites. Carried twice by Barack Obama by the slimmest of margins, Florida, increasingly more pan-Latino than conservative Cuban, is precisely the kind of state that would respond well to a Hispanic on Clinton's presidential ticket.
Not only would it be a point of pride for the state's 4.8 million Latinos, but Univision and Telemundo, the most-watched Spanish-language television networks in the U.S., have huge Florida audiences. In some markets, such as Orlando, where there's a significant Puerto Rican population, Univision alone often commands more than 50 percent of the total TV audience in Florida.
In Colorado, where Clinton and Trump are deadlocked in the polls, Latinos make up 15 percent of registered voters. That means a concerted push, especially emphasizing Trump's immigration proposals in a state where the vast majority of the Latino population is Mexican-American, could push Clinton over.
Right now, Clinton is leading Trump in most polls in Arizona, which hasn't gone Democratic since Bill Clinton beat Bob Dole in 1996. About a third of Arizona's population is Latino, and almost a quarter of its registered voters. As of this writing, Clinton leads Trump, but a Latino by Clinton's side would likely have the same effect on Hispanic voters as Obama on the ticket had on African-American voters: It would make the election urgent.
Then consider North Carolina, where Latinos increased to 135,000 voters in this year's primary from 10,000 voters in 2004. Sure, that's only 2.1 percent of the vote, behind both whites and African-Americans. But in 2012, Obama lost the state by only 2.4 percent of the vote meaning that Latinos could easily be the cushion for Clinton. What better way to get them excited to vote than to put a Hispanic on the ticket?
Small margins such as North Carolina's could also make the difference in states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Iowa and Virginia all swing states in this election.
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But who then, if not Castro? The two Latinos whose names keep popping up as potential veeps are Tom Perez, secretary of Labor, and California U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra. Both have deep roots in the Democratic Party, speak Spanish and have served as Clinton surrogates during the campaign.
Perez has the advantage of being deeply connected to labor, the Democrats' campaign foot soldiers, and to have a long history of involvement in progressive causes, which could be attractive to Bernie Sanders supporters (though they seem to be moving toward Clinton anyway).
But Becerra, a more mainstream Dem, has actual experience in elected office, which Perez lacks in any meaningful way.
Or Clinton could do something really wild, like choose Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, a curiously pro-choice Republican with movie star good looks who recently un-endorsed Trump. Sandoval's Spanish isn't great, but his claim to fame is revamping the state's education program, and education ranks even higher as an issue with Latinos than immigration.
Whomever she chooses, Clinton would do herself a great electoral favor and make the presidential ticket doubly historic by selecting a Latino for vice president.
"We need to come together as a community to unify so we can have the important conversation required to begin the healing."
Is there anything more vapid than a politician's patois in the aftermath of an act of evil? Even if no politician has said that exact sentence, it's a too-familiar message.
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Rather than confronting the evil that culminated with the murders of five police officers Thursday in Dallas, the public discourse is polluted by cable news anchor-bots and their pabulum-puking pundits with banal obsessing about the acceptable parameters of the "important conversation" that never actually materializes.
Instead of dialogue, let me offer this monologue.
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I am not a victim because I'm white and some lunatic in Dallas wanted to (and did) kill white people.
The Dallas murders are not a proxy for the state of race relations in America.
The Dallas murders do not represent an "epidemic" of hate, hate crimes or blacks targeting whites.
There is plenty of intellectual room between "cops can do no wrong" and "cops are all racists waging war against minorities." The reasoned room in between is occupied by most of the Americans who are not on television, radio or Twitter.
White police officers keep black families safe. Black police officers keep white families safe.
Blacks mourn the deaths of white officers. Whites mourn the deaths of black officers. And we all, including police officers, mourn the deaths of those wrongly killed by police. One-third of Chicago's roughly 12,000-person police force is black. Do you think they care about Walter Scott being shot in the back in South Carolina or Laquan McDonald being shot 16 times? I suspect they do.
Speaking from Warsaw July 8, 2016, President Barack Obama addressed the shooting in Dallas that left five police officers dead and several others wounded the night before. (White House) (Chicago Tribune)
Police officers should be held to a higher standard than civilians with respect to the use of force but not to an unhuman standard. Police have the task of de-escalating confrontations. But civilians can help. A little compliance goes a long way to ensure all parties leave a scene with their bodies and rights intact.
The problem is not "extremism on all sides." This is another phrase stripped of all meaning through repeated misuse.
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If we are ever to get to a conversation of any consequence, we must dispense with the left-right and black-white binaries and talk of those who use persuasion versus those who employ coercion regardless of the issue to be advanced or the grievance to be remedied.
This is not a fail-safe. People get persuaded to do all kinds of terrible things.
Thus, we must also confront the matter of evil versus righteousness.
This is where we get to the evil that lurks in the hearts of men and spreads to their gray matter. Addressing that which rots our core and subverts our decency is actually where the healing can begin.
The "important conversation" then isn't one of disconnected means and ends but rather of moral clarity about how one legitimately connects means to ends in a civil society.
President Barack Obama said after the Dallas shootings, "America is not as divided as some have suggested."
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Despite his best efforts from his "beer summit" in 2009 forward and for largely different reasons than he suggests (we are not united around your gun control proposals, Mr. President) he is correct.
We are not as divided.
And we will not be so long as we ignore the professional agitators and the demagogues who decry incendiary rhetoric by using it.
And we will not be so long as we reject identity politics.
And we will not be so long as we dismiss guilt-by-association gambits.
And we will not be so long as we refuse the privation of reason that is required to foment racial discord.
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And we will not be so long as we remember how we productively interact with persons who possess different characteristics than us all day, every day.
If we can navigate all of these obstacles and those who erect them, perhaps we can finally have that important conversation.
Dan Proft is a talk show host on WIND-AM 560.
Protesters in the Philippines display their message during a rally July 12, 2016, outside the Chinese Consulate hours before a Hague-based U.N. tribunal announced it found no basis for Chinas broad claims of exclusive control of the South China Sea. (Bullit Marquez / AP)
An international tribunal on Tuesday torpedoed Chinese claims of sovereignty over the vast expanse of the South China Sea. What next? Either the ruling coaxes China to negotiate a peaceful resolution with other governments in the region or expect the U.S. Navy to sail through the disputed neighborhood more frequently.
We hope China heeds the court decision. Unfortunately, Chinese military behavior on the high seas between the Philippines and Vietnam doesn't seem reasonable or passive.
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The issue concerns territorial rights at sea and guaranteed access to international waters. More than anything, though, this burgeoning conflict comes down to China's efforts to project power far from its shores: China's government, citing old maps and seafaring tradition, claimed rights to nearly the entire South China Sea. To bolster its position, the country started dredging sand around a number of rocks and shoals in the Spratly Islands chain to create a series of artificial islands, which the Chinese military used as a base of operations to bully away all other sailors and aviators.
The Philippines challenged China's activities in legal proceedings at The Hague, relying on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, ratified by both countries. The Philippines made its case, China refused to participate, and the tribunal went to work studying maps, reefs, rocks and history.
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The verdict was a slam-dunk victory for the Philippines and a scorching admonition of China:
The Hague ruling at the Permanent Court of Arbitration found no basis for China's broad claims of exclusive control of the South China Sea and said its attempts to plant a flag by building islands were bogus. Only naturally habitable islands generate 12 nautical miles of territorial control and a 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone: China can't manufacture sovereign territory at sea like so many sand castles. As a result, the tribunal said, China was violating the Philippines' sovereign rights along with damaging coral reefs and allowing Chinese fishermen to catch endangered sea turtles.
It's hard to find breathless denunciation in a U.N. document, so this statement will do: "China has inflicted irreparable harm to the marine environment, built a large artificial island in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone and destroyed evidence of the natural conditions of features in the South China Sea that formed part of the parties' dispute."
So, yes: outrageous behavior by China, not unlike Russian President Vladimir Putin's early incursion into Ukraine. China can't be allowed to unlawfully take control of international waters encompassing some of the world's busiest shipping lanes, rich fishing grounds and potentially valuable energy deposits. The question is how to respond.
Six governments China, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam make claims on the Spratlys, but the U.N. tribunal wasn't concerned with settling the overarching dispute. China's island-building gambit escalated tensions because it is fortifying the artificial islands (at least one has an airstrip) and stationing naval or coast guard vessels in the vicinity to scare away boats and planes that come too close. Now China knows its activities are unlawful.
The United States, concerned mainly with keeping international waters open for all, has sent guided missile destroyers to the Spratlys several times on freedom-of-navigation sailings to make the point that the U.S. doesn't recognize China's claims. Those runs through international waters are effective because nothing says "just moseying past, which I'm allowed to do," like a flotilla from the U.S. 7th Fleet.
If pushing the point with another quick sailing risks flaring tensions, there is no need to rush back tomorrow. Beijing's been humiliated; let the decision sink in. But China needs to hear the message immediately, from Washington, its ally the Philippines, and the other governments with South China Sea claims that the days of Chinese sand castle-building are over.
The logical strategy for the U.S.: Keep confronting the Chinese, but leave Beijing room to save face and quietly depart its pretend islands.
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Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.
It's been a long time since we've seen Republican lawmakers as concerned about bad race relations as they have in recent days, especially when they can blame the whole mess on the nation's first black president.
After all, "Blame Obama First" has been the unofficial motto of Capitol Hill Republicans since President Barack Obama's first election.
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So, after the killing of five white Dallas police officers by an apparently deranged black gunman who, according to police, wanted to kill white cops, some of those Grand Old Party pols didn't have to look far for someone to pin it on.
"(T)he constant instigation by prominent leaders, including our president," said Rep. Roger Williams of Texas in a statement, "have contributed to the modern day hostility we are witnessing between the police and those they serve."
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"Instigation?" Is he talking about the president's promises to make sure the rights of victims in controversial police killings are protected? What a scandal.
In a tweet, Iowa Rep. Steve King's quest for proof of Obama's alleged anti-cop attitude landed on Obama's reaction to the arrest in 2009 by Cambridge, Mass., police Sgt. James Crowley of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., who was trying to "break" into his own home after finding the front door jammed.
#DallasPoliceShooting has roots in first of anti-white/cop events illuminated by Obama...Officer Crowley. There were others. Steve King (@SteveKingIA) July 8, 2016
Obama said at the time that Crowley acted "stupidly." King tweeted, "#DallasPoliceShooting has roots in first of anti-white/cop events illuminated by Obama ... Officer Crowley. There were others."
Hey, I, too, find it illuminating to learn that criticizing an unnecessary arrest automatically makes you "anti-white/cop." But even when this president shows no actual intention of doing what his detractors say he does, they'll claim that he's done it anyway.
Of course, no dust-up about race and Obama would be complete these days without presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump stepping into it.
After an uncharacteristic day of Twitter silence, Trump was back in the Twitterverse with shots at guess who?
"Look what is happening to our country under the WEAK leadership of Obama and people like Crooked Hillary Clinton," went one of his tweets. "We are a divided nation!"
Of course, when it comes to dividing our nation, Trump is being modest. A Quinnipiac University poll found his popularity among black voters, for example, to be only 1 percent against Clinton's 91 percent. He did better with Hispanics, losing by only 50 percent to 33 percent. It's still early, he insists. He's right, although I don't expect miracles.
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President Barack Obama speaks during an interfaith memorial service for the victims of the Dallas police shooting at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center on July 12, 2016, in Dallas, Texas. (Mandel Ngan, AFP/Getty Images)
Why do leading Republicans try to blame the shootings on Obama? The short answer: Republicans automatically blame everything bad that is happening in the world on Obama, especially in an election year.
But this year, there's more. They hope to exploit a possible weakness in Clinton's stand on law-and-order issues. A lot of her voters expect her to support the Black Lives Matter movement's call for justice in police brutality cases. But the issue also holds risks, if she is perceived by whites as pandering to black militants.
That's a good reason for her to stick like glue to President Obama, whose approvals have been running at 51 percent or more for most of this year so far, according to Gallup. That's the highest of his second term and higher than Clinton's or Trump's. Even with Obama's shortcomings, real or perceived, he looks better than the crowded field that's been campaigning for his job.
Finally, Republicans want to polish their own reputations by tarnishing Obama's, particularly on a core Obama issue like race relations.
An April Gallup poll found 35 percent of Americans now say they are worried "a great deal" about race relations in the U.S. That's higher than at any time since the respected polling firm first asked the question in 2001, Gallup said. The percentage who were worried a "great deal" more than doubled in the past two years, Gallup said.
That's the period since the issue of police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement erupted amid protests in Ferguson, Mo.
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It would be awkward, to say the least, if a president who came into office on a thundering wave of "hope" and "change" left amid boiling racial tensions. It is his good fortune and Clinton's to be campaigning against Trump, whose clown act reminds even some of Obama's skeptics that they could do worse.
Clarence Page, a member of the Tribune Editorial Board, blogs at www.chicagotribune.com/pagespage.
cpage@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @cptime
In a particularly grim week for news, the story of the suburban woman who is being denied the right to appear on her driver's license wearing a noodle strainer on her head has provided some comic relief.
The background: On June 27, 21-year-old college student Rachel Hoover, of Arlington Heights, went to get her license renewed at the Illinois Secretary of State facility in Schaumburg. She told employees that she wanted to wear a metal colander on her head for the photo in honor of her religious beliefs.
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Employees balked, but Hoover insisted. The distinctive headgear is a symbol for those who claim membership in the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, a loose affiliation of skeptics whose purported belief system satirizes claims made by conventional religions.
The origin document for the church is a 2005 open letter from Oregon State University physics graduate student Bobby Henderson to the Kansas State Board of Education. That body was considering giving equal time in public school biology classes to evolution and "intelligent design," a theological explanation for the origins of life, and Henderson demanded that similar emphasis be placed on his "strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster," an unseen but meddlesome deity whose existence can be inferred but not proved.
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The letter went viral and Henderson's idea sparked a minor social movement along with the 2006 publication of a 197-page "Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster." Adherents called "Pastafarians" began injecting their unusual claims into political arguments about religion and, every so often, wearing spaghetti strainers on their heads in public.
Illinois secretary of state guidelines allow for religious exemptions to the general prohibition against hats or other head-coverings in driver's license photos Jews who wish to wear yarmulkes, for instance, or Muslim women who wish to wear a hijab. But when the central office discovered that employees had relented and allowed Hoover to be photographed with the strainer on her head, administrators drew the line, even though her face was clearly visible.
They told Hoover her license will be revoked July 29 unless she gets a new, strainer-free photo taken. She is exploring her legal options.
State officials are "just trying to use a little common sense," secretary of state spokesman Dave Druker told Tribune freelance reporter Lee V. Gaines. "It almost looks like Pastafarians are a mockery of religion."
There's no "almost" about it. The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM for short) is a broad spoof on all supernatural belief systems that ask for special treatment by citing the constitutional guarantee of free exercise of religion.
Implicit in the spoof is a challenge: What makes FSM's claims about the invisible force that controls the universe any less plausible or less deserving of legal protection than those of established faiths? Popularity? Longevity? Earnestness?
The Constitution is appropriately silent on such considerations, as one of the principles undergirding the First Amendment is that government shouldn't referee religious matters.
Your belief that inspires you to want to wear something on your head for your driver's license photo is valid. But another person's is not.
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Several states have played along. Utah in 2014 and Massachusetts in 2015 allowed Pastafarians to pose for driver's license photos with colanders on their heads. But New Jersey rejected such an attempt in 2013, and earlier this year a federal judge in Nebraska dismissed a suit filed by a Pastafarian state prison inmate demanding the right to hold FSM worship services and to wear a pirate costume (don't ask).
U.S. District Judge John Gerrard's 16-page ruling creditably wrestled with trying to distinguish the plaintiff's expressed beliefs from those espoused by those of mainstream faiths. "This case is difficult because FSM-ism, as a parody, is designed to look very much like a religion," he wrote. But "it is evident to the court that FSM-ism is not a belief system addressing deep and imponderable matters. ... The only position it takes is that others' religious beliefs should not be presented as science."
The judge added: "It is no more tenable to read the FSM gospel as proselytizing for supernatural spaghetti than to read Jonathan Swift's 'Modest Proposal' as advocating cannibalism."
Yes and no. The deliberate absurdity of FSM's claims represents a comprehensive atheistic/humanistic worldview that courts have found worthy of legal protection. The satirical jabs of Pastafarians may not have the historical gravity of scriptural pronouncements, but they're part of a serious philosophy that does, in fact, directly address "deep and imponderable matters."
Comic relief, yes, but the imperative here is no joke: If others have the right to have their opinions of the divine reflected in their driver's license photos, then so should Rachel Hoover.
Twitter @EricZorn
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has lifted fishing restrictions on sections of the Big Hole, Ruby and Beaverhead rivers thanks to cooler weather and precipitation. Restrictions remain in place on other southwest Montana rivers.
The restrictions being lifted Tuesday will open sections of the following rivers to all-day fishing:
The Big Hole from Saginaw Bridge on Skinner Meadows Road to the confluence of the North Fork Big Hole River;
The Big Hole from the confluence of the North Fork Big Hole River to Dickie Bridge;
The Ruby River from Duncan District Road to the confluence with the Beaverhead River;
The Beaverhead River from Anderson Lane to the confluence with the Big Hole River.
For up-to-date information on restrictions related to drought, visit http://fwp.mt.gov/news/restrictions/.
If the term "gap year" conjures images of carefree teens backpacking in Tuscany, such sojourns enjoyed prior to the start of college have not been the experience of Stevenson High School graduate Hansol Kang. Instead, Kang, 19, is devoting most of his gap year to helping a family friend launch the new Pho An Heights restaurant in downtown Arlington Heights, where he works as a host and server. Taking a break between the lunch and dinner rush at the Korean-Vietnamese fusion restaurant at 6 S. Dunton Ave., Kang explained how his job includes daily life lessons not offered at any university lecture hall.
Q: Whenever I've visited Pho An Heights, I've noticed you seem to be very busy, and wearing many hats, so to speak. What is a typical day like for you?
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A: We open at 11 a.m., so I usually get to the restaurant at 10 a.m. I start by using a broom and mop to make sure the whole place is clean. I also make sure all the tables are set and the sauces are filled and ready. Depending on what day, it can get really hectic, or business can be nice and steady, which is more relaxing. Once we open, if it's not too busy, I always tell the customers they can sit anywhere they want to. Sometimes two people come in, and they want to sit at a table for four by the window, and if it's not too busy, that's fine. People like to have the choice to decide.
Q: What does the name of the restaurant, Pho An, mean?
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A: Pho is noodle, and An is the owner's last name. Someone just asked me that today. I think it's nice that people ask me a lot of questions about the menu, as I'd rather explain it to them than have them not knowing and just randomly guessing what something means.
Q: What are the most popular items on the menu?
A: Our Asian customers order a lot of pho combinations and our spring rolls are really popular. People really love our noodle soup with sliced beef brisket, and the Pho Xao, which is fried noodles. We used to serve tripe (cow stomach) but a lot of people don't eat it, so we took it off the menu.
Q: So, how did you decide to take a gap year from college?
A: I actually went to SIU (Southern Illinois University) after I graduated from high school, and I finished my freshman year, but I really didn't like it because I didn't know what I wanted to major in. I thought taking a gap year would be a good way to get my thoughts together, and take my time deciding on what I want to study. I didn't want to just stay home and do nothing, so when my father's good friend was opening a restaurant, they asked me if I wanted to work here.
Q: Is this your first experience working in the restaurant business?
A: Yes, and it's a lot harder than I thought it would be. I thought serving would be a simple thing, but there's a lot more to it. The hardest part is putting in the order right, and keeping track of all the little things before it becomes a big issue. When I first started, I messed up a lot I kept forgetting to bring the water, and I messed up the table numbers. But most people are nice. If you are smiling and give them good attention, you can also have fun.
kcullotta@tribpub.com
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Twitter @kcullotta
People will get to see kayakers racing down the Fox River at the Illinois Whitewater Festival, which happens during Yorkvilles Ribs on the River event July 16. (City of Yorkville / Handout)
"Porkville" is the place to be this weekend. That's where you'll find four festivals in one town.
The Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce's 10th annual River Night is from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday at Riverfront Park. The night will include food, children's activities and music from the band Red Woody at 7 p.m.
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Then, the fifth annual Ribs on the River event, hosted by the city of Yorkville, is from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday at the park, said Shay Remus, superintendent of recreation with the city of Yorkville's Parks and Recreation department.
The Illinois Whitewater Festival and Buttercup Slalom Series, hosted by the Chicago Whitewater Association, is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Marge Cline Whitewater Park in Yorkville.
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And the Bluegrass Music Festival takes over Lyons Farm on Saturday.
One of the highlights of the weekend is the Ribs on the River event, she said. It's a day of eating ribs, listening to music and watching people race down the Fox River.
"Saturday, we are changing it a little bit compared to what we've done in the past," Remus said. "We are forgoing the ribs cook-off this year. We are going to have some really wonderful food vendors. We will have ribs available for people to purchase, we're just not going to have the competition this year.
"But we do have a tremendous band line-up, focusing mostly on country."
Bands include County Line Brothers, Whiskey Romance and Back Country Roads, she said.
"Besides having the traditional great music, great food and great drinks, there is also the Whitewater Festival going on again this year, and they actually anticipate it being larger than it was last year and they felt that last year was a great turnout," she said.
"It will be a great day to come out and watch the whitewater competition. Especially if people aren't familiar with it, it will be a really great day to watch that as well. It's a really cool event and something you don't see every day."
Anyone who is interested can go to the Illinois Whitewater Festival's Facebook page for information on registering for the race, she said, or contact The Yak Shack in Yorkville.
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People can stand on the overlook onto the river and watch athletes race past, then turn and watch the band, she said.
"It's a really unique event we have here," she said,
There will be plenty of events for kids, like bounce houses and other activities, she said. There will be food for sale from Rosati's, Pepe's and ribs from the Knights of Columbus, and craft brew for sale as well from 1 to 5 p.m.
River Night on Friday will include the Cardboard Regatta, she said. Participants can build a cardboard boat and then test their craftsmanship in the Marge Cline Whitewater course to see who either paddles the fastest or stays afloat the longest, she said.
There are three categories: corporate, build at home and build on-site.
"At this point, we're just holding out and hoping for some really great weather so everyone can come out and enjoy all the hard work we've put in," she said.
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"Overall, it's just a really great weekend that celebrates Yorkville the businesses in Yorkville, the town of Yorkville. We have some amazing music, great food, great family activities. It's just a nice time to come out and see the scenic river, see something new with a kayak just see a little bit of everything. And it's all in this really nice scenic part of Yorkville."
Another festival happening this weekend is the Bluegrass Music Festival from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday at Lyon Farm in Yorkville. The suggested donation is $5 for members and $20 for nonmembers, which includes a one-year membership to the Northern Illinois Bluegrass Association.
Primitive camping is available Friday. The canteen is open Saturday. Email niba@nibaweb.org.
Annie Alleman is a freelance writer.
Yorkville River Night and Ribs on the River
When: Friday-Saturday
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Where: Riverfront Park, 131 E. Hydraulic Ave., Yorkville
Tickets: Free
From left, Rebecca Gengler of More Polish Pottery; Rena Pedersen of Treasure Breads; Mike Algrim, Fox Valley Entrepreneurship Center board member; and Geneva Pedersen of Treasure Breads celebrate at the second annual Poised for Growth Business Plan competition. (Fox Valley Entrepreneurship Center / Handout)
The Illinois Small Business Development Centers of Waubonsee and Elgin Community Colleges have honored local businesses which took part in a recent contest.
The award ceremony, held at Water Street Studios in Batavia, announced the winners of the second annual Poised for Growth Business Plan competition.
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First place went to Treasure Breads of Yorkville and second to More Polish Pottery in Big Rock. Both went through the program at Fox Valley Entrepreneurship Center in Aurora.
"It was an honor to see these two businesses win in this competition," says Austin Dempsey, Fox Valley Entrepreneurship Center president. "We love to see companies we have helped continue to reach their goals and achieve success."
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Geneva and Rena Pedersen, owners of Treasure Breads, won $10,000 and a business consultant engagement, valued at $5,000.
"That third party perspective from the consultant is so important to us," said Geneva Pedersen. "It's a matter of developing a plan and diving into the process surrendering fear and building trust in your business along the way."
The $2,500 Rebecca Gengler of More Polish Pottery won is already earmarked for use. She plans on hiring a marketing intern, someone who can bolster the company's online presence, letting Gengler spend more time in other areas of the business.
The Fox Valley Entrepreneurship Center is reviewing applications and inviting select businesses to pitch their companies to the board. Companies are then selected to receive help from the group. The type of assistance varies depending on what the company needs to grow. For information, go to www.fvec.org.
A series of West Aurora School District 129 assessments show overall student improvement in the district.
In some cases, the assessments showed higher than expected student growth. But, when the data was presented at a recent school board meeting, one board member questioned whether pockets of students did not show as much improvement.
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An assessment showed more kindergarten- and first-grade students meeting grade-level expectations at the end of the year than at the beginning of the year in most, but not all, subjects. More elementary- and middle-school students were shown to be at or above grade-level on reading and math assessments at the end of the year than at the beginning of the year overall in the district, and the district moved more students than expected from below-average or low-average performance in math and reading to the high-average and above-average categories, according to a district presentation.
Based on a combination of assessments, more schools this year saw higher than expected student growth in math and reading, while no buildings saw lower than expected student growth, the presentation showed.
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West Aurora was required to include student growth in a new teacher evaluation system this past year a year earlier than other public school districts because it fell into the bottom 20 percent of districts in the state.
The district had set a goal to move 5 percent of students from lower test performance to higher test performance, and exceeded that goal as a whole in both reading and math, Director of Assessment Liz Wendel said.
But board member Robert Patterson said some grade levels appeared to disproportionately carry the district toward that goal and some schools did not perform as well as others. Wendel said the district is working to identify why that might be the case, and use schools and grade levels that saw large improvement as a model.
Board member Allyson Herget said some schools might be lower performing, at least on the reading test, because they could have higher Spanish-speaking populations.
Wendel attributed the district growth to individual meetings with each building that allowed the district to set more specific targets. Along with administrators and directors, the meetings included the district's new curriculum coordinators, hired to work with building leaders, help with teacher evaluations and provide training and feedback.
Wendel said the next step for the district is to compare students' performance at the end of each grade level, to see how they are improving from one year to the next.
Board President Robert Gonzalez said the student performance shows the district is not afraid to tweak programs if necessary.
"It shows that every program and changes the administration has made is focused on student growth," he said.
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sfreishtat@tribpub.com
Twitter @srfreish
A Barrington resident and entrepreneur, Michael Miles is not surprised an educational program he co-founded two years ago is rapidly growing.
INCubatoredu, a Barrington-based nonprofit that provides business start-up classes for Barrington High School and 32 other schools, is expanding to 33 more schools in eight states Illinois, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, the nonprofit recently announced.
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Miles helped start INCubatoredu in 2013, providing students with entrepreneurship experiences and connecting them with business mentors to develop their business ideas into products and services.
"There's a big push from educators who are highly interested in adopting experiential learning programs for students," Miles said. "INCubatoredu's concept is that you're actually starting your own business, which means you learn in a totally different lens. You learn by doing."
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At Barrington High School, 35 local mentors advise students on their ideas, help them find funding and market their products. Entrepreneur Tom Yorton has mentored Barrington students for two years through the program, using his background in marketing and advertising.
"Some days they may get bad business news, like someone already has their idea," he said. "We encourage the kids to get back up and be resilient. The whole class is about moving quickly and getting feedback from customers."
Yorton, who lives in Barrington, also has learned from the students, who often ask him basic business questions. He has taught himself to communicate clearly business principles without the use of jargon and technical terms, which can be confusing to understand, he said.
INCubatoredu provides schools and students with a full-year course, including lesson plans, assessments, exercises and online management systems, according to its website.
The nonprofit then offers a second-year course called ACCELeratoredu for the student teams who have completed the first course and successfully received funding to launch their business ventures mentors helped develop.
INCubatoredu uses outside private investors to fund students' business ideas. Students also can receive grant funding and donations from school educational foundations, Miles said.
Katharine Mena, 17, who graduated from Barrington High earlier this year, became involved with INCubatoredu while in her junior year. Her business team last year received $29,000 from the Barrington 220 Educational Foundation for "CleatGuard" a protector that athletes can wear on the bottom of their cleats, she said.
"Our product defeats the inconvenience that cleats bring to athletes off the fields, such as walking in buildings and having to switch in and out of cleats between games," Mena said.
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Mena said her team currently is in product development, constructing CleatGuards with computer-aided design programs.
In fall, she will study finance and minor in entrepreneurship at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
"INCubatoredu gave us an opportunity as young students to take an idea and make it a reality without any risks to us as students," she said. "Risks are on the investors, and the financial burden is not on you to make it succeed or not."
tshields@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @tshields19
Interest around joining neighborhood watch groups has increased over the past year, according to the Billings Police Crime Prevention Center.
A Block Captains meeting held at the Billings Public Library this spring boasted an attendance of at least 50 people from across the city. Janell Keeling, a volunteer with the Crime Prevention Center, said there are about 70 active neighborhood watch groups in Billings. Each group varies in the number of people involved and the level of activity of the group, depending a lot on each persons commitment to how long people intend to be in the neighborhood.
Keeling said the increased awareness of the low number of officers on the street has caused people to reach out more. She said police can't be everywhere at once, so officers rely on the calls and tips they get from citizens.
Keeling said neighborhoods with more homeowners and homeowner associations often do better because residents invest more into their neighborhood.
Block Captain Sue Hammersmark, who lives near Rimrock Road, said her group started in 1987 and continues to increase as more houses are built in her area. Starting off with about 20 members when they began, the group now has about 35 people listed on her map of the neighborhood, with each participating neighbors phone number listed on the house where they live. She said her neighborhood has never had to deal with a major crisis, but the ability to reach out is there if they need it.
More people are reaching out to Hammersmark for her to organize more events, like block meetings or potlucks. Hammersmark said with more unfamiliar faces around, some of the long-term residents feel they need to meet the people around them in order to build up their community.
Long-standing groups often go through this rejuvenation process, Keeling said.
Its like exercise, Keeling said. Everyone starts it out at the beginning of the year, but then they stop going. Its a commitment.
Former DEA agent Jim Tilly led a neighborhood watch group meeting at the City Church in the Heights in June. There he spoke with about 10 members of a condo association, where the members discussed the dangers they see in their neighborhood. Tilly encouraged the group to call police for suspicious vehicles or people in the area, but also to communicate with their neighbors. Neighbors can let each other know when they go out of town or plan to move, and it will make people feel easier when they see a U-Haul pull up in front of a house on their block, Tilly said.
He also encouraged garage door locks, motion activated lights and continued lawn care. These things can harden a neighborhood against crime, Tilly said.
To get involved, people can call the Crime Prevention Center at 247-8590.
A damaged meter that started leaking natural gas into a business in Long Grove closed Illinois Route 83 in both directions for nearly an hour and a half Monday evening, authorities said.
Shortly after 7:30 p.m., employees at 83RV, 25514 N. Route 83, reported smelling natural gas inside the business, according to a statement from the Countryside Fire Protection District in Vernon Hills. Emergency responders closed Route 83 in both directions, while they and workers from North Shore Gas shut off the gas line, and checked area businesses and homes for any hazards, the district said.
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Battalion chief Kevin Wodrich said Tuesday the leak came from a damaged meter in a parking lot. No one was hurt in the incident.
"It could have been caused by someone accidentally backing into it," Wodrich said.
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Authorities, though, still are determining what started the leak, he said.
Firefighters from Libertyville, Lincolnshire, Mundelein and Lake Zurich assisted the Countryside Fire Protection District with checking area businesses and residences for other leaks. But no other leaks were found, according to the district.
rwachter@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @RonnieAtPioneer
Prairie Krafts Brewing co-owner Mannish Khosla (left), of Palatine, talks with Mike Meyers, of Deerfield, who is drinking a Trishul APA at the Buffalo Grove business. (Michael Schmidt / Pioneer Press)
Come for the beer and stay for the homemade beer cookies may not exactly been the lucrative business plan Prairie Krafts Brewing Company had in mind when it opened in Buffalo Grove.
But some of the regulars at the only craft microbrewery in the village have helped employees discover the potential marketing tool. The camaraderie is what co-owners Manny Khosla and Raj Chauhan intended to see when they opened Prairie Krafts, which was meant to have a cozy and inclusive environment for locals stopping by for a cold one, said Bar Manager Cristina Chadwick.
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"People seem to like our products," she said. "People seem to be happy, and people seem to like our atmosphere and think it's comfortable."
That atmosphere led to a different kind of brew beer cookies. Bob Merritt is a regular customer, who also has a Mug Club member at Prairie Krafts, located in an office park at 1310 Busch Parkway.
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"The location of the brewery is close by, and I want to support local business," said Merritt, who works in Buffalo Grove and lives in Vernon Hills. "I like the beers here. And the atmosphere is nice, too."
Prairie Krafts Brewing co-owners Raj Chauhan (left), of Gurnee, and Mannish Khosla, of Palatine, stand inside the Buffalo Grove business. (Michael Schmidt / Pioneer Press)
Merritt contributes to the brewery's vibe with his penchant for baked goods. Prairie Krafts gives him the spent grain leftover product from the beer brewing process, and he uses them to bake cookies.
Meritt said he uses part of the grain for the flour, while the rest of the spent grains are tossed directly into the dough. Last week, he passed around a container of chocolate chip and cranberry cookies to other brewery patrons.
"Bob likes to make baked goods and thought this would be a good source for it," Chadwick said.
Although Prairie Krafts opened its doors in April, craft beer was a part of the co-owners' lives in past years.
Khosla and Chauhan are friends who had been home-brewing their own suds for almost a decade, Chadwick said. The pair has family in the suburbs, and they decided Buffalo Grove would make for a good location for their own brick-and-mortar brewery.
"The location was partly because of desire and partly because of practicality," Chadwick said. "People loved their [homemade] beers and the idea [to open a brewery] caught on."
Smaller, independent-owned craft breweries have been on the rise throughout Illinois in recent years, according to data from the Brewers Association, a trade association representing independent brewers.
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In 2011, Illinois had 54 breweries in operation. That number climbed to 157 total in 2015, association figures show.
Prairie Krafts joins 13 breweries already established in Lake County, along with several others in planning stages. Tighthead Brewery in Mundelein and Half Day Brewing Company in Lincolnshire are located nearby, but Prairie Krafts is the sole brewery in Buffalo Grove, according to the association.
With its location near offices, the brewery attracts clocked-out workers and other locals who live close by, said head brewer Eymard Freire.
Though the co-owners produced their own original beer lineup as home brewers, the pair worked with Freire to create brews specifically for Prairie Krafts, allowing their head brewer more flexibility with the final products.
"When it comes down to recipe development there's a big movement now for craft brewers to do whatever they want with beers, to make it gimmicky [with strange flavors]," Freire said. "But I think what's really trending are solid styles, like German wheat beer, American style IPAs, American pale ales. These kinds of beers need to exist. I think people go back to those solid styles."
Those styles are a part of Prairie Krafts' eight and growing beer menu. The brewery offers customers 5-ounce beers for $2 and 16-ounce beers for $5, as well as a flight of four, 5-ounce beers for $5.
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Growlers and kegs-to-go also are available for purchase. Freire said he hopes the beers will land on store shelves by the end of the year.
Back at Prairie Krafts for his second visit, Jeff Present, of Buffalo Grove, said he usually goes for IPAs, but he enjoys the brewery's stout. Plus, the relaxed and friendly atmosphere was enough to draw him in again.
"The beer quality is really good, and it's a great environment," he said. "It feels like a nice community."
Present brought newcomer Alan Heichman, also from Buffalo Grove, during the visit to Prairie Krafts.
"So far, so good," Heichman said. "I like the flights so I can try the different beers, and I like that you can bring your own food in. It really is a welcoming atmosphere."
Victoria Berkow is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
History Happy Hour on the Rooftop: The Fabulous 50s on July 21 at Joliet Area Historical Museum takes a look back at things such as Chicago Street, which is one street east of the museum, in the mid-1950s in Joliet. (Photo courtesy of Joliet Area Historical Museum)
In the 1950s, Dwight D. Eisenhower was president, gasoline cost 19 cents a gallon, "My Fair Lady" opened on Broadway and Elvis Presley sang "Don't Be Cruel."
History Happy Hour on the Rooftop: The Fabulous 50's on July 21 at Joliet Area Historical Museum offers the chance to revisit that era via a 1950s cocktail party. Attendees are encouraged, but not required, to wear costumes.
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"This is just something a bit out of the box to get people to enjoy their summer and learn a little more about different decades in Joliet's history," said Candice Quinerly, education director of Joliet Area Historical Museum.
"The museum is open during the event as well so people are welcome to explore any of our exhibits. It's a way to get people into the museum that might not have come to the museum otherwise."
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History Happy Hour on the Rooftop: The Fabulous 50's is the second in a series of decades-themed events. June's event focused on the roaring 1920s while Aug. 25's event focuses on the 1970s.
A big component of the series is the food by Sweet Symphonie Custom Catering's Ellie Carlson and Mark Howe. Carlson has worked with the museum for nearly 10 years on exhibits and presentations.
"Food is usually a good way to get people to come anywhere. This was a really good way to open up our doors to show people that we're not just a boring, dry place to learn about space or learn about the Illinois and Michigan Canal," said Quinerly, of Crest Hill.
"You can learn how to make a Manhattan or about the businesses that were around in the '20s, '50s or '70s."
The menu for July's event includes bacon rolls; Pillsbury Bake-Off-winning snack pastry: hamburgers Angostura from the recipe of Dione Lucas, the first celebrity chef; jelly squares and Mamie's Million Dollar Fudge from former first lady Mamie Eisenhower's recipe.
Drinks includes the Brandy Alexander, Cuba Libre, Grasshopper Walks into a Bar, Manhattan, Shaken not Stirred and Sloe Gin Fizz.
"We are working on compiling different things so people can see what the ads looked like in the '50s. In the '50s, our first McDonald's opened in Joliet. We had the first Dairy Queen. We had all these little shopping centers that some people might remember," said Quinerly, 28.
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"Then there are people that are my age and have been in Joliet their whole lives and want to know about this stuff. We'll also do '50s trivia that will be half specific to Joliet and half specific to the '50s in general. That will be fun. We'll also have a display case of artifacts from '50s Joliet."
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Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
History Happy Hour on the Rooftop: The Fabulous 50's
When: 5-7 p.m. July 21
Where: Joliet Area Historical Museum, 204 N. Ottawa St., Joliet
Tickets: $40 ($35 members) including hors d'ouevres and one drink ticket; prepayment required, no walk-ins accepted; cash bar with $5 cocktails and $3 soft drinks
Information: 815-723-5201 or www.jolietmuseum.org
The Billings Police Department added four new names to its roster Monday, but the officers arent rookies.
All four of the men sworn in on Monday have previous law enforcement experience and are Peace Officer Standards Training certified so they wont have to attend another 12-week academy, said Chief Rich St. John.
St. John said Moses Richardson, Tracy Icard, Steven Gaertner and Daniel Scheeve can alleviate staffing shortages much sooner than fresh recruits. In addition to bypassing the three months of POST training that new officers are only required to complete half of the usual eight weeks of field training.
He said BPD has 138 officers after the new hires but is authorized for 148, including five additional positions that were approved by Billings City Council in October.
Generally, what we see is we hover around five vacancies. We never seem to get 100 percent full, and when we are its not for very long, St. John said.
St. John said during the ceremony that BPD is Montanas finest department and attracts some of the best officers from other agencies around the state.
Richardson previously served as a BPD officer between 2008 and 2012 when he joined Stillwater County Sheriffs Office as a deputy. Hes a Billings native and has more than 14 years of law enforcement experience. Richardson also served three years as an infantryman in the United States Army.
Shreeve is also from Billings. He worked as a Big Horn County Sheriffs Office deputy for more than three years and has about five years law enforcement experience. He said resided in Billings while working for BHCSO and wanted to serve the community he lived in. He served two years in the United States Marine Corps.
Steven Gaertner joins BPD after more than three years as an officer with Miles City Police Department. He said hes from Cooke City but has strong ties to the Billings community. He graduated from Montana State University Billings with a double major in criminal justice and sociology. Hes also the son-in-law of Yellowstone County Commissioner Bill Kennedy.
Tracy Icard is the only new officer from out of state, but he brings the most experience. Hes spent about 18 years in law enforcement and joins the BPD after leaving Broughton State Police in Morganton, N.C. He said wife, Misty Icard, is also starting a job at the new Montana State Crime Lab in Billings.
The new officers will fill positions left open from recent promotions. Currently there are three empty commander slots but they could be filled in the next week as the promotion process completes, St. John said.
He said his officers stepped up to handle the short staffing and the Volunteer Police Unit has been key in reducing the number of nonemergency calls to which officers respond.
During his address to the new members of BPD St. John also recognized the recent shooting in Dallas that left five officers dead. He said the swearing in ceremony was bittersweet following the tragedy.
Last weeks events are a stark reminder of the challenges you will face throughout your career, he said.
Will County has seen an "extraordinarily high" level of prospective businesses this year, reported John Greuling, CEO of the Will County Center for Economic Development, in his mid-year report to county officials last week.
In the last six months, Greuling said he has been working with 54 companies that are considering setting up shop in the county, compared to 82 in all of 2015. These prospects include advanced manufacturing, transportation and logistics, food processing, energy, agri-business, information technology and business services.
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Of the 54, he said he has closed the deal on five new businesses, totaling over $200 million in investment and 2,300 new jobs.
Topping the list was Amazon, which announced plans to build a second fulfillment center, next to its current one in the Laraway Crossings business park at U.S. 53 and Laraway Road, and add 1,000 full-time jobs, he said.
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Amazon offers starting wages of $13.50 to $15.50 per hour, plus insurance benefits and a tuition reimbursement program, which "sets the bar high" for other distribution centers, Greuling said.
The others were:
Magenta LLC, one of the only certified woman-owned, plastic-injection molding manufacturers in the state, relocated to a 122,500 square foot building at 15160 New Ave., Lockport. Its plant uses advanced technologies and green initiatives and brings nearly 100 jobs to the community.
Batory Foods broke ground on a new 678,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution operation on 36 acres at RidgePort Logistics Center in Wilmington, and has another 22 acres available for expansion. It is expected to open in October and provide 75 jobs.
Black Dog Distillery, opened in Plainfield this spring, offering craft spirits.
UPS leased a 273,640-square-foot building in Lockport, the first in the 355 Corporate Center.
Work is also underway on a IKEA's distribution center in the Laraway Crossings business park, the first of two warehouses it plans to build there; and on Blain's Farm Fleet in Romeoville, at the southeast corner of Weber and Airport roads.
Silver Cross Health System in New Lenox plans to build an $11 million, free-standing surgery center on its campus to ease large patient loads and meet future demand. It will provide only ambulatory or outpatient surgical care and is expected to open in 2018.
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Greuling noted that the Interstate 355 corridor has been "slow to develop," but there has been over 1 million square feet of projects in that corridor which should drive more commercial and retail.
In addition, he said, housing "continues to struggle."
In attracting economic development and making sure the county's workforce has access to jobs, Greuling also has a list of transportation improvements that he supports, including construction of the Illiana Toll Road, from Interstate 55 in Wilmington to Interstate 65 in Lowell, Ind.; the new Houbolt bridge from Interstate 80 over the Des Plaines River into the Center Pointe Intermodal Center, and additional lanes on I-80 west of US 30, and on Illinois Route 7 from I-355 to Will-Cook Road.
He is also working to identify improvements along U.S. Route 53, which is heavily used by trucks as an access to the intermodals.
Will County has received a grant to develop a freight mobility plan, which will not only address infrastructure needs and how to move traffic, but also will study impacts on the county's workforce, environment and communities, Greuling said.
Communities, such as Elwood, have struggled to cope with increasing volumes of truck traffic, and Greuling said they hope to avoid that in the future.
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slafferty@tribpub.com
Republicans and North Koreans want the same things from government. Republicans want a secure and heavily fortified border, a tough military, limited anti-poverty government programs, an education system that promotes conservative ideology, very little international trade and a press corps that is a cheerleader for the tough, conservative government. There's little social change in North Korea, so gay marriage or transgender bathrooms aren't public issues. Conservative Republicans must feel homesick just reading about life in North Korea. It's paradise for them.
Mike, Tinley Park
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U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is a Democrat and U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk is a Republican, but they will flip-flop either way to better themselves.
Rich, Orland Park
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This is for the commenter who started out with, "For all these supporters of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton..." Ask this person to please comment where he was during eight years of former President George W. Bush bringing us to the brink of the worst recession in the history of this country.
As an American citizen, I demand the FBI reverse their decision not to prosecute former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for her private emails, and find her guilty. She does not belong in the White House, and I will not stand for her to be our president of the United States. There will be a lot of problems if she is.
You want to know what American exceptionalism is? It's more than 600 people in this country so far this year being shot and killed by cops. That's right. There's no other civilized, industrialized country when you factor in on a per-capita basis the amount of carnage by police officers with weapons. It's incredible the way we run roughshod over John Q. Public. It's almost always a black person and it's almost always a white cop. Gee, go figure. If you think racism doesn't exist mightily in this country, then you are one of those white scum who probably owns 10 guns and would just love to kill a man of color if you thought you could get away with it.
Stan, New Lenox
After President Barack Obama has served his eight years, he's put on another trillion dollars on our national debt. What more could happen? I know presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump says a lot of things, but I don't care because he's got my vote. Presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton will never be a good president and her husband, former President Bill Clinton? You know what he did when he was president.
I'm a concerned citizen. U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan or should I say, alias fictional character Eddie Munster? is dragging this out. The decision has been made. They're not going to prosecute former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. That's your big wish, but now you better concentrate on your so-called wonderful candidate, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who doesn't think before he opens his big mouth. He's looking at another big mouth who's been out of politics for years: former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich. What a ticket. Let's stop this stupid name-calling, fighting and childish behavior of Trump and the other Republicans. Let's move on with this election and let it play out as it does.
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I see the National Enquirer is repeating the same thing that presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump says about presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. So, in other words, Trump's got the Enquirer in his pocket, but that just goes to show you the class of people that back him and companies that back him. How many thousands of people have sued the Enquirer for their false stories? This is what's backing Trump, so this just goes to show another way of how bad his character is. You better think about it, people.
In reply to John from Hegewisch: If you're going to blame former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the 2012 attack in Benghazi, Libya, well, then you better blame former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Dick Cheney for their so-called weapons of mass destruction. How many lives did they kill thousands with their lie? They should be prosecuted also. Only in America do they get away with it and get to live the life of luxury. It goes both ways.
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Orland Park
I got a solution to the pension crisis. To Illinois and other states: Have the first TV debate between presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton on a pay-per-view. I know I would pay to see Hillary tap out in five minutes.
Tom, Burbank
What's Speak Out?
Speak Out allows readers to comment on the issues of the day. Email Speak Out at speakout@southtownstar.com or call 312-222-2427. Please limit comments to 30 seconds or about 120 words and give your first name and your hometown.
I'm sick and hurting badly. I am so tired of reading about the poor people who died of a heroin overdose. If you're stupid and weak enough to use heroin, don't expect me to care. If you lost your children to heroin, I'm sorry for your loss but think your child was a jerk. If it wasn't heroin, it might have been drunk driving or cocaine or playing chicken with trains. Because of all the people who use drugs illegally, the poor folks who truly need pain medications are made to feel like junkies and have to deal with government rules that make it difficult to get much-needed, legal pain relief.
Orland Park
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The trouble in Illinois is the politicians in Springfield. They're paid way too much money. They should cut their salaries at least 40 percent. They do nothing. They sit on their fat cans. They smoke. A lot of them are stealing from us taxpayers and voters. They get a pension that they don't deserve. Illinois is a disgrace to live in now. We have House Speaker Michael Madigan down there, standing up there for 30 years doing nothing. He should be removed from office. He should be impeached. I'm fed up with them in Springfield and so is everybody else. We should impeach them all.
RC, Oak Lawn
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More about avoiding a Republican president: Former President Ronald Reagan's trickle-down economy wrecked the country and got corporations free passes without having to pay their fair share. Pharmaceuticals moved to Ireland. They make a fortune here and don't pay taxes here. You clowns blame Obamacare, but it's former President George W. Bush's prescription drug plan that he pushed. It doesn't allow negotiation from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or Medicare. That's the problem. So wake up. It doesn't matter if presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's the president as long as it's not a Republican. A non-Republican's the only one that's going to protect us from U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan's budget and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's shenanigans.
We've crucified former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton enough. She's made mistakes. She said she won't do it again. What about presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump? What about Trump University and his other businesses that cheated people out of money? Maybe the FBI should investigate him, his business dealings and his taxes. What's he hiding? Also, he's immature in the way he makes up names. He made fun of U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, calling her Pocahontas and going, "Woo, woo, woo, woo," and calling Hillary crooked. Is this how a president is supposed to behave? I think not. That's like a 10-year-old boy in the school yard fighting his bullies. This man is not a candidate for president.
Sam, Orland
The same day that the FBI director said that Hillary Clinton and her staff were "extremely careless" with their handling of classified information, President Obama went out and campaigned for her. I get it. He has to support her. At the same time, who is he kidding? I wouldn't let an "extremely careless" person drive my car. Therefore, I certainly wouldn't give an "extremely careless" person the keys to the White House.
It just read an article regarding the recent deployment of a robot to eliminate the Dallas killer. The article opined on the "ethics" of using it in "a civilian setting to allow police to kill a suspect while facing little or no risk." What is interesting is the "little or no risk" part. Tell me where it is required for the police to be unnecessarily exposed to risk in apprehending a killer? This preposterous notion is emblematic of the "scatter-brained" junk promulgated by the all mighty media machine.
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Tom, Evergreen Park
Chill out, love and respect the cops. The vast majority are out to protect you. There's bad apples in every barrel. That doesn't mean you stop eating apples.
BBK
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Attention, commerce officials. Please check health standards at farmers markets in Tinley Park, Oak Lawn and Frankfort. At Frankfort approximately 50 dogs were accompanied by owners shopping recently. Dogs were enticed by sniffing the samples and had to be yanked by their leashes on several instances that I observed. What gets me is the fact that these food stands are promoting gluten free, organic, pesticide free, etc., for health. Enlighten me why these people have to show off their dogs while food shopping. I don't see human food being sold in the Petsmart that sells food and supplies for pets while the pets shop. Please take dogs to the dog parks or your Petsmart and stay there for health's sake.
Rose, Orland Park
What's Speak Out?
Speak Out allows readers to comment on the issues of the day. Email Speak Out at speakout@southtownstar.com or call 312-222-2427. Please limit comments to 30 seconds or about 120 words and give your first name and your hometown.
Responsible people are not trying to stop people from owning guns. We just want to stop irresponsible people from owning guns. Also, they don't have to be nuts or be on pills to be irresponsible. Most of these people that are causing trouble are actually normal people, especially the ones with concealed carry who decide it's time to pull out their gun and shoot at people. They're not trained to do such a thing.
A recent poll on racism showed that 40 percent of black people believe it will never go away. That same poll showed that 40 percent of white people already think it has gone away. If the comments about the late boxer Muhammad Ali in Speak Out aren't any indication of the accuracy of that poll, then the people reading this are idiots.
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Dave, Oak Lawn
I'd like to give a big shout-out to all the friendly and helpful people at White Water Canyon Water Park in Tinley Park on 171st Street. It's a great time on a hot summer day.
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More about people screaming that they want to be able to have their mosque wherever they want: You have to be respectful of regular people who've been there before you. If you can't, then you don't go where you want. Forget your rights. You go by what American people do and tell you because they're in that area. That's their property. If you can't be respectful, you'll cause an accident. You need to be pulled off the road. The police need to start monitoring the area around the Orland Park Prayer Center properly. Stop hiding because they're screaming discrimination. Baloney. If they can't drive properly, then you give them a ticket like any other ordinary common person on the street.
Our country is in the worst shape it's been in a long time. President Barack Obama, instead of staying home and seeing what he can do to straighten the mess out and take care of it, is now going out campaigning for presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, whom he'd like to be his successor, and we're paying for it. It seems to me that something's very wrong here.
Quinn, Chicago
It's interesting that the people in my neighborhood use food stamps to get food, but they have money to buy an arsenal and turn this neighborhood into a background for a Vietnam War movie. Meanwhile, the Chicago police sit on their hands. All they'd have to do is send anybody into this corner where I live. They don't need fictional private detective Sherlock Holmes. They need to arrest people and make some money for the City of Chicago, which is so desperately in need, but they don't.
Pete, Chicago
I love reading Speak Out, but there's a problem. A commenter from Orland Park attacks other commenters. This particular time, it was Emily on her opinion of Gov. Bruce Rauner and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his wife, Melania. Perhaps you like them. That's fine. That's your opinion, but there's no reason to attack and say this person needs to check their facts and they're wrong. That person is entitled to their opinion. They think they're right. Perhaps they are. I don't care for Trump or Rauner so I agree with Emily. I think you're a typical man who loves to pick on the so-called weaker sex, but it'll be different when presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton wins.
Sara
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I hope everybody in Burbank got their property tax bill because when all those schoolteachers who don't live in Burbank were out in front of the polls asking for that tax increase, it was only going to be 29 cents. Now, I guess we all know it was a little more than 29 cents for Reavis High School, don't we? Remember that Burbank School District 111 and Reavis High School District 220 are elected officials. Remember who did this.
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Tom, Burbank
Let me see if I got this right. The Republican U.S. House is going to put up a bill to vote on for gun control and it's been written by the National Rifle Association and they're running Donald Trump for president. If they haven't come off the rails yet, how much more do they have to do?
I see a lot of license plates from Indiana here on the South Side of Chicago. Either we have a lot of Hoosiers visiting here or people are cheating the State of Illinois of money and buying their plates in Indiana.
Don, Chicago
What's Speak Out?
Speak Out allows readers to comment on the issues of the day. Email Speak Out at speakout@southtownstar.com or call 312-222-2427. Please limit comments to 30 seconds or about 120 words and give your first name and your hometown.
Plans by Deerfield Squares ownership call for demolition of the building currently occupied by Biaggi's. (Steve Sadin / Pioneer Press)
Plans by the owners of The Shops at Deerfield Square to demolish the building currently housing Biaggi's Ristiorante Italiano and replace it with a new structure came as a surprise to the Italian restaurant group's CEO.
Plans by the owners of The Shops at Deerfield Square to demolish the building currently housing Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano and replace it with a new structure came as a surprise to the Italian restaurant group's CEO.
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The shopping center's ownership will present plans for the project at a pre-filing conference with the Deerfield Plan Commission at 7:30 p.m. July 14, according to a village memorandum.
Deerfield Square ownership plans to replace the existing building housing Biaggis with a structure resembling this rendering. (Courtesy of Village of Deerfield)
The memo outlines plans to demolish the building at 711 Deerfield Road where Biaggi's has operated since 2011 and replace it with a 9,950 square foot structure that could accommodate as many as three tenants with two patios.
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Biaggi's "will close by the end of the year," according to the memo. However, Todd Hovenden, the company's founder and CEO said the notice on the village's website was the first he had heard about his landlord's intent.
"There's no way we're leaving," Hovenden said. "We have a lot of money in this restaurant and we're not going anywhere. We've emailed them about rent concessions but weren't ready to discuss it for two to three months."
When Chuck Malk, one of the Deerfield Square owners, learned of Biaggi's desire to remain in the shopping center, he said he had he was open to the idea.
"We received an indication they were not going to stay," Malk said. "I'm a proactive owner. I don't wait for someone to move out (to take action). If they want to stay we'd love to have them."
Hovenden, whose business operates 21 Biaggi's restaurants in 10 states, said he is not required to let the building owners know if his company will exercise its option to renew its lease until November. He said renewal is his option, not that of the landlord.
Malk said he has ideas about potential tenants if his renovation plans are approved. He said that no concrete action has been taken regarding potential occupants for a new building.
"I'm not going to do that until I have the approval of the Village of Deerfield to do what we want to do," Malk said.
Malk said that while he knows what he wants to do aesthetically with the new building, he is less sure about what kinds of tenants will occupy it.
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"I don't know what we're going to do," Malk said. "It may be restaurants or it could be something else. It's a new design which will give a new, fresh look to the property. This is a hip design."
Unlike much of the shopping center, the new building will be highly visible from the corner of Deerfield and Waukegan roads and will sit immediately behind an existing plaza.
Should Deerfield trustees approve the current proposal, the new building will have large glass windows with glassed-in terraces on the north and south sides, according to renderings.
"The new building will incorporate more windows and glass allowing more natural light into the single story spaces," Jeff Ryckaert, Deerfield's principal planner said in the memo. It will also have a "retractable glazing system that will provide more of an indoor/outdoor experience."
The building will be no taller than 30 feet, according to the memo.
Steve Sadin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Deerfield's nearly century-old downtown train station is about to get several updates, including a new floor and roof.
The Village Board of Trustees approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Commuter Rail Division of the Regional Transportation Authority on July 5 authorizing Deerfield and Metra to replace the roof and floor.
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Deerfield will oversee the work, according to Assistant Village Manager Andrew Lichterman, while Metra will pay the approximate $131,000 cost, according to Metra spokesperson Meg Reile. She anticipates Metra's board will give final approval to the project Aug. 24.
Both the new cedar roof and oak floor are designed to maintain the historic look of the station, according to Lichterman.
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"We're going to replace the cedar roof and oak floor in kind," Lichterman said. "The wood floor will look like the original. We want to retain the original look and feel."
Initially the roof will appear different but will reestablish its original pigmentation over time, according to Lichterman.
"The color of the cedar roof will look slightly different since it will be brand new, but over time the cedar shingles will weather and look identical," Lichterman said.
The existing floor and roof have reached the end of their life, according to Lichterman. A new fan will also be added to improve air circulation.
Lichterman said the village will accept bids on the work. He said construction will begin as soon as there is formal approval by Metra and should be done by the end of the year.
"We'll work with our contractors to minimize inconvenience to the commuters," Lichterman said.
Maintaining the historic character of the building is important, according to Lichterman. He said the old station is an integral part of the village's downtown and in the past citizens have demonstrated a passion for preserving it.
"This is the only building in Deerfield that is on the National Register of Historic Places," Lichterman said.
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In 1974, the station was scheduled to be replaced with a smaller concrete block depot but "was saved by an outpouring of community support in 1974," according to a plaque at the station describing its historic significance.
The depot was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998, according to the plaque. It was originally built in 1903 as the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Passenger Depot replacing an earlier version built two blocks south in 1872.
After it was damaged by fire in 1918, the station was "rebuilt and enlarged retaining the original craftsman/Prairie style design," according to the plaque.
Metra and the village work together to maintain the station, according to Reile. She said Deerfield handles the basic maintenance, but when a major project arises a separate agreement is necessary.
Lichterman said Deerfield will pay for the work and Metra will reimburse the village.
Steve Sadin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Nathan Wonder plays the Bard in his one-man show, William Shakespeare Lives. The play looks at what is next for Shakespeare -- living in contemporary Chicago -- after critics pan his latest work. Hosted by Janus Theatre Company, the show runs July 15-17 at Elgin Art Showcase. (Elgin Art Showcase / Handout)
Even the Bard can suffer the slings and arrows of critics.
How to move on? That is the question.
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"How do I take the next step to work on the next project when I've just drained myself for a failure?" said Nathan Wonder, who explores the idea in his one-man show. "What would it have been like for him?"
The result is "a cathartic conversation with the audience" as William Shakespeare tries to move forward.
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Janus Theatre Company will host Wonder as he performs his play, "William Shakespeare Lives," July 15-17 at Elgin Art Showcase in Elgin. Performances are at 8 p.m. July 15-16 and 3 p.m. July 17.
The full title of the play is "William Shakespeare Lives, or a 30-year-old playwright, who lives in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood has just opened his new play, 'Titus Andronicus,' and it was not well-received; a comedy in three acts."
"The title kind of gives it away," Wonder said.
"This is just me lamenting that I spent months of my life working on (a) play, putting all this time and all this money into it and it ended up not being very good. And no one went to see it, except the critics that panned it."
Wonder, artistic director for Duplicity Ensemble in Chicago, wrote "William Shakespeare Lives" last year with help from company members. It was then performed at the 2015 Chicago Fringe Festival.
"It ended up being a sort of semi-autobiographical play," said Wonder, who now lives in Portland, Oregon. "It typically speaks to my life and what I've been through and the challenges I've encountered."
Wonder said he wrote the play while struggling and trying to figure out what he wanted to do as an artist and a theater practitioner, in Chicago specifically. So it looks at the challenges of being a young playwright or actor in the city.
"It's hard to get people to come to your play. It's hard to raise enough money. Even if you're really proud of your work, how do you get people to come out and actually see it?" Wonder said. "It ended up being sort of a love letter to the storefront Chicago theater scene, while at the same time looking back at past events of my life that sort of shaped my past to become a theater artist as an adult."
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The presentation of "William Shakespeare Lives" is part of Janus Theatre Company's Elgin 400 Shakespeare Festival. Sean Hargadon, artistic director at Janus, heard about the show last year from a friend. While planning for Elgin 400, the decision was made to ask Wonder to perform his play.
"Part of the excitement to me was that it was so different," Hargadon said. "Rather than doing a traditional production in Elizabethan garb, we've been doing something a little different."
Typically one-person shows about Shakespeare tend to be more biographical, or explore the time period, he said. What Hargadon likes about "William Shakespeare Lives" is the idea of Shakespeare being alive today in Chicago's theater scene, "which could just as easily be Elgin's downtown theater scene."
"Janus Theatre is primarily a fringe company. We've worked in black boxes, theaters, storefronts, lofts, parks" he said. "While we've produced a lot of works, it's not without a struggle, and it's not without challenges, and it's always with very little money."
Wonder said that while the show explores the experience of what is next after something goes wrong; the tone is kept light with humor. It also has adult language, making it about a PG-13 rating, he said.
"Most of the humor in the play is fairly self-deprecating, and it's pretty blue most of the time too. I'm just up there, drinking PBR, sort of venting to anyone who will listen to me," Wonder said.
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Being asked to bring the play to Elgin 400 after performing it at the Chicago Fringe Festival is really exciting, Wonder said. He said he is honored and grateful for the opportunity.
"It's pretty remarkable and doesn't happen very often," he said. "I'm really pleased that Janus reached out and I get to do this again for a whole other group of people who didn't get to see it before."
Hargadon said after the company's production of "Hamlet" earlier this year, Janus decided to lighten things up for Elgin 400's summer events. In addition to hosting "William Shakespeare Lives" in July, Janus will present Walkabout Theater and workshops in August.
So often, he said, people think of Shakespeare and remember it from school as boring.
"But we're trying to present it in a way where it's not that way at all. When it's done right and done well, it's not boring at all," Hargadon said. "It's actually quite engaging and exciting to watch and be a part of."
Kathy Cichon is a freelance writer.
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"William Shakespeare Lives"
When: July 15-17
Where: Elgin Art Showcase, 164 Division St., Elgin
Tickets: $10
Information: janusplays.com/
Buckeye Community Hope Foundation plans to build Fox River Run, an afforable housing apartment building for seniors, at the northwest corner of Route 31 and Lawrence Avenue in Elgin. (Hooker DeJong / handout)
More affordable senior housing could be in store for Elgin's near west side.
The City Council Wednesday night is set to vote on a zoning request for conditional use for Fox River Run, a new apartment complex for those 55-and-older being planned for the northwest corner of Route 31 and Lawrence Avenue.
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Kane County Circuit Clerk Thomas Hartwell is selling the site to Buckeye Community Hope Foundation for the project. The Ohio-based foundation's website states it is a "not-for-profit corporation that creates and supports new opportunities for those who need them most: seniors, struggling families, underserved students and misdirected youth."
Hartwell could not be reached for comment Tuesday, nor could the vice president of the foundation's housing division, David Petrino, who city staff said has been involved with the project.
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According to supporting material for Wednesday's City Council meeting, the 94,583 square-foot, 4-story residential apartment building would have indoor parking on the first floor and 60 residential units on the second through fourth floors. The indoor parking would have 60 spots, and there also would be outdoor parking for 12 vehicles.
An Ohio-based nonprofit would like to build an apartment building for seniors at the northwest corner of Route 31 and Lawrence Avenue in Elgin. (Mike Danahey / The Courier-News)
The building would be located at the southeast corner of the lot. The plans also call for a gazebo and landscaping to screen the building from nearby commercial and industrial properties and the railroad track that crosses hilly Lawrence Avenue close to Crystal Street.
Council member Terry Gavin noted that the city owns the vacant grassy lot south across Lawrence from the proposed apartment building. On the east side of Route 31 is Foundry Park and other open, grassy land owned by Elgin.
"What's before us Wednesday is a question of conditional use zoning," Gavin said. "All conditions appear to have been met."
The proposal made it through the city's planning and zoning commission by a 6-0 vote last month.
Mayor Dave Kaptain said that past the zoning, he had concerns about the proposed entrance to the property along Lawrence, where traffic already can be tight, and how people may be able to get in and out of the lot.
"I'm willing to listen to what they have to say," Kaptain said.
Kaptain also had concerns, that while the building is close to downtown and has three bus stops not too far away that the location wasn't necessarily pedestrian-friendly and could become an isolated spot for seniors, given the extremes of weather.
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An Ohio nonprofit would like to use this lot at the northwest corner of Route 31 and Lawrence Avenue in Elgin for a senior housing apartment building. (Mike Danahey / The Courier-News)
Kaptain also wondered why the plans are calling for two recreation rooms and a library when the Gail Borden Public Library and The Centre of Elgin are just across the Fox River from where the apartment building would be. A better feature might be a convenience store of some kind, Kaptain said, like the one that can be found in the recently renovated Elgin Housing Authority complex for seniors less than a mile south along Route 31 from this one. That complex includes a six-story building named after the late City Council member Robert Gilliam and the 11-story Central Park Tower residence.
Kaptain said he also would be seeking clarification from the developer on the income qualifications for the building's residents.
"I want to make sure the quality of life will be good for seniors," Kaptain said.
Council member Tish Powell said she recognized the need for affordable housing, particularly for the aging population. She was confident city staff was working through any issues posed by the location along busy Route 31 and the relative steepness of Lawrence.
Powell has lived in Elgin since 1999 and said, "The only things I've ever noticed on that lot has been political signs. It's nice to see it being developed after all these years. It would be a challenge for whatever you put there."
"The most telling characteristic of the property is that is has been vacant as long as it has been," Community Development Director Marc Mylott said.
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Mylott said that according to city records the lot once held the Hilltop Pub which was destroyed by a fire and was torn down in 1993.
Mylott said the foundation intends to finance the project through the Illinois Housing Development Authority. No timetable has been given for the project, he noted.
In April, the foundation filed a federal lawsuit, alleging south suburban Tinley Park village officials illegally interfered with a project proposed for that town. A revised complaint by Buckeye was filed about three weeks ago.
Last week, attorneys for Tinley Park argued that the federal court isn't the proper venue for some of the allegations made in the complaint, including that denial of Buckeye's application to build The Reserve violates provisions of the Illinois Civil Rights Act and the state's Human Rights Act.
The 47-unit Tinley Park project has been on hold since early February, when the village's Plan Commission tabled a vote that could have given the green light to the apartment building. The project was referred back to the village's Planning Department for further review, but it remains unclear at this point where that process stands.
With Daily Southtown reports.
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MDanahey@tribpub.com
Fire department tradition, religion and technology crossed paths Monday in Elmhurst as firefighters and city officials joined a local priest to commission the Elmhurst Fire Department's newest piece of equipment.
The new $969,000 ladder truck, designated Tower 2, was sprinkled with blessed water by the Rev. Father Andrew Georganas of the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Demetrios in Elmhurst, then hosed down and given a ceremonial scrubbing in what interim Fire Chief Bill Anaszewicz calls a "wet down" ceremony.
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Firefighters then assembled around the front of the new truck to push it (with some help from engine power) into its bay at Fire Station 2.
Both the wet down and the push back are vestiges of long-ago days of fire equipment pulled by horses and kept in simple barns, according to Anaszewicz.
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Elmhurst firefighters give new Tower 2 truck a ceremonial push into Fire Station 2. (Graydon Megan / Pioneer Press)
A traditional welcome for a technologically advanced piece of firefighting equipment, a truck capable of extending the basket at the end of its ladder structure 95 feet, equipment well suited to both firefighting and rescue, given the growing number of tall buildings in town.
Anaszewicz was part of the apparatus committee whose members worked with Florida-based manufacturer E-One on the new truck, which took nine months to build. Others on the committee included Lt. Mark Millett, firefighter Bill Oeffling, city fleet manager Chanel Caron, assistant fleet manager Butch Wanderer and Jim Hassler of city fleet maintenance.
Several retired veterans of the department attended Monday's ceremony, including John Dramm, who was a volunteer with the department after leaving the Army at the end of World War II. Dramm, whose family owned greenhouses in the area where Station 2 is now, said with a smile that he sometimes got to drive the fire truck, because he "lived closest to the fire station."
The truck Dramm drove, parked right behind the new Tower 2, is a little older a 1921 Seagrave pumper that was in service into the 1950s, with Dramm occasionally driving.
The old truck was purchased from a collector in 2003 by the Elmhurst Firefighters Local 3541 and with the help of donations has been restored.
The new Tower 2 truck joined the department not long after a new firefighter Patrick Evoy was sworn in on June 28.
The new firefighter, who replaces a recent retiree, brings the department's staffing to 11 per shift, but that still leaves the department three short of full staffing, according to Local 3541 president Dan Drzewiecki.
Firefighters have been raising the issue with city officials for some time, including during public comment sections of recent City Council meetings.
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After a resident who is a firefighter in another town talked about short staffing in April, City Manager James Grabowski said the department was covering the three vacancies with overtime.
Drzewiecki agreed Monday that the department has enough people to staff each of the three shifts with 11 people but needs three more in total to cover sick days, vacation days and other time off.
Grabowski has said the state budget crisis has led to uncertainty over millions of dollars in city revenue. That, coupled with the current firefighter contract which prohibits layoffs, is behind a city decision to hold off on hiring.
But Anaszewicz admitted that with summer vacations and other requests for time off, the mandatory overtime is getting old. "The guys are getting frustrated," he said Monday. Anaszewicz said he is working toward a better solution to the staffing issue. That effort, he said, should move forward faster once a permanent full time chief is selected, which should happen soon.
Graydon Megan is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
School District 2 trustees approved a settlement agreement Tuesday in a lawsuit filed by the family of a Broadwater second-grader who suffered a head injury when she fell into a window well during recess in 2007.
The suit was filed in 2010 by Amanda Wilson on behalf of her daughter after the girl sustained the head injury on Dec. 19, 2007.
The injury left Wilson's daughter with a skull fracture that "adversely affected her mental, cognitive, emotional and other physical development and ability," according to the lawsuit.
The 7-year-old had been playing outside at recess when she fell either over or through a railing and dropped several feet into a window well, the complaint stated. The window well had solid concrete at the bottom.
Wilson also alleged she was not notified soon enough by Broadwater school regarding the extent of her daughter's injuries. According to court documents, the girl was found unconscious at the bottom of the window well and school employees did not call for an ambulance.
Wilson said she had arranged for a friend to pick her daughter up from school that day and that the friend said Wilson's daughter began vomiting blood on the way to her car. Wilson took her daughter to Billings Clinic where a CT scan showed the 7-year-old had a skull fracture.
The school district denies it failed to promptly notify Wilson, according to court documents.
School District 2's insurance company has negotiated an undisclosed settlement with Wilson. The settlement will be paid entirely by the district's insurance company, Pacific Life insurance.
The Billings Public Schools Board of Trustees unanimously approved the settlement during a public meeting Tuesday.
The settlement must be approved by Yellowstone County District Court Judge Michael Moses. That hearing is scheduled for July 19.
A Norridge resident and former Elmwood Park police sergeant has been found not guilty on charges of financial exploitation of a senior and official misconduct.
Cook County Judge Joseph Michael Claps on June 29 acquitted the former sergeant, John A. Wasilenko, 41, of charges he stole thousands of dollars from an elderly man he had befriended four years ago.
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The Elmwood Park Police Department put Wasilenko on administrative leave following his arrest, and he later resigned, according to his attorney, Ralph Meczyk.
"We're very happy he was exonerated of the charges," Meczyk said the week after the verdict. "He was an innocent man facing some very serious charges."
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Elmwood Park Police Chief Frank Fagiano declined to comment on the outcome of the case, and the Cook County State's Attorney's Office also had no comment. Wasilenko's attorney said he didn't know where Wasilenko had found employment since he left the Elmwood Park Police Department.
A request submitted to the Cook County Circuit Clerk's Office for the judge's order explaining the reasoning for not-guilty verdict was still being processed this week, according to Monalinda Saldivar, chief deputy clerk for the circuit clerk's public information office. That document was missing from the criminal division's records system following the verdict at the courthouse in Chicago.
Wasilenko was arrested in January 2014 and charged by the Cook County State's Attorney's office following an investigation that began in December of 2012, after prosecutors alleged he wrote himself and cashed a $20,000 check from the bank account of an elderly person he had befriended. Prosecutors alleged Wasilenko met the victim, a then-84-year-old dementia patient, when he was a police officer and responded to a complaint about a burglary at the man's home. The victim told police a large amount of cash had been stolen from his apartment, according to earlier reporting from the Tribune.
Between Dec. 4 and 5, prosecutors said Wasilenko cashed a check from the man's account into his personal bank account at a TCF branch location, according to the state's attorney. Wasilenko later told investigators that he had befriended the victim and helped him out by driving him to appointments and said the $20,000 was a "thank-you" gift for all the things he had done for him, according to Tribune reporting.
Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
A sweet reward awaited those who were donating blood over the weekend in Elmwood Park. When Elmwood Park resident Christina Carbonaro heard that by participating in a blood drive, she would receive a free pint of Baskin-Robbins ice cream, the idea caught her eye.
"I'm a huge ice cream lover," she said. "I just thought it was a great opportunity to give back to the community and to others who might be needing it."
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The Elmwood Park Fire Department held its annual drive at the firehouse on July 9. Heartland Blood Center cosponsored the event, bringing staff and a mobile bus to collect all donated blood.
Carbonaro originally heard about the blood drive through a posting on the fire department's Facebook page. Giving blood might make others squeamish, but Carbonaro said the experience wasn't bad for her.
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"It's just so simple to help other people just by donating your blood," Carbonaro said. "Especially in recent events and tragic happenings within our country, blood is always low."
According to fire inspector Michael Terzo, 17 people donated blood throughout the day, resulting in about 17 pints of blood. Heartland Blood Center, which has sponsored blood drives at the firehouse for the past couple of years, contacted Terzo about scheduling this year's annual event.
"We like to get involved whenever we're asked," Terzo said. "The blood donations that are going out are more than what's coming in."
Elmwood Park firefighter Rocco Fanella, who has been with the department since 1995, decided to donate blood as well, due to the recent national emergencies.
"It seems like something that needs to be done," he said. "They really need a lot of blood."
Fanella thought donating blood wasn't very daunting and said Heartland Blood Centers made the atmosphere comfortable for donors.
"It's a selfless thing," Terzo added. "You're helping someone you don't even know, and it's effortless to do that."
Maryann Pisano is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
One of the catches of the day went to (left) Zachary Dorian, 9, of Evanston and a Willard Elementary School fourth-grader for this catfish caught at the Youth Fishing Derby in Evanston on Saturday at Loveland Pond in Lovelace Park. (Karie Angell Luc / Pioneer Press)
An estimated 70 fishing poles were available for free use on Saturday at the city of Evanston's first Youth Fishing Derby on Lovelace Pond at Lovelace Park.
"Fishing is a wonderful family activity," said Matt Poole, program coordinator with the city. "This is a great pond."
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The derby was planned in conjunction with the city's weekly free access to fishing program offered by the Evanston Ecology Center.
The three-hour derby included bait, such as hand-trimmed large worms, and prizes like bobbers. The catch and release free program drew many families.
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Summer youth employment program employees were on hand to measure fish and to assist.
"It's good for the kids," said Armin Abajian, of Chicago, a staff member who helped remove hooks from fish. "They (kids) learn to concentrate and they have a good time."
Poole said Lovelace Pond was stocked with catfish, bluegill, sunfish and even overgrown goldfish.
The large goldfish can weightily bend poles when reeling in.
Charlotte Leahy, 2, of Wilmette is curious about a fish she helped to catch at the Youth Fishing Derby in Evanston on Saturday, 2016 at Loveland Pond in Lovelace Park. (Karie Angell Luc / Pioneer Press)
"Fishing is one of my favorite things to do!" said Sebastian Urbanowski, 6, of Evanston.
"Their first time fishing was four weeks ago," said Sebastian's father Luke Urbanowski of Evanston, who also brought to the derby Sebastian's brother Wesley, 8, a Sacred Heart fourth-grader.
"They had a blast," he added. "When they caught their first fish, they just went crazy!"
Patrons came from neighboring Wilmette and as far away as Vermont.
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"It brings the family together," said Kevin Dorian of Evanston who mentored to his sons Zachary and Oliver Dorian, both 9.
"This (fishing derby) is just another example why Evanston is a wonderful place to raise your family," Poole said.
Learn more about the free access to fishing by the Evanston Ecology Center on the city's website.
Karie Angell Luc is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
A city-owned parking lot behind the main Evanston Public Library at 1714-20 Chicago Ave., is receiving plenty of interest from developers these days, prompting officials to further study the market. (Bob Seidenberg / Handout)
The city has received strong interest from developers about a downtown property, officials say, causing aldermen to suspend their rules and authorize city staff to consider proposals.
Aldermen approved an ordinance Monday authorizing City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz to negotiate the sale of the city-owned parking lot at 1714-20 Chicago Ave. Officials were quick to stress that sale of the property is not imminent, but that approval of the ordinance was necessary to give the City Manager to explore the proposals and bring back findings to the council and community.
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"We may get terrible proposals, we may get awesome proposals, we may get amazing proposals, we just don't know," said Ald. Don Wilson, 4th. "So in my mind I felt the suspension of the rules was requested so that way we can get these proposals as quick as possible and out in the community as quick as possible."
In previous years, the 32,000-square foot site, known as the "Library Parking Lot," has generated interest from developers for possible use for mixed use office/residential, performing arts, housing and hotels, officials said.
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Over the past months, though, "interest in office development for the site has increased as Evanston's office vacancy rate declines and the demand for Class A office space increasing," said Martin Lyons, assistant city manager, and Paul Zalmezak, the city's acting economic development division manager, in a memo. "The placement of an office use, or other acceptable use would support the growing downtown retail and restaurant base, and would increase the City's total tax base, which would help control tax increases for all Evanston taxpayers."
At Monday night's meeting, representatives of the Woman's Club of Evanston, and Frances Willard Historical Association, both groups with buildings in close proximity to the lot, expressed concern about the speed with which the issue was moving and lack of any public participation..
Chava Wu, president of the Woman's Club of Evanston, called for the city to conduct an environmental impact study, taking into account traffic congestion, parking needs, and effect on the group's headquarter building at 1702 Chicago Ave., from a large scale development project.
"When considering possible development you must consider the impact on our physical buildings," she told aldermen.
She said the organization's ability to serve and give back to the community may also be affected.
The Woman's Club opens the doors of its headquarters to groups for numerous community and private events. In the past the club has raised over a half million dollars which is reinvested in the community to various non-profit organizations, she said.
"Construction and development will negatively impact the events we can host and the club's ability to support the community," she said.
Louise Knight, chair of the board of Frances Willard Historical Association, which preserves the Frances Willard House Museum at 1730 Chicago Ave., questioned the city suspending the rules "without debate or in depth consideration."
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"It seems to me this is a very prime piece of real estate," Knight said. "I fully can understand why the city wants to develop it to generate more income than it is now. But to me since it is right downtown and possibly the last piece of available property downtown that it requires a lot of public input."
But some aldermen, in voting to move forward, insisted that the suspension of the rules was to get out notice to the community about people showing interest in buying the property.
"In order to get those proposals or deals in front of us, the city manager has to talk to them," Wilson said. "And we think it is appropriate in this context because it is the sale of real estate that he gets approval to have those conversations."
Ald. Judy Fiske, 1st, who in the past has spoken about the need for more office space in the area, cautioned that "this is just the beginning of the process, and the process is very intensive, very extensive. We listen to everyone," she said. "We really don't know what we're going to get other than we're responding to a request for discussion."
"The city has received accelerated interests among parties that we feel would excellent partners for us," Bobkiewicz said. "With the ordinance passing, staff can now seek details about the proposals and eventually bring the information back to the council and community," he said, as well as allowing the city "to put the proverbial 'For Sale' sign out in the yard."
bseidenberg@pioneerlocal.com
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A historic Victorian mansion in Evanston will be home to up to eight students enrolled at Chicago area colleges and universities who need extra support to stay in school due to an issue with their mental health, substance abuse or longterm developmental difficulty. (Yellowbrick / Handout)
A Victorian mansion in Evanston will serve as a sober and supervised home base for up to eight young adults enrolled in college or universities in the Chicago area.
Yellowbrick, a mental health facility that works exclusively with young adults, is slated to open the home, located two blocks from Northwestern University's campus, during Labor Day weekend in time for the upcoming school year. Jesse Viner, CEO and chief medical officer at Yellowbrick, said a key reason young adults who enroll in college fail to matriculate is due to a mental health issue. The agency's new facility, dubbed Campus Competence, is designed to meet the needs of students who may have dropped out of school because of a severe depressive episode, substance abuse issue or eating disorder and for young adults who may suffer from more long-term developmental difficulties like autism, Viner said.
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The home, which is an 1899 landmark building, is open to students between the ages of 18 and 30 who are currently enrolled at any local college or university.
"We are anticipating many of these young people will have good access to local transit options so it would not be a surprise to us if people from Lake Forest College to Roosevelt University and Columbia College had a need for this kind of supported living environment. We are also open to people for whom college is an online experience," Viner said.
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Students living in the home will receive weekday assistance and counseling from a registered occupational therapist, career and academic counseling, participate in group sessions focusing on interpersonal skills, distress tolerance, mindfulness and meditation, community dinners and regular drug testing with adult staff on site 24 hours a day.
Viner said colleges and universities are generally not equipped to provide support for students who need more than a weekly meeting at a campus counselor's office. He said unfortunately those who do need more structured support often end up leaving school as a result.
The new facility will offer "a safe place for them to live and continue on with their education, hopefully, that is the goal," said Jill Sisler, director of Campus Competence.
Viner envisions the home as a supportive environment for students with attention deficit disorder or those on the autism spectrum, as two examples.
"If you put those young people in a dorm situation they are very overstimulated and overwhelmed," he said. "It makes it hard for them to be comfortable, they get very anxious, they can't sleep, they can't pay attention to their studies."
Another example of a student who might benefit from the home is someone who has suffered a traumatic event, like a rape or sexual assault on campus.
"(A student) comes out of that event very anxious, very self conscious, she's angry at her friends, furious the person who abused her is not necessarily being held accountable. She is triggered by being in the circumstance where the abuse occurred. She will end up leaving college rather than being able to have an alternative option," he said. Viner said Campus Competence could provide a space for someone to recuperate from a myriad of mental health circumstances, including a suicide attempt or someone returning to college life following drug abuse rehabilitation.
Sisler said students interested in living at the facility will undergo a thorough assessment process that takes into account cognitive evaluations and family history. She said Yellowbrick's leadership team will discuss and determine whether or not the home is an appropriate place for the student.
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The home itself is located in a quiet residential area, is equipped with a fenced in patio area -- where Sisler envisions residents will congregate in warmer months -- and plans for an art studio in the building are also in the works.
"The location is wonderful. It's walking distance to grocery stores and a half a block away from the L," she said of the home.
Viner said the new facility is not only unique to Chicago, but also to the rest of the country.
"There are sober supports in various college environments, and while we anticipate over half the young people that live here may have struggles with substances and alcohol, it's really about having the mental health expertise combined with the sober environment that makes this different," he said.
Whether they're dealing with substance abuse or another mental health issue, Viner said Campus Competence aims to prevent students from leaving their studies behind.
Lee V. Gaines is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
The village of Glencoe is dealing with a rash of car thefts, according to a statement issued by Public Safety Department Director Cary Lewandowski.
Glencoe has had two auto theft cases and two auto burglaries in recent weeks, according to the July 1 statement. The vehicles that were stolen along with others from other municipalities, which were not named in the statement were located on Chicago's South Side, leading to "several" arrests and other suspects identified, it said.
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In the meantime, the Public Safety Department is requesting that residents take precautions such as locking cars, not leaving valuables in plain sight and closing and locking all garage doors, particularly overnight.
"This crime pattern is recurring, and the perpetrators continue to target our area because it contains attractive and accessible vehicles," Lewandowski wrote.
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Lewandowski said residents should call 9-1-1 if they see or hear anything suspicious.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press
The Monday Gazette photo with pictures of the seven victims of last week's shootings puts the gun violence into perspective. Five Dallas police officers were murdered by a single gunman who wanted to kill law officers, especially white cops. He killed officers of color, too. Two young black men were killed by police officers in separate incidents in St. Paul, Minn., and in Baton Rouge, La. All were innocent victims whose lives mattered tremendously to their families, friends and communities.
When Not In Our Town organized a gathering for community and unity Sunday at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Billings, snapshots of the victims were placed before a row of candles. All were remembered with respect.
The week of high-profile shootings combines two hot-button issues that divide our great nation: Racial discrimination and gun policy. No other developed country on earth has the proliferation of firearms found in the United States. No other developed country provides such easy access to the firearms that are available for sale in the United States. U.S. law enforcement officers know there are lots of guns on the street, and they are trained to be alert for and defend themselves against attacks.
Yet its undeniable that the tragically high incidence of police shooting young black men cant be explained by factors other than race.
Its a problem that the Dallas police chief had confronted head on. Three years ago, after three deaths of black men shot by Dallas officers, the chief substantially raised training requirements and the frequency with which officers must test to carry firearms on duty. The Dallas Police Department became a model of community policing, which emphasizes working with citizens to keep their neighborhoods safe. In short, Dallas PD has been doing all the right things to prevent the type of shootings that occurred last week in Baton Rouge and St. Paul, yet one man with military training, a high-power rifle and an arsenal at home steered the national conversation from police mistakes to speculation that the nation is tearing itself apart.
Americans must unite
Not if the determination expressed at the Billings gathering prevails. Americans must talk. Voters must speak to their members of Congress, to their state and local leaders. Discrimination must not be tolerated. Law enforcement officers must be respected, and they must be held accountable. Policy makers must take action to reduce the availability of guns to people who should not have them. That would include people on terror watch lists; people who have been committed to mental institutions because they are a danger to self or others; and people convicted of violent crimes.
Congress has failed to pass on even one measure aimed at reducing gun violence.
There is something that Congress can do to move the national conversation forward in a positive way without gun control legislation: Authorize the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to use its funding for research on gun violence. Research wont take anyones gun away, but it will help all of us know better what we are talking about and provide scientific facts for making policies that will save lives.
Resume CDC research
For example, research can help determine how to more effectively prevent suicides by firearms. Montana has the nations highest rate of suicide and most of those deaths involved guns.
The terrible stories of toddlers and preschoolers grabbing a parents gun from a purse, in the home, in a tent and discharging it with fatal results raises the question: How can children be better protected? How should a gun be designed so a small child cant fire it?
Its been 20 years since former U.S. Rep. Jay Dickey, R-Ark., authored the amendment that has effectively restricted gun violence research. Late last year Dickey publicly called for repealing that amendment, saying: It is my position that somehow or some way we should slowly but methodically fund (gun) research until a solution is reached. Doing nothing is no longer an acceptable solution.
Many Gazette readers will recall that Not In Our Town grew out of the Billings community response 25 years ago to racist attacks that targeted Jewish, Native American and black folks. The unified community prevailed over the haters then.
Once again, people of strength and good will must speak up against violence and hate. Regardless of what group is the target, an attack against some is an attack against the peace and dignity of all.
The Queen of Mean is actually kind and sensitive.
There, I've said it. I'll tell you how I know later. First, I want to assure Lisa Lampanelli's legion of fans that the celebrated stand-up comedian will be tossing insults in her usual witty way on July 22 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie. Rest assured her targets will include people of every age, race, color and sexual orientation.
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Lampanelli explained how that mean scene began. "About nine months into doing standup, I really got into doing crowd work," she said. "I loved messing with the crowd. Nobody was getting offended; everybody was having a good time, so I went with it."
She was also inspired by having watched the Dean Martin roasts when she was a child. "I thought that was what stand-up was," she said. "I thought you were with a group of friends, hanging out, having a good time and making fun of each other."
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That training has come into play during Lampanelli's frequent appearances on Comedy Central and Friars Club roasts. Her targets have included Jeff Foxworthy, Pamela Anderson, David Hasselhoff, Betty White, Flavor Flav, Donald Trump and others.
Shy audience members need not fear being singled out. Lampanelli has a way of knowing who will make a willing target. "They have to show an openness to it," she noted. "It's body language. It's their laughing along. If they're really present. You sense that they can take a joke; that they're not really inhibited. You put a little something out there. If they laugh along, you keep going."
If Lampanelli picks someone who looks embarrassed, she will move on to someone else. "We don't get paid to make people miserable, we get paid to make them laugh," she said.
In addition to touring across the country, Lampanelli has had two acclaimed one-hour HBO comedy specials, "Long Live the Queen" and "Dirty Girl." She is also the author of an autobiography, "Chocolate, Please: My Adventures in Food, Fat and Freaks."
Lampanelli's latest project is her play, "Stuffed," in which she discusses weight, body image and food issues from the perspective of four different women.
I heard a portion of the piece when Lampanelli presented it at the Dramatists Guild Conference in California last year. That was my first indication of Lampanelli's tender, loving heart. (Other indications include learning that she took a friend's 10-year-old daughter out to lunch because the friend had a biking accident, and discovering that she hosts a weekly game night at her home so her mother can get out of her own house.)
Initially, Lampanelli planned to focus on her own experiences in "Stuffed." At that Dramatists Guild Conference, though, composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz encouraged her to use three other actresses and herself, because he felt that would make the piece "more universal," she said.
"I interviewed a bunch of women and wrote three other characters," Lampanelli said.
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Finding subjects was no problem. "I'm in my house now. I could throw a rock and find 15 people with eating disorders," she said. "I also met with a bunch of women I know who are comics and actors and talked about it. Now it's a full-blown play that's going to open in New York in the fall."
Lisa Lampanelli
When: 8 p.m. Saturday, July 22
Where: North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie
Tickets: $48-$68
Information: (847) 673-6300; northshorecenter.org
Village officials came to the District 34 Board of Education with a proposal to build an underground water detention structure in place of the above-ground structure, or water basin, covered in grass as shown in the foreground of this photo. (Alexandra Kukulka / Pioneer Press)
The District 34 Board of Education agreed to allow village officials to create a design for an underground water detention structure on Lyon Elementary School property at its July 7 meeting.
The village wants to build the structure to help prevent flooding to homes in that water drainage area, especially in the Bonnie Glen neighborhood, which was built in the 1950s without any consideration for storm water retention, said Joe Kenney, the village's director of community development.
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Village officials came to the Board on June 20 with a proposal to build a concrete structure under the existing above-ground water detention structure, which looks like a pit, located on the south side of the school property, Kenney said. The proposed underground structure would help prevent flooding for the neighborhood as well as the school, Kenney said.
After considering other options, like building a water detention structure on The Old Village Hall site, village officials said they believe building the new structure on Lyon property is the most feasible option because of the ground depth and because a single structure in that location would address flooding concerns, instead of forcing them to build multiple water detention structures in several locations.
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Board member Chris Northwick said that while it will benefit the community for the district and the village to work together on this project, she is concerned about the district not being able build on that lot in the future if the water detention structure is installed. But, she said she will support the project if it allows flexibility.
Kenney said the village is willing to move the proposed site of the detention structure to allow for future expansion.
The project needs to have minimal impact on students and should give the district flexibility to expand the building in the future, said Board vice president Jackie Lutz, who said she would support a plan that most benefits the community.
The Board discussed the project at the July 7 meeting but did not vote on it; the matter is expected to come up for a future vote.
The project would cost roughly $1.5 million, which the village will pay for, Kenney said. The village considered building a water detention structure on The Old Village Hall site, which is in the same drainage boundary as Lyon school, but that would have cost the village more money to install pumps to help with drainage, because the pipes in that area are not set deep in the ground, Kenney said.
The district's architect listed concerns about utilizing the space around the structure to build playgrounds and play fields, said District 34 spokeswoman Faith Behr. But, building the underground water detention structure would level off the land and give the school a half-acre of usable flat land, Kenney said.
The storm water runoff it would store would reduce flooding by 2 feet on Raleigh Road and would help prevent flooding to 340 homes in the area, most of which are in the Bonnie Glen neighborhood behind Lyon, according to Kenney and a June 9 memo to the board from Village Manager Todd Hileman.
From 2007 to 2013, Bonnie Glen flooded multiple times after heavy rains, causing water to back up on the streets, Kenney said.
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Vivian Robertson has lived in Bonnie Glen, directly behind Lyon, since the mid 1990s, she said. A puddle forms in the backyard after most rain storms because water from the Lyons property flows onto their property, she said.
The project would mean fewer neighborhood homes would have to build a trench around their property to avoid flooding, as she and her husband did when they first moved in, Robertson said.
"[The underground water detention structure] would probably help a lot. I see a lot of water on driveways and in backyards for homes lower than the school," Robertson said.
Andrea Beggs, a Bonnie Glen resident who lives about two blocks from Lyon, has lived in her home for 19 years and said the neighborhood floods often after a big storm. When the flooding is bad, water comes up halfway up her driveway, she said.
"Anything [village officials] can do to help would be great. It really is quite a problem for a couple of people on this block," Beggs said.
Blase Viti also lives in Bonnie Glen, and while his property doesn't flood often, he said the houses and backyards across the street flood after a big storm.
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About two years ago, the village installed new sewers throughout the neighborhood, which has helped with flooding, but it's good that the village is doing more to address the issue, he said.
"I think it's great they are on top of it," Viti said. "You have to handle problems and can't let them linger."
The next step for the project is for the village and the board to agree on a design of the structure and where to put it on the property, Interim Superintendent Griff Powell said. Then, the village board of trustees has to approve the plan so the project can be completed in summer 2017, Kenney said.
akukulka@tribpub.com
Attorney Kathleen Zellner, left, and Paul Calusinski, talk before a status hearing for Melissa Calusinski at the Lake County courthouse April 26 in Waukegan. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune) (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Melissa Calusinski will be transferred from prison back to the Lake County Jail next month for a hearing on a potential new murder trial in the 2009 death of a child at a Lincolnshire day care center.
On Tuesday, Lake County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Shanes scheduled evidentiary hearings for Aug. 18, Aug. 19 and Sept. 16. The September date was set for a witness with a medical condition who will be unable to attend the August hearings.
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The hearings are expected to focus on what Calusinski's lawyers assert is new medical evidence that should result in a new trial. Shanes has the option to rule on the request for a new trial after Sept. 16 attorney arguments or set a separate date for the ruling.
"I'm excited as all hell," Calusinski's father, Paul Calusinski, said.
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He added he is excited that his daughter will be back in Lake County and is optimistic a new trial will be granted. Melissa Calusinski, 29, has been held at the Logan Correctional Center in downstate Lincoln since March 1, 2012, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections.
In November 2011, a jury convicted Melissa Calusinski a Barrington High School graduate and former day care worker of murder in the death of 16-month-old Benjamin Kingan. The toddler died after an ambulance rushed him from the Minee Subee day care facility in Lincolnshire to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville Jan. 14, 2009, officials said.
In an interview with police after Benjamin's death, Melissa Calusinski initially denied that she hurt the boy, but later confessed to throwing him on the floor and demonstrated what happened, officials said. The day care center had no surveillance cameras, and Melissa Calusinski was the only employee in the room when Benjamin lost consciousness, according to authorities.
In August 2013, Eupil Choi, the pathologist who performed the autopsy, said in a sworn affidavit the boy "had suffered an old injury that predated January 14, 2009." Choi said he had "missed" the injury, according to the affidavit.
Lake County State's Attorney Michael Nerheim has said Choi told him the finding has not changed his conclusion that the toddler died of a traumatic injury the day of his death. On Tuesday, Nerheim reaffirmed Choi said his opinion still is that the child died of a "catastrophic injury that day."
The defense also has highlighted a sworn statement from Dr. Nancy Jones, a forensic pathologist and the former chief medical examiner for Cook County, who said she reviewed the case and concluded the evidence indicated the boy died of pre-existing injuries and Melissa Calusinski's confession doesn't fit with her medical findings.
On June 10, 2015, a set of X-rays that allegedly were never turned over to defense attorneys before or during the trial were discovered at the Lake County Coroner's Office. Defense attorneys said they include a skull X-ray that revealed Benjamin's head was not shaped normally and had a preexisting condition or previous injury.
In July of 2015, Lake County Coroner Thomas Rudd, citing the new medical evidence, changed Benjamin's cause of death of from homicide to "undetermined."
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Choi and Jones are both expected to testify at the evidentiary hearings.
Shanes has said "the burden of persuasion" is on the defense and, per the Illinois Supreme Court, any new evidence must be found to "be of such character that it would likely change the outcome of the trial" for the request for a new trial to be successful.
Melissa Calusinski is serving a 31-year prison term.
On Tuesday, Paul Calusinski and local activists Clyde McLemore and Ralph Peterson Jr. announced a march will be at the Lake County Building Thursday to draw attention to the case, Black Lives Matter and past wrongful convictions in Lake County.
jrnewton@tribpub.com
Twitter @jimnewton5
Lake Zurich officials have increased fees for impounding vehicles by 60 percent, raising the total from $250 to $400 a tow. (Pioneer Press / Pioneer Press)
In an effort to offset costs, Lake Zurich officials have increased fees for impounding vehicles by 60 percent, raising the total from $250 to $400 a tow.
Village board members unanimously increased July 5 the fee by $150 to better reflect the costs Lake Zurich police incur in the process of towing a vehicle a recommendation made by Police Chief Steve Husak
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"The fee hadn't been looked at in a while," Husak said. "We were able to justify that the actual costs for those arrests were more in the area of $400 each."
Many Illinois communities charge $500 a vehicle, the maximum amount allowed under state law, he said.
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The village's strategic plan also calls for aligning fees with real costs, Husak said. The average fee is more than $400 a tow in Lake Zurich, but village officials decided to stick to a round number that does not seem too high, he said.
"It's a discernible number," he said. "It's a reasonable charge. We don't want to overdo it, but we can justify it and have the data to back it up."
The new total accurately reflects the cost of personnel and the towing process, he said. A wide range of costs, including salaries and hourly fees for court time, have increased since Lake Zurich instituted the fee in 2012, Husak said.
Those costs include personnel time on arrests, record keeping, forwarding audio and video, court appearances and attorneys.
The previous fee of $250 a tow did not cover all of the village's expenses, said Village President Tom Poynton.
"It was determined that the costs of administering these types of issues is higher than what we have been charging," Poynton said. "We are not out to gouge anyone but to charge a fair price for the service requested and performed."
Lake Zurich tows about 180 to 200 vehicles each year for a wide range of offenses for which impoundment is permitted by Illinois law, Husak said.
Among those offenses are driving with a suspended license, driving without a valid license, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, unlawful possession of marijuana or other controlled substances, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, drag racing, leaving the scene of an accident, and any felony involving the use of a vehicle, Husak said.
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The impoundment process includes providing notice of the fee and bond to schedule a hearing for release of a vehicle, opportunity for a hearing to determine if the vehicle was subject to tow, and the option to forfeit bond without a hearing, he said.
"Any decision made by a hearing officer is subject to administrative review in the circuit court," Husak said. "All of these steps are required to preserve the due process rights of those subject to this fee."
Phil Rockrohr is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Construction could begin as early as this fall on a Culvers restaurant on the northeast corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Half Day Road in Lincolnshire. (Village of Lincolnshire / Handout)
Construction could begin as early as this fall on a Culver's restaurant at Lincolnshire's busiest intersection, according to Village Manager Brad Burke.
Lincolnshire Marketplace LLC wants to build a 4,310-square-foot Culver's on village-owned property next to the Fresh Market grocery on the northeast corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Half Day Road.
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The restaurant would include a drive-through and outdoor patio with parking for 55 vehicles, according to a June 27 report to the board from Tonya Zozulya, economic development coordinator for the village. Village board members warmed to the idea when initially evaluating the developer's concept plan during the committee meeting, Burke said.
"It generally was very favorably received," Burke said. "The only action requested was to refer it on to the formal zoning process, and the board sent it on to the formal zoning process."
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After a brief review last month, village board passed along the proposal to the Lincolnshire Appearance Review Commission, which will decide whether to send the proposal back to the village board for a public hearing on the special-use permit for the drive-through, he said.
Trustees were receptive to expanding parking on the village-owned site, a planned unit development, and slightly decreasing the size of remaining space available for future development, Burke said.
"In order to accommodate parking, there might be a smaller building footprint for two possible future buildings that could be located in this area," he said. "The board does not want a retail site that is underserved in parking. They definitely understood the Culver's petitioner's request to change the parking scheme."
Trustees also supported a proposal to install new signs on the property, a request that must be reviewed by the architectural panel, Burke said. That commission also will review the facade, outside lighting, parking and other parts of the plan, he said.
The new signage would include space for Culver's, the Fresh Market and the entire shopping center, along with improving "directional signage" for passing motorists, Burke said.
"Some of the discussion has always been with the limited access on Half Day Road," he said. "How do we increase visibility and people's understanding of access to the site?"
Lincolnshire officials hope the proposed restaurant will add to the village's 2-mile-long stretch regarded locally as "restaurant row," Burke said.
At least 10 restaurants already operate in Lincolnshire on Milwaukee between Aptakisic Road and Town Center Road.
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"We definitely are seeing the full complement of eateries and dining establishments as Lincolnshire's own restaurant row," Burke said. "People often think of Wheeling further to the south, but we feel Lincolnshire has a number of offerings that are comparable to that location."
Phil Rockrohr is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Joined by House Republican Leader, Jim Durkin (R) 82nd Dist, left, and Sen. Christine Radogno, (R) 41st Dist. Gov. Bruce Rauner congratulates legislators on both side in reaching a deal for a stopgap budget in front of his office on June 30, 2016. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
Several construction projects in Lincolnwood that were in limbo during the state's budget impasse will continue as planned, following state lawmakers' passage of a stopgap budget measure to free up about $2 billion in funds for statewide construction projects.
Two bike paths planned for two areas in Lincolnwood and a streetscape project planned for Devon Avenue had been suspended along with approximately 800 road and bridge projects in Illinois that would have been affected by the construction stoppage.
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Now those projects will continue, following the legislature's June 30 approval of a temporary budget before the new budget year began. The passage of the budget frees up the funds to allow construction across the state to continue.
The measure, which keeps state government operations moving for the next six months, was signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner.
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If Rauner and the state legislature failed to compromise on a stopgap budget, the Illinois Department of Transportation had planned to send home about 25,000 construction workers by July 1, according to a statement from IDOT.
In Lincolnwood, the IDOT stoppage would have stalled the construction of the Valley Line Trail, a mile-long bike and pedestrian path that will connect Lincolnwood's borders with Skokie at Jarvis Avenue and Chicago at Devon Avenue.
The second bike path, the Union Pacific Bicycle Path, is planned to start this fall. Plans for the path show the trail running along the east side of Lincolnwood along the former Union Pacific Railroad Corridor between Devon and Touhy avenues.
Lincolnwood is using $1.6 million in state funding from two Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grants to fund 80 percent of the combined $1.9 million in total construction costs for both paths, according to the village.
A plan to add landscaping and $4.5 million in other aesthetic and traffic improvements along Lincolnwood and Chicago's border along Devon Avenue will also continue, according to the village. The city of Chicago has been working with Lincolnwood officials to revamp the thoroughfare street that divides the city from the village.
Village officials had said the construction phase for the Devon Avenue streetscape project would have been put on hold if the state hadn't released the funds for a Surface Transportation Program grant that was previously approved for the project.
$3.2 million of the cost to reconstruct Devon between Lincoln Avenue and McCormick Boulevard is being covered by the grant, according to the village. Chicago and Lincolnwood had agreed to a 50/50 split for the remaining $1.3 million in costsat $650,000 each, according to Bryan Luke, civil engineer for Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Lincolnwood's engineering firm.
Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Two weeks after the new 30,000 square-foot store opened in the former Lincolnwood Produce building on the 7100 block of Lincoln Avenue, Binnys will host a grand opening party July 15 with a champagne reception, wine tastings from California wineries, and a whiskey tasting, according to Binnys spokesman Greg Versch. (Binny's Beverage Depot / Handout)
Binny's Beverage Depot is the newest player to join Lincolnwood's retail liquor store scene, following in the footsteps of the April opening of Armanetti Wine and Spirits.
Two weeks after the new 30,000 square-foot store opened in the former Lincolnwood Produce building on the 7100 block of Lincoln Avenue, Binny's will host a grand opening party July 15 with a champagne reception, wine tastings from California wineries, and a whiskey tasting, according to Binny's spokesman Greg Versch.
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Lincolnwood native and Binny's founder Harold Binstein was a lifelong resident of the village before he passed away in 1995, according to Versch, who said Binstein's roots in the community lend special significance to the Lincolnwood opening.
"Binny's has deep roots in the neighborhood, and this location is a labor of love," Versch said.
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Binstein's son, Binny's owner Michael Binstein, gained approval from the village last year to renovate the property.
The space where Binny's opened in early July was used by the grocery store, a shuttered bank and the Vineyards of Lincolnwood, a liquor store that Binny's acquired and closed as part of its 20-year lease for the property. The former liquor store space was converted into offices that now house part of Binny's corporate division.
Binny's arrival means that the 44,950-square-foot shopping center at Lincoln and Touhy avenues is now fully leased, with CVS Pharmacy being the only other retailer to share the center with Binny's.
Customers of Lincolnwood Produce, which was open from 2000-2015, will hardly recognize the space, Versch said.
Construction crews rehabbed and remodeled the old store, building out a new storefront, installing exposed vaulted ceilings, and knocking down walls that divided different sections of the grocery store.
"The space is open, huge and beautiful," Versch said. "You have to see it to believe it."
Niles-based Binny's has 32 locations in Illinois, according to the company's website.
As Binny's next door neighbor at 6929 N. Lincoln Ave., Armanetti's manager Marty Scharaga said he's not thrilled about the prospect of competing for business with the corporate-run liquor retailer.
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Danny's Liquor, LLC signed a 10-year lease to operate Armanetti's in the former Lincolnwood Wine & Spirits store last year, according to attorney Dimitrios Christopoulos, who represents Danny's LLC owner Scott Tomczyk.
When Tomczyk took over the lease from Lincolnwood Wine & Spirits, he kept Scharaga, a longtime wine consultant who worked at the store for several years.
"We're slowly getting back some of the old customers," Scharaga said. "I'm sure Binny's can't help us, but we are competitive price wise and with (our) inventory and I love schmoozing and knowing my customers personally."
Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
First-time, non-violent offenders in DuPage County may be able to enlist in the military and have their records expunged under a new diversion program started by State's Attorney Robert Berlin.
"The new program doesn't really have a name to it, it's just a military option for youthful offenders," he said Monday.
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Beginning next week, recruiters from the Army, Marines and Navy will rotate to staff a kiosk near fourth floor courtrooms in Wheaton one day a month in order to pre-screen potential applicants. A representative from the U.S. Navy will be in the courthouse July 18 and from the U.S. Army on Aug. 1.
Defense attorneys have been instructed to advise their clients about the new opportunity.
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"It's just something that helps facilitate the whole process," Berlin said. "If someone truly is interested in going into the military and serving our country and the only thing holding them back is a pending case, this makes it a lot easier for that to happen because there's going to be a representative right there in the courthouse."
A youth committing a minor offense for the first time can petition the state's attorney to have the conviction removed in order to enter military service.
Currently, requirements vary among the different branches of the armed forces regarding enlistment of offenders. Some prohibit them from enlisting and others allow offenders to enlist if their cases are over and any punitive measures are completed.
"For the right offender, this is a great option," said Berlin. "If someone is held accountable, makes full restitution and amends, and then actually goes into the service, it's a win for the community. That's the way the system is supposed to work."
The military option is similar to the existing State's Attorney's Pre-Trial Diversion Program for first-time offenders who commit nonviolent felonies like retail theft, forgery and criminal damage to property. In existence since 2012, and for a fee of $750, wrongdoers must plead guilty in the courtroom and then appear before a citizen's panel. The state's attorney then reviews a recommendation from the panel and could assign a year of conditions, such as completing community service, entering the sheriff's work alternative program or staying in school and maintaining a certain grade point average.
If all the conditions are met, Berlin said: "a year later, we go in front of the judge, the guilty plea can be withdrawn, we dismiss the case and the conviction can be expunged."
Berlin said he has done extensive research on diversion programs in the criminal justice system and considered various sentencing alternatives.
"For certain defendants who are charged with certain crimes, the penitentiary is not the best option," he said. "I think that (the new program) is a great option and a 'win-win' because offenders will have their case disposed of and they can serve our country. It's a win for the country because we're going to get good people going into the service, where they'll get discipline, skills and job training.
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"It's difficult to put numbers on what's going to mean the program is a success," he said. "If we get one per month, I'd call that a success."
Gary Gibula is a freelance reporter.
Snow, ice and high winds shut down the Beartooth Pass on Monday, and officials expect the road to reopen Tuesday.
U.S. Highway 212 is open on the Montana side the state border and completely closed on the Wyoming side. Travelers can drive as far as the state line but will have to turn around and return to Red Lodge at that location.
"The weather up there was just windy, rainy, snow, a lot of ice," said Montana Department of Transportation maintenance chief Randy Roth. "They'll plow it in the morning and try to get some of that ice off."
The Pass was closed at Vista Point on Monday morning.
The percentage of non-white Naperville residents has jumped by 11 percent while the number of Hispanic residents has more than doubled between 2000 and 2014, according to figures discussed Monday night at the city's Housing Advisory Commission.
The percentage of non-white residents has grown from 14 percent to 25 percent, while the number of Hispanic residents has increased from almost 4,500 to 9,076, officials said. Neighborhoods near Wildflower Park, off Aurora Avenue near Fort Hill Drive, have the highest percentage of non-white residents.
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"Diversity in the city varies greatly by neighborhood," said Marjorie Willow, principal with consulting firm Mullin & Lonergan Associates, which is compiling the report. "Neighborhoods near Wildflower Park have the highest percentage of non-white individuals."
The commission is updating its report detailing impediments to fair housing in Naperville, but the topic of housing vouchers soon took over the meeting. The final report won't be available for a few months.
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But the Naperville City Council next week is expected to consider whether to require landlords to consider the federal Housing Choice Vouchers as income when deciding whether a potential tenant can fill out a rental application.
Now, Naperville landlords cannot discriminate against potential renters based on income. Proposed rules to be considered July 19 state that landlords must consider federal housing assistance vouchers as income and therefore not disqualify an applicant for that reason alone.
So far in Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Oak Park, Urbana and Maywood have similar rules, said Kasey Evans, Naperville community planner.
A handful of residents spoke out against the proposal, saying it restricts landlords from choosing the right tenants, hamstrings them with regulations and brings in residents from other places seeking to take advantage of Naperville's schools and other amenities without contributing to the tax base.
"Everyone wants to come and participate in our schools that we built and paid for," said Dick Furstenau. "It's not something to be given away."
Kenneth Coles, executive director of the DuPage Housing Authority, said those with rental vouchers deserve to fill out a lease application along with anyone else.
The proposal "is not a demand upon any landlord that you must accept a voucher-holder into your property," Coles said. "It's nothing more than a voucher-holder to have the same opportunity to fill out an application for your property."
In DuPage County, 2,907 residents participate in the voucher program, Coles said. Of those, 503 live in Naperville.
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"Just because a part of their income comes from the federal government, Uncle Sam, instead of Uncle Warren Buffet or someone with means, it's a sad day if we can't see the opportunity," he said.
gbookwalter@tribpub.com
Twitter @GenevieveBook
Naperville has been rated the top place to live in Illinois by a website dedicated to giving people information needed to choose the right spot in which to settle down, visit or raise a family.
Nationally, however, Naperville was ranked 250 by Niche, a company founded in 2002 at Carnegie Mellon University.
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According to the group's website, Niche scours reports from the Department of Education, U.S. Census and FBI when compiling its rankings. The group also distributes surveys and asks for opinions of "everyday experts" when compiling their lists.
gbookwalter@tribpub.com
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Twitter @GenevieveBook
Stephanie Downs Hughes of Naperville goes over the guidelines for the monthly Just Views meeting at DuPage Unitarian Universalist Church in Naperville on July 8, 2016. (Steve Johnston / Naperville Sun)
The unprovoked attack on Dallas police officers that left five dead and seven injured this past week provided an unexpected backdrop for a Naperville church panel discussion on gun violence Friday night.
"Statistics show that the more weapons there are out there, the more incidents there will be," said Pedro Movilla Fernandez, of Warrenville, who was among about 70 people who attended the event at DuPage Unitarian Universalist Church. "I'm originally from Germany, and I have very strong opinions about guns. I don't understand this religious reverence for them and the Second Amendment. There are many amendments, but this one seems like the Holy Grail.' "
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The discussion was part of a meeting the church holds every month to exchange thoughts on injustice and racial inequality, particularly as it pertains to the criminal justice system.
It was a coincidence that Friday's topic of gun violence coincided with the Dallas shootings, but that made it extremely timely, the Rev. Tom Capo said.
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"I got a call from the organizer of these meetings, who was concerned given it's summer and maybe people wouldn't come," Capo said. "I told her given what just took place, I believe people will come."
The Robert Greenwald film "Making a Killing," which looks at gun use in connection with such issues as domestic violence, suicide and accidental shootings involving children, was followed by a panel discussion featuring Naperville police Sgt. Bill Barrett; Tanja Murray, the Illinois leader from Moms Demand Action; Pam Bosley, founder of the Terrell Bosley Anti-Violence Association and co-founder of Purpose Over Pain; and Dr. Catherine Humikowski, medical director of the pediatric intensive care unit at the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital.
Humikowski said she "regularly sees three kids a week under the age of 4 that are shot."
"I see the worst of the worst. ... I see the effect of guns every day," she said. "We can do better."
Event organizer Stephanie Downs Hughes said that was the crux of the program.
"People are sobered by this and are more concerned about the ongoing sequence of tragedy," she said. "There has been reasonable (legislation) for correction that has been proposed, but it's been shot down for no good reason."
Bosley's son Terrell was 18 when he was shot to death in 2006. She said there is no simple answer to who is causing the violence, why it's happening or how it can be stopped.
"We do need common-sense gun laws, and there is this perception that all of this violence is gang-related," Bosley said. "My son, who would be 28 now, was shot outside his church. He was going to college and worked at the church. He wasn't in a gang."
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The meeting was not without some controversy. Mike Weisman, an unincorporated DuPage County resident and member of the Illinois State Rifle Association, asked if anyone from the National Rifle Association had been invited to be part of the panel. He said he volunteered to be a panelist but was turned down.
After the meeting, Weisman said the film shown was "NRA bashing" and the group "is an easy target" when looking for a villain in the gun violence problem.
"We have 4 million people that support the NRA, and I don't believe either this program or the film, which I've seen many times, is fair or balanced," Weisman said. "When we hear it's going to be shown, we seek out these meetings in order to try and point out the bias."
Naperville's Paul Williams told the audience he is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and that law enforcement "needs to go after the criminals, not the gun owners."
"I come from 12 generations of people that have lived in this country and owned guns," Williams said. "I lost family in the Civil War during the Battle of the Wilderness."
Craig Shaw, of Wheaton, said he understood the need of some to carry guns for their own safety. Violence is an unfortunate part of society today, he said, regardless of how weapons are regulated.
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"I'm intrigued, as everyone has a different perception, and I realize there are people who come home at night and carry a gun because they are afraid for their lives," he said. "But regardless of legislation, I'm concerned that things won't change out there as the anger that people have is going to be released anyway. The focus on guns has become a political volleyball, and this has to be seen honestly by every organization."
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
Molly Hamer, who heads the Geneseo, Ill., Park District, has been hired to run the Northbrook Park District, which serves about five times as many people. (Courtesy Molly Hamer / HANDOUT)
The Northbrook Park District hired a new executive director on July 11, as the district is taking a look at its future.
Molly Hamer is a 30-year veteran of the park district business, the last nine as head of the Geneseo Park District.
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Her hiring comes a consultant, Hitchcock Design Group, works toward completion of a draft 10-year comprehensive plan for the district's future.
Hamer, 58, will begin work Sept. 6, about the time the park board is expected to receive the draft of the plan.
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She will replace Rick Hanetho, who was hired in March to run the Arlington Heights Park District, after eight years in Northbrook. Mindy Munn, the Northbrook district's finance director, has run the district on an interim basis since May.
Commissioners Penny Randel, Jeff Simon, Ken Slepicka, Michael Ziering and Schyman voted to hire Hamer, and set her annual salary, Schyman said, at $150,000. Commissioner Mary Ann Chambers voted "present," but wouldn't say why she did so.
Hanetho was earning $155,000 when he left, according to the Northbrook district. He now earns $185,000 in Arlington Heights, according to that park district.
Hamer's resume includes 11 years with the Schaumburg Park District, where she served as superintendent of recreation between 1989 and 1992 and supervised 45 people. Then, nine months after she and her husband Mike Hamer had triplets, they moved to her hometown of Geneseo, where, she said, she had the support of relatives in raising three children at once.
In 1996, she ran for the Geneseo Park District Board, where she served 10 years, she said. When a vacancy occurred in that district's top job, she was encouraged by board members to apply for it and was hired in 2007, she said.
Geneseo's population is about 8,000, and its park district's budget is about a tenth of Northbrook's. But Northbrook Park District President Michael Schyman said July 11 he was impressed with Hamer, especially how she handled the construction of Geneseo's $6.2 million aquatic center project.
Hamer said the Geneseo project was faced with the loss of a $2.5 million state grant, held back by the Illinois budget crisis. She said that the district couldn't make up all of the shortfall without reducing amenities.
"We made some changes in the scope (of) the project, but it has been very well received by the community and the park board, and delivered on time and at budget," Hamer said.
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Schyman said Hamer "has experience we can use. She's dynamic, very innovative and inventive."
Hamer said that after talking to commissioners, staff and Hanetho, whom she's know for years, she's convinced that "(commissioners) are committed to listening to the community, and doing what the community wants from them."
Hamer was hired after a nationwide search by a Northbrook-based public-employee headhunter, GovHR USA.
Hamer said she was active in the Geneseo community, and served as president of the local Rotary club. She was the 2015 president of the Geneseo Chamber of Commerce.
"I'll always have a place in my heart for Geneseo, but I'm really excited to move to Northbrook," she said.
Ileavitt@pioneerlocal.com
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Twitter: @IrvLeavitt
An artist's rendering shows a proposal by the Illinois Department of Transportation to move exit and entrance ramps on Interstate 290 to the right side. (Parsons Brinckerhoff / Handout)
A letter of intent between Illinois Department of Transportation and Oak Park officials is expected to be approved next month, but some issues related to an Interstate 290 project are still being negotiated.
As part of the proposed widening and rebuild of Interstate 290, the village and IDOT are expected to finalize a letter of intent to detail cost-sharing, maintenance and jurisdictional responsibilities related to the project. Among the items still up for negotiation are maintenance of completed bridges above the highway and installation of a sewer crossing at Oak Park Avenue.
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"The crossing at Oak Park Avenue was removed with the original Ike construction," Village Engineer Bill McKenna said. "The village is requesting a new sewer crossing be installed with the project and that IDOT assume the costs."
Oak Park is also proposing that it would maintain only the tops of the street and pedestrian bridges that will be rebuilt over the expressway.
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"The village prefers to do maintenance of just the surface only," McKenna said. "We would prefer to focus on that surface that the traveling public uses and have IDOT maintain the deeper pavement and actual structure of the bridge."
According to a village presentation, Oak Park's total estimated cost for the project is approximately $732,642, while IDOT's is expected to be $15,046,325. Those numbers, however, do not include hardscape, landscape, aesthetics and utilities costs, which have yet to be determined.
Some residents in attendance July 11 said they were worried about what long-term damages could occur to their properties along Interstate 290 during construction.
"There's all sorts of technologies that can be employed once you have a scope and fully designed project where you realize what those impacts may or may not be, and you can identify the structures that are at risk from that construction," McKenna said.
Pete Harmet of IDOT said if all funds were available today, phase two engineering could take place and actual construction could begin in late 2019 or early 2020, with everything being completed by 2027 or 2028.
"That's the best-case scenario," Harmet said.
Resident Jim Kelly suggested the village relax some of its parking restrictions in order to encourage more use of public transportation during the years of construction.
"A lot of single-family homeowners believe the curb in front of their house belongs to them, and that's given rise to parking restrictions from 8 to 10 in the morning on blocks close to public transit," Kelly said. "The blocks [closer] to Roosevelt Road fill up with commuters. I think that's great. There's no reason one block should be privileged to have cars off the street for two hours."
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Others worried about what eight years of construction could do to their property values.
"It's a major concern for owners who want or need to sell their properties," Laura Crawford said. "The new highway will impact properties for generations, not just years."
Oak Park village staff said a draft of the letter of intent will be presented to the village board on July 18. A final version of the letter with IDOT is expected to be presented Aug. 1 for approval.
sschering@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter: @steveschering
Three Indianapolis men and a juvenile are in custody after they allegedly threatened to shoot the pharmacist at the CVS Pharmacy on Main Street in Crown Point early Thursday if they were not given prescription painkillers, according to police.
The robbery occurred at about 4:15 a.m. Thursday when three black males wearing hats, hooded sweatshirts and one in red jeans attempted to rob the pharmacy at 2272 N. Main St., Assistant Chief James Janda with the Crown Point Police Department, said.
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One of the suspects had a surgical mask covering his face and handed the pharmacist a note that read, "This is a robbery, I am armed and I will shoot so do as I say, I need Oxycodone and Percocet," according to Janda.
The suspect with the surgical mask and a second suspect then jumped the counter and began searching the shelves while the third suspect in the store distracted other employees, according to a police report. After a few seconds, both suspects jumped back over the county and they all fled.
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No firearm was displayed, the report said.
Gerald Hatcher (Lake County Sheriff's Department)
In response to the robbery, police officers began checking roads around the pharmacy. It was during those checks they discovered a tan passenger car with tinted windows traveling near 94th Avenue.
Police followed the vehicle as it turned onto a Main Street frontage road and stopped it near Main and 95th Avenue. Three of the individuals in the vehicle matched the descriptions of the three who attempted to rob the pharmacy, according to a police report.
Upon further investigation, all four individuals were found to be part of the robbery attempt, the report said.
A 14-year-old juvenile passed the note to the pharmacist, Janda said.
Markell Graves (Lake County Sheriff's Department / Post-Tribune)
The three adults are Markell D. Graves and Gerald E. Hatcher, both 18 and from Indianapolis, and Mark A. Secrest, 24, also from Indianapolis. All four have been charged with felony attempted armed robbery and felony attempted robbery. The adults were transported to the Lake County Jail and the juvenile was transported to the Lake County Juvenile Center.
Carrie Napoleon is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Hail damage claims for Montana crops are nearly double what theyve been in recent years, according to the Montana Hail Program.
Farmers have submitted 200 claims through June, said Walt Anseth of the state Department of Agriculture. Claims through early July usually number 100.
Weve got over 200 claims so far. Those are early storms, Anseth said. Those storms at the beginning of June got a lot of guys, too.
So far this year, Montana has had 266 reports of hail at least three-quarters of an inch in size, according the weather spotter reports to the National Weather Service. For perspective, the 20-year average for hail that size is 263 reports a year.
Hail season typically lasts through August.
Its ridiculous, said Chuck Lee, Fallon County disaster and emergency services director. Sunday, at 2:50 in the afternoon, we sounded the tornado siren. There was a report of a tornado and of course everyone is still antsy, from the tornado that hit Baker in June.
Sunday the tornado never materialized, but Lee said probably 90 percent of the homes in Baker suffered weather damage nonetheless.
Anseth said the Department of Agricultures hail program has the money to cover the claims.
For years farmers received refunds from the self-supporting program because claims were minimal relative to the amount of coverage farmers purchased. That trend stopped in 2013 when a late summer storm in central Montana and the Hi-Line drove up claims.
It likely will take years to rebuild the hail program back up to the point that refunds return.
Coly Aitchison of Chesterton works on a sand creation Saturday at Indiana Dunes State Park during the 19th annual sand sculpture contest. (Amy Lavalley / Post-Tribune)
Blustery winds make lots of things difficult, and apparently making sand sculptures is one of them.
Still, around 20 teams took part in the sand sculpture contest Saturday at Indiana Dunes State Park under cloudy skies, cool temps, and a beach closed to swimming because of ominous waves that crested at 4 to 7 feet.
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This was the 19th year for the contest, which Brad Bumgardner, an interpretive naturalist at the park, said drew around 40 entries last year.
"Seven miles an hour is what it takes to move a grain of sand to build the dunes, so we are building dunes today," he said, adding the biggest challenge created by the wind was making details in the sculptures.
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Folks participating in the contest entered in family and youth categories and vied for the people's choice award, Bumgardner said.
Judges looked for originality, creativity and complexity, as well as builders' use of this year's theme, which was Indiana, because of the state's bicentennial and the 100th anniversary of the state parks. The contest also was named as a Bicentennial Legacy project, he added.
Many of the participants came out when the contest opened at 7 a.m., Bumgardner said, and that included the Aitchison family of Chesterton, who've taken part in the contest for the last four years or so.
Their sculpture included a canoe adorned with feathers found on the beach, a canal boat, a train, a combine with corn, and an Indy race car.
"We couldn't decide what to do so we decided to do the progress of 200 years, which might have been easier if it was less windy, but it's fun," said Jennifer Aitchison, who embarked on the sculpture with husband Colby, son Ben, 9, and family friend Joe Gonzalez, also of Chesterton.
They started early because Aitchison said the hardest part of making the large form sculpture was making the piles of sand.
The wind meant the family couldn't add as many details as usual and the sand also dried more quickly, making it hard to keep parts of the sculpture together.
"I've done this canoe four times already today," she said.
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Just down the beach, Stephanie and the Sons of Beaches, a crew from Portage and Bloomington, created the state of Indiana adorned with some best-known landmarks.
Stephanie Jones, of Bloomington, whose husband Mike is from Portage, said the group has been involved in the contest for 10 years.
This year's entry included an Indianapolis Colts logo, as well as those for Purdue University, Indiana University and the University of Notre Dame, strategically placed geographically across the sandy state.
The center featured the capital and a race car and the northwest corner included the pavilion at the state park, where the team placed their contest entry flag.
"We do some pretty big things," she said, adding an entry two years ago, for the theme Smokey Bear for the mascot's 70th birthday, was comprised of the familiar face of fire prevention napping at a campsite. "We decided after 70 years, he deserved a nap."
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
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Contest winners
Kids
First place -- Team Six Pack
Second place -- Jacob Erics
Third place -- Girls! ARC
Family
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First place -- Stephanie and the Sons of Beaches
Second place -- Team Gonzalez/Atchison
Third place -- Team Chi
What's Quickly? It's where readers sound off on the issues of the day. Have a quote, question or quip? Call Quickly at 312-222-2426 or email quickly@post-trib.com.
More about motorcycles with loud mufflers: Also, you've got these dumb, stupid go-karts that I've complained about. They want my name and my number. They want to know if I know who it is. How would I know who it is? I don't pay attention to these people and who they are. I don't mess with them. I don't like them bothering me. I don't make noise to bother them. Of course, they love noise. That's the problem. There's no place around here that you can go for peace and quiet, not even your own house with the windows open. You can't even sit outside. They're always going up and down the road, making as much noise as they can.
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I hear some people who never attend church wrongly criticizing Christianity. They haven't a clue. This country was founded on true Christianity. Christianity isn't hateful or bigoted. It's the exact opposite, but it does follow the Bible.
I'm a 72-year-old die-hard Chicago Cubs fan. The first game I saw was when I was 15 years old. I rode the South Shore Line to Randolph Street, caught the Red Line to Wrigley Field in Chicago and watched Willie Mays play in center field. I've seen good teams come apart for the Cubs. Manager Joe Maddon has made his first big mistake in the year and a half he's been there. He's overworked his starters. He's underworked his bullpen. You're not going to win that way. They're still ahead by several games in the National League Central, but you don't want to lose games to teams in your division especially the St. Louis Cardinals who can overtake you quick.
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I don't own guns. I would never own a gun. I would never shoot a gun. I hate guns, but I still don't understand how having gun control will keep the criminals from buying their guns illegally. If it would stop the craziness, I'm all for it. I just don't believe that criminals get their guns through a legal source anyway.
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If presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump becomes president, his ego and personality will cause World War III.
You see over there in Britain how good free trade is. They broke away from the European Union so they could make their own goods and protect their people. The United States would never think about doing anything like that for its people so I guess we just trudge along and catch the crumbs as they fall.
I get so tired of reading constantly about how everyone hates presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. You make fun of the Protestants all you want. I'm a Christian. I want to see this country change and go back to the way it was years ago where people believed in something. Yes, I hope he will straighten out the country because it hasn't been done in years. All we need is presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the White House with her lousy husband, former President Bill Clinton. Now why is he going to be allowed to come to the White House and take care of the economy? He wasn't voted into an office again. This is crazy.
I saw on television that this lady whipped her kids because they broke into a neighbor's house. Now she's in trouble. That's the trouble nowadays. Read what the Bible says or the saying "Spare the rod, spoil the child." It's always been that we had punishment. Yet, many times when a person gets caught, they're put in prison. Isn't that capital punishment? Maybe their parents should've beat their butt when they were growing up, disciplined them and made them stay home. If parents caught them when they were messing around, parents should've brought them home and whipped their butts. Teach them respect. You ought to take these judges, these lawyers and everybody in the court system and beat their butts.
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump puts his business ego, not America, first. That's why he tried to trash Gonzalo Curel, a fine Indiana judge from East Chicago, to save his fraudulent real estate school at Trump University. It backfired on him nationwide.
For the commenter who wants sympathy for his Confederate relative: Well, you won't find any sympathy here for a lost cause of treason against this country and people who fought so that my ancestors could be whipped and worked like dogs from sun up to sun down. Wives and daughters were raped on a daily basis. Sons and daughters were sold away and never to be seen or heard from again. Forget you and the Confederate flag or battle flag and the treacherous losers who still fly it now.
Read more at www.post-trib.com/quickly
This file photo taken on April 28, 2016 shows a woman browsing the site of US home sharing giant Airbnb on a tablet in Berlin. (John Macdougall / AFP/Getty Images)
After seeing local homes advertised on popular short-term vacation rental websites, Vernon Hills officials say they're working toward regulating the transactions frequently arranged through sites like Airbnb.
Mayor Roger Byrne during a July 6 board meeting asked Building Commissioner Mike Atkinson about the idea and when a report would be ready.
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Atkinson referenced a recently approved ordinance in Schaumburg and said a Vernon Hills proposal and related notes will be ready for discussion during the July 19 committee of the whole meeting.
"You don't want somebody to be renting out their house for bachelor parties," Byrne said. "I wouldn't want to live next to that."
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Atkinson said the permit process would likely include zoning restrictions so the activity could be contained to more appropriate locations around town and a provision requiring building inspections to ensure safety.
"Good. Some of the houses seem to be in ill repair," Byrne said.
Vernon Hills Mayor Roger Byrne, pictured at a March meeting, asked village employes to compile information on regulating Airbnb for review on July 19. (Rick Kambic / Pioneer Press)
Village Trustee Cindy Hebda said she was concerned about negatively affecting delicate situations, like when people share their homes with out-of-town family who need special doctors in Chicago. She said she wants to be extra careful to avoid unintended consequences.
Atkinson said current village code allows residents to house up to three people who are unrelated by blood or marriage without regulations kicking in.
Furthermore, Village Trustee James Schultz said the new proposed ordinance should specify profit as a motivation or intention. Byrne said a good start would be to target those locations being commercially advertised on the popular websites.
Trustees also briefly mentioned the idea of charging a hotel tax, just like Schaumburg's decision to impose an eight percent hotel tax on Airbnb and other similar transactions.
rkambic@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @Rick_Kambic
A Florida man reputed to be a master shoplifter failed Monday in a bid in DuPage County to suppress a police search of a rental car in which authorities say he stored stolen merchandise.
Ignatius Pollara, 50, is awaiting trial on burglary charges on allegations that he stole some pencils and paintbrushes from a Lombard Hobby Lobby in July 2015, a theft police and prosecutors say capped several days of shoplifting from area shopping centers.
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After executing a search warrant on Pollara's rental SUV, police found a number of items that Pollara allegedly stole, reports state. However, his attorney had asked Judge Liam Brennan to toss that evidence, saying that technical deficiencies with the warrant undermined its legality.
Assistant Public Defender Mark Lyon said the warrant failed to explicitly instruct officers to seize items of evidentiary value, an oversight that voided the warrant.
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But Assistant State's Attorney Shanti Kulkarni argued that courts support a "realistic, common-sense" reading of search warrants, rather than a hyperspecific one. The judge agreed, saying it was obvious that the court that issued the warrant intended police to seize items judged to have evidentiary value.
"I don't know how you can properly search something without seizing it," Brennan said.
Both sides will be back in court Aug. 15 to argue a prosecution motion to include mention of Pollara's previous crimes in his local trial. That would presumably include Pollara's alleged multistate shoplifting spree that ended with his 2012 arrest in Florida .
Florida authorities estimated that Pollara may have stolen as much as $2 million in merchandise, much of it in high-end toys, including expensive Lego sets. He allegedly would sell stolen merchandise online, using the proceeds to live and travel lavishly.
Pollara was convicted of grand theft in 2012 and was on probation in Florida in 2015 when he received permission to travel to Illinois, ostensibly to visit relatives. But his probation officer, who allegedly knew Pollara did not have local relatives, alerted police. They followed him for several days before arresting him in July 2015.
He has been in the county jail since his arrest, and drew a six-month contempt of court sentence in April when he cursed at the judge who previously was hearing his case. Pollara's court appearance Monday was relatively subdued, though the judge had to caution him several times when he began to interject or dispute aspects of his case.
"This is all such b.s.," he said at one point.
A minute later, he added, "For a box of pencils and two paintbrushes at Hobby Lobby I'm the victim."
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Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter.
By Dezan Shira & Associates
Editors: Jake Liddle and Alexander Chipman Koty
Last summer, Chinese tech giants Tencent and Alibaba announced investments into cloud computing services worth US$1.57 billion and US$1 billion, respectively. In 2014, cloud computing sales accounted for only five percent of Chinas total IT market compared to 11 percent globally, but Bains predicts this number to swell to 20 percent by 2020, reaching US$20 billion in value and representing an annual growth rate of over 40 percent.
Despite the positive outlook for cloud computing, Chinas complex and restrictive regulations governing data and internet services make entering the rapidly expanding market a complicated process.
Regulatory requirements
Telecommunications services and business requirements
After entering the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, the Chinese government pledged to gradually open the countrys borders to seven value-added telecommunications services, including foreign email and voicemail services. Content-related commitments to these services are outlined in Chinas Telecommunications Directory 2015 Edition as follows:
Foreign-invested companies are permitted to establish Sino-foreign joint ventures and apply to acquire relevant professional certification. However, foreign investment in internet data centers (IDCs) and internet service providers (ISPs) remains prohibited. Notably, the Shanghai Free Trade Zones negative list expressly forbids foreign investment into IDCs, but the Free Trade Zone negative list released at the national level does not contain this restriction. The Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) previously opened up the IDC sector to investment originating from Hong Kong and Macau, explaining why the State Councils negative list does not include IDCs. Therefore, this should not be seen as a sign that IDCs are open to foreign investment from outside of Hong Kong and Macau.
Foreign investment ratio requirements for telecoms
In accordance with the above-mentioned restrictions, foreign investment into telecommunications services in China must be in the form of a joint venture with a commercial presence. The following foreign investment proportion stipulations require special attention:
1According to the 2015 edition of the Guiding Catalogue of Foreign Investment, the proportion of foreign investment permitted in value-added telecom services may not exceed 50 percent, with the exception of e-commerce, which can be 100 percent. Those involved in basic telecoms may not exceed 49 percent.
2Foreign ownership restrictions for value-added telecommunications services in the Shanghai Free Trade Area have been further liberalized. For example, businesses engaging in information services are allowed 50 percent foreign ownership, and up to 100 percent for mobile apps. The proportion of foreign investment in internet access services may exceed 50 percent.
RELATED: Information Technology Solutions from Dezan Shira & Associates
The impact of cloud computing data supervision on foreign-invested companies
Chinas policies for data supervision can be summarized as follows:
Data must not be removed from the territory of the Peoples Republic of China
In recent years, Chinas laws and policies directed at data security and user identity have been gradually implemented and strengthened. Data removal measures are evident in many laws and regulations. Below is a summary of the main points.
1Personal credit information: Sorting, storage, and processing of information collected by credit institutions in China should be carried out in China.
2Personal financial information: Storage, management, and analysis of personal financial information collected in China must be carried out within China. Banking and financial organizations must not provide countries outside of China with personal financial information, unless otherwise stated by rules and regulations or rules made by the Peoples Bank of China.
3Population health information should not be stored, entrusted to, or leased to overseas servers.
4Map data should be stored in servers within the Peoples Republic of China.
5Governmental information: Data centers and cloud services that serve governmental organizations must be located in China.
6Accounting information: Accounting system information server deployment must comply with relevant state provisions. Data centers outside of China must keep a backup of accounting data, and must be backed up every month. For accounting information involving state secrets, information related to national economic security, without the approval of the competent authorities, must not be taken, transported, or transferred overseas.
7Human genetic resource information: Unless otherwise stated by laws and regulations, under special situations where it is imperative that genetic information is temporarily required to be supplied to an outside entity, it is required to fill out and complete a human genetic resources information export declaration form and other required documents for the examination department. Once authorization and approval is obtained by the China human genetic resource department of the local authority or State Council, an export certificate will be issued.
8A series of documents on standardization have proposed that cloud service providers must ensure that their server centers are located in China and fulfil the technology requirements of Chinese law.
In addition, in June 2015 the Network Security Act (draft) was made public. The act clearly states that key information infrastructure operators should store the personal information of Chinese citizens within the country. Those who do need to store information overseas will be evaluated in accordance with safety regulations. This legislation also reflects the policy that personal data cannot leave the country.
RELATED: Chinas Cloud Computing Services Security Concerns and Solutions for Foreign Businesses
Maintain a data interface
Apart from the above-mentioned policy, the anti-terrorism act, which was passed this January, clearly states that telecommunications operators and internet service providers must provide a technical interface and other decryption support by which public security organs and state security agencies may investigate terrorist activities. Mandatory national standards also require that internet service providers provide safety organizations with a compliant technical interface and ensure the timely and effective delivery of relevant evidence. Maintaining a data interface does not necessarily mean that relevant authorities are permitted to freely access data without any procedure. However, these regulations may increase worries for foreign investors.
Key takeaways
Foreign-invested cloud computing businesses operating in China need to be aware of the various restrictions over data governance, and other related issues. Even if they are clearly in a joint venture with a domestic enterprise, foreign investors also need to consider the legal compliance of their cooperation agreement, including qualification compliance, data storage restrictions, and other regulatory policies, in addition to business management cooperation framework management, access to income and transfer, customer services, and other management issues.
Investing in internet and information-related businesses in China is a complicated exercise owing to the governments stringent security measures and active supervision. Regulatory compliance is particularly important in this sector, as foreign investors face heightened scrutiny and risk drawing the ire of the government. The potential of the market makes navigating these issues worthwhile, however, as Chinese businesses and consumers are increasingly willing to invest in internet services that improve convenience and optimize performance.
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 china@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.
Internet Challenges & Solutions When Doing Business in China
In this special edition of China Briefing magazine, we highlight how and why foreign companies will be negatively affected by Chinas internet, and provide methods to help solve these problems. We discuss ISP selection, internet connection types, CDNs and VPNs, and internal control systems. Finally, we examine the importance of network security in China and how it can help augment a companys internet connection.
How IT is Changing Payroll Processing and HR Admin in China
In this edition of China Briefing magazine, we examine how foreign multinationals can take better advantage of IT in the gathering, storing, and analyzing of HR information in China. We look at how IT can help foreign companies navigate Chinas nuanced payroll processing regulations, explain how software platforms are becoming essential for HR, and finally answer questions on the efficacy of outsourcing payroll and HR in China.
China Investment Roadmap: the e-Commerce Industry
In this edition of China Briefing magazine, we present a roadmap for investing in Chinas e-commerce industry. We provide a consumer analysis of the Chinese market, take a look at the main industry players, and examine the various investment models that are available to foreign companies. Finally, we discuss one of the most crucial due diligence issues that underpins e-commerce in China: ensuring brand protection.
Airbus and Boeing raised their long-term forecasts for new aircraft demand yesterday, betting that rising wealth in Asia would continue to boost air travel and offset any short-term hits to the global economy.
The world's two biggest planemakers also announced a flurry of multi-billion-dollar jet deals at the biennial Farnborough Airshow, which opened yesterday 72 kilometers southwest of London.
Airbus and Boeing have enjoyed years of strong sales, with rising air travel and demand for new fuel-efficient planes raising the industry's order backlog to a record 13,500 planes at the end of 2015, or near 10 years of production at current rates.
Some analysts have cautioned that economic risks from slowing growth in China to Britain's decision to leave the European Union could see orders start to dry up or be canceled, particularly for larger twin-aisle jets.
The planemakers remain bullish, however.
Boeing forecast airlines will need 39,620 new aircraft worth US$5.9 trillion over the next 20 years, up 4.1 percent from its estimate last year.
"Despite recent events that have impacted the financial markets, the aviation sector will continue to see long-term growth with the commercial fleet doubling in size," said Randy Tinseth, vice president of marketing at Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Boeing forecast airline passenger traffic would increase by 4.8 percent per year over the next two decades.
Airbus raised its 20-year demand forecast to 30,070 new aircraft, up 500 from its previous estimate, and saw passenger traffic rising by an average 4.5 percent per year.
"Middle classes in emerging markets will double to 3.5 billion people by 2035," Airbus said in a statement, predicting particularly strong demand in China and India.
Some industry executives sounded more cautious.
David Joyce, chief executive of aero engines maker GE Aviation, said he did not see any need for further increases in planned airliner production which Airbus and Boeing are both considering as they strive to meet their order backlogs.
Opening the Farnborough event, British Prime Minister David Cameron finalized multi-billion-dollar deals with Boeing to buy nine P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol planes and to upgrade 50 Apache helicopters.
Britain's shock decision in a referendum last month to leave the EU is providing the latest jolt to the global economy.
However, the Pentagon's chief arms buyer said he didn't think the decision would fundamentally alter Britain's ties with the US military or weapons-related trade.
Among the civil aircraft deals announced at Farnborough, Virgin Atlantic ordered 12 of Airbus's biggest twin-engined plane, the A350-1000, in a deal worth US$4.4 billion at list prices.
That was a shot in the arm for the 366-seat jet whose sales have slowed as Boeing develops a larger version of its 777 model.
Virgin Atlantic said it still had options to buy six of Airbus's A380 superjumbos, but industry sources have said that long-deferred deal is likely to be canceled.
Airbus and Boeing said demand for single-aisle jets, not twin-aisled planes or four-engined superjumbos, were behind the increases in their 20-year forecasts.
COMAC's C919 model is on display at the Farnborough Air Show, one of the major exhibitions for the world aviation industry, in Britain, July 11, 2016. [Photo/China Daily]
China's participation in this year's biennial Farnborough Air Show, one of the most important showcases for the world aviation industry, is the biggest ever, according to the organisers.
The show, which runs from July 11 to July 17, will feature a Chinese pavilion hosting some of the country's leading aviation and avionics firm.
Already two deals have been announced, with China's Xiamen Airlines signing a memorandum of understanding for the purchase of up to 30 Boeing 737 Max 200 aircraft, worth as much as $3.39 billion at current prices.
But an even bigger deal was between Boeing and Donghai Airlines, which signalled its intention to buy 25 Boeing 737 MAX-8 jets and five 787-9 Dreamliners, an agreement that could be worth as much as $4 billion, and is part of Donghai's plan to transition from being a cargo carrier to a passenger airline.
Wong Cho-Bau, chairman of Donghai, said in a statement: "Under China's Belt and Road initiatives, we will accelerate our fleet expansion plan to satisfy the rapidly growing air travel market and help build our home base at Shenzhen as the transportation hub for southern China."
Those exhibiting include AviChina Industry and Technology Co., Aviage Systems, Western Superconducting Co, China Aviation Industrial base, China Aviation News, China General Aviation Industry, Baoji Titanium Industry, Shaanxi China Aero Industry Gas Spring Co., Tipro International Co, Wuxi Blade Co and COMAC, which builds China's first-ever locally designed and built short and medium-haul jet, the C919.
The C919 made its maiden flight earlier this year, with the first production model due to enter service in 2018. It is powered by two Franco-American CFM International engines
"Participation (at the Farnborough Show) will open many doors for more commercial trade between the Chinese aerospace supply chain and the many global organizations that attend the show," said Amanda Stainer, the show's Commercial Director.
The European Project Innovation Centre will be hosting a conference during the show on aerospace opportunities for China's One Belt, One Road initiative, which envisages maritime and land links with Europe along the lines of the old Silk Road.
Chinese firms have doubled the amount of space taken for exhibitions, lining up alongside the two civilian aviation industry giants, Europe's Airbus Industrie and Boeing Co. of the US.
China plans a major expansion plan, which includes the construction of another 300 airports by 2020, roughly double the existing number.
China is regarded as a major growth area for aviation and Phil Seymour, chief operating officer at the International Bureau of Aviation, an independent consultancy, told the BBC "China's aviation market is looking bright."
Last month Airbus announced it had signed a contract with a Chinese consortium to manufacture its H135 helicopter in Qingdao, the European planemaker's first-ever assembly line outside Europe.
The twin-engined helicopter will be made by China Aviation Supplies Holding Company and Qingdao United General Industrial Development Co, with Airbus forecasting that China will become one of the largest markets for civil helicopters by 2020.
The airshow, staged at Farnborough in the Surrey countryside southwest of London, will see a variety of static and flight displays.
Airbus is showing its giant two-deck jumbo, the A380, already in service with a variety of airlines including Qantas, Singapore Airlines and British Airways, and used mainly on Asia and Australian routes.
Boeing plans to showcase its all-composite 787 Dreamliner.
Farnborough is a major venue for aircraft and engine sales. In 2014, aircraft and engine orders worth $204 billion were made.
There are 22 separate country pavilions and over 1,500 exhibitors at this year's show.
The trade days alone from Monday to Thursday is expected to attract 100,000 visitors, with many more on the three days when the show is open to the public for the flight program, which will include the debut of Britain's first F-35 joint strike fighter, destined to be used on Britain's two new aircraft carriers.
Imagine a world rife with robots that could make everything in daily lives easier, faster and more cost-effective.
In the express delivery industry, for instance, robotic operations are starting to claim a foothold in warehouses, distribution centers and even in deliveries.
China's logistics industry, driven by the explosive e-commerce growth over the past decade, entails immediate smart transition, said Zhang Yong, Alibaba's chief executive and chairman of Cainiao, at a recent industry summit.
"This will in turn bolster sustained development of the e-commerce sector in the future," he said.
Intelligent robots could largely cut cost of the logistics industry, which is key to new businesses and new economy, Zhang said previously.
Statistics show the number of parcels delivered daily in the country has reached 60 million, with a compound annual growth rate of 30 percent over the past decade. In the meantime, however, labor cost accounts for more than 40 percent of the total cost for the industry.
Alibaba's logistics arm Cainiao, formally named Zhejiang Cainiao Supply Chain Management Co, said its E.T Logistic Lab was expected to roll out China's first crew of robotic deliverymen by the end of the year in residential communities, industrial parks and office buildings.
According to the company, these robots can come up with the best routes to deliver packages into the hands of customers after picking up the goods at a nearby distribution center.
What makes it even more fascinating is that they will also be able to take elevators by themselves, avoid barriers and navigate themselves inside buildings.
It's believed robots will be the next big thing in the industry. According to CI Consulting, the value of the intelligent logistics market is expected to exceed 100 billion yuan by 2020 in China, with an annual growth rate of more than 15 percent.
Allan Martinson, the chief operating officer of the London-based Starship Technologies, told China Business News the company had been trialing its self-driving robotic delivery method in 12 countries and was teaming up with the UK's Just Eat to deliver food ordered online.
These robots are able to travel at 4 miles (about 6.44 km) per hour, carrying as much as 20 pounds (about 9 kg), according to Startup.
Robotic delivery is a pioneering trial, and the future of the express delivery industry, the company said.
New technologies are only significant when they can actually facilitate our daily lives, Just Eat chief executive David Buttres told the newspaper.
Teresa Cheng, SC, Chairperson of Hong Kong International Arbitration Center delivers a speech entitled "Interlocutory applications and interim measures in maritime arbitration" on Nov. 19, 2014 in Hong Kong. [Photo by Chen Boyuan/ China.org.cn]
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague has no jurisdiction over South China Sea disputes between China and the Philippines, which unilaterally filed an arbitration case, a Hong Kong law expert said on Monday.
Teresa Cheng, Chair of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Center (HKIAC) made the remarks here during a media briefing, citing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Cheng said that according to the UNCLOS, both sides in the disputes should conduct negotiations prior to filing an arbitration, while the Philippines has not conducted negotiations with China.
China and the ASEAN member states, including the Philippines, jointly signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), agreeing to solve disputes by peaceful means.
"The DOC is still under implementation, therefore both the Philippines and China do not have the right to file an arbitration during this process," Cheng said, "From legal aspect, the PCA has no arbitration jurisdiction over the case as the Philippines did not take the right steps."
In addition, the sovereignty and territorial disputes are not under the jurisdiction of the UNCLOS, Cheng said, adding China has made related declaration excluding disputes concerning the above issues.
Cheng also said a conference under the title of "Public International Law Colloquium on Maritime Disputes Settlement" will take place in Hong Kong on Friday and Saturday.
The colloquium, co-hosted by the HKIAC and the Chinese Society of International Law (CSIL), aims to provide a unique platform for scholars and practitioners from all over the world to share views mainly on territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation, the disputes settlement mechanism under the UNCLOS, Cheng said.
The PCA will publish the award of the arbitration on Tuesday. In reaction to the award, the colloquium will provide a special session dedicated to discussion and comments on the topic from a legal perspective, Cheng said.
KALISPELL Four members of the Blackfoot Tribal Business Council will be sworn in this week, and longtime council member Chief Earl Old Person is not among them.
After Thursday's swearing in the council will elect a president, vice president and secretary.
Timothy "Kink" Davis narrowly beat Old Person during the June 28 election. Old Person has served 26 terms on the tribal council since 1954.
Terry Tatsey and Carl Kipp won seats in which incumbents were ousted in the primary and Roland Kennerly won re-election after being appointed to the tribal council. He was appointed to replace Cheryl Little Dog who was expelled and has pleaded guilty to harboring a fugitive who had sexually assaulted a child.
The council plans to draft a new constitution to create a government with more checks and balances.
The entrance to Xiushui Village [Photo by Luo Pengfei]
Staying poor is not simply a matter of having little money. Sometimes it's the result of a series of unstable circumstances that build upon one other. Not knowing how to best use available funds is one reason people stay trapped in poverty.
Xiushui, a remote village in southwest China's Guizhou Province, has 1,321 poor people, or almost one third of its total population. Due to the areas fragile mountainous ecology, locals are discouraged from making changes.
"A local business, the Xingwei Group, has helped us a lot by repairing roads, building schools and donating money to the poor. However, our villagers were still living below the poverty line, because there was no primary source of income except farming. So farmers generally flowed into big cities and become migrant workers," said Luo Pengfei, a cadre who is in charge of anti-poverty projects across Puding County, where Xiushui Village is located.
But now things have completely changed. "Almost 80 percent of the villagers who used to work away from Xiushui have returned already," said Luo.
"I rushed home after hearing the news of the enterprise-plus program that has helped to completely renovate and develop my hometown. Being employed nearby, I can live together with my family while taking care of my little kids," a local worker told Chinagate.cn.
Initiated and supported by the Xingwei Group, the program focuses on how to make full use of its 377 million yuan (U.S. $58 million) investment. Diversified into five parts, the funds are mainly used for training local workers, launching farming business and promoting social welfare.
In addition, the investment has covered the construction of 56 tourist attractions, such as an archery field, a water park, a fishing pond and a natural bathing beach. It also extends into regional agriculture, involving the development of organic vegetable and fruit farms as well as the raising of poultry and livestock.
Statistics released by the local government show that agro-tourism revenue from the weeklong Spring Festival holiday this year rose to more than 1.2 million yuan (U.S. $0.18 million) with a comfortable capacity of 500,000 visitors.
"The business model of Xiushui should be popularized nationwide as it has turned the once poverty-stricken community into a thriving village. It not only enjoys the fastest economic growth among its peers in Guizhou, but also does no harm to the local ecology," spoke Luo.
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Flash
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday denounced the United States for making the situation on the Korean Peninsula "extremely tense" through a series of moves, and vowed to take stronger countermeasures to defend the country.
Local residents take part in a protest against the decision to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), in Seoul, South Korea, July 11, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
In a statement carried by the state news agency KCNA, a spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry slammed the United States for recent military moves, including dispatching strategic assets such as the nuclear-powered submarine USS Mississippi and B-52H bombers to South Korea or nearby.
"The U.S. seeks to turn the peninsula into a theater of a thermonuclear war and thus implement its aggressive 'pivot to Asia-Pacific' strategy in real earnest," the statement said.
The recent decision by Washington and Seoul to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in South Korea was aimed to achieve this goal, it added.
It said the United States intends to maintain its military advantage in the region while staging aggressive war games and stepping up military buildup and the creation of a military bloc.
On the same day, the Artillery Bureau of the Korean People's Army of the DPRK warned that it will take "physical measures" to cope with the U.S. THAAD deployment in South Korea, saying the countermeasures will be taken once the location of the deployment is decided.
In a joint statement issued on Friday, Seoul and Washington said the two allies decided to deploy THAAD in South Korea to protect the country and its people from the DPRK's nuclear threats, weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles.
Flash
The arbitration tribunal in the South China Sea dispute has explained the case in an irresponsible way and set a bad precedent, according to law professionals and scholars on international law from around the world.
The decision in the case, which was initiated unilaterally by the Philippines despite China's objection, is to be announced on Tuesday by the Arbitral Tribunal at The Hague.
Abdul Gadire Koroma, a Sierra Leonean who served two terms as judge at the International Court of Justice, said "the tribunal is not entitled to decide" questions concerning territorial sovereignty.
Myron Nordquist, a senior fellow at the Center for National Security Law at the University of Virginia School of Law, said "the arbitration sets a bad precedent with its award on jurisdiction".
"There is no way to guarantee the effectiveness of the Article 298 declarations except to honor the text which, despite my deep respect for the tribunal members and their good faith, was not done in this arbitration," said Nordquist.
Article 298 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea excludes compulsory arbitration on issues including maritime boundaries. In 2006, China declared it would exercise its rights under Article 298.
"They have already shown so much prejudice (against China)," Nordquist said.
In an earlier interview with China Daily, Nordquist also said he thought the United States is behind the Philippines' efforts to stir up the situation.
"They want to get back to those military bases. You know they got kicked out of quite a few of those places."
He said the ruling is likely to be bad for China. "It's not going to end the problem. It's going to exacerbate it."
"I am just not happy. I don't think China is getting a fair shake. I think part of the reason is that people that are being paid a lot of money by the Filipinos are taking advantage of the ignorance of people about this very complicated area."
Keyuan Zou, Harris professor of International Law at the University of Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom, said Article 298 of the UNCLOS gives the parties concerned the right to exclude some disputes from compulsory jurisdiction.
Zou said that since the case essentially concerns sovereignty and delimitation, "the Philippines used plenty of arguments, trying to convince the tribunal that the disputes they characterized are not excluded".
"Surprisingly, the tribunal has sided completely with the Philippines and explained the matter in a very loose and irresponsible way," Zou said.
This "created a very bad precedent, disrespecting the dignity of nation states and damaging the spirit of the rule of law", he said.
"If the official declarations made by nation states are so easily trumped by several individuals, the world legal order would become chaotic. One of the negative impacts could be that the United States is even more reluctant to join the UNCLOS." The United States has not ratified the UNCLOS.
A column published by the Philippine Star on July 10 said the arbitration "did look like an American ploy to internationalize the dispute".
It said that under the Aquino administration, the Philippines failed to devise an independent foreign policy and has been a subordinate "of the US in foreign-policy making".
In Beijing, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday that additional countries have announced their support for China's stance on the South China Sea.
Lu Kang, the ministry's spokesman, told a regular media briefing that countries such as Cambodia, Angola, Liberia, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea and Senegal made such announcements recently.
"More and more countries have voiced their position publicly despite pressure. That strongly proves that people have a sense of natural justice, while righteousness is widely supported," he said.
Timeline
Jan 22, 2013
The Philippines unilaterally initiates arbitration
Feb 19, 2013
China rejects the claim and reiterates that it will neither accept nor participate in the arbitration
Dec 7, 2014
China releases a position paper stating that the Arbitral Tribunal in The Hague does not have jurisdiction over the case
Oct 29, 2015
The tribunal issues ruling on jurisdiction and admissibility
June 8, 2016
Foreign Ministry issues a statement on settling disputes between Beijing and Manila through bilateral negotiations
June 29, 2016
The Permanent Court of Arbitration announces that the Arbitral Tribunal will issue ruling on July 12
Quotable
"No foreign country ... should expect us to swallow the bitter pill of harm to our national sovereignty, security or development interests."
President Xi Jinping, in a speech at the celebration of the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China
"The final award of the arbitration ... amounts to nothing more than a piece of paper."
Dai Bingguo, former State councilor
"China hopes that the United States will keep its promise of not taking any position on territorial disputes and play a constructive role toward peace and stability in the South China Sea."
Yang Jiechi, State councilor
"The Chinese people firmly believe that we own those land features and have done so since ancient times."
Fu Ying, chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Chinas top legislature
"If this arbitration goes through, it will set a very bad example. That concern has been expressed not only by Chinese legal experts, but also by British and Dutch experts on the law of the sea."
Liu Xiaoming, Chinese ambassador to the UK
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South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar on Monday evening ordered ceasefire respectively after days of heavy fighting between their forces in the capital Juba.
President Kiir directed all commanders to cease hostilities, control their forces and protect civilians, Information Minister Michael Makuei said in a televised speech on the state broadcaster, SSTV.
The ceasefire order took effect from 18:00 local time and that any member of the Machar-led forces who surrender must be protected as well, Makuei said.
"All the regular forces that were deployed because of whatever, they need to go back to their respective units, any soldier or any member of the regular forces that will be found loitering about with his rifle without reporting to his unit will be arrested and immediate action will be taken," Makuei cited Kiir as saying.
Local radio station Eye Radio later reported that Machar also ordered a ceasefire which took effect from 20:00 local time, in response to Kiir's move.
Heavy fighting between the rival factions erupted again on Monday. Local residents told Xinhua that heavy artillery shelling and mortars were heard in parts of Juba. It followed deadly clashes on Friday and Sunday in the capital city.
The Health Ministry says at least 271 people were killed in Friday's clashes, while the number of casualties in fighting since Sunday is not yet known.
The ceasefire orders came after the UN Security Council called for both sides to end fighting.
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Monday deplored the continued fighting in Juba and severe conditions it had imposed on civilians.
"In the last 24 hours, 67 people have been injured in or around the (UN) Protection of Civilian sites, eight of whom have died," UNMISS said.
Gunfire was reported in areas close to UNMISS compounds in Jebel and Tomping during the days of fighting.
"UNMISS compounds are caught directly in the fighting and continue to sustain impacts from small arms and heavy weapons fire," UNMISS said, condemning the deliberate targeting of UN premises and its personnel as a serious violation of international law.
The UN mission said more than 7,000 people had sought protection in its compounds. UN peacekeepers have been protecting the UN compounds and Protection of Civilian sites, which house internally displaced people.
The violence raised fears that the war-torn country could descend into civil war again.
President Kiir and former rebel leader Machar have fought a civil war which broke out in December 2013 and left tens of thousands of people dead.
The peace deal signed by the two men last August under UN pressure led to the formation of a national government in April with Machar returning to his old post.
BOZEMAN The University of Montana offered a $70,000 signing bonus to a vice president recently hired to increase the school's lagging enrollment.
The bonus for Tom Crady, UM's new vice president of enrollment and student affairs, and salaries for a handful of administrators will be considered at a July 19 telephone conference of the Board of Regents.
UM announced the hiring of Crady in April. His annual salary is $170,000.
The bonus is roughly equal to the total annual tuition paid by three out-of-state students, said Kevin McRae, university spokesman and deputy commissioner for human resources.
McRae noted that the university conducted its own search to fill the post rather than spending $80,000 to hire a national consultant.
Crady comes to UM from Gustavus Adolpohus College in St. Peter, Minn., where he was vice president for enrollment management.
Crady is "distinguished and accomplished in the field of contemporary enrollment management," McRae said. "This is the highest priority and biggest challenge at the University of Montana. He was far and away the most qualified candidate in the search."
The Missoula campus has suffered an enrollment decline in recent years for several reasons, including a decline in the number of Montana high school students, a federal investigation into whether the school properly investigated rape cases and its academic focus on the humanities.
Montana State University, which offers an engineering program, has seen its enrollment increase.
Under guidelines passed by the regents in 2006, recruitment signing bonuses should be 10 percent of salary or $5,000, whichever is higher, McRae said, which is why Crady's bonus is on the regents' agenda next week.
Flash
Rebels in Syria's northern city of Aleppo unleashed multiple offensives against government-controlled areas in retaliation to the Syrian army attack on key rebel supply route there, a monitor group reported.
An array of jihadi groups waged attacks on four fronts against government-controlled districts in the western part of Aleppo on Monday, in response to the military severing of the only supply route the rebels use in northern Aleppo countryside, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The UK-based watchdog group said the rebels also fired hundreds of mortar rounds on residential areas west of Aleppo, as part of their attack.
The Syrian army on Thursday effectively cut off the Castillo road, the last remaining supply line for the rebels between rebel-held areas in the northern countryside of Aleppo, with rebel-controlled eastern district of Aleppo.
The al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front and likeminded groups launched an offensive over the past two days to re-open Castillo, but their attack failed, with tens of them killed or wounded.
Meanwhile, state news agency SANA said at least eight people were killed Monday as a result of the intense rebel shelling, while the Observatory said a Syrian airstrike against a rebel-held area east of Aleppo killed 16 people.
Aleppo, strategically located near the borders with Turkey, is Syria's largest city and once an economic hub. It has been a focal point of clashes between the Syrian army and the rebels.
In the summer of 2012, thousands of armed militants stormed residential districts of Aleppo from its countryside, striking the economic nerves of the Syrian government, which has repeatedly accused Turkey of supporting the rebels for undeclared interests in Aleppo.
The rebels captured several districts in eastern Aleppo city and tried repeatedly to expand their presence to government-controlled areas in the west.
The rebels laid siege to western Aleppo districts after cutting the international road to Aleppo in 2014, a siege broken later by the Syrian army, with the help of Hezbollah.
Military experts say the initial aim of the new Syrian army's battles in Aleppo is to lay a siege on the rebel-held areas and cut off their supply lines to force a surrender.
Another aim is to ensure the security of government-controlled areas and to prevent the militant groups from blocking the main road connecting Aleppo with the Syrian coast and other provinces in central and southern Syria.
Observers say the Syrian military campaign also aims to recapture areas in the northern and southern countryside of Aleppo in the face of Turkey's perceived attempts to establish a safe zone in northern Syria.
Flash
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday urged the UN Security Council to "impose an immediate arms embargo on South Sudan" in response to renewed fighting in the nation's capital Juba, which killed around 300 people since the latest conflict began a few days ago.
The secretary-general made the remarks while speaking to reporters here, saying that "The gravity of the situation demands a rapid response."
The proposed arms embargo requires approval by the Security Council.
Ban also urged the Security Council to enact additional targeted sanctions on leaders and commanders blocking implementation of the Agreement, signed in August 2015 to seek a return to peace and security in the world's youngest country.
Meanwhile, the secretary-general also asked the 15-nation UN body to fortify the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), saying that "We desperately need attack helicopters and other material to fulfil our mandate to protect civilians."
At least 271 people were killed in the renewed fighting which began on Thursday between South Sudan's rival army factions in the capital Juba.
Two Chinese UN peacekeepers were killed in the fighting in Juba on Sunday. The secretary-general and the Security Council condemned the killing of the Chinese peacekeepers.
"I also urge all countries contributing to UNMISS to stand their ground," Ban said. "Any withdrawals would send precisely the wrong signal, in South Sudan and across the world."
South Sudan has canceled this year's independence celebrations due to the economic crunch resulting from more than two years of civil conflict. It won independence on July 9, 2011 from Sudan after more than two decades of war that ended in a bitter divorce.
The country again plunged into conflict in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup, which the latter denied, leading to a cycle of retaliatory killings.
President Kiir and former rebel leader and now First Vice President Machar signed a peace deal in August that paved way for the formation of the transitional unity government to end more than two years of civil conflict.
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The Pentagon announced on Monday it would deploy an additional 560 troops to Iraq to fight the extremist group the Islamic State (IS).
"The additional troops will provide a range of support for Iraqi Security Forces, including infrastructure and logistical capabilities at the airfield near Qayyarah," said a Pentagon statement, adding that announcement was made by U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter during his visit to Iraq.
"As the campaign shifts toward Mosul, more than 250 miles from the Iraqi capital, the airfield will become a vital springboard for the ISF offensive into Mosul," said the statement.
The latest increase of U.S. troops in Iraq brings the total U.S. troops there to 4,647.
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Seven more suspects were detained overnight for their links to the bombing attacks on Istanbul's main airport last month, Turkish media reported on Monday.
This picture taken on June 30, 2016 shows cloves left by airport employees next to killed airport employees pictures at Ataturk airport international terminal in Istanbul on June 30, 2016 two days after the triple suicide bombing and gun attack occurred at Istanbul's Ataturk airport. [Photo/Xinhua]
The arrests were made in Istanbul following risk analysis and profile assessment reports by anti-terror police, the state-run Anadolu Agency said, citing judicial sources.
The suspects face charges of "being a member of armed terrorist group" and "assisting premediated homicide," the agency noted.
Three foreign nationals opened fire at crowds and then blew themselves up at the international terminal of the Ataturk Airport on June 28, leaving 45 people dead and more than 200 others injured.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Turkish officials said they believe it was conducted by the Islamic State group.
As of now 37 suspects, many of them foreign nationals, have been arrested.
Flash
U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter met Monday with Iraqi leaders, during which they discussed means to increase support to the Iraqi forces to recapture a strategic city from the Islamic State (IS) group.
"Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi discussed with Ashton Carter the military operations in Iraq against IS, in addition to updating security plans," said a statement released by the prime minister office.
The Iraqi Defense Ministry said in a separate statement that Defense Minister Khalid al-Obeidi also met with Carter.
"The U.S. will provide all the required support to meet the requirements of the Iraqi forces and to speed up the operations to liberate Mosul," the ministry's statement said.
Obeidi also asserted that the Iraqi preparations have reached an advanced stage for the liberation of Mosul, the capital of Iraq's northern province of Nineveh, the statement said, adding the two sides discussed the international support to liberate Nineveh province after the latest victory in Qayyara area.
During his visit, the Pentagon chief said that 560 more U.S. troops will be deployed in Iraq to help establish a newly retaken airbase of Qayyara, some 55 km south of Mosul, as a staging hub for the long-awaited battle to recapture Mosul from the IS extremist militants.
Once known as Saddam airbase, it is one of the largest airbases in the Middle East region and was widely used by the former Iraqi air force during the Iraqi-Iranian war in 1980s.
The airbase is vital for the Iraqi security forces in the coming battles that aimed to free Mosul and other areas.
Most of the new U.S. troops will be devoted to the build-up of the Qayyara airbase, including engineers, logistics personnel and other forces to help the Iraqi security forces plan to encircle and eventually retake Mosul.
Earlier in the day, Carter arrived in Baghdad on an unannounced visit.
Hundreds of U.S. marines are already deployed in Iraq, serving as trainers and advisers, and were helping the country to win the battle against the IS extremists in Iraq's western province of Anbar as well as in northern regions.
Iraq's security situation has drastically deteriorated since June 2014, when bloody clashes broke out between Iraqi security forces and IS militants.
The IS took control of the country's northern city of Mosul and later seized territories in Nineveh and other predominantly Sunni provinces.
A U.S.-led international coalition has been conducting air raids against IS targets in both Iraq and Syria.
Many blame the current chronic instability, cycle of violence, and the emergence of extremist groups such as the IS on the U.S. that invaded and occupied Iraq in March 2003.
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A local Taliban leader has been killed in an operation in Afghanistan's eastern province of Ghazni, said the country's Interior Ministry on Tuesday.
"An Afghan National Police (ANP) unit killed a Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Shokor along with three of his associates during an operation in Ghazni province on Sunday evening," the ministry said in a statement.
The statement said Shokor served as Taliban shadow judge in Abbad district of the province, 125 km south of Kabul.
"Shokor was responsible for extrajudicial murdering of several innocent Afghans in Ghazni. He was also directly responsible for several terrorist activities and ambush attacks targeting Afghan security forces," the statement noted.
The ANP also found and confiscated several rounds of weapons and ammunition, the statement said, adding no member of the ANP was hurt during the raid.
The Afghan security forces have beefed up security operations against militants since early April after Taliban militants started their so-called annual spring offensive and stepped up attacks across the country.
The militant group has yet to make comments.
Flash
Chinese government on Tuesday refused to recognize the award by an arbitral tribunal on the South China Sea, insisting that bilateral negotiations should settle the dispute.
President Xi Jinping said China's territorial sovereignty and maritime interests in the South China Sea will not be affected by the award in any circumstances.
In a press release accompanying the 479-page award, the five-member tribunal offered a summary of its decision, which almost completely accepted the claims filed by the administration of former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III.
The arbitration was "a political farce under the pretext of law," said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi after the award was announced.
"Now the farce is over," the minister said. "It is time that things come back to normal."
INVALID AWARD
The Philippine government initiated the arbitration in January 2013 and in February, the Chinese government declared that it would neither participate in nor accept any outcome of the process.
In a statement Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry said the award "is null and void and has no binding force". It accused the Philippines of "bad faith," saying that the aim was not to resolve the dispute nor to maintain peace and stability, but simply to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
"The conduct of the Arbitral Tribunal and its awards ... are unjust and unlawful," the statement said.
There is plenty of evidence that the Nansha Islands and adjacent waters are Chinese territory. The Chinese people were the first to name and develop the islands and it was the Chinese government that first asserted sovereignty over them.
A group of Chinese and Iranian scholars recently published research findings from a series of maps drawn by Persian and Arabian geographers from the ninth to 17th centuries, which show the disputed waters and islands as Chinese territory.
Victor Gao, a current affairs commentator and director of the China National Association of International Studies, told Xinhua that the establishing of the tribunal was a serious breach of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and of China's rights as a State Party under the UNCLOS.
"The tribunal is the tool of a handful of countries. It is in essence illegal, and the outcome is not binding," he said.
The arbitration and the out-of-bad-faith dramatization and political manipulation that ensued have putt the South China Sea issue to a dangerous situation, with growing tension and confrontation, Wang Yi said.
It is detrimental to peace and stability in the region, and it does not serves the common interests of China and the Philippines, countries in the region or the wider international community, he said.
OUTCRY AT HOME, ABROAD
The award has barely sent a ripple to islanders who have fished in the waters for generations.
Tanmen, a township in south China's Hainan Province, has almost 5,000 fishermen, including nearly 1,000 who regularly work in the Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha island groups and surrounding waters
Lu Jiabing, 66-year-old fisherman from Tanmen, was puzzled by the news about the award.
"For many generations, our ancestors sailed into that waters that we consider part of our home. No court can change that," he said.
On social media "South China Sea arbitration" is drawing disappointment and anger.
"I will firmly stand by my country. Not a slice of China's territory should be compromised," wrote Weibo user "Shinianxuyuan."
Some protested about the United States and some other countries meddling in the issue and exacerbating the situation.
"Please don't make a mess in the South China Sea under the name of doing good. It is our territory, not your business," said "Huahua_Gloria."
Taiwan said Tuesday that it "absolutely will not accept" the arbitration result and that the decision "is not legally binding."
So far more than 60 countries have publicly voiced support for China's stance.
When co-chairing the 18th China-EU Summit on Tuesday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said by not accepting nor recognizing the award, China is in fact safeguarding the international law.
Li called on the European Union to maintain an objective stance and neutrality on the issue.
THE RIGHT WAY
The Foreign Ministry stressed that China does not accept any third party settlement nor any imposed solution.
To resolve the disputes, China will continue to work with states directly concerned through negotiations on the basis of historical facts and international law, it said.
"China respects and upholds freedom of navigation and overflight enjoyed by all states under international law in the South China Sea, and stays ready to work with other coastal states and the international community to ensure the safety of and the unimpeded access to international shipping lanes," read a separate missive "Statement of the Government of the People's Republic of China on China's Territorial Sovereignty and Maritime Rights and Interests in the South China Sea".
Also on Tuesday, China tested two new airports on the Nansha Islands, adding more landing choices for flights across the South China Sea. The airports are to facilitate transportation, emergency rescue and medical services for people on the islands.
A Cessna CE-680 from the flight inspection center of the Civil Aviation Administration of China flew between the new airports on the Meiji and Zhubi reefs.
Making his remarks before the arbitration award, Yang Yujun, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, said that no matter how the tribunal decides, Chinese military will resolutely protect its national sovereignty, security and maritime rights and interests; safeguard regional peace and stability; and cope with all kinds of threats and challenges.
The Chinese navy conducted a combat drill in waters adjacent to south China's Hainan Island and Xisha Islands on Friday, which Yang insisted was a routine matter in line with the military's annual exercise plan.
About 3,500 acres of private, state and federal land has burned in a Rosebud County wildfire this week.
The Harris fire was started July 9 by lightning strikes about 26 miles south of Ashland. On Tuesday, it was about 50 percent contained, according to a 10 a.m. incident report.
Mark Jacobsen, Bureau of Land Management incident media contact, said while the fire isn't contained, crews have nearly surrounded the blaze and are working about 200 yards into the fires perimeter to mop up smoldering areas.
BLM, United States Forest Service, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and Rosebud County equipment and crews were assigned to the fire. Jacobsen said Rosebud County assets including a bulldozer and two engines were released from the scene at about 7 p.m. Monday.
The incident report said there are still 130 people assigned to the fire. Fire command plans to release additional assets Tuesday evening.
The fire is burning a mixture of timber and brush. Crews are dealing with gust winds as they work Tuesday
PINEDALE, Wyo. A judge has ruled that the Sublette County commissioners illegally switched the county's legal notices to a different publication last year.
The county had a contract with the Pinedale Roundup to publish its legal advertisements for the 2015-16 fiscal year.
However, the commission in October 2015 switched to the Sublette Trader publication, citing a savings of $20,000 in advertising fees.
State District Judge Jeffrey Donnell ruled last week that the commission breached a contract with the newspaper.
Donnell says Wyoming Newspapers Inc., which owns the Roundup, is entitled for compensation for lost revenue. The judge says the amount of compensation will be determined in a separate hearing.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. A brewery and a goat farm are among the Wyoming recipients of grants to encourage renewable energy and energy efficiency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday.
Ten businesses in Wyoming will share $356,000 in grants through the USDA's Rural Energy for America Program. That's out of more than $11 million in grants and $43 million in loan guarantees through the program nationwide.
The program has helped some 15,000 farmers, ranchers and small businesses since 2009. More than 820 projects nationwide got funding this year.
This year's Wyoming recipients include Bitter Creek Brewing in Rock Springs, which got a $4,200 grant to make its building more energy efficient. Goat farm Big Horn Basin Boers in Manderson is getting almost $14,000 to buy and install solar power.
Other grant recipients in Wyoming include:
Blair's Market grocery store in Greybull, $197,000 to install more efficient lights.
Shell Lodge Event and Adventure Company in Shell, $17,000 for a solar system.
Woody's Food Center grocery store in Newcastle, $20,000 for lighting efficiency improvements.
"These investments in clean energy are good for the environment, are good for each business's bottom line and they support the broader rural economy by encouraging the production of renewable energy sources," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release.
A reporter uses a smartphone to take photographs of an aircraft during preparations ahead of the Farnborough International Airshow 2016 in the United Kingdom, on July 10, 2016.[Photo/Agencies]
Airbus SAS is set to announce a key order for eight to 10 of its biggest twin-engine model, the A350-1000, from Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd after beating Boeing Co to a scarce order for big jets as economic and political uncertainties overshadow the Farnborough Airshow.
The order, worth some $3 billion at list prices, could perk up Monday's opening of an event clouded by geopolitical uncertainty, including Britain's decision to leave the European Union and concerns over the state of the global economy.
British Prime Minister David Cameron was scheduled to attend the opening day and finalize multibillion-dollar deals with Boeing to buy nine P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol planes and to upgrade 50 Apache helicopters.
Industry sources said Airbus's A350-1000 deal with Virgin Atlantic provided a shot in the arm to a 366-seat model promising greater efficiency but whose sales have slowed as Boeing develops a larger version of its 777, prompting a game of leapfrog between the only two makers of long-haul jets.
Airbus declined to comment and Virgin Atlantic was unavailable to comment.
Airbus and Boeing have enjoyed years of strong demand, helped by rising airline travel particularly in Asia and the Middle East and new, more fuel-efficient planes.
But with the industry's order backlog standing at a record 13,500 planes at the end of 2015, or 9.6 years of production at current rates, analysts are worried that economic risksfrom slowing growth in China to Britain's move to leave the EUcould see orders dry up and some even canceled.
Larger, more expensive twin-aisle planes are likely to be most at risk.
Indeed, industry sources said Virgin Atlantic, which has long deferred an order for six of Airbus's A380 superjumbos, looked set to finally cancel it.
The head of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Ray Conner, said the company was facing slower demand for widebody jets and would be vigilant about matching supply to demand, though it was too early to say whether it would again cut output of its 777.
Reuters
Workers at a steel factory in Dalian, Liaoning province. [Photo/China Daily]
G20 trade ministers reached an agreement on Sunday to tackle steel overcapacity, according to Gao Hucheng, China's commerce minister.
They stated that excess capacity of steel and other industries is a global issue, and agreed to "strengthen communication, deepen cooperation, and take effective measures to deal with such a challenge", Gao said at a news conference of the G20 Trade Ministers Meeting in Shanghai.
China accounts for almost half of world steel production, while more than 80 percent of its iron ore depends on imports. Last year, the country exported 120 million metric tons of steel at a value of $61.2 billion, and imported 956 million tons of iron ore at a value of $57.2 billion.
"China's steel industry is not export-oriented," said Gao. "China is not only the world's largest steel producer, but also the biggest consumer."
The minister said among China's more than 220 steel trade partners last year, 154 of them produced no steel. Examined from a view of the world steel structure, Gao said, the solution is to ease the excess steel capacity of all countries, rather than blaming one single country.
China faces frequent investigations, and sometimes accusations, in the industry from Western countries. It is estimated that starting from the second half of 2015, there are more than 50 cases accusing China of dumping steel products, totaling $8.4 billion.
The Chinese representatives at the G20 Trade Ministers' Meeting said such countries certainly ignored Chinese companies' high efficiency and low labor and production costs, so China became the "victim of extreme anti-dumping measures".
The State Council has issued a plan to reduce crude steel output by 100 million tons to 150 million tons within five years, starting from 2016.
The latest official statistics show a slower growth rate of iron and steel exports.
In 2015, the total volume for the first five months increased by 50 percent compared with that of the same period in the previous year. However, the growth shrank to around 22 percent this year, said Shen Danyang, spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce.
"At the moment, one of the biggest advantages of China's iron and steel products in the global market is their high quality-to-price ratio," said Chen Jingfu, an analyst at the Mysteel Research Institute in Shanghai. "But in the future, it should stand out more in quality, service and brand building."
Xing Ying, General Manager of Quanjude Group, dusts off an inscribed board during a ceremony to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Quanjude at its Qianmen restaurant in Beijing, 2 July 2014.[Photo/IC]
China Quanjude Group, the iconic restaurant chain renowned for its Peking roast duck, saw its shares hitting the maximum 10 percent rise on Monday, due to market speculation over whether the resignation of four top executives is related to its bidding for McDonald's Corp's licensing rights in China.
The Shenzhen-listed company said on Sunday that its chairman, general manager, board secretary and a board member had offered to resign.
But the company added Chairman Wang Zhiqiang and general manager Xing Ying will remain as board members after they quit. Board secretary Shi Bingfeng will continue serving as the deputy vice-general manager.
The move prompted media speculation on whether a new management team with more acquisition and merger experience would give its bid for McDonald's franchise deal an advantage.
In June McDonald's received more than half a dozen bids for the planned sale of its Chinese mainland and Hong Kong stores, including offers from Beijing Tourism Group, the biggest shareholder of Quanjude, Sanpower Group and China National Chemical Corporation, in a deal worth about $3 billion, according to media reports.
McDonald's is offering a 20-year master franchise agreement to buyers as part of the deal, according to media reports.
In a telephone interview with China Daily on Monday, a woman surnamed Wang from the board office of Quanjude said the resignations and management changes had nothing to do with the McDonald's bidding.
"It is a normal change of management," said Wang. She added the company did not know where there was "exaggeration" in the market about it or speculation linking "two irrelevant matters".
Quanjude is controlled by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission in Beijing. Its largest shareholder is Beijing Tourism Group, with 42.67 percent of its shares, and Quanjude is the only listed catering enterprise owned by the parent.
Beijing Tourism Group also owns more than 80 catering and food brands including the well-known Beijing hotpot chain Beijing Donglaishun Group Co Ltd.
Quanjude's parent company has been seeking a restructuring of the State-owned food and beverage operations since 2014.
According to Eastern Securities, Quanjude wants to speed up mergers and acquisition plans.
BEIJING - China will end its anti-dumping duties on trichloroethylene (TCE) imports from Russia and Japan on July 21, the Ministry of Commerce said on Monday.
In 2005, China levied anti-dumping duties ranging from 3 percent to 159 percent on TCE imported from the two countries and extended the measures in 2011 for another five years.
Since no applications for expiry reviews have been received from domestic TCE producers 60 days prior to the expiration of the measures, the ministry will end the anti-dumping duties.
Zhao Ming, president of Honor made a speech on the launch ceremony for Honor 8 held in Shanghai on July 11, 2016.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's separate brand Honor unveiled a middle-end smartphone with sleek design on Monday, highlighting the company's determination to tap into young Chinese consumers' growing desire for aesthetic products and quality life.
The move also marked Huawei's latest step to target different user groups with dual brands, as the company safeguards its top position in China's smartphone market amid mounting pressure from smaller rivals such as Oppo Electronics Corp.
Unlike its peer products which look roughly the same, Honor 8 features a unique glass back, which can reflect colorful lights, and 12-megapiel dual-cameras, which allow it to deliver better photo-taking ability.
"Most of handsets are equipped with metal bodies and look quite similar to Apple's iPhones," said Zhao Ming, president of Honor.
"We want to change that with Honor 8. We will prove young Chinese consumers are aesthetics-conscious and willing to pay for elegant designs," Zhao said, adding the company is chiefly targeting consumers between 18 to 34 years old.
Honor 8, starting from 1,999 yuan, will also be equipped with Huawei Pay, an NFC-enabled mobile payment tool.
Consumers in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou will soon be able to use Huawei Pay to take buses and subways. "We are also talking with dozens of banks for cooperation," Zhao said.
To protect Honor 8's glass back and its beautiful back design, the Shenzhen-based company also unveiled a line of tailor-made transparent smartphone cases.
James Yan, research director at Counterpoint Technology Market Research, said Honor 8 reflects Huawei's clear strategy when Chinese's smartphone market is reaching saturation.
"Low price is not enough to attract buyers. Honor 8 is a well-positioned product by targeting Chinese young consumers with good tastes and purchasing power," Yan said.
The new product also complements Honor V8, a handset released in May and designed to target businessmen, experts said.
But when it comes to the handset design on which Honor spent half hour talking about, Yan remains cautious. "It remains to be seen whether these design improvements will set the next wave of trend."
As China steps up efforts to overhaul its overstretched medical system, a tech company in southwestern Guizhou province is taking an innovative approachsetting up an internet hospital exclusively for patients with complicated conditions.
The 39 Internet Hospital, launched by Guiyang Longmaster Information & Technology Co Ltd, is an online platform linking patients throughout China suffering from serious conditions with leading doctors from top-tier cities.
The online initiative, which raised 50 million yuan ($7.5 million) from investors last week, is part of Longmaster's broader effort to revolutionize the medicare sector with a service-oriented approach.
"Many patients travel to top-tier cities to consult experts, while many renowned doctors are burdened with the pressure of dealing with minor ailments," said Wang Wei, chairman of Shenzhen-listed Longmaster.
"We want to help change that," Wang said, adding that the hospital has already recruited more than 200 well-known doctors.
The 39 Internet Hospital is built on the basis of 39.net, a leading health information website in China, which has 160 million users. Longmaster acquired 39.net for 650 million yuan ($97 million) in 2014.
Unlike peer medical institutions, which only focus on video-based diagnosis, the online venture enables leading medical experts and local doctors to jointly treat patients, helping boost efficiency and save costs.
"Experts can offer guidance to local doctors via video calls, and decide whether patients need to go to major hospitals for diagnosis," said Pang Chenglin, general manager of the 39 Internet Hospital.
With help from doctors in big cities, around 70 percent to 80 percent of patients it has accepted in the past two months have received effective treatment at local hospitals, the company said.
The rest were transferred to the leading hospitals where these experts work.
"We will use the investment of 50 million yuan to recruit more doctors, build up the brand and offer training sessions on how to use the online platform," Pang added.
The government is pushing ahead with reforms to more effectively distribute medical resources.
According to the National Health and Family Planning Commission, China has 987,000 medical institutions as of last May, but class-three hospitals, the top category, only accounted for 0.2 percent.
Internet heavyweights Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Tencent Holdings Ltd, as well as a string of startups, are seeking opportunities in the sector.
Qin Zexi, an analyst at Beijing-based iResearch Consulting Group, said it remains to be seen how the internet can facilitate medical treatment.
"After all, many patients are unable to accurately describe their symptoms over video calls," Qin said.
Children watch robots at the 5th China International Robot Show(CIROS2016) on July 6, 2016, Shanghai. [Photo/IC]
The 2016 World Robot Conference will be held in Beijing from October 21 - 25.
The conference, jointly hosted of the Ministry of Industry and Information, China Association for Science and Technology, and the Beijing Government, will be the largest of its kind in the country.
The event will have three components: a world robot forum, a robot expo, and a robot competition.
The forum will be composed of 20 sub-forums with different themes. In the news conference, the organizing committee expects a total of 300 scholars and experts from China and abroad to attend the forum.
The robot expo will be held for five days, and the total area for the exposition is 40,000 square meter, compared with last year's 22,000 square meter. Industrial robot, service robot, and specialized robot will be showcased in the expo.
The competition will include five sub-competitions for unmanned vehicles, robot stars, under-water robots, drones, and RobotCup which is for teenagers.
According to Xu Xiaolan, the secretary general of this year's World Robot Conference, the competition will attract 160 to 270 teams from leading universities worldwide, and a number of global enterprises such as Baidu, LeEco, and Tesla.
"Through this Robot Conference, we hope we can build a bridge between teenagers, innovators, experts, and enterprises, providing them an opportunity to connect and a reference to the transformation of China's manufacturing industry, " said Xu.
Ni Yuchen contributed to this story.
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China has begun to build the first Sino-French satellite and plans to launch it in 2018 to improve oceanographical research, according to Chinese space scientists.
The development of the prototype of China-France Oceanography Satellite, known as CFOSAT, has finished and production of the satellite has started, said Dong Xiaolong, assistant director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' National Space Science Center.
Once put into service, CFOSAT will measure the wind and waves on the ocean's surface, contributing to forecasts for mariners and early warning of disasters, he said.
The satellite will carry two major instruments - the French-developed surface wave investigation and monitoring radar and the Chinese-developed wind scatterometer.
"The mission is scientifically important and meaningful because it will help us improve our overall understanding of the ocean and climate variations.
Moreover, it will benefit ocean-related businesses such as offshore engineering, fisheries, shipping industry, and coastal or harbor management," the scientist said.
Dong made the remarks on the sidelines of the 2016 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium in Beijing on Sunday. The event is held by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the world's largest association of technical professionals, and was to last from Sunday to Friday.
Started in 2006, the CFOSAT is the first satellite jointly developed by China and France. Its design is based on China's CAST 2000 satellite platform, which has been used for more than 10 satellites, said Wang Lili, chief designer of the satellite at China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.
The satellite will be launched atop a Chinese Long March carrier rocket in 2018, she added.
In addition to CFOSAT, space authorities in the two nations have also agreed to enhance their cooperation in the space-based astronomy by co-developing the Space Variable Objects Monitor satellite to study gamma-ray bursts, according to the China National Space Administration.
The dynamic partnership of China and France in space is an icon of the scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries, Jean-Yves le Gall, president of the French National Center for Space Studies, told Xinhua News Agency in Paris earlier this month.
zhaolei@chinadaily.com.cn
(China Daily 07/12/2016 page3)
The governance of cyberspace should be guided by principles including sovereignty, equality and noninterference in internal affairs, a senior diplomat said on Monday.
Qian Hongshan, China's assistant foreign minister, said that necessary cyberspace security supervision should not be sidestepped "on the excuse of market and trade liberalization".
"It is important to accommodate the concerns of different parties and refrain from imposing certain rules on others," he said.
He made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the International Workshop on Cyber Security in Beijing. The forum is co-hosted by China and the United Nations. It's the second time China and the UN co-host an international workshop on cyber issues - the first was in 2014.
"The pursuit of unilateral advantage through technological monopoly, the attempt to seek the so-called absolute security for oneself at the expense of the security of others, and the practice of making judgment on the basis of one's own interests or applying double standards are not just unpopular, but also detrimental to one's own security," he said while introducing China's views on cyberspace rules.
He called on joint efforts for the governance of cyberspace under the principles enshrined in the UN Charter including sovereignty equality, nonuse of force, and peaceful settlement of disputes.
During the two-day seminar, diplomats from countries including Russia, the United States, Britain and Australia will exchange views on the establishment of a system of rules for cyberspace.
There remain some unanswered questions including how malicious acts can be made accountable and how to maintain balance between protecting privacy and state security, said Kim Won-soo, undersecretary-general and high representative for disarmament affairs of the UN.
"The longer these questions remain unanswered, the larger a normative gap grows. It will continue to be exploited by malicious acts," said Kim, an influential adviser to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
"We cannot overemphasize the centrality of cyber security to the entire international community," he said, calling on joint efforts to "build an open, reliable, safe, secure, stable and inclusive internet".
Zhang Shuhua, a researcher of the Institute of Information Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that all countries should have equal participation in the making of international cyberspace rules, and the process should not be dominated by only one country.
The global governance of cyberspace should be achieved through international negotiation under the framework of the UN, he added.
The South China Sea issue should not be dragged into a major summit between Asian and European leaders in Mongolia, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Monday in Beijing.
The 11th Asia-Europe Meeting, or ASEM summit, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, is not an appropriate venue to discuss the issue, which has no direct link to the meeting, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Kong Xuanyou told a news conference.
"It is a false argument to claim that the South China Sea situation has affected regional stability," Kong said, one day ahead of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague's scheduled release of a ruling regarding the South China Sea disputes.
"There is no reason to bring the issue to ASEM citing 'freedom of navigation' and security interests as causes of concern," Kong said.
The official said there was no plan to discuss the issue at the meeting and that it should not be put on the agenda.
Kong said Premier Li Keqiang will pay a two-day visit to Mongolia on Wednesday, before addressing the ASEM Summit of Heads of State and Government in Ulaanbaatar to expound on China's views and proposals to enhance dialogue and cooperation between the two continents.
Museum to open next year will document China's long history with the sea and islands
China is building a museum in its southernmost Hainan province to display the culture of the South China Sea amid rising maritime tension caused by an imminent ruling in an arbitration case.
The National South China Sea Museum, on which construction began in November last year and which will open next year, will be "a platform of declaration of sovereignty over South China Sea", Chen Jiang, the museum project's director, said on Monday.
The museum will exhibit evidence of China's sovereignty over the South China Sea, including genglubu, traditional guidebooks to the sea and islands for fishermen, seafaring technology, and historical relics found in the South China Sea islands, he said.
The previous Philippine administration of president Benigno Aquino unilaterally launched the arbitration case against China over maritime disputes in early 2013. The Arbitral Tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague is scheduled to issue its ruling on Tuesday. China maintains that the tribunal appointed by the court has no jurisdiction over the issue because it concerns sovereignty and security issues.
The museum, will cover 1.5 hectares at Tanmen fishing harbor in Qionghai, on the east coast of the island province, and has a projected building cost of 932 million yuan ($139 million).
Tanmen, a well-known small fishing town whose residents are thought to have been the first to explore and exploit the South China Sea, with the help of genglubu and the compass, was regarded as the perfect site for the museum.
"Genglubu, mostly found in Tanmen, are important evidence showing China's sovereignty in the South China Sea, so Tanmen becomes very important, and that is one of special reasons we choose the harbor as the museum site." Chen said.
Sun Xuedong, deputy head of the Hainan Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, said the museum will make use of advanced digital and virtual technology including the big-data service.
"Visitors to the museum will hear the guide in our app and they can hear some related information if they are interested in learning more," said Sun.
The museum will have six exhibit sections, on historic cultures that lived by the south China Sea and the plant and animal life of the area, two thematic exhibitions of cultural relics of the Maritime Silk Road collected from seven provinces, and underwater cultural relics from the South China Sea, as well as cultural relics from overseas.
It will soon collect relics, and anyone with such artifacts related to the South China Sea is encouraged to donate them to the museum.
Liu Cigui, governor of Hainan province, said at a meeting on Saturday that relics collected must fit in with the South China Sea theme.
Huang Yiming in Haikou contributed to this story.
In Jiangsu province, people with flashlights often spend summer evenings peering into the darkened branches of trees in search of a local specialty - cicadas.
The strange looking insects are a popular snack.
The cicadas, which develop quickly after hatching, are easy to catch. Su Zhen, a college student in Nanjing, said cicadas are a favorite of his relatives in Xuzhou city.
"Many of them catch cicadas to eat," Su said. "And some people even make a living from the insects."
Wang Jinxu, a restaurant executive in Nanjing, said cicadas are selling for about 50 yuan ($7.5) per kilogram lately.
"They're the most popular insects in summer," Wang said. "They are often fried to make them crispy. Many kinds of insects, such as ants, locusts, green worms and scorpions can be cooked and served to people."
According to Jia Pan, manager of the Xuzhou Specialty Restaurant in Nanjing's Gulou district, the largest market for cicadas is Yangxin county in Shandong province, famous for juicy pears.
"Pear trees are cicadas' preferred home," Jia said. "They are often caught between 7 and 9 pm because their wings and bodies grow quickly after the nymph stage." Mature ones don't taste as good, he said.
"It's interesting to hear people screaming when dishes made of insects are served," Jia said. "Some of my competitors tried to introduce insect dishes at their restaurants, but finally gave up because of the limited number of customers."
"Many people not only like the taste of cicadas but also believe that the insects contain high levels of protein and various trace elements that are beneficial to health."
He added that a kind of green worm, the doudan, is popular in Xuzhou. The worm is served after its skin is peeled. The white meat tastes, in his words, "more delicate than most food in the world".
Guo Jun and Han Qingyun contributed to this story.
China will establish a national system for volunteer organizations by 2020, under a set of guidelines issued by eight central government departments.
A digital platform across the nation will be set up to put legitimate volunteers and organizations on the record and keep track of their services.
Governments at all levels are encouraged to purchase services from volunteer groups in helping the poor, sick, elderly and orphans, as well as victims of natural disasters and other difficulties.
Officials and government employees are encouraged to take part in volunteer services during their spare time.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs, one of the eight departments endorsing the guidelines, has been appointed to take the administrative responsibility.
Tao Chuanjin, director of the Research Center of Philanthropy and Social Enterprise at Beijing Normal University, said the move has highlighted the service role of the government in the community of volunteers.
"The move's emphasis on the government's supportive job is progressive, as in China people see more of the government's supervising power," Tao said. "The guidelines also left space for future adjustments."
China had more than 100 million volunteers on record in 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions by 2015, according to the China Volunteer Service Federation.
Voluntary service in China has more than three decades of history, dating back to the 1980s.
Dozens of related regulations have been established at the provincial level since 1999, when the first of its kind was set up in Guangdong province. But a national draft had not been formed until the approval of this one.
On May 20, President Xi Jinping presided over a high-level meeting of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform, at which the draft of the plan was first approved, along with several other key proposals with national impact.
Millions of residents have returned to areas along the Yangtze River used for water retention
A leading expert on the Yangtze River is warning of potential danger as China battles flooding along its longest river.
Chen Jin, vice-dean of the Yangtze River Scientific Research Institute, said that people have moved back into some flood retention areas in the Yangtze River Basin after an unprecedented disaster in 1998 drove them out.
It has been a common practice for people living along the river to encircle land with earthen dikes and to plant crops in areas that should be reserved for flood retention.
The change is understandable as there has been no major flooding since that year, Chen said, but there are risks.
The Three Gorges Reservoir and other reservoirs in the upper reaches of the Yangtze have reduced the likelihood that flood retention areas will be needed, but there is still risk of a tragic repeat of history if flooding were to come again, he said.
After the devastating flood in 1998, which killed 1,800, some of the encircled lands were restored, while some were left alone. People were not allowed to live in the areas.
Chen said he observed some of the residents who had reoccupied the encircled lands during an flood control inspection tour in western Hunan province.
Statistics from the Yangtze River Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters showed that 6 million people are living on such land in the Yangtze Basin. This year 2.89 million of them were evacuated for safety.
"Every time after experiencing a flood disaster with great loss, people left," Chen said. But after several decades without a disaster, they intruded again. This has been repeated many times in history.
"These encircled lands are what I worry about most. People have forgotten the pain after the wound is healed."
He said the flood retention areas are the last resort in flood control planning and will be used only when floods exceed the capacity of dikes and after reservoirs reach their maximum storage capacity.
"Floods happen once in decades. Moving back to the land is understandable as food security has been a big problem in China. Sometimes, local governments think it's a waste to leave those lands unused," Chen said.
"But after food security is guaranteed, we still have to restore reclaimed lake areas. Only in this way can we live harmoniously with flooding."
"We could use the economic benefits of power generation in the upper reaches to compensate for the cost of restoring lakes in the middle and lower reaches. Once flood retention areas are broadened and floods have enough space to flow harmlessly, the conflict between humans and water will no longer be significant."
After more than three decades of development, the assisted reproductive technology available in China is mature and meets global standards, officials and experts have said.
In March 1988, Peking University Third Hospital in Beijing saw the birth of the first baby via in vitro fertilization on the Chinese mainland. In 1983, the first baby in China delivered via the use of intrauterine insemination was born at Hunan Medical College in Changsha, Hunan province.
"China has closely followed the latest developments in assisted reproductive technology, and has reached international standards in the field," said Ma Xiaowei, deputy minister in charge of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, adding that couples in need of these services do not have to travel overseas.
With the rising number of infertile couples and the adoption of the universal second-child policy, an increasing number of couples are seeking fertility treatment both in China and overseas.
However, the nation's sperm banks have long suffered severe shortages as a result of a lack of donors and growing demand. In some cases couples have waited more than two years, according to media reports. Last year, an ad on the public WeChat account of a sperm bank in Hubei province offered free smartphones to young men who donated sperm.
According to experts, the infertility rate has risen to almost 15 percent among couples of optimum fertility, compared with 3 percent more than 20 years ago, because more couples are choosing to start families at a later age and the number of abortions has also risen.
Li Rong, deputy director of reproductive medicine at Peking University Third Hospital, said that in general, China's assisted reproductive technology is on a par with international levels, and the rate of success is high. In addition, China leads the world in certain technologies.
Fertility levels fall rapidly when women reach 40 years of age, and their chances of becoming pregnant are low, even with the assisted reproductive technology, she said.
With the adoption of the universal second-child policy, the number of couples seeking assisted reproductive technologies is rising rapidly in China.
"Last year, we completed about 60 artificial insemination procedures in the hospital, but the number was more than 100 in the first half of this year," said Zhang Jun, head of operations at Beijing Bao Dao Healthcare, a high-end maternity hospital in Beijing.
Having obtained the permission of the health authorities in Beijing, the hospital began offering in vitro fertilization services at the start of the year to meet the rising demand from couples who find it difficult to conceive naturally.
It is approved for only 50 IVF procedures in the first year, and the quota is likely to be exhausted long before December, Zhang said.
Most of the couples who opt for assisted reproductive technology at the hospital are age 35 and older, and most of them want a second child because they lost their firstborn or they have married a second time and want to start a new family, she said.
Since the beginning of the year, all couples have been eligible to have two children, under the revised family planning law.
That means an additional 90 million couples are now eligible to have a second child, but about 50 percent of the women are age 40 or older, which means they face more risks and have less chance of becoming pregnant, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission.
With the new policy, IVF clinics in big hospitals across the country have seen an upsurge in patient numbers, and some have reported a doubling in the number of requests for clinical advice since last year, according to media reports.
Yu Haibo, a marketing manager for Yijiayi, a company in Beijing that provides advice about assisted reproductive services, said most of her clients are age 40 or older, and some are older than 50.
Most of them have attempted to conceive many times, but repeated failure has motivated them to travel overseas in search of successful pregnancies, she said.
Yu said a large number of couples may still be able to conceive naturally, so what they require is patience, not assisted reproductive technology.
Medical staff check a newborn baby at Tangdu Hospital in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, in February. The boy was born from an embryo frozen 12 years ago, a record for the Chinese mainland. Ruan Banhui / For China Daily
Foreign clinics provide services that help would-be parents to start families. Wang Xiaodong reports.
The number of infertile couples at the optimum age for conception in China has exceeded 40 million and is still rising, according to the China Population Association.
Statistics from the National Health and Family Planning Commission show that 432 medical institutes are certified to perform assisted reproductive technologies and they perform about 700,000 procedures a year. The technology is mature and world-class, according to Ma Xiaowei, deputy minister in charge of the commission.
The commission estimates that the universal two-child policy, which took effect in January, will make an extra 90 million couples eligible to have a second child, but about 50 percent of the newly eligible women are age 40 or older.
That has led some industry insiders to warn that the large number of infertile couples, allied to the expected surge in birth will see the domestic supply of assisted reproductive technology fall far short of demand.
"We estimate that about 3 million ART procedures are needed in China each year," said Xie Guoao, CEO of Uyunbaby, a company in Beijing that introduces infertile couples to ART service providers overseas. The main destinations for Chinese couples seeking ART include the United States, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan, he added.
Mark Surrey, chief medical officer at the Southern California Reproductive Center in Los Angeles, said about 350 Chinese women from China had IVF treatment at its hospital last year. The number is expected to top 400 this year.
"Most of them are from Beijing and Shanghai," he said. "The average age of the women is almost 40, and in general, they are well-educated professionals."
Lin, a 38-year-old executive at an internet advertising company in Beijing who declined to give her full name, has completed the first stages of the IVF procedure at the center. Two of her eggs have been frozen, and she will travel to Los Angeles later this year to continue the treatment.
The treatment will cost $20,000, far more than at a hospital in Beijing, but Lin isn't concerned about the cost because she believes the services and technology in the US are of a higher standard than in the Chinese capital.
"Some of my acquaintances have also made the same choice and have had their eggs frozen because they find it difficult to get pregnant naturally," she said.
Zhang Jun, head of operations at the reproductive center at Beijing Bao Dao Healthcare, a high-end maternity hospital, said some patients hesitate to go to large public hospitals in China because they fear a lack of patient confidentiality will result in their problems becoming known to outsiders.
"Almost all infertile people have psychological issues, so they need a highly secure environment in which to consult with the doctors," she said.
Surrey, from the reproductive center in Los Angeles, said the physicians at China's top medical establishments are highly qualified, but constraints on medical practitioners have prompted a large number of patients to seek services overseas.
For example, under Chinese law, unmarried women and gay couples are not eligible for ART, and surrogacy is illegal, he said.
"The issues will not change anytime soon; there will continue to be, for example, professional gay people, who also want to have babies. They will continue to travel wherever they need to go to accomplish that," Surrey said. "However, if social conditions change to accommodate these people, they may not need to travel."
The vice chairman of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents has apologized for questioning whether declining enrollment at one college is due to its diversity. Steve Sviggum said in a statement issued late Tuesday that hes willing to learn and must do better, referring to his comment about falling student numbers at the University of Minnesota, Morris. Sviggum said during a board meeting last week that he has received a couple letters from friends who decided not to attend Morris because it is too diverse. He said the prospective students just didnt feel comfortable there. Sviggum wrote that he was truly sorry too those he offended. He added that his question was meant to encourage discussion about enrollment, which is down 50% from its peak.
A young couple concentrate on their mobile phones while having dinner. [File photo]
More than 3.84 million couples called their marriage off in China last year, a 5.6 percent increase from 2014, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said on Monday, the China News Service reported.
The national divorce rate has risen sharply since 2002, with the crude divorce rate that is the annual number divorces per 1,000 population increasing from 0.9 to 2.8 last year, according to the ministry.
The rising divorce rate in China is also reflected in the increase in domestic disputes brought to courts. According to the countrys top court, there were 4 million such cases from 2013 to the end of October 2015.
The changing social and economic conditions and peoples view of marriage were behind the rising divorce rate, said Zhai Zhenwu, professor of sociology and population studies at Renmin University of China in Beijing.
He said in the past discussing divorce meant social pressure, but now people are more open-minded. People frequently migrate from one place to another and that makes sustaining marriage difficult.
Fang Ning, director of the Institute of Political Science of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said in the past when couples were not so well off, it was hard for them to separate and many were bound together merely to support a family.
"And now, the couples have fewer extra worries and it is easier for them to leave each other once they find they are not compatible," Fang said.
Li Hongzhao, a Beijing lawyer, said that the countrys laws are also behind the high divorce rate. A 2003 regulation on marriage and divorce simplified the divorce procedure and allowed couples to divorce the same day.
The high divorce rate is also due to the independent personality and lack of tolerance and patience, because most husbands and wives born in 1980s and 1990s were the only child of a family, Li said.
A study by a court in Siming district of Xiamen, Fujian province, showed that the post-1980s was fueling the rising divorce rate, and about 60 percent of divorce cases were brought by women.
Generally, women have a higher level of education, better income and enhanced family status, making them less reliant on men economically or psychologically, said Kuang Jieyu, a judge responsible for family proceedings.
Children and property are no longer the main concerns for couples who plan to divorce, Kuang said. About three-quarters of divorced couples have children, according to the study.
BEIJING -- China is expected to contribute more to the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) by promoting greater relations between the two regions at an upcoming summit.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will unveil new proposals in deepening cooperation between Asia and Europe during his first foreign visit this year.
Li will attend the 11th ASEM summit in Mongolian capital Ulan Bator from July 15 to 16, after an official visit to the country from July 13 to 14.
BETTER CONNECTIVITY, DEEPENING COOPERATION
ASEM has provided an important platform for political dialogue, economic cooperation, and cultural and social exchange between Asia and Europe.
Launched in 1996, the biennial ASEM summit has served as a venue for dialogue between countries in Asia and Europe. ASEM now includes 53 Asian and European members. The 11th ASEM summit to be held in Mongolia marks the 20th anniversary of the group's founding.
Shada Islam, director of policy at the Brussels-based think-tank Friends of Europe, said that ASEM has performed well in terms of bringing together Asia and Europe.
"The revitalization of this important forum is to a large extent a consequence of the fact that China is very much engaged into it," said Shada Islam in a recent interview with Xinhua.
She explained that ASEM is very flexible but needs some fresh energy, and said she believes that discussions on connectivity will provide that kind of new dynamism.
"ASEM members are expecting more from China, the second largest economy in the world. It should show more courage and wisdom and allocate more resources in leading the interconnectivity between Asia and Europe," said Cui Hongjian, director of the Department for European Studies of the China Institute of International Studies.
Cui noted the importance of linking China's Belt and Road Initiative to existing ASEM projects such as the Asia-Europe continental bridge as well as to more new projects to boost their connectivity.
China attended all ASEM summits ever since its birth, and the proposals it made in the past 20 years have borne witness to its contributions to the platform.
The Mongolian summit is highly looked to as it will work out the plan for priorities in the next 10 years.
The ASEM faces the challenge to enhance its relevance in looking for more spots of common interests between Asia and Europe, said Ding Yifan, an economist with the Development Research Center of the Chinese State Council.
Ding suggested more cooperation between Asia and Europe in technology and environmental protection, as well as increased efforts in dealing with possible differences among Asian and European members.
Ding expects the Chinese premier will touch upon such topics during the summit in a bid to bring out more momentum from the ASEM in the next decade.
Meanwhile, Li is also likely to discuss with other Asian and European leaders the Brexit issue, the South China Sea arbitration unilaterally initiated by the Philippines, and other hot topics across the region.
MORE COOPERATION WITH MONGOLIA
The upcoming visit by Li is expected to seek more convergence between China's Belt and Road Initiative and Mongolia's Steppe Road program.
More cooperation in production capacity, major projects and finance is expected to inject more vitality in China-Mongolia ties.
There's opportunity for Mongolia's Steppe Road program to get aligned with the Belt and Road Initiative, which will greatly benefit the Mongolian economy as well as the construction of a tri-party economic corridor involving China, Mongolia and Russia, said Gao Shumao, the former Chinese ambassador to Mongolia.
On efforts to aligning the Belt and Road Initiative and the Steppe Road program, Gao said there is huge potential for the two sides to cooperate in rail and highway construction, clean energy, tourism, health care and people-to-people exchanges.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Mongolia in 2014 laid a sound foundation for China-Mongolia relations, and Li is expected to strengthen those ties during his trip, said Gao.
Excavators work at the plugged dike breach in Huarong County, central China's Hunan Province, July 12, 2016. The dike breach in Huarong was plugged after two days of rescue work. [Photo/Xinhua]
Drivers voluntarily drove their trucks into the turbulent water in an attempt to block floodwater in Huarong county, Central China's Hunan province, said a flood control official, the news Wechat account Boyangcongpeople reported.
Photos of drivers driving trucks to the breach and jumping out have been viral online since Sunday. While some Internet users praised their brave behavior, others questioned the dangerous ways as costly and not scientific.
The breach at the Xinhua flood detention basin was plugged Tuesday morning, according to the Hunan province flood control authorities.
Zhang Zhihong, director of the flood control office of Huarong county, said experts on the scene made the decision to use heavy-loaded trucks to block the water at that time, without reporting to upper level authorities.
"We had no other choice at that time. We hoped there were large cranes, or helicopters, but there were not. The flood was turbulent and the gap was reaching 17-meter wide."
A total of 13 trucks full of stone drove to the damaged part of the embankment.
"At that moment, we had only one wish to stop the flood as quickly as possible. We had no time to think what scientific methods were possible," said Zhang.
Zhang said all the truck drivers were ordinary people. When they were stopped by traffic police and asked to join the relief work, nobody said no.
"The relief work is to save people's lives. Before rushing into rescue, we communicated well and directed them to jump and abandon ship seconds before the vehicles were engulfed by water," Zhang said.
Zhang said that it was not the first time using trucks or boats to block water at breaches. In 1998, boats sunk to the breach at Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, and in 2002, trucks were used to block water in Changsha county, Hunan province.
"Five drivers were hurt by bricks and rocks near the breach when they jumped out of trucks, but nothing serious," Zhang said.
Liu Kang, one of the 13 drivers, said he almost cried seeing his truck swallowed by the flood, but he did not hesitate nor take evidence for compensation.
"I make a living on that truck, which cost more than 200,000 yuan. If I say it didn't make my heart ache, I'd be lying," said Liu.
According to China's law on flood control, local authorities have the right to expropriate any materials, including vehicles, to fight against flood, and after the fight, the government will compensate the owners.
BEIJING -- China on Tuesday kicked off a five-month campaign against unlicensed distribution of literature and audio and visual products on the Internet.
The crackdown targets mobile device applications, e-commerce websites, online advertisements, music and video streaming websites, cloud storage services and online news providers, according to a statement released by the National Copyright Administration (NCA).
It urged local police and copyright, Internet and telecom departments to strengthen supervision and "severely crack down on" intellectual property rights infringement on online forums and social-networking platforms.
According to the statement, authorities will also toughen monitoring of app stores and their uploaders.
The action was jointly initiated by the NCA, State Internet Information Office, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Public Security.
The Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration will pass its ruling on July 12 on a case filed by the Philippines against China over a dispute in the South China Sea. Anticipating an unfavorable ruling, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei reiterated on Friday that Beijing will not accept it no matter how much diplomatic pressure is put on it.
The ruling is likely to have a variety of diplomatic implications for Asia-Pacific affairs. The United States, Japan and some ASEAN member states that have maritime disputes with China would like it to accept the ruling, which they believe is the most convenient way of encroaching upon China's sovereignty and maritime interests in the South China Sea.
Beijing has to stay alert to such dangers, for they could deal a major blow to its legal status in the South China Sea, be it in reclamation work or territorial claims. Beijing has to stick to its stance of not acknowledging or accepting, let alone implementing, the arbitral tribunal's ruling, simply because it will be illegal and thus null, and void.
The Nuo opera is among folk traditions that were once very popular in Guizhou province. [Photo by Yang Jun/China Daily]
In a push to protect folk cultures of ethnic groups in Southwest China's Guizhou province, government fundsboth provincial and centralhave been enhanced, officials say.
Among China's poorest provinces, Guizhou is low on signs of development compared with other parts of the countrythere are more farms than factoriesbut the province is rich in ecological and cultural resources, elements the local government is seeking to exploit for tourism.
While more than a decade ago, nearly 1 million yuan ($149,000) was being spent on promoting the crafts, cuisines and performing arts of the province's nearly 20 ethnic communities, more than 26 million yuan was provided for the same last year, two local government officials tell China Daily.
China faces the risk of losing folk cultures due to its ongoing urbanization and modernization.
Tongren, an eastern prefecture-level city of 350,000, is an example of how folk activities remain relevant in Guizhou, especially to the rural population. Lately, more roads have been built to connect the surrounding towns and villages, including in Yanhe county, where the Tujia people live.
They trace their roots to ancient China and have long resided near the Wuling Mountains that outline Guizhou and the central provinces of Hunan and Hubei, and the municipality of Chongqing in the southwest. Once the community had a language, members say, but now they use a regional dialect.
White clouds are seen floating amid green hills of the county during a recent visit. The front porches of many houses are decorated with the figurines of lions and pigeons to usher in good fortune. The landscape includes Taoist gravesites made of gray rocks. The local people like to bury their dead closer to home.
Kathrin von Rechenberg at her workshop in Beijing. [Photo by Ruan Fan/chinadaily.com.cn]
Sixteen years ago, German-born Kathrin von Rechenberg left Paris, where she used to work for luxury brands like Chanel, Christian Dior and Christian Lacroix. She didn't leave to make a fortune.
In search of a particular kind of material called tea silk, she came to Shunde, a small city in South China's Guangdong province. She didn't come for fame.
A piece of clothing is a piece of art, and she is the artist, Rechenberg said. And that's why she spent decades to live out her philosophy of making durable art clothing that appreciates with time.
Clothes should be like fine wine
Rechenberg discovered her passion for making clothes at a very young age.
She would take her friend's mother's handkerchief to make clothes for her dolls, and at the age of 11, she made her first dress for herself.
She went to a specialized school for three years to hone her skills in clothes making instead of going to college, as she knew this is what she wanted to do all her life.
After clinching the first prize in a clothes making competition in Germany, she won a full scholarship from the top haute couture school, The School of the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne in Paris. There, she worked for famous haute couture houses as an honor graduate.
But instead of following in the steps of famous alumni like Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld, she simply quit her job in haute couture houses, and made her way to China in the late 1990s.
While there were a hundred reasons to stay, Rechenberg took only one to leave - "I like the material tea silk so much, and it is only produced in China", she said.
For the last decade or so, she has been focusing on exploring the beauty of this material, and made the material a signature of her own label, Xiangyunsha (or fragrant cloud organza, the Chinese name for tea silk).
Today it remains a cornerstone of her collections.
A painting from the "Suspension" series by Liu Yanfeng. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Modern artist Liu Yanfeng, through his impressive "suspension" paintings, ponders the relationship between man and nature.
"Nowadays, people are facing much pressure in life and bound by many trivial things," Liu Yanfeng said, "My 'suspension' paintings portray people's state of tranquility and their free souls".
"Modern art is closely related with society. You may not understand them at the first sight, but when you get sudden enlightenment, or resonate with the artist, you will find it very interesting," Liu said.
The "suspension" series was inspired by Liu's trip to Southeast Asia. When he was taking a vacation there, he noticed that people there live an easy and natural life, totally enjoying their own lives. Their simple attitude to life touches Liu a lot, and he thinks this is what life should be like originally.
The relationship between man and nature is a theme Liu always explores. "Oriental thought stresses the interaction between humans and nature, and thinks that the two should be integrated with each other." This is quite different from Western thought which regards humans as the center of the world.
Chief Creative Officer of Burberry Christopher Bailey walks on the catwalk following the presentation of the Burberry Prorsum 2012 Spring/Summer collection during London Fashion Week, Britain September 19, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]
Burberry has finally bowed to investor pressure and replaced Christopher Bailey as chief executive as part of a wider overhaul of senior management at the British luxury fashion house.
After months of shareholder unrest and a steep fall in Burberry's share price, the retailer has announced that Marco Gobbetti will become chief executive next year. Bailey will step down as chief executive and become "president" of Burberry, while retaining his long-held position as chief creative designer.
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Sustainable Chinese luxury, German style
Bismarck School Board members discussed a plan Monday to ensure all schools in the district are supplied with technology equipment, such as projectors and classroom audio systems, by the start of the school year. The board also discussed the current state of playground equipment at each school.
"I really do believe technology and the playground equipment are very key to our schools, and we need equity in those areas," school board member Heide Delorme said Monday.
In April, the school board decided to address equity issues in schools after a parent at Northridge Elementary School came forth with concerns about disparities in playgrounds, technology and other classroom equipment, as well as the substantial cost for parent teacher organizations looking to make upgrades.
As a result, Bismarck Public Schools Technology Department and Facilities Department audited the current state of buildings, and drafted timelines for possible improvements. The audit found some elementary schools had classrooms without audio systems, including Centennial, Highland Acres, Roosevelt and Solheim.
"We need to get (audio systems) in there," said Superintendent Tamara Uselman after the meeting. "It's so much easier on the teacher to not have to shout all day."
Some schools were able to upgrade their technologies as a result of Saxvik Elementary closing.
"Technology equipment from Saxvik Elementary School was routed out to go to the schools where the Saxvik children went," Uselman said. "We repurposed all of that equipment and that helped us to get more equity, if you will, because there were some buildings that the Saxvik children were heading to that didn't have technology, so that technology did follow the kids."
The board also discussed the current state of playground equipment at schools in the district.
"With most of our playground, we're in pretty decent shape," Darrin Scherr, business and operations manager for the Bismarck School District, said Monday. Most playgrounds don't need to be replaced for about 20 years, he said.
Scherr said funding for playground equipment is split over three ways between the PTOs, the school district and the park district.
Delorme said she'd like to include playground and technologies upgrades each year when the board crafts a budget.
"I think one of the big things that came out of this was how much the PTOs were having to fundraise, and the pressure that was conveyed to us as far as fundraising was concerned," said board member Scott Halvorson. "To me, that's the biggest issue."
In addition to improving playgrounds, some schools are not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and do not have elevators, Scherr said. To be in full compliance with the ADA, elevators would need to be installed in Prairie Rose, Northridge, Will-Moore, Pioneer, and one would have had to been installed at Saxvik.
"As a lot of people want a lot of things, I would argue that an elevator may be more important than a playground," Scherr said.
The board will continue to discuss equity issues at its next meeting.
On Monday, the school board also elected Matt Sagsveen as president of the board and Karl Lembke as vice president. The board swore in a new member, Rick Geloff, as well as incumbent Heide Delorme.
Shanghai Lujiazui Financial City Development Bureau (hereinafter "bureau") was authorized by the Shanghai Municipal People's Government and launched by the government of Shanghai Pudong New District, according to relevant decisions made by Pudong People's Congress.The bureau has the qualification of an independent legal entity.
As a statutory public service institution, the bureau is to manage and coordinate the public affairs in Lujiazui Financial City (formerly known as Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone), to organize and implement related matters, to explore a more dynamic, open, and efficient systems, in order to advance innovations and opening-up of fields such as finance, trading, and shipping, as well as playing an important role in the construction of the core area of Shanghai "Four Centers" international economic, financial, shipping, and trading centers.
The main responsibilities of the bureau include: being responsible for research on the development strategies of Lujiazui Financial City, design and implementation of the development plan and annual plan; responsible for economic development, promotion of investment, and resources coordination in the Financial City; attracting and nurturing top finance, shipping and trading enterprises and headquarters, and fostering finance-centered industrial chains; serving financial institutions in the region, and keeping close contact with the participants of financial market; encouraging various markets and financial institutions to produce innovate products, businesses and regulations; promoting the trial run of innovative measures of the country's financial reforms; responsible for leading the implementation of environment optimization projects featuring commerce, transportation, landscape, culture, information technology and so on; responsible for the operation of Lujiazui Financial City Development Fund and the implementation of the industrial development policies and relevant supporting policies; responsible for serving the enterprises and talents in the region; responsible for advancing the foreign cooperation and exchanges and promoting the brand of Lujiazui Financial City; responsible for cooperating with the related parties to advance the construction of information service platforms for building economy and emerging finance industries, offering support for interchange of financial supervision information and public credit information, and strengthening the supervision in advance, in process and afterwards; and helping the financial regulators and local financial services departments strengthen the financial risk prevention system and others.
Positions
(1) Job title: Deputy Director of the Financial City Development Bureau
Responsibilities:
1. Lead and carry out research on key industries such as finance, follow business dynamics and models of leading companies of key industries, and lead the bureau to provide innovative solutions for services to clients and enterprises.
2. Organize and lead the introduction of and service delivery for financial markets, such as licensed financial institutions and exchanges, maritime authorities and new financial institutions, and realize the coordinated promotion of pilot reform and opening up of the financial services industry.
3. Create investment attraction strategies according to the Bureau's business objectives, and adjust and urge the implementation of the strategies based on the development.
4. Lead the coordination and promotion of regional economic development, investment attraction, consultation with strategic clients, maintain commercial relationships, and ensure the promotion and realization of strategic projects, including the establishment of business relationships, marketing for projects and organization of relevant teams.
5. Support the brand promotion of Lujiazui to help establish its brand image, including activities like salons, forum speeches, media releases, and organizing the Chamber of Commerce.
6. Responsible for the party construction work of two new groups, and assist with other administrative services.
Job requirements:
1. Education background: bachelor degree (full-time) or above.
2. Expertise:
Familiar with the country's macroeconomic policies, the city's or district's economic and industry development policies;
Familiar with national industry development situation, industry trends,regional advantages, industrial bases, resource conditons, market space and other basic information;
Strong leadership and communication skills;
High sense of responsibility and able to work under pressure.
3. Work experience: minimum 15 years of experience in related fields (including eight years of management experience)
(2) Job title: Deputy Director of the Financial City Development Bureau
Responsibilities:
1. Maintain the daily operation of the Council of the Financial City, arrange regular meetings and large-scale activities for the Council, coordinate daily communications and contacts between Council members.
2. Guide the promotion of brand and formulation of development strategies, timely adjust the strategies according to latest development, and supervise the implementation and accomplishment of planned tasks.
Lead the team to organize international promotion activities, in order to build up relationship with overseas enterprises, to strengthen communication with major economic centers from all over the world, and to increase overseas influence of the financial city.
3. Coordinate the Council's communications and discussions of issues like industrial development, environment optimization, matching services, and promote and supervise the cooperation of different departments to create a favorable environment for regional development.
4. Plan the improvement of matching environments of Lujiazui, like public transportation and public space, lead the team to construct public culture, and promote the regional cultural development.
5. Help promote regional economic development.
Job requirements:
1.Education background: bachelor degree (full-time) or above.
2. Expertise:
Familiar with the Bureau's daily operation of related process;
Familiar with brand publicity, content operation, channel choosing and planning management knowledge;
Familiar with overseas roadshows, international brand promotion, and organization of international conferences;
Understand the country's macroeconomic policy, the city's or district's economic and industry development policies;
Leadership and strong coordination ability;
Proficiency in written and spoken English;
Hign sense of responsibility and able to work under pressure.
3. Work experience: minimum 15 years of experience in related fields(including eight years of management experience).
(3) Job title: Director of the Office
Responsibilities:
1. Guide and manage party construction, the operation of discipline inspection and supervision and labor union. Moreover, instruct research on policies and special projects; check internal documents; responsible for confidentiality; guide conferences, receptions, itinerary arrangements and other matters.
2. Formulate personnel system policies for the bureau, including human resources planning, recruitment, jobs, staffing, evaluation, motivation and promotion of cadres, and training; provide personnel service for the enterprises settled in Lujiazui.
3. Instruct the audit of internal contract and deal with government information services; manage the fixed assets of the bureau; responsible for the daily management of the investment bases; manage government procurement and bidding procedure.
4. Manage the overall informatization and network; actively establish external partners in order to enhance the ability of overall information technology.
5. Responsible for finances and planning.
6. Responsible for logistics support.
Job requirements:
1.Education background: bachelor degree (full-time) or above.
2. Expertise:
Familiar with the work of the executive secretary of the government, conference receptions, and confidential administrative work;
Familiar with fixed assets management, property management, procurement management and logistics management;
A good knowledge of internal auditing, information systems, and human resources management.
3. Work experience: minimum of 10 years of experience in related fields (at least five years of management experience)
(4) Job title: Deputy Director of the Office
Responsibilities:
1. Responsible for directing publicity affairs and the construction of spiritual civilization, promoting anti-corruption campaign, and writing work plans, summary reports and related documents of the Party committee.
2. Responsible for leading research on Lujiazui's development strategies and planning, organizing research on various subjects, drafting related documents and newsletters, and preparing meeting materials.
3. Responsible for organizing the meetings, handling confidential work, and supervising the document circulation including sending and receiving.
4. Help local organizations with Party building.
5. Responsible for the bureau's Party building and daily affairs of the trade union.
Job requirements:
1. Education background: bachelor degree (full-time) or above
2. Expertise:
Strategic planning and research skills;
Competence in writing documents, articles, and other materials;
Familiar with government document circulation, administrative integrated management, publicity affairs, Party building, and discipline inspection and supervision work.
3. Work experience: no less than10 years of experience in related fields (including four years of management experience).
(5) Job TitleDeputy Director of Economic Development Department (Headquarters service department)
Responsibilities:
1. Responsible for regional economic development and investment promotion, seeking potential partners, attracting leading companies, like central enterprises, regional headquarters of multi-national enterprises, large domestic enterprises, top private enterprises, etc.
2. Responsible for bringing in and serving the major projects, organizations as well as well-known industry organizations, coordinating with government departments, helping local companies with tax, business expansion, fundraising, M&A, and other issues.
3. Responsible for gathering and serving headquarters in Lujiazui and coordinating with relevant regulatory authorities to enhance local economy
4. Responsible for industrial analysis, helping with the optimization of local industries, carrying out industrial development policies, working out proper services for local companies, and guiding the investment attraction work.
5. Responsible for the maintenance and application of information system of local buildings, promoting the development of economy of buildings and platforms.
Job requirements:
1. Education background: bachelor degree (full-time) or above
2. Expertise:
Familiar with the country's macroeconomic policies, and city's or district's economic and industrial development policies;
Familiar with the development trend of large central enterprises, headquarters of multi-national enterprises, and headquarters of top domestic enterprises, and related industry status and movements;
Familiar with government approval process and enterprise support system;
Familiar with the business, tax, accounting, equity structure design and other related knowledge of enterprise management;
Excellent communication and social skills.
3. Work experience: no less than 10 years of experience in related fields (including four years of management experience).
(6) Job Title: Director of Department of Financial and Shipping Service (Innovation and Industry Development Department)
Responsibilities:
1. Responsible for bringing in and serving the financial markets like licensed financial institutions and stock exchanges and shipping institutions, serving Shanghai branches of the Central Bank, CBRC, CSRC and CIRC, facilitating the reform and development of financial service industry, and maintaining close relationship with the participants of financial markets.
2. Responsible for bringing in, cultivating and serving emerging finance institutions featuring t Internet finance, private equity fund, asset management, and wealth management.
3. Organize industrial analysis meetings, help with the optimization of local industries based on the analysis, work out proper services for local companies, and guide the investment attraction work.
4. Lead the construction of new financial information service platform, offer support for interchange of financial supervision information and public credit information, and help the financial regulators and local financial services departments strengthen the financial risk prevention system.
5. Help with the brand promotion and market expansion of Lujiazui, including support for forums, associations, chambers of commerce, as well as media release.
Job requirements:
1. Education background: bachelor degree (full-time) or above
2. Expertise:
Basic knowledge of finance;
Familiar with development trend of the financial industry (Banking, securities, insurance, funds, shipping, leasing), and innovation industries (Internet finance, private equity, professional services, high-tech and other industries);
Familiar with the country's macroeconomic policies, and city's or district's economic and industrial development policies;
Familiar with the regional strengths, industrial foundation, resources and market space, etc.
Familiar with government approval process and enterprise support system
Familiar with the business, tax, accounting, equity structure design and other related knowledge of enterprise management;
Excellent communication and social skills.
3. Work experience: no less than 10 years of experience in financial industry or administration departments (including 5 years management experience).
(7) Job Title: Deputy Director for Financial Affairs
Responsibilities:
1. Responsible for seeking potential partners in financial markets, such as licensed financial institutions and stock exchanges as well as the shipping agencies according to investment attraction strategies and plans, and leading the team to complete the whole process of negotiation and company moving in.
2. Responsible for serving the key enterprises that move in Lujiazui, including helping the enterprises communicate with local government departments, regulatory agencies, and industry organizations in tax, business expansion, fundraising , mergers and acquisitions and other business issues, in order to ensure the enterprises develop smoothly in Lujiazui.
3. Responsible for setting up an enterprises information database of financial industry and innovation industry, which contains the information of existing clients, new clients, relocated clients and exiting clients, and promoting the collection, analysis and summary of local enterprises data.
4. Help with the brand promotion and market expansion of Lujiazui, including support for forums, associations, chambers of commerce, as well as media release.
Job requirements:
1. Education background: bachelor degree (full-time) or above
2. Expertise:
Basic knowledge of finance;
Familiar with the development trend of the financial industry (banking, securities, insurance, funds, shipping, leasing), and innovation industries (Internet finance, private equity, professional services, high-tech and other industries);
Familiar with the country's macroeconomic policies, and city's or district's economic and industrial development policies;
Familiar with the regional strengths, industrial foundation, resource status and market space, etc.
Familiar with government approval process and enterprise support system
Familiar with the business, tax, accounting, equity structure design and other related knowledge of enterprise management;
Excellent communication and social skills.
3. Work experience: no less than 10 years of experience in financial industry or administration (including four years of management experience).
A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor is launched during a successful intercept test, in this undated handout photo provided by the US Department of Defense, Missile Defense Agency. [Photo/Agencies]
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea reportedly launched a submarine-based ballistic missile on Saturday. The launch came a day after Seoul and Washington jointly announced their decision to deploy the US-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in the Republic of Korea to "better tackle the DPRK's nuclear and missile threats".
On Friday, immediately after the US-ROK announcement, China and Russia expressed strong opposition to the move. China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on its website that the deployment will "do nothing to help with denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and (instead) will harm regional peace and stability".
The deployment of THAAD on ROK soil will pose a grave threat to China's core security interests and seriously affect the international situation. To begin with, it is likely to further undermine the strategic trust between China and the US. As a rising global power, China has adopted the best possible approach to deepen its cooperation with the US. That explains why President Xi Jinping has more than once emphasized the importance of establishing "a new type of major-power relationship" between the two countries.
Yet little progress has been made because the US remains suspicious of this proposal. Instead, the US has made an even bolder move than its "pivot to Asia" strategy by getting the ROK's nod to install THAAD, which will threaten China's key national interests and challenge its peaceful rise.
The Beijing-Seoul relationship, which is enjoying its best phase, will also fall victim to the US move. The fruitful high-level exchanges between China and the ROK in recent years have a lot to do with the fact that Seoul, a Washington ally in Northeast Asia, has refrained from picking sides as China and the US struggle to resolve vital security issues.
The deployment of THAAD in the ROK is in essence part of the US' zero-sum game. That the ROK finally accepted the US' proposal means it has decided to forego its neutral stance and side with its ally to contain China. The US-ROK move will also create more uncertainties for the region, especially because the DPRK's nuclear issue is yet to be resolved.
On the one hand, Beijing and Moscow have opposed the deployment of THAAD in the ROK, and will keep opposing to it through different channels. On the other hand, since outside intervention has played a limited role in persuading Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear plans, the trilateral cooperation between Beijing, Washington and Seoul should not be ignored because it has proved to be the most effective means of curbing the DPRK's nuclear program. As such, efforts by China, the US and the ROK may be undermined after THAAD's deployment.
In fact, Seoul has more to lose than gain from its decision to allow the US to deploy THAAD. A stable, healthy China-US relationship is in the interest of the ROK, because it has maintained fruitful ties with both countries and thus cannot afford to lose either in case of a serious confrontation between the two.
China will not sit idle if its security interests are threatened. It may resort to economic sanctions and restrictions on personnel exchangesit could even halt military exchanges and cooperationto put its relationship with the ROK on the right track. This is apparently more than Seoul could take, particularly when it is struggling to improve its ties with Tokyo and Pyongyang.
The ROK's lack of strategic contemplation should be blamed for its ill-advised decision. Fearing that it cannot cope with the security threats in the neighborhood without the help of the US military, the ROK, especially its defense department that has a stake in the purchase and maintenance of THAAD, found it difficult to refuse the US deal. However, such shortsightedness will benefit neither the ROK nor the regional order.
The author is an associate researcher at the National Institute of International Strategy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
People have begun associating the European Union more with the migration crisis, terrorist attacks and the lackluster economic recovery than as an economic union. Now with the second-largest EU economy, the United Kingdom, voting to leave the union, two years of intricate and intense negotiations lie ahead, posing an existential challenge to the European integration project.
China, as a staunch supporter of a united, prosperous and strong EU, has been closely following the impact of Britain's exit (or Brexit) on Beijing-Brussels relations and the subsequent global strategic landscape.
China-EU relations have made steady progress toward a partnership for peace, growth and reform, which was agreed during President Xi Jinping's historic visit to Brussels in 2014. The joint China-EU 2020 Strategic Agenda for Cooperation is an apt example of this partnership. The two sides organize frequent mutual visits, which added up to more than 90 at or above the deputy prime minister level last year. China and the EU have also been each other's top trading and investment partners for years and have enjoyed dynamic growth in two-way flow of business travelers, tourists and students.
China-EU cooperation helped conclude the historic climate agreement in Paris and the milestone Iranian nuclear deal last year. It has also facilitated global governance reform.
But China-EU ties also face some problems. On the part of the EU, lack of market access and protection of intellectual property rights for its businesses and human rights issues in China are regular subjects of complaints, while China is deeply concerned about the EU's reluctance to recognize it as a market economy, its unwarranted interference in the South China Sea issue and statements blaming Beijing for the EU steel sector's ills.
As people debate on the implications of a weaker and more inward-looking EU, the China-EU leaders' meeting on Tuesday between Premier Li Keqiang and European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in the aftermath of Brexit will be a good opportunity for the two sides to take stock of the recent developments.
Just as China stood with the EU during the debt crisis, it should reaffirm the importance of its relations with the EU and its continued confidence in and support for the European integration project, because the Beijing-Brussels partnership is too important to be allowed to fail and both sides must steady the ship and strengthen their bond.
They should also strengthen the synergy between China's Belt and Road Initiative and the European Investment Plan by identifying major projects under China-EU Connectivity Platform, which can be supported by new financing through the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Moreover, the two sides should take forward negotiations on a comprehensive investment agreement and encourage cooperation on production capacity, including in third countries.
China should remind EU leaders to honor their World Trade Organization obligations by abolishing the surrogate country methodology in anti-dumping investigations that they have adopted this year. It should also try to work with the EU to turn the complaints against the overcapacity in its steel sector into a new area of cooperation on industrial upgrading.
The China-EU meeting is a good opportunity for Beijing to remind Brussels of the contradiction in its lectures on democracy and human rights, especially because of Brexit and rising nationalism across Europe.
Given that the meeting coincides with the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the Philippines' case against China over the South China Sea dispute, Chinese people will read carefully what the EU says.
The terrains for China-EU may not be smooth, yet the way forward is clear. The EU remains a major global player. And a strong and resilient China-EU partnership still has much to offer for world peace, development and prosperity.
The author is a Beijing-based observer of international studies.
Baidu's logo shown on its website on May 9, 2016.[Photo/IC]
THE STATE ADMINISTRATION for Industry and Commerce released a new internet advertising regulation on Friday, which for the first time makes clear that all pay-for-performance searches are advertising. The regulation will take effect on Sept 1. Southern Metropolis Daily commented on Monday:
For a long time, the pay-for-performance searches provided by China's internet giants such as Baidu have been deemed as an information service. That has exposed Chinese netizens to search results that may be misleading.
It is therefore laudable for the State Administration for Industry and Commerce to respond to the increasing calls for tighter regulation over the country's internet advertising industry. The new regulation applies stricter scrutiny to internet advertisements involving medical treatments, drugs and food information, and makes clear the obligations and responsibilities of online search engines and e-commerce platforms.
Such moves, to some extent, will reduce the fake and illegal information posted online, as all paid online listings will have to be explicitly labeled as "advertisements" instead of "promotions".
Since paid-for-performance searches are to be defined as advertising, they are also subject to the Chinese Advertisement Law enacted last year, which stipulates that both the advertisers and the platforms displaying advertisements have administrative and civil obligations.
In other words, internet companies will need to ensure the advertisements they host meet the requirements of the new regulation and they are likely to be held accountable when customers fall victim to paid-for search results.
On their part, users may have to shoulder some responsibility themselves as they will be informed which results are advertising and which are not.
A man transport his grandchildren through a flooded alley with a raft in Wuchang, Central China's Hubei province, July 23, 1998. Residents in Wuchang, part of the Yangtze River metropolis of Wuhan, have been struggling to mop up after three days of floods inundated their homes. [Photo/VCG]
ZHOU JULONG, Party chief of Zongyang county, East China's Anhui province, received a severe warning because he disobeyed an order not to use a main road when leading a flood control team. The Beijing Times commented on Monday:
Although Zhou and the rescuers eventually arrived at the place they were supposed to be, his detour along the main road could have jeopardized their mission.
The reason why Zhou took the detour along the main road when explicitly ordered not to was because he wanted to show off in front of the local villagers. He was actually motivated by his desire for promotion, for which he put other people's lives at risk.
Although such officials are not in the majority, in reality there are indeed some officials who seek recognition at any cost.
But while the behavior of an official during an emergency may be in the spotlight, it is their performance day in and day out that should determine their career trajectory. If an official works well and fulfills his or her duties well, promotion should come naturally.
The 2016 China Food Safety Publicity Week and 8th China Food Safety Forum were launched in Beijing on June 14, marking the beginning of this year's food safety publicity week. [Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]
YUE GUOJUN, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering, was recently reported as saying the country now enjoys its best-ever food safety. His words provoked widespread criticism online. Beijing News comments:
It should be emphasized, first of all, that the widely quoted sentence is only part of Yue's comment. He said that currently China enjoys better food safety protection than at any time in history, while adding that China needs to further strengthen its food safety regulations to meet people's expectations. It is unfair to label him a "eulogist".
Although we do not know how Yue reached that conclusion, it is to be expected that the public would not agree with it, because there are still too many food safety scandals.
And it is meaningless to compare the modern era with history in terms of food safety. In earlier days, many Chinese people were simply focused on trying to feed themselves. It is unrealistic to compare our current food safety standards to earlier times.
Comparing the current food safety situation to that in the 1980s and 1990s might be more realistic because the public has been paying more attention to the issue since then. But that's not something to be proud of. On the contrary, if our food safety situation is worsening, that's a serious problem.
Therefore, we should not compare the situation in the country now with how it was in the past. In order to let the public know about our current food safety situation, we should compare our food safety situation with that of other countries, especially developed ones.
For example, when talking about food safety, we should study whether Chinese consumers enjoy the same standards as their counterparts in the United States, or whether some food listed as "unsafe" in one country is labeled "safe" in another. Only when our food safety standards reach those of the developed world can we be proud of our achievement.
Yongxing Island is home to the government of Sansha, China's southernmost city. [Photo/Xinhua]
The United States and some of its allies are already eying Tuesday as a day of triumph, as they believe the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration will rule against China in a case unilaterally brought by the Philippines over their South China Sea dispute. Much fanfare can be expected should the farce directed by Washington finally reach the climax it anticipates.
But before it makes any ballyhoo depicting China as a bully disrespectful of international law, the US should bear in mind it will be standing on shaky ground should it choose to trumpet the observance of international rules.
It has yet to ratify the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea that it claims to seek to safeguard. And its track record in respecting international laws is poor. The report of the United Kingdom's official inquiry into the Iraq War shows how the US and its allies bypassed the United Nations to illegally invade that country, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians.
So like the ruling itself, a new round of US mudslinging against China will not stick. It will not change the fact that China holds historical claims and sovereignty over those islands and reefs in the South China Sea, nor will it shake its resolve to defend every inch of them.
But still China has to stay on high alert, for the US military has been trying to turn the previously tranquil waters in the region into a sea of troubles. Three US destroyers have been patrolling near Chinese isles, and the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and supporting vessels are also in the South China Sea in "a deliberate show of force".
Escalated US military provocations cannot be ruled out in the wake of the arbitration ruling should it be able to claim that the ruling "justifies" them. After all, keeping tensions high serves the US' interests and helps justify its huge military presence in the region as part of its "rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific" strategy.
Such belligerency would put to the test the capabilities of the People's Liberation Army to cope with what would become an ever more complicated situation.
China has consistently called for negotiations and consultations to peacefully solve the maritime disputes. So it is a welcome change to see reports that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said his administration will begin direct talks following Tuesday's ruling, on topics such as jointly exploiting natural gas reserves and fishing grounds.
Let us hope this will be the start of the process to defuse the tensions in the South China Sea.
Officials representing charities say granting North Dakotas five American Indian tribes exclusive rights to host online gambling could effectively end charitable gambling in the state. The tribes want Gov. Doug Burgum to approve the idea under tribal-state agreements known as compacts. The current compacts expire at the end of this year and only Burgum can approve them. The tribes argue that their casinos have been hurt by the explosion of the charities Las Vegas-style pull tab machines. Burgum heard arguments from the charities and tribes on Friday. He says the terms of the compacts are still being negotiated and should be completed next month.
There are fewer than fifty landlocked countries in the world but no less than ten form an interconnected chain across sub-Saharan Africa. Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Chad, the Central African Republic, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia form a band across the continent without any access to the coast.
In a world in which 90 percent of all trade is shipped by sea, this is a major obstacle to their prosperity and development. Facing long delays and increased costs to move goods to and from global markets, these countries can struggle to meet the needs of their citizens. This, in turn, can have a damaging impact on their peace and stability.
It is not possible, of course, to alter geography. But by providing access to world-class port facilities, these countries can be connected to global trade routes and helped to provide more opportunities for their people.
This is the role that Djibouti is determined to play. We may be a small country, no larger than the American state of New Jersey, but we understand that we have a big responsibility to the wider region.
Situated at the mouth of the Red Sea and at the gateway to the Suez Canal, Djibouti is a place of huge strategic importance. Uniquely, our country already plays host to the military forces of five members of the G7: France, Italy, Germany, Japan and the US. China will soon be added to this list. The naval forces of Spain, South Korea, the UK and many others are also frequent callers at our ports.
Our location puts us at the centre of world trade routes, connecting Asia, Africa and Europe. Port activities and related sectors already account for over 70 percent of Djiboutis GDP but we are investing $15 billion more over the next five years to improve facilities and transport links to maximise the benefits of our people, the wider region and the global economy.
This includes two new railways which are being developed. They will link Djibouti City and Tadjourah with Ethiopia, one of the largest and fastest growing economies in Africa with a double digit GDP growth rate over the last two decades. Djibouti already handles the bulk of Ethiopias maritime trade, transported on 1500 trucks a day. The two new airports being built, along with the super highway to Ethiopia, will help to strengthen the links between Djibouti and its hinterland.
Even more ambitious is the Trans-African Railway project which will stretch across the continent to Dakar. This will build a corridor for goods and people, stretching from the east to the west and providing the countries it crosses with access to a world-class port.
Our strategic location and world-class facilities have also seen Djiboutis importance as a trade hub recognised globally. China has selected Djibouti to be a key part of its maritime Silk Road project. This links Asia to Europe and the Middle East and will give a new boost to global economic growth.
And it is easy to see why China wants to strengthen its trade routes with Africa. Our continents GDP is predicted to double by 2035, with the population expected to reach 2.5 billion over the next thirty years.
Djibouti is ready to play its part in unlocking Africas vast economic potential.
The author is the Chairman of the Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority (DPFZA).
Yongxing Island is home to the government of Sansha, China's southernmost city. [Photo/Xinhua]
Just as anticipated, the South China Sea arbitral tribunal in The Hague delivered an outrageously one-sided ruling in the case initiated by the Philippines.
The Philippines, along with some other countries, may rejoice over the tribunal's de facto overthrowing of Beijing's core territorial claims. But there is no moral high ground to claim here, because the ruling is inherently biased, unjust, and thus not executable.
The ruling is "a piece of paper" that is destined to come to naught, since it does nothing except reveal the tribunal's degeneration into a political instrument.
The ruling's stillbirth was predestined, not just because of Beijing's stance of no participation and no acceptance, which it stated from the very beginning, and which it reiterated on Tuesday after the ruling was announced.
But, more importantly, because Beijing is correct in claiming that it is safeguarding international law by basing its position in strict accordance with international law and on solid jurisprudential foundations.
The tribunal's decision is guaranteed to escalate tense exchanges. Washington, which has been trampling over the law in the name of "respecting" it, will surely not let slip the opportunity the ruling offers to vilify Beijing, its own contempt for customary international law and reluctance to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea notwithstanding.
But with military activity reaching unprecedented levels in the South China Sea, there is no guarantee that an escalating war of words will not transform into something more.
While preparing itself for the possibly endless "lawfare", Beijing certainly should, and has to, ready itself for worst-case scenarios, including potential military collisions.
However, it knows peace best serves its long-term interests, and the interests of all in the region.
The test now for Beijing is whether it can realize the "pragmatic provisional arrangements" it proposed. That entails proposing attractive options, and a positive response from other claimants.
The US can rest assured, however, that its naval operations are still unnecessary, for in spite of its understandable anger, Beijing has again promised to "respect and support" freedom of navigation and overflight for all countries, and to protect international transport channels through the South China Sea.
At this point, at least, Beijing is willing to "make every effort to make pragmatic provisional arrangements, including jointly developing corresponding areas".
So while enthusiastic third parties may provide them with all ammunition they need to confront China, if the parties concerned are truly seeking peaceful solutions to the disputes, they should not miss out before Beijing has to close the door to negotiations.
Photo shows the opening ceremony of G20 Trade Ministers Meeting held in Shanghai on July 9, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
WELLINGTON - New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay on Monday hailed the success of the G20 Trade Ministers Meeting in Shanghai, saying it would likely be extremely important for New Zealand trade interests.
"This was a positive meeting for our core interests in trade and investment," said McClay, who was one of only two non-G20 trade ministers invited by China to attend the meeting at the weekend.
"There is a clear political will to build on the successes of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Nairobi Ministerial last year, which agreed to eliminate agricultural export subsidies, and to make progress towards concluding an Environmental Goods Agreement," McClay said in a statement.
In respect of the WTO, G20 ministers had committed to advance negotiations in a number of areas, including on the trade-distorting effects of agricultural domestic support, which was vitally important to New Zealand's export interests and would be welcome news to its rural sector.
"While much remains to be done, this meeting has been a useful step in the process toward the next WTO ministerial in 2017," said McClay.
G20 ministers negotiating the WTO Environmental Goods Agreement also reaffirmed their intention to conclude an ambitious agreement and to do so quickly, seeking to finish later this year.
"New Zealand has been a strong advocate of the Environmental Goods Agreement and I have pushed for an outcome that has clear benefits for both trade and the environment whilst in Shanghai. A successful outcome in this area could be beneficial for New Zealand trade," he said.
At the meeting, McClay had bilateral discussions with counterparts from China, Argentina, the United States, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Mexico, Laos and Russia.
BEIJING -- Western media have hyped up the South China Sea issue for a long time, with reports full of prejudice and distortion. They have purposely created rumors, smeared China and deliberately overlooked voices of justice.
However, the truth is apparent. China has gained wide support from politicians, experts and scholars in the South China Sea arbitration unilaterally initiated by the administration of former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III.
They reached consensus that the so-called arbitration on the South China Sea is unreasonable and unlawful, that the US involvement hampers resolving the issue, and that China's proposal of dialogue is vital to the stability in Asia.
Makoto Taniguchi, former Japanese ambassador to UN
-- Even if the Philippines proposes the arbitration request to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), but its counterpart China does not participate in it, the tribunal should not hear the case. Unfortunately, the United States is backing the Philippines.
John Ross, well-known columnist in Britain, former deputy mayor of London
-- You can not have arbitration if one side says it does not participate, because arbitration is between two parties who want to participate.
This is particularly ridiculous when it comes to the United States because it does not adhere to a large number of international treaties.
This is ridiculous that the United States comes to the South China Sea about 8,000 km from the US shore for political motives. It's deliberately trying to create problems.
Li Mingjiang, associate professor of S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore
-- The core disputes in the South China Sea will still need to be resolved through negotiations. An international legal mechanism is unlikely to resolve these disputes, unless all the parties concerned are willing to take this approach.
The fact China does not participate in arbitration is entirely legal. International laws and even the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) allow countries not to participate. So there is really no disagreement, no dispute on that observation.
Teresa Cheng, Chair of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Center (HKIAC) attends a media briefing in HK, July 11, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
HONG KONG -- The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague has no jurisdiction over South China Sea disputes between China and the Philippines, which unilaterally filed an arbitration case, a Hong Kong law expert said on Monday.
Teresa Cheng, Chair of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Center (HKIAC) made the remarks during a media briefing, citing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Cheng said that according to the UNCLOS, both sides in the disputes should conduct negotiations prior to filing an arbitration, while the Philippines has not conducted negotiations with China.
China and the ASEAN member states, including the Philippines, jointly signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), agreeing to solve disputes by peaceful means.
"The DOC is still under implementation, therefore both the Philippines and China do not have the right to file an arbitration during this process," Cheng said, "From legal aspect, the PCA has no arbitration jurisdiction over the case as the Philippines did not take the right steps."
In addition, the sovereignty and territorial disputes are not under the jurisdiction of the UNCLOS, Cheng said, adding China has made related declaration excluding disputes concerning the above issues.
Cheng also said a conference under the title of "Public International Law Colloquium on Maritime Disputes Settlement" will take place in Hong Kong on Friday and Saturday.
The colloquium, co-hosted by the HKIAC and the Chinese Society of International Law (CSIL), aims to provide a unique platform for scholars and practitioners from all over the world to share views mainly on territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation, the disputes settlement mechanism under the UNCLOS, Cheng said.
The PCA will publish the award of the arbitration on Tuesday. In reaction to the award, the colloquium will provide a special session dedicated to discussion and comments on the topic from a legal perspective, Cheng said.
Berrien County Sheriff's Deputies and Michigan State Police stand guard at Berrien County Courthouse where several people where shot this afternoon on July 11, 2016 in Saint Joseph, Michigan. [Photo/VCG]
CHICAGO -- A US inmate shot dead two bailiffs on Monday at a courthouse in the state of Michigan before responding officers returned fire and killed him, authorities said.
A deputy sheriff and a civilian were also shot and wounded in the shooting at the Berrien County Courthouse in St. Joseph city, about 160 km from Chicago, Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey said at a news conference.
The shooting occurred at 2:25 p.m. on the third floor of the courthouse when the inmate being moved to the courthouse grabbed a gun from a law enforcement officer and opened fire.
The identity of the inmate was not released. But Bailey said that the inmate had been in custody for "several charges."
The deputy sheriff was rushed to hospital for treatment and was in stable condition, he said.
An investigation was underway, Bailey said.
The shooting came amid tensions across the United States following the killing of five police officers in Dallas, the state of Texas, last week by an Army veteran upset about the fatal police shootings of two black men in the US states of Louisiana and Minnesota.
The police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota have ignited nationwide protests by African Americans against police brutality and racial discrimination.
BEIJING -- The United States, one of the most vocal countries urging China to hew to arbitration in the South China Sea, is still an outlier to the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNClOS) to which more than 160 countries, including China are party.
Such "American hypocrisy" was self-evident in an article carried by Time Magazine website a few days before the tribunal is to issue its final award Tuesday on the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government.
"A great power refuses to play by international rules, declining to ratify a major UN convention to which more than 160 other countries are party," the article said, noting "China ratified UNCLOS in 1996."
"After years of complaints, the nation convinces the UN to tweak the treaty to many of its specifications. Yet even after those amendments, the great power's legislature prioritizes protectionist sentiment over respect for global rule of law," it furthered.
In 1982, after around a decade of wrangling, the UN hammered out a framework to guide global maritime affairs and ensure freedom of navigation. UNCLOS covers everything from the rules of maritime commerce to the ways in which resource-rich seabeds can be divvied up between nations.
Shortly after UNCLOS was unveiled in 1982, then US President Ronald Reagan refused to sign, claiming the convention undermined his country's sovereignty.
In 1994, after UNCLOS was revised to take into consideration American worries about losing control of valuable underwater oil and natural-gas deposits, then US President Bill Clinton signed an updated UNCLOS agreement, although not the entire treaty.
Yet even though multiple presidential administrations, both Democrat and Republican, have since supported the convention, Republicans in the US Senate have routinely scuttled efforts to ratify UNCLOS.
ULAN BATOR -- More and more Mongolians think the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative provides a good chance to boost the landlocked country's economy.
In a recent interview with China Radio International, Mongolian Ambassador to China Tsedenjav Sukhbaatar said China is Mongolia's largest foreign investor and trading partner, adding that the plan to build a China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor is a milestone in history and that Mongolia is planning to develop special foreign investment zones to attract investment.
"Mongolia will contribute to the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative" and "will also greatly benefit from the increased trade turnover and good shipment," he said.
Mongolian Minister of Road and Transportation Zorigt Munkhchuluun highlighted in local media the country's geographic location, saying that most of the planned infrastructure projects in Mongolia under the economic corridor plan and Mongolia's Steppe Road infrastructure construction program are related to the transportation sector.
The Steppe Road program is designed to boost the Mongolian economy through trans-border transportation.
Mongolian economists and public figures believe the Belt and Road Initiative will offer more export opportunities for Mongolia to boost its logistics and transportation between China and other countries through its territory.
They say Mongolia has abundant raw materials and mineral resources such as coal, copper and iron ores needed by China, which serves as the basis of the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.
Mongolia's agriculture is also expected to benefit from the Belt and Road Initiative.
Mongolia boasts 73 million heads of livestock farmed by about 200,000 herder households in the vast countryside. Currently, the country's agricultural products lack market access and the government wants to sell them to big consumer markets including China, according to Mongolian media.
However, the country's poor infrastructure and ineffective veterinarian and vaccination services have proved to be a big hindrance.
"I heard that mutton is expensive in China. I want to sell meat to Chinese consumers. The meat I have is organic without any chemical substance," said Batbold Erdene, a herder with 1,000 heads of goats and sheep.
With the Belt and Road Initiative, these herders face a better prospect of shipping their meat and dairy products to China in a better and fresh condition, media reports said.
EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom giving a keynote speech in Beijing on July 11, 2016. [Photo by Ren Jie/chinadaily.com.cn]
The Brexit will not affect the trade relations between China and the European Union, said an official with the EU.
The EU's policies, priorities and day-to-day work are consistent after the Brexit vote, said EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom. That includes a close relationship with China. The EU remains committed to its economic and trade relationship with China, Malmstrom said while delivering a keynote speech to students at a university in Beijing on July 11.
Malmstrom said she fell sad about the result of the Brexit vote, but it was a democratic decision that must be respected. The UK has been a member of the EU for 43 years, and it is the first country that voted to leave the EU.
The UK has been a country always open to trade and international contacts, and this will not change, she said. She added that the EU will finally find a solution for the future and solve the problems.
Malmstrom was visiting China for the G20 Trade Ministers meeting in Shanghai as well as the EU-China Joint Committee on Trade with China's Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng. She will also attend the EU-China Summit in Beijing.
Yongxing Island is home to the government of Sansha, China's southernmost city. [Photo/Xinhua]
THE HAGUE - The tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government issued its final award on Tuesday, amid a global chorus that as the panel has no jurisdiction, its decision is naturally null and void.
In a press release accompanying the 479-page award, the five-member tribunal offered a summary of its decisions, which sweepingly side with the claims filed by the administration of former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III.
China has refused to participate in the proceedings, reiterating that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case, which is in essence related to territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China solemnly declares that the award is null and void and has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it," the ministry said in a statement shortly after the publication of the award.
More than 60 countries and international organizations, as well as over 130 foreign political parties and groups, have voiced support for China's principled position, far outnumbering those backing the assertions of the Aquino administration and the United States, which is widely considered as a primary instigator behind the arbitration case.
In an interview with China Daily prior to the tribunals ruling on the South China Sea today, Peter van Tuijl, Executive Director of The Hague-based Secretariat of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) Foundation, urged both sides to resort to peaceful talks to solve the dispute as the verdict of the tribunal, according to China, is invalid.
He also said that the civil society in China and Southeast Asia will play a bigger role in boosting mutual understanding, which can help settle the dispute at the governmental level.
In an interview with China Daily prior to the Tribunal on the South China Sea issuing its final decision today, Peter van Tuijl, executive director of The Hague-based Secretariat of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) Foundation, urged both sides to resort to peaceful talks to solve the dispute, as the verdict of the tribunal, as China says, is invalid.
He also said that civil society in China and Southeast Asia will play a bigger role in boosting mutual understanding, which can help the dispute settlement at the governmental level.
File photo of South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua]
On July 12, the Hague-based arbitral tribunal will decide on the South China Sea arbitration unilaterally initiated by the administration of former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III.
The ruling on the case has triggered a floodgate of commentaries from media around the world. Certain media, such as TIME Magazine and South China Morning Post stood out from some other media whose reports are full of prejudice and distortion by condemning Washington's rhetorical involvement in the South China Sea issue.
TIME: China will never respect the US over the South China Sea
A commentary published on July 8 on time.com with the title "China will never respect the US over the South China Sea" condemned the US as "a great power refuses to play by international rules," thus has no say in the South China Sea issue. The author, Hannah Beech, TIME's East Asia and China Bureau Chief, called US a "renegade country" and "the longtime outlier" that declines to ratify a major UN convention to which more than 160 other countries are party.
"After years of complaints, the nation convinces the UN to tweak the treaty to many of its specifications. Yet even after those amendments, the great power's legislature prioritizes protectionist sentiment over respect for global rule of law," Beech pointed out in her article.
The US, as one of the most vocal countries urging China to hew to the international order, cannot stop to routinely scuttle efforts to ratify UNCLOS.
"Washington's outsider position undercuts its message as it urges China to respect global maritime norms," commented Beech.
Beech also spoke highly of Beijing's tolerance of not highlighting America's AWOL status in UNCLOS.
The author predicted that the US Navy "will continue to ply the high seas, acting as the world's oceanic policeman by engaging in freedom-of-navigation exercises to ensure open trade routes." "American hypocrisy when it comes to maritime rule of law looks likely to endure," said Beech.
South China Morning Post: Tensions in the region can be attributed to collusion between the US and regional claimant states
South China Morning Post, a Hong Kong based newspaper also published an article titled "Debunking 10 myths about China and the South China Sea" on July 10. The article is translated from a speech of Wang Wen, executive dean of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China at the recent US-China dialogue on the South China Sea.
Since the US rebalance to the Asia-Pacific, the US has deepened its intervention in the South China Sea disputes, said Wang. "To accuse China of militarizing the South China Sea is groundless. On the contrary, the South China Sea is being militarized by high-profile displays of military strength and frequent and large-scale military drills by certain countries and their allies," commented the dean.
Wang illustrated that China is committed to a path of peaceful development. This stance is consistent and clear-cut. The constructions in the South China Sea are mainly for civilian purposes, and with the acknowledged goal of better safeguarding China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
The tensions in the region can be attributed to collusion between the US and regional claimant states. It is popularly believed that, without Washington's backing and high-profile policy of "returning to Asia", regional states would not be so eager to challenge China's interests in the South China Sea, added Wang.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, the US' statements and actions concerning freedom of navigation reveal its political and military calculations in the South China Sea. Politically, the US wants to create and dramatize tensions in the South China Sea. Militarily, it attempts to create legal grounds for conducting close-range reconnaissance activities off the coasts of relevant countries.
COMAC's C919 model is on display at the Farnborough Air Show, one of the major exhibitions for the world aviation industry, in Britain, July 11, 2016. The show, which runs from July 11 to July 17, features the biggest Chinese participatin ever. The C919 is China's first-ever locally designed and built short and medium-haul jet. [Photo by Wang Mingjie/China Daily]
Organizers of the UK's biggest military and civil aviation event signed an agreement with representatives from Chengdu to launch a new airshow in China in late 2019.
The Sichuan International Airshow will bring together 300 to 400 exhibitors from within the civil and commercial aerospace industry and help demonstrate how companies can become involved in the Chinese market. Farnborough International, organizers of Britain's largest biennial air show, will supply consultancy services along with the EU Project Innovation Centre (EUPIC).
"The opportunity to host the Sichuan International Airshow in such a prime location in the heart Chengdu will make the event even more attractive for international participants," Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) Commercial Director Amanda Stainer said from the One Belt One Sky conference at the FIA 2016, running this month from July 11-17.
Plans for a biennial air show in Sichuan were first announced at the International Paris Airshow last year and the inaugural event was originally scheduled for 2017. However, organizers now aim to bring the event in line with the completion of a new international airport in Chengdu in 2019. The air show will take place at the two-terminal six-runway Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, which is scheduled to begin operations the following year.
Farnborough International signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday with the EUPIC and the Chengdu Hi-Tech Zone on Monday, detailing the event will showcase COMAC, AVIC and Sichuan Airlines, Haite group, Sigma Components and other state representatives' supply chains.
"Chengdu is already an established aerospace hub," Fu Yonglin, deputy mayor of Chengdu, said. "The Hi-Tech Zone and the Sichuan International Airshow will help put Chengdu as China's aerospace capital. The Farnborough International Airshow has a reputation as a world class trade event and we are looking to working with the organizers to hosting our first show in 2019."
The airshow will take place over five days in September organizers aim to welcome 30,000 visitors to three trade days and 100,000 visitors over two days open to the public. Between 60 and 70 aircraft will take part in flying displays while 60 will be on static display.
The airshow will offer an opportunity for industry players looking to enter or expand in the growing Chinese market.
China is currently the world's second largest aviation market and will become the largest within the next decade, according to a report released by aircraft manufacturing giant Airbus on Monday. Boeing predicts that Chinese airlines will need nearly 6,000 new aircraft over the next 20 years, and plans are in place for the addition of 56 new airports countrywide.
At a breakfast roundtable at the FIA 2016 on Tuesday, Rolls-Royce Chief Executive Warren East said the UK-based jet engine manufacturer will see three quarters of its business come from outside the European Union over the next ten years and that: "Most growth over the next decade is from Asia and the Middle East."
Boeing forecasts that just under 40 percent of all new aircraft made over the next two decades will be sent to Asia, and Airbus China CEO Chen Juming said half of Airbus's current orders are from Asia, with half of Asia's orders coming from China. Chen said the economic center of the aviation industry has been "shifting eastward" over the last 20 years
Yongxing Island is home to the government of Sansha, China's southernmost city. [Photo/Xinhua]
China does not accept any third party trying to impose a settlement or any solution forced on China, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on Tuesday after a ruling, technically described as an award, by an arbitral tribunal in the unilaterally-initiated case on the South China Sea.
"China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall, under no circumstances, be affected by those awards. China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards," the statement said.
The statement said the unilateral initiation of the arbitration case was an act "of bad faith".
"It aims not to resolve the relevant disputes between China and the Philippines, or to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, but to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea," said the statement.
The tribunal, appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, announced on Tuesday that China has no "historic title" over the South China Sea.
The conduct of the tribunal and its awards are "unjust and unlawful", the statement said and added that it seriously contravened the general practice of international arbitration and completely deviated from the object and purpose of UNCLOS to promote the peaceful settlement of disputes.
In 2002, China and the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations signed the Declaration of Conduct in the South China Sea, which rules that the relevant parties should resolve disputes through peaceful dialogue and negotiation.
"By unilaterally initiating the arbitration, the Philippines violated UNCLOS and its provisions on the application of dispute settlement procedures, the principle of 'pacta sunt servanda' (agreements must be kept) and other rules and principles of international law," said the statement.
To contact the writer: anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn
The government firmly opposes activities infringing upon China's rights and interests in relevant maritime areas, a statement issued on Tuesday said.
The government statement, issued after a ruling by an arbitral tribunal in the unilaterally-initiated case on the South China Sea, pointed out that China is ready to continue to resolve disputes peacefully through negotiation and consultation "with the states directly concerned on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law".
Mentioning that the activities of Chinese in the South China Sea date back more than 2,000 years, the statement pointed out that China is the first to have discovered, named, explored and exploited South China Sea islands and relevant waters.
China is also "the first to have exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over them continuously, peacefully and effectively, thus establishing territorial sovereignty and relevant rights and interests in the South China Sea", the statement said.
China's Nanhai Zhudao (the South China Sea Islands) consist of Dongsha Qundao (the Dongsha Islands), Xisha Qundao (the Xisha Islands), Zhongsha Qundao (the Zhongsha Islands) and Nansha Qundao (the Nansha Islands), the statement added.
China has territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, including sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao, internal waters, territorial sea and the contiguous zone, based on Nanhai Zhudao, and the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, based on Nanhai Zhudao, said the statement.
The statement pointed out that "China respects and upholds the freedom of navigation and overflight enjoyed by all states under international law in the South China Sea, and stays ready to work with other coastal states and the international community to ensure the safety of, and the unimpeded access to, the international shipping lanes in the South China Sea".
China is ready "to make every effort with the states directly concerned to enter into provisional arrangements of a practical nature, including joint development in relevant maritime areas", to achieve win-win results and jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, the statement added.
The so-called arbitral ruling has placed the South China Sea "in the dangerous situation of intensifying tension and confrontation", Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned on Tuesday.
The unilaterally-initiated arbitration case is "sheer political farce in the disguise of law", through which the Philippines aimed to offend China's sovereignty and maritime interests, Wang said, adding that China will neither accept nor acknowledge the ruling.
"The attempts of any power to harm or deny China's sovereignty and maritime interests in any form would be futile," he said. "China will not accept any forcibly imposed solutions in sovereignty and issues of maritime interest."
The minister's comments followed the ruling in the case launched by the Philippines against China over the South China Sea. The arbitral tribunal, appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, announced on Tuesday that China has no "historic title" over the South China Sea.
China's sovereignty claims over the South China Sea are based on objective historical facts, with a solid historical and legal basis that could not be influenced by the so-called arbitral ruling, Wang said.
China insisted that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case since it is related to sovereignty and security issues.
Wang said that "the temporary" arbitral tribunal, plagued by controversy and injustice, could neither represent international law nor global justice.
"Chinese people will not accept such an arbitration case with numerous loopholes in its evidence and confirmation of facts," he said.
The Foreign Ministry said that more than 60 countries have expressed understanding and support for China's stance over the South China Sea.
Wang said China has noticed that the new government of the Philippines has expressed willingness to restart negotiations and dialogue over maritime disputes, and China is glad to see the sincerity of the new Philippine government to improve bilateral ties with solid action.
In 2002, China and the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations signed the Declaration of Conduct in the South China Sea, which rules that the relevant parties should resolve disputes through peaceful dialogue and negotiation.
Overseas scholars of international law hold copies of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in hands in front of the Peace Palace in Hague, Netherlands on July 8, 2016. They try to seek justice of the international law by publicizing an open letter about scholars' professional stance on the South China Sea case. [Photo by Fu Jing/China Daily]
International courts and tribunals,
State Parties to the UNCLOS,
Scholars, students, and lawyers of international law,
All supporters to the peaceful settlement of disputes,
At the issuance of the final award of the South China Sea Arbitration (the Arbitration), we, the undersigned scholars and students of international law, hereby emphasize that the ad hoc Arbitral Tribunal (the Tribunal) has no jurisdiction over the relevant disputes, and that the Award has no binding force.
Below, we clarify that state consent is the basis of the compulsory arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (the UNCLOS). We then demonstrate that the real disputes between China and the Philippines and those under the Arbitration are disputes over territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation, for which there is no mutual state consent to the compulsory jurisdiction. We also show how the Philippines and the Tribunal have exceeded mutual state consent. Finally, we show that the Arbitration is neither binding nor helpful to the settlement of disputes in the South China Sea. We argue and state as follows:
I. State consent as the basis of the compulsory arbitration
There is no supra-national international judicial or arbitral organ. These international organs are established under state consent, as reflected in relevant treaties, compromis and resolutions of the UN Security Council. Thus, state consent constitutes the legal basis for these organs and defines their competence. Within the scope of state consent, an organ is legitimate. If it oversteps this scope, its legitimacy has no legal basis. Compulsory arbitration and other compulsory procedures under the Convention, as agreed upon by more than 160 countries in nine years negotiation, are strictly based on state consent.
Going through the UNCLOS carefully, one will easily find how state consent defines the applicability of compulsory procedures, including compulsory arbitration. First, these procedures are authorized only for disputes concerning the interpretation and application of the Convention (Article 286). Hence, without mutual state consent, an arbitral tribunal cannot address territory disputes. Second, parties to maritime disputes can agree upon the means to settle their dispute and to exclude any further procedure, including the UNCLOS procedures, such as the compulsory arbitration (Articles 281, 282). Third, States are entitled to declare that they do not accept compulsory procedures with respect to maritime delimitation disputes and other disputes involving vital national interests (Article 298). Compulsory procedures are subject to such declarations.
With such declarations, relevant dispute may be submitted to compulsory procedures only by agreement of the parties to the dispute (Articles 286, 299). So far, 35 States, including China, have made such declarations. Fourth, negotiation and exchange of views are prior requirements to trigger compulsory procedures (Articles 279, 283, 286).
The above-mentioned limitations, exceptions and prior requirements are the major limits of state consent, which define the extent of jurisdiction of the judicial and arbitral organs under the UNCLOS. If an organ acts beyond this limits, its legitimacy will have no legal basis. It is notable that, by recognizing the competence-competence (a court/tribunals power to decide on disputes as to whether it has jurisdiction; Article 288.4), the UNCLOS indicates no intention to reduce the above limits and to grant additional power. The competence-competence must also be exercised within the limits of state consent.
II. The real disputes in the Arbitration are territorial dispute and maritime delimitation
There are solid legal bases for Chinas sovereignty over the Dongsha Islands, Xisha Islands, Zhongsha Islands and Nansha Islands in the South China Sea (hereinafter collectively referred to as the SCS Islands) and the adjacent waters. The Chinese people were the first to discover, name and develop these Islands, and Chinas original title thus acquired has been maintained by its continuous and peaceful display of sovereignty ever since. In addition, Chinas sovereignty over these Islands is also reflected in the 1943 Cairo Declaration, the 1945 Potsdam Declaration and subsequent international legal documents.
On the other hand, the Philippine territory has nothing to do with the SCS Islands. All the SCS Islands are located to the west of 118 degrees east, which is the westernmost limit of the Philippine territory, as defined by the 1898 US-Spain Treaty of Peace, the 1900 US-Spain Treaty for Cession of Outlying Islands of the Philippines, the 1930 US-UK Convention Delimiting the Boundary between the Philippines Archipelago and State of North Borneo, as well as the 1935 Philippine Constitution and the 1961 Act to Define the Baselines of the Territorial Sea of the Philippines.
In the 1970s, the Philippines invaded eight maritime features of the SCS Islands, which gave rise to the territorial disputes between China and the Philippines. Later on, with the negotiation of the UNCLOS in process, the Philippines expanded its maritime claims, which overlapped with Chinas and led to their maritime delimitation disputes.
The real disputes in the South China Sea are therefore of and about territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation. According to the principle that the land dominates the sea, with the territorial dispute pending, the coastal State, and the relevant coast and relevant areas for delimitation, cannot be determined; consequently, the task of delimitation cannot start. Therefore, the territory and delimitation disputes in the South China Sea are closely intertwined, and the territorial dispute is predominant.
In the Arbitration, the Philippines raised three categories of inter-related submissions, on the validity of the U-shaped line, on the status/entitlements of maritime features and on Chinas interference in the Philippines sovereign rights. And the Philippines asserted that these submissions are not relevant to the territorial and delimitation disputes. Careful examination can easily pierce the veil:
First, the U-shaped line depicts Chinas sovereignty over the SCS Islands, thus the submissions regarding the line concern the sovereignty of the Islands. In addition, in the Philippine submissions, the line is asserted as representing Chinas maritime claim. If the Philippine assertion is correct, resolving the disputes on the U-shaped line is plainly part of the delimitation process, as the task of the delimitation involves resolving overlapping claims (Maritime Delimitation in the Black Sea, para. 77).
Second, the submissions on maritime entitlements are inalienable parts of the delimitation process, and are closely related to territorial disputes. According to the established jurisprudence, the first step of any delimitation is to determine whether there are entitlements and whether they overlap (Bangladesh v. Myanmar, para. 397; Barbados /Trinidad and Tobago, para. 224). Further, as maritime entitlements are granted to coastal States, the determination of coastal States, i.e. the settlement of territorial disputes, is a precondition for ascertaining maritime entitlements.
Third, the submissions on the legality of Chinas activities are dependent on the settlement of the territorial and delimitation disputes. These submissions reflect the existence of disputed areas, and cannot be addressed without the settlement of the underlying territory and delimitation disputes.
As demonstrated above, all the Philippine submissions are either territorial and delimitation disputes per se, or subsequent to the underlying disputes. In other words, the real disputes in the Arbitration are those regarding territory and maritime delimitation. With respect to the jurisdiction, the UNCLOS does not address territorial disputes, and delimitation disputes have been excluded from compulsory procedures by Chinas declaration under Article 298. Therefore, the disputes in the Arbitration are beyond mutual state consent to compulsory jurisdiction.
III. The abuse of legal process and ultra vires acts in the Arbitration
As elaborated in Section I, State Parties to the UNCLOS agree to be bound by the compulsory procedures, but only under the circumstances set out in Articles 281, 282, 286, 298 and 299 of the Convention. To maintain the balance and compromise in the Convention, Article 300 requires that right and jurisdiction shall be exercised in a manner that would not constitute an abuse; Article 294 further provides preliminary proceedings to address claims that might constitute abuses of legal process. These non-abuse requirements serve an essential role in safeguarding the overarching principle of state consent. However, the South China Sea Arbitration demonstrates how the legal process is abused by one party to the dispute, and how the arbitral organ acts beyond its power.
The abuse of legal process by the Philippines is apparent. To trigger the Arbitration, the Philippines tried everything possible to exceed the limits of mutual state consent, by disguising the real disputes, by circumventing Chinas declaration, and by degrading the bilateral and regional agreements on resolving disputes through negotiation. In so doing, no good faith was demonstrated. Furthermore, according to the explicit provisions in the UNCLOS, given Chinas declaration, the Philippines has no right at all to unilaterally initiate the arbitration (Articles 286, 299).
The ultra vires (acts beyond one's legal power or authority) by the Arbitral Tribunal is also obvious. Given Chinas declaration, the establishment and functioning of the Tribunal has no legal basis (Article 286). With its legitimacy in doubt, the Tribunal further exceeded the limits of state consent by wrongly establishing its jurisdiction, particularly by the following ultra vires acts:
The Tribunal has restricted the rights of States to exclude compulsory procedures with declarations under Article 298 of the UNCLOS. According to the customary rule for treaty interpretation, i.e. the textual approach and good faith principle as enshrined in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, Article 298 of the UNCLOS grants States the right to exclude compulsory procedures with respect to all disputes on or concerning the whole delimitation process. By endorsing the Philippine assertion that the Arbitration is irrelevant to territorial dispute and delimitation, the Tribunal has overlooked the relationship among territorial dispute, delimitation and the issue of entitlement. It has also disregarded the terms concerning and relating to in Article 298, and has neglected the jurisprudence that the first step of any delimitation is to determine whether there are entitlements, and that the task of delimitation involves resolving overlapping claims. With such a fragmentary approach, the Tribunal has not only failed to isolate the real disputes, but has also largely nullified the right of States by only recognizing the right to exclude compulsory procedures with respect to disputes on the final determination of the maritime boundary line.
In addition, the Tribunal has restrictively interpreted the right of States to opt out compulsory procedures by entering into agreements among themselves. With the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and a series of bilateral documents, China and the Philippines have repeatedly agreed and undertaken to resolve their disputes through friendly negotiations and consultations. By the Joint Statement on August 10, 1995, and on May 16, 2000, the two countries have also agreed to eventually negotiate a settlement of their bilateral disputes. The term eventually clearly indicates that negotiation is the only means chosen by the two States for resolving their disputes, and that other means including compulsory arbitration have been excluded, because the absence of an express exclusion of any procedure is not decisive for States to exercise the rights to exclude further procedures by their agreement (the Southern Bluefin Tuna arbitration, Award on Jurisdiction and Admissibility, para. 57). Nonetheless, despite the previous case law and with no basis in the Convention, the Tribunal interpreted that the compulsory procedures could only be excluded explicitly, and consequently set an unreasonably higher standard to limit States right.
IV. The Awards are neither binding nor helpful
According to the UNCLOS, the Awards of the Tribunal shall have no binding force. States shall comply with the decision rendered by a court or tribunal, but only insofar as the court or tribunal has jurisdiction (Article 296.1). The current Tribunal has no jurisdiction over the real disputes in the Arbitration, and its ultra vires acts could create neither jurisdiction nor binding force; consequently, its Awards do not meet the qualification of being complied.
Alternatively, according to Article 296.2, the decision of a court or tribunal shall have no binding force except in respect of that particular dispute at issue. Since the Philippines and the Tribunal have reiterated, time and again, that the Arbitration concerns neither territorial dispute nor delimitation, the Awards shall have no effects in respect of the territory and delimitation disputes in the South China Sea.
Moreover, the Arbitration is detrimental to the settlement of disputes. The fragmentary approach employed by the Philippines and the Tribunal, and their degradation of existing bilateral and regional agreements, are not helpful to the ongoing efforts for managing and resolving disputes in the South China Sea, and will only be counterproductive. Besides, the abuse of legal process and ultra vires will break the balance of the UNCLOS dispute settlement regime and contravene procedural justice.
In conclusion, the real disputes in the Arbitration are those about territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation, both of which are beyond the Tribunals jurisdiction. By obscuring the real disputes and bypassing the limits to compulsory procedures, the Philippines does abuse the legal process, and the Tribunal does exceed the state consent and act ultra vires. According to Article 296, the Awards on jurisdiction and on merits will have no binding force whatsoever.
Bearing in mind the significance of state consent as the very foundation of international judicial/arbitral organs,
Concerned about the abuse of legal process and ultra vires acts in the South China Sea Arbitration,
Noting the dangerous tendency towards the judicial/arbitral expansion in the field of the law of the sea, and,
Worried about the degradation of the role of States negotiation,
We hereby:
Request international judicial and arbitral organs to act strictly within their mandate under international law, to faithfully fulfill their duty in identifying the real dispute between parties, to adjudicate within the realm of their jurisdiction and to avoid acting ultra vires. The arbitral tribunals, ad hoc as they are, shall still be responsible for the overall and long-term functioning of the UNCLOS without breaking the balance contained therein, and shall show their respects for the consent of relevant State Parties.
Urge the Philippines to unconditionally terminate its illegal occupation of the Chinese maritime features in the South China Sea, to stop all activities that may escalate regional tension, to withdraw the claims that are inconsistent with the facts and law, and to solve maritime disputes with its neighbors in good faith.
Call upon all State Parties to the UNCLOS to join China in the efforts to combat abuse of legal process and ultra vires, to adopt all necessary measures, including practical guidance to the judicial/arbitral organs, so that the judicial/arbitral powers are exercised in a way consistent with state consent in the Convention.
Invite scholars, students and lawyers of international law to further study the UNCLOS disputes settlement mechanism so as to contribute to the peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea dispute.
Contents of this Article:
The phrase May you live in interesting times is often and incorrectly described as a Chinese curse. Although there is in fact no equivalent Chinese phrase, for companies manufacturing in China, these are interesting times indeed.
This very long post aims to provide an overview of the challenges of manufacturing in China, as well as strategies for minimizing risks and maximizing opportunities. It outlines the administrative and regulatory requirements, process and production challenges, and specific cultural and market-specific risks.
I am writing this post after fielding dozens of requests over the years to put together in one place ALL of the basics necessary to manufacture in China successfully. In this post, Ive tried to include everything that is relevant close to 90 percent of the time, while not bogging you down with the things that happen ten percent of the time, or less.
Every business and company is different, however, and the information and advice offered here is intended to alert business managers to the legal considerations specific to the China manufacturing environment; it is not intended to serve as a replacement for bespoke legal advice. You may be the company that actually needs legal help with what I describe above as things that happen ten percent of the time, or less.
But no matter what your situation, I urge you to reach out to me if youd like to discuss your specific circumstances or feel you need some help in protecting your company against your China manufacturers.
China Manufacturing Challenges
Manufacturing in a foreign country can offer significant benefits especially in terms of cost but when the mountains are high and the emperor (thats you, the client) is far away (), problems can arise. The best way to reduce the likelihood of having problems with your China product suppliers is to recognize that most China manufacturing problems stem from something the product buyer failed to do to prevent the problem. In other words, it is mostly up to you to reduce your risks.
But what exactly should you do to protect yourself when manufacturing overseas? Start with these six basic measures:
Use a Good Manufacturer
If you do not know how to find a good manufacturer, pay someone who does. At the very minimum, make sure the company you will be using to make your products actually exists and is licensed to engage in the business for which you will be paying it. If you cannot afford to do these things, you should not be manufacturing overseas. Not kidding.
Use Good Manufacturing Agreements
Good contracts ensure that your China manufacturer knows what is required of it and what will happen to it if it does not meet those requirements. More than half of the overseas manufacturing contracts our international manufacturing lawyers see are worthless because they were written by someone who either does not know manufacturing or does not know international law, or both. Many are worse than using no contract at all.
Use Detailed Contracts
Overseas factories that engage in contract manufacturing tend to do exactly what you tell them to do. This means you need to clearly convey what it is that you want them to do, and that means your instructions and specifications should be detailed and in their language. Be overly specific.
Visit the Factory
Either your own people or a third-party quality control company should pay regular visits to your factory. Doing this allows you to make sure your factory understands what you want and lets them know that you are serious about making sure you get it. It also humanizes you and tells them that you really do care and are not just putting things down on paper to look good to your own buyers or to abide by some regulation somewhere.
Inspect Your Products
Perform regular product inspections appropriate to the product you are having made.
Register Your Intellectual Property
If you have intellectual property (IP) worth protecting (and nearly every manufacturer does), make sure you do everything you can within reason to protect it wherever you are manufacturing your products and wherever you sell your products. This means trademarks, patents and/or copyrights.
Intellectual Property Rights Protections
Register Trademarks in China
The Chinese trademark system is complicated: idiosyncratic, highly regimented, and overseen by capricious examiners.
So why not register China trademarks via the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks?
The one-size-fits-all Madrid application makes registering a trademark in China seem easy. Really easy: all you have to do is check a box marked China. As a result, Madrid applicants are lulled into a sense of complacency, but all too often the result is a rejection that could have been avoided with a national application in China. Madrid applications are supposed to be cheap and quick, but fixing Madrid problems after the fact is neither.
Trademark prosecution in China is highly mechanical; for the vast majority of applications, you file an application, wait 18 months, and at the end of that time your trademark is either registered or rejected. (A slight oversimplification, but not by much.) For this reason, the meaningful work for Chinese trademark applications occurs before the application is filed.
First of all, it is essential to conduct a pre-application trademark clearance (a.k.a. a trademark screening) to assess the trademarks registrability. Is the mark inherently distinctive? Does it run afoul of Chinas statutory prohibitions on trademarks? Does it conflict with any preexisting trademarks?
Next, assuming the screening results dont scare you away, you must determine which class(es) to file in and the specific products or services (items) to be covered by the mark. This is a lot trickier than it sounds because the Chinese Trademark Office (CTMO) divides each Nice classification into a unique system of subclasses. For purposes of trademark registration, each subclass is treated discretely: a trademark for one item in a given subclass covers all items in that subclass, but is not effective on items in any other subclass.
When you file a China national application, you determine the subclasses that you want your application to cover. But when you file a Madrid application, your list of items goes straight to a CTMO trademark examiner, who will decide from your list which subclasses the items should go in without consulting you. This lack of consultation, combined with the examiners often-tenuous grasp of English (or French or Spanish), means that imprecise descriptions of items can lead to problems of both overinclusiveness and underinclusiveness.
It is possible to perform a pre-application screening before filing a Madrid application, and it is possible to craft a description of items in a Madrid application that will conform to the Chinese subclass system. But this requires working with an experienced China trademark attorney or agent, and it will cost nearly as much and take nearly as much time as a national application. In other words, you lose all of the advantages of the Madrid System, but keep all of the disadvantages.
Finally, even if your Madrid System trademark is registered in China without a hitch, you may still have trouble enforcing your rights. Upon registration, the only formal certificate for Madrid System trademarks is the one issued by WIPO. China does not issue its own separate trademark certificate. In theory, this should not be a problem, because the WIPO certificate should be sufficient to enforce your trademark rights under Chinese law. In practice, Chinese bureaucrats and e-commerce customer service reps generally could care less about Chinas WTO obligations. Much of the time, before they will lift a finger against an infringing factory or website, they will demand a copy of a CTMO-issued Chinese trademark certificate. It is easy enough to request a Chinese trademark certificate based on a WIPO registration, but it takes another three to five months to get one. That can feel like an eternity when your trademark is being knocked off.
Register Design Patents in China
A design patent in China is generally analogous to a design patent in the U.S. or a Community design in the EU and it covers novel product designs that (1) incorporate shapes, patterns, and/or colors, (2) are rich in aesthetic appeal, and (3) are fit for industrial application. China registers design patents without conducting a substantive examination of the design patent application and so it does not take much at all to secure one. Substantive examinations only occur if a third party challenges a patents validity after registration. A design patent applicant need only submit an application to SIPO that satisfies the procedural requirements, particularly with respect to proper formatting of documents and drawings.
As a result, in many circumstances companies must register a design patent on their product(s). If they dont, someone else will and then they find themselves having to challenge that patent in China (which is relatively expensive and time-consuming) or just walking away from China.
Even though many of the design patents in China are nothing more than slight modifications of existing product designs, they still can have substantial value because their owners can sue for patent infringement and register the patent(s) with China Customs and have counterfeit or copycat products seized at the border. Even if you do not think your design is novel enough to be patented, there is a first-mover advantage to your filing for a China design patent simply because your design patent will be valid until successfully challenged by a third party. A Chinese design patent grants its holder exclusive use of the aesthetic features of a product, not its functioning portion. In other words, the patent is on how the product looks; its external appearance.
What though, does it really mean to have a China design patent?
A typical design patent case starts with a phone call from a Western company telling us a Chinese company (usually a company it already knows and usually either its manufacturer or a competitor) just contacted the Western company (or the Chinese company that makes the Western companys product) and said the Western companys product violates the Chinese companys China design patent. The Chinese company then threatens to sue the Western company (and/or its Chinese manufacturer) for patent infringement damages and to block any of the Western companys infringing product from leaving China.
Though China Customs frequently blocks products from leaving China due to trademark infringement claims, blocking products due to a design patent claim is considerably less common. China Customs generally requires a party seeking to block a product from leaving China to post a substantial bond, which then becomes available to the party whose product has been blocked by customs. Many more companies are willing to bear this risk to stop trademark infringing products from leaving China than are willing to take this risk for a design patent claim.
Whats the best way to nip design patent hijacking? Register your design patent first, before anyone else can do so. If you want to be sure to avoid your products being held up at the Chinese border on an IP claim, you should secure both a trademark and a design patent.
Registering your IP with China Customs
China Customs will block products that infringe on China IP from entering or leaving China. The leaving China part is why it is 100% essential that you register your IP in China even if all you are doing in China is having your products made there. The leaving China part is also why it usually makes sense for foreign companies that have registered their IP in China to also register that IP with China Customs.
Even though manufacturing in China is on the decline, China still manufactures way more than any other country in the world and it is still by far the world center for product counterfeiting. If you register your IP in China, then also register that IP with China Customs, you will have positioned yourself to be able to block counterfeit versions of your products from leaving China for anywhere in the world.
China NNN Agreements
We love NNN Agreements for China. They are fast, cheap, easy, telling and effective.
If in the course of conducting business in China, you are going to reveal anything (e.g. to partners, suppliers) that you do not want made public, you should consider an NNN Agreement. If you are going to be showing your products, prototypes or designs to a Chinese factory, you should consider an NNN Agreement. If you do not want your Chinese manufacturer competing against you with your products, you should consider an NNN.
But the most important thing you need to know about China NNN Agreements is that they really should not be an NDA; they should be China-specific NNN Agreements, because Western-style NDA agreements do not work for China, and most of the time, using one is worse than having no protection at all.
NDA agreements prohibit your Chinese counterparty from disclosing your secrets. They do not stop them from competing against you or going behind your back to your customers or clients or to anyone else. To prevent these behaviors, you need a China NNN (non-use, non-disclosure and non-circumvention) Agreement.
1. Non-Use
Non-use requires your factory to agree not to make use of your idea/concept/product in a manner competitive with you, the disclosing party. The critical point is that this obligation arises by contract. This protection is not based on abstract property rights arising under intellectual property law. The prohibition protects you not because your concept is classified as some form of intellectual property such as a trademark, copyright, patent, mask work or even a trade secret. The factory is prohibited from using your work because it executed a contract that prohibits it from using your work. Getting a factory to sign a contract with a non-use provision means there is no need to look outside that contract to other areas of law for you (and Chinas courts) to be able to control the behavior of the Chinese factory.
2. Non-Disclosure
The next element of an NNN Agreement is non-disclosure. This is the core of an NDA, or Non-Disclosure Agreement. Surprisingly enough, you need not be terribly concerned with having your Chinese counterparty disclose the information you want kept secret to an unrelated third party. This is because Chinese companies usually have no interest in letting others in on their good thing. If they want to use your concept, they want to use it for their own purposes, not to disclose it to others.
But if you prohibit a Chinese factory from making direct use of your concept, the Chinese factory now has a problem. The clever Chinese entity will not directly breach your non-use prohibition; it will simply disclose your information to someone in its corporate group, then accurately claim it has not breached the non-use prohibition because it is not the one making use of your protected information.
For this reason, it is important you understand the type of group with which you are dealing, and you must make clear in your NNN Agreement that disclosure is specifically prohibited within the group, and that if there is any infringement by any member of the group, the factory that signed your NNN Agreement and made the disclosure is fully liable. Often, some education of your Chinese counterparty on this issue is required, because Chinese companies often do not consider disclosure to a member of their own group as violating a non-disclosure prohibition.
3. Non-Circumvention
Finally, you need to deal with non-circumvention. The Chinese factory knows you are purchasing the product at the China price, then adding a margin and selling it at a profit in the foreign market. In this situation, it is only natural for the Chinese factory to work to obtain a list of your customers to whom they can sell your product at the China price. After going through your customer list, they start marketing your product to the rest of the world. What would your customers do if offered your product for 50% less? In many industries (especially those where quality and servicing is critical), most customers would say no. But in many other industries including consumer products they quickly and almost uniformly say yes.
Note also that if you have not registered your brand name and/or logo as your own trademark in China, there is nothing to stop your Chinese manufacturer from putting your brand name and/or logo on these very same products and selling them into any country where you do not have a corresponding trademark.
This is circumvention, and you must prohibit circumvention by contract. There is no other way to do it. A good NNN agreement is your only protection.
Finally, we always do our China NNN Agreements in both English and Chinese. We make the Chinese version the official one, and the English version just a translation for our English-speaking clients. Making them in Chinese means that the Chinese courts will be able to better understand them and enforce them more quickly. It also takes away the other sides argument that it did not know what it was signing.
Should You Register Your Copyrights in China?
Copyrights are automatically protected in China under the Berne Convention, but to be able to sue quickly for a copyright violation and to have full copyright protection in China, it almost always makes sense to file your copyrights there. Just as in the United States and the E.U., you need only submit a small portion of your software code to secure copyright protection on the entire program.
Writing a Manufacturing Contract
Some of the important considerations, issues and questions to consider when drafting a China manufacturing agreement:
Decide if the agreement with your manufacturers will be exclusive or nonexclusive. Decide the manufacturers obligations to sell. There are basically two alternatives. The manufacturers are obligated to produce product under any purchase order you submit and their failure to produce at the agreed price would be a default. You would then almost certainly be required to purchase a minimum amount of product during a specified time period. This approach is best if you want to guarantee supply and you want to hold your manufacturers to their price commitments.
Or, obligate your manufacturers to produce product only for those purchase orders it accepts. In other words, they will have the right not to accept purchase orders, at their discretion. The advantage of this to you is that it will not require you to purchase any specific amount of product. The disadvantage is that there is no guarantee of supply and there is no way to hold your manufacturers to any price commitment.
Decide whether or not you want to identify specific ports of delivery. If you will have multiple ports and delivery locations in some of the countries where you will be receiving your product, the port/delivery location should be specified in the purchase orders rather than the manufacturing agreements. Decide on payment terms, e.g. payment 30 days after shipment, or 30 days after inspection. If you will provide for payment 30 days after shipment, you will need to determine when you will inspect the product. It is best to have inspection before payment, but this is not always practical. Decide on a warranty period. Decide on trade secrets/IP protection provisions, e.g. a monetary penalty for breach that might be both a lump sum penalty and a percentage of sales penalty. These penalties should be large enough to cause concern for the manufacturer, but not so large as to scare them into not signing. Decide on tooling provisions that may provide for a series of lump sum penalties. Manufacturers commonly refuse to return tooling and the most effective way to control this is to provide for a significant lump sum penalty for such a refusal.
Additional considerations in drafting a manufacturing contract include:
Product Testing: Where and how will you test your product? Will you do you own independent testing in China or will you wait until you receive the product in your home country? Will you require the Chinese factory to test and then provide you with test results? If you will do your own independent testing in China, it is important to set out the testing procedure in writing.
Manufacturing Set-up Costs:Your factory may ask you to pay in advance for some of the manufacturing set-up costs. Though this is normal, it is important to clarify those costs and then get them in writing.
Product Pricing: You will want to lock in your costs, especially in consideration of your factorys understandable desire to be protected from increases in the costs of materials. The normal way pricing is done for this kind of item in China is as follows:
The product price is fixed for a set period, say, one year. The Chinese manufacturer takes the price risk during this time, both for changes in component prices and for RMB/USD exchange rate risk. It is easiest if the manufacturer builds in the cost of items from the approved suppliers and takes the risk of price changes. Often a manufacturer will calculate that amount at cost+ to cover the risk and to cover the costs of advance purchasing and warehousing.
If your manufacturer is not willing to do the above, the quoted product price from them is not really a fixed price and it can change over time. The risk in this situation depends on the integrity and reputation of the manufacturer. Some Chinese manufacturers will double or triple their prices after production has started and after you are trapped into using them as your manufacturer. Reputable manufacturers typically will only raise their prices when there has actually been a material change in component prices.
Product Packaging Costs: It should be made clear who has responsibility for packaging design, production, and payment. It should also be made clear how packaging costs will be included in the final cost of the product. It is important to get these costs agreed and in writing.
Manufacturing Contract Duration: What will be the term of this agreement?
The Three Main Types of Manufacturing Contracts
Most manufacturing contracts involve one of three different types of manufacturing arrangements: Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM), Contract Manufacturing (CM), and Original Design Manufacturing (ODM). These three different arrangements influence various legal issues inherent to overseas manufacturing.
Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM)
In this arrangement, the buyer purchases from a factory a product that is already being manufactured by that factory. The product buyer then packages this product with its own trademark and logo. The buyer and the factory may agree to certain cosmetic changes (color, shape, minor added features) that further customize the product for the buyer.
In an OEM arrangement, the intellectual property (IP) rights are usually clear: the buyer owns its branding (trademarks, logos and packaging) and the factory owns the product. Difficulty arises once the product is customized. Who owns the IP once the buyer has made changes to the product? An OEM agreement can provide clarity here. Usually, the buyer seeks to restrict the factory from using the customization in selling the base product to third parties.
Contract Manufacturing (CM)
In this arrangement, the buyer has a fully developed product design. Traditionally, this design was of a product that had been previously manufactured by the buyer. More recently, the product is a new design being manufactured for the first time overseas. In a CM arrangement, ownership may seem simple: the foreign buyer owns all the IP, both in design and branding, and the factory owns nothing. In practice, however, the division is not always so clear. For example, your factory may change your products design and use those design changes to modify its own products it sells in direct competition with your products. Difficulties exist in every contract manufacturing project, and they can be resolved with a clear, written agreement.
Original Design Manufacturing (ODM)
As external manufacturers are becoming more technically competent, foreign buyers have started entering into arrangements in which their overseas factories do some or all the product design work. There are many variations on this approach. In its most fundamental form, the foreign buyer provides drawings and a specification sheet, and the overseas factory does the rest of the work in consultation with the buyer.
In an ODM arrangement, the obvious question is: who owns the design of the product? Both the foreign buyer and its overseas factory may claim ownership of the design using conflicting arguments. The overseas factory will agree to make the product on an exclusive basis for the foreign buyer, but the foreign buyer does not have the right to have the product made by a third-party factory. This position can come as a bad surprise to the foreign buyer, particularly when its overseas factory suddenly announces it will be doubling the price for manufacturing the product.
These issues can get even more complex when the product incorporates or is based on technology clearly owned by the overseas factory. In this context, the factory will often state that the buyer can go anywhere it wants to manufacture the buyers own portion of the product design, but no third-party factory can make use of the factorys proprietary technology in the manufacturing process. Consider this case for a foreign buyer that has spent considerable time and effort to develop a product design only to learn after a year that its overseas factory has decided to terminate the manufacturing agreement.
There is no simple default answer to these difficult issues; the only way to resolve them is to draft a detailed written ODM agreement in advance, setting out a path to resolution that is fair to both sides. The legal default in most countries will favor the position of the factory. Absent a clear agreement on how to proceed, the foreign buyer will lose pretty much every time.
China Manufacturing Contracts
Product Development Agreements
Foreign companies that outsource their product manufacturing to China often co-develop their products with Chinese manufacturers. In some cases, the foreign company has completed its product development and the Chinese manufacturers only involvement is in setting up to manufacture the product in high volumes. In other cases, the foreign company side has only a general product idea and the Chinese manufacturer is tasked with turning the foreign companys napkin scribblings into a viable commercial product. Sometimes both the Chinese manufacturer and the foreign company contribute technology and know-how so the final product is a blend of both parties contributions.
The product development stage is the highest risk stage for foreign companies manufacturing in China, yet it is also the stage most neglected by foreign companies. Foreign companies will use NNN agreements in the factory search stage and they will use OEM agreements for the production stage, but they rarely use product development agreements.
This is a big mistake that often leads to one of two disasters for the foreign company.
The first disaster can occur when the Chinese manufacturer does not charge the foreign company anything for the product development work. In these situations, the Chinese manufacturer often will claim that any intellectual property in the developed product is its own and will generously offer to make the product on behalf of the foreign company at price, payment, quantity, quality and delivery terms chosen by the Chinese manufacturer. No matter how outrageous the pricing or other demands from the Chinese manufacturer, there is little the foreign company can do because it waited until development was finished before even considering who would end up with its IP.
The second disaster stems from foreign companies not considering the procedural issues necessary for successfully developing a product. Foreign companies far too often mistakenly assume that Chinese manufacturers can develop any product within the tight timeframes and close tolerances required by modern business. This often leads to the following:
The product is never completed or never works properly.
The product is not completed until after the market opportunity has passed.
The product cost ends up being far higher than projected.
The only good way to address the above product development risks is with a product development agreement enforceable in China. A good product development agreement covers the period between the NNN agreement stage when you are figuring out which Chinese manufacturer to use and the OEM agreement stage when you have already selected your Chinese manufacturer and know exactly what you will have manufactured.
A good product development agreement generally includes provisions addressing the following:
The product to be developed. The technologies the foreign company and the Chinese manufacturer will contribute. Who will provide the product specifications and in what form. Who will own the IP rights to the resulting product. Who will pay for product development costs? Who will pay for the molds and tooling? Setting of milestones. Chinese manufacturers often agree to do the development work, but fail to do so in a timely manner. Your product development agreement should provide incentives for your Chinese manufacturer to meet milestones and a penalty if it does not.
Chinese manufacturers usually prefer to cover all of the costs of product development because they want to own the resulting product and foreign companies far too often go along with this, without realizing this likely means the Chinese manufacturer will end up with the product and its related IP.
China Manufacturing Risk Management
A China Manufacturing Compliance Checklist
If you have familiarized yourself with the applicable Chinese laws and your business has done its utmost to comply with those laws, the odds of your company getting into legal hot water in China are low. We have helped countless foreign companies deal with China compliance failures, and very rarely have we concluded that our client was singled out for no good reason. Even when our client had done nothing wrong, we could still understand why the Chinese government had initially thought otherwise.
On top of this, the foreign companies we represent have become much savvier in realizing the need to remain in compliance. It has truly been years since any of our clients have excused their non-compliance by claiming everyone is doing it. And yet we still get plenty of calls from companies that make this excuse after they have been caught operating illegally. Guess what in China like pretty much everywhere else in the world this is no excuse.
But what exactly should you be doing now to ensure you are in compliance with Chinese laws?
Corporate Compliance
Are your companys activities still covered by the scope of business used during its registration? If you registered as an import/export company and you now own a factory, you should make some changes. Is your business in a different location from what is listed on your business license? That requires a change also. Is the person listed as your companys legal representative still with your company and still the person you want in this position? What about the general manager? The supervisor? Have there been any changes to the parent company?
China Employment Compliance
Chinas employment laws are complicated, localized, and pro-employee. Make sure you have appropriate written employment agreements with all of your employees in China, domestic and foreign. Review and update your employee manual (a.k.a. Employer Rules and Regulations). Review and update all other employment-related documents, from offer letters to severance agreements and everything in between. Make sure you otherwise stay in compliance: are all of your non-Chinese employees work permits and residence permits up-to-date? Have you secured approval from the local labor bureau for any employees under a non-standard working hours system? Have you secured all necessary renewals for such employees? Are you paying into the appropriate social insurance accounts for each employee?
China Tax Compliance
It is sometimes necessary to engage a competent local accounting firm. Your accountants must of course understand Chinese tax law, but they should also have at least a rudimentary understanding of your home countrys tax laws as well. For instance: make sure your transfer pricing is current and accurately reflected in your contracts and that your profit margins are high enough to keep Chinas tax authorities at bay.
China IP Compliance
We frequently get calls from foreign companies doing business in China that have let their China IP registrations fall into disorder (or never organized their IP in the first place). Most of the time, it is my law firms China IP lawyers who spot the problem. Even if you registered everything appropriately when you first came to China, have you kept up with newer products/services or brands? Are you registering design patents before you release your products? Are you keeping sufficient evidence of trademark use to fend off a non-use cancellation? Have you properly drafted and registered any trademark license agreements? Are you taking full advantage of Chinas trademark system to protect your brand name, slogans and logos?
China Contract Compliance
Many foreign companies do business in China in a way that makes it all but impossible for them to enforce their contractual rights. Do you have written agreements with all your major sources and clients? Are you using a lawyer to draft your design/manufacturing/licensing/purchase/etc. agreements? Are these agreements in Chinese? Enforced under Chinese law?
Spend the time now on the above to avoid having to spend a lot more time later.
Protecting Yourself from Scammers
What can you do to help prevent China factory problems? The quick answer is to know your factory before you contract with them and especially before you send them any money. The way to know your factory is to do due diligence on them. The bare minimum due diligence on your potential China manufacturing partner should include the following:
Obtain the Chinese manufacturers actual Chinese company name. This can then be verified by comparing it with the companys business license. Check with the official Chinese government registry to see if your Chinese manufacturer has actually been registered as a Chinese company. Check your Chinese manufacturers capitalization to see if it is sufficiently large enough and well-funded enough to handle your proposed deal. Check the Chinese companys corporate officers and shareholders to see if they have any conflicts of interest by owning other companies. This is quite common and often explains why they are insisting on you using certain sub-suppliers. Check the Chinese companys current operational status: Open, Irregular Operations, or Revoked. We have found that clients potential Chinese business partners had been placed on the irregular operations list by their districts Market Supervision and Administration Bureaus. The reasons for a company being flagged as such are often because of financial difficulties and mismanagement. You do not want to do business with such a company, because the consequences of a company being flagged as having abnormal operations include: Banking accounts and activities restricted or frozen.
Services and licensing provided by government bureaus restricted or prohibited.
Administrative penalties imposed. For example, a failure to notify the Bureau of a change in registered address carries a fine of RMB 10,000 to 100,000.
The individuals in charge of the company restricted. Additionally, if the company has been flagged for three years, it will be placed on the list of companies that have seriously violated the law.
We are seeing many more Chinese manufacturers on the irregular operations list than previously. Worse than that, we are also seeing more Chinese manufacturers showing up on the operations revoked list. Make sure the Chinese government has authorized your Chinese manufacturer (per its business scope) to do the type of business it is proposing to do with you. Companies in China must specify their intended business scope in their articles of association, and this scope is subject to approval by the government registration authorities and if a Chinese company exceeds its scope, it is operating illegally. Check the history of the Chinese manufacturer with which you might do business. Most fake companies do not bother to create a business history. If a company does not have a history you can verify, you should seriously consider walking away. Find out what property and IP your Chinese manufacturer owns. Companies that own property and/or IP are much less likely to scam you than those that dont. Check your Chinese manufacturers litigation history and whether and how often it has been in trouble with the government. A company that is constantly getting fined by the government and/or constantly getting sued by its product buyers is not a good company with which to do business. Have a good and China-specific manufacturing contract with your Chinese manufacturers. If the Chinese company formally declares bankruptcy (which does happen) and if it has some assets left (which also does happen) and if you have a China-centric manufacturing contract you at least have a chance at getting some or all of your money back. Pay as little as possible until your product has arrived and been quality-checked. One of the best things you can do to reduce your China product buying risks is to delay all or almost all payment until after you have confirmed delivery of conforming product. But few Chinese manufacturers will agree to this, and even fewer Chinese manufacturers that intend to scam you will do so. Use common sense. If a manufacturer seems too good to be true, it probably is not. Red flags: Insanely good proposed pricing
Unrealistic promised delivery times
Few questions to you about the details of the work
Unresponsive to your questions to them
Your Manufacturer Is Your Likeliest Competitor
In deciding to manufacture in China, you will essentially be educating your Chinese manufacturer in how to compete with you. And guess what? It is perfectly legal for your Chinese factory to copy your products unless you have a contract forbidding that. It is also perfectly legal for them to use your brand name in China (or even to register your brand name as its own trademark) if you have not registered your brand name as a China trademark.
Years ago, it was common to do business in China without a contract. Before China had modern trade laws and courts that were able to handle business disputes, this informal approach made sense because there was no alternative.
To pursue a claim successfully against a Chinese company, there must be a written contract between the parties, executed by both parties in accordance with the Chinese law requirements. Unlike in the U.S. or the E.U., Chinese courts rarely allow for proving the existence of a contract by putting together pieces evidenced by scattered POs, invoices, emails and desperate phone calls. The court will insist on a written agreement that unambiguously names the parties and provides the basis for the agreement.
Additionally, the contract must be enforceable in China. As a practical matter, Chinese courts incredibly rarely enforce foreign judgments, and it can be quite difficult to get them to enforce a foreign arbitration award. A contract enforceable in China must meet the following basic standards:
Gov. Jack Dalrymple will announce an updated revenue forecast and his decision on whether to call a special legislative session to address the state's revenue shortfall during a press conference Wednesday.
The governor wants to make sure the updated information is shared. He wants folks to know as soon as possible, said Jeff Zent, a spokesman for Dalrymple.
The press conference will be held at 2:30 p.m. in Memorial Hall inside the state Capitol.
On Monday afternoon, Dalrymple met with Republican leadership to discuss potential options for addressing the shortfall, which was brought on by lower-than-expected oil and sales tax collections stemming from low crude and farm commodity prices.
Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner, R-Dickinson, called the 90-minute meeting productive.
Im just thankful we have options. A lot of other states dont have options, other than raising taxes, said Wardner, adding that everyone missed the mark by a mile in the number of oil rigs drilling and the sales tax projections.
In June, general fund revenue collections were at about $137.9 million, down about $10.8 million from projections.
For the biennium to date, collections are down about $101 million, or 3.8 percent, from projections made in the last updated forecast in January.
Office of Management and Budget Director Pam Sharp said Wednesdays press conference will deal with the revenue numbers for the remainder of the 2015-17 biennium. She said preliminary 2017-19 numbers could be released next week.
Nothing specific yet. We need to do more work with Moodys, Sharp said.
House Majority Leader Al Carlson, R-Fargo, said if Dalrymple decides to call a special session, theyll come back and quickly pass the proper solution.
Carlson said some of the options discussed Monday included additional cuts or transfers, with possible sources of funds including the rainy-day Budget Stabilization Fund, the Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund, and profits from the state-owned Bank of North Dakota or State Mill and Elevator in Grand Forks.
We know where the money is because we put it there, he said. My only concern is that we dont handcuff ourselves real bad for the next session.
The cost of a special session is estimated at about $80,000 per day.
Previous cuts made
Earlier this year, a $1.074 billion projected shortfall was addressed through a 4.05 percent across-the-board budget cut to agencies that use general fund dollars along with using rainy day funds and ending balance dollars from the previous biennium.
The states Advisory Council on Revenue Forecasting, which decides on the numbers to be used for revenue projections, met last week at the Capitol. They set projected oil prices for North Dakota at $43 per barrel for the rest of fiscal 2017 and maintained the projection of 900,000 barrels per day of oil production used in January.
To come up with a first look at the 2017-19 biennium, the group set projected oil prices at $52 per barrel for fiscal 2018 and $58 for the following year. They left oil production flat at 900,000 barrels per day through the full two years.
The active drilling rig count was set at 30 for fiscal 2017 before increasing to 50 and 65 in the next two fiscal years, respectively.
In January, the advisory group set projected North Dakota oil prices at $30 per barrel and rising to $43 by June 30, 2017. At that time they also projected the state would average 50 rigs for the rest of the biennium.
-- The Forum News Service contributed to this story.
If two environmental watchdog groups have their way in court, North Dakotas relatively new radioactive waste disposal rules could be in jeopardy.
The North Dakota Energy Industry Waste Coalition and the Dakota Resource Council will argue in district court Monday that illegal public notice by the State Health Council when it approved the rules in August means that meeting should be done over.
Their attorney, Sarah Vogel, said the lawsuit appears to be the first instance anyone has gone to court to force a do-over because of illegal public notice. The case is a civil action for remedy and enforcement. South Central District Judge Thomas Schneider will hold the hearing on the Health Councils motion to dismiss the case.
The Health Council approved the radioactive waste program in August and new rules allowing up to 50 picocuries in special landfills went into effect in January. The two environmental groups objected to the lack of timely public notice during the meeting and afterward secured an attorney generals office opinion. That opinion agreed that two working days notice was not adequate given that the council had set the meeting date four months earlier.
The opinion issued in March, three months after the new radioactive program was already in effect said the Health Council could fix the problem by mailing the August meeting minutes to the complainants.
In court documents, Vogel said the remedy of mailing the minutes is a sham and that the correct fix, and one provided in Century Code, is for the Health Council to hold another meeting and give the public notice.
Mailing the minutes did not correct the violation .... This was a serious and blatant violation of the advance notice provisions on a topic of a preeminent public health concern, Vogel said in a court brief.
If the judge voids the 2015 meeting, the effect is not clear.
The Health Council could reach the same decision, or they could change their minds based on information at a new meeting, Vogel said.
In court documents, the Health Council says no remedies are available to the environmental groups because the violation was corrected prior to their civil suit and no one was harmed or prejudiced by the delay.
Health Council chairman Wade Peterson said he couldn't discuss the matter while it's in litigation.
Scott Radig, who manages the State Health Departments waste program, said he cant speculate on any possible outcomes of the lawsuit.
The department has received two applications for radioactive waste disposal in the oil patch, where radioactive soils, filters and equipment are generated from oil production. Radig said IHD Environmental recently put an indefinite hold on its application for a radioactive waste disposal site near Alexander so it can do more local outreach. A second application from Secure Energy Services for a disposal site 13 miles north of Williston is in the early stages with months to go before a draft permit could be issued.
Until there is a radioactive landfill established in North Dakota, the materials are transported to certified locations in other states.
(Photo : Weibo) V750 helicopter drone with missiles
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China's largest drone helicopter, the V750, successfully fired anti-tank missiles at ground targets for the first time this June.
In its military guise, the V750 is being outfitted mainly as an anti-tank weapon armed with two missiles, either the HJ-9 or HJ-10. It can also mount rocket pods to attack troops and soft vehicles.
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The V750 first flew in 2011 in the eastern province of Shandong. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 750 kg and can loft up to 80 kg. The single rotor, three-bladed unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) can be controlled to a distance in excess of 150 km. It can also fly automatically following pre-set programming.
The weaponized V750 will join another drone helicopter, the NORINCO Sky Saker H300, already in service with the People's Liberation Army Ground Force or the ground army of the Communist Party of China. It will likely be used by smaller ground units such as brigades and battalions.
The V750 was jointly developed by Weifang Tianxiang Aerospace Industry Co. Ltd. and Qingdao Haili Helicopters Manufacturing Co. Ltd. It was certified as flight worthy by Chinese aviation authorities in 2014.
On the other hand, the Sky Saker is a coaxial rotor helicopter UCAV weighing in at 200 kg. Its reconnaissance cameras include electro-optical and infrared systems, along with laser target designators for surveillance and fire control.
Sky Saker H300 can also provide midcourse corrections for guided munitions launched by other weapons systems, such as cruise missiles from Xi'an H-6K heavy bombers or guided rounds fired from PLZ-05 howitzers.
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TagsV750, anti-tank weapon, drone helicopter, Sky Saker H300
(Photo : Getty Images) A chimpanzee displays a scorecard as moon bears are made to box at Chongqing Wildlife Park in Chongqing Municipality, China.
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China has initiated another step to improve its animal rights policy by passing a new law that prohibits the purchase, production, and sale of endangered animals to curb illegal trade in protected species.
According to the Independent, the Chinese government has passed a law penalizing the consumption of rare animals with a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment.
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The amendment hopes to bring an end to the hunting, selling, purchasing, and the use of state-protected animals for any purposes other than scientific research, captive breeding, public performances, consumption in non-food products, and population regulation, Yue Zonhming of the National People's Congress' Standing Committee's Legislative Affairs Commission said.
Aside from that, the law also states that the government would revisit the special state protection list of animals every five years to update the number of the endangered species. For instance, re-evaluation means species bred in captivity like the sika deer would soon be removed from the list after it has been bred under controlled conditions across the country.
It also means reclassifying state-protected species. For example, critically endangered species like the finless porpoise should be moved up to the first-class state-protection list, Yue said.
However, animal rights activists are still skeptical about the new law. The Shanghaiist reported that China's wildlife policies have always been a subject of scrutiny due to the country's inability to properly regulate sales and exploitation of endangered species.
Meanwhile, some activists have expressed concerns that simply prohibiting the sale of endangered animals is not enough.
The amended wildlife protection law will take effect on January 1 next year.
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Tagswildlife protection law, endangered species, state-protected species, illegal trading
(Photo : Getty Images) Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple special event at the Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California.
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Apple has donated seven million yuan (about $1 million) to China as torrential rains continue to wreak havoc in the country, the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA), a non-governmental organization, said on Monday.
According to the CFPA, Apple is the first U.S. firm to lend a hand to flood victims this year. The CFPA said it would closely work with the Cupertino-based tech giant to ensure that the money is utilized properly, USA Today reported.
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"Our thoughts are with all those devastated by the flooding along the Yangtze River," Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, wrote on China's Twitter-like Weibo.
The southern part of China has been severely affected by heavy rainfall and has been flooding since the end of June, making it the worst flooding since 1998, according to Bloomberg. To date, at least 186 people have lost their lives and 32 million individuals across 26 provinces and municipalities are homeless. The government estimates that its economic losses could reach over 57 million yuan ($8.5 billion), although the figure is anticipated to increase.
"In general, it is much drier in northwestern China while wetter in southern China... Southern China may be indeed affected by the ENSO [El Nino Southern Oscillation] this year. Some studies support the notion that when [the] climate is getting warmer, the south is getting wetter," Liu Zhonghui from the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Hong Kong told The Diplomat.
However, experts have warned that the worst is yet to come as there is a high change that the upper reaches of Yangtze River would see even more flooding as the downpour continues. Authorities are anticipating that the flooding would peak later this month or early next month.
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Tagsapple, china, torrential rain, Tropical Storm Nepartak, China Foundation For Poverty Alleviation
(Photo : Getty Images) Chinese resident Wang Nu, 83, looks out the window of her house next to a coal fired power plant in Shanxi, China.
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The Chinese government is planning to ban construction of new coal-fired power plants as part of its five-year plan.
The 13th Five Year Plan for the energy sector, which is expected to be announced to the public "shortly," will reportedly "suspend" the construction of new thermal power plants until the beginning of 2018.
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According to Lin Boqiang, an energy economist at Xiamen University, the suspension will be reviewed at that time; however, it is unlikely to be revoked, the Financial Review reported.
"The main reason for the suspension is the weak power demand," he said, adding that the decrease in government infrastructure projects has resulted in a slowdown of power consumption demand from heavy industries.
In 2015, coal imports from China significantly plummeted by 30 percent to 204 million tonnes, the lowest in over half a decade. Even the price of thermal coal also halved in value over the same period to an estimated $50 per tonne.
The Economic Information Daily reported that the 13th Five Year Plan energy policy would also introduce stricter rules than those implemented in April, which prohibited construction of new coal-fired plants in areas with surplus power supply, underscoring China's concern with overcapacity across its economy that led to weakening industrial demand as growth slows.
Last month, the Chinese government prioritized renewable energy to minimize China's wasted green power.
Reports indicate that last year, around 15 percent of China's wind power was left unutilized. The number spiked to 26 percention the first quarter of this year. Just recently, China has shut down a number of its wind turbines as their idle capacity is only damaging the country's electrical grid.
Also, the utilization rate of China's coal-fired power stations went down from 60 percent in 2011 to 48 percent in the first quarter of 2016.
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Tagschina, coal-fired power plants, renewable green energy, 14th Five Year Plan, energy sector
Chinese farmers plant rice.
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Aerospace engineers from the United Kingdom are trying to find ways to remotely collect data in China using ground and aerial drones to boost "smart farming" and sustainable agriculture in China.
Engineers from Loughborough University in England are researching on how to attain this aim using unmanned autonomous ground and air vehicles. The project called "Enabling wide area persistent remote sensing for agriculture applications" is backed by $1.3 million in funding.
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It's being jointly financed by the UK's Science and Technology Facilities Council under the Newton Fund, a facility that's part of the UK's official development assistance and that aims to develop science and innovation partnerships.
The British team is working with Prof. Wen-Hua Chen and his research team from the Department of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering and an international consortium. The partners hope to gain a greater understanding of plant science, pest and disease by collecting large amounts of observation data to boost farming resilience and food security.
Prof. Chen and his colleagues, Dr. Cunjia Liu and Dr. Hyondong Oh, are researching how to improve ground and aerial drones so these can be more effectively used to fulfill the project's remote data collection needs. The goal is to ensure China is able to meet its population's fast growing demand for food.
The special drones are expected to relay timely and repetitive information about crops spanning a wide area, and enabling the technologies to be operated with less expertise.
"Precision agriculture" or "smart farming" can help increase the quality and quantity of agricultural production by using sensing technology to make farms more connected. Smart farming technologies can measure soil moisture and nutrition using airborne sensors on unmanned aircraft.
It can also automatically detect weeds with airborne cameras and coordinate with autonomous mechanical weeders for treatment. These technologies can be used to identify and destroy weeds that threaten crops and help to reduce pressure on China's already damaged environment.
"Agriculture is facing serious challenges around the world due to increasing and aging populations as well as a growing global demand for energy and fresh water," said Professor Chen.
"The likelihood of extreme weather events occurring more often also threatens food production, which is why remote data collection to evaluate soil and crop health has an important role to play in developing sustainable agriculture for rapidly developing countries like China."
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TagsLoughborough University, china, United Kingdom, Science and Technology Facilities Council], smart farming
(Photo : YouTube Screenshot) A Chinese plane made a miraculous landing after hailstorm cracks its cockpit windows.
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A plane from China Southern Airlines landed safely after a severe hail storm wrecked its windshields, thereby blocking the pilots' view and forcing them to fly "blind."
China Southern Airline's Airbus A320 from Guangzhou was bound for Chengdu on Saturday, July 9 when it encountered a hail storm as it attempted to descend towards the southern Chinese city.
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AV Herald reported that the cockpit's windows of Flight CZ2483 have become "basically opaque" with cracked glasses and fist-sized holes to the fuselage, leaving the pilots no choice but to drive using instruments instead of sight.
Other than the windshields, the hailstorm also damaged the edge of the left engine and stripped off paint from the plane's nose. The protective shell covering the aircraft's nose radar was also punctured.
Fortunately, the pilots managed to land the plane, and no injuries were reported. The aircraft landed safely at Chengdu Airport at 7:51 in the evening local time.
Experts warned that if the aircraft's inner protective layer had been destroyed, the plane would have soon lost pressure posing a great risk to the passengers and crew. No details as to how many passengers were on board or at what height was the aircraft hit by hailstones.
Meanwhile, an aviation lawyer said an investigation would be conducted to find out if any human error was involved in the incident. He explained that ground personnel could have cautioned pilots to change the course and avoid the extreme weather. The lawyer also said the crew deserved praise for landing the plane safely, according to South China Morning Post.
China Southern Airlines has officially released a statement on China's Twitter-like Weibo confirming the incident. It also revealed that the affected plane is now parked for repairs, while the scheduled flights for the said aircraft have been transferred to other planes.
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TagsChina Southern Airlines, hailstorm, emergency landing
(Photo : Getty Images) The tail and a next generation winglet of a A Boeing 737 MAX 8 are pictured at Boeing Field after its its first flight in Seattle, Washington.
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China's Donghai Airlines has announced that it plans to purchase 30 Boeing aircraft worth over $4 billion at list prices, the plane manufacturer said on Monday.
The purchase agreement will be composed of 25 Boeing 737 MAX 8 narrow body planes and five units of the 787-9 wide body aircraft, according to the deal announced at the 2016 Farnborough International Airshow, Fox News reported.
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"Donghai Airlines has undergone steady development over the past 10 years since the beginning of our freighter operations in 2006," Wong Cho-Bau, the airline's CEO, said. "Under China's One Belt One Road initiative, we will accelerate our fleet expansion plan to satisfy the rapidly growing air travel market and help build our home base Shenzhen as the transportation hub in southern China."
The Shenzhen-based company also plans to shift its business models from cargo services to passenger services, according to Reuters. It has already ordered 15 Next-Generation 737-800s and 10 re-engined and upgraded 737 MAX 8s variant in 2013 as it pushed its commitment to introduce "new next-generation airplanes that deliver the industry-leading fuel efficiency and passenger comfort."
Boeing would be working with Donghai Airlines to finalize the details of the said agreement, and the order will be posted on Boeing's Orders & Deliveries website once all contingencies are cleared, according to Boeing Media Room.
Meanwhile, Boeing's CEO and President Dennis Muilenburg said "We are honored by Donghai Airline's reaffirmation of the 737 MAX, and we look forward to welcoming Donghai as our new 787 customer," adding that the new aircrafts would give the Chinese company "added efficiency, operating economics and passenger comfort for their business growth domestically and internationally."
Currently, Donghai Airlines has 11 Boeing 737-800s flying passengers to more than 10 Chinese cities.
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TagsDonghai Airlines, Boeing, 2016 Farnborough International Airshow, airline industry
(Photo : Reuters) Honda is set to release a car that was made completely free of rare earth materials.
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Japanese car manufacturer Honda Motor recently said that it is planning to introduce a new motor intended for hybrid vehicles that will not rely on heavy rare-earth minerals. Honda's latest breakthrough could mean that the company will no longer depend on expensive imported materials which are mainly controlled by China.
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At the heart of Honda's new motor are magnets which are developed by Daido Steel Corporation. These magnets do not contain heavy rare-earth minerals. Honda said that its Freed minivans, which are scheduled to be released this fall, will sport these new magnets, according to Reuters.
In a statement released by Honda, the Japanese company said, "Adoption of this technology enables a break from the constraints associated with heavy rare earth, which had been one of the challenges to expanding the use of neodymium magnets."
Two more Japanese car manufacturers, Toyota Motors, and Nissan Motors, are also developing ways to reduce their reliance on heavy rare-earth materials. The three motor companies made this decision after China decided to impose stricter export rules following diplomatic disputes with Japan.
According to Bloomberg, China is responsible for more than 80 percent of global production of 17 rare earth materials. These materials are used to manufacture a wide range of products ranging from smartphones to cruise missiles and electric cars.
Honda and Daido Steel claim that they are the first companies to introduce this new type of magnet which has high heat resistance and is ideal for use in hybrid cars. Following the announcement, Honda's stock price rose by 3.3 percent during the midday trading break in Tokyo. On the other hand, Daido Steel's stock price rose by three percent.
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TagsHonda, china, Daido Steel, Heavy Rare-Earth minerals, Honda news, Honda update
(Photo : Getty Images) The Philippines has won its territorial case against China in the Hague-based arbitration court. Politics observers have warned that the ruling might push Beijing to use force to defend its claims
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After three years of hearing the territorial case filed by the Philippines against China about the ownership of contested territories in the resource-rich South China Sea, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague made a ruling on Tuesday saying that there is no legal basis to Beijing's claim that it has 'historic rights' to the islands, reefs, and other features in the disputed international waterway.
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In a press release issued by the arbitral tribunal, the five-member panel ruled in favor of the Philippines in its case against China in what has been described as a "historic case."
"[The] Tribunal concluded that, as between the Philippines and China, there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources, in excess of the rights provided for by the Convention, within the sea areas falling within the 'nine-dash line,'" the press release stated.
Entirety
China is claiming ownership over several reefs and islands in the South China Sea. Beijing has reclaimed hundreds of acres of land to build artificial islands in the region in the past two years and has built facilities in disputed area.
The three-year legal process saw the Philippines submit voluminous documents to the arbitration court; arguing its case despite China's boycott of the case. Beijing has insisted that the court had no jurisdiction over the dispute and has instead called for bilateral talks.
Political observers have said the PCA's ruling risks raising tensions further in the South China Sea region. Experts have also noted that the ruling has dealt Beijing a setback that would likely push it to control the disputed waters by force.
'Outlaw state'
The international community had earlier urged China to respect the Hague ruling saying it risks being branded as an "outlaw state" if it does not abide by international law.
The Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs welcomed the favorable ruling of the PCA and urged all those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety.
Meanwhile, Manila has asked the tribunal to rule on whether several features in the contested areas in the South China Sea are reefs or islands in its bid to clarify the extent of its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
The disputed territories in the South China Sea are being claimed by China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines. More than $5 Trillion worth of ship-borne goods passes through the strategic waterway annually.
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FLASHBACK: 'Stalk them and kill them,' Farrakhan says, calling for 10,000 volunteers to kill whites 05 August, 2015 by Gregory Tomlin , |
MIAMI (Christian Examiner) In a sermon reminiscent of the fiery rhetoric of an Islamic State preacher, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, now 82, said in Miami the time has come for 10,000 black volunteers to kill white Americans.
Death is sweeter than watching us slaughter each other to the joy of a 400 year old enemy. Death is sweet. The Quran teaches persecution is worse than slaughter.
Click to watch the video.
In the sermon at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Farrakhan said he was looking for "10,000 in the midst of the million ... 10,000 fearless men who say death is sweeter than continued life under tyranny" to retaliate against white Americans because of their alleged oppression of black people.
Farrakhan said the Quran calls for retaliation when "slaves" are oppressed.
"Retaliation is a prescription from God to calm the breasts of those whose children have been slain. So if the federal government will not intercede in our affairs, then we must rise up and kill those who kill us. Stalk them and kill them and let them feel the pain of death that we are feeling," Farrakhan said.
"Death is sweeter than to continue to live and bury our children while white folks give the killer hamburgers," Farrakhan said, referencing the arrest of Dylann Storm Roof, who killed nine black church members at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., June 17.
"Death is sweeter than watching us slaughter each other to the joy of a 400 year old enemy. Death is sweet. The Quran teaches persecution is worse than slaughter."
The content of Farrakhan's sermon was published at his website Final Call, which promotes the upcoming 20th anniversary of the Million Man March on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. That event will take place in October, the culmination of his national "Justice, or Else" tour.
NOTE: The original story in Final Call was edited to remove the references to killing whites.
According to the Nation of Islam paper, the anniversary march "will be no frolic, no picnic, no folly, but a serious demand for justice place before a government rife with injustice in police killings of blacks, Native Americans and others inside America."
Farrakhan also pointed to the oppression of blacks by whites as the chief reason for unrest in America, but also pointed to the crisis of blacks killing other blacks through "fratricidal violence."
"And the police, when they kill us, they put the lie out first and then back up the lie with the institutions of government of White Supremacy. And so even though we march and even though we fight against this injustice, it continues unabated."
Farrakhan said whites, "like serpents," are deceptive.
"They would like to charge us with radicalizing our people by telling the truth, but every time they kill a black man or beat up a black woman or unjustly stop us for traffic violations and then kill us, we are being radicalized. They are the ones who are radicalizing us. All we are doing is telling the truth of what they are doing," Farrakhan said.
RELATED ARTICLES:
An Open Letter to Louis Farrakhan (by the author of this piece)
Snopes.com verifies Farrakhan threats, but DOJ will not pursue charges
Farrakhan claims he didn't say 'kill all whites,' blasts Jews and Israel for retaliation against Palestine
Farrakhan shouts 'Allah Akbar,' says white people know they 'deserve to die'
Fiery Farrakhan: Hatred of Jews, calls to murder whites, talk of UFOs goes back decades
Shooter had affinity for militant Black Power groups, Farrakhan 12 July, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , |
DALLAS (Christian Examiner) The gunman who killed five police officers and wounded nine others identified himself as a "Black Nationalist" and may have been enchanted with the fiery rhetoric of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
According to multiple reports from the media and police, Micah Xavier Johnson had "liked" the Nation of Islam, the New Black Panther Party, the African American Defense League (AADL), the Black Riders Liberation Party and a host of other Black Nationalist groups on his now deleted Facebook page.
The Nation of Islam is an African American religious movment tracked by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group.
Johnson was not, however, actually an official member of any of the groups, contrary to some reports.
The New Black Panther Party issued a statement claiming the media is "grabbing for straws, reaching for any kind of connection it could produce to make a fictitious connection to the New Black Panther Party, or other black groups whose primary mission is to advocate for Black Power."
"For the record, a simple like by Mr. Johnson or anyone else on any like page via a social media website, does not represent membership, affiliation, or endorsement. It simply is what it is ... a like on the page," the statement said.
When you are willing and not afraid anymore to pay the price for freedom don't let this white man tell you that violence is wrong. Every d--- thing he got, he got it by being violent killing people, raping and robbing and murdering. He's doing it as we speak and then he has the nerve to come and tell us that violence and hatred won't get it. Don't buy that. He's worthy to be hated. Worthy, because of the evil that he does
The Black Riders and AADL have remained silent on the events in Dallas, as has the Nation of Islam Muhammad Mosque Number 48 in South Dallas and the Huey P. Newton Gun Club, a militant organization headed by Babu Omowale, who is the "minister of defense" for the New Black Panther Party.
Omowale, however, said he had seen Johnson at some black "community events."
Omowale told Reuters his group did not support or condone what Johnson did in spite of the fact that members of the New Black Panthers have called in the past for police officers to be killed but he said he understood it.
"We can understand how the conditions of America today pushed that man to respond how he did. Every man and woman has his breaking point, and we just think Micah got to his breaking point before anyone else," Omowale said.
That Johnson wanted to kill white police officers is without question. All of the officers killed in the shooting rampage in Dallas July 7 were white or Hispanic.
During a press conference after the shooting, Dallas Police Chief David Brown said Johnson told officers attempting to negotiate with him after he was cornered in a parking garage that he had acted alone and was not affiliated with any other group.
"The suspect said he was upset about Black Lives Matter. The suspect said he was upset about recent police shootings. The suspect stated he was upset at white people. The suspect stated he wanted to kill white people, especially white officers," Brown said.
Johnson's sister, Nicole, also spewed the same anti-white and anti-police rhetoric on her Facebook page. She said the day before the attack in Dallas that police officers "need to get a taste of the life we now fear."
She was presumably speaking about the recent deaths of several black men Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota at the hands of police. Sterling was shot in a scuffle with two police officers outside of a convenient store. Castile was shot during a traffic stop.
Both incidents are under investigation.
NATION OF ISLAM'S LOUIS FARRAKHAN
Hours before Johnson took to the streets and began firing on officers providing security for the Black Lives Matter protest in Dallas, Louis Farrakhan reposted a clip from a 2015 video to his Twitter page.
In the clip, Farrakhan railed, "There is no freedom without the shedding of blood. I'm sorry to have to say that. Non-violence is not going to bring the land back to us."
He said if black people could unify, "our unity will keep us from having to fire a shot, but if we are not united the only way we are going to get what belongs to us is to make up our minds either to live to get it or die trying to get it."
"When you are willing and not afraid anymore to pay the price for freedom don't let this white man tell you that violence is wrong. Every d--- thing he got, he got it by being violent killing people, raping and robbing and murdering. He's doing it as we speak and then he has the nerve to come and tell us that violence and hatred won't get it. Don't buy that. He's worthy to be hated. Worthy, because of the evil that he does," Farrakhan said in the video.
NOTE: STORY continues below the full Farrakhan video viewed here.
Farrakhan, who last year asked for "10,000 fearless" to "stalk" and "kill" whites, has also not publicly denounced the violence in Dallas or condemned the views held by Johnson.
If Brown would have been officially aligned with any of the Black Power groups he showed an affinity for on Facebook, he would have presumably been the first member of one of the groups to have acted on their anti-white, anti-police rhetoric in such a violent fashion.
According to Heidi Beirich, head of the Southern Poverty Law Center's intelligence analysis operation, the groups he followed on social media are "not associated with violence on a regular basis the way skinheads or neo-Nazis are now."
Beirich said, however, that the number of chapters of the many "black separatist" groups increased from 113 to 180 in a one year period (from 2014-2015).
Johnson reportedly wrote the initials "BR" on the wall in his own blood just before he was killed. It is assumed he was writing "BRG," for "Black, Red and Green," the colors depicted on the uniform patches of Black Power organizations like the New Black Panther Party.
Several U.S.-based religious denominations remain defiant in the face of new laws that would ban them from proselytizing in Russia.
The so-called Yarovaya laws make it illegal to preach, proselytize or hand out religious materials outside of specially designated places. The laws also give the Russian government wide scope to monitor and record electronic messages and phone calls.
The package of laws, billed as anti-terrorism measures, was passed by the Russian Duma, or parliament, on June 24 and signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 7.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, a bipartisan government panel that makes policy recommendations, condemned the new laws.
These deeply flawed anti-terrorism measures will buttress the Russian governments war against human rights and religious freedom, Thomas J. Reese, a Jesuit priest and chair of the commission, said after the measures were passed. They will make it easier for Russian authorities to repress religious communities, stifle peaceful dissent, and detain and imprison people.
The new laws require a government permit to engage in proselytizing activities and ban those activities outside any registered religious organization, such as a church. Russia has numerous house churches groups that meet in peoples homes and those are now illegal under the new law.
Violations will result in fines of $780 for an individual, upward of $15,000 for an organization, and can lead to deportation.
Religious organizations directly affected by the new laws are those with strong evangelization programs in Russia the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Jehovahs Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists and other Protestant organizations with Baptist, Pentecostal and independent Christian roots.
Only about 1 percent of the Russian population is Protestant; the majority religion is Russian Orthodox Christian.
The Russian Orthodox church is part of a bulwark of Russian nationalism stirred up by Vladimir Putin, David Aikman, author of One Nation Without God, told Christianity Today. Everything that undermines that action is a real threat, whether thats evangelical Protestant missionaries or anything else.
A spokesman for the LDS church said the 15.6 million-member church has no plans to recall its approximately 30 missionaries currently assigned in seven Russian locations a low number of Mormon missions for a country Russias size.
Members of the Jehovahs Witnesses have 2,500 congregations in Russia. The Russian government has shut down several Witness organizations since the beginning of the year, most recently shuttering the churchs administrative center in St. Petersburg.
The new law effectively bans the Witnesses practice of going door-to-door to preach and hand out tracts.
Witness officials have called the Russian governments focus on its activities a deliberate misapplication of Russias law on extremist activity.
Eric Baxter, senior counsel for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, described the law as very restrictive on its face. Baxter served on a mission for the LDS church in St. Petersburg from 1992 to 1994.
Despite decades of enforced atheism under the USSR, in my experience the Russian people are people of deep faith, he said. Religion inspired their art, their literature and their music, and I think that the natural human instinct to share their faith will prevail and Russians will find the freedom to live their faith.
Courtesy: Religion News Service
Photo: A street sweeper walks past St. Basil's Cathedral at Red Square in Moscow on Jan. 15, 2016.
Photo courtesy: REUTERS/Maxim Zmeyev
Publication date: July 12, 2016
Ten more states, led by Nebraska, filed a lawsuit last week against the U.S. Department of Education and Department of Justice on the directive the two agencies released nationwide to permit transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms in accordance with their gender identity.
Nebraska filed the suit in state federal court which challenges the enforcement route taken by the two agencies.
The Nebraska Attorney General Douglas Peterson wrote in an official press release: "Current state law and federal regulations allow schools to maintain separate facilities based upon sex. The recent action by these two federal agencies to require showers, locker rooms, and bathrooms be open to both sexes based solely on the student's choice, circumvents this established law by ignoring the appropriate legislative process necessary to change such a law."
The federal directive is currently to be enforced across all the states and districts, and those which do not comply with it are liable to lose millions of dollars in federal grants.
Eleven other states, led by Texas, had already filed a similar lawsuit against the two agencies in May regarding the same directive, but their lawsuit focuses more the interpretation of the word "sex" in Title IX, a non-discrimination clause in the Education Amendments of 1972. The federal directive states that the Department of Education and the Department of Justice will interpret the word "sex" in Title IX as "gender identity."
Last week, these states filed for a preliminary injunction in the same federal court, where the lawsuit was filed, to halt the implementation of the directive in the year 2017-18.
The states that sued the federal agencies together with Nebraska include Michigan, Arkansas, Montana, Ohio, South Dakota, Wyoming, South Carolina, Kansas, and North Dakota. This brings the total number of states to have filed the suit against the federal mandate at 21.
The Nebraska case will be heard by US District Court Judge John Gerrard, who had previously served as a justice in a state Supreme Court.
The conflict over bathroom access has gained a large momentum in the country, and last month, the Pentagon ended its ban on transgender people to serve in military.
In the year 2016, several states passed laws to define rules directing the use of restrooms by biological sex. And many of the state rules were challenged in courts by LGBTI-supporter groups to allow bathroom use in accordance to gender identity and not birth genders.
The federal directive is being opposed by many state lawmakers on the grounds that it poses a threat to the safety of children. Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said that the mandate was "a radical social policy that raises serious safety concerns for school-age children."
Peterson also said that the directive ignores states and schools' right to handle the issues on an individual basis.
"It also supersedes local school districts' authority to address student issues on an individualized, professional and private basis. When a federal agency takes such unilateral action in an attempt to change the meaning of established law, it is incumbent upon those who want to maintain the rule of law to pursue legal clarity in federal court in order to enforce the rule of law," said attorney general in the official statement.
Reach Beyond Relief Ministry Crews Switch Gears to Help Ecuador Quake Victims Rebuild Their Lives Living in Fear, Survivors Struggle with Camp Life, Look to the Future
Contact: Darin Campbell, 512-785-8350
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., July 12, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- Three months after a devastating quake left 654 dead and thousands homeless in Ecuador, Reach Beyond relief ministry workers are focusing on dealing with the psychological distress left by the destruction as well as the nuts-and-bolts tasks of daily living and rebuilding.
Photo: Reach Beyond's Dr. Carlos Pinto talks to volunteers about how to assist families stricken by the Ecuador earthquake.
The initial April 16 quake registered 7.8 on the Richter scale, injuring at least 12,000, according to CNN, and causing an estimated $3.4 billion in damages. The region has been jolted by heavy aftershocks, and an estimated 23,000 to 28,000 displaced persons are living in makeshift camps after their homes were damaged in the quakes.
Reach Beyond, a media and healthcare ministry that operates a hospital in Quito, Ecuador, dispatched three medical teams to assist in the recovery. They are finding that survivors remain haunted by fears of future quakes, even as they begin to rebuild their lives.
"The fear that people continue to have cannot be taken away with a candy bar, a medical visit or with a smileeven less with any kind of medicine," Reach Beyond missionary Hermann Schirmacher said. The Reach Beyond teams, beyond demonstrating the compassion of Christ, are diversifying to help deal with psychological trauma.
Schirmacher coordinated three Reach Beyond emergency medical response teams, leading two of them, with pastors and volunteers joining the effort to help Ecuadorians deal with trauma-induced stress.
"We talk about the compassion of Christ and His ability to provide hope in the worst circumstances," said Dan Shedd, Reach Beyond Regional Director for Latin America. "Our medical teams demonstrate our belief in the Lord, and we are asking for prayers to help those affected by the earthquake."
To assist in the efforts, missionary psychologist Dr. Carlos Pinto is also training volunteers in Quito on how to deal with stricken survivors who remain fearful for their lives.
To help Ecuadorian refugees, please go to www.reachbeyond.org.
Reach Beyond (www.reachbeyond.org) is a media and medical-based evangelical outreach ministry with operations on five continents. It spreads the Gospel of Jesus through modern media including radio broadcast, webcast, social media and solar-powered radio distribution. It also provides medical services to the needy throughout its network. Today, Reach Beyond, with an annual budget of approximately $19 million, has more than 1,000 staff members in 30 countries.
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Christian Arts and Apologetics Festival Comes to Rural Wisconsin Town
GREENWOOD, Wis., July 12, 2016 /
Known within the apologetics community for its online conferences and a focus on defending the faith through literature and the arts, Athanatos Christian Ministries will take the same approach in a four day festival held on the outskirts of Greenwood, WI, August 4-7, 2016.
The website for the event is
ACM founder and Executive Director, Dr. Anthony Horvath, says that one of the goals of the event is to highlight and elevate local and regional Christian artists while introducing the region to individuals and perspectives from around the country, and even the globe.
Horvath says, "As illustrated by our
Another presenter is filmmaker Mark Spence, Co-host of "The Comfort Zone." Ray Comfort is well known for the movie "180." Their ministry, "Living Waters," will be screening its latest release about atheism at the festival.
Bringing an international flavor is Christian Lenty, an activist based out of Thailand who is engaged in the war on human trafficking. Another international speaker is an award winning author from Egypt.
"We are pleased to bring in Christians from around the globe so that people in the upper Midwest can get a glimpse into how Christians are at work in other places, and vice versa," Horvath says.
Cultivating a culture in which Christian artists can flourish is only one aspect of
"Our motto is: Equipping artists to be apologists and apologists to be artists," Horvath says. "In today's climate, you have to cultivate both sides at once."
Dr. Anthony Horvath is available for interviews at 202-697-4623 and
Share Tweet Contact: Dr. Anthony Horvath, Athanatos Christian Ministries , 202-697-4623, director@athanatosministries.org GREENWOOD, Wis., July 12, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- Something new and unexpected is coming to the rural countryside of central Wisconsin: a Christian arts and apologetics festival with an international flair.Known within the apologetics community for its online conferences and a focus on defending the faith through literature and the arts, Athanatos Christian Ministries will take the same approach in a four day festival held on the outskirts of Greenwood, WI, August 4-7, 2016.The website for the event is www.christianartsfestival.us ACM founder and Executive Director, Dr. Anthony Horvath, says that one of the goals of the event is to highlight and elevate local and regional Christian artists while introducing the region to individuals and perspectives from around the country, and even the globe.Horvath says, "As illustrated by our Christian novel contest , ACM has always emphasized literature. That's why we will be having several award winning writers at our event, including Joseph Courtemanche, the Minnesota author of a book that has received several awards. But we have also emphasized the need to appeal to people who are not already Christians. So, we are pleased to have the musician Sean Michel, who made a splash on 'American Idol.'"Another presenter is filmmaker Mark Spence, Co-host of "The Comfort Zone." Ray Comfort is well known for the movie "180." Their ministry, "Living Waters," will be screening its latest release about atheism at the festival.Bringing an international flavor is Christian Lenty, an activist based out of Thailand who is engaged in the war on human trafficking. Another international speaker is an award winning author from Egypt."We are pleased to bring in Christians from around the globe so that people in the upper Midwest can get a glimpse into how Christians are at work in other places, and vice versa," Horvath says.Cultivating a culture in which Christian artists can flourish is only one aspect of ACM's vision . Another aspect is its desire to facilitate deep conversations about important matters. To that end, Dr. Bernard Bull, an expert in educational technology, and Dr. Wayne Rossiter, a rising critic of theistic evolution, will stand alongside the host of other artists and performers."Our motto is: Equipping artists to be apologists and apologists to be artists," Horvath says. "In today's climate, you have to cultivate both sides at once."Dr. Anthony Horvath is available for interviews at 202-697-4623 and director@athanatosministries.org
Forced Abortion is Illegal in Texas
MEDIA ADVISORY
Contact: Allan E. Parker, The Justice Foundation, 210-614-7157, info@txjf.org
AUSTIN, Texas, July 12, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- A press conference will be held on Wednesday, July 13, 2016, 1:30 pm. at The Senate Press Conference Room 2E.9 at the Texas Capitol in Austin, Texas to provide further details on The Justice Foundations awareness campaign to help prevent forced abortions.
The following will be present:
State Representative Molly White
Women Forced to Have Abortions
Allan Parker, Esq., President of The Justice Foundation
Pregnancy Resource Center Directors
The Justice Foundation (TJF) is pleased to announce a new campaign to make everyone aware that forced abortion is illegal in Texas. Coercion, duress, force, violence or threats of violence are unlawful. TJF will be offering free training to police officers, child protective services, and social workers across the state.
Regardless of one's position on abortion, everyone agrees that it is unjust and unlawful to force a pregnant woman to have an abortion against her will. However, most Texans, including law enforcement, don't know this, especially when it concerns minor girls being forced to have an unwanted abortion by their parents. The law is clear and violators can be prosecuted.
There are three common types of forced abortion in Texas.
ALL ARE ILLEGAL
Adult parents forcing, coercing or using duress against a minor teenage daughter to have an abortion
The father of the child forcing his spouse or partner to abort
Human trafficking or prostitution where the pimp forces the woman to abort
Because the law against forced abortions in Texas is not well known, The Justice Foundation is offering free training to police departments and child protective service offices throughout the State on the subject of forced abortion. TJF thanks Attorney General Ken Paxton for expressing his "gratitude to The Justice Foundation for their tireless work on a difficult problem known as forced or coerced abortions. Through their Center Against Forced Abortions they are making it possible for more women to know their rights regarding their ability to protect themselves and their unborn children."
Many teenage daughters and adult women are forced to have an abortion. Lovette says, "My forced abortion left me confused about the value of life. I became suicidal, subsequently had a second abortion and it seriously affected my relationship with my mother." That is why this education campaign is so important.
"According to one published study, sixty-four percent of American women who had abortions felt forced or unduly pressured by someone else to have an unwanted abortion. This must end. I am proud to work alongside The Justice Foundation in their efforts to educate law enforcement about their role in intervening in these situations," said Texas State Representative Molly S. White.
Everyone in Texas needs to know! Abortion is only legal with the voluntary, fully informed consent of the woman. If someone else's will is being imposed on the woman, it is an illegal abortion. It is illegal to force, coerce, use duress or violence to force a woman to have an abortion.
If you have any questions, please contact The Justice Foundation at (210) 614-7157 or visit our website at www.txjf.org/cafa to view the Dear Parent Letter and Dear Father Letter. We look forward to seeing you at the press conference. The Dear Parent Letter is estimated to save at least 1,000 children's lives annually.
Domestic partner violence is a serious issue and can often include coercion, force or duress to have an abortion. Myra Myers says, "As a married woman with children, the fear of abandonment overwhelmed me as I felt verbally and emotionally pushed by my husband to abortion, the only choice."
home Faith UK bishop announces pastoral support for married couples after Pope's Amoris Laetitia
Bishop Philip Egan of Portsmouth introduced new approaches to support married couples in reaction to Pope Francis' "Amoris Laetitia."
In his pastoral letter released Friday, July 8 and announced to the Diocese of Portsmouth on Sunday, July 10, Bishop Egan laid out his plans to arrive at new approaches geared to support married and engaged couples through the four phases of marriage: marriage promotion, marriage preparation, marriage care and marriage "repair."
"Indeed, in the light of Amoris Laetitia, I want us to develop new approaches to getting married," read a statement in his pastoral letter.
For those engaged, Bishop Egan required a minimum of one year notice to provide for ample amount of time for pastors to prepare the couple before marriage. He also reiterated the need to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation ahead of the couple's wedding.
"After all, marriage is a vocation to service like the priesthood, and so just as the priesthood and the promise of celibacy 'for the sake of the Kingdom' needs the help of the Holy Spirit and His gifts, so too does married life," said the bishop.
Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia also issued a new set of pastoral guidelines that took effect July 1 wherein he called on divorced and remarried Catholics to abstain from sex and instead to live just as a brother and a sister would.
A senior analyst for the National Catholic Reporter, Rev. Thomas Reese, believes the pontifical document "Amoris Laetitia" also known as "The Joy of Love" released in April, allows bishops to make their own interpretation on the doctrine.
"Somebody in the diocese next door could release a letter that says something totally different," Rev. Reese told the Associated Press.
Although the pope did not make any changes in the Catholic doctrine, Bishop Egan believes the pope aimed to develop a new attitude "to show compassion, to include not exclude, to foster growth and discernment" instead of being "shrill or judgmental."
On the other hand, the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) criticized "a large number of pastors, including the Pope himself" for breeding confusion in erroneous doctrinal teachings.
Evangelicalism historically has always been embroiled in political and social movements in the West. Because of the effective reach church leaders have in reaching the masses in past history, politicians take particular interest in the church during political campaigns. Donald Trumps new found interest in evangelicalism, then, makes historical sense. Winning over evangelicals could translate into votes. In fact, in the post-Nixon era evangelicals were very useful tools in the growth of the GOP as some Christian leaders unintentionally sold out the mission of the church to win a culture war.
In the wake of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, evangelical figures like Harold O. J. Brown, Francis Schaeffer, and C. Everett Koop, joined forces in the mid-1970s to call evangelicals to fight against the proliferation of abortion. Matthew Miller does a wonderful job of explaining how these men woke evangelicals up to an issue that Catholics were already fighting against.
In 1975, Brown and Koop launched The Christian Action Council which became the first major evangelical lobbying organization on Capitol Hill. In 1976, Francis Schaeffers film and lecture tour, How Shall We Then Live, served to awaken many evangelicals to the decline of Western culture on issues like abortion, materialism, secularism, the influence of evolution in public schools, the increasing coercion of government power, and so on.
Under the leadership of Brown, Schaeffer, and Koop, evangelicals officially launched their first offensive in the culture war as the pro-life movement recruited more crusaders. In the years that followed, the second generation of evangelical culture warriors were deployed. Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, D. James Kennedy, James Dobson, and so on, established a solid pro-life movement. These leaders would be key figures in the formation of The Moral Majority movement of the 1980s which enlisted Christians in the culture war for traditional family values, abortion, prayer in schools, among others.
Because of well-publicized evangelical disappointment with the theology and politics of President Jimmy Carter, the Republican Party tapped leaders of the Moral Majority to form an alliance with the GOP to restore American values with the nomination of Ronald Reagan as the 40th president of the United States. As a result, evangelical leaders were given unprecedented access to the halls political power in the White House and Congress.
By the end of the Reagan era, however, the Moral Majority began to dissolve but by then it was clear that being an evangelical in Americas suburbs was synonymous with being a Republican. In the leadership vacuum, culture war crusading became a spiritual discipline and Republican politicians gained more and more influence in Americas evangelical expression.
In the 1990s, with no conservative in the White House, and with the moral failings of Republican politicians, many evangelicals went from aligning themselves with politicians to media personalities in the conservative movement. On July 10th, 1990, Pat Robertson interviewed Rush Limbaugh expanding his voice into new Christian spaces. Limbaugh lamented that we in the midst of the culture war and there were see conservative pundits began to take the lead in ways made it likely that many evangelicals could more easily quote from Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Glenn Beck than they could from their own pastors Sunday sermons.
Why does this matter? First, the mix of faith and politics is hemorrhaging evangelicals of young people. According to a Barna Study, 50 percent of millennials found their own faith too involved in politics. Young Christians want something else to identify their faith with rather than it being a platform for the Republican party or any political ideology.
Second, America in 2016 is very post-Christian and pluralistic which means that evangelicals are now the moral minority. As the moral minority, it calls into question whether or not cozying up to the Republican Party, or any party, is the most effective way to championing the causes of public virtue, justice, and morality in American life. Perhaps the most effective influence is to expand beyond politics to the local spheres where we interact with the friends, co-workers, and neighbors who are the very people Christians are called to love.
home World Detained Christian human rights defender Li Heping should be released, academic friend says
An academic friend of detained Christian human rights lawyer Li Heping calls for his release as China marks one year since its nationwide political crackdown against rights defenders.
"It is time Li Heping and his fellow rights lawyers were released," wrote Terence Halliday, a research professor for American Bar Foundation and co-author with Sida Liu of an upcoming book "Criminal Defense in China: The Politics of Lawyers at Work," in an article released by China Aid on Friday, July 8.
In addition, Halliday calls for the communist state to turn its back on "violence and fear, torture and disappearances" of which his Chinese friend Li is a victim. Li disappeared July 10, 2015 when the government launched its "709" clampdown against rights defenders and arrested at least 200 human rights lawyers and activists. Halliday counted 365 days since family members, lawyers, or diplomats last saw Li.
More than abandoning its current route, Halliday urges China to take on Li's opposite path that's characterized by "justice and equality, peace and forgiveness, constitutionalism and the rule of law."
"Li Heping loves China and its people," recalled Halliday. "His vision of China would replace violence by love, arbitrary power by rule of law, brutal repression with forgiveness, authoritarian law with just law, unequal treatment with equality before the law."
However, this may be asking for too much especially when a Chinese security agent once referred to Li as someone Beijing considered as more dangerous than Osama Bin Laden, as revealed by a previous article the academic wrote for The Guardian.
Halliday saw Li's Christian faith as playing a crucial role in his passionate fight for equality and justice. Considered as among the country's pillar of civil rights, Li rose to prominence from being a farmer's son to a human rights lawyer who championed the weak and disenfranchised.
"God commands us to understand justice in this world," he quoted Li as telling him.
Li also said, "All sinners are created by God and in the image of God all sinners have dignities and rights that should be protected."
home World Edward Snowden: A 'Dark Day for Russia' as Putin passes 'Big Brother law'
American whistleblower Edward Snowden called it a "dark day for Russia" when Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law what Snowden also dubbed as the "Big Brother law."
The former National Security Agency employee, who lives in an undisclosed location in Russia after receiving asylum three years ago, took to Twitter on Thursday, July 7 to criticize the announcement made earlier that day that Putin passed into law the controversial anti-terrorism bill.
"#Putin has signed a repressive new law that violates not only human rights, but common sense. Dark day for #Russia," wrote Snowden.
The law, which Snowden also earlier dubbed as the "Big Brother law," makes it a crime to commit any act that may be perceived as inciting or expressing an approval of terrorism online as well as mere discussions of public demonstrations. It also obliges telecommunication providers to store records for six months and requires messaging services such as Facebook and Telegram to provide decryption keys to state authorities.
The new law also prohibits preaching, evangelizing, and distribution of religious materials outside one's home that could be penalized for up to $15,000. Churches are also restricted on their contact with foreign missionaries.
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) issued a press release Friday to condemn the passing of the anti-terrorism bill which USCIRF said only took on "under the guise of confronting terrorism" to suppress religious and civil liberties. USCIRF believes the law targets religious communities such as experienced by Muslims and Jehovah's Witnesses as the country identifies extremism including religious acts of advocating "the superiority of one's own religion."
"The law has been passed along with a list of recommendations to the government designed to minimize potential financial risks," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists, as reported by The Moscow Times.
"If the law produces any undesired outcomes, the government will introduce measures accordingly by presidential decree," added Peskov.
Also known as the "Yarovaya law" after its chief proponent, ultra-conservative lawmaker Irina Yarovaya, the new law will take effect July 20.
home Faith Billy Graham health condition news update 2016: Franklin Graham shares latest on father's health
Rev. Franklin Graham shared an update on matters of health and newfound ministry.of his father and famed Evangelist Billy Graham, who's almost 98 of age.
"When he was 90, he told all of us he was gonna live to 95," shared the junior Graham Wednesday, July 6 on the official website of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), founded by and named after his father.
He continued, "When he approached 95, he moved the goalpost. He said, 'I'm now gonna live to be a hundred.' ... I hope he does."
In a letter addressed to friends and supporters of the association, the BGEA CEO shared that his 97-year-old father still resides in his own home, carefully mentioning that someone's always there to keep him company, and that his father lives with the "limitations typical of old age" which include poor eyesight, poor hearing, and being confined to a wheelchair.
Yet his father takes his meals at the kitchen table "as he has always done" and enjoys sitting on the front porch to enjoy the view or watch news on a "large-screen TV."
"His ministry now is praying, and he looks forward to reports of what God is doing around the world," revealed the son. "He always responds by saying "Praise the Lord" as he points upward."
The junior Graham, who embarked on a nationwide Decision America tour to rally Christians for this season's presidential elections, added a more whimsical anecdote of his father.
He said, "He doesn't think anybody remembers who he is," so he'll say, 'If you meet anybody who remembers me, tell 'em hello.'"
Another Evangelist leader who calls the elder Graham as her father is Anne Graham Lotz, founder of the AnGel Ministries.
While speaking to the crowd gathered during this year's "Watchmen on the Wall" conference, Lotz shared her belief that it's no accident that God keeps his aging father alive and kicking.
"God is not whimsical and he does everything intentionally," said Lotz. "The fact that my father is still here, God is holding him for a reason."
home US Gun-carrying civilians in Texas worry Dallas police chief
The Dallas police chief stepped into America's fierce gun rights debate on Monday when he said Texas state laws allowing civilians to carry firearms openly, as some did during a protest where five officers were killed, presented a growing law enforcement challenge.
Dallas Police Chief David Brown also gave new details about his department's use of a bomb-carrying robot to kill Micah Johnson, the 25-year-old former U.S. Army reservist who carried out last Thursday's sniper attack that also wounded nine officers.
A shooting in Michigan on Monday underscored the prevalence of gun violence in America and the danger faced by law enforcement, even as activists protest against the fatal police shootings of two black men last week in Louisiana and Minnesota.
Two sheriff's bailiffs were shot to death at a courthouse in St. Joseph in southwestern Michigan, and the shooter was also killed, Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey told reporters.
By Monday evening, protesters were marching again in several large American cities, including Chicago, Sacramento, and Atlanta, where news footage showed a number of protesters being arrested after street demonstrations north of downtown.
President Barack Obama and others reiterated their calls for stricter guns laws after last month's massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, but many conservatives responded that such measures could infringe on the U.S. Constitution's protection of the right to bear arms.
Texas is known for its gun culture and state laws allow gun owners to carry their weapons in public. Some gun rights activists bring firearms to rallies as a political statement, as some did at Thursday's march in Dallas.
"It is increasingly challenging when people have AR-15s (a type of rifle) slung over, and shootings occur in a crowd. And they begin running, and we don't know if they are a shooter or not," Brown said. "We don't know who the 'good guy' versus who the 'bad guy' is, if everybody starts shooting."
Seeing multiple people carrying rifles led police initially to believe they were under attack by multiple shooters.
Brown did not explicitly call for gun control laws, but said: "I was asked, well, what's your opinion about guns? Well, ask the policymakers to do something and I'll give you an opinion."
"Do your job. We're doing ours. We're putting our lives on the line. Other aspects of government need to step up and help us," he said.
'SIMPLY MISTAKEN'
Rick Briscoe, legislative director of gun rights group Open Carry Texas, said Brown was "simply mistaken" in viewing armed civilians as a problem.
"It is really simple to tell a good guy from a bad guy," Briscoe said. "If the police officer comes on the situation and he says: 'Police, put the gun down,' the good guy does. The bad guy probably continues doing what he was doing, or turns on the police officer."
Police used a Northrop Grumman Corp Mark5A-1 robot, typically deployed to inspect potential bombs, to kill Johnson after concluding during an hours-long standoff there was no safe way of taking him into custody, Brown said.
"They improvised this whole idea in about 15, 20 minutes," Brown said.
"I asked the question of how much (explosives) we were using, and I said ... 'Don't bring the building down.' But that was the extent of my guidance."
The incident is believed to have been the first time U.S. police had killed a suspect that way, and some civil liberties activists said it created a troubling precedent. Brown said that, in the context of Thursday's events, "this wasn't an ethical dilemma for me."
The attack came at the end of a demonstration decrying police shootings of two black men in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and near St. Paul, Minnesota. Those were the latest in a series of high-profile killings of black men by police in various U.S. cities that have triggered protests.
In the shooting near St. Paul, the Star Tribune newspaper reported that the officers had pulled over 32-year-old Philando Castile because one of the patrolmen thought he and his girlfriend matched the description of suspects involved in a robbery.
In Dallas, a vigil was held for the slain officers on Monday evening.
In Chicago, images and footage on social media and news stations showed about 500 protesters marching through downtown after holding a quiet sit-in in Millennium Park that spilled into the streets and a rally near City Hall.
In Atlanta, media footage showed a number of handcuffed protesters being loaded onto a police bus surrounded by armed officers and emergency vehicles with lights flashing. Television station WSB-TV reported that police started arresting demonstrators marching on Peachtree Road at about 8:30 p.m.
In Sacramento, about 300 people were marching peacefully on Monday evening. Earlier in the day, in an incident not linked to protests, Sacramento police said officers fatally shot a man carrying a knife after he charged at police.
Johnson was in the U.S. Army Reserve from 2009 to 2015 and served for a time in Afghanistan. He had been disappointed in his experience in the military, his mother told TheBlaze.com in an interview shown online on Monday.
"The military was not what Micah thought it would be," Delphine Johnson said. "He was very disappointed. Very disappointed."
The Dallas police chief, who is black, urged people upset about police conduct to consider joining his force.
"Get off that protest line and put an application in, and we'll put you in your neighborhood, and we will help you resolve some of the problems you're protesting about," Brown said.
home US Donald Trump vs Hillary Clinton - Megachurch pastor David Jeremiah on how he'll choose who to vote for
Pastor David Jeremiah rallied Christians to vote for this season's presidential elections and shared how he himself would base his presidential pick.
While politicians and the rest of the nation continue to parley on national issues of immigration crisis, threat of the Islamic State terrorist group, support for Israel, and increasing national debt, Jeremiah believes there's another more pressing concern that should be factored in. The lead pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, California revealed that this other factor is what he'll base his presidential choice on.
"I believe that this election is first and foremost about the candidate who will make the best appointments to the Supreme Court," said Jeremiah, also a New York Times bestselling author, during his Fourth of July address at Shadow Mountain.
He quickly added, "That such a statement should be made tells us that something has gone seriously wrong."
However, the founder of the Turning Point ministry maintained that this is something crucial as the nation prepares to choose its 45th president in the coming days. This president, Jeremiah explained, would then choose two to four Supreme Court Justices who would then proceed to rule the judicial branch for life.
He added that the average term a Supreme Court Justice serves already doubled to nearly 26 years and that they could only be removed through impeachment which never happened yet in the U.S. history.
"We are a nation of laws, not dictators. But rest assured these Supreme Court Justices who sit on the bench for life, wield more power than most of the dictators and kings of this world," he said.
Jeremiah also lamented the lack of "originalism" among the current court justices and the passing of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Antonin Scalia, whom Christian groups and leaders honored for his conservative jurisprudence and regarded as a champion for the rule of law and liberties.
Denouncing the court's recent rulings on abortion and same-sex marriages, Jeremiah declared that the state is "facing a judicial time bomb" like never before.
His solution is simple as he pointed out that the evangelical voting block is among the country's largest voting blocs.
"That is why I must vote," Jeremiah rallied. "That is why you must vote."
home World Pakistan enforces Islamic education as compulsory in school curriculum; Rights campaigner urges re-think on country's aid
Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell urged the United Kingdom to rethink Pakistani financial aid after the predominantly Muslim country made Quran compulsory in school curriculum amid rising Christian persecution.
The British director of the human rights organization, the Peter Tatchell Foundation, reacted Wednesday, July 6 against the recent announcement made by the Pakistani government that decreed Quranic education compulsory in all levels for public schools.
"The British government should make overseas aid to Pakistan conditional on Islamabad's protection of the human rights of Christians and other minorities," said Tatchell. "If Pakistan's rulers do not comply, the UK should switch aid from the government to NGOs that do not discriminate."
He noted that persecution among Pakistani Christians continues to escalate in the forms of kidnapping, forced marriages, forced conversion to Islam, charges of blasphemy, as well as violent assaults. The Muslim country's failure to protect its Christian population and other religious minorities, Tatchell pointed out, is in violation of several human rights agreements, namely the Commonwealth Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Tatchell also presented a report by Wilson Chowdhry of the British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA) which he considered revealing.
"It reveals shocking inequalities, disadvantages and outright oppression of Christians and other minority faiths in Pakistan, such as Hindus and Sikhs. Atheists, secularists and humanists are also persecuted," he said.
The BPCA attached a link to the article by the Daily Times that reported the announcement made by Minister of State Engineer Baligh-ur-Rehman to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Trainings at the Parliament House, Islamabad on June 28 that Quranic education would be compulsory from grades one to 12.
The BPCA's report also highlighted the ease of how Christian girls as young as 12 are abducted and forced into marriages and consequently into a life of "sexual violence, rape, forced prostitution, human trafficking and sale, or other domestic abuse."
On top of these, about seven percent of Pakistani Christians are considered literate while 86 percent are subjected to bonded labor, modern time's version of slavery.
Since the U.K. spends a substantial budget on Pakistani aid, the BPCA's Chair considers the country as liable for the rising tide of state persecution.
"This places Britain internationally as a de facto funder of state-sponsored hatred towards Pakistani Christians," Chowdhry said.
home World United Reformed Church becomes first in UK to approve same-sex marriages
The United Reformed Church has voted to allow same-sex marriage in its churches, making it the first church in the U.K. to do so.
The voting was done during the church's General Assembly in Southport, giving a turnout of 240 votes in favor of the resolution and only 21 votes opposed to it.
The General Assembly tackled the issue twice before: first in 2014 and second in June 2015.
Churches can now register their buildings as venues for same-sex weddings if they wish. However, congregations within the URC that do not want to take part in such ceremonies are free not to register. This means individual churches get to decide if they want to participate in same-sex weddings or not.
Likewise, ministers who do not want to perform same-sex weddings will not be forced to officiate even if their buildings are registered. In such cases, the church would have to ask a minister from a neighboring church to officiate.
"Local churches cannot, and the denomination will not, compel ministers to conduct same-sex marriages against their conscience; a neighboring minister could be asked by the local church to take the service," the URC said on its website.
On the other hand, ministers cannot prevent the wedding of same-sex couples even if their conviction does not agree with it.
"URC ministers who do not wish to conduct the weddings of same-sex couples, from either theological or pastoral convictions, may nonetheless not prevent local churches from registering their buildings," URC said.
Weddings of same-sex couples are expected to happen as early as this coming autumn.
The church's decision was an important one, according to URC's general secretary Rev. John Proctor, although he acknowledged that not everyone will be happy about it.
The question of allowing same-sex marriage is a sensitive issue. URC did not come to the decision hastily but took its time and carefully evaluated the conflicting positions on the matter, Proctor explained.
7,000 Christians in Russia fasting and praying together after passage of terrifying new persecution law
It is a challenging time for Christian believers in Russia, but this does not stop the faithful from seeking help from God.
Thousands of Christians from various churches in Russia are fasting and praying together to unite and as a sign of protest against the anti-terrorism law recently signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, which considers worshipping at home as an act of "terrorism and extremism."
In an interview with Charisma News, Great Commission Ministries Chairman Hanny Haukka said Christians in Russia were shocked and disappointed by the government's decision to approve the legislation.
"The church is appalled at the news of the new law. About 7,000 evangelical and protestant churches are in fasting and prayer at the moment over the news," Haukka said.
He also urged other Christian believers around the world to join Russians in praying that the government does something to stop the implementation of the terrifying new persecution law.
"Russia is closing down in an awful way. The new law is in total conflict with the purpose and the task given to the church by the Lord. The law will send the church back into Soviet-era Communist persecution," he said.
Haukka explained that under Russia's new anti-terrorism law, any discussion of God with non-believers will be considered as missionary activity, which will be punishable under this new legislation. Reading the Holy Bible should also now be done privately, and not in the presence of non-believers.
A Christian in Russia is also prohibited from inviting any non-believer to a church service. Any form of religious activity at home is also now prohibited based on the new law, despite the fact that most churches in Russia meet within the confines of their own homes, according to Haukka.
Even famous American refugee and whistleblower Edward Snowden criticised Russia's new law on Twitter. He said, "#Putin has signed a repressive new law that violates not only human rights, but common sense. Dark day for #Russia."
Anglican Church in Canada narrowly rejects same-sex marriage
A new split in the worldwide Anglican Communion was narrowly averted last night when clergy in Canada succeeded in preventing their Church moving towards same-sex marriage.
The meeting of the General Synod near Toronto voted against a first reading of a resolution that, if passed, would have needed another vote at a second reading in 2019 when the synod meets next.
Most speakers at the synod supported gay marriage but the vote needed a two-thirds majority in all three houses of bishops, clergy and laity.
After the Anglican Communion primates in January imposed "consequences" on The Episcopal Church over the issue of same-sex marriage, it had been thought the bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada would vote against for the sake of worldwide unity.
However, in the end the bishops backed it, voting more than 68 per cent in favour. The laity also back it at more than 70 per cent. It fell by a small margin in the House of Clergy, where 66.23 per cent voted in favour, just one vote short of the two-thirds required.
The result led to "bitter disappointment" among some members, according to CBC. The Rev Allison Courey of Rupert's Land diocese in Manitoba, who has married her female partner, is among those who received abuse in the run-up to the vote, in her case in the form of hate mail.
"The Bible runs so deeply in my veins I cannot imagine my life without it," she told the 200 delegates at the synod meeting.
The motion was opposed by several delegates from Canada's indigenous communities. One condemned it an "abomination" and disobedient before God. Another said: "God did not create another Adam, he created a woman."
Rene Boere from Calgary said: "The creator made us male and female and marriage is the union of those two."
Before the vote the primate of Canada, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, said the decision made would have serious consequences: "There may be people who feel compelled to leave our Church. That's the gravity and the weight of the situation that is before us."
Same-sex marriage became legal in Canada in 2005. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is among the supporters of gay marriage.
A true feminist, a devout Christian, and a leader with common sense will soon move into 10 Downing Street.
As excitementand dismaysurrounded Britains decision to leave the European Union, Remainer and (former) prime minister, David Cameron announced his resignation from British parliaments highest position. Today he officially leaves office, allowing Theresa May to become the next British Prime Minister.
Originally, Cameron planned to wait until October to pass the torch to the next leader, but on Monday he stated that, we now dont need to have a prolonged period of transition. And so tomorrow I will chair my last Cabinet meeting. On Wednesday I will attend the House of Commons for Prime Ministers questions.
The background on Mays rise to this office may be a tad complicated to Americans, even compared to our current messy presidential election. Rather than a national vote for a new prime minister, in the British parliamentary system the ruling partys leader (in this case, the Conservatives) automatically becomes prime minister.
Two candidates vying to take over the Conservative Party, and ultimately the prime ministers seat, were May and Andrea Leadsom. But the two never went to election as Leadsom decided to drop out after people took offense to her suggestions that shed make a better leader than May because she is a mother and May is not. The comments were particularly unacceptable, as May has been open about her desire to have a family with her husband of 35 years, Phillip John May, and that not having children is an ultra-sensitive topic for her. With Leadsom dropping out, May became leader of the Conservative Party and now will become the second female British prime minister, after Margaret Thatcher.
Theresa May had been the Home Secretary since 2010. There is no real American equivalent to this office, but the Secretary of Homeland Security is probably the closest. The Home Secretary reports to the prime minister and overseas British internal affairs.
While much news has focused on Mays propensity to wear eclectic and nontraditional shoes or her lack of children, more focus should be given to her faith.
She is the only child of Rev Hubert, a vicar, and Zaidee Brasier. The late reverends sense of duty and commitment to helping those around him inspired in his daughter a desire to become a politician also with a clear sense of duty to country and her people. You dont think about yourself, she said. The emphasis is on others. She sees her political work as a vocation rather than a job. A typical Brit, May has attempted to keep her private and faith life out of the public eye and does not try to evangelize using her influence, its good we dont flaunt such things in British politics, she once said when discussing her faith.
More than just simply growing up in a devout home, May continues to practice Anglicanism. One of her favorite songs is When I survey the wondrous cross and when discussing religion, she said, It is part of me, part of whom I am and how I approach things.
She pays special attention to the vulnerable in society, and has called on other conservatives to fight against injustice in society:
If youre born poor, you will die on average nine years earlier than others. If youre black you will be treated much more harshly by the criminal justice system than if youre white. If youre a white working class boy, youre less likely than anybody else to go to university If youre at a state school, youre less likely to reach the top professions than if youre educated privately. If youre a woman you still earn less than a man. If you suffer from mental health problems, theres too often not enough help to hand.
Also notable, since it arguably led to her becoming prime minister, is Mays stance on Brexit. Before the vote, she wanted to remain in the European Union, but since the country made the decision for Brexit, May has made it clear she will not attempt to undermine the voters decision. Brexit means Brexit she assured the British people. Moving forward she seeks unity and will focus on negotiat[ing] the best deal for Britain as we leave the EU and forge a new role for ourselves in the world.
Regarding her views on trade and the market, shes kept mum. Political editor for the Financial Times, George Parker says that she was short on specifics when outlining her vision for business. Echoing that sentiment though going even further, Janan Ganesh calls her a mystery. Also writing for the financial times, he says that [a]ll we can do is assemble clues when attempting to summarize her economic views.
Only the second woman to be named British Prime Minister, someone who is firmly grounded in her faith, and a leader who puts her people and her country before herself, Theresa Mays new role is one that I think we can celebrate in the United States.
Bishop proposes massive cuts to Catholic church in Manchester
Nearly a third of Catholic churches in one diocese face the axe under a radical restructuring due to declining attendance and a shortage of priests.
In a consultation sent to all parishes this month, the Bishop of Salford John Arnold suggests closing as many as 40 churches and cutting by half the 150 parishes. The number of Masses is also to be cut back as the diocese struggles to find even "supply" priests to cover when a parish priest is sick or on holiday.
The diocese covers Manchester and the Greater Manchester area and Bishop Arnold is giving parishes three months to respond.
In the document, Arnold quotes Pope Francis who has said that parishes should be "missionary parishes".
It is too easy for a parish to slip into simply maintaining its own life and not look to the wider community around it, he continues.
"Our parishes need to be of a sufficient size to facilitate and sustain a dynamic and life-giving community," he says. "At the same time, we need to look at how we can serve these missionary parishes with fewer priests in the years ahead whilst also acknowledging that there are fewer people regularly attending our churches."
Salford, in common with many other dioceses throughout the Western world, has been hit by ageing priests not being replaced in sufficient numbers. In the UK, reflecting immigration patterns of the previous century, an entire generation of Irish priests is close to retirement and cannot be replaced. Meanwhile, dioceses such as Salford established too many parishes and built too many churches.
The problem has wide repercussions because of the Catholic Church's involvement in schools, hospitals, prisons, in caring for the elderly and infirm, the homeless, refugees and those who need foodbanks.
"We must heed Pope Francis' teaching that we must be a poor Church for the poor," Arnold says.
More cuts are needed, even though 210 parishes have already been reduced to 150 and several churches closed and even demolished.
This year alone, Salford has suffered the death of one serving parish priest, the pending retirement of eight priests and just two ordinations to the priesthood. There are 15 priests still serving in parishes aged over 75.
Other countries manage their manpower differently. Arnold cites the case of Father Paul Mwamba in Zambia, whose parish has 45 mission stations covering an area larger than the whole of the Salford diocese.
"We must accept, too, that many Catholics have drifted away from any active participation in the life of the Church. While many people would wish to see their children baptised, they have no commitment to educating their children in their faith, by word or example."
Examples of proposed cuts include the deanery of St John in Salford, whre 17 parishes, 19 churches and 14 priests would be cut to eight parishes, 14 churches and priests.
St Ambrose Barlow in South Manchester would go from 26 parishes, 31 churches and 26 diocesan priests to 14 parishes, 21 churches and 14 diocesan priests.
Calais: Thousands of refugees to be made homeless as mayor pledges to destroy entire camp
Thousands of refugees living in the so-called Calais 'Jungle' will soon lose their makeshift homes as the northern half of the camp is set to be demolished.
Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart told journalists on Monday that the remaining half of the camp would soon be dismantled, though no date has yet been given.
"We can't wait any longer, we need to know as soon as possible when and how the Jungle will be torn down," she said.
"It is absolutely urgent for this town, its people and its businesses."
According to Reuters, the Calais prefecture, which would issue the order to demolish the camp, declined to comment on the matter yesterday.
Help Refugees UK, a charity working on the ground in Calais, confirmed that the decision about the future of the camp would come from the prefecture, and said that more information is expected to emerge on Thursday.
"If this information is correct we will need your support more than ever," the charity said in a post to supporters on Facebook.
According to Help Refugees, of the 7,000 people currently living in the Jungle, 5,270 are living in the northern section. Of these, 425 are unaccompanied minors.
The majority have fled war and persecution in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
The news follows the demolition of the southern part of the camp in February, when more than 3,400 refugees and migrants were evicted and 129 unaccompanied children were subsequently reported as missing.
Charities working in the camp condemned the demolitions, which turned violent with police using rubber bullets and tear gas. "This is a shocking and a long way away from the humanitarian dismantling of the camp promised by the Minister of the Interior," Help Refugees said at the time.
Calls to prayer as Russia's evangelicals face draconian restrictions
Draconian religious freedom laws due to be introduced next week in Russia have prompted prayers for the country's evangelical Christians.
The European Evangelical Alliance (EEA) on Monday released a call to prayer, in which the organisation said it is "extremely concerned" about the new anti-terrorism law known as Yarovaya's Law passed on July 6.
The law, which will come into force on July 20, will prohibit evangelism anywhere outside a church or religious site including private homes and online and those in breach of it will be fined. Only named members of religious organisations will be able to share their faith, and even informal witnessing between individuals is forbidden.
"We ask European Christians to stand with their Russian brothers and sisters in prayer," the EEA said yesterday. "Let us pray for wisdom, hope and courage.
"Let us pray that this new law unites Christians in new ways and express this unity and love among each other. Let us pray that the Russian authorities will realise that this new law unnecessarily restricts people's freedom.
"Let us pray that this time of trial will be used by the Lord to strengthen and grow His Church."
The majority of Russians belong to the Orthodox Church, which is closely aligned with President Vladimir Putin's government. Just one per cent belong to Protestant denominations.
Ahead of Putin signing the legislation into law, Sergei Ryakhovsky, head of the Protestant Churches of Russia, wrote with other evangelical leaders to the president, urging him not to do so.
They argued the law "violates human rights and fundamental liberties with regard to religious freedom".
"The obligation on every believer to have a special permit to spread his or her beliefs, as well as hand out religious literature and material outside of places of worship and used structures is not only absurd and offensive, but also creates the basis for mass persecution of believers for violating these provisions," the church leaders said.
"Soviet history shows us how many people of different faiths have been persecuted for spreading the Word of God. This law brings us back to a shameful past."
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) last week condemned the measures, saying the law "authorizes the police to arrest people suspected of violating 'generally accepted norms of social behavior,' thereby giving authorities another weapon to use against disfavored groups, including religious organizations."
"These deeply flawed anti-terrorism measures will buttress the Russian government's war against human rights and religious freedom," said USCIRF chair Thomas Reese.
"They will make it easier for Russian authorities to repress religious communities, stifle peaceful dissent, and detain and imprison people. Neither these measures nor the currently existing anti-extremism law meet international human rights and religious freedom standards."
In its 2016 report, the USCIRF said that violations of religious freedom in Russia "escalated in the past year" and the country was on a "negative trajectory".
It accused Russia of "systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom".
Christian charity appeals for funds to fight Cuba church demolitions
A leading Christian charity is appealing for funds to help stop the demolition of churches in Cuba.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide has published moving testimony of what it was like for the pastor and his family when government officials demolished Emanuel Church in eastern Cuba.
"Marilin is dragged from her bed by the police, handcuffed, and led away while her daughters, aged 11 and 12, watch helplessly. Her husband, Alain, is at a conference in Miami. He will not know what's happened to his wife until the next day.
"Just a few hours later, government officials proceeded to demolish the Emanuel Church building in Eastern Cuba the church Marilin and her husband Alain lead which is also their home. Two hundred church members were arrested to stop them protesting the demolition."
It was not an isolated incident. Last year, more than 100 churches in Cuba were designated for demolition, and 2,000 Assemblies of God churches were declared illegal. Since the start of this year four major churches have been demolished, with many more at risk.
"The Cuban government wants to keep this a secret but we won't stop shining a light on what's happening," said the charity.
A group of around 40 were held in a local school while others were taken to police stations across the region to stop them from protesting against the demolition.
According to Church leaders, many were beaten while they were being detained. The government has repeatedly refused to register the Apostolic Movement denomination, said the charity.
Rev Alain Toledano said his daughters were screaming as they witnessed their mother being detained, adding that this is the second time they have experienced the destruction of their home and church. The last occasion was 2007.
In addition to the latest demolition, in February this year, the government confiscated goods belonging to the church including pews, chairs, audio equipment a piano and other musical instruments. More than 1,000 blocks of cement were also confiscated, despite the fact that the Toledano family has documents showing that they were legally purchased.
The government had approved the construction of and renovation work on the buildings.
Mervyn Thomas of CSW said: "We are extremely disturbed to learn of this latest church demolition by the Cuban authorities, in a similar manner to the destruction of the two Apostolic Movement churches on 8 January. We are also extremely concerned for the family of Reverend Toledano and his wife Marilin, who saw their home razed as part of this destruction.
"This series of demolitions since the New Year indicates a worrying escalation in terms of violations of freedom of religion or belief in Cuba. Again, we urge the international community to raise the demolition of these three churches, the mass detentions of pastors and church members, as well as the threats against others with the Cuban government as a matter of urgency. We continue to call on the EU and the US to make freedom of religion or belief a central component of its dialogues with Cuba and to insist on improvement in this area."
Coptic Archbishop urges end to sectarian violence amid growing attacks on Christians
A series of attacks against Christians in Egypt has prompted the Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of Minya to call on police to enforce the law protecting citizens from sectarian violence.
Archbishop Anba Makarios said the attacks are continuing at an average of one every 10 days.
On 5 July, an Orthodox Christian nun from Mar Girgis Monastery in Old Cairo was killed after reportedly being hit by a stray bullet on the Cairo-Alexandria Highway. Following the incident a man and his son were also killed in what was described as a "revenge attack".
Recent weeks have also seen the assault on homes of Christian families in the village of Karm el Loofy, the burning of a kindergarten run by Christians in Minya, and the murder on 30 June of Rafael Moussa, a Coptic Orthodox priest of the church of St. George, carried out in Al Arish, a coastal city in North Sinai that is only a few miles away from Gaza. So-called Islamic State (IS) took responsibility for the murder, describing Moussa as a "disbelieving combatant."
Ever-present tensions between Christians and Muslims have intensified after the Arab Spring of 2011.
The worst single incident came with the February 2015 IS beheadings of 21 Egyptian Christian migrant workers, earlier abducted in Libya.
But again in recent months there has been a significant increase in sectarian violence, causing concern among Egypt's estimated population of nine million Christians. Mostly Orthodox Copts, they account for about 10 per cent of Egypt's population, which is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim.
"Copts in Egypt face persecution and discrimination," software engineer and blogger Mina Fayek told Al-Monitor over the phone from Amsterdam. "The government does very little to protect Christians."
In May a 70-year-old Christian woman alleged to be the mother of a man who was romantically involved with a Muslim woman was stripped naked by a mob of 300 Muslims and paraded through the streets of her village in Minya. The incident led to outrage on social media and the trending hashtag #EgyptStrippedNaked.
Christians face strong resistance when wanting to build churches. On 17 June, a number of homes belonging to Christians in the village of Al Bayda near Alexandria were ransacked, burned and looted by angry mobs after it emerged that a house under construction was being turned into a church.
Family of Martin Luther King can sell his famous traveling Bible, rules judge
Martin Luther King's treasured traveling Bible could now be sold to a private buyer after a US judge ruled it belongs to his estate.
The estate is controlled by his two sons, who want to sell the Bible and possibly also his Nobel Peace Prize.
King's daughter is fighting the sale plans.
The Bible became famous even before the days of social media, as it was carried everywhere by King in the 1960s as he led the civil rights movement. The recent police killings in Dallas and the complaints of mistreatment by police have brought these issues to the fore again, half a century later.
There will be a further decision on the Peace Prize and the certificate next month.
The ruling was by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney.
King's three surviving children are directors of their late father's estate.
Martin Luther King III and Dexter Scott King have voted 2-1 against Bernice King to sell the the Bible and Nobel prize to a private buyer. Ms King believes it is "unthinkable" to sell them.
Former President Jimmy Carter has been working as a mediator in the siblings' dispute.
After the latest ruling, Berenice King said: "While I love my brothers dearly, this latest decision by them is extremely troubling. Our Father MUST be turning in his grave."
'Go in confidence,' Justin Welby tells Synod after sexuality conversations
The Archbishop of Canterbury has urged the Church of England to "go in confidence" after the conclusion of its "shared conversations" on human sexuality.
The conversations, which took place during the last two years, came to a conclusion at the General Synod meeting in York, with small groups meeting in private and synod members urged to stay off social media.
A handful of conservative evangelicals opposed to any compromise with homosexuality boycotted the talks. Most evangelicals and many on the Anglo-Catholic wing of the Church remain resolutely opposed to accepting the validity of same-sex relationships. The issue has also come close to splitting the Anglican Communion, with conservative Churches particularly in Africa seeing it as a test of biblical orthodoxy. The Episcopal Church in the US remains suspended from the Communion because of its backing for same-sex marriage.
In a statement, the Church said: "It is our hope that what has been learned through the relationships developed will inform the way the church conducts whatever further formal discussions may be necessary in the future. It is our prayer that the manner in which we express our different views and deep disagreements will bear witness to Jesus who calls us to love as he has loved us."
Justin Welby said to the synod: "At the heart of it is to come back to the fact that together we seek to serve the God who raised Jesus Christ from the dead and in whom there is never despair, there is never defeat; there is always hope, there is always overcoming; there is always eventual triumph, holiness, goodness and grace.
"That is for me what I always come back to when it all seems overwhelming.
"Thank you so much for your participation. Let us go in confidence. Confident in the God who raised Jesus Christ from the dead."
Hamas 'terrorist' turned Israeli spy now preaches the gospel after embracing Jesus
He used to be a Palestinian activist hurling stones at Israeli soldiers and dodging Israeli bullets. He then made a startling turnaround when he became a spy for the Israelis after witnessing Hamas leaders torture fellow Palestinians.
Mosab Hassan Yousef then found out about Jesus and became His follower, according to a God Reports blog.
Now, the former Hamas "terrorist" and Israeli undercover agent has become a peace advocate. He now preaches the gospel as he works to spread God's Word behind enemy lines.
He has also come out with an autobiography called "Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices" where he detailed his stunning transformation.
"When any seculars come and tell me I'm doing this wrong, I tell them if you have five guys with my experience, let them come and we can talk. In Islam, I was one of the best Muslims. In Shin Bet, I was one of the best agents. To defeat its ideology, you cannot be politically correct. We need to go to their minds, their areas. Thank God for technology. We can outreach to everybody everywhere," Yousef told God Reports.
Yousef said he spent six years studying Christianity and comparing its teachings with Islam.
"It was a very difficult thing for me to do," he said. "I took the risks of the journey. At the beginning, I saw Jesus Christ as a great teacher. But later on, I adopted Him as my Lord, God and Saviour. It was a whole process."
Yousef said the battle for supremacy in the Middle East was spiritual more than military.
He knew very well what he was speaking, having been "born in the heart of Hamas" where he "was in every meeting for the Palestinian Intifada" before he became an undercover agent for Israel, working for the Shin Bet.
"Muslims have a great zeal for their god. They think they have God Almighty. They believe that if they go blow themselves up and kill a thousand Jews or any infidel, anyone outside the body of Islam to them, they are going to heaven, and they're having the 72 virgins, and they're having all type of fun and their crazy fantasy," Yousef said.
After embracing Christ, he realised that Islam is a "fake religion."
"The god of Islam is a liar," Yousef said. "I hope that I am not offending anybody. This is kind of dangerous to say, but I have studied Islam. My family started the Islamic Revolution in the Middle East. That was our business. This is still my family's business. After almost 20 years in Islam, I tell you that Islam is going nowhere. My family, my people are suffering the most because of this false teaching."
However, he said trying to defeat Islamic militants by waging war is just like "fighting a ghost." Instead of the never-ending violence, Yousef said, "We need to fight their ideology. We need to fight their fake god, their fake prophet. No government on earth can fight ideology. You can only fight ideology with another ideology. Today when I fight the god of Islam that represents hate and revenge, I fight him only with one God that represents pure unconditional love."
Yousef moved to San Diego in 2007 and joined the Barabbas Road Church. He publicly his embrace of Christ the following year and published his autobiography in 2010.
Humanitarian warns of the 'elimination' of Christianity in the Middle East
More and more personalities are lending their voices to condemn the continuing persecution of Christians in the Middle East.
Among the most recognisable of these voices is United States Secretary of State John Kerry, who just recently recognised that the terror group Islamic State (ISIS) is committing mass genocide against Middle Eastern Christians.
"Daesh is responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control, including Yazidis, Christians and Shia Muslims," Kerry said, as quoted by CBN News.
Christian humanitarian Johnnie Moore meanwhile pointed out that the ISIS is threatening the existence of Christianity in the place where it originated.
"We're witnessing a once in a 2,000-year crisis and it's not an exaggeration to say that we can see the elimination of Christianity in the place of its birth," Moore told CBN News.
He further urged Christians around the world to open their eyes to and publicly condemn the abuses being committed to their brothers and sisters in the Middle East.
"We're blind again just like we were blind at the Holocaust, just like we were blind at the Rwandan genocide, the Bosnian genocide, the Armenian genocide, we're not learning," Moore said.
"But what's even more shameful and despicable about this is we are the strongest community in the world as Christians and the Church isn't even speaking up as it could," he added.
Also speaking to CBN News, historian David Barton wondered why American Churches have mostly been silent about the persecution of Christians in the Middle East.
"The pulpits in America have largely been silent on this issue of their fellow brethren around the world," Barton said.
"So you have 86 percent of American Christians saying we need to hear about this. We gotta be informed on it and pastors saying, 'ummm don't think I want to talk about that,'" he added.
Barton also stressed the fact that Christians in America need to take action to try to save fellow faithful in Middle Eastern nations.
"There's this real dichotomy right now on persecution in American churches at least addressing the subject and certainly when you start addressing the subject then you're more likely you'll do something about it and that's really what Christians in the Middle East need. They need outside help. They can't save themselves. It's going to take outside help," the historian said.
'I hope Ark Encounter closes soon,' says Bill Nye after Ken Ham invited him to visit
Popular US science presenter Bill Nye has condemned the Answers in Genesis creationist organisation for teaching young people humans were not responsible for climate change.
Nye toured the Ark Encounter theme park in Kentucky with its founder Ken Ham.
Ham had invited Nye to the park, which depicts the young-earth creationist view of human origins, after an earlier debate between them in 2014. Nye, an atheist, is a strident critic of creationism, the view that the earth is only around 6,000 years old and that dinosaurs and humans existed at the same time.
Nye said in a statement yesterday: "I chose to visit the Ark Encounter to see for myself the extent of its influence on young people."
He continued: "The influence is strong. I spoke with a lot of kids (and took a great many selfies). Almost all of them do not accept that humans are causing climate change and that is the Answers In Genesis ministry's fault. Through its dioramas and signage, the organization promotes ideas that are absolutely wrong scientifically, while suppressing critical thinking in our students which is in no one's best interest, conservative or progressive."
The Ark Encounter park includes a ful-scale replica of Noah's Ark, built to what Ham believes were the original specifications. Ham described his meeting with Nye in a Facebook post in which he said it "turned into an almost 2 hour debate as we walked through all three decks of the Ark".
The encounter, which took place in the presence of visitors, was filmed with the consent of both participants. Ham said: "It was a clash of world views. At one point I asked Bill: what would happen to you when you die? He said when you die 'you're done'. I then asked him why he was concerned about what we were teaching at the Ark if when we die we're 'done'. He also stated that it's 'not crazy to believe we descended from Martians'. I then asked Nye if it was 'crazy to believe we descended from Adam and Eve!'"
Ham said he had asked Nye if he could pray for him. "He said I could do whatever I want as he couldn't stop me. So while a large group of people were gathered around, I publicly prayed for Bill. I did ask him if we could be friends, but he said we could be acquaintances with mutual respect, but not friends."
Ham said the encounter ended with a "friendly handshake".
The park has drawn more than 30,000 visitors since it opened on July 7. However, Nye said in his statement: "On a hopeful note, the parking lots were largely empty, and the ark building is unfinished. We can hope it will close soon."
The BHL API will be updated on 25 July 2016 to support changes to the BHL site. These changes will accommodate identifying additional Contributors for Items and Parts of items.
First are changes to the API that may affect your existing processes.
The Contributor and ContributorID elements in the result sets of API methods that return Part information will move. ContributorID will be included as a PartIdentifier in the Identifiers list. Contributor will be included in a new Contributors list.
These changes are being made to accommodate more than one contributor per part. For example, if one institution researches/compiles the data and a second institution facilitates the inclusion of that data in BHL, both institutions may be listed as a contributor. Initially, no more than two contributors per part will be allowed, but by adopting these changes to API responses we allow for additional (unlimited, actually) contributors in the future.
Here is an example that shows how the API responses are changing. The examples shown here are an output of the GetPartMetadata method, and have been abbreviated for clarity.
Original API Results highlighted elements are being moved:
okStatus> http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/1 PartUrl> 1PartID> 22498ItemID> 3190776StartPageID> 1SequenceOrder> BioStorContributor> 4443ContributorID> ArticleGenreName> Notes on certain species of Tetragnatha (Araneae, Argiopidae) in Central America and Mexico Title> <ContainerTitle>BrevioraContainerTitle> <Volume>67Volume> <Date>1957Date> <PageRange>1--4PageRange> <StartPageNumber>1StartPageNumber> <EndPageNumber>4EndPageNumber> <Authors> [...] Authors> <Subjects /> <Identifiers> <PartIdentifier> <IdentifierName>ISSNIdentifierName> <IdentifierValue>0006-9698IdentifierValue> PartIdentifier> Identifiers> <Pages> [...] Pages> <RelatedParts /> Result> Response>
Updated API Results Highlighted elements are the new locations of the moved data:
<Response> <Status>okStatus> <Result> <PartUrl> http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/969 PartUrl> <PartID>1PartID> <ItemID>22498ItemID> <StartPageID>3190776StartPageID> <SequenceOrder>1SequenceOrder> <GenreName>ArticleGenreName> <Title> Notes on certain species of Tetragnatha (Araneae, Argiopidae) in Central America and Mexico Title> <ContainerTitle>BrevioraContainerTitle> <Volume>67Volume> <Date>1957Date> <PageRange>1--4PageRange> <StartPageNumber>1StartPageNumber> <EndPageNumber>4EndPageNumber> <Authors> [...] Authors>
<Contributors> <Contributor> <ContributorName>BioStorContributorName> Contributor> Contributors> <Subjects /> <Identifiers> <PartIdentifier> <IdentifierName>BioStorIdentifierName> <IdentifierValue>4443IdentifierValue> PartIdentifier> <PartIdentifier> <IdentifierName>ISSNIdentifierName> <IdentifierValue>0006-9698IdentifierValue> PartIdentifier> Identifiers> <Pages> [...] Pages>
<RelatedParts /> Result> Response>
Additionally, there will be two additions to the Item metadata.
The new data elements are: RightsHolder and ScanningInstitution.
These will optionally be displayed if there is data for the relevant organizations.
<Response> <Status>okStatus> <Result> <ItemID>59382ItemID> <PrimaryTitleID>20770PrimaryTitleID> <ThumbnailPageID>17605914ThumbnailPageID> <Source>Internet ArchiveSource> <SourceIdentifier>bulletin5160hatcSourceIdentifier> <Volume>v.51-60 1898-99Volume> <Year/> <Contributor> UMass Amherst Libraries (archive.org) Contributor> <RightsHolder> Biodiversity Heritage Library RightsHolder> <ScanningInstitution> Smithsonian Institution Libraries ScanningInstitution> <Sponsor>UMass Amherst LibrariesSponsor> [...] Result> Response>
Detailed documentation for the BHL APIs is available at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/api2/docs/docs.html. It will be updated to reflect these changes after they are moved into production on 25 July 2016.
Go to http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/getapikey.aspx to get an API key for BHL.
Information about other BHL developer tools can be found at http://biodivlib.wikispaces.com/Developer+Tools+and+API.
If you have questions, please feel free to submit feedback via this form.
Is former Mars Hill pastor Rob Bell writing a gender-neutral Bible as commissioned by President Obama?
A satirical article has come out online saying that U.S. President Barack Obama has signed an executive order commissioning former megachurch pastor Rob Bell to write a "gender-neutral Bible."
Bell is the former pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, who sparked a huge controversy when he questioned traditional Christian beliefs on heaven, hell and the gospel in his 2011 book "Love Wins," according to The Blaze.
Bell subsequently resigned from Mars Hill but continues to speak out on everythingfrom his support of same-sex marriage to his claim that anyone who speaks about heaven and hell is merely dishing out unconfirmed theories.
In the satire article that appeared recently on The Christian Post, Bell was said to have been given funds by the Obama administration amounting to $7 million to research, write and publish a Bible that breaks through the barriers of gender.
This was allegedly meant to serve as a follow-up to Obama's demands that public schools allow boys to go into girls' bathrooms.
In an alleged White House press briefing, Obama was supposed to have told Bell that he is the most competent person for the job.
"Rob Bell is an excellent person, aaaaaaaaaa religious man, aaaaaaaaa smart individual who, like me, knows what it's like to be accused of not being Christian," Obama said, according to The Christian Post.
"Best of all, Bell knows how to irritate the heck out of evangelicals. And while I believe we need a country that is welcoming of all Americans, regardless of who they are, everybody and their dog knows that evangelicals, babies, and nuns don't count," Obama was supposed to have said.
After being informed of his commissioning, Bell allegedly responded by saying, "I am thrilled that THE President of our country wants me to write up a gender inclusive Bible."
"Finally, I can stop spending time ignoring the parts of the Bible I hate and instead start rewriting the parts of the Bible I hate. After all, love wins!" he was supposed to have said.
Although Obama only wanted to remove the thousands of references to men and women from the scripture, Bell was supposed to have already added a few of his own ideas for the alleged new edition of the Bible. These include editing out every reference to the term "Christian," omitting all references to eternal punishment or damnation, removing all verses that refer to homosexuality and extramarital sex as sinful, and removing Revelation 22:19.
In the Bible's New International Version, Revelation 22:19 says, "And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll."
The Christian Post concluded the article with a warning note that it was a work of satire. "Please share responsibly," it said.
Jessa Duggar faces criticism for visiting Ark Encounter
"Jill and Jessa: Counting On" star Jessa Seewald is no stranger to criticisms and controversies. When the reality star recently posted about her family trip to the new Christian attraction Ark Encounter in Kentucky, bashers wasted no time in reprimanding her and other Christians for not using their resources wisely.
On her Instagram account (@jessaseewald), the former "19 Kids and Counting" star posted a photo of the Ark Encounter with several buses lined up in front of the structure. Seewald did not write a caption, but simply shared a happy emoji with heart eyes and several clapping hands.
Several commenters wrote that the Ark Encounter was "ridiculous," while some noted that the money used to build the life-sized Noah's Ark should have been used instead to help those in need.
"How stupid and what a [waste] of resources that could [have been] used to help others," an angry fan writes. "How Christian of you, [taking] good building supplies, money, and time and then create a stupid boat when there [are] thousands of homeless people in our country."
Another commenter agrees, writing, "How much did this unnecessary monstrosity cost? I wish Christians would spend money on actually helping people or spreading the true Christian story. Who needs to relive the ark? One of the reasons protestant Christianity came into being was in response to irresponsible spending by the Catholic church (and many more). What does this look like to you? I hope many lives are transformed by taking a tour through this massive waste of resources."
Meanwhile, a netizen fumed about the stipulation made by Answers in Genesis founder Ken Ham to have unwed employees of the Ark Encounter sign contracts saying they disavow homosexuality and premarital sex. The netizen also had a lot of questions concerning the "absurdity" of Noah's Ark.
"How did Noah and those animals survive the freezing oxygen-deprived environment that 29,000 ft. of water would bring? How did Noah sustain an environment for both polar bears and camels to live?" he asked. "Where is the evidence of this mass extinction? How did they deal with the diseases that [were] sure to happen in such a densely packed ship? Two individuals of a species [are] NOT enough to sustain that species."
Mark Driscoll is hosting a conference on building healthy churches. Seriously.
I cannot be the only person whose jaw hit the floor when news broke that Mark Driscoll was to host a conference on 'Building a Healthy Church' this autumn.
Driscoll's Mars Hill Church imploded and closed at the end of 2014 after allegations of bullying, manipulative behaviour and plagiarism by Driscoll. The Seattle megachurch was described by a former member of its board of advisers and accountability, Paul Tripp, as "the most abusive, coercive ministry culture I've ever been involved with".
The Jimmy Evans Pastors School conference at Driscoll's new Trinity Church in Phoenix, Arizona in November will include addresses on "Building a healthy church government", "Developing healthy leadership from within", "Raising and managing church finances" and "Creating a healthy philosophy of ministry".
Whether Driscoll will be a keynote speaker isn't clear, though he can be expected to appear. But the temptation to make comparisons like, say, Donald Trump to give the keynote speech at a Friends of the Earth meeting or King Herod to address a childcare conference is irresistible. However, it's never quite that simple.
On the face of it, Driscoll is the last person on earth to be able to speak with any authority about subjects like these. He should slip in quietly to the back of the auditorium and take notes, not stand up there on the platform.
Again on the face of it, hosting such a conference looks like an act of monstrous arrogance, in which someone who's learned nothing from his experiences will use his too-soon return to the public eye to work off some old scores.
Well, that may be true. But it isn't necessarily true.
One of the recurrent complaints against Driscoll is that he seems insufficiently aware of his culpability in the Mars Hill debacle. A gifted communicator with a alpha-male personality, he appears to have become focused on destroying his opposition rather than building the Kingdom. Another is that he's returned to a high-profile ministry too soon, rather than spending an appropriate length of time in repentance, self-examination and supervision.
The forthcoming conference might give him the opportunity to answer both these allegations.
One of the great gifts Christianity has to offer to the world is the idea of forgiveness and restoration. We aren't forever defined by our mistakes, our follies or our sins. We can repent, learn and build on our experiences of failure to develop wisdom and insight.
That's not to say these experiences, whether of sinfulness or suffering, are good. They are best avoided. But they sometimes teach us things that we wouldn't have known if we hadn't had them. As Oscar Romero, the martyred Archbishop of El Salvador said: "There are things that can only be seen by eyes that have cried."
On this understanding, Driscoll may just be the best possible person to speak to themes like this. Of course he would face accusations of hypocrisy. But whether these are justified depends on what he actually says. Perhaps he'll try to settle some scores. Or perhaps he'll draw on his experiences to say, "This is what I did wrong, and this is how you can avoid the same trap." So the conference organisers might just like to think of him as the best resource they could possibly find, and put him up there with the headline speakers.
There are no limits to the grace and forgiveness of God, and no limits to His power to restore. We can set our own limits, by not repenting of what we've done and refusing to learn from our failures. But in principle, why not invite King Herod to speak at that childcare conference?
Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
Negative views of Muslims increasing throughout Europe
Views of Muslims in countries in Europe are least negative in the UK and most negative in eastern and southern countries, according to new research. However, unfavourable views of Muslims are on the rise throughout Europe, including in the UK.
The research from Pew Global shows growing fears that waves of Muslim refugees will lead to more terrorism and fewer jobs.
The report says the attacks in Paris and Brussels have fueled fears of terrorism. In eight of the 10 European nations surveyed, half or more believe refugees increase the likelihood of terrorism.
Europeans are also worried the refugees will be an economic burden and take away jobs and social benefits. This is the biggest worry for Hungarians, Poles, Greeks, Italians and French, while in Sweden and Germany, half those surveyed say refugees make their nation stronger because of their work and talents.
Most of the recent refugees to Europe are from Muslim countries such as Syria and Iraq.
For some Europeans, negative attitudes toward Muslims are tied to a belief that Muslims do not wish to participate in the broader society.
In every country polled, the dominant view is that Muslims want to be distinct from the rest of society rather than adopt the nation's customs and way of life.
Most of those surveyed do not believe the Muslims in their country would support Islamic State.
Altough the UK had the lowest proportion of people with unfavourable views of Muslims, negative opinions about Muslims were much more common among people on the ideological right.
Pew Research surveyed more than 11,000 people across 10 European Union nations and the United States before the EU Referendum.
Norway's Christians back Bodnariu family
Norwegian Christians are glad the Bodnariu family and their children have been reunited after they were separated by the country's Barnevernet child welfare service, according to the editor of a Christian daily news service.
However, Tarjei Gilje, an editor at the daily newspaper Dagen, told Evangelical Focus that they also felt their country had been misrepresented in foreign media.
The five children of Marius and Ruth Bodnariu were removed last November in a case that stirred outrage around the world and led to thousands of demonstrators protesting outside Norwegian embassies.
The children were returned five weeks ago and the family has requested peace and privacy since then.
Gilje said: "I think many Christians have a feeling that Barnevernet needs to be looked after more closely. But I also think many Christians feel that much of the criticism against Barnevernet has been based on insufficient knowledge and prejudice. This applies especially for much of the criticism coming from abroad."
He said there was a "systemic problem in Barnevernet", which had to do with "insufficient competence and too much power with local employees". He added: "Furthermore, it is possible that we as Christians too easily have accepted that the state is given too central a role in relation to the families. This is partly because we in Norway have a high degree of trust in the authorities, and partly because of stories of how bad things can go when children are left alone in families where their very lives are in danger".
Gilje said Norwegian Christians "feel that the interference of the Barnevernet in this particular case was highly disproportionate, and are happy that the children are back with their parents", he believes.
However, he added: "It has been disappointing to see how Christians in many countries are willing to make harsh statements against Norway and the Norwegian Barnevernet while their very statements prove that they have very limited knowledge of the Norwegian society."
The children were removed from the Bodnarius amid allegations Barnevernet objected to the family's Pentecostal religion. It later emerged that the parents used smacking as a means of punishment, which is illegal in Norway.
Barnevernet has faced repeated criticisms over its treatment of the children of immigrant and mixed-ethnicity families.
Pakistan: Christian faces possible execution over Whatsapp message
A Christian man in Pakistan has been charged under a blasphemy law which has a mandatory death penalty, for allegedly sending his Muslim friend a poem on the mobile phone app Whatsapp that was considered insulting towards the Prophet Muhammad.
Police are currently searching for the accused, Nadeem James, who has fled his home in fear of his life.
"Police have registered a case on blasphemy charges against Nadeem James and are searching for him as he has fled his home," a local official told AFP, according to The Express Tribune.
James, from Father Colony of Sraey Alamgir, reportedly had a minor dispute with Yasir Bashir, who has claimed that Nadeem defiled the name of the Prophet.
Messages from loudspeakers on local mosques have called on Christian homes to be burned unless Nadeem is produced into police custody.
According to reports, local police have raided Nadeem's house and arrested and beaten his sister, Samreen, and his sister-in-law, Najma.
Najma's 18-month-old daughter, Alisha, was with Najma when she was arrested, and will remain detained with her mother for the duration of her incarceration.
Nasir Saeed, director of the Christian charity CLAAS-UK, condemned the police: "It is very unfortunate that blasphemy cases continue to be registered against Christians over petty disputes without any investigation or concrete evidence," he said. "Several innocent people like Shama and Shahzad have been killed and burnt alive without being given them a chance to prove themselves innocent in a court of justice. Sadly, incidents of self-justice and mob killings continue to be rise, and people are not afraid of taking the law into their own hands because of the government's inadvertence and lack of interest in bringing the perpetrators to the justice, and its failure to think over bringing changes to the blasphemy law to stop its continuous misuse."
Sign of unity: Catholic Church in United Arab Emirates hosts hundreds of Muslims in a celebratory meal
At a time when religious beliefs seem to be dividing people and causing pain and destruction to the world, it is always refreshing to see people of different faiths helping each other out.
A Roman Catholic Church in the United Arab Emirates, a predominantly Muslim country, recently fed hundreds of believers of Islam to celebrate one of their significant holidays.
At the St. Michael's Catholic Church in Sharjah emirate, some 500 Muslim labourers and other guests ate their "iftar," or the celebratory meal eaten by the Islamic faithful after sunset during Ramadan. This was the first time ever that the Church hosted such a meal in its decades-long history.
Speaking to Radio Vatican, parish priest Father Varghese Chempoly said his Church decided to host the celebratory meal for their Muslim brothers and sisters as an act of unity, and to respond to the Pope's call for compassion to others.
"We wanted to show the spirit of unity and brotherhood practised in the UAE. Our prayer is to protect this country and guide its leaders. We also took the iftar initiative in line with the declaration of Pope Francis of 2016 as the Year of Mercy," Chempoly explained.
He added that the parishioners were also inspired by some of the parish youth who reach out to the poor every Ramadan.
Aside from feeding Muslim faithful inside their parish church, the parishioners also distributed dates and water bottles near traffic signals to be one in the celebration of the end of Ramadan.
"We're so happy to welcome our Muslim brethren for iftar. For most of the workers, who came from different labour accommodations, it was their first time in a church," Chempoly said.
The Roman Catholic Church's good gesture did not go unnoticed. Abdul Razak, 25, a welder from India, appreciated the hospitality shown by parishioners from St. Michael's Catholic Church.
"It is doubly a new experience for me as I've never been to a church before and never had iftar as a guest of another faith. I'm so honoured to be here today and their hospitality is lovely," he also told Vatican Radio.
South Sudan: Millions face uncertain future following days of bloody violence
South Sudan is in turmoil. Last Thursday, fighting erupted in the capital city of Juba between troops loyal to rivals President Salva Kiir and vice-president Riek Machar. Since then, the violence escalated and hundreds have been killed, including dozens of civilians.
Fears are rising that the country could slide back into civil war. South Sudan has already barely survived one internal battle since its secession from the North in 2011 the anniversary of which it celebrated on Saturday and a second would be disastrous for the world's youngest country.
Kiir and Machar's rivalry stretches back years. Civil war broke out in December 2013 following an attempted coup by soldiers loyal to Machar. The fighting escalated, spreading throughout the country and fracturing it along ethnic lines Kiir is a member of the Dinka community, while Machar is from the Nuer tribe. More than a million civilians were displaced, and thousands killed. The food crisis became the worst in the world by July 2014, and peace talks that began in August of that year dragged on for months as the fighting continued. A deal was finally signed the following August, and Machar returned to Juba in April 2016 to be sworn in as first vice-president in a new transitional government of national unity.
The political situation remained precarious, however, and on July 7 open battle resumed in the capital. Kiir and Machar denied having ordered their troops to fight, leading to concerns that neither had full control of their forces.
The US yesterday urged armed forces on both sides of the conflict to down their weapons and seek an immediate end to the fighting. "This senseless and inexcusable violence undertaken by those who yet again are putting self-interest above the well-being of their country and people puts at risk everything the South Sudanese people have aspired to over the past five years," said White House national security advisor Susan Rice.
"Five years ago this week, the South Sudanese people joyously celebrated their independence. Instead of honoring this anniversary, the recent violence will instead inflict yet another wave of trauma on South Sudanese citizens, who have suffered far too much already. All those engaged in the fighting must stop immediately."
Other world and faith leaders joined the call for peace. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby urged warring factions to accept mediation.
"Those who will suffer most are the poorest, especially women and children. Those who pursue violence will face the judgement of God in answer to the cries of the souls of those whose death they have caused," a statement from his office said.
Welby added: "They can still turn back: with our voices and our prayers to Jesus the Prince of Peace, let us call on them to do so".
Yesterday evening both Kiir and Machar ordered their loyalists to end hostilities and declared a ceasefire. A spokesperson for the President said he "is determined to carry on his partnership" with his rival.
According to people on the ground, troops have paid heed to their leaders and fighting has now stopped, though the atmosphere in Juba remains tense. Stefanie Glinksi, field content manager for World Vision UK, returned from a visit to the capital two weeks ago. She told Christian Today that the entire humanitarian community in Juba has been in "lock-down" since Thursday.
"That's still the case even with the ceasefire being announced. It's still very fluid and tense in Juba. Now is the time we really need peace to come through," she said.
Colleagues in Juba told Glinksi that the streets have been empty for the past few days civilians have been huddled in their homes, churches and schools or have fled the city entirely in fear of the constant gunfire. Now the ceasefire has come into effect, however, they hope for a peaceful future for South Sudan.
"People on the ground are very strong, super resilient, and they are happy to rebuild their country, they just need the means to do that," she said. "They just need the right support. The people there haven't given up on their country."
Even if the violence remains subdued, South Sudan has a long and difficult path to peace. Around 4.8 million people are facing severe food shortages, and one in four children under the age of five are acutely malnourished. The UN's appeal for South Sudan currently only has 39 per cent of the funding it needs a shortfall of US $800million.
Speaking to Christian Today, Donald Mavundese, head of East and Southern Africa at Christian development charity Tearfund, said the future for South Sudan will be uncertain whether or not the ceasefire holds.
"The reality is that this fighting has made a desperate situation worse," he said.
"We already have a situation where around 4.8 million people are severely food insecure, millions do not have simple access to food and water, and many of them have been displaced. The continuation of this violence would make things so much worse, and complicate our ability to help."
Tearfund is working through local churches in South Sudan to meet the needs of the country's most vulnerable people. While places of worship in Juba have responded to immediate needs over the past few days by providing shelter to the tens of thousands of displaced, many more are involved in longer-term development work.
"Local churches have a community presence in remote and difficult places [across South Sudan]," Mavundese said. In many areas, they are working as a "surrogate state, providing services the government is not able to do," he added.
The South Sudan Council of Churches released a statement on July 10 saying church leaders were "extremely disturbed" by the ongoing tensions in the country.
"We condemn all acts of violence without exception. The time for carrying and using weapons has ended; now is the time to build a peaceful nation," the statement, which was read out on national radio, said.
"We pray for those who have been killed, and for their families, and we ask God's forgiveness for those who have done the killing. However we also urge repentance and a firm commitment from all armed individuals, forces and communities, and from their leaders, to create an atmosphere where violence is not an option.
"We are encouraged by the statements from both President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar calling for calm. We add our voices to theirs, and urge soldiers and civilians to refrain from provocative words and actions, and to do everything in their power to avoid escalating the situation."
Mavundese said his colleagues were hopeful that the ceasefire would hold, though it's impossible to say for certain.
"[It would not be] the first time that the President and vice-president have agreed a peace deal that was broken," he said. "That the violence was around [the same time as] the independence celebrations, tells you how precarious this situation is.
"If the ceasefire holds, and the fighting stops for a long time or forever, we can do more to help those who are in desperate need. A more stable environment will help the road to recovery. When we're helping people in the context of constant fighting, we are forced to provide basic services. But what we can do [if the violence ends] with and through churches is start providing longer-term work, helping communities to produce their own food rather than depend on our feeding centres.
"We just want to be able to help South Sudanese people stand on their own two feet."
Theresa May: the quiet Christian from the heart of Middle England
St Andrew's Church in Sonning dates back to the 10th Century, its church tower, above its distinctive red roof, offering unrivalled views across Berkshire and Oxfordshire's rolling hills. Although it lies near the actor George Clooney's recently acquired 10 million mansion by the Thames, St Andrew's is made up of ordinary middle-England parishioners who are keenly loyal to the most famous member of their congregation.
The incoming prime minister, Theresa May has been attending every Sunday, when she can, since before becoming an MP in 1997. She tends not to stay behind for tea after the service, but there is no doubt about her commitment among fellow worshippers. Shirley Chard, a former PCC Secretary at the church, says May and her husband Philip "attend very regularly and are very supportive". Chard tells Christian Today: "Mrs May attends every Sunday that she possibly can, apart from when she's out of the country or on occasions such as Remembrance Sunday we all understand about that. Both her and her husband are very good attenders. She attends socials and other events whenever she can. She has been very supportive of the new church hall that is being built. They attend all sorts of things throughout the village, such as the September local show."
Local parishioners are expecting May to attend the Sunday service next week as usual, despite her being appointed prime minister tomorrow in the aftermath of yet another wave of Westminster drama that has followed the Brexit vote last month.
So who is this un-flashy politician and quiet Christian, who is currently packing for the move from Berkshire to Downing Street? To what extent does her faith impact on her politics?
Born in 1956, May was the only child of Rev Hubert Brasier and his wife Zaidee. She was raised in rural Oxfordshire amid heavy demands on her vicar father. She attended a local grammar school and having already been drawn to the Conservative party around the age of 12 won a place to study Geography at Oxford. While she was there, she met her husband Philip at a student Tory disco. She has described him to friends as her rock.
Although May enjoyed a comfortable, classically middle class upbringing, she has experienced pain. In 1981, her father died in a car accident. The following year, her mother, who suffered with multiple sclerosis also died. After that, the Mays discovered that they could not have children. "It just didn't happen," she told The Daily Telegraph. "You look at families all the time, and you see there is something there that you don't have."
Having worked in financial services, May won the seat of Maidenhead during Tony Blair's landslide general election victory for Labour in 1997.
Although a traditionalist in style, Blair's 'modernising' politics were formative for May. Around 2001, she started attending private meetings at the fringe Tory leftist organisation the Tory Reform Group. And in 2002, as party chair under then leader Iain Duncan Smith, she surprised and angered some of her own party activists at their annual party conference. "Our base is too narrow, and so, occasionally, are our sympathies," she said. "You know what some people call us: the nasty party."
And here lies the contradiction at the heart of May's agenda: she is at once moral conservative and social liberal. This contrast has been evident during her time as Home Secretary since 2010. A steady hand at the notoriously turbulent Department, May was increasingly tough-talking on immigration. Yet she also did more than any other Home Secretary since Kenneth Clarke in attempting to reform the police, for years finding herself at loggerheads with the conservative Police Federation over police corruption and misuse of stop-and-search. Dismissed as authoritarian and "illiberal" by the evangelical Christian Lib Dem leader Tim Farron this week, she has nonetheless gained the support of Tory heavyweight civil libertarian David Davis MP.
On conscience issues, May has been on what is known in Westminster as a 'journey'. In 1998 she voted against lowering the age of consent and in 2002 against gay adoption, though she backed the introduction of civil partnerships in 2004. She has changed her mind over the years on gay adoption, and wrote in Pink News in June 2010 that there needs to be a "cultural change" in Britain to tackle homophobia.
In 2008, May voted for the abortion time limit to be lowered from 24 to 20 weeks in the abortion amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill (now Act), a position she is said privately at least to maintain.
This mixed picture has left some leading conservatives unconvinced. Peter Hitchens, the Mail on Sunday columnist and a practising Christian, calls her a "Blairite". And he tells Christian Today: "I see no sign that Theresa May supports socially conservative policies. This is the only way in which she resembles Margaret Thatcher, whose private religious and moral views appear to have been conservative, but who did nothing to restrain the morally and socially liberal agenda of her colleagues."
May does not "do God" in the sense of talking publicly on a regular basis about it. But in 2014 she told BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs that her faith does impact on her approach to issues, and chose two hymns for her songs including When I Survey The Wondrous Cross. But she added of faith: "It's right that we don't flaunt these things here in British politics."
Of her upbringing, May told the same programme: "Obviously everything did revolve very much around the Church. Early memories of a father who couldn't always be there when you wanted him to be, but he was around quite a lot of the time and other times when other parents weren't normally. I have one memory for example of being in the kitchen and looking up the path to the back door where a whole group, a family, that had come to complain about an issue in the church and that's it, just knock on the door and expected to see the vicar."
Quintessentially English and somewhat shy and reserved, May is "cold" according to some, but she is not incapable of expressing emotion. In April, some MPs wept and she herself looked close to tears as she made a statement on justice for the victims of the Hillsborough disaster of 1989.
May has impressed faith groups, including the Jewish community. The Jewish Chronicle said that, "As the longest-serving Home Secretary for more than a century, Mrs May is perhaps better placed than any other politician to understand British Jews' concerns on extremism and rising antisemitism" and the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz has hailed her rise to Number Ten as "welcome news for the Jewish community".
The JC points out that after the attack on a Jewish supermarket in Paris last year May attended a Board of Deputies meeting and held a "Je Suis Juif" sign before pledging to "wipe out" antisemitism in the UK. It said she was "very warmly received as the guest speaker at the Community Security Trust's annual dinner" in March, and would be a "safe pair of hands and a continuity candidate in terms of communal relations".
On behalf of the Catholics, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who has worked closely with May on human trafficking issues, wrote to her this morning to say: "I am personally delighted at your appointment. I know from the work we have done together that you have so many qualities to bring to the service of our countries at this time. I appreciate the maturity of judgement, the steely resolve, the sense of justice and the personal integrity and warmth you have always shown."
If Jews and Catholics are happy however, the Muslim reaction to her elevation may be more mixed. After facing criticism from Muslim groups over the new Counter Terrorism and Security Act and the controversial anti-radicalisation Prevent strategy, May was last year's "Islamophobe of the year" according to the Islamic Human Rights Commission. But earlier this year, May pleased some Muslims with the announcement of a review into use of controversial Sharia law.
Also controversial was May's refusal last year to accept a mandatory EU refugee quota system in response to the Mediterranean migrant boat crisis. May had originally refused to accept any refugees under the proposed EU resettlement programme. Yet she outraged campaigners including some Christians by also ruling out Britain taking part in any future EU system to relocate asylum seekers who successfully make the journey across the Mediterranean. "It is shameful that the British Government seems eager to opt out of doing the right thing by some of the world's most desperate people," said Anna Musgrave of the Refugee Council at the time.
And to this day, May is refusing to say that EU migrants will be allowed to stay in post-Brexit Britain.
But away from controversy and back in Sonning, there is at least as much good will for May as there is, for now at least, in the Conservative party. Those close to May know she faces her toughest challenge yet.
Rev Jamie Taylor, the vicar at St Andrew's and a friend of May, describes her as a "very supportive member" of the historic church and a "hard-working and respected MP". Taylor adds: "We pray weekly for Her Majesty and those set in authority under her, and that prayer will take on a little more significance for us at St. Andrew's in the years ahead...On behalf of all at St Andrew's Church...I warmly congratulate [May] as she prepares to take up the daunting responsibilities before her."
Vatican representative in UN says peace still possible between Israel, Palestine
The conflict between Israel and Palestine has been ongoing for over half a century now, despite several attempts to strike a peace deal between the two parties. Over 21,000 people have reportedly been affected by the conflicts, some losing their homes, limbs, and ultimately, their lives.
Despite all the pain, suffering and destruction that have been brought by the Israel-Palestine conflict, the Vatican's permanent representative to the United Nations is still optimistic that peace is possible between the two parties.
Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic, Vatican's Permanent Observer to the UN, recently offered an intervention at the United Nations International Conference in Support of Israeli-Palestinian Peace.
"The Holy See believes that the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians can move forward only if it is directly negotiated between the Parties," Archbishop Jurkovic said, as quoted by Vatican Radio.
The Roman Catholic Church official also re-affirmed the Holy See's support for a "two-state solution," citing affirmations of Benedict XVI and Pope Francis. He nevertheless maintained that "the whole peace process does not depend solely on formal negotiations, no matter how indispensable these are."
"Peace cannot be achieved if healing and reconciliation, mutual recognition and respect at the personal and communitarian levels do not accompany political solutions," Archbishop Jurkovic said.
The Vatican representative to the UN also emphasised that both Israel and Palestine should try to heal the wounds of division to move the peace process forward.
"They must put an end to mutual hatred that is lending credence to a 'clash of civilizations'," he said.
Archbishop Jurkovic further said that the Holy See "reiterates its appeal to all religious leaders to denounce and reject every spurious form and perversion of religion to foment violence, and to hold on to the conviction that peace is not only possible and desirable, but is our common call and duty."
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July 12, 2016
AP Headline on Israeli Law Breaks Journalistic Rule
On a controversial new Israeli law to increase regulation of Israeli non-profit organizations which receive more than half of their funding from foreign states, an Associated Press headline violates the journalistic imperative to maintain impartiality. "Israel passes law targeting human rights organizations," is the AP news headline, mirroring the position of the law's critics.
The Associated Press is a leading wire service, and the tendentious headline was republished on top news sites including The Wall Street Journal, ABC News and Fox News.
This partial headline is coming down on one side of a controversial issue (the law's critics.)
As the article itself states: "Opponents of the law argued that the Netanyahu government was trying to target liberal human rights organizations that are critical of Israel's policies toward the Palestinians."
On the other side of the debate, as AP's Daniella Cheslow reports:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly supported the legislation, saying there is nothing anti-democratic about requiring transparency so the public is aware of the role of foreign governments in funding these groups.
A headline reflecting the law's supporters views might have said:
Israel passes law aimed at greater transparency for Israeli NGOs funded by foreign states.
Agence France Presse, another leading international wire service, opted for the neutral, descriptive and accurate headline: "Israel approves contentious NGO foreign funding law."
Reuters' headline also maintains greater objectivity, stating: "Israel NGO bill, seen as targeting left-wing groups, becomes law." (Emphasis added on the critical qualifying words.)
Hat tip: Eugene Kontorovich
Posted by TS at July 12, 2016 07:17 AM
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Young Iraqi Christians to recite Lord's Prayer in Aramaic before Pope
A proportion of some 200 young Christians from all around Iraq will recite the Lord's Prayer in Aramaic before the Pope at World Youth Day (WYD) in Krakow later this month.
The group, who come largely from Baghdad, Kirkuk and Erbil, will be accompanied by the Chaldean Bishop Basel Salim Yaldo and Archbishop Bashar Warda from Erbil, along with a dozen priests and seven nuns.
Also present will be some young refugees who live in the capital of the Autonomous Region of Iraqi Kurdistan, after being forced to abandon the villages in the Nineveh Plain with their families.
On July 19, before leaving for Poland, the young Iraqis will prepare with a day of prayers, songs and sacramental celebrations marked by the Jubilee Year of Mercy, according to Fides news service.
In Krakow, during the celebration of the Via Crucis, some of them will say the 'Our Father' prayer in the language of Jesus. "Celebrating the practice, with which the Church relives the Passion of Christ, we will also look at the suffering of our country in the light of the suffering of Jesus," said Bishop Basel Yaldo. "In those days Iraqi boys and girls will exchange the story of their experiences with young people from all over the world. And on our return, we will convene a national meeting where young people who were in Krakow will tell all their experience. So we can see for ourselves that one can live Christian hope and joyful communion with the whole Church, despite the difficult conditions we live in. So we will realize that there is no need to flee, emigrate, and that it is nice to live the gift of Christian joy in the places where we were born, and where we met Jesus, listening to the proclamation of the Gospel".
There are 600,000 registered pilgrims from around the world descending on Krakow at the end of July but numbers are expected to swell to as many as two million by the final Sunday Mass at the festival.
The themes this year include faith, family, justice and mercy. Poland has been allowed to suspend the Schengen freedom-of-movement agreement until 2 August, because of World Youth Day and an earlier NATO summit. WYD will be the largest single gathering of bishops alone since the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s.
Surrounded with beauty: Decorative art from the homes and studio of Claudio Bravo
Spanish artist Rafael Cidoncha remembers his friend and mentor ahead of the sale of fine and decorative arts that adorned his homes and which inspired the Chilean painters distinctive and celebrated works
The Claudio Bravo Collection: From the Artists Studio and Home, Morocco takes place on 13 July at Christies South Kensington, and presents a unique opportunity to acquire the fine and decorative art that belonged to and inspired the late Chilean artist. Claudio Bravo (1936-2011) was, until his death, arguably the most prestigious Chilean painter of his time. A hyperrealist who was heavily influenced by Renaissance and Baroque artists, Bravo is best known for his still life paintings, portraits and series of tied packages. He also made drawings, lithographs, engravings and small sculpture.
Open a larger version of this image A Spanish chestnut side table. Late 17th/early 18th century. 31 in (79 cm) high; 67 in (171 cm) wide; 28 in (71 cm) deep. Estimate: 2,000-4,000. Also depicted in Bravos painting on the right: A William and Mary walnut mirror. Late 17th century, possibly Dutch. 39 x 34 in (99 x 86.5 cm). Estimate: 2,500-4,000; Three Spanish walnut armchairs. 17th-19th century. The orange velvet-covered examples: 46 in (118 cm) high; 25 in (65 cm) wide; 20 in (51 cm) deep, and slightly smaller, the green velvet-covered example: 45 in (114 cm) high; 26 in (66 cm) wide; 21 in (54.5 cm) deep. Estimate: 1,200-1,800. These lots are offered in The Claudio Bravo Collection: From the Artists Studio and Home, Morocco on 13 July 2016 at Christies in London, South Kensington Open a larger version of this image Claudio Bravo, La Vista, 1997 The Estate of Claudio Bravo, courtesy Marlborough Gallery, New York
After gaining international recognition as a successful society portraitist in Madrid, Bravo moved to New York for a short period in which he held multiple exhibitions. Claudio lived a life entirely dedicated to the arts, with painting being his particular focus, recalls the artist Rafael Cidoncha, who first met Bravo at the Galeria Vandres in Madrid, where they both held exhibitions.
His paintings had such a unique purity of colour, the like of which I had never seen before, explains Cidoncha, now regarded as one of the most important figurative Spanish artists of the 20th century. They were like rays of light amongst what was, at the time in Spain, a very dull artistic environment.
After eleven years in Madrid, Bravo moved to Morocco, where he created two magnificent homes filled with fine art, furniture and objects. Both homes stimulated him creatively and, on occasion, became the theatrical setting for his paintings. In one, a 19th-century mansion, he knocked down or whitewashed many of the interior walls to maximise the Mediterranean lighting.
Open a larger version of this image A French polychrome-painted large ecorche horse. Second half 19th century. 36 in (91.5 cm) high; 14 in (35.5 cm) wide; 36 in (91.5 cm) deep. Estimate: 5,000-10,000. Also depicted right: A patinated bronze model of a horse. Late 19th century, probably Italian. 23 in (60 cm) high; 22 in (56 cm) wide; 8 in (21 cm) deep. Estimate: 3,000-5,000. Two equestrian paintings. Mughal India, 17th and 19th century. The first 8 x 6 in (22 x 17 cm); the second 2 x 3 in (6 x 8 cm) visible. Estimate: 600-1,000. These lots are offered in The Claudio Bravo Collection: From the Artists Studio and Home, Morocco on 13 July 2016 at Christies in London, South Kensington Open a larger version of this image Claudio Bravo, Caballos, 2011 The Estate of Claudio Bravo, courtesy Marlborough Gallery, New York
When Cidoncha was training in oil painting, Bravo had offered him the opportunity to paint with him in his studio over the summer months. Following that first invitation, Cidoncha travelled to Morocco and a lifelong relationship developed between the two men. He lived to paint, reveals Cidoncha, and always surrounded himself with beauty.
Bravo spent the last 30 years of his life living and working in Morocco, which was to heavily influence his later work. He was a true Renaissance man and his homes were like living museums, Cidoncha recalls. They resonated with a spiritual atmosphere created by the exquisite detail of every object as well as its intrinsic beauty. Each objects placement, proportion, and interaction with other works of art was a reflection of his spatial sense and awareness of order. He was a man of taste with an intuitive eye with years of practice, yet with an innate spontaneity.
Open a larger version of this image An Uzbek susani. Circa 1900, probably Lakhai. 6 ft 10 in x 10 ft 3 in (208.5 x 313 cm), excluding pole. Estimate: 1,000-1,500. Also depicted: an Indian hardwood side table. Mid-19th century. 33 in (886 cm) high; 46 in (117 cm) wide; 29 in (73.5 cm) deep. Estimate: 3,000-5,000. These lots are offered in The Claudio Bravo Collection: From the Artists Studio and Home, Morocco on 13 July 2016 at Christies in London, South Kensington Open a larger version of this image Claudio Bravo, Mi Estudio, 1996 The Estate of Claudio Bravo, courtesy Marlborough Gallery, New York
Open a larger version of this image Two Spanish walnut and parcel-gilt armchairs. Late 19th/early 20th century. One 54 in (137 cm) high; 27 in (70 cm) wide; 28 in (71 cm) deep; the other 52 in (134 cm) high; 24 in (63 cm) wide; 24 in (61 cm) deep. Estimate: 1,000-1,500. This lot is offered in The Claudio Bravo Collection: From the Artists Studio and Home, Morocco on 13 July 2016 at Christies in London, South Kensington Open a larger version of this image Claudio Bravo, La Chilaba Amarilla, 1990 The Estate of Claudio Bravo, courtesy Marlborough Gallery, New York
One hundred years after the Easter Rising, specialist Thomas Venning examines a copy of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic and meets a descendent of one of its signatories
On Easter Monday, 1916, Patrick Pearse stepped into the streets of Dublin to read from the Proclamation of the Irish Republic a document that sparked the six-day Easter Rising, effectively laying the foundations for modern Ireland.
Thought to have been composed by Pearse, with contributions from James Connolly and Thomas MacDonagh, the Proclamation outlined the shape of a new Republic. From the first line, Irish men and women were placed as equals, with religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities guaranteed to all the Rising placed within the context of Irelands 300-year struggle for independence.
Composed on Good Friday, the Proclamation was printed on Easter Sunday at Liberty Hall. The fighting that followed lasted for six days from Easter Monday, with Pearse facing vastly superior numbers issuing an order for surrender on Saturday 29 April. In the subsequent weeks, 15 of the Risings leaders, including all seven of the signatories to the Proclamation, had been executed under martial law James Connolly whilst tied to a chair, his ankle having been shattered by a bullet in the fighting.
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A 17-year-old has been arrested in the killing of a small-business owner during a suspected robbery spree that stretched from southwest Houston to Missouri City.
The teenager is accused of killing Tri Minh Nguyen, 36, on March 29 at Wahoo's Fish N Wings, Nguyen's business was located at 12306 Fondren.
READ MORE: Deadly crime spree stretched from southwest Houston into Missouri City
According to a Houston Police Department release, the juvenile was taken into custody on Monday.
The teen has not been identified. Because he was 16 at the time of the shooting, he has been referred to Harris County Juvenile Probation authorities on a capital murder charge, the release said.
A juvenile cannot face the death penalty, but a capital murder conviction brings an automatic life sentence with the possibility of parole after 40 years for juvenile offenders.
HPD had said Nguyen was shot during an attempted robbery and died at the scene.
READ MORE: Police looking for man who fatally shot Houston restaurant owner
The teenaged suspect is also believed to be linked to other robberies after the slaying, including one in April at Shipley Do-Nuts, 8802 Stella Link.
He's also accused of robbing a Food Dollar store at 13210 South Post Oak, and the New China Restaurant at 6302 Texas 6 in Missouri City.
The suspect allegedly fled all four scenes in a gold-colored car. At the time of Bguyen's death and the robberies, the suspect was described as wearing tan pants, a gray hoodie and distinctive light blue shoes.
Strolling through the downtown San Antonio streets, in the shadows of iconic century-old landmarks, can be like living in a history book. Some buildings have undergone renovations and remodeling throughout the decades, but for the most part, conservation efforts have maintained their antiquities giving the area a time capsule-like feel that is a constant reminder of the citys history.
San Antonians walking through Alamo Plaza can gaze up at the same sights their great grandparents did in the early 1900s, because the buildings that graced the streets then still stand today. And thanks to the San Antonio Conservation Society, reimagining the scene does not have to be left to imagination.
Stephen Foster, who has spent 25 years at Texas Chiropractic College in Pasadena as a student, faculty member and, most recently provost, will take the helm at the college, the board of regents announced Tuesday.
"Throughout its history, Texas Chiropractic College has been a leader in the education of new chiropractors" Monte Blue, chairman of the TCC Board of Regents, said in a statement. "With his extensive background in chiropractic education we, the board, believe Dr. Foster is the right person to lead TCC for many years to come."
When the rebuilt Alvin Elementary opens in the summer of 2019, it will feature a new $31 million campus as well as a new name - Betty K. Nelson Elementary.
For those in the Alvin school district, Nelson was not only the consummate teacher, but also a prolific presence in the community. Having taught primarily sixth grade at Alvin Elementary for more than 20 years, Nelson had several leadership roles at both the campus and district levels.
She was born July 12, 1935 in Galveston, where she also grew up. She was a valedictorian at Ursuline Academy, one of the first Catholic schools for girls in Texas. She received her bachelor of arts degree in education at the University of St. Thomas and a master's degree in English at the University of Houston. She started her teaching career with a five-year stint in Texas City ISD before going to Alvin Elementary in 1978.
A devout Catholic, her friends say her faith was integral to her, yet never precluded her from being open to others.
Nancy Crutchfield, who taught physical education at Alvin Elementary while Nelson was there, speaks to Betty's commitment to her church, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church.
"She respected her faith but was also open," Crutchfield said. "She was very wise and said nothing negative; a genuinely good woman."
Nelson, who died in November 2014, was a member of numerous groups and organizations including the Alvin Area Retired Personnel, Alvin Museum Society and Kappa Delta Pi (an international education-focused honor society).
Nelson was also the past president of Delta Kappa Gamma (an honor society for women who are educators), Legion of Mary (a Catholic volunteer association), and the Alvin Library League - after helping start the library with her father-in-law.
She is also fondly remembered as a family woman, both for how she treated those in her home as well as those in her second family: the Alvin community.
Married to Bob Nelson, a pharmacist with an Alvin-based drug store, they settled in Alvin where she began to put down roots. She also helped at her father-in-law's Dixie Service Station, where family members say she enjoyed conversing with customers and began to get to know city residents.
"She really loved people," said Carol Nelson, who's married to Betty's son Bill. "She loved Galveston, but she loved Alvin just as much. It's where she built her family and had a great impact on students who came back to make Alvin home, too."
Carol, an assistant superintendent for human resources at Alvin ISD, also has been a teacher, librarian, and principal in the district since starting in 1989.
She said Betty had inspired and recruited her to teach in the district, supporting her throughout her time there, even after Betty formally retired in 1998.
"It was an inspiration to see her dedication to the district and her students," Nelson said, adding that Betty would grade papers late into the night to be able to give students thoughtful feedback the next morning.
"She never had a desire to leave the classroom," Nelson said, noting that Betty wanted "teacher" engraved on her tombstone along with "mother," "grandmother" and "wife."
Her children, Bill, Larry, and Catherine have also continued her commitment to education and civic involvement; with Bill and Larry having held positions on the Alvin Community College board of trustees and Alvin City Council, respectively. All six of her grandchildren graduated from Alvin High School.
"She was always focused on kids no matter what your abilities or where you came from," Nelson said, "She took great pride keeping up with students she taught. She was just a big believer in education, it was a way to a better future for her."
Nelson said the family was excited that Alvin Elementary would be named after Betty, someone who committed herself so fully to the students and administration of that school for two decades.
Others describe Betty Nelson as greatly involved even after her retirement and as her dwindling health hampered her. They speak of her morals and her integrity as much as her decorum and her quick wit.
"She was very much a lady. She always had her hair just right, always dressed well," said Crutchfield, who had gone on fall vacations with Betty Nelson to places like New York, New England and Michigan.
Crutchfield eventually circles back around to what, in her view, defined who Betty Nelson was to Alvin Elementary and the community as a whole.
"She was an excellent teacher, that was her inherent nature," she said, "there are some people in some professions that shouldn't be there, but Betty was a true teacher."
During an April 12 Alvin ISD board meeting, trustees approved the recommendations of facility names that were evaluated and brought forth by the Alvin ISD Facility Naming Committee after two months of deliberation. The committee consisted of community members, teachers, staff members and trustees.
The first name to be announced was for the rebuild of Alvin Elementary, in which the school facility is being relocated and reconstructed with an expanded capacity.
When Daniel Combs, the district's communications director, announced it would be named after Nelson, a chorus of approving "aww's" rang from the crowd.
"As you can tell from the response," Combs said, "Ms. Nelson was a very well-respected educator in Alvin ISD. (She's) an incredibly deserving recipient."
Joe Zimmerman has hit the ground running after being sworn in as Sugar Land mayor on June 21.
A businessman with an engineering background, he served on the City Council in At Large Position 2 for four years before running for mayor. Zimmerman, 62, defeated District 4 council member Harish Jajoo in a June 11 runoff despite the vocal Sugar Land Votes group throwing its support behind Jajoo. The group unsuccessfully ran three candidates after learning in 2015 about a proposed development in Telfair that would have included 900 apartments.
Zimmerman said his goals include finding a way to mitigate residents' concern about apartment development, investing in public safety and infrastructure and furthering economic development in Sugar Land.
Q: What is your vision for Sugar Land?
A: First and foremost is safety. Some time ago, we actually put in license-plate recognition cameras. We did that in (council) District 1; so think of everything north of (U.S. 90A). Our police chief, Doug Brinkley, said he believed it would be an additional tool he could use to deter crime and solve crime; so we rolled that out. And now, we're getting ready to roll that system out to the rest of Sugar Land.
Under former Mayor James Thompson, we enjoyed an unprecedented amount of economic expansion. Schlumberger is a U.S. headquarters for that company. We had Nalco - they actually relocated down to Greenway Plaza, and we managed to get them back here - United Healthcare, First Data - it's a list that goes on and on. We'll continue to reach out through our economic development department to solicit and attract major employers to the area, which helps grow the economy.
Q: How does this relate to your immediate task - approving a budget for fiscal year 2016?
A: The budget process is part of all of those. Sugar Land will only be a great place to live, work and play if we can fund the investment to make sure we're safe and that we've got streets and infrastructure that are in top shape.
Our fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30; so we begin our budget workshops in late July. That ends up being a series of six to eight meetings where we go through the entire budget, line item by line item, department by department, and then we make a decision on labor, personnel and allocation of resources. We'll vote in early September to approve the budget.
We (city council) just received a proposition for future building of a police and fire safety facility. We also received an expansion of the police and the courts and the emergency operations center. We also received an expansion of the animal shelter. Our current animal services, we're probably overcapacity. We have a number of drainage projects.
We just had a major flooding event in Fort Bend County. Sugar Land did very well. We didn't have any houses flood, but there are some issues along the Brazos River that are going to have to be addressed. So, we'll begin to sort through during the budget process: given this amount of revenue, what kinds of things do we want to pursue.
Q: At a workshop meeting June 28, City Council approved an increase in the homestead exemption. Tell me more about this.
A: We've now seen the preliminary tax roll, and, in layman's terms, what we're seeing is more revenue than what we have budgeted for. So, the only way to give back some of that to the residents is to increase the homestead exemption. We basically now have passed an increase in the homestead exemption from 8 percent to 10 percent. Our tax rate is 32 cents (per $100 valuation). When you do the math at 10 percent, that's about a 3-cent decrease in the tax burden for our citizens.
Q: What issues are on Sugar Land citizen's minds right now?
A: When we did our citizen survey this year, the single biggest issue that came back in that survey was congestion. So, we've taken the unprecedented step of employing one of our corporate citizens, Traffic Ware, and they have a technology that's basically a pod. Those pods get installed at intersections, and then those pods actually are connected with our traffic-control system, and they monitor in real time the number of cars that come to an intersection. Let's say it's a four-way intersection. If one of those points in the intersection is stacking up with traffic, then those pods will let the traffic-control center know so we can make adjustments to those lights and move the traffic through.
We piloted it on (U.S. 90A) about a year ago, and now we've rolled it out not only (there) but (Texas 6) and some of the major thoroughfares."
Q: One of the issues that have dominated city politics for the past year was future construction of apartments in Sugar Land. During your campaign, you said that future multifamily housing must meet five conditions that you would add to Sugar Land's development code. Is this something you still plan on doing? And what are those requirements?
A: Yes, it will be scheduled in the future for City Council. First, we would do a workshop. We'll go over everything that was done (to Sugar Land's planning and development code.) We'd go through the research that staff did. Then we'll have a chance to go through and offer our input. That's where I would introduce the five points.
First and foremost was the schools, that no kids would be displaced because of apartments coming in. I'm in the process of visiting with the new school board president of Fort Bend ISD. I've already talked to (Fort Bend ISD Superintendent) Charles Dupre. We'll work to have a joint, quarterly meeting of both Fort Bend ISD and the Sugar Land City Council. I'm sure they can educate us and we can educate them as to how we zone land.
We also had as a part of those conditions a four-story height limitation and only structured parking; so no surface parking. The fourth condition was congestion analysis, which is more or less a traffic analysis on steroids to make sure that if there were an impact to a particular arterial - think University Boulevard - then the developer would have to come up with a solution, and he would have to pay for it so that it doesn't become a burden on the citizens.
The fifth, and arguably the most important part, is that (proposed multifamily housing) has to be compatible with the surrounding neighborhoods.
It would then be scheduled for a public hearing, and then a separate meeting would be for consideration and action.
Q: What do Sugar Land citizens have to look forward to in the coming months and years?
A: The annexation of New Territory and Greatwood. It's revenue positive; so our residents would not have to subsidize any annexation, based on all of the numbers that we've run. Right now, the city is on track to accomplish the annexation of New Territory and Greatwood in the 2018 time frame.
We're building a performing arts center, and that's due to open at the end of the year. We'll do a soft opening, probably in November or December, and then a hard opening would be in January. We're very proud of that because we have a public-private partnership with ACE Group.
This month, we're closing on the land from the General Land Office of the state of Texas that will provide an expansion for the Sugar Land regional airport. It will also provide for a future police and fire training facility and a public-private partnership for new industrial development.
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Since the Katy area flooded in April, Deysi Crespo said the calls haven't stopped for help at Katy Christian Ministries.
Crespo, the executive director at the nonprofit, has seen the physical anguish on those affected who have walked through her doors. The suffering hasn't subsided, she said.
KCM has been managing what it can to aid flood victims since the catastrophe, but it's been challenging because so many families need help, Crespo added.
But a renewed hope arrived recently when the city of Houston announced that KCM would be one of several agencies to receive a flood relief grant.
"When I received the phone call (about the grant), I think I screamed for joy because it is something we have been praying for," Crespo said. "It's an answered prayer. We know this grant will help the people that have suffered."
On June 28, the City of Houston announced that eight nonprofits in the Houston area will receive a combined $1.8 million from the city's Greater Houston Storm Relief Fund, which was created in the aftermath of the April 18 floods that inundated several Houston-area cities.
KCM will receive approximately $33,000.
With that money, the group will aid an estimated 600-plus flood-affected families with needs such as supplies, food, housing rent, transportation and many other necessities, Crespo said.
"A lot of families are still struggling," Crespo said. "Normally, after a disaster, people receive immediate help during that initial crisis. However, six to nine months from now, these families are still going through a crisis. But there's limited resources."
About 12 to 17 inches of rain pounded the Katy area on April 18. In the city of Katy alone, 109 homes and 25 businesses flooded, according to City Administrator Byron Hebert.
Hundreds more homes flooded in the greater Katy area, and other segments west of Katy and in Waller County also were devastated.
In Fort Bend County, floods invaded homes in May via the Brazos River, causing another catastrophic situation.
Some affected families from Katy-area floods still need basic supplies such as toiletries and food. Others need financial assistance.
KCM has supported more than 600 families in Harris, Fort Bend and Waller counties with those necessities in the aftermaths of the floods, Crespo said. They've received $7,585 through donations for flood aid, as well as gift donations such as clothing.
As of July 13, the city of Katy will have access to $1.8 million dollars for flood-related projects through a remaining portion of a bond voters approved in 2000 that was finally issued, according to Hebert.
The cash will be dispensed to improve drainage in the city, fund studies for flood-relief improvements and to build a 22-acre detention pond north of the city's Katy Junior High School at 5350 Franz Road.
"Our problem is not just local, it's regional," Hebert said. "A lot of our flooding came from Cypress Creek to the north. We want to look at what can we do short-term and what can we do long-term."
The city has not received federal aid for the flood disaster, though individuals living in Harris, Fort Bend and Waller counties have been able to apply for federal assistance. The city continues to clean debris to this day, Hebert said.
The City of Houston selected the eight non-profits for the storm fund after proposals were solicited through the United Way of Greater Houston, a crisis-relief organization.
United Way's staff evaluated the proposals based on criteria provided by the fund's advisory committee, according to a news release by the city. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner made the final call on funding, the release said.
Crespo believes United Way chose KCM because of the organization's 32-year history in service, as well as its flood-related efforts.
She's grateful for the grant, but she believes the organization needs more financial assistance to meet the needs of families.
The grant "sounds like a large sum, but it's not always enough to fulfill the needs for everyone that's going to come through our doors," Crespo said. "I'm thankful, but I would hope for more."
The city of Houston encourages residents needing flood-related assistance to call 211, the Texas and United Way help line.
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Officials with the City of Houston's Planning Department will meet with members of the Katy Prairie Conservancy to discuss the city's Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan.
The meeting will be at the City Hall Annex, Council Chamber, 900 Bagby St., Houston, 2:30 p.m. July 14.
"We want to work with people to make Houston, Harris County and Waller County even better than it is today," said Katy Prairie Conservancy Director Mary Anne Piacentini.
The plan, which has been in place since the early 1940s, is a gird system of infrastructure development within the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction that has been re-evaluated and changed through variances many times over the last 70 years.
More Information Want to go? What: Houston Planning Department to host meeting about city's Major Thoroughfare Freeway Plan When: 2:30 p.m. July 14 Where: Houston City Hall, 900 Bagby St., Houston Details: Visit http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/transportation/MTFP_16/Agenda/Final_PCAgenda_Presentation_050516.pdf or www.katyprairie.org to learn more. See More Collapse
According to the plan, the land mass, or "territory of influence," includes properties within the Houston city limits, most of the unincorporated area in Harris County, and portions of Fort Bend, Waller, Montgomery, and Liberty counties, which encompasses nearly 2,000 square miles.
Patrick Walsh, the City of Houston's planning director, said the plan is a fluid document and that some of the grids that were placed in the areas of conservancy interests were placed there in the 1960s as a "place holder" for planning.
"Those thoroughfares have been in that grid for decades," Walsh said.
However, the place holders were not an indicator of any future planned development.
But with entities, such as the Highway 36A Coalition, that are looking at the region for a new north-south corridor from the Port of Freeport, development is becoming more of a certainty.
"Now that development pressures are in the area, and with the Grand Parkway being built, Harris County is looking attransportation needs in that part of the region," he added.
Conservancy leadership met with representatives from the city, and from Harris County earlier this year to discuss changes to the plan.
Piacentini said the plan was brought back for review, and was not totally acceptable to the conservancy.
"We supported a part of the plan, but not all of it," she said.
Those issues included the addition of about 15 miles of pass-thru roads through conservancy land, and a proposed loop around the land.
Since the initial meeting, Piacentini said officials have met on three more occasions and still have issues with those two portions of the plan, which will be discussed July 14.
Meanwhile, Piacentini said plans exist to expand the conservancy land holdings to as much as 50,000 acres, which will be purchased through philanthropic grants and donations from organizations like The Brown Foundation, Houston Endowment, and numerous other endowment groups in Houston and the surrounding area.
"We've also received fish and wildlife funding through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act . . . a portion of the lands we own has been funded (purchased) with federal funds, so there is a federal interest," she said
"We've also been fortunate that there are private land owners who love the Katy Prairie, who either purchased land long ago, or purchased land recently and have donated a conservation easement to us."
The conservancy also earns income through an operating ranch where beef is raised and sold, and a stream mitigation bank, which allows the conservancy to sell credit to individuals who've damaged wetlands in other areas and are working to restore those wetlands.
"We are an amazing asset to Houston, Harris County and Waller County," she said. "We are good for the region. We provide a stimulus for quality of life enhancement, but there should be a balance between development and mobility needs."
Being on time is important to Morgan Midkiff, who is directing "Waiting for Godot" July 15-17 at Katy Visual and Performing Arts Center.
"At rehearsal, I'm always early," said the Katy resident, "but everywhere else, with two young children, I feel like I should have a T-shirt that says, 'I'll be there, but 15 minutes late.'"
Still, she fares better than the "harried, frazzled mother of five children" she portrayed last year in Doris Baizley's comedy satire "Mrs. California" at KVPAC.
"I played Mrs. Modesto, who entered the pageant to enjoy the luxury of getting away from home for the weekend, away from her kids," said Midkiff.
More Information Want to go? What: 'Waiting for Godot' When: 8 p.m. July 15-16 and 2 p.m. July 17 Where: The Magyar Main Theatre at Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center, 2501 S. Mason Road, Suite 290. Tickets: $18. Senior, student and group rates are available Details: Visit www.kvpac.org See More Collapse
KVPAC's executive artistic director, Gregory Magyar, concedes that comic fare such as "Mrs. California" is more accessible than "Waiting for Godot," Samuel Beckett's absurdist tragicomedy that's confounded some audiences since premiering in Paris in 1953.
"In the summer, we like to try something that will spread our wings artistically," said Magyar. "We hope our summer audiences will be receptive to something a little different, too."
Midkiff, whose maiden name is Robinson, said she didn't understand "Waiting for Godot" when she read it as a teenager, at James E. Taylor High School, where she graduated in 2002.
While earning a 2006 bachelor of fine arts in directing and design at Abilene Christian University, Midkiff found the play "a little slow."
But then she saw a video of the 1961 telecast of "Waiting for Godot" that starred Zero Mostel as Estragon and Burgess Meredith as Vladimir.
"I enjoyed the humor in it," said Midkiff (even though Beckett famously said he didn't like it because "My play wasn't written for this box").
"Our particular production is set in Hell," said Midkiff. "Not the Dante's 'Inferno' kind, but a hell that's the absence of life. The only set piece is a tree, and it is barely hanging on to life. Estragon and Vladimir are waiting for redemption or a salvation from the interminable weight of their lifeless existence."
Midkiff received a master of fine arts from Texas Tech University.
In KVPAC's production, Magyar portrays Vladimir opposite the director's husband, Andy Midkiff, as Estragon. He teaches theater at Morton Ranch Junior High School.
His wife previously directed him and Magyar in Richard Dresser's two-character play "Rounding Third" and Larry Shue's popular comedy "The Foreigner," both at KVPAC.
The couple's children are Eli, 3, and Clara Jo, 20 months.
"Eli just finished his first art camp at KVPAC and he loved it," said his mother. "He made a puppet that he is most proud of, a dwarf from 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.' He's looking forward to theater camp later this summer."
Rounding out the cast of "Waiting for Godot" are Frank Mena as Pozzo, Mark Redd as Lucky and Nick Harrison as Boy.
LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch has a full schedule of community activities this summer, ranging from free dance classes for children to movie nights to a summer family festival.
"We are very active in our community by offering events that appeal to different audiences," said Lindsay Kaye, spokeswoman for the outdoor shopping center. "We've been doing this since we opened in 2007."
On the third Saturday of each month is the Houston Ride 'n Shine Car Show at LaCenterra, 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd. The free morning event, scheduled for 8-10 a.m., features rare and collectible vehicles. Guests can take a close look at each car and talk to the owners.
Scheduled for Sunday, July 31, is Houston Family Magazine's 2016 Summer Fun Fest, set from noon to 4 p.m.
The day of free activities will include face painting, inflatables, a rock wall, arts and crafts, door prizes, goodie bags and stage performances.
Additional children's activities coming to LaCenterra include Gymboree Parachute Play Time, set for 10 a.m.-noon July 20, Aug. 17 and Sept. 21. With guidance from adult leaders, children get to play on top of and under a large, colorful parachute.
"They take up our courtyard area with all of their equipment," Kaye said. "All of the kiddos are out there playing, and the parents have fun with all of the toys, too."
Move Dance and Fitness Center provides free dance classes for children through the Move It program. Upcoming sessions will take place 10-11 a.m. July 23, Aug. 27 and Sept. 24. Children are organized by age groups.
The next Movie Nights of the summer will take place at dusk Aug. 27 and Sept. 24 at LaCenterra's Heritage Square.
The June presentation was "Space Jam," and upcoming showings will be announced. Movie Nights are presented in cooperation with Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. Blankets and lawn chairs are welcome.
Also coming to LaCenterra is the Katy/West Houston Walk to End Alzheimer's, set for 7 a.m.- noon Saturday, Sept. 17.
This event is among 600 that take place nationwide each year to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support and research.
For information about the 5K walk and fundraiser, visit act.alz.org and click on the "Walk to End Alzheimer's" icon. Then click "Find Your Walk."
You may also contact Fredy Batres at 713-314-1373 or walk@alztex.org
Visit http://www.lacenterra.com for more information about summer activities at LaCenterra.
A Montgomery County commissioner will temporarily fill the role of chief executive while County Judge Craig Doyal remains suspended for allegedly violating Texas' open-meetings law.
The four remaining members of commissioners court, two of whom are also under indictment in the same case, voted unanimously Tuesday to appoint Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Meador as county judge pro tem, meaning he will sign official papers and carry out duties that Doyal handles. Meador was tapped because he is the longest-serving commissioner; he was not indicted in the case.
Meador said he hopes his stint as judge will be brief and that he expects Doyal to return quickly -- perhaps in two or three weeks -- from his suspension, which was ordered by a state panel that oversees county judges, including those like Doyal who do not have judicial responsibilities.
During the commissioners' meeting, a citizen denounced the panel as an unelected bureaucracy interfering with local affairs and bypassing the presumption of innocence. "This administrative punishment is totally against everything in our Constitution," the speaker said.
An appeal of Doyal's suspension is scheduled for July 26 in Austin.
The appointment comes shortly before the annual budgeting process, which begins later this month.
Doyal's chief of staff, James Fredricks, said the county judge's office has continued operating in his boss's absence. Fredericks added that Doyal has not visited the office since his suspension but said they talk frequently on the phone -- as friends, not as officials.
Fredericks said he's heard lots of "frustration" from citizens over the judge's suspension, along the lines of the man who spoke up during the commissioners' meeting.
Last month, a county grand jury indicted Doyal, Commissioners Charlie Riley and Jim Clark and political consultant Marc Davenport on misdemeanor charges of violating the Texas Open Meetings Act by talking in private about the potential structure of a $280 million proposal before placing it on last November's ballot.
Doyal and Davenport have denied wrongdoing; Clark and Riley haven't responded to Chronicle inquiries.
Violating the open meetings law is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 or a jail term of up to six months.
In the parking lot of The Woodlands High School, Jamie Austin hops into the front passenger side of a gray Chevy Malibu, puts on her seatbelt and gets ready for a potentially bumpy ride.
She takes a deep breath as her 16-year-old driver buckles up and acclimates to the new car. They have an hour-long drive, and she needs to be focused. Austin, the driver and a student observer finally pulled out onto Research Forest Drive as they began a long, twisting journey that spanned from Market Street in The Woodlands to Magnolia.
"When I tell you to turn right or left, I will always tell you ahead of time. I won't tell you last minute," Austin tells her student driver. "If I don't tell you to turn right, just keep going straight."
Austin has been a driver's education instructor for nine years at the Region 6 Education Service Center in Montgomery County. Her and a handful of instructors will prepare dozens of students in The Woodlands this summer to be cautious, defensive drivers. Some students have never been behind the wheel and are frightened at the prospect of making a big, irreversible mistake. Austin frequently counsels her anxious students. But before long, they go from total novice to experienced driver.
"A lot of them are so nervous, they don't know what to expect. I've had kids shaking so bad, we couldn't get them out of the parking lot," Austin said. "Even the best drivers can make mistakes."
The state-approved curriculum includes a minimum of 32 hours of classroom instruction, 12 hours of simulated driving, four hours of observation, four hours of behind-the-wheel instruction, a two-hour video on distracted driving and a 30-hour individual driving log. To enroll in the 12-day course, students must be in good standing with their school - no owed fees or bad attendance records.
Students from across Montgomery County come to The Woodlands for driver's education. Austin's student driver for the afternoon was James Maddux, a Magnolia West High School student. It's not his first time behind the wheel in the driver's education course, but he's still a fledgling driver. He had a few hard stops as the traffic lights shift to red, rolled over a curb on a tight turn and hesitated a few times as he attempted to merge into oncoming traffic.
"She's one of my favorite instructors. She gives information dead on," Maddux said. "A lot of the instructors are nervous about it and like to brake check you all the time I've had instructors go "No!" right on the highway."
While Maddux was driving through The Woodlands, which was unfamiliar to him, student observer Sara Muschenheim was getting a free tour of her home town from the backseat.
Muschenheim, a 15-year-old at The Woodlands College Park High School, is younger than most kids enrolled in the program. Though she won't receive her driver's license before her 17th birthday, she wants plenty of time to sharpen her skills.
"I wanted to get it over with so that I could get enough practice done," Muschenheim said, adding that though much of the instruction wasn't completely foreign, "you actually know how to do things like at a four-way stop or a T-road."
Like most teenagers, the idea of self-reliance - being able to drive whenever, wherever - and hang out with friends is the epitome of freedom. And a driver's license is the ticket.
"I want to be able to drive myself places and not have to rely on my parents to take me everywhere. I'm in color guard, and we have crazy practice schedules," Muschenheim said, though admittedly she'd like to drive to the mall and Market Street with friends with her newfound freedom, too.
The group safely made it back to the high school, and Austin filled out paperwork for both students. Maddux received credit for another hour of driving instruction. Muschenheim received credit for an hour of observation.
Teenagers may come and go, but Austin takes pride in knowing their safe driving skills are from the hours she's invested in every one of her students.
"These kids don't know about life yet. That's why teaching them a life skill is rewarding and scary," Austin said. "We give the kids a lot of responsibility. It's a privilege to get a license."
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The first black Miss Alabama has been placed on administrative leave from her job at a Miami television station after she called the man accused in the shooting deaths of five Dallas police officers a "martyr" on social media.
Kalyn Chapman James posted an emotional video from her vehicle Sunday explaining that she doesn't condone violence but she feels guilty for not feeling sad for the officers who lost their lives.
"I know it's not the right way to feel because nobody deserves to lose their lives and I know those police officers have families and people who love them and that they didn't deserve to die," James said. "But I'm so torn up in my heart about seeing these men -- these black men -- being gunned down in our communities that I can't help feel like ... I wasn't surprised by what the shooter did to those cops."
The local television station James worked for, WPBT2, issued a statement on its Twitter account Monday afternoon stating that "WPBT2 South Florida PBS does not condone the personal statements made by one of its independent contractors regarding the events in Dallas." The station did not name James directly.
"It placed the contractor on administrative leave while it actively and carefully looks further into the matter and will determine additional course of actions based on its thorough review of the matter," according to the station's post.
RELATED: Dallas police shooter was excused from Houston group years ago
The statement reiterated that the station supports non-violent approaches to policy reforms.
"In fact, we go to great lengths to bring viewers in-depth and meaningful programming that examines important issues that directly impact our communities and country such as criminal justice reforms and race relations."
James hosts a weekly art program on WPFT2 called Art Loft. The show highlights local performances, artists and exhibitions.
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James told WPMI 15 that since posting the video, the wife a Dallas police officer has contacted her.
"She said that she watched my video and she wasn't mad, she understood what I was saying and that she forgave me," James told the TV station.
Oscar Del Toro has never held elected office in Pasadena -- he lost his bid for a City Council position last year -- yet he's been the object of considerable national media attention focused on the blue-collar community southeast of Houston.
Del Toro, who came to the United States from Monterrey, Mexico, in 2000 and became a citizen six years later, was featured in a New York Times Magazine article last December that examined threats to Latino voting rights. As a prominent example, the article explored the causes and effects of the 2014 election in which Pasadena changed its City Council structure, shifting from a system in which all eight members were elected from districts to one with six district seats and two citywide, or at-large, positions.
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Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula installed the massive deckhouse onto LHA 7, the Tripoli, on Saturday -- three weeks ahead of schedule.
(Ingalls Shipbuilding)
PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- Ingalls Shipbuilding installed the massive deckhouse onto amphibious assault ship LHA 7 -- the Tripoli -- Saturday, three weeks ahead of schedule.
It took three huge cranes to lift the 701-ton structure, which is comprised of five deck levels and includes radio and radar spaces, primary flight control station and the pilot house, according to Premo Sabbatini, LHA 7 program director.
"Performing this milestone ahead of schedule is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our shipbuilders," Sabbatini said.
The lifting of the deckhouse is a major milestone in the construction of a ship and begins in the integration of the three largest sections of the ship.
"Ingalls Shipbuilding continues to be the builder of choice when it comes to the construction of amphibious warships for the U.S. Navy," said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias. "We are benefitting from serial production, including our process of rolling over the same shipbuilding crews to work on the large-deck amphibious ships."
The Tripoli will be the third ship to beat the name commemorating the capture of Derma by U.S. Marines and a multinational force in 1805. The battle is memorialized in the Marine Corp Hymn with the lyric "to the shores of Tripoli."
LHA 7, the newest in the USS America (LHA 6) class, will have increased aviation capacity, including an enlarged hangar deck, realignment and expansion of the aviation maintenance facilities, a significant increase in available stowage for parts and support equipment, and increased aviation fuel capacity.
Ingalls has built five Tarawa-class amphibious assault ships and eight in the Wasp-class. The Pascagoula shipyard was recently awarded the contract for LHA 8.
Like its predecessors, the Tripoli will be able to operate as a flagship for an Expeditionary Strike Group.
"It's a busy time on LHA 7, and our construction milestones continue to clock in ahead of schedule," Cuccias said. "We look forward to delivering another quality amphibious ship to our customer in 2018."
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Former President George W. Bush, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama smile as they react to comments from Dallas Police Chief David Brown during a memorial service at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas ,Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Five police officers were killed and several injured during a shooting in downtown Dallas last Thursday night.
(Eric Gay/The Associated Press)
DALLAS -- After each fatal shooting of a black man by an officer, President Barack Obama has swiftly spoken out against bad policing, giving voice to the generations of African-Americans who have found themselves at the wrong end of a baton, a snarling dog or a gun.
As much as those words have comforted blacks, they have rankled many of the nation's men and women in blue. Some have described the remarks as a slap in the face, an all-too-quick condemnation before all the facts are in and a failure to acknowledge the thousands of cops who do a good job and routinely risk their lives.
"It would just be nice for him to say 'Hey, I support what you're doing,'" said Scott Hughes, chief of police in Hamilton Township, a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. "The president doesn't defend the police. It's very one-sided."
On Tuesday, Obama traveled to Dallas to pay tribute to the five officers who were slain by a sniper at a peaceful protest. The president offered perhaps his strongest words yet of support for law enforcement, calling them heroes who died while preserving a constitutional right.
"Like police officers across the country, these men and their families shared a commitment to something larger than themselves," Obama said.
But for many in law enforcement, Obama's words, while welcome, are greeted with suspicion. Does he really believe it and feel it? They point to perceived slights dating back to his first term, and they believe he has helped stoke the flames of hatred for police.
Soon after Obama took office, police said, they sensed they wouldn't get the same appreciation as shown by his two predecessors, who seemed to have officers' backs.
Under President Bill Clinton, the Crime Bill of 1994 provided money to hire tens of thousands of new police. The image of President George W. Bush gathering with first responders in the rubble of the World Trade Center also sent a powerful message.
Just seven months into Obama's first term, Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates was arrested as he returned home late one night and tried to open his jammed front door. The white officer who responded to a report of a possible break-in arrested him for disorderly conduct.
The incident sparked a debate about racial profiling with Obama saying police had acted "stupidly."
Pinal County (Ariz.) Sheriff Paul Babeu, a longtime Obama critic whose jurisdiction sits between Phoenix and Tucson, said the president has undermined law enforcement throughout his tenure by raising issues of race and casting aspersions about officers in highly publicized police encounters.
The Gates incident also irritated Travis Yates, a major with the Tulsa, Okla., police department and editor of lawofficer.com.
"That really was the tell-tale sign of his ideology" against police, Yates said.
The distrust has only deepened with each police shooting of a black man. Officers have seen Obama attend memorial services or send representatives. But until Tuesday, they said, the president had not shown the same outpouring after the death of a police officer.
It's more than just the symbolism that troubles them.
They point to Obama's opposition to providing police with surplus military equipment, which officers generally believe is essential to ensuring their safety and responding effectively to acts of terror or other mass violence. It feels like Obama isn't interested in giving them the tools they need to do their jobs and stay safe.
"His policies, time and time again, put officers back on their heels," Yates said.
For some, the relationship is so frayed that Obama's words of support for law enforcement ring hollow.
"Maybe it's not fair because we look at everything he says and think he's not genuine," Yates said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law measures that ban preaching, religious teaching and evangelizing anywhere other than churches and other religious sites, Christianity Today reports.
The anti-terrorism laws overwhelmingly approved by both houses of the Russian legislature have been called the most restrictive since the fall of the Soviet Union. Putin signed the measures late last week.. The laws specifically outlaw such religious activities in private residences and online.
Alexandria Vera, the 24-year-old Aldine middle school teacher accused of having a long-term sexual relationship with a 13-year-old boy, will return to court next month as prosecutors and her defense lawyers continue to investigate the allegations.
Vera appeared Tuesday in state District Judge Michael McSpadden's court but her case was reset.
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On July 1 the Texas-based brand Yeti filed paperwork with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to take the company public, according to Forbes.
Once the application is approved, the brand will be known on the New York Stock Exchange as the stock symbol YETI.
RELATED: Yeti finds no lid on the high end of coolers
The companys Rambler mug has been a hot seller across the board with hunters, fishermen and everyday commuters alike. Its coolers remain highly popular, even with prices ranging from $249 to $1,200.
Call it a status symbol, a totem Texas pride or both -- the brand reported in its initial public offering, or IPO, filing that it had a net sales growth from $89.9 million in 2013 to $468.9 million in 2015. The companys net income increased from $7.3 million in 2013 to $74.2 million in 2015.
Thats a lot of coolers and drinkware.
RELATED: Texas couple credits a Yeti cooler for saving their lives after boat trouble
None of the advertising materials Yeti uses shows the Rambler in two settings that we know to be common: held by a harried commuter white-knuckling it on the way to work in rush hour hell or filled with a mixed drink at a family function.
Most of the time were seeing Yeti's products used by guys relaxing on boats, at campsites or next to babbling streams without a care in the world.
We need to hang out with those people more.
Having filed the application to go public, the company is in a quiet period that's heavily regulated by the securities commission, so it was unable to comment or participate in this story.
Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is among the lawmakers accompanying President Barack Obama aboard Air Force One as he travels to Dallas to speak at an interfaith memorial service for five police officers killed on Thursday.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest says Tuesday that Cruz's presence, as well as speeches from former President George W. Bush and GOP Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, are examples of how the country is not nearly as divided as it might seem given political debates, campaign rhetoric and congressional dysfunction.
SAN ANTONIO On Monday morning, just two days before Kevin Sweeneys birthday, the West Side Red Roof Inn where he works became the fifth and final target in a robbery spree that landed three men in jail.
Sweeney said he has worked at the business, 6861 Highway 90, for about four months. Prior to starting at the hotel, he worked for several years at another nearby hotel, and was always concerned about robberies.
Being in this area, you kind of are waiting for it to happen because its gotten really bad in the last couple of years, especially, he said.
RELATED: Police: 3 arrested in crime spree that hit 5 businesses in San Antonio
Surveillance footage of the incident shows a man wearing a scarf around his neck enter the business just after 7 a.m. and say something to Sweeney, who stands behind a counter in an otherwise empty lobby.
Another man then enters and quickly makes his way behind the counter.
Actually, what he said to me was Im going to mess you up, Sweeney said. And at that point I realized that I (was) in a fight.
The suspect who had gone behind the counter can be seen throwing a punch at Sweeneys head, which misses.
RELATED: San Antonio law enforcement on alert after bricks, bullets used to target officers over weekend
Sweeney swung back, striking the man twice in the head and knocking him to the ground.
The second suspect ran around the counter as well and tried to pistol whip Sweeney, the video shows.
He said he stared down the barrel of the gun, then did his best to plead with the attackers and convince them not to shoot him.
At the time, Sweeney had no clue that the pair who robbed him were suspected of hitting four other businesses along with another accomplice not shown in the video earlier in the morning.
San Antonio Police Department spokesman Officer Douglas Greene said officers received a report of the first robbery around 5:10 a.m. at a convenience store in the 100 block of Demya Drive.
Police arrived at that location and gathered information on the suspects, but were unable to find them.
RELATED: Two men injured by gunshots in botched North Side apartment robbery
Fewer than 20 minutes later, reports of another robbery came out at another store in the 6700 block of Medina Base Road. The description of the suspects in that robbery matched with details from the first incident on Demya Drive, police said.
Two other robbery calls followed at 6:18 a.m. and 6:52 a.m. before the suspects arrived at the Red Roof Inn.
Sweeney said he picked up his phone after the robbers took off, but he didnt even have time to dial 911 before officers arrived and ran them down.
Police identified the suspects as Devion Pitts, 19, Kevin Wayne Moore, 18, and Danny Juan Cesar Soto, 18, all three face robbery charges, according to SAPD.
mdwilson@express-news.net
Twitter: @MDWilsonSA
Lawmakers on Tuesday derided the practice of giving state employees weeks and months of emergency leave in lieu of severance pay or as part of a settlement as was done by the offices of Attorney General Ken Paxton, Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush and Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller.
"It's being used as a bargaining chip to settle out. Folks leave and they get a soft landing," said Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio, who said the state allows too much ambiguity in awarding leave. "Maybe that's legal but that doesn't pass the smell test."
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- The heavily-traveled south end of Washington Avenue in Ocean Springs will remain closed at least through the end of the week after a large water main blew Monday afternoon.
South Washington
Avenue serves as the east entrance to Ocean Springs Front Beach.
Public Works Director Johnny Groue said his department was notified of the break around 3 p.m. Monday. Crews have managed to isolate the break and stop the flow of water, but there is still much work to be done.
"It's a concrete street, so it's a lot more work," Groue said. "Plus, we're at high tide right now and that fills the hole right there and that complicates the process."
Residents serviced by the water main still have water and should notice no difference in pressure, Groue said, explaining that the area is served by two mains. With the Washington Avenue main cut off, there is still one providing water to the area.
With the break isolated, work to repair the street is underway and Groue hopes to be able to reopen Washington Avenue to traffic "by the end of the week. That's what I'm shooting for."
Once that's complete, crews will bore a hole through the ground east of the roadway to make permanent repairs. Groue noted, however, that the entire main will have to be replaced -- and soon. It's one of several aging water mains throughout the city in need of replacement.
"It's time," Groue said. "A lot of these old asbestos mains are brittle. But you've got to have the funding to do it."
Many of the old water mains run directly under city streets, including one on Iberville, which broke Tuesday, closing traffic between Vermont and Sunset Avenues. A boil water notice is in effect for that area.
Groue noted the board of aldermen adopted a resolution a number of years ago which now prevents new utilities from running underneath public streets.
The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p.
The new protective regulations announced today by USFWS will protect grizzly bears from some of the most wanton and misguided methods of killing them, as well as black bears, wolves, and coyotes on our public lands in Alaska . Photo by Alamy
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A Congressman who shot a grizzly bear and pinned the animal to a wall in his Washington, D.C. office is trying to subvert two closely related federal rulemaking actions that would stop some of the most ruthless predator-killing practices on the most important of our federal lands in Alaska.
This week, the 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives are expected to consider an amendment, offered by Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, to block the federal government from stopping the political appointees at the Alaska Board of Game from allowing such egregious tactics as using airplanes to scout and shoot grizzly bears; luring grizzlies with pet food to get a point blank kill; killing wolf, black bear, and coyote mothers and their young at their dens; and trapping of grizzly and black bears with steel-jawed leghold traps and wire snares on lands administered by the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Its almost unimaginable that anyone would try to sanction these appalling and unsporting hunting and predator control practices anywhere, but here Young is pushing for it to happen on National Park Service land and also on national wildlife refuges. Is nothing sacred?
I urge you to call your U.S. Representative (202-225-3121) and urge him or her to oppose Representative Youngs amendment #11 to the Interior Departments annual spending bill and to support the decision by professional federal wildlife managers to set some minimum standards on how predators will be treated on national preserves and wildlife refuges.
The Young amendment would reverse a rule adopted months ago by the National Park Service to provide some minimal protections for grizzly bears, wolves, and other predators on federal lands. The Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing a nearly identical rule for national wildlife refuges.
A statewide poll conducted by Remington Research Group in February, after the FWS proposed rule was published, showed that Alaska voters strongly support eliminating these cruel and unsporting practices on national wildlife refuges. At a series of public meetings on the proposed rules, hundreds of Alaskans turned out to support the rulemaking actions because they want these inhumane, unfair practices to end. So its just a false claim from Young that the people of Alaska want to see these practices of federal lands in Alaska; the polling shows exactly the opposite.
Throngs of people from around the world travel to Alaska each year for the unique opportunity to see bears, wolves, river otters, wolverines, bobcats, and lynx in Americas national parks, preserves, and refugees. In its 2016 economic report, the National Park Service found that, In 2015, park visitors spent an estimated $1.2 billion in local gateway regions while visiting NPS lands in Alaska. These expenditures supported a total of 17.6 thousand jobs, $595.5 million in labor income, $1 billion in value added, and $1.7 billion in economic output in the Alaska economy.
Don Youngs amendment is economic development in reverse. If his amendment is adopted, thousands of people will be robbed of the chance to see these animals in the wild. That robs Alaska of its most sustainable and ecologically friendly source of tourism dollars.
Then again, Rep. Young isnt representing all the people of Alaska. Young, who serves on the national board of the National Rifle Association, is shilling for special interests in his state specifically, the small crowd who hate predators and will contravene accepted ethical standards to kill them on the very lands that the federal government has authority to manage. Its an attack on federal wildlife managers, an assault on economic development, and its cruel and unsporting. Congress should tell Don Young it wants nothing to do with these dreadful, life-denying plans.
Wow, where does the time go? Oregon wine month is over and warmer days are upon us. By no means does that mean you should lighten up on your consumption of locally produced wines. In fact, for the entire summer, you should double down, and grab some of the finest pink wines the world has to offer. Jump on up, and get on down with some fine Oregon Rose. While you are sipping on some of that eye pleasing, palate-piquing, pink elixir we call Rose of Pinot noir, please check out the tremendous 2016 line-up for Bon Appetit Presents Feast Portland 2016. Many dinners and events are selling out fast so get your tickets as soon as you can.
This will be the fifth annual Feast Portland and it looks as though they plan to outdo the fabulous extravaganza that was Feast Portland 2015. Here are some of the donation digits from last year's phenomenally successful event. Feast Portland's fourth year crosses the finish line as their best year yet.
The festival welcomed 13,793 guests; donated $69,671 to No Kid Hungry and Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon; the Oregonian Media Group contributed $10,000 toward ending hunger.
Last year's Feast Portland was such a mind blowing production the events are still emblazoned into my memory which by now, cannot be considered short-term (and I lose a lot of that). In fact, I do not think I wrote about my individual favorites from last year so on that note, let me give some long overdue shout-outs and adoration to the chefs and winemakers who made Feast 2015 the summertime soiree of my dreams.
No, really--Feast 2015 kicked-butt, starting with the Widmer Sandwich Invitational and all the great chefs who participated. Aaron Franklin, famous Q-master from Austin, Texas came all the way to PDX to serve up some of his fine, slow smoked BBQ brisket and as good as it was it still did not get my vote for best sandwich of the night. The prize was awarded to Gregory Gourdet from Departure. His Chinese BBQ Pork crepe rocked big-time!
Chinese BBQ Crepe
All the contestants entries were straight-up delicious. This year Aaron Franklin's BBQ from Austin, Texas is back for 2016; so get in there and try some of his BBQ because the flavor is as big as the state of Texas. It is legitimately MacDaddy Delicious!
Oregon Bounty proved to be a continuation of the previous night's edible excellence. All of Pioneer Courthouse Square was abuzz with savory vittles and viniferous offerings from local producers. Elizabeth Chambers was pouring my favorite Pinot noir of the day, a robust style very few winemakers do well, but Michael Stevenson pulls it off vintage after vintage. Combine that beverage and the sausages Olympic Provisions was serving up and it was satisfaction in a MacDaddy moment. If you have the all-access ticket remember to pace yourself.
USA Pears Night Market @ Zidell Yards will be back for 2016. Below are some of the delectable offering's from last year.
Pork Belly Pate Egg Roll
The best dish in my opinion was Mei Lin's Pork belly pate egg rolls with Fish sauce and lemon glaze. Also noteworthy and delicious was the Macau Rice Crisp with Nori, Pork Floss, Fish Sauce Caramel and Fried Shallot from Abraham Conlon (also with Adrienne Lo) of Fat Rice in Chicago; for most it was either a love it or hate it dish. Troy MacLarty of Bollywood Theater presented the best version of cauliflower with sweet and sour sauce, curry leaves, and garam masala I have ever tasted.
Sweet and Sour Cauliflower
Biggest surprise was from the Allison Inn's chef Sunny (confidence is my middle name) Jin. His Goat Tartare with Charred Green Tomato, Frozen Egg, and Panisse Croutons had to be the most daring dish of the evening.
Smoked 2015 was not an event for the traditional BBQ enthusiast; it went way beyond the boundaries of traditional BBQ in a good way. Twenty-six chefs from around the country lit their best fires and smoked to the limits of creativity. Crispy smoked Oyster Mushrooms from The Painted Lady's chef Allen Rout paired magnificently with Solena Wineries' 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon. Then there was Salt and Straw's Smoked Snickers bar with Marion berries and Smoked Honey taking the limits of smoked foods to the edge.
For 2016, the Oregonian Media Group Smoked event sponsored by Tillamook Cheese has already sold out. On the heels of the fabulously successful Smoked 2015, it's no big surprise. This statement, from Carrie Welch Feast co-founder and creator set-up the early sell-out; "We are always trying to top ourselves," said Feast co-founder Carrie Welch. "Our No. 1 challenge is to do it bigger, better, faster than before. Year four is the year of Smoked, then year five we'll have some tricks up our sleeves." The tricks up her sleeve materialized as the new Fun Sized events for year five of Feast PDX.
Get your tickets as soon as you can for this year as they are almost all gone. If you missed an event or dinner that sold out already make sure to buy early next year for Feast PDX number six in 2017. Eat well, Drink well, Live well. Enjoy!
THE SOUTH CHINA SEA ARBITRATION (THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES V. THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA)
The Hague, 12 July 2016
The Tribunal Renders Its Award
A unanimous Award has been issued today by the Tribunal constituted under Annex VII to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (the Convention) in the arbitration instituted by the Republic of the Philippines against the Peoples Republic of China.
This arbitration concerned the role of historic rights and the source of maritime entitlements in the South China Sea, the status of certain maritime features and the maritime entitlements they are capable of generating, and the lawfulness of certain actions by China that were alleged by the Philippines to violate the Convention. In light of limitations on compulsory dispute settlement under the Convention, the Tribunal has emphasized that it does not rule on any question of sovereignty over land territory and does not delimit any boundary between the Parties.
China has repeatedly stated that it will neither accept nor participate in the arbitration unilaterally initiated by the Philippines. Annex VII, however, provides that the [a]bsence of a party or failure of a party to defend its case shall not constitute a bar to the proceedings. Annex VII also provides that, in the event that a party does not participate in the proceedings, a tribunal must satisfy itself not only that it has jurisdiction over the dispute but also that the claim is well founded in fact and law. Accordingly, throughout these proceedings, the Tribunal has taken steps to test the accuracy of the Philippines claims, including by requesting further written submissions from the Philippines, by questioning the Philippines both prior to and during two hearings, by appointing independent experts to report to the Tribunal on technical matters, and by obtaining historical evidence concerning features in the South China Sea and providing it to the Parties for comment.
China has also made clearthrough the publication of a Position Paper in December 2014 and in other official statementsthat, in its view, the Tribunal lacks jurisdiction in this matter. Article 288 of the Convention provides that: In the event of a dispute as to whether a court or tribunal has jurisdiction, the matter shall be settled by decision of that court or tribunal. Accordingly, the Tribunal convened a hearing on jurisdiction and admissibility in July 2015 and rendered an Award on Jurisdiction and Admissibility on 29 October 2015, deciding some issues of jurisdiction and deferring others for further consideration. The Tribunal then convened a hearing on the merits from 24 to 30 November 2015.
The Award of todays date addresses the issues of jurisdiction not decided in the Award on Jurisdiction and Admissibility and the merits of the Philippines claims over which the Tribunal has jurisdiction. The Award is final and binding, as set out in Article 296 of the Convention and Article 11 of Annex VII.
Historic Rights and the Nine-Dash Line: The Tribunal found that it has jurisdiction to consider the Parties dispute concerning historic rights and the source of maritime entitlements in the South China Sea. On the merits, the Tribunal concluded that the Convention comprehensively allocates rights to maritime areas and that protections for pre-existing rights to resources were considered, but not adopted in the Convention. Accordingly, the Tribunal concluded that, to the extent China had historic rights to resources in the waters of the South China Sea, such rights were extinguished to the extent they were incompatible with the exclusive economic zones provided for in the Convention. The Tribunal also noted that, although
Chinese navigators and fishermen, as well as those of other States, had historically made use of the islands in the South China Sea, there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or their resources. The Tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line.
Status of Features: The Tribunal next considered entitlements to maritime areas and the status of features. The Tribunal first undertook an evaluation of whether certain reefs claimed by China are above water at high tide. Features that are above water at high tide generate an entitlement to at least a 12 nautical mile territorial sea, whereas features that are submerged at high tide do not. The Tribunal noted that the reefs have been heavily modified by land reclamation and construction, recalled that the Convention classifies features on their natural condition, and relied on historical materials in evaluating the features. The Tribunal then considered whether any of the features claimed by China could generate maritime zones beyond 12 nautical miles. Under the Convention, islands generate an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles and a continental shelf, but [r]ocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf. The Tribunal concluded that this provision depends upon the objective capacity of a feature, in its natural condition, to sustain either a stable community of people or economic activity that is not dependent on outside resources or purely extractive in nature. The Tribunal noted that the current presence of official personnel on many of the features is dependent on outside support and not reflective of the capacity of the features. The Tribunal found historical evidence to be more relevant and noted that the Spratly Islands were historically used by small groups of fishermen and that several Japanese fishing and guano mining enterprises were attempted. The Tribunal concluded that such transient use does not constitute inhabitation by a stable community and that all of the historical economic activity had been extractive. Accordingly, the Tribunal concluded that none of the Spratly Islands is capable of generating extended maritime zones. The Tribunal also held that the Spratly Islands cannot generate maritime zones collectively as a unit. Having found that none of the features claimed by China was capable of generating an exclusive economic zone, the Tribunal found that it couldwithout delimiting a boundarydeclare that certain sea areas are within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, because those areas are not overlapped by any possible entitlement of China.
Lawfulness of Chinese Actions: The Tribunal next considered the lawfulness of Chinese actions in the South China Sea. Having found that certain areas are within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, the Tribunal found that China had violated the Philippines sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone by (a) interfering with Philippine fishing and petroleum exploration, (b) constructing artificial islands and (c) failing to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing in the zone. The Tribunal also held that fishermen from the Philippines (like those from China) had traditional fishing rights at Scarborough Shoal and that China had interfered with these rights in restricting access. The Tribunal further held that Chinese law enforcement vessels had unlawfully created a serious risk of collision when they physically obstructed Philippine vessels.
Harm to Marine Environment: The Tribunal considered the effect on the marine environment of Chinas recent large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands at seven features in the Spratly Islands and found that China had caused severe harm to the coral reef environment and violated its obligation to preserve and protect fragile ecosystems and the habitat of depleted, threatened, or endangered species. The Tribunal also found that Chinese authorities were aware that Chinese fishermen have harvested endangered sea turtles, coral, and giant clams on a substantial scale in the South China Sea (using methods that inflict severe damage on the coral reef environment) and had not fulfilled their obligations to stop such activities.
Aggravation of Dispute: Finally, the Tribunal considered whether Chinas actions since the commencement of the arbitration had aggravated the dispute between the Parties. The Tribunal found that it lacked jurisdiction to consider the implications of a stand-off between Philippine marines and Chinese naval and law enforcement vessels at Second Thomas Shoal, holding that this dispute involved military activities and was therefore excluded from compulsory settlement. The Tribunal found, however, that Chinas recent large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands was incompatible with the obligations on a State during dispute resolution proceedings, insofar as China has inflicted irreparable harm to the marine environment, built a large artificial island in the Philippines exclusive economic zone, and destroyed evidence of the natural condition of features in the South China Sea that formed part of the Parties dispute.
An expanded summary of the Tribunals decisions is set out below.
The Tribunal was constituted on 21 June 2013 pursuant to the procedure set out in Annex VII of the
Convention to decide the dispute presented by the Philippines. The Tribunal is composed of Judge Thomas A.
Mensah of Ghana, Judge Jean-Pierre Cot of France, Judge Stanislaw Pawlak of Poland, Professor Alfred
H.A. Soons of the Netherlands, and Judge Rudiger Wolfrum of Germany. Judge Thomas A. Mensah serves as President of the Tribunal. The Permanent Court of Arbitration acts as the Registry in the proceedings.
Further information about the case may be found at www.pcacases.com/web/view/7, including the Award on
Jurisdiction and Admissibility, the Rules of Procedure, earlier Press Releases, hearing transcripts, and photographs. Procedural Orders, submissions by the Philippines, and reports by the Tribunals experts will be made available in due course, as will unofficial Chinese translations of the Tribunals Awards.
Background to the Permanent Court of Arbitration
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) is an intergovernmental organization established by the
1899 Hague Convention on the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes. The PCA has 121 Member
States. Headquartered at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands, the PCA facilitates arbitration, conciliation, fact-finding, and other dispute resolution proceedings among various combinations of States,
State entities, intergovernmental organizations, and private parties. The PCAs International Bureau is currently administering 8 interstate disputes, 73 investor-State arbitrations, and 34 cases arising under contracts involving a State or other public entity. The PCA has administered 12 cases initiated by States under Annex VII to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
In July 2013, the Tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration appointed the PCA to serve as Registry for the proceedings. The Tribunals Rules of Procedure provide that the PCA shall maintain an archive of the arbitral proceedings and provide appropriate registry services as directed by the Arbitral Tribunal. Such services include assisting with the identification and appointment of experts; publishing information about the arbitration and issuing press releases; organizing the hearings at the Peace Palace in The Hague; and the financial management of the case, which involves holding a deposit for expenses in the arbitration, such as to pay arbitrator fees, experts, technical support, court reporters etc. The Registry also serves as the channel of communications amongst the Parties and the Tribunal and observer States.
Photograph: Hearing in session, July 2015, Peace Palace, The Hague. Clockwise from top left: Registrar and PCA Senior Legal Counsel Judith Levine; Judge Stanislaw Pawlak; Professor Alfred H. A. Soons; Judge
Thomas A. Mensah (Presiding Arbitrator); Judge Jean-Pierre Cot; Judge Rudiger Wolfrum; PCA Senior
Legal Counsel Garth Schofield; former Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, Mr. Albert F. Del
Rosario; former Solicitor General Mr. Florin T. Hilbay, Counsel for the Philippines; Mr. Paul S. Reichler;
Professor Philippe Sands; Professor Bernard H. Oxman; Professor Alan E. Boyle; Mr. Lawrence H. Martin.
SUMMARY OF THE TRIBUNALS DECISIONS ON ITS JURISDICTION AND ON THE MERITS OF THE PHILIPPINES CLAIMS
1. Background to the Arbitration
The South China Sea Arbitration between the Philippines and China concerned an application by the Philippines for rulings in respect of four matters concerning the relationship between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea. First, the Philippines sought a ruling on the source of the Parties rights and obligations in the South China Sea and the effect of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Convention) on Chinas claims to historic rights within its so-called nine-dash line. Second, the Philippines sought a ruling on whether certain maritime features claimed by both China and the Philippines are properly characterized as islands, rocks, low-tide elevations or submerged banks under the Convention. The status of these features under the Convention determines the maritime zones they are capable of generating. Third, the Philippines sought rulings on whether certain Chinese actions in the South China Sea have violated the Convention, by interfering with the exercise of the Philippines sovereign rights and freedoms under the Convention or through construction and fishing activities that have harmed the marine environment. Finally, the Philippines sought a ruling that certain actions taken by China, in particular its large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands in the Spratly Islands since this arbitration was commenced, have unlawfully aggravated and extended the Parties dispute.
The Chinese Government has adhered to the position of neither accepting nor participating in these arbitral proceedings. It has reiterated this position in diplomatic notes, in the Position Paper of the Government of the Peoples Republic of China on the Matter of Jurisdiction in the South China Sea Arbitration Initiated by the Republic of the Philippines dated 7 December 2014 (Chinas Position Paper), in letters to members of the Tribunal from the Chinese Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and in many public statements. The Chinese Government has also made clear that these statements and documents shall by no means be interpreted as Chinas participation in the arbitral proceeding in any form.
Two provisions of the Convention address the situation of a party that objects to the jurisdiction of a tribunal and declines to participate in the proceedings:
(a) Article 288 of the Convention provides that: In the event of a dispute as to whether a court or tribunal has jurisdiction, the matter shall be settled by decision of that court or tribunal.
(b) Article 9 of Annex VII to the Convention provides that:
If one of the parties to the dispute does not appear before the arbitral tribunal or fails to defend its case, the other party may request the tribunal to continue the proceedings and to make its award. Absence of a party or failure of a party to defend its case shall not constitute a bar to the proceedings. Before making its award, the arbitral tribunal must satisfy itself not only that it has jurisdiction over the dispute but also that the claim is well founded in fact and law.
Throughout these proceedings, the Tribunal has taken a number of steps to fulfil its duty to satisfy itself as to whether it has jurisdiction and whether the Philippines claims are well founded in fact and law. With respect to jurisdiction, the Tribunal decided to treat Chinas informal communications as equivalent to an objection to jurisdiction, convened a Hearing on Jurisdiction and Admissibility on 7 to 13 July 2015, questioned the Philippines both before and during the hearing on matters of jurisdiction, including potential issues not raised in Chinas informal communications, and issued an Award on Jurisdiction and Admissibility on 29 October 2015 (the Award on Jurisdiction), deciding some issues of jurisdiction and deferring others for further consideration in conjunction with the merits of the Philippines claims. With respect to the merits, the Tribunal sought to test the accuracy of the Philippines claims by requesting further written submissions from the Philippines, by convening a hearing on the merits from 24 to 30 November 2015, by questioning the Philippines both before and during the hearing with respect to its claims, by appointing independent experts to report to the Tribunal on technical matters, and by obtaining historical records and hydrographic survey data for the South China Sea from the archives of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, the National Library of France, and the French National Overseas Archives and providing it to the Parties for comment, along with other relevant materials in the public domain.
2. The Parties Positions
The Philippines made 15 Submissions in these proceedings, requesting the Tribunal to find that:
(1) Chinas maritime entitlements in the South China Sea, like those of the Philippines, may not extend beyond those expressly permitted by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea;
(2) Chinas claims to sovereign rights jurisdiction, and to historic rights, with respect to the maritime areas of the South China Sea encompassed by the so-called nine-dash line are contrary to the Convention and without lawful effect to the extent that they exceed the geographic and substantive limits of Chinas maritime entitlements expressly permitted by UNCLOS;
(3) Scarborough Shoal generates no entitlement to an exclusive economic zone or continental shelf;
(4) Mischief Reef, Second Thomas Shoal, and Subi Reef are low-tide elevations that do not generate entitlement to a territorial sea, exclusive economic zone or continental shelf, and are not features that are capable of appropriation by occupation or otherwise;
(5) Mischief Reef and Second Thomas Shoal are part of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of the Philippines;
(6) Gaven Reef and McKennan Reef (including Hughes Reef) are low-tide elevations that do not generate entitlement to a territorial sea, exclusive economic zone or continental shelf, but their low-water line may be used to determine the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea of Namyit and Sin Cowe, respectively, is measured;
(7) Johnson Reef, Cuarteron Reef and Fiery Cross Reef generate no entitlement to an exclusive economic zone or continental shelf;
(8) China has unlawfully interfered with the enjoyment and exercise of the sovereign rights of the Philippines with respect to the living and non-living resources of its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf;
(9) China has unlawfully failed to prevent its nationals and vessels from exploiting the living resources in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines;
(10) China has unlawfully prevented Philippine fishermen from pursuing their livelihoods by interfering with traditional fishing activities at Scarborough Shoal;
(11) China has violated its obligations under the Convention to protect and preserve the marine environment at Scarborough Shoal, Second Thomas Shoal, Cuarteron Reef, Fiery Cross Reef, Gaven Reef, Johnson Reef, Hughes Reef and Subi Reef;
(12) Chinas occupation of and construction activities on Mischief Reef
(a) violate the provisions of the Convention concerning artificial islands, installations and structures;
(b) violate Chinas duties to protect and preserve the marine environment under the Convention; and
(c) constitute unlawful acts of attempted appropriation in violation of the Convention;
(13) China has breached its obligations under the Convention by operating its law enforcement vessels in a dangerous manner, causing serious risk of collision to Philippine vessels navigating in the vicinity of Scarborough Shoal;
(14) Since the commencement of this arbitration in January 2013, China has unlawfully aggravated and extended the dispute by, among other things:
(a) interfering with the Philippines rights of navigation in the waters at, and adjacent to, Second Thomas Shoal;
(b) preventing the rotation and resupply of Philippine personnel stationed at Second Thomas Shoal;
(c) endangering the health and well-being of Philippine personnel stationed at Second Thomas Shoal; and
(d) conducting dredging, artificial island-building and construction activities at Mischief Reef, Cuarteron Reef, Fiery Cross Reef, Gaven Reef, Johnson Reef, Hughes Reef and Subi Reef; and
(15) China shall respect the rights and freedoms of the Philippines under the Convention, shall comply with its duties under the Convention, including those relevant to the protection and preservation of the marine environment in the South China Sea, and shall exercise its rights and freedoms in the South China Sea with due regard to those of the Philippines under the Convention.
With respect to jurisdiction, the Philippines has asked the Tribunal to declare that the Philippines claims are entirely within its jurisdiction and are fully admissible.
China does not accept and is not participating in this arbitration but stated its position that the Tribunal does not have jurisdiction over this case. In its Position Paper, China advanced the following arguments:
- The essence of the subject-matter of the arbitration is the territorial sovereignty over several maritime features in the South China Sea, which is beyond the scope of the Convention and does not concern the interpretation or application of the Convention;
- China and the Philippines have agreed, through bilateral instruments and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, to settle their relevant disputes through negotiations. By unilaterally initiating the present arbitration, the Philippines has breached its obligation under international law;
- Even assuming, arguendo, that the subject-matter of the arbitration were concerned with the interpretation or application of the Convention, that subject-matter would constitute an integral part of maritime delimitation between the two countries, thus falling within the scope of the declaration filed by China in 2006 in accordance with the Convention, which excludes, inter alia, disputes concerning maritime delimitation from compulsory arbitration and other compulsory dispute settlement procedures;
Although China has not made equivalent public statements with respect to the merits of the majority of the Philippines claims, the Tribunal has sought throughout the proceedings to ascertain Chinas position on the basis of its contemporaneous public statements and diplomatic correspondence.
3. The Tribunals Decisions on the Scope of its Jurisdiction
The Tribunal has addressed the scope of its jurisdiction to consider the Philippines claims both in its Award on Jurisdiction, to the extent that issues of jurisdiction could be decided as a preliminary matter, and in its Award of 12 July 2016, to the extent that issues of jurisdiction were intertwined with the merits of the Philippines claims. The Tribunals Award of 12 July 2016 also incorporates and reaffirms the decisions on jurisdiction taken in the Award on Jurisdiction.
For completeness, the Tribunals decisions on jurisdiction in both awards are summarized here together.
a. Preliminary Matters
In its Award on Jurisdiction, the Tribunal considered a number of preliminary matters with respect to its jurisdiction. The Tribunal noted that both the Philippines and China are parties to the Convention and that the Convention does not permit a State to except itself generally from the mechanism for the resolution of disputes set out in the Convention. The Tribunal held that Chinas non-participation does not deprive the Tribunal of jurisdiction and that the Tribunal had been properly constituted pursuant to the provisions of Annex VII to the Convention, which include a procedure to form a tribunal even in the absence of one party. Finally, the Tribunal rejected an argument set out in Chinas Position Paper and held that the mere act of unilaterally initiating an arbitration cannot constitute an abuse of the Convention.
b. Existence of a Dispute Concerning Interpretation and Application of the Convention
In its Award on Jurisdiction, the Tribunal considered whether the Parties disputes concerned the interpretation or application of the Convention, which is a requirement for resort to the dispute settlement mechanisms of the Convention.
The Tribunal rejected the argument set out in Chinas Position Paper that the Parties dispute is actually about territorial sovereignty and therefore not a matter concerning the Convention. The Tribunal accepted that there is a dispute between the Parties concerning sovereignty over islands in the South China Sea, but held that the matters submitted to arbitration by the Philippines do not concern sovereignty. The Tribunal considered that it would not need to implicitly decide sovereignty to address the Philippines Submissions and that doing so would not advance the sovereignty claims of either Party to islands in the South China Sea.
The Tribunal also rejected the argument set out in Chinas Position Paper that the Parties dispute is actually about maritime boundary delimitation and therefore excluded from dispute settlement by Article 298 of the Convention and a declaration that China made on 25 August 2006 pursuant to that Article. The Tribunal noted that a dispute concerning whether a State has an entitlement to a maritime zone is a distinct matter from the delimitation of maritime zones in an area in which they overlap. The Tribunal noted that entitlements, together with a wide variety of other issues, are commonly considered in a boundary delimitation, but can also arise in other contexts. The Tribunal held that it does not follow that a dispute over each of these issues is necessarily a dispute over boundary delimitation.
Finally, the Tribunal held that each of the Philippines Submissions reflected a dispute concerning the Convention. In doing so, the Tribunal emphasized (a) that a dispute concerning the interaction between the Convention and other rights (including any Chinese historic rights) is a dispute concerning the Convention and (b) that where China has not clearly stated its position, the existence of a dispute may be inferred from the conduct of a State or from silence and is a matter to be determined objectively.
c. Involvement of Indispensable Third-Parties
In its Award on Jurisdiction, the Tribunal considered whether the absence from this arbitration of other States that have made claims to the islands of the South China Sea would be a bar to the Tribunals jurisdiction. The Tribunal noted that the rights of other States would not form the very subject-matter of the decision, the standard for a third-party to be indispensable. The Tribunal further noted that in December 2014, Viet Nam had submitted a statement to the Tribunal, in which Viet Nam asserted that it has no doubt that the Tribunal has jurisdiction in these proceedings. The Tribunal also noted that Viet Nam, Malaysia, and Indonesia had attended the hearing on jurisdiction as observers, without any State raising the argument that its participation was indispensable.
In its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal noted that it had received a communication from Malaysia on 23 June 2016, recalling Malaysias claims in the South China Sea. The Tribunal compared its decisions on the merits of the Philippines Submissions with the rights claimed by Malaysia and reaffirmed its decision that Malaysia is not an indispensable party and that Malaysias interests in the South China Sea do not prevent the Tribunal from addressing the Philippines Submissions.
d. Preconditions to Jurisdiction
In its Award on Jurisdiction, the Tribunal considered the applicability of Articles 281 and 282 of the Convention, which may prevent a State from making use of the mechanisms under the Convention if they have already agreed to another means of dispute resolution.
The Tribunal rejected the argument set out in Chinas Position Paper that the 2002 ChinaASEAN Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea prevented the Philippines from initiating arbitration. The Tribunal held that the Declaration is a political agreement and not legally binding, does not provide a mechanism for binding settlement, does not exclude other means of dispute settlement, and therefore does not restrict the Tribunals jurisdiction under Articles 281 or 282. The Tribunal also considered the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, and the Convention on Biological Diversity, and a series of joint statements issued by the Philippines and China referring to the resolution of disputes through negotiations and concluded that none of these instruments constitute an agreement that would prevent the Philippines from bringing its claims to arbitration.
The Tribunal further held that the Parties had exchanged views regarding the settlement of their disputes, as required by Article 283 of the Convention, before the Philippines initiated the arbitration. The Tribunal concluded that this requirement was met in the record of diplomatic communications between the Philippines and China, in which the Philippines expressed a clear preference for multilateral negotiations involving the other States surrounding the South China Sea, while China insisted that only bilateral talks could be considered.
e. Exceptions and Limitations to Jurisdiction
In its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal considered whether the Philippines Submissions concerning Chinese historic rights and the nine-dash line were affected by the exception from jurisdiction for disputes concerning historic title in Article 298 of the Convention. The Tribunal reviewed the meaning of historic title in the law of the sea and held that this refers to claims of historic sovereignty over bays and other near-shore waters. Reviewing Chinas claims and conduct in the South China Sea, the Tribunal concluded that China claims historic rights to resources within the nine-dash line, but does not claim historic title over the waters of the South China Sea. Accordingly, the Tribunal concluded that it had jurisdiction to consider the Philippines claims concerning historic rights and, as between the Philippines and China, the nine-dash line.
In its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal also considered whether the Philippines Submissions were affected by the exception from jurisdiction in Article 298 for disputes concerning sea boundary delimitation. The Tribunal had already found in its Award on Jurisdiction that the Philippines Submissions do not concern boundary delimitation as such, but noted that several of the Philippines Submissions were dependent on certain areas forming part of the Philippines exclusive economic zone. The Tribunal held that it could only address such submissions if there was no possibility that China could have an entitlement to an exclusive economic zone overlapping that of the Philippines and deferred a final decision on its jurisdiction. In its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal reviewed evidence about the reefs and islands claimed by China in the South China Sea and concluded that none is capable of generating an entitlement to an exclusive economic zone. Because China has no possible entitlement to an exclusive economic zone overlapping that of the Philippines in the Spratly Islands, the Tribunal held that the Philippines submissions were not dependent on a prior delimitation of a boundary.
In its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal also considered whether the Philippines Submissions were affected by the exception from jurisdiction in Article 298 for disputes concerning law enforcement activities in the exclusive economic zone. The Tribunal recalled that the exception in Article 298 would apply only if the Philippines Submissions related to law enforcement activities in Chinas exclusive economic zone. Because, however, the Philippines Submissions related to events in the Philippines own exclusive economic zone or in the territorial sea, the Tribunal concluded that Article 298 did not pose an obstacle to its jurisdiction.
Lastly, in its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal considered whether the Philippines submissions were affected by the exception from jurisdiction in Article 298 for disputes concerning military activities. The Tribunal considered that the stand-off between Philippine marines on Second Thomas Shoal and Chinese naval and law enforcement vessels constituted military activities and concluded that it lacked jurisdiction over the Philippines Submission No. 14(a)-(c). The Tribunal also considered whether Chinas land reclamation and construction of artificial islands at seven features in the Spratly Islands constituted military activities, but noted that China had repeatedly emphasized the non-military nature of its actions and had stated at the highest level that it would not militarize its presence in the Spratlys. The Tribunal decided that it would not deem activities to be military in nature when China itself had repeatedly affirmed the opposite. Accordingly, the Tribunal concluded that Article 298 did not pose an obstacle to its jurisdiction.
4. The Tribunals Decisions on the Merits of the Philippines Claims
a. The Nine-Dash Line and Chinas Claim to Historic Rights in the Maritime Areas of the South China Sea
In its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal considered the implications of Chinas nine-dash line and whether China has historic rights to resources in the South China Sea beyond the limits of the maritime zones that it is entitled to pursuant to the Convention.
The Tribunal examined the history of the Convention and its provisions concerning maritime zones and concluded that the Convention was intended to comprehensively allocate the rights of States to maritime areas. The Tribunal noted that the question of pre-existing rights to resources (in particular fishing resources) was carefully considered during the negotiations on the creation of the exclusive economic zone and that a number of States wished to preserve historic fishing rights in the new zone. This position was rejected, however, and the final text of the Convention gives other States only a limited right of access to fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (in the event the coastal State cannot harvest the full allowable catch) and no rights to petroleum or mineral resources. The Tribunal found that Chinas claim to historic rights to resources was incompatible with the detailed allocation of rights and maritime zones in the Convention and concluded that, to the extent China had historic rights to resources in the waters of the South China Sea, such rights were extinguished by the entry into force of the Convention to the extent they were incompatible with the Conventions system of maritime zones.
The Tribunal also examined the historical record to determine whether China actually had historic rights to resources in the South China Sea prior to the entry into force of the Convention. The Tribunal noted that there is evidence that Chinese navigators and fishermen, as well as those of other States, had historically made use of the islands in the South China Sea, although the Tribunal emphasized that it was not empowered to decide the question of sovereignty over the islands. However, the Tribunal considered that prior to the Convention, the waters of the South China Sea beyond the territorial sea were legally part of the high seas, in which vessels from any State could freely navigate and fish. Accordingly, the Tribunal concluded that historical navigation and fishing by China in the waters of the South China Sea represented the exercise of high seas freedoms, rather than a historic right, and that there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters of the South China Sea or prevented other States from exploiting their resources.
Accordingly, the Tribunal concluded that, as between the Philippines and China, there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources, in excess of the rights provided for by the Convention, within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line.
b. The Status of Features in the South China Sea
In its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal considered the status of features in the South China Sea and the entitlements to maritime areas that China could potentially claim pursuant to the Convention.
The Tribunal first undertook a technical evaluation as to whether certain coral reefs claimed by China are or are not above water at high tide. Under Articles 13 and 121 of the Convention, features that are above water at high tide generate an entitlement to at least a 12 nautical mile territorial sea, whereas features that are submerged at high tide generate no entitlement to maritime zones. The Tribunal noted that many of the reefs in the South China Sea have been heavily modified by recent land reclamation and construction and recalled that the Convention classifies features on the basis of their natural condition. The Tribunal appointed an expert hydrographer to assist it in evaluating the Philippines technical evidence and relied heavily on archival materials and historical hydrographic surveys in evaluating the features. The Tribunal agreed with the Philippines that Scarborough Shoal, Johnson Reef, Cuarteron Reef, and Fiery Cross Reef are high-tide features and that Subi Reef, Hughes Reef, Mischief Reef, and Second Thomas Shoal were submerged at high tide in their natural condition. However, the Tribunal disagreed with the Philippines regarding the status of Gaven Reef (North) and McKennan Reef and concluded that both are high tide features.
The Tribunal then considered whether any of the features claimed by China could generate an entitlement to maritime zones beyond 12 nautical miles. Under Article 121 of the Convention, islands generate an entitlement to an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles and to a continental shelf, but [r]ocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf. The Tribunal noted that this provision was closely linked to the expansion of coastal State jurisdiction with the creation of the exclusive economic zone and was intended to prevent insignificant features from generating large entitlements to maritime zones that would infringe on the entitlements of inhabited territory or on the high seas and the area of the seabed reserved for the common heritage of mankind. The Tribunal interpreted Article 121 and concluded that the entitlements of a feature depend on (a) the objective capacity of a feature, (b) in its natural condition, to sustain either (c) a stable community of people or (d) economic activity that is neither dependent on outside resources nor purely extractive in nature.
The Tribunal noted that many of the features in the Spratly Islands are currently controlled by one or another of the littoral States, which have constructed installations and maintain personnel there. The Tribunal considered these modern presences to be dependent on outside resources and support and noted that many of the features have been modified to improve their habitability, including through land reclamation and the construction of infrastructure such as desalination plants. The Tribunal concluded that the current presence of official personnel on many of the features does not establish their capacity, in their natural condition, to sustain a stable community of people and considered that historical evidence of habitation or economic life was more relevant to the objective capacity of the features. Examining the historical record, the Tribunal noted that the Spratly Islands were historically used by small groups of fishermen from China, as well as other States, and that several Japanese fishing and guano mining enterprises were attempted in the 1920s and 1930s. The Tribunal concluded that temporary use of the features by fishermen did not amount to inhabitation by a stable community and that all of the historical economic activity had been extractive in nature. Accordingly, the Tribunal concluded that all of the high-tide features in the Spratly Islands (including, for example, Itu Aba, Thitu, West York Island, Spratly Island, North-East Cay, South-West Cay) are legally rocks that do not generate an exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.
The Tribunal also held that the Convention does not provide for a group of islands such as the Spratly Islands to generate maritime zones collectively as a unit.
c. Chinese Activities in the South China Sea
In its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal considered the lawfulness under the Convention of various Chinese actions in the South China Sea.
Having found that Mischief Reef, Second Thomas Shoal and Reed Bank are submerged at high tide, form part of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of the Philippines, and are not overlapped by any possible entitlement of China, the Tribunal concluded that the Convention is clear in allocating sovereign rights to the Philippines with respect to sea areas in its exclusive economic zone. The Tribunal found as a matter of fact that China had (a) interfered with Philippine petroleum exploration at Reed Bank, (b) purported to prohibit fishing by Philippine vessels within the Philippines exclusive economic zone, (c) protected and failed to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing within the Philippines exclusive economic zone at Mischief Reef and Second Thomas Shoal, and (d) constructed installations and artificial islands at Mischief Reef without the authorization of the Philippines. The Tribunal therefore concluded that China had violated the Philippines sovereign rights with respect to its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
The Tribunal next examined traditional fishing at Scarborough Shoal and concluded that fishermen from the Philippines, as well as fishermen from China and other countries, had long fished at the Shoal and had traditional fishing rights in the area. Because Scarborough Shoal is above water at high tide, it generates an entitlement to a territorial sea, its surrounding waters do not form part of the exclusive economic zone, and traditional fishing rights were not extinguished by the Convention. Although the Tribunal emphasized that it was not deciding sovereignty over Scarborough Shoal, it found that China had violated its duty to respect to the traditional fishing rights of Philippine fishermen by halting access to the Shoal after May 2012. The Tribunal noted, however, that it would reach the same conclusion with respect to the traditional fishing rights of Chinese fishermen if the Philippines were to prevent fishing by Chinese nationals at Scarborough Shoal.
The Tribunal also considered the effect of Chinas actions on the marine environment. In doing so, the Tribunal was assisted by three independent experts on coral reef biology who were appointed to assist it in evaluating the available scientific evidence and the Philippines expert reports. The Tribunal found that Chinas recent large scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands at seven features in the Spratly Islands has caused severe harm to the coral reef environment and that China has violated its obligation under Articles 192 and 194 of the Convention to preserve and protect the marine environment with respect to fragile ecosystems and the habitat of depleted, threatened, or endangered species. The Tribunal also found that Chinese fishermen have engaged in the harvesting of endangered sea turtles, coral, and giant clams on a substantial scale in the South China Sea, using methods that inflict severe damage on the coral reef environment. The Tribunal found that Chinese authorities were aware of these activities and failed to fulfill their due diligence obligations under the Convention to stop them.
Finally, the Tribunal considered the lawfulness of the conduct of Chinese law enforcement vessels at Scarborough Shoal on two occasions in April and May 2012 when Chinese vessels had sought to physically obstruct Philippine vessels from approaching or gaining entrance to the Shoal. In doing so, the Tribunal was assisted by an independent expert on navigational safety who was appointed to assist it in reviewing the written reports provided by the officers of the Philippine vessels and the expert evidence on navigational safety provided by the Philippines. The Tribunal found that Chinese law enforcement vessels had repeatedly approached the Philippine vessels at high speed and sought to cross ahead of them at close distances, creating serious risk of collision and danger to Philippine ships and personnel. The Tribunal concluded that China had breached its obligations under the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972, and Article 94 the Convention concerning maritime safety.
d. Aggravation of the Dispute between the Parties
In its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal considered whether Chinas recent large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands at seven features in the Spratly Islands since the commencement of the arbitration had aggravated the dispute between the Parties. The Tribunal recalled that there exists a duty on parties engaged in a dispute settlement procedure to refrain from aggravating or extending the dispute or disputes at issue during the pendency of the settlement process. The Tribunal noted that China has (a) built a large artificial island on Mischief Reef, a low-tide elevation located in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines; (b) caused permanent, irreparable harm to the coral reef ecosystem and (c) permanently destroyed evidence of the natural condition of the features in question. The Tribunal concluded that China had violated its obligations to refrain from aggravating or extending the Parties disputes during the pendency of the settlement process.
e. Future Conduct of the Parties
Finally, the Tribunal considered the Philippines request for a declaration that, going forward, China shall respect the rights and freedoms of the Philippines and comply with its duties under the Convention. In this respect, the Tribunal noted that both the Philippines and China have repeatedly accepted that the Convention and general obligations of good faith define and regulate their conduct. The Tribunal considered that the root of the disputes at issue in this arbitration lies not in any intention on the part of China or the Philippines to infringe on the legal rights of the other, but rather in fundamentally different understandings of their respective rights under the Convention in the waters of the South China Sea. The Tribunal recalled that it is a fundamental principle of international law that bad faith is not presumed and noted that Article 11 of Annex VII provides that the award . . . shall be complied with by the parties to the dispute. The Tribunal therefore considered that no further declaration was necessary.
OUTFRONT next. The breaking news. New attacks against police officers around this country as new details emerge tonight about the deadly ambush in Dallas. Was the shooter planning an event larger attack?
Plus, the attack playing out live on Facebook. My guest, the man who risked his life to film it. Why did he do it?
And he survived three tours of duty overseas only to die in the streets of Dallas protecting Americans. The father of that brave police officer is my guest tonight. Let's go OUTFRONT.
Good evening. I'm Erin Burnett. OUTFRONT tonight, the breaking news. Terror in Dallas. New details coming out about the sniper who shot 12 police officers, killing five of them in a six-hour siege last night. It is the deadliest attack on law enforcement since 9/11. Micah Xavier Johnson, a 25-year-old army vet is now believed to be the lone shooter. CNN learning that he was armed with two weapons, a semiautomatic rifle and a handgun.
Police making a stunning discovery in Johnson's home late today. Bomb-making materials, ballistic vests, rifles, ammo and a journal of combat tactics. And we have new video tonight of a witness who captured footage from the parking garage as the gunman appears to be raining the gun fire down on the streets.
BURNETT:
This comes as the nation is on edge, more police officers have come under attack in just the past hours. In Tennessee, a gunman targeting a police officer shouting "Black Lives Matter." In Georgia, a suspect luring a policeman into an apartment complex, shooting and wounding him. And in Missouri, a driver pulled over for speeding then shooting the officer in the neck and that officer is in critical condition tonight. The others are all injured.
All of this happening as tensions are running high across the nation. Protesters gathering from New York to Los Angeles. These are live pictures of Atlanta that you're looking at.
Last week, as yet another divisive national controversy regarding police shootings and crime unfolded, President Obama weighed in with a strange endorsement of the tactics used by the Black Lives Matter movement. Street protests, he said in a statement on Thursday, are not only understandable and legitimatebut appropriate. During a trip to Warsaw, Poland, the president said: I would just ask those who question the sincerity or legitimacy of protests and vigils and expressions of outrage who somehow label those expressions of outrage as quote/unquote political correctnessI just ask folks to step back and think: what if this happened to someone in your family? How would you feel? To be concerned about these issues is not political correctness; its just being American and wanting to live up to our best and highest ideals. The president is wrong to conflate street protests with our highest American ideals. The right of free assembly is found in the Bill of Rights and deserves unceasing protection, but ongoing street protests arent what we need right now. Its time for street protestswhether that of Black Lives Matter or the offshoots of the Occupy movementto stop.
Our legal and political orders differ fundamentally from the Civil Rights era, when African-Americans had no choice but to take to the streets. The movement led by Martin Luther King, Jr. faced a government that was neither representative nor, under the voting rules of the time, potentially representative. It was an era of true legal disenfranchisement. Large numbers of Americans were legal outsiders, lacking access to legitimate means for redressing their deep moral grievances. They faced an unrepresentative political order and had every reason to conclude that the system must be pressured to changeor be replaced. They were right, in many cases, to presume bad faith on the part of public officials who could only be influenced by public pressure, fear of embarrassment, or even the threat of civil disobedience.
Things are different today. The legal and social system that the Civil Rights movement attacked has been toppled. Not only can African-Americans legally vote today in all states, they voted, in 2012, at a higher rate than whites. When King marched on Washington in 1963, only 1,400 blacks held elected office nationwide; today, more than 10,000 do. Nationwide, there are more than 58,000 black police officers, slightly less as a proportion of all police than the percentage of blacks in the overall population.
The point here is not merely to assert that America has made progress on racial matters, though, of course, it has. It is, rather, to question the presumption of street protests as a constructive tactic when officials at all levels of government are elected and, overwhelmingly, stand ready to try to work things out. We need a citizenry ready and willing to go beyond righteous indignation and to engage with government. What should the protocol for police encounters with suspected criminals be? How best can government serve the poor? These are matters that require ongoing engagement, especially at the local levelnot angry outbursts honored by presidential pronouncement.
Street protest, as political strategy, has been the default mode of the Left since the early 1960s. In 1962, Students for a Democratic Society put it this way in the Port Huron Statement: Institutions and practices which stifle dissent should be abolished, and the promotion of peaceful dissent should be actively promoted. Many of our modern political leaders continue to pay homage to the idea of street protest as the highest form of patriotism. Hillary Clinton seeks the presidency to break down all barriers, as if she were running to be protestor-in-chief.
Its time to put the active promotion of protest behind us. At this stage of our historygiven the achievements of the Civil Rights movement and related movements for womens, gay, and disabled rightswed be better served by our political leaders if they focused not on protest, but on building a society that accepts all Americans and that all Americans accept. As Dallas police chief David Brown put it yesterday: Were hiring. Get off that protest line and put an application in.
Photo by StreetMuse/iStock
Beginning in 1999, the Department of Justice pursued (and ultimately won) a civil lawsuit against several major tobacco companies. By denying the negative health effects of tobacco, the suit alleged, the industry was engaging in fraud. Today, researchers often compare the fossil fuel industrys support for an array of groups that propagate climate change denial to the tobacco industrys pattern of denial of the dangers of its product. Last spring, I wrote an opinion piece recommending a similar civil investigation into the fossil fuel industry for spreading fraudulent information about climate change. At a subsequent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, I asked Attorney General Loretta Lynch whether the Justice Department had taken steps consistent with a civil fraud investigation to explore the industrys possible culpability.
An extraordinary barrage of opinion pieces ensued, more than 100 all told, assertingwronglythat any such investigation would be a violation of the First Amendment. I say wrongly because it is actually settled laweven cited in the tobacco case itselfthat fraud is not protected speech under the First Amendment. This raises the question whether the phony science supporting climate denial has a twin in equally phony opinion writing.
Although the opinion pieces appeared in many outlets, they shared common markers. They regularly confused civil law with criminal law, suggesting that I wanted to slap the cuffs on people or was seeking prosecutions. They regularly conflated investigation with prosecution, as if the industry would not be able to defend itself through the investigative process. They almost always overlooked the governments victory in the tobacco fraud lawsuit. Ignoring the tobacco lawsuit allowed these writers to feign horror over use of the civil RICO statute, which many pieces pointed out was designed to go after mobsters. But the civil RICO law has been used to sue other organizations, including, of course, the tobacco industry. Last, the pieces suggested that I wanted to target scientists or people who disagree with me (not the fraud standard, obviously). In sum, these op-eds common markings indicate orchestration off a central script.
Another common flag was that virtually every author or outlet that ran one of the pieces was a persistent climate denier. Examples include that constant industry voice, the Wall Street Journal editorial page; columnist George Will; the Heartland Institute, which has infamously compared people who believe in Global Warming to the Unabomber; the voluble Hans von Spakovsky from the Exxon and Koch-funded Heritage Foundation; and a torrent of lesser-known (but often more vitriolic) tagalongs. Many participants were repeat performers: Spakovsky, for instance, wrote three separate op-eds, published in over a dozen different outlets over three weeks in April of this year. He recently fired off yet another. One might wonder where he finds the time.
The pieces contain a shared logical fallacy: presuming the propriety of the fossil fuel industrys climate denial operation, when that would be the very question at issue. Was there fraud, or wasnt there? If there were actual fraud at the core of the fossil fuel industrys climate denial operation, the free speech argument would evaporate, since fraud is not protected speech.
The pieces also shared a peculiar mix of high emotional tone with highly selective concern. The insults were bitter, the language extreme, and the comparisons often absurd (the junior Senator from Rhode Island is the terrible inquisitor Torquemada, for instance, and ExxonMobil is the lonely Galileo). The authors and outlets climbed on a very high horse to scourge climate-related investigations. Yet not long ago, an attorney general of Virginia used his investigative powers to harass a climate scientist at the University of Virginia so vilely that the university took the attorney general all the way to the Virginia Supreme Court to stop him. Where then was this outrage? A US Senator has called for criminal prosecution of climate scientists in what climate deniers like to call the ClimateGate scandal (which after multipleyesinvestigations, turned out to be no scandal at all). Where then was this outrage? Republican-led Congressional committees regularly fire off government subpoenas to harass climate scientists. Where then is this outrage? The over-sensitivity subsides when the investigative target is an individual scientist.
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Finally, lets think through what it would mean if fraudulent corporate speech were protected by the First Amendment. Out would go state and federal laws protecting us from deceitful misrepresentations about products; consumer protection offices would shrivel or shut their doors; and it would be open season on the American consumer. Thats a dark world to envision, but its the world that will result if corporate lies about the safety of products or industrial processes are placed beyond the reach of the law.
Some academics and journalists are now examining a network of front groups propagating climate denial. They include popular authors like Harvard professor Naomi Oreskes and The New Yorkers Jane Mayer; academic researchers like Dr. Robert Brulle of Drexel University, Dr. Riley Dunlap of Oklahoma State University, and Dr. Justin Farrell of Yale University; and climate scientists like Dr. Michael Mann of Pennsylvania State University, who continues exposing the machinery that has relentlessly smeared and harassed him.
The climate denial apparatus illuminated by the work of these writers and others is the untold story behind our obstructed American politics of climate change. This recent outburst of error-plagued criticism is connected to that apparatus, and seems designed, like climate denial science, to protect the fossil fuel industryin this case, from any investigationby deploying a common array of falsehoods, omitted facts, and misstatements of the law, all in a four-alarm tonal realm between dudgeon and hysteria. The breadth of the op-ed assault suggests that a new level of critical scrutiny will be needed at honorable editorial boards to make responsible choices between legitimate and honest opinion and clever, made-to-order, industrial-scale dissemination of industry propaganda.
Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today
Sheldon Whitehouse is a US Senator representing Rhode Island and a member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Follow him on Twitter @SenWhitehouse.
The former New York Times reporter Sydney Schanberg will forever be associated with Cambodia, and for good reason. It was there that he chronicled the Khmer Rouge takeover of Phnom Penh in 1975, and it was there that he befriended Dith Pran, forming a personal and professional bond that inspired the award-winning 1984 film The Killing Fields.
After Dith Pran survived the ruthless Khmer Rouge regime, the two were reunited, and Schanberg helped Pran get a job as a photographer at the Times. As recently as 2013, Schanberg testified at the war crimes tribunal for senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge via video link from New York.* When the famous reporter died on Saturday at 82, the headline of the Times obituary read: Former Times correspondent Chronicled Terror of 1970s Cambodia.
But the obituary made no mention of another country dear to Schanberg: Bangladesh. Before his career-changing experiences in Phnom Penhhe would win a Pulitzer Prize with Dith Pran, not to mention enduring fame from the moviehe was the South Asia bureau chief for the Times, based in Delhi. Far from a young reporter just starting out, he had worked at the newspaper full-time since 1960, joining the foreign staff in 1969. In his late 30s at this point, he was destined for Poland when the job came up in India. The Times obituary glosses over his experience in South Asia in one sentence: He covered Indias 13-day war with Pakistan in 1971.
That war was, of course, over Bangladesh, whose independence struggle India ultimately backed with military training. Formerly East Pakistan, part of the territory apportioned to the new Pakistani state following partition in 1947, Bangladesh was born out of great violence. Though statistics are disputed, the CIA estimated that at least 200,000 Bengalis died as a result of the Pakistani militarys crackdown, which commenced in March of 1971. Schanberg got an up close and personal look at the carnage, sending back dispatch after dispatch to his paper, angering both the Pakistaniswho wanted to cover up their violent suppressionand the Indians, who didnt want their support for the independence fighters so widely known. He sucked up to nobody. As Gary Bass details in his excellent book The Blood Telegram, one Indian official colorfully wondered how well-meaning correspondents like Schanberg could be tackled.
Pakistan wasnt so diplomatic. Schanberg was kicked out of Bangladesh twice, first in late March of 1971, before the fighting really started in Dhaka, and then a few months later after he was let back in as part of an absurd PR attempt. Both Pakistan and Bangladesh have majority Muslim populations, which pitted religion against nationalism. But because of Indias proximity, minority Hindus living in Bangladesh were targeted with severity. It was a genocide, Schanberg told Bass, recalling the way the Pakistanis singled out Hindu houses by marking them, and reporting that the army painted yellow Hs on Hindu shops in town, conjuring the Holocaust. Schanberg interviewed people who said the army would come through yelling, Are there any Hindus there? When they found out there were, they would kill them. It is difficult to read that and not see parallels with the religiously motivated violence still plaguing Bangladesh to this day, specifically the ISIS-inspired attack on a bakery in Dhaka this month, in which non-Muslims were separated from Muslims in order to be killed.
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When Schanberg wasnt in Dhaka, he was in India covering the stream of refugees fleeing into West Bengal, the Bengali-speaking territory that remained part of India after partition. He was allowed by the Indians to see the training of the Mukti Bahini, the Bengali liberation forces. In one of the more harrowing parts of Basss book, Schanberg recalls going on a raid with the rebels. Some of these budding independence fighters were young and barefoot. When they saw some Pakistani soldiers, they told Schanberg to get down before firing on them. All I really remember was that they hit a man, who had been standing up. When you hit someone, the body goes up, and then comes down. Thats what he did, Schanberg told Bass. I could see they were showing off for meI knew they were doing it to show me that they were doing their jobs. He finally told them, Thats enough. Not long after the war between India and Pakistan in late 1971, Schanberg moved to Southeast Asia, where things were heating up in Vietnam and Cambodia.
On a reporting trip to Bangladesh last yearabout a week before an Italian national would be killed by Islamists in the same area as the bakery, kicking off a series of attacks against foreigners thereI met a professor at Dhaka University who showed me a tree planted by US Senator Ted Kennedy. Kennedy is another figure whose involvement with and support for Bangladesh went largely unmentioned outside of the country after his death in 2009. The tree was massive and dominated one of the entrances to the campus. Dhaka University was the site of massacres by the Pakistani army in 1971, but it was quiet and peaceful when I visited. The tree was one of the most poignant reminders of the struggle, and has to be one of the few living monuments to the dead.
Schanbergs contributions are harder to see, but they are no less important. His dispatches, along with the work of other brave journalists of the era, gave Bangladeshi victims a voice on the world stage. They have not forgotten him. A tribute in the Daily Star, one of Bangladeshs biggest English-language papers, says Schanberg first broke Pak atrocities to the world.
Mofidul Hoque, a founder and trustee of Bangladeshs Liberation War Museum, translated 36 of Schanbergs country-specific reports into Bengali and published them in 1995 under the title Dateline Bangladesh: Nineteen Seventy-one. Schanberg wrote the preface. In 2012 and 2013, Bangladesh drew up a list of Friends of the Bangladesh Liberation War. Hoque, who was on the committee established by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that worked on the project, said Schanberg was invited to come to Dhaka to be honored, but was unable to make the trip.* Schanbergs reports were also used in efforts to prosecute those who collaborated with the Pakistani military. In Hoques telling, the response to the Cambodian part of Schanbergs workthe praise, the moviehad the unintentional effect of overshadowing his admirable coverage of the atrocities in Bangladesh.
He came to be known for his Cambodian reportage mostly because of the film, [The] Killing Field[s]. He also earned Pulitzer Prize for his reports on Cambodia. On the other hand Bangladesh 1971 became a forgotten episode for the global community. There was no Pulitzer or a film with global audience. But Bangladesh can never forget Sydney Schanberg, Hoque wrote in an email. He is part of the history of [the] emergence of Bangladesh and he will remain alive as long as history lives.
*An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Sydney Schanberg testified in Phnom Penh at the Khmer Rouge tribunal in 2013. It also misstated his reason for not traveling to Bangladesh in later years. It was not a heart operation that kept him away, but heart-related health issues that restricted his travel options.
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Joe Freeman is a journalist who lives in Yangon and has reported from Cambodia, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. Follow him on Twitter @joefree215.
After several years of underwriting losses, underwriting performance for the U.S. property/casualty (P/C) industrys workers compensation line generated a significant profit in 2015, according to a new report from Fitch Ratings. Competition is heating up however and Fitch expects a return to an underwriting loss by 2017 in the workers compensation (P/C) line.
The workers comp insurance market saw a sharp turnaround in the last few years due to past premium rate increases, stable loss cost trends and improved loss reserve experience, however, this performance will likely be unsustainable as price competition intensifies due in part to abundant market capacity, said Jim Auden, managing director, Fitch.
The segment underwriting combined ratio dropped from a recent cyclical high of 117 percent in 2011 to 95 percent in 2015. Premium revenue growth tapered more recently, but averaged more than 5 percent for the last three years and was 3.5 percent in 2015. In the recent economic recession, workers compensation business suffered from weak pricing and significant declines in segment premium volume. The underwriting response to 2010 and 2011 losses, combined with improving economic conditions, led to a sharp increase in written premium volume for the segment.
Workers compensation is the largest individual product segment by premium volume in the commercial lines market and an important business line for a wide number of underwriters. Market share shifted significantly in workers compensation over the last five years. Prior industry leaders, American International Group, Inc. (AIG) and Liberty Mutual Insurance Group (Liberty Mutual) reduced premiums in the segment in response to past underwriting losses, while rapid growth was reported by several underwriters, particularly, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK) and AmTrust Financial Services, Inc. (AmTrust).
As the market landscape shifts, there have been a number of companies that have demonstrated extraordinary growth, however, Fitch considers rapid growth that is well in excess of the markets growth rate to add considerable risk to an insurers underwriting profile, added Auden.
The full report U.S. Workers Compensation Insurance Market Update is available at www.fitchratings.com.
Source: Fitch Ratings
When insurance defense attorneys suspect that plaintiffs have inflated their claims, forensic accountants can help identify potential red flags and potentially save Defendants substantial sums.
Given that some plaintiffs may exaggerate the value and ignore information detrimental to their case, it is best to approach each case by focusing on the financial assumptions, the moving parts, comprising each claim. Dissecting claims isnt as difficult as may seem, given the proper background. A skilled expert attacking a single flawed assumption can remove the foundation supporting a lofty demand and push Plaintiffs counsel to reconsider his or her case.
Most often, Plaintiffs damages represent starting points for negotiation Plaintiffs hope for a settlement before the flaws in their case are identified by defense counsel. Unfortunately, there is an over reliance on quick resolutions. Too often, insurance companies wind up overpaying. Insurers, policyholders and stockholders all lose in this game.
However, inflated damages can be avoided by hiring a credentialed, independent financial expert who can identify the claims shortcomings in a cost-effective manner. Rather than viewing forensic accounting fees as a cost, insurance companies have come around to recognize them as a source of savings.
Choosing the Right Expert
In auto insurance cases most plaintiff attorneys use low cost financial experts, who tend to come from academia and may have a doctorate degree. As a result, they tend to be theoretical and do not prepare reports with specific dates pertaining to an individual case.
These low cost financial experts rarely belong to a professional organization with strict standards, such as the American Institute of Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA) and the Certified in Fraud Forensics (CFF) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) designations that most litigation support professionals have.
Low cost financial experts are not typically paid enough to do in-depth research and analysis. As a result, they may use template reports with only a few unique figures or calculations pertaining to the case.
CFFs or CFEs prepare in-depth reports with specific research and analyses pertaining to the particular case. Therefore, it is easy for them to pick apart a theoretical template report with actual facts and conclusions.
Members of the AICPA are held to strict standards:
They advocate for their opinion, not the client;
Bound by very strict professional standards;
Must be completely independent.
When hiring a litigation support professional, make sure they have their CPA and either a CFF or CFE designation. Ask them to provide information about their experience with similar cases, curriculum vitae, number of jury trials they have been involved in, as well as references.
In many lawsuits, the Plaintiffs attorney is likely to present an aggressive damages calculation prepared by a high-volume, low-cost practitioner. These reports appear comprehensive but are often boilerplate in nature due to tight litigation budgets. This is where the trained eye of a seasoned forensic accountant can identify the shortcomings.
Typical weaknesses in Plaintiff damage reports include:
Permanency . The report assumes the damage continues forever as opposed to a finite period of time.
. The report assumes the damage continues forever as opposed to a finite period of time. Misrepresented Earnings . Cherry-picking an anomaly using one unusually profitable pre-loss period into years worth of post-loss damages.
. Cherry-picking an anomaly using one unusually profitable pre-loss period into years worth of post-loss damages. External factors . The economy, management problems, and competition are ignored.
. The economy, management problems, and competition are ignored. Silence. Information detrimental to the claim is not provided and/or not addressed in the report.
A forensic accountant is specially trained to find errors, inaccuracies, and oversights that can reduce or completely discredit out a claim. Here are a few examples.
In one auto accident claim, the Plaintiff claimed lost income based upon his federal income tax return showing an annual adjusted gross income of $19,000. But the second page of the return showed a tax refund of nearly $8,600, resulting from questionable tax credits totaling $7,000. Once this irregularity was pointed out, Plaintiff dropped the claim for lost income.
Another example is a gasoline station which claimed $170,000 in lost revenues due to an underground gas leak. The Plaintiffs report based that figure on annual and quarter sales figures. However, after the Defendants financial expert requested additional data and examined daily sales, the loss was determined to be only $8,291. A little digging made a huge difference.
In a third case, a doctor injured in an auto accident sought compensation for lost current and future income. Post-accident the doctor was seeing fewer patients each month; that was not in dispute. However, how much money he took home from each patient was contested. The Doctors $720,000 claim was predicated on a profit margin from his medical practice of 94 percent. But, financial records revealed that the profit margin was just 34 percent. As a result, the estimate of lost future income shrank to $120,000.
The last example doesnt even require a calculator. A private school claimed that water damage to a building resulted in substantial enrollment losses. However, a Google search illuminated an alternate cause of the enrollment decline: a local news report revealed a family was suing the school for fraud on its claim that its curriculum matched that of another private school. Alternate causation had not been considered in Plaintiffs damage report. In this instance, the insurance defense attorney is in a stronger position to question how much lost revenue was from building damage versus negative publicity.
Each Plaintiff report that includes a substantial damages claim deserves scrutiny. With the right expert, lofty pie in the sky claims can be brought back to earth through careful forensic accounting.
Martin K. Williams, CPA, CFF, CFE, principal, is a forensic accounting and business valuation expert with South Florida accounting and consulting firm Fiske & Co.
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Did you miss me? I took a break from posting last week as we were on vacation in the country as in visiting family in Wisconsin. It was a wonderful break from the heat and humidity of Middle Georgia and I loved it. Temperatures were in the mid 80s all week, hardly any humidity, and a refreshing breeze. I think I was outside more last week than I have been since the weather here at home started to get summer-like back in April. Feet propped up, book in hand and life was simple and easy. That is when I wasnt out and about shopping for antiques or at the lake with family.
My in-laws live in a small town that still believes in doing things as a community and being a farming town, Fourth of July festivities centered around family, community, and celebrating America. Small town holiday parades included fire trucks galore and farmers drove their tractors with pride in the parade while the entire town cheered them on from the sidelines. Patriotic pride was never so evident as it was with this community and the fireworks outlasted and beat any big city ones that I have ever seen; not to mention the spread of food at the cookouts. Its no wonder, this is the place I love being during that holiday.
But now, its back to the summer in Middle Georgia- its hot yall! I absolutely hate it. Im scouring my cookbooks for more meals that wont heat up my kitchen and are still simple to make. While todays recipe does use the oven, its only for about 20 minutes; which isnt too bad. I enjoy making this Meatless Veggie Pasta Bake because its so easy to change up the vegetables. Dont have (or like) yellow squash? Use zucchini, bell peppers, or any other vegetable in place of the squash. Change up the pasta too, I dont always have ziti on hand so I use whatever I have in the pantry. For those of you who arent fond of meatless (like my husband), you can easily add cooked ground beef or sausage, chicken, or smoked sausage. My kind of meal simple and adaptable for everyone.
Meatless Monday - Veggie Pasta Bake I enjoy making this Meatless Veggie Pasta Bake because it's so easy to change up the vegetables. Don't have (or like) yellow squash? Use zucchini, bell peppers, or any other vegetable in place of the squash. Change up the pasta too, I don't always have ziti on hand so I use whatever I have in the pantry. For those of you who aren't fond of meatless (like my husband), you can easily add cooked ground beef or sausage, chicken, or smoked sausage. My kind of meal - simple and adaptable for everyone. No ratings yet Print Pin Author: Lisa Kerhin Ingredients 12 oz. ziti pasta uncooked (12 oz. = 5 cups)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 - 3 medium yellow summer squash cut into 1/4 inch slices and quartered
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups fresh spinach
1 can 24 oz. each Hunt's Chunky Vegetable Pasta Sauce
10 oz. Alfredo sauce use a little more than half of a 16 oz. jar
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese reserve half for the top of the casserole Instructions Preheat oven to 425F. Spray 13 x 9-inch baking dish with non-stick spray; set aside.
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt.
Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add squash, salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until squash is crisp-tender and starting to brown, stirring frequently.
Stir in both sauces and let it get hot, about 1 minute; stirring occasionally.
Add the cooked pasta and 1 cup cheese to vegetable mixture; mix lightly.
Stir in the fresh spinach and let it just begin to wilt.
Spoon into prepared dish; top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake 20 30 minutes or until cheese melts and mixture is hot.
Recipe adapted from Ready Set Eat
Dont forget to enter the Picnic Giveaway on the blog! Its open until July 15, 2016.
Enjoy!
Classical Music Fans Respond to Hearing Heavy Metal Music
How do fans of classical music react when confronted with the genre of heavy metal? The two superficially disparate musical forms, usually deemed light-years apart, have more in common than convention often implies.
Metal music, as certain scientific studies have confirmed, shares many compositional characteristics with the classical art. But what would operatic adherents do when collared with the aggressive aesthetic foisted on them in real-time?
Metal website MetalSucks recently examined the two genres' juxtaposition of style in an entertaining viral video, playing heavy metal music for fans attending a symphony performance:
"When the Colorado Symphony Orchestra came to the Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO, we stopped a few fans in attendance, asked them their thoughts about metal, and got their opinions on a little [death metal band] Cryptopsy." (Watch below.)
Spoiler alert: As is often the case, the sampled classical lovers appreciated Cryptopsy's instrumental dexterity but customarily dismissed the band's vigorous vocal displays. The criticism is one widely shared, thought not unanimously, by listeners of more traditional music toward its heavier rock counterparts.
Scientist Adrian North of Scotland's Heriot-Watt University conducted a study examining the differences between classical and metal music, as reported by Metal Injection. North concluded that the two genres are more similar than is generally perceived by prosaic listeners:
"Metal fans, like classical listeners, tend to be creative, gentle people, at ease with themselves. 'We think the answer is that both types of music, classical and heavy metal, have something of the spiritual about them -- they're very dramatic -- a lot happens,' North said to the BBC."
Check out the following clip to see some classical fans respond to the metal music.
Cryptopsy plays the Quebec City Summer Festival in downtown Quebec, Canada, on Tuesay, July 12, followed by a four-date tour of Mexico. The Colorado Symphony Orchestra next performs a sold-out suite of The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses - Master Quest at Boettcher Concert Hall on Thursday, July 14.
We want to hear from you -- let us know if prefer classical music over metal in the comments section below.
2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
TagsClassical Music, Heavy Metal Music, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Cryptopsy, Death Metal
Nicola Benedetti Opens up on Classical Music Education: Treat It Like Broccoli
Scottish classical violinist Nicola Benedetti has some sensible ideas when it comes to the current state of classical music education.
In a recent interview with the Daily Mail, 2004's BBC "Young Musician of the Year" offered an interesting approach in introducing the younger generation to the classical art: treat it like broccoli!
In 2013, Benedetti was appointed an MBE -- the distinguished Member of the Order of the British Empire recognition -- for her work with various music edcuation programs and children's charities. As she told the Mail, she takes issue with parents failing to introduce their children to classical music at a young age:
"It drives me crazy when people say, 'But they don't like that kind of music, they like Britney Spears!' I'm like, 'They also don't like broccoli and would rather have candy, but we still know that broccoli is good for you.' Surely education is something that should be determined by adults and not by kids?"
Further detailed in a Telegraph feature, Benedetti drives the point home that kids should be taught to sit down and listen -- really listen -- to many different forms of music from a young age. As highlighted in the piece, the violinist underscores the importance of giving young minds multiple music forms for fodder, not just what they're immediately drawn to:
"Suddenly, when you bring music into the mix, it's: 'Oh no, we can't show them anything that they don't instantly love because that would be like forcing children into something that they don't want to do'," she has said.
Benedetti is currently touring the United States. She performs on Tuesday, July 12 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, Illinois and on Thursday, July 14 and Friday, July 15, with the Minnesota Orchestra at Symphony Hall in Minneapolis.
Below, watch Benedetti perform with the Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
We want to hear from you. Let us know your thoughts on the current state of music education in the comments field at the bottom of this page.
2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
TagsNicola Benedetti, Classical Music, Broccoli, Arts Education
Brecksville VA Property 2.JPG
The city of Brecksville hopes to make inroads into the redevelopment of the VA property by this fall.
(Bob Sandrick, special to cleveland.com)
BRECKSVILLE, Ohio - The city would keep the 102-acre site containing the former U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital an office-laboratory district, under the latest plan to redevelop the property.
The city would allow and encourage other uses - like stores, restaurants, apartments, hotels and hospitals, and even manufacturing plants and warehouses - on the VA site. However, the city would permit such businesses and apartments only as conditional uses, meaning that each of them would need prior city approval.
That recommendation, from Brecksville Law Director David Matty, was endorsed last week by the city's Planning Commission.
"It would ensure the city has control of the use of the land, regardless of who owns the property," Councilman Michael Harwood, who is also a planning commission member, said during last week's commission meeting.
Harwood said council hopes to place the proposed VA zoning - known as an "overlay" district - on the November ballot. Last week, council left the plan on first reading.
Last month, the commission announced plans to convert the VA property, at the northwest corner of Brecksville and Miller roads, from an office-lab district into a multi-use development with various types of businesses, stores, restaurants and apartments.
That's because offices are no longer in demand, said Mayor Jerry Hruby. Businesses would rather renovate old office buildings than construct new ones. Meanwhile, restaurants are in demand among businesses in Brecksville's growing industrial section in the southern part of town.
Under the original multi-use plan, the city would have created a special zoning district for the VA property that would encompassed several existing zoning classifications. Every use in each classification would have been allowed, except those the city chose to exclude.
Subsequent to the commission backing that plan in June, Matty recommended keeping the VA's office-lab zoning, and allowing other types of businesses on a case-by-case basis - as conditional uses. Harwood said such an arrangement would protect the city's interest, and give the city, not a developer, control over what is built on the VA property.
Theoretically, however, the zoning would also give a developer the legal right to build all offices and labs on the VA site. The city could not stop such a development because it would comply to zoning, Harwood agreed.
Hruby said an all-office development would probably never happen.
"Any developer will recognize the need for certain services (like restaurants) for those that work and occupy their buildings," Hruby said in an email to cleveland.com. "Therefore I believe those (conditional) uses would be included in any development plan."
Hruby said the city does not yet have a particular developer in mind for the VA property.
Joe Kosek, a Westview Drive resident, wanted assurances from the commission that the city would not permit "mass retail" on the VA property. He also asked if the zoning would impose a limit on the number of retail stores and restaurants, saying he did not want the VA development to compete with downtown Brecksville.
Harwood said the new zoning would not limit any type of conditional use but the planning commission and council would have to approve each use individually.
Before anything happens, however, the city must gain control of the property from the VA, which closed its Brecksville hospital about five years ago. Since the closing, the city has discussed obtaining the property and turning it over to a developer.
Hruby believes the city will know by this fall whether land negotiations with the VA will succeed.
The VA's existing office-lab zoning allows administrative, executive, financial, governmental, real estate, sales and professional offices, along with medical laboratories, clinics, hospitals and public utilities. Assembly halls and mortuaries are also permitted, under certain conditions. Conditional uses in the district include childcare centers and retail stores housed only in century buildings.
Here is a rundown of the conditional uses - from four zoning classifications - that would be allowed in the VA's overlay district:
Local business district:
Offices, beauty and barber shops, interior decorators, restaurants, laundromats, tailors, dry cleaners, repair shops, automobile service stations and art studios.
Retail stores that sell food, beverages, drugs, sundries, books, gifts, household hardware, supplies and appliances, radios, televisions, clothes, flowers, floral supplies, sporting goods and musical instruments.
Gasoline and oil sold in open yards.
Manufacturing-distribution district:
Manufacturing of clothing, leather goods, athletic equipment, cosmetics, toiletries, pharmaceutical products, food and drink products, wooden furniture and medical and electronic devices.
Manufacturing processes - including fabrication, cutting, machining, sawing, polishing and assembling - of products like cameras, clocks, jewelry, cutlery, kitchen utensils, electrical appliances and equipment, hand tools, dies, engineering and medical products, musical instruments and other steel products.
Printing, publishing and engraving, and wholesale distribution of manufactured products. Childcare is permitted as a conditional use.
Motor service district:
Hotels, restaurants (but not drive-throughs), gas stations with conveniences stores and car washes.
Residential district:
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Hundreds of Cleveland-area homeowners and renters will vacate their houses, condos and apartments next week, making room for short-term tenants traveling here for the GOP convention.
With festivities at Quicken Loans Arena less than a week away, it's clear that a unique rental market did, indeed, materialize to sate convention-driven demand.
But that market was much smaller - and cheaper - than many aspiring short-term landlords hoped for when the city landed a marquee event expected to bring more than 50,000 people downtown. That makes Cleveland similar to past convention host cities, where the rental landscape often has failed to meet inflated expectations.
"We're still renting properties," said Jared Zak of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, which positioned itself as the official leasing partner of the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County leading up to the July 18-21 gathering. "I'm a little bit surprised by the softness of the market as it has kind of played out, though, coming up ... to the convention. It's really hard to anticipate something that's this new and this out of the ordinary for a city."
As of Tuesday, Howard Hanna's RNC rentals website showed 560 online listings, ranging from a $1,000-a-week apartment in Tremont to a six-bedroom Shaker Heights house advertised at $109,000 for a two-week stay. Ultimately, the company lined up leases for more than 80, and possibly more than 100, homes, said Zak, who didn't have a precise count.
Seeing dollar signs, would-be landlords as far off as Huron, almost an hour west of The Q, and Geneva, an hour to the east, opened up their homes to potential renters and nosy Internet browsers. Those distant listings didn't garner much interest. The bulk of the rental activity took place in downtown Cleveland and close-lying Tremont, Ohio City, Lakewood, Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights, Zak said.
Bookings ranged from $3,500 to $20,000, he added, with the average weekly rental - an entire house or condo - going for $6,000 to $8,000.
"I had some beautiful, huge homes in Bratenahl listed. We didn't get a bite on that stuff," said David Resnik, a Howard Hanna agent who assembled 30 convention-rental deals, most of them downtown. "We had some really incredible penthouses downtown that we could not get for the price that [the renters] wanted. We found ourselves in a middle ground, and I feel very good about the amount of business that we did."
Resnik wouldn't identify his clients, citing confidentiality provisions in the contracts. Most of the renters are major media organizations, he said. Interest from large corporations, on the other hand, was sluggish as companies scaled back on their support for the convention or grew skittish about associations with Donald Trump, the presumed GOP presidential nominee.
"It really is the Trump factor, with so many corporate entities pulling out," Resnik said. "Conversely, we're seeing so much more media interest in being here because it's Trump. Six months ago, I'm sure some of these companies had no plans to be here."
Those organizations wanted hotel-style lodging, close to The Q and the media hub at the Huntington Convention Center. More off-the-wall options, such as a boat docked by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, didn't fly.
Jane Frires rented out her one-bedroom unit, with a den, at Bridgeview Apartments in the Warehouse District, through a program crafted by the Downtown Cleveland Alliance.
Jane Frires rented out her apartment, at the Bridgeview Apartments complex in the Warehouse District, through a special program crafted by the Downtown Cleveland Alliance. After $350 in program fees, she expects to receive a check for $2,490, for a space that costs her $1,420 a month.
"I have a lot of friends' weddings and travel plans coming up, so I'm putting a lot of it toward plane tickets," said Frires, who is 26. "And paying off credit-card debt."
The downtown alliance worked with four landlords to offer up bulk, one-week rentals in apartment buildings that generally don't allow subleases. Those units weren't widely available. The renters are convention staffers or out-of-towners affiliated with the event. The Cleveland 2016 Host Committee, the apolitical nonprofit charged with organizing, hosting and funding the convention, arranged their lodging to fulfill a promise from Cleveland's original convention bid.
Roughly 600 downtown renters expressed interest in subleasing their apartments during the convention. After seeing the program rules, which included a rent cap and required tenants to clear out personal items like photographs and paperwork, 250 to 300 renters said they were willing to participate. Subleases emerged for nearly 200 of those apartments, including Frires' one-bedroom, which has a den that acts as a second sleeping area.
Frires said she's clearing out closet space and planning to stash her stuff at her parents' house in Russell and her office downtown. A leasing agent for Landmark RE Management, which owns Bridgeview and other properties, Frires has to be at work next week. She plans to stay with a friend and coworker downtown from Saturday until she gets her keys back on July 23.
"I feel very good about the program," said Joe Marinucci, chief executive officer and president of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance. "We met our goal to support the housing needs of the convention and provide people with a very cost-effective alternative to a hotel."
The host committee secured hotel rooms across the region for delegates and key convention attendees, making traditional lodging scarce.
So other visitors turned to short-term rental websites including Airbnb. Based on the company's most recent data, compiled in mid-June, Airbnb expects 1,300 to 1,400 guests to stay at its listings in the Cleveland area during the convention. That marks a fourfold spike in bookings, when compared with weeks on either end of the event.
A quarter of the guests hail from Washington, D.C., an Airbnb spokeswoman wrote in an email. Nearly 60 percent of the hosts are first-timers. At a median nightly booking price of $260, the typical host in Northeast Ohio is looking at a relatively modest payout of $611 for the week.
Airbnb recently started collecting local transient-occupancy taxes - 5.5 percent in Cuyahoga County and an additional 3 percent in Cleveland - after striking deals with the county and city. That means convention guests and other visitors are shelling out extra money that will support activities including marketing efforts by the region's convention and visitors bureau.
Stacie Kavanagh landed an unidentified "major social media company" as a two-week tenant for her house in Tremont.
In Tremont, Stacie Kavanagh's tenant - a "major social media company" she won't identify - found her online and booked her three-bedroom, 3,800-square-foot house for two weeks.
A 43-year-old property manager with almost a dozen long-term rentals in the neighborhood, Kavanagh wasn't willing to disclose what her mysterious RNC tenant is paying. "It's a lot," she said. "It's five figures. I can just tell you that."
She hired a linen service to tidy up before, during and after the week; asked her guests for a grocery list and stocked the fridge before they arrived; and gave them a list of restaurants and neighborhood contacts. The same company and a partner event firm rented out two additional properties in Tremont, from different owners.
Kavanagh said she has friends who didn't find tenants. She feels lucky that she lined up a lease early, in January, rather than waiting to see whether prices rose.
"I was going to hold off," she said, "and then I thought 'I'm not going to take a chance. It's a bird in the hand.'"
cakerecall.jpg
General Mills is recalling two flavors of the popular Betty Crocker cake mixes because some of them contain its Wondra brand flour recalled July 1 over E.coli concerns.
Betty Crocker Delights Super Moist Party Rainbow Chip Cake Mix (called Betty Crocker Super Moist Rainbow Bit Cake Mix in Canada) and Betty Crocker Delights Super Moist Carrot Cake Mix have been added to the Wondra recall.
See the images below for exact lot numbers involved.
According to a company announcement, Wondra flour implicated in the earlier recall was used to manufacture the flavor chips (or bits) used in these two recalled cake mix flavors.
In late May, the company recalled some 10 million pounds of its all-purpose, self-rising, Wondra, unbleached all-purpose, and Signature Kitchens flour brands due to a possible connection with 38 cases of E.coli 0121 across 20 states.
But a General Mills spokesman said the Wondra flour in the current recall was not part of that earlier recall from more than a month ago. Instead, the company's spokesman Mike Siemienas, said it was part of the later July 1 recall, made when new illnesses were reported.
The company, according to the most recent announcement, is collaborating with health officials to investigate a multi-state outbreak of E. coli O121 connected to several brands of flour.
Potentially deadly, the bacterium can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration.
According to General Mills:
"Guidance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) continues to be that consumers should refrain from consuming any raw dough or batter products. E. coli O121 is eliminated by heat through baking, frying, sauteing or boiling products. All surfaces, hands and utensils should be properly cleaned after contact with flour, batter, or dough.
"Anyone diagnosed by a physician as having an illness related to E. coli O121 is also urged to contact state and local public health authorities."
Consumers with questions or requesting Betty Crocker replacement product should contact General Mills at 800-230-8103. Additional recall information can also be found at www.generalmills.com/flour.
AKRON, Ohio -- The family of a Marine killed in a terrorist attack in Beirut in 1983 is seeking $100 million from Iran, saying the country's sponsorship of an Islamic military group makes it liable.
The claims are made in a wrongful-death lawsuit filed in an Ohio federal court by the family of Lance Cpl. Michael C. Spaulding, an Akron native. His family is seeking money from Iran that is in a bank in the United States.
The lawsuit was sparked by a U.S. Supreme Court decision from April that said Iran's central bank must pay $1.75 billion in damages to the families of terrorist attacks.
Spaulding, 21, was killed on Oct. 23, 1983 when two truck bombs struck buildings housing U.S. and French military during the Lebanese Civil War. In all, 241 U.S. and 58 French military members died on the peacekeeping mission, along with six civilians.
Spaulidng left behind a wife and three children.
The lawsuit says a group that identified as "Islamic Jihad" claimed responsibility for the bombings. It says the group's chain of command "ran from the government of Iran, to Iran's Ambassador to Syria, to Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps' commander Hossein Dehgan in Beirut."
It says the Iranian government put up a monument in its capital in 2004 to commemorate the bombings and its "martyrs," according to the suit.
"The government of Iran is apparently proud of the suicide bombers that killed Michael C. Spaulding," the lawsuit says.
The suit was filed by Michael Spaulding's widow, Jacqueline Hudgens-Spaulding, and his adult children, Nakita, Akeem and Michael S. Spaulding.
Federal law allows for claims to be made against governments that would otherwise be immune from lawsuits if claims involve terrorist actions.
David Welling, an Akron attorney representing the family, said the lawsuit was filed in the wake of Supreme Court decision that forced Bank Markazi, Iran's central bank, to use assets at a bank in New York to pay a series of judgments obtained by people harmed by terrorist attacks and the families of people who died.
All of those cases were won by what is known as "default judgment," meaning the country of Iran did not respond to the lawsuit.
The 6-2 decision, written by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, says that the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 does not violate a constitutional separation of powers between government branches.
Welling said he believes Spaulding's family is eligible to collect money from Bank Markazi. If that is not the case, he said the family still has a claim because of the terrorism exception.
The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Sara Lioi.
If you would like to comment on this post, please visit Tuesday's crime and courts comments section.
New deep-discount program looks to solarize Cleveland Deals are meant to make arrays an affordable option for more Ohioans solar from F1
Solar panels are placed on a Cuyahoga County home in 2015. These panels are by supplier Geosteallar of West Virgina.
(The Plain Dealer)
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cuyahoga County residents interested in joining a solar co-op that can reduce solar panel installation prices by 20 percent can attend meetings this week.
They are at:
Collinwood Recreation Center, 16300 Lake Shore Blvd.: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
St. Joseph River's Edge, 3430 Rocky River Dr.: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
The Cuyahoga County Department of Sustainability and the Cleveland Office of Sustainability have partnered with the non-profit OH SUN to offer the opportunity to use solar energy.
"We're excited to be able to make this opportunity available," Mike Foley, the county's sustainability director, said in a news release. "This is a great option for our community to reduce emissions and save money by going solar."
OH SUN, short for Ohio Solar United Neighborhoods, a drive organized by the DC-based Community Power Network, a solar advocate with roots going back to 2007.
Community Power Network has organized buying co-ops in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. The group has been active in Ohio since the beginning of the year.
The co-op is open to all county residents and employees.
OH SUN expands access to solar by educating Ohioans about the benefits of distributed solar energy, helping them organize group solar installations, and strengthening the state's policies and its community of solar supporters, the county said.
Those interested in joining the co-op can sign up at www.ohsun.org/cuyahoga. Joining the co-op is not a commitment to purchase panels. Once the group is large enough, OH SUN will help the co-op solicit competitive bids from area solar installers.
Co-op members will select a company or companies to complete all of the installations.
Members will then have the option to purchase panels individually based on the installer's group rate. By going solar as a group and choosing an installer, each participant generally saves up to 20 percent off the cost of their system in addition to existing federal tax credits.
OH SUN is part of a national program that has helped 1,200 Americans go solar over the last two years through 68 community co-ops.
If parents want their children to be prepared for a diverse workforce, they should help bolster diversity in schools, U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King, Jr., told the National PTA earlier this month
Like math and reading, like science, social studies, and the arts, diversity is no longer a luxury; its essential for helping our students get ready for the world they will encounter after high school and, increasingly, throughout their lives, King said July 1. " If your child wants to grow up to work at Google or Facebook, they better be able to relate to people around the world as well as know how to code.
And King thinks it isnt only minority parents who have a stake here. School diversity is an issue for all parents.
King said in an interview shortly before his remarks. Theres a long body of research evidence that diverse schools can create better outcomes for all students,
The Every Student Succeeds Act presents some opportunities for school districts here, King added. States and districts, he said, should consider bolstering diversity as a way to help schools that are struggling. Schools could, for instance, offer programs like dual language immersion that might attract a broader mix of families.
And schools where subgroup students are struggling should also take a look at this, he said. For example, he said, a school may be diverse, but Advanced Placement classes and enrichment opportunities may not be, he said in the interview.
Whats more, King said, Rep. Marcia Fudge and Sen. Chris Murphy are working on legislation to help school districts become better integrated.
King also noted in his speech that he sends both of his daughters to extremely diverse schools in Marylands Montgomery County.
rnc wines
Our weekly wine calendar has dinners featuring summer wines and French varietals, a tasting geared to political wines for the Republican National Convention and lots more.
(John Kuntz, cleveland.com)
CLEVELAND, Ohio - From a politically themed tasting to French wines, California to sparkling-wine events and more, our weekly wine calendar is full:
Tuesday, July 12: Huth & Harris Wine Merchants will hold a tasting of six wines from European Wine Imports with appetizers 7-9 p.m. It's $40. H2 is at 221 Court St., Medina. Registration required; go to h2winemerchants.com/#!blank/c1zlc.
Friday, July 15: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature sweet European whites on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland.
Friday, July 15: Agostino's Catering & Event Center will hold a Bovin wine tasting featuring wines of the Balkans. Bovin Winery is the first privately built winery in Macedonia. Music will be from Sarena Tamburitza Orchestra. Happy hour starts at 6 p.m. Appetizers and first pour are at 7. Cost is $40. Agostino's - formerly Ridge Manor Banquet Center - is at 4630 Ridge Road, Brooklyn. Cost is $40. Call 216-749-5509 or go to agostinos.events for reservations. Menu:
* Assorted flat breads, dried Hungarian sausage, hummus, pita breads and spreads; Lutenica (grinded red pepper eggplant garlic seasoning with side of chili pepper). Wine: Bovin Chardonnay.
* Burek (Puff pastry Feta-cheese spinach and potatoes). Wine: Bovin Vranec.
* Mixed Greek Salad with fresh cucumbers, onion, tomatoes, Feta cheese. Wine: Bovin Cabernet Sauvignon.
* Chevapi served with Kacamak (polenta topped with Feta cheese and yogurt). Wine: Bovin Alexander.
* Ekleri (flaky Eclair topped with drizzled chocolate and whipped cream). Wine: Bovin Dissan Barrique.
Friday, July 15: D'Agnese's at White Pond will hold a wine dinner at 6 p.m. Crisp summer wines will be paired with dishes. Cost is $50. Reservations recommended. D'Agnese's is at 566 White Pond Dr. at I-77, Akron. Call 234-678-3612.
Friday-Saturday, July 15-16: The Olde Wine Cellar's tasting will feature a tasting for the Republican National Convention. The folks at the shop wondered what wines politicians drink. "We think they'd like some of these wines with patriotic labels. Unlike many of our elected, you can trust these wines to be good!" The RNC is Monday-Thursday, July 18-21. Tastings are 6-9 p.m. each night. Cost is $10 and includes six samples, cheese and crackers. The Olde Wine Cellar is at 7990 Columbia Road, Olmsted Falls. Call 440-427-1222.
Saturday, July 16: The Wine Spot is holding Guns and Roses - a feast of Rose wines - 4-7 p.m. The folks at the wine store will be playing Guns 'n' Roses. The Wine Spot is at 2271 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. Go to thewinespotonline.com or call 216-342-3623.
Saturday, July 16: The Culinary Vegetable Institute will hold Uncorked: An Evening with Dan Farley at 6 p.m. The institute is at 12304 Mudbrook Road, Milan. Farley, import director at Kindred Vines Import Co., will present eight wines from his French portfolio to pair with a five-course menu. Farley travels the French countryside seeking out quality winemakers. The dinner will offer a side-by-side tasting of wines from two wine houses of the Loire Valley (Couly-Dutheil) and the Rhone (Pegau). Cost is $120 plus tax and tip. Go to culinaryvegetableinstitute.com or call 419-499-7500.
Saturday, July 16: Western Reserve Wines will hold Bastille Day Revisited, a tasting of wines from different regions within France. Certified sommelier Maggie Harrison of Vanguard Wines will lead the revolutionary charge. Saturday tastings are 2-5 p.m. and cost $10. Includes cheese and crackers. Western Reserve Wines is at 28300 Miles Road, Solon.
Saturday, July 16: Heinen's will hold a California Wine Tour 1-4 p.m. featuring six premium wines from Monterey, Mendocino and Sonoma counties. Cost is $10 at the downtown Heinen's, 900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland.
Sunday, July 17: Gervasi Vineyards will hold "Making Scents of Wine" at 3 p.m. It's a hands-on, educational class that will help you learn to recognize dozens of aromas found in Ohio wines. Includes light snacks, wine tasting and goodie bag. For beginners or experienced wine drinkers. Cost is $35. Gervasi is at 1700 55th St., NE, Canton. For reservations, click here.
Wednesday, July 20: Chez Francois will hold a Winemaker's Dinner at 6:30 p.m. featuring a rare visit from Sarah Quider, executive winemaker from Ferrari Carano Winery in California. Cost is $75 plus tax and tip. Chez Francois is at 555 Main St., Vermilion. Menu:
Course: Peppadew pepper, Montrachet goat cheese.
Wine: Fume Blanc, Sonoma County, California, 2015.
Course: Cream of Ohio corn cappuccino, Parmigiano Reggiano.
Wine: Tre Terre Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, 2014.
Course: Char-Grilled Alaskan King Salmon, smoked baby shiitake Pinot glace de viande.
Wine: Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, 2014.
Course: Roasted Australian lamb chop, Provencale.
Wines: Tresor, Sonoma County, 2012; Grenache/Syrah/Mourvadere UNA, Alexander Valley, 2014.
Course: Roast tenderloin of beef Francois, Madeira wine sauce.
Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon Pre Vail Back Forty, Alexander Valley, 2012.
Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Alexander Valley, 2010.
Course: Poached Bartlett pear and chocolate tuile, Semillon coulis.
Wines: Eldorado Gold, Dry Creek Valley, 2010.
Eldorado Noir, Russian River Valley, 2014.
Friday, July 22: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature West Coast Merlots on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland.
Friday, July 22: Summer Uncorked is the wine-tasting component of the annual Akron Arts Expo Weekend. It's 6-8:30 p.m. at Hardesty Park, 1615 West Market St., Akron. Cost is $45 and includes food, wine and beer samples, silent auction, raffle, music. Go to akronartsexpo.org.
Friday-Saturday, July 22-23: The Olde Wine Cellar's tasting will feature Call Me a Cab! OK, you're a cab. Tastings are 6-9 p.m. each night. Cost is $10 and includes six samples, cheese and crackers. The Olde Wine Cellar is at 7990 Columbia Road, Olmsted Falls. Call 440-427-1222.
Saturday, July 23: Western Reserve Wines will feature wines from the Mediterranean Coast. On coasts kissed by the crystal clear water of the Mediterranean grow some of the world's finest varietals. Discover these exotic, fruit-driven wines presented by certified sommelier David Sterle of Vintage Wine. Saturday tastings are 2-5 p.m. and cost $10. Includes cheese and crackers. Western Reserve Wines is at 28300 Miles Road, Solon.
Saturday, July 23: Heinen's will hold Bubbles Weekend 1-4 p.m. Six new finds of sparkling wine will be poured at the downtown Heinen's, 900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Cost is $15.
Thursday, July 28: Western Reserve Wines will hold a main-event tasting, "Drink '728' on 7/28." Join the Fiddlehead Cellars' "728" annual celebration 5-7 p.m. The 728 Fiddlestix Vineyard Pinot Noir will be poured, among others. Gabe Michel will host and award prizes. Cheeses, breads and other goodies will be served at this casual walk-about tasting. No reservation required; however, if you're bringing a group, call 440-498-9463 or email info@westernreservewines.com. The shop encourages folks to wear "728" shirts and caps if you have them. Cost is $20. Western Reserve Wines is at 28300 Miles Road, Solon.
Thursday, July 28: St. Sebastian Church is holding its fifth annual Brickstreet Jazz and Wine Festival 6-9 p.m. at the church courtyard. Cost is $30. Event includes four wine and food pairings. St. Sebastian is at 476 Mull Ave., Akron.
Friday, July 29: Heinen's will feature The World of Sauvignon Blanc 5-8 p.m. Try 10 samples and learn about the various representations of Sauvignon Blanc, from its roots in Bordeaux to its newer home in New Zealand's Marlborough region. Cost is $10. It's at the downtown downtown Heinen's, 900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland.
Saturday, July 30: Heinen's will feature The World of Sauvignon Blanc 1-4 p.m. Try 10 samples and learn about the various representations of Sauvignon Blanc, from its roots in Bordeaux to its newer home in New Zealand's Marlborough region. Cost is $10. It's at the downtown downtown Heinen's, 900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland.
Saturday, July 30: Western Reserve Wines will hold a Summer in France tasting. Owen Molloy of Vintner Select will guide sippers through whites, reds and roses that are perfect for entertaining or just sipping on the deck during these dog days of summer. Saturday tastings are 2-5 p.m. and cost $10. Includes cheese and crackers. Western Reserve Wines is at 28300 Miles Road, Solon.
AUGUST
Monday, Aug 1: Tartine Bistro will hold a Provence, France-inspired wine dinner at 7 p.m. Cost is $65. Bill Barefoot from Grand Cru Wines will provide a variety of rose wines to complement each course. Tartine Bistro is at 19111 Detroit Road, Cleveland.
Friday, Aug. 5: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature Pinot Grigio vs. Pinot Gris on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland.
Tuesday, Aug. 9: Huth & Harris Wine Merchants will hold a tasting of six wines from Heidelberg Distributors with appetizers 7-9 p.m. It's $40. H2 is at 221 Court St., Medina. Registration required; go to h2winemerchants.com/#!blank/c1zlc.
Friday, Aug. 12: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature international whites on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland.
Friday, Aug. 19: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature Old World reds on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland.
Friday, Aug. 26: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature California Cabernets on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland.
Friday, Aug. 26: The fourth annual pARTy with PHriends beer/wine tasting will be 7-10 p.m. Hosted by PHriends Young Professionals Group, the event benefits Providence House and will feature local breweries, wine from Market Avenue Wine Bar, children's art exhibit, food sampling, live music and raffles. It's at 78th Street Studios (smARTspace RAMP Level Gallery), 1305 W. 80th St., Cleveland. Tickets are $30 until Friday, Aug. 5, $35 through Thursday, Aug. 25, and $40 at the door. Go to provhouse.org or call 216-651-5982.
Friday, Aug. 26: Heinen's will hold a tasting 6-8 p.m. Reservations are limited for the Napa Wine Experience; call 216-382-4144. Cost is $15. It's at 2180 South Green Road, University Heights.
SEPTEMBER
Friday, Sept. 2: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature West Coast whites on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland.
Friday, Sept. 9: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature Italian whites on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland.
Saturday, Sept. 10: Ferrante Winery and Ristorante will hold a Grand River Valley Cask Tasting, a progressive tasting event at several wineries. It's noon to 5 p.m. Cost is $6 at each winery. The cask project began in 2010 to have a continual red blend from the Grand River Valley. Each year a percentage of the wine will be bottled and sold to make room for the next year's harvest. Each winery used a different 500-gallon oak barrel with grapes from their farm. Participating wineries include Debonne Vineyards, Ferrante Winery, Grand River Cellars, Laurello Vineyards and St. Joseph Vineyards. Ferrante is at 5585 Ohio 307, Harpersfield Township. Call 440-466-8466.
Tuesday, Sept. 13: Huth & Harris Wine Merchants will hold a tasting of six wines with appetizers 7-9 p.m. It's $40. H2 is at 221 Court St., Medina. Registration required; go to h2winemerchants.com/#!blank/c1zlc.
Friday, Sept. 23: Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art's weekly Tastings on the Terrace will feature interesting reds on the open-air rooftop terrace 5-8 p.m. No reservations are necessary; flights will range from $8 to $10. In case of bad weather, the tastings will move inside. Provenance is at 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland.
Wednesday, Sept. 28: Delmonico's Steakhouse will hold a casual Leap for Happy Hour with Jonah Beer of Frog's Leap Winery of Napa Valley, California. It's 5-7 p.m. at 6001 Quarry Road, Independence. Cost is $35. Call 216-573-1991.
Thursday, Sept. 29: Rosewood Grill Westlake will hold its fourth annual Frog's Leap Wine Dinner with Jonah Beer of Frog's Leap Winery 7-9 p.m. It's four courses paired with six wines. Cost is $95. It's at 2033 Crocker Road, Westlake. Call 440-835-9500.
OCTOBER
Saturday, Oct. 1: The Island Wine Festival will be 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Put-in-Bay. Cost is $6 and includes a souvenir glass. The annual festival will include samples of more than 200 imported and domestic wines. Sample tickets are $1 and sold at the door and in the tent. Most samples are $1 to $4. Retail bottle sales will be offered. A silent auction will benefit Lake Erie Islands Historical Society. Call 419-285-2832.
Friday, Oct. 7: The 13th annual Uncork a Cure to benefit Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is 7-10 p.m. at Ariel International Center, 1163 East 40th St., Cleveland. Cost: $75 ($125, VIP). VIP reception is 6-8 p.m. General-admission tickets include wine and food tastings, tasting glass and event program. VIP tickets also include a gift and pre-event tasting of high-end wines not available at the main event. Uncork a Cure is part of a national wine-tasting series held across the country. Go to clevelandwine.eventscff.org.
Tuesday, Oct. 11: Huth & Harris Wine Merchants will hold a tasting of six wines from Vintner Select Wines with appetizers 7-9 p.m. It's $40. H2 is at 221 Court St., Medina. Registration required; go to h2winemerchants.com/#!blank/c1zlc.
NOVEMBER
Saturday, Nov. 5: The Grand River Valley Turkey Trot will be held noon to 5 p.m. at assorted wineries in Northeast Ohio. The progressive tasting event costs $5 at each winery. Folks from the wineries will help to pair wines with a Thanksgiving feast. Call Ferrante Winery, 440-466-8466, for details.
Tuesday, Nov. 8: Huth & Harris Wine Merchants will hold a tasting of six wines from Purple Feet Distributors with appetizers 7-9 p.m. It's $40. H2 is at 221 Court St., Medina. Registration required; go to h2winemerchants.com/#!blank/c1zlc.
Friday-Saturday, Nov. 11-12: The 20th annual WVIZ/PBS Grand Tastings & Seminars will be held at Progressive Field's Terrace Club. Tickets will go on sale Friday, July 1. For story, click here.
DECEMBER
Tuesday, Dec. 13: Huth & Harris Wine Merchants will hold a tasting of six wines from Traderman Distributors with appetizers 7-9 p.m. It's $40. H2 is at 221 Court St., Medina. Registration required; go to h2winemerchants.com/#!blank/c1zlc.
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CLEVELAND, Ohio - U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said Tuesday that more treatment facilities must be opened to help opioid addicts overcome a disease that is killing scores of Ohioans every month.
Murthy said plans for medication-assisted treatment centers are often met with resistance from local residents concerned about bringing addicts into their communities. But he said drugs such as buprenorphine and Vivitrol are effective tools in fighting addition.
"This is evidence-based treatment," Murthy said. "Science tells us it works, and if we can get more people access to it, then we can ultimately help save more lives."
Murthy made those remarks during a visit to St. Vincent Charity Medical Center in Cleveland, which has inpatient and outpatient services to treat opioid addicts. His comments were reinforced by Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish, who called for lifting a federal cap that prevents treatment facilities from accepting more than 16 patients at one time.
"We've had people who have been turned away from treatment and have died subsequently," Budish said.
Murthy visited Cleveland as part of his national "Turn the Tide" campaign, in which he is talking to health care professionals nationwide about reforming their opioid prescribing practices. Later this year, his office will issue its first-ever report on substance abuse and addiction.
He said that report will put "the best possible science about how to prevent and treat addiction into the hands of clinicians, policy makers and families."
Murthy noted that the recent Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act passed by Congress does not include enough funding necessary to get people the help they need. During his visit to St. Vincent, Murthy sat in on a treatment session and spoke with several patients in recovery.
"What people like them show us is that recovery is possible," he said. "More people need to know that, and it also means we've got to make treatment available. And that takes investment."
Notre Dame College.jpg
Notre Dame College is warning residents of increased police traffic around the campus as 300 safety and security workers arrive on campus ahead of next week's Republican National Convention.
(File photo)
SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- Notre Dame College alerted neighbors of its South Euclid campus that 300 safety and security workers will stay on campus before and during next week's Republican National Convention.
Members of the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Ohio National Guard who will work at the convention began arriving on campus Tuesday, Notre Dame spokesman Brian Johnston said.
There will be officers with riot gear, "SWAT-type" vehicles, and 25 motorcycles, Johnston said.
They will stay in the college's residence halls while they work security at the convection that runs from July 18-21 in downtown Cleveland.
The college sent an automated voice message to South Euclid residents Tuesday, the same day officers began arriving on campus. All 300 officers will be on campus by Friday, Johnston said.
"We want you to be aware that increased traffic should be expected on and near the Notre Dame college campus area," the message says. "The college campus values its relationship with the neighbors and the community and want all to be aware of this temporary situation, especially if you see lots of police vehicles coming through our neighborhood."
Notre Dame voicemail
The college has five residence halls, none of which are full during the summer.
Talks about possibly hosting officers for the RNC began about six months ago, and plans began to take shape last month. Students were notified two weeks ago, and the college felt one week before the start of the convention was enough advance notice for the neighboring community, Johnston said.
"We felt we gave the public ample notice," Johnston said. "There's going to be less traffic coming and going during the RNC than there would be on a normal day in the fall. We did the outreach because we wanted to be good neighbors."
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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Cleveland man is charged in connection with a high-speed crash that killed three teenagers.
Kareem Walton, 20, was charged Tuesday with three counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and two counts of aggravated vehicular assault. His first court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday.
Three teens -- Alexandria Winegarner, Takia Jackson and Daija Wynne, all 17 of Euclid -- died in the crash. Two other teens -- Wynne's 15-year-old sister Delana Wynne and Rashida Thomas, 14-- suffered serious injuries in the crash and were hospitalized.
Alexandria and Daija were good friends and both just finished their junior year at Euclid High School, according to family members.
The crash happened about 12:05 a.m. Saturday on Kirby Avenue near Hazeldell Drive.
Walton told police he picked the group up near East 222nd Street in Euclid. He said he was driving the girls to a party on East 105th Street and Garfield Avenue for a friend who was released from prison.
Officers on patrol said Walton's 2006 Pontiac G6 whizzed by their cruiser westbound on Kirby at a speed somewhere between 80 and 85 mph, police reports say. The officer reported having to swerve out of the way to avoid being hit.
By the time of the officers turned their cruiser around to follow the car, Walton had crashed.
Walton told police that he thought he was driving between 40 and 45 mph on Kirby and that it was raining. Walton said he thought the brakes on his car "went out" prior to the crash, according to police reports.
Walton lost control and the car spun clockwise and drove off the right side of the road. The car's right side smashed into a large tree. It spun the opposite direction and the four passengers were thrown onto the street, according to police.
Police reported that Walton smelled of alcohol when they interviewed him in the trauma room at University Hospitals. He agreed to allow police to take two blood samples that will be tested at the Cuyahoga County Regional Forensic Laboratory. Those results are pending.
Walton told police that he drank a little bit of alcohol earlier in the day. He is suspected of being under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time of the crash, according to police reports.
Walton suffered collapsed lungs, and fractures to his shoulder, neck and back, police reports say.
Walton was cited twice in June for driving with a learner's permit without a fully licensed driver.
Family members of the Wynne sisters set up a gofundme.com account to help pay for funeral costs for Daija and the costs of surgeries for Delana.
To comment on this post, please visit our crime and courts comments section.
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Ohio's largest online school, the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT), is trying to block the state's audit of its student attendance through the Franklin County courts.
(Patrick O'Donnell/The Plain Dealer)
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio's largest charter school, the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT), lost an attempt in court moments ago to block a state audit of its attendance and state funding that the school says threatens its ability to survive
Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Stephen McIntosh denied ECOT's request to stop the audit, which was scheduled to begin today.
At issue is the amount of time that the 15,000 students at the giant online school spend logged on for classes and doing other schoolwork offline. Unlike at a traditional school where teachers can take attendance every day, students at online schools work from computers at home on their own schedule.
That leads to controversy over how to measure how much time students spend on lessons and whether ECOT received all of its $108 million in state funding for the 2015-16 school year properly, or whether it overcharged the state.
ECOT Superintendent Rick Teeters told supporters in a message earlier today that the state has changed some rules for counting learning time. Those, he said, make the audit an "underhanded" attempt to "eliminate" the school.
"Without court intervention, these underhanded procedural changes would severely limit our ability to provide a quality school experience," Teeters said. "In fact, they would likely force us and other e-schools to close our doors altogether."
But in court filings, the Ohio Attorney General's Office said that ECOT is raising a premature "false alarm" to stop the audit because there is no immediate financial impact. If the audit finds that ECOT has to reimburse money to the state, ECOT can appeal later to the state school board or the court.
Any repayments would occur through multiple deductions of state aid to ECOT next year, not a single immediate charge.
In the audit, the Ohio Department of Education wants to verify that students are spending at least five hours per day on "learning opportunities," as ECOT's policy requires. That's the schedule ECOT set so that students can meet the 920 hours of schooling that state law demands each year.
An early round of the audit this spring found that students are not logging in to ECOT's website for five hours per day, even when averaged over multiple days.
"Most login times from these files do not substantiate 5 hours per day of login time for the students reviewed," the Ohio Department of Education's John Wilhelm told ECOT in a letter.
In a court filing today, state lawyers went a step further in characterizing the documentation gaps: "Those records did not substantiate the number of educational hours for which ECOT had billed ODE."
The school had told the state earlier this year that students are doing enough approved work offline to meet state law, so the department is now asking ECOT for documentation of that time.
The school, which could have to repay money to the state if the audit can not verify students' work, now says that it is not required by state law to track that offline activity.
In a court filing Friday, ECOT lawyers said that state law bases funding for online schools on the learning opportunities offered by the schools, not on whether students participate in them.
See ECOT's full filing below.
The school also argues in that filing that the state has previously required documentation only for what schools offer, not for what kids use. In the past a school employee could verify to the state that students were presented with learning opportunities. The state did not require log-in data to verify work, ECOT says in the filing, as it is now.
ECOT cites a 2003 agreement with the department to not require additional verification.
ECOT says in its filing that the department had told online schools last year that it would start requiring more documentation of all student work starting with the 2016-17 school year. But it changed course in January, ECOT says, and started requiring full documentation for all of the 2015-16 school year, which was already well underway.
Applying that rule retroactively is unfair, ECOT says.
Department officials told The Plain Dealer earlier this year that the department has always had the authority to ask for more documentation, even if it has not always required it.
And state lawyers said in their court filing that the state has the right to see if students are doing schoolwork, not just if classes are offered.
"ODE, as a faithful steward of public funds, is entitled to determine whether students are actually receiving the education for which the public is paying," state lawyers said, including that emphasis. "That is true as a matter of statute, ODE practice, and, to the extent applicable, the funding agreement between ODE and ECOT."
The lawyers also challenged ECOT's claim that state law only requires classes to be offered, citing other portions of state law that refer to "student participation."
Though ECOT lost its bid to block the audit, it is still challenging the department's change in rules.
"Nothing the court said today impacts the court case or the fact that the Department is in the wrong, it was a simple procedural matter," said ECOT spokesman Neil Clark. "The ODE will ultimately lose in court because you can't change the rules in the middle of a game, break an agreement and try to deny thousands of Ohio parents a voice in their child's education."
State school board President Tom Gunlock disagreed and said the state has to make sure students are learning.
"I think we're doing our job as prescribed by law to make sure kids are where they're supposed to be and that they're in school," he said.
Charter school critic Steve Dyer, a former state representative, said that it's about time the department took this position.
"It's an outrage that ECOT would try to keep the Ohio Department of Education from protecting the taxpayers' money," Dyer said. "Even more outrageous is it apparently took 16 years for the department to do the kind of review that prompted ECOT's lawsuit."
ECOT has come under increasing scrutiny the last few years because it has repeatedly received F grades on state report cards for how much academic progress its students make in a year. In the last year, it has campaigned to change how schools are graded by the state.
Last year, ECOT's F grades threatened to doom the rating of the organization that oversees the school as its "sponsor" or authorizer. That could still happen when ratings of charter school sponsors are released this fall.
Last month, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, the largest charter school advocacy group, said people should be "outraged" at how little learning occurs at some online schools and called on states to take several steps to restrict and improve them.
The group suggested that states pay online schools when students complete coursework, not just for being enrolled, among other recommendations.
The Alliance report particularly names ECOT and another online school Ohio Virtual Academy, with 15,000 and 11,000 students each, as being too large.
The school and its founder William Lager are among the largest donors to the Republican party in the state. House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger recently spoke at the school's graduation.
Ambulance (blank)
A Mentor man died Monday from injuries he suffered during a car crash.
(File photo)
MENTOR, Ohio -- A Mentor man died Monday after crashing his car into a telephone poll.
Joshua Duffin, 32, died Monday, hours after he crashed his 1967 Chevrolet Nova.
The crash happened about 11:30 p.m. Sunday in the 6200 block of Carolyn Drive.
His car veered off the right side of the road and struck the pole. The crashed caused serious damage to the car, police said.
Duffin was extricated from the car by paramedics, police said. He was flown by helicopter to MetroHealth Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Mentor police said they are still investigating what caused Duffin to crash.
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A southern Ohio small-town mayor was indicted Tuesday on four felony counts, including election falsification.
(File photo)
HILLSBORO, Ohio (AP) -- A small-city Ohio mayor who's also a veteran standup comedian has been indicted on four felony counts including election falsification.
The Ohio auditor's office announcement Tuesday follows a months-long investigation of Republican Drew Hastings by special prosecutors appointed by a Highland County judge. The counts also include theft, theft in office and tampering with records.
Hastings says he was served with the indictment while having lunch.
Hillsboro sits about 60 miles east of Cincinnati and has a population of about 6,600 people.
Among allegations under investigation were improper personal use of Hillsboro city trash bins, a $500 vacant building fee refund he received and election falsification concerning his residency in the city of 6,600 residents, where he has a downtown apartment. He has called the investigation politically motivated.
The 62-year-old Hastings was re-elected last November to a second four-year term.
cleveland.com reporter Jane Morice contributed to this post. If you'd like to discuss on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Next week the eyes of the world will be on Cleveland and the army of law enforcement officers it has cobbled together to keep the peace. City brass have maintained that those safety forces are prepared, and if that is correct it is because police here have been tried by fire.
The Republican National Convention presents one of the largest security efforts the city has ever undertaken. With the police-involved killings last week of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota, and the killing of five police officers at a Dallas Black Lives Matter demonstration, security concerns are even more heightened.
While the city, convention officials and the Secret Service refuse to discuss details of the convention security efforts, how the city handled previous demonstrations presents some clues as to how the city is poised to avoid many of the pitfalls faced by others that have hosted conventions.
But not everyone is convinced the city is up for the challenge.
And at least one civil rights organization is taking a wait-and-see approach to how the city deals with what will be a clash of political, social and economic ideologies. That collision will be much different than handling the kind of protests Cleveland has experienced in recent years.
'Let this play out'
Three days after Tamir Rice was shot in November 2014, a grand jury in St. Louis, Missouri refused to bring criminal charges against officer Darren Wilson, the officer who shot and killed Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. The lack of an indictment stoked demonstrators in the city of Cleveland.
Local and national media speculated whether Cleveland would experience the clashes between protesters and Ferguson police officers, who resembled a heavily equipped occupying force more than a suburban police department.
A few hundred protesters, many from Oberlin College, came to Public Square and marched toward the Shoreway. Police blocked the road and let the protesters onto the highway, much to the chagrin of angry rush-hour drivers.
"We're going to let this play out," Cleveland police Chief Calvin Williams told a driver on the highway who complained about being stopped.
This is how Cleveland police would preside over protests held over the next several months. Williams weaved his way through crowds chanting "No Justice, No Peace," providing a calm presence and an outlet for activists to voice frustrations.
Officers in police cruisers raced ahead of marchers to block traffic at intersections. Protesters threatened to rush inside Tower City downtown and the Walmart in Steelyard Commons in separate protests. The confrontations with police were tense, but ended without any arrests or clashes.
The media praised Williams' calm response to civil unrest. As demonstrators gathered at the scene of an officer-involved shooting last summer, a man in the crowd shouted hostile and racially charged language at Williams. Williams walked over to the man and spoke to him in private for several minutes, then the man shook his hand, and stopped shouting.
The low-key protests continued until May 2015, when a Cuyahoga County judge acquitted officer Michael Brelo in the deaths of Russell and Williams, sparking the largest and most tense protest Cleveland had seen in several years.
After a day of marching, protesters clashed with restaurant goers on downtown's popular East 4th Street. One demonstrator threw a plastic sandwich board sign into Harry Buffalo and hit a customer in the head.
Police pinned protesters in an alley after giving them an order to disperse. Police arrested dozens, but most of the charges against all but a handful were eventually dropped.
The ACLU of Ohio then sued the department and the city over the handling of the arrests. The city negotiated new policies to give clear disbursement orders, and to quickly book or release protesters they arrest.
While the officers are equipped with body cameras, many of the reforms the city has agreed to undertake are still being written and it could be months or years before they're implemented.
But Cleveland officials are aware that the nation, the world and civil rights attorneys will be watching how the security force will handle the RNC demonstrations. Williams has said that officers will wear their "softer" blue uniforms at the start of the convention so as to not create the sense of a military zone.
'This is not Brelo'
ACLU Director Chris Link said a host of factors add uncertainty as next week approaches.
Clashes between supporters of presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump and his detractors at rallies in cities across the country have turned violent. And the sniper attack that left five Dallas police officers dead only heightened security concerns ahead of the convention.
Williams told cleveland.com Friday that the Dallas shooting could lead security planners to tweak the plan to deploy officers throughout downtown, but that he remains "confident" in the plan in place and would not need to ask for more officers.
And two security analysts told cleveland.com Friday that security planners for major events are trained to take measures that keep protesters off of rooftops and parking garages.
Even without the shooting, Link said the RNC will be entirely different than anything Cleveland has seen.
The convention is expected to draw hundreds more protesters than even the largest of Cleveland's previous demonstrations, including activists from around the country.
And unlike the earlier demonstrations that saw a group with only one message, the RNC is expected to draw protesters on both sides of some of the nation's most divisive political issues - abortion, immigration, economic inequality and health care. Second Amendment proponents have also said that they intend to carry guns openly along the parade route.
Add to that a weather forecast of hot, humid weather all week, and it's hard for anyone to predict what may happen, Link said.
On the other hand, the protests at this year's conventions will likely be among the most recorded in history. Many officers will be wearing body cameras, crowds of protesters will be recording on cellphones, and reporters for dozens of media outlets will be reporting on the protests.
It's possible the cameras may invite some people to start a confrontation for a spectacle, but it's more likely than ever that any interaction between a protester and a police officer will be caught on film.
The city has been planning
At the same time Cleveland was crafting its new protest policies, it was working with the U.S. Secret Service and other federal organizations to prepare for security during the RNC.
The city has a designated protest route and speaker's platform, and have sought protest groups to apply for permits to march, in an attempt to keep some of the opposing groups separated.
The city also has had months to study the tactics of protesters at past protests. While it's possible some of the more extreme groups will come up with a tactic that's entirely new to law enforcement, Link said that is unlikely.
Link said police here have improved when it comes to dealing with protesters. She said she is optimistic that the department will continue moving in the right direction.
"When it's hot, and people are excited and not being very nice to each other, can we hold onto [that momentum]?" she asked.
Hashim Nzinga
Hashim Nzinga, left, on June 23, 2015. Nzinga said members of his New Black Panther Party will carry guns this week during protests and demonstrations in Cleveland.
(AP Photo / Mic Smith)
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The chairman of the New Black Panthers Party said members will carry guns this week during protests and demonstrations in the run-up to the Republican National Convention, according to a report from Reuters.
Hashim Nzinga said his members will carry guns in self-defense and to protect other protesters, the news agency reported.
"If it is an open state to carry, we will exercise our second amendment rights because there are other groups threatening to be there that are threatening to do harm to us," Nzinga told Reuters.
"If that state allows us to bear arms, the Panthers and the others who can legally bear arms will bear arms."
Attempts to reach Nzinga were not immediately successful.
It is legal for people to carry guns outside the convention as long as they're complying with the state's open carry law.
Nzinga told Reuters he expected "a couple hundred" members of the New Black Panther Party to join black unity rallies and protests Thursday through Sunday in Cleveland.
The group plans to provide security for a black unity event scheduled for Thursday.
"We are there to protect... (the black unity) event. We are not trying to do anything else," he told the news agency. "We are going to carry out some of these great legal rights we have -- to assemble, to protest and (to exercise) freedom of speech."
Reuters reported that Nzinga said the group plans to leave on Sunday, the day before the convention begins.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The second man charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a Marine veteran at a downtown Cleveland hotel has been jailed on $100,000 bond.
Jack King, 52, of Huron is charged with aggravated murder. His case was bound over to a Cuyahoga County grand jury after his first court appearance on Monday.
King was arrested about 2 a.m. Saturday, about a week after being charged in the case.
King and Donald Nemeth, 21, are charged in connection with the Jan. 23 fatal shooting of Joshua Mascol, 34, at the University Hotel and Suites on Euclid Avenue.
Nemeth, the brother of WWE wrestler Dolph Ziggler, was arrested in April.
King and Nemeth met Mascol, 34, at the hotel for a drug deal, court records say. Nemeth tried to rob Mascol, and the two fought. Nemeth pulled out a gun and shot Mascol three times. Paramedics found Mascol shot in a seventh-floor hallway.
Cleveland police in February released surveillance photos hoping to identify the two assailants.
Police obtained an arrest warrant charging Nemeth April 26. He was arrested two days later. A grand jury indicted him May 6 on charges of aggravated murder, felonious assault and kidnapping. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
King spent one year in prison after pleading guilty in 2000 to having sex with a 14-year-old girl at her home in Berea. He was adjudicated a sexual-oriented offender.
King, who was 35 at the time, had sex with the girl. The girl's mother walked into the home and caught the two. King ran from the home naked and was arrested by police.
He was also convicted of robbing someone with a shotgun in 1987. He was sentenced to serve between eight and 28 years in prison.
To comment on this post, please visit our crime and courts comments section.
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The University of Akron has appointed an interim president to lead the school while it looks for the replacement for Scott Scarborough, who resigned in May.
(Karen Farkas, cleveland.com)
Matthew Wilson
AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron named Matthew Wilson, dean of its college of law, as interim president on Monday.
Wilson will oversee the campus for 18 months as trustees search to replace Scott Scarborough, who resigned on May 31, less than two years after being appointed.
Rex Ramsier, interim senior vice president and provost, has fulfilled the duties of president since Scarborough left.
Wilson begins his job immediately and will earn $370,000 a year. He will maintain his tenure at the law school, officials said. He will not live in the university-owned president's house, which Scarborough must vacate by Sept. 27.
Trustee chairman Roland Bauer said conversations with UA constituents, including faculty, students and alumni led to the decision that the interim president should come from the university.
The person needed to deal with priorities including developing a sustainable budget, increasing enrollment and retention, building and strengthening relationships with constituents and "significantly growing our development efforts," Bauer said.
Trustees spoke to Wilson; John Green, interim dean of the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences; Ravi Krovi, dean of the college of business administration; and professor of psychology David Baker.
Wilson was hired in 2014. He had been a professor and associate dean of academic affairs and associate dean of student affairs at the University of Wyoming College of Law.
"We must unite for the benefit of our students, our institution, and the greater good of our community," Wilson said after trustees approved his appointment. "I invite everyone to join with me to not only conquer our existing challenges and rebuild relationships, but also to innovate and explore new opportunities."
He spoke of the university's impact in the community but cited discord "in the university family" and the need to work together.
The university's chapter of the American Association of University Professors released a statement in support of Wilson.
Trustees have not started the process to choose a new president, focusing instead on filling the role on an interim basis, said spokesman Wayne Hill.
Trustees have also been trying to restore a sense of normalcy to the campus after Scarborough's tumultuous tenure.
Scarborough and trustees mutually agreed he should step down.
Fall enrollment is down and many programs led by Scarborough did not succeed.
Faculty never warmed to his leadership. They took an overwhelming vote of no confidence this year, and protesters upset at Scarborough's actions often gathered outside the board room at trustee meetings.
Scarborough has opted to stay at UA and become a full-time faculty member in the College of Business. He will be paid his annual president's salary of $450,000 a year until Sept. 27.
He will then earn 65 percent of that salary, or $292,500, annually as a professor.
Trustees decided last week that two men closely tied to Scarborough should leave their posts.
Lawrence Burns, the vice president for advancement was placed on a one-month paid leave on July 6 and his employment will terminate on Aug. 6. He will receive his $285,000 salary for a year, payable monthly.
Scarborough was provost at the University of Toledo when hired at UA in 2014. He hired Burns, vice president of external affairs at UT, in April 2015.
The university also terminated without cause the contract of Todd Rickel, vice provost and dean of the College of Applied Science and Technology.
Rickel will be placed on paid leave for four months and relieved of all duties, the university said.
He will then receive his $295,000 salary for a year, paid monthly.
Rickel was chief executive officer of the Rickel Education Group, a consulting firm in the public and private sectors in the education, technology and financial fields when Scarborough recommended that trustees hire him in February 2015.
Police Shooting Sacramento
Crime scene tape surrounds the area Monday as Sacramento, California, officers investigate the fatal shooting of a knife-waving suspect by police.
(Rich Pedroncelli, Associated Press)
SACRAMENTO, California -- A man armed with a knife and possibly a handgun was shot and killed by police Monday on a Sacramento street after he reportedly charged at officers.
Witnesses who saw the shooting tell the Sacramento Bee the man, described as being in his 50s or 60s and dressed in all black, was acting erratically, swinging his hands in the air with a knife, yelling and doing karate chops.
"He was cussing at (police)," witness Alton Ford tells the Bee. "They gave him plenty of opportunity."
Witnesses called police at 9:25 a.m. Monday after spotting the man, who was "behaving irrationally," the Los Angeles Times reports.
The Times reports the man charged at the patrol car of the first officer to arrive on the scene. The officer locked his car and tried to back out of the area, but the man blocked his car, the Times reports.
Two more officers arrived and began chasing the man on foot, with one officer injuring his lower body during the chase.
As officers approached the man, he charged at them with the knife. Two officers fired at the suspect, striking him. The suspect died of his wounds at a hospital.
A knife was recovered, but police have not said if a handgun was found, the Bee reports.
Cameras in the officers' patrol cars captured the incident and police are reviewing the video, reports say.
The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave as the incident is investigated.
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Obama Health Overhaul
President Barack Obama signs the health care bill in the East Room of the White House in Washington in March 2010. With the nation still divided over "Obamacare," President Barack Obama is laying out a blueprint for addressing unsolved problems with his signature health law, including a renewed call for a "public option" to let Americans buy insurance from the government.
(J. Scott Applewhite, Associated Press file photo)
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- President Obama is renewing a call for a "public option," one of several suggestions in a paper published Monday outlining possible improvements to the health-care law passed in 2010.
"The Affordable Care Act is the most important health care legislation enacted in the United States since the creation of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965," Obama writes in the paper, which appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association. "Although partisanship and special interest opposition remain, experience with the Affordable Care Act demonstrates that positive change is achievable on some of the nation's most complex challenges."
Obama uses most of the article to tout the health-care law, also known as "Obamacare," saying that 20 million people had obtained coverage because of the law.
Still, he acknowledges health care is still too expensive for many people in the U.S. and 29 million people remain uninsured.
"Too many Americans still strain to pay for their physician visits and prescriptions, cover their deductibles or pay their monthly insurance bills," Obama writes, according to the Associated Press.
Obama says he believes a public option would add competition in the health-care marketplace.
"Public programs like Medicare often deliver care more cost effectively by curtailing administrative overhead and securing better prices from providers," Obama writes.
The Wall Street Journal reports Hillary Clinton supports adding a public option for health care, while Republicans would like to get rid of most of it, using instead tax credits and insurer requirements so people could purchase their own coverage.
Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump says he would like to repeal Obamacare and replace it with "something that's great," but he has offered few specifics, the New York Times reports. An analysis of a recent plan suggested by Trump would result in 18 million becoming uninsured, the AP reports.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The City of Cleveland's Board of Control is expected to vote Wednesday to allow overnight camping in one city park during the Republican National Convention to accommodate the out-of-town demonstrators expected to flood the city for the four-day event.
The city is proposing to make available Kirtland Park, at the southeast corner of East 49th Street and South Marginal Road, during the convention. The park would open to demonstrators each day at 9 p.m. Demonstrators would have to leave the park by 9 a.m. each morning, according to the draft ordinance released by the city. The Board of Control, which is a panel composed of top aides to Mayor Frank Jackson, is expected to pass the ordinance.
The proposed rules would also prohibit drugs and alcohol, camp fires and grills of any kind as well as vendors. The park would be open to anyone on a first-come-first-serve basis and the city will have the right to limit the number of campers at its discretion for safety reasons.
Some demonstrators have complained in recent weeks on social media about the lack of park use for camping and threatened to camp in space outside of parks.
John Penley, a New York activist who opposed Donald Trump's candidacy and has pressed the city for camping space, said he's unhappy with the proposal. He said he wanted the city to set up a separate camp for supporters of Trump.
"I am telling everyone to not go there," he said in an interview as he was boarding a bus to Cleveland.
But Larry Bressler, the Cleveland organizer of End Poverty Now, a large march scheduled for Monday, said he's pleased with the potential space for camping.
"Many will [camp overnight] and are pleased with the prospect of Kirtland Park," Bressler said in a text message.
Bressler, who also urged city officials to consider allowing camping, said the park is not surrounded by homes and businesses so campers would not be disturbing neighbors.
"If the city does not designate a spot, people coming in will try to sleep in other city parks, which will result in complaints and potentially unnecessary arrests," Bressler said.
Cleveland.com reporter Andrew Tobias contributed to this report.
Donald Trump
An effort to dump Donald Trump as the Republican presidential nominee remains a long-shot, but a move to shut down anti-Trump forces failed Tuesday during pre-convention meetings in Cleveland.
(Steve Helber, The Associated Press)
CLEVELAND, Ohio - An effort to block rogue Republican National Convention delegates from rewriting the rules and dumping Donald Trump has suffered a setback.
Solomon Yue, a GOP national committeeman from Oregon, is pushing a proposal that would keep any new rules from taking effect until after next week's convention.
If adopted by the convention's Rules Committee, the measure essentially would ward off any attempts by anti-Trump forces to replace him with another candidate. Yue had hoped for support Tuesday from members of the Republican National Committee, which has assembled in Cleveland for pre-convention meetings. His plan failed on a voice vote.
"My concern is about uncertainty," Yue told reporters after the vote at the Hilton Cleveland Hotel. "I want to shut down the uncertainty. I want to see a clear stand to support our nominee."
The move to dislodge Trump remains a longshot. John Ryder, the national committee's general counsel maintained at the outset of Tuesday's meeting that new rules could not retroactively negate binding rules under which delegates were elected.
Opposition to Yue's proposal appeared to be based not on anti-Trump sentiments. Rather, members seemed intent on keeping their thumbs off the scale and allowing the separate convention rules panel, which gathers here Thursday and Friday, to make its own decision.
But Yue remains worried. Afterward he asserted that GOP leaders should have stood up strongly for Trump, whose unpredictable antics and squishy politics have made him a target of other Republicans.
Trump's critics include Mitt Romney, the party's 2012 nominee for president.
"Think about this," Yue told reporters. "The nominee from 2012 is leading a national movement against presumptive nominee of 2016. Can you find me another example of that? Meanwhile, you have so-called conscience movement people trying to unbind our delegates."
The "conscience movement" involves several groups of GOP activists and delegates pushing a rule change that would allow delegates to abandon Trump and back someone else, regardless of binding rules in their states or territories. Others argue that delegates already are free to vote their conscience, with or without a convention rule change. But the anti-Trump forces lack a consensus alternative to step in as the nominee should their coup succeed.
At the moment, the rogue delegates acknowledge they will have a tough time winning over a majority of the 112-member rules panel. They hope they can at least muster the 28 votes needed to issue a minority report, which would be read and reviewed on the convention floor.
"I was hoping, if this committee took a strong stand, we would be able to discourage them, and I would hold the committee personally responsible if that happens," Yue said.
Yue said he might also propose the measure to the convention rules panel, of which he is a member. That move will depend on whether anti-Trump delegates have 28 votes.
"My job," Yue said, "is to shut down everything."
Jim Obergefell
The Ohio plaintiff in a case that legalized gay marriage across the nation - Cincinnati's Jim Obergefell - told Congress on Tuesday that a bill to let religious organizations not recognize gay marriages is "mean-spirited, discriminatory and unconstitutional."
(Sabrina Eaton, Cleveland.com)
WASHINGTON - A year after the U.S. Supreme Court used an Ohio case to legalize gay marriage nationwide, the case's plaintiff appeared before Congress to denounce a legislative effort he contended would undermine those rights.
Backers of the bill dubbed the "First Amendment Defense Act" say it would protect religious universities policies' on same sex marriage, and ensure that faith-based agencies can insist that children they put up for adoption "need both a father and mother."
At a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing Tuesday, Cincinnati's Jim Obergefell said the legislation would "authorize sweeping, taxpayer-funded discrimination." He chided legislators for holding the hearing on the one-month anniversary of a shooting spree in Orlando, Florida, that killed 49 people at a gay nightclub.
"This hearing is deeply hurtful to a still-grieving LGBT community," Obergefell said as he urged the committee to scrap legislation that Republicans say is needed keep the federal government from revoking grants, contracts, accreditation, or licenses from individuals or institutions based on their opinions of same-sex marriage.
"Religious liberty is a core American value," he added."As I see it, this legislation turns this value on its head by permitting discrimination and harm under the guise of religious liberty."
The bill has 170 Republican cosponsors, including U.S. Representatives Jim Jordan of Champaign County, Dave Joyce of Russell Township, Bob Gibbs of Holmes County and Jim Renacci of Wadsworth.
Supporters of the bill say it is needed because of "government hostility" to those who believe marriage is between a man and a woman.
"No American should be threatened or intimidated because of their belief in traditional marriage," the bill's author, Idaho's Raul Labrador, told the committee.
Advocates of the bill pointed to the case of Kelvin Cochran, who was fired as Atlanta's fire chief after he wrote a devotional book that quoted biblical passages condemning same sex relations. Cochran said he didn't discriminate against gay people as fire chief and told the committee that "nobody deserves to be marginalized or chased out of their profession" because of their beliefs about same sex marriage.
"People like Mr. Cochran shouldn't have to check their beliefs at the door," Jordan agreed at the hearing. "If that doesn't underscore why we need this legislation, I don't know what does"
But Cochran's firing wouldn't be affected by the proposed bill, said Columbia University Law School professor Katherine Franke, who contended it would not pass Constitutional muster. She noted foes of racial integration also cited the Bible in claiming segregation was God's will, and said the bill would "impose manifold harms on private Americans and enable and encourage discrimination."
Language in the bill that says "sexual relations are properly reserved" for heterosexual marriages, could also allow religious company owners fire workers in same-sex marriages, single parents, and other unmarried couples, she said.
"It is difficult for me to imagine why anyone would think such discrimination should be permitted in the year 2016," Obergefell said. "I believe that the United States Congress must be better than this."
DEM 2016 Sanders
A girl hold up a sign as Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks at a campaign rally at the Akron Civic Theatre in March. With polls showing presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in a tight race with likely GOP rival Donald Trump in Ohio, analysts say she needs all the support she can get from Sanders' supporters in the Buckeye State.
(AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
COLUMBUS, Ohio--Hillary Clinton has defeated Bernie Sanders, both in Ohio's primary and in the nationwide race for the Democratic nomination.
But now, say political activists and analysts, Clinton needs Sanders' supporters if she hopes to defeat Republican Donald Trump in Ohio, a key swing state.
Sanders endorsed Clinton on Tuesday after a long, often contentious primary battle, and Clinton's campaign is already organizing a number of events this week across the state to unite the Vermont senator's fans behind her candidacy.
But while many of Sanders' leaders in Ohio are getting behind Clinton, a number of Bernie fans in the Buckeye State still refuse to switch loyalties to Clinton, whom they don't trust to push for the populist, progressive issues championed by Sanders.
More than 513,000 Ohioans cast ballots for Sanders during the state's March 15 primary, which Clinton won by nearly 14 percentage points. With polls showing Clinton neck-and-neck with Trump in Ohio, it's important for Clinton to convince as many of those voters as she can to support her in November.
As fewer (reliably Democratic) black Ohioans are likely to turn out for Clinton this year than they did for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, "she's got to counterweight that with a higher level of support from those Bernie supporters," said Tom Sutton, who chairs the political science department at Baldwin Wallace University.
Steve Holecko, who served as volunteer coordinator for Sanders in Northeast Ohio, estimated that about a third of Sanders supporters in the area are committed to voting for Clinton. Another third are undecided but will eventually back Clinton, he said, while the last third "are 'Bernie or bust' people" who, if they vote, will back a third-party candidate. (Very few will vote for Trump, he predicted).
"I don't think they're all un-persuadable. It's really hard to tell," said Holecko, who plans to vote for Clinton. "It's going to have to wait until after the convention when there's a perception of friendliness at the top, and it's going have to be slowly with the 'Bernie or bust' people."
On Tuesday, Clinton's campaign announced several upcoming "Stronger Together" events in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, and the Youngstown area with Clinton and Sanders supporters to "demonstrate how Ohioans are uniting behind Clinton."
Holecko and Jason Edwards, a Columbus activist who heads Sanders' Ohio delegation to the Democratic National Convention, each said Clinton campaign officials have reached out to them about mending fences for the general election.
"While Ohio Republicans continue to flee Donald Trump's divisive and toxic comments ahead of the Republican National Convention, a broad coalition is uniting behind Hillary Clinton - driven by the belief that we are stronger together," said Chris Wyant, Hillary for America's Ohio state director, in a statement. "We believe the primary between Hillary Clinton and Senator Sanders has made us stronger because we got a chance to debate these substantive policy issues and that going into the general election we will only be stronger together."
Pam Makowski of Columbus was a Sanders supporter during the primary. But now she's volunteering to make phone calls on behalf of Clinton.
Makowski, a self-described Democratic activist, said she always planned to support her party's nominee, no matter if it was Clinton or Sanders. She said she initially backed Sanders because he would "shake things up," but she added that Clinton is "moving in the same direction as Bernie."
"I'm amazed that anyone thinks that it would be hard to switch from Bernie to Hillary," she said, "because their basic positions are so similar."
But Kyle Landis, a Columbus resident who volunteered for Sanders during his Ohio primary campaign, said he is "absolutely not" going to support Hillary Clinton, no matter what she does to reach out.
"Mostly the reason for that is just that she's just another neo-liberal candidate who doesn't really support any of the issues that the Bernie Sanders campaign or his supporters were fighting for," Landis said, noting that she changed her stance on the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal and served on Wal-Mart's board of directors. "I don't think I would believe anything that she says at this point."
Landis said of the Sanders supporters he knows, a third - including him - support the Green Party's Jill Stein for president, a third back Clinton, and a third "might not vote at all."
Landis said he's only heard a couple of Bernie fans announce they plan to vote for Trump "just as a protest," but overall "there's not a big sentiment toward Trump."
Edwards said Clinton's and Sanders' camps have already taken steps to bridge the divides that tore open during the Democratic primary. For example, he said, many of Sanders' policy proposals have been adopted into this year's Democratic platform.
"There's definitely a possibility to mend the bridge that was burnt, for a good majority of the Bernie people," he said.
But, Edwards said, there are still sticking points, such as the platform committee's refusal to insert strong language opposing the TPP trade deal.
"Like Senator Sanders says, it's not our job to whip up votes for Hillary Clinton," Edwards said. "She has to win over votes on her own."
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Rock concerts, receptions and meals with Republican bigwigs dot the schedule for Ohio's delegates to the Republican National Convention. Delegates are expected to arrive Sunday and activities kick off immediately.
(cleveland.com file)
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Ohio's 66 delegates to the Ohio Republican Convention will spend next week at rock concerts, receptions and meals with Republican bigwigs.
Delegates, who will be housed at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Cleveland, are expected to arrive Sunday. Activities kick off immediately.
Here's some of the highlights:
Sunday
Afternoon reception in Little Italy featuring Attorney General Mike DeWine.
Evening reception aboard the Goodtime III.
Evening concert by Lynryd Skynyrd, hosted by Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, at Jacobs Pavilion.
Monday
Breakfast with Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel and U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas.
Lunch with former Texas Gov. Rick Perry at Lola.
Tuesday
Breakfast with U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson of Marietta and Republican pitchman Frank Luntz.
Reception at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum for Gov. John Kasich.
Two receptions after the convention session: One with Ohio Senate President Keith Faber and one with Rosenberger.
Wednesday
Breakfast with U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi of Columbus and U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan.
Afternoon reception at the Cleveland Science Center with Sen. Rob Portman.
Evening reception at Cleveland Grays Armory Museum with Ohio Auditor Dave Yost.
Thursday
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Preliminary meetings for the Republican National Convention began on Monday.
(Mark Naymik, cleveland.com)
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Republican Party's official platform will remain opposed to same-sex marriage, after a GOP committee on Monday rejected proposals that would have softened the party's stance on LGBT issues.
The Republican National Convention Platform Committee, meeting at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, cast at least a half-dozen votes that either:
- Approved language to amend a proposed platform from party staff to explicitly state support for "traditional marriage," or
- Rejected proposals that would have struck a more moderate tone on same-sex marriage. That included an amendment from Rachel Hoff, an openly gay GOP delegate from Washington, D.C., that would have inserted into the party platform an acknowledgment of "the diversity of opinion within our own party on the issue of marriage."
Republican delegates said the party's support for traditional marriage spans back to the beginning of party.
By casting Monday's votes, GOP delegates rejected recommendations from a report commissioned by the Republican National Committee in early 2013 -- sometimes referred to as the GOP autopsy report -- that said in order to broaden the party's appeal, Republicans should "make sure young people do not see the Party as totally intolerant of alternative points of view."
Monday's platform committee meeting was the first in a series of preliminary meetings leading up to July 18, when the four-day Republican National Convention will begin here. The party is expected to nominate celebrity businessman Donald Trump, who has generally steered clear of weighing in on LGBT issues, but reached out to LGBT voters following the recent fatal mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Florida.
The platform committee signed off on two planks of the GOP platform -- "America's natural resources, energy and environment" and "Great American families, education, healthcare and criminal justice," which contained the marriage-related measures.
Committee members will take up the economy, national defense and other issues when they reconvene Tuesday morning. Later this week, the GOP will hold its summer session, and Republican committees will meet to set rules for the GOP convention and grant credentials to convention delegates.
Among other votes on Monday, the GOP platform committee also:
- Rejected a proposed amendment, from Maine State Sen. Eric Brakey, a Shaker Heights native, that would have expressed support for medical marijuana to be considered at the state level.
- Rejected a proposal that would have criticized "no fault divorce".
- Rejected a proposal that would have stricken language supporting "encouraging state legislators to offer The Bible as a literature curriculum and elective" in high schools.
- Approved an amendment that opposed including prairie chickens and sage grouses on a federal list of endangered animals
- Called for requiring the federal government, before creating a national monument or park, to first get approval from Congress, as well as the legislature in the affected state.
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Strongsville has hired Seitz Builders Inc. to renovate the fire station on Albion Road.
(Bob Sandrick, special to cleveland.com)
STRONGSVILLE, Ohio - A Broadview Heights firm has won a contract to renovate Strongsville's Albion Road fire station, one of four fire stations in the city.
The city will pay Seitz Builders Inc. $586,900. The company submitted the lowest of six bids, the highest of which was $842,780. The other four bids ranged from $611,700 to $729,000.
Building Commissioner Tony Biondillo said that since Seitz's bid was under budget, the renovation will include several additional items listed as alternates in the bid documents. The alternates include fiberglass windows, millwork, furniture, sidewalk and brick repairs and LED lights. Seitz will also paint the station's bay rooms.
The main work will include redesigning restrooms to make accommodations for women firefighters, although the city now employs only men firefighters; upgrading the heating, ventilating and air-conditioning system and adding insulation; and replacing the roof. The project will also include buying a new backup generator and replacing a light pole and fixture at the station's front entrance.
Minus the alternates, Seitz's bid of $542,700 was the second-lowest. The lowest bid without alternates was $529,400 by a company called Apex.
Last week, City Council members expressed concerns about Seitz's bid before approving it.
Councilman Joe DeMio worried that Seitz, with its low bid, might come back with change orders - additional work not anticipated before a project starts - and drive up the cost.
Mayor Thomas Perciak said change orders are unavoidable in a renovation project.
"When building new, you know what you're getting," Perciak said. "But when you're talking walls apart and looking at underground plumbing, there will be extras."
Councilman Gordon Short noted that for one of the alternates - upgraded roof repairs - Seitz's price of $1,400 was significantly lower than those of other bidders. Apex's price for upgraded roof repairs was $5,900, and the other prices ranged from $5,000 to $10,000.
"As an accountant, that pops a red flag in my head," Short said.
Biondillo couldn't explain the disparity but said if Seitz submits a change-order request for roof upgrades, the city would not honor that request simply because the company's original price was too low.
Biondillo defended Seitz - which built two Strongsville fire stations, one on Webster Road about 15 years ago, the other at Drake and Howe roads - and said rumors about the firm were unfair.
When asked after last week's council meeting to elaborate on the rumors, Biondillo said change orders that occurred during the Webster fire station project were not Seitz's fault, as some believed. He said Seitz had to drill deeper into the site than first expected to make sure the area - part of which had been used previously as a landfill - was stable.
Also, the city had to redesign a detention basin, which added to the cost of the Webster fire station, Biondillo said.
In February, City Council hired Zarzycki-Malik Architects Inc. in Middleburg Heights to design the Albion fire station renovation and oversee construction. The city will pay the firm an amount equal to 9 percent of the construction costs.
Fire Chief Jack Draves said the city hopes to finish the renovation by the end of this year.
An Ohio judge denied a motion by the states largest full-time online charter school Monday to block a state audit of its attendance records. Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow Superintendent Rick Teeters warned the review could ultimately lead to the closure of the 15,000-student school, long under scrutiny by media and state officials for its poor performance.
Without court intervention, these underhanded procedural changes would severely limit our ability to provide a quality school experience. In fact, they would likely force us and other e-schools to close our doors altogether, Teeters said in a statement shared with supporters via social media.
At issue are potentially tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer funding. Based on a preliminary review of the schools enrollment and attendance records in May, education department officials believe the school may have significantly overcharged the state. The review found that many students were logged in to the schools system for far less than the recommended five hours per day.
A previous review of attendance records at Ohios far-smaller online Provost Academy led to the state demanding $800,000 in reimbursement, a total that amounted to roughly 80 percent of the schools total funding, according to the Columbus Dispatch .
Teeters of ECOT argued in his message to supporters that adjusting virtual schools per-pupil funding based on student login records amounts to changing the rules midstream. ECOTs policy requires students to spend at least five hours per day on learning opportunities, some of which may take place offline. But ECOT officials argue that current state statute stipulates that funding be based on what e-schools offer, rather than what students do.
Across the country, the question of how full-time online charters track attendance has suddenly emerged as a flash point. Earlier this week, Californias state attorney general announced a multi-million dollar settlement with K12 Inc. , the nations largest operator of cyber charter schools, over issues including questionable student attendance reporting at the California Virtual Academies. The Pennsylvania Department of Education is also reviewing irregularities in attendance reporting at Agora Cyber Charter , an 8,500-student school that until recently was also managed by K12.
The issue is part of a renewed battle over the performance and operations of full-time online charter schools, which serve roughly 200,000 students across 26 states. A series of 2015 research reports detailed abysmal academic performance throughout the sector , and last month a group of pro-charter school organizations called for a complete overhaul of state policies governing the schools.
Founded in 2000 by William Lager, Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow has been among the cyber charters that has drawn the sharpest criticism in the country, both for its poor academic track record and for its management practices. In May, the New York Times reported that the school paid companies associated with Lager almost $23 milliona hefty chunk of the $115 million in public funds the school received overall.
On the attendance issue, ECOT had sought late last week a temporary restraining order and injunction that would have prevented the Ohio Department of Education from imposing a log-in time/duration requirement as part of any audit or review that would be used to determine per-pupil funding.
Instead of the actual amount of time students spent logged into its software, the school argued that its attendance records and funding should instead be based on the learning opportunities offered or presented to students, whether the students took advantage of them or not, in accordance with existing state statute.
According to documents from the states initial review of ECOTs attendance records, school staff argued that student learning time could also be demonstrated in ways other than logins, but related documentation was not provided to state reviewers.
While Ohios position is that login times can and should be used to determine student attendance and enrollment, the state argued in court filings that it should be allowed to proceed with its audit because no related outcome was imminent. Even if the state did determine that it had been overcharged, it would see restitution through a series of deductions in payments to the involved school, rather than via a single lump-sum payment.
Democrats in the state Senate, who have been pushing for a bill that would provide tighter regulation of cyber charters online attendance records, reacted happily to the court ruling Monday that a state audit can go forward.
The judges decision to allow the Department of Educations audit to proceed is a victory for transparency and accountability in state government, said Senate Minority Leader Joe Schiavoni in a statement. Hopefully its a sign of needed changes to come. ECOTs failure to educate its students and continued wasting of tax dollars cannot go on any longer.
See also:
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Charles Goss, Strongsville's safety director, told City Council last week about new protective gear police bought last year.
(Bob Sandrick, special to cleveland.com)
STRONGSVILLE, Ohio - City police and firefighters have protective vests that can stop bullets from assault-type weapons and long guns - the type of ammunition and weaponry used during last week's deadly attack on Dallas police.
That is what Mark Fender, Strongsville's deputy police chief, said last week. He said the city bought the vests in 2015.
Along with protective vests, Strongsville police and firefighters carry helmets and emergency medical kits. Also, they have received training on how to handle hostage situations and similar emergencies on their own, without backup.
"We will not allow anyone to be executed in our city," Fender told City Council's Public Safety and Health Committee July 5. "If an officer shows up, he's going in."
On July 7, two days after the committee meeting, Micah Johnson, a U.S. Army veteran, reportedly used an assault weapon to kill five police officers and wound seven officers in Dallas.
"Naturally, we could not have predicted the Dallas event," said Councilman Joe DeMio, chairman of the public safety and health committee, when asked why protective gear was on the July 5 agenda. "I just wanted to make sure we have the most up-to-date equipment for our safety forces."
"We hope nothing happens, but in this modern day, it's best to be well-equipped," DeMio said.
At the July 5 meeting, Charles Goss, Strongsville's director of public safety, said that each of the Police Department's 30 or so cruisers contain one of the new vests. This is in addition to protective vests that each officer already wears.
Fire Chief Jack Draves said the Fire Department has 13 sets of the same gear - vests, helmets and medical kits - for each firefighter-paramedic on duty.
"I don't know if people realize that firefighters are very vulnerable when they go in to save lives," DeMio told cleveland.com Friday.
Fender said the vests cost more than $1,000 each. He was unable to provide a more precise price for the gear.
Fender said the city used money seized in drug sales to make the equipment purchases. He said the state of Ohio, which decides how each police force can use that fund, gave the city permission to spend the money for that purpose.
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Cedar Point is testing a new virtual-reality experience on Iron Dragon, part of Cedar Point Nights, which kicks off Friday.
(Courtesy Cedar Point)
SANDUSKY, Ohio - If the reality of Cedar Point's collection of roller coasters isn't enough: The park is testing a virtual-reality experience on one of its rides and visitors to the park over the next month can be among the first to try it.
Starting this Friday, riders on Iron Dragon will have the option of trying a new virtual-reality experience during the 2-minute ride. They'll wear virtual-reality headsets and view 3-D digital imagery while experiencing the real-life curves and hills of the coaster.
Said park spokesman Tony Clark: "The story line is revealed a little when you sign up, but there are dragons, angry villagers and ogres involved (oh my!)"
The experience, which started intermittent testing last month, will be available from 6-9 p.m. daily for guests, ages 13 and up, starting Friday. Availability is limited; guests can sign up starting at noon. There is no extra charge.
Iron Dragon, new in 1987, is one of the tamer coasters in Cedar Point's collection, with a top height of 76 feet and a top speed of 40 mph.
Clark said there are no plans - yet - to make VR a permanent option at the park. "Right now, it's only in beta test mode so we can evaluate performance, operations and overall guest reaction. No plans for permanent placement at this time."
Virtual-reality experiences are an emerging trend in the amusement-park industry. Six Flags this year added a VR experience to nine of its roller coasters, including Superman at Six Flags New England and Ninja at Six Flags St. Louis.
The Iron Dragon VR experience is included in Cedar Point Nights, a month-long festival featuring extended park hours, evening beach parties, Friday-night clambakes, movies on the beach and more.
The fun runs this Friday through Sunday, Aug. 14. For information: cedarpoint.com.
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We all could be doing a better job of socking money away in our 401(k) plans, yet the lucky few who are able to max out their accounts may be facing caps on their ability to save. Proposals to stunt the growth of outsized retirement accounts have been under discussion in Washington for years. President Barack Obama's proposed budget for the 2017 fiscal year includes a provision that would require minimum distributions for Roth IRAs at age 70. Another provision would require beneficiaries of deceased IRA owners (spouses excepted) to take distributions from inherited IRAs within five years. As in previous years, the budget also called for a cap on 401(k) and IRA accounts, barring contributions and further accruals once balances hit $3.4 million.
And in June, the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington-based nonprofit that studies policy issues, proposed curbs on large retirement accounts, calling for a limit of $10 million per individual on 401(k) and IRA balances. The same group also proposed to end so-called stretch IRAs, a strategy where someone who inherits an IRA can continue to grow assets on a tax-deferred basis for years.
Don't panic just yet. "The budget is more of a wish list," said Jeffrey Levine, CPA and chief retirement strategist at Ed Slott and Co. In the past, "of the 15 or 16 retirement-related proposals [Obama] made, none of them happened," he said. Right now, IRA and 401(k) plan balances nationwide tend to be fairly modest. At the end of the first quarter, the average amount in a 401(k) was $87,300, while the average IRA held $89,300, according to data from Fidelity Investments. But in the event you have a fortune in your IRA and you're worried about the proposals to cap how much you can save, here are some work-arounds.
Deferred compensation plans
Talk to your employer about a nonqualified deferred compensation plan. Employers generally offer these plans to top-earning executives who may surpass the current $18,000 pretax contribution limit to a 401(k). There are no caps on contributions to a nonqualified deferred compensation plan, and savers can continue to put money away on a tax-deferred basis. Here's how it works. Participants contribute the maximum to their 401(k) first, and then make additional deferrals from their salary and bonus into the nonqualified plan, said John Voltaggio, managing director and senior wealth advisor at Northern Trust. Employee contributions to the nonqualified plan are usually fully vested, so you won't lose the money you deposited if you leave your job, he said. However, employer contributions may be subject to vesting schedules. Assets from a nonqualified plan are subject to income taxes when you take the money out, but participants can determine how they'd like to receive their money: as a lump sum at retirement, as a series of payments over a period of years or deferred for a period of time. Nonqualified plan assets aren't subject to required minimum distributions, unlike regular 401(k) plans and traditional IRAs. A few caveats: If you're no longer employed with a company, the employer may require that the balance be paid out in a lump sum. And if your employer goes under, your money may go with it.
After-tax contributions to your 401(k)
If you're already maxing out your 401(k) pretax contributions, see if your retirement plan allows you to make after-tax contributions. While you can contribute up to $18,000 each year in pretax money (and $24,000 if you're above age 50), you can make additional after-tax contributions up to $53,000. These after-tax contributions generally can be withdrawn tax-free, and any earnings are tax-deferred until withdrawal.
Health savings accounts
A health savings account is another way to bypass savings caps. HSAs are linked to high-deductible health care plans. Contributions aren't subject to income taxes and balances accumulate tax free. Distributions for qualified medical expenses are also tax free, so there is a triple-tax benefit. For 2016, an individual can contribute up to $3,350 per year to their HSA. For families, it's $6,750. If you're 55 and older, you can make a catch-up contribution of $1,000. Unspent funds can roll over from year to year.
The backdoor Roth
China remembers clearly a 2010 Southeast Asian security summit in Hanoi, when Clinton waded into the South China Sea dispute, saying open access and legal solutions were a U.S. "national interest" and "pivotal to regional security".
"Clinton will be a difficult partner," one senior Chinese diplomatic source told Reuters, having just admitted to not knowing much about Trump or what he stands for.
While presidential rival Donald Trump has irritated Beijing with comments such as comparing the U.S. trade deficit with China to rape, he is largely an unknown quantity, a person who even privately officials shrug their shoulders over.
Combined with her tough line on human rights and role in leading President Barack Obama's Asia "rebalancing", Clinton is well-known in China - but not well liked.
Now as an that threatens China's sweeping claims in the vital waterway, Beijing is watching Clinton's presidential run with trepidation.
In 2010, then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton provoked outrage in Beijing when she pushed the South China Sea to the top of the regional and U.S. security agendas.
In a strongly worded response, China stressed the South China Sea as one of its "core interests", putting the issue up there with Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang in terms of its importance to Beijing.
China warned its rival claimants and neighbors not to be emboldened by U.S. support - a line it has repeated ever since.
An arbitration court hearing the dispute between China and the Philippines over the South China Sea is set to hand down its ruling on in the Dutch city of The Hague on Tuesday. Legal experts expect at least some substantive findings to go against China, which has vowed to ignore the ruling.
Strength, respect
China's military, which is ramping up its presence in the South China Sea as part of a major modernisation programme, is also watching the election closely.
"Hillary is very fierce when it comes to China," a Chinese official close to the military establishment told Reuters.
While the Chinese government has been largely quiet about the U.S. election, state media has not been so restrained, with one paper even equating Trump to Hitler.
In May, China's official Xinhua news agency noted Trump's more isolationist campaign compared to Clinton's, who it described as an "old foreign policy hand" and important backer of the Asia-Pacific "pivot" that China considers a threat.
"As far as she's concerned, being tough on foreign policy is perhaps the best way to show America's so-called 'leadership'," it said in a commentary.
Laura Rosenberger, a Clinton campaign foreign policy adviser who worked with her in the State Department, told Reuters Clinton would remain tough on the South China Sea issue.
"She believes that we need to be very strong in terms of standing up to many of the actions the Chinese have taken," Rosenberger said.
"She believes in the principles of freedom of navigation in international waters, that commerce on the high seas in incredibly important to the United States, and that these are really very direct interests that we need to continue to stand up for."
Trump adviser Peter Navarro, an economist at University of California Irvine and the author of the book, "Crouching Tiger: What China's Militarism Means for the World," said a Trump presidency would lead to respect.
"The central difference between a Trump administration and the current administration or a Clinton administration is respect. The leaders of Russia, the leaders of China will respect Mr. Trump, will respect America because we will be strong economically, militarily and politically."
Unknown quantity
Trump may actually find some sympathy in China, even if he is seen as an unknown quantity.
"Who is Trump? We don't really know. We do know he hates Muslims though - and that will be well received in some circles here," said the Chinese official with ties to the military, pointing to what China views as its war on terror in its Muslim-populated far western region of Xinjiang.
It was clear to Cramer that the Brexit rebound drove stocks higher. But he pointed to 10 stocks that must move higher for the rally to really be sustainable.
"There are certain stocks that represent the fundament of a real bull market, and until we see those stocks begin to move higher, this market is going to have a hard time attracting believers," the " Mad Money " host said.
The hit new highs on Monday, but Jim Cramer saw many investors still skeptical of the move.
Nobody is going to say we have a bull market, let alone a new bull market with those kinds of numbers.
Even though Alphabet has a solid balance sheet and huge potential with a $73 billion cash position, investors still perceive it as a company that has lost its ability to surprise to the upside on earnings. So, while it is undeniably dominant, there is a belief that its best days are behind it. Investors want to see it do something with its YouTube content.
"I worry something is wrong at Alphabet given that they don't do more with this terrific asset and I can't figure it out. European government investigations? Too much strong dollar downside? It's just not adding up. I think the stock is too cheap to ignore," Cramer said.
Bulls have even more hatred for Apple than Alphabet, Cramer said. Until the stock is downgraded by analysts, there isn't much hope for it. It will require tremendous patience in order for its service revenues to become as important as its phone growth story.
Airlines are also flailing. American Airlines is down 25 percent for the year. United and Delta are down 24 percent.
"Nobody is going to say we have a bull market, let alone a new bull market with those kinds of numbers," Cramer said.
Gilead, which Cramer described as the "eyesore of the market," is down 14 percent for the year. He came to the conclusion that its Hepatitis C franchise has lost its luster, and the company has too much cash that it's doing nothing with. It must do a deal in order to accelerate growth, Cramer said.
Cramer now considers Disney to be the most troubling stock in the market. The cable bundle issue doesn't seem to go away, especially as it is clear that ESPN is slowing. The stock must bounce back to the $100s to display strength.
"These 10 stocks speak volumes about why so many people are skeptical of this move. Sure, we've had our post-Brexit rebound, but it won't really hit home until these 10 stocks get their groove back," Cramer said.
John MacDougall | Getty Images
Airbnb is partnering with three travel management companies American Express Global Business Travel, BCD Travel and Carlson Wagonlit Travel to grow business travel on the platform and gain market share from hotels. Business travelers are increasingly looking for alternatives to hotels, and companies want to be able to offer employees those choices while managing costs and without compromising security and safety, said Lex Bayer, Head of Global Payments and Business Development at Airbnb in a press release.
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Like fellow multibillion-dollar Bay Area-based unicorn Uber, Airbnb recognizes the value of the business travel market and the company is working hard to grow its share. Business travelers make up about 10 percent of Airbnb's business and represent a lucrative and growing market for the internet company. On average, business travelers stay seven nights in Airbnb accommodation, twice as long as stays in traditional hotels, research group CWT Solutions Group found. The research also found that companies can save up to 37 percent by using Airbnb in certain cases. Through these new partnerships, Airbnb and its partners will integrate some of their data through the Airbnb for Business service. This will allow the travel managers to access Airbnb's global inventory and gain better insights into costs and potential savings, said Bayer in the release.
Airbnb already has 50,000 businesses using its platform to make bookings, and Airbnb for Business gives business travelers access to more than 2 million homes around the world.
Airbnb already has a similar partnership with Concur a deal it signed two years ago to extend its reach into business travel.
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"It's not the same state that you may have written about in the past," said Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo in a phone call last week. She did not know at the time that we were about to name Rhode Island America's Bottom State for Business in our 10th annual rankings the fourth time it would come in dead last. But she was also under no illusions that her state's standing was suddenly about to change for the better compared to previous years. After all, Rhode Island has never finished better than 48th since we began rating the states in 2007. But Raimondo, a Democrat who is one year into her first term, wanted us to know about some of the things her administration is doing to try and turn things around. "Take a fresh look at Rhode Island," she said. That was all she was asking.
Indeed, some of her initiatives take direct aim at the very issues that make Rhode Island this year's bottom state and which have hurt the state year after year. These include financial woes, crumbling infrastructure and a talent drain. For example, Rhode Island ranks dead last in our Infrastructure category this year, in large part because it has a greater percentage of deficient bridges than any other state. Now there is a plan to change that.
Crews work to clear the floodwaters causing the closure of Interstate 95 in Warwick, Rhode Island. Brian Snyder | Reuters
"We are completely remaking our transportation system," the governor said. Raimondo is referring to an infrastructure package passed this year known as RhodeWorks, which the administration says will provide $45 million a year in revenue to fix roads and bridges. At the heart of the package which is aimed at returning the bridges to "90 percent sufficiency" within 10 years are new tolls on large commercial trucks. Rhode Island had been one of the only states in the Northeast that did not levy fees. Cars and smaller trucks are exempt. The state is also leveraging federal funds to redevelop its ports, and the legislature approved $1.5 million to subsidize commercial air routes serving the state's main airport, T.F. Green Airport, near Providence. "The combination of funding for our ports, airports and highways is a really significant investment in our infrastructure," Raimondo said.
Faunce House at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island Yiming Chen | Getty Images
In the Workforce category, Rhode Island ties for 23rd place with Nevada. But the state would do much better were it not for a brain drain in which hundreds of college students every year are leaving after they graduate. Our Top States analysis of Census Bureau figures ranks Rhode Island near the bottom for net migration. Enter a $1.75 million program called the Wave Maker Fellowship. Graduates from Rhode Island institutions with designated degrees in science, technology, engineering, art or math who get a job in the state within those fields can qualify for four years of assistance paying back their student loans. At the K12 level, Raimondo points to a new partnership with Microsoft to teach computer science in every school in the state.
Rhode Island ranks 45th in Economy in our study this year. State GDP grew just 1.7 percent last year, to around $50 billion. The state has a long history of financial woes, including a pension that was underfunded by nearly $9 billion as recently as 2011. But by the end of last year, those unfunded liabilities had been cut nearly in half to around $4.8 billion, according to the state treasurer's office. Raimondo points to sweeping reforms she was state treasurer before she was elected governor including switching from defined-benefit retirement plans to defined contribution plans.
Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo Getty Images
To hear the governor tell it, Rhode Island is just a few years away from becoming a little business powerhouse. These big changes, she contends, "will make it cheaper and more attractive to do business here." But Raimondo is not the first Rhode Island governor to claim that the state has turned over a new leaf. Her predecessor, Lincoln Chafee, laid out some bold pronouncements of his own in a commentary for our 2013 America's Top States for Business coverage. "We're capitalizing on our assets and building world-class infrastructure. We're working diligently to educate a 21st-century workforce. We're leading a state government that will help businesses in our state grow and succeed," he wrote.
The joint Bernie Sanders-Hillary Clinton event in New Hampshire on Tuesday was the result of weeks of back-channel wooing by the former secretary of state's campaign. Clinton strategist Robby Mook spoke regularly with Sanders campaign chair Jeff Weaver as it became clear that Clinton would have the delegates necessary to secure the nomination later this month in Philadelphia. And as Politico Playbook reports, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer played a critical peace-brokering role as did President Barack Obama. Sanders wanted strong progressive language in the Democratic platform on such issues as Wall Street reform, the environment and the minimum wage. He lost on including language repudiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal but overall the Vermont senator's stamp is all over the document.
Bernie Sanders supporters with signs at the Team Bernie LA Rally on June 26, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Rodin Eckenroth | Getty Images
The endorsement and campaign event was critical for Clinton as she seeks to bring Sanders's anti-establishment supporters into the fold as some polls show presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump closing the gap and potentially making the presidential race a nail-biter. The latest NBC News/Survey Monkey tracking poll has Clinton up just 3 points on Trump. The poll found that 82 percent of Americans felt it was inappropriate for Clinton to use a private server for her email while at the State Department. Somewhat amazingly, 20 percent of Clinton's own supporters said they disagreed with the Justice Department's decision not to prosecute her over the email setup. Those figures highlight the critical importance of a full-throated Sanders endorsement and a significant campaign role for the Democratic primary runner-up. Sanders regularly ripped Clinton during the campaign as an untrustworthy creature of the establishment backed by Wall Street. The attacks won him a strong following, especially among younger voters who have not warmed to Clinton. The presumptive Democratic nominee already has strong support from key parts of the Obama coalition including African-American and Latino voters. But she continues to struggle with younger voters whom she will need to turn out in significant numbers to win in November. A new GenForward poll found that only half of Sanders' young supporters are now willing to support Clinton.
According toThe Washington Post, Sanders won more voters under age 30 than Clinton and Trump combined during the primaries, and it wasn't even close. That fact helps explain Clinton's recently released college affordability plan. And it makes the Sanders event a critical fist step in convincing millennial voters that the former first lady understands their problems and can be trusted to address them. Expect the Clinton campaign to turn to Sanders often during the next four months to appeal to younger voters and to give him a prominent role at the Democratic convention in Philadelphia.
Hillary Clinton, presumptive 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, speaks during a campaign event in Atlantic City, New Jersey. John Taggart | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Costs of Criminal Justice: Paying Legal Financial Obligations
It costs a lot to run a criminal justice system that accuses, investigates, prosecutes, and incarcerates people. Increasingly, jurisdictions are passing on the costs of the system to those caught up in it.
This is meant to help localities pay for criminal justice, but the result is that poor people especially are finding it very difficult to escape the clutches of the system, sometimes long after they have done the time for their crimes. Let's look at Legal Financial Obligations (LFOs) and their impact as reported by the Atlantic.
Money Is Tight
LFOs are heavy fines and court fees that must be paid or will result in more sanctions and incarceration. Fines are imposed for various costs of prosecution and incarceration, including bench-warrant fees, filing-clerks fees, court-appointed attorney fees, crime-lab analysis fees, DNA-database fees, jury fees, and jailing. Some states are even charging fines unrelated to an actual sentence.
The Arizona legislature reportedly created a "felony surcharge" added onto former prisoners' bills in 1994 to cover costs of the system. The legislature raises the surcharge amount regularly and by 2012 it had reached 83 percent. Thus, a former prisoner who owes $1,000 in fines and fees, pays an additional $830 to the state. That's a fine on a fine that also accrues interest. Making these financial demands from people released from jail and prison, whose employment opportunities are very limited already and who are struggling financially to survive, results in them staying stuck in the system as interest accrues on fines they will be unlikely to ever pay off.
A Pound of Flesh
Alexes Harris, the author of A Pound of Flesh: Monetary Sanctions for the Poor, says that Legal Financial Obligations can result in thousands of dollars worth of fines that accrue interest. These monetary obligations, Harris writes, "reinforce poverty, destabilize community reentry, and relegate impoverished debtors to a lifetime of punishment because their poverty leaves them unable to fulfill expectations of accountability."
Willful Failure to Pay
In 44 states in the nation, failure to pay fines, if it is willful, will result in more jail or prison time. Theoretically, no one can be imprisoned for their poverty then if they are not willfully failing to pay what they can't afford. But not all judges take the same approach to the willfulness assessment. Ultimately, poor people often go to jail for failure to pay fines, thus losing any footing that may have been gained in society since their release from the system.
Talk to a Lawyer
If you have been accused of a crime, don't delay to speak to a criminal defense lawyer. Many attorneys consult for free or a minimal fee and will be happy to assess your case.
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California is one of the world's largest diversified economies. From farmlands in the Central Valley to tech hubs including Silicon Valley, the Golden State is a massive economic machine. It boasts the world's eighth-largest economy, with annual GDP over $800 billion. Now the state is working on growing another emerging growth industry: cannabis. A California measure to allow for recreational adult use of marijuana will appear on the Nov. 8 state ballot. California already allows for medicinal marijuana use. The new initiative would allow adults ages 21 and older to possess, transport and use up to an ounce of cannabis for recreational purposes and would allow individuals to grow as many as six plants. Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and other supporters of the measure have kicked off a campaign for voter approval of the Adult Use of Marijuana Act in May. California would join Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Oregon as states that allow recreational use of marijuana. Eight other states also have marijuana measures on their ballots this year.
A cannabis farmer applies fertilizer to a crop of plants in Humboldt County, California. Robert Gauthier | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images
California's ballot initiative for recreational cannabis use is modeled after efforts in Washington state and Colorado. The California framework would include infrastructure to legalize, sell and tax cannabis like alcohol. It places a 15 percent tax on retail sales of the drug. If passed, the rollout of the adult-use market would add an estimated $1.4 billion in revenues within the first year of a fully operational cannabis market, according to ArcView. About 60 percent of likely voters say that, in general, marijuana use should be legal, and 37 percent say it should not be legal, according to survey and data released in May from the Public Policy Institute of California. "If adult-use legalization passes in November, there's going to be a massive increase to the size of the California market," predicts Troy Dayton, chief executive of The ArcView Group, a research firm that specializes in cannabis. "With the prospect of legalization on the helm, we're looking at the total market for legal cannabis in California to grow from $2.7 billion to $6.6 billion by 2020." Currently, the state holds the lion's share of the $5.7 billion industry.
This could open the business floodgates for large-scale cannabis ventures everything from marijuana cultivation to related ancillary businesses. And the state's cannabis industry could outsize the profits of even Washington state and Colorado, the first states to approve recreational use. Legalization could also spark the creation of new business models and infrastructure other states could emulate, according to Morgan Fox, a spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project. "It will also give the rest of the country even more opportunities to see that regulating marijuana works and learn from the best practices being used there," Fox said. But not everyone supports marijuana legalization and commercialization. "Legalization is about one thing: making a small number of businesspeople rich," according to Smart Approaches to Marijuana, or SAM, a vocal opponent of legalization. The group and other opponents say marijuana is both addictive and harmful to the human brain, especially when used as an adolescent.
A marijuana mecca
From growers to investors, California is an attractive marijuana market because of its sheer size and consumer potential. It's the most populated state, with more than 39 million residents. In California marijuana remains illegal under federal law. That means if you're a cannabis business owner and want to grow your customer base, you're limited within state boundaries. But California makes creating larger businesses of scale possible because of the market's size in a single state. "So if you've got an edible company, chain of dispensaries and you're trying to get some economies of scale to be able to lower cost and reach a larger audience, you only have that state to go on," Dayton said. "Having a business here in California, you can, as an individual operator, develop the levels of scale." From large-scale cultivators to private laboratories devoted to testing medicinal marijuana, cannabis is already looking like big business in some pockets of the state. Some desert towns, like Adelanto and Desert Hot Springs, have permitted for commercial marijuana cultivation in search of tax revenues. The measure is supported by many associations and groups, including the California Medical Association and Drug Policy Alliance.
If adult-use legalization passes in November, there's going to be a massive increase to the size of the California market. Troy Dayton chief executive, The ArcView Group
In 1996, California became the first state to allow for medical marijuana use. State voters approved Proposition 215, the law that made it legal for doctors to recommend cannabis to patients. Some two dozens states now allow for some form of legal marijuana. More state ballot measures in states including Florida, Maine and Nevada are slated for this year to potentially ease rules. In California the weather conditions are ideal for cultivating cannabis outside, while a lot of marijuana is also grown indoors in massive warehouses. The state's marketplace is also known for its decades-long experience developing cannabis strains. Third-generation growers and breeders have some unparalleled knowledge of the plant and of the related regulatory environment compared to other states. But in the 20 years since legalization of medical marijuana, California's market has undergone growing pains. Few initial rules for the medical marijuana business had frustrated growers, dispensary operators, governments, patient groups and law enforcement officials. There were limited market standards for product safety and quality. There was lack of centralized data and reporting.
In the years since medical legalization, consumers have become more educated and sophisticated about products, and the state's medical market is relatively saturated. Consumers have high expectations for quality, according to ArcView research. Then, in 2015, Gov. Jerry Brown signed three bills that toughened regulations for medical cannabis businesses and sought standards for documentation and testing. The bills are known as the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act, or MMRSA for short. Collectively, the legislation also paved the way for medical cannabis businesses to turn a profit. The legislation is impacting marijuana business models in other ways. The laws have eliminated the idea of home-based dispensaries. Going forward, according to ArcView, more cannabis delivery businesses are likely to be mobile operations that partner with standing medical-use dispensaries. Entrepreneurs may apply for small, delivery-only licenses. Cannabis sold to patients is also subject to new requirements that include testing for potency and contaminants. And this changing regulatory environment is a big opportunity for testing- and analytic-focused marijuana businesses, like Steep Hill Labs.
Ground cannabis for potency testing at Steep Hill Labs. Photo: Elizabeth Peace Photography
Given California's potential market size and tax revenues at stake, other states and cannabis start-ups from testing to other ancillary businesses will be watching the California experiment roll out, learning and ready to duplicate any successful models. "When California sets the standard, the rest will follow," said Steep Hill Labs CEO Jmichaele Keller. With locations in California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Washington and plans to open a lab in Alaska Steep Hill Labs works with cultivators and manufacturers to test and ensure the safety and potency of cannabis products. "California is the sixth-largest economy in the world. Legalization of marijuana will mean billions for the economy and explosive tax revenues for the state," he said. "When other states see this impact, they will have to follow."
Citigroup shares gained 2.7 percent Tuesday, after the global bank said its unit would of certain accounts in Venezuela.
Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro was quick to react, saying on Monday that Citibank planned to shut his government's foreign currency accounts within a month, and calling the move part of a "blockade."
"With no warning, Citibank says that in 30 days it will close the Central Bank and the Bank of Venezuela's accounts," Maduro said in a speech. "Do you think they're going to stop us with a financial blockade?"
Citibank said the decision was taken after a periodic risk management review, according to Reuters.
Reuters contributed to this report.
The Democratic and Republican National Conventions are not meetings of the Supreme Soviet. Delegates are not required to rubber-stamp whatever party leaders dictate. Instead, they have been delegated authority to exercise their best judgment in selecting presidential nominees.
Aren't some delegates required to vote for Donald Trump, whether they think he is fit to be president or not? No. That is a widespread misunderstanding, but a misunderstanding, nonetheless.
On Monday, a federal district court judge ruled unconstitutional Virginia's statute binding delegates, saying delegates are free to vote as they think best. The ruling's logic applies to the other 19 states with similar statutes.
The decision was nothing new. Whenever laws purporting to bind delegates have been challenged, they have consistently been struck down by federal courts, up to and including the Supreme Court. In the entire 160 years of the Republican Party, there isn't a single instance where the courts have enforced laws purporting to bind delegates. Not one. Zero.
Likewise, state party rules cannot bind delegates. The Republican National Convention is the highest governing authority of the party. The rules adopted at the convention supersede rules of the state parties. Indeed, the national party and the state parties are creatures of the national convention, not vice versa.
The ETF industry has come a long way in 23 years, and indications are that it's only going to get bigger a lot bigger.
If projections from a PwC survey released this week hold up, assets for exchange-traded funds will nearly triple in the U.S. and more than double globally over the next five years. That comes after a decade of rapid expansion for an industry that has benefited from low costs and an ever-increasing array of new products in hot demand by institutional investors, and increasingly by the retail crowd as well.
The survey of more than 60 firms in 2015 showed that global ETF assets likely are going to jump from $3 trillion to $8.2 trillion, with the U.S. portion of those assets moving from $2.3 trillion to at least $6.2 trillion by 2021.
"As investors get further educated on the product and how to use it and find different ways to use it, it's only going to help growth. There's a reasonable possibility those projections will be achieved," Bill Donahue, managing director with PwC's Asset Management Assurance Practice, said in an interview. "A number of folks we talked to were even more bullish on the growth opportunities."
ETFs are funds that trade like stocks but track indexes like the and various sectors, as well as multiple facets of the bond and commodities markets. They come in plain-vanilla forms, like the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust that tracks the broad index, as well as exotic offerings like double- and triple-leveraged funds that generate amplified returns from gains and losses in particular asset classes.
Though the $13.2 trillion mutual fund industry still dominates ETFs in asset size, the two industries are moving in opposite directions. Mutual funds, which are mostly actively managed and trade only after market hours, have actually seen a 3.6 percent decline in assets under management over the past 12 months, according to the Investment Company Institute. ETFs have grown 4.1 percent during the period.
Reasons typically cited for the industry's growth include low costs fees are generally a fraction of what mutual funds charge as well as tax advantages and liquidity.
However, the PwC survey found those factors to be significant but secondary:
"We were surprised related to the low-cost consideration. It's hard to go a day without seeing some firm lowering their fees to be competitive," Donahue said. "While tax efficiency is certainly a consideration, people obviously are refocusing on performance more so."
TORONTO, MICROSOFT WORLDWIDE PARTNER CONFERENCE, July 12, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hostway Services, Inc. (www.hostway.com) and WSM International (www.wsmintl.com) have partnered to deliver trouble free migration services for any organization that wishes to bring their IT infrastructure to Hostways Azure managed cloud services.
WSM is the leader in providing turn-key IT migration services since 2003 and is now the preferred provider to any Hostway customer that is seeking to move its computer infrastructure to the Hostway Azure-based cloud.
Hostway is a pioneer in hosted and managed cloud services. From simple web hosting to complex cloud infrastructure and application hosting solutions, Hostway serves customers including small businesses and fast-growing mid-market businesses with a complete array of cloud and managed hosting as well as hosted email and application offerings. Its products include public, private and hybrid cloud hosting solutions, as well as specialized hosted e-commerce packages such as managed Magento offerings growing businesses.
As a premier provider of Microsoft Cloud Services, Hostway wants to ensure that its easy and trouble-free for our customers to move their IT infrastructure to our Azure cloud offerings, said Tony Savoy, SVP and GM, Managed Hosting and Cloud Services of Hostway. That is why were proud to be partnered with WSM. It is the gold standard in migration services and were confident that together with Hostway, will deliver a seamless migration experience.
Hostway and WSM have been at this for longer than most players in the marketplace and it makes for a great partnership to have two such experienced organizations working to ensure a smooth move to Hostway, said Kenan Rappuchi, partner and senior vice president of business development at WSM. We have successfully executed tens of thousands of Microsoft server and cloud migrations, and working with the experts at Hostway is a great combination for new Hostway Azure customers.
Hostway is exhibiting (booth #1543) at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in Toronto through July 14, 2016.
About WSM International
WSM International (WSM) created the specialized data migration services segment in 2003, and today is recognized as the largest server and cloud migration service provider in the industry. WSM is the only service provider to guarantee a functionally flawless migration among all cloud, virtual and physical hosting environments, on all operating systems and versions, and virtually any type of application, workload or data asset. WSM assessment, planning, development, security and enhanced support solutions seamlessly augment its migration expertise, enabling comprehensive and cost-effective cloud adoption for all businesses and organizations.
About Hostway Services, Inc.
Hostway Services, Inc. is a leader in managed cloud infrastructure and application hosting solutions for asset-lite, mid-market and e-commerce focused organizations and the companies that serve them. Its team of engineers in North America and Europe deliver reliable, secure and scalable private cloud, managed server, and hybrid cloud hosting solutions to over 200,000 customers across six geographically diverse datacenters. Hostways core products include Managed Hosting, Cloud Hosting, Web Hosting and Email and Applications.
Bill Baker, Baker Communications Group, LLChostway@bakercg.com860-350-9100
Source:Hostway Services, Inc.
New York, July 12, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NEW YORK, July 12, 2016 Progyny, a leading digital healthcare company, today announced a new study that will further aid embryo screening with the use of Progynys Eeva (early embryo viability assessment) Test for in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients. The study was presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryologys (ESHRE) annual conference in Helsinki, Finland. The study focused on identifying specific markers of chromosomally normal blastocysts to determine which chromosomally normal embryos implanted and led to a live birth versus similar embryos that did not lead to a live birth. These markers were identified using the Eeva Test, the only FDA cleared, non-invasive early embryo screening tool. This analysis lays a foundation to further assist embryologists with determining a patients embryo transfer order.
The study was designed to further enhance the performance of current embryo screening techniques to better understand which chromosomally normal embryos are likely to lead to a live birth. The study analyzed 55 patients with 81 transferred euploid blastocysts from fresh and frozen cycles from 2012 to 2013. Out of the 81 blastocysts transferred, 43 led to a live birth. Eevas Time Lapse System automatically processed embryo markers looking at dynamic blastocyst development including the number, frequency, timing and rate of collapses during embryo culture.
This study will help us understand why some chromosomally normal embryos implant and others don't, said Dr. Gary Harton, Senior Vice President of Clinical Affairs at Progyny. Understanding this dynamic may allow us to incrementally increase pregnancy rates and time to pregnancy if we can further delineate chromosomally normal embryos with a higher implantation potential than others.
The study determined that euploid blastocysts with more frequent and longer blastocyst collapse events have a lower live birth rate when compared to similar embryos that implanted and led to a live birth. This dynamic blastocyst marker, termed High Collapse Index by the authors, may compromise embryo viability or may be a new mark of embryo quality.
According to Dr. Harton, The results of this study may ultimately give us more insight when faced with selecting a single embryo for transfer among multiple euploid embryos, further improving pregnancy rates, reducing miscarriage rates and reducing the odds of multiples.
Progyny continues to develop and search for new features and methods that could aid in non-invasive embryo assessment in order to improve IVF outcomes. This study discusses just one of the many features and methods currently under investigation for future development and releases of Eeva software. However, this feature has not been cleared by the U.S. FDA for use on embryos at this time.
For more information visit, www.Progyny.com and for more information on the study visit www.ClinicalTrials.gov.
About Progyny:
Progyny is a leading digital healthcare company combining data, science and technology to provide the first end-to-end, proactive fertility solution for both large, self-insured employers and todays informed consumer. Progynys SMART Cycle plan design comprises best-in-class research and clinical solutions, including its proprietary Eeva technology, to improve outcomes, shorten time to pregnancy and reduce total fertility-related costs. Progyny is privately held and is headquartered in New York, NY, with operations in San Francisco and Menlo Park, CA. Please visit www.progyny.com.
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Media Contact: Selena YangSelena.Yang@Progyny.comPhone: 646-768-9719
DALLAS, July 12, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rocky Mountain High Brands, Inc. (OTC PINK:RMHB) announced today that the Company will go on tour as a sponsor to the red-hot Oklahoma-based country influenced rockers, Hillbilly Vegas. The three-year sponsorship agreement will include product promotional support at concert events, photo shoots, distribution of promotional items, music content, promotional appearances and a vehicle wrap of the band's 42 ft. tour bus.
Instantly popular from the very first musical event, Hillbilly Vegas has gained instant media attention with their debut album, Ringo Manor, and scored major chart action for its first single, Little Miss Rough and Tumble, that stayed on the national country music charts for an amazing twenty-six weeks.
Visit Hillbilly Vegas at: http://www.hillbillyvegasmusic.com/
Band Leader, Steve Harris, said, Were all about creating fun, positive energy and memorable music that gives people a good feeling. I love hearing songs on the radio that stir up feelings that take me back to good times and great places if we can do that for people, then we've achieved success. We are a hard working bunch of guys who create real music for real people. We would like to thank Rocky Mountain High Brands for sponsoring Hillbilly Vegas as we tour across the United States. We can't wait to get out there and shake the world's hand and welcome them to Hillbilly Vegas and Rocky Mountain High Brands."
Rocky Mountain High Brands was on hand giving out samples and promotional material Saturday, July 9th for the Album Release Party of 76, Hillbilly Vegas newest album. This packed event was the perfect opportunity to announce Tommy Bagwell of MT Distribution as RMHB's newest distributor in the Arkansas market.
"We know Hillbilly Vegas is destined to become the next great emerging superstar brand in the music industry. With their hit Shake it like a Hillbilly already being played in 20 markets across the U.S. on both country and rock formats as well as six countries and its accompanying video being featured on over 150 television markets reaching more than 30 million homes worldwide, sponsorship of such a talented group of musicians was a perfect fit for us, remarked Michael Welch, President & CEO of Rocky Mountain High Brands. "We encourage everyone to attend a Hillbilly Vegas show for an energizing evening of music that could only get better by sipping an ice-cold can of one of our Rocky Mountain High Brands beverages."
Keep up with Hillbilly Vegas on twitter: https://twitter.com/hillbillyvegas
About Rocky Mountain High Brands:
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH BRANDS, INC., is a consumer goods company specializing in brand development of health conscious, hemp-infused food and beverage products. The Company currently markets a lineup of four naturally flavored hemp-infused beverages (Citrus Energy, Black Tea, Mango Energy and Lemonade) and a low calorie Coconut Lime Energy drink.
Interested investors, our stock symbol is RMHB.
For ordering information please visit: www.RockyMountainHighBrands.com
For Rocky Mountain High Distribution Contact:
Chuck Smith: (972) 955-0964
chuck@rockymountainhighbrands.com
Visit us at our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rockymountainhighbrands?fref=nf
Visit us on Twitter: #GetYourHempOn https://twitter.com/search?q=%23getyourhempon&src=typd
Visit us at Investors Hangout: http://investorshangout.com/Rocky-Mountain-High-Brands-Inc-RMHB-69150/
Investors Hangout is the only authorized Investors blog page for Rocky Mountain High Brands, Inc.
Safe Harbor Act: This release includes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involves risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the impact of competitive products, the ability to meet customer demand, the ability to manage growth, acquisitions of technology, equipment, or human resources, the effect of economic business conditions and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel. The Company is not obligated to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.
Contact:Jerry Grisaffi, Founderjerry@rockymountainhighbrands.comInvestor Relations:The Eversull Group, Inc.Jack Eversull, President972-571-1624214-469-2361 faxjack@theeversullgroup.com
Source:Rocky Mountain High Brands, Inc.
One of technology's most hyped science projects is facing Hollywood-style drama.
Hyperloop One, the ultra high-speed transportation system conceived by Elon Musk, is being sued by a co-founder and former employees, who claim the company's top leaders have misused funds, breached their fiduciary duties and conspired "to augment their personal brands, enhance their romantic lives, and line their pockets (and those of family members)."
The big name players in the suit are all defendants. Shervin Pishevar, a Hyperloop co-founder, was an early investor in Uber and hosted President Barack Obama at his San Francisco home last year. Joe Lonsdale is a co-founder of Palantir Technologies and a well-known venture capitalist. And Robert Lloyd is Hyperloop's CEO and was previously on the short list to succeed John Chambers as CEO of Cisco.
The lead plaintiff is Brogran BamBrogan, who co-founded Hyperloop Technologies (now Hyperloop One) along with Pishevar in 2014, and was forced to resign last month for reasons that to date hadn't been made clear. BamBrogan was joined in the suit by three other early executives.
Hyperloop, based in downtown Los Angeles, claims to be building the "5th mode of transportation," with hardware like levitation rigs, wind tunnels and electromagnetic test stands, according to its website. It's the type of project that attracts Silicon Valley dreamers with promises to, quite literally, invent the future. Pishevar told CNBC earlier this year that the company has raised close to $100 million.
But according to BamBrogan, the technology promise "is being strangled by the mismanagement and greed of the venture capitalists who control the company."
Among BamBrogan's most explosive claims are that Pishevar started dating the company's outside public relations representative and increased her pay to $40,000 a month, from $15,000 a month, more than any employee. Also, Lonsdale allegedly insisted on hiring his brother's two-person firm to be Hyperloop's exclusive investment bank, despite having "no notable experience with companies building hardware and engaged in infrastructure development, and few independent contracts with international and top-tier funds."
50 Cent Enters $23 Million Bankruptcy Settlement
Many men may wish death on him, but fans of 50 Cent will be happy to hear that the hip-hop star has settled his bankruptcy case. It's good news for the rapper personally and those who appreciate his music, as we'll probably soon be hearing from him a whole lot.
Curtis Jackson, as the entertainer is known in court, has to come up with $390,000 a month to meet his obligations under the terms of the settlement, so expect to see him performing and promoting products to make the money. Jackson filed for bankruptcy in July of last year. Now, he is on a payment plan that would be too much pressure for a lesser man than 50 Cent.
An Ordeal
Going through bankruptcy is an ordeal. For a rapper who likes to rhyme about his riches, it had to be humiliating for 50 Cent to find himself in dire financial straits.
Two lawsuits left him in debt. In one, a headphone company successfully accused the rapper of stealing trade secrets and won a $17 million judgment. The other was a defamation case stemming from a sex tape 50 Cent posted without permission in 2009. It showed the ex-girlfriend of a rapper with whom 50 Cent was feuding and she sued. A Florida jury awarded her $6 million dollars. According to TMZ, he'll be working every month to come up with about $23 million in the next few years to pay off both of these judgments.
Relief Expressed
The bankruptcy settlement was proposed in April and approved last week. His attorney expressed relief on behalf of 50 Cent and surely felt some too. While the case was pending, the rapper couldn't resist playing with the situation, his lessons from the sex tape fiasco not yet learned.
50 Cent posted a photo of himself on Instagram surrounded by piles of currency spelling out the word BROKE. This little joke got him called in before the bankruptcy judge. But all must be well now, as the settlement was approved and 50 Cent was grinning in photos outside of court afterward.
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IKEA will recall its Malm dressers and chests in China, the country's consumer watchdog said, just days after the Swedish company was slammed by Chinese media for operating a "double standard" in the world's most populous country. China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said on Tuesday that IKEA would recall all "Malm series" sets of drawers sold between 1999 and 2016 for safety reasons. The number sold came to more than 1.6 million, the watchdog said.
"If they are not installed properly, it could fall and injure or even kill a child," the AQSIQ said, according to a CNBC translation of a statement on its website.
Any customer who wished to return the product would get a full refund or, alternatively, they could obtain from IKEA the fittings to fix their existing Malm furniture to the wall, the statement went on, adding that the homewares giant would provide "free installation support to customers who have difficulty doing it themselves."
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IKEA said in late June that it would recall almost 36 million chests and dressers in the U.S. and Canada. In a statement, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said that the furniture could topple over if not anchored securely to a wall. Reuters reported that six children had died in accidents involving the IKEA furnishings tipping over. "It is simply too dangerous to have the recalled furniture in your home unanchored, especially if you have young children," CPSC Chairman Elliott Kaye said in a statement, according to Reuters. The North American recall included Malm-branded chests and dressers, as well as about 100 other families of chests and dressers, manufactured between 2002 and 2016, the newswire reported. In a WeChat post on Thursday, IKEA had said it would not institute a recall in China because the furniture met local regulations, but said that concerned customers could call its service line for advice on safe installation.
In an apparent about-face, AQSIQ said on Tuesday that IKEA had submitted a request to undertake a recall effective from July 12. The move came two days after Xinhua, the news agency widely seen as a mouthpiece for the Chinese government, criticized the company for failing to institute a recall in China as it had in North America. IKEA operated a double standard in its treatment of China, Xinhua's editorial said, adding that the company's service standards varied widely across the country, with some stores offering free nails and free installation services, while other stores only offered "self-collection" nails and charged for installation. "The behavior shown contradicts to the 'IKEA spirit' that founder Ingvar Kamprad talks about, being helpful and responsible," Xinhua wrote. "China is a huge market, and should not be deprived of the high standards that the brand promises," it added.
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Colorado pot businesses are increasingly coming under scrutiny from the Internal Revenue Service due to the industry's focus on cash, according to a report Tuesday from Marijuana Business Daily.
Marijuana businesses such as dispensaries are known to deal predominantly in cash due to continued U.S. banking restrictions that make it difficult for them to have bank accounts with federally chartered financial institutions. And those cannabis businesses with bank accounts sometimes have accounts closed once the bank learns about the marijuana-related activities.
Colorado is one of four states where adult recreational use of marijuana was legalized (Washington state, Oregon and Alaska also legalized it.)
An IRS spokesman told CNBC the agency "is prohibited by law from commenting on specific taxpayers."
The move is likely a practical way to retain minimum wage workers in a more competitive and tightening job market, economists told CNBC. They see Dimon's pledge as a sign the economy is moving ever closer to full employment, and when even the banking industry is foreseeing an employment pinch, the U.S. labor market may be getting closer to being healed. Wage growth has been one lagging indicator but has shown a pickup of late.
Dimon , in The New York Times, said he would raise wages for minimum pay employees, as well as spend more on training and career-oriented education to help them advance.
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon's public commitment to raise wages for 18,000 employees may seem like a benevolent act. But that may not be quite right.
Issues like these have led approximately two-thirds of Americans to believe that the next generation will be worse off than the last. And it is true that too many people are not getting a fair opportunity to get ahead. We must find ways to help them move up the economic ladder, and everyone business, government and nonprofits needs to play a role.
Dimon's commentary is the latest sign that employers are seeing evidence that the available labor pool is shrinking and that long-stagnating wages need to go up.
"It's nice to try to lead the way. The labor market is tight and going to get tighter. Our biggest problem going forward is not going to be unemployment, it's going to be a lack of labor," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics. "It's not surprising that companies are trying to get out ahead of this and trying to raise wages. He's not the first. You had McDonald's, Wal-Mart, Target and Starbucks."
Zandi said average hourly wages for the first six months of the year have increased 3.2 percent, close to the 3.5 percent the Fed is looking for. While Friday's job report showed a surprise created in June, it also showed a further shaving of new jobs in May to just 11,000. While economists do not see the June rate as sustainable, they point to a reduction in the long-term unemployed and steady wage growth as some signs the economy is heading to full employment.
"The market is actually leading the way here, but I think there's also a recognition among CEOs that there's this sentiment, probably reasonably placed, that the gap between their pay and other senior executives and those at the bottom of the rung has widened, so they're sensitive to that," said Zandi. "There's some benevolence, but I don't know that it would have happened without the job market leading the way."
Dimon also indicated that what's good for JPMorgan is also good for America. He opened his remarks by commenting that wage stagnation, insufficient training and skills development, a lack of quality education and income inequality have been bad for the country.
That is by no means a new message from Dimon, who said it's the "right thing to do." He has previously said the private sector needs to help with America's ills, and in 2014, JPMorgan invested $100 million in Detroit to help its economy recover.
"Issues like these have led approximately two-thirds of Americans to believe that the next generation will be worse off than the last," he wrote in the Times on Tuesday. "And it is true that too many people are not getting a fair opportunity to get ahead. We must find ways to help them move up the economic ladder, and everyone business, government and nonprofits needs to play a role."
Bank analyst Dick Bove said JPMorgan can well afford to raise pay for its workers, as it's the second most profitable U.S. company behind Apple , in the latest Fortune list of most profitable companies. Wells Fargo , Citigroup and Bank of America are also in the top 10.
He also said the stigma surrounding the banking sector after the financial crisis may be a factor pushing JPMorgan to boost compensation in order to keep them as more jobs become available. He expects the other banks to follow.
"Whether you say he's being forced to do this or whether he's doing it from an altruistic basis, the two things are both correct. He is being forced to do it by conditions in the labor market and the economy and you can throw in politics if you want, but he can do it. And he can do it because of the massive expenditures on technology and the changes in the nature of how you deliver banking products has made it possible for the bank to do this," said Bove, vice president of equity research at Rafferty Capital.
OSHA Phasing in New Injury Reporting Rules, Starting Now
As an employer, you are obligated to report workplace injuries to federal labor safety agencies. Now the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is hoping to make disclosure easier for workers and their employers with a new set of rules.
The rules outline new injury reporting obligations and provide protection for those who disclose, ensuring that reporting won't result in retaliation. Here's what you need to know.
New Rules
According to JD Supra, the new rules require certain employers to submit injury and illness data electronically to OSHA, and this provision will go into effect on January 1, 2017. The agency will post some of the information it received from businesses and employees on its public access website in the hopes that disclosure will encourage employers to improve workplace safety, inform industry experts, and provide valuable information to workers.
The rules also ensure that employers notify workers of their right to report injury to the agency. Compliance with this rule should be simple enough. Posting OSHA's worker rights poster from April 2015 or later satisfies this obligation, according to the agency.
Anti-Retaliation Provision
There are also provisions to ensure that the reporting process within a business is not prohibitive, ultimately deterring a worker from reporting. Injury and illness reporting policies must not discourage reporting and must be reasonable.
OSHA provided an example of an internal reporting policy that does not qualify as reasonable. For example, if an employee reported work-related neck and shoulder pain a week after symptoms first appeared and was issued a final warning for failing to report his medical condition promptly, that would be unreasonable.
The agency writes, "This policy was not reasonable because it did not allow for reporting within a reasonable time after the employee realized that he or she had suffered a work-related injury," said OSHA, adding, "[t]he final rule will have an important enforcement effect for the minority of employers who do not currently have reasonable reporting procedures."
Punishing Punishers
Employers may also not retaliate against employees who report workplace injuries. OSHA added a provision that strengthens existing regulation on discrimination and adds some bite.
The agency will allow inspectors to cite an employer for retaliation and require abatement even if no retaliation complaint has been filed under section 11(c), an anti-discrimination regulation. The agency considers this new rule "an additional enforcement tool" and reminds employers that it applies to retaliation for workplace injury reporting.
The new rules are being phased in gradually over the next two years, with some obligations already applicable to some employers as of this month. If you've got more than 250 employees, you need to start reporting electronically now and figure out how to ensure your reporting system is compliant soon.
Talk to a Lawyer
If you are concerned about compliance of any kind or have questions about business operations, get guidance. Talk to a lawyer to ensure that you're meeting your obligations.
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The refugee crisis in Europe and concerns over the economy, jobs and terrorism are very much related to one another in the minds of many Europeans, according to a new report from the Pew Research Center.
In 8 of 10 European nations surveyed by the Washington-based think tank, more than 50 percent of the people surveyed believed that incoming refugees increased "the likelihood of terrorism in their country," Pew said in a report published late on Monday. Many people surveyed were also worried that refugees will be an economic burden, the survey showed.
"Half or more (of people surveyed) in five nations say refugees will take away jobs and social benefits. Hungarians, Poles, Greeks, Italians and French identify this as their greatest concern.
Although fears linking refugees and crime were much less pervasive, nearly half of the people surveyed in Italy and Sweden said refugees were "more to blame for crime than other groups," Pew said.
Pew Research Center conducted its survey by telephone and face-to-face interviews in 10 EU nations and the U.S. among 11,494 respondents from April 4 to May 12, 2016. The survey took place before the "Brexit" referendum in the U.K. and terrorist attacks at the Istanbul Ataturk Airport, both of which took place in late June. The survey included countries that account for 80 percent of the EU-28 population and 82 percent of the EU's gross domestic product, Pew noted.
Negative attitudes
Despite the relative affluence and educational standards of the countries in which the surveys took place, the answers reveal deep-seated concerns and prejudices over "newcomers" to the continent, somewhat damaging the notion that Europe is a beacon of tolerance for different cultures and peoples.
The influx of refugees on the continent, mainly as a result of persecution, conflict and poverty in the Middle East and Africa has certainly put Europe's leaders, resources and administrative capabilities to the test. A million migrants arrived in 2015, according to the United Nations, with many thousands travelling in crowded and unseaworthy boats either across the Mediterranean or over land via Turkey. Many have travelled northwards through Europe aiming to reach more prosperous nations such as Germany but many thousands were prevented from travelling onwards when several key borders between countries were closed.
The crisis has also exposed deep ideological divisions in Europe. In particular, the question of how to fairly distribute and rehouse possible refugees among the 28 nations within the EU has proved divisive with several eastern European countries opposing a quota system to receive people.
For many Europeans, the thorny and longer-term issue of integration especially of refugees of other religious backgrounds and cultures - is as important as the immediate logistics of safeguarding and rehousing refugees.
Pew's research showed that perceptions of refugees are influenced in part by negative attitudes toward Muslims already living in Europe.
In Hungary, Italy, Poland and Greece, more than 60 percent of people had an unfavorable opinion of the Muslims in their country an opinion shared by at least one in four people in each nation polled. In every country in the survey, the dominant view was that Muslims want to be distinct from the rest of society rather than adopt the nation's customs and way of life. Six in ten people or more held this view in Greece, Hungary, Spain, Italy and Germany.
Ideological divides
Across the European nations surveyed, the refugee crisis has brought into sharp relief deep ideological divides over views of minorities and diversity, Pew noted. Unsurprisingly, people on the ideological right expressed more concerns about refugees, more negative attitudes toward minorities and less enthusiasm for a diverse society.
Ideology was not the only dividing line in European attitudes, with Pew noting that education and age also matter, with older people and less-educated individuals expressing more negative opinions about refugees and minorities.
Along with worries about these minority groups, the survey found mixed views regarding the overall value of cultural diversity.
When asked whether having an increasing number of people of many different races, ethnic groups and nationalities in their country made their country a better place to live, a worse place or did not make much difference either way, over half of Greeks and Italians and about four in ten Hungarians and Poles said growing diversity makes things worse.
Relatively few Europeans believe increasing diversity has a positive impact on their countries. At 36 percent, Sweden registered the highest percentage that holds this view.
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Self-made millionaire Wayne "Butch" Gilliam knows that in business, it pays to be resourceful.
The star of CNBC's reality pitch show "West Texas Investors Club," who turned metal scraps into a million-dollar piping business, shared a story about how recognizing a rare opportunity helped him score a big win.
An undisclosed metal company from Japan wanted to import new steel technology into the U.S., but American companies resisted, leaving the Japanese company with few options to sell its product.
"They were going to manufacture a product in their foreign country, bring it in here and cut a whole lot of people out of the middle," said Gilliam, who is co-chairman of the investment group West Texas Ltd.
"But because of what their intent was, no one would help them. Everybody was blackballing them," Gilliam said. "Large [steel] companies on the U.S. stateside lobbied in Washington against Japan bringing in this metal."
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China suffered a major defeat Tuesday as an international court rebuked its claims on distant waters that contain the world's busiest shipping lanes and declared some of its expansionary tactics illegal. A tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands, issued the ruling in a dispute between China and the Philippines, a U.S. ally. The decision and the responses of both those countries and others could mark one of the most significant geopolitical events in years, according to experts.
What's happening
The Philippines brought an arbitration case in 2013 over the South China Sea, eventually lodging 15 claims against China related to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea a critical piece of international law that both countries have ratified. China claims almost all of the South China Sea, a massive body of water that stretches about 1,200 miles from the Chinese mainland. The sea covers a massive 1.4 million square miles and is abutted by eight countries with a combined population of about 2 billion people. Those waters handle about half of the world's daily merchant shipping, a third of global oil shipping, two-thirds of all liquid natural gas shipments and more than a 10th of the Earth's fish catch. Many countries object to China's claims to the region. The Philippines decided to take China to court over them. China refused to to participate in the arbitration although a 2014 position paper from Beijing was seen as an unofficial argument in the matter but the convention specifically allows for a tribunal to make legally binding decisions even if one party is absent. The Permanent Court of Arbitration is the world's oldest institution for settling international disputes, established at the First Hague Peace Conference in 1899. It has decided a number of high-profile maritime disputes in recent years, including between India and Bangladesh in 2009 and between Russia and the Netherlands in 2013.
The court's decision
Soldiers of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy patrol at Woody Island, in the Paracel Archipelago, which is known in China as the Xisha Islands, January 29, 2016. The words on the rock read, "Xisha Old Dragon". Old Dragon is the local name of a pile of rocks near Woody Island. Reuters
The tribunal's decision was unanimous, finding that Beijing's claims of historical rights to the region were not founded on evidence and were counter to international law. The judges ruled that the specific portion of the South China Sea claimed by both China and the Philippines belongs to the Philippines alone. None of the small land features claimed by China is sufficiently large to justify maritime "exclusive economic zones" for any nation, the tribunal said. The court concluded that Chinese efforts to create man-made islands on top of atolls and reefs, as well as its large-scale fishing in the disputed areas, are illegal. China's interference with the Philippines' fishing and oil exploration of the region is also unlawful, the tribunal said. "The award is breathtaking in its scope and the degree to which it gives long-needed clarity to the law of the sea," Peter Dutton, professor and director of the China Maritime Studies Institute at the U.S. Naval War College, told CNBC. The so-called law of the sea is a set of global standards that affect every ocean-going country. "That it is a unanimous opinion from five of the most learned and experienced practitioners of international law of the sea is especially important," he added. "There has been much speculation that the tribunal would be too careful of the political implications to make such a sweeping ruling. I am proud to see that only considerations of law, and not politics, affected the unanimous ruling." As expected, China declared that the decision is "null and void and has no binding force."
How China upset the Philippines in the first place
China's maritime claim is intentionally ambiguous: Although the nation periodically presents maps with sketches of the boundary the so-called nine-dash line it has never explicitly given geographic coordinates, or even explained to what extent it is claiming ownership over the area. "China's goal has always been, and remains, to avoid any clarification of its claims," said Greg Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "It doesn't want other claimants or the international community to know what it's claiming so it can change it at any point."
The nine-dash line has allowed China to claim a right to do things ranging from drilling for oil to actually creating man-made islands without providing anything specific that other nations could argue against. Tuesday's arbitration ruling could make it increasingly difficult for Beijing to play that game.
According to one theory, China's South China Sea island-building and its deployment of naval and air power in the area could signal that it is hoping to turn the entire zone into a Beijing-controlled "strategic strait." The Philippines claims that direct negotiations with China proved to be a dead end and the Philippines certainly can't convince China with military might. Similarly, the other nations in the region have made little headway with China concerning their own competing South China Sea claims. Beijing insists on one-on-one negotiations, and no one can stand up to China by themselves. An international tribunal ruling against the nine-dash line goes a long way toward offering a framework for a unified front against China, and that is something that worries Beijing, experts said. Such a decision could "give more hope to the Philippines and other Asian countries that claim territory in the South China Sea," according to Andrew Scobell, a political scientist at the Rand Corp. The tribunal at The Hague has no enforcement mechanism, but Beijing may fear a blow to its global reputation if it is seen as flouting international law. On the other hand, the Chinese Communist Party would have a hard time explaining any acquiescence to a Chinese population that's been drummed into a nationalistic fervor over the issue. "The power of international law is primarily reputational and measured in terms of legitimacy," Mira Rapp-Hooper, a senior fellow in the Asia-Pacific Security Program at the Center for New American Security, told CNBC earlier this year, when China's island-building in the region came under scrutiny. "My speculation would be that China has basically calculated that it will take some near-term, rather assertive actions in the South China Sea, and pay short-term reputation costs in exchange for what it believes to be longer-term strategic gains."
Many Chinese, politicians and regular citizens alike, see opposition to their South China Sea claims as opposition to their ascendance on the world stage. "China is a rising power and it is feeling restrained by U.S. military presence in the Western Pacific," said James Keith, former China director for the National Security Council. "China is fighting back against American dominance as it tries to carve out a place for itself in the region."
Why it matters in the US and beyond
A guide explains in front of the 3D map of South China Sea at Nanjing Ocean National Defense Education Museum on July 12, 2016 in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province of China. VCG | Getty Images
In general, many nations are watching the ruling and China's reaction to it as a watershed moment for international law. Most experts who spoke with CNBC said they expected the tribunal to rule against China although others said that the ruling may have been more limited. But no matter what happened, China repeatedly said it would not abide by the decision. Still, experts said a big legal victory for the Philippines could serve as a bargaining chip against Beijing in any future disputes. "Big picture: The ruling is going to be critical in the long term, but it doesn't change anything on July 13," Poling said. "China's not going to suddenly roll over and say, 'You got me.' But if you're looking for how to pressure Beijing in the long term, (China will) have it hanging over its head." While the immediate response from Beijing has been defiance, there could be compromises down the road. "I see no chance at all that Beijing will soften its stance in the near term, but the power of a decision such as this is in its long-term impact," Dutton said. "Over time, this decision will inevitably be the basis for resolution of the disputes in the South China Sea. Equally inevitable is that a final resolution will be through negotiation between the parties. But I believe there will still be a long road ahead."
About 40 countries, including the United States, have indicated officially that they expect China to abide by the ruling, by Poling's count, so China would presumably lose political capital with those nations if it continued to act in opposition to any tribunal decisions.
Washington, which has a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines and maintains a military presence in the country, recognizes the commercial and strategic importance of the South China Sea itself. But foreign policy experts and politicians themselves emphasize that the most critically important element of the dispute is maintaining a rules-based approach to international conflict. "This is a tremendous source of frustration for the U.S. government: How do we counter what China is doing?" Scobell said, adding that the White House has not come up with "an effective solution" to the South China Sea dispute. President Barack Obama has spoken of a "strong commitment to a regional order where international rules and norms and the rights of all nations, large and small are upheld," but Chinese disobedience of the tribunal ruling would disregard those principles. "This dispute will likely impact the U.S.-China bilateral relationship," Keith said, echoing most other experts interviewed by CNBC. Dutton said Washington's position would be greatly strengthened if it were to actually ratify the U.N. law of the sea convention. The Senate has refused to sign off on it for years. Only a few other coastal states, including Iran and North Korea, have not approved the measure.
What Beijing is saying
A satellite image released by the Asian Maritime Transparency Initiative at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies shows construction of possible radar tower facilities in the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea. Reuters
On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the U.S. economy added 287,000 jobs, easily beating expectations.
U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street Tuesday, building on Monday's extended jobs report-fueled rally when the S&P 500 closed at an all-time high and the Dow hit 2016 highs.
On the agenda on Tuesday is the June NFIB survey, out at 6 a.m. ET. Wholesale trade data for May will be released at 10 a.m. ET, alongside job openings and labor turnover survey (JOLTS).
The International Monetary Fund will then release its latest report on the U.S. economy at 10:00 a.m. ET.
A number of Federal Reserve speeches are scheduled, including Governor Daniel Tarulla at 9:15 a.m. ET, St. Louis Fed President James Bullard at 9:35 a.m. ET, Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari from 6:30 p.m. ET, and Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Former Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe earlier on Tuesday to exchange views on economic policy.
Today, Chelsea Manning spoke with her attorneys for the first time since her hospitalization last week. Attorneys Chase Strangio, Vincent Ward and Nancy Hollander released the following statement on the imprisoned whistleblower's behalf.
"After not connecting with Chelsea for over a week, we were relieved to speak with her this morning. Though she would have preferred to keep her private medical information private, and instead focus on her recovery, the government's gross breach of confidentiality in disclosing her personal health information to the media has created the very real concern that they may continue their unauthorized release of information about her publicly without warning. Due to these circumstances, Chelsea Manning requested that we communicate with the media and her friends and supporters on her behalf.
"Last week, Chelsea made a decision to end her life. Her attempt to take her own life was unsuccessful. She knows that people have questions about how she is doing and she wants everyone to know that she remains under close observation by the prison and expects to remain on this status for the next several weeks. For us, hearing Chelsea's voice after learning that she had attempted to take her life last week was incredibly emotional. She is someone who has fought so hard for so many issues we care about and we are honored to fight for her freedom and medical care."
Judges at an arbitration tribunal in The Hague on Tuesday rejected China's claims to economic rights across large swathes of the South China Sea in a ruling that will be claimed as a victory by the Philippines.
"There was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the 'nine-dash line'," the court said, referring to a demarcation line on a 1947 map of the sea, which is rich in energy, mineral and fishing resources.
In the 497-page ruling, judges also found that Chinese law enforcement patrols had risked colliding with Philippine fishing vessels in parts of the sea and caused irreparable damage to coral reefs with construction work.
China, which boycotted the case brought by the Philippines, has said it will not be bound by any ruling.
In reaction, China said: "The arbitration tribunal made the illegal and invalid so-called final verdict on the South China Sea dispute on July 12. Regarding this issue, China has made the statement for many times that it is against the international law that the Aquino III administration of Philippines unilaterally requested the arbitration. The arbitration tribunal has no jurisdiction on this matter."
Manila had contested China's expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea, which the Philippines contends are invalid under international law.
This is the first time a South China Sea territorial dispute has been brought to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague and many think it will rule in favor of the Southeast Asian nation.
Control of the region is valuable because more than $5 trillion worth of global trade passes through the South China Sea each year, and China has been accused of ramping up tensions over control in recent years by building artificial islands on reefs, on which it has added airstrips and other military-style installations.
The U.S. is seeking to maintain "freedom of navigation" in the region for its ships including military vessels.
The case is under scrutiny globally as it could change the region's geopolitical landscape and set future precedence for similar challenges.
In China, the guns were out on Weibo where #SouthChinaSeaArbitration was a top trending topic on the Twitter-like social media platform on Tuesday.
Rumor (who attached this graphic with the nine dash line):
"Vow to protect the complete territorial integrity of the People's Republic of China! This is our China!"
It was supposed to be the last bipartisan immigration proposal standing: expanding visas to allow more high-skilled workers to come to the United States. Hillary Clinton just put a stake through its heart.
Hillary Clinton Charles Mostoller | Reuters
The point of immigration reform, for Clinton, is a path to citizenship
The idea of a comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship that I would envision is one that would deal with a lot of these concerns, not just the 11 million people here: how we would regularize them, what kind of steps they'd have to go through. Because I believe they do have to meet certain standards if they're going to be on a path to citizenship.
But I don't want to mix that with other kinds of changes in visas and other concerns that particularly high-value technical companies have. In fact, I think keeping the pressure on them helps us resolve the bigger problem, and then we can look to see what else, if anything, can and should be done. As immigration has become a partisan issue, the two parties have developed different definitions of "immigration reform." For Democrats, it doesn't count as "reform" if it doesn't grant legal status and eventual citizenship to the 11 million unauthorized immigrants currently in the US. Republicans need "reform" to include vastly more border security; Democrats don't even agree with them about how secure the US/Mexico border is right now. But there was one proposal that both sides could get behind, even with the split on "comprehensive immigration reform": allowing the booming tech sector to bring highly educated STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) professionals. Some in the tech industry continue to nurture the hope that Congress can come together to pass a bill that just expands high-skilled visas, avoiding the political thicket of other immigration reforms. (During President Obama's first term, bills to increase high-skilled visas were actually the closest to immigration reform that Congress came, though they were voted down by Democrats.) Clinton has just thrown cold water on that. "The idea of a comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship that I would envision is one that would deal with a lot of these concerns," she said. "I don't want to mix that with other kinds of changes in visas and other concerns that particularly high-value technical companies have. In fact, I think keeping the pressure on them helps us resolve the bigger problem, and then we can look to see what else, if anything, can and should be done." What Clinton told Vox was such a clear statement of her immigration priorities that the path to citizenship is the core of immigration reform, and everything else is secondary that some of my colleagues actually thought she was proposing passing a path to citizenship before considering other bills. Her campaign clarified that Clinton was not floating the possibility of piecemeal reform that would address a path to citizenship first and visa reforms later, just reiterating the importance of tackling the path to citizenship as part of a comprehensive package. But it's still impossible to miss the message: Tech, and everyone else, needs to take a back seat to unauthorized immigrants and their families (millions of whom, of course, are US citizens and voters).
Clinton is beginning to question the "no-brainer" benefits of tech visas
Mainstream Democrats have tended to see high-skilled visas as one component of broader immigration reform and the tech industry as one member of the coalition pushing for it.
Democrats were enthusiastic about the idea of more visas for skilled immigrants, mind you. They were just making a political calculation: If high-skilled visas were expanded first, it would be a lot harder to get Republicans on board for a path to citizenship. Clinton alluded to this in the Vox interview: "Keeping the pressure on them helps us resolve the bigger problem." Once you think about it, though, that's a very weird thing for a politician to admit. Can you imagine how bad it would look for Hillary Clinton or anyone to say outright, "Yeah, we aren't doing this popular thing because we want to force through this less popular thing beside it"? But that's not what's happening here. Because the dirty little secret of immigration politics is that even though expanding high-skilled visas was the most popular part of immigration reform among elected officials, it was arguably the least popular part with the American public. And it sounds like Clinton is listening and taking that criticism seriously. "The many stories of people training their replacements from some foreign country are heartbreaking," she told Vox. "I want to see companies have to do more to employ already qualified Americans." But I would also add one of the biggest complaints I hear around the country is how callous and insensitive American corporations have become to American workers who have skills that are ones that should make them employable. The many stories of people training their replacements from some foreign country are heartbreaking, and it is obviously a cost-cutting measure to be able to pay people less than you would pay an American worker. I think it's also a very unfair and sad commentary that we don't want to invest in training American workers because that's just "time-consuming." And it's a cost so even if they could do what we're wanting them to do, it's just easier to get someone who will be largely compliant because they want to stay in the country. And that's just wrong. So there's work we have to do on all sides of the immigration debate, and I want to see companies have to do more to employ already qualified Americans. A few years ago, this is something you might have heard from certain labor leaders and certain anti-immigration Republicans (chief among them Sen. Jeff Sessions, who's now a close adviser to Donald Trump), but few others. Over the past few years, however, Democrats have become increasingly critical of the way the US currently gives visas to high-skilled and affluent immigrants or, rather, to the companies that hire them. Pro-labor Democrats don't love the idea of tying a worker to an employer for two years and stripping his legal status from him if he quits some high-profile abuse cases facing immigrants on other visas has thrown that into relief. Nor do they love the idea of an employer being allowed to pay an immigrant a lower wage than he pays an American worker thrown into relief by recent cases, including one at Walt Disney World, where Americans have claimed they had to train their own immigrant replacements. The idea that tech companies can't find qualified American workers has gotten more dubious in the wake of allegations that big tech firms colluded to keep wages low. And the fact that thousands of high-skilled visas are going to a few large outsourcing firms makes it hard to argue that visa holders are spurring American innovation. It's clear from her Vox interview that Clinton, or at least someone on her staff, is sensitive to these concerns she actually mentioned the Disney case by name, which is an indication that they're following the issue somewhat closely.
Tech is used to being courted by both parties. Now it's just another interest group.
Senior U.S. Department of Justice officials overruled internal recommendations to prosecute global bank HSBC for money-laundering violations because of concerns about the stability of the financial system, according to a congressional report released on Monday.
In 2013, the Financial Services Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Jeb Hensarling, a Republican of Texas, began investigating the Justice Department's November 2012 decision to enter into a $1.92 billion settlement agreement with HSBC.
The report, which relies on internal records from the Department of the Treasury, said the U.S. attorney general at the time, Eric Holder, "misled" Congress about the Justice Department's reasoning for declining to prosecute.
Holder and other top officials decided against criminal charges for London-based HSBC over the recommendations of prosecutors because they had concerns about financial stability, the report said.
Politicians and others have criticized the Justice Department for not sufficiently cracking down on big banks following the 2008 financial crisis. The report said it sought to shed light on the department's decision-making and did not outline specific recommendations.
The 2012 settlement detailed how Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel and Colombia's Norte del Valle cartel laundered $881 million through HSBC and a Mexican unit and how the bank violated U.S. sanctions laws by doing business with customers in Iran, Libya, Sudan, Burma and Cuba.
"I'm very encouraged by the fact that the U.K. government is being renewed at such a fast pace, which is promising for the future of the (Brexit) negotiations, which unfortunately will have to take place in any case," he said.
"Volatility is bad for all of us. The impact on the real economy can be substantial - and I'm not talking just about the markets - and it can also be reduced. It really depends on us," he said, speaking to CNBC in Brussels where the Eurogroup of euro zone finance ministers met on Monday.
Reacting to the news that U.K. home Secretary Theresa May looked set to be installed as the new prime minister this week , Pierre Moscovici, the European Commissioner for economic affairs told CNBC on Monday that "it's a good signal that the process (can) accelerate, that we have a new prime minister (in the U.K). Because as I said, there can be a negative impact of Brexit economically."
With the U.K. set to have a new prime minister months earlier than expected, there are hopes among European officials that the U.K.'s process of withdrawing from the European Union (EU) can finally start although the EU may well be disappointed.
May campaigned for Britain to stay in the European Union and there are hopes that this pro-EU position could help during talks between Britain and the EU on what form their new relationship will take. However, it is unknown when May, known as a pragmatist and respected as a competent and experienced politician, will trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty which sets in motion the process of withdrawal.
So far, there has been an impasse between the U.K. and EU over an exit. The U.K. wants to know what kind of post-EU membership deal is on offer before triggering Article 50 while EU leaders have refused to go into any kind of talks before the withdrawal process is formally started.
May has indicated that she could wait until next year before triggering Article 50, a move bound to anger EU leaders who have urged the U.K. to stop wasting time and prolonging uncertainty.
Moscovici reiterated on Monday that "reducing uncertainty is the best way for the U.K. and the EU altogether." The Brexit vote has already prompted the European Commission to revise down its preliminary estimates for growth in Britain and the euro zone this year.
"We expect the increased uncertainty to reduce U.K. GDP by 1 to 2.5 percentage points by 2017 compared to the baseline scenario of remaining (in the EU). In the 27 EU member states and in the euro area the impact could be between 0.2 and 0.5 percentage points," Moscovici said on Monday, a statement from the European Commission confirmed.
Moscovici told CNBC that the revisions were not a fait accompli but a first analysis of the current situation. "It is not a fatality, it can be combated (by) reducing uncertainty. I think the article 50 can be invoked (now)," he said. "We must be very adaptive to what happens."
Discussions over a new relationship between the U.K. and EU could take place once a new British prime minister was in place, he said. That will come sooner than expected with U.K. Home Secretary Theresa May expected to be prime minister by Wednesday evening.
A new leader was not expected to be announced until September but the leadership race came to an abrupt end on Monday after May's rival for the post, Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom, pulled out, leaving May as the only candidate.
Portugal's Finance Minister Mario Centeno also told CNBC on Monday that the political transition happening in the U.K. was a positive step.
"You can start building upon that," he said. "Brexit is a structural change for Europe. And as any structural change, it needs a time period which given the size of the structural change needs to be large enough and long enough so that we can adjust. And we need to act fast. So yes in that respect the nomination of Theresa may maybe good news for the process itself."
With contribution from CNBC's Katy Barnato. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.
How sweet it is! Utah, known as the Beehive State because its people are so industrious, proves its point with a convincing win in our 10th annual Top States for Business ranking.
In many ways, this is the culmination of a decade of hard work by the people and businesses of Utah, developing innovative industries, a skilled workforce and a critical mass of companies big and small that is now rivaling Silicon Valley. It's not surprising that unicorns like Qualtrics and InsideSales.com are emerging in Utah as venture capitalists flock to the state to invest in a wide variety of industries from energy and software to medical device companies. Lured by factors such as tax breaks, affordable real estate, an educated populace and a strong public-transit system, many iconic companies have set up home bases in the state. They are attracted to the pipeline of STEM workers from such schools as Brigham Young University and the University of Utah.
Utah's state capitol building, Salt Lake City Joseph Sohm | Getty Images
The Top States for Business scorecard tells the story. Utah blows past the competition, with 1,598 out of a possible 2,500 points. But even more impressive is the state's all-around long-term performance. Never before in our 10 years of keeping score has a state finished in the top half in each of our 10 categories of competitiveness. As always, we score all 50 states on more than 60 metrics across those 10 categories. Under our tried-and-true methodology, we assign a weight to each category based on how frequently the states use them in their sales pitches to business. The state with the highest overall point total takes the Top State title. This year's categories and point totals are:
Workforce (400 points)
Cost of Doing Business (350 points)
Infrastructure (350 points)
Economy (340 points)
Quality of Life (325 points)
Technology & Innovation (250 points)
Education (200 points)
Business Friendliness (160 points)
Cost of Living (75 points)
Access to Capital (50 points)
Utah's win caps a success story that exemplifies the state's industrious nature. It has always been a competitive state this is Utah's eighth top-five finish in 10 years. But four years ago, led by Republican Gov. Gary Herbert, the state set out to be a true champion. "My goal is to accelerate private-sector job creation of 100,000 jobs in 1,000 days," Herbert told legislators in his 2012 State of the State speech. At the time, Utah was already outpacing the nation in recovering from the Great Recession. Even so, 80,000 Utahans remained out of work; creating the last 100,000 jobs took seven years. But by the time Herbert's thousand days were up, in October of 2014, Utah had not only added 100,000 jobs, it tacked on 9,000 more for good measure. The increase probably had little to do with any particular policy initiative by the governor, who primarily vowed to stay out of the way and let the economy do its thing. The economy certainly held up its end of the deal.
My goal is to accelerate private-sector job creation of 100,000 jobs in 1,000 days. Republican Gov. Gary Herbert
Utah is abuzz with business activity. Economy is the state's strongest category in our study, ranking No. 3 with good reason. GDP grew 2.8 percent last year the third-highest rate in the nation. Consumer spending is strong, and we found the housing market to be among the nation's healthiest. A key to Utah's success is its robust technology sector, concentrated in the area in and around Salt Lake City that has come to be known as Silicon Slopes. The branding campaign is aimed at helping Utah tech companies share knowledge and resources and attracting capital to the region. On the latter point the state has some work to do. Utah finishes 24th for Access to Capital, its worst category. Utah businesses attracted an impressive $732 million in venture capital last year, according to the National Venture Capital Association, placing the state in the top tier nationally. But small-business lending lags the rest of the country. It does, however, outpace most of Utah's neighbors. To be sure, the economic expansion in Utah has not been without critics. Gov. Herbert, seeking his second full term as governor this year, beat back a Republican primary challenge last month by Overstock.com CEO Jonathan Johnson, who accused Herbert of trying to pick winners and losers instead of empowering business as a whole. In the general election, Democrat Mike Weinholtz, chairman of the privately held medical staffing firm CHG Healthcare Services, has criticized the quality of the new jobs. "Gov. Herbert likes to tout the number of jobs that we have, but we don't have enough high-paying jobs that pay a living wage," Weinholtz said during a recent campaign appearance.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert Source: Office of the Governor
Average hourly wages in Utah are slightly below the national average. A little more than 3 percent of the workforce is paid at or below the federal minimum wage, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is in line with national trends. But because our study measures states from a business perspective, low wages to the extent Utah has them count in the state's favor. A longer-term concern is keeping up with the demand for skilled workers. Utah finishes a respectable 12th in our all-important Workforce category. But within that category, state workforce development programs have shown relatively poor results. In Education, a traditional weak spot, Utah improves to 23rd place from 31st in 2015, thanks in large part to increased funding. And while Gov. Herbert can hardly be considered a friend to the LGBT community, he nonetheless signed a landmark antidiscrimination bill into law last year. That helps Utah move up to 13th place for Quality of Life.
Familiar territory
Runner-up Texas finds itself in a bit of a rut, but there are worse problems to have. This is the Lone Star State's fourth consecutive year in second place following Top State wins in 2008, 2010 and 2012. In fact, Texas has never finished below second place. As always, Texas' biggest strength is its economy the top-ranked in our study. That is especially impressive this year, given the collapse in oil prices. By all accounts, the state learned some tough lessons about diversification during the last oil shock, in the 1980s. While energy remains the state's most important sector, it is no longer the only game in town. With the help of industries like health care and a technology sector that didn't even exist in the '80s, Texas has managed to shrug off the oil glut with only a modest drop in growth. Texas also boasts the nation's second-best Infrastructure, with two major international airports, one of the world's most important seaports, an extensive rail network and roads and bridges that are in better shape than those in the rest of the country. But Texas falls short in education, where the situation is only getting worse. The state ranks 40th in the category this year, down from 28th place a year ago. Funding at all levels is lagging the rest of the nation, and high school test results are poor. Texas is also grappling with serious Quality of Life issues, dropping to 37th place in the category. The state stubbornly remains the most uninsured for health care. It is also among the least inclusive, with no statewide protections against most discrimination.
Rest of the best
States rounding out the top five include third-place Colorado, which captures the coveted honor of the nation's top workforce. Colorado workers are the nation's most educated, and state worker-training programs are among the best performing in the nation. The state is rewarded with one of the best net migration rates in the country. Minnesota, last year's top state, drops to fourth place this year. The North Star State maintains its advances in Education where it finishes second and Quality of Life, where it rises to second place from third place last year. But high costs, including high taxes that Minnesota rationalizes based on the value of the services they buy, are starting to hurt the state by dragging down its economy and its Top States ranking. Our fifth-place finisher may raise some controversy, which is something North Carolina is growing accustomed to these days. But the ranking clearly illustrates the cost-benefit analysis the Tar Heel State is facing. North Carolina's deeply divisive public accommodation law, known as H.B. 2 and which restricts transgender people's access to public restrooms and blocks local antidiscrimination ordinances, has drawn widespread criticism from businesses. There have been calls for boycotts, and some expansions have already been canceled. It all tends to drown out the state's obvious business advantages, including a solid workforce and a heritage of innovation. And that effect shows up in our numbers. North Carolina ranks 30th for Quality of Life, its worst category, largely because of the non-inclusiveness that is enshrined in state law. More to the point: Were it not for the law, North Carolina almost certainly would have edged out Texas for second place this year and might well be knocking on Utah's door.
A mural in downtown Detroit speaks of the hope that many have for a comeback for the city that has endured so many setbacks. Michael S. Williamson | The Washington Post | Getty Images
This year's most improved state is Michigan, a state that was considered all but hopeless when we began ranking the states a decade ago. The Wolverine State climbs to seventh place overall, up from 22nd place last year. Michigan owes much of its improvement to a resurgent economy. The state finishes seventh in the Economy category this year, up from 29th place last year. Economic growth ranks in the top 20 percent of the country, and jobs are coming back after a long period of decline. While Michigan is not as reliant on the auto industry as it once was, the comeback shows just how powerful the state can be when that industry is doing well. That's because the industry doesn't just generate manufacturing jobs, it is also a magnet for innovation. State officials like to point out that Michigan has the nation's largest concentration of engineers, and the state averages one automotive patent every day. That helps the state come in sixth in our Technology & Innovation category. And in a development that's sure to warm the heart of Gov. Rick Snyder, a former venture capitalist, Michigan finishes fourth for Access to Capital.
Bottom states
If there are top states, there must also be bottom states, and this year's list of laggards includes some usual suspects. Maine drops to 46th place from 44th last year. Poor infrastructure and a sluggish economy cast a pall on the Pine Tree State, which also finishes with the nation's worst Workforce. Maine's workers are the nation's least productive in terms of economic output per job, and state training programs have shown mixed results. We have a tie for 47th place: Mississippi and West Virginia are also the bottom two states for Technology and Innovation, and Mississippi has the worst Economy. On a positive note, both sides do well when it comes to costs. Hawaii, in 49th place, probably has too many built-in disadvantages to ever do well in our study. A state with no rail network is always going to have a hard time competing on infrastructure, but it is hard to argue that a Pacific Island chain needs a rail network. Hawaii's location makes it inherently expensive, though many have argued the state is more expensive than it needs to be. Besides, those costs buy the nation's best Quality of Life a category Hawaii runs away with yet again this year. This year's bottom state can't argue any inherent disadvantages, unless you count being small. With the nation's worst Infrastructure, high costs and poor Access to Capital, Rhode Island is America's Bottom State for Business this year.
Philippe Dauman's number is up. The Viacom boss has overstayed his welcome at Sumner Redstone's struggling media empire. But the chairman and chief executive has one last scene to shoot: selling a stake in film studio Paramount Pictures. Handing over a potential $4 billion cash windfall while gaining better access to China's booming movie market would leave the enterprise better off for all shareholders. Under Dauman's decade-long stewardship, Viacom has struggled. The powerhouse behind cable networks MTV, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central is withering in a ratings trough. Viacom may be more vulnerable than peers given its fickle, younger demographic. That's all the more reason Dauman should have vigorously reinvested earnings into seeding the next "Jersey Shore" or "SpongeBob" instead of squandering $21 billion on stock buybacks $4 billion more than Viacom's market value. Dauman has lost the confidence not just of Redstone, who controls the company with juiced-up stock, but public investors too. Since splitting with CBS in 2006, Viacom shares have increased 30 percent while CBS doubled. Viacom shares trade at just eight times projected earnings, behind CBS and Walt Disney , which fetch 10 times earnings. John Malone, the veteran dealmaker known for his stinginess, said last week at Allen & Co's annual Sun Valley, Idaho media-mogul confab that Viacom is "undervalued." More from Breakingviews : Tough U.S. trade talk may hurt investment flow too Paramount, whose worth Dauman optimistically pegged at around $10 billion, represents his last shot at a more positive legacy. Though the studio accounted for just 3 percent of Viacom's adjusted operating income of $4.2 billion last year, and less than 25 percent of sales, it's a rare asset in a globally consolidated industry. And the most interested buyers Chinese firms bulking up on entertainment brands like Dalian Wanda or Alibaba have more than cash to offer. Striking a deal to sell 49 percent of Paramount with a well-placed Chinese partner could cut a path into the world's fastest-growing cinema box-office market. China is expected to overtake the United States next year in box-office ticket sales, outpacing the almost $7 billion notched in 2015. Restrictions by the People's Republic on the number of foreign films screened per year would be easier to manage with an influential local backer. Redstone changed the bylaws of Viacom to require a unanimous board vote on the sale of Paramount. That sets the bar high for Dauman. But it also gives him a shot at some redemption to close out his lackluster tenure. For more independent commentary and analysisfrom Reuters Breakingviews, visit breakingviews.com
Philippe Dauman, Viacom Getty Images
Netflix on a laptop screen Jonathan Nackstrand | Getty Images
No, you're not going to get prosecuted for sharing your Netflix password but somebody else could be charged or sued for it. A new federal appeals court ruling has raised fears that the kind of password sharing that millions of Americans innocently engage in with family and friends of social media sites, streaming video services and bank accounts could leave them open to criminal prosecution.
A lawyer for the defendant in that 9th Circuit Court of Appeals case suggested to CNBC that those fears are overblown, at best. "At some level, prosecutors are not complete idiots," said Ted Sampsell-Jones of the Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota. "Prosecutors are not going to run around prosecuting all of the 30 million people that share Netflix passwords." But Sampsell-Jones warned that the decision against his client, David Nosal which will be appealed would enable prosecutors to use the controversial ruling to criminally charge people who they might be otherwise unable to indict for other conduct that they deem suspicious or criminal. He also said that the ruling against executive recruiter Nosal, which relates to the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, would give companies an unfair cudgel to use against former employees and competitors in civil disputes. "It opens the door to a huge amount of lawsuits, and particularly retaliatory lawsuits," said Sampsell-Jones, noting that companies being sued for workplace discrimination or over consumer protection issues could turn around and countersue plaintiffs for having shared passwords. "Suppose there's a class action against Netflix, or a lawsuit against Netflix for violating net neutrality," the lawyer said. "People [at Neflix] can say, 'We looked at your account and we see you shared the account with your brother.'" He said the ruling is particularly problematic in the current cloud computing era where users of computer apps routinely grant those apps access to other accounts that they have from other companies. Sampsell-Jones gave the example of himself, and his allowing his Yahoo account to access email from his Google account. If the current ruling is allowed to stand, he said, it would potentially lead to tech companies suing each other because customers they have in common allowed access between their online accounts.
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. There's not a lot going on these days (just kidding, it's 2022), and it seems like picking up learning to cook is a lucrative hobby and a vital skill since your favorite READ THE REST
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, far left, Mexicos Secretary of Foreign Affairs Claudia Ruiz Massieu, second from the left, the Honorable Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance, second from the right, and Sandra Hanington, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint, far right, unveil a commemorative silver medallion celebrating Canada and Mexicos longstanding ties on the occasion of President Pena Nietos official state visit to Ottawa on June 28.
The Royal Canadian Mint struck 200 examples of this colorful silver medallion marking cooperation between Canada and Mexico.
The Royal Canadian Mint in Ottawa has produced a commemorative silver medallion celebrating Canada and Mexicos longstanding ties as North American neighbors following an official state visit last month by Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
The medallion was unveiled June 28 by Pena Nieto, Mexicos Secretary of Foreign Affairs Claudia Ruiz Massieu, the Honorable Bill Morneau, Canada's Minister of Finance, and Sandra Hanington, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint.
For more than 70 years, Canada and Mexicos multi-faceted relationship has been characterized by deep people-to-people ties, rich cultural connections and growing trade and investment, whose importance has been fittingly recognized through an expertly crafted Royal Canadian medallion, Morneau said. As we continue to nurture our common bonds as North Americans, the Government of Canada looks forward to celebrating even more milestones in the Canada-Mexico partnership in the future.
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Hanington also spoke positively about the two countries' relationship.
As the sharing of technology and innovation between Casa de Moneda de Mexico and the Royal Canadian Mint continues to grow, the Mint is keenly aware of the mutual benefits of engaging with our Mexican counterparts, she said. We are proud to have created a commemorative medallion which symbolizes the many common bonds between Canada and Mexico which are paving the way for future cooperation.
About that colorful design
The Royal Canadian Mints .9999 fine silver commemorative medallion, of which only 200 have been struck to commemorate this special occasion, illustrates the theme of people being brought together by the common good of cooperation and an open embrace of cultural respect.
Designed by Canadian artist Andrew Lewis of London, Ont., and featuring vibrant color, the medallion features the renowned symbols of the flags of Mexico (the eagle) and Canada (the maple leaf).
The medal's symbolism
In a release that details the medal's release, the Royal Canadian Mint said its relationship with Casa de Moneda de Mexico "is one of many examples of Canadas deep relationship with Mexico."
"Together," the release reads, "these mints have partnered for export success and have maintained ongoing technical exchanges resulting in continuous innovation for both institutions and a strong commercial relationship."
A medallion was given to President Pena Nieto, as well as to each member of the Mexican delegation for this official state visit.
The other medallions will be distributed to those at the Canadian Embassy in Mexico and at Mexicos Embassy in Canada.
The Republican party platform is veering to the right as GOP delegates descend on Cleveland to produce the party's principles document. Several positions about same-sex marriage and scientifically debunked "gay conversion therapy" passed preliminary votes today.
The GOP platform committee's subcommittee on healthcare, education, and crime today voted in several such measures.
One of them is the ridiculous declaration that internet pornography is a "public health crisis." Not the mass shootings and random acts of lethal gun violence that have proliferated so widely, they've become "new normal" to us all. Nope. Not guns.
Porn.
"Pornography, with his harmful effects, especially on children, has become a public health crisis that is destroying the life of millions. We encourage states to continue to fight this public menace and pledge our commitment to children's safety and wellbeing," the amendment states.
An amendment from noted gay-hater Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council supported so-called "conversion therapy" for children who identify as LGBT. Such sham therapy has been linked to damage including death (by suicide) for the poor souls forced to go through this homophobic junk science.
Mary Forrester, the North Carolina delegate who introduced the pornography amendment after working on it with a Christian group, Concerned Women for America, told Yahoo News she was worried about young people becoming addicted to porn on the internet.
"It's such an insidious epidemic and there are no rules for our children," Ms Forrester said. "They do not have the discernment and so they become addicted before they have the maturity to understand the consequences."
Before Ms. Forrester's amendment, the party platform mostly focused on condemning child pornography, urging for its its "energetic prosecution" and saying the internet must not be "a safe haven" for sex offenders.
Jason Linkins at Huffington Post:
[O]ne public health crisis that has made headlines, and that does have a lot of Americans feeling sick and scared and helpless, is gun violence especially in the form of mass shootings, which have surged even as overall gun violence has declined. How do we reconcile the rise in mass shootings with the larger, more encouraging downturn in gun violence? And would it be possible, perhaps, to address mass shootings from a health policy perspective? Might that possibly be an avenue worth exploring if it means we could prevent even one more life from being brutally abbreviated? That would seem like an area ripe for public health research. Unfortunately, government agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are legally barred from doing it, thanks to this thing called the Dickey Amendment.
The National Rifle Association aggressively lobbied to shut down public health research on gun violence. The NRA, with its millions of dollars in bribes to lawmakers, won.
More: NY Mag, Time, The Independent.
Talking Points Memo:
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) gave an impassioned speech endorsing Hillary Clinton on Tuesday at a joint rally in New Hampshire, saying "she must become our next president."
Sanders officially conceded the race, saying Clinton fairly "won the Democratic nominating process" with far more pledged
"Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding president and I am proud to stand with her here today," he concluded, as they embraced one another.
The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form
'Wendell & Wild' is great to look at, not much fun to watch
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The Just City is a gripping fantasy novel based on a thought-experiment: what if the goddess Athena transplanted all the people across time who'd ever dreamed of living in Plato's Republic to a Mediterranean island and set them loose to build that world?
Book one set up the story and its narrator, a former slave girl bought by the Platonists and raised with the first cohort of future "Philosopher Kings," in strict accord with the principles set out by Plato (principles that are mercilessly mocked by Socrates, who also finds himself in the Just City and who is skeptical of the whole enterprise).
Book two, The Philosopher Kings, followed the experiment through schism and a brutal civil war.
Now, with book three, Necessity, which was published today, Walton concludes the story on a distant planet to which Zeus has relocated the Just Cities, and their contact with the first wave of spacefaring humans from Earth to reach their world.
If you're in Boston or NYC, you can catch Jo Walton's public appearances in honor of the book's launch she's appearing along with Ada "Too Like the Lightning" Palmer tonight at the Harvard Bookstore in Cambridge Mass; and tomorrow at Word in Brooklyn.
More than sixty-five years ago, Pallas Athena founded the Just City on an island in the eastern Mediterranean, placing it centuries before the Trojan War, populating it with teachers and children from throughout human history, and committing it to building a society based on the principles of Plato's Republic. Among the City's children was Pytheas, secretly the god Apollo in human form. Sixty years ago, the Just City schismed into five cities, each devoted to a different version of the original vision. Forty years ago, the five cities managed to bring their squabbles to a close. But in consequence of their struggle, their existence finally came to the attention of Zeus, who can't allow them to remain in deep antiquity, changing the course of human history. Convinced by Apollo to spare the Cities, Zeus instead moved everything on the island to the planet Plato, circling its own distant sun. Now, more than a generation has passed. The Cities are flourishing on Plato, and even trading with multiple alien species. Then, on the same day, two things happen. Pytheas dies as a human, returning immediately as Apollo in his full glory. And there's suddenly a human ship in orbit around Platoa ship from Earth.
On sale today: Jo Walton's Necessity, the concluding novel of Thessaly
[Patrick Nielsen Hayden/Making Light]
Comics / Press Releases
2016 J-Pop Summit Announces "Virtual Trip to Japan"
By The Editor
J-POP SUMMIT 2016 ANNOUNCES VIRTUAL TRAVEL TO JAPAN
The San Francisco Bay Areas Premiere Japanese Pop Culture Event Introduces A Virtual Trip to Japan Featuring Pop-Up Experiences
J-POP SUMMIT 2016, one of the worlds biggest Japanese pop culture events, has announced an expanded Travel Pavilion featuring JAPANKURUs VIRTUAL TRIP an-only-at-J-Pop-experience. Guests can dive deep into Japanese culture and visit three Zones featuring interactive experiences showcasing what makes Japan a travelers delight, fusing the past, present and future. More details are available at http://www.j-pop.com/japankuru-virtual-trip.During J-POP SUMMIT, visitors can immerse themselves into this virtual world in the Travel Pavilion, with featured experiences including:(1) Zone TOKYO: Visit pop-up versions of Edo-Tokyo Museum, City of Tokyo, and Tokyo Daijingu Shinto Shrine. Drop by Nippon Travel Agency (NTA America) and staff will assist you with planning the most cost effective and exciting trips to Tokyo.Edo-Tokyo Museum: Come and learn the history and culture of Edo-Tokyo and envision the city and life of the future.Tokyo Daijingu Shinto Shrine: Come experience the virtual Tokyo Daijingu, one ofthe major Shinto shrines in Tokyo. Dont forget to pray for good fortune in the "Shrine!"City of Tokyo: Take a survey, receive goodies, and join the calligraphy workshop!NTA America: NTA offers the most affordable and attractive trips to Tokyo.(2) ZONE STATION: Take a Virtual Rail Trip. The Station Zone features a miniature railway as well as a Virtual Train Trip with six stops:Shinkansen Station: Meet our proud "Shinkansen," the Japanese bullet train that runs at 190mph. Check out the miniature railway "Plarail (Play Rail)," too!Otaku Station: Otaku, is the symbol of enthusiastic Japanese anime/manga culture. Come check out figures from Kotobukiya in Akihabara and join Akihabara-style chopsticks game.Kawaii Station: Harajuku is the world-renown mecca of kawaii (cute) culture. Enjoy dressing up in colorful and fancy outfits!Chichchibu Station: The heart of Japans classic landscape, history and culture, and where premium sake and whiskey are produced.Hotel Station: Visit Pop-Up Japanese Inns (Ryokan) and the tiny "Capsule Hotel."Onsen Station: Virtually visit Japans celebrated hot spring baths.Robots Station: A peek at the famous Robot Restaurant in Shinjuku which features exciting live music, dances and an extravagant neon light show.JAPANKURU Station: Guests can check out the stories and favorite things to see and do while they plan their real time travel to Japan.(3) ZONE STAGE: Watch a wide variety of stage performances including a traditional tea ceremony, cosplay contest, chopstick challenge, and the traditional sacred dance. For the schedule of stage programs, please visit http://www.j-pop.com/japankuru-virtual-trip.JAPANKURUs VIRTUAL TRIP is held at the J-POP SUMMIT on Saturday and Sunday, July 23rd and 24th from 11am - 5pm at Fort Mason Centers Festival Pavilion, located at 2 Marina Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94123.This year, J-POP SUMMIT attendees will be able to experience a vibrant 2-Day celebration of Japanese pop-influenced culture including edgy fashion events, pop art exhibits, live music, a technology summit and display, and interactive activates, accented by ramen vendors, sake-tasting, and additional attractions also highlighted by celebrity Guests of Honor. Full details on 2016 J-POP SUMMIT are available at: www.J-POP.com.A variety of affordable ticket options and V.I.P packages will give J-POP SUMMIT attendees the maximum amount of flexibility to customize a memorable festival experience. Adult single-day passes start at only $25.00 each; 2-day passes start at only $40.00 each. Ticket details are available at www.J-POP.com/Tickets.About JAPANKURUJAPANKURU provides the latest and deepest travel content on Japan via their multilingual online platforms which highlight the charm of Japan through first-hand experiences shared by travelers of different nationalities and perspectives. Official website: www.japankuru.comAbout J-POP SUMMITJ-POP SUMMIT is one of the worlds biggest Japanese pop culture events, held every summer in San Francisco, CA. By introducing the latest in Japanese music, fashion, film, art, games, tech-innovations, anime, food, as well as niche subcultures, the festival has become a landing platform for new trends from Japan.Official website: www.j-pop.comOfficial YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/JPOPSUMMIT/featured
The Holiday Ham restaurant chain is expanding in Memphis in the fast-casual dining segment pioneered by Panera Bread Co., which is shown here. Fast casual is fancier than fast food options and less expensive than traditional sit-down eateries.
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By Ted Evanoff of The Commercial Appeal
East Memphis restaurant chain Holiday Ham and Deli plans to add several locations and ramp up online sales following an infusion of money by investors including Memphis billionaire Pitt Hydes Pittco Management LLC.
Holiday Ham owner Trey Jordan described the growth plans Monday for the 150-employee company, saying he brought in nine investors and recruited former McAlisters Deli chief executive Phil Friedman as an advisor to help guide the expansion of the fast-casual restaurants.
Holiday was founded in East Memphis 23 years ago as a rival of Georgia-based HoneyBaked Ham and has gradually added food lines to compete in a crowded fast-casual segment with major national brands such as Chipotle Mexican Grill, Panera Bread and Starbucks.
It would be the second fast-casual chain based in Memphis to ramp up in recent years. Lyfe Kitchen was moved to the city from California in 2014 by Wendys developer Carlise Corp. of Memphis, which revealed plans to grow from 10 restaurants to 60 throughout the country within two years.
Holiday has sought slower growth. Its restaurant now going in on Poplar Avenue near the International Paper Co. head offices will open as Pimentos Kitchen and Market. Its decor and menu will be incorporated into three proposed new restaurants in the Memphis area, Jordan said.
Plans call for rolling out the Pimentos brand in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi, rebranding the current four restaurants in Memphis and Germantown as Pimentos and also opening a central kitchen in Memphis to supply the restaurants as well as ham and other foods for the electronic commerce business, he said.
Holiday owns its four restaurants and has one franchisee, Pimentos Cafe and Market, located on the Mississippi College campus in Jackson. Present plans call for company-owned restaurants rather than franchises. A location for the central kitchen has not been chosen.
I think if you look at the restaurant industry, its growing modestly but the fastest growth is in quick casual, said Friedman, who expanded Ridgeland, Mississippi-based McAlisters Deli from 30 to nearly 300 outlets within 11 years. An expansion will require planning and making sure the company can sustain growth, he said.
Friedman currently owns and manages Salsaritas Fresh Cantina, a chain based in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has joined Holiday Hams board of directors but is not an investors. Also on the Holiday board is Bryce Hendry, an associate at Pittco, an investment firm founded by AutoZone Inc. founder Pitt Hyde.
Rather than obtain a bank loan for the expansion, Jordan said he decided to recruit investors. My goal was to bring on strategic investors who could help me think about future growth, he said.
Jordan declined to say how much was invested. He disclosed only two investors, Pittco and Paul Stephens, a Memphian who was part of the team that opened the vacant Tennessee Brewery as a temporary nightspot in 2015 before plans unfolded to redevelop the building into apartments. Stephens is leading Holidays electronic commerce efforts.
Each Holiday location opens for early breakfasts and also caters food and operates a take-out market for certain menu items such as black bean and corn salad.
Panera is the 800-pound gorilla. Theyre the benchmark to compete against, but Id say were different, said Jordan, who launched the ham business with his father. We have the component competing with HoneyBaked but we also have the deli and we also have the market side (for take out). Theres nobody really competing in our space.
July 12, 2016 - Protesters with the Black Lives Matter movement argue with police to let them walk down the sidewalk during a rally outside Graceland on Elvis Presley Blvd Tuesday afternoon. Roughly 60-70 people gathered peacefully outside the gates of the famous tourist destination. A small group were arrested as soon as the protest started for sitting down in the street blocking traffic and refusing to move. (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal)
By Katie Fretland and Kayleigh Skinner of The Commercial Appeal
Jayanni Webster was kneeling in Elvis Presley Boulevard with her hands in the air yelling, The whole damn system is guilty as hell! before a police officer came behind her, stood her up and handcuffed her.
The 26-year-old was one of about 60 Black Lives Matter protesters who demonstrated Tuesday outside Graceland, where visitors looked on, some holding up cell phones to record the scene. Six protesters were detained and issued misdemeanor citations on a charge of obstructing the road.
Im a black woman and Im a Memphian, Webster said as she walked to Graceland before taking to the road with demonstrators. Too many people in my community are unfairly treated by police.
The protest began roughly an hour after protesters released a letter to Memphis police interim Director Michael Rallings expressing disappointment following Mondays town hall meeting with officials. That meeting followed Sunday nights demonstration where protesters took to the Hernando DeSoto bridge and shut down both sides of Interstate 40.
Jayanni Webster was kneeling on Elvis Presley Boulevard with her hands in the air yelling, "The whole damn system is guilty as hell!" before a police officer came behind her, stood her up and handcuffed her.
The 26-year-old was one of about 60 Black Lives Matter protesters who demonstrated Tuesday outside Graceland, where visitors looked on, some holding up cellphones to record the scene.
Im a black woman and Im a Memphian, Webster said before taking to the road with demonstrators. Too many people in my community are unfairly treated by police.
Six protesters were issued misdemeanor citations and later released, Memphis Police Department Interim Director Mike Rallings said in a press conference late Tuesday night at police headquarters at 201 Poplar.
As Ive said many times, theres no problem with conducting a protest. However, it must remain peaceful and it must remain lawful, Rallings said.
The protest began roughly an hour after protesters released a letter to Rallings expressing disappointment following Mondays town hall meeting with officials. That meeting followed Sunday nights demonstration where protesters took to the Hernando DeSoto bridge and shut down both sides of Interstate 40.
The letter was sent by protester Keedran TNT Franklin, 30, who was a panelist at the talk Monday, and was signed The Concerned Citizens. They stated that Rallings failed to honor the agreement, and the items you had agreed to discuss with us were not discussed. The letter did not specify what the agreement was, but said it was the impetus for the termination of the citizens occupation of the I-40 bridge.
You made a mockery of our agreement, the letter states. You broke the trust.
Protester Antonio Cathey said people were not given a chance to speak at the meeting. Some attendees had shouted they were not being heard.
None of those demands we came together to compromise on were met, he said. It was like they stabbed us in the back with a knife.
In his press conference Tuesday night, Rallings defending himself against those accusations.
Mr. Franklin was able to express his own concerns. He delivered his 10-page manifesto and put it in my hands, Rallings said. In a two-hour meeting, there is no way for us to address all the complicated concerns our citizens had nor is it any more reasonable to expect the next night or day that we wouldve resolved a lot of the topics.
At the meeting, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland received a list of demands, including hiring Rallings as police director and investigating spending by Public Works. Protesters also demanded sensitivity training for police as well as more youth programs and city contracts with minority vendors.
Cathey voiced concerns at Tuesdays protest about police violence against citizens and neighborhood community centers that are not running.
We are not playing, he said. This will grow larger than ever. If we have to take it back to the bridge, were going there.
Several protesters met with police at the Raines station after the Graceland protest to discuss community relations moving forward. We had a great dialogue, MPD Deputy Director Mike Ryall said afterward.
Joe Hunter, one of the people who met with police, said they discussed strengthening the relationship between the community and police. Aggressive traffic stops were among Hunters concerns.
Hunter said the goal is success, peace and unity in Memphis, Tennessee.
During the protest, demonstrators yelled chants that included Black lives matter, Say it loud, Im black and Im proud and This is what democracy looks like.
Protesters were cuffed while in the road including one woman who was dragged away by police.
Let her walk! Franklin yelled. He then was cuffed.
As he was being detained, Franklin shouted, Yall make sure I dont die in here!
Protesters chanted We fired up! We cant take it no more and walked down Elvis Presley to cross the street to the side where Graceland visitors prepared to board buses. Some protesters criticized black reporters for selling out and not joining in the protest.
At a short standoff with officers, one protester yelled to police that they dont have to tell them where theyre going. The protesters then walked past them.
Justin Davis, 20, marched shouting, 200 years of white supremacy!
Protester Al Lewis said he came to stand up against the continued murdering of young black people.
This is the result of how they set us up yesterday, he said in reference to his disappointment with Monday afternoons panel discussion.
Later Tuesday, protesters gathered outside Garys Market on Getwell near Shelby Drive because someone associated with the store allegedly made discriminatory comments about African-Americans on social media, said protester Damonte Freeman.
After leaving the grocery Tuesday night, the protesters headed to Southland Mall, where mall security told them to protest on the sidewalk because the parking lot was private property.
By 7:30 p.m., about 40 protesters had moved to a barber shop on Mt. Moriah Road. Police arrived asking demonstrators for a permit to gather. In response, protesters spread out along the sidewalk into smaller groups.
Protests were expected to continue. Earlier Tuesday, protester Ashley Cathey said demonstrations will happen as frequently as needed no matter how hot.
This is the land of the free, she said. Treat me like its the land of the free, because I dont feel like its the land of the free.
Staff reporter Jody Callahan contributed to this story.
The letter is posted below:
This letter regards our agreement of July 10, 2016, which was the impetus for the termination of the citizens' occupation of the I-40 bridge at Memphis. You personally made the agreement with this group of citizens.
You failed to honor the agreement. While we made the concession of not meeting that night at 9:30 p.m. at the FedEx Forum, as agreed, you made the unilateral decision on the venue and the participants. You allowed those who had nothing to do with the agreement or the event that precipitated the agreement to control the meeting. You decided or allowed the decision to be made of who would speak.
While you honored your staff for keeping the peace, you failed to honor the citizens who also kept the peace. You allowed politicians, who have proven to be ineffective and/or unwilling to make positive changes in the city, to be seated in positions above the citizens with whom you agreed to meet, giving the appearance of honoring those who have not demonstrated true concern for the citizens.
Finally, the items you had agreed to discuss with us were not discussed. You made a mockery of our agreement. You broke the trust. This says to us that you are not a man of your word. While others sing your praises, we have data that you have proven to be less than praise worthy. We are disappointed.
Sincerely,
The Concerned Citizens
Loretta Lynch
By Michael Collins of The Commercial Appeal
WASHINGTON The Justice Department's investigation into the shooting death of Darrius Stewart by a Memphis police officer last summer is still underway, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Tuesday.
"The matter is still under review," Lynch said in response to a question from Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing.
Lynch said she couldn't give a timetable for completing the investigation, but promised, "We will work to keep you informed."
Stewart, a 19-year-old black man, was shot July 17 last year by Connor Schilling, a white Memphis police officer, in Hickory Hill.
Stewart was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over for a headlight violation. The officer put him in the back of a squad car. After verifying warrants, police said, the officer opened a door to the car to handcuff him and Stewart kicked the door and attacked Schilling, striking him with the handcuffs. Video showed them tussling on the ground.
Stewart's death sparked protests in Memphis. A grand jury declined to indict Schilling, despite the Shelby County District Attorney General's recommendation that he be charged with voluntary manslaughter and using a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.
An attorney for Stewart's family said the family will file a lawsuit in the case on Wednesday.
In response to another question from Cohen at Tuesday's hearing, Lynch said police training is "of utmost importance" so officers properly respond to volatile situations and understand issues involving use of deadly force.
Cohen is pushing legislation that calls for independent prosecutors to investigate cases of deadly police force. Asked what she thought about that approach, Lynch said the office conducting the investigation would need experience handling complicated cases and forensic evidence.
We have a real problem in this country when it comes to the relationship between police and the communities they are sworn to protect and serve, Cohen said in a statement on H.R. 2302, the Police Training and Independent Review Act. Black lives matter.
July 11, 2016 - People come together in prayer at the conclusion of a Black Lives Matter town hall meeting with Memphis Police Department Interim Director Michael Rallings and Mayor Jim Strickland at Greater Imani Church on Monday. BLM organizers hoped the meeting would help usher in change to Memphis. The goal of the meeting was to explore options to improve relationships between the community and police, ensure equal protection under the law, and locate resources and programming to positively impact the African-American community. (Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal)
By Linda A. Moore of The Commercial Appeal
Meetings and news conferences were held across Memphis on Monday as leaders worked to understand the issues that led to a protest by Black Lives Matter organizers that blocked the Interstate 40 bridge over the Mississippi River for hours Sunday.
The day started with praise for the Memphis Police Department's handling of a volatile situation on the bridge a showdown that ended without arrests or injuries, according to authorities. It continued with a pair of meetings at churches led by faith-based leaders.
"No one was injured. It was peaceful. It did not escalate. Memphis set an example for the world," Mayor Jim Strickland said at a morning news conference.
But there were plenty of moments of frustration during a tense afternoon community gathering at the Greater Imani Cathedral of Faith an extension of the atmosphere on Sunday night on the interstate bridge. After protesters Sunday night gathered in response to the recent fatal shootings of black men by police officers, Interim Police Director Mike Rallings invited the group to meet Monday with officials, including Strickland and other city leaders, to listen to concerns and consider making policy changes based on the meeting.
A panel that included Strickland, Rallings, protest organizer DeVante Hill, Greater Imani Pastor Bill Adkins and activists Joseph Kyles, Earle Fisher, Kia Grandberry-Moore and Radntae Ashford, was seated to hear from the audience.
"This an important moment in Memphis history," Adkins said. "We have the leadership of the city of Memphis in this room. Our prayer is something is actually done tonight and decided tonight."
But early on, attendees yelled from the pews, angry that they were not being heard as panelists addressed the audience and the format shifted between questions submitted on cards and participants lined up at microphones to speak. One man was escorted out as he yelled about not being heard.
"I don't care about Social Security or Veterans Affairs," said Hill, about what had turned into a "town hall meeting" instead of the opportunity for his generation's voice to be heard.
At one point, several people shouted "Set up" as they angrily left the building and Hill called for decorum.
Quintin Patrick, 31, brought a group of about 20 young men who he said had all been arrested, all had jobs and all had been hassled by police.
"The purpose was to reach the people who were in the streets," Patrick said after the meeting. "Gang bangers, thugs, there's a reason for that. We ain't got no jobs. These guys are on the streets. What we are going through, we are what this protest is about."
Organizers presented Strickland with a list of demands that included hiring Rallings as police director, an investigation of Public Works spending, sensitivity training for officers, youth programs and city contracts with minority vendors.
The mayor was booed after reaffirming that the national search for a police director would continue.
Rallings called the crowd's request that he be named police director immediately unrealistic.
"The mayor is the mayor. He can make his decision but I've left it up to God," he said. "We know it's not realistic for the mayor to make a decision tonight."
Strickland agreed to answer every question that was submitted in writing in 30 days and announced that the next community meeting would be at 6 p.m. July 21 at Greater Community Temple Church of God in Christ, 5151 Winchester Road.
A short time later on Monday, clergy members began arriving at Hope Presbyterian Church in Cordova for a meeting about the state of the city. Organizers said media could not attend the meeting.
Tobi Denman, the church's communications director, said this would be the start of many conversations.
"There's no way they're going to be able to solve the city's problems in two hours, but this is a start."
Monday morning, Strickland and Rallings called for calm and dialogue during a news conference regarding the protest that shut down the Interstate 40 bridge Sunday night.
Both leaders praised the police and protesters for the event not escalating into violence.
During Sunday's protest, Rallings locked arms with protesters to lead them off the bridge in what Strickland said was one of the few peaceful resolutions to a Black Lives Matter protest in the country.
Rallings said of the night's events: "It's like juggling 500 hand grenades."
Staff writers Ryan Poe and Daniel Connolly contributed to this story.
Giannotto: Morant has turned the Grizzlies into NBA's new FOMO team
Through four games, Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies have already proven you once again can't take your eyes off of them.
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By Laura Faith Kebede, Chalkbeat Tennessee
In its first response to a funding lawsuit filed last year by Shelby County Schools, the state is denying that its funding model is the cause of financial struggles faced by Tennessee's largest school district.
And while agreeing that the state is responsible for maintaining and supporting a public school system "that affords substantially equal educational opportunities to all students in Tennessee," the state says its existing funding formula, known as the Basic Education Plan, or BEP, meets that requirement.
The 25-page response was filed last Friday afternoon in Davidson County Chancery Court, marking the next step in a legal process expected to take years.
The Shelby County lawsuit, filed last August by the district's school board, charged that the state not only does not adequately fund school operations, but that the state does not fully fund its own formula. The formula, it charges, "fails to take into account the actual costs of funding an education," especially for the overwhelmingly impoverished student population in Memphis. The suit details how its funding level impacts student achievement and district operations including school closures, class sizes, student services such as guidance counselors and nurses, and even community engagement efforts.
In its response, the state affirmed its funding model at every front and cited the district's flexibility to spend the money provided. The response does not include specific defenses of the state's funding model, only saying it provides the money.
State officials named in the district's funding lawsuit "deny that their actions 'forced' the District to eliminate any programs."
"The District has considerable discretion in deciding how to allocate funds," the response says.
The state is now facing several school funding lawsuits. Last year, Chattanooga-based Hamilton County Schools spearheaded the first lawsuit with six surrounding rural districts. And last month, the school board for Metro Nashville Public Schools voted to sue the state too, after learning that the district will receive less state money than expected for its growing population of English language learners.
The lawsuits are the latest legal challenges to Tennessee's system for funding public education. In 1988, 77 small school systems successfully sued the state, claiming its funding formula known as the Tennessee Foundation Program was inequitable. The ruling in 1993 by the Tennessee Supreme Court forced the state to change its funding formula, and subsequent legal challenges led to more revisions over the next decade.
Earlier this year, Shelby County Schools hired the Memphis-based law firm that won the 1993 ruling.
Gov. Bill Haslam and Education Commissioner Candice McQueen have expressed disappointment that districts are taking legal action. They point out that the Haslam administration has worked with the legislature to provide more than $730 million in new funding for K-12 education, including $220 million in new funding next school year a record investment.
But while generally giving the governor high marks for his efforts, district and Shelby County government leaders have argued that the state's funding mechanism is broken and that the state's system has gradually shifted the cost of education to local governments.
Chalkbeat Tennessee is a nonprofit news organization covering educational change in public schools. Read more about Tennessee education news at tn.chalkbeat.org.
Described as a "mix between Game of Thrones and House of Cards," a novella written by late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has finally been translated to English. Written in the last days of his rule, the plot reportedly "revolves around a Zionist-Christian conspiracy against Arabs," a presumably unsurprising topic to fans.
It will be published in December "to mark the 10th anniversary of his execution," reports Sian Cain.
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By J.T. Mullen, joseph.mullen@commercialappeal.com
Growing up in Minnesota, Jim Atkinson never imagined moving from his childhood home of Lakeville to his professional home in Lakeland.
After completing his first full year as city manager of Lakeland, Atkinson can't picture himself living anywhere else.
"I've got some good friends up there, got my family up there, but I really wouldn't want to live up there," he said. "This is home now."
Atkinson, who competed in a national drumming corps in Wisconsin throughout high school, moved to Memphis in 1994, after receiving a music scholarship from the University of Memphis. The full out-of-state scholarship required him to play in the school's concert, marching and pep bands, but didn't require majoring in music. Atkinson couldn't pass up the opportunity.
"I had no interest in being a music major, but I was playing quite a bit at the time so I said, 'absolutely,' and moved to Memphis, just cold," he said. "I had nothing to draw me here other than that."
Atkinson earned a Bachelor's degree in urban development, a Master's degree in planning and a graduate certificate in public administration, while at Memphis. After working for the Town of Collierville and marrying his longtime college girlfriend Christen Carson whom he met through the Memphis band the couple returned to Minnesota in 2001.
There he worked for two different municipalities, including Farmington located just outside his hometown. Although he enjoyed being close to his family again, Minnesota was no longer home.
"I had been here probably six or seven years, so when I went back to Minnesota that was like a foreign land I hated that," Atkinson said. "Memphis at that point was home. We tried to make it work for four years, and it was more of me wanting to come back down here than anything. It was kind of neat being back home my family is up there and everything but the winters kicked my butt. My wife did fine, (even) being from Memphis. I couldn't handle it anymore."
In 2005, Atkinson and his family returned to the Memphis area, where he accepted the assistant planner position for Lakeland. He worked at Lakeland City Hall for 10 years, rising through the ranks to planning director. In 2015, after the controversial dismissal of former City Manager Chris Thomas, the Lakeland Board of Commissioners named Atkinson the interim city manager. Just four months later he was elevated to city manager.
"He took over a lot of turmoil for someone who had been in the position for a short period of time," Josh Roman, the city's vice mayor, said. "So he really was taking over not just problems from a previous administration, but problems from another city manager that wasn't able to get his system implemented all the way. He's gotten an 'A' so far because he's taken a confused situation and has got us all rolling in the same direction."
Through his first year as city manager, Atkinson prepared and managed the city's budget, retooled staff and helped facilitate development throughout the city. Now his major focus is on public works.
"The city has neglected certain maintenance things for decades, like streets," Atkinson said. "They've put very minimal resources into streets, ditches, sewer systems, so I felt it was extremely important to build that back up, which we are doing now."
Lakeland Commissioner Sherri Gallick believes Atkinson is the perfect fit for the growth and future of their city.
"Moving forward, Lakeland is a community and a city looking for growth and not just growth, the right growth," Gallick said. "And Jim, his background is in planning, so he understands the logistics that have to go into planning and he understands all the dynamics to move your city forward."
Lakeland Mayor Wyatt Bunker echoed Gallick's sentiment and said he expects Atkinson to continue to excel in this position.
"You look at these guys and girls that have served in these positions, you give them the tools that they need, give them a city that is positioned very well to grow like Lakeland and you take a motivated individual you are going to have positive results and Jim is very motivated," Bunker said. "I think he's excited about the direction of the city. What's not exciting about a city that starts out 75 percent rural, 75 percent undeveloped?"
Although Atkinson is passionate about his work, he tries to maintain a healthy balance between life in and out of the office.
Between juggling work, attending his three sons' countless sporting events, and following the Memphis Tigers, Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Vikings, Atkinson still finds time for his love for drumming.
He performs live shows multiple times a week, with his variety band The Dantones all across the Memphis area, including at a different Huey's location every Sunday.
"We're probably the hardest working band in Memphis," Atkinson said.
Thurs 31 Aug 06 (mbhouse2) Photo by Mike Brown. Dusty Kidd, Sign Department Manager for Crye Leike, walks through the storage area for signs used on houses priced at $300,000 and up at the department's warehouse.
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By Jane Roberts of The Commercial Appeal
Germantown is changing its temporary sign ordinance and in the process Monday moved from 4 square feet to 6 square feet in residential areas, including Old Germantown.
In commercial areas, including SmartGrowth corridors, the largest temporary signs likely will be 32 square feet placed at a limit of 8 feet above the grade.
"We are limiting the size and height of all (temporary) signs," said Cameron Ross, head of the city's economic and community development office. "We are talking about garage sales to real estate, other political signs and anything in between."
Germantown began working on its sign ordinance nearly a year ago after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Reed v Gilbert (Arizona) that governments may not limit one group to a smaller sign and let others have larger signs because it favors one group's speech over another's.
Gilbert allowed political candidates to have bigger signs and post them longer than a small church that had to continuously alert members to the site of its services because they frequently changed.
In the first reading in June, the Germantown Board of Mayor and Alderman approved signs of 4 square feet in most cases. Monday, it approved 6 square feet after the city heard concerns from realty companies.
"I have been following with great interest the discussion," said Tommie Criswell, president-elect of the Memphis Area Association of Realtors, noting that a 4-square-foot sign would make it a challenge for owners to advertise properties. "I appreciate the effort; I simply ask that the ordinance be reasonable and fair. A healthy real estate market is crucial for keeping property taxes in check."
Dick Leike, a Germantown resident since 1971 and owner of one of the largest real estate firms in the Mid-South, asked Germantown to consider larger signs for lots of an acre or more.
"Multiple acre needs 12-square-foot, especially with setbacks from the street and traffic flows."
The way the proposed ordinance is written now, signs on one-acre-plus lots would be 10 feet from the curb.
Steve Brown with Crye-Leike said many large lots have drainage ditches at the curb, forcing the signs to be even further back.
On some parts of Forest Hill or Johnson, he said, two lanes of traffic are moving at 40 mph. "It's hardly fair to the property owner" to expect those passing by "to see name and number and any kind of information. Most of the calls in our firm still come from yard signs."
Changes will be incorporated in the third reading on July 25.
Alderman Mary Anne Gibson, a Realtor, recused herself from the vote.
In other action, the board approved a liquor license for Southern Social, the restaurant opening at site of the former Elfo's, 2285 S. Germantown Road. It also welcomed Paul Turner, the city's new director of finance. Turner, who replaces Ralph Gabb, worked in finance at Gwinnet County in Georgia. His first day was July 1.
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By Mark Davis
President Obama, many conservatives will recoil as you arrive in Dallas today, presuming you are taking the opportunity for political posturing. In a spirit of restraint and outreach that embraces us following the massacre of our policemen, it seems more constructive to offer a few sincere requests.
I don't offer them as a conservative or as a white man. I offer them as a local resident sincerely trying to solve all the problems currently on the table, from the war on police to the concerns over racial disparities in law enforcement.
This is an opportunity to deliver what so many of your supporters and even detractors hoped for on the day you were elected: to take us beyond race and beyond red state vs. blue state polarities to offer genuine leadership of a kind that you can uniquely offer as our first president of color.
Please grant us more of what you shared in Poland as the tragedy unfolded: clear words about what we have witnessed. You called it a "vicious, calculated, despicable attack on law enforcement." That is exactly what we have endured. We will appreciate a revisiting of that basic truth, undiluted by pet issues like the weapon he used to carry out his murderous revenge.
You praised Police Chief David Brown for his outstanding leadership. Part of that leadership involved the call for a halt to the "divisiveness between our police and our citizens." Please echo his call for a retreat from the hateful words and actions that are poisoning police-citizen relations.
Our entire nation also recognizes that those relations are damaged any time a police officer oversteps the bounds of duty, especially when the results are deadly. Our community and our nation stand ready to examine the current stories out of Louisiana and Minnesota, to examine facts and evidence to determine whether these are occasions that call for accountability from officers who committed wrongs against the citizens they are sworn to protect.
But when crowds of protesters take to the streets to condemn the police collectively as racists bent on killing our black population, it is incumbent on all civilized people to demand a stop to such hate speech.
You have often guided Americans not to venture one step into your definition of Islamophobia. The police and citizens of North Texas pray that you might offer similar counsel to those who would broadly smear the men and women who wear the uniforms of law enforcement.
You have an opportunity in Dallas to speak of justice when it is denied in unjustified police shootings, while simultaneously calling on Black Lives Matter voices to refrain from maligning the entire police community you say you are here to support. Covering both of those bases will earn appreciation and praise from across the racial and political spectrum.
One last thing: You are fond of invoking our children and the challenges they face in modern America. Please do not join the chorus suggesting that black parents need to warn their children of marauding hordes of racist police just itching to mistreat them. This, too, is a vicious insult to the police officers who want to believe you have their backs.
No voice could be more valuable than yours, telling parents to steer their children toward behaving respectfully and lawfully, not just toward the police, but toward each other. This is good advice for parents of all races.
It is inherently good for a president to visit a community that has been wounded as we have by such a visitation of evil. There would be great value to your words recognizing it as that, added to sentiments of unwavering support for the grieving Dallas police and DART police families who have lost so much.
Mark Davis is a radio host in North Texas and a columnist for the Dallas Morning News. Contact him at markdavisshow@gmail.com.
According to the House of Commons Library the breakdown in the number of councillors by party is as follows:
As of elections in England in May 2016, the Conservatives have 8,709 (43 per cent) councillors in Great Britain, Labour 6,851 (34 per cent), the Liberal Democrats 1,822 (nine per cent) and Plaid Cymru and the Scottish National Party 596 (three per cent). There are a further 2,251 councillors in Great Britain who are either independents or members of other parties.
It is, of course, abundantly clear that most Labour MPs would like Jeremy Corbyn to no longer be their leader. The views of the Labour councillors are less clear. The vast majority of the 6,851 have not not stated a view at all. Over 600 have called for him to go. They include all my Labour colleagues in Hammersmith and Fulham including one who told me he voted for Corbyn. London generally is pretty strongly represented lots of names from Lambeth, Ealing, Camden, Merton, Greenwicheven a couple from Islington.
But there has been retaliation with a rival missive. 240 have signed a pro Corbyn letter. They include Cllr Peter Chowney, the Leader of Hastings Council. Not that his Council seems to be undertaking the type of rebellion that Corbyn favoured in the 1980s. Cllr Chowney has justified cutting back the size of the Councils workforce as inevitable.
Last year there were 230 Labour councillors who endorsed Corbyn. On that measure his nearest rival was Liz Kendall who was backed by 150.
In some ways these lists are rather unscientific. They partly reflect who is best organised at getting their supporters to sign up. But the level of organisation is an important measure.
The balance of opinion does not appear to have shifted dramatically. It may well be that Corbyn has the support of a minority of councillors but it may also be that only a minority of them voted for him as Leader in the first place. The English council elections in May were very dull with far more modest Labour losses than had been expected. Given the expectations, that will have calmed many Labour councillors. Hard-working councillors find it annoying to lose their seats due to the ebbing fortunes of their Party nationally. Yet it is not obvious that Corbyn will cause this to happen on the huge scale that might have been expected. So his position has not notably weakened in that respect. On the other hand, his allies in Momentum seem to have made only modest progress with deselections so Corbyns base of support has not been built up either. In the past, Trotskyist infiltrators would show infinite patience in sitting through Labour Party branch meetings of the greatest tedium. The 3-a-pop Corbynistas dont appear to have the same commitment.
What of the implications for local government if Labour splits in two? Names of Labour councillors from Birmingham, for example, appear on both lists. Indeed one pro-Corbyn Labour councillor has complained about her name being on the anti-Corbyn letter. If Labour splits then which Labour Party will be in charge in Birmingham and if they run candidates against each other will either Labour party be able to hold on? It would be good for democracy if there is a split and it results in the end of the one party states (or virtual one Party states) currently operating in Manchester, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sandwell, and Newham.
Labour councillors worried about losing under Corbyn might find winning under the banner of a new party even harder.
Jan Chipchase travelled 7,100km through the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) ("a remote, sparsely populated, mostly Pamiri, Kyrgyz-speaking region of Tajikistan") with only a small piece of hand luggage, and in those rugged, beautiful mountains, discovered 61 glimpses of the future.
His list is surprisingly good and thought-provoking and many could spawn their own science fiction short stories. See also Bruce Sterling's Taklamakan, from A Good Old-Fashioned Future.
2. If you're wondering how long the Chinese economic miracle will last, the answer will probably be found in the bets made on commercial and residential developments in Chinese 3rd to 6th tier cities in Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai and Tibet.
5. You no longer need to carry a translation app on your phone. If there's someone to speak with, they'll have one on theirs.
12. The premium for buying gasoline in a remote village in the GBAO is 20% more than the nearest town. Gasoline is harder to come by, and more valuable than connectivity.
17. Every time you describe someone in your own country as a terrorist, a freedom is taken away from a person in another country. Every country has its own notion of "terrorism", and the overuse, and reaction to the term in your country helps legitimise the crack-down of restive populations in other countries.
19. After twenty years of promising to deliver, Chinese solar products are now practical (available for purchase, affordable, sufficiently efficient, robust) for any community on the edge-of-grid, anywhere in the world. Either shared, or sole ownership.
24. There is only one rule for driving in the GBAO: give a lift to every local that wants one, until the car is full. It's common to travel main thoroughfares for a day and only see a couple of vehicles.
35. One of the more interesting aspects of very high net worth individuals (the financial 0.001%), is the entourage that they attract, and the interrelations between members of that entourage. This is my first time travelling with a spiritual leader (the religious 0.001%), whose entourage included disciples, and members of the financial 0.01% looking for a karmic handout. The behaviour of silicon valley's nouveau riche is often parodied but when it comes to weirdness, faith trumps money every time. Any bets on the first Silicon Valley billionaire to successfully marry the two? Or vice versa?
41. The growing global awareness of "Beijing time".
42. After the Urumqi riots in 2009 the Chinese government cut of internet connectivity to Xinjiang province for a full year. Today connectivity is so prevalent and integrated into every aspect of Xinjiang society, that cutting it off it would hurt the state's ability to control the population more than hinder their opposition. There are many parts to the current state strategy is to limit subversion, the most visible of which is access to the means of travel. For example every gas station between Kashi and Urumqi has barbed wire barriers at its gates, and someone checking IDs.
43. TV used to be the primary way for the edge-of-grid have-nots to discover what they want to have. Today it is discovering geotagged images from nearby places, sometimes hundreds of kilometres away.
45. The sooner western companies own up to copying WeChat, the sooner we can get on with acknowledging a significant shift in the global creative center of gravity.
49. The most interesting destinations aren't geotagged, are not easily geo-taggable. Bonus points if you can figure that one out.
55. Pockets of Chengdu are starting to out-cool Tokyo.
58. If you want to understand where a country is heading pick a 2nd or 3rd tier city and revisit it over many years. Chengdu remains my bellwether 2nd tier Chinese city. It's inland, has a strong local identity and sub-cultures, and has room to grow. Bonus: its' only a few hours from some of the best mountain ranges in the world.
59. Japan remains the lead use case for a depopulating society, with 40 million less people in the next 50 years. It has the opportunity to be a world leader in figuring out how to make depopulation work at a societal level. China will lose an estimated 400 million people by 2100, from its peak of 1.4 billion in 2020.
60. The difference between 2.5G and 3G? In the words of a smartphone wielding GBAO teenager on the day 3G data was switched on her town, "I can breathe".
Theresa May has promised to create a new Department for Brexit headed by a Leave supporter. The best place to begin mulling what her Cabinet will look like is to start from there.
Which Leaver will head the new Department for Brexit
The supporters of Brexit in Cabinet are Chris Grayling, Michael Gove, Theresa Villiers, John Whittingdale and Priti Patel. As the Chairman of Mays campaign, Grayling might be expected to take the post. Gove would undertake it with panache, but his stock is damaged and his relationship with May is poor. Villiers is a former MEP and her Northern Ireland experience means that she is now an experienced negotiator. The most senior pro-May backbench Brexiteers are David Davis and Liam Fox. The former has written in detail about how the negotiation might work.
And who will take charge of creating a new foreign policy?
The emphatic message sent by the establishment of this new department will be that the Foreign Office isnt culturally attuned to the job of Brexit and, indeed, needs an overhaul from top to bottom. The foundation of its policy for over 60 years membership of the European Project collapsed with the referendum. May will need a Foreign Secretary who can re-think foreign policy without seeking to re-absorb the Brexit department: she will want to beware of a turf war at the heart of government. This is another reason to avoid the appointment of George Osborne.
Grayling or Gove or Davis or Fox have the seniority to be Foreign Secretary. But May might not want to have both the Foreign Office and the Brexit Department headed by Leavers. Philip Hammond will surely move; the department needs to break with the past The other senior Remainers in Cabinet are Michael Fallon and Jeremy Hunt. Or May could send for a woman Foreign Secretary perhaps Justine Greening, her supporter, or Amber Rudd, if the latter can contain her Remain enthusiasms. Hunt would seem the most likely to try re-thinking foreign policy from scratch.
Replacing May at the Home Office
This appears to me to be the other big post most likely to take a Leaver: Grayling or Fox or Davis or, just possibly, Gove or even Patel. The key task of the new incumbent will be getting net immigration down. Fallon is the Remainer perhaps best suited to the role.
Who can deliver Mays Joe Chamberlain economy at the Treasury?
The economic thinking in Mays campaign launch speech yesterday was unlike Osbornes in key respects. The Chancellors policy mix has included housebuilding, quantitative easing, a cut in the top rate of tax, grands projets, and the Northern Powerhouse. One might call it HS2 economics.
In her speech, May enthused about housebuilding and cities but criticised q.e openly, urged cheaper energy, pledged workers on company boards and more shareholder power over remuneration, and called for a proper industrial strategy. This looks like a more intense focus on lower earners and savers, and a heavy stress on intervention and planning, with fewer policy gimmicks. This might be called Joe Chamberlain economics, after the radical-turned-Tory politician and Mayor of Birmingham where she made the speech; the choice of location was no accident who has been studied and praised on this site by our columnist and her principal aide, Nick Timothy.
It is not at all easy to see which Remainer or Leaver is best placed to champion this way of thinking at the Treasury. Philip Hammond and Fallon, the two most senior Remainers, were raised in the age of Thatcher. Fox and Davis, two of the most senior Leavers, are cut from much the same cloth.
And, more pressingly, at BIS?
Ditto. If the Foreign Office and the Treasury stay in the hands of Remainers, there is a strong case for putting a Leaver in BIS, if Sajid Javid is to be moved and his economic instincts certainly look very different from those apparent in Mays speech. Of the other Remainers, Fallon has experience in the department.
A minor Cabinet reworking or a major one?
I have suggested that Davis and especially Fox might come into the Cabinet, but May has also to consider Boris Johnson and Andrea Leadsom, if either are willing to serve. Johnson might be offered the Ministry of Culture (again): it is unlikely that May will feel obliged to offer him a great office of state. Leadsom could move up a rung to head the Climate Change Department, if Rudd is moved elsewhere. Gove might do best to hunker down at Justice to complete his work on prisons and perhaps have an overview of public service reform in the age of Brexit more widely.
But if new appointments are to be made then some familiar faces must go. In terms either of intake or age or both, Hammond and Fallon are near the exit door. So are Patrick McLoughlin and Whittingdale. Hunt has served in Cabinet since 2010. But a new Prime Minister whose 60th birthday approaches is unlikely to frown on experience. It may well be that there are some unexpected culls and sackings, and that May undertakes a much bigger Cabinet restructuring than is expected. We can certainly expect the number of women to rise.
If so, she will look to her supporters, and to the Centre-Left of the Party, as well as to the pro-May Brexiteers maybe to former Ministers such as Damian Green, to present ones like James Brokenshire and Karen Bradley, and to allies in the leadership election such as Brandon Lewis, Richard Harrington and Gavin Williamson. Justine Greening must be an outside shot for Party Chairman or for promotion Heathrow expansion looks dead in the water now and Mark Harper might stay as Chief Whip to offer continuity.
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News / National
by Stephen Jakes
ZIMBABWEAN authorities have charged six school children for allegedly committing public violence in a development, which marks a new low forthe troubled southern African country.The six school children who reside at Burombo Flats in Bulawayo and are enrolled at three schools in Bulawayo including a primary schoolpupil were arrested on Saturday 09 July 2016 before being released into the custody of their parents and guardians and appeared atBulawayo Magistrates Court on Monday 11 July 2016 facing charges of committing public violence.Prosecutors from the National Prosecuting Authority alleged that the six school children participated in an anti-government protest held onWednesday 06 July 2016 together with 500 other protesters who blocked roads in Bulawayo's high density suburb of Luveve through placingboulders and setting alight tyres during the demonstration.The prosecutors also claimed that the school children looted some groceries from Mzilikazi Supermarket owned by Tapiwa Kapota.The six juveniles who were represented by Lizwe Jamela and Jonathan Tsvangirai of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) are BrightonBvirindi aged 14 years of Lobengula Primary School, Thabo Mhlanga, aged 17 years, of Mzilikazi High School, Welcome Nkomo aged 15 yearsof Sobukazi High School, Billy Chivhunge aged 16 of Sobukazi High School, Blessing Phiri aged 16 years of Mzilikazi High School andBernard Mpofu aged 15 of Sobukazi High School.The juveniles, who were granted free bail, were remanded to 28 July 2016. Three other Bulawayo residents who were arrested on Saturday 09 July2016 and charged with obstructing or endangering the free movement of persons or traffic in contravention of Section 38 (c) of the CriminalLaw (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23, were set free on Monday 11 July 2016 on $50 bail by Bulawayo Magistrate Charity Maphosa.Prosecutors claimed that the three residents Peter Chirume aged 25 years, Mike Chizunza aged 24 years and Maxwell Dhadha aged 23 yearsplaced burning tyres in the middle of the road on Wednesday 06 July 2016 during the nationwide stay away, thereby obstructing the freemovement of traffic and persons.
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First Federal Savings Bank announced that Travis Genet is a recent graduate of the Indiana Bankers Association Commercial Lending School.
The 2016 IBA Commercial Lending School was held in June at the IBA Center for Professional Development in Indianapolis. The IBA is the professional trade association providing educational, legislative, communications and research services for Indiana's commercial banking industry.
For over a month now, I've been following the developments of UCI International's Chapter 11 Bankruptcy filing in Delaware.
UCI is the parent company of Airtex Products in Fairfield, Illinois, and Champion Labs in Albion, Ill. It's a pretty big story in Southern Illinois, since Airtex was once the largest employer in Wayne County, with more than 1,000 workers. Champion Labs continues to be the biggest employer in Edwards County with hundreds of good paying factory jobs.
Since 1935, Airtex has provided good jobs for the community. Generations have been raised on the salaries from those good jobs. If you don't believe me, read just about any obituary from Wayne County and you're likely to see; "He retired after working more than 30 years at Airtex."
The whole outfit is now owned by New Zealand billionaire Graeme Hart as part of the Rank Group. I suspected that when he took over, Airtex and Champion Labs would become little more than a single line on the company's profit and loss sheet. Unfortunately, I was right.
A couple of years ago, Hart decided to move all of the production jobs at Airtex to China and Mexico. That cost 350 jobs. Last month, he announced he was moving the shipping department out of Fairfield, leaving less than 50 jobs in town. What's left is engineering and customer service. All of the union jobs have been eliminated.
Moving good production jobs out of Fairfield to China and Mexico made me furious.
Every friend I have either works at Airtex, used to work at Airtex, or has a family member that worked at Airtex.
But then, I made the mistake of using Google to search for any fresh news about UCI's bankruptcy filing. That's when I learned that Graem Hart wasn't doing so badly after all despite having to file for bankruptcy.
As Hart's Chapter 11 bankruptcy case winds its way through the courts, he should have the opportunity to escape the stress on his brand new 107 meter long super yacht, the Ulysses.
According to multiple yachting websites, Mr. Hart's newly launched vessel is valued at $200 million. His personal wealth has been widely published at $5.3 billion. Apparently, this is his second super yacht and the biggest.
And then I learned that the city of Fairfield has had to retain the services of a Chicago law firm specializing in environmental matters. Why? Because they want to force UCI to set funds aside in the bankruptcy proceedings to conduct site investigation and remediation activities in Fairfield.
The last thing the city fathers want is for UCI to leave behind an abandoned, potentially contaminated and useless set of buildings. Just one more thing to worry about besides hundreds of lost jobs.
Now, I realize that shuffling American jobs off to foreign countries is all part of a global economy. I also accept that Mr. Hart is a pretty sharp businessman and has earned enough money to have all the yachts he wants.
I just wish I hadn't Googled his name and made the discovery in relation to a pending bankruptcy case that has cost so many good people their jobs.
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Financial author, radio host and speaker Dave Ramsey says, "Building a new future with money is a lot like building a home. You don't add the roof until you've finished framing, and you don't frame until the foundation is secure."
As a parent, I see the importance of building a strong foundation of financial literacy in my children. There are a few important tenets of our family's financial plan: knowing the difference between needs and wants, understanding and using a budget and saving and giving first. My husband and I are not waiting to teach our kids the why and how behind those tenets. Helping our children understand the world of money will help ensure a prosperous future for generations to come.
There are a number of resources online to start teaching your kids financial literacy. To start, do a quick Google search of "kids finances." Northwestern Mutual's TheMint.org has activities for kids, tips for teenagers, resources for parents and ideas for teachers.
U.S. News and World Report published a June 2015 article "7 Apps to Teach Your Kids Personal Finance Skills". All the apps listed in the article incorporate financial literacy in fun game formats.
Forbes' "The 5 Most Important Money Lessons to Teach Your Kids" and parents.com's "Teaching Kids About Money: An Age-by-Age Guide" breaks down top lessons with activities for kids as young as 2 and as old as 18.
At Youth Resources, I see high school students on a daily basis. Many of them have jobs, pay some or all of their own bills and are preparing for college. As they enter junior and senior years, they're very concerned about how to pay for school, how to pay bills during school and how to set themselves up for financial success post-graduation. Those questions and the rising cost of postsecondary education can be overwhelming for these students and can persuade them to turn down great opportunities because they're afraid or don't have a full understanding of the cost.
It's our job as adults to make sure those fears and stresses are put into perspective with sound financial information, starting as early as possible. Resources abound for parents and adult who care about youth. Start learning so you can start teaching.
Kerry Martin is the Office Coordinator at Youth Resources of Southwestern Indiana. Since 1987, Youth Resources has engaged over 149,000 youth in leadership development and community service through its youth-led TEENPOWER, Teen Advisory Council, Vanderburgh County Teen Court and Make A Difference Grant programs. For more information, please call (812) 421-0030 or visit www.youth-resources.org.
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By Richard Gootee of the Courier and Press
A transgender Evansville woman shot in the face Sunday told police that her alleged attacker, who identifies with a black separatist group, shouted a homophobic slur during the assault.
Gerald Duane Lewis, 26, is accused of shooting 55-year-old Crystal Raquel Cash at 715 N. First Ave. On his Facebook page, Lewis claims membership in Israel United in Christ, which the Southern Poverty Law Center has identified as a hate group.
Lewis made his first court appearance via video from the Vandeburgh County jail on Tuesday afternoon. Lewis faces preliminary charges of attempted murder, robbery and carrying a handgun without a permit. During that hearing, Vanderburgh County Court Senior Judge Carl Heldt set Lewis' bond at $5 million surety or $500,000 cash. Lewis is due back in court on Friday at 1 p.m., when formal charges are expected to be filed in the case.
Investigators noted in the arrest affidavit that Cash operates a known massage parlor in one of the spaces in the building where the shooting happened. Cash is a frequent poster on Backpage.com, an adult services website that police have expressed concern about in the past.
Lewis was arrested Monday afternoon. In an interview with police at the hospital, Cash told investigators she had met Lewis on the street and called the meeting "completely random," according to the affidavit. Investigators wrote that Cash said she had shown Lewis "her website" before the shooting.
Lewis asked to use the bathroom and then came out and shot Cash as she tried to flee, the affidavit says.
The weapon police believe was used in the shooting, a 9mm handgun, was in Lewis' possession when police arrested him, investigators wrote in the affidavit.
A spokeswoman for Deaconess Hospital, where Cash was taken for treatment, has previously told media that the hospital does not have a public update on Cash's medical condition.
Cash provided investigators with a detailed description of her attacker, as well as a partial pseudonym for the man. Police were able to match that name to the man's Facebook account, which suggested Lewis was still in the area of where the shooting occurred.
There is no indication in the affidavit that Lewis spoke to investigators about the accusations against him.
There was some initial confusion because the police report released Monday morning listed Cash as a male. A police department official confirmed that Cash is a transgender woman later that evening. Cash told police that Lewis used a homophobic slur when he shot her, according to the affidavit.
In the description of her alleged attacker, Cash reportedly remembered the man wearing a Israeli-Christian group shirt, which helped police narrow down their search for a suspect. On Lewis' Facebook page, which is under the name Gadiell Ben Israel, he claims he works at Israel United in Christ. A woman at Lewis' court hearing, Daisy Norman, told reporters that she was his wife.
Norman said the couple has been in Evansville for a few months and that she was still trying to learn details about the allegations against her husband, whom she described as a "good person."
Norman is an Israel United in Christ member as well. She disputed the organization's designation as a hate group.
"We learn about our heritage, we learn about our history," Norman said. "What was done to us in the past and what is being done to us now. But (is it) a hate group? No."
It appears that Cash uses Backpage.com and other adult websites to advertise her services under her middle name. In those ads, she portrays herself as much younger, and her most recent postings on the adult classified page broadcast that she provides body rubs in a "relaxing mood atmosphere" near Tropicana casino. Her space on First Avenue where she also lives, according to police is less than two miles from the casino.
Though her recent ads have used a different phone number than the one listed in the police report, the contact number investigators have is connected to Internet ads for massages from a woman named Raquel.
Backpage.com is a website that has drawn Evansville Police Department scrutiny in the past, including in February 2015. That is when police arrested six people at once for patronizing a prostitute after a sting operation that included detectives placing their own ad on the site.
After those arrests were made, Sgt. Jason Cullum, a police department spokesman, called Backpage the most active site at that time for online prostitution, though he noted there were several other websites being used as well.
By Tori Fater / Courier & Press
A 26-year-old man was arrested Monday after being accused of shooting a transgender woman in the head Sunday afternoon.
Gerald Duane Lewis faces preliminary charges of attempted murder, robbery with serious bodily injury and carrying a handgun without a license, according to jail records. He was booked into the Vanderburgh County jail just after 7 p.m., where he's being held without bond.
Lewis allegedly shot Crystal Cash, 55, inside a North First Avenue apartment building just after 3 p.m. Sunday. Deaconess Hospital didn't have an update on Cash's condition Monday night. Jail records initially listed a charge of murder against Lewis, but Deputy Coroner Steve Lockyear said Monday that Cash is alive. Cash told police Lewis was "very nice at first," according to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case.
Cash called police herself after suffering a bullet wound to the left side of her face. She described the incident as a "completely random encounter, telling police that she met the alleged shooter at a nearby intersection and they had a conversation before both entered the North First Avenue building, where she has an office and apartment, according to the affidavit.
Cash told police that Lewis started acting suspicious after entering the office, walking into restricted areas and spending an unusual amount of time in the bathroom. According to the affidavit, Cash tried to flee into another room and Lewis allegedly followed. That's when he reportedly shot her and took her ID, passport, credit cards and keys to the office.
Cash told police that Lewis said die, die and used a homophobic slur during the incident. After being shot, she "faked death," the affidavit states. Cash wrote information down for police while she was treated at the hospital, including notes that stated I was robbed attacked and shot and I guess he thought I had money. no.
Police reportedly found Lewis near Deaconess Hospital Monday afternoon, not far from where the alleged shooting took place, according to the affidavit. Police confiscated a backpack from Lewis and, after receiving a search warrant for the bag, found a loaded 9mm handgun with extra ammunition inside. Lewis allegedly did not have a valid permit to carry the gun.
Police also found ID in the bag indicating Lewis lives or had lived in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Cash was taken to Deaconess Hospital after she was found about 3:15 p.m. Sunday near the building in the 700 block of North First Avenue. Police found blood outside the building, in common areas inside and in the room where Cash was allegedly shot.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence shakes hands with Donald Trump after meeting at the governor's residence for around an hour before Trump left for his April rally at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. (Photo: IndyStar photo)
By Chris Sims, USA TODAY NETWORK, IndyStar
For better or for worse, Indiana and Gov. Mike Pence have been flung into the spotlight. A light that shines on center stage today in Westfield.
Pence joins forces with presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at 7:30 p.m. and speculation that the Indiana governor will soon be named the GOP vice presidential running mate runs rampant.
Here's a glimpse of what is being said outside of Indiana:
Politico
Jake Sherman dives into the "detailed case" being laid out by Pence insiders in Washington and Indianapolis that makes him a "no-brainer' for Trump.
They say Pence is a good link to House Republicans. He came in with Speaker Paul Ryan, and spent 12 years in the House -- including a stint in GOP leadership.
Salon
While taking a look at all the possible contenders, Salon staff members add their two cents as to why Trump will choose Pence.
A Pence pick helps Trump cement hesitant Ted Cruz voters, who arent necessarily the same as the #NeverTrump faction.
Real Clear Politics
Treading through the pluses and minuses of a Trump-Pence ticket, Rebecca Berg discusses why Pence might be a match as Trump's vice president.
But their contrasts are attractive to some of Trumps allies, who believe Pence could uniquely balance the ticket.
Washington Post
Jim Tankersley goes into detail about one major issue where Pence and Trump obviously don't see eye-to-eye ... free-trade.
That record, along with at least two votes favoring freer trade with China, puts him squarely at odds with Trump on one of the signature issues of the businessman's presidential campaign.
Salon, Part 2
There are a few reasons Trump choosing Pence would be a huge mistake, according to Gary Legum.
The choice of Pence would do nothing to solve the GOPs long-term demographics problem. Hes a religious throwback in a country that is quickly leaving the Republican Party behind.
National Review
There's a chance Pence could fizzle, according to Rich Lowry. Sometimes when Trump speaks there can be some explaining to do, but could that be his downfall?
There is no reason to believe that Pence will be good at this, and Im guessing he wont be.
PEOPLE
Among the list of candidates for vice president, Tierney McAfee chose to highlight five things voters should know about Pence.
Pence has by far the least name recognition of the trio, so PEOPLE has rounded up five fast facts about the Indiana Republican.
Slate
An interesting question is posed by Jim Newell. Why would anyone want to be Trump's vice president?
Theres a political cost to sitting this one out, too, and Mike Pence probably knows it.
Chicago Tribune
David Rutter offers an interesting perspective for why Pence would want to skip out on "Hoosierlandia" and join forces with Trump.
But as Gov. Pence seems to view it, operating Indiana is like driving a clunker used car you'd trade for any shinier new model like Washington, D.C.
The New York Times
Before the Pence train leaves the station, let's not forget he is not the only political-minded candidate in this race. Ashley Parker and Alexander Burns detail another audition for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey offered a glimpse Monday of just what he might bring to the Republican ticket as Donald J. Trumps running mate, presenting himself as a law and order executive in an appearance with Mr. Trump in Virginia Beach.
Remember, Indiana. Tonight, all eyes are on you.
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Presidential candidates invariably seek and often get endorsements from admired figures in American life. But Hillary Clinton apparently didn't have to ask to get one of the most noteworthy signals of approval any politician could ask for a criticism of her likely Republican opponent from a sitting justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
In an interview with The New York Times, Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, "I can't imagine what this place would be I can't imagine what this country would be with Donald Trump as our president." She recalled something her late husband used to say: "Maybe it's time for us to move to New Zealand."
The issue here isn't Trump's fitness for the presidency we're beyond dubious nor is it Ginsburg's freedom to think whatever she wishes of him.
But to say her public comments are unusual is like saying dancing cows are scarce. Supreme Court justices don't at least until now take public stands on presidential or other elections. One reason is that they are barred from doing so by the federal code of judicial conduct, which states that as a general rule, judges shall not "publicly endorse or publicly oppose another candidate for public office." They also aren't allowed to make speeches on behalf of political organizations or give money to candidates.
The reasons for the ban are clear and sensible. Judges who sit on the federal bench are protected from political pressures by the life tenure provided in the Constitution. Courts are often asked to rule on matters of public controversy, and the litigants on either side are entitled to expect that the presiding judges will evaluate their arguments fairly.
Nowhere is that impartiality more important than in the highest court in the land, which has the final word on a host of grave questions. For justices to descend into partisan election campaigns would undermine public faith in their willingness to assess each case strictly on its legal merits. It would also encourage justices to let their political biases affect, if not determine, their decisions.
Yet here was Ginsburg plainly indicating how she will vote in this election. "I am not aware of any justice ever expressing views on the merits or demerits of a presidential candidate in the midst of the campaign," Ed Whelan, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, told The Washington Post. George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley told us her comment "showed manifestly bad judgment and undermined the integrity of the Court."
She is not the first justice to play fast and loose with these obligations. The late Antonin Scalia flew on Dick Cheney's plane in 2004, when they took a hunting trip together, yet didn't recuse himself from a suit against the vice president. At an election-watching party in 2000, when it appeared Al Gore had won, Sandra Day O'Connor reportedly said, "This is terrible" before participating in the decision in Bush v. Gore.
But Ginsburg went even further by publicly stating her opinion of a candidate during a campaign. If Trump is elected, Ginsburg may be expected to rule on the constitutionality or legality of the policies he pursues. Can anyone assume that she'll put aside her disdain for him and give them a fair hearing? If President Trump were to lose a case, wouldn't he have plausible grounds to claim, as he often does, "The system is rigged"?
The Supreme Court commands respect and deference from the citizenry partly because it stands outside of petty politics. When a member of the court strides into that muck, she may help a candidate, but she hurts the cause of justice.
This editorial first appeared in the Chicago Tribune.
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Phillip Field, Newburgh
Recently, the Evansville Courier & Press published an article titled, "Self-confidence booster."
At first glance, I presumed these were Islamic youth being trained by ISIS to hold their AK-47s above the water level. But I was shocked to read these youth were JROTC members from Central High School.
When Islamic youth are pictured with their AK-47s, I am incredulous and think, "Do not those parents value their children?"
Have our school boards not yet connected the dots? Our society is rampant with violence and yet, with our supervision, we allow, or even encourage, our youth to be militarized under the guise of "teaching them leadership skills." Marines may need this training, but our youth?
There must be a myriad of better training methods for leadership than arming our children with assault rifles. Since we purport to be a Christian nation, why would we emulate the standards and values of ISIS?
There have to be countless parents, priests, ministers and teachers of like mind. Let us pause and remember that silence means consent.
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I like Bill and Hillary Clinton, but they don't make it easy.
For more than a quarter century I have watched them slip in and out of scandals, most of which were either generated or exaggerated by their Republican rivals.
We've all learned to expect scandals by now. What irritates me is to see the Clintons slip and slide into a scandal that could have been avoided and can't honestly be blamed on anyone other than themselves.
The latest example is tarmac-gate, so named because it occurred on one of former president Bill Clinton's favorite places to schmooze with VIPs: an airport tarmac amid the VIPs' private planes.
Clinton was preparing to fly out of Phoenix during a seven-state fund-raising swing for his wife's campaign when he learned that Attorney General Loretta Lynch was in another nearby plane, according to reports.
He decided to say hi. Clinton has known Lynch since at least 1999 when he named her to serve as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York. With Phoenix boiling at 103 degrees, he climbed aboard her air-conditioned plane.
The chat lasted 20 minutes and also included Lynch's husband, Secret Service agents and several staff members.
Fine. But Lynch is still the nation's top cop. She oversees the FBI, which has been investigating whether Bill Clinton's wife or any of her associates broke laws in using an unauthorized private email server for her when she was secretary of state.
Now that the FBI has decided against filing criminal charges against Hillary Clinton, her husband's visit with Lynch taints that decision with a cloud of suspicion. Republicans howl about the appearance of impropriety. Populists charge that the system is rigged. Democrats ask how the former president and current attorney general could have been so stupid.
Washington Post editorial writer Jonathan Capehart cleaned that up later by asking Lynch a question at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado that virtually everybody wanted to ask: "What on earth were you thinking?"
Lynch maintained her cool but admitted: "It's painful to me. I certainly wouldn't do it again."
Good. But watch out, Madam Attorney General. You can be pulled into the Clinton web of high-risk shenanigans before you know it. The Clintons are smart people, but they're also drama junkies.
That's what in today's psycho-babble you call people who cause problems, actively or passively, because they find it easier than avoiding problems.
For example, a normal non-drama junkie might ask, why did Hillary Clinton need to have an unauthorized private email server anyway?
In her case, she has claimed, it was merely a matter of convenience. She didn't want to have to carry two Blackberries or switch between two accounts one personal, the other government-issued and therefore more secure against hackers.
But wasn't convenience a small prize for the huge toll that now has been taken on her credibility? You might think that, if you were not a drama junkie.
She and her husband are both smart, Yale-educated lawyers. But they also seem to share the lawyerly belief that they can argue their way out of anything, tough or teeny.
And sometimes they seem so battle-hardened from surviving their conservative rivals' and critics' relentless assaults that they no longer worry very much about the appearance of impropriety. There always seem to be bigger crises to face.
As a result, the prospect of yet another scandal seems to bring little more than a yawn from the Clinton camp, as long as their polling numbers are up.
I'm hardly the first to notice. "Scandals don't weaken Hillary Clinton," said comedian Bill Maher on his HBO show "Real Time" back in 2013. "They only make her stronger."
That was before House Republicans held highly-touted hearings into the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi that resulted in the death of four Americans.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy admitted in a later burst of televised candor that the Benghazi hearings actually aimed to sink Hillary Clinton's presidential election chances in 2016. Right. And the committee's 800-page report makes a nice doorstop.
Obviously whether scandal makes the Clintons stronger or not, they have been helped enormously by the shortcomings of their Republican rivals. Donald Trump, the Grand Old Party's presumptive nominee, could hardly do a better job of alienating people if he was on the Clinton's payroll.
That leaves us, the voters, to choose between two of the most disliked presidential candidates in the history of polling also known as two drama junkies running against each other.
News / National
by Nqobile Tshili
POLICE in Bulawayo are searching for two runaway teenage girls who escaped from their homes after their parents chided them for their wayward behaviour. Angela Ndlovu (19) and Simphiwe Moyo (15) both from Entumbane suburb escaped from home in May after being confronted by their parents.Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango said Angela disappeared after her father ordered her to go to their rural home in Nkayi to look after her baby."She was staying with her father Jorum Ndlovu at number 3793 Emakhandeni. She disappeared on May 25 at about 3PM. She disappeared in protest after her father ordered her to go to Nkayi where she was supposed to go and take care of her child," said Insp Simango.She said Angela escaped with $10 which she was supposed to use as her transport money to Nkayi. The police did not reveal the age of Angela's child. Insp Simango said Simphiwe escaped on May 27 after her mother Thenjiwe Moyo confronted her for having a boyfriend.She said Simphiwe was last seen wearing a short sleeved knit top, blue skinny trousers and orange sandals. "She went missing after she had been confronted by her mother over a relationship she was having."She was staying at number 32937 Entumbane with her mother," she said. "Anyone with information regarding their whereabouts can contact the Zimbabwe Republic Police on landline 09-418067 or any nearest police station."
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The Grand Opera House was an opulent 1,700-seat theater that stood in the 200 block of Sycamore Street.
It opened October 17, 1889 with a performance by Emma Abbott and her Grand Opera Company, a popular touring act at the time.
As cultural tastes changed, so did the Opera House. It was renovated in 1909 and renamed the New Grand Theater, becoming a stop for the touring Vaudeville acts popular at the turn off the century.
The theater eventually transitioned to a movie house after showing its first talking picture in 1929.
Over the years, as drive-ins and multiscreen cinemas became the norm, the demand for a one-screen movie palace waned.
The theater closed in 1962 and was soon torn down to create parking for the Vendome Hotel.
This photograph, courtesy of the Evansville Courier & Press Photo Archive at digital.evpl.org, shows the theater as it would have looked to a theatergoer in the early 20th century.
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History Lesson is a pictorial history of Evansville compiled by Daniel Smith, local history and digitization librarian at the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library.
News / National
by Stephen Jakes
A political analyst Vince Musewe has dismissed the claims by the ruling Zanu-PF that the current wave of protests and civil unrest taking place in the country were a fallacy and a betrayal to those who fought for the liberation of the country.The ruling party recently accused the West of being a third force in the wave of protests which characterised the nation."Even if we were to ask our fallen heroes what they died for, they would feel exactly the same. They sacrificed their lives so that future generations would live a better life than they themselves did under Ian Smith and yet today that young generation is worse off," Musewe said. "Therefore, if there is any third force at play, it is the anger and dismay of the millions of our hopeless youths who have now arisen. That was bound to happen."He said the sanctions excuses will not work anymore, blaming imaginary detractors will not work anymore."The claim that the West is driving the change we want to see is a fallacy, a myth, a persistent and unrealistic lie which has become so boring and vacuous. Rather it is our deferred dreams and hopes which are fuelling the freedom we must now demand. There is no going back and the sooner Zanu-PF realises this the better. You can crush dissent but you cannot crush an idea whose time has come," he said.
News / National
by Stephen Jakes
Former ZBC presenter Eric Knight has blasted the Zimbabwe state media for resorting to continued misrepresentation concerning the economic situation in the countryHe said Zimbabwe should know the truth and the media has a role to inform the people of the truthful situation."The Zimbabwean Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa was right here in London understandably to seek for a $10 billion soft loan for my beleaguered country on behalf of the Government. As many expected and predicted, he left with nothing," Knight said."I'm disappointed by the lies by some sections of the Zimbabwean media, especially the State controlled. State Media has a mandate to inform the nation of the truths, a mandate to be the mouthpiece, the ears and the eyes of the nation but Alas! They seem to do exactly the opposite, turning a blind eye to reality and deliberately misinforming the nation all in the name of a skewed editorial policy designed to please the masters."Knight said the problem with telling a lie is that tomorrow one will need another lie to support the first lie, and then the third lie to support the second, then that becomes a poisonous habit that permanently destroys one's credibility. "I just don't understand it, is it a crime to tell your people that we tried but we got nothing?This is what happened. The Minister initially sought to meet British (Resigned) Prime Minister David Cameron and he refused and said he was not interested. He later met with the Chancellor of the Ex Chequer and laid down his case. My sources tell me that he was told we can only help Zimbabwe under the following conditions," he said."Free and Fair all participatory Elections by June 2017. Immediate repealing of the controversial Indigenisation Law which calls for 51% ownership of foreign companies by selected Zimbabwe officials. Commitment to re-visiting the Land Reform Exercise with immediate effect."He said the other condition was that for the establishment of a United Nations watchdog from 1 August 2016 to June 2017, the time at which fresh elections must be held.Another was that there should be de-politicization of the Armed Forces, enactment of an Anti-corruption task force and the establishment of a new and genuinely neutral Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and a new voters roll plus the reduction of parliamentary and senate composition, the total and genuine liberalisation of airwaves allowing entry of new Print and Electronic Media and the prosecution of all known Human Rights violators."Mrs Theresa May who is tipped to be a potential successor to David Cameron is said to have emphasized that they would be very interested in resuscitating dialogue and normalise relationships between the 2 countries only if the above conditions are met," said Knight."I understand also that Britain demanded that President Mugabe steps down by 1st December and an interim government comprised of political parties and civic organisations be sworn in with a neutral figure becoming President to run and oversee the implementation of the changes and the holding of free and fair elections."
News / National
by Staff reporter
A NEW females-only pressure group, #beatthepot , has threatened to roll out a massive protest march on Saturday to force President Robert Mugabe to urgently address the country's socio-economic crisis.The group, led by MDC-T deputy president, Thokozani Khupe and some Bulawayo MDC-T senators, yesterday posted a video clip on social media platforms outlining the objectives of the campaign.The video begins with a woman beating an empty pot, and thereafter she explains that she is hitting the pot because it is empty and people have nothing to cook in their homes due to the economic hardships."We are hungry, we have no money and food, and we are beating pots because we have nothing to cook in them," the woman says in Ndebele.Another woman then explains the same issue in Shona, before Khupe makes a statement in English."I want to call upon every Zimbabwean woman to join us in the Beat the Pots Campaign, which will take place on July 16, 2016. It is going to be a peaceful demonstration against hunger and poverty. Bring your pots and cooking utensils and join us to show Mugabe's government that enough is enough," she says in the video.The women in the video also cited the country's high unemployment rate as a reason for further protests.Last week, Zimbabweans brought business to a standstill after they heeded a stay away call organised by #ThisFlag , Sesijikile/Tajamuka, vendors and different other groups against corruption and the economic meltdown facing the country.But, Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo said the government was unfazed by the demonstrations, adding the stayaway was a flop.Yesterday, #ThisFlag campaign leader, Evan Mawarire said he would today hand himself at Harare Central Police Station, after he was summoned to appear for questioning. He, however, said if police decide to lock him up, the mass stay away scheduled for tomorrow would proceed as planned.
Steam nous propose un tres plaisant Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion Game and Soundtrack Bundle a 11.24 , qui comprend Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion et Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion - Original Soundtrack.Suivez la source.source : Cowcotland
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News / National
by Tendai Mugabe
President Mugabe yesterday visited the Mutaisi family in Harare's Mbare suburb, to console them following the death of his cousin, Mrs Getrude Karigamombe-Mutaisi. Mrs Mutaisi died yesterday morning at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, after battling cervical cancer for the past year. President Mugabe was accompanied First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe and Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Chris Mushowe.He described Mrs Mutaisi as a principled and hard working woman."She was principled," said the President. "It could have been because of her faith. She was a true Roman Catholic. She was a hardworking woman. She was a dignified woman and I believe she had good relations with her neighbours."She was a widow. I appeal to the children who survive her to understand that we are all like you. That is our way. She had an interest in farming. It is sad she has gone but I thank you for being here. It is God's will."Family spokesperson and son to Mrs Mutaisi, Mr Arthur Mutaisi, described the death of his mother as a huge loss to the family."She was a good mother and like what the President has said, she was a hardworking person," he said."She was a reserved person and a family unifier. She was also involved in politics, and she was one of the pioneers of the Zanu-PF Women's League together with the late Amai Sally Mugabe and Sabina Mugabe."She looked after comrades (freedom fighters) at this house during the liberation struggle, and one of them is the Commissioner-General of the Zimbabwe and Correctional Services Retired Major General Paradzai Zimondi."Mr Mutaisi said his mother will be buried at Warren Hills cemetery tomorrow."Tomorrow (today), there will be a church service in the morning before her body is taken to her farm in Darwendale and it will be ferried back here in the evening."She has been battling cervical cancer since last year. It got worse in March this year, and in the past three days, she was in serious pain. A private doctor who diagnosed her said her lungs were also affected and only the kidneys were spared," he said.Mrs Mutaisi was born in 1949 in Zvimba.She is survived by three children Arthur, Tawanda and Constance.
Channel programs News
Partners Hope CEO Change at Avnet Will Supercharge Cloud Investment
Michael Novinson
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Partners are optimistic that making ex-Lenovo CEO Bill Amelio Avnet's interim leader reflects a commitment to doubling down on cloud and the Internet of Things.
But they painted a picture of a company at a crossroads that needs to do a better job of reaching out and listening to partners.
"I know who my point people are for Brocade, NetApp and Cisco," Kyle Rosenthal, founder and CEO of San Francisco-based Tack Tech, told CRN. "[But] I don't know who my point person is for cloud, [or even] if there is one."
[RELATED: Avnet Changes CEOs: Hamada Out, Ex-Lenovo CEO To Fill In On Interim Basis]
Amelio is replacing Rick Hamada, who stepped down Monday after leading the Phoenix-based distributor for more than five years. A company spokeswoman told CRN that Avnet's board of directors believed a change in leadership was needed to "drive a greater sense of urgency," and that the company expects to complete its search for a new chief executive within the next six months.
One partner who has visited Avnet's headquarters several times but didn't want to be identified said Hamada had been more focused on traditional hardware sales, while the board was looking to put more emphasis on cloud and services sales.
"Avnet's value to the partner is decreasing," said another source familiar with Avnet, who also didn't want to be identified. "They tend to be late adopters to our changing business models and in continuous holding patterns as they wait for internal and manufacturer change to take place."
One of Amelio's first priorities will be to focus on partner and supplier relationships, according to a second company spokeswoman.
"He will be listening closely to our partners and suppliers for all opportunities, especially enhancements to Avnet's strategic plans, organizational structure, and processes, that will help successfully grow their businesses," that spokeswoman told CRN.
Rosenthal said he would love to see someone at Avnet be placed in charge of reaching out to partners such as Tack Tech, specifically around the distributor's cloud offerings and services, and helping partners transition from hardware reselling to cloud-focused sales. Rosenthal said he has received pretty light feedback when he has approached Avnet about its cloud portfolio.
"I think there's plenty of opportunity for them to take the friction out of doing business," Rosenthal said.
But an executive at another solution provider said Avnet has been willing to invest in partners that are making the journey to cloud, offering them market development funds (MDF), sales performance incentive funds (SPIF) and incentives to hire new people, said Jamie Shepard, senior vice president of health care and strategy at Lumenate, of Addison, Texas, No. 152 on the CRN SP 500.
"Avnet is reaching back out to the channel partners that understand that [cloud] strategy," Shepard told CRN. "They're changing to the new world economy."
Avnet's channel model operated pretty flawlessly between 2007 and 2015, Shepard said, but the distributor has needed to re-engage with partners this year and drive net new solution offerings due to changes in the market landscape.
"People are buying less hardware," Shepard said. "There's a lot of restructuring going on inside the industry, and I don't think Avnet is immune to it."
A third source familiar with Avnet who did not want to be identified said the company's culture has changed pretty dramatically since 2012, or roughly a year into Hamada's CEO tenure. Since then, the source said, there have been fairly major changes in the organization every six months or so, with quality leadership leaving and internal moves made that lowered the quality of service.
Additionally, the source said many programs initiated by Avnet end up not going anywhere and get scuttled after a short period of time, despite partners sinking precious time and resources into them.
As a result, many value-added programs and services Avnet offered in the past no longer exist, the source said. But the source said the distributor still expects to earn the same margins as they did six or seven years ago back when those programs existed.
"The reasons for staying with Avnet have diminished over the years," the source told CRN. "They do not seem to care or listen to how it [the changes] affect partners."
The source is not optimistic that a change in CEOs will reverse Avnet's fortune.
"I doubt that partners will feel good about Bill [Amelio] taking the reins, even on an interim basis," the source said. "Lenovo was, and is, one of the worst-run companies in the industry."
But the second Avnet spokeswoman said Amelio's expertise will be critical in driving growth in the distributor's partner community and improving overall business execution across the company.
Amelio will earn a prorated base salary of $850,000 annually and be eligible for a bonus of up to 100 percent of his base compensation, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). He also received an award of stock options and restricted stock units (RSU) worth a total of $2 million, and will be reimbursed for reasonable commuting expenses during his time as CEO.
The company's stock fell 5.9 percent Monday to close at $38.80 per share.
The president of Unique Digital, a Houston-based solution provider, said its biggest problem with Avnet has been high turnover, coupled with a long time lag in training replacements.
Andy Pratt said he would like Avnet to add "co-pilots" for all its partner-facing staff with nearly equal knowledge of the company's product lines and some level of contact with solution providers. Pratt said such a setup would result in far less disruption in the event of departures from Avnet's partner-facing staff.
"We are not going to know for several months if Amelio can change the things that need to be changed," Pratt said.
Other Avnet partners told CRN that they're using the distributor far less than in the past due to the growing popularity of cloud and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) business models.
"The model has changed and cloud computing has disrupted the reseller-provider model," said Wayne Scarano, president and chief technology officer of Hillsborough, N.J.-based SGA Cyber Security. "The middlemen are redundant."
Networking News
AT&T Will Pilot Cat-M1 Advanced Network Technologies To Strengthen IoT Investment
Lindsey O'Donnell
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AT&T plans to pilot the use of Cat-M1 technologies later in the year, moving it a step closer toward running Internet of Things traffic on its LTE network, the communications giant said Tuesday.
The network technology Cat-M1 can operate on existing network footprints and flexibly co-exist with mobile broadband services in the same spectrum, according to AT&T. The design of this technology supports next-generation IoT devices, including wearables and utility meters, and can help cut costs as well as boost device performance for IoT deployments.
"Cat-M1 is an advantage for the millions of IoT devices and services coming on the market, Chris Penrose, senior vice president of AT&T Internet of Things Solutions, said in a statement. We expect this pilot will prove that. This next-generation technology will help businesses gather near real-time information on assets around the world. It will bring a connected world closer to reality."
[Related: Microsoft, GE Partner To Bring IoT Azure Cloud Services To Industrial Tasks]
Cat-M1 is an attractive, early alternative for IoT applications over LTE because it's already standardized and can meet the requirements of a wider range of machine-type communications applications.
AT&T hopes Cat-M1 will enable access of low-cost module technology, extended battery life of at least 10 years for enabled Internet of Things devices, and enhanced LTE coverage for underground and in-building areas that challenge existing coverage.
Rob Chamberlin, co-founder and executive vice president of Berkeley, Calif.-based DataXoom, an AT&T partner, said AT&T has been a leader in the IoT space and has been particularly aggressive with auto manufacturers and the connected car marketplace.
Importantly for AT&T, the adoption of this new technology should help speed up the long-planned migration away from its 2G network, he said. I believe its a good move for AT&T to test new Cat-M1 technologies that leverage its impressive LTE network. The new technology standard would provide more security than unlicensed spectrum, increase the lifespan of many connected devices, and offer enhanced transmission speeds and efficiency. As large companies continue to embrace IoT, security is going to become a much more important aspect of any large enterprise implementation.
Also on Tuesday, AT&T announced it will offer integrated tools to help IoT developers build their IoT solutions quickly by using AT&T IoT Platforms and Microsoft Azure cloud, analytics and visualization tools.
The move is only AT&Ts latest in diving deeper into IoT. In June, the company announced that it has certified new Cat-1 and Cat-4 modules on its 4G LTE network to help drive down costs of LTE connectivity, as well as enable customers to deploy a wide range of IoT solutions more efficiently and upgrade to Cat-M1.
For AT&T partners, theres a lot of interest in Internet of Things but most havent determined how best to monetize it yet, said Chamberlin. On DataXooms end, the company has been focusing on higher-bandwidth IoT business applications and use cases, including connected cars and wearables.
Its quite difficult to make money in IoT on sensors or wireless connectivity the real opportunity lies in services around the solution stack provided by a trusted partner, he said. I think for mid-sized and smaller partners, its important to focus on a particular vertical and go deep into that.
AT&T plans to pilot the network in the San Francisco market with applications like alarm monitoring, smart meters and vending inventory, beginning in November. Following that trial, AT&T said it plans to make Cat-M1 available commercially in 2017.
Storage News
Dell Enterprise Boss Haas Promises 'White-Glove' Treatment For EMC Partners
Steven Burke
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Dell Enterprise Solutions President Marius Haas pledged that EMC's partners are going to get "white-glove" treatment to enable their growth and encourage them to pick up Dell product lines once Dell finalizes its $62 billion acquisition of EMC.
"EMC has roughly 400 key partners around the world that do a lion's share of the business," Haas told CRN in an exclusive interview. "We are going to have a white-glove process for these partners. We want to make sure that they feel they are loved, they are well-incented to go add lines of business, and that they grow at the same rates we are seeing within our ecosystem."
It's not just the top 400 EMC partners -- 60 percent of which already are Dell partners --Dell is aggressively courting to maintain EMC business, said Haas. He said it is "important that every EMC partner knows we are going to protect their accounts and incent our team members to grow the line of business within those accounts with the partners."
[Michael Dell: Our R&D Spending Will Be Nearly Twice That Of HP]
One of the driving principles of an integrated Dell-EMC channel program will be to work with EMC partners already in accounts to grow that business, said Haas. "If you are in accounts, our objective is to grow that account base and expand lines of business in that account base," he said. "And we are going to incent our team members to go find new business for you as well. That is why we are pivoting the comp on our channel team to go hunt for new business for our partners," referencing his plan to incent Dell-EMC's channel teams to act as business development drivers for the channel.
The white-glove pledge and the promise to grow the current EMC account business comes as EMC partners are being aggressively courted by Hewlett Packard Enterprise and other competitors attempting to capitalize on the uncertainty with regard to combined Dell-EMC channel terms and product road maps in the wake of the largest IT acquisition in history. Many top EMC partners who do not carry Dell products told CRN they have yet to decide whether they will go all in with Dell.
Jamie Shepard, senior vice president for health care and strategy at Lumenate, No. 152 on the 2016 CRN Solution Provider 500 list, said he is looking forward to meeting with Haas and new Dell Global Channel Chief John Byrne to see how the duo is going to "define and execute" on the "white-glove" EMC pledge.
"Having been one of the founding members of the EMC channel partner advisory board, where we were instrumental in helping shape what we believed was one of the industry's most profitable and aligned channel models, we're looking forward to providing input on what makes a successful model for the channel, not just for the vendor," said Shepard. "Lumenate has built a very strong EMC, VMware and VCE practice, including Cisco, over the last 10 years so it's great to hear that [Haas] and Dell are going to be putting their money where their mouth is and not only honoring the EMC channel program but also extending it with white-glove service."
One of the keys to successfully integrating EMC partners under Dell Technologies, Shepard said, is a clear understanding of the strategic role EMC partners play in the data center. "Dell needs to understand that we have been playing in the data center space at a different level than Dell," he said. "Dell started out in PCs and went into servers neither one being an overly strategic conversation. Those were technology needs for customers versus strategic business conversations we had with customers as EMC partners around knowing how business operates, defining data requirement tiers, disaster recovery plans and enabling all of that using EMC technology. Dell needs to understand it is a different sales model."
Dell Tuesday named Byrne, a 27-year industry veteran who joined the Round Rock, Texas-based company nine months ago, as its new global channel chief reporting to Haas, ending months of speculation about who would get the nod. Byrne is expected to name his new channel team after he gets settled in the role.
Sources said top EMC channel and sales leaders, including EMC Global Channel Chief Gregg Ambulos, will be part of the new combined Dell-EMC channel team.
Ambulos, for his part, conceded that EMC partners are looking for "clarity" around the single Dell-EMC channel program. "If you look at what the two companies bring together and you had to place a bet on a company in the marketplace that is going to help you [evolve], the partners know that Dell Technologies as one company is a safe bet," he said. "We are going to help our partners make that transition, and they are going to be part of the process."
Byrne, meanwhile, pledged that Dell account executives will remain focused on helping EMC and Dell partners grow the business. "There is no such thing as a Dell direct salesperson," he said. "There is an AE [account executive]. The AE still gets comped whether he sells directly or through a channel partner. There are no plans to change that."
Over the past year as competitors were tightening their belts, Dell has added 1,600 account executives helping drive sales growth for partners, said Byrne. "The channel could by default have 1,600 incremental salespeople helping create demand that is supported though the channel," he said. "Our competitors don't have those lanes. We do."
One competitor that Dell will continue to work closely with is Cisco given the EMC/VCE converged infrastructure alliance with the networking leader. In fact, Haas promised that the Cisco relationship will remain "strong."
"We have and will have a strong partnership with Cisco going forward," he said. "There is a lot of work being done with the whole VCE Vblock architecture where we want that collaboration to exist. We are going to make sure that our incentive structure and the way we treat our partners is going to give them much more excitement to work with us than NetApp or HPE or any of the other pure-play vendors."
As for VMware, Haas said that Dell-EMC partners will see "more influence" from the Dell side to ensure channel consistency, but that ultimately VMware will remain "independent" so that the company can continue to work with other infrastructure providers including HPE. "We have to let VMware be independent so that they can work with other people, but there will be consistency where it makes sense," said Haas. "I think the coordination and the consistency on how we make sure we drive value to our partners will be much greater, but there will still be an independent [VMware] program just because they will be a separately traded independent company."
Matt Brown contributed to this story.
News / National
by Jonga Kandemiiri
The opposition MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai says Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri should resign for what the party claims are gross human rights violations being allegedly committed by the police on innocent civilians protesting against the current harsh economic environment in Zimbabwe.The call came following the surfacing of photos and videos, some very hard to look at or watch, showing arrested protesters being assaulted by the police while in detention.In one instance, a woman wails as she is being assaulted by police under her feet. Another protester is forced to carry what looks like a heavy stone on his head amid police laughter.MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu said the Police Commissioner-General should step down for allowing police to abuse citizens."We as the MDC-T, we are saying that the level of police brutality that we recently witnessed after the highly successful stay away that was staged last week is shocking," Gutu said.He said his party will make sure that Chihuri and other top police officers were brought before parliament to explain the alleged police brutality."It is the kind of brutality that is reminiscent actually of the racist Ian Smith colonial regime," Gutu added.
Our product is about being one of a few instead of many, said Mark Conroy, managing director for Silversea Cruises for the Americas. It is also a combination of being exclusive and inclusive, he added.
I do not like to use the word small, and our ships are not small, ranging from 20,000 to 40,000 tons, but they are intimate, allowing us to offer a higher service level and experiences you cannot have on large ships.
And all of that does not necessarily come at a higher price. Explained Conroy: When you look at our rates compared to other luxury lines, you will see that we are very competitively priced, and because most is included, we pay more in commission to travel agents. And if you look at the premium brands, our ticket price is much higher, but when you add in all that we dont charge for that they charge for and that is not commissionable, you will see again that our rates are competitive and we pay double or triple the commission that they pay. That should make our customers and their travel agents very happy.
Conroy also described Silverseas expedition business as very viable and with very good margins. He went on to say that the expedition cruises were very complementary to Silverseas classic cruises, and many passengers who would like to visit these remote destinations can now do so without switching brands. Moreover, people who have taken expedition cruises are coming to the other ships appreciating the intimacy and the service level of the smaller ships.
He is responsible for sales and marketing and guest relations for the Americas and said his vision is to maintain an unfair market share in favor of North America.
With Conroy aboard, Silversea has a seasoned executive with a proven track record at the helm in the Americas.
He first joined Norwegian in 1973 in the incentive sales department where he moved up to manager and then director of group sales, inventory control and customer relations.
In 1983 he moved to Royal Viking Line as manager of group sales and was later named vice president of sales. That was followed by a short stint as president and CEO of Commodore Cruise Line, before he was hired as president of start-up Renaissance Cruises. In 1992, Conroy was named president of another start up, Radisson Diamond Cruises, which eventually became Regent, where he stayed until 2013. Then, in February of this year, he joined Silversea.
When I started, Manfredi (LeFebvre, chairman, owner and founder of Silvesea) gave me a book titled Think Like an Owner, which is basically based on four premises: Treat people with respect; share ideas, be open to ideas, and dont fall in love with your own ideas; treat the business like it was your own; and last, but not least, have fun, Conroy said.
Excerpt from Cruise Industry News Quarterly Magazine: Summer 2016
Today the Cystal Mozart was welcomed to the Crystal River Cruises fleet in Vienna, Austria.
The ship was christened by Godmother Elisabeth Gurtler, who is the managing director of both the Hotel Sacher the citys historic Spanish Riding School.
This is an extraordinary time for our company, as our expansion from the worlds oceans to its rivers and air allows for numerous new opportunities and ways for travelers to explore the world with us, said Crystal CEO and President Edie Rodriguez. Each new vessel and adventure is another step for Crystal toward our goal of providing savvy global travelers with virtually every luxury travel experience they can possibly imagine.
The traditional ceremony welcomed 175 VIP guests to a cocktail reception on the Vista Deck Four of Crystal Mozart, featuring a traditional Viennese Brass Orchestra dressed in historic uniforms and playing traditional Austrian Marches, said Crystal.
Rodriguez, along with Crystal COO Thomas Mazloum and Crystal River Cruises Vice President and Managing Director Walter Littlejohn officially welcomed Crystal Mozart to the fleet and kicked off further festivities, which included a lavish dinner in the ships Waterside and Blue restaurants.
Costa Cruises has welcomed a fleet of five Pepper robots on the Diadema as it sails on a week-long Western Mediterranean deployment. In a prepared statement, Costa said Pepper was the first robot in the world able to recognize human emotions and proactively interact with the surrounding environment.
Pepper was launched in 2014 in Tokyo and can speak English, Italian and French.
Our goal is to amaze people that choose to spend their holidays with us and to go beyond their expectations offering something unforgettable. I am convinced that being able to interact with Pepper will be an incredible experience for all our guests, said Neil Palomba, president, Costa.
We are pleased that Costa Group was the first to welcome Pepper onboard to offer a unique and fun experience. We hope that Costas travellers will enjoy even more their journey and that Pepper will successfully accomplish his mission to entertain them, said Fumihide Tomizawa, president of SoftBank Robotics Corp.
Costa Diademas guests can meet the robots in 5 areas of the ship. In addition to answering to direct questions addressed to him, Pepper is able to drawing attention and starting an interaction when people come close to him.
As well as making people smile, the robots are able to provide guests with very useful information for their trip concerning the ship and the onboard services, such as those about restaurants and bars, excursions, activities program, spa and shops. He is also able to provide guidance about destinations included in the cruise itinerary. Pepper can also ask guests for their opinion about the cruise experience and the main onboard services.
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BRIDGEPORT The jobs of five school police officers may be saved, thanks to a city deal that freezes salaries in exchange for restoring those positions, but its not clear who is responsible for paying the five salaries.
The citys deal, which school officials had no hand in negotiating, could worsen, not improve the districts financial picture, officials said Tuesday night.
Word of the deal caused Interim School Superintendent Fran Rabinowitz to consult with the school board attorney, while Mayor Joe Gamins office promised an announcement on Wednesday.
For school parents such as Mary Tracy, the deal is welcome news.
When my children start school in September, I wont have to worry about them, said Tracy, who has a daughter at Harding High School, where lock downs are common.
In June, the city school board voted to eliminate the five school resource officers to save $492,000 in its deficit-plagued 2016-17 operating budget.
The school resource officers, who are sworn cops and carry weapons, are part of the National Association of Government Employees. The union agreed to forgo raises in 2017 in exchange for two years of job security.
Dwayne Harrison, a school resource officer, is president of the union local. More than 470 NAGE members work for the school district, not only as school cops, but as security guards, cafeteria workers, custodians and clerical staff.
Last weekend, Rabinowitz told the school board the deal would not apply to school resource officers, whose jobs were eliminated by the board last month.
On Tuesday, Rabinowitz took that assurance back after receiving a memo from Janene W. Hawkins, director of the citys Office of Labor Relations. Hawkins told Rabinowitz the layoffs of the special officers were rescinded.
The Board of Education action to lay off Special Officers only a week before this proposal was passed may expose the city and the Board of Education to liability," Hawkins wrote.
Rabinowitz said she was also told the board would be responsible for the salaries.
How do I work that if the board of education has eliminated the positions? Rabinowitz asked.
Rabinowitz said she will consult with the boards attorney. Under state law, the city cant tell the school board how to spend its budget.
This is all shenanigans, board member Maria Pereira said Tuesday. They are not being rehired. They were eliminated as a budgetary expense ... We have every right to defund positions.
And then there are the cost implications: Freezing salaries of NAGE workers and the City Supervisors Union is estimated to save the district about $237,000, said Marlene Siegel, the school districts finance director.
Those savings would have been used to keep a handful of the 47 kindergarten teaching assistants whose jobs are facing elimination.
If the district is forced to pay the salaries of the school police, the district would lose the savings of the frozen wages and increase its budget gap by $255,000.
When the school board cut the school resource officers, members indicated they would be open to keeping the SROs if the city picked up the tab.
On Tuesday, Gamins office refused repeated requests for comment.
We will have an announcement on that (Wednesday), said Av Harris, Ganims spokesman.
Last month in an interview, Bridgeport Police Chief A. J. Perez decried the possible loss of the SROs.
What they do is safeguard the lives of 22,000 children, Perez said at the time. All of these guys are professionals. The board of education needs to reconsider. How do I safeguard kids if I am going to lose these guys?
Perez called the possible action reckless. He also said the department was looking into any possibility to save the positions.
STRATFORD Two weeks ago the Park and Recreation Committee announced that it had found the perfect spot for a dog park in town in a vacant lot behind the waste treatment plant at the foot of Birdseye Street.
Now those plans are all but torn to shreds. The Town Council on Monday night agreed that that the the waste treatment plant location was less than ideal and voted to refer the matter back to the Park and Recreation Committee.
They decided to reject the P&R recommendation after it became clear that Animal Control Officer Rachel Solviera wasnt consulted on the matter.
Solviera told the council that the location behind the sewage plant was too close to the towns Animal Respite and Control Facility and that it might confound efforts to train dogs that wind up there, many of which are difficult to handle a first.
We have a program thats been highly successful averaging about two to three weeks per dog, which is something of a miracle, she said. We have a national award-winning facility and we have to work hard to reduce stress for the shelter animals. But having a dog park that close to the shelter will compound the stress on our animals and send our progress backwards.
Council members said that they werent too keen on have a dog park on such an out-of-the-way lot in the first place. Of course the dogs wouldnt mind too much, but their human companions might have other ideas.
Its not the most pleasant place in town, said Council Chairwoman Beth Daponte of the sewer plant site. One of the reasons for having a dog park is to create a community among people with shared interest, so you do want it to make a pleasant and fun experience for people involved.
Several council members said that they were leaning to a location in Longbrook Park owing to its central location.
In other action the question of what to do with the long-shuttered Center School precipitated a confusing discussion on a $1.2 million state development grant obtained by the Mayor John Harkins to be used to test the school for asbestos, PCBs and other toxins.
First, the council agreed to request proposals on a study to determine the feasibility of getting Center School up and running again as a school, something that the Harkins administration is dead-set against. But most council members said that they favor having a neighborhood school in the center of town.
There seems to be a strong consensus and sentiment on that, Daponte said. Even before I was elected to the council, there was a lot of resistance to razing Center School. So the council wanted to make sure that the town wasnt going to demolish the structure.
But Harkins was worried that the $1.2 million grant would be jeopardized depending on how the council resolution was worded. That concern was resolved by the end of the meeting, but Harkins and the council remain miles apart on what to do with the Center School site.
Its a horrible place to have a school, and not only that, the School Board decided that it was an outmoded, contaminated and unnecessary building, too, Harkins said, adding that his teams plan to turn the schoolyard into a transit-oriented development with a parking garage, apartments, shops and the like would be the best move to make.
The fact is, Center School was decommissioned by the School Board back in 05 they dont need it, Harkins said. We need more parking downtown and were looking to reinvigorate the center, but the council is listening to a handful of people, as opposed to looking at the needs of the entire town.
But Daponte a Democrat, who was schooled there as a child, said that people with children living in the center of town are weary of sending their children to far-flung schools every day.
There is no feeder school at all in that neighborhood and having a school downtown would be a wise move, she said echoing the comments of several council members. And the administration has not kept the council in the loop. Too many questions.
Tina Manus, the Dist. 10 Democrat, was even more blunt.
Hes gonna do bad things to it, mark my word, Manus said after the meeting. Something is going to happen to it and that school is going to come down.
Mondays meeting got off to an uncomfortable start when Dist. Democrat Tina Manus attempted to topple Daponte as the council chairwoman. This was over a comment that Daponte allegedly made in a closed door meeting prior to the June 13 meeting it which she reportedly said: (Expletive) the South End.
My comment was made in anger in a private conversation after council member (Walli) Kadeem (the Dist. 3 Democrat) asked for $500,000 of pork for his district part of it was for Juliette Low Park and part of it was for a splash park things that already got money, Daponte said. And this was after he voted for a zero tax increase a month earlier.
She said that money was badly needed in the towns capital improvement plan to re-roof Bunnell High School instead. That roof is in bad shape and now during the summer is the time to take care of it.
But Manus said after the meeting that she cant support anyone who utters hate speech.
Once that goes on record Wali said publicly that it happened in the meeting you cant leave that unchecked, Manus said. I will not sit in my council chair and condone hate speech. She chose to pick on the poorest people in town.
Manus bid to push Daponte out of the top chair failed on a 5-3 vote with Kadeem, Manus and Republican Mitzi Antezzo voting in favor of the effort.
Theres bit of civil war going on in the Democratic party in town, observed Dist. 8 Republican Vincent Chase. Its nonstop with the shots that they take at her, and a lot of it is uncalled for.
jburgeson@ctpost.com
BRIDGEPORT - A former long-term substitute teacher at Harding High School has been charged with sexually assaulting a male student.
Police said the teacher masturbated the 17-year-old student on a number of occasions in his classroom in exchange for giving the student high grades and allowing him to cheat on tests.
Robert Johnson, 43, of Park Terrace, was charged Tuesday with fourth-degree sexual assault. He was being held in lieu of $75,000 bond.
Johnson, who taught English at the high school and was also the faculty advisor on the student newspaper, was dismissed in April from the school after the allegations against him were reported. He was subsequently suspended by Source4Teachers the private company that had hired him.
Police said the teen told them that in December 2015, he gave Johnson a poem he had written and wanted to have published in the school newspaper. He said Johnson told him the poem was one of the best he had read and then returned it with Are you gay? written in the margin.
On four or five occasions police said the teen said allowed Johnson to masturbate him behind Johnsons desk in his classroom when there was no one else around. Police said when the teen told another male student he was having a sexual relationship with Johnson that student stated: Im messing with Mr. Johnson too.
Police said after the teen ended the relationship with Johnson the teacher began treating him differently.
When I asked for help he would go to other students instead of going to me, police said the teen told them.
When Johnson told the teen he was getting a failing grade, the student asked him why, police continued.
You know why, police said Johnson responded.
Police said a female student told them she had once walked into Johnsons classroom to find Johnson and the teen standing close together behind Johnsons desk. She said Johnson immediately jumped on being discovered and claimed he was helping the teen with an essay.
Police said another male student later told them he had contacted a man on the gay dating site Grindr only to discover the man he had contacted was his teacher, Johnson. Police said the student denied having sex with Johnson.
Police said when they later confronted Johnson he initially denied sexually assaulting the teen and claimed he was the victim of a conspiracy at the school. However, police said he eventually broke down and admitted he sexually assaulted the teen.
I did not want this to happen, police said Johnson told them.
Is that native corn you bought at a farmers market really from Oxford? How about that yellow squash that is advertised as being Connecticut Grown?
The state Department of Agriculture has announced a series of surprise inspections at farmers markets to make sure that produce labeled Connecticut Grown is really from Connecticut.
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Fresh off Bernie Sanders' run for presidentand the rhetoric against Wall Street and the "one-percent" movementForbes recently looked at which schools in America were the country's "wealthiest."
To do this, Forbes considered each endowment of the more than 3,000 universities and colleges in the country. "Endowments" are considered the financial resources each school holds to support its goals.
Perhaps to no surprise, Yale University made the cut. In fact, it was only second to Harvard University.
Related: Yale, Wesleyan named among country's 'top schools'
Of those at the top of the list, nineincluding Yalehad endowments over $10 billion, which also adds up to about one-third of all endowment income of America's universities. At Yale, the endowment rate was measured at about $2 million per student, about 80 times more than the average endowment rate across all American higher education.
"These schools earn probably the better part of $100,000 in income for every studentseveral times the average spending per student at American universities," Forbes said.
Forbes also noted that these incredible endowment amounts are leading to questions about the role of taxpayers in funding rich schools.
"The extreme variation in endowments across the academic landscape are leading some to question federal policies that give wealthy schools tax advantages (e.g., exemption from capital gains taxes) that the rest of us do not have," Forbes said.
Related: The best high schools in Connecticut in 2016
In March 2016, Connecticut lawmakers were considering a proposal to tax the net investment profits of Yale's endowment in order to deal with the state's budget shortfall. The proposal, introduced by Senator Martin Looney, would have only taxed investment profits that the school chose not to re-invest in higher education or the economy.
The proposal at the time led to an invitation from Florida governor Rick Scott for the university to move south.
"If Connecticut lawmakers are seriously considering another tax on Yale, businesses and families should be concerned about the other tax increases their Legislature will consider. We would welcome a world-renowned university like Yale to our state and I can commit that we will not raise taxes on their endowment. This would add yet another great university to our state," Gov. Scott said at the time.
However a Yale spokesman quickly shot down any further speculation, citing the school and state "have been on common ground to great mutual benefit for 300 years. We're looking forward to reaching even greater heights in education, research and civic engagement over the next three centuries and more.''
News / National
by Staff reporter
Suspended Prosecutor General Johannes Tomana, who is facing fresh charges of criminal abuse of office and authority, has been granted US$2000 bail and asked to surrender surety of US$250000.Allegations against Tomana dates back to 2008 when he was appointed Attorney General of Zimbabwe.The former ZUPCO board member, Tomana, is alleged to have caused the withdrawal of charges of former ZUPCO CEO, Bright Matonga, who was facing charges of culpable homicide and another charge of corruption.Tomana is also alleged to have set aside the conviction of Charles Nherera, a former ZUPCO board member who was jailed for three years on charges of abuse of office.The state alleged that this was after Nherera unsuccessfully appealed against his conviction at the High Court and the Supreme Court.In another count, Tomana is alleged to have caused the withdrawal of charges against a former Acting Bindura Medical Superintendent, Dr Beauty Basile, despite a number of witnesses having testified against her.Meanwhile, Tomana is expected back in court on the 20th of July.
News / National
by Staff reporter
The financial sector has experienced a rise on new accounts from workers after employers directed workers to open bank accounts for easy access of their wages or salaries.The cash challenges prevailing in the economy have resulted in most companies resorting to formal banking systems with revelations that the financial sector has experienced a rise on new accounts from workers who used to get their salaries or wages in cash.Employers Confederation of Zimbabwe (EMCOZ) Executive Director, Mr John Mufukare said employers are now interested in formal banking transactions, a development that validates the central bank's advocacy encouraging the use of plastic money."There is need to focus on these policies that can rake in more money in this economy for the benefit of all stakeholders," he added.Monetary authorities say 80 percent of transactions will be through plastic money in five years as the economy seeks to promote a cashless economy.However, market watchers say the use of plastic money is dependent on the performance of the banking sector as well as the availability of funds.
Windber-Portage renew rivalry in Week 10 Heritage-WestPAC crossover
Check out what to watch on Friday night in Somerset County as the high school football regular season comes to a close in Week 10.
ZRP message on the current situation bedeviling our neighbours-Zimbabwe.Mthwakazi Republic Party would like to take this opportunity to urge all our Mthwakazi people regardless of where they are not to read much on what is happening in that confused and cursed country of Zimbabwe, we urge our people to set their eyes on the ball, we mean lets not fall prey to their hogwash, our agenda is to push for the emancipation of Mthwakazi independence.We know we have nothing in common to share with people of Zimbabwe instead we are aware that they are all beneficiaries of the 1979 Grandplan, these are the same people who massacred our people during the moment of madness period, who knows maybe that moment of madness has visited them again?We no longer want to continue fighting other people's battles like we did during the liberation struggle when the mother of all parties Zapu and it's brave Zipra wing fought gallantly and resolutely for the black people independence but alas wat happened that victory only benefitted Shonas up to this day.
We know that everything progressive and meaningful start from Mthwakazi as Joseph Msika once said all political parties gain their strength and support from Mthwakazi he said "The revolution for the black emancipation started in Matebeleland and Mashonaland joined later because they have never resisted since time immemorial. We would not want to betray our forefathers and all those who were butchered during gukurahundi in their graves lest they curse us from their graves, we survived gukurahundi for a purpose, remember the purpose of gukurahundi was meant to wipe us all, but our living God could not allow that to happen. As a party are pleading with all Mthwakazi people to remain steadfast and guard against complacency and see ourselves assisting on the fight of our neighbours.Lest we forget that these people do not love us during the day they pretend to be with us but during the night they are together planning bad against the Mthwakazi people following their evil and satanic grandplan of 1979. Our agenda is all about defending our territory which is Mthwakazi we are a peaceful loving people we do not want to be provoked neither do we want to provoke our neighbours, our message is clear we say to people of Zimbabwe keep your Zimbabwe and we keep our Mthwakazi your wars are not our wars.We are glad that finally God and God himself is in control of the current situation prevailing in Mthwakazi and to our neighbours. We urge our people to remain peaceful as they finish and devour on each other even the Bible says it all that Umbuso uzavuleka Umbuso, we need to leave everything to God lets be prayerful and our prayers should be on Mthwakazi independence, this should be our direct petition to God.We cannot waste our time and energy praying and fighting for Zimbabweans we do not even know the demon possessing them, we cannot participate in their agenda of removing Robert Mugabe, for it is not us who put him into power, it is them and Britain, during that time they called us all sorts of names labelling us the minority group, how can the minority add value to the majority? These are the same people who were castigating our fallen and gallant leader Joshua Nkomo and Zapu saying they want one part state in Zimbabwe and were loudly saying we don't want Nkomo he should be hanged and he should remain in exile, uthi umdala uNkomo oginye iZapu uginye ipoison, indeed the poison is manifesting itself.In fact Shona people never cease to amaze, they used to heap Mugabe with all praises, now they are singing another tune I quote the PROGRESS REVIEW ON THE 1979 GRANDPLAN WHICH READS GIFT-" NEVER BEFORE HAS HISTORY GIVEN US THE MAJORITY SHONA PEOPLE, SUCH A PRECIOUS PRESENT THAN IT HAS DONE WITH ROBERT GABRIEL MUGABE. R.G IS SIMPLE A PERFECT EMBODIMENT OF ALL OUR CULTURAL NORMS AND VALUES, OUR ASPIRATIONS AND EXPECTATIONS, OUR WANTS, DESIRES AND INTERESTS. IN HIS WHOLE LIFE. R.G HAS NOT FAILED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT INCREDIBLE CONSCIOUSNESS" my special advise to our neighbours is that a gift is treasured it cannot be easily disposed keep your gift and we keep our Mthwakazi.I further quote page 2 of the same satanic document BLACK JESUS, I quote "SOME PEOPLE HAVE A SMALL PROBLEM IN UNDERSTANDING WHY MUGABE IS TO THE SHONA PEOPLE, WHAT JESUS IS TO THE CHRISTIANS OR WHAT KIM II SUNG AND HIS JUCHE IDEA IS TO THE NORTH KOREANS. THIS STATUS WAS AWARDED TO R.G. BY HIS PEOPLE IN RECOGNITION OF POLITICAL ASTUTENESS ACQUIRED OVER MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COLONIALISM" Lingaphi lina maNdebele these people are now replacing their Jesus who is replaceable?Lest we forget the North Koreans they are emulating are the ones who trained Fifth Brigade which butchered our people. Asiyekeleni ukubangothathekile imota zabo. Lest we forget this is day 9 where our Mlamuli four parents are still languishing in Lupane prison for being Ndebeles. My plea to all of us is to continue supporting them in prayers, moral, material and in everything as we await the lawyers to fight for their bail.We take this opportunity to thank all the Mthwakazi people at home, SA and abroad for once again uniting for a noble cause which these four parents have been arrested for in raising their bail money. I encourage the spirit of togetherness, a spirit of comradeship where we say an injury to one of us is an injury to all of us. Indeed our independence is beckoning. This God is our God. United we stand, divided we fall. MRP For Peace and Justice In Our Lifetime.from MQONDISI MOYO- MRP PRESIDENT
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Opinion / Columnist
To editorDid they sniff it or see it coming? Overwhelming evidence on the ground shows that the overated Zimbabwe security system is seeing nothing but stars. They are dismally failing to contain riots. Fist in Beitbridge now and now in Harare. Humiliating pictures of trained and armed riot police members being captured, handcuffed and beaten by civilians including women says a lot about the once feared gukurahundist state.In the face of on going protests, MLO would like to advise all Matebeles against helping Zimbabweans to remove their King Mugabe whom they voted into power in 1980. Many of our fathers and relatives died in the struggle to liberate Zimbabwe from minority white rule in the 1970s and what happened afterwards?Yes soon after independence Zanu-PF with the support of the very Shona people turned against us and started killing us. Mugabe unleashed National Army 5 Brigade which had a lot of support from Mashonaland to kill without mercy all Matebeles with the intention of wiping them out.Gukurahundi was an exclusively Shona brigade. While this Shona killing machine was at work murdering innocent civilians in Matabeleland, its supporters in Mashonaland were captured on camera by BBC Panorama denouncing Matebeles and Joshua Nkomo while expressing their undying support for National Army 5 Brigade code named gukurahundi. The hateful Shonas were loudly shouting in their Shona language "Pamberi ne 5 brigade" ( forward with 5 brigade we wish you well)As if killing more than 40 000 people, rapping over 100 000 women, burning over 100 000 homes and displacing over 1 million into neighbouring countries was not enough, the government of Zimbabwe with the support of the people of Mashonaland implemented The Grand plan. The Shonas are running dogs and beneficiaries of this evil program.Our grievances are different from those of the people of Mashonaland. They are only concerned about removing Mugabe from power and that is all. Everything else, they want it to remain as it is.In Matabeleland we have a mountain of grievances ie colonisation, gukurahundi genocide, marginalisation, segregation, domination and genocide of identity, language, dignity and culture just to name a few. Shonas see the above complains as not valid, infact they view them as tribalism.It is not our responsibility to help such people who are clearly a danger to our lives to liberate themselves.People of Matabeleland do not be mislead, it is only a fool who helps his enemy to build his home which is falling apart when his own home needs attention.This is the right time to revive the statehood of Matabeleland. Do not waste your precious blood, energy and time on battles that are not yours. Let the Shonas fight each other until they get exosted and it is only then that we will make a move. Remember the people who are begging you to help are dishonest back biters who will claim victory at the end of it all and turn against you. They did it in the 1980s and what will stop them from doing it now?We congratulate our Central Intelligence Bureau for a job well done.Phambili nge operation #Mbabazane Izenzo Kungemazwi!Israel Dube MLO Secretary For Information and Public Affairs.Contact:infomlo13@gmail.com
News / National
by Staff Reporter
The Government of Zimbabwe is reportedly planning to ban social media in the coming days in a bid to block messages about protests from spreading, TechZim reported.The development is linked to the general intention by the government to have a single international gateway that it can control.In April, the President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, said the government was looking to learn from China's Great Firewall in restricting access to certain websites.The key social media services likely targeted for blocking are WhatsApp and Facebook as these are widely popular in the country of more than 6.6 million internet subscriptions.WhatsApp for example, accounts for about 34% of the mobile internet traffic in Zimbabwe.
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.
Tomorrow, the new Prime Minister Theresa May begins the hugely challenging task of gathering the reins of government, appointing a team to open negotiations to leave the EU and healing the wounds in our body politic.
Taking over in No 10 Downing Street, she follows David Cameron, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair.
It will be her misfortune, however, to be compared with the only other woman to have held the office, Margaret Thatcher.
The new Prime Minister Theresa May begins the hugely challenging task of gathering the reins of government, appointing a team to open negotiations to leave the EU and healing some wounds
This is monstrously unfair because there is no more reason why she should be measured against the Iron Lady than that David Cameron should be compared to John Major.
I doubt that Mrs May will attract worshippers, as did Thatcher. But we may hope that she will make fewer violent foes except European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, whom it has become a British national duty to argue with.
Respect
Mrs May is a sensible, courteous, efficient, highly experienced senior minister of proven toughness, who can boast of her Tory colleague Ken Clarkes ringing endorsement as a very difficult woman.
She knows that her first task for what she calls a better Britain is not to set the nations pulses racing, but instead to calm them. We have had enough excitement to be going on with.
There may come a time for provocative speeches and exciting agendas, but it is not yet.
The new PM needs first to win the respect of European and world leaders, the trust of the markets and business chiefs, who want to know we have a stable government that will keep Britain open for business.
Thank goodness she is not a former member of Oxford Universitys exclusive Bullingdon Club, like Cameron, George Osborne and Boris Johnson.
Mrs May is a sensible, courteous, efficient, highly experienced senior minister of proven toughness, who can boast of her Tory colleague Ken Clarkes ringing endorsement as a very difficult woman
This is a serious point: across much of Britain, and especially among the young, there is a rage that they are governed by a privileged elite, blithely ignorant of life in, for example, Coventry or Sunderland.
Even though Mrs May went to Oxford University, she is a grammar school girl from relatively modest origins, attached to neither a Notting Hill nor Chipping Norton set.
Whatever other suitcases she takes into Downing Street, she will carry no social baggage.
She has asserted an uncompromising commitment to Brexit, in accordance with the electorates wishes expressed in last months referendum. In order that the British delegation commands confidence from British voters, it will be essential for avowed Leavers to dominate.
Whatever deal is eventually struck, many people will be disappointed by the compromises that are made the shortfall in fulfilment of their hopes and aspirations.
Even though Mrs May went to Oxford University, she is a grammar school girl from relatively modest origins, attached to neither a Notting Hill nor Chipping Norton set
These will be unavoidable. But, imperatively, the outcome must never be seen by the public as a betrayal by the back door of the June 23 vote, and here I speak as a Remainer.
Because Europe is the issue that has brought down David Cameron, there is a danger of ignoring the fact that so much needs to be done for our future.
This includes a decision on new airport capacity, raising productivity, devising means to make the NHS financially sustainable, raising educational standards, addressing our alarming trade deficit.
It is hard to see how George Osborne can remain Chancellor or, indeed, become Foreign Secretary, for his credibility was destroyed by the failure of his referendum Remain campaign.
We should hope for a new steward of the Exchequer who will maintain a grip on state spending. But it is already plain that, to avoid the threat of a full-blown recession, some loosening of purse strings will be essential.
Boris Johnson, as chief standard bearer for the Leave campaign, will have to be given a job. This should be one in which he can show once and for all whether he is a serious person.
Though the European negotiations are bound to be protracted, Mrs May knows that to calm passionate public sentiment, she must meet one requirement urgently: to stem immigration.
Since the referendum result, even Brexit leaders Johnson and Michael Gove have conceded there will not be the Draconian gate-slamming that many voters want and as the two men promised or implied during their Leave campaign.
If we wish to continue to trade abroad, especially with Europe, and to maintain the staffing of the NHS, Britain must continue to allow some inward movement of people.
But nothing will do more to placate those who voted Leave than early signs of progress in reducing migration.
However, the huge movement of peoples from South to North of the globe of which we have so far seen only the beginnings presents a serious and difficult social challenge.
What is for sure is that the electorate will expect a result on immigration far more swiftly than on anything else.
At the weekend, Mrs May set out her domestic agenda, focusing on attacking inequality, excessive bosses rewards, the stagnation of middle incomes, the widening chasm between the prosperity of London and the travails of the Midlands and North.
Of course she is right to highlight the scandal that, while the FTSE share index today stands much where it was in 1998, bosses pay has trebled.
Popular
She realises that capitalism will not indefinitely sustain popular consent if it is treated by some bankers and company bosses as a smash-and-grab raid.
Mrs May does well to show she recognises the scale of this problem. But it is much easier to state it than to legislate to end it.
Similarly, her talk of putting workers and consumers on company boards and making laws against excessive bonuses will go down well with drinkers in pubs on Friday night, but would be doubtful contributions to boosting Britains prosperity.
All Western societies face a fundamental social problem, which helps to explain the rise of Donald Trump in America: technology is extinguishing middle-income jobs and squeezing wages. Many blame this on immigrants, but machines also have a lot to answer for.
No democratic government will long survive in the decades ahead unless it can find ways to ameliorate the lot of those displaced in the cruel new world of super-technology. Mrs May is likely to find this issue hurtling up her own agenda much more swiftly than she expects.
Of course, her desire to make Britain less unequal deserves respect, but she seems mistaken to be too explicit too soon, especially in promising that government will play with the levers of commerce.
David Camerons illusion that promises cost nothing led to his undoing. Voters are sick of politicians who pledge the earth, then deliver only air.
Instinct
The best that Mrs May can aspire to in the months and years ahead is to be a prime minister who says what she means, and means what she says.
Her instinct for caution seems entirely right, at such a moment as this. If she seeks to play out of character, to put on a firework display, she will almost certainly fail.
She needs to set a few clear objectives and pursue them with determination.
The best that Mrs May can aspire to in the months and years ahead is to be a prime minister who says what she means, and means what she says
She should enjoy a few months honeymoon with her own party and with the electorate. But for all yesterdays protestations of loyalty from Left and Right-wing Conservatives, both sides will be at her throat if they scent betrayal. For there is still plenty of hatred in the air.
The potential will persist for the Tories to split, and thus, indeed, for the Government to fall, if the Brexit negotiations with Europe become as fierce and bitter as they could well become.
All that is for another day, however. For now, we can heave a profound sigh of relief that the nation is to have a prime minister wholly worthy of the office.
Consider the alternative candidates who were offering themselves a fortnight ago and we see how fortunate we are.
Theresa May can set Britain on a course to a new future, which we must learn to welcome, rather than to fear.
This column doesnt do honeymoon periods. So if youre expecting me to join in Mother Theresas coronation celebrations, youve come to the wrong place.
Regular readers will need no reminding that I dont exactly share this newspapers enthusiasm for our next Prime Minister.
Her record at the Home Office is far less impressive than her cheerleaders pretend. She failed miserably to control immigration; didnt deport foreign criminals back to EU countries; and reappointed the appalling Bernard Hyphen-Howe as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.
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Will the new Conservative leader Theresa May, be Mother Theresa or Maggie May? Only time will tell, writes Richard Littlejohn
As for her alleged leadership qualities, she backed the losing Remain campaign, even though she had always given the impression that she was a Eurosceptic, and then spent most of the referendum hiding behind the sofa.
Her obligatory contribution to Project Fear was to warn that Britain would be safer and stronger inside the EU. Presumably, now that weve voted Out, she believes we are weaker and more vulnerable.
Curious how Boris was accused of acting out of personal ambition when he chose to lead the Brexiteers. Yet no one has suggested Theresa might have been similarly motivated when she opted for Remain.
Dont forget the majority of Conservative MPs were also in the Remain camp, which most people expected to win. So by staying loyal to the official line, she would have been handily placed to run as the Establishment candidate when Call Me Dave called it a day.
Does anyone seriously believe that cynical calculation didnt cross her mind when she was working out which way to jump back in January?
As it is, the keys to No 10 have fallen into her lap after the implosion of the Leave leadership.
Andrea Leadsom, who wisely withdrew yesterday, was an accidental candidate and stood scant chance of winning. She was only left holding the shredded standard when Michael Gove detonated his suicide belt, taking Boris with him.
Its no good Leadsom complaining that she was subjected to a concerted dirty tricks campaign. Thats politics. If she couldnt cope with the personal abuse, shed never have cut it as Prime Minister.
But how many of the 17.4 million people who voted emphatically to Leave two weeks ago thought they were voting to install Theresa May in Downing Street? Thats where weve ended up, though, after a fortnight of unedifying infighting and politicking.
Andrea Leadsom (left), who wisely withdrew yesterday, was an accidental candidate for the leadership race unlike her successful rival Theresa May (right)
The good news is were not going to have to suffer another couple of months of rock-around-the-clock campaigning for the Tory leadership. Nor are we going to be treated to a re-run of Gordon Browns North Korean-style lap of honour around Britain during his one-man election to succeed Tony Blair.
What we definitely dont need is a General Election, which would inevitably turn into a second referendum. There was no election when Brown took over from Blair, nor should there be one now.
I shouldnt imagine Labour is too keen on going to the country just yet, either, given that it is currently tearing itself apart over Jeremy Corbyns shambolic leadership.
If there is to be an all-woman head-to-head between Theresa May and Angela Eagle, let it be in 2020, once the dust has settled.
The Conservatives have a working majority and a clear mandate to disentangle us from the EU hopefully before the next election, so the next government will not be able to drag us back in.
Mother Theresa now insists Brexit means Brexit, which is why so many Leavers have decided to support her leadership. Like most politicians, she has demonstrated her willingness to paint herself into a corner and then walk out over the paint.
Of course, you can never under- estimate any politicians capacity for betraying the electorate, but if May does try to back-pedal on Brexit, the resulting civil war in the Conservative Party will make the Labour turmoil look like a teddy bears picnic.
If May does try to back-pedal on Brexit, the resulting civil war in the Conservative Party will make the Labour turmoil look like a teddy bears picnic
Much depends now on who the new Prime Minister appoints to lead the negotiations with Brussels. David Davis, the most experienced Brexiteer, would fit the bill and be a serious declaration of intent.
Labours Gisela Stuart should be offered a role, too, given her impressive contribution to the Leave campaign. She would also add cross-party credibility.
And I know its not going to happen, but any Brexit team really should include Nigel Farage, the man who made it possible.
Above all, we could do with a period of silence from Westminster. If I see another self-important MP or pundit Talking Ballots on College Green, Ill put my right boot through the flat screen.
The summer holidays are almost upon us and we deserve a break from preening politicians.
The headline on my last column read: Stop squabbling, grow up and get on with Brexit. As the Nike advert says: Just Do It.
Bring on the silly season.
This column may not do honeymoon periods, but Im prepared to judge the new Prime Minister on results. Having said that, her pitch yesterday could easily have come from a Blairite Labour politician, so the portents arent promising.
Which only leaves the question of what to call our second female PM. Ive been road-testing Mother Theresa, which has a certain ring to it and fits her church-going persona.
But others are convinced Theresa could be the new Iron Lady. I cant see it myself, given that all she shares with Mrs Thatcher is a handbag and a lack of any discernible sense of humour.
Still, we live in hope. Will she be a healing or a divisive Prime Minister? If she turns out to be Thatch Mark II, maybe I should dub her Maggie May.
Then again, she may not. Time will tell.
Where in London is Baton Rouge?
Tensions between the police and the African-American community came to a head last week with the shooting of two black men in Minnesota and Louisiana by police and the murder of five white officers in Dallas, Texas, in retaliation. Protest marches were held across America.
But why the hell was Londons Oxford Street brought to a standstill by Black Lives Matter demonstrators, most of whom couldnt point to Louisiana on a map?
Stand: Black Lives Matter activists forced the closure of Oxford Street as they protested against the killing of African Americans by U.S police
Protesters marched on the American embassy, waving placards bearing Nazi swastikas. Some of the Socialist Workers Party marchers seemed intent on confrontation with the Metropolitan Police, as if what happened in Baton Rouge had anything to do with them.
The demonstration followed earlier protests in South London, during which a bus passenger was punched in the face.
What was any of this supposed to achieve, except for some self-indulgent YouTube footage?
And how does punching a bus passenger in Brixton advance the cause of the civil rights movement in the United States? Pathetic.
But these days, any excuse for a violent demonstration will do Brexit, austerity, shootings in America.
Funny how these brave protesters never seem to lay siege to the Chinese, Russian or Saudi Arabian embassies over human rights violations, but appear outside the U.S. and Israeli embassies at the drop of a hat.
What do we want? To be on the telly! When do we want it? NOW!
Pictured, Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams in the Royal Box on day twelve of Wimbldeon
No cliche has been left unturned during the Conservative leadership squabble. Ive lost count of the number of times political reporters have lazily referred to Big Beasts and the Blue Rinse Brigade in the shires.
Who are all these Big Beasts, then Stephen Crabb, the devout Christian now exposed as a sext-pest, whom nobody had heard of a couple of weeks ago?
Now that Ken Clarke is retiring, can any of them be described as Big Beasts?
And when did you last see a woman with a blue rinse? Were not living in the Fifties any more.
The only woman Ive seen with blue hair lately was that bird from Game Of Thrones (above), who turned up in the Royal Box at Wimbledon.
Who's the Daddy, Orinoco!
Hard man actor Ray Winstone is joining the cast of the remake of The Wombles. Hell play Tobermory alongside Bernard Cribbins, who is reprising his Great Uncle Bulgaria from the original series.
Creator Mike Batt said: People keep asking if its going to have that lovely parochial, cuddly quality that the Wombles are famous for, but we have to bring it into the modern century.
How will Winstone play Tobermory to make him more relevant to todays audience?
Will he model him on Arnie, from Minder, or the punter from the Bet 365 adverts?
Will viewers be able to bet (responsibly) in-play on how many tons of rubbish the Wombles can collect from Wimbledon Common?
Perhaps Ray will seek inspiration from his breakthrough role as young offender Carlin in borstal drama Scum.
Forget expensive trips to salons and forking out on high-end products to improve your looks.
Beauty bloggers have been sharing the brilliant hacks that will allow every woman to perfect her hair and makeup like a pro.
From creating perfect curls with a pencil to drying nails in minutes with cold water, FEMAIL reveals the cheap and effective hacks every woman should know.
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Tani Garcha, a California beauty blogger with 31.5k followers on Instagram posted a brilliant hairdressing hack for tight curls
Tani Garcha, a California beauty blogger with 31.5k followers on Instagram, posted a brilliant hairdressing hack for tight curls.
Simply wind strands of hair around a wooden pencil and tap straighteners over the twist.
She advised: 'Make sure to use a wooden pencil, no mechanical or plastic ones (it'll melt and that won't be good lol)'.
Banana peel to bid a quick adieu to spots was also a clever trick published by Hypnaughty.makeup on Instagram.
Simply wind strands of hair around a wooden pencil and tap straighters over the twist
Banana peel to bid adieu to spots was also a handy tip published by Hypnaughty.makeup on Instagram
You leave this on for two hours, before rubbing it off with the blackened peel
Using a banana that is not overripe or with green skin, you rub the inside of the peel over the blemish.
You leave this on for two hours, before rubbing it off with the blackened peel.
Another Instagram user, Shewearsmakeup, shared a video of herself using a mascara wand and Vaseline to exfoliate her lips.
She wrote: 'I don't know about you guys but I honestly never have the time to mix and make my own lip scrub!!
Another Instagram user, Shewearsmakeup, shared a video of herself using a mascara wand and Vaseline
She scrubbed the Vaseline onto her lips with the brush to help them stay exfoliated and soft
'But I do feel like I need to be exfoliating my lips in this cold a** weather so I use a mascara wand and Vaseline instead'.
Are you plagued by static when you try to brush your hair?
A simple tumble dryer sheet could help with that.
Styliste_samantha said: 'There are actually dryer sheet "looking" sheets that are sold and are meant for hair static. A professional product.'
She suggested the original and budget version would work just as effectively.
Styliste_samantha suggested: 'There are actually dryer sheet "looking" sheets that are sold and are meant for hair static. A professional product'
Pure_joy_beauty recommended using lemon juice and vinegar as a DIY nail polish remover.
Another product hack came from Beautytips. It suggested that putting contact lens solution into an almost clumpy mascara will extend its life.
Beautyhacks_argentina suggested the best natural face and hair mask could be made at home using fresh aloe vera.
Cutting the leaf of the plant and scooping out the gel, you then mix it together in a blender before drenching your hair. Similarly cut the plant in half and rub the gel straight onto the face.
Pure_joy_beauty recommended using lemon juice and vinegar as a DIY nail polish remover
Another product hack came from Beautytips. It suggested that putting contact lens solution into an almost clumpy mascara will extend the life of the make-up
Beautyhacks_argentina suggested a natural face and hair mask could be made at home using fresh aloe vera
Cutting the leaf of the plant and scooping out the gel, you then mix it together in a blender before drenching your hair in it. Similarly cut the plant in half a rub the gel straight onto the face, above
Mayra Isabel from California showed how you can create the cult beauty tool the Beauty Blender using a sock
Balling up the sock, you can then pat it on your face for an even face of foundation
Natasha Kimora, a Miami-based licensed esthetician demonstrated how to make a face mask out of rice paper
Mayra Isabel from California showed how you can create the cult beauty tool the Beauty Blender using an old sock.
Balling up the sock, you can then pat it on your face for an even face of foundation.
Natasha Kimora, a Miami-based licensed aesthetician, demonstrated how to make a face mask out of rice paper.
She said: 'Rice have Amazing! benefits for Smooth silky skin and has a natural lightening agent that helps repair discoloration.'
Shabnam Khawja, a make-up artist, recommended shaping your brows with hair spray and a toothbrush
Instagrammer M-Noreddin said: 'Tip on how to get fast dry nail polish instantly - after applying a top coat to your nails, dip them under cold water or in a bowl for a minute'
Klumsyclosett, a make-up artist, shared two clever hacks including how to remove lipstick stains, above
To help even out her hairline she uses powder and then simply holds it in place with hair spray
Shabnam Khawja, a certified make-up artist from Afghanistan, based in LA, recommends shaping your brows with hair spray and a toothbrush.
And Instagrammer M-Noreddin said: 'Tip on how to get fast dry nail polish instantly - after applying a top coat to your nails, dip them under cold water or in a bowl for a minute.
'This helps solidify the polish all the way through, not just on top'
Klumsyclosett, a makeup artist with a large following, shared two clever hacks with her fans - one to remove lipstick stains and another to cover grey hairs.
A video showing how to make the most of your concealer - even as it running out has had 235,000 views
She showed how to heat concealer in boiling water to loosen the liquid for the side to get more use
To remove lipstick stains, she suggested three steps: '1. Spray area with any hairspray. 2. Let the hairspray dry. 3. Take a wet cloth and rub the area until the stain comes out'.
To help cover her roots, she uses powder and then simply holds it in place with hair spray.
Makeup artist Stephanie Flor teaches a trick she picked up in the Dominican Republic, how to make your own garlic nail polish to encourage growth.
A video showing how to eke out the last of your concealer has had 235,000 views on Instagram.
Make-up artist Stephanie Flor teaches a trick she picked up in the Dominican Republic, creating her own garlic nail polish to encourage growth
Arzo from @oliveskinbeauty showed how dark haired women can hide grey hairs using mascara
'I heated the concealer up in boiling water, this loosens the liquid from the sides and I was able to get some more out and make it last just that little bit longer.'
Wheelsnotheels_, also known as Gem, said: 'When your makeup addiction becomes a serious problem, you will do anything to get every last drop out!!!!'
'So when my Chanel concealer was at the end of its life, and I hadnt brought a new one yet, it gave me an idea!!'
Has it been months since you last had sex with your partner? Are you even bothered about it? If you answered 'yes' to these questions then it could be time to see a sex therapist.
Experts say it takes a couple an average of seven years to get help with a relationship problem and it's even longer before couples visit a sex therapist.
So when is the right time to start seeking advice? Lucy and Gaynor, dating experts at cougar dating site ToyboyWarehouse.com, share the ten signs it's time to take control of those issues between the sheets.
Experts say it takes a couple an average of seven years to get help with a relationship problem and it's even longer before couples visit a sex therapist; here are ten signs that indicate you may need to seek therapy
1. Sudden loss of libido
It's important to distinguish a major loss of libido from being just 'not in the mood'. If you're completely disinterested in sex, either with your partner or anyone in general it can point to more significant sexual issues. If there is a sudden change in how much sex you desire, if this change lasts a long time and if you see no real reasons that would cause this, it's important to speak to someone about possible causes and treatments.
2. You're struggling to reach orgasm
Everyone has a different approach to reaching an orgasm, some people find it very easy, others might find it difficult. There's unlikely to be any problems if you're in either of those camps, the trouble arises when you suddenly change from one to the other. If you're finding yourself unable to reach orgasm, despite trying a variety of things to excite your sex life, it may be some kind of mental issue that's causing you problems.
3. You and your partner are at an impasse
Obviously, the causes of sexual problems may not reside just within yourself, it may be something within your relationship. Sex is something that is shared (although not always, which I'll get onto later), if there's an imbalance in your relationship it's likely to affect your sex life. The most common of these problems is each person having different levels of libido. One person desires sex more often and feels dissatisfied, the other desires sex less often and feels pressured. On issues such as these it's important to talk them out with a couple focussed sex therapist. Fixing the issue in your relationship will help eliminate the sexual problems it's causing.
4. You feel pressured into reaching/giving an orgasm
An orgasm is intended to be an enjoyable part of sex, but for many people it may be something to dread. You may see yourself reaching an orgasm or making your partner reach one as a requirement, something to attain otherwise you have failed. This attitude can be quite common and the pressure it causes can negatively affect your love life.
Why do we have sex? There's obviously a wide range of reasons why we're so keen to sneak off to our bedrooms. It may be as a way to feel closer to a partner, it may be because it's enjoyable, it obviously may be for its intended purpose; to have a baby. However, sex can be used in ways it's not intended to be used for
5. You're preoccupied by sex
Opposite to the loss of libido, you may find that your sexual desire has now sky-rocketed. You may think a lot about sex, it is pretty enjoyable so why wouldn't you? But like everything else, too much of a good thing is bad for you. If you're finding yourself overly preoccupied by sex, that it's dictating a lot of daily behaviour and you find it difficult to concentrate on anything else, then you're likely to be suffering from sex addiction. For sufferers sex is no longer enjoyable but an obsessive preoccupation. If you think this describes you it's important to talk to a sex therapist as it is bound to affect your relationships.
6. You have questions about sexuality
A person's sexuality is not always a hard and fast rule, for many people they may struggle to understand where they fit on the sexuality scale. These doubts may come about regardless of your age or the gender of your past relationships. It may be a sudden thing or something that has festered for a while. While, of course, you can answer those questions about your sexuality without outside help, however talking to a professional can massively help what is sometimes a difficult time.
It's important to distinguish a major loss of libido from being just 'not in the mood'
7. Sex has become something different
Why do we have sex? There's obviously a wide range of reasons why we're so keen to sneak off to our bedrooms. It may be as a way to feel closer to a partner, it may be because it's enjoyable, it obviously may be for its intended purpose; to have a baby. However, sex can be used in ways it's not intended to be used for. It may be used (or not used) as a tactic to hurt someone, it may used for selfish reasons. This can be a very unhealthy attitude to have towards sex and down the line it will hurt yourself and those around you. If you think you're a victim of this or if you're causing this yourself it's important to speak to someone to resolve these issues.
8. You're suffering from a sexual trauma
Traumatic sexual acts can affect our love lives in a wide range of ways. These are not always instantaneous, they may occur years later. What impact it has on how we have sex is not absolute, it can range widely. For many sufferers of sexual trauma the safest and most effective way to combat it is to speak to a professional. This is one of the areas they are trained to understand and deal with. I've seen many occasions where it has had a massive positive effect so it's important to consider it if you believe this may relate to you.
9. You're having sex alone more often
We all do it. Masturbation is widely accepted to be perfectly natural and normal, whether you're male or female, gay or straight. Where you may encounter some problems is if the amount of time you spend enjoying some time alone has suddenly increased. This becomes more or a problem if you couple it with preferring masturbation over sex with a partner. Again, this may be a symptom of sex addiction, it may be caused by some other sexual problem. While masturbation is healthy, if you feel like it's negatively affecting your life, a sex therapist is perfectly equipped to deal with those issues.
10. Get your physical self checked out
A woman has shared hilarious pictures of her 'husband-less honeymoon' after her new spouse was denied a visa for their holiday.
Huma Mobin and her new husband Arsalaan Sever Bhatt, from Lahore, were scheduled to go on a second honeymoon to Greece last month with Mr Bhatt's parents.
But Ms Mobin's husband didn't get a visa in time for the trip.
Tradegy: Huma Mobin (above) was supposed to go on a second honeymoon with her husband Arsalaan Sever Bhatt but his visa didn't come through in time
Going abroad: The couple had planned to travel to Greece with Mr Bhatt's parents for the 10 day trip
'Nooooo': After his visa was denied, Ms Mobin considered not going on the trip, but it was already paid for
Initially the young woman didn't want to go without her beloved, but since the entire holiday was already paid for the couple decided she should see the country.
This meant she was left to see the sights with her in-laws for 10 days at Mr Bhatt was left at home in Pakistan.
In order to share the trip with Mr Bhatt, she snapped some photos of her time abroad at the destinations she visited.
Wish you were here: Ms Mobin went on the trip without her husband, and posed at various tourist spots with her arm around an empty space he would have occupied
Show you the world: Places the young woman visited included Santorini, Crete and Athens
Disappointing: Ms Mobin also took photos with an exaggerated sad expression on her face while she travelled
Rather than smiling and enjoying herself, the young woman posed with a distraught look on her face.
In most photos she also had an arm outspread as if hugging her absent husband, making for hilarious holiday snaps.
To add to the tragedy, halfway through the trip the young woman then accidentally lost her phone, dropping it in the Aegean Sea, so then started posing for photos showing that she missed both her husband and her device.
Partners in crime: Her parents-in-law took the photos for her so she could send them back to Mr Bhatt
Double tradegy: Halfway through the trip, the young woman also lost her phone after she dropped it in the Aegean Sea
Oh no: After this she started posing with her arms around both her missing husband and missing phone
The photos went viral soon after Ms Mobin posted them to Facebook, with strangers finding the pictures adorable.
Although the couple missed out on the holiday together, they did get one honeymoon after they were first married in December 2015.
The first time around the couple visited the Maldives, and thankfully had no visa issues.
Second chance: The couple (above) did get to have one honeymoon after their wedding last December when they visited the Maldives
Touching: Soon after posting the photos to Facebook they went viral with thousands of people liking and sharing them
As a devoted mother, style icon and charity ambassador Samantha Cameron hasn't put a foot wrong during her husband's time as Prime Minister's wife.
While the vocal Cherie Blair couldn't help airing her grievances and Norma Major stayed well out of the spotlight, Sam Cam - as she's known - has perfectly occupied the tricky middle ground.
And now experts say that she can capitalise on her positive public image to launch a career that could make her millions.
Celebrity brand expert Phil Pallen told FEMAIL that while the Bristol University graduate is rumoured to set up her own fashion label, he believes it unlikely she'll turn into Victoria Beckham overnight.
Instead, he predicts she will take a gentler approach by starting with a curated website similar to Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop.
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Samantha Cameron, pictured as her husband announced his resignation last month, is rumoured to be launching a fashion brand as she embarks on a new life away from Downing Street
'We'd be naive to say she's not been building her personal brand already through her behaviour and the way she carries herself in public, and the biggest statement she's made - her fashion.
'If I had to put money on it she'll start a curated website,' he said. 'She's a fashion woman. She's stylish and likable. She's a prime candidate to develop a lifestyle brand.'
Her former aide and stylist Isabel Spearman recently confirmed that the pair were working on a project together, hinting that it would be a fashion label.
However, Phil believes a lifestyle website would be a more canny move before launching her own personal fashion brand.
Samantha Cameron was pregnant with her fourth child, Florence, when her husband entered Downing Street on 11 May 2010 and days later she left her position as creative director of luxury leather goods brand Smythson
'It would make sense for her to first build a relationship through trust and she can do that through an online marketplace,' he said.
'I can see her curating taste and style. When you look up her name to see what the buzz about her is you see how she's redecorated the kitchen at Downing Street.
'It's all out there already - her ability to curate and decorate. And she appeared in the Bake Off because cooking is lifestyle.'
There's no doubt she's got the credentials to build a brand. After studying fine art at university Mrs Cameron had ambitions to become a professional painter.
Samantha Cameron pictured at a Ralph Lauren private lunch in March 2007. She's always had an interest in clothing and is an ambassador for the British Fashion Council
That career path didn't come to fruition, and in 1996 she began working as a window dresser and interior designer.
Years earlier, she's done some casual work for the luxury Bond Street Smythson's thanks to her well-connected mother getting her an in.
It let to a commission to redesign their Bond Street job and a full time job. In 2006, she became creative director.
Two days after David Cameron entered Downing Street in 2010, she stepped aside saying she wanted to focus on her children and her new role as the Prime Minister's wife.
Samantha Cameron's refurbishments to the Downing Street kitchen were revealed when she hosted a breakfast for children supported by the charity Contact A Family last year
Brand expert Phil Pallen predicts Mrs Cameron will make charity work a key part of any future endeavours. She's pictured with xhildren for the Save the Children Christmas Jumper Day and is an ambassador for the charity
The then Prime Minister's wife's participation in the Great Sport Relief Bake Off was part of her subtle positioning of herself as a future lifestyle guru, according to a brand expert
She was pregnant with her fourth child, Florence, who was born in August that year.
However, she stayed on as a Creative Consultant, working two days a week.
She also has impeccable connections to the world of accessories and interiors through her mother Annabel Astor.
At the age of 20 she opened a jewellery boutique in Knightsbridge and went on to set up high-end furniture firm OKA, which now has 14 branches and turns over 21 million a year.
In addition, she's an ambassador for the British Fashion Council and was formerly a PR for the Taiwanese fashion brand Shiatzy Chen.
Samantha Cameron, pictured at Save the Children"s Secret Winter Gala in 2013, is known for her sense of style and charity work
'She can do pretty much whatever she wants,' Phil continued. 'But even if the goes down the lifestyle route, there's likely to be a strong charity element.
'I'm not sure about public speaking as she's been very quiet. But if we do see her giving speeches it will be about causes close to her heart.'
She is already an ambassador for Save The Children and supports charities for disabled children and their families after losing her son Ivan, who had severe epilepsy and cerebral palsy, in 2009.
Photographed at home in No.10 Downing Street, Samantha Cameron looks every inch the aspiring lifestyle guru. She has a background in interior design, window dressing and has the perfect public profile to launch a brand
As for her earning potential Phil points to celebrities such as Jessica Alba whose Honest Company is valued at valued at $1.7 billion (1.2 billion).
And while Mrs Cameron may not reach such dizzying heights, her earning potential could certainly be in the millions.
'It's hard to predict how much she'll make, however there's a case to be made that we've not seen anyone do this from the world of politics. That's new territory.
'In this market, people trust that. There's a lot of credibility attached to her give her political involvement that's appreciated around the world.
At the Burberry Prorsum A/W 2011 show at London Fashion Week: With her industry connections and a sister who is deputy editor of UK Vogue she is well placed to pursue a new career in fashion
'As a public figure you have the privilege and platform that means people are paying attention and you have built-in interest whatever you decide to do.'
He predicts that as the wife of a former UK Prime Minister she would have a ready-made platform in the US.
'In the US people are glued to every little movement of the royal family. It's British, it's heritage and they love British people and culture,' he explained.
'If marketed correctly she has the potential to do something we haven't seen done before.'
However, even if the former first lady of British politics retired to the countryside to be a full time mother, she would hardly be strapped for cash.
Hand-in-hand with actress Melanie Griffith at the Smythson's Madison Avenue Grand Opening Event in New York this year. Sam Cam is still a consultant for the brand after stepping down from her role as creative director
Her family own a 5 million mansion, Sutton Park, near York and another 1,000 acres of land her father inherited.
Her father has been quoted as saying: 'I live off unearned income, garnished by the occasional planning consent.'
And David Cameron once mentioned in an interview that his wife 'owns a field near Scunthorpe' according to The Independent, meaning she too could benefit from similar income.
Last year, she received more than 400,000 windfall from the sale of Smythson as a result of her 275 shares in the company.
SAM CAM'S ARISTOCRATIC AND RATHER COLOURFUL CLAN SISTER EMILY SHEFFIELD Sam Cams younger sister, 43, was expelled from Marlborough College after cannabis was found in her dormitory in a police raid, but these days shes the archetypal (pushy) Shepherds Bush yummy mummy at the centre of a smart West London set. Shes the deputy editor of UK Vogue, though doesnt limit her writing to the magazine, often venting on Twitter about issues such as Brexit (she said shed never vote Tory again if Leave won) and the wickedness of fur in fashion (animals are skinned alive for their #fur is extreme cruel [sic]). Recently, her views have become more forthright (its not clear whether this is deliberate considering that her sisters days as the PMs wife are coming to an end). Shes said she wants to vote Labour to block the far Right, adding: I only voted Tory for David [Cameron]. Much to Sam Cams envy, Emily spends a lot of time on far-flung luxury holidays (for work, of course) and eating out at some of Londons chicest restaurants. Her husband, actor Tom Mullion (who starred in the film Snow White And The Huntsman), is a co-founder of Kitty Fishers, a tiny but extremely fashionable restaurant in Mayfair frequented by such names as Nigella Lawson and Homeland actor Damian Lewis. HALF-BROTHER ROB SHEFFIELD Wildest of the bunch is Sam Cams relentlessly social half-brother, who spent much of his 20s in nightclubs. The 31-year-old may have given up drinking three years ago, but shades of the old Rob are never far from the surface. After five years working for the chairman of auctioneers Christies, Rob is now associate director for leading international modern art dealer Dominique Levy. By day, youll find him looking sharp in a sleek Italian suit. But by night often at Mayfair nightclub Loulous he loves to dress up, especially in drag. Currently single and living in West London, he has been photographed lying in the back of a taxi wearing a sparkly Union Jack dress proudly displaying his long legs and platform heels. STEP-FATHER WILLIAM ASTOR IV An outspoken Tory peer, he campaigns openly against issues including Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeons attempt to land-grab in Scotland (where he owns an estate) and the planned HS2 rail link, much to David Camerons occasional embarrassment. He has tempered his views since Cameron has been in power and, indeed, his nocturnal activities an affair with Rachel Whetstone, a former political advisor and now wife of Steve Hilton, ended long before Cameron became PM. He frequently takes to the pages of the Spectator to air his views or share gossip about his familys past he ridiculed Andrew Lloyd-Webbers portrayal of his father Bill Astor (who introduced War Minister John Profumo to Christine Keeler and denied having an affair with Mandy Rice-Davies) in the musical Stephen Ward as unnerving and cringe-making. HALF-BROTHER JAKE ASTOR As soon as Cameron became PM, Sam Cams party-loving younger half-brother hot-footed it to Hong Kong, where he has lived ever since. It was probably just as well in his 20s, the Eton and Oxford-educated investment banker was known as Jake The Snake for his fondness of tight trousers and an ability to party all night. Still stylish, today he has a penchant for natty suits and blue suede shoes. Now 35, he has settled down, and two years ago married Victoria Hargreaves, a glamorous, blonde brand consultant. They have a one-year-old daughter, Sibyl. HALF-SISTER FLORA ASTOR Sam Cams half-sister Flora, 40, chose to escape the limelight by moving to the south of France. She is a qualified gemologist who once worked for her mothers jewellery firm, Annabel Jones. She married the Oxford-educated diplomat Theo Rycroft ten years ago, and together they have three children: Nelson, Pandora and their youngest, born in March, Lydia. HALF-BROTHER WILL ASTOR As the eldest of Sam Cams half-brothers and heir to his fathers title, Will, 37, presents a very sensible exterior. But, like any party-loving Astor, hell gladly slap on make-up and don earrings to go to a party dressed as a punk rocker. In 2009, he married Lohralee Stutz, a one-time Diet Coke model from Canada. They live in Bohemian splendour in Notting Hill, close to the Camerons West London home. He was working for billionaire property tycoons the Tchenguiz brothers when he spotted Lohralee at favourite Sloane nightclub Raffles. He tracked her down for a month, and eventually married her at his mothers Oxfordshire home. They have a son, Conrad, four, and two miniature black poodles. STEP-COUSIN TOM ASTOR Tom grew up in Camerons Oxfordshire constituency, and lives at Merriscourt Barn, near Sam and Daves country home. Since marrying Clarissa, a South African glass-blower, in 2000, they have turned their home into a hub for artists and craftsmen. Its also a damn good place for a party, and has been the setting for many important get-togethers for the so-called Chipping Norton Set. Tom, 43, is a fanatic of bluegrass country music and will pick up a guitar or banjo at any opportunity. He even has a professional guitarist living on his estate, handy for spur-of-the-moment jamming sessions. STEP-COUSIN ROSE ASTOR Sam Cams beautiful blonde step-cousin Rose, 37, is married to Hugh van Cutsem, an investment banker and close friend of Prince William. Their daughter, Grace, was a bridesmaid to Kate and Wills and caught the publics eye covering her ears during the Royal fly-past. Rose, whose only vices are McDonalds and speeding tickets, runs Maggie & Rose, a private club for parents in West London (premier membership costs 4,000 per year per child). They live near the Camerons in Oxfordshire and are often found emerging from a black Range Rover at Daylesford organic farm shop or a Chipping Norton Set party. Advertisement
She also holds shares in a property company set up by her father, Sir Reginald Sheffield the eighth holder of a baronetcy that goes back to 1755.
The larger-than-life figure is a garrulous tweedy squire who is hardly ever seen out of a bow-tie and is estimated to be worth at least 20million.
He owns 3,000 acres of farmland in North Lincolnshire and spends much of his time out of London at Sutton Park, his 18th century, 1,000-acre estate north of York. Which is just as well, as hes marvellously indiscreet after a long lunch and has an unquenchable thirst for fine claret.
He recently celebrated his 70th birthday with several parties, including a big dinner at Whites, the men-only St Jamess Street club.
Samantha Cameron's father Sir Reginald Sheffield at his stately home in Sutton Park near York
To make up for all this fine-dining, and to keep his waistline trim, he checks in to the expensive Mayr Clinic in Austria at least once a year. Patients are allowed only half an avocado per meal, which they must chew 30 times under the watchful eye of doctors.
In 1977, after separating from his first wife Samanthas mother, Annabel Astor he married Victoria Walker, and they have three children: Rob, Alice and Lucy.
Her mother grew up surrounded by louche aristocrats and Bohemians as a child, she knew Russian ballet star Rudolf Nureyev and young oil heir Paul Getty but she always resisted the temptations of drugs.
After a short first marriage to Sam Cams father, she married Viscount Astor, with whom she has three children, Flora, Will and Jake.
The couple celebrated 40 years of marriage this year.
They live with three Jack Russells and a cocker spaniel at Ginge Manor in Oxfordshire, where Dave and Samantha Cameron had their wedding reception in 1996.
Adult film star workers have revealed the largest number of scenes that they've ever shot in one day, with answers varying from two to nine.
In a new video by YouTube series Ask A Porn Star, porn actors are quizzed about what their busiest days performing erotic and intimate acts looked like.
Some of the biggest names in the X-rated industry said that their busiest days has involved shooting two or three scenes in a day - but for some actors the number was much higher.
Adult film star Aubrey Snow once performed sexually for the camera nine times in a single day - eight times for a 'cam show' at home and for one film shoot
April O'Neil once did four sex scenes in one day, across a wide spectrum of sexual interests. She describes it as being a 'long day'
Adult film star Aubrey Snow once performed sexually for the camera nine times in a single day.
She said: 'Let's think about this nine. I did four shows in the morning, then a shoot and then I did four camera shows when I got home.'
And one actor, Claire Robbins, once had to have sex for a full 18 hours, saying: 'Over here [in America] a shoot day is four to six hours maybe, if it's a feature 12 hours.'
Some of the biggest names in the X-rated industry said that their busiest days has involved shooting two or three scenes in a day - but for some actors the number was much higher
Porn star Violet Monroe admitted that she's done three anal scenes in one day before, describing the experience as 'crazy'
Adult film actor Allie Haze has done four scenes in a day before. She says that working that hard in a single day is bodily exhausting and that she was drained at the end of the day
The red-haired star revealed that she completed three different scenes during the 18 hours shoot.
'When I went to France, there a normal day is 12 hours and a feature day is 18 hours. You're f****** the entire time. It's so long and strenuous.'
Jade Nile had only done two sex scenes in one day, but said: 'I had three penises that day on camera.'
Shane Diesel admitted he 'couldn't handle' more than two sex scenes in a single day, unlike many of the other stars interviewed
Claire Robbins once had to have sex for a full 18 hours. The red-haired star revealed that she completed three different scenes during the shoot
Trinity St. Clair was very candid about her experiences: 'I've done six scenes in one day, that was probably the most. They involved everything - the b***, the p**** and the mouth.'
Violet Monroe and Anikka Albrite said that their 'craziest' days involved 'three scenes' while Shane Diesel admitted he 'couldn't handle' more than two, unlike many of the other stars interviewed.
A funny moment came when a porn actor called Brian Street Team admitted that he'd done 'two and a half' scenes.
A funny moment came when a porn actor called Brian Street Team admitted that he'd done 'two and a half ' scenes
Four is the largest number of scenes that star Mickey Mod has completed in a single day
Tyler Knight said that he's done as many as four scenes in a day and that he used to leave 45 minutes to shoot the scene and have a shower before driving to the next one
With candid insight into her personal life, Rain DeGrey commented she once slept with three men in one day, but that when performing on screen she'd never done that many.
'On camera I've never been double booked for scenes,' she said. 'I think it's harder for girls. You have to do make-up, hair and then sit around on seat and wait.
News / Local
by Staff Reporter
There are reports that WhatsApp in some parts of Zimbabwe is not working this morning as the whole country participates in #ShutDownZim #ShutDownZimbabwe2016 campaign.Yesterday they were reports that the government of Zimbabwe was planning to ban social media in the coming days in a bid to block messages about protests from spreading.In April, the President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, said the government was looking to learn from China's Great Firewall in restricting access to certain websites.If you are in Zimbabwe how is this affecting you? #shutdownzimbabwe2016 TweetsMore follow...
Mothers are donating their breast milk to strangers on Facebook who are unable to feed their babies naturally but don't want to feed them artificial formula.
Many women have difficulty breastfeeding or are unable to because of chemotherapy, and thousands have begun using milk donated from strangers to feed their babies.
Kim Pennell, a mother-of-four from Cranbourne in outer-southeast Melbourne, has a special deep freezer stocked with donated milk to feed her newborn daughter Lucy, Herald Sun reported.
Thousands of women across Australia are using donated breast milk to feed their babies (pictured: donated milk)
The four-week-old baby is living off milk donated from some of the 1,450 members of a Facebook group based in Victoria, one of the many 'Human Milk 4 Human Babies' communities across the globe.
'You go to the mum's house, meet her, have a coffee and a good chat. They meet your baby, you meet their baby. If something doesn't feel right, there's no obligation to take the milk,' Ms Pennell told Herald Sun.
Pictured: donated milk in a mother's fridge
She said she's fed her baby girl using milk donated from six different women.
One of those women, Natalie McGrath from Ballarat, said she decided to donate her milk because she was producing too much for her six-month-old son Thomas.
Ms Pennell said you could seek a blood test to ensure the donating mother was healthy.
A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia there could be potential risks.
But a Department of Health and Human Services spokesman told Herald Sun there could be potential health risks.
'Viruses and bacteria can be transmitted through unpasteurised breast milk and there is no guarantee that the donated product is safe and suitable for consumption,' the spokesperson said in a statement.
'The milk can be affected by a range of factors including lifestyle habits, such as drinking alcohol and smoking, personal hygiene, as well as correct storage and transportation.'
The Department recommended Mercy Health, which has a breast milk bank for hospitalised sick and premature babies.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted both mothers for further details.
She's one of the world's most famously slender royals but it seems even Queen Letizia isn't averse to whittling down her curves with a figure-hugging dress.
The Spanish royal took to the stage at an awards ceremony in Madrid wearing a super slimming cream dress by Hugo Boss.
The 43-year-old was all smiles as she presented awards during the Consejo Espana-India Foundation Award ceremony at the Archeological Museum in Madrid, Spain.
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Queen Letizia displayed her thin arms and slender physique in a figure-hugging dress at an awards ceremony in Madrid on Tuesday
The svelte royal displayed her trim arms as she shunned a jacket in favour of bare limbs for the occasion.
She accessorised her look with snakeskin stilettos and wore her hair in its signature tight ringlets.
Queen Letizia applauded as she handed out awards to the likes of Zoya Akhtar and Carlos Saura at the prestigious event.
The Queen of Spain has certainly proved herself to be one of Europe's hardest working royals over the past fortnight, attending four events.
The svelte royal displayed her trim arms as she shunned a jacket in favour of bare limbs for the occasion
The Spanish royal took to the stage at an awards ceremony in Madrid wearing a super slimming cream dress by Hugo Boss
The working mother-of-two wore her hair in her signature tight ringlets for the occasion
Queen Letizia of Spain presented Zoya Akhtar (R) and Carlos Saura (L) with their awards during the Consejo Espana-India Foundation Award ceremony at the Archeological Museum
The wife of King Felipe VI looked refined and elegant last week as she joined the Royal Board on Disability in Madrid.
The Spanish monarch was businesslike as she prepared to hand out her namesake awards to members of the board.
The mother-of-two wore a pristine white fitted dress paired with a blue tweed blazor with navy piping detail.
The former journalist was joined by other members of the board at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid to whom she was presenting the awards.
Following the prize giving ceremony, the winners posed for photographs with the Spanish royal against a tapestry back drop.
Queen Letizia is part of the council of the Royal Board for Disability and has long worked to improve the life of those with physical and mental problems.
The royal is certainly not work-shy as she demonstrated this fortnight, taking part in a series of engagements.
The Queen of Spain has certainly proved herself to be one of Europe's hardest working royals over the past fortnight, attending four events
Queen Letizia of Spain presented Zoya Akhtar with her award during the Consejo Espana-India Foundation Award ceremony
Queen Letizia this fortnight proved that she is one arguably one of Europe's hardest working royals as she took part in her third engagement in four days
Days before, Queen Letizia met with the French Environment Minister Segolene Royal and World Health Organisation Public Health Director, Maria Nera for her engagement in Paris.
The Queen was not accompanied by her husband King Felipe VI today as she attended the Second Global Conference on Health and Climate.
Letizia delivered an impassioned speech during the conference where she discussed global responses to climate change.
The world now has a global climate agreement - that will have a major public health policy impact as countries take action. As stated in the agreement, 'the right to health', will be central to the actions taken.
Queen Letizia of Spain showcased Parisian chic at the World Health Organisation conference in the French capital last week
The Agreement not only sets ambitious aims to curb greenhouse gas emissions to keep global warming well below 2C, it also commits countries to strengthen adaptation.
While the King of Spain was not able to watch his wife deliver her speech the pair looked very close earlier this week.
The King and Queen of Spain were seen flirting up a storm as they visited Madrid on Tuesday to present scholarships at a ceremony for a Spanish electricity company.
As the couple took to the stage to present Iberdrola 2016 Scholarships, they could be seen whispering to one another and trying to stifle their giggles as they embraced.
The doctors also meet with Shauna, a woman who is left with a 'dripping' nose after two discount rhinoplasties in Mexico
Dr. Dubrow explains that rupturing the implant will help shrink and thicken her breast tissue before he removes them and gives her a breast lift
A woman who had surgery to increase the size of her chest to a 38F to 'please' her ex-boyfriend must decide whether she is willing to let doctors stab her implants with a needle to empty the fluid before having them removed and her breasts lifted.
On Tuesday night's episode of the E! reality series Botched, Los Angles based surgeons Dr. Terry Dubrow and Dr. Paul Nassif meet with Ilana about removing her massive implants without damaging her breast tissue and nipples, which could take multiple operations.
However, Dr. Dubrow suggests something he has only done once or twice in his entire surgical career putting a need into the breast implant and draining the fluid first.
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Reduction: Ilana meets with Los Angles based surgeons Dr. Terry Dubrow and Dr. Paul Nassif about having her massive breast implants removed on Tuesday night's episode of the E! reality series Botched
Explanation: Dr. Dubrow (left) tells Ilana that her implants need to come out, but he also needs to do a 'lifting procedure', which means reducing the areola and the breast envelope
During her consultation, Dr. Dubrow immediately notices that the blood vessels on her breasts are dilated.
'That in itself indicates tissue injury and damage,' he explains. Look how peely your skin is. Now does it peel like this normally?'
Ilana admits that it has 'always been a little bit chaffy', and Dr. Dubrow notes that it is an 'indication of underlying pressure, tension, and generalized tissue trauma'.
'We do know we need to take the implants out; we do know we need to do a lifting procedure, which means reduce the areola, reduce a lot of the breast envelope and lift you up,' he says. 'But we do know that doing that in one stage is extraordinarily risky to your breast tissue and to your nipple.
Bad sign: Dr. Dubrow points out that the blood vessels on Ilana's breasts are dilated
'But you might be able to do something that I've only done once or twice in my entire career,' Dr. Dubrow continues.
'Putting a needle into the breast implants and sucking out the fluid, allowing the soft tissue to retract and everything to sort of relax down and then after a period of time doing one operation.'
Dr. Dubrow goes on to admit that 'stabbing breast implants to empty the fluid does 'sound a little crazy', and Ilana agrees, but he believes it will be worth it in the long run.
'Ruptured implants tend to cause shrinking and thickening of the breast tissue and that is exactly what Ilana's breasts need before she can have the definitive surgery,' he tells the cameras.
Dr. Dubrow assures Ilana that his plan isn't really that crazy when you think about it.
Too big: 'That in itself indicates tissue injury and damage,' he says of the visible blood vessels on her chest
Getting ready: Dr. Dubrow explains that he wants to put a needle into her implants and drain them before her surgery because rupturing the implant will help shrink and thicken her breast tissue
'It saves you from having to have two operations or more, which would avoid all the risks of anesthesia and the significant risks of the surgery itself,' he says.
When he asks if she is willing to try it, Ilana says: 'Let's do it'.
On tonight's episode, the doctors also meet with Shauna, a woman whose nose constantly runs since she had two discount rhinoplasties in Mexico.
Dr. Nassif cuts to the chase during their meeting, telling her: 'I know there is something about a couple of nose jobs in Tijuana.'
'It was a lot less costly, right?' Dr. Dubrow asks, immediately deducing that she crossed the boarder to save money on the procedure.
Risky business? The surgeon admits that he has only put a needle in someone's implants once or twice in his entire career, and Ilana is shocked by his suggestion
Going for it: After Dr. Dubrow explains that rupturing her implants will save her from having multiple surgeries, she agrees to try it
Ilana reveals she was only charged $2,500 for her rhinoplasty, a procedure that usually averages between a total cost of $5,000 and $10,000 in the US depending on the surgeon.
'Wow, that is cheap,' Dr. Dubrow says with shock.
Dr. Nassif tells the cameras that anyone considering plastic surgery needs 'to have the best and right doctor' to give them the look that they need, otherwise they are 'going to come out completely messed up'.
'Shauna did get what she paid for,' he says of her botched surgery.
Their patient goes on to say that when she woke up the tip of her nose was purple.
Bad idea: The doctors also meet with Shauna, a woman whose nose constantly runs since she had two discount rhinoplasties in Mexico
Discount surgery: Dr. Nassif (left) and Dr. Dubrow (right) are shocked that she only spent $2,500 for the procedure, which costs at least double that in the US
'Like the color of your tie,' she adds, pointing to Dr. Nassif.
'That means decreased blood supply to the skin. If that happens you basically can lose the entire tip of the nose. It can just fall off,' Dr. Nassif explains. 'Shauna is very lucky that didn't happen.'
Shauna say she was willing to live with her new nose, but the doctor had left a 'really sharp edge' at the tip.
'So you had a piece of aberrant cartilage sticking out of your nose,' Dr. Nassif reiterates, and Dr. Dubrow is perplexed that she could see it even before the swelling came down.
'I saw him a couple weeks later, and I told him I was really unhappy with the tip, so I went back four months later,' she says, this time surprising Dr. Nassif.
Lasting issues: Shauna explains that she was left with a sharp piece of cartilage protruding from the tip of her nose after her first surgery, so she returned to Mexico for another
Frustrating: After her second surgery, Shauna was left with a nose that drips every five to 10 minutes
'He worked on your tip four months later?' he asks. 'That is one of the mistakes right there. You don't go back into the tip for about a year.
'If you go back earlier than that the nose is still not healing; it is continually changing, and if you go in and operate again you can get more deformities that way.'
Shauna says that her nose started dripping fluid right after the second surgery as soon as she took off the dressing.
She now goes through one tissues every five to ten minutes, however, Dr. Nassif isn't sure that a third surgery will help stop the flow of fluid.
Forget whips and chains, a growing number of Brits are catering to fetishes that range from boring to downright bizarre.
A group of amateur film-makers who post clips in which they're performing tasks or rituals that may seem banal to many, but drive others wild, are featured in a new Channel 4 documentary.
Kinky Britain shows how men and women are making up to 10,000 a month by catering to their audience's requests from blowing up balloons and immersing their feet in bowls of food to women struggling to deal with a broken down car.
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Channel 4 documentary, Kinky Britain met some of the amateur film makers producing fetish clips to cater to some of the UK's more bizarre sexual preferences. Pictured: Michelle who is famous for her inflating videos
Former underwear model Camuran (pictured with a client), 33, has built up a successful female wrestling company, which she says has proved to be erotic for many men
The programme features married couple Hywel Phllips and Joceline who work together to produce high quality bondage videos and photographs.
Joceline, who is a submissive, and Hywell, who is dominant, cater to viewers how share their fetish but reveal that they've branched out into more esoteric aspects of kink.
Model and actress Joceline revealed how a recent video that involved no nudity has done extremely well for them both.
She said: 'Roll neck shame has been selling quite well. In the video I'm shaming someone because he's tried on my roll neck sweater without my permission.
'I just think, what a lovely fetish to have because you would go round through life seeing people in roll necks quite often and get pleasure from that.'
Hywel explained how he left the world of academia after he began to make a more substantial wage with his amateur films.
He said: 'I set up a little website and within a couple of years it was making me twice as much money as a university lecturer.'
In fact, he met Joceline after she contacted him and asked to work with him.
She said: 'I contacted Hywel on the website and explained how much I loved his work and he wrote back to say he didn't want me which really annoyed me very much because no one had said no to me.
'But I'm submissive so someone treating me with disdain was very interesting, very exciting and I wrote back and said, 'I really do want to work for you and to prove it I will reduce my rate by 50 per cent.'
Camuran now produces videos of men being wrestled by women which she then uploads to fetish websites. Pictured: One of the fights taking place
She continued: 'I guess being tied up or spanked makes me feel free. It just feels like a break from the real world in which I'm responsible and sensible and I make good choices. It also is a turn on.'
Joceline may seem to be very open and embracing of her sexuality now but she admits that this wasn't always the case.
She explains: 'When I was younger I was ashamed of my kink. I remember clearly thinking when I was 17, 'there is no way I can tell anyone this ever', which is such a lonely feeling.
'I was very frightened that there was something very wrong with me. I used to wonder a great deal about where my fetishes came from. Was it because of my relationship with my mother or something like that? And then I came to the conclusion that probably I was just born this way, so instead of wondering why I decided to just enjoy it.'
Many of the fetish clips see women covering themselves in substances for the pleasure of their viewers
In this particularly strange clip a woman covers her self in shaving foam while smoking a cigarette
The show also featured 23-year-old Michelle who has built up a loyal following thanks to her kinky videos.
The producer plays out the requests of her many fans which include burping on camera, eating gummy bears and inflating balloons.
She explains: 'Doing this job I've managed to explore sensuality of almost everything. I do clips when I clean my ears and when you start to think about it you start to realise that ears are reasonably erotic.
'So of course I can understand that sensuality there even if I don't appreciate it for myself and it doesn't turn me on. I do try to understand it for the customer.'
Michelle works as a fetish videographer full time earning around 10,000 a year, but the most successful models can earn up to that a month performing fetish clips.
Michelle plays out the requests of her many fans which include burping on camera, eating gummy bears and inflating balloons
Michelle (pictured in one of her videos) earns around 10,000 a year for her homemade fetish clips
Michelle who married her husband last year, says that her line of work has helped her to boost her confidence.
She says: 'I used to have a lot of self esteem issues. I was an overweight child. I came out as queer very young. I had a lot of issues maintaining friendships with people.
'When I was younger I was very unconfident and I didn't like myself and working in this job has definitely helped with that.'
In North London, former underwear model Camuran, 33, has built up a successful female wrestling company, which she says has proved to be erotic for many men.
She now produces videos of men being wrestled by women which she then uploads to fetish websites, but she is insistent that the act remains non-sexual.
She explains: 'Absolutely no sex goes on, as soon as that door is shut it's just wrestling. It's hardcore wrestling. The idea of actually overpowering a man and beating him, the guys do find it a turn on.'
Michelle (pictured in a video that sees her crushing food with her feet) says her line of work has helped her overcome self-esteem issues
One of her clients, a 54-year-old university lecturer explains that he finds the fighting to be more pleasurable than any sexual act.
He says: 'What I enjoy most about wrestling a woman is the intense struggle. When you're in pain it's the ultimate verification of your existence. You're alive. You are really living when you're in combat. It's not like sex, it's miles better.'
Doing this job I've managed to explore sensuality of almost everything
A world away in a British seaside town 40-year-old Miguel uses his green screen to produce videos catered for macrophiliacs.
Those with macrophillia have a fascination with impossibly big women and 'giantesses'. In his videos Miguel uses special effects to scale himself down so that he appears to be squished under the heels of 'enormous' women'.
Tim, 29, admits that he has been obsessed with macrophillia for as long as he can remember.
He explains: 'It's not primarily a sexual thing. I can quite neatly describe as being about power.
'When people think of people with a fetish they think the sexier it is the more attracted to it they'll be. For me, the more realistic it is the more attracted I am.'
Tim relies on videos produced by people like Miguel because he will never be able to play out his fantasies.
He continued: 'A lot of fetishes can be done. They are achievable but this quite obviously isn't one of those. It's really something you have to stretch your imagination to get your head around.'
Kinky Britain is available to watch on All 4
Can you imagine life without selfies? That is the question that fired people's imaginations on Twitter as thousands of users pondered the reality of life without a forward-facing camera.
It's hard to imagine a world where the concept of taking a selfie, a word which gained international acclaim when it was named the Oxford Dictionaries' word of the year in 2013, doesn't exist.
Yet the hashtag #IfSelfiesNeverExisted trended on social media as people posted their own thoughts on the matter which ranged from the philosophical to the hilarious.
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Joe Fattorini, presenter of ITV's The Wine Show, joined in on the fun, sharing a collection of nine silly selfies with the caption: 'I would have fewer uses for my hat collection'
Earlier today, the hashtag #IfSelfiesNeverExisted trended on Twitter, with thousands of social media users pondering over how life would be different without a forward-facing camera
Some social media users that participated in the hashtag expressed that a selfie-less world would be a better place.
'Duck faces would still be where they belong... on ducks', wrote Thomas Jones.
For some Twitter users, the hashtag even sparked an existential crisis.
'This tag would have never existed but now it does so I'm having an existential crisis', wrote Portmanteau Jones.
Some social media users that participated in the hashtag expressed that a selfie-less world would be a better place - but others mourned the loss of 'so many beautiful faces'
Joe Fattorini, presenter of ITV's The Wine Show, joined in on the fun, sharing a collection of nine silly selfies with the caption: 'I would have fewer uses for my hat collection'.
'A photo of yourself would still be called a self-portrait, and langugae wouldn't have to cry itself to sleep', wrote NotJoeNamath.
However, others suggested that selfies are an improvement to society - and mourned the potential loss of them.
'We'd miss out on so many beautiful faces' wrote Laurie Crosswell. And Seth Goodtime added: 'I wouldn't be quite sure which was to part my hair.'
Sugarscape shared a rather smouldering selfie taken by One Direction's Niall Horan, with the caption: 'We wouldn't have been blessed with this so honestly what would be the point?'
And Soph had a similar opinion. She shared a photo of a freshly-shaved man holding a Hungarian vizsla with the caption: 'We wouldn't have this masterpiece'
Paul JC tweeted a picture of himself with a gorgeous black lab, with the caption: '#IfSelfiesNeverExisted I wouldn't be able to do this'
Sugarscape shared a rather smouldering selfie taken by One Direction's Niall Horan, with the caption: 'We wouldn't have been blessed with this so honestly what would be the point?'.
And Twitter user Soph had a similar opinion. She shared a photo of a freshly-shaved man holding a Hungarian vizla dog, with the caption: 'We wouldn't have this masterpiece'.
Others pondered on what a selfie-less world would mean for social media.
'Instagram would probably be the name of a popular drug dealing service,' wrote one tweeter. 'Facebook would be a blank page,' commented another.
If selfies never existed 'the world would be boring', Red Bull tweeted from their official account
It's hard to imagine a world where the concept of taking a selfie, a word which gained international acclaim when it was named the Oxford Dictionaries' word of the year in 2013, doesn't exist
Jen Farrow wrote: 'The world wouldn't see so many bathrooms through mirror reflections'.
And Daniel Pearson had a harsh truth: 'There's be a LOT of Instagram fitness models working at Starbucks to make ends meet' - his tweet receiving nearly 500 likes.
A couple of responses to the hashtag were particularly eye-opening.
'We'd focus less on how we look and concentrate more on what we're actually like', wrote one tweeter.
'People would actually enjoy time with family and friends', added another.
Toby Huntington-Whiteley proved that good looks run in the family as he stepped out in Prague yesterday afternoon.
The brother of model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley displayed - what appears to be a family trait - of chiselled cheekbones and a golden tan as he attended the Bvlgari Le Gemme Men's Collection in the Czech Republic on Monday.
The 25-year-old joined other fashionable guests aboard an elegant train carriage for the presentation.
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Toby Huntington-Whiteley proved that good looks run in the family yesterday as he attended the Bvlgari Le Gemme Men's Collection i
Toby, who is a model himself, could be seen making several outfit changes throughout the day as he was first pictured in a casual white T-shirt, navy chinos and dark shades.
Later he changed it up and was seen sporting a dark green polo shirt and light brown chinos as he perused the brand's watch selection aboard a carriage.
For the evening Toby traded in his formerly casual ensembles for a dressed up dinner jacket and traditional bow tie as he joined Italian actor Giulio Berruti in the dining car.
Toby certainly has some big shoes to fill when it comes to modelling but he has already proved himself to be a game contender against his sister.
The brother of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley could be seen making several outfit changes throughout the day first pictured in a casual white t-shirt, navy chinos and dark shades
Later he swapped it up seen sporting a dark green polo shirt and light brown chinos as he perused the brand's watch selection aboard a carriage
In March he displayed his resemblance to the 28-year-old bombshell as he posed for a sexy GQ Style shoot in the spring/summer issue.
The former rower also landed a campaign for British fashion house Burberry and was pictured modelling for them last Christmas which sister Rosie also regularly models for.
The Devonshire born duo certainly seem to bear a striking resemblance.
For the evening Toby traded in his formerly casual ensembles for a dressed up dinner jackets and traditional dickie bow
Toby joined Italian actor Giulio Berruti in the dining car of the train where the event was hosted
Along with a very desirable physique, Toby proves that great hair runs in the family with his long-on-top style pulled back in light, natural curls.
Toby previously worked as a 'performance specialist' at WORKSHOP at the prestigious Bulgari Hotel and Residences in Knightsbridge.
The 6ft 4in star, who's signed with Models 1, scored his debut campaign with menswear brand Jacamo last year.
For decades, health researchers across the world have known that athletes enjoy a significantly lower risk of cancer than the rest of us.
Large studies have shown how they suffer markedly fewer cancers of the lungs, kidneys, breasts, ovaries and cervix.
Investigators have in the past suggested that there may be a simple explanation: athletes eat more healthily and are less likely to smoke.
But now there is evidence showing that in fact it is exercise itself that protects our bodies against cancer in complex ways.
Furthermore, for patients who have cancer, exercise may significantly boost their chances of survival. Nor do you have to be a champion athlete to reap these benefits.
For patients who have cancer, a new study shows exercise may significantly boost their chances of survival
Danish researchers say that adrenaline, which gets released when we exercise, is a key to the protective effect.
The Copenhagen University Hospital doctors injected cancer cells into two groups of mice. The first had activity wheels on which they could run as much as they liked. The second group had no exercise other than moving inside their cages.
Dr Pernille Hojman, the oncologist who led the study, says that when the mice were exposed to a chemical known to cause liver cancer, only a third of the exercise group developed tumours compared with three- quarters of the non-exercisers.
Furthermore, the tumours that did grow in running-wheel mice were around 60 per cent smaller than those in their sedentary counterparts.
When Dr Hojman studied the tumours in the exercising mice, she found that they contained more infection-combating cells than the sedentary animals cancers.
From this, she discovered that a type of immune defence cell called a natural killer cell was fighting cancers in the exercising mice.
Adrenaline is known to power our natural killer cells. And another exercise-induced chemical, interleukin-6, helps these immune cells to target tumours.
When Dr Hojmans team injected adrenaline and interleukin-6 into cancerous sedentary mice, the rodents immune systems attacked the tumours as effectively as if they had been exercising regularly.
Writing in the journal Cell Metabolism, Dr Hojman said that the combined hormone therapy could help people who are too old or too ill to be active to get some cancer- fighting benefits of physical exertion.
Research shows that exercise helps a type of immune defence cell called a natural killer cell to fight cancers
However, she is quick to downplay the idea that exercise in an injection could help those who are merely lazy, as exercise carries other important anti-cancer benefits.
Crucial among these is the power of exercise to reduce inflammation, the bodys mechanism for fighting infections. But as we age, our defences become increasingly prone to producing excess inflammatory chemicals.
Numerous studies have demonstrated how chronic inflammation can damage the DNA inside our cells, making them significantly more likely to turn cancerous.
Chronic inflammation has also been found to raise the risk of some tumours, such as breast cancer, recurring.
Australian researchers reported in the journal Breast Cancer Research & Treatment earlier this year that gentle weight-training can significantly lower inflammation levels in women who dont normally exercise.
They studied 39 women who had survived breast cancer and found that when the women exercised three times a week, the levels of inflammatory chemicals in their bodies dropped significantly which should reduce the risk of the disease recurring.
White blood cells (right) attacking a cancer cell (left). Exercise has proved helpful in setting these to action
Exercise also appears to stimulate the release of another tumour-fighting substance the brain chemical dopamine, say Chinese scientists.
They found that when mice with liver cancer were made to swim regularly in moderate amounts, levels of dopamine increased in their bodies. The tumours in these mice shrank.
The researchers reported in the journal Oncogene that when they gave the mice a drug that blocked the action of dopamine, the cancer- fighting benefits of moderate exercise disappeared.
NEW CERVICAL CANCER TEST MAY PREDICT 600 NEW CASES A YEAR A new test in the UK for cervical cancer, which will be offered to millions of women, should prevent hundreds of cases each year. On the 5th of July this year, the Government began rolling out the test in surgeries and clinics and it should be available nationwide in two years time. The new test is far more accurate than the current smears and works by identifying the HPV virus which triggers nearly all tumours. Experts hope it will prevent 600 cancers a year and save lives by flagging up abnormalities long before tumours have had the chance to appear. There are around 3,000 cases of cervical cancer in the UK a year and it is most common in women under the age of 45. Advertisement
They also found that when the mice were made to swim excessively, the protective effect of exercise disappeared perhaps due to physical exhaustion. Regular exercise has another, more obvious effect weight loss and losing body fat is a way of reducing our risk of cancer.
In March, a European consortium of exercise scientists conducted a review of existing research and concluded that having fat deposits around the stomach raises the risk of cancers of the stomach and oesophagus, liver, biliary tract and leukaemia.
In women, fat tummies also raised their risk of kidney, bladder and colorectal cancers, the investigators reported in Cancer Causes & Control journal.
The charity Cancer Research UK is funding a trial of 50 men who have early, slow-growing prostate cancer to see if exercise delays the progress of their cancers.
Half the men in the study will do 2 hours of aerobic exercise every week for 12 months, initially supported by trainers. The other half of the men will be given information about the benefits of exercise for cancer patients, but will not have supervised sessions.
Dr Liam Bourke, the principal research fellow at Sheffield Hallam University who is leading the study, says we have yet to understand fully the mechanisms behind the cancer-fighting power of exercise.
There are indications from studies of humans that indicate that exercise may benefit the genes that control cell replication, he says. Cancer occurs when the process of cell replication goes awry.
Dr Bourkes study also aims to find the sweet spot for cancer patients, where they undertake enough exercise to gain benefits, but not do so much that it may pitch them into suffering fatigue.
Ibuprofen, cold and flu remedies and indigestion pills could worsen heart failure, which affects one million Britons, experts have warned
Ibuprofen, cold and flu remedies and indigestion pills could worsen heart failure, which affects one million Britons, experts have warned.
They are also urging patients with the condition to avoid green tea, grapefruit juice, liquorice and some herbs because they could also weaken the heart.
The American Heart Association is publishing guidelines today urging doctors to check all patients medications thoroughly to ensure they arent inadvertently putting their lives at risk.
The organisation is one of the largest and most influential in the world and its recommendations will be closely heeded by medical professionals here in the UK.
Around 900,000 Britons have heart failure, which occurs when the heart muscle is too weak to pump blood around the body, causing extreme tiredness, breathlessness and swelling of the legs.
It usually develops in patients who have previously suffered a heart attack or stroke, and symptoms tend to deteriorate with time.
But experts are concerned that some common medications cause the body to store excess fluid and salt, which means the heart has to work harder.
This is a particularly problematic in patients with heart failure, whose hearts are already very weak.
Research has shown that such patients who take ibuprofen or similar pills are ten times more likely to experience a flare-up of symptoms, and a third more likely to be admitted to hospital.
The American Heart Association is urging patients with heart failure not to take any of a common group of painkillers known as Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs, (NSAIDs), which includes ibuprofen. They should also avoid remedies that contain ibuprofen, such as Nurofen, cold and flu relief, and some indigestion relief, including Gaviscon, which has a similar effect.
Patients should also steer clear of natural remedies such as liquorice, St Johns Wort and ginseng, particularly if their symptoms worsen. Todays statement reminds doctors not to prescribe a wide range of pills for blood pressure, depression, arthritis and certain other conditions, which are already known to aggravate the heart.
They are also urging patients with the condition to avoid green tea, grapefruit juice, liquorice and some herbs because they could also weaken the heart
Dr Mariell Jessup, professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in the US and member of the American Heart Association said: Its very concerning that patients who have heart failure, if they take NSAIDS, it clearly aggravates sodium and fluid retention.
If the patient holds on to more salt and water, then its more work for the heart and will aggravate the heart failure condition.
Theres a wide variety of people who should be aware these arent harmless drugs.
Referring to her own advice to patients, she added: We in general tell patients not to take these drugs. If they want to take them on a regular basis, we ask them to discuss it with us and be mindful of the potential for salt and water retention.
When asked about green tea and liquorice, she said: The most important thing is that heart failure patients monitor themselves every morning.
We ask them to weigh themselves every day and be aware that food and other substances can cause them to hold on to salt and water.
British experts urged heart failure patients not to be alarmed but to take heed of the warning.
Professor Tony Fox, an expert in pharmaceutical medicine at Kings College London, said: While heart failure patients should not be alarmed, this statement emphasises a few common sense things.
Make sure your doctor knows about all of the drugs that you take, including all herbal remedies. Do not start taking some new drug or herbal medicine without checking with your doctor first.
Be alert for mild adverse effects, and tell your doctor about them before they get any worse.
Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, urged patients not to self medicate with over-the-counter pills or alternative remedies.
A devastating condition has left a student with one leg three times the size of the other and it's still growing.
Arianna Faro, 25, has a hugely swollen left leg, foot and buttock, as well as abnormal growths spanning her vagina and lower body.
The woman from Boston, Massachusetts suffers from Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome - a rare illness which has seen her undergo 60 bouts of surgery.
The condition affects the development of blood vessels, soft tissues, and bones.
It has three characteristic features: a red birthmark called a port-wine stain, abnormal overgrowth of soft tissues and bones, and vein malformations.
Arianna Faro, 25, from Boston, Massachusetts has a hugely swollen left leg, foot and buttock, as well as abnormal growths spanning her vagina and lower body
Miss Faro can never recall a time where she wasn't sick or in a momentous amount of pain from her condition
Miss Faro can never recall a time in which she was not sick or in a momentous amount of pain.
But despite this, the psychology student, remains incredibly positive.
She said: 'As I grow my already swollen limbs grow they get bigger with me.
'But these things are sent to test us. I have struggled in the past but I know I am strong and brave.
'From the waist up I look like your typical 25-year-old girl but from the lower back down it's something different.
'Having been born into this lifestyle, I was always privy to experiencing intense bouts of sickness, relentless pain, constant hospitalisation, frequent surgeries and tiresome recoveries.
'Despite these unrelenting obstacles, though, I had the best childhood in which a girl could have ever asked for.'
Miss Faro, who is gradually losing her mobility and is currently reliant on a wheelchair, has recounted her journey on her Instagram and Facebook pages called One Limp at a Time.
There, she has published candid pictures of her distorted limbs.
She added: 'I know some people will find them shocking, but it's the reality of the illness and I have absolutely nothing to be ashamed about.
'This is what I have to live with, so I see no reason not to publish pictures of it and inspire people.'
Miss Faro, who was diagnosed the day she was born, explained that all sufferers are impacted differently, but that generally, they struggle to drain fluid from their limbs, causing uncomfortable swelling.
Miss Faro, who is gradually losing her mobility and is currently reliant on a wheelchair, has recounted her journey on her Instagram and Facebook pages called One Limp at a Time
She suffers from Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome - a rare illness which has seen her undergo 60 bouts of surgery
Miss Faro said the biggest misconception about her case is that it's confined to her legs, when in reality it also impacts her feet, buttocks, genitalia and back
Other side effects include the development of varicose veins as well as lumps of fatty tissue spreading all over the body.
She said the biggest misconception about her case is that it's confined to her legs.
It also impacts her feet, buttocks, genitalia and back, and often sees her endure blood clots and gruesome bouts of sepsis and cellulitis an infection of the skin tissue.
When she suffers cellulose she also develops severe and fever and flu-like symptoms.
WHAT IS KLIPPEL TRENAUNAY SYNDROME? Klippel Trenaunay Syndrome (KTS) is a rare genetic condition which affects the development of blood vessels, soft tissues and bones
It has three main side effects: a 'port wine stain' (Marley's big 'bruise'), the overgrowth of bones (particularly limbs) and varicose veins
The disorder is estimated to affect around one in 100,000 people
It can occur in people who have no history of the disorder Source: U.S. Library of Medicine Advertisement
The cause of the illness, which does not affect her two sisters is not known.
It is not genetic and doctors continue to search for a cure but for now, Miss Faro said she accepts it is 'just something that happened' to her.
Miss Faro, who said 'no-one should ever feel ashamed' of their physical ailments, is often struck down by sudden bacterial infections.
Because the syndrome is so uncommon, and largely unknown, she said it's imperative that people like her speak up as much as they can in order to raise awareness.
She said: 'I've probably had about 20 near-death experiences.
'But despite this I power on and am engaged in life and my learning. I refuse to be defined by my condition.
'Sure, my anomalies are a part of me, but they hardly equate to me as a whole.
'When people think of me, I want them to think of me as a person who is uplifting, and hopefully I can inspire others to be confident in their own skin no matter how different they may look or feel.'
Miss Faro, who is still a virgin, is currently dating a man who knows about her condition.
She said he remains keen, and they are taking their relationship slowly.
Miss Faro said 'no-one should ever feel ashamed' of their physical ailments. Because the syndrome is so uncommon, and largely unknown, she said it's important to raise awareness
A woman who thought she had a cricked neck was left paralysed after suffering a spinal stroke.
Caroline Hall believed she had pulled a muscle and felt intense pain shortly after bending over to pick something off the ground at work.
The pain was so unbearable, the 38-year-old, from Bolton, Lancashire, was rushed to hospital where she fell into a coma - and woke up unable to feel anything below her neck.
Attached to a ventilator as her lungs had collapsed, doctors broke the news she had suffered a spinal stroke
This is where blood flow to the spine is cut off, damaging the nerves and causing paralysis.
Caroline Hall, 38, thought a pain in her neck was a pulled muscle. She was horrified when she woke up the next day completely paralysed after suffering a spinal stroke (pictured right during her recovery)
Miss Hall now needs a wheelchair or an electric scooter to move around. She has regained the movement in the right side of her body but her left side is still completely paralysed
She was moved to a special spinal injury unit where she re-learned to breathe and use a wheelchair.
Now, she has re-gained movement in the right side of her body and says using a scooter has given her some of her independence back.
Miss Hall, an RSPCA inspector first felt a pain in her neck in January 2012, but believed it was a pulled muscle.
'I just thought I had pulled a muscle and even told a colleague it was nothing that a glass of wine and a hot bath couldn't fix,' she said.
The next day she noticed the pain again while out on a job at a farm in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester - and thought she had a 'cricked neck'.
But when she bent down to take a rug off a horse in a stable, she felt sharp, intense pain in the left hand side of her neck.
'I continued working, thinking it was nothing to worry about, but half an hour later I was feeling very unwell, drained and a bit out of it,' she said.
WHAT IS A SPINAL STROKE? Normally, a stroke is caused either by a blockage to the blood supply to the brain, or a bleed from a weakened blood vessel supplying the brain. With a spinal stroke, the same principles apply, but the blockage or bleed affects the spinal cord. Stretching from the base of the brain to the small of the back, the spinal cord is a key part of the body's central nervous system, which transmits instructions from the brain to the rest of the body. Like the brain, the cord needs a constant blood supply to provide oxygen and nutrients. If it is halted, the nerves quickly become damaged and some die. As a result, these stop sending messages from the brain to the muscles - which muscles this affects depends on where the stroke occurs. If a person has a stroke around the mid-section of their spinal cord, they may suffer paralysis in their legs, but everything above this will be unaffected. But a stroke around the neck section of the spinal cord could affect the muscles in the arms. The most common cause of spinal strokes, as with brain strokes, is a build-up of cholesterol plaque in an artery wall, which then blocks it. Alternatively, small vessels supplying the spine rupture, due to abnormalities of the vessel walls or malformations of the vessels, says Tony Rudd, professor of stroke medicine at London's King's College Hospital. Of the 152,000 strokes in the UK each year, spinal strokes make up about 1.25 per cent, says the Stroke Association. For some, 'a spinal stroke can prove fatal towards the neck, as it can have a devastating impact on nerves to muscles, which control breathing and the diaphragm', says Professor Rudd. Most spinal stroke victims will survive, but are often left with life-long disabilities. 'Unfortunately, the prognosis for spinal stroke patients is not great,' says Professor Rudd. Advertisement
Her colleague told her to go and sit down in the van, but when she did, she began to feel intense pain.
She said: 'Suddenly I got the most horrific pain in the world in my neck. I had to put my fist in my mouth to stop me screaming.
'I watched as my left arm slid down my body and the left side of my body drooped.
'I had no movement in that side and I knew I'd had a stroke from watching adverts on TV.'
Miss Hall's colleague, who had heard her muffled screams, phoned for an ambulance immediately.
'I was really scared but thought I'd be OK if I just stayed strong until the ambulance arrived,' Miss Hall said.
After being rushed to hospital terrified she was going to die, Miss Hall (left, before her stroke, and right, during recovery) fell into a coma and was put on a ventilator after her lungs collapsed
Moved to a special spinal injury unit, Miss Hall had to relearn to breathe again (pictured during recovery). Three weeks after, she was thrilled to move her finger for the first time
She was taken to the Tameside General Hospital and kept in the resuscitation area as, on the way, she had started having breathing difficulties.
Terrified, she believed she was going to die.
Before long, she became 'locked in' meaning she could hear and see everything around her but could not speak or move - for hours.
'Doctors were telling me to blink and move my toes but I couldn't. My friends were there begging me to stay alive,' she said.
Miss Hall fell into a coma that night and was transferred to the Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust.
Before her injury the RSPCA inspector was completely fit and healthy
When she woke up the next morning in intensive care, she was totally paralysed from the neck down.
Her lungs had stopped working and so she was attached to a ventilator to help her breathe.
Two MRI scans confirmed that she had suffered a spinal stroke, a rare condition in which blood flow to the spine is interrupted, potentially leading to paralysis.
The scans also showed she had a birth defect which she had never known about.
The blood vessels around her spine had not joined up properly and one of them had burst, causing the damage to her spinal cord.
Doctors were not sure what the long term effects would be, or whether the paralysis would be permanent.
Three weeks later, Miss Hall managed to move a finger after being 'bullied into it' by her friend Vicki McDonald.
She describes the moment as 'brilliant', as it gave her hope that she may fully regain her movement.
In February 2012, she was moved to the Spinal Injury Centre at the Southport and Ormskirk Hospital, where she underwent physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
She had to relearn how to breathe independently, and was taught to use an electric wheelchair.
She said: 'I sobbed when I first sat in it. I couldn't believe that this was where life had taken me.'
Over the next couple of months, to her delight - Miss Hall slowly regained movement in the right side of her body.
However to this day she still experiences weakness and cannot feel temperature or pain.
She says getting the scooter has 'changed her life' and made her much more independent. 'I'm so lucky that I'm here and have the best family and friends anyone could ask for,' she said
Her left side is still paralysed and she is unable to feel her limbs, or identify where they are.
For example, she can't tell whether her leg is under or over the bed sheets.
She left hospital in August 2012 and used a manual wheelchair for a couple of years.
Then in August 2014 she was given a scooter by Aspire, a charity which supports people with spinal injuries.
She says getting the scooter has 'changed her life' and made her much more independent.
'I'm so lucky that I'm here and have the best family and friends anyone could ask for,' she said.
'There have been some low and terrible times but I had such good support during those times that I made it through.'
News / National
by Staff reporter
Police in Bulawayo have called for reinforcements after being pushed further further into the CBD by protesting youths.Youths have lashed out and threw stones at police water cannon and anti riot cops.Reinforcements being debriefed before deploymentChaos has reigned in the Bulawayo CBD with China shops being stoned and looted.Police reinforcements have been sent in to try and curb the protesters from entering further into the CBD area.More water cannons have been sent in to block rioters from marching further.Cops are stationed at Corner 2nd and 3rd Ave, Lobengula St.
Comfort eating reduces stress levels in women when they are at their most fertile, research suggests.
Scoffing unhealthy food can affect the brains of both men and women, but is particularly likely to help limit stress in women when their levels of oestrogen are highest.
The research sheds light on how men and womens brains function differently, and how womens hormones could make them more likely to rely on comfort food at certain times of the month.
Scientists from the University of Cincinnati carried out a study on rats to test the brains response to snacking on comfort food.
Scientists from the University of Cincinnati carried out a study on rats to test the brains response to snacking on comfort food
They divided female rats into two groups, one set was fed a sweet sugary drink twice a day for 14 days to mimic human snacking patterns and one was just given water at the same times.
The rats were then put through a stress test and their stress hormone response was measured.
Females given the sugar solution showed lower levels of stress hormones than those who had not. Previous studies have shown eating comforting food has a similar response in male rats.
But in this test, the reduced stress response only occurred in female rats who were at the most fertile point of their cycles with high levels of oestrogen.
The researchers also analysed which parts of the brain were lit up by eating comfort food.
Levels of one protein, FosB/deltaFosB, which indicates increased activity in the brain regions responsible for stress relief were higher in males given the sugary drink compared to those who were not.
This increase was also seen in female rats but only when they were in the most fertile stage.
Another protein showing increase in stress relief, pCREB, was at high levels in male rats given the comfort food but not in females. Instead, levels varied across the cycle and was unaffected by whether they ate the sugar solution or not.
Scientists said the results showed that comfort eating can have a stress-relieving effect on both men and womens brains, but that in women it is linked to the hormonal cycle
Scientists said the results showed that comfort eating can have a stress-relieving effect on both men and womens brains, but that in women it is linked to the hormonal cycle.
Researcher Ann Egan said: We know that both men and women eat tasty foods as a strategy to reduce stress, and in fact there is some evidence that suggests that women may be more prone to this comfort food style of eating.
This study is important because it suggests that males and females may be using slightly different brain regions, and the stress relief in females may also be affected by the stage of the (hormonal) cycle.
This can help us understand how eating behaviours can affect men and women differently, and how eating behaviours are affected by fluctuating hormone levels.
Doctors and nurses must treat sepsis with the same urgency as heart attacks, the NHS watchdog has ordered.
They must ask themselves could this be sepsis? whenever they see patients with a rash, high temperature or raised pulse.
Anyone suspected of having the deadly condition also known as blood poisoning or septicaemia must be sent to hospital via emergency ambulance and be seen immediately by a senior doctor or nurse.
NICEs first-ever guidelines for diagnosing and treating sepsis follow a damning report into the death of one-year-old William Mead (pictured with his parents Melissa and Paul)
NICEs first-ever guidelines for diagnosing and treating sepsis follow a damning report into the death of one-year-old William Mead in 2014 which exposed a string of NHS failures.
NICE confirmed that Williams death had resulted in the guidelines being published far earlier than planned.
The watchdog started drawing up the recommendations early in 2014, before William died, amid concerns that thousands of patients were dying needlessly.
There are 150,000 cases of sepsis known as the silent killer in the UK each year, resulting in 44,000 deaths. It occurs when the immune system goes into overdrive as it tries to fight a previously minor infection.
This can reduce the blood supply to vital organs such as the brain, heart and kidneys. Without quick treatment, sepsis can lead to multiple organ failure and death.
The condition can strike fit and healthy patients of all ages but is most common in children under one, pregnant women, the elderly and those with underlying illnesses.
Doctors and nurses must treat sepsis with the same urgency as heart attacks, the NHS watchdog has ordered
An independent report into Williams death, uncovered by the Mail, concluded that he would be alive today had symptoms not been repeatedly misdiagnosed by GPs and call handlers on the 111 helpline.
Last night Williams mother Melissa, who lives in Penryn, Cornwall, said: This is a monumental step forward. Without a shadow of a doubt it will save lives.
SIGNS ALL STAFF MUST WATCH OUT FOR UNDER-FIVES High-pitched cries of distress Unresponsive Breathing rate of more than 40 to 60 breaths per minute Heart rate of more than 140 to 160 beats per minute Rash or mottled skin Temperature less than 36C or higher than 38C AGES 5 TO 11 Altered behaviour, complaints of being ill Breathing rate of more than 25 to 29 breaths per minute Heart rate of more than 115 to 130 beats per minute OLDER YOUTHS AND ADULTS Altered mental state Not passed urine in 18 hours Breathing rate of more than 25 breaths a minute Heart rate of more than 130 beats a minute Advertisement
Had these guidelines been in place two years ago we wouldnt be speaking today. If those clinicians who treated William were thinking sepsis, he would more than likely be alive today.
Todays 49-page list of guidelines tells GPs, nurses and hospital doctors to be as alert to sepsis as they are with heart attacks any patient with chest pain is immediately sent to hospital.
The guidelines include a clear symptom checker a detailed table setting out the exact warning signs depending on a patients age.
Patients suspected of having sepsis must be sent to hospital in an ambulance and if sepsis is confirmed, treated immediately with antibiotics and fluids through a drip.
Professor Saul Faust, from the University of Southampton and chairman of the group that developed the NICE guidelines, said: Anyone can succumb to sepsis.
It can come on as the result of a minor injury or infection that the body is trying to recover from and the immune system goes into overdrive. Sepsis can be difficult to diagnose with certainty.
We want clinicians to start asking could this be sepsis? much earlier so they can rule it out or get people the treatment they need.
The thinking should be similar to considering that chest pain could be heart related. Just like most people with chest pain are not having a heart attack, the majority of people with an infection will not have sepsis.
But if it isnt considered then the diagnosis can be missed.
Experts have estimated that a third of the 44,000 lives lost every year could be saved if the condition was detected early and treated immediately.
An independent report into Williams death, uncovered by the Mail, concluded that he would be alive today had symptoms not been repeatedly misdiagnosed by GPs and call handlers on the 111 helpline
Professor Mark Baker, director of the NICE centre for guidelines, said: Once identified, sepsis can be treated very quickly and people are more likely to make a full recovery.
We know that when hospitals are well prepared, clinicians do better at responding to patients with sepsis. However recent reports have revealed that many hospitals have no formal protocols for recognising and responding to sepsis.
If there is any delay in spotting the signs we will fail patients by leaving them with debilitating problems or in the worst cases people will die.
Last night Williams mother Melissa, who lives in Penryn, Cornwall, said: This is a monumental step forward. Without a shadow of a doubt it will save lives'
Sepsis is most commonly triggered by chest, skin and urinary infections but can also develop following routine surgery, including caesareans, or having a drip inserted. The initial warning signs include fast breathing or a fast heartbeat, high or low temperature, chills and shivering.
Severe symptoms can develop soon after, and include low blood pressure, dizziness, disorientation, slurred speech, mottled skin, nausea and vomiting.
The condition can be easily treated with antibiotics, but otherwise can quickly lead to organ failure and death.
Much has been written and said about our abortive bid for NSG membership.
The Ministry of External Affairs' background briefing has shed light on why we pressed for membership at this juncture, why we failed, procedural issues raised by some countries, and Chinas dogged opposition.
All this still leaves room for further analysis and reflection.
PM Narendra Modi failed in his bid to win India membership of the Nuclear Suppliers' Group
A disquieting feature of the Seoul setback was the diplomatic victory China scored over the US, in a forum established by the US and dominated by it for decades.
If China could block the US here, it does raise questions about US willingness and capacity to checkmate China elsewhere - not only in the South China Sea, but also in our region.
Washington is seeking expanded commitment from India against the rising Chinese threat in the Asia-Pacific region.
It should normally have reasoned that if its resolve to counter China on an issue such as Indias NSG membership - which China was opposing for purely political reasons and its unflinching support for Pakistan - was seen as weak, India would have less confidence in the tenacity of Americas rebalance towards Asia.
Business
Washingtons public support for Indias application and Chinas equally public opposition to it made the issue of Indias NSG membership an open diplomatic tussle between the US and China.
Countries such as Austria, New Zealand, Ireland, Mexico, and Switzerland are amenable to firm US diplomacy, but were allowed to play into Chinas hands and buttress its opposition by raising procedural issues.
PM Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping (File photo)
China was allowed to inflict a diplomatic defeat on India and on the US itself.
China was a late entrant not only to the NPT, which it rejected as discriminatory for years, but also to the NSG, which it joined in 2004.
For such a country to swear by the NPT and project itself as a conscientious upholder of the NSG guidelines compared to the unprincipled approach of the US is quite ironic.
China's nuclear relationship with Pakistan in the past - and even now - cannot withstand strict NSG scrutiny.
The US has chosen not to confront China on this issue as other differences have higher priority in its eyes.
Other factors have given China room for its NSG power play.
China is expanding its nuclear sector massively. US, French, and Russian companies are constructing several nuclear power plants in the country, which makes business considerations very relevant.
Kingpin
China has been offered a stake in the UKs Hinkley nuclear power project, which requires huge investment.
Frances Areva has signed a number of strategic agreements with China in the nuclear sector and is now offering equity in the company to China.
This would explain the reluctance to corner China on its nuclear cooperation with Pakistan and on Indias NSG membership.
China has behaved as a kingpin in the NSG, and has got away with it for the moment.
Ever since the India-US nuclear deal China has been challenging Washingtons global supremacy on non-proliferation matters.
To balance the India-US deal, China decided to enhance its nuclear cooperation with Pakistan by contracting to build two additional reactors without going through the process of seeking an NSG exemption for its protege.
It has deliberately tagged Pakistans NSG membership to that of India to show the US that it can exercise patronage on nuclear matters too - and without doing any preparatory legal work as the US did in Indias case.
Fragile
China deliberately fast-tracked Pakistans NSG membership application to derail a decision on Indias case, because it ensured that the procedural and criteria argument regarding membership of non-NPT countries became more germane.
Through such maneuvering China wanted to expose the fragility of the US commitment on our membership, and demonstrate that the latter could not steam-roll Indias membership against Chinas wishes.
The procedural and criteria argument is a red herring though, because there is no queue of countries seeking NSG membership.
Israel is not a declared nuclear power and has no intention of seeking NSG membership.
The whole debate boils down to India and Pakistan alone, and could have been settled on the basis of the merits of their individual cases.
There is no easy explanation as to why the US failed to clinch Indias membership, which has been on the political table for so long.
Even if China relents towards the end of the year, it has demonstrated its clout and conveyed that India has to earn its support and goodwill.
Indias public statement that it will not oppose Pakistans NSG membership politically is a notable diplomatic victory for China, particularly in the background of the political slap it administered to India at Vienna and Seoul.
The Supreme Court has broken tradition by confirming that it will extend its working day from 4pm until 6pm on the days when the Nirbhaya case is listed.
The court announced the hearing of appeals filed by the four murder-rape convicts currently on death row - Mukesh, Pawan, Vinay, Akshay.
It will be obliged to confirm or reject the death sentence awarded by the trial court, and upheld by the High Court on July 18.
A special bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra said the court will sit until 6pm, in the interest of a detailed and continuous hearing.
The Supreme Court has broken tradition in saying that it will extend hearings from 4pm until 6pm on the days listed to hear the Nirbhaya case
The bench also allowed the plea of Nirbhayas mother Asha Devi, and father Bhadrinath Singh, to be heard on certain aspects of the case.
The Supreme Court has appointed two senior lawyers - Raju Ramachandran and Sanjay Hegde - to ensure that there are no "inadequacies" and the convicts are ensured a "full and fair" hearing.
Considering the gravity of the case and the questions of law involved, we deem it fit to appoint the senior lawyers to assist the court, the bench had said.
While advocate Raju Ramachandran will represent convicts Mukesh and Pawan, another well-known lawyer Sanjay Hegde will argue for Vinay and Akshay.
Ramachandran had earlier represented 26/11 death convict Ajmal Kasab and Mumbai blast convict Yakub Memon in the Supreme Court.
On April 4 the Supreme Court finally began hearing the appeals after leaving them on the shelf for more than two years.
The incident sparked worldwide condemnation and spurred major changes in Indian law
As per procedure, the apex court also needs to confirm that the crime warrants capital punishment, and only then can the four convicts be hanged.
The juvenile convict has already walked free after serving three years at a juvenile home. Another accused, Mukesh's brother Ram Singh, committed suicide inside Tihar Jail during the trial.
The incident, which sparked worldwide condemnation and spurred major changes in Indian laws, took place on a private bus which the victim had boarded along with a male friend on the night of December 16, 2012.
They were on their way back home after watching the evening show of Life of Pi at a theatre in Saket mall.
An Indian intelligence report has red-flagged the content of Naik's channel, Peace TV, where his speeches are aired
Islamic preacher Zakir Naiks financial backers in countries like Saudi Arabia and the UK are under examination, as the government probes whether his funds are being sourced from radical groups.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has started scrutinising files related to the foreign funding of Naiks NGO, the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), amid charges that Naiks radical views have become an inspiration for terrorists - including those involved in the attack on a Dhaka restaurant which killed 22 people.
Back in India, ISIS recruits have revealed that they looked up to Naik and followed the path of jihad after listening to his speeches.
Sources said that up until 2012, his NGO had received about Rs 15 crore over four to five years.
The IRF is registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) since it receives foreign funding.
Some of the donors are under scanner and we are investigating whether the funds were used for the purpose stated or diverted to other areas, said a home ministry official.
Videos of Naik's speeches are available on YouTube and have become extremely popular with sections of the Muslim community, while his CDs are also being circulated the world over.
An intelligence report has red-flagged the content of Naik's channel, Peace TV, where his speeches are aired, stating that his sermons are dangerous for the security environment of the country.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is also exploring whether any legal action or a ban can be imposed on Peace TV.
Naik, however, released a statement earlier saying he totally disagreed that he had inspired the killing of innocent people in Dhaka.
There is not a single talk of mine where I encouraged one to kill another, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, he said.
Naik, who is reportedly in Saudi Arabia at present, has delayed his return to his hometown Mumbai following the controversy.
The Home Ministry is probing whether foreign funding given to IRF was used for political activities, or provoking people towards terror activities in the name of Islam.
All such activities are contrary to FCRA, and any violation invites punitive action.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that CDs of Naik's speeches are being examined, and asserted that the government will not compromise on the issue of terrorism.
While New Delhi is still probing the allegations against Zakir Naik, the Bangladesh government banned the broadcasting of Peace TV on Sunday. The controversy over Zakir Naik also took a political turn as the BJP attacked Congress leader Digvijay Singh for sharing a dais with him.
Hitting back at the BJP, Singh raked up the issue of Rajnath Singh's alleged meeting with 2008 Malegaon blast accused Pragya Thakur.
I am being criticised for sharing stage with Zakir Naik, but what about Rajnath Singh ji meeting bomb blast accused Pragya Thakur? Singh tweeted.
The Supreme Court has taken a stand for minorities in India, taking note of a plea which argued that Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir are unable to benefit from central and state welfare schemes for minorities.
A bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur issued notices to the Centre, National Commission for Minorities, and the state government after the public interest litigation pointed out that no panel has been set up to identify religious and linguistic minorities in the countrys only Muslim-majority state, despite repeated representations.
Jammu and Kashmir has still not legislated the State Minority Commission Act which empowers its Assembly to notify minorities by applying prescribed criteria. Consequently, the benefits exclusively meant for the minority communities are being given away to a certain community, which is the majority community, in an illegal and arbitrary manner, said the PIL filed by Jammu-based lawyer Ankur Sharma.
Kashmiri Hindus perform rituals during the annual fair at Kheer Bhawani temple in Jammu
Last month, J&Ks Minister for Social Welfare Sajad Gani Lone told the legislative council that there was no need to establish a minority commission in the state, while rejecting demands from BJP legislators.
Such demands will add fire. Jammu has a Hindu majority and Kashmir has a Muslim majority. We cannot declare minorities at block levels and have to follow national criteria, Lone said.
According to the 2011 census, about 68.3 per cent of the state's population are Muslims. Among the minorities, 28.4 per cent are Hindus, followed by Sikhs (1.9 per cent), Buddhists (0.9 per cent), and Christians (0.3 per cent).
In Kashmir valley, about 96.4 per cent are Muslims, followed by Hindus (2.45 per cent), Sikhs (0.98 per cent) and others (0.17 per cent).
Sharma said he filed the PIL to safeguard the interests of religious and linguistic minorities and for the enforcement of their fundamental rights".
Non-identification and non-notification of the minorities is leading to disbursement of minority benefits illegally and arbitrarily, according to the whims and fancies of successive state governments, he alleged.
The Union government indirectly recognises Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Christians of Jammu and Kashmir as minorities.
This is in spite of the fact that the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992, is not applicable to J&K - and thus the recognition of Muslims as minorities is whimsical and illegal, the plea said.
The Union Ministry of Minority Affairs has awarded 717 out of the 753 available scholarships to the majority community in Jammu and Kashmir.
Constitutional guarantees under Article 29 and 30 (rights of minorities) are no guarantees at all in Jammu and Kashmir due to the government's failure to identify religious and linguistic minorities and declare them as notified minorities, said the PIL.
Rights and benefits due to the minorities are being siphoned off arbitrarily and illegally, it added.
The litigant wants the Supreme Court to demand the setting-up of a state minority commission to identify religious and linguistic minorities, or to appoint a panel of experts under its supervision to submit a report on the religious and linguistic minority communities of Jammu and Kashmir.
A Delhi University student has died at the SMHS hospital in Srinagar, after being shot at by paramilitary CRPF and police in Bijbehara, south Kashmir.
According to eyewitnesses, Aamir Nazir Latto was shot when he was sitting on the Jhelum river bund.
As doctors battled to save his life, Latto was reportedly given 17 points of blood donated by ordinary Kashmiris, who are rushing to hospitals to give blood after health authorities announced a shortage.
CRPF personnel guard a street during curfew in Srinagar. (Picture for representation only.)
Dr Saleem-ur-Rehman, Director Health Services, Kashmir, has directed hospital administrators to send blood to tertiary care hospitals to help stricken patients.
Aamir Nazir Latto studied business at Zakir Husain College, Delhi University. He was pursuing M Com and was in the middle of his first semester. He had only returned home for a brief vacation.
Meanwhile, another protester was killed when police in north Kashmirs Kupwara district opened fire on demonstrators who had tried to attack a police vehicle.
These two killings take the death toll in J&K's recent violent protests to 32. Unrest has broken out across the Valley since Friday, when protests erupted after the killing of Burhan Muzaffer Wani, a 21-year-old Hizbul Mujahedeen divisional commander.
Police said the situation in Valley remained under control on Tuesday, except for some incidents of mob attacks.
A police spokesman said protesters set fire to police guard rooms at three different places in Pulwama. At present, 340 wounded people are being treated at the SMHS Hospital in Srinagar.
Modi review crisis in the Valley
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is said to have expressed his 'unhappiness' over the media coverage of violent protests in Kashmir following the killing of Burhan Wani, saying the Hizbul Mujahideen militant has been portrayed as a hero.
This was conveyed by the Prime Minister at a high-level meeting he convened on Tuesday morning to review the situation in Jammu and Kashmir after Wanis killing, sources said.
In the meeting, attended by Union ministers and officials, the prime minister was given a detailed briefing about Wani, the encounter where he died, the subsequent protests, and the drowning of a policeman.
Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley and Manohar Parrikar coming out of the high-level Cabinet meeting
Modi expressed 'unhappiness' over the media coverage of the Kashmir situation, saying a militant who was involved in terror activities and was working to disintegrate the country, has been portrayed as a hero - giving his followers more traction to whip up a frenzy.
Modi has also cited over a dozen cases registered against Wani, most of which were serious in nature under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
The meeting also reviewed the Rs 80,000 crore financial package announced by the NDA government for Jammu and Kashmir, and its implementation.
Volkswagen is set to face yet another backlash from owners of cars affected by the dieselgate scandal after a consumer group found that a model with the defeat device deactivated now emits more NOx than it did before.
A recalls process is already underway in Europe to fix impacted vehicles in the ongoing test-cheating saga, though drivers will be shocked to discover that one vehicle claimed to be repaired now emits illegal levels of nitrogen oxides.
Italian organisation, Altroconsumo, revealed the results of its test on a recalled Audi Q5 just a week after VW reiterated that owners of dieselgate cars in Europe will not be receiving compensation.
Fix or fudge? Italian consumer group, Altroconsumo, said an Audi Q5 that had been through VW's dieselgate recall process emitted 25% more than the legal limit of NOx after technicians had turned off the defeat device
Last November, Volkswagen assured owners of affected cars that they would not only see a drop in fuel economy or performance when their vehicles were repaired.
But the very same statement was tarnished with some doubt around emissions levels, saying: 'The objective for the development of the technical measures is still to achieve the applicable emission targets in each case without any adverse effects on the engine output, fuel consumption and performance.
'However, as all model variants first have to be measured, the achievement of these targets cannot yet be finally confirmed.'
According to Altorconsumo, which is a member of the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), the work carried out on an Audi Q5 SUV appears to be ineffective, with the model now emitting 25 per cent more NOx than legal limits allow after technicians had carried out the required updates.
VW's recall process includes a software update for affected 1.2 and 2.0-litre diesel engines, while the 1.6-litre units require a new flow transformer in order to deactivate the emissions test cheating equipment.
But the Italian consumer organisation has slammed the carmaker, claiming the issue has not been remedied at all and cars are now more polluting than ever.
'This is another blow for EU consumers and a new dimension of the VW scandal,' a statement from BEUC said.
Altroconsumo retested an Audi Q5 that had already been through the recall process to deactivate the defeat device that cheated emissions tests
'This test by our Italian member clearly demonstrates that VWs solution to deactivate the defeat device is not reliable.
'It is imperative that the German testing agency who approved the fix, but also their national counterparts, urgently re-examine the solutions to repair the affected cars and that they publish these results.
'Consumers need to be 100 per cent certain that their car will be in conformity with emission thresholds after the recall.'
Just a week before, Volkswagen's CEO Mathias Mueller told a German newspaper that owners in Europe would not be compensated in a similar fashion to those in the US.
He said a similar payout package to the $14.7bn deal offered on the other side of the Atlantic could not be upheld in Europe as it would 'overwhelm' the brand's finances and because the fix for vehicles on these shores would be easier to carry out.
Volkswagen's recall process is underway in the UK and is scheduled to take around 12 months to complete
But the European consumer group said this is no longer the case, based on the recent test results.
'Volkswagen justifies compensation payments to US consumers with the argument that their cars cannot be as easily fixed as in Europe. This excuse now seems to be built on sand,' BEUC's statement added.
'VW must compensate European consumers. This is the only possible way forward for VW to make up for this ongoing consumer detriment.
'National public authorities must finally take action and put pressure on VW to correct their misbehaviour.'
Dividend cover for the UK's largest companies has fallen to its lowest level since the end of the recession, according to research that throws into doubt whether the UK's largest companies can afford their payouts to shareholders.
Profits after tax dropped by more than half to 76.4billion at the UK's top 350 listed companies in 2015, but dividend payments rose to 78.4billion, according to The Share Centre's and Capita's UK dividend monitor.
This means companies paid out more in dividends than they made in profit and are at serious risk in the future of cutting their dividends or not being able to pay out at all.
Locked in: Analysts have said firms refuse to cut their dividends despite real worries they can't afford them
Dividend cover for the firms in the FTSE 350 (the FTSE 100 plus the FTSE 250) currently stands 0.98 times, down 38 per cent from 1.63 times the year before and the lowest level since the third quarter of 2009, when it fell to just 0.73 times shortly after the financial crisis.
In an ideal world dividend cover should work out at 2.0 times or more. See below for more on how to calculate dividend cover.
With cover at such a low level, cutting the dividend would represent the most sensible option for many FTSE 350 firms, but experts say this remains the last resort as regular payouts keep shareholders 'locked in' and 'loyal'.
Mike van Dulken, analyst at Accendo Markets, said: 'The dividend is the last thing you cut. It's the one thing that keeps shareholders from selling even after big share price falls - the prospect of future income streams.
'Otherwise everything hangs on the share price recovery, and they know it might never fully recover. So you hope the income will make up for some of the difference.
He added: 'Also, certain income funds can't hold shares once the dividends are cut. Which might add to selling pressure.
'It's a confidence thing. If you have confidence that you can pay the dividend, it suggests confidence in the future.'
What is dividend cover? - Dividend cover is a ratio defined by profit after tax divided by dividends paid. - The higher the ratio, the greater the comfort that a company can afford - and sustain - its dividend pay-outs. - A lower ratio means a cut in the dividend is more likely if profits fall
Helal Miah, investment research analyst at The Share Centre, added that the pressure often comes from the fund managers who run income funds.
He said: 'Companies keep up the pressure on managers to sustain dividends, even when profits are falling.
'Fund managers look to maximise the returns their investors see from the companies they have invested in.'
He added: 'Dividend income is a vital component of this return, even more so for those running income-orientated funds for their clients. For this reason, dividends and their sustainability is vitally important.'
'It even happens that dividend cover goes negative for a short time, meaning that profits are smaller than the dividend. Companies can do this if the balance sheet is strong enough to allow them to borrow.
'Of course, maintaining high dividends on low profits isn't sustainable in the long-term. The share price will reflect that reality quite quickly anyway if there is no likelihood of a rapid bounce back in the bottom line in the near future.
'Global headwinds suggest this may now be the case for many companies, a number of which have already abandoned progressive dividend policies or made cuts in response. Such a cut, of course, automatically helps restore the coverage ratio to a more sustainable level.'
Three sectors weigh heavily on FTSE 350 dividend cover - only a handful of bright spots
Miners reported losses of 7.7billion in 2015, which pushed dividend cover to -1.06 times.
Losses of 8billion were also reported among oil and gas producers, which will have had a similar impact on dividend cover.
Dividend cover is now at the lowest point since '09
And in the banking sector, profits were insufficient to cover dividends as financials saw cover fall from 1.61 times to 0.52 times in 2015.
At the sector level, almost one-third of the 38 sectors paid more in dividends than they reported in profit.
But there were some bright spots and a handful of sectors which were close to an ideal cover of 2.0.
Healthcare bucked the wider trend, as the industry saw its coverage ratio rise to 1.69 from 0.99 a year ago.
This was driven by the pharmaceuticals sector.
Although dividends barely increased, it saw net profits double to 11.5billion, largely down to the profit GlaxoSmithKline made on the sale of its oncology business to Novartis.
FTSE 100 v FTSE 250
The stronger profit growth of mid-cap companies over the past year led to the FTSE 250 seeing higher dividend cover than the FTSE 100.
This reflects the 34 per cent fall in net profits in the FTSE 100, compared to the 7 per cent increase in the FTSE 250.
Dividend cover fell to 0.89 times in the FTSE 100, counteracting the FTSE 250's cover rise to 1.56 times.
Yet investors should note that this trend might be about to reverse.
The market reaction to the referendum result suggests that FTSE 100 firms profitability will increase while those in the FTSE 250 will deteriorate as the UK economy slows and the pound stays weak.
Helal Miah, added: 'With the outcome of the Referendum likely to hit profits of companies dependent on the UK economy, investors should expect cover to fall further or brace themselves for dividends to be cut.'
But analysts have cautioned against the recent rush for investing in FTSE 100 firms that predominantly sell their products abroad or who report in dollars.
Experts say that although the trend is logical, it could easily be undone by a rise in the pound or a global downturn.
Russ Mould, analyst at AJ Bell, said: 'Some firms will have hedged their currency exposure anyway, so the benefits won't filter through to earnings straight away.'
He added: 'Overall I'd be cautious as it doesn't pay to rely on currencies as they move around so much, but in the short-term you can see how it would help in certain specific situations.'
So what should investors do to avoid having their dividends cut?
All this poses a major headache for investors who in 'uncertain times' are looking for defensive, predictable stocks.
But with traditional dividend payers like Royal Dutch Shell, BP and BHP Billiton still looking susceptible, where can investors turn to next?
Broker AJ Bell has calculated the top 10 dividend cover stocks for the year ahead and concluded that investors should look for a handful of simple factors when choosing reliable payers.
AJ Bell has worked out ten companies where dividend cover is most safe - Shire, Glenocre, Tesco top the list
Firstly there are those stocks who are already in high growth mode - such as Worldpay and Shire - both of which are unlikely to be damaged by Brexit.
These firms have been using their strong cash positions to lay the foundations for future further growth.
In Shire's case this means investing in drug development work while the company has also recently bought US firm Baxalta for $32billion - which means it will be diverting cash flow to paying interest and paying down debt.
Secondly investors should be scouring the market for companies that have only just begun to pay a dividend and therefore have plenty of room for growth.
International Consolidated Airlines paid its maiden dividend last year and analysts had expected an upward trajectory for the airline, although a profit warning shortly after the referendum could have stalled expectations.
Mould added: 'You need to make sure they can continue to pay them (and preferably keep growing them). FTSE 100 member ARM is a brilliant example - the yield is not huge but the dividend has grown every year for more than a decade and the shares have been fantastic performers.
'Im not sure IAG has that sort of potential, given the cyclicality of its business, but lets see.'
Could IAG be the next ARM?: AJ Bell hasn't bet against it but urges investors to wait and see
Finally companies who have recently had the decency to admit a dividend cut was necessary could also prove to be winners.
AJ Bell picks out Glencore, Barclays and Tesco - all companies that have struggled with earnings in recent years but who look to be over the worst.
Mould continued: 'In each case, management has cut the shareholder distribution as earnings had come under severe pressure and they wanted to protect and bolster balance sheets which had begun to look stretched.
'In the fullness of time the boards will be hoping that they can increase the payments again once earnings have begun to recover and debts been repaid.'
Shady: HSBC escaped with a fine of 1.2billion for money laundering back in 2012
HSBC has been caught up in another row over the world's giant banks, as a new report claims that it escaped censure for money laundering as it was 'too big to jail'.
Among the report's claims are the suggestion that Britain's Chancellor George Osborne warned against prosecuting HSBC to a level that could have even seen it lose its right to business in the US.
So how did HSBC, a UK-based but global bank, end up caught in yet another controversy? We explain.
What are the HSBC allegations?
Officials failed to prosecute HSBC for money laundering in 2012 over fears it would cause a global financial disaster, a congressional report has revealed.
The 228-page report claims the UK's Financial Services Authority and Chancellor George Osborne added to the pressure by warning it could lead to market turmoil.
The bank was not charged over allegations that it let drug cartels use US banks to launder funds and was instead fined 1.2billion by the authorities in 2012 in a settlement.
What is George Osborne said to have done?
The report titled, 'Too big to jail: Inside the Obama Justice Department's decision not to hold Wall Street accountable', names Osborne as having intervened in the investigation by sending a letter in September 2012 to the chairman of the Federal Reserve at the time Ben Bernanke and Timothy Geithner, the then-treasury secretary.
It said: 'Chancellor Osborne insinuated in his letter of September 10th that the US was unfairly targeting UK banks by seeking settlements that were significantly higher than 'comparable' settlements with US banks.'
The report was written by Republican staff of the committee on financial services in the US House of Representatives, which is chaired by Republican Jeb Hensarling.
It also accuses former US Attorney General Eric Holder of misleading Congress about the decision.
It said Holder ignored the recommendations of more junior staff to prosecute HSBC because of the bank's 'systemic importance' to the financial markets.
The report continued: 'Rather than lacking adequate evidence to prove HSBC's criminal conduct, internal Treasury documents show that Department of Justice leadership declined to pursue the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section recommendation to prosecute HSBC because senior Department of Justice leaders were concerned that prosecuting the bank 'could result in a global financial disaster' - as the FSA repeatedly warned.'
Should the UK have stepped in to try and help HSBC?
While HSBC is essentially a global bank, it has its headquarters in London and until recently when it made a commitment to remain there, the threat of it moving its base overseas has been ever present.
The report claims the Chancellor and then financial regulator the FSA put pressure on the US not to prosecute HSBC.
If HSBC had been found guilty of the potential charges, the US government would have been required to review and possibly revoke its charter to do business in the US.
The FSA repeatedly warned that even the threat of possible charter withdrawal could have caused a fresh global financial crisis.
In the executive summary, the Too Big to Jail report says: 'The involvement of the United Kingdom's Financial Services Authority in the US government's investigations and enforcement actions relating to HSBC, a British-domiciled institution, appears to have hampered the US government's investigations and influenced DOJ's decision not to prosecute HSBC.'
However Justice Department spokesman Peter Carr said it was standard practice to seek input on the impact of prosecutions from subject-matter experts, 'such as domestic and foreign regulators.'
Carr added that a series of factors are weighed when determining how to resolve a case, including 'adverse consequences for innocent third parties, such as employees, customers, investors, pension holders and the public.'
He confirmed that US District Judge John Gleeson approved the agreement.
Politicians and others have lined up to criticise the Justice Department for not sufficiently cracking down on big banks following the 2008 financial crisis
Why was this investigation launched?
The report has sought to shed light on the department's internal decision-making, but it stopped short of making specific recommendations.
Concerns remain over the size and reach of the world's giant banks, long after the financial crisis when authorities vowed to end the situation where financial institutions could be considered too big to fail.
US District Judge John Gleeson approved the settlement with HSBC
The 2012 settlement detailed how Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel and Colombia's Norte del Valle cartel laundered $881million through HSBC and a Mexican unit and how the bank violated US sanctions laws by doing business with customers in Iran, Libya, Sudan, Burma and Cuba.
Internal emails cited in the report show the Justice Department's Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, represented by then-chief Jennifer Shasky Calvery, was 'considering seeking a guilty plea from HSBC' as early as September 2012.
But senior leadership at the Justice Department, including Holder, ultimately overruled criminally charging the bank, even though he had testified in front of Congress that 'banks are not too big to jail.'
HSBC and The Treasury Department have declined to comment on the report.
Bank of England governor Mark Carney told MPs in a Treasury Select Committee hearing today that he was not involved in or aware of any alleged intervention in the HSBC case.
He said: 'Central banking authorities, when there are serious cases of misconduct, consult with their foreign peers to discuss the financial stability implications.'
'We do not have discussions with US judicial authorities,' he added.
Opinion / Columnist
This is the THE big question on everybody's mind. I do not know who is organising the protests but here is my suggestion for the next step. Every protest should have an identifiable aim. The aim of the protests in Zimbabwe is obvious to us all but it has to be approached step by step, I did not say slowly but step by step. The obvious defenses that the government will throw at the protesters will be the police and the army.Based on what I have read in the social media, the police morale is very low and a lot of them do not want to be beating up their fellow citizens when they know that they(the police) may not even get paid for the month of July as the government has run out of money. Our police force deserves to be given the opportunity to show that they do NOT respond to peaceful demonstrations with violence. So Zimbabwe, here is my suggestion. It may seem like the silliest thing you have ever heard but please bear with me and hear me out.Let us hold a peaceful demonstration in support of our police force. Yes you read that correctly! They have had a number of grievances such as illegal salary deductions, no assistance on relocation, forced membership of the Kuyedza club and automatic membership fee deductions, lack of accommodation, lack of transport etc.What will this achieve: They realise that we are doing this for the whole country, including them. They will look like the biggest fools if they beat up people who are trying to help them. It sets a tone for a good working relationship between the police and the demonstrators for next weeks' demonstrations.This is a serious suggestion and I hope that the organisers do consider this seriously.
'Body in a suitcase' killer Heather Mack is having a three-way lesbian relationship while serving a ten-year sentence for murdering her own mother.
Along with her then-boyfriend Tommy Schaefer, Mack murdered her mom, millionaire Chicago socialite Sheila von Wiese-Mack, in an upmarket Bali hotel in August 2014 and dumped her body in a suitcase.
The couple have been held at Bali's notorious Kerobokan Prison since being sentenced last year - Schaefer got 18 years while Mack got ten.
To complicate matters, Mack, now 21, was pregnant at the time of her sentencing with their daughter Stella, now 15 months old, and the baby now lives with her mother in the female section of the jail, with Schaefer, now 23, getting daily visitation rights.
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'Body in a Suitcase' killer Heather Mack, pictured above with her 15-month-old baby Stella, is having a great time in jail, a source has told Daily Mail Online
Since breaking up with her ex-boyfriend and killer accomplice Tommy Schaefer, Mack has taken up two women in the prison. She is currently in a three-way relationship with two local girls, one is a lesbian, who goes by the name of Rafael (left with Mack), and the other is a petite Asian teen called Nadya (right with Mack)
Along withSchaefer, Mack murdered her mom, millionaire Chicago socialite Sheila von Wiese-Mack, in an upmarket Bali hotel in August 2014 and dumped her body in a suitcase
The couple's baby, Stella, who was born while Mack was in prison, celebrated her first birthday earlier this year in March
Daily Mail Online traveled to the prison and spoke to various sources who explained that Schaefer and Mack are having the time of their lives in jail after unsuspecting supporters had given hundreds of thousands of dollars to help with their doomed legal battle.
Both of them can drink, eat and smoke anything they want, whenever they want. And Mack is taking it to the extremes with her wild love life.
She and Schaefer have split up since they've been in prison and Mack's been making the most of being surrounded by other young female inmates - by dating them. They call themselves the 'pretty little criminals'.
She is currently in a three-way relationship with two local girls, one is a lesbian, who goes by the name of Rafael, and the other is a petite Asian teen called Nadya.
They are all 'enjoying' each others' company and are often pictured kissing and canoodling each other, while making sexual references.
In one social media post, Mack and Nadya glory in their notoriety by posting a selfie saying: 'WE ARE CELEBRITIES'.
In numerous pictures, Nadya is seen kissing Rafa, while Mack is posting pictures of herself cuddled up to Rafa on the same day.
Mack and Nadya are best friends in prison and seem to spend a lot of their time drinking the local Indonesian beer Bintang and smoking Marlboros, sources say.
Nadya, who says she's bisexual, even posted the lyrics of the Marvin Gaye song Charlie Pluth, which goes: 'We got this king size to our self.. don't have to share with no one else.. don't keep your secret to your self.. it's KAMASUTRA show it town.. let's chase the dawn together.'
While Mack says: 'We found each other in the craziest place, have been through the craziest times, but have some how not only stuck together but become closer and closer.
Mack (pictured) was pregnant at the time of her sentencing with their daughter Stella, now 15 months old. She was sentenced to ten years in prison, while Schaefer was given 18 years
The baby now lives with her mother in the female section of the jail, with Schaefer getting daily visitation rights
Because Mack and Schaefer have split up since they've been in prison and Mack's been making the most of being surrounded by other young female inmates - by dating them. Mack and her female inmates call themselves the 'pretty little criminals'. Mack is pictured above right with Nadya, who is also left with Raphael
Mack has shared pictures on social media of her drinking cans of local beer and smoking cigarettes while in prison
A source said that at Bali's notorious Kerobokan Prison, money talks - prisoners pay for their jail cells and can have any food and alcohol they want and get almost unlimited freedom, as long as they're prepared to buy it. Mack shared a photo of packs of cigarettes while in prison
DAUGHTER STELLA'S HEARTBREAKING LIFE GROWING UP IN PRISON Stella Schaefer hasnt had the best start in life. Her mother was two months pregnant when she and the the tiny tots father committed the murder of her grandmother. For just over a year now, Stella has been calling notorious Kerobokan Prison, also known as Hotel K, her home and she looks remarkably stable for it. Always smiling and laughing, other inmates have taken to the baby girl, whos not the only child in the prison, as many female prisoners board with their young kids. They are her aunts, as Mack calls them. Despite all her flaws, Mack seems to genuinely want for the best for the child, who is solely looked after by Mack. When she reaches two years old, then shell have to be placed with a local family or taken back to the United States. Either way, it looks likely that shell be far behind normal American kids. By the time her mother gets out of prison, Stella will be 11. So far, Stella has been in and out of hospital several times in her young life, mostly for routine check-ups due to her cramped and sweaty conditions in her mothers cell, as well as being treated for jaundice. Although she enjoys a happy life inside prison eating healthier than most kids. For dinner, shell typically have fresh tuna, fettuccine with cherry tomatoes. For her birthday, just a few months ago, they had a party and a massive two-tiered cake. Mack has vowed to always make the child her priority saying: I love you Stella. You are the finest lady in the land and thank you for saving my life. 'Thank you for giving me an opportunity to show the world who I really am through you. I sacrificed a big percentage of my existence for you and I would never do anything other than. Advertisement
'I love you with all of my heart b**** Crazy how impossible it is to stay away from each other. Its crazy how alike we are and its crazy how strong we actually are to stay ourselves in here.'
One source explained that in prison, money talks - prisoners pay for their jail cells and can have any food and alcohol they want and get almost unlimited freedom, as long as they're prepared to buy it.
Rent is around $200 a month and guards can be paid off around $100 a time to turn a blind eye to prisoners having a 'day out' or even allowing spouses or prostitutes to visit.
Mack was allowed out four weeks ago to visit a local Balinese restaurant with Stella on Mother's Day and even sent the photos to her pals, a source said.
She's so friendly with the prison guards, who are handsomely paid off each month to allow her to live a leisurely life, that she calls them 'Uncles'. Mack thrives on being known as the 'internationally famous criminal'.
Both she and Schaefer claim that they are reformed characters, which is a laughable juxtaposition to the pictures that they post daily to their small band of devoted fans on Instagram, who won't hear of them doing any wrong.
In a series of posts, Mack, now 21, claims that she regrets every single moment of murdering her mom.
According to her pastor, whom she confides in, Mack believes that her mother is stuck between heaven and earth until Mack can find forgiveness through God.
Mack has been a regular at church and can often be seen carrying a bible around, which even she admits 'pigs are flying' if that would have been a year ago.
The pastor says: 'She's a lovely girl and a reformed character, all she cares about is Stella, that has saved her in prison, all the inmates love the little girl.
Schaefer, 23, who is serving 18 years in prison, visits baby Stella daily and spends his free time painting and working out
Schaefer claims that it is God he looks up to and is in pain every day for the devastating crime he committed in 2014
Since they were sentenced last summer, Schaefer has been working with other killers on building a new prison chapel, which he proudly showed off to his family and friends in a picture (above)
He believes everything he does is geared toward his mom and his deceased long-term girlfriend, Rachel Smylie (pictured), who was killed in a car crash in South Africa just before he started dating Mack
'When she took her first steps, Heather screamed and then all 50 female prisoners started chanting the girls name. Heather believes God and Stella can save her soul.'
While Mack is busy at Church - or partying - Schaefer, 23, is doing most of his work building religious structures.
Since they were sentenced last summer, Schaefer has been working with other killers on building a new prison chapel, which he proudly showed off to his family and friends in a picture.
Again, Schaefer claims that it is God he looks up to and is in pain every day for the devastating crime he committed.
He believes everything he does is geared toward his loyal mom, Kia Walker, and his deceased long-term girlfriend, Rachel Smylie, who was killed in a car crash in South Africa just before he started dating Mack.
In a long rambling social media post, Schaefer apologies to his family and friends, although he's just as grateful to supporters for giving him thousands of dollars, which now act as his living expenses.
He said: 'Every day I suffer. Every day is horrible. Every day I'm reminded of how many people I hurt, and how many people I let down.
'Every day i am reminded of how much I embarrassed Rachel and the ones who were rooting for me. Every day I'm reminded of all of the people I knew, the friends i admired and the family that raised me.
'And every day I am reminded of how much I lost. I owe the world an apology so big that it'll never be big enough and that hurts me beyond repair.
Supporters gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to Mack (pictured during her verdict hearing in 2015) and Schaefer help with their doomed legal battle
Schaefer, pictured after his verdict hearing in 2015, was sentenced to 'only' 18 years because of his polite and respectful manner
Mack's mother, Sheila von Wiese-Mack, was an Academic and the rich widower of James L Mack, a renowned classical and jazz composer
Mack posted a photo of herself and her mother on Instagram, expressing how much she missed von Wiese-Mack
In another throwback Instagram post, Mack shared a photo of herself as a baby with her mother - von Wiese-Mack - and her father
HEATHER MACK WRITES 'LETTERS' TO HER DEAD MOTHER ON INSTAGRAM Dear mama, i know theres no way i could pay you back, but the plan is to show you that i understand, you are appreciated. Stella will always have a mom, playmate, bestfriend, and someone to wipe away her tears just like i did as a kid. [I] know most of the world hates me, i know most of the world sees what they see on my instagram and my photos in the media and is confused as to why i am so defiant and appear to be so happy. The true story of my life will come out one day, when its time.. and maybe then who ever is reading this will begin to understand why i am who i am. But as hurt broken and depressed that i may be....i have this angel with me. As much as i do cry and hurt when she is asleep, i have a new outlook on life, my mom, myself, and a new responsibility. I havent moved on from my mother and there is still so much i dont understand about what happened with her and i and so much i wish i could do differently. But i cant. Shes gone unfortunately gone. Who is here now is stella and Stella you will always be perfect in my eyes and you will never have to second guess if i love you. My twin my heart my baby my sayang putriku stella. I miss you mommy. Im so sorry i couldnt help you i couldnt protect you and i couldnt make you happy. I miss you so bad i know that no one will ever understand our bond but us so its hard to explain, but just know ill love you forever and you took a piece of my heart when you went I love you foever. Im sorry forever. I miss you forever. I carry you in my heart forever. Clarification, this is not under any circumstances a f*** you to my mom. Its a f*** you to all you that think you know what happened and think you know what kind of a person i am based on news reports. For all of you that post comments on articles about how i shouldnt be allowed to have my daughter but like my photos on instagram. Why do you have the time for this? Dont forget f*** you to the fbi. Please dont forget that you dont know me or how i feel. You also didnt know my mom. And you certainly dont know what kind of a mom i am to my daughter. Because i dont cry in photos i post or you dont like how bali prison is you think you can determine that i dont cry? I dont give a f*** about YOU. it was my mother, my best friend, the person who gave me life and what im going through because of having a daughter now and going through all of this isnt up to you or your interpertation of instagram. Advertisement
'I'm so sorry I am so unbelievably sorry and everyone should know that every day I wake up a dead man. I'm thankful to have my daughter and my mother they're the only ones who keep me going. I can't thank you all enough for the thousands of donations to my defense!
'It was truly a blessing to know how many of you kept me in your prayers, and for that I am forever indebted I am sorry and for the rest of my life I vow to serve only the people around me and never myself. God bless you all and Rest In Peace to Sheila Von Wiese.'
But is this repentance really genuine, especially when Schaefer and Mack seem to be enjoying themselves in prison as much as they were with their 'homies' in the Chicago west side suburb of Oak Park?
According to our source, Schaefer goes daily to the gym and recreation area, which doubles as a cultural center where he paints.
He gets to see his daughter on a daily basis and often eats with her, takes her for a bath and will regularly paint her.
Although he shows a lot more remorse than Mack - his sentence was 'only' 18 years because of his polite and respectful manner - old habits die hard.
He often spends his days on his mobile phone - which is standard in this prison as long as you can pay the expensive internet data costs - chasing and flourishing compliments on random blondes and fashion models he finds on Instagram.
Schaefer did have one claim to fame many years ago, when he had his picture taken with the former Cheers star Shelly Long.
He posted the photo on his private Instagram and asked his Instagram followers: 'Maybe if I send her this picture she'll remember? Either way this was a checkpoint in my wonderfully crazy life.'
But Mack and Schaefer's relationship has suffered in prison and now they're barely on speaking terms, which is something Mack hates, saying: 'I'm sorry we are so broken right now, hopefully one day we will forgive each other.'
Though Schaefer and Mack have broken up, they still got together to celebrate baby Stella's first birthday earlier this year
When Stella reaches two years old, she will be taken from Mack and be placed with a local family or taken back to the United States
Mack slammed the Chicago Tribune on Instagram after the newspaper published a story about her and Schaefer's break up
It's clear that Mack has a party lifestyle inside, which is a lot more difficult for the men, who often see violence on a regular basis.
Only last week, one prisoner told us that he'd seen someone disemboweled and another stabbed for a measly $5.
No such thing for Mack, who is often posting pictures of all the Bintang beer she drinks and says that 'life is good' in Indonesian jail.
She is the envy of most prisoners as she can afford her favorite coffee in the mornings, followed by Bintang in the afternoon, all the while chain smoking Marlboros.
Mack's mother was an Academic and the rich widower of James L Mack, a renowned classical and jazz composer.
She had an unnaturally close relationship with her daughter, and following her death, Mack sold a story to People Magazine, where she claimed the pair slept in the same bed all their lives and were often violent to each other.
There were over a hundred police calls to their apartment for domestic assault by both mom and daughter.
Along with Schaefer, they went on an exclusive trip to Bali staying at the five-star St Regis Hotel. It was there that Schaefer and Mack killed Wiese-Mack in her hotel room and then stuffed her body into a suitcase, which they loaded into the rear of a waiting taxi.
They fled from the cab, resulting in the driver reporting the incident to police, who opened a suitcase where they found the battered body. The killers were arrested later at another hotel.
An autopsy showed that Wiese-Mack, 62, died of asphyxiation due to severe trauma to her face and she also had a broken neck.
The pair are now serving their time in the same prison as British grandmother Lindsay Sandiford, who is on Death Row for her part in a drug smuggling cocaine ring.
Mack (second right) has quickly made friends in the Bali prison and considers many of the women to be baby Stella's 'aunties'
Mack, pictured above with Stella and friends during a visitation, is serving time in the same prison as British grandmother Lindsay Sandiford, who is on Death Row for her part in a drug smuggling cocaine ring
Prince Harry's memoir will be called Spare, it was revealed today - with publisher Penguin Random House confirming the 28 book 'full of insight, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom' will be released on January 10. The memoir had initially been signed off ready for an expected autumn release as part of a multi-million pound, three-title deal with Penguin Random House. But its publication was delayed following the Queen's death, and Harry is said to have requested a number of alterations to make it less critical of the Royal Family. A press release released today read: 'Spare takes readers immediately back to one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother's coffin as the world watched in sorrow-and horror. 'As Diana, Princess of Wales was laid to rest, billions wondered what the princes must be thinking and feeling-and how their lives would play out from that point on. For Harry, this is his story at last. With its raw, unflinching honesty, Spare is a landmark publication full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.' It is understood that Harry was paid an advance of $20 million (18.4 million) for the book as part of a three-title deal worth 36.8 million. Today, Penguin Random House said the duke had donated $1,500,000 Sentebale, a charity helping children affected by HIV/AIDS. He will also donate 300,000 to WellChild, which he has been patron of for 15 years. Random House CEO Markus Dohle said: 'Penguin Random House is honoured to be publishing Prince Harry's candid and emotionally powerful story for readers everywhere. He shares a remarkably moving personal journey from trauma to healing, one that speaks to the power of love and will inspire and encourage millions of people around the world.'
An Ohio woman sobbed in court after she was sentenced to three years in prison for regularly locking her young son in an unfinished basement.
Angel Abram, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of child endangerment and was sentenced on Monday in Newark, Ohio.
Authorities said Abram and her boyfriend Joshua Bergeron kept her six-year-old son in a six-foot-by-eight-foot room in the basement of their home when he wasn't in school and beat him with a belt.
The boy was forced to eat his meals in the dirty basement, authorities said, and he had to use a toddler potty.
Angel Abram, 35, sobbed in court after she was sentenced to three years in prison for regularly locking her six-year-old son in an unfinished basement
Authorities said Abram (left) and her boyfriend Joshua Bergeron (right) kept her 6-year-old son in a 6-foot-by-8-foot room in the basement of their home when he wasn't in school and beat him with a belt
The child was kept in the 'filthy' basement for hours at a time over the course of five months.
Prosecutors also said the child's alleged beatings were 'essentially an everyday thing.'
He ate his meals in the basement, used a toddler potty he was forced to empty himself, and slept on a deflated air mattress, according to Assistant Licking County Prosecutor Paula Sawyers.
Other than the hours he was in school, Abram's son spent most of his time in the basement, while three other children in the house were allowed to sleep in bedrooms.
'He was the forgotten child, the disposable child,' Sawyers said.
The couple were arrested in October 2015, after one of the older children reported the abuse.
Abram and Bergeron, who was not the victim's biological father, argued they were disciplining the boy and he told the judge that 'there were reasons things were done.'
The boy reportedly struggled with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and had behavioral issues, according to Sawyers.
Abram's attorney Kristin Burkett acknowledged that Abrams failed to protect her child, but argued the mother suffered from battered woman's syndrome at the hands of Bergeron.
The boy ate his meals in the basement, used a toddler potty he was forced to empty himself, and slept on a deflated air mattress in the house on Wilson Street (pictured) in Newark, Ohio, according to prosecutor
'She was not able to get herself out of the situation,' Burkett said. 'She failed to protect him, we don't disagree with that.'
But Judge David Branstool said that he didn't believe that Abrams had acted as a result of the psychological condition that occurs among domestic abuse victims.
'It's hard to comprehend how this could happen and you not leave or at least get him out of there,' Branstool told Abram.
'At what point do you stand up and protect your child? You had many opportunities to do that and you didn't.'
Abram's boyfriend, 39-year-old Joshua Bergeron, pleaded no contest to a child endangering charge and a weapons count and was sentenced in March to four years.
Bergeron was previously convicted of raping a child in Washington, and had an active warrant in the state after he failed to register as a sexual offender, according to Sawyers.
The majority of people in Europe believe that the large influx of migrants will lead to more terrorism and problems for the economy of their country, a new survey has revealed.
Research conducted by the U.S.-based Pew Research Center showed that in the eight out of ten European nations surveyed, half or more believe the migrant crisis could hamper security.
They also found that many also worry about the economic burden brought by migrants and how they are concerned they will take away their jobs and social benefits.
A woman holds a card protesting against the migrant crisis in the Netherlands. The majority of people in Europe worried the migrant crisis could lead to more terrorism
A man welcomes refugees entering Germany at the Saalfeld train station. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has made the successful handling of the refugee crisis her top priority
The survey covered the European countries of Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Britain, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Hungary and Poland.
It was conducted from April to May before the British referendum to leave the European Union and the extremist attack at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport last month.
The continent saw an overwhelming influx of more than one million migrants in 2015 with the majority arriving from Muslim countries such as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Almost all of them applied for asylum in the EU with Germany and Sweden as their top destinations.
Meanwhile, populist parties all over the continent successfully increased their numbers by campaigning against Muslim migrants, including the National Front in France, Ukip in the UK, the right-wing Alternative for Germany and Austria's Freedom Party.
Europe has also recently suffered several major terrorist attacks, including the assaults by ISIS on Paris and Brussels that killed scores of people.
Many of the attackers were European-born, but some are believed to have travelled to Syria to join the terror group before returning to carry out the attacks a few of them by mixing in with migrant flows to avoid detection on their way home.
Populist parties all over the continent successfully increased their numbers by campaigning against Muslim migrants
Some 76 per cent of people surveyed in Hungary said they're concerned that refugees will increase the likelihood of terrorism in their country, followed by the Polish with 71 per cent.
Majorities in all other surveyed countries shared this belief with the exception of Spain and France.
Citizens of both Hungary and Poland also worried more than other Europeans that refugees would be a burden to their countries because they would take their jobs and social benefits.
'It is important to note that worries about refugees are not necessarily related to the number of migrants coming to the country,' the report states.
It said Poland, where 73 per cent say refugees are an overall major threat, has had only several thousand asylum applications, while just 31 per cent of Germans are generally concerned about refugees after seeing their country register almost 1.1 million asylum seekers last year.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has made the successful handling of the refugee crisis her top priority and has told Germans time and again that 'we will manage this.'
The government of Hungary, on the other hand has been an insistent voice against migrants, especially against Muslims.
Citizens of both Hungary and Poland also worried more than other Europeans that refugees would be a burden to their countries because they would take their jobs and social benefits
Germany and Sweden which took in the second most asylum seekers in 2015 are the only countries where at least half say refugees make their nations stronger because of their work and talent.
When asked more generally, whether having an increasing number of people of many different races, ethnic groups and nationalities in their country makes the society a better place to live in, only few Europeans said diversity has a positive impact.
At 36 per cent, Sweden registers the highest percentage that believes diversity makes their country a better place to live.
The prevailing attitude in France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain is that diversity is neither a plus nor a minus in term of quality of life.
At the same time, 63 per cent in Greece and 53 per cent in Italy believe that growing diversity makes their country a worse place to live.
These attitudes stand in a stark contrast to the U.S. There, some 58 per cent of Americans said having more people of many different races, ethnic groups and nationalities makes the U.S. a better place to live.
Attorneys for the transgender soldier imprisoned for sending classified information to WikiLeaks has confirmed her recent hospitalization was due to an attempt to take her own life.
Chelsea Manning's legal representatives said in a statement: 'Last week, Chelsea made a decision to end her life. Her attempt to take her own life was unsuccessful.'
They did not disclose details about the July 5 incident at the military prison at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, where the 28-year-old is serving a 35-year sentence.
But they accused the U.S. Army of a 'gross breach of confidentiality' for publicly revealing last week that Manning had been rushed to hospital.
Attorneys for the transgender soldier imprisoned in Kansas for sending classified information to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks has confirmed her recent hospitalization was due to an attempt to take her own life
In an email to media outlets, Chelsea Manning's legal representatives did not disclose details about the circumstances surrounding the July 5 incident at the military prison at Fort Leavenworth (pictured)
Manning herself has since taken to Twitter, posting: 'I am okay. I'm glad to be alive. Thank you all for your love <3 I will get through this. #standwithchelsea'
Manning's lawyers added that the soldier 'knows that people have questions about how she is doing' and will remain under close observation at the lockup for several weeks.
'She would have preferred to keep her private medical information private, and instead focus on her recovery,' said her attorneys.
'The government's gross breach of confidentiality in disclosing her personal health information to the media has created the very real concern that they may continue their unauthorized release of information about her publicly without warning.'
Manning herself has since taken to Twitter, posting: 'I am okay. I'm glad to be alive. Thank you all for your love <3 I will get through this. #standwithchelsea'
Arrested originally as Bradley Manning, she was convicted in 2013 of six Espionage Act violations and 14 other offenses for leaking more than 700,000 secret military and State Department documents, plus some battlefield video.
In 2010, Manning - pictured above before beginning the transition into a woman - leaked classified Army documents to the website WikiLeaks and was convicted on 21 counts of espionage
In 2013, Manning - pictured above before beginning the transition into a woman - was sentenced on the charges to 35 years in prison. Her lawyers filed an appeal in May citing that she acted in the interests of the public
Manning, who was an intelligence analyst in Iraq at the time, later filed a transgender prisoner rights lawsuit.
She has appealed the criminal case, arguing that her sentence was 'grossly unfair' and that her actions were those of a naive, troubled soldier who aimed to reveal the toll of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The appeal contends Manning's disclosures harmed no one, but prosecutors have said the leaked material damaged US security and identified informants who helped US forces.
Her attorney's statement concluded: 'For us, hearing Chelsea's voice after learning that she had attempted to take her life last week was incredibly emotional.
'She is someone who has fought so hard for so many issues we care about and we are honored to fight for her freedom and medical care.'
Labor's Anne Aly has claimed victory in the battle for the Perth seat of Cowan and will become the nation's first Muslim woman elected to federal parliament.
Ms Aly's opposition, Liberal Luke Simpkins, was accidentally given an extra 200 votes after the Australian Electoral Commission botched the count and placed them in the wrong pile.
But after 160 votes were restored to Ms Aly on Monday she said she's looking forward to 'moving forward' and hopes Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will appoint her to Labor's frontbench to utilise her counter-terrorism expertise.
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Labor's Anne Aly (pictured) has claimed victory in the battle for the Perth seat of Cowan and has become the nation's first Muslim woman elected to parliament
Ms Aly said she hopes Opposition Leader Bill Shorten (pictured right) will appoint her to Labor's frontbench to utilise her counter-terrorism expertise
While the Australian Electoral Commission has not yet formally declared the seat, Ms Aly says she's a winner with a lead of 787 votes.
Ms Aly said she could 'jump into' a shadow ministerial role in Canberra 'fairly easily,' and hopes her deradicalisation expertise can be used to strengthen national security policies, according to The Australian.
'In countering violent extremism, we need to be a lot more agile in our response,' she said.
But, Ms Aly said her current priority is the seat of Cowan.
'It's time that Cowan has an answer,' she told reporters on Monday.
'We do have a very strong lead now and it would take a lot to change that lead.'
Ms Aly said it would be significant she would be the nation's first female Muslim MP.
'Having a diverse parliament in these very trying times is an absolute positive and bodes well for the future of Australia,' she said.
Ms Aly (pictured with husband David and son Adam) said on Monday she said she's looking forward to 'moving forward' and hopes Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will appoint her to Labor's frontbench to utilise her counter-terrorism expertise
'It's time that Cowan has an answer,' she told reporters on Monday
Ms Aly said she could 'jump into' a shadow ministerial role in Canberra 'fairly easily,' and hopes her deradicalisation expertise can be used to strengthen national security policies
'I think it's going to make for some very robust discussion and I'm looking forward to that.'
Ms Aly's opposition, Liberal Luke Simpkins, was accidentally given an extra 200 votes after the AEC botched the count and placed them in the wrong pile
The counter-terrorism expert described comments against her during the campaign as personal attacks, and said although they probably didn't play a big part in the result they may have moved some votes her way.
In the lead-up to the election Justice Minister Michael Keenan said Ms Aly had shown bad judgment by penning a letter that helped reduce the sentence of self-styled preacher Junaid Thorne.
Former prime minister John Howard supported the comments.
In her letter Ms Aly said Thorne, who was jailed for flying domestically under a false name, was a perfect candidate for a de-radicalisation.
'There were whispers that the Liberal Party were looking for something - some kind of dirt, I guess - against me. I thought that we held up very well,' Ms Aly said.
'I do believe that it backfired. It certainly didn't lose me any votes.'
She said Pauline Hanson's One Nation party had the potential to 'stir division,' but does not believe her intention is to 'incite violence'.
An AEC vote counting error in the electorate initially gave Mr Simpkins 200 votes but 160 were restored to Ms Aly on Monday after preferences were distributed.
A young electrician is being called a hero after rescuing a 'pretty banged up' man from crocodile-infested waters.
Cameron Kaurila, 20, spotted the man struggling in the waters of Cooktown Harbour, in the small town north of Cairns, on Saturday afternoon.
The apprentice electrician leapt to the drowning man's aid, grabbing nearby life jackets and swimming 100 metres out, staying with the man until they were picked up by a passing boat.
Cameron Kaurila, 20, (pictured) has been hailed a hero after rescuing a 'pretty banged up' man from crocodile-infested waters in a harbour north of Cairns, on Saturday afternoon
This pictures posted by Cook Shire Council makes it clear why crocodile warnings are in place arounf the Cooktown area
The 20-year-old, who is also a keen spear fisherman, has remained humble about his rescue efforts, though told the Cairns Post other dangers did make him hesitate.
'I didn't really think about it, it (risk of crocodiles) was probably a bit of a thought in my mind,' he said.
The man looked 'pretty banged up' and didn't say much when Mr Kaurila swam to him.
In March, Stanley Charlie, 65, went missing while swimming in the nearby Endeavour River.
Police feared that a he had been grabbed by a crocodile:
The river is well known to have crocodiles in it and he was swimming in the water at night, a police spokeswoman previously told Daily Mail Australia.
A month before the attack on Mr Charlie, a saltwater crocodile between three and four metres long took a dog near a boat ramp close to Cooktown.
There were no reported sightings of crocodiles on Saturday, but the drowning man looked 'pretty banged up' and didn't say much when Mr Kaurila swam to him.
It is reported that the man may have fallen overboard from a commercial fishing vessel.
'The man rescued from the Cooktown Harbour, was heavily intoxicated, and was subsequently admitted to the Cooktown Hospital with a minor head injury,' a Cooktown police spokesman told the Cairns Post.
Police commended the selfless actions of Mr Kaurila and said without his help it could have meant a tragic end for the man.
A crocodile pictured during a cruise up the Endeavour River by Cookstown, where Stanley Charlie, 65, went missing while swimming
The man was seen struggling in the waters of Cooktown Harbour (pictured). It's reported he was 'heavily intoxicated' and had fallen overboard from a commercial fishing vessel
Images showing slain drug dealers with 'I'm a pusher' signs covering their chests in the Philippines have emerged after the president urged people to 'go ahead and kill' addicts.
The gruesome scenes of alleged drug dealers found shot dead in Manila on Friday are growing increasingly common as police wage a bloody war on narcotics.
The government's top lawyer called for police to kill more suspected drug criminals, as he defended President Rodrigo Duterte's brutal war on crime against mounting criticism.
Police investigate the dead body of an alleged drug dealer, his face covered with packing tape and a placard reading 'I'm a pusher'
The gruesome scenes are growing increasingly common as Filipino police wage a bloody war on narcotics
Police have confirmed killing more than 110 suspects since Duterte won elections in May promising a law-and-order crackdown that would claim thousands of lives and fill funeral parlours.
As the official death toll has mounted, and other bodies not confirmed killed by police have been found with placards declaring them drug traffickers, human rights lawyers and some lawmakers have expressed deep concerns about the war on crime spiralling out of control.
In response to the criticism, Solicitor General Jose Calida held a press conference on Monday at national police headquarters to insist on the legality of the police killings and to encourage more deaths of people suspected of being involved in the drug trade.
'To me, that is not enough,' Calida said of the killings so far.
'How many drug addicts or pushers are there in the Philippines? Our villages are almost saturated (with drugs).'
Duterte, who took office on June 30, has repeatedly warned that drastic action is needed to stop the Philippines from becoming a narco-state.
Police have confirmed killing more than 110 suspects since President Rodrigo Duterte won elections in May promising a bloody crackdown on the drug trade
Human rights lawyers and some lawmakers have expressed deep concerns about the war on crime spiralling out of control
A lawyer and a former prosecutor, Duterte has urged law enforcers to kill those they believe are involved in the drug trade, as well as other criminals.
In one of the deadliest single incidents, police reported killing eight 'drug personalities' during a pre-dawn raid on Saturday in a small southern town.
As in the other cases, police insisted they were forced to shoot after encountering resistance.
One of the nation's top human rights lawyers, Jose Manuel Diokno, warned last week that Duterte had 'spawned a nuclear explosion of violence that is spiralling out of control and creating a nation without judges'.
Former senator Rene Saguisag, a prominent human rights lawyer during the regime of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, also criticised Duterte's statements naming and shaming alleged drug lords and police officers ahead of a formal investigation.
A lawyer and a former prosecutor, Duterte has urged law enforcers to kill those they believe are involved in the drug trade
Some opposition lawmakers have also called for a congressional investigation into the spate of killings
'Do we still probe and have a trial as part of due process? Useless, it seems to me,' Saguisag wrote in an online column last week.
Some opposition lawmakers have also called for a congressional investigation into the spate of killings.
Calida, a Duterte appointee, said he would protect police from or during congressional probes, while emphasising it was up to critics to prove allegations of abuse rather than base inquiries on speculation.
'I am here to encourage the (police) not to be afraid of any congressional or senate investigations. We will defend them ... I am the defender of the (police),' he said.
Philippine police display drugs they seized after a shhotout with a suspected crime syndicate, during a press conference in Manila
Photos of the car after the crash show the extent of the damage caused
Saphire died on January 13 in a car crash near Hastings, New Zealand
Charged with causing her death while
The mangled wreckage of a Nissan Primera shows the remnants of a crash caused by a young mother allegedly 'high on crystal meth' which killed her two-year-old daughter.
Photos of the white car show a smashed in roof and windows, buckled bumpers and doors and mud covering the vehicle after a crash in New Zealand's North Island.
Inside, an empty child seat sits knocked to one side, a child's hat sitting next to it.
Saphire Te Aroha Skipper-Hira, two, died when she was flung from the car during a violent crash in January, Stuff.co.nz reported.
Police have charged Valencia Marie Skipper (right) from Hastings, New Zealand with causing the death of her 2-year-old daughter Saphire Te Aroha Skipper-Hira (left) while under the influence of methamphetamine
An empty child seat inside the wrecked car. Police are investigating if Saphire, two, was restrained at the time of the crash
The car was extensively damaged in the crash - the bumper buckled, doors smashed in, roof crumpled and windows smashed.
Her mother, Valencia Marie Skipper, 21, from Hastings, has been charged with causing the death of her daughter while under the influence of methamphetamine.
Despite there being a child restraint in the back of the vehicle police said they were investigating the possibility the toddler was not restrained at the time.
The Nissan Primera appeared to have crossed to the other side of the road and rolled into a ditch, it was reported.
Ambulance crews tried to resuscitate Saphire, but she died at the scene.
Valencia Marie Skipper and her daughters aunt, who was also in the car, were taken to Hawkes Bay Hospital with moderate injuries.
Ms Skipper was initially scheduled to appear in Hastings District Court on Monday, but her first appearance has been postponed until August, it was reported.
The identity of the Dallas police officer gunned down on camera by cop killer Micah Johnson, 25, on Thursday night can today be revealed as Brent Thompson, 43.
In the clip, heroic Thompson is seen running up to Johnson in a bid to stop last week's rampage - only to be shot multiple times himself.
Today, his younger brother Darrell, 41, spoke exclusively to Daily Mail Online outside the family home in Corsicana, Texas, and said Thompson died 'a hero'.
'He was a hero and we are mourning him,' said Darrell, who lives close to Houston in the small town of Crosby, Texas, with his wife Jennifer and their children.
'All the cops who died are heroes.'
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The identity of the Dallas police officer gunned down on camera by cop killer Micah Johnson on Thursday night can today be revealed as Brent Thompson (right). His younger brother Darrell (left) and said Thompson died 'a hero'
He added: 'We [the family] are going to get together and plan when to talk about what happened to him.
'For now, we would like to ask for some privacy - our parents are very upset, as you can probably imagine.'
Thompson, who recently remarried to a fellow DART officer, lived close to his parents' home in the small town of Corsicana.
Today, his mother Paulette, 68, and father Robert, 69, were still too upset to speak - as were the youngest of his seven children, Robert, 24, and Elizabeth, 20.
Thompson, a former Marine, spent much of his police career in Corsicana, before transferring to Dallas - approximately 40 minutes drive away.
In the clip, heroic Thompson (right) is seen running up to Johnson in a bid to stop last week's rampage - only to be shot multiple times himself
The footage, filmed from a balcony on a building, shows the Dallas gunman sprint to Thompson's position behind a pillar
Courtesy FOX4
The only DART - transport - officer to die in Thursday's massacre, Thompson had been assigned the downtown area and was not part of the policing operation planned for that night's Black Lives Matter protest.
Close by when gunman Johnson opened fire, he attempted to intervene but was murdered as he attempted to take out the killer.
Also murdered by the crazed killer were police officers Lorne Ahrens, 48, Michael Krol, 40, Michael Smith, 55, and Patrick Zamarripa, 32.
Johnson, an Afghanistan veteran, was eventually cornered and killed with a remote controlled bomb deployed by a SWAT team.
Yesterday evening, photos purportedly showing the killer's dead body - and of the assault rifle he used to carry out the attack - surfaced online.
'He was a hero and we are mourning him,' said Darrell (right), who lives close to Houston in the small town of Crosby, Texas, with his wife Jennifer (left) and their children
In them, a man identified as Johnson lies slumped in the corner of a parking lot - displaying injuries consistent with an explosion according to a military expert who spoke to Daily Mail Online.
Johnson's parents have also broken their silence, telling The Blaze that 'we hate what he did' in an emotional interview.
Gunman Micah Johnson (above), who was part of the contingent sent to Afghanistan, was honorably discharged in May 2014 following allegations of sexual harassment
Speaking about the killings James Johnson, 55, of Garland, Texas, added: 'I don't know what to say to anybody to make anything better.
'I didn't see it coming. I love my son with all my heart but I hate what he did.'
James was joined by his wife Donna, 60, and ex-spouse Delphine, 49, for the interview which took place at her Mesquite home last night.
Delphine, who shared her home with her killer son, claimed that Johnson, far from hating police, had once harbored ambitions to become a cop himself but did not enjoy his time in the military.
'He loved his country,' she added. 'He wanted to protect his country.
'The military was not what Micah thought it would be. He was very disappointed, very disappointed.
'But it may be the ideal that he thought of our government, what he thought the military represented, it just didn't live up to his expectations.'
Johnson, who was part of the contingent sent to Afghanistan, was honorably discharged in May 2014 following allegations of sexual harassment.
Wells Newsome, a soldier who served alongside him, also described Johnson as a 'pervert' in a social media post thanks to his penchant for pinching panties belonging to female members of his squad.
'We all knew he was a pervert cuz [sic] he got caught stealing girls' panties,' he wrote on Facebook.
Opinion / Columnist
The country's deplorable health situation made worse by Mugabe's persistence in flying out of the country for all his and his family's health needs is the one issue that had the smooth talking Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa stammering lost for words on BBC Hardtalk!"We have discussed how bad the hospitals are, maternity healthcare in particular is awful," said the Hardtalk presenter, Zeinab Badawi. And the people see President Mugabe's daughter jetting off to give birth somewhere else."How do you think most Zimbabweans would view that?"Minister Chinamasa had accepted the invitation to appear on Hardtalk because it was an oppor-tunity for the Zanu PF regime to once again blame the British government of PM Tony Blair for reneging on its commitments to fund the land redistribution which left Mugabe with no choice but to seize the white owned farms to give to the landless blacks. The British and its Western Allies responded to the farm seizure by imposing sanctions of Zimbabwe.Sanctions are "the Genesis" of Zimbabwe's economic problem, insisted Minister Chinamasa.Minister Chinamasa has been in Mugabe's government for donkey years and he, of all Muga-be's cronies, is well versed in the tyrant's tactics of denying responsibility for everything that has gone wrong and blaming it all on "the illegal sanctions imposed by the evil British Imperial-ists and their Allies." But even a seasoned parrot like Chinamasa can fluff his lines."We should go for a situation where most Zimbabweans are seeking treatment at home and not outside!" replied the Minister, after repeated attempt to avoid answering the question. The question of Mugabe and his family jetting off at the drop of a hat even for the most routine health checks is, without doubt, the one question that took the Minister way outside his comfort zone.The President's daughter and her entourage of security details and the usual hangers-on jetted off to the Far East and were there for more than a month. The President's wife and her entou-rage then joined the daughter and they too were there for more than a month. Then the Presi-dent too jetted off with his own even bigger team of security details and hangers-on in a hired Air Zimbabwe Jet to pick up his daughter, wife, grandson, and their entourage. He did not land, pick them up and fly back; no he was in the Far East three days.Minister Chinamasa must have fallen off his chair when he was given the bill; Bona and her en-tourage's airfare, hospital and hotel bill and similarly Grace and her entourage and, of course, Mugabe's bill were all at public expense. Mugabe's overseas health checks cost $3 million; in 2012 alone he made 12 such trips. The cost to the nation of Mugabe's grandson must be $10 million, at least!"If the $10 million of public money spent on President Mugabe's grandson, had been spent up grading one maternity ward in just one of Zimbabwe's Hospitals surely the facility would have matched that of the Far East Hospital Bona used. The country would have benefited because the first class ward would now be used by other Zimbabwean mothers too. You are not blaming this criminal waste of the nation's resources on the British too are you?" Zeinab Badawi could have asked the, by then fidgeting Chinamasa. She did not have to because it is clear the Minis-ter had asked himself that question a thousand times."So the situation where some Zimbabweans feel that they should go outside the country (for treatment at PUBLIC expense) clearly needs attention!" admitted Minister Chinamasa.It was the firebrand Margret Dongo, herself a former Zanu PF MP and a war veteran, who said all Zanu PF leaders were Mugabe's wives "Vakadzi vaMugabe!" because none of them had the guts to stand up Mugabe even over a great national importance and the tyrant was hopelessly wrong! The present cases being one such case where Mugabe's decision to squander millions of dollars of public money on foreign health trip whilst the local health service, starved of funds, fails to provide even the most basic service is nothing short of high treason.Tendai Biti, Zimbabwe's former MDC Minister of Finance, has had to tell Mugabe to reduce his globe-trotting to save money. Biti refused to pay University fees of the students on the Presi-dential Scholarship - a highly partisan arrangement to benefit the children of Zanu PF party loy-alists' children but at taxpayer's expense.For a seasoned mukadzi waMugabe like Patrick Chinamasa telling Mugabe through the Hardtalk forum - he clearly is too blushful to tell the tyrant face to face - that the mounting bills for overseas health trips "need attention" is the closest Chinamasa will ever get to telling Muga-be enough is enough of this criminal waste of public resources to gratify his and his family's in-satiable greed!
Pictured, Andrea Leadsom rules herself out of the Conservative leadership battle during a news conference in central London
As Andrea Leadsom was watching the referendum results come in two-and-a-half weeks ago on the television in her tiny Westminster flat, the last thing on her mind was running for the Tory leadership.
Leadsom, a middle-ranking energy minister, had never served in the Cabinet and was virtually unknown outside Parliament.
True, she had performed well in an ITV debate two days before the country voted although, presciently, she was mocked on social media for prefixing many of her answers with the phrase: As a mother . . .
For it was, of course, Leadsoms comments on motherhood in a newspaper interview that finished off her ill-conceived, shambolic and ultimately disastrous campaign to be the next Tory leader and prime minister.
The irony is that the most Leadsom was hoping for was a ministerial promotion or perhaps junior Cabinet post in any post-referendum reshuffle.
Never in her wildest dreams did she consider that, just two weeks later, she would be on a shortlist of two with Theresa May to become Prime Minister.
After Camerons resignation statement, Leadsom, who was spending that weekend at her 17th-century farmhouse in her constituency of South Northamptonshire, received a number of telephone calls from MPs who backed Brexit.
They included Bernard Jenkin and Iain Duncan Smith, the former party leader, both of whom urged her to consider running. She was far from convinced it was the right thing to do.
On the Monday after the vote, Leadsom went on Radio 4s World At One and was asked about her own ambitions. Im looking at all sorts of angles, and considering, and Im not saying anything at this moment, she hedged.
But when Boris Johnson, the former London Mayor and the bookmakers favourite, announced he was standing with the backing of Justice Secretary Michael Gove, Leadsom made a cunning calculation.
In private talks first with Gove and then Johnson, she threatened to run which would have split the Brexit vote unless she was guaranteed a big Cabinet post.
Agreement was secured with Johnson for her to be Chancellor or Deputy Prime Minister with responsibility for Brexit. But then, when Johnson failed to deliver a written guarantee of the arrangement the night before party leadership nominations had to be submitted, she lodged her own papers in a fit of pique.
She was the accidental candidate, said one senior Tory peer. She never wanted the job, or intended to run for it, until Johnson screwed up.
Even then, she assumed Johnson would win by a country mile. Leadsom thought that if she had a decent tally of backers in the first round, it would guarantee her a Cabinet job in the next reshuffle and put her in a stronger position for the leadership next time round.
She was not expecting to win, or even to come second.
Andrea Leadson holds her head in her hands in a black cab after delivering a statement in Westminster
But she was catapulted into the frame in the political earthquake triggered by Goves announcement the next day that he was also going to run which meant that Boris Johnson, who was, in fact, Leadsoms choice to succeed Cameron, quit the race because he no longer had the backing of enough MPs.
With Gove fatally damaged by the charge of treachery and disloyalty, the unknown Leadsom was suddenly a serious contender.
Right from the start, though, it was obvious the 53-year-old was hopelessly out of her depth.
Her first hustings with Tory MPs was a disaster. Her theme was: Brussels, bankers and babies. She spoke for too long about Europe, and gave no clue what her policy platform would be.
She also repeatedly failed to distance herself from Ukip businessman Arron Banks, who endorsed her as the next prime minister through his campaign group, Leave.EU.
Leadsom told MPs she wasnt working with Ukip, but she refused to clarify her relationship with Banks.
One senior Cabinet minister said: When youre having to say that youre not Ukip at a hustings to be leader of the Conservative Party, then you are in trouble. It was a car crash.
When she went on, bizarrely, to tell MPs how important it was to massage babies brains in a section on how society should treat children, she completely lost her audience.
In an interview Andrea Leadsom (left) aired her view that she has an indisputable edge over her rival for the Conservative leadership, Home SecretaryTheresa May (right), because she has children
It was clear that, much like the Brexit campaign team, she did not have a plan, and her own campaign was plunged into crisis. There was no team leader and no media handler.
Bill Clare, who used to work for Liam Fox when he was defence secretary, was drafted in to help. An appeal went out to Lord Bell of Belgravia, who masterminded Thatchers three election victories, to step in, too. Bell was a prominent supporter of Vote Leave and had given them secret advice during the referendum.
But the Vote Leave team, many of them unpaid volunteers, had little time for Leadsom, whom they believe had hijacked the referendum to further her political career. Its why her nickname at Vote Leave was Andrea Loathsome.
Leadsoms reluctance to publish her tax returns, and controversy over donations to her office from her brother-in-law, an offshore hedge fund boss, were causing even more unease.
To make matters worse, a speech from 2013 came to light in which Leadsom had said: I dont think the UK should leave the EU. I think it would be a disaster for our economy and it would lead to a decade of economic and political uncertainty at a time when the tectonic plates of global success are moving.
While Leadsom argued that she was entitled to change her mind, the somewhat hysterical nature of her warnings began to unsettle her supporters.
But Bell managed to instil some discipline in the campaign and the second hustings was judged a success. Tim Loughton, a former childrens minister and ex-boyfriend of Leadsom (they were an item in the Eighties when they were at Warwick University) became campaign manager.
It was Andrea Leadsoms comments on motherhood that finished off her ill-conceived campaign. Pictured, Leadsom with (from left) and her son Freddie, husband Ben, daughter Charlotte and son Harry
Loughton has said his team was under strict instructions to focus relentlessly on [the] positives of why Andrea is the best choice for Britain.
But Loughton, who had only ever been a junior minister, is hardly a towering political figure. Nor had he ever run a leadership campaign.
They managed to secure the support of only one Cabinet minister, Theresa Villiers, the relatively junior Northern Ireland Secretary.
Lord Bell then backed away from the campaign because of its amateur approach telephone calls were not answered and emails were ignored. Leadsom herself never even spoke to Bell directly.
You never knew who was in charge of what, he said. Leadsom wouldnt take advice when it was given. Shes not the woman I thought she was. Shes no Mrs Thatcher.
Even so, Leadsom was looking good in the polls. Though she had only 84 MPs backing her, compared to Theresa Mays 199, some suggested she might become leader because she could get the support of the 150,000 Tory Party members.
Inevitably, this placed her under intense media scrutiny and everything started to fall apart.
One of her strongest selling points, her so-called stellar career in banking before she became an MP, began to unravel. The Mail disclosed how her CV had been exaggerated.
Then there were poisonous whispers about her incompetence as a minister at the Treasury. An unnamed official told the Financial Times: She was the worst minister we have ever had. She found it difficult to understand issues or take decisions.
Her defence of sky-high bankers bonuses and the fact she had argued against maternity pay and the minimum wage for small businesses would have been a gift for the Labour Party if she won.
But it was that now-infamous interview with The Times in which she suggested she was a better choice as PM because, unlike Mrs May, she had children that caused the final implosion of the Leadsom bid.
Pictured, Theresa May stands alongside her husband Philip as she waves to crowds of supporters in Westminster after becoming leader of the Conservative party
When the front page article appeared, Leadsom became embroiled in a late-night Twitter spat. Some of the tweets were sent in the early hours of Saturday. It was hardly the conduct of a future Prime Minister.
As the criticism intensified, Leadsom blundered by going on the attack, saying she was disgusted by the presentation of the article.
But when a tape recording of the interview was put on the internet, it was clear that she had not been misreported. Iain Duncan Smith, one of her most senior supporters, said he was genuinely mortified.
Team Leadsom, in a desperate attempt to kill the story, tried a different approach.
Leadsom said: Ive already said to Theresa how very sorry I am for any hurt I have caused and how that article said completely the opposite of what I said and believe.
In fact, she hadnt spoken to May: she had merely sent a text message.
I would have thought, at the very least, it should have been a hand-written note, a phone call, bunch of flowers, or all three, said one May supporter.
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph at the weekend, Leadsom again attempted to win the sympathy vote when she said: Ive been under attack. Its been shattering.
Friends say she had spent most of the weekend in tears.
The statement was yet another sign that Leadsom was not emotionally equipped to deal with the pressures of high office.
By her own admission, Leadsom is guilty of naivety in running too soon for the leadership when she was too inexperienced for the job.
Webcam performers working in China have been told by the Ministry of Culture that they will be held accountable for any content they show which is deemed inappropriate (stock photo)
The Chinese government has threatened to ban webcam performers from streaming live shows if the content they share on the internet is considered inappropriate.
The Ministry of Culture will carry out random checks on domestic live video-streaming platforms and violent and pornographic performances will be automatically flagged.
If deemed too graphic, they will be blacklisted along with any other streams which feature deformed bodies or the torture of humans or animals.
Those on the blacklist will be banned from performing online, reports the Beijing Times.
The new guidelines also demand that the live-streaming websites must employ supervisors to specifically monitor the online performances and stop those which are sexual.
It comes after the government banned the 'seductive' consumption of bananas during webcam live-streams, in an attempt to clamp down on 'inappropriate and erotic' content online.
Webcam streams, or live video blogs, are growing in popularity in China, with users filming themselves doing everything from talking and singing to eating in front of a live online audience.
And according to People's Daily, the ministry is currently preparing a formal set of regulations to help enforce their new rules.
More than 20 companies have already signed the self-disciplinary agreement and will now have to ensure that the performer registers their real name.
Meanwhile, all live videos must be recorded and saved for at least 15 days so they can be inspected, according to website guancha.cn.
In April, the Ministry of Culture investigated 19 live-streaming websites for 'allegedly providing content that contains pornography or violent'.
It comes after a man was investigated by police in China after allegedly live-streaming himself having sex with his girlfriend.
The new law requires live-streaming platforms to monitor all their streams 24 hours per day in order to ensure that no 'inappropriate' content is broadcast by their users.
Data published by the New Express Daily showed that in the most popular webcam live streams involved young women, with 75 per cent of viewers being men.
The Chinese government has previously banned 'erotic' banana consumption on live-streamed webcam sites
The 'banana eating ban' sparked debate on Chinese social media, with many asking how the government would enforce the new rules, highlighting that banning the fruit is no use when there are several other phallic shaped fruits and vegetables.
Internet use is heavily restricted in China, and censorship has reportedly increased since Xi Jinping became president in 2013.
China has long operated the world's most sophisticated online censorship mechanism known as the Great Firewall.
Duchess left 12,000-a-year school at 16 with six O levels and no A levels
Unclear if she will take tutorials or give lectures, but her new role is unpaid
Duchess given role as recognition for charitable work with women in India
The Duchess of York has been named visiting Professor of Philanthrepreneurship at the University of Huddersfield
She left school with six O levels and no A levels but yesterday the Duchess of York announced she has become a university professor.
She proudly proclaimed her new title as Visiting Professor of Philanthrepreneurship at the University of Huddersfield.
Asked what being a philanthrepreneur involved the word is not in the Oxford English Dictionary - a spokesman for the university struggled to explain it.
But a spokesman for Sarah Ferguson said it was in recognition of her charitable work with vulnerable women in India, which has ties to the university.
Fergie announced her professorship on Twitter, taking even some of her fans by surprise. One replied: But you havent done a days work in years!
Although the title is honorary, Fergie is not known for her academic credentials. She left 12,000-a-year Hurst Lodge in Ascot at 16 with six O levels in geography, art, English language, English literature, maths and biology. Instead of A levels, she went on to take a nine-month course in shorthand, typing and bookkeeping at the Queens Secretarial College in London, where even one of her friends described her as a dunce.
Her assessment card concluded she was slapdash, and classmate Charlotte Eden, the daughter of former Tory MP Lord Eden of Winton, has recalled in a biography: We were both dunces at shorthand and typing.
'We used to sit at the back of the class and giggle. We were at the college because we knew it was important to get some sort of training, and we both managed to scrape through the course.
But now the 56-year-old Duchess is to embrace university life in the West Yorkshire market town, famous for its starring role in the Industrial Revolution.
Last night the honorary title was formally conferred upon her by Professor Bob Cryan, the universitys vice-chancellor, at a graduation dinner.
Unlike fresher students, who typically know no-one when they arrive, Fergies ex-husband the Duke of York was also on hand as he is the universitys chancellor.
But Huddersfield University scotched any suggestion she had landed her new role through her connections, saying she had been involved with the institution a polytechnic until 1992 since 2013.
Fergies ex-husband the Duke of York also has a role at Huddersfield and serves as the universitys chancellor. Pictured, the pair together at Royal Ascot in June
She has been helping textile students whose designs are being made into clothes by women in India via a charity called Key to Freedom, which the Duchess supports.
The clothes are then sold in UK outlets such as Top Shop, providing a lifeline to the women who made them, often survivors of slavery or abuse.
Her spokesman the professorship was in recognition of her work as a philanthropist and an entrepreneur, and said she was delighted because shes been supporting this charity for years.
It is unclear whether the Duchess will take tutorials or give lectures, but her new role at the University of Huddersfield is unpaid
A source close to her added: The Duchess is well poised to encourage and expound on the social potential of design skills, especially when philanthropy works in conjunction with enterprise and entrepreneurialism. On her visits, she has proved a genuinely inspiring figure, for her enthusiasm and engagement with students.
A university spokesman said she receives updates on the progress of the students and takes a keen interest in all developments taking place in Huddersfield.
It is unclear whether the Duchess will take tutorials or give lectures, but her new role is unpaid. And although she is more used to living the high life in homes in London, the Swiss ski resort of Verbier and Manhattan, she is no stranger to the North. In 2008, she spent months living alongside a family of six on benefits in Hull.
But locating the culprit will be like 'finding a needle in a haystack'
The nets can be used with a license, but it's not known if this one was legal
And whatever they intended to catch was apparently taken away
They apparently got caught up in a net, but who laid the net isn't known
Residents and holidaymakers in Alabama's Mobile Bay woke up to a grisly sight Saturday when they found an estimated 100 dead baby bull sharks lying on one of its beaches.
The carnivores' corpses were scattered up and down the beach on Belleair Boulevard, near Dauphin Island Parkway, some alone, some clumped together - and around 40 tangled up in a net.
Vacationer Sabrina Rios, whose family found the net, told WKRG: 'It definitely caught our attention because I know that that is illegal and you shouldnt be doing that. We just didnt know what to do about it.'
Fin: Up to 100 sharks met their end on Mobile Bay, Alabama, Friday night. Their bodies were found Saturday morning by residents and holidaymakers. Authorities are now investigating the curious deaths
The Marine Resources Division and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab are heading up the investigation.
But Dailymail.com understands that authorities believe tracking down the culprit will be like 'finding a needle in a haystack.'
'From what we could see, somebody had set a recreational gill net on the beach and the sharks were just swimming into the net and got tangled,' Chris Blankenship, director of Marine Resources, told Fox 10.
That's a curtain-like net which is all-but invisible to fish when underwater; they swim through the net head-first, and get their gills caught in the mesh - hence the name.
Gill nets are commonly used in fishing operations and are legal in Alabama - but they can only be used with a license, and are supposed to be monitored when in the water.
'There were no markings on this piece of gill net that was there on the beach, so it's difficult to say whether the person that put it out had a license and if they were netting legally or not,' said Blankenship.
Netting: The hapless creatures had apparently been caught up in nets (pictured), then been left on the shore by fishermen. It's not known if the people who caught the sharks had a license to use the nets
Rios said that the sharks' bodies were all around two-to-three feet long.
'It seems like such a waste,' she added. 'I mean whatever was in the net, it seems like they took it, and then they left the poor sharks there to die.'
'The smell was overwhelming,' Rios husband, Stoney Adkins, told Fox 10. 'So our two older boys took the shovel over and tried to dig holes and bury them.'
They were joined in their efforts by others from the area, WKRG reported.
But authorities took 57 of the bodies for examination, and when Fox 10 went to the beach on Sunday they found three more sharks, as well as catfish and other sea life, still in the remains of the net.
It's not known exactly how many sharks were originally left on the beach, but WKRG estimated that there were 'close to 100'.
A shark specialist is due to examine the bodies on Tuesday to confirm the cause of death.
Authorities say that the 57 bodies they took were just a small fraction of the number that live in Mobile Bay, and that the area will be more closely patrolled in the future.
An Air New Zealand flight bound for Sydney was forced to turn back to the gate before take-off after one of the plane's engines started smoking.
The plane had started to make its way to the runway at Auckland Airport when a 'strange acrid smell' was detected in the cabin.
The pilot then made the decision to return to the gate.
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An Air New Zealand flight bound for Sydney was forced to turn back to the gate before take-off after one of the plane's engines started smoking
The plane had started to make its way to the runway at Auckland airport when a 'strange acrid smell' was detected in the cabin. The pilot then made the decision to return to the gate
One of the passengers on-board was TVNZ journalist Andrea Vance who took to social media to report the issues with NZ103.
'Auckland to Sydney Air NZ flight returning to the gate because of strange acrid smell in the cabin,' Vance tweeted.
'Right hand engine smoking. Fire crews followed us in and now we are swapping plane.'
An Air New Zealand spokeswoman said the plane was sent back to the gate because of an 'engineering issue'.
An Air New Zealand spokeswoman said the plane was sent back to the gate because of an 'engineering issue'
A map showing the flight path of NZ103 at Auckland airport after the incident
'NZ 103 which was scheduled to depart Auckland Airport for Sydney this morning [Tuesday] returned to the gate after an engineering issue was detected while the aircraft was taxiing to the runway,' the spokeswoman said.
'The aircraft will now be inspected by engineers.
Nigel Farage is still celebrating the historic Leave victory in the EU referendum but the champagne has lost its sparkle for his little brother.
Commodities broker Andrew Farage has been declared bankrupt, I can disclose. The move comes after a petition was brought by debt collection company 1st Credit (Finance).
It led a line of creditors, which included HM Revenue & Customs, Bromley Council, payday and instalment loan company MyJar and debt collection company Gothia Ltd.
Nigel Farage, right, is still celebrating the historic Leave victory in the EU referendum but the champagne has lost its sparkle for his little brother, commodities broker Andrew Farage, left
Other creditors include Royal Bank of Scotland and TFG Security Limited with whom Andrew, 50, and his wife, Wendy, have their mortgage.
Yes, its true I was declared bankrupt in May, Farage Minor tells me. But I am taking legal action to have the bankruptcy annulled. It was all a misunderstanding and I have now paid off the debt.
Though it is a personal bankruptcy, the financial trouble follows the commodities firm that Andrew set up in 2003 with former Ukip leader Nigel, Farage Ltd, going into liquidation, owing the taxman more than 75,000.
Nigel, 52, who worked in the City of London before becoming a politician, stepped down as a director of Farage Ltd in 2006, but remained company secretary until 2011. Andrew headed the firm in recent years and, despite being paid a total of nearly 1 million in dividends, was declared bankrupt on May 24.
The brothers were raised in the South London suburbs by their mother, Barbara, after their father, Guy, a dashing stockbroker who was also an alcoholic, left her when Andrew was three years old.
Andrew lives with his wife in Orpington, Kent, in a house they bought for 275,000 in 1999. Its now worth around 900,000. Nigel has said his parents divorce blighted his first few years at school because coming from a broken home was considered shameful at that time.
The former Ukip leader idolised his absent father, whom he once described as the best-dressed man in the Stock Exchange at the time and blamed his over-protective mother for spoiling all their fun.
Grayson finds his twin sister
As a cross-dressing potter, Grayson Perry always considered himself unique. Now, however, he has met his match.
The eccentric Turner Prize-winning artist and broadcaster, 56, has come face-to-face with a lady who could be his sister.
This lovely woman is called Caroline and is often mistaken for me, he said online next to this picture of the pair. Im flattered.
As a cross-dressing potter, Grayson Perry always considered himself unique. Now, however, he has met his match (pictured)
Grayson, who is wearing a sparkly blue dress and pink eyeshadow to match his lipstick, declined to provide more details about his doppelganger, dressed in a more restrained beige frock, bubble-like necklace and minimal make-up.
The lookalike seemed to tickle the fancy of Perrys psychotherapist wife Philippa. Has she got a partner? she joked.
Though undoubtedly middle-class, Theresa May has won the Downton Abbey vote. The period dramas creator, Julian Fellowes, tells me he is supporting the prime minister-in-waiting, who is to succeed David Cameron tomorrow. She has pledged to respect the peoples voice and deliver Brexit in an orderly and advantageous fashion, says Lord Fellowes, who voted Leave in the EU referendum. He adds of the vicars daughter: I believe her to be a woman of her word, so let us go forward in hope.
France is on the verge of a 'civil war' which could be sparked by the mass sexual assault of women by migrants similar to the one seen in Cologne on New Year's Eve, intelligence chief Patrick Calvar says
Growing tensions between the extreme Right and the Muslim world have pushed France to the verge of a civil war, the countrys most senior security chief has warned.
Patrick Calvar, head of the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) Frances equivalent of MI5 made his claim in the wake of last years terrorist attacks on Paris.
A total of 147 people were murdered by terrorists in the capital during atrocities in January and November.
Many of those responsible were French passport holders with North African backgrounds, leading to far-Right politicians calling for a massive clampdown on immigration.
But Mr Calvar, 60, warned there is evidence that radical Right-wing French groups have been massing arms in preparation for their own attacks on mosques and synagogues.
I think we will win against terrorism, Mr Calvar said, but predicted the confrontation between the extreme Right and the Muslim world, adding: Were on the verge of a civil war. I think this confrontation is going to happen. One or two more attacks and it will take place. It is up to us to anticipate and stop all those groups who would trigger clashes.
The closed inquiry was held on May 24, but Mr Calvars dramatic comments were leaked to French media yesterday. He said: Where is the spark going to come from that will light the powder, transforming France into an uncontrollable country where groups take up arms and hand out their own justice? Who sees a crumbling country where violence and vengeance alternates between two camps, where the spiral of attacks does not stop?
Nothing is excluded in a country which is already as eruptive as France today.
Mr Calvar said he particularly feared punitive expeditions in the suburbs to make immigrants pay collectively for alleged crimes by a minority. Referring to the mass sex attacks in Germany on New Years Eve, Mr Calvar said French Right-wingers could hand out summary justice for the kind of gang rapes committed by North African immigrants in Cologne.
There have been no convictions for rape following the Cologne incidents, with German police saying CCTV evidence was not good enough to charge suspects.
Mr Calvar also said his nightmare scenario could just as easily be applied to European neighbours, including Britain. Its this that worries me when I talk to all the European colleagues, he said. We will, at one time or another, have to generate resources to deal with other extremist groups, because the confrontation is inevitable.
Mr Calvar said all extremist groups Left, Right and Islamist know that there is enough weakness in the European security apparatus for a small group to cause maximum chaos.
He specifically called for more money to be put into armaments and other resources for the security forces, and for greater legal powers to carry out surveillance and arrest suspects.
Sexual assaults: Yesterday a leaked report revealed a staggering 1,200 women were sexually abused in German cities during the New Year's Eve celebrations. The night of December 31 in Cologne is pictured
He also said he is convinced that Islamic State will change its tactics in France, and increase its firepower, which until now has mainly relied on outdated AK-47 rifles and suicide belts.
He said he feared a move towards car bombs and more conventional explosive devices, allowing terrorists to attack without risking their own lives, and that he believed Islamist extremists will look to use booby-trapped cars in the future.
He said: Im convinced theyll go to booby-trapped vehicles and bombs, thus upping their power.
We know very well theyre going to use this mode of operating.
Theyre going to end up sending commandos whose mission is to organise terrorist campaigns without necessarily going to the assault with death awaiting them.
He also raised the possibility of extremists using dirty bombs and the natural poison ricin, saying several radical groups had studied the toxin in the past.
The Armed Islamic Group, which caused terror in Algeria in the early 1990s, was looking to put the substance on car door handles to create a panic effect, Mr Calvar said, and this tactic was also studied in northern Iraq and in the remote Pankisi Valley in Georgia, once a stronghold of Chechen militants.
Earlier this week a leaked report revealed a staggering 1,200 women were sexually abused in German cities during the New Year's Eve celebrations.
The police document said detectives believe 2,000 men were involved across various cities but that the bulk of the crimes were committed in Cologne and Hamburg, where 600 and 400 sexual assaults on women were reported respectively.
Of the 2,000 perpetrators, only 120 have been identified, and about half of them were foreign nationals who had only recently arrived in Germany.
Eyewitnesses described the night of December 31, which saw many Arab and North African asylum seekers and immigrants gang rape and attack hundreds of women, as being akin to a war zone.
The warning from Mr Calvar follows similar concerns expressed by prominent police, army and security experts from across Europe.
In May the former head of MI6, Richard Dearlove, said Europe would face a 'populist uprising' if its governments did not take control of the migrant crisis.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel was also told by security experts last October that middle class citizens in Germany were becoming 'radicalised' because of her open borders migrant policy.
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For the second time this year, Manhattanhenge set New York's iconic skyline alight, as crowds gathered to take photos of the spectacular solar phenomenon.
The majestic sight occurs twice a year over a two day period - when the setting sun aligns perfectly with Manhattan's grid system, beaming light down the city streets.
And those who turned out Monday evening were treated to a stunning sunset that illuminated New York's busy streets in shades of gold and orange.
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For the second time this year, Manhattanhenge set New York's iconic skyline alight, as crowds gathered to take photos of the spectacular solar phenomenon.
The majestic sight occurs twice a year over a two day period - when the setting sun aligns perfectly with Manhattan's grid system, beaming light down the city streets
Those that turned out Monday evening were treated to a stunning sunset that illuminated New York's busy streets in shades of gold and orange
Unlike the prehistoric monument, Manhattan gets two dates with the sun each year because its grid system does not line up precisely with the compass points
Many were left disappointed over Manhattanhenge's May offering on Memorial Day weekend after clouds completely obscured the sky.
But Monday's sunset more than made up for May's grey skies and delighted New Yorkers took to social media to share their snaps.
Sylvan Solloway tweeted: 'It's #Manhattanhenge! People are going crazy in the middle of 34th st'
While Phil Torres wrote: '#Manhattanhenge was special. No, the view wasn't clear. But it IS clear science can bring people together.'
Inga Sarda-Sorensen commented: 'Fiery & fabulous #Manhattanhenge tonight in NYC'.
Joanne Freeman tweeted: 'I'm in NY today & saw #Manhattanhenge. I LOVE this kind of NYC event, w/packs of people in the street chatting.'
The celestial phenomenon was named Manhattanhenge in 2002 in reference to Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, which aligns with the rising sun every summer solstice.
Unlike the prehistoric monument, Manhattan gets two dates with the sun each year because its grid system does not line up precisely with the compass points.
Monday's sunset more than made up for May's grey skies and delighted New Yorkers took to social media to share their snaps
The celestial phenomenon was named Manhattanhenge in 2002 in reference to Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, which aligns with the rising sun every summer solstice
The city plan is actually rotated 30 degrees to align with Manhattan's western edge along the Hudson, which means it gets its first alignment a few weeks before the longest day of the year, and a second the same length of time later
The city plan is actually rotated 30 degrees to align with Manhattan's western edge along the Hudson, which means it gets its first alignment a few weeks before the longest day of the year, and a second the same length of time later.
The name was coined by Neil deGrasse Tyson, from the American Museum of Natural History.
In a blog post published on the museum's website, he described it as a 'radiant glow of light across Manhattan's brick and steel canyons, simultaneously illuminating both the north and south sides of every cross street of the borough's grid. A rare and beautiful sight.'
Tyson advises: 'When you look west across the avenues you can still see New Jersey. Clear cross streets include 14th, 23rd, 34th. 42nd, 57th, and several streets adjacent to them.
'The Empire State building and the Chrysler building render 34th street and 42nd streets especially striking vistas.'
He adds: 'True, some municipalities have streets named for the Sun, like Sunrise Highway on Long Island and the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. But these roads are not perfectly straight. And the few times a year when the Sun aligns with one of their stretches of road, all you get is stalled traffic solar glare temporarily blinds drivers.'
Tyson suggests that Manhattanhenge 'may just be a unique urban phenomenon in the world, if not the universe'.
If you missed tonight's solar show, the phenomenon will repeat tomorrow - with just a half sun on the grid - for the last time this year.
The phenomenon was named Manhattanhenge in 2002 in reference to Stonehenge (pictured) in England
The name Manhattanhenge was coined by Neil deGrasse Tyson, from the American Museum of Natural History
Police are appealing for witnesses after a woman was randomly attacked and needed to be hospitalised with a slash wound to her stomach.
The 23-year-old woman was assaulted by an unknown man, dubbed as the 'Melbourne slasher', while after getting off a Toorak Road Tram and walking down Wallace Avenue in Melbourne just before 1am on Saturday.
The woman, who identified herself as Kate in an interview with 3AW, said the man ran up to her and grabbed at her shoulders and waist, before lunging at her and running off.
The man (circled left) seen on the left in the CCTV footage is the main focus of the investigation, though Victoria Police believe the other two men may also be able to provide information to the attack
'Kate' was just 500 metres from her Toorak home when CCTV captures her being set upon by an unknown man
CCTV footage shows man wearing a black jumper following a woman. He walks off screen in the same direction, before reappearing moments later as he runs away
'Kate' was just 500 metres from her Toorak home when she was set upon by an unknown man.
'He looked really wild-eyed but I'm not sure whether it was an adrenaline thing or a drug thing,' Kate told 3AW on Tuesday.
She was released from hospital on Sunday night, but says she's yet to venture outside alone at night again and it would take some time before she felt safe enough to do so.
Victoria Police are now on the hunt for the 'Melbourne slasher', who is described as being aged in his late teens, with a slight build and possibly short dark hair.
Authorities have released two pieces of CCTV footage in hopes of finding Kate's attacker.
The first occurs before the assault, a woman can be seen walking along the bottom of the screen before disappearing.
A man follows soon after, wearing a black jumper with the hood covering his face. He walks off screen in the same direction as the woman, before reappearing moments later as he runs away.
Authorities have released CCTV footage showing a three men in dark jumpers with the hoods up
The second piece of footage shows three men in dark jumpers with the hoods up walking down Toorak Road and waiting at the crossing at the corner of Mathoura Road.
The man seen on the left in the footage is the main focus of the investigation, though police believe the other two men may also be able to provide information to the attack.
Kate told police that she had her handbag on her shoulder and wasn't sure if the offender was attempting to steal it from her.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or file a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
The thee men were seen on CCTV walking down Toorak Road and waiting at the crossing at the corner of Mathoura Road (pictured)
If you thought members of the Womens Institute spent all their time innocently making jam and singing Jerusalem, think again.
For the British institution has been branded the biggest organised crime group in the country by a police officer.
Their offence? Picking wild berries to make jam which is sold at fetes. It turns out that foraging for wild fruit or flowers for profit is theft.
The offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and Theft Act 1968 attracts a sentence of up to seven years.
The Women's Institute has been branded the biggest organised crime group in the country by a police officer. Their offence? Picking wild berries to make jam which is sold at fetes (stock image)
The law, it turns out, is very clear on the matter: foraging wild fruit or flowers for personal use is fine; plucking them for profit is theft.
Sergeant Colin Norden made his light hearted remarks as he addressed councillors and residents in Cambridge about why officers did not prosecute street drinkers for anti-social behaviour.
He explained that officers used Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) to move people on when being anti-social, rather than hauling them to court.
And he cited the Womens Institute as one group this could be used for, albeit in slightly different circumstances.
He joked: The WI are the biggest organised crime group.
That would be quite a controversial thing to say but they pick wild berries with the intent to sell them at a fete. Thats crime.
The meeting at Cambridge City Councils east area committee meeting erupted in laughter at his tongue in cheek comment.
And Kingpins at the WI showed no remorse at having their criminal enterprise publicly exposed.
Sally Kingman, chairman of Cambridge Federation of Womens Institutes, took the police comments with good humour.
I think it shows that WI ladies are very sensible and resourceful especially as one of our recent campaigns is entitled Love Food Hate Waste, she told the Cambridge News.
The law, it turns out, is very clear on the matter: foraging wild fruit or flowers for personal use is fine; plucking them for profit is theft (stock image)
The WI members probably consider that it is much better to pick fruit off the public hedgerows and turn it into delicious pies, tarts and puddings rather than leave it to rot and go to waste on the trees and bushes.
What a treat it is to end a meal with a homemade blackberry fruit crumble; even better if washed down with a glass of homemade elderberry wine.
If Cambridgeshire Police think that the WI are the biggest organised crime group then they have been slow to react as the WI movement was one hundred years old last year.
Another wag posted online that the contraband jam was presumably sold on the blackcurrant market.
News / National
by Staff reporter
Tajamuka, a group of brave protesters calling on President Robert Mugabe and his cabinet to immediately leave office over leadership failure, is urging Zimbabweans to besiege State House on Saturday.The group has activated demonstrations in Harare, Beitbridge and other parts of the country as angry pop corn protests continue.In a brief message currently circulating on social media, Tajamuka thanked Zimbabweans for heeding a call to stay away from work in the past two days resulting in the closure of most businesses in urban areas."We are now calling upon all patriots to be brave. (On) 9 July, we are marching to State House. We should meet at Africa Unity Square at 8am."We will be marching to State House and demanding Mugabe to leave office. We will do whatever it takes to liberate ourselves. Mugabe must go this month. This is a month to liberate ourselves from this evil regime," read the Tajamuka notice.The group reiterated its political neutrality but top government officials have recently linked it to the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by Morgan Tsvangirai."We are just doing this as angry citizens seeking solutions to our problems. We need jobs, we need a better (life)," noted the group.Tajamuka urged business owners to shut down and citizens to postpone long trips.Service providers on Wednesday joined hands with the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ) in warning social media users against generating and sharing content deemed to incite unrest, but citizen activists are unfazed.IT experts told Nehanda Radio, Whatsapp remained the safest platform for Zimbabweans to use as its messages were encrypted and no one could snoop on them."Authorities in Zimbabwe will never be able to read any WhatsApp messages as it offers end to end encryption. This means not even WhatsApp themselves can read our messages, the only people who can see the message are the sender and receiver, period."
The teen had been arrested on
A police officer who posed like a hunter in a photo with a black suspect dressed in antlers should not be given his job back, an Illinois appellate court has ruled.
Timothy McDermott was fired from the Chicago Police Department in 2014 after the 2002 photograph was shown to CPD top brass in 2013.
The court ruling, made Friday, found in favor of a 2014 decision by Cook County judge to uphold McDermott's firing by the CPD.
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Fired: Timothy McDermott (right) was fired in 2014 for this 2002 picture taken with a suspect on a marijuana misdemeanor charge. The other cop, Jerome Finnigan, is in prison on unrelated corruption charges
The photograph was uncovered by feds in 2007 during an investigation into the other man in the photo, Jerome Finnigan.
He was imprisoned for 12 years in 2011 for heading a cop-led crime ring within the department's Special Operations Section (SOS).
McDermott was not implicated in that scandal, which destroyed the SOS, but investigators turned the photo over to the Chicago PD.
They then fired the cop on grounds of bringing discredit on the department, disrespect of a person and unnecessarily displaying a weapon.
That decision, the court ruled Friday, wasn't 'arbitrary or unreasonable'.
In his defense, McDermott had maintained that the photo was taken on the 'spur of the moment' after Finnigan told him to join in the pose.
He told investigators in 2013: 'I do remember an incident where I took a photo with Finnigan and it appears that this is it.
'Finnigan called me over, told me to get in the picture and I sat in the picture. The photo was taken, and I went back to the business I was doing that day.
'I am embarrassed by my participation in this photograph... I made a mistake as a young, impressionable police officer who was trying to fit in.'
McDermott had also claimed that the guns belonged to the suspect.
The suspect was identified last year as Michael Spann, then 17, who had been arrested on misdemeanor marijuana charges. He was killed in a drive-by shooting in 2007.
A 21-year-old Southern California man has been arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty after his pet Chihuahua tested positive for methamphetamine, police said Monday.
Isaiah Nathaniel Sais of Fontana brought his Chihuahua, named Jack Sparrow, to an emergency center in Upland on July 5, telling the veterinarians the dog had ingested the drug after finding it in his house.
On arrival, the dog was in danger of dying, suffering from convulsions, seizures and an irregular heartbeat, veterinarian Dr. Allison Pope said.
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Isaiah Nathaniel Sais of Fontana brought his Chihuahua, named Jack Sparrow, to an emergency center in Upland on July 5, telling the veterinarians the dog had ingested the drug after finding it in his house
When the drug-test results came back positive, Sais reportedly declined treatment for his dog and left the building, against Pope's advice.
Animal Services went to Sais's house shortly after this and seized the Chihuahua, who they say they found in a state of neglect.
The Fontana Police Department said in a Monday news release: 'At the residence, animal service officers observed Jack still suffering from the effects of the drug and other signs of general neglect, seized him from the owner.'
'There was the smell of urine in his fur and his nails were over-grown,' Jaime Simmons from Fontana Animal Services said, adding that Jack may have been kept indoors for months.
The case was immediately submitted to the San Bernardino Animal Cruelty Task Force and an arrest warrant issued for the owner.
When the drug-test results came back positive, Sais reportedly declined treatment for his dog and left the building, against Pope's advice
'We don't know exactly how the dog ingested the meth, but it's reasonable to assume that it could have been accessible to children,' Simmons said.
Veterinarian Dr. Jeremy Campfield told KTLA: 'Marijuana is one that we see many cases of, amphetamine, methamphetamine, we see alcohol intoxications.
'I think people tend to not realize, especially if they are using these substances, that their pets might eat them.'
The dog remains in a stable condition in the emergency center and is expected to be transferred into a temporary foster home in the next few days.
The Fontana Police Department said Monday: 'Jack continues to rehabilitate at the Inland Valley Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Center in Upland for the time being.
'Once he is well enough he will be transferred to a temporary foster home where he can continue to recover.
'Currently, Jack is hyper sensitive to noise, and sudden movement, but he is expected to recover in time.
Her medical marijuana policy appears to have been copied from Wikipedia
Employment seems to have swapped words 'RestoreAus' for 'One Nation'
It appears she lifted from Restore Australia website and right-wing US mag
Pauline Hanson's One Nation has been slammed for plagiarising policies
Pauline Hanson has been accused of plagiarised a number of her party's One Nation policies from other anti-Islamic and far right political websites.
An image posted to Reddit on Sunday suggested the Queensland Senator's policy on medical marijuana had been copied from Wikipedia, with large chunks from each page highlighted to show the remarkable similarities.
But the party's policies on Halal certification, sustainable development, multiculturalism, immigration and employment also appear to have been substantially lifted from online outlets, including anti-Islam group RestoreAustralia.
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Pauline Hanson's One Nation party has been slammed for appearing to have a plagiarised a number of its policies
The One Nation website, which categorises its policies into Federal and State, appears to have taken large chunks of text from RestoreAustralia.
For its multiculturalism policy, Ms Hanson's party seems to have just swapped out the words 'RestoreAustralia' for 'One Nation' from the group's 'Section 9' on immigration, published in December.
Two huge paragraphs of her Halal certification policy is identical to a 2013 article published in the right-wing US magazine, Front Page Mag.
'In October 2010, news broke about how the Campbell's Soup Company received an Islamic (halal) certification for some of its product line,' both articles read.
For its multiculturalism policy, Ms Hanson's party seems to have just swapped out the words 'RestoreAustralia' for 'One Nation'
The party's policies on Halal certification, sustainable development, multiculturalism, immigration and employment also appear to have been substantially lifted from online outlets, including anti-Islam group RestoreAustralia (pictured)
The One Nation website, which categorises its policies into Federal and State, appears to have taken large chunks of text from RestoreAustralia
Both the magazine's piece and One Nation's policy then go on to cover two federal trials dealing with the Islamic Society of North America financing millions to Hamas, word for word.
Another section of One Nation's Halal policy is identical to the anti-Islamic Q Society website.
'Halal food by itself is not of concern. What is of concern is the recent invention of Halal certification schemes,' both Ms Hanson's policy and the excerpt from the website read.
Similarly, her policy on sustainability appears to have been lifted from a 2011 pamphlet by The John Birch Society.
Another section of One Nation's Halal policy is identical to the anti-Islamic Q Society website
'Halal food by itself is not of concern. What is of concern is the recent invention of Halal certification schemes,' both Ms Hanson's policy and the excerpt from the website read
The One Nation website, which categorises its policies into Federal and State, appears to have taken large chunks of text from RestoreAustralia
An image posted to Reddit on Sunday compared the policy from the One Nation website to Wikipedia's page titled 'Medical Cannabis'.
'All the parts highlighted are word for word the same as the Wikipedia page on medical cannabis,' the post reads.
'Notice how Wikipedia delivers a more skeptical approach such as 'There is limited evidence' yet when you go back to One Nation's policy this is left out.'
'In October 2010, news broke about how the Campbell's Soup Company received an Islamic (halal) certification for some of its product line,' both articles read
Two huge paragraphs of her Halal certification policy is identical to a 2013 article published in the right-wing US magazine, Front Page Mag (pictured)
An image posted to Reddit on Sunday compares the policy from the One Nation website to Wikipedia's page titled 'Medical Cannabis'
The One Nation website reads: 'Cannabis is one of the 50 'fundamental' herbs in traditional Chinese medicine.'
The One Nation website, which categorises its policies into Federal and State, appears to have taken large chunks of text from RestoreAustralia
Wikipedia's page reads: 'Cannabis is one of the 50 'fundamental' herbs in traditional Chinese medicine.'
It sparked a heated debate on social media on the credibility of Wikipedia for use in government.
'Policies should be backed by research. However I'm not sure if a copy paste from Wikipedia makes the cut,' one Reddit user wrote.
Another user seems to think Wikipedia is credible enough to run the country: 'I'd vote to replace the current government with Wikipedia,' they said.
If Wikipedia's opinion holds any stead, it says on its own page titled 'Wikipedia: Academic use' that the 'citation of Wikipedia in research papers may be considered unacceptable, because Wikipedia is not considered a credible or authoritative source.'
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Hanson's One Nation party for comment.
For its multiculturalism policy, Ms Hanson's party seems to have just swapped out the words 'RestoreAustralia' for 'One Nation' from the group's 'Section 9' on immigration, published in December
Also claims that the world is run by shape-shifting reptile humanoids
Thousands of Australians are paying up to $140 to attend a 12-hour seminar held by a strange conspiracy theorist who believes the world is run by shape-shifting alien lizards.
David Icke, a former BBC journalist, is currently travelling with his World Wide Wake Up Tour and will deliver 12 hour long seminars in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney later this month.
Icke's most bizarre theories include claims that the September 11 attacks were faked and that world leaders are actually reptiles and part of a group called the Babylonian Brotherhood.
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Conspiracy theorist David Icke is selling out 12-hour seminars in Australia
His first show was in Perth (pictured) and will be visiting other capital cities in the coming week
Icke will present a seminar in Sydney at the Town Hall on July 16
The 64-year-old claims that the 9/11 attack was used to justify the war on terror, and takes issue with the timing pointing to the fact that there were military exercises going on when the planes hit the World Trade Centre.
'Wherever you look, it doesn't make sense,' he told News Corp in a recent interview.
'How those buildings came down makes no sense, either. It's not just me saying it, it's experts in those fields saying it,' Icke claimed.
Another of his more recent theories is rooted in the modern world's obsession with technology, which was discussed at his first seminar in Perth.
He believes there are three stages of the way smart technology is evolving.
Handhelds such as mobile phones are the first and the second are wearables such as watches and glasses.
The former journalist believes 9/11 was faked as a justification for the war on terror
He often shares memes like the one above on his Facebook page
The third stage will be implantables, used to control the human mind and dictate the way we see the world.
'Transhumanists say that by putting technology inside us we are going to be super human but we're actually going to be sub-human. We will become computer terminals,' Icke told the publication.
DAVID ICKES' STRANGEST THEORIES In 1991 during an interview with BBC1 David Ickes declared he was the son of God.
In the same interview the former journalist also declared that the world would end in 1997.
Ickes believes that 9/11 was an inside job organised by the government to justify the War on Terror.
He claims world leaders including the British royal family are 'shape-shifting reptile humanoids'
Says the 'alien lizards' want to microchip everyone and run a global fascist government
Claims the 'reptiles' also abuse and sacrifice children
At one stage he refused to wear anything but the colour turquoise because it 'channeled positive energy' Advertisement
Icke has also been vocal in his beliefs that there is a Babylonian Brotherhood - who are shape-shifting reptilian humanoids - controlling the world order.
The former journalist has previously claimed these aliens sacrifcie children for their cause.
He has previously called the British royal family shape-shifting lizard people - and said the goal of the Brotherhood is to create a microchipped race and fascist world government.
Icke described the concept that humans are alone on earth as insane, and that the 'ignorant' people that believe there are no extra-terrestrial species are 'programmed from birth'.
In a 1991 interview on the BBC, Icke claimed that he was the son of God and that the world would end in 1997.
He married his first wife Linda Atherton in 1971 - just four months after they met. They had three children together, a daughter and two sons.
Icke and Atherton divorced in 2001, the same year he married his second wife Pamela Leigh Richards.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted David Icke for further comment.
An investment banker who fatally bashed a university student in an unprovoked six-second attack outside a McDonald's outlet will spend at least 16 years behind bars.
Kyle Sirous Zandipour, 29, from Melbourne, was given a 20-year prison sentence, with a minimum non-parole period of 16 years for murdering student Joshua Hardy.
The 21-year-old man died after being kicked and stomped on during a violent attack outside the fast food restaurant on St Kilda Road in Melbourne's south east in October 2014.
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Kyle Sirous Zandipour (pictured left outside the Supreme Court after pleading guilty of murder in May) has been sentenced to at least 16 years behind bars over the murder of university student Joshua Hardy (right)
The family of Joshua Harding (from left: mother Milly Harding, father David Harding and sister Rebecca Harding) fronted the media after leaving the Supreme Court in Melbourne on Tuesday
Zandipour was found guilty of murdering Mr Hardy in May.
Victorian Supreme Court Justice Karin Emerton did not accept Zandipour's explanation to police that he had attacked Mr Hardy in self defence.
'Rather than being threatening, Mr Hardy appeared vulnerable,' she said.
Mr Hardy had been at a valedictory dinner and then a birthday party when he crossed paths with Zandipour on October 18 in 2014.
Zandipour had been playing video games with his friend Matthew Bell when they decided to leave the St Kilda Rd apartment Zandipour shared with his girlfriend to get some food.
Mr Hardy was outside McDonald's as Mr Bell and Zandipour left and, having lost both his wallet and mobile phone, asked Mr Bell if he could use his.
The student was unsteady on his feet and slurring his words, the court heard.
'This made him an easy target more than a threat,' Justice Emerton said.
Mr Bell pushed Mr Hardy, causing him to stagger, but not fall.
With no apparent warning, Zandipour then grabbed Mr Hardy's left hand and slung him head first into the ground, with great force.
Zandipour leaving the Supreme Court in a prison truck after being sentenced to jail over the brutal murder
The family of Mr Harding (left: father David Harding and sister Rebecca) leave court on Tuesday
Mr Hardy (right) was killed in 2014 after celebrating the end of semester with his beloved little sister, Rebecca (left) - pictured on their last night together
Zandipour then inflicted three forceful kicks to his head and neck area.
The kicks caused Mr Hardy's body to swing around as Zandipour stomped on the fallen student's head and neck.
CCTV footage shows the attack lasted six seconds.
The 21-year-old was pronounced dead less than two hours later in hospital having sustained a lacerated artery.
'Your actions involved a moment of madness,' Justice Emerton said.
'You had no beef with Mr Hardy.'
She said Zandipour's offer to plead guilty to manslaughter earlier this year showed he had remorse for his actions and the suffering they had caused Mr Hardy's family.
But his conduct and spur of the moment decision to attack Mr Hardy that night was 'utterly senseless'.
'Crimes of this kind, involving random acts of violence against hapless passers-by in Melbourne ... need to be denounced,' Justice Emerton said.
Mr Harding's family (pictured from left: Milly Harding, Rebecca Harding and David Harding) leave court
The 21-year-old died after being kicked and stomped on during a violent attack outside the fast food giant
A celebrated artist whose works sell for as much as $25million must go to court to prove that he didn't create a painting, in a bizarre lawsuit.
Peter Doig, 57, whose surreal landscapes have made him a hot property in the art world, is being sued by former Canadian corrections officer Robert Fletcher, 62, who says he bought a painting from him as a teen.
Doig denies Fletcher's claim that he sold the painting for $100 in 1976 while imprisoned for possession of LSD - and now the painter has to prove it, The New York Times reported.
Art attack: Celebrated artist Peter Doig says this painting - bought by Canadian prison officer Robert Fletcher from 'Pete Doige' in 1976 - isn't his work. Fletcher is suing Doig for $5million after a lucrative sale fell through
Eerie: Doig's 1990 landscape 'Swamped,' (pictured) sold for up to $25.9million. Fletcher alleges he bought a painting for $100 from Doig when the artist was 16 and locked up for possession of LSD
Artist: Doig, who is Scottish, did spend teenage years in Canada and has admitted to taking acid, but denies he painted the work. Now he must prove he didn't make the artwork in a Chicago court
Fletcher claims that he befriended Doig while working at a prison farm in Thunder Bay Correctional Center, Ontario in 1975, and later became the young man's parole officer.
He says that the following year Doig - then calling himself Doige - sold him a painting of a desert landscape for $100, and that he bought the working hoping that it might keep the kid out of crime.
That painting then hung on his wall until about five years ago, when a friend said that the artist was now famous.
Fletcher claims that he watched an interview with Doig on YouTube and was struck by how the artist's speech and mannerisms reminded of the boy he'd met 35 years before.
The painting also has several hallmarks of the art that would make Doig famous, including a log poking out from a lake and white lichen on tree bark, says Fletcher.
And it is indeed signed 'Pete Doige 76.'
He sent it to a gallery in Chicago that was similarly convinced.
But when an image of the canvas was sent to Doig, the painter denied it was his: 'I said, "Nice painting,"' he told the NYT. '"Not by me."'
That, says Fletcher, torpedoed a sale of the work that would have netted him millions of dollars - and now he's out to get that money, plus confirmation that the artwork is Doig's.
'Every artist has destroyed work,' William F. Zieske, Fletcher's lawyer and art dealer, said. 'We cant really get into (Doig's) mind and say why he looked at this painting and said, "I am not going to own that." I dont think anyone can.'
Fletcher's lawyers say the lack of paperwork on Doig at Thunder Bay was due to him being a minor and that his records were probably lost or expunged.
Doig, who is Scottish, did spend some of his teenage years in Canada and has admitted to taking LSD during that time.
However, he denies picking up a brush before 1979 and says he was never even near Thunder Bay. 'If I had painted that painting when I was 16, I would admit it,' he said in court papers.
More compellingly, his lawyers have found another man, Peter Edward Doige, who had served time in Thunder Bay and painted. He died in 2012.
Surprised: Fletcher (pictured) also wants Doig to admit to making the painting. The court case a has surprised the art world, and could create a worrying precedent for other artists
'I believe that Mr. Fletcher is mistaken and that he actually met my brother, Peter, who I believe did this painting,' said Marilyn Doige Bovard, the man's sister, in a court declaration.
She says that the painting shows the Arizona desert that their mom moved to after a divorce, and where Doige had spent some time. She claims to remember a specific cactus seen in the painting.
Doige also went to Lakehead University, which Fletcher had named in his own story, and which Doig says he never attended.
The artist had asked for the lawsuit to be thrown out based on this and other evidence - but in April judge Gary Feinerman of United States District Court said it would have to go to trial.
'The presence of the Lakehead and the Seafarers records for Doige, but not for Doig, certainly favors Doig,' Feinerman said in his decision.
'There is no doubt about that. But its not strong enough evidence, given all of the evidence in the record... (to prove that Doig) was not the person at Thunder Bay who was the author of the painting.'
That puts Doig in the bizarre position of proving he didn't make an artwork - something that has shocked the art world.
'To have to disprove that you created a work seems somehow wrong and not fair,' said Amy M. Adler, a professor at New York University Law School.
If Fletcher wins, he will probably still struggle to sell the art on, given Doig's well-publicized denial. But it will create a precedent that would mean potentially huge fall-out for other artists.
Nicholas M. ODonnell, a Boston art lawyer, told The New York Times: 'It would put all artists in the cross hairs.'
abducted his son on June 30 and travelled to the Middle East
A father allegedly abducted his young son and travelled to the Middle East last month, forcing federal police to launch an investigation at 3am and race to stop the pair before they got off the plane.
The boy's mother, from Brisbane, came home from work around 12am on June 30 and discovered a note written by her estranged husband in Arabic explaining that he taken their son, who was born in 2009, according to court documents obtained byThe Australian.
'The note was written in Arabic and said: "If you read this, it means that I am on a plane to (the Middle East). I have to do this before you might do something. You have the option to stay or come. You have to pay into the account to pay all the bills,"' according to documents.
A man allegedly abducted his young son in Brisbane and travelled to the Middle East on June 30, leaving his wife a note in Arabic about his plan and forcing federal police to launch a rescue mission (stock image)
The boy's mother, from Brisbane, discovered the note when she returned home from work at 12am and called the Australian Federal Police (stock image)
The man also left his wife, who he was living with although they have been separated for two years, a printed itinerary of his flight, records said.
His estranged wife called the Australian Federal Police, who told her that he and their son had boarded a plane for the Middle East and were expected to land in eight hours.
The Family Court registrar was alerted and woke up Family Court Judge Jenny Hogan in the middle of the night asking for an emergency retrieval order, according to The Australian.
'as I understand it, that the child had until then lived for at least the majority, if not all, of his life in Australia, I was persuaded that his best interests required the making of the recovery order,' Judge Hogan said in her judgement, adding that police could use force if necessary when trying to retrieve the boy.
Australian Federal Police would not tell The Australian if the boy had been retrieved and returned home.
The AFP told Daily Mail Australia they were unable to comment.
Beijing has begun a war of words warning it is not afraid of trouble after the UN ruled it had no 'historic rights' to claim territory in the South China Sea.
China had said it had expansive claims to the waters but the Philippines brought a case to the Permananent Court of Arbitration in The Hague challenging the position.
But today the tribunal announced it would be ruling against China on the case and said in a statement: 'The Tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights within the sea areas falling within the 'nine-dash line.'
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A Filipino activist holds a Philippine flag on a ship while a Chinese coast guard ship sails by at the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea
The Philippines have so far welcomed the decision but China has called it 'ill founded' after earlier warning they would never compromise on sovereignty.
Before the decision was made, Chinese state media said Beijing would not take a 'single step back' after the ruling.
Meanwhile president Xi Jinping said earlier this month: 'We are not afraid of trouble.'
It came amid a long-running campaign by Beijing to discredit the UN-backed panel, which it says has no jurisdiction in the multi-national dispute.
The China Daily newspaper, which is published by the government, topped its front page today with a picture of Woody Island in the Paracels, emblazoned: 'Arbitration invalid'.
China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the strategically vital waters in the face of rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbours.
Its claims were first enshrined in a map drawn in the 1940s with a dashed line stretching south from China and encircling almost all of the sea, although it says Chinese fishermen have been using it for centuries.
China's South Sea Fleet takes part in a drill in the Xisha Islands, or the Paracel Islands, in the South China Sea
To bolster its position it has rapidly turned reefs into artificial islands capable of hosting military planes.
It has held naval drills between the Paracels and the southern Chinese island of Hainan in recent days.
US naval destroyers have been patrolling near the Chinese-claimed Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Islands, supported by aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, the US-based Navy Times reported.
However, Manila lodged its suit against Beijing in 2013, saying China was in violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both countries are signatories.
Beijing has boycotted the proceedings, saying the court has no jurisdiction over the issue, and that it will ignore the ruling.
Disputed maritime features in the South China Sea which has been ruled on by a UN-backed tribunal
The UN-backed PCA will not rule directly on sovereignty over the disputed rocks and reefs, and it has not said whether it will address China's nine-dash line.
China could choose to withdraw from UNCLOS, or begin building on Scarborough Shoal, which Washington would view as a provocation.
Beijing could also declare an air defence identification zone over the South China Sea, claiming the right to interrogate aircraft passing through the airspace, or try to remove a ship grounded by the Philippines on Second Thomas Shoal for use as a base.
Alternatively, it could move to reduce tensions.
Arabic Council of Australian founder Joseph Wakim has been jailed for 20 months for performing oral sex on a 13-year-old boy in his home on Christmas Day.
Joseph Wakim, 53, who was awarded an Order of Australia and was a prominent newspaper columnist, pleaded guilty to the rape of a 13-year-old boy on Christmas Day in 2015 after showering him with gifts and holidays.
On Tuesday, County Court Amanda Chambers sentenced Mr Wakim, a widowed father of three daughters, to 20 months in prison.
He was stripped of his Order of Australia after the attack and will be placed on the sex offenders registry for 15 years.
Joseph Wakim, 52, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for sexually penetrating a young boy in December 2015
Joseph Wakim, 53, a respected member of the Australian Arabic community, sexually assaulted a 13-year-old boy in his Melbourne home on Christmas Day, 2015
The day after the attack the author and former social worker with street kids sent the young victim an email saying the teenager was a 'caterpillar emerging from the cocoon' and had was about to become a 'glorious butterfly', The Herald Sun reports.
In a victim impact statement read to the court in June, the boy said he has lost trust in adults and feels like his brains has 'been all mucked up'
Prosecutors dropped a grooming charged against Mr Wakim, who became friendly with the victim's family at a church function, The Age reports.
He regularly sent the victim gifts, flew down from NSW to see the family, gave the victim massages and babysat the boy and his siblings.
'He came to view you as a father figure, someone who cared for him and gave him valued advice,' County Court judge Amanda Chambers told Mr Wakim during sentencing.
'Driving in the car, you took the victim's hand and repeatedly kissed it, saying words to the effect 'you know how much I love you'.'
The court heard how Mr Wakim regularly sent the victim gifts, flew down from NSW to see the family, gave the victim massages
The widowed father-of-three was charged with three offences in January, but two of those were dropped
Mr Wakim, pictured on his wedding day in 1988, has been stripped of his Order of Australia and will be placed on the sex offenders registry for 15 years
The assault happened when Mr Wakim went to the victim's family home for Christmas dinner.
He went up to the boys room at bed time to give him a massage, but Mr Wakim had the victim turn over and performed oral sex on him.
The victim immediately complained to his mother about the assault, who confronted Mr Wakim, who was arrested two days later.
Mr Wakim told the court he was 'baffled' about why he committed the offences, adding he suspected it linked to his own experience of sexual abuse when he was 13.
Cancer fraud Belle Gibson has missed her final deadline to file defence documents in a case brought against her by Consumer Affairs Victoria.
Founder of The Whole Pantry, Gibson lied about healing her terminal brain tumor with clean eating and healthy living.
The disgraced wellness blogger, 24, was given until 4pm July 10 to file these documents, however failed to do so last Friday.
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Cancer fraud Belle Gibson has missed her final deadline to file defence documents in her ongoing court case
Gibson lied about healing her terminal brain tumor with clean eating and healthy living
She published a book titled The Whole Pantry and had launched an app of the same name
Consumer Affairs Victoria confirmed to Daily Mail Australia they were still pursuing the case against Gibson.
'Consumer Affairs Victoria is taking action against Belle Gibson and her company, Inkerman Road Nominees Pty Ltd (in liquidation), in the Federal Court of Australia,' spokesperson said.
'As the matter is continuing to progress in court, no update can be provided at this time.'
If Gibson continues to fail to turn up in court, either Consumer Affairs or the court can request that she appears.
Last month Gibson called the police on media who she accused of 'intimidating' her and her son
If she continues to evade court the former blogger could be subpoenaed or face more serious consequences
In a June 2015 interview with 60 Minutes Gibson revealed she had lied about having cancer
If she continues to evade court the former blogger could be subpoenaed or face more serious consequences.
The wellness blogger rose to notoriety in March 2015 when it was revealed she had made thousands of dollars through her cookbook and app by claiming she cured her cancer by healthy living.
In a controversial interview with 60 Minutes in June that year Gibson then admitted she had lied about having cancer before claiming that she had 'lost everything'.
News / National
by Staff Reporter
President Robert Mugabe on Friday in Bindura, Mashonaland Central called on politicians in the country not to force people to support them.The 92-year-old leader, who has been in power for 36 year, said people must support parties out of their choice.Mugabe emphasised that guns must not lead politics, but instead it should be vice versa."When we say we fought for the people, why then are we fighting them," Mugabe said.On late payment of civil servants salaries, Mugabe said it is true the Government has been facing challenges and at times delaying paying people by weeks or even months.Mugabe said every nation has its problems.
A Breaking Bad-style campervan equipped to make the highly-addictive drug meth has been pictured in New Zealand.
The campervan was found late last month on a property in Moerewa, a small town in the Northland region of New Zealand, containing what police believe to be chemicals and equipment used to make methamphetamine.
The mobile lab was located just hours away from the town of Tutukaka, where police discovered another methamphetamine lab in a holiday home on Sunday,The New Zealand Herald reported.
Police say they discovered this campervan containing chemicals and equipment used to make methamphetamine in Moerewa, a small town in the Northland region of New Zealand last month
New Zealand Police believe the inside of the campervan (pictured) may have been fitted out with equipment to make the highly-addictive drug ice
Five people were arrested at the Tutukaka property and have been charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, as well as the unlawful possession of a sawn-off .22 rifle and an AK47 assault rifle.
Northland Criminal Investigations Manager Detective Inspector Kevin Burke said the two cases were not linked.
Photos from inside the campervan found in Moerewa reveal glass tubes, lab equipment and wood-paneled walls.
Mr Burke said police had noticed an increase in the use of small mobile vehicles to make ice.
A picture of the motorhome used as a mobile methamphetamine laboratory in the hit show Breaking Bad
'It allows people the opportunity to move to different locations to carry out these cooks,' Mr Burke told The Northern Advocate earlier this month.
Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, the two main characters of hit television show Breaking Bad, used a motorhome as a mobile laboratory so that Walt can secure his family's financial future before he dies of cancer.
Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) the two main characters of hit television show Breaking Bad
The vehicle, which was named the 'The Crystal Ship', is a fan favourite and action figurines have been made to resemble it.
New Zealand Police have seized the mobile meth lab, which will be tested to see if methamphetamine was being made inside.
Corey Menafee knocked out a stained glass window at Yale depicting slaves in a cotton field
An African-American dishwasher at Yale broke a stained glass window showing slaves working in cotton fields after he said was tired of looking at the 'degrading' image.
Corey Menafee, who used his broomstick to knock the glass panel out, resigned from his job after he was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment and criminal mischief.
Menafee worked at the Ivy League school's Calhoun dining hall, named after the seventh Vice President of the United States John C Calhoun, who was an avid supporter of slavery.
The dishwasher drew the support of student activists after petitions to change the residential college's name were rejected by Yale in April.
Menafee said he acted impulsively and independently of the students' debate about Calhoun's legacy at Yale.
'I took a broomstick, and it was kind of high, and I climbed up and reached up and broke it,' he told the New Haven Independent.
'It's 2016, I shouldn't have to come to work and see things like that,' he added.
'I just said, 'That thing's coming down today. I'm tired of it.' I put myself in a position to do it, and did it.'
Menafee told the local paper he lost his job because the school considered him a danger to the students, although a statement issued by Yale later said the dishwasher resigned.
The 38-year-old has since apologized for breaking the glass, which fell on a woman walking past, and has been replaced by a clear pane. The woman was not injured.
'It could be termed as civil disobedience,' Menafee said. 'But there's always better ways of doing things like that than just destroying things. It wasn't my property, and I had no right to do it.'
Menafee, could face one to five years in prison along with a fine up to $5,000 for criminal mischief.
The reckless endangerment charge carries a sentence up to two years in addition to fines up to $1,000.
The college will not push for prosecution or seek restitution for the glass, a spokesperson said.
Menafee worked at the Ivy League school's Calhoun dining hall, named after the seventh Vice President of the United States John C Calhoun, who was an avid supporter of slavery
But it appears his actions successfully spurred the school to a few concessions, after a longstanding debate among students failed to strike Calhoun's name from the dormitory.
An email issued by the Head of Calhoun College Julia Adams last Tuesday stated the stained glass windows depicting the slave owner would be removed from the common room.
The glass panels will be stored at the Yale University Art Gallery and replaced with tinted panes until the school commissions an artist to create new designs.
YALE'S STAINED GLASS WINDOWS One panel, titled 'Negro with a watermelon' was removed from the Sterling Memorial Library after employees complained in the 90s. Another panel at the library references 'Heathen Chinee', a narrative poem that was intended as a satire, but instead reinforced racist sentiments. A stained glass depiction of a shackled slave kneeling before Calhoun was removed from the dorm's common room in 1992 following a student campaign. Menafee broke a stained glass panel showing two slaves carrying picked cotton in the fields. Advertisement
The dining hall will also be renamed after Roosevelt Thompson, an African American Yale alum who died shortly after his graduation in 1984.
Adams told the Yale Daily News: 'Placating people wasn't in my mind.
'Rather I hope that the specific mingling of old and new, in which the students and broader Calhoun community will have a hand, opens to the future as well as the past.'
In April, it was announced Yale would not be heeding the year-long campaign to change the dormitory's name.
Yale president Peter Salovey defended the decision and was reported by the NYTimes saying: 'Universities have to be the places where tough conversations happen. I dont think that is advanced by hiding our past.'
The college removed a glass panel in the common room showing a slave kneeling at Calhoun's feet after a student campaign in 1992, according to the Yale Daily News.
Menafee is a father of two who graduated from Virginia Union University in 2001 and previously worked as a substitute teacher.
A 'blind drunk' Irish backpacker has gotten a rude awakening after he was fined for sleeping on the roof of a business.
Northern Territory police took to social media on Tuesday to issue images of Fire and Rescue Services scaling a ladder to rescue the man, who was lying unconscious on the roof of Darwin's Mitchell St Tourist Precinct.
A spokesperson for NT Police told Daily Mail Australia the man was slapped with a $470 Disorderly behaviour infringement fine.
Northern Territory police have issued images of a backpacker who was fined for sleeping on the roof of a business
The backpacker described himself as being 'gee-eyed' - which is 'Irish slang for blind drunk, basically' when he 'decided this was a good place for a kip' on Monday night.
Senior Sergeant Garry Smith said the man told police he had no idea how he got up there.
'It's got to give you a giggle but we've also got to be serious, we're talking about a very intoxicated person who has no recollection of climbing up to a very high place and falling asleep.
Sen Sgt Smith condemned the man's actions and things could easily have ended badly for him.
'He could have fallen and injured himself or a pedestrian,' he said.
'You've got to roll your eyes, but also what do you do, it's just part of Darwin.'
A takeaway store owner has spoken about the terrifying moment he 'took away the power' of an armed would-be robber wielding a gun by ignoring him to serve a customer.
Said Ahmed, who moved from Egypt to New Zealand, was working alone on the night of May 28 when a masked man brandishing a handgun stormed his Christchurch store Taste of Egypt.
However, the plucky store owner appeared to be unfazed by the weapon as he calmly smiled and handed the customer his food, while ignoring the masked man who was standing by the counter with a black backpack.
'My heart was beating quickly, I was scared, but I wasnt going to show him that,' Mr Ahmed told The Guardian.
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Store owner Said Ahmed (left) calmly ignored an armed would-be robber so he could serve another customer
CCTV footage shows the armed man holding the backpack over the counter before pulling out a handgun directed at the father.
After handing the food in a brown paper bag over to the customer, Mr Ahmed calmly walked back into the kitchen to call police.
'I told myself, "If he shoots me at least my body will be further away, and the gun shot wont be as serious as shooting me at close range in my heart or my head",' he said.
The calm reaction left the armed would-be robber empty handed as he fled the stores shortly after.
'The robber was very confused by my behaviour. He wanted to scare me but I wasnt scared, so I took away his power,' Mr Ahmed said.
This comes after security footage emerged of the employee calmly wrapping up a large chicken souvlaki in a brown paper bag as he ignored a man wielding a gun.
The robber was then pushed to the side as the worker handed over the order to a customer seated inside the takeaway shop.
The customer brushed past the masked man to collect his food and can be seen backing away out of the shop.
The employee nonchalantly walks back to the kitchen and out of view of the CCTV camera.
Canterbury police have released the CCTV footage in a bid to track down the masked man.
The would-be thief pulled a gun out of his bag but the employee was more concerned with serving his customer and can be seen wrapping up food in a brown paper bag
The robber was then pushed to the side as the owner handed over the order to a customer seated inside
CCTV has captured the heart-stopping moment a robber brandishes a large knife at a supermarket worker before demanding cash from the register.
The armed robber can be seen in the footage reaching for the worker, while threatening her and surrounding shoppers with the knife.
The robber walked into an Aldi shop at Carrums Down in south-east Melbourne about 7.10pm Sunday, Victoria Police said.
The supermarket worker looks recoils as the robber steals a wad of cash, keeping the knife securely in his hand
The terrified worker opens the till as four shoppers seen in the footage stand back.
The supermarket worker hands over a wad of cash to the robber, who flees the shop on Frankston-Dandenong Road while still brandishing the knife.
No one was hurt during the robbery, police said.
During the robbery the man was wearing a black jacket with a hood, brown pants and distinctive red running shoes.
The police investigation is ongoing and detectives have appeal for witnesses to come forward.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
The robber is still brandishing the knife as he flees the Aldi supermarket on Frankston-Dandenong Road on foot
The robber walked into this Aldi shop at Carrums Down in south-east Melbourne about 7.10pm on Sunday
The owner of the convenience store where Alton Sterling was killed last week by a white officer has filed a lawsuit against Baton Rouge police.
Abdullah Muflahi, the proprietor of Triple S Mart, recorded part of the July 5 incident which saw one officer shoot Sterling six times in the chest, sparking Black Lives Matter protests that have been held around the globe.
Muflahi's lawsuit, filed Monday, against Baton Rouge police alleges that he was illegally detained after he recorded the confrontation between police and Sterling on his cellphone.
Abdullah Muflahi, (left) the owner of the convenience store where Alton Sterling (right) was killed last week by two white Baton Rouge police has filed a lawsuit against the officers
Abdullah Muflahi, the propriator of Triple S Mart, recorded part of the July 5 incident which saw one officer shoot Sterling six times in the chest
Muflahi's lawsuit, filed Monday, against Baton Rouge police alleging that he was illegally detained after he recorded the confrontation between police and Sterling on his cellphone (pictured)
The suit says he was kept in the back of a police vehicle for four hours and detained at the Louisiana State Police headquarters for two hours while he was questioned.
The incident was also recorded on the shop's surveillance camera, which was illegally seized by police said Muflahi.
A search warrant for surveillance video from the store said that, during the arrest, officers saw 'the butt of a gun' in Sterling's pocket and that he tried 'to reach for the gun from his pocket.'
Muflahi's attorney Joel Porter told The Daily Beast on Monday that there are many aspects to the police warrant timeline that 'don't add up'.
Other discrepancies include the fact that Muflahi claims police detained him and took the hard drive around 1 am, meaning that either they waited five hours to get a warrant and seize the hard drive or they got the warrant after the fact, to make it appear legal, says Porter.
But since the police are in possession of the evidence and are not about to release it, it is impossible to know which story is correct.
The suit says Muflahi (center) was kept in the back of a police vehicle for four hours and detained at the Louisiana State Police headquarters for two hours while he was questioned
Porter says the police exceeded the warrant's authority by seizing the surveillance hard drive, rather than just searching it.
He added that it is clear that the officers lied in the warrant as they describe the brand of recorder before they claim to have searched the store, calling the situation 'laughable'.
Speaking to MailOnline days after the incident, Muflahi, 28, said he secreted away the iPhone on which he had recorded the final seconds of his friend Sterling's life because he feared the film would never be seen by the public.
He said he was worried that the video would be withheld if police had realized the powerful images existed.
The store owner, who has been praised by his local community for coming forward, added: 'The weapon was not visible and never in his hands.
Police identified the two cops involved in the shooting last Tuesday as four-year-veteran Blane Salamoni (left) and three-year-veteran Howie Lake II (right)
'I am 100 per cent sure. After they shot him you can see they go into his pocket to get it.'
The Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights investigation of Sterling's death.
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said in a statement that he won't have access to the federal investigation on the shooting until it's completed and a decision has been made on potential federal charges.
Moore, the local district attorney, said the Justice Department would rather not have 'parallel investigations.'
'It's better that DOJ do their work. They're completely independent, from nowhere around here,' he said.
Police and protesters demonstrate in a residential neighborhood in Baton Rouge, on Sunday, July 10
Moore also said he's recusing himself from any state criminal investigation into the shooting death of Sterling.
He cited his professional relationship with the parents of one of the officers involved in the shooting, Blane Salamoni.
Protests in Baton Rouge were low-key on Monday night following a tumultuous weekend marked by arrests and standoffs between protesters and police in riot gear, following Sterling's death.
More than 100 people were arrested Saturday and 48 people were arrested Sunday, according to the Daily Beast.
Sterling's funeral will be held Friday in Baton Rouge. Services will be at the Southern University F.G. Clark Activity Center.
A viewing is scheduled from 8 am. to 10.30 am, with the service to follow at 11 am.
After an organized protest in downtown Baton Rouge protesters wandered into residential neighborhoods and toward a major highway that caused the police to respond by arresting protesters that refused to disperse
Father-of-five Alton Sterling, 37, (pictured) was killed following a confrontation outside a Baton Rouge convenience store early on the morning of July 5. An affidavit now says police saw him reach for a gun in the pocket of his pants
A warrant from police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has revealed that officers claimed they observed the butt of a gun in the front pocket of Alton Sterling's pants before shooting him to death.
Officers Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake said they saw Sterling reach for the gun before opening fire, according to the affidavit that a Baton Rouge detective filed for a search warrant in the case.
The warrant gives the first few details of what police say happened leading up to the shooting of Sterling, 37, on July 5.
'While the officers were attempting to subdue the subject the officers observed the butt of a gun,' the affidavit says.
It goes on to say when they saw him attempt to reach for the gun, one officer fired, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The officer who shot Sterling has not been specified.
Baton Rogue investigators and 'the officers feel they were completely justified', East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore said during a news conference last week.
Moore has since recused himself from the case because he said he has a friendship with one of the Salamoni's parents.
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Officer Howie Lake II (left) and Blake Salamoni (right) have been identified as the officers involved in the shooting
Officers Salamoni and Lake (pictured left) said they saw Sterling reach for the gun before opening fire, according to the affidavit. The officer who shot Sterling has not been specified
Authorities have not discussed what occurred that night, saying they cannot speak about ongoing investigations.
The affidavit does not explain what was discussed between Sterling and officers Salamoni and Lake prior to the shooting.
It says homicide investigators asked for the warrant, then retrieved surveillance video from the Triple S Mart, where the shooting occurred, a few hours later.
Police say they have dashcam footage, body cam footage and store surveillance footage that will be turned over to the Justice Department, CBS News reported.
Officials say Salamoni and Lake were responding to a complaint that a black male was outside the Triple S Mart and had threatened someone with a gun. When Sterling didn't comply with the order to 'place his hands on the hood of a vehicle' the officers attempted to restrain him and then used a taser, the affidavit says
As Sterling lies on the ground with blood seeping from his chest, one of the officers leans over and grabs what appears to be a gun from the street seller's pocket
Officials say Salamoni and Lake were responding to a complaint that a black male was outside the Triple S Mart and had threatened someone with a gun.
Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar C. Moore III (pictured) has announced he will recuse himself from the investigation
Sterling was outside the convenience store selling CDs in the early morning hours of July 5 and fit the ID of the man who had been described in the complaint, the affidavit said.
The affidavit then says when 'contacted the subject' they 'gave him direct orders to place his hands on the hood of a nearby vehicle'.
When Sterling didn't comply with the order the officers attempted to restrain him and then used a taser, the affidavit says.
In the graphic cell phone footage of the shooting, Sterling can be seen being thrown to the ground by officers Salamoni and Lake.
As Sterling continues to move on the ground, an officer reaches for his gun and then points it at the father-of-five's chest.
One of the officers then yells: 'He's got a gun! Gun! You f****** move and I swear to God.'
Less than two seconds later, the first shot is heard, followed quickly by another two.
Three more shots are heard as the startled shop owner momentarily turns his camera away from the scene.
Sterling's death, along with that of Philando Castile who was shot during a traffic stop in St. Paul, Minnesota have sparked protests across the country
As Sterling lies on the ground with blood seeping from his chest, one of the officers leans over and grabs what appears to be a gun from the street seller's pocket.
Both officers have since been placed on administrative leave while the case is investigated.
Sterling's public funeral is scheduled for Friday at Southern University, the Advocate reported.
Vladimir Putin has sacked every single commander in Russia's Baltic fleet in what has been described as a 'Stalin-style' purge.
Up to 50 officers of the fleet were fired alongside Vice Admiral Viktor Kravchuk and his chief of staff Rear Admiral Sergei Popov after they reportedly refused to follow orders to confront Western ships.
Reports in Russia also suggested the purges followed an alleged cover-up of a submarine accident, flaws in recruitment and military construction projects.
Russian president Vladimir Putin who has sacked 50 officers including the head of Russia's Baltic fleet
It comes amid an undisclosed number of other senior officers of the fleets have been fired over serious flaws in combat training and their failure to take proper care of personnel.
The purges' scope and publicity make them highly unusual for the Russian military, which usually removes senior officers in a more subtle way.
It is particularly unexpected as it follows Putin's visit to the Baltic fleet last year in Kalingrad, during which he praised its performance.
However, there has been speculation the drastic measures were prompted after the US Navy ship the USS Donald Cook was 'buzzed' by Russian fighter bombers in April, which was meant to be part of a series of confrontations against Western ships in the Baltic.
But international affairs analyst Peter Coates told news.com.au: 'But the Russian Baltic Fleet, however, refused to follow such dangerous orders - hence Putin's retaliation against his own naval officers.
Only last year Putin attended a ceremony marking Navy Day with the Baltic fleet where he was full of praise for officers, pictured
Meanwhile after news of the sackings were announced, the Moscow Times noted that 'not since Stalin's purges had so many officers been ousted at once.'
The Baltic fleet has become increasing significant to Russia recently with the break up of the Soviet Union and defection of states such as Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
The only remaining Russian enclave on the Baltic coast is Kaliningrad, the most militarized plot of land in Europe and one of the catalysts for a planned build-up of forces by the Western military alliance on its eastern flank.
Though small about the size of Connecticut Kaliningrad loomed large for leaders at the NATO Warsaw summit
NATO military and civilian leaders fear that Russia is using Kaliningrad to create what is known as an anti-access/area denial bubble, using systems like surface-to-air missile batteries to deny NATO access to certain areas in its own territory in the event of a conflict.
The purges' scope and publicity make them highly unusual for the Russian military, which usually removes senior officers in a more subtle way
'There was no reason to be very concerned five years ago when you could count on more or less peaceful behavior of the Russian side,' said Igor Sutyagin, a research fellow in Russian studies at the Royal United Services Institute in London.
'Now it's becoming more and more possible that these forces could be used, and this is reason for concern.'
Prior to the Second World War, Kaliningrad was Koenigsberg, a northern district of what was then East Prussia, home of the 18th-century philosopher Immanuel Kant, and a grain, dairy and meat supplier to the rest of Germany.
to have died while an Islamic State member in 2014
When Hamdi Alqudsi helped organise the travel of seven men to Syria three years ago, he was leading some of the young wannabe-jihadists to their untimely deaths.
The 41-year-old disability pensioner from Sydney was on Tuesday found guilty of seven counts of providing services between June and October 2013 for people with the intention they would engage in hostile activity in the war-prone country.
One of Alqudsi's alleged 'boys' was former Australian soldier Caner Temel, who is believed to have died while an Islamic State member in January 2014.
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Hamdi Alqudsi (pictured), 41, helped organise the travel of seven men to Syria in 2013
One of Alqudsi's alleged 'boys' was former Australian soldier Caner Temel, who is believed to have died while an Islamic State member in January 2014
Another, Tyler Casey, was killed with his Australian wife in Northern Syria the same month, it is believed.
'There were gunshots on top of us,' one of the seven men said in a call to Alqudsi after entering Syria.
'It was beautiful.'
Alqudsi's NSW Supreme Court trial has heard how he facilitated flights and itineraries and advised the men how to exchange money without drawing attention to themselves.
The prosecution relied on a large cache of intercepted calls in Arabic and English, including some with Mohammad Ali Baryalei, who would later become known as Australia's highest-ranking IS member.
The pair talked about having 'brothers' picked up from a Turkish airport, border crossings and a battle in which Baryalei cried after seeing a man killed.
The 41-year-old disability pensioner from Sydney was on Tuesday found guilty of seven counts of providing services between June and October 2013 for people with the intention they would engage in hostile activity
Alqudsi's NSW Supreme Court trial has heard how he facilitated flights and itineraries and advised the men how to exchange money without drawing attention to themselves
In another conversation, Baryalei, who had been fighting for Jabhat al-Nusra, talked about being introduced to people from 'the (Islamic) State' and his plans to take the 'brothers' with him when he changed allegiances.
'Allahu Akbar!' Alqudsi shouted repeatedly upon hearing the news.
'I feel like crying, brother.'
Alqudsi's defence barrister Scott Corish had suggested his client could have thought the men were going to Syria for humanitarian reasons.
He submitted Alqudsi was a man who cared about people, citing a conversation in which he talked about trying to raise $10,000 to smuggle 20 people from Syria to Turkey.
But prosecutor David Staehli SC said it was impossible the jury could find the calls between Alqudsi and Baryalei suggested a humanitarian purpose.
The court heard conversations in which one of the men asked about what happened when he moved into the 'unseen'.
Tyler Casey was killed with his Australian wife in Northern Syria the same month, it is believed
The NZ citizen was stopped at Brisbane airport as he attempted to leave the country in 2013 and was last year found guilty of three charges relating to his attempts to fight in Syria
'It's just a bullet between him and seeing the beautiful face of Allah,' Alqudsi told the man's travel partner.
In another conversation, Alqudsi, who was the first person to be charged under the since-repealed Foreign Incursions and Recruitment Act since the start of the Syrian conflict, asked a fighter's concerned wife how she would react to news he had been martyred.
'Of course I would cry,' the woman said.
'But I would say praise be to Allah because this is what we've wanted.'
It's not known what happened to two of Alqudsi's associates, Nassim Elbahsa and a man known as Abu Alim, who made it into Syria.
Another two have since returned and one, Amin Mohamed, was stopped at Brisbane Airport trying to leave the country.
Alqudsi had attempted to challenge the constitutional validity of the laws he was charged under but his effort was dismissed.
Alqudsi, who has two wives, also had an application for a judge-alone trial thrown out.
He now faces a maximum 10 years in jail for each offence.
Former Kings Cross bouncer Mohammad Baryalei is believed to be Australia's most highly ranked ISIS member. It's thought he recruited at least 30 Australians to conflicts in Syria and Iraq
Baryalei came to Australia as a baby. News of his reported death overseas emerged in October 2014
Salim Mehajer strode through the Sydney CBD with a friend on Tuesday wearing a red-and-white houndstooth blazer and matching tie
Salim Mehajer cut a lonely figure on Tuesday as it was revealed police were applying for an apprehended violence order against him on behalf of his wife.
The controversial former Auburn deputy mayor was spotted striding through town in a red-and-white houndstooth suit, with Mr Mehajer shooting a wan smile at the cameras.
Mr Mehajer has denied his wife Aysha was behind the application, telling reporters it came about because of 'alleged complaints by neighbours.'
'Aysha and I, only death will do us apart,' he said.
Police will lodge the AVO application at Downing Centre Local court on Wednesday morning.
Mr Mehajer has long denied a split with his wife, who he married in spectacular fashion almost twelve months ago.
Mrs Mehajer hasn't been seen at a number of recent family gatherings and celebrations, although her husband has regularly posted pictures of them together recently.
Sources said Mrs Mehajer failed to show up to a birthday party thrown in her honour this year - despite the presence of rapper Tyga.
She also was not seen among a crowd of family and friends watching a pageant show where one of Salim's sisters, Aiisha, competed last week.
But Mr Mehajer said the couple were still living together and exclusively told Daily Mail Australia his wife had been away recently... because the pair are about to star in a forthcoming television program.
'Aysha and I are casting and preparing to be part of a TV series,' he said.
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Mr Mehajer said his wife had been out of the spotlight recently because she was 'in auditions' for a television program
Mr Mehajer shot a wan smile to the cameras from behind the wheel of his car in the CBD on Tuesday
'She is currently in audition. At the moment we cannot disclose the show (or) series name.
'I begin casting in August 2016. You can follow our Facebook page if you wish.'
Mr Mehajer added the pair were busy gearing up to be part of his sister Khadijeh's bridal party at her wedding in a few weeks - dubbed 'Sydney's next biggest wedding'.
His remarks come after months of speculation about his relationship with his wife, following reports in May which said claimed she had moved out of the couple's Lidcombe mansion.
Mrs Mehajer was not seen at a beauty pageant where Mr Mehajer's sister, Aiisha, was a contestant last Friday.
Mr Mehajer, who arrived with mates, was part of a considerable posse of 43 family and friends - but Aysha was not there.
Sources said Aysha also did not attend the party Mr Mehajer threw for her earlier this year - despite the presence of the rapper Tyga.
Some media outlets even confused her with her look-a-like sister-in-laws at the time.
She also was not seen in pictures from his sister Khadijeh's bridal shower in June, although Mr Mehajer said she was in attendance.
And the former deputy mayor has flooded social media with pictures of the pair together over the past couple of weeks.
'You put the smile on my face , the sparky (sic) in my eyes and the Love in my heart,' he captioned a photo of them together.
Mr and Mrs Mehajer: The pair are together 'until death do us apart', Salim says
Aysha Mehajer (left) is pictured with her look-a-like sister-in-law Khadijeh 'Kat' Mehajer this week
Aysha Mehajer did not attend a birthday party thrown on her behalf with the rapper Tyga, a guest said
Mrs Mehajer also did not appear at Salim's sister Aiisha's beauty pageant last week
She did not appear in photographs of Salim's sister's bridal shower last month, but Mr Mehajer said she attended
In another gushing post, he said: 'My beautiful wife underwent a change in colour {hair do} . Stunning or what?'
He also posted: 'Love is not about finding someone to live with, but rather finding someone that you cannot live without.'
Aysha Mehajer changed her name from April Learmonth when she married her husband in August 2015.
She had previously been a fair-skinned schoolgirl with strawberry-blonde hair and was a beautician before she converted to Islam and joined her husband's property development empire.
'She changed her whole life for him,' one school friend told Daily Mail Australia in 2015 - pointing to her name, religion, hair colour and profession.
Young love: Mr Mehajer is seen with his future wife, Aysha, in an earlier photo (left) and in a picture for a beauty salon on right
The wedding that shut down western Sydney: Streets closed for the deputy mayor's nuptials to bride Aysha
Initial reports suggested she had made her transformation for her husband, but Mrs Mehajer told New Idea in October it was a 'personal preference'.
Mr Mehajer was suspended from his mayoral office for four months for failing to disclose his financial interests in relation to property he owned.
It was overturned on appeal.
But the entire Auburn City Council was suspended by the State government so a public inquiry could examine allegations some councillors were misusing their positions.
Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Mehajer said 'time will tell' whether he and his wife will attend court together.
Bulawayo24.com
Message from ZANU PF:1. We have driven the Ndebele out of Matebeleland and Buruwayo over the past 34 years and our census back up this evidence and is a confirmation of the achievement of our Grand Plan2. Ndebele women are infertile. They are not worth marrying but only abuse and neglect. Look what even our wayward son Tsvangirai did with that Ndebele girl who happened to be fertile. He operated in line with our Grand Plan objectives of impregnating those Ndebele women who are lucky to be fertile and then abandoning them as per our objectives. We are still doing well in diluting and damaging the Ndebele.3. Ndebele men do not marry because we have made the majority of them jobless and economically poor hence their women are flocking to our people in huge numbers. They will continue to do so for the next coming years and by the time they realise it, we will have wiped the Ndebele and Ndebeleness out of the face of Zimbabwe. Cdes we are doing well and thanks for the great Messianic leadership of his excellency, the commander in chief of the Defence Forces of Zimbabwe, R.G. Mugabe.4. The plan to destroy Buruwayo economically has spectacularly succeeded. Our census reveals that this is so as thousands remain jobless in Matebeleland
5. Our plan to destroy the Ndebele culturally and linguistically is still on course... We have deployed and we continue to deploy Teachers who do not speak local languages to Primary Schools and they are doing well as evidenced by the fact they are now running the Ndebele curriculum and scandalising local languages and the Ndebele Language examinations6. Realising what we have done over the years, Ndebele people are becoming jittery, therefore we have deployed the security apparatus into Matebeleland and made it a police territory. This is in anticipation of a possible uprising although this is still far from being a reality. We have got to be prepared for that eventuality and deal with them ruthlessly.7. We have reclaimed Matebeleland and most of our people are now owners of land in Matebeleland, right under their nose and they can not do anything8. We realize that the majority of Ndebele people still idolise Joshua Nkomo who gave Matebeleland to us and as such we have erected his statue in Bulawayo and this has proved magical for us. As they celebrate Nkomo, we celebrate his weaknesses that gave Matebeleland to us9. We have turned our swords to the white men too and we continue to do so without fear. We did strike "fear into the whiteman's heart" during the land invasions and we continue to do so. There are some good Ndebele people who have worked hard to help us achieve our goals and we have rewarded them well. The late John Nkomo comes to mind. Professor Jonathan Moyo has been a dependable son of the soil who has been outstanding and managed to tame the ANC, Jacob Gadleyihlekisa Zuma and the so called big African Power South Africa. We defeated Mandela too. Obert Mpofu has been magical and dependable us. Simon Khaya Moyo has not disappointed us either and so is Khutshekhaya and Jabulani, the war veteran leader. This is just to name but a few. Dumiso Dabengwa is trying to rebel but it will not be for long. We are monitoring him closely and if he becomes too big for his boots, we will deal with him ruthlessly.10. We have taught both the Ndebele and the whitemen who is the boss in Zimbabwe.They now know their place in Zimbabwe.11. A few Ndebele people refuse to speak our language and we should ensure that we criminalise this behaviour through our security apparatus and those who dare challenge us must be dealt with ruthlessly12. We have virtually taken over local governmental administration levers of power in Matebeleland, giving us access to local resources in this territory. We must accelerate the pace of resource exploitation in this territory for our benefit, while their so called leaders remain silent.Long Rule ZANU PF, Long Live R.G Mugabe, our only given son of God, our Messiah!
Before becoming a TV judge, Hatchett served as the chief judge of Fulton County Juvenile Court in Atlanta
Judge Hatchett ran for eight years before being cancelled in 2008
Hatchett says Castile's family is 'very passionate and committed to ensuring' that his death 'is not just another statistic'
The aftermath of the shooting was live-streamed on Facebook by his girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds
Castile was shot to death last week by a police officer during a routine traffic stop
Philando Castile's family have hired former TV judge Glenda Hatchett to represent them in civil matters
The family of a black Minnesota man fatally shot by a police officer has hired a television court show judge to represent them in civil matters.
Judge Glenda Hatchett and The Hatchett Law Firm will represent the family of Philando Castile.
St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez shot Castile on Wednesday in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights during a routine traffic stop.
Castile's death - and another police shooting a day earlier in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that also left a black man dead - prompted protests around the country, including in Dallas, where five officers were killed Thursday.
Hatchett, 65, says Castile's family is 'very passionate and committed to ensuring' that his death 'is not just another statistic.'
'I am deeply concerned about what seems to be an epidemic of African-American men being killed by police officers,' Hatchett said in the statement. 'We have often seen demonstrations and debates and I raise the critical question, "When will there be systemic reform?"'
Hatchett and Castile's mother, Valerie Castile, will announce his funeral plans at a news conference Tuesday.
She received her B.A. in political science from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, and her law degree from Emory University.
Hatchett and Castile's other Valerie (right) are scheduled to speak at a press conference on Tuesday. On the left, Castile's girlfriend Diamond Reynolds who recorded the aftermath of his death
Before starring in Judge Hatchett, Hatchett served for 10 years as the chief judge of Fulton County Juvenile Court in Atlanta - making her the first African-American in the state to become a chief presiding judge.
Her television show ran for eight years before being cancelled in 2008. However, she is set to return to TV with another program called The Verdict with Judge Hatchett on the Justice Central Cable Channel later this year.
Judge Hatchett, which is similar to Judge Judge or The People's Court, continues to run reruns.
Hatchett's law firm focuses on catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice and class action lawsuits.
Do you have more details? Please email lucy-mae.beers@mailonline.com
She immediately took the letter to Yeppoon police, who are
A mother-of-one has been left terrified after she found a naked man's selfie and a handwritten note in her letterbox.
The mother from Yeppoon, Central Queensland, had not checked her mail box for a number of days when she discovered the envelope from an unknown sender.
The envelope contained a handwritten note signed by 'Dave' and a photograph of a naked middle-aged man, reported the Sunshine Coast Daily.
A mother-of-one from Yeppoon, Central Queensland, received a letter from an unknown man which included a naked selfie of a man in his 50s or 60s with a handwritten note
'It was a home printed photo of a guy in his 50s or 60s, naked, sitting at a table. It was a selfie,' the mother said.
The graphic image was accompanied with a note which said, 'I am desperate, looking for a woman urgently, aged between 19 and 102'.
The mother was slightly comforted by the fact the letter had a postage stamp suggesting it was not placed in her letterbox by the culprit.
The mother immediately made a complaint to Constable Angela Dowling at Yeppoon Police Station who has since urged anyone to report similar occurrences to police.
'A lot of people don't realise they're not the only person, but once they report it, we get more and more and then you realise it wasn't an isolated incident. It is very unnerving.'
This incident came after a young woman found a disturbing sexual note on her car which revealed its writer intended to follow her and offered money for sex but the two occurrences are not believed to be linked.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch refused repeatedly on Tuesday to cite facts in defense of her decision to close the Hillary Clinton email investigation without criminal charges, saying that she had decided ahead of time to accept whatever conclusions FBI investigators brought to her.
'I made the decision some time ago that I would accept the recommendation of that team,' Lynch told the House Judiciary Committee.
The panel's chairman, Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Goodlatte, strenuously criticized Lynch over the investigation's outcome, charging that rubber-stamping the FBI's recommendation 'does not seem to be a responsible way to uphold your constitutionally sworn oath.'
Lynch defended with more specificity her decision to agree to a clandestine meeting in Phoenix, Arizona with former President Bill Clinton just days before FBI Director James Comey announced that he would not recommend Hillary Clinton be prosecuted for mishandling classified information on her private homebrew email server.
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'It was a conversation that was held on the airplane, on the tarmac,' she acknowledged. 'The former president indicated that he wanted to say hello, and I agreed to say hello. And we had a social conversation.'
'Nothing of any relationship to the email investigation was discussed, nor were any specific cases or matters before the Department of Justice discussed,' she insisted.
Goodlatte questioned why Lynch didn't recuse herself from the decision-making process after her meeting with Bill Clinton was exposed.
'There was no reason for a recusal or an independent prosecutor,' Lynch replied.
And he tried to draw her out on whether Clinton lied about her handling of classified email.
But under withering questions, she refused to provide a legal justification for refusing to answer questions.
Goodlatte and other House Republicans on Monday formally asked the Justice Department to investigate whether Clinton lied to Congress.
She praised the FBI team that investigated Clinton and recommended against charges. 'I accepted that recommendation. I saw no reason not to accept it,' Lynch said.
In the first hour of her testimony Lynch referred to the FBI's conclusions or refused to answer questions more than two dozen times.
'While I understand that this investigation has generated significant public interest,' she said in her opening statement, 'as attorney general it would be inappropriate for me to comment further on the underlying facts of the investigation or the legal basis for the team's recommendation.'
But she pledged later that 'the matter was handled like any other matter.'
Lynch punted on a pointed question about a portion of the U.S. Espionage Act under which she declined to charge Hillary Clinton with exposing classified information to prying eyes through 'gross negligence.'
Comey said last week that Clinton and her aides were 'extremely careless' in their treatment of classified documents, leading some Republicans to question the difference between the two standards.
Lynch, the ultimate decision-maker in the case, declined to provide a window into her thinking.
'I think the statutes that were considered here speak for themselves,' she said.
'To answer further would require a discussion of the facts and the analysis of this matter which I've indicated I'm not in a position to provide at this time.'
Lynch's testimony Tuesday came amid a roiling national debate over police violence and as House Republicans seek further investigations of Clinton months before the November election.
'This has now become an issue for Congress in that it appears Secretary Clinton testified falsely when appearing under oath before the Select Committee on Benghazi,' Goodlatte told Lynch, referring to Clinton's assertions that she did not send emails marked classified at the time from her private server.
'Frankly, the FBI's conclusion leaves many more questions than answers.'
Democrats criticized Republicans for their focus on Clinton's emails instead of trying to pass legislation on guns or deal with issues of policing.
'Today apparently Secretary Hillary Clinton's email takes precedence over gun violence and civil rights,' said Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, the panel's top Democrat. 'If any of my colleagues are not yet convinced it is because they don't want to be convinced.'
Lynch touched on law enforcement and policing issues including last week's sniper shooting of five police officers in Dallas by a suspect who said he wanted to kill white officers. That followed police killings of Philando Castile, who was fatally shot near St. Paul, Minnesota, and Alton Sterling, who was shot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
'As we gather here this morning, that sense of safety has been shaken by the series of devastating events that rocked our nation last week,' Lynch said in her prepared opening statement.
Lynch, who was sworn in as attorney general on the same day as racially tinged riots occurred in Baltimore, has repeatedly said that one of her top priorities in office is to improve relationships between police and the communities they serve.
The hearing marked Lynch's first appearance before Congress since the Justice Department closed without charges the federal investigation into Clinton's private email server.
Chancellor George Osborne personally intervened to prevent HSBC bosses from being prosecuted by American authorities.
An investigation by US politicians has uncovered a letter from Mr Osborne to Ben Bernanke, then chairman of the US Federal Reserve, outlining the threat to HSBC if a criminal prosecution was launched.
It came after the bank was fined a record 1.4billion for laundering money for Mexican drug cartels.
Intervention: George Osborne, left, wrote a letter to Ben Bernanke, right, the then chairman of the Federal Reserve, warning that prosecuting HSBC could hold 'serious implications for financial and economic stability'
In the 2012 letter, Mr Osborne highlighted the perception that the Americans were picking on British banks and warned that harsh treatment of HSBC could lead to the collapse of the financial system.
Before his intervention, US watchdogs had been considering criminal charges against the bank. If found guilty, it could have lost its American operating licence.
The Chancellor told Mr Bernanke that harsh measures against HSBC could panic markets and lead to another financial crisis. He said he did not want to interfere with American justice but asked to be notified before action was taken in future.
Following a similar crackdown on Standard Chartered, Mr Osborne warned of rumours the Americans were deliberately attacking British firms to reduce competition to their own banks in Wall Street.
Questions about HSBCs continued ability to clear US dollars would risk destabilising the bank globally, with very serious implications for financial and economic stability, the Chancellor wrote.
The scale of this enforcement action, particularly following the Standard Chartered case, is leading many to suggest that UK banks are being unfairly targeted. This narrative is unwelcome, not least given the extremely strong partnership that we continue to enjoy.
US attorney general Eric Holder decided to abandon a push for criminal charges against the advice of his own prosecutors.
The report claimed he misled Congress by claiming that the prosecution was dropped due to a lack of evidence.
Findings: The report, extract pictured, states Mr Osborne intervened in the US investigation by sending the letter to Mr Bernanke. Mr Osborne also suggested that US authorities were unfairly targeting UK banks
It said that, in reality, senior figures at the Department of Justice backed off because they feared criminal charges could result in a global financial disaster.
Mr Osbornes actions found support in the City, where there was a feeling at the time that UK banks were being hit harder than their US counterparts. The HSBC scandal came as President Barack Obama was campaigning for re-election and followed a crackdown on UK giant BP after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
David Buik, of stockbroker Panmure Gordon, said: The assault on HSBC was just before the US presidential election and Obama was being truly unbalanced.
He was going for the jugular vein on British and American banks. I think Osborne had a very, very strong case for intervening.
HSBC has faced a string of scandals since the 2008 financial crisis. It was named at the centre of the Panama Papers tax avoidance controversy, which led to fresh calls for American regulators to act. And last year, HSBCs Swiss operation came under scrutiny after it was revealed to have a client list including arms dealers, blood diamond smugglers and corrupt businessmen.
The bank has claimed all these allegations relate to historic operations. It declined to comment on the American politicians report. The Treasury also declined to comment.
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David Cameron was grilled by some very inquisitive schoolchildren and tucked into baked potato and beans today as he made his final visit as Prime Minister.
The premier chatted to pupils at a free school in West London voiced where he voiced his pride in the government's flagship education policy.
When asked by a group of six-year-old girls whether he would like to go into farming or teaching, he replied: 'I think farmers do important work but having three children and teaching them how to read, that's the job I would choose.'
Earlier, Mr Cameron held an 'emotional' final Cabinet where colleagues paid tribute to his 'astonishing' spell in the top job. Colleagues noisily banged the table four times as they marked his impending handover to Theresa May.
As the Cameron family start moving their possessions out of the grace-and-favour residence, he will now prepare for a final outing at Prime Minister's Questions tomorrow before making the short journey to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to the Queen.
Soon after Cabinet Mr Cameron arrived at the Reach Academy in Feltham, where he voiced his pride in the government's flagship education policy.
The Prime Minister's official spokeswoman revealed it had been a 'warm and reflective mood' at the Cabinet meeting and said Mr Cameron had spoken of his 'honour and pride at serving the country and serving the Cabinet' as he closed the meeting.
Discussion at the hour long meeting focused on the life chances strategy and the Trident nuclear deterrent, before Mr Cameron wound up his 215th and and last Cabinet by reflecting on his achievements - including specifically gay marriage, free schools and apprenticeships.
Theresa May, who will be named as the new Prime Minister tomorrow, and Chancellor George Osborne paid tributes to Mr Cameron before he concluded his Cabinet.
David Cameron chatted to pupils as he paid his last visit as Prime Minister to a school in West London after the Cabinet meeting. He told a group of six years olds that he would rather be a teacher than a farmer
The outgoing premier looked relaxed and even stopped to have some lunch of baked potato and beans with pupils at the Reach Academy in Feltham
Mr Cameron was highlighting the government's free schools programme, one of the major reforms of his time in Downing Street
Mrs May was the last to arrive at today's gathering as she began to plot her own top team. She will take hold of the reins of power tomorrow after suddenly winning the Tory crown when her last rival Andrea Leadsom sensationally dropped out yesterday.
A removal firm was spotted behind Downing Street today as the Cameron family prepared its rapid departure to make space for Mrs May and husband Philip. The outgoing Prime Minister was spotted leaving by the back door today as he set off for his final tasks in office.
There is intense speculation in Westminster on how Mrs May will shape her first Cabinet, amid tension within the Tory Party over the Brexit split between Leave and Remain supporters.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon attempted to play down demands for Leave backers to be given the biggest roles, telling Sky News: 'We are all now Brexiters.'
Among Mrs May's former rivals at today's meeting who may be in line for jobs were Justice Secretary Michael Gove, who finished a distant third after blowing up Boris Johnson's campaign with a dramatic political knifing. Stephen Crabb, the Work and Pensions Secretary who dropped out at the first round stage, was also at today's gathering.
Key allies such as International Development Secretary Justine Greening and Chris Grayling have been highlighted for possible promotion, while finding a place for the biggest names under Mr Cameron - including the Chancellor George Osborne - will be a key task.
Mrs May will also be under pressure to move quickly to make decisions on key infrastructure projects - with speculation that she could block the expansion of Heathrow Airport, which would affect her Maidenhead constituency, in favour of beefing up Gatwick.
Culture Secretary John Whittingdale said the final meeting of Mr Cameron's premiership had been 'emotional' as he left Downing Street.
Theresa Villiers said: 'It was a sad day to see David Cameron's last Cabinet meeting. I'm sure our country is in safe hands with Theresa May.'
The Northern Ireland Secretary said Mr Cameron would be recorded in history as a 'great reforming Prime Minister'.
Theresa May joked with photographers after turning the wrong way out of the famous black front door. She will formally take over from Mr Cameron tomorrow
Mrs May arrived for Cabinet this morning to meet colleagues as Tory leader for the first time. She will spend much of the week assembling her first Government
Justice Secretary Michael Gove, far left, Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers, second left, Commons leader Chris Grayling, second right, and Business Minister Anna Soubry, far right, were all leaving Downing Street today after the Cabinet meeting
Business minister Anna Soubry said: 'I always find him absolutely amazing... he's astonishing.'
Tory grandee Ken Clarke earlier told the BBC: 'I get on alright with Theresa, and Theresa's entitled to have her own cabinet, and I actually think having a tough pragmatic woman is probably about right.
'I was one of the 199, I gave Stephen Crabb a friendly vote in the first, knowing he wouldn't win, but I then switched to Theresa, and she'll have her own cabinet she'll have her own views on what she wants.
'She'll make her own mind up, but she's got to balance the party, she's got a real problem of bringing the warring wings of the party together. She'll combine her own strong personal opinions about who she wants to work with, with a desire to bring the party together.'
Ms Villiers, who backed Brexit, earlier told the Today programme: 'I certainly hope that both Remainers and Leave campaigners will be represented in the cabinet. I'm sure that she would want a cabinet that would seek to unify the party.
'But I would urge all my colleagues, whatever the outcome of the reshuffle, to be incredibly supportive of a new prime minister. We need a stable prime minister.
A DAY THAT TURNED BRITAIN'S POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT UPSIDE DOWN - AGAIN On yet another extraordinary day in Westminster, David Cameron's career as Prime Minister came to an end and Theresa May prepared to take over in No 10. This is how it unfolded yesterday: 10.44am: David Cameron appears at the Farnborough Air Show in Hampshire. He uses a speech to discuss the post-referendum period and confirms he has signed a deal for new maritime surveillance aircraft. 11.08am: Theresa May is giving a speech about her plans for Number 10 as she launches the second part of her leadership campaign to win over party members. 11.36am: Rumours emerge Andrea Leadsom is about to quit the race and will make a statement at noon. 12.13pm: Andrea Leadsom confirms she is withdrawing from the Tory leadership race. 15.55pm: David Cameron appears in Downing Street to confirm his premiership will end on Wednesday afternoon 5.00pm: Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee, confirms Theresa May is Conservative leader with 'immediate effect' 5.35pm: Mrs May appears outside Parliament alongside the massed ranks of Tory MPs to promise 'Brexit means Brexit'. Advertisement
'I think it's entirely a matter for our new prime minister how she chooses her cabinet, but she needs support from every single member of the parliamentary party.
'We need to make a success of this Brexit decision, and the way we do that is by delivering stable government.
'And the way that we deliver stable government is by giving firm backing to our new prime minister.'
Mr Cameron chose to visit the Reach Academy on his last full day in Numher 10, highlighting one of the major reforms of his time in Government.
The trip came as the Government approved the creation of 31 new free schools which will offer 20,000 places inside the state sector but independent of local authority control.
Some 300 free schools have opened their doors since Mr Cameron took office in 2010, founded by parents, teachers, charities and businesses and educating 150,000 pupils around the country.
After Mr Cameron spoke to a group of six-year-old girls, principal Ed Vainker said: 'They asked him: 'What happens tomorrow?'
'And he said: 'I go and see the Queen. The Queen always has to have a Prime Minister, and the new Prime Minister is going to be a woman for the first time in 26 years.''
Mr Cameron arrived at the school, which opened in 2012 after being set up by teachers under the Government's education reforms, on Tuesday to a rousing reception of cheering and clapping students.
He also told the children which profession he would choose, when asked if he would prefer farming or teaching.
Mr Vainker said Mr Cameron told the pupils: 'I think farmers do important work but having three children and teaching them how to read, that's the job I would choose.'
Yesterday afternoon, Mr Cameron appeared in Downing Street as the swansong to his premiership was brutally cut short by nine weeks.
He paid tribute to his successor as 'strong, competent and more than able to provide the leadership Britain needs'.
And speaking outside the Palace of Westminster after her victory was officially confirmed, Mrs May promised 'strong leadership' when she takes the reins of power in tomorrow.
Britain's next Prime Minister told the nation: 'During this campaign my case has been based on three things.
'First, the need for strong, proven leadership, to steer us through what will be difficult and uncertain economic and political times, the need to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU and to forge a new role for ourselves in the world.'
Mrs May added: 'Brexit means Brexit and we are going to make a success of it.'
The outgoing Prime Minister, who announced he would quit after losing the EU referendum less than three weeks ago, was at the Farnborough Air Show in Hampshire when the Tory contest reached an abrupt end yesterday and his early departure means he will miss a final outing on the world stage at the G20 in China.
As she prepares to take office, Mrs May is already facing calls to call a snap general election - including even from the Labour Party which is mired in its own leadership contest after Angela Eagle gathered the necessary 51 nominations to force a contest against Jeremy Corbyn.
The extraordinary moment when, shortly after noon, Mrs Leadsom abandoned her run at No 10 came less than a week after she won a surprise second place in a ballot of Tory MPs and capped an historic 17 days following the EU referendum on June 23.
Mrs Leadsom announced her bid to be Prime Minister on June 30 - the same morning as Michael Gove sensationally knifed Boris Johnson by launching his own doomed bid for the Tory crown.
The collapse of her campaign came after another bitter weekend of Tory infighting over her toxic suggestion being a mother would give her an edge over Mrs May in No 10.
The bloody referendum aftermath has left Mrs May standing alone far ahead of all her Conservative Party rivals and planning her government, which will get to work on Wednesday.
David Cameron left Downing Street by the back door after holding his final Cabinet before standing down as Prime Minister
Energy Secretary Amber Rudd crossed the threshold of No 10 today. As a leading Remain campaigner she could be in line for promotion but Mrs May faces a tricky task in balancing her new team. Liz Truss, right, the Environment Secretary, was another high flyer under Mr Cameron
Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb, who made a short lived attempt to be Tory leader and Prime Minister, also arrived for the Cabinet meeting this morning
Communities Secretary Greg Clark, left, Cabinet Office Minister Matt Hancock, centre, and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, right, all joined their colleagues in Downing Street this morning as David Cameron's ministers gathered for the last time
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, left, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, centre, and Business Secretary Sajid Javid, right
Chris Grayling, as the last leading Brexit campaigner on the winning side of the Tory divide, is earmarked for a significant promotion - possibly to lead the department for Brexit.
George Osborne has been touted as a possible Foreign Secretary while Philip Hammond could go the other way to take the reins at the Treasury.
Mrs Leadsom is likely to get a Cabinet job after making the second round of the Tory candidates while junior ministers who backed Brexit, such as Penny Mordaunt and Priti Patel will likely be in line for promotion.
Speaking on the steps of Parliament, Mrs May said: 'I am honoured and humbled to have been chosen by the Conservative party to become its leader.
'I would like to pay tribute to the other candidates during the election campaign and I would like to pay tribute to Andrea Leadsom for the dignity she has shown today.
'I would also like to pay tribute to David Cameron for the leadership that he has shown our party and our country.
'During this campaign my case has been based on three things. First, the need for strong, proven leadership, to steer us through what will be difficult and uncertain economic and political times, the need to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU and to forge a new role for ourselves in the world.
Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers, left, may be in line for promotion after backing Brexit, while Ms Greening, centre, was on Mrs May's leadership campaign team. Also seen this morning was Business Minister Anna Soubry, right
A team from Simply Removals turned up behind Downing Street today as the Cameron family prepared to move out. Mrs May will be appointed as Prime Minister tomorrow after Mr Cameron makes a final appearance in the Commons
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? The decision of Mrs Leadsom to pull out of the race brought an early end to the contest to find a successor to David Cameron, which had been due to run until September 9. Mr Cameron has said he will leave office tomorrow afternoon. There is a well established choreography in place to transfer power. After completing a final Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, Mr Cameron will travel to Buckingham Palace to formally tender his resignation as Prime Minister to the Queen. At the meeting, he will recommend Mrs May be called to form a new Government as the person who can command a majority in the House of Commons. Mrs May will then be summoned to the Palace to be appointed before returning to No 10 as Prime Minister. She will then set about appointing her first Government with the first Cabinet meeting likely being scheduled for next Tuesday, July 19. Advertisement
'Brexit means Brexit and we're going to make a success of it.
'Second we need to unite our country and third we need a strong, new, positive vision for the future of our country, a vision of a country that works not for the privileged few, but works for every one of us because we're going to give people more control of their lives.
'And that's how together we will build a better Britain. Thank you.'
Mrs May's husband Philip was at the victory speech outside St Stephen's entrance and gave his wife a kiss on the cheek as she was cheered by supporters.
Chris Grayling rejected calls for a snap election, stressing that Mrs May was a senior member of the Tory team that won the general election last year.
The Cabinet minister said: 'It's 15 months since the Conservative Party got a mandate with her as one of its key leading members - I think the last thing this country needs right now is a general election.'
The Commons Leader said the rapturous reception received by Mrs May at the 1922 Committee and outside Parliament showed that she commands the support of the vast majority of Tory MPs, adding: 'The parliamentary party will now unite behind her '.
Mr Grayling, who has been tipped for a Cabinet job after playing a leading role in Mrs May's campaign, said he had not asked for a job.
'What she decides to do about her Cabinet is entirely up to her - I've not asked for a job, nor would I expect to be offered one as part of the campaign,' he said.
Tory MP and close ally of Mrs May, Damian Green, insisted that the new prime minister did not need to call a general election.
When asked if Mrs May had a mandate, Mr Green told BBC Radio Four: 'I think she does because she was a very senior member of a Government that was elected just over a year ago.
'We don't elect presidents in this country. We elect a parliament, we elect MPs for individual seats.
'And the question the Queen asks formally, constitutionally, is 'can you command a majority in the House of Commons?' And Theresa can command a majority, so there is no need for an election.'
Mrs May was surrounded by Tory allies outside the Palace of Westminster, including (front row from left) Victoria Atkins, Helen Whatley, Chris Grayling, Damian Green, Amber Rudd, James Brokenshire, Justine Greening and Brandon Lewis - many of whom may hope for promotion this week as Mrs May build her administration
Mr Cameron came out into a damp Downing Street to confirm he would be leaving office nine weeks earlier than planned after the Tory leadership election to replace him was brought to an abrupt conclusion
THERESA MAY'S FIRST STATEMENT Theresa May appeared in Westminster to make her first remarks as Tory leader. She said: 'I am honoured and humbled to have been chosen by the Conservative party to become its leader. 'I would like to pay tribute to the other candidates during the election campaign and I would like to pay tribute to Andrea Leadsom for the dignity that she has shown today. 'I would also like to pay tribute to David Cameron, for the leadership that he has shown our party and our country. 'During this campaign my case has been based on three things: first, the need for strong, proven leadership to steer us through what will be difficult and uncertain economic and political times, the need of course to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU and to forge a new role for ourselves in the world. 'Brexit means Brexit, and we are going to make a success of it. 'Second, we need to unite our country. 'And third, we need a strong new positive vision for the future of our country, a vision of a country that works not for the privileged few, but that works for every one of us, because we're going to give people more control over their lives and that's how, together, we will build a better Britain.' Advertisement
Graham Brady, the chairman of the MPs' backbench committee, confirmed the Conservative Party Board had accepted Mrs May's victory and confirmed she was the Conservative Party leader with 'immediate effect'.
Mr Cameron emerged from Downing Street this afternoon to confirm the timetable for his departure.
He said: 'I'm delighted that we're not going to have a prolonged Conservative leadership election campaign.
'I think Andrea Leadsom has made absolutely the right decision to stand aside and it's clear Theresa May has the overwhelming support of the Conservative parliamentary party.
'I'm also delighted that Theresa May will be the next Prime Minister; she is strong, she is competent, she is more than able to provide the leadership that our country is going to need in the years ahead and she will have my full support.
'Obviously with these changes we don't need to have a prolonged period of transition and so tomorrow I will chair my last Cabinet meeting, on Wednesday I will attend the House the Commons for Prime Minister's Questions and then after that I expect to go to the Palace and offer my resignation, so we'll have a new prime minister in that building behind me by Wednesday evening.'
Amid extraordinary scenes in the heart of Westminster and surrounded by allies, Mrs Leadsom announced her withdrawal from the race shortly after noon yesterday.
She said: 'A nine week leadership campaign at such a critical moment for our country is highly undesirable.
'We need a new Prime Minister in place as soon as possible. Theresa May carried over 60 per cent support in the parliamentary party. She is ideally placed to implement Brexit on the best possible terms.
'I am therefore withdrawing from the leadership election and I wish Theresa May the very greatest success. I assure her of my full support.'
Chancellor George Osborne, speaking in New York, said: 'The British economy needs certainty so I think it's in everyone's interests that she takes up that position as prime minister in the coming days.'
For Labour, Jon Trickett said: 'It is crucial, given the instability caused by the Brexit vote, that the country has a democratically elected Prime Minister.
'I am now putting the whole of the party on a General Election footing.
'It is time for the Labour Party to unite and ensure the millions of people in the country left behind by the Tories' failed economic policies, have the opportunity to elect a Labour government.'
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron blasted Mrs May as 'divisive, illiberal and calculating'.
He said: 'Just 13 months after the last election the Conservatives have plunged the UK into chaos. It is simply inconceivable that Theresa May should be crowned Prime Minister without even having won an election in her own party, let alone the country.
'There must be an election. The Conservatives must not be allowed to ignore the electorate, their mandate is shattered and lies in ruins.
'Britain deserves better than this Tory stitch up.
'May has not set out an agenda, and has no right to govern. She has not won an election and the public must have their say.'
Mrs May appeared alongside husband Philip May as she made her first remarks as Conservative Party leader outside the Palace of Westminster this afternoon. She has promised her Government will seek to build a 'better Britain'
As she's handed the keys to Number 10 Theresa May pledges 'serious social reform' in major break from Cameron and Osborne amid growing pressure to call snap election
Theresa May (pictured in Birmingham ) pledged to deliver 'serious social reform' in a major break from David Cameron's premiership
Theresa May pledged to deliver 'serious social reform' in a major break from David Cameron's premiership as she was handed the keys to Number 10 by Andrea Leadsom's dramatic decision to pull out of the Tory leadership contest.
The Home Secretary, who will be prime minister on Wednesday, made a clear pitch for the centre-ground of British politics as she set out her 'bold, new, positive vision for the future of our country'.
And she dismissed any fears that as someone who campaigned for Britain to stay in the EU she would seek to dilute the terms of withdrawing from the EU, declaring: 'Brexit means Brexit'.
In a speech in Birmingham Mrs May promised new laws to block fat cat pay and bonuses as she promises to stand up for ordinary workers.
She was speaking just an hour before her leadership rival Mrs Leadsom announced she was dropping out of the race.
Despite saying earlier this month she would not call a general election before 2020, Mrs May is coming under increasing pressure to change tack now there won't be a leadership contest.
She is under particular pressure because of comments she made when Gordon Brown took over from Tony Blair in 2007.
Mrs May said he had 'no democratic mandate' and must call a general election, declaring the Tories were 'ready for him,' adding: 'Bring it on'.
Labour, the Lib Dems and the Green party have already demanded Mrs May hold an election in the autumn, saying it was 'crucial' the country has a 'democratically elected prime minister'.
In her speech this morning Mrs May also vowed to give consumers and staff seats on company boards in a bid to crack down on 'corporate irresponsibility'.
The changes are intended to show Mrs May can reach out to the blue-collar workers who were the bedrock of Margaret Thatcher's electoral success.
They also show her determination to be the candidate who can reunite the country as well as the Tory party.
Launching the second phase of her bid for No 10 minutes before Mrs Leadsom dropped out, she vowed to build a Britain 'that works for everyone not just the privileged few'.
Mrs May said she hopes to 'bring people back together rich and poor, north and south ... young and old, male and female, black and white'.
Cameron SINGS as he says goodbye to Downing Street: Bizarre moment PM is caught on mic humming a tune as he walked into No 10 after press conference
David Cameron will be leaving 10 Downing Street on Wednesday - nine weeks earlier than planned after another breathtaking day in Westminster saw the Tory leadership contest cut short.
He set out the timetable for handing over the No 10 keys to Theresa May, who was announced the new Tory leader after her rival Andrea Leadsom pulled out of the race.
Bizarrely, the outgoing Prime Minister was then caught on microphone humming a tune as he walked back into Number 10.
There is disagreement over what tune he was, with some suggesting it was the theme tune to American political TV drama The West Wing and others saying it was from Winnie-the-Pooh.
It capped another strange day in Westminster politics, with Mrs May launching the second phase of her leadership campaign just an hour before Mrs Leadsom conceded.
The fast-paced developments means Mr Cameron's swansong to his premiership is brutally cut short and his wife Samantha and three children Nancy, Arthur and Florence will have to start packing their bags to make way for Mrs May and her husband Philip on Wednesday.
His six-year tenure as Prime Minister was only expected to end on September 9 and he was looking forward to final farewell tours to Africa later this month and China in September for the G20.
David Cameron emerged from No 10 this afternoon to confirm he would leave office on Wednesday and be replaced by Theresa May
The trip to China would have allowed Mr Cameron to bid farewell to many of his international colleagues.
Britain's constitution allows for a quick turnaround and now Mrs May's election as Conservative Party leader is confirmed, the machinery of government will jump into top gear to handover power.
Mr Cameron will chair his last Cabinet meeting this morning and then Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions will allow him to bid farewell from the frontbench and his colleagues to pay tribute to him in the Commons.
But he is unlikely to receive the same kind of reception MPs gave Tony Blair when he quit as PM in 2007, with MPs clapping him out of the Commons in a break of tradition.
He will then take the short journey to Buckingham Palace to submit his resignation to the Queen, before Mrs May makes the same journey to inform the Queen she is forming a new government.
The new Prime Minister will spend this week appointing her new government, with big Cabinet roles expected to be handed to her close allies and Brexit champions Chris Grayling and former Defence Secretary Liam Fox.
Boris Johnson and Mrs Leadsom are also expected to be handed a Cabinet positions, while Chancellor George Osborne and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond could swap jobs.
Mr Cameron emerged from Downing Street to confirm the timetable for his departure and paid tribute to his successor.
He said: 'I'm delighted that we're not going to have a prolonged Conservative leadership election campaign.
'I think Andrea Leadsom has made absolutely the right decision to stand aside and it's clear Theresa May has the overwhelming support of the Conservative parliamentary party.
'I'm also delighted that Theresa May will be the next Prime Minister; she is strong, she is competent, she is more than able to provide the leadership that our country is going to need in the years ahead and she will have my full support.
is too far from schools
Family needs to decide where to live as Notting Hill home is rented out and the
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Removal vans have arrived at Downing Street this morning as David Cameron and his family prepare to leave their home of the last six years.
The Prime Minister will hand over the keys to Theresa May tomorrow after he visits Buckingham Palace to officially tender his resignation to the Queen.
The Camerons now have just a day to gather their belongings and move out of their grace and favour flat above Number 11, which they spent thousands re-decorating and turning into their family home.
The family do not have anywhere to immediately go to in London as the 3.6million property they own in Notting Hill is currently being rented out.
Today assistants were seen carrying boxes and bags to and from Downing Street as large blue vans filled with flat-pack boxes waited outside. One of the removal men accidentally revealed a list of packing supplies are needed, including 330 boxes, 30 rolls of tape and three rolls of bubble wrap.
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Moving out: Large blue removal vans were pictured arriving at Downing Street today as the Camerons prepare to leave their home of the last six years ahead of the Prime Minister's scheduled resignation tomorrow
Supplies: One removal van carries a list of supplies which shows the Cameron's need '330 boxes and 3 rolls of bubble wrap'
Leaving quietly: David Cameron avoided the Press waiting outside No 10 and left via the back door following his final Cabinet meeting
Security check: A removal man hands over the list of supplies to a police officer at the gates of Downing Street, left. The list was intended for a customer called 'Rosie', believed to be Samantha Cameron's assistant Rosie Lyburn, pictured right in April
Waiting in the wings: Theresa May waved as she stood on the steps of No 10 following David Cameron's final Cabinet meeting this morning
Low-key: David Cameron left No 10 through the back door, pictured, following his last Cabinet meeting as Prime Minister this morning
Heavy lifting: Workers carried what appeared to be white goods as the removals continued at Downing Street this afternoon
It came as Mr Cameron chaired his final Cabinet meeting at Number 10. Mr Cameron's team noisily banged the table four times as the Premier departed when the meeting ended at 10.20am. He will now prepare for a final outing at Prime Minister's Questions tomorrow before making the short journey to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation.
The Prime Minister's spokeswoman revealed it had been a 'warm and reflective mood' at the meeting and said the Prime Minister had spoken of his 'honour and pride at serving the country and serving the Cabinet' as he closed the meeting.
Discussion at the hour long meeting focused on the life chances strategy and the Trident nuclear deterrent, before Mr Cameron wound up his 215th and and last Cabinet by reflecting on his achievements - including specifically gay marriage, free schools and apprenticeships.
Mrs May, who will be named as the new Prime Minister tomorrow, and Chancellor George Osborne paid tributes to Mr Cameron before he concluded his Cabinet. The outgoing Prime Minister was spotted leaving by the back door today as he set off for his final tasks in office.
Meanwhile Mrs May waved to the Press from the steps of No 10. The new Prime Minister will move into Number 11 with her husband Philip tomorrow.
The Camerons' move from Downing Street comes weeks earlier than expected after Mrs May suddenly won the Tory crown when her last remaining rival Andrea Leadsom sensationally dropped out of the race yesterday.
However, there are signs the Camerons have done some planning ahead of their move. They have re-mortgaged their Notting Hill home to realise 800,000 in cash that can be used to forge their post-premiership future.
Team effort: Boxes and bags were carried into the back door of No 10 as the moving operation got underway today
A police officer searches the back of a removal van as workmen continue to move the Camerons' possessions out of Downing Street
David Cameron is seen leaving Downing Street as removal vans continued with their work ahead of his departure tomorrow
Standing guard: Police officers are posted near a removal van as goods are transported from Downing Street
Helping hand: A removal man stands behind a van packed with flat-pack boxes ready for the move
On alert: Police officers check one of the security vans as it waits outside the back entrance of Downing Street
The couple have also served notice on the current tenants. It was hoped the property would be empty in time for them to move back in when the Prime Minister stepped down.
MOVING OUT: WHAT IT TAKES TO PACK UP THE CAMERONS' HOME 150 x large box 150 x standard box 30 x wardrobe box 2 x packet of paper 30 x roll of tape 3 x 500mm rolls of bubble-wrap Advertisement
The Camerons spent thousands of pounds of their own money as well as public funds redecorating their Downing Street home, installing a top-of-the-range kitchen and open-plan sitting room.
And their youngest child Florence, five, was born just months after they moved in, making it the only house in London she has known.
Mr and Mrs Cameron could retreat to their peaceful constituency home in west Oxfordshire, a place the whole family loves.
A few miles from Chipping Norton, the secluded Cotswold cottage offers far more privacy than anywhere in London, allowing them to live an almost normal life. Security is low key; they have many friends in the area and find it easy to relax.
But they will find it difficult to do so until the school term ends in around a week's time as the property is more than 70 miles from London.
There are suggestions contingency plans had been made in case the leadership contest turned into a swift coronation- including rumours that they have organised a short term rental property.
Mr Cameron and wife Samantha have already served notice on the tenants in their 3.6million Notting Hill home (where they are pictured)
A removal van was seen outside Downing Street today as the Camerons make their final preparations for leaving the famous residence
Armed: A police officer stands guard as a team of people helps move the Camerons out of Downing Street
Ready to go: A removal van packed with cardboard boxes waits to enter Downing Street earlier today
A 75,000 PAYCUT FOR CAMERON: David Cameron has already announced that he will stay on as an MP until the next election, which means his salary halving, from around 150,000 to 75,000. But he is likely to become the first Prime Minister in recent history to get three months severance pay a perk that was once reserved for other ministers. He may ruefully recall that the price for that change was the scrapping of a pay-out previously given to PMs immediately upon resignation. In the past, they started receiving a non-contributory pension of around 66,000 a year, even if they were years off retirement age or still in the Commons. Instead the 49-year-old has paid into a standard ministerial pension which due to be worth around 20,000 from the age of 65. But Mr Cameron will also be entitled to a backbench MPs pension - still a gold-plated final salary settlement of around 26,000 a year that most workers can only dream of. Advertisement
After the constraints of being the wife of the premier, Samantha is now likely to step up her lucrative retail career.
After a long and highly successful stint with luxury leather goods company Smythson, she is said to be planning to launch her own fashion label with her aide and stylist Isabel Spearman.
Nancy is currently at a state secondary school in Westminster.
Elwen, who along with Florence is currently at a Kensington primary school.
Mr Cameron has insisted he loves being MP for Witney,and plans to continue in the role beyond the general election slated for 2020.
His salary will, however, be slashed in half from around 150,000 to the 75,000 of an ordinary backbencher.
Mr Cameron has made a huge financial loss from his decision to scrap of the traditional gold-plated pension handed to former PMs.
Labour predecessor Tony Blair has been receiving the extraordinary non-contributory pension, equivalent to half his salary as premier, since the day he stepped down nearly a decade ago, aged just 53.
Despite making a fortune outside parliament since 2007, the Cabinet Office has confirmed to MailOnline that Mr Blair has continued to claim the income of around 80,000 a year.
By contrast Mr Cameron has cut his salary as premier to around 150,000, and has been contributing to the standard ministerial pension.
Currently aged 49, Mr Cameron will have to wait until he turns 65 to get the still-generous income of around 20,000.
He will also be entitled to a backbench MPs pension - still a gold-plated final salary settlement of around 26,000 a year that most workers can only dream of.
Mr and Mrs Cameron are pictured walking with their children Elwen, Nancy and Ivan near their Oxfordshire home in 2007. The couple still have a 1.3million cottage in his Oxfordshire constituency
LARRY THE CAT IS SPOTTED RELAXING ON THE STEPS AS IT IS REVEALED HE WILL BE SPARED EVICTION FROM NO 10 Larry the Downing Street cat will be spared eviction from Number 10 when the Cameron family leave tomorrow, it has been confirmed. The chief mouser will not need to move out when Theresa and Philip May move in after she takes the reigns of power. The brown and white tabby was photographed perched on the back steps of No 10 today as David Cameron left through the back door following his final Cabinet meeting. Larry the cat was photographed on the back steps of No 10 today as David Cameron left through the back door following his final Cabinet meeting. The brown and white tabby will stay on at Downing Street as chief mouse catcher after the Camerons leave tomorrow A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said: 'It's a civil servant's cat and does not belong to the Camerons - he will be staying.' Larry, who was re-homed from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in 2011, was said to have a 'strong predatory drive' that suggested he would be well-suited to the task of rat catching. David Cameron welcomed the cat's arrival, and said he would make a 'great addition' to the Number 10 team. Larry was the first cat to hold the appointment since stalwart ratter Humphrey was retired in 1997. Humphrey was succeeded for a short period by Sybil, the pet of then chancellor Alistair Darling, in 2007 - but the renowned mouser failed to settle and returned to Scotland. The Foreign Office appointed Palmerston, a moggy, in April to keep pests in Whitehall at bay. An unofficial Twitter account set up under Larry's name posted on Monday: 'Does anyone know a good cat groomer available tomorrow? I need to make a good impression on someone on Wednesday...' It had earlier tweeted: 'One final thing before they'll let you have the job @TheresaMay2016 - tell the people you'll keep me in Number 10.' Advertisement
Unlike other departing premiers, Mr Cameron is thought to be entitled to a ministerial pay-off of around 20,000 because he waived the pension.
Mr Cameron is likely to top up his earnings with paid speeches and other roles outside of parliament.
His former Deputy Prime Minister, Lib Dem Nick Clegg, has been raking in up to 30,000 a time for delivering talks to business groups.
Despite the financial hit, the outgoing PM appeared far from downcast yesterday.
As he walked back into No 10 yesterday after announcing Theresa May as his successor, a microphone pinned to Mr Cameron's jacket captured him humming a few bars of a jaunty tune.
He capped it off by saying Right as he reached the famous black door, leading to a flurry of speculation on social media over what the tune might be.
Some commentators suggested Mr Cameron was humming the theme tune to US political drama The West Wing, while others said it was the opening bars of Channel 4s news bulletin, the theme to Black Beauty or even the title music for the 1963 war movie, The Great Escape.
TONY BLAIR'S GOLDEN DEAL: UBER-GENEROUS PENSION SINCE DAY HE QUIT Tony Blair, pictured responding to the Chilcot report last week Tony Blair has been receiving an extraordinary pension of up to 80,000 a year since the day he quit Downing Street. He has continued to take his full entitlement despite the credit crunch plunging the country into austerity and amassing a multi-million pound fortune from business. Mr Blair, who was lambasted for his handling of the Iraq War by the Chilcot report last week, was the last Prime Minister to accept the extremely generous non-contributory package, equivalent to half his salary as premier. The figure is even higher as Gordon Brown and then David Cameron took significantly lower pay than the 196,000 Mr Blair was on. Following a Freedom of Information request by MailOnline, the Cabinet Office has confirmed that Mr Blair is still in receipt of the pension and it is calculated on his salary when leaving office. It is thought to have been worth around 66,000 in 2007, and is index linked, meaning it will have increased to an estimated 80,000. Advertisement
How Samantha Cameron will say goodbye to the Downing Street home she helped design and where her children have spent most of their lives
By Richard Spillett for MailOnline
The Prime Minister will step aside tomorrow and allow his successor Theresa May to take over.
But beyond the political ramifications of David Cameron's hand over of power to Theresa May, the PM's wife Samantha now faces leaving the building that she and her family have called home for six years.
Here are some of the most memorable moments that the Camerons have spent in the house behind Britain's most famous front door.
David and Samantha Cameron moved into Downing Street in May 2010 after the Tories were elected to government as part of a coalition
Mr Cameron and his wife were welcomed into Downing Street by staff on the night on May 11 amid great political uncertainty
But he soon formed a coalition with Nick Clegg's Lib Dems, with the pair giving their famous press conference in the No 10 garden
With his premiership still in its infancy, the Camerons welcomed their daughter Florence - born three weeks early - to the home in 2010
Mrs Cameron was the natural host and went on to hold many receptions at the home, including this breakfast for working mothers
She has welcomed several world leaders and their wives during their time in the Number 10 home, including Michelle Obama (pictured)
The Obamas first came to Downing Street in May 2011, a year after Mr Cameron was voted in as leader. The two leaders posed for a cringe-worthy barbecue, while their 'first ladies' met servicemen and women
Mrs Cameron helped redesign the kitchen in Number 11 - said to be very outdated - but was criticised by some for her expensive taste
Mrs Cameron has seen many glamorous guests grace her halls, including Carla Bruni-Sarkozy wife of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy (left) and model Claudia Schiffer (right)
Mrs Cameron made a swift return to Downing Street on a scooter in a snow flurry last year, passing an armed guard waiting outside
She is pictured sharing a joke with Barbara Windsor during a street parting for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding in April 2011
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is being criticized for trash talking Donald Trump in a recent interview and vowing to move to New Zealand if he is elected to the White House.
Critics said the 83-year-old associate justice, a staunch liberal, crossed a line by giving her opinion on Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, and even brought her impartiality or the top court's integrity into question.
It's incredibly rare for Supreme Court justices to enter the political fray or even grant an interview, and Ginsburg's blunt take on Trump has led some legal experts to suggest she should recuse herself from any future cases involving the business mogul, November's election or a Trump administration.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (pictured in May) revealed she isn't a fan of Donald Trump
In an interview with the New York Times, Brooklyn-born Ginsburg, a member of the Supreme Court for 23 years next month, joked that she would move to New Zealand if Trump, 70, becomes president.
'I can't imagine what this place would be - I can't imagine what the country would be - with Donald Trump as our president,' she said.
In a separate interview with the Associated Press, she hinted that she favors Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, for president.
Her comments about Trump stunned members of the legal community and campaign watchers, who believed her remarks were unprecedented and said they underscore the need for Supreme Court justices to keep their political opinions to themselves.
'I find it baffling actually that she says these things,' said Arthur Hellman, a University of Pittsburgh law professor, in an interview with the Washington Post. 'She must know that she shouldn't be. However tempted she might be, she shouldn't be doing it.'
Legal experts said Ginsburg could be forced to recuse herself from any future cases involving Trump
Ginsburg's critics include Ed Whelan, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center and a former clerk for conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, who died last February.
Whelan told the Washington Post he isn't aware of any similar situation where a justice has given their opinion on a presidential candidate during a campaign.
'I am not a fan of Donald Trump's at all,' he said. 'But the soundness or unsoundness of her concerns about Donald Trump has no bearing on whether it was proper for her to say what she said.'
Josh Blackman, a professor at the Houston College of Law who specializes in constitutional law and the Supreme Court, said Ginsburg 'has lost it' and her comments are 'absolutely beyond the pale - even for her outrageous self'.
'The other justices should hold an intervention, and tell her to be quiet or step down,' he wrote on his blog. 'This isn't funny anymore. She is making overtly political statements about the presidential election that are absolutely unbecoming of a Justice of the Supreme Court.'
In a separate interview with the Associated Press, Ginsburg seemed to favor Hillary Clinton for president
Blackman said Ginsburg is dragging the Supreme Court into a political arena it should stay out of.
'Her comments also call into question her ability to adjudicate any case involving the Trump Administration,' he added.
In a blog post, Rick Hasen, a professor of law and political science at the University of California, Irvine, said it would be legitimate for a 'reasonable person' to question Ginsburg's impartiality in a case involving Trump, based on her comments.
'I think this is ultimately a question for judicial ethicists, but I do think following these comments it is a legitimate question to raise, should Donald Trump's campaign come to the Court with any legal questions before the election,' Hasen wrote. 'I also expect that for many how one views this issue will depend upon ideology: many conservatives will be quick to pounce and many liberals will be quick to defend.
China's censors have reacted to news that President Xi Jinping had a species of beetle named after him by erasing the discovery from the Internet.
The 63-year-old, who is known as Big Daddy or Daddy Xi, is nurturing something of a personality cult and the comparison with a lowly insect has apparently not going down well with him.
The taxonomist responsible - Cheng-Bin Wang, from the southern island of Hainan apparently named the beetle as a tremendous honour for the president and will have been mortified to learn that it was taken as an insult.
China's President Xi Jinping, seen here in Tacoma, Washington, during a visit to the US last year, is the subject of a personality cult and censors keep a close watch for negative references on the Internet
INSECTS NAMED AFTER FAMOUS PEOPLE Anophthalmus Hitleri - beetle, named after Adolf Hitler Aptostichus Barackobamai - spider, named after US President Obama Marxella and Marxiana - wasps, named after Karl Marx Mirina Confucius - moth, named after Confucius Orontobia Dalailama - moth, named after the Dalai Lama Aegomorphus Wojtylai - beetle, named after Pope John Paul II Pheidole Roosevelti - ant, named after former US President Theodore Roosevelt Cheguevaria - beetle, named after Che Guevara Agathidium Rumsfeldi - beetle, named after Donald Rumsfeld Aptostichus Chavezi - spider, named after Cesar Chavez Advertisement
Mr Wang, who is affiliated to the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, christened the species Rhyzodiastes (Temoana) Xii when he discovered it recently.
Writing in the taxonomy journal Zootaxa, he said: The specific epithet is dedicated to Dr Xi Jin-Ping, the President of the Peoples Republic of China, for his leadership making our motherland stronger and stronger.
His eight-page paper, published last month, went into great detail about the magnificent creature which has a genital segment...moderately long and narrowly rounded at tip.
Mr Wang told the AFP news agency he greatly admired the leader of the Chinese Communist Party and saw the beetle as a symbol of Mr Xis achievements.
He said: The Rhyzodiastes (Temoana) is very rare you might not encounter a single one even after 10 field collection sessions and it also eats rotten wood for food.
So its a metaphor for Xi Jinping, a rare person you only encounter once a century, and specifically his controls on corruption, which will allow Chinese corruption to gradually disappear.
But the US-based China Digital Times said references to the bug have been deleted from the Internet that is visible to web users in China.
Large numbers of external news websites and information sources varying from the BBC to Zootaxa are either blocked entirely or interfered with by Chinese censors on a regular basis.
President Xi Jinping, who took over in 2012, is revered in a way that has not been seen in China since the death of Mao Zedong in 1976. His image is seen here on a poster as Chinese soldiers march past
China Digital Times claimed the authorities in Beijing issued a stern warning to Chinese news producers: All websites find and delete the article Entomologists Report: Scholars Use Daddy Xi to Name a New Type of Beetle and related information.
A search for the beetles Chinese name on the hugely popular Weibo social media platform came up with a message stating that no search results could be shown due to relevant laws and policies.
President Xi is not the first world leader to have had a strange creature named after him.
In 2013 a trapdoor spider was named Aptostichus Barackobamai after the US President and in 1999 a sea slug was christened Mandelia Mirocornata in honour of former South African president Nelson Mandela.
Mr Wang said his gesture had been deliberately vilified by people with no culture.
Former Airman Justin Corbett is on trial on a murder charge in the 2012 death of a toddler
A former airman stationed at Dover Air Force Base is going on trial for murdering a 21-month-old boy who was left in his care.
Justin Corbett is charged with first-degree murder by abuse or neglect, recklessly causing the death of a child.
Authorities say Corbett was caring for Evan Dudley in November 2012 while the boy's mother, also a Dover Air Force Base airman, was deployed.
Police say Corbett called 911 to report that Evan was unresponsive after falling down stairs.
The boy died at a hospital a few days later. His death was ruled a homicide by blunt force trauma.
Corbett has denied killing the boy.
While not his main carers, Corbett and his wife, Aubrey, would occasionally watch little Evan while his mom, Nicole Dudley, was serving in Qatar.
The arrangement was part of a family-care plan approved by the Air Force.
However, in the afternoon of November 3, 2012, Corbett, who was assigned to Dover Air Force Base, called 911 from his base housing home and told dispatchers the boy had fallen down a flight of carpeted stairs and was unresponsive.
Evan was initially rushed to Kent General Hospital where he was assessed and then transferred to Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in critical condition with head injuries and multiple bruises on his body, authorities said.
He died four days later due to the injuries, which included a detached retina, excessive swelling and bleeding in his brain and numerous bruises on his head.
His mom, who had flown back from Qatar, was by his side in his hospital bed when the life support was switched off.
The state Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide by blunt force trauma.
Military mom: While not his main carers, Corbett and his wife, Aubrey, would occasionally watch little Evan (right) while his mom, Nicole Dudley (left), was serving in Qatar
But a lengthy state police investigation ensued, including an Attorney General's Office review. Then the case was sent to a child abuse expert and pediatric pathologist for review because certain injuries were noted during the boy's autopsy.
Both experts agreed Evan was a homicide victim, authorities said.
Several people described Evan to investigators as being 'healthy and normal' up until the day he went to visit the Corbett family that day, according to court documents.
Troopers and agents from the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations arrested Corbett at home.
He was charged with murder by abuse or neglect in recklessly causing the death of a child.
'We knew it was going to take some time to properly charge him, only because of the complexity of the investigation,' Sgt. Paul Shavack of the Delaware State Police told Delaware Online.
'Child death cases can be among some of the most complex cases that we investigate.'
This is because children this young cannot speak and there are often no witnesses.
Dudley wrote on a Facebook page she set up called 'Evan's Heaven' that she's relieved an arrest had been made in the case and that she's closer in her quest justice for her baby.
'The past 15 months and 11 days have been a non-stop emotional roller coaster for me and my family,' the emotional mother wrote.
'From the moment the doctor gave his characterization of Evan's injuries at A.I. Dupont Hospital, to receiving word of last night's arrest, I've alternated between grief, anger, depression and anxiety ... I can now add hope to the list, as the arrest gives me the feeling that resolution and justice for Evan are within reach.'
She said she was confident Deputy Attorney General Josette Manning and the Delaware Department of Justice would do everything they could to ensure justice is served.
Air Force approved: Evan's care arrangement was part of a family-care plan approved by the Air Force
When Dudley was sent in May 2012 to Qatar with the 436th Logistics Readiness Squadron, a supply unit, she selected Evan's godmother, Nicole Payne, and her boyfriend, Dave Holecek, as his primary caretakers.
However, it was arranged that he would occasionally visit the Corbett home to play with the couple's young son and daughter. It's not clear how Dudley and the Corbetts knew each other or if in fact they did.
Justin Corbett was alone with Evan and his own 18-month-old child when the incident happened.
Dudley said when she spoke to the doctor treating her dying son while she was still in Qatar, he told her Evan wouldn't survive and that what happened to him, in his view, wasn't an accident, but an assault.
She immediately flew home to Delaware in time to lie in the hospital bed with Evan for less than two days before he was taken off life support.
She added in the Facebook post Wednesday: 'I'd like to thank my immediate and Air Force families, friends, and supporters both known and unknown, for their constant outpouring of support and encouragement throughout this difficult time.
'We are one step closer in the quest for Justice for Evan, and I'll keep fighting until justice is served.'
Corbett's trial was scheduled to begin Tuesday with jury selection.
A British GP is prescribing sex-change hormones to children as young as 12 because NHS services are 'bursting at the seams'.
Helen Webberley, a GP in Wales, said she treats a 'handful' of patients under 16 who cannot get treatment under the NHS or face waiting times of 'up to four years'.
One of the patients is 12, and has been living as a boy and taking puberty blockers since the age of nine, but will not be given testosterone on the NHS.
Helen Webberley, a GP in Wales, said she treats a 'handful' of patients under 16 who are not eligible for NHS treatment, one of whom is 12 years old
The oldest gender identity clinic in the UK is at Charing Cross Hospital, pictured, which saw 1,892 patients in the past year
Dr Webberley told MailOnline: 'This is an unusually clear-cut case of a child living as a boy who wants to grow up with his friends, who are boys, but cannot get treatment from the NHS.
'The NHS knows it has a problem and is bursting at the seams because it cannot deal with the number of referrals - and doesn't have enough doctors interested in the field.
'We need to find a way to deal with these easy cases quickly so that specialist clinics can concentrate on the more tricky ones.'
Dr Webberley set up the clinic a year ago as there are none in Wales that offer transgender treatment, meaning they may have to travel as far as London for help.
She has had more than 2,000 people seek advice, some of whom who have gone on to get treatment, which she says shows the scale of the 'enormous' problem.
News of the private clinic, which does not breach any laws, comes as NHS transgender centres are struggling under the pressure of an explosion of referrals.
All 14 UK gender identity clinics (GICs) have seen a jump in the number of cases, with one in Nottingham reporting a 28-fold increase since 2008.
Dr Webberley added: 'Treatment should be available within 18 weeks but it is taking one to four years because of the number of referrals.
The Tavistock Clinic, pictured, is the UK's only children's clinic, with more than 1,300 referred to it last year
'Then people have to go through a year of tests before they are even offered treatment when in some cases it is quite clear. Cases need to be dealt with on an individual basis.'
However, the clinic has attracted criticism from experts, including Dr James Barrett, a consultant psychiatrist at the Charing Cross clinic, who said treatment before puberty may be too early.
There has been a huge increase in the number of referrals to clinics since 2008
He told The Guardian: 'If you wait until puberty has got a little way along, a fair proportion of the children change the clinical presentation and feel more like straightforward lesbian and gay kids.'
Dr Barrett also said it was concerning that the clinic offers some patients treatment after talking to them electronically, on Skype or email - although children must have a face to face appointment.
Dr Webberley added: 'The model is to improve access to treatment and advice and providing it online is a good way to do that, which the NHS recognises and agrees with.
'If you are a 63-year-old transgender person, who has been cross-dressing for years, you may not want to go to friends of your doctor for advice, and feel more comfortable getting it online.
'If you feel like a female inside and have testosterone pumping through your body, or vice versa, it just feels wrong, and you could be suffering.
'That advice might not lead to gender reassignment, it could be drugs or just advice, but that can make a huge difference to people's lives.'
There are also concerns that children, who currently face a waiting time of up to 12 months for NHS appointments, will self-medicate unless treatment is available.
There have also been calls for the NHS to review its guidelines, which dictate children must be 16 years old and on puberty blockers for a year before being offered sex-change treatment.
Charity Mermaid, which works with transgender children, said that the decision should be based on a child's level of maturity, not their age. The NHS is reviewing the age guideline of 16.
Others have called for a tightening of laws on private clinics, which are not bound by NHS guidelines.
The Laurels Clinic in Exeter, pictured, saw a 20-fold jump in referrals from 31 in 2006 to 636 in 2016
Data shows the Nottingham clinic had just 30 referrals in 2008 compared to 850 in 2015, with numbers expected to go above 1,000 by the end of this year.
According to figures obtained by The Guardian, referrals at the oldest clinic in the country at Charing Cross Hospital in London have increased four-fold from 498 in 2006/07 to 1,892 this year.
The NHS knows it has a problem and is bursting at the seams
And the Tavistock Clinic in London, which is the only UK centre for children and adolescents, has seen patient numbers more than double in the past year, from 697 to 1,398.
Meanwhile in Leeds, new patients could face a four-year wait for their first appointment after referrals tripled from 131 in 2010 to 414 this year.
The Laurels clinic in Exeter saw a similarly huge rise in patients, from 31 in 2006 to 636 in 2016, while a clinic in Sheffield which had eight referrals in 1998 had 301 last year.
Average waiting times for a first appointment at a GIC are nine months for adults and four-to-five months for children.
News / Religion
by Bruce Ndlovu / Gibson Mhaka
A pastor with the Bulawayo City Centre Adventist Church is at the centre of a sexual abuse storm following revelations that he allegedly attempted to force himself on a married congregant who is also a senior lawyer in the city.Pastor Brighton Ndebele allegedly cornered the lawyer, who is also married to a prominent legal practitioner, after a meeting in April in her office.It is alleged that on the day in question, Pastor Ndebele tried to have his way with her, but abandoned his vigorous sexual advances after the lawyer, whose name is being withheld for legal reasons repelled his attack.As if that was not enough, Pastor Ndebele, who is married, went on to send suggestive text messages to the lawyer last week, allegedly soliciting for sex despite the lawyer's protestations.According to a source privy to the goings on at the church, the lawyer, after having decided to not press charges, decided to go ahead and bring the matter to the authorities after the church had declined to punish the pastor for his actions.The source said the matter was being handled by the police and the pastor was expected to appear in court soon."In April this year the pastor is said to have called the lawyer, and told her that the church needed more food for the Family Life crusade which was hosting a guest speaker from South Africa as the church budget was thin. The lawyer had agreed to his request and he had gone to see her and they had agreed that she would look into the issue as she is in charge of a committee tasked with looking at such things."However, when he was about to leave the pastor asked for a hug from the lawyer who turned down his request. The pastor then decided to take matters into his own hands, grabbing her hand and dragging her by the waist. He then allegedly grabbed her buttocks and pressed her to his chest before she wriggled free," the source said.According to the source, the lawyer had told the pastor that she would lay charges and report him to church elders, but he had reportedly smirked and said that the charges would not stick as it was her word against his while the church would support him as he apparently said it was something that all church pastors did.After consultation with a church couple who are close to her, her husband and sister, the lawyer decided not to press charges as it would only drag her name through the mud while she also had little evidence to support her allegations.However, things came to a head on 14 June when the pastor sent the lawyer raunchy messages, which B-Metro is in possession of, suggesting that he wanted an encore performance.This had allegedly tipped the lawyer over the edge, as she decided to take the matter to church elders.However, to her horror the church elders only gave the pastor a slap on the wrist, suggesting that he should be forgiven for his indiscretions as he regretted his actions."The lawyer and her husband did not receive the apology directly but had been told by other pastors that they should forgive and forget as Ndebele had shown remorse," the source said.The source said whispers in the church are that the pastor is a notorious womaniser, who had acquired a reputation in Esigodini, where he used to preach, as a sex pest."As a lawyer she felt that if she did not report him he would continue getting away with it. How many women has he abused in that manner?" added the source.The lawyer, infuriated by the church's inaction, had this week decided to lay charges against the pastor.Called for comment, the lawyer, although confirming the incident, said she was not at liberty to comment as the matter was still yet to come before the courts."I wouldn't like to jeopardise the work of judicial officers by pre-emptively speaking on a case that they're yet to decide on," she said.Pastor Ndebele, when reached for comment said: "The allegations are not true. I think she fabricated them to fix me since she is having problems with her husband and I was shocked when I discovered that she had reported the matter to the police," he said.Turning to the raunchy messages he said: "We have been chatting as friends and I did not have intention of soliciting for sex from her."
A flight bound for Chicago has been forced to make an emergency landing in Edinburgh.
The United Airlines flight UA929 had a fuel leak and declared an emergency at 26,000 ft after departing from London Heathrow this morning.
It was due to land in the US at around 3.30pm today but instead touched down in Scotland at around 9.30am.
A United Airlines flight UA929 declared an emergency in the air shortly after departing from London Heathrow this morning and landed in Edinburgh
#UA929 coming in to land at Edinburgh after declaring emergency fuel issue pic.twitter.com/op7eLaVbxC Martin McGirk (@MartinMcGirk) July 12, 2016
After reporting the fuel issue, it started a holding pattern and circled in the air to burn fuel before beginning its descent
After reporting the fuel issue, it started a holding pattern and circled in the air to burn fuel before beginning its descent.
There were 119 passengers and 11 crew on board the Boeing 767 used by the airline.
The plane, which has been in service since April 1991, has now stopped on the runway and the pilot has requested an inspection.
A United Airlines spokesman said: 'Our customer service team at Edinburgh Airport is providing assistance to customers of flight UA929 today, which diverted to Edinburgh because of a mechanical issue.
'The aircraft landed safely at 9:45am. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience caused.'
There have been a number of emergency diversions over Britain in the last week, with one plane lading at Southend London yesterday after taking off from London City.
The owner of dogs who were found with plastic tied around their muzzles so tight it cut open their snouts has been fined $8000.
RSPCA New South Wales received a cruelty complaint last year after concerned neighbours raised the alarm to the housing conditions of dogs, some of which were forced to live among their own faeces, on a Woodford Island home, in New South Wales' northeast.
James Patrick Connelly pleaded guilty to four charges of animal cruelty in relation to four Border Collie dogs in Grafton Local Court on Monday.
The owner of dogs who were found with plastic tied around their muzzles so tight it cut open their snouts and other dogs forced to live among their own faeces has been fined $8000
James Patrick Connelly pleaded guilty to four charges of animal cruelty in Grafton Local Court on Monday in relation to four Border Collie dogs who were left with festering wounds (pictured)
Few dogs had access to clean water some had few or no teeth (pictured) from trying to eat while muzzled
Connelly was fined $8000 - $2000 for each of the four offences of failing to provide veterinary treatment for his dogs.
As part of the investigation, 13 dogs were surrendered to the RSPCA and rehomed.
An inspector attended Connelly's property on October 2 last year and found several dogs tied to trees next to the house.
After inspecting the dogs he found many of the dogs had a thick plastic strap around their muzzles, leaving them unable to open their mouths to bark, eat or drink normally. The muzzles had also cut into the dogs' snouts, leaving open wounds.
Four of the dogs, Border Collies, had embedded straps which had left raw, open wounds. The inspector noted 'all of these injuries were emitting a foul stench of decaying flesh'.
After inspecting the dogs he found many of the dogs had a thick plastic strap (pictured) around their muzzles, leaving them unable to open their mouths to bark, eat or drink normally
Four of the dogs, Border Collies, had embedded straps (pictured) which had left raw, open wounds. The inspector noted 'all of these injuries were emitting a foul stench of decaying flesh'
The inspector seized the four injured dogs for immediate veterinary care
The RSPCA officer then inspected sheds on a paddock across the road from the property and discovered more dogs tied to poles and enclosed in cages, surrounded by piles of faeces and urine.
Few dogs had access to clean water some had few or no teeth from trying to eat while muzzled.
Schools with links to the Church of Scientology are given more government funding per student than hundreds of public schools across the country.
The teaching philosophies of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard are used at Athena School in Newtown, inner-west Sydney, and at the Yarralinda School in outer north-east Melbourne.
On top of hefty school fees and private tax-free donations received, Yarralinda receives more government funding per student than up to 800 NSW and Victorian public schools, Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Yarralinda receives up to $11,300 for each of its 26 students annually from state and federal governments, data from the My Schools website reveals.
That figure is $2,700 more per student than at nearby Rolling Hills primary school in Mooroolbark.
Yarralinda School (pictured) in outer north-east Melbourne receives more government funding per student than up to 800 NSW and Victorian public schools
The teaching philosophies of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard (pictured) are used at Yarralinda and Athena School in Newtown, inner-west Sydney
At the Athena School, each of the 30 students are provided about $6,700 in government funding.
That's only $2,000 less per student than at nearby Newtown Public School, which has recently restricted enrollment due to overflowing classrooms.
Athena restricts classrooms to 15 students.
Taking into account government funding, fees and tax-free private donations, each student at Athena benefits from about $10,000 more than students at Newtown Public School annually.
Athena is listed as the Australian, New Zealand and Oceania headquarters of Applied Scholastics group, which is based on Hubbard's teachings and which has strong links to Scientology.
The Scientology website describes Applied Scholastics as a 'fully independent, nondenominational organisation supported by the Church of Scientology and by Scientologists'.
The Athena and Yarralinda schools both describe themselves as secular and welcome students of all faiths and backgrounds.
Australian residents studying at Athena pay between $9,460 and $12,880 in fees each year, the school's website reads.
Athena School (pictured) is listed as the Australian, New Zealand and Oceania headquarters of Applied Scholastics group, which is based on Hubbard's teachings and which has strong links to Scientology
At the Athena School (pictured), each of the 30 students are provided about $6,700 in government funding
The school also receives a total of about $108,585 each year from 'private sources'.
Yarralinda receives a total of about $176,415 each year from 'private sources'.
A spokesperson for the federal Department of Education and Training said funding was determined for all schools in accordance with the law.
'On average, total government funding for a student going to a public school is over $16,000 per year, while the support for a student attending a non-government school is $9,300,' the spokesperson said in a statement.
'Under the Australian Constitution, the Commonwealth has no specific power in relation to schooling and does not have a direct role in the registration, administration and operation of schools.'
A NSW Education spokesman told Daily Mail Australia the department provides financial assistance to all eligible non-government schools.
'State funding levels recognise the level of resources available to each school based on fees, charges and parent contributions,' the spokesperson said.
'Schools must be registered and not operate for profit to be eligible for state funding.'
The Yarralinda principal told Sydney Morning Herald there was 'nothing unusual' about a school raising additional funding.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted both schools and the NSW Education Department for comment.
Applied Scholastics has strong ties to the Church of Scientology and repeatedly features prominently on its website's homepage (Applied Scholastics circled in red on Scientology homepage)
Teachers at a school in Germany staged a walkout protest at an end-of-term ceremony for A-level students after a Muslim pupil refused to shake the hand of his class mistress on 'religious grounds.'
As the female teacher at the Kurt-Tucholsky School in Hamburg went to shake the hand of the student he offered his wrist instead.
Apparently, seconds later, he told her; 'No offence, my religion won't let me do that. I do not mean to disrespect you.'
Teachers at a school in Germany staged a walkout protest at an end-of-term ceremony,like the one posed here by models, after a Muslim pupil refused to shake the hand of his class mistress on 'religious grounds'
But fellow teachers were outraged and demanded he be sent home from the event, a move headteacher Andrea Ludtke refused.
Instead five teachers walked out amid 'intense discussions' between the student, fellow classmates and the remaining tutors.
It is not the first time that this refusal to go along with accepted western norms of behaviour has caused trouble in European schools.
Two Muslim boys in neighbouring Switzerland are still waiting to hear whether their similar refusal to shake the hand of their teacher may have cost them their right to a Swiss passport.
And in June, a Muslim imam took his child out of a Berlin school after a meeting with a teacher.
When he said he wouldn't be able to shake her hand she told him he should 'adapt to the culture'.
After the Hamburg incident last Thursday Mrs Ludtke said that seven teachers boycotted a celebration ball head later that evening. 'That was very bad,' she said.
'The pupil in question is in no way extremist. We are now considering how to show that we cannot tolerate such behaviour. It is the first time that this has been an isue at the school.' she said, adding that it was the first time that shaking hands had been an issue at the school
Katajun Amirpur, professor of Islamic studies and Deputy Director of the Academy for World Religions in Hamburg says in Islam, there are different interpretations on the subject of men shaking hands with women.
'Some men shake hands with women. Some people do it. There can be different explanations,' he said.
An ice-addict father who was the star of reality television show Struggle Street has stayed clean for 46 days - the longest spree of abstinence he's managed in a devastating decade-long addiction.
Corey Kennedy, 26, was at the centre of the controversial SBS show slammed for being poverty porn, but his life spiraled even further out of control when the show stopped airing.
After appearing in court in April for allegedly being involved in a high speed pursuit while high on ice, a Melbourne rehab clinic offered to take him in for a 90-day intensive program and adjourn the case.
His inspirational journey to stay sober and provide for his young son has been documented by A Current Affair, who recorded regular updates and met him at the halfway mark, 46 days in.
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Corey Kennedy, 26, has stayed clean from the drug ice for 46 days - the longest spree of abstinence he's managed in a devastating decade-long addiction
After appearing in court in April (pictured) for allegedly being involved in a high speed pursuit while high on ice, a Melbourne rehab clinic offered to take him in for a 90-day intensive program and adjourn the case
Just four days in, Corey appeared jittery and upset, claiming that he wanted to leave the program and go home
'It's getting to me. I've just got to take it one day at a time. I'm starting to be over this program and I just want to go home,' a jittery Corey says to the camera just four days off the drug.
'I wake up every two hours, I can't deal with the thoughts I've got coming into my head. It's f***ing hard.'
But remarkably, exceeding the expectations of his parents Ashley and Peta - who in April pleaded for authorities to convict and jail him - he has managed to stay off the drug.
The incredible turnaround has been described as a miracle.
So much so that his parents made the 1000 kilometre drive from the hardened streets of western Sydney to Melbourne to congratulate him on his efforts, bringing along his young son.
The episode ended with a montage of touching shots, including some alone time with his son.
'I proved people wrong. I can do it,' Corey said emphatically, adding that he wanted to be able to provide for his son and be able to 'buy him clothes.'
But now, over halfway into the intensive program, he has seen a huge transformation
Corey is seen holding onto his young son before (right) and after 46 days in rehabilitation (left)
The trial of the mother of Marco Pierre White Jr has collapsed because the Big Brother star was 'too hungover' to come to court.
Matilde Conejero was accused of attacking the reality TV star and his older brother Luciano - but the assault case collapsed after the party-loving pair failed to attend court.
The judge in the court case - which will have cost the taxpayer thousands of pounds to mount - said White Jr was 'too hungover' to give evidence.
It came the day after the 21-year-old posted a foul-mouthed video to his Snapchat followers showing him out, apparently drunk, with his friends.
Marco Pierre White Jr failed to turn up to a court case today, telling police he was 'too hungover' after partying with friends. It came after he posted a video on Snapchat of him out in London's Sloane Square
In another clip, White Jnr is seen mumbling into the camera as he lays on a bed next to his girlfriend.
He also posted photos of him and his friends gathered around a bottle of vodka in a bar on his Instagram page yesterday. Another picture shows him laying on the floor biting a woman's leg.
His mother's court case was delayed this morning while police were sent to the star's home to bring him to give evidence.
But when officers went to his house in Chiswick they were greeted by friends who said he had been to a party last night.
Prosecutor Katie Weiss said: 'Marco Pierre White Jr was not there. Friends who were there said he had a party last night in Hampstead.
'Officers spoke to him on the phone... He said he was too hungover to come here today.'
Judge Wright lamented the 'troubled' history of the proceedings.
Matilde Conejero (left) was accused of assaulting her sons, Pierre White Jnr and his brother Luciano (right). The case against her collapsed after they both failed to attend the court case
The judge said: 'The police investigation was troubled because of a lack of cooperation on the part of Marco Pierre White Jr and this caused a delay in initiating proceedings of almost six months.'
She continued: 'Luciano Pierre White is not at home nor contactable. His phone is switched off. I'm advised that Marco Pierre White Jr went to a party last night and he is too ill to attend court today, probably because of a hangover.
It is utterly outrageous that a witness in a criminal case thinks that he can go to a party the night before Defence lawyer Michael Smith
'In both cases the witnesses were clearly aware of their obligations to attend court today and they have not done so.'
Michael Smith, defending, said: 'It is utterly outrageous that a witness in a criminal case thinks that he can go to a party the night before.'
The court heard allegations that Conejero, 51, had called White Jr a 'junkie' and a 'f****** loser' during the alleged assault.
The case came after White Jr was fined 400 after admitting being in charge of a motor vehicle while high on cocaine on 21 June, days after he was booted out of the Big Brother house.
During the show the model had bragged to housemates about splashing 250,000 in three months on prostitutes, cocaine, and alcohol.
The court case came the day after White Jnr posted a rambling video on Snapchat in a bid to gain the interest of his followers in the identity of his new girlfriend
Spanish-born Conejero, who appears on court papers as Matilde White, first met celebrity chef Marco Pierre White while working as a bar manager in one of his restaurants, with the pair marrying in 2000.
Relations between Conejero and Marco Pierre White began to break down in 2005 when she accused him of cheating with financier Robin Saunders.
The chef spent 14 hours in a police cell after he and his wife had a row. The pair split in 2007, with Mathilde filing for divorce on the grounds of his unreasonable behaviour.
But divorce proceedings were withdrawn in 2011 after running up massive legal bills of up to an estimated 3million.
Leeds-born Marco Pierre White, 54, was the youngest chef to be given three Michelin stars at the age of 33.
He has run a string of renowned restaurants in London alongside several steakhouse bar and grills across the country and is now known as the television face of Knorr.
Conejero, of Chiswick High Road, denies two charges of assault by beating. The case continues.
her and her boyfriend from pictures they had posted to Facebook earlier in the evening
She was caught when the victims
Sophie Morgan (pictured) was so drunk when she carried out the attack in the centre of Exeter she could not remember it the following day
A drunken teenager attacked two strangers outside a kebab fast food shop - using her stiletto heel as a weapon.
The bystanders were left with scars on their faces after Sophie Morgan assaulted them with her high heel shoe in the middle of Exeter.
Morgan was caught when the victims identified her and her boyfriend from pictures they had uploaded to Facebook earlier in the evening in which she was wearing the same clothes and heels.
The court heard how Morgan, a barista, was so intoxicated when she carried out the attack she could not remember it the next morning.
Morgan, now 22, from Exeter, admitted affray and was jailed for eight months, suspended for two years, at the city's Crown Court.
Judge Graham Cottle told her he was able to suspend the sentence because she had 'moved on' in the three years since the attack in 2013 and addressed her abuse of alcohol.
He said: 'This was serious public disorder when you were under the influence of drink and behaving badly. You had taken so much drink you could not remember what you had done.
'You were drinking heavily at the time but your life has moved on.
'Behaviour of this sort in a public place in the middle of Exeter, injuring a couple of innocent people, is deserving of a custodial sentence.'
Morgan had been out with her boyfriend, Daniel Jordan, when they went to Subway and next-door King Kebab fast food stores one night in October 2013.
They had got into an argument with victims Lewis Eveleigh and Shaida Churchley outside the two shops.
One was about holding Jordan's cigarette while he went inside to buy food and the other was about Morgan borrowing a mobile phone to call a taxi.
As the altercation turned violent, Morgan took off a heel and used the pointed end to hit them both in the face.
Morgan, now 22, from Exeter, admitted affray and was jailed for eight months, suspended for two years
Mr Eveleigh had his wound glued at the scene but Miss Churchley required hospital treatment.
He was left with a small mark on his eyebrow while she was left with permanent scarring beneath her eye. She also suffered psychological effects and was left reluctant to go out for some time.
She also attacked two other bystanders with the flat part of her shoe, without causing any significant injury.
The couple then walked off from the scene.
The attack happened outside King Kebab (pictured) and Subway fast food stores in the centre of Exeter
Morgan, a barista, was so intoxicated, when she carried out the attack she could not recall what had happened
Morgan was caught because one of the victims had been at school with Jordan and spotted him with the aggressor in a picture he posted to Facebook. A screen shot was taken and shown to the police.
Writing on Facebook after the case, Miss Churchley wrote: 'It's an utter joke that she isn't banged up.'
Nigel Wraith, defending, said the case has taken almost three years to come to court and Morgan has suffered health issues because of the stress of waiting for it to be resolved.
One of Paris' most famous adopted sons Karl Lagerfeld has decried the French capital saying it is a different world to the city he began to call home in the 1950s.
Having been heavily targeted by terrorists in the last 18 months, notably in November when 130 people were slaughtered by ISIS, Paris has gained a feeling of danger, said the fashion legend.
'Paris by night is a nightmare now. It is not a cliche anymore,' the 82-year-old at the helm of Chanel said.
'Paris by night is a nightmare now. It is not a cliche anymore,' the 82-year-old at the helm of Chanel Karl Lagerfeld said
The German-born designer moved to Paris in 1950 to take up his first job in the capital under French fashion giant Pierre Balmain.
When he first set eyes on the city, he told CNN the scene was idyllic, and that it looked like an old French movie.
Fast-forward more than half a century and what Lagerfeld sees is very different.
He condemned the weather, demonstrations and strikes, saying the Paris of today is like another world.
'There was no feeling of danger, and not even a boy of 16 years old could walk in the street,' he said.
'This is not the most glamorous moment in Paris.
'Paris by night is a nightmare now. It is not a cliche anymore.
'I must say, in my whole life I never saw Paris that gloomy.'
Comparing the Paris he fell in love with and the French capital today, he said: 'Things are changing, but I have the feeling I lived in a world that no longer exists.
'Paris has to make an effort to become Paris again'
Lagerfeld has been the chief of Chanel's fashion house as head designer and creative director since 1983.
Last year, Paris was rocked when ISIS terrorists swarmed the city, slaughtering 130 people on the evening of November 13.
As well as setting off car bombs near the Stade de France and opening fire on a row of restaurants and bars, 89 revelers were murdered when four extremists began to fire into the crowd of an Eagles of Death Metal concern at the Bataclan theatre.
The horrific attacks followed another terrorist siege at the headquarters of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in January of last year.
Two Islamist gunmen Said Kouachi and Cherif Kouachi forced their way into the building and killed 12 people in reaction to the publication of a cartoon depicting the prophet Mohammed.
Catwalk icon Legerfeld was talking ahead of Chanel's Autumn-Winter 2016 haute couture show in Paris.
The husband of a woman accused of killing their three sons has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for having sex with his wife before they were married when she was underage.
Forty-four-year-old Joseph Pilkington pleaded guilty Monday to sexual imposition and must register as a convicted sex offender annually for the next 15 years.
The Ohio man originally was charged with sexual battery for beginning a sexual relationship with Brittany Pilkington and impregnating her in 2009, when she was 17, but the felony charge was dropped in a plea deal with prosecutors.
Joseph Pilkington (left, on Monday) pleaded guilty on Monday to a sex charge for having sex with his wife Brittany (right) when she was just 17 years old. The now 24-year-old is awaiting trial for allegedly murdering their three sons
The now-24-year-old Brittany Pilkington could face a death sentence if convicted of killing their sons, two infants and a toddler, over a two year period.
Mrs Pilkington reportedly confessed to the crime, telling investigators that she killed her sons because her husband paid them more attention that he did to her or their daughter, a 5-year-old girl who is now being cared for by relatives.
She has pleaded not guilty, and remains in jail on $1million bond awaiting trial. Joseph Pilkington isn't a suspect in the children's deaths.
The charge of sexual imposition relates to cases in which the adult is in a position of power - such as a teacher or a parent.
Brittany allegedly confessed to cops, saying she killed the three boys because her husband paid them more attention. From left to right: 3-month-old Niall (died in August 2014), 4-year-old Gavin (died in April 2015) and 3-month-old Noah (died in August 2015)
Before he married Brittany, Pilkington was in a long-term relationship with the young woman's mother and considered himself a step-father figure. He had lived with Brittany since she was nine years old.
While the judge could have sentenced Pilkington to 60 days in jail, it was agreed that he had suffered enough, seeing his three sons die.
In court on Monday, Pilkington cried as his lawyer described the murder of the three Pilkington boys.
The first child to die was 3-month-old Niall in July 2014. At the time, authorities suspected sudden infant death syndrome.
Less than a year later, 4-year-old Gavin followed his brother to an early grave.
It was then that the Logan County Children's Services took temporary custody of the remaining children, launching a neglect investigation.
But just seven days after the children were returned to the couple on August 11, 2015, 3-month-old baby Noah was found dead in the couple's apartment.
An ornithologist was left covered in blood after he was attacked by two seagulls as he tried to rescue their chick.
Martin Cade was asked by his neighbour to help return the stranded gull to its nest on the roof of her house in Portland, Dorset.
But as the 56-year-old scooped up the bird and walked towards a ladder to get to the nest he was dive-bombed by its parents which feared he was a threat to their baby.
Martin Cade was left covered in blood after he was attacked by two seagulls as tried to rescue their baby chick
One of them used its beak to strike him on the head, drawing blood.
The second seagull then swooped down and pecked him again on the side of his head.
Mr Cade was left with two wounds on his head.
The seagulls that attacked Martin
Mr Cade, who works at the RSPB observatory on Dorset, returned the next day to try and help the fledgling which was still stranded, but was forced to retreate when the gulls began circling him.
He said: 'My neighbour obviously knows what I do for a living and asked me if could help return this baby gull to its nest. It had fallen out of the nest which was on their roof.
'I picked it up and just worked out how to put it back when the two adults had a right go at me and both hit me in quick succession.
'They saw me as a threat because I had their baby in my hands. They just dive-bombed me.
Ornithologist Mr Cade was left covered in blood after he was attacked by two seagulls
'The first hit me with a clunk and broke the skin on my head. There was a fair bit of blood. Then the second one did the same.
'I leant my head forward and blood started running down by forehead and neck. I was in a fair bit of pain.'
Last week it was revealed Royal Mail had pulled its postwoman out of Maryport in Cumbria due to the 'dangerous' conditions she faced from seagulls.
A concerned father in Hartlepool also took his two sons out of a primary school after he was struck on the head by a seagull in the playground in and in Barry, South Wales, grandmother Hayley Selby was knocked off her feet by a gull as she walked through the town centre.
Seagulls are a protected species in Britain and are particularly aggressive at this time of year when they are raising young, according to the RSPB.
Mr Cade added: 'Herring gulls are a blessed nuisance to any seaside town.
'They are lazy and next in any old place rather than in the cliffs and have to follow fishing boats for food.
Opinion / Columnist
Each day that I watch international news, I become more and more disenchanted to be an African, as where else in the civilised world would one encounter a leader who brutalises his or her own people just because they dared stand up against his or her government's oppression and injustices?Only in Africa!Ever since the world recession of 2007/8 - which lead to several, mostly Western governments, implementing biting austerity measures - most people in those countries have been protesting the suffering that they have had to endure over these past years.This has led to most people of Western countries calling upon their governments to step down - something that has led to the rise of anti-austerity, and usually far-right, political parties in several European countries.However, in all these protests, we have not witnessed the disturbing levels of brutality against the suffering people as we would have witnessed had it been in Africa.These European leaders did not view the protesting suffering people as enemies of the state who should be crushed by any means, but rather viewed them as poor struggling people who deserve the government's compassion, protection and empathy - despite the fact that these protestors were calling for the same governments to step down.These Western governments have tried, in spite of all odds, to revamp their economies, whilst at the same time, doing all that they could to cushion the suffering people from the painful effects of the recession and austerity.Furthermore, free and fair elections have been taking place, and several governments have been ousted, and there has been remarkable peaceful and orderly transfer of power.Even in the United Kingdom (UK), where Prime Minister David Cameron voluntarily stepped down after his bid to keep his county in the European Union (EU) was rejected in the June 23 'Brexit' referendum - there will be a very orderly peaceful transfer of power on Wednesday 13 July to the new premier Theresa May.However, one needs to just cross the Mediterranean Sea to witness the vast differences in leadership style of African leaders.On our continent, we have leaders who do not tolerate any opposition at all, no matter how justified.This is the only continent where the highest concentration of dysfunctional leaders are found in the world.A continent where leaders want to rule forever, and will crush anyone - without any remorse at all - who is perceived to be challenging or questioning their leadership.African leaders are the ones more prone to amending their countries' constitutions just so that they can stay in power forever, or make room for their sons or wives to take over.This is where democratically challenging a leader is perceived as a national security threat, such that the state intelligence agencies are roped in to silence any peaceful dissenters - where anyone who calls for, or engages in, peaceful protests is arrested, threatened, or beaten up and considered as an enemy of the state.African leaders can massacre nearly a fifth of their countries' population and get away with it - whilst at the same time, move without any shame amongst other world leaders.This is the continent where leaders can loot their countries' vast resources - which could have made African countries the richest in the world - for they own personal aggrandisement, without any sense of shame - whilst the vast majority of the population can not even afford more than one square meal a day.Where leaders reside in mansions, or hotels - at the taxpayers' expense - in the midst of a population in abject poverty - and still feel justified to do so.Yet, those same leaders expect those same suffering people to just keep quiet and act as if everything is alright - as if we are all one happy family.Eventually, when those suffering and oppressed people say 'enough is enough we can not take this anymore', they are accused of being used by foreign powers.So do Africans have no brains of their own to think for themselves?Do African leaders seriously view their own people as brainless imbeciles who will just remain docile in their suffering and oppression, whilst they see their leaders living lavishly?Even a dog will eventually bite the one who keeps ill-treating it.So do our leaders seriously think we are more stupid than a dog - such that Black people can only stand up for their rights after being told what to do by a White man?In fact, our erstwhile colonisers had more faith in the Black person's intellect than the our current Black leadership.Our African leadership seems to be more of victims of a colonial mentality and brainwashing than they accuse us of.African leaders seem, indeed, to be several levels below the evolutionary ladder - as how else can we describe such primitive behaviour.How else would we describe a husband and father who spends all the family's money - let us say US$1000 a month - on food, drink and merrymaking with friends and lovers, whilst his family is hungry, his children do not go to school because of a lack of fees, and they go around town with tattered clothes and shoeless, as the father does not even bother buying them any?Furthermore, when his wife and children eventually complain to him - even deciding to leave him - he beats the daylights out of them - resulting in the death of one of his sons.If we were to read of such an incident in the newspapers, how would we react?Would the whole nation not be aghast?Would we not all be justified in rising up in arms with such a father and husband?Would we not all be justified in calling that husband and father a primitive monster?Would all those women and children's rights groups not be justified in having such a husband and father arrested and charged?So, what is the difference between such a father/husband, and the African leaders that we have?Are they not similar to the bone?Therefore, why should such leaders be allowed to carry on as if nothing is wrong?Why should such leaders walk with their heads high, as if they have anything to be proud of, when in fact, they have everything to be ashamed of?The suffering people of the continent need not be cowered by such barbaric leaders anymore.The time has come that every African citizen should claim their birthright and stand up with pride against any further oppression.We do not have to be told by anyone that we deserve dignity, respect, and honour from our leaders - and that we need to demand it without any fear in a peaceful and democratic manner.No violence is needed to stand up for one's rights and be heard - as those who live by the sword, will die by the sword.Let those who think that the gun will protect them continue living in their delusions, as soon they will realise that there are powers mightier than the gun - people power.People standing firmly together can conquer any weapon.Let the people of Africa be resolute in their demands for what God - in all His infinite wisdom - gave them to enjoy, and yet has been perverted by a wayward leadership that only the suffering people of Africa can dismantle. Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice activist and commentator, writer, and journalist. He writes in his own capacity, and welcomes feedback. Please WhatsApp/call: +263782283975, or email: tendaiandtinta.mbofana@gmail.com. Follow on Twitter: @Tendai_Mbofana
Theresa May proved that she is for turning as she tried to go the wrong way out of Downing Street today.
The incoming Prime Minister laughed with photographers after coming out of the famous black door following David Cameron's last Cabinet meeting.
Mrs May initially turned right - before realising her mistake and heading the other way.
The muddle - which triggered jokes about Margaret Thatcher's famous insistence that she was 'not for turning' - came as Mr Cameron was hailed as an 'astonishing' Prime Minister by his ministers after his final Cabinet meeting at No 10.
Mr Cameron's team noisily banged the table four times, including as the Premier departed when the meeting ended at 10.20am.
He will now prepare for a final outing at Prime Minister's Questions tomorrow before making the short journey to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to the Queen.
Theresa May found herself in a muddle after trying to go the wrong way out of Downing Street
The Prime Minister's official spokeswoman revealed it had been a 'warm and reflective mood' at the meeting and said the Prime Minister had spoken of his 'honour and pride at serving the country and serving the Cabinet'.
Discussion at the hour long meeting focused on the life chances strategy and the Trident nuclear deterrent, before Mr Cameron wound up his 215th and and last Cabinet by reflecting on his achievements - including specifically gay marriage, free schools and apprenticeships.
Mrs May, the new Conservative leader who will become Britain's second female PM tomorrow, and Chancellor George Osborne paid tributes to Mr Cameron before he concluded his Cabinet.
Mrs May was the last to arrive at today's gathering as she began to plot her own top team. She will take hold of the reins of power tomorrow after suddenly winning the Tory crown when her last rival Andrea Leadsom sensationally dropped out yesterday.
A removal firm was spotted behind Downing Street today as the Cameron family prepared its rapid departure to make space for Mrs May and husband Philip.
There is intense speculation in Westminster on how Mrs May will shape her first Cabinet, amid tension within the Tory Party over the Brexit split between Leave and Remain supporters.
Mrs May walked out of Downing Street after warm tributes were paid to David Cameron at Cabinet
She waved happily to waiting photographers, but then appeared to lose her bearings as she departed
Among her former rivals at today's meeting who may be in line for jobs were Justice Secretary Michael Gove, who finished a distant third after blowing up Boris Johnson's campaign with a dramatic political knifing. Stephen Crabb, the Work and Pensions Secretary who dropped out at the first round stage, was also at today's gathering.
Key allies such as Chris Grayling have been highlighted for possible promotion, while finding a place for the biggest names under Mr Cameron - including the Chancellor George Osborne - will be a key task.
Culture Secretary John Whittingdale said the final meeting of Mr Cameron's premiership had been 'emotional' as he left Downing Street.
Theresa Villiers said: 'It was a sad day to see David Cameron's last Cabinet meeting. I'm sure our country is in safe hands with Theresa May.'
The Northern Ireland Secretary said Mr Cameron would be recorded in history as a 'great reforming Prime Minister'.
Business minister Anna Soubry said: 'I always find him absolutely amazing... he's astonishing.'
A 'millionaire' former British Airways captain is risking losing his entire fortune in one of Britain's longest-ever divorce battles over payouts for a daughter he insists is not his.
Richard Wilmot, who has two homes in Somerset, claims his third wife Viki Maughan is a liar and that a child she claims is his was fathered by a lover she was secretly seeing before they divorced.
Ms Maughan denies his accusations and says DNA testing has proved conclusively that Mr Wilmot, who has been married four times, is the father of her daughter who is now almost 18.
Long-running battle: Richard Wilmot (left) claims his third wife Viki Maughan (right) is a liar and that a child she claims is his was fathered by a lover she was secretly seeing before they divorced
But the pilot, who is now flying for Turkish Airlines, insists that fresh evidence shows that the test was flawed and says he has been paying out for a child that is not his for two decades.
Lawyers compared the case to Charles Dickenss novel Bleak House, but Mr Wilmot has fought on despite warnings that his entire fortune could be swallowed up by legal bills.
The former couple, who lived together at an 800,000 property in Cranbrook, Kent, separated in the late 1990s and have been at war over money ever since their divorce in 2001.
Reluctantly opening another chapter in the saga, Lady Justice King told Londons Appeal Court: This is a scandalous case... the history beggars belief.
The husband is now on his fourth wife and he has children from that marriage too. He is now using his pension fund to fight his third wife after 15 years.
Mr Wilmot owns a 500,000, 18th century listed house in Dunster, Somerset, while he has another home in Aldersmead in the county and also has property on the Isle of Man.
Their old house: The former couple, who lived together at this 800,000 property (pictured) in Cranbrook, Kent, separated in the late 1990s and have been at war over money ever since their divorce in 2001
He was officially declared the father of Ms Maughans daughter in 2000. The court heard he paid out almost 400,000 in maintenance to his former family but hotly disputed the DNA test results.
He claims his signature on the childs birth certificate was false and fabricated and that two samples of genetic material were switched before the test.
His barrister, Nicholas Bowen QC, told the court: He says the girl isnt his child. He continues to deny it. He says new evidence had emerged that the wife was a liar.
He doesnt want to pay for this daughter, does he? Lady Justice King
At a previous hearing, Lord Justice Lloyd outlined Mr Wilmots allegation that the 2001 divorce settlement was obtained by fraud on the part of Ms Maughan.
He said: In particular, he claims that she pretended...to be financially entirely dependent on him when in fact, he says, she was in a relationship with and financially supported by her new lover.
Mr Wilmot has been contending for years that the paternity declaration in relation to this daughter was not reliable and should be set aside.
He says two samples were switched... he has been contending that Ms Maughan has been lying and fabricating evidence and withholding material for years.
Luxury home: Mr Wilmot owns a 500,000, 18th century listed house in the Somerset village of Dunster
Mr Wilmot is now asking the Appeal Court to block Ms Maughans bid to enforce the settlement and make him pay maintenance for her daughter.
Ms Maughan says DNA testing has proved conclusively that Mr Wilmot, who has been married four times, is the father of her daughter
Mr Bowen argued he was working in Turkey when orders were made against him and he had never been properly served with court papers.
Sending documents to him by email, when he was living outside the jurisdiction of the English courts, may not have complied with international law, he claimed.
Jonathan Swift, for Ms Maughan, urged the judge to throw out Mr Wilmots case, saying: The conclusion of the court was that she most certainly was his child.
The barrister pointed to the extreme facts of this case and the husbands refusal to comply with the court ordered obligations to his ex-wife and children stretching back as far as 2001.
Mr Wilmot was criticised by Lady Justice King, who said: He doesnt want to pay for this daughter, does he? There has been a declaration of parentage. She is his child. Thats the end of it.
He cant go behind it. He is this girls father. The husband has pursued this litigation, although the orders in place are about maintaining his three children, with quite extraordinary vigour for well over a decade.
He now wishes to use his case for maintenance of his children for the argument of what is effectively a legal test case on a point of law.
Despite those words, Lady Justice King reluctantly granted Mr Wilmot permission to mount a full appeal.
I have with considerable hesitation and reluctance concluded that, notwithstanding the history of this matter, there is a compelling reason why this appeal should be heard.
Mr Wilmot (pictured) is now asking the Appeal Court to block Ms Maughans bid to enforce the settlement and make him pay maintenance for her daughter
Mr Bowen told the judge that Mr Wilmot, who is believed to be in his late 50s or early 60s, had been warned that this case could bankrupt you.
He compared the dispute to Jarndyce and Jarndyce, Dickenss infamous court battle in Bleak House which saw all the money fought over ending up in lawyers pockets.
Mr Bowen told the judge that he still hoped that a sensible settlement could be achieved.
This is an extremely troubling case with severe financial consequences for the husband and his young family, he added.
But the judge told Mr Wilmot: Youve had 15 years to settle it... I cannot help thinking how far the money spent on this case would go towards the daughters university fees.
The case will now go ahead to a hugely expensive three-day test case hearing before three senior judges, with both Mr Wilmot and his ex-wife represented by QCs.
Transgender celebrity Caitlyn Jenner will be in Cleveland during the Republican National Convention, as a guest at the Big Tent Brunch, hosted by pro-LGBT conservative group the American Unity Fund.
Jenner, who tweeted that she 'can't wait to hit the road to Cleveland', is attending the brunch to call for more support for LGBT rights across both Republican and Democratic parties.
She is a fervent Republican and supporter of Donald Trump, but hasn't revealed whether she will be attending or speaking at the Convention at the Quicken Loans Arena.
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Transgender celebrity Caitlyn Jenner will be in Cleveland during the Republican National Convention, as a guest at the Big Tent Brunch, hosted by pro-LGBT conservative group the American Unity Fund
She told The Daily Beast: 'The party conventions are like the political Olympics, and I'm excited to be headed to Cleveland to stand with my fellow LGBT Republicans and allies.
'As a proud Republican and transgender woman, I want to support courageous Republicans who advocate for LGBT freedom. Our country's non-discrimination laws must be updated and this cannot be achieved without bipartisan support.'
Her announcement comes as the GOP struggles to calibrate its position on LGBT rights.
Officials have rejected an emotional plea to back off the party's opposition to same-sex marriage, renewing the party's embrace of religious conservative values.
Republicans who gathered Monday to shape their party platform in Cleveland also refused to reverse their opposition to bathroom choice for transgender people, exposing a rift with their presumptive presidential nominee - despite internal warnings that social conservative policies on gay rights alienate voters.
'All I ask today is that you include me,' said Rachel Huff, a Republican delegate from Washington, D.C., who is openly gay.
Jenner, who tweeted that she 'can't wait to hit the road to Cleveland', is attending a brunch to call for more support for LGBT rights across both Republican and Democratic parties
'If our party wants a future ... we must evolve,' she said, her voice cracking with emotion.
Asked to respond to Huff, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin later explained that opposition to same-sex marriage has 'been the longtime tradition of the Republican Party.'
'She's still welcome in the party. Everyone is,' Fallin said.
Anxious conservatives are trying to influence the direction of a party facing deep uncertainty about Trump's positions on social issues.
Delegates will adopt an updated set of policy prescriptions - known as the party platform - when the Republican National Convention begins next week. Delegates began the tedious process of updating the 62-page document this week. Changes adopted so far signaled renewed support for religious conservative values.
The New York billionaire has been reluctant to embrace social conservative positions in some cases, particularly as Republicans across the country push for new restrictions on bathroom access for transgender people.
Trump, who claims strong support from the gay community, has told Jenner to use whichever bathroom in Trump Tower she'd like. He also said North Carolina's so-called 'bathroom law,' which directs transgender people to use the bathroom that matches the gender on their birth certificates, has caused unnecessary strife.
Trump, who claims strong support from the gay community, has told Jenner to use whichever bathroom in Trump Tower she'd like. He also said North Carolina's so-called 'bathroom law,' which directs transgender people to use the bathroom that matches the gender on their birth certificates, has caused unnecessary strife
Yet Republicans on Monday let stand language that attacks the Obama administration for directing schools to allow transgender students to use restrooms and other facilities that match their gender identities. 'Their edict to the states concerning restrooms, locker rooms and other facilities is at once illegal, dangerous and ignores privacy issues. We salute the several states which have filed suit against it,' reads the platform.
Delegates also changed language that offers a warning to children of same-sex parents: 'Children raised in a traditional two-parent household tend to be physically and emotionally healthier, less likely to sue drugs and alcohol, engage in crime or become pregnant outside of marriage.'
Annie Dickerson, a Republican delegate from New York, said the change relied upon 'outrageous, horrible evidence' and represented 'another poke in the eye to the gay community.'
'Stop repelling gays for God's sake,' she declared.
Trump opposes same-sex marriage, but often avoids discussing conservative social issues on the campaign trail. Facing the possibility of a delegate rebellion at the convention next week, his campaign has been taking a hands-off approach to the platform debate.
Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who led the platform committee, said he was given Trump's blessing during a private meeting last week in Washington.
A 911 dispatch center in Virginia is under investigation -- after a man died when no one responded to his call.
Robert Paulus died of heart disease in late April in his Fredericksburg apartment, WJLA reported.
According to Robert Paulus's son, Michael Paulus, his 56-year-old father had contacted 911 hours ahead of his death.
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According to Robert Paulus's son, Michael Paulus, his 56-year-old father had contacted 911 hours ahead of his death. Father and son are pictured together
Robert Paulus died of heart disease in late April in his Fredericksburg, Virginia, apartment (pictured)
The dispatcher tried three times to make contact in the 18-second call to Fredericksburg City Dispatch, WJLA reported.
It was deemed a pocket call -- so no call back was mandatory -- after hearing nothing but a noise that couldn't be identified, its report said.
The 56-year-old man was discovered dead hours later, WJLA reported.
Fredericksburg Police Department spokeswoman Sarah Kirkpatrick told the news outlet: 'I think this was an oversight.
'I think the police department is taking it very seriously by opening an internal investigation.'
Fredericksburg police are investigating the incident, which could change 911 policies.
An online obituary for Paulus said: 'Robert celebrated life and loved adventures. He was a lover and never a hater. A man among men with a heart of gold, he touched many lives and would give his right arm to help anyone'
Fredericksburg Police Department spokeswoman Sarah Kirkpatrick told the news outlet: 'I think this was an oversight. I think the police department is taking it very seriously by opening an internal investigation'
In an interview with WJLA, Michael Paulus said: 'There was one final cry for help and nobody responded. I might have been able to see my dad one more time.
'I might have actually been able to say goodbye and at least know he didn't die alone, either. That's the thing that kills me.'
Michael Paulus also said: 'If you're in a medical situation where you can't respond, that's not a butt dial, that's a cry for help.'
An online obituary for Robert Paulus said: 'Robert celebrated life and loved adventures. He was a lover and never a hater.
'A man among men with a heart of gold, he touched many lives and would give his right arm to help anyone.'
Celebrated eye surgeon John Brookes has been brought before a tribunal over an affair with a patient which he says was a 'huge error'
A top eye surgeon revered as 'the man with the magic fingers' is facing a medical tribunal over a secret affair he had with a male patient.
John Brookes was renowned for his many mercy missions to India where he saved the sight of children suffering from glaucoma whilst based on board an aircraft doubling up as a mobile eye hospital.
But back in Britain, the consultant and his same-sex partner were leading separate lives and he met up socially with the patient who had been reading social media blogs about his voluntary medical trips.
The pair then embarked on a 15-month relationship before Mr Brookes, a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at London's Moorfields Eye Hospital, decided they should remain friends.
He later referred himself to the General Medical Council when his unnamed lover, refered to in the tribunal as Patient A, reportedly sent him aggressive emails and told the hospital's chief executive about the affair.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service was told 47-year-old Mr Brookes, from Brighton, also worked as a paediatric glaucoma surgeon at Great Ormond Street Hospital and was hailed for his work with children.
But he was isolated from his boyfriend who had bought a house in Ireland to be closer to his family when the affair started in 2013.
Counsel for the GMC, Miss Chloe Fairly told the tribunal: 'They spoke about whether it was appropriate to have a sexual relationship especially as he was Patient A's doctor and they returned to Mr Brookes' hotel room where they spoke for a few hours together.
'Following that meeting, Patient A describes that they began calling each other a couple of times a week and exchanging daily text messages.
'They also formed a plan to meet up in London to go to a show together and travel back to Brighton to stay at Mr Brookes' house and that's when the sexual relationship began.
'The sexual relationship continued for, in excess of a year, until February 2015.
'During this time Mr Brookes remained as Patient A's doctor. Whilst the relationship began as a friendship, it very quickly developed into a more emotional relationship and it's clear Mr Brookes was seeking a sexual relationship.'
In his defence Brookes described the affair as one of 'friendship and emotional support'.
He said: 'From the start there was absolutely no sexual motivation, it was a way of getting to know someone.
'I obviously totally regret that it developed this way or that it developed at all and I showed any crossing of boundaries in this way.
'I regret it starting in the first place. The way my boundaries were crossed in the first place was accepting to go for a drink. There had been communication and, morally, I made a huge error.'
Mr Brookes has carried out highly-praised work helping children with glaucoma in India
In a testimonial, Mrs Molly Scrutton, a paediatric matron at Moorfields, said: 'When John Brookes came to work in 2003 I was on holiday and when I came back one of the professors said "have you met my new fellow, he has the most enviable hands, he has magic fingers".
He's an exceptional clinician and surgeon and magic is a word I hear quite a lot from families treated by John Brookes.
'He goes over and above to put these children and families minds at rest. If the continuity of care is interrupted the implications would be overwhelming. These families and children would be absolutely shattered to change surgeons. If they are not monitored and treated in a timely manner sight could be lost.'
Nicholas Strouthidis, a consultant ophthalmologists and line manager at Moorfields, said: 'John Brookes is one of the world's leading glaucoma surgeons. For paediatric surgery he is at the highest level. There is a great deal of faith, affection and trust in the expertise that John has.
'As John's colleague, his manager and a friend, I can't stress how highly he is regarded in the profession. He's a gifted surgeon.'
Brookes denies sexually motivated misconduct. The hearing continues.
The whole of the 'Jungle' camp in Calais will soon be 'torn down' says the French port town's mayor, who wants all migrants to be sent to Britain.
Natacha Bouchart says she hopes the radical step will see the 6,000 asylum seekers currently living there heading to Britain sooner.
In the meantime, she wants all 'migrants and trouble making activists who commit criminal offences to be arrested, prosecuted and expelled from the country.'
The jungle migrant camp in Calais. The mayor of the town says that the camp will soon be torn down
Between 4,500 and 6000 migrants still still live in the remaining northern half of the camp, according to the regional prefecture and charity groups
Last March, demolition experts supported by riot squads dismantled the southern half of the make-shift camp.
The operation involved tear gas and baton charges being used against mainly young men.
Between 4,500 and 6000 migrants still still live in the remaining northern half of the camp, according to the regional prefecture and charity groups.
Now Ms Bouchart says she has received assurances from officials close to French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve that the north side will soon go the same way as the south.
In a series of tweets, Ms Bouchart wrote: We can't wait any longer, we need to know as fast as possible when and how the Jungle will be torn down.
In another annoucement, Ms Bouchart said Mr Cazenueve would give the green light for the dismantlement very soon, through the prefecture.
Natacha Bouchart, pictured, says she hopes the radical step will see the 6,000 asylum seekers currently living there heading to Britain sooner
In a series of tweets, Ms Bouchart wrote: We can't wait any longer, we need to know as fast as possible when and how the Jungle will be torn down'
Neither the Interior Ministry nor the prefecture would today confirm Mr Boucharts claims.
Thousands of police and security officials remain deployed around the Jungle, as those living there make nightly attempts to reach Britain.
Favoured illegal routes include stowing away on lorries, or boarding ferries or trains.
Migrants also regularly risk their lives by trying to get across the Channel by inflatable boats, or by walking through the Channel Tunnel.
There is currently an official camp within the Jungle in which some 1500 people, including women and children, live in a series of converted shipping containers.
Another 400 mothers with young ones can sleep in the Jules Ferry centre nearby.
The rest of the vast community in the Jungle continues to sleep in tents and bivouacs.
Moving the British border away from France, and back to the UK, would mean the French could simply send all their unwanted migrants straight to the south coast of England
Both Ms Bouchart and regional president Xavier Bertrand have called for the renegotiation of the border deal that allows UK Border Agency officials to carry out customs checks in France, rather than the UK.
Following the Brexit vote, Ms Bouchart said: Britain must take the consequences of its choice.
Moving the British border away from France, and back to the UK, would mean the French could simply send all their unwanted migrants straight to the south coast of England.
Mr Bertrand said: The English wanted to take back their freedom: they must take back their border. The British people decided, I ask the French government to renegotiate the Touquet agreement.
Trump's support is greater among less educated and less affluent whites
Lead is 48 to 37 among just college-educated whites
She leads Trump 54 to 32 among college educated and those with graduate degrees
Hillary Clinton is running up a huge lead over Donald Trump among college educated white voters a group that has backed Republicans since the 1950s.
Clinton leads Trump 48 to 37 per cent among the group, according to a new Bloomberg poll.
When those whites who also have a graduate degree are included, her support rises to 54 to 32.
Barack Obama only carried the group by two percentage points and it makes up nearly half the electorate, Bloomberg noted.
Republicans have carried college educated whites in every election since Dwight Eisenhower was on the ballot in 1952.
Hillary Clinton is running up a big lead over Donald Trump among educated white voters
Clinton's lead over Trump is even stronger when graduate-level whites are thrown into the mix
Trump would be the first Republican to win without college educated whites since the 1950s if he prevails
'It's extremely hard for any presidential candidate to win an election conceding double-digit deficits among segments of the electorate that their party has competed for and won in the past,' said pollster Doug Usher. 'This poll indicates that Trump might be doing just that.'
Trump blew by his Republican opponents and has blasted Hillary Clinton with appeals that may resonate more with less educated voters. He has hammered U.S. trade deals as unfair, complained about the effects of immigration, and pledged to rebuild infrastructure in appeals tailored more toward working class voters.
Clinton maintains her sheepskin gap even in a four way race that includes libertarian Gary Johnson and likely Green Party nominee Jill Stein. Her lead in that scenario is 45 to 27 per cent.
Clinton could get a polling boost when Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders endorses her Tuesday
Clinton herself has a law degree from Yale law school, while Trump used to remark repeatedly about taking business classes at the Wharton school at the University of Pennsylvania.
Trump does have other advantages, including with more downscale voters.
A previous poll had him trailing among middle income voters in the Rust Belt. Trump has spoken repeatedly of trying to defeat Clinton in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, and his polling in Pennsylvania in particular has surpassed early expectations.
The Clinton camp can try to capitalize on her edge in more educated swing states, such as North Carolina, where she holds a polling edge and where Democrats do well in the hyper-educated Research Triangle area.
PR queen Roxy Jacenko is fitting breast cancer treatment in between meetings with clients, driving herself to work just hours before she was due to undergo a second biopsy on Tuesday.
The 36-year-old was seen at the wheel of her $600,000 Bentley as she made her way to her office in Sydney's Double Bay after sharing her cancer battle publicly.
Ms Jacenko, whose husband Oliver Curtis was jailed for insider-trading last month, was diagnosed with the disease after finding a lump on her breast while she was in the shower 10 days ago.
On Tuesday morning, hours before undergoing a second biopsy, she told how she would juggle work commitments with doctors appointments and being a mother-of-two.
'Today I'm going to work and then to a biopsy... it's business as usual,' she said, smiling from behind a pair of oversized sunglasses.
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PR queen Roxy Jacenko said it was 'business as usual' as she returned to work in Sydney's Double Bay after revealing her cancer battle on Tuesday morning
Her blonde hair perfectly curled, she told Channel Nine News: 'It can only be up from here'.
'You can never expect things in life. You've got to tackle things head on and that's what I'm going to do.
'I've go two young kids. I've got a responsibility so I'm going to keep doing what I do and it's business as usual - I've just got a few appointments in between and a laptop.'
Within minutes of arriving at work she shared a photograph of a display for a client, writing: 'Proud proud proud - walked into an incredible set up at Sweaty Betty HQ.'
Ms Jacenko was forced to share news of her health battle with her jailed husband in a six-minute conversation from Parklea prison.
'He happened to phone when I was at the specialist, so I just told him then,' she told The Advertiser.
She said Curtis was a 'broken man' while the past three weeks had rocked her. 'I don't think there is anything that could shock me more now.'
The businesswoman said she discovered the lump on her left breast while showering 10 days ago.
She was due to undergo a 'partial removal' of the lump but that the cancer was larger than suspected and surgery has been delayed while she awaits further testing. She shared the news with her 'inquisitive and sensitive' four-year-old daughter Pixie but not her two-year-old brother.
On Tuesday her former business partner and best friend Maz Coote said it was 'devastating news'.
'It can only be up from here': The 36-year-old put on a brave face as she drove to work on Tuesday
Roxy Jacenko has been diagnosed with breast cancer just weeks after her husband Oliver Curtis was jailed for insider trading (Ms Jacenko and Curtis pictured with their two young children - Pixie and Hunter)
Ms Jacenko's husband was jailed last month for insider trading and will spend at least one year in prison (Curtis and Ms Jacenko pictured arriving at NSW Supreme Court in June)
Within minutes of arriving at work on Tuesday Ms Jacenko shared a photograph of a display for a client, saying she was 'proud' of colleagues
While Ms Jacenko has kept the diagnosis from her two-year-old son Hunter, she told daughter her 'inquisitive' and 'sensitive' daughter Pixie.
'She cried last night [Monday night] because I said I wasn't going to come home for two nights because I would be in hospital,' she said, explaining her decision.
It comes after her husband's four-week-long Supreme Court trial over insider trading which ended in him being jailed for two weeks last month.
The stress of his trial could have contributed to her ill-health, Ms Jacenko said on Tuesday.
'Could this [her husband's imprisonment] have added to it? You know what? I am not going to say no,' she said.
She added the disease runs in her family and had previously plagued her mother Doreen Davis.
In recent weeks she appears to have gone without her show-stopping diamond wedding rings, sharing selfies from the elevator of her office with bare hands.
Ms Jacenko said she believed the stress of her husband's court case had burdened her health (Ms Jacenko pictured with her daughter, Pixie)
Ms Jacenko has been left to care for their two young children, Hunter and Pixie (pictured together). She has said she's struggled to put them to bed at night
Ms Jacenko posted a picture on Instagram on Tuesday with luggage - it is not clear whether she was due to spend the night in hospital or not
While her husband spent his first weekend behind bars, she took her children for a luxury retreat to One & Only's Wolgan Valley resort in the Blue Mountains.
The trio posed for a photograph at the hotel, where three-bedroom villas cost up to $8,000 a night, and Ms Jacenko described her children as the 'most caring people' she knew.
She has not spoken publicly of her husband's jailing. During proceedings she pleaded with a judge not to jail him, describing him as their children's 'primary carer'.
'Pixie and Hunter adore their dad. Hes fun, tolerant, uncomplaining and loving. They screech with excitement as soon as they see him and no one else matters to them not even me.
'Because of my work hours, I would describe Oli as the primary carer,' she said.
Ms Jacenko rose to fame on the third season of Australia's Celebrity Apprentice after forging a successful career as a publicist.
She runs Sweaty Betty PR, which specialises in fashion, lifestyle and beauty, and recently founded Ministry of Talent.
Ms Jacenko was seen without her wedding rings last week as she posed for a selfie with bare hands
After her husband's sentence was handed down Ms Jacenko shared a photograph with her children, describing them as the 'most caring' people she knows
The mother-of-two has also written a number of novels based on her life as a publicist.
She has been publicly slammed for promoting her children on social media, with some accusing her of exploiting them for business.
Pixie, who is four, has more than 100,000 Instagram followers and is the face of hair accessories company Pixies Bow, a multi-million dollar operation.
Defending her decision to include her in business last year, Ms Jacenko insisted she had her daughter's best interests at heart and was setting her up for life.
She was embroiled in a tawdry row with unnamed Sydney fashion designers after lewd, photo-shopped images of Pixie were spread.
David Cameron has been making financial preparations for life after Downing Street, including remortgaging the family's home.
The outgoing Prime Minister will walk away with a 40,000 pension and is expected to get a pay-off of around 20,000.
But he has taken a huge financial hit from his decision to snub the extraordinary exit package granted to predecessors like Tony Blair.
The Camerons are thought to have put some contingency plans in place - including raising 800,000 against their 3.6million Notting Hill home to forge their post-premiership future.
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Cameron currently owns a four-bedroom home in Notting Hill and a country cottage in Oxfordshire
The family now have just a day to gather their belongings and move out of their grace and favour flat above Number 11.
They do not have anywhere obvious to go in London as the London home is currently being rented out. The couple are rumoured to have organised a temporary letting.
Today assistants were seen carrying boxes and bags to and from Downing Street as large blue vans filled with flat-pack boxes waited outside. One of the removal men accidentally revealed a list of packing supplies are needed, including 300 boxes, 30 rolls of tape and three rolls of bubble wrap.
Mr Cameron has insisted he loves being MP for Witney,and plans to continue in the role beyond the general election slated for 2020.
His salary will, however, be slashed in half from around 150,000 to the 75,000 of an ordinary backbencher.
Labour predecessor Mr Blair has been receiving the extraordinary non-contributory pension, equivalent to half his salary as premier, since the day he stepped down nearly a decade ago, aged just 53.
David Cameron, pictured visiting a school in West London today, is facing a 50 per cent pay cut
Despite making a fortune outside parliament since 2007, the Cabinet Office has confirmed to MailOnline that Mr Blair has continued to claim the income of around 80,000 a year.
By contrast Mr Cameron has cut his salary as premier to around 150,000, and has been contributing to the standard ministerial pension.
Currently aged 49, Mr Cameron will have to wait until he turns 65 to get the still-generous income of around 20,000.
He will also be entitled to a backbench MPs pension - still a gold-plated final salary settlement of around 26,000 a year that most workers can only dream of.
Incoming Prime Minister Theresa May paid warm tribute to David Cameron as she attended his final Cabinet meeting today
A removal van and workers have been at Downing Street today as the family prepares to depart
Unlike other departing premiers, Mr Cameron is thought to be entitled to a ministerial pay-off of around 20,000 because he waived the pension.
Mr Cameron is likely to top up his earnings with paid speeches and other roles outside of parliament.
His former Deputy Prime Minister, Lib Dem Nick Clegg, has been raking in up to 30,000 a time for delivering talks to business groups.
Despite the financial hit, the outgoing PM appeared far from downcast yesterday.
As he walked back into No 10 yesterday after announcing Theresa May as his successor, a microphone pinned to Mr Cameron's jacket captured him humming a few bars of a jaunty tune.
He capped it off by saying Right as he reached the famous black door, leading to a flurry of speculation on social media over what the tune might be.
Some commentators suggested Mr Cameron was humming the theme tune to US political drama The West Wing, while others said it was the opening bars of Channel 4s news bulletin, the theme to Black Beauty or even the title music for the 1963 war movie, The Great Escape.
Mr Cameron said yesterday that Mrs May was the person to provide 'strong leadership' to the country
Experts have speculated endlessly about how much of his ear was lost and about 'Rachel', the mysterious prostitute to whom the artist handed his gory body-part with the words 'keep this object carefully'
The horror of Vincent van Gogh cutting off his ear in 1888 is one of the most famous incidents in art history.
Experts have speculated endlessly about how much of his ear was lost and about 'Rachel', the mysterious prostitute to whom the artist handed his gory body-part with the words 'keep this object carefully'.
Now dramatic discoveries are painting the real story in a new light.
Drawings of Van Gogh's left ear, before and after the self-inflicted injury, have been found.
They were done by Dr Felix Rey, the very physician who treated the wound.
A few clear lines sketched on a prescription pad reveal for the first time the full extent of the mutilation, concealed from view in Van Gogh's two self-portraits with a bandaged ear.
They show that the artist had sliced off almost his entire ear, rather than just part of it, as some contemporary witnesses claimed.
New research also reveals that 'Rachel' was not a lady of the night, although she did work in the red light district of the southern French town of Arles.
Actually named Gabrielle, she was a girl who worked by night as a maid in brothels and by day as a cleaner in nearby business premises.
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A few clear lines sketched on a prescription pad reveal for the first time the full extent of the mutilation, concealed from view in Van Gogh's two self-portraits with a bandaged ear
The discoveries have been made by Bernadette Murphy, 58, who moved from Britain to France about 30 years ago, taking on various jobs, including as a tour guide.
Having completed a degree in art history, she decided almost on a whim to investigate Van Gogh after visiting Arles, the artist's home in the late 1880s.
When she presented her research to experts at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, they were astonished.
They were so excited that they made an official announcement on Monday in launching the first ever exhibition on Van Gogh's struggle with mental illness.
Louis van Tilborgh, senior researcher and professor of art history at the University of Amsterdam, told MailOnline the drawings provide conclusive evidence in one of art's biggest mysteries.
He said: 'It solves a long outstanding question of whether he cut off his ear, only part of his ear or only his lobe.
'We now know for sure that it was indeed his whole ear.
'It's an important document with a lot of emotional value.'
Van Gogh suffered an acute mental breakdown in December 1888 when he took a cut-throat razor to his ear
Van Gogh suffered an acute mental breakdown in December 1888 when he took a cut-throat razor to his ear.
The police found him at home the next day and he was admitted to hospital.
His beloved brother, Theo, wrote to his wife about visiting him and said: 'It was terribly sad being there, because from time to time all his grief would well up inside and he would try to weep, but couldn't. Poor fighter and poor, poor sufferer.'
The ear incident is among the most frequently-asked questions from visitors to the Van Gogh Museum.
Its newest exhibition will include a petition signed by 30 local residents in Arles calling for Van Gogh to be confined to a mental hospital.
Murphy's research also throws doubt on how many people actually supported it after discovering four of them were illiterate and could not have signed the document themselves.
It will include Van Gogh's Portrait of Dr Rey - a masterpiece loaned from the Pushkin Museum in Moscow.
Murphy publishes her research this week in her first book, titled Van Gogh's Ear: The True Story.
Talking exclusively to MailOnline, she said the drawing's discovery was 'a moving moment'.
'When you see this document,' she said, 'you start to realise how grisly and gruesome [the incident] was.
'How did he manage to create his masterpieces in the throes of mental illness?'
Van Gogh committed suicide in 1890, shortly after writing to his brother about feeling 'a failure'
During seven years of detective work, she tracked down the drawing to a Californian archive.
It was among the papers of American novelist Irving Stone, who had corresponded with Rey in 1930.
Four years later, Stone published his fictionalised biographical novel, Lust for Life which inspired the Oscar-winning film starring Kirk Douglas as Van Gogh.
Murphy proved Gabrielle's identity by poring over contemporary documents, including records of arrests and women treated for sexually-transmitted diseases.
She established that, at one brothel, Gabrielle was employed to change sheets and wash glasses.
The Amsterdam exhibition, which opens on Friday, will feature a symposium of international medical doctors attempting to diagnose his illness from documentary evidence.
Murphy's research will feature in a BBC2 documentary, The Mystery of Van Gogh's Ear, which will be presented by Jeremy Paxman in August.
Van Gogh committed suicide in 1890, shortly after writing to his brother about feeling 'a failure'.
Opinion / Columnist
The wind of political hallucination and wishful thinking blowing across urban areas in Zimbabwe appears to have chipped away at the minds of most opposition activists, who are all now believing that it is the opportune moment to nudge President Robert Mugabe out of power.All cheap politicians have now jumped on the bandwagon of either posting preposterous social media video clips or release press statements, urging the President to step down.Buoyed by inconsequential sporadic protests and orgies of violence witnessed last week, we hear the Youth Advocacy for Reform and Democracy (YARD) leader, Temba Mliswa, rushed to the citadel of European hegemony in Brussels in Belgium to exhort the funders and founders of the opposition movement to now deliver their fatal blow on Zimbabwe.Tracing the ignoble footsteps of his opposition godfather, Morgan Tsvangirai, who unashamedly invited illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe, Mliswa wormed his way to Europe to beseech the former colonisers to once again throw spanners in the country's economic endeavours.Mliswa became a thorny sideshow to the all-important visit by the Minister Patrick Chinamasa-led Government delegation to the United Kingdom that was on a mission to lure foreign investors to Zimbabwe.The YARD leader carried a neo-imperial mandate to scuttle the efforts of the Government delegation and paint a miserable and unattractive picture of the country, so as to repel any potential foreign investors from the country.During his dissident European jaunt, Mliswa made unsubstantiated claims on alleged human rights abuses and governance failure in Zimbabwe.He also foolishly called on the European bloc to spurn any negotiation overtures from Zimbabwe until the country first re-joined the Commonwealth group.It still boggles the mind why Mliswa regards rejoining the Commonwealth as an important step in the re-engagement between Zimbabwe and Europe, for the group offers nothing concrete to its members except tea, resulting in it being called a Tea Club', a reference to its tea guzzling nature associated with its matron, the Queen of England.Mliswa's delirium did not end there as he also used his European visit to call on President Mugabe to step down before the expiry of his tenure.You would think that Mliswa has suddenly become some political High Priest who at the click of his finger would tell a President to abdicate his position, of which the YARD leader is not, for he is simply a political reject and a nonentity seeking political relevance.Mliswa forgets that the President has a popular mandate to govern the country until 2018, when he would be due to call for another round of elections to choose the country's national leader.As long as the President's current tenure has not expired, it would be treasonous and ludicrous for anyone to think that an outbreak of foreign engineered urban civil disobedience would force the President out.Zimbabwe is not a jungle democracy but a constitutional democracy that only allows power to be transferred through elections and not through uninformed protests and demonstrations.Mliswa was not the only Zimbabwean who wanted to scuttle the efforts of the Chinamasa team, as there were other unpatriotic political malcontents who smuggled themselves into the Zimbabwe UK Investment Conference and sought to deride Government officials as looters.One such opposition loose cannon, is the bigoted Petina Gappa, who fools herself, believing that she is so knowledgeable and influential so as to block any would-be investors from setting foot in Zimbabwe.In a pitiful Facebook post, Gappa gleefully boasted about her subversive role in seeking to humiliate the Zimbabwean delegation by throwing a barrage of hate-filled questions at them in the hope of projecting the country as ill-prepared to host foreign investors.Her act was shameful and unpatriotic.In her foolishness, she failed to realize that she was actually plundering an investment opportunity for millions of young Zimbabweans that might have become an economic lifeline that could have translated into jobs and improved standard of living.In her selfish bid to build an anti-Government profile, she simply sacrificed the dreams of millions of sanctions-emaciated Zimbabweans.In other countries, such seditious behaviour by Mliswa and Gappah would lend perpetrators in jail.No country would brook such blatant unpatriotic tendencies and sell-out proclivities that sabotage the economic fabric of the country.We urge our legislators to consider promulgating a law that would make a crime for Zimbabweans to sabotage the economy through political activism.---------------Gwinyai Mutongi
He is one of 11 people accused of diverting $12 million in taxpayer money
Former members said fundamentalist head uses safe houses in the US
Lyle Jeffs had been released from jail for less than two weeks
Removed GPS tracker using what 'may have been olive oil', FBI said
Polygamist church leader Lyle Jeffs likely used olive oil to slip off his ankle bracelet and flee from his trial in a multi-million-dollar fraud case, the FBI revealed.
Jeffs fled from a home in northwest Salt Lake City, Utah, after removing his GPS tracker on June 18, investigators believe. He had been released from jail for less than two weeks.
The Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints head is one of 11 people accused of diverting at least $12 million worth of taxpayer money in a food stamp fraud scheme.
The FBI issued a warrant for his arrest on June 19 but authorities have failed to locate him so far. Former members of the church said last month that Jeffs is hiding at a network of safe houses around the country.
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Polygamist church leader Lyle Jeffs (pictured in a mugshot) fled from a home in northwest Salt Lake City, Utah, after removing the GPS tracker on June 18, investigators believe
Jeffs (pictured leaving the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City, Utah last year) is one of 11 people accused of diverting at least $12 million worth of taxpayer money in a food stamp fraud scheme
Authorities believe Jeffs fled from this house in northwest Salt Lake City almost a month ago. They saw a Mustang going inside the garage around 10:30 pm on June 18, before they lost contact with him
Jeffs had been held without bail but was released after his attorney said it would violate his rights to keep him in custody until the beginning of his trial, which had been set for October.
Prosecutors had warned that he would likely escape if released. They believe the FLDS has safe houses in the United States as well as in Canada and in South America.
Authorities are now sharing more details about how they think Jeffs escaped unfolded, almost a month ago.
'He used a substance which may have been olive oil to lubricate the GPS tracking band and slip it off his ankle,'FBI special agent Eric Barnhart told FOX 13.
'The damage to the bracelet was not such to trigger the full array of alarms that law enforcement or the US Marshal's Service would have responded to.'
Authorities checked Jeffs' ankle bracelet earlier on June 18 and found the tracker was still intact, Barnhart added.
But that changed in the evening and the FBI tried in vain to get in touch with Jeffs. The agency issued a warrant for his arrest the next day.
Investigators saw a Mustang of a newer model pull into the garage of Jeffs' house around 10:30 pm on June 18, FBI spokeswoman Sandra Yi Barker told the Salt Lake Tribune.
Someone shut the garage door and the Mustang left later that night. Investigators couldn't get the license plate number. They don't know who was at the wheel or who else was inside, Barnhart said.
A witness told Fox 13 that he saw two people inside the car and waved at them. Someone waved back, he said, as if to say: 'See you tomorrow.'
Jeffs had been living at the house for almost a year, neighbors told Fox 13. Reporters at the network saw girls in prairie dresses and boys in long-sleeved shirts, the church's traditional attire, when they visited the property.
Leaders at the FLDS Church took food stamp benefits from members and used them as they wished, diverting at least $12 million, prosecutors say. Jeffs is one of 11 people who have been charged in the case.
His brother Warren Jeffs, the highest leader of the church, is currently serving a life sentence in Texas for sexually assaulting two underage girls, 12 and 15, whom he called his 'spiritual wives'.
Jeffs had been released from jail less than two weeks before he fled. Pictured, women from the church leave the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City after a hearing for Jeffs in April
The FBI released a warrant for Jeffs' arrest on June 19 and haven't been able to locate him so far. Former church members said he is using a network of safe houses around the United States to hide
A racehorse once ridden by AP McCoy was shot at point blank range in a shocking handgun attack.
Retired racehorse Woolfall Treasure was discovered in a pool of blood after being shot between the eyes at Kemnal Manor Stables in Chislehurst, south east London, on Friday afternoon.
The stable manager said the attack had spooked the staff and other owners, adding they 'don't know who is next'.
Retired racehorse Woolfall Treasure, pictured left being ridden by AP McCoy, was discovered in a pool of blood after being shot between the eyes at Kemnal Manor Stables in Chislehurst, south east London. Right, McCoy
The racehorse, known as Woolfie, was ridden by top jockeys including McCoy, Richard Hughes and Jamie Moore before retiring in 2013.
The 11-year-old thoroughbred gelding was later privately owned and kept on livery at the stables.
He was shot while in a field with 24 other horses, all of whom were uninjured in the attack.
Stables manager Justine Bowdery, 37, said she was 'deeply shocked' by the horrific attack and has offered a 3,000 reward for anyone with information leading to an arrest.
She said: 'What is really scary is the gun they used it was a hand-held gun the kind that shouldn't be on the streets. We don't know why they would shoot Woolfie, or who is next.'
Ms Bowdery said Woolfie had only been out in the field for two days before the attack.
The racehorse, known as Woolfie, was ridden by top jockeys including McCoy, Richard Hughes and Jamie Moore (pictured) before retiring in 2013. The 11-year-old thoroughbred gelding was later privately owned
She added: 'He had had an accident in the field and had spent a few months being kept in while he recovered. His poor owner had only just decided to let him out again.'
The attack has left other owners fearing for their horses and the yard manager said liveries were already looking to move to other areas.
Staff at the yard have set up a crowdfunding page to help Woolfie's owner pay for the cremation.
A Met Police spokesman said: 'Police were called at 15:29hrs on Friday, July 8, toreports that a horse had been shot in a field close to Kemnal Road, Chislehurst.
A serious case review into contact the Cheltenham schoolgirl had with police, the council, and the NHS said there were signs she was in danger
October 10 2011: Kay told police her grandfather had hit her, which he denied. Her account later changed and no formal complaint or charges were brought. A referral was made to social care but Police described her as an 'out of control child'.
October 18: Kay was seen by the Children and Young Peoples Service (CYPS) and the mental health service for assessment. The CYPS concluded there was no role for them
April 11 2012: Kay was prescribed the contraceptive pill for period pains but told her doctor she is not in a sexual relationship. She had recurrent urinary infections October 7-30.
January 7 2013: Kay saw a GP alone and expressed insomnia and anxieties around various aspects of her life and relationships. She was again referred to the CYPS, which earlier decided it had no role to play.
January 24: At a CYPS appointment, officers noted her low mood, anxiety, alcohol consumption and insomnia, so planned a liaison for social care and support to her grandparents and mother, Helen.
April 17: Helen revealed that Kay was refusing to go to school and felt no one wanted her.
July 22: Lucy was at a party where she believed she had been 'injected by boys because they want to have sex with me'. She was intoxicated and possibly had been sexually assaulted. Kay was taken to hospital and it was reported to police. The family refused support.
August 20: She was reviewed by the CYPS and mental health service and referred to cognitive behavioural therapy, but was placed on the waiting list.
October 10: Helen reported to a nurse at the GP Practice that Kay missed her contraceptive pills that month and two weeks later she had a pregnancy test which proved negative.
October 25: Kay was given another CYPS assessment but was still on the waiting list for therapy so is offered counselling as an alternative.
October 26: Kay believed she was having miscarriage and bleeding was reported to the out of hours GP service. The next day, police got a call from a female saying help me'. but it was cut off abruptly. Police called back and she said things were fine.
Social services were told of numerous occasions when Aston (right) had attacked his partner but missed opportunities to save her from the abusive relationship
October 31 2013: A neighbour of her father's found her distressed in the street with signs of self-harm. She said Aston had knocked her to the ground and then kicked her in the stomach the weekend before when she had told him she thought she was pregnant. But when police arrived she refused to make a formal complaint after being on the phone to Aston. Police handed the domestic abuse inquiries to the next shift at 1am and agreed full statements should be made in the morning, but they could not find Aston and did not do so.
November 1: Police visited Kay to encourage her to make a formal complaint but she refused. She was referred to social care agencies for yet another assessment.
November 2: Aston was arrested and claimed that he and Kay have broken up. He was released without charge.
November 11: Social workers visited her at her grandmother's home but she had moved to her mother, Helen's house. She was not seen, despite the police referral.
November 14: A nurse confirmed that Kay was pregnant and noted that her boyfriend was two years older than her.
November 16: Aston had an altercation with someone and headbutted their car windscreen.
November 19: She had a further pregnancy test at school which is positive. It was then announced on Facebook
November 26: Helen told mental health workers that Kay was living with her now due to extreme difficulties in the relationship with her grandparents.
Kay was constantly living between her parents' home and her grandparents, but moved in with Aston's parents when she fell out with her mother
November 28: A 999 call reporting an ongoing domestic incident at the Rec, a park in Cheltenham, was made anonymously. The caller heard Kay saying she could not breathe. The callers neighbour then told police that it sounded like the 'lady may be in labour and her partner is not allowing her to call her mother'. The police attended but Kay again denied domestic abuse. Her mother collected her and took her to the hospital.
December 10: A midwife made a referral to the teenage pregnancy midwife for the second time. Kay was suffering from Intermittent bleeding and urinary symptoms. She was still having counselling and the initial assessment had not yet been completed by social care.
January 11 2014: Kay went to A and E after being hit to the ground by a male she would not name. She had been punched in the face and had a bleeding nose. After treatment, she was discharged to her mother's home. The doctor and mother believed Aston was responsible. Her mother reported that the pair argued a lot.
January 14: The school arranged a meeting because of bad attendance. Her mother, midwife, counsellor and the head of pastoral care at the school attended. Concerns about housing, and sickness in pregnancy were mentioned. Her counsellor was informed of the domestic abuse.
January 22: The GP sent a message to the school nurse because of concerns she was considering terminating her pregnancy. A form was sent to police and the risk was discussed with social services.
January 28: Yet another referral was made to the CYPS, which is finally accepted due to concerns about her mental health and self-harming at the beginning of her pregnancy. The head of pastoral care at her school told a social worker she had seen bruising around Kay's eye.
February 3: Kay was reported to the police as missing. Her mother said that Aston smashed up her phones and had forced her to shut down her social media accounts. She said he had repeatedly abused her. Kay went back to her grandmother's house.
February 5: Helen told a mental health worker that Kay punched her in the face and she wanted her to leave.
February 6: Mental health workers visited Helen and noted Kay was hostile, aggressive and abusive towards her.
February 8: Helen told her mental health worker that Kay abused her the previous day after accusing Helen of informing social care workers about the domestic abuse. She went to stay with her father, Paul.
February 10: A social worker visited Kay at her father's home and noted Aston was constantly calling and texting her. He called her six times during the visit and in the ones she answered, he seemed to be very controlling and dominating
February 11: Social workers discussed how Helen had said Aston was constantly abusing Kay, which she described as 'the tip of the iceberg'. She also said Kay self-harmed and had multiple scars on her arms. Helen also said Kay had threatened and assaulted her. Kay became homeless while pregnant but could not be reached as Aston would not allow her to have a mobile phone. Social cares Diversion and Placement Support Team could not place her with a family member so she went to live with Aston and his parents.
February 12: It was Kay's 16th birthday and she struggled to find somewhere to stay, declining foster care, but eventually finding somewhere with help from the social worker
The report shows that social workers knew Kayleigh (left) was living with Aston (right), who domestically abused her. She was heavily pregnant at the time.
February 13: The social worker discussed a safety plan with regards to the domestic abuse, telling her to call 99 and got to her father's house in an emergency. The worker also noted reported and unreported incidents of domestic abuse. Kay remained at Aston's house.
February 19: Kay's mother told her social worker that the 16-year-old had a bruised eye but did not want to report it to police for fear of angering her daughter.
February 25: A strategy discussion was held about the welfare of Kay's unborn baby while Kay is living with Aston, sleeping on his sofa. There were no vacancies at the mother an baby unit.
March 5: Kay had no money but her father informed social care that her family was giving her cash. Aston was taking it from her and gambling, he said.
March 11: Social care drew up a Child in Need Plan for Kay and finally put a clear plan of action in place to be reviewed on April 15.
March 17: A Child Protection Conference held for the unborn child, which is identified as at risk from physical and emotional abuse. It is advised that the child should be taken into care.
March 21: Kay moved back in with her mother to get away from Aston and told the social worker she wants to change her life for the baby's sake.
March 25: Kay's social care case was closed as her needs could be met through her child's case.
March 27: Aston was not allowed to see Kay at school.
April 2: Aston assaulted Kay and she died a few days later.
Vice President Joe Biden laughed off Donald Trump's claim that he's the 'law and order' candidate and had to 'restrain' himself from mocking the GOP presidential candidate as he talked about the Dallas shootings.
'Is that your response - a laugh,' GMA's George Stephanopoulos asked him.
Calming down, Biden said, 'Id rather not make this story about Donald Trump. So, Im gonna restrain myself...But the truth of the matter is that one of the problems weve had is getting funding for law enforcement from his party.'
Biden said 'maybe' Trump's declaration means 'hell come forward and be supportive of more support for community policing.'
Vice President Joe Biden laughed off Donald Trump's claim that he's the 'law and order' candidate and had to 'restrain' himself from mocking the GOP presidential candidate as he talked about the Dallas shootings
The VP meanwhile told the GMA and This Week host that he's 'not interested' in joining Hillary Clinton's ticket as her running mate, though he vowed to do all that he can to help her beat Trump.
Trump on Monday said he'd keep the country more secure than Hillary Clinton.
'We must maintain law and order at the highest level, or we will cease to have a country - 100 percent. We will cease to have a country,' he insisted. 'I am the law and order candidate.'
Shortly after, he proclaimed, 'Hillary Clinton on the other hand is weak, ineffective, pandering, and as proven by her recent email scandal...she's either a liar, or grossly incompetent. One or the other. Very simple.'
Billed as a veteran's affairs speech, Trump also touched on the deaths of five Dallas law enforcement officers killed by snipers while policing a Black Lives Matter protest.
The BLM activists were seeking justice for two dead black men, killed by police earlier in the week in Louisiana and Minnesota, through a non-violent protest. Their event was crashed by the snipers and their accomplices.
Trump said Monday at his event, 'the tragic deaths in Louisiana and Minnesota make clear that the work must be done to ensure, and a lot of work, that Americans feel that their safety is protected ... We have to get better, better, sharper, smarter.'
Today, the president, vice president, first lady and the vice president's wife, Dr. Jill Biden, are headed to Dallas for a memorial service with the victim's families.
Trump on Monday said he'd keep the country more secure than Hillary Clinton. 'We must maintain law and order at the highest level, or we will cease to have a country - 100 percent. We will cease to have a country,' he insisted. 'I am the law and order candidate'
President Obama and Vice President Biden yesterday met at the White House with national law enforcement leaders.
In his GMA interview, Biden said, 'Were in a situation where there is a great deal of fear as well as anxiety on both the part of the communities in distress as well as the police.'
Biden told ABC the officials at the White House meeting said there's a need for better training, particularly in de-escalation.
'They talked about the need for us to reach out and be more supportive in terms of what we say about the risk theyre taking and they talked about needing to reach out to the communities to acknowledge the fear and apprehension that exist in the communities,' he said.
Biden said he intended to follow-up on the meeting in the next 10 to 12 days 'with an agenda and were gonna work through the kinds of things that they need help on and what theyre going to do to reach out as well.'
The vice president was supposed to make his entrance into the 2016 general election last week on Friday, at an event with Clinton in his childhood hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
When chaos broke out in Dallas Thursday evening, politics was pushed aside and the rally was postponed for another time.
While it's too late for Biden, seen here swearing in Clinton as secretary of state, to seek the presidency he could stay attached to the White House by jointing a Clinton administration, should the Democrat win. He says he doesn't want to be VP again, though
Biden considered challenging Clinton for the Oval Office this year until his son Beau died of brain cancer in May of 2016. The VP has said he would have liked to have mounted a bid but it wasn't the right time for him or his family.
Beau was survived by his wife and two children, his brother Hunter, his sister Ashley and her husband, and Hunter's wife and two children.
While it's too late for Biden to seek the presidency he could stay attached to the White House by jointing a Clinton administration, should the Democrat win.
He told Stephanopoulos one job he's not interested in holding the next time around is the one he already has: the vice presidency.
'No, no, I'm not interested in re-upping for VP. I'll do anything I can to help her win...and I think she's going to win,' he said, 'but I have been proud to serve for eight years as vice president, and I think that's enough.'
Biden told MSNBC on Monday that he hasn't been asked to stay on in that capacity by the former secretary of state or her team and would say no anyway.
A one-year-old boy has been injured after he was run over by a 300lb mall security robot.
Toddler Harwin Cheng was 'crying like crazy' after the 5ft-tall robot plowed into him at Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, California, on Thursday.
Harwin was left with a sore head and swollen right foot, as well as bruises on his right leg.
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Toddler Harwin Cheng (right) was 'crying like crazy' after the 5ft-tall robot (left) plowed into him at Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, California, on Thursday
Harwin was left with a sore head and swollen right foot, as well as bruises on his right leg (pictured above)
The Knightscope K5 robot is used to recognize known shoplifters and also reports unusual noises to the mall's security team.
It is meant to use sensors to negotiate its way around its patrol path, but these apparently malfunctioned when it knocked down and ran over the 16-month-old boy.
Harwin's mother, Tiffany Teng, told ABC 7 about the horrifying moment the robot collided with her son.
'The robot hit my son's head and he fell down - facing down - on the floor, and the robot did not stop and it kept moving forward,' she said.
'He was crying like crazy and he never cries. He seldom cries,' she added.
Harwin's parents added that a security guard told them that the robot hurt another child just days earlier.
Harwin was hit in the head by the robot, which then ran over his foot (pictured above), which was swelled up after the collision
Harwin's parents (pictured) said a security guard told them that the robot hurt another child just days earlier
'Maybe they have to work out the sensors more. Maybe it stopped detecting or it could be buggy or something,' Ankur Sharma said.
Consumer Ashle Gerrard also suggested that the sensor may not have been working.
Daily Mail Online has contacted Stanford Shopping Center and Knightscope for comment.
BBC chiefs will scrap the popular Top Gear Christmas specials as they look to revamp the troubled show and boost its flailing ratings.
The new-look motoring show, which received mixed reviews when it hit the screens this year, had originally planned to continue with the festive one-offs.
But following Chris Evans' departure after a disastrous single series, the plans have been shelved in favour of filming for a new series it hopes will air next spring.
The BBC will axe plans for Christmas specials as it concentrates on producing new episodes for the next series which Matt LeBlanc is expected to host following the departure of Chris Evans
A BBC spokesman said: 'Planning for Top Gear series 24 is currently underway and the team will be working towards bringing the show back sometime in the early part of 2017.'
The Beeb had originally hoped to produce eight episodes for the 23rd series but that was cut to six following filming difficulties and spiralling costs.
It has not yet revealed how many episodes will be made for the next series, which is expected to see former Friends star Matt LeBlanc as the face of the show.
In their rush to air the 24th series for next spring, sources have said the Christmas specials - which saw former presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May drive across countries such as India and Vietnam - will be shelved.
The presenters were forced to flee from Argentina during filming for last year's festive special after Clarkson drove through the South American country in a Porsche bearing a provocative H982 FKL number plate, in an apparent reference to the Falklands War.
Evans announced on Twitter last week that he was stepping down from hosting the show after just one series
The programme, one of the corporation's biggest earners under Clarkson, slipped to a lowly 1.9million viewers during Evans' troubled spell as Top Gear host.
Elsewhere it was reported that the show was advertising for a new series producer who must be able to 'manage their own emotions in the face of pressure'.
The document, seen by the Daily Telegraph, also said the successful candidate must be able to 'proactively offer constructive feedback to others'.
This appeared to be a thinly-veiled attack on Evans who has faced accusations of bullying staff in the past.
The newspaper also claimed BBC executives are planning a low-key overhaul of the production team, in which Evans's responsibilities as 'creative lead' will pass to Alex Renton, the series editor, who has worked on Top Gear for more than a decade.
Quitting: Evans (left) left the show and tweeted: 'Gave it my best shot but sometimes that's not enough'
Evans announced on Twitter last week that he was stepping down from hosting the show after just one series.
He said he felt he 'gave it my best shot but sometimes that's not enough', adding 'the team are beyond brilliant, I wish them all the best'.
Following his departure Evans praised his co-host LeBlanc calling him the 'captain' the show needs.
Writing in the Mail on Sunday, he said: 'For me, he is the man. He is the captain Top Gear truly needs going forward, the perfect torso for the rest of TG's limbs.
'Not only does he eat, sleep, breathe and dream engines, propshafts and trail-braking, but the overwhelming quality that struck me about him is that he's just such a pro.'
Evans added: 'The whole time I worked with him, he never once looked at the clock, was never late on set, knew his lines inside out and back to front and, most importantly on such an intense production, he always had time for everyone, especially the crew.'
Evans' departure came as the show's previous hosts roared into Vicenza to film their new Amazon 'Grand Tour' show
BBC boss Lord Hall said he was grateful to Evans for all the 'work he put in' to the show.
He said: 'He decided to resign, he said he gave the programme his very best, I completely agree he absolutely did.
'It's no easy task to be launching a programme as important as Top Gear and I am really grateful to him, as is the whole of the BBC, for all the work he put in and his energy into that.'
Attention now turns to Clarkson, Hammond and May, whose new venture with Amazon - the Grand Tour - is expected to be released in the Autumn.
A couple have been jailed for 10 years for keeping their four adopted children locked up in a basement without food, beds or a toilet for 22 hours a day.
David and Rejeana Moss pleaded guilty to endangering the children from 2009 to 2013, as well as assault.
The pair, aged 60 and 66, would lock the four children in the basement at their home in Dorset Township, Ohio, for most of the day, only letting them out briefly to go to the bathroom and do homework.
If the children needed to use the bathroom while they were locked inside the cellar, they were forced to use a metal bucket.
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David and Rejeana Moss (pictured in court on Monday) have been jailed for 10 years for keeping their four adopted children locked up in a basement without food, beds or a toilet for 22 hours a day
One of the two teenage girls held captive by the Mosses told a court in Ashtabula County that they would be beaten with a paddle 10 times for every mistake they made on their homework.
Investigators discovered a blood-stained paddle at the home when they removed the children from their home in 2013.
As well as the two teenage girls, two boys - who are now adults and of whom one is disabled - were living at the property, the Star Beacon reported.
Daily Mail Online has decided not to name the four adopted children.
Ashtabula County Prosecutor Nick Iarocci said living conditions inside the home were 'deplorable'.
The children were allowed out of their rooms for only two hours a day to use the bathroom and do homework, authorities said.
Bedroom windows were boarded up and covered with curtains stapled to the frames so the children could not see outside.
One of the children made notches in a bedpost to keep track of what day it was, according to the Star Beacon.
The Mosses told the authorities they were home-schooling the children, but the teenagers said this did not happen.
The couple took a plea deal that saw them admit half of the abuse charges.
The pair, aged 60 and 66, would lock the four children in the basement at their home (pictured) in Dorset Township, Ohio, for most of the day, only letting them out briefly to go to the bathroom and do homework
The adopted man who is not disabled reported the pair to the authorities in 2009, after he left the home.
He showed child services a diary which detailed the abuse, but he claimed officials failed to act for four years.
The remaining three adopted children were freed in 2013, a month after the two girls - then aged 17 and 14 - tried to escape by stealing their parents' car, but crashed it into a tree.
It is not clear if the house was ever investigated by officials.
In an impact statement, the man who went to the authorities said the abuse he had suffered at the hands of the Mosses had left him scarred mentally, with anxiety and depression affecting his ability to get a job.
'With all the above-named issues and the Mosses putting me down emotionally, I lose faith in myself, confidence - I get overwhelmed,' he wrote in an impact statement.
The older adopted daughter wrote in her statement to the court that she was once beaten 300 times with a paddle for making mistakes on her homework.
'It was 30 papers. When they were done, there was blood on the paddle. It was horrible. They gave me 300 spankings. I hated them so much,' she said.
The teenager also said she and her younger sister were sometimes attacked by Rejeana Moss for no apparent reason.
'Thank God it's over,' the younger girl said.
Jailed: The Mosses told the authorities they were home-schooling the children, but the teenagers said this did not happen
David Moss, who openly wept in court, said in a statement read by his attorney that he was 'sorry that my failure has continued to burden these children's lives'.
'Knowing it was my lack of ability to parent these children with all these special needs has been very disheartening,' he added.
His wife said she 'never wanted to hurt any child'.
'I am sorry that these children have been hurt in any way by me. I hope and pray they find peace and full lives as I have tried and failed to do.'
She said 'the past is always more clear than the situation at-hand', adding that she had thought long and hard about the mistakes she had made.
The couple's attorneys said the pair were too harsh when disciplining the children, but insisted they did not live in a 'house of horrors'.
A Sydney couple were forced to miss their wedding because of illness
A young couple were forced to miss their own wedding after the groom suffered a serious and rare medical emergency which saw his organs 'floating around his body' and left him in hospital for months.
Aaron and Alexandra Groom, from Sydney, had planned to wed in Bali on June 13, however were forced to abandon the trip when Aaron was rushed to hospital just hours before they were scheduled to fly out.
Doctors found Aaron was suffering from rare condition which was due to a surgery he had when he was just six weeks old, and meant his internal organs such as his colon and bowel were in the wrong place inside his body.
Despite spending $35,000 on the trip the young couple were unable to attend the wedding, even though all their friends, family and their two young children were already overseas.
Alexandra, 25, and Aaron Groom, 28, missed their dream wedding when Aaron had a medical emergency
The bride, pictured trying on her dress, was devastated after the couple realised they would not be joining their family for the wedding
Aaron, 28, first went to the doctor on May 17 - less than a month before the wedding - because of a bowel obstruction.
At first doctors thought the 28-year-old's condition was caused by severe scarring from an operation he had at just six weeks old.
But when they 'opened him up' they found his organs weren't anchored inside his body like everybody else.
'My small intestine, my large intestine and my colon are just floating around inside me,' Aaron told Daily Mail Australia.
'Because they were just floating around when my small intestine was hitting things it was kinking and causing the obstructions.'
Aaron had felt obstructions before but they usually passed on their own so he was shocked when he was told he would need to have surgery.
Doctors thought a simple keyhole surgery would fix his problem and didn't expect to have him recovering in intensive care months later - and never dreamed he would miss his wedding.
'The doctors thought the intestine was getting caught on my scarring which they said was the worst they had ever seen so the first operation was to minimise that.'
Aaron had three bowel obstructions leading up to his wedding - the last one happened just hours before he was supposed to be on a plane to Bali
Aaron was in hospital for 76 days in total and had three operations trying to correct his gut
Pictured in hospital learning how to stand and walk again - Alexandra say Aaron had many dark days in hospital
When he was finally allowed out his two sons were excited to have him back upright - pictured here with his youngest Isaiah
It wasn't until another surgery a week later when he suffered from another painful obstruction that doctors realised his insides were not the same as everybody else.
He was in hospital longer than expected but thought he would make it out to marry Alexandra, 25, in their dream ceremony in Bali on June 13.
On June 10 he was released from hospital. 'I was discharged and we planned to fly to Bali the next day everyone else was already there and had come from England, Fiji and Canada so we were excited to see them.
'We had pushed our flights back after the second surgery and were so excited when we were allowed to go home and when we were told we were going to be able to get married.'
The couple's two young children Isiah, nine months, and Frankie, three, and their best friends and family many of whom had travelled from around the world were already in Bali waiting for them.
But a third serious obstruction just ten hours after he was released dashed his and Alexandra's dreams.
Alexandra said Aaron woke her up because he was in excruciating pain and asked her to call an ambulance.
The couple wanted their family to enjoy their time in Bali and told them no to cancel the party
Family had flown in from England, Canada and Fiji for the wedding with only five guests leaving from Sydney
The couple first got engaged on the same day they found out they were pregnant with their second child
They had 18 months to organise their wedding and were excited to spend time with their family in Bali
'I texted my mum and told her that I was in an ambulance and it wasn't going to be good,' Alexandra said.
'Mum asked if I wanted to cancel the party but I told her not to there was no point because it had already been paid for and we wanted them to have a great time.'
The couple spent $35,000 including both sets of plane tickets on the day they never got to be a part of.
'The hardest part was that most of my family are from England and I won't be able to see them for a long time now,' Alexandra said.
Aaron was in hospital for 76 days in total and said despite her disappointment of missing out on the day she had planned for 18-months Alexandra kept on her 'brave face'.
Alexandra said there were 'dark days' where the stress and pain of his condition got to him.
'The hardest thing about watching him in hospital was when he lost himself mentally and I had to try to keep him positive.
'I had to tell him the wedding didn't matter and he had to concentrate on getting better but he just felt like he had been in there together.
'Watching a very strong man not be strong was difficult he was very emotionally and mentally broken.'
The couple spent a total of $35,000 on flights and the wedding but then couldn't enjoy it after Aaron was rushed to hospital hours before they were supposed to be on a plane
Aaron's eldest son Frankie, pictured, was to be the best man at the wedding and had a suit to match his dad
Alexandra said her eldest son and her husband are best friends which made being out of action and in hospital even harder for the family
The heartache continued when the couple's two children came to visit Aaron in hospital.
Frankie, three, who was due to be Aaron's best man at the wedding couldn't understand why his 'hands on dad' wasn't allowed out of his bed.
'He kept saying when is my daddy coming home, I want my daddy home,' Alexandra said.
'It was heart-breaking because Aaron just wanted to come home too.'
Aaron said his gut was paralysed and rejected any food and water for 24 days.
'It usually only lasts for five or six days but for me it was a lot longer,' he said.
'I would try to drink something every day but as soon as one sip of water hit my stomach I would feel bloated and it would come back up again. My stomach wasn't able to absorb anything.
'There was scary talk about intestine transplants and cutting more of my intestine out and then one day when I was drinking some milk it didn't come back up again. Then all the scary talk stopped.'
Aaron is still off work and is worried about the cost of his illness on his family.
Aaron would have a sip of liquid and feel immediately bloated being forced to throw it up
The couple are looking forward to being able to have a wedding one day but know it might not happen for a few years to come
Aaron was devastated when he realised he wouldn't be going to Bali and urged Alexandra to go without him but she wanted to be by his side
The couple's two young sons were even in Bali with their grandparents because everybody believed they would make it
'Because this was a pre-existing medical condition I am not covered by insurance,' he said. 'Just a year ago I got a job at a bank because I wanted to get a career so I could support my family.
'I had just been promoted but only did my new job for two days before I got sick so I don't know if I still have that or not.'
Alexandra is glad Aaron is on his way to recovery and knows it could be some time before she can put on her stunning white wedding dress.
She asked her mum to hold onto it for her so she wouldn't have to look at it in her closet every day.
Alexandra and Aaron had met with a celebrant after his first operation where they signed their marriage documents.
This had to be done before they went to Bali so they are technically married but Alexandra is holding on to her dress and hopes they can have a ceremony in the future.
Aaron had been given a promotion before he got sick but only did the job for two days
Aaron and Alexandra's family were told to enjoy their time in Bali after the couple realised they wouldn't make it
'We still have to pay off our debt from this wedding so it probably won't be for a while,' she said.
A friend of the couple set up a Go Fund Me account to help with their wedding.
'We were so shocked our friend didn't tell us until after it was set up.
'We are really flattered that he wanted to do this for us.'
Aaron and Alexandra got engaged in February, 2014 on the same day they found out they were expecting their second child.
The bride gave her dress to her mother because she didn't want to see it in the cupboard anymore
Starbucks has hiked its prices just a day after increasing staff pay.
The cafe giant announced that the price of all brewed coffees will leap by 10 to 20 cents, while espressos and lattes will rise by 10 to 30 cents.
The increase comes just a day after Starbucks announced a pay rise of at least five per cent for all store employees and managers.
Starbucks has hiked its prices just a day after increasing staff pay, with the price of all brewed coffees to leap by 10 to 20 cents and espressos and lattes to rise by 10 to 30 cents (file picture)
A grande coffee, which used to cost $2.10, will now set customers back between $2.20 and $2.30,
Starbucks would not say whether the price hike was related to it upping pay.
'Pricing is continually evaluated on a product-by-product and market-by-market basis in our stores in order to balance business needs while continuing to provide value to our loyal customers,' a spokesman said.
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz sent letters to each of its 157,000 staff members on Monday to announced the increase in pay.
The specific increase for each worker will be based on where in the country they work, as well as market factors.
The pay rise will come into affect from October, whereas the price increase is immediate.
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz (pictured) sent letters to each of its 157,000 staff members on Monday to announced the increase in pay
Starbucks, along with other multinational companies such as McDonald's, has come under pressure to increase wages for front line staff.
It has also been accused of cutting workers' hours, which has then damaged morale and led to poorer customer service.
One petition launched by Jaime Prater, a Starbucks worker in southern California, said the firm had made it hard for store employees to secure more than 25 hours of work a week.
Schultz said the company will work with employees to make sure that they have the hours they need.
He added that Starbucks would help meet their specific scheduling needs, especially when it comes to ensuring benefits eligibility.
Starbucks shares gained 16 cents in early morning trading on Tuesday, reaching $56.75. There was a similar jump on Monday following the pay increase announcement.
JPMorgan Chase also announced on Tuesday that it would raise the wages of 18,000 of its lowest paid staff.
Bank tellers and customer service representatives will see their salaries increase from $10.15 an hour to between $12 and $16.50, chief executive Jamie Dimon said.
Married teacher: Darren Cox exchanged numerous inappropriate messages with the girl who had a huge crush on him, a disciplinary panel was told
A married teacher has been banned from the classroom after flirting by text with a teenage girl pupil from his bath and telling her she was hot.
Darren Cox, 43, who worked at Richmond School in North Yorkshire, exchanged numerous inappropriate messages with the girl who had a huge crush on him, a disciplinary panel was told.
In one exchange Cox told her he was in the bath and the girl replied oh fun x and the teacher responded not on my own.
During another text chat about the girl trying to find a new dress, Cox described her as hot.
The panel heard how he told her he would have chatted her up at a social event if he had been there. And after accepting a bottle of wine from her for his birthday he responded with words to the effect of I owe you one now.
The girl, who was aged over 16, began communicating with Cox after taking GCSEs and continued for more than a year whilst she was a sixth form pupil at Richmond School.
She told the panel he had been flirtatious and she sent him an email with three 'x' symbols at the end because she felt quite close to him.
Cox admitted he crossed a line but put the text and WhatsApp exchanges down to childish banter.
He was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct by the National College for Teaching and Leadership panel and banned from teaching for at least two years by the Secretary of State.
Cox, a keen amateur runner, moved out of the 180,000 marital home in Richmond and is thought to be renting in a village close to the Yorkshire Dales.
He and his estranged wife have two children and placed their three bedroom semi on the market in February last year, two months after his dismissal.
Pupil: The girl, who was aged over 16, began communicating with Cox after taking GCSEs and continued for more than a year whilst she was a sixth form pupil at Richmond School (pictured) in North Yorkshire
A neighbour said: They seemed a very happy couple, its a real shame for them and the children.
Although Cox did not attend the disciplinary hearing in Coventry in person, he wrote to the panel in April, commenting: I seek forgiveness and closure to this matter.
I will not even try to justify my actions other than to say the following. I was stupid, crossed a line and did not think to act when I should have.
I should not have engaged in childish banter with a sixth form student and should have stepped back and dealt with the situation in a professional way.
The panel examined evidence of texts and his conduct towards the pupil from the summer of 2013 to December 2014.
Cox initially gave the girl his mobile number during a sixth form work experience programme and she initiated the contact because she had a crush on him.
In September 2013 Cox was approached by the girls mother who warned him the teenager had feelings for him.
Cox stopped communicating with the pupil for three or four months but began again. Eventually in December 2014 a friend of the girl raised concerns with senior school staff.
The panel looked at text chats between the teacher and sixth form pupil.
Cox explained that the reference in the bath exchange to him being not on my own was because he was sharing a bath with his son.
However, the panel concluded: His decision to disclose to her that he was in an intimate setting and the implication that he had no clothes on, together render the communication flirtatious.
On another occasion the pupil messaged being a woman Im trying to find a good dress. When she stated she had pictures of some, Cox replied ohhh, with you in them lol.
Cox also sent an emoticon of a face with sunglasses and when asked what this meant, stated, Hot lol. The panel concluded they were personal and flirtatious remarks.
In another text about his new house Cox messaged the girl visitors welcome and the panel decided there was implicit innuendo.
Cox also acted unprofessionally by giving the girl lifts in his car without obtaining permission.
Opinion / Columnist
Some few days ago Zimbabwe witnessed some demonstrations in Beitbridge and the surrounding areas which were carried out by some alleged cross border traders after the government through the Ministry of Industry and Commerce promulgated Statutory Instrument Number 64 of 2016 which sought to regulate the importation of basic commodities and building materials in the country.That SI number 64 came as a surprise to the importers of basic commodities and building materials as the implementation of it by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) at some border posts was viewed as a ban to the importation of such goods. For that reasons demonstrations by the alleged cross border traders against that SI number 64 of 2016 ensued. Chaos reared its ugly head at the Beitbridge border post with traffic movements coming to a halt.The Zimra`s warehouse was burnt in Beitbridge during those demonstrations and some opposition political groups and civil society organisations rushed to take that as a precedence to mount other demonstrations across the country. In Harare on Monday 4 July 2016, some eastern suburbs like Mabvuku, Ruwa as well as Epworth were engrossed by demonstrations led by commuter omnibus drivers and touts who were demonstrating against the Zimbabwe Republic Police(ZRP)`s road blocks mounted daily. On the other hand government was also in an awkward position as it failed to pay some civil servants their salaries timeously. Such a failure by government to pay some civil servants timeously coupled by the introduction of the SI number 64 made some pseudo political activists and some opposition political parties to call for the stayaways from work by both public and private sector workers.Some pseudo political activists like Evan Mawarire with his #ThisFlag campaign as well as Promise Mkwananzi-led #Tajamuka /Sijikile group high-jacked those demonstrations and called for the so called total "shut down" of Zimbabwe through stay aways from work by workers. Mawarire and Mkwananzi used some social medial communication channels like Facebook, WhatsApp, and YouTube to spread their shenanigans across the country. For that reason on Wednesday 6 July 2016 some of the gullible civil servants heeded their calls and failed to come to work despite the fact that the government had promised them that the delay in the payments of their salaries was something which was not going to be repeated. It was made clear by the government that civil servants would get their salaries normally starting this July 2016.It is surprising that some civil servants who have been finding it prudent to negotiate with government whenever there was mismatch of ideas with the government would find themselves hoodwinked by those pseudo political activists into heeding their calls for stay aways. Zimbabweans should be aware that the country is facing one of its worst economic problems in the history of this country hence the delay in the payment of salaries could not have triggered either demonstrations or stay aways. For the past five months government has been trying to raise funds for the payment of both the salaries and some 2015 bonuses for some civil servants leaving the government coffers dwindled. So government employees could have known this and distanced themselves from that Mawarire and Mkwananzi fiasco.While some civil servants have some genuine reasons that government have not been able to pay them their salaries timeously but could that be reasonable enough for them to stay away from work just because some pseudo activists have urged them not to report to work through social media. Could that make any sense on the part of those civil servants to heed some information channelled through the social media as if there are no official communications meant for them?It should be known that some civil servants get instructions from their superiors through normal communication channels as they are represented by the Apex council. All along the Apex council knows quite well that any communication with government could only be done either through direct communication using telephone calls, interpersonal communication or circulars. There is no genuine communication meant for some civil servants that can be through social media channels unless otherwise. As such some civil servants should not be used like toys by those pseudo political activists in urging them to join their stay aways.It boggles the mind to find out that some civil servants were hoodwinked into joining the call by Mawarire and company to stay away from work yet the Apex council did not originate any communication concerning that. While Mawarire and Mkwananzi were calling for the total shutdown of Zimbabwe saying that the government has failed to act against corruption and also failing to create employment for the unemployed, some civil servants were calling for government to pay them their salaries timeously. So their difference in grievances between some pseudo political activists and some civil servants meant that they were not supposed to have combined their efforts and cause the country to record lower numbers of those who came to work on Wednesday 6 July 2016.In future civil servants should guard against being used by those nameless and faceless social media communication channels as there could be a danger for some of them to be used for nothing only to get blacklisted at work. Government has not reneged on its promises to the payment of salaries to the civil servants hence there is no need for the government workers to act as if they are also political activists. Their grievances of getting delayed payment of their salaries has been explained by government and those with ears should accept what the government has been doing.Actually some civil servants should thank the government for frantically, making sure that they get their salaries fully although coming a bit late. It is known and accepted that the economic problems that the country has been experiencing for more than a decade now has been caused by the sanctions imposed on the country by the western world. For that reason some civil servants should bear with government as it struggles monthly to make sure that they are paid their salaries despite economic hardships being experienced in the county.Listening and heeding Mawarire and Mkwananzi on their call for another so called "total shutdown" of Zimbabwe by some civil servants would not make any good to the economic revival of the country. Zimbabwe is in dire needs of foreign direct investments hence some demonstrations and some stay aways has the danger of scaring some investors away hence foreign direct investment flops. This writer knows quite well that everyone has a freedom to do what he/she wants but stay always from work by government employees is tantamount to economic sabotage. So civil servants should desist from doing some demonstrations and stay aways as the government would always pay them fully their salaries.
Larry the cat is to stay on in Downing Street after David Cameron hands over to Theresa May.
The so-called 'chief mouser' - a brown and white tabby entrusted with the rat-catching portfolio - will continue his work when the new Prime Minister takes over tomorrow.
A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said: 'It's a civil servants' cat and does not belong to the Camerons - he will be staying.'
Larry, who was re-homed from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in 2011, was said to have a 'strong predatory drive' that suggested he would be well-suited to the task of rat catching.
Larry the cat, pictured in Downing Street, has been assured he will not be kicked out when Theresa May takes over as PM
David Cameron welcomed the cat's arrival at the time, and said he would make a 'great addition' to the Number 10 team.
Larry was the first cat to hold the appointment since stalwart ratter Humphrey was retired in 1997.
Humphrey was so popular that when Tony Blair moved in, officials were forced to organise a photocall to disprove rumours he had been put down by wife Cherie.
Humphrey was succeeded for a short period by Sybil, the pet of then chancellor Alistair Darling, in 2007 - but the renowned mouser failed to settle and returned to Scotland.
The Foreign Office appointed Palmerston, a moggy, in April to keep pests in Whitehall at bay.
Larry previously had competition from George Osborne's cat Freya, with the two spotted fighting on the pavement in Downing Street.
The two learned to co-exist, but Freya was eventually exiled to the Kent countryside to live with a member of Mr Osbornes staff in 2014.
The cat had apparently clashed with the family's new Bichon Frise, Lola.
An unofficial Twitter account set up under Larry's name posted on Monday: 'Does anyone know a good cat groomer available tomorrow? I need to make a good impression on someone on Wednesday...'
It had earlier tweeted: 'One final thing before they'll let you have the job @TheresaMay2016 - tell the people you'll keep me in Number 10.'
Larry, left, was seen fighting with George Osborne's cat Freya in Downing Street in 2012
Freya, left, was later sent away to live in Kent after failing to get on with the Osbornes' dog. Larry is set to remain as the undisputed 'chief mouser' of Downing Street
Mr Cameron was hailed an 'astonishing' Prime Minister today by his team as he tried to set the seal on his legacy of six years in the top job.
The premier held an 'emotional' final Cabinet before visiting a free school in West London where he voiced pride in the flagship government policy.
Mr Cameron's team noisily banged the table four times, including as the Premier departed when the meeting ended at 10.20am. He will now prepare for a final outing at Prime Minister's Questions tomorrow before making the short journey to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to the Queen.
The Prime Minister's official spokeswoman revealed it had been a 'warm and reflective mood' at the meeting and said the Prime Minister had spoken of his 'honour and pride at serving the country and serving the Cabinet' as he closed the meeting.
Discussion at the hour long meeting focused on the life chances strategy and the Trident nuclear deterrent, before Mr Cameron wound up his 215th and and last Cabinet by reflecting on his achievements - including specifically gay marriage, free schools and apprenticeships.
Theresa May, who will be named as the new Prime Minister tomorrow, and Chancellor George Osborne paid tributes to Mr Cameron before he concluded his Cabinet.
Mrs May was the last to arrive at today's gathering as she began to plot her own top team. She will take hold of the reins of power tomorrow after suddenly winning the Tory crown when her last rival Andrea Leadsom sensationally dropped out yesterday.
A removal firm was spotted behind Downing Street today as the Cameron family prepared its rapid departure to make space for Mrs May and husband Philip. The outgoing Prime Minister was spotted leaving by the back door today as he set off for his final tasks in office.
There is intense speculation in Westminster on how Mrs May will shape her first Cabinet, amid tension within the Tory Party over the Brexit split between Leave and Remain supporters.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon attempted to play down demands for Leave backers to be given the biggest roles, telling Sky News: 'We are all now Brexiters.'
David Cameron went to a free school in West London for his last visit as PM today
Public sector workers in southern Italy have been caught wearing cardboard boxes over their heads in a bid to avoid identification as they cheat on their time clocks.
Police caught 23 council employees in the town of Boscotrecase near Naples on camera clocking in for friends or punching in and leaving again, with two donning cardboard box disguises.
Six were put under house arrest, 13 were suspended for a year and four were suspended for six months and with their staff gone, four council offices have been forced to close their doors.
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Head's gone: A worker uses a cardboard box to hide their identity as they attempt to cheat the time clocks
The cabinet passed a decree in January cracking down on public sector shirkers and employers who turn a blind eye to time-stamp swindlers risk being sent home too.
The problem of time clock dodgers hit the front pages last year after 35 people were arrested in San Remo in northwest Italy and 195 people were placed under investigation for absenteeism.
One of those arrested was 53-year-old Alberto Muraglia, who was secretly filmed clocking in the council offices of Sanremo, north-west Italy, wearing underwear that left little to the imagination.
Pictures of the pot-bellied officer clocking on have since become emblematic of Italy's struggle with slackers and absenteeism in the public administration.
Check it out: The problem of time clock dodgers hit the front pages last year after 35 people were arrested in San Remo in northwest Italy and 195 people were placed under investigation for absenteeism
He was arrested in October after a two-year police operation named 'Operation Stakhanov', an ironic reference to the legendary hard-working figure of Alexey Stakhanov, a Soviet miner.
The man did not even bother commuting to work, sending a spouse, friend or colleague stamp his card on his behalf.
After being sacked by the town council in January, Muraglia vowed to appeal the decision, claiming he was being made a scapegoat for dozens of other slacking employees.
'I'll confess, I was a bit sloppy. I made a mistake, but I swear I was on duty nonetheless,' he said. 'On those occasions, I asked my wife or a daughter to stamp on my behalf. But I can assure I was there.'
A French wine heiress who worked for City tycoon John Caudwell says he concocted allegations she fiddled her expenses, a court heard.
But Nathalie Dauriac-Stoebe said the accusation was nonsense because her visits to the billionaire Phones 4u founders yacht in the Seychelles, south of France and Caribbean were all part of her job.
And she needed to hire private chefs at her 7.5million Hampstead home to entertain their wealthy clients, the court was told.
Nathalie Dauriac-Stoebe arrives at the High Court for today's hearing. She says John Caudwell concocted allegations she fiddled her expenses
Mrs Dauriac-Stoebe, 38, who was a senior partner at the Queens bank Coutts at the age of 26, set up wealth management firm Signia with Mr Caudwell in 2009.
She was paid 200,000 a year, with a 300,000 annual bonus on top, to be the boutique wealth firms chief executive. She also owned 49 per cent of the business, and Mr Caudwell 51 per cent, both through offshore trusts.
She looked after 2billion from the fortunes of some of the richest people in the world, it was said.
But when their partnership turned sour, she claims he forced her out by making up false allegations about her misusing expenses worth 33,000 to justify sacking her and taking back her shares worth 15million.
Lawyers for billionaire John Caudwell, 63 (above), said Mrs Dauriac Stoebe was sacked after she performed really badly, adding that accounts were altered and fabricated to conceal her wrongful expenses claims.
She alleges the real reason she was sacked was for blowing the whistle on a sham transaction that allegedly helped Mr Caudwell avoid VAT all of which he strenuously denies.
Today she attended the High Court where a judge was reviewing the parties estimates of costs in the forthcoming case. Master Matthew Marsh expressed concern at the high estimates more than 4million in legal fees between the warring sides - but added: Apparently they can both comfortably afford that.
Mother-of-two Mrs Dauriac-Stoebe, who says she was so devoted to the business that she took just three or four days maternity leave when her daughter, four, and son, two, were born, was suspended from Signia in December 2014, and resigned the next month.
Today, Mr Caudwells side complained that his proteges mobile phone a potential key source of evidence had been destroyed since the case started. The phone, which held text messages, was broken by her young daughter last year when she threw it out of the window, following which the data was irrecoverable, the court was told.
Andrew Hochhauser QC, for Signia, said: This is a matter of considerable concern. A key part of the allegations regarding the wrongful expenses claims concerns the instructions given by (her) to her assistants.
But Mrs Dauriac-Stoebes lawyers said this was wrong, and that the phones data had been successfully retrieved.
She denies telling her assistants to fiddle her expenses, and has given the court a list of her expense claims to show why they were justified.
John Caudwell, who banked more than 1.2billion from the 2006 sale of the now-defunct mobile phone retailer Phones 4u, is locked in a bitter legal fight with Nathalie Dauriac-Stoebe, right. Mrs Dauriac-Stoebe claims she made 30million for the tycoon in 2014
In January 2012, she twice claimed reimbursement for a private chef to cook dinner at the house she shares with her husband Konrad Stoebe, a 40-year-old investment guru, to entertain prospective clients of Signia.
In January 2013, she and her husband incurred expenses flying out to the Seychelles to meet Mr Caudwell, 63, on his yacht, to discuss a 60million investment by the tycoon, at his request.
There were further similar meetings at his ski lodge in Colorado, and his yacht when it was moored in the south of France and in the Caribbean.
In July 2013, she claimed money to fund her familys trip to a wine tasting event at her fathers chateaux in Bordeaux, to which many of Signias key clients had been invited.
Her QC Johnathan Cohen said all these expenses were justified because the private wealth industry is dependent upon the building of close personal relationships with prospective clients.
She would regularly be expected to entertain the very rich, he said, adding at the time she was the primary carer of her young daughter Juliette and often had to take her with her.
He told the court most of her travel involved trips to meet Mr Caudwell at his request, and were manifestly not fraud.
John Caudwell, pictured on the left with his daughter Libby, and on the right with his ex-partner Claire Johnson, who he split with in 2014
He said: He concocted allegationsand one of the reasons was to take shares from her.
Mr Caudwell, who was not in court, was one of the wealthiest men in the country, said Mr Cohen, asking the judge to curtail the tycoons spending on the case. By contrast his client was a mere employee, albeit a well remunerated one.
Mr Cohen said the court would hear allegations of bullying by Mr Caudwell, which he will deny.
Signia says Mrs Dauriac-Stoebe failed to achieve performance targets and presided over 3million losses.
Mr Hochhauser said she was sacked after she performed really badly, adding that accounts were altered and fabricated to conceal her wrongful expenses claims.
He said the firm was entitled to summarily dismiss her on the basis of the alleged dishonest expense claims.
But Mrs Dauriac-Stoebe denies altering the accounts and claims she made 30million for the tycoon in 2014, adding he would not have paid her the annual 300,000 bonus if she was an under performer.
Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn declared himself still in the mix Tuesday to be Donald Trump's vice presidential running mate, as Trump prepared to test drive yet another potential candidate, Indiana governor Mike Pence.
'Its an unbelievable honor that Im in the mix,' Flynn told MSNBC Tuesday.
'I never thought in my wildest imagination as a kid growing up in the state of Rhode Island, small town, that I would be in this place today,' he added.
The little-known Flynn has jumped onto Trump's short list of vice presidential picks, although he continues to stumble on critical issues as Trump has indicated he might lean toward a more seasoned political pro.
General Michael Flynn declared himself 'in the mix,' as Donald Trump prepared to select his vice presidential pick within days
Explaining his world view as he touts a new book out today, Flynn appeared to misstate his view of the greatest threat facing the country.
'I believe strongly that our economy is the greatest threat to our country and frankly to the world right now based on just the things that are happening. And I firmly believe that,' he said.
On Monday, he tried to clean up comments he made on ABC Sunday, when the registered Democrat declared himself pro-choice.
He told Fox News Monday he was a 'pro-life Democrat.'
Then he added, speaking about abortion: 'This pro-choice issue is a legal issue that should be decided by the courts. I believe in law. If people want to change the law, they should vote so that we can appoint pro-life judges. I believe the law should be changed, Flynn said.
Flynn told ABC Sunday that women 'have to be able to choose'
As the former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Flynn brings a knowledge of global affairs and challenges the U.S. is facing abroad, but his political views are still being fleshed out
Donald Trump heaped praise on 'the general,' but also has toyed with the idea of running with a seasoned politician
Appearing on ABC's 'This Week' on Sunday, Flynn said: I think women have to be able to choose... They are the ones that have to make the decision because theyre the ones that are going to decide to bring up that child or not.
Flynn said he met with Trump in late summer. 'I found him to be an incredible listener.' He said Trump asked 'tough, smart questions' about global affairs.
Trump is clearly intrigued by the idea of naming a general, as well as someone outside of the traditional GOP establishment as his running mate, having locked up the nomination as an outsider candidate.
'I have such great respect for the general, but believe it or not that will be one of my strong suits,' Trump told the Washington Post Monday. 'I was against the war in Iraq from the start.'
Trump continued: ''I have five people, including the general' on his VP list.
'I do like the military, but I do very much like the political,' Trump said, in a line reflecting earlier statements that he wanted a candidate with significant legislative experience who would know how to move an agenda.
Flynn said Monday that he picked today's fortuitious release date for his book, 'The Field of Fight, How We Can Win the Global War Against Radical Islam, a year ago.
'I picked this date because I wanted this book to come out before both of the conventions. Not having any idea I had not met Mr. Trump at that point in time,' he said.
Since then, he has become a Trump advisor. The Obama-appointed former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency has written that he got fired for his tough stance on taking on radical Islam.
GOING THE DISTANCE?: Indiana governor Mike Pence campaigns with Trump today in his home state
'The direction of the country now is not going in the right direction,' Flynn said.
'I grew up in a Democratic family. But I believe that the Democratic Party is nowhere near to what I learned about growing up. Its not close to that,' Flynn said. 'We have a big shift going on in this country right now.'
He talked up Trump's major campaign issue, bemoaning illegal immigration as a threat to the country
'The thing that Mr. Trump put his finger on was this business about illegal immigration. We have to understand what is happening in this country,' Flynn said.
Supporters of Pence, meanwhile, have begun touting his opposition to major spending measures during the George W. Bush administration.
The New York Times reported that Republicans have started preparing for his possible departure from the governorship and drawing up contingency plans, even seeking out possible replacements.
This is the horrifying moment a woman's hair is set alight on a busy subway platform in German by a man feared to be targeting female commuters.
CCTV cameras captured the moment the rail passenger was waiting for a train on the Berlin underground when a man engulfs her in flames.
Her long black hair can be seen ablaze and she then starts to move around the platform in a bid to douse the flames.
The woman was waiting on the platform of an underground station in Berlin when she was targeted
A man was caught on CCTV sneaking up behind the female passenger and setting her hair on fire
Luckily she quickly manages to put out the fire in her hair as she is assited by fellow passengers, who rushed to her aid.
The woman is not thought to have suffered any serious injuries.
Police in Berlin have now released the CCTV footage of the attack in a bid to track down the man who started the fire.
Police say the suspect is a man aged between 18 and 25 years old and could have also been behind a similar incident earlier this year, where another woman's hair was set alight.
Then, a 25-year-old woman told police the man fled while she was extinguishing flames in her hair after an attack at Ostbahnhof train station.
The woman starts running around the platform as the flames take control over her hair and scalp
Luckily she manages to put out the fire herself as other commuters rush to her aid and she was not seriously injured
Police released this image of the man they want to trace in connection with his and a string of other attacks
Heidi Vogt from Berlin Police told the Express: 'We are now searching for a young man. He is thought to be between 18 and 25 years old, thin, have a dark tan and dark hair.
'In this case it was also another woman whose hair was set on fire by this stranger.
'She was able to extinguish it herself. The young man fled as well.'
People who sent vile messages on social media could now face charges
The bull punctured his lung and severed his aorta in a matter of seconds
His wife, Raquel Sanz, 32, said she has no words to describe her feelings
Anti-bullfighting campaigners who publicly gloated over the death a Spanish matador could be facing prison under the country's hate crime laws.
One of the country's leading bullfighting associations says it is so disgusted with mocking comments about 29-year-old Victor Barrio they have reported the matter to the police.
Barrio was gored to death by a huge bull whilst taking part in a fight in Teruel which was being broadcast live across Spain.
Scroll down for video: WARNING DISTRESSING SCENES
This is the moment top Spanish matador Victor Barrio was fatally gored by a bull in Teruel, Aragon
The shocked crowd included his wife, who saw him die.
He became the first matador to be killed this century.
The Lidia Bullfighting Foundation said some of the comments posted on social network sites were 'deplorable' and attacked Barrio's memory in the worse way possible.
They have collected at least 50 messages which they intend to report to the police, saying they are so vile those who wrote them could face up to 14 months in prison.
A foundation spokesman said: 'These are real crimes of libel. We don't think these acts should go unpunished.'
The bull, named Lorenzo, speared Barrio through the chest, puncturing his lung and severing his aorta
One teacher in Valencia who posted a 'celebration' tweet is already facing calls for his resignation, backed by a petition on change.org.
Protesters say he is supposed to be a man of education and his comments were even more unacceptable because of his profession.
They say his comments were 'intolerable' and went far and above the rights of people to either express their opinion for or against bullfighting.
Barrio, 29, left, and his wife Raquel, right were married in 2014 and she witnessed his brutal death
Hundreds of people gathered yesterday for a funeral Mass for Spanish bullfighter Victor Barrio who was fatally gored in a bullring
The foundation has called on every supporter to report any posting which is deemed detrimental and has set up a special email address - comunicacion@fundaciontorodelidia.org - to report them.
The foundation said it had shared its disgust with the matador's grieving family and had also offered them its deepest condolences.
It has also called in the Ombudsman and the Ministry of Culture, Justice and Home Affairs.
People applauded as the coffin was carried from a hearse to a packed church in the town of Sepulveda
Barrio's wife, Raquel Sanz, pictured, was in the crowd watching the horrific incident with friends
Barrio was rushed to hospital unconscious but doctors were unable to save his life due to his injuries
Barrio's wife Raquel Sanz, pictured, was in the crowd and witnessed her husband's brutal death
The couple, pictured here, married in 2014 and Ms Sanz is said to be 'devastated' by her husband's death
Barrio, pictured, right with his wife Raquel, centre, and her sister, left, died after being gored by the bull
In his final tweet on July 4, Barrio posted a picture of him in training, writing: 'With the mind set on Teruel'
Barrio was an award winning matador, but also a relative newcomer to the sport having previously worked on a golf course. Pictured left from 2015. Right picture shows the fight the claimed his life
Many online were not as unsympathetic due to the cruel nature of the sport, calling for it to be banned
Martha Stewart has given millennials a stern telling off, accusing them of not having the initiative to make a go of life.
The 74-year-old lifestyle guru, who made a fortune from selling recipes, pots and books, said that most millennials still live with their parents.
She urged them that they have to work for it.
Martha Stewart has given millennials a stern telling off, accusing them of not having the initiative to make a go of life. She is pictured here signing copies of her book, Martha's American Food, at Barnes & Noble in New Jersey City, 2012
In an interview with Luxury Listings NYC, she said: I think every business is trying to target millennials. But who are millennials? Now we are finding out that they are living with their parents. They dont have the initiative to go out and find a little apartment and grow a tomato plant on the terrace.
She added: I understand the plight of younger people The economic circumstances out there are very grim. But you have to work for it. You have to strive for it. You have to go after it.
Stewart, who released her first cookery book in 1982, revealed that she got married at 19 and immediately got an apartment and fixed it up, which was something that made her enormously proud.
Stewart, pictured here at the premiere of And So It Goes in New York in 2014, said: 'Who are millennials? Now we are finding out that they are living with their parents. They dont have the initiative to go out and find a little apartment and grow a tomato plant on the terrace'
She said that she bought furniture at auctions for pennies.
Martha, who worked as a stock broker, a Chanel model and a caterer now lays claim to a business which is worth in excess of $300million.
She has also just been dubbed the 'Queen of Facebook Live' - the social media brand's live video service - since she occasionally gets more views on some of her cookery videos than her Hallmark programme The Martha Stewart Show achieved in 2010.
The home goods mogul and cookbook author, from New Jersey, was excited to talk to MailOnline recently about her fast-growing meal kit business Martha & Marley Spoon.
Subscribers will get a box shipped to their door with Stewarts recipes and all the ingredients needed to cook up the dishes at home, including pre-measured raw meat, fish, vegetables and spices.
'It is, I think, the way to cook for the future,' Martha said.
This abandoned prison in northern California is being transformed into a massive medical marijuana farm after the city of Coalinga agreed to sell it for $4.1 million.
Claremont Custody Center held more than 500 state inmates but has been vacant since its contract was terminated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations in 2011.
Now, after months of proposals and negotiations, the empty prison will soon be converted into a high-security factory where cannabis oil will be extracted from thousands of medical marijuana plants.
Claremont Custody Center, in Coalinga, California, held more than 500 state inmates at any given time
The former prison has been vacant since its contract was terminated by state officials in 2011
It will soon be converted into a high-security factory where cannabis oil will be extracted from pot plants
Coalinga's city council recently approved the sale of the building to Ocean Grown Extracts for $4.1 million
Ocean Grown Extracts is planning to begin operations inside the former prison by the end of the year
Earlier this month, Coalinga's mayor and councillors voted 4-1 to allow commercial marijuana farms inside city limits, and approved the sale of the former prison to Ocean Grown Extracts for a seven-figure sum.
With dozens of job losses and costly maintenance fees, the dormant prison has been a financial burden for Coalinga since its unexpected closure.
Before the sale city was carrying a debt of nearly $4 million after paying unemployment benefits and maintenance costs for nearly five years.
But the sale of the 77,000-square foot facility will immediately bring Coalinga's general fund into the black and create around 100 new jobs, the Fresno Bee reported.
The former prison's interior remains largely untouched, although it will be completely overhauled to make way for the cannabis oil production facility.
With dozens of job losses and costly maintenance fees, the prison had been a financial burden for Coalinga
The sale of the 77,000-square foot facility will bring Coalinga's general fund into the black and create 100 jobs
Coalinga was carrying a debt of nearly $4 million after paying unemployment benefits and maintenance costs
In addition to the prison closure, Coalinga has taken a financial hit from the downturn in the crude oil industry
Even though the recreational use of marijuana is illegal under federal law, it has been legal for medical purposes in California for a decade.
Casey Dalton, co-owner of Ocean Grown Extracts, said she hopes the business will be operating inside the former prison by the end of the year.
'We're thrilled to be able to offer 100 jobs and make safe medicine available for patients,' she told the Fresno Bee. 'We appreciate Coalinga taking a chance not only on us, but on the industry.'
Ocean Grown Extracts and any other companies that are permitted to grow medical marijuana within city limits must abide by strict rules.
All employees or contractors must pass background checks and receive work permits that are kept on file with the local police department.
Facilities must be gated, locked and closed to the public, and have 24-hour video surveillance that can be accessed by police.
Medical marijuana farms are not allowed to post signs, they must have odor control measures and every plant must be fitted with a tracking device.
The use of marijuana has been legal for medical purposes in California for a decade
Medical marijuana growers must abide by several strict rules set out by Coalinga's city council
All employees or contractors must pass background checks and receive work permits that are kept by police
Facilities must be gated, locked and closed to the public, and have 24-hour video surveillance systems
As Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders finally endorses his longtime Democratic rival Hillary Clinton today in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the Republican National Committee is having some fun with his greatest political hits.
The RNC released a top fifteen list of attacks Sanders made on Clinton throughout the protracted Democratic primary, including that she was 'not qualified' to be president of the United States.
'Sanders Abandons His Movement, Embraces Pro-Wall Street, Pro-Intervention, Pro-TPP Candidate Who He Recently Mocked As Unqualified And Unable To Lead A Political Revolution,' the GOP's hit piece is headlined.
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Sen. Bernie Sanders formally endorsed rival Hillary Clinton today in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, but before he did so, the Republican National Committee reminded voters about his many attacks on Clinton
Throughout the long Democratic primary, Sen. Bernie Sanders (right) had suggested that Hillary Clinton (left) wasn't 'qualified' to be president and he said he questioned her judgement
First on the list is a dig Sanders made to ABC News' George Stephanopoulos about Clinton after losing the California primary to her, which had been the Vermont senator's last best hope to grab away the nomination.
'I don't think Hillary Clinton can lead a political revolution,' Sanders said on This Week, though said he thought she was 'smart.'
Secondly, the RNC reminded voters that, in early April, Sanders had said his opponent was 'not qualified' to be president of the United States.
'I don't believe that she is qualified if she is, through her super PAC, taking tens of millions of dollars in special interest funds,' Sanders said.
'I don't think that you are qualified if you get $15 million from Wall Street through your Super PAC,' he continued.
'I don't think you are qualified if you have voted for the disastrous war in Iraq,'
'I don't think you are qualified if you've supported virtually every disastrous trade agreement, which has cost us millions of decent-paying jobs,' he finished.
Sanders tirade was inspired by comments that Clinton made on Morning Joe, in which she was asked if the senator was 'qualified and ready.'
Clinton didn't answer directly.
But then the Washington Post headlined its story, 'Clinton questions whether Sanders is qualified to be president,' which set her rival off.
The RNC also pointed to the times that Sanders questioned Clinton's judgement, like for that Iraq War vote.
He repeatedly attacked her ties to Wall Street throughout the campaign and the Clinton Foundation for taking foreign donations.
Hearkening back to the 1990s, Sanders reminded voters about President Bill Clinton's controversial crime bill, which is pointed to today when discussing the problem of black mass incarceration.
Ensnaring Hillary Clinton in that debate, Sanders implied that the former first lady was racist for using the term 'super-predators' back in the day.
Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich hasn't let a 14-year prison sentence come between him and his love of Elvis Presley.
Blagojevich went behind bars in 2012 and under his current sentence cannot be released until at least 2024.
But his attorney Leonard Goodman filed a 22-page motion to reduce the term Monday, providing more details about Blagojevich's life during his first two years of prison.
The former governor has studied guitar and has formed a band named after one of the King's biggest hits, Jailhouse Rock, Goodman says in court documents.
Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich (pictured in 2007 at a meeting in Springfield) has studied guitar in prison and has formed a band named after one of the King's biggest hits, Jailhouse Rock, his attorney said
Blagojevich is a longtime Presley fan and once owned a life-size statue of the King, which was auctioned off after his conviction.
He and another inmate have performed as The Jailhouse Rockers at times, according to the attorney.
A jury convicted Blagojevich in 2011 of 18 corruption counts, including attempting to sell the vacant Senate seat once occupied by President Barack Obama.
Over the last two years, the former governor has tutored inmates studying for their GED, taught history and provided job interview counseling for soon-to-be-released inmates, Goodman says in the filings.
He talks almost daily to his family on the phone, quizzing his children to help them prepare for exams, the attorney added. And he has studied guitar and vocals to share his youngest daughter's interest in music.
Dozens of fellow inmates also have offered letters of support, including one prisoner who credits Blagojevich with helping him reconnect with his daughter.
US Representative Jan Schakowsky of Illinois and Bob Barr, a former congressman from Georgia, were among those who submitted letters asking for leniency.
Blagojevich's resentencing hearing is scheduled for August 9. His attorneys want District Judge James Zagel to reduce his term by about nine years.
But federal prosecutors are asking Zagel to order Blagojevich to serve his entire 14-year prison term when he returns to court for resentencing.
Each party filed its own motion late Monday as part of a legal battle over the sentence imposed in 2011.
Blagojevich is a well-known fan of Elvis Presley. Pictured, an impersonator performs at an auction of items connected to Blagojevich in Arlington Heights, Illinois, in 2010
A federal appeals court panel tossed five of 18 counts against Blagojevich in July last year, but prosecutors said in March they would not retry him on those counts. They requested instead that he return to Zagel's courtroom for resentencing.
Prosecutors argued that Blagojevich has never taken responsibility for his crime while the defense reiterated a long-held argument that the sentence was too long.
The US attorney's office said in its own 14-page filing at midnight Monday, that 'nothing in the dismissal of the five counts undermines the need for a very significant sentence'.
The sentence, the US attorney's office wrote, is meant to 'to deter current and future public officials from engaging in similar criminal activity'.
Meanwhile Goodman revisited previously unsuccessful arguments from Blagojevich's trial, including the contention that Blagojevich was only seeking campaign contributions to 'advance his political agenda' and not for personal gain.
Blagojevich, who has not been seen or heard from since he reported to a Colorado federal prison in 2012, will certainly address Zagel, Goodman said.
It has not yet been determined whether the former governor will be brought to Chicago or speak via a teleconference from prison. His family plans to attend the hearing.
Zagel is not expected to significantly reduce one of the longest corruption sentences ever imposed in Illinois.
Even in its ruling last year, the appeals court did not hint that the sentence should be reduced. In fact, it indicated that even without the tossed convictions the 14-year sentence was appropriate. It also suggested that Zagel might have gone too easy on Blagojevich.
Letting the sentence stand or reducing it by just a few months would be another legal defeat for Blagojevich. In March, the US Supreme Court rejected his appeal on the remaining corruption convictions. Then in May, the same court, without comment, rejected his long-shot petition that urged the court to take another look at the case.
In June, when the US Supreme Court threw out the bribery conviction of a former Virginia governor, Blagojevich's attorney quickly said he did not expect that decision to affect Blagojevich's case.
If the judge lets the 14-year sentence stand, Blagojevich would have to serve 85 percent of it, meaning the earliest he could be eligible for release is early 2024.
Opinion / Columnist
Show me your friend and I will tell you your character. After Madamme Joice Mujuru addressed a rally in Mucheke Stadium on Saturday the 9th of July, it dawned on me that she has a daunting task of proving to the masses that birds of different feathers can still flock together.It also dawned on me that a lot still need to be done in ZimPF in as far as organisational capacity and issues management is concerned. The masses turned up for the Rally to see if Madamme Joice Mujuru had indeed crossed the rubicon but honestly her speech was unimpressive. It was handicapped by poor oratory skills, it was lukewarm.She sounded hesitant to nail the status quo and unwittingly gave signals to the masses that possibly she still hopes that one day she will return to ZANU-PF. She sounded like someone timidly afraid of being blackmailed. Someone afraid that if she lambast ZANU-PF her skeletons in the cupboard will be revealed.Madamme Joice Mujuru and company tend to be unaware that they are now in opposition politics. A different political terrain where you need to convince the people that you are better option. People are now apprehensive and very cautious. They now need a new a dispensation devoid of political charlatans and imposters. She failed to tackle the pertinent issues bedevilling the citizenry. She spoke of her dismissal from ZANU PF and sounded very bitter. Thats water under the bridge madamme, a good leader is dynamic and forward looking. Her ingnonimous defenestration was indeed a challenge which she now has to turn into a golden opportunity to redeem herself.Zimbabweans have been caught on the crossroaad with the emergence of Joice Mujuru in oppositional politics. Many people wonder if she is really a game changer with the capacity to bring an end to binary politics in Zimbabwe that has MDC and ZANUPF as the protagonists. After the rally it just dawned on me that Madamme Mujuru status as a political heavyweight is just a media creation. The problem with our media is that instead of being conveyors of the message, the media wants to set the agenda and be the progenitor of the message.Indeed Madamme Joice Mujuru has a task of proving that birds of different feathers can still flock together. The Mucheke Rally was attended by ZimPF senior members namely Major Kudzanai Mbudzi, Colonnel Claudious Makova, Former Provincial Governor Kudakwashe Bhasikiti and the maverick Dzikamai Mavhaire. Former MDC-T MPs like Heya Shoko, Chirume and Chitando were also in attendance but it appeared like they were just ingratiating themselves with arrogant people who do not need them. As for the former ZANU-PF comrades in attendance most of them are riffraffs whose political CVs are blighted by cases of corruption and political violence. Their names do not inspire hopes for the future but rather dreams of the past. A mere mention of names like Colonel Makova can sent shivers down the spine of the electorate in Bikita and Nyika Constituencies in as much as some amongs us would say let him who is without sin cast the first stone.The task ahead of Mujuru and ZimPF is to differentiate themselves from ZANU-PF. In as much as they might take this for granted even the songs they play at they Rallies should not remind people of ZANU-PF. Even the ushers and security personnel must be oriented and cease to be brusque and militant. People have been psychologically truamatised by ZANU-PF. The masses have endured excruciating pain in the hands of ZANU-PF. The should be a complete paradigm shift from ZANU-PF way of doing things.We are in an environment where male chauvinism and patriarchal tendencies are stubbornly ingrained in the veins and arteries of Africans. Thats a political Goliath facing Dr Joice Mujuru and other females eying powerful positions be it in politics or the corporate world. They need to prove that they are indeed ladies of vallor and not an embodiment of mediocrity.Androcracy is a form of government in which the government rulers are male. The males, especially fathers, have the central roles of political leadership, moral authority, and control of property. It is also sometimes called a phallocracy, phallocratic, andrarchy, or an androcentric society.What's good for the goose is not always good for the gander. Only time will tell if Dr Mujuru will manage to dismantle the politics of phallocracy in Zimbabwe!!
Police have filed an AVO against Salim Mehajer on behalf of his wife because she feared he would become violent, police sources allege.
The suspended deputy Auburn mayor confirmed on Tuesday Aysha Mehajer is no longer living in their Lidcombe mansion, in Sydney's west, but they see each other 'every day', according toThe Daily Telegraph.
Police filed an Apprehended Violence Order application against Mr Mehajer on behalf of Aysha after she told police he kept 'popping up wherever she is' and feared he could become violent, a police source said.
Mr Mehajer has denied his wife is behind the application, telling reporters it came about because of 'alleged complaints by neighbours.'
The AVO will be heard in Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney on Wednesday.
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Police will on Wednesday file an Apprehended Violence Order application against Salim Mehajer (pictured) on behalf of Aysha after she told police he kept 'popping up where ever she is' and fears he could become violent
Salim Mehajer (pictured) said on Tuesday he and his wife see each other regularly 'every day', but confirmed she was not living at their Lidcombe mansion
'Aysha and I, only death will do us apart,' he said.
The revelation Mrs Mehajer no longer lives at the Lidcombe mansion comes despite Mr Mehajer denying a split with his wife and saying the pair are about to star in a television show.
Mrs Mehajer hasn't been seen at a number of recent family gatherings and celebrations, although her husband has regularly posted pictures of them together recently.
Sources said Mrs Mehajer failed to show up to a birthday party thrown in her honour this year - despite the presence of rapper Tyga.
She also was not seen among a crowd of family and friends watching a pageant show where one of Salim's sisters, Aiisha, competed last week.
But Mr Mehajer said the couple were still living together and exclusively told Daily Mail Australia his wife had been away recently...because the pair are about to star in a forthcoming television program.
'Aysha and I are casting and preparing to be part of a TV series,' he said.
The pair are together 'until death do us apart', Salim says. The revelation Mrs Mehajer no longer lives at the Lidcombe mansion comes despite Mr Mehajer saying the pair are about to star in a television show
Mr Mehajer said his wife had been out of the spotlight recently because she was 'in auditions' for a television program
The revelation Mrs Mehajer no longer lives at the Lidcombe mansion (pictured) comes despite Mr Mehajer long denying a split with his wife and saying the pair are about to star in a television show
'She is currently in audition. At the moment we cannot disclose the show (or) series name.
'I begin casting in August 2016. You can follow our Facebook page if you wish.'
Mr Mehajer added the pair were busy gearing up to be part of his sister Khadijeh's bridal party at her wedding in a few weeks - dubbed 'Sydney's next biggest wedding'.
His remarks come after months of speculation about his relationship with his wife, following reports in May which said claimed she had moved out of the couple's Lidcombe mansion.
Mrs Mehajer was not seen at a beauty pageant where Mr Mehajer's sister, Aiisha, was a contestant last Friday.
Mr Mehajer, who arrived with mates, was part of a considerable posse of 43 family and friends - but Aysha was not there.
Sources said Aysha also did not attend the party Mr Mehajer threw for her earlier this year - despite the presence of the rapper Tyga.
Some media outlets even confused her with her look-a-like sister-in-laws at the time.
She also was not seen in pictures from his sister Khadijeh's bridal shower in June, although Mr Mehajer said she was in attendance.
And the former deputy mayor has flooded social media with pictures of the pair together over the past couple of weeks.
'You put the smile on my face , the sparky (sic) in my eyes and the Love in my heart,' he captioned a photo of them together.
Aysha Mehajer (left) is pictured with her look-a-like sister-in-law Khadijeh 'Kat' Mehajer this week
Mrs Mehajer also did not appear at Salim's sister Aiisha's beauty pageant last week
She did not appear in photographs of Salim's sister's bridal shower last month, but Mr Mehajer claimed she attended
In another gushing post, he said: 'My beautiful wife underwent a change in colour {hair do} . Stunning or what?'
He also posted: 'Love is not about finding someone to live with, but rather finding someone that you cannot live without.'
Aysha Mehajer changed her name from April Learmonth when she married her husband in August 2015.
She had previously been a fair-skinned schoolgirl with strawberry-blonde hair and was a beautician before she converted to Islam and joined her husband's property development empire.
'She changed her whole life for him,' one school friend told Daily Mail Australia in 2015 - pointing to her name, religion, hair colour and profession.
Young love: Mr Mehajer is seen with his future wife, Aysha, in an earlier photo (left) and in a picture for a beauty salon on right
The wedding that shut down western Sydney: Streets closed for the deputy mayor's nuptials to bride Aysha
Initial reports suggested she had made her transformation for her husband, but Mrs Mehajer told New Idea in October it was a 'personal preference'.
Mr Mehajer was suspended from his mayoral office for four months for failing to disclose his financial interests in relation to property he owned.
It was overturned on appeal.
But the entire Auburn City Council was suspended by the State government so a public inquiry could examine allegations some councillors were misusing their positions.
A federal judge delivered a symbolic victory on Monday to Republican National Committee delegates who have chafed against their obligation to support presumptive nominee Donald Trump on the first ballot in Cleveland next week.
In the end, however, the toothless ruling won't likely change much.
Carroll 'Beau' Correll argued that the First Amendment guarantees him the freedom to pick his own horse at the convention, rather than voting in a way that reflects the results of his home state Virginia's March 1 primary election.
Those results awarded Trump 17 of the state's 49 delegates, along with 16 for Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, 8 for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, 5 for Ohio Gov. John Kasich and 3 for retired surgeon Ben Carson.
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TOOTHLESS? Republican National Convention delegate Carroll 'Beau' Correll won a symbolic victory in federal court that will protect him from prosecution if he bucks voters and refuses to cast a convention ballot for Donald Trump but the end result won't likely change
NOT IMPRESSED: Donald Trump's campaign said Monday that the judge's ruling protects the national Republican Party's right to run its convention rules as it sees fit
A Virginia law would have forced the state Republican Party to send those totals to the national party.
But federal judge Robert E. Payne ruled that the state law can't be enforced because governments can't be allowed to have control over how parties choose their nominees.
It's a token win that may only apply to Correll himself since his didn't qualify as a class-action lawsuit. And the national nomination process is managed by the Republican National Committee not the state parties.
The RNC's rules currently call for the official reading of delegate votes in the way each state's voters, and each state party's rules, assigned them.
The convention's secretary, in other words, will record the votes as the RNC's rules say they should be cast even if Correll and others were to go rogue.
So unless the rules are changed when the convention's Rules Committee meets this week in Cleveland, Virginia's vote tally next week won't change even if Correll and 1,000 other delegates were to cast their votes for Mickey Mouse.
Practically speaking, Payne didn't direct the RNC to change course.
RNC spokeswoman Lindsay Walters told The Washington Post on Monday that Payne's ruling 'upholds the right of political parties to set their own rules for national convention delegate selection and allocation.'
'It affirms our First Amendment right to require that delegates be bound to primary results, and it makes clear that delegates are bound under national party rules.'
That much is true: Payne ruled that the GOP can apply its own rules, under which Trump controls more than enough 'bound' delegates those committed to support him by their state parties' rules to win the Republican presidential nomination.
SHOWDOWN: The Cleveland, Ohio convention's Rules Committee is meeting this week to hammer out the final rules for convention voting
The rules in force are leftovers from the 2012 convention in Tampa, Florida, giving anti-Trump forces a last hope of tossing out their standard-bearer.
A long-shot effort could force a change in the 2012 rules, 'unbinding' delegates and throwing the Quicken Loans Arena into chaos.
If one-quarter of the 112-member Rules Committee's members were to sign on to a 'minority report' asking for all the convention's delegates to be unbound, the full convention would be required to put the question to a vote.
At that point, anything is possible.
Correll offered NBC News a victory lap on Monday, saying the GOP and the Trump campaign were 'morbidly humiliated' by his federal court victory.
'They put all their chips on the table and they lost all of them if I were them I'd go hide in a closet in Trump Tower,' he said.
In a statement hours later, he begged fellow anti-Trump delegates to 'take a step forward from the darkness and into the light. Show us that you have the courage to stand for leader of the Free World, appeal to the better angels of our nature, and to deliver this Republic from the abomination of a Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton presidency.'
Trump Campaign attorney Don McGahn, a former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, issued a statement insisting that Payne's ruling will ultimately be seen as a 'fatal blow to the anti-Trump agitators.'
It's the fourth recent snake-in-toilet incident after a man's penis was bitten
A woman was attacked by a 14ft python when it appeared from a toilet as she was sat on it.
Terrified Nareerat Sri-nhampong, 38, managed to quickly jump from the loo as she spotted the snake, avoiding injury.
Local rescue volunteers in Chonburi, Thailand, were sworn in and the reeling woman's bathroom had to be destroyed in order to catch the giant beast.
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Monster: Terrified Naneerat Sri-nhampong, 38, managed to quickly jump from the loo as she spotted this snake, avoiding injury
Captured: Local rescue volunteers in Chonburi, Thailand, were sworn in and the reeling woman's bathroom had to be destroyed in order to catch the giant beast
The search and rescue took longer than an hour, as the volunteers used a hammer to smash up floor tiles and found the reptile hiding in a hollow space beneath the floor.
When they finally managed to coax the python out of its space, it measured in at a massive 20kg and was more than 4 metres long.
Nareerat said she was bitten in the heel by, what she assumes was, the same python three months ago while using the toilet, according to a local news source.
It's the fourth recent incident involving snakes in a toilet in Bangkok, two of which have been pythons and two have been cobras.
While Nareerat managed a lucky escape from her python, a man in suffered huge blood loss after a snake sank its fangs into his penis while he was sitting on the toilet.
Atthaporn Boonmakchuay tried desperately to break free after the huge python attacked in the bathroom of his home in Chachoengsao, east of the capital Bangkok.
The 38-year-old reportedly reached down with his hand after feeling a sharp bite - only to discover the serpent's jaws clamped around the tip of his penis.
Aftermath: A man in Thailand suffered huge blood loss after a python sank its fangs into his penis while he was sitting on the toilet
Gruesome: Atthaporn Boonmakchuay tried desperately to break free after the huge snake attacked in the bathroom of his home in Chachoengsao, east of the capital Bangkok
Atthaporn screamed out for his wife as he thrashed around trying to dislodge the 11ft python.
Moments before collapsing, he managed to tie rope around the snake's head and tie it to the bathroom door.
But he was rushed to hospital after suffering horrific blood loss in the ordeal.
Footage shows emergency crews trying to ease the python out of pipes under the toilet and using hammers to smash it free.
Recovery: Atthaporn Boonmakchuay (pictured) screamed out for his wife as he thrashed around trying to dislodge the python
Discovery: The 11ft python was found by emergency crews jammed up in the pipes leading to the victim's toilet
Rescue: The reptile was then made safe and placed in a bag ahead of being released back in wild, local media reported
The reptile was then made safe and placed in a bag ahead of being released back in wild, according to Bangpakong News.
No show: Alan Blacker was due to appear in London to face claims by the Solicitors Regulation Authority that he lied about his qualifications on LinkedIn
An eccentric lawyer criticised by a judge for dressing 'like something out of Harry Potter' has said he cannot attend his own disciplinary hearing because it clashes with his birthday.
Alan Blacker, of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, was due to appear in London to face claims by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) that he lied about his qualifications on LinkedIn.
He is also accused of falsely claiming to be a fellow of the Zoological Society, a licensed boiler examiner and a monetary advisor to the Financial Conduct Authority.
And Mr Blacker, who also calls himself Lord Harley and allegedly says he holds qualifications from at least seven universities, is also accused of making inaccurate claims about titles he used and recklessly misleading a court.
Two years ago Mr Blacker was told off by a judge when he appeared in court wearing medals and ceremonial ribbons on his gown.
At the time Judge David Wynn Morgan said: If you want look like something out of Harry Potter you can forget coming to this court ever again.
Mr Blacker, who goes by the full title of Dr The Right Honourable The Lord Harley of Counsel of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, claims a string of academic, ceremonial and honorary badges which are disputed by the regulatory body. He is also accused of recklessly misleading a crown court judge and a number of accounting failures.
But this morning at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, Mr Blacker, who had previously said he would relish the opportunity to deal with these allegations, was a no show.
Slammed: In 2014 Mr Blacker (left) was told off by a judge for 'looking like something out of Harry Potter' (right, Rubeus Hagrid is pictured) when he appeared in court wearing medals and ceremonial ribbons on his gown
Edward Levey, representing the SRA, urged the bench to continue with the proceedings in Mr Blackers absence, citing the lack of evidence for his absence as telling.
He said: He says he is unable to travel from his home in Rochdale to London, but that is mere assertion. You must look at the evidence. He says he is too ill to attend a hearing in London.
HOW LAWYER MR BLACKER 'SAID HE COULD NOT PROVIDE DOCUMENTS DUE TO CPR COURT INJURY' Alan Blacker told his legal regulator he could not provide them with requested documents because he was injured after performing CPR whilst in court, it was claimed at the tribunal. Edward Levey, representing the SRA, said that when the regulatory body had requested documents from Mr Blacker, they received a response which said: Dr Blacker was injured today in court performing CPR for an hour. Mr Devey added: When the SRA asked in which court the incident had taken place, they received another message which said, which part of injured do you not understand? I'm a carer for Dr Blacker on his phone and he is finally asleep. A later message, this time from Mr Blacker himself, said: I had to administer advanced life-saving techniques which left me with a lung-threatening injury and exhausted. Mr Levey said: Imagine, you tell your regulator, you say you were in court and injured giving life-saving treatment to someone - this is a matter of the utmost importance, that you tell the truth to your regulator. The hearing was also told that Mr Blacker claimed to be an emergency care practitioner, accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons. However Mr Levey told the court that Mr Blacker had attended an intensive two-day experience - but was merely an observer and not qualified to take the full course. He said that following the course, Mr Blacker had phoned the course leader and threatened him with legal action in a few text messages and later pleaded for a certificate, claiming: I'm a bright lad for an ugly Lancastrian. Advertisement
'But he refuses to allow us to see his own medical evidence, which is extraordinary. A number of further requests have been made, but he has never provided medical evidence to substantiate his claims.
Mr Levey told the court that Mr Blacker claimed to have a pulmonary embolism and hyper tension and that he says his life would be threatened if he were to come to London.
Mr Levey added: He also says this disciplinary tribunal has cynically set the tribunal on his birthday. That is obviously a hopeless excuse.
The hearing was also told 16 witnesses from various institutions to which Mr Blacker claimed affiliation had been called by the SRA and were lined up ready to give evidence via video-link.
After a break, chair of the bench Paul Housego decided to continue with the hearing in Mr Blackers absence, adding: Not being able to travel to London - there is no evidence that that is the case. The fact that today is his birthday is not a good reason for an adjournment.
Mr Levey said that Mr Blacker used his LinkedIn page to market himself to potential clients or to reinforce his claims to existing ones.
Mr Levey added: Mr Blacker asserts that LinkedIn is not public, that it is not fully available to, not something the public has access to.
'But this is not true. You do not have to accept a friendship request, like on Facebook, for example. Anyone has access to it. And in fact, we have evidence where he has referred third parties directly to his LinkedIn page.
'The respondent claims that he has a doctorate of philosophy, or DPhil, in Law with Economics, with highest honours from Trinity College.
Now, it is unclear which Trinity College he is referring to, but the SRA have pulled up all the drains and contacted Trinity College Oxford, Trinity College Cambridge, and Trinity College Dublin. None of them said he had any affiliation or any dealings with any of these institutions.
Mr Levey told the court that Mr Blacker also falsely claimed to have a Post Graduate Diploma in Law qualification from Leeds Beckett University in property law and equity with first class honours.
He added: We have got evidence that the respondent merely completed some coursework at the LBU, did not sit any exams and could not, therefore, have first class honours.
He also says this disciplinary tribunal has cynically set the tribunal on his birthday. That is obviously a hopeless excuse Edward Levey, representing the Solicitors Regulation Authority
The hearing was told that Mr Blacker claimed to have an honours degree from Huddersfield University, but had only completed a BA degree, without honours.
Mr Levey said staff at Huddersfield confirmed he had been awarded a BA but that it was an ordinary degree and not an honours degree.
Mr Housego questioned whether Mr Blacker might have begun to believe in his own propaganda, adding: Some people have the capacity to believe to be what they wish to be.
Mr Levey replied: If you were to find that when he made those statements and he genuinely believes he that he has a degree from Oxford, that he was so deluded, then yes, I can see how that might not be dishonest.
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At first glance, it might look like your average detached home - but prospective buyers might consider donning sunglasses for this viewing.
Inside this rural three-bedroom home is an explosion of bright and bold colours, including a pink sofa, neon lights and a vibrant orange kitchen.
The technicolour property, in Pantygog, near Bridgend, South Wales, is a cacophony of shades and styles from across the world, including Morocco, India and Uzbekistan.
This rural three-bedroom is an explosion of bright and bold colours, including this vibrant kitchen which the owner has painted orange
As well as turquoise walls, the property boasts a gold ceiling, purple stairs, a pink sofa and a flamboyant tiger-shaped mat (pictured above)
Owner Saira Hunjan, 34, says her favourite room is her bedroom (pictured), which is decorated with furniture from Morocco and India
As well as turquoise walls, the property boasts a gold ceiling, purple stairs, red carpets and a flamboyant tiger-shaped mat.
Now owner Saira Hunjan is selling the property for 130,000 - and hopes the 'bohemian' style will be to buyers' tastes.
The 34-year-old said: 'My Bohemian style has proved to catch the attention of people and given me the opportunity to share my style.
'It may not be to everyone's taste, but people have been able to appreciate the love and care I've put into it. It's this vision that has attracted people and not the standard white space.
'This interior makes me feel like I've brought back a part of these special places. Colour is therapy and really stimulating.'
Of all the multi-coloured rooms, Ms Hunjan's favourite is her bedroom - a space decorated with various items from Morocco and India.
The technicolour property, in Pantygog, near Bridgend, South Wales, looks ordinary from the outside (pictured), but is a cacophony of colours and styles from across the world
Bright-eyed homeowners will be impressed with the yellow and red walls, as well as the bright paintings and hangings adorning the walls
Ms Hunjan, a tattooist and artist, buys most of her furniture from abroad, usuall online. She said she inspired by different countries
'I wake up to the colours of Rajasthan with an amazing view of the woodland outside that changes colour throughout the year,' she said.
'As I spend quite a lot of time away, it's always nice to get back into my own bed, it's an antique frame from France. I also have an antique Victorian hat and umbrella stand in the room, which I have turned into a personal altar.'
Ms Hunjan, a tattooist and artist, also buys most of her furniture from abroad, usually buying the items online.
'I love hand crafted and carved furniture so am always on the look-out for them. I've collected a lot of pieces from antique shops, ebay and also shipped items back from India,' she said.
The tattooist and artist has put the unique property on the market for 130,000 and hopes prospective buyers will like the 'bohemian' feel
Ms Hunjan said she wants other people to follow her colourful lead if they are brave enough, saying: 'Just go for it!'. Her walk-in wardrobe in one of the bedrooms is pictured above, complete with red carpet and turquoise walls
'I found the pink sofa online. It's an antique chesterfield frame upholstered in suzani fabric from Uzbekistan.
'I've always loved embossed tin art from Mexico. So I found a UK online company that sold these fire retardant ceiling tiles. They were very easy to apply with plaster, which I then painted gold.'
Ms Hunjan said she wants other people to follow her colourful lead if they are brave enough.
A drunk teenage British tourist in Greece forced his way into an ambulance and then raced it through the streets in scenes that 'resembled a movie', it was reported.
The boy, on holiday in Lagana on the island of Zakynthos, allegedly pushed the driver out, climbed in and then went joyriding recklessly through the streets, terrifying passers-by and motorists.
The ambulance, which belonged to a private medical centre, hit seven parked cars and a motorbike before crashing outside a night club.
A drunk teenage British tourist in Lagana (pictured), on Zakynthos, forced his way into an ambulance and then raced it through the streets in scenes that 'resembled a movie', it was reported (file image)
The police arrived quickly and arrested the teen driver, protothema reported.
However, the Public Prosecutor ruled that he had to be released because he's a minor - under the age of 18.
Police reportedly told the boy 'see you next year in an articulated lorry'.
MailOnline has contacted the police in Zakynthos for a comment.
The alleged joyrider crashed the ambulance outside a club, where he was arrested. Pictured is Lagana beach
The Public Prosecutor on Zakynthos ruled that the alleged joyrider had to be released because he's a minor
The number of British holidaymakers in Greece has increased recently as many are too concerned about the safety of resorts in North Africa and Turkey.
Terrorist attacks in Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey and in Brussels have meant travellers are more reluctant to stray from long-trusted tourist destinations.
Leading tour operators such as Thomas Cook have been moving capacity from perceived risk spots to safer havens since autumn last year, booking hotels in the Canaries and mainland Spain.
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Bernie Sanders conceded the Democratic race today and endorsed Hillary Clinton at a rally in New Hampshire.
'Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nomination,' Sanders told a cheering audience in Portsmouth. 'And I intend to do everything I can to make sure she will be the next president.'
Sanders recapped his campaign, highlighting the 22 states and nearly 1,900 delegates he won over the six-month primary. Unfortunately, he said, it was 'not enough to win.'
'Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding president, and I am proud to stand with her today,' the U.S. senator said after promising to campaign in every corner of the country to keep Donald Trump from winning the November election.
He did not suspend his own presidential campaign today, even as he gave his support to Clinton, who a month ago clinched enough pledged and superdelegates to beat him in a face-off at the party's national convention.
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I've done it: Bernie Sanders, whose calls for a 'political revolution' energized millions of voters across the nation, offered a long-awaited endorsement of his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton Tuesday, calling for unity just two shy of the Democratic National Convention
Head bowed: Democrat Bernie Sanders endorsed former rival Hillary Clinton for president in a belated show of party unity on Tuesday, saying it was critical that Democrats come together to defeat Republican Donald Trump in November
Begrudging: 'It is no secret that Hillary Clinton and I disagree on a number of issues - that's what this campaign has been about,' Sanders said
Sweaty work: Democrats have coalesced around Clinton's candidacy since she defeated Sanders in primaries last month in California and five other states, led by endorsements from President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and others
Come here: Sanders' endorsement brought the most prominent holdout in the party's liberal wing into Clinton's camp less than two weeks before the opening of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia
Embrace: Five weeks after Clinton clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, the U.S. senator from Vermont ended his upstart campaign and joined her at a rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to put their bitter primary battle behind them
Clinton hopes the joint appearance will help her win over Sanders supporters, some of whom carried Sanders signs into the rally and frequently drowned out her supporters
Sanders said during his remarks, 'It's no secret that Hillary Clinton and I disagree on a number of issues; that is what this campaign has been about, that is what democracy is about.'
But he said their campaigns had a 'significant coming together' over the weekend at the party's final platform committee hearing before the nominating convention, in two weeks in Philadelphia.
He told the rowdy audience, 'I have known Hillary Clinton for 25 years; we were a bit younger then. I remember her as a great first lady who broke precedent in terms of the role that a first lady is supposed to play. She helped me to fight for universal healthcare.
'I served with her in the United States Senate and know her as a fierce advocate for the rights of children,' he said. 'And I know her, and all of you know her, as one of the most intelligent people that we have ever met.'
Clinton said it was a great privilege' to be with her former rival at the event.
'I can't help but reflect how much more enjoyable this election is going to be now that we are on the same side, because you know what? We are stronger together.'
The former U.S. senator and secretary of state said she and Sanders were joining forces to defeat Trump. In an ode to Sanders' primary slogan she added, 'And yes, together, build a future we can all believe in.'
'Just as Bernie said, over the years I've gotten to know him as a colleague and a friend. His reputation for passionate advocacy hasn't always made him the most popular person in Washington.'
She said, 'But you know what? That's generally a sign you're doing something right.'
Sanders brought people 'off the sidelines and into the political process,' she observed.
'So thank you, thank you, Bernie, for your endorsement,' Clinton said, saluting the Vermont senator. 'But more than that, thank you for a lifetime of fighting injustice. I am proud to be fighting alongside you.'
Before the event had even concluded, Clinton was already fundraising off his endorsement.
'Today, I am so honored that Senator Sanders is joining me on the campaign trail and is ready to take on Trump and the GOP. With the Republican National Convention just a week away, the Republicans are preparing to put the full force of their party toward one goal: attacking our team,' she wrote.
'This campaign is changing soon. Trump is expected to announce his running mate any day now, and the GOP platform is taking shape. This is the last week we can pull together and show how unified we are before Trump and the Republicans come after us -- and the values we hold dear -- in Cleveland.'
Clinton asked her backers to 'chip in $1' or more to take the fight to Trump before he and his running mate stick it to her.
Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders stand together during a campaign rally where Sanders endorsed Clinton in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Resonance: The Vermont senator saw his longshot bid for the White House quickly catch fire in 2015 at large-scale rallies where he denounced income inequality, the influence of Wall Street and the role of big money in politics - all part of a system he described as 'rigged'
Admitting defeat and endorsing a rival: The event at a Portsmouth high school sought to project Democratic unity before Republicans formally nominate Trump next week in Cleveland but some Sanders' supporters in the crowd did not appear to be ready to move on
Sanders said today that he was ready to endorse Hillary Clinton; his supporters on the other hand were not.
Holding up red, white and blue 'Bernie' signs from his primary campaign, Sanders supporters repeatedly interrupted Democratic officials tasked with bridging the gap between the two candidates before they took the stage.
'BERNIE,' they shouted over and over. As New Hampshire Governor and Senate candidate Maggie Hassan told them it was time to send a message the party is 'united and strong' one audience member shouted back, 'No, it's not.'
A reminder that Howard Dean, the former governor of Vermont and the founder of progressive activist organization Democracy for America, endorsed Clinton and not Sanders in the primary drew boos from the audience.
New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Hillary backer in the primary, sought to ease tensions as she took the stage, shouting at the still chanting audience, 'Go Bernie and go Hillary, right?'
She too had her remarks interrupted with hollers of 'Black Lives Matter' and 'Stop TPP' in addition to 'Bernie!'
After the crowd erupted into a shouting match of competing 'Bernie' and 'Hillary' and chants, she told them, 'Hillary understands that we're all in this together and we can only move forward together.'
'We need Hillary, we need Bernie, and we need each other,' she told them.
Shyla Nelson, a pledged delegate for Sanders at the Democratic convention, told DailyMail.com after the event she was undecided when she arrived and remained undecided when she left about what she'll do in November.
'Hillary has a credibility problem,' Nelson said. Clinton needs to 'address in a fundamental way' issues Sanders campaigned on in the primary in order to 'earn the trust' of Sanders supporters she said.
The Sanders fan said that 'on every issue' Clinton still has work to do.
If she can't bring herself to vote for Clinton in the general election, Nelson said she would not be voting for Trump, though. 'No way will I ever support Donald Trump,' she said.
Those sentiments were echoed by other Sanders voters at the event, held in the first state the underdog candidate beat Clinton.
One Sanders supporter accused Clinton of winning the election through fraud, saying she had to 'cheat her way in.'
'We're here because of Bernie, and we'll vote for Bernie no matter who runs for president, we will vote for Bernie,' said Sanders supporter Les Hook.
It's 'Bernie or Bust,' chimed in Nova Kim. Kim said she's been in politics all her life and served as a national committeewoman for the Democratic Party. 'I am more afraid of Hillary than I am Trump and I am scared to death of Trump,' she said.
Trump previously praised Sanders at times, but wrote Tuesday that Sanders wasn't 'true to himself and his supporters'
Being a bad negotiator is a major defect in Trump's view, and Sanders may have blundered by holding out too long and getting creamed in the California primary
Trump previously praised Sanders at times, but wrote Tuesday that he wasn't 'true to himself and his supporters'
In a lengthy email to his supporters timed to go out after his endorsement speech, Sanders explained his decision, arguing, 'Donald Trump as president would be a devastating blow to all that we are fighting for.'
'His openly bigoted and pro-billionaire campaign could precipitate the same decades-long rightward shift in American politics that happened after the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980. That rightward shift after Reagans election infected not just politics as a whole but led to the ascendancy of the corporatist wing of the Democratic Party an era from which we are still recovering.
'I cannot in good conscience let that happen,' Sanders said.
The progressive senator acknowledged that his most ardent backers may not be on board with his announcement. 'I know that some of you will be disappointed with that decision,' he wrote. 'But I believe that, at this moment, our country, our values, and our common vision for a transformed America, are best served by the defeat of Donald Trump and the election of Hillary Clinton.
'You should know that in the weeks since the last primary, both campaigns have worked together in good faith to bridge some of the policy issues that divided us during the election. Did we come to agreement on everything? Of course not. But we made important steps forward.'
He further stated that the political revolution he promised them would live on.
'In the coming weeks, I will be announcing the creation of successor organizations to carry on the struggle that we have been a part of these past 15 months. I hope you will continue to be involved in fighting to transform America.
'Our goal will be to advance the progressive agenda that we believe in and to elect like-minded candidates at the federal, state and local levels who are committed to accomplishing our goals.'
Sanders said he intends 'to be actively campaigning throughout this election season to elect candidates who will stand by our agenda.'
'I hope to see many of you at events from coast to coast, he wrote.
Oh no Bernie: 'It's like he's giving up if he endorses her,' said Steve Rand, a hardware store owner from Plymouth, New Hampshire, before the two candidates took the stage. He added: 'She stands for everything that I am against.
Not altogether: Chants of 'Bernie' broke out in the gymnasium while opening speakers addressed the crowd, prompting Clinton's faithful to chant, 'Unity'
Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders greet supporters during a campaign rally where Sanders endorsed Clinton in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Final endorsement: Standing alongside one another at an event in Portsmouth, N.H., Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, congratulated Clinton for winning the nomination and vowed to do everything he can to help her beat presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.
'Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process,' Sanders said to cheers in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. 'And I intend to do everything I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United States.'
'She will be the Democratic nominee for president, and I intend to do everything I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United States,' Sanders told a raucous crowd that included plenty of vocal Sanders supporters.
Sanders said during his remarks in Portsmouth, which were prepared, unlike the free-flowing speeches he gave at his rallies throughout the primary, that the 2016 campaign 'is not really about Hillary Clinton, or Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders, or any other candidate who sought the presidency.'
'This campaign is about the needs of the American people and addressing...the very serious crises that we face. And there is no doubt in my mind that, as we head into November, Hillary Clinton is far and away the best candidate to do that.'
He told the audience, 'This campaign is about moving the United States toward universal health care and reducing the number of people who are uninsured or under-insured,' he reminded his audience. 'Hillary Clinton wants to see that all Americans have the right to choose a public option in their health care exchange, which will lower the cost of health care.'
Clinton is also committed to addressing the opiate crisis in New Hampshire and across the country and lowering the cost of prescription drugs, he told his supporters.
She also 'knows that something is fundamentally wrong when the very rich become richer while many others are working longer hours for lower wages.'
'While Hillary Clinton supports making our tax code fairer and more progressive, Donald Trump wants to give hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks to the very wealthiest people in this country. His reckless economic policies will not only exacerbate income and wealth inequality, they would increase our national debt by trillions of dollars,' he said according to his prepared remarks.
Clinton, he said at another point, 'understands that we must fix an economy in America that is rigged and that sends almost all new wealth and income to the top one percent.'
She believes like he does that 'we must substantially lower student debt, and that we must make public colleges and universities tuition free for the middle class and working families of this country,' Sanders said.
The initiative she announced last week to make higher education free and public institutions for families making under $125,000 'is a major initiative that will revolutionize higher education in this country and improve the lives of so many people,' he told them.
'Think of what it will mean...when every child in this country, regardless of the income of his or her family, knows that if they study hard if they take school seriously yes, they will be able to get a college education and leave school without debt.'
Listing all the initiatives he passionately campaigned for in the year he spent challenging Clinton for the nomination - with the notable exception of trade and his interest in tearing up the president's 12-nation, Pacific Rim deal - and the progress his campaign made toward moving the party to the left, Sanders proudly assessed that in Orlando, Democrats adopted the 'most progressive platform' in the history of party politics.
Come together: The appearance in Portsmouth concluded weeks of negotiations between the two camps as Sanders pressed for concessions from Clinton on his liberal policy agenda
Donald Trump hammered Sanders throughout the morning on Twitter over the endorsement, saying in one tweet: 'Bernie sanders has abandoned his supporters by endorsing pro-war pro-TPP pro-Wall Street Crooked Hillary Clinton.'
'I am somewhat surprised that Bernie Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters. They are not happy that he is selling out! '
Sanders made no mention of trade at the event. Clinton did however hit on the issue, saying her campaign would be about saying 'no to attacks on working families, and no to bad trade deals and unfair trade practices, including the Trans-Pacific partnership.'
Trump and the Republicans she said want to bring back 'voodoo economics.' The first time they tried to sell America on that argument, 'they fooled us, shame on them,' she said. 'But if they come back with the same argument, and people fall for it, shame on us.'
'But I will promise you this, Senator Sanders and I will spare no effort to make sure the people of America know that once again Trump and his cronies are trying to pull the wool over our eyes and come back with the same failed policies that hurt us before,' she said.
Clinton promised that in her first 100 days as president she'd make the biggest investment in jobs since WWII. She also said she'd increase the federal minimum wage, a point she and Sanders belabored over in the primary campaign when she wanted to put it at $12 and he demanded $15, from $7.25 an hour - something she and Sanders each referred to as a 'starvation wage.'
'So Donald, if you're watching, we're not cutting the minimum wage, we're raising the minimum wage,' she screamed, directing her ire toward Trump.
The soon-to-be official Democratic nominee said she'd make campaign finance reform 'a top priority' and she'd expand Social Security and guarantee equal pay for women.
'I can just envision the tweets Donald is putting together. And Donald Trump can accuse me of playing the woman card all he wants. If fighting for equal pay and paid family leave is playing the woman card, then deal me in,' she said, the audience joining in to chant the oft-repeated line.
Continuing, Clinton said, 'I tell you these aren't just my fights, these are Bernie's fights, these are America's fights, these are fights we have to wage and win together.'
New Hampshire borders Sanders' home state of Vermont and the senator bested Clinton there by 22 points in the influential state that historically holds the first primary in presidential election years.
In the spirit of unity, Sanders told his supporters today: 'I have come here today not to talk about the past but to focus on the future. That future will be shaped more by what happens on November 8 in voting booths across our nation than by any other event in the world.
'I have come here to make it as clear as possible as to why I am endorsing Hillary Clinton and why she must become our next president.'
UNEASY?: 'Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nomination,' Sanders told a cheering audience. 'And I intend to do everything I can to make sure she will be the next president'
Clinton won the national Democratic popular vote and earned President Barack Obama's backing on June 7. Leagues ahead in superdelegates, Clinton became the party's presumptive nominee, yet Sanders refused to concede.
Even as he admitted that Clinton would top the party's ticket Sanders has remained in the race, perhaps hoping that her campaign would implode and he could still somehow win the nomination at a contested convention.
The slim chance that could happen went out the window last week when Clinton was exonerated by the Justice Department in its investigation of her emails.
Sanders suggested to reporters on Saturday that an endorsement could be on its way as the candidates continued to come together on the issues that formed his crusade to win the presidential campaign, but it was not clear until the rally Tuesday whether he'd fully back her.
Early Monday morning the presumptive Democratic nominee sent a press release to reporters that said Sanders 'will join Hillary Clinton for a campaign event at Portsmouth High School to discuss their commitment to building an America that is stronger together and an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.'
Five minutes later Sanders' camp sent out a release that described the event in exactly those words.
The rally was reminiscent of the joint event Clinton campaigned with 2008 Democratic nominee Barack Obama at in Unity, New Hampshire, after she ended her own unsuccessful campaign.
Then, she and Obama wore color-matched outfits - him in a sky-blue tie and her in a sky-blue pantsuit - and poured praise on each other.
Clinton spoke directly to her supporters thinking of abandoning the Democratic Party and voting for Republican nominee John McCain instead of Obama.
'I strongly urge you to reconsider,' she told them, warning that McCain and incumbent President George W. Bush were 'two sides of the same coin.'
Sanders, who was recognized in the campaign not just for his passion but for his frumpy attire that he self-deprecatingly acknowledged wasn't ripped from the pages of GQ, did not go the full Obama '08 route and coordinate his look with Clinton, though they both wore blue.
The message to the Democrats and independents enthusiastically backing his campaign was, however, quite similar.
Democrats will formally select Clinton as their nominee in two weeks in Philadelphia. At that time she is also expected to announce who she's picked to be her vice president.
Sanders has applied for a permit to hold a rally in Franklin Delano Park, the Burlington Free Press reports, and plans to celebrate his campaign's 22 victories there.
Roxy Jacenko told her four-year-old daughter she has been diagnosed with breast cancer because the little girl is so 'perceptive'.
The Sydney PR supremo told her husband Oliver Curtis about the recent diagnosis when he called from prison just weeks after he was jailed for insider trading.
But she decided to also tell her eldest child because Pixie is 'inquisitive' and has shown a remarkable sensitivity to her mother since Curtis was sentenced, Daily Telegraph reported.
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Roxy Jacenko (left) told her four-year-old daughter Pixie (right) she has been diagnosed with breast cancer because the little girl is so perceptive
The 36-year-old decided to tell Pixie because she is 'remarkable' and 'inquisitive', Ms Jacenko said
Ms Jacenko said Pixie was upset by the news.
'She cried last night [Monday night] because I said I wasn't going to come home for two nights because I would be in hospital.'
Her two-year-old son Hunter doesn't know about the cancer because he wouldn't understand, she said.
Ms Jacenko said she was 'shocked' at how sensitive Pixie was when Curtis was jailed.
Roxy Jacenko was diagnosed with breast cancer just weeks after her husband Oliver Curtis was jailed for insider trading (Ms Jacenko and Curtis pictured with their two young children - Pixie and Hunter)
'She cried last night [Monday night] because I said I wasn't going to come home for two nights because I would be in hospital,' Ms Jacenko said of Pixie (pictured together in June, 2015, at Australian premiere of Inside Out)
'She just thought I had a very bad day in the office. She gave me a pat on the back and said: "Don't worry",' Ms Jacenko told Daily Telegraph.
Like her mother, who runs Sweaty Betty PR, four-year-old Pixie has a large Instagram following of 110,000.
Ms Jacenko discovered the lump on her breast while showering 10 days ago.
The 36-year-old was due to undergo a 'partial removal' of the lump but that surgery was delayed on Tuesday because the cancer 'is larger than first suspected, so more testing is required'.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Roxy Jacenko for comment.
Ms Jacenko said when she came home after Curtis was jailed, Pixie thought her mother had endured a bad day at work: 'She gave me a pat on the back and said: "Don't worry".'
The 36-year-old mother has not told her two-year-old son Hunter because she said he wouldn't understand
'She cried last night [Monday night] because I said I wasn't going to come home for two nights because I would be in hospital,' Ms Jacenko said of Pixie (pictured together)
Ms Jacenko shared a picture of herself with luggage on Instagram on Tuesday
Ms Jacenko and Pixie are pictured attending the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Carriageworks in Redfern, Sydney, in April 2015
Ms Jacenko's husband was jailed last month for insider trading and will spend at least one year in prison (Curtis and Ms Jacenko pictured arriving at NSW Supreme Court in June)
The 71-year-old later apologise, saying she posted the message at 4am
Bianca Jagger has apologised for tweeting a link to a racist, antisemitic and homophobic website as she attempted to support besieged Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
The former actress and ex-wife of Mick Jagger posted a link to a shocking list of MPs in which they were labelled as 'jew', 'negro', 'negress' and 'homosexual'.
She appears to have tweeted the list in an attempt to suggest Labour MPs want to get rid of Jeremy Corbyn because they voted for the Iraq war.
The 71-year-old activist's controversial tweet, posted late last night, read: 'List of UK #MPs who voted for #Iraqwar - please read it carefully, understand why they want Jeremy Corbyn out'
Bianca Jagger has apologised for tweeting a link to a racist, antisemitic and homophobic webpage as she attempted to show support for embattled Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn
The message included a link to an 'alternative encyclopedia', which lists MPs alongside racist and homophobic tags.
Many politicians on the list are described as 'openly homosexual', others are branded simply 'jew' or 'negro'. One is descrbed as 'judeo-negress hybrid'.
In a further attempt to support Mr Corbyn, Ms Jagger wrote: 'If Labour NEC prevents Jeremy Corbyn from participating in the Labour Leadership ballot, I fear all hell will break loose #BlairiteCoup'
After horrified Twitter followers pointed out the sickening terms used in the website, Jagger issued an apology.
She wrote: 'I am mortified about the terrible mistake I made. I posted a tweet at 4.15am without reading the unspeakable contents of the website.
'I thought I was posting a straightforward list of UK MPs who voted for the war in Iraq, and I scheduled the tweet this morning.
'If you follow me on Twitter, you will know that I campaign against racism, xenophobia, bigotry and homophobia constantly.
'The contents of this website is not something I would endorse. It was a terrible, terrible mistake.'
This tweet sparked fury among Jagger's followers, as it linked to a webpage which labelled MPs according to their race or sexuality
Jagger later sent a number of tweets apologising and but insisted 'those responsible' for the Iraq War 'must be held to account'
Her intervention comes as the Labour leadership battle turns increasingly bitter, with bricks thrown through Corbyn's rival Angela Eagle's office overnight.
Mr Corbyn called for calm today and claimed he also had received threats.
She told Sky News she opted for a more rewarding backroom role
Peta Credlin says she was offered seats in parliament but rejected them because she didn't think she had a 'thick skin' for being a politician.
Tony Abbott's former chief of staff told host Paul Murray on Sky News on Tuesday that she also believed the size of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's cabinet should be halved to 15 members.
Ms Credlin said she had been previously offered to enter the parliament but opted instead to work a backroom role where she would be more valued and rewarded.
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Peta Credlin (pictured) told Sky News on Tuesday she rejected seats in parliament because she didn't think she had a 'thick skin' for being a politician
Ms Credlin said she had been previously offered seats in parliament but opted instead to work a backroom role where she would be more valued and rewarded
Tony Abbott's (pictured) former chief of staff told host Paul Murray that she also believed the size of Prime Minister Turnbull's Cabinet should be halved to 15 members
'At various stages, I have been offered seats, I have been warned off seats, I have been told to wait my time in the queue behind some important bloke,' she said.
She also said she did not want to be subservient to 'nameless nobody' branch officials in order to obtain preselection.
'I didn't think that I wanted to kowtow to some nameless nobody in a branch in order to get preselected and God forbid have to kowtow my whole time in parliament to hold onto it,' she said.
Malcolm Turnbull's Cabinet of 30 members, 20 in Cabinet and 10 in the outer ministry, is 'too large' and said it should be halved to 15, she said.
She said younger ministers should spend more time in the ministry to gain more experience to enter Cabinet, and pointed towards John Howard's hierarchical Cabinet structure.
'Not many people were promoted directly,' she said. 'I think that's a good way to go. Once in Cabinet, unless they retire it is really hard to get them out.'
Malcolm Turnbull's Cabinet of 30 members, 20 in Cabinet and 10 in the outer ministry, is 'too large' and said it should be halved to 15, she said
Opinion / Columnist
There has been hullabaloo and different public perceptions in the media about the way police officers try to handle and arrest public disorder especially with reference to the just ended protests.Police officers are held to a higher standard of behavior by society, because they are stewards of the public trust. Just like most public officials, police officers take an oath of office and they are expected to comply with professional codes of ethics, and they are subject to various laws, rules, and regulations.Home Affairs Minister, Dr Ignatius Chombo emphasized that the police should desist from harassing members of the public as this creates unnecessary tension between the two parties. Police officers should just act professionally to avoid public chaos.There must be an atmosphere of cooperation and mutual respect between the police and the people they serve. There should not be friction between police officers and the public. This is because police officers represent the law enforcement profession as well as government. They are also the personifications of the law. This means that their conduct should be beyond reproach both off and on duty.Harassing and brutalizing people is not always the best way to solve public issues and maintaining of public order. Complaints by citizens about police behavior, particularly the excessive use of force, are part of the bigger problem of relations between the police and the public.Police officers should be advised to do their thorough investigations first before extremely beating up people. I believe after investigations the offenders should be taken before the courts for ruling.However, in cases where disagreements cannot be avoided, minimum force can be employed by these law enforcement officers as an effort of resolving conflicts. It is essential for the police officers to use the appropriate use of force in effecting arrests.On the other hand, citizens should abide by the law in order to avoid such incidents. Lawlessness is not tolerated at all. To avoid being beaten by the law enforcement agents, citizens should respect the rule of law. Honestly, how can normal people burn tyres and block roads? Why does one have to interfere with other people's rights? Everyone has a right to movement; hence acts of blocking roads by hooligans should be a thing of the past.Also, acts of violence by citizens are a form of misconduct which I believe police officers should deal with without fail. Why should one incite other people to engage in social unrest? All those criminal elements behind social unrest should be apprehended and leave peace loving Zimbabweans enjoying their peace.
Snow has fallen in parts of Melbourne and Canberra as Sydney braces for sub-zero temperatures later this week.
Residents of Canberra have woken up to a flutter of snow as strong winds deliver a wintry chill.
Most suburbs are being dusted by snow flakes on Wednesday morning, with photos of snow-covered rooftops and cars on social media.
The temperature was sitting at 1C in the city earlier but Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Mohammed Nabi said it felt more like minus 7C as north-westerly winds blew.
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Snow has fallen in parts of Melbourne and blanketed Australia's capital Canberra (pictured in the distance is Parliament House)
An intense low pressure system has sent temperatures plummeting across the east coast. Pictured is a snowman in Canberra
Residents of Canberra have woken up to a flutter of snow as strong winds deliver a wintry chill
The three-day forecast across the nation as of Wednesday morning as a cold front hits the east coast
The city is expected to receive one to two centimetres of snow until mid-morning when the weather warms up to a maximum of 7C.
'Most of the suburbs in Canberra have reported snow except for the far northern ones,' Mr Nabi told AAP.
'It will be more like a dusting of snow.'
Winds are expected to remain brisk throughout the morning, with a severe weather warning for damaging winds covering much of the ACT.
Further south, Melbourne's outer suburbs have had a dusting of snow - a sign of the bitterly cold conditions that are yet to come.
The mercury dropped as low as 4.5 degrees in the city overnight, but it feels much colder than that at minus 0.8.
Further south, Melbourne's outer suburbs (pictured is Woodend) have had a dusting of snow - a sign of the bitterly cold conditions that are yet to come
The snow is a welcome sight for Australia's ski fields, including Perisher in NSW
A total of 35cm of snow fell overnight at the ski resort, which brings the past 24 hours' total to 50cm
Victoria's SES received more than 100 calls for help on Tuesday and has warned drivers to look out for black ice and drive to the conditions. Pictured again is Woodend
Freezing conditions are set to continue all day on Wednesday and while the mercury is tipped to reach 11 degrees in Melbourne (pictured), icy wind gusts are expected to make it feel like zero in the city
It got colder in the outer suburbs, just 0.7 degrees at Ferny Creek in the Dandenong Ranges - but it feels like minus 4.2.
Woodend, Lancefield, Gisborne, Ballan and some parts of the Dandenong Ranges have already seen snow and police are warning motorists on the Calder Freeway to stay in the left lane to avoid slippery conditions.
Paramedics are also calling for drivers to take care after two people were injured when their cars struck a fallen tree in two separate incidents overnight in Nar Nar Goon and Koetong.
They also treated a man who was injured when his car rolled after hitting black ice near Wonthaggi.
Freezing conditions are set to continue all day on Wednesday and while the mercury is tipped to reach 11 degrees in Melbourne, icy wind gusts are expected to make it feel like zero in the city.
It will be even colder in other parts as strong winds and thunderstorms hit coastal areas.
Victoria's SES received more than 100 calls for help on Tuesday and has warned drivers to look out for black ice and drive to the conditions.
Most suburbs are being dusted by snow flakes on Wednesday morning, with photos of snow-covered rooftops and cars on social media
The temperature was sitting at 1C in the city but Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Mohammed Nabi said it felt more like minus 7C as northwesterly winds blew
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning in the ACT (pictured is Canberra) and southern NSW
Black ice on the road has made driving conditions dangerous in Canberra (pictured)
Just outside of Canberra hills were blanketed with powder at One Tree Hill near Gungahlin
The city is expected to receive one to two centimetres of snow until mid-morning when the weather warms up to a maximum of 7C. One man's car covered in snow on Wednesday morning
The cold front is set to head east by Wednesday afternoon, with conditions easing.
The brisk weather will hit also Sydney on Wednesday, in what forecasters are describing as the 'Big Freeze', which are predicted send temperatures plummeting to below zero in some parts of the city by the end of the week.
Severe weather warnings are already in place for parts of New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, ACT and South Australia through Wednesday, as a damaging cold front whips across the country.
Cafe Bruny, south of Tasmania, had winds measuring upwards of 144km/h, with trees uprooted in the Channel region, the ABC reported.
Across the state, more than 7,000 homes and businesses were left without electricity, and forecasters have warned more gusts were on the way in Tasmania's south.
'We are actually in the lull at the moment in the south-east,' forecaster Tim Bolden told the national broadcaster.
'We're already seeing things pick up in the west, we have seen it get up to about 110kph at Cape Grim and that is going to push into the south-east in the next few hours.'
Tasmania's capital city Hobart has also had its fair share of snow.
Weatherzone meteorologist Kim Westcott told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday the low pressure system would also bring rain, snow and wind to Victoria.
'We could see snow above 400m during the evening and into Wednesday morning, but by Wednesday the temperature will get quite cold during the day, reaching a top of 11 degrees,' she said.
The fields in Burra in South Australia, north of Adelaide, covered in snow
Tasmania also saw its share of snow. Pictured is Mt Nelson near Hobart
There are also reports of snow coming out Goulburn in rural New South Wales
Ice on the roads on Federal Highway in Sydney on Wednesday morning as temperatures plummet
The cold front will cause the mercury to dip beneath zero degrees in some parts of Sydney's west throughout the week
THREE DAY FORECAST: WEATHER ACROSS AUSTRALIA Sydney Wednesday: Min 9, Max 14; windy Thursday: Min 6, Max 15; partly cloudy Friday: Min 6, Max 16; mostly sunny Brisbane Wednesday: Min 15 Max 19; mostly cloudy Thursday: Min 11 Max 17; cloudy Friday: Min 12 Max 19; possible shower
Adelaide Wednesday: Min 6 Max 13; possible shower Thursday: Min 6 Max 14; mostly sunny Friday: Min 5 Max 15; mostly sunny Canberra Wednesday: Min 7 Max -1; windy with showers Thursday: Min -4 Max 10; frost then sunny Friday: Min -4 Max 11; frost then sunny Melbourne Wednesday: Min 5 Max 11; possible shower Thursday: Min 6 Max 14; mostly sunny Friday: Min 8 Max 15; mostly sunny Perth Wednesday: Min 3 Max 16; frost then sunny Thursday: Min 5 Max 18; mostly sunny Friday: Min 11 Max 20; late shower Hobart Wednesday: Min 3 Max 8; windy with showers Thursday: Min 6 Max 13; showers Friday: Min 10 Max 14; mostly cloudy Darwin Wednesday: Min 22 Max 28; windy with showers Thursday: Min 18 Max 27; mostly sunny Friday: Min 17 Max 28; mostly sunny Source: Bureau of Meteorology Advertisement
In New South Wales, the Bureau of Meteorology warned residents in parts of the south of the state to stay indoors as damaging gusts of winds reached up to 80km/h overnight.
The freezing air mass behind the cold front will cause the mercury to dip beneath zero degrees in some parts of Sydney's west through the back end of the week.
'On Thursday and Friday morning we're going to see temperatures well below zero in the West and a wide spread of frost as well,' BoM duty forecaster Rebecca Kamitakahara told The Daily Telegraph.
The chilly conditions will be ideal for the ski fields, with the snow level forecast to drop roughly 600 metres around the central ranges - although the alpine regions are being warned to prepare for blizzards at points above 1700m in the Snowy Mountain districts.
'The ski fields are going to get a decent amount of snow and maybe even up to one and a half metres of snow,' Ms Kamitakahara said.
'Towards Thursday and Friday and later on once that's passed, a large high pressure system will be coming in, bringing colder mornings for Victoria and New South Wales, sunny conditions and lighter winds.'
And while most of the country was experiencing miserable weather, with strong winds and freezing temperatures, Queenslanders were able to enjoy a mostly dry day with a stunning sunset.
Photos of the sunset from Brisbane to the Gold Coast flooded social media on Tuesday evening, showing off a mesmerising meld of red and oranges painted across the sky.
Funerals are being held this week for three of the five cops
A lemonade stand run by four girls has raised an incredible $10,000 in just two days for the victims of the Dallas shooting.
Lauren Roach, 12, and 11-year-old Landry Nelon, hoped to to raise around $100 dollars for the families of the five cops shot by gunman Micah Johnson at a Black Lives Matter protest on Thursday.
'We felt really bad for all the victims' families,' said Lauren, from North Dallas. 'We just really feel that every little penny counted,' Landry told NBC DFW.
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A lemonade stand run by two girls, Lauren Roach, 12, (center) and 11-year-old Landry Nelon, (right) has raised an incredible $10,000 in just two days for the victims of the Dallas shooting
But the money immediately began flooding in.
Lauren's mother Tracey Roach said that most of the people weren't even interested in a glass of lemonade, they simply wanted to donate to Dallas victims.
Motorists who spotted the girls' 'DPD Donations' sign as they drove past stopped by to give anything from a few dollars, to handfuls of $50s.
'At first we thought we would get about $100, but after we got to about $5,000, we realized we could get this really high,' said Lauren, who was helped by 9-year-old Emmy Roberts and her 8-year-old sister Lily.
Tracey said that everyone simply wanted to offer their support to the officers and their families.
Lauren Roach, 12, and 11-year-old Landry Nelon, had hoped to to raise around $100 dollars for the families of the five cops shot by gunman Micah Johnson at a Black Lives Matter protest on Thursday
But the money immediately began flooding in. On Monday, after just two days, Lauren Roach, 12,(left) and 11-year-old Landry Nelon (right) presented a check for $10,000 to the Dallas Police Department
Dallas Police Association say they have not yet added up their donations but believe they have received hundreds of thousands of dollars
'Everybody (was) saying, "Back the blue, back the blue, we support Dallas, we support families, help Dallas become a better place."'
On Monday, after just two days, the girls presented a check for $10,000 to the Dallas Police Department.
'It's unbelievably moving,' said Fred Frazier of the Dallas Police Federation of the donations to the department. 'You break down at night when you start thinking about everything.
'We'll heal, it's just going to take some time.'
Donations have been pouring into the Dallas Police Department since the mass shooting on Thursday which claimed the lives of Brent Thompson, Patrick Zamarripa, Michael Krol, Lorne Ahrens and Michael J. Smith.
Seven officers were also injured in the shooting - the deadliest attack on police officers since 9/11.
The girls held up signs which said they were selling lemonade in aid of the victims of the Dallas shootings
One of the girl's mothers, Tracey Roach, said that everyone simply wanted to offer their support to the officers and their families
Southwest Airlines donated a check for $75,000, while Houston police donated $20,000.
Dallas Police Association say they have not yet added up their donations but believe they have received hundreds of thousands of dollars.
An informal memorial is growing everyday outside the police's city headquarters, while funerals are due to be held this week for three of the five police officers who were fatally shot during the march in Dallas.
On Monday volunteers from neighboring police departments attended a candlelight vigil at Dallas City Hall.
Sentenced to 18 years: Gavin Michael Rae, a Muslim convert now known at Yaqub Rae, is the first former serviceman to be jailed for ISIS-related offences
A former soldier who tried to take his children to Syria has been jailed for 18 years after buying a firearm from an undercover officer during a sting operation.
Gavin Michael Rae, 36, a Muslim convert now known at Yaqub Rae, is the first former serviceman to be jailed for ISIS-related offences.
Undercover recordings revealed that Rae, from Preston, Lancashire, regarded Britain as 'horrible' and said the women were 'filthy.'
He tried and failed three times to travel to Syria and then attempted to get hold of a handgun or an Uzi submachinegun.
Police were alerted to the fact that Rae was attempting to purchase a firearm and set up an undercover operation.
He eventually arranged to meet an undercover officer at Bicester Village shopping outlet near Oxford last October and told him he wanted to get hold of a firearm.
His children had been removed from his care as a result of his alleged attempt to reach Syria and he had started to follow Fathers For Justice on Facebook, writing: 'Remember that the more you push, the harder the reaction, the greater the fall.
'Hand back what's truly mine or, by the permission of Allah, I'll get what's mine anyway and you'll lose everything inshallah.'
Rae, who worked as a railway construction worker, told another undercover officer: 'They think I'm dangerous, do you know why they think I'm dangerous? Because I like speaking about Islam.
'It's not going to be long now before Islam comes to the shores of this countryand if they reject it, we'll fight them, because this is what Allah wants.'
Mr Justice Sweeney told Rae: 'You decided to make preparations and I have no doubt that if the final care proceedings had gone against you, you would have taken matters into your own hands.
'You decided to gain possession of working firearms and a quantity of ammunition so if, in your view, it became necessary, you could take the children from this country by force and go on to take part in fighting abroad for a cause that you had, in the past, expressed your support for to undercover officers.'
Rae was said by the judge to have pursued his task with 'enthusiasm' over the course of several weeks.
Sting operation: Rae tried and failed three times to travel to Syria and then attempted to get hold of a handgun or an Uzi submachinegun. Pictured is the firearm the 36-year-old purchased from an undercover police officer
Caught out: Rae met an undercover officer, referred to as 'Vik' in a 'non-descript' hotel room at a Travelodge near Crewe, Cheshire for the weapon to be handed over. Pictured is the bed showing the firearm wrapped up
'Looking at the whole picture, including your extremist views, I have no doubt whatsoever you are a dangerous offender,' Mr Justice Sweeney added.
Rae met a third undercover officer, referred to as 'Vik' in a 'non-descript' hotel room at a Travelodge near Crewe, Cheshire, for the weapon to be handed over.
After the officer showed him a Baikal handgun with a silencer, Rae gave him 850, asking the officer for 'three more boxes' of ammunition and a spare magazine.
'I wanna try and get hold of a, you know, the erm, Uzi,' he added, before armed officers burst into the room and arrested him.
Looking at the whole picture, including your extremist views, I have no doubt whatsoever you are a dangerous offender Mr Justice Sweeney on Rae
Anne Whyte QC, prosecuting, told the jury at Preston Crown Court that Rae was an 'isolated and resentful man' and added: 'The weapon he had just purchased was not in fact a working firearm, although he thought it was.
'It is the Crown's case that, had he not been arrested, he would have left that hotel room in possession of what he thought was a working pistol, with ammunition and a silencer and he would have continued to try and obtain more.'
The judge had a panic alarm fitted during the trial and seven police officers were stationed outside the court room, along with five dock officers inside the court.
In court, Rae claimed he knew he was dealing with undercover officers all along and wanted to get arrested in order to expose the secrecy of the family courts.
He said he knew his two younger children were being considered for adoption and added: 'I would never imagine my family life would get to where it did. I had exhausted every avenue. I was isolated, vulnerable, crying out. I felt I had no choice. I thought I was going to lose my kids for 18 years.'
Rae said he was 'well aware' of Fathers for Justice and added: 'They've been protesting for years and their kids are still in care.'
The former soldier was sentenced to 18 years concurrently with a five-year extended licence for two charges of attempting to buy a Baikal semi-automatic pistol and silencer with 16 rounds of ammunition, with intent to endanger life.
Cash in hand: After the officer showed him a Baikal handgun with a silencer, Rae handed over 850 (pictured), asking the officer for 'three more boxes' of ammunition and a spare magazine
He was jailed for three years concurrently for three charges of encouraging an undercover officer called 'Vik' to sell him a Glock pistol or an Uzi submachinegun with ammunition.
He appeared by video link at the Old Bailey from Strangeways jail in Manchester and sat throughout the proceedings with his head in his hands, sobbing quietly.
Rae's sister, Lindsay Rae, said afterwards: 'It was his dream going into the army, he couldnt have been more excited to join.
'Hed always wanted to be in the army, just like my dad was whilst he was growing up.'
She said she did not believe her brother was violent and added: 'I know 100 per cent Gavin wouldnt harm a fly, hes too soft. He was very upset, obviously anyone would be upset in his position, but I do know he would never have harmed anyone.'
Chief Superintendent Tony Mole from the North West Counter-Terrorism Unit praised the 'brave and difficult' work of the undercover police officers and added: 'Rae had previous military training, a conviction for armed robbery, and a capacity for extreme violence.
Philip Hammond has highlighted continuing tensions among senior Tories by suggesting the Brexit process could take at least six years to complete.
The Foreign Secretary, tipped as a potential Chancellor under Theresa May, also warned that it may be difficult to strike bilateral trade deals in the interim.
The comments came despite Chris Grayling, Mrs May's leadership campaign manager who is expected to get a top job in her government, insisting the UK could be clear of the bloc by 2020.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Hammond - who supported Remain during the referendum battle - was pressed to explain how the UK would remove itself from the Brussels club.
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Philip Hammond has highlighted continuing tensions among senior Tories by suggesting the Brexit process could take at least six years to complete
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond gave his views about the potential length of the Brexit process as he answered questions in the Commons
He suggested finalising a new relationship with the rest of the EU could take four years on top of the two-year negotiation period laid out in Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.
'The concern is this. If a future treaty between the UK and the EU 27 is deemed to be a mixed competence, it will have to be ratified by 27 national parliaments,' Mr Hammond said.
'I think I am right in saying the shortest time in which that has been done in any EU treaty is just under four years, and that is after taking into account the time it has taken to negotiate.'
Mr Hammond said the Government's Brexit negotiation unit would bring together the 'brightest and best' from Whitehall and the private sector.
He said ministers are 'actively seeking' to recruit trade specialists to help the UK strike the deals it needs for when it has formally left the European Union.
That includes approaching former civil servants who have retired and those who have moved to the private sector.
But it also includes recruiting from around the globe with the caveat that those hired will not be involved in securing deals with the country where they hold citizenship.
Mr Hammond told MPs during Foreign Office questions: 'We will need to hire significant numbers of trade negotiators.
'I see no reason why we wouldn't hire people who were non-British if they were the best people to do the job.
'Clearly one would not want to hire the citizen of another country to negotiate a trade deal with that country.
'But having entered that caveat I would hope that we would put together the best and most capable teams from wherever.'
Mr Hammond also stressed to the House that until formal divorce proceedings are started with Brussels the UK will only be able to have 'preliminary discussions' in terms of exploring new trade opportunities.
'Our ability of course to negotiate new trade agreements is restricted by the continued application of EU law until we have negotiated our exit from the European Union,' he said.
'We have to tread a careful path, of course having preliminary discussions but making sure that we remain on the right side of our international obligations at all times.'
A spokesman for Mrs May said: 'Civil servants have already been charged with finding a building to house the Brexit department an indication of Theresas commitment to get on with delivering the verdict of the EU referendum. Brexit means Brexit and were going to make a success of it.'
Also said how it was Britain's restrictions on gun sales which helped prevent a much worse atrocity happening on the night of his attack
Mr Zimmerman said he viewed Mire, 30, as simply a 'really unwell guy'
have much to do with who I am'
Musician said 'it happened, but it
Discussing his attacker, Muhiddin Mire (pictured), Lyle Zimmerman said he viewed him as a 'really unwell guy'
The victim of an ISIS-inspired knife attack at a London Underground tube station has said he is 'not traumatized' by the horrific incident.
Lyle Zimmerman, 56, had his neck slashed with a rusty blade by mentally ill Muhiddin Mire at Leytonstone station in east London last year.
But the scientist and musician, who required 19 stitches and was left with scars from the attack, said: 'The degree to which I feel untraumatized is a little bit bizarre even to me, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
'It happened, but it doesn't have much to do with who I am'.
Mr Zimmerman was on his way to a a gig with one of his bands, the Snakeoil Rattlers, when he was targeted on December 5.
He waived his anonymity after Mire was convicted last month of the shocking knife attack on him.
The Somalian-born 30-year-old, who had images of the murdered soldier Lee Rigby on his phone, will be sentenced on July 27.
He is currently at Broadmoor, the secure psychiatric hospital.
Discussing his attacker, Mr Zimmerman said he viewed him simply as a 'really unwell guy'.
He told The Guardian: 'I don't see Mr Mire as emblematic of immigration or religion. I'm OK, and he's nobody's martyr. I think that's a great civil society outcome.
'I can't think of any reason he chose me, and when he jumped me I was unclear whether I'd been stabbed or punched.
'I turned my head and caught a glimpse of a man and then I don't remember anything until I was on the ground getting my head kicked in. I covered my head and remember thinking, "Hey, this doesn't hurt too bad." He must have knocked me out with the next kick.'
He was unconscious by the time the sawing started, leaving his necklace in a pool of his own blood.
The minicab driver then threatened a number of other bystanders with his knife before being tasered by police.
Mr Zimmerman was on his way to a a gig with one of his bands, the Snakeoil Rattlers, when he was targeted
Writing on Facebook, Mr Zimmerman, who is campaigning on climate change, added: 'Hopefully the guy gets a secure hospital stay and a lot of help with his mental health issues.
'Here's the thing: nobody died. nobody's a martyr. There won't be any copy-cats on this incident, and yes, I'm fine.'
In a previous interview he said it was Britain's restrictions on gun sales which helped prevent a much worse atrocity happening on the night of his attack.
On Facebook today he reaffirmed that view, writing: 'I luckily live in a country with robust gun control. The guy had a bread knife, which broke off on my thick neck - he didn't have an assault rifle.
'If you know somebody who thinks having guns around would have made me safer, have them watch some of the CCTV or camera phone footage of the attack.
'Obviously, if the crazy guy has a gun, I'm not here now, and probably quite a few other folks would also be missing. It was a crowded tube station.
'Even if he doesn't have a gun but other members of the public were armed, somebody could conceivably have executed my assailant (he was very crazy/erratic).
Donald Trump has unleashed the latest in a series of stinging rebukes to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg following her unprecedented open criticism demanding that she step down from the bench and saying 'her mind is shot.'
Ginsburg, Trump tweeted after midnight, 'has embarrassed all by making very dumb political statements about me. Her mind is shot - resign!'
Trump was continuing an aggressive response to Ginsburg on Tuesday; he had already written that he hoped she soon leaves the bench for good, after she renewed her open-warfare attack on the Republican she regards as 'a faker.'
But pointedly calling on her to retire from the nation's highest court over her partisan barbs has pushed the pair's feud to anew level and put Democrats on defense as they scramble to avoid defending her.
'I can't imagine what this place would be I can't imagine what the country would be with Donald Trump as our president,' Ginsburg told The New York Times over the weekend.
'For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be I dont even want to contemplate that.'
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NOTORIOUS R.B.G.: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg openly bashed Donald Trump in interviews published last week and on Tuesday
PUSHBACK: Trump said Ginsburg's behavior was 'a disgrace to the court and I think she should apologize to the court' before later tweeting that '[h]er mind is shot resign!'
UNPRECEDENTED: Trump's pointed message on Twitter was as unheard-of as Ginsburg's meddling in the electoral process
Earlier on Tuesday Trump shoved back hard telling the Times that 'it's highly inappropriate that a United States Supreme Court judge gets involved in a political campaign, frankly. I think its a disgrace to the court and I think she should apologize to the court. I couldnt believe it when I saw it.'
'It's so beneath the court for her to be making statements like that. It only energizes my base even more. And I would hope that she would get off the court as soon as possible,' he added.
As the Times published Trump's rebuttal, CNN opened up a new front in the Trump-Ginsburg skirmish.
'He is a faker,' Ginsburg told one of the network's legal analysts.
'He has no consistency about him. He says whatever comes into his head at the moment. He really has an ego. ... How has he gotten away with not turning over his tax returns? The press seems to be very gentle with him on that.'
Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks told CNN that the tax return question is still unresolved and in the IRS's lap.
'As you know, Mr. Trump is undergoing a routine audit and plans to release his returns when completed,' Hicks said. 'No further comment.'
PARTISAN: Ginsburg was a Bill Clinton appointee and hinted in an Associated Press interview last week that she believes Hillary Clinton will be the next president
Ginsburg, a Bill Clinton appointee who typifies the liberal wing of America's highest court, insisted that 'every other presidential candidate has turned over tax returns.'
She told CNN that Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has received tougher media treatment than Trump's, saying: 'I think he has gotten so much free publicity.'
Recalling her initial reaction to Trump's early candidacy, Ginsburg said: 'At first I thought it was funny. To think that there's a possibility that he could be president '
CNN reported: 'Her voice trailed off gloomily.'
Democratic senators strained on Tuesday to avoid being seen as defending the politicization of the Supreme Court.
Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut told Politico that 'we all know that the justices on the Supreme Court have political views. Im not sure were well served by them airing them out in the open.'
The Associated Press reported last week that Ginsburg has said she assumes Clinton, the former secretary of state, will win the November election.
'It's likely that the next president, whoever she will be, will have a few appointments to make,' Ginsburg told the AP.
Ginsburg's comments about Trump have stunned members of the legal community and campaign watchers, who say her remarks were unprecedented and underscore the need for Supreme Court justices to keep their political opinions to themselves.
'I find it baffling actually that she says these things,' said Arthur Hellman, a University of Pittsburgh law professor, in an interview with The Washington Post. 'She must know that she shouldn't be. However tempted she might be, she shouldn't be doing it.'
Josh Blackman, a professor at the Houston College of Law who specializes in constitutional law and the Supreme Court, said Ginsburg 'has lost it' and her comments are 'absolutely beyond the pale - even for her outrageous self'.
'The other justices should hold an intervention, and tell her to be quiet or step down,' he wrote on his blog . 'This isn't funny anymore. She is making overtly political statements about the presidential election that are absolutely unbecoming of a Justice of the Supreme Court.'
In a blog post, Rick Hasen, a professor of law and political science at the University of California, Irvine, said it would be legitimate for a 'reasonable person' to question Ginsburg's impartiality in a case involving Trump, based on her comments.
'I think this is ultimately a question for judicial ethicists, but I do think following these comments it is a legitimate question to raise, should Donald Trump's campaign come to the Court with any legal questions before the election,' Hasen wrote. 'I also expect that for many how one views this issue will depend upon ideology: many conservatives will be quick to pounce and many liberals will be quick to defend.
This is the horrifying moment a little girl is violently thrown from a car window after it crashes at high speed - but miraculously survives.
The incident was captured on a dashcam by a motorist in Miass, Russia, and shows a blue Ford Fiesta approaching a corner of the country road.
The car apparently lost control after driving over a pothole, which caused it to veer across the road, where several other vehicles were travelling at the time.
Shocking: The car apparently lost control after driving over a pothole, which caused it to veer across the road
Horrific: After hitting a ditch by the side of the road, the vehicle then began spinning dangerously
After hitting a ditch by the side of the road, the vehicle then began spinning dangerously amidst a cloud of dust and debris.
As the car continued to roll the back windows shattered and the young passenger - who was not wearing a seat belt - was propelled from it before landing in a heap in the middle of the road.
Aleksandr, who captured the footage from his car and later uploaded it online, said he pulled over after witnessing what had happened.
He said the girl looked no more than four years old and was lying motionless on the ground several metres away from the wrecked car - as the video shows.
According to Aleksandr, the youngster's parents climbed out from the damaged vehicle soon afterwards with only scratches and bruises.
And after a few tense minutes, the girl, who was also only slightly injured in the crash, came around.
As the car continued to roll the back windows shattered and the young passenger was propelled from it
The little girl, who was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, landed in a heap in the middle of the road
Aleksandr said: 'The girl was lying on the ground like that for around three minutes and then she started crying, asking for her mother to hold her.'
According to reports, an ambulance had then arrived on the scene and the family received treatment from paramedics.
Local hospital officials later confirmed the girl had suffered some initial concussion.
'An accident and emergency doctor examined the child and made X-rays but no traumas to the bone were found. The girl was conscious,' said health service spokeswoman Maria Khvorostova.
Doctors recommended continued treatment at a local children's hospital but parents refused and decided to take the girl home.
Two women started a pitched battle with McDonald's staff in Amsterdam after complaining that they were not being served properly.
The enraged pair, wearing dresses and heels, shouted across the till demanding their food.
They got so angry they began grabbing food and drink from the counter and throwing them at the restaurant staff.
The enraged pair, wearing dresses and heals, shouted across the till demanding their food. They threw items at the staff who fought back
One of the McDonald's team tried desperately to calm the situation down but then women continued ferociously lobbing items from point blank range.
A furious member of staff started to throw things back at the women from across the counter, including what appears to be a drink which spilled on to the floor.
The woman wearing a black dress then launched herself across the counter, kicking her legs up in the air and flailing at the staff who try to restrain her.
Her accomplice began repeatedly to thump the staff member restraining her as other customers stepped in to try to drag her away.
The women wearing a black dress then launched herself across the counter, kicking her legs up in the air and flailing at the staff who try to restrain her
The woman eventually stood back up off the counter and continued to launch items at the staff who blocked the missiles with their hands as they flinched in fear of being hurt.
One staff member tried to calm the woman down, holding out his hand to beg her to desist, but the violence continued and the police had to be called. The women were then arrested.
The shocking scene was caught on camera by other customers, who posted the footage online
The shocking scene was caught on camera by other customers, who posted the footage online.
A spokesperson for the fast food chain mentioned an 'unfortunate situation for our employees'.
More than 1,000 children stood in absolute silence to form a poignant guard of honour during the funeral procession of their schoolmate.
Tyrese Glasgow, 12, was remembered as a 'model pupil' with an infectious smile after his cortege drove through Uppermill, Greater Manchester.
Pupils from Saddleworth School, with hundreds of teachers, villagers and business owners, paid their respects.
Many struggled to hold back tears at the sight of the coffin and white floral tributes reading Brother and Son'.
Sombre: More than 1,000 children stood in absolute silence to form a poignant guard of honour during the funeral procession of their schoolmate
The funeral procession through the village was led by Saddleworth South neighbourhood beat officer PC Lee Cullen.
He headed the vanguard as the cortege paused briefly at the school's main gates watched by tearful parents and passers-by before moving through Uppermill.
PC Cullen, 49, said: 'I'm so very proud of the Saddleworth School children. They were absolutely impeccable as they stood in line and paid their respects to Tyrese's funeral cortege.
Tyrese Glasgow, 12, was remembered as a 'model pupil'
'In all my 25 years in the service, I have never seen such a sight with all children standing shoulder to shoulder along the street in absolute silence. The community also turned out to support the children and they were fantastic.
'Each and every one of the pupils is a credit to Saddleworth School and the Saddleworth and wider Oldham community. We as a team are very proud of them all.'
Tyrese, from Mossley, was found dying at his home in June. He was taken to hospital but later passed away.
Police say there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and a report is being prepared for the coroner.
Forty cars drove in the procession, many flying a red ribbon in memory of Tyrese's love for Arsenal FC.
The procession was followed by a funeral service at St James Church in Oldham, conducted by Rev Paul Plumpton who had baptised Tyrese there 12 years ago.
The moving service was filled with glowing accolades to Tyrese from family and friends and emotional singing from his family and Saddleworth School choir with a rendition of 'Wings' by Birdy.
Head teacher Matthew Milburn told the hushed congregation: 'Saddleworth School has lost a role model of a pupil.
'A boy whose smile would light up a room...a boy whose smile could brighten anyone's day.
Pupils from Saddleworth School, with hundreds of teachers, villagers and business owners, paid their respects
'It is hoped that in time, we will be able to smile just like him when we remember the adorable, Year 7 pupil that was Tyrese Glasgow.'
Later, Helen Bulmer, who has taught at the school since 1990 and retires later this month, said: 'I thought today's tribute to Tyrese was one of the most moving events I have witnessed over my time here.
'For me, personally, it made me very proud to have been part of the Saddleworth community for as long as I have and to have had the privilege of a career in teaching.'
Tyrese was laid to rest at Greenacres Cemetery. Mourners were invited to join family and friends at St Anne's rugby club, Oldham, in a celebration of his life.
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David Cameron was hailed as an 'astonishing' Prime Minister today by his ministers as they left his final Cabinet meeting at No 10.
Mr Cameron's team noisily banged the table four times, including as the Premier departed when the meeting ended at 10.20am. He will now prepare for a final outing at Prime Minister's Questions tomorrow before making the short journey to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to the Queen.
The Prime Minister's official spokeswoman revealed it had been a 'warm and reflective mood' at the meeting and said the Prime Minister had spoken of his 'honour and pride at serving the country and serving the Cabinet' as he closed the meeting.
Discussion at the hour long meeting focused on the life chances strategy and the Trident nuclear deterrent, before Mr Cameron wound up his 215th and and last Cabinet by reflecting on his achievements - including specifically gay marriage, free schools and apprenticeships.
Theresa May, who will be named as the new Prime Minister tomorrow, and Chancellor George Osborne paid tributes to Mr Cameron before he concluded his Cabinet.
Mrs May was the last to arrive at today's gathering as she began to plot her own top team. She will take hold of the reins of power tomorrow after suddenly winning the Tory crown when her last rival Andrea Leadsom sensationally dropped out yesterday.
A removal firm was spotted behind Downing Street today as the Cameron family prepared its rapid departure to make space for Mrs May and husband Philip. The outgoing Prime Minister was spotted leaving by the back door today as he set off for his final tasks in office.
There is intense speculation in Westminster on how Mrs May will shape her first Cabinet, amid tension within the Tory Party over the Brexit split between Leave and Remain supporters.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon attempted to play down demands for Leave backers to be given the biggest roles, telling Sky News: 'We are all now Brexiters.'
Mrs May joked with photographers before walking through the famous black door. David Cameron was hosting his final Cabinet meeting before standing down as PM tomorrow
Mrs May arrived for Cabinet this morning to meet colleagues as Tory leader for the first time. She will spend much of the week assembling her first Government and will be appointed as Prime Minister tomorrow
Justice Secretary Michael Gove, far left, Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers, second left, Commons leader Chris Grayling, second right, and Business Minister Anna Soubry, far right, were all leaving Downing Street today after the Cabinet meeting
David Cameron was spotted leaving No 10 by the back door after his Cabinet meeting today as removals teams got to work in his final hours as Prime Minister
Among her former rivals at today's meeting who may be in line for jobs were Justice Secretary Michael Gove, who finished a distant third after blowing up Boris Johnson's campaign with a dramatic political knifing. Stephen Crabb, the Work and Pensions Secretary who dropped out at the first round stage, was also at today's gathering.
Key allies such as Chris Grayling have been highlighted for possible promotion, while finding a place for the biggest names under Mr Cameron - including the Chancellor George Osborne - will be a key task.
Culture Secretary John Whittingdale said the final meeting of Mr Cameron's premiership had been 'emotional' as he left Downing Street.
David Cameron paid his last visit as Prime Minister to a school in West London. He was highlighting the government's free schools programme, one of the major reforms of his time in Downing Street
Theresa Villiers said: 'It was a sad day to see David Cameron's last Cabinet meeting. I'm sure our country is in safe hands with Theresa May.'
The Northern Ireland Secretary said Mr Cameron would be recorded in history as a 'great reforming Prime Minister'.
Business minister Anna Soubry said: 'I always find him absolutely amazing... he's astonishing.'
Tory grandee Ken Clarke earlier told the BBC: 'I get on alright with Theresa, and Theresa's entitled to have her own cabinet, and I actually think having a tough pragmatic woman is probably about right.
'I was one of the 199, I gave Stephen Crabb a friendly vote in the first, knowing he wouldn't win, but I then switched to Theresa, and she'll have her own cabinet she'll have her own views on what she wants.
'She'll make her own mind up, but she's got to balance the party, she's got a real problem of bringing the warring wings of the party together. She'll combine her own strong personal opinions about who she wants to work with, with a desire to bring the party together.'
A DAY THAT TURNED BRITAIN'S POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT UPSIDE DOWN - AGAIN On yet another extraordinary day in Westminster, David Cameron's career as Prime Minister came to an end and Theresa May prepared to take over in No 10. This is how it unfolded yesterday: 10.44am: David Cameron appears at the Farnborough Air Show in Hampshire. He uses a speech to discuss the post-referendum period and confirms he has signed a deal for new maritime surveillance aircraft. 11.08am: Theresa May is giving a speech about her plans for Number 10 as she launches the second part of her leadership campaign to win over party members. 11.36am: Rumours emerge Andrea Leadsom is about to quit the race and will make a statement at noon. 12.13pm: Andrea Leadsom confirms she is withdrawing from the Tory leadership race. 15.55pm: David Cameron appears in Downing Street to confirm his premiership will end on Wednesday afternoon 5.00pm: Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee, confirms Theresa May is Conservative leader with 'immediate effect' 5.35pm: Mrs May appears outside Parliament alongside the massed ranks of Tory MPs to promise 'Brexit means Brexit'. Advertisement
Ms Villiers, who backed Brexit, earlier told the Today programme: 'I certainly hope that both Remainers and Leave campaigners will be represented in the cabinet. I'm sure that she would want a cabinet that would seek to unify the party.
'But I would urge all my colleagues, whatever the outcome of the reshuffle, to be incredibly supportive of a new prime minister. We need a stable prime minister.
'I think it's entirely a matter for our new prime minister how she chooses her cabinet, but she needs support from every single member of the parliamentary party.
'We need to make a success of this Brexit decision, and the way we do that is by delivering stable government.
'And the way that we deliver stable government is by giving firm backing to our new prime minister.'
Yesterday afternoon, Mr Cameron appeared in Downing Street as the swansong to his premiership was brutally cut short by nine weeks.
He paid tribute to his successor as 'strong, competent and more than able to provide the leadership Britain needs'.
And speaking outside the Palace of Westminster after her victory was officially confirmed, Mrs May promised 'strong leadership' when she takes the reins of power in tomorrow.
Britain's next Prime Minister told the nation: 'During this campaign my case has been based on three things.
'First, the need for strong, proven leadership, to steer us through what will be difficult and uncertain economic and political times, the need to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU and to forge a new role for ourselves in the world.'
Mrs May added: 'Brexit means Brexit and we are going to make a success of it.'
The outgoing Prime Minister, who announced he would quit after losing the EU referendum less than three weeks ago, was at the Farnborough Air Show in Hampshire when the Tory contest reached an abrupt end yesterday and his early departure means he will miss a final outing on the world stage at the G20 in China.
As she prepares to take office, Mrs May is already facing calls to call a snap general election - including even from the Labour Party which is mired in its own leadership contest after Angela Eagle gathered the necessary 51 nominations to force a contest against Jeremy Corbyn.
The extraordinary moment when, shortly after noon, Mrs Leadsom abandoned her run at No 10 came less than a week after she won a surprise second place in a ballot of Tory MPs and capped an historic 17 days following the EU referendum on June 23.
Mrs Leadsom announced her bid to be Prime Minister on June 30 - the same morning as Michael Gove sensationally knifed Boris Johnson by launching his own doomed bid for the Tory crown.
The collapse of her campaign came after another bitter weekend of Tory infighting over her toxic suggestion being a mother would give her an edge over Mrs May in No 10.
The bloody referendum aftermath has left Mrs May standing alone far ahead of all her Conservative Party rivals and planning her government, which will get to work on Wednesday.
Energy Secretary Amber Rudd crossed the threshold of No 10 today. As a leading Remain campaigner she could be in line for promotion but Mrs May faces a tricky task in balancing her new team. Liz Truss, right, the Environment Secretary, was another high flyer under Mr Cameron
Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb, who made a short lived attempt to be Tory leader and Prime Minister, also arrived for the Cabinet meeting this morning
Communities Secretary Greg Clark, left, Cabinet Office Minister Matt Hancock, centre, and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, right, all joined their colleagues in Downing Street this morning as David Cameron's ministers gathered for the last time
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, left, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, centre, and Business Secretary Sajid Javid, right
Chris Grayling, as the last leading Brexit campaigner on the winning side of the Tory divide, is earmarked for a significant promotion - possibly to lead the department for Brexit.
George Osborne has been touted as a possible Foreign Secretary while Philip Hammond could go the other way to take the reins at the Treasury.
Mrs Leadsom is likely to get a Cabinet job after making the second round of the Tory candidates while junior ministers who backed Brexit, such as Penny Mordaunt and Priti Patel will likely be in line for promotion.
Speaking on the steps of Parliament, Mrs May said: 'I am honoured and humbled to have been chosen by the Conservative party to become its leader.
'I would like to pay tribute to the other candidates during the election campaign and I would like to pay tribute to Andrea Leadsom for the dignity she has shown today.
'I would also like to pay tribute to David Cameron for the leadership that he has shown our party and our country.
'During this campaign my case has been based on three things. First, the need for strong, proven leadership, to steer us through what will be difficult and uncertain economic and political times, the need to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU and to forge a new role for ourselves in the world.
'Brexit means Brexit and we're going to make a success of it.
'Second we need to unite our country and third we need a strong, new, positive vision for the future of our country, a vision of a country that works not for the privileged few, but works for every one of us because we're going to give people more control of their lives.
'And that's how together we will build a better Britain. Thank you.'
Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers, left, may be in line for promotion after backing Brexit, while Ms Greening, centre, was on Mrs May's leadership campaign team. Also seen this morning was Business Minister Anna Soubry, right
A team from Simply Removals turned up behind Downing Street today as the Cameron family prepared to move out. Mrs May will be appointed as Prime Minister tomorrow after Mr Cameron makes a final appearance in the Commons
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? The decision of Mrs Leadsom to pull out of the race brought an early end to the contest to find a successor to David Cameron, which had been due to run until September 9. Mr Cameron has said he will leave office tomorrow afternoon. There is a well established choreography in place to transfer power. After completing a final Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, Mr Cameron will travel to Buckingham Palace to formally tender his resignation as Prime Minister to the Queen. At the meeting, he will recommend Mrs May be called to form a new Government as the person who can command a majority in the House of Commons. Mrs May will then be summoned to the Palace to be appointed before returning to No 10 as Prime Minister. She will then set about appointing her first Government with the first Cabinet meeting likely being scheduled for next Tuesday, July 19. Advertisement
Mrs May's husband Philip was at the victory speech outside St Stephen's entrance and gave his wife a kiss on the cheek as she was cheered by supporters.
Chris Grayling rejected calls for a snap election, stressing that Mrs May was a senior member of the Tory team that won the general election last year.
The Cabinet minister said: 'It's 15 months since the Conservative Party got a mandate with her as one of its key leading members - I think the last thing this country needs right now is a general election.'
The Commons Leader said the rapturous reception received by Mrs May at the 1922 Committee and outside Parliament showed that she commands the support of the vast majority of Tory MPs, adding: 'The parliamentary party will now unite behind her '.
Mr Grayling, who has been tipped for a Cabinet job after playing a leading role in Mrs May's campaign, said he had not asked for a job.
'What she decides to do about her Cabinet is entirely up to her - I've not asked for a job, nor would I expect to be offered one as part of the campaign,' he said.
Tory MP and close ally of Mrs May, Damian Green, insisted that the new prime minister did not need to call a general election.
When asked if Mrs May had a mandate, Mr Green told BBC Radio Four: 'I think she does because she was a very senior member of a Government that was elected just over a year ago.
'We don't elect presidents in this country. We elect a parliament, we elect MPs for individual seats.
'And the question the Queen asks formally, constitutionally, is 'can you command a majority in the House of Commons?' And Theresa can command a majority, so there is no need for an election.'
Mrs May was surrounded by Tory allies outside the Palace of Westminster, including (front row from left) Victoria Atkins, Helen Whatley, Chris Grayling, Damian Green, Amber Rudd, James Brokenshire, Justine Greening and Brandon Lewis - many of whom may hope for promotion this week as Mrs May build her administration
Mr Cameron came out into a damp Downing Street to confirm he would be leaving office nine weeks earlier than planned after the Tory leadership election to replace him was brought to an abrupt conclusion
THERESA MAY'S FIRST STATEMENT Theresa May appeared in Westminster to make her first remarks as Tory leader. She said: 'I am honoured and humbled to have been chosen by the Conservative party to become its leader. 'I would like to pay tribute to the other candidates during the election campaign and I would like to pay tribute to Andrea Leadsom for the dignity that she has shown today. 'I would also like to pay tribute to David Cameron, for the leadership that he has shown our party and our country. 'During this campaign my case has been based on three things: first, the need for strong, proven leadership to steer us through what will be difficult and uncertain economic and political times, the need of course to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU and to forge a new role for ourselves in the world. 'Brexit means Brexit, and we are going to make a success of it. 'Second, we need to unite our country. 'And third, we need a strong new positive vision for the future of our country, a vision of a country that works not for the privileged few, but that works for every one of us, because we're going to give people more control over their lives and that's how, together, we will build a better Britain.' Advertisement
Graham Brady, the chairman of the MPs' backbench committee, confirmed the Conservative Party Board had accepted Mrs May's victory and confirmed she was the Conservative Party leader with 'immediate effect'.
Mr Cameron emerged from Downing Street this afternoon to confirm the timetable for his departure.
He said: 'I'm delighted that we're not going to have a prolonged Conservative leadership election campaign.
'I think Andrea Leadsom has made absolutely the right decision to stand aside and it's clear Theresa May has the overwhelming support of the Conservative parliamentary party.
'I'm also delighted that Theresa May will be the next Prime Minister; she is strong, she is competent, she is more than able to provide the leadership that our country is going to need in the years ahead and she will have my full support.
'Obviously with these changes we don't need to have a prolonged period of transition and so tomorrow I will chair my last Cabinet meeting, on Wednesday I will attend the House the Commons for Prime Minister's Questions and then after that I expect to go to the Palace and offer my resignation, so we'll have a new prime minister in that building behind me by Wednesday evening.'
Amid extraordinary scenes in the heart of Westminster and surrounded by allies, Mrs Leadsom announced her withdrawal from the race shortly after noon yesterday.
She said: 'A nine week leadership campaign at such a critical moment for our country is highly undesirable.
'We need a new Prime Minister in place as soon as possible. Theresa May carried over 60 per cent support in the parliamentary party. She is ideally placed to implement Brexit on the best possible terms.
'I am therefore withdrawing from the leadership election and I wish Theresa May the very greatest success. I assure her of my full support.'
Chancellor George Osborne, speaking in New York, said: 'The British economy needs certainty so I think it's in everyone's interests that she takes up that position as prime minister in the coming days.'
For Labour, Jon Trickett said: 'It is crucial, given the instability caused by the Brexit vote, that the country has a democratically elected Prime Minister.
'I am now putting the whole of the party on a General Election footing.
'It is time for the Labour Party to unite and ensure the millions of people in the country left behind by the Tories' failed economic policies, have the opportunity to elect a Labour government.'
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron blasted Mrs May as 'divisive, illiberal and calculating'.
He said: 'Just 13 months after the last election the Conservatives have plunged the UK into chaos. It is simply inconceivable that Theresa May should be crowned Prime Minister without even having won an election in her own party, let alone the country.
'There must be an election. The Conservatives must not be allowed to ignore the electorate, their mandate is shattered and lies in ruins.
'Britain deserves better than this Tory stitch up.
'May has not set out an agenda, and has no right to govern. She has not won an election and the public must have their say.'
Mrs May appeared alongside husband Philip May as she made her first remarks as Conservative Party leader outside the Palace of Westminster this afternoon. She has promised her Government will seek to build a 'better Britain'
As she's handed the keys to Number 10 Theresa May pledges 'serious social reform' in major break from Cameron and Osborne amid growing pressure to call snap election
Theresa May (pictured in Birmingham ) pledged to deliver 'serious social reform' in a major break from David Cameron's premiership
Theresa May pledged to deliver 'serious social reform' in a major break from David Cameron's premiership as she was handed the keys to Number 10 by Andrea Leadsom's dramatic decision to pull out of the Tory leadership contest.
The Home Secretary, who will be prime minister on Wednesday, made a clear pitch for the centre-ground of British politics as she set out her 'bold, new, positive vision for the future of our country'.
And she dismissed any fears that as someone who campaigned for Britain to stay in the EU she would seek to dilute the terms of withdrawing from the EU, declaring: 'Brexit means Brexit'.
In a speech in Birmingham Mrs May promised new laws to block fat cat pay and bonuses as she promises to stand up for ordinary workers.
She was speaking just an hour before her leadership rival Mrs Leadsom announced she was dropping out of the race.
Despite saying earlier this month she would not call a general election before 2020, Mrs May is coming under increasing pressure to change tack now there won't be a leadership contest.
She is under particular pressure because of comments she made when Gordon Brown took over from Tony Blair in 2007.
Mrs May said he had 'no democratic mandate' and must call a general election, declaring the Tories were 'ready for him,' adding: 'Bring it on'.
Labour, the Lib Dems and the Green party have already demanded Mrs May hold an election in the autumn, saying it was 'crucial' the country has a 'democratically elected prime minister'.
In her speech this morning Mrs May also vowed to give consumers and staff seats on company boards in a bid to crack down on 'corporate irresponsibility'.
The changes are intended to show Mrs May can reach out to the blue-collar workers who were the bedrock of Margaret Thatcher's electoral success.
They also show her determination to be the candidate who can reunite the country as well as the Tory party.
Launching the second phase of her bid for No 10 minutes before Mrs Leadsom dropped out, she vowed to build a Britain 'that works for everyone not just the privileged few'.
Mrs May said she hopes to 'bring people back together rich and poor, north and south ... young and old, male and female, black and white'.
Cameron SINGS as he says goodbye to Downing Street: Bizarre moment PM is caught on mic humming a tune as he walked into No 10 after press conference
David Cameron will be leaving 10 Downing Street on Wednesday - nine weeks earlier than planned after another breathtaking day in Westminster saw the Tory leadership contest cut short.
He set out the timetable for handing over the No 10 keys to Theresa May, who was announced the new Tory leader after her rival Andrea Leadsom pulled out of the race.
Bizarrely, the outgoing Prime Minister was then caught on microphone humming a tune as he walked back into Number 10.
There is disagreement over what tune he was, with some suggesting it was the theme tune to American political TV drama The West Wing and others saying it was from Winnie-the-Pooh.
It capped another strange day in Westminster politics, with Mrs May launching the second phase of her leadership campaign just an hour before Mrs Leadsom conceded.
The fast-paced developments means Mr Cameron's swansong to his premiership is brutally cut short and his wife Samantha and three children Nancy, Arthur and Florence will have to start packing their bags to make way for Mrs May and her husband Philip on Wednesday.
His six-year tenure as Prime Minister was only expected to end on September 9 and he was looking forward to final farewell tours to Africa later this month and China in September for the G20.
David Cameron emerged from No 10 this afternoon to confirm he would leave office on Wednesday and be replaced by Theresa May
The trip to China would have allowed Mr Cameron to bid farewell to many of his international colleagues.
Britain's constitution allows for a quick turnaround and now Mrs May's election as Conservative Party leader is confirmed, the machinery of government will jump into top gear to handover power.
Mr Cameron will chair his last Cabinet meeting this morning and then Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions will allow him to bid farewell from the frontbench and his colleagues to pay tribute to him in the Commons.
But he is unlikely to receive the same kind of reception MPs gave Tony Blair when he quit as PM in 2007, with MPs clapping him out of the Commons in a break of tradition.
He will then take the short journey to Buckingham Palace to submit his resignation to the Queen, before Mrs May makes the same journey to inform the Queen she is forming a new government.
The new Prime Minister will spend this week appointing her new government, with big Cabinet roles expected to be handed to her close allies and Brexit champions Chris Grayling and former Defence Secretary Liam Fox.
Boris Johnson and Mrs Leadsom are also expected to be handed a Cabinet positions, while Chancellor George Osborne and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond could swap jobs.
Mr Cameron emerged from Downing Street to confirm the timetable for his departure and paid tribute to his successor.
He said: 'I'm delighted that we're not going to have a prolonged Conservative leadership election campaign.
'I think Andrea Leadsom has made absolutely the right decision to stand aside and it's clear Theresa May has the overwhelming support of the Conservative parliamentary party.
'I'm also delighted that Theresa May will be the next Prime Minister; she is strong, she is competent, she is more than able to provide the leadership that our country is going to need in the years ahead and she will have my full support.
Opinion / Columnist
Clemence Nhliziyo - Head of Communication, Democratic Assembly for Restoration and Empowerment.
It is undeniable that Zimbabwe faces a protracted mutually reinforcing economic and political crisis of monumental proportions right now and arresting Pastor Evan Mawarire won't bring a solution to the crisis we are currently facing. Zimbabwe's economy remains in a fragile state, with an unsustainably high external debt and massive deindustrialisation and informalisation. The economic slowdown due to liquidity challenges, outdated technologies, structural bottlenecks that include infrastructure deficits, corruption and a volatile and fragile global financial environment continue to ravage the country. Much remains to be done in Zimbabwe to improve the economic and social environment than to arrest a citizen who is just exercising his constitutional right as a bona fide citizen of this once great nation. Key economic sectors continue to contract and the government struggles to pay wages and provide basic services. The government does not have a plan the country is willing to rally behind. The government has squeezed the beleaguered tax base further, securing limited fiscal remedy and generating resentment. The reality of the situation is that the country is in a crisis, a deep structural crisis. An unprecedented crisis!There is continued and persistent incompetence and corruption in the judiciary system. There is serious political interference in the performance of duty by judicial officers. It is in independent Zimbabwe where money speaks louder than the law. It is in independent Zimbabwe people are abducted for a no reason by the state apparatus. It is in independent Zimbabwe where a Zimbabwean cannot enjoy his/her civil rights! It is in independent Zimbabwe where the good are vilified whilst the bad are magnified! It is in independent Zimbabwe where injustice is the order of the day! It is in independent Zimbabwe where those with degrees are in the streets selling tomatoes! It is in independent Zimbabwe where the economy is being driven by the informal sector! It is only in independent Zimbabwe where the industrial sites have turned to be gravesites of the day!Arresting and harassing Pastor Evan Mawarire will not address the challenges we face as a nation! Arresting and harassing Pastor Evan Mawarire will not bring salaries for civil servants! Arresting and harassing Pastor Evan Mawarire will not bring an end to the corruption that has brought the country to its knees! Arresting and harassing Pastor Evan Mawarire will not bring cash in banks where Zimbabweans struggle to access their hard earned cash! Arresting and harassing Pastor Evan Mawarire will not bring production in our farms where the new farmer has mastered the art of growing grass! Arresting and harassing Pastor Evan Mawarire will not improve the health sector that is in shambles! Above all it will not bring back our US$15 billion which we lost due to your corruption, mismanagement and failed governance! It will not also put conscience in VP Mphoko's head and heart, where he sees it fit to stay in a hotel at the expense of suffering Zimbabweans! It will not make the President realize that he is old and incapacitated and now a liability to this nation! After all it won't solve the internal squabbles in Zanu PF! You are only fuelling the fire Comrades! #Thisflag is a spirit Cdes and you can not kill a spirit! It is a revolution that will sweep you off your feet and burry you deep down that your ghosts will never rise again even in the darkest night! It is PEOPLE POWER! It is a rude awakening Cdes! It is a whirlwind! It is change and it is here to stay till you call it quits! It is a force you cannot fight! Is this really the Zimbabwe that those that waged the liberation struggle fought for? Is this really the Zimbabwe we want? A Zimbabwe where the injustice and brutality of the white minority group against the black majority has been replaced by a black minority group against the majority blacks.Free Mawarire now and focus on the economy!Free Mawarire now or resign from office!Free Mawarire now or face the full wrath of people power!
Donald Trump's longtime role as an on-again-off-again cheerleader for Bernie Sanders came to an abrupt end Tuesday as Sanders endorsed his former rival Hillary Clinton, with Trump accusing Sanders of 'selling out.'
'Bernie Sanders endorsing Crooked Hillary Clinton is like Occupy Wall Street endorsing Goldman Sachs, Trump tweeted in one of many broadsides at Sanders, who sometimes seemed to have a public kinship with Trump because of the way each ran campaigns that challenged party orthodoxy.
'I am somewhat surprised that Bernie Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters. They are not happy that he is selling out!' tweeted Trump.
Trump has long tried to lure some of Sanders' anti-trade backers into his orbit, sprinkling compliments on the Vermont Sanders even while mocking him as 'Crazy Bernie.'
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Donald Trump scolded Bernie Sanders for 'selling out' and endorsing Hillary Clinton on Tuesday
Trump pointed to the trade issue in one of his tweets. Sanders noted during the primaries that Clinton had called the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal the 'gold standard,' though she ultimately became a critic of the deal as Sanders ran at her from the left.
'Bernie sanders has abandoned his supporters by endorsing pro-war pro-TPP pro-Wall Street Crooked Hillary Clinton,' Trump wrote.
Sanders notably didn't mention trade during his generally full-throated praise of Clinton, whom he lauded as 'far and away the best candidate' Tuesday at a joint appearance in New Hampshire, as Clinton nodded constantly in agreement.
Clinton herself brought it up, and singled out 'bad trade deals and unfair trade practices including the Trans-Pacific Partnership,' an agreement she spoke about favorably when she was secretary of state but has now criticized as inadequate.
In what may be the lowest blow from Trump's vantage point, he called Sanders a bad negotiator.
'Bernie Sanders, who has lost most of his leverage, has totally sold out to Crooked Hillary Clinton. He will endorse her today - fans angry!' Trump wrote.
ALL IS FORGIVEN: Sanders called Clinton 'far and away the best candidate'
Trump previously praised Sanders at times, but wrote Tuesday that he wasn't 'true to himself and his supporters'
Being a bad negotiator is a major defect in Trump's view, and Sanders may have blundered by holding out too long and getting creamed in the California primary
Trump took a dig and brought up Goldman Sachs the same firm Sanders mentioned when calling for Clinton to release transcripts of her paid speeches
Trump made explicit appeals to Sanders' supporters
PEOPLE FIRST: Trump wrote he'd welcome Bernie's supporters 'with open arms,' though many will be unlikely to back a real estate mogul who wants to cut taxes
Trump even tried to harness some 'people power' from Sanders holdouts, though his ideology shares far more with Hillary Clinton than with Trump.
'To all the Bernie voters who want to stop bad trade deals & global special interests, we welcome you with open arms. People first,' Trump wrote.
The Trump campaign sent out a release by advisor Stephen Miller headlined: 'BERNIE IS NOW OFFICIALLY PART OF A RIGGED SYSTEM.'
"Today, Bernie Sanders will be endorsing one of the most pro-war, pro-wall street, and pro-off shoring candidates in the history of the Democratic Party, went the Trump release.
'The candidate who ran against special interests is endorsing the candidate who embodies special interests. The candidate who ran against TPP is endorsing the candidate who helped draft the TPP. The candidate who ran in opposition to globalization is running against the candidate who has led the push for globalization,' he wrote.
Trump occasionally praised Sanders during the primaries, particularly when he went after rival Hillary Clinton.
In April, Trump said of Sanders, "He said some things about her that were so incredible incredible and so incredibly bad, then said Sanders had "been telling the truth."
Trump also frequently pointed to the size of Sanders' crowds, though he always said that his own crowds were larger.
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David Cameron was hailed an 'astonishing' Prime Minister today by his team as he tried to set the seal on his legacy of six years in the top job.
The premier held an 'emotional' final Cabinet before visiting a free school in West London where he voiced pride in the flagship government policy.
Mr Cameron's team noisily banged the table four times, including as the Premier departed when the meeting ended at 10.20am. He will now prepare for a final outing at Prime Minister's Questions tomorrow before making the short journey to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to the Queen.
The Prime Minister's official spokeswoman revealed it had been a 'warm and reflective mood' at the meeting and said the Prime Minister had spoken of his 'honour and pride at serving the country and serving the Cabinet' as he closed the meeting.
Discussion at the hour long meeting focused on the life chances strategy and the Trident nuclear deterrent, before Mr Cameron wound up his 215th and and last Cabinet by reflecting on his achievements - including specifically gay marriage, free schools and apprenticeships.
Theresa May, who will be named as the new Prime Minister tomorrow, and Chancellor George Osborne paid tributes to Mr Cameron before he concluded his Cabinet.
Mrs May was the last to arrive at today's gathering as she began to plot her own top team. She will take hold of the reins of power tomorrow after suddenly winning the Tory crown when her last rival Andrea Leadsom sensationally dropped out yesterday.
A removal firm was spotted behind Downing Street today as the Cameron family prepared its rapid departure to make space for Mrs May and husband Philip. The outgoing Prime Minister was spotted leaving by the back door today as he set off for his final tasks in office.
There is intense speculation in Westminster on how Mrs May will shape her first Cabinet, amid tension within the Tory Party over the Brexit split between Leave and Remain supporters.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon attempted to play down demands for Leave backers to be given the biggest roles, telling Sky News: 'We are all now Brexiters.'
David Cameron left Downing Street by the back door after holding his final Cabinet before standing down as Prime Minister
Theresa May joked with photographers after turning the wrong way out of the famous black front door. She will formally take over from Mr Cameron tomorrow
Mrs May arrived for Cabinet this morning to meet colleagues as Tory leader for the first time. She will spend much of the week assembling her first Government
Justice Secretary Michael Gove, far left, Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers, second left, Commons leader Chris Grayling, second right, and Business Minister Anna Soubry, far right, were all leaving Downing Street today after the Cabinet meeting
Among Mrs May's former rivals at today's meeting who may be in line for jobs were Justice Secretary Michael Gove, who finished a distant third after blowing up Boris Johnson's campaign with a dramatic political knifing. Stephen Crabb, the Work and Pensions Secretary who dropped out at the first round stage, was also at today's gathering.
Key allies such as Chris Grayling have been highlighted for possible promotion, while finding a place for the biggest names under Mr Cameron - including the Chancellor George Osborne - will be a key task.
Culture Secretary John Whittingdale said the final meeting of Mr Cameron's premiership had been 'emotional' as he left Downing Street.
David Cameron chatted to pupils as he paid his last visit as Prime Minister to a school in West London after the Cabinet meeting
Mr Cameron was highlighting the government's free schools programme, one of the major reforms of his time in Downing Street
The outgoing premier looked relaxed and even stopped to have some lunch with pupils at the Reach Academy in Feltham
Theresa Villiers said: 'It was a sad day to see David Cameron's last Cabinet meeting. I'm sure our country is in safe hands with Theresa May.'
The Northern Ireland Secretary said Mr Cameron would be recorded in history as a 'great reforming Prime Minister'.
Business minister Anna Soubry said: 'I always find him absolutely amazing... he's astonishing.'
Tory grandee Ken Clarke earlier told the BBC: 'I get on alright with Theresa, and Theresa's entitled to have her own cabinet, and I actually think having a tough pragmatic woman is probably about right.
'I was one of the 199, I gave Stephen Crabb a friendly vote in the first, knowing he wouldn't win, but I then switched to Theresa, and she'll have her own cabinet she'll have her own views on what she wants.
'She'll make her own mind up, but she's got to balance the party, she's got a real problem of bringing the warring wings of the party together. She'll combine her own strong personal opinions about who she wants to work with, with a desire to bring the party together.'
A DAY THAT TURNED BRITAIN'S POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT UPSIDE DOWN - AGAIN On yet another extraordinary day in Westminster, David Cameron's career as Prime Minister came to an end and Theresa May prepared to take over in No 10. This is how it unfolded yesterday: 10.44am: David Cameron appears at the Farnborough Air Show in Hampshire. He uses a speech to discuss the post-referendum period and confirms he has signed a deal for new maritime surveillance aircraft. 11.08am: Theresa May is giving a speech about her plans for Number 10 as she launches the second part of her leadership campaign to win over party members. 11.36am: Rumours emerge Andrea Leadsom is about to quit the race and will make a statement at noon. 12.13pm: Andrea Leadsom confirms she is withdrawing from the Tory leadership race. 15.55pm: David Cameron appears in Downing Street to confirm his premiership will end on Wednesday afternoon 5.00pm: Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee, confirms Theresa May is Conservative leader with 'immediate effect' 5.35pm: Mrs May appears outside Parliament alongside the massed ranks of Tory MPs to promise 'Brexit means Brexit'. Advertisement
Ms Villiers, who backed Brexit, earlier told the Today programme: 'I certainly hope that both Remainers and Leave campaigners will be represented in the cabinet. I'm sure that she would want a cabinet that would seek to unify the party.
'But I would urge all my colleagues, whatever the outcome of the reshuffle, to be incredibly supportive of a new prime minister. We need a stable prime minister.
'I think it's entirely a matter for our new prime minister how she chooses her cabinet, but she needs support from every single member of the parliamentary party.
'We need to make a success of this Brexit decision, and the way we do that is by delivering stable government.
'And the way that we deliver stable government is by giving firm backing to our new prime minister.'
Mr Cameron carried out his final visit as PM after the Cabinet, touring a free school in west London to highlight one of the major reforms of his time in Government.
The trip came as the Government approved the creation of 31 new free schools which will offer 20,000 places inside the state sector but independent of local authority control.
Some 300 free schools have opened their doors since Mr Cameron took office in 2010, founded by parents, teachers, charities and businesses and educating 150,000 pupils around the country.
Yesterday afternoon, Mr Cameron appeared in Downing Street as the swansong to his premiership was brutally cut short by nine weeks.
He paid tribute to his successor as 'strong, competent and more than able to provide the leadership Britain needs'.
And speaking outside the Palace of Westminster after her victory was officially confirmed, Mrs May promised 'strong leadership' when she takes the reins of power in tomorrow.
Britain's next Prime Minister told the nation: 'During this campaign my case has been based on three things.
'First, the need for strong, proven leadership, to steer us through what will be difficult and uncertain economic and political times, the need to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU and to forge a new role for ourselves in the world.'
Mrs May added: 'Brexit means Brexit and we are going to make a success of it.'
The outgoing Prime Minister, who announced he would quit after losing the EU referendum less than three weeks ago, was at the Farnborough Air Show in Hampshire when the Tory contest reached an abrupt end yesterday and his early departure means he will miss a final outing on the world stage at the G20 in China.
As she prepares to take office, Mrs May is already facing calls to call a snap general election - including even from the Labour Party which is mired in its own leadership contest after Angela Eagle gathered the necessary 51 nominations to force a contest against Jeremy Corbyn.
The extraordinary moment when, shortly after noon, Mrs Leadsom abandoned her run at No 10 came less than a week after she won a surprise second place in a ballot of Tory MPs and capped an historic 17 days following the EU referendum on June 23.
Mrs Leadsom announced her bid to be Prime Minister on June 30 - the same morning as Michael Gove sensationally knifed Boris Johnson by launching his own doomed bid for the Tory crown.
The collapse of her campaign came after another bitter weekend of Tory infighting over her toxic suggestion being a mother would give her an edge over Mrs May in No 10.
The bloody referendum aftermath has left Mrs May standing alone far ahead of all her Conservative Party rivals and planning her government, which will get to work on Wednesday.
Energy Secretary Amber Rudd crossed the threshold of No 10 today. As a leading Remain campaigner she could be in line for promotion but Mrs May faces a tricky task in balancing her new team. Liz Truss, right, the Environment Secretary, was another high flyer under Mr Cameron
Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb, who made a short lived attempt to be Tory leader and Prime Minister, also arrived for the Cabinet meeting this morning
Communities Secretary Greg Clark, left, Cabinet Office Minister Matt Hancock, centre, and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, right, all joined their colleagues in Downing Street this morning as David Cameron's ministers gathered for the last time
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, left, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, centre, and Business Secretary Sajid Javid, right
Chris Grayling, as the last leading Brexit campaigner on the winning side of the Tory divide, is earmarked for a significant promotion - possibly to lead the department for Brexit.
George Osborne has been touted as a possible Foreign Secretary while Philip Hammond could go the other way to take the reins at the Treasury.
Mrs Leadsom is likely to get a Cabinet job after making the second round of the Tory candidates while junior ministers who backed Brexit, such as Penny Mordaunt and Priti Patel will likely be in line for promotion.
Speaking on the steps of Parliament, Mrs May said: 'I am honoured and humbled to have been chosen by the Conservative party to become its leader.
'I would like to pay tribute to the other candidates during the election campaign and I would like to pay tribute to Andrea Leadsom for the dignity she has shown today.
'I would also like to pay tribute to David Cameron for the leadership that he has shown our party and our country.
'During this campaign my case has been based on three things. First, the need for strong, proven leadership, to steer us through what will be difficult and uncertain economic and political times, the need to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU and to forge a new role for ourselves in the world.
'Brexit means Brexit and we're going to make a success of it.
'Second we need to unite our country and third we need a strong, new, positive vision for the future of our country, a vision of a country that works not for the privileged few, but works for every one of us because we're going to give people more control of their lives.
'And that's how together we will build a better Britain. Thank you.'
Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers, left, may be in line for promotion after backing Brexit, while Ms Greening, centre, was on Mrs May's leadership campaign team. Also seen this morning was Business Minister Anna Soubry, right
A team from Simply Removals turned up behind Downing Street today as the Cameron family prepared to move out. Mrs May will be appointed as Prime Minister tomorrow after Mr Cameron makes a final appearance in the Commons
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? The decision of Mrs Leadsom to pull out of the race brought an early end to the contest to find a successor to David Cameron, which had been due to run until September 9. Mr Cameron has said he will leave office tomorrow afternoon. There is a well established choreography in place to transfer power. After completing a final Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, Mr Cameron will travel to Buckingham Palace to formally tender his resignation as Prime Minister to the Queen. At the meeting, he will recommend Mrs May be called to form a new Government as the person who can command a majority in the House of Commons. Mrs May will then be summoned to the Palace to be appointed before returning to No 10 as Prime Minister. She will then set about appointing her first Government with the first Cabinet meeting likely being scheduled for next Tuesday, July 19. Advertisement
Mrs May's husband Philip was at the victory speech outside St Stephen's entrance and gave his wife a kiss on the cheek as she was cheered by supporters.
Chris Grayling rejected calls for a snap election, stressing that Mrs May was a senior member of the Tory team that won the general election last year.
The Cabinet minister said: 'It's 15 months since the Conservative Party got a mandate with her as one of its key leading members - I think the last thing this country needs right now is a general election.'
The Commons Leader said the rapturous reception received by Mrs May at the 1922 Committee and outside Parliament showed that she commands the support of the vast majority of Tory MPs, adding: 'The parliamentary party will now unite behind her '.
Mr Grayling, who has been tipped for a Cabinet job after playing a leading role in Mrs May's campaign, said he had not asked for a job.
'What she decides to do about her Cabinet is entirely up to her - I've not asked for a job, nor would I expect to be offered one as part of the campaign,' he said.
Tory MP and close ally of Mrs May, Damian Green, insisted that the new prime minister did not need to call a general election.
When asked if Mrs May had a mandate, Mr Green told BBC Radio Four: 'I think she does because she was a very senior member of a Government that was elected just over a year ago.
'We don't elect presidents in this country. We elect a parliament, we elect MPs for individual seats.
'And the question the Queen asks formally, constitutionally, is 'can you command a majority in the House of Commons?' And Theresa can command a majority, so there is no need for an election.'
Mrs May was surrounded by Tory allies outside the Palace of Westminster, including (front row from left) Victoria Atkins, Helen Whatley, Chris Grayling, Damian Green, Amber Rudd, James Brokenshire, Justine Greening and Brandon Lewis - many of whom may hope for promotion this week as Mrs May build her administration
Mr Cameron came out into a damp Downing Street to confirm he would be leaving office nine weeks earlier than planned after the Tory leadership election to replace him was brought to an abrupt conclusion
THERESA MAY'S FIRST STATEMENT Theresa May appeared in Westminster to make her first remarks as Tory leader. She said: 'I am honoured and humbled to have been chosen by the Conservative party to become its leader. 'I would like to pay tribute to the other candidates during the election campaign and I would like to pay tribute to Andrea Leadsom for the dignity that she has shown today. 'I would also like to pay tribute to David Cameron, for the leadership that he has shown our party and our country. 'During this campaign my case has been based on three things: first, the need for strong, proven leadership to steer us through what will be difficult and uncertain economic and political times, the need of course to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU and to forge a new role for ourselves in the world. 'Brexit means Brexit, and we are going to make a success of it. 'Second, we need to unite our country. 'And third, we need a strong new positive vision for the future of our country, a vision of a country that works not for the privileged few, but that works for every one of us, because we're going to give people more control over their lives and that's how, together, we will build a better Britain.' Advertisement
Graham Brady, the chairman of the MPs' backbench committee, confirmed the Conservative Party Board had accepted Mrs May's victory and confirmed she was the Conservative Party leader with 'immediate effect'.
Mr Cameron emerged from Downing Street this afternoon to confirm the timetable for his departure.
He said: 'I'm delighted that we're not going to have a prolonged Conservative leadership election campaign.
'I think Andrea Leadsom has made absolutely the right decision to stand aside and it's clear Theresa May has the overwhelming support of the Conservative parliamentary party.
'I'm also delighted that Theresa May will be the next Prime Minister; she is strong, she is competent, she is more than able to provide the leadership that our country is going to need in the years ahead and she will have my full support.
'Obviously with these changes we don't need to have a prolonged period of transition and so tomorrow I will chair my last Cabinet meeting, on Wednesday I will attend the House the Commons for Prime Minister's Questions and then after that I expect to go to the Palace and offer my resignation, so we'll have a new prime minister in that building behind me by Wednesday evening.'
Amid extraordinary scenes in the heart of Westminster and surrounded by allies, Mrs Leadsom announced her withdrawal from the race shortly after noon yesterday.
She said: 'A nine week leadership campaign at such a critical moment for our country is highly undesirable.
'We need a new Prime Minister in place as soon as possible. Theresa May carried over 60 per cent support in the parliamentary party. She is ideally placed to implement Brexit on the best possible terms.
'I am therefore withdrawing from the leadership election and I wish Theresa May the very greatest success. I assure her of my full support.'
Chancellor George Osborne, speaking in New York, said: 'The British economy needs certainty so I think it's in everyone's interests that she takes up that position as prime minister in the coming days.'
For Labour, Jon Trickett said: 'It is crucial, given the instability caused by the Brexit vote, that the country has a democratically elected Prime Minister.
'I am now putting the whole of the party on a General Election footing.
'It is time for the Labour Party to unite and ensure the millions of people in the country left behind by the Tories' failed economic policies, have the opportunity to elect a Labour government.'
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron blasted Mrs May as 'divisive, illiberal and calculating'.
He said: 'Just 13 months after the last election the Conservatives have plunged the UK into chaos. It is simply inconceivable that Theresa May should be crowned Prime Minister without even having won an election in her own party, let alone the country.
'There must be an election. The Conservatives must not be allowed to ignore the electorate, their mandate is shattered and lies in ruins.
'Britain deserves better than this Tory stitch up.
'May has not set out an agenda, and has no right to govern. She has not won an election and the public must have their say.'
Mrs May appeared alongside husband Philip May as she made her first remarks as Conservative Party leader outside the Palace of Westminster this afternoon. She has promised her Government will seek to build a 'better Britain'
As she's handed the keys to Number 10 Theresa May pledges 'serious social reform' in major break from Cameron and Osborne amid growing pressure to call snap election
Theresa May (pictured in Birmingham ) pledged to deliver 'serious social reform' in a major break from David Cameron's premiership
Theresa May pledged to deliver 'serious social reform' in a major break from David Cameron's premiership as she was handed the keys to Number 10 by Andrea Leadsom's dramatic decision to pull out of the Tory leadership contest.
The Home Secretary, who will be prime minister on Wednesday, made a clear pitch for the centre-ground of British politics as she set out her 'bold, new, positive vision for the future of our country'.
And she dismissed any fears that as someone who campaigned for Britain to stay in the EU she would seek to dilute the terms of withdrawing from the EU, declaring: 'Brexit means Brexit'.
In a speech in Birmingham Mrs May promised new laws to block fat cat pay and bonuses as she promises to stand up for ordinary workers.
She was speaking just an hour before her leadership rival Mrs Leadsom announced she was dropping out of the race.
Despite saying earlier this month she would not call a general election before 2020, Mrs May is coming under increasing pressure to change tack now there won't be a leadership contest.
She is under particular pressure because of comments she made when Gordon Brown took over from Tony Blair in 2007.
Mrs May said he had 'no democratic mandate' and must call a general election, declaring the Tories were 'ready for him,' adding: 'Bring it on'.
Labour, the Lib Dems and the Green party have already demanded Mrs May hold an election in the autumn, saying it was 'crucial' the country has a 'democratically elected prime minister'.
In her speech this morning Mrs May also vowed to give consumers and staff seats on company boards in a bid to crack down on 'corporate irresponsibility'.
The changes are intended to show Mrs May can reach out to the blue-collar workers who were the bedrock of Margaret Thatcher's electoral success.
They also show her determination to be the candidate who can reunite the country as well as the Tory party.
Launching the second phase of her bid for No 10 minutes before Mrs Leadsom dropped out, she vowed to build a Britain 'that works for everyone not just the privileged few'.
Mrs May said she hopes to 'bring people back together rich and poor, north and south ... young and old, male and female, black and white'.
Cameron SINGS as he says goodbye to Downing Street: Bizarre moment PM is caught on mic humming a tune as he walked into No 10 after press conference
David Cameron will be leaving 10 Downing Street on Wednesday - nine weeks earlier than planned after another breathtaking day in Westminster saw the Tory leadership contest cut short.
He set out the timetable for handing over the No 10 keys to Theresa May, who was announced the new Tory leader after her rival Andrea Leadsom pulled out of the race.
Bizarrely, the outgoing Prime Minister was then caught on microphone humming a tune as he walked back into Number 10.
There is disagreement over what tune he was, with some suggesting it was the theme tune to American political TV drama The West Wing and others saying it was from Winnie-the-Pooh.
It capped another strange day in Westminster politics, with Mrs May launching the second phase of her leadership campaign just an hour before Mrs Leadsom conceded.
The fast-paced developments means Mr Cameron's swansong to his premiership is brutally cut short and his wife Samantha and three children Nancy, Arthur and Florence will have to start packing their bags to make way for Mrs May and her husband Philip on Wednesday.
His six-year tenure as Prime Minister was only expected to end on September 9 and he was looking forward to final farewell tours to Africa later this month and China in September for the G20.
David Cameron emerged from No 10 this afternoon to confirm he would leave office on Wednesday and be replaced by Theresa May
The trip to China would have allowed Mr Cameron to bid farewell to many of his international colleagues.
Britain's constitution allows for a quick turnaround and now Mrs May's election as Conservative Party leader is confirmed, the machinery of government will jump into top gear to handover power.
Mr Cameron will chair his last Cabinet meeting this morning and then Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions will allow him to bid farewell from the frontbench and his colleagues to pay tribute to him in the Commons.
But he is unlikely to receive the same kind of reception MPs gave Tony Blair when he quit as PM in 2007, with MPs clapping him out of the Commons in a break of tradition.
He will then take the short journey to Buckingham Palace to submit his resignation to the Queen, before Mrs May makes the same journey to inform the Queen she is forming a new government.
The new Prime Minister will spend this week appointing her new government, with big Cabinet roles expected to be handed to her close allies and Brexit champions Chris Grayling and former Defence Secretary Liam Fox.
Boris Johnson and Mrs Leadsom are also expected to be handed a Cabinet positions, while Chancellor George Osborne and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond could swap jobs.
Mr Cameron emerged from Downing Street to confirm the timetable for his departure and paid tribute to his successor.
He said: 'I'm delighted that we're not going to have a prolonged Conservative leadership election campaign.
'I think Andrea Leadsom has made absolutely the right decision to stand aside and it's clear Theresa May has the overwhelming support of the Conservative parliamentary party.
'I'm also delighted that Theresa May will be the next Prime Minister; she is strong, she is competent, she is more than able to provide the leadership that our country is going to need in the years ahead and she will have my full support.
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President Obama doused his Dallas audience with a dose of 'the truths that we know' as he joined former President George W. Bush today in Texas to pay respects to the five fallen police officers killed in last week's racist sniper attack.
Obama made overarching comments about the relationship between police and black communities, trying to articulate the viewpoints of both, as the five killed were protecting those marching in a Black Lives Matter protest downtown on Thursday night after the deaths of two black men at the hands of officers last week.
Before arriving in Dallas, Obama had called the families of the two men killed, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.
The president, echoing Dallas Police Chief David Brown, said the country expected too much of its police force 'and we ask too little of ourselves.'
'As a society we choose to under-invest in decent schools. We allow poverty to fester so that entire neighborhoods offer no prospect for gainful employment. We refuse to fund drug treatment and mental health programs,' Obama said.
'We flood communities with so many guns that it is easier for a teenager to buy a Glock than get his hands on a computer or even a book,' the president continued. .
'And then we tell the police, you're the social worker, you're the parent, you're the teacher, you're the drug counselor. We tell them to keep those neighborhoods in check at all costs, and do so without causing any political blowback or inconvenience, don't make the mistake that might disturb our own peace of mind and then we feign surprise when periodically the tensions boil over,' the president added.
Bush, in a rare public appearance said, 'the shock of this evil has not faded,' taking the stage at the Morton H. Meyerson Sympnony Center before his successor.
The former president and Dallas resident called the slain officers 'the best among us' and said the Dallas Police Department has 'been mighty inspirations for the rest of the nation.'
'Too often, we judge other groups by their worst examples, while judging ourselves by our best intentions,' Bush said.
President Obama followed Police Chief Brown onstage and who spoke the lyrics of Stevie Wonder's 'As,' to show love to his fellow officers.
'I'm so glad I met Michelle first, because she loves Stevie Wonder,' President Obama said once he took the podium.
Difficult subject: The president has argued that, despite the heated public outcry of the past week, the country is not as divided as it may seem
Poignant: President Barack Obama on Tuesday gathered with politicians, police officers and families of the fallen in Dallas to call for unity in the wake of a shocking slaying of five police officers by a black man who said he wanted revenge for the killings of blacks by police
Tribute: President Barack Obama speaks during a memorial service at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center
Message: People in Dallas and across the United States are suffering in the wake of last week's slaying of five police officers at a protest against police violence, President Barack Obama told a memorial on Tuesday for victims of the deadliest day for U.S. law enforcement in almost 15 years
Unifier: 'Scripture tells us that in our suffering there is glory. Because we know that suffering produces perseverance,' Obama told a crowd several hundred people, including many uniformed police officers, at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. 'Right now, those words test us because the people of Dallas, people across the country are suffering.'
Intent: US President Barack Obama speaks during an interfaith memorial service for the victims of the Dallas police shooting (left) and afterwards hugs Dallas Police Chief David Brown
President Barack Obama speaks at the memorial for the five police officers slain last week in Dallas, Texas
Gratitude: US President Barack Obama shakes hands with Dallas Police Chief David Brown (2nd L) watched by First Lady Michelle Obama (L) and Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police Chief James Spiller
Touching: First Lady Michelle Obama hugs Dallas Police Chief David Brown (2nd L) as US President Barack Obama hugs Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police Chief James Spiller (R) during the memorial service in Dallas
President Barack Obama, (third from right), gives DART Police Chief J.D. Spiller a hug as first lady Michelle Obama hugs Dallas Police Chief David Brown, (center), after an interfaith memorial service for the five fallen officers
President Barack Obama, (center), joins hands with Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and other dignitaries during an interfaith memorial service at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, for five law enforcement officers killed last week in an ambush at a Black Lives Matter rally. From left are Vice President Joe Biden, former first lady Laura Bush, former President George W. Bush, first lady Michelle Obama, President Barack Obama, Mayor Mike Rawlings, Micki Rawlings, Dallas Police Chief David Brown and DART police chief J.D. Spiller
Song: Former president George W. Bush, First Lady Michelle Obama and U.S. President Barack Obama sing the Battle Hymn of the Republic at the end of the memorial service for the murdered police officers who died in Dallas last week
Involved: Former president George W. Bush sings enthusiastically along to the Battle Hymn of the Republic with First Lady Michelle Obama
Joining in: Former president George W. Bush, former first lady Laura Bush, First Lady Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama share a moment during the memorial for the five murdered Dallas police on Tuesday
Hug; President Barack Obama, (left), and First Lady Michelle Obama, (center), reach out to former President George W. Bush during the service
Linked: President Barack Obama holds hands with Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, (right), and First Lady Michelle Obama during the interfaith memorial service for the fallen police officers
Powerful speech: US President Barack Obama listens to Dallas Police Department Chief David Brown during the Interfaith Tribute to Dallas Fallen Officers at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas - he extensively quoted from Stevie Wonder during his speech
Hand shake: US President Barack Obama is greeted by Dallas Police Department Chief David Brown at the memorial service for the five police officers gunned down on Thursday
Listening to the president: Officials, including Dallas Police Department Chief David Brown (C) reflect on Barack Obama's words during the Interfaith Tribute to Dallas Fallen Officers at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas
Salute for fallen comrades: Police join hands during the singing of 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic' at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center
Police listen as U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during a memorial service for five policemen killed last week in a sniper attack in Dallas, Texas
Emotion: President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama attend an interfaith memorial service for the fallen police officers and members of the Dallas community
This administration was joined by the last one with President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden and their wives standing alongside former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush
'The shock of this evil has not faded' said former President George W. Bush as he paid tribute to the officers killed in Dallas, where he now resides
Unity: First lady Michelle Obama and President George W. Bush, flanked by President Barack Obama and former first lady Laura Bush, share a moment during the memorial service for the five Dallas police officers killed on Thursday
Two presidents were on hand today in Dallas with President George W. Bush, with wife first lady Laura Bush, making a rare appearance with President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama
President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama bow their heads at a memorial service for five slain police officers in Dallas gunned down by a racist as they protected Black Lives Matter protesters
Fallen: Portraits of the five fallen police officers are seen at rear as a memorial at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas
Respect: An honor guard passes the photos of the fallen police officers during a memorial service at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in Dallas
Listening intently: Former first lady Laura Bush former US president George W. Bush and US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama listen to music during the memorial service in Dallas today
The 'soul of our city was pierced' said Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings who called on the country to pull together during his town's time of crisis
ILL BE LOVING YOU, ALWAYS: DALLAS POLICE CHIEF RECITES POWERFUL LYRICS TO STEVIE WONDERS AS 'We all know sometimes life's hates and troubles Icon and musician: Stevie Wonder's 1976 masterpiece album Songs in the Key of Life dealt with issues from the civil rights movement that took hold of the United States in the 1960s Can make you wish you were born in another time and space But you can bet your life times that and twice its double That God knew exactly where he wanted you to be placed So make sure when you say you're in it but not of it You're not helping to make this earth a place sometimes called Hell Change your words into truths and then change that truth into love And maybe our children's grandchildren And their great-great grandchildren will tell I'll be loving you Until the ocean covers every mountain high--Loving you Until the dolphin flies and parrots live at sea--Loving you Until we dream of life and life becomes a dream--Be loving you Until the day is night and night becomes the day--Loving you Until the trees and seas up, up and fly away--Loving you Until the day that 8x8x8x8 is 4--Loving you Until the day that is the day that are no more--Loving you Until the day the earth starts turning right to left--Be loving you Until the earth just for the sun denies itself--Loving you Until dear Mother Nature says her work is through--Loving you Until the day that you are me and I am you-- Now ain't that loving you Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky Ain't that loving you Until the ocean covers every mountain high And I've got to say always Tribute: Dallas Police Chief David Brown read out the lyrics to Stevie Wonder's 1976 song As - to show his love for his colleagues who died Until the dolphin flies and parrots live at sea always Until we dream of life and life becomes a dream-always Until the day is night and night becomes the day-always Until the trees and seas just up and fly away-always Until the day that 8x8x8 is 4-always Until the day that is the day that are no more-always Until the day the earth starts turning right to left- always Until the earth just for the sun denies itself always Until dear Mother Nature says her work is through- always Until the day that you are me and I am you Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky Until the ocean covers every mountain high Until the dolphin flies and parrots live at sea Until we dream of life and life becomes a dream Until the day is night and night becomes the day Until the trees and seas just up and fly away Until the day that 8x8x8 is 4 Until the day that is the day that are no more Until the day the earth starts turning right to left Until the earth just for the sun denies itself Until dear Mother Nature says her work is through Until the day that you are me and I am you' Advertisement
President Obama arrives in Dallas, Texas, today with first lad Michelle Obama and Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in tow
President Obama huddles with Sen. Ted Cruz as they arrive in Dallas, Texas, in a bipartisan show of solidarity that also includes President George W. Bush giving remarks
President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrived in Dallas Tuesday afternoon, where the president will give remarks at a non-denominational service for the five slain police officers
Vice President Joe Biden (center) arrives in Dallas with wife Jill Biden (left), Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins (center left) and Fort Worth, Texas Mayor Betsy Price (center right)
Vice President Joe Biden arrives in Dallas, Texas. He's accompanied by his wife Dr. Jill Biden
Becoming quickly solemn, Obama spoke of the Bible.
'Scripture tells us that in our sufferings, there is glory, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character and character hope,' the president said.
'Sometimes the truths of these words are hard to see,' he continued.
'Right now those words test us,' Obama added.
The president went back to that night, acknowledging that the police officers became targets because they were helping protesters act on their constitutional rights.
'For awhile the protest went on without incident and despite the fact that police conduct was the subject of the protest, despite the fact that there must have been signs or slogans or chants which with they profoundly disagreed,' Obama said. 'These men and this department did their jobs like professionals that they were.'
'Then around 9 o'clock the gunfire came. Another community torn apart. More hearts broken, more questions about what caused and what might prevent another tragedy,' the president said.
The president said he realized that Americans were struggling: 'First the shootings in Minnesota and Baton Rouge, the protests, then the targeting of police by the shooter here.'
'An act not just of demented violence, but of racial hatred,' Obama said.
The three incidents together exposed some of the 'deepest fault lines' of the American democracy and widened some wounds, the president at first suggested.
President Obama was joined by first lady Michelle Obama in the South Lawn today as they boarded Marine One en route to Dallas, Texas, for a memorial service for five fallen police officers
The Obamas, photographed leaving the White House mid-morning Tuesday, will be joined by President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush once they arrive in Dallas for a rare joint appearance
President Obama is expected to give remarks 'appropriate for the setting,' speculated Press Secretary Josh Earnest, who suggested he wouldn't get too political while in Texas
Five chairs were left empty and draped with American flags today in Dallas to honor the five police officers killed by a racist sniper overnight on Thursday
'I understand how Americans are feeling, but Dallas, I'm here to say we must reject such despair. I'm here to insist that we are not as divided as we seem. And I know this because I know America,' the president said.
The president lauded the Dallas Police Officers who shielded protesters from the bullets, who 'did not react recklessly' and who showed 'incredible restraint.'
He talked about the steady leadership of those in Dallas, at the same time that so many communities in the county were up in arms over fatal police shootings.
'The Dallas Police Department has been doing it the right way,' Obama said.
But then it was time for some straight talk, as the president pivoted to discuss the realities that the country still faced.
'We know that the overwhelming majority of police officers do an incredible job,' Obama began, scolding those who have called for violence against the police for the actions of a few bad officers.
President Obama added that 'race relations have improved dramatically in my lifetime.'
'Those who deny it are dishonoring the struggles that helped us achieve that progress,'
'But we know but America, we know that bias remains. We know it! Whether you are black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native-American or of Middle Eastern descent, we have all seen this bigotry in our own lives at some point,' he continued.
'We've heard it at times in our own homes. If were honest, perhaps weve heard prejudice in our own heads. Felt it in our own hearts. We know that.'
Study after study shows, Obama pointed out, that blacks and whites experience the criminal justice system differently.
'When more than 50 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act, we cannot simply turn away and dismiss those in peaceful protests as troublemakers, or paranoid,' Obama pointed out.
Dallas victims: Brent Thompson (left) and Mike Krol (right) were two of the officers killed in Dallas
Family: Patrick Zamarripa (above with his family) was one of the five shot dead
Painful loss: Lorne Ahrens (left) was a former deputy in Los Angeles and Michael Smith (right) a father of two
'We can't simply dismiss it as a symptom of political correctness, or reverse racism,' he said, using a term often uttered by the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump.
'To have your experience denied like that, dismissed by those in authority, dismissed perhaps even by your white friends and co-workers and fellow church members again and again and again, it hurts. Surely we can see that. All of us.'
Before Obama gave his talk, Dallas Police Chief Brown, who's gotten national attention for his extremely competent handling of the situation, gave the memorial its lighthearted moment.
'When I was a teenager and started liking girls, I could never find the words to express myself,' he began.
Brown explained that after a few unsuccessful tries, he attempted a new strategy: reciting song lyrics at women he wanted to take on dates.
'So for girls I liked I would pull out some Al Green or some Teddy Pendergrass,' he mentioned, asking the audience to envision the bald police chief with a full fro, bell bottom jeans and wide collared shirts.
'But for people that I loved, if I fell in love with a girl, I'd have to dig down deep and get some Stevie Wonder,' he said.
'So today I'm going to pull out some Stevie Wonder for these families,' he said, and began reciting the lyrics to the song, 'As.'
President Bush spoke of the call to duty of those in blue.
'Most of us imagine if the moment called for that we would risk our lives to protect a spouse or a child, those wearing uniform assume that risk for the safety of strangers,' Bush said.
'They and their families share the unspoken knowledge that each new day can bring new dangers,' he continued.
'But none of us were prepared or could be prepared by an ambush of hatred and malice,' Bush added.
Before Bush, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings spoke first at the interfaith memorial service Tuesday afternoon.
He proclaimed that the 'soul of our city was pierced' on Thursday night. And he said the police were the ones fighting a disease 'this absurd violence on our streets.
Rawlings pointed to the five seats, filled with American flags, left empty for the lives that were lost.
This was the 11th trip Obama made to a city during his presidency to console the family and friends of victims of mass shootings.
And just one of a handful of times the ex-presidents have stood together.
In the past Obama and Bush have joined forces in Selma, Alabama in 2015; in Tanzania in 2013, for a wreath-laying ceremony to pay homage to the 1998 embassy bombing victims in Dar es Salaam.
They also appeared together at the 10 year anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks in 2011, gathering at Ground Zero, according to CNN.
In Dallas today, they were joined by former first lady Laura Bush, as well as Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden.
Gunman Micah Johnson sprayed bullets at Dallas police Thursday night, killing five, before he was taken out by a robot carrying an explosive. Pictured right is Johnson in high school where he was a below average student
Bush had served as governor of Texas before moving into the Oval Office in 2001.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who vied for the Republican nomination, was also aboard Air Force One today, CNN reported, in a bipartisan show of support.
His Senate counterpart,Texas Sen. John Cornyn, another Republican, introduced Bush.
At the end of the service the elected official sitting onstage joined hands and sang 'Battle Hymn of the Republic,' with President Bush squeezing first lady Michelle Obama's hand. The first lady was seated next to Bush throughout the program and was spotted patting his left hand to show appreciation for his comments.
Before leaving the stage the Obamas, Bushes and Bidens applauded the uniformed police officers who were in the audience.
The pictures of the five officers killed were left onstage as the political parade exited.
On Thursday in Dallas, gunman Micah Johnson sprayed bullets at police officers who were charged with monitoring a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest.
Overall, 12 police officers were shot and five were killed.
The victims were later identified as: Brent Thompson, 43; Patrick Zamarripa, 32; Michael Krol, 40; Michael Smith, 55; and 48-year-old Lorne Ahrens.
The New Black Panther Party will be armed at protests during the Republican Convention if it is legal under Ohio's open-carry laws.
The party - a 'black power' movement - want to carry guns for self-defense during demonstrations outside the convention in Cleveland, Ohio, next week.
Several Republican-leaning groups, as well as some supporters of the GOP presumptive candidate Donald Trump, want to come armed to the convention.
But security officials are likely to be nervous about allowing politically opposed groups to carry guns in such close proximity to each other, especially in the wake of the massacre of five police officers in Dallas, recent shootings of black men by white police officers, and protests over police brutality.
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The New Black Panther Party will be armed at protests during the Republican Convention if it is legal under Ohio's open-carry laws. Pictured, a protester wearing the insignia of the New Black Panthers Party carries a shotgun at a demonstration in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, following the death of Alton Sterling
Members of the New Black Panther Party - or people wearing the group's insignia - have been seen carrying rifles at recent protests over the police shooting of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The party's chairman, Hashim Nzinga, said members would carry firearms at the convention if it is legal.
Gun owners in Ohio do not legally require a license to carry firearms.
'If it is an open state to carry, we will exercise our second amendment rights because there are other groups threatening to be there that are threatening to do harm to us,' Mr Nzinga said.
'If that state allows us to bear arms, the Panthers and the others who can legally bear arms will bear arms,' he added.
Mr Nzinga condemned the Dallas shootings as a 'massacre' and said his group played no role in the attack.
The party - a 'black power' movement - want to carry guns for self-defense during demonstrations outside the convention in Cleveland, Ohio, next week. Pictured, the Quicken Loans Arena where the Republican Convention will take place
Police in Dallas, where Texas's 'open carry' law allows civilians to carry guns in public, said seeing multiple people carrying rifles led them initially to believe they were under attack by multiple shooters.
A public appeal was put out for one man who was seen on social media carrying a rifle, however it soon became apparent that he was completely innocent and he was released after turning himself into a police station.
Officials in Ohio have said it will be legal for protesters to carry weapons at demonstrations outside the convention under that state's gun laws.
Mr Nzinga said he expected 'a couple hundred' members of the New Black Panther Party to join a black unity rally that is scheduled to begin on Thursday.
He and the Panthers plan to leave Cleveland on Sunday, the day before the convention officially opens.
'We are there to protect (the black unity) event. We are not trying to do anything else,' he said. 'We are going to carry out some of these great legal rights we have - to assemble, to protest and (to exercise) freedom of speech.'
'Black Power' groups promote defense against racial oppression, with some advocating for the establishment of black social institutions and a self-sufficient economy.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, a hate group watchdog, describes the New Black Panther Party as 'a virulently racist and anti-Semitic organization whose leaders have encouraged violence against whites, Jews and law enforcement officers'.
But the center said the group has not been found to have actually carried out any violent attacks.
A notorious murderer and drug gang leader has converted to Islam and is asking for financial support from sympathisers in an audacious bid to grab extra rights behind bars.
Lee Amos has reportedly become a Muslim - allowing him to discuss how his food is prepared with prison staff and also be served Halal meat.
The revelation comes after The Daily Mail revealed last year Muslims dominated the high-security Whitemoor jail in Cambridgeshire for the first time, sparking fears among other prisoners and staff.
Murdered Lee Amos, who has reportedly converted to Muslim seven years into his 32-year minimum sentence
The chief henchman of the feared Manchester mob the Gooch Gang is serving a minimum of 32 years in Whitemoor jail in Cambridgeshire for murder and attempted murder.
In 2009, Amos and ten other members of gang, who had brought bloodthirsty organised crime to Manchester, were given sentences totalling more than 200 years.
Prison insiders now say the religious conversion could be an attempt to game the prison system to receive better conditions during his lengthy jail term, according to a report in The Sun.
As well as getting special meals prepared for the Muslim festival Eid, Amos is also reportedly asking for sympathisers to write to him or wire cash to his bank account in jail.
He has also contacted a website dedicated to championing the rights of Muslim prisoners, it has been reported.
'There is a feeling it is really more about him working the system and getting more perks and better conditions than any newly found religious fervour,' a source told The Sun while the Prison Service declined to comment.
Amos and his colleague, Colin Joyce, were the heads of a Manchester gang which was blamed for a string of killings dating back two decades.
Whitemoor Prison in Cambridgeshire, where staff are reportedly now discussing meals with murderer Lee Amos after his conversion to Islam
The violence culminated in two deadly drive by shootings - one at a funeral wake - which killed Ucal Chin, 24, and Tyrone Gilbert, 23, and left another man badly injured.
Both killings took place whilst Amos and Joyce were on parole.
Half of inmates at Whitemoor are Muslims - believed to be the highest proportion in any British jail and double the number recorded less than a decade ago.
Amos is reportedly asking for sympathisers to write to him and send cash to his jail bank account
Amos' colleague Colin Joyce, who helped him lead the Manchester drug gang
They form the biggest power bloc in the Category A prison, taking over from the previous gangs, according to watchdogs.
About half the prisoners on Whitemoors main wings are Muslim, profoundly affecting the social nature of the jail and disrupting established hierarchies, the Independent Monitoring Board said.
Its report went on: Against this background we note that some prisoners and staff found the Muslim presence overwhelming. The social and religious fragmentation within Whitemoor potentially posed risks for discipline and hence safety.
During the 2009 sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Eckersley, of Greater Manchester Police, said: 'This is by far the biggest trial of gang members we have ever run and the implications for the city are immense.
'The men who led this gang were prepared to use deadly violence to enforce their will and settle scores.'
The city of Hong Kong has been hit by more than 10,000 lightning strikes in a dramatic summer thunderstorm over the weekend.
The shocking weather event was recorded by the Hong Kong Observatory on Saturday and Sunday after the city's hottest day since 1968 with temperatures reaching 37C, according to NZHerald.
Incredible video posted to the internet captured the bolts of lightning that hit the territory to the south of mainland China.
The Hong Kong Observatory issued a thunderstorm warning at 6.45pm on Saturday and warned people to seek shelter.
Parts of the city also saw more than 30 millimetres of rain during the storm.
Observatory scientific officer Tam Yee-ting said the number of lightning strikes was 'very high' and the total number had surpassed the record 24-hour total of 9,966 cloud-to-ground strikes in July 2005, according to the South China Morning Post.
He said: 'Saturday's high temperatures facilitated convection, which is the rising of warm air from the ground and this creates unstable air [in the upper atmosphere].
The city of Hong Kong has been hit by more than 10,000 lightning strikes in a dramatic summer thunderstorm over the weekend (pictured)
The shocking weather event was recorded by the Hong Kong Observatory on Saturday and Sunday after the city's hottest day since 1968 with temperatures reaching 37C, according to NZHerald
Incredible video posted to the internet captured the bolts of lightning that hit the territory to the south of mainland China
'This provides the mechanisms for rain and thunder.'
The lightning strikes occurred over two days, however, and are unlikely to be recognised as a historical record.
Anxious Hong Kong residents took to social media to discuss the ongoing storm.
Photographer Jamie Pierre wrote on Twitter: 'This storm in Hong Kong is insane.
'Almost 10 straight minutes of lightning flashes.'
James Griffiths added: 'Seriously impressive thunderstorm hitting Hong Kong right now, near constant lightning.'
The Hong Kong Observatory issued a thunderstorm warning at 6.45pm on Saturday and warned people to seek shelter
Observatory scientific officer Tam Yee-ting said the number of lightning strikes was 'very high' and the total number had surpassed the record 24-hour total of 9,966 cloud-to-ground strikes in July 2005, according to the South China Morning Post
A shocking video has emerged showing the moment two teenage girls were accidentally set on fire in the middle of a school play.
Their teacher at the secondary school in the town of Izucar de Matamoros, in the Mexican state of Puebla, has since been fired for allowing them to throw a lit candle into a cardboard box that two pupils were sitting in during the play.
The burnt girls were identified as 16-year-old Veronica G. and 17-year-old Athziri M.
Both were taken to hospital after the incident on June 21 to have their burns treated and one is still undergoing treatment for second degree burns.
Parents have said there was a lack of proper supervision and security measures.
The teacher had reportedly said at the time that the play should be as real as possible.
The insurance company which covers the school also declined to take responsibility for the students' medical bills as they said the fire was not accidental.
A shocking video has emerged showing the moment two teenage girls were accidentally set on fire in the middle of a school play
Their teacher at the secondary school in the town of Izucar de Matamoros, in the Mexican state of Puebla, has since been fired for allowing them to throw a lit candle into a cardboard box that two pupils were sitting in during the play
The burnt girls were identified as 16-year-old Veronica G. and 17-year-old Athziri M
Both were taken to hospital after the incident on June 21 to have their burns treated and one is still undergoing treatment for second degree burns
Shortly afterwards the school authorities confirmed the member of staff responsible had been fired.
They said: 'The teacher responsible for the class has been removed from the institution, after an investigation uncovered an omission on his part during the planning of the activity.'
The video shows a cardboard structure in the middle of the stage.
One girl can be heard saying: 'And with no more lies.'
She lights the match as a symbolic act and throws it inside the cardboard box.
The two students sitting inside jump up covered in flames as the box goes up in a blaze.
One of them runs straight off stage while the other runs around panicking as the student who lit the match tries to put out the fire that can be seen burning her hair and left arm.
The insurance company which covers the school also declined to take responsibility for the students' medical bills as they said the fire was not accidental
Shortly afterwards the school authorities confirmed the member of staff responsible had been fired. They said: 'The teacher responsible for the class has been removed from the institution, after an investigation uncovered an omission on his part during the planning of the activity'
The video shows a cardboard structure in the middle of the stage. One girl can be heard saying: 'And with no more lies'
Prosecutors say that Dencklau and other gang members had then kidnapped Huggins, tortured him to death and dumped his body
An ex-Gypsy Joker 'enforcer' was horrifically tortured in a brutal revenge killing after he burgled the gang leader's home and held his girlfriend at gun point, a court heard.
The bloody, mutilated corpse of Robert Lee Huggins was discovered dumped in a Clark County field, in Washington on July 1, 2015.
Police found clear evidence Huggins had been tortured before his death; he was missing a nipple, he had nails driven through his boots and had a broken leg, rib and fractured skull.
His killers had also carved an 'X' onto his body, knocked out his teeth and repeatedly slashed his face and back with a knife, Oregon Live reports.
The bloody, mutilated corpse of Robert Lee Huggins (pictured) was discovered dumped in a Clark County field, in Washington on July 1, 2015
Gang leader Mark Dencklau, 56, of Woodburn, and gang members Earl Fisher, 47, of Gresham, Malachi Watkins, 32, of Camas and Tiler Pribbernow, 34, of Portland, Oregon have all been charged with his murder.
Detective Jim Lawrence told Multnomah County Circuit Judge Gregory Silver that Huggins had been kicked out of the outlaw motorcycle gang in 2014 after he was stealing money from the Gypsy Jokers to fund his heroin habit.
Huggins, also known as the 'Bagger Bobby', was 'stripped' of his patches and the gang took his motorcycle as he was cut from the outlaws, Koin reports.
The following year, the 56-year-old had decided to get revenge on the regional president of the Gypsy Jokers - Dencklau.
In June 2015, he broke into the gang leader's home, tied up his terrified girlfriend at gunpoint and stole from Dencklau, prosecutors said.
She later told police that she 'thought they were going to kill her.'
When the gang discovered Huggins was behind the robbery, they swore revenge, Lawrence said.
Gang leader Mark Dencklau, 56, is charged with the revenge killing of Huggins after former outlaw broke into Denklau's home, robbed him and tied up his girlfriend, police say
Earl Devearl Fisher (left) and Tyler Pribbernow are both charged with the murder of Robert Huggins in the summer of 2015
The Jokers tracked down the ex-member to a drug house in Portland where they kidnapped him and subjected him to horrific torture before dumping his dead body across the state line in the rural field.
'He died a horrible death,' Lawrence said. 'I think his friends found out that he was doing things they didn't like him doing,' Lawrence said. 'His death was a result of his recent activity.'
The Clark County medical examiner ruled that Huggins died of homicidal violence.
'It was a brutal extraction from the club,' Banfield said.
His was found later that day by loggers and police were able to quickly identify Huggins as a Gypsy Joker from his gang tattoos.
Senior deputy district attorney Glen Banfield said police were able to track down his killers after cell phone records placed the suspects at the scene.
Surveillance footage from a home near to the drug house where Huggins was kidnapped showed men getting out of a Chevrolet Suburban, hitting an individual believed to be the victim and dragging him into the car before driving off.
However, the video was filmed from too far away to be able to identify another of the abductors.
A witness at the drug house told police she had heard Huggins call out for help as he was being abducted.
Footage from a gas station later showed the vehicle near the the residence in Woodland, Washington where Huggins was reportedly taken and tortured.
Prosecutors say that Huggins was abducted from a known drug house in Portland and tortured to death before his body was dumped in a field in Olympia, Washington
Detectives at the scene where his body was dumped in 2015. Police were able to identify the body due to Huggins' gang tattoos
Detective Jim Lawrence told Multnomah County Circuit Judge Gregory Silver that Huggins had been kicked out of the Gypsy Jokers outlaw motorcycle gang (file picture) in 2014 after he was stealing money from the Gypsy Jokers to fund his heroin habit
Police discovered the Suburban in a detail shop but were still able to find traces of Huggin's blood in the vehicle.
Defense attorneys for the suspects argue that police's evidence is tenuous at best, adding that prosecutors have no DNA or fingerprints linking them to the crime.
But Lawrence says he also has testimony from the girlfriends of some of the suspects, as well as Huggin's former girlfriend, where they talked about the biker being violently ejected from the club in 2014.
They told police that Pribbernow had said that the encounter had gone farther than it was supposed to, and had ordered them to burn their clothes.
The four suspects are all in jail with no possibility of bail, pending trial, set for 2017. A hearing is currently underway to determine if bail should be set for the men.
Ronald Charles Thompson and Kendra Castle have also been arrested in connection with the case, charged with hindering prosecution or tampering with evidence.
The Gypsy Joker Motorcycle Club became one of the most notorious and violent outlaw gangs in America after they were founded in San Francisco, California on April Fool's Day, 1956.
The Jokers were eventually forced out of the San Francisco Bay Area by the Hells Angels but have regional branches across the States and in Australia.
They have been linked with organized crime, drugs, armed robbery and murder over the years.
The last high profile case involving a Joker was in 2013, when member Joshua Cavett murdered his estranged wife in front of her two daughters and kidnapped the youngest daughter.
It has been an emotional and testing few days for Dallas Police Chief David Brown, who has admitted barely sleeping since five officers were gunned down in his city last week.
But on Tuesday he found the strength to pay a heartwarming tribute to those fallen officers, reciting part of the lyrics to Stevie Wonder's As in a show of love for his colleagues.
As a young man Brown said he would often struggle to talk to girls and so relied on lyrics to express himself, a trope he returned to during the service.
Dallas Police Chief David Brown read the lyrics to Stevie Wonder's As during his emotional tribute to five officers shot dead during a protest in the city last week
Brown has been widely praised for his handling of the situation since five officers were gunned down in Dallas last Thursday, and showed why that is today with a touching tribute to the fallen
He said: 'When I was a teenager and started liking girls, I could never find the words to express myself.
Brown explained that after a few unsuccessful tries, he attempted a new strategy: reciting song lyrics to women he wanted to take on dates.
'So for girls I liked I would pull out some Al Green or some Teddy Pendergrass,' he mentioned, asking the audience to envision him with a full fro, bell bottom jeans and wide collared shirts.
'But for people that I loved, if I fell in love with a girl, I'd have to dig down deep and get some Stevie Wonder,' he said.
'So today I'm going to pull out some Stevie Wonder for these families,' he said.
'We all know sometimes life's hates and troubles, can make you wish you were born in another time and space,' Brown's tribute began.
'But you can bet you life times that and twice its double, that God knew exactly where he wanted you to be placed.'
Brown, who said earlier that he has barely slept in a week, recalled that as a young man song lyrics helped him to express his emotions when he was otherwise lost for words
The chief's tribute was watched by both Barack and Michelle Obama, who was silently mouthing some of the words along with him
His voice ringing with emotion, he added: 'Change your words into truths and then change that truth into love, and maybe our children's grandchildren, and their great-great grandchildren will tell - I'll be loving you.'
Brown paid his tribute while standing at a podium in front of Barack and Michelle Obama, who was seen silently mouthing some of the lyrics along with him.
When he finished, Brown received a long, loud standing ovation from those in attendance.
Taking the podium next, Obama offered a moment of levity among the grim proceedings, joking: 'I'm so glad I met Michelle first, because she loves Stevie Wonder.'
Brown has been widely lauded for his measured and thoughtful response to the shootings in Dallas as he attempts to heal divisions in a town that had been unaffected by police shootings in other parts of the country until last week.
Obama swapped words with Brown, who lost four officers in the attack, and with Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police Chief James Spiller (right) who lost another cop
Brown was also seen being comforted by Michelle Obama at the end of an emotional few days in Dallas
At a press conference on Monday, Brown told reporters that too much is being asked of police, and said officers cannot fix 'every societal ill' plaguing the country.
He also called on Black Lives Matter protesters to stop venting their anger and become part of the solution when it comes to ending racial divisions in America.
He said: 'We're hiring. 'Get off that protest line and put an application in. And we'll put you in your neighborhood, and we'll help you resolve some of the problems you're protesting about.'
Thursday's protest was sparked by the deaths of two black men, Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, who were shot dead by cops last week.
Brent Thompson, 43, Patrick Zamarripa, 32, Michael Krol, 40, Lorne Ahrens, 48, and Michael Smith, 55, were all shot dead during a sniper attack by Micah Xavier Johnson.
Angered by the recent shootings of black civilians by cops, Johnson targeted white police officers in his shooting spree before being killed by a bomb strapped to a robot.
Brown was joined by President Obama and First Lady Michelle, along with former President and onetime Dallas resident George W Bush as they paid their respects to the fallen
Obama joked that he was glad he met Michelle first 'because she loves Stevie Wonder' before paying a solemn tribute to those killed in Dallas
The billionaire former chairman of Univision has purchased the former Bel-Air, California home of the late President Ronald Reagan.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Jerry Perenchio, 85, bought the 7,200-square-foot home for $15million in an off-the-market deal.
The sale comes just four months after the nation mourned the death of former first lady Nancy Reagan.
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Former Univision chairman Jerry Perenchio has purchased the former Bel-Air, California home of Ronald and Nancy Reagan
The Reagans pictured swimming in the pool at one of their other homes, in Pacific Palisades, California, in 1960
Perenchio has several properties surrounding the Reagan home and has sat on the board of trustees for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation since 2000
In September, many of the Reagan's possessions will go on sale in an auction benefiting the Ronald Reagan Foundation. It's unclear if the sale of their home was also for charity.
Perenchio has deep connections with Ronald Reagan, having represented the actor-turned-politician early on in his career when he was working as a talent agent at Music Corp. of America.
He has also sat on the board of trustees for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation since 2000.
The Reagan's former Bel-Air home was purchased by friends of the couple in 1986, when Ronald was in his second term as president.
The agreement was that the Reagans could lease it from their friends with the option to buy later down the line.
The deed was eventually turned over to the Reagans in 1989 - the same year they left the White House.
The 7,200-square-foot home includes 17 rooms over two floors including three bedrooms and six bathrooms.
Hedges and gates surround the 1.29-acre property which features a swimming pool.
The home is located in an upscale neighborhood once home to the likes of Joan Rivers, Elizabeth Taylor and Burt Bacaharach. Perenchio owns multiple properties around the Reagan home.
After getting his start as a talent agent representing Reagan and Marlon Brando, Perenchio went into movie production.
In the 1990s, Perenchio and two partners bought the Spanish-language network Univision for $550million - turning it around for a sizeable profit in 2007 when it was sold for an impressive $12billion.
Opinion / Columnist
Zimbabwe is in the grip of a multiple of strands of crises, which we squarely blame on Zanu-PF's Robert Mugabe and Finance minister, Patrick Chinamasa.The events unfolding in the country clearly show that we are in serious crisis and that the Zanu-PF government has failed and failed dismally.This is a serious indictment and the day to day challenges that the people are facing is a fact that this country is in turmoil. We find that it is regrettably and unacceptable that by mid-July Chinamasa has failed to pay civil servants their salaries. Where workers provide labour and are unpaid that is the classical definition of slavery in this century and in this day and age.We do not accept that the government has no money. We are dealing with profligate, fraudulent and ill-disciplined government that does not believe in spending what it saves and eat what it kills. This government is a rogue regime that has spent millions of dollars travels of the president and the first his wife.It is ironic that this government has spent over $340 m on vehicles and we now have ministers driving around in the most expensive SUVs across the continent.We also find it unacceptable and condemn the high levels of corruption in government with the parastatals and other state enterprises being used as conduit vehicles of looting.As the People's Democratic Party (PDP), we say to this government, "Stop this corruption". We do not accept haphazard measures that are being used by this regime.The Statutory Instrument 64 recently introduced by the government, which banned the importation of basic commodities when industries have totally collapsed is unacceptable. The SI 64 was introduced by the Smith government in 1974 when the country was at war and when it was under proper sanctions of the United Nations.The move by this regime should be repealed as the SI 64 is in breach of SADC trade protocol and the world trade protocols.We want to make it clear that the international community should not accept this rogue regime, which came empty handed from its re-engagement talks in Brussels Paris and the UK despite much ado.As the PDP, we are part of the social protest movement that is holding peaceful demonstrations and calling on Mugabe and Zanu-PF to resign immediately. We want to reassert that it is the constitutional right of every citizen codified in the Constitution to protest. We are part of all demonstrations including that of tomorrow and Thursday.Our message to Robert Mugabe is that 92 years is really old and he must retire with his entire cabal of ministers including Patrick Chinamasa.We therefore condemn unreservedly the arrest of human rights activists, Linda Masarira who is in remand prison after she was denied bail, Promise Mkwananzi and that of Pastor Evan Mawarire and we call for their immediate unconditional release of those in police custody.The person who should instead be arrested is Patrick Chinamasa for failing to pay civil servants and Robert Mugabe for running down the country resulting in 75% of the population living in extreme poverty and four million forced to live outside the country.We therefore call upon Southern African Development (SADC) to take an active interest and urgently intervene and put Zimbabwe on the agenda of the next SADC meeting before the country implodes and the cost of cleaning the mess becomes higher.This regime has failed and failed dismally and must resign and pave way for the National Transitional Authority (NTA). We also call for the internal dialogue amongst Zimbabweans. There must be a convergence among the political parties and we are happy to state that we happy to be part of these on-going negotiations.
The police watchdog has decided not to publish its full, unredacted report into the so-called Battle of Orgreave during the 1984 Miners' Strike because it may interfere with the ongoing investigation into the Hillsborough disaster.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) published a redacted report last year after it decided the passage of time prevented a formal investigation into the police's handling of events outside Orgreave coking plant, between Sheffield and Rotherham.
On Tuesday, the commission said: 'After consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, the IPCC has determined that it will not publish an unredacted report from the scoping exercise that it conducted in relation to events which took place at the Orgreave coking plant during the miners dispute.
The police watchdog has decided against publishing an unredacted report into the Battle of Orgeave in 1984
The dispute in June 1984 saw some 10,000 miners face around 6,000 police and left dozens of people injured
A total of 95 miners were charged following the disturbances but their trials eventually collapsed
'This is because there may be some material within that report which is relevant to the current Hillsborough investigation. Decisions are yet to be made on whether any criminal proceedings are to be brought as a result of those investigations, and the IPCC does not want to prejudice that process.'
Earlier this year, the Yorkshire Post said it has seen redacted sections of the report, which the paper said reveals that the same senior officers and solicitor were involved both in the aftermath of Orgreave and the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.
The bitter dispute at Orgreave on June, 18, 1984 resulted in dozens of injuries on both sides. Pickets later complained of excessive force by some of the around 6,000 officers brought in for the strike.
A total of 95 miners were charged following the disturbances, but their trial collapsed.
South Yorkshire Police referred itself to the IPCC in 2012 over allegations officers colluded to write court statements.
The watchdog later said the passage of time prevented a formal investigation, but said there was 'support' for the allegation that senior police exaggerated pickets' use of violence.
Calls have been mounting for Theresa May, as Home Secretary, to order an inquiry into the events at Orgreave and for South Yorkshire Police to open up its archives.
Operation Resolve, the police inquiry into the events of the day of the Hillsborough disaster and its lead-up, is continuing along with the probe by IPCC into the aftermath of the tragedy.
Miners accused the police of using excessive force when dealing with the protesters, pictured
A protective dog rescued a litter of piglets rejected at birth by their mother - and took on her new role with such fervor she began lactating.
The miniature piglets were born this weekend on a farm in Knotts Island, North Carolina to their birth mother Sophie.
But Sophie showed no intention of caring for her babies and refused to let them nurse, WTKR reported.
That is when Dottie Jayne, a 12-year-old Jack Russell terrier, came to their rescue. She had been watching them closely since their birth.
Dottie Jayne, a 12-year-old Jack Russell terrier (pictured), rescued a litter of miniature piglets this weekend in Knotts Island, North Carolina, after their mother rejected them
The piglets were born on a farm to their mother Sophie (pictured) but she refused to take care of them and wouldn't let them nurse. Dottie Jayne had been watching the piglets intently since their birth
Dottie Jayne began caring for the babies as if they were her own and allowed them to try to nurse, even though she hadn't carried them and therefore hadn't produced any milk in preparation for the piglets.
But Dottie Jayne eventually started to lactate as the tiny piglets nursed.She has kept caring for them and has established herself as their now mother.
Her owner, Courtney Culpepper Waterfield, owns a horseback riding club in Virginia Beach, not far from Knotts Island, called The Barn Life.
'Dottie Jayne, you are a saint of a dog to have fostered these piglets,' Culpepper Waterfield said according to WTKR.
'God is amazing. How he has blessed me with such a wonderful dog.'
They are hoping to 're-write the tragedy' as a warning to others about the dangers of fireworks '
Sister Donna said the family had been 'living a nightmare' since the blast
He's now been warned that he may also lose his hearing after the
A California man lost his hand and his eyesight after a firework exploded in his face, has been warned he could also lose his hearing
Donny Freire had been lighting a legal firework as part of the family's July 4 celebrations in Lawndale when something went horribly wrong.
He was rushed to a Torrance trauma with major blast injuries to his face and chest. His left hand was blown clean off in the blast, KTLA reports.
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Donny Freire had been lighting a legal firework as part of the family's July 4 celebrations in Lawndale when something went horribly wrong (pictured in hospital after the blast)
Freire (pictured left, before the incident with an unidentified woman, and right in hospital was rushed to a Torrance trauma with major blast injuries to his face and chest. His left hand was blown clean off in the blast
'He was bleeding, there was so much blood,' Hala Akaleh, Freire's fiance's mother told KTLA.
Freire has now undergone four surgeries as medics try to save his hearing and restore his eyesight.
But it is too early to say whether his vision will return or whether he will lose his hearing.
Akaleh said the reality of his injuries was just beginning to hit home.
'I left him and he was very, very bad. Very, very sad,' she said.
His sister Donna Olivia Freire was devastated by her brother's accident, saying it had 'pierced my soul.'
'This whole week my family and I have been living a nightmare,' she wrote on a GoFundMe page set up to pay for his medical expenses.
Freire has now undergone four surgeries as medics try to save his hearing and restore his eyesight. But it is too early to say whether his vision will return or whether he will lose his hearing (pictured left and right in hospital when his family celebrated his birthday in hospital, right)
Donna Olivia said she had 'never truly realized the dangers of fireworks' until the tragic incident on July 4 - which is also Freire's birthday.
'Today is my brother Donnys birthday, we should be celebrating, but instead hes lying in a hospital bed,' she wrote. 'Donny always loved to celebrate Fourth of July with fireworks, it was his way of also celebrating his birthday.
'Every year I looked forward to July 4th, being with family. Unfortunately, this year would be the last of our July 4th celebrations, because Donny was a trauma patient on that day from a fireworks injury resulting in losing his left hand and sustaining major blast injuries to both his eyes and ears leaving him visually impaired and hard of hearing.'
His cousin Nancy Folchi added that seeing Freire in hospital after the tragic accident had been 'one of the worst days of my life.
Now the family are hoping to use Donny's story to warn others about the dangerous of fireworks.
'This tragedy will be re-written by his ability to help others avoid similar injuries and become aware of the dangers of fireworks,' his sister said.
'Donny is courageous; with our help he will be able to overcome this obstacle.'
Meanwhile Akaleh called for a ban on fireworks, saying 'it's not worth it.'
'I will never have that in my house any more.'
His sister Donna Olivia Freire (left) was devastated by her brother's accident, saying it had 'pierced my soul' while his fiance's mother Hala Akaleh (right) said she would never have fireworks in her home again
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says there is an average of 230 fireworks-related injuries near and on the 4th of July (stock image)
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says there is an average of 230 fireworks-related injuries near and on the 4th of July.
While children are at risk of injury if proper safety procedures aren't followed, it is men aged between 25 to 44 who are the most commonly injured.
In New York's Central Park a teenager was left maimed on July 4 when a 'homemade' firework tore apart his leg.
Connor Golden, 18, had his left foot 'severely mutilated' when he stepped on something as he was climbing rocks with friends Thomas Hinds, 20, and Matthew Stabile, 18.
The firework had been placed in an area where 'no-one would ordinarily step' and police believe it was not intended to harm anyone. Golden and his friends were not involved in building the device.
In another incident, a nine-year-old girl lost her left hand and fingers on her right hand in a suspected illegal fireworks blast in a California park.
The youngster, who has not been named, was playing in at Burrell-MacDonald Park, in Compton when someone tossed a firework near her.
The Fox News Channel and Newt Gingrich agreed to part ways on Tuesday amid chatter tying the former Speaker of the House to the short list of finalists under consideration to be Donald Trump's vice-presidential running mate.
Gingrich, 73, has been an on-air contributor to the network since October 2015, offering his political opinions from the conservative end of the spectrum.
But now he's the subject of countless news articles as a Trump booster who has appeared on the stump with the billionaire Republican driving Fox to cut ties as a preemptive strike against future concerns about bias in its programming.
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OUTFOXED: Newt Gingrich is no longer a Fox news on-air contributor after he and the network parted ways amid chatter tying him to Donald Trump's vice presidential search
'NEWT GETS IT': Trump and Gingrich appeared on stage together last week in Cincinnati, Ohio, after the former Speaker of the House delivered a stinging warm-up speech clobbering Hillary Clinton
'Fox News Channel has mutually agreed to suspend its contributor agreement with Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich effective immediately,' Fox's executive vice president for news Jay Wallace said Tuesday in a statement.
'Due to the intense media speculation about Gingrich's potential selection as Donald Trump's vice presidential candidate, we felt it best to halt his contributor role on the network to avoid all conflicts of interest that may arise.'
A Fox News source told DailyMail.com on background that the network brass 'aren't trying to say they think Newt will be Trump's running mate.'
'It's just a matter of wanting to resolve it before it becomes a big thing,' the insider said. 'Even if he's just a regular surrogate and making speeches for Trump, it's a conflict worth avoiding.'
Trump has stoked the media feeding frenzy surrounding Gingrich, telling rally crowds that the former speaker would have a natural advantage in a vice-presidential debate.
And Fox host Sean Hannity said Monday on his nightly hour-long show that he 'wouldn't be happy with anyone but Newt' as Trump's VP pick.
Gingrich has said on Fox News that he would lean toward saying yes if Trump asked him to join the GOP ticket.
'If Trump offers the position and is serious about it, which I think he would be after our conversations, listen I would feel compelled to serve the country," he said last Thursday.
PREEMPTIVE STRIKE: Taking Gingrich out of his political-opinion-maker role on Fox is the network's way of avoiding what might happen if he is either Trump's running-mate or even a garden-variety booster on the campaign trail
Trump is expected to name his number-two by Friday, in advance of next week's Republican National Convention.
Other names said to be in the mix include Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Trump teased Gingrich as a potential VP choice during a July 6 rally in Cincinnati, in which the former speaker warmed up the crowd with a blistering critique of presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
'I'm not saying anything, and I'm not telling even Newt anything,' Trump said, 'but I can tell you in one form or another, Newt Gingrich is going to be involved with our government. That I can tell you, okay?'
'We all love Newt. Newt gets it,' Trump boomed later as his fans chanted the former speaker's first name, begging the presumptive nominee to join forces with him.
'I'll tell you one thing, folks: I'm not saying it's Newt, but if it's Newt, nobody's going to be beating him in those debates. That's for sure, right? Nobody. Nobody's beating on Newt in the debate.'
Fox has a history of erring on the side of caution and distancing itself from on-air commentators who might become political power players in their own right.
A drone has captured some incredible footage of the largest cemetery in the world.
Wadi Al-Salaam is situated in the holy city of Najaf in Iraq and contains more than five million bodies across a staggering 1,485.5 acres of land.
The site is located close to the shrine of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, the first Shia Imam and fourth Caliph.
Staggering: Wadi Al-Salaam is situated in the city of Najaf in Iraq and contains more than five million bodies
History: The site is located close to the shrine of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, the first Shia Imam and fourth Caliph
As a result nearly all Iraq's Shia Muslim population request to be buried there.
Daily burials have occurred at Wadi Al-Salaam for more than 1,400 years and an estimated 500,000 additional bodies are buried there every year.
As a result, the ancient graveyard is regularly visited by millions of Muslims living in various parts of the world.
The cemetery is on the Tentative List of UNESCO's World Heritage site for its age - people have been buried there since before the Middle Ages - and of course its size.
Respect: For more than 1,400 years daily burials have occurred at Wadi Al-Salaam, which is regularly visited
Huge: The cemetery is on the Tentative List of UNESCO's World Heritage site for its age and of course its size
The fact that the cemetery is also home to many prophets, kings, princes and Sultans, also played a part in it being selected, according to the UNESCO website.
The drone footage captures Wadi Al-Salaam, which translates as Valley of Peace, from a height, but it is still unable to film anything but the graveyard.
Headstones and tombs emerge from the ground for as far as the eye can see as people - the size of ants - negotiate between them to pay their respects.
Vehicles travel along roads connecting the endless rows upon rows of graves before the video concludes with one last shot overlooking the vast area below.
Presumptive Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's campaign is vetting retired Navy Admiral James Stavridis as a potential vice presidential running mate, a source with knowledge of the process confirmed to Reuters on Tuesday.
Stavridis is dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University near Boston and a former supreme allied commander of NATO.
Republican Donald Trump could also pick a decorated veteran as his No. 2. Retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn is said to be in the GOP's mix.
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Presumptive Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's campaign is vetting retired Navy Admiral James Stavridis as a potential vice presidential running mate. Stavridis is seen here testifying before a Senate committee in 2015
Stavridis is dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University near Boston and a former supreme allied commander of NATO. He's seen here during his time as U.S. commander in Europe, in Poland, in 2012
Both candidates are expected to announced their running mates at their political parties' respective conventions in Cleveland next week - Republicans - and Philadelphia the week after - Democrats.
Also said to be on Clinton's short list is Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine. She's campaigning with the longtime ally on Thursday in his home state
Kaine is attractive to Clinton for the same reasons as someone like Stavridis. A member of the Senate's Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, he has the credibility on foreign policy issues candidates typically look for in a second-in-command.
Clinton is vetting retired Navy Admiral James Stavridis as a potential vice presidential running mate. Clinton is pictured above speaking today as Senator Bernie Sanders looks on after he endorsed her during a campaign rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
He's a lawyer by trade and a former governor of Virginia with no military experience, however. Stavridis is a 4-star retired Navy admiral.
'Admiral Stavridis is one of the finest military officers of his generation,' Michele Flournoy, a former under secretary at the U.S. Department of Defense, told Reuters in a statement.
She said, 'He is a person of great ability and integrity, and an exceptional leader. He has the talents, experience, judgment and temperament to serve the American people at the highest levels of our government.'
Republican Donald Trump could also pick a decorated veteran as his No. 2. Retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, seen above, is said to be in the GOP's mix
Flournoy, who formed a think tank after leaving the Defense Department and is advising the Clinton campaign on foreign policy, did not comment on the vetting process.
The former DOD official is thought to be a probable Clinton pick for defense secretary if the candidate wins the White House on Nov. 8.
Clinton's campaign declined to comment on the vetting of Stavridis, as well, in response to an inquiry from Reuters.
Stavridis and Clinton worked closely together when he was at NATO and she led the U.S. Department of State during Democratic President Barack Obama's first term.
Trump could also pick a decorated veteran as his No. 2. He is pictured above speaking during a campaign event on veterans reform in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on Monday
Introducing Clinton at a 2013 awards dinner, Stavridis said, 'She does the work of two, of 20, of 200 with her energy, with her enthusiasm and with her boundless determination to improve our world.' He praised her use of 'smart power.'
In a 2012 TED talk on global security, Stavridis began by saying: 'My thesis for us today is, instead of building walls to create security, we need to build bridges.'
David Cameron is pressing Theresa May not to undermine his legacy by dropping his contentious foreign aid target.
On his final day in No 10, the Prime Minister will today declare that diverting 0.7 per cent of national income abroad is one of his proudest achievements.
He will also cite in his farewell statement the economic recovery, the living wage, apprenticeships, education reform and gay marriage.
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David Cameron, visiting a school in Feltham, west London in his final public outing as Prime Minister has urged incoming PM Theresa May to continue funding the foreign aid budget as it is one of his 'finest achievements'
Mr Cameron returned to Downing Street for his final night as Prime Minister before he is replaced tomorrow
Friends say he is determined to be remembered for something other than his losing bet on the EU referendum. The pointed reference to foreign aid is intended to ensure his successor Mrs May does not rip up a pledge that costs around 12billion a year.
MPs, select committees and other experts have repeatedly said the international development budget invites waste and corruption.
During the Tory leadership campaign Liam Fox an ally of Mrs May who is tipped for a major Cabinet role said spending was too high when the defence budget was under strain.
But Mr Camerons aides point out that the 0.7 per cent commitment was in the Tory manifesto, a document Mrs May was pictured on the front of. Senior allies of Mr Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne both insist the target should be met.
Mrs May gave the PM a boost yesterday when signing up in full to his life chances strategy, which includes major prison reforms.
Yesterday, Mr Cameron held his 215th and final Cabinet meeting. His official spokesman said he entered the room to colleagues banging the table in appreciation, saying that there was a warm and reflective mood.
But in a demonstration of how swiftly power changes hands in Britain a removals van turned up outside to collect his familys possessions.
Mrs May and Mr Osborne led the tributes to the PM during Cabinet. Mrs May said Mr Cameron had the warmth and respect of colleagues and had led the country through a difficult time.
Before the Tory leadership contest was cut dramatically short, the PM had been planning to use his final eight weeks to promote his legacy.
This included a now cancelled trip to Africa to show how British aid money helped to save lives.
Yesterday, in his final hours as PM, he announced 31 new free schools providing around 20,000 places.
On his final visit as Prime Minister, he travelled to Reach Academy in Feltham, west London. He said: Free schools have been at the heart of this Governments education reforms which have seen more than 1.4million more children in good or outstanding schools since 2010.
More than 300 have been created since I became Prime Minister, and 200 are set to open, meaning tens of thousands more young people, many from disadvantaged areas, finally have a choice of a good education that helps them reach their full potential.
Left or right? Theresa May seemed unsure when she stepped out of 10 Downing Street yesterday morning. First she darted right to jump into a Range Rover. Then she jinked left to find her bomb-proof BMW.
Home Secretary May, as we will no longer call her after today, threw up her hands in mock despair an 'ain't I a clot?' gesture. Left or right: Let's hope we don't have such uncertainty from her in the coming months.
For an hour or so it was as if we had two prime ministers. Both David Cameron and Mrs May were inside 10 Downing Street, not just for Cabinet but also for additional meetings with top figures. It was a day of inter-regnum, double-regnum and removals men. A blue van turned up mid-morning with a cargo of packing-boxes. A chap with a 'Simply Removals' top loitered around, looking a bit apprehensive. Who can blame him? Sam Cam's outfits and shoes, alone, will surely fill at least one pantechnicon.
Mr Cameron took his 215th and final Cabinet meeting. By the end of it, we were told, 'they were banging on the table'. Good grief. How very John Majorish of them. Let it hurriedly be said that 'banging on the table' is nothing to do with Back to Basics. It is just another of those strange political traditions and simply means that Cabinet ministers whack the poor Cabinet table with their fists to show approval for the departing premier.
Home Secretary Theresa May (pictured) left 10 Downing Street, London, after the final Cabinet meeting with David Cameron as Prime Minister
When Mrs May arrived for the Cabinet meeting earlier in the morning, she put on quite a show. Normally she has herself driven to the door of No10 but yesterday the BMW dropped her at the bottom of the street and she waddled up the pavement, swinging hips as best she could. She even did a bit of a shampoo-advert pose on the doorstep for the snappers. Hello, boys. It's cos I'm worth it.
If the PM-to-be seemed pleased by events, Team Cameron were decidedly more subdued. Liz Sugg, Mr Cameron's normally jovial aide, was dressed all in black a Sicilian widow at her olive grove. Communications chief Craig Oliver, arriving at 8.30am, took a squint at the lurking lensmen and snarled: 'I'm glad I'll never see you lot again.'
Justice Secretary Michael Gove had himself driven right to the door and was one of several ministers to look a bit glum. Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns said 'many people are anxious about waiting for that phone call' from the new prime minister. Mr Cairns should surely be safe there are not many Welsh Tory MPs to choose from for his job. Two of them have already done it.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt gushed afterwards about the tributes that had been paid to Mr Cameron by his senior colleagues at the Cabinet meeting. 'Great pride... sadness... huge gratitude.' It sounded to have been the Oscars and a memorial service address rolled into one. Theresa Villiers, Northern Ireland Secretary, said: 'He changed our party for the better. And he also gave me a job.' Ah, yes, the authentic voice of politics. Meanwhile, other parts of the British Establishment are inspecting their bodywork for post-Brexit dents incurred because they cosied up too close to the Cameron regime. Bank of England governor Mark Carney (he likes to be called 'Dr Carney') was uncommonly batey when he appeared at the Treasury select committee.
David Cameron (pictured) took his 215th and final Cabinet meeting as Prime Minister on Tuesday
Its chairman, Andrew Tyrie, raised allegations that the Bank had indulged in 'phoney forecasts' and tried political bullying of voters before the EU referendum.
Carney, normally Mr Butter, blushed. He became markedly narked by Jacob Rees-Mogg (Con, NE Somerset), who wondered if the Bank which issued predictions of economic gloom if we voted for Brexit would behave in such a way in a general election. 'This was a single, binary decision and irrevocable,' snapped Carney. He gave Mr Rees-Mogg a long, hard stare. Well done, Jacob, you got under the smooth fool's skin.
Police searching for a father of three who disappeared after leaving T in the Park recovered a body yesterday.
It was the latest tragedy linked to the festival at which two teenagers died and a teenage girl was raped.
James Richardson, 29, had not been seen since he got off a bus leaving the Strathallan Castle venue in Perthshire on Monday after attending Scotlands largest music festival.
James Richardson (pictured with his wife Samantha), 29, had not been seen since he got off a bus leaving the Strathallan Castle venue in Perthshire
His wife Samantha took to social media to appeal for help in finding her husband, who had gone for a cigarette near Auchterarder around 2.30pm and apparently never got back on the bus.
He was due back home in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, that evening and when he failed to return Mrs Richardson, 28, uploaded his photograph on Facebook.
In her Facebook appeal she wrote: Has anyone seen Jim Richardson since leaving T in the Park? Im hoping someone has picked him up or hes got a lift but no idea where hes gone.
Later that night she added: We still havent heard any word on where Jim is. He was last in the area of Forteviot/Auchterarder about 2.30pm today this was after the bus he was on left with his bag etc on board. He text the road he was on and that was the last anyone heard from him.
His wife Samantha (pictured together) took to social media to appeal for help in finding her husband, who had gone for a cigarette near Auchterarder around 2.30pm and apparently never got back on the bus
He was due back home in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, that evening and when he failed to return Mrs Richardson, 28, uploaded his photograph on Facebook. He is pictured with his three children
Getting worried now as its getting dark and cold and dont know if he even had any money on him to get somewhere to stay or a lift anywhere.
It is understood Mr Richardsons parents travelled to Perthshire to join the search effort for their son, who had posted images of his weekend at the festival on social media.
But yesterday Police Scotland said a body had been discovered near Forteviot, Perthshire, adding that the death was being treated as unexplained.
The discovery came as detectives continued their investigations into the deaths of Megan Bell, 17, and Peter MacCallum, 17, in separate incidents at the festival. The deaths are being treated as unexplained but it is believed they were drug-related.
The discovery came as detectives continued their investigations into the deaths of Megan Bell (left), 17, and Peter MacCallum (right), 17, in separate incidents at the festival
The deaths of the two 17-year-olds are being treated as unexplained but it is believed they were drug-related
Revellers gather at the main stage for T in the Park's first day (There is no suggestion that anyone pictured here has taken drugs during the festival)
The aftermath of T in the Park where tents are strewn across a muddy field with litter
Hours earlier, an 18-year-old girl was raped following a night in the festivals Slam Tent on Thursday.
Last night, police did not confirm the body found was Mr Richardson but family and friends expressed their sorrow on social media.
Suzie Langford wrote: Thoughts and condolences to Samantha Richardson and the whole Richardson family. Absolutely gutted and heart wrenched at Jim Richardson not making it home to his family.'
For Theresa May (pictured), the honeymoon as Britain's new Prime Minister will be short, writes James Slack
For Theresa May, the honeymoon as Britain's new Prime Minister will be short. Here, Political Editor JAMES SLACK details ten of the burning issues in her in-tray.
The EU and Article 50
Mrs May has repeatedly said 'Brexit means Brexit' but, from Day One, she will be under pressure to trigger the formal process for leaving the EU. Eurosceptics wants proof she is going to deliver. The key issue is access to the single market versus free movement. She can expect a revolt if she compromises too much on border controls.
The economy
If the economy dips over the next year, she will come under pressure to cut taxes or find other ways to boost business. In readiness, Mrs May has already junked George Osborne's target of running a surplus by the end of the Parliament. She could also face demands to make further public spending cuts if the deficit worsens.
The 'awkward squad'
The divisions created by the referendum will not heal easily. Pro-Brexit MPs on the Tory Right are furious Andrea Leadsom was forced out of the leadership race. With a majority of 17, reaching out to them is vital if Mrs May is not to be bogged down by rows on Europe.
The NHS
The Health Service is fast heading for a full-blown funding crisis with hospital managers demanding billions more to keep afloat. Will Mrs May commit to radical reform or continue with the current sticking plaster solutions?
Human Rights
The British Bill of Rights was sat on David Cameron's desk for the last six months of his premiership. Mrs May's original desire was to quit the European Convention on Human Rights. She has now abandoned this position on the grounds it won't get through Parliament. Does she proceed with a weaker compromise or ditch the reforms altogether?
Immigration
With net migration running at around 330,000 a year, the migration system needs a complete overhaul. Mrs May is opposed to an Australian points-based system. Instead, expect her to insist on more face-to-face interviews to weed out bogus visa applicants.
HS2
During a leadership hustings, Mrs May promised backbenchers that she would carry out a 'value for money' review of the 55billion rail project. Could it really pass such a test?
Airport expansion
The fact she is planning to give a big Cabinet job to Justine Greening who has said she would resign if Heathrow expansion goes ahead will fuel speculation in favour of Gatwick.
The fact she is planning to give a big Cabinet job to Justine Greening who has said she would resign if Heathrow (pictured) expansion goes ahead will fuel speculation in favour of Gatwick
Trident renewal
Her first big Commons vote. Mrs May is a strong supporter of having a round-the-clock nuclear deterrent and will whip Tory MPs to support it in the Commons on Monday.
Scottish independence
Opinion / Columnist
Nicholas Mlamuli Ndebele Mob:+(44)7747309160
Zimbabwe Reconstruction Committee .
It cannot be business as usual any more for the Zanu-PF Government in Zimbabwe. The riots and protests that began at the Beitbridge border town on 1 July 2016 over restrictions imposed on imports, were fast to spread to other parts of the country and to widen the issues of concern as justification for rioting. Civil servants have not had their salaries and are either on strike or planning to go on strike.Teachers are on strike demanding that they be paid. Rank-touts (who have no legal status and are actually regarded as a menace) have caused violent riots demanding that police stop harassing them by demanding bribes at the unnecessarily numerous road blocks. Emerging citizens forums such as the "Tajamuka/Sesijikile", "ThisFlag", "Imbiza/poto/pot campaign" (and many more) have come up complaining about poor governance in general declaring that "Enough is Enough" pointing to rampant corruption by government ministers including the presidency. The call by "Tajamuka" for a Zimbabwe shut down on Wednesday 6 July 2016 was well heeded by the country's entire population indeed better than any called by political parties before.Though the reasons for calling for industrial action or general protest may seem to vary, there is the common and underlying factor of the unbearable economic meltdown. The economy has continued to deteriorate even after the wide promises of economic recovery made during the campaign for the July 2013 elections that resulted in an overwhelming victory for Zanu-Pf notwithstanding rigging allegations from the opposition then and now. It is telling that political organising even by the once very popular MDC for popular uprising against the Zanu-Pf government has previously not been as successful and effective as the now seemingly spontaneous people driven protests.In the past, the Zanu-Pf government found it easy to discredit the opposition as puppets of the West for the regime change agenda. Now it is the citizens in general complaining about obvious government failure to defend and protect the people's integrity and create a conducive environment for citizens to express and enjoy their potential. People are expressing concern over government corruption as evidenced by the unrealistic salaries and allowances they have been awarding themselves in the parastatals and other boards. The case of Cuthbert Dube and city council salaries were indeed shocking.All government ministers and senior officials (both at party and government), have become farmers (with multiple farms) and business people without real production. They all have become filthy rich although there is no corresponding economic production to justify the state of wealth.The people are scandalised by a vice president who does not seem to see anything wrong by spending millions of tax-payer money living in an expensive hotel while presiding over a meltdown economy where those citizens looking up to him to turn around the economic fortunes of the country continue to find ever harder to put food on the plate for their families. It is therefore not surprising that citizens will be shocked by a government that neglects its duty of turning around the country's economy but finds the nerve to deprive citizens the right to fend for themselves by imposing a ban on food imports. This time the Zanu-Pf government is in direct confrontation with the people. Examples we can look at elsewhere when there has been such confrontation show that those governments have without exception eventually given in to the pressure by citizens.It is important to note that it is becoming clear that Zimbabweans are no longer buying into the mantra of economic sanctions imposed in 2000 by the Western governments as the cause of the economic meltdown in the country. Citizens are aware that the country was in international economic sanctions before during the Rhodesia Front government days and that unlike today, it was precisely during those sanctions that the country's economy grew and strengthened. It is sad that with the good will of many countries within the region and the East, the Zanu-Pf government has failed to turn the sanctions imposed by the western governments into an opportunity to develop or at least maintain the well established economic infrastructure that the government found on taking over in 1980. In the circumstances, it is easy to conclude that government corruption has had greater impact and effect on the deterioration of the economy than the imposed sanctions. President Mugabe recently revealed that the country had lost 15 billion dollars of diamond revenue through looting. Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa on the BBC's HARD TALK programme told the world that the 15 billion dollars had been lost through "under invoicing in some cases and over pricing in others". The finance minister was in fact confirming that the money was lost to corruption. Both the President and the Finance minister put the loss of 15 billion dollars not as a result of sanctions but because of corruption. The current in-fighting within the Zanu-Pf government and party continues to pre-occupy those that are supposed to be solving the country's problems.It does not matter how one judges the success or failure of the recent and current protests in the country, the fact remains that ordinary citizens are taking the responsibility to stand up and speak up. The Zanu-Pf government has a choice. A choice to get a wake up call from these recent protests and find a way to deliver urgently. The other choice is to acknowledge their failure and accept that the time for change has come and then manage the change. Managing the change could mean allowing for an organised transition rather than a chaotic one. With the people managing their own change, it would be a catastrophic mistake for that government to rely on the police and military as tools to supress and oppress the people. Both the police and military are people who took up those careers because of their desire to defend peace and stability within the community. Eventually they will sympathise with the people. It is when that point is reached that the political leadership will be seen as toxic and will be ripped out of office in a most humiliating manner. As Zimbabwe Reconstruction Committee we hope that the current political leadership in Zanu-Pf will have the courage and wisdom to realise that the time of change has come and responsibly facilitate that change to occur.We urge the citizens of Zimbabwe to proceed with much considered caution in their determination to get a more competent political leadership of the country. We also urge the security sector to prioritise the security of the nation rather than that of a small clique that holds the survival of the nation at ransom. It is the duty and responsibility of all Zimbabweans to calculatedly manage this change which is now inevitable. Zimbabwe does not need to necessarily go the painful way other countries have. We can all travel this change journey in a mature manner that propels us to the prosperity that can be a reality in the now.
Walmart night shift worker Alex Eichmann was killed after being shot in the parking lot of a McDonald's in Pompano Beach, Florida, after gambling in a local casino
A woman was caught on surveillance camera fleeing from a McDonald's parking lot in Pompano Beach, Florida, following the shooting of a 48-year-old man.
The unidentified woman is considered a person of interest in the killing of Walmart night shift worker Alex Eichmann.
The shooting is believed to have taken place around 4.30am on Monday.
Eichmann, who player soccer at American University in Washington, D.C. for two years, was found shot in his car in the parking lot before being rushed to Broward Health North Hospital.
He later died from his injuries.
Eichmann's older brother Eric said he spoke with him about an hour before his death.
Eichmann had just left a craps game at the Isle Casino in Pompano Beach, at 3.11am and told Eric he had pretty much broken even, the Sun Sentinel reported.
'I regret that I wasn't there last night to help him with whatever happened,' Eric, 51, said.
Eichmann often visited the McDonald's in which he was shot, according to Eric, because it was open late and they could swing by for food after leaving the casino.
Eichmann was single and had no relationships that his brother spoke of.
Broward Sheriff's Office released photos of the brunette woman running from the scene that they are calling a 'person of interest'
He said his younger brother, who once wanted to play jai alai professionally, had no enemies and was a kind person.
'My brother was one of the most caring people I have ever known,' Eric said.
'He never wanted to offend anybody or upset anybody. He went out of the way to smooth things over, have everyone be fine.'
Broward Sheriff's Office released photos of the brunette woman running from the scene.
She appears to be wearing a green tank top, jeans and carrying a bag over one arm.
The police also released a photo of a white four-door sedan believed to belong to the suspect.
Authorities are offering a $3,000 reward to anyone with information leading to an arrest.
Aviation giant Airbus is considering introducing urinals on planes in a bid to cut queues for toilets.
The plane-maker is currently reviewing the way its aircraft, which are used by many of the worlds leading airlines, are used by passengers.
And one problem that keeps cropping up is the annoying wait to go to the loo.
Urinal-style bathrooms could be coming to aeroplanes to help men go to the toilet quicker and cut queues
Plane firms face a difficult dilemma of having to squeeze as many seats in as possible, but putting in just the right number of toilets to accommodate their needs.
It is thought that one key way to cut queuing in the aisles, and also save space, would be to get men in and out of the loos quicker.
So it has started to look at installing a booth with two or three urinals in it on planes.
At the same time, it is thought this could also increase the space for disabled passengers, so that wheelchairs could squeeze in to a cubicle.
Currently passengers who are unable to walk have to be helped to the toilet and assisted by cabin crew.
Tom Williams, chief executive of Airbuss civil aviation business, said he is working with French aerospace firm Zodiac to develop a range of different toilet ideas.
Zodiac has innovative designs to optimise space in toilets. Urinals have not been done before mainly for cultural reasons. Its our airline customers who decide on the configuration of the planes they buy.
There has been developments in the way space is used and one design involved placing two toilets next to each other with a partition that can be removed to give more space to a handicapped passenger.
Airbus is seeking to take the initiative having suffered problems last year with the production on its A350 jets due to delays in installing toilets.
It had warned it might miss target for 15 A350 deliveries because Zodiac had failed to deliver lavatories.
Airbus has suffered problems with the production of its A350 jetliners
At the time Zodiac Aerospace boss Olivier Zarrouati was forced to say delays in delivering onboard toilets would take only a few months and he had to introduce a new assembly line in Canada to support an increase in production.
In the past Airbus has looked at a number of different ways to maximise space.
More than 10 years ago it looked at stand-up seats that meant passengers perched rather than sat.
This was something budget airline Ryanair had considered.
A founder and leader of the Black Womens Defense League was detained after live streaming the murder of police officers in Dallas last week on Facebook.
Niecee Cornute, 26, used her cell phone to depict the murder of one or more police officers when Army veteran Micah Johnson opened fire at a Black Lives Matter protest in the city last Thursday, an affidavit, obtained by CBS DFW, says.
The affidavit adds that there was indication that the video was uploaded to Ms Cornutes Facebook page in real time, as the offenses occurred.
Cornute was detained by Dallas police for four hours, her attorney Malik Shabazz told the local station.
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Niecee Cornute (pictured), a founder and leader of the Black Womens Defense League, was detained after live streaming the murder of police officers in Dallas last week on Facebook
She was released when police found there was not sufficient probable cause to believe that Ms Cornute was involved in the capital murder offenses, the affidavit adds.
She was detained and released because she has no involvement in the shooting, Shabazz told The Daily Beast.
Cornute was a demonstrator in the Black Lives Matter protest, he added, which was demonstrating against police brutality in the wake of two black men Alton Sterling and Philando Castile in separate incidents last week.
She has been a person that has obviously been surveilled, not that she had anything to do with it, he added.
The footage from Cornutes cell phone was transferred to a disk and it was returned to her when she was released, CBS reports.
Cornute (center) was detained by Dallas police for four hours and the contents of her phone were copied
Cornute (pictured) is a founder of the Black Womens Defense League, which is described a coalition of women of color on the path to total liberation through defense training and community building
However, according to Shabazz, police still have Cornutes car.
Shabazz, a Washington-based attorney and former national chairman of the New Black Panther Party, told CBS that police were searching for evidence that his client had a connection with Johnson, 25, who was killed by police using a remote-controlled robot in the early hours of Friday.
Cornute's lawyer Malik Shabazz says his client had nothing to do with the massacre in Dallas
But Shabazz insists that evidence doesnt exist and told the station that authorities havent contacted Cornute since the massacre that left five police officers dead and several others injured.
They havent bothered her because they cant, Shabazz told CBS.
But the affidavit says police believe there is such evidence on Cornutes cell phone, which was the only thing in her possession when she was arrested.
Dallas police say they have the contents of Cornutes phone on a storage drive and will be examining it alongside the other body camera footage they have obtained during the course of the investigation.
After her release, Cornute left town, her lawyer said. On Friday, she said she was travelling from Chicago to Philadelphia.
Please dont ask me for details, she wrote on her Facebook page shortly after being freed, according to The Daily Beast.
Much love for all the love Ive gotten over the last few hours, she added.
Yall rollin DEEP. I am proud of my sisters and brothers. Stay vigilant be smart and be AWARE.
According to her Facebook page, she is a founder of the Black Womens Defense League, which was established in Dallas, Texas, in August last year.
The group described itself on its Facebook page as a coalition of women of color on the path to total liberation through defense training and community building.
Police were searching for evidence that Cornute had a connection with sniper Micah Johnson (pictured) who was killed by police using a remote-controlled robot in the early hours of Friday
Texas Governor Greg Abbott missed President Barack Obama's memorial service address in Dallas today because he is recovering from extensive burns on his legs and feet.
Abbott underwent a successful skin graft on Tuesday after he was scalded by hot water in an accident while he was on vacation with his family in Jackson Hole, Wyoming last week.
In addition to missing out on Obama's visit after five officers were killed by gunman Micah Johnson, Abbott will be recovering in Austin instead of heading to Cleveland for the Republican National convention next week.
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott (pictured July 8) sustained 'extensive second and third-degree burns' on both legs and feet and may missed out on the memorial service today because he was undergoing a skin graft
Former president George W Bush (second to left) was in Dallas with Barack Obama (far right). They spoke at an interfaith memorial service for the five police officers who were shot dead by gunman Micah Johnson
Abbott (pictured) spoke to Obama on the phone while he was treated for his burns on Saturday. The governor will also miss out on the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio starting on Monday
It is unclear how the accident happened, but Abbott sustained 'extensive second and third-degree burns'.
The governor was treated at St. John's Medical Center when news broke that a gunman had opened fire in downtown Dallas killing five police officers and wounded seven others.
'His first words to us were, "I've got to come back,"' his spokesman Matt Hirsch said.
Abbott held a press conference on Friday and spoke with his feet and legs bandaged underneath his suit, choosing not to disclose the accident for fear of distracting from the tragic events.
He praised Texans in the aftermath of the shooting, saying: 'Texans have faced challenge after challenge after challenge for well over a century, and we have always shown our trademark resilience.'
His office announced he had developed a minor infection, but by Tuesday afternoon, he had successfully undergone skin grafts on his feet, according to reporter Patrick Svitek.
The governor will extend his stay at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio before returning to Austin instead of supporting presumptive nominee Donald Trump at the RNC.
Abbott previously endorsed the Republican candidate and Texas Senator Ted Cruz, but has since said he would back Trump.
Obama cut short a visit to Spain and delivered remarks at a memorial service today for the slain police officers. He also is expected to meet with families of the victims.
Abbott has used a wheelchair since a tree fell on him while jogging in 1984, paralyzing him from the waist down, although he still has functioning nerve receptors in his legs and feet.
Abbott (pictured in 2015 with Cruz right) has used a wheelchair since a tree fell on him while jogging in 1984, paralyzing him from the waist down, although he still has functioning nerve receptors in his legs and feet
Since her dramatic anointment as Prime Minister, Theresa Mays mobile phone has not stopped beeping with congratulatory messages. But one tweet posted online on Monday morning might have given her cause for a wry smile.
Just minutes after Mrs Mays final rival for the role, Andrea Leadsom, stepped down, Chancellor George Osborne posted a message from New York.
It read: Welcome news we have 1 candidate with overwhelming support to be next PM. Theresa May has strength, integrity & determination to do the job.
Chancellor George Osborne left No 11 this morning - potentially for the last time as Theresa May will move in next door tonight
Osborne, centre, was responsible for trying to scare the electorate into voting remain with Project Fear
Curiously, even a week ago Osborne had declined to offer his support to any of the candidates. Yet he was one of the first to pledge his support to the winner once she had won.
The question on everyones lips now in Westminster is quite how Mrs May will respond to the Chancellors olive branch. As she races to finalise her Cabinet line-up, she is under pressure from a powerful cabal of senior Tories to offer Osborne a political lifeline.
The discredited Chancellor, who masterminded the catastrophic and shameful Project Fear campaign to bully and frighten the nation into voting to Remain, is being tipped (or at least is tipping himself) for a dramatic reinvention at the heart of power.
Reports last night confirmed that he will leave his Treasury home of the last six years. But he is not considering exile to the backbenches where many feel he now rightfully belongs but elevation to the grandeur of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Perhaps that was why he was in New York this week trumpeting Britains ability to trade with the world despite his dire warnings in recent weeks about what a calamity Brexit would be.
The fact that the Chancellor might expect any favours at all from Mrs May let alone appointment to what, in the wake of Brexit, could prove the single most sensitive political role in government will raise many eyebrows among MPs. For he has been no friend of the Home Secretary during her long tenure at one of the most challenging government departments.
According to multiple parliamentary sources, over the years he and his acolytes have often actively campaigned against her. One Tory MP horrified by the prospect that Osborne will have any position in Mrs Mays Cabinet once observed the Chancellors parliamentary henchmen conduct a sophisticated operation to undermine the Home Secretary when she was in difficulty at the despatch box. The MP recalled: Theresa was under a lot of pressure over her failure to deport a terror suspect. I remember seeing one of Osbornes allies sidling up to various Tory MPs for a quiet word. A few minutes later, those MPs stood up to criticise her.
The MP was so disgusted by what she saw that she reported the incident to one of Mrs Mays special advisers. The response was telling: The Home Secretary was quite used to dealing with such underhand tactics, and was under no illusions about who was responsible. She was sanguine, having learned to live with it.
However, now that she is entering Number 10, Mrs May is in a position to decide whether such behaviour has any place in her administration. The reason she should be particularly wary of Mr Osborne is that he has spent the past six years building his own political machine almost a government within a government.
In doing this, he was exploiting David Camerons willingness to delegate a large part of the decision-making over ministerial appointments.
This has allowed the Chancellor to create a broad network of MPs who owe their positions on the career ladder to him.
Though his power base has been considerably weakened along with his reputation in the wake of the EU referendum, he retains unswerving support from a hard core of loyalists schooled in his ruthless style of politics. If he remained in the Cabinet, particularly as Foreign Secretary one of the four great offices of state those Osborne acolytes could make Mrs Mays life very difficult if they so chose.
An old friend and parliamentary colleague of the Chancellor, who has known him for decades, acknowledges that his obsessive political traits of calculation, division and trickery are entirely at variance with the new Prime Ministers character.
Then there is the matter of his deeply questionable economic record and his performance during the referendum campaign. Far from performing economic miracles, the Chancellor has presided over a near-doubling of the national debt, which now stands at more than 1.6trillion. He may have got record numbers of people into work, but he has been forced to abandon his target of running a budget surplus by 2020.
More recently, however, it has been his behaviour as the architect of Project Fear which has outraged many. Shamelessly harnessing the might of the Treasury and the Bank of England to frighten voters into rejecting Brexit, he spun the lie that families would lose huge chunks of their incomes.
He also watched as the supposedly independent governor of the Bank of England appeared to play his own part in the scaremongering.
Perhaps this was no surprise from a Chancellor who has presided over a series of highly political Budgets, two of which were hopelessly discredited. His notorious omnishambles Budget of 2012, characterised by the risible pasty tax and granny tax (a stealth tax on middle-class pensioners), sent the Conservatives poll ratings nosediving. It took years for the partys popularity and his own credibility to recover.
His most recent Budget, in March, imploded while it was still going through the House of Commons, with the spectacular resignation of former Tory Party leader Iain Duncan Smith as secretary of state for work and pensions.
The honourable Duncan Smith, who has devoted the past decade to his crusade to help the poor, had simply had enough of Osborne and his Treasury allies making him a scapegoat for a series of deeply unpopular benefit cuts.
All of which should be enough to ensure that Theresa May thinks very carefully before she appoints him to her Cabinet.
David Cameron is to shower his political friends and cronies with honours in his final act as Prime Minister.
Government sources said Mr Cameron will revive the practice of issuing a resignation honours list in order to reward those who helped him gain and hold power.
The PMs chief spin doctor Craig Oliver is said to have been offered the choice between a knighthood and a peerage as reward for five years service at No 10.
David Cameron, left, will offer his chief spin doctor Craig Oliver, right, the choice of a knighthood or a peerage
Mr Cameron will use his resignation honours to reward people who have been close to him in Downing Street
Mr Oliver, who also helped run the failed campaign to keep Britain in the EU, is one of half a dozen members of Mr Camerons inner circle in Downing Street who are expected to receive honours.
Mr Camerons fellow Old Etonian Ed Llewellyn, who has served as his chief of staff since 2005, has also been told a peerage is his for the asking.
Other senior figures who are expected to receive major honours include No 10s operations chief Liz Sugg and director of external relations Gabby Bertin, both of whom have been with Mr Cameron since his time in opposition.
The list could be issued as early as today, with one source saying Mr Cameron did not want the controversy to emerge on Theresas watch.
But the decision will depend on whether officials are happy to waive the normal vetting process for honours.
The practice of departing premiers honouring their friends and allies fell into disrepute in 1976, when outgoing Labour prime minister Harold Wilson issued his so-called Lavender List, which included several wealthy businessmen.
The last prime minister to issue a resignation honours list was Sir John Major, who used it to reward a string of allies with knighthoods and peerages.
In the wake of the cash for honours scandal Tony Blair eventually chose not to issue a resignation honours list.
Gordon Brown drafted a resignation honours list, but also decided to abandon it in the end.
Pals: Craig Oliver, who also helped run the failed campaign to keep Britain in the EU, and Mr Camerons fellow Old Etonian Ed Llewellyn, who has served as his chief of staff since 2005, has also been told a peerage is his for the asking
Reward: Other senior figures who are expected to receive major honours include No 10s operations chief Liz Sugg and director of external relations Gabby Bertin, both of whom have been with Mr Cameron since his time in opposition.
However, Government sources said Mr Cameron had no qualms about reviving the practice.
They pointed out that he has already reinstated political honours for MPs, which were abandoned for three years in the wake of the 2009 expenses scandal.
After reviving the practice in 2012, Mr Cameron handed out knighthoods, damehoods, peerages and other major honours to 30 MPs in the following three years.
Labour MP Paul Flynn, who is now shadow leader of the Commons, has described the practice as a backward step, adding: These honours are decided by the whips, and handed out to MPs in return for years of brain-dead obedience. In reality they are a mark of shame, not an honour.
Downing Street was tight-lipped last night about the contents of Mr Camerons resignation honours list.
But previous prime ministers have rewarded those MPs who helped propel them to power, suggesting that Culture Minister Ed Vaizey and Foreign Office Minister and Old Etonian Hugo Swire, who both helped organise Mr Camerons 2005 leadership campaign, could be in line for honours.
Mr Cameron has also made at least two previous attempts to reward millionaire Tory donor Michael Spencer, who may finally get the recognition the Prime Minister feels he deserves.
Police have arrested three suspects and were seeking a possible fourth accused of stealing several handguns as part of a 'substantial, credible threat' to harm police officers in the Baton Rouge area.
Authorities in Baton Rouge discovered the alleged plot while responding to a burglary at a pawn shop early on Saturday morning, Baton Rouge police Chief Carl Dabadie said in a press conference.
Officers had responded to an alarm at the Cash America Pawn on Government Street at around 2am.
They arrested one suspect - Antonio Thomas, 17 - at the scene with a handgun and a BB gun.
During questioning, Thomas said that he and three other suspects stole the firearms and 'were going to get bullets to shoot police,' authorities said.
Another suspect, Malik Bridgewater, 20, was apprehended on Sunday and a third suspect - a 13-old boy - was apprehended on a street.
On Tuesday, the chief also confirmed that Thomas told police that 'the reason the burglary was being done was to harm police officers.'
Dabadie said the suspect did not give any details about when or where a possible plot would be carried out.
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Police arrested three suspects and were seeking a possible fourth accused of stealing several handguns as part of a 'substantial, credible threat' to harm police officers. Antonio Thomas (left) and Malik Bridgewater (right) were arrested in the plot
Officers responded to an alarm at the Cash America Pawn on Government Street at 2am on Saturday
They called on the fourth suspect, who remains at large and has not been identified, to turn himself in.
All of the suspects are from Baton Rouge and all are black. They face charges including burglary, simple burglary, and theft of a firearm; they have not been arrested on any charges related to plotting to kill police.
Another man was arrested for allegedly purchasing two of the stolen guns illegally on the street, but he hasn't been linked to the alleged plot, a police spokesman said.
Trashone Coats, 23, was charged with illegal possession of a stolen firearm.
Six of the eight stolen firearms have been recovered and two are still at large, authorities said.
In a statement, Louisiana State police said surveillance video showed the suspects using a ladder to climb the roof of the building to get in. Eight handguns and one airsoft BB gun were missing from the store.
Authorities in Baton Rouge discovered the alleged plot while responding to a burglary at a pawn shop early on Saturday morning, Baton Rouge police Chief Carl Dabadie (center) said on Tuesday
State Police Col. Mike Edmonson called it a 'substantial, credible threat' to police.
Several law enforcement agencies are now investigating, including East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office, Louisiana State Police and the ATF.
The arrests come at a time of heightened tensions after the deadly police shootings of black men in Baton Rouge and Minnesota and the killing of five police officers in Dallas last week.
Trashone Coats (above), 23, was arrested after police found him with the stolen guns, which he had purchased 'on the street'
Alton Sterling, 37, was killed outside the Triple S Food Mart in Baton Rouge during a scuffle with police on July 5.
Then on Wednesday, Philando Castile, 32, was shot by a white police officer in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, during a traffic stop on Wednesday.
His girlfriend Diamond Reynolds live streamed the gruesome aftermath of his death on Facebook.
Protests spread across the country as people expressed outrage over the deaths.
Most have been peaceful, but in Dallas last Thursday, a Black Lives Matter protest turned deadly when Army veteran Micah Johnson, 25, opened fire amid the demonstration.
He killed four Dallas police officers and a Dallas Area Rapid Transit officer, as well as injuring several more, before he was killed by police using a remote-controlled bomb on a robot in the early hours of Friday morning.
Since then, the Baton Rouge police department has come under criticism for the tactics it's employed to deal with protesters, using riot police and military-style vehicles on the streets of the city.
Over a three day period, police arrested about 200 protesters.
'We have been questioned repeatedly over the last several days about our show of force and why we have the tactics that we have,' Dabadie said on Tuesday.
'Well, this is the reason, because we had credible threats against the lives of law enforcement in this city.'
Three people have been arrested for stealing guns in a 'credible threat' to harm police officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Tuesday. Pictured, protesters in the city on Saturday
The death of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge last Tuesday has sparked protests in the city every day since. Above, Ieshia Evans was detained for impeding traffic during a protest on Saturday
Evans was taken into police custody by Baton Rouge police officers in riot gear on Saturday
Police said they have increased their presence in Baton Rouge due to the 'very real and viable threats' to law enforcement in the area, CNN reports.
The alleged plot was the main reason they were quick to become aggressive when they believed protesters in the city were becoming disruptive over the weekend.
'We can't take anything for granted anymore,' East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said.
'What you saw in the law enforcement response is because of the very real and viable threats against law enforcement.'
He added: 'Look what happened in Dallas. A very peaceful protest and then some crazy madman.'
A week after Sterling, was shot and killed by two white police officers in Baton Rouge outside a convenience store, tension remain high in the city.
The Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights investigation into Sterling's shooting.
But while protesters demand justice for Sterling, the shootings in Dallas last week and other attacks on police around the country have put the police on edge.
The arrests come a week after the deadly police shooting of Alton Sterling (right) in Baton Rouge. Philando Castile (left) was shot dead by a police officer in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, last Wednesday
Protesters gather at the intersection of N. Foster and Fairfields, near the Triple S Food Mart in Baton Rpuge where Alton Sterling was shot and killed by Baton Rouge Police
In the first few days after Sterling's death, police took a reserved approach to enforcement, keeping a low profile as hundreds gathered outside the convenience store where Sterling died.
But tensions escalated at weekend protests that moved away from the store and into other areas of the city, with nearly 200 people arrested and a show of force from law enforcement that included police wielding batons, armed with long guns and wearing shields.
After nearly a week of protests over Sterling's killing, Baton Rouge officers, state police and other law enforcement agencies have received criticism for their methods of dealing with demonstrators.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana has criticized police as using 'violent, militarized tactics on groups of people who have gathered peacefully.' Amnesty International has questioned the high number of arrests.
But earlier on Tuesday, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards defended the police response to protesters rallying against the shooting death of a black man by white officers, saying the riot gear and weaponry was appropriate.
A Black Lives Matter protest in Dallas last Thursday turned deadly when Army veteran Micah Johnson, 25, opened fire and killed five police officers
'We've had a police officer with teeth knocked out of his face because of a rock.
'If you don't have on riot gear, you have no defense against that sort of thing,' said the Democratic governor, who comes from a family of sheriffs.
'In light of what happened in Dallas, understanding that just one gunman can change the situation entirely, how do you in good conscience put police officers on the street without the ability to defend themselves?' he said.
Meanwhile, community leaders have tried to defuse tension and keep interactions between protesters and law enforcement calm.
State Rep. Ted James, a black lawyer who grew up in the area where Sterling was shot, and Cleve Dunn Jr., a prominent black businessman in Baton Rouge, met with local Republican leaders at a public luncheon to discuss the shooting.
The two men have showed up at protests and urged calm.
'I truly believe that we can have parallel conversations about respect for police officers, making sure that they're safe, but also have a parallel conversation about the things that are happening with African-American males across the country,' James said.
James said black community leaders want Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry to appoint a special prosecutor to handle any state investigation into Sterling's shooting death.
He said the attorney general's office doesn't have the level of expertise to do the investigation and the appointment of an outside prosecutor would depoliticize the work.
Anyone with information is urged asked to contact the Baton Rouge Police Department at (225) 389-3824.
Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for anyone with information that leads to the arrest of those responsible. Call Crime Stoppers anonymously at (225) 344- STOP or (225) 344-7867.
Italy's celebrity hideaway Lake Como has become home to hundreds of migrants after the nearby crossing into Switzerland was blocked by Swiss officials.
Lake Como has long served as a tranquil paradise for the rich and famous, including George Clooney and Madonna.
But the town's railway station has been transformed into a makeshift camp, where the families live surrounded by discarded clothes, shoes, food containers and even rats.
Tensions are mounting in the luxury resort with more tents springing up every hour as more people arrive from Milan on their journey to northern Europe.
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Locals: Hundreds of migrants have moved into the Italian celebrity hideaway of Lake Como, after the crossing into Switzerland was closed. Pictured, (from left) Aziz Abdullah, Samir, who says he is 16, and his friends Bela, 18, and Mando, 15
Makeshift: The new Lake Como residents have turned the town's railway station into a campsite. Pictured, Hamid (right) and his friends who are sleeping rough at the station
Open: Migrants and families are sleeping outside at the station of Lake Como, which is better known as a luxury getaway resort for celebrities
Journey: Since the border was sealed, families are turning to smugglers to help them cross through the Swiss Alps on mountain paths used by Jews in the Second World War
Four Ethiopians were among those sleeping rough at the station today the latest stage on their journey to the UK.
Samir told MailOnline: 'We arrived in Como two days ago. We are here because we want to go to Switzerland and then on to England.
'But the border is closed to us by train so we must find another way.'
Samir, who says he is 16, and his friends Bela, 18, Mando, 15 and a woman Aziz Abdullah, have endured months on the road in their quest to reach Britain.
He said: 'We have been travelling for four months. We left Ethiopia and went to Sudan and then to Egypt where we got a boat to Italy.
'We were rescued and we landed in Catania, Sicily. After some time we travelled to Rome and Milan and now here. But we won't stop until we reach England.
'I don't have any family there but I know people there. They say that England is the best place for refugees.'
Worry: The situation is becoming tense at the Como station where migrants are waiting to cross the border
Waiting: Until a fortnight ago Swiss officials had been allowing around 100 migrants to pass through every two weeks, but the path has now been completely blocked
New home: Families have moved in at the San Giovanni Station (pictured), as they wait to find a way how to cross into neighbouring Switzerland
Hopeful: Ali Hider, 34, from Pakistan, says he is tired of travelling and is now trying to make a new life in Como
Carabinieri Police patrol the station discouraging refugees from making it their home.
Alpha, from Guinea, West Africa, is on his way to Germany. Clearly exhausted with blemishes all over his skin Alpha, who says he is 18, was clearly disappointed by the recent closure of the frontier to migrants by the Swiss authorities.
He told MailOnline: 'I want to go to Germany to claim asylum. I want to go to Germany because that is the best country for refugees.
I arrived in Como the day before yesterday. But the Swiss have closed the border. Life is very difficult for me. Alpha, who says he is 18
'I arrived in Como the day before yesterday. But the Swiss have closed the border. Life is very difficult for me.
'I have been travelling for two years. It has been a long and difficult journey.
'I had to cross the Sahara to get to Libya. I lived in Libya for six months. The people were very bad.
'Then I got into a rubber boat to go to Italy. It was very small but there were so many people on board, maybe 100. I was very frightened.
'We were rescued and taken to Sicily, Catania.'
Until a fortnight ago Swiss officials had been allowing around 100 migrants to pass through every two weeks.
But now the border has been sealed, many are turning to smugglers to help them make the crossing illegally on mountain paths through the Swiss Alps which were used by Jews in the Second World War.
Meanwhile other migrants have decided to try to make a life in Italy after their applications for asylum in other countries were refused, or they simply ran out of money to continue their journeys north.
Luxury: Until a fortnight ago Swiss officials had been allowing around 100 migrants to pass through every two weeks. But with the border sealed, Como has become a new base for migrants and refugees
Beauty: Lake Como has long served as a getaway for the rich and famous, with George Clooney and Madonna owning luxury villas there. But the town's railway station has been transformed into a makeshift camp
Nature: The luxury of the Lake Como resort is a far cry from the makeshift camp where migrants and refugees are now living around the town's railway station
Route: Many migrants and refugees are now turning to smugglers to help them make the crossing illegally on mountain paths through the Swiss Alps which were used by Jews in the Second World War
They too live in the filthy make-shift camp, huddled together on damp mattresses hidden by draped blankets.
Afghan Hamid smuggled himself to Italy after his application for asylum in the UK was refused.
Hamid, 25, told MailOnline: 'I lived in London for seven years but finally they refused me asylum. I was told I would have to go back to Afghanistan.
I lived in London for seven years but finally they refused me asylum. I was told I would have to go back to Afghanistan. Afghan Hamid, 25
'But I went to Italy instead where I have claimed asylum. My application has been approved and now I am waiting for my papers.'
Hamid claims he was smuggled to Sicily in the back of a lorry where he pretended to have arrived on a boat from Africa and claimed asylum.
Another migrant Ali Hider, 34, from Pakistan, says he is tired of travelling and is trying to make a life in Como.
He told MailOnline: 'I have run out of money and I cannot go any further.
'I came to Italy two years ago. I went through Turkey, Bulgaria and Austria but I cannot go any further.'
He added there are lots of people living in Como in abandoned houses, in the parks, in houses given by the church and at the station.
He added 'Everyone is out working now selling flowers, doing whatever jobs they can find.'
Celebrity: George Clooney and his wife Amal are just two of the high-profile homeowners with luxury villas at the Lake Como resort
Luxury: George and Amal Clooney's Italian house, Villa Oleandra, is on Lake Como's south-western shore
The Clooneys (left) Madonna (right), Donatella Versace and her brother Gianni and Richard Branson have owned villas on Lake Como
Relaxation: Gianni Versace at his family's estate in Moltrasio, on the shores of Lake Como, in 1980
World away: Numerous celebrities past and present have called the shores of Lake Como home. Pictured, Gianni Versace at his family's estate in Moltrasio, on the edge of the lake, in 1980
The lives of the families living in the camp are in sharp contrast to those of George Clooney, Madonna, Donatella Versace and her brother Gianni and Sir Richard Branson, who all currently own or have owned luxury villas on Lake Como.
Although Switzerland is not a member of the European Union it has signed up to the Schengen border-free travel zone. Checkpoints between countries are allowed only during emergencies.
Austria is also now building a fence on its border with Italy. Officials in Vienna have said the barrier is necessary to restrict access through the Brenner Pass.
We already put up more than 2,000 migrants in accommodation in our diocese but there is no room Roberto Bernasconi of a local Catholic charity
But they have faced protests and criticism from both Italy and Germany.
During a visit to Rome in April, Austrian Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka said he was concerned as many as a million migrants were poised to cross the Mediterranean from Libya this year.
Roberto Bernasconi of a local Catholic charity told Italian newspaper La Repubblica: 'We are helping with food, clothing and are also putting in showers, but it's very difficult, we do not know how to welcome all these people.
'We already put up more than 2,000 migrants in accommodation in our diocese but there is no room.
'I do not know for how long we can bear the brunt of this mass of people who would like to cross the border and are not willing to leave Como.'
Alberto Sinigallia, head of a charity working with migrants in Milan, said it was difficult to stop people wanting to head towards Northern Europe.
'For us in Milan, the guaranteed passage of one hundred migrants every 15 days was a good escape valve, but it seems to me that it does not happen anymore,' he said.
'The Swiss authorities have closed the border and that is hard to explain to those who left Milan full of hope of being able to get to where they think they find work more easily than in Italy, or as their next step towards Northern Europe, which is still the dream of all.'
Italy is struggling under the pressure of the refugee crisis with more than 77,000 arrivals by sea, mostly from North Africa, since the start of this year.
Aid workers yesterday recovered the bodies of four people and rescued around 400 survivors from an overcrowded wooden boat that had set off from Libya.
They already have a reputation for being naughtier and noisier than their sisters.
But now it seems that boys are more difficult from the very start.
Research shows that pregnant women are much more likely to suffer life-threatening complications when they are carrying a boy rather than a girl.
These range from premature births to diabetes and pregnancy-related blood pressure problems.
The Australian researchers said that providing different care to women, depending on the sex of their unborn baby, could be better for both mother and child.
Women expecting baby boys are are more likely to suffer life-threatening complications
The team from the University of Adelaide crunched data on almost 600,000 births that took place over 30 years.
This revealed that boys were up to 27 per cent more likely to be born prematurely.
In Britain, one in 13 babies is born prematurely - defined as before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Those that survive face a host of health problems, with one in ten developing a permanent disability such as lung disease, cerebral palsy, blindness or deafness.
Women carrying boys were also 4 per cent more likely to develop gestational diabetes.
This form of diabetes usually develops in the second half of pregnancy and goes away after the baby is born.
But it can have serious consequences for mother and child, including raising the odds of a caesarean section, birth defects and stillbirths.
Both woman and child are also at higher risk of developing full-blown diabetes in later life.
Finally, having a boy raised the odds of developing pre-eclampsia, a blood-pressure related disorder that can be fatal to mother and child, at the end of their pregnancy.
However, women carrying girls didnt get off scot-free. They were more likely to develop pre-eclampsia earlier in their pregnancy.
Women carrying boys were also 4 per cent more likely to develop gestational diabetes
Lead researcher Professor Claire Roberts said: The major conclusion of our study is that the evidence is there and it is very clear: the sex of the baby has a direct association with pregnancy outcomes.
Colleague Dr Petra Verburg, who holds posts in Adelaide and in the Netherlands, said: Our results indicate there may be a need for specific interventions tailored to male and female babies, to prevent adverse outcomes for both child and mother.
Were investigating other factors that may predict pregnancy complications, taking foetal sex into account.
Writing in the journal PLOS ONE, the team said it is possible that differences in the placenta, the lifeline that provides the baby with oxygen and nourishment as it grows in the womb, explain the phenomenon.
It is known that more than 100 differences in the genes of placentas that nurture male and female babies.
Professor Roberts added: The placenta is critical for pregnancy success.
We believe that sex differences in placental function may explain the differences were seeing in outcomes for newborn boys and girls, and their mothers.
They were reunited on July 8 after 39 years apart from each other
She later began looking for birth parents who were also searching for her
She was adopted by a family just months later and had a happy childhood
when she was three days old
This is the emotional moment a woman meets her mother for the first time after she was given away at just three days old.
Lei Xiurong, 39, was reunited with her birth mother Chen Jinmei, 70, after she was left outside the door of an orphanage in Rui'an city, eastern China, in 1977, reports the People's Daily Online.
Upon meeting, they discovered that they once lived just half a mile apart from each other.
Back together: Lei Xurong (middle) is reunited with her biological mother (left) and sister (right) in Rui'an, China
Heartwarming: The mother and daughter broked down in tears after being reunited after 39 years apart
Pictures from the reunion on July 8 show emotional scenes as the pair met each other for the first time in nearly four decades.
A weeping Chen Jinmei held her daughter tightly in her arms as Lei Xiurong broke down in tears.
The two were accompanied by Chen's other daughters, who were also moved by the touching moments.
According to the report, Lei was born into the family at a time when they were struggling.
Lei's parents already had four daughters and wished for a son.
After Lei was born, they were struggling to make ends meet. Their living conditions were said to be barely passable.
They made the desperate decision to leave their three-day-old daughter outside the door of Ruian City's orphanage.
Lei Xurong stayed there for a couple of months until she was adopted into a family in nearby Wencheng County.
Her adoptive parents previously had a child but it died shortly after birth.
Lei Xurong told reporters: 'The adoptive family were not in a good condition but they were good to me. They later gave birth to a pair of twin girls. They never shouted at me.'
She said that her adoptive parents did not hide the fact that she was adopted. At the age of nine she found out that they were not her biological parents.
At the age of 11, Lei Xurong's adoptive mother passed away. Her adoptive father struggled to support the whole family. So when Lei turned 16, she decided to go out and find work.
Tears of joy: Chen Jinmei sobs as she meets her daughter after leaving her at an orphanage at three days old
Living close to each other: It was revealed that the two once lived just half a mile apart from each other
Over the years, Lei had always wanted to find her biological parents.
She was given information about her birth parents and there have been several cases where she had met suspected relatives only to find that they weren't related.
Yu Xiuping, one of Lei's biological sisters, said her family had also encountered the same problem. They had been looking for her for years with many failed matches.
Yu said: 'A few days ago, one of my neighbours told us after seeing our pictures in the newspaper that he had seen Xiurong's post on her looking for her biological mother too, but he didn't realise we were looking for each other.'
Eventually they found each other.
On June 21, Yu Xiuping saw a post on a local newspaper of Lei looking for her biological mother. She thought it could be her sister.
Yu got in touch with the newspaper and met Lei for the first time.
A DNA testing was soon arranged between Chen Jinmei and Lei Xiurong by the local police station on June 24.
Lei said she couldn't sleep for days before the results came through.
It was a relief when on July 8, the pair were confirmed to be a match.
They were amazed to find out that they once lived just half a mile apart from each other - Chen in the town of Dingtian and Lei in the town of Tangxia.
Yumei Ping's husband said that then they received the call, they were afraid of disappointing results. But when the match was confirmed, the family were thrilled and arranged a reunion instantly.
Lei told reporters: 'I have no complaints. Several of my sisters have had a tough life, not to mention my parents have been good to me.'
LOS ANGELESCherie DeVille has two new releases this week, including 3rd Degrees MILFs Swallowing Boys, for which she is the covergirl.
In MILFS Swallowing Boys, directed by Mike Quasar and available starting July 12, Cherie plays a single mom who runs into Tyler Nixon on her way to her first date since getting divorced. Things really heat up when Cherie and Tyler give into desire, and Cherie shows Tyler all the experience and pleasure a MILF can provide.
July 13 sees the release of Evil Angel's Ready For Anal 2, directed by Mike Adriano. This POV scene provides the raw intensity that fans have come to expect from Evil Angel.
After seeing success in her feature dancing debut earlier this month, DeVille will hit Crazy Horse SF for two shows each night, July 21-23. Crazy Horse SF is located at 980 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94102. Visit CrazyHorse-SF.com for more info.
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Shocking footage shows the moment a car is impaled by dozens of bamboo poles that were on top of a truck in China.
The bamboo poles can be seen falling onto the Skoda and piercing through the glass windows on July 7 in Ningbo, eastern China, reports the People's Daily Online.
The driver escaped with minor cuts and bruises.
Horrifying: Onlookers rushed to the vehicle to help the passenger exit after it was hit by the bamboo poles
Oops! The truck was carrying the poles when it suddenly put on its brakes forcing the bamboo to go flying
Footage shows the Skoda driving across the main busy road. It slows down to go over bumps in the road.
The truck suddenly comes towards the car and tries to break however it is heavily loaded with bamboo poles which are used to build scaffolding.
The poles crash forwards into the car piercing the windows.
According to reports, both windows on the left side of the car were completely shattered.
The passenger can be seen getting out of the car unscathed.
Onlookers flock to help the driver out of the vehicle.
He can be seen climbing over the seats, eventually exiting the vehicle.
It's reported that the driver suffered only minor cuts and bruises in the ears during the incident.
Authorities are investigating the incident.
This isn't the first case of a road accident involving bamboo.
In April, a motorist had a lucky escape after a bamboo pole pierced through his chest.
The man was on his electric scooter in Ruijin city when he got too close to a truck carrying bamboo canes.
The bamboo narrowly missed his heart and punctured one of his lungs.
Horrifying: The bamboo pierced through the Skoda's windows on the driver's side of the vehicle
Chinese internet users have condemned a woman who appeared to make her own grandson mimic a dog as she looked after him.
The young boy, reportedly to be just over three years old, was seen in a set of pictures crawling on his hands and knees on the street of Hangzhou, reported People's Daily Online.
The woman has also thrown out a plastic snake for her grandson to pick up using his mouth, the report claimed.
Shocking behaviour: The woman, said to be the grandmother, threw out a toy for the boy to catch in Hangzhou
Disturbing: The child crawled over on all fours and picked up the plastic toy using his mouth before returning
The set of 11 images emerged today on a Chinese internet forum, called '19th floor'.
The post, uploaded by a user named 'niu nai he bu yan', claimed the scene was witnessed today near the crossroads of West Huancheng Road and Fengqi Road in Hangzhou.
The pictures were taken by the user's friend who was shocked to see the scene, the post said.
Images show the woman sitting on the side of the street and smoking.
In one of the pictures, she threw what is said to be a plastic snake onto the pavement.
The young boy then crawled towards the toy on all fours and picked it up with his mouth.
Afterward, the boy returned to the woman with the snake in his mouth, looking happy and proud. The women took the toy from his mouth.
In the last picture, the child grimaced to the camera as he knelt on the ground. The woman could be seen smiling in the background.
The post wrote: 'The middle-aged woman threw out the snake while smiling and tells the young boy to act like a dog - by crawling over to pick it up with his mouth before returning to her.
'The boy even barked with his tongue sticking out.'
Unbelievable: A passerby was shocked by the scene and took the pictures, according to Chinese media
Baffling: The boy crawled back to the woman who is resting while holding the plastic snake in his mouth
Unusual way of bonding: The woman later told the photographer that the boy was her own grandson
The post said that the photographer talked to the pair and found out the boy was the woman's grandson.
The woman said they had come to Hangzhou for sightseeing and that her grandson likes mimicking dogs.
The bizarre scenes have sparked a debate on the Chinese internet. Most users were shocked by the woman's behaviour.
On '19th floor', a user named 'jyoou' wrote: 'The boy's parents' must be heartbroken.'
Another user 'Yi Xuanxue' said: 'She can't be his real grandmother.'
A third user '19811113' said: 'I feel she had abducted the boy and was training him to make money.'
While '_a ku_' said: 'The child looks happy, it means he is used to this. A lot of children are raised by their grandparents nowadays. No matter how they turn out to be, their parents should reflect upon themselves.'
There are other users who said they didn't see an issue, such as a user named '602576' who wrote on the forum: 'This is not a problem of how she educates. She was only playing with the child.'
User 'shi hua jiu shi shuo' agreed: 'They have their own way of living. We shouldn't impose our views on them. They are really happy.'
Having a rest: The woman was resting on the side of the street having a smoke as she played with the boy
Public outcry: Many Chinese internet users are stunned by the woman's behaviour and have criticised her
The child grimaced to the camera as he knelt on the ground as the woman smiled in the background
They say love is to stand beside your partner through thick and thin, through joy and sorrow.
A Chinese woman has demonstrated the motto with a touching speech she gave after she and her fiance had to attend their wedding ceremony on their own unexpectedly.
Most of the couples' guests failed to attend their nuptials in Xinxiang, central China, due to flooding, but Zhou Tian said to her groom Wang Lei she was happy as long as she had him.
For better or worse: A couple have married on their own in China, after their wedding guests failed to show up
Unconventional love: The bride, Zhou Tian (left), said to her groom: 'No matter what happens, I'll marry you'
The engaged couple had planned to hold their wedding on July 9 and invited more than 300 friends and family members to attend, according to People's Daily Online.
However on the day, the city had severe rainstorms from early morning and streets were quickly flooded.
The bride Zhou Tian told a local reporter after the wedding that she had got up early to do her makeup.
She said: 'There was deep floodwater already at 6am.'
Her fiance, named Wang Lei by news.cn, also had trouble coming to pick her up from her home.
Zhou said he told her that morning through a text message that the flood near his house had reach the waist. The groom-to-be said the motorcade wouldn't be able to go and pick her up.
Zhou said she was so panic-stricken at the time that she cried.
The woman said she finished her makeup at around 10am and put on her wedding dress waiting for her fiance.
She said Wang finally arrived at around 1pm. He was completely soaked and was wearing a pair of flip flops and a vest.
There were no guests coming with him, as the Chinese tradition requires.
A weeping Zhou immediately went up and hugged Wang.
She told him: 'It doesn't matter we don't have guests. Nor does it matter that we don't have a motorcade or fireworks. As long as I have you, even though you don't look like a groom and are completely soaked.'
Zhou's makeup artist was so moved by the woman's speech that she typed out her speech and uploaded them onto WeChat, a Chinese social media platform.
I promise to love you: Thousands of people have sent their wishes to bride Zhou Tian (right) and groom Wang Lei (left) online after learning about their story
The couple then went to the wedding hall in a hotel by carefully driving their car through floodwaters.
After they arrived four hours later than the scheduled wedding, they were told the banquet would not happen as the chefs were not able to come to work due to the extreme weather.
Upon hearing this, the bride-to-be said: 'No matter what happens, I'll marry you.'
A picture has emerged on Chinese media showing Zhou walking down a nearly empty hall as her groom waited for her on the stage.
Around 10 guests, out of the 300 invited, ended up attending the ceremony.
In the background, the couples' initials, W and Z, were projected onto the wall.
Although only few guests were there to witness Zhou and Wang's wedding, thousands of people have sent their wishes to the newlyweds online after reading about their story.
A user called 'Li Chestnut' commented on Twitter-like Weibo: 'It's true, as long as you have each other, trust each other and support on each other.'
Another user named 'hua bing yu lo' said: 'A wedding is more than just a ceremony, it's a promise and blessing. They kept their promise and tied the knot regardless of the weather, that's the key.'
Rhythm is much more related to movement than other aspects of music
Tapping toes on the beat may be a
When one of your favourite songs comes on, it can be difficult to resist the urge to dance around the room let alone stop yourself from tapping your toes.
But the urge to move to the beat may be down to more than just a catchy tune.
New research has revealed that when we listen to music we tend to mentally simulate the body movements we believe have gone into producing the sound.
According to the research, in order to perceive something, we must actively simulate the motion associated with the sensory impressions we are trying to process. This would explain why we tend to tap our toes along with the beat, as if making the noise ourselves
Often this mental recreation spills over into movement itself as our feet tap along to a drum beat, or hands strum a bit of air guitar.
Researchers from the University of Oslo conducted a study to explore some of the theories behind the relationship between musical sound and body movement.
WHY WE TAP OUR TOES TO MUSIC According to the research, in order to perceive something, we must actively simulate the motion associated with the sensory impressions we are trying to process. When we listen to music, we tend to mentally simulate the body movements that we believe have gone into producing the sound - such as tapping our toes. To test the theory, the researchers played a variety of three-second sounds to participants, who were asked to trace the sounds in the air. The results showed a similarity among the participants' gestures, particularly between the vertical positioning of their hands and the pitch of the sound. Advertisement
According to their findings, in order to perceive something, we must actively simulate the motion associated with the sensory impressions we are trying to process.
When we listen to music, we tend to mentally simulate the body movements that we believe have gone into producing the sound - such as tapping our toes.
Professor Rolf Gody, who led the study, said: 'Music-related motion leaves a trace in our minds and could be thought of as a kind of shape representation.
'Images of sound-producing motion are actively re-created in listening, hence the idea that motor theory could be the basis for the similarities between sound and body movement when we experience music.'
To test the theory, the researchers played a variety of three-second sounds to participants, who were asked to trace the sounds in the air.
The results showed a fair amount of similarity among the participants' gestures, particularly between the vertical positioning of their hands and the pitch of the sound.
The percussionist (right) was playing a samba on a Brazilian hand drum called a pandeiro, and the dancer was performing a dance which seem to mimic the sounds
Some sound features were more strongly related to movement, such as rhythm and texture.
This may suggest why people tend to tap their feet along with music, as if re-creating the rhythm.
The scientists also used body markers to track how participants who played musical instruments moved compared to those who danced along to the music they produced.
It showed that dancers produced movements that broadly mimicked those of the musicians. For example dancers mimicked the hand movements of someone playing a samba on a drum.
The results explain why we may tap our toes to music with a good beat - our feet are tapping out the baseline of the drum.
Antibiotics are used to help tackle infections in both humans and animals, but their overuse has led to growing numbers of bacteria developing resistance to the drugs.
Now it turns out antibiotic resistance is not a modern phenomenon after all and instead dates back at least 1,000 years after scientists discovered superbugs in the guts of ancient Incan mummies.
The gut bacteria inside mummies were resistant to most of today's antibiotics, according to a team of scientists who discovered them.
Antibiotics are used to help tackle infections in both humans and animals, but their overuse has led to growing fears of bacteria becoming resistant to the drugs, causing superbugs like MRSA (shown)
It suggests that antibiotic resistance predates our own modern use of the life-saving drugs.
WHAT THE RESEARCHERS FOUND A team from the California Polytechnic State University in San Louis studied the gut bacteria and paleofeces, human faeces, from ancient mummies. The ancient genes were largely in microbes whose resistance is problematic today, including Enteroccocus bacteria that can infect wounds and cause urinary tract infections. Advertisement
A team from the California Polytechnic State University in San Louis studied the gut bacteria and paleofeces, human faeces, from ancient mummies.
A mummy is a dead human whose skin and organs were preserved by exposure to chemicals, extreme cold, very low humidity, or lack of air.
The recovered body does not decay further if kept in cool and dry conditions.
'The process of natural mummification is a rare and unique process from which little is known about the resulting microbial community structure,' a similar research papers, published in PLOS One, said.
The researchers studied the microbiome of a pre-Columbian human, from the 11th century, that was mummified naturally after he died in the Andes Mountains in Chile.
On top of this, they also looked at three Incan mummies dating back to between the 10th and 14th centuries and six mummified people from Italy, from between the 15th and 18th centuries.
It is not clear if the antibiotic resistant bacteria found in their guts played a role in their death.
'Unexpectedly, putative antibiotic-resistance genes including...were identified,' the researchers said.
The researchers studied the microbiome of a pre-Columbian human, from the 11th century, that was mummified naturally after he died in the Andes Mountains in Chile. Pre-Columbian Andean mummy in this study (Panel A), distended colon with paleofeces (Panel B), and one of the bacteria that was found (Panel C)
'SWAB AND SEND' PROJECT Dr Adam Roberts at University College London is leading a project named 'Swab and Send', which encourages people to take samples from around their homes and send them to the lab. The project is still calling for people to get involved, by swabbing strange places in their homes and posting them to the UCL lab. 'Swabs could be taken from anywhere you find interesting; from drains, sinks, floors, houseplants, compost heaps, the bottom of your shoe, the back of your fridge or puddles,' Dr Roberts said. 'Anywhere that you think different bacteria will be competing for space and food is suitable. We want you to swab the weird and wonderful places your imagination can come up with.' Advertisement
In the mummies they found an array of genes that would allow the bacteria to resist almost all modern antibiotics.
'At first we were very surprised,' Dr Tasha Santiago-Rodriguez of California Polytechnic State University in San Louis Opisbo, told the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology last month, reported New Scientist.
A team member, Professor Raul Cano, told New Scientist the research shows it is ridiculous to think the evolution of antibiotic resistance began when penicillin was discovered, by Alexander Fleming in 1928.
'The presence of putative antibiotic-resistance genes suggests that resistance may not necessarily be associated with a selective pressure of antibiotics or contact with European cultures,' the authors wrote.
The resistant genes existed long before antibiotics became common. But overuse of these drugs in both people and livestock has still caused superbug resistance to explode worldwide, Professor Cano said.
Antibiotic resistance is already a problem, causing difficulties in GP surgeries and hospitals in the UK.
Antibiotics are supposed to make people healthier by treating infections in humans and animals. But the use of antibiotics can have negative environmental impacts, like the well-known problem of the evolution of bacteria that is resistant to their effects.
A new rocket-testing facility will be built in the UK over the next year, in a move which the country's space agency hopes will help British companies blast into space.
The facility will be built at the site where work on two early space rockets was carried out, resurrecting a part of Britain's space history.
At the same time, a British joint venture has announced it hopes to re-purpose an historic satellite as a GPS guide for missions to the moon.
A new rocket-testing facility will be built in the UK over the next year, in a move which the country's space agency hopes will help British companies blast into space. At the same time, a British joint venture has announced it hopes to use an historic satellite as a GPS guide for missions to the moon (stock photo)
Both of the projects were announced at the Farnborough International Airshow in Hampshire this week.
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) has paired with Goonhilly Earth Station, which operates 30 dishes in Cornwall including the famous 'Arthur' satellite communications dish.
Arthur was used to bring Britain its first crackly, black and white satellite TV pictures from the US in 1962.
Still in use today, the dish has been in almost continuous operation for over 50 years.
Arthur's huge size means it will be able to communicate with CubeSats, cheap tiny satellites that tend to be launched into low-earth orbits.
Because of their short antennae, most other satellite dishes cannot communicate with CubeSats any further away. But Arthur is big enough to send and receive signals from as far away as the moon.
The two companies want to launch an orbiter called 'Lunar Pathfinder' as a low cost approach to boost the UK's space presence and for delivering GPS 'breadcrumbs' into space.
Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) has paired with Goonhilly Earth Station, which operates 30 dishes in Cornwall including the famous Arthur satellite. The two companies want to launch an orbiter called 'Lunar Pathfinder' (pictured)
Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) has paired with Goonhilly Earth Station, which operates 30 dishes in Cornwall including the famous Arthur satellite. Arthur was used to bring Britain its first crackly, black and white satellite TV pictures from the US in 1962. Sill in use today, 'Arthur' has been in almost continuous operation for over 50 years
SCIENTISTS TO DRILL INTO THE MOON The first moon landings happened 47 years ago on 20 July 1969. But a new project hopes to take us back to the moon, to learn more about what makes up the dry and dusty land. Also announced at the Farnborough Airshow, a company called Leonardo-Finmeccanica will partner with the European Space Agency (Esa) to build on the technology it developed for use on Esa's Rosetta and ExoMars missions. The 'Prospect' system will drill down into the moon's soil to depths of up to two metres (6.5 feet), taking material samples and distributing them to the scientific instruments aboard the probe for analysis. 'Delivery of Prospect on the lunar surface at the beginning of the next decade will demonstrate Esa's strong interest to become an important player in an international effort to sustainably explore the surface of the Moon', said David Parker, Esa Director for human and robotic exploration. Advertisement
'Affordable transport of space assets to lunar orbit and communications of these assets with Earth are a common barrier to the international development and exploration of our local solar system,' said Sir Martin Sweeting, SSTL's Executive Chairman.
'The Lunar Pathfinder missions will provide the low cost support infrastructure that allows customers to focus on the science and business aspects of their missions.'
An Indian rocket will deliver the orbiter carrying seven CubeSats, weighing around 26 pounds (12 kg) each into lunar orbit, for a fee of 1 million ($1.32 m) per kg.
Some will stay in orbit and others will land on the moon.
It is hoped that after a few years launching CubeSats, those still in orbit could work as a GPS-like navigation beacons for future lunar missions.
The ultimate goal of the mission is to create a 'solar system network' that could guide missions around the solar system.
A separate project, also announced at the Farnborough Airshow, would mean the Lunar Pathfinder mission is not the only British venture into space in the coming years.
The UK Space Agency announced a new rocket testing facility is to be built on the site of the former Rocket Propulsion Establishment at Westcott in Buckinghamshire.
The 4.12 million ($5.42 m) testing facility would give UK companies and research organisations 'a new facility for space technology testing', said the agency.
The Rocket Propulsion Establishment, set up in 1946, was for many years so secret that it was not marked on Ordnance Survey maps. Early work was carried out on this site on two early British space rockets, Black Arrow and Blue Streak, pictured at the Deutsches Museum at Schleissheim, Munich
Among the centre's customers is expected to be British company Reaction Engines, which is developing an air-breathing rocket called Sabre for powering reusable space planes.
Engines for interplanetary travel and futuristic space planes will be tested at the centre.
Among the centre's customers is expected to be British company Reaction Engines, which is developing an air-breathing rocket called Sabre for powering reusable space planes.
'Sabre is at heart a rocket engine designed to power aircraft directly into space to allow reliable, responsive and cost-effective space access,' the company's website claims.
The Rocket Propulsion Establishment, set up in 1946, was for many years so secret that it was not marked on Ordnance Survey maps.
Early work was carried out on this site on two early British space rockets, Black Arrow and Blue Streak, but both were eventually scrapped.
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been hailed as the 'most expensive weapon in history.'
But despite a price tag of $400 billion for 2,457 planes, the fifth-generation fighter has been plagued with issues.
Now, a new report says the craft could finally be battle ready later this year.
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With a price tag of $400 billion for 2,457 planes, the fifth-generation fighter could finally be battle ready later this year, a new report claims.
'We're getting very close to initial operational capability,' Gen. Herbert 'Hawk' Carlisle, the head of Air Combat Command, at the Royal International Air Tattoo, in England, according to Defence One.
'I'll make the call. I'll talk to Secretary [Deborah Lee] James and Gen. [David] Goldfein, [the Air Force chief of staff], and we'll make the decision on when we're going to declare IOC.'
To become battle ready, at least a dozen individual F-35 must demonstrate their ability to drop bombs and shoot down other planes.
Each jet must be upgraded to a specific software package, and plugged into the complex logistics cloud that manages maintenance.
The F-35 project office had previously set an Aug. 1 target date.
It is believed a squadron at Utah's Hill Air Force Base, north of Salt Lake City will now be declared battle-ready sometime between August and December.
'If you talk to the young men and women at Hill, Aug. 1 is their plan,' Carlisle said.
'I personally believe that we're going to be able to declare IOC at the leading edge of that window,'
Carlisle said. 'So as we look at things, we're getting close.'
The project has been plagued with delays.
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been hailed as the 'most expensive weapon in history.' But despite a price tag of $400 billion for 2,457 planes, the fifth-generation fighter has been plagued with issues. Pictured is a F-35B aircraft prepares for a landing at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona. Now, a new report says the craft could finally be battle ready later this year.
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's record on cost, schedule and performance has been a scandal and a tragedy, Senator John McCain told senior Pentagon officials earlier this year.
McCain, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the aircraft's development schedule has stretched to 15 years, deliveries of the F-35 have been delayed, and costs have skyrocketed.
'It's been a scandal and the cost overruns have been disgraceful,' McCain said.
Most recently, problems with its logistics software system grounded the entire fleet.
The issue is with what the Department of Defense officials call the 'brains' of plane, also known as the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS).
A Government Accountability Office report says a failure 'could take the entire fleet offline' because there is no backup system.
Workers can be seen on the moving line and forward fuselage assembly areas for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter at Lockheed Martin Corp's factory located in Fort Worth, Texas
ALIS: THE 'BRAINS' OF THE F35 The problem is with what the Department of Defense officials call the 'brains' of plane, also known as the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS). It is designed to support operations, mission planning and to spot any maintenance issues with the vehicle. It also allows pilots to plan missions and look back at their their performance. ALIS receives Health Reporting Codes via a radio frequency downlink while the F-35 is still in flight; this enables the pre-positioning of parts and qualified maintainers so that when the aircraft lands, downtime is minimised. Advertisement
The report also says a lack of testing done of the software will mean it's not ready for its deployment by the Air Force in August and the Navy in 2018.
The 'brains' of the F35 are one of three major components, with the other two being the engine and airframe.
CNN points out that the software runs on ground computers rather than operating on the plane itself.
It is designed to support operations, mission planning and to spot any maintenance issues with the vehicle.
'Program officials said that if ALIS is not fully functional, the F-35 could not be operated as frequently as intended,' the report said.
'But a DoD commissioned plan found that schedule slippage and functionality problems with ALIS could lead to $20-100 billion in additional costs.'
So far, the software has been so flawed that maintenance crews have had to resort labour-intensive alternatives.
According to National Interest, in one instance maintainers had to manually burn data onto CDs and to send the massive files across a civilian WiFi network.
One major problem, the report said, is that the F-35 data produced goes through a single main operating unit which has no back up.
'The F-35 is still in development, and this is the time when technical challenges are expected,' Lt. Genernal Chris Bogdon told CNN.
'However, we believe the combined government and industry team will resolve current issues and future discoveries,' he said.
Lead defense contractor for the plane, Lockheed Martin, insists development of the logistics software is on schedule.
a new report says problems with its logistics software system could ground the entire fleet. The problem is with what the Department of Defense officials call the 'brains' of plane, also known as the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS)
'As ALIS development continues, our focus is on the warfighter and delivering the most effective, efficient fleet management system to sustain the F-35 over the next five decades of operations,' said Sharon Parsley, a spokeswoman for Lockheed Martin.
'The recommendations by the GAO are in line with the actions already underway in preparation for full-rate production and worldwide sustainment.'
As well as this month's report, a recent Pentagon report has revealed a massive list of potentially lethal bugs still facing the jet. Pictured is the F-35A, which recently completed its first aerial gun test
HOW DOES IT COMPARE WITH ITS 1970S PREDECESSOR, THE F-16 JET? F-35 Role: Stealth multirole fighter First flight: December 15, 2006 Unit cost (not including engine): F-35A - $98million F-35B - $104million F-35C - $116million Number built: 115 (as of November 2014) Length: 15.67m Wingspan: 10.7m Height: 4.33m Max speed (F-35A): 1,930kph Armament: One of the most highly-anticipated features of the F-35 armament is the Small Diameter Bomb II (SBD II).The bomb is able to guide towards its target using laser, imaging infrared or radar homing. It can hit moving or stationary targets in any weather, or at night, with unprecedented reliability and accuracy. The 'super weapon' is predicted to be the most versatile air-to-ground munition in the Pentagon's air combat inventory. The cost per SDB II is said to be around $250,000 and the US military plans on buying as many as 17,000 of them. F-16 Role: Multirole fighter First flight: January 20, 1974 Unit cost: F-16A/B - $14.6million F-16C/D - $18.8million Number built: 4,540+ Length: 15.06m Wingspan: 9.96m Height: 4.88m Max speed (F-16C): 2,120kph Combat history: The F-16 has served in the Air Forces of 26 nations, including the U.S., Israel, Egypt, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway. During Operation Desert Storm, the 1991 assault on Iraq, F-16s flew over 13,000 operations, more than any other Coalition aircraft. The U.S. has employed the F-16 in operations over the Balkans, Afghanistan and Libya. At its production peak in 1987, the F-16 team in Fort Worth was also making history, by producing 30 F-16s in just 30 days. Thanks to frequent upgrades improving and incorporating new technologies into the cockpit, avionics, sensors and weapons, the aircraft has become more reliable over its 40 years. Advertisement
This isn't the only problem to plague the program.
Last month, it has emerged the jets complex radar system has a problem - it keeps crashing.
The software glitch that interferes with the ability of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter's AN/APG-81 AESA radar working in flight.
This poses the greatest threat to delaying US Air Force (USAF) plans to declare its jets operationally deployable, a top service official told Janes.
Major General Jeffrey Harrigian, director of the air force's F-35 integration office at the Pentagon, described the problem as 'radar stability - the radar's ability to stay up and running'.
'What would happen is they'd get a signal that says either a radar degrade or a radar fail -something that would force us to restart the radar,' Maj Gen Harrigian said
Another Pentagon report revealed a massive list of potentially lethal bugs still facing the jet.
It also found problems with the computer software, including 'in fusion, electronic warfare, and weapons employment result[ing] in ambiguous threat displays, limited ability to respond to threats, and a requirement for off-board sources to provide accurate coordinates for precision attack.'
Last year researchers revealed the hugely delayed and over budget project has finally fired its first shots in the air.
The F-35A Lightning II completed the first three airborne gunfire bursts from its internal Gun Airborne Unit (GAU)-22/A 25mm Gatling gun system during a California test flight on October 30th.
The F-35 also has a smart parts system to ensure everything is working within its limits, and can warn when parts need to be replaced.
However, the computerized maintenance management System, or CMMS, 'incorrectly authorizes older/inappropriate replacement parts.' the report said.
THE EJECTOR SEAT THAT COULD KILL Pilots under 136 pounds aren't allowed to fly any F-35 variant. Pilots under 165 pounds have a 1-in-4 chance of death and 100 percent chance of serious neck injury upon ejecting, according to the testing office. 'The testing showed that the ejection seat rotates backwards after ejection. This results in the pilot's neck becoming extended, as the head moves behind the shoulders in a 'chin up' position. When the parachute inflates and begins to extract the pilot from the seat (with great force), a 'whiplash' action occurs. The rotation of the seat and resulting extension of the neck are greater for lighter weight pilots,' the report states. Sophisticated: Footage from ground testing of the F-35A stealth jet at Edwards Air Force Base in California, shows the awesome firepower of the four-barrel Gatling gun embedded in the left wing Advertisement
It also fails to detect if it's been flying too fast and 'randomly prevented user logins' into its computerised control system.
In the first live firing test, three bursts of one 30 rounds and two 60 rounds each were fired from the aircraft's four-barrel, 25-millimeter Gatling gun.
In integrating the weapon into the stealthy F 35A airframe, the gun must be kept hidden behind closed doors to reduce its radar cross section until the trigger is pulled.
'The successful aerial gun test sortie was a culmination of several years' planning, which intensified in the first half of 2015 at the Edwards F-35 Integrated Test Force (ITF) Flight Test Squadron with a team of Air Force, Lockheed Martin, Pratt & Whitney, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman personnel,' said Mike Glass, Edwards ITF flight test director.
'The results of this testing will be used in future blocks of testing, where the accuracy and mission effectiveness capabilities will be evaluated.'
The 25mm gun is embedded in the F-35A's left wing and is designed to be integrated in a way to maintain the F-35's very low observable criteria.
It will provide pilots with the ability to engage air-to-ground and air-to-air targets.
'At the end of the program's system development and demonstration phase in 2017, the F-35 will have an operational gun.
US military leaders have extolled the virtues of the F-35 jets, which are intended to 'combine advanced stealth capabilities with fighter aircraft speed and agility'
The first phase of F-35 gun testing started in June, when initial shots were fired from the ground at the Edwards Air Force Flight Test Center's gun harmonizing range.
The gun system will be further tested with a production F-35A next year for integration with the jet's full mission systems capabilities.
The test team will demonstrate the gun's effectiveness in both air-to-air and air-to-ground employment when integrated with the next generation fighter's sensor fusion software, which will provide targeting information to the pilot through the helmet mounted display.
At the end of the program's system development and demonstration phase in 2017, the F-35 will have an operational gun.
The first phase of the gun testing began on June 9, and the amount of munitions fired has been gradually increased, until the 181 rounds were fired on August 17.
The ground tests were designed using software to replicate being in flight, using a production version of the GAU-22/A gun.
The tests, using the target practice PGU-23/U which does not explode on impact, showed the gun's ability to spin up and down correctly.
Further testing will be carried out next year, to integrate the GAU-22/A system with the jet's full avionics and mission systems capabilities.
The following stage will be to observe the qualitative effects, including muzzle flash the visible light emitted by the blast of a firearm the human factors, and the flying qualities.
manoeuvre enabling it to drop into a wide orbit around Jupiter
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Nasa has revealed the visible 'JunoCam' aboard Nasa's Juno mission is operational and sending down data after the spacecraft's July 4 arrival at Jupiter.
Juno's visible-light camera was turned on six days after Juno fired its main engine and placed itself into orbit around the largest planetary inhabitant of our solar system.
The first high-resolution images of the gas giant Jupiter are still a few weeks away.
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Juno's visible-light camera was turned on six days after Juno fired its main engine and placed itself into orbit around the largest planetary inhabitant of our solar system, although the first high-resolution images of the gas giant Jupiter are still a few weeks away.
WHAT THE IMAGE SHOWS The new view was obtained on July 10, 2016, at 10:30 a.m. PDT (1:30 p.m. EDT, 5:30 UTC), when the spacecraft was 2.7 million miles (4.3 million kilometers) from Jupiter on the outbound leg of its initial 53.5-day capture orbit. The color image shows atmospheric features on Jupiter, including the famous Great Red Spot, and three of the massive planet's four largest moons -- Io, Europa and Ganymede, from left to right in the image. Advertisement
'This scene from JunoCam indicates it survived its first pass through Jupiter's extreme radiation environment without any degradation and is ready to take on Jupiter,' said Scott Bolton, principal investigator from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio.
'We can't wait to see the first view of Jupiter's poles.'
The new view was obtained on July 10, 2016, at 10:30 a.m. PDT (1:30 p.m. EDT, 5:30 UTC), when the spacecraft was 2.7 million miles (4.3 million kilometers) from Jupiter on the outbound leg of its initial 53.5-day capture orbit.
The color image shows atmospheric features on Jupiter, including the famous Great Red Spot, and three of the massive planet's four largest moons - Io, Europa and Ganymede, from left to right in the image.
'JunoCam will continue to take images as we go around in this first orbit,' said Candy Hansen, Juno co-investigator from the Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, Arizona.
'The first high-resolution images of the planet will be taken on August 27 when Juno makes its next close pass to Jupiter.'
JunoCam is a color, visible-light camera designed to capture remarkable pictures of Jupiter's poles and cloud tops.
As Juno's eyes, it will provide a wide view, helping to provide context for the spacecraft's other instruments.
JunoCam was included on the spacecraft specifically for purposes of public engagement; although its images will be helpful to the science team, it is not considered one of the mission's science instruments.
The Juno team is currently working to place all images taken by JunoCam on the mission's website, where the public can access them.
The color image shows atmospheric features on Jupiter, including the famous Great Red Spot, and three of the massive planet's four largest moons -- Io, Europa and Ganymede, from left to right in the image.
During its mission of exploration, Juno will circle the Jovian world 37 times, soaring low over the planet's cloud tops -- as close as about 2,600 miles (4,100 kilometers).
During these flybys, Juno will probe beneath the obscuring cloud cover of Jupiter and study its auroras to learn more about the planet's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere.
The solar-powered spacecraft which left Earth five years ago has made history by entering into Jupiter's orbit.
Nasa's Juno probe fired its main rocket engine at 4.18 am BST (11.18pm ET), slowing itself down from a speed of 165,000 mph (265,000 kph) enough to drop into a sweeping orbit around the planet.
With Juno on autopilot, the delicately choreographed move came without any help from ground controllers, so the spacecraft's mission control erupted with cheering and applause when the orbit was confirmed at 4:53 am BST (11.53pm ET).
Nasa's Juno spacecraft (pictured, a graphic representation) fired its main rocket engine earlier today, slowing itself down from a speed of 165,000 mph to drop into Jupiter's orbit
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? With Juno now safely in Jupiter's orbit, the probe will need to turn its main antenna back towards Earth to communicate. All of the scientific instruments, sensors and cameras taken offline in the approach will be switched back on in the coming days. But mission scientists at Nasa have said it's unlikely we will not receive any high definition images for a month or longer until the probe gets situated. 'The first super close images will come out sometime in a month or two,' said Dr Jared Espley, program scientist for Juno. He told MailOnline: 'The first couple of orbits are really long, so it will be a month or two before we're able to get those first high resolution pictures back.' Nasa planned the probe to enter into a sweeping elliptical orbit initially, but a second rocket boost planned for October will tighten Juno's path and shorten the orbital time from 53 days down to 14 at which point the bulk of the science can be carried out. Advertisement
The mission's chief scientist, Scott Bolton, congratulated the team, saying 'you've just done the hardest thing Nasa's ever done' as the technicians and scientists celebrated completing the complex approach procedure.
At a briefing this morning, Bolton, the mission's principal investigator, said: 'We're there. We're in orbit. We conquered Jupiter.'
He added: 'What Juno's about is looking beneath that surface...we've got to go down and look at what's inside, see how it's built, how deep these features go, learn about its real secrets.'
Juno will peer through the swirling clouds in the planet's upper atmosphere and map the interior from a unique vantage point above the poles.
During its mission of exploration, the probe will circle the Jovian world 37 times, soaring low over the planet's cloud tops. Scientists will for the first time be able to see what lies beneath Jupiter's atmosphere, and help unlock secrets about how the solar system formed.
Among the lingering questions are how much water exists? Is there a solid core? And why are Jupiter's southern and northern lights the brightest in the solar system?
There is also the mystery of its Great Red Spot. Recent observations by the Hubble Space Telescope revealed the centuries-old monster storm in Jupiter's atmosphere is shrinking.
The spacecraft will end its mission in 2018 when it takes a swan dive into Jupiter's atmosphere and disintegrates a necessary sacrifice to prevent any chance of accidentally crashing into the planet's potentially habitable moons.
Speaking to MailOnline ahead of this morning's braking manoeuvre, Dr Jared Espley, program scientist for Juno at Nasa, said: 'It's a very unusual time in the life of a scientists or engineer when these big events happen, because you genuinely feel a connection to a big event, a bigger part.
'It's something that as a space agency we're super excited to do, but as a government we're happy to have this opportunity to do the science.
'You feel that you're representing your country but that you're also representing humanity, this is the spacecraft that we have sent to another planet and it's just remarkable that we as a species have the capability and the desire to understand what's going on with other planets outside of our own.'
Juno is currently travelling through a hostile radiation environment, 'but it should be able to withstand it,' said Kenny Starnes, programme manager for Lockheed Martin, which built the spacecraft.
The probe's camera and other instruments were switched off for the arrival so there won't be any pictures at the moment the spacecraft reaches its destination. Scientists have promised close-up views of Jupiter when Juno skims the cloud tops during the 20-month, $1.1 billion (828m) mission, with a public vote on areas to focus on.
A jubilant Scott Bolton, Juno mission's principal investigator, gives the thumbs up at a Nasa briefing this morning at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. The spacecraft successfully dropped into the desired orbit around Jupiter's at around 4.53 am BST
Scientists are using the Hubble Space Telescope to watch Jupiter's aurora (pictured) for more than a month in the hope of trying to unravel what causes these enormous light shows. The ultraviolet and X-ray aurora on Jupiter occur continuously on the giant planet and are the size of the entire planet Earth
The Juno team spoke to the press following the spacecraft's successful orbit insertion this morning. Pictured from left to right: Geoff Yoder, Diane Brown, Scott Bolton, Rick Nybakken, Guy Beutelschies, and Steve Levin
Juno is in a harsh radiation environment, so its delicate electronics are housed in a special titanium vault. Eventually, Juno will succumb to the intense radiation and will be commanded to plunge into Jupiter's atmosphere to avoid any collision with the planet's moons. Pictured is a 1/5 scale model size of the solar-powered Juno spacecraft
Members of the Juno team celebrate at a press conference after they received confirmation from the Juno spacecraft that it had completed the engine burn and successfully entered into orbit around Jupiter
Jim Green (left) celebrates with Scott Bolton in Mission Control at Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory as the solar-powered Juno spacecraft goes into orbit around Jupiter
NASA'S JUNO MISSION The Juno probe reached Jupiter at 4.18 am GMT this morning after a five-year, 1.8 billion-mile journey from Earth. Following a successful braking manoeuvre, it has now entered into a long polar orbit flying to within 3,100 miles (5,000 km) of the planet's swirling cloud tops. The probe will skim to within just 4,200 km of the planet's clouds once a fortnight - too close to provide global coverage in a single image. 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, the spacecraft 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). 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. Juno was launched on 5 August, 2011. During more than 30 orbital flybys of the Jovian world, it will probe beneath the obscuring ammonia and hydrogen sulfide cloud cover and study the auroras to learn more about the planet's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere. Juno's name comes from Greek and Roman mythology. Jupiter, the father of the Roman gods, drew a veil of clouds around himself to hide his mischief. But his wife - the goddess Juno - was able to peer through the clouds and reveal Jupiter's true nature. Advertisement
The official Twitter account for Juno has given the probe its own sassy personality, exclaiming: 'I'm ready to unlock all your secrets, Jupiter. Deal with it'
The fifth planet from the sun and the heftiest in the solar system, Jupiter is known as a gas giant a ball of mainly hydrogen and helium unlike rocky Earth and Mars. But scientists still don't know exactly what lies at its centre, or whether it formed within its current orbit, or migrated from elsewhere in the solar system.
With its billowy clouds and colourful stripes, Jupiter is an extreme world that likely formed first, shortly after the sun. Unlocking its history may hold clues to understanding how Earth and the rest of the solar system developed.
Named after the Roman god Jupiter's cloud-piercing wife, Juno is only the second mission designed to spend time at Jupiter.
Galileo, which launched in 1989, circled Jupiter for 14 years, beaming back splendid views of the planet and its numerous moons. It uncovered signs of an ocean beneath the icy surface of Europa, considered a top target in the search for life outside Earth.
The trek to Jupiter, spanning nearly five years and 1.8 billion miles (2.8 billion kilometres), took Juno on a tour of the inner solar system followed by a swing past Earth that catapulted it beyond the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Another tweet from the probe's account thanked mission control for the guidance, before hinting at the science to come
Interplanetary stowaways: Along with the scientific instruments Juno is also carrying three tiny passengers in the form of Lego figures, made from spacecraft-grade Aluminium. The three models include models of the god Jupiter, his wife and mission namesake the goddess Juno, and astronomer Galileo
Dr Jim Green, Planetary Science Division Director, Nasa, is seen in the mission control room, awaiting communication from Juno that the engine burn has begun, positioning the spacecraft into orbit around Jupiter
Juno launched in 2011. This image shows an Atlas V rocket carrying the Juno spacecraft lifts off from Space Launch Complex-41 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. It was the first step in Juno's 1.8 billion-mile voyage to the gas giant planet, Jupiter
JUNO'S MISSION IN NUMBERS 1.8 billion miles (2.8 billion kilometres) That's the total distance travelled from launch to arrival. Juno's journey wasn't a straight shot. Because the rocket that carried Juno wasn't powerful enough to boost it directly to Jupiter, it took a longer route. It looped around the inner solar system and then swung by Earth, using our planet as a gravity slingshot to hurtle toward the outer solar system. 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometres) That's how close Juno will fly to Jupiter's cloud tops. It will pass over the poles a total of 37 times during the mission on a path that avoids the most intense radiation, before it plunges into the planet's atmosphere. 48 minutes, 19 seconds That's the time it takes for radio signals from Jupiter to reach Earth. During the encounter, Juno will fire its main engine for about a half hour to slow down. By the time ground controllers receive word that it started, the engine burn would have been completed, and if all goes as planned, Juno would be in orbit. 20 months That's how long the mission will last. Because Juno is in a harsh radiation environment, its delicate electronics are housed in a special titanium vault. Eventually, Juno will succumb to the intense radiation and will be commanded to plunge into Jupiter's atmosphere to avoid any collision with the planet's moons. Nine Juno carries a suite of nine instruments to explore Jupiter from its interior to its atmosphere. It will map Jupiter's gravity and magnetic fields and track how much water is in the atmosphere. Its colour camera dubbed JunoCam will snap close-ups of Jupiter's swirling clouds, polar regions and shimmering southern and northern lights. Three Three massive solar wings extend from Juno, making it the most distant solar-powered spacecraft. The panels can generate 500 watts of electricity, enough to power the instruments Advertisement
Along the way, Juno became the first spacecraft to cruise this far out powered by the sun, beating Europe's comet-chasing Rosetta spacecraft. A trio of massive solar wings sticks out from Juno like blades from a windmill, generating 500 watts of power to run its nine instruments.
Plans called for Juno to swoop within 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometres) of Jupiter's clouds closer than previous missions to map the planet's gravity and magnetic fields.
Juno is an armoured spacecraft its computer and electronics are locked in a titanium vault to shield them from harmful radiation. Even so, Juno is expected to get blasted with radiation equal to more than 100 million dental X-rays during the mission.
Last week, stunning new images and the highest-resolution maps of Jupiter at thermal infrared wavelengths showed 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.
A few days before entering into Jupiter's orbit, Juno crossed the boundary of the planet's enormous magnetic field. One of the instruments aboard the probe recorded the 'bow shock', where the solar wind is heated and slowed by Jupiter's magnetosphere. When converted to audible frequencies, it sounds like a roar
This left composite image of photographs made by Cassini on December 29, 2000 shows the Jupiter. The Great Red Spot, a fierce storm larger than Earth, can be seen. In recent years, it has been mysteriously shrinking. The right image shows a close up view of the region
Jupiter on fire! In preparation for the imminent arrival of the Juno spacecraft, astronomers used ESO's Very Large Telescope to obtain spectacular new infrared images of Jupiter using the VISIR instrument. This false-colour image was created by selecting and combining the best images obtained from many short VISIR exposures at a wavelength of 5 micrometers
WHAT WILL THE JUNO MISSION BE LOOKING OUT FOR ON JUPITER? Water Like the sun, Jupiter is a ball of mostly hydrogen and helium. It was probably the first planet to form. Jupiter is 11 times wider than Earth and with 300 times the mass. Juno will hunt for water in Jupiter's atmosphere, which may help explain how Earth got its water. Previous spacecraft found only a trace amount in Jupiter's atmosphere, but scientists think they didn't look deep enough. Juno carries an instrument that can pierce through thick clouds to measure the water content. Great red spot A world of swirling clouds and colourful stripes, Jupiter's most prominent feature is the Great Red Spot, a fierce storm in the atmosphere larger than Earth that has lasted for centuries. In recent years, the spot has been mysteriously shrinking. Once an oval about 25,500 miles wide (41,036 kilometres) in the late 1880s, the spot shrank to its smallest observed size in 2014 the shape of a circle about 10,250 miles across (16,495 kilometres). Juno will study how deep into the atmosphere the Great Red Spot extends in an effort to understand what may happen next to Jupiter's trademark. Auroras Earth's dazzling southern and northern lights are dim compared to Jupiter's auroras, the brightest in the solar system. Earth's polar lights are triggered by solar storms, which occur when a cloud of gas from the sun slams into the planet's magnetic field. Jupiter's powerful auroras are sparked by the planet's own rotation. Jupiter is the fastest-spinning planet in the solar system, taking just 10 hours to complete a rotation. As Jupiter spins, it drags its magnetic field around with it. Juno will observe the light show and learn about the driving forces behind it. Polar regions The first peek of Jupiter's poles came in 1974 when Pioneer 11 flew by en route to Saturn. Juno will get a more detailed look by passing over Jupiter's polar regions. During the next year, the spacecraft will circle Jupiter 37 times from pole to pole a path that will cover the whole planet. At its closest approach, Juno will skim within 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometres) of Jupiter's cloud tops. Advertisement
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.
Google also marked the occasion with a dedicated animated doodle depicting a jubilant mission team and the probe as the 'O'
Juno carries a suite of nine instruments to explore Jupiter from its interior to its atmosphere. It will map Jupiter's gravity and magnetic fields and track how much water is in the atmosphere
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)
Jupiter's powerful magnetosphere extends up to two million miles into the space around the planet (illustrated) and is thought to be responsible for sending charged particles in the space around it hurtling at high speeds towards the poles
The huge aurora on Jupiter (pictured) are thought to be caused by solar particles and volcanic debris in the space around the giant planet being accelerated towards the poles by its powerful magnetic field
LEGO FIGURES ARRIVE AT JUPITER Hitching a ride on Juno are three 1.5-inch Lego figures depicting the 17th century Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei, the Roman god Jupiter, and the deity's wife Juno - all made from aluminium to withstand the Jupiter's harsh environment. By drawing attention to these Lego characters, Nasa aims to inspire the next generation of spacecraft engineers by encouraging children to explore subjects such as science and technology. But they are on a suicide mission. Juno, along with its three passengers, meets its demise in 2018 when it deliberately dives into Jupiter's atmosphere and disintegrates a necessary sacrifice to prevent any chance of accidentally crashing into the planet's potentially habitable moons. Advertisement
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 to within just 3,100 miles (5,000 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.'
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 one of the harshest radiation environments in the Solar System.
To cope with the conditions, Juno is protected with special radiation-hardened wiring and sensor shielding and 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.
JUPITER'S GIANT AURORA Jupiter's auroras were first discovered by the Voyager 1 spacecraft in 1979. A thin ring of light on Jupiter's nightside looked like a stretched-out version of our own auroras on Earth. But later, astronomers discovered the auroras were best visible in the ultraviolet. Scientists also discovered the planet has X-ray aurora too. Jupiter's aurora are larger than our entire planet and unlike those on Earth, occur almost continuously. This suggests that the mechanism causing this light show is different from that on Earth. While Earth's Northern and Southern lights are triggered by energetic particles from the sun slamming into gas atoms high in the atmosphere, Jupiter appears to have another source. Scientists believe its powerful magnetic field accellerates charged particles from the space around it towards its poles, to cause similar interactions. The volcanic moon Io spews oxygen and sulfur ions into Jupiter's spinning magnetic field, which sends them hurtling towards the planet below. Upon entering the atmosphere, their electrons are first stripped away by molecules they run into, but as they slow down they start grabbing electrons back. The 'charge exchange reaction' produces intense X-ray auroras. Yet scientists have been baffled as to how Jupiter's magnetic field accelerates these particles. Advertisement
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. At the end of he mission, Nasa plans to send the probe headlong into the Jovian atmosphere to collect as much data as possible.
Juno was launched into space by an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on August 5, 2011. The mission is part of Nasa's New Frontiers programme of robotic space missions which last year saw the New Horizons probe obtain close up views of dwarf planet Pluto
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.'
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.
Influence of religious hardliners is growing in the country
He was deported to Bangkok last night after 'violating tourist rules'
A Spanish tourist boasting a leg tattoo of Buddha has been deported from Myanmar after he offended monks with his inking.
The influence of religious hardliners is growing in the country and the man was initially detained in Bagan, an ancient town in central Myanmar where tourists flock to visit thousands of picturesque temples and pagodas.
'Monks in Bagan saw a Buddha tattoo on his right leg because he was wearing shorts. They informed us as it's not appropriate,' a police officer said, adding that the Spaniard was promptly sent back to Yangon in the south.
'Monks in Bagan saw a Buddha tattoo on his right leg because he was wearing shorts. They informed us as it's not appropriate,' a police officer said, adding that the Spaniard was promptly sent back to Yangon in the south
The Spanish tourist was initially detained in Bagan, an ancient town in central Myanmar where tourists flock to visit thousands of picturesque temples and pagodas (file image)
A police official at Yangon airport confirmed the detention and said the man was deported to Bangkok on Monday evening.
'He violated the rules as a tourist here,' he explained.
Buddhist-majority Myanmar has seen a dramatic political transformation over recent years, with decades of junta rule giving way to a civilian-led government and a once isolated country opening up to lucrative foreign investment and tourists.
The changes have coincided with the rise of a small but influential Buddhist nationalist movement that rails against the five percent of the population that are Muslim and what are perceived to be corrupting Western influences.
Portrayals of Buddha can often land foreigners in hot water.
Last year a New Zealand bar manager spent 10 months in jail for 'insulting religion' by using a Buddha image to promote a cheap drinks night.
A Canadian tourist and practising Buddhist was detained in 2014 for sporting a leg tattoo of Buddha.
Buddhist monks at one of Myanmar's most revered pagodas, were horrified by the man's Buddha tattoo leading to his deportation to Bangkok yesterday (file image)
Although many Buddhists, particular Western followers, sport tattoos of the religion's founder, it can cause offence in some nations where the faith is practised.
A British nurse was thrown out of Sri Lanka in 2014 for a Buddha tattoo on her arm despite her insistence she was a devotee who got inked as a mark of respect.
In Thailand, airports put up posters warning visitors not to get Buddha tattoos or buy statues.
Google Street View has allowed people to explore the interiors of the Palace of Versailles in France and the Adelie Penguin Rookery in Antarctica - all without leaving their homes.
But the company has so far refused to visit the remote Faroe Islands with its famous 360 degree cameras and now the Faroese residents are on a mission to change that by setting up their own Sheep View.
They've employed the island's sheep to help them with the mammoth task - by mounting them with cameras and uploading the results to Google.
Five sheep have been involved in the Sheep View project. Only one of them is mounted with the camera at any one time
They roam the islands as normal while the cameras take pictures every minute, which are then uploaded to Google Street View
The 18 volcanic islands that make up the Faroes are situated between the Shetlands, Iceland and Norway.
They're accessible daily from Copenhagen, as it's a territory of Denmark, but its location is extremely remote.
The Faroes were once known as the Sheep Islands. There are still more sheep than people on the islands.
And as the animals are adept at scaling the cliff-tops and other inaccessible locations, they're perfectly placed to explore the hard-to-reach places on the islands.
Durita Dahl Andreassen (pictured) has fitted several sheep on the Faroe islands with 360 degree cameras
The Faroes were once known as the Sheep Islands. There are still more sheep than people on the islands
Durita Dahl Andreassen from Visit Faroe Islands has fitted five of the animals with the only camera they have.
The equipment is programmed to take a picture every minute, a mobile phone and solar panels to charge the batteries.
Images are sent to Andreassen, with the GPS co-ordinates, and uploaded to Google Street View.
So far, the animals have visited Tjornuvik, Hosvik, Kaldbaksbotnur, Bour and Sydradalur.
Andreassen said: 'The tiny capital of the Faroes, Torshavn, is my home, and my colleagues and I want to share our beautiful, green and undiscovered land with friends and acquaintances around the world via Google Street View.
The animals are adept at scaling the cliff-tops and other inaccessible locations so they're perfectly placed to explore the hard-to-reach places on the islands
The light-weight camera is mounted on the back to the sheep along with a mobile phone and a solar charger
'As Google won't come to the Faroe Islands, we decided to bring the Faroes to the world in another way Sheep View 360.'
Andreassen hopes that the sheep will help 'put the Faroes on the world map' and has also launched a petition to ask Google to bring Street View to the islands.
She said: 'We hope that, by telling the story of the Faroe Islands through these images and via our site, Sheep View 360, we'll showcase the stunning landscapes to an international audience thus far denied access to image-based mapping of the islands.
'In turn, of course, we hope to encourage more people to visit our magical wild landscapes and enjoy our warm welcome.'
BURBANK, Calif.Joydivision reps will be on hand at the upcoming ANME Founders Show, July 17-19, in Burbank, Calif., to show off the manufacturers popular Xpander collection as well as other items.
The Joydivision USA team will also be attending the 2016 StorErotica Awards, taking place July 18. The Awards honor those in the brick and mortar storefront, distributing, and manufacturing levels. Joydivision is nominated for Foreign Manufacturer of the Year; in addition, its newest generation of prostate stimulators, Xpander, is nominated for New Product of the Year (International).
Xpander is now available to ship to North American retailers; with its unique functionality, allowing it to reduce its size by 50 percent for safe and simple insertion, and then expanding fully to full stimulation size, no other product is available on the market like Xpander. Be it used solo, or for an orgasm boost during couples play, the groundbreaking Xpander literally folds and unfolds to provide new worlds of passionate sensation for all men, regardless of sexual orientation.
Xpander is made from the patented, high-quality, medical-grade antibacterial coating Silikomed, and, as a result, can be used with any personal / intimate lubricant, including water-based, silicone, and hybrid lubes.
The unique Xpand technology is a true innovation to the male prostate stimulator genre of pleasure products, said Bianca Kuennecke, executive vice president of Joydivision USA. Were so pleased with the reception by our retail partners, both in Europe as well as the United States.
Kuennecke, along with Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Marcus West, will be on hand to meet with North American retail partners. In addition to presenting the Joydivision catalog of products, the Joydivision team will launch multiple new retail planograms and marketing programs to assist their distributor and retail partners efforts.
We are committed to cutting-edge marketing tools, which grow our businesses collectively, West said. By continuously working to build and develop tools, to help our partners expand our brand presence, and assist with consumer sell-through, were able to achieve this goal. We look forward to meeting with all of our retailers, as well as introducing our product line to new partners.
Those interested in booking an appointment with the Joydivision team can email [email protected]
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These images from Mongolia reveal the cruelty of the winters experienced by its people.
The country's extreme winter disaster saw temperatures drop to minus 50 degrees Celsius between 2015 and 2016, killing more than 850,000 livestock.
Japanese photographer Madoka Ikegami travelled to the Zavkhan province, Nalaikh and Ulaanbaatar in April this year to document the effects of the unique disaster on the animal herders.
Japanese photographer Madoka Ikegami travelled to the Zavkhan province, Nalaikh and Ulaanbaatar in April this year to document the effects of the unique disaster on the animal herders. Above, some of the dead animals
The country's extreme winter disaster saw temperatures drop to minus 50 degrees Celsius between 2015 and 2016, killing more than 850,000 livestock. By April 2016, when this photograph was taken, there was still heavy snow
Left, Doljin Byambasurengiin cleans up the eyes of a weak calf and right, her sister Nansalmaa Byambasurengiin poses on a rock with a lamb in her hands
The sisters' dog eats the meat and bones off the animal carcass as it lies on the ground. The animal has perished because of the disaster in Zavkhan province
Known as the Dzud disaster in native language, the freezing conditions resulted in the mass death of camels, cows, horses, sheep and goats.
Ikegami said: 'According to the UN data of April 25, more than 850,000 animals perished in the 2015-2016 disaster.
'I documented the lives of displaced former herders who lost all their livestock in previous Dzud and had to give up on herding and move to a city for a new job.'
Ikegami originally visited Mongolia last year where she experienced the welcoming nature of local reindeer herders.
Known as the Dzud disaster in native language, the freezing conditions resulted in the mass death of camels, cows, horses, sheep and goats (pictured)
According to the UN data of April 25, more than 850,000 animals perished in the 2015-2016 disaster. Above, a weak adult cow lies on the ground outside the Byambasurengiin sisters' ger
Ikegami realised the full extent of the catastrophe caused by the Dzud when she saw a dog feeding off the flesh and bones of other animal corpses. Above, a group of cows scavenge for food on a mountainous rubbish dump in Nalaikh, Mongolia
Ikegami originally visited Mongolia last year where she experienced the welcoming nature of local reindeer herders and returned again when she heard about the disaster
And as soon as she heard about the latest disaster, she wanted to make sure the herders were safe and find out what it was really like for them to fight off such terrible conditions.
The 33-year-old said: 'The sisters I spoke to lost over 200 livestock, the corpses of which lay around just a few minutes away from their ger (traditional yurt).
'There was no sign of human life at ground level, or upon the endless snow terraces.
'The sisters tried to save their starving, dying animals just by themselves in such a lonely place where the older sister hadn't seen anyone apart from her younger sister for five months.'
Displaced former herders and seasonal workers often resort to conducting dangerous and illegal mining jobs to prevent the fall into extreme poverty.
Ikegami realised the full extent of the catastrophe caused by the Dzud when she saw a dog feeding off the flesh and bones of other animal corpses.
She said: 'Suddenly being exposed to the sight of piles of animal corpses, I was simply frightened and learned what the Dzud disaster really means to the people.
'In our day to day lives we're not exposed to such a tragedy.'
Displaced former herders and seasonal workers often resort to conducting dangerous and illegal mining jobs to prevent the fall into extreme poverty
Some of the private miners Ikegami met fixing a metal bucket they use to collect coal underground in Nalaikh Province
Doljin Byambasurengiin and Nansalmaa Byambasurengiin try to lift up a weak adult cow to let it walk over to grassland for grazing in Zavkhan Province
Left, Baasanbat Sainnyambuu, a 35-year-old former herder, poses in front of the coal mines in Nalaikh. Right, Doljin Byambasurengiin
A group of private miners take a break from work while waiting for a motor to be fixed at the coal mine in Nalaikh
Left, Ariunbold Baatarjav sits with his young blind daughter inside his ger (traditional yurt), in Nalaikh. Right, Narantuya Chadraaval poses in front of his house in a ger district in Ulaanbaatar
Raymond Dumbleton (left) was on holiday with his wife Sheila (right) when she fell ill
A widowed grandfather was left trapped in Cuba this week after his wife died on their dream holiday to the island.
Raymond Dumbleton, 69, from Birmingham, was not allowed to leave the country until his wife's 20,000 medical expenses bill had been paid.
His wife Sheila Dumbleton, 57, passed away yesterday and today he was told he would be permitted to return to the UK, but her body would remain in the country until the bill was settled.
Back in the UK, Raymond's son Lance and stepchildren Erica and Graham are now frantically trying to raise money to cover the expenses and bring Sheila's body home.
Erica, 36, said: 'It's been absolutely awful.
'We have been so worried about my mum and Ray. At one point he was threatened with prison if he did not pay the money.
'We are so thankful he is coming home as he needs to be with his family. We need to come together and support each other now.
'But it's horrible not having Mum's body here. All we want to do is grieve, but instead we keep having to fight and fight and fight.
'As a family we were not able to be there for her and that's what is killing us.'
Raymond and Sheila, who had been married for 34 years, flew to the Cuban beach resort of Holguin on June 6 for a two week holiday to celebrate her birthday.
Erica McCleary, Sheila's daughter, and Lance Dumbleton, Raymond's son, holding up the Go Fund Me page that they hope will raise enough money to pay Sheila's medical bills, allowing her body to come back to the UK
For the first few days it was the dream holiday Sheila had always wanted, with the couple spending their time sightseeing and relaxing at the hotel.
Erica said: 'She talked about going to Cuba all the time. We always just laughed at her when she said it as she only used to go to Spain.'
Sheila and Ray on holiday in Fuerteventura
But five days after they arrived, Sheila began to complain of stomach pains and on the seventh day she was rushed to hospital for an emergency operation to stem an internal bleed in her stomach.
Shortly afterwards she contracted pneumonia and suffered a bleed on the brain and the hospital put her in an induced coma for two weeks.
When she was woken up again, she lay unresponsive in bed for a further fortnight before eventually passing away.
The family has still not been told the official cause of death.
She leaves behind Ray, her children Erica and Graham, 39, stepson Lance, 30, four grandchildren and her first great grandchild, who was born last month.
Before being able to come to terms with his wife's death, Raymond was landed with a medical bill of over 20,000 after the insurance company declined to pay the amount.
Erica said: 'We just do not have that kind of money. It would take us months, if not years, to scrape it together.
'On top of that, Lance and I went out to visit mum and Ray had to spend over a month in Cuba to be with her.'
Erica and Lance spent over 2,000 to visit their Mum and Raymond for four days on June 21, and were forced to borrow money from friends and family to get there.
Sheila, Ray and two of their grandchildren having Christmas lunch last December
Speaking about their visit, Erica said: 'We went straight from the airport to the hospital.
'We were kept in a waiting room for two hours while the staff told us in broken English that she and her room were being cleaned.
'When we finally got to see her, we were told we could not touch her or speak to her. She was completely unresponsive.
'We saw her for a total of 10 minutes. It was horrible.'
Sheila and Ray on a holiday together in Fuerteventura last summer
Lance, said: 'It was just an absolute nightmare. It has scarred me forever.
'Dad wanted us to go to the hotel first to prepare for what it would be like, but we just wanted to see Mum.
'When we got back to dad's hotel it did not get any better. He had lost so much weight, I was really worried for him too.'
The couple had taken out travel insurance but White Horse Insurance Ireland DAC will not cover the claim after they said Sheila failed to disclose her medical history.
Sheila with her mother, left, and three of her grandchildren in happier times
In a statement, the company said: 'We were very sorry to hear of Mrs Dumbleton's circumstances. Regrettably, as Mrs Dumbleton's medical history was not disclosed, her claim was not covered by her insurance policy.
'We would like to stress to all holidaymakers how important it is to fully declare any pre-existing medical conditions or ongoing medical investigations when buying travel insurance.'
Local Labour MP Richard Burden, who has been assisting the family, said: 'I am sure there will still be issues to resolve regarding both the repatriation of Sheila's body and the outstanding question of the medical bills.
'However, none of this should overshadow the human element of this tragedy and that is why I hope Ray can get to get back to his family as soon as possible.'
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This is the moment an Airbus A350 makes a near-vertical take-off.
The incredible footage, captured at the Farnborough Air Show in Hampshire, UK, shows the giant plane rise rapidly into the air seconds after taking off.
The display of aerobatics was aimed at demonstrating the new model's capabilities.
The Airbus A350 pictured on the runway at the Farnborough Air Show as it gets ready for a take-off with a difference - vertically
The incredible moment the plane took off vertically was captured by aviation enthusiast Colin Porteous, who lives in Farnborough
Aviation enthusiast, Colin Porteous, 63, from Farnborough, said: 'For passenger comfort the take off is normally much less steep with no dramatic turns.
'The aircraft performed a touch and go landing back at Farnborough after validation, but then departed to Toulouse in France.
'I suspect there would be a modest increase in G-force for the pilot.'
Colin shot the footage on July 6, as the Airbus plane took off from runway 24 during the major industry event.
The incredible footage, captured at the Farnborough Air Show in Hampshire, UK, shows the giant plane rise rapidly into the air seconds after taking off
Colin Porteous shot the footage on July 6, as the Airbus plane took off from runway 24 during the major industry event
AIRBUS A350 - THE TECH SPEC There are three models of the Airbus A350 - the 800, 900 and 1000. The A350-800 can carry 280 passengers, the 900 325 passengers and the 1000 366 passengers. All three models have a wingspan of 212ft 5in and have Rolls Royce Trent XWB x2 engines. Advertisement
The Airbus A350 - an extra wide bodied aircraft - can seat up to 325 passengers, has a range of 8,100 nautical miles and a wing span of 212ft 5in.
Last month it was reported that Airbus faces a challenge to meet delivery targets for the A350 jet this year due to problems with suppliers, the head of the European planemaker said.
Airbus still has to deliver at least 41 of the new long-haul jets to reach a target of more than 50 for the whole year, after a slow start blamed partly on shortages of seats and lavatories.
'The target remains a challenge because some of our industrial partners are experiencing difficulties,' Fabrice Bregier, president and CEO of the planemaking division of Airbus Group told France's La Tribune daily in an interview.
MailOnline Travel has compiled a list of some of the worst faux pas
Three female tourists caused outrage in Rome recently after they stripped down to their bikinis and cooled off in a 400-year-old fountain to escape the summer heat.
The scantily-clad women caused uproar on social media after pictures emerged of them enjoying a splash in the Fontana dell'Acqua Paola.
Locals fumed at their apparent lack of respect for the 17th century monument, after they were snapped in the act.
Three female tourists caused outrage in Rome after they stripped down to their bikinis and cooled off in the Fontana dell'Acqua Paola
But while they have made headlines around the world for their inappropriate behaviour, the women aren't alone.
Every year numerous tourists fall foul of local customers failing to brush up on the cultural faux pas of the destinations they visit.
Over the last few months, stories have surfaced of people posing naked at sacred monuments and thrill-seekers scaling ancient buildings.
MailOnline Travel has compiled a round up of some of the most embarrassing examples of tourists flouting local customs in recent years...
Scaling the Great Pyramid of Giza
A German tourist illegally climbed the Great Pyramid of Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo earlier this year
Egyptian authorities warned holidaymakers who scale their pyramids that they risk being banned from the country for life after an 18-year-old German tourist illegally climbed the Great Pyramid of Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo.
The holidaymaker, from Munich, travelled to Egypt earlier this year with the intention of snapping photos from atop the mammoth 4,500-year-old tomb, risking his life and imprisonment after he was detained and questioned by police.
Following the crime, Egyptian Minister Mamdouh Eldamaty said the German Embassy in Cairo had been informed of the lifetime ban.
The tourist could also have been charged and sentenced to three years in prison for his stunt, which gained attention around the world and angered Egyptians.
From atop the Cheops pyramid, the teenager snapped photos of the Pyramid of Khafre and the hazy desert landscape below.
Defacing the Luxor Temple with graffiti
A Chinese schoolboy was caught defacing an ancient Egyptian temple in early 2013 during a visit to the Luxor Temple
A Chinese schoolboy was caught defacing an ancient Egyptian temple in early 2013 during a visit to the Luxor Temple
The graffiti read: 'Ding Jinhao was here' on 3,500-year-old hieroglyphics on the wall of the temple.
Later Chinese visitors who spotted the violation posted a picture of the graffiti written in Chinese online along with comments expressing their disgust at the boy's actions.
The tourist, surnamed Shen, said: 'It was the saddest moment during my stay in Egypt, and I felt ashamed.
'We try to wipe out the shame with tissue, but it was difficult to clear it out, and we could not use water as the relief is a historical relic 3,500 years old.
'All of the 14 members of our tour group kept silent after seeing the sentence as we felt ashamed.'
The post prompted an online search which revealed Ding's identity, his date of birth and his school in Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu Province.
The parents of 15-year-old Ding Jinhao then issued a grovelling national apology to their fellow countrymen over their son's behaviour.
Climbing fragile cherry blossom trees in China
A woman in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, is photographed climbing a cherry blossom tree wearing red stilettos to get the perfect selfie
In March, a woman in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, was photographed climbing a cherry blossom tree wearing red stilettos to get the perfect selfie with the flowering tree.
Similar sights have been seen all over the city this year, with the trees being spoilt by misbehaving tourists who were spotted kicking, climbing and shaking them in order to capture social media-friendly snaps.
Visitors to areas of natural beauty across the country were being caught red handed trying to get the attractive petals to fall from the trees in a pink 'rain' according to People's Daily Online.
In Nanjing, authorities said that any tourists caught violating the state-owned trees in such a way will face fines and even be blacklisted from certain areas.
Tens of thousands of domestic tourists have been flocking to different sites enjoy the remarkable sight of the home-grown trees, which have been popular in Japan for decades.
Nearly 30,000 people last weekend alone have been enjoying the cherry blossoms.
Recently the Chinese obsession with the spring blooms reached absurd levels, when a group of tourists were reported to have broken into a prison to get a glimpse at its famous cherry trees.
MailOnline reported that prison officials had to employ extra security and formally shut access to the prison in order to stop the wave of unruly visitors.
Taking a bath in in one of Venices famed canals
A badly-behaved tourist was slammed by Italian media last summer after he was spotted having a bath in one of Venices famed canals
A badly-behaved tourist was slammed by Italian media last summer after he was spotted having a bath in one of Venices famed canals.
With Venetians already fed up with the tourist hordes who invade their city every day, the bizarre scene sparked outrage and calls for a crackdown on holidaymakers with bad manners.
Footage showed the man splashing around and using the water to clean his armpits, shoulders and back.
The video, recorded by someone on the other side of the canal, was supplied to local newspaper Il Gazzettino, which said the footage had been uploaded to Facebook.
The man was not wearing a shirt or trousers, although it was not clear in the video whether he was fully nude.
Urinating in the flower beds at Shanghai's Disney theme park
In May, a woman was photographed allowing a child to urinate in a flower bed at Disneys new theme park in Shanghai
In May, a woman was photographed allowing a child to urinate in a flower bed at Disneys new $5.5bn (3.8bn) theme park in Shanghai.
The child was allowed to pass water in full view of other visitors, who travelled to the park just to hang out around its locked gates and peer into buildings that were not open yet.
A month beofre the park had even opened, visitors had made headlines after they trampled plants, picked flowers, carved graffiti into freshly-painted lamp posts and left bags of rubbish on the grounds.
Leaving graffiti at Everest Base Camp
China has announced it would be blacklisting Chinese visitors who left their mark on the stone memorials at Everest's Qomolangma Base Camp
Earlier this year, China announced it would be blacklisting Chinese visitors who left their mark on the stone memorials at Everest's Qomolangma Base Camp.
The decision came as a result of staff being forced to clean the monuments in Tingri County in Tibet twice a month due to the huge number of scribbles appearing on the plaques each day.
The base camp sits at more than 17,000 feet above sea level and is a key stop for those hoping to scale Mount Everest and many people visit the site for a photo opportunity.
But according to Gu Chunlei, deputy director of Tingri County's tourism bureau, visitors are destroying the scenic site with their graffiti.
He told The Paper that the scribbles have ranged from people's names to poetry and drawings and has increased with the growing number of visitors.
Most of these are in Chinese.
The Everest peak season starts from about May each year and during this time, staff have to clean the memorial at least twice a month to remove the graffiti.
From Korea to Barcelona, Lily Collins has been on a travel high.
And on Saturday it showed as the 27-year-old actress arrived at LAX ready to board her flight to Spain for a project with Lancome.
The red-haired beauty went make-up free as she wore a white layered chiffon top that was adorned with a bow, tied around the collar.
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Smiling beauty! Lily Collins arrived at LAX on Saturday in high spirits as she made her way to her flight
She teamed it with dark blue denim jeans, which were rolled up at the ankles, a stylish black jacket made of light material, and white sneakers for comfort.
Her accessories were light as she wore a gold watch, ring, and carried a black carry-on over her shoulder.
Travel queen: The 27-year-old actress was headed to Barcelona for a shoot with Lancome
Euro chic: The daughter of Phil Collins wore a white chiffon top and paired it with rolled up denim jeans and a stylish black jacket
The Euro-traveler looked fresh as she wore light make-up with just the right amount of blush and bronzer to give her a sun-kissed look.
Her dyed red hair was let out by the side of her face as it was deeply parted to the side and pushed back by orange-tinted sunglasses.
The daughter of Phil Collins traveled with her friend and close member of her glam squad Chelsea Thomas who she is frequently seen with on her photo shoots.
The Love, Rosie actress took to social media to document her Barcelona experience.
Travel diaries: The Last Tycoon actress documented her trip to Spain starting from her flight over
Inspirational: Lily took to Instagram on Monday and shot a picture of Gaudi's famous Sagrada Familia. She captioned the photo saying: 'Gaudi's Sagrada Familia proves that even if we're a constant work in progress, were still incredibly beautiful and inspiring #keepitup #standstrong'
She posted inspirational photos of the famous architect Gaudi and his creation of the Roman Catholic Church, Sagrada Familia, writing: 'Gaudi's Sagrada Familia proves that even if we're a constant work in progress, were still incredibly beautiful and inspiring #keepitup #standstrong.'
The actress also shared glam shots of her and her friend Chelsea as the two were seen bouncing on a trampoline on a rooftop.
Lily captioned the photo, 'Are you ready @chelsmeistergeneral and @lancomeofficial? #lilyloveslancome #bouncinginBarcelona #whattheheatdoestoyou.'
Bouncing Barcelona: The red-haired beauty was having the time of her life on her mini Euro adventure
Friends: Lily posted this glam shot on Monday with the caption: 'Barcelona sure is bright! @Chelsmeistergeneral needs some serious shade from my luminous locks #lilyloveslancome'
Lily became the face for Lancome in October of 2013 where she's shot a number of shoots with the beauty brand.
In between, the busy actress-model recently starred in The Last Tycoon, which premiered on Amazon Prime last month.
She also wrapped filming for the Warren Beatty written and directed movie Rules Don't Apply - set to be released on November 11.
Additionally, the British-born beauty will be seen in To the Bone, which she finished filming, starring alongside Keanu Reeves.
Glam squad: The Mortal Instruments actress refers to her ladies as her glam girls. She thanked WhoWhatWear company for bringing them together as she posted this two weeks ago
He's lived a chequered past which saw him struggle with alcohol and gambling and a heart-breaking divorce.
But controversial AFL player Brendan Fevola revealed drawn-out moments in the south African jungle locked in thought when he was on I'm A Celebrity... helped him turn his life around.
Appearing on Sunrise on Tuesday, Brendan, 35, who has proposed to wife Alex for the second time, said: 'I popped the question again, it feels weird; she was my wife and ex wife and now she's my fiancee...
Ecstatic: Troubled AFL star Brendan Fevola revealed quiet moments in the south African jungle when he was on I'm A Celebrity... helped him turn his life around and convinced wife Alex to marry him again
Renewed love: Alex and Brendan rekindled their romance after his TV stint in the South African jungle
'I sat in jungle for 50 says and did nothing and that turned my life around,' he explained to hosts Samantha Armytage and David 'Kochie' Koch.
'I lived in the country Yarrawonga and country people are amazing people, pretty humble, they treat everyone the same, no matter what you've achieved.
'I lived up there for three years and it also changed me as a person. Hence the reason we got back together.'
Low key wedding: The second time round will not be a lavish white wedding affair, he told Sunrise hosts Samantha Armytage and David 'Kochie' Koch
What went wrong? Brendan had plenty of time in the jungle last year to reflect on his life
The Fevolas, who married in October 2005 and divorced 14 months later, are parents to three daughters Mia, 16, who is from a previous relationship, Leni, nine, and Lulu, six.
They were reconciled but the pair confirmed in March 2014 their rocky romance was over and divorced.
Their union has endured a rollercoaster ride over the years which saw the former Carlton and Brisbane Lions player being accused of having an affair with model Lara Bingle.
In action: The former AFL Brisbane Lions player is seen in the fourth quarter of round 15 with St Kilda at the Gabba in Brisbane in 2011
The two-time Coleman medallist was accused of spraying a woman in face with fire extinguisher in 2001, and fined $8000 after he allegedly tried to steal jackets from a North Melbourne dry cleaner.
He was ejected from Crown with a black eye in March 2004 and sent home from Australias tour of Ireland after assaulting a barman at a Galway nightclub in 2006.
Brendan was fined $10,000 by then-club Carlton for urinating against a nightclub window in 2008.
King of the jungle: The sportsman and his family grew close after he emerged from I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Pictured with (R-L) daughters Mia, 16, Leni, nine, and Lulu, six
He dressed in a nightie and obscenely brandished a sex toy during Carltons Mad Monday celebrations in 2008 and was censured for a drunken rampage at the 2009 Brownlow Medal night.
Six years ago he confessed on national TV to a gambling addiction that saw him rack up debts of up to $200,000.
His run of bad luck continued in 2011 when he declared himself bankrupt after much of his fortune was swallowed up by gambling.
It's no secret that these lovebirds maintain a very fit lifestyle.
And on Monday, Gerard Butler's girlfriend Morgan Brown put her muscular abs on display as the couple arrived in the Italian island of Ischia.
The 46-year-old actor hopped off his private boat with Morgan for the Ischia Global Fest.
When in Ischia: Gerard Butler and girlfriend Morgan Brown arrived in Ischia, Italy on Monday for the Global film and music festival taking place all week
The brunette beauty certainly turned heads as her entire midriff was exposed, flaunting her toned tummy in a small black bikini top.
She wore pin striped pants that she paired with a beige cover up, strapped sandals, and a white-and-black fedora. Her eyes hid behind a pair of gold-rimmed Ray Bans that matched with Gerard's.
Her face was natural and sun-kissed as she opted for a make-up free look, and her brunette tresses were styled wet and wavy along the side of her face.
Abs on abs! The 39-year-old beauty looked fabulous in a black bikini as her toned abs were on full display
Euro adventure: The London Has Fallen actor was all smiles as he hopped off his boat in the beautiful Italian island, Ischia
The Scottish and British native covered up with a black v-neck shirt that he teamed with a pair of khaki shorts and brown flip-flop sandals.
He kept his hair tucked underneath a white and black cap and his eyes away from the shade with the same matching sunglasses as his significant other.
The couple will join a star-studded group for the film festival, which is the sister event to Capri Hollywood.
Both are founded by Italian TV Journalist Pascal Vicedomini, and the event is meant to build a bridge between Hollywood and the Italian and European film industries.
Bikini chic: Morgan wore a small black bikini, flaunting her svelte figure, and paired it with pin striped pants and a black-and-white fedora
Taut: The beauty showed off her slim waist while on vacation
Gerard and Morgan started dating in May 2014 following his split from Romanian model Madalina Ghenea, 27, the previous year.
The couple are believed to have reunited in April, following a brief split earlier this year.
They were separated for months while Gerard traveled the globe promoting his movies London Has Fallen and Gods Of Egypt.
During their split, Gerard was romantically linked with British pop star Rita Ora after they were seen together in a Los Angeles hotel in January.
The 300 actor will next appear as a voice-over character in How to Train your Dragon 3 alongside Kristin Wiig and Jonah Hill, which premieres in May of 2018.
Family visit: The Scottish native was graced with a visit from his nieces who traveled from Scotland. Gerard captioned the photo on his Twitter saying, 'Most embarrassing uncle! Hanging with my nieces visiting from Scotland. Love ya girls!'
She's forged a successful career in radio, using her distinctive voice and energetic personality to captivate audiences nationwide.
However, it seems Fifi Box has her eyes set on acting - hoping to make the transition from radio into TV when she auditions for a role on the long-running Australian soap Neighbours, on Friday.
The 39-year-old Fox 101.9FM breakfast show presenter said it was 'a dream' of hers', despite being rejected from various acting schools.
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Hopes and dreams: Radio personality Fifi Box is hoping to make the transition from radio into TV after years of being rejected from acting schools
'Someone said I don't know about your acting, but you could do something with your voice. So I went down the path of radio,' she told The Daily Telegraph.
Adding: 'Even being offered the audition is a realisation of a dream.'
The audition request comes after Fifi made a cameo appearance as a judge for Fashion's On The Field in a scene from Channel Seven's Home And Away in 2010.
Past act: Fifi made a cameo appearance as a judge for Fashion's On The Field in a scene from Channel Seven's Home And Away in 2010
To add to her busy schedule, Fifi is a mother to an adventurous three-year-old named Beatrix 'Trixie' Belle Box.
Trixie's father remained a mystery until earlier this year when the radio personality posted a series of photos from the toddler's third birthday party to Instagram.
Fifi's social media account appeared to confirm what had been speculated for years, that former Ironman Grany Kenny was indeed father to the cherubic tot.
The fiercely private radio and TV personality even posted the first shot of the trio together and captioned the picture: 'Bouncing castle daddy cuddles.'
'Bouncing castle with daddy': The father of the 39-year-old's daughter remained a mystery until earlier this year when the radio personality posted a series of photos from the toddler's third birthday party to Instagram
However, in the caption the mother-of-one didn't reveal any other detail about the third person in the shot.
'Hide-and-seek in the bouncing castle...boo!' the 39-year-old simply captioned a secondary image of the pair together.
The duo were an item and reportedly split in 2012, shortly before Fifi announced she was expecting.
Grant was previously married to former Australian swimmer Lisa Curry, with whom he shares three-children, Jaimi, 27, Morgan 24, and Jett, 20.
His children met their baby sister at Fifi's Melbourne home shortly after her birth, with Jett posting pictures of himself holding Trixie in his arms for all his followers to see.
Confirmed rumours: Grant cuddled up to his daughter Trixie at her third birthday
He is usually seen swinging through the New York skyline in pursuit of nefarious villains.
But Tom Holland's Spider-Man adopted a more rudimentary form of transport after he climbed on a bike while shooting a thrilling action sequence as filming for the reboot took place in Atlanta on Monday.
The 20-year-old Billy Elliot: The Musical favourite took it all in his stride as he underwent yet another exhausting day of physically challenging filming.
Using his Spider Strength: Tom Holland caught a bike as he filmed an action sequence in Atlanta on Monday
First he used Peter Parker's more traditional form of transport when he dramatically swung from the rooftops at the beginning of the scene.
He then grabbed the bicycle, looked up in the air, presumably at the villain of the forthcoming Spider-Man: Homecoming feature.
The English hunk then hopped onto his saddle, no doubt trying to escape the baddie from below as the thrilling action sequence continued.
It is rumoured the villain, who is to be played by Birdman star Michael Keaton, is none other than The Vulture, an elderly inventor turned powerful thief who has the ability to fly thanks to a unique anti-magnetic harness.
Strange tingling: His Spider-Sense was doing overdrive as he looked high into the sky
Le Tour de Spidey: His character pedalled away, presumably to escape rumoured villain The Vulture
Swinger: The action sequence started with the character using his more regular form of transport
Other big names appearing in the film include Iron Man favourite Robert Downey Jr, Marisa Tomei, who plays his Aunt May and popstrel Zendaya, who is appearing as one of Peter Parker's classmates.
Tom's version of the character, which hearkens back to his schoolboy roots when first created by artist Steve Ditko and writer Stan Lee, is the first to be part of the critically and commercially successful Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The stakes are high for Spider-Man: Homecoming, is due to hit theatres on July 7, 2017.
Back to basics: Tom's version of the character hearkens back to his schoolboy roots when first created by artist Steve Ditko
Shameless self-promotion: Tom shared this image as he plugged the film on his Instagram page
It is the first full collaboration between Marvel Studios and Sony, who own the cinematic rights to what is arguably the comic company's most famous character.
It came after the lukewarm response to the dismal Andrew Garfield vehicle The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in 2014, which despite raking in $709 million holds a 53 per cent rating on review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes.
This is the second reboot for the character, with the first Sam Raimi trilogy being both commercially and critically successful, though the third film was much less warmly received than the first two.
Hunk: The Billy Elliot: The Musical favourite made his onscreen debut as Spidey in Captain America: Civil War
Hung up his spandex: Tobey Maguire's turns in the Sam Raimi helmed trilogy were critically and commercially successful
She is known for her love of standing out in a crowd.
And Ex On The Beach star, Jemma Lucy certainly couldn't fail to arouse attention as she arrived for dinner at Rosso restaurant in Manchester on Monday.
The 28-year-old put on an eye-popping display in a extreme plunging white dress exposing her bare chest and a variety of elaborate inkings.
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Eye-popping: Ex On The Beach star Jemma Lucy put on an eye-popping display as she went braless in a white extreme plunging dress for dinner at Rosso restaurant in Manchester on Monday
Perfect pals: The 28-year-old was joined by Love Island star Malin Andersson who flashed just a hint of her bra on the outing
The reality star teamed her daring fashion piece with a pair of grey suede stilettos to add height to her frame.
She accessorised with a matching bag fringed with tassels, which hung on a white leather strap off her shoulder.
Jemma proudly showed off her inked neck and legs - and was clearly keen to show off her statement panther tattoo.
Beaming: She was joined for her dinner date by Malin Andersson, who went for a more modest monochrome ensemble
Her blonde highlighted tresses were worn in a straight smart style, which framed her radiant visage.
She was joined for her dinner date by Malin Andersson, who went for a more modest monochrome ensemble.
The Love Island star teamed black skinny jeans with a semi sheer white blouse through which her bra was displayed.
She completing her outfit with a pair of simply stylish black suede stilettos and a matching black alligator skin bag.
The pair were clearly in high spirits and beamed as they walked hand in hand outside the restaurant on an overcast day.
Jemma has only just returned from holiday and on Monday she was proving herself to be every inch the saucy beach babe as she sizzled in a sexy topless snap shared with her 307,000 Instagram followers.
The reality beauty wowed in the snap, in which she was soaking up the sun while stripping down to just her bikini bottoms for a poolside sunbathing session.
In her latest sexy Instagram snap she proudly bared her ample bosom as she soaked up the sun on the Spanish isle.
Opting to do away with her bikini top, Jemma showed off her toned physique and washboard abs as she sprawled out in the sunshine.
MONTREALThe third volume of family drama series Mother-Daughter Affair releases on DVD Wednesday from Mile High Media imprint Sweet Sinner.
Directed by James Avalon, the new installment stars Katie Morgan and Elsa Jean as the central duo feuding over the same men. Marley Brinx, Steven St. Croix, Evan Stone and Tyler Nixon fill out the cast.
"This series is injected with a ton of drama, making it as compelling from a story angle as it is from a sexual one," Mile High vice president Jon Blitt said. "Katie and Elsa are fantastic as the dueling mother and daughter, and their emotions and passion carry over perfectly into their hardcore sex scenes."
Offered Jean, "I loved being the main character in the movie! It made me feel so good about myself. The crew was amazing and I got to be with all my favorite performers. I couldn't wait for it to come out."
For her part, AVN Hall of Famer Morgan said, "Working for James Avalon is a true honor, his eye for detail is amazing and his way of telling a story is perfectly seductive. I was thrilled to be on his set, plus getting paired up with Tyler Nixon for a wild sex romp was the cherry on this perfect porn sundae."
Elsa Jean and Katie Morgan can be found on Twitter @ElsaJeanXXX and @thekatiemorgan.
Fans of Sweet Sinner can find information about the studio on Mile High's Twitter, as well as at sweetsinner.com, twitter.com/sweetsinnerxxx and facebook.com/sweetsinnerxx.
Pictured (l,r): Katie Morgan, Elsa Jean
She's been wowing crowds with her London run of the onstage production of Breakfast At Tiffany's.
And it looked like Pixie Lott led another successful performance with her role of Holly Golighty as she was spotted leaving the Theatre Royal Haymarket on Monday in high spirits.
The 25-year-old pop princess looked every inch the fashionista as she added a pop of colour to her casual outfit with bright yellow Versace heels.
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Another good night: Pixie Lott, 25, was spotted leaving the Theatre Royal Haymarket in high spirits after another performance in the on-stage spectacular of Breakfast At Tiffany's
Hugging her subtle curves, the tight white vest teased her perky assets with the low-lying neckline and slightly see-through element.
Making sure she wasn't too warm, she kept her statement furry coat slung casually off her shoulders as she paraded forth in her Mother Denim jeans with her quirky handbag.
Pixie wore a big smile on her face as she waved at fans and took her time to soak in the natural high after yet another successful performance.
Stylish: The pop princess looked every inch the fashionista as she added a pop of colour to her casual outfit with bright yellow Versace heels
Statement: Making sure she wasn't too warm, she kept her furry coat slung casually off her shoulders
Sexy: Hugging her subtle curves, the tight white vest teased her perky assets with the low-lying neckline and slightly see-through element
Beauty:She was very giggly as she made her way down the street in her Mother Denim jeans following her star turn
Breakfast At Tiffany's, adapted from Truman Capote's classic, transferred to the West End on June 30, following a UK and Ireland tour.
The play tells the tale of vivacious, good-time girl Holly Golightly and her outlandish experiences living in 1940s New York City and is told through the eyes of a young writer.
Pixie made her debut in the production when it opened at The Curve in Leicester in March, but has been sharing the role on tour with Emily Atack and Georgia May Foote.
And her hunky model beau Oliver Cheshire has proved to be her ultimate cheerleader and told MailOnline at Cannes Lions last month: 'She's absolutely loving it. I've been to see it three times already - that's pretty good isn't it? I am of course her biggest fan.'
Loving life: Pixie took her time to soak in the natural high after yet another successful performance
Accessorising: She continued to parade forth with her quirky Versace handbag
Talented: Pixie has been been sharing the role on tour with Emily Atack and Georgia May Foote
Exciting career: Pixie made her debut in the production when it opened at The Curve in Leicester in March
He enthused: 'She's absolutely loving it. I've been to see it three times already - that's pretty good isn't it? I am of course her biggest fan.'
The show was adapted by Olivier Award-winning playwright Richard Greenberg and is directed by Nikolai Foster.
The show runs in the West End, starring Pixie in the lead role, until September 17.
Meanwhile, the pair recently put on a loved up display at the Wimbledon Men's Final on Sunday.
She frequently travels to Los Angeles to report showbiz stories for ITV's This Morning.
And it appears that Essex party girl Ferne McCann has managed to squeeze in time for a bit of California romance, lending credence to rumours that she has shacked up with a mystery man there.
Speaking to OK! magazine, the 25-year-old said: Yes, Im seeing someone but its very early days.'
Making new friends: Speaking to OK! magazine, Ferne McCann seemed to confirm rumours that she is seeing a mystery man in Los Angeles: Yes, Im seeing someone but its very early days'
She added: 'Ill be in LA this month for work meetings, and Im doing some filming out there,' she said. 'Im ready to meet someone, definitely.
Back in March, Ferne revealed she was dated an unknown sportsman - she has previously been linked to Russell Brand.
Meanwhile, despite her high-glam finish and routinely turned-out ensembles, even she has had to endure unflattering photographs.
Thankfully she has learned to push past the pictures and focus on what's inside of her.
Short story: On Sunday, Ferne was pictured shopping up a storm in Rodeo Drive with her former I'm A Celeb co-star Jorgie Porter - wore a pair of shorts with a pair of flat ankle boots as she joined her pal on the trip
Honest: Ferne opens up in the latest issue of OK! magazine, out now
She said: I saw some pictures of me on holiday in Ibiza. I didnt know they were being taken and, you know, its bad lighting you can see all the lumps and bumps.'
'But its not about getting into a size 10, its about how you feel and Im feeling fit and I definitely feel strong.
She is currently using her strength to help nurture Ronnie, her sister Sophie's baby boy, with whom she shares a special bond.
Ferne, who grew close with Vicky Pattison on I'm A Celebrity last year, is currently preparing for a road trip across the Amalfi Coast for This Morning.
The BFFs will journey from Sorrento to Naples, sharing their thoughts on Italian cuisine and all the gorgeous scenery around them.
On Sunday, she was pictured shopping with her I'm A Celebrity co-star Jorgie Porter on Rodeo Drive.
They were pictured going into high-end stores such as Dolce and Gabbana as they prepared to flex some serious plastic, although they re-emerged empty handed.
Miranda Kerr stuns in her latest magazine shoot as she poses on two covers for Elle Brazil.
In one gorgeous snap, the 33-year-old supermodel shows off her toned torso in an edgy metallic crop top.
The brunette beauty's round-collared top is teamed with a complimentary light grey woollen jacket, which is left unbuttoned at her hips.
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She's the cream of the crop! Miranda Kerr stuns on the cover of Elle magazine, showing off her extremely toned torso in a metallic crop top
The winter garment forms a high split at the front as it flares open, also exposing her long lean legs.
With her hands resting in her side-pockets, she angles her head slightly to the left while displaying a slight open-mouth smile.
The mother-of-one allows her recently cut chocolate tresses to fall gently beside her blemish-free face before tucking them behind her ear.
Twice as nice: On a second cover for the fashion magazine, Miranda flashes her toned limbs through her denim jacket, which is left unbuttoned while buckled around her waist
Her piercing blue eyes are highlighted with a light application of mascara while her lips are defined with a deep plum lipstick.
On a second cover for the fashion magazine, Miranda flashes her toned limbs through her denim jacket, which is left unbuttoned while buckled around her waist.
The runway model's loose-fitting garment is teamed with a light blue skivvy that features a white lace neckline.
Miranda wears the same natural-looking makeup while her short locks are teased with a wave.
The former Victoria's Secret model recently returned to Sydney to launch new products in her cosmetics range, Kora Organics.
Down Under: The former Victoria's Secret model recently returned to Sydney to launch new products in her cosmetics range, Kora Organics
Jackie 'O' Henderson has joked about how she felt 'violated' when her personal trainer used to grab inside her groin area and groan during intense workouts.
The popular radio personality, 41, told her co-host Kyle Sandilands that she thought her former trainer was trying to 'crack onto her' during their sessions.
But the mother-of-one, who is happily married to her husband Lee, said it never went any further because she found it 'uncomfortable'.
Admission: Jackie 'O' Henderson has joked about how she felt 'violated' when her personal trainer used to grab inside her groin area and groan during intense workouts, pictured last year
'When I had another personal trainer I reckon he was doing the crack on because he would be grabbing inside my groin area,' Jackie told her Kiis 106.5 show on Tuesday.
A flustered Kyle then replied: 'Thats definitely a crack on.'
To which Jackie responded: 'Yeah I thought it was.'
Admission: The popular radio personality, 41, told her co-host Kyle Sandilands that she thought her former trainer was trying to 'crack onto her' during their sessions
'Thats where he would position his hands when he was stretching me. Right there. Technically all he was trying to do was stretch me.
'I paid him to do it, which is even worse. I feel a little violated now Im saying this.'
She then spoke about how the personal trainer would moan with pleasure when he stretched her.
'He did groan. He made noises,' Jackie said.
Sporty: The radio host is pictured here singing the national anthem before the round one NRL match between the Parramatta Eels and the Brisbane Broncos in 2012
'We've landed in paradise': The couple posed for a picture with their daughter in front of a private plane when they landed in Fiji
They both then erupted in a fit of giggles as they did impressions of the trainer.
'I think he was sympathising with the pain I was going through,' she said.
To which Karl joked: 'Stop making excuses youre an enabler'.
Earlier in the show, the pair had interviewed a personal trainer and discussed how wealthy women often want to sleep with their instructors.
'Hows he planning on getting a bit of mulla (money) if hes not sleeping with them,' Jackie has said.
She returned to the airwaves on Monday following a two-week holiday to Fiji and New Zealand with her husband Lee and their five-year-old daughter Kitty.
The couple shared a number of envy-inducing snaps from their luxury holiday which included a ride in a submarine.
Revelation: She then spoke about how the personal trainer would moan with pleasure when he stretched her
He was the lead in one of the biggest TV series to date.
And it looks as though Bryan Cranston is ready for more rave reviews if his upcoming film is anything to go by.
The 60-year-old actor posed alongside his co-star Diane Kruger at the New York premiere of the Brad Furman directed project, The Infiltrator.
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Dynamic duo: Bryan Cranston and co-star Diane Kruger pose at the New York premiere of the Brad Furman directed project, The Infiltrator
The Breaking Bad actor looked dapper and way younger than his years in a sharp black suit and skinny tie.
Diane posed alongside Bryan in a gorgeous floor length red gown.
The 39-year-old German actress wore a high neck sheer dress that showed off her slender arms and toned abs.
Grecian goddess: The 39-year-old German actress wore a high neck sheer dress that showed off her slender arms and toned abs
Cheeky: The beautiful dress had a little cutout on the side and also revealed her entire lower back
The team: (L-R) Bryan Cranston, Benjamin Bratt, Diane Kruger, Olympia Dukakis and John Leguizamo attend the NY premiere
The beautiful dress had a little cutout on the side and also revealed her entire lower back.
The blonde beauty tied her locks back as she let a few strands hang loose around her face.
She went for a more natural look with her make-up but wore a little mascara and blush to brighten up her face.
Knockout! Diane's red dress made her stand out among her co-stars as they posed on the carpet
Flaunting it: The blonde beauty tied her locks back into a low pony tail to show off the detail of the dress
His own style: Mickey Rourke forwent the traditional red carpet attire as he wore a pair of blue ripped jeans and a black shirt with a leather waistecoat
Rock star: Mickey accessorized his look with a pair of shades as he also showed off numerous chest tattoos
The pair were joined by a bevy of famous faces including Benjamin Bratt, Olympia Dukakis and John Leguizamo.
The biography, crime drama follows a U.S. Customs official who uncovers a money laundering scheme involving Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.
With reviews already pouring in, Bryan has been applauded for 'quietly dominating' this exciting series.
The Tampa Bay Times says: 'The Infiltrator lives up to those provincial expectations. It's a sturdy true crime drama Cranston quietly dominates, in the dual-life vein of Breaking Bad.'
Cute couple: Bryant Gumble (R) and wife Hilary Quinlan (L) also turned up the NY event
Pretty: Actress Laura Gomez wore a cute embellished mini dress for the evening's event
Dapper duo: Hannah Bronfman and Brendan Fallis posed alongside one another at the premiere
Here come the girls: Jill Hennessey (L) and Tashiana Washington (R) stunned in their own styles
Monochrome: Olympia Dukakis looked chic in a pair of black trousers and a white blazer
She has been actively promoting her new mystery thriller, Nerve.
And on Monday, Emma Roberts made a sheer statement in a bib dress as she headed to Late Night With Seth Meyers to discuss the film.
The 25-year-old blonde was anything but boring in black.
On display: On Monday, Emma Roberts made a sheer statement in a bib dress as she headed to Late Night With Seth Meyers to discuss the film
Her look: Emma wore an easy, shift dress paired with a black bandeau top
Emma wore an easy, shift dress paired with a black bandeau top.
The Scream Queens star added a pair of black, high-heeled pumps to complete her look.
For hair, Emma wore her shoulder length locks parted down the middle and in loose waves.
Styled tresses: For hair, Emma wore her shoulder length locks parted down the middle and in loose waves
In both her professional and personal life, the actress appears to be occupied.
Emma is currently the star of the Fox show, Scream Queens, and will come out in Nerve and Billionaire Boys Club this year.
In 2017, she'll appear in Spinning Man alongside Greg Kinnear.
Doing well: In both her professional and personal life, the actress appears to be occupied
Since 2012, Emma had been in an on-and-off relationship with ex-boyfriend Evan Peters.
The couple split in May.
Since their breakup, the daughter of Eric Roberts has reportedly been dating new boyfriend Christopher Hines.
Despite being a world-class model by trade, Miranda Kerr is also making sure her brand continues to grow even bigger.
On Tuesday, the 33-year-old took to her social media sites to announce she has added a new line of photo frames and jewellery boxes to her Royal Albert range, which also includes silverware, glassware and other treasured gifts.
Excited to finally share the new photo frames, jewelry boxes & trays from my #RoyalAlbert collection #MirandaKerrForRoyalAlbert [sic], she wrote in the caption.
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She means business! Miranda Kerr took to her social media sites on Tuesday to announce she has added a new line of photo frames and jewellery boxes to her Royal Albert range
The image sees a gorgeous collection of items on her dressing table, including a pink picture frame and a metal jewellery box with delicate silver filigree butterflies - inspired by the colorful butterflies in her previous ranges.
The colourful frames retail at $86-$143, while the exquisite boxes can set buyers back another $143.
The supermodel - who has already clocked in deals with Reebok, H&M and Swarovski - teamed up with British bone china brand Royal Albert in 2014 where she launched her tea cup range.
Excited to finally share the new photo frames, jewelry boxes & trays from my #RoyalAlbert collection #MirandaKerrForRoyalAlbert [sic], she wrote in the caption
Artistic mind: The 33-year-old - who has already clocked in deals with Reebok, H&M and Swarovski - teamed up with British bone china brand Royal Albert in 2014 where she launched her tea cup range
During a previous interview with Daily Mail, Miranda explained the intricate designs were initially inspired by her grandmother Ann.
'I spent a lot of time with my grandma growing up and she had a Royal Albert tea collection that I was mesmerised by... it was really treasured by all our family, she said.
'So, when Royal Albert approached me to design a collection I thought it was a wonderful opportunity.'
'It was really treasured by all our family': During a previous interview with Daily Mail , Miranda explained the intricate designs were initially inspired by her grandmother Ann
Miranda - who has a son, Flynn, with ex-husband Orlando Bloom - also confessed that she wanted to create a timeless collection that was inspired by her 'love of peonies and the gracefulness of butterflies'.
'Butterflies are very symbolic for me as they embody the changes that we all need to go through in life, and are also a symbol of faith and joy,' she added. 'I like the fact the range is delicate and feminine, this is something I definitely wanted to capture across the range.'
The former Victoria's Secret model recently returned to Sydney to launch new products in her cosmetics range, Kora Organics.
According to RichestCelebrities.org, the statuesque stunner has a networth of US$26 million.
Reese Witherspoon was her own best advertising on Monday while shopping in Beverly Hills, California.
The 40-year-old actress wore a blue Draper James ensemble as she strolled through the upscale neighbourhood.
The Oscar-winning actress in 2015 launched the Draper James retail brand that focuses on fashion and home decor inspired by her Southern roots.
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Own advert: Reese Witherspoon modelled an ensemble from her own fashion line on Monday while shopping in Beverly Hills, California
Reese donned a short-sleeved dark blue crewneck blouse along with white capri trousers with a blue floral print.
She completed her outfit with a pair of open-toed wedge heels.
The Walk The Line star accessorised with mirrored sunglasses and several necklaces and carried a straw purse.
Shopping time: The Oscar-winning actress carried a straw purse while shopping in Beverly Hills
Sweet treat: Reese carried a cupcake after leaving a cupcake shop with a bag of goodies
Reese documented her outing on Snapchat and commented on her jewelry.
'Having a Mr T moment with all my necklaces,' she said referencing the actor known for his necklaces on the 1980s show The A-Team.
Reese carried a white bag from a cupcake and carried one of the sweet treats while talking on the phone.
Natural beauty: The actress earlier shared a Snapchat video after a morning workout
Pity the fool! Reese noted that she was having a 'Mr T moment with all my necklaces' on Snapchat
She's hot: The Walk The Line star noted the high temperature in another video
The actress earlier in the day shared a makeup free Snapchat video of herself after her morning workout.
She also shared a Snapchat of herself getting her hair done with a thermometer reading of 80 degrees.
Reese had fun with filters as she used the dog option with herself and her hairdresser.
Fresh hair: Reese shared video from the beauty salon
She usually appears completely flawless in her endless string of envy-inducing holiday snaps.
But Devin Brugman displayed some painful-looking purple bruises on her bottom and leg when she stripped down to an orange bikini for a swim with her best friend Natasha Oakley in Miami.
Despite the injuries, the bikini blogger looked happy and carefree as frolicked in the water with her blonde business partner on Monday.
Ouch! Devin Brugman displayed a painful-looking purple bruise on her bottom when she stripped down to an orange bikini for a swim in the sea with her best friend Natasha Oakley in Miami on Monday
Devin flaunted her curves in a tangerine two-piece, but her Brazilian style bottoms were cut high enough to expose a small bruise on her derriere.
A large, circular bruise was also clearly visible on Devin's upper left thigh when she leant over a sun lounger during the day in the sunshine.
A collection of smaller bumps and bruises were also scattered up the length of her toned left leg.
That looks painful! The bikini blogger also seemed to have injured her left leg
Been in the wars? A large, purple bruise was clearly visible on Devin's upper thigh when she bent down over a sun lounger
Painful: Devin, who runs A Bikini A Day with Natasha, also displayed a bruise on the front of her left leg
Injuries: The bruises on her bottom and left leg could be seen clearly when she bent over a sun lounger
It is not yet known when or how Devin suffered these injuries.
Despite the bruises, Devin turned heads during the beach day as she spilled out of her triangle bikini top, which tied tightly around her neck and chest.
With her wet hair slicked back away from her face, she accessorised with a pair of pink reflective sunglasses.
Natasha went for a more covered approach as she slipped into a strapless tube top and matching Brazilian-styled bottoms.
She showed off her super toned torso in the barely-there garment while twirling her wet hair over her shoulder.
Three's a crowd: Natasha and Devin gained a third-wheel as they enjoyed a bikini-clad day out in Miami
Busty: Devin flaunted her ample cleavage in a tangerine two-piece for the beach day on Monday
Beach beauties: The swimwear designers are in Florida as they prepare for Miami Swim Week, which begins on Thursday
Blonde beauty: Natasha went for a more covered approach as she slipped into a strapless tube top and matching Brazilian-styled bottoms
Ray of sunshine! The blonde beauty flashed her toned torso in a sunshine yellow two-piece, which popped against the blue and white-filled background
Beach daze! Before enjoying a top up of her year-round tan, Tash made sure to pose for a picture first
Photogenic besties: The duo again flaunted their figures in another Instagram post as they posed with a rainbow in the background as the sunshine hit their svelte frames just right
The duo gained a third-wheel on their day out and their third unknown companion was dressed in a black bikini set.
The swimwear designers are in Florida as they prepare for Miami Swim Week, which begins on Thursday.
Their trip comes after they enjoyed a short jaunt in the UK this week, having returned from the Greek Islands.
In London, the two stunners traded their usual skimpy attire for city chic as they enjoyed shopping at Borough Markets.
Didn't get the memo? But while the two besties matched their look, their third unknown companion dressed in a black bikini set which featured cut-outs down the straps
Something up buttercup? Devin turned around the check on her friend as they emerged from the water
Olivia Newton-John's daughter Chloe Lattanzi has celebrated two years of sobriety.
And on Tuesday, the 30-year-old marked the milestone with a cheeky Instagram snap.
The US-based personality posted a picture of herself inside a liquor store, pretending to chug down a bottle of alcohol, and writing in part of her post: '#thedrunkolddays.'
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Milestone: Olivia Newton-John's daughter Chloe Lattanzi is celebrating two years of sobriety and to mark the occasion she shared a snap to her Instagram account of herself cheekily pretending to drink alcohol
She then added the hashtag, '#sober two years now'.
In the snap, Chloe also shows off a golden tan in a pair of ripped denim high-waisted jeans teamed a black high-neck crop top and boots.
She has her long blonde locks out in loose tousled curls and cocks her head back as she pretends to drink from the bottle.
Struggles: Last year Chloe opened up about her past addictions - as well as her battle with anorexia
Last year Chloe opened up about her past addictions - as well as her battle with anorexia - to FOX411.
She credited her fiance James Driskill with helping her recover, and said he 'had a lot to do with helping me get through it.'
'I'm grateful I'm recovered fully, I'm healthy, I have a lot of fat on my body,' she added.
Chloe, who also has a history with cocaine abuse, was admitted for treatment for her eating disorder at age 18 and now hopes that her story can help other young people fighting similar battles.
Her rock: She credited her fiance James Driskill with helping her recover, and said he 'had a lot to do with helping me get through it'
Her support: Chloe, who also has a history with cocaine abuse, was admitted for treatment for her eating disorder at age 18 and now hopes that her story can help other young people fighting similar battles (seen with mother Olivia Newton-John in April in LA)
In 2013, she told Woman's Day about her struggles, and at the time had spent seven months in a sober-house, undergoing five hours of therapy a day to overcome her addictions that arose after she moved to LA.
She told the publication she would spent $60 a day on Cocaine as a result of the immense pressure that came with being Olivias daughter.
I started to get into the party scene, drinking every night, and then before long I got introduced to cocaine and all of a sudden, the combination of those things took away all the fear and depression and that is when the cycle began, she said.
She did it: In 2013, Chloe told Woman's Day about her struggles, and at the time had spent seven months in a sober-house, undergoing five hours of therapy a day to overcome her addictions
Trolled: Chloe's two years of sobriety comes after she hit back at critics last week after they called her 'stupid' when she posted a snap of herself online in a pool and putting on a very busty display
At her lowest point Chloe says she was drinking vodka on a daily basis often to the point where she would have blackouts.
It is reported that Olivia called on Celebrity Rehabs Dr. Drew Pinsky to help her daughter.
Chloe's two years of sobriety comes after she hit back at critics last week after they called her 'stupid' when she posted a snap of herself online in a pool and putting on a very busty display.
Some followers stood up for her against the trolls, with Chloe thanking them for doing so.
She hit back by sharing a bikini shot as she stood in a purple costume by a pool, writing in part of her post: 'Having big breasts does not make you stupid. It's calling people stupid for having big breasts that makes you ignorant'.
She added: 'I celebrate the sexy free confident woman.'
On Tuesday she also shared another shot of herself in the same bikini, showing off her ample assets and writing in part of her post: 'Unashamed and free.'
Standing up for herself: She hit back by sharing a bikini shot as she stood in a purple costume by a pool
HORSHAM, Pa.Xgen Products will attend the ANME Founders Show, July 17-19, in Burbank, Calif., to showcase its hottest brands, including Zolo and Bodywand.
Zolo, which was purchased by Xgen Products earlier this year, will be at the booth showcasing their full line of products. Zolo Stax and Zolo Twist, which are new items, will be on hand for product demonstrations, along with the original Zolo Cup and Pocket Pool items.
The Bodywand will also be at the Xgen booth, showing their entire array of products. New items like The Bodywand 360, along with the new and improved rechargeable massagers will be featured.
ANME is always an exceptional show for those in the industry, said Andy Green, president of Xgen Products. We are excited to have both Zolo and Bodywand in our booth. Anyone who wants to learn more about these brands should definitely stop by!
Both Zolo and Bodywand will also have their POS materials, such as planograms and product displays, at the booth for viewing.
For more information on Xgen Products, visit XgenProducts.com.
They have been dating for years, but rarely step put on the red carpet together.
But Monday was different as Winona Ryder, 44, cozied up to her silver fox Scott Mackinlay Hahn, an American fashion designer and co-founder of ROGAN and Loomstate sustainable apparel brands.
The two attended the Los Angeles premiere of her Netflix series Stranger Things.
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Coordinating couple: Winona Ryder was joined at the Netflix premiere of Stranger Things on Monday by her longtime boyfriend, Scott Mackinlay Hahn who coordinated with her in the monochrome attire
The actress, who used to date Johnny Depp, donned an all black ensemble and flashed a hint of cleavage thanks to her low-cut dress.
Winona's boyfriend coordinated with her in the monochrome attire.
The Beetlejuice star looked wide-eyed as she posed for photographers in a long flowing gown.
Star spotting: Her floor-length dress cinched around her waist with a satin sash and she paired the number with a matching coat
Her floor-length dress cinched around her waist with a satin sash and she paired the number with a matching coat.
She wore her silky brunette tresses in loose barreled curls and parted to one side, showcasing her youthful appearance.
Revealing: The 44-year-old actress donned an all black ensemble and flashed a hint of cleavage thanks to her low-cut dress
The two-time Oscar nominee carried a black satin clutch and rounded out her look with several chunky necklaces and rings.
She plays Joyce, as a working-class single mother whose young son disappears in 1980s Indiana in the eight-episode series.
The show - which will debut on the streaming service on July 15 - was created by twin brothers Matt & Ross Duffer (Wayward Pines).
Details: The Beetlejuice star carried a black satin clutch and rounded out her look with several chunky necklaces and rings
Also in attendance was Matthew Modine, 57, who plays Dr. Martin Brenner in the upcoming drama.
Her ex Depp has been embroiled in a nasty divorce battle with Amber Heard, which had the latter accusing the actor of physical abuse.
Speaking with Time magazine, Winona shared her absolute shock at the allegations, calling the claims against Johnny, 53 'unimaginable.'
'He was was never, never that way towards me. Never abusive at all towards me,' she said.
Winona clarified that she 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,' she said of the Pirates of the Caribbean star.
She was married to shock jock Kyle Sandilands from whom she split five years ago and enjoyed a brief romance with a rugby player.
But now she's single and ready to mingle again, 33-year-old former PopStars winner Tamara Jaber has signed up to dating app Tinder in her quest to find love saying a GSOH is essential.
The Los Angeles-based crooner shows off a hint a cleavage in the snaps she shares with potential suitors and lists her passions using a series of emojis including a glass of wine and a flexed bicep.
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Swipe left or right? Former PopStars winner Tamara Jaber, 33, shows off cleavage in the snaps and lists her passions using emojis including a glass of wine and lipstick-stained kisses
They also include, piano keys, the saxophone, a trumpet, a palette of oil paints, a plane and a series of lipstick-stained kisses before which she writes 'and always.'
Her profile dating blurb bluntly reads: 'If you don't have a sense of humour, are precious or have a hidden vagina f*** off'.'
Tamara packed up her life Down Under and moved to Los Angeles in the wake of her split from controversial radio personality Kyle Sandilands five years ago when their nine-year romance ended.
Bosom buddies: The singer posed with her agent Karen Griffin the back of a car
Passions: She lists her interests adding images of piano keys, the saxophone, a trumpet, a palette of oil paints, a plane and a series of lipstick-stained kisses before which she writes 'and always'
Tamara went on to date UK banker and rugby player Ken Aseme, 36, from whom she has now split.
And even though she now lives 7,5000 miles away from her former KiisFM host Tamara insists she always has a place in her heart for him.
She told Woman's Day magazine in May: 'I have never regretted marrying Kyle, not in a million years.
Still has love: The singer says she has no regrets marrying Kyle Sandilands, even though their marriage lasted just two years
'People assume he's a p***k but he's kind of sensitive.'
For his part Kyle Kyle has since moved on with Australian model Imogen Anthony, whom he started dating just months after calling it quits with Tamara.
Speaking from her home in Los Angeles, Tamara told the publication that Kyle, 44, is attracted to younger women and encouraged his much younger flame Imogen, 25, to marry him.
'I'd tell her to give it a go...they seem happy,' she says.
Former flames: The former lovebirds tied the knot in 2008 after being together for nine years but filed for divorce just two years later. Kyle, pictured, is currently dating Imogen Anthony
He words of encouragement come despite Tamara and Imogen not always seeing eye-to-eye.
Imogen once said when Tamara expressed her doubt over her relationship with Kyle: 'People can only affect you if you let them.
'Their p** weak opinions mean nothing and if anything, they only validate your rad existence in this sh**y world'
In the social media mud-slinging match, Tamara has been trying to take the high road but she somewhat condescending advice to Imogen.
Labelling the model a 'young #foetus' Tamara told Imogen: 'Dont get caught in #bulls*** #gossip #media its ugly ... it causes wrinkles.'
She is never one to shy away from making a fashion statement.
And Coco Austin did not disappoint on Monday as she arrived with Ice-T at the VH1 Hip Hop Honors in New York.
The busty blonde, 37, wore a revealing dress with a cutaway design that exposed her ample cleavage.
Eye popping: Coco Austin did not disappoint on Monday as she arrived with Ice-T at the VH1 Hip Hop Honors in New York
The brightly patterned frock clung to her every curve as she held onto the arm of her rapper-turned-actor husband, 58.
The I'm Your Pusher rapper sported dark sunglasses, a shiny coat, and a black polo shirt with matching trousers and shoes.
Meanwhile, Coco enjoyed a dip in the pool on Sunday with her little girl, Chanel Marrow, which she documented on Snapchat.
Bra-vo! The busty blonde, 37, wore a revealing dress with a cutaway design that exposed her ample cleavage
Scorching! The brightly patterned frock clung to her every curve as she held onto the arm of her rapper-turned-actor husband, 58
In her seconds-long video, Coco, squeezed her figure into a two piece plaid ensemble, complete with high waist, boy short bottoms.
'Here's my retro swimsuit with a high-waisted booty short. 'But top kinda doesn't fit, huh?' asked the wife of rapper and actor Ice-T.
Coco managed to pull off a balancing act, holding little Chanel, six months, in one hand while filming herself with the other.
Mommy and me: Coco enjoyed a dip in the pool on Sunday with her little girl, Chanel Marrow
Tight clothing: In her seconds-long video, Coco, squeezed her figure into a two piece plaid ensemble, complete with high waist, boy short bottoms
'Back in the pool again':The reality star held her daughter tightly in one hand while she filmed in another
'Back in the pool again. That's all we've been doing every single day this summer,' noted Coco.
The reality mother-of-one was also joined by her precious pooches, Spartacus and Maximus.
On Saturday, the blonde mum shared another snap, which she hastagged, #hangbythepool.
With mum: The reality mother-of-one was also joined by her precious pooches, Spartacus and Maximus
In the photo, Coco was seen wearing a low cut, pink one-piece, as she rested on a curved, red chair
Daughter Chanel sat happily atop her mother, appearing to laugh with glee.
'Happiest baby ever.. @babychanelnicole smiles for no reason ..lol #ChanelNicole #hangbythepool,' she wrote.
'Happiest baby ever.. @babychanelnicole': In another photo, Coco was seen wearing a low cut, pink one-piece, as she rested on a curved, red chair
She cancelled April performances after complaints she was drunk on stage
Producers confirmed on Twitter that she was returning as of Friday night
The actress had been off the acclaimed show due to stress and exhaustion
Sheridan looked better than ever as she left the Savoy Theatre in London
She made a surprise return her West End show Funny Girl at the end of last week.
And Sheridan Smith received a triumphant reception from fans as she left the Savoy Theatre in London following her performance on Monday, one of her first after being signed off due to stress and exhaustion.
The 35-year-old actress looked radiant as she exited from the stage door, beaming as she posed for pictures with fans - many of whom were overcome with emotion after seeing her take to the stage again.
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She's back! Sheridan Smith was looking better than ever as she left the Savoy Theatre in London following her performance in Funny Girl on Monday
Sheridan hugged a sobbing male admirer who couldn't believe his luck at meeting her, while another female fan wiped away tears of joy.
The C Word star was happy to pose for pictures with her loyal supporters, who have stood by her during her two month break.
She looked incredible in a teal blouse and jeans, with pink lipstick and rosy blush highlighting her pretty features, flashing a radiant smile as she headed off home for the evening.
Say cheese: The 35-year-old actress was mobbed by fans, who were thrilled to see her take to the stage again after her two month break
Emotional: Sheridan hugged a sobbing male admirer who couldn't believe his luck at meeting her
The production team confirmed on the show's Twitter account that the star would be taking part again, starting with Friday night.
She was later photographed arriving at the Savoy Theatre and then leaving to meet and greet waiting fans having performed in the show for the first time in two months.
The statement, on behalf of producers Sonia Friedman, David Babani and Scott Landis, said: 'We are delighted to welcome Sheridan Smith back to Funny Girl this evening.
Teary eyed: Sheridan consoled another excited female fan, who burst into tears upon meeting her idol
Glowing: The award-winning star looked incredible in a baby blue blouse, teamed with simple jeans
Snap happy: The production team confirmed on the show's Twitter account that the star would be taking part again, starting with Friday night
'It is currently planned that Sheridan will also play this Saturday evening (not matinee), and Monday to Saturday next week (excluding the Wednesday matinee and Thursday evening performances at which Natasha J Barnes will perform).
'From the week commencing 18 July, Sheridan is scheduled to perform Tuesday through Saturday, with Natasha playing Fanny Brice on Monday evenings.
'This schedule is subject to change, but we look forward to continuing to entertain audiences at the Savoy Theatre until our run ends on 8 October.'
Welcome return: Sheridan was given a champion's welcome as she left the Savoy Theatre after Friday night's initial comeback performance
Popular: The star posed with fans outside the Savoy Theatre having performed for the first time in two months
The Cilla star cancelled a number of performances in April after audience members had complained she appeared drunk on stage.
Understudy Natasha J Barnes was drafted in to replace Sheridan as leading lady Fanny Brice and has won rave reviews for her performance from critics and theatre-goers alike.
Sheridan pulled out of the West End smash after leaving this year's Bafta TV awards empty handed, amid reports she struggled to cope with cyber-bullying.
She had been nominated for Best Actress for her portrayal of writer Lisa Lynch in BBC drama The C-Word. Lynch died of cancer in 2013, aged just 33. The C-Word had also been nominated for Best Single Drama.
Sheridan was said to be 'desperate' to win a Bafta to honour the woman whose battle with breast cancer inspired the programme.
Beaming: The blonde beauty was pictured arriving at the Savoy earlier on Friday, left, before leaving in a car later that night, right
During the awards ceremony host Graham Norton publicly mocked her, joking that they could have a few drinks, 'or as we call it in the industry, a couple of glasses of technical difficulties' - a performance of Funny Girl had been cancelled half way due to 'technical difficulties'.
She appeared to blame the press for her cancellations, writing at the time on Twitter: 'Well done press! You let down me, the cast and everyone who paid to see me'.
The tweet finished with message: 'Sorry, sorry, I'm not strong enough'.
Following her meltdown, Sheridan escaped to the exclusive Champneys Health Spa in Surrey to recuperate.
But during her stay she apparently collapsed last month and was rushed to the nearby Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford after paramedics from two ambulance crews assessed her at the scene.
After frenzied speculation, Lara Worthington finally announced she was expecting her second child in a tell-all interview in InStyle's July issue.
And now her mother Sharon has, unsurprisingly, expressed her excitement at becoming a grandmother once more.
Speaking with The Daily Edition on Tuesday, the Cronulla local also joked that being a grand parent came with the ability to 'give them back'.
'New life, is there anything better?' Lara Bingle's mother Sharon Bingle (R) gushed over daughter's pregnancy news after confirming she's expecting her second child
'It's a beautiful time, I love it,' she said when asked about the exciting news her model daughter was set to welcome a new member of the family.
'New life, is there anything better? [Babies] beautiful things' she added, while revealing that Lara and her husband Sam Worthington's first child Rocket Zot calls her 'nan nan'.
'We're nans,' she said while appearing on the show with Cheyenne and Tahyna Tozzi's mother Yvonne, 'so we can give them back,' she laughed.
'We're nans,' she said while appearing on the show with Cheyenne and Tahyna Tozzi's mother Yvonne, 'so we can give them back,' she laughed.
Baby number two: After frenzied speculation, Lara finally announced she was expecting her second child in a tell-all interview with InStyle's July issue
The blonde beauty, who is understood to be as far as six months along, revealed the news as part of a cover shoot and 12-page high-fashion spread in the July issue of InStyle Australia.
This will be the second child for the Australian model and her actor husband Sam Worthington, with whom she also shares one-year-old son Rocket Zot.
'I had a great pregnancy with Rocket and touch wood it will be the same this time,' she told the publication.
'I dont really get morning sickness but I do have to eat consistently to keep my energy up': The mother-of-one said she was physically feeling good with the second child on the way
'When they get older they can share their life together': She revealed she was looking forward to having their children only a couple of years apart
'I dont really get morning sickness but I do have to eat consistently to keep my energy up,' she added.
'Im sure it might seem full-on at the beginning for me (having two children so close in age), and its probably a lot harder than it is now, but when they get older they can share their life together.'
Lara and Sam were married in 2014 and relocated to the US in the same year where they are based in New York City.
Elena is the first MasterChef Australia contestant to make it to finals week after her quail, grapes and goat's cheese had George Calombaris salivating and declaring it 'food heaven'.
During Tuesday night's episode, set in Nappa Valley, the 32-year-old teacher took a risk incorporating the powerful flavour of lavender into her goat's cheese, which could have overpowered the dish, but went with her instincts to great success.
Things looked good from the start when judges Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George were clearly impressed as the dish's presentation set their stomach's rumbling.
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Top five: Elena is the first MasterChef Australia contestant to make it to finals week after winning Tuesday night's challenge in the Nappa Valley
'I'm mesmerised by this plate of food,' George said. 'This detail - like, you know, the Frenching of the bones and the glaze... I'm salivating now.'
No one talked for a while after tasting because they were enjoying it so much, before long George said what everyone was thinking.
'Food heaven!' he declared. 'You've got this smart way where she's introduced the cheese, and these little fresh grapes are just refreshingness to the dish.'
'food heaven': Elena's quail, grapes and goat's cheese had George Calombaris salivating
Elena needn't have worried about ruining the dish with the lavender, as it turned out perfectly - much to Matt's delight.
'It's a dish with all the boring bits taken out, isn't it? Everything about it is joy. And that really subtle flavour of lavender that adds a bit of fragrance to the dish,' he said.
'For me, that's as good as anything else we've eaten in California - professional or amateur. Amazing cooking.'
Ecstatic: The 32-year-old doubled over when she heard the news and couldn't stand up straight when she was announced as the winner of the cook-off, which sent one lucky contestant straight through to the finals
Over the moon: 'It was such a beautiful day and, so, this is just like the super icing on the really awesome cake'
The Noosa resident won the closest cook-off in the series so far, which has given her a pass straight to the upcoming finals.
But it wasn't just Elena who impressed the judges, with the trio declaring the exceptional quality of food made them wish they could send all of the contestants through.
'All four of those guys, I'd be quite happy to put them all through right now,' Matt said. 'Just go, "Right, you're all in, off you go." But we can't do that.'
When it came time to announce the winner, Gary told them they should all be proud of that they had produced, which made it a 'particularly difficult decision', but one dish stood out just above the rest.
Going with her gut: The 32-year-old teacher took a risk incorporating the powerful flavour of lavender into her goat's cheese, which could have overpowered the dish but worked to great success
'Elena, the lavender in the cheese gave us some shivers down our spine,' he said before declaring her the winner.
An ecstatic Elena doubled over when she heard the news and could no longer stand up straight, saying she was 'over the moon' to be through to finals week already.
'It was such a beautiful day and, so, this is just like the super icing on the really awesome cake,' she said.
The four contestants met at the Inglenook Estate in California's Nappa Valley, owned by Francis Ford Coppola who directed the Godfather movie trilogy.
Spectacular setting: The four contestants met at the Inglenook Estate in California's Nappa Valley, owned by Francis Ford Coloppa who directed the Godfather movie trilogy
With the vineyard setting, the theme was grapes and the cooks had to feature the fruit prominently in their dishes along with a lush pantry of local produce and olive oil.
Trent, Elena, Mimi and Matt competed in the round with a spot in finals week on the line.
They had all earned the chance earlier in the week: Trent had the best dish on Sunday night and Mimi had pushed on with a sliced open hand to lead her team to victory on Monday night's episode.
'I think it's just dawned on them, it's a lot of pressure,' Gary said as the kitchen heated up after the first half hour.
On a roll: Trent continued his streak of 'booming flavours' with grilled quail with cauliflower skordalia and agrodocle sauce
'That sauce is so yum': The dish was so good it had George licking his lips
All the contestants rose to the occasion, with not a bad word said about any of their creations.
Trent continued his streak of 'booming flavours' with grilled quail with cauliflower skordalia and agrodocle sauce that was so good it had George licking his lips.
'That sauce is so yum, and with the meat, it is delicious,' he said.
Matt took his roasted lamb rack with witlof, celeriac puree and red wine and muscatel jus right down to the wire, having to pan fry it in the last minute after it was still undercooked.
He pulled it off in the end, and was on the verge of tears, so proud was he with what he had produced - much to Gary's delight.
Risky: Matt took his roasted lamb rack with witlof, celeriac puree and red wine and muscatel jus right down to the wire, having to pan fry it in the last minute after it was still undercooked
'We love that you get moved by food': He pulled it off in the end, and was on the verge of tears, so proud was he with what he had produced - much to Gary's delight
'We love that you get moved by food. We do too,' he said. George agreed, telling him to keep dreaming about winning 'because dreams come true'.
Mimi went against the grain and created a dessert to stand out, offering up red wine and grape sorbet with red wine-soaked cake and blue cheese cream.
After some stress about the alcohol in the wine not setting, the addition of some sparkling grape juice and a bit of work with a blowtorch got her through.
Matt said: 'I think if Inglenook, is looking for a signature dessert that celebrates the wine from this winery, this is a beautiful contender.'
Sweet tooth: Mimi went against the grain and created a dessert to stand out, offering up red wine and grape sorbet with red wine-soaked cake and blue cheese cream
She recently enjoyed a romantic getaway with her boyfriend, Vito Schnabel, in London.
But Heidi Klum was all smiles as she was reunited with her children for a stroll around New York, on Monday.
The 43-year-old looked a vision of happiness as she joined Johan, 9, Henry, 10 and Lou Sulola, 6, for the laid back outing.
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Together again! Heidi Klum was all smiles as she was reunited with her children for a stroll around New York, on Monday
Heidi rocked an off-duty chic style in an all white outfit, that featured a slouchy denim jacket and ankle-skimming chinos.
But she couldn't resist adding a pop of colour to her look with a vibrant red and blue logo emblazoned across her T-shirt.
The model maintained her casual theme in both the hair and makeup departments as she let her trademark golden locks fall into a sleek, straight style around her shoulders.
Family affair! The 43-year-old looked a vision of happiness as she joined Johan, 9, Henry, 10 and Lou Sulola, 6, for the laid back outing
And she showed off her natural beauty with barely there makeup, as she covered up her flawless complexion with some ombre tinted shades.
She also showcased her summery side as she proudly toted a lemon handbag on the crutch of her arm.
Meanwhile, her children looked adorable in coordinating Adidas tracksuit tops, in vibrant shades of red and neon green.
Headed home: On Sunday America's Got Talent judge Heidi Klum nailed the off-duty model look as she rocked a slouchy pair of jeans and a black blazer while checking into her flight at London's Heathrow Airport
She's enjoyed some time in the British capital with her boyfriend Vito Schnabel.
And surely those tender moments lingered on the mind of supermodel Heidi Klum as she checked into her flight to New York at London's Heathrow Airport on Sunday afternoon.
Looking serene and well-rested, the America's Got Talent judge, 43, nailed the off-duty model look, rocking a slouchy pair of jeans and a black blazer which she wore unbuttoned.
The shiny black jacket concealed a loose-fitting white t-shirt with a deeply plunging neckline, but her stunning decolletage remained hidden owing to the oversized scarf that she wore around her neck.
Relaxed: Heidi's shiny black jacket concealed a loose-fitting white t-shirt with a deeply plunging neckline, but her stunning decolletage remained hidden owing to the oversized scarf she wore around her neck
Confident in her natural beauty, the mother-of-four went make-up free and her flawless, sun-kissed complexion glowed.
Just in case there were any signs of a late-night-out with her 29-year-old boyfriend and their celebrity friends, she wore a pair of oversized black sunglasses as she headed to her gate.
Heidi accessorised with a large black bag that featured a series of decorative cut-outs, and which may have carried souvenirs for her children Leni, 12, Henry, 10, Johan, nine, and Lous, six.
The 5ft 9in stunner wore a pair of simple flat sandals with one large cross-foot strap and a single toe-strap, showing off her perfectly pedicured toes and bright red polish.
She completed the effortlessly chic look with a series of golden rings and diamond earrings, adding a spot of bling to her otherwise pared-back look.
Suave: As Heidi jetted back to New York, her 29-year-old boyfriend Vito Schnabel remained in London to attend the men's singles final at Wimbledon
Heidi continues to reach new highs in her personal and professional life.
As seen at Wimbledon on Friday, she and Vito - her boyfriend of two years - remain firmly entrenched in the honeymoon phase, having shared a series of passionate embraces as they watched the players on Centre Court.
The pair may have been celebrating the release of sizzling new promotional images for her swimwear line, which were released on the same day.
Modelling her own Heidi Klum Intimates range, the German beauty showed off her incredibly taut and toned body in an array of styles, shot by acclaimed fashion photographer Rankin.
She has been publicly single since her disastrous romance with Charlie Sims.
Yet Ferne McCann recently revealed she is seeing a new man, who she was seen getting cosy with on a recent trip to Ibiza, where she and Arthur Collins could not keep their hands off each other.
The 25-year-old former TOWIE star looked incredible in a pink bikini as she ambled along with her handsome beau who was tucking into an ice lolly.
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New love: Ferne McCann recently revealed she is seeing a new man, who she was seen getting cosy with on a recent trip to Ibiza, where she and Arthur Collins could not keep their hands off each other
Ferne showed off her fantastic figure as she walked along with her new beau who could not help but cop a feel of her gym-honed derriere.
Her baby pink swimwear boasted a lightly padded triangle bikini top which boosted her ample assets while highlighting her hips with the tie side bottoms.
The pastel hued bikini featured powder blue accents including a monogram on the chest and string ties in the same hue - making for a girly look.
Wrapping up in a white sarong, Ferne was the image of a beach babe while clutching Arthur's hand.
Irresistible: The 25-year-old former TOWIE star looked incredible in a pink bikini as she ambled along with her handsome beau who was tucking into an ice lolly
Loved-up: The pastel hued bikini featured powder blue accents including a monogram on the chest and string ties in the same hue - making for a girly look
Wrapped up: Wrapping up in a white sarong, Ferne was the image of a beach babe while clutching Arthur's hand
Shunning the favoured Essex combination of teetering wedges with bikinis, Ferne added in coordinating pink flip-flops which tied into the look perfectly.
Clearly comfortable in her boyfriend's company Ferne wore no make-up which enhanced her natural glow and showcased her stunning good looks.
Her blonde locks cascaded over her shoulders while she scraped half the locks into a high bun to help keep the hair off her face.
Barely resist: Ferne couldn't keep her hands off her handsome beau as they ambled along
Flipping and flopping: Shunning the favoured Essex combination of teetering wedges with bikinis, Ferne added in coordinating pink flip-flops which tied into the look perfectly
Monogrammed: Ferne's bikini boasted her initials emblazoned across the right cup
Cool off period: Arthur seized a moment to cool off in the Mediterranean heat by eating an ice lolly
In a recent interview with OK! magazine, the 25-year-old coyly revealed: Yes, Im seeing someone but its very early days.'
She added: 'Ill be in LA this month for work meetings, and Im doing some filming out there,' she said. 'Im ready to meet someone, definitely.
Back in March, Ferne revealed she was dated an unknown sportsman - she has previously been linked to Russell Brand.
Meanwhile, despite her high-glam finish and routinely turned-out ensembles, even she has had to endure unflattering photographs.
Thankfully she has learned to push past the pictures and focus on what's inside of her.
Chic: Arthur went for a classic look comprising of knee length denim shorts with spikey trainers
Hands off! Her blonde locks cascaded over her shoulders while she scraped half the locks into a high bun to help keep the hair off her face
The guys: Ferne was joined by a group of pals on the party island
Arm in arm: The duo looked totally at ease as they walked along clutching on to each other
Making new friends: Speaking to OK! magazine, Ferne seemed to confirm rumours that she is seeing a mystery man in Los Angeles: Yes, Im seeing someone but its very early days'
Short story: On Sunday, Ferne was pictured shopping up a storm in Rodeo Drive with her former I'm A Celeb co-star Jorgie Porter - wore a pair of shorts with a pair of flat ankle boots as she joined her pal on the trip
Honest: Ferne opens up in the latest issue of OK! magazine, out now
She said: I saw some pictures of me on holiday in Ibiza. I didnt know they were being taken and, you know, its bad lighting you can see all the lumps and bumps.'
'But its not about getting into a size 10, its about how you feel and Im feeling fit and I definitely feel strong.
She is currently using her strength to help nurture Ronnie, her sister Sophie's baby boy, with whom she shares a special bond.
Ferne, who grew close with Vicky Pattison on I'm A Celebrity last year, is currently preparing for a road trip across the Amalfi Coast for This Morning.
The BFFs will journey from Sorrento to Naples, sharing their thoughts on Italian cuisine and all the gorgeous scenery around them.
On Sunday, she was pictured shopping with her I'm A Celebrity co-star Jorgie Porter on Rodeo Drive.
They were pictured going into high-end stores such as Dolce and Gabbana as they prepared to flex some serious plastic, although they re-emerged empty handed.
Read the full interview in OK! magazine, out now.
Inbetweeners star Simon Bird has revealed he became a father six months ago.
The actor announced the happy news that he and his wife of four years Lisa Owens are parents to a son during an interview with his Friday Night Dinner co-star Tom Rosenthal.
Speaking to Heat Magazine, Tom was the first to let it slip, before Simon confirmed his baby boy is six months old.
Happy news: Inbetweeners star Simon Bird has revealed he became a father six months ago
Simon, 31, and Tom were discussing in the interview whether Simon had seen his co-star's other show Flat TV.
Tom revealed: 'Simon very cleverly watched it only after we finished filming Friday Night Dinner, because if he didn't like it, that would have made things very awkward.'
'It would be like me saying his kid is s**t. Luckily, his kid is actually bloody great. He's got this bobbing head. And he's got this 'Simon Bird' slightly judgmental air about him.'
Simon agreed, explaining: 'He is quite judgmental. He's six months.'
Letting it slip: The actor announced the happy news that he and his wife of four years Lisa Owens are parents to a son after marrying in 2012
Tom - who also stars in Friday Night Dinner with Tamsin Greig and Paul Ritter - added: 'He's only six months old but I feel like he's already patronising me. It's great.'
Simon married long-term girlfriend Lisa in 2012 after he popped the question during a romantic trip to Paris the year before.
The couple met at Cambridge University while they were performing a sketch - which was written by his good friend and Inbetweeners co-star Joe Thomas - about a couple having a row.
Meanwhile, fans will be seeing a lot more of the 31-year-old actor in the upcoming series of Friday Night Dinner.
Pals; Simon's Friday Night Dinner co-star Ton Rosenthal revealed the news during an interview as he quipped that Simon's son has inherited his father's 'slightly judgmental air'
He said: 'This is the first time I've ever got naked in Friday Night Dinner. Obviously, I've done it a whole load of times before in The Inbetweeners.
'It's a scene where Adam [his character] is ill and Jonny keeps giving me wedgies and the pyjamas get progressively more threadbare until they're ripped off by Jonny in the most embarrassing of circumstances.
'There's a lot of male nudity in that episode. Scenes where I have no bottoms on, Tom has no top on and Dad has no top on.'
It's been three months since viewers got to see Ben Higgins proposing to Lauren Bushnell on The Bachelor.
And the reality TV couple finally got to celebrate their impending nuptials on Saturday as they gathered friends and family in Lauren's home town of Portland, Oregon.
Lauren, 26, was pictured looking pretty in a cream lace romper in a photo shared by one of her pals on Instagram.
Time to party! Bachelor couple Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell finally got to celebrate their engagement on Saturday as they gathered friends and family in Portland Oregon
Ben, 28, posing alongside his fiancee and guest Megan Bell, was seen in a pale purple shirt and smart trousers as the trio stood in front of the dessert table.
Partygoers were treated to an array of colourful cupcakes and cookies.
'Let them eat cake' wrote Megan alongside the snap of the TV couple.
The bride-to-be's siblings also shared some snaps from the celebration.
Family fun: Lauren's sister Mollie posed alongside their parents and her boyfriend in this snap which she captioned 'shorty [sic] before we tore up the dance floor'
'Brett and Colby need wedding dates' Lauren's brother Brett shared this photo of himself and a pal fishing for dates for Lauren and Ben's big day
Lauren's sister Mollie posted a photo of her with their parents and her boyfriend at the bash and captioned: 'this photo was taken shorty [sic] before we tore up the dance floor so much fun finally celebrating @lauren_bushnell & @higgins.ben engagement'
Lauren's younger brother Brett also announced that he and a pal are looking for wedding dates as they stood side-by-side in a black and white Instagram.
Ben and Lauren will soon be starring in their own reality show, Ben and Lauren: Happily Ever After, which will premiere on Freeform in October.
'On our way to celebrate the two love birds engagement!' One of Lauren's pals Scarlett shared a snap of her and Lauren's pals before the bash
It will document their life together in Denver, Colorado where Lauren moved to be with the handsome account manager.
Lauren revealed to People last month that the wedding planning hadn't yet begun.
'We've finally gotten to a place in our lives where it has slowed down a little bit' she added.
The duo had to keep their engagement a secret from the end of filming in November until the series finale aired in March.
Keeping it under wraps: Ben, 28 and Lauren, 26, became engaged on the last series but the proposal wasn't revealed until the finale aired in March
'All of the things that are on our initial 'to-do' list post-Bachelor, we've accomplished,' Lauren said.
'So, now I think we're both ready to start wedding planning. That's top of our list.'
Lauren didn't give anything away about possible wedding locations but said it would be tough to decide on a spot.
'We have so many home bases,' she told People. 'I'm from Portland, Ben is from Indiana, we live in Denver ... We have a lot of options.'
A new dating show starring eligible gay men is set to arrive to Logo.
Finding Prince Charming will be much like ABC's The Bachelor with one man being able to chose from 13 suitors. Lance Bass will serve as the show's host.
On Tuesday TMZ reported Atlanta-based interior designer Robert Sepulveda Jr. will be the star of the series who looks for love.
The host with the most!A new dating show starring eligible gay men is set to arrive to Logo. Finding Prince Charming will be much like ABC's The Bachelor with one man being able to chose from 13 suitors. Lance Bass will serve as the show's host
Mr. Prince Charming: On Tuesday TMZ reported Atlanta-based interior designer Robert Sepulveda Jr. will be the star of the series who looks for love.
Like The Bachelor, the show is set in a mansion in Los Angeles, added the gossip website. The show has already begun production.
'Logo has a long history of showcasing LGBTQ-focused stories with memorable characters that transcend pop culture,' Logo's SVP of Original Programming, Pamela Post, said in a press release.
'Finding Prince Charming will take viewers on a whirlwind journey through modern love and relationships in a way that only Logo can do.'
Finding Prince Charming is not a spin-off of the popular Bachelor series, added TMZ.
Robert founded his now award-winning interior design firm RSJ design, LLC, in 2006, according to his website.
Wowza: Sepulveda Instagrammed a snap of his rippling abs
Staying fit! Robert shared a snap of himself taking a breather from a workout
The star, who hails from Puerto Rico, graduated summa cum laude from The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.
Finding Prince Charming is dubbed the 'first of its kind dating show' in a press release, however Bravo did release Boy Meets Boy in 2003, which featured a similar premise.
Dating shows have long been must-watch television, particularly since the advent of The Bachelor and spin-off The Bachelorette in 2002 and 2003, respectively.
Other popular dating shows include The Millionaire Matchmaker, Average Joe, Singled Out, and Room Raiders.
It's a hit! Arguably the most popular of all the dating shows is The Bachelor and The Bachelorette series; here is Jason Mesnick from season 13 of The Bachelor
She's not one to shy away from showing off her toned derriere.
And on Tuesday, Kate Hudson did just that as she did an impressive handstand while in a swimming pool that overlooked downtown Ibiza.
The 37-year-old actress wore a small green bikini that showed off her toned muscles on her arms, back and legs.
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Up and away! Kate Hudson posted an impressive photo to her Instagram account on Tuesday holding a handstand while in a pool in Ibiza, Spain
Paradise: Kate and her friend, photographer Janell Shirtcliff, both wore sexy green bathing suits showing off their fit physique
The blonde beauty wore an emerald green bikini that was adorned with intricate red patterns.
After traveling to Italy to for the Fendi Roma 90th Anniversary in Rome last week, Kate made some fun detours in London for her son's fifth birthday, and now Ibiza, Spain with photographer Janell Shirtcliff and stylist Sophie Lopez.
The Bride Wars actress posted another photo to her Instagram page on Tuesday documenting her exciting travel diaries as she smiled in front of an airplane with Janell wearing blue denim overalls and a straw fedora hat.
Travel diaries! The 37-year-old was all smiles on Tuesday as she made her way to party city Ibiza
When in Roma: The blonde beauty shared a precious photo last week of her and her glamour team, Janell and Sophie Lopez, while they were together in Italy for their Euro adventure
The mother-of-two also took to Snapchat wearing a different bikini than her Instagram picture and holding up a book titled Women Who Run With The Wolves.
Kate wore her thick black reading glasses as she captioned her snaps, 'Next Read' and took a shot of a passage from inside the book where she wrote, 'Aaaaand...I'm hooked.'
After wrapping her latest drama film, Marshall, and launching new stores with her active wear, Fabletics as well as a new book on fitness and lifestyle, Kate certainly deserved the downtime from her hectic schedule.
Book worm: The Bride Wars actress took some downtime for herself on Tuesday and cracked open a book
Hooked: The mother-of-two was excited to jump into her next novel, Women Who Run With The Wolves
Vacation vibes: Kate looked like she had no care in the world posting a fun Instagram video on Tuesday
All smiles: The actress was soaking in all the free time on her vacation as she lay down with her head rested against her arm
The free-spirited Kate, who will next be seen in Deepwater Horizon with Mark Wahlberg, has always marched to the beat of her own drum.
She told Self Magazine that the key is celebrating one's self more than judging. 'Weve been programmed to feel like were under this great obligation as women to look and be a certain way,' Kate said. 'And thats not our fault. Thats what culture and society have gifted us as women. Thank you but no thank you.'
She added that she never takes herself too seriously saying, 'I think finding the balance really is more about emotional balance, isnt it? Sometimes stress can be good stress. The whole point is that life doesnt ever get easy. And so you have to learn how to enjoy it.'
Stop in London! Exes Kate and Matthew Bellamy were all smiles as they celebrated their son, Bingham's fifth birthday in London on Saturday, with Kate's 12-year-old son Ryde from her marriage to Chris Robinson
With a face as timeless as Heidi Klum's attached, it's no wonder the show is still going.
Project Runway marked its 15th season with an appearance on Good Morning America on Tuesday.
The 43-year-old joined her fellow judges Nina Garcia and Zac Posen to for an early chat on the legendary Times Square set in New York.
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Still got it: Heidi Klum marked Project Runway's 15th season with an appearance on Good Morning America on Tuesday
The German model looked stunning as always in a form-fitting off the shoulder little black dress.
The Victoria's Secret vet added the perfect touch of colour with a pair of red strappy heels and a pastel yellow handbag.
Her make-up was as understated as it was unnecessary, as she tied back her sun-kissed blonde hair into a loose pony, revealing a large pair of pink hoops as the outfit's finishing touch.
Wow: The German model looked stunning as always in a form-fitting off the shoulder little black dress
In the know: The 43-year-old joined her fellow judges Nina Garcia and Zac Posen to for an early chat on the legendary Times Square set in New York
She added the perfect touch of colour with a pair of red strappy heels and a pastel yellow handbag.
Natural beauty: Her make-up was as understated as it was unnecessary
Heidi posted a few behind the scenes shots as she chatted with the shows stalwart Robin Roberts and newcomer Michael Strahan.
Proving she's got the moves to go with the looks, she also shared a slow-motion clip of herself dancing with 35-year-old Posen.
'Nothing like morning tv!!' he wrote, reposting the vid. 'Morning dance @goodmorningamerica with the perfect 10 @heidiklum'.
Finale: She tied back her sun-kissed blonde hair into a loose pony, revealing a large pair of pink hoops as the outfit's finishing touch
On set: Heidi posted a few behind the scenes shots as she chatted with the shows stalwart Robin Roberts and newcomer Michael Strahan
Morning excercise: Proving she's got the moves to go with the looks, she also shared a slow-motion clip of herself dancing with 35-year-old Posen
Quick step: 'Nothing like morning tv!!' he wrote, reposting the vid. 'Morning dance @goodmorningamerica with the perfect 10 @heidiklum'.
Later in the day Heidi slipped into something more comfortable, as she was spotted nipping into her hotel and re-emerging in jeans and a loose-fitting top.
She even swapped out her shoes, bag and earrings to make it a complete outfit do-over.
Hopefully she didn't run into Hilary Duff, who was also walking about NYC wearing the exact same pair of jeans.
Splash: She added the perfect touch of colour with a pair of red strappy heels and a pastel yellow handbag
Quick change: Later in the day Heidi slipped into something more comfortable, as she was spotted nipping into her hotel and re-emerging in jeans and a loose-fitting top
New look: She even swapped out her shoes, bag and earrings to make it a complete outfit do-over
Snap: Hopefully she didn't run into Hilary Duff, who was also walking about NYC wearing the exact same pair of jeans
The day before, a delighted-looking Klum was spotted in New York after being reunited with her children following her recent trip to London.
Heidi beamed as she strolled along with ten-year-old Henry, Johan, 9, and Lou Sulola, 6, whom she shares with ex-husband Seal. Her eldest daughter Helene - or Leni - was absent.
The mom-of-four certainly seemed to have enjoyed her time away, as she was pictured engaging in several PDAs with 29-year-old boyfriend Vito Schnabel as they watched Wimbledon.
Wonder in white: She was spotted wearing yet another outfit while out in the Big Apple later that evening
Milestone: Project Runway hosts Tim Gunn, Heidi, Nina Garcia, and Zac Posen all celebrated the shows 15th season together
Fabulous four: The group posed behind a cake which was made to look like a sewing machine
Yum: Heidi did not hesitate hand-feeding Tim
Proud moment: The cast shared a laugh together during the celebration
Their jetset lifestyle means they're regularly spotted in airports around the world.
And Catherine Zeta Jones, 46, and her doppelganger daughter Carys, 13, were seen arriving in New York's JFK airport, on Monday.
The lookalike duo sauntered side by side with Catherine looking typically glamorous in an all-white ensemble; a billowing scarf around her neck adding a vibrant splash of colour.
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Side by side: Catherine Zeta Jones, 46, and her doppelganger daughter Carys, 13, were seen arriving in New York's JFK airport, on Monday
The A-list star teamed a blouse with a flowing ankle-length skirt, both of which were complemented perfectly by a sophisticated blazer.
She wore a pair of matching espadrilles adorned with metallic studs, and she carried her essentials in a stylish cream leather handbag.
In true Hollywood fashion she sported a cream fedora decorated with a black ribbon, and a trendy pair of shades covered her eyes.
Tight squeeze: Once outside the airport, Catherine gave her daughter a loving hug with Carys rising onto her toes as she was pulled in
Her luscious brunette mane cascaded from underneath her hat and she covered her lips with a slick of glossy berry lipstick.
Meanwhile, Carys opted for a more casual look combining a bold red vest top with a black pair of Adidas jogging bottoms and some lace up boots.
The teen draped a black jacket over her arm and finished her look with a black choker and a pair of mirrored shades tucked in her vest.
Her flowing locks were identical to her mum's, while she chose to carry her belongings in a backpack rather than a handbag.
Still going strong: Catherine recently gushed about her marriage to Fatal Attraction star Michael Douglas in an interview with Good Housekeeping
Once outside the airport, Catherine gave her daughter a loving hug with Carys rising onto her toes as she was pulled in.
Catherine recently gushed about her marriage to Fatal Attraction star Michael Douglas, 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.'
Despite being apart for 20 years, Ewan McGregor and Danny Boyle have been virtually inseparable for the last two months.
Reuniting once again for scenes at departures in Edinburgh, the actor and the director met for more Trainspotting 2 filming.
Ewan was dressed down and carrying an overnight bag when he was spotted exiting the airport, where Danny was on hand for further instruction.
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Planes, trains and automobiles: Ewan McGregor was seen filming at Edinburgh airport departures recently during more Trainspotting filming
Despite sporting a Renton's characteristically short crop of hair, the Scottish actor was easily recognisable to onlookers on his way out of the airport.
He was seen collecting leaflets from three tartan-clad beauties dressed in matching red heels and skirts.
Filming on the second part has not yet wrapped, despite their hectic schedule, which has been non-stop since the end of May.
Reunited: He reunited with Danny Boyle at Edinburgh Airport for more T2 filming
Happy as Larry: The duo were in high spirits during an off-duty moment, where Ewan took instruction from Danny
T2: Trainspotting 2 is due in February 2017 and will see Ewan return as Renton, Ewen Bremner as Spud and Robert Carlyle as Francis Begbie.
It is thought that the second film will mirror author Irvine Welsh's follow-up novel Porno, which documents the characters' later-in-life foray into the world of pornography.
The original film focuses on Renton, who is deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene, but tries to clean up and get out, despite the allure of the drugs and influence of friends.
Tired eyes? Filming for the movie sequel began at the end of May and has been constant ever since
Catching attention: The Scottish actor drew many eyes as he left the terminal with a bag in hand
So far, Ewan has stayed quiet on the plotline but recently told The Telegraph that he was particularly enjoying being back with the 1996 cast.
'I cant tell you anything,' he said, staying faithful to director Danny. 'Other than that its exciting to be doing it.
'Working with [director] Danny Boyle and the boys again Bobby Carlyle, Ewen Bremner and Jonny Lee Miller is beyond thrilling.'
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They star in a rebooted film franchise with an incredibly passionate cult following.
But Star Trek Beyond actors Chris Pine, Zachary Quinton and Simon Pegg certainly didn't look to be feeling the weight of expectation when they arrived for the highly-anticipated film's European premiere in London, on Tuesday.
Lead protagonist Chris, 35, who stars as Captain Kirk, looked typically handsome in a dark suit with a buttoned down white shirt and an eye-catching blue pocket square.
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Handsome: Star Trek Beyond actors Chris Pine, Zachary Quinton and Simon Pegg certainly didn't look to be feeling the weight of expectation when they arrived for the highly-anticipated film's European premiere in London, on Tuesday
Chris sported rugged facial hair for his walk down the white runway, with his well-coiffed locks slicked in a neat fashion. He put on a close display with co-star John Cho, gripping him by the arms and leaning in for a kiss.
Standing out from the crowd was Zachary, 39, who stars as fan favourite Spock, in a maroon suit with immaculate brown brogues and a tie and pocket square which perfectly complemented his jacket and trousers.
Meanwhile, Simon, 46, who stars as Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott and also co-wrote the film, wore a dark navy, two button, notch lapel suit, shirt, tie, and pocket square all by Ermenegildo Zegna.
Kiss me quick: He put on a close display with co-star John Cho, gripping him by the arms and leaning in for a kiss
Well-groomed: Chris, 35, sported rugged facial hair for his walk down the white runway, with his well-coiffed locks slicked in a neat fashion
Looking good: Idris Elba was his usual cool self in a military-style trench coat by Burberry over a black polo shirt which he wore with burgundy trousers and black boots
Happy! The Luther star was in high spirits, flashing a bright white smile and waving at the cameras
Crowdpleaser: Idris took the time to have selfies with fans, no doubt making their day
Star-studded: The impressive cast stood arm in arm as they assembled to promote the blockbuster
United front: The cast appeared to be proud of what they had created, although it was no doubt tinged with sadness following the tragic death of their co-star Anton Yelchin aged just 27
Bringing it up to date: Captain Hikaru Sulu, played by John Cho, has appeared in the beloved series since the 1960s and will be married to a man in the third installment of JJ. Abrams' film reboot: Star Trek Beyond
Easy does it: Sofia Boutella got into a spot of bother with her racy sheer lace dress; the train momentarily got caught up underneath her heels
Racy: Sofia looked ravishing in the revealing number and was m,ore than happy to show the garment off from a variety of angles
Laughing out loud: Lydia Wilson shared laughs with a female aide as they walked side by side, seemingly relishing the moment
Appearing as an alien commander called Krall in the third instalment of the rebooted series, Idris Elba was his usual cool self at the premiere in a military-style trench coat worn over a black polo shirt which he teamed with burgundy trousers and black boots.
Sofia Boutella got into a spot of bother with her racy sheer lace dress; the train momentarily got caught up underneath her heels. Meanwhile, Lydia Wilson shared laughs with a female aide as they walked side by side, seemingly relishing the moment.
Bringing the glamour to London's Leicester Square was former Hollyoaks star Gemma Merna, 32. The beauty shimmered in a silver sequin bodycon dress with a sheer plunging V revealing plenty of cleavage.
Laura Whitmore, 31, looked typically gorgeous in a sophisticated plunging white minidress. The blonde beauty looked relaxed with her hands tucked in her pockets as she posed for photographs.
Shimmering: Bringing the glamour to London's Leicester Square was former Hollyoaks star Gemma Merna, 32
A bit of all-white: Laura Whitmore, 31, looked typically gorgeous in a sophisticated plunging white minidress
Double act: Laura co-hosted the proceedings with Alex Zane, who dressed in a striking red suit
Star attraction: The TV presenter gazed at Chris while interviewing him by the side of the runway
Her blonde locks were tied back in a ponytail with some loose tendrils framing her face. The Irish beauty sported a radiant glow and decorated her peepers with dark eye make-up and her lip[s with a slick of rouge.
The TV presenter gazed at leading man Chris while interviewing him by the side of the runway. She finished her look with bronze heels and proudly flaunted her legs while going about her business.
Trekkies Lorraine Kelly, Dynamo and Capital Breakfast presenter George Shelley all did their best Vulcan Salutes as they arrived for the premiere. The hand gesture, which sees the first two and second two fingers parted, is synonymous with the Star Trek character Spock.
Glamour girl: Linzi Stoppard wore a pretty pink minidress with strappy metallic heels and a shimmering gold clutch
Leggy displays: The women in attendance were all eager to showcase their lithe limbs at the high-profile occasion
Trekkie: Star Trek fan Dynamo did his best Vulcan salute as he hit the runway in a black jumper and navy jeans
Vulcan salute: Capital Breakfast presenter George Shelley also gave Spock's iconic hand gesture a bash with both hands at once
Quite the gesture: Olivia Inge also got in on the act, with salute appearing to be popular with the celebrity contingent
Bright and bubbly: Lorraine was her usual chirpy self in a monochrome dress and gold heels. She finished her look with a cold clutch adorned with a large bow
Rock 'n roll: Kasabian's Tom Meighan rocked up in a three-piece suit and rugged facial hair
English beauty: Dakota Blue Richards wore a pretty white dress with a sheer overlay and some dainty black shoes
The film's plot has been kept top secret throughout production, with details scant, but according to IMDB, 'The USS Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a new ruthless enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.'
In recent days the film has made headlines for featuring the sci-fi franchise's first openly gay character in its 60-year history.
Captain Hikaru Sulu, who has appeared in the beloved series since the 1960s, will be married to a man in the third installment of JJ. Abrams' film reboot: Star Trek Beyond.
Screenwriter and actor Simon Pegg and director Justin Lin revealed that they had decided to make the character gay to pay homage to George Takei who played Sulu for years in the original Star Trek television series and movies.
Takei, 79, came out in 2005 and is a passionate activist for LGBT rights.
Ready to boldly go: Karl Urban's Dr. McCoy, Chris Pine's Captain Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Mr. Spock appear in the latest trailer for Star Trek Beyond, released on Monday
He and his now-husband Brad Altman were among the first same-sex couples to apply for a marriage license in California in 2008 after it was made legal. They have been together for 29 years.
Meanwhile, the cast has been mourning the death of one of the movie's young stars.
Anton Yelchin, who played Chekov, was tragically killed at age 27 after he was crushed by his car in a freak accident Los Angeles last month.
With just 10 days to go before it hits screens, Star Trek Beyond released its latest high-adrenaline trailer on Monday.
The all-too-short 30-second spot will certainly whet the appetites of Trekkies already pumped up for the third blockbuster in the rebooted franchise.
Titled Unity, it's the third trailer released so far and gives another look at the deadly aliens that powered the two-and-a-half minute clip that appeared in May.
It's intercut with rapid-fire glimpses of cities exploding and space ships crashing, all stunningly rendered.
However, it also shows the more human side of Captain Kirk, played by Chris Pine, and his closest crew.
In the opening seconds he walks with Dr McCoy (Karl Urban) talking excitedly about their new mission, saying: 'Can you imagine what we'll find?'
McCoy, aka Bones, deadpans prophetically: 'Aliens hell bent on killing us.' 'That's the spirit, Bones,' Kirk replies.
Powered up: The 30-second clip shows Kirk leading his crew as they fight for their lives on the Enterprise after it's boarded by aliens
In another brief respite from the maelstrom Kirk tells Zachary Quinto's Spock: 'I think we make a good team.' The logical Vulcan replies: 'I believe we do.'
And fans get a brief but satisfying interaction with the alien leader who tells Kirk: 'Unity is not your strength.'
He cracks back: 'I think you underestimate humanity.'
Star Trek Beyond will be hitting cinemas nationwide on July 22.
Hitting the town: The franchise's leading men were spotted keeping the party going as they headed on to the after-party
The evacuation from Dunkirk was one of the biggest operations of the Second World War and was one of the major factors in enabling the Allies to continue fighting.
It was the largest military evacuation in history, taking place between May 27 and June 4, 1940. The evacuation, known as Operation Dynamo, saw an estimated 338,000 Allied troops rescued from northern France. But 11,000 Britons were killed during Operation Dynamo, and another 40,000 were captured and imprisoned.
Described as a 'miracle of deliverance' by wartime prime minister Winston Churchill, it is seen as one of several events in 1940 that determined the eventual outcome of the war.
The Second World War began after Germany invaded Poland in 1939, but for a number of months there was little further action on land. But in early 1940, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway and then launched an offensive against Belgium and France in western Europe.
Hitler's troops advanced rapidly, taking Paris - which they never achieved in the First World War - and moved towards the Channel.
They reached the coast towards the end of May 1940, pinning back the Allied forces, including several hundred thousand troops of the British Expeditionary Force. Military leaders quickly realised there was no way they would be able to stay on mainland Europe.
Operational command fell to Bertram Ramsay, a retired vice-admiral who was recalled to service in 1939. From a room deep in the cliffs at Dover, Ramsay and his staff pieced together Operation Dynamo, a daring rescue mission by the Royal Navy to get troops off the beaches around Dunkirk and back to Britain.
On May 14 1940 the call went out. The BBC made the announcement: 'The Admiralty have made an order requesting all owners of self-propelled pleasure craft between 30ft and 100ft in length to send all particulars to the Admiralty within 14 days from today if they have not already been offered or requisitioned.'
Boats of all sorts were requisitioned - from those for hire on the Thames to pleasure yachts - and manned by naval personnel, though in some cases boats were taken over to Dunkirk by the owners themselves.
They sailed from Dover, the closest point, to allow them the shortest crossing. On May 29, Operation Dynamo was put into action.
When they got to Dunkirk they faced chaos. Soldiers were hiding in sand dunes from aerial attack, much of the town of Dunkirk had been reduced to ruins by the bombardment and the German forces were closing in.
Above them, RAF Spitfire and Hurricane fighters were headed inland to attack the German fighter planes to head them off and protect the men on the beaches.
As the little ships arrived they were directed to different sectors. Many did not have radios, so the only methods of communication were by shouting to those on the beaches or by semaphore.
Space was so tight, with decks crammed full, that soldiers could only carry their rifles. A huge amount of equipment, including aircraft, tanks and heavy guns, had to be left behind.
The little ships were meant to bring soldiers to the larger ships, but some ended up ferrying people all the way back to England. The evacuation lasted for several days.
Prime Minister Churchill and his advisers had expected that it would be possible to rescue only 20,000 to 30,00 men, but by June 4 more than 300,000 had been saved.
The exact number was impossible to gauge - though 338,000 is an accepted estimate - but it is thought that over the week up to 400,000 British, French and Belgian troops were rescued - men who would return to fight in Europe and eventually help win the war.
But there were also heavy losses, with around 90,000 dead, wounded or taken prisoner. A number of ships were also lost, through enemy action, running aground and breaking down. Despite this, Dunkirk was regarded as a success and a great boost for morale.
Given her status as one of Hollywood's rising stars, Sofia Boutella is no stranger to looking glamorous for a host of glittering red carpets,
But on Tuesday night, the Algerian-born beauty, 34, came close to suffering a disastrous wardrobe malfunction at the London premiere of her highly-anticipated sci-fi movie Star Trek And Beyond.
The stunning actress turned heads as she arrived at Leicester Square's Empire in a sheer black lace dress, but grasped all the wrong attention as her golden heel got stuck in her floor-length gown.
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Oops! Sofia Boutella was seen almost experiencing a wardrobe malfunction as her heel got trapped in her dress at the London premiere of Star Trek And Beyond at Leicester Square's Empire on Tuesday
The screen star was seen struggling as she attempted avoid both tripping over and damaging her revealing ensemble while maintaining some semblance of poise for the cameras and fans.
Thankfully for the actress, dashing actor Idris Elba came to the rescue, standing beside her as he helped her remove her heel from the dress.
Sofia - who plays Jaylah in the movie - was eventually able to avert any possible disasters, smiling as she made her way down the customised white carpet like a true Hollywood star.
Sofia's dress featured a relatively high neckline with long sleeves, which would have given her quite the demure look were it not for her gown's sheer design, giving full view of her enviably lean legs.
Turning heads: The Algerian-born actress arrived at the hot ticket event in a black sheer lace floor-length gown
Helping hand: Idris Elba was seen coming to her aid, as he realised that she was experiencing a dress disaster
Helping hand: Idris helped her unhook her golden heel from the tail of the dress as cameras snapped away
Perfect pins: The stunning gown's sheer feature gave the screen beauty the chance to show off her lean legs
Giving it a lift: As she made her way down the carpet, Sofia held her dress up to avoid any future issues
She sported dazzling jewels designed by Messika while her raven locks cascaded beyond her shoulders in soft waves and pink lipstick gave her overall look a pop of colour.
At the hot ticket event, she joined Chris Pine, Zachary Quinton and Simon Pegg, who also put on their finest sartorial displays.
Lead protagonist Chris, who stars as Captain Kirk, looked typically handsome in a dark suit with a buttoned down white shirt and an eye-catching blue pocket square.
Racy displat: While her dress had a high neckline and long sleeves, its sheer look showed much of her torso
Easy does it: The screen star carefully lifted and carried the train of her gown ahead of her next photo opp
Looking great from all angle: She gave photographers a full view of every angle of her dress as she posed
Glittery: She kept her accessories to a minimum, ehancing her ensemble with rings and glittering earrings
One last look: Once composed, she gave photographers one last glamorous pose as she made her way in
Chris sported rugged facial hair for his walk down the white runway, with his well-coiffed locks slicked in a neat fashion. He put on a close display with co-star John Cho, gripping him by the arms and leaning in for a kiss.
Standing out from the crowd was Zachary, who stars as fan favourite Spock, in a maroon suit with immaculate brown brogues and a tie and pocket square which perfect complemented the jacket and trousers.
Meanwhile, Simon, who stars as Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott and also co-wrote the film, wore a dark navy, two button, notch lapel suit, shirt, tie, and pocket square all by Ermenegildo Zegna.
Fan favourite: The actress was spotted patiently posing with a fan in between mingling with her co-stars
How do I look? She showed off her best angle as she posed for the shot, ahead of signing autographs
Handsome: Star Trek Beyond actors Chris Pine, Zachary Quinton and Simon Pegg certainly didn't look to be feeling the weight of expectation when they arrived for the highly-anticipated film's European premiere
Kiss me quick: He put on a close display with co-star John Cho, gripping him by the arms and leaning in for a kiss
Looking good: Idris Elba was his usual cool self in a military-style trench coat over a black polo shirt which he wore with burgundy trousers and black boots
Happy! The Luther star was in high spirits, flashing a bright white smile and waving at the cameras
Crowdpleaser: Idris took the time to have selfies with fans, no doubt making their day
Appearing as an alien commender called Krall in the third instalment of the rebooted series, Idris Elba was his usual cool self at the premiere in a military-style trench coat worn over a black polo shirt which he teamed with burgundy trousers and black boots.
Bringing the glamour to London's Leicester Square was former Hollyoaks star Gemma Merna, 32, The beauty shimmered in a silver sequin bodycon dress with a sheer plunging V revealing plenty of cleavage.
Laura Whitmore, 31, looked typically gorgeous in a sophisticated plunging white minidress. The blonde beauty looked relaxed with her hands tucked in her pockets as she posed for photographs.
Her blonde locks were tied back in a ponytail with some loose tendrils framing her face. The Irish beauty sported a radiant glow and decorated her peepers with dark eye make-up and her lip[s with a slick of rouge.
Shimmering: Bringing the glamour to London's Leicester Square was former Hollyoaks star Gemma Merna, 32
A bit of all-white: Laura Whitmore, 31, looked typically gorgeous in a sophisticated plunging white minidress
Star attraction: The TV presenter gazed at Chris while interviewing him by the side of the runway
The TV presenter gazed at leading man Chris while interviewing him by the side of the runway. She finished her look with bronze heels and proudly flaunted her legs while going about her business.
With just 10 days to go before it hits screens, Star Trek Beyond released its latest high-adrenaline trailer on Monday.
The all-too-short 30-second spot will certainly whet the appetites of Trekkies already pumped up for the third blockbuster in the rebooted franchise.
Titled Unity, it's the third trailer released so far and gives another look at the deadly aliens that powered the two-and-a-half minute clip that appeared in May.
Sofia, is that you? Screen beauty Sofia Boutella stars as Jaylah in the highly-anticipated movie
Ready to boldly go: Karl Urban's Dr. McCoy, Chris Pine's Captain Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Mr. Spock appear in the latest trailer for Star Trek Beyond, released on Monday
It's intercut with rapid-fire glimpses of cities exploding and space ships crashing, all stunningly rendered.
However, it also shows the more human side of Captain Kirk, played by Chris Pine, and his closest crew.
In the opening seconds he walks with Dr McCoy (Karl Urban) talking excitedly about their new mission, saying: 'Can you imagine what we'll find?'
McCoy, aka Bones, deadpans prophetically: 'Aliens hell bent on killing us.' 'That's the spirit, Bones,' Kirk replies.
Powered up: The 30-second clip shows Kirk leading his crew as they fight for their lives on the Enterprise after it's boarded by aliens
Adrenaline pumping: Spock aims his weapon and unleashes a deadly ray in the heat of battle
In another brief respite from the maelstrom Kirk tells Zachary Quinto's Spock: 'I think we make a good team.' The logical Vulcan replies: 'I believe we do.'
And fans get a brief but satisfying interaction with the alien leader who tells Kirk: 'Unity is not your strength.'
He cracks back: 'I think you underestimate humanity.'
Meanwhile, the cast has been mourning the death of one of the movie's young stars.
Anton Yelchin, who played Chekov, was tragically killed at age 27 after he was crushed by his car in a freak accident Los Angeles last month.
Star Trek Beyond will be hitting cinemas nationwide on July 22.
Sharing a moment: The trailer also shows Kirk bonding with his closest crew member Spock
Laura Whitmore was tasked with hosting the Star Trek And Beyond movie premiere in London on Tuesday night and she made sure she was dressed to impress.
The 31-year-old television presenter showed off her assets in an extreme plunging white mini dress by La Mania which also allowed her to flaunt her long legs.
The Irish beauty's number had a gold embellishment at the waist and she lengthened her limbs with a pair of brown platform heels.
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Kling-ing on! Laura Whitmore was tasked with hosting the Star Trek And Beyond movie premiere in London on Tuesday night and she made sure she was dressed to impress
Wearing her blonde locks in a ponytail and off her face, her natural beauty shone through as she interviewed a host of stars from the movie.
She wore a slick of bright red lipstick as she posed on the white carpet with her hands in her pockets.
Also working the floor was fellow presenter Alex Zane who was suited and booted in a maroon coloured suit.
Wow thing: The 31-year-old television presenter showed off her assets in an extreme plunging white mini dress which also allowed her to flaunt her long legs
Partner in crime: Also working the floor was fellow presenter Alex Zane who was suited and booted in a maroon coloured suit
Gorgeous: She wore a slick of bright red lipstick as she posed on the white carpet with her microphone in hand
The Rude Tube presenter was sporting an embellished black shirt as well as his trademark long locks and beard.
Meanwhile, they star in a rebooted film franchise with an incredibly passionate cult following.
But Star Trek Beyond actors Chris Pine, Zachary Quinton and Simon Pegg certainly didn't look to be feeling the weight of expectation when they arrived for the highly-anticipated film's European premiere in London, on Tuesday.
Lead protagonist Chris, 35, who stars as Captain Kirk, looked typically handsome in a dark suit with a buttoned down white shirt and an eye-catching blue pocket square.
Handsome: Star Trek Beyond actors Chris Pine, Zachary Quinton and Simon Pegg certainly didn't look to be feeling the weight of expectation when they arrived for the highly-anticipated film's European premiere in London, on Tuesday
Chris sported rugged facial hair for his walk down the white runway, with his well-coiffed locks slicked in a neat fashion. He put on a close display with co-star John Cho, gripping him by the arms and leaning in for a kiss.
Standing out from the crowd was Zachary, 39, who stars as fan favourite Spock, in a maroon suit with immaculate brown brogues and a tie and pocket square which perfectly complemented his jacket and trousers.
Meanwhile, Simon, 46, who stars as Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott and also co-wrote the film, wore a dark navy, two button, notch lapel suit, shirt, tie, and pocket square all by Ermenegildo Zegna.
Kiss me quick: He put on a close display with co-star John Cho, gripping him by the arms and leaning in for a kiss
Well-groomed: Chris, 35, sported rugged facial hair for his walk down the white runway, with his well-coiffed locks slicked in a neat fashion
Looking good: Idris Elba was his usual cool self in a military-style trench coat over a black polo shirt which he wore with burgundy trousers and black boots
Happy! The Luther star was in high spirits, flashing a bright white smile and waving at the cameras
Crowdpleaser: Idris took the time to have selfies with fans, no doubt making their day
Star-studded: The impressive cast stood arm in arm as they assembled to promote the blockbuster
United front: The cast appeared to be proud of what they had created, although it was no doubt tinged with sadness following the tragic death of their co-star Anton Yelchin aged just 27
Bringing it up to date: Captain Hikaru Sulu, played by John Cho, has appeared in the beloved series since the 1960s and will be married to a man in the third installment of JJ. Abrams' film reboot: Star Trek Beyond
Easy does it: Sofia Boutella got into a spot of bother with her racy sheer lace dress; the train momentarily got caught up underneath her heels
Racy: Sofia looked ravishing in the revealing number and was m,ore than happy to show the garment off from a variety of angles
Laughing out loud: Lydia Wilson shared laughs with a female aide as they walked side by side, seemingly relishing the moment
Appearing as an alien commander called Krall in the third instalment of the rebooted series, Idris Elba was his usual cool self at the premiere in a military-style trench coat worn over a black polo shirt which he teamed with burgundy trousers and black boots.
Sofia Boutella got into a spot of bother with her racy sheer lace dress; the train momentarily got caught up underneath her heels. Meanwhile, Lydia Wilson shared laughs with a female aide as they walked side by side, seemingly relishing the moment.
Bringing the glamour to London's Leicester Square was former Hollyoaks star Gemma Merna, 32. The beauty shimmered in a silver sequin bodycon dress with a sheer plunging V revealing plenty of cleavage.
Laura Whitmore, 31, looked typically gorgeous in a sophisticated plunging white minidress. The blonde beauty looked relaxed with her hands tucked in her pockets as she posed for photographs.
Shimmering: Bringing the glamour to London's Leicester Square was former Hollyoaks star Gemma Merna, 32
A bit of all-white: Laura Whitmore, 31, looked typically gorgeous in a sophisticated plunging white minidress
Double act: Laura co-hosted the proceedings with Alex Zane, who dressed in a striking red suit
Star attraction: The TV presenter gazed at Chris while interviewing him by the side of the runway
Her blonde locks were tied back in a ponytail with some loose tendrils framing her face. The Irish beauty sported a radiant glow and decorated her peepers with dark eye make-up and her lip[s with a slick of rouge.
The TV presenter gazed at leading man Chris while interviewing him by the side of the runway. She finished her look with bronze heels and proudly flaunted her legs while going about her business.
Trekkies George Shelley, Lorraine Kelly and Dynamo all did their best Vulcan Salutes as they arrived for the premiere. The hand gesture, which sees the first two and second two fingers parted, is synonymous with the Star Trek character Spock.
Glamour girl: Linzi Stoppard wore a pretty pink minidress with strappy metallic heels and a shimmering gold clutch
Leggy displays: The women in attendance were all eager to showcase their lithe limbs at the high-profile occasion
Trekkie: Star Trek fan Dynamo did his best Vulcan salute as he hit the runway in a black jumper and navy jeans
Vulcan salute: George Shelley also gave Spock's iconic hand gesture a bash with both hands at once
Quite the gesture: Olivia Inge also got in on the act, with salute appearing to be popular with the celebrity contingent
Bright and bubbly: Lorraine was her usual chirpy self in a monochrome dress and gold heels. She finished her look with a cold clutch adorned with a large bow
The film's plot has been kept top secret throughout production, with details scant, but according to IMDB, 'The USS Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a new ruthless enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.'
In recent days the film has made headlines for featuring the sci-fi franchise's first openly gay character in its 60-year history.
Captain Hikaru Sulu, who has appeared in the beloved series since the 1960s, will be married to a man in the third installment of JJ. Abrams' film reboot: Star Trek Beyond.
Screenwriter and actor Simon Pegg and director Justin Lin revealed that they had decided to make the character gay to pay homage to George Takei who played Sulu for years in the original Star Trek television series and movies.
Takei, 79, came out in 2005 and is a passionate activist for LGBT rights.
Ready to boldly go: Karl Urban's Dr. McCoy, Chris Pine's Captain Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Mr. Spock appear in the latest trailer for Star Trek Beyond, released on Monday
He and his now-husband Brad Altman were among the first same-sex couples to apply for a marriage license in California in 2008 after it was made legal. They have been together for 29 years.
Meanwhile, the cast has been mourning the death of one of the movie's young stars.
Anton Yelchin, who played Chekov, was tragically killed at age 27 after he was crushed by his car in a freak accident Los Angeles last month.
With just 10 days to go before it hits screens, Star Trek Beyond released its latest high-adrenaline trailer on Monday.
The all-too-short 30-second spot will certainly whet the appetites of Trekkies already pumped up for the third blockbuster in the rebooted franchise.
Titled Unity, it's the third trailer released so far and gives another look at the deadly aliens that powered the two-and-a-half minute clip that appeared in May.
It's intercut with rapid-fire glimpses of cities exploding and space ships crashing, all stunningly rendered.
However, it also shows the more human side of Captain Kirk, played by Chris Pine, and his closest crew.
In the opening seconds he walks with Dr McCoy (Karl Urban) talking excitedly about their new mission, saying: 'Can you imagine what we'll find?'
McCoy, aka Bones, deadpans prophetically: 'Aliens hell bent on killing us.' 'That's the spirit, Bones,' Kirk replies.
Powered up: The 30-second clip shows Kirk leading his crew as they fight for their lives on the Enterprise after it's boarded by aliens
In another brief respite from the maelstrom Kirk tells Zachary Quinto's Spock: 'I think we make a good team.' The logical Vulcan replies: 'I believe we do.'
And fans get a brief but satisfying interaction with the alien leader who tells Kirk: 'Unity is not your strength.'
He cracks back: 'I think you underestimate humanity.'
She's revealed she is dating handsome new boyfriend Arthur Collins - and being in love certainly seems to be agreeing with Ferne McCann.
The 25-year-old former TOWIE star looked incredible as she posed on a beach wearing a quirky red bikini which suited her figure perfectly.
The top section had a bandeau-style shape and sleeves, while the briefs had sexy tie-sides.
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That's one way to sizzle: Ferne McCann has shared some stunning pictures of herself wearing a red bikini on Instagram, shot by her best pal Sam Faiers
It was Ferne's best mate and former reality co-star Sam Faiers who shot the images, posting one of them herself on her own Instagram page.
In one shot, This Morning star Ferne could be seen in a meditative pose as she sat under a tree, while she played with her hair in another.
A third shot showed her flashing her ample assets as she leaned forward on the sand and pouted for the lens.
Hot to trot: The 25-year-old former TOWIE star looked incredible as she posed on a beach wearing a quirky red bikini which suited her figure perfectly
It's been a busy week for Ferne. As well as stepping out with her new man, she's also had a visit from her former I'm A Celebrity co-star Jorgie Porter.
The pair were pictured going shopping Rodeo Drive together wearing matching shorts for the occasion.
Then last Friday, she sent Twitter wild after she presented her showbiz report on This Morning looking 'smashed.'
The Essex born beauty let slip that she had only had thirty minutes of sleep the night before as she let her hair down in style while partying in Hollywood.
But life is not all plain sailing for Ferne as she revealed on Monday she had suffered an unfortunate incident.
She tweeted: 'Made my lunch this morning. Prepping & that. Now the juice of my salad is in the bottom of my bag.'
They traditionally have the worst aim in the entire galaxy.
But Stormtroopers finally managed to blow Luke Skywalker away on Saturday night with a spot on performance.
The 64-year-old posted a front-row video of Boogie Storm dancing up a frenzy at the Episode VIII wrap Party.
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On point: Mark Hamill was blown away by Boogie Storm at the Star Wars Episode VIII wrap party in London on Saturday
Troll: The actor also sent fans into a frenzy once again as he appeared to hint in an earlier post that he would get killed off in the next film
The Britain's Got Talent finalists were drafted in by Disney to entertain the cast and crew, who had gathered at the Natural History Museum in London to mark the end of filming of the latest Star Wars installment.
'These guys (& girls) were AMAZING! #EPVIIIWrapParty #TheEmpireShakesItsBooty #SexyStormtroopers,' the actor wrote.
Ellie Goulding, who just cancelled an upcoming gig in Latvia due to illness, also performed.
The Force Awakens newbies John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and Oscar Isaac were also in attendance, cropping up here and there on social media.
TheEmpireShakesItsBooty: The 64-year-old posted a front-row video of the Boogie Storm dancing up a frenzy at the shindig
Fitting: The Britain's Got Talent finalists were drafted in by Disney to entertain the cast and crew, who had gathered at the Natural History Museum in London to mark the end of filming of the latest Star Wars installment
Daisy, who plays new Force user Rey, shared a photo of herself with two of the film's camera operators.
'WRAP PARDI!!! Gary and Dave are our camera A and B operators and they are FANTASTIC fantastic humans #notquitewrapped #emotionsemotionsemotions #suchaluckyluckylady #thisdresscouldnotbebettersuitedforagirlwhodanceslikeido,' she wrote.
An earlier post by Hamill sent fans into a frenzy once again as he appeared to hint that he would get killed off in the next film.
'Saying goodbye is hard when you've had the time of your life,' he captioned a shot from the party. 'I can't thank the cast and crew enough, I couldn't have done it without you. Loads of love, mh.'
She made the scene too: The Force Awakens newbies like Daisy Ridley was also in attendance; here she is seen with two crew members
Best in the galaxy: Oscar Isaac, who plays Resistance pilot Poe Dameron, showed up in a fetching hat
Last gig: Ellie Goulding, who just cancelled an upcoming gig in Latvia due to illness, also performed
Commenters immediately speculated the statement meant the Jedi Master would follow fellow New Hoper Han Solo out of the franchise.
The rumours first sprung up last month when Hamill, speaking at a press event, said he would be 'out of work' after Episode VIII wraps.
While some believe the actor may have let slip his fate, many more point out that Hamill is no stranger to trolling fans.
Shortly afterward he tweeted: 'I meant "out of work" because #Ep8 is wrapping soon, OK? #DontOverThinkEVERYTHING #ParsingHamill #WaitForVIII'
'Saying goodbye is hard when you've had the time of your life': Commenters immediately speculated the Hamill's statement meant the Jedi Master would follow fellow New Hoper Han Solo out of the franchise
Now that school's out for the summer Jennifer Garner has plenty of time to spend with her children.
On Tuesday the 44-year-old actress treated her youngest daughter Seraphina to a shopping trip with one of her pals.
The seven-year-old couldn't hide her glee as mom bought her a koala Beanie Baby from a shop in Brentwood, California.
Girls' day! Jennifer Garner treated her daughter Seraphina and a pal to a shopping trip in Brentwood on Tuesday
The Miracles from Heaven star looked great in slim-fit jeans and a white sleeveless sweater with navy stripe.
She wore her long locks loose in a youthful centre-parting and donned stylish sunglasses.
Jennifer checked her messages as she strolled behind the two friends.
Keep up mom! The 44-year-old actress checked her messages as she trolled behind the girls
Simply chic: Garner looked stylish in slim-fit jeans and a white sleeveless top with navy stripe
She also appeared to have picked up a few things for herself as she carried several shopping bags.
The brunette beauty also shares 10-year-old daughter Violet and four-year-old son Samuel with estranged husband Ben Affleck.
It's been just over one year since the two stars announced they were separating after 10 years of marriage.
Since the split, however, neither of them have pushed ahead to a divorce and they are often seen together with their children, enjoying activities as a family.
On a spree! Jen also appeared to have treated herself as she carried several shopping bags
According to People, it is Ben who is dragging his feet and still wants to try and revive their marriage.
'They're still figuring things out,' a source close to Jennifer told the publication. 'Ben still doesn't want the divorce and he might actually get his way.'
This comes after Ben referred to Jennifer as his 'wife' in an appearance on HBO's Any Given Wednesday With Bill Simmons last month, during which he also credited her with resurrecting his career.
Just the girls: Jen also shares 10-year-old Violet and four-year-old Samuel with estranged husband Ben Affleck
There's nothing quite as relaxing than a holiday with a close pal.
And it's fair to say Natasha Oakley and Devin Brugman looked the epitome of relaxed, sun-soaked bliss as they let their hair down during a day on the beach in Miami, on Tuesday afternoon.
Turning heads as they passed by, the gorgeous swimwear bloggers happily flaunted their curves in skimpy beachwear while topping up on their already sun-kissed tans.
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Miami heat! Natasha Oakley looked the epitome of relaxed, sun-soaked bliss as she let her hair down during a day on the beach in Miami, on Tuesday afternoon
Natasha, 25, looked incredible in a black and white two-piece swimsuit, which showed of her lean legs and ample cleavage to perfection.
The sexy bikini top - which boasted a deep V-front and a structured design - flattered her perky bust, and the tie-side briefs were the perfect fit for her pert, bronzed derriere.
In particular, the Australian beautys stomach appeared pancake flat, having reaped the benefits of her healthy lifestyle and love of core exercises.
With her partner in crime: The 25-year-old was joined by BFF Devin Brugman, with the pair happily flaunting their pert posteriors in skimpy beachwear
Beach babe: Natasha, 25, looked incredible in a black and white two-piece swimsuit, which showed of her lean legs and ample cleavage to perfection
Showing what she's got! The sexy bikini top, which boasted a deep V-front, flattered her perky bust, and the tie-side briefs were the perfect fit for her pert, bronzed derriere
Meanwhile, BFF Devin showed off her pin-up girl frame in a skimpy black bikini no doubt from their swimwear range, Monday Swimwear.
The LA beauty put on a busty display in the racy two-piece, which could barely contain her DD-cup size assets.
Her light brunette mane was worn loose and styled into beachy waves, while a stylish pair of black shades protected her eyes against the beaming sun.
The perfect model: Devin showed off her pin-up girl frame in a skimpy black bikini no doubt from their own swimwear range, Monday Swimwear
Hard to miss: The LA beauty put on a busty display in the racy two-piece, which could barely contain her DD-cup size assets
Specs appeal: Her light brunette mane was worn loose and styled into beachy waves, while a stylish pair of black shades protected her eyes against the beaming sun
Once again the popular duo gained a third-wheel on their day out and their third unknown companion was also dressed in a black bikini set.
The swimwear designers are in Florida as they prepare for Miami Swim Week, which begins on Thursday.
Their trip comes after they enjoyed a short jaunt in the UK this week, having returned from the Greek Islands.
Not alone: The popular duo gained a third-wheel on their day out and their third unknown companion was also dressed in a black bikini set
Strike a pose: The girls happily modelled their swimwear as they stopped to pose for pictures
Getting it right: Natasha fussed with her blonde locks as she teased them into submission
She jetted over to Bali last Sunday for her first overseas holiday with boyfriend Tyson Mullane.
And on Tuesday, Pia Miller took some time away from her beau to reunite with close friend and fellow model Lindy Klim and Anna Riches.
The 32-year-old Home And Away star looked effortlessly flawless as she wined and dined with the pair at the popular Katamama Boutique Hotel.
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She's not even trying: Pia Miller (L) looked effortlessly flawless on Tuesday as she wined and dined with fellow model Lindy Klim (R) at the popular Katamama Boutique Hotel in Bali
While wrapping her arm over the booth seat, the mother-of-two dressed to impress as she slipped into a little black dress which featured a high round collar and cut-outs at the chest.
Pia pulled her long chocolate hair over her left shoulder as she wore them out and styled with a natural loose wave.
She flaunted her blemish-free complexion as she kept her makeup natural, opting for a light black brush of mascara and a plum lipstick.
Not a bad day in the office: Before dining out, the 32-year-old shared a bikini-clad photo of herself as she kicked back poolside in a bid to learn her lines for an episode of Home And Away
Throwing one back: In another shot shared on social media, Pia flashed her toned legs as she dressed in a floral skirt, which had a thigh-high split, and an off-the-shoulder top
Lindy also looked stunning on the occasion as she slipped her tanned slender frame into a black flowing top which she tucked into a high-waisted garment.
The fashion designer pulled her brunette hair back and tied them in a rough bun while opting for minimal makeup.
Earlier in the day, Pia took to Instagram to share a bikini-clad photo of herself as she kicked back poolside in a bid to learn her lines for an episode of the Australian soap.
While stretched out on a sun-bed holding an iPad, she dressed in a black Rachel Disalvo bikini top that featured a high collar which tied around her neck.
Hot to trot: Days beforehand, the model now actress flaunted her busty cleavage and incredible figure in a barely-there blue and white patterned bikini that struggled to contain her ample assets
Every bit in love: In another shot, the mother-of-two cuddled up to Tyson in a selfie, with the film producer wrapping his arms around her chest as she smiled with contentment
As her dyed locks fell freely beside her face and over her shoulders, she hid her hazel eyes behind a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses.
'Really awful way to be learning my lines #Katamama @theluxenomad #Pimms,' the brunette beauty captioned the photo.
Days beforehand, the Home And Away star flaunted her busty cleavage and incredible figure in a barely-there blue and white patterned bikini that struggled to contain her ample assets.
In another shot, Pia cuddled up to Tyson in a selfie, with the film producer wrapping his arms around her chest as she smiled with contentment.
He is best known for his role in 1986 classic flick Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
And it looks like Matthew Broderick enjoyed another day away from responsibilities 30 years later thanks to his wife Sarah Jessica Parker.
The 51-year-old Sex And The City star was spotted carrying all the purchases from their trip to the grocery in the Hamptons neighbourhood of New York on Monday.
His day off: Sarah Jessica Parker carried all the purchases from a grocery store run in the Hamptons with husband Matthew Broderick on Monday
Matthew, 54, looked completely relaxed as his loving wife lugged around two large brown bags on the errand trip.
Sarah looked her regular chic self as she showed off her legs in a blue mini dress with a pair of orange flip-flops.
She also wore a baggy white blouse unbuttoned and accessorised with a pair of black designer shades while carrying onto a small blue leather wallet.
Looking good: The 51-year-old actress looked her regular chic self as she showed off her legs in a blue mini dress along with a baggy white blouse and a pair of orange flip-flops
Chill: Matthew, 54, looked completely relaxed in a white shirt with seafoam green shorts and black sandals as his loving wife lugged around two large brown bags on the errand trip
Her highlighted tresses were done up in a messy bun as she let her natural looks show with minimal make-up on her face.
Matthew wore a plain white shirt with seafoam green shorts and sandals.
Sarah can soon be seen once again on the same network as her hit series Sex In The City.
Just weeks ago she took to Instagram to debut the teaser for her upcoming series, Divorce.
She stars alongside Thomas Haden Church, 56, in the clip, which sees her requesting a divorce after her husband has 'had an emotional affair.'
Signature role: Matthew is best known for his work in 1986 classic film Ferris Bueller's Day Off
SJP shared the trailer on her Instagram account, gushing: 'A long time coming. And a great thrill that my friends @hbo allowed me to share with you the official FIRST look and just a wee appetizer of #DivorceonHBO. Coming to @hbo this fall.'
It also stars Molly Shannon, Talia Balsam, Charlie Kilgore, Sterling Jerins, Tracy Letts and Finise Avery.
Divorce - created by Sharon Horgan, star of Amazon comedy Catastrophe - is set to debut on HBO this fall.
Messy: A few weeks ago Sarah shared a trailer for her upcoming HBO series, Divorce
Wherever she goes she turns heads.
And on Tuesday, Devin Brugman once again had all eyes on her as she slipped into one of her many bikinis.
Enjoying some downtime in Miami, the model struggled to support her ample assets in her latest skimpy black swimsuit.
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Double take: Devin Brugman struggled to support her ample assets on Tuesday as she hit the beach in Miami in a black bikini
The garment featured thin straps, which fell over her shoulders and a thick band that wrapped around her chest.
The designer paired the tiny top with matching black Brazilian-style bottoms that flattered her toned derriere.
As she calmly walked through the still sea water, Devin slicked her wet brunette locks back, allowing them to fall freely down her back.
Limiting the support: The garment featured thin straps that fell over her shoulders and a thick band that wrapped around her chest
Showing off: She paired the tiny top with matching black Brazilian-style bottoms that flashed her toned derriere
Keeping it simple: As she calmly walked through the still water, Devin slicked her wet brunette locks back
She also flaunted her blemish-free complexion by opting to go for a makeup free look.
The LA beauty went on to hid her hazel eyes with a pair of black frame sun glasses.
Earlier in the day, Devin was seen fast pacing up and down the dry sandy beachside before posing for photos with best friend Natasha Oakley.
True beauty: She flaunted her blemish-free complexion by going makeup free
Hiding away: The LA beauty went on to hid her hazel eyes with a pair of black frame sun glasses
Rushing to something? Earlier in the day, Devin was seen fast pacing up and down the dry sandy beachside
Despite rocking the beachwear, Devin added a touch of bling with a thin silver chain, which fell around her neck, and multiple bangles that rested on her left wrist.
The swimwear designers are in Florida as they prepare for Miami Swim Week, which begins on Thursday.
Their trip comes after they enjoyed a short jaunt in the UK this week, having returned from the Greek Islands.
North Korea keeping nuclear test site ready: US think tank
Satellite imagery indicates a high-level of activity at North Korea's nuclear test site to ensure the facility is always ready for use on any orders from Pyongyang, a US think-tank said.
The US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University said images from July 7 of the Punggye-ri site show what appear to be supplies and/or equipment stacked next to the North Portal where the North conducted its fourth nuclear test in January.
A small vehicle was also at the nearby support building and several mine ore carts may also be present southeast of the portal, suggesting the tunnel was being actively worked.
Tensions are high since Pyongyang carried out its fourth nuclear test in January, followed by a series of missile launches
"Based on imagery alone, it is not possible to determine whether this activity is for maintenance, excavation or preparation for a fifth nuclear test", it said Monday on its website 38 North.
"Nevertheless, it is clear that North Korea is ensuring that the facility is in a state of readiness that would allow the conduct of future nuclear tests should the order come from Pyongyang," it added.
Tensions are high since Pyongyang carried out its fourth nuclear test in January, followed by a series of missile launches.
Pyongyang on Monday threatened to take "physical action" after Washington and Seoul announced they would deploy a sophisticated US anti-missile defence system.
The North's military said it would take "more merciless and powerful successive corresponding measures" against deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD) in the South.
Pyongyang test-fired what appeared to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile on Saturday, a day after the THAAD announcement.
Also on Monday, the North said it would cut off all diplomatic channels with the US and handle issues related with it under its "wartime law" in protest at sanctions on leader Kim Jong-Un.
The issue of two Americans jailed in the North was "no exception", the North said, indicating it would give up using them as a negotiating card and could treat them harshly.
US State Department spokesman John Kirby on Monday urged Pyongyang to cease the "improper and unjust" detention of the two.
"We call on North Korea to refrain from actions and rhetoric that only further raise tensions in the region", Kirby said at a regular press briefing.
Otto Warmbier, a 21-year-old college student, was sentenced to 15 years' hard labour in March for stealing a propaganda banner from a hotel. Korean-American missionary Kim Dong-Chul is also serving a jail term on charges of subversion and espionage.
The latest sanctions, which described Kim directly responsible for a long list of serious human rights abuses, are the first that name the leader of the isolated, nuclear-armed state.
North Korea's main nuclear test site, where satellite imagery indicates a high-level of activity
North Korea said it would cut off diplomatic channels with the US and handle issues related with it under its "wartime law" in protest at sanctions on leader Kim Jong-Un
Obama heads to Dallas to bring some 'comfort'
US President Barack Obama heads to Dallas on Tuesday to offer comfort to relatives of the five police officers slain in a sniper ambush -- and to try to unify a nation struggling to process a raw week of deadly violence and racial tensions.
For Obama, his speech at an interfaith memorial service in the sprawling Texas city -- with Vice President Joe Biden and former president George W. Bush at his side -- will serve as a monumental leadership test as his presidency winds down.
Eight years ago, Obama's charisma and ability to inspire propelled him to office as America's first black president, and raised hopes that the country would overcome some of its deeply entrenched societal divides.
As the US reeled from the Dallas sniper attack targeting police, US President Barack Obama -- who cut short a trip to Europe so he could head to Texas -- sounded a note of optimism Javier Soriano (AFP)
Even on Saturday, as the country reeled from the Dallas sniper attack targeting police, Obama -- who cut short a trip to Europe so he could head to Texas -- sounded a note of optimism.
"I firmly believe that America is not as divided as some have suggested," he told a news conference at a NATO summit in Warsaw.
"There is sorrow, there is anger, there is confusion... but there is unity."
Soaring words no longer seem enough.
America is all too familiar with armed violence, but the country now finds itself on a new precipice.
From Charleston to Orlando to Dallas, the past year has seen a torrent of slaughter motivated by hate.
The massacres have brought a measure of common revulsion, but not a common purpose, as gun control legislation has remained elusive on Capitol Hill.
"The president recognizes that it's not just people in Dallas who are grieving -- it's people all across the country who are concerned about the violence that so many Americans have witnessed in the last week or so," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday.
"The president is hoping to offer some measure of comfort tomorrow."
- Black and blue lives matter -
Each week seemingly brings a new shaky image of a police officer shooting dead a black American -- images that quickly go viral and revive tough questions about race and policing.
Last week, the controversial fatal police shootings of two black men, Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota, prompted nationwide anger, with thousands of protesters taking to the streets from coast to coast.
They also seemingly triggered the deadly rampage in Dallas by black Afghanistan war veteran Micah Johnson, as a protest against police brutality was wrapping up.
Johnson, 25, used a high-powered rifle to kill five police officers and wound nine others in a sniper attack late Thursday. Two civilians were also hurt.
He told negotiators before he was killed that he wanted to murder white cops in revenge for the black deaths.
Obama has struggled most to tether the twin ghosts of race and guns that have been raised by the Dallas shooting.
"There is no contradiction between us supporting law enforcement... and also saying that there are problems across our criminal justice system, there are biases -- some conscious and unconscious -- that have to be rooted out," Obama said.
"So when people say 'black lives matter,' that doesn't mean blue lives don't matter; it just means all lives matter."
- 'I'd do it again' -
In Dallas, Police Chief David Brown said his department was combing through dozens of hours of video footage to piece together the events of Thursday night.
The chaos ended when police used a bomb robot to kill Johnson.
Brown defended the use of the $150,000 robot, usually deployed for bomb disposal.
"This wasn't an ethical dilemma for me. I'd do it again," Brown said.
Flowers and candles adorn a memorial outside the Dallas Police Headquarters on July 8, 2016 after a gunman opened fire on Dallas officers during a protest against US police brutality, leaving five dead and seven others wounded Laura Buckman (AFP)
Police officers from area departments in and around Dallas pray at a multicurtural prayer vigil on July 10, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. Five Dallas police officers were killed and seven others were injured in an evening ambush during a march against recent police involved shootings Spencer Platt (GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP)
Nauru leader Waqa re-elected
Nauru confirmed Tuesday that the Pacific island nation's leader President Baron Waqa was among 13 lawmakers re-elected in weekend elections.
The Nauru government said there were six newcomers in the 19-seat parliament, which is expected to sit later this week and reappoint Waqa for a second three-year term.
Nauru, about 2,800 kilometres (1,750 miles) northeast of Australia, is the smallest island country in the world, with an area of just 21 square kilometres (eight square miles).
Nauru President Baron Waqa speaks at the United Nations General Assembly in New York Jewel Samad (AFP/File)
One year on, US obstacles blunt hopes from Iran deal
A year ago, a landmark nuclear deal with world powers led jubilant Iranians to dream of an end to isolation and economic hardship, but critics say US obstacles have soured those hopes.
Despite many sanctions being lifted, the international banking system is still too nervous to work with Iran.
At the same time, President Hassan Rouhani faces criticism for over-hyping the economic benefits of the accord as well as fierce opposition from hardliners who reject closer ties with the West.
A year ago, a landmark nuclear deal with world powers led jubilant Iranians to dream of an end to isolation and economic hardship, but critics say US obstacles have soured those hopes Atta Kenare (AFP)
Many in the Islamic republic and beyond trace the problems back to Washington.
"Iran has done its part. The blockage comes from the Americans -- the Europeans should put more pressure on them," said a European diplomat in Tehran, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"There are political leaders in the United States who make Iran out to be the devil and have not understood the goal of this accord," he added.
The deal reached on July 14, 2015 saw the US, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia agree to lift some international sanctions in exchange for guarantees that Iran would not pursue nuclear weapons.
But even after it took effect in January, the US maintained primary sanctions linked to Iran's human rights record and ballistic missile testing -- blocking Tehran from dollar transactions and leaving banks worried they could still be prosecuted for doing business with the country, despite repeated assurances from Washington that they will not.
Oil production has soared back almost to pre-sanctions levels, but Rouhani's hopes of attracting $30-$50 billion in foreign investment each year increasingly look like wishful thinking.
Aside from a 400-million-euro ($441-million) joint venture announced last month between France's Peugeot-Citroen and its old partner Iran Khodro, investments have been slow to materialise despite a rush of business delegations.
Planned sales of hundreds of Airbus and Boeing planes are stalled, with Republicans in Washington doing their utmost to derail the deals.
"The accord opened up the possibility (of working in Iran), but it's still complicated to get concrete results due to financing problems," said Romain Keraval, head of Business France's Tehran office.
- 'Intense fight for power' -
Hardliners are having a field day with the meagre results, using the media to press home a narrative that the nuclear deal will not benefit ordinary citizens.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who supported the deal in order to end sanctions, continues to emphasise a "resistance economy" aimed at boosting domestic production and warns against Western "infiltration" through the agreement.
"There is a very intense fight for power happening," said the European diplomat.
"The hardliners are doing everything they can to impede Rouhani's efforts to improve relations with the world. They see it as leading to more foreigners coming to Iran and 'spoiling' the country from within."
Many see the continued US sanctions as proof that Washington never wanted a real reset in relations, and only saw the nuclear deal as another way to manipulate Iran.
"The US used this deal to put more pressure on us, trying to make us change our behaviour in the Middle East or give up our ties with (Lebanese militia) Hezbollah," said Amir Mohebbian, a Tehran-based political analyst with ties to politicians of all hues.
"History has taught us we should not trust the United States."
Conservatives are at least taking heart from the chaos engulfing Western politics -- from the divisive rise of Donald Trump in the US to Britain's dramatic decision to leave the EU.
"They won't be able to gather together against us as they did in the past, especially when we are showing them a new face of flexibility," said Mohebbian.
- 'A lot of work to do' -
Rouhani faces a tough re-election bid next year, and with 11 percent of Iranians out of work, his advisors have been pleading for patience.
"Sanctions had become a very big obstacle in the path of Iran's economy, but removing them was not by itself going to be the sole engine of economic growth," said Said Leylaz, an analyst close to the president.
"We have a lot of work to do."
But for all the challenges, analysts remain bullish on Iran's longer-term prospects.
"Pent-up demand, a youthful population, a skilled workforce, and a strong hydrocarbon and consumer story all make Iran one of the most positive and relatively well-balanced economic growth stories in the Middle East over the next decade," wrote BMI Research, a London-based consultancy.
A report it published on July 7 predicts an annual growth rate of 5-6 percent over that period.
A shopkeeper waits for customers at Tehran's ancient Grand Bazaar, on July 11, 2016 Atta Kenare (AFP)
President Hassan Rouhani faces criticism for over-hyping economic benefits of Iran's landmark nuclear deal with the world powers - (Iranian Presidency/AFP/File)
Tibet 'consensus' slammed by rights group
A rights group on Tuesday slammed foreign representatives for attending a Chinese government-organised forum in Tibet that claimed international support for a "Lhasa Consensus" on economic development in the mainly Buddhist region.
Chinese state media said that "130 guests from over 30 countries and regions" agreed "Tibet will have a bright future!" at a two-day meeting in the regional capital.
The official Xinhua news agency said the document stressed the ruling Communist Party's traditional view that economic development was Tibet's most important task, adding that growth should be environmentally friendly.
More than 140 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 in protest against Beijing's rule
"Cultural preservation with development is the best way to carry Tibet's outstanding traditional culture forward," the Consensus reportedly said.
It made no reference to the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader and a Nobel laureate.
Beijing says its troops "peacefully liberated" Tibet in 1951 and insists it has since brought development to a previously backward region where serfs were exploited.
But many Tibetans accuse officials of repressing their religion and eroding their culture, adding that natural resources are exploited to benefit China's ethnic Han majority at the expense of the environment.
More than 140 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 in protest against Beijing's rule. Most have died.
The US-based International Campaign for Tibet slammed the forum as a whitewash of political repression and environmental damage in the Himalayan region.
"Instead of seeking to protect this fragile high-altitude environment, China is building multiple dams on all the major rivers running off the plateau, devastating the landscape with large-scale copper, gold, silver and lithium mining, and intensifying urbanisation," it said in a statement.
"It is astonishing that foreign individuals representing respectable institutions would endorse Beijing propaganda, while hundreds of Tibetan political prisoners are still in jail for expressing their views," said Matteo Mecacci, the group's president.
Beijing restricts access to Tibet by foreign journalists and non-governmental organisations more strictly than any other area, and a German lawmaker was refused a Chinese visa in May after he criticised rights violations in the region, Berlin said.
The full list of international participants in the forum was not available. Xinhua indicated that a representative of the New York-based Asia Society attended, alongside "researchers" from Italy and South Africa, and reporters from Indian, Russian and Thai media.
AFP and other major Western media outlets were not invited.
China's State Council Information Office, which organised the event with the regional government, said on Twitter: "For those questioning: are foreign journalists allowed to visit Tibet? Friends are always welcomed."
Jennifer Lopez, Miranda release Orlando tribute
US pop diva Jennifer Lopez and Broadway superstar Lin-Manuel Miranda on Monday put out a musical tribute to victims of the Orlando nightclub attack, with proceeds going to charity.
"Love Make the World Go Round" is tinged with an uptempo synthpop beat and resilient messages, such as when Lopez sings, "Those who hate us and fear us cannot keep us down."
Lopez and Miranda, who had teased the song a week ago, performed it on NBC's "Today" show on a brilliant New York summer day to fans outside Rockefeller Center.
'Hamilton' creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jennifer Lopez perform 'Love Will Make The World Go Round', their tribute to the victims of the June 11 gun attack in Orlando, live near New York's Rockefeller Plaza, on July 11, 2016 Timothy A. Clary (AFP)
The pair, who will also play on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on Tuesday night, put the song on sale over iTunes.
The title of "Love Make the World Go Round" comes from a Tony Awards acceptance speech by Miranda, who has created one of Broadway's biggest hits in years with "Hamilton."
Miranda acted for the last time in the trailblazing hip-hop musical on Saturday, with the cast's final performance attended by celebrities ranging from Lopez to filmmaker Spike Lee to US Secretary of State John Kerry.
Lopez and Miranda are both of Puerto Rican origin. Many of the victims of the June 12 attack were also Hispanic.
Forty-nine people were killed and another 53 injured when gunman Omar Mateen attacked the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando.
The mass shooting was the deadliest in modern US history.
Proceeds from the song will go to the Hispanic Foundation's Somos Orlando fund, which will provide mental health services to survivors.
Lopez also took part in a more mournful charity song, "Hands," which came out last week and features a range of stars including Gwen Stefani, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige and Imagine Dragons.
Israel passes law seen as targeting left-wing NGOs
Israel's parliament has adopted a law seen as targeting left-wing groups critical of the government by forcing NGOs that receive most of their funding from foreign states to declare it.
The new law was criticised by the European Union, which said on Tuesday it risked "undermining" values that the EU and Israel shared.
Rights groups allege the law violates free speech and say it will apply mainly to left-wing NGOs in a bid to unfairly discredit them as tools of foreign governments.
The Israeli parliament has finalised a controversial law compelling NGOs receiving most of their funding from foreign state entities to declare it in official reports Marco Longari (AFP/File)
Supporters of the law, promoted by right-wing politicians and passed in a 57-48 vote late Monday following a lengthy debate, say it will bring needed transparency.
"The law wishes to deal with the phenomenon of NGOs which represent foreign interests of foreign states, while acting under the cover of local organisations seeking to serve the interests of the Israeli public," it says.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who heads what is seen as the most right-wing government in Israel's history, defended the law and said it was necessary.
The law's goal was "to prevent an absurd situation in which foreign states meddle in Israel's internal affairs by funding NGOs without the Israeli public being aware of it," he said.
"Unlike the left's claims, the law's approval will increase transparency, contribute to creating a discourse that reflects Israeli public opinion, and will strengthen democracy," he wrote on his Facebook page after the final vote.
The law will compel the relevant groups to report their main source of income to the NGO registrar, publish it on their websites and state it in relevant publications.
It will be applicable to some 27 NGOs -- 25 of which are identified with the left, according to Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
The law does not specifically refer to left-wing organisations, but such groups often receive large percentages of their funding from abroad, including from European governments.
Right-wing NGOs, such as those supporting Israel's occupation of the West Bank, tend to rely on private donations, to which the law does not apply.
- 'Chilling effect' -
Earlier versions of the law had included the requirement that representatives of applicable NGOs wear identifying tags and declare their funding sources when speaking before a parliamentary committee. That requirement was eventually removed.
The European Union joined rights groups in expressing concern.
"The reporting requirements imposed by the new law go beyond the legitimate need for transparency and seem aimed at constraining the activities of these civil society organisations working in Israel," the EU said in a statement.
"Israel enjoys a vibrant democracy, freedom of speech and a diverse civil society which are an integral part of the values which Israel and the EU both hold dear. This new legislation risks undermining these values."
The US embassy has previously expressed concerns over the "chilling effect" the legislation could have.
Israeli opposition head Isaac Herzog said ahead of the vote that the law represents "the buds of fascism blooming in Israel".
Peace Now, a prominent settlement watchdog NGO, called the law "a blatant violation of freedom of expression" and said it planned to challenge it before the country's supreme court.
"Tailored specifically to target only peace and human rights organisations, its true intention is to divert the Israeli public discourse away from the occupation and to silence opposition to the government's policies," the group said in a statement.
Human Rights Watch said: "If the Israeli government were truly concerned about transparency, it would require all NGOs to actively alert the public to their sources of funding, not just those that criticise the government's policies."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the law's goal is "to prevent an absurd situation, in which foreign states meddle in Israel's internal affairs by funding NGOs, without the Israeli public being aware of it" Gali Tibbon (AFP/File)
11,000 Ivorian refugees in Ghana still afraid to go home
Five years after the return of peace to Ivory Coast, 11,000 Ivorian refugees living in Ghana are still afraid to go home despite an upbeat economic climate in the world's top cocoa producer.
While the international community deems it safe for those involved in a decade of trouble to return, Ange-Pelagie Baya told AFP: "We would prefer to die of hunger rather than go back."
On Tuesday, a UN refugee agency-brokered meeting opens in Abidjan to prepare for the return of all the Ivorians who fled the bloody post-electoral violence that erupted in 2010-11.
People go about their business at a camp of Ivorian refugees in the Ghanian town of Ampan, in 2011 Sia Kambou (AFP/File)
Ivory Coast's social cohesion minister Mariatou Kone has pledged that "no-one would be arrested on their return" and indicated a possible amnesty for those opposed at the time to current President Alassane Ouattara.
But of the 11,000 Ivorian refugees in Ghana, only four have officially returned since Kone visited Accra in May.
Ouattara won a second mandate in October on pledges of restoring longtime stability following the troubled 2010 elections which saw him compete against former strongman Laurent Gbagbo.
Gbagbo now is behind bars on trial in The Hague following the deaths of some 3,000 in post-election violence in 2010-2011.
In Ghana's Central Region, the 2,200 refugees at the Egyeikrom camp, all of them Gbagbo supporters, are adamant they cannot return.
"We can't go back as long as the (Ouattara) regime remains," said Baya.
- Budget cuts -
Baya doesn't recognise Ouattara's legitimacy as president, labelling him a "rebel" and a "foreigner".
Yet she admits life as a refugee is harsh. "We don't have anything here, just a bit of work in the fields during harvest time."
Food distribution to the refugees was stopped in November and only three percent of the aid promised by donors to the UNHCR has been allocated since the start of the year.
"The donors would rather invest in the country, given that the situation in Ivory Coast is stabilising," said the UNHCR spokesman in Ghana, Nii Ako Sowa.
With growth at eight percent last year, Ivory Coast, Ghana's neighbour to the west, is no longer a priority for aid.
But for the groups representing the Ivorian diaspora, the budget cuts have been brutal and are seen as a way of forcing the poorest refugees to return home.
Leon-Emmanuel Monnet, a former member of Gbagbo's Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) in exile in Accra, said the promises of reconciliation were a smokescreen and Kone's visit "a publicity stunt".
According to the UNHCR, more than two-thirds of the 300,000 Ivorians who fled in 2010 to Ghana, Guinea or Liberia are no longer registered.
Yet last year there were only 10 official returns from Ghana. Diaspora groups say many have gone to north Africa or Europe.
- Reprisal fears -
In reality, no-one really knows where they are. Besides some risk being considered as traitors if they return home.
"Refugees leave the country unofficially and this is a problem, since we don't have any record of their return and don't know how they reintegrate," said Ghana Refugee Board (GRB) regional coordinator Charles Yorke.
"We've organised 'go-and-see, come-and-tell' missions. But when they come back and say things are going OK, they (the refugees) don't believe them."
Monnet for instance said the fact that Simone Gbagbo, the former president's wife, was on trial in Abidjan, was proof they could not expect to go home and stay out of trouble.
"There is no process of reconciliation or justice -- unless you're talking about victors' justice," he said.
In Egyeikrom, near the town of Elmina, Jean-Louis Zougbo has lived in dire poverty in a UNHCR tent for five years.
In Ivory Coast he was a pastor from the FPI stronghold of Guiberoua some 300 kilometres (190 miles) northwest of Abidjan and headed a civilian militia.
He played a small part in the conflict but fears reprisal attacks if one day he has to go back to his home region. "I'm a nobody. If I disappear, if I go home and am killed, no-one will know."
"Only one side is being targeted and everyone else is considered blameless, which isn't right, isn't just," he said.
Ivorian minister of Social Cohesion Mariatou Kone speaks during an interview with AFP, in Abidjan, in May 2016 Issouf Sanogo (AFP/File)
Singapore jails four Bangladeshis for terrorist financing
Singapore on Tuesday sentenced four Bangladeshis to between two and five years jail after they pleaded guilty to raising money for an alleged Islamist terror plot in their home country.
Muslim-majority Bangladesh has seen a spate of brutal attacks on secular bloggers and religious minorities recently, with gunmen killing 20 hostages -- mainly foreigners -- at an upmarket restaurant in the capital Dhaka earlier this month. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State group.
District Judge Kessler Soh said in handing down the sentences that terrorism presents a "threat not just to our community but the international community at large".
Armoured police vehicles transport four Bangladeshis prosecuted under a Singaporean anti-terror law to the State court in Singapore on July 12, 2016 Roslan Rahman (AFP)
Court documents said the men contributed, collected or possessed funds for the alleged plot ranging from Sg$60 ($44) to Sg$1,360 to help fund a terror campaign in their homeland.
"Terrorism financing and any act of supporting terrorism must be roundly condemned and deterred," the judge said.
Ringleader Rahman Mizanur, 31, was jailed for five years. Two others were each jailed for two-and-a-half years and the fourth man got two years.
The four, the first suspects to be prosecuted in Singapore under a new anti-terror law, were brought to court with their hands and feet shackled and under heavy security by members of the city's elite Gurkha unit.
State prosecutors said the group formed an organisation called the Islamic State of Bangladesh (ISB) which also planned to overthrow the Bangladeshi government "by means of an armed struggle in order to establish part of the caliphate in Bangladesh".
Prosecutors also said that the men formed the ISB "with a view to eventually joining up with" the Islamic State group.
Group leader Mizanur had tried several times to join the IS group in Syria but could not get the required visas to Turkey or Algeria, court documents showed.
Bangladesh denies IS has made inroads in the country, blaming attacks on homegrown extremist groups.
The men's actions, including meeting in parks to plan and recruit, "show that the offences... were premeditated and carefully planned over a period of time", the prosecutors said.
Singapore's interior ministry had earlier said that items seized from the men included manuals on bomb-making and how to use a 0.50 calibre sniper rifle, along with a list of Bangladesh government and military officials targeted for attack.
Most of the men had been working in the construction sector in Singapore, which depends heavily on Bangladeshi and other foreign workers.
The four defended themselves during the trial as they were unable to afford their own counsel and people accused with terrorist financing do not qualify for legal aid from the state.
They were among a second group of Bangladeshis rounded up in Singapore since 27 were arrested in late 2015, also over alleged plots in their homeland. All from the first group have since been deported.
Two from the second group have cases still pending and two others have yet to be charged but are detained under a law which allows for detention without trial.
Rare Indian rhinos face growing threat from poachers
As night falls over the lush plains of India's Kaziranga national park, a small group of lightly armed forest guards sets out on foot to protect the world's largest population of one-horned rhinos.
These men with their ageing rifles and small plastic torches are on the front line of the battle against increasingly sophisticated international poaching networks that prey on the rare animals, entering the park under cover of darkness to kill them for their horns.
A decade ago, India had all but declared victory over poaching in Kaziranga, a 430-square-kilometre (166-square-mile) protected area of forest in the northeastern state of Assam that is home to around 2,500 rhinos.
Recent years have seen an alarming upsurge in the slaughter of one-horned rhinos, whose horn is highly prized in neighbouring China and in Vietnam Biju Boro (AFP)
But recent years have seen an alarming upsurge in the slaughter of the animals, whose horn is highly prized in neighbouring China and in Vietnam.
At least a dozen rhinos have been poached in Kaziranga in the first six months of this year, more than twice the number killed in the whole of 2006.
"The poaching network has become more systematic, stronger, more efficient," said Amit Sharma, senior coordinator for rhino conservation at WWF India, who blames a surge in demand that has seen prices top $100,000 per kilo for the final product.
"The value of a horn has shot up like anything, that is why people are ready to risk their lives," he added.
Park rangers say they are woefully under-equipped to deal with the modern, sophisticated weapons used by the poachers, including AK47s and night-vision goggles.
Many of the myriad insurgent groups operating in India's restive northeast are involved in the trade, which passes through the neighbouring state of Nagaland into Myanmar before being smuggled to China.
The issue is hugely emotive in Assam, where the rhino is both a source of pride and a big tourist draw.
It hit global headlines in April, when a rhino was poached on the very day that Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate visited the national park.
"Many years ago you would see rhinos everywhere around here," said local villager Damayanti Chhetri. "The poachers have no heart."
Local people are a vital source of information for the park rangers, providing tip-offs about upcoming poaching raids.
But some are also in the pay of the poachers, who rely on their knowledge of the local terrain, according to one senior forest official.
"Locals know every corner of the park. Huge money is involved. It is a risky job, and still they do it," said the official.
- Shoot on sight -
The risks are high: Kaziranga's forest guards have the right to shoot suspected poachers on sight, and dozens have been killed over the last decade.
The policy is controversial, but they argue it is justified as no one is allowed to enter the park without permission.
"If we see someone, without any enquiry we can shoot. We will presume that he is a poacher," said one guard who had killed a suspected poacher.
Two years ago Dipen Sawra, a 35-year-old father of two, failed to return home after a forest guard offered him work cutting firewood. He was later found dead with a bullet wound to the head.
"They were good friends, he (the guard) used to come and drink tea with us here," his father Vikari Sawra told AFP at the family's small mud and straw home.
"We never thought something like this would happen," he said.
The family say they never received a death certificate or the results of the post-mortem. The guard was arrested on a murder charge, but was later released, and his case is still pending.
"I'm old, I can't work, and I have no money for lawyers," said Vikari Sawra. "I lost my most precious thing and I have no money to fight a case."
- Cover-up -
Assam's new forests minister Pramila Rani Brahma told AFP in Guwahati that local poverty was fuelling the trade in rhino horn.
But she has also ordered an investigation into forest officials suspected of collusion with the poachers.
Last month she suspended Kaziranga's director after he failed to inform her a rhino had been killed while she visited the park.
A few weeks earlier, police arrested two forest guards on suspicion of covering up poaching after the corpse of a rhino was found buried in the park, its horn removed.
WWF India's Sharma does not believe park authorities are complicit in the trade, but says the pressure they are under may be leading them to cover up incidents of poaching.
Meanwhile conviction rates are woefully low. Even when suspects are caught, they often get bail, leaving them free to reoffend.
To help police secure convictions, WWF India is working with the Assam government to set up a rhino DNA database -- a system already used in South Africa. Traffickers may be identified by evidence left when they handle the horns.
"Every rhino has a fingerprint in form of DNA," said Sharma. "In court it's going to be very easy to convict (with DNA evidence)."
But for him, the priority should be to provide the struggling forest guards with better equipment.
"The backbone on which we are trying to save our rhinos needs to be strengthened," he said.
"They are our footsoldiers, without them we cannot protect our rhinos."
Indian rhinos threatened by poaching Ernie AU, Martin MEGINO , Gal ROMA (AFP)
Rangers with their ageing rifles and small plastic torches are on the front line of the battle against increasingly sophisticated international poaching networks that prey on the rare rhinos, entering the park under cover of darkness to kill them for their horns Biju Boro (AFP)
A rescued male rhino calf is fed a bottle of milk by an Indian animal keeper at Kaziranga National Park, some 250km east of Guwahati Biju Boro (AFP)
South China Sea: facts on a decades-long dispute
An international court on Tuesday delivered a damning verdict against China in a Philippine challenge over Beijing-occupied territory in the South China Sea.
China claims most of the sea, even waters approaching neighbouring countries, based on a vaguely defined "nine-dash-line" found on a 1940s Chinese map. The Philippines, and other countries, dispute this claim.
Commentators say the 3 million square kilometres (1.2 million square miles) of water are a potential flashpoint for regional conflict.
China has been involved in a massive land reclaimation project on Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands Ritchie B. Tongo (Pool/AFP/File)
Here are six key questions about the sea and the issues around it.
- What's there and who's disputing it?
It's mostly empty, and hundreds of the small islands, islets and rocks are not naturally able to support human settlement. Significant chains include the Paracels in the north, and the Spratlys in the south.
But everyone surrounding the sea -- Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, tiny Brunei, Taiwan and, most significantly, China -- lay claim to some part of it.
- If there's nothing there, why is there any dispute?
Scientists believe that the seabed could contain unexploited oil, gas and minerals, which would be a boon to any country that can establish their claims to the region's waters, especially in resource-hungry Asia. It's also home to abundant fisheries that feed growing populations.
But the sea's key value is strategic. Shipping lanes vital to world trade pass through it, carrying everything from raw materials to finished products, as well as enormous quantities of oil.
Beijing views the South China Sea as its own backyard, a place where it is entitled to free, uninterrupted rein and where its growing navy should be able to operate unhampered.
- How have these disputes been playing out?
For years, claimants have been building up the tiny reefs and islets to bolster their claims to ownership. China's land-reclamation programme has been particularly aggressive.
Satellite pictures now show inhabited islands where there was once only submerged coral and many have multiple facilities, including some with runways long enough for huge planes.
Beijing insists its intent is peaceful but the US and others suspect China is trying to assert its sovereignty claims and say that it could pose threats to the free passage of ships.
Washington says the waters are international and regularly sends its warships there on so-called "Freedom of Navigation" missions.
China says these missions are provocations and warns the US not to interfere. It regularly stages its own exercises in the area as a show of force.
- What happened on Tuesday ?
A five-member UN-backed tribunal of maritime affairs experts in The Hague ruled that China has no historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the so-called "nine-dash-line".
The tribunal further found that artificial islands that China has been furiously building over recent years do not have the 200 nautical mile "exclusive economic zone" (EEZ) enjoyed by inhabited land, effectively further shrinking areas of sea that China claims.
It said China had behaved unlawfully and damaged the environment.
Its decision cannot be appealed although the tribunal and the PCA have no means to enforce the verdict.
Manila and its allies -- including the United States -- say China will nevertheless be bound by the ruling.
But Beijing has said from the start that the tribunal is invalid and has boycotted its proceedings.
- What's likely to happen now?
Although China immediately dismissed the verdict, saying it "does not accept and does not recognise" the ruling, the decision is likely to embolden other neighbours.
"In the short-term, many other countries which have competing claims will no doubt wait to see how China responds." said Don Rothwell, a leading law of the sea expert at the Australian National University.
"But if they are not satisfied with China's response, there are certainly grounds that are within this decision which would encourage other countries which have disputes with China over their maritime entitlements to take similar action."
Other experts have said China may choose to withdraw from the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, or begin building on Scarborough Shoal, a fishing ground within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone that it seized control of in 2012.
China could also declare an air defence identification zone over the sea, claiming the right to interrogate aircraft passing through the airspace.
Or it could seek to defuse tensions with the Philippines and enter into direct negotiations.
Yanmei Xie, China analyst for the International Crisis Group, said she expected to see "a continuation of the chest thumping weve seen especially from the China side. It will continually denounce... and refuse to accept the ruling.
"I expect escalation of the war of words is definitely likely. It cannot be ruled out there would be physical escalation as well."
Activists protest outside the Chinese consulate in Manila ahead of a UN tribunal ruling on the legality of China's claims to an area of the South China Sea contested by the Philippines Ted Aljibe (AFP)
Hong Kong tycoon Thomas Kwok freed on bail
Hong Kong property tycoon Thomas Kwok was granted bail Tuesday, clearing the path to appeal his graft conviction over a high-profile cash for favours scandal.
Kwok was jailed in 2014 over a series of payments totaling HK$8.5 million (US$1.1 million) to the city's former deputy leader Rafael Hui, who was also convicted on graft charges.
The case shocked the city and deepened anger over cosy ties between officialdom and big business.
Hong Kong property tycoon Thomas Kwok (C) was jailed in 2014 over a series of payments totaling HK$8.5 mn to the city's former deputy leader Rafael Hui Philippe Lopez (AFP/File)
"Leave is granted," chief justice Geoffrey Ma said in the southern Chinese city's Court of Final Appeal Tuesday.
Kwok was released on a HK$10 million cash bail after his lawyers described him to be "exceptional" in character and said there was no risk he would abscond.
The appeal hearing date was set for May 9, 2017.
"It's been a while since I've had such a big smile. My family, friends and myself are extremely grateful," Kwok's son Adam told reporters outside the courthouse.
Kwok, who has served about 18 months of his five-year sentence, lost a bid in a lower court in March last year to be released on bail.
Hui, the city's former Chief Secretary for Administration, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years on five graft charges, making him the highest-ranking official in the city's history to be found guilty of taking bribes.
During a seven-month jury trial, the prosecution said Hui was made the "eyes and ears" in government for Sun Hung Kai, the city's biggest property developer that was headed by Kwok, while he enjoyed an extravagant standard of living.
Hong Kong is seen as relatively corruption-free -- it was ranked the joint 18th cleanest country or territory in 2015 by watchdog Transparency International.
The case fuelled anger at what locals call "collusion" between government and businesses, with many young Hong Kongers struggling with a lack of opportunity amid soaring property prices.
Ceasefire holding in South Sudan's capital
A fragile ceasefire appeared to be holding in South Sudan's capital Juba after four days of gun battles that have left hundreds of people dead and sent nearly 40,000 fleeing.
It was too early to tell on Tuesday whether the ceasefire called by both President Salva Kiir and his longtime opponent Vice President Riek Machar would last, but the lull allowed civilians to leave their homes.
There were no helicopter gunships in the sky, no tanks on the streets, no artillery barrages and soldiers in their machine gun-mounted pick-up trucks appeared to have stayed in their barracks.
Displaced residents take shelter at the UN compound in Tomping area in Juba, South Sudan, on July 11, 2016 Beatrice Mategwa (UNMISS/AFP)
The calm was welcomed by Juba residents who have mostly stayed indoors for days as fighting intensified between Kiir's government forces and former rebels loyal to Machar.
"The situation is quiet near the airport," said local resident August Mayai. "There are people in the streets."
Traders returning to once-busy markets found their shops and stalls looted.
Volunteers and officials from South Sudan's Red Cross set about the grim task of collecting bodies of the dead.
There has been no estimate so far of civilian or military casualties from the heavy clashes Sunday and Monday but Adama Dieng, the United Nations' Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide, said some civilians "were reportedly targeted based on their ethnicity."
Kiir is from the Dinka tribe and Machar is a Nuer. South Sudan's civil war has been characterised by ethnic massacres between the two groups -- including in Juba -- as well as rape, sexual slavery, murder and the use of child soldiers.
- UN sounds alarm on aid -
The head of the UN food agency said 75 percent of the population needed humanitarian aid after the fighting, adding that the World Food Programme had "over 2,000 people taking shelter inside our compound with our staff".
"Three quarters of the population of South Sudan is in need of humanitarian assistance," WFP chief Ertharin Cousin told AFP in Amman.
"This latest conflict is going to push even more people into hunger and despair," she warned.
The recent fighting began in earnest on Friday evening -- killing over 300 soldiers that day alone, according to government estimates -- then paused on Saturday, the country's fifth anniversary of independence.
Intense fighting resumed on Sunday.
The violence has raised fears of a return to the civil war that broke out in December 2013.
An August 2015 peace deal was supposed to end the conflict but has so far failed to do so, despite the return of rebel leader Machar in April to join a government of national unity alongside his enemy Kiir.
On Monday evening Kiir and then Machar both ordered ceasefires after a chorus of condemnation from the United Nations, regional bloc IGAD, the United States and others.
- 'Anything can happen' -
Despite the pause in fighting Juba remains on tenterhooks.
"We are on the lookout because anything can happen," said one resident who did not want to be named. "We've had the same situation before: we thought it was going to be fine, and it wasn't."
Rashid Abdi, an analyst at the International Crisis Group think tank in Nairobi, shared that scepticism.
"Any cessation of fighting activities, even for a day, is welcome," he said. "But whether the ceasefire will hold is another discussion."
The impact of the days of violence on an already weak and scarcely implemented peace deal remains to be seen.
At least 36,000 people have fled their homes in Juba since Friday, according to UN figures, with many heading for United Nations bases seeking refuge.
But even there they were not safe, with the UN saying eight people were killed and 67 injured at so-called "Protection of Civilian" sites since Sunday.
Two Chinese peacekeepers were also killed and others wounded.
International flights to Juba were still suspended on Tuesday morning, although some private charter flights were able to evacuate foreigners and aid workers.
South Sudan has seen more fighting than peace since independence in July 2011, with clashes continuing even after the August 2015 peace deal.
Tens of thousands have died in the violence, with close to three million forced from their homes and nearly five million surviving on emergency food rations.
The humanitarian crisis has unfolded alongside an economic one with the currency collapsing and inflation spiralling out of control. The country's mainstay oil industry is in tatters and regional towns have been razed.
Map of South Sudan locating the capital Juba, site of three days of deadly clashes between the army and former rebels - (AFP Graphic)
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir answers questions during a press conference in Juba, on July 8, 2016 Charles Atiki Lomodong (AFP/File)
Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) soldiers sit on the ground at a containment site on the outskirts of Juba, in April 2016 Charles Lomodong (CDS/AFP/File)
China censors 'crush talk of beetle named after President Xi'
Chinese censors have stepped in to crush underfoot talk of a newfound beetle species named after President Xi Jinping, reports said Tuesday -- to the dismay of its loyal discoverer.
The Rhyzodiastes (Temoana) xii was identified in China's southern island province of Hainan by Cheng-Bin Wang, a Chinese national affiliated with the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague.
In peer-reviewed animal taxonomy journal Zootaxa he declared: "The specific epithet is dedicated to Dr Xi Jin-Ping, the President of the People's Republic of China, for his leadership making our motherland stronger and stronger."
Chinese national Cheng-Bin Wang told AFP that he greatly admired President Xi's actions in China, and saw the newfound beetle as a symbol of the Communist chief's achievements Michal Cizek (AFP/File)
His eight-page paper, published last month, described his find in minute detail, including the "lustrous" sheen of its body and its "genital segment... with handle moderately long and narrowly rounded at tip".
Wang told AFP that he greatly admired Xi's actions in China, and saw the beetle as a symbol of the Communist chief's achievements.
"The Rhyzodiastes (Temoana) is very rare -- you might not encounter a single one even after 10 field collection sessions -- and it also eats rotten wood for food," he said in an email.
"So it's a metaphor for Xi Jinping, a rare person you only encounter once a century, and specifically his controls on corruption (eating rot), which will allow Chinese corruption to gradually disappear," he explained.
But Chinese censors have ordered the internet wiped clean of references to Wang's bug, the China Digital Times said.
The US-based website, which tracks censorship in China, cited authorities telling media: "All websites find and delete the article 'Entomologists Report: Scholars Use 'Daddy Xi' to Name a New Type of Beetle' and related information."
"Daddy Xi", or "Xi Dada", is an avuncular nickname for the president that was once pushed in official propaganda but has since been downplayed.
A search for the beetle's Chinese name on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo social media platform Tuesday yielded only a message stating that no search results could be shown due to "relevant laws and policies".
The "xii" beetle is not the first new species to be named after a head of state. A trapdoor spider discovered in 2012 was named Aptostichus barackobamai after US President Barack Obama, while a sea slug found in 1999 was named the Mandelia mirocornata for former South African president Nelson Mandela.
Wang was distraught at the censorship, saying: "Hello! Beloved President Xi! This is a rare beetle! The name of the species will exist forever! A tremendous honour!"
Beijing fury as tribunal rejects South China Sea claims
Beijing furiously rejected an international tribunal ruling Tuesday that rendered its claims in the South China Sea invalid and dealt a devastating diplomatic blow to its ambitions in the resource-rich region.
China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the strategically vital waters, despite rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbours, most notably the Philippines.
But on Tuesday a UN-backed tribunal in The Hague -- the Permanent Court of Arbitration -- ruled that China has no historic rights to the area.
A Filipino activist holds a Philippine flag on a ship while a Chinese coast guard ship sails by at the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea
Manila -- which had lodged the suit against Beijing -- welcomed the decision, as China, having boycotted the proceedings, said it "neither accepts nor recognises" the ruling.
"The award is null and void and has no binding force," China's foreign ministry said on its website, reiterating its territorial claims.
President Xi Jinping said the islands have been Chinese territory since ancient times and Beijing will not accept any action based on the decision, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
The Asian giant's Ambassador to the Netherlands Wu Ken was meanwhile quoted by Xinhua as saying "today is 'black Tuesday for The Hague" and that "the ruling "dishonours international law".
China's claims, which include waters approaching neighbouring countries, are based on a vaguely defined "nine-dash-line" found on a 1940s Chinese map.
The row has embroiled the United States, which has deployed aircraft carriers and a host of other vessels to assert freedom of navigation in the waters -- through which one-third of the global oil trade passes.
China says that its fishermen have visited the area for centuries, but the PCA tribunal said that under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Beijing had no exclusive control of it.
Any historic rights were "extinguished" when it signed up to UNCLOS, it said, and there was "no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the 'nine-dash line'," it said.
Crucially, it ruled that none of the Spratlys, a chain of outcrops in the south of the sea, were "islands" under the meaning of UNCLOS, and thus whoever had sovereignty over them -- an issue it did not address -- was not entitled to 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of their own.
Some sea areas were therefore definitely in the Philippines' EEZ, it said, as they were "not overlapped by any possible entitlement of China".
China had violated the Philippines' sovereign rights in its EEZ and the artificial islands Beijing has been furiously building in recent years -- reshaping the area in an effort to bolster its claim -- have inflicted severe environmental damage, it added.
- 'Branded as an outlaw' -
The damning decision was "as unfavourable to China as it can be", said Yanmei Xie, China analyst for the International Crisis Group.
The award by the five-member panel -- chaired by a Ghanaian -- "overwhelmingly favours the Philippines -- a huge win," said M. Taylor Fravel of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
China has consistently said the tribunal does not have jurisdiction on the issue and Xinhua reported the ruling under the headline: "Law-abusing tribunal issues ill-founded award".
In Washington, the State Department said the ruling was an "important contribution" to resolving regional disputes and should be seen as "final and legally binding".
China is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and has been seeking a greater role on the global diplomatic stage, and will not want to be seen as a violator of international law.
But how the decision could be enforced remains open to question, Richard Heydarian, a political analyst at De La Salle University in Manila, told AFP.
Xinhua cited Foreign Minister Wang Yi as saying China would remain committed to peaceful settlement of disputes through consultation and negotiation.
- 'Tough reaction' -
Beijing has held naval drills between the Paracels and the southern Chinese island of Hainan in recent days, while US Pacific Command said on Twitter that the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan had launched flight operations to support "security, stability" in the South China Sea.
Bonnie Glaser of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies told AFP: "I expect a very tough reaction from China since it has lost on almost every point."
China could choose to withdraw from UNCLOS, or begin building on Scarborough Shoal, which it seized from the Philippines in 2012 -- which Washington would view as a provocation.
Beijing could also declare an air defence identification zone over the South China Sea, claiming the right to interrogate aircraft passing through the airspace, or try to remove a ship grounded by Manila on Second Thomas Shoal for use as a base.
The Philippines, which had lodged the suit in 2013, welcomed the "milestone decision", and foreign secretary Perfecto Yasay said: "We call on all those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety."
Nationalist demonstrations are not rare in China, sometimes apparently with the tacit backing of authorities, and the Philippine embassy in Beijing has warned its citizens to beware of personal "threats".
Chinese police sealed off the street where the mission stands.
Disputed claims in the South China Sea
Chinese warships conducted naval exercises near the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea in May 2016
A Philippine activist holds a placard during a protest outside the Chinese consulate in Manila on July 12, 2016 Ted Aljibe (AFP)
An activist wearing a hat representing the Philippine warship "Sierra Madre" -- now half-submerged in the Spratly islands -- demonstratess outside the Chinese consulate in Manila, on July 12, 2016 Ted Aljibe (AFP)
Philippine Foreign Minister Perfecto Yasay told reporters he hopes to open direct talks with Beijing on the dispute in the South China Sea, during a press conference in Manila, on July 12, 2016 Noel Celis (AFP)
Jews rally near tense holy site in memory of murdered teen
Jewish hardliners and Israeli right-wing politicians rallied near a flashpoint holy site in Jerusalem on Tuesday in support of a family whose 13-year-old daughter was murdered by a Palestinian.
The provocative rally of a few hundred people was also attended by the girl's parents, who later joined dozens of others in visiting the nearby Al-Aqsa mosque compound, revered by Jews as the Temple Mount.
The compound is one of the most potent symbols of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Clashes frequently erupt there between Israeli police and Palestinians who suspect Israel of seeking to change rules governing it.
Amichai (centre-right) and Rina (centre-left), the parents of slain Jewish teenager Hallel Yaffa Ariel who was fatally stabbed in the settlement of Kiryat Arba in the occupied West Bank, protest in the Old City of Jerusalem, on July 12, 2016 Thomas Coex (AFP)
The parents' visit along with relatives and supporters took place under heavy police guard.
Hardliners at the rally near the site spoke of building a new Jewish temple at the highly sensitive compound.
One man wore a t-shirt saying: "There's no such thing as Palestine," as well as a necklace with a bullet dangling from it.
A few confused tourists looked on while queueing to visit the compound.
The girl's parents, from an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, addressed the crowd before visiting the site and called for the bridge leading to it to be named for their daughter.
"Our daughters heart was stabbed. Were strengthening the nations heart," said Rina Ariel, the mother of Hallel Yaffa Ariel.
"This is the nation's heart," she said of the holy site. "Come up with us."
The compound is located in east Jerusalem, occupied by Israel in 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.
Jews are allowed to visit the compound, but are barred from praying there to avoid provoking tensions.
It is the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medina.
Jews consider it their most sacred as the location of the first and second temples, destroyed by the Babylonians and the Romans.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said repeatedly he has no intention of changing the rules, but Jewish hardliners have long pushed for prayer rights.
They include those from his own governing coalition, such as Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel, who attended the rally with other right-wing politicians and is also a relative of the family.
He could not visit the holy site as parliament members are not currently allowed to do so due to its sensitivity.
The 13-year-old was stabbed to death in her bedroom in the Israeli settlement of Kiryat Arba in the occupied West Bank on June 30.
The Palestinian who killed her, who was 19, was shot dead by a guard.
Kiryat Arba is located on the outskirts of the Palestinian city of Hebron, where tensions run high between Israeli settlers and Palestinian residents.
Several hundred settlers live in the heart of Hebron under heavy guard among some 200,000 Palestinians.
The murder was part of of a wave of violence since last October that has killed at least 214 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese.
Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities.
Others were shot dead during protests and clashes, while some were killed by Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip.
S. Sudan violence 'has displaced over 36,000 people since July 8'
At least 36,000 people have fled their homes in Juba since heavy fighting erupted in the South Sudanese capital on Friday, the United Nations said Tuesday.
"The latest fighting since Friday has displaced 36,000 people," Vanessa Huguenin, spokeswoman for the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, told AFP, speaking in French. She added that the number was likely to "evolve" in light of the volatile situation.
OCHA said the displaced had sought shelter in sites run by the UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and other locations across the city, adding that "most of the affected people are women and children."
More than 3,000 displaced people were seeking shelter at the UN compound in Tomping area in Juba, on July 11, 2016 Beatrice Mategwa (UNMISS/AFP/File)
The "recent fighting has had a devastating impact on the civilian population," the agency said in a statement, adding that heavy rains in parts of Juba had worsened the situation.
"Access to those in need is limited by the ongoing fighting and insecurity," it warned, stressing that "it is imperative that civilians are allowed to move freely to places of refuge, and that humanitarian staff and their assets are protected to allow immediate, safe and unhindered access to those in need."
OCHA's warning came as a fragile ceasefire called by both President Salva Kiir and his opponent Vice President Riek Machar appeared to hold in Juba on Tuesday after four days of gun battles.
The fighting in Juba began on Friday evening -- killing over 300 soldiers that day alone according to government estimates -- then paused on Saturday, the country's fifth anniversary of independence, before resuming with intense fighting on Sunday.
South China Sea tribunal: key findings
A United Nations-backed tribunal on Tuesday issued a damning ruling against China on its long-running dispute with the Philippines in the South China Sea.
Here are some of the key findings in the lengthy document.
China's 'nine-dash-line' is invalid
Chinese warships conducted naval exercises near the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea in May 2016
-- The five member panel found that Chinese fishermen, amongst others, had historically made use of the islands in the South China Sea but "there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or their resources.
"The Tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the 'nine-dash-line'".
Reclaimed islands have no exclusive economic zone
-- The artificial islands that China has been furiously building over recent years are not capable of sustaining a population and therefore under international treaties do not have the 200 nautical mile "exclusive economic zone" (EEZ) enjoyed by inhabited land.
"The Tribunal noted that the current presence of official personnel on many of the features is dependent on outside support and not reflective of the capacity of the features... (and) ....that none of the Spratly Islands is capable of generating extended maritime zones.
"The Tribunal found that it could -- without delimiting a boundary -- declare that certain sea areas are within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, because those areas are not overlapped by any possible entitlement of China."
China has behaved unlawfully
Because areas at issue are within the Philippines EEZ, Chinese construction of artificial islands and its interference with Philippine fishing and mineral activities is illegal.
"China had violated the Philippines' sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone. The Tribunal further held that Chinese law-enforcement vessels had unlawfully created a serious risk of collision when they physically obstructed Philippine vessels."
Beijing has damaged the environment
China's large-scale land reclamation has "caused severe harm to the coral reef environment and violated its obligation to preserve and protect fragile ecosystems".
China was also remiss in failing to put a stop to the harmful "harvesting of endangered sea turtles, coral and giant clams on a substantial scale" by its fishermen.
Island building should have stopped during the dispute process
The panel said it had no jurisdiction over the military standoff at Second Thomas Shoal, where Chinese and Philippine military and law enforcement vessels are locked in confrontation.
However, "China's recent large-scale reclamation and construction of artificial islands was incompatible with the obligations on a state during dispute resolution proceedings, insofar as China has... destroyed evidence of the natural condition of features of the South China Sea that formed part of the Parties' dispute."
Disputed claims in the South China Sea
Beijing has built a runway on the Fiery Cross Reef, which is also claimed by Vietnam and the Philippines DigitalGlobe (CSSI/AFP/File)
Posters begging for military coup raise eyebrows in Pakistan
Posters begging Pakistan's powerful army chief to launch a coup appeared in major cities including the capital Islamabad overnight, raising eyebrows in a country that has been ruled by the military for more than half its history.
The posters, which also appeared in Lahore, Karachi and the garrison city of Rawalpindi as well as several army-run cantonment areas, were placed there by "Move on Pakistan", a largely-unknown political party founded in 2013.
"Talk of leaving has become old, for God's sake come now," scream the posters, referring to General Raheel Sharif's decision to step down at the end of his tenure this year.
It comes just days after posters begging Pakistan's powerful army chief to launch a coup appeared in major cities including the capital Islamabad
They feature a large photograph of the mustachioed general.
"Dictatorship is much better than this corrupt government," Ali Hashmi, chief organiser behind Move on Pakistan, told AFP Tuesday.
"The way General Raheel Sharif has dealt with terrorism and corruption, there is no guarantee that the next man would be as effective as him," he said.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is said to be preparing to name a successor to the wildly popular general, who is no relation and whose three-year tenure expires in November.
Widely credited with Pakistan's improved security situation, he is the frequent subject of hashtags such as #ThankYouRaheelSharif and #PakLovesGenRaheel.
The prime minister and his government, in contrast, have been plagued by accusations of corruption and inefficiency.
But, despite his popularity, the army chief's announcement in January that he would step down at the end of his tenure won him praise for respecting democratic institutions -- unlike three of his predecessors.
There was no immediate reaction to the posters from the federal government.
The military denied it had anything to do with the posters.
"Reference Posters with #COAS pic being displayed across various cities; Army or any affiliated organisation have nothing to do with it," military spokesman Lieutenant Asim Bajwa tweeted Tuesday night.
Political analyst Hasan Askari said he did not foresee any threat to the current political system in Pakistan. "There cannot be an organised movement unless there is a popular sentiment present," he said, dismissing the posters.
Hashmi said that authorities in Islamabad and Punjab province, the prime minister's power base, had removed the posters -- but that they continue to attract attention in other provinces.
Military dictatorships have ruled Pakistan for more than half its 69-year history, and the armed forces are widely seen as controlling defence and foreign policy.
Whoever takes over Raheel Sharif's role will face an array of daunting challenges, including keeping homegrown militants in check, vexed relations with India and the role Pakistan wants to play in promoting peace in Afghanistan.
WikiLeaks source Chelsea Manning 'OK' after suicide attempt
Imprisoned intelligence leaker Chelsea Manning has assured supporters she is "glad to be alive" after a suicide attempt.
The transgender soldier, who is serving a 35-year sentence for espionage and other offenses after admitting to handing classified documents to anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks, tweeted late Monday: "I am okay. I'm glad to be alive. Thank you all for your love. I will get through this. #standwithchelsea."
Manning's lawyers said they were out of contact with their client for more than a week before finally being able to speak with her on Monday.
Chelsea Manning is serving a 35-year jail sentence for espionage and other offenses
"She remains under close observation by the prison and expects to remain on this status for the next several weeks," the lawyers said in a statement.
"For us, hearing Chelsea's voice after learning that she had attempted to take her life last week was incredibly emotional."
"She is someone who has fought so hard for so many issues we care about and we are honored to fight for her freedom and medical care."
The legal team criticized the government for a "gross breach of confidentiality" in disclosing Manning's health information to media.
The US Army said last Wednesday that Manning was briefly hospitalized, following media reports that she had attempted suicide.
Originally called Bradley, Manning was convicted in August 2013.
After sentencing, Manning announced she identified as female and later obtained legal authorization to change her name and receive hormone therapy.
Nepal's Maoists quit coalition government
Nepal's former rebel Maoists withdrew from the ruling coalition on Tuesday, leaving the government without a majority and threatening to plunge the quake-hit country into a fresh political crisis.
The Maoists, who hold 80 out of 575 elected seats in parliament, said they wanted to form a "national consensus government" to implement a divisive new national constitution introduced last September.
The former guerrillas joined the coalition government led by the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) last October.
Nepalese Unified Maosit Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal said his party has decided to withdraw from government Bikash Karki (AFP/File)
Cracks began to appear in the coalition two months ago when they threatened to topple Prime Minister K.P Sharma Oli's government.
But on Tuesday Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal said they were pulling out of the government, leaving Oli's coalition without a majority.
Dahal said his decision emerged out of the failure to implement an agreement to withdraw civil war cases from Nepal's courts and offer amnesty to people accused of abuses during the country's decade-long Maoist insurgency.
"Since the present leadership of the government is not ready to implement the nine-point agreement... it is politically inappropriate for us to continue participating in this government," Dahal wrote in a letter to the prime minister seen by AFP.
"Our party believes that we need national consensus in the country for the acceptance and implementation of the constitution," said Dahal, better known by his nom-de-guerre Prachanda.
The Maoists now want to build a national unity government involving all major parties, another leader Janardhan Sharma told AFP.
Oli's party currently holds 175 elected seats in parliament, far less than the 299 needed to win a vote of confidence.
The prime minister has faced fierce criticism over his handling of protests against the new charter, which triggered a months-long border blockade in southern Nepal by demonstrators from the Madhesi ethnic minority.
More than 50 people died in clashes between police and protesters, who said the constitution left them politically marginalised.
Kathmandu accused New Delhi of imposing an "unofficial blockade" on the impoverished landlocked nation in support of the Madhesis, who share close cultural, linguistic and family links with Indians across the border.
The new constitution, the first drawn up by elected representatives, was meant to cement peace and bolster Nepal's transformation to a democratic republic after decades of political instability and a Maoist insurgency that ended in 2006.
Thieves force Taiwan cash machines to churn out $2 mn
Thieves suspected of installing a computer programme that forced cash machines in Taiwan to churn out more than $2 million were being hunted by police on Tuesday, officials said.
The masked robbers ransacked more than 30 ATMs at the Taipei-based First Commercial Bank, walking away "with bags packed with cash", the bank said in a statement.
It suggested that a malware programme may have been installed on the ATMs, adding that the suspects stole the money without having to operate the machines directly.
A sign notifying customers about the suspension of ATM machines at a branch of Taiwan's First Commercial Bank in Taipei on July 12, 2016 Benjamin Yeh (AFP)
Surveillance images showed "two men wearing face masks and hats walking away with bags packed with cash directly withdrawn from ATMs", First Commercial said in the statement.
At least two suspects were involved -- one Russian man, and another foreign suspect whose nationality remains unknown, according to Taipei police.
"It is still not clear how the suspects stole such a large amount of money from the ATMs. My understanding is this is the first time such a criminal method has been discovered here," an officer told AFP.
It took the duo five to 10 minutes to steal money from each of the 34 ATMs over the weekend, the bank said, adding that the theft spanned machines at 20 branches.
It said more than 400 of its ATMs of the same type had been shut down following the heist, which cost the bank Tw$70 million ($2.2 million).
Police said the Russian suspect escaped Taiwan on Sunday, adding that they had sought assistance from Interpol.
"ATM crimes were not uncommon, most of them using fake cards or cheating people out of their money using their debit or credit cards on ATMs," the officer said.
Syria opposition warns of Aleppo starvation amid siege fears
Hundreds of thousands of civilians in rebel-held areas of Aleppo risk starvation, the head of Syria's main opposition coalition said Tuesday, accusing Damascus of trying to besiege the city into submission.
Aleppo, once Syria's economic powerhouse, has been ravaged and divided in two by the conflict that began in March 2011 and has killed more than 280,000 people.
Anas al-Abdeh, head of the Istanbul-based opposition National Coalition, complained that the rebels' backers in the West were letting them down and allies of President Bashar al-Assad were showing greater commitment.
Anas al-Abdeh, the head of the Istanbul-based Syrian opposition National Coalition, complained allies of President Bashar al-Assad were showing greater commitment than the rebels' backers in the West Ozan Kose (AFP)
This lack of "political will" is endangering the shaky peace process based around stop-start talks in Geneva to create a peaceful transition after over five years of civil war, he told AFP in an interview.
Assad's regime is seeking to completely control Aleppo's Castello Road -- the rebels' last lifeline into the northern city -- and impose a blanket siege, he said.
"We are quite worried that if the Castello route is totally cut off, more than 300,000 civilians will starve and be under huge pressure," he said at the coalition's headquarters in Istanbul.
"Most of the humanitarian supplies are coming through this route. The regime is trying its best to besiege the city."
Rebels on Monday launched a fierce offensive to reopen the Castello Road after it was severed by regime forces.
Abdeh said Russian air power was assisting the Syrian regime while Assad's other ally Iran was "basically managing, controlling, overseeing the military operation in Aleppo" on the ground.
- 'New military reality' -
Aleppo has been divided between government forces in the west and rebels in the east since mid-2012 and is a key battleground.
Civilians have already reported shortages of food and fuel in the city's east, with local market stalls sparsely stocked and prices rising.
Osama Taljo, a senior member of the National Coalition from Aleppo, ridiculed a post-Ramadan truce announced by the Syrian army, saying it was simply escalating fighting and using new weapons like cluster bombs and phosphorus.
He said there were 100,000 women and children at risk in Aleppo while the international community "stands idly by". "We are shocked by the international reaction," he told an earlier news conference in Istanbul.
The United Nations says nearly 600,000 Syrians live in besieged areas of the country, most surrounded by government forces, although rebels also use the tactic.
Abdeh told AFP that Assad, Iran and Russia were working to create a "new military reality" in Syria that would enable them to impose a political solution.
"The friends of the regime are committing everything they have to help the regime, while our friends are not as committed in this regard," Abdeh said.
"I do not see a real political will in the international community to reach a political solution in Syria."
He said this could doom the Geneva-based peace process to find a political settlement, which has been deadlocked since late April when the last round ended.
"Without political will, what is happening in Geneva is just a PR exercise, nothing more than that.
"The current environment is not conducive to a successful process in Geneva."
- 'Europe won't be safe' -
After repeated attacks in Europe claimed by Islamic State (IS) jihadists who still control key areas in Syria, Abdeh warned that Syria's war directly impacted security in the West.
"If they are not active in reaching a political solution in Syria, the whole of Europe will pay a heavy price.
"The Middle East and Europe will not be safe if the fire in Syria is not extinguished as soon as possible," he said.
With US Secretary of State John Kerry due to make another trip to Moscow this week, Abdeh expressed disappointment with the outcome of US contacts with Russia over Syria.
"We hoped such (US-Russia) cooperation would help... in terms of Russia putting pressure on the regime. So far this has not been achieved," he said.
Sanders finally set to endorse Clinton
After months of bitter campaigning, Bernie Sanders will take the stage with one-time rival Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, and is expected to finally deliver his long-awaited endorsement of the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
The joint appearance at a high school in Portsmouth, New Hampshire is the culmination of weeks of talks between the two campaigns aimed at unifying the party in preparation for taking on Republican Donald Trump in November.
The 74-year-old Sanders, a US senator from Vermont, waged a tougher-than-expected year-long battle against the former secretary of state, but Clinton clinched enough delegates to secure the nomination in early June.
Democratic Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton (L) and Bernie Sanders, pictured in April 2016, will make a joint appearance at a high school in Portsmouth, New Hampshire Justin Sullivan (Getty/AFP/File)
Sanders, a feisty self-described democratic socialist, nevertheless has refused to concede defeat to his more moderate rival, although he has said he will vote for Clinton and will do anything to help defeat Trump.
Sanders wants to ensure that his ideas are part of the party platform presented at the Democratic National Convention later this month in Philadelphia, when Clinton is formally nominated.
The Clinton and Sanders camps said Monday the two will join forces Tuesday "to discuss their commitment to building an America that is stronger together and an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top."
Party officials met over the weekend in Orlando, Florida to finalize the Democratic platform, which they described as the most ambitious and progressive yet in history.
The party reached agreement on language concerning climate change, health care and raising the minimum wage in America to $15 per hour. But they reportedly failed to reach common ground on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade accord.
- Trump ready to pick running mate? -
Donald Trump, who has proclaimed himself "the law and order candidate" amid rising gun violence, will campaign in Indiana later Tuesday.
His scheduled appearance with Governor Mike Pence is raising speculation that Trump could pick the state's chief executive as his running mate.
"I am the law and order candidate," the presumptive Republican nominee said Monday in Virginia Beach at an event with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
The declaration, reminiscent of remarks made by former president Richard Nixon in his 1968 campaign, came as Trump highlighted recent killings including the horrific shooting deaths of five Dallas police officers in a sniper-like ambush.
"The attack on our Dallas police is an attack on our country. Our whole nation is in mourning," Trump said, as he pledged to "fight" for law enforcement personnel and ensure they have Washington's full backing.
Trump and Clinton both halted their campaigning for a day after Thursday's Dallas police murders.
Christie, a potential vice presidential pick, joined Trump as reports swirled that the billionaire real estate tycoon will choose a running mate in the coming days.
Christie's experience running a populous state could be seen as critical for Trump, who has acknowledged his own lack of political and government expertise.
Indiana's Pence would bring executive experience as well, along with a perceived steady hand at the tiller that could help counter the narrative that Trump is too incendiary and quick to provoke.
Pence made a tepid endorsement of Senator Ted Cruz but switched to Trump when Cruz dropped out.
"I'm prepared to make that case anywhere across Indiana and anywhere across this country that Donald Trump would want me to," he said.
Profile of Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Adrian Leung, Gal Roma, John Saeki (AFP)
Two to a bed as Indian Kashmir hospital struggles amid unrest
Indian-administered Kashmir's main hospital struggled to treat hundreds of patients wounded in four days of clashes Tuesday, as medics warned that many could lose their eyesight from shotgun injuries.
As the overall death toll from the violence rose to 32, ambulances continued to deliver more victims to Srinagar's Sri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS) where patients were sometimes forced to share beds.
An administrator said staff had been ordered not to speak to the press but wards were crammed with young boys and men, many of whom had suffered serious eye injuries caused by the firing of pellets by Indian troops.
Volunteers carry an injured man shot during clashes between security forces and protesters in Srinagar, northern India on July 11, 2016 from an ambulance outside a hospital in the city
An AFP correspondent who toured the teeming wards saw two patients to a bed, as doctors worked non-stop.
"Doctors are working in operating theatres round-the-clock. We've operated on 90 for serious eye injuries since Saturday morning," said a doctor in SMHS where many volunteers were helping to tend to the injured.
"Most of them have lost their eyesight in one eye. They are going to walk out of the hospital as one-eyed boys," the doctor added.
One of the youngsters told AFP he had been injured when paramilitary troops opened fire towards him and a group of his friends with pellet guns as they walked out of a mosque in Srinagar on Friday evening.
"I can't see anything right now," the boy said, declining to give his name as he wiped away tears that were dripping out of the sides of his bandaged eyes.
A senior state administrator said at least 1,000 people have been injured in the clashes in Kashmir, which is India's only Muslim-majority state, since Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed last Friday.
Much of the worst violence has been in the south of the capital Srinagar where security forces have used live fire, non-lethal pellet guns as well as tear gas to disperse crowds.
On Monday, hundreds of protesters tried to storm a military airbase about 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of Srinagar before being repelled.
While there were fresh clashes Tuesday, the violence was on a much smaller scale than previously. Two people died in hospital from injuries they had sustained earlier, raising the toll to 32.
The death of 22-year-old Wani, a poster boy for the region's biggest rebel group, has sparked the deadliest clashes in Kashmir since 2010 when massive demonstrations were held against Indian rule.
Hizbul Mujahideen is one of several separatist groups which have been fighting for decades against the hundreds of thousands of Indian troops deployed in the disputed region.
Tens of thousands have died in the fighting since 1989.
Kashmir has been divided between rivals India and Pakistan since their independence from Britain in 1947, but both claim the picturesque Himalayan territory in its entirety.
Map of Indian Kashmir, where at least 32 people were killed in clashes at the weekend
Sanders endorses Clinton as Trump floats VP picks
After months of bitter campaigning, Bernie Sanders finally endorsed presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, pledging to work tirelessly to help his former rival defeat Donald Trump and win the White House.
The joint appearance in Portsmouth, New Hampshire -- their first -- was the culmination of weeks of talks between the two campaigns aimed at unifying the party to most effectively take on Republican opponent Trump in November.
"Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process, and I congratulate her for that," Sanders, 74, told a cheering crowd, with Clinton at his side.
Bernie Sanders (R) offered voters a litany of reasons why Hillary Clinton was a better choice for president than Republican rival Donald Trump Justin Saglio (AFP)
"She will be the Democratic nominee for president and I intend to do everything I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United States."
The US senator from Vermont offered voters a litany of reasons why the 68-year-old former secretary of state is a better choice than the 70-year-old Manhattan real estate mogul.
"If anyone out there thinks that this election is not important, take a moment to think about the Supreme Court justices that Donald Trump will nominate, and what that means to civil liberties, equal rights and the future of our country," Sanders said.
Putting aside the acrimony, Clinton thanked Sanders for his endorsement -- even if their body language did not exude warmth and was downright awkward at times.
"I am proud to be fighting alongside you," she said. "We are stronger together."
- 'Most progressive platform' -
Sanders waged a tougher-than-expected, yearlong battle against Clinton, but in early June she clinched enough delegates to secure the nomination.
The feisty, self-described democratic socialist nevertheless had refused to concede defeat to his more moderate rival until now.
Sanders wants to ensure that his ideas are part of the party platform presented at the Democratic National Convention later this month in Philadelphia, when Clinton is due to be formally nominated.
Sanders said that at weekend talks in Orlando, "there was a significant coming together between the two campaigns and we produced, by far, the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic Party."
- Pence as Trump's VP? -
Trump, who has proclaimed himself "the law and order candidate" amid rising gun violence, unleashed a barrage of criticism, saying Sanders "abandoned" his grassroots supporters by joining forces with Clinton.
"I want to tell you, a lot of Bernie Sanders people are so upset about it, they are going to be voting for Trump," he said in Westfield, Indiana.
The Republican billionaire campaigned there with Governor Mike Pence, raising speculation that he could pick Indiana's chief executive as runningmate.
Trump told The New York Times he expected to make an announcement by Friday, three days before the Republican convention in Cleveland, where he will officially become the nominee.
He called Pence a "good man" during his unscripted remarks, but also teased the crowd.
"I don't know whether he's going to be your governor or your vice president. Who the hell knows?" Trump said to raucous cheers.
Trump had hit the campaign trail Monday in Virginia Beach with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie -- one of those on the vice presidential shortlist.
Christie's experience running a populous state could be seen as critical for Trump, who has acknowledged his own lack of political and government expertise.
Pence also brings executive experience, and the salt-of-the-earth Midwesterner has shown a steady hand that could help counter the narrative that Trump is too incendiary and quick to provoke.
Pence is a 12-year veteran of Congress, well versed in international affairs from his time on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Former House speaker Newt Gingrich, who ran for president in 2012, is also in the runningmate mix.
He said he expected Trump would announce his pick on Wednesday or Thursday.
"Certainly no later than Friday, because they're going to want to dominate the weekend news with the vice presidential selection," Gingrinch told Fox News.
Trump's Indiana appearance was his first speech without a teleprompter since deadly violence last week plunged the nation into racial angst.
"Our whole nation grieves and mourns for the loss of five heroes in Dallas," Trump said, choosing his words carefully.
But he also stressed that "the hostility against our police has to end."
"We have to stay together, and we have to be strong," he added.
Hours earlier, Trump reportedly declined to speak at the upcoming conference of the NAACP, snubbing the nation's largest African American civil rights group for an engagement that would have taken place just as the Republican convention kicked off.
"You cannot run for president and skip the opportunity speak on the nation's civil rights agenda," the NAACP posted on Twitter.
Profile of Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Adrian Leung, Gal Roma, John Saeki (AFP)
The joint appearance of Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, their first, was the culmination of weeks of talks between the two campaigns aimed at unifying the party Justin Saglio (AFP)
South Africa's Zuma honours black WWI soldiers in France
One hundred years after they fought together in World War I, white and black soldiers are finally being honoured equally at South Africa's memorial on the former battlefields in northern France.
South African President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday inaugurated a new memorial wall at the site of the Battle of Delville Wood where some 3,000 citizens fell in July 1916.
"We are here to honour in particular black people who fell in this war, who were not accorded the respect and recognition they deserved, and which is equal to that of their white compatriots," Zuma said at the commemoration ceremony.
South African President Jacob Zuma (C) stands in front of a French and a South African flags as he takes part in a ceremony in Longueval, northern France to commemorate the centenary of the Battle of Delville Wood on July 12, 2016 Francois Nascimbeni (AFP)
When World War I broke out, South Africa was still a British colony and the segregationist policy of apartheid had not yet been set in law.
However, black South Africans faced strict movement and residential restrictions under white minority rule and were treated as lesser citizens.
The South African Native Labour Contingent (SANLC) was formed to provide workers for Allied forces who were struggling with a labour shortage on the Western Front.
However white authorities did not want black South Africans to have equal footing with Europeans and set strict conditions for the formation of the force, such as them not being allowed to bear arms and that they must live like prisoners in guarded compounds.
Scared that race relations would be undermined at home, the South African government ordered that "all familiarity between Europeans and Natives" should be prevented.
Zuma said the black South Africans were not allowed to bear arms as "the ruling white elite feared that training blacks in the handling of fire arms would empower them to, in future, use such military expertise to fight white supremacy."
However as the war intensified, regulations were relaxed and members of the SANLC were transferred to the trenches.
In northern France, a mixed force of 3,153 South Africans was ordered to hold Delville Wood "at all costs". They succeeded, but after six days of fighting only 142 soldiers were alive.
Up until 2014 when the remains of black soldier Private Myengwa Beleza were transferred to Delville Wood -- two decades after the end of apartheid -- black South Africans were buried elsewhere in France.
Pretoria has since constructed a memorial wall engraved with the names of all who fell in the battle -- one of the bloodiest ever fought.
The wall features the 14,000 names of all South Africans who fought in World War I and II, regardless of race.
Obama attends memorial for slain Dallas cops
President Barack Obama attended a somber memorial Tuesday to five police officers slain in a sniper ambush in Dallas, as he seeks to unify a country divided by race and politics.
Accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama, the president left Washington with the depressingly familiar task of ministering to a country stunned by gun violence.
The mayor of Dallas opened the service, saying the "soul of our city was pierced."
US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama attend an interfaith memorial service for the victims of the Dallas police shooting on July 12, 2016 Mandel Ngan (AFP)
In the days since the shooting that rocked America -- carried out by a black gunman intent on killing whites in retribution for police brutality -- Mike Rawlings said the city's residents "have sobbed and paid tribute."
"Today we open our city's doors" he said, thanking Obama for attending the memorial service.
But the most poignant tribute was to "peacemakers in blue" Brent Thompson, Patrick Zamarripa, Michael Krol, Lorne Ahrens and Michael Smith.
Each officer was represented by an empty chair in the auditorium, each adorned with a folded US flag and officer's cap.
Obama spent much of Monday preparing his address to the interfaith service, also attended by his predecessor, Republican former president George W. Bush.
His address comes as a monumental test of leadership as tenure in the White House comes to an end.
- Back to the 1960s? -
Eight years ago, Obama's rhetorical prowess made him America's first black president and raised hopes that the country could overcome deeply entrenched societal divides.
Today, Obama insists those divisions are not as great as shootings, social networks or the media would have you believe.
"I firmly believe that America is not as divided as some have suggested," Obama said on a European trip cut short because of the Dallas shooting.
This is not, he argued, the dark days of the 1960s, when American cities burned and assassins' bullets killed President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.
"The president recognizes that it's not just people in Dallas who are grieving -- it's people all across the country who are concerned about the violence that so many Americans have witnessed in the last week or so," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday.
"The president is hoping to offer some measure of comfort tomorrow."
The challenge for Obama is not to be seen as offering a professorial answer -- through yet another intricately crafted speech -- to people's visceral concerns.
From Charleston to Orlando to Dallas, the past year has seen a torrent of slaughter motivated by hate.
The massacres have brought a measure of common revulsion, but not a common purpose.
Republicans in Congress steadfastly oppose even piecemeal gun controls.
Each week seemingly brings new shaky footage of a police officer shooting dead a black American -- images that quickly go viral and revive tough questions about race and policing.
- America, black and blue -
Last week, the fatal police shootings of two black men, Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota, prompted nationwide anger, with thousands of protesters taking to the streets from coast to coast.
They also seemingly triggered the deadly rampage in Dallas by black Afghanistan war veteran Micah Johnson, as a protest against police brutality was wrapping up.
Johnson, 25, used a high-powered rifle to kill five police officers and wound nine others in a sniper attack late Thursday. Two civilians were also hurt.
He told negotiators before he was killed that he wanted to murder white cops in revenge for the black deaths.
Obama has struggled most to tether the twin specters of race and guns that have been raised by the Dallas shooting.
"There is no contradiction between us supporting law enforcement... and also saying that there are problems across our criminal justice system, there are biases -- some conscious and unconscious -- that have to be rooted out," Obama said.
"So when people say 'black lives matter,' that doesn't mean blue lives don't matter; it just means all lives matter."
In Dallas, a black trauma surgeon Brian Williams, who treated several police officers, gave poignant voice to the fissures that have shaken the country.
He spoke of buying ice cream for a cops so that his young daughter could see him interacting normally with the police -- and not grow up with the same fears he has.
Addressing police, he said: "I support you, I will defend you and I will care for you."
"That doesn't mean that I do not fear you."
US Vice President Joe Biden (2ndL), Jill Biden (L) and former US president George W. Bush (R) and former first lady Laura Bush attend an interfaith memorial service for the victims of the Dallas police shooting on July 12, 2016 in Dallas, Texas Mandel Ngan (AFP)
Dallas Police Chief David Brown (2ndL) and Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police Chief James Spiller (2ndR) attend an interfaith memorial service on July 12, 2016 in Dallas, Texas Mandel Ngan (AFP)
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings speaks at an interfaith memorial service for the victims of the Dallas police shooting on July 12, 2016 in Dallas, Texas Mandel Ngan (AFP)
Airbus tops Boeing as F-35 roars across Farnborough
European planemaker Airbus took top honours at the Farnborough Airshow on Tuesday, winning a vast $12.5-billion jets deal from AirAsia, as the F-35 stealth fighter screamed across the skies in a stunning display.
Malaysia's low-cost airline AirAsia placed the blockbuster order for 100 single-aisle fuel-efficient A321neo jets, worth the equivalent of 11.3 billion euros at list prices, delivering the airshow's biggest deal so far in a major blow to Airbus' fierce US rival Boeing.
In a centrepiece to this year's airshow, the US military's supersonic F-35 warplane -- the most expensive in history -- made its Farnborough debut in a deafening roar, having already delighted the crowds at the Royal International Air Tattoo last weekend.
Malaysia's low-cost airline AirAsia placed the blockbuster order for 100 single-aisle fuel-efficient A321neo jets, worth the equivalent of 11.3 billion euros at list prices Adrian Dennis (AFP)
The F-35 -- whose programme has a ballooning price tag of almost $400 billion -- was supposed to fly here in 2014 but was grounded due to an engine fire.
The AirAsia deal was meanwhile unveiled on the second day of the airshow by its boss and founder Tony Fernandes and Airbus president and CEO Fabrice Bregier.
AirAsia, the region's biggest budget carrier by fleet size, added the fuel-efficient A321neo would seat up to 240 passengers, while enjoying greater capacity and the lowest operating costs in the single aisle category.
"The A321neo will help us to meet ongoing strong demand as well as further reduce our cost per available seat kilometre across the group, which will translate to lower air fares for our guests," Fernandes said.
"We would like to congratulate Airbus for producing the state-of-the-art A321neo aircraft that meets our requirements for efficient operations."
On Tuesday alone, Airbus won a firm orders for a total of 129 aircraft worth $15.6 billion at catalogue prices.
Airlines typically negotiate sizeable discounts to catalogue prices so the actual cost of aircraft is likely to be lower.
Airbus had already scored big on Monday, when it clinched a Virgin Atlantic order for 12 wide-bodied A350-100s worth $4.4 billion.
On Tuesday, Germany's Germania also ordered 25 single-aisle fuel-efficient Airbus A320neos worth $2.6 billion.
Berlin-based Germania Group flies to destinations in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East from mainly German, Swiss and British bases.
Iceland's low-cost carrier WOW then agreed to buy four A321s worth $460 million.
Indian budget carrier Go Air signalled its intention to buy another 72 Airbus A320neos worth $7.7 billion.
Boeing fought back Tuesday with a volley of deals for the sale of its commercial aircraft -- with particularly keen demand from China.
Chicago-based Boeing -- which celebrates its centenary this year -- finalised an order with German travel giant TUI Group for ten single-aisle 737 Max 8 jets plus the option for a long-haul 787-9 Dreamliner, worth a total of $1.4 billion.
TUI, the world's largest tourism group, said it was seeking to expand its long-haul holiday programme to offer more choice of flights and destinations.
Air Lease Corporation meanwhile doubled an order to six 737 MAX 8s worth a total of $660 million.
Turning to emerging markets, the US planemaker added upbeat news from Asian powerhouse China.
China's Kunming Airlines has indicated an interest in purchasing ten 737 MAX 7 airplanes with a value of $902 million.
Boeing added that another unnamed Chinese carrier has signed a commitment for 30 737 jets worth in excess of $3.0 billion. The planes are a mixture of 737 MAX and Next-Generation 737s.
This year's Farnborough airshow has been partly overshadowed by Britain's shock referendum decision last month to leave the European Union.
Some analysts claim that Brexit will damage medium-term demand for aircraft, but others argue the broader sector enjoys solid growth in passenger traffic -- particularly from emerging markets like China.
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II takes part in a flying display at the Farnborough Airshow, south west of London, on July 12, 2016 Adrian Dennis (AFP)
An Airbus A380 aircraft is parked beside the runway during the Farnborough Airshow, south west of London, on July 12, 2016 Adrian Dennis (AFP)
Republicans grill top US justice official over Clinton emails
US Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Tuesday defended her decision not to take legal action against Hillary Clinton over her use of a private email server.
"The matter was handled like any other matter," Lynch said in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill.
Republican lawmakers have been sharply critical of the department's decision not to pursue Clinton, the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee for the presidency.
US Attorney General Loretta Lynch testifies before the House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, July 12, 2016 Jim Watson (AFP)
FBI Director James Comey announced last week at the conclusion of an investigation that the Bureau was not recommending that prosecutors bring charges against the former secretary of state. Lynch accepted this recommendation the following day.
She has denied having been influenced by contact with former President Bill Clinton, who Lynch crossed paths with late last month on the tarmac of an airport in Phoenix, Arizona.
"The former president indicated he wanted to say hello. I agreed to say hello," Lynch said at the hearing, describing what she said was a chance encounter with Clinton, who appointed her to her first post as a federal prosecutor in 1999.
"Nothing of any relationship to the email investigation was discussed, nor were any specific cases or matters before the Department of Justice discussed," Lynch said.
House Republicans did not drop the matter, however.
Two among them on Monday asked the Justice Department to begin an investigation of Clinton on suspicion of perjury, accusing her of having made false statements to lawmakers during testimony in October.
While Comey did not recommend charges, he sharply criticized Clinton's handling of classified information on the private server which she used while serving as secretary of state from 2009 to 2013.
Some of that criticism was echoed by lawmakers on Tuesday.
"Her extreme carelessness suggests she cannot be trusted with the nation's most sensitive secrets if she is nevertheless elected president," said Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, a Republican.
Democrats, who have attacked Republicans for their tenacity in pursuing the email controversy, have suggested that their motives are rooted in election year politics, with just four months until voters go to the polls.
Three killed in Mali anti-government protest
Three demonstrators were killed in northern Mali on Tuesday, a medical source said, in a protest centred on a contentious peace accord that Mali has been struggling to enact.
Demonstrators said security forces opened fire when hundreds of young people set off on a banned march in the city of Gao.
A hospital source told AFP by phone that "the latest toll is three dead", with 31 injured.
Protesters gather in the street during a demonstration in Gao on July 12, 2016 against the "injustices" in the implementation of agreements intended to bring peace to the country, during which two people died Souleymane Ag Anara (AFP)
The government said three had been killed and others injured both on the protesters' side and among the security forces.
It announced in a statement that it was rushing a high-level mission to Gao to seek "appropriate responses" and promised an "independent and impartial enquiry" into the deaths.
But opposition leader Soumaila Cisse said in a statement that "the government alone is responsible for these deaths and injuries".
The protest was linked to the implementation of a year-old peace deal signed by the government, loyalist militias and the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA), a coalition of rebel groups.
The deal was aimed at ending unrest in Mali's vast desert north, which in 2012 fell under the control of three radical Islamist groups, subsequently plunging the entire country into chaos.
As part of the peace agreement, unelected interim authorities from Friday will run the five northern administrative regions until elections can be securely held, while having the same powers as elected officials.
One demonstrator said Tuesday's march was organised to condemn the "setting up of these interim authorities" and to protest the fact that some former rebels have not yet been integrated into the army despite assurances in the peace accord.
"The mayor wanted to ban our march and wouldn't give us permission. We decided to do it anyway, and there were some clashes," said Oumar Maiga, a member of a youth group that organised the protest.
"The security forces opened fire with heavy weapons and tear gas, it's criminal," he said.
Tyres were set on fire across the city and markets closed, residents said.
The mayor's office refused to comment when contacted by AFP.
Radical Islamists who took over the north in 2012 were largely ousted by an ongoing French-led military operation launched in January 2013, but continue to attack security forces from desert hideouts.
Mali's government has been unable to maintain security with domestic forces alone, as criminal gangs have also exploited the situation.
Australians, Kiwis join France's Bastille Day parade
Troops from Australia and New Zealand will be the guests of honour in France's annual Bastille Day parade on Thursday to commemorate their participation in one of World War I's bloodiest battles 100 years ago.
The 85 New Zealanders, some wearing traditional Maori dress, and 140 Australian soldiers have been invited to the parade on the Champs Elysees avenue "as part of the centenary commemorations of the Battle of the Somme," General Bruno Le Ray, the military governor of Paris, told a briefing.
They are part of a parade of more than 3,000 men and women on foot, with 241 on horseback.
Australia's soldiers stand on the Champs Elysees in Paris during a rehearsal of the annual Bastille Day military parade on July 12, 2016 Thomas Samson (AFP)
More than 200 vehicles will take part, while 55 planes and 30 helicopters will fly overhead.
Eight jets from the Patrouille de France aerobatics team will form the shape of the Eiffel Tower to promote Paris's bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games.
US Secretary of State John Kerry is also among the foreign guests, alongside New Zealand Prime Minister John Key.
The presence of Australian and Kiwi troops in the display of military pomp and splendour is just the latest in a series of commemorations for the battle.
Britain's royal family attended a ceremony at the Somme battlefield on July 1 to remember the one million who were left dead, injured or missing in the 141-day battle.
South African President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday inaugurated a new memorial wall to honour both black and white soldiers from his country at the site of the Battle of Delville Wood where some 3,000 fell in July 1916. The battle was part of the fighting in the Somme.
The French government say Australia's invitation as this year's guest of honour for the July 14 celebrations underlines the healthy state of relations between the two countries. France was chosen to build Australia's submarine fleet in a contract worth 34 billion euros ($37.6 billion).
With France still on high alert for terror attacks, the parade will take place under heavy security.
The demands on the French military have risen sharply since the jihadists struck Paris in two sets of attacks last year, killing a total of 147 people.
An increase in recruits for the military as a result of the attacks will be reflected in the participation of officer training schools in the parade.
'Open wound' of Rabin's murder haunts Israel says director
Acclaimed Israeli director Amos Gitai has returned to the 1995 assassination of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin in a new play which examines what he calls an "open wound in Israel's history".
The film-maker made an award-winning documentary last year -- "Rabin, The Last Day" -- about the last 24 hours of the murdered leader's life.
The former general was shot by a Jewish extremist opposed to the Oslo peace accords with the Palestinians, for which Rabin had won the Nobel peace prize.
Israeli Director Amos Gitai, pictured on March 10, 2016, will premier "Yitzhak Rabin, Chronicle of an Assassination" at the Avignon festival in France Tiziana Fabi (AFP/File)
But in "Yitzhak Rabin, Chronicle of an Assassination" -- premiering this week at the Avignon festival in France -- Gitai recounts the killing through the eyes of his widow.
And in a twist in keeping with her own tireless efforts for peace, Leah Rabin is played by both Franco-Israeli star Sarah Adler and a Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass.
Using long interviews he conducted with Leah Rabin before she died in 2000, Gitai shows how the killing was "both a personal tragedy and an unprecedented historic disaster for the country".
Rabin was murdered by a lone gunman as he got into his car after a peace rally in Tel Aviv.
In one chilling scene, Leah Rabin tells how the night before the killing a group of 50 far-right activists surrounded their home.
Among them was her husband's killer, Yigal Amir.
- 'Hang by the heels' -
Alone inside, she listened as they threatened to hang her "by the heels next to your husband like Mussolini and his mistress" in a reference to the Italian dictator and his lover, whose corpses were displayed in a Milan square in the last days of World War II.
In both the play and the film, Gitai blames the killing on an atmosphere of hate he claims was whipped up by the Israeli right including by the future prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
He described his documentary as a "commission of inquiry" into the murder.
"(The) official one mostly investigated the security failures of the police and security services but never asked why," he told AFP.
"His murder came at the end of a hate campaign led by hallucinating rabbis, settlers who were against the withdrawal from territories, and the parliamentary right, led by the Likud (party), already then headed by Netanyahu, who wanted to destabilise Rabin's Labour government," he said.
Gitai, who was wounded in the 1973 Yom Kippur war when his helicopter was hit by a Syrian missile, described Rabin as a "patriot and a peacemaker" and said it was vital that the memory of what he was doing is kept alive.
The play also reveals how Rabin hesitated about going to the rally, fearing that if there wasn't a huge crowd his presence might weaken the peace movement.
- Netanyahu blamed -
As "Rabin, The Last Day" outlines, in the months before his assassination, an ugly mood had developed, with virulent speeches from politicians such as Netanyahu at rallies against the Oslo accords. At one of them, Rabin was depicted in a Nazi uniform.
Leah Rabin accused Netanyahu of inciting hatred against her husband, saying, "I will never forgive him."
Gitai, best know for his films "Kadosh" and "Kippur", is also staging a travelling exhibition about Rabin's murder in Avignon, and the play will later transfer to the Lincoln Center in New York.
Two decades after Rabin's death, he insisted that "the only alternative to the those now in power is this dead man.
"I know I am touching on a very sensitive subject in Israeli. Only a few days ago at the Jerusalem festival the Minister of Culture (Miri Regev) accused Israeli artists of being Trojan horses of the enemy," Gitai said.
As the Israel government defies international condemnation of renewed settlement building on the West Bank, Gitai said "we must talk about (Rabin's) ideas of moderation, reconciliation and moves towards the other" rather than the maximalist mentality that dominates the "Middle East with every group out for their own interests".
Gitai said this "civic" message is not just for his own troubled region.
"Whipping up hate has become a good way of getting elected all over the world right now when you look at Donald Trump in the United States, and what is happening in Europe, Israel, and the Middle East."
2016 'bloodiest' year for Afghan journalists: report
This year has been the most violent on record for Afghan media, with 10 journalists killed in the first six months according to a new report from a national watchdog.
The Afghan Journalists' Safety Committee (AJSC), which released its January-June findings on Monday, recorded 54 incidents of violence against Afghan journalists, a 38 percent increase from the same period last year.
The report said the incidents included killings, detentions, intimidation and attacks, with most carried out by "individuals linked to the government" though it did not elaborate.
An Afghan relative reacts alongside the body of Saeed Jawad Hossini, 29, who was killed in a suicide attack on a minibus carrying employees of Afghan TV channel Tolo in Kabul on January 21, 2016 Shah Marai (AFP/File)
It also noted that the number of cases involving the Taliban had increased from previous years. It said the government was responsible for 21 cases and the Taliban for 16 of the 54 known incidents in 2016 so far.
In January, seven employees of popular TV channel Tolo were killed in a Taliban suicide bombing for what the militant group said was revenge for "spreading propaganda" against them.
The AJSC also said female journalists faced formidable challenges, with their numbers decreasing amid a worsening security situation in the country.
France rejects Russia's 'unfair' criticism of UN Syria envoy
France on Tuesday rejected as "unfair" Moscow's criticism of the UN envoy on Syria, calling for a ceasefire and lifting the Aleppo siege to allow the peace process to resume.
On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov lambasted UN envoy Staffan de Mistura for failing to restart peace talks aimed at ending the brutal five-year conflict.
The UN-backed talks, aimed at ending a war that has left more than 280,000 people dead and driven millions from their homes, are in theory set to resume this month.
United Nations special envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura speaks during a press conference in Vienna, Austria, on May 17, 2016 Leonhard Foeger (POOL/AFP/File)
"If things are blocked today, this is not the fault of Staffan de Mistura. They are blocked because the ceasefire has broken down, and today Aleppo is under siege and a hostage," French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told reporters in Lebanon.
"The political track is the only way forward," Ayrault said on the second day of a visit to Syria's neighbour.
"If we want Staffan de Mistura to fully carry out his mission, the siege of Aleppo must be lifted, there must be a ceasefire and access for humanitarian aid must be allowed."
Lavrov on Monday said De Mistura "is shunning his duties and not convening the next round of inter-Syrian talks".
But the UN envoy has said he wants guarantees of progress before restarting the process.
"The Russians are part of the solution," Ayrault said on Tuesday in the Lebanese capital.
"If the Damascus regime did not have the backing of Russian air power it would not have had the means to do what it has done.
"If they sincerely want the peace process to resume, there must be a ceasefire as soon as possible, as well as the siege of Aleppo being lifted," he added.
"I think it is very unfair to Staffan de Mistura, who is carrying out his mission to do everything to create the conditions for a peace process through negotiations," Ayrault said, adding that "going down the path of controversy and caricature is wrong".
On Tuesday, Syrian regime forces extended a nationwide truce for another three days, but at the same time pressed their campaign against rebels in the battered northern city.
But the ceasefire has produced little respite, with ongoing strikes by the regime and its Russian ally reported around Aleppo, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said.
Ayrault repeated an aid pledge made in April by French President Francois Hollande, with Paris due to provide Lebanon with 50 million euros ($55 million) by the end of 2016.
Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia suspended a grant to finance $3 billion worth of French weaponry for Lebanon's security forces.
The tiny Mediterranean country is struggling to cope with 1.1 million registered Syrian refugees.
It has been without a president since May 2014 when Michel Sleiman's mandate expired, and parliament has extended its own mandate twice since 2009.
"We aim to create the conditions to help you exit this crisis," Ayrault said after discussions with several Lebanese officials.
Three quarters of South Sudanese need humanitarian aid: UN
Three-quarters of the population of South Sudan needs humanitarian aid after four days of deadly fighting, the UN's World Food Programme director Etharin Cousin told AFP on Tuesday.
Between Friday and Monday, the capital Juba was rocked by clashes between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his longtime opponent Vice President Riek Machar.
The two men finally announced a ceasefire late on Monday.
Some of the at least 3000 displaced women, men and children taking shelter at the UN compound in Tomping area in Juba on July 11, 2016 Beatrice Mategwa (UNMISS/AFP/File)
"Three quarters of the population of South Sudan is in need of humanitarian assistance," Cousin told AFP in the Jordanian capital Amman.
"This latest conflict is going to push even more people into hunger and despair," she warned.
Cousin said heavy fighting over two days had forced humanitarian staff into underground bunkers "because the shelling was in Juba and so close to our places of operation.
"We had over 2,000 people taking shelter inside our compound with our staff."
The fragile ceasefire appeared to be holding in Juba on Tuesday.
The fighting left hundreds of people dead and sent nearly 40,000 fleeing.
The violence has raised fears of a return to civil war that broke out in December 2013.
Uganda, Djibouti censured by ICC for failure to arrest Bashir
The International Criminal Court on Tuesday said it is referring Uganda and Djibouti to the UN Security Council after the two east African countries' failed to arrest wanted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.
The Hague-based ICC's judges said in a statement "the Republics of Uganda and Djibouti had failed to comply with the request for arrest and surrender of Omar al-Bashir to the ICC".
The world's top criminal court added that it has referred the matter to the UN Security Council as well as the body that oversees its work, the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) which represents the nations that have ratified the court, "to take the measures they deem necessary regarding this matter".
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir (C) attends an Iftar dinner with Sudanese Coptic Christians on June 20, 2016 in the Sudanese capital Khartoum Ebrahim Hamid (AFP/File)
Bashir travelled to Kampala and Djibouti in May to attend the swearing in ceremonies of long-time Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and his counterpart in Djibouti, President Ismail Omar Guelleh.
Both Uganda and Djibouti are members of the ASP and are obliged to execute the court's arrest warrants, issued in 2009 and 2010, to detain Bashir and hand him over for trial in The Hague.
African leaders however, has become increasingly resentful of the ICC's authority and accuse the court of targeting only countries on the continent.
Controversy erupted last year when the South African government did not arrest Bashir when he attended an African Union summit in Johannesburg.
Bashir in May also applied for a US visa to attend the next UN General Assembly in September, with his Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Kamal Ismail saying it was Khartoum's right to send a delegation to the UN meeting.
The Sudanese leader faces genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity charges allegedly committed in the Darfur region of western Sudan between 2003 and 2008.
Bashir was indicted by the ICC in 2009 and denies the charges.
Darfur has been gripped by conflict since 2003, when ethnic minority rebels rose up against Bashir, complaining that his Arab-dominated government was marginalising the region.
Bashir launched a brutal counter-insurgency, in which at least 300,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million forced to flee their homes, according to figures released by the United Nations.
Israel army clamps down on West Bank weapon makers
The Israeli army has closed 16 Palestinian workshops in the West Bank used to make weapons, in a clampdown since the start of the year, an officer said on Tuesday.
"As part of our war against the production of homemade weapons, we have seized 200 weapons, ammunition and grenades and closed 16 illegal workshops since early 2016," Colonel Roman Gofman said.
In a conference call with reporters, he said the campaign also targeted Palestinian shops selling firecrackers, which can be used to make grenades and improvised explosive devices.
Israeli soldiers patrol the immediate vicinity of the Kiryat Arba Jewish settlement on July 7, 2016 in the West Bank city of Hebron Hazem Bader (AFP/File)
"Our operations have led to a surge in the price of weapons in general," Gofman said.
It has caused the price of assault rifles such as Kalashnikovs to rise to 40,000 to 50,000 shekels ($10,300-$13,000), which he said "limits the ability of local terrorist groups to easily equip themselves".
As a result, he said, those in charge of workshops now "think twice before selling their weapons to terrorist groups in the knowledge that the Israeli army is after them".
The colonel declined to give details on the extent of cooperation between the army and the Palestinian Authority's security forces in the fight against the production and trafficking of weapons in the West Bank.
The Hebron area of the occupied West Bank has been one of the main focuses of a wave of deadly unrest that has rocked Israel and the Palestinian territories since last October.
The violence has killed at least 214 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese.
Obama makes call for unity at Dallas memorial
President Barack Obama implored Americans of all races to show more unity and understanding as he addressed an emotional memorial for five slain policemen in Dallas.
The president, accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama, leaned heavily on scripture as he ministered to a country stunned by gun violence and torn asunder by race and politics.
"I know that Americans are struggling right now with what we've witnessed over the past week," he said.
US President Barack Obama leaned heavily on scripture as he ministered to a country stunned by gun violence and torn asunder by race and politics Mandel Ngan (AFP)
A succession of shootings, each racially charged, has led to a sense that "the deepest fault lines of our democracy have suddenly been exposed, perhaps even widened," Obama said.
"I'm here to say we must reject such despair. I'm here to insist that we are not as divided as we seem."
From Charleston to Orlando to last week's ambush in Dallas, by a black gunman out to kill whites in retribution for police violence, the past year has seen a torrent of slaughter motivated by hate.
Each week seemingly brings new shaky footage of a police officer shooting dead a black American -- images that quickly go viral and revive tough questions about race and policing.
Obama's speech included a frank admission that his own efforts to tackle violence, guns and racism had come up short.
"I have spoken at too many memorials during the course of this presidency," he said with uncommon candor. "I've seen how a spirit of unity born of tragedy can gradually dissipate."
"I've seen how inadequate words can be in bringing about lasting change. I've seen how inadequate my own words have been."
- 'We've heard prejudice' -
Eight years ago, Obama's rhetorical prowess made him America's first black president and raised hopes that the country could overcome deeply entrenched societal divides.
Tuesday's memorial service showed a weary president whose hopes for change had been thwarted.
The way out, Obama said -- suggesting work that will continue beyond his presidency -- was for Americans to open their hearts to each other.
Black Americans protesting police racism, he said, must understand how hard the police's job can be.
"You know how dangerous some of the communities where these police officers serve are. And you pretend as if there's no context?"
But Obama also challenged a mostly-white police force and white Americans at large to admit that while the edifice of legalized racism had gone, prejudice remained.
"We have all seen this bigotry in our own lives at some point," he said.
"We've heard it at times in our own homes. If we're honest, perhaps we've heard prejudice in our own heads and felt it in our own hearts."
- 'We flood communities with guns' -
That call for unity was echoed by former president George W. Bush, Obama's predecessor.
"Too often we judge other groups by their worst examples, while judging ourselves by our best intentions," said the Dallas resident.
But Obama, a Democrat, also made a call for Bush's fellow Republicans to realize the cost of their opposition to gun control and spending on mental health and drug treatment.
"We allow poverty to fester so that entire neighborhoods offer no prospect for gainful employment," Obama said, pointing to a string of causes for violence.
"We refuse to fund drug treatment and mental health programs. We flood communities with so many guns that it is easier for a teenager to buy a Glock than get his hands on a computer or even a book."
Following the service, Obama met for more than an hour with families of the officers killed and wounded, along with Bush and Vice President Joe Biden, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. The three men were accompanied by their wives.
- America, black and blue -
Last week, the fatal police shootings of two black men, Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota, prompted nationwide anger, with thousands of protesters taking to the streets from coast to coast.
They also seemingly motivated black Afghanistan war veteran Micah Johnson to carry out his deadly rampage in Dallas just as a protest against police brutality was wrapping up.
Johnson, 25, used a high-powered rifle for the killings, also wounding nine other police officers and two civilians in Thursday's sniper attack.
Before he was killed by a police robot, Johnson told negotiators he wanted to murder white cops in revenge for the black deaths.
The memorial paid a poignant tribute to the fallen "peacemakers in blue" -- Brent Thompson, Patrick Zamarripa, Michael Krol, Lorne Ahrens and Michael Smith.
Each officer was represented by an empty chair in the auditorium, adorned with a folded US flag and officer's cap.
Police join hands during the singing of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" during an interfaith memorial service for the victims of the Dallas police shooting on July 12, 2016 Mandel Ngan (AFP)
Photos of the victims of the Dallas police shooting are seen during an interfaith memorial service on July 12, 2016 in Dallas, Texas Mandel Ngan (AFP)
First Lady Michelle Obama hugs Dallas Police Chief David Brown (2ndL) as US President Barack Obama hugs Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police Chief James Spiller (R) on July 12, 2016 Mandel Ngan (AFP)
FBI gives up on old crime of hijacker who leaped from plane
One of America's most baffling crimes -- that of a hijacker who jumped out of an airliner with a parachute and ransom money 45 years ago -- looks set to remain an enigma.
Nothing was heard from the well-dressed, middle-aged man ever again.
The FBI said Tuesday that after one of the longest, most exhaustive probes in its history, it will no longer actively investigate the case of the man who called himself Dan Cooper and became known as "DB Cooper."
This undated sketch courtesy of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shows D.B. Cooper, the hijacker who commandeered a Northwest Orient airlines Boeing 727 on November 24, 1971 as it flew from Portland, Oregon to Seattle, Washington
The FBI said that after looking at all credible leads, enough is enough: resources spent on the Cooper case will be redirected to "focus on other investigative priorities."
The hijacker, wearing a business suit and tie, commandeered a Northwest Orient airlines Boeing 727 on November 24, 1971 as it flew from Portland, Oregon to Seattle, Washington.
After it landed safely, he obtained parachutes and $200,000 in ransom money and freed 36 passengers.
The plane took off again with crew members as hostages, this time bound for Mexico. At some point, the man jumped out of the back of the plane using a parachute and clutching his money, falling through the freezing night air.
The case generated myriad tips but they went nowhere. No sign of the man was ever found.
Bundles of crumbling $20 bills from the ransom money were however unearthed by a small boy on a sandbar in the Columbia River in 1980.
Woman, 27, accused of taking $860 worth of fingernail polish
NEW ORLEANS (AP) New Orleans police say a 27-year-old woman is accused of stealing $860 worth of fingernail polish from a CVS drug store in one day.
Authorities say in a news release that Raushawn Ford was arrested Monday and held without bond on charges of theft and possessing stolen property. The news release quotes CVS' loss prevention officer as saying that Ford also had stolen from two other stores.
The release did not elaborate on when and how Ford allegedly stole the polish or how she was caught. Jail records did not indicate whether she had an attorney who could comment on the allegations.
Jury convicts 2 from Detroit police of robbing drug dealers
DETROIT (AP) A Detroit police lieutenant and an officer have been convicted of robbing drug dealers and stealing drugs and money obtained in police searches.
The U.S. attorney's office in Detroit said Lt. David Hansberry and Officer Bryan Watson were found guilty by a jury on Monday after a five-week trial. They were convicted on charges of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion and robbery, but acquitted of several other charges.
The conspiracy conviction carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Sentencing is set for Nov. 11.
Hansberry and Watson have denied wrongdoing.
Detroit Police Chief James Craig said in a statement the men "betrayed their oath and their fellow officers."
Striking photo captures woman's arrest at police protest
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) A lone woman wearing a sundress stands in the street, seemingly placid as police in body armor advance on her.
That image has swept through social media as a defining moment of protests over recent police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota.
On Saturday, a few hundred protesters had gathered outside the Baton Rouge Police Department when police came out of their headquarters dressed in riot gear and accompanied by a military-style, armored vehicle.
FILE In this Saturday, July 9, 2016 file photo, A protester is grabbed by police officers in riot gear after she refused to leave the motor way in front of the the Baton Rouge Police Department Headquarters in Baton Rouge, La. Police made nearly 200 arrests in Louisiana's capital city during weekend protests around the country in which people angry over police killings of young black men sought to block some major interstates. (AP Photo/Max Becherer)
The riot police were lined up, shields down, protecting their faces, some with shields and batons in their hands. Their intent seemed to be to clear protesters from the highway in front of police headquarters.
The crowd of protesters was gathered on the grass and in a park near the highway.
As the crowd and an AP photographer and reporter watched, a young woman wearing a flowing black-and-white sundress came out of the crowd and took up a position facing the riot police.
The woman, whose identity has not been confirmed, stood alone with a cellphone in her hand and arms crossed. One of the officers told her that if she did not move off the road, she would be arrested.
When she gave no sign she would be moving, an officer said, "Arrest her," and a crack opened in the wall of riot police. Three officers came through.
As the woman stood motionless, two of the officers, clad all in black armor and moving swiftly in tandem, reached the woman, grabbed her by the arms and pulled her back behind the line of riot police.
She is among nearly 200 demonstrators arrested since Friday who may yet face criminal charges, Baton Rouge police said.
People across US gather to protest recent police shootings
Protests and related events nationwide Monday after the police shootings of black men in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and suburban St. Paul, Minnesota, and the deadly sniper attack on police officers in Dallas:
COLORADO
Police protests were calm and lightly attended in Denver on Monday, when a group of about 50 waved signs decrying police killings while a smaller group entered a fourth day of quietly mourning blacks killed by police in the last year.
Skylar Barrett walks with an American flag in the middle of the street during a march through the Buckhead neighborhood against the recent police shootings of African-Americans on Monday, July 11, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
The demonstrations outside the state Capitol attracted a mixed-race crowd and supporters bringing water, fruit and sandwiches to support the efforts. A handful of police stood watch from about a block away.
The Denver observations were a marked contrast from charged police protests in some cities. None of the protesters attempted to block the streets during a busy lunchtime hour. Instead the protesters kept to a park to wave signs and mourn.
Protesters say they were inspired to protest by cases around the country of police killing young black men.
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GEORGIA
Demonstrators in Atlanta gathered for a fifth consecutive night, blocking the road outside a mall before marching to the governor's mansion, where they staged a sit-in.
Mayor Kasim Reed said earlier Monday that about 15,000 people attended various protests over the weekend in Atlanta. Reed said 14 people were arrested Saturday and Sunday by the Atlanta Police Department, and two others were arrested by the Georgia State Patrol.
Local media reported Reed and Police Chief George Turner appeared at the sit-in Monday night, where they spoke privately with protest leaders.
Most of the several hundred who had gathered headed home shortly after midnight, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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ILLINOIS
Protesters marched peacefully through Chicago Loop in another day of demonstrations over police methods sparked by the fatal shooting to two black men by white officers in Minnesota and Louisiana.
Monday's demonstration was organized over social media by teenage girls who said they were determined to keep it peaceful.
Demonstrators met in a park along the Lake Michigan shore. Organizers said many protesters put tape over their mouths to symbolize the way police brutality silences African Americans.
The group then marched to a downtown plaza where they joined several hundred more protesters for a rally. The combined group, escorted by police, some on bicycle, then marched through the business district, disrupting traffic.
The demonstrations in Chicago in recent days have been relatively peaceful, though police scuffled with some protesters Saturday, resulting in 16 arrests.
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KENTUCKY
Dozens of people attended a vigil in Louisville to protest the recent police killings of black men.
The Courier-Journal (http://cjky.it/29vNW2i) reports the "Breaking White Silence" event began at noon Monday outside Metro Louisville Police Department headquarters. It was organized by Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice. A statement from the group says the gathering is part of a national effort to get more white people to voice concerns about racial justice.
Tensions between black citizens and police have risen since last week's killings of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge and Philando Castile in Minnesota by white officers, and a retaliatory attack on police by a black sniper in Dallas that killed five officers and wounded others.
The group said it will read the names of people killed by police and the names of the officers killed in Dallas.
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LOUISIANA
A Louisiana civil rights group is criticizing law enforcement officers over their treatment of protesters.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana said Monday that Baton Rouge police "used violent, militarized tactics on groups of people who have gathered peacefully in protest of Alton Sterling's killing."
At times, police have used riot gear and military-style vehicles in demonstrations.
Sterling, a 37-year-old black man, was killed Tuesday by two white police officers. His death, captured on video by bystanders, has sparked days of protests.
Authorities have arrested about 200 demonstrators since Friday. Monday night's protests were largely peaceful.
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TENNESSEE
Memphis officials are asking protesters who occupied a key bridge over the Mississippi River Sunday night to attend a meeting where they can voice their concerns.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and Interim Police Chief Michael Rallings said Monday morning that the meeting would be held at 4 p.m. at Greater Imani Church in Memphis as a way to start a dialogue on how to unite the city.
Traffic on Interstate 40 was blocked in both directions for hours after hundreds of angry Black Lives Matter protesters marched onto the bridge to show their anger about police killings of black people. Police in squad cars tried to stop them, but several hundred had already made their way up the ramp, and the crowd swelled to more than 1,000.
Rallings locked arms in solidarity with people marching off the bridge. Several hundred remained until riot police with shields slowly pushed them off.
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Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Kristen Wyatt in Denver; Kathleen Foody in Atlanta; Herb McCann in Chicago; and Adrian Sanz in Memphis, Tennessee.;
Protesters march through an intersection in the Buckhead neighborhood during a demonstration against the recent police shootings of African-Americans on Monday, July 11, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Chicago police form a line along Michigan Avenue as activists against police brutality march through the streets of downtown Chicago on Monday, July 11, 2016. Protesters marched peacefully through Chicago Loop in another day of demonstrations over police methods sparked by the fatal shooting to two black men by white officers in Minnesota and Louisiana. (Brandon Chew/Chicago Tribune via AP)
Michael Murphy yells out during a rally against police brutality on Monday, July 11, 2016, at Dearborn and Adams streets in downtown Chicago. Protesters marched peacefully through Chicago Loop in another day of demonstrations over police methods sparked by the fatal shooting to two black men by white officers in Minnesota and Louisiana. (Brandon Chew/Chicago Tribune via AP)
Ella Carr, center, of Austin, Texas, puts her fist up during live music at a night rally in honor of Alton Sterling, outside the Triple S Food mart in Baton Rouge, La., Monday, July 11, 2016. Sterling was shot and killed last Tuesday by Baton Rouge police while selling CD's outside the convenience store. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
GOP rejects call to back off gay marriage opposition
CLEVELAND (AP) Republican officials rejected an emotional plea Monday to back off the GOP's opposition to same-sex marriage, renewing the party's embrace of religious conservative values as delegates prepared to welcome Donald Trump to their national convention.
Republicans who gathered to shape their party platform in Cleveland this week also refused to reverse their opposition to bathroom choice for transgender people, exposing a rift with their presumptive presidential nominee despite internal warnings that social conservative policies on gay rights alienate voters.
"All I ask today is that you include me," said Rachel Huff, a Republican delegate from Washington, D.C., who is openly gay.
Visitors show their support for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump prior to his speech at Westin Town Center in Virginia Beach, Va., Monday, July 11, 2016. (Kristen Zeis/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)
"If our party wants a future ... we must evolve," she said, her voice cracking with emotion.
Asked to respond to Huff, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin later explained that opposition to same-sex marriage has "been the longtime tradition of the Republican Party."
"She's still welcome in the party. Everyone is," Fallin said.
The debate comes as anxious conservatives try influence the direction of a party facing deep uncertainty about Trump's positions on social issues.
Delegates will adopt an updated set of policy prescriptions known as the party platform when the Republican National Convention begins next week. Delegates began the tedious process of updating the 62-page document this week. Changes adopted Monday signaled renewed support for religious conservative values.
The New York billionaire has been reluctant to embrace social conservative positions in some cases, particularly as Republicans across the country push for new restrictions on bathroom access for transgender people.
Trump, who claims strong support from the gay community, has invited transgender celebrity Caitlyn Jenner to use whichever bathroom in Trump Tower she'd like. He also said North Carolina's so-called "bathroom law," which directs transgender people to use the bathroom that matches the gender on their birth certificates, has caused unnecessary strife.
Yet Republicans on Monday let stand language that attacks the Obama administration for directing schools to allow transgender students to use restrooms and other facilities that match their gender identities. "Their edict to the states concerning restrooms, locker rooms and other facilities is at once illegal, dangerous and ignores privacy issues. We salute the several states which have filed suit against it," reads the platform.
Delegates also changed language that offers a warning to children of same-sex parents: "Children raised in a traditional two-parent household tend to be physically and emotionally healthier, less likely to sue drugs and alcohol, engage in crime or become pregnant outside of marriage."
Annie Dickerson, a Republican delegate from New York, said the change relied upon "outrageous, horrible evidence" and represented "another poke in the eye to the gay community."
"Stop repelling gays for God's sake," she declared.
Trump opposes same-sex marriage, but often avoids discussing conservative social issues on the campaign trail. Facing the possibility of a delegate rebellion at the convention next week, his campaign has been taking a hands-off approach to the platform debate.
Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who led the platform committee, said he was given Trump's blessing during a private meeting last week in Washington.
Anglican Church of Canada votes against same-sex unions
TORONTO (AP) The Anglican Church of Canada narrowly voted against authorizing same-sex marriages Monday after nearly a week of passionate debates about blessing such unions at the church's triennial conference.
More than 200 delegates attending the six-day General Synod 2016 north of Toronto narrowly rejected the resolution after more than 60 speakers made their points, with most speaking in support of the resolution.
Same-sex marriage has been legal in Canada since 2005, and Monday's vote puts the Anglican Church the third largest in Canada out of step with most Canadians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who recently took part in a gay pride parade in Toronto.
In order for the resolution to have passed, it required two-thirds support from each of three orders the lay, clergy and bishops.
The bishops voted 68.42 percent in favor of the resolution, and the lay delegates voted 72.22 percent in favor. However, the clergy voted 66.23 percent, just missing the percentage needed by a single vote.
The vote sparked bitter disappointment among some members.
"It is breaking my heart that there are people who see gay marriage as a separation from God and from love," said Eliot Waddingham, 24, a transgender person from Ottawa, who was an observer at the conference.
The vote, Waddingham worried, was tantamount to a "death sentence" for the church.
"Woah. One vote," said Rev. Jeremy Smith in a tweet. "Prayers for all those wounded by the anti-LGBTQ vote."
The electronic voting was conducted secretly at the request of delegates as a privacy measure.
Earlier, Archbishop Colin Johnson of Toronto cited his own decades of marriage in arguing in support of the motion.
"I want my gay and lesbian colleagues to have the same joy," Johnson said. "I believe it's the right thing to do."
Some speakers urged delegates to reject the resolution, with one saying it would cause "ghettos of resentment" if allowed, while several aboriginal delegates denounced it as condoning an "abomination" and disobedience of God.
The General Synod is held every three years, and the vote was the culmination of work that began when the last General Synod, the church's legislative body, asked a panel to come up with a draft motion. Even if it had passed, the decision would have needed to be affirmed by the next General Synod in 2019, which could have made its own amendments.
If the resolution passed, it would have changed the denomination's definition of marriage, and would have permitted clergy to officiate gay marriages.
The vote followed complaints about bullying during weekend discussions on the resolution in smaller working groups. In remarks ahead of the vote, Archbishop Fred Hiltz urged respectful discussions on a topic that has proven bitterly divisive.
"Some members of our synod are deeply hurt. Some of them are deeply offended. Some are feeling unsafe to continue to speak lest they be reprimanded," Hiltz told the gathering. "This kind of behavior is not appropriate. It's unacceptable."
About 1.6 million Canadians identify themselves as Anglican, according to Statistics Canada.
The U.S. Episcopal Church, the Anglican body in the United States, is alone among Anglican bodies in approving gay marriage and has faced a backlash for its support of same-sex unions. Earlier this year, Anglican leaders temporarily restricted the role of the U.S. Episcopal Church in their global fellowship as a sanction over the American church's acceptance of gay marriage.
Australian convicted of recruiting 7 men to fight in Syria
SYDNEY (AP) The first person charged in Australia with recruiting and sending fighters to Syria was convicted Tuesday of recruiting seven foreign fighters.
Hamdi Alqudsi, 42, had pleaded not guilty in the New South Wales state Supreme Court in Sydney to seven counts of recruiting men from June until October in 2013 to travel from Australia to Syria to fight with Jabhat al-Nusra and other al-Qaida affiliates.
A jury on Tuesday found him guilty of six counts, and then continued deliberations before convicting him on the charge relating to the seventh man.
Each offense carries a potential maximum of 10 years in prison. The same offense committed since legislation was amended in 2014 carries a maximum sentence of 25 years. Alqudsi will be sentenced next month.
At least two of the recruits died in Syria.
Alqudsi, a Sydney-based disability pensioner with two wives recognized under Islamic law, had booked flights to Turkey and organized the recruits' itineraries. He had also advised the recruits how to avoid drawing attention to themselves as they left Australia.
The prosecution relied on a large cache of intercepted phone calls in Arabic and English, including some with Mohammad Ali Baryalei, who would become known as Australia's highest-ranking member of the Islamic State group before he died in Syria in 2014.
When they spoke, Baryalei was fighting for Jabhat al-Nusra, but discussed switching his allegiance to the Islamic State.
Alqudsi's lawyer Scott Corish had told the court his client could have thought the men were going to Syria for humanitarian reasons. But prosecutor David Staehli said the jury could not possibly find that the calls between Alqudsi and Baryalei were about humanitarian work.
After the verdicts, another of Alqudsi's lawyers, Zali Burrows, told reporters, "He accepts the verdicts but he'll always maintain his innocence."
EU, Chinese leaders to discuss market access, Brexit fallout
BEIJING (AP) European Union and Chinese leaders kick off a summit Tuesday at a time of global uncertainty over Brexit and pressure from European companies for better access to China's market.
EU leaders are expected to press their Chinese counterparts to accelerate their efforts to reduce overcapacity in sectors including steel amid complaints in Europe that low-cost Chinese competition is putting European steelworkers' jobs at risk.
President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang will meet with European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Tuesday. The EU leaders are likely to face questions on the future of the bloc following the U.K.'s referendum vote to leave three weeks ago that has caused economic and political uncertainty.
Also high on the agenda during the two-day summit in Beijing will be a push for progress on an investment agreement between the two sides. The EU, which is China's largest trading partner, says this is to enable fair competition between Chinese and European companies. Chinese officials say they want to sign an agreement quickly to benefit both sides and that foreign companies are welcome in their economy.
EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said Monday in Beijing that the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment has to be concluded first before any negotiations can start on a free-trade agreement between China and the 28-nation EU. Negotiations first started in Jan. 2014.
Girls on fire: Camps help females prep for firefighter jobs
ASHLAND, Mass. (AP) Firefighting is largely a man's world, but one suburban Boston firefighter is among a few women trying to change that.
Ashland fire Lt. Lyn Moraghan founded Camp Bailout for girls in 2011 to give them a feel for what a firefighting career entails and to provide mentoring and guidance from other women, something she never really had early in her 22-year career.
Only about 7 percent of U.S. firefighters were women as of 2014, the latest year for which data are available, according to a study published by the Quincy, Massachusetts-based National Fire Protection Association.
In this Monday, July 11, 2016 photo, firefighting camp participants watch as a propane fire burns during a drill in the use of fire extinguishers at a fire station in Ashland, Mass. Camp Bailout is one of about a dozen all-girl firefighting camps around the nation, seen as crucial in boosting the number of female firefighters. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
To change that, a small but growing number of girls' firefighting camps have been cropping up, said Kim Cox, executive director of the International Association of Women in Fire and Emergency Services. The organization lists eight all-girls camps on its website, though Cox estimates there are another half dozen or so more.
The girls at Camp Bailout don't go running into burning buildings, but they do learn how to use a fire extinguisher, how to handle a powerful fire hose and how to do water rescues, among other critical skills. They hear from other women not just firefighters but also police officers, nurses and medical helicopter pilots. They even learn about a firefighter's lifestyle, the 24-hour shifts, time away from family and the training.
Although Moraghan has had as many as 26 girls at the camp in the past, some still in middle school, she limited it to 10 high-school-age girls this year. The day camp is free, funded by a grant from Ashland, a town of 16,500 about 20 miles west of Boston.
They wasted little time Monday on the first day of the weeklong camp, donning protective gear and tackling straw and propane fires with fire extinguishers as their instructors shouted encouragement.
Carly Falone, 18, attended the first Camp Bailout and is back this year as a counselor.
Falone, whose father is a firefighter in neighboring Framingham, started in Ashland's Fire Service Exploring program, where she was the only girl.
"It was a little intimidating at first," she said. "I was unsure if I belonged. But that just motivated me to go harder and show I am just as good as the boys." The recent high school graduate plans on earning her emergency medical technician certification and taking some college-level fire science classes as she pursues a firefighting career.
Tara Sivak, 15, is attending Camp Bailout for the first time.
"I just love helping people and just doing hands-on activities," she said. "So when my mom saw a news article about this, she thought it would interest me. I love it."
Moraghan, 48, got into firefighting almost by accident. After earning her emergency medical technician license, she knocked on the door of the Ashland Fire Department one day and asked if there were any job openings. She was hired part time in 1994. In 1997, she was hired as the town's first full-time female firefighter after graduating from the state firefighting academy.
All-girl camps are essential to build and maintain the number of women in firefighting, said Laura Baker, a past president of the International Association of Women in Firefighting and Emergency Services.
The first assistant chief in the history of the Tucson (Arizona) Fire Department helped start a firefighting camp for girls called Camp Fury, which has partnered with the Girl Scouts to promote leadership skills.
"Women bring a unique and different skill set to the fire service," Baker said. "Ninety percent of what we do is emergency medical services, which is a great fit for women and the natural motherly instincts and compassion women can provide."
Falone, the Camp Bailout counselor, said the most important lesson she has learned is teamwork.
"I'm wicked independent, but I have learned that you can't do this job alone."
In this Monday, July 11, 2016 photo, firefighting camp participants Tara Sivak, left, and Gabriella Bortolotti, center, gear up at the start of the day's activities at a fire station in Ashland, Mass. Camp Bailout is one of about a dozen all-girl firefighting camps around the nation, seen as crucial in boosting the number of female firefighters. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
In this Monday, July 11, 2016 photo, firefighting camp participants prepare for a drill in the use of fire extinguishers on the grounds of a fire station in Ashland, Mass. Camp Bailout is one of about a dozen all-girl firefighting camps around the nation, seen as crucial in boosting the number of female firefighters. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
In this Monday, July 11, 2016 photo, Lt. Lyn Moraghan, left, talks to firefighting camp participants, including Erin Wheeler, center, and Tara Sivak, right, in the dispatch room at a fire station in Ashland, Mass. Camp Bailout is one of about a dozen all-girl firefighting camps around the nation, seen as crucial in boosting the number of female firefighters. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
In this Monday, July 11, 2016 photo, Katy Waldman, second from left, watches with other fire fighting camp participants during a drill in the use of fire extinguishers at a fire station in Ashland, Mass. Camp Bailout is one of about a dozen all-girl firefighting camps around the nation, seen as crucial in boosting the number of female firefighters. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
In this Monday, July 11, 2016 photo, firefighter Ton Duca, left, instructs Meghan Bowles in the use of a fire extinguisher during firefighting camp at a fire station in Ashland, Mass. Camp Bailout is one of about a dozen all-girl firefighting camps around the nation, seen as crucial in boosting the number of female firefighters. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
In this Monday, July 11, 2016 photo, Lt. Lyn Moraghan, left, instructs Tara Sivak in the use of a fire extinguisher during firefighting camp for girls at a fire station in Ashland, Mass. Camp Bailout is one of about a dozen all-girl firefighting camps around the nation, seen as crucial in boosting the number of female firefighters. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Violence spurs Japan to evacuate workers from South Sudan
TOKYO (AP) Japan has urged dozens of Japanese nationals including aid workers in South Sudan's capital of Juba to leave the country and dispatched military aircraft to evacuate them amid renewed fighting in the African nation.
Japan sent transport aircraft to Djibouti on Africa's eastern coast, though it's unclear how they will travel the 3,000 kilometers (1,900 miles) between Juba and Djibouti. The three C-130s, which left their base in Komaki 260 kilometers (130 miles) southwest of Tokyo late Monday, are expected to pick up about 70 Japanese nationals from Juba.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Tuesday that the government was doing its utmost to protect the Japanese. He said Japanese defense troops building roads and infrastructure will stay for the time being.
In this photo taken Sunday, July 10, 2016, black smoke is seen rising above the capital Juba, in South Sudan. Explosions and heavy weapons gunfire are shaking South Sudan's capital Juba Monday in the fifth day of clashes between government and opposition forces, raising the specter of a return to civil war. (Iain McLellan via AP)
About 350 Japanese troops are there as part of the United Nations' peacekeeping operations. They are in their camp and safe, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency, a government-funded organization, said its more than 40 staffers were safe and standing by at home to be evacuated. JICA contractors were killed in a militant attack in Bangladesh this month.
The agency said the decision to pull out was not because of the Bangladesh attack, but because of the deteriorating safety situation in Juba.
A look at senior Lebanese Hezbollah figures killed in Syria
BEIRUT (AP) Since the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group joined Syria's civil war in 2012 to support President Bashar Assad's forces, it has lost several prominent members in combat and has gained a broader range of enemies. More than 1,000 of its foot soldiers have been killed in the Syrian conflict, which began in 2011, compared to the 1,276 fighters killed during its 18-year guerrilla war with Israeli forces that occupied southern Lebanon until 2000.
Here is a look at senior Hezbollah figures killed in Syria:
2016:
COMBO - this combo made up of six images shows Hezbollah top commanders who were killed in Syria, top row from left, Imad Mughniyeh, Mustafa Badreddine and Samir Kantar, at bottom row from left are Hassan Hussein al-Haj, Ali Fayyadh and Jihad Mughniyeh. Since Hezbollah joined Syria's civil war in 2012 to support President Bashar Assad, it has lost several prominent members in combat and has gained a broader range of enemies. (Hezbollah Media Department via AP)
Mustafa Badreddine, Hezbollah's top military commander, was killed in a blast in the Syrian capital of Damascus. Hezbollah, which announced his death on May 13, says he was killed by rebel shelling near Damascus.
Ali Fayyadh, better known as Abu Alaa Bosna, who led some of Hezbollah's military operations in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Bosnia, was killed in February during battles with the Islamic State group near the town of Khanaser in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo.
2015
Samir Kantar, who spent 30 years in an Israeli prison for the 1979 killing of an Israeli man, his daughter and a policeman, was killed in December along with eight others in a suspected Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Jaramana, a Damascus suburb.
Hassan Hussein al-Haj, a top Hezbollah commander, was killed in October while fighting al-Qaida-linked militants in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib. A week later, his replacement, Mahdi Hassan Obeid, was killed during fighting in the same province.
Iraq: Suicide bombing in Baghdad Shiite district kills 12
BAGHDAD (AP) A suicide car bomb ripped through an outdoor market in a Shiite-dominated northeastern district of Baghdad on Tuesday, killing at least 12 people, officials said, as government forces deployed across much of the Iraqi capital in preparation for a major military parade later this week.
Five more people died in bombings Tuesday elsewhere in Iraq.
The developments came on the heels of two large-scale attacks claimed by the Islamic State group that killed more than 300 people last week. On Monday, visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Washington will send 560 more troops to Iraq to help battle IS.
Civilians gather at the scene of a deadly suicide car bombing at an outdoor vegetable and fruit market in a Shiite-dominated district in northeastern Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. The bomb on Tuesday, killed at least 10 people and injured tens of others, officials said. The developments came on the heels of two large-scale attacks claimed by the Islamic State group that killed more than 300 people last week. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)
In Tuesday's Baghdad bombing, the explosives-laden pickup truck exploded during the morning rush hour at a vegetable and fruit market in the al-Rashidiya district, a police officer said. The blast killed 12 and wounded up to 37, and also damaged several cars, he added.
Elsewhere, a bomb went off at another outdoor market, this one in the town of Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) south of Baghdad, killing three shoppers and wounding 10 people, police said. And two more civilians were killed and nine were wounded in a bombing that targeted a commercial area in the capital's southern neighborhood of Dora, police also said.
Medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to talk to the media.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks, but they bore the hallmarks of the Islamic State group. The Sunni extremists, who consider Shiites heretics, swept across northern and western Iraq in the summer of 2014, capturing large chunks of territory and plunging the country into its worst crisis since U.S. troops left at the end of 2011.
Last week, IS killed more than 300 people in two attacks. A massive truck bombing struck a bustling commercial area in a Baghdad's predominantly Shiite neighborhood of Karada, killing 292 people one of the deadliest attacks since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. And last Thursday, an attack at a Shiite shrine north of Baghdad killed 37 people.
Iraqi government forces deployed in most of Baghdad on Tuesday, closing off main roads and snarling traffic. The Interior Ministry spokesman, Brig. Gen. Saad Maan, said the troops were "practicing for a planned military parade for a specific occasion." Maan didn't name the occasion, but the country is due to mark the anniversary of its 1958 overthrow of a Hashemite monarchy and the declaration of Iraq as a republic on Thursday.
The recent uptick in IS attacks beyond the front lines demonstrated the IS group's ability to launch lethal attacks despite recent territorial losses in both Iraq and Syria, where it has established a self-proclaimed caliphate. IS militants still hold pockets of territory in northern and western Iraq.
According to Carter, who on Monday met with top Iraqi officials, the new American forces should arrive in the coming weeks. They will primarily be tasked with transforming an air base retaken this month from IS into a staging hub for the long-awaited battle to recapture Mosul Iraq's second-largest city from Islamic State militants.
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Associated Press writer Murtada Faraj in Baghdad contributed to this report.
A bulldozer clean at the scene of a deadly suicide car bombing at an outdoor vegetable and fruit market in a Shiite-dominated district in northeastern Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. The bomb on Tuesday, killed at least 10 people and injured tens of others, officials said. The developments came on the heels of two large-scale attacks claimed by the Islamic State group that killed more than 300 people last week. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)
A bulldozer clears rubble at the scene of a deadly suicide car bombing at an outdoor vegetable and fruit market in a Shiite-dominated district in northeastern Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. The bomb on Tuesday, killed at least 10 people and injured tens of others, officials said. The developments came on the heels of two large-scale attacks claimed by the Islamic State group that killed more than 300 people last week. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)
Civilians and security forces gather at the scene of a deadly suicide car bombing at an outdoor vegetable and fruit market in a Shiite-dominated district in northeastern Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. The bomb on Tuesday, killed at least 10 people and injured tens of others, officials said. The developments came on the heels of two large-scale attacks claimed by the Islamic State group that killed more than 300 people last week. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)
Civilians gather at the scene of a deadly suicide car bombing at an outdoor vegetable and fruit market in a Shiite-dominated district in northeastern Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. The bomb on Tuesday, killed at least 10 people and injured tens of others, officials said. The developments came on the heels of two large-scale attacks claimed by the Islamic State group that killed more than 300 people last week. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)
Civilians gather at the scene of a deadly suicide car bombing at an outdoor market in a Shiite-dominated district in northeastern Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. The bomb on Tuesday, killed at least 10 people and injured tens of others, officials said. The developments came on the heels of two large-scale attacks claimed by the Islamic State group that killed more than 300 people last week. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)
Civilians and security forces gather at the scene of a deadly suicide car bombing at an outdoor market in a Shiite-dominated district in northeastern Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. The bomb on Tuesday, killed at least 10 people and injured tens of others, officials said. The developments came on the heels of two large-scale attacks claimed by the Islamic State group that killed more than 300 people last week. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)
His death sparked Black Lives Matter protests across the country including in Dallas where five cops were shot dead
One of suspects arrested at the scene admitted the theft was as part of a plot to harm police officers
Police uncovered plot while responding to a burglary of a pawnshop where eight guns were stolen on July 9
The boy, 12, was the fourth suspect to be arrested over an alleged plot to kill Baton Rouge cops
A 12-year-old boy has become the fourth suspect to be arrested for an alleged plot to kill Baton Rouge cops in revenge for the fatal Alton Sterling shooting.
Louisiana State Police said the arrests were made after they received information about a 'substantial, credible' threat.
Tensions are high between police and civil rights protesters following the fatal shooting of two back suspects by police officers, and the mass shooting of five cops at a Dallas demonstration on July 7.
Today another Baton Rouge cops were killed, and six were injured in another mass shooting. The shooter, who was wearing black, was seen firing indiscriminately at around 9am.
A suspect, a black man from Missouri, has been shot dead and police say two others may be at large following what appears to have been an ambush.
Three officers have been confirmed dead. Four more have been injured and one is in a critical condition in hospital.
A 12-year-old boy has become the fourth suspect to be arrested for a plot to kill Baton Rouge cops in revenge for the fatal Alton Sterling shooting. Pictured are other suspects Antonio Thomas, 17, (left) and Malik Bridgewater, 20 (right)
Police uncovered the plot while responding to a burglary at a Baton Rouge pawnshop on Saturday morning, July 8.
Authorities said surveillance video showed the suspects using a ladder to climb the roof of the building to get in.
Officers arrested one suspect, Antonio Thomas, 17, at the scene with a handgun and a BB gun. Another suspect, Malik Bridgewater, 20, was apprehended the next day on July 9, and a third suspect, a 13-year-old boy, was apprehended on a street.
The 12-year-old was arrested a few days later on July 15.
Another man was arrested for allegedly purchasing two of the stolen guns, but he hasn't been linked to the alleged plot, a police spokesman said.
The suspects face charges including burglary, simple burglary, and theft of a firearm. They have not been arrested on any charges related to plotting to kill police.
Six of the eight handguns stolen have since been recovered.
Baton Rouge Police Chief Carl Dabadie said at a press conference that the first suspect arrested told police that 'the reason the burglary was being done was to harm police officers.'
He said the suspect didn't give any details about when or where a possible plot would be carried out.
Panic: Three police officers have been killed after at least six were shot by a masked gunman in Baton Rouge today. Pictured, police running at the scene
High alert: The shooting took place at a gas station less than a mile from Baton Rouge's police headquarters shortly before 9am
The police department has come under criticism for the tactics it's employed to deal with protesters, using riot police and military-style vehicles on the streets of the capital city. Over a three day period, police arrested about 200 protesters
Police say that the reason they have had to use harsh tactics against protesters is becasue of threats like these (pictured is a July 9 photo of a protester being grabbed by police officers in riot gear in Baton Rouge)
The police department has come under criticism for the tactics it's employed to deal with protesters, using riot police and military-style vehicles on the streets of the capital city. Over a three day period, police arrested about 200 protesters.
'We have been questioned repeatedly over the last several days about our show of force and why we have the tactics that we have. Well, this is the reason, because we had credible threats against the lives of law enforcement in this city,' he said.
A week after 37-year-old Alton Sterling was shot and killed by two white police officers in Baton Rouge outside a convenience store, tension are high in the city. While protesters demand justice for Sterling, the shootings in Dallas last week and other attacks on police around the country have put the police on edge.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has defended the police response to protesters rallying against the shooting death of a black man by white officers, saying Tuesday that the riot gear and weaponry was appropriate.
'We've had a police officer with teeth knocked out of his face because of a rock. If you don't have on riot gear, you have no defense against that sort of thing,' said the Democratic governor, who comes from a family of sheriffs.
The arrests were made amid protests over the police shootings of Philando Castile (left) in Minnesota and Alton Sterling (right) in Louisiana
'In light of what happened in Dallas, understanding that just one gunman can change the situation entirely, how do you in good conscience put police officers on the street without the ability to defend themselves?' he said.
Protests have spread across the country as people express outrage over the recent death in Baton Rouge and of a second black man, Philando Castile, at the hands of police in Minnesota.
he Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights investigation into Sterling's shooting.
In the first few days after Sterling's death, police took a reserved approach to enforcement, keeping a low profile as hundreds gathered outside the convenience store where Sterling died.
But tensions escalated at weekend protests that moved away from the store and into other areas of the city, with nearly 200 people arrested and a show of force from law enforcement that included police wielding batons, armed with long guns and wearing shields.
Tension between protesters and police have been high since Micah Johnson, a 25-year-old black Army veteran (left, while in the army, and right) shot dead five cops
The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana has criticized police as using 'violent, militarized tactics on groups of people who have gathered peacefully.' Amnesty International has questioned the high number of arrests.
Community leaders have tried to defuse tension and keep interactions between protesters and law enforcement calm.
State Rep. Ted James, a black lawyer who grew up in the area where Sterling was shot, and Cleve Dunn Jr., a prominent black businessman in Baton Rouge, met with local Republican leaders at a public luncheon to discuss the shooting. The two men have showed up at protests and urged calm.
'I truly believe that we can have parallel conversations about respect for police officers, making sure that they're safe, but also have a parallel conversation about the things that are happening with African-American males across the country,' James said.
The Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Department will close a section of the Riverpark will be closed from midnight on Friday until 11 a.m. on Saturday in preparation for the Heroes Run.
The closure will take place between the East entrance (near the boat ramp and Fry Center ) and the West entrance (near Chattanooga State). This also includes the trail from Chattanooga State.
Escaped psychiatric patient had planned bombing
SEATTLE (AP) A patient accused of torturing a woman to death before escaping from a troubled Washington state psychiatric hospital earlier this year also had a fascination with the Islamic State group and planned to blow up a state building, newly released documents revealed.
Detectives who investigated Anthony Garver's escape from Western State Hospital south of Seattle also found that he had threatened to kill a federal judge and previously was caught with bomb-making materials.
Despite an extensive criminal history and a pattern of evading authorities, Garver lived in a ground-floor room, where he spent five months loosening his window frame before escaping through it April 6 with another violent patient.
FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Lakewood Police Department shows Anthony Garver. Garver escaped from a Washington state psychiatric hospital on April 6, 2016, where he was held after being found too mentally ill to face charges that he tortured a woman to death. Newly released police reports reveal Garver had threatened to kill a federal judge and prosecutor. Detectives also learned he had a fascination with the Islamic State terrorist group. (Lakewood Police Department via AP, File)
It took almost two hours for hospital officials to report the escape to Lakewood police a delay that concerned officers and detectives working the case, according to police reports acquired by The Associated Press.
Garver's head-start allowed him to hop a bus across the state to Spokane, where he used self-described survivalist skills to hide from authorities for two days. He was finally caught hiding in the woods near his mother's home the same area where he was found with dozens of rounds of assault-rifle ammunition in 2006.
The other patient was found in a nearby city the next day.
The high-profile escape of two dangerous patients came at a time when the 800-bed hospital already faced federal scrutiny over safety violations and struggled with high rates of patient assaults. The agency that oversees the state's mental health system also has been the target of lawsuits over failing to provide timely competency services for mentally ill people charged with crimes.
The state has accrued about $1.5 million in fines by state judges, who held the agency in contempt of court for failing to conduct mental health evaluations in a hospital or treatment that could allow a defendant to stand trial. A federal judge followed suit last week and ordered additional fines of $500 to $1,000 per day for each patient who is forced to wait more than a week for services.
The Department of Social and Health Services didn't immediately respond to requests for comment on the way the hospital handled the escapes. The head of the agency released a statement Monday saying it was disappointed with the recent contempt order and believes it has made significant improvements.
Garver, 28, was released last week from a federal detention center, a Bureau of Prisons spokesman said. He was there for a mental competency evaluation. Garver was booked into the Spokane County Jail on Monday afternoon, according to the jail roster. A federal hearing on his evaluation is set for Aug. 11 in Spokane.
After his escape, police discovered that Garver was a serious public safety threat.
"Garver was reported to be 'very smart,' and had tried to learn Arabic in the past, as he had a fascination with ISIS," Officer Ken Devaney wrote in a report. "He had disclosed wanting to live in the woods, and having a 'survivalist' nature."
The federal government had a warrant for Garver "because of a charge for threatening to blow up a state building and threatening to kill a federal judge and prosecutor," Devaney said. And during a previous arrest, Garver "had bomb making materials in his possession."
The documents don't reveal his targets but give more details about the escape. Garver's psychologist, Dr. Mallory McBride, said Garver's roommate knew about the plan.
"Dr. McBride thinks that over the past five months, Garver slowly worked the window open until he could jump out," Devaney said. "This theory was confirmed when that same patient said he felt a draft in the room and the draft got stronger in the past few weeks."
Devaney asked the doctor how the staff failed to realize the window was loose.
"Dr. McBride said you wouldn't be able to tell unless you physically check the window, which staff doesn't," Devaney wrote.
The documents also reveal more about Garver's criminal history.
In 2006, he was charged with possessing 100 rounds of ammunition, which was illegal because he had been in a psychiatric institution. Spokane County officials found the rounds after responding to a call by Garver's mother, who said her son threatened to kill their family and a neighbor.
Two days before his 2007 sentencing, officials found "disturbing writings" in his jail cell, prosecutors said. The notes detailed "plans for several bank robberies, two carjackings and murders, burglary, theft of firearms and shoplifting," court records said.
His cellmate reported Garver said he planned to kill the judge handling his case, the prosecutor and others.
Garver got out in 2009 but violated the terms of his supervised release by stealing a vehicle and hiding in the woods. He was found after a manhunt and jailed again. When freed in 2010, he drove to Montana and led police on a high-speed chase.
He was sentenced to a year in prison in 2011. Two years later, he befriended Phillipa Evans-Lopez.
Garver tied her hands and feet "to the four corners of her bed, gagged her with a bail of cloth, covered her face with additional cloth, stabbed her 24 times in the chest and slashed her throat," according to a probable cause affidavit.
When he failed a competency evaluation, he was sent to Western State Hospital to receive treatment. When that didn't work, the state dropped a murder charge and ordered him held as a threat to himself or others.
FILE - In this Thursday, April 7, 2016, file photo, officials stop vehicles as they search in Spokane Valley, Wash., for escaped mental patient Anthony Garver. Newly released police reports reveal Garver, a patient accused of torturing a woman to death before escaping from a Washington state psychiatric hospital, also had threatened to kill a federal judge and prosecutor. Detectives also learned he had a fascination with the Islamic State terrorist group. (Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review via AP, File)
FILE - In this Nov. 18, 2015 file photo, a sign is shown near an entrance to Western State Hospital in Lakewood, Wash. Newly released police reports reveal Anthony Garver, a patient accused of torturing a woman to death before escaping from the Washington state psychiatric hospital, also had threatened to kill a federal judge and prosecutor. Detectives also learned he had a fascination with the Islamic State terrorist group. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
In this May 2, 2016 file photo, trees and a low brick wall are shown in front of Western State Hospital in Lakewood, Wash. Newly released police reports reveal Anthony Garver, a patient accused of torturing a woman to death before escaping from the Washington state psychiatric hospital, also had threatened to kill a federal judge and prosecutor. Detectives also learned he had a fascination with the Islamic State terrorist group. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, file)
Pakistani police search for Christian charged with blasphemy
ISLAMABAD (AP) Pakistani police say they are searching for a Christian man facing blasphemy charges after a Muslim friend accused him of insulting Islam with a poem.
Local police official Mohammad Asim said Tuesday that the accused is on the run.
The man is alleged to have sent his friend the controversial poem on WhatsApp. The incident occurred in the town of Sara-e-Alamghir in Punjab province. Asim said police are also guarding a local church to prevent any violence.
Environmentalists, utilities eye Richmond coal ash trial
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Dirtier rivers or higher electric prices.
That's what environmentalists and utility officials say is at stake in an upcoming federal court ruling in Virginia could have far-reaching effects on how energy companies dispose of coal ash waste left over from decades of burning coal. Spurred by high-profile coal ash spills and new federal regulations, utilities are grappling with the disposal of vast amounts of the heavy-metal-laced waste.
In Richmond, Judge James A. Gibney Jr. heard four days of arguments and complex testimony last month from experts about what should be done at a Dominion Virginia Power coal ash site along the Elizabeth River in southeast Virginia. He hasn't said when he will rule.
Project manager Jeff Richey, walks along the non-permeable cover of Coal Ash Basin B along the banks of the Elizabeth River in Chesapeake, Va., Monday, June 27, 2016. A lawsuit has gone to a judge over environmentalists claim that there are leaks of arsenic and other heavy metals into a river near Dominion's abandoned Chesapeake power plant from the coal Ash pits in violation of the Clean Water Act. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Central to the case are questions about the scope of the Clean Water Act and whether it applies to tainted groundwater connected to rivers and other surface waters.
The lawsuit, according to industry and legal experts, is the first of its kind to go to trial in the U.S., and its outcome could help shape future fights over coal ash ponds and the extent to which certain federal regulations apply.
"It's always been a real gray area the extent you need a Clean Water Act permit for situations where there's leeching of toxics materials into groundwater," said Robert V. Percival, director of the environmental law program at the University of Maryland.
Whichever way he rules, experts said, Gibney's decision is likely to be appealed. But the case could lead to a definitive ruling that affects coal ash disposal around the country.
"This has Supreme Court written all over it," said Patrick Parenteau, a professor at Vermont Law School who specializes in environmental law.
Environmentalists and utilities are often at odds over coal ash disposal, with environmental groups pushing for excavating unlined coal ash sites near waterways and moving millions of tons of ash to lined landfills less prone to leeching toxic chemicals.
That could cost more than a trillion dollars, said Jim Roewer, executive director of the Utility Solid Waste Activities Group, a Washington-based trade group.
"If you had to clean-close all these facilities it would have a huge impact on the industry," Roewer said.
Electric companies say there are less expensive alternatives to that one-size-fits-all approach, arguing that capping coal ash sites in place with rainproof liners and other methods can still protect water quality.
There are coal ash sites around the country, but the issue is of particular importance in the Southeast, which has a disproportionate number of coal ash sites near waterways. Coal ash disposal has gained prominence after a breach of a Duke Energy coal-ash impoundment site in February 2014 caused a major spill on the Dan River, which flows in both Virginia and North Carolina. Last year, Duke pleaded guilty to federal environmental crimes and agreed to pay $102 million in fines and restitution for years of illegal pollution leaking from coal-ash dumps at five North Carolina power plants.
In Virginia, the state's largest electric utility argued that excavating all its coal ash ponds would be uneconomical and impractical. Dominion plans to excavate some of its 11 ponds at four power stations and consolidate them into six closed ponds by 2019, spokesman Robert Richardson said.
That plan has displeased environmentalists. At a recent information session about the company's coal ash sites outside Richmond, the state chapter of the Sierra Club set up a mock lemonade stand to serve "coal-aid" as a way, the group said, to "highlight the threats to public health posed by toxic coal ash and the corporate executives responsible for these decisions."
In court, Dominion is fighting a Sierra Club lawsuit over what to do with the 3 million tons of coal ash at the Chesapeake Energy Center, a coal-powered power plant retired in 2014.
The Sierra Club and its experts said the site has leeched unhealthy amounts of arsenic into the river for years and needs to be fully excavated. Dominion countered that there's no proof of that and the coal ash can be safely contained on site.
Getting a clear idea about the potential dangers isn't easy. During the trial, James Golden, the director of operations for Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, was asked by Dominion's lawyer whether he knew arsenic was leaving the Chesapeake site through groundwater and going into surface water.
"No," Golden said.
A few moments later, the Sierra Club's attorney reminded Golden that he'd been asked a nearly identical question at an earlier deposition and gave the opposite answer.
Outside the courtroom, Golden told The Associated Press that arsenic from coal ash could be seeping into surface water, but he hasn't seen any data proving it.
Gibney, the judge, questioned the wisdom of forcing Dominion to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to stop small amounts of arsenic flowing into the river, even if the company is violating the Clean Water Act.
Even if they lose, environmentalists say there is value in pursuing cases like this.
"Whatever the outcome is, the very fact that Dominion has faced this level of scrutiny and has faced widespread calls to clean up its site would encourage other utilities not to take this same path," said Southern Environmental Law Center senior attorney Frank Holleman.
A danger sign warns of power lines near a Coal ash pond from an abandoned coal fired power plant are close to the Elizabeth River in Chesapeake, Va., Monday, June 27, 2016. A lawsuit has gone to a judge over environmentalists claim that there are leaks of arsenic and other heavy metals into a river near Dominion's abandoned Chesapeake power plant in violation of the Clean Water Act. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
A non-permeable cover tops Coal Ash Basin B along the banks of the Elizabeth River in Chesapeake, Va., Monday, June 27, 2016. A lawsuit has gone to a judge over environmentalists claim that there are leaks of arsenic and other heavy metals into a river near Dominion's abandoned Chesapeake power plant from the coal Ash pits in violation of the Clean Water Act. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
A non-permeable cover tops Coal Ash Basin B along the banks of the Elizabeth River in Chesapeake, Va., Wednesday, July 6, 2016. A lawsuit has gone to a judge over environmentalists claim that there are leaks of arsenic and other heavy metals into a river near Dominion's abandoned Chesapeake power plant from the coal Ash pits in violation of the Clean Water Act. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Power lines tower over a coal ash pond from an abandoned coal fired power plant in Chesapeake, Va., Monday, June 27, 2016. A lawsuit has gone to a judge over environmentalists claim that there are leaks of arsenic and other heavy metals into a river near Dominion's abandoned Chesapeake power plant in violation of the Clean Water Act. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
A danger sign warns of power lines near a Coal ash pond from an abandoned coal fired power plant in Chesapeake, Va., Monday, June 27, 2016. A lawsuit has gone to a judge over environmentalists claim that there are leaks of arsenic and other heavy metals into a river near Dominions abandoned Chesapeake power plant in violation of the Clean Water Act. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
A non-permeable cover tops Coal Ash Basin B along the banks of the Elizabeth River in Chesapeake, Va., Monday, June 27, 2016. A lawsuit has gone to a judge over environmentalists claim that there are leaks of arsenic and other heavy metals into a river near Dominions abandoned Chesapeake power plant from the coal Ash pits in violation of the Clean Water Act. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Sessions in step with Trump on immigration, if not on style
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) He was the first U.S. senator to endorse Donald Trump. And like Trump, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions has for years espoused views on immigration and trade out of step with prevailing Republican powerbrokers.
"You have asked for 30 years, and politicians have promised for 30 years, to fix illegal immigration. Have they done it?" Sessions asked at a February campaign rally in his home state. To a thunderous "No!" from the crowd, he promised: "Donald Trump will do it."
The alliance between the four-term senator, a measured Southerner known for his down-to-earth demeanor, and the freewheeling, over-the-top Trump at first seemed unexpected, at least in terms of style. But Sessions, now sometimes mentioned as a possible vice presidential pick, has provided valuable policy support and advice to Trump's campaign.
FILE - In this June 23, 2016, file photo, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. Sessions is one of several Republicans Donald Trump is considering for his vice presidential running mate. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
Sessions, 69, is perhaps best known outside of Alabama as an ardent hardliner on immigration. He fought the 2013 "Gang of Eight" bipartisan bill that sought to create a path to citizenship for millions of immigrants now in the country illegally and was an early advocate of additional fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.
At the Alabama rally, he also criticized the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement supported by many GOP leaders, as "Obamatrade."
"He doesn't waver on things. He doesn't take a poll and see what people are thinking," Alabama Republican Party Chairwoman Terry Lathan said of Sessions.
Jefferson Beaureguard Sessions III grew up in a small town outside of Selma. He now calls the port city of Mobile home. Sessions graduated from the University of Alabama in 1973. He served as U.S. attorney for 12 years during the Reagan and Bush administrations and was Alabama's attorney general.
Also like Trump, he has faced criticism on issues of race.
Sessions was nominated for a federal judgeship in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan, but the nomination was derailed after Democrats criticized his record on civil rights as U.S. attorney and accused him of making racially insensitive remarks. A black assistant prosecutor testified that Sessions had called him "boy," an accusation Sessions vehemently denied.
Other confirmation hearing witnesses accused him of describing civil rights groups as "un-American." Sessions said those opposing his nomination were trying to distort off-hand remarks and retaliating for a voter fraud prosecution his office had pursued.
He was elected to the U.S. Senate 10 years later, in 1996, winning the seat of retiring Alabama Sen. Howell Heflin, who had voted against his judicial appointment.
Sessions, now with two decades in the U.S. Senate, brings to the table experience in Washington, a resume Trump lacks. But Sessions, who does not hold a committee chairmanship, has not wielded the clout of some other Republican senators.
Marty Connors, a former state GOP chairman, said what Sessions does offer are "conservative credentials" to conservative Republican voters harboring doubts about Trump.
"The thing about Jeff is, he's a Boy Scout," Connors said. "What Jeff would do is bring conservative credentials to all those swing states."
The Latest: China issues White Paper asserting soveriegnty
MANILA, Philippines (AP) The Latest on an international tribunal's ruling on the case filed by the Philippines against China's claims in the South China Sea (all times local):
10 a.m.
A day after an international tribunal said China had no legal basis for its expansive claim to the South China Sea, Beijing issued a policy paper saying the islands in the South China Sea are "China's inherent territory".
FILE - This May 11, 2015, file photo, shows land reclamation of Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. An international tribunal has found that there is no legal basis for China's claiming rights to much of the South China Sea. The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) issued its ruling Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in The Hague in response to an arbitration case brought by the Philippines against China regarding the South China Sea, saying that any historic rights to resources that China may have had were wiped out if they are incompatible with exclusive economic zones established under a U.N. treaty. (Ritchie B. Tongo/Pool Photo via AP, File)
In a policy paper released Wednesday, China's government asserted its sovereignty over the islands and their surrounding waters and opposes other countries' "illegal claims and occupation."
"It is the Philippines that has created and stirred up the trouble," said Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin, in introducing the paper.
The paper blamed the Philippines for violating an agreement with China to settle the disputes through bilateral negotiation and said Manila "distorted facts and concocted a pack of lies" to push forward the arbitral proceedings.
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8:20 a.m.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Wednesday that China's reputation and ambitions of becoming a world leader would suffer if it ignored the South China Sea ruling.
Bishop called on all parties to respect the ruling, which she described as final and legally binding.
"To ignore it would be a serious international transgression," Bishop told Australian Broadcasting Corp. "There would be strong reputational costs."
Bishop said she expected to speak with her counterparts in China and the Philippines in coming days and expected the ruling to be discussed at the upcoming ASEAN and East Asia Summit meetings in mid-July.
She said Australian ships and aircraft would continue to exercise freedom of navigation and overflight rights but refused to comment on specific details.
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5:35 a.m.
China's ambassador to the U.S. says an international tribunal ruling that rejected its expansive claims over the South China Sea will intensify conflict and could lead to confrontation.
Ambassador Cui Tiankai (sway tee-ehn k-eye) also accused the Hague-based tribunal of "professional incompetence" saying it was dealing with a sovereignty dispute, which is beyond its jurisdiction.
The case was brought by the Philippines, a U.S. ally.
Cui was speaking at a Washington think tank hours after the tribunal issued its ruling Monday.
U.S. officials say the ruling will narrow the geographical scope of territorial disputes in the South China Sea and could provide an impetus for fresh diplomacy among the claimant nations.
Cui said China always supports negotiations among the concerned parties, but the ruling will undermine the possibility of diplomacy.
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2:17 a.m.
A senior White House official for Asia policy is stressing the importance of upholding the "rules-based international order" in the South China Sea.
Daniel Kritenbrink said that history shows that a breakdown in order and predictability often leads to "tragic outcomes."
Kritenbrink called for both parties to accept an international tribunal ruling Monday rejecting China's extensive claims in the South China Sea. The case was brought by U.S. ally, the Philippines.
He said the U.S. is prepared to accept any outcome in the region's territorial disputes reached peacefully and in accordance with international law.
But Kritenbrink said the U.S. won't accept, "the emergence of a different set of rules in the South China Sea." He said that the international legal order could unravel, threatening 70 years of regional stability.
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10:30 p.m.
Taiwan has slammed an arbitration panel's ruling on the South China Sea.
The president's office says Taiwan was not consulted on the case brought by the Philippines, even though it is a claimant in the Spratly Islands.
Most of the tribunal's ruling involved China's expansive claims, but the panel also agreed with Manila's position that disputed Itu Aba, which Taiwan administers, is a rock and not an island. Islands are entitled to an exclusive economic zone and other rights not enjoyed by mere rocks.
The statement issued from the president's office said the ruling "severely damaged our right to the island." A government spokesman said Taiwan's navy would send a frigate to patrol the area Wednesday.
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10 p.m.
U.S. lawmakers are welcoming the South China Sea tribunal ruling and calling for the U.S. Navy to challenge China's excessive maritime claims.
Sen. Bob Corker, Republican chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the U.S. should defend freedom of navigation and overflight through patrols in the East and South China Seas.
Sen. Ben Cardin, the committee's top-ranking Democrat, said the U.S. should "fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows."
Republican Sen. John McCain said the U.S. should make clear its interest in preventing land reclamation and militarization at strategic locations like the disputed Scarborough Shoal.
Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan called for deeper U.S. engagement with China but also for clarification of U.S. treaty obligations with Manila.
He said, "The Philippines needs to know that we have their back."
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10 p.m.
A Japanese coast guard vessel has arrived in Manila for a joint exercise, though the Philippine coast guard says it wasn't timed to coincide with a tribunal's ruling on Manila's case against China's claims in the South China Sea.
Commander Armand Balilo, the Philippine coast guard's spokesman, said the Japanese vessel PHL02 Tsugaru docked at Manila's South Harbor on Monday. Some 50 Japanese and 70 Filipino coast guard personnel will take part in Wednesday's drills. Australia and the United States have sent observers.
The exercise aims to enhance understanding and capabilities to combat piracy and armed robbery at sea, to acquire knowledge and skills in airlift rescue operations. The activities will include ship boarding, search and seizure exercises.
The Philippine coast guard will also deploy its vessels and helicopters for the joint exercise.
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8:45 p.m.
The U.S. State Department called the tribunal's ruling an important contribution to the shared goal of peacefully resolving South China Sea disputes.
State Department spokesman John Kirby said the ruling was binding on both parties and that the U.S. expected China and the Philippines both to comply with their obligations under the ruling.
In the statement the U.S. also urged all claimants in the South China Sea to avoid provocative statements or actions.
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8:30 p.m.
Chinese people expressed indignation at the tribunal's ruling and reiterated various aspects of the government's rejection of the arbitration panel.
Beijing resident Wang Zhilei said: "I feel the same as all the Chinese. I took the arbitration as nothing more than a piece of paper or nonsense." State media reports in the days preceding the ruling had likened it to "a piece of waste paper."
Another resident, Ding Chennan, said "I think China should take actions to tell other countries that we are not weak."
One person cited former Communist Party leader Mao Zedong's quote: "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.'"
"It's true," Kang Chao said. "International law is made by some states, which means it doesn't benefit all the states. It definitely hurts some states." He urged China to use military action to defend itself.
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7 p.m.
Vietnam welcomed a tribunal ruling rejecting China's vast claims in the South China Sea, saying it strongly supports the settlement of such disputes through diplomatic and legal processes.
The ruling issued in The Hague on Tuesday involved a case brought by the Philippines, but China's claims also overlap with Vietnam's.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh also reiterated Vietnam's sovereignty in the disputed Paracel and Spratly island chains.
Earlier in the day, Vietnam accused Chinese vessels of sinking a Vietnamese fishing boat near the Paracels on Saturday. The five fishermen were rescued by a trawler some seven hours later.
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6:40 p.m.
A professor of the Asian political economy says the international arbitration ruling rejecting China's claims to large swaths of the South China Sea could be a "transformative moment" in the region.
Speaking outside the Permanent Court of Arbitration's base at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Leiden University professor of political economy in Asia, Jonathan London, tells The Associated Press that the decision will "give countries with a common interest in international norms something to point to and to rally around."
London says that the ruling will let such nations say to China: "Look, here are the results of an international organization that has found that your claims have zero historical basis."
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6:20 p.m.
Dozens of Filipinos rallying in Manila jumped in joy, wept and waved Philippine flags after news that an international tribunal had sided with the Philippines against China's sea claims.
One person held up a poster that said: "Philippine sovereignty, non-negotiable."
Aside from striking down China's sweeping territorial claims, the tribunal also "found that China had violated the Philippines' sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone by interfering with Philippine fishing and petroleum exploration, constructing artificial islands and failing to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing in the zone."
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6 p.m.
The Chinese government swiftly rejected an international tribunal's ruling that China's claim of much of the South China Sea has no legal basis, saying Beijing does not accept the jurisdiction of the panel.
In a statement, the foreign ministry said that China "solemnly declares that the award is null and void and has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it."
"China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards. China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards," the statement said.
The ministry repeated China's often-expressed stance that the Philippines' move to initiate arbitration without China's consent was in "bad faith" and in violation of international law.
6 p.m.
Japan urged China and the Philippines to abide by an international tribunal ruling that found no legal basis for Beijing's South China Sea claims.
Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday that the Arbitral Tribunal's decision is "final and legally binding" and that the two sides should comply with it.
Kishida said in a statement that "Japan strongly expects that the parties' compliance with this award will eventually lead to the peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea."
Japan has its own territorial disputes with China over a set of islands in the East China Sea, and has raised concerns over Beijing's military assertiveness in the regional waters.
He said Japan supports the rule of law and the use of peaceful means, not the use of force or coercion, in seeking settlement of maritime disputes.
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5:45 p.m.
An international tribunal has criticized China for building a large artificial island on Mischief Reef in the South China Sea, saying it caused "permanent irreparable harm" to the coral reef ecosystem and permanently destroyed evidence of the natural conditions of the feature.
In a ruling Tuesday on a variety of issues concerning a dispute between China and the Philippines, the tribunal concluded that China had violated its obligations to refrain from aggravating the dispute while the settlement process was still going on.
The Hague-based tribunal also found that China had interfered with Philippine petroleum exploration at Reed Bank, tried to stop fishing by Philippine vessels within the country's exclusive economic zone, and failed to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing within the Philippines' EEZ at Mischief Reef and Second Thomas Shoal.
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5:15 p.m.
The Philippine government welcomed a ruling that rejects China's 'nine-dash line' claiming much of the South China Sea.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said in Manila the "milestone decision" was an important contribution to efforts in addressing disputes in the sea.
He said: "The Philippines reiterates its abiding commitment to efforts of pursuing the peaceful resolution and management of disputes with the view of promoting and enhancing peace and stability in the region."
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5 p.m.
An international tribunal has found that there is no legal basis for China's "nine-dash line" claiming rights to much of the South China Sea.
The tribunal issued its ruling Tuesday in The Hague in response to an arbitration case brought by the Philippines against China.
The panel said that any historic rights to resources that China may have had were wiped out if they are incompatible with exclusive economic zones established under a U.N. treaty.
Journalists gather outside the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands, on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, ahead of a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) on the dispute between China and the Philippines over the South China Sea. China has intensified the drumbeat of its opposition to an international tribunal's ruling expected Tuesday that could threaten its expansive claims in the South China Sea. (AP Photo/Mike Corder)
In this photo taken March 30, 2014, a Philippine Marine, right, swims in the waters of Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. An international tribunal has found that there is no legal basis for China's claiming rights to much of the South China Sea. The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) issued its ruling Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in The Hague in response to an arbitration case brought by the Philippines against China regarding the South China Sea, saying that any historic rights to resources that China may have had were wiped out if they are incompatible with exclusive economic zones established under a U.N. treaty. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2015, file photo, provided by Filipino fisherman Renato Etac, a Chinese Coast Guard boat circles a Filipino fishing boat near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. China has intensified the drumbeat of its opposition to a milestone ruling expected Tuesday July 12, 2016, by an international tribunal that could threaten its expansive claims in the South China Sea. (Renato Etac via AP, File )
Filipinos applaud moments after the Hague-based U.N. international arbitration tribunal's ruling favoring the Philippines in its case against China on the dispute in South China Sea Tuesday, July 12, 2016 in Manila, Philippines. The international tribunal has found that there is no legal basis for China's "nine-dash line" claiming rights to much of the South China Sea. The tribunal issued its ruling Tuesday in The Hague in response to an arbitration case brought by the Philippines against China. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
Protesters display placards by Manila's breakwater hours before the Hague-based UN international arbitration tribunal announced its ruling on South China Sea Tuesday, July 12, 2016 in the financial district of Makati city east of Manila, Philippines. The protesters are urging China "to respect the Philippines' rights over its exclusive economic zone and extended continental shelf" as mandated by the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS.(AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
Tribunal halts proceedings against slain Hezbollah commander
BEIRUT (AP) The U.N.-backed tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri says it's halting legal proceedings against a Hezbollah commander who was killed in Syria.
Mustafa Badreddine was among five Hezbollah members on trial in absentia at a court in the Netherlands over the massive bombing that killed Hariri and 21 others.
Badreddine was killed in Syria in May.
The Special Tribunal for Lebanon said in a statement late Monday that "by majority, the Appeals Judges found that there was sufficient evidence presented before the Trial Chamber to prove the death" of Badreddine.
It added that the proceedings will be terminated and would be resumed should evidence that he is alive come up in the future.
Nobel winner Malala visits world's largest refugee camp
DADAAB, Kenya (AP) Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai visited the world's largest refugee camp on her 19th birthday Tuesday and voiced concern that Kenya's plans to close it could create "a generation lost."
The government announced in May that it plans to close the camp in eastern Kenya near the Somali border by the end of the year, citing it as a security liability.
Malala said returning any of the more than 300,000 refugees to Somalia, which is still plagued by extremist violence, should be voluntary.
Malala Yousafza, speaks to refugees in the Dadaab refugee camp, Kenya, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai is spending her 19th birthday in Kenya Tuesday visiting the world's largest refugee camp to draw attention to the global refugee crisis, especially as Dadaab camp faces pressure to close after a quarter-century. (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi)
"They should not be forced to move," the advocate for girls' education said in an interview with The Associated Press.
"As we all know, the camp is going to be closed down soon, so I want to make sure that these girls don't become a generation lost, and there are alternative facilities for them to continue with their education," Malala said.
If the camp is closed and its residents are moved to Somalia where there are few schools, the "girls will be without education," she said, noting that at least they can get an education in the schools inside Dadaab.
Malala urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to take his time in deciding on the fate of the camp and take into consideration the need to provide education.
Dadaab has existed for 25 years, and for many of the refugees there, the sprawling camp is the only home they have known. There are established houses for longtime residents, while newcomers make do with improvised huts of thorn branches and other materials.
One refugee, Rahma Hussein, said that when her family returned to Somalia, "things changed dramatically. There was no peace, there was no security, and even if you go to learning centers you fear that when and which time you will be bombed."
Kenya has been plagued by numerous attacks from the Somali extremist group al-Shabab that have killed scores of people since 2011, when Kenya deployed troops to Somalia against the militants. The Kenyan government alleges that attacks were hatched in Dadaab. The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab has vowed to continue attacking Kenya.
Kenyatta has said repatriations from Dadaab will be voluntary and humane. The international community has urged caution and warned against forceful evictions.
U.N. security in the camp on Tuesday did not allow the media to speak with refugees other than the ones who met with Malala.
Malala said she came to the camp to draw attention to the global refugee crisis, saying that each year on her birthday, she chooses a region where girls' education is neglected.
"I am here to speak for my unheard sisters of Somalia striving for education every day," she said.
Since last year, Malala has been in contact via Skype with a group of girls in Dadaab and had been looking forward to meeting them and others, said Taylor Royle, her spokeswoman.
Malala embraced refugee girls who came out in large numbers to see her. Some wore bright red scarves marked with Malala's name. She walked hand-in-hand with them in the dry and dusty camp.
The outspoken advocate for the education of girls in her native Pakistan was shot in the head and severely wounded in 2012 by Taliban militants while returning home from school. For her courage, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.
Malala Yousafza speaks to refugees in the Dadaab refugee camp, Kenya, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai is spending her 19th birthday in Kenya Tuesday visiting the world's largest refugee camp to draw attention to the global refugee crisis, especially as Dadaab camp faces pressure to close after a quarter-century. (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi)
Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai speaks to the Associated Press in Dadaab refugee camp, Kenya, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Yousafzai visited the world's largest refugee camp on her 19th birthday and voiced concern that Kenya's plans to close it could create "a generation lost." (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi)
Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai speaks to the Associated Press in Dadaab refugee camp, Kenya, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Yousafzai visited the world's largest refugee camp on her 19th birthday and voiced concern that Kenya's plans to close it could create "a generation lost." (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi)
Malala Yousafza, left, with an escort, visits the Dadaab camp, in Kenya, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai is spending her 19th birthday in Kenya Tuesday visiting the world's largest refugee camp to draw attention to the global refugee crisis, especially as Dadaab camp faces pressure to close after a quarter-century. (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi)
Malala Yousafza, center right in blue, meets refugee girls in Dadaab, Kenya, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai is spending her 19th birthday in Kenya Tuesday visiting the world's largest refugee camp to draw attention to the global refugee crisis, especially as Dadaab camp faces pressure to close after a quarter-century. (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi)
China blames Philippines for stirring up trouble
BEIJING (AP) China blamed the Philippines for stirring up trouble and issued a policy paper Wednesday calling the islands in the South China Sea its "inherent territory," a day after an international tribunal said China had no legal basis for its expansive claims.
"It is the Philippines that has created and stirred up the trouble," Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said in introducing the paper.
The Philippines sought arbitration from an international tribunal on several issues related to its territorial disputes with China.
Filipinos cheer moments after the Hague-based U.N. international arbitration tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines in its case against China on the dispute in South China Sea Tuesday, July 12, 2016 in Manila, Philippines. The tribunal has found that there is no legal basis for China's "nine-dash line" claiming rights to much of the South China Sea. The tribunal issued its ruling Tuesday in The Hague in response to an arbitration case brought by the Philippines against China. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
The tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, rejected China's claims in a landmark ruling that also found the country had aggravated the seething regional dispute and violated the Philippines' maritime rights by building up artificial islands that destroyed coral reefs and by disrupting fishing and oil exploration.
While the decision is seen as a major legal declaration regarding one of the world's most contested regions, the true impact is uncertain given the tribunal has no power of enforcement.
In the new policy paper, China asserts its sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and their surrounding waters and opposes other countries' "illegal claims and occupation."
The paper blamed the Philippines for violating an agreement with China to settle the disputes through bilateral negotiation and said Manila "distorted facts and concocted a pack of lies" to push forward the arbitration proceedings.
Still, Liu said, China remained committed to negotiations with the Philippines, noting new Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's positive remarks on the issue.
"China stands ready to work with the new Philippine government," Liu said. He added that "early removal of obstacles posed by the arbitration case" would help efforts to improve relations.
While the findings cannot reverse China's actions, it still constitutes a rebuke, carrying with it the force of the international community's opinion. It also gives heart to small countries in Asia that have helplessly chafed at China's expansionism, backed by its military and economic power.
"The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision as an important contribution to ongoing efforts in addressing disputes in the South China Sea," Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said in Manila, calling on "all those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety."
Former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, who helped oversee the filing of the case, said the ruling underscored "our collective belief that right is might and that international law is the great equalizer among states."
Del Rosario stressed that it was important for the ruling to be accepted by all.
"For the sake of maintaining international order, it is imperative that the Award and clarification of maritime entitlements be accepted by all relevant countries - without exception - so that we can work together on how remaining issues can be peacefully resolved," he said.
Six regional governments have overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea, waters that are rich in fishing stocks and potential energy resources and where an estimated $5 trillion in global trade passes each year.
The disputes have also increased friction between China and the United States, which has ramped up its military presence in the region as China has expanded its navy's reach farther offshore.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest reacted to the ruling by encourage all parties to "acknowledge the final and binding nature of this tribunal."
Earnest spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One as President Barack Obama was flying to Dallas. He said the United States was not a claimant in the case and that it seeks a peaceful resolution to disputes and competing claims in the region, while preserving the U.S.'s ability engage in the freedom of navigation and commerce.
Earnest said the White House sees the potential that the tribunal's ruling could aid in the resolution of the dispute in a way that doesn't further inflame the situation. He also urged the parties not to use the ruling as an opportunity to engage in escalatory or provocative actions.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said the ruling is an opportunity for everyone in the region to act in a sensible way in accordance with the rule of law in order to settle disputes. Carter spoke at a news conference in Afghanistan where he was meeting with U.S. commanders.
The U.S. State Department called on both parties to comply with their obligations, according to a statement from spokesman John Kirby. The United States has not taken sides in the South China Sea disputes but has worked to ensure freedom of navigation and overflight in the region are maintained.
The Philippines, under a U.N. treaty governing the seas, asked in 2013 for arbitration on a number of issues it had with treaty co-signee China.
The five-member panel from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands, unanimously concluded China had violated its obligations to refrain from aggravating the dispute while the settlement process was ongoing.
It also found that China had interfered with Philippine petroleum exploration at Reed Bank, tried to stop fishing by Philippine vessels within the country's exclusive economic zone and failed to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone at Mischief Reef and Second Thomas Shoal.
China, which boycotted the entire proceedings, reiterated that it does not accept the panel's jurisdiction. China "solemnly declares that the award is null and void and has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it," a statement from the foreign ministry said.
It added that "China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards." The ministry repeated China's often-expressed stance that the Philippines' move to initiate arbitration without China's consent was in "bad faith" and in violation of international law.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Wednesday that China's reputation and ambitions of becoming a world leader would suffer if it ignored the South China Sea ruling.
"To ignore it would be a serious international transgression," Bishop told Australian Broadcasting Corp. "There would be strong reputational costs."
Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said the tribunal's decision is "final and legally binding" and that the two sides should comply with it. He said in a statement that "Japan strongly expects that the parties' compliance with this award will eventually lead to the peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea."
China considers bilateral talks with the other claimants the only way to address the South China Sea disputes.
It has said vast areas of the South China Sea have been Chinese territory since ancient times and demarcated its modern claims with the so-called nine-dash line, a map that was submitted under the U.N. treaty. Manila brought the case to arbitration because China's claims infringe upon its own 200-mile exclusive economic zone.
The tribunal said that any historical resource rights China may have had were wiped out if they are incompatible with exclusive economic zones established under the U.N. treaty, which both countries have signed.
It also criticized China for building a large artificial island on Mischief Reef, saying it caused "permanent irreparable harm" to the coral reef ecosystem and permanently destroyed evidence of the natural conditions of the feature.
Just before the panel announced its ruling, a busload of Chinese tourists arrived outside the court building in The Hague and joined a handful of other protesters in shouting down three people calling for China to leave Philippine waters. In Manila, dozens of rallying Filipinos jumped for joy, wept, embraced each other and waved Philippine flags after news of their victory. One held up a poster that said: "Philippine sovereignty, non-negotiable."
The aftermath of the ruling could be greatly influenced by new Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who took office late last month and inherited a case filed by his predecessor. Duterte has spoken of having friendlier relations with China and said last week his government stood ready to talk to Beijing if it got a favorable ruling. It remains to be seen, however, how far Duterte can stray from Manila's previously critical stance, given his country's growing nationalist sentiment against China's actions.
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Gomez reported from Manila, Philippines. Associated Press writers Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands; Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo; Vijay Joshi in Bangkok and Teresa Cerojano in Manila contributed to this report.
Filipinos react moments after the Hague-based UN international arbitration tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines in its case against China on the dispute in South China Sea Tuesday, July 12, 2016 in Manila, Philippines. The international tribunal has found that there is no legal basis for China's "nine-dash line" claiming rights to much of the South China Sea. The tribunal issued its ruling Tuesday in The Hague in response to an arbitration case brought by the Philippines against China. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
A Chinese police officer waves off a photographer as Chinese paramilitary policemen march past residents at a closed off road that leads to the Philippines embassy in Beijing Tuesday, July 12, 2016. A tribunal ruled on a case raised by the Philippines in a sweeping decision Tuesday that China has no legal basis for claiming much of the South China Sea and had aggravated the seething regional dispute with its large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands that destroyed coral reefs and the natural condition of the disputed areas. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Protesters display their message during a rally outside of the Chinese Consulate hours before the Hague-based UN international arbitration tribunal is to announce its ruling on South China Sea Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in Makati city east of Manila, Philippines. The protesters are urging China to respect the Philippines' rights over its exclusive economic zone and extended continental shelf as mandated by the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
Chinese police vehicles close off a road leading to the Philippines embassy in Beijing Tuesday, July 12, 2016. A tribunal ruled on a case raised by the Philippines in a sweeping decision Tuesday that China has no legal basis for claiming much of the South China Sea and had aggravated the seething regional dispute with its large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands that destroyed coral reefs and the natural condition of the disputed areas. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Lu Kang, spokesman of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, speaks to reporters about the international tribunal's ruling on the South China Sea during a news briefing in Beijing, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague issued its ruling in response to an arbitration case brought by the Philippines against China regarding the South China Sea, saying that any historic rights to resources that China may have had were wiped out if they are incompatible with exclusive economic zones established under a U.N. treaty. (AP Photo)
Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. issues a statement on the recent ruling in a long-running dispute between the Philippines and China over the South China Sea during a press conference in suburban Pasay, south of Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, July 12, 2016. An international tribunal has found that there is no legal basis for China's "nine-dash line" claiming rights to much of the South China Sea. The tribunal issued its ruling Tuesday in The Hague in response to an arbitration case brought by the Philippines against China. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
A man holds up a handwritten sign in Chinese which says "South Sea belongs to China", in reference to the South China Sea, outside the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands, on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, ahead of a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) on the dispute between China and the Philippines over the South China Sea. China has intensified the drumbeat of its opposition to an international tribunal's ruling expected Tuesday that could threaten its expansive claims in the South China Sea. (AP Photo/Mike Corder)
Protesters display placards during a rally outside of the Chinese Consulate hours before the Hague-based UN international arbitration tribunal is to announce its ruling on South China Sea Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in Makati city east of Manila, Philippines. The protesters are urging China to respect the Philippines' rights over its exclusive economic zone and extended continental shelf as mandated by the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
Protesters shout slogans during a rally outside of the Chinese Consulate hours before the Hague-based UN international arbitration tribunal is to announce its ruling on the South China Sea Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in Makati city, east of Manila, Philippines. The protesters are urging China to respect the Philippines' rights over its exclusive economic zone and extended continental shelf as mandated by the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
In this photo taken March 29, 2014, a Philippine flag flutters from the deck of the Philippine Navy ship LT 57 Sierra Madre off Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. China has intensified the drumbeat of its opposition to a milestone ruling expected Tuesday, July 12, 2016, by an international tribunal that could threaten its expansive claims in the South China Sea.(AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2015, file photo, provided by Filipino fisherman Renato Etac, a Chinese Coast Guard boat circles a Filipino fishing boat near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. China has intensified the drumbeat of its opposition to a milestone ruling expected Tuesday July 12, 2016, by an international tribunal that could threaten its expansive claims in the South China Sea. (Renato Etac via AP, File )
In this Feb. 27, 2015, photo, provided by Filipino fisherman Renato Etac, Chinese Coast Guard members approach Filipino fishermen near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. An international tribunal has found that there is no legal basis for China's claiming rights to much of the South China Sea. The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) issued its ruling Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in The Hague in response to an arbitration case brought by the Philippines against China regarding the South China Sea, saying that any historic rights to resources that China may have had were wiped out if they are incompatible with exclusive economic zones established under a U.N. treaty. (Renato Etac via AP)
Vietnamese expatriates cheer while displaying placards during a rally by the Manila's baywalk before the Hague-based U.N. international arbitration tribunal is to announce its ruling on South China Sea Tuesday, July 12, 2016, Philippines. The Vietnamese are supporting the Philippines' case it filed before the international tribunal on China's nine-dash line claim in the South China Sea. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
FILE - This image with notations provided by ImageSat International N.V., on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016, shows satellite images of Woody Island, the largest of the Paracel Islands, in the South China Sea. A tribunal ruled in a sweeping decision Tuesday, July 12, 2016, that China has no legal basis for claiming much of the South China Sea and had aggravated the seething regional dispute with its large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands that destroyed coral reefs and the natural condition of the disputed areas. (ImageSat International N.V. via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT, NO SALES
Protesters cross the street following a brief rally hours before the Hague-based UN international arbitration tribunal announced its ruling on South China Sea Tuesday, July 12, 2016 in the financial district of Makati city east of Manila, Philippines. The protesters are urging China "to respect the Philippines' rights over its exclusive economic zone and extended continental shelf" as mandated by the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS.(AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
In this July 2015, image released by the Permanent Court of Arbitration on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, the case regarding the Philippines and China on the South China Sea is heard at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) at The Hague, the Netherlands. The tribunal ruled in a sweeping decision Tuesday, July 12, 2016, that China has no legal basis for claiming much of the South China Sea and had aggravated the seething regional dispute with its large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands that destroyed coral reefs and the natural condition of the disputed areas. Clockwise from top left: Registrar and PCA Senior Legal Counsel Judith Levine; Judge Stanislaw Pawlak; Professor Alfred H. A. Soons; Judge Thomas A. Mensah (Presiding Arbitrator); Judge Jean-Pierre Cot; Judge Rudiger Wolfrum; PCA Senior Legal Counsel Garth Schofield; former Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, Albert F. Del Rosario; former Solicitor General Florin T. Hilbay, Counsel for the Philippines; Paul S. Reichler; Professor Philippe Sands; Professor Bernard H. Oxman; Professor Alan E. Boyle; Lawrence H. Martin. (Permanent Court of Arbitration via AP)
Germany: woman admits killing newborns
BERLIN (AP) A woman charged with murder after the remains of eight babies were found last year at her home in southern Germany admitted having killed several infants as her trial opened on Tuesday.
The 45-year-old mother, identified only as Andrea G., is charged with four counts of murder in the trial at the Coburg state court. Her 55-year-old husband, Johann G., is charged with being an accessory to murder.
Prosecutors say they couldn't establish whether the four other infants were actually born alive, so the indictment doesn't cover those children.
Defendant Andrea G. , who is accused of murder, covering her face with a folder, in the court room of the regional court in Coburg, Germany, Tuesday July 12, 2016. A couple have gone on trial in Germany after the remains of eight babies were found at their apartment in Bavaria last year. The 45-year-old mother, identified only as Andrea G., is charged with four counts of murder in the trial at the Coburg state court and her 55-year-old husband, Johann G., with being an accessory to murder. (Daniel Karmann/dpa via AP)
The mother told the court via her lawyer that she had wrapped the eight newborns in towels and hidden them, regardless of whether they showed signs of life, news agency dpa reported.
In her statement, she said that her husband and her mother had pushed her to be sterilized, but she didn't comply. Her husband didn't want any more children, she said.
The couple have three living children, and each has another two from previous marriages.
The defendant said that, when she told her husband in 2003 that she was pregnant again, he had been furious and demanded an abortion. The woman then repressed thoughts of the pregnancy and was surprised by the birth a pattern that was repeated during the subsequent seven pregnancies, according to her lawyer. She wasn't sure how many of the babies were born alive.
The bodies were left in a sauna that was used for storage.
There are no formal pleas in German trials, and the husband didn't respond to the charges, dpa reported though he did say he hadn't wanted any more children.
Public Education Foundation has selected Michael Stone as the organizations director of Innovative Learning. Mr. Stone will lead PEFs efforts to support teachers as they develop innovative strategies that inspire students and lead the regional STEM Hub at PEF. In addition to leading existing programs (including Teacherpreneur Incubator, Fund for Teachers, and STEM Teaching Fellows), Mr. Stone will develop new initiatives to capitalize on the interest in STEM, entrepreneurship, and innovation in our regions schools.
We are delighted to welcome Michael to our staff, said Dan Challener, president of PEF. Last year, Michael was one of three teachers in the nation to serve as an Albert Einstein fellow at the National Science Foundation in Arlington, Va. As an Einstein fellow, Michael saw, first hand, the best practices for STEM and computer education in our nations public schools. We are excited that Michael is returning to Chattanooga to share this knowledge and develop programs that will help teachers in our community.
Before Michael was an Einstein fellow, he taught at STEM School Chattanooga, where he designed the first Fabrication Lab in the state of Tennessee. Before teaching at the STEM School, he taught computer science and math at East Hamilton High School.
Mr. Stone said, I am deeply committed to PEFs mission to strengthen teaching, especially in science, technology, engineering, and math. Just like their students, teachers are eager to try new strategies, devices, and ways of thinking. My year as a STEM Fellow in the inaugural cohort gave me a glimpse of the power of teachers to learn from and with each other. Im thrilled to work with PEF and our teachers.
According to PEF Board Chair Jim Hill, Michaels year as an Einstein Fellow gives him a unique portfolio of skills and access to networks of education professionals across the country. PEF and our public schools are fortunate to have his expertise and we are glad hes returned to Chattanooga.
Mr. Stone earned a B.S. in computer science from Bryan College and an M.A. in instructional leadership from Tennessee Technological University. He served a one-year appointment in Washington, D.C. as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator fellow at the National Science Foundation, where he worked to support NSF efforts to broaden the scope of rigorous computer science education in the nation. He is the author of "Oh, Thats Education?," a book of observations from a decade in the classroom. He is chair of the American Society for Engineering Education K-12 division, and is a member of the Computer Science Teachers Association, National Science Teachers Association, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He was named a Walmart Regional Teacher of the Year in 2010. He and his wife Ceren live in East Ridge with their daughters Brooklyn and London.
Thai police raid office of news website critical of gov't
BANGKOK (AP) Police in Thailand raided the office of an independent news website on Tuesday to look for leaflets urging a vote against a draft constitution proposed by the country's military government. They left empty-handed without making any arrests.
The raid on the Prachatai website's office in Bangkok was carried out under a search warrant that related it to the arrest two days earlier of one of the website's reporters. Taweesak Kerdpoka had been arrested because he got a ride with three political activists in a vehicle carrying copies of such leaflets. He had been covering their activities in the western province of Ratchaburi.
Prachatai director Chiranuch Premchaiporn said five plainclothes police officers carried out Tuesday's office search, while more than 10 military personnel were stationed outside. Police signed a document acknowledging that they found no material they were seeking, she said.
Prachatai often carries stories critical of the government, but the raid seemed more directed at demonstrating the limit of official tolerance for criticism of the charter. Lobbying against the charter is generally prohibited.
The Referendum Act, applicable to the upcoming Aug. 7 vote on the draft charter, calls for a prison term of up to 10 years for anyone who publishes or distributes content about the draft constitution that is deemed to be deviating from the facts, contains rude and violent language, or threateningly discourages voters from participating in the referendum. In practice, it is applied to discourage opponents of the draft.
The army ousted an elected government in May 2014 and has enacted broad measure limiting freedom of expression. The junta has promised to hold an election next year after two postponements. It has not clearly spelled out what will happen if voters reject the draft constitution, which critics call undemocratic.
Chiranuch said the police indicated they suspected the "Vote No" material they confiscated on Sunday was produced at the Prachatai office.
"We have nothing to hide here except for a messy office, so I allowed them to enter after having them identify themselves," she said.
The three activists of the New Democracy Movement and the Prachatai reporter who was with them were freed on bail on Monday.
Germany to affirm stronger role on world stage
BERLIN (AP) Germany is affirming its growing role on the world stage in new security guidelines that mark another step away from its caution after World War II.
A draft defense policy paper obtained by The Associated Press Tuesday and due to be presented on Wednesday states that "Germany is a globally highly connected country ... which has a responsibility to actively shape the global order."
It formalizes what leading officials have been saying for the past 2 years a period in which Germany has played a leading diplomatic role in Ukraine's conflict and joined a campaign to support the fight against Islamic insurgents in Mali, among other things.
FILE - In this Dec. 13, 2014 file picture German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, center, greets German helicopter pilots in a hangar at Camp Marmal in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan. Germany is affirming its growing role on the world stage in new security guidelines that mark another step away from its caution after World War II. A draft defense policy paper obtained by The Associated Press Tuesday July 12, 2016 and due to be presented on Wednesday states that "Germany is a globally highly connected country ... which has a responsibility to actively shape the global order." (John MacDougall, Pool Photo via AP, file)
Germany also sent weapons to Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq, breaking with a previous reluctance to send arms into conflict situations. But although it has stepped up its diplomatic and military role, there's still little chance of the government which has to get all military missions approved by Parliament dispatching combat troops to global hotspots in the same way as European allies France and Britain, and still less unilaterally.
The so-called "white book," the first such security policy review since 2006, stresses that Germany has no intention of acting alone and that all military action and diplomatic crises need to be tackled and solved with the country's partners and allies.
"The armed forces are focused on acting in a multilateral framework," it says. "When it comes to taking responsibility for international security we are strongly dependent on the coordinated cooperation with our partners."
However, the government also says that "Germany is ready to introduce itself as an early, determined and substantial source of inspiration in the international debate, to live responsibility and take on leadership."
The paper also raises, albeit vaguely, the possibility of other European Union countries' citizens serving in Germany's military. "Opening the armed forces for citizens of the EU would offer not just far-reaching integration and regeneration potential for their personnel robustness, but also would be a strong signal for a European perspective," it says.
Germany backs NATO nations' pledge to spend 2 percent of their national incomes on defense and is increasing defense spending. Still, Chancellor Angela Merkel acknowledged last week that "a lot remains to be done" to reach that mark officials estimate that Germany's defense spending will increase from 1.19 percent of gross domestic product this year to 1.21 percent in 2017.
The Latest: Pope's condolences to families of crash victims
MILAN (AP) The Latest on the train crash in Italy (all times local):
7:55 p.m.
Pope Francis is sending his condolences to the families of the victims of the head-on train crash in Italy's southern Puglia region.
Italian firefighters search among debris at the scene of a train accident after two commuter trains collided head-on near the town of Andria, in the southern region of Puglia, killing several people, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (Massimo Mazzilli via AP)
Francis sent a telegram to the archbishop of Bari, Monsignor Fracnesco Cacucci, saying he shared in the pain of so many families. He said he was mourning those who died and praying for the injured to recover quickly.
At least 22 people died when the two commuter trains slammed into one another head-on on a single track near the town of Andria northwest of Bari. Dozens more were injured.
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7 p.m.
A railway police official says the death toll in the head-on train crash in southern Italy is at 22.
Commander Giancarlo Conticchio told Sky TG24 said the number of injured is 43, and that there could still be changes in the final toll.
He said, "surely one of the two trains shouldn't have been there. And surely there was an error. We need to determine the cause of the error."
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2:45 p.m.
A local official says the death toll in the head-on train crash in southern Italy is at 20.
An official identified by Sky TG24 as the president of the province of Andria said that rescue operations were continuing.
The official said a boy, about 7, was injured, but not in danger of dying.
He appealed for blood donations and said: "There could still be someone in the wreckage."
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2:20 p.m.
The mayor of Corato, site of the head-on train crash in Italy's southern Puglia region, says the scene is horrific but that rescue work is ongoing with firefighters, civil protection officials and volunteers.
Mayor Massimo Mazzilli told Sky TG25 that rescue workers had just pulled out a passenger alive and were poised to extract a second one.
On his Facebook page, Mazzilli posted photos of the mangled steel trains that collided Tuesday.
He wrote: "It's as disaster, as if an airplane fell. Rescue workers and civil protection is on the scene, but unfortunately there are victims!"
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1:50 p.m.
The two trains that crashed head-on in Italy's southern Puglia region belong to a local private rail company, Ferrotramviaria SpA.
Italy's national rail service, Ferrovia dello Stato, identified the company in a statement Tuesday, offering its condolences and support services.
Ferrotramviaria is a Bari-based private train company that connects the capital of Puglia with regional towns to the north and the airport, operating about 20 small electric trains. It was founded in 1937 and serves students and commuters.
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1 p.m.
Firefighters in southern Italy say at least a dozen people have been killed when two trains collided head-on in Puglia.
The trains, each with four cars, collided near the town of Andria on a line with just a single track, according to news agency ANSA and Sky TG24.
A photo of the crash showed cars crumpled together and forced off the tracks at sharp angles. News reports said rescue workers were pulling victims from the rubble, including a small child who was alive. Video images showed ambulances responding to the scene with other rescue workers.
National police and Carabinieri couldn't immediately give details about the extent of the crash, saying they were in the middle of responding.
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12:50 p.m.
Italy's prime minister says the train crash "is a moment of tears" and has pledged not to stop until a cause is determined.
Matteo Renzi was speaking in Milan after the head-on collision in the southern region of Puglia on Tuesday morning. At least a dozen people were killed and dozens of others injured.
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12:45 p.m.
Italian news reports say that two trains have collided head-on in the southern region of Puglia, killing at least four people and injuring dozens of others.
The trains collided near the town of Andria, according to news agency ANSA and Sky TG24.
ANSA reported that at least four people had died, while Sky TG24 reported 10 dead.
National police and Carabinieri couldn't immediately give details about the extent of the crash, saying they were in the middle of responding.
ANSA said ambulances and fire trucks were reaching the scene.
Italian firefighters search among debris at the scene of a train accident after two commuter trains collided head-on near the town of Andria, in the southern region of Puglia, killing several people, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (Massimo Mazzilli via AP)
This aerial handout photo shows what is left of two commuters trains after their head-on collision in the southern region of Puglia, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. At least 10 people died and several others are reported injured. (Italian Firefighter Press Office via AP)
Italian firefighters search among debris at the scene of a train accident after two commuter trains collided head-on near the town of Andria, in the southern region of Puglia, killing several people, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (Massimo Mazzilli via AP)
Italian firefighters Vigili del Fuoco inspect the wreckage of two commuter trains after their head-on collision in the southern region of Puglia, killing several people, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (Italian Firefighter Press Office via AP)
Crumpled wagon cars are seen after after two commuter trains collided head-on near the town of Andria, in the southern region of Puglia, killing several people, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (Italian Firefighter Press Office via AP)
The wreckage of a crumpled wagon at the scene of a train accident after two commuter trains collided head-on in the southern region of Puglia, killing several people, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (Italian Firefighter Press Office via AP)
Chelsea Manning 'glad to be alive' following suicide attempt
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) Chelsea Manning has tweeted that she's OK following her hospitalization for a suicide attempt last week.
The 28-year-old transgender soldier imprisoned for sending classified information to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks also posted on her Twitter account Monday night, "I'm glad to be alive." Manning doesn't have internet access behind bars at the military prison at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, but wrote last year that she dictates her tweets to someone who puts them online.
Manning's attorneys say the suicide attempt happened at the prison early on July 5.
FILE - In this undated file photo provided by the U.S. Army, Pfc. Chelsea Manning poses for a photo wearing a wig and lipstick. Attorneys for the transgender soldier imprisoned in Kansas for sending classified information to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks said Monday, July 11, 2016, her hospitalization last week was due to an attempted suicide. (U.S. Army via AP File)
New migrant crisis in the making in the Balkans
HORGOS, Serbia (AP) Afghan migrant Zaher Rajawi can't believe his bad luck. He's stuck only a few short steps from European Union soil in a Balkan refugee camp that is gradually turning into a humanitarian nightmare amid scorching heat.
Hundreds of migrants arrive daily to Serbia's border with Hungary, packing inside a makeshift tent settlement without toilets, showers and with only one tap of running water as Hungary introduced new measures meant to try to keep them out of the EU.
"This is the problem. There's no toilets, no place to take a shower. It is very difficult for us," Rajawi said. "They (the Hungarians) let each day only 15 people. If (they let) more, it gets better for us. Because, we are human, we need human rights here."
Hungarian police and army officers oversee the distribution of food as people queue at a camp in Horgos, Serbia, on Serbia's border with Hungary, Monday, July 11, 2016. In what appears to be another refugee crisis in the making in Europe, the numbers are surging at camps on Serbias border with EU country Hungary. The numbers have been growing since last week, when Hungary introduced forced deportations of migrants caught within 8 kilometers (5 miles) of border fences. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)
In what appears to be another refugee crisis in the making in Europe, the numbers are surging at this camp and other ones on Serbia's border with EU country Hungary. The numbers have been growing since last week, when Hungary introduced forced deportations of migrants caught within 8 kilometers (5 miles) of border fences.
Hungary has also restricted the number of people who can apply for asylum in the country to 15 a day.
Early this year, the EU reached a deal with Turkey to stop the flow of migrants from the Middle East and Afghanistan to Europe via the Balkans. Although the deal drastically reduced the refugee numbers from thousands a day to hundreds, it also shifted the route migrants are using.
Migrants say they now mainly go from Turkey to Bulgaria and Serbia, with most using smugglers in hopes of making their way through the Balkans to more prosperous countries like Germany. Serbian authorities also say that migrants are using this route.
Once in Serbia, they first go to Belgrade before spreading out to different places on the border with Hungary.
At the makeshift camp in Horgos, most of the people are Afghans. About 30 kilometers (20 miles) east, another camp holds mostly Syrians. The settlements are for those who want to cross into Hungary legally by applying for asylum. The majority of migrants try to cross illegally, mostly with the help of people smugglers.
On Monday, children cried as mothers shielded their young ones from scorching summer heat on a barren plain with only a few trees in Horgos. Men tried to collect enough food to keep their families fed at a dusty tent city in the no man's land between Serbia and Hungary.
Hungary's restrictions are causing a bottleneck at the border. More than 1,000 have already piled up in the Horgos camp, which is starting to resemble the sprawling refugee settlement on the border between Greece and Macedonia. Greek authorities cleared out that camp in April after dwellers had held out hope for months that Balkan border closures might be reversed.
The new Hungarian rules, reinforced by a heavy army and police presence, allow their security forces to return across the border to Serbia the migrants detained within 8 kilometers (5 miles) of the Hungarian border fences protected by razor wire. That basically means Hungary wants to all but halt the flow across its border, and empty its refugees camps by returning migrants back to Serbia.
Hungary has already returned 621 people they caught within that border radius in the week since the measures were introduced, according to police figures released Tuesday. Hungarian authorities have also prevented 1,359 migrants from crossing right at the border in the same time period.
Thousands of migrants have still been making their way through the Balkans and central Europe, many using people smugglers who take them over borders unnoticed.
The U.N. refugee agency says the number of refugees and migrants on the Serbian side of the border with Hungary has doubled to above 1,300 since last week the majority of them women and children. More than 1 million migrants crossed the Balkans last year to reach Western Europe before the route officially closed in March.
Mohammad Mortada from Kabul says he is willing to wait to cross to the EU, but isn't sure for how long.
"For us it is OK, but children cannot tolerate living in here," he said. "Dust and everything, the sun, hot weather, it's very difficult for them."
Serbian officials are also unhappy as the Hungarian measures have led to the pileup of migrants on their side of the border.
"That means that the Balkans route still exists and Europe and our neighbors are turning a blind eye," Serbia government minister Aleksandar Vulin said. "Serbia will not allow itself to become a (European) parking lot for the migrants."
Near the makeshift camp in no man's land, there is a fish pond where men migrants take a swim to cool down and clean up. Hungarian border guards watch tentatively just a few meters over the razor wire fence. Local Serbs are unhappy as they say the migrants pollute the waters while shampooing.
The local Serbs tried to scare them away.
"They said there are crocodiles in the pond," said Mohammad, 18. "We told them, crocodiles? No worry, we escaped from much bigger threats ... Afghanistan."
Children stand in a tent inside a migrant camp at Serbia's border with Hungary, in Horgos, Serbia, Monday, July 11, 2016. In what appears to be another refugee crisis in the making in Europe, the numbers are surging at camps on Serbias border with EU country Hungary. The numbers have been growing since last week, when Hungary introduced forced deportations of migrants caught within 8 kilometers (5 miles) of border fences. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)
A man stands next to drying laundry inside a migrant camp at Serbia's border with Hungary, in Horgos, Serbia, Monday, July 11, 2016. In what appears to be another refugee crisis in the making in Europe, the numbers are surging at camps on Serbias border with EU country Hungary. The numbers have been growing since last week, when Hungary introduced forced deportations of migrants caught within 8 kilometers (5 miles) of border fences. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)
A woman uses a mobile phone inside a migrant camp at Serbia's border with Hungary, in Horgos, Serbia, Monday, July 11, 2016. In what appears to be another refugee crisis in the making in Europe, the numbers are surging at camps on Serbias border with EU country Hungary. The numbers have been growing since last week, when Hungary introduced forced deportations of migrants caught within 8 kilometers (5 miles) of border fences. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)
Migrants and refugees from Afghanistan take a swim in a pond in Horgos, Serbia, meters away from Serbia's border with Hungary, Monday July 11, 2016. In what appears to be another refugee crisis in the making in Europe, the numbers are surging at camps on Serbias border with EU country Hungary. The numbers have been growing since last week, when Hungary introduced forced deportations of migrants caught within 8 kilometers (5 miles) of border fences. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)
China rejects ruling on South China Sea as 'null and void'
BEIJING (AP) China swiftly rejected an international tribunal's ruling Tuesday that its expansive claim to the South China Sea had no legal basis, saying the ruling was null and void and that Beijing would not accept it.
The ruling by the five-member panel at The Hague handed a massive victory to the Philippines, which had filed the case in 2013 challenging the so-called nine-dash line that China uses to claim virtually the entire South China Sea. Manila opposed it because it infringes upon its own 200-mile exclusive economic zone.
Chinese President Xi Jinping repeated Beijing's stance that the South China Sea has been Chinese territory since "ancient times" and said China's territorial sovereignty and interests in the region would not be influenced under any circumstances by the ruling, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
Chinese paramilitary policemen march past residents near the Philippines embassy in Beijing Tuesday, July 12, 2016. A tribunal ruled on a case raised by the Philippines in a sweeping decision Tuesday that China has no legal basis for claiming much of the South China Sea and had aggravated the seething regional dispute with its large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands that destroyed coral reefs and the natural condition of the disputed areas. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
"This farce is now over," said Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in an interview with state broadcaster CCTV. Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement: "China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards."
The ministry repeated China's often-expressed stance that the Philippines' move to initiate arbitration without China's consent had been in "bad faith" and in violation of international law.
The tribunal also said China had violated its obligations to refrain from aggravating the dispute while the settlement process was ongoing and also ruled that China's large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands that destroyed coral reefs and the natural condition of the disputed areas.
Analysts said the ruling dealt a blow to China's South China Sea strategy by potentially providing ammunition to the arguments of other countries involved in maritime disputes with China. Six governments have overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei. In addition, China's nine-dash line overlaps waters that are part of Indonesia's internationally recognized exclusive economic zone.
"It goes much farther than most people expected that this was going to go. It's really devastating for China," said Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. "It's quite serious for China and it doesn't open up a lot of opportunities for face saving-ways out."
Glaser said the ruling also meant that the Philippines would have less of an incentive to talk to China about sharing or jointly developing resources in the South China Sea.
Chen Xiangmiao, a researcher at the Chinese government-backed National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said the ruling was "very unfair" but he urged China to tone down its rhetoric against the arbitration process.
A strategic next step should be heightened diplomatic dialogue with the Philippines and Vietnam, he said. "Successful bilateral negotiation to work around the ruling would be an effective repudiation of the arbitration."
But China might choose to take a hard line with the Philippines, perhaps taking punitive measures such as sanctions, to send a message to other claimants, said Chinese military expert Yue Gang, a retired colonel.
"China will take counter-measures to punish the Philippines and that will make other claimants such as Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia to adopt a prudent attitude on the South China Sea issue," Yue said. "The most likely measure China may adopt will be economic sanctions against the Philippines."
"When it comes to the territorial integrity, China has no way to retreat and make concession," Yue said. He added that China could likely establish an air defense identification zone over the South China Sea
Earlier Tuesday in Beijing, ahead of the tribunal's ruling, the European Council's president told Chinese Premier Li Keqiang that in dealing with the South China Sea dispute, it was in the interest of both sides to protect a global order underpinned by rules.
European Council President Donald Tusk, in opening remarks in a meeting with Li on Tuesday, said: "The South China Sea we will see an important ruling today. Therefore let me repeat this: The rule-based international order is in our common interest and both China and the EU have to protect it, as this is in our people's best interest."
Xinhua reported Tuesday that China's government earlier in the day had successfully landed a Cessna CE-680, a midsized business jet, on airstrips on the Mischief and Subi Reefs in the contested Spratlys.
The news of the newly-operating runways on the day of the Hague arbitration ruling could be particularly worrisome for the Philippines, which has a contingent of marines stationed roughly 20 miles away at the Second Thomas Shoal and is seeking to drill oil nearby.
Two new runways on Mischief and Subi Reefs, along with a third on Fiery Cross Reef, would form a strategic triangle that would help China consolidate its air patrol capabilities in the Spratlys, according to analysts at the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative.
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Associated Press researcher Yu Bing contributed to this report.
Lu Kang, spokesman of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, speaks to reporters about the international tribunal's ruling on the South China Sea during a news briefing in Beijing, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague issued its ruling in response to an arbitration case brought by the Philippines against China regarding the South China Sea, saying that any historic rights to resources that China may have had were wiped out if they are incompatible with exclusive economic zones established under a U.N. treaty. (AP Photo)
A Chinese police officer waves off a photographer as Chinese paramilitary policemen march past residents at a closed off road that leads to the Philippines embassy in Beijing Tuesday, July 12, 2016. A tribunal ruled on a case raised by the Philippines in a sweeping decision Tuesday that China has no legal basis for claiming much of the South China Sea and had aggravated the seething regional dispute with its large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands that destroyed coral reefs and the natural condition of the disputed areas. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A plainclothes security person stands on duty outside the Philippines embassy in Beijing Tuesday, July 12, 2016. A tribunal ruled on a case raised by the Philippines in a sweeping decision Tuesday that China has no legal basis for claiming much of the South China Sea and had aggravated the seething regional dispute with its large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands that destroyed coral reefs and the natural condition of the disputed areas. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Chinese police vehicles close off a road leading to the Philippines embassy in Beijing Tuesday, July 12, 2016. A tribunal ruled on a case raised by the Philippines in a sweeping decision Tuesday that China has no legal basis for claiming much of the South China Sea and had aggravated the seething regional dispute with its large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands that destroyed coral reefs and the natural condition of the disputed areas. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Sheriff: Inmate who killed 2 at courthouse cuffed in front
ST. JOSEPH, Mich. (AP) A Michigan sheriff pledged Tuesday to review his department's guidelines for transporting suspects charged with violent crimes after an inmate who was cuffed in front rather than behind his back wrested a gun from a deputy and killed two court bailiffs.
Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey initially told reporters that Larry Darnell Gordon was not handcuffed Monday during the brazen courthouse escape attempt. On Tuesday, Bailey revised that account, explaining that Gordon was cuffed in front but that the restraint was not attached to a belly chain, which security experts say is a safer way to restrict movement.
"We're going to look at everything about why this happened and make sure that if there are things we can change so this never happens again, we will," Bailey said. "We'll be working with our chief judge about our protocols at the courthouse."
Lily and Keegan Goff, the children of Berrien County Sheriff SWAT team Deputy Justin Goff, place flowers Tuesday, July 12, 2016, at a memorial for slain court officers Joe Zangaro and Ron Kienzle in St. Joseph, Mich.. Deputy Goff was one of the first responders when the fatal shootings at the Berrien County Courthouse occurred Monday. (John Matuszak/The Herald-Palladium via AP)
Gary Klugiewicz, an inmate transport expert with security consultant Vistelar in Wisconsin and a retired Milwaukee County sheriff's captain, said the lack of a transport belt could have played a major role in the fatal shootings.
"Somebody handcuffed in front is totally able to do just about anything if they're not restrained to any type of belt," he said.
Gordon was being moved from a holding cell in an area of the courthouse not open to the public when he disarmed Deputy James Atterberry Jr. during a fight and shot him. He then moved into a public hallway in the courthouse and killed bailiffs Joseph Zangaro, 61, and Ronald Kienzle, 63, both retired police officers, Bailey said.
The detainee also shot a woman in the arm and briefly took hostages before being fatally shot by other bailiffs at the courthouse in St. Joseph, the county seat of 8,300 people about 65 miles northeast of Chicago.
"Those bailiffs were heroes along with all the other officers," Bailey said. "They ran to where shots were being fired. This could have been a lot worse without them being so brave to go into the gunfire and take this person down."
Nathan Hall, a consultant with the National Center for State Courts, which advises court officials on security, said it is best if two deputies transport an inmate. One armed with a stun gun or baton, but not a firearm would escort the defendant directly. The second deputy, armed with a gun, would trail at a safe distance.
"That best practice is tailored specifically to the potential for a firearm to be used against that transporting officer," Hall said. "These are best practices. The reality is that that can be expensive. We understand that. However, these instances happen."
Hall said his group also recommends handcuffing from behind.
Klugiewicz said many factors are considered when deciding how to transport an inmate such as whether the charges are violent offenses, the defendant has been violent in jail and if the court appearance is a sentencing.
"He's not been combative. He's always been cooperative the entire time he was here," Bailey said of Gordon's time in jail while charges were pending.
Gordon was charged in April with kidnapping, assault with a dangerous weapon and criminal sexual conduct, according to state police records.
Coloma Township police Chief Jason Roe told The Associated Press the charges reflect alleged crimes since 2015, but investigators had been probing earlier allegations.
Roe said the investigation began April 20, when officers went to arrest Gordon. He fled and was later caught with the help of a Michigan State Police dog, the chief said.
"It's unfortunate it ended the way it did," Roe said. "We can't prove these allegations true in court."
Gordon was discharged from probation in 2014 after being sentenced for stealing fireworks from a temporary stand, said Michigan Department of Corrections spokesman Chris Gautz. He served time in state prison from 1999 to 2002 for fleeing and eluding police.
Zangaro, one of the bailiffs killed, was head of court security. He retired from the Michigan State Police as commander of the Bridgman Post. Kienzle retired as a sergeant in the Benton Township police department after serving in the U.S. Army.
In 2011, Zangaro told The Herald-Palladium newspaper that security staff had a "ton of experience," more than many police departments.
"Probably 90 percent of the people who are here don't want to be," he said of people with business in the courthouse. "They have either a criminal issue, a civil issue or a family issue, and those become very emotionally charged sometimes."
The courthouse was closed Tuesday but was expected to reopen Wednesday.
Experts said attention on courthouse security has intensified since 2005, when a man overpowered a deputy who was releasing his cuffs to escort him to an Atlanta courtroom for his rape trial, took her gun and fatally shot the presiding judge and court reporter and then killed a sheriff's deputy outside the building. He later shot and killed an off-duty federal agent.
A small-town police chief in Kentucky was fatally shot in his cruiser in 2007 after he cuffed a DUI suspect's hands in the front instead of the back.
This past March, two violent inmates escaped from the back of a New Mexico prison van after picking the locks on their handcuffs with some sort of wire.
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White reported from Detroit. Associated Press writer Jeff Karoub in Detroit contributed to this report.
FILE - In this August 24, 2011 file photo, Joe Zangaro poses in a courtroom at the Berrien County courthouse in St. Joseph, Mich. A jail inmate, Larry Darnell Gordon, 44, trying to escape from a western Michigan courthouse wrested a gun from an officer Monday, July 11, 2016, killing two bailiffs and injuring two more people before he was fatally shot by other officers, a sheriff said. Zangaro, 61, and Ronald Kienzle, 63, both died. (John Madill /The Herald-Palladium via AP, File)
Sheriff's Deputy Guy Puffer stands watch outside the Berrien County Courthouse after a shooting incident in St. Joseph, Mich., Monday, July 11, 2016. A jail inmate trying to escape from the western Michigan courthouse wrested a gun from an officer Monday, killing a few bailiffs and injuring a few more people before he was fatally shot by other officers, a sheriff said. (Mark Parren via AP)
This undated photo provided by the Michigan Department of Corrections shows Larry Darnell Gordon. The jail inmate trying to escape from a western Michigan courthouse wrested a gun from an officer, killing a few bailiffs and injuring a few more people before he was fatally shot by other officers, a sheriff said. (Michigan Department of Corrections via AP)
Sheriff's deputies work the parameter outside the Berrien County Courthouse after a shooting incident in St. Joseph, Mich., Monday, July 11, 2016. A jail inmate trying to escape from the western Michigan courthouse wrested a gun from an officer Monday, killing a few bailiffs and injuring a few more people before he was fatally shot by other officers, a sheriff said. (Mark Parren via AP)
Police tape surrounds the Berrien County Courthouse on Monday, July 11, 2016 in St. Joseph, Mich. Two bailiffs were fatally shot Monday inside the courthouse before officers killed the gunman, a sheriff said. (Chelsea Purgahn/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)
Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey addresses the media on Monday, July 11, 2016, in St. Joseph, Mich. A prisoner was being moved moved from a holding cell at the Berrien County Courthouse when he disarmed an officer shot and killed two bailiffs Monday, before officers killed the gunman, the sheriff said. A deputy sheriff and a civilian were also shot and wounded officials reported. (AP Photo/David Eggert)
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder addresses the media on Monday, July 11, 2016, in St. Joseph, Mich. A prisoner was being moved moved from a holding cell at the Berrien County Courthouse when he disarmed an officer shot and killed two bailiffs Monday, before officers killed the gunman, a sheriff said. A deputy sheriff and a civilian were also shot and wounded officials reported. (AP Photo/David Eggert)
Michigan State Police detectives walk outside the Berrien County Courthouse after a shooting incident in St. Joseph, Mich., Monday, July 11, 2016. A jail inmate trying to escape from the western Michigan courthouse wrested a gun from an officer Monday, killing a few bailiffs and injuring a few more people before he was fatally shot by other officers, a sheriff said. (Mark Parren via AP)
Berries County Sheriff L. Paul Bailey speaks during a news conference near the Berrien County Courthouse on Monday, July 11, 2016 in St. Joseph, Mich. Two bailiffs were fatally shot Monday inside the courthouse before officers killed the gunman, a sheriff said. (Chelsea Purgahn/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)
Worshipers gather for a prayer vigil at the First Presbyterian Church in Benton Harbor, Mich., Monday evening, July 11, 2016. A jail inmate wrested a gun from an officer and opened fire inside the county courthouse, killing two bailiffs before being shot and killed by other officers. Larry Darnell Gordon, 44, who was locked up on several felony charges, was being moved from a cell for a courtroom appearance when a fight occurred and he was able to disarm an officer, Sheriff Paul Bailey said. (Mark Bugnaski/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder speaks at a press conference near the Berrien County Courthouse on Monday, July 11, 2016, in St. Joseph, Mich. A jail inmate wrested a gun from an officer and opened fire inside the county courthouse, killing two bailiffs before being shot and killed by other officers. Larry Darnell Gordon, 44, who was locked up on several felony charges, was being moved from a cell for a courtroom appearance when a fight occurred and he was able to disarm an officer, Sheriff Paul Bailey said. (Mark Bugnaski/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)
Berries County Sheriff L. Paul Bailey speaks during a news conference near the Berrien County Courthouse on Monday, July 11, 2016 in St. Joseph, Mich. Two bailiffs were fatally shot Monday inside the courthouse before officers killed the gunman, a sheriff said. (Chelsea Purgahn/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)
Portugal, Spain face prospect of EU budget fines
BRUSSELS (AP) Portugal and Spain face the prospect of becoming the first countries in the European Union to be fined for not doing enough to get their budget deficits below prescribed levels.
However, the two countries will likely come up with new plans over the coming days on how to get their public finances into shape in order to avoid the fines.
At a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday, finance ministers from the 28-country EU agreed that neither country has taken "effective action" to "correct their excessive deficits."
Dutch Finance Minister and chair of the eurogroup finance ministers Jeroen Dijsselbloem, center, speaks with other ministers at the start of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council meeting at the EU Council building in Brussels, Belgium, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Countries across the EU are required to set a fiscal policy path to get their budget deficits down below 3 percent of their annual gross domestic product. Only members of the 19-country eurozone can be fined, however, but that covers both Portugal and Spain.
In both cases, ministers found that the countries' efforts to meet the rules fell "significantly short" of recommendations.
Spain's deficit in 2015 was 5.1 percent of GDP, above the 4.2-percent target. The 2016 target set for Madrid had been a reduction in the deficit to 2.8 percent a milestone it won't be achieving.
It's a similar picture for Portugal where a 2015 target of 2.5 percent had been set. Instead, Portugal's deficit came in at 4.4 percent, meaning the deadline to correct the deficit was not met.
The EU has beefed up the rules governing public finances in the wake of the debt crisis that rocked the eurozone in particular over the past few years. The hope is that stricter controls will prevent a renewed flare-up in the crisis that saw the financial bailout of four countries Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Cyprus and questions raised over the future of the euro currency itself.
"It must be noted that both countries (Portugal and Spain) have come a long way since the crisis," Valdis Dombrovskis, European Commissioner for the Euro and Social Dialogue said.
"But lately both countries have veered off the track in correcting their excessive deficits by the recommended deadlines and we know reducing high levels of deficit and debt are preconditions for sustainable economic recovery and growth for both countries."
The decisions taken Tuesday will trigger sanctions under the "excessive deficit procedure."
The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, takes the helm now and has 20 days to recommend the imposition of fines that could amount to 0.2 percent of each country's GDP and block EU funding from the start of next year.
However, both countries can submit "reasoned requests" within 10 days for a reduction of the fines possibly to zero.
"I am sure we will have a smart, intelligent result at the end," Slovak Finance Minister Peter Kazimir said in his capacity as the chair of the meeting.
France's Finance Minister Michel Sapin arrives prior to the Economic and Financial Affairs Council meeting at the EU Council building in Brussels, Belgium, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Trump expects more violence, friction between police, blacks
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) Donald Trump says he believes relations between police and the nation's African-American community are "far worse" than people think, predicting that protests against police violence that followed last week's slaying of five police officers in Dallas "might be just the beginning for this summer."
In an interview Monday with The Associated Press, the presumptive GOP nominee struck a balance between the law-and-order rhetoric he has espoused during his campaign and an appreciation for the concerns held by African-Americans nationwide about the conduct of police.
Trump suggested that a lack of training for officers might be at least partially to blame for the two police shootings that led to last Thursday's protest in Dallas, where a lone gunman killed five in an act of vengeance against white officers. At the same time, Trump denounced the name of the Black Lives Matter movement as "a very divisive term."
Donald Trump discusses a plan to help veterans and talks for the first time publicly on recent events in Dallas, Texas., during a speech at Westin Town Center in Virginia Beach, Va., on Monday, July 11, 2016. (Kristen Zeis/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)
The interview followed a speech on veterans issues in which Trump declared, "I am the law and order candidate," an echo of Richard Nixon's response to protest violence that broke out in 1968 following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Like Trump, Nixon was a Republican running for president at the time.
"It's time for our hostility against our police, and against all members of law enforcement, to end, and end immediately, right now," Trump said during his speech, comparing anti-police sentiment to the harassment faced by returning veterans in the aftermath of the Vietnam War.
But Trump also referenced the "tragic deaths in Louisiana and Minnesota" during his event, saying they made clear that "a lot of work" must be done to ensure all Americans feel their safety is being protected.
Trump said he was disturbed by the images of the killings of Alton Sterling, who was shot by police last Tuesday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after being pinned to the pavement by two officers. The altercation that captured on cell phone video.
The following day, Philando Castile was fatally shot by an officer in suburban St. Paul, Minnesota, an act livestreamed on Facebook by his girlfriend.
"I thought they were horrible, horrible to witness," Trump said. "Whether that's a lack of training or whatever, but I thought they were two incidents that were absolutely horrible to witness. At the same time, our country is losing its spirit. African-Americans are absolutely losing their spirit."
Trump framed that issue in largely economic terms, blaming the mood of the nation's black community on high unemployment and low wages.
"Jobs can solve so many problems," he said. "And we're going to open our country up and we're going to be a huge jobs producer again instead of having terrible jobs.
"Our good jobs are going away, they're going away from this country," he added. "We're going to open our country up again for great jobs where people can make terrific livings and be happy."
Asked specifically what he would say to African-Americans who feel targeted by police because of their race, Trump said, "We have to talk to 'em and we have to build up the spirt."
He added: "We have to talk with the police. And we have to get people to really get along. People are not getting along in this country. We are in a divided country."
Trump went on to predict the problem would only grow worse.
"When President Obama said the other day that he doesn't think it's as bad as people think, I think it's far worse and certainly far worse than he believes it is," Trump said. "We are in a divided nation. I looked two nights ago and you were having trouble in 11 different cities, big, big trouble. And the press actually plays it down.
"I mean, you were having big, big trouble in many cities. And I think that might be just the beginning for this summer."
Trump also had harsh words for the Black Lives Matters movement, which has organized some of the protests. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Trump adviser, labeled the group "inherently racist" over the weekend in an interview with CBS News.
"When you say black lives matter, that's inherently racist," Giuliani said. "Black lives matter. White lives matter. Asian lives matter. Hispanic lives matter. That's anti-American and it's racist."
Asked whether he agreed with Giuliani's assessment, Trump said the group's name is "divisive."
"A lot of people agree with that. A lot of people feel that it is inherently racist. And it's a very divisive term," he said. "Because all lives matter. It's a very, very divisive term."
Trump added that has heard some Black Lives Matter activists say "horrible, horrible things about police and about others."
"And certainly if they're going to allow that to go along rhetorically, this is not a good thing for our country," he said.
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Follow Jill Colvin and Matthew Daly on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/colvinj and http://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC
Germany's Merkel: confident of good solution for Italy banks
BERLIN (AP) German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she's confident of a good solution to Italian banks' problems and doesn't see a European bank crisis brewing.
Worries over the financial health of Italy's banks have grown more acute since Britain voted to leave the European Union.
Italian Premier Matteo Renzi is looking for a way to rescue them from a pile of bad loans that aren't being repaid. At the same time, officials from the 19-nation eurozone say new rules governing the rescue of imperiled banks that seek to protect taxpayers won't be fudged.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a news conference with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny after a meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Austria to take ownership of house where Hitler was born
VIENNA (AP) Austria's Interior Ministry says the government has drawn up a draft law that would allow it to take ownership of the house where Adolf Hitler was born.
Tuesday's move follows steadfast refusal by owner Gerlinde Pommer to sell the empty building in the town of Braunau am Inn on the German border. The government has sought possession so it can take measures to lessen its draw as a shrine for admirers of the Nazi dictator.
The draft still must be approved by parliament, where the government is in the majority and can rely on the support of most opposition parties.
FILE - This Sept. 27, 2012 file picture shows an exterior view of Adolf Hitler's birth house , front, in Braunau am Inn, Austria. Austrias Interior Ministry says the government has drawn up a draft law that would dispossess the owner of the house where Adolf Hitler was born. Tuesdays July 12, 2016 move follows steadfast refusal by house owner Gerlinde Pommer to sell the empty building in the town of Braunau am Inn on the German border. The government has sought ownership so it can take measures to lessen its attraction as a shrine for the Nazi dictators admirers. (AP Photo / Kerstin Joensson,file)
Spain: Police arrest 11 for alleged money laundering
MADRID (AP) Spanish police say they have arrested 11 people mostly Russians and Ukrainians in an operation targeting foreign organized crime gangs involved in money laundering.
Police said those arrested allegedly ran a network of companies through which they channeled money from Cyprus and the British Virgin Islands to buy real estate in Spain. The group had laundered about 10 million euros ($11 million).
Police said the arrests took place in the northeastern port city of Barcelona.
The Latest: German gov't to establish migrant data portal
BERLIN (AP) The Latest on Europe's response to the influx of migrants and asylum-seekers (all times local):
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3:30 p.m.
A woman uses a mobile phone inside a migrant camp at Serbia's border with Hungary, in Horgos, Serbia, Monday, July 11, 2016. In what appears to be another refugee crisis in the making in Europe, the numbers are surging at camps on Serbias border with EU country Hungary. The numbers have been growing since last week, when Hungary introduced forced deportations of migrants caught within 8 kilometers (5 miles) of border fences. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)
The German government and international organizations say they will establish a global migration data portal in Berlin that will help bring together data from various sources and countries on the movement of migrants and refugees.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier's said Tuesday, "we must, within the world community, communicate about how to regulate migration. Unilateral or European answers are not enough."
The German government will help launch the global migration data portal which will be located at the Global Migration Data Analysis Center of the International Organization for Migration in Berlin. The goal is to make analysis and access to data more efficient.
According to the U.N. refugee agency the number of refugees and internally displaced people worldwide raised to a record 65.3 million people last year.
The body of a US airman has been found in a river in the northern Italian town where he went missing 10 days ago, Italian authorities said.
Staff Sergeant Halex Hale, 24, disappeared on July 2 after an off-base cookout in the town of Sacile. His body was identified Tuesday by his father and colleagues from the Aviano Air Base, a Carabinieri official said.
The Carabinieri is one of Italy's two police forces and is part of the army. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to give the information.
A passerby spotted the body earlier Tuesday and notified authorities.
Staff Sgt Halex Hale (pictured), 24, of Middletown, Indiana, went missing on July 2 after leaving a friend's cookout off base to walk to another friend's home about 15 minutes away
Italian authorities, which have jurisdiction since Hale (pictured) went missing off base, called off the active search for him on Saturday evening
Hale, from Middletown, Indiana, was assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base north of Venice.
He went missing on July 2 after leaving a friend's cookout off base to walk to another friend's home about 15 minutes away. Hale left behind his cellphone, car and wallet.
Italian authorities said on Monday they were investigating a body found in the Adriatic Sea 30 miles away from where Hale disappeared.
But that body belonged to a person who had disappeared for at least a month, according to Italian newspaper La Republica.
'We are in a phase of complete hypothesis,' Carabinieri Maggiore Salvino Macli said at the time of the discovery.
That body had been found over the weekend and appeared to have been in the water for a long time.
Italian authorities, which have jurisdiction since Hale went missing off base, called off the active search involving divers and dogs on Saturday evening. It had yielded no concrete clues.
Hale has been in the Air Force for six years and at Aviano since February 2015. He also served in Afghanistan.
Lance Hale, his father, had traveled to Italy to search for him.
'We will not stop looking,' Halex's mother Amy previously told WISH. 'He will not come home without our boy.'
An autopsy will be conducted tomorrow to determine the cause of death.
Hale (pictured with his mother Amy) was assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base north of Venice. He had been in the Air Force for six years and at Aviano since February 2015
Feds examine how Tesla Autopilot reacts to crossing traffic
DETROIT (AP) Federal investigators looking into electric car maker Tesla Motors' Autopilot system after a fatal crash in Florida are zeroing in on the limitations of the system and how it reacts when obstacles cross its path.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday posted a nine-page letter seeking information from Tesla about Autopilot and why it failed to detect a tractor-trailer that crossed in front of a Model S sedan May 7 in Williston, Florida.
Much of the letter seeks information on how the system works at intersections with crossing traffic, but it also asks Tesla to describe how the system detects "compromised or degraded" signals from cameras and other sensors and how such problems are communicated to drivers.
FILE - In this 2015 file photo provided by his neighbor, Krista Kitchen, Joshua Brown stands by his new Tesla electric car near his home in Canton, Ohio. Brown died in an accident in Florida on May 7, 2016 in the first fatality from a car using self-driving technology. According to statements by the government and the automaker, his vehicle's cameras didn't make a distinction between the white side of a turning tractor-trailer and the brightly lit sky while failing to automatically activate its brakes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration continues to investigate the crash. (Krista Kitchen via AP, File)
The crash in Williston killed former Navy Seal Joshua Brown, 40, of Canton, Ohio. Tesla, which collects data from its cars via the Internet, says the cameras on Brown's Model S sedan failed to distinguish the white side of a turning tractor-trailer from a brightly lit sky and the car didn't automatically brake.
The safety agency also asked Tesla for its reconstruction of the Brown crash, and for details of all known crashes, consumer complaints and lawsuits filed or settled because the Autopilot system didn't brake as expected.
NHTSA said Tesla must comply with its request by Aug. 26 or face penalties of up to $21,000 per day, to a maximum of $105 million.
A spokesman said the agency hasn't determined if a safety defect exists with Autopilot. The information request is a routine step in an investigation, spokesman Bryan Thomas said.
Tesla's Autopilot system uses cameras, radar and computers to detect objects and automatically brake if the car is about to hit something. It also can steer the car to keep it centered in its lane. The company says that before Autopilot can be used, drivers must acknowledge that it's an "assist feature" that requires both hands on the wheel at all times. Drivers also must be prepared to take over at any time, Tesla has said.
Tesla released Autopilot last fall. Some safety advocates have questioned whether the company which says the system is still in "beta" phase, a computer industry term for software testing by customers and NHTSA allowed the public access to the system too soon.
"No safety-significant system should ever use consumers as test drivers on the highways," said Clarence Ditlow, head of the nonprofit Center for Automotive Safety. He said NHTSA lacks the electronic engineers and laboratories needed to keep up with advanced technology such as General Motors air bags or Tesla's Autopilot.
Tesla says Autopilot has been safely used in over 100 million miles of driving by customers and that data shows drivers who use Autopilot are safer than those who don't.
NHTSA's Thomas said he won't comment on specifics of the investigation. The agency does not currently have legal authority to prevent automakers from rolling out features if they meet basic federal motor vehicle safety standards. It is in the process of developing standards for self-driving cars.
The NHTSA letter came as Tesla disclosed that a second crash occurred while at least part of the Autopilot system was operating.
A driver who was heading from Seattle to Yellowstone National Park told a state trooper that his Tesla Model X SUV was on Autopilot when it crashed early Saturday on a rural two-lane road in Montana, the state's Highway Patrol said.
But Tesla said the driver activated autosteer, one of the Autopilot features, and no force was detected on the steering wheel for more than two minutes. If there's no force on the wheel or a sharp turn is detected, the vehicle is programmed to gradually reduce speed, stop and turn on the emergency lights, Tesla said in a statement.
The company said the Model X alerted the driver to put his hands on the wheel, but he didn't do it. "As road conditions became increasingly uncertain, the vehicle again alerted the driver to put his hands on the wheel. He did not do so and shortly thereafter the vehicle collided with a post on the edge of the roadway," the statement said.
It wasn't clear whether the Model X had made a decision to stop at the time of the crash.
Neither the driver nor the passenger was injured in the single-vehicle crash, but there was extensive damage to the passenger side and the car lost a wheel, Montana Highway Patrol trooper Jade Shope said.
The car negotiated a right curve and went off the road, traveling about 200 feet on the narrow shoulder, taking out 13 posts, Shope said.
The trooper did not cite the driver, saying he believed any citation would be voided because of the driver's claim that the car was on Autopilot.
The NHTSA investigation, opened June 28, could have broad implications for the auto industry and its path toward self-driving cars. If the probe finds defects with Tesla's system, the agency could seek a recall. Other automakers have or are developing similar systems that may need to be changed due to the probe, which also could affect self-driving car regulations to be unveiled this summer.
In the letter, NHTSA also asked Tesla for details on any modification to the Autopilot system that Tesla has made.
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Hollywood Vampires to resume tour; Perry will rejoin 'soon'
NEW YORK (AP) The Hollywood Vampires will resume their tour Tuesday night without ailing Joe Perry, who is planning to return to the stage at a later date.
A representative for the band said that Perry "will rejoin his fellow Vampires onstage again soon." Johnny Depp and Alice Cooper also are members of the band, which is scheduled to play at the Fraze Pavilion in Kettering, Ohio, on Tuesday.
The representative said that the 65-year-old Aerosmith guitarist was "doing well" after he walked off a New York City stage Sunday during a performance and was taken to a hospital.
FILE - In this Saturday, May 25, 2013 file photo, lead guitarist Joe Perry, of American rock band Aerosmith, performs in Singapore during the inaugural Social Star Awards concert. Aerosmith co-founder and guitarist Perry has been taken to a hospital after he was forced to leave the stage while performing in New York City. Perry became ill on Sunday. July 11, 2016, while performing with Johnny Depp and Alice Cooper in his side band, the Hollywood Vampires, at Ford Amphitheater at the Coney Island boardwalk in Brooklyn. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File)
Battle for upstate NY House seat expected to be intense
KINGSTON, N.Y. (AP) A college professor who launched a liberal challenge to New York's governor faces a former Republican lawmaker who has been a sharp-tongued critic of liberal policies in a marquee congressional battle for an open seat north of New York City.
Democrat Zephyr Teachout and Republican John Faso differ ideologically but share an ability to fight hard and raise money. Both parties expect an expensive battle for the upstate seat opening with the retirement of Republican Rep. Chris Gibson.
The race playing out among small cities and rural towns of the 19th Congressional District is among a handful in the state that loom large as House Democrats try to trim the Republicans' 247-188 majority this year. Democrats believe a Hillary Clinton-versus-Donald Trump matchup at the top of the ticket will help them in swing districts and are already using Trump as a cudgel against GOP incumbents in some of those New York districts.
FILE - In this Dec. 3, 2014 file photo, Zephyr Teachout speaks during a news conference in Albany, N.Y. Teachout and Republican John Faso expect an expensive and hard-fought battle for a congressional seat opening in New York with the retirement of Republican U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson .(AP Photo/Mike Groll, File)
Teachout, 44, is a Fordham University law professor who capitalized on liberal disenchantment with Cuomo in a surprisingly strong 2014 primary challenge to his re-election bid. She moved to the district after losing the Democratic primary. She is now on unpaid leave from the university. She has written about political corruption as an academic and has fought for campaign finance reform as an activist. Teachout is a veteran of Howard Dean's 2004 presidential campaign.
Faso, 63, served in the state Assembly for 16 years and became the House's minority leader, a position that offered him a public platform to challenge Democratic policies until he left in 2002. He ran unsuccessfully for state comptroller in 2002 and governor in 2006.
They are fighting for a district that encompasses a scenic stretch of the Hudson Valley, blue-collar river cities, liberal havens like Woodstock and a chunk of New York's farm belt.
"Most of the residents around here, I think, are pro-constitution, pro-guns," said Steve Crapser as he stocked a hardware store shelf. "That's a big issue around here. There are a lot of hunters."
Crapser thinks Faso could do a good job, an opinion not readily apparent across the district on the streets of Kingston. The gritty Hudson River is in a more Democrat-rich part of the district, and voters like David Boyd, a Democrat who voted for Gibson, said he intends to vote for Teachout in November.
"I don't much about her, to be honest with you, but I'd rather go Democrat because of the way Donald Trump is talking," Boyd said outside a post office. "The Republicans right now, I'm a little scared of."
Here's a look at some other swing districts in New York:
A race for a second open seat in upstate New York features a tea party champion running in a district that Mitt Romney carried by less than a percentage point in 2012. Republican Claudia Tenney, a state Assemblywoman, unsuccessfully challenged Rep. Richard Hanna from the right two years ago. With Hanna retiring, she rode her conservative insurgent credentials to a win a primary against two Republicans with party backing last month. She now faces Democrat Kim Myers, a county legislator and daughter of the founder of Dick's Clothing and Sporting Goods.
A wild card in the race is Reform Party candidate Martin Babinec, who is running on a third-party line usually taken by Republicans.
In the Syracuse area, Republican Rep. John Katko is seeking a second term in a district that has flipped between parties over the last several election cycles. National Democrats see a chance for a pickup with candidate Colleen Deacon, a former aide to Sen. Kirsten Gillbrand. Katko, a former federal prosecutor, has been among the House Republicans targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in ads tying the House GOP to Trump. Katko has held off on endorsing Trump.
On Long Island, first-term Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin has endorsed Trump, who dominated locally in the GOP presidential primary. Zeldin, an Army Iraq veteran, is a top target for Democrats two years after he unseated a six-term Democrat. Former Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst eked out a win in a primary for the Democratic line.
Republicans see an opportunity for a pickup in the Democrat-leaning district being vacated by Long Island Democratic Rep. Steve Israel. Republican Jack Martins, a state senator since 2011, will run against Democrat Thomas Suozzi, who is seeking a political comeback after being defeated for re-election as Nassau County executive in 2009.
In another potentially competitive district, the House Majority PAC, a Democratic super PAC, has committed about $240,000 to media buys in a sprawling district upstate along the Pennsylvania border where Democrat John Plumb is challenging Republican Rep. Tom Reed. Plumb is a Navy veteran and former Department of Defense official.
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Associated Press writer Frank Eltman contributed from Manhasset, New York.
FILE - In this June 28, 2016 file photo, Republican candidate John Faso waits to scan his ballot while voting in the New York congressional primary election at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Kinderhook, N.Y. Democrat Zephyr Teachout and Faso expect an expensive and hard-fought battle for a congressional seat opening in New York with the retirement of Republican U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson. (AP Photo/Mike Groll, File)
FILE - In this Sept. 12, 2013 file photo, former Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi speaks to reporters at his campaign headquarters in East Meadow, N.Y. Republicans see an opportunity for a pickup in the Democrat-leaning district being vacated by Long Island Democratic Rep. Steve Israel. Republican Jack Martins, a state senator since 2011, will run against Suozzi, who is seeking a political comeback after being defeated for re-election as Nassau County executive in 2009. (AP Photo/Frank Eltman, File)
Thomas Suozzi, center, Democratic candidate for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives from the 3rd Congressional District in New York, speaks at a news conference, in Manhasset, NY, Thursday, June 30, 2016. Suozzi, who lost a primary race for governor in 2006, and then was ousted as Nassau County executive in 2009, is seeking a political comeback. He won a Democratic primary for the House seat on June 28, defeating four other Democrats who have since endorsed him. They are, from left: Suffolk County Legislator Steve Stern, former North Hempstead Town supervisor Jon Kaiman, North Hempstead Town Board member Anna Kaplan and attorney Jonathan Clarke. (AP Photo/Frank Eltman)
Thomas Suozzi, Democratic candidate for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives from the 3rd Congressional District in New York, speaks at a news conference in Manhasset, NY, Thursday, June 30, 2016. Suozzi, who lost a primary race for governor in 2006, and then was ousted as Nassau County executive in 2009, is seeking a political comeback. He won a Democratic primary for the House seat on June 28, 2016 defeating four other Democrats who have since endorsed him. (AP Photo/Frank Eltman)
The Latest: Trump assails Ginsburg statements about him
WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on Campaign 2016 ahead of the Republican and Democratic presidential nominating conventions (all times EDT):
12:40 a.m.
Presumptive Republican Party presidential nominee Donald Trump is assailing Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in a message tweeted late Tuesday.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a rally Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in Westfield, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
"Justice Ginsburg of the U.S. Supreme Court has embarrassed all by making very dumb political statements about me," he posted on @realDonaldTrump.
Ginsburg had said that she felt Trump was unqualified for the position. She said in an interview with The Associated Press last week that she didn't want to think about the possibility that Trump would be president and predicted that Democrat Hillary Clinton would win.
"Her mind is shot resign," Trump demanded in his Twitter message.
Earlier Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that it was "totally inappropriate" for Ginsburg to criticize Trump.
McConnell said that members of the Supreme Court shouldn't weigh in on American elections.
"It raises a level of skepticism that the American people have from time to time about just how objective the Supreme Court is, whether they're over there to call the balls and strikes, or weigh in on one side or another," he said.
10:30 p.m.
Hillary Clinton plans to use the Old State House in Springfield, Illinois, as a backdrop to talk about ways of repairing the divisions in the country following fatal shootings in Texas, Louisiana and Minnesota.
Clinton's campaign says the Democratic presidential candidate will talk Wednesday about the importance of uniting the country at the site of Abraham Lincoln's famous "house divided" speech in 1858.
Clinton intends to say the nation needs to "find a way to repair these wounds and close these divides." She will say that the divisions facing the country go beyond the recent shootings.
Heading into the Democratic convention, Clinton has tried to present herself as a unifying figure against Republican Donald Trump, pointing to the businessman's inflammatory statements about Muslims, Hispanics and others.
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10:15 p.m.
President Barack Obama is slated to speak at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, July 27.
That's according to two sources familiar with the plans. The sources requested anonymity because they had not been authorized to speak about the schedule.
Obama's address to Democrats will come on the next-to-last night of the nominating convention in Philadelphia.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren has been invited to speak on the first night of the convention.
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Associated Press writer Kathleen Hennessey contributed.
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9:45 p.m.
House Speaker Paul Ryan is adding his voice to GOP criticism of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's disparaging remarks about Donald Trump.
Ryan calls her comments "very peculiar" and "inherently biased and out of the realm."
Ginsburg said in an interview with The Associated Press last week that she didn't want to think about the possibility that Trump would be president and predicted that Democrat Hillary Clinton will win.
Ryan made his comment on CNN at an event billed as a "town hall."
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9:30 p.m.
House Speaker Paul Ryan says Donald Trump should pick a conservative as his vice presidential nominee "to assure conservatives that conservative principles are adhered to and maintained."
Ryan didn't offer a specific suggestion during an hour-long appearance on CNN Tuesday night billed as a "town hall."
But Ryan, who was the GOP's vice presidential nominee in 2012, says the pick should be "someone who is going to advance conservative principles and has a proven track record of doing that."
Ryan's emphasis on conservative credentials underscores many Republicans' discomfort with Trump's own spotty conservative bona fides.
Ryan, who hesitated for weeks before endorsing Trump, acknowledges that Trump is "new to this and he's been on different sides of different ideas."
The Republican convention begins next week and Trump is expected to unveil his vice presidential pick this week.
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9:20 p.m.
The NAACP says Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has declined an invitation to address the group's upcoming convention in Ohio.
NAACP president Cornell William Brooks told CNN Tuesday that the presumptive GOP nominee had rejected the invitation to address the nation's oldest and largest civil rights group.
Presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is slated to address NAACP members in Cincinnati on Monday, which is also opening day of the Republican National Convention across the state in Cleveland.
Trump's absence would break with the recent tradition of both major party nominees speaking to the NAACP convention.
The NAACP is saying on Twitter that "you cannot run for president and skip the opportunity speak on the nation's civil rights agenda."
Trump's campaign did not immediately comment.
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8:40 p.m.
Donald Trump is beginning his rally outside Indianapolis with prepared remarks about the police officers gunned down in Texas last week, saying, "Our whole nation grieves and mourns for the loss of five heroes in Dallas."
Trump says the police "are not just part of our society, they are the best of our society."
Trump is once again calling himself the "law and order" candidate.
He is also acknowledging the deaths of men in Louisiana and Minnesota at the hands of officers, saying: "It was tough to watch. We have to figure it out." He questions whether inadequate officer training or "something else" was responsible for the incidents.
President Barack Obama spoke at the memorial service for the police Tuesday in Dallas.
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8:30 p.m.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is telling a crowd of Donald Trump's supporters that the Republican presidential candidate "hears the voice of the American people."
Pence is the latest vice presidential candidate to hit the campaign trail with Trump. The two appeared together at a fundraiser earlier Tuesday.
Pence says Trump understands the American people like no one since President Ronald Reagan. His voice raised, Pence says to thunderous applause that the country cannot let Hillary Clinton get elected and calls Trump "a good man."
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7:30 p.m.
The Federal Aviation Administration says the skies over the Republican National Convention in Cleveland and Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia will be no-fly zones.
The agency has posted public notices to pilots on its website that they are to stay out of a 34-mile circle around each of the conventions. Exceptions include law enforcement, military aircraft supporting the conventions, approved air ambulances, scheduled commercial airline flights to local airports and cargo flights operating under Transportation Safety Administration security procedures.
Nearly all other flights are banned, including drone flights, training flights, utility surveying, model rocketry, aerobatic flights, and gilder, seaplane, ultralight, parachute, hang glider, balloon and banner-towing operations.
The bans will be in effect from July 17 to July 22 in Cleveland, and July 25 to July 29 in Philadelphia.
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6:30 p.m.
Elizabeth Warren has been asked to address the Democratic National Convention on its first night in Philadelphia later this month.
That's according to an individual familiar with the discussions who requested anonymity because the person had not been authorized to speak publicly.
Warren is being vetted as a potential running mate by Hillary Clinton's campaign. It's unclear whether the speaking slot means the Massachusetts senator has been ruled out or if the schedule could change if she's picked.
Vice presidential picks tend to speak later in the week.
Warren is a passionate voice for the liberal wing of the party, and her support could help Clinton shore up support among voters on the left, particularly backers of Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Warren has also been a scathing critic of Donald Trump.
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4:59 p.m.
Young Americans have education and the economy at the top of their minds as they think about this year's presidential election. But their thoughts on some of the other top issues facing the country ? and which of those issues are most important to them ? vary among young people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds.
That's according to a new GenForward poll of young adults ages 18-30. The poll is conducted by the Black Youth Project at the University of Chicago with the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
Asked to choose from a list of 22 topics driving their choice of a political candidate this year, education emerges on top for young Americans, with 31 percent listing it among their top three issues.
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4:36 p.m.
Hillary Clinton says the hit Broadway musical "Hamilton" offers lessons for the nation, telling supporters after a fundraising performance, "Let's not throw away our shot."
The Democratic presidential candidate was speaking at the end of a campaign-sponsored performance of the Broadway smash at New York's Richard Rodgers Theatre.
Without mentioning Republican Donald Trump, Clinton says, the country can't be detoured by those "who play to the worst of our feelings, who would divide us, who would scapegoat us."
"Hamilton" is a Tony award-winning musical about the life of Alexander Hamilton and has been praised by politicians and rap stars alike.
The former secretary of state says she has now seen the musical three times and "I cry every time."
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4:31 p.m.
Fox News says it is suspending its contributor agreement with Newt Gingrich "due to the intense media speculation" about him as a potential vice presidential candidate of Republican Donald Trump.
Jay Wallace, executive vice president of news at Fox, said Tuesday the network thought it was best to stop Gingrich as a contributor to avoid any conflicts of interest.
The former House speaker joined the network in 1999, and his role was suspended in 2011 when he ran for president in 2012. He returned to Fox in 2015.
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4:20 p.m.
Donald Trump presents himself as the "law and order" candidate for president and his country as a land of lawlessness and disorder.
That grim picture may speak to the visceral fears of voters that crime is "out of control," as Trump says.
It does not, though, reflect a trend of declining crime that has stretched over 25 years.
Crime figures are a malleable source of information. Depending on what time period is compared, and which crimes are considered, they can be used to tell a tale of progress or setbacks.
Trump has some statistical support for saying that violent crime is rising in big-city America. That appears to be true, judging by recent stats.
But there's no sign that the long-term and dramatic drop in violent crime rates is ending.
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2:55 p.m.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says it was "totally inappropriate" for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to criticize Donald Trump.
Ginsburg said in an interview with The Associated Press last week that she didn't want to think about the possibility that Trump would be president and predicted that Democrat Hillary Clinton will win.
McConnell said Tuesday that members of the Supreme Court shouldn't weigh in on American elections.
"It raises a level of skepticism that the American people have from time to time about just how objective the Supreme Court is, whether they're over there to call the balls and strikes, or weigh in on one side or another," he said.
Ginsburg said if Trump wins, "everything is up for grabs," including the future of the high court. She is the oldest justice at age 83.
McConnell also said he will speak at the Republican convention next week.
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1:56 p.m.
GOP rebels trying to dump Donald Trump as the Republican presidential standard-bearer are gathering in Cleveland ahead of the party's convention next week.
They face long odds against an alliance of Trump's campaign and leaders of the Republican National Committee, all of them pressing delegates to oppose the dissidents.
Countering that, the renegade Republicans are setting up a high-tech messaging system to coordinate with organizers on the convention floor when full sessions begin next week. They also plan ads micro-targeted to delegates' social media pages. The rebels say they have organizers inside at least 35 state delegations at the convention who will help coordinate their drive to let the gathering's 2,472 delegates vote for whichever candidate they want.
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1:20 p.m.
In some ways, tough-talking Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn could make an ideal running mate for Republican Donald Trump. The two men speak with one voice against President Barack Obama's approach to the Islamic State and the need for tighter border security.
The former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency is now on a short list of potential running mates for the presumptive Republican nominee.
But then there's that problem of him being a registered Democrat.
"At this stage, the party affiliation is less important," Flynn told the Associated Press. "If they want a person who believes in the Constitution, who believes in the rule of law, who believes we have big challenges we are facing like illegal immigration, our economic conditions, education, and we have to get those things back on track, then you're speaking to him."
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12:18 p.m.
Hillary Clinton says she wants to do more to prevent "the tragedy of black men and women and children being killed in police incidents."
Speaking in Portsmouth, New Hampshire Tuesday, Clinton said she wants to develop national guidelines on the use of force by police officers and provide "better training on implicit bias."
Clinton said communities benefit when there is respect for the law and everyone is "respected by the law." She praised the police department in Dallas for their handling of the recent shooting.
Clinton said it was time for "real meaningful action" to "end the epidemic of gun violence in America."
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11:39 a.m.
Bernie Sanders says Hillary Clinton must become the next president because she can take on issues like income inequality, climate change and student debt.
During his endorsement of Clinton in New Hampshire on Tuesday, Sanders said his campaign was about people who are "left out and left behind." He says Clinton is prepared to fight to raise the minimum wage, create jobs, expand access to health care and address climate change.
Sanders also said Trump does not share those values. He said Trump would not hike the current minimum wage and would appoint Supreme Court justices that would threaten civil liberties and equal rights.
Sanders has avoided endorsing Clinton for weeks. But he said Tuesday that he was pleased by the updates to the official party platform made over the weekend, which he called the most progressive in history. He said he would work to make sure the party follows through.
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11:35 a.m.
Donald Trump's campaign says Bernie Sanders "is now officially part of a rigged system."
Trump senior policy adviser Stephen Miller says in a statement released during Sanders' endorsement of Hillary Clinton Tuesday that the Vermont senator is "endorsing one of the most pro-war, pro-Wall Street, and pro-off-shoring candidates in the history of the Democratic Party."
He says, "The candidate who ran against special interests is endorsing the candidate who embodies special interests."
Trump has also been taunting Sanders on Twitter, suggesting that he has sold out his supporters.
Trump's campaign is trying to woo disgruntled Sanders supporters opposed to Clinton.
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10:23 a.m.
Hillary Clinton's campaign is topping off her presidential nomination with an event on Independence Mall in Philadelphia the day after the Democratic National Convention ends.
Clinton's campaign has been issued a permit from the National Park Service for a public assembly on July 29, according to a park service schedule of events during the week of the convention. The permit includes a stretch of park near the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.
The location can host sizable crowds: Pope Francis delivered a speech on religious freedom and immigration in front of about 40,000 people at Independence Hall during his Philadelphia visit in September.
The convention is July 25-28 at the Wells Fargo Center.
A group of supporters for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump pose before a rally Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in Westfield, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump wait to enter a rally in Westfield, Ind., Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda reaches to hug Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton after she speaks briefly on stage following a special performance of the broadway show Hamilton in Support of the Hillary Victory Fund, Thursday, July 12, 2016, at Richards Rogers Theater in New York. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. greet supporters during a rally in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday, July 12, 2016, where Sanders endorsed Clinton for president. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. listens as Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks during a rally in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday, July 12, 2016, where Sanders endorsedClinton for president. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Lynch says she met with Bill Clinton out of courtesy
WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on Attorney General Loretta Lynch's appearance before the House Judiciary Committee (all times local):
2:30 p.m.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch says she agreed out of courtesy to meet with former President Bill Clinton after he saw her plane at the Phoenix airport last month and asked to board it to say hi.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, July 12, 2016, before the House Judiciary Committee. Lynch testified before Congress amid a roiling national debate over police violence and as House Republicans seek a Justice Department perjury investigation of Hillary Clinton. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Lynch reiterated in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee that her encounter with the former president was purely social, and there was no discussion of Hillary Clinton's email practices or any other official business or matter before the Justice Department.
Instead, she says Bill Clinton talked "at length" about his grandchildren.
And, in keeping with Clinton's reputation for volubility, Lynch says that the conversation lasted longer than she had anticipated.
She reiterates that her concerns about a perception problem led her to announce after the meeting that she would be accepting her investigative team's recommendation about charges against Hillary Clinton.
But Republicans criticized Lynch over that move Tuesday, telling her the buck stops with her not the FBI.
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1:12 p.m.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch is saying under questioning that she uses only her government email account to conduct official business and that she does not send or receive classified information using that system.
Lynch was asked about her email practices by Rep. Trey Gowdy, a South Carolina Republican, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday.
Gowdy and other Republicans have raised concerns that the decision not to prosecute Hillary Clinton reflects a double standard in the criminal justice system. They say other government officials would have been prosecuted if they handled classified information like Clinton did, but federal officials say that's not true.
Gowdy also asked why the Justice Department could not prosecute Clinton for "gross negligence," part of the law's standard.
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12:20 p.m.
The Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee is chastising Attorney General Loretta Lynch for repeatedly deflecting questions on the Hillary Clinton email investigation.
Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia halted a hearing and told Lynch that her refusal to discuss the investigation represented an "abdication of your responsibility."
Lynch last week announced that no charges would be brought, saying she was accepting a recommendation by FBI Director James Comey.
After Goodlatte spoke, Lynch faced aggressive questioning from Republican Jim Jordan of Ohio, who said Lynch "made a bad situation worse" by saying that she would accept the FBI's recommendations without even knowing that they would be.
He said "you showed this case was different," creating a double standard.
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10:45 a.m.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch is repeatedly deflecting questions about the conclusion of the Justice Department's investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server.
Despite repeated prodding from Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee, Lynch said that as attorney general it would be inappropriate for her to comment on specifics of the investigation.
She also referred questions to FBI Director James Comey, who last week recommended against prosecution for Clinton and her aides in laying out the findings of federal investigators.
Lynch accepted the recommendation from the FBI and from her prosecutors, and closed out the investigation without charges. She said that the team reviewed the facts and arrived at a unanimous recommendation that she was pleased to follow.
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10:30 a.m.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch says building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve has never been more difficult or important.
Lynch is testifying Tuesday before the House Judiciary Committee following a week of violence that brought that issue to the forefront.
She says a series of deadly shootings, including a deadly sniper attack on five officers in Dallas, "rocked" the country.
Lynch says the Justice Department will continue to work with state and local law enforcement agencies to provide funding and technical support for programs like body-worn cameras and de-escalation training.
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10:06 a.m.
The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee is questioning the Justice Department's decision not to prosecute Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email server.
Rep. Bob Goodlatte, a Virginia Republican, says in his opening statement for Tuesday's hearing that the decision "defies logic and the law."
He says he believes less-powerful government workers would not have received the same treatment.
Lynch is making her first appearance before Congress since the Justice Department closed its investigation without bringing criminal charges.
Latest: Injured officers meet with Obama during Dallas visit
DALLAS (AP) The Latest on the recent police-involved shootings around the United States (all times local):
10 p.m.
Two community college police officers injured in a deadly shooting during a protest in downtown Dallas say that when they met with President Barack Obama, he expressed his appreciation for their efforts during the sniper attack.
Former President George W. Bush, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama smile as they react to comments from Dallas Police Chief David Brown during a memorial service at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas ,Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Five police officers were killed and several injured during a shooting in downtown Dallas last Thursday night. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Detective Cpl. Bryan Shaw of the El Centro College police force told The Associated Press Tuesday that Obama was "thankful for everything that we did."
A bullet grazed Shaw's abdomen, but he continued facing down the gunman. Shaw's colleague, Officer John Abbott, also continued working even after shards of glass went into both of his legs.
Obama spoke Tuesday in Dallas at a memorial service for the five police officers slain in Thursday's attack. Shaw and Abbott both attended the service and later were among those who met with the president.
Abbott said the service was "very well done." He said, "It was good to see people coming together as much as they were."
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3:55 p.m.
A 22-year-old Maryland man has been charged after several officers were fired at during a robbery and carjacking.
A police news release Tuesday afternoon said 22-year-old Luvell Alverson of Suitland, Maryland, has been charged with armed robbery, kidnapping and assault on a police officer.
Police Chief Cathy Lanier said the gunman carjacked an SUV with people inside after robbing four others at gunpoint. Then, she said, the man fired on officers from inside the vehicle, and officers returned fire. Lanier said it was a miracle no officers were killed.
Police said Alverson was arrested after being shot in the leg and trying to run away.
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3:50 p.m.
A state representative from Baton Rouge says black community leaders want Louisiana's attorney general to appoint a special prosecutor to handle any state investigation into Alton Sterling's shooting death.
Rep. Ted James says the attorney general's office doesn't have the level of expertise to do the investigation. He says the appointment of an outside prosecutor would depoliticize the work.
The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into the death of Sterling, a black man killed by white police officers. East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore has recused himself, leaving Attorney General Jeff Landry to handle any state criminal investigation.
James and black businessman Cleve Dunn spoke Tuesday to local Republican leaders.
Dunn says African-American leaders also are calling on police to release the 911 call and surveillance video from the convenience store where Sterling was killed.
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3:40 p.m.
A suburban St. Louis police officer who was shot last week during a traffic stop will require long-term care.
The Ballwin Police department said in a Facebook posting Tuesday that Officer Mike Flamion and his family "will forever be changed by his injuries." Further details on his injuries were not released.
Flamion has been hospitalized since Friday, when he was shot from behind as he walked back to his car after stopping a suspect for speeding. Authorities have not discussed a possible motive.
Antonio Taylor, of St. Louis, is charged with assault of a police officer, armed criminal action and possessing a firearm as a felon.
The police department said Flamion's family appreciates the outpouring of support.
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3:10 p.m.
The memorial service in Dallas for five slain police officers concluded with the elected officials and guests on stage holding hands as "Battle Hymn of the Republic" was sung. Audience members also held hands during the song.
Former President George W. Bush, holding hands with first lady Michelle Obama, smiled and swayed as the song played. The first lady sat next to the former president during the ceremony and patted his left hand warmly to show appreciation for his comments.
Before walking off stage, President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Bush and Laura Bush turned and applauded the audience of uniformed police officers.
The pictures of the five officers killed dominated the stage after the speakers had left.
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2:40 p.m.
Black and white religious and community leaders from a broad spectrum of churches and groups have met in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to share emotions, tragic stories and map out a strategy for making the city more equitable and racially united.
The gathering was convened by Together Baton Rouge, a group of churches and organizations pushing to turn the fatal shooting of Alton Sterling into a moment of change and action for the city.
The group also announced an effort to create teams to help organize protests, look into the investigation and foster police reform.
The Rev. Lee Wesley said that the group's goal was not to "go back to business as usual" but affect change. He said Baton Rouge has a "faulty foundation" that needs to be fixed by making the city more unified across racial lines.
The gathering shouted out in response: "Change the foundation! Change the foundation!"
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2:30 p.m.
President Barack Obama is asking Americans to find the character to open "our hearts to each other."
Obama spoke Tuesday at a memorial service for five officers killed in Dallas on Thursday. He is asking whether Americans can see in themselves a common humanity and recognize how different experiences have shaped people's perceptions.
Obama says, at times, he has doubts, saying "I've been to too many of these things."
He says that's why Americans should pray for each other to have not a heart of stone but one that's open to the fears and challenges of their fellow citizens.
Obama also says he believes the police officers who died in Dallas did not die in vain, and he says there is evil in the world, which is why "we need police departments."
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2:15 p.m.
President Barack Obama says Americans can't dismiss protesters who call attention to racial issues 50 years after the Civil Rights Act as troublemakers.
The Democrat said Tuesday at a memorial service for the five officers who were fatally shot last week that Americans know that bigotry remains, some are affected by it more than others and that none of us "are entirely innocent."
He also said that the country asks police "to do too much" and that we do "too little ourselves."
The five who died were shot during a protest against the police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota. Nine officers and two civilians were injured in the attack.
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2:10 p.m.
President Barack Obama says the shootings of five Dallas police officers would appear to have exposed the "the deepest fault line of our democracy" but that Americans must reject such despair.
Obama spoke Tuesday at the memorial service for the five, honoring the work of law enforcement officers, saying they answer a call that at any moment, even in the briefest of interactions, may put their life in harm's way.
He said fewer people are being mourned at the service because of the brave actions of the officers killed.
Obama attended the memorial along with first lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden.
The five who died were shot during a protest against the police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota. Nine officers and two civilians were injured in the attack.
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1:50 p.m.
The funeral for a black Minnesota man fatally shot by a police officer will be held Thursday at the Cathedral of St. Paul.
Church officials say the mother of 32-year-old Philando Castile requested the cathedral hold an ecumenical service for her son.
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis said Valerie Castile wanted the funeral to be an opportunity for "people to come together in a new way." The cathedral rector will lead prayers and a Baptist pastor will deliver a eulogy.
Philando Castile was shot Wednesday during a traffic stop in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights by an officer from the neighboring St. Anthony police force. Castile's girlfriend, a passenger in the car, streamed the shooting's aftermath live on Facebook.
Castile's funeral begins at noon after a processional from the funeral home and a viewing.
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1:45 p.m.
The Dallas police chief has recited lyrics from Stevie Wonder's song "As" to the families of the five officers who were fatally shot last week.
Chief David Brown said Tuesday at a memorial service for the five officers who were fatally shot in Dallas last week that he often would find himself at a loss for words as a young man trying to get dates, and would use lyrics to express himself.
That's what he did at the service for the families of those who died.
Brown said, among other lyrics: "Just as hate knows love's the cure, you can rest your mind assure that I'll be loving you always."
Brown received a long, loud standing ovation from those in attendance.
The five who died were shot during a protest against the police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota. Nine officers and two civilians were injured in the attack.
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1:35 p.m.
Former President George W. Bush says that Americans should "remember their shared commitments for common ideals" as a means of bridging divisions.
Bush said Tuesday at a memorial service for the five officers who were fatally shot in Dallas last week that Americans know we have one country and don't want the unity of grief and fear, but hope.
Bush also said of the five officers: "With their deaths, we have lost so much."
President Barack Obama is also slated to speak at the service.
The five who died were shot during a protest against the police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota. Nine officers and two civilians were injured in the attack.
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1:30 p.m.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn says that in times of darkness, it's important to remember that the officers who died and were injured in Dallas last week were "not overcome by evil."
The Texas Republican said Tuesday at a memorial service for the five officers who were fatally shot in Dallas last week that the officers overcame evil by running toward gunfire, shielding citizens and sacrificing their own lives.
Cornyn also praised Dallas Police Chief David Brown for his simple statement this week that "Dallas loves."
President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush also are slated to speak at the service.
The five who died were shot during a protest against the police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota. Nine officers and two civilians were injured in the attack.
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1:20 p.m.
A law enforcement official says the gunman who killed five police officers during a Dallas protest had a pistol, a handgun and a rifle on him at the time of the attack.
The official says Micah Johnson had a Glock 19 Gen4 pistol, a Fraser .25-caliber handgun and a semi-automatic Izhmash Saiga assault-style rifle on him when he was killed by a robot-delivered bomb after the Thursday night shootings and that the guns were purchased legally.
The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity in order to discuss an ongoing investigation.
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings has said the 25-year-old Johnson was wearing a bulletproof vest during the attack. The three specific weapons were first reported by CNN.
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Associated Press writer Nomaan Merchant contributed to this report.
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1:10 p.m.
Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings says the dignitaries are at the memorial service because we have a "common disease," which is violence on the streets.
Rawlings said Tuesday at a memorial service that the five seats that are empty are for the five officers who died last week in Dallas, saying "we love you, we will never forget you."
Rawlings also said that the service should be about unity.
The five who died were shot during a protest against the police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota. Nine officers and two civilians were injured in the attack.
President Barack Obama, Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn and former President George W. Bush are slated to speak at the service.
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1:05 p.m.
President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have arrived at the memorial service for the five officers who were shot and killed last week in Dallas.
Obama, Michelle Obama, Biden, Jill Biden and several members of Congress, including Texas Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, flew to Dallas on Tuesday. The Obamas, Bidens and former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, are seated on stage.
Obama, Cornyn and Bush are all slated to speak at the service, where five seats have been kept empty to honor the five who died during a protest against the police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota. Nine officers and two civilians were injured in the attack.
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12:40 p.m.
President Barack Obama has placed telephone calls to the family members of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, two black men killed in separate police shootings last week that sparked protests around the country.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest says Obama made the calls aboard Air Force One as he flew to Dallas on Tuesday to participate in a memorial for the five police officers killed during a protest on Thursday.
Earnest said the president offered condolences on his behalf and first lady Michelle Obama's, as well the American people.
Valerie Castile's brother, Tracy Castile, said his sister had been invited to Tuesday's memorial service for the five police officers slain during a protest over the death of Castile and Alton Sterling, who was killed by police last week in Louisiana. But Tracy Castile said his sister chose to stay in Minnesota to focus on her son.
Valerie Castile said she was ecstatic to get the president's call.
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11:40 a.m.
Indianapolis' police chief says a suspect is in custody after someone opened fire on an officer's patrol car overnight outside the officer's home.
Chief Troy Riggs says the officer's cruiser was struck three to four times about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday. Riggs says the officer and his family were home but weren't injured.
He says he's troubled by the shooting, which comes in the wake of the fatal shootings of five Dallas police officers Thursday night.
He says a suspect is in custody and "it certainly seems that he was upset with police." Sgt. Kendale Adams says that suspect has not been charged.
Riggs says the city's 1,600 officers put their lives on the line every day "and last night someone tried to take away potentially an officer and his family's lives."
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11:10 a.m.
An attempt by Minnesota police to reopen the street that's been occupied by demonstrators in front of the governor's mansion was short-lived.
Police early Tuesday cleared Summit Avenue of tents, chairs and other property as they opened the street to traffic.
But just a couple hours after it was reopened, police closed it again as demonstrators who are protesting the police shooting of Philando Castile took over the avenue again.
The street has been occupied since Castile, a black man, was shot Wednesday by a suburban St. Paul police officer, the aftermath of which was live streamed on Facebook by his girlfriend, who was also in the car along with her 4-year-old daughter.
In November, protesters camped outside of a Minneapolis police precinct for several days after Jamar Clark, who was also black, was shot by police and died a day later.
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11 a.m.
Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is among the lawmakers accompanying President Barack Obama aboard Air Force One as he travels to Dallas to speak at an interfaith memorial service for five police officers killed on Thursday.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest says Tuesday that Cruz's presence, as well as speeches from former President George W. Bush and GOP Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, are examples of how the country is not nearly as divided as it might seem given political debates, campaign rhetoric and congressional dysfunction.
Earnest says that "it's in moments of tragedy, that this unity is revealed."
Other members of Congress flying with the president include Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California and Texas Democratic Reps. Marc Veasey and Eddie Bernice Johnson.
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10:30 a.m.
The attorney for the family of a Minnesota black man who was shot and killed by police during a traffic stop says there will be a lawsuit against the officer who fired the shots.
Attorney Glenda Hatchett wouldn't discuss details Tuesday of the planned litigation in the death of 32-year-old Philando Castile, who was shot by St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez on Wednesday in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights.
State officials are still investigating the shooting. The decision on possible criminal charges will fall to a local county attorney.
Castile's family hired Hatchett, best known as a television court-show judge. She says she won't rely on the state's investigation to proceed with a lawsuit against Yanez.
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11:05 a.m.
Five people have been arrested in Washington, D.C., after at least one opened fire on police.
But a police spokesman says there's no indication that the early Tuesday incident was a "planned attack on police." No injuries were reported.
It follows recent protests over police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota and the fatal shooting of five police officers in Dallas.
Police say a system that detects gunshots brought officers to southeast Washington. When officers arrived in marked police cruisers, people inside an SUV began shooting at them. Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck says police returned fire and the car's occupants refused to come out. Three women and two men ultimately surrendered.
Sternbeck tells WTOP (http://bit.ly/29KuIKw ) "we do not have information that this was a planned attack on police."
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9:40 a.m.
A black Detroit police supervisor has been reassigned and placed on restricted duty after posting controversial Facebook comments.
Police Chief James Craig didn't disclose details, but described the remarks as "misguided" and the result of "bad judgment."
The supervisor's name wasn't released. Craig announced the action Monday night, hours after talking to reporters about Facebook comments posted by a white detective, who called the Black Lives Matter movement "racists" and "terrorists."
Nate Weekley has been demoted while Detroit police conduct an internal investigation. Unlike Weekley, Craig says the supervisor, a sergeant, can't be demoted under civil service rules.
Craig says he'll take "prompt action" if social media posts contradict the mission of the department, no matter the person's race.
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8:05 a.m.
A police union official says four off-duty Minneapolis officers working a WNBA game walked off the job at the city's Target Center arena Saturday after Minnesota Lynx players wore pregame warm-up jerseys supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.
The shirts listed the names of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, both fatally shot by police officers last week. Castile was killed by a police officer in suburban St. Paul during a traffic stop. The shirt also showed the Dallas police shield above the phrase "Black Lives Matter."
Minneapolis Police Federation President Bob Kroll tells the Minneapolis Star-Tribune (http://strib.mn/29zD4qo ) he commends the officers. He says they took their names off a list of officers to work future games.
The newspaper says Minneapolis police, the Lynx and the Target Center haven't commented.
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7:30 a.m.
Police in Washington, D.C. have arrested five people they say opened fire on police.
No injuries were reported early Tuesday.
The latest incident follows protests over police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota and the fatal shooting of five police officers in Dallas last week.
Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck said by telephone that officers responded to gunshots in southeast Washington. When officers arrived in marked police cruisers, people inside an SUV began shooting at them. Sternbeck says police returned fire at the suspects, who barricaded themselves in the vehicle.
Police ordered the people to come out, but they refused. After about 30 minutes, three women and two men in the SUV surrendered.
Sternbeck says it's not clear why they fired on officers. The investigation will include whether they were involved in any other crimes before police arrived.
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4:30 a.m.
President Barack Obama will find himself in an all-too-familiar place when he leads a tribute to more lives ended by a man with a gun.
Obama will try Tuesday to help Dallas begin to heal after five of its police officers were slain in the line of duty. They were targeted by an Army veteran-turned-sniper during what Obama denounced as a "vicious, calculated and despicable attack" by a "demented" individual.
Obama is preparing to address a memorial service for the officers. They were killed while guarding a peaceful protest against the police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota last week. Obama's spokesman says the president hopes to offer Dallas "some measure of comfort."
Former President George W. Bush, a Dallas resident, is also scheduled to speak.
Empty seats for fallen law enforcement officers are at an interfaith memorial service at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas on Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Five officers were killed last week in an ambush at a Black Lives Matter rally. (Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News via AP)
ADDS NAMES OF OFFICERS - A member of the Dallas Police Choir passes the portraits of five fallen officers prior to a memorial service at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. The officers, from left, Michael Krol, Brent Thompson, Lorne Ahrens, Michael Smith and Patrick Zamarripa, were killed and several others injured in a sniper attack in Dallas on Thursday night, July 7. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
President Barack Obama stands with, from left, Jill Biden, Vice President Joe Biden, Laura Bush, former president George W. Bush and first lady Michelle Obama after their arrival at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center for a memorial service, Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in Dallas. Five police officers were killed and several injured during a shooting in downtown Dallas last Thursday night. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Rod Baird holds a flag as he watches the televised memorial for fallen Dallas officers in downtown Dallas, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Officials stand for the National anthem during a memorial service at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center with the families of the fallen police officers, Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in Dallas. Five police officers were killed and several injured during a shooting in downtown Dallas last Thursday night. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Airbnb event to feature Gwyneth Paltrow, Ashton Kutcher
Gwyneth Paltrow, Ashton Kutcher and "Eat Pray Love" author Elizabeth Gilbert are scheduled to speak in November at a three-day event sponsored by Airbnb in Los Angeles.
Last year, the Airbnb Open drew 5,000 Airbnb hosts from 110 countries.
The event, scheduled Nov. 17-19, will be the company's third annual gathering. The company says it's expanding the scope of the Open to welcome hosts and guests who use Airbnb as well as locals from Los Angeles. The forum is designed to explore the future of travel and hospitality, including topics like making connections and tips for successful hosting.
FILE - In this Jan. 26, 2016, file photo, actress Gwyneth Paltrow poses for photographers before Chanel's Spring-Summer 2016 Haute Couture fashion collection in Paris. Paltrow, Ashton Kutcher and Eat Pray Love author Elizabeth Gilbert are scheduled to speak in November at a three-day event sponsored by Airbnb in Los Angeles. Paltrow has stayed in glamorous high-end Airbnbs while traveling. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
Other speakers include film producer Brian Grazer, who won an Oscar for "A Beautiful Mind"; Toms shoes founder Blake Mycoskie; and restaurateur Danny Meyer, along with Airbnb's founders.
Kutcher is an investor in Airbnb and a number of other tech startups. Paltrow has stayed in glamorous high-end Airbnbs while traveling.
The Open will also include a closing event with live music and a market, with limited tickets for the public to attend.
Details of the event were announced as Airbnb has come under fire in cities ranging from New Orleans to Chicago to New York. Critics say short-term vacation rental sites like Airbnb are helping to drive up housing costs because landlords can make more money renting by the night than renting long-term residential housing.
Airbnb insists that most of its hosts are individuals making ends meet by occasionally renting out a room or their homes.
Some critics also complain that tourists hurt the quality of life in residential neighborhoods by throwing rowdy parties and taking up parking spots. Anaheim, California, home to Disneyland, recently decided to ban short-term rentals like those on Airbnb.
French minister: Eurozone needs more integration post Brexit
PARIS (AP) The British exit from the European Union makes deeper integration between eurozone countries even more necessary than before, France's finance minister said Tuesday.
Britons voted in favor of a British exit from the EU, or Brexit, in a June 23 referendum against the advice of Prime Minister David Cameron. Although some have seen the vote as a warning against further integration, others see the U.K.'s departure as an opportunity to tighten the bonds between the other member states, particularly those in the 19-nation currency union dubbed the eurozone.
"A greater integration of the eurozone is something desirable from the point of view of global stability (and) European stability," French Finance Minister Michel Sapin told reporters following talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew in Paris. "I think Americans see things the same way. Brexit makes an acceleration of this process necessary."
U.S Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew gives a press conference with French Finance Minister Michel Sapin, at the finance ministry, in Paris, Tuesday, July 12, 2016.The British exit from the European Union makes deeper integration between eurozone countries even more necessary than before, French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said Tuesday. Speaking after talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew in Paris, Sapin said that American finance officials seemed to see things the same way. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
He repeated twice that Britain's decision to leave the EU "can only be negative" for the country. Still, he said: "We have to accept the vote."
Sapin said he was pleased Cameron's soon-to-be successor, Home Secretary Theresa May, was moving into No. 10 Downing Street on Wednesday, quicker than anticipated. He said he hoped that meant Britain's formal notification to depart the EU "will happen as quickly as possible."
Lew called for pragmatism as the U.K. and the EU negotiate the terms of their divorce. Asked twice whether Britain would be at the "back of the queue" following Brexit as President Obama famously warned in April Lew gave a minute-and-a-half long series of answers which didn't once feature the word "queue," let alone the back of one.
"I think we will all have to work together as the U.K. and the EU go through the process of working out the relationship that the U.K. will have after the referendum," he said.
U.S Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, left, and France's Finance Minister Michel Sapin arrive to give a press conference at the finance ministry, in Paris, Tuesday, July 12, 2016.The British exit from the European Union makes deeper integration between eurozone countries even more necessary than before, French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said Tuesday. Speaking after talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew in Paris, Sapin said that American finance officials seemed to see things the same way. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
U.S Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, left, and France's Finance Minister Michel Sapin, talk after a press conference at the finance ministry, in Paris, Tuesday, July 12, 2016.The British exit from the European Union makes deeper integration between eurozone countries even more necessary than before, French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said Tuesday. Speaking after talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew in Paris, Sapin said that American finance officials seemed to see things the same way. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
U.S Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew gives a press conference with French Finance Minister Michel Sapin, at the finance ministry, in Paris, Tuesday, July 12, 2016.The British exit from the European Union makes deeper integration between eurozone countries even more necessary than before, French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said Tuesday. Speaking after talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew in Paris, Sapin said that American finance officials seemed to see things the same way. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
The Latest: NAACP criticizes civil rights icon Andrew Young
ATLANTA (AP) The Latest on Atlanta protests over police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota:
11 a.m.
The Georgia NAACP is criticizing civil rights icon and former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young for describing some protesters as "unlovable little brats."
Protesters march through an intersection in the Buckhead neighborhood during a demonstration against the recent police shootings of African-Americans on Monday, July 11, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Young made the comments while meeting with Atlanta police officers at a police station over the weekend. He thanked officers for their efforts during recent Atlanta demonstrations after black men were killed by officers in Louisiana and Minnesota.
In a news release late Monday, the Georgia NAACP said Young should use his clout to demand changes in police practices in the U.S. or "go quickly and quietly into a well-deserved retirement."
The Atlanta Police Department posted a video of Young's entire 67-minute meeting with the officers on its Facebook page. In the video, Young praises the Atlanta officers and says the demonstrators need to thank them as well.
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2 a.m.
Most of the hundreds of people who gathered for a sit-in outside the Georgia governor's mansion have departed the scene.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (http://on-ajc.com/29Khyia ) Mayor Kasim Reed and Police Chief George Turner appeared at the sit-in Monday night, where they spoke privately with protest leaders. Then most of the crowd headed home.
Turner told protesters earlier they could not stay there all night.
It was the fifth night in a row of protests in Atlanta. About 15,000 attended various protests over the weekend.
A person is arrested during a march through the Buckhead neighborhood against the recent police shootings of African-Americans on Monday, July 11, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
A protester is arrested during a march through the Buckhead neighborhood against the recent police shootings of African-Americans on Monday, July 11, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Protesters link arms as they block an intersection in the Buckhead neighborhood during a march against the recent police shootings of African-Americans on Monday, July 11, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
A protester shouts at police during a march through the Buckhead neighborhood against the recent police shootings of African-Americans on Monday, July 11, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Israeli man spotted crossing into Gaza
JERUSALEM (AP) The Israeli military says an Israeli man was spotted crossing the border fence into the Gaza Strip and is believed to still be inside the Hamas-controlled territory.
The military said it was investigating the circumstances of Tuesday's incident. It said the man was believed to be a member of Israel's Bedouin Arab minority, but gave no other details.
Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies, and Israelis are barred from entering Gaza.
Hamas is believed to be holding two other Israeli civilians who crossed through the heavily-guarded border fence.
Gun control advocates arrested 1 month after mass shooting
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) A month after the Orlando nightclub shooting, dozens of gun control advocates started a 49-hour sit-in near Sen. Marco Rubio's office to remember the 49 victims. They sang songs, held signs that said "#SitForThe49" and laid 49 red roses on white paper with the names of each victim.
Nine hours in, police cut the demonstration short Monday night by arresting 10 protesters who refused to leave the building when it was closing. The sit-in was part of a larger fight for new gun control measures, but so far the calls for change have yielded no results.
The protest was reminiscent of a 26-hour sit-in Democrats staged on the U.S. House floor last month. A GOP-written gun and anti-terror bill has stalled in Washington during this election year and it's unclear when the House will consider the measure.
On the one-month anniversary of the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Fla., the mother of victim Amanda Alvear, Mayra Alvear, right, and Amanda's aunt, Robin Alvear, center, hand off the cross that was erected in Amanda's honor to Michael Perkins, left, of the Orange County Regional History Center, during a somber ceremony at Orlando Regional Medical Center, near the club, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. The 49 crosses were made by a Chicago carpenter to honor each of the victims killed at Pulse on June 12. The crosses will be on permanent display at the history center in downtown Orlando. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)
On Tuesday, two parents of a Pulse victim observed the shooting anniversary by visiting Washington, urging members of Congress to pass gun control laws.
Gunman Omar Mateen opened fire at Pulse during "Latin Night" on June 12 in a rampage that left 49 victims dead and injured 53 at the gay nightclub in the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Mateen, who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State during a call with police dispatchers amid a three-hour standoff, died in a hail of police gunfire after police stormed the venue.
Protester Fausto Cardenas, a University of Central Florida student, said Pulse had been a "safe space" for him and other members of the LGBT community.
"To not feel safe in a space like that was a very impactful thing for us," said Fausto, who wasn't arrested. "We want to hold people accountable."
The protesters said they were targeting Rubio because of the Florida Republican's opposition to same-sex marriage and the support he has gotten from the National Rifle Association.
Rubio, a former GOP presidential candidate, was in Washington this week, but his state director listened to the protesters for about five minutes Monday.
"Sen. Rubio respects the views of others on these difficult issues, and he welcomes the continued input he is receiving from people across the political spectrum," Rubio spokeswoman Kristen Morrell said in an email.
The arrested protesters face misdemeanor trespass charges. They were released on $250 bond each.
Ida Eskamani, who was arrested, said that even though sit-in was over, she and other activists will urge voters to call and tweet Rubio, demanding that he act on gun legislation and measures to end discrimination.
"The line has been drawn and you are either standing with us or not," Eskamani said Tuesday, hours after being released from jail. "The heat is continuing to be turned up."
The protesters said they wanted all politicians to reject contributions from the NRA, and they wanted tighter restrictions on assault weapons, as well as universal background checks for all gun purchasers.
"It's not enough for politicians to offer platitudes," said Rasha Mubarak, an official with the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Florida. "We demand a comprehensive platform for gun control."
As part of the shooting anniversary, Orlando area officials on Tuesday helped move 49 white crosses, which served as one of the three major memorials to the Pulse victims, from Orlando Regional Medical Center to the Orange County Regional History Center, where the crosses will be preserved.
An official memorial will be designed as a garden near the hospital. Hospital officials said Tuesday that four patients from the Pulse shooting were still being treated, including one in critical condition.
Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. John Mica planned to hold a hearing in Washington on Friday on why federal authorities didn't deem terrorism as a high enough threat factor in Orlando for the region to receive federal money for preventing and responding to terrorist threats. Almost $590 million in grants were distributed this year by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to metro areas, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa, but Orlando was left off the list.
The parents of one of the Pulse victims, Maria and Fred Wright, were in Washington, asking lawmakers to pass any gun control legislation. Their son, Jerry Wright, a Walt Disney World worker, was among the slain.
"Forty-nine people were killed just because they were out trying to have fun," said Maria Wright. "We are losing our freedom to get together and have fun because our government isn't doing anything. I'm asking them to please do something before we have more children killed."
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Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mikeschneiderap
On the the one-month anniversary of the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Fla., Orlando city commissioner Patty Sheehan, right, and a friend take a last look at crosses honoring the 49 victims, before they were transferred to the Orange County Regional History Center,Tuesday, July 12, 2016. The 49 crosses were made by a Chicago carpenter to honor each of the victims killed at Pulse on June 12. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)
On the one-month anniversary of the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Fla., Orlando Regional Medical Center employee Amanda Jane Saunders-Johnston takes a look at crosses honoring the 49 victims, before they were transferred to the Orange County Regional History Center, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. The 49 crosses were made by a Chicago carpenter to honor each of the victims killed at Pulse on June 12. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)
Names of the 49 victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting are placed on the floor with a rose outside U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's Orlando office to pressure him to take action on gun violence during a sit in, Monday, July 11, 2016, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Several of the names of the 49 victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting are seen as they are placed on the floor outside U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's Orlando office to pressure him to take action on gun violence during a sit in, Monday, July 11, 2016, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Several activists taking part in a 49 hour sit-in to honor the 49 victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting hug as the names of the victims are read aloud outside U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's Orlando office, Monday, July 11, 2016, in Orlando, Fla. The sit in was to pressure Rubio to take action on gun violence. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Dozens of activists participate in a 49 hour sit-in to honor the 49 victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting and to bring attention to gun control outside U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's Orlando office , Monday, July 11, 2016, in Orlando, Fla. The sit in was to pressure Rubio to take action on gun violence. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
On the the one-month anniversary of the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Fla., the mother of victim Amanda Alvear, Mayra Alvear, left, is hugged by Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan during a ceremony at Orlando Regional Medical Center, near the club, Tuesday, July 12, 2016, to transfer 49 crosses honoring the victims to the Orange County Regional History Center. The crosses were made by a Chicago carpenter to honor each of the victims killed at Pulse on June 12. The crosses will be on permanent display at the history center in downtown Orlando. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)
On the one-month anniversary of the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Fla., the mother of victim Amanda Alvear, Mayra Alvear, right, and Amanda's aunt, Robin Alvear, center, hand off the cross that was erected in Amanda's honor to Michael Perkins, left, of the Orange County Regional History Center, during a somber ceremony at Orlando Regional Medical Center, near the club, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. The 49 crosses were made by a Chicago carpenter to honor each of the victims killed at Pulse on June 12. The crosses will be on permanent display at the history center in downtown Orlando. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)
Israel delves into charged 1950s missing children saga
JERUSALEM (AP) The stories have been circulating in Israel for decades: Newborn babies and young children of Jewish immigrants from Arab countries mysteriously disappeared shortly after arriving in the country, purportedly snatched away and given to childless couples of European backgrounds.
Although a series of inquiries have dismissed claims of abductions, the accusations of a conspiracy have lingered. Now, the government is moving to declassify reams of documents surrounding the affair, hoping to unravel a 60-year-old mystery that touches on one of the most sensitive issues in the country: the long-simmering fault line between Jews of European origin and those of Middle Eastern backgrounds.
Leading the charge is Nurit Koren, a freshman lawmaker of Yemenite origin from the ruling Likud Party.
This Monday, July 11, 2016, photo shows Yemen born Jewish Israeli Yona Josef holding a photograph dated back to the 1940's of her and her father back in Yemen in her home in Raanana, Israel. Josef said she was asked to take her 4-year-old sister Saada to a health clinic and leave her there. When she returned several hours later, she was told her sister was dead and the family was given no further details or a body to bury. The stories have been circulating in Israel for decades: Newborn babies of Jewish immigrants from Arab countries mysteriously disappeared shortly after arriving in the country, purportedly snatched away and given to childless couples. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
"I want to know the truth. I want to know who took the children, where they were taken and if they are alive," she told The Associated Press. "This is a serious wound that needs to be opened to heal society."
Arriving from Arabic-speaking countries in the Middle East and North Africa after Israel's establishment in 1948, many Mizrahi, or Middle Eastern, immigrants were sent to shantytown transit camps and largely sidelined by the European, or Ashkenazi, leaders of the founding Labor Party. This seminal experience contributed to their massive support for Likud.
Among the immigrants were more than 50,000 Yemenite Jews, often poor and with large families. In the chaos that accompanied their influx, some children died while others were separated from their parents.
But many say the reality was far more sinister, that the establishment kidnapped these children and others of Iraqi, Tunisian, or Moroccan descent to turn them over for adoption by Ashkenazi families in the belief that they could give them a better life.
In later years, families reported being mailed military induction notices, tax information and senior citizen cards for their supposedly "dead" children, raising more speculation that something was awry.
Three high-profile commissions dismissed the claims and found that most children died of disease in immigration camps. The final one, in 2001, said it was possible that some children were handed over for adoption by individual social workers, but not as part of a national conspiracy.
However, citing privacy laws, it ordered that the testimonies it collected be sealed for 70 years. At Koren's prodding, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appointed a Cabinet minister to re-examine the material and consider publishing it.
"I think it is time to find out what happened, to do justice and make order of all this," Netanyahu said.
The renewed interest in the case comes mostly as a result of the efforts of second and third generation Mizrahi advocacy groups. They've collected new testimonies, launched awareness campaigns and opened a DNA database for those interested in tracking down their biological families.
Avi Josef, a brother-in-law of Koren and leader of the "Achim Vekayamim" nonprofit group, said most estimates are that about 5,000 children went missing, mostly Yemenites in the 1950s. He said an aunt and two cousins of his vanished under mysterious circumstances.
His mother's account is typical of others they have collected. Josef said she was asked to take her 4-year-old sister Saada to a health clinic and leave her there. When she returned several hours later, she was told her sister had died, but the family was given no further details or a body to bury. As impoverished new immigrants, they had neither the resources nor the wherewithal to challenge authorities, he said.
"It's a double injustice," said Josef, a 45-year-old lawyer. "First they were traumatized and then they were told they couldn't make any claims. They didn't even let them grieve properly."
His 84-year-old mother, Yona, wept as she clutched an old picture of herself as a child in Yemen.
"She just disappeared, like they took her to the moon," she said. "It still hurts my heart."
Josef says there is no way the scheme could have been carried out without institutional backing and insists there has been a cover up. He said his campaign is only seeking closure.
Others are less forgiving.
"This is a crime of the largest scale that touches almost every family. It's a crime against humanity and it's no different from any other Holocaust," said Shlomi Hatuka, a poet and activist of the Amram organization.
He casts his campaign as part of the "Mizrahi struggle," claiming that despite widespread intermarriage and material gains, discrimination remains rampant at the hands of the Ashkenazi elite.
He says several government ministries and other state bodies provided children for Ashkenazim who had none or simply to make money by selling them to rich Jews abroad. He won't be satisfied with opening the protocols of a state commission he doesn't trust and demands that all the adoption files be disclosed.
"Anyone who was adopted in the 1950s can't know for sure who their parents were," he said.
After years of dismissing the abduction stories as urban legends, polls show the public now overwhelmingly believes the claims need to be investigated. But with few leaders of that era still alive, and others wary of going public, the painful saga may never be resolved.
Josef acknowledges that most of the adoptees are unlikely to want to open this "Pandora's box," but he thinks that the state admitting to a historical wrong would help ease the pain of the original families.
"The worst part of this is the uncertainty, not knowing what happened to the children," he said.
Some of those with doubts have not waited for authorities.
After a lifetime of people questioning why he looked different from his European Holocaust-survivor parents, Gil Grunbaum started searching at age 40 at the prodding of his wife.
By using adoption databases and questioning relatives, he discovered that he was born to an immigrant from Tunisia who bore him out of wedlock and was told he had died during childbirth. He later reunited with his biological mother, but never had the heart to confront his elderly parents before they died.
"I have some closure and I've been able to move on," said Grunbaum. "But I'm convinced that there are hundreds more like me out there who just don't know."
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Follow Aron Heller on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aronhellerap
This Monday, July 11, 2016, photo shows Yemen born Jewish Israeli Yona Josef weeping as she holds a photograph dating back to the 1940's of her and her father back in Yemen in her home in Raanana, Israel. Josef said she was asked to take her 4-year-old sister Saada to a health clinic and leave her there. When she returned several hours later, she was told her sister was dead and the family was given no further details or a body to bury. The stories have been circulating in Israel for decades: Newborn babies of Jewish immigrants from Arab countries mysteriously disappeared shortly after arriving in the country, purportedly snatched away and given to childless couples. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
US commends Sri Lanka's reconciliation measures
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) A U.S. envoy on Tuesday commended the steps taken by Sri Lanka to foster reconciliation between the sides that fought a long civil war that ended seven years ago.
Assistant Secretary of State Tom Malinowski said on a visit to Colombo with another U.S. official that they have seen "Sri Lanka take concrete steps forward in its reforms in democratization and reconciliation" in the last few months.
Among the steps he cited were the bill to establish an office on missing persons, ratifying the convention on disappearances and releasing of lands held by military, actions that were included in a resolution co-sponsored by Sri Lanka and U.S. at last year's U.N. Human Rights Council meeting.
Malinowski said they commend Sri Lanka for working closely with the United Nations and its human rights body.
He spoke after a meeting with Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera in the capital. Malinowski is visiting Sri Lanka along with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal.
Sri Lanka's war ended in 2009 after government troops defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels, who fought to create a separate state for ethnic minority Tamils.
According to U.N. estimates, up to 100,000 people were killed in the 26-year war, but many more are feared dead, including up to 40,000 civilians in the final months of the fighting.
Sri Lanka has faced criticism for failing to properly investigate allegations that both sides committed serious human rights abuses during the final phase of the war.
The U.S. has been in the forefront in demanding investigations of allegations, and the ties between the two countries were strained over former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's reluctance to investigate the thousands of reported civilian deaths in the final months of the war.
Sheriff: 3 shot in Virginia; suspected shooter surrenders
CLINTWOOD, Va. (AP) A sheriff says a suspect in the shooting of three relatives in southwest Virginia has surrendered to authorities.
Dickenson County Sheriff Bobby Hammons tells the Bristol Herald-Courier (http://bit.ly/29One7G ) that 52-year-old Jamie Neil Sykes barricaded himself in his own house, but surrendered around noon Tuesday after negotiations over the phone.
Hammons says the three victims are Sykes' wife, Teresa, and her parents, David and Glenna Robbins. He says the shootings took place at the Robbins' home.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has extended the country's state of 'economic emergency' for another 60 days, a sign of declining conditions in the crisis-hit country.
The state of emergency, in place since January, was necessary due to 'extraordinary... social, economic, political, natural and ecological' pressures, according to the presidential decree, signed by Maduro and released last night.
The declaration allows the government to seize the assets of private companies to obtain essential food and goods.
It was the third time the state of economic emergency has been extended.
Shoppers scan the bare shelves of supermarkets in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas. Basic items and foodstuffs are in short supply
Maduro said a new initiative, the 'Great Mission of Sovereign Supply', will be headed by Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino.
Control of the country's five biggest ports - Maracaibo, Guanta, La Guaira, Puerto Cabello and Guamache - has been handed to General Efrain Velasco.
He has been tasked with rooting out corruption and mismanagement at the ports, where most of Venezuela's food is imported.
Maduro said he was acting under the authority of an economic emergency decree he declared earlier this year.
But the Venezuelan Bishops Conference said the increasing handover of powers to the military was a 'threat to tranquillity and peace'.
In May, Maduro declared a general state of emergency, broadening the scope of the economic emergency degree and allowing security units to tackle food and energy shortages and public unrest.
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, left, speaks with his Defence Minister General Vladimir Padrino, during the new military chief's swearing-in ceremony at the Fort Tiuna military base in Caracas. Maduro is relying on the army to keep him in power as the economy collapses
Maduro is clinging to power and trying to avert the total collapse of his oil-dependent country.
This week he boosted the authority of his defence minister, General Vladimir Padrino, making him responsible for distributing food, medicine and basic goods. The armed forces have also taken control of Venezuela's five main seaports.
Luis Almagro, secretary general of the Organization of American States, said Maduro's decision to turn key government functions over to the military is 'not normal.'
An estimated 80 percent of food items, medicines and other basics are in short supply in Venezuela. Inflation hit 180 percent last year and the IMF has forecast it at 720 percent this year.
Critics say the problem stems from the leftist government's model of tight grips on the economy and currency controls in place since 2003.
Soldiers tend to tomato plants at a military base near Maracay. President Maduro has created a new government initiative to boost production and guarantee the smooth distribution of food supplies in the face of what he called economic sabotage by his opponents
Maduro says he is being targeted by US interests and local business elites bent on stoking grassroots anger and removing him from power.
The Venezuelan opposition launched efforts to remove the president after winning control of the legislature in January.
But Maduro has challenged his rivals through the Supreme Court, which they accuse him of controlling.
Venezuela's military is getting a major promotion as the socialist-run country struggles to combat severe shortages and stave off food riots.
The shelves of most Venezuelan supermarkets are bare and Maduro has had difficulty improving food distribution
As food shortages have worsened this year, Maduro has leaned more on the military and community groups of government supporters to organise food distribution.
He has also tried to tighten a rationing system that gives Venezuelans access to staples only on certain days.
It is not clear if the strategy is working.
Last month there was an average of 24 protests each day, according to a study published Tuesday by the local group Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict. About a third of the protests were sparked by severe food shortages.
Padrino, an army general and one of the few U.S.-trained officers still occupying high positions in Venezuela's military, has long been one of Maduro's most-trusted aides. On his first day on the new job, he vowed to bring better control and discipline up and down the food supply chain.
'It's not about militarizing,' he said Tuesday. 'I don't like to see military intervention in areas that aren't of military nature, but this is a question of national security and defense of the fatherland.'
Soldiers are pictured helping out on a pig farm. The defence minister has been put in charge of the Great Mission of Sovereign Supply which seeks to wean the country off foreign food imports and jumpstart agricultural production
The deeply unpopular Maduro is battling to fend off a recall drive in the face of an economic crisis marked by triple-digit inflation and forced austerity by households and government agencies alike.
Maduro lacks the military background of his predecessor and mentor, the late President Hugo Chavez, and since taking office in 2013 he has courted support from the military, greatly expanding its role running the oil-dependent economy.
In addition to giving active and retired generals key Cabinet posts, he has awarded troops several inflation-beating pay raises, given the armed forces its own television network and created a military-run bank.
The military helped the government quash a wave of deadly anti-government protests organized by the opposition in 2014, but the latest unrest is spontaneous and appears to be erupting among poor Venezuelans once loyal to Chavez.
In the past month, at least five people have been killed in clashes with security forces sparked by food riots that recall the two days of deadly looting under a previous regime in 1989 that left over 300 dead.
That tragedy, known as the Caracazo, is burned into Venezuelans' collective memory and at least some divisions of the military have resisted firing on poor Venezuelans ever since.
Kansas board decides to reject votes over citizenship rule
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas election officials must throw out potentially thousands of votes in state and local races from people who've registered without providing proof of their U.S. citizenship under a new, temporary rule approved Tuesday by a state board.
The State Rules and Regulations Board's decision came the day before Kansas opens advance balloting for its Aug. 2 primary. The rule sought by Secretary of State Kris Kobach will remain in effect through Nov. 8, the date of the general election.
There is no formal process for appealing the board's decision, though critics could file a state-court challenge. Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and prospective voters affected by the rule said they were discussing their options.
FILE - In this Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015, file photo, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach speaks during a news conference in Topeka, Kan. The State Rules and Regulations Board on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, approved a temporary rule requiring county election officials to throw out thousands of votes cast in state and local races by people who have registered without providing proof of their U.S. citizenship. The rule was sought by Kobach and will be in effect for 120 days, through the Nov. 8 general election. (Thad Allton/The Topeka Capital-Journal via AP, File)
The rule applies to new Kansas voters who register at state motor vehicle offices but don't comply with a 2013 state law requiring them to provide citizenship papers. About 17,000 people were in that category as of last week, but as many as 50,000 prospective voters could be affected in the November election. A Democratic lawmaker worried that close legislative races will be affected.
Kobach, a conservative Republican, has championed the state's proof-of-citizenship requirement as an anti-election fraud measure. But a federal judge ruled in May that under federal law, people who register at motor vehicle offices are eligible to cast ballots in federal races, whether they've met the state's proof-of-citizenship requirement.
Under the rule, such voters will receive provisional ballots, which will be set aside at polling places to be examined later. County election officials will count their votes for president, U.S. Senate and Congress but not their votes in state and local races or local ballot questions.
"We are preserving our law and ensuring at the same time that we are complying with the federal judge's order," Kobach said in a telephone interview from Cleveland, where he was attending the GOP presidential platform committee meeting.
Critics of the proof-of-citizenship requirements say they suppress voter turnout particularly among young and minority voters far more than they combat fraud. Alabama, Arizona and Georgia have similar requirements, but Kansas has gone the farthest to enforce its law.
The Kansas law has been at the center of multiple lawsuits, including the one prompting U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson's ruling in May.
State Rep. Jim Ward, a Wichita Democrat, called the process "appalling" and accused Kobach's office of "chicanery."
"These people are trying to interfere in a highly competitive election," Ward said after Tuesday's meeting, arguing that some primaries in state House and Senate races are likely to be decided by only a handful of votes.
Ward said people registering at motor vehicle offices should be allowed to vote in all elections.
But Kobach called the argument "absurd," saying it would cripple enforcement of a law enacted with large, bipartisan legislative majorities.
"Kansans do not want their proof-of-citizenship requirement nullified," he said.
Kansas law allows the regulations board to approve a temporary rule without a formal public hearing if an agency sees quick action as necessary to preserve "the public peace, health, safety or welfare."
Kobach, Attorney General Derek Schmidt and Gov. Sam Brownback have representatives on the five-member board, and two legislators are members; all are Republicans. The board issued a public notice of its meeting Monday afternoon and met early Tuesday morning in a conference room.
One board member, state Sen. Vicki Schmidt, of Topeka, said Kobach could have brought the proposal to legislators after Robinson ruled in May, and she abstained from voting, noting that she has a contested primary race.
Kobach noted that his office first unsuccessfully asked a federal appeals court to put Robinson's ruling on hold before drafting the rule. Then, he said, it had to be reviewed by other state officials.
Mark Johnson, a Kansas City, Kansas, attorney representing prospective voters in a second federal lawsuit before Robinson, said he didn't see the text of the temporary rule until minutes before Tuesday's meeting started. He called the process a "circus" but said without a rule, the state faced a potential "mess" in administering elections.
"You have a gun to your head," he told the board.
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Follow John Hanna on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apjdhanna
Mark Johnson, a Kansas City, Kan., attorney, speaks with reporters following a state board's approval of a new temporary administrative rule that will require county election officials to throw out votes in state and local races cast by people who've registered to vote but not provided proof of their U.S. citizenship, Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in Topeka, Kan. Johnson represents prospective voters who could be affected by such a rule. (AP Photo/John Hanna)
The Latest: Police: 3 suspects arrested in 'credible threat'
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) The Latest on protests in Louisiana over the shooting death of a black man in a struggle with two white Baton Rouge police officers (all times local):
5:40 p.m.
Police say they have arrested three suspects and are seeking a possible fourth accused of stealing several handguns as part of an alleged plot to harm police officers in the Baton Rouge area.
Ella Carr, center, of Austin, Texas, puts her fist up during live music at a night rally in honor of Alton Sterling, outside the Triple S Food mart in Baton Rouge, La., Monday, July 11, 2016. Sterling was shot and killed last Tuesday by Baton Rouge police while selling CD's outside the convenience store. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Baton Rouge police Chief Carl Dabadie said in a press conference Tuesday that authorities discovered the plot while responding to a burglary at a pawn shop.
They arrested one suspect on the scene and then tracked down two others. Authorities called on the fourth suspect to turn himself in.
State Police Col. Mike Edmonson called it a "substantial credible threat" to police.
The arrests come after the deadly police shooting of a black man by two white police officers in the city and the killing of five police officers in Dallas last week.
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3:35 p.m.
Black and white religious and community leaders from a broad spectrum of churches and groups have met in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to share emotions, tragic stories and map out a strategy for making the city more equitable and racially united.
The gathering was convened by Together Baton Rouge, a group of churches and organizations pushing to turn the fatal shooting of Alton Sterling into a moment of change and action for the city.
The group also announced an effort to create teams to help organize protests, look into the investigation and foster police reform.
The Rev. Lee Wesley said that the group's goal was not to "go back to business as usual" but to effect change. He said Baton Rouge has a "faulty foundation" that needs to be fixed by making the city more unified across racial lines.
Those attending the gathering shouted out in response: "Change the foundation! Change the foundation!"
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2:50 p.m.
A state representative from Baton Rouge says black community leaders want Louisiana's attorney general to appoint a special prosecutor to handle any state investigation into Alton Sterling's shooting death.
Rep. Ted James says the attorney general's office doesn't have the level of expertise to do the investigation. He says the appointment of an outside prosecutor would depoliticize the work.
The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into the death of Sterling, a black man killed by white police officers. East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore has recused himself, leaving Attorney General Jeff Landry to handle any state criminal investigation.
James and black businessman Cleve Dunn spoke Tuesday to local Republican leaders.
Dunn says African-American leaders also are calling on police to release the 911 call and surveillance video from the convenience store where Sterling was killed.
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11:30 a.m.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards says he remains pleased with the police response to protests of the shooting death of Alton Sterling by police officers. The weekend protests led to nearly 200 arrests and a show of force from law enforcement.
The Democratic governor, who comes from a family of sheriffs, characterized the response as "moderate."
Critics have questioned the riot gear and weaponry carried by police officers, saying it's out of line with keeping protests from becoming violent. But Edwards pushed back against such suggestions Tuesday.
He referenced the shootings of police officers during a protest in Dallas on Thursday and said police officers need to be able to defend themselves.
The governor says a Baton Rouge police officer had teeth knocked out with a rock thrown by protesters. He said that if officers don't use riot gear, "you have no defense against that sort of thing."
Sterling, a black man, was shot and killed by white officers last week.
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10:45 a.m.
A prominent Black Lives Matter activist arrested in Louisiana while protesting the killing of a black man during a struggle with white police officers says he is returning to Baltimore.
DeRay Mckesson said on his Twitter account Tuesday that a judge had granted his request to leave Louisiana and he would be back in Baltimore later in the day.
Tensions have been rising since last week's killing of Alton Sterling outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge.
The 31-year-old Mckesson was arrested Saturday on a charge of obstructing a highway.
A police affidavit of probable cause says Mckesson "intentionally" placed himself in the road after protesters were repeatedly warned by loudspeaker to remain on private property or the curb.
McKesson was released from jail on Sunday.
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2:16 a.m.
Baton Rouge's top prosecutor is weighing whether to pursue charges against nearly 200 demonstrators arrested in weekend protests over the killings of young black men as criticism mounts by protesters over the tactics officers used on the crowds.
Police made nearly 200 arrests in Louisiana's capital city during weekend protests, which are growing across the country as people express outrage over deaths at the hands of police.
East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar C. Moore III says any decisions on charges against the protesters will be made on a case-by-case basis.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana said Monday that Baton Rouge police "used violent, militarized tactics on groups of people who have gathered peacefully in protest of Alton Sterling's killing."
Keilosha Walker, left, of Baton Rouge, puts her fist up during live music at a night rally in honor of Alton Sterling, outside the Triple S Food mart in Baton Rouge, La., Monday, July 11, 2016. Sterling was shot and killed last Tuesday by Baton Rouge police while selling CD's outside the convenience store. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
FILE In this Saturday, July 9, 2016 file photo, A protester is grabbed by police officers in riot gear after she refused to leave the motor way in front of the the Baton Rouge Police Department Headquarters in Baton Rouge, La. Police made nearly 200 arrests in Louisiana's capital city during weekend protests around the country in which people angry over police killings of young black men sought to block some major interstates. (AP Photo/Max Becherer)
Sepia Greene, of Baton Rouge, La., holds a crucifix in memory of Alton Sterling outside the Triple S Food mart in Baton Rouge, La., Monday, July 11, 2016. Sterling was shot and killed last Tuesday by Baton Rouge police while selling CD's outside the convenience store. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Troy Holliday, of Baton Rouge, holds a sign and gestures to passing motorists in honor of Alton Sterling, outside the Triple S Food Mart in Baton Rouge, La., Monday, July 11, 2016. Sterling was shot and killed last Tuesday by Baton Rouge police while selling CD's outside the convenience store. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Sepia Greene, of Baton Rouge, La., holds a crucifix in memory of Alton Sterling outside the Triple S Food mart in Baton Rouge, La., Monday, July 11, 2016. Sterling was shot and killed last Tuesday by Baton Rouge police while selling CD's outside the convenience store. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Reviving 'Ghostbusters' and keeping the original spirit
LOS ANGELES (AP) Forget everything you think you know about the new "Ghostbusters" movie.
For all the scrutiny, hand-wringing and vitriol, you'd think it was about a presidential campaign, not just a kindhearted comedy based on a 32-year-old idea that features four funny women instead of four funny men. But between the Sony hack, a course-shifting death and an elusive movie star, a few internet trolls were decidedly the least of anyone's worries.
As producer Ivan Reitman puts it: "The movie is the only answer to the question, 'Is the movie good, or not?'"
In this image released by Sony Pictures, from left, Leslie Jones, Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig and Kate McKinnon appear in a scene from the film, "Ghostbusters," opening nationwide on July 15. (Hopper Stone/Columbia Pictures, Sony via AP)
In the long and twisty development process, the big question internally was never about gender. It was about whether to reboot or pass the torch.
Reitman, who directed the original "Ghostbusters," had been working on a third film, a pure sequel to "Ghostbusters II," which would have focused on the now-grown son of Bill Murray and Sigourney Weaver's characters. The film was greenlit and a script was in the works which, by the way, featured a mixed gender cast but it wasn't going all that smoothly.
Murray wasn't enthusiastic about a sequel in general and demanded that his character be killed off after five minutes. And then Harold Ramis, the beloved co-star and co-writer of the original, got very sick with vasculitis and died in February 2014 at the age of 69.
"It just broke all of our hearts," Reitman said. "There was no way to do that movie without him and with a reluctant Bill. I decided I would give up the directing and negotiated a deal to make it possible for the studio to continue this thing that we started."
Shortly after, "Bridesmaids" director Paul Feig entered the picture, through then-Sony Pictures chief Amy Pascal, with interest from comedy superstars Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig. Feig brought on Katie Dippold, who wrote "The Heat," to co-write the screenplay, and they were off holding on for dear life amid the turmoil caused by the breach of Sony's computer system.
Feig added up-and-coming "Saturday Night Live" cast members Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon to round out the four Ghostbusters.
"When Paul told me the four people who were on it, I was like, 'Oh he's going for a beast fest.' All of us are comedic beasts," said Jones, whose worries about how the four personalities would mesh in an ensemble were quickly assuaged.
Feig prides himself on his ability to assemble great comedic energies, and Reitman was on board too, deciding to give Feig space to make the film he wanted.
"I knew very early that we were in very good shape when I saw the four of them together," said Reitman. "There's this remarkable in-step quality that really good improvisers can do with each other. You believe the truth of them having been together forever, even if they haven't."
Reitman had a simple rule: he didn't want this film to be an insult to the first, a spoof, send up, or silly version.
And it's not. The story is its own creation about the formation of the Ghostbusters, set in the present day where the 1984 Ghostbusters don't exist and only a few eccentric scientists believe in the paranormal.
For Wiig, it was "an easy yes." She took comfort in knowing that they also had the support and participation of the original cast, including Murray, Dan Aykroyd (also a producer), Ernie Hudson and Sigourney Weaver.
"It really felt like we were being blessed in such a way that we were all part of this thing together. It's kind of what the spirit of the movie is," Wiig said.
Ramis also gets a little tribute, which eagle-eyed viewers will surely spot. His family visited the set that day, which Wiig said was an emotional day, and his son, Daniel Ramis, has a bit role too at a heavy metal show.
But beyond the cameos, rock star cast and bona fides of the creative team, "Ghostbusters" has been overshadowed by a passionate group of naysayers critical of the cast, the trailer, women, and deeply defensive of their childhood favorite.
"Here's the problem with the internet: It's that small, small minority who scream the loudest and the media covers them, but it's not reflective of the vast, vast majority of people," Feig said.
The cast has a similarly removed and bemused view of the hate.
"You just can't give that much credence to somebody who's like "I'm predicting the future about this thing that's not been made,'" McCarthy said.
Plus, the finished film gets a few digs in.
"I think 'ain't no bitches gonna hunt no ghosts' that was definitely a little bit of volleying it back," Wiig said of a line in the film where the women read an internet comment about their ghost hunting business. "But we tried not to think too much about that stuff."
The stakes are high, but not necessarily superhero level. The film cost around $150 million to make, and Reitman and Aykroyd have plans for some sort of an expanded universe under the Ghost Corps banner. While there are no specific plans or contracts for a sequel yet, the story doesn't exactly close the books on the cast, either.
"I've been waiting for this moment," Reitman said. "Let everyone see it, and you decide."
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Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr
Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, and Kristen Wiig are seen at the Los Angeles Premiere of Columbia Pictures' Ghostbusters at TCL Chinese Theatre on Saturday, July 9, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Invision for Sony/AP Images)
NAACP criticizes civil rights icon Andrew Young for comments
ATLANTA (AP) The Georgia NAACP is criticizing civil rights icon Andrew Young for calling some demonstrators "unlovable little brats" in a speech to Atlanta officers, saying Young should instead join the protesters in demanding police reform.
Young made the comments while meeting with Atlanta police officers at a police station over the weekend. He gave a morale-boosting talk to the officers and thanked them for their efforts during recent Atlanta demonstrations after black men were killed by officers in Louisiana and Minnesota.
In a news release late Monday, the Georgia NAACP said Young should use his clout to demand changes in police practices in the U.S. or "go quickly and quietly into a well-deserved retirement."
FILE- In this March 9, 1965 file photo, Andrew Young, from left, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., look on as a federal marshal reads a court order halting a planned voter registration protest march in Selma, Ala. The Georgia NAACP is criticizing civil rights icon Andrew Young for calling some demonstrators "unlovable little brats" in a speech to Atlanta officers, saying Young should instead join the protesters in demanding police reform. Young made the comments while meeting with Atlanta police officers at a police station over the weekend. He gave a morale-boosting talk to the officers and thanked them for their efforts during recent Atlanta demonstrations after black men were killed by officers in Louisiana and Minnesota.(AP Photo, File)
"While not discounting Andrew Young's historical contributions to this nation's progress, Mr. Young cannot cloak himself with the memory of Dr. (Martin Luther) King and expect that serious students of the civil rights movement will not call foul on his statements denigrating legitimate protest only to appease his establishment and corporate friends," Francys Johnson, president of the Georgia NAACP, said in the statement.
A spokeswoman for Young didn't immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on Tuesday.
The Atlanta Police Department posted a video of Young's entire 67-minute meeting with the officers on its Facebook page. After Young described some demonstrators as "unlovable little brats," he immediately added, "but you still got to love them anyway and you got to understand them."
Young repeatedly urged the officers not to lose their cool.
"The thing I need to say to the protesters is they don't know how lucky they are to have a well-trained, sensitive, respectful police force like we do here. And they need to be saying thank you," Young told the officers.
Young also decried the militarization of police elsewhere, saying that smart decision-making is key to effectively policing major cities.
"Policing has always been more about brains than about brawn, and you solve more problems with your minds than you ever have with a stick or gun," Young told the officers.
Demonstrators have poured onto city streets for several days in Atlanta to protest the killings of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling by white officers in Minnesota and Louisiana. While there have been a handful of arrests, the protests have generally been peaceful and police generally have been passive, working only to keep demonstrators off major highways.
Unlike protests in places like Baton Rouge, police in Georgia have generally not worn armor or riot gear, or been armed with long guns.
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has said police showed "extraordinary restraint" during several earlier nights of protests in Atlanta.
Protesters march through an intersection in the Buckhead neighborhood during a demonstration against the recent police shootings of African-Americans on Monday, July 11, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
A person is arrested during a march through the Buckhead neighborhood against the recent police shootings of African-Americans on Monday, July 11, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
A protester is arrested during a march through the Buckhead neighborhood against the recent police shootings of African-Americans on Monday, July 11, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Protesters link arms as they block an intersection in the Buckhead neighborhood during a march against the recent police shootings of African-Americans on Monday, July 11, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
A protester shouts at police during a march through the Buckhead neighborhood against the recent police shootings of African-Americans on Monday, July 11, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Campaign stickers added to photos posted on candidate's page
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) A Republican representative running for a New Hampshire congressional seat is under fire after people in photographs posted on his social media accounts complained the images were altered to show them wearing campaign stickers.
WMUR-TV reports (http://bit.ly/29vhX2H ) Rep. Eric Estevez tweeted that his computer had been hacked and suggested that the doctored pictures were the work of the "establishment."
Republican Rep. Kimberly Rice says she agreed to take a picture with Estevez and two other House members at a fundraiser. But when the photo appeared on social media, the group was all wearing Estevez campaign stickers.
Rice says no one had Estevez stickers on at the time, and the representatives weren't even aware that he was running for Congress.
Estevez says he will release an official statement soon.
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'Black-ish, other contenders could signal Emmy diversity
LOS ANGELES (AP) It's time for television to celebrate itself, again, with a shower of Emmy Award nominations. And why not?
Pop culture's ability to trace the intricacies of our social fabric shouldn't be undervalued, with TV in its various guises broadcast, cable or streaming proving more up to the job than its big-screen brother, Oscar.
In contrast to the Academy Awards, slammed for overwhelming whiteness, the 68th Emmy nominations to be announced Thursday could play to TV's strength, its relative willingness to give more viewpoints and more people, including minorities and women, a seat at the table.
In this image released by ABC, Tracee Ellis Ross, left, and Anthony Anderson appear in a scene from "Black-ish." The hit sitcom which has masterfully teased insight and humor out of troubling issues including police brutality and the N-word, is poised to have a breakout showing for its sophomore season. (Nicole Wilder/ABC via AP)
"Black-ish," ''Roots," ''Fresh Off the Boat" and other shows vying for recognition make the point. The hit sitcom "black-ish," which has masterfully teased insight and humor out of troubling issues including police brutality and the casually used N-word, is poised to have a breakout showing for its sophomore season.
Anthony Anderson, who received the show's sole 2015 nod as lead comedy actor, should expect a second and, this time, be joined by his worthy leading lady, Tracee Ellis Ross. The show itself, from creator Kenya Barris, is in the hunt for top comedy honors.
"I think it's going to have a major (Emmy) presence," said Tom O'Neil, editor and president of the Gold Derby awards handicapping website. "It's critically respected, it has a strong viewer base and it's about diversity at a time that's a pressing issue across Hollywood."
Anderson and Lauren Graham are to announce the nominations Thursday morning at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in Los Angeles.
Viola Davis, who last year became the first woman of color to win a best drama series actress Emmy, likely will be a contender again for "How to Get Away With Murder," with Taraji P. Henson of "Empire" also an expected part of the field.
Limited series "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story" stands to reap nods for its multiethnic cast that includes Courtney B. Vance as Johnnie Cochran; Cuba Gooding Jr. as Simpson; Sarah Paulson playing Marcia Clark and Kenneth Choi as Judge Lance Ito.
The transgender-themed "Transparent," which earned a best actor trophy for star Jeffrey Tambor, could get another shot at top comedy. "Veep," which broke the hold of five-time champ "Modern Family" last year to win, will attempt to stay in office again. Other contenders may include "The Big Bang Theory," ''Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" and "Silicon Valley."
"Veep" star Julia Louis-Dreyfus has won four consecutive best comedy actress Emmys for the kind of juicy leading role U.S. president that actresses are hard-pressed to find in big-screen releases. That's even truer for Constance Wu of "Fresh Off the Boat," the rare Asian-American to lead a project, TV or theatrical.
Wu and her co-star, Randall Park, both are considered likely nominees and would join the small ranks of Asian-Americans to receive Emmy notice.
The awards also have a chance to address the scarcity of Indian-American contenders with Aziz Ansari and his acclaimed comedy "Master of None," and Latinos with Gina Rodriguez's Golden Globe-honored performance in "Jane the Virgin."
Such attention carries weight beyond Hollywood, said Hawaiian-born actor Kalani Queypo, who portrayed an historic Native American figure, Squanto, in the miniseries "Saints & Strangers."
"I think about native kids who are watching and an experience, like a nomination, especially a win, it creates an opportunity for them because the dream doesn't seem so far-fetched. It's within reach, you know? It's someone who looks like them," Queypo said.
There's creative range as well to be considered by the TV academy's 22,000 voters who, unlike the invitation-only Oscars club of 6,000-plus, rely on their professional experience to gain admission.
The lavish and complex "Game of Thrones" will try to repeat its 2015 victory in the best drama series category, a rarity for a fantasy saga. Among its potential rivals: breakout cyber-thriller "Mr. Robot," starring Rami Malek playing a hacker with a cause.
For fans of English comfort food, the farewell season of "Downton Abbey" and its stars, including previous winner Maggie Smith, will make their last stand for Emmy honors. Other best drama contenders include the last season of "The Good Wife," ''House of Cards," ''Billions" and "The Americans."
The Emmy ceremony, with host Jimmy Kimmel, will air Sept. 18 on ABC.
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Online:
http://www.emmys.org
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Lynn Elber is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. She can be reached at lelber@ap.org and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lynnelber.
In this image released by ABC, Viola Davis appears in a scene from "How To Get Away With Murder."Davis, who last year became the first woman of color to win a best drama series actress Emmy, will likely be a contender again for "How to Get Away With Murder." (Mitchell Haaseth/ABC via AP)
FILE - In this Sept. 20, 2015 file photo, Viola Davis poses in the press room with the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for How to Get Away With Murder at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. Davis, who last year became the first woman of color to win a best drama series actress Emmy, will likely be a contender again for "How to Get Away With Murder." (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
Trial begins for man charged in ice cream driver's slaying
FREDERICK, Md. (AP) The trial has begun for a Maryland man accused of fatally shooting an ice-cream truck driver last year while children waited in line.
The Frederick News-Post reports (http://bit.ly/29vCtQv) opening statements were heard Monday in the trial of 28-year-old Larnell Tyran Lyles.
Lyles is charged with first-degree murder in the June 2015 slaying of 22-year-old Brandon Brown.
Brown died while selling ice cream at the Lucas Village public housing community in Frederick.
Prosecutor Rebecca Clinton told jurors that she was certain they would be convinced of Lyles' guilt after seeing video surveillance taken at the scene and hearing from a witness.
Lyles' attorney Micah Zimmerman says the witness, who was the victim's friend, has contradicted his own account of the shooting. Zimmerman also called the video footage grainy and unclear.
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2 people fatally shot in Arkansas identified
HORATIO, Ark. (AP) Two people killed in a double shooting in Arkansas have been identified after Oklahoma police fatally shot a man suspected in the killings.
The Texarkana Gazette (http://bit.ly/29B9wTH ) reports that the Sevier County, Arkansas, sheriff's office, has identified 66-year-old Deborah A. Johnson and 70-year-old Don L. Brown as the people found dead in Horatio, Arkansas, on Saturday. Authorities say Johnson is the suspect's mother.
The officer-involved shooting happened when a Broken Bow, Oklahoma, police officer spotted 40-year-old Andre Johnson Saturday night. According to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, officers attempted to stop him, and a pursuit began. Johnson drove down a dead end street, turned around, exited his vehicle and began shooting at an officer's car.
The bureau says four Oklahoma law enforcement officers shot at Johnson, striking him multiple times.
The shooting is under investigation.
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Body of missing airman found in northern Italian river
MILAN (AP) The body of a U.S. airman has been found in a river in the northern Italian town where he went missing 10 days ago, Italian and U.S. authorities said Tuesday.
A Carabinieri official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to give the information, said the body of Staff Sgt. Halex Hale was identified by his father and colleagues from the Aviano Air Base. The body, clad in just a swimming suit, was spotted earlier Tuesday by a passer-by, who notified authorities.
The U.S. Air Force confirmed that Hale's body had been found in the Livenza River, within a couple of kilometers (a mile) of where he went missing July 2. The cause of death is under investigation.
This undated photo provided by Aviano Air Base shows Air Force Staff Sgt. Halex Hale. The U.S. Air Force is searching for Hale, 24, of Middletown, Indiana who is assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, who vanished last week in Italy. (Aviano Air Base via AP)
"We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss of life," said Brig. Gen. Lance Landrum, commander of the 31st Fighter Wing, "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, fellow Airmen and friends."
The 24-year-old from Middletown, Indiana, who was assigned to Aviano Air Base north of Venice, went missing on July 2 after leaving a friend's cookout off base in the town of Sacile to walk to another friend's home about 15 minutes away. He left his cell phone, credit cards and car at the cookout.
The body was found in an area searched for five days with the aid of divers and dogs, but the official said it was likely that the body had gotten caught in vegetation below the surface and had been freed more recently by the current.
Authorities say it is possible that Hale had gone swimming in a canal in front of his friend's house, although the cause of death remains unknown. The canal runs into the river where the body was found.
An autopsy is planned for Wednesday, the official said.
Hale's father traveled to Italy to aid in the search for his son. His mother, Amy, told The Star Press in Muncie, Indiana, that her son had been in the Air Force for six years and at Aviano since February 2015. He also served in Afghanistan. He was a member of the wing's communications squadron.
Pastor Phil Rogers of the Middletown Church of the Nazarene where both Halex Hale and his brother attended daycare said the airman "loved what he was doing" in the military.
"It's just heart-wrenching. Because now they're dealing with the reality that he's gone," he said.
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Screenwriter brings the heat to the 'Ghostbusters' reboot
LOS ANGELES (AP) Like most kids of the 1980s, "Ghostbusters" played on a near constant loop in screenwriter Katie Dippold's home. For one Halloween, her mother even made a Slimer costume not for the children, for herself.
"It's actually pretty good," Dippold, 36, said, wondering aloud if she was too young to be watching so many scary movies. "It may be why I'm a neurotic writer."
At the very least, it established a lifetime affinity for the spooky, which she got to meld with her comedic sensibilities when Paul Feig asked her to write "Ghostbusters," out Friday.
Katie Dippold arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of "Ghostbusters" at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Saturday, July 9, 2016. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
"There was a moment when they were making the final deals and I remember thinking, 'would it be the worst thing if it fell apart? Is this going to be too much?'" Dippold said. "It still hasn't really hit me."
She'd cut her teeth writing for MADtv and "Parks and Recreation" before making a big screen splash with the original comedy "The Heat," which Feig directed with Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock starring.
Costing only $43 million to make, "The Heat" grossed $229.9 million globally in 2013. It's the kind of success that can secure a screenwriter a place at the table when a studio wants to pour $150 million into resurrecting a dormant franchise with a new cast.
"She's very specific. She doesn't write typical jokes," Kristen Wiig said. "In real life she's just a funny, nice, easy going person. That shines through in her writing."
Next up is a mother/daughter road trip comedy with Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn. It's currently shooting in Hawaii and set for release in May 2017.
The idea for the film came from her own relationship with her mother. Dippold noticed that her mom has gotten a little more cautious in life since she retired, and wanted to explore what would happen if they tried to shake things up. (Dippold is saving the actual trip with her mother for after the film).
As she waits to see how the public receives "Ghostbusters," she's looking forward to a little break. She's cautiously optimistic about the idea for a sequel, too, which has been left open-ended.
"I'm envious of the original 'Ghostbusters' for a billion reasons, but one being what that must have been like not knowing what it was going to be. There was no pressure, no bar. They were just making a crazy movie where they were fighting ghosts and having a good time. It made me really anxious to create something completely new," she said.
"I can almost hear an internet troll saying 'well why didn't you do that this time?' It's like OK, I hear you, but for now I just want to celebrate 'Ghostbusters.' I'll do that next."
Inaction on Zika funding likely to delay vaccine testing
WASHINGTON (AP) The Obama administration on Tuesday cautioned top lawmakers that continued gridlock over legislation to combat the Zika virus could delay research and development of a vaccine to protect against Zika and tests to detect it.
The warning came in a letter from White House budget chief Shaun Donovan and Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell and says that failure by Congress to pass anti-Zika funds before exiting Washington for its extended summer recess would "significantly impede the administration's ability to prepare for and respond" to the Zika threat this summer and beyond.
The delay in funding vaccine development is perhaps the most damaging result of a divided Washington's inability to agree on an anti-Zika funding bill five months after President Barack Obama's request.
House Republicans rush to a closed-door GOP caucus with House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, July 12, 2016.Congress is expected to exit Washington for a months-long recess with no action on gun control, despite mass shootings in recent weeks and uproar from Democrats who have pushed for new legislation. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
"It's going to take that much longer to prove that the vaccine works," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, who says testing next January on a promising vaccine faces delays. "If it takes that much longer to prove that it works then you take that much longer to get it out to the people who need it."
The impasse on Zika shows no signs of softening, even though taking a seven-week vacation without addressing the problem could be politically perilous for both Republicans controlling Congress and Democrats blocking Republicans' $1.1 billion take-it-or-leave-it measure to battle the virus.
Democrats last month filibustered a GOP-drafted Zika measure, largely over provisions in the bill to block Planned Parenthood from receiving money. A revote is expected to produce the same result this week, but Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has rejected efforts to reopen the measure, which faces a veto threat from the White House.
Obama requested $1.9 billion in February to battle Zika, but Congress has moved slowly in response. The Senate passed a bipartisan $1.1 billion measure in May while the House adopted a smaller, more partisan measure. The House-Senate compromise, worked out by top GOP leaders last month in talks that froze out Democrats, was blocked by Senate Democrats two weeks ago on a mostly party-line filibuster vote.
A Senate Democratic aide said Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., Monday night broached a compromise with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to separate the Zika issue from a veterans funding bill, strip away the Planned Parenthood-related provision and dump a provision that would ease rules on pesticide spraying.
In exchange, Democrats would have accepted a modest package of spending cuts to help defray the cost of the measure.
McConnell, however, dismissed the offer, refusing to disavow the House GOP position on denying new money to Planned Parenthood and saying it is too late and too cumbersome to try to advance a new compromise measure in the days remaining before the recess. He said House Republicans would reject such a measure anyway in an apparent reference to the controversy over Planned Parenthood.
"The time for a debate about the content of it is over," McConnell said.
As issue is $95 million in social services grants for help Puerto Rico deal with its Zika epidemic. The GOP measure doesn't explicitly mention Planned Parenthood which is loathed by anti-abortion Republicans but makes sure the organization's Puerto Rico affiliates are ineligible for funding to provide contraception and Zika-related health care. That caused an uproar among Democrats, though the practical impact of the ban would be limited.
"Republicans have no desire to work with us to get a bipartisan Zika funding bill to the president now, or any time in the future. It's all been a charade," Reid said. "Republicans are interested in one thing only: attacking Planned Parenthood."
An infection by the Zika virus can cause grave birth defects. Among the other consequences of the impasse on Zika, the administration says, is a slowdown in government-funded research to develop a fuller understanding of Zika's effects on pregnant women and their unborn children.
Meanwhile, Republicans said that because the administration has been slow to disburse almost $600 million in already available anti-Zika funds, the failure of Congress to act before recessing until after Labor Day won't have major effects.
"At this moment they still have money, but it won't last forever," said Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., who chairs a panel with budgeting jurisdiction over health programs, including research at the National institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"We getting to the point where both the CDC and the NIH are actually running out of money, and we have important work to do," Fauci said.
Castile's family vows lawsuit over Minnesota police shooting
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) The family of a black Minnesota man fatally shot by a police officer during a traffic stop is planning to sue over his killing.
TV judge Glenda Hatchett is the attorney representing the family of Philando Castile. She said Tuesday that there will be a lawsuit over the 32-year-old's death last week in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights.
Hatchett did not say whom the family intends to name as defendants or otherwise elaborate on the suit.
TV Judge Glenda Hatchett, right, speaks as Valerie Castile, the mother of Philando Castile, listens during a news conference on the State Capitol grounds Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in St. Paul, Minn. Hatchett is representing the Castile family in the shooting death by police of Philando Castile last week in Falcon Heights, Minn. after a traffic stop by St. Anthony police. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
An officer from the neighboring St. Anthony police force shot Castile during a traffic stop that remains under investigation.
Castile's girlfriend streamed the immediate aftermath of the shooting live on Facebook in a video that prompted protests around the country, including in Dallas, where five officers were killed Thursday.
FILE - In this July 9, 2016 file photo, marchers block part of Interstate 94 in St. Paul, Minn., during a protest sparked by the recent police killings of black men in Minnesota and Louisiana. The killing of Philando Castile by a Minnesota police officer during a traffic stop last week tore open wounds that hadn't yet healed in Minnesota's black community from a previous officer-involved death last year. (Glen Stubbe/Star Tribune via AP, File)
TV Judge Glenda Hatchett, left, addresses the media as Valerie Castile, the mother of Philando Castile, listens during a news conference on the State Capitol grounds Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in St. Paul, Minn. Hatchett is representing the Castile family in the shooting death by police of Philando Castile last week in Falcon Heights, Minn. after a traffic stop by St. Anthony police. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
TV Judge Glenda Hatchett, right, listens as Valerie Castile, the mother of Philando Castile, takes questions during a news conference on the State Capitol grounds Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in St. Paul, Minn. Hatchett is representing the Castile family in the shooting death by police of Philando Castile last week in Falcon Heights, Minn. after a traffic stop by St. Anthony police. A photo button of Philando is shown on Valerie Castile's dress. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
TV Judge Glenda Hatchett, right, escorts Valerie Castile, the mother of Philando Castile off the platform after a news conference on the State Capitol grounds Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in St. Paul, Minn. Hatchett is representing the Castile family in the shooting death by police of Philando Castile last week in Falcon Heights, Minn. after a traffic stop by St. Anthony police. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Anglicans recount same-sex votes, resolution now passes
TORONTO (AP) A day after the Anglican Church of Canada narrowly voted not to authorize gay unions, questions about the integrity of the voting process emerged Tuesday, leading to a reversal of the result with the church approving the measure.
More than 200 delegates attending the six-day General Synod 2016 narrowly rejected the resolution Monday night after hearing from more than 60 speakers, most of them in favor of gay marriage.
However, on Tuesday the last day of the triennial conference some members stood up to say their ballot had not been recorded during voting late Monday, when the resolution failed to pass by a single vote.
Delegates requested a detailed hard copy of the electronic voting records, which lead to a recount. Archbishop Fred Hiltz, primate of the church then declared the resolution in favor of same-sex marriage passed.
Dr. Michael Thompson, the general secretary of the church, said that the electronic voting system the church used had miscoded his electronic vote.
"I was listed, and my vote was counted as a lay person instead of a priest. This one vote changed the outcome of the resolution...to amend the marriage canon," said Thompson.
The church has three years to consider and comment on this resolution. In 2019, the resolution will undergo a second reading at the General Synod.
To pass, the resolution required two-thirds support from each of three orders the lay, clergy and bishops.
Meghan Kilty, the director of communications for the Anglican Church of Canada said before the recount Tuesday that 155 delegates voted in favor of the resolution and 68 against it, with three members abstaining from the vote.
The initial outcome on Monday night, which followed a bitter and divisive debate, stunned those on hand into silence. Some wept openly, others embraced. Some were clearly in anguish.
Before the vote recount Tuesday afternoon, Toronto's Archbishop on Tuesday joined several other prominent clergymen who say they will bless same-sex marriages regardless.
Canada legalized same-sex marriage in 2005.
About 1.6 million Canadians identify themselves as Anglican, according to Statistics Canada.
The U.S. Episcopal Church, the Anglican body in the United States, is alone among Anglican bodies in approving gay marriage and has faced a backlash for its support of same-sex unions. Earlier this year, Anglican leaders temporarily restricted the role of the U.S. Episcopal Church in their global fellowship as a sanction over the American church's acceptance of gay marriage.
Racers: Speed Week on Utah salt flats good to go, so far
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Wet weather and rough salt have forced the cancellation of Speed Week races at Utah's famous Bonneville Salt Flats for the past two years, but organizers say they now have enough miles of smooth, dry salt to hold the event.
The Southern California Timing Association is planning the races for Aug. 13 to 19, as long as Mother Nature cooperates, according to association president Bill Lattin.
Speed Week is the largest event of several annual races staged at the treeless, white expanse about 100 miles west of Salt Lake City. For decades, people have used the flat, glasslike surface to set speed records sometimes topping 400 mph.
FILE - This July 20, 2015, file photo, Bill Lattin, the Southern California Timing Association president and Speed Week race director, stands in the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Organizers of the Speed Week races at Utah's famous Bonneville Salt Flats say they have enough smooth, dry salt for the event on Aug. 13, 2016. The races were canceled two years in a row after wet, patchy and muddy salt made it impossible to mark out a raceway for cars, motorcycles and more. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
Speed Week was cancelled in 2014 just days before the time trials were scheduled to begin after monsoon storms dumped ankle-deep water on the flats.
Last year, it was called off weeks in advance after organizers found mud and slush. It's unclear exactly what caused those poor conditions, but racers said the patchy, thin salt crust confirmed their suspicions that the flats have been deteriorating for years.
The racing community says nearby mining is draining a salty aquifer that helps replenish the flats each year. Racers who have sounded the alarm want Congress to step in and pass a law because they think federal land managers aren't doing enough to restore the flats.
The Bureau of Land Management, which oversees the flats, has pointed to heavy rains as the cause of poor conditions and has noted that the agency requires the mining company to pump brine back onto the flats every winter with the goal of thickening the salt crust.
Lattin said he and other racers want to see much more brine pumped on the flats every year.
The BLM has said it's waiting to see results of a study expected in 2018 from a University of Utah professor examining the salt crust and the effects of human activity, weather and other factors.
Kevin Oliver, manager of the BLM's west desert district, said the agency is looking forward to the races returning this summer and has been monitoring conditions at the flats.
"The warm evaporative weather is shaping up the salt flats nicely," Oliver said in a statement, adding that the BLM hopes monsoon storms don't interfere with events for summer and fall.
With dry weather, Lattin thinks organizers can clear an eight-mile track for long races next month and a shorter course of three or four miles. About 500 racing teams are expected this year.
FILE - This July 20, 2015, file photo, Bill Lattin, the Southern California Timing Association president and Speed Week race director, points to salt on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Organizers of the Speed Week races at Utah's famous Bonneville Salt Flats say they have enough smooth, dry salt for the event on Aug. 13, 2016. The races were canceled two years in a row after wet, patchy and muddy salt made it impossible to mark out a raceway for cars, motorcycles and more. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
FILE - This July 20, 2015, file photo, shows the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Organizers of the Speed Week races at Utah's famous Bonneville Salt Flats say they have enough smooth, dry salt for the event on Aug. 13, 2016. The races were canceled two years in a row after wet, patchy and muddy salt made it impossible to mark out a raceway for cars, motorcycles and more. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
Israeli military appoints rabbi who appeared to permit rape
JERUSALEM (AP) The Israeli military came under criticism Tuesday for appointing a new chief rabbi who in the past has disparaged female soldiers and once appeared to justify the rape of non-Jewish enemies.
The military said it summoned Rabbi Col. Eyal Karim over his past remarks after an outcry from lawmakers. Israel's military rabbinate provides religious services to its soldiers and makes rulings on religious issues that affect the military.
In a 2002 post on a Jewish website, Karim responded to a user asking whether, in light of certain biblical passages, Israeli soldiers were allowed to rape enemy women. Karim wrote that the Torah allowed soldiers to satisfy "evil inclinations" during wartime because fulfilling such urges could assist soldiers and thus serve the greater good. In 2012, following an uproar over the post, Karim sought to clarify his words, saying rape is prohibited in every instance.
Karim has also previously questioned women's roles in the military, including women's service.
"The moment soldiers are in uniform, the barriers fall and because the military causes great damage to the girls' modesty, the thing must be weighed heavily," he wrote in a 2002 post on the same website.
In a 2011 ruling while serving in the military's rabbinate, he wrote that it was preferable for a man to sing at military events rather than a woman, and that religious soldiers should be allowed to leave the event if a woman is singing. Some interpretations of Jewish law prohibit men from listening to women singing.
The military said in a statement that Karim "never wrote, said or even thought that an IDF soldier is authorized to sexually harm a woman during war." It said Karim supports women's service and said he believes men need not leave an event if a woman is singing.
Opposition lawmakers nevertheless called for his appointment to be rescinded.
"Even if he was dealing with a theoretical debate about rape during battle or (if he) opposes female service or song in the military, no, he cannot be the military rabbi," opposition lawmaker Tzipi Livni told Channel 2 TV.
A Trump-Flynn matchup could be complicated by party politics
WASHINGTON (AP) Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn's tenure as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency came to an abrupt end just as the U.S. was reluctantly pulled back into war in Iraq because of the Islamic State group's brutal blitzkrieg across the country.
The Pentagon said Flynn's retirement had been in the works, but Flynn says he was "let go," because he disagreed with the commander in chief about "radical Islamism and the expansion of al-Qaida and its associated movements," he wrote in the New York Post.
Flynn is now on a short list of potential running mates for presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump something he described as an "unbelievable honor" in an interview with The Associated Press.
FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2014 file photo, then-Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. As a young man, Flynn used to go door to door luring Democrats out of their homes, onto buses and into polling stations when his mother, Helen Flynn, was running for secretary of state in his native Rhode Island. Described in a 1982 Christian Science Monitor report as an antiabortionist mother of nine, Helen Flynn instilled in her son an interest in civic duty but also, a more conservative brand of Democratic politics that the now-retired three-star general says no longer exists. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke, File)
In some ways, the tough-talking general could make an ideal running mate for Trump. The two men speak with one voice against President Barack Obama's approach to the Islamic State group and the need for tighter border security.
Like Trump, Flynn voices an unapologetic need to strike back at radical Islam and kick out anyone living in the U.S. illegally.
But then there's that problem of him being a registered Democrat.
"At this stage, the party affiliation is less important," he told the AP. "If they want a person who believes in the Constitution, who believes in the rule of law, who believes we have big challenges we are facing like illegal immigration, our economic conditions, education, and we have to get those things back on track, then you're speaking to him."
If only it were that simple.
Flynn says he is not opposed to same-sex marriage, something that won't sit well with evangelical Republican-base voters skeptical of Trump's new-found conservatism.
How about on abortion? Well, it's complicated.
On Sunday, Flynn, a native of Middletown, Rhode Island, told ABC News that women "are the ones that have to make that decision because they're the ones.that are going to decide to bring up that child or not." But in the interview with the AP, he said "I would choose life. But I think this is a legal issue," noting that he trusts Trump, more than Democratic rival Hillary Clinton to fill the vacant seat on the Supreme Court with a conservative.
Flynn says the Democratic Party has moved too much "toward socialism."
The 57-year-old general lashed out at Clinton, saying she "should not have a security clearance," pointing to her use of a private email server for official communications while she was secretary of state. "She doesn't take any accountability for herself, and she put our country at risk," he said.
His 33 years in military intelligence may have led him to question Clinton's use of a private email server on which some material now deemed classified was sent and received. Flynn served as director of intelligence for the Joint Task Force in Afghanistan until July 2002. He also commanded the 111th Military Intelligence Brigade from June 2002 to June 2004, was director of intelligence for Joint Special Operations Command from July 2004 to June 2007 and served in the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.
From 2007 to 2008, he served as director of intelligence at U.S. Central Command from June 2007 to July 2008. He later served as NATO's director of military intelligence and finally head of the Defense Intelligence Agency.
For all his critique of the Democratic Party, Flynn isn't exactly enamored with Republicans, especially his peers in the national security community who have voiced opposition to Trump. In March, dozens of members of the Republican national security community signed an open letter calling Trump's vision for America "wildly inconsistent and unmoored in principle."
"It's a bit frustrating when I see these national security experts say something like that, but on the other hand they're going to say it's OK for Hillary Clinton?" Flynn asked. "I think that's irresponsible."
Flynn's Democratic credentials go back to his mother's campaign for secretary of state of Rhode Island. Flynn used to go door to door luring Democrats out of their homes, onto buses and into polling stations for her campaign.
Helen Flynn instilled in her son an interest in civic duty but also a more conservative brand of Democratic politics that the now-retired general says no longer exists.
But he warns Republicans that if they don't get on board with Trump, it could cost them the election.
"If the Republican Party doesn't want to lose another presidential race...they need to check their egos, and they need to get on board," he said. "Let's not have another presidential election that we lose because we cannot get our internal house in order here."
We? Again, it's complicated.
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Associated Press writer Deb Riechmann contributed to this report.
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Iran summons French envoy over Paris rally
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Iran's Foreign Ministry has summoned the French ambassador over a Paris rally held last weekend by an exiled Iranian opposition group.
The rally was held by the political wing of the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, a group devoted to overthrowing the Iranian government. Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein welcomed the MEK and supported it from the 1980s until his overthrow, and the State Department listed the MEK as a terrorist group until 2012.
Iran had earlier criticized the participation of Prince Turki al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia's former intelligence chief, in the rally. The ministry said Tuesday that his presence showed the "impudence and stupidity" of Saudi Arabia, and accused the kingdom of supporting terrorism.
AP Interview: Jordan approves food aid to stranded Syrians
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) Jordan agreed to a one-time delivery of 30 days' worth of food to tens of thousands of displaced Syrians stuck on the kingdom's sealed border, the director of the World Food Program said in an interview Tuesday, after flying over the remote desert area and seeing "tents to the horizon."
The number of stranded Syrians is believed to have increased to more than 100,000, from a few thousand seven months ago, Ertharin Cousin told The Associated Press.
Jordan sealed the border on June 21 in response to a cross-border attack claimed by Islamic State extremists that killed seven Jordanian troops.
Ertharin Cousins, executive director of the United Nations World Food Program, sits for an interview with The Associated Press, in Amman, Jordan on Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Cousins says Jordan has agreed to a one-off delivery of 30 days worth of food to tens of thousands of displaced Syrians stranded in a remote desert area on the kingdoms border. Jordan sealed the border after a June 21 cross-border attack by Islamic State extremists, and no food has reached makeshift refugee encampments on the border since then. (AP Photo/Layla Quran)
The closure halted what until then had been regular deliveries of food and water by international agencies to the tent camps from Jordanian soil. Sporadic water shipments continue to reach the area after the closure.
Cousin said she hopes the one-off shipment of canned goods, cooking oil, rice, beans, flour and other items will be delivered soon and give aid agencies time to find alternative ways of reaching the refugees.
"We are going to use this opportunity to get food in quickly over the coming days to give us the space to develop the next solution for providing ongoing assistance," said Cousin, after meeting with Jordanian officials and flying over the berm in a Jordanian military plane.
There seems to be no obvious way of resuming aid deliveries.
Air drops of food into the camps would be problematic because of the presence of black marketers and militants among the refugees who might seize the supplies, she said. Access from Syria is also difficult because of the presence of various armed groups.
"We will use every option in our toolkit," she said, but did not elaborate.
Meanwhile, Jordan said the border will remain closed, arguing that its security is a priority.
Close to 5 million Syrians have fled their country's civil war since 2011, and more than 650,000 of them have settled in Jordan. The kingdom argues that it has done more than its share in absorbing refugees and that the international community hasn't done enough to help.
Refugees in Ruqban, the larger of two border encampments, have told AP that food prices have been rising since the closure. They described festering garbage pits and said water shipments have been inadequate. Some have returned to Islamic State-controlled areas deeper inside Syria, refugees said.
Journalists have not been permitted access to the berm, and the only images from Ruqban are those taken by refugees with cellphone cameras.
Meanwhile, WFP began airlifting humanitarian aid this week to families cut off from supplies in northeastern Syria, delivering 40 tons of food on a flight that landed in Qamishli, an area controlled by the Syrian government.
Cousin deflected criticism that the air bridge amounts to tacit support of one side of the conflict.
"WFP provides support in both regime-held and as well as opposition-held areas and we've done that since the beginning of this conflict and we always will," she said. "We continue to work to ensure that we remain neutral and that we are working with all sides and all parties."
Cousin said Russian civilian aviation force members, which WFP employs in South Sudan, will fly at least 25 rotations between the Syrian capital of Damascus and Qamishli over the course of a month.
WFP estimates that 275,000 people living in many areas of the province have been cut off from food and other supplies for more than six months.
Official: Dallas shooter had pistol, handgun, rifle on him
DALLAS (AP) A law enforcement official says the gunman who killed five police officers during a Dallas protest had a pistol, a handgun and a rifle on him at the time of the attack.
The official says Micah Johnson had a Glock 19 Gen4 pistol, a Fraser .25-caliber handgun and a semi-automatic Izhmash Saiga assault-style rifle on him when he was killed by a robot-delivered bomb after the Thursday night shootings and that the guns were purchased legally.
The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity in order to discuss an ongoing investigation.
This undated photo posted on Facebook on April 30, 2016, shows Micah Johnson, who was a suspect in the sniper slayings of five law enforcement officers in Dallas Thursday night, July 7, 2016, during a protest over two recent fatal police shootings of black men. An Army veteran, Johnson tried to take refuge in a parking garage and exchanged gunfire with police, who later killed him with a robot-delivered bomb, Dallas Police Chief David Brown said. (Facebook via AP)
The Latest: People trapped on Michigan Island evacuated
LITCHFIELD, Minn. (AP) The Latest on severe storms that struck Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (all times local):
8:15 p.m.
Wisconsin emergency officials say everyone is unhurt and accounted for after 32 people were briefly trapped on Michigan Island in Lake Superior following severe storms.
People observe part of Wisconsin Highway 13, washed out after heavy rains, south of Highbridge in Ashland, Wis., Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Storms carrying tornadoes, torrential rain and powerful winds damaged homes, deposited a snowplow in a tree and flooded highways in north-central Minnesota and northern Wisconsin. (AP Photo/Jeff Peters)
Wisconsin Emergency Management spokesman Tod Pritchard says many of those were local residents who were camping.
He says a road had to be repaired to evacuate people, and no one was hurt.
Michigan Island is part of the Apostle Island chain off Iron County.
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This story has been corrected to correct number of people trapped to 32, per Wisconsin Emergency Management spokesman.
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6:30 p.m.
Authorities say a tornado struck Michigan's western Upper Peninsula during an overnight storm that downed trees and caused power outages and flooding.
The National Weather Service confirmed Tuesday a low-end EF1 tornado struck 3 miles south of the Gogebic County community of Bessemer. Winds were estimated around 90 mph.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says the storm dumped nearly a foot of rain on the county and washed out access to a boat launch at Little Girl's Point County Park northwest of Ironwood. Part of Lake Road and a bridge over the South Baltimore River also have been washed away.
Some area homes were being evacuated Tuesday afternoon.
Officials have activated the State Emergency Operations Center and provided assistance on the ground and in the air and water.
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5:45 p.m.
Gov. Scott Walker has declared a state of emergency in eight Wisconsin counties after heavy rains caused flooding, power outages and damage to roads and bridges.
Walker declared the emergency Tuesday following overnight rains. The counties included in the declaration are Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Price, Sawyer and Washburn.
Walker says he is instructing the Wisconsin National Guard and all state agencies to help those affected by the storms.
The National Weather Service reports nearly 10 inches of rain near Saxon, nearly 8 inches of rain near Siren and 7.5 inches near Cable.
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5 p.m.
One person in northern Wisconsin has died because of severe weather.
The Iron County Sheriff's Department issued a news release Tuesday afternoon saying that flooding in the Town of Saxon has forced authorities to block off roads for repairs.
The department said that Hurley Fire Department and other agencies helped rescue people stranded in the Saxon Harbor area.
It also says 56-year-old Mitchell R. Koski of Montreal, Wisconsin, had died, but didn't specify whether it was related to the storm or rescue efforts in Saxon Harbor. It also didn't specify how the man died or where he was found.
Sheriff Tony Furyk and Coroner Diane Simonich didn't immediately return voicemail and email messages.
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2 p.m.
Emergency officials in Wisconsin are trying to rescue nearly three dozen people that severe storms left trapped on a Lake Superior island.
Wisconsin Emergency Management issued a news release Tuesday saying 33 people were trapped on Michigan Island, part of the Apostle Island chain off Iron County. The release did not say how the people became trapped on the island. An emergency management spokeswoman referred questions to the Iron County Sheriff's Department. A message left at that agency wasn't immediately returned.
The emergency management release said rescue efforts were underway. As of midmorning, 20 people had been rescued.
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6:18 a.m.
At least two tornadoes, torrential rain and powerful winds damaged homes, caused an evacuation of a nursing home and flooded highways in north-central Minnesota.
Authorities in Meeker County say 15 to 20 homes were damaged by tornadoes Monday afternoon. The Hilltop Health Care Center in Watkins lost part of its roof, causing 50 residents to evacuate.
In Litchfield, Mayor Keith Johnson says there's serious damage, but no one has been injured.
The storms generated a deluge of heavy rain causing the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office to advise against travel late Monday because of flooding. Flash flooding also left drivers stranded in the St. Cloud area.
The National Weather Service reported 11 inches of rain fell in the east-central Minnesota city of Sturgeon Lake.
Marilyn Kuechle takes a break while packing the belongings in what's left of her sisters home Tuesday, July 12, 2016, after a tornado destroyed the home Monday night in Watkins. The home owner Dolores Faber is in the hospital with injuries suffered during the storm. (Jason Wachter/St. Cloud Times via AP)
GOP 'dump Trump' rebels mobilize ahead of the convention
CLEVELAND (AP) From a spartan 16th-floor office they've rented just blocks from this week's preliminary meetings of the Republican National Convention, some of the GOP rebels trying to head off Donald Trump are laying the groundwork for revolt.
Dumping the party's presumptive presidential nominee is a longshot. They're up against an alliance between the Trump campaign and leaders of the Republican National Committee, which this week includes two dozen campaign operatives combing hotel lobbies and convention corridors counting votes and pressing delegates to oppose the dissidents.
Republicans say the Trump-RNC vote-counting "whip" team will swell to 150 when the Cleveland convention is in full swing next week.
FILE - In thus July 11, 2016 file photo, Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks in Virginia Beach, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)
Countering that, the renegade Republicans are setting up a high-tech messaging system to coordinate with organizers on the convention floor and plan to launch ads micro-targeted to the delegates' social media pages. They say they have organizers inside at least 35 state delegations who will help coordinate their drive to let the convention's 2,472 delegates vote for whichever candidate they want.
"There's so much energy to do this," said Dane Waters, co-founder of Delegates Unbound, one group challenging the widely held conventional wisdom that GOP rules require nearly all delegates to back a specific candidate, based on state primaries and caucuses. "Delegates are the authority of the Republican Party. This is about the future of the Republican Party."
Allied with other groups like Free the Delegates, they face a GOP establishment determined to prevent a toppling of the presumptive nominee or any embarrassing, nationally televised showdowns during the four-day convention.
Underscoring that, the GOP rules committee a bastion of establishment loyalists on Tuesday formally proposed to renew rules that require delegates to back the candidate they are "bound" to. With no chance of prevailing at that meeting, the dissidents are saving their effort for later this week, when the separate convention rules committee meets to craft a rules package to be considered by the full convention next week.
"I highly doubt it," Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said in a brief interview of the prospects that the rebels would succeed. "I'm hearing less and less of it, actually. I think the unbind stuff has died off considerably over the last 10 days or so."
Others are more definitive. Randy Evans, a member of the RNC from Georgia, says Trump and party loyalist forces appear to have the convention "under control," with growing numbers of Republicans eager to avoid "the prospect of chaos" if the rules are abruptly changed.
Evans said Trump can apparently count on at least 1,700 devoted delegates enough to fend off any rule changes. An Associated Press count shows that Trump has 1,543 delegates ready to back his nomination more than the 1,273 he needs to officially clinch the top slot.
Dump Trump advocates say they have at least 400 delegate supporters but won't provide more detail. Though Trump won more than 13 million votes and captured around 40 primaries and caucuses, his foes say he's not conservative enough and is likely to lose and drag down GOP congressional candidates with him.
"He's not a Republican, that's the problem," said Bill Eastland, a Trump delegate who like many of the dissidents preferred Trump's former rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
Eastland says he supports the movement to allow delegates to back anyone, but concedes it will be "very, very difficult" to prevail. He says he fears blocking Trump "will actually do damage" to the GOP, in part because of how a spurned Trump might react to such a move.
Kendal Unruh, a Colorado delegate for Cruz and a leader of the "Dump Trump" effort, is pushing a proposal to let delegates vote their conscience by supporting the candidate of their choosing. She claims at least 28 members of the 112-member convention rules committee will support her which if true would mean the full convention could vote on her proposal.
If she succeeds, top party and Trump campaign officials say her plan would be defeated.
"I'm sure she'd lose," said Steve Duprey, a Republican national committeeman from New Hampshire who's on both rules committees and opposes the rebellion.
Unruh, Waters and their allies have other options. There's talk of other amendments proposing things like requiring the presidential candidate to release tax returns and restricting future Republican primaries to only registered Republicans. Both proposals are aimed at Trump, who has not released his returns and won many independent votes in the Republican primaries.
The dissidents say they've enrolled parliamentarians and lawyers to help demand roll call votes, recounts of how delegates are voting and other steps that might turn the convention into an embarrassing, televised battle.
But such moves aren't easy. The convention's presiding officer who at times will be Priebus or House Speaker Paul Ryan has clout to decide who to recognize on the convention floor to make procedural motions.
In a show of party leaders' determination to keep things in hand, Duprey says: "It'll be a quick debate on the floor. We're not going to spend two hours debating rules."
Former Cop Who Staged Racist Photo Cannot Have Job Back, Court Rules
By Stephen Gossett in News on Jul 12, 2016 6:55PM
Photo: Scott Olson / Getty Images
A former Chicago police officer who was fired in 2014 after a photo surfaced of him and another officer posing with rifles over a black teenager wearing deer antlers cannot return to his job, the Illinois Appellate Court ruled on Friday.
The court affirmed a Police Board decision from October, 2014 to discharge Timothy McDermott from the Chicago Police Department for violation of department rules. A Cook County judge previously upheld the firing, in a 2014 ruling.
Then-Police Supt. Garry McCarthy called the photo "disgusting" and the former officers' actions "despicable" in a statement last year.
A 2002 police report obtained by the Sun-Times indicated that the man forced to wear antlers was Michael Spann, a West Side teenager who was later killed in a shooting in 2007. The police department originally claimed themselves unable to find details of Spann's arrest. They began investigating the photo in January 2013 after it was forwarded from the FBI.
Spann and his uncle, Robert Smith, then 37, were arrested after Spann allegedly shouted "weed" while walking along the street then dropped a plastic bag of marijuana. Smith denied the report and claimed that police raided his home without a warrant. Spann was released without being charged. The second former officer pictured in the photo, Jerome Finnigan, was dismissed from the police department in 2006 on unrelated corruption charges and sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.
The ruling follows a tumultuous week in America for relations between police and African-Americans. Philando Castile was fatally shot by a police officer in Minnesota and Alton Sterling was killed by police gunshot in Baton Rouge. A Dallas sniper killed five officers and wounded nine more on Thursday. The shootings of Castile and Sterling prompted waves of protests throughout the weekend and beyond. Activists have also called for a civilian-elected police accountability board amid frequent criticisms of the Independent Police Review Authority.
German convicted of war crime for posing with heads in Syria
BERLIN (AP) A German court has convicted a man of committing a war crime after he posed for photos with severed heads in Syria. The 21-year-old, a German with Iranian roots, was sentenced to two years in prison.
The Frankfurt state court said Tuesday the defendant, identified only as Aria L. in line with German privacy rules, traveled to Syria in 2014 and spent at least three weeks with an Islamic extremist fighting government forces.
In March or April 2014, a group of fighters attacked a checkpoint in Idlib province. They captured two soldiers and beheaded them, then impaled the heads on spikes.
PICTURED: Venezuelans living life on the line
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) Like most Venezuelans, 16-year-old Madeley Vasquez lives life in line.
She breast feeds her 1-year-old son Joangel as she waits outside a supermarket for the chance to buy food. The boy is more focused on experimenting with early, tentative steps while his mother waits to buy her two bags of rice and two packets of toilet paper.
Vasquez's mother, Sorena, quit her job cleaning houses so she could spend more time with her daughter and grandson as they wait to buy food. The family can spend at least eight hours for the chance to buy one box of goods.
In this Tuesday, May 3, 2016 photo, Madeley Vasquez, 16, breast feeds her one-year-old son Joangel as she waits in line outside a supermarket to buy food in Caracas, Venezuela. Vasquez once ran down the block to avoid getting caught up in a knife fight that broke out when a woman was accused of cutting the line. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
The longest lines in the South American country are to buy food, with nine out of 10 Venezuelans saying they can't buy enough to eat as scarcity drives up prices, according to a study by Simon Bolivar University.
The average Venezuelan shopper spends 35 hours waiting to buy subsidized goods each month. That's three times more than in 2014, the polling firm Datanalisis says.
As Venezuela's lines grow longer, they also grow more dangerous. More than two dozen people were killed in line in the past 12 months, including a 4-year-old girl caught in gang crossfire. Vasquez once had to run down the block to avoid getting caught up in a knife fight that broke out when a woman was accused of cutting the line.
And the wait can be dangerous in other ways.
An older woman, Irama Carrero, fainted one day when she stood in line all day after not eating. Fellow shoppers helped her back up after she tilted backward and hit her head on the ground.
Although the threat of violence is never far away, the lines have also become the stage for everyday life.
One recent day, Eder Noriega, taught his 3-year-old son Santiago his numbers as they waited in a supermarket line.
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In this Tuesday, May 3, 2016, photo, sixteen-year-old Madeley Vasquez stands with her one-year-old son Joangel outside a supermarket as she waits to buy food in Caracas, Venezuela. Joangel was still experimenting with tentative steps when it came time for his mother to buy her two bags of rice and two packets of toilet paper. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
In this Tuesday, May 3, 2016 photo, sixteen-year-old Madeley Vasquez holds her one-year-old son Joangel as her mother Sorena carries a box of food out of the supermarket in Caracas, Venezuela, after spending over eight hours in line to buy one box of food. Sorena quit her job cleaning houses so she could spend more time waiting with her grandson and daughter to buy food. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
In this Tuesday, May 3, 2016 photo, Adelaida Ospina shades herself with her bag as she waits in line outside a supermarket to buy food in Caracas, Venezuela. The average Venezuelan spends 35 hours waiting to buy basic goods each month. Ospina said she arrived at 5:40am. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
In this Monday, May 2, 2016 photo, a pregnant woman waits in line outside a supermarket to buy food in Caracas, Venezuela. At some stores, pregnant women and the elderly get their own priority lines, but not at this store. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
In this Tuesday, May 3, 2016 photo, people show their national ID cards as they wait in line outside a supermarket to buy food in Caracas, Venezuela. All Venezuelans, including children, are assigned two shopping days a week based on their state ID number. Some use fake IDs to score extra shopping days. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
In this May 5, 2016 photo, Irama Carrero is aided by fellow shoppers after fainting in a food line outside a grocery store, in the afternoon in Caracas, Venezuela. Carrero, who said she hadn't eaten that day, had spent hours staring blankly ahead in the line for the elderly when her gaze suddenly became more fixed. She tilted backward and no one broke her fall. Her head smacked the concrete and when she came to she started vomiting. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
In this Monday, July 4, 2016 photo, Eder Noriega, 25, teaches numbers to his 3-year-old son Santiago as they wait in line to buy food outside a supermarket in Caracas, Venezuela. As lines in this South American country grow longer they have become a stage for everyday life. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
In this Friday, July 8, 2016 photo, a woman sleeps as she sits on the stool she brought with her, as she waits in line outside a supermarket to buy food in Caracas, Venezuela. All shoppers are limited to two units of whatever is on offer. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
In this Monday, July 4, 2016 photo, people wait in line to buy food outside a supermarket in Caracas, Venezuela. The extent of the country's economic collapse can be measured in the length of the lines snaking through every neighborhood. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
In this Friday, July 8, 2016 photo, a woman waits in line outside a supermarket to buy food in Caracas, Venezuela. Shortages now top voters lists of concerns, surpassing even safety. That's stunning in a country with one of the world's highest murder rates. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
In this Tuesday, May 3, 2016 photo, people wait in line outside a supermarket to buy food in Caracas, Venezuela. The country's vast oil wealth once fueled a bustling economy, but years of government mismanagement ground much of the nation's production to a halt, and the country grew dependent on imports. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
Fugitive polygamous leader wants charges dropped
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Polygamous leader Lyle Jeffs is a fugitive after slipping out of a GPS ankle monitor last month, but that isn't stopping his attorneys from asking a judge to drop food stamp fraud charges against him.
Jeffs' religious freedom rights allow him and others in the sect to share food stamp benefits as part of their communal living, his attorneys contend in a new court filing Tuesday.
Like Amish who don't send their children to public high school, members of the polygamous group on the Utah-Arizona border believe not donating their food stamp benefits would go against their religious beliefs and "endanger their own salvation," attorneys wrote.
FILE - This Jan. 21, 2015 file photo, Lyle Jeffs leaves the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City. Authorities say Utah polygamous sect leader Jeffs likely used olive oil or another lubricant to slip off his GPS ankle monitor and escape home confinement last June 2016. Jeffs was supposed to be on home confinement pending trial in an alleged multimillion-dollar food stamp fraud scheme. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a radical offshoot of mainstream Mormonism, has been using a community storehouse model since the 1970s, attorneys say.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah declined comment, saying it will respond in an upcoming filing to the court.
Lyle Jeffs and 10 others were arrested and indicted in February on charges of diverting at least $12 million worth of federal benefits.
Prosecutors say sect leaders instructed followers to buy items with their food-stamp cards and give them to a church warehouse, where leaders decided how to distribute products to followers. They say food stamps were also cashed at sect-owned stores without the users getting anything in return. The money was then diverted to front companies and used to pay thousands for a tractor, truck and other items, prosecutors say.
Authorities say Jeffs likely used olive oil or another lubricant to slip off his GPS ankle monitor and escape home confinement last month in Utah.
FBI spokeswoman Sandra Yi Barker said Tuesday Jeffs may have been driven away in a dark, late-model Ford Mustang that neighbors saw at his house June 18.
The 56-year-old Jeffs was supposed to be on home confinement in Salt Lake City pending trial in an alleged multimillion-dollar food stamp fraud scheme.
He escaped less than two weeks after he was released from jail by U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart. The judge pointed out 10 other defendants from the group had already been released and obeyed court's conditions.
Prosecutors objected to his release, calling Jeffs a flight risk.
The FBI has since issued a wanted poster calling Jeffs armed and dangerous.
5 Honduran National Police officers deny drug case charges
NEW YORK (AP) Five of six Honduran National Police officers charged in New York with conspiring with the son of a former Honduran president to import cocaine into the United States have pleaded not guilty.
The officers had surrendered on Sunday. They entered the pleas on Tuesday in Manhattan federal court to charges of cocaine conspiracy, conspiracy to use firearms and firearms possession. If convicted they could face mandatory minimums of 10 years in prison and up to life.
The men have been detained without bail, though none of their lawyers made an argument for bail.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara (buh-RAH'-ruh) says one officer remains a fugitive.
The Latest: Planned Parenthood calls ruling patient victory
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) The Latest on a federal appeals decision ordering Utah to continue sending money to the state branch of Planned Parenthood in a defunding fight (all times local):
3:05 p.m.
The head of the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah says an appeals court ruling blocking a state defunding order is a victory for patients.
FILE - In this Feb. 5, 2015, file photo, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert speaks to reporters during a news conference at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City. A federal appeals court is ordering Utah to continue sending money to the state branch of Planned Parenthood, overturning an earlier ruling that allowed the governor to defund the organization. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
CEO Karrie Galloway said the judges found the move was likely a politically motived strike against an organization Gov. Gary Herbert disagrees with because it provides abortions.
Herbert hasn't commented on that aspect of the ruling. He cut off the cash last fall after the release of secretly recorded videos showing out-of-state Planned Parenthood employees discussing fetal tissue donation.
Galloway says her group is a good steward of public money, and they provide important health care services. The blocked contracts were for STD and sex education programs.
The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals decided Tuesday that the state must continue sending money to Planned Parenthood as a lawsuit plays out.
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2:30 p.m.
A spokesman for Utah Gov. Gary Herbert says the governor is disappointed in a federal appeals court decision that blocked his order defunding the state's Planned Parenthood branch.
Spokesman Jon Cox said in a statement Tuesday that state officials should be able to make contract decisions rather than a distant federal court.
The Planned Parenthood Association of Utah has said the order blocking money for STD and sex education programs was a political move against an organization he opposes. The appeals court says there's a good chance that's true.
Herbert, a Republican, has said he ordered the defunding because was shocked by callousness of videos that show employees form outside Utah discussing fetal tissue from abortions.
Cox says the governor will review the ruling to determine the state's next steps.
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12:20 p.m.
A federal appeals court is ordering Utah to continue sending money to the state branch of Planned Parenthood, overturning an earlier ruling that allowed the governor to defund the organization.
The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals decided Tuesday the order may have violated the organization's constitutional rights.
The judges extended a court order keeping the money flowing while the larger court battle plays out.
Republican Gov. Gary Herbert cut off the funding for STD and sex education programs last fall, following the release of secretly recorded videos showing out-of-state employees discussing fetal tissue from abortions.
Herbert said he was offended by the callousness of the discussion shown on the videos.
Planned Parenthood says it did nothing wrong and the move amounted to political retribution against an organization he opposes.
FILE - This Aug. 25, 2015, file photo, Karrie Galloway, CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Council, laughs as the roar of the crowd drowns out her speech at the state Capitol, in Salt Lake City. A federal appeals court is ordering Utah to continue sending money to the state branch of Planned Parenthood, overturning an earlier ruling that allowed the governor to defund the organization. (Leah Hogsten/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, File)
Upgrades to unsafe tank cars could take 15 years, board says
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) Accident-prone tank cars used to haul crude oil and ethanol by rail could remain in service for another 15 years under federal rules that allow companies to phase in upgrades to the aging fleet, according to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.
Transportation officials and railroad representatives have touted the rules as a key piece of their efforts to stave off future disasters, following a string of fiery derailments and major spills that raised concerns about the crude-by-rail industry.
Yet without mandatory, periodic benchmarks for meeting the requirements, the decision to upgrade to safer tank car designs "is left entirely to tank car fleet owners, and may be driven by market factor influences, not safety improvements," NTSB Chairman Christopher Hart said in a letter Tuesday to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
FILE--In this June 3, 2016, file frame from video provided by KGW-TV, smoke billows from a Union Pacific train that derailed near Mosier, Ore., in the scenic Columbia River Gorge. U.S. safety officials say they've seen slow progress in efforts to upgrade or replace tens of thousands of rupture-prone rail cars used to transport oil and ethanol, despite a string of fiery derailments. (KGW-TV via AP, file)
Tom Simpson with the Railway Supply Institute, which represents tank car manufacturers and owners, said the industry is committed to putting stronger cars in place. Members of the group will meet deadlines for replacing or upgrading the cars, he said, noting that demand for rail cars has eased after crude-by-rail shipments decreased over the past two years in response to lower oil prices.
"The need to modify or install new cars isn't as urgent as when the rule was issued," Simpson said.
In recent years, accidents involving the older cars have occurred in Oregon, Montana, North Dakota, Illinois, West Virginia and Canada.
The most notable was in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, where 47 people were killed when a runaway oil train derailed in 2013. During the most recent accident last month in Oregon, 42,000 gallons of crude oil spilled, sparking a massive fire that burned for 14 hours near the small town of Mosier in the Columbia River Gorge.
Cars built before the rule was enacted do not have to be fully replaced until 2029, although most would have to come off the tracks sooner.
Just over 10,300 stronger tank cars mandated by the new rules are available for service, according to figures obtained by The Associated Press from the Association of American Railroads.
That's equivalent to roughly 20 percent of the 51,500 tank cars used to haul crude and ethanol during the first quarter of 2016.
Transportation Department Press Secretary Clark Pettig said in response to the NTSB's criticism that the schedule to retrofit older cars was locked in by Congress in a transportation bill approved last year. The Congressional deadline represents "the absolute last moment" to meet the new standards, Pettig said.
"We agree with NTSB that industry should work to beat those deadlines," he said.
A Wednesday meeting was planned in Washington, D.C., where government and industry officials were set to update the safety board on progress addressing the issue.
Safety board member Robert Sumwalt told the Associated Press that federal regulators need to set milestones to hold the industry accountable.
"There's been 28 accidents over the past 10 years. That's almost three accidents a year," Sumwalt said. "Unfortunately, history shows we probably will have more accidents involving flammable liquids."
A bill from U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon and other Democratic lawmakers would offer tax credits for companies that upgrade their cars during the next several years.
"Communities near train tracks, like Mosier, Oregon, must be confident that companies are using the safest tank cars possible," Wyden said.
The railroad association said only 700 of the least resilient model of the older-style tank cars remain in service. Most of the cars in current use have at least some improvements, such as shields at either end of the car to help prevent punctures during derailments.
Transportation officials cautioned, however, that thousands of idled "legacy cars" could quickly come back online if oil prices rise and shipment volumes rebound.
Most tank cars are owned or leased by companies that ship fuel by rail, not the railroads themselves.
"Every tank car carrying crude or ethanol needs to be upgraded or replaced," said railroad association spokesman Ed Greenberg.
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FILE--In this June 3, 2016, file photo, an oil train burns near the town of Mosier, Ore., after derailing. U.S. safety officials say they've seen slow progress in efforts to upgrade or replace tens of thousands of rupture-prone rail cars used to transport oil and ethanol, despite a string of fiery derailments. (Alan Berner(/The Seattle Times via AP, file)
The Latest: Large Montana coal plant to close 2 units
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) The Latest on an agreement to close two units at Montana's Colstrip coal plant, which provides electricity to customers across the Pacific Northwest (all times local):
1:55 p.m.
A large Montana coal plant serving utility customers across the Pacific Northwest has agreed to shut down two of its four units and limit how much it pollutes in the meantime under a deal with environmentalists.
A consent decree detailing the partial shutdown of the 2,100-megawatt Colstrip plant by 2022 was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Montana. It needs approval from federal officials before becoming final.
The move follows a wave of coal plant closures that have transformed the utility industry in the United States.
The Sierra Club and Montana Environmental Center sued Colstrip's owners in 2013 over alleged air pollution violations.
The plant employs about 360 people. Co-owner Puget Sound Energy says most of those jobs likely will be retained as Colstrip's two other units continue operating.
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12:50 p.m.
A large Montana coal plant serving utility customers across the Pacific Northwest has agreed to shut down two of its four units by mid-2022 under a deal with environmentalists.
Representatives of Puget Sound Energy said a consent decree detailing the fate of the 2,100-megawatt Colstrip plant would be filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court.
The Sierra Club and Montana Environmental Center sued the plant's owners in 2013 over alleged air pollution violations.
PSE President Kimberly Harris says low natural gas prices made the plant less economic. She also says that without the settlement Colstrip could have been forced to purchase costly pollution controls.
Tuesday's announcement follows a wave of coal plant closures that have transformed the utility industry in the United States.
Burning Man organizers are disputing their $2.8million bill from the federal government - the cost last year of hosting its popular outdoor festival in the Black Rock Desert, a national conservation area in Nevada.
The festival takes issue with the Bureau of Land Management's discretion over the weeklong counterculture celebration, claiming that the authority has been overstaffing and overcharging without fully explaining the tab.
'If they can't explain all of it, than we're asking for all of it back,' said Ray Allen, the San Francisco-based Burning Man organization's lawyer.
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In this August 31 photo, the 'Man' burns on the Black Rock Desert at Burning Man near Gerlach, Nevada. Burning Man organizers want their money back after paying the federal government $2.8million to host its popular outdoor festival last year in Black Rock Desert, a national conservation area in Nevada
But the case, first reported by the Reno Gazette-Journal, also pulls back the curtain on the logistical hurdles and an evolving backstage power struggle behind an event once considered an extreme camping experience that has now achieved widespread popularity with millions in revenue.
Held in Nevada since 1990 and known for art displays, dust storms and communal living, this year's sold-out, nine-day festival in August and September is expected to draw tens of thousands of people to the scorching hot dry lake bed about 100 miles north of Reno. Burning Man named for the large effigy burned during the festival estimates more than $30million in revenues from the 2015 event.
The festival's special recreation permit from BLM is the largest of its kind in the country. Burning Man agrees to and pays for a cost estimated before the event and the final accounting is provided months after, following a post-event inspection of the site.
A BLM spokesman declined to comment on the 2015 cost appeal, but its formal response submitted noted that Burning Man officials were provided with a detailed summary of costs with receipts and that '(f)ederal government agencies are obligated to recover the full cost of providing a special benefit...'
The festival is taking the issue to the Interior Department's internal appeals court, where an administrative law judge will decide on the case. This arbitration process, which could last more than a year, is commonly used for challenges related to grazing or mining uses and fees.
BLM contends that Burning Man demands year-round planning and an unparalleled response to protect the public lands given its scope and nature. The 2015 event required 84 law enforcement officers, as decided by the BLM.
The case pulls back the curtain on the logistical hurdles and an evolving backstage power struggle behind an event once considered an extreme camping experience that has now achieved widespread popularity with millions in revenue
Held in Nevada since 1990 and known for art displays, dust storms and communal living, this year's sold-out, nine-day festival in August and September is expected to draw tens of thousands of people
The festival argues that that many officers aren't necessary given that more than a thousand Burning Man volunteers also patrol the event and that it has a clean record of taking care of the land. Burning Man said in its appeal that more than half the BLM bill was to pay for labor costs, but that the paperwork lacked specific information about the duties they actually performed.
In recent years, a more openly adversarial partnership has surfaced between the festival and the increasing number of local authorities assigned to oversee it. Allen said Burning Man has been stomaching dramatically increasing costs since 2011, when its permit was $730,000.
Meanwhile, there's been a noted crackdown on crime, which in the past has largely been drug-related. A tipping point also came last year when the BLM was forced to publicly rescind its request for upgraded accommodations for its workers, from flushing toilets to Choco Tacos ice cream, that were derided as lavish and outlandish.
But there's also been recent BLM leadership changes in Nevada. Both the federal authority and Burning Man organizers said planning for the 2016 festival has been going smoothly. The new state director John Ruhs said BLM staffing numbers are expected to go down this year because communication between both sides are now much improved.
Many in law enforcement feel frayed relationship with Obama
DALLAS (AP) After each fatal shooting of a black man by an officer, President Barack Obama has swiftly spoken out against bad policing, giving voice to the generations of African-Americans who have found themselves at the wrong end of a baton, a snarling dog or a gun.
As much as those words have comforted blacks, they have rankled many of the nation's men and women in blue. Some have described the remarks as an insult, an all-too-quick condemnation before all the facts are in and a failure to acknowledge the thousands of cops who do a good job and routinely risk their lives.
"It would just be nice for him to say 'Hey, I support what you're doing,'" said Scott Hughes, chief of police in Hamilton Township, a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. "The president doesn't defend the police. It's very one-sided."
Law enforcement officers attend an interfaith memorial service for the fallen police officers and members of the Dallas community, Tuesday, July 12, 2016, at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
On Tuesday, Obama traveled to Dallas to pay tribute to the five officers who were slain by a sniper at a peaceful protest. The president offered perhaps his strongest words yet of support for law enforcement, praising the dead as heroes who died while preserving a constitutional right.
"Like police officers across the country, these men and their families shared a commitment to something larger than themselves," Obama said.
He spoke before an audience that included police officers, relatives of the slain and five empty seats, each representing a fallen officer. A folded flag and a police hat rested on each chair. The president mentioned the slain officers by name and offered a few personal tidbits about each one.
Calling the attack the act of a "demented" man," Obama appealed for Americans to find a way to bridge the divide, noting that black communities often feel maligned and police officers feel underappreciated.
"I understand how Americans are feeling. But Dallas, I'm here to say we must reject such despair. I'm here to insist that we are not as divided as we seem," Obama said before launching into a defense of police and the sacrifices they make.
"We mourn fewer people today because of your brave actions," he said pointing at the audience filled with officers.
But for many in law enforcement, Obama's words, while welcome, are greeted with suspicion. Does he really believe it and feel it? They point to perceived slights dating back to his first term, and they believe he has helped stoke the flames of hatred for police.
Soon after Obama took office, police said, they sensed they wouldn't get the same appreciation as shown by his two predecessors, who seemed to have officers' backs.
Under President Bill Clinton, the Crime Bill of 1994 provided money to hire tens of thousands of new police. The image of President George W. Bush, who also attended the memorial service, gathering with first responders in the rubble of the World Trade Center also sent a powerful message.
Just seven months into Obama's first term, Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates was arrested as he returned home late one night and tried to open his jammed front door. The white officer who responded to a report of a possible break-in arrested him for disorderly conduct.
The incident sparked a debate about racial profiling with Obama saying police had acted "stupidly."
Pinal County (Arizona) Sheriff Paul Babeu, a longtime Obama critic whose jurisdiction sits between Phoenix and Tucson, said the president has undermined law enforcement throughout his tenure by raising issues of race and casting aspersions about officers in highly publicized police encounters.
The Gates incident also irritated Travis Yates, a major with the Tulsa, Oklahoma, police department and editor of lawofficer.com.
"That really was the tell-tale sign of his ideology" against police, Yates said.
The distrust has only deepened with each police shooting of a black man as they see the president or one of his representatives attend services for the victims. But until Tuesday, they said, the president had not shown that same outpouring whenever an officer has died in the line of duty.
It's more than just the symbolism that troubles them.
They point to Obama's opposition to providing police with surplus military equipment, which officers generally believe is essential to ensuring their safety and responding effectively to acts of terror or other mass violence. It feels like Obama isn't interested in giving them the tools they need to do their jobs and stay safe.
"His policies, time and time again, put officers back on their heels," Yates said.
For some, the relationship is so frayed that Obama's words of support for law enforcement ring hollow.
"Maybe it's not fair because we look at everything he says and think he's not genuine," Yates said.
If Obama's attendance at the memorial offered some solace to police, it didn't seem to satisfy some black activists.
LaShadion Anthony, 29, with the Dallas Action Coalition and the Huey P. Newton Gun Club, named after one of the founders of the Black Panthers, watched as Obama's motorcade traveled through Dallas. The president's decision to visit Dallas rather than Baton Rouge or suburban Minneapolis was, he said, "a slap in the face."
"I think he needs to really address the issue of unjust police departments across the country," Anthony said. "Coming here, he's putting a Band-Aid on a very large, open wound."
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Associated Press writers Jacques Billeaud in Phoenix and Emily Schmall in Dallas contributed to this report.
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Follow Lisa Marie Pane on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lisamariepane . Her work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/lisa-marie-pane .
Former President George W. Bush, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama smile as they react to comments from Dallas Police Chief David Brown during a memorial service at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas ,Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Five police officers were killed and several injured during a shooting in downtown Dallas last Thursday night. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Lower-cost biotech drug gets thumbs up from FDA panel
WASHINGTON (AP) The second-biggest selling drug in the world could get some cheaper competition in the U.S., after a federal panel endorsed an alternative version of the pricey medication used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.
A panel of Food and Drug Administration advisers voted unanimously in favor of Amgen's version of AbbVie's Humira, a biotech drug that raked in nearly $15 billion last year, according to IMS Health. While not binding, the recommendation likely paves the way for FDA approval of the knockoff drug.
For years, biotech drugs faced no competition because there was no regulatory way to approve copycat versions, even after patents had expired. If approved, Amgen's drug would join a new wave of so-called biosimilars, which have the potential to generate billions in savings for U.S. insurers, doctors and patients.
FILE - This Friday, July 18, 2014, file photo, shows AbbVie's signature drug Humira, in Houston. Humira, the second-biggest selling drug in the world, could soon get some cheaper competition in the U.S., after a federal panel, on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, endorsed an alternative version of the pricey injectable medication used to treat various inflammatory diseases. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
But it could take years for those savings to arrive.
Evercore ISI analyst Mark Schoenebaum says the earliest Amgen could launch its product would be March 2017, though that would risk infringing patents which Abbvie says protect its drug until at least 2022. Wall Street analysts expect the patent issue to be fought in court, and then for Amgen's drug to launch sometime between 2018 and 2022.
First approved in 2002, Humira has long been among the most profitable drugs in the world. It accounted for 60 percent of Abbvie's total revenue last year. The injectable drug, which blocks chemicals linked to inflammation, is approved for multiple uses, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease and psoriasis.
Thousand Oaks, Calif-based Amgen is seeking FDA approval to market its version, known only as ABP 501, for seven diseases. Amgen is itself a biotech powerhouse, and it too has medications facing competition from cheaper versions. The company is working to hedge those loses by developing lower-cost versions of competitors' drugs.
Biotech drugs are powerful, injected medicines produced in living cells that are typically much more expensive than traditional, chemical-based drugs. In 2015, six of the 10 top-selling medicines globally were biotech drugs, with more than $56 billion in combined sales.
The FDA only approved the first lower-cost biotech drug last March, a Novartis version of the Amgen drug Neupogen. Pfizer won approval to market a second biosimilar in April, a version of Johnson & Johnson's Remicade, but it is not yet for sale.
Questions remain about just how much savings U.S. biosimilars will deliver. Novartis' Zarxio sells for 15 percent less than the original Neupogen. Experts predict biosimilar discounts of 15 percent to 30 percent in the U.S.
In Europe, where governments regulate prices, discounts are higher.
Development of lower-cost anti-inflammatory drugs like Humira is considered pivotal in reducing U.S. spending on specialty drugs, which has doubled to $150 billion since 2010, according to IMS Health.
Chicago Police Department Is Collecting Donations For The Dallas PD
By Stephen Gossett in News on Jul 12, 2016 9:34PM
By Aaron Cynic/Chicagoist
The Chicago Police Department on Tuesday announced the establishment of a support fund for the affected families of the officers killed and wounded in the tragic Dallas sniper attacks. The CPD partnered with various support organizationsthe Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7, the Police Chaplains Ministry, Chicago Patrolmen's FCU, 100 Club of Chicago, the Brotherhood for the Fallen and the CPD Sergeants, Lieutenants and Captains Associationsto launch the fund.
Its the inarguably laudable and moral gesture to make. Unfortunately, the department publicized the news using some problematic language.
The release states that the slain officers were working at an "anti-police protest" at the time of the attack, rather than "anti-excessive force" or "anti-police brutality." (President Obama defended the Black Lives Matter movement on Tuesday at a memorial for the victims.)
Phil Cline, the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation executive director, also chose suboptimal phrasing, adding in the release "our nations law enforcement is under attack simply because of the uniform they wear."
The fund, despite regrettably phrased notification, is accepting donations here.
The release arrives amid six days of consecutive protest in Chicago in the wake of the fatal shooting deaths of Philando Castile in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, LA.
The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation was not available for immediate comment.
Dutch woman escapes IS-held, northern Iraqi city of Mosul
BAGHDAD (AP) A Dutch woman has surrendered to Kurdish Peshmerga fighters near the Islamic State-held city of Mosul in northern Iraq, saying she had been trying to escape the "hell" she was living in "all the time."
Laura Angela Hansen told Kurdistan 24 television that her father helped her escape with her two children four-year-old Iman and Abdullah, one. She gave no details.
Born in 1995 in the Netherlands, she said her husband, who is Dutch of Palestinian origin, had told her he was taking her on a "vacation" when they entered IS-held areas in Syria. She lived for several months in Raqqa, de facto capital of the "Caliphate," before they moved to Mosul.
Rights groups rebuke Ecuador's deportation of Cuban refugees
QUITO, Ecuador (AP) Human rights groups are denouncing Ecuador's expulsion of dozens of Cubans seeking asylum in the U.S.
Around 150 Cubans were arrested last week in Ecuador's capital after setting up a camp outside the Mexican Embassy to demand a special humanitarian visa allowing them to travel to the U.S. border and from there seek asylum in the U.S.
Human Rights Watch said the deportation of 75 asylum seekers likely violates international law requiring governments not to forcibly return refugees to places where their lives may be in danger.
Cuba's Foreign Ministry issued a statement Tuesday rejecting the criticism. It blamed the longstanding U.S. policy of granting automatic asylum to Cubans who touch U.S. soil, saying that fuels migratory flows that go against the spirit of diplomatic reconciliation between the two countries.
The Ecuadorean government is a close ally of Cuba but what until recently were lax visa requirements have made it an attractive way station for those fleeing communist rule.
The Cubans stranded in Ecuador are looking to join thousands of their compatriots who were flown to Mexico earlier this year by Panama and Costa Rica.
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Protesters gather outside Elvis Presley's home, 4 detained
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Dozens of protesters associated with the Black Lives Matter movement snarled traffic outside Graceland for nearly two hours on Tuesday, using tactics designed to stay just within the letter of the law.
Memphis police tried to keep the streets clear while enforcing an ordinance requiring permits for gatherings of more than 25 people. So when 70 protesters arrived at the home of the late Elvis Presley, they split into groups of no more than 20.
Police soon detained four people for blocking Elvis Presley Boulevard, so the protesters got creative, breaking into smaller groups and staying on the move, taking turns crossing the street from sidewalk to sidewalk. Lines of cars soon stretched in both directions, and some motorists honked horns in solidarity.
A police officer controls traffic as Black Lives Matter protesters wait to cross the street in front of Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley, on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Adrian Sainz).
And so it went for nearly two hours in the 90-degree heat, with chants of "No justice, no peace" and signs reading "Black Lives Matter" and "Memphis Poorest City."
The protest comes the day after a meeting between Memphis officials and community members where movement leaders presented a list of demands to the city.
That meeting followed a protest Sunday that ended peacefully and without arrests after marchers blocked the Interstate 40 bridge, which connects Tennessee and Arkansas over the Mississippi River.
With protests spreading the country over last week's police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota and a black sniper's killing of five police officers in retaliation, activists are trying to adapt their tactics.
Community activist Joe Hunter said protesters chose Graceland because it's a prominent tourist attraction that draws money into the city.
Poll: After education, young people diverge on 2016 issues
WASHINGTON (AP) When it comes to picking a new president, young people in America are united in saying education is what matters most. But there's a wide split in what else will drive their votes.
For African-American adults between the ages of 18 and 30, racism is nearly as important as education. For young Hispanics, it's immigration. And for whites and Asian-Americans in the millennial generation, it's economic growth.
The results from the new GenForward poll highlight big differences among young Americans who often are viewed as a monolithic group of voters due in no small part to their overwhelming support for President Barack Obama during his two campaigns for president.
In this July 8, 2016, photo, a man holds up a sign saying "black lives matter" during a protest of shootings by police, in Washington by the White House. When it comes to picking a new president, young people in America are united in saying education is what matters most. But there's a wide split in what else will drive their votes. The poll showed major support for the Black Lives Matter movement among African-Americans polled 84 percent. Support for Black Lives Matter polled at 68 percent for Asian-Americans, 53 percent for Hispanics and 41 percent for whites. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
GenForward is a survey by the Black Youth Project at the University of Chicago with the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research . The first-of-its-kind poll pays special attention to the voices of young adults of color, highlighting how race and ethnicity shape the opinions of the country's most diverse generation.
Among the most striking findings: Young African-Americans are significantly more likely than other racial and ethnic groups to say racism is a top issue when it comes to choosing a candidate for president. A third of blacks between 18 and 30 chose racism as one of the top issues that will affect their votes, nearly tied with education and ahead of both health care and economic growth.
Lakevia Davis, 24, of Montgomery, Alabama, said the toll from the police shootings in the past few years has moved race to the top for her and other young blacks.
"The civil rights movement was only 50 years ago, but we're still fighting the same fight," she said. "It's a just as big a deal for other races, but it's just not as public as it is for us."
Cathy Cohen, a professor at the University of Chicago and the principal investigator of the Black Youth Project, said African-American youth seem to feel the sting of racism more often and are more likely to call it a major problem.
In the poll, 8 in 10 young African-Americans called racism a major problem. They were joined by 3 in 4 young Hispanics, more than 3 in 5 Asian-Americans and a little more than half of young whites.
That's "a pretty significant difference" between blacks and whites, she said.
The poll was taken before last week's slayings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, two black men whose deaths were captured on video, and the shooting deaths of five police officers in Dallas that followed. Before the gunman in Dallas was killed, he said he wanted revenge for the killings of blacks by police.
Police brutality was chosen by 2 in 10 young African-Americans as a top issue in their choice for president, far more than young Hispanics, Asian-Americans and whites.
Presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has made race inequality a central theme of her candidacy. She said Tuesday she wants to develop national guidelines on the use of police force and to provide training on "implicit bias."
Trump has framed his response to the issue in largely economic terms, and the GenForward poll found unemployment was almost as important an issue to young African-Americans as police brutality.
"Jobs can solve so many problems," Trump said this week in an interview with The Associated Press. "And we're going to open our country up and we're going to be a huge jobs producer again instead of having terrible jobs."
But Todd Shaw, a political science professor at the University of South Carolina, said some of Trump's political rhetoric may have driven young black adults to put racism at the top of their list of issues.
"When young African-Americans hear that Mexican-Americans or Muslims are outsiders or should be barred from the country or are seen as rapists, particularly given the liberal leanings of younger African-Americans, they will read that as you are against all persons who are different" from whites, he said.
The poll showed major support for the Black Lives Matter movement among African-Americans polled 84 percent.
Support for Black Lives Matter polled at 68 percent for Asian-Americans, 53 percent for Hispanics and 41 percent for whites.
"Over time, things change and get better, but it's not there yet," said 29-year-old Galen Mosher of Portland, Oregon, who is white and supports Black Lives Matter.
"If we can't have some kind of understanding ... then we can't build the trust," he said.
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The poll of 1,965 adults age 18-30 was conducted June 14-27 using a sample drawn from the probability-based GenForward panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. young adult population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.
The survey was paid for by the Black Youth Project at the University of Chicago using grants from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Ford Foundation.
Respondents were first selected randomly using address-based sampling methods, and later interviewed online or by phone.
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Associated Press writers Paul Holston and Sarah Grace Taylor in Washington contributed to this story.
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Online:
GenForward polls: http://www.genforwardsurvey.com/
Black Youth Project: http://blackyouthproject.com/
AP-NORC: http://www.apnorc.org/
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Beers may offer nutrition info alongside ingredient details
WASHINGTON (AP) Beer drinkers who can often find out details about the grain and hops that went into their beverage may get more information from major brewers about calories, carbohydrates, protein and more.
A trade group that represents companies like Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors said Tuesday it's pushing members to voluntarily reveal by the end of 2020 more details on labels, packaging and websites about what's in their beer. The Beer Institute is also encouraging brewers to show when a beer was brewed, to list ingredients, and to point to a website or include a code that can be scanned with a smartphone for more information.
Michael Jacobson, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, an advocacy group, said the absence of calorie labeling on cans and bottles has helped obscure what a major of calories alcohol can be, and the beer companies should go further.
FILE - In this June 9, 2016, file photo, a shelf is stocked high with hundreds of varieties of single beers at Liquor Mart in Boulder, Colo. The Beer Institute says it is encouraging its members to start displaying more product information on labels, packaging and websites in a push to provide consumers with more details about ingredients, calories and other nutritional facts about their beverages. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley, File)
"Brewers are allowed to artificially color, flavor, sweeten, and preserve their products, as well as use foam enhancers," he said in a statement. "If the industry takes pride in its ingredients it should list them on labels and not simply on the web."
Beer Institute members produce more than 80 percent of the volume of beer sold in the United States, the group said, and added that that Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors and HeinekenUSA have already agreed to the new standards.
The more inclusive labels could prove more difficult for smaller brewers, however. The Brewers Association, a trade association of craft brewers, says it supports transparency in labeling. But it believes compliance might be difficult for microbrewers who, in addition to having fewer resources, sell more small-scale seasonal products with varying ingredients.
That would mean spending more money for the greater variety of beers those brewers make, stretching already tight profit margins.
The group says it has been working separately with the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture on a plan to be included in the USDA nutrient database by beer style rather than individual brands.
Nick Petrillo, a beverage industry analyst for IBISWorld, said he thinks the larger beer companies will use the new labels to their advantage, enabling them to back up claims of lower-carb or lower-calorie beer. But he doesn't foresee "Big Beer" using the new transparency to target microbrewers who aren't compliant.
Mahin Khan (above) has pleaded not guilty to charges of plotting a terrorist attack on a motor vehicle office in metro Phoenix
A Tucson man has pleaded not guilty to charges of plotting a terrorist attack on a motor vehicle office in metro Phoenix.
Mahin Khan is accused of asking a suspected militant for help making a pipe bomb in a plot to blow up a Motor Vehicle Division office in Maricopa County.
In court on Tuesday, Khan was dressed in a jail uniform, wore glasses and sported a five o'clock shadow.
His only comments consisted of affirming his correct name and recognizing that he understood his legal rights.
Khan was charged with terrorism, conspiracy to commit terrorism and conspiracy to commit misconduct involving weapons.
His attorney, Robert Ditsworth, opposed a request by media organizations to film the hearing.
He said doing so could taint the jury pool and put Khan's family at risk as his face appears in broadcasts. 'It's a very touchy subject,' Ditsworth said.
Outside of court, Ditsworth declined to comment on the case against Khan.
Superior Court Judge Sam Myers said Khan will remain jailed pending the outcome of a July 19 bond hearing.
Authorities said Khan had written emails to a suspected member of the Pakistan Taliban seeking weapons and instructions for a homemade explosive.
It's not clear if Khan was corresponding with an actual member of the group, but court records show that the FBI examined the emails.
In the emails, Khan said he backed the Islamic State terrorist group and was looking to carry out an attack.
Superior Court Judge Sam Myers said Khan will remain at Maricopa County Jail (above) pending the outcome of a July 19 bond hearing
Court records show the person responded that he would have to pay for two rifles and a pistol he requested, so Khan said he wanted instructions for a bomb itself.
The FBI began investigating Khan after someone reported him for suspicious activity; and agents were tracking him as he asked someone else on April 16 about targeting Mission Bay, California, and an Air Force recruitment center in Tucson, according to the probable cause statement filed into court records.
The identity of that person was redacted, but it was not the suspected Taliban member.
The statement was written before Khan's arrest, and the plot against the motor vehicle office came to light after authorities searched his home.
'Star Trek' creator's son unsure of gay Sulu
LOS ANGELES (AP) The son of late "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry says his father would have been on board with an Enterprise crew member being portrayed as gay, but he's unsure if it should have been helmsman Hikaru Sulu.
Rod Roddenberry said his father would have been supportive of a gay "Trek" character and commended the "Star Trek Beyond" filmmakers for featuring an LGBT character. Roddenberry died in 1991.
"I think he would be 100 percent in favor of a gay character in 'Star Trek," said Roddenberry during an interview Tuesday. "There's so much going on in the world today. I think he would love any sort of social issue being brought into 'Star Trek.' "
Actor John Cho poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Star Trek Beyond' in London, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)
"Star Trek Beyond" actor John Cho told Australia's Herald Sun last week that a scene in the upcoming film plainly presents Sulu with a male spouse raising an infant daughter. Cho said he liked that the approach doesn't "make a big thing" out of it.
However, original Sulu actor George Takei called the decision unfortunate. The openly gay 79-year-old actor told The Hollywood Reporter that he thought the character had been altered and would have preferred for filmmakers to create an entirely new gay character.
"Star Trek Beyond" actor-screenwriter Simon Pegg defended the choice in a statement and said the filmmakers wanted an LGBT character to be "someone we already knew because the audience has a pre-existing opinion of that character as a human being, unaffected by any prejudice."
Roddenberry understands Takei's opinion that his father likely didn't intend for Sulu, who never had an on-screen love interest in the original TV and film series, to be gay.
"In a way, it's George's character," Roddenberry said. "I can understand why he feels strongly about it. I don't see why everyone is bickering about it. It's about (expletive) time. Let's just do it."
Roddenberry, who is serving as an executive producer on the upcoming "Star Trek" series on the CBS All Access online video service, said his father would have likely created an gay character to be featured in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." The spin-off of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" ran from 1993 to 1999.
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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang .
US actor John Cho poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Star Trek Beyond' in London, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)
The Latest: Yale to remove other stained-glass windows
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) The Latest on the destruction of a stained glass window at Yale (all times local):
5:30 p.m.
Yale University has acknowledged that it decided to remove several stained-glass windows at Calhoun College only after a worker destroyed one in June that depicted slaves in a cotton field.
A rally at New Haven Superior Court on Chapel Street in New Haven Tuesday, July 12, 2016 demanding justice for Corey Menafee, an African-American employee at Yale's Calhoun College who was charged with breaking a window pane depicting black slaves picking cotton at Calhoun College. (Peter Hvizdak /New Haven Register via AP)
Corey Menafee, who is black, used a broomstick last month to break the window inside Calhoun College, which has been the target of student protests because it is named for former Vice President John C. Calhoun, an ardent 19th century defender of slavery.
The school had earlier said it had planned to remove that window and others to be "conserved for future study and possible contextual exhibition."
Tuesday afternoon, the school acknowledged that decision came after the June incident.
Yale says it artist specializing in stained glass will be commissioned to design new windows, with input from the Yale community, including students, on what they should depict.
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4:30 p.m.
Yale University has asked the state not to pursue criminal charges against a former worker who destroyed a stained-glass window depicting slaves in a cotton field.
Corey Menafee, who is black, told reporters outside New Haven Superior Court on Tuesday that he probably shouldn't have broken the window last month, but he found the image disturbing.
The window was inside Calhoun College, named for former Vice President John C. Calhoun, an ardent defender of slavery during the 19th century. The college's name has been the subject of protests by students who want it changed.
The 38-year-old former dining hall employee was in court Tuesday facing a felony charge of criminal mischief and a misdemeanor reckless endangerment charge.
Yale says Menafee resigned. It says it already planned to remove the window.
Lawyer Patricia Kane of New Haven, second from left, with her client Corey Menafee, far right, leave New Haven Superior Court on Chapel Street in New Haven Tuesday, July 12, 2016 after Menafee, a former employee at Yale's Calhoun College, was arraigned for breaking a window pane depicting black slaves picking cotton at Calhoun College. (Peter Hvizdak/New Haven Register via AP)
US Air Force in the Pacific gets new top commander
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (AP) A fighter pilot and former U.S. Air Force commander in South Korea has taken over as the top U.S. Air Force leader in the Pacific.
Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy assumed command of Pacific Air Forces during a ceremony on Tuesday.
Adm. Harry Harris of the U.S. Pacific Command praised O'Shaughnessy for his "strong and measured responses" to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un when he led the U.S. 7th Air Force in South Korea.
Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy speaks at his assumption of command ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Tuesday, July 12, 2016. O'Shaughnessy assumed command of Pacific Air Forces during a ceremony Tuesday. (AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy)
Harris said the recent deployment of F-22 Raptor jets to the Korean peninsula served as an example of O'Shaughnessy's "understanding of the challenge that exists there and how we can meet it with air power."
"He definitely has the in-theater experience and the right touch needed in this job," Harris told a crowd gathered the ceremony on a field overlooking Pearl Harbor. Harris leads all U.S. troops in the region as the head of the Pacific Command.
O'Shaughnessy previously served as the Pacific Command's director of operations. The 1986 Air Force Academy graduate has more than 3,000 hours of flying the F-16 Falcon, including 186 combat hours over Iraq.
Pacific Air Forces includes airmen and civilians stationed in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, Japan and South Korea.
O'Shaughnessy succeeds Gen. Lori Robinson, who took over as the leader of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command in May.
Lt. Gen. Russell Handy of the Alaskan Command and 11th Air Force filled in for the past few months until the Senate confirmed O'Shaughnessy's appointment.
Harris said Handy's operational experience ensured Pacific Air Forces remained focused and ready in the interim.
"Now we're going to send you back to Alaska with some aloha shirts to continue your fine work there," Harris said.
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Ex-electricity chief named leader of Mexico's ruling party
MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexico's ruling party on Tuesday chose Enrique Ochoa, the former head of the country's electricity agency and an ally of President Enrique Pena Nieto, as its new leader.
The Institutional Revolutionary Party said Ochoa was the only one to meet all requirements ahead of the deadline and hours later swore him in as party president. The appointment doesn't mean Ochoa will be the PRI's candidate in the 2018 presidential election but it puts him in contention to be.
Ochoa, who recently resigned from the Federal Electricity Commission, replaces Manlio Fabio Beltrones, who stepped down following the party's dismal showing in state elections in June.
The PRI governed Mexico for more than seven decades until 2000. It regained the presidency in 2012 with the election of Pena Nieto, who in recent months has had the lowest approval rating of any Mexican president in the past two decades. His government has been battered by criticism over corruption, insecurity and human rights issues.
Ochoa is a lawyer and economist with a doctorate in political science from Columbia University.
Analysts said Ochoa was chosen by Pena Nieto to run the party in a practice called the "dedazo," or "tap of the finger," in which the current president has a heavy influence within the party.
"It was a 'dedazo.' It was a movement by President Enrique Pena Nieto who needs to move the pieces on the table to prepare for the 2018 election," said Ivonne Acuna, a political analyst at Mexico's Iberoamericana University.
Photos: Activists Filled The Streets Of The Loop Again To Demand Police Accountability
By aaroncynic in News on Jul 12, 2016 2:33PM
Demonstrators marched through the Loop for the fifth day in a row Monday over the extra-judicial executions of people of color by police. Hundreds began to gather in Millennium Park in the afternoon for a sit-in, and with the crowd later swelling to well more than a thousand people, marched to Federal Plaza to join other demonstrators who are calling for an elected civilian police accountability board.
Police told Chicagoist there was one arrest made at the sit-in, but charges are pending and they could not provide details.
We called this demonstration in front of the Department of Justice because today it stands tall as the department of injustice, said Frank Chapman of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. Were not asking, were demanding that those cops who cold bloodily murdered Alton and Philando be brought to justice.
This latest series of protests comes in the wake of more killings of people of color by police around the U.S., including Alton Sterling, a Baton Rouge man, and Philando Castile, a Minneapolis man. Graphic and disturbing video of both instances went viral on social media last week.
In addition to demanding justice for people of color killed by police and an elected civilian accountability board in Chicago, demonstrators also decried the proposed blue lives matter ordinance proposed by Ald. Ed Burke in City Council a few weeks ago, which would give hate crimes protections to police officers and other first responders. Those opposed to the measure, which was moved to committee, say that existing laws already afford cops and first responders with extra protections, and it would severely impact people demanding police accountability.
We are fighting to make sure that never leaves committee, said Rachel, a member of the Black Youth Project 100 who did not provide her last name, who also participated in Mondays demonstrations. The simple fact that we can bump into them and be charged with assault already shows that theres protection for the police. We have never fought this hard, but suppressing the fight for our equal rights and for the rights of people to hold the police system accountable, what does that tell us?
The afternoon demonstration, which began in Wrigley Square in Millennium Park, was organized by four young women of color who had never before organized a protest. Demonstrators, the majority of them youth of color, sat silently in the grass for long periods of time, with a smattering speeches, poetry and chants peppering the two-hour long action.
I read about this type of injustice in history books, never thinking Id be on the frontline of my generations own civil rights movement, said Eva Lewis, a seventeen year-old organizer of the demonstration. Seeing history repeat itself has been awfully discouraging, but I have faith in the power of youth coming together in the face of adversary. We have to stop being content, and start being actively unsatisfied with the way things are. We have to keep saying Black Lives Matter, because society has shown it thinks otherwise."
After rallying in Federal Plaza, demonstrators marched through the Loop again, chanting, black lives what? Black lives matter! and hands up, dont shoot, staging several sit-ins in major intersections when police attempted to block their march from crossing to the north side of the River. Demonstrators were allowed to pass after a brief stand off, with bystanders cheering and clapping support and stuck drivers honking and high-fiving protesters as they passed.
Ending this part of the march with Assata #blacklivesmatter Chicago pic.twitter.com/aCdbiKRoBT Aaron Cynic (@aaroncynic) July 12, 2016
The main demonstration concluded back in Millennium Park with hundreds chanting the words of Assata Shakur.
Celtic left red-faced as Gibraltan part-timers deliver greatest Euro humiliation
Brendan Rodgers' first game as Celtic boss ended in humiliation as his Hoops side were humbled 1-0 by Lincoln Red Imps in in the first leg of their second Champions League qualifier at the Victoria stadium.
The Parkhead side laboured in the searing heat of the goalless first 45 minutes and were then stunned when Lee Casciaro, who had scored Gibraltar's first international goal against Scotland at Hampden in 2015, sensationally put the part-timers ahead in the 47th minute.
Hoops striker Leigh Griffiths hit the woodwork twice as the Scottish champions battled for their dignity, but, buoyed by their stunning breakthrough, the home side held out for a result which ranks as the most embarrassing in Celtic's European history.
Brendan Rodgers saw his side suffering a humiliating loss in Gibraltar
The return game at Celtic Park next week should still be a formality, but Rodgers' tenure has begun in the worst possible way.
It had promised to be a stroll for the Glasgow club.
There were around 300 Celtic supporters in the away end - some more interspersed with the home fans in the crowd of less than 2,000 - to see French striker Moussa Dembele make his competitive debut on his 20th birthday.
Attacking midfielder Ryan Christie was making his European debut, with last season's top scorer Griffiths shunted wide on the right.
Swedish referee Andreas Ekberg punctuated the opening stages with his whistle, mainly for fouls against Celtic, although Hoops defender Efe Ambrose picked up a booking in the 10th minute for a foul on the night's hero, Casciaro.
The Scottish champions, wearing their black and gold kit, huffed and puffed.
A couple of crosses from Griffiths failed to find a team-mate before Hoops goalkeeper Craig Gordon was forced to make a decent save from Liam Walker's low 20-yard effort as the home side slowly began to edge forward.
In the 31st minute Dembele, who had a quite start to the match, headed in skipper Scott Brown's free-kick, but was adjudged to have fouled keeper Raul Navas on the line.
Five minutes from the break Nava pushed a powerful drive from Dembele past the post for a corner which came to nothing before the Celtic striker fired an angled-drive wide of the far post.
The match exploded into life two minutes after the restart, following a Navas save from Griffiths.
Casciaro took advantage of Ambrose's hesitation when chasing a long Walker pass to stab the ball past Gordon from 12 yards to widespread disbelief.
Moments later, as Celtic reeled in a state of shock, Lincoln midfielder Antonio Calderon fired just over the bar from 14 yards.
Rodgers brought on James Forrest and Stuart Armstrong for Christie and Tom Rogic before Griffiths' shot from 10 yards was deflected on to the bar by Carlos Garcia before Lincoln captain Roy Chipolina completed the clearance for a fruitless corner.
As Celtic's desperation grew, Armstrong blasted over the bar to groans from the increasingly worried Hoops supporters.
In the 72nd minute Nadir Ciftci replaced Dembele in what was Rodgers' last throw of the dice, as scorer Casciaro came off to a hero's reception to be replaced by George Cabrera.
Five minutes later, after Griffiths was fouled by Imps defender Joe Chipolina 25 yards from goal, the former Wolves striker cracked the bar with the free-kick, with Nir Bitton beaten to the rebound.
As Celtic stepped up the pressure in the final 10 minutes Navas saved from Ciftci, who subsequently missed the target with a header before the final whistle, after four added minutes, confirmed the Hoops' embarrassment as the Lincoln players and supporters celebrated with justifiable pride.
PLAYER RATINGS
Craig Gordon 6 (out of 10)
Saidy Janko 6
Efe Ambrose 5
Erik Sviatchenko 6
Kieran Tierney 5
Scott Brown 7
Nir Bitton 5
Tom Rogic 6
Ryan Christie 5
Leigh Griffiths 7
Moussa Dembele 6
Substitutes
James Forrest 5
Stuart Armstrong 5
Nadir Ciftci 5
STAR MAN: Lee Casciaro proving the old cliche that anything can happen in football.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Lee Casciaro's sensational winner for Lincoln stunned everyone in the ground.
VIEW FROM THE BENCH: Brendan Rodgers would not have expected his first game as Celtic boss to end in such embarrassment.
MOAN OF THE MATCH: Victoria Stadium, with its 2,000 capacity and artificial surface, is a modest setting to say the least.
Rodgers insisted there was "no embarrassment" in losing and backed his side to turn the tie around in the home leg.
He was quoted as saying by BBC Sport: "We've given ourselves a bit of work to do. I saw enough from the game, we created enough to go through.
"Of course you never want to lose the game. You let the local team have their night, we press on, another week's training and be better for it. There's no embarrassment.
Orange Order parades in Belfast pass off peacefully
Flashpoint Orange Order parades marking the Twelfth of July across Belfast have passed off virtually without incident.
Marches near Catholic churches in the east and city centre were largely uneventful while the most volatile sectarian interface at the nationalist Ardoyne remained calm amid claims a deal to end the long-running dispute had been close.
However, several families near the staunchly loyalist Shankill Road were left facing homelessness after their properties were burned beside an Eleventh Night bonfire marking the start of festivities on Monday. And a normally liberal Ulster Unionist MP apologised after tweeting a photograph of him standing in front of a bonfire with the Irish flag on top.
Orange Order members march on Woodvale Road in Belfast
The vast majority of the 600 parades on the Twelfth commemorating the anniversary of King William III's victory over James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 are free of trouble each year.
But the threat of disorder at a small number of sectarian junctions between Catholic and Protestant residents always has the potential to mar the day.
More than 3,000 police officers were on duty but the situation remained peaceful and low key.
During recent Twelfths, police have come under attack at a temporary barrier on the Woodvale Road as they prevented three Orange lodges and their supporters from reaching Ardoyne.
In recent days a deal between the Orange Order and residents fell through but community workers on both sides of the divide have expressed hope the work can be salvaged.
This year, in what was apparently a pre-planned move, only a dozen members of one of the lodges approached the barrier, with a small number of supporters watching on.
After handing a letter of protest to the police officer co-ordinating the operation, they stood with their backs to the railings for over an hour before dispersing.
The intention was for the other two lodges to also walk to the barricade, but they did not arrive because a timing issue meant they missed a deadline set by the Parades Commission for loyal order members to leave.
Afterwards there was a minor incident on the nearby Crumlin Road when loyalist and nationalist youths shouted abuse at each other but police moved in swiftly to prevent trouble. Republicans tried to set fire to Union flags while some children threw a couple of bottles at police.
The main Belfast parade, the longest, had passed St Patrick's Catholic Church on Donegall Street without major incident. There has been a long-running confrontation between bandsmen and residents over songs played outside and tight restrictions were imposed.
Bands were told to only play a single drumbeat near the church, and most abided by the Parades Commission ruling.
Later a stand-off developed at Ardoyne between around 200 loyalists and republicans after the parade had passed without incident.
Riot police moved in among members of the republican crowd.
The road was later reopened and the police operation stepped down.
Residents protest in the Ardoyne district of north Belfast
Residents protest in the Ardoyne district of north Belfast
Residents protest in Ardoyne ahead of Twelfth of July parades
PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton looks on as thousands of Orange Order members take part in annual Twelfth of July parades across Northern Ireland
Members of the Orange Order march on Crumlin Road in Belfast
Protesters from the nationalist Ardoyne neighbourhood watch Twelfth of July parades
The huge bonfire in Belfast's Shankill Road
A bonfire is lit in Shankill Road, Belfast, on the Eleventh night
The huge bonfire in Shankill Road
A woman runs through sparks in Shankill Road
Residents gather to watch the bonfire
Children climbed the huge bonfire in Sandy Row, Belfast, before it was lit
Two homes near Belfast's Shankill Road which were damaged by the bonfire
Wayne Rooney inspired by Jose Mourinho arrival at Man Utd
Wayne Rooney admits he is feeling extra motivated following Jose Mourinho's appointment as Manchester United boss and is eager to impress the Portuguese.
Having succeeded the sacked Louis van Gaal in May, Mourinho is looking to make the Old Trafford outfit a major force once again.
And in terms of Rooney's potential role in that, the new manager has indicated he intends to use the 30-year-old United and England captain, who has dropped into a deeper midfield position for club and country of late, as part of his attack .
Wayne Rooney has been with Manchester United since 2004
Rooney - with the Red Devils since 2004 and only four goals behind Sir Bobby Charlton's record haul of 249 in the club's all-time top-scorers list - told Inside United magazine: "I'm really excited to be working with Jose this season as he's one of the best managers in the world.
"It's an exciting time for Manchester United.
"I've always respected him both as a man and a manager, he's a nice guy and one of the most successful managers of all time.
"I like to think I'm always motivated as a player but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit more motivated when a new manager comes in.
"I'm sure all the lads will be happy to be working under Jose and also eager to impress."
He added: "I've played against many Mourinho sides over the years and I can't remember any easy games, so I think that says it all. His teams are always hard to beat, tactically disciplined and, most importantly, successful.
Vincent Janssen looking forward to fulfilling Champions League "dream" at Spurs
Vincent Janssen cited Mauricio Pochettino and Champions League football for his eagerness to move to Tottenham.
The 22-year-old Holland striker on Tuesday signed a four-year contract until 2020 after moving from AZ Alkmaar.
Janssen finished top scorer in the Eredivisie last season with 27 goals in 34 appearances and helped AZ secure a place in the division's top four.
Holland striker Vincent Janssen has signed for Tottenham from AZ Alkmaar
Press Association Sport understands Tottenham will pay an initial 17million for Janssen but the fee could rise to 18.5m depending on the player's performances.
"One of the reasons I chose Tottenham (is) the way (Pochettino) thinks and how he plays. I really like that," Janssen told Spurs TV.
"It's always a dream for me to play Champions League and now it's coming very close.
"When I was a little child I watched every game in the Champions League and now I can play it for myself.
"It's a beautiful club, a traditional club in England. They did very good last year and I'm happy to play for Spurs.
"I think I have a good chance to develop myself here. I can train with a young, talented group, with very good staff. I'm ready to develop myself."
Tottenham, who finished runners-up to Leicester in the Premier League last season, had been in negotiations with AZ for the best part of six weeks.
Pochettino had targeted Janssen as cover for Harry Kane as Spurs look to balance a renewed title challenge with the Champions League next term.
Janssen was first given permission to speak to Spurs in the first week of June, when the forward visited the club's training ground and agreed personal terms.
AZ initially indicated they would accept around 12m for the player but interest from Wolfsburg, Paris St Germain and West Ham persuaded the club to up their asking price.
Other interested parties were told, however, that Janssen had his heart set on White Hart Lane, and the clubs finally agreed a deal on Saturday before the Dutchman underwent a medical on Monday and finalised the move.
During initial talks with Pochettino, it was made clear to Janssen that while Kane will remain the team's first-choice striker, he will be given ample opportunity to impress, particularly in cup competitions.
There is also the possibility Janssen could start the new campaign if Kane, who endured a disappointing Euro 2016, is eased back in more gradually following an exhausting 12 months.
Janssen has enjoyed a remarkable rise to stardom, joining AZ only last summer after he scored 19 times for Almere City in the Dutch second tier.
Renowned for his high levels of energy and excellent finishing, he then exploded into form this calendar year with 21 goals in 17 league appearances.
He also has five full caps for Holland and found the net against England in his country's 2-1 win at Wembley in March.
Michael Matthews: Tour de France stage win a dream come true
Michael Matthews collected his first career Tour de France stage win in Revel on Tuesday as Chris Froome was able to retain the yellow jersey in stress-free fashion.
Australian sprinter Matthews beat world champion Peter Sagan to the line as he won from the remnants of the breakaway at the end of the 197-kilometre stage 10 from Escaldes-Engordany.
The 25-year-old had two team-mates with him as the breakaway whittled down to just seven riders in the final kilometres, and made it pay as Sagan had to settle for an all-too-familiar second place.
Michael Matthews won stage 10 of the 2016 Tour de France (AP)
The peloton eventually rolled home almost 10 minutes later as Froome retained yellow, still 16 seconds ahead of Matthews' Orica-BikeExchange team-mate Adam Yates.
Matthews has now won stages in all three Grand Tours, becoming only the second Australian to do so behind his team-mate Simon Gerrans.
"It's unbelievable, it's just sinking in," Matthews said.
"I was close to giving in at this race after crashes in recent years. I thought maybe this race is not for me but today my dream has come true."
For Tinkoff's Sagan, it was a 17th second place in Tour de France stages, but he could console himself after reclaiming the green jersey from Mark Cavendish - just as the Manxman had predicted.
Sagan, who has won the green jersey in each of the last four Tours, picked up 45 points from his win in the intermediate sprint and his second place, and now leads Dimension Data's Cavendish by 38.
"It's not even in the finishes," Cavendish said. "Obviously tomorrow in the stage finish (an expected bunch sprint in Montpellier) it's likely I'll get a load of points back, but it's those intermediates where he gets 20 points and we don't.
"But at the end of the day we're not talking about any old bike rider here. We're talking about Peter Sagan. You could have predicted from the beginning it would happen. I'm happy to have had green as long as I have."
The sun was shining as the race left Escaldes-Engordany, immediately onto the ascent of the Port d'Envilar, the highest point of this year's Tour and a rude welcome back for the riders following Monday's rest day.
After several breakaways were shut down on the climb, Lampre-Merida's Rui Costa crested the summit alone before they tackled a long descent made treacherous by thick fog.
That made it difficult for the riders to keep tabs on what their rivals were up to, and Froome admitted he had to pay particularly close attention to Movistar's Nairo Quintana.
The Colombian, who is 23 seconds down in fourth place overall, attacked when wintry weather caused poor conditions on descent of the Stelvio during the 2014 Giro d'Italia - a race he went on to win.
"Descending in that mist and not being able to see much of what was going on, I imagine it felt a little bit like riding in the Giro a few years ago when Nairo slipped off the front," Froome said.
"I was just trying to keep an eye on him."
As they dropped back into France from Andorra a 15-man break assembled, with Sagan, Giro d'Italia winner Vincenzo Nibali, and stage seven winner Steve Cummings among their number.
With that opening climb out of the way, the rest of the stage was largely flat but light rain fell as the break pulled almost seven minutes clear.
As they neared Revel the break split in two, with Sagan going clear along with Sam Dumoulin (AG2R La Mondiale), Greg van Avermaet (BMC), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) and Orica-BikeExchange trio Matthews, Daryl Impey and Luke Durbridge.
Inside the last 15km, the peloton eased up to allow the breakaway their fun and it became a battle between the front seven.
Sagan led them over the short category three climb, the Cote de Saint Ferreol, seven kilometres from the finish before Durbridge, having done his turn for his team-mates, dropped back.
Van Avermaet was the first to light it up on the home straight but as the others responded it was Matthews who found the burst of speed to break clear.
"It was never the plan to go for a breakaway today," Matthews added.
"We wanted a bunch sprint finish but we're such a strong group of guys. Durbridge and Impey gave me everything to win today. I have no words to describe what they did for me."
Matthews' win should also be good news for Yates and his hopes of staying in the general classification battle and keeping the white jersey as the best young rider.
Yates was usually without team-mates while trying to stick with the contenders in the Pyrenees, but can expect more support from now on.
"We have achieved the number one goal, that was to win a stage," the team's sports director Matt White said. "Now we can put a little more emphasis on looking after Adam but there is still a long way to go and we have other opportunities for stage wins."
Boy, 15, arrested on suspicion of supplying drugs after 13-year-old hospitalised
A 15-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of supplying Class A drugs after a 13-year-old boy was hospitalised for taking what is believed to be MDMA.
Greater Manchester Police said that the teenager from the Trafford area of Manchester is currently in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of supplying Class A drugs and perverting the course of justice.
The 13-year-old boy remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital after police were called to Timperley Metrolink station at around 4.30 pm on Saturday.
Greater Manchester Police have arrested a 15-year-old boy on suspicion of supplying Class A drugs
Tests are still being carried out on the drug.
Detective Inspector Carl Gilbert, from GMP's Trafford borough, said: "Our thoughts remain with the boy's family at this difficult time.
"Sadly this is another example of the consequences of taking drugs and I would urge anyone who is tempted to take drugs to stop and think about the implications.
"You don't know what they contain or how they could affect you, so please don't risk it.
"Our investigations continue to progress and our officers are speaking with a teenage in boy in custody and making further enquiries."
In the past months, GMP has issued numerous warnings about taking so-called party drugs following the death of a 22-year-old woman and a 17-year-old girl.
Last month, three 12-year-old girls were rushed to hospital in a serious condition after taking "Teddy Tablets" in Salford, Greater Manchester.
Mr Gilbert urged anyone in possession of drugs or information relating to the recent incident to contact police.
He added: "Also, if anyone is in possession of these drugs I would urge them to hand them in to the police and if you have taken any then please go to hospital immediately as a precaution to get yourself checked over."
To pass on information anonymously call independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Libor fine cash to be used to support charity linked to Jo Cox
Cash raised from fines on banks is being given to a charity linked to MP Jo Cox, who was killed in her constituency, George Osborne has announced.
The Royal Voluntary Service (RVS), one of the largest volunteer organisations in the country, will receive 375,000 from the Libor rate fixing scandal penalties pot, George Osborne said.
It was one of three organisations backed by a memorial fund set up in the wake of the fatal attack on the Labour MP in June.
George Osborne said "it is right that funding from those in the banking industry who demonstrated the worst of values goes towards people who display the very best of British values"
The award is one of a number made from the 14 million set aside from banking fines that Mr Osborne has handed out to charities in what are likely to be his remaining few hours as Chancellor.
Some 1.9 million will go on new buildings for pre-school age children of SAS personnel while 2.2 million will fund new recovery facilities for naval special forces.
Flights to the Falklands for veterans over the next three years to visit battlefields, war graves and memorials will be secured with a 550,000 grant and 2.25 million will support D-Day veteran visits to Normandy.
The Aged Veterans Fund, which tackles health, well-being and social care needs, will receive 5 million and 100,000 is being used to fund an expedition for wounded veterans climbing Antarctica's highest mountain.
More than 2 million will be spent on excavating HMS Invincible, which sank in 1758 in the Solent near Portsmouth, in a project involving veterans, serving personnel and disadvantaged teenagers.
Mr Osborne said: " It is right that funding from those in the banking industry who demonstrated the worst of values goes towards people who display the very best of British values.
Ex-cabinet minister Lord Blunkett stands by decision to back Iraq war
Labour former cabinet minister David Blunkett has defended his backing of the Iraq war saying based on the information and context of the time he would have reached the same decision.
Lord Blunkett, who was home secretary in Tony Blair's government at the time of the 2003 invasion, said people had made decisions "on the basis of what they knew at the time".
He also warned against the "continually denigrating" of those who had done what they thought was in Britain's best interests.
Lord Blunkett was home secretary at the time of the war
The Labour peer was speaking during a debate in the House of Lords on the Chilcot report, which strongly criticised the way former prime minister Mr Blair took the country to war in 2003 on the basis of "flawed" intelligence with inadequate preparation at a time when Saddam Hussein did not pose an "imminent threat".
Sir John Chilcot also said the way the decision about the legal basis for the war was reached was "far from satisfactory", but the report did not rule on the legality of the military action.
Lord Blunkett argued the decision needed to be seen in the context of the time and that it "cannot be swept aside" that Saddam Hussein had used chemical weapons against his own people and in the war against Iran.
It was widely believed by the world that the Iraqi leader either had weapons of mass destruction or the ability to produce them, said Mr Blunkett.
He added: "It was in that context with the information that was available at the time, that some of us believed that the actions we were were moving to take were justified, albeit extremely painful and very often on a knife edge."
He also insisted there had been a debate about the right steps to take.
The information and decision-making structure had been "flawed", he acknowledged.
But Lord Blunkett added: "No structure would have in any way set aside the flawed intelligence and no structure would have changed the human nature of having to make decisions on that intelligence.
"This was not made in a vacuum. People were making decisions on the basis of what they knew at the time."
Lord Blunkett also did not believe the Syria conflict and resulting refugee crisis "had any roots back" to the decision back in 2003.
He said: "If I had the same information again, sitting in the same cabinet with the same context I would have made the same decision.
"And those who say they wouldn't, need to ask the question well what would it have been that changed their minds? Not hindsight."
While he said lessons needed to be learned he warned against "continually denigrating those who genuinely took a decision in what they believed to be in the best interests not just of the United Kingdom but the world as a whole".
Opening the debate, Defence Minister Earl Howe highlighted the thousands of lives lost in the conflict, including British troops.
It was in the memory of those killed and injured, that there was need "to do justice to the report's findings", he said.
Paying tribute to the service personnel who took part in the war, Lord Howe stressed the report was "most certainly not an indictment of their performance or their conduct".
He said the UK force had prosecuted a successful military campaign and helped remove Saddam Hussein who was "a brutal dictator who oppressed and murdered his own people".
Lord Howe added: " For all its present troubles Iraq is now a better, freer and more democratic country than it ever was under Saddam.
"Our armed forces can be proud they made a difference."
However, he said their efforts could "cannot disguise the shortcomings in decision-making and planning surrounding the operation and its aftermath that make Sir John's report such uncomfortable reading.
"While it may appear restrained, even quiet, in its approach its conclusions are stark and devastating."
While there were lessons to be learned, Lord Howe said many had already been addressed.
"We have not stood still waiting for Chilcot to be published," he told peers.
Lord Howe highlighted the setting up of the National Security Council aimed at ensuring joined up strategic decision-making at the top of government, and steps to tackle equipment failings.
The Ministry of Defence had also set up a team to review the report's findings and set out changes that needed to be made.
Lord Howe said one lesson that should not be drawn from the report was that intervention was always wrong.
"The challenge of the Government and the military in future is not simply to prevent bad intervention but to ensure better intervention when intervention is needed," he said.
Opposition defence spokesman Lord Touhig said he had voted to go to war in Iraq and said no one who had done so had taken it lightly.
He recognised the criticisms set out in the Chilcot report but pointed out it did not conclude the Government "acted in bad faith".
Lord Touhig described Saddam as a "murderous, evil tyrant" who had slaughtered tens of thousands of his own people and said it was believed he had the ability to produce chemical and biological weapons.
The Labour peer acknowledged the Iraq conflict had been divisive and contentious in the UK, but argued: "What it must not be allowed to do is to undermine our determination to protect British interests and our best interests by making us resolutely opposed to any interventions of any sort in the future.
"There will be times ahead when we will face a decision to intervene whether militarily or for humanitarian reasons.
"The Iraq conflict has left many painful scars on the body of our country but we mustn't, we cannot turn our back and fail to intervene where it is needed."
Liberal Democrat former leader Lord Campbell of Pittenweem said the Chilcot report had "vindicated" the stance of his predecessor Charles Kennedy, who had been accused of "appeasement" in his opposition to the 2003 invasion.
The peer said he had never believed they had been presented with a "false premise" for going to war, but that it was "flawed".
Mr Blair had made a moral judgment, said Lord Campbell and added: "But the strength of that judgment gave rise to the error of making the evidence fit that judgment rather than making the judgment fit the evidence."
Based on the evidence, the peer also felt it was "a legitimate judgment that this was not a legal war".
In the vacuum that followed the toppling of Saddam and the failure to have a plan, Lord Campbell said: "We became embroiled in a civil war. The welcome army of liberation became an army of hated occupation."
Former head of the civil service Lord Butler of Brockwell said it had been a mistake to use the ultimately flawed intelligence "as a means of political persuasion".
He added: "The Government was saying in effect 'don't just believe us, believe the intelligence'.
"As countless examples from history show intelligence is not uniquely worthy of belief it is uniquely worthy of scepticism."
Despite this, intelligence remained "crucial" he argued and said: " When we have weapons which can be directed to land on a sixpence it is all the more important to know which sixpence to direct them towards."
Lord Butler added that intelligence was "a very valuable, indeed indispensable aid to political military judgement but it is not a determinant".
He also said he had "considerable sympathy" for Mr Blair and had "never believed that he lied to the British people".
Lord Butler went on: "And I accept that he was sincere in believing that military action to remove Saddam Hussein was necessary as a last resort.
"The trouble was that he got caught in a trap in which a decision whether or not to join the Americans in military action became unavoidable before other means of containing Saddam had been exhausted."
With the Chilcot report painting a picture of a "dysfunctional" government, Lord Butler said: "Proper cabinet procedures should not be seen as pettifogging, bureaucratic impositions on busy ministers."
He added: "With hindsight the Blair government's disregard for the machinery of government looks not like modernisation but like irresponsibility.
"One of the lessons of the Chilcot report is that when the great responsibility of governing the country is accepted by ministers their main duty is good government of the people not personal political manoeuvring.
"If government is allowed to become a game of thrones it is the interests of the Government which will suffer.
"That lesson is going to be more important that ever in the difficult challenges which our government is now facing today."
Conservative former Northern Ireland secretary Lord King of Bridgwater said as someone who had received secret intelligence files, he knew that the information was "tremendously seductive".
He said: "You want to believe it; you think that you are extremely privileged to have access to this information but then you need some wiser old heads around to tell you that there may be a few other considerations that need taking into account.
"They can ask whether the information has been checked and whether there is corroboration.
"I certainly found that that was the case in Northern Ireland, where a wonderful new source of intelligence appeared one day, but after a pause of a few months, when one asked what had happened to it, one was told that, for one reason or another, the source had been found to be a complete fraud.
"However, that sort of challenge and check did not exist in this case."
Tory peer Baroness Neville-Jones, the former chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee and security minister, said on the use of intelligence that the Chilcot report "tells a sad story of professional error, exaggeration and political manipulation of information which has left a damaging legacy of suspicion and mistrust of the agencies and of government generally".
She said the "fragile" assumptions that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction "were the starting point for a disastrous chain of events".
She added: "The manipulation occurred as the result of the desire to find intelligence to support policy and to use it to make the public case for intervention.
"Moreover, in the search to demonstrate that Iraq represented a direct threat to UK security, unassessed and entirely false intelligence was brought into play."
Independent crossbencher and the former bishop of Oxford, Lord Harries of Pentregarth, said he believed the decision to go to war "was an honourable one and was honourably made".
He said: "It was in my view a tragic misjudgment, but it was not criminal."
The peer added: "Tragically, instead of stability, we have had sectarian strife, massive displacement of people and terrible casualties."
Lord Harries argued the worst aspect of the invasion had been "the failure to prepare properly for the aftermath of the military victory".
Labour peer Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top, who was in the government at the time of the decision to go to war in 2003, said: "I supported the decision to go to war after considerable discussion with colleagues.
"It was not just sprung on us at a Cabinet meeting. I, too, had the opportunity to meet the chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, and I believe that I challenged him, asked serious questions and took some considerable time at the meeting.
"It was very clear to me after that meeting, and after discussions with colleagues, that it was not just the British intelligence view that Saddam Hussein still had weapons of mass destruction.
"Most of the other intelligence communities, in countries that had that sort of information, thought that Saddam Hussein still had weapons of mass destruction."
She added: "I am very confident that I was not lied to, and that Parliament was not lied to. The report criticises our judgment, and I accept that as their view.
"I do not believe that it criticises our integrity, or that we did anything other than act in good faith."
Lady Armstrong argued while it was a difficult decision she believed it "was the right call at that time".
Former Labour foreign secretary Lord Owen, who sits as an Independent Social Democrat, said he "deeply" regretted his decision to support the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Criticising Mr Blair's response to the report, he said: "It would have been much easier if the former prime minister had made an open confession that he had made many mistakes.
"Unfortunately, on the day of the report, having no doubt had access to it for some time, he produced a written statement of defiance."
Lord Owen said Mr Blair's comments that he would make the decision on going to war again in the same circumstances were "unacceptable".
He backed MPs who were preparing a Commons motion to find the former prime minister in contempt of Parliament.
He said it was "perfectly right and proper to examine whether this represents contempt of Parliament".
Lord Owen added: "I do not want what happened in the aftermath of this war to condemn all military interventions in the future."
Opposition spokesman Lord Collins of Highbury said a main criticism in the report had been about the decision-making process and Mr Blair's method of running government.
While there were many mistakes and shortcomings identified, there had been "no lies or deceit" or "improper interference" with intelligence, he said.
Lord Collins added: "If we are to make progress it cannot be about recriminations, it must be about reconciliation."
Cabinet Office minister Lord Bridges of Headley said it was owed to all those killed and injured to learn lessons from the conflict.
He said: "We will never perfect the system of government but this report is a salutary tale of what happens when some of the basic concepts and processes that underpin collective responsibility are ignored and when not enough opportunity is given to debate a policy or approach."
The minister highlighted a series of changes already made in response to the conflict, including steps to tackle equipment issues and closer working between the MoD and the Department for International Development (DFID).
But he stressed this process must not stop.
Lord Bridges added: "The decision to go to war in Iraq shook people's trust in politicians to its core.
"The bloodshed and chaos that followed led people to question our nation's role in the world."
But he said the UK should continue to play its part in world affairs.
"Learning the lessons from Iraq does not mean pulling up the drawbridge. Quite the reverse.
West Ham sign striker Ashley Fletcher from Manchester United
West Ham have signed England Under-20 international Ashley Fletcher from Barclays Premier League rivals Manchester United.
The 20-year-old, who has signed a four-year contract with the Hammers, spent the second half of last season on loan at Barnsley, helping the Tykes win the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and promotion from Sky Bet League One via the play-offs.
The striker was out of contract at Old Trafford and, according to West Ham, the terms of the transfer will now be finalised.
Ashley Fletcher, who played on loan at Barnsley last season, has joined West Ham from Manchester United
Fletcher told West Ham's website: " I am very excited to be here. West Ham are a massive club and I am just happy that I can come and further my development here.
"I think it is a club with a lot of ambition. They have a lot of good players and it was a special final season (at Upton Park). They managed to finish the campaign very well.
PM-in-waiting Theresa May urged to show some enterprise by Star Trek actor
Star Trek actor and writer Simon Pegg urged Theresa May to consider "What would Kirk do?" when she takes over as prime minister.
Pegg, who plays Scotty in the rebooted franchise, said he hopes Mrs May follows the example of the captain of the starship USS Enterprise after she takes up residency in 10 Downing Street.
Arriving at the UK premiere of Star Trek Beyond, which he co-wrote, Pegg urged: "Lead for the people, don't forget anybody. Don't just protect the people who are well off, look after everybody. There are a lot of people in this country who need to be looked after, who are so often forgotten.
Simon Pegg meets fans during the premiere of Star Trek Beyond in Leicester Square, London
"Ask yourself 'what would Kirk do?' Theresa."
Pegg said the film, which sees the crew of the USS Enterprise face a new and ruthless enemy, has messages that could benefit the British people following the vote to leave the European Union.
He said: "Ironically the message is it's better together, unity is strength. It's about co-operation and breaking down the boundaries between races and species and types and working together and it seems incredibly apposite at the moment considering the decision this country has just made, which feels a little bit to me like a retrograde step.
"We need to be a little bit more Star Trek, a bit more like the Federation."
Pegg, who described himself as a "dyed in the wool" left-winger, also voiced his support for embattled Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn saying: "I respect Jeremy Corbyn because I like that fact he's brought some opposition back into party politics.
"Party politics had become very bland, they had almost become the same party and you need someone to mix it up. You need the dark and the light, you need the opposites, you need debate and you need to move forward through debate and I think Jeremy is just standing up for shit and I have got to respect that."
Zachary Quinto, who plays vulcan Spock in the film, echoed Pegg's sentiment about the film's message, saying unity is "something a lot of people in the world could benefit from right now".
He added: "We all feel pretty fractured right now and the divisiveness seems really pervasive and overwhelming and that is unfortunate. There seems to be one way of thinking which is much more progressive and accepting and open and one which is much more xenophobic and nationalistic and closed off. I think there is only one clear path forward."
Quinto said he could see parallel divisions in society in the UK and USA, as well as other parts of the world, adding: "It's shocking to me how quickly it has happened, that we have split off into these two factions that are not really interested in what the other group has to say, it's very intolerant on both sides.
"Openness and curiosity and connectivity are things that could benefit all of us in this day and age."
Pegg and Quinto were joined at the premiere by their co-stars Chris Pine, John Cho and Karl Urban, as well as franchise newcomers Idris Elba and Sofia Boutella.
Donald Trump Says Violence In Chicago Is 'Not Good' On Twitter
By Mae Rice in News on Jul 12, 2016 2:49PM
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee and presumptive $60K-weave-wearer Donald Trump has weighed in on violence in Chicago. It's "[n]ot good!" he tweeted, sagely.
For once, Donald Trump is not wrong. Violence in Chicago is up this year from last year, and there's no quick fixthough we bet if you asked Trump any specific questions about what's going on in Chicago, or how he plans to "deliver jobs," he would crumble into a pile of dust.
His Tweets from this morning:
Crime is out of control, and rapidly getting worse. Look what is going on in Chicago and our inner cities. Not good! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2016
For too many years, our inner cities have been left behind. I am going to deliver jobs, safety and protection for those in need. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2016
Trump posted these Tweets this morning, ahead of his first campaign fundraiser in Chicago, the Tribune reports. The fundraising luncheon will be his first visit to our fair city since his rally at University of Illinois at Chicago was postponed (forever) due to "safety concerns," prompted by widespread peaceful protesting around UIC pavilion. Protests are planned for outside Trump Tower today as well.
Russia to press on with privatisations after Alrosa sale nets $813 mln
By Darya Korsunskaya and Polina Devitt
MOSCOW, July 11 (Reuters) - Russia will press on with major privatisations this year, senior government officials said on Monday, after the sale of a further 10.9 percent stake in diamond company Alrosa raised 52.2 billion roubles ($813 million).
The deal, the largest state ownership sale for almost four years, is being heralded as a success by the government - especially as it comes after a period during which investor sentiment towards Russia has been soured by low oil prices and Western sanctions over Russia's actions in Ukraine.
But it remains to be seen whether other state sell-offs planned for this year will be as straightforward.
"Foreign investors showed that despite the sanctions regime, there is interest in liquid Russian assets," said Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev, who also emphasised that the sale took place despite market ructions caused by Britain's vote last month to leave the European Union.
He said foreign investors had snapped up around 60 percent of the shares offered in Alrosa, the world's largest producer of rough diamonds in carat terms.
Demand was more than double what was on offer, he added.
"We had attracted serious investors via the Russian Direct Investment Fund - funds from the Gulf," First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov told reporters, saying European, Asian and U.S. investors had also taken part.
Sources close to the deal told Reuters last week that the potential foreign investors included Oppenheimer Funds and Lazard, two investment funds that had participated in Alrosa's IPO in 2013.
However, a source familiar with the deal told Reuters on Monday that they did not participate.
Lazard and Oppenheimer declined to comment.
According to VTB Capital, Russian non-state pension funds bought about 20 percent of the offered shares.
Nevertheless, a central role was also played by the state-backed Russian Direct Investment Fund, acting in partnership with Middle Eastern sovereign funds.
And the sale price of 65 roubles per share appeared to have been lower than planned, according to Russian media reports that said the government had originally wanted 71 roubles per share.
The shares on offer were discounted by 3.77 percent to the closing market price on Friday, said Dmitry Pristanskov, the head of Russia's state property management agency.
Alrosa's share price was up 1 percent at 68.2 roubles on Monday, slightly outperforming the MICEX index but giving up earlier gains of over 2 percent.
The privatisation programme is important for the Kremlin as it needs to replenish state coffers depleted by low oil prices.
Ulyukayev confirmed government plans to sell stakes in oil firms Rosneft and Bashneft, as well as in shipping company Sovcomflot and VTB bank.
Shuvalov also said the overall privatisation plan was on track.
"We had originally said that the main deals would take place in the second half of 2016. We are moving according to plan," he told reporters. "We are now working with potential investors on Rosneft."
The RIA news agency quoted him as saying later on Monday that the government has dropped the idea of selling a 19.5 percent stake in Rosneft into the market, favouring strategic investors instead.
There has long been speculation that Rosneft, the world's largest listed oil company by production, would be sold to oil companies from China or India to cement ties with Asian partners.
The 19.5 percent stake in Rosneft would be worth over $10 billion at the current market price.
Ulyukayev said the government aimed to net up to 1 trillion roubles ($15.58 billion) from privatisation sales this year.
Exxon Mobil says no attacks at its facilities despite Nigerian militants' claim
LAGOS, July 11 (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp said on Tuesday no attacks had taken place at its facilities after Nigerian militant group Niger Delta Avengers said it had blown up the Qua Iboe 48" crude oil export pipeline operated by the company.
"There were no attacks on our facilities," said Exxon Mobil spokesman Todd Spitler.
Late on Monday Nigerian militant group Niger Delta Avengers said on its website that it had blown up an Exxon Mobil Corp facility. The group has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks in Nigeria's southern oil hub.
The militants, whose attacks briefly pushed Nigeria's crude production to 30-year lows in spring, have said they want a greater share of the OPEC member's energy wealth to go to the impoverished southern Niger Delta, the source of most of the country's oil.
Qua Iboe is Nigeria's largest crude oil stream and exports usually amount to more than 300,000 barrels per day.
Cuba opens what could be private sector's first wholesale store
By Sarah Marsh
HAVANA, July 11 (Reuters) - Cuba has opened a shop in Havana that could eventually operate as the Communist-ruled island's first wholesale store for the fledgling private sector, offering products in bulk at lower prices than in expensive retail outlets.
So far, Zona+, where produce is piled up to the ceiling like in a warehouse, is offering only a handful of goods in large quantities at slightly discounted rates. Shop employees said that was an experiment.
They said the plan was for Zona+ to sell everything in bulk at a discount, catering in particular to the small businesses that have flourished since President Raul Castro started reforming the Soviet-style command economy.
Officials at CIMEX, the state commercial corporation that owns Zona+, declined to comment and the store manager said he had been asked to give no more interviews, after he told local media the aim was to become a wholesale store. Cuban authorities are often secretive about their economic plans.
"Some products already have a 20 percent discount, not all," said shop employee Ulysses Abreu, 26, pointing to the 2.5-kg (5-pound) tins of tomatoes. "But they are studying whether to sell all products at 20 percent in the future."
One employee, who declined to be named for fear of retribution, said one idea was to offer a 10 percent discount on purchases worth between $500 and $1,000, and a 20 percent discount on purchases above $1,000.
Shoppers at Zona+ said it already had an advantage on other stores because it was uncharacteristically well-stocked.
Cuba's supermarkets are often half-empty and supply problems look set to increase as the government said last week it would cut planned imports this year by 15 percent.
Cuba's new entrepreneurs have long complained that a gaping hole in Castro's reforms is the lack of a wholesale market. Restaurant owners, hairdressers and snack-store owners have to buy their produce in supermarkets at the same marked-up prices as consumers.
The government announced in April that some cooperatives would be able to buy supplies directly from government producers and wholesale outlets for the first time but it did not say the reform would extend to the private sector.
Cuba often likes to experiment with measures before making them official and extending them across the country. Reforms can also be reversed.
Tribunal says China has no historic title over South China Sea
By Thomas Escritt and Ben Blanchard
AMSTERDAM/BEIJING, July 12 (Reuters) - An arbitration court ruled on Tuesday that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea and that it has breached the Philippines' sovereign rights with its actions, infuriating Beijing which dismissed the case as a farce.
China, which boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, vowed again to ignore the ruling and said its armed forces would defend its sovereignty and maritime interests.
China's state-run Xinhua news agency said shortly before the ruling was announced that a Chinese civilian aircraft successfully carried out calibration tests on two new airports in the disputed Spratly Islands.
And China's Defence Ministry announced that a new guided missile destroyer was formally commissioned at a naval base on the southern island province of Hainan, which has responsibility for the South China Sea.
"This award represents a devastating legal blow to China's jurisdictional claims in the South China Sea," Ian Storey, of Singapore's ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute, told Reuters.
"China will respond with fury, certainly in terms of rhetoric and possibly through more aggressive actions at sea."
China claims most of the energy-rich waters through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.
Finding for the Philippines on a number of issues, the panel said there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within its so-called nine-dash line, which covers much of the South China Sea.
It said China had interfered with traditional Philippine fishing rights at Scarborough Shoal, one of the hundreds of reefs and shoals dotting the sea, and had breached the Philippines' sovereign rights by exploring for oil and gas near the Reed Bank, another feature in the region.
None of China's reefs and holdings in the Spratly Islands entitled it to a 200-mile exclusive economic zone, it added.
China's Foreign Ministry comprehensively rejected the ruling, saying its people had more than 2,000 years of history in the South China Sea, that its islands did have exclusive economic zones and that it had announced to the world its "dotted line" map in 1948.
"China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards. China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards," it said.
However, the ministry also repeated that China respected and upheld the freedom of navigation and overflight and that China was ready to keep resolving the disputes peacefully through talks with states directly concerned.
China's Defence Ministry said in a bilingual Chinese and English statement shortly before the ruling was made public that the armed forces would "firmly safeguard national sovereignty, security and maritime interests and rights, firmly uphold regional peace and stability, and deal with all kinds of threats and challenges".
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the case had been a farce from beginning to end and put the dispute into dangerous territory of worsening tensions and confrontation.
But Wang, in comments carried by state media, struck a more conciliatory tone too, saying the time had now come to put things back on the right track and noting the new Philippine government's sincerity in taking steps to demonstrate its willingness to improve ties.
The ruling also said China had caused permanent harm to the coral reef ecosystem in the Spratlys, charges China has always rejected.
The judges acknowledged China's refusal to participate, but said they sought to take account of China's position on the basis of its statements and diplomatic correspondence.
"The award is a complete and total victory for the Philippines ... a victory for international law and international relations," said Paul Reichler, lead lawyer for the Philippines.
Vietnam said it welcomed the ruling.
Taiwan, which had maintained the island it occupies, Itu Aba, is legally the only island among the hundreds of reefs, shoals and atolls scattered across the seas, said it did not accept the ruling, which had seriously impaired Taiwan's territorial rights.
GROUND-BREAKING RULING
The ruling is significant as it is the first time that a legal challenge has been brought in the dispute, which covers some of the world's most promising oil and gas fields and vital fishing grounds. [http://bit.ly/29AlvXc ]
It reflects the shifting balance of power in the 3.5 million sq km sea, where China has been expanding its presence by building artificial islands and dispatching patrol boats that keep Philippine fishing vessels away.
The United States and China often conduct military exercises in the area and regularly accuse each other of militarising the region.
"Our experts are studying the award with the care and thoroughness that this significant arbitral outcome deserves," Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay told a news conference, reading from a prepared statement.
"We call on all those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety. The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision as an important contribution to the ongoing efforts in addressing disputes in the South China Sea." Japan said the ruling was legally binding and final.
Oil prices jumped following the findings from The Hague, with international Brent crude futures up almost 3 percent at $47.87 per barrel at 1130 GMT.
The deep waters of the South China Basin between the Spratly and also-disputed Paracel Islands are the most direct shipping lane between northeast Asia's industrial hubs of China, Japan and South Korea and Europe and the Middle East.
The case, brought by the Philippines in 2013, hinged on the legal status of reefs, rocks and artificial islands in the Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Island group.
Manila's 15-point case asked the tribunal to rule on the status of the nine-dash line, a boundary that is the basis for its claim to roughly 85 percent of the South China Sea.
The court has no power of enforcement, but a victory for the Philippines could spur Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei to file similar cases.
Ahead of the ruling, around 100 members of a Philippine nationalist group demonstrated outside the Chinese consulate in Manila, calling on Beijing to accept the decision and leave the Scarborough Shoal, a popular fishing zone off limits to Filipinos since 2012.
In China, social media users reacted with outrage at the ruling.
"It was ours in the past, is now and will remain so in the future," wrote one user on microblogging site Weibo. "Those who encroach on our China's territory will die no matter how far away they are."
Spreading fast on social media in the Philippines was the use of the term "Chexit" - the public's desire for Chinese vessels to leave the waters.
Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on July 12
PRAGUE, July 12 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial markets on Tuesday. ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 2 hours) =========================ECONOMIC DATA========================== Real-time economic data releases.................... Summary of economic data and forecasts........... Recently released economic data.................. Previous stories on Czech data............. **For a schedule of corporate and economic events: http://emea1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/Apps/CountryWeb/#/2E/events-overview ==========================NEWS================================== HIGHWAY TOLL: The Czech government approved the prolongation of a tolling contract with Kapsch TrafficCom. Story: Related stories: CETIN: Moody's has assigned a first-time issuer rating of Baa2 to CETIN, with a stable outlook. Story: Related stories: TEMELIN: CEZ said it was beginning to gradually reduce output at its Temelin nuclear power plant Unit 1 before a planned shutdown on Aug. 26. Story: Related stories: CEE MARKETS: The forint led a rise of Central European assets on Monday as investors clung to hopes that credit rating agencies will upgrade Hungary in coming weeks, shrugging off Moody's decision not to change its junk rating on Friday. Story: Related stories: ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------ Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change close on day in 2016 vs Euro 27.029 27.004 -0.09 -0.11 vs Dollar 24.385 24.452 0.27 1.91 Czech Equities 820.31 820.31 1.12 -14.22 U.S. Equities 18,226.93 18,146.74 0.44 4.6 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 GMT ======================PRESS DIGEST============================ TELECOMS: The government postponed talks on a planned tender for frequencies for fast mobile networks that would be available in the transition to the digital television standard DVB-T2. The auction, which should occur in the second half, could raise 4.6 billion crowns. Mlada Fronta Dnes, page 6 OKD: Government ministers agreed to lend OKD, the insolvent mining unit of New World Resources, money in August to pay July wages. The company and also Industry Minister Jan Mladek have said OKD needs financing of up to 1 billion crowns for the rest of the year. Lidove Noviny, page 12 Reuters has not verified the stories, nor does it vouch for their accuracy. For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX For updates on CEE currencies TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets Prague Newsroom: +420 224 190 477 E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (Reporting by Prague Newsroom)
Japan court upholds injunction to halt reactors -Kyodo
TOKYO, July 12 (Reuters) - A Japanese court on Tuesday upheld an order for the shutdown of two reactors at Kansai Electric Power Co's Takahama nuclear plant in western Japan, Kyodo news agency reported, in a widely expected ruling that prevents the utility from restarting them.
Japan's second-biggest utility had appealed Otsu District Court's March 9 ruling ordering it to shut the Takahama No.3 and No.4 units with immediate effect, which marked the first injunction to shut a nuclear plant in operation. The court last month also denied the utility's request for a stay of execution of the injunction.
Saudi minister hopes slower global growth won't hit oil demand
BERLIN, July 12 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia hopes that slower global growth will not trigger a fall in the current healthy demand for oil, Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told a German newspaper in an interview published on Tuesday, adding oil prices of around $50 per barrel were too low.
"Ultimately, market fundamentals, or supply and demand, are the primary determinant of the oil price, and at the moment we see healthy demand for oil," he told German business daily Handelsblatt.
"That said, there are economic headwinds in some important markets and we hope this does not trigger a slowdown in global demand," he added.
He said oil prices need to be somewhere between $50 and $100 per barrel for the industry to sustain investment.
"We have seen a decrease in supply by roughly one million barrels of crude oil per day," he said, referring to fracking in the U.S. and oil sands in Canada.
Slovakia - Factors To Watch on July 12
BRATISLAVA, July 12 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial markets on Tuesday. ALL TIMES GMT (Slovak Republic: GMT + 2 hours) ==========================ECONOMIC DATA======================== Real-time economic data releases.................. Summary of economic data and forecasts......... Recently released economic data................ Previous stories on Slovak data.......... **For a schedule of corporate and economic events: http://emea1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/Apps/CountryWeb/#/1C/events-overview =============================NEWS============================== INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT: Slovakia's industrial output rose by 5.9 percent year-on-year in May, below analysts' expectations of a 6.3 percent increase, statistics office data showed on Monday. Story: Related stories: TRADE BALANCE: Slovakia's trade balance showed a higher-than-expected surplus of 427.3 million euros ($471.74 million) in May after a revised 375.6 million euro surplus in April, data from the country's statistics office showed on Monday. Story: Related stories: =========================PRESS DIGEST========================== SLOVENSKE ELEKTRARNE: Slovak power utility Slovenske Elektrarne, in which the state owns 34 percent and the Italian power firm Enel controls 66 percent, wants to close its coal power plant Vojany in eastern Slovakia as of October, two sources from the firm said. A Slovenske Elektrarne spokeswoman said a final decision has not been made yet. Enel agreed in December to sell its share in Slovenske Elektrarne to Czech-Slovak energy group EPH. Hospodarske Noviny, page 4 Reuters has not verified the stories, nor does it vouch for their accuracy. For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX Main currency report TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets News editor of the day: Jason Hovet on +420 224 190 476 E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com ($1 = 0.9025 euros)
U.S. defence chief makes unannounced visit to Afghanistan
KABUL, July 12 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Tuesday, where he will meet senior U.S. military commanders and Afghan leaders including President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.
China's Baosteel to slash capacity through 2018 in supply-side reform
SHANGHAI, July 12 (Reuters) - Baosteel Group, China's second-biggest steelmaker, plans to cut its crude steelmaking capacity over the next two years as part of its efforts to push through supply-side reform, it said on its website on Tuesday.
Baosteel's announcement comes as China's government works to reduce capacity gluts in the steel and coal sector. Beijing has earmarked 27.6 billion yuan ($4.12 billion) in funds to pay for closures in the sectors as the country has pledged to cut up to 150 million tonnes of steel capacity and 500 million tonnes of coal output in the next three to five years.
Overcapacity in China's steel sector has also created trade tensions as India, Australia and the United States have imposed duties on Chinese steel exports amid allegations of dumping.
Baosteel pledged to cut 9.2 million tonnes of crude steel capacity between 2016 and 2018, the company said. That's equivalent to about one-quarter of its 2015 production of 36.11 million tonnes.
The capacity shutdowns will include facilities in its flagship plant in Shanghai and branches outside of the city. The company will not resume production after the closures, it added.
Baosteel's cutback's follow a statement by the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission on Friday that China's government-run steel and coal firms will cut capacity by about 10 percent in the next two years, and by 15 percent by 2020.
The listed units of Baosteel and Wuhan Steel Group, the country's sixth-largest mill, separately said last month that they are planning to restructure, without specifying details.
Baosteel's chairman Xu Lejiang told a government meeting on July 8 that the large state-owned steel firms should use mergers and acquisitions to improve the concentration level of the industry and urged the government to step up efforts to close inefficient capacities, the company said on its website on Monday.
In April, a Chinese government official said the country has 1.13 billion tonnes of crude steel-making capacity.
Rod Blagojevich Was In A Prison Band Called The Jailhouse Rockers
By Stephen Gossett in News on Jul 12, 2016 3:01PM
Donald Trump isn't the only bizarrely coiffed, Celebrity Apprentice-affiliated blowhard making Illinois news today.
Attorneys for former Rod Blagojevich filed a request late on Monday to have the former Illinois governor's sentence reduced from 14 years down to five. Among the details in the request is this quintessentially "Blago" revelation: the noted Elvis Presley acolyte formed a band in prison called the Jailhouse Rockers.
They were apparently a functioning live unit, too. The Rockers reportedly performed at the prison GED graduation ceremony in June 2013 and on the Fourth of July. Alasin what would make for the most hilarious, "Summer of '69"-style nostalgic versethe band was forced to take a hiatus when the lead guitar player was released from prison.
It's more than just a funny detail for the defense, however. The band is arguably illustrative of Blagojevich as model inmate. Blagojevich attorney Leonard Goodman also pointed out that the disgraced former governor taught Civil War history classes, and he presented letters from more than 100 inmates in the Colorado prison casting Blagojevich in a positive light.
If the request is granted, Blagojevich, who has served more than four years of his sentence for a corruption conviction, would have only months remaining in jail. A re-sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 9. (Insert "Don't Be Cruel" pun here.)
PRESS DIGEST - Bulgaria - July 12
SOFIA, July 12 (Reuters) - These are some of the main stories in Bulgarian newspapers on Tuesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
-- Iran's experts will look into Bulgarian proposal to sell the nuclear equipment which Sofia has ordered to Russia but which has become obsolete after the country canceled its Belene nuclear project, Prime Minister Boiko Borisov said after meeting Iran's President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran. (Trud, 24 Chasa, Telegraph, Standart, Monitor)
-- Bulgaria can import liquefied natural gas from Iran through its gas interconnector link with Greece in three-four years, Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova said after meeting Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zangadeh. (Trud, Standart, Sega, Monitor, Capital Daily, 24 Chasa)
-- Seven illegal cigarette mills have been uncovered in Hungary, Belgium, Poland and Spain since 2014 in joint operations with Europe's police agency Europol, the head of the Bulgarian police unit for combating organised crime said. (Sega, Telegraph)
-- Bulgaria's exports to countries outside the European Union dropped by 15.4 percent on an annual basis in the first five months, data from the statistics office showed. (Monitor, Standart, Duma, 24 Chasa, Capital Daily)
Anti-Mugabe protesters to face 'full wrath' of Zimbabwe law
By MacDonald Dzirutwe
HARARE, July 12 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's government warned protesters on Tuesday they would face the "full wrath of the law" if they heeded a call by a detained preacher to continue with the biggest demonstrations in a decade against President Robert Mugabe.
Baptist minister Evan Mawarire has become a household name in Zimbabwe since he started a social media campaign in April that has tapped into mounting public anger over corruption, high unemployment and economic woes.
In a video recorded before his arrest on Tuesday, Mawarire urged supporters to go ahead with further 'stay at home' demonstrations. He had called for a one-day protest last week which closed businesses across the southern African nation in the biggest strike since 2005.
"The police whose mandate is to protect life and property will be out in full force to deal with any disturbances that may arise," Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo told reporters.
"Let me warn the instigators behind the intended protests that they will face the full wrath of the law," said Chombo, flanked by the ministers of defence and state security.
Chombo said there were no plans to deploy the military.
Mugabe, Africa's oldest leader at 92, has led the former British colony since independence in 1980. Since then it has gone from being one of the continent's most promising economies to being a country mired in economic crisis with a reputation for rights abuses.
After initially ignoring his grainy online videos, shot on a cellphone and calling for mass protests, Mugabe's administration has started to push back, especially after they attracted support from thousands of unpaid civil servants.
"Yes, he has been arrested for inciting public violence and disturbing peace," Mawarire lawyer Harrison Nkomo told Reuters. He said police had raided his client's Harare home, office and church.
Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba was not available to comment on the charges.
A copy of a search warrant seen by Reuters said police believed Mawarire was in possession of a stolen police helmet, baton stick and "other subversive material" that could be used to incite public violence.
The law under which the bespectacled 39-year-old has been detained carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years. According to Zimbabwean law, he must appear in court within 48 hours. He was summoned by police early on Tuesday morning.
Mawarire said he broke no law in calling for the one-day shut-down last Wednesday.
International Crisis Group analyst Piers Pigou said Mawarire's #ThisFlag movement had rattled Mugabe's government but was still a long way from becoming the first "Arab Spring" south of the Sahara.
"It's provoked a certain amount of panic from the authorities given the scale of the stay-away," Pigou said. "But a stay-away doesn't translate into active support for rebellion against the regime."
GANDHI COMPARISON
More protests are planned for Wednesday and Thursday as part of #ThisFlag, which aims to appeal to Zimbabweans' national pride and exploit the widespread use of social media in the country.
In a pre-recorded video posted on Twitter under the #ThisFlag hashtag after he was charged, Mawarire said his arrest should not stop Zimbabwe's 13 million people going ahead with demonstrations.
"No matter what has happened to me, you and I have done well. We have stood up and raised our voices to build this nation," Mawarire said.
Last Friday police summoned and arrested Prosper Mkwananzi from social media group Tajamuka - meaning 'We refuse' - on charges of public violence. Mkwananzi was released on bail on Monday.
Mawarire launched #ThisFlag in April after struggling to pay school fees for his two daughters or bus fares. His complaints struck an immediate chord with Zimbabweans and 120,000 people watched his video in its first week.
Within three months, some have even started likening him and his adherence to non-violence to Indian anti-colonial hero Mahatma Gandhi, who started becoming politically active as a lawyer in neighbouring South Africa in the early 1900s.
"There is nothing wrong from learning from the people like Gandhi because they achieved a lot of things in pushing the non-violent aspect of things," Mawarire said in an interview with the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper this month.
Saudi prosecutors bring charges over Grand Mosque crane disaster -newspaper
RIYADH, July 12 (Reuters) - Suspects including engineers and two government employees will face trial in Saudi Arabia over the deaths of 107 people when a crane toppled over at Mecca's Grand Mosque last year, a local newspaper that reflects government thinking reported on Tuesday.
The Arabic-language al-Riyadh newspaper quoted a source as saying that investigators and the prosecution had completed an eight-month investigation into the case that was conducted in secrecy and which involved questioning a number of suspects.
"The court is in the process of deciding the (date of the)first hearing in coming days after the judge studies the case," al-Riyadh said.
It said those charged included engineers and two officials working for two government bodies in Mecca, but did not specify what the charges were or how many people would face trial.
The crane disaster was embarrassing for the Saudi royal family, which defines itself as guardian of Islam's holiest places and has embarked on a series of expansion projects at pilgrimage sites in Mecca.
It quickly suspended construction giant Saudi Binladin Group, the main contractor on the mosque expansion, from seeking new contracts and placed travel bans on its senior executives, penalties that were later lifted.
The crane fell over at Mecca's Grand Mosque in September 2015, less than two weeks before Islam's annual haj pilgrimage.
Saudi Binladin Group, one of the largest contracting companies in the kingdom, which was founded more than 80 years ago, had been carrying out expansion work at the mosque.
Bonfires burn in Northern Ireland ahead of Protestant parade
BELFAST, July 12 (Reuters) - Bonfires burned across Belfast on Monday night as Protestant loyalists in Northern Ireland began annual commemorations to mark victory by King William of Orange over Catholic King James of England at the Battle of the Boyne.
The bonfires were the traditional "Eleventh Night" build-up to July 12 parades, where Protestants march to mark the 1690 fight that sealed Protestant domination of the British Isles.
The tradition, though, is considered provocative by Catholics, many of whom favour unification with Ireland.
A peace deal signed in 1998 largely ended three decades of violence between Catholics and Protestants that led to the deaths of more than 3,600 people but much of Belfast remains divided along religious lines.
Unrest still flares from time to time with the parades a regular flashpoint.
Last year eight Northern Irish police were injured when they were pelted with bottles, beer cans and other missiles after stopping an annual Orange Order parade from passing a Catholic estate.
Tanzania seized $2 mln worth of elephant ivory in June -police
DAR ES SALAAM, July 12 (Reuters) - Tanzanian police said on Tuesday it had seized elephant ivory worth more than $2 million and arrested nine suspected smugglers in June in an operation supported by Interpol and police forces in the region.
Poaching has risen in recent years across sub-Saharan Africa. Gangs kill elephants and rhinos, both endangered animals, and ship their tusks and horns to Asia for use in ornaments and medicines.
"We were able to seize 666 pieces of elephant ivory, weighing 1,279 kilogrammes valued at 4.6 billion shillings ($2.11 million)," Diwani Athuman, director of criminal investigation, said in a statement.
Among the suspects arrested were two citizens of Guinea and one Ugandan. Interpol and police forces in eastern and southern Africa took part in the operation, he said.
The elephant population in Tanzania shrank to around 43,000 in 2014 from 110,000 in 2009, according to a census released last year, with conservationists blaming "industrial-scale" poaching. The rhino population is much smaller.
The East African country relies heavily on revenues from safari tourism and new President John Magufuli has pledged to root out poaching as part of a wider war on corruption.
Qatar to acquire up to 10 pct of LATAM Airlines
FARNBOROUGH, England, July 12 (Reuters) - Qatar Airways has agreed to acquire up to 10 percent of Latin America's largest airline LATAM Airlines, in a deal that would inject $613 million into the Chile-based carrier, the two companies said on Tuesday.
"We have signed a subscription agreement that provides for Qatar Airways to acquire up to 10 percent of LATAM's total shares, which will be acquired in connection with a capital increase," Qatar chief executive Akbar Al Baker told a media briefing at the Farnborough Airshow.
EU migrant influx easing since April - border agency
PARIS, July 12 (Reuters) - The number of illegal migrants entering Europe has fallen since April after the European Union sealed a deal with Turkey to halt flows across the Aegean Sea, the border agency said, and Italy has become the new frontline for refugees, mostly from Libya.
"For the first six months of 2016, there were 360,000 illegal entries in the EU, which is higher than what we saw last year, but the influx has been diminishing since April," Fabrice Leggeri, executive director of Frontex, the agency in charge of protecting the bloc's external borders, told Europe 1 Radio.
Leggeri said Italy had overtaken Greece as the primary point of entry and most migrants were now embarking for Europe in Libya. About 750 were arriving in Italy daily compared with about 50 in Greece.
"So the new frontline is Italy," he said.
In all of 2015, Frontex recorded more than 1.5 million irregular border crossings into Europe, mostly to Greece before marching north to Germany and Sweden, fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, North Africa and elsewhere.
A Frontex spokesman said the EU-Turkey deal, under which Turkey agreed to halt illegal migration through its territory in return for financial and political rewards, and the closure of the Greece-Macedonia border earlier this year, were the two main reasons behind the declining figures.
Leggeri was speaking ahead of a news conference on plans for the agency's future later on Tuesday.
Most of those arriving in Italy were from sub-Saharan Africa, he said.
A humanitarian group said it had recovered the bodies of four migrants and rescued around 400 survivors on Tuesday from an overcrowded wooden boat in the Mediterranean en route to Italy from Libya. The dead suffocated below deck, the Malta-based Migrant Offshore Aid Station, whose rescue ship carried out the operation, said on Twitter.
The EU is preparing to rename Frontex, based in Warsaw, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, with a two-fold increase in staff and funding worth 322 million euros by 2020.
PRESS DIGEST- Canada - July 12
July 12 (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
** The LNG Canada joint venture led by Royal Dutch Shell Plc has delayed its final investment decision on exporting liquefied natural gas from Kitimat in northern British Columbia. (http://bit.ly/29t3j0g)
** The Toronto Real Estate Board is stepping up its efforts in court to overturn a decision by the federal Competition Tribunal that allows more detailed home sales data to be released on the internet. (http://bit.ly/29t39pG)
** Key stakeholders of Essar Steel Algoma Inc are pursuing a multi-pronged effort to block the purchase of the steelmaker by a New York-based private equity fund, KPS Capital Partners LP, and a group of lenders. (http://bit.ly/29t3wka)
** Canada's telecom regulator has officially given discount wireless startup Sugar Mobile a reprieve, ruling that the newcomer can keep relying on roaming services from Rogers Communications Inc - at least for the time being. (http://bit.ly/29t3rNn)
NATIONAL POST
** The provincial government announced on Monday that it was going ahead with plans that would allow the city to tax owners of vacant property - a tax pushed for and endorsed by Vancouver's mayor, Gregor Robertson. (http://bit.ly/29t3LM8)
** In barely a year, Alberta's New Democratic Party (NDP) government has gone from threatening to increase oil and gas royalties to having to provide royalty incentives to stimulate drilling activity. (http://bit.ly/29t3WHa)
Spain arrests Ukrainians, Russians accused of crime syndicate links
MADRID, July 12 (Reuters) - Eleven people of primarily Ukrainian and Russian origin were arrested on Tuesday in Barcelona accused of connections with organised crime and money laundering, the Spanish anti-corruption prosecutor's office said.
The investigation found instances of organised crime, money laundering, forgery of official documents and tax avoidance, the prosecutor said in a statement.
The arrests were the second large case involving alleged activity by Russian criminal syndicates since May, when Spanish authorities issued warrants for 12 Russians, including senior officials, said to be operating out of the country.
Those arrested on Tuesday used capital from companies, mostly based in Cyprus or the British Virgin Islands, to acquire, or form, Spanish companies which were used to buy Spanish property, the statement said.
The prosecutor's office said it had discovered more than 10 million euros ($11 million) of laundered money which had been invested in Spanish property.
Bahrain activist's trial postponed, rights groups call for his release
DUBAI, July 12 (Reuters) - The trial in Bahrain of prominent rights activist Nabeel Rajab was postponed until Aug. 2 on Tuesday and a request for his release rejected, his lawyer said, hours after 26 rights groups jointly called for him to be freed.
Bahrain has made no public statements on Rajab's case, but his lawyer has said charges against him relate to anti-government tweets he allegedly published last year, including one accusing the security forces of torturing detainees.
Rajab was a leading figure in a 2011 pro-democracy uprising led by Bahrain's Shi'ite Muslim majority, and he has been repeatedly detained.
His latest arrest comes during what rights groups say is an escalating crackdown on Bahrain's opposition.
The trial was postponed until Aug. 2 and a request for his release by the defence was turned down, his lawyer Mohammed al-Jishi wrote on Twitter without elaborating.
Shi'ites in Bahrain complain of discrimination from the Sunni-led government, which denies this.
In recent weeks, a court shut down a main Shi'ite opposition society and the interior ministry stripped the spiritual leader of the island's Shi'ites of his citizenship.
Violence between Shi'ites and security forces has continued on the island since the 2011 uprising was put down with the help of Saudi Arabia.
Hours before Rajab's hearing was due to take place, 26 human rights groups put out a joint statement.
"We remind the Bahraini government of its obligation to preserve the right to free expression," the campaign groups, including Human Rights First and Physicians for Human Rights, said.
"We reiterate repeated calls by United Nations officials, and others in the international community, to immediately release Rajab," they added.
Rajab was taken to hospital for a day late last month for what his supporters said was an irregular heart beat, but a spokesman for the prisons authority described his condition as "normal," in a statement e-mailed to Reuters.
Bahraini rights groups said authorities on Monday freed Ibrahim Sharif, former head of the secular Waad party, after he served a year in jail for what state news agency BNA said was publicizing "hatred of the regime".
There's A Meteor Shower Starting Tuesday But Good Luck Seeing It From Chicago
By Gwendolyn Purdom in News on Jul 12, 2016 8:09PM
Photo from Chicagoist user The New No. 2
The twinkling city lights of the world's second best skyline are pretty and all, but let's get real, they can't compete with the actual glow of the night sky. Starting Tuesday, the Delta Aquarids meteor shower is set to illuminate the heavens for the remainder of the month--though if you're in Chicago, Adler Planetarium astronomer Mark Hammergren says the chances of you actually seeing the event aren't looking good.
"Chances are very poor," Hammergren said. "If you spent all night [looking at the sky], you might see one meteor. Light pollution is a huge issue in stargazing. The very best advice to see meteor shower is to get away from bright city lights."
Hammergren said places like Northwest Indiana, near the dunes, may offer better early morning (between midnight and dawn) sight-lines, as well as locations further west or south of the city. A few years ago, the Illinois Science Council recommended traveling north along the lakefront until the city lights are less prominent to view a summer meteor shower. Hammergren suggested aspiring sky-gazers contact their local amateur astronomy club to find out about nearby outings. The Chicago Astronomical Society is hosting viewing events in Willow Springs, Schaumburg, River Grove and along the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in the coming weeks, according to the group's website.
When you're looking at a meteor shower like the Delta Aquarids, what you're seeing is little bits of stony dust that are burning up in the earth's atmosphere, Hammergren says, and because those bits of debrismost no bigger than a BBcome from specific comets, they follow the same orbit as those comets. It's the intersection of those paths with the earth's orbit that create showers, and it's when the earth passes through the middle of those streams of debris that peak viewing occurs. Peak viewing for the Delta Aquarids is estimated for around July 27 or 28.
While Hammergren classified the Delta Aquarids as one of the top ten major meteor showers of the year, next month's Perseid shower promises to be as many as six times bigger. The Adler Planetarium will host a viewing party for that shower Aug. 12 at Cantigny Park in west suburban Wheaton.
"Cantigny is about the best we can do," Hammergren said. "Even then we get a lot of light from Chicago, but it's always a fun time."
Maoists trigger fresh Nepal crisis with bid for new government
By Gopal Sharma
KATHMANDU, July 12 (Reuters) - Nepal was thrown into political crisis on Tuesday when the main Maoist party withdrew its support from the ruling coalition and called for the formation of a new government, threatening to topple Prime Minister K.P. Oli.
The Maoists tried to unseat Oli in May but he clung on after reaching a power-sharing deal. An official from the prime minister's communist UML party said Oli would meet officials later on Tuesday to discuss his next move.
Oli came to power in October when the Maoists offered his party parliamentary backing to build a coalition in the impoverished Himalayan country.
The Maoists - who ended a decade-long insurgency in 2006 before joining mainstream politics - said Oli had broken promises he made in May.
They also accuse him of failing to resolve festering anger in the south of the country over the terms of a new constitution, and of failing to speed up rebuilding of homes and roads destroyed in an earthquake last year.
"We believe that our decision to withdraw support to this government will help form a new alliance on the basis of national consensus among major political parties," Krishna Bahadur Mahara, a top Maoist official, told reporters in Kathmandu.
Mahara said the opposition Nepali Congress party was ready to throw its support behind Maoist leader Prachanda to form a new government. Congress party officials were not immediately available for comment.
Commentator Lok Raj Baral said the Maoists' move could force a no-confidence vote and end Oli's term in office.
"I suspect these two parties have already made a deal, but we will need to wait and see how Oli and the UML respond," he told Reuters, referring to the Maoists and the Congress.
The Maoists' withdrawal of support is the latest political twist for Nepal since it adopted its first post-monarchy constitution in September.
The passing of the constitution looked like a rare moment of political consensus for the country, which became a republic in 2008, but it soon sparked protests.
Minority Madhesis, who live mostly in Nepal's lowlands near India, imposed a four-month border blockade to protest against a proposal to carve Nepal into seven federal states, which they say would divide their homeland and deprive them of a fair say.
More than 50 people were killed in clashes before protesters called off the blockade in February.
Vietnam welcomes South China Sea ruling, reasserts its own claims
HANOI, July 12 (Reuters) - Vietnam welcomed a ruling by an international arbitration court concerning the South China Sea on Tuesday, saying it strongly supports peaceful resolution of disputes, while reasserting its own sovereignty claims.
"Vietnam welcomes the arbitration court issuing its final ruling," foreign ministry spokesman, Le Hai Binh, said in a statement.
"Vietnam strongly supports the resolution of the disputes in the South China Sea by peaceful means, including diplomatic and legal processes and and refraining from the use or threats to use force, in accordance with international law."
Zinc hits 13-month peak, nickel touches highest since October
By Eric Onstad
LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) - Zinc touched a 13-month peak and nickel hit the highest since last October on Tuesday as speculators piled in after the selection of a new prime minister for Britain and on hopes of more stimulus.
Increased risk appetite among investors sparked a broad-based rally on the London Metal Exchange, but some analysts remained wary because little had changed in the supply-demand picture.
"I'm a bit nervous about these rallies, they do seem to be driven by investor buying rather than any change in the fundamentals," said Caroline Bain, senior commodities economist at Capital Economics in London.
"At the beginning of the year we were really positive, but prices have already risen beyond our end-of-year forecasts."
Benchmark LME zinc closed 2.5 percent higher at $2,193 a tonne, the strongest since June 1 last year.
Zinc has been investors' favourite, surging 36 percent so far in 2016 as closures and suspensions of major mines tightened the supply picture.
Unlike most other metals, zinc merited higher prices, Bain said. "From the fundamental perspective, we can justify a rally in the zinc price, we are seeing clear signs that supply is tightening there."
Nickel was the best LME performer on Tuesday, shooting up 4.4 percent to finish at $10,490, the highest since Oct. 29 last year.
Nickel climbed for a third day on concerns that the Philippines, China's top supplier of nickel ore used in making stainless steel, may shut some mines after a month-long review. Nickel prices in London have jumped 10 percent since the country announced the review on July 1.
"At the very least there is a reasonable portion of Philippine supply risk and at the margin that's going to tighten the nickel trade," said analyst Daniel Morgan at UBS in Sydney.
Morgan sees prices steady to higher from current levels.
Goldman Sachs hiked its nickel price forecasts by 29 percent to $11,000 for three months out, and for zinc by 15 percent, as it boosted price expectations for the next year.
Among other metals, LME aluminium ended up 1.4 percent at $1,676 a tonne, the highest in over two months.
Metals have heated up partly on expectations China may roll out fresh stimulus measures to counteract uncertainty in some of its export markets.
A weaker dollar index also bolstered the sector, making commodities priced in the U.S. currency cheaper for buyers using other currencies.
Copper ended 2.5 percent higher at $4,869, lead gained 2.7 percent to $1,868 and tin finished 0.7 percent firmer at $17,975 a tonne.
PRICES
Three month LME copper
Most active ShFE copper
Three month LME aluminium
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Three month LME zinc
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Three month LME lead
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Three month LME nickel
Most active ShFE nickel
Three month LME tin
South Sudanese emerge from shelters after heavy fighting
By David Lomuria and Denis Dumo
JUBA, July 12 (Reuters) - People emerged from makeshift shelters in South Sudan's capital on Tuesday after a ceasefire silenced days of heavy fighting that has threatened to destabilise the world's newest nation.
Forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar had battled each other with anti-aircraft guns, attack helicopters and tanks since Thursday -- almost five years to the day since South Sudan declared independence from Sudan with promises of aid and support from world powers.
"We don't even know what is happening. These things they just happen again and again, and the people of South Sudan are suffering. We need peace," Samson Kenyi, a 34-year-old motorcycle taxi rider said in the capital, Juba.
The violence has raised fears of a collapse of a nearly one-year-old peace deal that was supposed to end two years of ethnically charged civil war between Kiir and Machar's supporters.
Both leaders deny responsibility and called for calm during the unrest, leading to concerns that they have lost control of their forces or other political actors may be involved.
A ceasefire called on Monday night appeared to hold and officials from Machar's sides said he was ready for talks. But there were no details of a meeting or an accord.
Shops were shut and residents said some of the civilians who ventured out were walking down the city's dusty streets towards U.N. bases, where thousands have already sought safety during the clashes.
"Some of the many displaced from the recent fighting have come out to stretch their legs a little bit. They are in the streets. They are not moving far," said Jeremiah Young, a policy and peace-building adviser for aid group World Vision.
As well as fleeing to U.N. bases, other Juba residents huddled in churches and schools to escape the fighting.
"The humanitarian needs are going to be very great after this," Young added by telephone.
"They are going to need food, they are going to need shelter, they are going to need water. Water will be a serious concern over the next few days," he said, adding the need for shelter and clean water was pressing as it was the rainy season.
TALKS
The rival leaders, who have long fought in politics and on the battlefield, could meet or hold telephone talks on Tuesday to shore up the ceasefire, Machar's spokesman, James Gatdek Dak, said.
"Machar is committed to implementation of the peace agreement. If Kiir can reciprocate I believe they can build confidence," he said. "If one party is not committed to implementation of the peace agreement, I doubt that they will successfully agree to work together."
An international body, the JMEC, has been set up to monitor the ceasefire and peace deal implementation and it is chaired by Festus Mogae, a former president of Botswana.
The civil war, which broke out in December 2013 after Kiir sacked Machar, killed thousands of people, drove more than 2.5 million people from their homes and left almost half the nation of 11 million struggling to find enough food.
Oil production, a vital revenue source for the impoverished nation, has plummeted. Fighting often followed ethnic lines, pitting Machar's Nuer group against Kiir's Dinka.
Kiir's officials have said the president is committed to working with Machar to implement a peace deal to end that conflict that was signed in August 2015 but was followed by months of wrangling over details and sporadic fighting around the country.
Machar returned to Juba in April, retaking the post of vice president, a move seen as a step towards securing the peace.
But the relationship between the perennial rivals remains brittle and experts say the failure to implement key elements of the peace deal, such as integrating their rival forces, has increased the chance of further fighting.
Machar's side says the flare-up on Thursday, which led to the street battles, was triggered by the shooting of one of the vice president's officers.
The United States has condemned the violence and said it would hold those who commit atrocities or impede efforts to stop the fighting "fully accountable."
Shelling, air strikes in Libya siege on Islamic State in Sirte
MISRATA, Libya, July 12 (Reuters) - Libyan forces allied with the U.N.-backed government have been shelling and carrying out air strikes on the centre of Sirte city in a siege of Islamic State militants there, an official said on Tuesday.
Militants defending Islamic State's last stronghold in Libya have been keeping Libyan forces back with sniper fire and mortars in Sirte where they are now surrounded after a two month campaign to take the city.
The fall of Sirte would be a major blow to Islamic State, which took over the city a year ago in the chaos of a civil war between rival factions who once battled Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
"Our forces have...targeted militants with artillery and air force around Ouagadougou complex, Ghiza Asskariya district, and in the city centre," said Rida Issa, spokesman for Misrata forces fighting in Sirte.
"They have targeted Islamic State members, vehicles, ammunition stores, and control rooms."
He said one Misrata fighter was killed and 20 others wounded in a mortar strike on their position in the Zaafran frontline, near the roundabout where Islamic State once crucified victims.
The bodies of around 13 Islamic State fighters were found, but Misrata forces were driven back by sniper fire.
Western powers are backing Prime Minister Fayaz Seraj's government that moved into Tripoli three months ago in an attempt to unify two rival governments and various armed factions. Seraj is working with a unified National Oil Corporation to restart the oil industry.
But while powerful brigades from Misrata city support Seraj for now and lead the fight to liberate Sirte, other hardliners to the east are still opposing him and his government has made little progress in extending its influence.
After a rapid success in driving Islamic State back from a coastal strip of territory it controlled, the battle for Sirte has slowed to street-by-street fighting as Misrata forces clear out residential areas.
Misrata commanders say a few hundreds militants are dug in around the Ouagadougou complex, the university and a city hospital. They are cautious of advancing rapidly after more than 200 fighters died in the campaign so far.
Berlin: Brexit could hurt German economy but it's in good shape
BERLIN, July 12 (Reuters) - Britain's decision to leave the European Union has increased economic risks for Germany but Europe's largest economy is in good shape, the Economy Ministry said on Tuesday.
It also said upward momentum in the German economy had weakened somewhat after a strong first quarter, pointing to weak industrial production in the middle of the second quarter.
"Subject to economic developments in the United Kingdom in particular, uncertainty after the vote could have negative effects on the economic situation in Germany," the ministry said in its monthly report.
Sage's drug for postpartum depression succeeds in mid-stage study
By Natalie Grover
July 12 (Reuters) - Sage Therapeutics Inc said its lead drug alleviated symptoms of severe postpartum depression, meeting the main goal of a small mid-stage study and sending the company's shares soaring in morning trading.
About one in seven women experience postpartum depression (PPD), a severe form of "baby blues" that eventually interferes with her ability to take care of the baby and handle daily tasks, according to the American Psychological Association.
There are no specific therapies for PPD. Existing options include standard antidepressants and psychotherapy.
A woman with PPD experiences a whirlwind of emotions, including severe anxiety, panic attacks, thoughts of harming herself or the baby, and feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt or inadequacy.
Data on 21 patients showed that the drug, SAGE-547, achieved a statistically significant reduction in symptoms at 60 hours, compared to a placebo, on a standard depression scale used in clinical research, Sage said on Tuesday.
Typical antidepressants take about four-to-six weeks to take effect, trial investigator Samantha Meltzer-Brody told Reuters.
"So the rapid onset of response of this drug is unlike anything else available in the field," she added.
These findings represent a potentially new mechanism for the treatment of depression and other mood disorders, but need to be replicated in a larger late-stage trial, Chief Executive Jeff Jonas in an interview.
Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Sage has initiated an expansion of the mid-stage study to determine optimal dosing for the injectable drug.
Sage is also evaluating the drug for use in super refractory status epilepticus (SRSE), a life-threatening seizure disorder, as well as essential tremor.
Hedge fund Kerrisdale Capital said earlier this year that it had shorted the stock, expecting SAGE-547 to fail a key late-stage study involving patients with SRSE.
Data from this study is expected later this year.
"The consistency of the data demonstrated in the PPD trial boosts our confidence for a positive outcome for the Phase III SRSE study", SunTrust Robinson Humphrey analysts said in a note.
Overall, SAGE-547 is expected to generate peak sales of about $610 million by 2021, according to Thomson Reuters Cortellis.
However, Chardan Capital Markets analysts raised concerns about the drug's prospects, saying it had no robust patent protection.
Sage's follow-on program, SAGE-217, is an oral version of SAGE-547, and is expected to be ready for human testing by the end of 2016, CEO Jonas said.
The company's shares pared some gains and were up 34 percent at $45.13 in morning trading. They rose as much as 48 percent earlier.
Uganda's opposition leader freed on bail after treason charge
By Elias Biryabarema
KAMPALA, July 12 (Reuters) - Uganda's veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye was released on bail on Tuesday after being detained for about two months on treason charges, a judiciary official told Reuters.
Besigye came second in the presidential election in February. Incumbent President Yoweri Museveni won with 60 percent of the vote, the electoral body said.
Besigye and independent monitors said the poll was flawed, citing bribery of voters, interference by security personnel and the national electoral body's lack of impartiality and transparency.
Besigye was arrested in early May after a video surfaced on social media depicting him taking the oath of office for president and he was charged with treason.
"He has been granted bail ... the judge found the objections of the state insufficient to deny him bail," judiciary spokesman Solomon Muyita told Reuters.
He is awaiting trial. State prosecutors have said repeatedly that police had yet to conclude their investigation. Muyita said Besigye was ordered to report to court every two weeks.
Museveni's critics say the charges against Besigye are trumped up and likely aimed at keeping him away from his support base. Officials deny the accusation.
Once hailed for returning political stability after years of turmoil, some local and international critics now accuse Museveni of clamping down on dissent, seeking the presidency for life and tolerating corruption.
Islamist attacks, migrant crisis make Germans anxious
BERLIN, July 12 (Reuters) - Germans have become far more fearful in the last year, with a possible terrorist attack, political extremism and the social effects of Europe's migrant crisis topping their list of worries, a survey showed on Tuesday.
Just over a year before a federal election in Europe's biggest economy, the annual study by insurer R+V showed a 10 percentage point increase in its annual "fear index" of Germans to 49 percent.
"Never before in the course of our surveys have peoples' fears risen so drastically within a year as in 2016," said Brigitte Roemstedt, head of the R+V Info Centre which conducted the survey of 2,400 Germans.
Deadly Islamist attacks hitting neighbouring France and Belgium have put Germany on high alert. In addition, more than one million migrants have entered the country, many from war-torn countries like Syria and Iraq, fuelling concern about mounting costs and integration.
"Terror attacks, riots by extremists but also political polarisation following uncontrolled mass migration are shaking Germans' characteristic need for security," said political scientist Manfred Schmidt of the Ruprecht-Karls University in Heidelberg who was a consultant for the survey.
The top concern, terrorism, worried 73 percent of Germans compared to 52 percent last year.
Second comes political extremism which causes anxiety among 68 percent of Germans, up from about half last year. Higher than ever before is the fear that migration could cause tensions between Germans and foreigners living in the country. With an 18 percent jump, 67 percent were worried about that.
Political parties are likely to compete in offering solutions to these issues in the run-up to the 2017 election.
Merkel says Britain's May must decide on ties with EU
BERLIN, July 12 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday that Theresa May's task as British Prime Minister will be to decide on what sort of relations her country will have with the European Union after Britons' historic decision to leave the bloc.
"The task of the new Prime Minister... will be to get clarity on the question of what kind of relationship Britain wants to build with the European Union," Merkel said at a news conference with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny in Berlin.
Trump Holds Private Fundraiser As Chicagoans Protest Outside Trump Tower
By aaroncynic in News on Jul 12, 2016 6:40PM
Photo by Aaron Cynic/Chicagoist
Community groups, organized labor, elected officials and activists gathered in the shadow of Trump Tower Tuesday morning and early afternoon to denounce the bigoted carnival barker as he was in town meeting privately with high dollar donors to fund his circus.
"Even if we could afford to get in, we would not want in, said William MacNary, co-direct of Citizen Action Illinois. We are outside to send a very clear message. What this country needs in the midst of the frustration, pain and all the anger is a leader who will bring America together and not divide us. Trumps rhetoric, demeanor and policies make him unqualified and unfit to be the President of the United States."
This was Trumps first visit to Chicago after he cancelled a rally at UIC at the last minute due to thousands of demonstrators showing their displeasure with his xenophobic carnival in March.
Earlier today the real estate mogul, best known for his policies which include xenophobic calls to criminalize whole religions and races, along with his racist rhetoric and use of neo-nazi propaganda, Tweeted that crime in Chicago was not good. He added that he would deliver jobs, safety and protection for those in need inside inner cities, despite presumably never having set foot in struggling Chicago neighborhoods on the South and West sides.
MacNary added that Trumps dog-whistle Tweets attract white supremacists, anti-semites and homophobes.
Cook County Commissioner and former mayoral candidate Jesus Chuy Garcia, who said he was going to be late for a Cook County Board meeting, also spoke:
I wanted to be here this morning standing side by side with my Muslim American sisters and brothers, Jewish American sisters and brothers, with Asians who are here and people all over the Chicagoland area saying we do not welcome Donald Trump to Chicago. We dont welcome him because of the hateful and divisive rhetoric that he represents. To elect him President would be disasterous.
Leaders from Muslim, Jewish, LGBTQ and womens rights groups along with advocates for people with disabilities were also on hand, each taking turns calling out the presumptive Republican presidential nominee for his divisive rhetoric and xenophobic policy ideas.
His idiotic, imbecilic, asinine view of this country does not comport with reality, said Rami Nashashibi of the Inner City Muslim Action Network. We are all together and will stand against the rhetoric of bigotry, hatred and absolute utter stupidity in saying that we will and can do better for this country.
"To be a Jew is to understand the very worst of what this hateful rhetoric can do," said Oren Jacobsen, a member of the Truman National Security Project. "A man who would mock a war hero, or insult a differently-abled reporter, ban and register Muslims and rob them of their first amendment rights is too divisive to lead America. A man who would play footsie with the KKK and lead the charge to legitimize the first black president in this country's history is too divisive to lead America."
Photo by Aaron Cynic/Chicagoist
Shortly after the morning press conference, a small second group of student environmental activists gathered briefly under the watchful eyes of a heavy police presence to denounce Trump over his environmental policies. His toxic rhetoric and irresponsible positions around climate would permanently damage our future, said Abby Johnson, the youth vote director for Illinois Next Gen Climate.
Trump has had some incredible commentary over the years on climate change, from simply calling it a "con job," to seemingly pulling rhetoric from the comments section on Infowars: "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive," he Tweeted in 2012.
Obama urges American reconciliation after Dallas attack
By Jon Herskovitz and Jeff Mason
DALLAS, July 12 (Reuters) - They stood in a line, clasping hands as a choir sang, Democrat and Republican, black and white, politician and cop. Led by President Barack Obama and his predecessor George W. Bush, they honored the five Dallas policemen slain last week and urged Americans to rise above racial divides and reject despair.
The scene unfolded at a memorial service after a week when Americans were jarred by video images of angry crowds protesting police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota and heard the screams of Thursday's sniper attack on police in Dallas by a black former U.S. soldier who had said he wanted to "kill white people."
"We turn on the TV or surf the internet, and we can watch positions harden and lines drawn and people retreat to their respective corners," the first black U.S. president said. "I understand how Americans are feeling. But Dallas, I'm here to say we must reject such despair. I'm here to insist that we are not as divided as we seem."
In a spontaneous display of unity, Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, former president George W. Bush and his wife Laura, Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill, Mayor Mike Rawlings, Police Chief David Brown and others on stage joined hands at the end of the service as a choir sang "The Battle Hymn of the Republic."
Obama sought a careful balance, paying tribute to the dead police officers and showing respect for the country's law enforcement while also acknowledging the concerns of those protesting against police violence.
He noted that the Dallas attack came during a protest against racial discrimination in policing that followed the fatal police shootings of black men in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and outside St. Paul, Minnesota. A series of high-profile police killings of black men in the past two years have sparked the most intense debate on race and justice in America in decades.
"America, we know that bias remains. We know it," Obama told the crowd of several hundred people, including many uniformed police officers, at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. "None of us is entirely innocent. No institution is entirely immune. And this includes our police departments."
BLACK LIVES MATTER
Obama alluded to the Black Lives Matter protest movement stirred into action by the long series of police killings, which some have painted as anti-police. He said that even people who dislike the phrase Black Lives Matter should recognize the pain felt by the family of Alton Sterling, the 37-year-old black man shot dead last week in Baton Rouge by police who said he was reaching for a gun.
Obama praised the police in Dallas and around the country.
"When anyone, no matter how good their intentions may be, paints all police as biased or bigoted, we undermine those officers we depend on for our safety," Obama said.
"And as for those who use rhetoric suggesting harm to police, even if they don't act on it themselves, well they not only make the jobs of police officers even more dangerous, but they do a disservice to the very cause of justice that they claim to promote," Obama added.
Bush also addressed the packed hall, where five chairs were empty of people, holding folded American flags, in memory of the slain officers. Bush also sought to strike a note of unity.
"At times it feels like the forces pulling us apart are stronger than the forces binding us together. Argument turns too easily into animosity," Bush said. "We do not want the unity of grief nor do we want the unity of fear. We want the unity of hope, affection and high purpose."
The slain officers were Mike Smith, 55; Lorne Ahrens, 48; Michael Krol, 40; Brent Thomson, 43, and Patrick Zamarripa, 32.
The death toll in Dallas was the highest for law enforcement on a single day in the United States since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Nine other officers and two civilians were also wounded.
Outside the hall, Sharice Williams, 41, who drove roughly 95 miles (155 km) from Waco, stood in hopes of catching a glimpse of Obama.
"My heart is heavy. I'm tired of seeing my brothers and sisters killed, but the police don't deserve that," said Williams, who is black. "I'm praying that Obama being here brings us some kind of peace."
Chief Warren Asmus, a 35-year veteran with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, said he flew in for the memorial.
"I was grateful for many of the things President Obama said in there," said Asmus, 57. "I need to understand what the black community goes through just as much as they need to understand what the police community goes through."
New powers let U.S. forces take fight to Taliban -Carter
By Yeganeh Torbati
KABUL, July 12 (Reuters) - The senior U.S. commander in Afghanistan will have greater freedom to strike at the Taliban under broad new powers approved last month by President Barack Obama, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Tuesday.
Carter, on an unannounced visit to Afghanistan, said the powers granted General John Nicholson would allow "much more efficient use and effective use of the forces we have here as well as the Afghan forces."
The new authorities give U.S. forces greater ability to accompany and enable Afghan forces battling a resilient Taliban insurgency, while also allowing greater use of U.S. air power, particularly close air support. Previously, Nicholson - who commands both the NATO-led Resolute Support mission and a separate U.S. counterterrorism mission - was only allowed to take action against the Taliban "in extremis," or moments when assistance was needed to prevent a significant Afghan military setback.
"Whereas previously he waited until a situation had developed in which Afghan forces really needed our enabling support, now he's able to look ahead," Carter said at a talk with American troops at Bagram air base, flanked by Nicholson.
"That's a better way of making use of what we have here now," he said.
Afghan forces, fighting largely on their own since the NATO-led mission ended most combat operations in 2014, have frequently asked for more combat assistance from their allies, particularly for close air strikes.
Nicholson said the broader authorities were being used "almost daily" in support of Afghan forces. He pointed to a significant pickup in the pace of U.S. operations 18 months after the end of the main NATO combat mission.
A U.S. military official said the new authorities had been used a couple of dozen times since they were approved by the White House in June.
Carter's visit comes days after Obama shelved plans to cut the U.S. force in Afghanistan nearly in half by year's end, opting instead to keep 8,400 troops there through to the end of his presidency in January.
Of that number, around 3,000 will be advising Afghan troops, and 3,300 will be working as "enablers" in support roles, Nicholson said. An additional 400 troops based "over the horizon" - outside Afghanistan - will round out the U.S. contribution to the NATO mission. An additional 2,150 U.S. troops will be focused on counterterrorism operations, he said.
As an example of how the new authorities are being used, Nicholson cited "combat enablers" the United States had provided to the Afghans in their fight to expand the territory they control around the northern city of Kunduz. Such enablers can serve in a broad variety of roles, such as engineers or electronic warfare specialists.
He contrasted that with the U.S. role last year, when Kunduz was briefly captured by the Taliban. At that time, the city was defended by Afghan forces battling largely without NATO's support.
"It's more of an offensive nature to that operation that we're assisting," Nicholson told reporters in Bagram.
Americans have been backing up Afghan troops fighting Taliban militants in other hotly contested regions, including Uruzgan and Maiwand in Kandahar province in the south.
"I think all the uses have been right in line with the intended purpose that the president gave us," Nicholson said.
The Taliban have made major gains and are estimated to control more territory than at any time since they were driven from power by a U.S.-led campaign in 2001 aimed at dismantling al Qaeda and denying it safe haven in Afghanistan.
But after a difficult year in 2015, when the insurgents briefly captured Kunduz, Afghan and international officials say government troops have succeeded in stabilising the situation to a large extent.
Carter, who met both Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah as well as senior U.S. military commanders, said it was "critical" that the national unity government formed after disputed elections in 2014 maintained stability.
Germany's Merkel expects no banking crisis in Italy
BERLIN, July 12 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday she expects no crisis in Italy resulting from the need to recapitalize some banks there.
"As for Italy, there are intensive talks of the Italian government and with European Commission, the finance ministers are talking today," she said during a news conference with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny.
Schaeuble says no risk of bank crisis despite troubles at Italy's lenders
BRUSSELS, July 12 (Reuters) - German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on Tuesday he did not see any danger of a banking crisis erupting.
His comments come at a time when Italy's banks - struggling with capital shortfalls and non-performing loans - have become a cause for concern in Europe, especially after Britain voted to leave the European Union. Italy is in talks with the European Commission to allow public support for its weakest lenders.
Spain's Santander names ex-JPMorgan exec Masters blockchain guru
July 12 (Reuters) - Banco Santander SA, Spain's largest lender, named former JPMorgan executive Blythe Masters its senior blockchain adviser as banks race to find new uses for the technology behind virtual currency Bitcoin.
Proponents of blockchain, or distributed ledger technology, say it has the potential to shake up how financial markets operate. The technology creates a shared database in which participants can trace every transaction ever conducted.
Santander is one of several banks investing in this sector to avoid being left behind by fintech start-ups.
Citigroup, BNP Paribas and Goldman Sachs are among other big global banks that have invested in the technology.
Masters, who spent 27 years at JPMorgan, has been leading the charge into blockchain by financiers.
The blockchain software firm she started, Digital Asset Holdings, has raised more than $60 million from investors such as Goldman Sachs and the Australian Securities Exchange, which is partnering with the firm to work on using the technology in the cash-equities market.
Masters was previously the chairman of Santander Consumer USA Holdings' board. She rose to prominence during the 1990s when she helped to create the credit-derivatives market.
Her appointment comes shortly after Santander became the first British bank to start using blockchain to record international payments.
South Sudanese emerge from shelters after heavy fighting
By David Lomuria and Denis Dumo
JUBA, July 12 (Reuters) - People emerged from makeshift shelters in South Sudan's capital on Tuesday after a ceasefire silenced days of heavy fighting that has destabilised the world's newest nation.
Forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar had battled each other with anti-aircraft guns, attack helicopters and tanks since Thursday -- almost five years to the day since South Sudan declared independence from Sudan with promises of aid and support from world powers.
"We don't even know what is happening. These things, they just happen again and again, and the people of South Sudan are suffering. We need peace," Samson Kenyi, a 34-year-old motorcycle taxi rider said in the capital, Juba.
The violence has raised fears of a collapse of a nearly one-year-old peace deal that was supposed to end two years of ethnically charged civil war between Kiir and Machar's supporters.
Both leaders deny responsibility for starting the violence and had called for calm while it raged, leading to concerns that they have lost control of their forces or other political actors may be involved.
A ceasefire called on Monday night appeared to hold and officials from Machar's side said he was ready for talks. But there were no details of a meeting or an accord.
Shops were shut and residents said some of the civilians who ventured out were walking down Juba's dusty streets towards U.N. bases, where thousands have already sought safety during the clashes.
"Some of the many displaced from the recent fighting have come out to stretch their legs a little bit. They are in the streets. They are not moving far," said Jeremiah Young, a policy and peace-building adviser for aid group World Vision.
As well as fleeing to U.N. bases, other Juba residents had huddled in churches and schools to escape the fighting.
"The humanitarian needs are going to be very great after this," Young added by telephone. "They are going to need food, they are going to need shelter, they are going to need water."
The United Nations called for protection of those uprooted by fighting and easy movement of humanitarian supplies.
The African Union said anyone violating the ceasefire would "be subjected to stern measures, including targeted sanctions".
The European Union and United States previously imposed sanctions on several military leaders on both sides. But world powers and regional states have struggled in the past to find much leverage over the two men and their forces.
PEACE DEAL
The rival leaders, who have long fought in politics and on the battlefield, could meet or hold telephone talks to shore up the ceasefire, Machar's spokesman, James Gatdek Dak, said.
He said it was not clear when such talks might take place, and that a venue had to be agreed.
"Machar is committed to implementation of the peace agreement. If Kiir can reciprocate I believe they can build confidence," he said. "If one party is not committed to implementation of the peace agreement, I doubt that they will successfully agree to work together."
An international body, the JMEC, was set up to monitor the ceasefire and peace deal implementation, and it is chaired by Festus Mogae, a former president of Botswana. Machar's spokesman said the JMEC was mediating. The JMEC had no immediate comment.
The civil war, which broke out in December 2013 after Kiir sacked Machar, killed thousands of people, drove more than 2.5 million people from their homes and left almost half the nation of 11 million struggling to find enough food.
Oil production, a vital revenue source for the impoverished nation, has plummeted. Fighting often followed ethnic lines, pitting Machar's Nuer group against Kiir's Dinka.
Kiir's officials have said the president is committed to working with Machar to implement a peace deal to end that conflict. It was signed in August 2015 but was followed by months of wrangling over details and sporadic fighting around the country.
Machar returned to Juba in April, retaking the post of vice president, a move seen as a step towards securing the peace.
But the relationship between the rivals remains brittle and experts say the failure to implement elements of the peace deal, such as integrating their rival forces, has increased the chance of further fighting.
Machar's side says the flare-up on Thursday, which led to the street battles, was triggered by the shooting of one of the vice president's officers.
The United States has condemned the violence and said it would hold those who commit atrocities or impede efforts to stop the fighting "fully accountable".
LATAM Airlines shares soar as Qatar takes stake
By Conor Humphries and Rosalba O'Brien
FARNBOROUGH/SANTIAGO July 12 (Reuters) - Qatar Airways has agreed to acquire up to 10 percent of LATAM Airlines, the two companies said on Tuesday, in a $613 million deal that sent shares in Latin America's largest airline soaring.
The deal follows Qatar Airways' purchase last year of 15 percent of British Airways owner International Airlines Group , which, like Qatar and LATAM, is a member of the Oneworld airline alliance.
The move is part of a rapid global expansion by the Doha-based airline, which is due to talk to Italian carrier Meridiana later on Tuesday about the proposed purchase of a 49 percent stake.
Latin American airlines have struggled as a global commodities downturn has sapped growth and weakened currencies, but the region's growing middle class and untapped potential still make it an attractive target for foreign carriers.
For LATAM Airlines itself, the cash injection was a welcome boost, analysts said. Shares hit their highest level in over a year, up 20 percent to 5,400 pesos in Santiago and $8.20 in the U.S..
Formed in a merger between onetime investor darling Chile's LAN and Brazil's TAM in 2012, the company has repeatedly disappointed the market, with full-year earnings losses reported in the last four years.
It has reduced fleet spending and cut capacity, particularly from Brazil, and has said its recovery is dependent on an improvement in that country's economy.
The agreement provides for Qatar Airways to acquire up to 10 percent of LATAM's total shares following a capital increase.
"This investment provides potential opportunities for Qatar Airways' global network, alongside our successful investment in IAG," Qatar Airways' chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, told a media briefing at the Farnborough Airshow in England.
In coming weeks, LATAM will hold an extraordinary shareholders meeting to propose a capital increase of $613 million through the issuance of new shares at $10 per share, the companies said in a statement. The airline's controlling shareholder families have agreed to the transaction.
The deal will also give Qatar the right to name a board member, subject to approval by the rest of the board.
Action needed as decline in HIV cases stalls - U.N. AIDS agency
By Kate Kelland
LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) - The U.N. AIDS agency sounded the alarm on Tuesday saying a long-term decline in the number of new HIV infections in adults had stalled and action was needed to prevent a rebound in the global epidemic.
An estimated 1.9 million adults had become infected with HIV every year for at least the past five years. Globally, some 36.7 million were now infected, the United Nations AIDS agency (UNAIDS) said in a report.
New HIV infections among adults, defined as over 15 years old, were now rising in Eastern Europe, central Asia, the Caribbean and Middle East and North Africa, the report said.
"We are sounding the alarm," said Michel Sidibe, executive director of UNAIDS.
"We have a 5-year window of opportunity. If we miss this, we will have a rebound in this epidemic, we'll have resistance and we will not be able to control the epidemic and make sure that we end it by 2030," he told a news conference in Geneva.
The epidemic of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that causes AIDS has had a devastating impact since it began some 35 years ago. Since then, 35 million people have died from AIDS-related illnesses and an estimated 78 million have become infected with HIV.
Young women aged 15-24 years are at particularly high risk of HIV infection, accounting for 20 percent of new infections among adults globally last year, the report said.
"HIV prevention is not working for young women in sub-Saharan Africa. They need more options," Sidibe said.
In Eastern Europe and central Asia, which registered a 57 percent increase in annual new HIV infections over the last five years, about half of new infections are among people who inject drugs.
Russia and Ukraine account for 9 of 10 new infections in the two regions, Sidibe said, adding the epidemic was moving slowly from at-risk groups to the general population.
The World Health Organization says all people diagnosed with HIV should have immediate access to antiretroviral AIDS drugs, which hold the virus in check and give patients a good chance of a long and relatively healthy life.
But the UNAIDS report found only around 17 million patients worldwide - less than half of those diagnosed as HIV positive - are on treatment.
The UNAIDS report said significant progress had been made in stopping new HIV infections among children, with new cases down by more than 70 percent since 2001.
But the decline in new infections among adults had stalled, at a time when donor funding for the fight against AIDS had dropped to its lowest level since 2010, it said.
Austria moves to outlaw travel websites' ban on hotels undercutting prices
VIENNA, July 12 (Reuters) - Austria on Tuesday launched new legislation to outlaw travel websites' practice of forbidding hotels from offering rooms at lower prices on their own sites, following similar moves by France and Germany.
So-called parity clauses in contracts between online booking sites and hotels are common in the industry and have led to complaints by rivals and scrutiny by regulators across Europe.
The practice allows online travel agents such as Booking.com, part of U.S.-based Priceline Group, to claim they always offer the cheapest online rates available.
After a weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Vice Chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner, who is also Austria's economy minister, said the government had submitted to parliament a change in legislation that would ban the practice.
Lawmakers must now review it after their summer recess.
"At issue is that companies do not have to offer the same price as they currently do on the (online) platform but have the opportunity to make other arrangements, which increases hoteliers' room for manoeuvre," he told a news conference.
Mitterlehner said Austria was following similar moves by France and other countries. Germany's antitrust regulator ordered Booking.com in December to scrap parity clauses.
Booking.com issued a statement on Tuesday defending the practice, saying it increased transparency and comparability, adding that Austria's move threatened those advantages.
Ex-Barclays director pleads guilty in U.S. to passing tips to plumber
By Nate Raymond
NEW YORK, July 12 (Reuters) - A former director at Barclays Plc pleaded guilty on Tuesday to U.S. charges that he engaged in insider trading by tipping off a plumber friend to impending mergers that he learned about at the bank.
Steven McClatchey, 58, pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court to conspiracy and securities fraud charges, admitting that he provided stock tips to the plumber, Gary Pusey, who prosecutors say made $76,000 through his insider trading.
"I knew what I was doing was wrong," McClatchey said in court.
McClatchey, who worked at Barclays from 2008 to 2015, was arrested on May 31 amid a resurgence of insider trading cases in Manhattan, where prosecutors have wrestled with a 2014 appellate ruling that limited the scope of insider trading laws.
The ruling resulted in charges being dropped or dismissed for 14 defendants prosecuted by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who has overseen an insider trading crackdown that has resulted in 107 people being charged since 2009.
While 2015 resulted in a eight-year low of just four people being charged, the number of defendants so far in 2016 has hit 11.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation in New York City meanwhile says it has about 30 undisclosed probes into suspected insider trading schemes.
Prosecutors said that McClatchey, of Freeport, New York, was responsible for tracking all potential deals involving the British bank.
He began tipping Pusey, a friend he met through boating, as early as 2013, enabling the plumber to execute trades ahead of merger announcements involving 11 companies, including Forest Oil Corp and PetSmart Inc, prosecutors said.
In exchange, prosecutors said, Pusey paid thousands of dollars in cash to McClatchey, sometimes placing cash in a gym bag that McClatchey brought with him to a marina in Freeport, New York, and provided free bathroom renovation services.
Try Not To Get Locked In A Vault, Enter The Wormhole, And More In Wicker Park
By Sponsor in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 12, 2016 5:00AM
(Jim Kopeny/Chicagoist)
In case you haven't noticed, it's pretty warm 'round these parts. It's a time where nobody really wants to be working while the summer sun beams in (if you're lucky enough to have windows) and most folk would rather be "anywhere but here." As such, we'd like to think that summer is synonymous with "adventure season." It's a time where we all want to shed our hibernatory habits and go forth into parts unknown. (If this doesn't sound like you or your summer plans, come on, live a little.) The good news is that you don't have to travel far to discover untapped places of beauty and reverieand while the term staycation might feel like a cop out, in some parts of this great city, it surely is not. Trust us, "here" can actually be mighty fine. So, in partnership with Sanpellegrino Sparkling Fruit Beverages and their Delightways app, we're rising to the occasion and pleased to give you a little primer on a fan favorite neighborhood of oursWicker Parkand a few of the local hidden-in-plain-sight gems that make us tick, time and time again.
The history of Wicker Park reaches deep, from a thriving immigrant settlement at the turn of the century, to a rough artist haven, to the hip, affluent neighborhood that it is today. Wicker Park has had plenty of starring roles that helped shape its personality. One of those was in the 2000 film High Fidelity which was filmed all over the neighborhood, including the much-loved rock venue Double Door. Establishments like this gave Wicker Park it's rock reputation in the '90s when up and coming bands played there and lived nearby. Liz Phair famously wrote her breakout album, Exile In Guyville in the neighborhood, and MTV even filmed a season of The Real World here. There are many recognizable mainstays, but where do the locals really hang? We have a few thoughts. And trust us when we say Wicker Park is the perfect spot for a quick summer afternoon getawaywithout having to go very far at all.
(Jim Kopeny/Chicagoist)
Walgreens Vitamin Vault
Why the heck would you want to go out of your way to visit a Walgreens? Because this is the coolest Walgreens around, that's why. How many drug stores do you know of that keep their vitamins in a vault? The old Noble Bank building at the north point of Wicker Park's busy six-corner intersection sat empty for years before the flagship Walgreens store moved in. They kept many of the historical traits during renovation, including the "Vitamin Vault" in the basement, complete with safe deposit boxes and a huge round, steel door propped open with its inner workings on display. It's probably safe to say that these are the best protected supplements in town.
The Wormhole Delorean
Enter The Wormhole and go back in time to a decade when things were simpler. There's all kinds of nostalgia from the 1980s inside this coffee shop, including a real-life Delorean car just like the ones from Back to the Future. We half expect Marty, Doc or (God forbid) Biff to walk in while we're sipping on our Peanut Butter Koopa-Troopa and playing Nintendo in the back. Oh, and the coffee's pretty good, too.
The Violet Hour Murals
There's a bar on Damen Avenue that has no sign and a barely visible door. The one thing you can see is the constantly changing mural on the building's unassuming facade. The Violet Hour is an upscale establishment with strict house rules and an extensive cocktail menu. They've collaborated with many local artists on the mural designs that have ranged from sparse to abstract to cartoon over the nine years they've been open. They're always taking submissions for future murals, too, with a ready-to-go template on their website.
(Jim Kopeny/Chicagoist)
Chop Shop Rooftop Patio
On a warm sunny day, it's hard to find an outdoor patio in Wicker Park that isn't packed to the gills. Chicagoans know that they gotta get out there when they can since we've only got a few months of patio-worthy weather. Instead of putting your name in for an hours-long wait list, head over to Chop Shop's hidden rooftop patio. From the front window, Chop Shop looks like just another deli and butcher shop, but inside is a full bar and restaurant with a colorful outdoor space tucked away on the second floor. Stop in for lunch, brunch, dinner or a little something from their cocktail menu.
Movies in Wicker Park
Believe it or not, Wicker Park is an actual park in the heart of the neighborhood sharing it's name, and every few weeks during the summer, residents lay out blankets and lawn chairs for a movie at sundown. This year the "movies in the parks" series is slated to have a Winona Ryder theme, showing five of the actress's hit films from her heyday like Beetlejuice, Heathers and Edward Scissorhands.
Feeling like having a little adventure? We thought so! Go aheadbecause really, Violet Hour is definitely the best Hour. And alongside our friends at Sanpellegrino Sparkling Fruit Beverages, we encourage you to discover The Life Deliziosathe joy of wandering and the art of serendipity. Want to add a breath of fresh air to your journeys to come? Discover Delightways todayit's a curated journey-finding app full of local haunts and hidden gems that encourages you to rediscover the art of wanderingright here, at home in Chicago. Delighways helps you live The Life Deliziosa, reminding you that delight is not only in the destination, but in the moments of joy we find along the way. Traditional mapping apps, step aside!
If you've got a destination, take a chance on something new and discover the most delightful way there. Keep cool with a refreshing Sanpellegrino Sparkling Fruit Beverage and find your joy in the journey today.
This post is a sponsored collaboration between Sanpellegrino Sparkling Fruit Beverages and Gothamist staff.
Five political parties boycott Burundi peace talks
ARUSHA, Tanzania July 12 (Reuters) - Representatives of five parties that participated in Burundi's general election boycotted a second round of peace talks in the northern Tanzanian city of Arusha on Tuesday.
Burundi has been mired in crisis that has killed more than 450 people since President Pierre Nkurunziza pursued and won a third term last year. Opponents said his move violated the constitution and a peace deal that ended a civil war in 2005.
Dialogue in Bujumbura last year between the government and opponents failed to bridge differences, and talks mediated by Uganda earlier this year also swiftly stalled.
The five parties were unhappy over the decision of the mediator, former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, to invite Burundians accused of human rights violations and involvement in an attempted coup against Nkurunzinza in May 2015.
The five parties, FNL, FROLINA, PIEBU ABANYESHAKA, RADEBU and FRODEBU are concerned by the inclusion of Pacifique Nininahazwe of FOCODE party, Armel Ningoyere from ACT party in Burundi and Minani Jean in the dialogue.
"We are very surprised by their inclusion in the dialogue after all the humanitarian crisis they caused in Burundi," Jean Didier Mutabazi, RADEBU's president, told reporters at the venue of the talks.
"We don't see the point of continuing with the dialogue."
The government in Bujumbura also expressed its unhappiness over the inclusion of some participants with Willy Nyamitwe, Nkurunziza's communications adviser, complaining on Twitter.
"Jean Minani, Nininahazwe Pacifique, Armel Niyongere are being prosecuted and can't be invited in Burundi dialogue in Arusha," Nyamitwe wrote.
Earlier in the day, three former presidents of Burundi were seen walking out of a closed session chaired by Mkapa.
Domitien Ndayizeye, Sylvester Ntibatunganya and Pierre Buyoya demanded the arrest of Ninihazwe, and the other two wanted in Burundi, a source in the Burundian delegation said.
Arusha was also the location for negotiations that led to the deal to end the ethnically charged 1993 to 2005 civil war in Burundi.
Renewed violence in Burundi has alarmed a region where memories of the Rwanda's 1994 genocide remain raw. Like Rwanda, Burundi has an ethnic Hutu majority and a Tutsi minority.
Britain's FTSE 100 settles near 11-month high, mid-caps outperform
By Atul Prakash
LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) - Britain's top share index settled near an 11-month high on Tuesday while mid-caps rose nearly 1 percent as political uncertainty eased following the news Theresa May will be the next prime minister.
Gains in large-cap property-related stocks offset weakness in defensive sectors such as telecoms and healthcare that were investor magnets in the aftermath of June's Brexit vote.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 index closed at 6,680.69 points, flat in percentage terms but near its highest level since August last year.
The index has gained nearly 16 percent since its post-Brexit low on June 24 after the result came through that Britain had voted to quit the European Union, and is up more than 20 percent from its trough in February.
It is up only 11 percent in U.S. dollar terms in that period due to the sharp fall in sterling on concerns that the Brexit vote could lead the country into recession.
The domestically-focused mid-cap index once again outperformed the more globally-focused companies of the FTSE 100.
The FTSE 250 rose 0.6 percent and is now some 3 percent shy of its pre-EU referendum levels.
British financial markets rose after it became clear on Monday that Theresa May will succeed British Prime Minister David Cameron, who announced he was stepping down after Britons voted last month to quit the European Union. May's rival Andrea Leadsom abruptly ended her leadership campaign on Monday.
"Markets are continuing to cheer the fact that at least some degree of certainty has returned concerning the UK government," said Markus Huber, trader at City of London Markets.
"Traders might be content for now that a leadership crisis in the UK has been avoided."
Companies sensitive to domestic economic and political conditions were in demand, with the FTSE real estate index touching a two-week high after falling sharply following the UK referendum results.
Shares in UK housebuilders Taylor Wimpey, Barratt Developments and Persimmon also climbed, extending the previous session's rally.
Defensive and safe-haven companies lost ground, with telecom company Vodafone falling 1 percent, as investment bank Citigroup cut the stock to "neutral" from "buy".
Rising exports to cut U.S. corn stocks more than expected -USDA
By Mark Weinraub
WASHINGTON, July 12 (Reuters) - U.S. corn supplies will tighten more than expected in the coming months due to rising exports, but a bumper harvest will quickly re-stock grain bins, the government said on Tuesday.
A big soybean harvest also will help offset rising overseas demand for U.S. supplies of the oilseed, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department's monthly supply and demand report.
The government's surprise cut to its old-crop corn supplies estimate stemmed from harvest shortfalls in Brazil. USDA raised its estimate of old-crop U.S. corn exports by 75 million bushels and new-crop exports by 100 million due to crop problems in Brazil.
"People were leaning for a bearish report and they didn't really get it," said Jack Scoville, analyst at The Price Futures Group.
"Corn ending stocks are pretty bullish," he added, referring to what will be left at the end of the corn marketing year on Aug. 31.
Corn futures turned higher after the report hit the market, rallying 1.6 percent to session highs. Soybeans <_0S:_>, which had been trading in positive territory throughout the day, also hit their intraday peaks.
USDA pegged 2015/16 U.S. corn stocks at 1.701 billion bushels, down 7 million bushels from its June estimate. Analysts' forecasts had ranged from 1.708 billion bushels to 1.907 billion bushels, according to a Reuters poll.
USDA put new-crop corn stocks at 2.081 billion bushels, near the low end of expectations. U.S. corn production for 2016/17 was forecast at 14.540 billion bushels, 15 million bushels above the average market forecast. Soybean production was seen at 3.880 billion bushels.
Old-crop U.S. soybean stocks were seen at 350 million and new-crop soybean stocks at 290 million bushels, both in line with expectations.
USDA left its outlook for average corn and soybean yields unchanged, at 168.0 bushels per acre and 46.7 bushels per acre, respectively.
The government cut its estimate of 2015/16 Brazil corn production to 70.00 million tonnes from 77.50 million tonnes. It also trimmed its Brazil soybean harvest estimate to 96.50 million tonnes from 97.00 million tonnes.
For wheat, the USDA raised its 2016/17 U.S. production view to a bigger-than-expected 2.261 billion bushels from 2.077 billion, due to a robust winter wheat crop.
The government pegged winter wheat yields at a record 53.9 bushels per acre, up 3.4 bushels from its June estimate. The high yields will result in an all winter wheat crop of 1.628 billion bushels, above the high end of market forecasts that ranged from 1.505 billion bushels to 1.625 billion bushels.
Caribbean countries entangled by U.S. financial crackdown
By Yeganeh Torbati
BELIZE CITY, Belize, July 12 (Reuters) - Burdened by chronic back pain, Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow avoids traveling abroad, his colleagues say. But in January, he flew to Washington and visited one government agency after another on a singular mission: reconnecting his country to the U.S. financial system.
A U.S.-educated lawyer, Barrow made his case before agencies with chief oversight of American banks, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the U.S. Treasury's Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.
His Belizean delegation described how their country had been shunned over the last year by large, reputable American banks, a trend that threatens its tiny economy.
As banks scrub their books of potentially risky businesses amid a tightening regulatory noose, major U.S. financial institutions have ended relationships with regional banks across the Caribbean in the last four years, Caribbean officials and bank executives say.
This so-called "de-risking" or "de-banking," in which banks pull out of certain lines of business and even parts of the world, has intensified. Enhanced scrutiny on financial fraud and new regulations to stem money laundering and terror finance are all at play.
Yet the de-risking movement has triggered a collision of interests: As banks tighten controls, small, poor countries most dependent on trade say they're being unfairly cut off from global finance, a case made by Barrow.
"The regulators all agreed that absent a solution, our economies, our societies would go belly up," he recounted in a speech in February. But in the end, his group left Washington with little more than "tea and sympathy."
Just two banks in Belize maintain "correspondent banking relationships" with U.S. banks, Atlantic Bank and Scotiabank, each of which have international affiliations. Such bilateral links allow banks to finance trade, settle credit card payments and clear the U.S. dollar-denominated transactions that underpin global commerce.
De-risking threatens the fragile economy of Belize, a country the size of New Jersey with a population of 375,000, a 40 percent poverty rate and an economy based on farming and tourism. Businesses now must set aside weeks to make routine payments to suppliers abroad that used to take moments. Desperate to pass muster with American banks, Belizean banks have dropped customers carrying potential risks, including cash remittance services used by many people working abroad.
Every day, Belizeans struggle to surmount trade barriers.
In south Belize City on a June weekday, Yvonne Williams visited a Western Union agent, tucked inside a Chinese-owned grocery, with her two granddaughters. The nursing assistant lives near Boston and is building a home in Belize for her retirement.
It is becoming harder to send money to Belize, Williams said. She tried to send $700 from the United States to Belize about three months ago for construction on her home, but the transaction was delayed, and she couldn't pay her workers. She believes the size of the transfer attracted attention.
"The last couple times I tried to send, Western Union said they couldn't send it," said Williams, 63. "They had to wait a couple days and it affected my work here."
Santander Group, a Guatemalan company with a major investment in Belize, has had trouble bringing cash in and out of the country and closing financing from international banks for its sugar mill, which employs around 700, said director Edgar Hernandez.
"Ten banks have been willing to lend us money, but not us in Belize," Hernandez said. "We are exporting everything that we produce, so every time you have commercial activity and you don't necessarily have the proper network banking-wise to channel those funds, that creates transactional costs."
What's happening in the Caribbean is part of a larger saga, in which tighter banking controls are prompting the world's top financial institutions to avoid not just known terrorist groups but also cash remittance services, charities, foreign embassies, and other classes of customers, many of whom have no role in criminal activity. That conflict threatens global goals of providing financial access to the world's poor.
"The devastation that this can cause to the economies in the islands is horrific," said John Beale, the Barbados ambassador to the United States. "How does a hotel carry out their business in terms of credit cards? How do they get compensated?"
Caribbean countries are vulnerable because they depend on foreign trade to survive. Belize's currency is pegged to the U.S. dollar, and the United States is its most important trading partner.
It is too soon to trace broad economic impact to lost banking ties. In 2015, for instance, Belize received $82.4 million in remittances, compared to $78 million the previous year, according to the central bank.
Yet evidence exists de-risking is driving business to a hidden world of cash transactions that will make it harder for regulators and law enforcement to track money flows.
One Belize businessman, who declined to be named, said in order to pay a loan in Belize, he must travel to another Caribbean country to withdraw U.S. dollars and carry the cash back to Belize. "I do that every month," he said. "I can't send a wire from my bank to my loan account in Belize."
Regulators say the requirements prevent fraud. Banks must make their own decisions about their customers based on risk, they say, and the United States does not advocate broad de-risking.
Daniel Glaser, the Treasury's assistant secretary for terrorist financing, said the agency is working with Caribbean countries to better understand the challenges to correspondent banking, improve their banking supervision and clarify regulators' expectations. "We recognize how vital access to the U.S. financial system is for developing countries like those in the Caribbean region," Glaser said in a statement.
CRISIS SPARKS CRACKDOWN
The 2008 financial crisis shone a harsh light on banking misdeeds and stoked public anger at Wall Street, whose loose housing loans helped spark an economic collapse. It also provided an incentive for regulators to attack financial fraud.
Abuses were eye-opening. In 2012, HSBC agreed to pay nearly $2 billion in fines to U.S. authorities for allowing itself to be used by cartels to launder drug money flowing out of Mexico, among other lapses, and acknowledged it had failed to conduct basic due diligence.
One case in particular casts a long shadow today: a nearly $9 billion penalty levied on BNP Paribas in 2014 to resolve accusations it violated U.S. sanctions against Sudan, Cuba and Iran.
Banks reacted by ramping up compliance departments and poring through their books for any business that might invite extra scrutiny.
"There is a sense that for a period of time now, it's been open season on the banks," said Tom Keatinge, director of the Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies at the Royal United Services Institute. "Nobody wants to be the next HSBC or BNP Paribas. You're not going to take a risk."
The Caribbean appears to be the worst-hit of all regions by the new scrutiny, a World Bank survey found last year.
Caribbean states - with their small populations and economies - offer miniscule profits for banks and are seen as hubs for offshore banking, susceptible to money laundering, tax evasion and the narcotics trade flowing from South America. Most banks simply do not see it as worth their while to do business against these risks, experts say.
"We were told by one large bank that if your bank does not have about $2 billion in assets, it is not feasible for us to do business with you," said Glenford Ysaguirre, Belize's central bank governor. Barrow declined an interview request.
Belize's entire financial system has assets of less than $3 billion, according to the International Monetary Fund.
Banks have good reason to be wary in the Caribbean, some say. Several Caribbean countries including Belize are on the State Department's 2016 list of countries that present a "primary concern" for money laundering. And the release of the Panama Papers, documents leaked from a Panamanian law firm this year with information on 214,000 offshore companies, has renewed regulatory focus on the region. More than 100 offshore companies registered in Belize were named in the documents.
"Let's be honest, everybody knows what the purpose of an offshore bank was. It's for you to hide your money somewhere else," said Arturo Vasquez, chief executive of the Port of Belize and former president of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "Uncle Sam wants Belize to make a big arrest, and we have not been able to do that."
The Belize government "continues to encourage offshore financial activities that are vulnerable to money laundering and terrorist financing," the State Department concluded. In 2011, the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force, a regional body focused on money laundering and terrorist finance, noted Belize had few convictions for money laundering and no enforceable requirements for banks to verify customers' legal status.
By 2015, the task force said Belize had made significant progress in addressing the problems in its anti-money laundering regulations, citing "evidence of Belize's commitment to deal with the deficiencies."
Caribbean officials contend concerns over fraud are hypocritical. U.S. states including Delaware, Wyoming and Nevada are hotbeds for the formation of anonymous shell companies, which have legitimate purposes but also enable corporate secrecy.
U.S. officials say banking rules meant to target money laundering and terrorist finance do not mandate the wholesale abandonment of classes of customers. Risks should be managed rather than avoided, they say.
"The United States has never advocated a standard of perfection," Adam Szubin, Treasury's acting under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, told bankers in November.
BELIZE BANK: A CASE STUDY
For Belize Bank, the country's largest commercial bank by assets, disaster arrived November 20, 2014, in the form of a two-page letter, the contents of which were described to Reuters. Bank of America was ending its 35-year relationship.
"We were so shocked that immediately we called the central bank, immediately we spoke to the prime minister," said Filippo Alario, Belize Bank's chief risk officer. "We've never seen this happen anywhere."
Ysaguirre and Barrow visited Bank of America's executives in Miami shortly afterward.
Bank of America officials cited a "complex matrix of factors" in deciding whether to maintain a relationship, and said there was nothing Belize Bank could do, Ysaguirre recounted. "They were saying that they are compelled to do what they are doing because of the pressure from their regulators," he said.
Bank of America declined to comment.
The bank originally gave Belize Bank until January 2015 before the account would be closed, but agreed to an extension until the end of April. Shortly after, Bank of America dropped two other Belizean banks.
Bank of America gave little detail for its decision, Alario said, leaving Belize Bank scrambling to figure out what it had done wrong. "We asked them, 'Is there anything that you have seen that caused you concern?' And they said no," he recounted.
The shutdowns were just one corner of a larger trend across the Caribbean.
A bank in Antigua and Barbuda lost its relationship with Bank of America around March of this year, said Ronald Sanders, the country's ambassador to the United States. He declined to name the bank because it is trying to find another banking relationship.
Citibank ended its relationship with Belize's central bank in June, although the central bank still has correspondent relationships with other U.S. banks, Ysaguirre said. Citibank declined to comment.
Five financial institutions in the Bahamas, representing some 19 percent of the country's banking system's assets, have recently lost one or more correspondent banking relationships, an IMF report in June said. Disruptions can be temporary.
Across five Caribbean countries, at least 16 banks had lost all or some of their correspondent banking relationships as of this May, the IMF said.
In February, the Moody's rating service predicted that 80 percent of Belize's banking system was likely to lose correspondent and credit card settlement services by mid-year. Businesses are feeling the impact.
Belize Electric Company Limited, a Canadian-owned company and Belize Bank customer, hasn't been able to make a large payment to vendors abroad since February, said Chief Executive Officer Lynn Young. "Quite a few of our suppliers are kinda freaking out," Young said. The company is exploring options with Scotiabank.
Brett Feinstein, managing director of Benny's, a Belizean construction supplies retailer, said he has been forced to turn away new lines of revenue. One customer wanted Benny's to import a $150,000 excavator, but he declined. "If I divert the U.S. dollars to that business, it might affect my day-to-day, bread-and-butter business," he said.
With no clarity about why Bank of America dropped it, Belize Bank began its own de-risking campaign - closing accounts for remittance services catering to people with little access to traditional banks.
Migrants use the services to send earnings home, and cash transfers help keep families out of poverty. In Jamaica, remittances as a percentage of gross domestic product were 16.9 percent in 2015, the World Bank said. The figure was 7.7 percent in the Dominican Republic and 4.8 percent in Belize.
Caribbean states are both recipients and sources of remittances - Central American immigrants working in Belize, for instance, send earnings back home.
"It is really detrimental to the bottom-of-the-pyramid crowd," said Dilip Ratha, a World Bank economist. "Remittances were one simple form of financial transaction that often brought them to the periphery of the financial system."
LOBBY PUSH
Caribbean officials and executives are redoubling their efforts in Washington to encourage regulators to be clearer with U.S. banks about their expectations, while trying to make themselves more attractive to banks.
There has been talk of Caribbean states banding together to establish a commercial bank in the United States to serve their diasporas and provide correspondent services to banks in the region.
Caribbean officials have raised the de-risking issue during forums in Washington and the Caribbean region, pressing everyone from President Barack Obama on down. U.S. officials have expressed sympathy for Belize's plight, yet little action has followed.
For affected countries and the United States, new risks exist.
Belize Bank has cleared some U.S. dollar transactions and maintained a toehold in the United States by using a bank in Turkey, and previously used a Chinese bank, Alario said. The use of intermediate accounts to access the United States, or "nesting," can make transactions less transparent.
"We don't have a U.S. correspondent bank. We nest," Alario said at a de-risking panel in Belize City in June. "It's not ideal but that's all we have to do to continue."
In February, Moody's warned that Belize could face "significant disruptions" to tourism, trade and foreign investment after losing its banking links. About 60 percent of tourist spending in Belize involves credit card transactions settled by correspondent banks.
Historically, the Caribbean has cooperated closely with the United States, interdicting drug flows and hosting U.S. naval and air stations. Yet now some transactions that used to occur in U.S. dollars are being conducted in euros and Chinese yuan.
"What I don't understand is why the United States at the government level, diplomatic level, at the political level would not see the harm that this is doing to its relationship with countries that are on its doorstep," said Ambassador Sanders, of Antigua and Barbuda.
Migrant flows to EU eased after Turkey deal, "front line" moved to Italy
By Matthias Blamont and Chine Labbe
PARIS, July 12 (Reuters) - The flow of refugees and migrants to Europe has slowed since April when the European Union sealed a deal with Turkey to halt illegal traffic across the Aegean Sea, the region's border agency chief said on Tuesday.
Since then, Italy has replaced Greece as the migration "front line", with hundreds crossing the Mediterranean from Libya every day, Fabrice Leggeri, head of Frontex, the agency in charge of protecting the EU's external borders, said.
"For the first six months of 2016, there were 360,000 illegal entries in the EU, which is higher than what we saw last year, but the influx has been diminishing since April," Leggeri told France's Europe 1 radio.
In 2015, Frontex recorded more than 1.5 million irregular crossings into Europe, mostly by people entering Greece before heading north to Germany and Sweden, fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, North Africa and elsewhere.
Leggeri said the "new front line" was now Italy where about 750 people, mostly from sub-Saharan and Western Africa, arrived each day compared with about 50 in Greece.
A Frontex spokesman said the EU-Turkey deal, under which Ankara agreed to halt illegal migration in return for financial and political rewards, and the closure of the Greece-Macedonia border earlier this year, were the two main reasons behind the declining figures.
Malta-based charity Migrant Offshore Aid Station said one of its rescue ships had recovered the bodies of four migrants and rescued around 400 people on Tuesday from an overcrowded wooden boat en route to Italy from Libya.
Frontex, which will soon be renamed the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, is increasing staff numbers and funding to boost controls at EU frontiers.
Border protection will remain a national responsibility and the agency will continue to rely on EU capitals for contributions to a proposed pool of 1,500 border guards ready for quick deployment to crisis spots.
Inspired by the "stress tests" carried out annually by the European Banking Authority to assess the stability of the EU's financial system, Leggeri said his organisation wanted to conduct checks to ensure states implemented efficient border policies.
"We are currently looking for volunteering countries to establish a methodology," he told reporters.
New M&S boss tells investors recovery plan is different this time
By James Davey
LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) - The new boss of Marks & Spencer appealed to the British retailer's army of private shareholders to back his attempt to revive its clothing business, but some attendees at Tuesday's annual investor meeting remained fearful of another false dawn.
Steve Rowe, a 26-year M&S veteran who succeeded Marc Bolland as chief executive in April, has pledged to turn around the clothing business by improving ranges and availability, cutting prices and offering fewer promotions.
His plan came with a warning of a short-term dent to sales and profit and last week the 132-year-old group reported its worst quarterly clothing sales fall for a decade.
Rowe said in May that he would focus on the retailer's average customer, a 50-year-old woman he described as "Mrs M&S", who had been neglected in the pursuit of younger, more fashion-conscious shoppers.
"I know that it's a big ask for me to stand here today with a new set of ideas and ask you to trust me that things will be different this time," Rowe told a packed meeting at London's Wembley Stadium complex.
"(But) I firmly believe that we can return our clothing business to positive growth."
Small private shareholders account for about a quarter of M&S equity, prompting Rowe to take steps to counter the most vocal perennial AGM complainers by inviting a group to a shareholder panel "tea party" last month.
The tone of Tuesday's meeting was generally positive, with one shareholder, a Mr Clark, describing the CEO's speech as "inspirational stuff".
Some, however, were unconvinced.
A Mrs Smith introduced herself as "not Mrs M&S" and questioned whether management understands its customers.
"In my view, the remark about Mrs M&S shows that you don't," she said.
"It was in my opinion the most disastrous piece of marketing since Gerald Ratner extolled the virtues of his silver-plated dinner set," she added, in a reference to an infamous speech given by the boss of jewellery chain Ratners in 1991.
"It does suggest to me that you still live in the world where women dress from head to toe in one brand -- we don't ... We're individuals and we don't like being labelled."
Shares in M&S, down 38 percent over the past year, rose 1.5 percent to 334 pence at Tuesday's close.
Russia says willing to consider U.N. arms embargo on South Sudan
By Michelle Nichols
UNITED NATIONS, July 12 (Reuters) - U.N. Security Council veto power Russia said on Tuesday it was willing to consider imposing an arms embargo on South Sudan and that sending more troops could help stabilize the world's newest nation after days of heavy fighting in the capital Juba.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday called for the 15-member Security Council to impose an arms embargo on the oil-producing nation, a move backed by the United States, France, Britain, Angola and other council members.
Russia said in January it was against an arms embargo, but on Tuesday Russian U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said that he was "not completely opposed" to the measure, though he was wary of whether it would actually achieve anything.
"We could do an arms embargo tomorrow and nothing will change so we need to have a comprehensive view of the situation," Churkin told reporters. "An arms embargo is not a magic wand, a recipe for averting the worst there. So we need to give some serious thought to what can be done."
"We're not completely opposed ... it's definitely a very difficult situation, so together with other members of the Security Council we are thinking about what can be done," he said.
A day-old ceasefire appeared to be holding on Tuesday, barring sporadic gunfire, the United Nations said.
Forces loyal to South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar had battled each other with anti-aircraft guns, attack helicopters and tanks since Thursday, almost five years to the day since South Sudan declared independence from Sudan with promises of aid and support from world powers.
Kiir and Machar have wrangled for months over implementing a peace deal the pair signed in August to end a brutal civil war, which broke out in December 2013 after Kiir sacked Machar.
The Security Council said on Sunday it was ready to consider enhancing the U.N. peace-keeping mission in South Sudan and urged countries in the region to prepare to send additional troops if the council decides to increase the nearly 13,500-strong force.
"I think it's quite likely," said Churkin.
Iran summons French ambassador over dissident meeting in Paris
DUBAI, July 12 (Reuters) - Iran summoned the French ambassador on Tuesday to protest about a meeting held in Paris by Iranians in exile who seek the overthrow of the Islamic Republic.
The rally was held on Saturday by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, the political wing of the Mujahideen-e-Khalq Organisation (MKO), a group that waged armed struggle against the Iranian government after the 1979 revolution and assassinated dozens of its top officials.
The MKO sided with Saddam Hussein during Iraq's war with Iran in the 1980s but fell out of favour with Baghdad after he was toppled by the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
"The gathering held by those whose hands are stained by the blood of the Iranian people ... is unacceptable," Abolghassem Delfi, director of the West Europe department at Iran's Foreign Ministry, was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.
The Paris rally was addressed by Prince Turki al-Faisal, former chief of Saudi Arabia's intelligence services, who openly supported MKO's struggle against the Iranian government.
Chubb sees higher catastrophe losses due to storms, wildfires
July 12 (Reuters) - Property and casualty insurer Chubb Ltd estimated natural catastrophe losses for the second quarter to be about 54 percent higher than the first quarter, indicating another quarter of high losses due to natural disasters for insurers.
Multiple weather events in the United States, which included hail storms in Texas, earthquakes in Japan and Ecuador, floods in Europe and wildfires in Fort McMurray in Canada were among the natural catastrophes covered in the company's loss estimate.
The Zurich-based insurer said on Tuesday it expects pre-tax losses to total $390 million in the second quarter, exceeding its original projection of $280 million. The losses include $320 million due to catastrophes in North America.
Losses due to catastrophes are estimated to be $315 million after tax, compared with $204 million reported in the first quarter.
In the first quarter, insurers such as Allstate, Travelers Cos Inc and Progressive Corp reported sharp increases in catastrophe losses due to storms in Texas that toppled power lines and damaged structures.
Travelers, which is considered a bellwether for the insurance industry, is expected to report its second-quarter earnings next week.
Airbus bags Asian deals as Farnborough struggles to take off
By Tim Hepher and Cyril Altmeyer
FARNBOROUGH, England, July 12 (Reuters) - Airbus bagged deals worth $20 billion to seize the initiative at a rain-soaked Farnborough Airshow on Tuesday, but industry executives said the mostly lacklustre event confirmed a recent boom in aircraft orders was finally fizzling out.
AirAsia Chief Executive Tony Fernandes flew into the UK to finalise an order for 100 Airbus A321neo jets to support the low-cost airline's expansion, confident of striking a deal at bargain prices as planemakers brace for a slowdown.
The 185-seat A321neo is worth $125.7 million per plane at list prices, but AirAsia is expected to pay a fraction of that after placing orders for hundreds of jets and establishing itself as one of Airbus's largest customers.
Fernandes told a news conference the A321neos were in addition to the A320neos, and not replacements. Some of the new jets would be for the Malaysian-based airline's leasing business, he added.
"With this aircraft we believe we will hit 100 million passengers in the not-too-distant future," Fernandes said, adding negotiations started over a meal in an Iranian restaurant in London last year, for which he said he paid the bill.
People familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday that AirAsia was studying a dual listing in Hong Kong and moving towards setting up a joint venture in China as part of plans to become a pan-Asian player.
The company said in a statement earlier on Tuesday that it was not currently pursuing any new joint venture proposals and was not formally considering a dual-listing.
But Fernandes told reporters that if AirAsia had an opportunity to be in China, "we will 100 percent be there."
AirAsia was interested in connecting secondary and tertiary cities in China, he said, adding the company's new head of North Asia had a very clear mandate to build businesses in that area.
The plane order triggered fraught last-minute negotiations for the contract to supply engines, with papers spread out in the corner of an airline award ceremony, but AirAsia was not expected to drop usual supplier CFM for rival Pratt & Whitney.
Separately, India's GoAir said it had signed a preliminary agreement to buy 72 A320neos, worth around $7.7 billion at current list prices and doubling an existing order.
QATAR BUYS INTO LATAM
Europe's Airbus and U.S. rival Boeing have enjoyed years of strong growth thanks to rising air travel and demand for new fuel-efficient models.
On Monday, they both increased their forecasts for aircraft demand over the next 20 years, betting rising wealth in Asia would continue to boost airline passenger numbers.
But analysts are worried growing risks to the global economy, from slowing growth in China to Britain's decision to leave the European Union, could dry up orders or even lead to some cancellations.
Indeed, air show participants report a lower level of dealmaking than in recent years.
Airbus sales chief John Leahy expressed confidence that record production plans would be upheld, thanks in part to a strategy of building up spare orders, but some airlines that have dominated previous events are widely said to be quietly rescheduling their orders for Airbus or Boeing jets.
"For both Boeing and Airbus, the question still isn't whether or not all the aircraft they produce will have a taker, but who this taker will be and at what price," said Bertrand Grabowski, managing director at Germany's DVB Bank.
Fernandes said his airline, which now has ordered a total of 575 Airbus jets, saw brisk growth across the region and could have bought even more. The airline had come through recent share price turbulence and "stuck to its guns," he added.
But several aerospace delegates and analysts expressed concern at what they see as a rush to supply airplanes to the Southeast Asia region and elsewhere, with uncertain implications for investors in manufacturers like Airbus and Boeing.
"They are valued off an optimistic picture of 2019 and 2020, not off a very expensive and underpeforming near term," said Agency Partners Nick Cunningham.
Underscoring the growing clout of Asia and the Middle East in the industry, Qatar Airways meanwhile announced a deal to buy up to 10 percent of Latin America's largest airline LATAM Airlines in a $613 million deal.
That follows the Gulf airline's purchase last year of 15 percent of British Airways owner International Airlines Group , which like Qatar and LATAM is a member of the Oneworld airline alliance.
Boeing said an undisclosed Chinese customer had signed a commitment for 30 of its 737 family of planes, in a deal worth more than $3 billion at list prices, while European travel firm TUI finalised an order for 10 737 MAX 8 jets and one 787-9, worth $1.4 billion at catalogue prices.
Airbus confirmed an order from German airline Germania for 25 A320neos, worth $2.6 billion, confirming a Reuters report.
Visitors Ate 10,000 Cheeseburgers At Taste Of Chicago This Year
By Gwendolyn Purdom in Food on Jul 12, 2016 4:02PM
Photo by Jessica Mlinaric/Chicagoist
By the time clean-up crews arrived in Grant Park to wrangle mountains of discarded beer cups and grease-stained paper plates Sunday, an estimated 1.4 million people had passed through the 36th Annual Taste of Chicago gates, according to the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. This year's attendance was on-par with last year's and up from 2014 when the yearly fest only drew 1.1 million fried-food-aficionados (and some pretty terrible weather). Final sales and revenue aren't yet determined, but profits have fluctuated in past years. Throughout the five-day event, attendees were treated to a last-minute performance by Chance the Rapper, were joined by demonstrators protesting police brutality, and noshed on 10,500 Italian beef sandwiches from Frannies.
Here's a breakdown of more of this year's festivities by the numbers:
14,600: The number of cheese and sausage slices served up by Connie's Pizza
11: The number of pop-up eateries that stuck around for just a day or two
8,000: The number of Cuban pork tamales sold by Dia De Los Tamales (Fun fact: according to the DCASE press release, those tamales laid out end-to-end would add up to 2,000 feet)
14: The number of people arrested Saturday during marches and rallies protesting police brutality, according to police
20,000: The number of watermelon Italian ices Franco's Ristorante sold
0: The number of "blunt wraps" trumpeter and Chance the Rapper collaborator Donnie Trumpet received from the City of Chicagodespite specifically requesting three packs of Backwoods brand cigars to use for blunts as part of his payment for playing the Taste, the Tribune reported
30,000: The number of roasted turkey legs purchased from Miller's Pub
900: The amount of fudge, in pounds, sold by The Fudge Pot
26,208: The ears of corn on the cob sold by O'Briens Restaurant and Bar (no word on how many packages of floss were purchased afterward to help attendees remove said corn from their teeth)
60,000: The number of pot stickers sold by Star of Siam
19: The number of sponsors for this year's event including Bud Light, CH Distillery, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Transit Authority, Communications Direct, CLTV-Chicagolands Television, Elis Cheesecake Company, Humana, Illinois Lottery, Lifeway Foods, Pepsi, Shoreline Sightseeing, Southwest Airlines, V103, WBEZ, WGN-TV, WGCI, 101 WKQX and 93XRT.
20,412: The slices of Eli's Cheesecake sold
Countless: The cases of intense heartburn and bittersweet indigestion caused by this year's event, we assume
Brazil customs' workers to strike ahead of Olympics
BRASILIA, July 12 (Reuters) - Brazilian customs workers will start an indefinite strike on Thursday over wage increases, their union said on Tuesday, just three weeks ahead of the Olympics when thousands of tourists are expected to flock the South American country.
The Sindifisco union of federal tax auditors, who are in charge of customs and other tax monitoring duties, voted on Friday for the strike to pressure the government to honor its promise to raise their wages by 5.5 percent starting in August, union President Claudio Damasceno said in an interview.
A crippling political and economic crisis as well as the spread of the mosquito-borne Zika virus have raised questions about Brazil's ability to successfully host the world's biggest sporting event for the first time ever in South America.
Local authorities expect more than 500,000 foreign tourists to land in the coastal city of Rio de Janeiro for the Olympics, which start on Aug. 5.
"If the strike continues by then it will certainly disrupt the Olympics," said Damasceno, whose union represents 10,400 tax auditors across the country. "We know this is an important international event and hope that the government can resolve this issue before it starts."
Tax auditors plan to down tools every Tuesday and Thursday until the government issues a decree to raise their wages, Damasceno said.
The planning ministry said in a statement that it was reviewing wage agreements inked by suspended President Dilma Rousseff earlier this month.
Rousseff has been suspended while she faces an impeachment trial for allegedly breaking fiscal rules. She has been replaced by her vice president, Michel Temer.
The strike would cost the cash-strapped government about 1.5 billion reais ($455 million) in tax revenue every month, Damasceno estimated.
Its catchy, isnt it? Many an Einstein has crawled out of the woodwork and offered his or her two cents worth (watch the rupee rate folks) since Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in J&K last week. So, why not let the one with a 160+ IQ get a word in on nationalism.
The Kashmir unrest, always a stones throw from bubbling over, is once again in focus. It has drowned out the drum beats from Tanzania and even the flood havoc in Assam and Madhya Pradesh.
The Islamic radicals and Hindu supremacists are neither patriots nor nationalists.
Now we have the brickbrats out on the streets in the Valley, chucking pebbles in troubled waters where Pakistan has already dipped its fishing line.
Then there are the BJP-bewitched keyboard warriors who, thankfully, have no influence over anyone of consequence, but are trying to flash their virtual valour by calling for Kashmir to be nuked, or egging on the security forces to gun down anyone who comes out in Wanis support.
I dont think Einstein ever said, Kashmir is a complex issue. But everyone else has. The BJP, which is in power at the Centre and in J&K, has a unique opportunity to solve it. So far, it has shown little promise and plenty of ungainliness.
Most governments in the recent past, except perhaps Atal Bihari Vajpayees, have been the same way with enough vested interests from the security forces, police, bureaucracy and politics rooting for the current situation to continue.
But, while the ruling BJP is yet to produce a far-sighted and competent Kashmir policy, it has allowed its leaders and members from affiliated groups to raucously raise a Hindu nationalist battle cry that the Kashmiri nationalists have bristled against. This has strengthened the symbiotic relationship between the radicals on both sides.
The partys promises to resettle the Pandits too are starting to ring hollow. Members of the community, living in different parts of the country, say until political uncertainty and violence exist in the Valley, the chances of their return are faint.
Analysts say Kashmir needs to be brought into the mainstream of Indias daily life, supported by a democratic consensus that cuts across political divisions and a big development push. Allowing peaceful protests and expression of dissent would also help curb spasmodic violence.
Kashmiri nationalists canvass for a separate ethnic identity called Kashmiriyat that consolidates Kashmiris of all faiths and ethnic groups. However, this pro-independence fervour has been muddied considerably by jihadi forces backed by Pakistan and many of the original proponents now merely cling to political Islam.
While nationalism, which George Orwell described as power hunger tempered by self-deception, is hardly a virtue as it feeds on hate and insecurity, most of its so-called practitioners from the Sangh Parivar and their internet imitators are merely Hindu supremacists offended not only by Indias multiculturalism, but even liberal values as such.
Burhan Wani was no hero. But a remarkable fact is that there is a great deal of continuity between Indias colonial and post-colonial policies in dealing with the recalcitrant regions of Kashmir and the Northeast.
The Supreme Court last week said soldiers cant use excessive or retaliatory force even in troubled places and agreed to an investigation into more than 1,500 alleged illegal killings by security forces in Manipur, in the strongest judicial rebuke yet of the armys special shoot-to-kill powers, which trace their origins to a British-era ordinance used to suppress the 1942 Quit India movement.
Maybe the residents of these regions are not nationalistic enough to appreciate the efficacy of human rights violation in the process of nation- building and in preserving our vibrant democracy.
But would the social media pundits who soldier on behind AFSPA then urge the government to extend the law to other parts so as to create a spirit of union throughout our great country?
The challenges faced by our security forces in the violence-racked regions are very real, but theres no doubt that the Act has managed to polarise the very societies it was supposed to help knit back into India.
The same imperious tendencies are also popular among the avowed nationalists of all hues with a noticeable disdain for the intelligentsia and liberals who back diversity and free thought.
Many of the intellectuals and secular charlatans with perceived, or actual, political leanings have done their own cause no favour by exposing themselves to be completely divorced from the needs of the masses and subservient to a particular dispensation.
However, it is possible to be deeply loyal to the country, have immense concern for the well-being of its people, while opposing nationalism. All patriots are not nationalists, and vice versa.
It is heartless to say that the slaughter of 23 people, mostly foreigners, at a bakery in Dhakas posh suburb of Gulshan few days before the end of the holy month of Ramzan, was waiting to happen. But that is really the case.
So, what next? would be a logical question easily asked than answered.
The inability of Sheikh Hasinas government to bring to book those who carried out the lone wolf attacks to kill 30 people including secularists, foreigners and many non Muslims during the last 15 months probably encouraged the jihadi elements to mount the concerted Dhaka attack.
But there are bigger political reasons hobbling Bangladeshs war against jihadi terrorism.
Khaleda Zias machinations
Prime Minister Hasina saw them merely as violent attempts to destabilise her rule by Begum Khaleda Zia-led opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its fundamentalist coalition partner Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), than as instances of globally manifesting jihadi extremist activity.
Obviously, PM Hasinas long political struggle to overcome the BNP-JeI opposition that had been hounding her and the Awami League (AL) after her father Mujibur Rahmans assassination in 1975 continues to prevent her from taking a dispassionate look at the terrorist situation.
As a result, the Bangladesh government had been busying trying to read the fine print to identify the involvement of BNP and JeI elements in the sporadic killings for nearly two years.
In this process, important indicators of the Islamic States efforts to step up their activities in South Asia, and in particular Bangladesh, seem to have been missed out.
This is understandable as it was Major General Ziaur Rahman, husband of Begum Khaleda, who usurped power in a military coup taking advantage of the turbulence after Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family were assassinated in 1975.
It was Zia who condoned the killers of Mujibur Rahman and soft-pedalled the JeI leaders collusion with the Pakistan army in the massacre of thousands of Bengali intellectuals and professionals, in order to gain their support.
It was also Zia, who founded the BNP to legitimise his power and started hobnobbing with fundamentalist elements to rewrite the secular credentials of the country, which had been an article of faith of the AL.
Islamic extremism of BNP, JeI and JMB
By and large, Bangladesh Muslims are Sufis with a moderate worldview of their religion. However, thanks to Saudi Arabian support, Wahabism with its fundamentalist discourse has been making steady inroads into the country.
After Zias assassination, General HM Ershad took over power till he was forced to hold democratic elections. Begum Khaleda Zia led the BNP-JeI coalition to power. Their rule enabled Taliban-loving fundamentalist groups like the JeI and Nizam-e-Islami (NeI) to get entrenched in Bangladesh body politics.
It was also the period that saw heightened activity of the Al Qaeda affiliate Harkat-ul Jihad al Islami (HUJI) which established its tentacles in Bangladesh. HUJI was the prime suspect in a plot to assassinate PM Sheikh Hasina in 2000 after she came to power. HUJI was also believed to have been involved in a number of bombings carried out in 2005 that led to its ban.
The BNP-JeI coalition chose to ignore the rise of the Jamatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) fundamentalist extremists led by Bangla Bhai Siddiqul Islam that terrorised the AL and the nation.
Even Sheikh Hasina was not spared of their wrath; according to the AL, she has survived 19 attempts on her life by various opposition groups including fundamentalist parties, JMB and the BNP.
It is heartless to say that the slaughter of 23 people, mostly foreigners, at a bakery in Dhakas posh suburb of Gulshan few days before the end of the holy month of Ramzan, was waiting to happen.
The JMB, which had Taliban links, grew bold enough to explode 500 small bombs in a span of half an hour in 50 towns in 63 of the 65 districts across the country on August 17, 2005. This led to the banning and arrest of JMB leaders and cadres.
After Bangla Bhai and six other JMB leaders were apprehended and executed in March 2007, the JMB was dormant for some time.
Their morale was shattered when PM Hasina, during her second tenure, prosecuted 53 leaders largely from JeI but also from ML, NeI, BNP and Jatiyo Party for war crimes against Bangladesh.
This deprived jihadi extremists the political patronage they had enjoyed which was vital for their survival.
Encroachment from Al Qaeda and ISIS
The decision of the Al Qaeda and the Islamic State to expand their tentacles into South Asia in 2014 found a fertile ground in Bangladesh. It provided rallying points for the JMB and other jihadi outfits like the Al Qaeda-inspired, machete-wielding Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) to step up their activity.
In fact, JMB elements became assertive enough to plan an abortive attack on the Bangladesh prime ministers motorcade last March.
Now almost all parties have in their ranks fundamentalist elements with Salafist beliefs, which may not support jihadi terrorism but favour its other articles of faith.
PM Hasina has been waging an ambivalent struggle to gain the support of these conservative sections of society as the BNP and JeI have become increasingly dependent upon their support.
This is probably the reason for the government to allow some leeway for fundamentalist propaganda that provides the religious idiom for Jihadi extremism.
Perhaps this was also the reason for the Bangladesh government to allow Salafist preachers like Dr Zakir Naik to hold religious discourse in the country, although it probably inspired terrorists as shown in the Dhaka bakery killings.
There are other factors too, which make Hasinas fight against jihadi terrorism more difficult.
Exposure to Wahabism/Salafism in the Gulf
Bangladesh has over two million expatriate Muslims working in Gulf countries, with over 1.2 million living in Saudi Arabia alone. With constant exposure to conservative life styles and beliefs, they are a highly vulnerable source of recruits for jihadi terror outfits.
The Islamic State has already mastered the idiom of attracting educated and tech-savvy Muslims. These young converts to terrorism are invigorating Bangladesh Islamic extremism. And the Islamic State is providing them guidance and global exposure.
Bangladesh has a volatile political culture with the involvement of both left-wing and fundamentalist extremism in politics. Major parties including the AL, BNP and JeI have their own highly motivated student groups who are used as tools for political activism that often ends in fisticuffs or even murders.
With Bangladeshs political discourse providing space for violent means to settle scores, it is not going to be easy for PM Hasina to separate political extremism from jihadi extremism as they are seamlessly interwoven.
The Dhaka bakery slaughter has underlined the urgency for PM Hasina to have a minimum level of political concurrence with other parties in handling terrorism.
However, such a proposition is unlikely to make headway in the near term, given the political blood feuds poised to move into third generation.
Must rewrite counter-terrorism template
So rather than waiting for political empathy in fighting jihadi terrorism, the PM will have to urgently rewrite her counter-terrorism template.
Introduction of systemic improvements in the employment of counter-terrorism forces is probably on the cards. This would include police, paramilitary outfits specializing in fighting extremists like the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and army commando groups.
Modern investigative and surveillance tools need to be used. And most importantly real time exchange of intelligence among various agencies to enable better coordination of their actions has to become part of the standard operative procedure.
Real time international cooperation
PM Hasina will have to further strengthen networking on counter terrorism cooperation with India and the US who are also coming together to scale up such cooperation between them.
India-Bangladesh border, despite all the goodwill prevailing between the two countries, remains porous.
It will remain so given the common roots and contiguity of identity among people living on both sides of the border. That is one of the reasons extremists from both countries are able to find sanctuaries across the border.
It will be prudent for both the countries to make it extremely difficult for the extremists from one country to seek sanctuaries in the other.
This would involve sharing of databases on criminal and extremist elements operating between two countries on a real time basis.
With sizeable Bangladesh immigrant population living along the border areas of Assam and West Bengal, India has proved to be vulnerable to infiltration by jihadi extremists for nearly two decades.
India has huge stake
Bangladesh is equally vulnerable to jihadi extremists operating from Indian sanctuaries. The NIAs follow up investigations in the October 2, 2014 Bardhman blasts case in West Bengal has revealed that Enamul Mollah, the suspected IS mastermind in India, was an active member of JMB.
Among his followers, 20 IS suspects have been arrested; ten other absconding suspects are believed to be in Bangladesh.
In Assam, in April 2016, the Imam of Amguri masjid in Chirang district was arrested for motivating young men to join JMB. Police have arrested 29 members of an extended module of JMB in the same district.
But as far as India is concerned, the moot question is how much India can help Begum Hasina fight jihadi terrorism?
If she fails, its fallout will not only affect Bangladesh but India as well, particularly the highly militancy-prone northeast region.
The ghost of Abdul Qadir, which haunts Kashmir even today, is having the last laugh. A non-state actor, a non-Kashmiri, your quintessential Pied Piper making the townspeople dance to his tunes and his cause, he led them all the way to stone pelting, protesting, killing and turning them against their own, into their watery graves.
As a state, we collectively grieved, along with our Maharaja, the 21 people who died on July 13, 1931. Eighty-five years later, the region still bears the spectre of his ghost and the grieving has not ceased.
The cause and effect of July 13 is lost on the people it affects the most. The day is marked every year but the events leading up to the unfortunate incidents that followed, remain shrouded in half-truths.
The understanding of the far-reaching effects and the precedents that were set that day are not understood in all their entirety. Misguided are those who thought it was a Kashmiri cause that people rose for that summer of 1931. The cause was never a Kashmiri one. Not then, not now.
In 1929, the Indian subcontinent was calling for Poorna Swaraj. In this backdrop was Jammu and Kashmir, the largest and the only princely state which remained proudly independent, refusing to give in to the imperial designs of the British.
The British had been trying hard to settle their residents in Jammu and Kashmir. They were successful in doing so in 1889. Then, in 1925, Maharaja Hari Singh ascended and immediately asked the Britsh resident in Srinagar to remove the Union Jack from the Residency Building.
He also made sure that the resident stayed in Sialkot in winter, when the durbar moved to Jammu. Maharaja Hari Singh insisted on asserting the kingdom's complete sovereignty by ordering the use of only the state flag in Gilgit.
Crowds resorted to stone pelting, setting fire to the police lines. (Reuters)
The Maharaja became a further cause of rankle when during the First Round Table Conference in London in 1930, he stood for India's position of honour and equality in the British Commonwealth of Nations.
A Maharaja who refused to toe their line could be best broken with the policy of "divide and rule", a tactic which the Britishers had mastered already and Jammu and Kashmir became their latest playing field.
Thanks to the active abetment of the British, the Muslims from the Jammu region, Mirpur, Poonch and Muzaffarabad started coming under the influence of communal politicians of Punjab.
After the First Round Table Conference, the media in Punjab had suddenly and curiously woken up to the dominant Muslim character of Jammu and Kashmir and the fact that it was being ruled by a Hindu dynasty.
Not far away in Kashmir, the Muslim Reading Club and some of its ambitious members began nurturing communal and seditious ideas.
Ironically, the Club comprised of newly-educated Muslim youth, who were a product of the Maharaja's visionary and progressive educational policies. He had made education free and compulsory and taken many steps to especially encourage his Muslim subjects such as making Urdu the official language of the state.
He gave liberal scholarships to those who wanted to pursue their education in Indian universities and many of the Reading Club members had returned home with degrees from Aligarh Muslim University. One of the leading members of the Muslim Reading Club, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, who managed to land the job of a teacher, despite severe limitations of a state on the brink of a famine, seeing the opportunity, rose against the very hand that had given him education and a chance at a better life.
On June 21, 1931, a meeting was organised by the Muslim Reading Club at the holy shrine Khanqah of Shah Hamadan to elect a representative body of Kashmiri Muslims, as suggested by Maharaja Hari Singh, in order to submit a memorandum of their grievances and demands to him.
Out of the 11 nominated representatives, seven were from Kashmir and four from Jammu. Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was one of the representatives. On this fateful day, Abdul Qadir, a non-state subject, a non-Kashmiri, made a seditious speech after the Friday prayers in the precincts of this holy shrine. He had suddenly entered the state as a cook of a British major and this was clearly a cover-up for his actual role of a British agent.
As recorded in Tarikh-i-Hurriyat, this agent provocateur in his speech addressing the Muslims, asked them to use greater force, relying on their own strength to wage a relentless war against oppression. He pointed towards the palace and incited the crowds to raze it to the ground. He said, "We have no machine guns but have plenty of stones and brickbats".
He was prosecuted on the charges of sedition, in the court of sessions judge, but due to the resentment of the locals, the hearing was shifted to central jail, Srinagar. The local Kashmiris gathered into frenzied mobs demanding the release of a non-state actor, who had not contributed to the state in any positive manner and was far removed from its reality and welfare.
The locals fell an easy prey to external conspiracy.
Despite the precautionary measures taken by the administration, a large mob stormed the jail demanding entry. This could not be legally permitted and even the two Muslim lawyers, who were representing the accused, pleaded with the crowds to leave. This further enraged the crowds and they resorted to stone pelting, setting fire to the police lines.
Water, electricity and telephone connections were cut off by the crowds leading to rioting inside the jails. The police force was called in and when the district magistrate's orders to disperse were defied, a desperate police force opened fire. This did break up the crowds but they went on to loot Hindu shops at Safakadal, Ganji and Nawakadal. This was followed by atrocities committed against the Hindus living there.
A people and a region which prides itself in its unique identity, its Kashmiriyat and fiercely stands for non-interference of the non-state subjects in its internal affairs, ironically fell prey to an outsider.
They rose for a cause which was never theirs to begin with, committing crimes against their own Hindu brethren and doing great disservice to themselves and their future generations by starting a precedent which has not seen an end yet. They played right into the hands of a non-state actor, and upcoming local politicians who milked the situation to their advantage.
The Kashmiris still remain an instrument in the hands of the same forces, unwise in their choice of leadership and influence. The beautiful culture that is Kashmiriyat suddenly saw it acceptable to use a place of faith and worship as a pulpit for inciting hatred and leasing communal forces into a pluralistic society after every Friday prayer.
They turned against the Dogras who were serving the state for a century. They turned against a Maharaja who had declared that justice was his religion. All the Dogra Maharajas had worked hard for the development of Kashmir.
Amongst other things, there was economic development due to road connectivity, the construction of the Ranbir Canal, setting up of silk industries, the passing of Land Alienation Act which benefited the tenants who were mostly Muslims.
Independent of the British, the state had its own Ranbir Dand Vidhi. Fair and just systems like a panchayat court which had eight members, four each from Hindu and Muslim communities.
How easily did the Kashmiris forget that it was the then Yuvraj Hari Singh's agricultural policies which saved the Valley from the clutches of a severe famine in 1921. The people of the Valley had acknowledged him as a saviour when he ordered the release of foodgrains for the relief of his people.
In 1921, to further worsen a tense situation, the British had facilitated Muslim Jathas from Punjab to enter the state through Mirpur under the pretext of supporting the Muslims of Kashmir. This trend has only taken a worse turn with the infiltration of foreign mercenaries crossing the porous borders to terrorise.
Why is it so easy to influence and provoke? The external hand is easy to spot but it rules because of weakness within. Kashmiris remain ignorant of facts and live in a false reality.
Those who rise for Kashmir on the behest of non-State forces that are playing nothing but politics, are actually being manipulated and are fooling none other than themselves. The skewed perceptions have only been self-destructive.
A speech by Abdul Qadir then blinded the Kashmiris and changed their thinking. An ideology, which was hostile to its local environment, was given birth to so many years ago and it has only continued to grow under the patronage of both non-state actors and state actors, causing much suffering to everybody.
As a Dogra, I deeply regret the lives lost but I am also pained that nothing has changed in the many years that have passed. The Kashmiris mostly remain victims of the same policy and are still unable to distinguish between apna and paraya.
The National Conference was quick to declare July 13 as Martyrs Day, but they never looked into the mysterious disappearance of Abdul Qadir immediately after the unfolding of the untoward incident.
The incident was a result of conspiracy and it became a convenient tool for upward political mobility for many. The unholy nexus of politics and religion reared its ugly head and Jammu and Kashmir has still not been successful in severing it. We are still led by the Pied Pipers who are alien to Jammu and Kashmir's cultural ethos and political history.
The state is another game for them to play with and its people objects to be played against each other. It is time to remove the blinders and see the reality which is staring at us in our faces.
The inability to shake off the leeches who are sucking the state dry off its wealth in people, pluralistic culture and resources will lead to another hundred years of despair.
Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) seems to be inspired by his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal. While Kejriwal is the only chief minister in the country to not hold any portfolio, Telangana is all set to be the first state in the country to create an "external affairs" or "foreign" ministry. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a number of portfolios, such as personnel, public grievances and pensions, atomic energy and space but Kejriwal is a CM without a portfolio.
Though the announcement in Telangana to this effect is yet to be made, KCR's son K Taraka Rama Rao (KTR) is being touted as the natural choice to don the mantle of "first external affairs minister" of Telangana, or for that matter any state in the country.
In most likelihood, KCR's move - if reports about creation of a new external affairs ministry are true - will prove to be high on hype and low on substance and here's why:
1. Union's preserve
Just like defence, external affairs ministry too is the exclusive preserve of the Union. The Constitution does not mandate any state, other than the Centre, to have a separate ministry for dealing in relations with foreign countries. It is ordained in order to have a uniform foreign policy and a unitary character of the country. If KCR desires to have the same powers and functions for his son KTR as is available to Union external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, then it will be struck down before even it materialises. Hence, it will be a non-starter.
2. Misnomer
KCR will set a bad precedent by creating an "external affairs" or "foreign" ministry because this nomenclature is in itself misleading. It gives the impression of the state having its separate foreign policy.
Is Telangana chief minister KCR promoting his son KTR at the cost of constitutional propreities?
There is no need for an external affairs ministry because Telangana already has an NRI affairs ministry, and which is held by KTR. Incidentally, KTR holds seven portfolios - the maximum to be held by any minister in KTR's cabinet. The portfolios include those of information technology, municipal administration and urban development, industries and commerce, public enterprises, sugar, mines and geology and NRI affairs.
Moreover, the state government is planning to implement a new NRI policy. KTR has said the draft of the NRI policy is ready and a meeting would be called on July 16 before finalising it. Hence, why not call it an NRI affairs ministry or foreign investment ministry instead of an external affairs or foreign ministry?
3. Learning from Punjab, Kerala
Telangana's draft NRI policy recommends a separate secretariat for the new ministry. If the purpose of such a ministry will be just to promote Telangana off-shore and attract investment, there is no need to create a fresh controversy over it or clash with the Centre.
Punjab and Kerala - the two states which can boast of maximum NRIs - also have similar ministries. Punjab's deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal holds the portfolio of investment promotion, while Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan is in charge of non-resident Keralites affairs department.
What if all states take a cue from KCR and they too follow suit? It will unnecessarily lead to chaos and duplicity of functions.
At the moment it is external affairs. It will not be a wonder if Telangana announces its own defence ministry and reasons out that its function will be to defend the state from the Naxals.
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Still betting on the #Hiddleswift relationship? Wake up fans!!
Recently, an item billed as "breakup insurance" for the relationship between Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston was removed from Chinese e-commerce site Taobao on suspicion of illegal fund collection.
Screenshot of "Taylor Swift breakup insurance" items on Taobao [Photo: CRI]
The item, which was allegedly selling well before its removal, cost only 1 yuan (0.15 USD) and promised to double customers' bet money if Swift broke up with Hiddleston within one year.
Taobao executives suspect that it could be a case of fraudulent fundraising. The item has been removed from Taobao, along with several other suspicious products.
No results can be found on Taobao for "Hiddleswift breakup insurance" now.
China will launch a Water Cycle Observation Mission (WCOM) satellite around 2020, to help in forecasting hydrological events including flood and drought.
As the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGRSS) 2016 kicked off in Beijing Monday, China announced its plans for the WCOM satellite, the first geoscientific satellite to provide integrated observation of key elements of the global water cycle.
The WCOM was initiated jointly by the Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth and the National Space Science Center with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
The CAS has completed key research and tests of the satellite's payload in anticipation of further development.
"This year's floods in southern China are an example of how changes in water cycle have a direct impact on our lives," said Shi Jiancheng, chief WCOM scientist.
Understanding the distribution characteristics and changing patterns of the water cycle and forecasting them are frontier scientific issues for us, Shi added.
The WCOM will provide unprecedented, accurate observations through simultaneous monitoring of key water cycle elements, such as soil humidity, snow/water equivalents, surface ice and sea water salinity, Shi said.
It will play an important role in flood prevention, drought relief, agriculture, water resource management as well as food and environmental security, he said.
The CAS will cooperate with U.S. and European research teams to initiate a satellite constellation based on the WCOM, aiming to form a worldwide water cycle observation network.
Also at the IGRSS meeting, progress was made in major collaborative research projects, including the China-France Oceanography Satellite (CFOSAT) and the Dragon Program.
The CFOSAT, the first joint satellite development between China and France, scheduled for launch in 2018, is dedicated to ocean wind and wave observation. A prototype model is complete and the actual CFOSAT prototype is being developed.
The CFOSAT will carry two payloads: a wave spectrometer from France and a wind scatterometer by China. It will be the first time for both devices to be used for remote-sensing purpose on satellite.
China is responsible for the satellite design, manufacture and launch.
The Dragon Program is a cooperation between the Ministry of Science and Technology and the European Space Agency. The first phase of the project commenced in 2004 and was completed in 2008.
Scheduled to be completed in 2020, the fourth phase of the Dragon Program consists of 27 projects covering eight fields including agriculture, carbon dioxide monitoring and disaster mitigation.
Middle school students from Laiyuan, Hebei Province attend a lecture on aerospace at the CAAA on July 11, 2016 during their week-long summer camp. [Photo by Chen Boyuan / China.org.cn]
Forty high school students from Laiyuan in Hebei Province are getting a chance to be close to China's latest aerospace technology during their themed summer camp, which started on July 11, 2016, at the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics (CAAA) in Beijing.
During the week-long summer camp, the CAAA will arrange guided tours to showcase wind tunnels and the Caihong (CH, or rainbow in English) series unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), both major lines of business for the CAAA.
Later this week, the students will also get a chance to visit carrier rockets, missiles, recovered satellites and space modules, following the CAAA's coordination with sister academies in the aerospace industry.
The aerospace-themed summer camp is the first of its kind organized by the CAAA, which, while in rapid development in its twelfth year since establishment, tries to help the public better understand China's aerospace undertakings. Holding the summer camp would "sow the aerospace seeds" in the hearts of the students, said Zhao Kun, the chief of Party discipline for the CAAA.
All the 40 students are about to enter their final grade in senior high school, and in roughly a year's time, each of them will pick up a major for university study, one of the first choices in life. Choosing these students for the summer camp was the result of careful consideration, said Gao Mingjun, who chairs the trade union of the CAAA.
"Some of the students may return home in a week more interested in aerospace technology. They may be prone to choose aerospace as their university major," said Gao. "Ideally, experts and even academicians will arise from these students in decades' time, and today's tour at the CAAA may be their reasons to engage in the aerospace industry."
Likewise, the CAAA hopes that the students would spread their hands-on experiences of the aerospace industry to their peer classmates back home so that the limited summer camp members could spread aerospace knowledge to an unlimited number of people.
But the CAAA clarified that the summer camp's intention was "not restricted to educate more aerospace colleagues," but raise the entire nation's awareness of aerospace, science and beyond.
Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation.
The Chinese government has allocated 560 million yuan (83.67 million U.S. dollars) to disaster relief efforts in four flood-affected provinces, including Anhui, Hubei, Hunan and Guizhou.
Trucks loaded with stones fell into the gap of a broken dike in Huarong county, Hunan province, on Sunday. Drivers had to jump seconds before their vehicles were engulfed by the water. [Photo/Xinhua]
The money, which was processed jointly by the civil affairs and finance ministries, will be used to help people through emergency relocation, transitional settlement, reconstruction of damaged houses and console those who lost loved ones in the disasters, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Rain in the Yangtze River basin has left 161 dead with 61 people unaccounted for since China entered the flood season in March, according to the Yangtze River flood control headquarters.
The casualties have mostly been caused by collapsing houses and floods. As of Monday, 2.9 million people living in the basin had been evacuated.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs and the China National Commission for Disaster Reduction have initiated a grade IV emergency response and have dispatched teams to guide and assist disaster relief in the region.
Flash
Finnish Defense Minister Jussi Niinisto and his British counterpart Michael Fallon signed on Saturday in Warsaw a protocol on defence cooperation between the two countries.
Finnish media quoted Niinisto as describing the document as "a declaratory expression of intent".
The protocol does not bind Finland and Britain to give mutual assistance in the event of a crisis, but rather sets the framework for cooperation. The document was signed in connection with the NATO Summit.
Contacts will be strengthened in training, maneuvers and in crisis management. Finnish national broadcaster Yle listed as key areas repelling chemical and biological arms, exchange of information and standardization.
Niinisto said the Finnish Defense Forces are totally compatible with NATO standards these days. He said that in fact the level of compatibility exceeds that of some "new" NATO member countries.
Finland is not a NATO member, but is an enhanced companion of the military organization based on an agreement signed in 2014.
The arrangement with Britain was disclosed by the Finnish Defense Ministry a week ago. The news caused some consternation among Finnish parliamentarians as even most members of the security related parliamentary committees had received no advance information and they heard of it first from media.
However, Niinisto said on Saturday the protocol "does not have such level of foreign policy importance" that an advance notification to parliament should have been necessary.
Finland follows Sweden in intensifying defense cooperation with Britain. Sweden and the UK agreed on cooperation in 2014.
Niinisto said earlier Finland and the United States would also sign a defence protocol, probably during this year.
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Flash
More countries have voiced their support for China's position on the South China Sea issue "despite pressure," a spokesperson for Chinese Foreign Ministry said here on Monday.
Lu Kang's remarks at the ministry's routine press briefing came after Cambodia reiterated on Saturday that the country would not support the arbitration court's upcoming decision over the South China Sea issue.
Lu said China appreciates Cambodia's stance on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea signed by China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2002.
Angola, Liberia, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, Senegal, among others, have also expressed their support for China's stance since early July, according to Lu.
Individual countries who are trying to discredit China through the arbitration cannot claim to represent the international community, Lu said.
The Arbitral Tribunal is slated to issue its opinion on Tuesday.
Flash
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday threatened to cut off one of its official contact channels with the United States, the first of its countermeasures against new sanctions imposed on the country's senior officials.
The DPRK on Sunday sent a message to the United States denouncing recent U.S. sanctions against Pyongyang, which "impaired the dignity of the supreme leadership" of the country, the state-run news agency KCNA reported.
Currently, the DPRK Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York acts as one of the few communication channels between Pyongyang and Washington, which the DPRK is threatening to close down.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un and other senior officials over alleged human rights abuses. It also slapped sanctions on 10 other individuals and five entities for their ties to the DPRK's alleged abuse.
The DPRK Foreign Ministry on Thursday urged the United States to withdraw the newly announced sanctions, saying they were an "open declaration of war against the DPRK."
The ministry also warned that the DPRK will eventually cut off all channels of diplomatic contact with the United States if the latter fails to withdraw the sanctions.
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British Home Secretary Theresa May was confirmed as the new leader of the Conservative Party "with immediate effect," the chairman of the Conservative 1922 committee Graham Brady announced Monday.
File photo taken on June 27, 2016 shows British Home Secretary Theresa May arriving for a cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street in London, Britain. [Photo/Xinhua]
May will formally become the new prime minister after current Prime Minister David Cameron offers his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.
Addressing members of the Parliament outside the House of Commons, May said she is "honored and humbled" to be chosen by the Conservatives as their leader.
She also reiterated her "three priorities" in her leadership bid: the need for strong leadership, the need for unity, and the need for a vision for the future and for a Britain that works for everyone.
Pledging to deliver the results of the Brexit vote, she continued: "Brexit means brexit and we will make a success of it."
"We need to reunite our country and we need a strong new positive vision for the future of our country, a vision of a country that works not for the privileged view but that work for every one of us," she said.
"We are going to give people more control over their lives. That is how, together we will build a better Britain," added May.
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Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday appealed for peace and calm in South Sudan.
The Nigerian leader made the appeal when he received the AU Envoy on the Peace Fund, Donald Kaberuka, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the nation's capital city.
He said what was happening in South Sudan was extremely disturbing and a very dicey situation.
He added that the AU leadership had a crucial role in stabilizing that country and other African countries on the brink.
"What we can do urgently to stabilize South Sudan is very important as African leaders meet in Kigali, Rwanda this month and later in September at the UN," Buhari said.
The president pledged that Nigeria would continue to fulfill its financial obligations to the AU to ensure peace, stability and security on the continent.
According to him, supporting peace operations, under the auspices of the AU in several countries affected by conflict remains a foreign policy priority for his administration.
Earlier, Kaberuka said funding AU-led peace support operations which had remained a challenge for member-countries was further compounded early this year with the EU cut in its allocation to the AU Mission in Somalia by 20 percent.
According to him, the AU summit in Kigali is expected to agree on a road map of alternative financing for AU-led peace support operations, including a proposal for African nations to fund 25 per cent of the Fund's budget while UN contributes the balance.
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The Sudanese government on Monday announced that around 3,000 Sudanese nationals are willing to be urgently evacuated from South Sudan's capital Juba, which has been witnessing bloody military clashes.
"Around 3,000 Sudanese nationals are willing to be urgently evacuated from Juba, where battles are ongoing between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and others to the First Vice-President Riek Machar," a government committee formed by Khartoum to evacuate its nationals from Juba said Monday.
Meanwhile, Haj Majid Suwar, head of the committee, reiterated the need for an issuance by the president of the republic to evacuate the Sudanese nationals from South Sudan.
"The evacuation process is considered a presidential decision in the first place, similar to the operations of evacuation of the Sudanese nationals from Yemen, Libya and Central Africa Republic," he noted.
Suwar further disclosed that it is impossible to use civil aviation as an evacuation means, due to eruption of the clashes to the northern side of Juba where lies the airport, thus it is considered a war zone.
According to the government statistics, the number of the Sudanese nationals in South Sudan is set at about 50,000 citizens, distributed in many Southern Sudanese cities.
Last Thursday, violent clashes broke out between forces loyal to President Kiir and Machar respectively around the Presidential Palace in Juba.
On Sunday, the UN reported the use of mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and heavy ground assault weaponry, and a helicopter gunship was also reported used in Juba.
The first vice-president and the opposition leader Machar was reportedly held president Kiir responsible for the recent events, saying Kiir was not willing for peace.
President Kiir, in the meantime, was reported to have ordered immediate cease-fire on Monday, but media reports indicated continuation of the armed confrontations in the capital Juba.
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China and Algeria on Monday expressed their will to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fight against terrorism, visiting Special Representative of Chinese Foreign Minister Wu Sike said.
He said his visit aims at exchanging views on ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in political and economic fields and security, including the fight against terrorism.
He made the remarks at the end of his meeting with the Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra.
Wu said the world today faces multiple challenges, including the fight against terrorism, stressing the importance of strengthening cooperation in this field.
Furthermore, the Chinese diplomat said Beijing and Algiers share convergent views when it comes to the peaceful settlement of various crisis hitting the world, hailing the "exceptional historical" relations between the two countries.
China and Algeria are bound by a comprehensive cooperation partnership since 2014, on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations.
This comprehensive strategic partnership is the first of its kind between China and Arab countries.
In 2015, China's export to Algeria amount to an equivalent of 8.22 billion U.S. dollars, and remains the first supplier of this North African nation for the third consecutive year. Endit
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Ten of the 12 candidates who have announced their bids to replace UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will take part in a first-ever "globally televised" debate, President Mogens Lykketoft of the General Assembly said Monday.
Photo shows informal dialogues with additional candidates for the position of the next Secretary-General at the United Nations headquarters in New York, June 7, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
It is to be held in the UN General Assembly hall from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday (2300 Tuesday-0200 Wednesday GMT) and available free from UNTV and Al Jazeera Media Network, producers of the broadcast, Lykketoft said at a press conference here.
"The first globally televised event where 10 of the 12 candidates for the position of the next secretary-general are able to be present," Lykketoft said.
"We all know that this is a unique process up until now of transparency," he said of the process to select a successor to Ban, who retires at the end of 2016 after two five-year terms. "This televised event open for any kind of broadcaster around the world and for social media will be yet another step forward."
"The aim we are looking for is much broader participation in the general (UN) membership and the general public of the world in the selection of the next secretary general," the president said. "This is the town hall of the United Nations."
Ten candidates who have confirmed participation, after drawing of lots, have been split into two groups to participate in discussions and answer questions, Lykketoft said.
The first group consists of Vesna Pusic of Croatia, Antonio Guterres of Portugal, Susana Malcorra of Argentina, Vuk Jeremic of Serbia and Natalia Gherman of Moldova. In the second group are Helen Clark of New Zealand, Danilo Turk of Slovenia, Christiana Figueres of Costa Rica, Igor Luksic of Montenegro and Irina Bokova Bulgaria.
Srgjan Kerim of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Slovakia's Miroslav Lajcak were unable to attend, Lykketoft said.
According to the UN Charter, "The secretary-general shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council."
Previously, this has resulted in the council secretly choosing a single candidate for recommendation to the General Assembly.
The current selection process was opened up in the name of transparency and so far nine of the 12 candidates have been publicly interviewed by members in the General Assembly. The 10th interview, of Figueres, is scheduled for Thursday.
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Pakistan said on Tuesday that it believes that disputes over the South China Sea should be peacefully resolved through consultations and negotiations by states directly concerned.
A spokesman of the Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the maritime disputes should be addressed in accordance with bilateral agreements and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).
In this context, he added that Pakistan opposes any imposition of unilateral will on others, and respects China's statement of optional exception in light of Article 298 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The spokesman made the remarks in response to a verdict against China by an arbitral tribunal in the South China Sea case unilaterally initiated by the Philippines.
China said on Tuesday it neither accepts nor recognizes the verdict, dismissing it as "null and void."
The spokesman said, "Pakistan believes that maintenance of peace and security is the collective responsibility of all parties to the South China Sea."
"Countries outside the region should fully respect efforts made by China and the ASEAN countries to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea, and play a constructive role to this end."
Income Tax Department had in January 2014 slapped a draft tax assessment of Rs 10,247 crore on Cairn Energy on alleged capital gain it made when it in 2006 transfered its India assets to a new subsidiary.
New Delhi: British explorer Cairn Energy has sought USD 5.6 billion in compensation from the Indian government for raising a retrospective tax demand of Rs 29,047 crore on 10-year old internal reorganisation of its India unit.
In a 160-page 'Statement of Claim' filed with an international arbitration panel on June 28, the Edinburgh-based company sought withdrawal of the tax demand and declaring that India has "failed to uphold its obligations" under the UK-India Investment Treaty by not giving its investments in the country "fair and equitable treatment."
It sought USD 1.05 billion in compensation for the loss of value its 9.8 per cent shareholding in its erstwhile subsidiary Cairn India suffered following Income Tax Department raising the tax demand in January 2014 and attaching the shares.
"In the alternative, and should the (arbitration) Tribunal determine not to order India to refrain from enforcing its unlawful tax demand", Cairn sought to be compensated of breaches of the Investment Treaty by being paid for the loss of value of its holding in Cairn India as well as interest and penalties, totalling USD 5.587 billion (Rs 37,400 crore).
The total compensation sought is equal to the tax demand raised and the value of Cairn Energy's 9.8 per cent shareholding in Cairn India. A three-member arbitration panel headed by Geneva-based arbitrator Laurent Levy began hearing Cairn Energy's plea against tax demand in May and the company filed its 'Statement of Claim' late last month.
The Indian government will file its 'Statement of Defence' by November and evidential hearing is expected to commence in early 2017, sources said. Income Tax Department had in January 2014 slapped a draft tax assessment of Rs 10,247 crore on Cairn Energy on alleged capital gain it made when it in 2006 transfered its India assets to a new subsidiary, Cairn India and listed the firm.
The British firm sold majority stake in Cairn India to Vedanta Resources in 2011 but still holds 9.8 per cent stake in the company, which was attached by Income Tax Department. This year, a final assessment order was slapped on it that included a Rs 18,800 crore of interest on top of Rs 10,247 crore principal tax amount.
In the 'Statement of Claims', Cairn said it had an option to list Cairn India on UK stock exchange but decided to go for a local IPO with a view to "further Indianising" the business.
"To accomplish what was to be one of the largest-ever IPOs in the Indian history, however, Cairn had to reorganise its corporate group structure significantly," it said.
It is in this restructuring that the I-T Department says Cairn made capital gains of Rs 24,503.50 crore. If it had known that India would change rules and retrospectively tax, the company would have restructured business differently and listed the firm on UK exchange, it added.
"If Cairn had any idea that India might later change its source rule to impose capital gains tax on routine transfer of shares in non-Indian companies - and retroactively seek to collect an amount of tax that would render the entire IPO transaction value-destructive - cairn would not have undertaken the reorganisation or entrusted its listing to the Indian markets.
"It would instead have created a different transactional structure and pursued an IPO on a UK exchange," the British company said in its 'Statement of Claims'.
Cairn said its business reorganisation as well as the IPO had been approved by all regulatory authorities including the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) and none had raised any tax angle.
"The Indian government's decision not to demand capital gains tax was no mere oversight or accident. Cairn India's IPO was among the largest in Indian history, and the sums involved were significant. The decision not to assess tax on the 2006 transactions only demonstrates that transfer of shares in a non-Indian company by a non-resident were not taxable under existing tax law," it said.
Cairn Energy said no capital gains tax was due under the law in force in 2006 when the restructuring was done. The British firm challenged the tax assessment by seeking an international arbitration under the UK-India Investment Treaty.
A three-member Arbitration Tribunal was constituted and its seat was decided to be in The Hague, the Netherlands. Cairn Energy named former Bulgarian minister Stanimir Alexandrov as its arbitrator in the tax dispute while India appointed Singapore-based lawyer J Christopher Thomas as its arbitrator.
Cairn Energy contends that there was no tax due on an internal reorganisation and that its international shareholders have suffered material losses from the share attachment. The attachment also severely impacted the company's financial capacity to invest in oil and gas assets and led to cutting of workforce by 40 per cent.
The company is claiming full compensation for the USD 1 billion value lost following the tax notice and freezing of its 9.8 per cent shares in Cairn India.
I-T Department alleges that Cairn Energy made a capital gain of Rs 24,503.50 crore in 2006 when it transferred shares of Indian assets that were held in a subsidiary set up in the tax haven of Jersey, to newly incorporated Cairn India.
It listed Cairn India on the stock exchanges through an IPO thereafter. Through the IPO it raised Rs 8,616 crore and then in 2011 went on to sell majority stake in Cairn India to mining giant Vedanta Group for USD 8.67 billion. Cairn Energy still holds 9.8 per cent in Cairn India which the I-T Department has barred it from selling.
The Sampark Foundation boasts of a USD 100 million outlay funded entirely by the Nayars and represents more than half of their wealth.
New Delhi: Five Indians have made it to the Forbes Asia's annual Heroes of Philanthropy list that highlights some of the region's noteworthy givers.
The list, which included 40 philanthropists from 13 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, includes Vineet and Anupama Nayar, founders of the Sampark Foundation; Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India and Pune-based billionaire Cyrus Poonawallas son; Bain India CEO Amit Chandra and his wife Archana Chandra, CEO of Jai Vakeel Foundation.
The Sampark Foundation boasts of a USD 100 million outlay funded entirely by the Nayars and represents more than half of their wealth. It is rolling out kits with child-friendly teaching aids to 50,000 government schools and 3 million students across Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh.
Another notable philanthropist is Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India, who pledged USD 15 million last year to clean up Pune city with a fleet of 50 garbage trucks and a crew of 70 people. Amit Chandra, CEO of Bain India, and Archana Chandra, CEO of Jai Vakeel Foundation, are the other two philanthropists from India.
The husband and wife donate 75 per cent of their earnings each year to causes ranging from education to healthcare. Amit was one of the founding donors to Ashoka University and has funded an upcoming children's hospital in Mumbai that will be the country's largest.
The other notable philanthropist is China's Pony Ma, Chairman and CEO of Tencent Holdings, who pledged 100 million shares of his Internet service provider worth USD 2.3 billion to the Tencent Foundation, which supports healthcare, environment protection and new technology.
Taiwanese mogul Terry Gou, Chairman and CEO of Hon Hai Precision, donated USD 6 million in disaster relief after a devastating earthquake struck southern Taiwan in February and claimed 115 lives. He also pledged in 2013 to give away 90 per cent of his wealth, which now totals USD 6 billion.
"The list not only features philanthropists who have made news with their donations in the past year, but recognises people who have compiled a long record of supporting worthy causes," Forbes Asia said.
Mumbai: Salman Khan has been in the eye of the storm over his comment that he "felt as worn out as a raped woman" after the gruelling shoot of his upcoming film 'Sultan'. Now, the films' director Ali Abbas Zafar has followed suit by voicing his sexist thoughts.
Recently, in an interview to Anupama Chopra, the filmmaker spoke about how a working woman needs to give up her work once she gets pregnant. He said, Whenever the issue of pregnancy comes in, the girl may be a working woman, but now she will have to give up her work because psychically she needs to do that.
Read: UP man claiming to be real-life Sultan files case against Salman, Anushka
He goes on to add, "That is the time when getting the so-called animal instinct into human being, the man will go an hunt and the woman will stay at home and we can't deny it."
In the film 'Sultan', Anushka gives up her wrestling career for the birth of her child. Talking about the same, Ali says, "She had to choose whether she chooses something aspirational or emotional. She kills her aspiration for an emotional thing and according to me that is a very human thing."
Watch the interview from 17:00 mins here.
Akshay tweeted, "Ma'am request for speedy measures and actions to evacuate Indians stranded in Sudan. Prayers with them. SaveIndiansInJuba."
Mumbai: Bollywood star Akshay Kumar today tweeted External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to take speedy measures for evacuation of Indians stuck in Juba, South Sudan.
The city is witnessing escalated violence due to clashes between anti and pro government forces. India has been putting in place an evacuation plan for its nationals from the war-torn country.
In the movie "Airlift," the 48-year-old actor played Indian businessman Ranjit Katyal, who lead the the evacuation of his countrymen based in Kuwait during the invasion by Saddam Hussein's Iraq.
Requesting the minister, Akshay wrote, "@SushmaSwaraj Ma'am request for speedy measures and actions to evacuate Indians stranded in Sudan. Prayers with them. SaveIndiansInJuba."
.@SushmaSwaraj Ma'am request for speedy measures and actions to evacuate Indians stranded in Sudan. Prayers with them. #SaveIndiansInJuba Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) July 12, 2016
Swaraj, who is known for her prompt replies on the micro-blogging site, assured the government is working for the same.
"Akshay Kumar ji - Please do not worry. We are evacuating Indian nationals from Juba (South Sudan)," she wrote.
Akshay Kumar ji - Pl do not worry. We are evacuating Indian nationals from Juba (South Sudan). https://t.co/Ppj3ojcIlm Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 12, 2016
On July 10, Indian embassy in South Sudan had asked Indians stranded there to stay calm and assured them that they are in constant touch with authorities in the home country.
She was in the news for all the wrong reasons. Leena Maria Paul, who trained to be a dentist in Bengaluru, was later smitten by the TV and cinema bug when she settled down in Kochi. Ably supported by her partner, she dabbled in modeling and showbiz, managing to act in a couple of Tamil and Malayalam films. She was also keen to act in Bollywood, and starred in Madras Cafe with John Abraham.
The actress was also seen in the Tamil film Biriyani and the Malayalam flick Aamir. But controversy struck as Leena was put behind bars along with her spouse Shekhar Chandrashekhar alias Kevin, who had cheated investors from across the country. They duo was on the run after several complaints were registered. They were finally arrested in 2015.
The actress now claims that she has been acquitted from all the cases against her and that she is all set to release her autobiography, Love for a Man. I have undergone lot of tension and worry during the CBI investigation. Everything was for the man I loved. Though I was entangled in legal troubles, I decided to stick on with my husband through thick and thin. It is difficult for a girl to go through all this. Society started looking at me in a different way. There has been a great hue and cry about me in the media. But I had faith in the Indian judiciary and thats why I have been discharged from all the cases I was involved in, she claims.
The legal battle she had undergone inspired her to write the book that will be released in August. The book will be highlighting the painful trial I had to face just for the man I love the most, Leena adds. The actress also revealed that she could be a part of the reality show, Bigg Boss. Nothing has been finalised yet, but talks are on, she adds. Leena says she is part of a multilingual film project based on the Chola kingdom. I play a princess in this untitled film. Its a big banner film and the director will be from Bollywood, she concludes.will be from Bollywood, she concludes.
There are some actresses who constantly throw up surprises with every role they do. Try to pigeonhole them into a certain slot, they won't stay there. Say Amala Paul and the first image that comes to your mind is a doe-eyed glamorous chick dressed in designer clothes a role she was seen in a hundred times. But then again, think of her deglamourised roles in films like Mili or the recent Tamil Amma Kanakku and one is left confused. That is Amalas USP her ability to alternate between the conventional and the unconventional, the modern and the traditional and yet come out a winner every time.
The glam girl appeared dressed up in a printed short outfit at a theatre in Kochi for the promotion of her latest movie Shajahanum Pareekuttiyum and acknowledged her fans and posed patiently for a never-ending stream of selfies. Talking about her role in the movie, she says, I play a very bubbly, happy and stylish car enthusiast named Jiah. How her craze for cars invites havoc to her life and the subsequent events form the rest of the plot.
Paired up with Jayasoorya and Kunchacko Boban for the film, she says the shoot was like a vacation and that she found two new friends for life. Shajahanum Pareekuttiyum was her much-needed breezy film after a very powerful role in Amma Kanakku. Amala put in a high-octane performance as the deglam maid Shanti, the mother to a 13-year-old in Amma Kanakku that had some heavy emotional scenes. She was also required to transform her body to suit her role. Amala states that it was not an easy role because the character was way mature than her age.
She says, I have played a lot of roles but when it comes to playing a mother where the entire story is carried on my shoulders, the onus was on me was to not fail. Dhanush produced the film and he had the best technicians and actors and there was huge pressure on me. I knew what I was getting into before I signed the film. I knew I would have to undergo a lot of changes physically, mentally and emotionally. My mother was my inspiration for my role of Shanti and I started watching her mannerisms. She also gained weight for the film.
Asked about taking up roles that do not tread the usual commercial path, Amala answers, I am a person who loves doing roles that excite me and dont like monotonous ones. Amalas career graph has showed no slack after her marriage to Tamil director A.L. Vijay. Amala candidly says, I dont feel any difference. Frankly, I feel the industry is welcoming of married actors now! I am blessed that I have the privilege to choose roles I want to do; there is no pressure and I am enjoying this phase! If you have created a space for yourself, nobody is going to take that away from you.
Talking about life after marriage, Amalas eyes glow. There was a time after marriage when I took a break because I was continuously working and wanted to explore my other interests. I travelled a lot, watched films and did things that excited me. Marriage has liberated me! I started realising what makes me happy and what I can do. Right now, I am in a phase where I am trying to understand and find happiness within myself and I have to thank my marriage for that! Marriage made me look outside my work and explore my other interest.
Amala shares her work and seeks advice from her husband. She mentions, If some script excites me, I tell him since he is a director. He was unsure if I could pull off my role in Amma Kanakkau but when he saw me on the sets, he complimented me saying that he did not see Amala anywhere in my character. He likes my work and he also shares his scripts with me but we also give each other a lot of space.
Amalas brother Abijith is entering films and she finds it strange to reconcile to the fact that he is now an actor. She adds, He is my biggest support. He has always been like my little brother not my elder one because I am the bully in the family. Malayalam or Tamil where does her heart lie? Amala answers, Both the industries are different. But every time I work in a Malayalam film, it is a rejuvenating experience. I am planning to take up more Malayalam films because I am getting some fabulous roles. Meanwhile, I am also doing one Kannada and Tamil film.
Nithya Menens Malayalam film 100 Days of Love, directed by Dulquer Salman, is set to release in Telugu. Nithya and Dulquers earlier film Ok Bangaram was a huge hit in Tollywood, so the films Telugu distribution rights were quickly bought by Venkat.
The Malayalam film was a hit and the producer hopes that the Telugu version will work the same magic. The films audio is releasing on Wednesday in Hyderabad and actors Nithiin and Nani have been invited as the chief guests for the event.
Nithiin and Nani are good friends with Nithya, so both obliged to come as special guests. They have worked with the actress and have delivered good hits.
Actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi is currently busy shooting for his 150th film in and around Hyderabad. V.V Vinayak is directing the film, which is a remake of the Tamil hit Kaththi.
Now, Chiranjeevis team is planning to rope in yesteryear actress Vijayashanthi for a special character in the film. There is one special character in the film. The makers, Chiranjeevi and director V.V Vinayak felt that Vijayashanthi would be perfect for the role. So, they approached her. She responded positively, but hasnt signed the film yet, says a source. Chiranjeevi and Vijayashanthi have acted in many hit films in the past, but they had a few differences after the film Gang Leader.
They later did one more film together, Mechanic Alludu, after which they decided not to work together again. Vijayashanthi, who is known as the Lady Amitabh of Telugu cinema and was also the highest paid actress in India during her time, had joined politics and completely distanced herself from films.
If she agrees to work in this film, itll be her come back to the film industry after 12 years. And, for the female lead, the makers are trying to rope in actress Nayanthara.
AIDS diagnoses have declined sharply following the introduction of antiretroviral treatment and awareness campaigns. (Photo: AP)
Australia declared on Monday the AIDS epidemic is no longer a public health issue there, a month after the United Nations adopted an ambitious target to eliminate the threat globally by 2030.
The government-backed Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO) and top scientists said the number of people being diagnosed with AIDS in Australia was now so small it was no longer reported.
AIDS cases in Australia peaked in 1994, at 953 cases, according to the Kirby Institute for infection and immunity in society.
Since then, following the introduction of antiretroviral treatment, that prevent AIDS developing in people who are infected with the HIV virus, and awareness campaigns, AIDS diagnoses have declined sharply.
"Australia is incredibly fortunate to be in the position and its because of farsighted government policy, said Darryl O'Donnell, chief executive AFAO.
We had community organisations of gay men, sex workers and drug users doing outreach campaigns that were extraordinarily effective, O'Donnell said.
A spokeswoman for the Federal Department of Health said while it was tremendous that AIDS was "not the automatic death sentence that it once was", approximately 1,100 cases of HIV are detected each year.
"We must not let down our guard."
Worldwide there are 36.7 million people living with HIV, according to the World Health Organisation, with 180,000 people dying from AIDS-related illness in the Asia-Pacific region last year.
The United Nations agreed a new declaration on ending the AIDS epidemic at a meeting in New York last month.
The UNAIDS Fast-Track approach to ending the AIDS epidemic has a set of time-bound targets, including reducing the number of people newly infected with HIV from 2.1 million in 2015 to fewer than 500,000 in 2020, reducing the number of people dying from AIDS-related illnesses from 1.1 million in 2015 to fewer than 500,000 in 2020 and eliminating HIV-related discrimination.
Andrew Grulich, head of the HIV Epidemiology and Prevention Program at the Kirby Institute, said other countries could learn from Australia.
"The thing that has characterised Australia is a partnership between all sectors involved," he said. "Community, research and the government - and having bipartisan political support.
Melbourne: Baby boys are much more likely to experience potentially life-threatening outcomes at birth than girls, a first of its kind population-based study in Australia has found.
Researchers studied data of more than 574,000 births in South Australia over a 30-year period (1981-2011), to confirm the presence of differences in birth outcomes based on the sex of the baby. The team - involving the University of Adelaide in Australia and the University of Groningen in The Netherlands -
evaluated the relationship between the babies' sex and adverse outcomes, such as pre-term birth, pregnancy-induced high blood pressure disorders, and gestational diabetes mellitus.
"The major conclusion of our study is that the evidence is there and it is very clear: the sex of the baby has a direct association with pregnancy outcomes," said Claire Roberts, professor at the University of Adelaide. The study found that boys are more likely to be born spontaneously pre-term. Boys showed a 27 per cent higher risk for a pre-term birth between 20-24 weeks' gestation, 24 per cent higher risk for a pre-term birth between 30-33 weeks, and 17 per cent higher
risk for pre-term birth between 34-36 weeks, researchers said.
Mothers carrying boys were 4 per cent more likely to suffer gestational diabetes and 7.5 per cent more likely to suffer pre-eclampsia at term - a potentially dangerous pregnancy complication characterised by high blood pressure and a large amount of protein in the urine. However, pregnant women carrying a girl have a 22 per cent higher risk for early onset pre-eclampsia requiring a pre-term
delivery.
"Our results indicate there may be a need for specific interventions tailored to male and female babies, to prevent adverse outcomes for both child and mother," said Petra Verburg from the University of Groningen. "We're investigating other factors that may predict pregnancy complications, taking foetal sex into account," added Verburg. Researchers have previously published on sex differences in the expression of 142 genes in the placenta from normal
pregnancies.
"The placenta is critical for pregnancy success. We believe that sex differences in placental function may explain the differences we're seeing in outcomes for newborn boys and girls, and their mothers," said Roberts. The research appears in in the journal PLOS One.
There will be a lot more immersion spaces, where animals can live in natural spaces that are large enough to accommodate their needs and complex enough to keep them stimulated and happy.
How experts view keeping animals in captivity has changed a lot since the first US zoo opened in Philadelphia in 1859.
Elephants in zoos have triple the infant-mortality rate of wild elephants, and when 17 elephants were shipped from Swaziland to US zoos this year, it sparked an animal-rights lawsuit. In 2004, the Detroit Zoo shut down its elephant programme, sending the last two pachyderms to refuges.
Writing in The Washington Post, Ron Kagan, the Detroit Zoos executive director, explains that in the next 20 years, zoos will do more than just offer the public a glimpse of wild animals in small enclosures. Zoos will surely look and act radically different in 20 years, never mind 50, he writes.
There will be a lot more immersion spaces, where animals can live in natural spaces that are large enough to accommodate their needs and complex enough to keep them stimulated and happy.
Theyll be situated in climates that are appropriate for the species, and the exhibits will provide animals with dramatically more opportunities, control, and choices for natural activities and social interactions, he argues. The animals needs and desires will be central, more than the visitors just as it is in the wild.
A modern zootopia park design for Denmark, allowing animals to roam freely while people are confined to small lookout points, might be one form this new, animal-centric zoo can take.
You probably wont see any elephants, dolphins, or whales in the zoos of the future, though. The animals, both individuals and species, that live in future zoos will only be ones that truly thrive and/or that are rescued from a worse fate, according to Kagan.
Zoos will need to invest in conservation and education, rather than flashy exotic animal exhibits that cause the creatures on display lifelong frustration, as Kagan describes it. And rescue programmes will likely replace some of the breeding programmes zoos have now, as much as we love baby sloths and baby cheetahs.
Yes, we may have to give up our close-up looks at giraffes and lions and gorillas. But the animals will certainly be happier that way, and if zoos serve any purpose, it should be educating us on how to best keep these animals happy and safe far from humanitys destructive tendencies.
Source: www.mentalfloss.com
A purported video showing the persons being beaten with iron rods and sticks went viral on social media platforms. (Photo: video grab)
Ahmedabad: A group of Dalits were allegedly stripped, beaten up by six persons for skinning a dead cow at a village in Gir Somnath district, following which three persons were arrested, police said on Tuesday.
The victims, belonging to a Dalit community at Mota Samadiyara village of Una taluka in Gir Somnath, claimed that they were skinning an already dead cow, while the six accused claimed that the animal was killed before being skinned, police said.
A purported video showing the persons being beaten with iron rods and sticks went viral on social media platforms like Whatsapp. In the video, some people are seen chained to a car, while the accused are seen thrashing them mercilessly.
#WATCH Suspected cow leather smugglers thrashed by cow protection vigilantes in Somnath (Gujarat) (11.7.16)https://t.co/UTA4qmAPRm ANI (@ANI_news) July 12, 2016
"We have arrested three persons in this connection while three others are absconding. We have also called a team of forensic science laboratory (FSL) experts and veterinary doctors to ascertain if the cow was already dead before being skinned or was killed for skin," Gir Somnath district's Deputy Superintendent of Police K M Joshi said.
The incident took place yesterday when the six people started beating up the Dalits after they saw them skinning a dead cow near Mota Samadiyara village, which is a forest area, Joshi said.
At least two persons sustained severe head injuries and were referred to Junagadh civil hospital for treatment, he said.
According to an FIR lodged at Una police station, the six accused, identified as Ramesh Giri, Balwant Simer, Ramesh Bhagwan, Rakesh Joshi, Rasikbhai and Nagjibhai Vaniya, came in a car and allegedly started hurling casteist abuses on the group on finding that they were skinning a dead cow.
They then allegedly took out iron rods and wooden sticks from their car and started beating them up. Around seven persons sustained injuries.
According to complainant Vasrambhai Sarvaiya, the accused also looted three mobile phones. Out of the six accused, Ramesh, Rakesh and Nagjibhai have been arrested so far, police said.
A case was lodged under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder), 395 (dacoity), 324 (causing hurt by dangerous means or weapons), 323 (causing hurt), and 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), and relevant sections of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and further probe was on, police added.
She paid Rs 40,000 as advance and agreed to pay Rs 60,000 more by Tuesday, took the child and gave it to her brother who was childless and paid Rs 40,000 towards hospital expenses. (Representational Image)
Hyderbad: A day-old male infant was sold to strangers with the help of the staff of Aditya Hospital, Boggulkunta, Hyderabad. The incident came to light on Monday when Renuka, a helper at the hospital was having a conversation with her colleague about the sale of a baby while travelling in a bus and the conductor, who overheard it alerted the police. Police found that a 17-year-old girl from BDL Bhanur village, Medak, had delivered the child on Sunday afternoon. As she was unmarried and her parents were unwilling to accept the child, Renuka suggested that she can arrange to sell the baby.
She paid Rs 40,000 as advance and agreed to pay Rs 60,000 more by Tuesday, took the child and gave it to her brother who was childless and paid Rs 40,000 towards hospital expenses. We are verifying the facts, said Meerpet Inspector N. Ch. Rangaswamy. Renuka has been taken into custody. A case has been registered under section 81 of the Juvenile Justice JJ Act and the baby has been shifted to Niloufer hospital. Police sources said Renuka had also sold a baby for Rs 1 lakh to another couple recently. AP Balala Hakkula Sangham demanded action against the hospital.
Mumbai: In a shocking incident, a man allegedly killed his six-year-old daughter by stuffing onion into her mouth after he lost his cool over her failure to recite numerals from 1 to 13 near Aurangabad, police said on Tuesday.
The incident took place on July 9 at Balapur village near Aurangabad and the accused, Raju Kute, was last night arrested for killing his daughter Bharti, a police official from Chikalthana police station said.
"Bharti recited numerals from 1 to 12, but stumbled thereafter, which enraged Raju. He was so livid that he took an onion and stuffed it in her throat, following which she choked to death," police said.
After the gruesome deed, Raju buried his daughter's body near a crematorium, police said, adding the victim's mother witnessed the crime.
On the basis of her complaint, Raju was arrested and a case has been registered against him under IPC sections 302 (murder) and 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender). Further investigation into the case is underway.
Anantapur: Sheik Seiskhavali, Nadendla Khasim and four others from Pulivendula area in Kadapa district thought they were flying to Dubai, but ended up in Malaysia. Fake agents cheated them in the name of attractive salaries and collected Rs 80,000 from each of them.
The wives of the victims were in tears as they met minister Palle Raghunath Reddy at his office here on Monday. According to these women, overseas travel and recruitment agents Patan China Tofi from Pulivendula in Kadapa district and V. Ramaiah from Kolar in Karnataka lured six persons -- Sheik Sheikshavali, Nadendla Khasim, Udayagiri Rafi, Sheik Mastanvarli, Sheik Hussainpeera and Kakarla Babaiah -- from Pulivendula area, promising them jobs with good salaries in Dubai.
The agency offered Rs 25,000 as salary besides free accommodation. The poor families borrowed money from private lenders and paid Rs 80,000 for each person for visa and travel to Dubai. However, all the six men found themselves in Malaysia instead of Dubai, the family members told the minister. They told the minister that the men were in difficult conditions and sought government help to bring them back.
The minister advised NRI wing joint secretary Ashok Kumar to do the needful. He also said it was wrong on the part of people to approach shady agents, and must approach the NRI wing of the government to ascertain facts before paying money to agents. Pulivendula ASP Anbu Rajan told this newspaper that the police had no information about the cheating.
Chennai: An advocate was allegedly assaulted by his son with a machete causing grievous injuries to him over a family feud in the Madras High Court premises today, which led to tense moments, police said.
Advocate Manimaran was attacked by his son Rajesh on the ground floor of the five storied additional law chamber buildings in the High Court premises and he began bleeding after sustaining grievous injuries.
Soon, the assailant was overpowered and roughed up by the public and some advocates. He was later handed over to the police. Both the victim and assailant were rushed to separate government hospitals.
Preliminary probe indicated that the motive for the attack was family dispute, police said.
Esplanade police have registered a case and are investigating the incident. The attack led to tense moments in the high security High Court premises, the inner precincts of which is being guarded by the CISF and outer parts by Tamil Nadu police. The incident happened in the area under the ambit of state police.
New Delhi: There are 600 Indians in war-torn South Sudan and the Indian government has made arrangements to evacuate them, Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj said today after a meeting with junior ministers VK Singh and MJ Akbar and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar.
They also discussed ways to coordinate emergency assistance to the Indian nationals in the African country.
Swaraj said there are 450 Indians in Juba, the capital of South Sudan and about 150 outside the city. There was heavy fighting between rebels and government soldiers concentrated in Juba over the last four days, but a ceasefire announced yesterday appears to be holding till this evening, media reports say.
"We have made all arrangements to evacuate Indians from South Sudan in case the situation deteriorates further," said Swaraj, also noting that the situation has reportedly improved.
On Twitter the minister, famous for her prompt replies and help, was kept busy through the day answering requests for help with supplies or medicine in south Sudan.
She assured actor Akshay Kumar who tweeted her to take speedy measures for evacuation of Indians.
Akshay Kumar ji - Pl do not worry. We are evacuating Indian nationals from Juba (South Sudan). https://t.co/Ppj3ojcIlm Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 12, 2016
The government had on Monday issued an advisory against travelling to South Sudan till the situation improves.
Ahmedabad: Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel, who obtained bail in three cases and is set to walk out free after being in jail for nine months, has claimed he did nothing that could cause law and order problem and invoked the famous phrase 'Satyamev Jayate' (truth alone prevails).
Extolling the virtue of the phrase in a letter, addressed to Gujarat government, Hardik said, "Satyamev Jayate. This phrase has been the guiding force for Lord Rama and Mahatma Gandhi, and remains so for today's youth. I have full faith in India's judiciary. I believe that innocents and poor do get justice. I was thrown in jail even when I am not guilty," he said.
"Let me tell you the truth: only a goat is made to sacrifice, not a lion," the 22-year-old leader said in the letter, written by him a day after the court granted him bail in two sedition cases on Friday last.
"I have never supported violence in any from...Till date, I have never done anything that could cause law and order problem, nor do I intend to do any such thing in the future. I want to be the voice of the state through non-violence and work for the uplift of poor, farmers, youth and women," he said in the letter which was made public by his lawyer Yashwant Vala today.
Claiming that his nine-odd months of jail term has taught him how to "cleanse dirty politics", he expressed his distrust in political parties like Congress and BJP. "I have spent nine months in my mother's womb, and another nine months in jail, totaling eighteen months. In this period I understood how to cleanse dirty politics," he said.
Hardik said he comes from a simple farmer's family and has full faith in judiciary, and the court's verdict has strengthened his belief that "innocents and poor do get justice".
After nine months of incarceration, Hardik is set to walk out of jail as the Gujarat High Court yesterday removed the last hurdle by granting him bail in a case related to violence at Visnagar MLA's office.
However, the Patel quota agitation spearhead will have to stay outside Gujarat for the next six months, as directed by the high court on Friday when it granted him bail in two sedition cases.
Hardik was accused of inciting violence to put pressure on the government to accept the demand of OBC reservation for Patels.
His mega rally on reservation held in Ahmedabad on August 25 last year had sparked violence, in which, 10 people, including one policeman, were killed and public properties and vehicles damaged across Gujarat.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it may set aside an order of Delhi High Court granting exemption from personal appearance to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and others in a defamation case filed by former Union minister Kapil Sibal's son Amit Sibal.
A bench of Justices A K Sikri and N V Ramana said it may remand back the matter to Delhi High Court to decide Kejriwal and other's plea seeking discharge in the case, on merit.
"What the High Court has said in its order appears to be wrong. We may set aside the order and remand it back for deciding the plea on merit," the bench said while posting the matter for further hearing on July 22.
During the brief hearing, senior advocate Jayant Bhushan, appearing for Kejriwal and others, said the matter in any case has to be examined by High Court as the stage of framing of notice has already crossed in the trial court.
He said the High Court has said the application for discharge in the case will be looked by the metropolitan magistrate at the stage of framing of notice but now that stage has also crossed.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for Amit Sibal alleged that Kejriwal and others are trying to delay the trial in the case by now raising the issue of discharge.
He said that around 24 months have passed, but they had not challenged the order of the High Court for deciding their plea for discharge on merit.
The bench then said that in a complaint case, the question of discharge does not arise and wondered what will be implication if the High Court order is set aside.
The Delhi High Court in its judgement had asked the trial court to consider the pleas of Kejriwal and others including deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Shazia Ilmi and advocate Prashant Bhishan seeking discharge from the defamation case.
Sibal, who challenged the High Court verdict before the apex court, had earlier vehemently opposed the submission that there was a stay on the trial court proceedings in the case and it be allowed to continue.
Sibal had refuted the submission that the recent apex court judgement, upholding the constitutional validity of 156-year-old penal laws on defamation, had stayed the trial court proceedings for eight weeks in this case also.
The stay of proceedings was granted by the apex court for allowing the accused to approach the High Court for quashing of the defamation case, but in the present matter the High Court has already decided the petitions of Kejriwal and others, Sibal had said. Earlier, the apex court had issued notices to Kejriwal and others on the plea of Sibal.
The High Court had on January 16, 2014 refused to quash defamation proceedings against AAP leaders and others but had told the trial court to consider their discharge plea.
Challenging the order, Amit Sibal said the High Court cannot confer the power to discharge on a Magistrate in a triable case instituted on a private complaint.
Sibal had filed a defamation suit against Kejriwal and others for alleging that he had taken advantage of his father's position to represent telecom companies and the trial court had issued summons to them on July 24, 2013. The AAP leaders had moved the High Court seeking quashing of proceedings in the trial court.
Fadnavis is currently on an official visit to Russia. (Photo: CMO Maharashtra Twitter handle)
Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday presented a Ganesha idol to Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev during the ongoing International Industrial Exhibition 'Innoprom' in Ekaterinburg.
Fadnavis is currently on an official visit to Russia. At the Maharashtra pavilion at Innoprom, Mr Fadnavis apprised Mr Medvedev of investment opportunities in Maharashtra, an official said. The CM presented the Prime Minister a Ganesh idol, he added.
"Very happy to meet and interact with Hon Prime Minister of Russia @MedvedevRussiaE on the sidelines #Innoprom2016," Mr Fadnavis later tweeted.
The CM also met Viktor N Kladov, Director of International Cooperation and Regional Policy, Rostec.
Rostec is Russia's State Corporation for promotion development, production and export of hi-tech products for civil and defence sector.
The cabinet noted that cases involving Virbhadra Singh in question pertain merely to financial returns. (Photo: PTI)
Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet on Monday reposed full faith in Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's leadership.
In a resolution adopted at its meeting in Shimla, the cabinet reposed full faith in Singh's leadership and said, "The clamour of BJP for resignation of the Chief Minister is not only absurd but also exposes its utter disregard for the rule of law."
"Instead of showing respect and trust in the law and justice system of the country, some BJP leaders, having no popular support, seek to circumvent the legal process to dislodge a democratically-elected popular Chief Minister," the resolution said.
Read: Money laundering case: HC asks ED to give documents against Virbhadra in sealed cover
"It is quite obvious that they (BJP) have realised that it would not be possible for them to attain power through democratic and electoral means," it added.
The cabinet noted that cases (involving Singh) in question pertain merely to financial returns and despite the Income Tax Department being aware of the matter, they are being probed by three central agencies namely the IT Department, CBI and ED with the "sole objective of harassing the Chief Minister".
"It is most unfortunate and regrettable that a few leaders of the national party in power at the Centre are advocating such undemocratic practices but such high-handed and illegal tactics would be outrightly rejected by the people of the state," the cabinet said.
Meanwhile, State Finance Commission Chairman Kuldeep Kumar, State Planning Board Vice Chairman Gangu Ram Musafir and Political Advisor to Chief Minister Rangeela Ram Rao accused the NDA government at the Centre of "attempting to destabilise" the democratically-elected Congress government in the state "under the influence of some Himachal BJP leaders".
In a joint statement issued here, they claimed, "Record development has taken place in the state under the leadership of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh but some BJP leaders are carrying out a malicious propaganda against him by levelling false allegations which is unfortunate."
The NIA had on June 22 lodged a common FIR against ISIS for "criminal conspiracy to wage war against the government of India". (Representational Image)
Hyderabad: Investigating a suspected terror module of ISIS in Hyderabad, the NIA today said the accused were tech-savvy and using a modern software to secure their email conversation with their handler in Syria.
According to the NIA, alleged kingpin Mohammed Ibrahim Yazdani was using 'tutanota' software, a secure encryption mail to be in touch with his handler abroad. The coordinates of places where logistics like weapons were to be delivered, were sent to him by his handler through this email.
Tutanota is a combination of Latin words "tuta" and "nota" meaning "secure message". It provides a platform for not having any personal data and also does not log Internet Protocol address to secure locations of sender or receiver.
The platform encrypts data including its subject, content and attachments.
Mr Yazdani had also purchased a weighing machine from a shop at Biwi bazar for weighing explosive precursors and chemicals, the NIA alleged.
Another accused Abdullah Bin Ahmed Al Amoodi alias 'Fahad' had procured nine Aircel preactivated SIMs from a promotional temporary stall at Charminar bus stop.
Subsequently he had purchased five Chinese mobile phones from a mobile shop at the Charminar bus stop so that they can be used in their planning and operations.
The NIA had on June 22 lodged a common FIR against ISIS for "criminal conspiracy to wage war against the government of India" by collecting weapons and explosive materials to target public places, religious sites and sensitive government buildings in various parts of country and arrested five persons in this connection.
The agency has alleged that the five had acquired weapons and explosive materials to carry out terror attacks and were in touch with the banned ISIS. They were getting directions for planning and executing terrorist activities from ISIS, which has captured various towns and cities in Iraq and Syria.
According to the central agency, the gang was preparing improvised explosive devices for carrying out blasts, and was being guided by an online handler, suspected to be based in Iraq or Syria.
The Goa Congress chief, who left for Delhi on Monday, said he would be meeting All India Congress Committee General Secretary Digvijay Singh. (Photo: File)
Panaji: Goa Congress leaders are engaged in a war of words over the issue of pre-poll alliance with like-minded parties for the state Assembly elections due next year.
Two days ago senior Congress leader and former state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, son of Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Pratapsinh Rane, threatened to quit the party if it fails to forge an alliance with like-minded forces.
Goa Congress chief Luizinho Faleiro on Monday taunted the party legislators saying "they (Congress MLAs and Independents from opposition benches) should show an alliance on the floor of the House first before talking about the election."
He was apparently referring to non-coordination between the Congress legislators and other opposition members during the state Assembly session.
"We have not ruled out the possibility of an alliance. That is the decision the party high command will take at the right time after consulting party workers. But before that our legislators should show their grand alliance (with other opposition members) on the floor of the House," Faleiro, the former state chief minister, told reporters.
"Let them (Congress MLAs and others) get together and counter the state government on the floor of the House. That is something missing," he said.
"Why didn't all the opposition legislators combine together to attack the government during last four-and-half years? Now they have a last chance when the Monsoon Session begins on July 25. Let them show their zeal to have an alliance and counter the state government," Faleiro said.
The Goa Congress chief, who left for Delhi on Monday, said he would be meeting All India Congress Committee General Secretary Digvijay Singh in the national capital.
"The workers will decide whether the Congress should have an alliance or fight it out alone in the Goa polls. There would be consultation with the workers before the high command takes any stand," Faleiro said.
Earlier on Sunday, Vishwajit had said, "If a single leader wants to decide then let him fight the election on own,
I will not be in Congress party. I will only be in Congress party if it stitches up an alliance with like-minded forces."
Singh has held a series of meetings with top Union Ministers, officials and reached out to opposition leaders like Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah. (Photo: PTI)
New Delhi: With Kashmir on the edge, Home Minister Rajnath Singh has postponed his visit to the United States to attend the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue scheduled for next week.
A Home Ministry official cited the busy schedule during the coming Monsoon session of Parliament beginning July 18 as the reason for the deferment of the visit.
However, tension in Kashmir Valley in the wake of killing of Hizbul Mujahedeen militant Burhan Wani could be the other key factor for the postponement of the Home Minister's five-day visit to America, sources said.
New dates have not been fixed but the trip now may take place sometime in September, the official said.
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi away on a foreign trip, the Home Minister, who is responsible for the internal security of the country, has been leading the central government's efforts to bring back normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir, where 30 people have lost their lives ever since violent protests started following Wani's death.
Singh has held a series of meetings with top Union Ministers, officials and reached out to opposition leaders like Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah as parts of efforts to bring back peace and normalcy in Kashmir Valley.
The Home Minister was supposed to lead the Indian delegation at the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue to be held in Washington with the US team to be headed by Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Charles Johnson.
Further cementing anti-terror cooperation, real-time sharing of intelligence inputs, cyber security and critical infrastructure protection, countering illicit finance, global supply chain security, megacity policing and science and technology are some of the other key issues supposed to be discussed at the strategic meeting.
This senior-level exchange between India and the US is part of the strategic homeland security partnership and aimed at enhancing operational cooperation in investigations, capacity building, and countering threats.
We reached our destination. We have no plans to return from the abode of Allah, said the online message sent by Ijas Muhammad. (Photo: Representational Image)
Thiruvananthapuram: Ijas Muhammad, a physician and native of Kasargode in northern Kerala, sent an audio message to his parents on Sunday, telling them not to look for him as he had reached his destination.
Muhammad was not on a vacation, and nor had he eloped. He had, like some other Muslim youth from Kerala, joined the Islamic State (IS).
According to a report in Hindustan Times, an intelligence official said the online communication originated from West Asia.
Read: 21 people missing from Kerala, suspected to have IS links
We reached our destination. There is no point in complaining to police as this will create more problems for you. We have no plans to return from the abode of Allah, said the online message sent by Ijas Muhammad.
Muhammad has a medical degree from China and was working with a clinic at Vadakara in Kozhikode district. He was on leave for the last two months.
On Sunday, the Kerala LDF government headed by Pinarayi Vijayan had for the first time admitted that 17 Muslim youth had been missing from the state and might have joined ISIS.
Read: Kerala: Salafi splinter groups fuel radicalism
The missing from Kasargode included four women and three children. And two women were among the missing from Palakkad, he said.
At least 8 of those missing have slipped out from Bengaluru and Mengaluru airports in neighbouring Karnataka. Among them were two women in advanced stages of pregnancy.
Police suspect the role of Salafi groups in radicalising these people. Most of them are inspired by Wahabism. The IS too is driven by the same principles, said a Muslim reformist in Kozhikode who did not want to be named.
New Delhi: Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has rejected allegations by a former BJP MLA alleging a nexus in the fielding of candidates in Bihar elections.
According to reports, Owaisi described as baseless claims made by former MLA Yateen Oza, in a letter to the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, that the MIM was in cahoots with the BJP for the elections.
Owaisi threatened to take legal action, not only against the former BJP MLA but also against media houses which carry the news.
My lawyers are already at work. We will send him a notice asking him to prove his allegations or face legal action. They will have to apologise or appear before a court, he said.
Your mouthpiece will get notice by my lawyer I think must also send you a notice to substantiate https://t.co/hk5qakJkSd Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) July 11, 2016
Read: Amit Shah, Asaduddin Owaisi struck secret deal for Bihar polls: Ex-BJP MLA
Former BJP MLA Yatin Oza, who is planning to join AAP, on Monday claimed that BJP President Amit Shah and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi had "struck a deal" at a meeting ahead of Bihar Assembly polls to "polarise" votes in the Muslim-dominated northern belt.
The allegations were denied by the BJP state unit. Seizing on Oza's claims, AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "If it is true, it reveals real face of BJP-Modi-Shah".
In a letter to Kejriwal on July 4, Oza claimed that he was also present at the meeting which he said was held "in the wee hours at Shah's residence on September 15, 2015."
However, he did not clarify the place where the purported meeting took place. Oza claimed that it was decided in the meeting that "Owaisi will spew poisonous communal speech, the script of which shall be written by Amit Shah."
He further alleged that the recent statement by Owaisi to extend legal aid to suspected IS operatives held in Hyderabad also "appears to be part of the aforesaid strategy."
Speaking to media persons, Oza, a lawyer at Gujarat High Court, said, "I was present in the said meeting. A detailed discussion took place and it was agreed that Owaisi shall field his candidates in Bihar , particularly in Muslim belt that was to go to polls on November 5 (last phase).
"It was decided in the meeting that Owaisi will vomit poisonous communal speech, the script of which shall be written by Amit Shah, which may have the potentiality to create communal divide in the society," the letter said.
"It was decided in the meeting that BJP and Owaisi would stand as strong opponents of each other before the people, but Owaisi would only speak on dotted lines and his speech would create an atmosphere of hatred resulting into communal tension," it said.
The BJP dismissed Oza's claim as nothing but "an exercise to seek media attention." "Just like their leader Kejriwal, people who are either associated with AAP or wanting to join that party are known to do such drama. Allegations by Oza are nothing but an attempt to get attention of media. Owaisi has already refuted Oza's claims," said Gujarat BJP's media convener Harshad Patel.
In the high-stake Bihar election, the JD(U)-RJD-Congress alliance secured 178 seats in the 243-member state Assembly whereas the BJP-led NDA could bag only 58 seats.
AIMIM, which had contested in Seemanchal region in four districts of Araria, Purnea, Kishanganj, Katihar, drew a blank.
Oza also claimed that newly-elected Gujarat BJP president Vijay Rupani is an "old friend" of Owaisi.
Oza claimed he was with Rupani when the latter met Owaisi "with great warmth" at Delhi Airport on March 11, as they were supposed to board the same flight.
"Both of them did not even look at each other but proceeded towards VIP lounge. I was also requested by Rupani to accompany him, which I did. To the utter shock of mine, I saw both of them shaking hands with each other and conversation between them was such that even a layman would believe beyond doubts that they are old buddies," Oza alleged.
Kashmir Valley witnessed clashes between protestors and security personnel after the killing of the 22-year-old terrorist Wani. (Photo: HU Naqash/DC)
Srinagar: A mob in south Kashmir's Kulgam district took a police officer hostage, demanding the release of three young men arrested on charges of stone pelting after the killing of top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.
An assistant sub inspector of police was abducted by the mob at Behibagh in Kulgam and has been held hostage, a police official said.
"Efforts are on to secure the release of the police officer," he added.
Read: Kashmir violence: Separatists extend strike call by 2 days
Kashmir Valley witnessed clashes between protestors and security personnel after the killing of the 22-year-old terrorist Wani.
The Centre on Monday rushed an additional 800 paramilitary forces to Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of continued violent protests across the Valley.
The reinforcements will be in addition to 1,200 personnel which were sent to aid the state police on Saturday.
About 60 battalions (about 1,000 personnel each) are already stationed in the state as part of counter insurgency grid.
Chennai: The Madras high court on Monday advised the advocates to approach the Supreme Court if they have any grievances over the new amendments introduced to the Rules under the Advocates Act by the Madras high court.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R.Mahadevan gave the advice when advocate G.Krishnamoorthy made a mention that advocates were prevented from attending the subordinate courts by the agitating lawyers.
When the court proceeding began this morning, advocate Krishnanmoorthy made a mention that the boycott of courts is turning out to be a hardship. The advocates cannot even walk in with robes as they were threatened. The subordinate courts were in a bad shape. Advocates were unable to enter the court premises. The CISF should be extended to the whole of Madras high court campus, he added.
Chief Justice S K Kaul said extension of CISF was under consideration. But funding was a factor. The new amendments to the Rules were introduced as per the directions of the Supreme Court and no word was added or deleted from the apex courts direction. Therefore, if advocates have any grievance, they can approach the Supreme Court.
Objecting to the submission of Krishnamoorthy, Advocates T.Mohan and A.P.Suryaprakasam said it was an absolute lie. All the advocates were walking free without any problem. Nobody was prevented or disturbed or harassed. Advocates wanted all the new rules to be removed. As per the Supreme Court order, the high court cannot punish an advocate except for contempt, they added.
New Delhi: To help stop misguided Muslims from joining terror groups like ISIS or Islamic State, RSS-linked organisation Muslim Rashtriya Manch will soon float a new anti-terrorism body.
"The Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) will soon form a new anti-terrorist front that will help guide Muslim youths and channelise them into national work," said Manch president Mohammad Afzal.
Asked when the new body would come into being, he said, "very soon".
"The new body will be formed within the next two months," he added.
The move is seen as an attempt by the pro-RSS organisation to stop the exodus of youth from the country to join terror organisations, after being misguided by radical Islamist groups.
It also assumes importance in the wake of reports that many Indian youths have been inspired by Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and joined the militant ranks.
Naik, who also runs Peace TV which has been banned by Bangladesh, is under the government's scanner and his preachings are being monitored by various agencies.
There have also been reports of some Kerala youth going missing and joining the ISIS.
Athawale said that the new quotas will be implemented without harming the present structure. (Photo: PTI)
Mumbai: On his first trip to Mumbai after being appointed the Social Justice and Welfare Minister in the Narendra Modi Cabinet, Republican Party of India (RPI) chief Ramdas Athawale has said that he would be writing to Modi to implement reservations for Marathas, Jats and Brahmins.
A number of demands have been raised for reservation from various corners of the country. I am sympathetic to all those demands. Marathas, Jats and economically weaker Brahmins too are demanding reservation in education, jobs and politics. I will write to Modiji in support of these demands and I am sure it will give positive results, he told mediapersons in Mumbai.
Read: Cabinet rejig: Athawale's induction part of Modi's Dalit outreach
He said all those Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe people who had converted to Buddhism must get all benefits prescribed under the law. The demand of Dhangars, seeking inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe quota, was also being considered by the government, he said.
Calling for strengthening the implementation of the SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Athawale criticised the authorities in Maharashtra for being too lenient in executing it.
He said that the new quotas will be implemented without harming the present structure.
New Delhi: Amid speculations of a reshuffle in Uttar Pradesh Congress ahead of the assembly polls, UPCC president Nirmal Khatri has submitted his resignation to party president Sonia Gandhi.
The changes were expected in the party's state unit after senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was appointed in-charge of the UP affairs.
According to sources, the Congress has accepted the resignation of Khatri.
Khatri, former member of Parliament from the Faizabad constituency, was named UP Congress chief in October 2012, after party failed to make a mark in assembly elections.
Meanwhile, Ghulam Nabi Azad is likely to meet Sonia Gandhi today.
The Congress is hoping to bank on Priyanka Gandhis personality to woo voters in the State and she is expected to campaign for them in different parts of the state.
Many Congress leaders want Priyanka to get a significant role in the party, however there is no confirmation on whether she will be leading their poll campaign in UP.
Naik also cancelled his press conference scheduled in Mumbai on Tuesday but will address media through Skype on the allegations. (Photo: PTI)
Mumbai: Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who was expected back in Mumbai on Monday from Saudi Arabia, is unlikely to return to the country for another two to three weeks as he is planning to visit some African countries for public speeches.
In a statement released from abroad, he said no Indian government agency has contacted him over the allegations.
It would be my pleasure to cooperate with any official Indian government investigation agency for any information they might require from me, he said, reaffirming that he does not support terrorism or violence and neither does he support any terrorist organisation.
Naik also cancelled his press conference scheduled in Mumbai on Tuesday but will address media through Skype on the allegations of inspiring militants through his speeches, an aide of the preacher said on Monday.
"Dr Zakir Naik was never supposed to be physically present for the media briefing that was to take place on Tuesday. He had decided that he will address the media through Skype and answer all queries that media persons may have had," he said.
"His (Naik's) travel schedule had been made long back. After performing Umrah, he is scheduled to travel to Jeddah from where he will visit Africa for his public talks scheduled there. He is therefore not expected in the country for another 2-3 weeks at least," he added.
He, however, said that Naik is not running away from any inquiry and that he is only sticking to his travel schedule worked out in advance.
Apart from coming under scanner in India, Bangladesh has also banned the broadcast of Naik's Peace TV, cracking down on the channel and radical sermons by the 'televanagelist.'
Shiv Sena has demanded arrest of Naik on his landing in India and dismantling of his TV network. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party Maharashtra unit President
Abu Azmi came in support of Naik and sought to know why action has not been taken for the last 25 years if his speeches are inspiring terrorists, and called for a fair inquiry into charges against him.
"Zakir Naik has been a preacher for around 25 years now. If he has been inspiring terrorists, why was no action taken against him from so long? There should be an inquiry, conducted by a retired Supreme Court judge to prove that he can never do anything of this sort. But, this media trial against him should stop," Azmi told reporters in Mumbai.
"While there should be a thorough investigation into Zakir Naik's speeches, fundings of his Islamic Research Foundation, the Centre should first ban Sanathan Sanstha because their members have been named by the CBI for being involved in the killing of those who opposed their way of Hinduism," he said.
"We want justice for him (Naik). Let the inquiry be conducted by a non-Muslim judge like Justice Srikrishna, Rajindar Sachar or another retired judge of the Supreme Court," Azmi added.
Hyderabad: A school inspired by Dr Zakir Naik is being run in Kadapa but the organisers say that it has no links with the controversial cleric. Peace Islamic International School is being run by software engineer, Mr Syed Ghouse Peer, in Gazetted Officers Colony near Mariapuram in Kadapa. Mr Peer said he was inspired by Dr Naiks speeches and implemented the syllabus of Dr Naiks school.
He said, I heard Dr Zakir Naiks speech on TV and was inspired by him. This school has nothing to do with him or his foundation. We are not receiving any funds. The school is state recognised and is being run with the fees paid by the children. I havent met Dr Zakir Naik at any point of my life and neither has he visited our school.
Mr Peer further said that I went to the Chennai school run by Zakir Naiks foundation and got the syllabus copy. While we follow the regular curriculum, an extra two hours is being spent on teaching Quran and Arabic.
Peace Islamic International School has a branch in Kalburagi in Karnataka. Mr Peer had earlier worked with IT majors in India and the UK. The school teaches martial arts has segregated premises in higher classes for boys and girls.
Dr Naik is a Mumbai-based Islamic preacher, who claims specialisation in comparative religion. An exponent of the Salafi ideology, he has come under cloud after the Bangladesh government said the terrorists who attacked an upmarket cafe and killed 20 persons were inspired by his lectures. Dhaka subsequently banned his speeches.
A man walks past a graffiti during restriction and strike on the fourth consecutive day of riots in Srinagar on Tuesday. (Photo: PTI)
SRINAGAR: Parts of Kashmir Valley on Tuesday witnessed fresh protests and violent clashes, leaving, at least, one person dead and more than 30 people injured.
One protester was killed and another wounded in security forces firing on a mob which allegedly attacked a police station in frontier Kupwara district. Also, one of the three protesters injured in police firing in the highway town of Bijbehara on Monday succumbed in a Srinagar hospital overnight.
With the latest casualties, the toll in days of mayhem triggered by the killing of Burhan Muzaffar Wani, the new-age poster-boy of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, in an encounter with security forces on July 8 has risen to 32.
Among them is a police driver Afroz Ahmed killed when an irate crowd pushed the vehicle he was driving into Jhelum outside Srinagar on Saturday.
Police sources said that one person identified as Zahoor Ahmad Sheikh was killed and another wounded when security forces opened fire on a mob which targeted a police station at Kralapora in frontier district of Kupwara on Tuesday afternoon. A statement issued by the police here said the mob also torched a police vehicle trapping some policemen inside.
While dealing with the incident one person was injured who later on succumbed to his injuries, it added. A report said the second youth has also succumbed to his injuries in hospital but the authorities here said they have not received any such report from the counterparts in Kupwara.
Earlier, Amir Nazir Latoo, a student of Delhi University (DU), who was among three people critically injured in police firing at Zirpora in the highway town of Bijbehara on Monday died in a Srinagar hospital overnight. Amir, who was pursuing M.Com at DU, had come to Kashmir to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr with his family.
A report from southern Pulwama district said that a mob barged into the house of one police official Muhammad Ashraf and thrashed his wife and daughter.
The victims have been hospitalised.
Mehbooba Mufti: Violence begets nothing
Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, on Tuesday discussed the prevailing situation and other important issues with Governor, N.N. Vohra, at an hour-long meeting held at the Raj Bhavan here.
She has in a Kashmir martyrs day eve message said that J&K police and the paramilitary forces have been asked to exercise maximum restrain to avoid loss of lives or grievous injuries to protesters.
Security forces were told to exhibit restraint while dealing with protests. It is sad that despite taking all measures lives were lost", she said promising Incidents where security personnel have acted harshly and have used excess force will be investigated and dealt with.
She once again sought the cooperation of the people in restoration of peace and normalcy. Blaming vested interests for the unrest, Ms Mufti appealed to the parents not to allow anybody to play with the future of their children as she asserted that violence does not achieve anything but only results in bloodshed.
Hyderabad: The National Investigation Agency will be verifying if the arrested members of local ISIS group had connections with those who had disappeared from Kerala recently. It will also probe the Kolkata ISIS link as a suspect arrested in West Bengal had confessed about his Hyderabad handler a week ago.
Meanwhile, after reports that 21 youths who had recently gone missing from Kerala had allegedly joined the IS, Counter Intelligence and Special Branch teams of TS are verifying missing cases in the Old City area. The teams are concentrating on people between 20 and 40 years who have gone missing in the last three months.
Cops quiz parents of all 12 missing youths
After a thorough verification, the teams have interrogated the parents of the 12 youths who went missing in the last three months.
An official source from south zone said, We have found about 50 cases related to failure in love and family disputes. We are suspecting only a few youths who have good education and family backgrounds.
Another official from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of CCS said that this was a routine process. When dealing with terror related cases, we verify the details of missing cases. Based on inputs received from multiple agencies, we had concluded that about 33 youth who had gone missing from the city had joined various terror outfits one-and-a-half decades ago, the official said.
An Intelligence official, however, denied that any missing youth from the city had joined the IS in the recent past. Verification of missing youth and their family details is continuing. But so far we have not got any evidence or confirmation that they joined terror outfits, he said.
New Delhi: Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday met Congress general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Ghulam Nabi Azad amid speculation about her assuming a bigger role in the party ahead of the 2017 Assembly polls in the state. Party sources said Priyanka had an hour-long meeting with Azad at his residence here.
They are learnt to have discussed her role in the party ahead of the Assembly polls in the state next year. According to reports, Priyanka may assume an active and bigger role for Congress and may be its top campaigner in UP.
Congress has so far remained tight-lipped on her role but several party leaders have batted for her assuming a bigger role and canvassing for the party all over the state.
Priyanka has earlier campaigned in Rae Bareli and Amethi parliamentary constituencies, represented by her mother and Congress President Sonia Gandhi and brother and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi, respectively.
Azad had held meetings with Sonia and Rahul in the past few days over the party's poll strategy in UP. He has favoured Priyanka becoming pro-active and campaigning throughout the state.
Poll strategist Prashant Kishor, who has been roped in by Congress to help and assist the party in Uttar Pradesh, has reportedly suggested Priyanka's name for leading the party in the state.
Reports also have it that veteran leader Sheila Dikshit is likely to assume an active role in the key state. Meanwhile, actor-turned-politician Raj Babbar was appointed as president of Uttar Pradesh Congress.
Four senior vice presidents, including Imran Masood, who had courted controversy a few years ago with his hate speech against BJPs prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in 2014, were also appointed.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked an expert panel headed by former apex court judge H.S. Bedi to submit draft guidelines so that appropriate orders can be passed to prevent circulation of sardarji jokes in the websites.
A Bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud gave six weeks time for the panel to hold discussions and submit the guidelines.
The Bench passed this order after hearing counsel for various parties including Shiro-mani Gurdwara Praba-ndhak Committee (SGPC) which said that the community is being bullied by such jokes.
Advocate Harvinder Choudhry, the main petitioner cited various instances of Sikhs being ridiculed and said over 4,000 children had committed suicide unable to withstand the humiliation. The CJI told the counsel we have asked counsel to indicate the areas which we can address in our order. We will certainly stop commercial exploitation.
The petitioners submitted that perception plays a big role at various levels of decision making, be it at the level of executive, in the bureaucracy and even in the judiciary.
If this circulation of Sardar jokes be allowed to continue, depicting Sikhs as naive, inept, etc. then, since it creates a stereotype image of Sikhs, it is also leading to undermine the contributions made by Sikhs for the Independence of India. The Bench directed the matter to be listed after six weeks.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court will pronounce its verdict on Wednesday on a batch of petitions filed by former Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh and others challenging the decision of the Governor J.P. Rajkhowa to advance the Assembly session from January 14, 2016 to December 16, 2015.
A five-judge Constitution Bench comprising justices J.S. Khehar, Dipak Misra, Madan B. Lokur, Pinaki Chandra Ghose and N.V. Ramana, reserved verdict on February 22 on the petitions filed by Mr. Nabam Tuki and others questioning the President's rule.
Three separate judgments are to be pronounced by Justices Khehar, Misra and Lokur. During the course of hearing of these petitions, the Centre lifted the presidents rule in the State and Kalikho Pal became the new Chief Minister on February 19.
As a result the whole issue became an academic exercise. However, the court had indicated that if it was found that the Governor had exercise his power with malafide intentions, it can put back the Nabam Tuki government.
The Governor had justified his decision to pre-pone the session saying he had exercised his legitimate discretion. He said politics has no place in the court.
The Chief Minister claims majority in the House when 21 Congress MLAs had written to the Governor saying that the CM had lost their confidence. What should the Governor do when he is faced with a situation of a resolution to remove the Speaker.
Can the Governor be faulted for exercising the discretion to pre-pone the assembly session and asking that the resolution to be taken as the first item in the agenda.
Thirty per cent excess rain the state has received during the period between June 1 and July 12
Hyderabad: As of July 11, Telangana has received 30 per cent more rainfall than normal. Khammam received the highest rainfall of 63 per cent above normal followed by Adilabad 40 per cent and Karimnagar 34 per cent. Areas with more green cover have received excess rainfall, experts have revealed.
But in other parts of the state, the monsoon has triggered varying results.
Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and Medak districts of Telangana received less rainfall than normal for the months of June and July. Their rainfall percentages are in the negative figures.
Hyderabad received -15 mm rainfall, while Medak received -18 mm from June 1 to July 11, 2016. However, IMD said these three districts will cross their normal mark in the next two months.
IMD director, Mr. Y.K Reddy said, There is no particular reason for districts recording different rainfall. Hydera-bad, Medak and Ranga Reddy can cover up the deficit in the next two months. This variation in rainfall is called intra-monsoon seasonal variation. Also the reason for northern districts of the state like Adilabad, Nizamabad and Khammam receiving more rain is that, all through the monsoon the low pressure areas have been over northern Telangana - which is pushing monsoon currents in the region. This has caused much more rain in the northern parts of the state. However if there is a low pressure over south costal AP, the districts in the southern areas will witness rainfall.
The city weather bureau has announced that south-west monsoons have been active over Telangana. The present condition is: the low pressure area over north east Madhya Pradesh and its neighbourhood now lies over central parts of north Madhya Pradesh and its neighbourhood.
The associated upper air cyclonic circulation now exte-nds up to 7.6 km above mean sea level. Heavy to very heavy rainfall warning has been issued for Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Warangal and Khammam of Telangana, up to July 17.
The forecast for the city on July 13 is generally cloudy sky condition. Intermittent rain is likely to occur in parts of the city. Maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 31 and 23 degrees respectively.
Flood threat to Khammam
It will be an anxious next few days for residents of five mandals in Khammam district with water levels in the Godavari hovering near the danger mark at Bhadrachalam.
As per the latest data recorded by officials on Tuesday, the water level was 52.2 feet. The district administration has deployed four boats and few swimmers as first responders.
Nearly 19 villages across the five mandals - including Wajedu, Cherla, Venkata-puram, Dummugadem and Bhadrachalam are under threat if water levels reach the 53-feet mark.
Around 50 families from the Ashoknagar Colony and Kotha Colony in Bhadrachalam town have been moved to a relief camp by the district administration.
The water levels have risen rapidly from 23 feet on Sunday evening to 50 feet by Monday night due to a continuing downpour in the catchment areas. The first warning was issued after water levels touched 43 feet at 6 am on Monday and the second warning came up when it surpassed 48 feet mark in the evening.
Lucknow: The ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh is reducing its dependence on the seniors for the 2017 assembly campaign. UP chief minister and state SP president Akhilesh Yadav, who will be leading the partys campaign, has decided to put youth leaders at the helm of the campaign.
He has convened a meeting of the Lohia Vahini, Mulayam Singh Youth Brigade, Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha and Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha from July 18 to 21 to inform them of their role in the campaign.
The sheer power of the youth propelled the Samajwadi Party to a comfortable majority in the 2012 elections and under the leadership of Mr Akhilesh Yadav, this youth power has consolidated in the partys favour. Mr Akhilesh Yadav will now be using the youth power in the party to carry out the campaign, said an aide of the chief minister.
The elders in the party will restrict themselves to addressing rallies and working in coordination with SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav. The youth team that will be actively involved in campaigning, meanwhile, will report directly to the chief minister.
The youth leaders will fan out into the village through cycle yatras and will connect with the young voters, inform them of the achievements of the Akhilesh government and even distribute publicity material connected to the various schemes launched for the youth, the source said. Young female workers in the party will also be actively involved in campaigning this time.
Young girls have benefitted the most in the Akhilesh government through laptop distribution schemes and other schemes like Rani Laxmibai awards. The youth leaders will be accompanied by young women who will reach out to women voters, the source added.
New Delhi: Against backdrop of 470vacancies in the high courts, 15 HCs have recommended names of 223 candidates for appointment as judges.
The 15 high courts, including that of Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, Allahabad, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Gauhati and Bombay have sent their recommendations to the Centre which will in turn send them to the Supreme Court collegium, sources in the government said.
As per the established practice, the high courts send their recommendations to the Centre which, in turn, "processes" the file such as seeking Intelligence Bureau reports on the candidates and forwards them to the SC collegium for a decision.
After going through the recommendations, the SC collegium then recommends some of the names for appointment or elevation. The government, based on its feedback, either accepts the recommendation or returns it to the SC collegium with a request to reconsider.
The Centre had recently forwarded names of 78 persons from state judicial services and the bar to the SC collegium recommended by various state collegiums for appointment as judges.
The 24 high courts in the country are short of 470 judges, up from 443 in January this year, latest data show.
The rise in the vacancies comes at a time when the executive and the judiciary continue to have differences over key clauses of a document which will guide future appointments to the higher judiciary.
At the beginning of the year, the shortage was of 443 judges, while in the later part of 2015 it was 392, data available with the Law Ministry state.
As on July 1, high courts were facing a shortage of 470 judges, with the Allahabad High Court having the maximum vacancies at 82.
TIRUVANNAMALAI: A family of three father, mother and son who went shopping, were brutally beaten up by three lathi-wielding policemen in Chengam
in Tiruvannamalai district.
The shocking incident occurred on Monday morning in a town near Chengam when the husband and wife began arguing over a personal issue in which the policemen on duty at the bazaar intervened on their own and demanded the reason for their altercation. It is our personal issue, was all Raja, an auto driver, told the policemen.
Within seconds, the policemen started thrashing the couple and their son despite repeated plea from the trio to spare them since they did no wrong. Ghastly visuals of policemen unleashing brutality were beamed on almost all television channels on Monday evening.
Repeated requests and cries of the hapless couple and their son went unheeded as the men in khaki were in no mood to stop their relentless attack on them. The policemen were so furious that they continued attacking the couple even after one of the lathis broke.
Eyewitnesses said the couple was arguing without disturbing anyone, but the police near-by intervened and unleashed violence on them. As television channels flashed the incident, Tiruvannamalai SP R. Ponni transferred the three policemen Namalvaar, Murugan and Vijayakumarto Armed Reserve (AR), Vellore, and ordered a departmental inquiry.
The three policemen have been transferred and asked to report at Vellore. The Chengam DSP has been asked to conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident and further action against the three will be decided after the inquiry report is submitted, Ponni told Deccan Chronicle. She said a departmental enquiry was on.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Brother of Nimisha Fathima, one of the 21 Malayalis suspected to have joined the Islamic State, is an official with the elite National Security Guard (NSG).
Sources close to the family in Thiruvan-anthapuram said Nimishas brother Nikhil is with the NSG as a commando and has been serving the agency for the past many years.
Nikhil is Nimishas elder brother and both were born out of the first marriage of her mother Bindu Kumar.
Top police sources told this newspaper that the priority of the ongoing probe was to confirm whether Nimisha actually joined the ISIS. We shall take up further probe only after confirming that aspect, said a senior police officer.
Reports had said Nimisha had married Easa, her senior in the dental college in Kasargod district, who had converted to Isalm from Christianity.
Ms Bindu said her daughter had left with her husband for Sri Lanka in May this year for religious studies. I had received the last communication from her on June 4, she had said.
Meanwhile, amidst reports that a group of Keralites had joined terror outfit Islamic State, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed the Assembly on Monday that a total of 21 persons have been missing from the state.
Among them, 17 were from Kasaragod and four from Palakkad as per the preliminary information available, Vijayan told the Assembly.
Speaking to reporters S.P. Ramaraj, said the association has proposed to appear for the accused in the court and file a writ petition before high court soon seeking CBI probe.
Chennai: After alleging that his son was being framed by the police in the murder case of techie Swathi, father of the lone accused, P. Ramkumar, is all set to move the Madras high court seeking a CBI probe into the gruesome murder.
In a letter sent to Tamil Nadu Progressive Advocates Association, his father, R. Paramasivam, 50, of Meenatchipuram, Tirunelveli district, has requested the association to take up the matter in the court as he had no one to support his family. Following this, the association has appointed a 17- member advocate team led by advocate S.P. Ramaraj, a retired district judge.
Speaking to reporters S.P. Ramaraj, said the association has proposed to appear for the accused in the court and file a writ petition before high court soon seeking CBI probe. While condemning the murder of Swathi, Ramaraj said no woman in the state should face similar fate. At the same time, no innocent person should be convicted.
When the police arrested Ramkumar in his house, he was unable to speak due to the injuries he sustained on his neck. However, police claimed that hours later, Ramkumar gave confession statement to a magistrate in the hospital.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state will seek help of intelligence agencies of other countries to track the 21 Malayalis who were suspected to have joined the Islamic State. It is learnt that though the central agencies have received information that most of those missing mysteriously, including womenand children, had left the country, their whereabouts could not be tracked and it could not even be confirmed whether they had joined the IS. Hence it was decided to seek the help of intelligence agencies of other countries.
According to sources, ADGP (Intelligence) R. Sreelekha held discussions with top intelligence officials in New Delhi on Tuesday and appraised them of the information gathered by the local police so far regarding the 21 persons. Details like passport information of those missing would be shared with intelligence agencies of Iran, Syria and other West Asian countries through which those missing might have travelled. The intelligence agencies of other countries may cooperate depending on their relationships with India's intelligence agencies, sources said.
Intelligence agencies received information from the immigration wing that all the 21 had reached Teheran in different groups between May last week and July first week. They had travelled using tourist visas. But it could not be verified whether they had travelled beyond Iran and hence the help of intelligence agencies of other countries is being sought, said sources.
Sources also said that since the top officials of the Home Ministry were busy with the Kashmir violence, the state's concern may not get much attention from the centre at this stage. Certain messages sent by some of the missing persons to their relatives and information from the bureau of immigration that those missing had left the country strengthen the suspicions that they had joined the IS. The state police are yet to invoke the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Ten cases were registered in connection with the missing of 21 persons. While nine were registered in Kasargod, one was in Palakkad.
The TD and BJP are continuing their election alliance but several controversies cropped up between the parties. (Photo: PTI)
Vijayawada: The elections for various corporations and municipalities across the state may lead to another controversy between the TD and BJP as the latter has plans to contest for the mayor post in many places, even as it has an election alliance with the ruling Telugu Desam.
The leaders of BJP have openly raised the issue for debate in Guntur and Vizag cities. The TD and BJP are continuing their election alliance but several controversies cropped up between the parties. Politicial experts even expressed doubts if the alliance would continue for long.
In such a situation, the adamant attitude of the BJP leaders with regard to contesting the civic polls is likely to trigger opposition from the Telugu Desam.
Former minister Kanna Laxminarayana made an announcement that the BJP would contest the forthcoming elections in Guntur Corporation. Similarly, the BJP leaders had already evinced interest in contesting elections in Vizag city too.
The election schedule for several corporations and various municipalities is yet to be announced but the leaders of BJP are already chalking out plans to contest. The TD is also very keen to have hold in cities like Guntur and Vizag.
Recently, minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, hinting at the BJPs plans to contest, assured the TD cadre that the party would contest in all the major municipalities and corporations.
However, the BJP is keen on contesting in Vizag as it had won the civic elections there and hopes to repeat the feat again.
The strike was then extended for two more days to protest the killings of civilians in firing allegedly by security forces.(Photo: H U Naqash)
Srinagar: Fresh protests rocked Kashmir valley on Tuesday raising the death toll to 32, and leaving more than 30 injured, in what is viewed as the worst unrest in Jammu and Kashmir since 1990.
Amir Nazir Latoo, a student of Delhi University, was the latest causality of the clashes that ensued after the encounter of Hiuzbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani.
Latoo, who was pursuing M.Com at Delhi University, was one of the three people critically injured in police firing at Zirpora on Monday. He was in Kashmir to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr with his family, and died in a Srinagar hospital overnight.
Another person was killed when police opened fire on a mob which targeted a police station in Kupwara on Tuesday afternoon.
Police officials confirmed 24 deaths citing lack of records, but added that 1,400 people have been injured in firing by the security forces. Stone pelting incidents have also left 150 security personnel wounded since Friday night, leaving Srinagar hospitals overwhelmed.
An estimated 400 people have received bullet and pellet injuries above their waist line, and 62 of them are at risk of losing eyesight, as a result of crackdown by the security forces.
A medical emergency has been declared across the state, with hospitals facing shortage of medicines and blood. Appeals are being made to donors to come forward and help cope with the situation. The restrictions have also resulted in shortage of food, medicine and other essentials. Free langars are being organised by volunteers to feed the needy.
Meanwhile, thousands visited slain militant Burhan Wanis house and grave in Tral, to offer condolences to his family on Rasm-e-Qul ceremony, held on the fourth day of death. Banners and graffiti hailing Wani as a martyr dotted Tral. Burhan-the pride of the Kashmiri Nation read one such banner.
However, in a joint statement, key separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik asked the police force to introspect, identify and align themselves with ill-treated and oppressed fellow Kashmiris instead of becoming an instrument of repression at the hands of authorities.
Claiming that they failed the basic responsibility towards their own community, the statement added that policemen were incurring wrath and dislike of their people. The people of Kashmir are so angry and disillusioned with them (policemen) for their role that they are asking the leadership to excommunicate them and socially boycott them, the statement added.
Mirwaiz has separately written to the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon seeking his 'effective intervention to stop the killing spree and massacre of unarmed civilian population in Kashmir.
The separatist leaders who recently formed an issue-based loose alliance are currently under house arrest following Wanis death.
Read: Modi takes stock, appeals for peace in violence-hit Kashmir valley
In Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting to review the Kashmir situation soon after his return from five-day Africa visit. The meeting was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
"He (PM) has appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain peace so that the situation can normalise. He (PM) also expressed hope that no innocent person should face any kind of inconvenience or loss," Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said after the meeting.
Assuring all possible help to the state government, the Prime Minister also expressed satisfaction over the progress of the Amarnath Yatra. "The Prime Minister kept taking updates about the Jammu and Kashmir situation during his visit abroad. The biggest evidence of his concern is that he called this review meeting within hours of returning from the tour," Singh said.
Read: Police officer's wife, daughter beaten up by mob in J&K
In Kashmir, while normal life remained paralysed, unidentified militants targeted a police post in Sopore, firing seven to eight rounds but no one was injured.
In another incident, unidentified persons hurled a petrol bomb towards security forces posted on law and order duty in Noorbagh area of Srinagar, an official said, adding nobody was injured.
The separatist groups yesterday extended the strike call till July 13 to coincide with the 85th anniversary of those who laid down their lives fighting the Aristocratic rule in the state in 1931.
Meanwhile, a report from southern Pulwama said that a mob barged into the house of a police official Muhammad Ashraf and thrashed his wife and daughter. The victims have been hospitalised. Police officials said that Ashraf was away on duty when the incident occurred.
Shops, private offices, business establishments and petrol pumps remained shut, while government offices and banks witnessed thin attendance, the officials said. Public transport was completely off the roads for the fourth consecutive day, while private cars and autorickshaws were seen plying at few places.
Thiruvananthapuram: CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that he would examine the circumstances under which Chief Ministers legal advisor M K Damodaran filed a plea for INTUC state president R Chandrashekharan against the state government in a corruption case. The corruption case registered by vigilance pertains to Kerala Cashew Development Corporation (KSCDC). Kerala High Court has sought views of Vigilance Department on the plea.
However, Kodiyeri said there was nothing wrong in chief ministers legal advisor appearing for lottery baron Santiago Martin. He justified Damodaran saying that the senior advocate was legal advisor of the chief minister and not government pleader. He has not appeared in any case against the state government. The rival party in Santiago Martin case is the central government. In his individual capacity, Damodaran has every right to appear in any case, he said.
CPM had come under attack after Damodaran appeared for lottery baron. Veteran leader V S Achuthanandan who fought a relentless battle against lottery mafia, had expressed his displeasure over the issue. "I fought the case because of which Santiago Martin who was taking away money from here, had to leave lock, stock and barrel. We managed to throw him out," he had stated while reacting to Martin issue. Despite the raging controversy over Damodaran, chief minister Pinarayi Vjayan has maintained silence on the issue.
It was inevitable that Pakistan would step up its attacks on India in the wake of the violent protests in the Kashmir Valley following the encounter in which the terrorist leader Burhan Wani, the poster boy of the revived effort to stoke fresh militancy, was killed last week. But the sharp tone of the language officially exchanged between India and Pakistan can leave little doubt that the chill between the two countries will continue in the foreseeable future. Prime Minister Modi pushed his luck last December when he arrived in Lahore to greet Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif on the latters birthday.
But the incipient bonhomie was jolted early with the Pakistani assault on the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot in early January, clearly indicating that Mr Modi had hoped that gestures would do it and had laid no firm basis for moving in the direction of normalising ties with Islamabad. It is clear that the Pakistan military will throw everything into reviving the Kashmir jihad. On his return from London following his recent heart surgery, the Pakistan PM like his foreign office days earlier called the slain militant a Kashmiri leader. Mr Sharif also asked India to fulfil its human rights obligations and commitments under UN Security Council resolutions. India hit back on Monday without naming Mr Sharif and said Pakistani statements showed that the country was using terrorism as state policy.
It is noteworthy that the escalating sharpness in tone comes at a time when the Pakistan government and the extremist outfit Lashkar-e-Tayyaba leader Hafiz Sayeed appear to be operating in tandem on the Kashmir issue, with the latter threatening that Burhan Wanis death will strengthen jihad in Kashmir. Protests in the Valley show few signs of ebbing with the rising toll of those killed in retaliatory firing by the police and the CRPF. Hundreds have been injured, including the security forces.
It is unfortunate that in this extremely volatile situation, even as Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is seeking to make appropriate political statements in a bid to take all concerned on board, irresponsible outfits like the VHP are playing into the hands of the Kashmiri extremists and Pakistani agents provocateur by seeking to paint the recent Kashmir developments in lurid communal colours. If the BJP government at the Centre is not seen to be putting an end to this swiftly, it will find the room for political manoeuvre in Kashmir shrinking further. Ms Mufti is as much on test as the Modi government.
On April 19 this year, in anticipation of an adverse ruling by the UN tribunal at The Hague known as the Permanent Court of Arbitration, that was delivered on Tuesday, the Chinese embassy in New Delhi, as part of a global diplomatic offensive by Beijing, had invited some scholars from various think tanks in New Delhi to a presentation on Chinas claims to the South China Sea (SCS). The officiating Chinese ambassador ended the presentation by saying that should India back the Chinese position on the South China Sea, Beijing could accommodate New Delhi on the McMahon Line in the Himalayas, where both nations have an ongoing decades-long border dispute. He then said: Someone in future may dispute the ownership of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In May 2016, when an Indian maritime think tank visited China for discussions, the Chinese hosts, discreetly and off the record, reiterated that in future the Andaman and Nicobar Islands could be disputed by someone.
Chinas claims on the SCS apparently rest on a 600-year-old book, The Book of Maritime Routes, which was used by Chinese fishermen from Tanmen in Hainan island (that is now a major Chinese naval base) to sail, navigate and fish in what they called their ancestral sea for over 3,000 years. Chinas claims to about 90 per cent of the SCS were first promulgated on a 1947 map showing a 9 dash line. In 2013, the Philippines, after 17 years of fruitless talks with China over the disputed Scarborough shoal (located 555 miles from Chinas Hainan island and only 137 miles from the Philippines) had asked the UN tribunal to adjudicate on Chinas claims in the SCS. Between July 3 and 11, 2016, over 100 Chinese Navy warships and over a dozen fighter aircraft conducted live fire military drills in the tense SCS, which is already teeming with warships and coastguard ships of rival claimant nations.
After the verdict delivered on Tuesday by The Hague tribunal, India should diplomatically and without much publicity support freedom of navigation in the SCS and insist that China, a signatory to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, accept the verdict of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which ruling concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the 9 dash line. China has, not surprisingly, described the tribunals ruling as ill-founded. Given its single coastline and the wartime possibility of its access to the sea being blocked by three chains of islands and the Malacca Straits, China, in a clear attempt to emerge as a global superpower, is up to some mischief. Apart from funding and building the Pakistani port of Gwadar, which it is now expected to convert into a Chinese naval base, and beginning work on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, as an essential ingredient of Chinas One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, China may make a future claim to Indias Andaman and Nicobar Islands, based on the seven voyages (1405-1433) to the Indian Ocean region by the legendary Chinese admiral, Zheng He, who on his death in 1433 was accorded a sea burial off Kozhikode in India.
Admiral Zheng He opened the famous Maritime Silk Route (MSR) by sailing through the Malacca Straits, visiting Thailand, Sri Lanka, Kerala, the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. His fleet comprised 300 ships and 28,000 sailors, and ensured that the MSR was linked to the fabled Chinese Land Silk Route (LSR), which carried goods to Europe. At some future date of its choosing, the Chinese government is quite capable of producing a new, just-found 700-year-old document that would purport to show that Admiral Zheng He had visited the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in support of Chinas claims to these islands. In 2015, China began work on the OBOR, which is basically a revival of the ancient Land Silk Route and Maritime Silk Route. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is an essential ingredient of the OBOR, and hence Pakistan has become an indispensable strategic ally of Beijing, which indirectly supported Islamabad by blocking Indias entry into the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) in June.
However, India, by becoming a member of the 35-nation Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), can quietly oppose any Chinese attempts to enter the MTCR (Chinas application to enter the MTCR was made in 2004). The South China Sea is rich in fish, seabed minerals, oil, gas and has over $5 trillion worth of ship-borne commerce sailing through it annually. India relies on the sea for 90 per cent of its imports and exports, and 50 per cent of its seaborne trade passes through the disputed SCS. Hence, freedom of navigation in the SCS is vital for Indias economic growth. At present, India is somewhat vulnerable as two critical items have to be imported from China, and hence it has no choice but to maintain cordial relations with Beijing while not compromising national interests, as it tries to improve the indigenous production of both. The first is Rare Earth Elements (REEs), comprising 17 rare elements, which are difficult to locate, mine and process, and on which India is totally dependent on China.
These are crucial for several industries and defence applications. Today, China makes about 97 per cent of the global REE output. I had earlier written about the significance of REEs in this newspaper on August 31, 2012 (A doctrine of no use). The second critical item that India imports from China was mentioned in Patralekha Chatterjees June 29, 2016 article in this newspaper (Targeting of China is not a great idea) these are Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), or bulk drugs necessary to produce medicines in India. India needs to focus on economic growth. At the same time, it must deter any Chinese or Pakistani misadventure by tweaking its Nuclear No-First-Use doctrine to ensure that it actually deters the buildup of any blue-water navy that can operate in the Indian Ocean region as well as in the Western Pacific Ocean.
The United States and Britain warned last month of possible imminent "terrorist" attacks by Islamic extremists in South Africa's major cities. (Representational Image)
Pretoria: Two South African brothers arrested on terrorism charges were plotting to blow up the US embassy in Pretoria and Jewish institutions, and planned to join the so-called Islamic State, police said on Monday. The 23-year-old twins, Brandon-Lee and Tony-Lee Thulsie, appeared briefly in a Johannesburg magistrate court after being arrested at the weekend.
"It is alleged that they wanted to bomb the US embassy and Jewish facilities in the country," Hangwani Mulaudzi, spokesman for South Africa's elite police, the Hawks, said.
The United States and Britain warned last month of possible imminent "terrorist" attacks by Islamic extremists in South Africa's major cities. The two men, who are accused of planning to join the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria, will remain in custody and return to court on July 19 to allow for further investigation.
"They had been on our radar since 2015. They tried to leave the country twice, through OR Tambo airport and through Mozambique (to join IS)," Mulaudzi said.
According to court papers, the brothers "conspired to commit the crime of terrorism by planning to cause explosions at a mission of the United States of America and Jewish institutions."
The suspects were also accused of inciting other people to "aid and abet them" in the attack, according to the provisional charge sheet.
"The incitement was to further the political, religious or ideological motives and objectives of... the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)," it said.
The incident early Tuesday follows recent protests over police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota and the fatal shooting of five police officers in Dallas. (Photo: Representational Image)
Washington: Five people have been arrested in Washington after at least one person opened fire on police, and a police spokesman says there's no indication it was a "planned attack on police." No injuries were reported.
The incident early Tuesday follows recent protests over police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota and the fatal shooting of five police officers in Dallas.
Police say a system that detects gunshots brought officers to southeast Washington. When officers arrived in marked police cruisers, people inside an SUV began shooting at them. Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck says police returned fire and the car's occupants refused to come out. Three women and two men ultimately surrendered.
Sternbeck tells WTOP (http://bit.ly/29KuIKw ) "we do not have information that this was a planned attack on police."
Washington: Kashmir is an internal matter of India, the US on Tuesday said and asked all stakeholders to make efforts towards finding a peaceful resolution of tensions in the Valley following the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani last week.
"We have seen reports of the clashes between protestors and Indian forces in Kashmir, and are concerned by the violence. We encourage all sides to make efforts towards finding a peaceful resolution," a State Department Spokesman said.
The spokesman said the US has not spoken with Indians on this issue as it is an internal matter of India.
"We have not. This is an internal matter for the Government of India," the spokesman said.
Burhan Muzaffar Wani, the new age poster-boy of Kashmiri militancy, was killed in an encounter with security forces on Friday. Wani, 22, was along with two of his aides killed in an encounter with security forces in Kokernag area of southern Anantnag district. He was carrying a cash reward of Rs 1 million on his head.
A woman holds a crucifix and a lit candle as she and hundreds of others take part in a candlelight vigil at City Hall in Dallas. (Photo: AP)
Houston: Over 1000 people on Tuesday gathered to attend a candlelight vigil in honour of victims of last week's sniper attack in which five police officers were killed at a protest decrying police shootings of black men.
Portraits of the five slain officers were propped up in front of the speaker's platform surrounded by flowers.
Five police officers were shot dead and seven others injured in "ambush style" firing by snipers in Dallas during a late night on demonstration protesting the fatal police shootings of black men on July 8, making it one of the deadliest days for police in US law enforcement history.
The shooting began near one of the busiest parts of the city's downtown, filled with hotels and restaurants. The four police officers who were killed are Patricio Zamarripa, Brent Thompson, Michael Krol, Lorne Ahrens and Michael Smith.
Dallas Police Association President Ron Pinkston read out each name and asked officers to serve in the memory of the fallen heroes.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit Chief J D Spiller said if someone thought last week's violence would tear apart the city, "they were wrong," and added that the state of Texas must lead on race relations in America.
Five officers were selected to speak on behalf of the victims. Dallas police Officer Josh Rodriguez, Zamarripa's partner, said it was important people know those taken were more than officers. He also thanked Dallas Fire-Rescue for their sacrifice.
"We will miss you but we will never forget you," he said.
"Thank you Michael Krol for being a great friend," Senior officer Jaime Castro struggled to find the words to describe Ahrens, who he called a hero.
"Lorne, I know you're up there listening, brother. I want you to know that I was outside the window when you took your final breath," he said.
"You weren't alone, I had your back as you had ours," Senior?officer Marcella St John, Smith's longtime partner, said they will continue to protect and serve the city Smith loved so much.
"We are sad, we are overwhelmed, we are in disbelief and yes, we are angry," said Senior officer Marcella St John, Michael Smith's longtime partner.
"But we do have choices. We can choose to let the anger fester inside of us, dragging us down to a better place. Or we can direct it toward good and fostering an environment of hope," she said.
Pakistan's use of extremist and terrorist proxies including to threaten India is a significant contributor to the global menace of Islamic extremism, said Zalmay Khalilzad. (Photo: Representational Image)
Washington: Pakistan's use of extremist and terrorist proxies, including to threaten India, is a significant contributor to the global menace of Islamic extremism, a former top US diplomat said on Tuesday recommending that Pakistan be listed as a state sponsor of terrorism.
"Pakistani policy is the principal cause of the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan. More broadly, Pakistan's use of extremist and terrorist proxies including to threaten India is a significant contributor to the global menace of Islamic extremism," said Zalmay Khalilzad who played a key role in shaping American policy towards Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq after 9/11.
"It must be confronted if we are to succeed in defeating terrorism and extremism around the world," Khalilzad told members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in a prepared statement submitted ahead of a Congressional hearing.
The hearing titled 'Pakistan: Friend or Foe in the Fight Against Terrorism' has been jointly convened by the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Non-Proliferation and Trade and Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and is scheduled to be held tomorrow.
Khalilzad, who served as US Ambassador to Afghanistan and Iraq and was also its diplomat to the UN during the George W Bush administration, alleged that since the overthrow of the Taliban regime after 9/11, Pakistan has been playing a perfidious and dangerous double game.
"It has portrayed itself as a US partner, yet supports the Taliban and the al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani network. Since 2005, the Taliban and Haqqani network have regrouped in Pakistan and waged a devastating insurgency against US and Afghan forces," he alleged.
Khalilzad said Pakistan views the Taliban as an effective proxy to ensure Pakistani dominance over Afghanistan.
"Islamabad also believes that continuing the war in Afghanistan will lead to a US withdrawal which would change the balance of power against the current government and in favour of its proxies. Ultimately, Pakistan seeks the overthrow of the current government in Afghanistan because it is not compliant," he said.
Pakistan understands that its double-game is risky, but it believes that the risk is manageable, he observed.
"Pakistani leaders reason that they can continue to receive US assistance and avoid international isolation even if they support the Taliban and Haqqani network. They have seen little evidence that Washington will force it to choose between US support and its alliance with the Taliban," Khalilzad said.
Calling for sanctions against Pakistan, Khalilzad said that the US should declassify and broadcast information indicating Pakistani support for the insurgency and its narcotics trafficking.
"Politically, Pakistan cannot be a member in good standing of the international community so long as its agencies or military services aggress against Afghanistan. Pakistan is currently designated by the US as a 'major non-NATO ally'.
This status is wholly inappropriate. Pakistan's current policy and conduct would better merit its inclusion on the State Department's list of state-sponsors of terrorism," he said.
The former American envoy said the US can impose financial and travel restrictions on senior Pakistani officials known to be complicit in the insurgency, and freeze funds in US banks belonging to Pakistani entities, both military and corporate, involved in financing the Taliban.
Washington: The US put itself on a collision course with great power rival China on Tuesday, describing a ruling against Beijing's South China Sea claims as "final and legally binding."
Washington had carefully avoided taking a stance on the suit lodged by the Philippines against China's maritime territorial claims, but when judgment came down, it urged both sides to abide by the result.
"The United States expresses its hope and expectation that both parties will comply with their obligations," State Department spokesman John Kirby said. Beijing has already rejected the ruling out of hand.
Earlier, a UN-backed tribunal in The Hague, the Permanent Court of Arbitration - ruled that China has no historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the so-called "nine-dash-line".
The United States has no claims of its own within this three-million-square-kilometer patch of sea, but has asserted the right of all shipping to pass through areas it regards as international waters.
And Washington is an ally of the Southeast Asian countries which do dispute China's claim, including the Philippines, which lodged the international suit.
"The decision today by the tribunal in the Philippines-China arbitration is an important contribution to the shared goal of a peaceful resolution to disputes in the South China Sea," Kirby said.
US officials are "studying the decision and have no comment on the merits of the case," he added, but nevertheless asserted the right of the tribunal to make its ruling and said it should be respected.
"The United States strongly supports the rule of law. We support efforts to resolve territorial and maritime disputes in the South China Sea peacefully, including through arbitration," he said.
"As provided in the Convention, the tribunal's decision is final and legally binding on both China and the Philippines," he added, urging all claimants "to avoid provocative statements or actions."
But Beijing had already reacted furiously, saying it "neither accepts nor recognizes" the ruling.
Carter's visit followed a brief trip to Baghdad on Monday, where he pledged hundreds of additional US troops to assist Iraqis fighting the IS group.
In January, seven employees of popular TV channel Tolo were killed in a Taliban suicide bombing for what the militant group said was revenge for spreading propaganda against them. (Photo: Representational Image/AFP)
Kabul: This year has been the most violent on record for Afghan media, with 10 journalists killed in the first six months according to a new report from a national watchdog.
The Afghan Journalists' Safety Committee (AJSC), which released its January-June findings on Monday, recorded 54 incidents of violence against Afghan journalists, a 38 percent increase from the same period last year.
The report said the incidents included killings, detentions, intimidation and attacks, with most carried out by "individuals linked to the government" though it did not elaborate.
It also noted that the number of cases involving the Taliban had increased from previous years. It said the government was responsible for 21 cases and the Taliban for 16 of the 54 known incidents in 2016 so far.
In January, seven employees of popular TV channel Tolo were killed in a Taliban suicide bombing for what the militant group said was revenge for "spreading propaganda" against them.
The AJSC also said female journalists faced formidable challenges, with their numbers decreasing amid a worsening security situation in the country.
"Currently, women's presence in the media is largely limited to urban areas," the report said. "Women have maintained weaker roles in leadership and news sections, highlighting a setback in the presence and qualitative growth of women in the media."
Vietnamese expatriates cheer while displaying placards during a rally by the Manila's baywalk before the Hague-based U.N. international arbitration tribunal is to announce its ruling on South China Sea. (Photo: AP)
Amsterdam/Beijing: An arbitration court ruled on Tuesday that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea and has breached the Philippines' sovereign rights with its actions, infuriating Beijing which dismissed the case as a farce.
A defiant China, which boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, vowed again to ignore the ruling and said its armed forces would defend its sovereignty and maritime interests.
China's state-run Xinhua news agency said shortly before the ruling was announced that a Chinese civilian aircraft had successfully tested two new airports in the disputed Spratly Islands.
Read: South China Sea ruling 'legally binding', says United States
And China's Defence Ministry said a new guided missile destroyer was formally commissioned at a naval base on the southern island province of Hainan, which has responsibility for the South China Sea.
"This award represents a devastating legal blow to China's jurisdictional claims in the South China Sea," Ian Storey, of Singapore's ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute, said.
"China will respond with fury, certainly in terms of rhetoric and possibly through more aggressive actions at sea."
This image shows satellite images of Woody Island, the largest of the Paracel Islands, in the South China Sea. (Photo: AP/File)
India is "carefully studying" the verdict by an UN-backed tribunal. "India has noted the Award of the Arbitral Tribunal constituted under Annex VII of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the matter concerning the Republic of the Philippines and the Peoples Republic of China and is studying it carefully," External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
Our statement on the Award of Arbitral Tribunal on South China Sea Under Annexure VII of UNCLOS pic.twitter.com/T5FBdUPAAj Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) July 12, 2016
The United States, which China has accused of fuelling tensions and militarising the region with patrols and exercises, urged parties to comply with the legally binding ruling and avoid provocations.
"The decision today by the Tribunal in the Philippines-China arbitration is an important contribution to the shared goal of a peaceful resolution to disputes in the South China Sea," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.
Read: South China Sea: Facts on a decades-long dispute
US officials have previously said they feared China may respond to the ruling by declaring an air defence identification zone in the South China Sea, as it did in the East China Sea in 2013, or by stepping up its building and fortification of artificial islands.
China claims most of the energy-rich waters through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.
Finding for the Philippines on a number of issues, the panel said there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within its so-called nine-dash line, which covers almost 90 percent of the South China Sea.
It said China had interfered with traditional Philippine fishing rights at Scarborough Shoal and had breached the Philippines' sovereign rights by exploring for oil and gas near the Reed Bank.
None of China's reefs and holdings in the Spratly Islands entitled it to a 200-mile exclusive economic zone, it added.
2,000 years of history
China's Foreign Ministry rejected the ruling, saying its people had more than 2,000 years of history in the South China Sea, that its islands did have exclusive economic zones and that it had announced to the world its "dotted line" map in 1948.
"China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards," it said.
Read: China rejects Hague judgement on South China Sea, terms it null and void
However, the ministry also repeated that China respected and upheld the freedom of navigation and overflight and that China was ready to keep resolving the disputes peacefully through talks with states directly concerned.
In a statement shortly before the ruling, China's Defence Ministry said its armed forces would "firmly safeguard national sovereignty, security and maritime interests and rights, firmly uphold regional peace and stability, and deal with all kinds of threats and challenges".
The judges acknowledged China's refusal to participate, but said they sought to take account of China's position from its statements and diplomatic correspondence.
"The award is a complete and total victory for the Philippines ... a victory for international law and international relations," said Paul Reichler, lead lawyer for the Philippines.
Vietnam said it welcomed the ruling. Taiwan, which maintains that the island it occupies, Itu Aba, is legally the only island among hundreds of reefs, shoals and atolls scattered across the seas, said it did not accept the ruling, which seriously impaired Taiwan's territorial rights.
"This is the worst scenario," Taiwan Foreign Minister David Tawei Lee told reporters, promising unspecified "action" from Taipei.
Ground-breaking ruling
The ruling is significant as it is the first time that a legal challenge has been brought in the dispute, which covers some of the world's most promising oil and gas fields and vital fishing grounds.
It reflects the shifting balance of power in the 3.5 million sq km sea, where China has been expanding its presence by building artificial islands and dispatching patrol boats that keep Philippine fishing vessels away.
The Philippines said it was studying the ruling. "We call on all those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety," Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay told a news conference. "The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision as an important contribution to the ongoing efforts in addressing disputes in the South China Sea."
Japan said the ruling was legally binding and final. Oil prices jumped following the findings, with Brent crude futures up almost 3 percent at $47.87 per barrel.
The court has no power of enforcement, but a victory for the Philippines could spur Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei to file similar cases.
Ahead of the ruling, around 100 members of a Philippine nationalist group demonstrated outside the Chinese consulate in Manila, calling on Beijing to accept the decision and leave the Scarborough Shoal, a popular fishing zone off limits to Filipinos since 2012.
In China, social media users reacted with outrage at the ruling. "It was ours in the past, is now and will remain so in the future," wrote one user on microblogging site Weibo. "Those who encroach on our China's territory will die no matter how far away they are."
Spreading fast on social media in the Philippines was the use of the term "Chexit" - the public's desire for Chinese vessels to leave the waters.
Kabul: US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter reiterated Washington's support for "courageous" Afghan security forces Tuesday, days after the United States and NATO pledged to keep thousands of troops in the troubled country.
Carter spoke as President Ashraf Ghani welcomed the "environment of trust" between Washington and Kabul at a joint news conference in the Afghan capital.
"The Afghan security forces have demonstrated the motivation, the will and the resilience in the face of a persistent enemy," Carter said.
"I have confidence in the ability of the Afghan forces to provide for the stability and security that the Afghan people deserve and I commend them for fighting courageously last year during a tough fighting season."
The Pentagon chief's unannounced visit follows a renewed commitment to Afghanistan from NATO, which said over the weekend it would keep forces there until the end of 2017 at least.
Most are American, but around 40 countries have deployed troops there. Their official role is to train Afghan forces, which are now responsible for their country's security.
Despite a massive, nearly 15-year international effort to defeat the Taliban, the resurgent group controls large areas of Afghanistan and has vowed to keep fighting until foreign forces leave.
Both Carter and Ghani also addressed the role of Afghanistan's neighbour Pakistan, long accused by Kabul of sponsoring militants including the Taliban.
Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed by a US drone in Pakistan earlier this year in a strike that Islamabad said violated its sovereignty.
But Carter, while stressing the US would work with Pakistan "wherever it can" on extremism, warned that Washington would "continue to target and strike terrorist leaders everywhere in the world where they might threaten Americans or our interests and our friends".
"Pakistan has a fundamental decision to make," added Ghani, who has loudly demanded in the past that Pakistan take action against the Taliban. "There is no difference between good terrorists and bad terrorists."
Full transparency
President Barack Obama, elected eight years ago on a pledge to end the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, has been unable to do so given the fragile security situations in both countries.
Last week he dialled back plans to cut US troop numbers in Afghanistan from 9,800 to 5,500 by the end of the year.
Instead, around 8,400 US troops will remain, providing training and air support to the Afghans.
Obama has also relaxed its rules of engagement, making it easier for US troops to target the Taliban, a move the head of NATO forces in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, said was in "recognition of the difficulties that we are facing".
Local forces took the lead in providing security in 2015, but are struggling to contain Taliban offensives and prevent attacks from the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda.
More than 5,000 Afghan security forces were killed last year, and attacks continue. The Taliban claimed responsibility last month for a suicide attack that killed more than 30 Afghan police cadets in Kabul.
Further complicating matters is endemic corruption and allegations of rights abuses.
"Corruption is as dangerous as terrorism," Ghani said Tuesday, vowing to account for every penny "with full transparency".
About 13,000 NATO troops, most of whom are American, are stationed in Afghanistan under Operation Resolute Support to train and assist Afghan security forces.
NATO has agreed about 12,000 will stay until at least 2017, though in reality local troops are likely to need foreign support and funding for years to come. In return, NATO is demanding reforms of the Afghan security forces.
Carter's visit followed a brief trip to Baghdad on Monday, where he pledged hundreds of additional US troops to assist Iraqis fighting the IS group.
David Cameron announced he would step down after leading the failed campaign for Britain to remain in the EU in the June 23 referendum. (Photo: AP)
London: David Cameron chairs his final cabinet meeting on Tuesday after six years as Britain's prime minister, with incoming premier Theresa May preparing to form a new government to deliver Brexit.
Cameron's last full day as prime minister came sooner than expected after dramatic twists in the race to replace him led to his swift exit from power less than three weeks after the nation's seismic vote to quit the European Union.
Home Secretary May, the interior minister, was declared the new leader of the governing centre-right Conservative Party on Monday after junior energy minister Andrea Leadsom, her only remaining challenger for the post, withdrew from the contest.
Cameron announced he would step down after leading the failed campaign for Britain to remain in the EU in the June 23 referendum.
May will immediately face questions on when she plans to trigger Article 50 -- the formal procedure for withdrawal from the EU -- which would set a two-year deadline for completing exit negotiations.
While May supported Britain staying in the bloc, she cut a low profile during the referendum campaign and insists she will honour the popular vote, stressing on Monday: "Brexit means Brexit". May also noted the need "to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU" in brief comments outside parliament.
EU leaders have kept up the pressure on Britain, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel saying late Monday "The United Kingdom will need to quickly clarify how it wants its ties with the European Union to be in future."
Cameron was to face MPs in parliament for a final time on Wednesday in the weekly prime minister's questions session, before meeting Queen Elizabeth II to tender his resignation to the head of state.
The monarch will call for May, the new leader of the majority party in parliament, to form a fresh government. May will become Britain's second female prime minister after 1980s Conservative titan Margaret Thatcher.
She will be spending Tuesday sketching out who will take the key roles in her administration, which will be focused on delivering Brexit. The 59-year-old will have to keep Leave-supporting Conservative heavyweights onside if she is to heal the splits in the party caused by the referendum.
Keeping Brexiteers onside
The futures of leading pro-Brexit figureheads such as Leadsom, Justice Secretary Michael Gove and former London mayor Boris Johnson hang in the balance. May will also have to decide whether to keep top figures such as finance minister George Osborne and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in place.
Meanwhile Tuesday was set to be a key date in the history of the main opposition Labour Party, whose embattled leader Jeremy Corbyn hugely popular with the party membership is facing a leadership challenge after losing the confidence of three quarters of Labour MPs.
The party's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) was to decide whether Corbyn would require nominations to stand in the contest after the party's former business spokeswoman Angela Eagle announced her leadership challenge on Monday. The left-of-centre party's rulebook is ambiguous on what is required of a sitting leader if challenged.
Corbyn is adamant his name should automatically be on the ballot: he would struggle to get the support of 20 percent of Labour MPs and members of the European Parliament required by Eagle.
Lawyers for Jim Kennedy, a trade union member of the NEC, have written a letter to party general secretary Iain McNicol threatening legal action.
"We put you on the clearest notice that we will be instructed to apply to the High Court for immediate injunctive relief should Jeremy Corbyn's name not go forward automatically to the ballot," it said.
Corbyn lost confidence after his perceived half-hearted, lacklustre campaigning for Labour's position of supporting the EU referendum Remain campaign. With so many Labour MPs in opposition to their leader, there is a risk of the party splitting if Corbyn makes it on the ballot and secures a repeat of September's landslide victory.
Aria Ladjedvardi, aged 21 and with Iranian roots, received a prison term of two years, handed down by the Frankfurt regional court.(Photo: AFP)
Berlin: A German jihadist was sentenced to prison Tuesday on war crimes charges after posing for pictures in conflict-torn Syria with the severed and impaled heads of two government troops.
Aria Ladjedvardi, aged 21 and with Iranian roots, received a prison term of two years, handed down by the Frankfurt regional court.
The court heard that the man, having been radicalised in Germany, travelled to Syria for at least several weeks in early 2014, where he joined a militant identified only as Vedat V., who remains at large.
In March or April, jihadists including Vedat V. attacked a Syrian army checkpoint near the town of Binnish, Idlib province, captured at least two troops, beheaded them and impaled their heads on metal rods.
"The accused posed with the dismembered heads and let himself be photographed three times, so as to mock and belittle the deceased, whom he considered 'dishonourable infidels'" or non-believers, the court said in a statement.
Vedat V. later uploaded one of the images on Facebook. The pictures were also found stored on a computer in Germany and on the mobile phone of the mother of the accused, said the court.
Ladjedvardi had earlier told the court he did not want to be in the incriminating pictures, and that he "could not imagine that they would be circulated on social media".
He admitted that he was given weapons training, but insisted he was not part of any jihadist group throughout his trip to Syria.
Britain's Theresa May is applauded by Conservative Party members of parliament outside the Houses of Parliament in London. (Photo: AP)
London: Theresa May is set to become Britain's next prime minister, lauded by her supporters as a safe pair of hands who can steer the country out of the European Union.
One of the most experienced members of the government, May favoured staying in the European Union, but her support during last month's referendum campaign was qualified and low-key. Since the vote, she has made clear that 'Brexit means Brexit'.
She is now the only candidate to succeed David Cameron in a Conservative Party leadership race after energy minister Andrea Leadsom abruptly withdrew.
Below is a summary of May's background and key quotes.
How She Got Here:
The daughter of a Church of England vicar, May studied geography at Oxford University, joining the Bank of England after her studies. She worked as a financial consultant at the Association for Payment Clearing Services (APACS) before becoming a lawmaker for Maidenhead, west of London, in 1997.
She became chairman of the Conservative Party in 2002, famously telling supporters at its conference that year that people saw them as "the nasty party".
She has been Home Secretary (interior minister) since 2010. By next month she will have held the job, one of the toughest in British politics, for longer than anyone else for a century.
"I know I'm not a showy politician," she said when she announced her bid to become prime minister in June. "I don't tour the television studios. I don't gossip about people over lunch. I don't go drinking in parliament's bars. I don't often wear my heart on my sleeve. I just get on with the job in front of me."
What She Has Said On Brexit:
"Brexit means Brexit. The campaign was fought, the vote was held, turnout was high, and the public gave their verdict. There must be no attempts to remain inside the EU, no attempts to rejoin it through the back door, and no second referendum." (June 30)
"I don't think we should see people as Brexiteers and Remainers now. We have a job to do in making the best deal we can in coming out of the EU and I am very clear that I will deliver Brexit." (July 8)
On When To Trigger Article 50 Of Lisbon Treaty And Launch Divorce Proceedings With The EU:
"There should be no decision to invoke Article 50 until the British negotiating strategy is agreed and clear - which means Article 50 should not be invoked before the end of this year." (June 30)
On the EU single market, trade and freedom of movement:
"We should make clear that for the foreseeable future there is absolutely no change in Britain's trading relationships with the EU or other markets." (June 30)
"What's important for us though, is that we get the right deal, and that's a deal that is about controlling free movement, but it's also about ensuring that we've got the best deal possible in trade, in goods and services." (July 3)
"I want to be clear that as we conduct our negotiations, it must be a priority to allow British companies to trade with the single market in goods and services - but also to regain more control of the numbers of people who come here from Europe." (June 30)
"I'm very clear that Brexit vote gave us a very clear message from people, that we couldn't allow freedom of movement to continue as it had done hitherto.
"We need to bring control into movement of people coming into the UK from the EU... Still I believe we should have that goal of bringing immigration down to sustainable levels." (July 3)
Britain's Economy
"We should no longer seek to reach a budget surplus by the end of the Parliament. If before 2020 there is a choice between further spending cuts, more borrowing and tax rises, the priority must be to avoid tax increases since they would disrupt consumption, employment and investment." (June 30)
"In the coming weeks I will set out (how) to take our economy through this period of uncertainty, to get the economy growing strongly across all parts, to deal with Britain's long-standing productivity problem, to create more well-paid jobs, to negotiate the best terms for Britain's departure from the EU and to forge a new role for ourselves in the world." (July 11)
On Defence, And Replacing Britain's Nuclear Deterrent
"A Conservative government I lead will make a strong defence an important priority. It is vital for our national interest that we maintain what is the most significant security and military capability in Europe - backed up by our commitment to spend 2 per cent of gross domestic product on defence.
"In particular, it is crucial that we maintain our independent nuclear deterrent. It would be sheer madness to contemplate even for a moment giving up Britain's independent nuclear deterrent...
"We need a full fleet of four submarines, capable between them of providing what the military call 'Continuous At Sea Deterrence', or permanent, around-the-clock cover." (July 4)
Corporate Governance
"The FTSE (share index), for example, is trading at about the same level as it was 18 years ago and it is nearly 10 percent below its high peak. Yet in the same period executive pay has more than trebled and there is an irrational, unhealthy and growing gap between what these companies pay their workers and what they pay their bosses.
"I want to make shareholder votes on corporate pay not just advisory but binding. I want to see more transparency, including the full disclosure of bonus targets and the publication of 'pay multiple' data: that is, the ratio between the CEO's pay and the average company worker's pay.
"And I want to simplify the way bonuses are paid so that bosses' incentives are better aligned with the long-term interests of the company and its shareholders.
"I also want us to be prepared to use - and reform - competition law so that markets work better for people. If there is evidence that the big utility firms and the retails banks are abusing their roles in highly consolidated markets, we shouldn't just complain about it, we shouldn't say it's too difficult, we should do something about it.
"If I'm prime minister, we're going to change the system- and we're going to have not just consumers represented on company boards, but employees as well." (July 11)
Tax
"It doesn't matter to me whether you're Amazon, Google or Starbucks, you have a duty to put something back, you have a debt to your fellow citizens, you have a responsibility to pay your taxes. So as prime minister, I will crack down on individual and corporate tax avoidance and evasion." (July 11)
Productivity/Investment
"I want to see an energy policy that emphasises the reliability of supply and lower costs for users. A better research and development policy that helps firms to make the right investment decisions.
"More Treasury-backed project bonds for new infrastructure projects. More house building. A proper industrial strategy to get the whole economy firing. And a plan to help not one or even two of our great regional cities but every single one of them." (July 11)
Foreign Corporate Takeovers
"Two years ago the Government almost allowed AstraZeneca to be sold to Pfizer, the US company with a track record of asset stripping and whose self-confessed attraction to the deal was to avoid tax.
"A proper industrial strategy wouldn't automatically stop the sale of British firms to foreign ones, but it should be capable of stepping in to defend a sector that is as important as pharmaceuticals are to Britain." (July 11)
Personal Life
May has Type One diabetes and needs insulin injections several times a day. She describes herself as a practising Christian and says she owns over 100 cookery books.
"I think it's important that you are on top of things, you're on top of your brief, you work hard in your brief. But I think if the view is that somehow that I was a control freak and that people didn't get on and like my style, we wouldn't have a majority of ministers who're worked with me actually backing me for Prime Minister." (July 3)
"I like to keep my personal life personal. We couldn't have children, we dealt with it and moved on. I hope nobody would think that mattered; I can still empathise, understand people and care about fairness and opportunity."
Madaya, in Damascus province, grabbed international attention in late 2015 after reports its residents were starving to death because of food shortages. (Photo: AP)
Beirut: Some 86 people have died in a year-long government siege of the Syrian town of Madaya, including 65 from starvation and malnutrition, two NGOs said on Tuesday.
The Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) said the Syrian government's "stranglehold" on the town since July 2015 was responsible for the deaths.
Madaya, in Damascus province, grabbed international attention in late 2015 after reports its residents were starving to death because of food shortages. Since then, four aid convoys have accessed the town, but the two groups said the deliveries had been insufficient.
"Last year, unspeakable images of Madaya's suffering emerged in the media, and we hoped that would trigger action to finally bring lifesaving aid into the town," said Elise Baker of PHR, a New York-based advocacy group.
"But UN humanitarian convoys that finally reached Madaya failed to provide the population with enough food, medicine, and medical equipment," Baker said.
Dozens of Madaya's residents died because of these failures. And each day under siege brings the rest of Madaya's population one day closer to death. An estimated 40,000 people remain in Madaya, surrounded by regime forces and allied fighters.
The United Nations says nearly 600,000 Syrians are living under sieges, mostly imposed by the government, though the tactic has also been used by rebel fighters and the Islamic State group.
The UN and aid groups have struggled to access those living under siege, and last month dozens of activist groups opposed to Syria's government accused the UN of "capitulating" to Damascus on the issue of aid delivery.
PHR and SAMS accused the Syrian government of removing items from humanitarian convoys to Madaya, including kits for treating malnourished children that were part of a February convoy.
"Subsequently, at least two children starved to death: an eight-year-old boy and a six-month-old girl," the groups said.
"Children are dying of starvation an hour from warehouses filled with food aid in Damascus," said Baker.
The groups urged an immediate end to sieges across Syria, and called on the UN Security Council to authorise humanitarian aid drops, air bridges, or airlifts, if necessary to help those under siege.
The UN has said it would formally request Syrian permission for humanitarian air drops if it was unable to reach areas via land convoys, but has yet to make such a request for Madaya.
Ankara: Thousands of sexual offenders in Turkey have married their victims in a bid to avoid jail. This was revealed in a damning report submitted by the countrys parliamentary committee on sexual offences, highlighting the miscarriage of justice to victims.
Speaking to a Turkish newspaper, the countrys Supreme Court judge Mustafa Demirdag said that the rules could impact adults and children as young as five and that type of marriage was 'not acceptable'.
It is cruel to force someone to marry a person she does not want and force her to spend the rest of her life with him, he said.
Demirdag referred to several instances where the victim was subjected to the ordeal of marrying her rapist. Speaking to the Turkish paper Milliyet, he said One girl had been kidnapped and raped by three men, but when one married her, the sentences of all of them were lifted.
Speaking about another case that exposed the loopholes of the law, he recounted the instance where a 15-year-old girl who fell in love with a boy in her neighbourhood, threatened him with suicide if he did not kidnap her.
The boy kidnapped her. Afterwards they married according to the norms. When the case came to us, they were already married officially and they had three kids. Before the (new) law came into force, the boy would have been sentenced to a minimum eight years and four months in prison.
The parliamentary committee to look into sexual offences in the country was constituted after three men were sentenced to life in prison for murder and attempted rape of a 20-year-old student.
Activists have alleged that not enough has been done for women in the country, which is vying to be a part of the European Union, and there have been several cases of wives being killed by their husbands.
He was accompanied by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the crown prince of Dubai along with President of Dubai Civil Aviation. (Photo: YouTube)
Dubai: Reviewing the processes and the facilities at the Dubai International Airport, the vice President and Prime Minister of UAE, Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum has termed it as the 'Gate of Peace' that links East with the West.
He said that the airport serves as a window to the outside world -- a window through which the world can get a glimpse of UAE and know more about its rich culture, civilisation and heritage.
Al Maktoum also checked on the passenger traffic to UAE and the facilities provided to the travelers by the airport staff.
He was accompanied by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the crown prince of Dubai along with President of Dubai Civil Aviation.
While going through the procedures at the Terminal dedicated to Emirates Airlines, he lauded the staff for their quick procedures and the record time in which they complete the task. Al Maktoum then proceeded towards the Dubai Duty Free on his last leg of the tour.
As he stopped by the Duty Free, he reviewed its working and prices at which goods are offered to the customers.
Dhaka: Bangladesh is preparing to erase "extremely provocative" Islamist speeches from the internet a day after it banned the Peace TV, run by India's controversial preacher Zakir Naik, a senior minister said on Tuesday.
"We already issued a circular, now a specific directive is being issued for the BTRC (Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Authority) to find out and erase provocative speeches of Islamist leaders. Zakir Naik's speeches will also be erased," information minister Hasanul Haq Inu told PTI.
Inu said he has asked his office to ensure that the directive reaches BTRC by tomorrow. Earlier, BTRC chairman Shahjahan Mahmood said that the regulatory body awaited a government directive to erase the provocative speeches from Youtube and other internet systems after it emerged that perpetrators of the two recent Islamist attacks in the country were inspired by Naik or some other Islamist leaders.
"We are aware of the reality, but we need to receive instructions from the government," Mahmood said.
BTRC officials said their monitoring unit found that apart from Naik, three other Islamist leaders including one of the banned Ansaral Islam Bangladesh (ABT) to be "extremely provocative".
Bangladesh on Monday scraped downlink permission for the broadcast of Peace TV for "provoking Islamists".
"It's (Peace TV) downlink permission has been cancelled in line with an information ministry decision," a spokesman of BTRC said.
The action came a day after the high level meeting of the cabinet committee on law and order decided to ban the Peace TV amid allegations that at least one of the five slain perpetrators of the deadly terrorist attack in Dhaka's diplomatic zone that killed 22 people, mostly foreigners, were inspired by Naik's preaching.
The information ministry directive said, "Based on the Cabinet committee's decision, free-to-air TV channel Peace TV's downlink permission has been cancelled for violating downlink conditions".
Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan has earlier said that Naik "is on our security scanner" and "our intelligence agencies are investigating his activities as his lectures appeared provocative".
He added that the investigators were also focusing on Naik's financial transactions. Naik's Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation run the Peace TV, which has a Bangla version targeting the Bangladeshi audience.
Protesters display placards during a rally outside of the Chinese Consulate hours before the Hague-based UN international arbitration tribunal is to announce its ruling on South China Sea in Makati city east of Manila, Philippines. (Photo: AP)
The Hague: An arbitration court ruled on Tuesday that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea and that it has breached the sovereign rights of the Philippines with its actions there, infuriating a defiant Beijing.
China, which has boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, vowed again to ignore the ruling and said its armed forces would defend its sovereignty and maritime interests.
China's state-run Xinhua news agency said shortly before the ruling was announced that a Chinese civilian aircraft successfully carried out calibration tests on two new airports in the disputed Spratly Islands.
Read: South China Sea ruling 'legally binding', says United States
And China's Defence Ministry announced that a new guided missile destroyer was formally commissioned at a naval base on the southern island province of Hainan, which has responsibility for the South China Sea.
"This award represents a devastating legal blow to China's jurisdictional claims in the South China Sea," Ian Storey, of Singapore's ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute, told Reuters.
China will respond with fury, certainly in terms of rhetoric and possibly through more aggressive actions at sea.
Read: South China Sea: Facts on a decades-long dispute
China claims most of the energy-rich waters through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.
Finding for the Philippines on a number of issues, the panel said there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within its so-called nine-dash line, which covers much of the South China Sea.
It said China had interfered with traditional Philippine fishing rights at Scarborough Shoal, one of the hundreds of reefs and shoals dotting the sea, and had breached the Philippines' sovereign rights by exploring for oil and gas near the Reed Bank, another feature in the region.
Read: Read: SCS row: China rejects Hague tribunal judgement, calls it null and void
None of China's reefs and holdings in the Spratly Islands entitled it to a 200-mile exclusive economic zone, it added.
China's Foreign Ministry comprehensively rejected the ruling, saying its people had more than 2,000 years of history in the South China Sea, that its islands did have exclusive economic zones and that it had announced to the world its "dotted line" map in 1948.
"China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards. China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards," it said.
However, the ministry also repeated that China respected and upheld the freedom of navigation and overflight and that China was ready to keep resolving the disputes peacefully through talks with states directly concerned.
China's Defence Ministry said in a bilingual Chinese and English statement shortly before the ruling was made public that the armed forces would "firmly safeguard national sovereignty, security and maritime interests and rights, firmly uphold regional peace and stability, and deal with all kinds of threats and challenges".
The ruling also said China had caused permanent harm to the coral reef ecosystem in the Spratlys, charges China has always rejected.
The judges acknowledged China's refusal to participate, but said they sought to take account of China's position on the basis of its statements and diplomatic correspondence.
"The award is a complete and total victory for the Philippines ... a victory for international law and international relations," said Paul Reichler, lead lawyer for the Philippines. Vietnam said it welcomed the ruling.
Taiwan, which had maintained the island it occupies, Itu Aba, is legally the only island among the hundreds of reefs, shoals and atolls scattered across the seas, said it did not accept the ruling, which had seriously impaired Taiwan's territorial rights.
Ground breaking ruling
The ruling is significant as it is the first time that a legal challenge has been brought in the dispute, which covers some of the world's most promising oil and gas fields and vital fishing grounds.
It reflects the shifting balance of power in the 3.5 million sq km sea, where China has been expanding its presence by building artificial islands and dispatching patrol boats that keep Philippine fishing vessels away.
The United States and China often conduct military exercises in the area and regularly accuse each other of militarising the region.
"Our experts are studying the award with the care and thoroughness that this significant arbitral outcome deserves," Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay told a news conference, reading from a prepared statement.
"We call on all those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety. The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision as an important contribution to the ongoing efforts in addressing disputes in the South China Sea."
Japan said the ruling was legally binding and final. U.S. diplomatic, military and intelligence officers said China's reaction to the court's decision would largely determine how other claimants, as well as the United States, responded.
If, for example, China accelerated or escalated its military activities in the disputed area, the U.S. and other nations would have little choice but to respond with new and possibly enlarged and multinational maritime freedom of navigation and aerial missions, the U.S. officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Contingency planning for such exercises was already completed or was in its final stages, said one of the officials, who quickly added: "We hope it doesn't come to that."
Oil prices jump
Oil prices jumped following the findings from The Hague, with international Brent crude futures up over a dollar, or more than 2 percent, to $47.29 per barrel at 0932 GMT.
The deep waters of the South China Basin between the Spratly and also-disputed Paracel Islands are the most direct shipping lane between northeast Asia's industrial hubs of China, Japan and South Korea and Europe and the Middle East.
The case, brought by the Philippines in 2013, hinged on the legal status of reefs, rocks and artificial islands in the Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Island group.
Manila's 15-point case asked the tribunal to rule on the status of the nine-dash line, a boundary that is the basis for its 69-year-old claim to roughly 85 percent of the South China Sea.
The court has no power of enforcement, but a victory for the Philippines could spur Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei to file similar cases.
Ahead of the ruling, around 100 members of a Philippine nationalist group demonstrated outside the Chinese consulate in Manila on Tuesday, calling on Beijing to accept the decision and leave the Scarborough Shoal, a popular fishing zone off limits to Filipinos since 2012.
In China, social media users reacted with outrage at the ruling.
"It was ours in the past, is now and will remain so in the future," wrote one user on microblogging site Weibo.
"Those who encroach on our China's territory will die no matter how far away they are."
Spreading fast on social media in the Philippines was the use of the term "Chexit" - the public's desire for Chinese vessels to leave the waters.
China has boycotted the tribunal ever since Philippines filed the petition in The Hague international court. (Photo: AP)
Beijing: Hours ahead of the international tribunal's verdict on the Philippines' petition challenging China's claims in the disputed South China Sea, Beijing on Tuesday said it will not recognise the decision nor will it receive copies of the judgement.
"It is true that we do not recognise and accept the so called arbitration. We will have no legal connection with the arbitral tribunal and we will not accept whatever materials it provides," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told media here as the five-member tribunal appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration is set to deliver its judgment today.
He was responding to a question on whether China will receive the judgement copies which the tribunal said will be provided to the concerned parties early before releasing it to the media.
China has boycotted the tribunal ever since Philippines filed the petition in The Hague international court. China claims almost all of the resource-rich South China Sea but its claim is firmly contested by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan which have overlapping claims over the area.
Killing of women relatives in the name of honour is a menace still prevalent in many parts of Pakistan. (Representational Image)
Karachi: In the latest case of honour killing in Pakistan, a 36-year-old woman was shot dead on Monday by her brother and his son, police said.
Nasreen was shot dead by Ilyas Khan and his son Qasim in Karachis Orangi town area as he suspected she was having an affair with a man, while her husband was working in Saudi Arabia.
A senior police official said Ilyas and his son Qasim were arrested for the honour killing.
Illyas with the help of his son shot dead his sister-in- law, Nasreen, who he suspected was having an affair with a man as her husband was working in Saudi Arabia, senior superintendent police Akhter Farooq said.
He said Illyas claimed that he and his son saw a man leaving the house in Swat colony in Orangi town today.
Moments after seeing him, they fired at him. He is under treatment at the Abbasi Shaheed hospital, he said.
Killing of women relatives in the name of honour is a menace still prevalent in many parts of Pakistan.
In April, police arrested a young man in Karachis Orangi Town for slitting his teenage sisters throat and watching her bleed to death.
Hayat Khan used a kitchen knife to murder his 17-year-old sister Sumaira after he found her talking to a man on her mobile phone at their home.
In March this year, a man shot dead both his sisters in Sahiwal district in Punjab after suspecting them of having affairs.
The two sisters were killed just a few days after Pakistani documentary filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy won an Oscar for her film, A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness, which revolved around honour killings.
Pakistan amended its criminal code in 2005 to prevent men who kill female relatives escaping punishment by pardoning themselves as an heir of the victim.
The Foreign Secretary also called for fair and transparent inquiry against individuals responsible for these killings and emphasized that oppressive measures cannot deter the 'valiant people' of the Jammu and Kashmir from their demand of exercising their right to self determination in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions. (Photo: PTI)
Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry on Monday called in Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale and conveyed Pakistan's "serious concerns over the recent killings" of Burhan Wani who they termed a "Kashmiri leader".
According to a statement by Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chaudhry observed that the use of excessive force against innocent civilians protesting peacefully over extrajudicial killings, is 'deplorable and a blatant violation' of the Right to Life, Right to Freedom of Expression and Opinion, Right to Peaceful Protest, Right to Peaceful Assembly and other fundamental rights.
"The Foreign Secretary deplored the firing by Indian security forces on peaceful protesters, resulting in killings of more than 30 innocent people and injuries of more than 300, around 50 critically. He highlighted that such brutal use of force is not acceptable under any circumstances," the statement added.
The Foreign Secretary also called for fair and transparent inquiry against individuals responsible for these killings and emphasized that oppressive measures cannot deter the 'valiant people' of the Jammu and Kashmir from their demand of exercising their right to self determination in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.
Chaudhry reiterated Pakistan's call on the Indian government to fulfil its human rights obligations as well as its commitments under the United Nations Security Council Resolutions to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
However, earlier today, India advised Islamabad to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of its neighbours.
Acknowledging Pakistan's statement on the current situation in the valley, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) responded saying that, Islamabad's statement reflected their attachment to terrorism.
"They reflect Pakistan's continued attachment to terrorism and its usage as an instrument of state policy. Pakistan is advised to refrain from interfering in internal affairs of its neighbours," the statement said.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed deep shock over the killing of Burhan Wani and other civilians and condemned the 'excessive and unlawful' use of force against people in Indian-administered Kashmir.
"It is deplorable that excessive and unlawful force was used against civilians who were protesting against the killing of Burhan Wani," said Sharif in a statement.
Earlier on Sunday, the Foreign Office spokesperson also issued a statement deploring the oppressive measures adopted by Indian forces and called the killing of Wani as extrajudicial.
"Pakistan reiterates that the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is only possible by the realisation of the right to self determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, as per the UNSC resolutions, through a fair and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices," the statement said.
"Such acts are a violation of fundamental human rights of Kashmiris and can not deter the people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand for the realisation of the right to self determination," the statement added.
Islamabad also expressed its concern over the detention of Kashmiri leadership and called upon New Delhi to fulfill the human rights obligations as per the United Nations.
The Kashmir valley has been on a boil since as widespread protests were carried out over Wani's killing with many separatists' calling for a shutdown.
Journalists inside an auditorium of school attacked by Taliban, in Peshawar, Pakistan. (Photo:AP)
Kabul: The mastermind behind the deadly 2014 attack on a army school in Pakistan's Peshawar has been killed in US-backed drone strike, senior Pakistani security officials said.
According to a report, Umar Mansour, along with another militant leader Qari Saifullah was killed in the air strike in Bandar region of Afghanistan's Nanaghar province.
Umar Mansour had been declared as a 'global terrorist' on May 25 by US State department. The declaration was made four days after a US drone strike killed Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour in Balochistan province.
Mansour and Saifullah both belonged to the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan's Tariq geedar group and operated from Peshawar.
An official said they had credible reports of Mansour having been killed with Saifullah, who was in charge of Taliban suicide bombers, the Dawn reported.
"What we have is pretty credible," he was quoted as saying in the report.
On December 16, 2014 , Taliban insurgents killed 132 children and 9 teachers and staff members, after storming the school in Peshawar in one of the country's bloodiest attacks in recent years. Pakistan has declared a three-day national mourning.
Witnesses described how a huge blast shook the Army Public School in the northwestern city of Peshawar and gunmen went from classroom to classroom, shooting children.
Distraught parents thronged the city's Lady Reading Hospital in the wake of the attack, weeping uncontrollably as children's bodies arrived, their school uniforms drenched in blood.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack as retaliation for a major military offensive in the region, saying militants had been ordered to shoot older students.
The attack began around 10.30 am (0530 GMT) when a group of at least five insurgents, reportedly in military uniforms, entered the school.
Condeming the attack, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had described it as a "national tragedy unleashed by savages". "These were my children. This is my loss. This is the nation's loss," he said.
hilippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. issues a statement on the recent ruling in a long-running dispute between the Philippines and China over the South China Sea. (Photo: AP)
Beijing: Beijing "does not accept and does not recognise" the ruling by an UN-backed tribunal on its dispute with the Philippines over the South China Sea, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.
The declaration in a statement on its website followed a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague that China has no historic rights to its claimed "nine-dash line".
"The award is null and void and has no binding force," the ministry said. "China neither accepts nor recognises it."
Beijing "does not accept any means of third party dispute settlement or any solution imposed on China," it added, reiterating its long-standing position on the dispute.
China has repeatedly denied the tribunal's authority to rule on the dispute with the Philippines over the strategically vital region, claiming that the court's actions are illegal and biased against it. Beijing refused the opportunity to defend its position before the body.
"China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards," the statement said, adding that "China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards."
Philippines 'welcomes' South China Sea ruling
Philippines welcomes the ruling that declares China has no historic rights in the South China Sea, Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said, as he urged restraint.
"The Philippines welcomes the issuance today on the arbitration proceedings initiated by the Philippines with regard to the South China Sea," Yasay told reporters minutes after the court in The Hague released its verdict.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration said the tribunal ruled there was no legal basis for China to claim "historic rights" to resources within the South China Sea falling within its claimed nine-dash line, which is based on a Chinese map dating back to the 1940s.
"Our experts are studying the award with the care and thoroughness that this significant arbitral outcome deserves. In the meantime, we call on all those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety," Yasay said.
"The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision as an important contribution to ongoing efforts in addressing disputes in the South China Sea", says Yasay. He added the decision upheld international law, particularly the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The islands China has built cannot sustain a population and do not have the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone enjoyed by inhabited land
New Delhi: India, which is engaged in oil exploration projects with Vietnam in the South China Sea, is carefully studying the verdict by the international tribunal, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), at The Hague which on Tuesday ruled that China has no legal basis to claim historic rights to islands in South China Sea.
India has noted the Award of the Arbitral Tribunal constituted under Annex VII of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the matter concerning the Republic of the Philippines and the Peoples Republic of China and is studying it carefully, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, in a brief statement.
India along with the United States support freedom of navigation in international waters in the South China Sea. Incidentally, China is also wary about Indias strong naval cooperation and strategic ties with Vietnam in the South China Sea. China and Vietnam are also locked in dispute over the South China Sea, a huge source of hydrocarbons. China has been objecting to Indias oil exploration projects with Vietnam in the maritime region.
In October, 2014, just five months after the Modi Government had assumed office, India had signed a pact with its strategic south-east Asian partner Vietnam for participation in two additional oil exploration blocks in Vietnamese waters in the South China Sea. Hours after the pact was signed in October, 2014, China had hit back, warning that it would firmly oppose any exploration activity in the South China Sea if it undermines its sovereignty and interests.
An arbitration court in The Hague will rule on Tuesday in a dispute about the South China Sea in which the Philippines is challenging China's right to exploit resources across vast swathes of the strategic territory.
China has boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, saying it does not have jurisdiction to decide on the matter.
The ruling stands to further ramp up tensions in the region, where China's increased military assertiveness has spread concern among its smaller neighbours and is a point of confrontation with the United States.
The United States and China regularly conduct military exercises in the area, which is of vital interest to both Beijing and Washington, and have accused each other of provocations as recently as last month.
Influential state-run Chinese newspaper the Global Times said in an editorial on Tuesday that China's reaction to the ruling "depends on provocation".
"So far, none of the concerned parties want military confrontation. But all are ratcheting up military preparations," it said.
Even if Beijing ignores the decision, it is significant as it will be the first time that a legal challenge has been brought in the dispute, which draws in five countries with overlapping claims to some of the world's most promising oil and gas fields and vital fishing grounds. [here
It reflects the shifting balance of power in the 3.5 million square kilometre sea, where China has been expanding its presence by building artificial islands and dispatching patrol boats that keep Philippine fishing vessels away.
The case, brought by the Philippines in 2013, hinges on the legal status of reefs, rocks and artificial islands in the Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Island Group.
WILL JUDGES "GO BIG"?
Manila's 15-point case critically asks the tribunal to rule on the status of China's so-called 'nine-dash line', a boundary that is the basis for its 69-year-old claim to roughly 85 percent of the South China Sea.
The tribunal will not decide on matters of territorial sovereignty, but will apply the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in determining which countries can claim economic exploitation rights, based on geographic features.
Under the 1982 UNCLOS, islands grant their owners a 12 nautical mile radius of sovereign territorial waters.
Manila argued in closed court hearings that none of the islands, shoals and reefs in the Spratlys are large enough to grant an additional 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for fishing and extracting seabed resources.
Manila also contests China's effective control of the Scarborough Shoal, a scattering of rocks off the coast of the Philippines' Luzon island, seeking a ruling that would show it sits within the Philippines' EEZ.
A decision on the nine-dash-line's legality would signal that the court's judges had "decided to go big", said Julian Ku, law professor at Hofstra University. "If the nine-dash line were declared invalid, then in theory all the other countries would be emboldened."
The court has no power of enforcement, but a victory for the Philippines could spur Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, which also have overlapping claims, to file similar cases.
With Kashmir on the edge, Home Minister Rajnath Singh has postponed his visit to the United States to attend the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue scheduled for next week.
A Home Ministry official cited the busy schedule during the coming Monsoon session of Parliament beginning July 18 as the reason for the deferment of the visit.
However, tension in Kashmir Valley in the wake of killing of Hizbul Mujahedeen militant Burhan Wani could be the other key factor for the postponement of the Home Minister's five-day visit to America, sources said.
New dates have not been fixed but the trip now may take place sometime in September, the official said.
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi away on a foreign trip, the Home Minister, who is responsible for the internal security of the country, has been leading the central government's efforts to bring back normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir, where 24 people have lost their lives ever since violent protests started following Wani's death.
Singh has held a series of meetings with top Union Ministers, officials and reached out to opposition leaders like Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah as parts of efforts to bring back peace and normalcy in Kashmir Valley.
The Home Minister was supposed to lead the Indian delegation at the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue to be held in Washington with the US team to be headed by Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Charles Johnson.
Further cementing anti-terror cooperation, real-time sharing of intelligence inputs, cyber security and critical infrastructure protection, countering illicit finance, global supply chain security, megacity policing and science and technology are some of the other key issues supposed to be discussed at the strategic meeting.
This senior-level exchange between India and the US is part of the strategic homeland security partnership and aimed at enhancing operational cooperation in investigations, capacity building, and countering threats.
Kashmir today saw sporadic violence which left one person dead, raising the toll to 25, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the situation and appealed for calm with the hope that no innocent person would face an inconvenience or suffer any loss.
One person was killed in firing by security forces on a mob in Kupwara district of Kashmir, police sources said.
There were some other incidents of violence, including a militant strike on a police post and a mob attack on the family of a police officer in which his wife and daughter were injured.
In Delhi, Modi held a high-level meeting to review the Kashmir situation soon after his return from his five-day Africa visit. It was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
The Prime Minister voiced concern over the situation in the state where the death toll rose to 25 in the violent protests and clashes with security forces, triggered by the killing of Hizbul militant commander Burhan Wani last Friday.
"He (PM) has appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain peace so that the situation can normalise. He (PM) also expressed hope that no innocent person should face any kind of inconvenience or loss," Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said after the meeting.
Modi said the Centre will provide whatever help is needed by the state government, according to Jitendra Singh.
The Prime Minister also expressed satisfaction over the progress of the Amarnath Yatra.
The Prime Minister was given a detailed presentation of the situation prevailing in the Valley.
"The Prime Minister kept taking updates about the Jammu and Kashmir situation during his visit abroad. The biggest evidence of his concern is that he called this review meeting within hours of returning from the tour and took details," Singh told reporters.
In Kashmir, while normal life remained paralysed, unidentified militants targeted a police post in Sopore, about 55 kms from Srinagar, firing seven to eight rounds but no one was injured.
In another incident, unidentified persons hurled a petrol bomb towards security forces posted on law and order duty in Noorbagh area of Srinagar, an official said, adding nobody was injured in this too.
In Awantipora area of Pulwama in south Kashmir, a mob beat up and injured wife and daughter of a police Sub- Inspector Mohammad Ashraf Pal and damaged his house.
The injured were shifted to Sub District Hospital Awantipora where their condition is stated to be stable.
Pal, who is posted as duty officer at Sangam police post in Bibjehara area of Anantnag district, was not at home at the time of the attack, which follows a series of attacks on police personnel and installations since the killing Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on last Friday.
Meanwhile, restrictions continued on the movement of people in Srinagar and four districts of south Kashmir, officials said.
The strike called by the separatist groups also affected normal life in the Valley.
The separatist groups yesterday extended the strike call till July 13 to coincide with the 85th anniversary of those who laid down their lives fighting the Aristocratic rule in the state in 1931.
Shops, private offices, business establishments and petrol pumps remained shut, while government offices and banks witnessed thin attendance, the officials said.
Public transport was completely off the roads for the fourth consecutive day, while private cars and auto-rickshaws were seen plying at few places in the areas where there were no restrictions, they said.
Educational institutions in the Valley were closed on account of the ongoing summer vacations, while Central University of Kashmir (CUK), Kashmir University, Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) and Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) have postponed the examinations due to the prevailing situation.
The separatist groups earlier on Friday had called for a one-day strike following Wani s killing.
The strike was then extended for two more days to protest the killings of civilians in firing allegedly by security forces.The shutdown call was again extended yesterday. Most of the separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik, are either in custody or house arrest.
Hours ahead of the international tribunal's verdict on the Philippines' petition challenging China's claims in the disputed South China Sea, Beijing today said it will not recognise the decision nor will it receive copies of the judgement.
"It is true that we do not recognise and accept the so called arbitration. We will have no legal connection with the arbitral tribunal and we will not accept whatever materials it provides," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told media here as the five-member tribunal appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration is set to deliver its judgment today.
He was responding to a question on whether China will receive the judgement copies which the tribunal said will be provided to the concerned parties early before releasing it to the media.
China has boycotted the tribunal ever since Philippines filed the petition in The Hague international court.
China claims almost all of the resource-rich South China Sea but its claim is firmly contested by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan which have overlapping claims over the area.
Asked whether China will give its reaction after the tribunal delivered its verdict, Lu said, "We will not have any legal connection with the arbitral tribunal because from the very beginning we have not recognised this illegal organ".
On how the verdict would impact the SCS dispute in the region, Lu said the arbitration case was unilaterally initiated by former Philippines president Benigno Aquino's administration in 2013. "The Chinese side has already expressed its position clearly three years ago," he said.
"The so called arbitral tribunal was built on the illegalities and illegal application. Its existence has no legal ground and the award whatever it is invalid," he said.
"On the effects of the arbitration, if the so called award will result in rise of tension in the relevant region, it will not serve the common interest of the parties of the region," he said.
"As for how it effect China's policy, I cannot see any effect. China's relevant policy will remain unchanged. We will stick to resolving the relevant disputes with parties concerned with negotiations and consultation and work together with ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) countries to maintain peace and stability of SCS and the dual track approach of China will remain unchanged," he said.
"But at the same time if any one challenges China's interests by siding with the award of the arbitration then China will take solemn response," he said.
To a question whether China will have any dialogue with the Philippines after the award, he said "China and the Philippines have good relations over a long period of time. Our bilateral ties have encountered some difficulties in recent times".
"On China's part we are willing to maintain peaceful, mutually beneficial relationship will all our neighbouring countries including the Philippines," he said.
"We have noted the new Philippines government has expressed willingness to hold dialogue with China in a bid to promote common development and properly manage dispute between the two sides. Our door to that is widely open," he said.
Lu also lashed out at the US for stirring trouble in the SCS region with its Asia Pacific rebalance strategy.
"Before the implementation of the so called rebalance to Asia Pacific by the US, the SCS is very tranquil and peaceful. Then comes the Americans and their policy of rebalance to Asia and since then things have changed," he said.
Before the rebalance was implemented there were disputes between the relevant parties in the SCS but they could be properly managed and maintained peaceful situation," he said.
"No matter how the US argues, they cannot deny that things changed after the implementation of the Asia rebalance policy," he said.
The rehabilitation of slum clusters situated along the railway tracks in north Delhi's Azadpur area has not taken off because none of the agencies concerned Railways and DUSIB is willing to bear the entire relocation cost.
While the National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently rapped the Railways for not being able to prevent open defecation along the tracks, the Railways laid the blame on Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) for its failure to relocate the slums blamed for the problem.
A DUSIB official said the Railways which owns the land on which the slums have come up is not willing to share the relocation cost.
The Railways had given around Rs 12 crore as the relocation cost to the DUSIB for rehabilitation of slum dwellers in the city a few years ago.
But the DUSIB now says the cost has shot up in the past couple of years and the Railways should pay more.
When the Railways gave the money to the DUSIB, the cost of land was Rs 29,000 per plot. But now it is Rs 1.5 lakh per flat, the official told Deccan Herald.
The DUSIB is supposed to shift slum dwellers into flats under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). One has to take into consideration the construction cost as well the cost of the land on which the beneficiaries will be given flats. Slum dwellers will be given flats on a 10-year lease and after that they can convert them into freehold, he added.
Agreement
The rehabilitation cost has to be borne by the Centre, the state and the land-owning agency as per the Delhi Slum Policy. Talks have been taking place between both the agencies and soon they will come to an agreement, the official said.
The area in question is a seven-kilometre stretch near Dayabasti in Azadpur.
Since last year the NGT has been directing the Railways to check open defecation along its tracks and maintain cleanliness on the platforms at the New Delhi station.
The Railways, however, accuse the DUSIB of not relocating the slums despite completing the survey of five out of the six clusters.
Recently, the Railways said in a petition to the NGT that a permanent solution to the menace of open defecation and maintaining cleanliness on platforms is relocation of these slums.
Last week, the NGT had directed the Railways to impose a fine of Rs 5,000 on those found defecating or throwing garbage on the tracks.
The Philippines welcomed a ruling by a UN-backed tribunal today that declares China has no "historic rights" in the South China Sea, Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said, as he urged restraint.
"The Philippines welcomes the issuance today... on the arbitration proceedings initiated by the Philippines with regard to the South China Sea," Yasay told reporters minutes after the court in The Hague released its verdict.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration said the tribunal ruled there was no legal basis for China to claim "historic rights" to resources within the South China Sea falling within its claimed nine-dash line, which is based on a Chinese map dating back to the 1940s.
"Our experts are studying the award with the care and thoroughness that this significant arbitral outcome deserves. In the meantime, we call on all those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety," Yasay said.
"The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision as an important contribution to ongoing efforts in addressing disputes in the South China Sea."
He added the decision upheld international law, particularly the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
An angry China today rejected as "null and void" the verdict of a UN-backed international tribunal which struck down its claims over the South China Sea saying Beijing has no "historic rights" in the disputed area.
China "neither accepts nor recognises" the ruling of a tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration established at the request of the Philippines, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
"The award is null and void and has no binding force," it said in a statement minutes after the five judge tribunal appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration delivered its judgement striking down Beijing's claims of historic rights over the area, strongly disputed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea (SCS) shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards. China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards, the statement quoted by state-run Xinhua new agency said.
"China has territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea," said a separate statement titled 'Statement of the Government of the People's Republic of China on China's Territorial Sovereignty and Maritime Rights and Interests in the South China Sea'.
"China is always firmly opposed to the invasion and illegal occupation by certain states of some islands and reefs of China's Nansha Qundao (the Nansha Islands) (called by Philippines as Spratleys), and activities infringing upon China's rights and interests in relevant maritime areas under China's jurisdiction," it said.
China's strong reaction came after the tribunal struck a blow to its claims over almost all of the SCS, saying that its much touted nine-dash line has has no legal basis.
Striking down the core of China's claims over the 90 per cent SCS based on historic rights, the tribunal ruled there was no legal basis for China to claim "historic rights" to resources within the SCS falling within its claimed nine-dash line, which is based on a Chinese map dating back to 1940s.
It concluded that "to the extent China had historic rights to resources in the waters of the SCS, such rights were extinguished to the extent they were incompatible with the exclusive economic zones provided for in the Convention" (UN Convention on the Law of Seas.
"The tribunal also noted that, although Chinese navigators and fishermen, as well as those of other States, had historically made use of the islands in the SCS, there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or their resources," it said.
For decades China, which boycotted the tribunal questioning its legality, has been asserting that its emperors have discovered the islands hundreds years ago and have been exercising control over the area throughout the history.
But its claims came into conflict with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan as they hardly have exclusive economic zones (EEZ) provided by UNCLOS which Beijing declined to recognise.
Hours before the tribunal delivered its verdict, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China will not even officially receive the judgment of the tribunal as it has no legal basis.
"It is true that we do not recognise and accept the so- called arbitration. We will have no legal connection with the arbitral tribunal and we will not accept what ever materials it provides", he told a media briefing replying to questions whether China will receive a copy of the verdict of the tribunal.
"We will not have any legal connection with the arbitral tribunal because from the very beginning we have not recognised this illegal organ," he said.
A second statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry after the verdict was released countered tribunal's findings that China's claims over islands and the reefs in the SCS.
"China's Nanhai Zhudao (the South China Sea Islands) consist of Dongsha Qundao (the Dongsha Islands), Xisha Qundao (the Xisha Islands), Zhongsha Qundao (the Zhongsha Islands) and Nansha Qundao (the Nansha Islands)", it said.
China has renamed the islands which were known in the area with different names like Spratly islands.
The statement claimed that "the activities of the Chinese people in the SCS date back to over 2,000 years ago.
China is the first to have discovered, named, and explored and exploited Nanhai Zhudao and relevant waters, and the first to have exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over them continuously, peacefully and effectively, thus establishing territorial sovereignty and relevant rights and interests in the SCS", it said.
Following the end of the World War II, China recovered and resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao which had been illegally occupied by Japan during its war of aggression against China, it said.
To strengthen the administration over Nanhai Zhudao, the Chinese government in 1947 reviewed and updated the geographical names of Nanhai Zhudao, compiled Nan Hai Zhu Dao Di Li Zhi Lue and drew Nan Hai Zhu Dao Wei Zhi Tu (Location Map of the South China Sea Islands) on which the dotted line is marked.
This map was officially published and made known to the world by the Chinese government in February 1948", it said in apparent reference to the nine-dash line.
China is so vocal in enforcing the nine-dash line that it publishes it in all the passports of Chinese to assert its claims.
The statement said China has been firm in upholding its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the SCS and cited various documents released to assert its claims over EEZ and the continental shelf.
The ratification of UNCLOS have further reaffirmed China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in SCS, it said.
A complaint case against Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, actor Anushka Sharma, film director Ali Zafar Abbas and others was heard in a local court in a case of allged cheating.
Mohammad Sabir Ansari alias Sabir Baba, a resident of Muzaffarpur, in a complaint case filed in the chief judicial magistrate's court here on July 8, had contended that Salman Khan, the hero of Bollywood flick 'Sultan' released last week, had promised to give him Rs 20 crore as royalty for making a film based on his life.
His counsel Sudhir Kumar Ojha said that Sabir had narrated his tale to Salman Khan in Mumbai in 2010 and the actor then promised the money if a film was made based on it.
The case came up for hearing today before the CJM, Muzaffarpur, Ram Chandra Prasad, who transferred it to the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class, S K Tripathi and fixed July 26, 2016 as the next date of hearing.
The case has been filed under vaious sections of IPC including 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation).
For Bengalurus heavy metal fans, all roads led to Yelahanka, last Saturday. It was time to attend the annual heavy metal music festival, Bangalore Open Air. It was a rainy day and that did not seem to keep anyone away from the ear-splitting music.
The 5th edition of Bangalore Open Air had brought several heavy metal bands to perform in India for the first time. Vader from Poland, Soilwork fromS weden, Skull Fist from Canada and Nader Sadek from USA were some of the big name-bands, which came to make music.
The choice of music at the event was eclectic and there was something for everyone. Black, Death, Power, Thrash, Gothic and Melodic were some of the kinds of music that were belted out by the bands at Indias Biggest Heavy Metal Festival.
Bangalore Open Air also sought to promote Indian metal talent. In the Wacken Metal Battle pre-gig contest, Elemental India was declared winner. They will be performing in Germany at Wacken Open Air, one of the worlds biggest heavy metal shows.
Though heavy metal is yet to find mass reception in India, the organizers were happy with the audience turn out. They said the response was improving with each passing year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is said to have expressed his 'unhappiness' over the media coverage on violent protests in Kashmir Valley following killing of Burhan Wani saying the Hizbul Mujahideen militant has been portrayed as a "hero".
This was conveyed by the Prime Minister at the high-level meeting he convened in this morning to review the situation arising in Jammu and Kashmir after Wani's killing in an encounter, sources privy to the meeting said.
In the meeting, attended by top Union Ministers and officials, the Prime Minister was given a detailed briefing about the Wani, the encounter, the subsequent protests and drowning of a policeman.
Modi was believed to have expressed 'unhappiness' over the media coverage of Kashmir situation saying a militant, who was involved in terror activities and was working for disintegrating the country, has been portrayed as "hero" giving more traction to his followers to whip up frenzy, sources said.
The Prime Minister has also cited the over a dozen cases registered against Wani, most of which were serious in nature under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
The meeting also reviewed the Rs 80,000 crore financial package announced by the NDA government for Jammu and Kashmir and its implementation.
In the meeting, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar briefed the Prime Minister on Pakistan's response to Wani's death, including the statement issued by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, statement by their Foreign Office and summoning of Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale by Foreign Office in Islamabad.
Meanwhile, sources said, the Home Ministry was worried over the situation in Kashmir Valley in next two days.
July 13 (tomorrow) is commemorated as "martyrs day" in Kashmir and Friday is the 'jumme ki namaz'.
Intelligence agencies have reported that Pakistan-supported groups have been trying to incite violence in next two days, sources said.
Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptulla, who had crossed 75 years, resigned today from the Union Cabinet along with Minister of State for Heavy Industries G M Siddeshwara.
Announcing their resignations, a Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said these have been accepted.
There was speculation last week when Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook the reshuffle that Heptulla and Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises Kalraj Mishra, who had recently turned 75, could be asked to quit.
Modi is believed to have set an age bar of 75 years for ministers and had kept veterans like L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi out of the Cabinet and co-opted them in 'Margdarshak Mandal'.
The Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who was Heptulla's deputy, has been assigned the Independent charge of the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
According to government sources, Heptulla (76) was out of country and therefore could not submit her resignation on July 5 though she had decided to do so.
G M Siddeshwara (64), Minister of State of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, too was out of Delhi and could not submit his resignation on July 5, sources said, adding today on return of the Prime Minister from abroad, they submitted their resignations, which have been accepted.
Siddeshwara, a Lok Sabha member from Karnataka, is believed to be among those who were asked to resign in the reshuffle on July 5 but he, sources said, had sought more time due to his birthday on the same day.
Babul Supriyo has been relieved of his existing portfolios as Minister of State for Urban Development and also Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation.
He has been assigned the portfolio of Minister of State in the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.
While Heptulla has resigned, Mishra remains in the Cabinet despite crossing 75 years. It is believed that he has been retained considering the crucial Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls early next year as he is noted Brahmin leader from the state.
Actor-turned-politician Raj Babbar was today appointed as president of Uttar Pradesh Congress ahead of next year's assembly polls in the state.
Four senior vice presidents, including Imran Masood, who had courted controversy a few years ago with his hate speech against BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in 2014, were also appointed.
The announcement was made by party general secretaries Ghulam Nabi Azad and Janardan Dwivedi at a press conference at the AICC headquarters here.
Babbar (64), born in Tundla near Agra in UP, belongs to the Viswabrahmin community which is considered an OBC. He has been a three-time Lok Sabha member and is currently a Rajya Sabha member from Uttarakhand. He was a Rajya Sabha member earlier also.
"Congress President Sonia Gandhi has appointed Raj Babbar as new president of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee, along with four senior vice presidents," Dwivedi said.
The new senior vice pressidents are Rajaram Pal, a backward, Rajesh Mishra, a Brahmin, and Bhagwati Prasad Chaudhary, a Dalit, besides Imran Masood, a minority.
The outgoing UP Congress chief Nirmal Khatra has been made the chairman of the state screening committe. Azad later said that Babbar is "above caste" and has an appeal across the country.
The announcement came after Azad met Sonia Gandhi this morning at her residence. Later, Priyanka Gandhi met him at his residence for over an hour, raising speculation over her assuming a bigger role in Uttar Pradesh ahead of polls.
Asked about Priyanka, Azad said that elections are still far away and have not been announced yet.
He, however, admitted that there have been demands from party members from the state that she should campaign for the party beyond Rae Bareli and Amethi.
Masood had courted controversy ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha polls when he said that he "will chop Modi into pieces".
Congress, which was once the dominant party in UP, had remained out of power in the state since long, losing out to the caste politics of Samajwadi Party and BSP.
Asked if Priyanka Gandhi will actively campaign in Uttar Pradesh, Azad said "everyone associated with Congress party has a role. She already has a role and it will continue like that."
On his meeting with her in the morning, he shot back "is there any ban on meeting?"
Prodded further, he said the assembly election in UP is yet to be declared and things will be chalked out soon.
To a question whether there will be a chief ministerial face for Congress in Uttar Pradesh, he said normally it is done when there is a sitting chief minister or a former chief minister. "We don't have one such face in Uttar Pradesh," he said.
Imran Masood, who was arrested for his hate speech in March 2014.
Asked about Masood's hate speech, Azad said "forget the past and look to the future." He added that BJP leaders have made even worse speeches.
Questioned on the controversial choice, Azad, the party's incharge in Uttar Pradesh, said "why don't you ask BJP about their ministers who are hate-mongers?"
Babbar entered politics by joining Janata Dal in 1989 and later switched to Samajwadi Party. He was elected to Rajya Sabha 1994. He was elected to Lok Sabha in 1999 and then again in 2004.
After he was suspended from Samajwadi Party in 2006, he joined Congress in 2008 and was again elected to Lok Sabha from Firozabad constituency in Uttar Pradesh in 2009 by defeating Dimple Yadav, the wife of Akhilesh Yadav and daughter-in-law of Mulayam Singh Yadav. He was defeated in 2014 Lok Sabha poll from Ghaziabad by former Army chief Gen V K Singh.
Babbar had courted controversy as Congress spokesman in 2013 when he stated that Rs 12 are sufficient to get a full meal for a common man in Mumbai, a remark that drew severe criticism.
Raja Ram Pal (55), a backward caste leader and a former BSP member and a two-time MP, was expelled from Lok Sabha in December 2005 following a sting operation for accepting bribe for asking questions in Parliament. He was later expelled from BSP and later joined Congress. He represented Akbarpur Lok Sabha constituency in UP from 2009 to 2014 and earlier represented Bilhaur constituency as a BSP member.
Rajesh Mishra is a Brahmin from Varanasi and also represented Varanasi Lok Sabha seat in 2004.
Bhagwati Prasad Chaudhari is currently chairman of the SC cell of UP Congress.
Khatri, who was removed as State Congress chief, was adjusted as chairman of the newly-formed Screening Committee.
Azad said other committees like the Campaign and Coordination Committee would also be formed soon. The name of former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is doing the rounds for a bigger role in Uttar Pradesh and poll strategist Kishore has pitched for her too.
Russia has offered to sell a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to India, which competes with China for supremacy in the Indian Ocean region.
The offer from Moscow was submitted in the defence ministry last week when a team of Russian diplomats met top officials including Defence Secretary G Mohan Kumar, sources told DH.
Being designed by the Nevskoye Design Bureau, the supercarrier may cost anywhere between $ 1.8 billion to $ 5.63 billion and will take almost 10 years to complete. The Krylovsky State Research Center is also involved in the development of the nuclear-powered aircraft carried named, Project 23000E Shtorm.
The defence ministry is likely to seek opinion of the Navy and undertake a detailed cost-benefit analysis before taking a call on the offer, which may figure in the annual strategic dialogue between the two defence ministers.
The proposal from Moscow comes at a time when New Delhi is debating on the use of nuclear propulsion for its second indigenous aircraft carrier, which is still at the design phase.
For the second carrier project, India and USA are discussing technologies, which include nuclear power and use of electromagnetic aircraft launch system. There is no decision yet on the on-board fighters for the third carrier.
However, the defence ministry is likely to be extremely cautious with the Russians given the experience of Admiral Gorshkov renamed INS Vikramaditya as India, under Russian pressure, had to cough up more than double the money agreed in the original contract to get the carrier.
India currently operates two conventional aircraft carriers INS Vikramaditya and INS Viraat though the second one is about to be decommissioned.
The 40,000 tonnes first indigenous carrier to be named INS Vikrant is under construction at the Cochin Shipyard since 2009 and is expected to be inducted around 2020.
The second one will be a 65,000 tonnes carrier for which all Indian shipyards were sounded out on their abilities.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked Delhi Shiromani Gurudwara Parbhandhak Committee (DSGPC), a body managing Gurdwaras, and others to come out with suggestions on their plea for ban on circulation of jokes on Sikh for commercial purposes.
A bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice D Y Chandrachud gave six weeks time to the organisation as senior advocate R S Suri, appearing for the DSGPC, submitted that a committee, comprising former SC judges Justice H S Bedi and Justice M Y Eqbal, Rajya Sabha MP Pavan Varma and others, had been set up for the purposes.
Advocate Satinder Gulati, appearing for the SGPC, an organisation managing Gurdwaras in several states here, also submitted that the petitioner formed its own panel consisting of K S Grewal, retired judge, Ramesh Inder Singh, former chief secretary Punjab among others, for formulating points for adjudication for the apex court.
Harvinder Chowdhury, herself a Sikh lawyer, was the first to approach the apex court seeking direction to ban jokes on the Sikh community.
Sensing a Kandhamal moment, the BJP has decided to send a three-member delegation to Odisha to probe the killing of five innocent tribals that has invited strong reactions against the BJD government.
Way back in 2008, Hindu priest Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati, along with four of his disciplines, was killed, which snowballed into a major political controversy. The seer was working for tribals.
BJP president Amit Shah expressed grief at the killing of innocent tribals in Kandhamal and has set up a three-member team, headed by vice-president Vinay Sahasrabudhe, to probe the incident and submit a report, said party general secretary Arun Singh, who is also in-charge of Odisha.
The other members of the delegation are MPs and general secretaries Ramvichar Netam and Jyoti Dhruve.
Earlier, the murderous assault on convoy of Union ministers Santosh Gangawar and Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, who were in Bargarh district to attend partys Vikas Utsav programme, was a manifestation of BJD workers taking law and order into their hands, charged BJP leader Arun Singh.
CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Tuesday said his party favoured the entry for women into all temples.
The remark comes a day after the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala backed in the Supreme Court the existing restrictions on the entry of women aged between 10 and 50 years into the Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala.
The state government had on Monday submitted in the apex court that it was not in favour of countering an earlier affidavit in this connection, filed by the previous Congress-led government.
The CPM is of the opinion that all women should be allowed to enter all templesa fresh affidavit will be filed in this connection, Balakrishnan told reporters here.
The CPM secretary, however, added that it was up to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the administration of the temple, to submit to the Supreme Court the practical issues in connection with the entry of women into the temple.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday reviewed the security scenario at the Indo-Bangladesh Border following the terror attacks in Dhaka.
At a meeting chaired by MHA Secretary (Border Management) Susheel Kumar, senior officials of five bordering states on Indo-Bangladesh border Assam, West Bengal, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram attended. Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi also interacted with the officials towards the end of the meeting.
At the meeting, it was decided to set up an institutional mechanism. As per this, DGPs of all bordering states will hold monthly meetings with Inspectors General of BSF regularly for effective coordination at state level to enhance security along the border.
This forum will ensure that FIRs are lodged by state police based on the complaints filed by BSF leading to arrest, investigation, charge sheet and conviction in border crimes.
A task force headed by DGP of West Bengal with ADG (Border) Assam and Inspectors of of North Bengal, South Bengal and Guwahati Frontier of BSF will identify the crime syndicate involved in cross border crimes.
The Ministry of Home Affairs is examining the activities of an NGO, Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), set up by controversial preacher Zakir Naik following reports that foreign funds were misused.
The IRF is claimed to have received around Rs 15 crore between 2006 and 2011. A senior official said a probe is on against IRF, which was registered under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) for receiving funds from abroad.
The NGO had received most of his foreign funds from the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and a few other Middle East countries. There are reports that Zakir had diverted the foreign funds for political activities and to induce people towards Islam.
Zakir is also accused of using the funds to attract youth to terror. Using foreign funds for activities which were not mentioned by the donor is not permissible under FCRA. Also, using foreign funds for political activities or conversion is also not allowed.
Zakir hit headlines after it emerged that one of the five terrorists, who stormed a Dhaka restaurant earlier this week, was inspired by the Mumbai-based preacher.
Official sources said the IRF account books are being examined by investigators to find out from where all the funds came in and for what purpose as well as how they were utilised. Sources also said an analysis of the content of Peace TV by intelligence agencies showed that it could create trouble for security environment.
District In-Charge Minister M R Seetharam met the family members of DySP M K Ganapathi at his residence at Rangasamudra near Kushalnagar on Tuesday.
After offering floral tributes to a portrait of Ganapathi, he said, let God give strength to the family overcome the grief.
Speaking to Ganapathis father Kushalappa, the minister said, I have seen sincerity of DySP Ganapathi from very close quarters when he was serving in Yashvantpur and Malleswaram police stations (in Bengaluru). The state government is with the family members in giving justice to the death of Ganapathi.
He told reporters that Ganapathis death was an unfortunate incident. The CID is investigating into the case and the investigation is in progress. The state government will spare no one who is guilty. The government will create an atmosphere to conduct an impartial probe, he said and added that he will meet chief minister and home minister and hold discussion on the incident.
He appealed to the people to co-operate in maintaining peace and harmony in Kodagu district.
District BJP staged a protest against the state government in front of the DCs office here on Tuesday over DySP M K Ganapathis suicide case. Addressing the protesters, MP Nalin Kumar said there is Ravana Rajya in the state and the government has been supporting criminals.
Honest officials such as SI Mallikarjun Bande who was killed during an encouter with a rowdy, IAS officer D K Ravi, DySPs Kallappa Handibag and M K Ganapathi are forced to take extreme steps.
The last three years of the state government has been a reign of demons, he charged and sought the filing of an FIR on Minister K J George and two police officials, whom Ganapathi has named in the video footage prior to his suicide. Now, efforts are being done to tamper the evidence.
The chief minister is directly responsible for the death of Ganapathi. Hence, he should immediately step down. There is no guarantee that the CID probe will be transparent. Hence, the case should be handed over to CBI. If not, the BJP will observe Dakshina Kannada bandh, he said and added that the fight will continue till the government falls down.
Addressing the protest, BJP State Vice President Sulochana G K Bhat said the government is weakening the police department by harassing honest officials and forcing them to take extreme steps. Mallikarjun Bande, Anupama Shenoy, Kallappa Handibag and M K Ganapathi were harassed by politicians and higher officials. The state BJP is carrying out protest in all district centres under the leadership of former chief minister Yeddyurappa, she added.
BJP leader Rukmaya Poojary said the state has been marred by maladministration by the Congress and Congress-free Karnataka is the need of the hour. If police officials do not have protection, what about commoners, he questioned.
BJP State Minority Morcha President Rahim Ucchil and BJP district unit president Sanjiv Matandur also spoke. They charged that CMs close aides, like Marigowda, are directing the government these days and honest officials are targetted.
Barricades crossed
The protesters crossed the barricades put up by the police to enter the DCs office premises and later staged a protest in front of the DCs office complex. They urged the DC to come out of the office and receive their memorandum.
They also raised slogans against the chief minister, K J George and the DC. The situation turned tense as the DC did not come even after half an hour. The protestors tried to enter the DCs office. However, the police prevented them.
Later, ADC Kumar came to the spot and received the memorandum from the protestoers, which was addressed to the governor.
BJP leaders Umanath Kotian, Jagadish Adhikari, Padmanabha Kottari, former Minister Krishna J Palemar, ZP President Meenakshi Shanthigodu and Vice President Kasturi Panja took part in the protest.
A 92-year-old woman battling for her life at a private hospital at Matadakini in Mangaluru has filed a complaint to Senior Citizens Helpline against her adopted son Arun Kumar that he has abandoned her, though she took care of him, his wife and three children for the last 25 years.
The worst part is that Arun Kumar has also registered Alice DSouzas apartment in his name and the old woman is virtually on street.
The incident came to light after Alice DSouzas treatment bill in the hospital crossed Rs 1 lakh and the hospital too filed a complaint against Arun Kumar, who initially arrived at the hospital after the neighbours informed him, signed the consent form in the hospital and then refused to pay the hospital bills.
According to Alice, Arun Kumar and his family, who were staying with Alice DSouza, abandoned her about three months ago and she was living all alone.However, on June 30, when she took ill, her neighbours admitted her to Global hospital, who was diagnosed with malaria and jaundice.
Adopted son
Alice DSouza, who spoke to this correspondent in the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital, said Arun Kumar approached her about 25 years ago as a paying guest. Subsequently, he became so close to Alice that she treated him as her son and Arun too used to call her as mummy, she recalled.
Incidentally, Alice lost her husband (Nicholas DSouza) when she was just 29 years old and lost her only son (Franklin DSouza) when she was 39 years old. Since then, she was living all alone until, Arun approached her in 1991 to be her paying guest.
Though she had purchased the apartment in the same year (1991) after selling her property in the city, she had not registered it and she had entrusted all the work to Arun himself. However, he reportedly registered the apartment (in Dukes manor in Matadakani) in his name and though she came to know about it after a few years, she presumed that her adopted son would take care of her in her last days.
As she does not have any option now, she has filed a complaint to Senior Citizen Helpline on July 5 and they have taken up the case, said Lidwyn, co-ordinator of Vishwas Trust (helpline).
Acting on the complaint, the police personnel brought Arun Kumar to the hospital and he reportedly told the police as well as hospital that henceforth he would take care of her. However, later he has refused to pay the bills, said hospital Manager Eshwar.
Quite interestingly, on the following day of his promise to the hospital as well as police, Arun has filed a complaint with the Barke police that gold jewellery in his (Alice) home is missing and he has suspected the neighbours.
The neighbours came to know about it only when the police started enquiries. On the other hand, the neighbours have alleged that Arun Kumar has taken all the furniture and kitchen items from the home. Alice too confirmed the same.
One of the neighbours said that Arun has mortgaged the apartment and is presently running a paying guest facility near Kudroli wherein more than 25 students are staying as paying guests.
Alice looked after Arun, his wife and three sons just like her own children all these 25 years and she almost single handedly brought up the children as both Arun and his wife (a teacher in a prestigious school) were out of home throughout the day and this is what he paid her back for looking after them so well, quipped another neighbour who had come to see the old woman.
At least Aruns eldest son, who has completed engineering course, could have visited the lady in the hospital as neighbours recalled how she took care of him - right from changing his diapers about 23 years ago to welcoming him when he used to return from school and later during his college days, she said.
The Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat has planned to set up 49 solid waste managements units in the jurisdiction of the gram panchayats during 2016-17. Ten gram panchayats have already identified land for the purpose, CEO P I Sreevidya said.
Speaking at a district-level water and sanitation committee meeting here on Tuesday, she said the gram panchayats should identify the land for the purpose. All the 230 gram panchayats in the district have been directed to identify at least one acre land for solid waste management units, she stated.
She said four gram panchayats, including Thumbay and Pudu, face lack of space for the construction of solid waste management units.
Bantwal taluk panchayat executive officer said 30 cents of land identified for the solid waste management unit at Thumbay have been encroached and houses constructed on the encroached land have been given door numbers.
The dumping of gabage beside the national highway at Someshwar and Talapady gram panchayat limits have become a menace in the region. Sreevidya directed the gram panchayat authorities to install a CCTV camera on the spot after putting a notice warning people against dumping waste on spot.
Zilla panchayat Deputy Secretary Umesh said land has already been identified at Boliyar, Pavoor in Mangaluru taluk, Pilathabettu and Mani in Bantwal, Aryapu, Golithottu, Hirebandadi, Kabaka, Kaukradi, 34 Nekkilady and Nelyadi in Puttur taluk. The solid waste management units will be developed at a cost of Rs 20 lakh.
Apart from this, the Zilla Panchayat has also sought Rs 10 lakh for each unit under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
Zilla Panchayat President Meenakshi Shanthigodu directed the authorities to complete the work on the units sanctioned to various gram panchayats in 2013-14 and 2014-15.
Toilet construction
Sreevidya said the work on pending individual toilets will be completed by July-end. The target was to construct 2,800 individual toilets in 2015-16. Among them, 2,595 toilets have been completed. The remaining toilets were included in the work list of 2016-17.
According to the Swaccha Bharath Mission, the gram panchayats have to declare that villages free from open defecation in their gram sabhas.
Accordingly, 150 gram panchayats in the district have already declared as free from open defecation. The target in 2016-17 was to construct 1,406 toilets, of which 455 toilets have been completed.
The zilla panchayat deputy secretary said the tender for setting up a sewage treatment plant (STP) at Kinnigolid sanctioned in 2015-16 has been completed. The estimate for the sewage treatment plants at Rayi, Mani, Kedila in Bantwal taluk, Kaukradi, Kolthige, in Puttur taluk and Kuvettu and Aladangady of Belthangady taluk is being prepared by the authorities, he added.
DDPI Walter DMellow said though all the schools in Dakshina Kannada have toilets, there is a need for additional toilets in 183 schools where the students strength is more. At the same time, when the school is upgraded to composite college and degree colleges are sanctioned, the toilets are not constructed to meet the additional requirement of the students. As a result, a few schools in Dakshina Kannada require additional toilets, he stated.
At the same time, 98 schools in Dakshina Kannada face shortage of water during peak summer. Though water is supplied to these schools by the gram panchayats, the increase in demand for water during summer cause inconvenience.
The DDPI said water recharge techniques have been initiated in over 30 schools in Bantwal, Puttur and Belthangady taluks during this monsoon. The ZP CEO directed the DDPI to inspect the old school buildings to ensure that the safety of the schoolchildren is given utmost importance in the district.
More than 70 Amaranth pilgrims from Karnataka, who were stranded in violence-hit Kashmir, returned safely to Delhi on Tuesday.
Karnataka Bhavan officials received tourists at the railway station and airport, and provided them food and accommodation besides arranging for their return journey to their hometowns, said a statement issued by the Bhavan.
Tourists and their family members can contact the control room in Delhi where senior officials will extend all possible help. The contact numbers are: Anis K Joy (9868393979), Srikanth Rao (9868393971) and Renu Kumar (9868393953). The Jammu and Kashmir government has also set up a control room in Srinagar (01942506479).
Some tourists from Bengaluru were not allowed to proceed for pilgrimage as they did not have the mandatory medically fit certificate. One of the tourists, Govindappa, said their travel was arranged by an agency in Bengaluru which charged Rs 16,000 per head for the entire tour, including the medical certificate. But it didnt give us any certificate. We have been forced to wait in Srinagar for three days and will be allowed to visit Amarnath only after completing the medical check-up, he said.
Sarala Kumari, another traveler from Bengaluru, said the travel agency neither provided food nor accommodation, which it had promised at the time of booking. We reached Delhi safely with the Armys help. Now, Karnataka Bhavan officials have arranged for our return journey, she said.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered issuance of notice to former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa on the state governments petition against quashing of FIRs against him in the land denotification scam.
On January 5, 2016, a single bench of the Karnataka High Court had quashed 15 FIRs registered by the Lokayukta police against the BJP leader. The state government has challenged this judgment.
A bench of Justices A K Sikri and N V Ramana also sought the BJP leaders response within four weeks to an interim application for stay on the High Court ruling.
The Lokayukta police had booked Yeddyurappa for denotification of land acquired by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) in Bilekahalli, Halagavaderahalli, JB Kaval and other places in Bengaluru when he was chief minister.
Appearing for the government, senior advocate Vikas Singh argued that the matter relating to the Lokayukta investigation had to be decided by a division bench as per High Court rules since the corruption watchdog was headed by a retired judge. But a single bench decided it, holding that the Comptroller and Auditor Generals (CAG) report could not be the basis for registration of the FIRs.
Challenging the quashing of the FIRs, the Karnataka government argued that there would be enormous loss to the state exchequer as the ongoing investigation was on the basis of other materials and did not solely rely on the findings of the CAG.
The police attached to the Karnataka Lokayukta are authorised to investigate in the offences by virtue of notification issued under Section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
There is no restriction on the source of information disclosing a cognisable offence, stated the petition filed by advocate Joseph Aristotle on behalf of the government.
The High Court failed to appreciate that the FIRs were registered after a thorough enquiry conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), it maintained.
Even otherwise, there is no constitutional or statutory bar to base reliance on the CAG report if subsequent investigation reveals commission of cognisable offence, the petition asserted.
The government cited a 2011 judgment of the Supreme Court in CPIL vs Union of India, which directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation on the findings recorded by the CAG and the Central Vigilance Commission.
The CPM has clarified on Tuesday that it would remain in the Congress company in West Bengal to fight violence and terror of the Trinamool Congress.
The party has said that the broadest unity should be forged for fighting the violence and terror and protecting democratic rights against the ruling Trinamool Congress onslaughts in West Bengal. The statement obviously spells out the contour of the alliance that it would be non-electoral.
Clear confusion
The statement which has come after the meeting of the West Bengal State Committee tries to clear the confusion over the line of the party on allying with the Congress in the state. The meeting was held in Kolkata on July 10 and attended by general secretary Sitaram Yechury and former general secretary Prakash Karat.
Though the party has given a clear indication of a non-electoral partnership with the Congress, it has made it clear that there would be no electoral alliance with the latter. In current circumstances it hardly means any thing as the state will not have any polls in near future.
A Supreme Court judge on Tuesday recused from hearing a plea for quashing an ordinance issued on May 24 granting exemption to states from NEET.
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is a uniform single examination for admission to MBBS and BDS courses in 2016-17. All private medical colleges have been directed to admit candidates on the basis of NEET only.
The NEET I was held on May 1 and phase II is scheduled for July 24. The petitioners claimed the Centre was not competent to nullify a judicial order, that had made the NEET mandatory.
Two separate petitions filed by Indore-based doctor Anand Rai and NGO Sankalp Charitable Trust were posted for consideration before a bench of Justices Anil R Dave and L Nageswara Rao. But Justice Rao preferred to withdraw himself from hearing the case as he had earlier appeared for Tamil Nadu in a similar matter.
India on Tuesday disapproved Chinas rejection of the ruling of an international tribunal on the South China Sea dispute.
New Delhi called upon Beijing to show utmost respect to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea (UNCLOS), an international pact, which the arbitration process on the South China Sea was based on.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement after the arbitral tribunal based in The Hague ruled that China had no legal basis to its historic claims in the South China Sea and it had violated the sovereign rights of the Philippines by constructing artificial islands.
China was quick to reject the ruling, arguing that the arbitration process had been unilaterally initiated by the Philippines and had been illegal, null and void right from the beginning.
New Delhi, however, pointed out that the arbitral tribunal had been constituted under Annex VII of the UNCLOS.
As a State Party to the UNCLOS, India urges all parties to show utmost respect for the UNCLOS, which establishes the international legal order of the seas and oceans, said Vikas Swarup, official spokesperson of the MEA.
He also noted that the sea lanes of communication passing through the South China Sea were critical for peace, stability, prosperity and development.
India supports freedom of navigation and over flight, and unimpeded commerce, based on the principles of international law, as reflected notably in the UNCLOS, Swarup said, adding, India believes that states should resolve disputes through peaceful means without threat or use of force and exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that could complicate or escalate disputes affecting peace and stability.
Beijing last week indicated that it would expect New Delhis reaction to the award of the arbitral tribunal to be consistent to the position of Russia, India and China as enunciated in the joint statement issued after the meeting of the foreign ministers of the three nations in Moscow on April 18 last.
The RIC (Russia-India-China) foreign ministers had agreed that all maritime disputes, including the row over South China Sea, should be addressed through negotiations and agreements between the parties concerned.
The statement had been in sync with Chinas position on the dispute. India, however, had earlier joined the US and Japan to call for peaceful settlement of maritime disputes in accordance with international laws and maintenance of freedom of navigation and over-flight and unimpeded lawful commerce through sea-lanes in the disputed waters.
The reference to the dispute in the past India-US and India-Japan joint statements irked China. The latest India-US joint statement issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modis meeting with American President Barack Obama in Washington DC early last month, however, had no mention of the South China Sea dispute.
Bengaluru Development Minister K J George on Tuesday said he would tender his resignation only if Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asks him to do so.
Notwithstanding the mounting pressure from the Opposition parties, which have been gunning for his ouster ever since police officer M K Ganapathi committed suicide recently, George claimed that he was innocent in the case. He also asked the Opposition to produce evidence to show he had harassed the late officer.
An emotional George told the Assembly that nobody could make him step down except Siddaramaiah. I am ready to face any kind of action if I am proved guilty. I havent done anything against my conscience. Let there be a probe. If the chief minister asks me to resign, I will do so, he said.
Siddaramaiah, who was present in the Assembly, did not respond. Before ending his life, Ganapathi had named George and two police officers as responsible for his death. The Opposition has been demanding the resignation of George besides pressuring the government to file a case against him.
The police have booked an unnatural death case and the CID is probing into Ganapathis suicide. George, like Siddaramaiah, also played the minority card.
Looking at BJP leader Jagadish Shettar, he said, You are Jagadish Shettar and I am K J George that is the only difference. Our ideologies are different, but dont say everything I do is wrong.
This, however, did not go down well with the Opposition. Dont play the minority card. First tender your resignation, Shettar shot back.
The minister said he had neither harassed Ganapathi nor played a role in the officers suspension or promotion. He said he had not received any complaint against the officer with regard to the church attacks in Mangaluru.
If I was targeting the officer, then why would he be reinstated only a month after he was suspended? he asked. Former Bengaluru City Commissioner, Raghavendra Auradkar, had suspended Ganapathi and later informed him (George), he recalled.
George said Ganapathi may have misunderstood him and the two officers, A M Prasad and Pranob Mohanty, whom he named in his suicide note. If Ganapathi was facing harassment, he could have complained to Parameshwara or even the DG&IG or the chief minister, he said.
Unimpressed, Shettar reiterated that George should own moral responsibility and resign. If you are not a power monger, then why are you so fiercely protecting your seat. The government is trying to shut the case, he added.
An international court ruled on Tuesday that China has no historic title over the South China Sea and has breached the Philippines sovereign rights by itsactions in the region.
China, which boycotted the proceedings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, rejected the ruling. But analysts said it was a huge win for the Philippines, which brought the case.
The resource-rich, strategically vital waters of the South China Sea are disputed between the Asian giant which claims almost all of them on the basis of a nine-dash line that first appeared on Chinese maps in the 1940s and several other countries, including the Philippines.
The row has embroiled the United States, which has deployed aircraft carriers and a host of other vessels to assert freedom of navigation in waters through which one-third of the global oil trade passes.
China says that its fishermen have visited the area for centuries, but the PCA tribunal said under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Beijing had not had exclusive control of it.
Any historic rights were extinguished when it signed up to UNCLOS, it said, and there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line, it said.
Crucially, it ruled that none of the Spratlys, a chain of outcrops in the south of the sea, were islands under the meaning of UNCLOS, meaning that whoever had sovereignty over them an issue it did not address were not entitled to 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of their own.
Some sea areas were therefore definitely in the Philippines EEZ, it said, as they were not overlapped by any possible entitlement of China.
China had violated the Philippines sovereign rights in its EEZ and the artificial islands Beijing has been furiously building in recent years reshaping facts in the water in an effort to bolster its claim have inflicted severe environmental damage, it added. The damning decision was as unfavourable to China as it can be, said Yanmei Xie, China analyst for the International Crisis Group.
The award by the five-member panel chaired by a Ghanaian overwhelmingly favours the Philippines a huge win, said M Taylor Fravel of MIT.
Manila welcomed the decision. In Washington, the State Department said the ruling was an important contribution to resolving regional disputes and should be seen as final and legally binding.
China is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and has been seeking a greater role on the global diplomatic stage, and will not want to be seen as a violator of international law.
But how the decision could be enforced remains open to question. Richard Heydarian, a political analyst at De La Salle University in Manila, told AFP: China has been branded as an outlaw in unequivocal terms. US, Japan and other major powers should now focus on enforcing this binding verdict if China fails to comply.
China could choose to withdraw from UNCLOS, or begin building on Scarborough Shoal, which it seized from the Philippines in 2012 which Washington would view as a provocation.
The opposition parties on Tuesday stuck to their demand for the resignation of Bengaluru Development Minister K J George in connection with the suicide of DySP M K Ganapathi for the second day in the Assembly.
JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said that the interview given to a TV channel by the officer before his death should be considered as the dying declaration.
It is mandatory to file an FIR against all those named responsible for the death in the statement, including George, as per a Supreme Court judgement. Those who recorded the statement should be made the eyewitnesses, he added.
But the government has filed an unnatural death case under Section 174 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), based on a statement given by Ganapathis father, Kushalappa. The police have recorded Kushalappas statement when he was grieving the death of his son. Ganapathis father has subsequently retracted from whatever he had said. The officers wife and son want the police to take their statements and lodge a complaint, but the government is not allowing them to do so, the JD(S) leader charged.
Ganapathis wife spoke to me personally and complained that the police are refusing to take her complaint. So I hired a lawyer for them and ensured that an application is filed before the magisterial court in this regard. She also denied the governments claim that she was not on good terms with her husband. She said she will have no option but to end her life like her husband if the government continues to defame her family, Kumaraswamy said.
Kumaraswamy said Ganapathi suffered harassment in the department. A departmental enquiry ordered against him six years ago is still going on. This was one of the reasons for him to slip into depression. Instead of taking action against those who forced him into depression, the government branded him mentally unstable. But IGP (western range) Arun Chakravarthy, under whom Ganapathi was discharging his duty, has told the media that the deceased officer was an open-minded person who always remained calm, he said.
Kumaraswamy said all three persons named by Ganapathi in his statement should resign immediately. They cannot continue in their office, he added.
BJPs K G Bopaiah said the government is trying to prove that Ganapathi was mentally unstable in order to protect George. He said seven ruling party members, including Energy Minister D K Shivakumar and Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader, had urged the government to post Ganapathi in their constituencies in the past. They wanted Ganapathi to work in their constituencies because he was a good officer, he added.
Points raised by Opposition
*If Ganapathi was suffering from depression, then it should have reflected in his annual health records. The government should verify the same
*Why was Ganapathi's father Kushalappa forced to sign the complaint in which it was mentioned that the DySP was depressed due to differences with his wife ?
*A polygraph test (lie-detector test) should be conducted on the police officer who filed the complaint on behalf of Kushalappa
*Why was Ganapathis phone not reachable on the day he died ?
*Why did Ganapathi fire two shots from his service revolver in the hotel room where he committed suicide?
The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday night arrested Jignesh Shah, the founder of Financial Technologies India Ltd (FTIL) in the Rs 5,600-crore National Spot Exchange (NSEL) scam.
Shah, who has been booked under 10 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), would be produced before a special court on Wednesday. The NSEL scam was a ponzi scheme, estimated at Rs 5,600 crore, that came out after the National Spot Exchange failed to pay its investors in commodity pair contracts after July 31, 2013.
Shah was arrested by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police and released on bail in August 2014. He had resigned as the managing director of FTIL and become its chairman-emeritus. Of late, he was working on technology platforms for startups.
Meanwhile, the 63 Moons Technologies Limited, the re-branded version of FTIL, has questioned the arrest of Jignesh Shah and called it as coercive. We fail to understand why such a coercive step has been taken by the Enforcement Directorate, a spokesperson of 62 Moons said.
Deputy Superintendent of Police M K Ganapathis father Kushalappa on Tuesday said an FIR should be registered against Bengaluru Development Minister K J George and IPS officers Pronab Mohanty and A M Prasad on the basis of the complaint filed by his daughter-in-law K K Pavana and grandson Nehal.
Kushalappa said the complaint filed by Pavana and Nehal should be treated as the final one and the culprits arrested.
Speaking to Deccan Herald at his residence in Rangasamudra near Kushalnagar, Kushalappa said he had not written any complaint on July 7, the day Ganapathi committed suicide. How can I make allegations against my daughter-in-law when I have lost my son? I was sitting in a room in the lodge adjacent to the one in which my son had committed suicide. The police wrote the complaint and asked me to sign. I was in a state of shock and signed the complaint, thinking it to be some letter. I did not even read the document on which I had signed. The family members were allowed to see the body only after I signed the paper. There were a few white sheets and pendrives on the table inside the room where he had hanged himself. My son would have written a death note alleging harrasment, he said with tears in his eyes.
Stating that there was no rift in the family, Kushalappa said that it was wrong to mention in the Legislative Assembly that Ganapathi was facing problems on the domestic front. My son died due to harassment in the department. Now, the authorities are blaming the family and my daughter-in-law, he said.
He said his second son M K Thimmaiah, also a DySP, has left for duty. He would have been pressured as he is a police officer. We want justice to the family. Ganapathi was fighting for justice while in service.
When I had fallen sick, Ganapathi could not visit me as he was busy with his officail work. Such was his commitment to work. I am proud of my sons honesty. It was Ganapathis childhood dream to join the police force. He was a bit depressed after he was accused of fake encounter in 2008. There are many doubts about Ganapathis death, he said. Kushalappa suspected that there were no grills to the windows of the room in which Ganapathi committed suicide.
Minister taken to task
When Kodagu district in-charge minister M R Seetharam visited the DySPs house at Rangasamudra, Ganapathis son Nehal took him to task. Just say the truth. Do not say whatever you wish to, he told the minister in the presence of Deputy Commissioner Richard Vincent DSouza and Superintendent of Police P Rajendra Prasad. Later, Seetharam told reporters that Ganapathi was suspended from service thrice. Where was MLA Appacchu Ranjan when Ganapathi was suspended during the BJP regime? he asked. On hearing this, Nehal intervened and asked Seetharam to tell the truth and not make allegations to hide the truth.
Seetharam said: Political parties are politicising the suicide. An attempt is being made to divert the issue. I will direct the CID to collect the statements of the family members.
Govt trying to kill me: Pavana
Pavana has taken objection to Home Minister G Parameshwars statement which suggested that Ganapathi was suffering from depression due to a troubled relationship with his wife.
She said she will file a complaint with the Womens Commission on Parameshwaras statement. Ganapathi has not mentioned anything about the family in the interview given to a local TV channel before ending his life. By issuing such statements, the government is trying to kill me, she said.
Pavana submitted a complaint to the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission through e-mail on Monday evening, against the police officers for failing to register an FIR.
The Border Security Force (BSF) gunned down three of the five intruders from Pakistan who were trying to sneak into Punjab through the riverine belt in Amritsars Ajnala sector in the early hours of Tuesday.
Around 4 am, a BSF patrol party noticed suspicious movement and issued a warning. The intruders, at least five in number and armed, opened fire on being challenged by the BSF.
The BSF returned fire killing three on the spot, while two others managed to flee back to Pakistan. The BSF later used boats to reach the bodies. The intruders were possibly here for intelligence gathering.
The security agencies are yet to identify the three intruders who are believed to be in the age group of 20 to 25 years. Three Pakistani mobiles with Pakistani SIM cards and some Indian currency were also seized.
The catchment areas of the Ravi and Sutlej rivers in Punjab, which zigzag along the international border, are often in spate during the monsoon and expose the vulnerability of the border state of Punjab to not only drug peddlers, but to terror as well from across the border.
The catchment areas of these rivers have thick wild vegetation that makes the task of the BSF even more difficult.
The BSF had identified at least 40 such riverine spots that could be vulnerable to infiltration bids from across the border. While the entire international border belt in Punjab is adequately fenced, these riverine spots are not.
There are plans to use laser sensors to check infiltration through these spots. Also, there is a proposal to instal geo-seismic sensors.
A lawyer has filed a complaint with the Upalokayukta against the Circle Inspector and Station House Officer (sub-inspector) of the Madikeri Town police station for not invoking section 306 of the IPC (abetment to suicide) in the case of unnatural death of DySP M K Ganapathi.
Amrutesh N P complained that officers at the Madikeri police station succumbed to pressure and failed to discharge their duty.
As soon as the news of the suicide was aired on July 7, several TV channels also telecast the interview of Ganapathi, which was recorded hours before he took the extreme step. In that interview, the DySP has named Minister for Bengaluru Development K J George, senior IPS officers A M Prasad and Pronab Mohanty. It is the station house officer and the inspector who have succumbed to the pressure of higher officials and helped the abetters get away. Under these circumstances, the public servants named by the deceased DySP misused their power and ensured that the FIR does not include section 306, the complainant said.
Another advocate, Ranganath Reddy, has filed a PIL in the High Court, urging it to order the state government and the Director General of Police to register an FIR against George, Mohanty and Prasad for driving Ganapthi to suicide.
The court is yet to hear the matter.
JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday said the government made police officer Kallappa Handibag a scapegoat in the betting case.
Handibag was an honest officer. Those involved in betting used him. Instead of taking action against the mafia and protecting the officer, the government suspended him. Unable to bear the insult, Handibag ended his life, he said.
Handibag had only two pairs of clothes and got married in his police uniform, said Kumaraswamy. His parents live in an Ashraya house meant for the poor.
He would have earned well had he been corrupt. The family will not get Handibags service benefits as the government has made him an accused, Kumaraswamy said.
The Chief Minister should ensure cases against him are withdrawn and help his family, he added.
Mohans case
Kumaraswamy said the Chief Minister was vindictive as he took action against police inspector G N Mohan, who had filed a case against Siddaramaiahs son Rakesh in 2013.
The case against Siddaramaiahs son was filed on the directions of then police commissioner of Mysuru.
In the Council, K T Srikante Gowda (JD-S) asked, Why are you harassing Mohan? What if he too commits suicide?
Home Minister Parameshwara denied there was interference in the service matter of Mohan.
The Legislative Assembly on Tuesday witnessed ruckus over Forest Minister Ramanath Rai's threatening gesture at the opposition BJP members.
The minister lost his cool and tried to charge at the Opposition benches menacingly when BJP's Lakshman Savadi said the minister should be sent to a mental asylum.
Enraged by the minister's gesture the BJP members trooped into the well of the House and staged a dharna, demanding that Rai should tender an apology.
As the Opposition members and the minister nearly came to blows and wagged their fingers at each other, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah directed the watch and ward personnel to maintain order in the House. About half a dozen watch and ward personnel trooped in and formed a cordon around Rai to separate the warring sides.
Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil prevented Rai from charging at the Opposition members.
Earlier, the BJP MLAs objected to Rai interrupting K G Bopaiah, who was speaking on police officer M K Ganapathis death. Bopaiah said the forest minister should concentrate on solving the problem of elephants straying into human habitation in Kodagu, instead of bothering about the Ganapathi issue. Many BJP members ridiculed the minister saying Rai always interrupts others whenever he wakes up from sleep.
The minister hit back saying he was a six-time MLA and didnt need any lessons on good conduct from Opposition members. BJP's Laksham Savadi then said: Gol Gumbaz is also 350-years old. Can we call it ajja (grandfather) or amma (mother)?
An irate Rai said he knew who was responsible for police officer Kallappa Handibags death, pointing his finger at the Opposition benches. Members of both the BJP and the JD(S) demanded that the minister should disclose the murderers name in the House. Savadis statement that the minister should be sent to a mental asylum angered Rai, who tried to charge at the Opposition members. The Speaker later adjourned the House.
The BJP, ABVP and Kodava Samaj on Tuesday staged a joint protest in front of the Gandhi statue near Anand Rao Circle in Bengaluru seeking resignation of Bengaluru Development Minister K J George and action against the two IPS officers, who were named by DySP M K Ganapathi before he committed suicide in Madikeri on July 7.
Addressing the protesters, state BJP President B S Yeddyurappa said: George should immediately resign and government must take stern action against the two IPS officers. The case should be transferred to the CBI for a fair investigation.
The police who are supposed to protect the people are themselves committing suicide. The recent suicides by policemen shows the apathy of the government towards them and how the ministers are functioning. They are so irresponsible that they have even destroyed Ganapathi's death note. If the government fails to act, we will have to demand the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah himself and also call for a bandh across the state, Yeddyurappa said.
Chikkamagalur MP Shobha Karandlaje said this was not the first time Georges name is comming up in such a case. His name had figured even in D K Ravi death case.
The chief minister should ask him to resign before he hampers the investigation in Ganapathi's case, she said.
A large number of people from Kodava Samaj here and various parts of Kodagu district had come to Bengaluru to take part in the protest. We have already submitted three petitions to the state government seeking transfer of Ganapathi suicide case to the CBI. If the police are not safe, then how can we expect the common man to be safe, wondered C K Subbaiah, secretary, Kodava Samaj.
The protestors said investigating officers in the Ganapathis case and some ministers are trying to mislead the probe. They are dragging family matters and stating that the Ganapathi was a depressed man, the protesters stated.
A BBMP employee, who was suspended for writing a derogatory letter to Mayor B N Manjunath Reddy, has tendered apology to the first citizen seeking to revoke his suspension.
Mayanna, an office-bearer of BBMP Employees Union and also the president of Bengaluru District Kannada Sahitya Parishat, had written a letter to the Mayor four days ago opposing the move to set up a multilingual control room. Mayanna had reportedly called the corporators rowdies.
On Tuesday, an apologetic Mayanna met the Mayor and explained to him that somebody had written a letter on his behalf and he signed on it without reading the content. Film producer Sa Ra Govindu who accompanied him, admonished him for writing a derogatory letter to the mayor. Convinced with his apology, Reddy wrote to BBMP commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad to revoke Mayannas suspension. I have pardoned him. Now, the commissioner will take a decision on my letter, the Mayor said.
Archbishop of Bengaluru Bernard Moras termed as a blatant lie the allegations of Catholic Christian Religious Rights' Forum that they were denied permission to hold funeral rites on Monday.
The Archdiocese had made alternative arrangements to attend to the spiritual needs of the church members in the neighbouring church (St James Church, Mariyappanapalya), ever since St Paul the Hermit Church was shut down, the archbishop said.
The agitators, however, are spreading false propaganda that the neighbouring church of St James is refusing funeral rites by housing the body of a 65-year-old Catholic woman in the canonically shut down Church of St Paul the Hermit Church in Vishwanatha Nagenahalli, he said.
The agitators are making highly insensitive statements disturbing the peace in the community, he said in a press release.
Moras said he ordered the closure of St Paul the Hermit Church as it was binding upon him by the universal Catholic Church Law (Canon Law) and in full justification of his office as Archbishop of Bangalore Archdiocese.
Erecting of statue, bust or image of any person who is not declared saint or blessed is not allowed within the church premises. Even after warning, a bust of deceased Bangalore Archdiocesan priest C Selvaraj was unlawfully installed in the church violating Canonical regulations, he mentioned.
By Karen B. Roberts and Maria-Jose Vinas; editing by Karl Hille
8 July 2016 (NASA) Climate has influenced the distribution patterns of Adelie penguins across Antarctica for millions of years. The geologic record tells us that as glaciers expanded and covered Adelie breeding habitats with ice, penguins in the region abandoned their colonies. When the glaciers melted during warming periods, the Adelie penguins were able to return to their rocky breeding grounds. Now, a NASA-funded study by University of Delaware scientists and colleagues at other institutions reports that this warming may no longer be beneficial for Adelie penguins. In a paper published June 29 in the journal Scientific Reports, the researchers project that approximately 30 percent of current Adelie colonies may be in decline by 2060, and approximately 60 percent of the present population might be dwindling by 2099. They also found the penguins at more southerly sites in Antarctica may be less affected by climate change. The study results suggest that changes in climate, particularly sustained periods of warmer than usual sea surface temperatures, are detrimental to Adelie penguins. While the specific mechanisms for this relationship remain unknown the study focuses attention on areas where climate change is likely to create a high frequency of unsuitable conditions during the 21st century. It is only in recent decades that we know Adelie penguins population declines are associated with warming, which suggests that many regions of Antarctica have warmed too much and that further warming is no longer positive for the species, said the papers lead author, Megan Cimino, who earned her doctoral degree at University of Delaware in May and is now a postdoctoral scholar at Scripps Institute of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. The Adelie penguin is a species that breeds across the entire Antarctic continent. The penguins are experiencing population declines along the West Antarctic Peninsula, which is one of the most rapidly warming places on Earth. Conversely, Adelie populations in other areas of Antarctica where the climate is stable or even cooling remain steady or are increasing. The researchers objective was to understand the effects of climate change on Antarctic Adelie penguin colonies. The study, funded through the NASA Biodiversity program, used satellite data and global climate model projections to understand current and future population trends on a continental scale. They analyzed satellite observations from 1981 to 2010 of sea ice concentration and bare rock locations, as penguins need ice- and snow-free terrain with pebbles to make their nests. The scientists also took into account data from previous studies that had used satellite imagery to detect the presence or absence of penguin populations. Finally, the team also analyzed sea surface temperature data, which, together with bare rock and sea ice, was used as an indicator of the quality of penguins nesting habitats. From other studies that used actual ground counts people going and physically counting penguins and from high-resolution satellite imagery, we have global estimates of Adelie penguin breeding locations, meaning where they are present and where they are absent, throughout the entire Southern Ocean. We also have estimates of population size and how their populations have changed over last few decades, said Cimino. We used all these data to run habitat suitability models. When we combined this data with satellite information and future climate projections of sea surface temperature and sea ice, we can look at past and future changes in Adelie penguin habitat suitability, Cimino said. Satellite data allowed me to look at all Adelie penguin habitats throughout the entire Southern Ocean and over multiple decades, which otherwise would not be possible using data solely collected on land or by ship.
11 July 2016 (teleSUR) Deepening neoliberal education reforms , Mexican government officials plan to fire or lay off more than 350 teachers in the southern state of Guerrero, even as they prepare to continue negotiations Monday with striking parents, teacher and activists in the state of Oaxaca who have been protesting similar school reforms for weeks. Leaders of the countrys national teachers union, known by the Spanish acronymn, CNTE, have called for another massive demonstration Monday afternoon, marching from the presidential palace in Mexico City to the Interior Ministry, where union negotiators will meet for a fourth time with government education officials. At issue are the neoliberal education reforms implemented in 2013 by President Enrique Pena Nieto. The CNTE contends that the measures, which greatly expand the testing of teachers, have failed to improve student education, and demand an overhaul to the national classroom model. The three previous meetings between the union and Interior Minister Osorio Chong have failed to bear meaningful results , and CNTE officilals say that concrete steps need to be taken to break the impasse. But the government seems to be taking steps in the opposite direction. According to the Mexican daily La Jornada, education officials resumed rolling out their neoliberal agenda over the weekend after a brief hiatus to ensure peaceful local elections last month annoucing a new wave of over 500 mandatory teacher performance evaluations in Guerrero, one of the states where the CNTEs presence is strongest. Teachers contend that the evaluations are punitive, and some have boycotted the move. Government officials say that they will now fire 220 teachers in Guerrero for missing their reviewss as far back as seven months ago, while another 123 are scheduled to be laid off for missing classes while striking. Dozens more face tens of thousands of dollars in salary deductions for failing to show up for class. Education Minister Aurelio Nuno has refused to meet with striking teachers unless they agree to contested reforms beforehand, and Saturday, some 2,500 teachers took to the streets in support of the national struggle to demand Nuno resign. Meanwhile, the CNTE has also joined in solidarity with the families of the 43 Ayotzinapa students disappeared in Iguala, Guerrero in 2014, continuing to press authorities for an independent and thorough investigation into the murders. Human rights reports suggest that local police stopped the bus transporting the students to a rally to commemorate the student causalties of a 1968 massacre in Mexico City, and parents, activists and teachers accuse the government of writing its own historical truth of Ayotzinapa . More than 100 CNTE members rallied with Ayotzinapa families in front of the Attorney Generals office in Mexico City Monday as the movement launched a new stage that is focused on peaceful protest rather than government meetings that have produced few results. Ayotzinapa representatives have repeatedly slammed authorities for failing to follow through on promises made behind closed doors. [] Meanwhile, blockades in Oaxaca are also ongoing, with the support of the Zapatista movement providing several tons of food and supplies in the wake of a violent confrontation last month which left 6 civilians dead. Human rights defenders slammed the government for excessive use of force, arbitrary arrests, and extrajudicial killings during protests in Nochixtlan. [ more ]
Mexico Teacher Protests Gain Steam as Hundreds Set to be Fired
21 June 2016 (Democracy Now!) In the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, a deadly police crackdown against teachers has left nine people dead and more than 100 wounded. On Sunday, police descended on teachers in the community of Nochixtlan, where they had set up blockades to protest against neoliberal education reform and the arrests of two teachers union leaders last week on what protesters say are trumped-up charges. As soon as they arrived, they began to attack. And we were few, very few, said a Oaxacan teacher. Then we started running. But they began to attack right away, instantly. At no time did they give warning to clear the area. We go to Oaxaca to speak with Gustavo Esteva, founder of the Universidad de la Tierra in Oaxaca and author of many books, including New Forms of Revolution. Click here to watch Part 2 of our conversation. AMY GOODMAN: We end our show in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, where a deadly police crackdown against teachers has left at least eight people dead, more than a hundred wounded this week. On Sunday, police descended on teachers in the community of Nochixtlan, where they had set up blockades to protest against neoliberal education reforms and the arrests of two teachers union leaders last week on what protesters say are trumped-up charges. Democracy Now! correspondent Andalusia Knoll traveled to the area and interviewed survivors of Sundays deadly attack. This is a teacher, who did not give her name for her safety.
NOCHIXTLAN TEACHER: [translated] As soon as they arrived, they began to attack. And we were few, very few. Then we started running. But they began to attack right away, instantly. At no time did they give warning to clear the area. They began to attack right away. And the impotence caused by the media, who said that they did not shoot their weapons. We just went to corroborate with the tire shop about where they fired at us from. We guarded our front side. We still dont know how they fired at us. And so we guarded our front side. But we realize that if they were positioned like this, then they were already hunting us from afar. Now we understood why. The dead were killed from over there and not exactly from the front.
We are going to stay here until the government is willing to talk. If tomorrow the government is open to dialogue, then the conflict ends. The governor wants what he calls educational reform. And what we want is a dialogue for the kind of change that the people require, the kind that meets their needs. If you go to our communities, there are many needs. How are the kids doing? The children cant go to school to learn. All they think about is eating, because they dont eat. No one can learn if they dont sleep well, if they walked many miles to go to school. So the government should go and see what happens firsthand. And until there is a dialogue, we will not end our protest demanding educational reform. And who will revive our dead? The dialogue wont bring our dead back to life. And those who are imprisoned, there arent just five or 10, there are thousands.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, for more on the protests in Oaxaca, Mexico, were joined by Gustavo Esteva, founder of the Universidad de la Tierra in Oaxaca, University of the Land, author of many books, including New Forms of Revolution. Gustavo has also been a columnist for La Jornada. Gustavo, in this last two minutes we have, please explain what happened this week. GUSTAVO ESTEVA: Well, first, we had a very bloody battle. It isuntil now, we had a report of nine executed, assassinated, 23 disappeared, at least 21 arrested, 45 in the hospital, more than a hundred injured. It iswas a very bloody, long-announced battle. It was theit is the beginning of the war. And we are surprised and amazed that the authorities are following the script, literally the script of 10 years agofirst the teachers mobilization, then the sit-in, then the repression. This is a very complex war. It doesntit did not start in Oaxaca. The teachers struggle, it is a global struggle. It started in Colombia, in Brazil, in Chile, in the U.S.everywhere. And today we are in a war trying to say a very firm no to this kind of education. It is useless instruction. We are discussing education. We have a plan of education. We can offer an alternative forof education. And we are saying no very firmly to all the so-called structural reforms that mean basically a change of only ownership. They are selling our land, our territory. The people are resisting. And then we are resisting with them to oppose this kind of operation. This is a very complex war that just started. We are at the beginning of this very complex war against us, against our territory. [more]
Shanghai, China July 12, 2016 Huaxintong Semiconductor Technology Co., ltd of China has licensed ARMv8-A architecture to accelerate advanced server chipset technologies in the rapidly expanding Chinese server market, the second largest data center market in the world. The multiyear license will enable Chinese companies to deliver ARM-based server technologies in their home market, enabling large scale deployment of the most efficient server solutions available.
Huaxintong Semiconductor Technology is a joint venture between China's Guizhou province and a subsidiary of Qualcomm. The venture is registered in Guizhou province, the first region to build an industrial cluster for big data development in China. The area is already home to a data center cluster of more than 2.5 million servers for companies including China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom.
"China is facing a mountain of data flowing through its data centers and finding solutions that are cost effective and efficient is a key priority," said Pete Hutton, executive vice president and president of products groups, ARM. "Huaxintong Semiconductor Technology is creating a blueprint for new server systems and engaging with them is opening up exciting new opportunities for ARM-based servers. This is a chance to reinvent the economics and performance of hyperscale data centers and enables China to architect its own server chips based on ARM technologies for its domestic market and for the rest of the world."
"Huaxintong Semiconductor sees the opportunity to deliver hardware designs and solutions that are better optimized for emerging server applications than legacy server platforms," said Ouyang Wu, chairman of Huaxintong Semiconductor Technology. "Licensing the ARMv8-A architecture allows us to develop server chips that are more focused on addressing the needs of the Chinese market and cloud computing servers providing internet infrastructure."
Dr.Kai Wang, CEO of Huaxintong Semiconductor Technology added: "The new ARM architecture is ideal for internet services and big data processing in the data center. With the chips featuring the ARMv8-A architecture, Huaxintong Semiconductor Technology will play an important role in the Chinese chip market."
Trusting in its in-depth insight and its unique understanding of the domestic server chip industry, Huaxintong Semiconductor has business opportunities in the big data and cloud computing industries and fully utilizes the geographic advantages of Guiyang as a 'data center in China.' Full of confidence in its potential, Huaxintong Semiconductor will accelerate building the server ecosystem to promote the core competitiveness of China's cloud computing and data center industries.
ARM-based server technology
The increasing ubiquity of mobile devices, the Internet of Things, cloud computing and looming 5G network rollouts are just some of the trends driving the growth and transformation of the server market. Increasingly, software is becoming hardware agnostic and suited for multicore scale out architectures. The ARM software ecosystem is also expanding beyond the currently available open source and mainstream server software, building the business case for more energy-efficient hardware optimized for improved performance across a variety of workloads.
Divek Have Found Their New Dome Here!
Telefonica has sold a 1.5% holding in China Unicom for 322 million while retaining a 1% stake in the Chinese number two player.
China Unicom and Telefonica signed a strategic alliance in 2009 covering M2M and handset procurement. The firms recently launched a joint venture focused on big data. The Spanish group has asserted its commitment to this partnership, but noted that the offloading of the stake represents proactive management of its asset portfolio and its mid-term deleveraging objective.
Telefonica began increasing its stake in Unicom following their alliance, with the holding peaking at 9.57% in 2011 before the Spanish firm sold half of these shares to Unicom itself in 2012 for $1.4 billion. In 2014 it sold half of its remaining stake, raising $854 million.
The Spanish operator has a debt of around 50 billion, giving it the dubious honour of being the second most indebted telco in Europe. It is taking steps to reduce this, including in IPO for its infrastructure business Telxius which could raise as much as 5 billion.
However, it recently had to abandon its attempt to sell its UK unit O2 to CK Hutchison in the face of EU backlash. The UKs plans to exit the EU have currently made the market too unpredictable for it to sell O2. The company may also be considering an IPO at the end of the year.
On Thursday, staff and parents of students at Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District received a letter from Jeffrey Holmes, Superintendent about active shooter swatting calls taking place at multiple school districts across the state. Swatting calls are hoax reports of threats made to police which insight panic.
Police say similar types of false threats have occurred at multiple schools across the state Thursday. These threats included 911 calls to police across the state claiming that schools had an active shooter.
According to a report by AnTuTu, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 was the most popular smartphone in India in the first half of 2016
Popular benchmarking website AnTuTu has revealed its list of the ten most popular smartphones in India for the first half of 2016. According to the list, devices from Chinese manufacturers are the most popular in the country with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 topping the chart with 12.45%. At number two in the list is the OnePlus 2, followed by the LeEco Le 1S. Completing the top five is an unspecified OnePlus device and the Lenovo K3 Note respectively.
Devices from other manufacturers that were present on the list included Motorola. It's Moto X Play, which took the seventh spot. Samsung only had one representative in the list in the form of the Galaxy J7, which was placed at the ninth spot. At number ten was Googles current flagship, the Nexus 6P.
AnTuTu noted that India was the first landing point for Chinese brands that wanted to expand their presence overseas. The company also said that domestic brands were also very strong in the country.
Besides India, the company also revealed the list of the ten most popular smartphones in the world for the first half of the year. Samsung dominated this list by taking the top four spots, with the Galaxy Note 5 topping the list. Samsung could have taken all the top five spots if it wasn't for the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, which was slotted between the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge at the fifth sport.
A subsidiary of Benchmark Holdings breeding and genetics division, SalmoBreed, has signed a ten-year agreement with one of the worlds top three salmon producers for the supply of the SalmoBreed genetic stem into its production sites.
The agreement with Leroy Aakvik Roe and Stamfisk will see the company begin to breed with SalmoBreeds genetic lines, producing SalmoBreed strain ova for sale to companies within the Leroy Group.
Benchmark said that while the deal will not have a material impact on its finances in the short term, it is strategically important for the companys position in the market.
Chief executive officer Malcolm Pye said: We are very pleased to have reached this agreement with such a prominent player in the space, which is testament to the great work being done at SalmoBreed and in our Breeding & Genetics division as a whole.
The opportunity to collaborate with Leroy and have SalmoBreed's genetic lines distributed to its group establishes SalmoBreed's position as an industry leader."
At 1412 BST, Benchmark shares were up 8.5% to 54.25p.
Highly repetitive tasks may not need human hands for much longer
Deloitte has predicted that as much as a quarter of jobs in the business services sector may be replaced by robots within the next 20 years.
The accountancy firm believes that rising wages and falling technology costs leaves many jobs at "high risk" of being taken over by automation.
Simon Barnes, a partner at Deloitte, warned that there could be a "fundamental change" in how the workforce is distributed in the next 10 to 20 years. People are likely to be made redundant from "repetitive and highly-structured" roles.
Mr Barnes said that Deloitte expects the pace of automation to increase exponentially over the next few decades.
Graduates and companies will have to adapt to the changing environment of employment within the sector, by learning new skills and increasing their knowledge.
As automation becomes increasingly more cognitive and less robotic, the business services sector must move fast to make sure they recruit and retrain people with the right skills and knowledge to address this, Barnes says.
Deloitte's prediction comes hot on the heels of that of Bank of England governor Mark Carney, who said that the speed of technological change makes it difficult for young people to choose a career.
Carney said that jobs we are currently familiar with "may be gone tomorrow".
Chief executive of investment bank wants to increase wages and invest in training
Chief Executive of JP Morgan & Co. Jamie Dimon said on Tuesday that he plans to raise the wages of the investment bank's employees , in order to address wage stagnation and income inequality.
Dimon also referred to the wage gap between young workers in the United States as a "national tragedy".
Writing in an editorial for the New York Times, Dimon said that the lack of education, training and skills is crippling the chances of many to reach the highest jobs.
Dimon said that the lack of education, training and skills is crippling the chances of many to reach the highest jobs
It is true that too many people are not getting a fair opportunity to get ahead, he wrote. We must find ways to help them move up the economic ladder, and everyone business, government and nonprofits needs to play a role.
JP Morgan plans to raise the minimum salary for its workers from $12 per hour to $16.50 per hour in the next three years.
As well as that, the bank has promised to increase benefits for those in the lower end of the company's payroll, improving medical plans and paid family leave and holidays.
Dimon said the bank will invest more than $200mn in 2016 on training for entry-level employees in its retail bank. Regarding the problem of approximately five million young people who are currently not working nor in school, or in low-wage jobs without the possibility of enhancing their skills, it will invest $325 million in education aligned to growing sectors.
America has been dealt an extraordinary hand, and I am optimistic about our future, Dimon wrote.
America has been dealt an extraordinary hand, and I am optimistic about our future" Jamie Dimon
The chief executive acknowledged the various challenges faced by political and industry leaders in various sectors, but with strong leadership these can be negotiated.
"They can be overcome by government, business and the nonprofit sectors working together to build on models of success that advance economic opportunity and create more widely shared prosperity.
Rathbone Brothers shares surged on Tuesday as Numis upgraded its stance on the stock to buy from add, with a 2,350p price target.
The brokerage said that with the stock trading at a discount of around 20% to its 10-year average price-to-earnings of 15x, it was an ideal time to invest in the quality play.
During its 275 year history, Rathbone has successfully navigated its way through a number of storms. So whilst uncertainty surrounding Brexit may indeed impact near-term fund under management flows, we believe Rathbones conservative operating model combined with the long-term industry growth drivers should continue to support average earnings growth of around 10% per annum over the medium-term.
Housebuilder and construction group Galliford Try shares rose as the company said it expects to report record full year results, with profit before tax meeting targets.
Despite the political and economic uncertainty, the FTSE 250 company's chief executive, Peter Truscott, said it was "too early" to predict specific effects on its markets, but took confidence from the strength of underlying demand for new homes and the continuing availability of mortgage finance and the government's Help-to-Buy scheme for both sides of the business.
Shares in Centamin and Acacia mining fell as the pound made ground after its post Brexit vote slump.
Market Movers
FTSE 250 (MCX) 16,818.86 0.67%
FTSE 250 - Risers
Rathbone Brothers (RAT) 1,919.00p 11.38%
Evraz (EVR) 158.50p 8.49%
Keller Group (KLR) 1,004.00p 7.26%
Galliford Try (GFRD) 940.00p 6.58%
Aldermore Group (ALD) 137.20p 6.52%
DFS Furniture (DFS) 203.30p 6.44%
Shawbrook Group (SHAW) 162.80p 6.27%
Brown (N.) Group (BWNG) 185.40p 5.82%
Marshalls (MSLH) 260.10p 5.47%
St. Modwen Properties (SMP) 267.00p 5.45%
FTSE 250 - Fallers
NMC Health (NMC) 1,122.00p -10.17%
Centamin (DI) (CEY) 158.80p -5.81%
Acacia Mining (ACA) 536.00p -4.20%
Rotork (ROR) 210.70p -3.61%
Hochschild Mining (HOC) 235.70p -3.20%
Ted Baker (TED) 2,237.00p -3.03%
UK Commercial Property Trust (UKCM) 76.25p -2.99%
Tate & Lyle (TATE) 689.50p -2.68%
CYBG (CYBG) 237.60p -2.50%
Genus (GNS) 1,711.00p -2.45%
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Tour Moments: Rihanna Gets CROWNED In Italy, Selena Gomez CALLS OUT Early Leavers At California Concert! [Watch]
Barbados superstar Rihanna performed an Anti World Tour concert at the Pala Alpitour Arena in Turin, Italy last night, July 11.
During an intermission between songs the Work chanteuse approached her first-row fans to receive their love, but instead she received something else: a royal present! Some male fan gave Rihanna a CROWN and screamed QUEEN! at her immediately after.
Indeed, Rihanna is music royalty and she is a QUEEN. Nothing wrong with her receiving a crown here.
She wore it and loved it!
What a fucking night!!!!! #Turin thank you 4 da turn up tonight man! I can't wait to come back to you!! #ANTIWORLDTOUR Un video publicado por badgalriri (@badgalriri) el 11 de Jul de 2016 a la(s) 3:28 PDT
Selena Gomez took her Revival World Tour to Anaheim, California over the weekend performing a live show at the Honda Center.
That concert went smoothly. However, during the last song Selena saw something she didnt like. She saw a group of impolite fans leaving the venue early. The outspoken chanteuse did not remain silent to this rude behavior of course. SHE CALLED THE EARLY LEAVERS OUT! And got them embarrassed in front of the 18,000-plus crowd.
You did the right thing, Selena! How rude of them!
You don't exit a Selena Gomez concert until the QUEEN has left the stage. Got it?
Thoughts?
Ohio House candidate cited error in not reporting $1.3M owed in lawsuit
Ohio House candidate Dave Dobos apologized for not reporting $1.3 million a Delaware County judge ordered him to pay partners in a 2011 lawsuit.
Horror. Shock. Disbelief Numbness. Grief. Anger. And terrible sadness.
These fractured thoughts were all I could muster upon waking Friday to news of the ambush on Dallas police. They were still fresh in my mind from the night before when Id turned in early, exhausted by the images of 32-year-old Philando Castile dying in Minnesota after a police officer shot him.
As we all know by now, Castile was African-American and the officer was not. It started as a routine stop for a broken taillight and ended in what has become a routine shooting followed by a routine headline.
Black man shot by police officer. How many times must we read those words?
Just 24 hours earlier, another black man, Alton Sterling, 37, was shot to death by police while being restrained in Baton Rouge, La.
Like Sterling, Castile did have a gun. Castile also had a conceal permit, which he apparently told the officer as soon as he was stopped. Why would someone tell a police officer he had a gun if he intended to use it?
Castile was reaching for his drivers license and registration when the officer opened fire, says his girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds.
Reynolds used her cellphone to film the aftermath of the shooting, careful to address the officer as sir and follow his instructions. Over and over I watched the video, trying to imagine being in that car, while at the same time feeling shame about watching a stranger who is mortally wounded.
Nothing is more intimate than death, which we all hope to face with dignity in the comforting presence of loved ones. Castile had no such luck. Instead, he was surrounded by millions of onlookers, most of whom, I feel certain, suffered with and for him.
[Expletive]! [Expletive]! [Expletive]! On the video, we hear the officer repeating the F-word as he realizes what has happened. Reynolds is saying, Please dont tell me this, Lord. Please, Jesus, dont tell me that hes gone, she said. Please, officer, dont tell me that you just did this to him.
My God.
Friday morning, Castiles mother bore into the television camera. She said people can look into her eyes, at that point 48 hours without sleep, and know that shes not going away until justice is served. Across the country, protesters had gathered peacefully Thursday evening to demonstrate against the shootings.
Enough.
Then suddenly in Dallas, the peace was shattered when shots were fired from a high vantage point. A shiver. Not again. When it was all over, five officers were dead and another seven were wounded.
A suspected shooter is dead, too, killed by a police bomb robot. Why not. An un-human kills the in-human. Before he died, the man told officers he was upset about Black Lives Matter. He wanted to kill white people, and white policemen, reported Dallas Police Chief David Brown at a news conference.
In Minneapolis, Gov. Mark Dayton said he thinks that if Castile had been white, the officer wouldnt have shot him. A retired New York City police detective wept as he spoke to CNNs Chris Cuomo about the bravery of the Dallas officers who, carrying only pistols, were wearing protective vests they knew couldnt deflect the bullets of the shooters weapon.
Imagine.
Then, too, imagine being a young black man who is taught early on that he has to be extra careful around the police. The worst will be expected of him.
He shot his arm off, we hear Castiles girlfriend saying on the video. We see Castiles blood-soaked shirt; we hear him groan and watch his head drop.
Black lives matter. White lives matter. Blue lives matter. Does anything matter anymore? What is happening to this country?
A wall-mounted gun manufacturers video ad welcomes visitors to the Columbia, S.C., airport. In Chicago today, no one will be surprised if a child is killed in gang crossfire. Will another black avenger try to kill another white cop? Will police still give black neighborhoods protection? Were being hunted, said Castiles mother.
Madness.
For now we grieve with the families of the dead and talk of ways to stem the violence. But theres really only one way to stop the killing and it lies in changing our culture, beginning with recognizing every single persons humanity the black youths, the white officers, and every other in between. As Charles Blow, the New York Times columnist put it: Everybody deserves to go home.
Theres really only one way to stop the killing and it lies in changing our culture...
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KODIAK, Alaska (AP) Biologists are working to figure out why berries in Kodiak have been coming out considerably earlier in the last two years and how bears could be affected by the change.
Berry season is peaking closer to the salmon run, bears' other main food source. Biologist Bill Pyle with the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge said the overlap could be a concern, because all the major food resources could be concentrated in a shorter amount of time instead of spread out.
. . .
There was puppies, there was kittens, and now theres ice-cream. Despite the cold and less than appealing weather in Australia right now, Uber is bringing #UberIcecream back this week for a very good cause.
This Friday, Uber will be delivering feel good frozen treats to thousands of Aussies across the country, with the help of OzHarvest and some of Australias top celebrity chefs in the name of guilt-free indulgence.
George Calombaris, Matt Moran and Neil Perry have each designed an exclusive #UberIcecream flavour inspired by rescued ingredients, with the aim to fund 100,000 meals for vulnerable Aussies.
Pick from George Calombaris Caramel and Walnut Baklava Smash, Matt Morans Banoffee Crunch or Neil Perrys Spice Cookie and Caramel Swirl, which each tub purchased helping to fund 5 meals for OzHarvest to feed local people in need.
1/3 2/3 3/3
Its super simple to get your #UberIcecream fix this Friday by requesting the Ice Cream option between 11am and 5pm via the Uber app. Treat yo self.
India on Sunday extended full support to Tanzania in meeting the African country's development needs and signed five agreements, including one for providing a line of credit of $92 million in the water resources sector. Making the announcements in the Tanzanian capital of Dar-es-Salaam, visiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India would remain a trusted partner in meeting the resource-rich country's development priorities. Modi said he along with President John Pombe Joseph Magufuli also "agreed to deepen our overall defence and security partnership, especially in the maritime domain". "Our in-depth discussions on regional and global issues reflected our considerable convergence on issues of common interest and concern," he said at a joint press interaction after his bilateral meeting with President Magufuli. The two leaders agreed to work closely, bilaterally, regionally and globally to combat the twin threats of terrorism and climate change. In a joint statement, the two leaders expressed their strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and stated that there can be no justification for terrorism whatsoever. They expressed satisfaction on the holding of bilateral counter-terrorism consultations in early-2016. "India's cooperation with Tanzania will always be as per your needs and priorities," Modi said. The Eastern coast of Africa, and Tanzania in particular have enjoyed strong links with the India. We are old maritime neighbours, Modi said, adding, ''India is already a substantial economic partner of Tanzania. The whole range of our economic ties are healthy and on upswing.'' India's two-way trade with Tanzania stands at around $3 billion and Indian investments in Tanzania also stand around $3 billion. Modi said, ''the completion of 100-million dollar water supply augmentation project for Dar-es-Salaam is a good achievement. ''We have just now also signed an agreement on water supply project in Zanzibar for a line of credit of $92 million. We are also working on a number of other water projects for 17 cities. And for this India is willing to consider an additional $500 million line of concessional credit. Public Health is another important area of our engagement. ''We are ready to meet the healthcare priorities of the Tanzanian government, including of supply of medicines and equipment. I am told that an Indian radio-therapy machine is being installed at Bugando medical centre to treat cancer patients. The two countries have also decided: To deepen their partnership in agriculture and food security, including through enhanced export of pulses from Tanzania to India;
To work together in development and use of natural gas;
Partner in building of industrial economy, capacities and institutions in Tanzania; and
Four, deepen our trade and investment partnership by encouraging greater industry to industry ties. Other areas of bilateral cooperation include, education, vocational training and skill development. India is also offering assistance for the IT Resource Centre at the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science & Technology, Arusha, which is close to completion. ''Being neighbours across Indian Ocean, President and I agreed to deepen our overall defence and security partnership, especially in the maritime domain. ''Our in-depth discussions on regional and global issues reflected our considerable convergence on issues of common interest and concern. ''We agreed to work closely, bilaterally, regionally and globally, to combat the twin threats of terrorism and climate change,'' Modi said. The two leaders recognised the growth in vibrancy of people-level relations between the two countries that were encouraged by the introduction of e-tourist visas to Tanzania last year and the subsequent removal of visa fees for Tanzanian business travellers to India since December 2015. The two leaders then jointly announced the holding of a festival of Indian culture in Tanzania within a year. President Magufuli reiterated Tanzania's continued support for India as a permanent member of an expanded UN Security Council. Modi also extended an invitation to President Magufuli to visit India at the earliest possible opportunity.
India and Kenya on Monday signed seven agreements, including in the field of defence and security and avoidance of double taxation, as the two countries decided to deepen and expand cooperation in a range of areas. Visiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced extension of a concessional line of credit (LoC) of $44.95 million to the African nation to help development of small and medium enterprises and textiles in the country. India will also build a cancer hospital in Kenya to provide quality and affordable healthcare. After talks with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi, Prime Minister Modi said Kenyatta and he had ''agreed that terrorism and radicalisation are common challenges for our two countries, the region and the whole world. We have agreed to deepen our security partnership, including in the fields of cyber security, combating drugs and narcotics and human trafficking.'' ''The multifaceted development partnership is a key pillar of our bilateral relationship,'' Modi said at a joint media interaction with Kenyatta. The two leaders laid great emphasis on the use of solar energy in daily life. India and Kenya both blessed by plenty of sun shine - are already working on an ambitious renewable energy programme and are also looking forward to work together under the International Solar Alliance, Modi noted. The two countries are also cooperating in the healthcare sector and Modi said Kenya could replicate the Indian experience in medicare and become a medical hub in the region. ''We would be happy to support you in this process.'' Like India, Modi said, Kenya too has a young population and its workforce is sought after in the entire African region. Nurturing the human capital together can help serve the whole world, he added. India has changed a lot in last two years. We are now the most preferred destination for FDI. In the year of 2015, we have received highest ever FDI. And for you the good news is that India is the largest trading partner of Kenya. India is also the second largest investor here. We will be happy to further remove the imbalance in trade between us. We will also be happy to enhance the level of investment in Kenya. The MoU on defence cooperation entails staff exchanges, expertise sharing, training, cooperation in hydrography and equipment supply. Modi said the two countries shared common interest in the security, including in maritime security, since they were connected by the Indian Ocean. ''Closer cooperation in the field of maritime security occupies an important place in our defence and security engagement,'' he said. Announcing that India would fully finance a cancer hospital in Kenya, Mr. Modi said it would not only benefit the Kenyan society with quality and affordable healthcare but also help India become a regional medical hub. Besides MoUs in defence and security, revised pact on avoidance of double taxation and two LoCs, the other agreements were in the fields of visa and housing. ''India is Kenya's largest trading partner, and the second largest investor here. But, there is potential to achieve much more,'' said Modi, on the final day of his Kenya visit and the last leg of his 4-nation Africa tour.
Home Four wheelers Upcoming Renault Cars In India 2016-17 oi-Kennedy Paul
When Renault launched India's first compact SUV, the Duster, the company went on to create a niche for itself. Today, every manufacturer wants to launch a compact SUV from their range of cars.
Renault is upbeat about its future plans for the Indian customer, with the Renault Kwid doing exceptionally well in the market, the French auto major is gearing up for new launches. Here is the list of upcoming Renault cars in India.
Renault Kwid 1000cc & AMT
The Renault Kwid 800cc became a runaway hit and has sold nearly 1.5 lakh units till date. It has threatened the dominance of the Maruti Alto and is inching closer to the top slot.
Not just the pricing factor which helped the sales of the Kwid, it has the design aspect as well, and the features like touchscreen infotainment system which makes it stand apart.
Also Read: Upcoming Hyundai Cars In India 2016-17
Renault wants to capitalise on the benchmark set by the Kwid and launch the 1.0-litre engine which will come mated with the choice of manual and an automatic gearbox.
The 1.0-litre petrol engine is expected to produce 70bhp of power and 90-95Nm of torque, which will be mated to either a 5-speed manual or R-AMT (Renault Automatic Manual Transmission) gearbox.
Expected Price: Rs. 3 - 4.5 lakh
Expected Launch: Festive Season 2016
Renault Kaptur
With Renault tasting success with the Duster, they want to position an SUV above the Duster with premium features. It will be set to compete with the likes of Mahindra XUV500 and the upcoming Tata Hexa.
Also Read: Upcoming Mahindra Cars In India 2016-17
The Renault Kaptur is a crossover and will feature premium SUV characteristics with an AWD system with three different modes - Lock, Auto, and 2WD.
Renault has not revealed the power units for the Kaptur, globally it is offered in two variants of petrol and two models in diesel.
Expected Price: Rs. 12 - 15 lakh
Expected Launch: 2017
Renault Kwid Compact SUV (Codenamed HBC)
With the success of the Kwid, Renault is expected to launch a compact SUV based on this platform codenamed HBC. It will share most of the features and engine from the Kwid 1.0-litre model.
Also Read: Upcoming Maruti Cars In India 2016-17
Since it will be based on the Kwid, the 1.0-litre engine will do the duty and expected to produce between 64 to 69bhp, which will be mated to the 5-speed manual and a choice of R-AMT gearbox.
Expected Price: Rs. 4 - 6 lakh
Expected Launch: End of 2017
Renault Kwid Compact Sedan (LBC)
The irresistible compact sedan segment is one where all manufacturer would like to a model from their range. Renault wants to offer a model in this segment based on the Kwid platform, which will be codenamed LBC.
Also Read: Upcoming Toyota Cars In India 2016-17
Renault will build the LBC based on the features and power unit based on the Kwid 1.0-litre model. The Renault Kwid compact sedan will compete with the likes of Maruti Swift DZire and Honda Amaze.
Expected Price: Rs. 3 - 5 lakh
Expected Launch: 2017
New Generation Renault Duster
The best selling model from Renault, the Duster will be facelifted and will grow in length to house the third row. The new generation model called the Duster Oroch concept was showcased at the Sao Paulo Motor Show.
As for the engine on the new generation Duster, it will continue to house the same engine as the current Duster in India. It could be re-tuned to provide better fuel efficiency and better power ratio.
Expected Price: Rs. 9 - 13 lakh
Expected Launch: 2017
Renault Compact Family MPV
With Renault Lodgy seeing a moderate response, the French car maker will look to replace it with a better or premium model. The new MPV from Renault will be built based on the CMF-A platform which is the same as the Kwid.
With the Kwid as the base platform, you can expect the price to be competitive as well. The engine doing the duty will be the same as the Duster or it can be of the 1.0-litre engine which will be seen in the upcoming Kwid.
Expected Price: Rs. 6 - 8 lakh
Expected Launch: End of 2017 or Early 2018
A call by Fine Gael councillor Maria Doyle for Louth Local Authority to stop awarding contracts to UK based companies if Britain and Northern Ireland leaves the UK was criticised by Cllr Tomas Sharkey at Dundalk Municipal District meeting.
Cllr Doyle said she had written to Minister of State at the Department of Finance Eoghan Murphy asking that the Government clarify the position in relation to the awarding of public contracts by the Government and local authorities to UK based contractors.
I have also submitted a motion for the next meeting of Louth County Council calling on the council to cease to award contracts to UK based contractors which extend past July 2018, Cllr Doyle said.
The issue of northern contractors being awarded public contracts has long been a contentious issue in north Louth.
I understand that as an EU member state, we must abide by the directives that govern this area throughout the EU.
However, given that it is not likely that the UK (including Northern Ireland) will be a member by the summer of 2018 and given that we have no idea what form of trade agreement the UK will eventually make with the EU, I think it would be unwise for our local authority to award any contract to UK based firms that extend beyond mid-2018.
The decision of the UK to leave the EU could have untold consequences for us, both as a nation and as a county, so now is the time we should protect our economic interests and plan for the future, Cllr Doyle said.
However, Sinn Fein councillor Tomas Sharkey totally dismissed the suggestion and said he would not support such a move.
This is a time when people need to keep clear and level heads, he said.
Nothing has happened yet, but already we are talking about making economic moves.
We had protectionism before and it did not work. We need to keep all lines open. We don't want to see roads closed, check points. We don't want that again.
What could happen if we start making moves like this.
Would children in Faughart still go to secondary schools in Dundalk.
What would happen if health boards in the North choose not to purchase pharmaceuticals from the South?
The people in the North voted to remain part of the EU.
He said the picture would be clearer in the months ahead. it is important strengthen the Memorandum of Understanding we have wit Newry and Mourne council, and he would not be supporting this motion.
In order to generate mainstream media coverage for your business, you need detailed knowledge of how much priority theyll give you. The reality is that for small business, its limited. Dont let that dissuade you from getting in contact with a journalist, instead let it inform how you go about it.
Think of the medias priority like an aeroplane. There are three classes in which a passenger can travel (or receive coverage): first, business and economy. Although unlike an airline, first class news coverage is not desirable.
First Class Stories
These are stories that simply cannot wait to be broadcast. Media organisations rush to report the events without knowing full detail. The story develops as the coverage continues, with new (or corrected) information being injected throughout. The knifing of a Prime Minister or a terrorist attack being two examples.
As a small business you dont want to find yourself in this space, unless you stuff-up or a journalist has found some dirt on you or your business you wont be. If suddenly journalists are in contact at a rate-of-knots, be cautious and brace for it. Typically though, if youre not corrupt, dodgy or a charlatan youll be fine.
Business Class Stories
Business class stories are important to know but you dont have to know them right away. The slashing of 180 jobs at a regional company is big news but not many need to know it ASAP. The media will take a more considered approach to this coverage and time will be given to research and fact check before a story is broadcast.
Its possible to get media traction here but your story must have wider appeal and for a small business thats doubtful.
Economy Class Stories
Ever seen a Kim Kardashian story during prime time news? Congratulations, youve not only wasted your time but witnessed an economy class story. These stories appeal to some but not others. Like an aeroplane, most media will be seating down back in economy. These stories fill a void and supplement First and Business Class stories providing colour to offset the more heavy-hitting news.
This does not mean your media is consigned to row 140 near the toilet, economy class stories can still get great media exposure. Since the emergence of the digital age, news rooms have changed. News coverage is expected (and wanted) 24 hours a day, yet journalism numbers are shrinking.
This means fewer journalists are required to do more work. For you, this is a great outcome. Journalists are searching for economy class stories because fortunately there arent enough disasters to fill a whole news service.
Your opportunity for media coverage is here. Producing economy class stories should be easy. Remember, your media story is not about you or your product, its about how it benefits consumers of that media. If you sell the narrative and not the brand or product, half the job is done.
Find journalists from your area (location or business) and start producing appealing content for them the more different your story is, the more its of interest. Dont go all out crazy though, it has to be understandable.
Journalists are looking for economy class stories. Stop their search with you.
[Editors note: this is the latest instalment in Luke Buesnels ongoing series looking at the relationship between small businesses and the media. He previously wrote Old school thinking wont cut it in the digital age and Four steps to building relationships with journalists for Dynamic Business.]
About the author:
Back in 2011, a man named Pasquale Pat Battaglia posted a blog entry on the website of the Lapeer County Tea Party Patriots titled The God and Country Education Project. In it, he introduces something he calls American Christian Academies and denounces the progressive movement who he says have taken less than 3 generations to completely obliterate our schools.
Fast forward two years to 2013. The American Christian Academies website no longer exists but Battaglia is still trying to set up a charter school to fight off evil progressives. He published an eerily similar post on the Brighton Tea Partys website, this time titling it K-12 Tuition Free Classical Academy for Brighton. Keeping the ACA acronym, Battaglia rebranded his Christian Academy to be a Classical Academy. In the post, he uses much the same language but has snipped out references to religion.
Heres his description of the American Christian Academy:
Please allow me to introduce you to American Christian Academies. ACA is a model for a school system that will offer a classical education based on the Judeo-Christian foundations of this America. Our methodology will offer this opportunity to families who currently have no other choices for their children. We will provide an education option nearly tuition free and autonomous from the government and the government run public school systems.
And heres his description of the American Classical Academy:
Please allow me to introduce you to American Classical Academies ( AmericanClassicalAcademy.com ). ACA is a model for a school system that will offer a classical liberal arts education based upon the foundations of this America. Our methodology will offer this opportunity to families who currently have no other choices for their children. We will provide an education option tuition free working toward autonomy from the government and the government run public school systems, (See Hillsdale Barney Charter School Initiative, http://www.hillsdale.edu/). Potential school boards will be encouraged to seek a partnership with the Hillsdale Barney Charter School Initiative, Hillsdale provides a comprehensive academic program, educational staffing support and ACA provides financing, facilities and business support.
Who is Pasquale Battaglia? A visit to his Facebook and Twitter pages show him to be as virulent a tea party type as you will ever find. His Twitter feed is an amalgam of religion, gun fetishism, liberal bashing, racism, and anti-Obama tweets. Here is a tweet he put up last week in the wake of Michael Browns murderer being acquitted:
@THERKTMAN @LeMarquand Trayvon looked like he could be Barry's son and Michael took after Moochelle all in the family. .. Pasquale Battaglia (@BattagliaPat) November 26, 2014
Battaglia is, as you might imagine, anti-Common Core which he says is specifically designed to turn children anti-American.
You can read more about Battaglias outrageous online persona in this post at Up North Progressive.
If you visit Battaglias American Classical Academy website, you find a bare bones site that has no information about who the leadership is or any relevant information. The site shows that they are planning to open a school in Warren and they even received $100,000 of our tax money as a gift from our Republican legislature for the 2012-2013 school year despite the fact that the school hasnt even opened yet. The Warren Classical Academy website is equally bare bones and their nearly two-year old Facebook page is empty. This is all despite claims they will open the school next year.
Pasquale has convinced Brighton Areas Schools to sell him one of their old elementary school buildings and is desperately trying to get the school board to charter his classical academy which looks, for all intents and purposes, to be a religious school disguised to be non-religious. A vote was planned for next Monday according to dozens of tweets by Battaglia to a whole host of conservatives. However, when the agenda was posted yesterday, the issue was not on the agenda and Battaglia deleted all of his tweets.
Battaglia appears to have some allies on the BAS board. John Conely is a well-known conservative who formed Parents Union Local No. 1 back in 2008 to go after teachers health benefits. He is joined by Nick Fiani, the 20-something Board Chair who is a rabid tea partier who unsuccessfully ran for state House in November.
Put simply, Battaglia and his pals are attempting to open Christian charter schools masquerading as a secular school. They have already received $100,000 from the State of Michigan and, if they are successful at opening schools, they will continue to enrich themselves on the public dime. Along the way, hes hoping to turn students into little tea partiers, shaped by his own twisted worldview. Once more from his Brighton Tea Party posting:
Education is a weapon whose effects depend on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed. Joseph Stalin. We need partners who understand that this needs to be done. This is the long term solution to the ills that our country is experiencing. What if our children were given an understanding of who the Founders were and what they did to allow this country to be great, learn to think, communicate, problem solve and lead, and learn, to lift up instead of tear down? It took the progressive movement less than 3 generations to completely obliterate our schools ACA aims to teach our children how to teach themselves, grounding them in the moral absolutes that guided our Founders. If we continue to be a happy people, that happiness must be assured by the enacting and executing of reasonable and wise laws, expressed in the plainest language, and by establishing such modes of education as tend to inculcate in the minds of youth, the feelings and habits of piety, religion and morality, and to lead them to the knowledge and love of those truly Republican principles upon which our civil institutions are founded. Samuel Adams, 1795. We outnumber them. If we pool our resources and circles of influence if we, together, cast a broad net it will be the weight of the minnows that carry this mission to success. The true path to the restoration and future of our blessed republic runs right through the halls of our schools.
This man is dangerous and what he is trying to do is a perversion of public education as we know it. We can only hope that the Brighton Area Schools board will NOT charter his school and that his efforts in Warren are equally unsuccessful.
I wrote my first piece about the Livingston Christian Academy, now called the Livingston Classical Academy (LCA), back in December of 2014. Since then, the group which hopes to open a school with a curriculum steeped in tea party ideology and right-wing principles was sent packing by Brighton schools. However, after shopping around, LCA ended up landing a charter as a cyber school by the Whitmore Lake school district last fall:
Having been spurned by other districts, the LCA decided to morph itself into a cyber charter school. Because the rules for cyber charters only require one class to be online, they plan to offer sex education online to qualify as a cyber charter and, according to the article, are looking at a few places to build the school if a charter is obtained this time around.
You can read my full coverage in reverse chronological order HERE.
LCA is now admitting that they chose the cyber school route simply to get chartered (via WHMI.com):
Academy Principal Cory Merante addressed the cyber component during the meeting, confirming it was sought only so the school could receive charter authorization. We need to use LCCA to discuss the blended curriculum. Youll see LCA, youll see LCCA. Same school, same idea, same everything. The cyber component was a means to be authorized.
They even talk about it on their website. They currently have a video on the front page of the site featuring Livingston County Cyber Academy (LCCA) Principal Cory J. Merante. The video has clearly been sliced and diced in the editing process and resembles a video-version of a ransom note with the letters cut-and-pasted from different magazines and newspapers. The pertinent section starts at the 2:00 mark but its worth watching the entire thing for enhanced comedic effect:
The cyber component was a means to be chartered. Um Our curriculum will be blended in the sense that all our schools will have a cyber class requirement. Um Students will have a device and all classrooms will be equipped with a [EDIT JUMP] technology component. Um, LCCA will have a daily schedule very similar to every other school, um, however the online cyber component can happen outside the school hours.
Its clear that LCCA is exploiting the cyber schools laws in Michigan in order to operate because they were unable to find a school district that would charter them. The law is worded vaguely enough that they can meet the letter of the law, though not the spirit of the law, by offering a single class via the internet. If you read the State of Michigans FAQ on cyber schools, its clear that they never intended for it to be a tiny fraction of what the school offers:
Do all cyber charter schools provide 100% instruction online or via the internet? Answer: No. With few exceptions, all cyber charter schools offer some in person instructional opportunities in the form of tutoring, field trips, and various clubs. Some offer traditional seat-time requirements in a blended learning modality (e.g., 50% online and 50% in seats), while some have a short in-person orientation period followed by periodic visits for exams, labs, and field trips
A 50-50 blend is a far cry from what the LCCA has planned.
When the LCCA first got off the ground after receiving its charter from Whitmore Lake schools, it planned to build a so-called bricks and mortar facility outside of the physical boundaries of Whitmore Lake Public Schools. The school district where it was planning to build its school, Hartland Consolidated Schools, was none to happy about it and threatened a lawsuit. The Livingston Educational Service Agency, the intermediate school district for the County, voted unanimously to help them in their efforts to send the LCCA packing. This is from the minutes of their April 13th meeting:
B. Legal Considerations to Support the Hartland Consolidated Schools On JaOn January 20, 2016, a school district located in Washtenaw County authorized a charter to create a cyber academy. Subsequently, on March 3, 2016, the Michigan Department of Education issued a letter to the Superintendent of the school district notifying them that MDE had issued a district and building code to the charter identifying them as a school of excellence that is a cyber school. Since receiving that status, the cyber school has approached the Brighton Township Planning Commission with plans to construct a building to ultimately provide schooling for 450 Elementary (K-5th), 225 Middle School (6th-8th), 300 High School (9th-12th) students and 120 Children in Day Care. Their plan states that School will be in session between approximately 7:30 am and 3:45 pm (and) the school expects approximately 100 students will participate in before school and after school programs offered by the school. (Work has begun on the school site.) If approved, the proposed school will be located within the boundaries of the Hartland Consolidated Schools district. Although we are working with the MASA and possibly other school leadership organizations, it may be necessary to engage the services of a law firm to seek advice and determine action on behalf of the Hartland Consolidated Schools. This proposal seeks permission to have LESA co-lead a legal effort to challenge the cyber schools likely violation of the law and to share in the legal expenses connected with that effort. It was moved by Hill and seconded by Fryer that the Board of Education authorize the Superintendent to participate with and support the Hartland Consolidated Schools, including sharing legal costs up to a total of $10,000 without further board approval, in their effort to challenge the construction of a school building by the Livingston Classical Cyber Academy under a charter authorized by the Whitmore Lake Public Schools. A roll call vote was taken. Cortez voted YES, Hill voted YES, Kaiser voted YES, Fryer voted YES, and Loy voted YES. The motion carried unanimously.
What the LCA/LCCA folks were attempting to do was to get chartered in by one school district as a cyber school as a means to get a charter ANY charter and then carry on with their plans to build a physical building within the confines of a different school district that wanted nothing to do with them. Hartland school officials KNEW that the LCA/LCCA was trying to draw kids away from their district and, under the dog-eat-dog, school-sabotage-school model set up by our Republican legislature and governor, every student counts when it comes to their state funding. This would have been made much easier with a physical building in their district pretending to be a cyber school.
This is, technically, allowed by Michigan law which says that if a board of a school district, intermediate school district, or community college issues a contract for a school of excellence that is a cyber school, they may authorize them to operate outside that school districts boundaries. Its unlikely, however, that lawmakers envisioned a school of excellence that is a cyber school being a brick-and-mortar school that simply has its sex education courses online.
Since then, LCCA has had to change its plans and find a place to build in Whitmore Lake. They claim its because it was too expensive to build in the Hartland school district and, given the legal battle they would have had to fight, thats probably true. In the meantime, the compliant Board of Education in Whitmore Lake is allowing them to use classrooms not currently being used by their own schools. In a surprised, not surprised turn of events, LCCA will be sharing the building with Livingston Christian Schools, an actual religious school (compared with LCCA which is a barely disguised religious school using a program designed by the ultra-right Hillsdale College Barney Charter School Initiative.)
The school has also taken to Facebook to recruit teachers:
The WMHI reporting contained some other interesting nuggets, as well. For example, LCCA has hired a strong-armed developer who apparently has a history of winning legal battles:
The academy is in the process of looking at different parcels for a permanent home and has hired developer Steve Gronow, who they say is mission minded and believes strongly in what theyre doing so any foes coming up against the school, will be coming up against Gronow. It was stated the only temporary, big concern is not funding property but going through everything necessary to build on it and gaining township approvals so they are looking very carefully at where parcels are located that they could build on as townships are political in nature.
Its still unclear where their funding IS coming from (outside of our tax dollars, of course.) In January of 2015, the blog Glistening Quivering Underbelly revealed that it is likely an investor in Holly named John Berry.
Finally, theres this little tidbit:
[LCA President Richard] Streetman said they intend to be good tenants and are hoping for enrollment in the 265 range maximum because of space limitations, with 25 students in a class and two kindergarten sections. He noted the Whitmore Lake Board of Education approved a one year lease, but it could be two although theyre not trying to publicize it. Streetman said its not out there or printed but the boards and board presidents will allow an extension when the time comes.
Given the secrecy and deception they are operating under, its clear that LCCA has some friends on the school board in Whitmore Lake. These, it should not be necessary to point out, are also lousy character traits for educators of our children.
The one positive step that LCA/LCCA has taken is to remove Pasquale Battaglia from a leadership position in their organization. His involvement made it quite clear what their plans were which I have documented extensively HERE.
Nintendo shares soared on Monday after its new augmented reality mobile app, Pokemon Go, burst out of the gate over the weekend in the U.S and in key markets around the globe.
The companys shares rose 36 percent in two days, after downloads of the Pokemon Go app raced to the top of iOS and Android charts in the U.S.
The wave of demand exceeded expectations, said Morgan Stanley MUFG analyst Mia Nagasaka, in a note to investors.
Especially noteworthy is that there were no aggressive marketing campaigns prior to the app going live, and the rapid ascent to the number one spot in sales ranking was unexpected, she wrote.
Nintendo, the Pokemon Co. and Niantic, the former Google unit behind the wildly popular augmented reality game Ingress, teamed up to provide a mobile gaming app based on the iconic Pokemon franchise.
Nintendo shares ended the Monday session in Tokyo at 20,260 yen (US$198.41) per share.
Assuming sales hold firm, Nintendo is likely to realize monthly revenue of 10-15 billion yen, estimated Nagasaka, based on daily turnover in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand.
Among the developments that may boost the companys fortunes are the release of Pokemon Go in Japan, the release of mobile game apps in a joint project with DeNA of Japan, and the companys long anticipated NX platform in March 2017, she wrote.
Cashing In on the Franchise
The strong response in Nintendo shares is not only because Pokemon is a global phenomenon with a large fan base, but because it is being distributed on Android and iOS, which have billions of active users, Jon Peddie Research Senior Gaming Analyst Ted Pollak told the E-Commerce Times.
Pokemon Go is a bit of an outlier, but it represents a standout example of what Nintendo can do in the realm of mobile, said Brian Blau, research vice president at Gartner.
The company has had a difficult time in the past few years, and investors have been looking for how they will turn the company around, he told the E-Commerce Times. While I dont believe this one game will change the overall trajectory of the company, its a clear sign that some of their turnaround efforts are starting to pay off.
Since the downloads are free and the in-app purchases will provide incremental revenue, the longer-term test is to create new content that will keep gamers coming back, observed Lewis Ward, research director for gaming at IDC.
That will have an effect on the general perception of Nintendo in the context of its burgeoning mobile games business, he told the E-Commerce Times.
New Reality
Nintendo has been investigating augmented reality and virtual reality technologies as a way to revive its flagging business in recent years.
VR is an interesting technology, said President Tatsumi Kimishima during a conference call with investors early this year.
Nintendo was looking deeper into the technology, he acknowledged during a question-and-answer session at the Nintendo annual meeting last week, calling it a promising technology.
We are well aware that other companies are developing games and game-related products using VR technologies, and that consumers are interested in all of this, Kimishima said.
The company was taking steps to increase value on many fronts, he added, including continually investigating projects that would make use of Nintendos intellectual property, and developing products that would improve the quality of life.
The company was hard at work to ready its new game system, code-named NX, by next March, Kimishima said.
Investors like to see companies leverage successful intellectual properties, Pollak noted.
In order for the company to build upon this success, it will need to leverage some of its other successful franchises onto these new mobile gaming platforms, he suggested.
The company will benefit if users are able to enjoy an enhanced experience, said Pollak, with additional hardware that allows customers to participate in gaming beyond just using smartphones and tablets.
Officials call for 'prayers with legs' in aftermath of Dallas sniper shootings 12 July, 2016 by Tammi Ledbetter/Norm Miller , |
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (TEXAN) In response to stunned and afraid DFW Metroplex citizens following the recent sniper shootings of Dallas police officers, Grand Prairie city officials met with local citizens at the Grand Prairie Police and Fire Department headquarters off President George Bush Tollway at noon July 11.
The 45-minute meeting highlighted officials' commitment to the citizenry's safety and an appeal to pray for the fallen and their families, as well as for current public servants .
Interrupted several times with cheers, applause and shouts of "Amen" during his remarks, Grand Prairie Police Chief Steve Dye cited the city's mayor, Ron Jensen, who said recently: "Yes, we need prayers. But we need prayers with legs. We need prayers, but we need actions to accompany our prayers."
What kind of actions? "I would ask you for peaceful thoughtful actions to accompany your prayers," Chief Dye said.
"It has come to the point that we cannot communicate respectfully without violence," Dye said. "We fully acknowledge that we as public servants should be held accountable. But we also don't understand why, when officers across the country may make a mistake, why all of us are stereotyped as bad or evil."
Dye recounted the response of Dallas police officers last Friday night who "when the shooting started, the officers ran to the threat to protect those who were protesting and demonstrating. And I think that sums it up."
"We go to church. Our kids go to school with your kids. We go to the same stores you do. We're community members like you. We just have a special calling because it's in our hearts to protect and serve," Dye said.
Appealing for the community's and the media's help, Dye said, "We need to get the message out on what we really do all day long which is almost entirely helping people and problem solving."
"It's time for society to be more vocal about how you feel about your police officers, and how we work together to solve differences, solve problems, and to be leaders in mutual respect, and mutual respectful communication," Dye said.
"You see, as police officers, we cannot accomplish that alone. And what I'm asking you to do is to help us sustain this change toward more civility, more honor, and more support for your police officers. And all we ask is that, when you see us, tell us how much you appreciate us because that goes a long way in our professional lives after dealing with negativity."
Dye invited those within earshot to "go to our citizen police academy and become more informed about how we can work together to provide a safe environment."
"It's just a shame that the world has gotten to the point where police officers are targets," Dye continued. "And folks, it's true what we say: we are the thin blue line, as we're proud to be the thin blue line. But to be that thin blue line and prevent chaos in this community and in this nation, we must work together. That's what makes America great because we do respect our police officers, and our police officers should respect our community members."
Attempting to continue despite sustained applause, Dye said that when an error is made on either side of the thin blue line, "we want to hold each other accountable. And we will get better. There are many fine police departments in the United States, but there are none finer than the Grand Prairie Police Department."
Shouts of "Amen" and cheers seasoned another round of boisterous applause.
Saying he is proud of his officers' character, their level of training, and level of equipment, Dye also noted gratitude for the "salary and benefits provided by the city leaders, so we can attract and pay the best officers. We are truly blessed in our city."
"Grand Prairie understands diversity, "Dye continued. "When diversity is working successfully and together, it's a beautiful thing. And folks, In Grand Prairie, we figured out how to make diversity work. I am so proud that our city can be very diverse and be very unified at the same time.
Against a rising tide of swelling applause, Dye said, "We're not perfect as a city, but we've got it right. We've got it right when it comes to not being divisive, but being inclusive and working together."
Dye thanked those attending the meeting for "showing all of our police officers and civilian police how much you love them and how much you care about them. I would ask that during this difficult week, when many funerals laying many heroes to rest that we remember those families, that we remember all those families of the fallen because folks it's not just about this week, it's about moving forward having lost that family member, that loved one serving in our community. Let's remember those heroes. Let's say an extra prayer."
Mayor Jensen addressed the crowd, saying: "Many of us are pray-ers. We grew up praying. My dad is a Baptist minister and we prayed. And prayers with legs - that's beautiful. We certainly need to lift up those who have fallen and their families," Jensen said, reminding the people to "put feet to their prayers."
"But I'm concerned about us, right here, this group. We need to pray for each other. Yourself. We need to pray tonight because you don't want your heart to get hardened over this fiasco.
"We need to pray that God will help us to do this individually. Do that for me, today," Jensen said.
Grand Prairie's volunteer police chaplain Emil Balliet closed the meeting in prayer. But people still milled around for another 30 minutes sharing quiet moments and offering each other support
Reassuring the crowd attending and those watching via Univision channel 23, Chief Dye said he has never been more proud of the Grand Prairie police force when all the "officers expressed the resolve to be resilient, and to not let any of this deter them from going out and protecting and serving at the highest levels as they have done for years and years. They said, 'Chief, we're not gonna back off. Now, more than ever, our citizens need us, and we're here for them. And that tells you a lot right there, doesn't it?'
"So rest assured, no matter how bad it gets, we're never gonna leave you," Dye said. "We're always gonna be here for you, and we're gonna run to you to protect you. God bless you all. Thank you."
This article published by the Texan. Used with permission.
AMSTERDAM The issue of potentially hazardous chemicals in textile supply chains rises to the top of the agenda this week with the imminent publication of the latest Greenpeace report on the hazards associated with Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs). Greenpeace's report will be presented at OutDoor, Europes leading trade fair for the outdoor sector, operated by the European Outdoor Group and taking place in Friedrichshafen. Meanwhile today, the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals group has presented a publication for public review of its proposed wastewater discharge guidelines. As part of the review, the ZDHC is inviting textile industry stakeholders including representatives from government, civil society, the private sector and other interested stakeholders to contribute to the development of the ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines.
The Solar Impulse 2 landed in Seville on Thursday, completing its historic trip across the Atlantic Ocean.
Solar Impulse 2, a sun-powered aircraft, took off from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City at 2:30 a.m. on June 20. The flight to Seville, Spain, took approximately 90 hours to completetraveling at 140 km/h (about 87 mph). Bertrand Piccard, a Swiss adventurer, piloted the airplane.
The Atlantic is the symbolic part of the flight, Piccard told The Guardian. It is symbolic because all the means of transportation have always tried to cross the Atlantic, the first steamboats, the first aeroplane, the first balloons, the first airships and, today, it is the first solar-powered aeroplane.
Here are 10 best photos from Piccards journey on the Solar Impulse 2:
The Solar Impulse 2 makes an historic flight over the Statue of Liberty before landing at New Yorks JFK airport on June 11. Photo credit: Jean Revillard, Solar Impulse
Solar Impulse 2 flies over the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi as it prepares for take off for the first leg of its journey to Muscat, Oman. Photo credit: Reuters via The Guardian
The Solar Impulse 2 flies over the ocean. Photo credit: Solar Impulse
After a pit stop in Oman, Solar Impulse 2 sets off for Ahmedabad, India, on March 10, 2015. Photo credit: Jean Revillard, Solar Impulse
The Solar Impulse 2 gets a photo op with the historic
strawberry moon. Photo credit: Solar Impulse
The Solar Impulse 2 landing in Mandalay, Myanmar, after the flight from Varanasi in India on March 19, 2015. Photo credit: Stefatou, Solar Impulse
The Solar Impulse 2 team completed a record-breaking longest solar flight across the pacific from Nagoya, Japan to Hawaii117 hours and 52 minutes. Photo credit: Solar Impulse
The Solar Impulse 2 lands in Muscat, Oman. Photo credit: Stefatou, Solar Impulse
The Solar Impulse 2s light ends gloriously with a colorful flight formation from the Spanish Patrulla Aguila. Photo credit: Solar Impulse
Piccard and Borschberg celebrate after completing the first ever crossing of the Atlantic by a solar-powered aeroplane. Photo credit: Jose Manuel Vidal, EPA via The Guardian
Piccard chronicled his journey on Twitter:
Tweets by bertrandpiccard
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Its only the half-way point of sea turtle nesting season in Florida, and some beaches are already breaking records.
Motes Sea Turtle Patrol, a group of volunteers and scientists that monitor nests on Florida beaches between May 1 and Oct. 31, report this year has already seen 2,638 nests, some of which are beginning to hatch. This years number has surpassed the previous recordthe total number of nests for 2015by 163 nests, according to Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium.
We are excited to announce that we have broken the 35-year annual record for sea turtle nests along our areas beaches with a total of 2,638 confirmed nests so far and we are only halfway through the nesting season, Kristen Mazzarella, senior biologist with Motes Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program, said.
Longboat Key had 716 nests on June 30 and Casey Key had 1,184 nests on July 2, both breaking previous records of 698 and 1,174, respectively.
The first nest hatched June 26 on Venice beach.
Motes Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program coordinates conservation of endangered sea turtles along a 35-mile expanse of Sarasota County beaches. Data collected by the volunteer team provides important information to resource managers who use it to understand and protect sea turtle populations.
Sea turtles face multiple threats to their population, including coastal development, poaching of eggs and marine pollution. Just last week, a Florida man was caught stealing 107 eggs from a loggerhead turtle while she was laying them.
Florida Man Arrested for Stealing 107 Loggerhead Turtle Eggs EcoWatch https://t.co/iVRCls1XOn @NOAAFisheries @SeafoodSource EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) July 10, 2016
Motes offers some tips in case you come in contact with a turtle nest or nesting area:
Do:
If you encounter a nesting turtle or hatchlings, remain quiet and observe from a distance.
Shield or turn off outdoor lights that are visible on the beach from May through October.
Close drapes after dark and stack beach furniture at the dune line or, ideally, remove it from the beach.
Fill in holes that may entrap hatchlings on their way to the water.
Do Not:
By Malavika Vyawahare, Valisoa Rasolofomboahangy
Madagascar has embarked on its most ambitious tree-planting drive yet, aiming to plant 60 million trees in the coming months. The island nation celebrates 60 years of independence this year, and the start of the planting campaign on Jan. 19 marked one year since the inauguration of President Andry Rajoelina, who has promised to restore Madagascars lost forests.
The government has the challenge of making Madagascar a green island again. I encourage the people to protect the environment and reforest for the benefit of the future generations, Rajoelina told the hundreds of people who attended the launch in Ankazobe district, 100 kilometers (60 miles) northwest of the capital, Antananarivo. In a span of a few hours, about 1 million trees were planted over 500 hectares (1,235 acres), according to the environment ministry an area one-and-a-half times the size of New York Citys Central Park.
Madagascar, the oldest island in the world and the fourth-largest, spanning 59 million ha (146 million acres), is home to an astounding range of plant and animal life. Between 2001 and 2018, it lost about one-fifth of its tree cover, according to Global Forest Watch, driven primarily by the expansion of shifting agriculture, known locally as tavy. The destruction of Madagascars forests could sound the death knell for many of its endemic species, found nowhere else on the planet. Months of planning and a massive nationwide effort to amass seeds and populate nurseries culminated in the highly publicized launch. It saw participation from NGOs, schools, government ministries, and the army. Rajoelina, dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, launched the planting season by tucking a seedling into a pocket of earth. He later lent a hand to children, took selfies with babies, and was even photographed, hoe in hand, hauling dirt. But experts say the real heavy lifting to reclaim forests will come after the saplings are in the ground. Right now, we are at the stage of planting trees, but the big question is: What is next? How to protect those young trees, so we dont plant them in January and then destroy them in July, said Jonah Ratsimbazafy, a prominent Malagasy primatologist who heads the Groupe dEtude et de Recherche sur les Primates (GERP).
Seedlings at the tree-planting site in Ankazobe district, Madagascar, on Jan. 19. Valisoa Rasolofomboahangy / Mongabay For the planting season that runs until April, the Rajoelina administration wants 60 million seedlings to be planted across 40,000 ha (99,000 acres). Experts interviewed by Mongabay last November said it would be a formidable undertaking, especially for a country where almost 80 percent of the population does not have access to grid electricity, and felling trees to make charcoal for cooking is a widespread practice. Reconciling the immediate needs of the countrys poor and the long-term goal of stemming and then turning the tide of deforestation will be tough, observers say. It remains to be seen whether Rajoelina has the will to see it through, given his checkered record on the environment. Madagascar has hosted tree-planting drives in the past, but the push from the presidents office this time around is expected to make a difference. Nirina Rakotonanahary, 30, a participant at the launch, said it was his first time taking part in a tree-planting drive, which he said was popularized by the president. Close to 200,000 seedlings were gathered in nurseries for the launch event and transported to the Ankazobe site on trucks. For the national campaign, an estimated 100 million seeds have been rounded up by regional centers of the environmental ministry and its partners. The seedlings are being distributed free of cost to institutions and associations from government-run nurseries. The launch made it clear the government is trying to strike a balance between planting endemic species and agroforestry species, some of which are exotic and invasive. The 50 species that are available at the nurseries include exotic acacia, eucalyptus, fruit trees and various spice trees. Rakotonanahary said he planted fruit trees because if the yield was good, they might be able to export the produce.
Seedlings at the tree-planting site in Ankazobe district, Madagascar, on Jan. 19. Valisoa Rasolofomboahangy / Mongabay To secure the trees, especially those viewed as useful by people, will be an uphill task. We want to encourage people to plant and not consume the fruits of the trees inside the parks or cut them to make charcoal, said Mamy Rakotoarijaona, director of Madagascar National Parks. Despite being protected areas, national parks in Madagascar have also witnessed significant deforestation; they have now emerged as important sites for the reforestation campaign. To extend the drive to remote areas, the government plans to use drones and airplanes. During the launch event, about 5 tons of seeds in the form of seed balls were dropped from an aircraft over 500 ha of land. Each ball of soil is packed with 25 seeds. The success rate measured in terms of how many seeds survive and germinate is about 60 percent, according to a government release that cited a pilot project carried out in 2018. The ministry of environment also said the practice would save on the cost of plastic bags that hold seedlings before they are transplanted. The immediate concern is to sustain the momentum for tree planting, and in the longer term to ensure that gains are not frittered away. The president, in his speech, said that meeting concrete targets and following up with action would be central to the campaign. This time, the action will be continuous, and there will be a follow-up. The state will recruit guards to monitor and protect the young plants, Alexandre Georget, Madagascars environment minister, said at the launch.
In Ankazobe, there is a plan to recruit 50 people to monitor the saplings because the area is at risk from forest fires that could wipe out within days any gains from a planting campaign months in the making. Involving local communities is indispensable not just in planting trees but in monitoring and safeguarding them, according to Ratsimbazafy of GERP. If the authorities do not have a clear and efficient strategy to fight against deforestation and fires, then Madagascar wont return to forests, he said. Thats a view echoed by Alliance Voahary Gasy, a coalition of Malagasy environmental NGOs. It expressed support for the large-scale effort but noted that if the government did not take strict action against those breaking environmental rules, including government officials, the campaign would fail to meet its objectives. While millions of seeds may sprout forth from the red soils of Madagascar in the coming months, a sense of optimism about the greening campaign has yet to take root. Rakotonanahary, who helped plant fruit trees in Ankazobe, also struck a despondent note. Im not sure they will all survive, he said of the newly planted trees. The problem is that in Madagascar, we make efforts one day, and then we do not continue.
Malavika Vyawahare is a staff writer for Mongabay.
Reposted with permission from Mongabay.
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By Brendan DeMelle
Nineteen U.S. Senators who understand the need to clear the PR pollution that continues to block overdue climate policy spoke out on the Senate floor Monday in support of the Senate Web of Denial Resolution calling out the destructive forces of fossil fuel industry-funded climate denial.
Championed by Senators Whitehouse, Markey, Schatz, Boxer, Merkley, Warren, Sanders and Franken, the resolution condemns what they are calling the #WebOfDenialinterconnected groupsfunded by the Koch brothers, major fossil fuel companies like ExxonMobil and Peabody Coal, identity-scrubbing groups like Donors Trust and Donors Capital and their alliesdeveloped and executed a massive campaign to deceive the public about climate change to halt climate action and protect their bottom lines.
Joined in the House of Representatives by Congressman Ted Lieu (D- CA), these champions for climate action and accountability in the Senate are calling out the use of think tanks and denier-for-hire front groups to create doubt about climate science.
According to a press release issued Monday morning, the resolution condemns the efforts of corporations and groups to mislead the public about the harmful effects of tobacco, lead and climate. The resolution also urges fossil fuel corporations and their allies to cooperate with investigations into their climate-related activities.
As DeSmog Blog, ExxonSecrets, Climate Investigations Center and others have documented repeatedly over the past decade, the oil and coal industries and their friends have spent hundreds of millions of dollars on an immoral and potentially fraudulent campaign to deceive the public about the scientific consensus on manmade global warming and the need for urgent action to curtail fossil fuel pollution.
Just last week, DeSmog Blog published the latest round of Exxons funding of climate denial groups still peddling doubt, bringing the total known funding from Exxon to nearly $34 million over two decades. Add to that the nearly $90 million pumped into the denial machine by the Koch Family Foundations, as well as the largesse emanating from the dark money ATM, Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund.
Think tanks and front groups involved in climate denial include the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), U.S.Chamber of Commerce, Heritage Foundation, Competitive Enterprise Institute, the Kochs Americans for Prosperity, the Heartland Institute and many more.
Champions in the U.S. Congress are now putting the denial machine on notice with this resolution and a series of speeches that took place last night from 4:45 -6:45 p.m. EDT, and will also take place today from 5 7:30 p.m. EDT on the Senate floor.
Here are updates to this post from the speeches last night:
7:35pm EDT: Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse spoke last tonight and highlighted many of the points made by his colleagues throughout the day during the #WebOfDenial speeches. Whitehouse praised the peer-reviewed research into climate denial by Robert Brulle, Justin Farrell, Riley Dunlap, Aaron McCright, Constantine Boussalis and Travis Coan.
He thanked the many authors of books about climate denial, including Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway and noted that the film version of their book Merchants of Doubt is showing tonight on the Hill.
And Sen. Whitehouse called out many groups and outlets that have worked to expose climate denial and industry misinformation, including Greenpeaces ExxonSecrets and PolluterWatch, set up by Kert Davies who has gone on to found the Climate Investigations Center, also named. He thanked the journalists at Inside Climate News and their must-read The Road Not Taken series. He thanked David Brocks group American Bridge and Climate Nexus for its work to expose the Wall Street Journals peddling climate denial on its editorial page (and the Partnership for Responsible Growth for correcting the record in the Wall Street Journal). He thanked ProPublica, the Union of Concerned Scientists and more.
He highlighted author Jeff Nesbit and his new book Poisoned Tea, Jane Mayer and her book Dark Money, Steve Coll and his book Private Empire on ExxonMobil as well as his role as Dean at the Columbia School of Journalism.
Sen. Whitehouse also heaped much-appreciated praise on us at DeSmogBlog, mentioning our Time Magazine Best Blogs accolades as well as highlighting our news coverage and our Disinformation Database. (In turn, we thank the Senator for his leadership on this issue and his colleagues for speaking about the subject of climate denial which weve focused on for the past decade.)
In closing, Sen. Whitehouse said:
The scholarship of all these academics, all these organizations and all these authorsthe detectives who are exposing the web of denialhave shined a bright light into its dark corners and illuminated its concerted effort to dupe the American public and sabotage climate action in America, all to protect the fossil fuel industry that funds it. Its sickening, but its big. The denial web is designed to be big and sophisticated enough that when you see its many parts, youre fooled into thinking its not the same beast. But it is. Like the mythological Hydra, many heads, same beast.
Welcome to the Web of Denial. And thank you to those who are working to expose it. It is a filthy thing in our democracy.
7:10pm EDT: #WebOfDenial is Trending on Twitter.
7pm EDT: Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) spoke about the overlap of tobacco industry attacks on science and the fossil industrial complex that has similarly attacked climate science to evade accountability. He also discussed the Heritage Foundation, Art Pope, Cato Institute and the forged letter scandal orchestrated by Bonner and Associates for the Hawthorn Group and its coal industry client ACCCE. Merkley highlighted the work of Justin Farrell from Yale and the money flows from Donors Trust and the Koch Brothers. A powerful, moneyed interest has spun a web of deceit. We know that these groups are backed by special interests. All we have to do is follow the money, Merkley said.
He mentioned the more than $30 million from ExxonMobil and the denial funding from Peabody Energy revealed in its bankruptcy fillings. Merkley saved special mention for the Koch Brothers: But as much as the fossil fuel companies have contributed to these efforts over the years, the titles of the mastermind and the kingpins of climate science denialthose titles rest with Charles and David Koch.
6:25pm EDT: Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) spoke about the Mercatus Center, which he said should be called the Koch Center due to its massive Koch funding. He discussed the connections to the tobacco industrys attacks on tobacco science and the overlap with the Koch-funded Mercatus Center.
5:55pm EDT: Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) spoke about the Virginia Institute for Public Policy and the CO2 Coalition and theCornwall Alliance for the Stewarship of Creation and mentioned DeSmogBlogs research in his #WebOfDenial speech. He also talked about the funding from Donors Capital Fund and Donors Trust to denier organizations.
5:40pm EDT: Sen. Elizabeth Warren spoke about the Science and Public Policy Institute (SPPI), Willie Soon and Christopher Moncktons Hitler Youth outrage and claims to have a cure for AIDS and other completely made up Monckton-isms.
5:25pm EDT: Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse spoke about the #WebOfDenial and the $700 billion in global subsidies to the fossil fuel industry, annually. He highlighted the work of Drexel University professor Robert Brulle to expose the climate change counter movement and what the Senators are calling the climate #WebOfDenial.
5:15pm EDT: Sen. Tom Udall spoke about the front groups Greening Earth Society and the Information Council on the Environment (ICE) and the web of denial.
5:10pm EDT: Sen. Christopher Coons spoke about the historical denial efforts of The Advancement of Sound Science Coalition (TASSC)
5pm EDT: Sen. Cardin spoke about the attacks on climate science by the defunct group Annapolis Center for Science-Based Public Policy which received funding from ExxonMobil and the tobacco industry. He was introduced by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, who was thanked for leading this effort. Whitehouse delivered his 144th statement on the need for climate action and discussed the influence of the web of denial blocking action.
Update 4:30pm EDT: Senator Reid kicked off the action on #WebOfDenial, railing against the Koch Brothers and Exxon for dishing out millions to fund climate denial organizations. Reid named Heartland Institute, Cato Institute and Americans For Prosperity, among others. You can watch the action on C-SPAN2.
Its inspiring to see Senators join the movement to hold the likes of Exxon accountable for their decades of deception, Jamie Henn, 350.org communications director, said. Big Oil robbed us of a generations worth of climate action and to this day are still sowing doubt and misinformation prioritizing profit at the expense of our climate and communities. The last 14 consecutive months have been the hottest on record, making it ever more pressing for our elected officials to bring this extensive web of climate denial to light.
Last week, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse delivered his 143rd speech about climate change and focused on the issue of climate denial and the front groups involved in peddling doubt. Watch here:
Today, the Sierra Club endorsed Hillary Clinton for President of the United State. Now, we will work our hearts out to make sure she wins the White House in November and defeats climate science denier and all-around bigot Donald Trump.
Our decision is the result of a grassroots-driven process that started with our 2.4 million members and supporters, culminating in a vote of the Sierra Clubs all-volunteer board of directors. Our choice is rooted in the fact that this is the most important election for the climate and for our environment, in our lifetimes.
We have never been in more need of an environmental champion as president and, when you consider the records of the two candidates this general election, its clear the stakes could not be higher. With Hillary Clinton on the ballot in November, we have a champion who has demonstrated that she is listening to the voices of Sierra Club members and so many others across the country who want to protect our clean air and water and are clamoring for more clean energy and climate action.
Clinton has committed to opposing the toxic Trans Pacific Partnership, preventing dangerous drilling in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans and the extraction of fossil fuels on public lands. She has a strong plan to tackle the climate crisis and build on the progress weve already made by installing 500 million solar panels, generating enough renewable energy to power every home in America and increasing our national carbon reduction goals to expand on the policies, legacy and progress of President Obama. Further, she has released detailed plans to fight for environmental justice and ensure conservation of Americas national parks, forests and other public lands.
On the other hand, Donald Trump has ignored scientific fact, the international community and huge majorities of American voters by calling the climate crisis a hoax Hes pledged to destroy the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and scrap all of the common-sense safeguards that protect our air, our water and our communities from toxic pollution. He even has said hed push for more tax subsidies for the biggest oil companies in the world.
Electing Trump would be historic for all the wrong reasons. But electing Clinton would be historic for all the right reasons. I know that I, like so many other women across the country, cant wait to say Madam President.
The Sierra Club made the decision to support Clinton now, the earliest we have ever endorsed in a presidential contest, because we simply cannot afford to wait a minute longer to start organizing, mobilizing and getting out the word about just how high the stakes are in 2016.
Make no mistake: Its important to recognize that this Democratic Primary had the most robust conversation about climate action and clean energy that weve ever seen and thats thanks in large part to Sen. Bernie Sanders and his supporters, who are among the strongest and most passionate advocates we have. Sanders connected with so many who are frustrated with big corporate polluters pushing their agenda and pushing over the American peoples demands for clean air, clean water and climate action now. The fact that the Democratic candidates have had such a vigorous debate about climate stands in stark contrast to the utter lack of any such conversation at all on the Republican side.
Under President Obama, our nation has made historic progress in leading the world to reach a universal climate accord in Paris, while acting decisively to rein in carbon pollution here at home. Moving forward, its clear that Clinton is the candidate who will build on this legacy. Clinton played a key role in building early momentum for the Paris accord by appointing the first Special Envoy for Climate Change, securing commitments of $100 million in climate finance for poorer nations from developed countries and forming the international Climate and Clean Air Coalition to reduce super-warming pollutants like methane.
Meanwhile, if Donald Trump were to be elected president, he has made clear he will do everything in his power to drag us backwards with his dangerous promise to cancel the Paris agreement and his radical proposal to eliminate the EPA entirely. When combined with his dangerous and despicable policies and comments about women, immigrants, Muslims, Mexicans, the disabled and so many other Americans, its clear Trumps extremism is out of sync with our nation and has no place in the White House.
Now, with the choice so clear but the results far from certain, we must all come together and get behind the one candidate who can keep our climate action progress moving forward and protect clean air and clean water: Hillary Clinton. As the Republican nominee, there is a very real chance that Donald Trump could win this election. So lets join together to build on President Obamas climate legacy, stop a climate denier in his tracks and achieve a historic victory for the climate by electing Hillary Clinton this November.
Allison Chin is a member of the Sierra Club board of directors and past president of the board.
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A groundbreaking study was released today by the Sierra Club Political Committee showing Donald Trump would be the only world leader to deny the science and dangers of climate change if elected president. The data in the report shows that Trump could possibly be the only world leader not calling for urgent climate action.
Donald Trumps failure to acknowledge basic climate science wouldnt just leave him isolated on the world stage as president, it would undermine our relationships with key allies and threaten our ability to work effectively internationally, Sierra Club Global Climate Policy Director John Coequyt said.
Trumps climate science denial would make him a global laughingstock if it wasnt so dangerous. Every single leader on Earthfrom Germany to India to Somalia to Japanrecognizes that the climate crisis is happening and demands the worlds attention, but Trump is sticking his head in the sand while the seas are rising.
The report shows a global consensus on climate change among world leaders and provides comprehensive research that identifies attributable, verifiable statements, quotes and actions from current world leaders, including Heads of State and Heads of Government. They all acknowledge climate science and the need for climate action. Many of the nations mentioned in the report have signed the Paris climate accord and submitted their climate plans to the United Nations.
Anybody who cares about the health of our communities and the safety of our planet needs to know that Donald Trump would be the only leader of any nation determined to let it burn, if elected, Sierra Club Political Director Khalid Pitts said. You can be sure that, in the meantime, the Sierra Club will do everything in our power to ensure that never happens.
The 195 nations included in the report represents the full, official list of nations recognized by the U.S. State Department, according to the Sierra Club.
The high courts recently concluded term had the potential to be more momentous for education than it turned out to bethe Feb. 13 death of Justice Antonin Scalia at age 79 dominated the second half and resulted in deadlocks for two major cases of importance to educators, one involving teachers union fees and the other, undocumented immigrant parents of U.S. citizen children. Still, the court issued important rulings on affirmative action, public employees, and voting rights.
Affirmative Action
The court upheld the race-conscious admissions program at the University of Texas at Austin, holding 4-3 that the white applicant who challenged the plan was not denied equal protection of the law. The majority in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin said that considerable deference is owed to a university in defining the intangible characteristics, such as student-body diversity, that are central to its identity and educational mission. The court stressed that a university must continually scrutinize its admissions program to assess whether changing demographics have undermined the need for a race-conscious policy.
Health Insurance
In a challenge brought by numerous religious schools and colleges to the contraceptive-care mandate stemming from the federal Affordable Care Act, the eight-member court sought to play mediator. In an unsigned opinion in Zubik v. Burwell, the court suggested that the religious groups and the federal government both agreed it would be feasible for the contraceptive care to be provided by the organizations insurance companies without the religious groups having to provide notice to the government that they objecton religious groundsto providing the coverage themselves.
Immigration
A 4-4 deadlock came in United States v. Texas, a case about the Obama administrations program of deportation relief for undocumented immigrant parents of children who are U.S. citizens (as well as an expansion of an older program for undocumented immigrants who arrived as children). The case was watched in education as schools cope with a range of implications of the immigration debate. The courts tie vote in this case effectively ended the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans program during President Barack Obamas time in office, because it upheld a nationwide injunction blocking the program issued by a federal district judge in Texas. The future of such immigration relief depends on the next president, and the next justice.
Official Corruption
In McDonnell v. United States, the court unanimously threw out the honest services fraud conviction of former Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell and thus made it more difficult for federal prosecutors to win corruption convictions against state and local officials. The court said the case was governed by its decision in a 1999 case, United States v. Sun-Diamond Growers of California, in which Scalia had citedas the type of official act that would not violate the federal fraud statutea token gift to the U.S. secretary of education during a school visit.
Public-Employee Discipline
In a 6-2 ruling in Heffernan v. City of Paterson, the court held that a New Jersey police officer who was demoted because of his superiors misimpression that he was backing a political rival to the incumbent mayor could challenge the demotion as a violation of his First Amendment rights of free speech and association. The case has implications for teachers and other public employees as well as law-enforcement officers. The court held that even though the officer wasnt seeking to engage in speech on a matter of public concern, he was harmed by the citys retaliatory demotion.
Teachers Unions
When the court heard arguments in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association in January, it appeared that five justices were prepared to overrule the 1977 precedent of Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, which authorized public-employee unions to collect services fees from nonmembers. Instead, with Scalias death, the justices deadlocked 4-4 in the case. The tie vote set no national precedent, but it preserved the status quokeeping Abood in place and giving teachers unions a huge practical victory.
Voting Representation
The justices ruled unanimously in Evenwel v. Abbott that states and local jurisdictions, including school districts, may use total population to draw their electoral districts. The court rejected an argument that the one-person, one-vote principle required jurisdictions instead to draw lines based on the citizen-voting-age population. That method would tend to boost the electoral power of rural voters and diminish that of urban areas, especially in state legislatures where childrens interests are often at stake. The principles also apply to elected school boards that have single-member voting districts.
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.
Ely, Cambridgeshire is best known for its majestic cathedral dubbed the 'Ship of the Fens' because it dominates the flat landscape. The city, which is the second smallest in England, is about 14 miles north-northeast of Cambridge and about 80 miles by road from London.
13:33, 25 OCT 2022
Following a suicide attempt, transgender U.S. Army officer Chelsea Manning has assured her supporters that she is doing well. Her attempt at taking her own life was made public last week by the U.S. Army, much to the chagrin of Manning's lawyers.
"I am okay. I'm glad to be alive. Thank you all for your love. I will get through this," she announced.
Thousands of Manning's supporters have voiced their relief online, with many giving words of encouragement and assuring the jailed soldier that the fight for her freedom is still going on.
Manning's attorneys, on the other hand, have been on the offensive since the news of her attempted suicide was made public by the U.S. Army. According to her lawyers, the actions of the Army have been a "gross breach of confidentiality."
"She would have preferred to keep her private medical information private, and instead focus on her recovery. The government's gross breach of confidentiality in disclosing her personal health information to the media has created the very real concern that they may continue their unauthorized release of information about her publicly without warning," Manning's lawyers stated.
What infuriated Manning's lawyers even more was the fact that prior to the public announcement, the U.S. Army also allegedly kept her family and legal counsel in the dark about her condition. Despite this breach of conduct, however, Manning's lawyers have stated that what really matters is that the jailed U.S. Army officer is now safe.
"She is someone who has fought so hard for so many issues we care about and we are honored to fight for her freedom and medical care," Manning's lawyers said.
The 28-year-old Manning was convicted back in 2013 for six acts of espionage and 14 other related offenses. Apart from these, Manning was also accused of leaking more than 700,000 classified military documents to controversial website WikiLeaks. Sentenced for 35 years, many argued that Manning's punishment for her crime was far too harsh.
Convicted as Bradley Manning, Chelsea asked to be officially recognized as a woman in 2013. In 2015, the U.S. Army allowed her to undergo hormone therapy.
Desire, Difference and the North East
The obsession with Indias past, pride and self-worth has engendered extraordinary stifling of dissent, and normalised violence against those who call for these passions to be tempered with humility. These brazen illiberal outbursts, accompanied by incendiary utterances are usually credited to fringe elements by the media and by those who claim to hold liberal attitudes, at least in public. Such a declaration is crucial for my purpose here, for it encapsulates a muted discomfiture that serves to elucidate the pervasive, systematic discriminations which people from the North East are confronted with. Juxtaposed against these confrontations in a caste-ridden, racialised India, the so-called fringe element appears to be the dominant mode of experience.
Simultaneously, this obsession has also triggered extraordinary opposition and resistance such as the protests by the AmbedkarPeriyar Study Circle (IIT Madras), the protests by writers/artists, and the recent protests taking place in various universities across India. However, this obsession with the past, pride and self-worth appears to accord positive attention towards ending discrimination against people from the North East. Hardly a month passes by without an event dedicated to changing perceptions about the regionthe National Youth Festival, Light Up North East Festival, Monsam Keri Youth Festivalall geared towards dispelling negative perceptions. My primary focus will be the widely shared news of University of Hyderabad and Osmania Universitys attempt to end bias against the North East by introducing courses on the culture and history of the region. This article is a critique of such endeavoursespecially the desire to teach the rest of India the uniqueness of the regionprimarily because they proceed from an uncritical evaluation of the self, a self tethered to a certain kind of politics that perpetuates discrimination and racism.
Omni Hotels & Resorts recently announced that point-of-sale systems at some Omni properties were infected with malware designed to collect payment card data, including cardholder names, credit or debit card numbers, security codes and expiration dates.
The Wall Street Journal reports that 49 of Omnis 60 North American hotels were affected, and that over 50,000 payment card numbers related to the breach have been sold online by a hacker using the handle JokerStash.
Andrei Barysevich, director of cybercrime research at Flashpoint, told the Journal that hackers have been using the stolen card data to make fraudulent purchases since February.
The malware infections were discovered on May 30, 2016. Upon learning of the intrusion, we promptly engaged leading IT investigation and security firms approved by the major credit card companies to determine the facts and contain the intrusion, the company said in a statement. The issue has been resolved, and we have taken steps to further strengthen our systems.
The attacks did not affect all of our hotels, and depending on the location, the malware may have operated between December 23, 2015 and June 14, 2016, although most of the systems were affected during a shorter timeframe, the company added.
Only those guests who physically presented their payment cards at affected locations may be impacted by the breach. All those affected are being offered one year of free access to identity protection services from AllClear ID.
A separate point-of-sale breach impacted more than 400 Noodles & Company locations in 28 states between January 31 and June 2, 2016, Kaspersky reports.
The company began investigating unusual activity reported by its credit processor on May 17, and the breach was discovered on June 2.
Since that time, Noodles & Company has been working with third-party forensic investigators to determine how the security compromise occurred and what information was affected, the company said in a statement. The company is also working to implement additional procedures to further secure guests debit and credit card information, including removing the malware at issue to contain this incident and to prevent any further unauthorized access to guests debit or credit card information.
A list of affected Noodles & Company locations is available in a FAQ here.
Regarding the Noodles & Company breach, Brad Bussie, director of product management at STEALTHbits Technologies, told eSecurity Planet by email that its important to keep in mind that any malware needs a delivery mechanism. Payment card systems and point of sale systems should be completely isolated and hardened to create a minimal attack surface, he said.
Organizations that allow removable devices, Internet browsing, and email on payment card networks are literally asking for a breach, Bussie added. When you cut off the traditional methods of malware propagation, the number of breaches will fall significantly. Companies should re-evaluate the systems they have deployed and if theyre not already start putting security first.
Separately, North Carolina State University (NC State) recently announced that a sophisticated phishing scam provided an unauthorized person with access to a university email account containing 38,000 peoples personal information, WRAL reports.
The breach, which was discovered on June 3, 2016, exposed names, 2013 home addresses, student ID numbers and Social Security numbers.
NC State has taken aggressive steps to avoid future unauthorized access to personal information, the university said in a statement. NC State has removed files and emails containing Social Security numbers from the compromised account, NC State has required affected users and members within the affected unit to change their account credentials and increase security protocols, including 2-step verification for account access as well as required additional and focused information security protocols be implemented throughout campus to all systems containing sensitive data.
All those affected are being offered one free year of access to credit monitoring services.
A recent Centrify survey found that 66 percent of adults in the U.S. and 75 percent of adults in the U.K. are at least somewhat likely to stop doing business with a company that has suffered a data breach and 21 percent of U.S. adults are very likely to do so.
When companies put customer data at risk they are really putting their entire business at risk, Centrify CEO Tom Kemp said at the time.
SoftBank
In a new study published in Cancer Letters, American University researchers show how, as body mass index increases, so does the growth and spread of the blood cancer multiple myeloma, which accounts for about 10 percent of all blood cancers in patients.
"Once a person with cancer is out of the normal weight category, their BMI is contributing to multiple myeloma growth and progression," said Katie DeCicco-Skinner, associate professor of biology at American University and lead study author.
DeCicco-Skinner and her colleagues examined the BMI of normal, overweight, obese and morbidly obese patients, and the effects on multiple myeloma. Little research into multiple myeloma examines varying patient weight to see how cells encourage cancer growth. Even fewer studies examine cancer and the morbidly obese - a fourth weight category DeCicco-Skinner said was important to study, as more overweight individuals today have the condition.
Obesity is believed to be a risk factor for many cancers, and each 5 kg/m2 increase in BMI is associated with an increase of 10 percent in cancer-related deaths, studies show. In the multiple myeloma study, normal weight is defined as a BMI of no more than 25 kg/m2, and morbidly obese is in the range of 35 to 40 kg/m2.
Cultivating stem cells
The researchers obtained stem cells from the discarded fat of liposuction patients who underwent elective surgery. They turned them into fat cells and cultured the fat cells with multiple myeloma. In bone marrow, where multiple myeloma often takes root, fat cells play an important role in the proliferation, survival, progression and drug resistance of the cancer cells.
As a patient's BMI increases, fat cells communicate with multiple myeloma cells, researchers found. Fat cells grow larger, gain additional lipid and secrete proteins linked to cancer. The researchers also found a correlation between BMI and angiogenesis and adhesion, key indicators of progression.
"We know multiple myeloma cells will anchor into bone marrow, and fat cells in the bone marrow will support the growth and spread of the cancer. In our study, as BMI increased, we started seeing an increase in the ability of multiple myeloma cells to adhere, which causes the cancer to better anchor," DeCicco-Skinner explained. "With angiogenesis, cancer cells cannot exist without their own blood supply. We also found the amount of blood vessels that developed was directly proportional to a patient's BMI."
DeCicco-Skinner and her colleagues assumed cancer proliferation would benefit from higher-than-normal BMI because of the epidemiological link between obesity and cancer. But the relationship between multiple myeloma and the BMI of obese and morbidly obese patients was drastic.
"We found that fat cells from obese or morbidly obese patients secreted a high amount of inflammatory proteins, which contributed to tumor progression," DeCicco-Skinner said.
Implications for treatment
DeCicco-Skinner's research suggests a new approach for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Physicians may want to consider tailoring drugs based on a patient's BMI because a drug may not be as effective in obese or morbidly obese patients.
"Most people think if you develop multiple myeloma, you go to the doctor, find out what the most effective drug cocktail is and how it will affect you," DeCicco-Skinner said. "A patient may need to receive drugs to block inflammatory or other obesity-specific proteins, in addition to standard anti-cancer drugs they receive."
Whether investigating fat cells, immunotherapy or use of the CRISPR-Cas 9 gene-editing tool, which a federal panel recently approved for a select number of patients suffering from three types of cancers, including multiple myeloma, approaches beyond attacking cancer cells are needed in the fight against many cancers. With multiple myeloma, most patients live four to seven years from their date of diagnosis, and most become resistant to chemotherapy drugs over time.
"Obesity increasingly plays a role in cancer cases as the numbers of those who are obese rise. Improving our understanding of how fat cells and cancer cells communicate with each other, and how the communication changes during obesity, is critical," DeCicco-Skinner said.
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-AU-
American University is a leader in global education, enrolling a diverse student body from throughout the United States and nearly 140 countries. Located in Washington, D.C., the university provides opportunities for academic excellence, public service, and internships in the nation's capital and around the world.
Chapman University releases study on breastfeeding gaps between white, black, and Hispanic mothers in the US
Chapman University has published research on how breastfeeding rates differ among white, black and Hispanic mothers. The study looked to see if ethnic and racial disparities in breastfeeding could be explained by differences in the use of formula in hospitals, family history of breastfeeding, mother's belief that "breast is best"; and demographic measures including poverty, education and relationship status.
The research found that, "Black mothers were nine times more likely to be given formula in the hospital than white mothers," according to Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook, Ph.D., assistant professor in psychology at Chapman University and co-author on the study.
"This fact alone accounted for about 20 percent of the racial disparity in breastfeeding duration between black and white mothers. In-hospital formula introduction is something that hospital policy makers and breastfeeding advocates can seek to change, whereas some other factors that led to breastfeeding disparities in our study are not so easily addressed," Hahn-Holbrook continued.
Higher rates of poverty and lower levels of education were also found to explain the breastfeeding gaps between black and white mothers, especially in determining whether mothers started breastfeeding in the first place.
The CDC has known for decades that racial and ethnic differences in breastfeeding rates result in life-long health disparities between black, white and Hispanic infants. Until recently, however, the reasons behind these breastfeeding disparities have remained somewhat of a mystery. For example, breastfeeding gaps between black and white mothers are not fully explained by differences in poverty and education. Even more puzzling is the fact that black and Hispanic mothers share many of the same economic characteristics, yet Hispanic mothers consistently have some of the highest breastfeeding rates in the US.
The researchers also examined why breastfeeding rates tend to be so much higher for Hispanic mothers compared to white or black mothers.
"Hispanic mothers were much more likely to have a family member who breastfed than white or black mothers," said Chelsea McKinney, researcher at the NorthShore University Health System and lead author on the project. "This intergenerational factor proved to be the most powerful driving force behind Hispanic mothers' better breastfeeding outcomes. A strong family history of breastfeeding, especially on the mother's side, seemed to help Hispanic mothers overcome some of the breastfeeding barriers that impoverished women often face."
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, with continued breastfeeding at least until the child's first birthday. Substantial research shows that breastfeeding benefits the neurological, immunological, digestive, and physical development of children. Despite this, roughly half of U.S. children are no longer breastfed by six months.
"Our results suggest that hospitals and policy makers should limit in-hospital formula introduction and consider family history and demographics to reduce racial and ethnic breastfeeding disparities," said Madeleine Shalowitz, MD, a Director at NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute and co- investigator on the study.
"Changing the relationship between hospitals and formula companies is notoriously challenging, even for hospitals that strive to improve breastfeeding outcomes, because many hospitals, especially those serving low-income communities, are economically reliant on free formula," said Dr. Hahn-Holbrook.
"Change is possible, however," says Dr. McKinney. "And we hope to see racial and ethnic disparities in breastfeeding diminish as more hospitals serving low-income populations become 'baby-friendly' and encourage breastfeeding through close maternal-infant contact after birth and discouraging formula use."
Here are some additional findings:
In the black/white disparities, poverty, college education and marital status fully mediated the gap in breastfeeding initiation.
Black mothers weaned their infants 10.3 weeks earlier than did white mothers.
White mothers were significantly less likely to experience in-hospital formula introduction than black mothers, which was the biggest predictor of breastfeeding duration.
Black mothers were less likely to have a family history of breastfeeding and were also less likely to live with the baby's father.
White mothers breastfed nearly seven weeks longer than did English-speaking Hispanic mothers; and the latter group tended to be younger and lack a college degree.
In addition to family history of breastfeeding, higher rates of co-resident fathers and marriage among Hispanic women accounted for some of the disparities.
"This finding supports previous research showing the important role that the baby's father can play in fostering positive breastfeeding outcomes," said Dr. Hahn-Holbrook.
Methodology
The study examined 1,636 mothers who delivered in hospitals in Los Angeles, CA, Baltimore, MD, Washington, D.C., and Lake County, IL. Researchers evaluated post-natal intent in the hospital after birth, followed by an assessment one month later and again six months postpartum. Modeling was used in the evaluation of initiation, duration, maternal age, income, household composition, employment, marital status, postpartum depression, preterm birth, smoking, belief that "breast is best," family history of breastfeeding, and in-hospital formula introduction.
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Authorship was: Chelsea McKinney, Ph.D., of NorthShore University HealthSystem; Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook, Ph.D., of Chapman University; P. Lindsey Chase-Lansdale, Ph.D., of Northwestern University; Sharon Landesman Ramey, Ph.D., of Virginia Tech; Julie Krohn, MS, RDN, LDN, of Lake County Health Department; Maxine Reed-Vance, RN, MS of Baltimore Healthy Start; Tonse Raju, MD, DCH, of the National Institutes of Health; and Madeleine Shalowitz, MD, MSA, of the NorthShore University HealthSystem on behalf of the Community Child Health Research Network.
The paper appears in the journal, Pediatrics. A link to the full article can be found here: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2016/07/11/peds.2015-2388?sso=1&sso_redirect_count=1&nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token
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An international team has made use of the power of the HAWK-I infrared instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) to produce the deepest and most comprehensive view of the Orion Nebula [1] to date. Not only has this led to an image of spectacular beauty, but it has revealed a great abundance of faint brown dwarfs and isolated planetary-mass objects. The very presence of these low-mass bodies provides an exciting insight into the history of star formation within the nebula itself.
The famous Orion Nebula spans about 24 light-years within the constellation of Orion (constellation), and is visible from Earth with the naked eye, as a fuzzy patch in Orion's sword. Some nebulae, like Orion, are strongly illuminated by ultraviolet radiation from the many hot stars born within them, such that the gas is ionised and glows brightly.
The relative proximity of the Orion Nebula [2] makes it an ideal testbed to better understand the process and history of star formation, and to determine how many stars of different masses form.
Amelia Bayo (Universidad de Valparaiso, Valparaiso, Chile; Max-Planck Institut fur Astronomie, Konigstuhl, Germany), a co-author of the new paper and member of the research team, explains why this is important: "Understanding how many low-mass objects are found in the Orion Nebula is very important to constrain current theories of star formation. We now realise that the way these very low-mass objects form depends on their environment."
This new image has caused excitement because it reveals a unexpected wealth of very-low-mass objects, which in turn suggests that the Orion Nebula may be forming proportionally far more low-mass objects than closer and less active star formation regions.
Astronomers count up how many objects of different masses form in regions like the Orion Nebula to try to understand the star-formation process [3]. Before this research the greatest number of objects were found with masses of about one quarter that of our Sun. The discovery of a plethora of new objects with masses far lower than this in the Orion Nebula has now created a second maximum at a much lower mass in the distribution of star counts.
These observations also hint tantalisingly that the number of planet-sized objects might be far greater than previously thought. Whilst the technology to readily observe these objects does not exist yet, ESO's future European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT), scheduled to begin operations in 2024, is designed to pursue this as one of its goals.
Lead scientist Holger Drass (Astronomisches Institut, Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, Bochum, Germany; Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile) enthuses: "Our result feels to me like a glimpse into a new era of planet and star formation science. The huge number of free-floating planets at our current observational limit is giving me hope that we will discover a wealth of smaller Earth-sized planets with the E-ELT."
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Notes
[1] Nebulae such as the famous one in Orion are also known as H II regions to indicate that they contain ionised hydrogen. These immense clouds of interstellar gas are sites of star formation throughout the Universe.
[2] The Orion Nebula is estimated to lie about 1350 light-years from Earth.
[3] This information is used to create something called the Initial Mass Function (IMF) -- a way of describing how many stars of different masses make up a stellar population at its birth. This provides an insight into the stellar population's origins. In other words, determining an accurate IMF, and having a solid theory to explain the origin of the IMF is of fundamental importance in the study of star formation.
More information
This research was presented in a paper entitled "The bimodal initial mass function in the Orion Nebula Cloud", by H. Drass et al., published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
The team is composed of H. Drass (Astronomisches Institut, Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, Bochum, Germany; Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile), M. Haas (Astronomisches Institut, Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, Bochum, Germany), R. Chini (Astronomisches Institut, Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, Bochum, Germany; Universidad Catolica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile), A. Bayo (Universidad de Valparaiso, Valparaiso, Chile; Max-Planck Institut fur Astronomie, Konigstuhl, Germany) , M. Hackstein (Astronomisches Institut, Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, Bochum, Germany), V. Hoffmeister (Astronomisches Institut, Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, Bochum, Germany), N. Godoy (Universidad de Valparaiso, Valparaiso, Chile) and N. Vogt (Universidad de Valparaiso, Valparaiso, Chile).
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
Research paper - http://mnras.oxfordjournals.org/content/461/2/1734.full.pdf
Photos of the VLT - http://www.eso.org/public/images/archive/category/paranal/
Contacts
Holger Drass
Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile / Astronomisches Institut, Ruhr-Universitat Bochum
Santiago / Bochum, Chile / Germany
Email: hdrass@aiuc.puc.cl
Amelia Bayo
Universidad de Valparaiso / Max-Planck Institut fur Astronomie
Valparaiso / Konigstuhl, Chile / Germany
Email: amelia.bayo@uv.cl
Richard Hook
ESO Public Information Officer
Garching bei Munchen, Germany
Tel: +49 89 3200 6655
Cell: +49 151 1537 3591
Email: rhook@eso.org
Amsterdam, July 12, 2016 - A new position statement by the European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS) published in the journal Maturitas provides a holistic model of care for healthy menopause.
In the article, the researchers argue that the core team around menopausal womenshould consist of a lead clinician, specialist nurse(s) and the woman herself, supported by an interdisciplinary network of medical experts and providers of alternative/complementary medicine. Lead clinicians should provide specialist expertise that is both comprehensive and integrated for the care of midlife women. The core team should also be responsible for structuring and optimizing processes in primary and secondary care.
As the lifespan of women in developed countries continues to increase, menopause can now be considered to be a midlife event. Although not all women will experience short- or long-term problems related to menopause, the high prevalence of hot flushes and vaginal atrophy, which can last for many years, as well as osteoporosis (1 in 3 women are at risk of an osteoporotic fracture), makes caring for ageing women a key issue for health professionals.
EMAS recommends that Europe needs more specialist teams, as the number of women currently entering menopause is on the rise. Furthermore, caretakers should follow EMAS' conceptual framework for healthy menopause and ageing should be used. It is a holistic model of care covering physical, psychological and social functioning and incorporating disease and disability. It also reflects the need of midlife women to at least maintain if not improve their quality of life, which is an integral component of contemporary healthcare.
Professor Margaret Rees, Executive Director of EMAS, commented: "This straightforward model of care and health promotion for midlife women will help empower them to make positive choices for their post-reproductive health and wellbeing."
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Notes for editors
"A model of care for healthy menopause and ageing: EMAS position statement," by Petra Stute, Iuliana Ceausu, Herman Depypere, Irene Lambrinoudaki, Alfred Mueck, Faustino R. Perez-Lopez, Yvonne T.van der Schouw, Levent M. Senturk, Tommaso Simoncini, John C. Stevenson, Margaret Rees (doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2016.06.018). It appears in Maturitas, volume 92 (2016), published by Elsevier.
Copies of this paper are available to credentialed journalists upon request; please contact Elsevier's Newsroom at newsroom@elsevier.com or +31 20 485 2492.
About the European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS)
EMAS promotes the study of midlife health through its journal, congresses, schools and website and encourages the exchange of research and professional experience between members.
Using a range of activities and through its affiliates, EMAS aims to guarantee and provide the same standard of education and information throughout Europe on midlife health in both genders. Recognizing the issues arising from increased longevity the society also provides articles, patient information, web resources, and referrals for healthcare providers in the field and keeps its members up-to-date. http://www.emas-online.org
About Maturitas
Maturitas is an international multidisciplinary peer reviewed scientific journal of midlife health and beyond, publishing original research, reviews, consensus statements and guidelines. The scope encompasses all aspects of postreproductive health in both genders ranging from basic science to health and social care. http://www.maturitas.org
About Elsevier
Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make groundbreaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions -- among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Elsevier Research Intelligence and ClinicalKey -- and publishes over 2,500 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and more than 35,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a world-leading provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries. http://www.elsevier.com
Media contact
Greyling Peoples
Elsevier
+31 20 485 3323
g.peoples@elsevier.com
They are some of the rarest reptiles in the world. According to the latest surveys, there are not even 250 adult ploughshare tortoises left to crawl through the dry forests of north-west Madagascar. This means that the species, known by the scientific name of Astrochelys yniphora, is on the brink of extinction. The government of this island state did create the Baly Bay National Park in 1997 especially to protect the remaining individuals of the species. And the international trade with this species is completely forbidden. Although this does not seem to deter trappers and smugglers. For example, 54 Madagascan ploughshare tortoises were confiscated at the airport in Bangkok in March 2013. Demand by reptile hobbyists in Asia, Europe and the US threatens to undo thirty years of conservation work.
This tortoise is not an isolated case. For their study, 37 scientists, conservationists and customs officials from 22 countries have compiled numerous other examples of species for which the pet market has become a serious problem, even though the Washington Convention (CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is actually intended to prevent nature being sold off in such a way. This Convention, that to date has been signed by 182 states including the EU, regulates the international trade in threatened fauna and flora. Appendix I to the Convention lists particularly highly endangered species; imports or exports of these species for commercial purposes is no longer permitted. Appendix II contains a large number of other endangered species; a special permit is required for trading in these species.
"More than 90 percent of reptile species are, however, not even covered by CITES", is the criticism expressed by Mark Auliya. To date, biologists have described more than 10,000 reptile species worldwide. A mere 793 of these species are presently covered by trade regulations under CITES. Many other endangered reptiles that are included in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), on the other hand, have so far not made it into the Appendices of CITES. Orlov's viper (Vipera orlovi), for example, is considered threatened with extinction; less than 250 adults are still crawling through a small region in the Caucasus. Yet the international trade in these snakes is not regulated. Just as little as the trade in various rare geckos from Madagascar and New Caledonia.
It is specifically such species that are in particular demand amongst collectors. Even though they enjoy rarity value, they can still be purchased legally and without any great degree of bureaucracy. So why does CITES not apply to all endangered animals and plants? "On the one hand, this is due to the fact that international trade is not an issue for every endangered species", explains Mark Auliya. There are, however, also enough cases where inclusion in the appendices fails only on account of economic interests or lack of political will.
Even if a species is listed by the Convention, it is, nevertheless, not necessarily out of danger. After all, the illegal trade in wild animals has become a crime that is just as lucrative as trafficking in drugs, weapons and human beings. There is a correspondingly strong incentive to circumvent the protective provisions. One possibility, for example, is to manipulate documents. This way, a CITES-listed species becomes an unregulated relative at the drop of a hat. Or an animal captured in the wild becomes one allegedly bred in captivity. A large number of monitor lizards from Indonesia or chameleons from Madagascar come onto the market using this strategy.
But time and time again, there are cases where smugglers do not bother with any paperwork. Interesting species are secretly taken across borders in suitcases or on the smuggler's body, often by "hired tourists". There is an amazing level of ingenuity involved. In September 2007 a US citizen was arrested for smuggling three Fiji banded iguanas (Brachylophus bulabula) in his prosthetic leg. "To a certain extent, cartel-like organisations are involved", explains Mark Auliya. The persons involved are very much aware which animals reach the highest prices: rarities are always in great demand. For this reason, it is not only protected species that are targeted but frequently also new discoveries by the scientific community, as are endemic species that only occur in a very small distribution area worldwide. It is therefore not surprising that Cnemaspis psychedelica, a gecko species that was unknown until 2010, quickly became popular. After all, this little reptile not only adorns itself with colours reminiscent of tripping on drugs but lives exclusively on Hon Khoai, a Vietnamese island of only eight square kilometres in size. They have been offered for sale in Europe on a regular basis since 2013 - one pair for 2500 to 3000 euros.
"Regions that are home to a large number of such unique reptiles attract particular attention from smugglers", says Mark Auliya. These include, for example, Mexico, Sri Lanka and Madagascar. In many of the countries affected, poverty, poorly equipped authorities and a lack of controls make illegal trade particularly easy. But even in Australia or New Zealand, countries that have strict protective legislation and an efficient law enforcement system, their unique fauna is not spared.
According to the study, reptile smuggling can have dramatic effects, particularly for species with small populations and extremely limited distribution areas. But even larger populations cannot cope with over-harvesting. For instance, tortoises and large lizards are very long-lived and have low reproduction rates. The ability of these populations to compensate for massive losses from trapping is therefore limited.
So what should be done to prevent a reptile clearance sale? On the one hand Mark Auliya pleads in favour of stricter regulations committing all CITES member states to better protection for their own incidences. "On the other hand, main importers such as the EU must adopt responsibility", the expert points out. He identifies need for action, as an example, concerning species such as the highly sought-after Borneo earless monitor lizards (Lanthanotus borneensis) for which European reptile hobbyists are currently willing to pay up to some 3000 euros per pair. While this species is protected in their home country, it is to date not included in the CITES appendices. This means that smugglers only have to get such animals out of Borneo. They can then be offered for sale quite openly on the European market. In the US, in contrast, trade in species that are not included in the CITES appendices but are protected in their home countries is also forbidden. "The EU is currently discussing the introduction of a similar regulation", says Mark Auliya. "That would be a step into the right direction."
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Publication:
Mark Auliya et al. (2016): Trade in live reptiles, its impact on wild populations, and the role of the European market.
Biological Conservation, Online-Ausgabe
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320716301987
Further links:
UFZ newsletter March 2016 / pages 6 to 8: http://www.ufz.de/newsletter/ufz/Maerz2016/index.html#/6
https://www.cites.org/
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Further information:
Dr. Mark Auliya
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ)
Department of Conservation Biology
Mail: mark.auliya@ufz.de
http://www.ufz.de/index.php?de=38972
The marker Flattop subdivides the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas into those that maintain glucose metabolism and into immature cells that divide more frequently and adapt to metabolic changes. This could provide a starting point for regenerative diabetes therapies, as scientists of Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, in collaboration with colleagues of the Technical University of Munich and the German Center for Diabetes Research, report in the journal Nature.
The beta cells of the pancreas produce the metabolic hormone insulin when blood glucose levels rise, in order to keep glucose levels in equilibrium. If the beta cells are destroyed or lose their function, this can lead to serious diseases such as diabetes. However, not all beta cells are identical. "It has long been known that there are different subpopulations of beta cells," said Professor Heiko Lickert, director of the Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research at Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen. "But until now, the underlying molecular mechanisms have remained elusive."
Flattop is a marker for mature beta cells
In the current study, the researchers led by Lickert searched for molecular markers subdividing the respective subgroups. One molecule, in particular, captivated their attention: the protein Flattop.* It was present in about 80 percent of all beta cells. These cells effectively determined the glucose concentration of their environment and secreted the corresponding amount of insulin, thus showing the metabolic properties of mature beta cells.
Cells without Flattop proliferate more frequently
Conversely, the team of researchers observed that beta cells in which no Flattop was measurable showed a particularly high rate of proliferation. "In our experimental model, these cells proliferated up to four times more often than the Flattop-positive cells," said study leader Lickert.
A type of precursor cells?
To pursue the hypothesis that the actively dividing cells (without Flattop) could be precursors of metabolically active cells, the scientists made use of a genetic trick to map the fate of single cells. This so called lineage tracing revealed that the proliferative progenitor cells were able to develop into mature beta cells with metabolic properties. This was also the case, when the scientists placed them in an artificial mini-organ-like 3D environment. Moreover, genetic analyses confirmed that in beta cells without Flattop, primarily genes responsible for sensing the environment were expressed, while in cells with Flattop primarily classic metabolic programs took place.
"Our results suggest that the Flattop-negative cells are a kind of immature reserve pool, which constantly renews itself and can replenish the mature beta cells," Lickert said. According to the study leader this new possibility of subdividing these two subgroups allows a comprehensive analysis of the signaling pathways involved. The results of the researchers raise hopes for the development of regenerative therapies: "The heterogeneity of the beta cells has been studied for more than 50 years, now with enabling technologies it looks like we are beginning to understand how the cells behave," said Lickert.
In the future, the scientist will focus on two major aspects: on the one hand in terms of regenerative therapy their goal would be to regenerate endogenous beta cells in a targeted manner to replace dysfunctional or lost cells in patients. On the other hand the findings are a milestone in the generation of functional beta cells from stem cells in cell culture for cell replacement therapy, which was not possible so far.
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Further Information
Background:
* Flattop is part of the Wnt signaling pathway, which in particular regulates the development of tissues and cell functions.
**Lineage tracing is a method to map the fate of single cells. It is based on gene variants emitting a color signal upon induction of the respective gene. In this particular case cells without Flattop were colored in red and turned into green upon Flattop induction.
Original Publication: Bader, E. et al. (2016). Identification of proliferative and mature -cells in the islet of Langerhans, Nature, DOI: 10.1038/nature18624
Corresponding reviews of the research group: Migliorini, A. et al. (2016). Impact of islet architecture on beta cell heterogeneity, plasticity and function, Diabetologia, doi: 10.1007/s00125-016-3949-9
Roscioni, S. et al. (2016). Impact of islet architecture on beta cell heterogeneity, plasticity and function, Nature Reviews Endocrinology, in press
The Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, the German Research Center for Environmental Health, pursues the goal of developing personalized medical approaches for the prevention and therapy of major common diseases such as diabetes and lung diseases. To achieve this, it investigates the interaction of genetics, environmental factors and lifestyle. The Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen is headquartered in Neuherberg in the north of Munich and has about 2,300 staff members. It is a member of the Helmholtz Association, a community of 18 scientific-technical and medical-biological research centers with a total of about 37,000 staff members. http://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/en
The research activities of the Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research (IDR) focus on the biological and physiological study of the pancreas and/or the insulin producing beta cells. Thus, the IDR contributes to the elucidation of the development of diabetes and the discovery of new risk genes of the disease. Experts from the fields of stem cell research and metabolic diseases work together on solutions for regenerative therapy approaches of diabetes. The IDR is part of the Helmholtz Diabetes Center (HDC). http://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/en/idr/index.html
Technical University of Munich (TUM) is one of Europe's leading research universities, with more than 500 professors, around 10,000 academic and non-academic staff, and 39,000 students. Its focus areas are the engineering sciences, natural sciences, life sciences and medicine, reinforced by schools of management and education. TUM acts as an entrepreneurial university that promotes talents and creates value for society. In that it profits from having strong partners in science and industry. It is represented worldwide with a campus in Singapore as well as offices in Beijing, Brussels, Cairo, Mumbai, San Francisco, and Sao Paulo. Nobel Prize winners and inventors such as Rudolf Diesel, Carl von Linde, and Rudolf Mobauer have done research at TUM. In 2006 and 2012 it won recognition as a German "Excellence University." In international rankings, TUM regularly places among the best universities in Germany. http://www.tum.de/en/homepage
The German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) is a national association that brings together experts in the field of diabetes research and combines basic research, translational research, epidemiology and clinical applications. The aim is to develop novel strategies for personalized prevention and treatment of diabetes. Members are Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen - German Research Center for Environmental Health, the German Diabetes Center in Dusseldorf, the German Institute of Human Nutrition in Potsdam-Rehbrucke, the Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden of the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen at the University Medical Center Carl Gustav Carus of the TU Dresden and the Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases of the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen at the Eberhard-Karls-University of Tuebingen together with associated partners at the Universities in Heidelberg, Cologne, Leipzig, Lubeck and Munich. http://www.dzd-ev.de/en
Contact for the media: Department of Communication, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstadter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg - Tel. +49 89 3187 2238 - Fax: +49 89 3187 3324 - E-mail: presse@helmholtz-muenchen.de
Scientific Contact at Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen: Prof. Dr. Heiko Lickert, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research, Parkring 11, 85748 Garching - Tel. +49 89 3187 3867, E-mail: heiko.lickert@helmholtz-muenchen.de
Amsterdam, NL, July 12, 2016 - Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder that causes a range of motor and non-motor symptoms. During the course of the disease, dopamine (DA)-producing neurons are lost and bundles of proteins known as Lewy bodies (LBs) form in the brain. A study reported in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease provided molecular evidence that the FDA-approved leukemia drug nilotinib may restore brain dopamine and reduce toxic proteins associated with LB formation in PD and dementia patients.
Researchers from Georgetown University Medical Center conducted a small phase 1 study that included only 12 patients, primarily intended to evaluate whether patients could tolerate the drug. The results showed unanticipated improvements in clinical outcomes and motor function.
"This is the first study to treat subjects with advanced PD with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor," explained lead investigator Charbel Moussa, MD, PhD, of the Department of Neurology, National Parkinson's Foundation Center for Excellence, Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC), Washington DC. "This study suggests that low doses of nilotinib appear to be relatively safe in a small cohort of participants with advanced PD or dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and although the data are supportive of additional trials, caution must be used in any future studies. The data give a clear signal to move forward with more definitive trials to determine an appropriate therapeutic dose and evaluate nilotinib effects in larger, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trials."
Autophagy, a "housecleaning" process that removes various entities from inside cells, may be impaired in PD and DLB patients. Nilotinib is an Abelson tyrosine kinase inhibitor (Abl-TKI) that induces autophagy to destroy cancer cells. The researchers had found previously that this drug could penetrate the blood brain barrier and degrade the protein bundles, which are primarily composed of -synuclein. Based on this observation, they conducted a small proof-of-concept, non-placebo-controlled clinical trial.
Twelve patients with late-stage PD or DLB randomized into two groups were given either 150 mg or 300 mg of nilotinib daily for six months, significantly lower than the 600-800 mg doses used in leukemia treatment. Careful safety monitoring included physical and neurological exams, EKGs, and extensive blood chemistry testing. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were collected at the beginning of the study and again after 8 and 24 weeks. Nilotinib uptake was measured at various intervals after dosing, and a variety of biomarkers associated with PD and neurodegeneration were assessed.
"Patients progressively improved in motor and cognitive functions as long as they were on the drug -- despite the decreased use of dopamine replacement therapies in those participants with Parkinson's and dementia with Lewy bodies," stated the study's lead author, Fernando Pagan, MD, medical director of the GUMC Translational Neurotherapeutics Program and director of the Movement Disorders Program at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.
In addition, motor symptoms were monitored using the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). The researchers observed improvements in all participants at 24 weeks, with the effects reversing by the 36-week follow up visits, after treatment had concluded.
Among the biomarker findings were that:
The level of the dopamine metabolite homovanillic acid -- an indicator that dopamine is being produced -- steadily doubled, even with the loss of most dopamine neurons. Most study participants were able to stop using, or reduce their use of, dopamine replacement therapies;
The level of the Parkinson's related oxidative stress marker DJ-1 -- an indicator that dopamine-producing neurons are dying -- was reduced more than 50 percent after nilotinib treatment; and
The levels of cell death markers (NSE, S100B and tau) were significantly reduced in CSF suggesting reduced neuronal cell death.
"Our hope is to clarify the benefits of nilotinib to patients in a much larger and well controlled study. This was a very promising start," Dr. Moussa said. "If these data hold out in further studies, nilotinib would be the most important treatment for Parkinsonism since the discovery of Levodopa almost 50 years ago."
He added, "Additionally, if we can validate nilotinib effects on cognition in upcoming larger and placebo controlled trials, this drug could become one of the first treatments for dementia with Lewy bodies, which has no cure, and possibly other dementias."
In an accompanying commentary, Richard K Wyse, MD, The Cure Parkinson's Trust, London, UK, Patrik Brundin, MD, PhD, Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA, and Todd B Sherer, PhD, Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, New York, New York, USA, put these findings into perspective and address some of the limitations of this small but innovative study. "The current paper by Pagan et al. substantiates a new direction, addressing a molecular pathway not previously targeted in a clinical trial in this context, for potential disease modification in PD and DLB. However, this study is just a first step and a major concerted effort is needed to determine whether there is still hope that can match the hype for nilotinib in alpha-synucleinopathies."
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UM Cure 2020 is a new European Consortium to foster research on metastatic uveal melanoma and identify new treatments for this serious disease.
Under the coordination of Institut Curie in Paris, the Consortium involving 12 partners has received 6 million euros of funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme to identify new therapeutic approaches to treat metastatic uveal melanoma in a 5-year project.
Although rare, uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary eye cancer in adults. While the primary tumour can often be treated effectively, up to 30 % of patients develop metastases most often in the liver, for whom no effective therapy is available. Metastatic UM patients require tailored therapies for their disease.
A project placing the patient central in therapy development
The UM Cure 2020 Consortium has gathered around a project targeted at identifying and validating at the preclinical level novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of UM metastases. Dr Sergio Roman-Roman, Head of Translational Research department at Institut Curie and Coordinator of UM Cure 2020 says: Our ambition is to significantly increase the survival of metastatic UM patients, a parameter that has remained unchanged in the last decades. Although we are aware this is an enormous challenge, we believe that we can improve the outcome of UM patients through the identification of new therapies and the initiation of UM-dedicated clinical trials. The objective is to achieve the initiation of trials sponsored by academia or pharma from 2018.
To achieve this goal, it proposes an innovative concept placing the patient central in the therapy development process. While the pharmaceutical industry mainly focuses on developing drugs that may work in as many tumour types as possible, this approach only rarely results in drugs that work in rare tumours such as UM. The centre of the UM Cure 2020 approach is to characterise tumour tissue from UM patients with metastases, in order to define actionable targets. This includes the characterisation of the genetic landscape of metastatic UM and its microenvironment, and proteomic studies to address signalling pathway deregulation. Novel relevant in vitro and in vivo preclinical models of the metastatic disease will be used to evaluate single or combinations of drugs. The project also aims to validate accurate biomarkers to evaluate therapies and detect metastases as early as possible. Underpinning this will be the UM Cure 2020 virtual biobank registry, linking biobanks in four referral centres involved into a harmonised network. The centres, in Paris (Institut Curie), Leiden (Leiden University Medical Centre), Liverpool (University of Liverpool) and Krakow (Jagiellonian University), will prospectively collect primary and metastatic UM samples, in order to gather a sufficient number of samples from this rare disease for its thorough characterisation. Single drugs and/or combinations showing promising preclinical data will then be tested in clinical trials, outside the frame of the project.
Dissemination of results under the lead of the Champalimaud Foundation (Lisbon, Portugal), a large state-of-art cancer centre, home of the annual 1 million euro Champalimaud Vision Award, [EV1] will include our support to the formation of a European UM patients and patient advocates network with partner organisation the Melanoma Patient Network Europe (Uppsala, Sweden), as well as a dedicated UM patient and caregivers interface as part of the project website, in order to increase patient information and disease awareness. Patients are therefore central in each of the research steps up until the dissemination and implementation of the results.
The UM Cure 2020 Consortium, excellence gathered in the fight against metastatic UM
Maximising resources and coordinating research efforts through a Consortium like UM Cure 2020 are mandatory to succeed in this rare disease field. There has been no such previous cooperation of scientists with the aim of performing a UM research project of this amplitude in the EU or the rest of the world. The UM Cure 2020 consortium is made of twelve partner institutions, which provide complementary expertise starting by an important track record in UM research and/or clinical management (Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, UK, in addition to the four reference centres listed above), but also preclinical studies for cancers in general (Leiden University, The Netherlands, University of Trento, Italy, early clinical development (PEP-Therapy, Paris) and biomarker development (PamGene, The Netherlands), as well as patient advocacy (Melanoma Patient Network Europe), dissemination (The Champalimaud Foundation) and project management of multi-partners collaborative projects (seeding science, France).
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The role of project partners is described in further details in the project website www.umcure2020.org.
Find out more about the project and partners: www.umcure2020.org
Facebook UM CURE 2020
Patient Facebook Group MPNE Ocular
Twitter @UMCURE2020
About Uveal Melanoma
Uveal Melanoma (UM) is a rare intraocular disease with an incidence of five cases per million individuals per year. While the primary tumour can often be treated effectively, there is currently no effective treatment for its metastases. Many UM patients are included in clinical trials designed for skin melanoma despite the fact that the latter and UM are very different in terms of molecular and clinical features. As a result, around 30 clinical trials published during the last 30 years showed no improvement in patient overall survival. Despite recent significant insights into the genetic molecular background of primary UM (the mutations and alterations responsible for the cancer and its progression), very little is known about the metastases of UM due to the rarity of this disease and the limited access to metastatic tissue. New techniques that will help to better understand the molecular pathways and immunology of UM will help us develop a tailored therapy to help these patients. "There is an urgent need to accelerate research on UM, allowing the development of efficient therapies for patients with metastases of this rare disease", emphasizes Sophie Piperno-Neumann, medical oncologist in the Medical Oncology Department at Institut Curie.
Intelligent people don't often think critically at work, as this is often uncomfortable. When a culture of "functional stupidity" prevails, it leads to a huge waste of resources, says Professor of Business Administration Mats Alvesson at Lund University, Sweden, who has written a book on the phenomenon of functional stupidity.
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"Functional stupidity involves technical skills and avoiding personal embarrassment. On the whole, the organisation runs fairly smoothly and predictably in the short term, but stupidity goes by unnoticed and this results in a huge waste of resources. Examples include ineffective leadership attempts, meeting rituals and fancy development projects", says Mats Alvesson.
Functional stupidity stems from herd behaviour and convenience. Employees are likely to get in trouble if they are too reflecting and critical, so every employee needs good self-esteem, independence and courage to think for themselves and question inflated visions, brands, core values and strategies. Mats Alvesson argues that an organisation or company that uncritically embraces trends into its organisation and leadership often suffers from functional stupidity.
"Organisations suffer from a reflection deficit. Questions that are critical are seen as uncomfortable and therefore we assume flexible positions, making an effort to ensure that nobody can criticise us. We then end up in a situation where everyone does the right thing, everyone is positive, and all things seem to be in order when in fact they are not", says Mats Alvesson.
Together with Andre Spicer from Cass Business School in London, Mats Alvesson shows a variety of examples of what happens when symbolic activities and what we display become more important than what we actually do - and the room for individual thought and responsibility is decreased.
"In the long term, this can lead to disastrous consequences for an organisation. Therefore we need to systematically combat stupidity", says Mats Alvesson.
Alvesson has written some 30 books, is one of Europe's most frequently quoted researchers in management and organisation. The concept of 'functional stupidity' was recently officially included in the Swedish language. The book The Stupidity Paradox explains the concept, highlights its relevance in a wide variety of contexts, and shows how functional stupidity can be counteracted.
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Link to the book "Stupidity Paradox -The Power and Pitfalls of Functional Stupidity at Work" : https://profile-business.com/the-stupidity-paradox.html
Contact:
Mats Alvesson, Professor of Business Administration, Lund University School of Economics and Management (LUSEM)
Email: Mats.alvesson@fek.lu.se
Mobile phone: +46 (0)704 71 09 28
Realizing the risks of social media, major news organizations have created guidelines for employees regarding how to use these outlets, separate from the companies' existing codes of conduct. Little scholarly attention has been paid to the guidelines so far.
Now, Jayeon Lee, assistant professor of journalism at Lehigh University, has analyzed the guidelines and finds that news organizations are more concerned about the current social media environment than excited about it at least when it comes to their employees.
She details her findings in a study called "Opportunity or risk? How news organizations frame social media in their guidelines for journalists," set to be published in the print edition of The Communication Review in the fall.
The study, a content analysis of the social media guidelines of nine American news organizations--The New York Times, The Associated Press, Bloomberg, Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, CNN, and NPR--and three British news organizations--BBC, The Times, and The Daily Telegraph--investigates how these employers frame messages about employee social media usage.
"I was wondering what approaches news organizations take when it comes to their own employees' social media uses," Lee said. "In particular, knowing both positive and negative implications of journalists' social media uses, I wanted to see if their guidelines were dominantly positive, negative, or neutral in their framing of the implications."
Overall, Lee found that the guidelines focus primarily on the risks and challenges presented by the use of social media rather than the opportunities and advantages for media.
"As some media critics point out, overreaching rules can stifle creativity and morale and even discourage overall social media use itself," she explained.
According to the study, news organizations are most concerned about: accuracy, breaking objectivity, inappropriate online behaviors, and harming news organizations' principles and credibility. Accuracy--sourcing or redistributing false information from social media without sufficient fact verification--was the most frequently raised topic and accounted for 17.8 percent of the total sentences studied.
"The results show that the prevention-focused approach is more common than I would have predicted," she said. "Although I expected that the guidelines would include various warnings related to risky social media activities, I was surprised to find little comment about how to use social media wisely or effectively to derive full benefit from it."
Lee recognized that news organizations are actively utilizing various social media to reach a wider audience and build brand loyalty. "However, it seems they are keen on keeping their own employees from actively engaging in social media."
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EAST LANSING, Mich. - Automakers torture test their cars on special tracks that simulate real driving conditions. Germany's automakers have their fabled Nurburgring track. GM has its Desert Proving Ground in California. Now Michigan State University has DEPI - Dynamic Environmental Photosynthetic Imaging - to test-drive plants so scientists and plant breeders can make them work better and produce more.
Many car companies push test models to their limits at Nurburgring before selling them off the showroom floor. For scientists, standard laboratory conditions and reproducible experimental designs have provided much of their understanding of photosynthesis. However, to truly understand one of the world's most-robust biological processes - and many other plant mechanisms - MSU researchers have brought nature to the lab.
The promising capabilities of DEPI are featured on the cover of the current issue of Cell Systems. DEPI will help scientists make better plants by allowing researchers to systematically explore the effects of real-world conditions using sophisticated sensors, cameras, software and more.
"With DEPI and all of its specialized equipment, we can make videos of a plants' living processes," said David Kramer, Hannah Distinguished Professor in Photosynthesis and Bioenergetics at the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory and the paper's co-author. "One way to make better plants is to test drive a range of plants with different genes and determine which genes, or combination of genes, make the plant better in different environmental conditions."
For decades, scientists have been dissecting complex processes like photosynthesis into component parts that are much simpler to study. Focusing on an element, though, can lead to missing what's happening to the entire plant.
Photosynthesis is highly sensitive to rapid changes in environmental conditions like light, temperature, humidity, the availability of water and nutrients etc. Even more critically, when the plant cannot properly control photosynthesis under these conditions, it can produce toxic side reactions that can damage or kill it, leading to loss of yield.
"We now suspect that many, if not most, of the genes in a plant are there to help it cope with environmental changes and perils," Kramer said. "And although we know much about the core machinery of photosynthesis, we have very little idea what these other genes do. Yet these are the very components that not only keep photosynthesis working efficiently but also keep it from killing the plant."
DEPI will not only help shed light on many of these mysteries, but it also will be able to do it at a relatively large scale. Kramer has 16 DEPI's in the MSU Center for Advanced Algal and Plant Phenotyping. In a single DEPI, and its roomy chamber, it can monitor hundreds of plants at the same time.
Scientists can play with light intensities and durations or replay past weather patterns - down to the exact daily fluctuations - or run models of new ones that anticipate the impacts of climate change. The chamber's special cameras can detect and quantify visible signals produced in real time by plants during photosynthesis.
While traditional methods rely on sensors applied to a single leaf at a single point in time, DEPI reveals what is happening in the whole plant, over an unlimited time period, said Jeff Cruz, director of MSU's Center for Advanced Algal and Plant Phenotyping and the paper's lead author.
"As a result, plants are demonstrating a whole range of new processes, most notably varying behaviors under dynamic environmental conditions, such as when light changes rapidly as it might do on a windy day with partially cloudy skies," he said. "Because these simulated conditions are reproducible in DEPI and because of our sophisticated monitors, we can study these processes with high precision and in great detail."
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Kramer's research is funded in part by the Department of Energy Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences.
Additional MSU scientists contributing to the research include Linda Savage, Robert Zegarac, Christopher Hall, Mio Cruz, Geoffry Davis, Wm. Kent Kovac and Jin Chen.
Michigan State University has been working to advance the common good in uncommon ways for more than 150 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU focuses its vast resources on creating solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges, while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.
For MSU news on the Web, go to MSUToday. Follow MSU News on Twitter at twitter.com/MSUnews
A lightweight telescope that a team of NASA scientists and engineers is developing specifically for CubeSat scientific investigations could become the first to carry a mirror made of carbon nanotubes in an epoxy resin.
Led by Theodor Kostiuk, a scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, the technology-development effort is aimed at giving the scientific community a compact, reproducible, and relatively inexpensive telescope that would fit easily inside a CubeSat. Individual CubeSats measure four inches on a side.
Small satellites, including CubeSats, are playing an increasingly larger role in exploration, technology demonstration, scientific research and educational investigations at NASA. These miniature satellites provide a low-cost platform for NASA missions, including planetary space exploration; Earth observations; fundamental Earth and space science; and developing precursor science instruments like cutting-edge laser communications, satellite-to-satellite communications and autonomous movement capabilities. They also allow an inexpensive means to engage students in all phases of satellite development, operation and exploitation through real-world, hands-on research and development experience on NASA-funded rideshare launch opportunities.
Under this particular R&D effort, Kostiuk's team seeks to develop a CubeSat telescope that would be sensitive to the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelength bands. It would be equipped with commercial-off-the-shelf spectrometers and imagers and would be ideal as an "exploratory tool for quick looks that could lead to larger missions," Kostiuk explained. "We're trying to exploit commercially available components."
While the concept won't get the same scientific return as say a flagship-style mission or a large, ground-based telescope, it could enable first order of scientific investigations or be flown as a constellation of similarly equipped CubeSats, added Kostiuk.
With funding from Goddard's Internal Research and Development program, the team has created a laboratory optical bench made up of three commercially available, miniaturized spectrometers optimized for the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared wavelength bands. The spectrometers are connected via fiber optic cables to the focused beam of a three-inch diameter carbon-nanotube mirror. The team is using the optical bench to test the telescope's overall design.
First-Ever Carbon-Nanotube Resin Mirror
By all accounts, the new-fangled mirror could prove central to creating a low-cost space telescope for a range of CubeSat scientific investigations.
Unlike most telescope mirrors made of glass or aluminum, this particular optic is made of carbon nanotubes embedded in an epoxy resin. Sub-micron-size, cylindrically shaped, carbon nanotubes exhibit extraordinary strength and unique electrical properties, and are efficient conductors of heat. Owing to these unusual properties, the material is valuable to nanotechnology, electronics, optics, and other fields of materials science, and, as a consequence, are being used as additives in various structural materials.
"No one has been able to make a mirror using a carbon-nanotube resin," said Peter Chen, a Goddard contractor and president of Lightweight Telescopes, Inc., a Columbia, Maryland-based company working with the team to create the CubeSat-compatible telescope.
"This is a unique technology currently available only at Goddard," he continued. "The technology is too new to fly in space, and first must go through the various levels of technological advancement. But this is what my Goddard colleagues (Kostiuk, Tilak Hewagama, and John Kolasinski) are trying to accomplish through the CubeSat program."
Advantages Abound
The use of a carbon-nanotube optic in a CubeSat telescope offers a number of advantages, said Hewagama, who contacted Chen upon learning of a NASA Small Business Innovative Research program awarded to Chen's company to further advance the mirror technology. In addition to being lightweight, highly stable, and easily reproducible, carbon-nanotube mirrors do not require polishing -- a time-consuming and often times expensive process typically required to assure a smooth, perfectly shaped mirror, said Kolasinski, an engineer and science collaborator on the project.
To make a mirror, technicians simply pour the mixture of epoxy and carbon nanotubes into a mandrel or mold fashioned to meet a particular optical prescription. They then heat the mold to to cure and harden the epoxy. Once set, the mirror then is coated with a reflective material of aluminum and silicon dioxide.
"After making a specific mandrel or mold, many tens of identical low-mass, highly uniform replicas can be produced at low cost," Chen said. "Complete telescope assemblies can be made this way, which is the team's main interest. For the CubeSat program, this capability will enable many spacecraft to be equipped with identical optics and different detectors for a variety of experiments. They also can be flown in swarms and constellations."
Other Applications
A CubeSat telescope is one possible application for the optics technology, Chen added.
He believes it also would work for larger telescopes, particularly those comprised of multiple mirror segments. Eighteen hexagonal-shape mirrors, for example, form the James Webb Space Telescope's 21-foot primary mirror and each of the twin telescopes at the Keck Observatory in Mauna Kea, Hawaii, contain 36 segments to form a 32-foot mirror.
Many of the mirror segments in these telescopes are identical and can therefore be produced using a single mandrel. This approach avoids the need to grind and polish many individual segments to the same shape and focal length, thus potentially leading to significant savings in schedule and cost.
Moreover, carbon-nanotube mirrors can be made into 'smart optics'. To maintain a single perfect focus in the Keck telescopes, for example, each mirror segment has several externally mounted actuators that deform the mirrors into the specific shapes required at different telescope orientations.
In the case of carbon-nanotube mirrors, the actuators can be formed into the optics at the time of fabrication. This is accomplished by applying electric fields to the resin mixture before cure, which leads to the formation of carbon-nanotube chains and networks. After curing, technicians then apply power to the mirror, thereby changing the shape of the optical surface. This concept has already been proven in the laboratory.
"This technology can potentially enable very large-area technically active optics in space," Chen said. "Applications address everything from astronomy and Earth observing to deep-space communications."
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For more technology news, go to: http://gsfctechnology.gsfc.nasa.gov/newsletter/Current.pdf
The Suomi NPP and Aqua satellites captured visible and infrared data on Hurricane Celia as it continues to head west toward the Central Pacific Ocean.
Hurricane Celia is currently in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, but once it passes west of 140 degrees west longitude, warnings on the system will be issued by NOAA's Central Pacific Hurricane Center.
On July 11 at 22:05 UTC (6:05 p.m. EDT) the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard NASA-NOAA-DOD's Suomi NPP satellite captured a visible light image of Hurricane Celia that showed a cloud-filled eye with powerful bands of thunderstorms wrapping around the low level center. The VIIRS image also showed a large band of thunderstorms that extended to the south, wrapping into the storms' eastern quadrant.
On July 11 at 21:29 UTC (5:29 p.m. EDT) the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared data of Celia's cloud top temperatures. The data was made into a false-colored image that showed the coldest, strongest, highest thunderstorm cloud tops in purple wrapping around the center. The color indicated that those thunderstorm tops were as cold as minus 63 Fahrenheit (minus 53 Celsius). NASA research has shown that storms that high in the atmosphere have the ability to generate heavy rain.
At 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC) on July 12 the center of Hurricane Celia was located near 16.2 north latitude and 127.9 west longitude. That's about 1,260 miles (2,025 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico. It was moving to the west-northwest at 10 mph (17 kph) and NOAA's National Hurricane Center (NHC) expects Celia to turn toward the northwest later today, with this motion continuing Tuesday night and Wednesday. Maximum sustained winds were near 100 mph (155 kph).
NHC forecasts weakening over the next two days and Celia could weaken to a tropical storm on Wednesday.
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Decreasing set of proteins reduces depression in mice
Gene therapy turns off channels in hippocampus to improve mood
Scientists working on adapting gene therapy for clinical use
CHICAGO --- Northwestern Medicine scientists have shown how manipulating a novel target in the brain using gene therapy could lead to new treatments for depression.
The investigators showed decreasing a set of proteins called HCN channels reduced depression-like behavior in mice. If replicated in humans, the findings could inform fresh therapies for millions of patients who do not respond to existing treatments for depression.
"Drugs currently available for treating depression help most patients, but they stop working for some patients and don't work from the get-go for others," said senior author Dr. Dane Chetkovich, ?a professor of neurology and of physiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine neurologist. "There is a real need for new therapies to help patients desperate for alternatives to the available therapeutic options."
The study will be published July 12 in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.
Most existing antidepressants affect mood and emotions by increasing levels of neurotransmitters called monoamines, namely serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. But the fact that these drugs are not effective for many patients suggests there are additional mechanisms underlying depression yet to be uncovered that could be targeted with new therapies.
In previous research, Chetkovich's lab and others showed those mechanisms might involve the hippocampus, a region of the brain important for learning, memory and emotional regulation. There, they saw changes to HCN channels, typically involved in controlling the electrical activity of cells in the heart and brain, also played a critical role in behaviors linked to depression.
In the new study, a group of Northwestern scientists led by Chetkovich took steps to translate that insight into a potential gene therapy using mouse models. The scientists surgically injected mice with a nontoxic virus engineered to express a gene that turns off HCN channel function in hippocampus neurons.
"When the HCN channels stopped working, the mice behaved as if they'd been given antidepressant medications," Chetkovich explained.
In contrast, increasing the function of HCN channels removed the antidepressant effect.
To measure depression-like behavior, the scientists measured how long mice would seek to escape an environment before giving up -- a test commonly used by the pharmaceutical industry to screen compounds for effectiveness as antidepressants, including medications currently on the market.
"This work not only identifies a totally new treatment target for depression, it provides a detailed molecular description of the structures that need to be manipulated for it to act as an antidepressant and develops viral tools to do so," said Chetkovich, who is also director of Feinberg's Medical Scientist Training Program.
In future research, the scientists are focusing on adapting the viral gene therapy approach to human patients. They also have a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to find small molecules that could be developed into oral medications to turn off HCN channels in the brain.
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Other Northwestern authors of the study include Ye Han, Robert Heuermann, Kyle Lyman, Daniel Fisher and Quratul-Ain Ismail.
This research was supported by National Institutes of Health grants 2R01NS059934, R01MH106511, R21MH104471 and 2T32MH067564, Brain Research Foundation grant SG 2012-01 and Chicago Biomedical Consortium grant HTS-004.
NORTHWESTERN NEWS: http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/
Researchers find the post-economic crisis of 2008, changes in the NCLEX-RN licensure examination, and the WHO's Code for Ethical Recruitment of Health Workers leads to dramatic decrease in internationally educated nurses in US
Historically, the United States (U.S.) has been a top receiving country of internationally educated nurses (IEN). These nurses had often worked in areas where there were significant nursing shortages. Therefore, U.S. was seen internationally as a major global contributor to a phenomenon of talent emigration known as nursing "brain drain", where locally educated nurses would go to school only to be seeking employment in the U.S., leaving their home country without adequate nursing talent and resources.
A new study, "Exploring longitudinal shifts in international nurse migration to the United States between 2003 and 2013 through a random effects panel data analysis," by a team of researchers at New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing (NYU Meyers) examined a decade's worth of data about IENs seeking work in the U.S., and found some striking data which counter this past "brain drain" narrative.
A total of 177 countries were eligible for inclusion in the study, representing findings from 200,453 IEN applicants to the United States between 2003 and 2013. Their work found that changes to the NCLEX-RN licensure examination (2008), the global economic crisis of late 2008, and the passing of the World Health Organization's Code for Ethical Recruitment of Health Workers (2010), all played a part in the significant drop in IEN applicants.
"The data showed that the decrease in IEN applicants to the U.S. was this perfect storm, a confluence of all these factors," notes Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAAN, NYU Meyers assistant professor of nursing, an expert in international nurse migration, and the lead author on the study. "For example, the NCLEX exam questions shifted to a more complex assessment of the test taker's knowledge and critical thinking abilities and were revised to include questions of laboratory test interpretation, delegation of work, and pathophysiology. This appears to have caused a significant drop in pass rates of IENs on the exam."
Also notable in their findings was the fact that 70% of applicants for the exam came from two countries, India and the Philippines, suggesting that the US may contribute to brain drain from those countries but not other ones. Applicants from the WHO list of "do not recruit" countries represented a small fraction of the sample, only 4%, and the number of applicants continues to decline. Pass rates of candidates from those countries averaged around 20%. If a country did not have English as an official language, then candidates were also less likely to pass the exam.
"Overall, the data is showing IEN pass rates on the NCLEX-RN have steadily declined over time from an average of 58% in 2004 to 32% in 2015," notes Dr. Squires. No significant changes were found in the number of candidates following the 2008 economic crisis or the 2010 WHO Code.
The researchers note that the results from the study suggest that if IENs are going to be successful in their efforts to migrate, they may need transitional education programs to pass the NCLEX exam. Transitional education programs are offered by many countries and sometimes organizations. These programs help prepare the candidate to take the exam and when appropriate, help build communication skills in ways that optimize patient safety.
Even graduates from schools in "sending countries" that are designed to produce professionals for export and not necessarily to work in their home countries may still need these programs to pass.
The researchers also reported that how international nurse recruitment was conducted in the past in the U.S. is unlikely to be repeated in the future, even in the 16 U.S. states that are forecasted by Health Services and Resources Administration (HRSA) to have critical nursing workforce shortages.
"Before, anyone could set up a nurse recruitment business and odds were, candidates could get successfully placed," comments Dr. Squires. "A lot of people made a lot of money in the industry before the global economic crisis caused the industry to collapse. Now, with changes in the visa allocation process for nurses and what this study's results show, the chances of an IEN successfully entering the U.S. labor market without a transitional education program is decreasing."
Overall, this study suggests that, while the WHO Code has had an influence on overall IEN migration dynamics to the United States by decreasing candidate numbers, in most cases, the WHO Code was not the single cause of these fluctuations. Indeed, the impact of the NCLEX-RN exam changes appears to exert a larger influence.
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Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Authors: Allison Squires (AS), Melissa T. Ojemeni (MO) and Simon Jones (SJ)
AS is an assistant professor of nursing in the Global Health Division of New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing; a Fellow with the Migration Policy Institute, a consultant for the World Bank and a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing. MO is a third year nursing PhD student at New York University. SJ is a Professor of Population Health at New York University School of Medicine and a Visiting Senior Fellow at the London School of Economics.
Declaration This article has been published as part of Human Resources for Health Volume 14 Suppl 1, 2016: The WHO global code of practice: early evidence of its relevance and effectiveness. The full content of the supplement can be found at http://human-resources-health.biomedcentral.com/articles/supplements/volume-14-supplement-1 Publication of this supplement was supported by the World Health Organization.
About the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing
NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing is a global leader in nursing education, research, and practice. It offers a Bachelor of Science with a major in Nursing, a Master of Science and Post-Master's Certificate Programs, a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and a Doctor of Philosophy in nursing research and theory development.
A study led by NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development finds a startling scarcity of children's books in low-income neighborhoods in Detroit, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.
The lack of children's books was even more pronounced in areas with higher concentrations of poverty, according to the findings published online in the journal Urban Education.
"Children's books are hard to come by in high-poverty neighborhoods. These 'book deserts' may seriously constrain young children's opportunities to come to school ready to learn," said Susan B. Neuman, professor of childhood and literacy education at NYU Steinhardt and the study's lead author.
Residential segregation has dramatically increased in recent years, with both high- and low-income families becoming increasingly isolated. In their study, the researchers looked at the influence of income segregation on access to children's books, a resource vital to young children's development.
Access to print resources--board books, stories, and informational books--early on has both immediate and long-term effects on children's vocabulary, background knowledge, and comprehension skills. And while public libraries are critically important in giving families access to books, research has shown that the presence of books in the home is related to children's reading achievement.
However, a 2001 study by Neuman found a sharp contrast between low- and middle-income neighborhoods when it came to being able to buy children's books. In a middle-income community, thanks to plentiful bookstores, 13 books for each child were available. In contrast, there was only one age-appropriate book for every 300 children in a community of concentrated poverty.
To create a national picture of "book deserts," the new study, funded by JetBlue, examined access to children's books in six urban neighborhoods across the United States, representing the Northeast (Washington, D.C.), Midwest (Detroit), and West (Los Angeles). In each of the three cities, the researchers analyzed two neighborhoods: a high-poverty area (with a poverty rate of 40 percent and above) and a borderline community (with a roughly 18 to 40 percent poverty rate).
Going street by street in each neighborhood, the researchers counted and categorized what kinds of print resources--including books, magazines, and newspapers--were available to purchase in stores. (While online book sales have grown in recent years, three out of four children's books are still bought in brick and mortar stores.)
The researchers recorded a total of 82,389 print resources in 75 stores. Three of the six neighborhoods had no bookstores, while dollar stores were the most common place to buy children's books.
The researchers found stark disparities in access to children's books for families living in high-poverty areas. Borderline communities in all three cities had substantially greater numbers of books - an average of 16 times as many books per child - than did the high-poverty neighborhoods in the same cities.
This disparity was even more pronounced in Washington, D.C. In the high-poverty neighborhood of Anacostia, 830 children would have to share a single age-appropriate book, while only two children would need to share a book in the borderline neighborhood of Capitol Hill.
In Detroit, 42 children would need to share a single children's book in the high-poverty neighborhood of Hamtramck, while 11 children would need to share a book in the borderline neighborhood of University District. Los Angeles neighborhoods showed relatively higher rates of children's books (children in the borderline neighborhood of Culver City could each have a book), but the numbers still pale in comparison to Neuman's earlier study of a middle-income neighborhood, where 13 books per child were available.
The research was conducted in the summer, when schools are closed and low-income children are often left with limited opportunities for learning.
"Without resources, school readiness skills accumulated throughout the year are likely to drop precipitously during the summer. This 'summer slide' is a serious issue for children in poor and borderline communities, and having limited access to books may have serious consequences," Neuman said.
JetBlue's Soar with Reading program has donated $1,750,000 worth of books to children in need, including in the communities identified as "book deserts" in this study. Naomi Moland, a postdoctoral research fellow at NYU and adjunct assistant professor at Columbia University's Teachers College, coauthored the study.
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About the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development (@nyusteinhardt)
Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development prepares students for careers in the arts, education, health, media, and psychology. Since its founding in 1890, the Steinhardt School's mission has been to expand human capacity through public service, global collaboration, research, scholarship, and practice. To learn more about NYU Steinhardt, visit steinhardt.nyu.edu.
ARLINGTON, Va.--Have you ever upgraded your software program or app, only to find it didn't seem to perform as well as the older version? The problem most likely was caused by software bloat, a condition where updated software runs slower because of repetitive code, requiring more memory--and becoming more vulnerable to cyber attacks.
"Software bloat isn't only a nuisance or inconvenience," said Dr. Sukarno Mertoguno, a program officer in the Office of Naval Research's (ONR) C4ISR Department. "It also presents a serious security risk, since the additional code could offer hackers more entry points into a software program."
Security is especially important given ONR's current efforts to design the Naval Tactical Cloud--a multiyear initiative to harness the power of cloud computing and bring big data capabilities to the warfighting environment.
To ensure the Navy's cloud and other computing efforts run more securely and efficiently, ONR is supporting the work of researchers like Dr. Dinghao Wu at Pennsylvania State University and Dr. Harry Xu at the University of California, Irvine.
Software bloat is a big problem today because of how code is written and compiled. Past generations of coders wrote new, individualized code for each program upgrade, adding only what was needed to improve performance.
Thanks to voracious consumer appetites for software features and faster product rollouts, modern coders use pre-made libraries to meet demand. The problem is these libraries contain both the new code and the repetitive code from previous software versions. Downloading the libraries actually installs both sets of code in an upgrade--creating layers of redundant, unused and outdated functions that slow down computer running time.
Then there's the security issue. "A bloated software system contains a larger code base that could lead to more vulnerabilities and greater entry platforms for hackers and cyber terrorists," said Wu. "After gaining access to a system, a hacker can use the code--even unused, older code--for malicious purposes."
Using Java, among the world's most widely used computer programming languages, Wu and his team at Penn State created a tool called JRed, which can read thousands of lines of code in seconds. Through a complex algorithm, JRed applies predefined rules to the code of software upgrades and then identifies and removes bloated, repetitive code. JRed has demonstrated it can shrink software bloat by approximately 50 percent, resulting in faster running times.
Xu and his group at UC Irvine also used Java in their research. However, they designed an optimization technique called Library Auto-Selection, or LAS.
LAS creates "shadow libraries" that can update existing software by pinpointing areas of bloat and adding only the necessary code and data needed for upgrade--skipping the repetitive code. The shadow library then is disabled through an automatic switch mechanism, eliminating the risk of repetition or cyber attack. Xu said his LAS method has trimmed software bloat significantly and improved run time speed by more than 70 percent.
"Aside from concerns about effectiveness and cost savings, reducing software bloat is critical to the capabilities of the Navy and Marine Corps," said Xu. "Military-focused software plays such a large role in the warfighting environment--from carrying out mission-critical tasks to managing confidential data--and must be even more resistant to cyber attacks than software available to the public."
The next step in Wu's and Xu's research involves cutting software bloat in mobile applications and large-scale cloud-computing networks. Their work is part of ONR's Cyber Security and Complex Software Systems Program, which focuses on the design and construction of software systems that meet required assurances for security, safety, reliability and performance.
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Unique sex chromosomes occur in species from humans to birds, worms, and flies. An unequal pair of sex chromosomes, each carrying a different complement of genes, requires specific efforts to regulate and balance the expression of sex-chromosomal genes. Like mammals, the fruit fly Drosophila has two different sex chromosomes, with XX females and XY males. A study published on July 12th in PLOS Biology shows that in the Drosophila testes--where unique X sperm and Y sperm are generated--multiple mechanisms vie to regulate expression of genes from the single X chromosome, and these bear witness to an ancient evolutionary struggle for control.
In mammals, a process called meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI) silences most of the genes on the X and Y sex chromosomes during sperm development. Male mice with defects in MSCI are infertile, suggesting that MSCI is essential for the generation of sperm cells, at least in mice. In Drosophila, there has been no conclusive evidence for the existence of MSCI. But like their mammalian counterparts, fruit fly males presumably need to regulate sex chromosomal gene expression in their testes.
Emily Landeen, from the University of Rochester, USA, and colleagues study gene expression in the germ line (i.e., the testes) of Drosophila males. In previous studies, researchers had created fly strains with random insertions of synthetic genes whose expression can be easily visualized. When these so-called transgenes landed on an autosome (any non-sex chromosome), they were expressed strongly in the testes. However, when the transgene insertions were on the X chromosome, expression in the testes was several-fold weaker.
Based on these results, the researchers concluded that a novel form of sex chromosome-specific transcriptional suppression occurs in Drosophila testes. In this study, they characterize this transcriptional suppression of X-chromosomal genes in detail and explore its evolutionary consequences.
Using experimental fly strains with well-characterized abnormal chromosome constellations (some specifically engineered to move genes normally found on the X to an autosome and vice versa), the researchers found that most genes that originate from the X are transcriptionally suppressed several-fold. Such genes show two- to four-fold higher expression when moved from the repressive environment of the X chromosome to the more permissive environment of the autosomes. Paradoxically, despite the strong transcriptional repression of the X chromosome revealed in the experimental fly strains, X-linked gene expression does not appear repressed in the testes of normal fly strains.
One possible explanation is that promoters, which regulate gene expression, have adapted to overcome the repressive X chromosome environment in the testes. To test this, the researchers performed a computer-based analysis of the DNA sequences in putative promoter regions of testis-expressed genes. Among these, they looked specifically for sequence motifs that are over-represented on the X chromosome compared with autosomes.
The analysis indeed identified several candidate promoter motifs. For one of them, the researchers were able to confirm experimentally that this short stretch of DNA, when placed upstream of a reporter gene on the X chromosome, triggers strong expression in the testes. In other words, if the motif is present upstream of a gene on the X, that gene can overcome X suppression.
The researchers conclude that their findings "show that the expression of X-linked genes in the Drosophila testes reflects a balance between chromosome-wide transcriptional suppression and the long-term compensatory evolution by sex-linked genes which have recruited strong promoters". Discussing why X suppression might have evolved only for its effects to be cancelled by the adaptation of strong promoters, they suggest that "X suppression may have evolved deep in the past for reasons that no longer hold"-- perhaps as an analog of MSCI-- "and, since then, strong promoters have evolved en masse to compensate".
In any case, the researchers state that "the constrained transcriptional environment of the X chromosome in the testes has consequences for gene expression and genome evolution". One example they mention (and for which they have some experimental support) is that "X suppression [...] may impose an upper limit on the expression level achievable in the testes". "This", they say, "may help to explain why many parent genes on the X chromosome have spawned testes-expressed duplicate genes on the autosomes", namely as "a complementary means to boost expression and compensate for X suppression".
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In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS Biology: http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002499
Citation: Landeen EL, Muirhead CA, Wright L, Meiklejohn CD, Presgraves DC (2016) Sex Chromosome-wide Transcriptional Suppression and Compensatory Cis-Regulatory Evolution Mediate Gene Expression in the Drosophila Male Germline. PLoS Biol 14(7): e1002499. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1002499
Funding: DCP was supported by grant no. 000596 from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation (http://www.packard.org), grant no. BR-5006 from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation (http://www.sloan.org), and funds from the University of Rochester. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Better outcomes may be possible if family members receive support to help their loved ones with diabetes, according to a major international study with analysis led by a Penn State College of Medicine researcher.
In the DAWN2 study--a large-scale survey of family members of adults with diabetes in 17 countries--researchers looked at the experiences and unmet needs of people with diabetes and their family members and healthcare providers. Previous research has shown that family members help adults manage their diabetes, and that this support plays a role in diabetes outcomes.
Previous DAWN2 results, published in 2014, showed that patients with diabetes experience psychological and social challenges, but that support from the community helps people cope. In the current finding, the researchers describe how diabetes affects the lifestyle of--and relationship between--the person with diabetes and the family members most involved with their care.
A qualitative analysis is a way of examining non-measurable data--for example, a patient's perspective - and a way to provide insight into a problem by discovering underlying reasons or motivations. More than 2,000 adult families participated in an Internet, phone or in-person survey. Two-thirds of participants were women and most were a spouse, partner or parent of an adult with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Researchers published their results in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice. Researchers identified four themes:
Family members worry about the day-to-day struggles of the person with diabetes, including concerns about low blood sugar occurrences and employment stability.
Diabetes causes an emotional strain in the relationship between family members and the person with diabetes.
Family members believe they have some support resources to deal with the burdens and lifestyle changes of diabetes, but they want more.
Family members are inspired by their loved one's experience of living with diabetes and they may feel motivated to eat healthier.
"This research reveals the nature and extent of what it's like to live with a person with diabetes," said Heather Stuckey, assistant professor at Penn State College of Medicine, and lead qualitative researcher. "The biggest challenge we identified for family members is that there's a constant worry about the person. It's in the background like an app that's always running."
Positive factors were also identified.
"The most positive thing we found was that the person with diabetes inspired their family members," Stuckey said. "Family members reported that the resilience of the people with diabetes was amazing. They said 'I'm so proud of them for dealing with the disease.'"
Stuckey hopes the findings will influence decision makers in the 17 countries affiliated with the study and at the International Diabetes Federation.
"We hope that each country will take the data and change its policies," Stuckey said. "For instance, in the U.S., we hope that the importance of including family members in educational sessions will be recognized and will be covered by medical insurance. This can help family members feel more informed and closer to their loved one who is living with diabetes."
In the meantime, doctors who treat patients with diabetes can learn from the study.
"Even if monumental policy changes don't happen, we hope physicians and other healthcare providers will say, there is something very simple I can do - invite a family member to accompany the person with diabetes at their medical visits," Stuckey said.
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DAWN2 is a global partnership between the International Diabetes Federation, the International Alliance of Patients' Organizations, the Steno Diabetes Center and Novo Nordisk.
Other researchers on this project were Mark Peyrot, principal investigator, Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore; Christine Mullan-Jensen and Sren E. Skovlund, Novo Nordisk A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark (at the time of the study); Sanjay Kalra, Department of Endocrinology, Bharti Hospital & B.R.I.D.E., Karnal, India; Johan Wens, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Michael Vallis, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; Andrzej Kokoszka, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland; Rachid Malek, Setif University Hospital, Algeria; Katharina Kovacs Burns, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Natalia Piana, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy; and Jean Reading, Department of Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine. Novo Nordisk funded the DAWN2 study, including planning and designing in collaboration with national, regional and global partners.
Some people have perceived that the combination of religion and political conservatism exacerbates environmental concerns in the United States. But researchers from Rice University and Baruch College have found evidence that religious identification and belief in a god dampen the otherwise strong negative effect that political conservatism typically has on whether people make purchasing decisions with concern for the environment in mind.
At first glance, the researchers' data show that political liberals are 8 percentage points more likely to say they identify as pro-environment consumers when compared with political conservatives. However, a closer look across levels of religiosity shows that this political gap is larger among the nonreligious (a difference of 12 percentage points between extreme political conservatives and extreme political liberals) and smaller among the very religious (a difference of 3 percentage points). The researchers said this suggests that religion can mute political differences when someone is being identified as a pro-environment consumer.
"We suspect that a religious identity tends to diminish political conservatism's negative impact on environmental consumption because religious identification encourages people to seek out visible behaviors (such as environmentally friendly behaviors) that demonstrate the value of their faith," said Elaine Howard Ecklund, the study's principal investigator and the Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Sciences at Rice, and Jared Peifer, the study's lead author and an assistant professor of management at Baruch.
"Put more colorfully, Americans who are watching Fox News instead of attending church on Sunday morning appear to be particularly uninterested in buying with the environment in mind," said Ecklund, who is also director of Rice's Religion and Public Life Program. "It would stand to reason that those who participate in their houses of worship and who tend to be more engaged in civic life may have less time to be exposed to such media and therefore be less likely to follow the politicized conservative 'line' with respect to the environment."
The study also found that 12 percent of blacks are pro-environment consumers, compared with 19 percent of white consumers. Peifer said that a possible explanation for this is that black Americans face more social and economic issues than their white counterparts and have limited ability to be environmental consumers.
Peifer and Ecklund said they hope the study will challenge stereotypes about how religion relates to environmental care.
The researchers analyzed data from 10,044 individuals in the Religious Understandings of Science study's environment module to test whether multiple measures of religiosity are significantly associated with consideration of the environment when people make consumer decisions (for example, shopping decisions). The survey sample estimated that 26 percent of Americans are evangelical Protestant, 15 percent are mainline Protestant, 5 percent are black Protestant, 24 percent are Catholic, 2 percent are Jewish, 7 percent are nonreligious, 4 percent are atheist and 4 percent are agnostic. In addition, 3 percent of individuals surveyed identified as extremely liberal, 15 percent identified as liberal, 11 percent identified as slightly liberal, 32 percent identified as moderate, 12 percent identified as slightly conservative, 20 percent identified as conservative and 4 percent identified as extremely conservative. Data used in the study was collected between Dec. 27, 2013, and Jan. 13, 2014.
Simranjit Khalsa, a graduate student at Rice, was also an author of "Political Conservatism, Religion and Environmental Consumption in the United States," which appeared in a recent edition of Environmental Politics. It is the first study known to measure various aspects of religiosity, politics, and their relationship to environmentally responsible consumer decisions, the authors said.
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The research was supported by a grant from Rice's Shell Center for Sustainability, the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion and Rice's Religion and Public Life Program.
To request a copy of the study, contact Amy McCaig, senior media relations specialist at Rice, at 713-348-6777 or amym@rice.edu.
This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu/.
Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews.
Related materials:
Religion and Public Life Program: https://rplp.rice.edu/
Elaine Howard Ecklund bio: http://www.elainehowardecklund.com/
Elaine Howard Ecklund Twitter account: https://twitter.com/ricerplp
Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,910 undergraduates and 2,809 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for best quality of life and for lots of race/class interaction by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. To read "What they're saying about Rice," go to http://tinyurl.com/RiceUniversityoverview.
A study by York University researcher Caroline Davis and her colleagues at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is the first to demonstrate that variants of the Oxytocin Receptor (OXTR) gene contribute to why some of us overeat
July 12, 2016, Porto, Portugal - A study by York University researcher Caroline Davis and her colleagues at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is the first to demonstrate that variants of the Oxytocin Receptor (OXTR) gene contribute to why some of us overeat or engage in episodes of binge eating. They investigated how the OXTR gene influences appetite, food preferences, food intake and personality risk traits associated with brain-reward mechanisms. These findings will be presented this week at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB), the society for the research into all aspects of eating and drinking behavior.
Oxytocin is an evolutionarily ancient molecule produced in the brain that acts at sites throughout the body by triggering the OXTR. It influences many survival behaviors including those used to manage stress, according to Dr. Caroline Davis, the lead researcher on the study. "For example, oxytocin enhances prosocial and related behaviors. On the other hand, increases in oxytocin tend to decrease appetite - especially the consumption of sweet carbohydrates."
Over the past decade, Davis and her co-investigator Dr. James Kennedy, Director of the Department of Neurogenetics at CAMH, assessed a large group of participants ranging in age from 27-50 years. The group had a broad range of body weights and included a substantial number with binge-eating habits. Among other measures, a blood sample was collected from each participant in order to analyze their DNA, the molecules that carry each individual's unique genetic information.
The DNA analysis uncovered a new link between oxytocin and behaviors associated with binge eating. The researchers focused on seven sites in the DNA where chemical instructions for making OXTR could vary between individuals. These "single nucleotide polymorphisms" (SNPs) were already suspected to be associated with psychological traits. The researchers collected questionnaires about their participants' differences in reward sensitivity, punishment sensitivity, sugar/fat food preferences, and overeating habits, to be correlated with the OXTR genetic information.
The researchers tested the prediction that these SNPs relate to psychological risk factors, which in turn are associated with overeating behaviors. "Three SNPs were significantly related to the psychological traits, which collectively accounted for 37% of the variance in overeating," says Davis. "Another SNP was directly related to overeating. These results support the role of genes in giving rise to traits that regulate behavior, and highlight the importance of oxytocin in overeating."
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More information:
Research: Polymorphisms of the Oxytocin Receptor Gene (OXTR) and Overeating: The Mediating Role of Endophenotypic Risk Factors
Funding: The Canadian Institute of Health Research and Shire Pharmaceuticals
Lead Author: Dr. Caroline Davis, School of Kinesiology and Health Science, Faculty of Heath, York University,Toronto, Canada
Co-Authors: Dr. Karen Patte, Dr Clement Zai, Elnaz Moghimi, and Dr. James Kennedy
1. James Kennedy, Director, Department of Neurogenetics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada
2. Elnaz Moghimi, PhD candidate, Faculty of Health, York University
Stomach MRI images combined with functional fMRI of the brain activity have provided scientists new insight into how the brain listens to the stomach during eating
Stomach MRI images combined with functional fMRI of the brain activity have provided scientists new insight into how the brain listens to the stomach during eating. Research from Wageningen University in the Netherlands shows - for the first time - real time data of the brain, the stomach, and people's feelings of satiety measured simultaneously during a meal, in a study to be reported this week at the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, held in Porto, Portugal. The researchers collected data from 19 participants during two separate sessions with different consumption procedures and found that a simple change like drinking more water can alter messages from the stomach interpreted as fullness by the brain. This new research approach can be used to investigate the interplay between satiety feelings, volume of the stomach and activity in the brain.
In the experiment, participants drank a milk-shake on an empty stomach, which was followed by a small (50 mL) or large glass of water (350 mL). MRI images were used to see how the different amounts of water affected stretching of the stomach: the large glass of water doubled the stomach content compared to the small glass. Together with this larger volume subjects reported to have less hunger and felt fuller.
This novel approach - combining information obtained simultaneously from MRI images of the stomach, feelings reported by the subjects, and brain scans - can offer new insights which would otherwise have been unknown, for example that activation in a brain area called the mid-temporal gyrus seems is in some way influenced by the increased water load in this experiment. The Wageningen University scientists developed the combined MRI method as part of the European Nudge-it research project, which seeks to discover simple changes that promote healthier eating. They will use it to search for a brain signature that leads people to decide to stop eating, to determine how strategies like water with a meal can be effective at feeling fuller sooner.
"Combining these types of measurements is difficult, because MRI scanners are usually set-up to perform only one type of scan. We've been able to very quickly switch the scanner from one functionality to another to do this type of research" says Guido Camps, lead author of the study. "In conclusion, we've found that simply adding water increases stomach distension, curbs appetite in the short term and increases regional brain activity."
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Figure 1.
Activation in the insula is increased when the stomach is distended more.
Figure 2.
The same subject with either the small (left) or large volume of water (right) in the stomach (delineated in red).
Research: "Just add water: how water affects gastric distension, appetite and brain activity"
Authors:
G CAMPS, R VEIT, M MARS, C DE GRAAF, P SMEETS
LA JOLLA--Our brains can survive only for a few minutes without oxygen. Salk Institute researchers have now identified the timing of a dramatic metabolic shift in developing neurons, which makes them become dependent on oxygen as a source of energy.
The findings, published July 12 in the journal eLife reveal a metabolic route thought to go awry in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
"There is relatively little understanding about how neuron metabolism is first established," says co-senior author Tony Hunter, holder of the Renato Dulbecco Chair and American Cancer Society Professor in Salk's Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory. "Aside from enabling us to understand this process during neuronal development, the work also allows us to better understand neurodegenerative disease."
To send messages along neurons is energetically demanding, and the brain uses both oxygen and glucose intensely. The brain, for example, uses 20 percent of the body's glucose supply. The cell's energy-producing factories, called mitochondria, are scattered throughout the long, slender axons of neurons in order to provide all parts of the cell with a constant supply of energy. As the neurons get bigger, so do the number of mitochondria, according to the new study.
We make new neurons in the womb, and this process continues after birth. Even a few areas in the adult brain continue to make new neurons throughout life. "We assume that the metabolic shift we describe in this new study happens every time a progenitor cell turns into a neuron," says the study's first author Xinde Zheng, a Salk research associate.
The cells that eventually become neurons initially use a pathway called glycolysis, which is a major energy-producing process that takes place in the cytoplasm of the cell and turns glucose into energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). At some point, however, the cells switch to a more efficient pathway called oxidative phosphorylation, a process that uses oxygen to produce ATP and occurs inside the mitochondria.
Hunter, Zheng, Salk's Leah Boyer and colleagues previously studied a rare metabolic disease called Leigh syndrome and recently published work showing that less ATP is produced in afflicted neurons. In the process of understanding that disease, they needed to recreate it in a dish, using cells with mutations in the DNA contained within mitochondria. But the team realized that it was not well understood how normally dividing cells generate energy while they divide and differentiate into new cell types.
In the new study, Hunter's team found that as a neuron precursor cell becomes a neuron, genes coding for key metabolic enzymes used in glycolysis switch off their expression,. Those changes work hand in hand to shut down glycolysis. All the while, key regulators of oxidative phosphorylation are ramping up.
Most surprising is that developing neurons must completely shut down glycolysis, says Hunter. When the researchers prevented that from happening, the neurons quickly died.
"This is the first comprehensive analysis of metabolic changes during neuronal differentiation, and the surprising reliance of neurons on oxidative phosphorylation for their sole energy source has clear implications for neuronal vulnerability with age," says co-senior investigator Rusty Gage, a professor in Salk's Laboratory of Genetics and holder of the Vi and John Adler Chair for Research on Age-Related Neurodegenerative Diseases.
The group plans to look more closely at how the metabolic genes are controlled in developing cells. They also plan to study neurons harboring energy defects associated with disease, such as Parkinson's disease, and different types of neurons to compare any finer differences in metabolism.
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Other authors on the study are Mingji Jin, Jerome Mertens, Yongsung Kim, Li Ma, Li Ma, and Michael Hamm, all of the Salk Institute.
The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation, the JPB Foundation, the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, Annette Merle-Smith, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, and the Helmsley Center for Genomic Medicine.
About the Salk Institute for Biological Studies:
Every cure has a starting point. The Salk Institute embodies Jonas Salk's mission to dare to make dreams into reality. Its internationally renowned and award-winning scientists explore the very foundations of life, seeking new understandings in neuroscience, genetics, immunology and more. The Institute is an independent nonprofit organization and architectural landmark: small by choice, intimate by nature and fearless in the face of any challenge. Be it cancer or Alzheimer's, aging or diabetes, Salk is where cures begin. Learn more at: salk.edu.
In a report appearing in the July 12 issue of JAMA, an HIV/AIDS theme issue, Huldrych F. Gunthard, M.D., of University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland, and colleagues with the International Antiviral Society-USA panel, updated recommendations for the use of antiretroviral therapy in adults with established HIV infection, including when to start treatment, initial regimens, and changing regimens, along with recommendations for using antiretroviral drugs for preventing HIV among those at risk, including preexposure and postexposure prevention.
There have been substantial advances in the use of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) for the treatment and prevention of HIV infection since the last version of these recommendations in 2014, warranting an update to the recommendations. A panel of experts in HIV research and patient care convened by the International Antiviral Society-USA reviewed data published in peer-reviewed journals, presented by regulatory agencies, or presented as conference abstracts at peer-reviewed scientific conferences since the 2014 report, for new data or evidence that would change previous recommendations or their ratings. Comprehensive literature searches were conducted. Recommendations were by consensus, and each recommendation was rated by strength and quality of the evidence.
Recommendations
Newer data support the widely accepted recommendation that antiretroviral therapy should be started in all individuals with HIV infection with detectable viremia regardless of CD4 cell count. Recommended optimal initial regimens for most patients are 2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) plus an integrase strand transfer inhibitor (InSTI). Other effective regimens include nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors or boosted protease inhibitors with 2 NRTIs. Recommendations for special populations and in the settings of opportunistic infections and concomitant conditions are provided.
Reasons for switching therapy include convenience, tolerability, simplification, anticipation of potential new drug interactions, pregnancy or plans for pregnancy, elimination of food restrictions, virologic failure, or drug toxicities. Laboratory assessments are recommended before treatment, and monitoring during treatment is recommended to assess response, adverse effects, and adherence. Approaches are recommended to improve linkage to and retention in care are provided. Daily tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine is recommended for use as preexposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV infection in persons at high risk. When indicated, postexposure prophylaxis should be started as soon as possible after exposure.
"Antiretroviral agents remain the cornerstone of HIV treatment and prevention. All HIV-infected individuals with detectable plasma virus should receive treatment, with recommended initial regimens consisting of an InSTI plus 2 NRTIs. Preexposure prophylaxis should be considered as part of an HIV prevention strategy for at-risk individuals. When used effectively, currently available ARVs can sustain HIV suppression and can prevent new HIV infection. With these treatment regimens, survival rates among HIV-infected adults who are retained in care can approach those of uninfected adults," the authors conclude.
(doi:10.1001/jama.2016. 8900; the study is available pre-embargo to the media at the For the Media website)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
Editorial: Antiretrovirals for HIV Treatment and Prevention - The Challenges of Success
"The current IAS-USA guidelines reflect the hard-won success of 35 years of clinical research," write Kenneth H. Mayer, M.D., and Douglas S. Krakower, M.D., of Fenway Health, Boston, in an accompanying editorial.
"Although challenges remain to optimize the cascade of care and to prevent new infections, and an aging epidemic will present new challenges, these concerns reflect the successes of highly effective antiretroviral therapy. Historians may wonder whether the pace of discovery in the early days of the epidemic could have been accelerated, but no one can doubt the signal accomplishments of biobehavioral research and community engagement in forging a common strategy to deal with this global pandemic, one that continues to pose new challenges."
(doi:10.1001/jama.2016.8902; the editorial is available pre-embargo to the media at the For the Media website)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
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Media Advisory: To contact co-author Paul A. Volberding, M.D., email Jeff Sheehy at jeff.sheehy@ucsf.edu; to contact co-author Michael S. Saag, M.D., email Alicia Rohan at ARohan@uab.edu. To contact editorial co-author Kenneth H. Mayer, M.D., email Christopher Viveiros at cviveiros@fenwayhealth.org.
To place an electronic embedded link to this study and editorial in your story These links will be live at the embargo time: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?doi=10.1001/jama.2016.8900 http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?doi=10.1001/jama.2016.8902
In a study appearing in the July 12 issue of JAMA, Claire K. Ankuda, M.D., M.P.H., and Deborah A. Levine, M.D., M.P.H., of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, examined trends in caregiving for home-dwelling older adults with functional disability.
As more people in the United States age with chronic disease, needs for caregiving increase. Whether the source of caregiving for disabled older adults is changing is unknown. This study used data from the nationally representative U.S. Health and Retirement Study, and included home-dwelling adults 55 years and older with 1 or more impairments in activities of daily living or instrumental activities of daily living (ADL/IADLs) who were surveyed between 1998 and 2012.
There were 5,198 individuals and 39,060 observations of home-dwelling older adults with 1 or more impairments. The researchers found that individuals increasingly reported caregiver help, from 42 percent in 1998 to 50 percent in 2012. Assistance was increasingly provided by spouses, children, other family, and paid caregivers over each 2-year period.
The greatest increase in caregiving was among those with fewer ADL and IADL impairments. "Although this is likely in part because those with more impairments have already sought caregivers, it may also be that more adults with 1 or 2 impairments are aging in their communities as opposed to nursing homes," the authors write.
"Further work is needed to assess the balance between functional needs in the population and capacity for caregiver support, as well as the burden on unpaid caregivers."
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(doi:10.1001/jama.2016.6824; the study is available pre-embargo to the media at the For the Media website)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
Media Advisory: To contact Claire K. Ankuda, M.D., M.P.H., email Kara Gavin at kegavin@med.umich.edu.
To place an electronic embedded link to this study in your story This link for the study will be live at the embargo time: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?doi=10.1001/jama.2016.6824
In a study appearing in the July 12 issue of JAMA, an HIV/AIDS theme issue, Lisa R. Metsch, Ph.D., of Columbia University, New York, and colleagues assessed the effect of structured patient navigation (care coordination with case management) interventions with or without financial incentives to improve HIV-l viral suppression rates among hospitalized patients with elevated HIV-1 viral loads and substance use.
The U.S. National HIV/AIDS Strategy calls for improved engagement in care and increased viral suppression for people living with HIV. Yet it has been estimated that only 30 percent of the 1.2 million persons with HIV infection in the United States in 2011 were virally suppressed, and according to data collected during 1999-2007, many were hospitalized with conditions preventable through HIV treatment. Substance use is likely a major factor in poor HIV clinical outcomes. To improve their health, persons with HIV infection and substance use may require treatment for substance use disorders in concert with HIV treatment. Patient navigation and the use of financial incentives for achieving predetermined outcomes are interventions increasingly promoted to engage patients in substance use disorders treatment and HIV care, but there is little evidence for their efficacy in improving HIV-1 viral suppression rates.
In this study, 801 patients with HIV infection and substance use from 11 hospitals across the United States were randomly assigned to receive patient navigation alone (n = 266), patient navigation plus financial incentives (n = 271), or treatment as usual (n = 264). Patient navigation included up to 11 sessions of care coordination with case management and motivational interviewing techniques over 6 months. Financial incentives (up to $1,160) were provided for achieving targeted behaviors aimed at reducing substance use, increasing engagement in HIV care, and improving HIV outcomes. Treatment as usual was the standard practice at each hospital for linking hospitalized patients to outpatient HIV care and substance use disorders treatment. HIV-1 plasma viral load was measured at study entry and at 6 and 12 months.
The researchers found that there were no differences in rates of HIV viral suppression (? 200 copies/ml) versus nonsuppression or death among the 3 groups at 12 months. Eighty-five of 249 patients (34 percent) in the usual-treatment group experienced treatment success (HIV viral suppression) compared with 89 of 249 patients (36 percent) in the navigation-only group for a treatment difference of 1.6 percent and compared with 98 of 254 patients (39 percent) in the navigation-plus-incentives group for a treatment difference of 4.5 percent. The treatment difference between the navigation-only and the navigation-plus incentives group was -2.8 percent.
"Among hospitalized patients with HIV infection and substance use, patient navigation with or without financial incentives did not have a beneficial effect on HIV viral suppression relative to nonsuppression or death at 12 months compared with treatment as usual. These findings do not support these interventions in this setting and indicate that other approaches are needed to improve HIV outcomes in this vulnerable population," the authors write.
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(doi:10.1001/jama.2016.8914; the study is available pre-embargo to the media at the For the Media website)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
Media Advisory: To contact Lisa R. Metsch, Ph.D., call Stephanie Berger at 212-305-4372 or email sb2247@columbia.edu.
To place an electronic embedded link to this study in your story This link for the study will be live at the embargo time: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?doi=10.1001/jama.2016.8914
In a study appearing in the July 12 issue of JAMA, an HIV/AIDS theme issue, Xiangrong Kong, Ph.D., of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, and colleagues examined whether increasing community medical male circumcision and antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage was associated with reduced community HIV incidence in Uganda.
Randomized trials have shown that medical male circumcision (MMC) reduces male HIV acquisition by 50 percent to 60 percent, and that early initiation of ART reduces HIV transmission by more than 90 percent in HIV-discordant couples. There are limited data on the population-level effect of scale-up of these interventions in sub-Saharan Africa. Such evaluation is important for planning and resource allocation.
Using data from population-based surveys conducted from 1999 through 2013 in 45 rural Rakai, Uganda communities, community-level ART and MMC coverage, sociodemographics, sexual behaviors, and HIV prevalence and incidence were estimated in 3 periods: prior to the availability of ART and MMC (1999-2004), during early availability of ART and MMC (2004-2007), and during mature program scale-up (2007-2013).
From 1999 through 2013, 44,688 persons participated in 1 or more surveys. Median community MMC coverage increased from 19 percent to 39 percent, and median community ART coverage rose from 0 percent to 21 percent in males and from 0 percent to 26 percent in females. Median community HIV incidence declined from 1.25 to 0.84 per 100 person-years in males, and from 1.25 to 0.99 per 100 person-years in females. Analysis indicated that increasing community-level coverage of MMC was associated with significant reductions in male community HIV incidence. For example, in communities with MMC more than 40 percent, male HIV incidence was 0.66 per 100 person-years lower than in communities with MMC coverage 10 percent or less.
"This difference is substantial to these communities and suggests that increasing MMC coverage more than 40 percent could reduce male incidence by approximately 39 percent at a population-level. This is comparable with the estimated reduction in individual HIV acquisition risk associated with comparable ART coverage in South Africa," the authors write.
"Because MMC provides direct protection against male HIV acquisition, this association is plausible and consistent with the estimated associations of increasing MMC coverage with male HIV prevalence from cross-sectional analyses in South Africa. Female community HIV incidence was not significantly associated with male MMC coverage during the study period, consistent with mathematical models suggesting that the HIV prevention benefits of MMC to women accrue over longer periods."
The researchers write that if similar associations are found elsewhere regarding increasing community MMC and female ART coverage, this would support further scale-up of MMC and ART for HIV prevention in sub-Saharan Africa.
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(doi:10.1001/jama.2016.7292; the study is available pre-embargo to the media at the For the Media website)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
Media Advisory: To contact Xiangrong Kong, Ph.D., email Stephanie Desmon (sdesmon1@jhu.edu) or Barbara Benham (bbenham1@jhu.edu).
To place an electronic embedded link to this study in your story This link for the study will be live at the embargo time: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?doi=10.1001/jama.2016.7292
Among nearly 900 serodifferent (one partner is HIV-positive, one is HIV-negative) heterosexual and men who have sex with men couples in which the HIV-positive partner was using suppressive antiretroviral therapy and who reported condomless sex, during a median follow-up of 1.3 years per couple, there were no documented cases of within-couple HIV transmission, according to a study appearing in the July 12 issue of JAMA, an HIV/AIDS theme issue.
A key factor in assessing the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART) as a prevention strategy is the absolute risk of HIV transmission through condomless sex with suppressed HIV-1 RNA viral load for both anal and vaginal sex. Alison J. Rodger, M.D., of University College London, and colleagues evaluated the rate of within-couple HIV transmission (heterosexual and men who have sex with men [MSM]) during periods of sex without condoms and when the HIV-positive partner had HIV-1 RNA load less than 200 copies/ml. The study was conducted at 75 clinical sites in 14 European countries and enrolled 1,166 HIV serodifferent couples (HIV-positive partner taking suppressive ART) (September 2010 to May 2014).
Among the 1,166 enrolled couples, 888 (62 percent heterosexual, 38 percent MSM) provided 1,238 eligible couple-years of follow-up (median follow-up, 1.3 years). At study entry, couples reported condomless sex for a median of 2 years. Condomless sex with other partners was reported by 108 HIV-negative MSM (33 percent) and 21 heterosexuals (4 percent). During follow-up, couples reported condomless sex a median of 37 times per year, with MSM couples reporting approximately 22,000 condomless sex acts and heterosexuals approximately 36,000. Although 11 HIV-negative partners became HIV-positive (10 MSM; 1 heterosexual; 8 reported condomless sex with other partners), no phylogenetically (molecular characteristics that indicate whether a virus is similar or different from another) linked transmissions occurred over eligible couple-years of follow-up, giving a rate of within-couple HIV transmission of zero.
The authors note that the confidence limits used in the study suggest that with eligible couple-years accrued so far, appreciable levels of risk cannot be excluded, particularly for anal sex and when considered from the perspective of a cumulative risk over several years.
"Although these results cannot directly provide an answer to the question of whether it is safe for serodifferent couples to practice condomless sex, this study provides informative data (especially for heterosexuals) for couples to base their personal acceptability of risk on."
The researchers note that additional longer-term follow-up is necessary to provide a similar level of confidence for the risk from anal sex compared to vaginal sex.
(doi:10.1001/jama.2016.5148; the study is available pre-embargo to the media at the For the Media website)
Editor's Note: This work was funded by the National Institute for Health Research under its Programme Grants for Applied Research Programme. The study coordinating centre was also supported by the Danish National Research Foundation. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, etc.
Editorial: Condomless Sex With Virologically Suppressed HIV-Infected Individuals - How Safe Is It?
"For individuals who want to routinely or intermittently not use condoms with an HIV-infected partner, clinicians can indicate that the risk of HIV transmission appears small in the setting of continued viral suppression, emphasizing that the duration the HIV-infected partner needs to be virologically suppressed before achieving optimal protection is unknown, although appears to be for at least 6 months, based on the best available data," write Eric S. Daar, M.D., and Katya Corado, M.D., of the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, Calif., in an accompanying editorial.
"Moreover, clinicians need to be clear that even though the overall risk for HIV transmission may be small, the risk is not zero and the actual number is not known, especially for higher-risk groups such as MSM. Although more research is needed with larger numbers of couples and longer follow-up, it is not known if or when such data will emerge. Consequently, for now, clinicians and public health officials must share the data that exist in an honest and understandable way so that serodiscordant couples can be fully informed when individualizing their decision making about sexual practices."
(doi:10.1001/jama.2016.5636; the study is available pre-embargo to the media at the For the Media website)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
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Media Advisory: To contact Alison J. Rodger, M.D., email alison.rodger@ucl.ac.uk. To contact editorial co-author Eric S. Daar, M.D., email edaar@labiomed.org.
To place an electronic embedded link to this study and editorial in your story These links will be live at the embargo time: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?doi=10.1001/jama.2016.5148 http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?doi=10.1001/jama.2016.5636
Boosting food production with limited water availability is of great importance to humanity. However, our current water usage is already unsustainable today. The fact that plant leaves lose a great deal of water through photosynthesis is the greatest limiting factor for larger harvests worldwide. Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed an approach to solving the problem: they have been able to get plants to use water more efficiently without restricting their growth. This is thanks to a plant-inherent water-conservation strategy that enables plants to absorb carbon dioxide while minimizing water loss.
Plants activate this water-conserving mode when water is scarce. TUM scientists have been able to identify the activating signal and permanently switch on this water-saving mode. This is a possible solution to resolving the issue that about 70 percent of the water consumed worldwide is utilized by the agricultural sector. Unsustainable water extraction, primarily by the agricultural sector, is lowering the continent's groundwater table. Every year, about 50 net cubic miles of water - that is approximately three times the annual water volume cascading at the Niagara Falls - is moved from land to sea, thus contributing to a rise in sea level of about 30 percent. According to the Global Agriculture Report, demand for water is three times higher today than it was 50 years ago. Future prospects: by the year 2050, demand for water in agriculture is expected to increase by another fifth.
About 80 percent of the water released into the atmosphere by land masses does not evaporate right away but travels through plant roots and sustains leaf transpiration. This makes the search for crop plants with improved water utilization a central issue for curbing the high water usage in agriculture and ensuring food security for the future.
How plants regulate gas exchange
Plants control the exchange of carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor through pores, referred to as stomata, located on their leaves. Closing the stomata reduces water loss but also impedes CO2 absorption. Depending on temperature and humidity, the absorption of CO2 molecules costs plants about 500 to 1,000 molecules of water. When water is scarce, however, plants are capable of reducing internal CO2 concentrations, thus making CO2 absorption more effective.
"Plants have the ability to cut water loss during CO2 absorption in half," says Erwin Grill, Professor of Botany at TUM - "but they will only switch to this water-saving mode when water is in short supply". With arable crops, plants with a perpetually activated water-saving strategy would preserve the moisture in the ground to use it for growth and survival at a later point in times of drought.
Plant hormone activates water-saving mode
As the team of TUM scientists has discovered, a plant hormone called abscisic acid is responsible for switching the water-saving mode on. This plant hormone is produced in greater quantities in times of water shortage. In the model plant Arabidopsis, also known as mouse-ear cress, there are 14 receptors responsible for perceiving this plant-specific hormone signal. The Munich researchers were able to demonstrate that increased production of some of these receptors will cause plants to switch to the water-saving mode even when water is not in short supply. The catch is that only three of the receptors did not negatively influence plant growth. Up to 40 percent of the water required previously could be saved without affecting the plant's performance.
Initial experiments show water-saving effects under simulated field conditions
"The next step is to see if these water-saving effects can also be observed under field conditions," says Hans Schnyder, Professor of Grassland Studies at TUM and co-author of the study. Initial simulation experiments conducted in phytochambers of the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, German Research Center for Environmental Health, support this assumption.
"It remains to be seen if crop plants such as wheat, corn, and rice can produce more biomass with the same amount of water using this mechanism," says Professor Grill. "We are optimistic. Since the mechanisms involved are present in all plants, it should be possible to transfer these results from the model plant Arabidopsis to crop plants. This would be an important step towards ensuring future food security."
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Publication:
Zhenyu Yang, Jinghui Liu, Stefanie V. Tischer, Alexander Christmann, Wilhelm Windisch, Hans Schnyder, and Erwin Grill: Leveraging abscisic acid receptors for efficient water use in Arabidopsis, PNAS 2016. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1601954113
http://www.pnas.org/content/113/24/6791.abstract
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Erwin GrillTechnical University of MunichChair of BotanyEmil-Ramann-Str. 4D-85354 FreisingPhone: +49.8161.71.5433Mail: erwin.grill@mytum.de
COLUMBIA, Mo. - A service animal can help owners with disabilities navigate daily tasks. Service animals are recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as those with months or years of training that serve a specific disability-related function, such as seeing-eye dogs. However, people not necessarily exhibiting a mental or physical disability are eluding the system by asking their mental health professionals to certify "emotional support animals" (ESAs). These animals are not recognized by the ADA, have little to no specific training and often can be certified through the internet. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri are exploring the effects these requests are having on the mental health profession as well as outlining the potential legal ramifications psychologists could face by certifying ESAs. Researchers recommend that psychologists refrain from issuing certifications to avoid the ethical and legal risks associated with certifying ESAs.
"Although emotional support animals can be pets, they are not considered pets under the law," said Cassie Boness, a graduate student in clinical psychology in MU College of Arts and Science. "Often, special accommodations must be afforded to individuals who need ESAs, to assist them psychologically. For example, housing that prohibits pets must allow ESAs and landlords have to waive any fees or pet deposits. Airlines are required to allow emotional support animals to accompany their handlers in the main cabin of an aircraft. As a result, it can be implied that some patients who claim they need ESAs are doing so to avoid higher rent and fees."
Boness, working with Jeffrey Younggren, a forensic psychologist and clinical professor at MU, and their team reviewed several studies as well as delineated the legal differences between ESAs and service animals. They suggest that mental health professionals who certify ESAs could potentially face legal ramifications. The lack of scientific guidelines regarding ESAs would make it difficult for psychologists to defend their actions in court, Younggren said.
"The psychotherapist is stating that the person needing the emotional support animal has a disability and that the presence of the animal addresses it," Boness said. "However, if a pet owner asks a psychologist to certify a dog as an ESA allowing the pet in the owner's apartment--and then that pet bites a child--the psychologist might have to go to court to defend her decision if the landlord challenges it. Legally, they'd be implicated."
For now, Boness and Younggren recommend that therapeutic psychologists--those who treat patients--should refrain from issuing certifications to their patients for emotional support animals. Instead, they should refer those services to a forensic psychologist, who serve more of an administrative function such as being an expert witness in court.
The team now is working on their next research study that will survey mental health professionals to help guide the development of guidelines for mental health professionals who want to certify ESAs.
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The study, "Examining Emotional Support Animals and Role Conflicts in Professional Psychology" recently was published in the journal Professional Psychology: Research and Practice by the American Psychological Association. Jennifer Boisvert, a private practitioner in Beverly Hills, California, contributed to the study.
Editor's Note: For more on this story, please see: https://coas.missouri.edu/news/emotional-support-animals-present-conflicts-psychologists
MIAMI-A research team led by scientists at the University of California, Riverside and the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science have found that ultraviolet light is changing the structure of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil components into something more toxic, further threatening numerous commercially and ecologically important fishes. The DWH oil spill, in which more than three million barrels of crude oil got released in 2010 into the northern Gulf of Mexico, is the worst oil disaster in US history, contaminating the spawning habitats for many fishes.
"Ours is the first experiment evaluating the effects of DWH oil on the genetic responses of mahi-mahi embryos and larvae," said Daniel Schlenk, a professor of aquatic ecotoxicology, who led the study published in Environmental Science and Technology. "It is also the first experiment of this nature on a lifestage and species that was likely exposed to the oil. We found that the weathering of oil had more significant changes in gene expression related to critical functions in the embryos and larvae than the un-weathered oil. Our results predict that there are multiple targets of oil for toxicity to this species at the embryonic life stage."
First, the researchers exposed the fish embryos to the oils at three different time points: 24 hour post fertilization, 48-hours post fertilization, and 96-hours post fertilization. (Hatching to larvae in mahi-mahi occurs at 48-hours post fertilization; the researchers bracketed this time point at 24-hours post fertilization and 96-hours post fertilization.) Then, the researchers collected transcripts of all the genetic information at each time point and evaluated these transcripts using novel bioinformatic methods. Finally, they evaluated the toxicity and heart functions in animals using the embryos' gene expression to predict biochemical, cellular, and tissue targets where the oil was causing an effect.
For their experiments, Schlenk and UM Rosenstiel School scientists caught the mahi-mahi off the coast of Miami, Fla., and exposed embryos to two types of oil: one set of embryos was exposed to slick oil (weathered) from the spill while another set was exposed to oil that came from the source of the spill. The researchers carried out the experiment this way because fish in the northern Gulf of Mexico had been exposed during the spill to both types of oil. Their study attempted to understand which of the two oils - slick oil or source oil - is worse for the fish and how oil affects development.
"This study exemplifies a fruitful collaboration between UC Riverside and the UM Rosenstiel School to identify molecular targets for oil toxicity," said UM Rosenstiel School Professor Martin Grosell, lead of the RECOVER (the Relationship of Effects of Cardiac Outcomes in fish for Validation of Ecological Risk) consortium and co-author of the study. "In addition to impacts on heart development and function, the gene expression results illustrate the peripheral components of the nervous system involved in sensory function is impaired by oil exposure during early development."
Sensory function is important for prey detection and predator avoidance.
"We found that the heart, eye and neurological function were affected," Schlenk said. "In collaboration with other consortia members from the Universities of Miami, Texas, and North Texas, we are now following up on these results. Previous studies have shown that the heart is the primary target for oil. Our study shows that in addition to heart function, risk and recovery should also examine eye and neuronal function."
Video: https://youtu.be/g6GuocAXCbk
The approximately four-month study was expedited by a unique software, On-RAMP, that the researchers used to identify the gene signatures from the fish.
"Normally, it can take months to annotate the genes and identify the regulatory directions of expression," Schlenk explained. "But by using On-RAMP, we could identify the genomic responses in a matter of weeks, allowing pathway analyses with sophisticated software normally only used for human/mice responses."
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The research was funded by the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative, Grant No: SA-1520, as well as the Relationship of Effects of Cardiac Outcomes in fish for Validation of Ecological Risk (RECOVER) consortium.
The co-authors of the study include: Schlenk, Elvis Genbo Xu, Graciel Diamante and Juliane Freitas from UC Riverside; Edward M. Mager, Martin Grosell, Christina Pasparakis, Lela S. Schlenker, John D. Stieglitz, and Daniel Benetti from the UM Rosenstiel School; and E. Starr Hazard, Sean M. Courtney and Gary Hardiman at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Next, the research team will follow up with whole animal physiological and behavioral effects to see if the newly identified molecular responses can be linked to function.
About the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School
The University of Miami is one of the largest private research institutions in the southeastern United States. The University's mission is to provide quality education, attract and retain outstanding students, support the faculty and their research, and build an endowment for University initiatives. Founded in the 1940's, the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science has grown into one of the world's premier marine and atmospheric research institutions. Offering dynamic interdisciplinary academics, the Rosenstiel School is dedicated to helping communities to better understand the planet, participating in the establishment of environmental policies, and aiding in the improvement of society and quality of life. For more information, visit: http://www.rsmas.miami.edu.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Shannon Carson, MD, professor of medicine and division chief of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine at the UNC School of Medicine, along with co-principal investigator Judith Nelson, MD, JD, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Christopher Cox, MD, of Duke University, led a four-year, first-of-its kind clinical study on the effects of palliative care for medical decision-makers.
The results, published July 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), show that intensive care units in New York and North Carolina hospitals, where the study was conducted, provided communication and family support that was at least as sufficient as specialized interventions (palliative care) for families of chronically ill patients in the ICU. The researchers focused on investigating the psychological distress of caregivers and decision-makers for patients with a chronic critical illness, which is defined as dependence on a respirator for more than one week.
"We have long known that patients experiencing chronic critical illness have a very difficult time because of complications from their illness, long dependence on life support, and long hospitalizations," Carson said.
All of those things also make it difficult and stressful for family members, caretakers, and decision-makers - who are often the same people.
"It's very disruptive to their lives and their work, and - to complicate things even more - we rely on them to assist with a large amount of decision-making. It's very stressful for family members," Carson said. "As ICU physicians, we sometimes worry that we don't provide or aren't able to provide the support and information that families need to help with this decision-making in the most effective ways."
In trying to determine what could be done to keep families better informed and possibly lessen the associated stress and ease anxiety, Carson considered whether offering support from palliative care specialists would be beneficial. Participants in the randomized study were 365 family decision-makers for 250 ICU patients with chronic critical illness.
"We hoped that having families meet with palliative care physicians - at least a couple times -would help families cope better down the line," Carson said. "And so we randomized family members to either meet with palliative care physicians and nurses during the course of their family member's illness, or they received the usual care; all the information they received was from the ICU clinicians - physicians and nurses.
"What we found is that there was no benefit to having these additional meetings with palliative care clinicians. We found that the support and communication provided by the critical care team was quite good. We concluded that while it was an interesting and hopefully useful idea, for now it seems that the support provided by the regular ICU doctors is at least as sufficient as additional support provided by palliative care," Carson said.
In addition, no difference was found in the number of days a patient was in the hospital or the time the patient spent on a respirator or on other therapeutic interventions.
"As an intensivist, I find that to be a positive finding," he said. "We're doing at least as well as the gold standard in this setting. It provides reassurance. Even though we can always do better in communication, we're at least doing as well as anyone can. We will still need to consult palliative care for difficult situations, but routine consultation for all chronically critically ill patients will not be necessary."
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The University of Southampton is part of a 6.2 million Euro project to produce the first comprehensive map of river barriers across Europe and help to reconnect its rivers.
The Adaptive Management of Barriers in European Rivers (AMBER) multi-disciplinary research project is a collaboration with 20 partners from 11 countries. It will work with hydroelectric companies, water providers, NGOs, anglers and local authorities to restore river connectivity in a way that maximises the benefits of water extraction for agriculture, energy and industry but reduces environmental impacts.
The project will encourage citizens to become involved in efforts to reconnect Europe's rivers by mapping the location of more than one million barriers and assessing their impacts on freshwater species and ecosystems with the help of a smartphone app.
The Southampton research team will receive just over 400,000 Euros to help develop more effective fish passes to enable fish to get past dams and weirs in an effort to restore dwindling populations.
Professor Paul Kemp from the University's International Centre for Ecohydraulics Research (ICER), along with postdoctoral researchers Andrew Vowles and Jim Kerr, will conduct innovative research using ICER's large-scale flume facilities at the Chilworth Science Park. The aim is to determine the swimming capabilities and behavioural response of seldom considered, yet often overlooked, species of high conservation concern to hydrodynamics.
Professor Kemp said: "Knowing which barriers to mitigate, and which ones to optimise, is key for effective restoration of stream connectivity. Our aim is to apply adaptive barrier management to help reconnect Europe's rivers, the smart way. We will make the first global assessment of stream connectivity across Europe, and use the power of citizen science and the latest developments in remote sensing, molecular methods and assessment of ecosystem services to prioritise areas for conservation and optimise barrier management."
AMBER seeks to raise awareness of the problems posed by stream fragmentation, the pressures on freshwater ecosystems and the need for innovative solutions to restore river connectivity. All major rivers in Europe are disconnected from the sea and this has had a catastrophic impact on many species, including some iconic migratory fish such as salmon or eels that have in some cases become extinct. For example, in the Netherlands and Germany barriers along the River Rhine prevent the migration of salmon, sturgeon and shad, while in the Iberian peninsula salmon has disappeared from all but a handful of rivers.
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An Engineering graduate from the University of Strathclyde is celebrating a double success after gaining her degree - and winning a UK-wide prize for her achievements as a student.
Carol Nairn has received her MEng qualification with Distinction after completing her studies at the Department of Chemical & Process Engineering.
She is also one of just 10 students to win the Salters' Graduate Prize, awarded annually by the Salters' Institute to outstanding final-year Chemistry and Chemical Engineering undergraduates.
Carol won the prize after being nominated to enter by her department. In her application, she outlined her achievements to date and her aspirations for working in the pharmaceutical industry.
During her degree, she has worked on internships with pharmaceutical companies GSK and Novartis and has worked and studied around the world, in Madrid, Philadelphia, Basel and Kingston, Ontario. She has also acted as a lecturer and student mentor.
Carol, who is from Mauchline, East Ayrshire, said: "I'm delighted to graduate and to win the Salter's Prize at the same time. It's great to have the recognition of the prize and I'd like to thank the department for helping me become the engineer I am today - as well as my family and friends for their endless support and encouragement.
"All of my placements were different - they covered research and development, manufacturing and conceptual design. My research for my thesis project also gave me the chance to explore wastewater treatment; the aim is to develop a more sustainable approach to the treatment of domestic wastewater and recovery of nutrients in the water.
"Strathclyde has offered a different academic experience to what I would have at other institutions, in that you get very practical experience. It makes it much more real and tangible when you're learning from with people who have worked in these areas before."
Carol has won prizes and financial support during her time at Strathclyde for achieving the highest marks in her year, from companies including BP, ConocoPhillips, Aker Solutions and Genesis Oil and Gas, as well as the GSG Beveridge Prize.
She has also become a brand ambassador for Saltire Foundation Undergraduate Internship Programme, an entrepreneurial leadership programme for Scottish universities in which she participated in 2015.
Carol is currently working as a research graduate with KCP Environmental Services in Cumnock, East Ayrshire, and will shortly take up a post with GSK at its site in Barnard Castle, County Durham.
Carol is the second Strathclyde winner of a Salters' Graduate Prize in recent years. Chemistry alumnus Chris Steven was a winner in 2012, when he graduated in Applied Chemistry & Applied Engineering.
Salters' Graduate Prizes are awarded "on the basis of assessments of the potential of candidates ultimately to occupy leading positions in public life, either by employment in the Chemical or related industries, or more generally in employment that supports the industrial life of the UK."
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Approximately one in 68 people are on the autism spectrum. Experts are unanimous on this: early intervention is critical for improving communication skills and addressing behavioral issues. But how can researchers expedite the identification of children in need of help and simultaneously provide a more clear-cut map for intervention and support? Researchers from the USC Signal Analysis and Interpretation Laboratory (SAIL) at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering Ming Hsieh's Department of Electrical Engineering, along with autism research leaders Catherine Lord (of Weill Cornell Medical College) and Somer Bishop (of University of California, San Francisco), are now exploring whether machine learning might play an important role in helping screen for autism and guide caregiver and practitioner intervention.
Their newest interdisciplinary collaboration and research is documented in the paper "Use of Machine Learning to Improve Autism Screening and Diagnostic Instruments: Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Multi-Instrument," published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
Study authors Daniel Bone, Somer Bishop, Matthew P. Black, Matthew Goodwin, Catherine Lord and Shrikanth S. Narayanan looked at two established industry tests: the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R), and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), both exams in which parents are interviewed about their children's behaviors. The scholars then applied machine learning techniques to analyze how parents' responses on individual items and combinations of items matched up with the child's overall clinical diagnosis of ASD vs. non-ASD.
One of the fundamental questions that drove this research project, said co-author and SAIL Director Shri Narayanan, was, "How can we support and enhance experts' decision-making beyond human capability, how can we make sense of data and patterns not able to be detected by a single person?" The researchers, eager to provide parents or caregivers and evaluators with "tools for better decision-making," studied over 1500 individuals' test scores, comparing the results of those individuals with autism spectrum disorder to those with other non-ASD diagnoses.
By using machine learning to analyze thousands of caregiver responses, the researchers were able to identify redundancies in the questions asked to caregivers. By eliminating these redundancies, the authors identified five ADI-R questions that appeared to be capable of maintaining 95% of the instrument's performance. While it is unclear how these questions would function if they were administered separately from the overall interview, they suggest that certain diagnostic constructs (when reported by parents) may be particularly important for predicting clinical diagnosis.
Further clinical testing is needed to understand the practical utility of these particular results, but use of these types of techniques could ultimately serve to reduce administrative time and to customize questions to identify the unique challenges that warrant intervention for a particular individual.
The authors also believe they can use machine learning to provide another lens on autism, offering a picture that is clearer, more distilled, and overall more data-informed for caregivers and practitioners. This, the authors believe, could be revolutionary in that it "takes out the guesswork or subjectivity involved even in trusted, industry-wide instruments."
"Machine learning can make a diagnosis more effective, more systematic," said USC's Daniel Bone, the study's lead author. Beyond early intervention, increased detail could also reduce the frequency of misdiagnoses that deny individuals access to services from the states or public schools, for example.
State-of-the-art computational techniques are emerging as scalable tools for clinical translation in human health and well-being.
Researchers at the Signal Analysis and Interpretation Laboratory at USC want to take a holistic approach to autism. Aside from targeting screening and diagnosis instruments with machine learning, the researchers are working to create quantitative measures of human behavior based on audio, video, and physiological sensors through signal processing. One primary target for the researchers has been to quantify what sounds atypical about the speech melody of many individuals with autism, since objective measures from a computer may supplement clinicians in this difficult judgment. Eventually, the scholars would like to train specialists to use audio and signal processing tools on a more regular basis to identify and monitor specific behavioral patterns and develop interventions to address these patterns.
In addition, one of the projects this multi-disciplinary team of engineering scholars from USC and psychologists from UCSF are planning (along with experts in adolescent social development from Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Ryan Adams, will address social challenges that people with autism may experience. The researchers will record an individual's behavior to try to understand speech patterns or gestures which may unknowingly be off-putting to peers and strain friendships. The researchers would like to provide data-driven insights that can be used for therapeutic interventions to improve the quality and quantity of friendships for children on the spectrum.
Narayanan said, "We are building the science first, then translating science back into useful technology--all through interdisciplinary partnerships."
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Topical treatments are applied directly to the skin and are usually the first option for treating mild to moderate psoriasis. (7)
These therapies can be divided into two categories: over-the-counter (OTC) topicals and prescription topicals.
OTC Topicals
Salicylic Acid This medicine is a keratolytic (peeling agent) that causes shedding of the outer layer of your skin. Besides psoriasis, it is used to treat acne, dandruff, and seborrhea, and to remove corns, calluses, and warts. There are many forms and brands of topical salicylic acid on the market. Salicylic acid topical is available as an ointment, liquid, gel, soap or shampoo, cloth pads, sprays, and skin patches. (8)
Common side effects may include minor skin irritation, rash, and changes in the color of treated skin. The medicine can cause a rare allergic reaction, so you may choose to apply a small "test dose" initially to see how your skin responds. You should stop using salicylic acid topical and tell your doctor if you experience serious side effects, such as severe headache, stomach pain, or shortness of breath.
Coal Tar These topicals contain actual tar that comes from coal. Like salicylic acid, coal tar medication belongs to a class of drugs called keratolytics or keratoplastics. They are prescribed to relieve itchiness, dryness, and scaling caused by various skin conditions besides psoriasis, such as eczema and dermatitis. These drugs work by helping your skin shed dead cells from its top layer. (8)
Coal tar topicals come in various formulations and are considered one of the oldest psoriasis treatments. They are available as an ointment, liquid, cream, lotion, gel, soap, and shampoo. Your dose will depend on your condition and the type of coal tar youre using.
Coal tar topicals will make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so use caution outdoors on days following your treatment. Tell your doctor if any of the following side effects become severe or persist: itching, burning, redness, or staining of your skin or hair Serious side effects may include signs of infection in or around the treated area, and signs of anaphylaxis, which may include rash, hives, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, or swelling of your face, mouth, lips, or tongue.
Others Topicals Additional OTC topical products that contain aloe vera, jojoba, urea, or zinc pyrithione can help moisturize and soothe the skin. Capsaicin, the active ingredient in chili peppers that makes them hot, is used in medicated creams and lotions to relieve muscle or joint pain, but its topical application may also be useful in the treatment of psoriasis.
Prescription Topicals
Nonsteroidal Topical medicines that do not contain steroids are often prescribed to control excessive skin cell production. Synthetic vitamin D3 is commonly used to slow down the growth of skin cells. Its found in the medicines Vectical (calcitriol) and Dovonex (calcipotriene). Synthetic vitamin A is also given to help symptoms. The medicine Tazorac (tazarotene) contains a compound thats similar to vitamin A. Another nonsteroidal topical is Zithranol (anthralin), which is a synthetic form of a substance found in the bark of the South American araroba tree.
Corticosteroids These anti-inflammatory medicines, generally referred to as steroids, are the most frequently used treatments for psoriasis. Topical steroids are made from the natural corticosteroid hormones produced by the adrenal glands. They come in various brands and strengths, depending on the specific condition. (9)
Long-term use of powerful steroids can cause thinning of the skin and treatment resistance, so your doctor will have to weigh the benefits and risks of prescribing this therapy. There is a low risk of the topical steroid causing systemic effects unless applied to the entire body at high strength.
It was with a familiar longing that I turned the last page of Douglas Axes new book, Undeniable: How Biology Confirms Our Intuition that Life Is Designed, published today. If only evolutionists would quit spinning their theory for a moment, read a serious critic, and answer him. If only! One of the most striking features of the Darwin debate is the signal refusal of Darwins defenders to register scientific critiques and offer a worthy reply.
Having read Undeniable, I think the evolutionary advocate Id most like to hear from is MITs Jeremy England, hailed as the next Charles Darwin. Axe quotes Paul Rosenberg writing in Salon, claiming (with the customary confused deployment of the scare word creationist), that [T]hings could get a whole lot worse for creationists because of Jeremy England, a young MIT professor whos proposed a theory, based on thermodynamics, showing that the emergence of life was not accidental, but necessary.
Necessary means basically a snap. As England himself puts it, You start with a random clump of atoms, and if you shine light at it for long enough, it should not be surprising that you get a plant. Or as Axe summarizes the equation:
light + random atoms + time = living plant
England is in a long tradition of smart people in the sciences who grossly wildly! underestimate the challenge of developing life from non-life or complex from simple. For the layman, the temptation is simply to take this expert opinion as granted, without questioning it. That is the easier way, and at least in the medias view, the more praiseworthy, touched by the prestige of elite opinion. After all, who am I, a non-scientist, to doubt a famous expert?
To that question, Dr. Axes book is the answer. Highly rigorous yet passionate, lyrical, forthright, refreshingly brief and accessible, Undeniable is an urgently needed addition to the library of books on intelligent design. It stands out in several ways. It is the book that largely steps back from technical matters, and demonstrates why all the other ID books must be right. While giving both the engineering and biology perspectives, it offers non-engineers and non-biologists the intellectual tools, without mastering technical literature, to have and defend their own well-informed view on the ultimate question of lifes origins.
I dont mean to imply its entirely an easy read, or remotely superficial, so that anyone can flip through and come out prepared in a twinkling to creditably give Jeremy England a piece of your mind. But a focused reading and perhaps rereading should be sufficient.
Axe argues with England, with David Barash, with Richard Dawkins, and, very respectfully, with Thomas Nagel. The book is framed by engagement with Nagel. But Dr. Axe is not arguing for us, on our behalf. He is showing us how to do it.
Axe concludes that Darwinian explanations are not just unlikely, merely implausible, but physically impossible. He explains how he reached this conclusion, on a journey of his own from undergraduate days at UC Berkeley, PhD at Caltech, and on to Cambridge University where he was a postdoctoral student and research scientist, finally expelled for his association with ID. Axe is currently director of Biologic Institute.
Publishing in the Journal of Molecular Biology, he has probed the rarity of functional proteins, testing biologist Michael Dentons earlier assertion that they could well be exceedingly rare. That itself was a vast, vast understatement: I was able to put a number on the actual rarity a startling number, with only one good protein sequence for every 1074 bad ones.
But you dont have to take Axes word for it, against the admitted majority of his fellow scientists who affirm the Darwinian alternative. He explains how the natural intuition of design is not only innate but intellectually, scientifically valid, confirmed by what Axe calls common science. Its not true that because you dont have a PhD and because your work, in contrast to Axes, isnt featured in Nature or PNAS, you are not a scientist. Practicing science is something we all do, even if we never venture into its rarefied aspects.
The design intuition is suppressed by many of us, unnaturally so, and that is the dirty little secret of evolutionary biology. In a nutshell, evolution can fiddle, but it cannot invent:
If the invention of a working X is a whole project requiring extensive new functional coherence, then the invention of X by accidents of any kind is physically impossible. Why? Because for accidental causes to match insight on this scale would be a fantastically improbable coincidence, and our universe simply cant deliver fantastically improbable coincidences. The fact that much simpler things can be had by accident is completely irrelevant. The only thing we need to know to reject all accounts of X itself being invented by accident is that these stories all attempt to excuse an impossible coincidence.
Invention, whether of an omelet or an orca, requires knowledge. We recognize that folding paper to devise an origami crane required knowhow, but lightly reject the same requirement in a living crane, because of natural selection? Axe advises common scientists such as ourselves to keep your eye on the ball:
We have arrived at what looks to be a decisive argument. In a sentence: Functional coherence makes accidental invention fantastically improbable and therefore physically impossible. Invention cant happen by accident. This is the ball, then. To become distracted by any defense of accidental origins that doesnt answer this argument is to take our eye off the ball.
The enigma of protein evolution alone is enough to serve as evolutions undoing. But the problem, the demand for knowledge and insight as a prerequisite for invention, goes all the way up the ordered hierarchy that comprises every living creature, from spider, to salmon, to orca: Each is strikingly compelling and complete, utterly committed to being what it is.
Hierarchical organization is the key, and Axe illustrates the concept clearly with examples including the photosynthetic system of cyanobacteria and the complete system, the functional hierarchy, of mammalian vision.
This is all beautifully explained Axe is a beautiful writer in under three hundred pages that move along briskly and with great brio. My aim, Axe writes, is to liberat[e] readers from their dependence on experts. He has done that, masterfully.
Im on Twitter. Follow me @d_klinghoffer.
Hindustan Times newly appointed Mobile Editor Yusuf Omar has a big responsibility up his sleeve his job revolves around creating the worlds largest team of mobile journalists in India. The move is set to bolster HTs digital first policy and provide a further impetus to alternate forms of storytelling.
Omar, who holds the citizenship of three countries but is an Indian by origin, was earlier working for eNCA television channel in South Africa.
In an exclusive interview, Omar speaks about the tricky task entrusted on his shoulders, looking at journalism 2.0 and more....
Excerpts:
You have been entrusted with the responsibility of creating 750 mobile journalists across the country. This will be the biggest team of mobile journalists in the entire world. How do you intend to go about it?
Its an incredibly tricky task. I think the F word for mobile journalism is fragmentation. You cant get a more fragmented market than India. Just in our newsroom alone we have about 75 different types of phones. We have got Nexus, Android, iOS phones so the challenge is coming up with apps and techniques that will work across the board. I dont think the initial strategy is to roll out brand new iPhone 6 Plus to everybody. But rather to identify who are the good visual storytellers and then invest in that talent but essentially you want to have a footprint of 750 journalists across the country that are already going out and telling stories and we just want to empower them with more skills.
We want them to go beyond print, text stories and start telling video stories. Not just video stories but also create something in terms of GIFs, Memes and a complete understanding of how mobile audiences digest content and then coming up with creative ways to fulfil that beyond just tweets from the field. Now we are looking at journalism 2.0. The difficulty is again that some journalists are relatively old. They say that I get millions of people reading my bylines every day.
Why do I need to do a video story? And the simple answer is because if you still want to be relevant in five years time then you need to be able to tell video stories. At the moment 50% of Indias internet traffic is made up of video.
By 2020, CISCO estimates that it will be 75% so even for legacy institutions like Hindustan Times and some of the oldest print fraternities, the understanding that we need to get to video is very clear. We are never going to be able to compete with the broadcasters for the kind of infrastructure they have.
I dont think we are going to be able to compete with digitally native websites like Quint or Scroll who are thoroughly focussing on video. What we can beat them at is being the fastest. That could be our competitive advantage. Having a great footprint of lots of storytellers who are all able to shoot, edit on their phones and upload on social media. We are trying to take away as many restrictions as possible.
Do you think the prevailing conditions are favourable towards mobile journalism? Statistics say that the internet penetration is somewhere around 15%. The data packs are very costly and many people are still using extremely slow internet connections that affect buffering speed.
Data costs will always go down. India is the second biggest internet market in the world after China and China doesnt count because it bans so much of the video content. I effectively see India as the biggest internet market in the world. Costs will come down and video consumption is already increasing. I think we should see it as an opportunity when working in any emerging markets.
I have come from South Africa. I think one of the reasons they hired me is because I have an understanding of how to make video stories appeal to people in low data areas. Its a challenge. Its about making videos as short as possible. I try and think we can tell any story in a minute whether its a cabinet reshuffle or a piece on Kim Kardashian. Its also about using creative devices like a GIF or a Meme. It doesnt use much data at all but it often gets across a similar message.
Think about 360 degree footage. It is made up of six frames into a cube which then turns into a circle. If we can get rid of one of those frames and turn it into a pyramid as opposed to a cube, you lose one fifth of the data. So its about coming up with creative ways. Looking at the Indian market where people are, they largely communicate on WhatsApp so how do we deliver video content to them on WhatsApp? I think India is going to be the fastest growing video market in the world.
You spoke about fragmentation and the different smartphones being used in the newsroom. As a Mobile Editor, how are you going to ensure a basic level of audio and video quality because if everyone is not shooting from the same set of phones then the video and audio quality would turn out to be quite different because an iPhones quality differs from that of an Android?
You are absolutely right. I think the first thing we have to understand is that the online environment of YouTube and Facebook has never been more forgiving of badly lit, poor audio and shaky content. I could arguably say that shaky handheld stuff is in at the moment more than putting on a tripod and keeping it neat so I dont think the audience cares as much as we think they do.
I think they increasingly care about things that look organic and real. In terms of maintaining quality, there are two types of quality. There is a technical quality of the video and audio and there is quality of what you are actually putting out. Is it factually accurate? Is it authentic journalism? I am of the opinion that as much as possible we should get stories out quickly and take the Sky News philosophy. If its wrong its wrong but for how long?
We will correct it and your audience will be a part of rectifying problems. I am not worried about the fragmentation of different devices and I think that will balance out. I see a scenario where everybody inevitably moves on to high end smartphones once we identify who are the visual storytellers.
In the last 12 months there has been an explosion of online videos in India. News organizations are trying to rehash wire videos and giving them a kind of treatment that they can be consumed online. Others are going in for original content creation. Some organizations are doing both. But the one similarity is that videos are of shorter duration and clickable value. We are not seeing many Vice-style documentaries. Do you think there is space for long form videos especially at a time when everyone keeps saying that the attention span of consumers is falling drastically?
I absolutely think that there is space for long form journalism but that doesnt mean there is space for television journalism online. If you are going to do long form, you will have to look at the likes of Vice who still keep the length of their videos to about ten minutes. They have a very edgy, off the wall kind of way where they follow the presenter who is on a travel journey and telling a story. Its very personality driven. They have strong personalities on camera.
I dont think Indian news organizations have a lot of strong personalities on the digital front. We dont have an Arnab Goswami equivalent who is focussing on Facebook and I think it is quite good to go at the moment. I think there are a lot of exciting things happening in India. If you look at Quint doing their explainer stuff or even if you look at AIB. I still look at that under the broader satirical news space.
People are playing a lot and they are not scared to try new things. But fundamentally the majority of news organizations are making the same mistake. They are trying to create television for online and its not working. The idea of an anchor delivering the news doesnt work on Facebook. People dont want talking heads. They want something far more dynamic.
We are not taking enough time to understand each platform. And you talked about clickable and shareable content. Thats another shortfall we see in the Indian market. We are spending the entire daily meeting discussing the editorial but very little discussion about how we are going to share it. What engagement we have in place? What comments do we want to create? How do we keep it evergreen? But the answer to your question would obviously be that there is a space for long form videos online.
When we are talking about the Indian news market we are actually dealing with huge numbers. For instance many of our newspapers have a circulation of more than 3 million copies a day. The websites are driving just as much traffic as a New York Times or a BBC. But the profits on digital arent that huge. Will that restrict creativity in the long run?
No! Finding creative ways to make online more profitable is critical in India. I think we are still doing a lot of banner ads and gutter ads. We are doing three second pre-rolls before our videos. All these are digital strategies that have been seen to be ineffective.
We need to increasingly look towards content marketing and native adverts to fill that void. Of course that means doing stories that are sponsored by some people. As long as it is clearly announced and your editorial and sponsored content can be differentiated, I dont see a problem with that. That to me seems like the most viable business model. Another one of course is subscription. If you can get your content to be of high enough quality that differentiates from the rest, you can start charging people for it.
I personally dont believe any Indian news company has worthy enough content to motivate for a paywall. But get your stories good enough and people would pay for it in the same way that we paid for satellite television when we had access to free television.
Despite its Digital First policy, Hindustan Times is recognized as a print organization. The newspaper is the flagship product. Many of the employees may see themselves as writers. How challenging is to convince such people to think visual and embrace multimedia in general and mobile journalism in particular?
They are not as resistant as you would think. We surveyed the entire newsroom and the vast majority comprising of some 85% said that they want to acquire mobile journalism skills. They want to start telling stories through videos online. There hasnt been a sharp resistance. Its quite easy. Its the first time in history that you can almost quantify the influence that a journalist has by the amount of likes they have on their Facebook page, the amount of Twitter followers they have, Instagram and these kinds of things. If you can convince a journalist that acquiring mobile journalism skills will beef up their own brand online then the proposition becomes very easy. People are all about egos and if you are creating more content around their stories, name or brand, they are all into it. So its really a personal journey of each journalist to better themselves. Hindustan Times as an organization is trying to lift their game.
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Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Look for fresh Family Plot Blog posts on funeral customs of all major religions and of population groups from around the world!
The International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) holds its summer University in Memphis, Tennessee July 22 through 27, 2016. Thanks to a scholarship from Regions Bank, Gail Rubin is enrolled in the International Studies program, covering religious and cultural influences on funeral observations.
The session titles include:
Chinese Funeral Practices and Customs
Hispanic Culture of Death and Dying in Mexico
Hindu Funeral Beliefs
Vietnamese Funerals & Traditions
Filipino Funeral Customs
Capturing the Hispanic Market
Korean Traditions, Customs and Practices
Jewish Funeral and Burial
Muslim Funeral Traditions
Roman Catholic Funeral Rites
Funeral Traditions in Cambodian Buddhist Culture
Mormon Beliefs on Death & Burial
African-American Funeral Traditions
Services for Military Veterans
The ICCFA University is open to employees of all cemeteries, funeral homes, crematories, supplier companies and related businesses. The University is comprised of the College of 21st Century Services, the College of Cremation Services, the College of Funeral Home Management, the College of Land Management & Grounds Operations, the College of International Studies, the College of Leadership, Administration & Management, and the J. Asher Neel College of Sales & Marketing. The programs provide continuing education credits. More information at ICCFAs website.
From: Chuck Gallagher -- The Business Ethics Expert - Keynote Speaker For Immediate Release: Dateline: Greenville , SC Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Every choice has a consequence. And, if you express your opinion on social media publicly and assume no consequence you are woefully misguided. Like it or not, you are not free to express your liberty of free speech on social media and assume that there will be no consequence. Below you will find examples of law enforcement ethics in action.
Free Speech is not so Free! An internal investigation related to a sarcastic Facebook comment cost a police officer his commission. Tennessee policeman, Anthony Venable was decommissioned after making a Facebook post referencing the police-involved shooting in Falcon Heights, Minn., pending the results of an internal investigation. His comment:
Yeah. I would have done 5, Venable wrote during a Facebook conversation, according to police in a statement Thursday evening.
Likewise, two Memphis police officers have been suspended for what was called a disturbing image on social media.
Law Enforcement Ethics and Social Media this isnt the first time The following is a list (certainly not complete) of law enforcement officers who have found career stumbling blocks with social media posts:
Fired for violating his offices social media policy, Kenneth Lewis, an assistant state attorney found that public comments have consequences. He condemned the Orlando nightclubs as zoos; utter cesspools of debauchery.
In June 2016 Ashley Carlson, a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority officer, found herself under investigation after posting a pic of an unconscious man with his pants around his knees who defecated on the transit station floor.
When he call a Black Lives Matter activists suicide a happy ending, officer Lee Cry was fired from his Ohio law enforcement position.
Placed on leave, Jason Montalbano caused his police department to apologize for a Facebook post in which he shared a pic of a mushroom cloud from an atomic blast, and stated, Its time we made peace with Islam.
Urging people to run them over if Black Lives Matter protesters block the streets, Sgt. Jeffrey Rothecker, a 22 year veteran resigned from the St. Paul MN Police Department.
Suspended without pay caused a Georgia Sheriffs deputy to resign after he posted a joke on Facebook about shooting Black Lives Matter activists. and the list could continue for pages.
Every Choice has a Consequence! Often we take for granted free speech yet too many times we believe that what we say has no consequences. As Americans we do have the right to express our opinions. Nothing, however, guarantees that those opinions wont have consequences.
In the world we live in, especially now, when it comes to law enforcement ethics, we need to err on the side of caution and understanding instead of giving into the notion that were somehow to free to continue to express our respective prejudices.
YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!
The post
Lets take a moment and review law enforcement ethics. Here are three statements one of which is not true, care to guess which one? I am entitled to my opinion. I have the liberty to express my opinion. Because of my liberty to express my opinion, there will be no consequence to such expressed opinion. Oh, and these statements all apply to law enforcement officials.Every choice has a consequence. And, if you express your opinion on social media publicly and assume no consequence you are woefully misguided. Like it or not, you are not free to express your liberty of free speech on social media and assume that there will be no consequence. Below you will find examples of law enforcement ethics in action.An internal investigation related to a sarcastic Facebook comment cost a police officer his commission. Tennessee policeman, Anthony Venable was decommissioned after making a Facebook post referencing the police-involved shooting in Falcon Heights, Minn., pending the results of an internal investigation. His comment:Likewise, two Memphis police officers have been suspended for what was called a disturbing image on social media.The following is a list (certainly not complete) of law enforcement officers who have found career stumbling blocks with social media posts:and the list could continue for pages.Often we take for granted free speech yet too many times we believe that what we say has no consequences. As Americans we do have the right to express our opinions. Nothing, however, guarantees that those opinions wont have consequences.In the world we live in, especially now, when it comes to law enforcement ethics, we need to err on the side of caution and understanding instead of giving into the notion that were somehow to free to continue to express our respective prejudices.YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!The post Law Enforcement Ethics, Free Speech and Social Media appeared first on Chuck Gallagher
HARRISBURG, Pa. While drilling of new gas wells in the Marcellus and Utica shale plays has fallen recently, industry experts expect renewed activity over many years once prices rebound.
Documents
To help drilling communities and the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia get the response to drilling right in the future, the Multi-State Shale Research Collaborative (MSSRC) released two documents: Lessons from the Gas Patch: A Local Government Guide for Dealing with Drilling; and A Report Card on Shale Gas Policies in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, which grades three states on nine fiscal, social and economic policies related to fracking.
The MSSRC is a project of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, the West Virginia Center for Budget and Policy, and Policy Matters Ohio.
A lull in the intensity of drilling provides an opportunity for local and state government to digest what has been learned from the 2007-12 drilling boom that caught most people by surprise, said Jan Jarrett, a PBPC consultant who coordinated the publication of both documents.
Local governments are on the front lines of helping quiet rural communities manage the influx of workers, trucks and activity that come along with unconventional gas drilling. State governments set the boundaries within which local governments respond and also have more authority in some areas. Taken together, these two documents present best practices to help communities and states learn from each other and from past experience.
Lessons from the Gas Patch distills lessons for local communities from MSSRC case studies on four drilling counties (two in Pennsylvania, one each in West Virginia and Ohio) and from statistical analysis on the social impacts of fracking in drilling-intensive counties.
The Report Card grades state policies in nine areas such as whether the state has effective policies for growing in-state shale jobs, mitigating the boom-bust character of extraction, ensuring supplies of affordable housing, taxing the shale industry and tracking health impacts.
The report card does not address environmental impacts. All states get at least one F but any state would achieve a solid report card if it adopted in each area the policies of the state with the highest grade.
Achieving the honor roll would require lifting some grades above those currently received by any of the three states.
In October 2015 the governors of Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania signed a regional cooperation agreement aimed at promoting shale gas development that optimizes added economic value to the Tri-State Region in a safe and environmentally responsible manner, said Stephen Herzenberg, director of the Keystone Research Center which houses PBPC.
Our report card could help strengthen the tri-state agreement, and provides a tool for policymakers that want to align shale policies with the best interest of their states rather than defaulting to the preferences of gas companies.
As this report card shows, West Virginia, as well as all of the states in the Marcellus region, have room for improvement in their policies addressing the Marcellus boom, said Sean OLeary, senior policy analyst at the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy.
West Virginia would do well by using its tax policy to save for the future and by using the best available data to track jobs and development.
Ohio
Ohio clearly has a lot to learn from our neighboring states, said Amanda Woodrum, researcher at Policy Matters Ohio.
While we might be ahead of the curve when it comes to mitigating road damage from heavy trucks hauling shale-related materials, we can and should study up on how to reduce negative impacts of rapidly rising rental prices in Ohios fracking communities, learn best practices designed to address the inevitable cycle of boom and bust associated with extractive industries, and get better educated on all the other negative external costs to communities that come with shale drilling. And most of all, we must look to West Virginias severance tax for guidance on responsible tax policy for the industry.
Our new reports show that state and local governments can enhance their overall prosperity by adopting policies that better mitigate negative impacts and increase the in-state economic benefits of unconventional gas drilling, said Herzenberg.
On issues such as enacting a severance tax, Pennsylvania has an opportunity to do just that.
Grades
West Virginia earned an A on its Report Card for having an effective severance tax but Pennsylvania and Ohio both got Ds.
South Dakota 4-H recognizes volunteers during the 2022 State Fair
South Dakota 4-H inducted nine individuals into to the 4-H Volunteer Hall of Fame and 4-H Shooting Sports Volunteer Hall of Fame.
New Opportunities: The Case for Leading Food and Farming
The CLA, along with Scottish Land & Estates, has today published a new briefing on the six principles for building a more competitive and sustainable rural economy in post-Brexit Britain. Between them, members of the CLA and Scottish Land & Estates farm and manage more than 16 million acres of rural land in the UK.
A new briefing has been launched today describing six principles for building a more competitive and sustainable rural economy in post-Brexit Britain.
Government and farmers together have a unique opportunity to establish a new, world-leading UK food, farming and environmental policy, says the CLA, who published the briefing.
"The government needs to create better outcomes than the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for our agriculture sector, the rural economy and the environment."
The CLA, which represents 32,000 farmers and landowners in England and Wales, along with Scottish Land & Estates, published the new briefing on the six principles.
Between them, members of the CLA and Scottish Land & Estates farm and manage more than 16 million acres of rural land in the UK.
World-leading farming
Six fundamental principles
CLA President Ross Murray said: "The UK deserves a world-leading food, farming and environmental Policy which creates better outcomes for our agricultural sector, the rural economy, our environment and also rural communities while also delivering better value for money for the taxpayer.
"Brexit creates the freedom and opportunity for Government, farmers and other land managers to work together to achieve this.
"The EU Common Agricultural Policy is cumbersome and unwieldy but provides important economic, environmental and social benefits.
"It would be disastrous for our agricultural sector, the environment and the rural economy as a whole and for anyone who values our countryside if we were to lose momentum post Brexit.
"This is a pivotal moment for how food is produced, how the environment is cared for and how the countryside is managed.
The CLA has had positive early discussions with Ministers, policy makers and other rural groups and today we have set out the six fundamental principles on which the new policy should be based.
"Members of the CLA and Scottish Land & Estates want to provide the country with a safe, secure supply of food, to continue improving biodiversity, help tackle climate change and manage the UKs distinctive landscapes for this generation and for those to come.
"We are calling on the Governments of the UK to make an early commitment that they will establish the new Food, Farming and Environmental policy that this vision depends upon."
Six fundamental principles for new food, farming and environmental policy:
A productive, competitive farming and forestry sector: the policy must enable UK farmers to be competitive on domestic and international markets, with a renewed recognition as the nation's primary food suppliers
Food security: the policy must promote innovative, sustainable ways to increase production and manage risk
Enhancing the environment: the policy must be more ambitious than its predecessors in meeting environmental challenges
A dedicated UK budget: Government must provide sufficient funds for the policy across the whole of the UK and take a long term approach
Value for Money: the policy must deliver value for money in the way it is implemented and in the outcomes it delivers to the benefit of everyone
Clear, proportionate regulation: the standards that must be met should be clear, with guidance for businesses to achieve compliance.
As Brexit raises questions over future funding, rural forces are keen that the Government gives them a fair deal.
The Home Office is currently reviewing how it allocates national funds across forces, as rural forces seem set to lose out financially as Government thinking is skewed in favour of urban areas.
The study commissioned by the NRCN and conducted by academics at Plymouth University says the Government needs to take a long hard look at the criteria for police funding as work to date appears to be inherently unfair on rural forces, particularly those with sparse populations.
This is because the Government appears to favour using the number of crimes recorded in an area as the principal basis for allocating money.
This would mean funding would be disproportionately influenced by volume crimes such as shoplifting.
By definition, there are far more of these crimes in urban areas than in rural ones.
'Rural forces with fewer such crimes will miss out'
However, such crimes are not an accurate measure of policing demand and do not reflect its growing complexity or the unique challenges faced by rural areas.
"The focus put on counting reported crime skews funding towards areas with high volumes of theft.
"As a consequence rural forces with fewer such crimes will miss out," said NRCN chair Julia Mulligan, who is also Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire.
"Its like allocating NHS money on the basis of the number of people in an area with a cough and cold.
"The more people, the more coughs and colds, but in no way does this take into account the complexity of serving the public properly.
"Its a crude way of looking at a complex issue and is clearly going to throw up an unfair result.
"The Home Office is currently reviewing the way policing is funded and post-Brexit, the funding settlement we received last year is now in question.
"It's therefore more important than ever to put our case forwards. Along with other Police and Crime Commissioners from rural areas, I will be using this report to do exactly that."
Focusing 'heavily on population'
The research, led by Professor Sheena Asthana, says Government thinking relies too heavily on population and crime counts which both favour urban forces.
"The Governments approach appears to sacrifice fairness in pursuit of simplicity," she said.
"We think a fresh start is needed and that any new approach needs to use a different methodology and draw on different data if it is to achieve a fair system for distributing funds."
The report Fair Funding for Rural Policing: Report to the NRCN, June 2016 also argues that rural areas face additional burdens that should be factored into funding:
Rural forces often have to plug the gap left by other services such as health and social care whose services can be stretched in isolated areas. Additional responsibilities linked to people with mental health difficulties are particularly noticeable, especially with regard to dementia and missing person cases due to elderly populations.
Rural forces have to shoulder the cost of significantly higher round-trip distances when attending incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour as well as to road traffic incidents.
As rural forces tend to have lower officer numbers, the burden per officer is up to 65 per cent higher than for forces nationally, representing an additional challenge for delivering services as well as posing risks to officer and staff welfare.
Rural forces, particularly those with coastal areas and tourist attractions such as National Parks, experience larger seasonal variations in incidents of crime, ASB and road traffic incidents due to influxes of holiday-makers.
"This robust and detailed report provides evidence of the underlying reasons why basing police funding on the number of recorded crimes is misleading.
"It sets out the extra challenges rural forces face in meeting the needs of communities typically under resourced by other providers too including social care, health and the third sector," said Julia.
"Demands on rural forces differ to those on urban forces and a funding formula is needed that reflects that variation and provides for such differing requirements.
"Above all, the important thing is for all forces to feel confident that the funding they receive is fair and reflects underlying need rather than a crude calculation that is loaded in favour of urban areas."
Farm leaders warn of 'devastating' new veterinary rule for exports
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement in Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 11, 2016. The Canadian meat industry welcomes the signing of this agreement that represents an important milestone in the CanadaUkraine bilateral relationship and will create new opportunities for businesses in both countries. Canada and Ukraine will now proceed with their respective domestic implementation processes in order to bring CUFTA into force.
I am very pleased that the Canadian government has signed the free trade agreement with Ukraine, said Canadian Meat Council President Joe Reda. There is a long term interest in trade with Ukraine, not only as a supplier of high quality meat protein to Ukraines 45 million citizens, but also in the context of Ukraines access to the European Union and its trade with the countries of eastern Europe, added Reda.
Canada and Ukraine have enjoyed close relations since Canada became the first western country to recognize Ukraines independence on December 2, 1991. The bilateral relationship is strengthened by warm people-to-people ties, rooted in the 1.3 million strong Ukrainian-Canadian community.
A strategic priority of Canadas export-dependent meat industry is competitive access to every country in the world, said Canadian Meat Council Executive Director Jim Laws. The eventual entry into force of a free trade agreement with Ukraine will represent another concrete step toward the realization of this important industry objective, added Laws.
When fully implemented, the Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement will provide duty-free access to Ukraine for an unlimited quantity of beef and veal, duty-free access for 20,000 tonnes of frozen pork, and duty-free access for an unlimited quantity of fresh chilled pork.
Canadas meat processing industry includes some 400 federally registered establishments, providing safe, high quality protein for Canadian consumers as well as adding jobs and contributing to economic activity in both rural and urban communities across Canada. With annual sales of $23.6 billion, beef exports of $2.2 billion, pork exports of $3.4 billion and 65,000 jobs, the Canadian meat industry is the largest component of this countrys food processing sector.
The Canadian Meat Council has been representing Canadas federally inspected meat processing industry since 1919.
Source: CMC
The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, and the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of International Trade, today announced that Taiwan has lifted its temporary ban on Canadian beef, effective July 8, 2016.
Taiwan temporarily suspended imports of Canadian beef in response to the February 2015 detection of an isolated case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Canada.
In 2014, prior to the suspension of trade, Taiwan was Canada's seventh-largest export market for beef with exports valued at $12 million annually. Restoring access to this market will help increase exports of Canada's safe, high-quality beef.
Source: AAFC
TRENTON, Maine (AgPR) July 12, 2016 -- RainWise, Inc., www.rainwise.com, is pleased to be celebrating more than 40 years of devotion to our clients based on our promise to helping both small and large scale farmers produce more from their land, while conserving resources like water and energy to help build a flourishing community through agriculture.
RainWise has worked with agricultural industry leaders, distributors and companies to gather data and insight on how to meet our client needs. This research, along with a partnership with Cornell Universitys Network for Environment and Weather Applications (NEWA) program has lead to the design of our AgroMETweather station, which is specifically made with the grower in mind. This solar powered weather station collects on site environmental data critical to making informed decisions for the best practices of planting, spraying and watering schedules. Not only is this information useful to its individual user, but with a program like NEWA and the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program (NYSIPM)which has nearly 300 RainWise units currently active, users are able to network and gain information from other local weather stations to help better predict peak disease and pest risk. RainWise proudly serves the agricultural industry, noting more than 10,000 weather instruments have been sold to ag-related businesses.
Carsten Steenberg, CEO of RainWise, Inc. says, The agricultural industry is going through an exciting period of technological advancements. RainWise will continue to innovate and provide quality professional and agricultural weather instrumentation affording highly accurate data collection for collection, analysis and incorporation into many sophisticated enterprise, industrial and consumer applications.
AgroMET weather station data is now easier than ever to access. The IP-100 facilitates unprecedented transmission and access to real time weather data from your AgroMET weather station. Whether connecting online through your computer to our data hosting portal, rainwise.netto the RainWise iPhone, iPad and Android apps, or by instantly uploading your data to the Weather Undergrounds personal weather station (PWS) Network, the IP-100 makes your weather data available to you any time and anywhere.
About Rainwise, Inc.
RainWise is a leading global provider of precision high quality, innovative meteorological measurement equipment and monitoring solutions based in Trenton, Maine. Our rain and temperature gauges, monitors, sensors and related software are 100 percent made in the United States and offer an exceptional 2-year warranty. Celebrating more than 40 years in business RainWise is known as an industry pioneer with creation patents for the original tipping bucket rain gauge, the first digital consumer weather station and the first wireless weather station. Current advancements in online dashboard technology have allowed us to provide custom solutions for strategic partners like Weather Underground. Since 2011, RainWise and Weather Underground have worked closely together both technically and strategically to create a plug & play personal weather station (PWS) direct to Weather Underground system, allowing users to easily join one of the largest weather station networks in the world, without the use if a PC. For more information visit the website: www.rainwise.com.
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Editor's Note: RainWise will be at the premier precision agriculture event of the year, InfoAg 2016, Aug. 2-4, Union Station, St. Louis, MO, if you would like to pre-schedule personal interviews. For more info on the event visit www.infoag.org
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Wheat: Net sales of 825,300 metric tons were reported for delivery in marketing year 2016/2017. The primary destinations were unknown destinations (326,200 MT), the Philippines (87,400 MT, including 30,000 MT switched from unknown destinations), Japan (66,300 MT), Peru (57,200 MT), Thailand (52,200 MT, including 30,000 MT switched from unknown destinations), Malaysia (37,500 MT, switched from unknown destinations), and Taiwan (37,400 MT, including 37,100 MT switched from unknown destinations). Reductions were for Italy (1,400 MT) and Barbados (200 MT). Exports of 533,600 MT were reported to the Philippines (128,400 MT), Thailand (58,600 MT), Mexico (48,500 MT), Colombia (46,700 MT), Taiwan (37,400 MT), South Korea (36,500 MT), and Peru (33,500 MT).
Corn: Net sales of 369,800 MT for 2015/2016 were down 21 percent from the previous week and 61 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases were reported for Taiwan (160,300 MT, including 130,000 MT switched from unknown destinations and decreases of 100 MT), Japan (66,700 MT, including 85,500 MT switched from unknown destinations and decreases of 39,100 MT), South Korea (65,000 MT), Peru (39,900 MT), Mexico (36,100 MT), Colombia (22,400 MT), and Tunisia (22,200 MT, including 25,000 MT switched from unknown destinations and decreases of 2,800 MT). Reductions were reported for unknown destinations (65,600 MT), the Dominican Republic (22,400 MT), Morocco (16,900 MT), and Guatemala (1,700 MT). For 2016/2017, net sales of 443,200 MT reported primarily for Japan (162,000 MT, including 59,000 MT late reporting), Mexico (139,200 MT), unknown destinations (123,900 MT), and Honduras (27,500 MT), were partially offset by reductions for Jamaica (18,000 MT). Exports of 1,270,500 MT were down 15 percent from the previous week and 6 percent from the prior 4-week average. The primary destinations were Japan (480,600 MT), Taiwan (217,500 MT), Mexico (173,000 MT), Venezuela (77,400 MT), Saudi Arabia (77,000 MT), and Vietnam (66,800 MT).
Optional Origin Sales: For 2015/2016, the current optional origin outstanding sales balance is 394,800 MT, all unknown destinations.
Barley: There were no sales or exports reported during the week.
Sorghum: Net sales of 58,000 MT for 2015/2016 were down 31 percent from the previous week and 45 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases were reported for unknown destinations (55,000 MT) and China (3,000 MT). Exports of 63,800 MT were up 13 percent from the previous week, but down 25 percent from the prior 4-week average. The destinations were China (63,000 MT) and Mexico (800 MT).
Rice: Net sales of 46,600 MT for 2015/2016 were down 45 percent from the previous week and 15 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases reported for Colombia (33,100 MT), Mexico (7,100 MT), Iraq (2,900 MT), Guatemala (2,000 MT), and Taiwan (1,300 MT), were partially offset by reductions for Canada (3,300 MT) and Japan (200 MT). For 2016/2017, net sales reductions of 2,200 MT resulted as increases for Saudi Arabia (3,000 MT), were more than offset by reductions for Canada (5,200 MT). Exports of 156,200 MT, up 49 percent from the previous week and up noticeably from the prior 4-week average, were reported to Colombia (33,100 MT), Iraq (30,700 MT), Mexico (26,100 MT), Venezuela (20,000 MT), and Haiti (14,200 MT).
Exports for Own Account: Exports for own account to Canada totaling 100 MT were applied to new or outstanding sales. The current outstanding balance is 200 MT, all Canada.
Soybeans: Net sales of 637,300 MT for 2015/2016 were down 13 percent from the previous week and 14 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases were reported for unknown destinations (429,700 MT), Tunisia (93,000 MT, including 30,000 MT switched from unknown destinations), Vietnam (68,700 MT, including 60,000 MT switched from Iran), Mexico (36,200 MT), Thailand (18,100 MT), and Indonesia (16,100 MT). Reductions were reported for Iran (60,000 MT). For 2016/2017, net sales of 585,700 MT were reported primarily for unknown destinations (358,500 MT), China (129,000 MT), Taiwan (24,000 MT), and Mexico (23,000 MT). Exports of 194,600 MT were down 42 percent from the previous week and 11 percent from the prior 4-week average. The primary destinations were Mexico (62,500 MT), Tunisia (33,000 MT), Japan (31,900 MT), Indonesia (16,200 MT), Costa Rica (14,500 MT), and Vietnam (8,500 MT).
Optional Origin Sales: For 2015/2016, the current optional origin outstanding sales balance is 423,000 MT, all China. For 2016/2017, the current outstanding balance is 63,000 MT, all China.
Exports for Own Account: The current exports for own account outstanding balance totals 500 MT, all Canada.
Soybean Cake and Meal: Net sales of 77,400 MT for 2015/2016 were down 33 percent from the previous week and 24 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases were reported for unknown destinations (30,200 MT), Peru (15,000 MT), Mexico (10,700 MT), Canada (6,700 MT), the Dominican Republic (5,500 MT), and Guatemala (4,400 MT, including 3,800 MT switched from El Salvador, 800 MT switched from Panama, and decreases of 300 MT). Reductions were reported for El Salvador (4,400 MT), Panama (3,500 MT), the Philippines (2,200 MT), and Portugal (600 MT). For 2016/2017, net sales of 6,500 MT were reported for unknown destinations (4,800 MT) and Canada (1,700 MT). Exports of 207,300 MT were up 60 percent from the previous week and 20 percent from the prior 4-week average. The primary destinations were Mexico (78,600 MT), the Philippines (69,100 MT), Venezuela (25,000 MT), Canada (13,800 MT), and Guatemala (7,300 MT).
Optional Origin Sales: For 2015/2016, the current optional origin outstanding sales balance is 66,000 MT, all unknown destinations.
Soybean Oil: Net sales of 18,100 MT for 2015/2016 were down 71 percent from the previous week and 31 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases were reported for the Dominican Republic (7,400 MT), Mexico (4,900 MT), Guatemala (3,900 MT), Canada (1,500 MT), and Belgium (100 MT). For 2016/2017, net sales of 40,000 MT were reported for China. Exports of 27,200 MT were up noticeably from the previous week and from the prior 4-week average. The primary destinations were Venezuela (10,000 MT), Colombia (5,700 MT), Mexico (5,500 MT), the Dominican Republic (4,900 MT), and Canada (900 MT).
Cotton: Net upland sales totaling 201,900 RB for 2015/2016 were up noticeably from the previous week and from the prior 4-week average. Increases were reported for Vietnam (102,400 RB, including 600 RB switched from Japan and decreases of 1,000 RB), India (24,200 RB), Pakistan (21,800 RB), China (18,700 RB), Turkey (8,300 RB), and South Korea (8,200 RB). Reductions were reported for Peru (1,600 RB), Thailand (1,100 RB), Japan (1,000 RB), and El Salvador (400 RB). For 2016/2017, net sales of 128,400 RB reported primarily for Turkey (33,900 RB), India (29,100 RB), Pakistan (22,600 RB), and China (15,100 RB), were partially offset by reductions for El Salvador (2,100 RB). Exports of 307,100 RB were up 34 percent from the previous week and 66 percent from the prior 4-week average. The primary destinations were Vietnam (94,000 RB), Turkey (39,500 RB), China (27,400 RB), Pakistan (23,300 RB), and Indonesia (19,900 RB). Net sales of Pima totaling 10,200 RB for 2015/2016 were down 18 percent from the previous week, but up 17 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases were reported for India (6,200 RB), Pakistan (1,600 RB), Peru (900 RB), and Thailand (600 RB). For 2016/2017, net sales of 7,100 RB were reported for India (4,800 RB), Egypt (2,200 RB), and Turkey (100 RB). Exports of 8,100 RB were down 19 percent from the previous week and 12 percent from the prior 4-week average. The primary destinations were China (4,900 RB), India (1,300 RB), Indonesia (1,100 RB), and Pakistan (400 RB).
Exports for Own Account: The current exports for own account outstanding balance of 39,800 RB is for China (34,200 RB) and Vietnam (5,600 RB).
Hides and Skins: Net sales of 213,300 pieces, all whole cattle hides, reported for delivery in 2016 were down 54 percent from the previous week and 52 percent from the prior-4 week average. The primary destinations were China (103,000 pieces), South Korea (54,900 pieces), Mexico (23,800 pieces), Vietnam (10,400 pieces), and Italy (8,000 pieces), were partially offset by reductions for Brazil (100 pieces). Exports of 365,900 pieces, all whole cattle hides, were up 4 percent from the previous week, but down 3 percent from the prior 4-week average. The primary destinations were China (241,700 pieces), South Korea (60,500 pieces), Mexico (28,300 pieces), Taiwan (13,800 pieces), and Thailand (9,700 pieces).
Net sales of 116,200 wet blues for 2016 were down 16 percent from the previous week, but unchanged from the prior 4-week average. Increases were reported for Vietnam (35,900 unsplit), Mexico (24,600 unsplit), China (21,700 unsplit and 500 grain splits), and Italy (16,200 unsplit). Reductions were reported for Japan (200 unsplit and 100 grain splits) and Vietnam (100 grain splits). Exports of 141,200 wet blues were up 11 percent from the previous week, but unchanged from the prior 4-week average. Exports were primarily to China (28,300 unsplit and 13,900 grain splits), Vietnam (17,600 unsplit and 5,900 grain splits), and Italy (18,200 unsplit and 3,800 grain splits). Net sales of splits totaling 75,100 pounds for 2016 reported for Hong Kong (52,400 pounds), Italy (34,600 pounds), China (17,500 pounds), Vietnam (3,100 pounds), and Taiwan (800 pounds), were partially offset by reductions for South Korea (33,300 pounds). Exports of 834,200 pounds were reported to South Korea (704,600 pounds) and China (129,700 pounds).
Beef: Net sales of 15,400 MT for 2016 were up 6 percent from the previous week and 5 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases were reported for South Korea (5,300 MT), Japan (2,300 MT), Mexico (2,000 MT), Taiwan (1,900 MT), and Hong Kong (1,300 MT). Exports of 13,200 MT were down 7 percent from the previous week and 3 percent from the prior 4-week average. The primary destinations were Japan (5,100 MT), South Korea (3,000 MT), Mexico (1,600 MT), Canada (1,400 MT), and Taiwan (900 MT).
Pork: Net sales of 16,200 MT for 2016 were up 22 percent from the previous week and 2 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases were reported for Mexico (7,200 MT), Japan (3,600 MT), Canada (2,100 MT), South Korea (900 MT), and Hong Kong (800 MT). Exports of 19,700 MT were unchanged from the previous week, but up 3 percent from the prior 4-week average. The primary destinations were Mexico (6,600 MT), Japan (4,200 MT), China (3,500 MT), Canada (1,700 MT), and South Korea (800 MT).
Source : USDA
Alzheimer's patient among those raising money in Fayetteville
Jay Reinstein, a former assistant Fayetteville city manager, is among those walking to raise money for Alzheimer's research Saturday at Segra Stadium.
A former director of the the Bahamas Electricity Corporation who took more than $220,000 in bribes from Alstom is too sick to face prison, a judge ruled Friday.
Fred Ramsey, 79, was convicted by a Bahamas jury in May of taking $221,457 to influence the award of a contract for generators to Alstom Espana SA.
Ramsey, an insurance executive, could have been jailed up to four years.
He had a stroke in March 2015. A consulting neurologist said Ramsey has hypertension and jail could cause further strokes, a heart attack, or death.
In December 2014, Paris-based Alstom pleaded guilty in federal court in Connecticut to bribing officials in the Bahamas, and in Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
The company paid $772 million in criminal penalties to settle the charges the biggest criminal fine ever levied for Foreign Corrupt Practices Act offenses and the second biggest FCPA enforcement action overall.
Three Alstom executives have pleaded guilty in the United States to bribing officials in Indonesia to win a power project contract.
In the UK, the Serious Fraud Office has charged seven individuals and Alstom Network UK Ltd with bribery-related offenses.
Alstom manufactures rail, power, and energy equipment. In June 2014, Alstom agreed to sell its power business to General Electric for about $15 billion.
In the Bahamas trial, the governments chief witness against Ramsey was Mark Smith, an American consultant. Smith was granted immunity in the Bahamas prosecution.
He produced records showing checks that he had made out to Ramsey and deposited to his Florida account.
Bahamas Electricity Corporation is a government-owned company.
On Friday, Supreme Court Justice Bernard Turner ordered Ramsey to return the unjust enrichment of his bribe payments to BEC within nine months, Caribbean News Now said.
The judge said hell jail Ramsey for six months if he doesnt pay the money.
The judge also imposed a criminal fine of $14,000. If Ramsey doesnt pay it within two months, hell have to serve an additional six-months in jail.
The jury convicted Ramsey on May 3 of 12 counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery.
At a sentencing hearing, Ramseys lawyer said his client had suffered public humiliation, forfeited his insurance licence, and had his U.S. visa revoked by the State Department.
The judge said Friday, His own humiliation is well-deserved a sentence self-imposed, according to Caribbean News Now.
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Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog. Hell be the keynote speaker at the FCPA Blog NYC Conference 2016.
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The Lead
The UK Serious Fraud Office used their second deferred prosecution agreement to resolve foreign bribery offenses. The company, unnamed because of ongoing related litigation, will pay $8.48 million in the settlement. Its U.S. parent will pay more than $2 million of that amount.
The Big Picture
The Chinese Supreme Peoples Court published a release clarifying ambiguities from the 2015 criminal law amendments regarding bribery and corruption, including monetary thresholds and bribe payment types .
When former Ukraine President and buddy to Vladimir Putin Viktor Yanukovych fled the country after he was ousted, he left with $100 billion in stolen money.
Speaking of Russia.
The Russian Public Chamber has proposed a nationwide polygraph program for civil servants, politicians, and civil activists to proactively weed out corruption. Under current Russian law, polygraph tests are strictly voluntary.
Hong Kong ICAC Commissioner Simon Peh Yun-lu says that he alone made the decision to remove Rebecca Li Bo-lan as acting Head of Operations, as talk of infighting at the anti-corruption agency continues to swell.
The Israeli AG and State Attorney allegedly met to discuss an initial review of alleged money laundering by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Blogs
The FCPA Blog dives into the sentencing of two former senior executives of Louis Berger International who orchestrated $3.9 million in bribes to foreign officials.
Compliance programs dont exist in a vacuum, and companies need to look outside their own walls and see how their actions effect humanity, Alison Taylor and James Cohen explain.
Michael Volkov joins the MIS Training Institute for a podcast on the convergence of audit and compliance.
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FCPA Today and the FCPA Blog are published by Recathlon LLC, a leading business publisher serving over 2.3 million readers annually.
I was brought up during World War II in Crested Butte, Colorado, a coal mining town. As an adult, I wrote about that time of my life in my first memoir "Don't Be Give Up." I was privileged to have long conversations with my uncles who fought in the war about their humorous and terrifying experiences which I used in my book.
Shirley Hickman
After I graduated from college, I moved to California where I taught over 6,000 students. Besides teaching English, speech, and dance, I choreographed 13 high school musicals.
Although the majority of my former students were Caucasians, many of them were Latinos, Hmongs, Asian Indians, and Native Americans. I attend their weddings, school reunions, and often meet them for lunch. I am presently enjoying my 58th year of teaching.
As an educator, I saw first-hand the plight of undocumented teenage immigrants from Mexico and wrote a book Fall in Love with an Orange Tree or a Book about the shadow world in which they live. It is required reading in several high schools.
I founded the Porterville Writer's Workshop which began as a creative writing class I taught at our local community college. It has continued in a variety of forms for 46 years. Most of the participants are published authors.
I've written three memoirs, one romance novel, one young adult novel, and one book for parents to help their children succeed in school. I have written a column about education for our local paper and am also a published poet.
Besides teaching and writing, I love to travel. On one occasion, I visited Yugoslavia and found the small villages where my grandparents had lived.
Another time, I traveled by myself to St. Petersburg, Russia where I toured the city with people I had never met before. On the return trip I stayed in Paris alone and spent the day at the Louvre.
When I'm not teaching, writing or traveling, I love to make Barbie doll clothes and quilts. My friends and I are making quilt blocks to send to the Orlando Quilt Guild where they will be made into quilts and given to families who lost relatives in the recent tragedy.
I couldn't accomplish most of these activities if I didn't have the support of my husband. When I first met him, I didn't know if I should date him. My former roommate encouraged me. "Go out with him. After all, you aren't going to marry him." We laugh about that statement now. Joe and I have been married for 53 years.
"Excuse me, excuse me, coming through, emergency, emergency."
Sparkling Stars
Megan turned at the sound of a familiar voice.
"Sorry, so sorry." Brendon, tall, ginger and wearing a cerise T-shirt with 'Rainbow Lover' stamped across the front, was barging past several scowling passengers waiting to purchase tickets. "Can't be helped, though, crisis situation." He tilted his chin in the air, tugged at his roll-along case and set his attention on Megan.
"What the?" Megan said, glancing back at the British Airways employee she'd just been speaking to.
"There you are," Brendon said. "Seriously, you are a hard woman to track down in a place as big as this." He bumped into the ticket desk and banged his passport on top of it.
"What are you doing here?" Megan asked.
"What do you think?" He rolled his eyes. His cheeks were flushed and several strands of hair were stuck to his forehead. Megan knew he would be complaining about that in a minute, and teasing it back to its usual carefully flicked style.
"I have no idea" Megan said, though she couldn't deny that she wasn't thrilled to see one of her best friends in the world at her side. Especially when things had gone so wrong and she'd been so desperate that running away had been her only option.
Brendon turned to the airline lady. "I'll have what she's having."
"What?" Megan said. "What do you mean?"
"Where is she going?" Brendon asked, indicating the ticket that had just been set over the top of Megan's passport.
"She's going to Los Angeles, lucky thing." The heavily made-up woman gave a big grin.
Brendon let out a whistle. "Wow, I'll have me some of that." He slapped a credit card down over his passport. "Are we travelling first class, sweetpea?"
"Er, no, not this time." Megan had never travelled first class. But she would one day. She'd make sure of it. She had big plans for the future, just as soon as she got over this hiccup.
"I guess you want to sit together?"
"Yes, please." Brendon nodded and wiped his fingers over his brow. "We have lots to talk about."
"Are you sure about this?" Megan asked. "I'm on a one-way ticket. I don't know where I'm staying or when I'll be back."
"Oh, yes, of course I'm sure." He rubbed his hands together and grinned. "It sounds like the best type of adventure, and somewhere so glamorous too. Just think, this time tomorrow we'll be strolling down Rodeo Drive. I've got a friend working there by the way-we can go to the Dolby Theatre and see the stars, drink champers in the Beverley Wilshire and pretend to be Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. Oh, just think of all the hot men there'll be. I vote we head straight down to Muscle Beach. We'll sit and drink cocktails and watch thewaves!" He winked and licked his lips. "The waves of muscle and rippling abs, that is."
Sparkling Stars by Jess Wright
Now available from Totally Bound, Amazon and WHSmith.
Jess Wright will be attending a book signing at Lakeside Shopping Centre, Essex on Wednesday 20th July at 4.30pm.
Author bio:
Jessica Wright shot to fame in 2010 when she first appeared in the flagship ITV2 show The Only Way Is Essex. Jessica is one of the most loved and talked about stars in the UK. Jessica has proven her popularity with the nation by carving out a fashion career with her own e-commerce site and highly successful range at Lipstick Boutique. 2015 saw Jessica launching a career as a fiction author and releasing her first novel.
Jessica has 1.5 million followers on Twitter and 1.1 million followers on Instagram.
Blurb:
Chasing dreams is never easy but when you have great friends and gorgeous Hollywood actors to hang out with, the journey is a whole lot smoother.
Running away won't solve Megan's problems but it will offer new opportunities, especially when she has a one-way ticket to sunny Los Angeles. Throw in PR guru Brendon's unique charm and Rodeo Drive connections and it seems it's not just Megan heading to the City of Angels, Winter Shoes are going places too.
With a Band-Aid on the tear in her heart, Megan attempts to get over losing James by dating none other than superstar Tate Simmons. Hero-worshipped throughout the USA, he's beautiful, charming and wickedly focused on his movie career.
But is a man like Tate really right for Megan? Why can't she get James out of her thoughts? There's nothing she can do but strut her stuff on the red carpet next to Tate, enjoy star-studded parties and keep her best friends close. Until the man who's stolen her heart appears before her on the beach-or is he a mirage?
Denmark's Princess Mary doesn't see herself as a "role model".
Denmark's Princess Mary
The 44-year-old royal has admitted she finds it "difficult" to credit herself as a model figure because she doesn't "consciously" try to be an inspirational female.
Speaking about people's perception of her, she said: "I find it difficult to speak of myself as a role model, as role models are defined by the individual.
"It is what they see in a person that gives meaning or inspiration to them that makes another person a role model for them. It's not something I consciously think about."
However, the mother of four - who has sons Christian, 10, Vincent, five, as well as daughters Isabella, nine, and Josephine, five, with her husband Prince Frederik - has revealed she is aware of her prestigious title and the duty she has to motivate others.
Speaking to Vogue Australia, which sees her and her spouse grace the cover of the publication, she explained: "But at the same time, I am very aware of my role and my responsibility. If I can inspire others and if others see something in me that can inspire them or motivate them, then that's a big compliment."
Meanwhile Mario Testino - who shot the brunette beauty and her 48-year-old partner for the cover shoot - has admitted it was a "pleasure" to shoot the couple who posed at their home at Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen, for the feature.
The 61-year-old Peruvian fashion photographer - who has collaborated with Kate Moss, the late Princess Diana and other catwalk icons - shared images from the photography session on his social media.
Alongside one post he wrote: "SUCH A PLEASURE SHOOTING HRH CROWN PRINCESS MARY AND HRH CROWN PRINCE FREDERIK OF DENMARK FOR THE COVER OF @vogueaustralia
"UN GRAN PLACER FOTOGRAFIAR A SAR LA PRINCESA HEREDERA MARY Y SAR EL PRINCIPE HEREDERO FREDERIK DE DINAMARCA PARA LA PORTADA DE VOGUE AUSTRALIA (sic)."
The BBC have this week revealed two first look pictures from the third and final series of The Fall, set to broadcast on BBC Two a little later this year.
Credit: BBC
In one we see DSI Stella Gibson, played by Gillian Anderson on the phone, looking a little worried about whatever the person on the line is telling her.
The second sees serial killer Paul Spector, played by Jamie Dornan in a tunnel, still alive despite being shot in the dramatic cliffhanger ending we saw in series 2.
Credit: BBC
Speaking to the Press Association, Anderson said of her character Stella: "I feel like she's quite unique and I still find her mysterious. I still am intrigued by her and want to see what her journey is. So that interests me."
She added: "There are bits and pieces, little things that are said [in the third series] that reveal a little bit about where she's come from and what her life experience is... What brought her to be where she is today."
Newcomers to the series include Swedish actor Krister Henriksson, Mr Selfridge's Aidan McArdle, Humans star Ruth Bradley, Trollied's Aisling Bea and Richard Coyle of Coupling fame.
Colin Morgan will also return as DS Tom Anderson, despite also being shot at the end of the second series.
John Lynch returns as Jim Burns, with Valene Kane as Rose Stagg, Emmett J Scanlan as DS Glenn Martin and Stuart Graham as DCI Matt Eastwood all back on board.
Spector's wife Sally Ann (Bronagh Waugh) and obsessed schoolgirl Katie Benedetto (Aisling Franciosi) are also back.
Archie Panjabi who played potential Stella Gibson love interest Reed Smith however will not be returning, with the actor telling Digital Spy "the schedules didn't work out".
by Daniel Falconer for www.femalefirst.co.uk
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Last week, Pakistan and the rest of the world woke up to the devastating news that Pakistans beloved humanitarian and philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi had passed away at the age of 92 on Friday. Edhi, revered as a living saint in Pakistan was buried on the outskirts of Karachi after a state funeral attended by thousands of people.
Dr Abdul Sattar Edhi was best known for the good work he did through the Edhi Foundation that he established in 1949. Over nearly 60 years, the organisation has rescued over 20,000 abandoned infants and rehabilitated over 50,000 orphans in Pakistan. It also runs over 330 welfare centres in rural and urban Pakistan which operate as kitchens, rehabilitation homes and shelters for abandoned women and children. And now the mantel has been passed on to his wife Bilquis Edhi and four children.
A professional nurse, Bilquis Edhi was the one who took in Geeta, a deaf and mute girl who had wandered into Pakistan in 2003. Bilquis and her husband cared for the girl for over a decade. Geeta, who is deaf and dumb was handed over by Rangers in 2003. She was found at the Lahore railway station and shifted to our Edhi Shelter Home in Lahore for some time, Edhi told Femina in an email interview, when Geeta was brought back to Mumbai. It was difficult to find out her name and history. But whenever she watched a Hindi show on TV, she would point at the mandir, which helped me realise that she was Hindu and had come from India. I gave her name Geeta because this name is a common Hindu name, and it is also the name of the holy book of Hindus, Edhi told us. Abdul Sattar Edhi was sometimes seen as an infidel by radical Islamists in Pakistan, as he refused to discriminate between Muslims and people from other religions. But clearly, that never deterred the husband-wife duo. On occasions such as Diwali, Dussehra and Holi, I would send Geeta to the temple for puja. We even set up a small mandir in my shelter home, recalled Edhi.
Speaking on the strained India-Pakistan ties, Edhi said, "Unka jo kaam hai woh siasat janein, mera pehgham mohabbat hai jahan tak pohunchey." (Let the politicians do their job, my job is to spread the message of love as far as possible). It is an old strategy of imperialist countries to create hatred between countries, and then sell arms to underdeveloped countries. Unfortunately, both countries (India and Pakistan) are now spending billions of dollars on arms, it amounts to more than 60 per cent of their total budget. This amount should be used for the betterment of common people. I know common people of both countries want peace. I hope politicians of both countries realise that peace is the only solution. The product of war, conflict and communal disharmony is hunger, poverty, illness, she said. We hope this brave woman finds the strength to carry on doing good work.
Sending our love from the Indian Ocean ......#snorkeling in the clear blue waters of Maldives at the stunning @fsmaldives #fourseasonsresort #maldives #kudahuraa
A photo posted by Malaika Arora Khan (@malaikaarorakhanofficial) on Jul 10, 2016 at 10:07pm PDT
Just as your body after a session of overindulgencealcohol or bingingneeds to detox, so does your brain need to detox from pessimism, overburden and unease. Far-fetched as it may seem sometimes our thoughts can be just as toxic and detrimental to our peace of mind. Think about it: more often than not we tend to focus on the negative than the positive in our lives. So how do we get to our Zen place? Through a three-pronged way, that is how!
PEACE OUT
Meditation is an age-old-practice to help people come into a zone of peace. Even a 10 minute meditation a day can reduce your stress levels drastically. So take time out for yourself and get rid of all the toxic thoughts that stress you out daily.
MAKE IT WORK
Exercising will literally force you to be happy by releasing chemicals in the brain like dopamine and serotonin that are mood elevators. Even a 15 minute jog a day can help you mentally detox from the toxins the world has to offer us.
USE THE DIVERSION
Choose whatever you are passionate about - music, reading, gardening or it can even be organising your closet - and do it every day for minimum half an hour. Doing something you love every day can help block the world out and you will feel mentally relaxed and de-stressed.
Next Story : Not Your Average Gift: Our Handpicked Thoughtful Diwali Gifts
New Zealand based wearable sensor company Stretchsense said it has secured Series A funding from Japanese company Start Today Co.Start Today operates Japans largest online store for apparel and accessories, Zozotown and also Japans largest fashion coordination app, wear.jp.
New Zealand based wearable sensor company Stretchsense said it has secured Series A funding from Japanese company Start Today Co. Start Today operates Japan's largest online store for apparel and accessories, Zozotown and also Japan's largest fashion coordination app, wear.jp. Stretchsense is a producer of soft stretchy sensors and generators...#
Stretchsense is a producer of soft stretchy sensors and generators for wearables and its products are ultra-soft and precise, making them ideal for sporting, AR/VR, animation, and healthcare applications.The company which sells to over 200 customers in 28 countries has earlier raised funds from Flying Kiwi Angels and the New Zealand Venture Investment Fund.Stretchsense will use the funds to expand its marketing, sales, and support capability offshore and also upgrade its pilot production and R&D capabilities in New Zealand.Ultimately, Stretchsense aims to develop unobtrusive self-powered sensors for wearables that search for energy from their environment. (AR)
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
Gerber Technology recently held Gerber New Products & Integrated Solutions Conferences in Vietnamese cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. These one-day conferences were a great success and was well-attended by representatives of both local and foreign apparel companies.
The aim of the conferences was to present Gerber's newest solutions in helping apparel brands and manufacturers implement software and automation solutions, and satisfy their most challenging creative and production requirements. At the conferences, Gerber Vietnam general manager Ngo Duong spoke about Gerber global as well as the company's strategy towards Vietnam local market.
There were also demonstrations of the company's newest AccuMark Family and the newly developed AccuPlan software. Gerber's technical support manager introduced Gerber Integrated solutions, featuring the Factory of the Future, and Gerber's existing technologies that help in dealing with mass production or mass customisation and help users reach their optimum.
Gerber Technology recently held Gerber New Products & Integrated Solutions Conferences in Vietnamese cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. These one-day conferences were a great success and was well-attended by representatives of both local and foreign apparel companies. The aim of the conferences was to present Gerber's newest solutions in...#
In recent years, Gerber Technology is paying extra attention to emerging economies like Vietnam. In order to meet various demands in these markets, Gerber is strengthening highly professional teams aiming at providing quality service and leveraging its global resource to solve local challenges.
Gerber develops and manufactures its products from various locations in the US and Canada, and has additional manufacturing capabilities in China. (RKS)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk India
UK based retailer John Lewis aims to expand its own brand home furnishings business to 1 billion sales per year by 2020, while continuing to expand its exclusive relationships with other brands.Key to the success of this goal is the introduction of its new 'Design Project' collection this Autumn, which is an in-house designed 250 piece line focusing on beautiful and thoughtful design, the retailer said.
UK based retailer John Lewis aims to expand its own brand home furnishings business to 1 billion sales per year by 2020, while continuing to expand its exclusive relationships with other brands. Key to the success of this goal is the introduction of its new 'Design Project' collection this Autumn, which is an in-house designed 250 piece line focusing...#
The retailer has also recently launched a string of exclusive collaborations with external brands, including Loaf and West Elm, and dining chain Leon.The company has opened new 'Home Hub' departments at its new branches in Horsham, Basingstoke and Birmingham - a dedicated area bringing together all of John Lewis' home services.John Lewis also offers an extensive range of home services, allowing customers to personalise and design every room in their home to suit their individual needs with the help of John Lewis partners.1 billion sales from our own brand will be a landmark milestone. It's a reflection of our belief in our John Lewis design credentials and assortment, Christine Kasoulis, buying director for Home said.I am passionate about the products our in-house design team is creating, led by our latest collection, Design Project, which are a visually arresting collection of items, she added. (AR)
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
Two new steam cracking processes developed by Saudi Aramco and Exxonmobil, respectively, allow petrochemical manufacturers to omit the refining process in converting crude oil directly to light olefins.These new processes could potentially save refiners as much as $200-per-ton of ethylene produced, IHS, a global source of critical information and insight said in a report.
Two new steam cracking processes developed by Saudi Aramco and Exxonmobil, respectively, allow petrochemical manufacturers to omit the refining process in converting crude oil directly to light olefins. These new processes could potentially save refiners as much as $200-per-ton of ethylene produced, IHS, a global source of critical information...#
The Exxonmobil process completely bypasses the traditional naphtha cracking process, while Saudi Aramco has its own process for crude oil to olefins, it added.In June 2016, Aramco announced a joint venture with SABIC to study building a crude oil-to-chemicals complex in Saudi Arabia.Though the exact process configuration for the potential joint-venture was not disclosed, it is possible this complex will employ the Aramco process, at least in part, IHS observed.According to the IHS report, the ExxonMobil process completely bypasses the refinery and feeds crude oil to the cracking furnaces.These have each been modified to include a flash pot between the convective and radiant sections of the furnaces. Next, the crude oil is pre-heated and then flashed, IHS said, essentially 'topping' the lighter components from the crude.This extracted vapour, is then fed back into the furnace's radiant coils and cracked in the usual fashion.However, the Aramco process, works along an entirely different concept from that of the Exxonmobil crude-to-olefins process, the company informed.As of yet, the Aramco process is still only a proposed project; no facility actually has been built to test the process, IHS cautioned.The Aramco process begins by feeding the whole barrel of crude to a hydrocracking unit, which removes sulfur and shifts the boiling point curve significantly toward lighter compounds.The gas-oil and lighter products are sent to a traditional steam cracker, while the heavier products are sent to a proprietary, Aramco-developed deep-fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCC) that maximises olefin output. (AR)
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
HON PM VOREQE BAINIMARAMA'S WELCOME REMARKS AT THE PIDF LEADERS SUMMIT
Excellencies,
Honourable Ministers,Members of the Diplomatic CorpsLadies and Gentlemen,On behalf of the Pacific Island Development Forum, it is my distinct pleasure to join the host country in welcoming you to this important gathering. Our warm thanks and appreciation go to the Hon Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Mr. Manasseh Sogovare, his Government and the people of Solomon Islands for the warm hospitality they have extended to us all.I would also like to acknowledge Mr. Francois Martel, the Secretary General of the PIDF, and his capable staff for their excellent work in organising this annual meeting.We are gathered here today not just as governments, but as one Pacific people, because the PDIF was founded as a place where governments, NGOs, the business community, foundations, the academic community and ordinary citizens can freely exchange ideasall with the goal of solving our regions most pressing problems.Our organisation is maturing rapidly, with a membership that reflects the breadth and richness of Pacific island cultures, economies and experiences. From the first day, we have been organised for action. We have focused very specifically and practically on finding solutions for green growth and sustainable development. And we have had the wisdom to know that government cannot achieve that alone.And we are also a political voice. In our short life so far, PIDF has established itself as a worthy and respected international institution that honestly represents the interests of its members to the world. This is our organisation, our forum, and our collective and undiluted voice.As usual, we have come to Honiara to not just talk. We are here to workto understand the difficult problems confronting us and to develop the most practical and immediate ways to solve them.During our last Summit, we produced the Suva Declaration, which became our Pacific-island appeal to the worlds conscience. And that appeal came with our demand--that we would take on our shoulders more than our fair share of the burden of arresting global warming, but that temperature rise must be limited to one-and-a-half degrees centigrade, because a two-degree limit was inadequate and unacceptable.We made ourselves heard, but we are only at the beginning of a long and gruelling uphill struggle. We in the Pacific have chosen to lead that struggle. It is an honour, but it was never a choice. Our very existence depends on the decisions the world makes, and we cant leave those decisions in the hands of others.We are in Honiara today to build on that commitment. The goal to limit temperature rise to a 1.5 degrees seems very difficult to achieve under the current predictions, so our mission is more urgent than ever. We need to redouble our efforts, unite more closely, and set an example for the world. Ironically, our efforts, and our leadership, will not just be for our benefit and our childrens future; they will be for the benefit of the entire planet.Next June, Fiji will co-host, with Sweden, the World Conference on Seas and Oceans. So we are dedicating time in this Summit for a vigorous discussion of the very lifeblood of our region: the ocean that weaves our islands together, the ocean that our ancestors sailed to reach our shores, that feeds us, that sustains our economies and is part of our culture. Our oceans are threatened, and with them all the life that depends on them. We must take action now, for ourselves and for our childrens children.This years Leaders Summit is also significant because the Chair will pass from Fiji to Solomon Islands, the first country to hold the chair besides Fiji. This shows that our organisation is evolving and maturing. We are a positive force, and we are meeting a very important need in the regional architecture.Our Pacific unity and our Pasifika spirit are our strength. Let the Pacific voices be heard.Welcome all to the Honiara PIDF Leaders Summit 2016.Vinaka, Thank you.
Hat-trick hero Shivanna's upcoming movie Srikanta's motion poster was released yesterday midnight as a gift to Shivanna fans on his birthday(July 12). Manju Swaraj of Shravani Subramanya has directed the flick.
Shivanna has been given a new title Mass King, by the team of Srikanta. He is being called as the Mass King on all the promotional material of Srikanta released for his birthday. The tag line of the movie is 'Common Man'.
See the motion poster here..
The motion poster goes by the theme of the movie - a common man going against the system, when he finds mistakes in the system. Shivanna is seen in a mass look in front of the Power House of the state Vidhana Soudha, which symbolically suggests the storyline of the movie.
Highlight of the motion poster is the kickass background score by Ajaneesh Loknath. This is his first big budget movie and he is leaving no stones unturned for the project. Ajaneesh is overwhelmed with the response he is getting for the score.
Manu Gowda is producing the movie under his banner Sri Shaila Sankula, whereas his father B Mahadev is the presenter for the movie. Manju Swaraj has written the story and screenplay apart from directing the film. B Mahadev and Manu had produced Manju's debut the movie Shishira, and this is their second collaboration.
A couple of songs for the movie were recently shot in Bangkok, and the shooting is almost complete. Once the shooting is completed, team will start with post-production work. Makers are planning to release the movie in the festive season of September/October.
Here is a disappointing news for the audiences, who are eagerly waiting for Puli Murugan. If the reports are to be true, the Mohanlal starring action thriller will not release anytime soon.
Some believable sources suggest that Puli Murugan has been postponed indefinitely, due to some technical issues. The releases of Mohanlal's Oppam and Janatha Garage is also a reason for the delay.
Puli Murugan, which was originally planned for Christmas 2015, is getting postponed for the 6th time. The movie was last slated to release on August 12, but is postponed again due to the release of Janatha Garage.
The movie will not hit the theatres for Onam 2016, as Mohanlal-Priyadarshan team's much-anticipated thriller Oppam is slated as an Onam release. There are chances for the movie to be released for Navarathri.
However, the team is yet to finalise it, as Puli Murugan has been planned as a worldwide release with about 3000 centres. Sadly, the continuous change in release dates is affecting the movie negatively.
The industry feels that Mohanlal and the crew are not confident about Puli Murugan, and that is why they are trying to avoid a clash with other big releases. We are waiting for the team to clarify the reason for the delay.
Balakrishna reportedly said a big no to dupes on the sets of his upcoming film Gautamiputra Satakarni, which has a lot of action part to be shot. It is learnt that, Balakrishna avoided using body doubles for stunt sequences and performed all the risky shots by himself, which amazed the team.
Though the action choreographer advised Balayya to stay away from doing risky stunts, he apparently took it up as a challenge and showcased some real bravery on the battlefield, in Georgia.
It is known that the 56-year-old actor always prefers to do action part without using dupes and if you remember, the actor suffered a few injuries on the sets of Lion, while filming for a fight episode. This surely says age is just a number, if you have a greater willpower.
Having already completed two battle sequences in Morocco and Hyderabad respectively, the makers are currently filming the climax battle scene in Georgia.
This schedule features over 1000 junior artists as soldiers, 300 horses and 20 chariots. Also starring Shriya Saran, Kabir Bedi and Hema Malini, the film is helmed by director Krish and has music by Devi Sri Prasad.
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.
SACRAMENTO, CA--(Marketwired - August 10, 2016) - ScholarShare, California's 529 College Savings Plan, is celebrating 16 years of significant growth with a 529 Anniversary Sweepstakes in August, offering families a chance to win $529 toward a college savings account.
"Twenty years after Congress enacted this program nationally, I continue to be heartened by the astonishing level of success that California's ScholarShare has had in helping families of all income levels save for future college-related expenses," said State Treasurer John Chiang, chair of the ScholarShare Investment Board.
529 plans, named after the Internal Revenue Code under which they were created, were designed as tax-advantaged savings vehicles to encourage families and individuals to save for future college expenses.
Established in 1999, four years after Congress authorized the creation of state operated 529 plans, ScholarShare has grown to be one of the largest and best performing college savings plans in the nation.
As of June 2016, California families owned more than 277,000 accounts totaling more than $6.7 billion in college savings -- highlighting the significant growth of 529 plans in California. In fact, since its inception, ScholarShare has become a critical partner in saving for college -- helping to pay for more than $1 billion in qualified higher education expenses to date.
"The cost of attaining a college education continues to rise and families have become increasingly more aware of this great, tax-efficient savings tool; I expect the use of ScholarShare and plans like it to grow at an even greater rate," Treasurer Chiang added.
ScholarShare is managed by TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc. (TFI), a leading provider of program management services to state-sponsored 529 plans. TFI is partnering with ScholarShare to offer the sweepstakes prize.
For official sweepstakes rules, prize details and to enter, visit www.529turns20.com. Online entries must be submitted by Aug. 31, 2016, and one winner will be randomly selected from among all entries in September. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.
"TFI has provided program management services to Section 529 college savings plans since their creation 20 years ago and is proud to manage ScholarShare. As a full-service financial services company dedicated to helping those in the academic, medical, cultural, and research fields for over 90 years, helping families save for higher education was a natural extension of our corporate mission," said Michael Noone, president of TFI.
About the ScholarShare 529 College Savings Plan:
To sign up for an account or for more information about the plan, visit www.scholarshare.com. For information about the ScholarShare Investment Board (SIB), visit www.treasurer.ca.gov/scholarshare. Like ScholarShare on Facebook at www.facebook.com/scholarshare529 and follow us on Twitter at @ScholarShare529.
Contributions to the plans are made with money that has already been taxed. Once funds are placed in the account, investment earnings, if any, are not federally or state taxed, if withdrawn to pay for qualified higher education expenses.
The ScholarShare 529 College Savings Plan Twitter and Facebook pages are managed by the State of California.
For more news, please follow the Treasurer on Twitter at @CalTreasurer, and on Facebook at California State Treasurer's Office.
OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - The Japanese yen weakened against the other major currencies in the Asian session on Tuesday. The yen fell to 1-week lows of 114.26 against the euro, 134.89 against the pound and 104.91 against the Swiss franc, from yesterday's closing quotes of 113.64, 133.38 and 104.54, respectively. Against the U.S. and the Canadian dollars, the yen dropped to nearly a 2-week low of 103.29 and a 1-week low of 78.78 from yesterday's closing quotes of 102.77 and 78.36, respectively. If the yen extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 123.00 against the euro, 162.00 against the pound, 112.00 against the franc, 108.00 against the greenback and 84.00 against the loonie. 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.
Defending Champion of Largest Engineering Design Competition for Students Seamlessly Collaborated, Designed and Built High-Performance Car in Eight Months
Dassault Systemes (Paris:DSY) (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, world leader in 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, today announced that Formula Student Team Delft (FS Team Delft), one of Delft University of Technology's 14 student project teams, has unveiled the first Formula Student electric race car to be designed, built and tested with Dassault Systemes' 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud. Seventy-five team members completed the car in only eight months by using the same cloud-based design, engineering and collaborative innovation applications that have transformed industry worldwide.
This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160711006042/en/
Courtesy of Formula Student Team Delft (Photo: Dassault Systemes)
The "DUT16" single-seat car weighs 160 kilograms and accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in only 2.2 seconds with 177 horsepower. Its unique design features a wing on the front that is automatically adjusted by the suspension, as well as a motor, transmission and brake system in each wheel that optimize the car's weight, speed and performance under wet or dry conditions.
Using Dassault Systemes' 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud, FS Team Delft seamlessly collaborated on project execution, saving time and costs related to IT infrastructure and administration, all while experiencing the technical benefits of the cloud. Multi-disciplinary team members had secure access to the platform at any time, whether on site, at home, during supplier meetings or during testing. The platform's ease of use and intuitive interface enabled students to quickly grasp mechanical, kinematics, composites and electrical applications and address complex design challenges before building the physical car.
"Without Dassault Systemes' 3DEXPERIENCE platform and CATIA applications on the cloud, the DUT16 wouldn't have been possible," said Bas aan de Stegge, Team Manager, FS Team Delft. "Our team of industrial design, applied sciences, and aerospace, mechanical and electrical engineering students has only one goal: win all Formula Student competitions! This digital platform on the cloud enabled us to work as one team to optimize parameters of the tires, chassis, suspension, drivetrain, aerodynamics and electronics in much less time."
FS Team Delft built the DUT16 to compete in Formula Student, the largest international engineering design competition for students. This year, 500 teams from all around the world will participate in static events that evaluate each team's business plan, costs and design strategies, as well as in dynamic events on Formula 1 circuits that test the performance of each team's car. FS Team Delft will defend its 2015 titles in the UK from July 14-17 and in Germany from August 9-14, as well as compete in Spain from August 25-28.
"Dozens of students, starting from scratch, using the 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud for the first time, to design, build, test and then race a highly competitive car in less than a year is an inspiring achievement," said Philippe Forestier, Executive Vice President, Global Affairs and Communities, Dassault Systemes. "It also demonstrates how the 3DEXPERIENCE platform allows for large scale implementation on the cloud with robustness to support a challenging, competitive environment."
For more information, please visit: http://academy.3ds.com/cloud/
About Dassault Systemes
Dassault Systemes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, provides business and people with virtual universes to imagine sustainable innovations. Its world-leading solutions transform the way products are designed, produced, and supported. Dassault Systemes' collaborative solutions foster social innovation, expanding possibilities for the virtual world to improve the real world. The group brings value to over 210,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 140 countries. For more information, visit www.3ds.com.
3DEXPERIENCE, the Compass logo and the 3DS logo, CATIA, SOLIDWORKS, ENOVIA, DELMIA, SIMULIA, GEOVIA, EXALEAD, 3D VIA, BIOVIA, NETVIBES and 3DEXCITE are registered trademarks of Dassault Systemes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160711006042/en/
Contacts:
Dassault Systemes Press Contacts
Corporate France
Arnaud MALHERBE, +33 (0)1 61 62 87 73
arnaud.malherbe@3ds.com
or
North America
Suzanne MORAN, +1 (781) 810 3774
suzanne.moran@3ds.com
or
EMEAR
Virginie BLINDENBERG, +33 (0) 1 61 62 84 21
virginie.blindenberg@3ds.com
or
China
Grace MU, +86 10 6536 2288
grace.mu@3ds.com
or
Japan
Yukiko SATO, +81 3 4321 3841
yukiko.sato@3ds.com
or
Korea
Myoungjoo CHOI, +82 10 8947 6493
myoungjoo.choi@3ds.com
or
India
Seema SIDDIQUI, +91 1244 577 100
seema.siddiqui@3ds.com
or
AP South
Tricia SIM, +65 6511 7954
tricia.sim@3ds.com
LONDON, July 12,2016 /PRNewswire/ --The power of technology is being brought to bear on disaster relief efforts, thanks to software developers who took part in a 'Hack-For-Good' at an event hosted by DocuSign in partnership with Team Rubicon UK in London recently.
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151102/283113LOGO
Team Rubicon UK is the local arm of the international non-profit that unites the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams in the UK and around the world. It teamed up with DocuSign, the global leader in electronic signature and digital transaction management solutions, to challenge developers to create compelling solutions that helped Team Rubicon with its missions in the field.
"Veteransare coming out of a highly technologically-enhanced military environment," explainedJohn Leach, CEO ofTeamRubicon UK."When we send them out into disaster situations, theyask why they can't have similar technological capabilities. Since its formation, Team Rubicon has been working hand-in-hand withcompanies like DocuSign to help improve disasterresponse."
To that end, five teams of developers spent just over 24 hours behind closed doors at DocuSign MOMENTUM '16 London, working on solutions to two sets of pre-defined challenges.
The first dealt with field disclaimers - such as those for volunteers arriving spontaneously or when home-owners are impacted by disasters - ensuring documents are backed up when devices are offline; and of course signing Web-based disclaimers. The other dealt with membership and field operations processes - tracking the availability and mobilization of volunteers, proposing and planning events, and transitioning project leadership.
Those challenges are based directly on real-world scenarios faced by Team Rubicon in disasters as far afield as Nepal, Haiti and Mozambique, among many others.
"Among the many operational issues that Team Rubicon faces, one of the most prevalent is how paper-intensive its processes are," explained Marie Huwe, the VP of developer relations at DocuSign. "The problem is, paper isn't well-suited to a mobile office environment anymore, let alone the conditions out in the field during a disaster - it can get lost, rendered unreadable, or even destroyed. DocuSign is all about creating viable electronic alternatives to paper, so having the developers work together on solutions like this fits directly with our mission to empower the world to go fully digital."
Two teams ultimately advanced to the finals during the event - one focused on the automation of homeowner disclaimers using the DocuSign application programming interface (API), and one focused on the the availability tracker.
The former solution won, and it makes it possible for a homeowner to electronically-sign the authorization that is necessary before Team Rubicon can start assisting - given it could be just a damage inspection, or could escalate to the demolition of a severely-damaged home. That solution also included a mapping app for mobile devices that not only mapped the location of each affected home, but also coded its status with a colored pin on that map.
The availability tracker scenario created an app whereby Team Rubicon volunteers could enter their availability into a web-based calendar to indicate their availability to mobilize and support in the case of a disaster. Team Rubicon leaders could then generate a report to understand the resources available at any moment's notice. Given that minutes can save lives, understanding volunteer availability to effectively deploy aid and relief is key.
The Hack-For-Good concept was first put into play in San Francisco in early April this year, when DocuSign held its MOMENTUM '16 US event. A host of workable solutions came from that event including an innovative way to replicate documents offline using multiple iPads, smart options for mobilizing volunteers, and new ways to onboard volunteers. More information can be found at https://www.docusign.com/blog/docusign-and-team-rubicon-join-forces-to-streamline-disaster-relief-efforts-in-hack-for-good/.
Contact:
Adrian Wainwright
DocuSign
media@docusign.com
Michel Creane
Chameleon PR for DocuSign
michael.creane@docusign.com
About DocuSign, Inc.
DocuSign is changing how business gets done by empowering anyone to send, sign and manage documents anytime, anywhere, on any device with trust and confidence. DocuSign and Go to keep life and business moving forward.For more information, visit www.docusign.co.uk, call +44 203 714 4800, or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Copyright 2003-2016. DocuSign, Inc. is the owner of DOCUSIGN and all of its other marks (www.docusign.com/IP). All other marks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners.
FRANKFURT, July 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
FRA passenger figures lag strong 2015 results - Cargo throughput on the rise - Restrained bookings continue to affect tourist traffic
FRA/gk-rap - In June 2016, a total of 5.5 million passengers passed through Frankfurt Airport (FRA) - a drop of 4.1 percent compared to the strong June month of the previous year. Almost half a percentage point of this decline can be attributed to the approximately 230 weather and strike-related flight cancellations at FRA, affecting some 24,000 passengers in the reporting month. The traffic slowdown also had an impact on the overall number of aircraft movements (down by 2.7 percent to 41,153 takeoffs and landings), while maximum takeoff weights (MTOW) contracted by 0.9 percent to 2.6 million metric tons. In contrast, cargo volumes (airfreight + airmail) increased by 3.3 percent to 179,808 metric tons in June 2016.
In the first half of 2016, Fraport's home-base Frankfurt Airport welcomed some 28.7 million passengers, representing a slight 0.9 percent decline compared to the same period last year. The main reasons for this decline included: the disproportionate thinning-out of the flight schedule, the relatively high number of flight cancellations in the first half, and the reduction in travel bookings reflecting the overall geopolitical situation. Aircraft movements also decreased slightly by 1.0 percent to 227,187 takeoffs and landings in the January-to-June 2016 period. On the other hand, accumulated maximum takeoff weights expanded by 1.2 percent to 14.6 million metric tons. Likewise, cargo volumes (airfreight + airmail) also slightly improved in the first six months of 2016, rising by 0.7 percent year-on-year to just over 1 million metric tons.
In the first half of 2016, Fraport AG's international portfolio of airports reported partially diverging traffic results. Slovenia's Ljubljana Airport (LJU) served 598,271 passengers from January to June 2016, representing a 4.5 percent decline year-on-year (in June 2016, down by 9.2 percent to 135,757 passengers). In South America, Peru's Lima Airport (LIM) recorded double-digit growth of 11.0 percent to 8.9 million passengers in the first half (in June 2016, up by 13.0 percent to 1.5 million passengers). The Twin Star airports of Varna (VAR) and Burgas (BOJ) on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast also achieved strong growth, with both gateways serving a total of 1.2 million passengers - a surge of 24.8 percent (in June 2016, up by 23.4 percent to 779,938 passengers). Turkey's Antalya Airport (AYT) continued to experience a slowdown, with traffic dropping by 30.5 percent in the first six months of the year to 7.3 million passengers (in June 2016, down by 47.1 percent to 1.9 million passengers). Traffic at St. Petersburg Airport (LED) in Russia was also characterized by a noticeable 6.5 percent slide to 5.7 million passengers (in June 2016, down by 7.6 percent to 1.4 million passengers). In northern Germany, Hanover Airport (HAJ) also registered a slight 0.7 percent dip in traffic to 2.4 million passengers (in June 2016, down 2.9 percent to 521,676 passengers). Traffic at Xi'an Airport (XIY) in China continued to advance strongly during the first six months of the year, rising by 11.3 percent to 17.5 million passengers (in June 2016, up by 10.8 percent to 2.9 million passengers).
Fraport Traffic Figures June 2016 Fraport Group Airports[1] Cargo (Freight & June 2016 Fraport Passengers Mail) Movements share DELTA DELTA DELTA in % Month % Month % Month % Fully-consolidated airports FRA Frankfurt, Germany 100.00 5,506,875 -4.1 176,092 3.0 41,153 -2.7 LJU Ljubljana, Slovenia 100.00 135,757 -9.2 879 2.3 3,228 -3.1 LIM Lima, Peru[2] 70.01 1,498,095 13.0 20,194 -10.8 14,253 7.8 BOJ Burgas, Bulgaria 60.00 507,601 23.2 1,098 -40.4 3,881 19.0 VAR Varna, Bulgaria 60.00 272,337 23.8 11 -4.1 2,365 30.7 At equity consolidated airports[2] AYT Antalya, Turkey 51.00 1,884,943 -47.1 n.a. n.a. 12,394 -40.5 LED St. Petersburg, Russia 35.50 1,374,467 -7.6 n.a. n.a. 12,945 -7.7 HAJ Hanover, Germany 30.00 521,676 -2.9 1,553 20.9 6,908 -3.7 XIY Xi'an, China 24.50 2,939,907 10.8 17,898 14.2 23,088 5.3 Fraport Group Airports[1] Cargo (Freight & Year to Date (YTD) 2016 Fraport Passengers Mail) Movements share DELTA DELTA DELTA in % YTD % YTD % YTD % Fully-consolidated airports FRA Frankfurt, Germany 100.00 28,669,496 -0.9 1,025,476 0.4 227,187 -1.0 LJU Ljubljana, Slovenia 100.00 598,271 -4.5 5,006 4.5 15,107 -2.6 LIM Lima, Peru[2] 70.01 8,945,334 11.0 122,506 -6.4 85,786 9.3 BOJ Burgas, Bulgaria 60.00 684,154 25.2 6,522 25.7 6,031 19.1 VAR Varna, Bulgaria 60.00 499,737 24.3 94 >100 5,105 26.5 At equity consolidated airports[2] AYT Antalya, Turkey 51.00 7,331,506 -30.5 n.a. n.a. 49,840 -27.9 LED St. Petersburg, Russia 35.00 5,696,840 -6.5 n.a. n.a. 59,263 -11.7 HAJ Hanover, Germany 30.00 2,441,069 -0.7 9,689 12.5 36,513 1.0 XIY Xi'an, China 24.50 17,534,343 11.3 110,253 15.0 139,065 8.7 Frankfurt Airport[3] YTD DELTA June 2016 Month DELTA % 2016 % Passengers 5,507,928 -4.1 28,672,189 -0.9 Cargo (freight & mail) 179,808 3.3 1,045,726 0.7 Aircraft movements 41,153 -2.7 227,187 -1.0 MTOW (in metric tons)[4] 2,602,390 -0.9 14,573,275 1.2 PAX/PAX-flight[5] 143.6 -1.4 135.5 0.1 Seat load factor (%) 78.2 74.0 Punctuality rate (%) 70.2 80.4 PAX PAX share Month share YTD Frankfurt Airport Regional Split month DELTA % YTD DELTA% Continental 64.8% -3.1 62.0% -1.1 Germany 11.7% 0.5 11.8% -0.1 Europe (without Germany) 53.1% -3.9 50.3% -1.3 Western Europe 43.8% -4.0 41.9% -1.0 Eastern Europe 9.3% -3.3 8.4% -2.7 Intercontinental 35.2% -5.8 38.0% -0.4 Africa 2.8% -21.6 3.8% -5.9 Middle East 4.2% -6.9 5.7% 3.4 North America 14.8% -3.1 13.1% 0.0 Central & South America 3.1% -4.1 4.0% 5.1 Far East 10.2% -4.6 11.3% -2.6 Australia 0.0% 0.0 0.0% 0.0 [1] According to ACI-definition: Passengers: commercial traffic only (arr+dep+transit counted once) Cargo: commercial and non-commercial traffic (arr+dep excluding transit, in metric tons) Movements: commerical and non-commercial traffic (arr+dep) [2] Preliminary figures [3] Passengers: commercial and non-commercial traffic (arr+dep+transit counted once incl. General Aviation) Cargo: commercial and non-commercial traffic (arr+dep+transit counted once, in metric tons) Movements: commerical and non-commercial traffic (arr+dep) [4] Inbound traffic only [5] Scheduled and charter traffic
Print-quality photos of Fraport AG and Frankfurt Airport are available for free downloading via
the photo library located in our Press Center on the Fraport Web site. For TV news and information broadcasting purposes only, we also offer free footage material for downloading.
If you wish to meet a member of our press team when at Frankfurt Airport, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our contact details are available here.
Fraport AG - which ranks among the world's leading companies in the global airport business - offers a full range of integrated airport management services and boasts subsidiaries and investments on three continents. The Fraport Group generated sales of 2.6 billion and profit of about 297 million in 2015. In 2015, some 111 million passengers used airports around the world in which Fraport has more than a 50 percent stake. In its Mission Statement, Fraport places the focus on customers. The Group's commitment to ensuring a "good trip" to all passengers and travelers is also reflected in the corporate slogan: "Gute Reise! We make it happen". This dedication applies to all of Fraport's business activities in Frankfurt as well as the Group's airports worldwide.
At its Frankfurt Airport (FRA) home base, Fraport welcomed more than 61 million passengers and handled about 2.1 million metric tons of cargo (airfreight and airmail) in 2015. For the current summer timetable, FRA is served by 95 passenger airlines flying to 290 destinations in some 100 countries worldwide. Half of FRA's destinations are intercontinental (beyond Europe) - underscoring Frankfurt's role as a leading hub in the global air transportation system. In Europe, Frankfurt Airport ranks second in terms of cargo tonnage and is the fourth busiest for passenger traffic. With about 59 percent of all passengers using Frankfurt as a connecting hub, FRA also has the highest transfer rate among the major European hubs.
Frankfurt Airport City has become Germany's largest job complex at a single location, employing more than 80,000 people at some 500 companies and organizations on site. Almost half of Germany's population lives within a 200-kilometer radius of the FRA intermodal travel hub - the largest airport catchment area in Europe. FRA Airport City also serves as a magnet for other companies located throughout the economically vital Frankfurt/Rhine-Main-Neckar region. Thanks to synergies associated with the region's dynamic industries, networked expertise, and outstanding intermodal transportation infrastructure, FRA's world route network enables Hesse's and Germany's export-oriented businesses to flourish in global growth markets. Likewise, FRA is a strategic gateway for companies wanting to access the huge European marketplace. Frankfurt Airport - which is strategically located in the heart of Europe - is one of the most important hubs in the global logistics chain.
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Fraport AG
Robert A. Payne
International Spokesman
Press Office, Corp. Communications
60547 Frankfurt, Germany
Telephone: +49 69 690-78547
E-mail:r.payne@fraport.de
Internet:http://www.fraport.com
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FormFast to Help Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust in UK Streamline Forms Management Processes for all Sites within the Dental Directorate of Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
ST. LOUIS, Missouri, July 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- FormFast, the leading electronic forms provider for the healthcare industry, is pleased to announce their partnership with Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust. In addition to other health services, Pennine Care delivers community and urgent dental services. In support of their paperless initiatives, all sites within the Dental Directorate of Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust will implement FormFast eSignature.
"We look forward to working with FormFast to help us deliver a more consistent forms management process and bring a new level of efficiency to our organization. FormFast will enable us to provide high standards of clinical governance for our patients and will play a crucial role in reducing paper records," said Saheli Johnson, Senior Dental Officer at Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust.
With eSignature, patient signatures are captured on a signing device or mobile tablet, and then applied to eForms. The documents are routed directly to the electronic patient record, accelerating the archival process and ensuring compliance. FormFast will integrate with Pennine Care's health information system (HIS), CareStream.
"We are happy to be partnering with an organization on the leading edge of healthcare in the UK. We look forward to helping Pennine Care make strides towards a paperless healthcare environment and deliver a seamless patient and staff experience," said Randy Campbell, President of FormFast.
ABOUT PENNINE CARE NHS TRUST
Since its formation in 2002, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust has grown to become one of the UK's leading providers of community and mental health services. Their vision is to deliver the best possible care to patients, people and families in their local communities, by working effectively with partners to help people to live well. They employ 6,000 staff who provide care to 1.3 million people across six boroughs of Greater Manchester. Learn more.
ABOUT FORMFAST
FormFast's enterprise software platform automates documents and workflow, capturing data and streamlining processes. With more than 20 years exclusively focused on healthcare needs and over 1000 healthcare clients, FormFast is considered the industry leader in electronic forms solutions. With FormFast, hospitals achieve new levels of operational efficiency, allowing them to concentrate on their core mission - delivering quality care. Learn more.
CONTACT:
Lauren Ziegler
+1 314-677-3765
lziegler@formfast.com
EQS Group-News: Peach Property Group AG / Key word(s): Real Estate Peach Property Group and NOVUM Hotel Group conclude 20-year lease agreement: former Hoesch headquarters in Dortmund will be transformed into a 4-star hotel with 210 rooms 2016-07-12 / 07:00 *Press release * *Peach Property Group and NOVUM Hotel Group conclude* *20-year lease agreement: former Hoesch headquarters in Dortmund will be transformed into a 4-star hotel with 210 rooms * - *Hotel with 210 rooms planned in historic building* - *Lease agreement concluded with NOVUM Hotel Group for a 4-star hotel as "NOVUM Select"* - *Tenders for conversion work are underway * - *Completion planned for the end of 2018* Zurich, 12 July 2016 - Peach Property Group, an investor specialising in portfolio management in Germany with a focus on residential property and selected development projects, has achieved further progress in transforming the former Hoesch headquarters in Dortmund. Planning permission to convert the historic building was obtained last year, and Peach has now concluded a 20-year lease agreement with Hamburg-based NOVUM Hotel Group, which is enjoying dynamic growth. The NOVUM Hotel Group will start operating the hotel with 210 rooms and space of around 15,500 m2 (gross floor space) under the "NOVUM Select" brand in spring 2019. The NOVUM Hotel Group currently holds 84 hotels in Germany and other European countries. The hotel group already operates a "NOVUM Hotel Unique" and a "NOVUM Hotel Excelsior" in Dortmund, and is thus well acquainted with the local market. The building is currently vacant, and will be converted into a 4-star hotel while maintaining its historic, protected substance. The responsible authorities already issued the requisite planning permission in 2015, and tenders for the conversion work are currently running. It is planned to start the construction work at the end of 2016 and to complete this by the end of 2018. In addition to the hotel, the property has around 1,700 m2 of additional space that is available for an alternative use. Peach Property Group is currently in advanced-stage negotiations with an interested party for this space. Peach Property Group is forecasting total annual rental income of around EUR 1.5 million for a fully let property. As it is possible to write down investments in this building at an accelerated rate thanks to _Denkmal AfA _(deprecation for the use of listed buildings), this property will earn attractive returns after taxes. The property enjoys a central location at Rheinische Strae 173 to the west of Dortmund's city centre, and was built between 1916 and 1921. The listed building has neoclassical architecture and a total rental area of around 17,200 m2 (gross floor space) and is close to the "U" cultural centre in the up-and-coming Unionviertel in Dortmund. This district will be extensively redeveloped in the coming years. Dr. Thomas Wolfensberger, Peach Property Group's CEO, commented: "We are very pleased that we have been able to acquire a top-class, financially strong tenant for this historic property in the form of the NOVUM Hotel Group. We have once again proven our ability to manage complex real estate projects. We are now entering into the next stage of realisation by concluding this lease and to further developing the property." David Etmenan, managing partner with NOVUM Hotel Group added: "We are very pleased that we are expanding our portfolio of hotels by adding this very special project, and that we will be able to offer our guests an exclusive 4-star NOVUM Select Hotel in Dortmund after its completion." *Contacts:* *Media, investors and analysts* Dr. Thomas Wolfensberger, Chief Executive Officer and Dr. Marcel Kucher, Chief Financial Officer +41 44 485 50 00 | investors@peachproperty.com *Media Germany* edicto GmbH, Axel Muhlhaus, Peggy Kropmanns +49 (0) 69 90 55 05 52 | amuehlhaus@edicto.de *About Peach Property Group AG* Peach Property Group is a property investor and developer focused on investments in Germany and Switzerland. The Group stands for long time experience, competence and quality. Innovative solutions for modern housing needs, strong partnerships and a wide value chain complete the profile of the Group. The portfolio consists of an increasing number of high yield investment properties, typically in B-cities in close reach to metropolitan areas. In addition, the Group develops properties for its own portfolio or for the sale as condominium. Developments for sale focus on A-locations and encompass attractive architecture and high level furnishing for an international clientele. The business activities of the Group cover the entire value chain, from property acquisition and site selection to active asset management and finally to the sale or lease of properties. _Peach Property Group AG is headquartered in Zurich and has its German Group headquarters in Cologne. Peach Property Group AG is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (PEAN, ISIN CH0118530366)._ For more information, see www.peachproperty.com [1] *About NOVUM Hotel Group * _The family-run NOVUM Hotel Group ranks among Germany's largest hotel groups with a current total of 84 hotels and 8,000 rooms in 26 locations in Europe. NOVUM Hotel Group was formed in 1988 and has enjoyed solid on-track growth since 1988. It is an extraordinarily dynamic group managed by David Etmenan. _ _Its portfolio includes 3 and 4-star hotels, always in central locations, and these are run under the NOVUM Hotels, NOVUM Select, NOVUM Style and NOVUM LikeApart brands. _ _Contact:_ Jasmin-Madeleine Christensen-Matassa PR Manager NOVUM Group Lange Reihe 2 20099 Hamburg T +49 40/ 600 808 - 264 E-mail: j.christensen@novumgroup.de URL: www.novumgroup.de [2] Additional features: Document: http://n.eqs.com/c/fncls.ssp?u=NJPVDCEVEX [3] Document title: Press Release 2016-07-12 This Corporate News was distributed by Tensid EQS AG. www.eqs.com Language: English Company: Peach Property Group AG Seestrasse 346 8038 Zurich Switzerland Phone: +41 44 485 50 00 Fax: +41 44 485 50 11 E-mail: investors@peachproperty.com Internet: www.peachproperty.com ISIN: CH0118530366 Valor: A1C8PJ Listed: Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Stuttgart; Open Market in Frankfurt; SIX End of News EQS Group News Service 480883 2016-07-12 1: http://public-cockpit.eqs.com/cgi-bin/fncls.ssp?fn=redirect&url=c5bc331649cb106e1ca0ad6b4f4450d8&application_id=480883&site_id=vwd&application_name=news 2: http://public-cockpit.eqs.com/cgi-bin/fncls.ssp?fn=redirect&url=54eeedbb1bef215f08ab8374879eb0d8&application_id=480883&site_id=vwd&application_name=news 3: http://public-cockpit.eqs.com/cgi-bin/fncls.ssp?fn=redirect&url=cc80a66d019693b63355bae6f8d76e0e&application_id=480883&site_id=vwd&application_name=news
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
July 12, 2016 01:00 ET (05:00 GMT)
BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Fraport AG (FRA.DE, 0O1R.L, FPRUF.PK), the owner and operator of Germany's Frankfurt Airport or FRA, reported Tuesday that FRA welcomed 5.5 million passengers in the month of June, down 4.1 percent from the prior year. The company attributed almost half a percentage point decline to the approximately 230 weather and strike-related flight cancellations at FRA, affecting some 24,000 passengers in the reporting month. Due to the traffic slowdown, overall number of aircraft movements fell 2.7 percent to 41,153 takeoffs and landings, while maximum takeoff weights contracted by 0.9 percent to 2.6 million metric tons. However, cargo volumes, comprising airfreight + airmail, increased by 3.3 percent to 179,808 metric tons in June 2016. In the first half, FRA received around 28.7 million passengers, representing a slight 0.9 percent decline compared to the same period last year. Aircraft movements also decreased slightly by 1.0 percent to 227,187 takeoffs and landings. On the other hand, accumulated maximum takeoff weights grew 1.2 percent to 14.6 million metric tons. Cargo volumes edged up 0.7 percent to just over 1 million metric tons. Among Fraport AG's international portfolio of airports, passenger traffic in Slovenia's Ljubljana Airport dropped 9.2 percent in June 2016 and 4.5 percent in the fist half. In South America, Peru's Lima Airport recorded 13.0 percent rise in in June 2016 and 11.0 percent growth in fist half. tThe Twin Star airports of Varna and Burgas on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast reported combined 23.4 percent rise in June and 24.8 percent growth in fist half. 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.
Tryg's Supervisory Board has today approved the interim report for Q2 and H1 2016.Semi-annual dividend of DKK 2.60 and solvency ratio of 206. Pre-tax profit was 31% higher than in Q2 2015, driven by a lower technical result and a higher investment return.Financial highlights Q2 2016-- Semi-annual dividend of DKK 2.60 (DKK 2.50) and solvency ratio of 206 (193 including Skandia) -- Profit before tax of DKK 934m (DKK 714m) and after tax DKK 734m (DKK 580m) -- Lower technical result of DKK 770m (DKK 825m) significantly impacted by currency movements -- Combined ratio of 82.6 (82.2) due to higher level of weather claims and higher underlying claims level -- Lower expense ratio of 15.0 (15.2 ) as a result of the efficiency programme -- Premiums fell by 0.6% (-1.4%) in local currencies with increase in Denmark and drop in Norway -- Investment return of DKK 181m (DKK -84m) boosted by very strong fixed-income returnsFinancial highlights H1 2016-- Profit before tax of DKK 1,497m (DKK 1,379m) and after tax DKK 1,179m (DKK 1,105m) -- Technical result of DKK 1,332m (DKK 1,254m) -- Combined ratio of 84.9 (86.4) due to lower level of weather claims and large claims and higher underlying claims level -- Lower expense ratio of 15.1 (15.4 ) as a result of the efficiency programme -- Premiums fell by 0.5% (-0.9%) in local currencies -- Investment return of DKK 198m (DKK 177m)Customer highlights Q2 2016-- NPS of 23 (20) -- Retention rate of 88.1 (88.0) -- Share of customers with three or more products of 56.9% (56.6%) -- For the fourth year running, Moderna - Tryg's Swedish branch - was named Best Insurance Company by the brokers within commercial and corporate segments -- On 1 June 2016, TryghedsGruppen paid its member bonus to Tryg's Danish customers, 8% of the annual premiums paid to Tryg in 2015Statement by Group CEO Morten Hubbe: In Q2, we delivered a profit before tax of DKK 934 million, which was 31% higher than for the prior-year period. The technical result was close to being on a par with last year's level, when adjusted for the weak Norwegian krone. As expected, a slight increase was seen in the underlying claims level, which Tryg is addressing through minor price adjustments and claims initiatives. The effect of these initiatives will, however, not be apparent until the end of 2016, with full effect in 2017.The investment return, on the other hand, was somewhat higher than in the prior-year period.Through dedicated efforts, the Net Promoter Score (NPS) has been improved to a record high of 23, which is extremely positive. Also, a 1.7% increase in premium income was noted in the Danish part of Tryg, which was also very satisfactory.In Q2, approximately 200,000 customers were converted to the newest insurance products, and the process continues in 2016.On 1 June, TryghedsGruppen paid out the first member bonus to our Danish customers. Awareness of the member bonus scheme among Tryg's customers is up from 11% at the beginning of 2016 to 75% after 1 June, and Tryg expects this to have a positive effect on the retention rate in Denmark in the long term. At the end of June, general awareness of the member bonus scheme in Denmark stood at 32%, which is expected to have a positive long-term effect on the influx of new customers.Conference call Tryg hosts a conference call on the day of the release at 10:00 CET. CEO Morten Hubbe and CFO Christian Baltzer will present the results in brief followed by a Q&A session. The conference call will be held in English.Conference call details:Danish participants: +45 35 44 55 83 UK participants: +44 (0) 203 194 0544 US participants: +1 855 269 2604All Q2 material can be downloaded on tryg.com/en/Investor/Downloads shortly after the time of release.Attachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=578400
CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Mkango Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: MKA)(AIM: MKA) (the "Corporation" or "Mkango"), is pleased to announce results of the airborne geophysical survey (the "Survey") covering approximately two thirds of its Thambani licence. The Survey was part of a US$25 million World Bank funded nationwide airborne geophysical programme flown at 250 metre spacing.
Radiometrics
The Thambani Massif is mainly composed of nepheline-bearing syenite gneiss forming two prominent ridges known as the Thambani East Ridge and West Ridge. The Survey confirms the presence of a previously-identified uranium radiometric anomaly measuring at least 3 kilometres ("km") by 1.5 km, along the western flank of the Thambani East ridge. The Little Ngona prospect, which previously yielded very encouraging uranium, niobium and tantalum values from geochemical sampling, is located at the northern end of this anomaly.
A further discrete uranium anomaly, orientated approximately east-west, is located to the south of this anomaly and has yet to be investigated in detail.
The Chikoleka prospect in the north-west of the licence area, which also yielded very encouraging results from previous geochemical sampling, was not covered by the Survey.
The first set of assay results of 142 soil and rock chip samples from Little Ngona and Chikoleka previously returned variably anomalous U, Nb and Ta values ranging up to 4.70 % U3O8, 3.25 % Nb2O5 in soil and up to 0.42 % U3O8, 0.78 % Nb2O5 and 972 ppm Ta2O5 in rock chips.
A map showing the uranium radiometric anomalies superimposed on a topographic map, indicating local infrastructure, and a digital elevation model can be accessed via the following link: http://www.mkango.ca/i/maps/Results_of_Airborne_radiometric_survey_on_topo_U_July.jpg
Magnetics
The Survey also highlighted a number of magnetic anomalies not previously identified, including a 2.3 km linear magnetic high anomaly along the Thambani East Ridge, a further 1 km by 0.5 km magnetic high anomaly located to the north along the Thambani East Ridge, a magnetic low anomaly approximately co-incident with the abovementioned east-west orientated uranium anomaly, and anomalies in a number of other locations. These areas require further investigation to determine the significance of the magnetic anomalies, and whether they are related to mineralisation or geological features.
The magnetic high anomalies provide an excellent focus for future exploration for niobium - tantalum, because columbite, a niobium - tantalum mineral, has previously been shown to be closely associated with magnetite and/or ilmenite at Thambani.
A map showing the magnetic anomalies superimposed on a topographic map, indicating local infrastructure, and a digital elevation model can be accessed via the following link: http://www.mkango.ca/i/maps/Results_of_Airborne_magnetic_survey_on_topo_July_2016.jpg
William Dawes, Chief Executive of Mkango, stated:
"We are very excited with the results of the airborne survey, which further confirms significant potential for uranium, niobium, tantalum and other minerals in the Thambani licence. This area benefits from good infrastructure, including roads, power and a new railway line passing through the south of the licence area. To date, the market has yet to recognize Thambani's potential and we continue to look at opportunities to maximise value."
"Review of airborne data covering Mkango's other exploration licence in Malawi, the Phalombe licence, is underway and we will be updating the market on the results in due course."
Scientific and technical information, contained in this release has been approved and verified by Dr. Scott Swinden of Swinden Geoscience Consultants Ltd, who is a "Qualified Person" in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 -- Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
About Mkango Resources Ltd.
Mkango's primary business is the exploration for rare earth elements and associated minerals in the Republic of Malawi, a country whose hospitable people have earned it a reputation as "the warm heart of Africa". Mkango holds, through its wholly owned subsidiary Lancaster Exploration Limited, a 100% interest in two exclusive prospecting licenses in southern Malawi, the Thambani licence, discussed above, and the Phalombe licence.
The main exploration target in the Phalombe licence is the Songwe Hill rare earth deposit, which features carbonatite hosted rare earth mineralisation and was subject to previous exploration in the late 1980s and for which Mkango completed an updated Pre-feasibility study in November 2015.
The company's strategy is to develop new sustainable sources of rare earth elements and other minerals geared to growth in the low carbon "green" economy, technology and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur, which may cause actual performance and results in future periods to differ materially from any estimates or projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, without limiting the foregoing, delays in obtaining financing or governmental or stock exchange approvals. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, the Corporation disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities law. Additionally, the Corporation undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above.
The TSX Venture Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press 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 release.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any equity or other securities of the Corporation in the United States. The securities of the Corporation will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") and may not be offered or sold within the United States to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except in certain transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act.
Contacts:
Mkango Resources Limited
William Dawes
Chief Executive Officer
UK: +44 207 3722 74
Canada: +1 403 444 5979
will@mkango.ca
Mkango Resources Limited
Alexander Lemon
President
UK: +44 207 3722 744
Canada: +1 403 444 5979
alex@mkango.ca
SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP
Nominated Adviser and Broker
Jeff Keating
UK: +44 20 3470 0470
FARNBOROUGH, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Pratt & Whitney Canada's (P&WC) iconic PT6A engine is poised for considerable incremental growth across Europe thanks to a regulatory change that will open the continent's skies to single-engine instrument flight rules (IFR) flights for commercial passenger service. P&WC played a leadership role in helping the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) develop the guidelines that standardize and expand the use of single-engine turbine aircraft flying commercial passenger missions throughout Europe, expected to be in place by early 2017. P&WC is a United Technologies Corporation company (NYSE: UTX).
"For European operators offering commercial passenger service, the approval of single-engine IFR positions the PT6A engine at the head of the pack and permits operators to reduce their operational costs. This provides operators a significant competitive advantage, opening up entirely new opportunities in charter and commuter services," says Denis Parisien, Vice President, General Aviation P&WC. "The European IFR certification, enabled by the benchmark reliability of the PT6A, allows business ventures that were previously not viable in Europe, and boosts demand for single-engine aircraft across the continent."
The PT6A engine has been an enabler of single-engine IFR commercial passenger operation in other parts of the world for two decades. Since the 1990s, IFR single-engine flight has been permitted in North America, New Zealand and Australia for aircraft powered by the PT6A. "We have been working closely with EASA on single-engine IFR certification," said Parisien. "The ruling will open up new short-haul routes between city pairs, including smaller airports that cannot accommodate jets but can easily manage small passenger turboprops."
Meeting Customer Needs with Continued Investment
The PT6 engine is a testament to P&WC's commitment to developing technology that meets operators' evolving requirements and increases the value of its offering to customers in order to respond their business and market needs. Since it entered into service in 1963, P&WC has consistently driven further innovations into the PT6, often opening the door to new applications and making new flight missions possible thanks to its unique attributes.
Today's PT6 engine is four times more powerful, has a 50 percent better power-to-weight ratio and is 20 percent more fuel efficient. P&WC has produced over 55,000 PT6 engines, of which 22,000 are in operation. The engine powers 140 different applications and has logged more than 400 million flight hours. Getting aircraft safely over the Atlantic every single time, it has the best safety record in the business - making it the engine of choice for single-engine IFR.
"The success of the PT6 engine can largely be attributed to the fact that it is a proven, scalable design with more than five decades of service excellence under its belt, complemented by our dedication to constantly making a great engine even better," notes Parisien. "The technology is long-proven, representing a significant body of engineering achievement in the aviation industry, and continues to make new aircraft possible. It is one of the most valuable technology asset in the global turboprop field."
P&WC has continued to build on the PT6 family's legacy in recent times and introduced the latest engines, the PT6A-140 series, which has been selected to power the Caravan EX and Air Tractor's AT502XP. New technological innovations continue to simplify maintenance and improve operators' bottom line, including an aluminum inlet case for large PT6A engine models and platinum aluminide coating to enhance resistance to sulphidation for small PT6A engines. More improvements are on the horizon, such as integrated electronic engine & propeller control and a 2,000+ SHP thermal power engine.
PT6A operators also benefit from the most comprehensive, dependable customer support in the industry, which ensures they get what they want, when and where they want it. Customers are supported by two Customer First Centres available 24/7 and a global network of strategically positioned P&WC and affiliated maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities. P&WC has more than 1,500 fixed base operators worldwide, including 400 in Europe, who support its product lines, with more than half providing dedicated maintenance support for PT6A engines.
P&WC will be at Farnborough 2016 (Pavilion OE3). Interested operators are invited to drop by the booth to speak with a customer service representative.
About Pratt & Whitney Canada
Founded in 1928, P&WC is a global aerospace leader that is shaping the future of aviation with dependable, high-technology engines. Based in Longueuil, Quebec (Canada), P&WC is a wholly owned subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (UTC). UTC provides high-technology systems and services to the global aerospace and building systems industries.
Note to Editors
Follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pwcanada) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/PrattWhitneyCanada) for our latest news and updates.
Contacts:
Karine Baccichet
Pratt & Whitney Canada
514-240-6143
karine.baccichet@pwc.ca
www.pwc.ca
BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - After recalling some 36 million death-causing chests and dressers in North America, Swedish furniture company IKEA Group has extended the recall to China. China's safety regulator said on Tuesday that the company would call back around 1.66 million chests and dressers in China citing concerns that the drawers, if not properly fixed to walls, could pose a danger to children. The products under the recall scheme include MALM chests or dressers manufactured and sold from 1999 to 2016. According to China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, 1,660,845 pieces of furniture products, including some imported items, are involved in the process. The administration said that the consumers can receive a full refund for returning the furniture listed in the recall plan. It was on June 29 that IKEA announced its huge recall of 35.6 million chests and dressers in the United States and Canada, after reports that furniture not attached to walls toppled over, killing six children. IKEA initially had said that they carried out North American recall for not meeting industry standards in the United States, but they complied with regulations in China and that it would not extend the recall of similar products to China. However, IKEA changed the decision after facing criticism from the official Xinhua news agency for showing arrogance and not taking responsibility. 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.
LIDKOPING, Sweden, July 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Handheld Group, a leading manufacturer of rugged mobile computers, today announced the new Nautiz X2 enterprise handheld which integrates a high-quality scanner, camera and mobile phone while offering the most compact and ergonomic form factor on the market.
The Nautiz X2 gives enterprise users an all-in-one mobile computer that can handle all the tasks of a day's work, with built-in ruggedness that allows it to be used anywhere from a warehouse to challenging outdoor environments with moisture, dust, extreme high or low temperatures and potential drops.
To view the Multimedia News Release, please click:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7832051-handheld-launches-nautiz-x2-rugged-android/
The Nautiz X2 offers the most complete and versatile set of features and capabilities available:
Computing power comes from a quad-core processor and easy-to-use Android 5.1 Lollipop OS.
High-quality, high-speed scanners offer 1D or 2D capability.
The integrated camera offers 8-megapixel clarity, with autofocus and flash.
The Nautiz X2 delivers 4G/LTE Android phone functionality.
It comes with Google GMS, allowing users to use Google Maps and download Play Store apps.
The sunlight-readable 4.7-inch capacitive display offers multi-touch sensitivity.
The Nautiz X2 offers the best value among comparable handhelds. But what sets it apart is its combination of small size, light weight and sleek design.
"The challenge in designing market leading devices in a given product category, is to balance key factors like technology, design, materials and general usability as well as keeping the cost in mind," says Johan Hed, Handheld Group director of product management. "The brilliance of the Nautiz X2 is that it has that tangible in-the-hand sense of form and fit of high-end technology device, and we are still able to offer it at an impressive value."
The Nautiz X2 measures 150 mm x 73.5 mm, is just 16 mm deep at the keyboard, and weighs only 230 grams. It has an IP65 ingress protection rating against dust, sand and water immersion. It also meets stringent MIL-STD-810G military test standards for overall durability and resistance to humidity, shock, vibrations, drop, salt and extreme temperatures. The touchscreen is made of Gorilla Glass for increased durability.
Availability
Orders for the Nautiz X2 can be placed immediately. Full production is expected in July.
Helpful links
NAUTIZ X2 product specification
Press images
Product introduction webinar
About H andheld Group
Handheld product lineup
What does rugged mean?
Tweet this:
Handheld introduces new NAUTIZ X2 all-in-one rugged android handheld with high quality scanner http://www.handheldgroup.com/X2
About Handheld
The Handheld Group is a manufacturer of rugged mobile computers, PDAs and tablets. Handheld and its partners worldwide deliver complete mobility solutions to businesses in industries such as geomatics, logistics, forestry, public transportation, utilities, construction, maintenance, mining, military and security. The Handheld Group of Sweden has local offices in Finland, the U.K., the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Australia and the USA. For more information, please see http://www.handheldgroup.com
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160711/388330 )
Video:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7832051-handheld-launches-nautiz-x2-rugged-android/
THE HAGUE (dpa-AFX) - Aegon NV (AGN.L, AEG), in an update on UK Annuity Book Divestments, confirmed that the disposals are proceeding as planned, with the market and underwriting risks transferred to the counter parties. In line with earlier communicated estimates this will lead to a total capital release of 500 million pounds once both transactions have been finalized through the Part VII transfers, which are expected to be completed in the first half of 2017.
During the second quarter of 2016, Aegon announced the divestment of its 9 billion pounds annuity portfolio in the United Kingdom through two transactions, to Rothesay Life and Legal & General.
The Rothesay Life and the Legal & General transactions each contributed 15% to Aegon UK's Solvency II ratio based on year-end 2015 and March 31, 2016 capital positions, respectively. Whereas the absolute amount of the capital release is unchanged, the relative impact on the Solvency II ratio in the second quarter amounts to about 20% combined, mainly as a result of market-driven higher capital requirements.
In finalizing the transaction agreements and as part of its quarterly closing process, Aegon has adjusted the IFRS book loss on these transactions. In its second quarter 2016 results, Aegon will incur a post-tax book loss of 481 million pounds, up from the 245 million pounds previously indicated. This loss is expected to be partly offset by the release of the expense reserves on the annuity portfolio of 70 million pounds post tax upon completion of the Part VII transfers.
In addition, Aegon expects to realize gains on assets that are to be disposed of and were related to the annuity book with an unrealized gain position of 50 million pounds post tax at May 31, 2016.
Aegon noted that it will publish its second quarter 2016 results on August 11, 2016 at 7.30am CET.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
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Newest Tool for Customer Interaction Requires Custom Integration with IBM Watson
BETHESDA, Maryland, July 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As Mark Zuckerberg highlighted in a presentation on chatbots,no onewants to download an app just to book a hotel. Instead, it's easier and more comfortable to use an app they already have, like Facebook Messenger. Today DMI announced its work with ZUMATA, a technology company specializing in travel distribution, to integrate natural language processing (NLP) into a chatbot. The app uses IBM Watson's artificial intelligence technology to process customer hotel search requests, resulting in a new level of individualization and personalization.
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Turning Messenger into a search engine: The chatbot allows customers to ask questions related to their booking as if they were speaking with a live human agent and are immediately presented with highly relevant and personalized results.
The chatbot allows customers to ask questions related to their booking as if they were speaking with a live human agent and are immediately presented with highly relevant and personalized results. Everybody wins: The chatbot's ease of use shortens research time for the customer and improves conversions for travel sellers while reducing their operating costs.
The chatbot's ease of use shortens research time for the customer and improves conversions for travel sellers while reducing their operating costs. Deep expertise: DMI's comprehensive suite of secure, end-to-end mobile enterprise solutions and services provides immediate business value for its customers. The company used its deep expertise across the spectrum of mobile needs and market challenges to deliver the highly engaging and valuable customer experiences ZUMATA was looking for.
Jay Sunny Bajaj, DMI founder and CEO, said:
"As the only hotel distribution company in the world that is using big data and IBM Watson technologies, ZUMATA came to us with a cutting-edge project - just the sort of thing we love. Advances in technology have only recently made NLP-driven chatbots possible for business, so we are excited to be at the forefront of making this capability a reality for our customers."
Josh Ziegler, CEO, ZUMATA, said:
"ZUMATA's goal is to provide our travel vendor partners with the tools they need to improve their customers' experience and, in turn, improve their own conversions. Whether we provide our technology via a full white-label site, a widget or through our suite of APIs, we want to facilitate the process, no matter the platform or device that their customers want to use. Our collaboration with DMI showcases a practical example of how our artificial intelligence- enhanced hotel offering can be easily integrated into Facebook Messenger or any other chat or messaging application."
About ZUMATA:
ZUMATA is the only AI-powered hotel distribution company in the world, delivering consolidated online hotel inventory of over 500,000 properties globally. Accurate mapping, cognitive computing and significant supplier overlap help B2B partners achieve lower cost prices, decrease reliance on a single supplier, and optimize customer conversions. Founded in 2010, ZUMATA is headquartered in Singapore.
About DMI:
DMI, the world's first end-to-end mobility company, combines all the skills and services necessary to deliver mobile enterprise solutions. Built to reinvent business through mobility, DMI has expertise in mobile strategy, UX, web, and app development, omni-channel commerce, brand and marketing, big data management and analytics, and secure device and app management. The company's unique, integrated approach to mobility has resulted in dramatic growth as well as an expanding client base, which includes hundreds of Fortune 1000 commercial clients and all fifteen U.S. Federal Departments. Additional information is available at www.dminc.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.
PR Contacts:
US
Kim Dearborn
Nadel Phelan, Inc.
831-440-2407
kim@nadelphelan.com
International
Laura Cahill
AxiCom
+ 2083924071
laura.cahill@axicom.com
Corporate
Alika Nagpaul
DMI
240-200-5852
anagpaul@dminc.com
Crescent Capital Group LP, a leading alternative credit investment firm, announced today that its European Specialty Lending strategy provided a Payment-In-Kind (PIK) financing for The Foundry, a leading global developer of computer graphics, high-end visual effects (VFX) and 3D design software. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The Foundry, a UK-based portfolio company of HgCapital, is an Oscar-winning provider of creative software for the VFX industry. The company has set the de facto standard in film postproduction with its NUKE product, which was used in productions such as Ex Machina, Interstellar, Gravity and Game of Thrones. The Foundry also has an exciting suite of creative software, including its MODO 3D modeling tool, used in video games and product design.
"We are very excited to be able to support HgCapital, a new sponsor relationship for Crescent, and The Foundry, by providing this financing which will assist in the continued growth of one of the premier software developers for creative industries," said Christine Vanden Beukel, Managing Director and head of Crescent's European Specialty Lending strategy. "Our European Lending Strategy continues to meet the growing need for capital among middle-market companies across the region and sponsors that seek experienced lenders that understand their needs."
About Crescent Capital Group
Crescent Capital Group LP is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in Boston, London and New York. With approximately 70 investment professionals and more than 140 employees, the firm invests at all levels of the capital structure, with a significant focus on below investment grade credit through strategies that invest in senior bank loans, high yield debt, mezzanine debt, distressed debt and other private debt securities. As of June 30, 2016, Crescent Capital Group LP managed more than $20 billion in assets, with a relatively equal split between marketable securities and privately originated debt investments.
About HgCapital
HgCapital is a private equity firm with a deep sector focus primarily targeting middle-market buyouts with enterprise values of between 50 million and 500 million across the technology, media and telecommunications, services and industrials sectors. HgCapital primarily focuses its buyout investments in the UK, Germany and the Nordic region, as well as selectively across the rest of Western Europe.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160712005272/en/
Contacts:
For Crescent Capital Group:
Mendel Communications
Bill Mendel, +1-212-397-1030
bill@mendelcommunications.com
or
For HgCapital:
Maitland
Jamie Dunkley, +44 (0)20 7379 5151
jdunkley@maitland.co.uk
or
Seda Ambartsumian, +44 (0)20 7379 5151
sambartsumian@maitland.co.uk
DUBLIN, July 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Funding will Drive Accelerated Growth for Global Breast Implant Manufacturer
GC Aesthetics (http://www.gcaesthetics.com), a leading global breast implants company, today announced the completion of a $20 million Series D financing round. The financing included participation from existing investors Montreux Equity Partners, Oyster Capital, and Barry's Tea Holdings.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160711/388149LOGO )
GC Aesthetics will use the proceeds from this financing to accelerate growth to achieve its vision to become the leading breast implant company selling outside of the United States. It will continues to expand its commercial operations, launch its leading sixth generation product IMPLEO globally, invest in product innovation, and further improve customer service.
GC Aesthetics, the parent company of UK-based Nagor (http://www.nagor.com) and France-based Eurosilicone (http://www.eurosilicone.com), produces more than 325,000 implants annually, which are marketed in over 75 countries. The company employs around 400 people globally. Last year, GC Aesthetics grew its customer base by over 60% and experienced strong growth globally. The drivers of this customer growth include the quality and range of its products and the company's focus on customer service through its We Care philosophy, which puts the needs of surgeons and customers at the heart of every decision.
"GC Aesthetics is making excellent progress in establishing itself as the leading breast implant provider in many markets globally. We are delighted to continue to work with a company that is progressing strongly on its vision to become the trusted brand in female aesthetics," said Daniel K. Turner III, Managing Director of Montreux Equity Partners.
The industry's first-ever female chief executive, GC Aesthetics' CEO Ayse Kocak, says of the new round of private financing:
"We are delighted with the continued support from our valued shareholders and are confident that their trust in GC Aesthetics will be rewarded by our continued expansion and growth. We are excited to receive this boost of capital to strengthen our position as one of the world's leading breast implant manufacturers."
About GC Aesthetics
GC Aesthetics is a leading female aesthetics company committed to becoming the trusted brand and partner for women seeking to look healthy, youthful, vibrant and beautiful, and to feel confident about themselves throughout their lifetime. The Company is focused on the development, manufacturing and commercialization of one of the broadest ranges of implant products, principally silicone breast implants. The Company has manufacturing facilities in the United Kingdom and France, and its implants are manufactured with medical-grade silicone supplied from ISO 9001-certified sources.GC Aesthetics is headquartered in Dublin.
VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - Premier Oil PLC (PMO.L, PMOIY.PK) reported that its production averaged 61.0 kboepd for the first six months of the year with a record rate of over 80 kboepd achieved post period end. The Group said its newly acquired E.ON assets have continued to perform well and the summer maintenance programme has been largely completed. Premier continues to expect full year production to be at or above the upper end of its guidance of 65-70 kboepd.
Total revenues for the first six months of the year will be in the order of $390 million compared to $577.0 million, previous year. Premier's exploration and development capital expenditure for the period will be of the order of $310 million. 2016 full year guidance remains unchanged at $730 million.
Premier will report a deferred tax credit for the period in relation to the expected recognition of its UK tax losses as a result of anticipated future profitability from the acquisition of E.ON's UK North Sea assets. Premier also expects to recognise negative goodwill in relation to the acquisition of E.ON's UK North Sea assets.
Tony Durrant, Chief Executive, said: 'We have continued to secure cost reductions across the business and are set to benefit from recent foreign exchange movements. We now look forward to a rising production profile and, with Solan on-stream, significantly lower committed capital expenditure. At current oil prices, we start to generate free cash flow later this year which positions us well to manage the balance sheet whilst retaining some optionality for future growth projects.'
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
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100 days to go until global energy leaders come together to shape the future of the energy landscape
Congress will take place under the auspices of His Excellency (H.E) Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of the Republic of Turkey
With just 100 days to go until the 23rd World Energy Congress takes place in Istanbul, the 250th world class speaker has been confirmed. In addition, leading business network CNBC has been announced as the official business media partner for what is regarded as the most influential and inclusive gathering of senior leaders from all segments of the energy community.
The latest speakers to be confirmed are from two of the major geographies in world energy, Russia and China: Sergey Kirienko, Chief Operating Officer of Russia's Rosatom and Jinhang Chen, Chairman of the China Datang Corporation. This underlines the importance of this event in shaping the future of the global energy landscape at a time when the industry is at a crucial transition.
The 250 speakers now confirmed to feature at the World Energy Congress between 9 and 13 October come from 81 countries and include over 40 government ministers including Baake Rainer, Germany's State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Energy, and Prince Albert II of Monaco.
This year's event will witness senior representatives from Saudi Aramco, BP, OPEC, ENI, OMV, Gazprom, SOCAR and Total, among others, discussing the implications of the commodity price storm. Speakers from top energy innovators such as Econet, Silver Spring, TTTech, GE, Mobisol and Off-Grid Electric are also signed up. Appearing alongside these business names will be energy leaders such as Fatih Birol from the IEA and Christina Figueres from the UNFCCC.
Up to 10,000 delegates from around the world will be welcomed to the 23rd World Energy Congress in the historic city of Istanbul by His Excellency (H.E) Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of the Republic of Turkey. The president's official involvement also entails collaboration with various Turkish public authorities including the Ministry of Energy as the host, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a facilitator and the Ministry of Interior to ensure security.
Over four days, the programme for the Congress will explore the critical priorities facing the energy industry today including of resilience, business models, governance, climate, financing and market dynamics. Christoph Frei, Secretary General, World Energy Council commented: "The 2016 World Energy Congress is the event which will define the future direction of the energy industry. It will actively embrace the new frontiers of the sector. We will look at the Jazz and Symphony models of energy markets. We will explore the importance of innovative business models and the commodity price storm. The calibre and range of speakers is reflective of the priorities which we have outlined."
Hasan Murat Mercan, President of the Turkish Member Committee, World Energy Council commented: "CNBC is one of the world's most respected outlets for business news. Securing a partnership with CNBC as the official international business media sponsor of the World Energy Congress underlines the significance of the event with its globally relevant speakers and world class sponsors."
Finola McDonnell, VP Marketing and Communications at CNBC said: "We're thrilled to be partnering with this event. Energy is a topic of significant interest to our influential audience and we're looking forward to bringing the 2016 World Energy Congress to our viewers."
Media registration for the Congress is now open, giving industry journalists an opportunity to meet energy leaders, and report on the next stages of developing a sustainable energy market.
For more information on the World Energy Congress and speakers, click here: http://www.wec2016istanbul.org.tr/
Notes to Editors:
About the World Energy Council
Founded in 1923, the World Energy Council is the only truly global and inclusive forum for thought-leadership and tangible engagement committed to our sustainable energy future. Our network of 93 national committees represents over 3000 member organisations including governments, industry and expert institutions. Our mission is to promote the sustainable supply and use of energy for the greatest benefit of all. The World Energy Congress is the world's premier energy gathering.
About the World Energy Congress
The triennial World Energy Congress has gained recognition since the first event in 1923 as the premier global forum for leaders and thinkers to debate solutions to energy issues. In addition to the discussions, the event provides an opportunity for executives to display their technologies and explore business opportunities.
For more information about the World Energy Congress 2016 and to register, visit: http://wec2016istanbul.org.tr/
Follow the Congress at @WECongress for regular updates.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160712005439/en/
Contacts:
Grayling for World Energy Congress
Roisin Miller, +44 (0) 203 861 3952
roisin.miller@grayling.com
On the 8th of July, 2016, the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF, part of the EU financing program) Coordination Committee approved the financial support of EUR 15 million for the joint project "Blue Baltics", which expands liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering network across the Baltic Sea. The EU support is dedicated for five companies including SC Klaipedos nafta (hereinafter - the Company). The Company should receive EUR 4 million of EU funds.
"Blue Baltics" consists of investments in LNG mobile facility for bunkering of LNG ships in Lithuania, Sweden, Estonia and Germany. Furthermore an upgrade of LNG infrastructure in Klaipeda, expansion of LNG fuelling infrastructure in Estonia and upgrade of LNG distribution terminal in Sweden, also bunkering vessel in Germany will be implemented during the project.
The foreseen accomplishment of the project is by the end of 2nd quarter of 2019.
The Company has already received EUR 6 million of EU support in 2015 for construction works of the LNG reloading station and EUR 0.15 million of EU support in 2014 for LNG reloading station FEED and other preparation works.
Marius Pulkauninkas, Director of Finance and Administration Department, tel. 8 46 391763
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HONG KONG, CHINA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Electrolux has agreed to acquire Vintec which supplies a wide range of freestanding and integrated climate-controlled wine cabinets under the Vintec and Transtherm brands throughout the Asia Pacific region.
Announcing this today, Kenneth Ng, Head of Electrolux Major Appliances - Asia Pacific and Executive Vice President, said that the acquisition was a "strategic fit" with the company's major appliances business and comes as wine consumption continues to grow in the region, particularly in Asia.
Mr Ng said the Australian market accounted for more than two-thirds of Vintec's annual sales of more than AUD22 million with Asia contributing to the bulk of the remainder. Asia, particularly, holds the promise of rapid growth because of increasing wine consumption and the low penetration of wine cabinets. He added that the wine cabinet business would strengthen the Electrolux focus on products which delivered "great tasting food" and a "remarkable consumer experience".
Mr Ng said the Vintec operations in Australia would be integrated into the Electrolux ANZ business headed up by Managing Director, Mike Putt. The Singapore operations of Vintec which services the rest of the world, would be integrated into the East Asia business of Electrolux and report to Craig McEachern, Senior Vice President - Electrolux East Asia.
Mr Laurent Ducourneau, who left his native Bordeaux in France for Singapore to import French wine into Asia, founded Vintec in 1993. In 1998 he created Vintec Australia in partnership with Sydney-based ex banker Jean-Marie Simart.
Since then, Mr Ducourneau has managed the company's Asia business from Singapore while Mr Simart has managed its Australasian operations. Both will stay on to assist the integration of the Vintec business into the Electrolux Asia Pacific operations.
The 30 models in the Vintec and Transtherm product portfolio range from compact 30-bottle, under-bench and integrated wine cabinets to suit most domestic kitchens to large stand-alone 4000-bottle walk-in wine cellars.
The Vintec acquisition includes Vintec Club which has grown rapidly to about 10,000 members since it was established three years ago. The club focuses on enhancing the ownership experience through exclusive winemaker dinners and degustations, wine education, wine recommendations and other related benefits and services.
Mr Ng said Electrolux was focussed on profitable growth and the Vintec acquisition continued an Electrolux policy to seek out "adjacencies" or businesses which were synergistic with its core major appliances business. "This addition to our operations follows the very successful integration of the BeefEater barbecue business which we acquired in Australia two years ago," he added.
"And it gives our key retail customers even more reason to deal with Electrolux because of our portfolio of leading brands in the household and hospitality areas."
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Electrolux acquires Vintec which supplies a wide range of climate-controlled wine cabinets
http://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/5027
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http://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/5028
Electrolux is a global leader in home appliances and appliances for professional use, based on deep consumer insight. We offer thoughtfully designed, innovative and sustainable solutions, developed in close collaboration with professional users. The products include refrigerators, ovens, cookers, hobs, dishwashers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, air conditioners and small domestic appliances. Under esteemed brands including Electrolux, AEG, Zanussi, Frigidaire and Electrolux Grand Cuisine, the Group sells more than 60 million products to customers in more than 150 markets every year. In 2015 Electrolux had sales of SEK 124 billion and 58,000 employees. For more information go to www.electroluxgroup.com
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For further information:
Electrolux Corporate Communications
Frazer Neo Macken
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Electrolux Corporate Communications
Pamela Tan
Email Contact
Ruder Finn Asia
Charlene Wan
Email Contact
VERBIER, Switzerland, July 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
The first concert-conference organised by the European research project ASSET
It is a well-known fact how music positively affects the intellectual development and improves the concentration. This relationship, appreciated by musicians and music fans is gradually gaining more attention also from the scientific research teams around the world. The scientific consortium ASSET, financed by the European Commission, proposes a unique way of integrating classical music in the promotion of education and public health by organising a piano concert where the classical piano pieces will be accompanied by the presentations of six international scientific experts.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160707/387193 )
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151203/292886LOGO )
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160707/387195LOGO )
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160707/387196LOGO )
"Concerto for Piano and Sciences" is the first event of this kind organised in partnership with the Verbier Festival (Switzerland), one of the most esteemed classical music festivals in Europe. Andrey Gugnin, a Russian virtuoso pianist and laureate of several prestigious international piano competitions will include Verbier in his world tour and will perform on the Bosendorfer grand piano 12 Etudes opus 25 by Frederic Chopin as well as the sublime but rarely heard Sonata Romantica by Nicolai Medtner.
Dr Ariel Beresniak, the CEO of the research organisation Data Mining International and the host of this concert-conference said: We have a great pleasure and honour to organise this event in partnership with the Verbier Festival, creating a unique opportunity for the public to attend to the combination of classical piano music and extremely informative public health interventions proposed by international experts. It's not often that both the right and the left hemispheres of the human brain can be stimulated in this fashion at the same time in order to better understand the role and the impact of music on the education and the disease prevention.
The topics presented by the public health experts during the concert-conference will touch more particularly on the aspects of individual and collective health (Dr Ariel Beresniak), the music's impact on the brain (Dr Pierre Lemarquis), the cognitive effects of the early music education (Helene Vareille), the human epidemics of animal origin (Dr Donato Greco), the epidemics response strategies (Dr Sylvie Briand) as well as various defence mechanisms that the communities can employ against future pandemics (Dr Alberto Perra).
Concerto for Piano and Sciences
Saturday 30 July 2016 at 16:00
Espace St Marc, Verbier/Le Chable, Canton du Valais, Switzerland
Reservation online for free entrance:
https://fvf-autresmanifestations.shop.secutix.com/
Press contacts and group reservations: concert@datamining-international.com
ROYAL OAK, MI--(Marketwired - July 12, 2016) - Dr. Alvin Daboul, D.D.S., owner of Bright Side Dental, Royal Oak, and Dr. Adam Fienman D.D.S., have completed advanced training in using the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique. This minimally invasive technique provides instant results and significantly less pain, recovery time, and investment than other treatment methods for gum recession. The Bright Side Dental doctors are two of only twelve dentists in Michigan that can provide this innovative service.
Gum recession is more than a simple cosmetic issue. It exposes the tooth's root, which can cause sensitivity and allow for more rapid tooth decay. Avoiding treatment can even lead to complete loss of the tooth. Prior to the Pinhole Surgical Technique, grafting was the primary treatment method for gum recession. Tissue would be cut from the roof of the mouth and sutured to the gums. Using this new technology, a small hole is made by a needle and specially designed instruments are used to gently loosen the gum tissue and manipulate it into the correct place. Also called the Lunchtime Gum Lift', this method is scalpel-free, suture-free, and requires only 24-48 hours of recovery time. Results are immediately apparent and generally permanent.
The Pinhole Surgical Technique was invented by Dr. John Chao, D.D.S., MADG, one of the most widely renowned dentists in Southern California. He had this to say about the doctors: "Dr. Alvin Daboul and Dr. Feinman have been personally trained in a special program under my direction and supervised at my facilities in California. They are clearly very talented dentists who will be able to apply their knowledge and skills for patients needing this quick, easy and instantly pleasing procedure. I am very delighted to have Drs. Daboul and Fienman representing the Pinhole Surgical Technique in Royal Oak, Michigan." Dr. John Chao, Inventor of thePinhole Surgical Technique.
Dr. Alvin Daboul cares about providing the most comfortable experience possible for his patients. He learned the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique so that his patients could avoid the common distress and long recovery time associated with traditional gum recession surgery. Patients can expect minimal post-operative symptoms and most are able to see instant cosmetic results. "With the Pinhole Technique, I can provide my patients better outcomes and with very little discomfort," said Dr. Alvin Daboul, D.D.S.
Bright Side Dental is now offering this service at the Royal Oak location at 3213 Rochester Royal Oak, MI 48073. Dr. Daboul and his team provide a wide array of other services including general dentistry, orthodontics and cosmetic dentistry. Patients can learn more about the Pinhole Surgical Technique by visiting BrightSideDental.com or calling 1-800-PAINLESS to make an appointment today.
About Bright Side Dental
Bright Side Dental is a full-service dental office specializing in all phases of general dentistry. Bright Side Dental offers evening and weekend hours at each location. There are eleven Bright Side Dental offices located in Canton, Clarkston, Farmington, Livonia, Royal Oak, Southfield, St. Clair Shores, Sterling Heights, Warren, Bloomfield Hills and Troy.
Media Contact:
Pam Lenning
Public Relations Director
Bright Side Dental
(855) 725-3628 ext. 701
plenning@brightsidedental.com
Fleet of Aircraft Receiving Avionics and Aircraft Systems Modernization
L-3 Communications (NYSE:LLL) announced today that its Platform Integration division has delivered an upgraded C-130 aircraft to Argentina as part of a U.S. Air Force Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The delivery was the first of five aircraft scheduled to receive avionics and systems modernization.
This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160712005278/en/
L-3 recently completed the first upgraded C-130 aircraft as part of a U.S. Air Force Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program to Argentina, shown here as it was inducted to the L-3 facility in Waco, Texas. The delivery was the first of five aircraft scheduled to receive avionics and systems modernization. (Photo: Business Wire)
Under the program, L-3 installed new communication, navigation and air traffic management systems avionics capabilities, as well as a reliability upgrade on critical environmental and power systems to increase mission availability. Several aircraft are slated to be fitted with special electro-optical equipment to expand the mission role of the Argentine Air Force.
"The cockpit avionics and aircraft systems upgrades delivered by our team will increase the mission availability of these C-130 aircraft for the Argentine Air Force and help ensure they continue to fly safely for many years to come," said Mark Von Schwarz, president of L-3 Aerospace Systems, which includes the Platform Integration division. "These L-3 improvements will allow worldwide operations by providing compliance to current and upcoming Communication, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) regulations."
The first aircraft installation and integration was performed by L-3 at its facility in Waco, Texas, and the remaining four aircraft will be upgraded at its in-country partner FAdeA's (Fabrica Argentina de Aviones) modification facility in Cordoba, Argentina, with L-3 support.
Prime contractor L-3 Platform Integration has more than 25 years of experience as an aircraft systems integrator, including modernizing C-130 avionics for hundreds of C-130 aircraft in the U.S. Air Force fleet and international allies. L-3 Platform Integration is supported by partners L-3 TCS, which provided technical publications and a kit for the installation of an L-3 WESCAM MX-Series electro-optical and infrared imaging and targeting system, and Rockwell Collins.
L-3's Platform Integration division provides complex aircraft integration, sustainment and modification services for military, commercial and OEM customers. Spanning 30 years, the company's experience includes aircraft systems integration for maritime surveillance, advanced communications and avionics modernization on platforms ranging from small turboprop and business-class aircraft to wide-body jets.
Headquartered in New York City, L-3 employs approximately 38,000 people worldwide and is a leading provider of a broad range of communication and electronic systems and products used on military and commercial platforms. L-3 is also a prime contractor in aerospace systems. The company reported 2015 sales of $10.5 billion.
To learn more about L-3, please visit the company's website at www.L-3com.com. L-3 uses its website as a channel of distribution of material company information. Financial and other material information regarding L-3 is routinely posted on the company's website and is readily accessible.
Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this news release are forward-looking statements. Statements that are predictive in nature, that depend upon or refer to events or conditions or that include words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "will," "could" and similar expressions are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements set forth above involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any such statement, including the risks and uncertainties discussed in the company's Safe Harbor Compliance Statement for Forward-Looking Statements included in the company's recent filings, including Forms 10-K and 10-Q, with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and the company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160712005278/en/
Contacts:
Jennifer Barton (on-site), 917-822-6763
Vice President, Media Relations
L-3
NEW YORK, NY and LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwired - July 12, 2016) - Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (NYSE: HLI), the global investment bank, today announced that Larry DeAngelo and Paul Simpson have joined the firm as Managing Directors to lead the firm's global Business Services Group. Mr. Simpson is based in London and Mr. DeAngelo is based in Atlanta.
Mr. DeAngelo joins from SunTrust Robinson Humphrey (STRH), where he was a Managing Director in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group, leading that firm's Business and Financial Services M&A team. Prior to STRH, he held senior roles at a number of private equity funds, focusing primarily on the technology, business, and financial services sectors. Thomas Bailey has also recently joined the Atlanta-based Business Services team as a Director following six years at STRH.
Mr. Simpson joins Houlihan Lokey after nearly two decades at Rothschild, where he held a number of roles, most recently serving as Managing Director and Global Head of Business Services. During his tenure at Rothschild, Mr. Simpson advised on more than 100 transactions across a range of industry sectors.
"Paul and Larry each bring decades of world-class experience and extensive insight and relationships in the Business Services sectors we serve. The addition of their teams to Houlihan Lokey creates a powerful leadership platform on which to continue the firm's growth in this sector," said Anita Antenucci, Senior Managing Director. "Houlihan Lokey now brings unparalleled depth of senior industry experience across the services sectors. Teamed with our end-market focused industry groups and our global offices, we have over 15 Managing Directors covering services. This depth will be tremendously beneficial to our client base and the growth of our global business, particularly as we increasingly work on cross-border transactions that require a genuine blend of global reach and local expertise. We're delighted that they have joined Houlihan Lokey," she added.
The Business Services Group covers a dynamic sector of the economy, encompassing Information Technology Services, Business Process Outsourcing, Marketing Services, Information Services, Human Resources Outsourcing, Facility Maintenance, Specialty Consulting, and Rental Services. Among the Business Services Group's most recent closed transactions are the following:
the sale of CAPS Payroll (the premier provider of technology-enabled payroll solutions to the entertainment industry) to Cast & Crew Entertainment Services and Silver Lake;
the sale of AVI-SPL (an end-to-end provider of audio visual and video collaboration solutions) to HIG Capital;
the financial restructuring of Altegrity, LLC (parent of leading risk management and background investigations companies, Kroll and HireRight) by its second- and third-lien noteholders; and
a $150 million capital raise for Panavision, Inc. (the world's leading equipment rental providers of proprietary and third-party cinema camera systems)
"Houlihan Lokey's growth over the past two years, particularly in Europe, has been remarkable. I am hugely attracted by my new firm's commitment to continued growth, its world-class service offering, and its very powerful US platform in Business Services. I look forward to replicating that excellence throughout the region and working with my colleagues to further grow Houlihan Lokey's Business Services Group globally," said Mr. Simpson.
"The depth and breadth of Houlihan Lokey's coverage footprint in the services sector is outstanding, and the range of services the firm offers its clients, from traditional corporate finance to financial restructuring, valuation and other services, is among the most comprehensive on the Street," said Mr. DeAngelo. "I'm excited to have joined the firm and I'm confident that Paul and I, along with our partners around the firm, will continue the outstanding track record of success that Houlihan Lokey has achieved to date in Business Services," he continued.
Mr. Simpson holds a Master of Arts from Oxford University and an ACA from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). Mr. DeAngelo holds a BA in Economics from Colgate University and an MBA from Yale University.
Houlihan Lokey (NYSE: HLI) is a global investment bank with expertise in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, valuation, financial restructuring, and strategic consulting. The firm serves corporations, institutions, and governments worldwide with offices in the United States, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. Independent advice and intellectual rigor are hallmarks of our commitment to client success across our advisory services. Houlihan Lokey is ranked as the No. 1 M&A advisor for all U.S. transactions, the No. 1 global M&A fairness opinion advisor over the past 15 years, and the No. 1 global restructuring advisor, according to Thomson Reuters. For more information, please visit www.HL.com
Contact information:
Matthew Jervois
Kreab
+ 44 207 074 1800
Mjervois@kreab.com
Natalie Biasin
Kreab
+ 44 207 074 1800
nbiasin@kreab.com
Investor Relations:
212-331-8225
ir@hl.com
Media Relations:
212-331-8223
pr@hl.com
L-3 Communications (NYSE:LLL) announced today that its WESCAM division has received multiple orders from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) for its MX-15D electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) designator systems for an international military customer. L-3's equipment will support medium-altitude covert intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions carried out by GA-ASI's Predator XP remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) system.
L-3's imaging systems range in size from 8 inches to 25 inches in diameter and provide high-resolution, stabilized full-motion intelligence in support of low-level tactical to high-altitude, ultra long-range persistent missions. L-3's MX-8, MX-10 and MX-25 surveillance systems will be on display and available for demonstration at the Farnborough International Airshow in the pavilion next to the L-3 Chalet A15.
Deliveries to GA-ASI in California began earlier this year. Once fielded, the systems will be maintained by one of L-3 WESCAM's 14 authorized service centers.
"Our MX line represents state-of-the-art technology for military and security projects, and we are focused on expanding this business area. L-3 has the global reach and technical know-how to respond quickly with innovative solutions that meet specific customer requirements," said Steve Kantor, president of L-3's Electronic Systems business segment.
"We take great pride in providing GA-ASI and its customers with an EO/IR system designed with a suite of high-sensitivity, proven technologies," added Paul Jennison, vice president of government sales and business development for L-3 WESCAM. "Configured with high-definition IR and precise laser designation capabilities, these systems are fully equipped with the essential tools required to meet dynamic mission requirements."
L-3's MX-15D has been engineered with large-aperture, long focal length optics and patented four-axis gimbal technology. Together, these technologies deliver outstanding stabilization and GEO-location performance, further enabling superior imagery from Predator XP's digital line of sight and beyond line of sight to be captured. Additionally, the system's superior detection, recognition and identification range performance will enable the end user to perform precision engagements from longer standoff ranges.
Currently, more than 500 MX designating systems operate from over 40 different airframes across 15 countries.
L-3 WESCAM is a world leader in the design and manufacture of stabilized, multi-spectral imaging systems. To learn more about L-3 WESCAM, please visit the company's website at www.wescam.com.
Headquartered in New York City, L-3 employs approximately 38,000 people worldwide and is a leading provider of a broad range of communication and electronic systems and products used on military and commercial platforms. L-3 is also a prime contractor in aerospace systems. The company reported 2015 sales of $10.5 billion.
To learn more about L-3, please visit the company's website at www.L-3com.com. L-3 uses its website as a channel of distribution of material company information. Financial and other material information regarding L-3 is routinely posted on the company's website and is readily accessible.
Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this news release are forward-looking statements. Statements that are predictive in nature, that depend upon or refer to events or conditions or that include words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "will," "could" and similar expressions are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements set forth above involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any such statement, including the risks and uncertainties discussed in the company's Safe Harbor Compliance Statement for Forward-Looking Statements included in the company's recent filings, including Forms 10-K and 10-Q, with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and the company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160712005276/en/
Contacts:
Paul Jennison (on-site), 905-330-7692
Vice President, Government Sales and Business Development
L-3 WESCAM
or
Jennifer Barton (on-site),917-822-6763
Vice President, Media Relations
L-3
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - At 4:30 am ET Tuesday, the Bank of England is scheduled to publish record of FPC meeting held on June 28 and July 1. Ahead of the data, the pound advanced against its major rivals. The pound was worth 1.3127 against the greenback, 135.38 against the yen, 1.2871 against the franc and 0.8460 against the euro as of 4:25 am ET. 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.
ABU DHABI, UAE, July 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Remede Spa to offer private one hour healing sessions with world-renowned healer guru Made Sumantra
Remede Spa at The St. Regis Abu Dhabi will offer one hour healing sessions with Traditional Balinese Healing Master, Made Sumantra, from Saturday 16 July until Monday 18 July 2016.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160712/388654 )
Made Sumantra is visiting Abu Dhabi as part of his latest world tour that will also see him visit the United Kingdom, United States of America, Japan, Malaysia and his homeland, Indonesia.
The healing process works on the mind, body and soul, raising the body's natural cell system and healing system, balancing emotional, mental and physical energy, strengthening self-protection from negative influences and developing the opening process of the chakra, major and minor.
Guru Made Sumantra has worked around the world for more than 20 years. He was born in the village of Banjar Payogan, Ubud, Bali and grew up in a family of traditional Balinese shaman healers (Balian). The healing tradition was passed on from his grandfather and previous ancestors. Today, Balinese shamans still play a central role in public health care throughout Indonesia.
Remede Spa Manager, Zoe Zkeri, said: "We're very pleased to welcome Mr Sumantra to the hotel and to offer this very special and unique opportunity to the Abu Dhabi community."
One-hour private healing sessions are available from 9am to 10pm, Saturday 16 July until Monday 18 July 2016. Each session costs AED560 inclusive of all taxes.
Bookings are required and can be made by calling Remede Spa on +971-2-694-4100 or emailing remede.abudhabi@stregis.com.
For more information on The St. Regis Abu Dhabi, visit http://www.stregisabudhabi.com
For media inquiries:
Katie Malone
Director of Marketing
Tel: +971-2-694-4708
katie.malone@stregis.com
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The uncertainty from the 'Brexit' will reduce economic growth of both euro area and the U.K., the economic affairs commissioner Pierre Moscovici said after the meeting of Eurozone finance ministers in Brussels late Monday. He cautioned that the longer the period of uncertainty, the costlier it will be for the region. According to earlier estimates, the 'Brexit' is set to trim the British GDP growth by 1-2.5 percent by 2017, he said. The growth in the euro area is likely to register a reduction of 0.2-0.5 percent in growth by 2017, he added. In May, the commission had projected 1.6 percent growth for 2016 and 1.8 percent for next year. The International Monetary Fund last week lowered its euro area growth projections citing the uncertainty created by the surprise 'Brexit' vote. The lender forecast 1.6 percent expansion this year and 1.4 percent in 2017. 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.
BEIJING, July 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
China Food Safety Initiative (CFSI) Enjoys Record Public and Private Support.
Poised for Accelerated Food Safety Advances.
Never before has the annual GFSI China Focus Day, now in its fifth edition, enjoyed such extensive support from national government in addition to the broad engagement from the private sector. This year marks the first-ever joint event with the newly-established China Food Safety Initiative (CFSI), which has benefited from the engagement of top local and global brands, as well as China national agencies including the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA), the Certification and Accreditation Administration of China (CNCA) and the China Nutrition and Health Food Association (CNHFA) - onboard with CFSI to drive food safety forward collaboratively.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160614/379055LOGO )
Significant breakthroughs, notably thanks to recent partnerships launched with the CNCA, CNHFA and UNIDO in China have set the stage for GFSI to accelerate growth via its CFSI branch, making it the place to address food safety challenges on the ground in the China context. This two-day event, gathering 300 top food safety executives from China and the rest of the world, has mirrored the dynamism and priorities of GFSI for this key region.
Private Sector Efforts Bolstered by Public Collaboration
GFSI is delighted to see this surge of public engagement boosting ongoing industry efforts. The speaker line-up testified to the continued private sector commitment, with national Chairs of international companies like Cargill, Danone, Walmart, Carrefour, McDonalds, Aeon, Metro, Hershey onsite, as well as the Heads of Chinese companies New Hope Liuhe, Beijing Hualian, China Resources Vanguard Co., Ltd and COFCO. GFSI Board members have also convened in testimony to the importance of local efforts to global strategy.
This collective powerhouse assembled under the conviction that everyone has a right to safe food, and the belief that food safety is a non-competitive issue which requires collaboration to achieve. The Focus Day Programme reflected the priorities set for CFSI: continuous improvement in food safety standards, audits and capability building, ultimately enabling mutual recognition within the industry and improving consumer trust in the safety of food they serve their families on a daily basis.
Harnessing the Power of Collective Action
To address top food safety issues, CFSI has harnessed the power of 40 local and global companies operating in China and their one hundred representatives who have committed to dedicating their time on a volunteer basis to participate in the CFSI's work streams.
The China Focus Day programme has reflected these priority issues, with dedicated sessions on certification, capability building and auditor competence. Yesterday and today, speakers have zoomed in on topics such as certification to a GFSI-recognised scheme, China HACCP and auditor competence. They have also discussed food safety capability building with the GFSI Global Markets Programme, a roadmap to safer food and market access. Delegates heard implementation success stories and best practice for training, for training trainers and for equipping food operators with scientific capabilities.
"Going forward, CFSI is in an ideal position to have a great impact on both Chinese and global markets" commented Zaotian Wan, GFSI Board member, CFSI Co-Chair and Vice President, COFCO Corporation, China. "Improving food safety and consumer trust in complex global supply chains requires a 'glocal' approach and this parity-based collaboration with Chinese and international companies on the ground within the Chinese context is a must for tackling local challenges."
To learn more about GFSI
http://www.mygfsi.com
Press Contact:
Email:l.prevert@theconsumergoodsforum.com
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Lithuania's producer prices continued to decline in June, though at a slower rate than in the previous month, figures from the Department of Statistics showed Tuesday. Producer prices fell 6.9 percent year-over-year in June, following a 8.2 percent decrease in May. The fall in June was largely caused by a 13.4 percent slump in prices of refined petroleum products. Excluding refined petroleum products, total industrial producer prices dipped 3.6 percent in June from a year ago. On a monthly basis, producer prices dropped at a slower pace of 1.0 percent in June, after a 1.6 percent stable rate of increase in the preceding month. In a separate report, the statistical office revealed that the harmonized index of consumer prices, or, HICP, rose 0.4 percent annually in June, while it showed no variations from a month ago. 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.
SAN MATEO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Rakuten Marketing today announced that it has acquired Nextperf, a company with advanced machine learning for real-time ad and creative optimization. While increasing its presence in Europe, this integration complements the existing Rakuten Marketing display technology with enriched user scoring and ad intelligence.
These enhancements to Rakuten Marketing award-winning ad technology follow recent investments in mobile, social and cross-device technologies, as well as the activation of data intelligence from across the Rakuten network. By reinforcing its long-standing capabilities with Nextperf ad intelligence, Rakuten Marketing is demonstrating its continued pursuit to empower marketers with the most effective technology for shaping consumer experiences and improving multi-channel performance.
"Rakuten Marketing highly values technological innovation, and the best way to deliver optimal performance to our clients is by continuously evaluating how we can improve and advance our offerings," said Tony Zito, CEO, Rakuten Marketing. "We welcome Nextperf as a strategic addition to our technology and an anchor for expanding our presence in continental Europe."
"We're excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for Nextperf and our team as we join forces with Rakuten Marketing," says Nextperf CEO, Vincent Karachira. "Throughout the process, we have been impressed with Rakuten Marketing's vision to empower marketers, and are eager to deliver that vision to our clients globally."
Learn more about Rakuten Marketing at www.rakutenmarketing.com.
About Rakuten Marketing
Rakuten Marketing is the global leader in omnichannel marketing, delivering its vision of driving the omni experience -- marketing designed for a streamlined customer experience. Offering an integrated strategy that combines consumer centric insights with e-commerce expertise, Rakuten Marketing's omnichannel services include Rakuten Affiliate Network (formerly LinkShare), Rakuten Display, Rakuten Search and Rakuten Attribution.
Operating as a division of Rakuten Inc. (4755: TOKYO), one of the world's leading Internet service companies, Rakuten Marketing is headquartered in New York City, with additional offices in Australia, Brazil, Japan, the United Kingdom, and throughout the United States. Follow us on Twitter or learn more at http://rakutenmarketing.com.
About Nextperf
Nextperf is a world leader in retargeting solutions and artificial intelligence applied to online advertising. The company is active throughout Europe as well as in Brazil and North America, and boasts a portfolio of nearly 1,000 clients for whom it guarantees the highest market ROI. Nextperf provides a scalable platform that allows marketing departments to manage their display budget alongside real-time analysis of user profiles, purchases and dynamic content creation. Constantly innovating, the company develops new models (skin retargeting, web to store, consumer advice within banners, video) and is able to carefully segment its targets.
Further information is available on the Nextperf website: http://www.nextperf.com/
Contact Information
Lisa Tadje
Rakuten Marketing
Email Contact
LONDON, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Sernova Corp. (TSX VENTURE: SVA)(OTCQB: SEOVF)(FRANKFURT: PSH), a clinical stage company developing disruptive regenerative medicine technologies for the long-term treatment of chronic diseases including diabetes and hemophilia, is pleased to announce today it has entered into a research funding agreement with JDRF, the leading global organization funding and advocating for type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. The purpose of the funding is to advance human clinical trials of Sernova's CPS technologies for treatment of hypoglycemia unawareness patients with severe type 1 diabetes. T1D is a life-threatening disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks and kills the pancreatic cells that produce insulin-a hormone that is essential for life because of its role to help the body use glucose.
JDRF will provide Sernova up to $2.45 million USD to support a clinical trial at a major transplantation center in the United States. The goal of the study is to provide patients with hypoglycemia unawareness a novel cell therapy treatment utilizing Sernova's proprietary, highly vascularized, cell macroencapsulated implantable and scalable device to reduce or eliminate the need for injections of exogenous insulin.
"JDRF has previously provided funding to advance the development of Sernova's technologies through a preclinical collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital, and we are proud to continue our support as Sernova's technologies progress into new safety and efficacy clinical trials," said Derek Rapp, JDRF President and CEO. "JDRF is excited about this collaboration, which advances research in encapsulated cell therapies, and will continue to drive progress toward our mission to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications."
"Sernova and JDRF are tightly aligned in our vision to see cell-based therapies developed to reduce disease burden and significantly increase the quality of life for people living with T1D," remarked Dr. Philip Toleikis, Sernova's President and CEO. "We see our work with JDRF on this important clinical trial as an exciting opportunity to more rapidly advance Sernova's therapies to treat people with diabetes and address many of the shortcomings and challenges of current insulin therapy."
"Sernova's progression to human clinical trials is an incredible accomplishment in the global diabetes research agenda," said Dave Prowten, President and CEO of JDRF Canada. "I am particularly proud of this trial being a part of the JDRF portfolio because it supports advancements of the best and brightest research minds in Canada at Sernova. Also, this is a shining example of the international collaboration fostered by projects funded by JDRF. Working together with our global partners, we can accelerate this type of transformative research and ensure it becomes available for the T1D community."
To date, there is no cure for T1D, and people living with the disease are dependent on insulin therapy to help keep their blood-sugar levels from spiking too high, which can lead to long-term complications such as kidney and heart diseases or an acute, potentially deadly health crisis. Present-day insulin therapy is, however, an imperfect treatment method that requires people with T1D to carefully monitor their blood sugar throughout the day and take multiple, calculated doses of insulin based on food intake, exercise, stress, illness and other factors. A miscalculation or unexpected variable leading to high or low blood sugar episodes are daily threats, and only a third of people with T1D achieve their long-term blood glucose targets, placing them at risk for T1D-related health complications.
About Sernova
Sernova Corp is a clinical stage regenerative medicine Company developing highly disruptive medical technologies to improve the treatment and quality of life of people with chronic debilitating metabolic diseases such as insulin-dependent 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 which forms highly vascularized chambers, ideal for therapeutic cells (donor, xenogeneic or stem cell derived therapeutic cells) which then release proteins and/or hormones as required to treat disease. For more information, please visit Sernova.com or follow us on Twitter: @SernovaCorp
About JDRF
JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested nearly $2 billion in research funding since our inception. We are an organization built on a grassroots model of people connecting in their local communities, collaborating regionally for efficiency and broader fundraising impact, and uniting on a national stage to pool resources, passion, and energy. We collaborate with academic institutions, policymakers, and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Our staff and volunteers throughout the United States and our six international affiliates are dedicated to advocacy, community engagement and our vision of a world without T1D. For more information, please visit jdrf.org or follow us on Twitter: @JDRF
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, are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of Sernova's management on the date such statements were made, which include our belief that Sernova will be able to raise additional capital to fund its clinical programs including its planned US FDA clinical trial. 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
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - July 12, 2016) - - July 12, 2016- Klondex Mines Ltd. (TSX: KDX) (NYSE MKT: KLDX) ("Klondex" or the "Company") is pleased to report its preliminary production results for the second quarter of 2016 for its Fire Creek and Midas mines.
Three months ended June Six months ended June 30, 30, 2016 2016 ------------------------- ------------------------- Fire Fire Creek Midas Total Creek Midas Total ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- Ore tons milled 33,968 52,226 86,194 66,710 93,239 159,949 Average gold equivalent mill head grade (oz/ton)(1) 0.91 0.26 0.52 0.81 0.24 0.48 Average gold mill head grade (oz/ton) 0.90 0.14 0.44 0.80 0.13 0.41 Average silver mill head grade (oz/ton) 0.69 8.99 5.72 0.80 8.60 5.31 Average gold recovery rate (%) 93.7% 93.7% 93.7% 93.7% 94.9% 93.9% Average silver recovery rate (%) 85.9% 85.9% 85.9% 87.4% 87.9% 87.8% Gold equivalent produced (ounces)(1) 29,067 12,320 41,436 50,627 20,910 71,592 Gold produced (ounces) 28,800 7,021 35,821 50,019 11,764 61,783 Silver produced (ounces) 20,148 403,212 423,360 46,841 699,641 746,482 Gold equivalent sold (ounces)(1) 26,160 11,707 37,914 45,152 23,896 69,103 Gold sold (ounces) 25,889 6,610 32,499 44,434 15,029 59,463 Silver sold (ounces) 20,406 387,910 408,316 55,251 678,339 733,590 (1) Gold equivalent ounces ("GEO") and grades are computed as the applicable gold ounces/grade plus the silver ounces/grade divided by a GEO ratio. GEO ratios are computed by dividing the average realized gold price per ounce by the average realized silver price per ounce received by the Company in the respective period. Preliminary Q2 GEO ratios were approximately 75.3:1 for Fire Creek, 76.1:1 for Midas, and 75.4:1 for Total. For the six month period ended June 30, 2016, preliminary GEO ratios were approximately 77.0:1 for Fire Creek, 76.5:1 for Midas, and 76.1:1 for Total.
The progressive increase in GEO production during the second quarter of 2016 was primarily due to an increase in tons mined and milled. Average gold equivalent mill head grades at Fire Creek improved from the first quarter as the Company returned to mining higher grade zones. Average gold equivalent mill head grades improved slightly at Midas due to mine sequencing. The Company continues to expect the mill head grades at Midas to progressively increase throughout the year. Average silver recovery rates were slightly lower than expected due to higher mill throughput, which reduced ore retention time in the leach tanks.
The Company reiterates its 2016 production guidance of 145,000 to 150,000 GEOs, which is split approximately 45%-50% in the first half of 2016 and 50%-55% in the second half of 2016.
Mr. Paul Huet, President and CEO commented, "We achieved record GEO production for the Company in the second quarter and are on our way to accomplish our goal of filling the Midas mill. We are well positioned to meet our production guidance for the year as we expect our mining rates and mill head grades to be consistent with the second quarter results, or even improve slightly, according to our mine plans." Mr. Huet continued, "We remain on track to execute on our strategy, as we continue to make strong progress at the True North mine in Canada and we remain confident that we will be in position to make a production decision in the third quarter."
About Klondex Mines Ltd. (www.klondexmines.com)
Klondex is a well-capitalized, junior-tier gold and silver mining company focused on exploration, development, and production in a safe, environmentally responsible and cost-effective manner. The Company has 100% interests in two producing mineral properties: the Fire Creek Mine and the Midas Mine and ore milling facility, both of which are located in the state of Nevada, USA, as well as the recently acquired True North mine and mill in Manitoba, Canada.
Webcast and Conference Call
Klondex will report its financial results for the second quarter of 2016 after market close on Tuesday, August 9, 2016. A conference call and webcast will be held the following morning on Wednesday, August 10, 2016 at 10:30 am ET/7:30 am PT. The conference call telephone numbers are listed below.
Canada & USA Toll Free Dial In: 1-800-319-4610
Toronto: +1 416-915-3239
International: +1 604-638-5340
Callers should dial in 5 to 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time and ask to join the Klondex call. The webcast will be available on the Company's website or by clicking http://services.choruscall.ca/links/klondex20160810.html.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Information
This news release contains certain information that may constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation (collectively, "forward looking information"), including but not limited to information about current expectations on the timing, success and growth of exploration and development activities, the timing and success of mining operations, the timing of a production decision (if any) at the True North mine, the Company's ability to produce and sell gold and silver, the Company's achievement of the full-year projections for GEO production, metal grades and production costs, the Company's ability to meet annual operations estimates, the ability to maintain and improve average daily milling rates and mill head grades, the Company's intention and ability to monetize mineralized material, the successful execution and project development at all of the Company's mines and projects, and related permitting. This forward-looking information entails various risks and uncertainties that are based on current expectations, and actual results may differ materially from those contained in such information. These uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to, the strength of the global economy; the price of gold and silver; operational, funding and liquidity risks; the degree to which mineral resource estimates are reflective of actual mineral resources; the degree to which factors which would make a mineral deposit commercially viable are present; the risks and hazards associated with underground operations; and the ability of Klondex to fund its substantial capital requirements and operations. Risks and uncertainties about the Company's business are more fully discussed in the Company's disclosure materials filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and United States available at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov, respectively. Readers are urged to read these materials. Klondex assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from such information unless required by law.
For More Information
John Seaberg
Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Development
O: 775-284-5757
M: 303-668-7991
jseaberg@klondexmines.com
SAN FRANCISCO, July 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
The globalSingle Cell analysis marketis expected to reach USD 5.0 billion by 2024, according to a new report published by Grand View Research, Inc. The rising adoption of Single Cell analysis tools owing to the improving healthcare scenario is fueling the growth of the market.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/723757 )
The continuous efforts in the R&D sector of the healthcare industry are resulting in the wide applicability of the Single Cell analysis technologies in the different disease areas, as a widespread diagnostic tool to address the complex heterogeneity observed in cells. Introduction of stem cell therapies and non-invasive techniques for prenatal analysis are some of the examples of the applications of the Single Cell analysis techniques. On the contrary, the high-cost and long shelf-life of the instruments is challenging the growth of the market.
In addition, the increasing pool of individuals suffering from target diseases, such as cancer, and neurological disorders, rising per capita income, and the government initiatives to encourage the R&D in healthcare sectors are augmenting the demand for Single Cell analysis in the developing countries. The extensive demand for non-invasive techniques for prenatal diagnosis to prevent the immunological and genetic disorders in fetuses is fueling the demand for Single Cell tests in the market. The penetration of advanced therapeutic tools for the treatment of chronic diseases, such as cancer related to the malfunctions of the Single Cells is proving to be a boon for the global market. Moreover, the adoption of stem cell therapy for treatments related to bone marrow transplants, hair regeneration, and other health-related issues is widening the scope of the Single Cell analytical technologies globally.
Geographically, the market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). North America accounted for the largest market share and was followed by Europe in 2015.Well-developed healthcare and R&D infrastructure and the availability of skilled labor are pushing the adoption of Single Cell analysis in these regions.
Asia Pacific is expected to show the fastest growth rate during the forecast period. Factors, such as the booming medical tourism, availability of advanced healthcare treatments, and the availability of skilled healthcare professionals at a lower cost are some of the factors anticipated to accelerate the adoption of Single Cell analysis in the Asia Pacific region. Moreover, the increasing government expenditure for clinical research activities and the improvement of healthcare infrastructure are boosting the growth of the market. As a result, the Asia Pacific market is anticipated to capture around 21% of the global share during the forecast period.
Players are implementing strategies, such as partnerships, collaborations, and mergers to expand their market share. The collaborative agreement between Illumina, Inc. and Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. is one such example of the strategic endeavors undertaken by the market players.
Browse full research report with TOC on "Single Cell Analysis Market Analysis, by Product (Consumables: Beads, Micro Plates, Reagents, Assay Kits (Immunoassay, Cell-based assay); Instruments: Manual (Microscopes, Haemocytometers) Automated (Flow cytometers, NGS Systems, PCR, High-Content Screening, Cell Microarrays, Single Live-Cell Imaging, Automated Cell Counters), by Application (Cancer, Immunology, Neurology, Stem cell, Non-invasive Prenatal Diagnosis, In Vitro Fertilization)) and Segment Forecasts To 2024" at: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/single-cell-analysis-market
Further key findings from the study suggest:
The consumables segment accounted for the largest market share and is expected to maintain its dominance owing to the repeat purchase of reagents, assay kits, beads, and microplates
The instruments market segment is expected to show significant growth during the forecast period
The applications segment of the market is further divided into cancer, neurology, immunology, prenatal diagnosis, and in-vitro fertilization. Increasing prevalence of the target diseases is propelling the growth of the market.
North America captured the largest market share of around 38% in 2015 and is estimated to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. Speedy adoption of analytical techniques and the rising R&D efforts in the field of diagnostics are the major factors contributing to the largest market share of North America in the global market. The AsiaPacific region is expected to show significant growth from 2016 to 2024 due mainly to the flourishing clinical research sector, medical tourism, and the high government healthcare expenditure in the region.
captured the largest market share of around 38% in 2015 and is estimated to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. Speedy adoption of analytical techniques and the rising R&D efforts in the field of diagnostics are the major factors contributing to the largest market share of in the global market. The AsiaPacific region is expected to show significant growth from 2016 to 2024 due mainly to the flourishing clinical research sector, medical tourism, and the high government healthcare expenditure in the region. The major market players in this market include but are not limited to Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Illumina, Inc., Qiagen N.V., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Merck Millipore GmbH, Beckman Coulter , Inc. (U.S.),Becton, Dickinson and Company (U.S.)
Request for sample of this research report: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/single-cell-analysis-market/request
Grand View Research has segmented the Single Cell analysis market on the basis of product, application and region:
Single Cell Analysis Market, by Product, 2013 - 2024 (USD Billion) Consumables Beads Micro plates Reagents Assay Kits Immunoassays Cell-based assays Other Consumables Instruments Manual Microscopes Haemocytometers Automated Flow cytometers Next-generation sequencing (NGS) systems Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Spectrophotometers High-content screening systems Cell microarrays Single Live-cell imaging Automated cell counters
Single Cell Analysis Market, By Application, 2013 - 2024 (USD Billion) Cancer Immunology Neurology Stem cell Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis In vitro fertilization
Single Cell Analysis Market, by Region, 2013 - 2024 (USD Billion) North America U.S. Single Cell Analysis Market by Product Canada Single Cell Analysis Market by Product U.S. Single Cell Analysis Market by Application Canada Single Cell Analysis Market by Application Europe Germany Single Cell Analysis Market by Product France Single Cell Analysis Market by Product Germany Single Cell Analysis Market by Application France Single Cell Analysis Market by Application Asia Pacific China Single Cell Analysis Market by Product India Single Cell Analysis Market by Product China Single Cell Analysis Market by Application India Single Cell Analysis Market by Application Latin America Brazil Single Cell Analysis Market by Product Mexico Single Cell Analysis Market by Product Brazil Single Cell Analysis Market by Application Mexico Single Cell Analysis Market by Application MEA South Africa Single Cell Analysis Market by Product South Africa Single Cell Analysis Market by Application
Browse related reports by Grand View Research:
Glucose Biosensor Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/glucose-biosensors-market
Genetic Disease Diagnostic Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/genetic-disease-diagnostic-market
Long Term Care Services Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/long-term-care-services-market
Kidney Function Tests Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/kidney-function-tests-market
About Grand View Research
Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. Thecompany provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.
Read Our Blogs - mediafound.org , grandviewresearch.com/blogs/healthcare
Contact:
Sherry James
Corporate Sales Specialist, USA
Grand View Research, Inc
Phone: 1-415-349-0058
Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519
Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com
Web: http://www.grandviewresearch.com
Busiest ever start to the summerThe growing interest in travelling to and from Denmark resulted in a substantial 9% increase in passenger numbers at Copenhagen Airport in June, making it the busiest ever start to the summer. In the first six months of the year, passenger numbers grew by 11% year on year to 13.7 million. Among the travel destinations, Spain stood out with 30% growth this year.An unusually busy first half year at Copenhagen Airport with total passenger growth of 11% ended with the first holiday month as no exception."We have had an unusually busy start to the summer period, and on several days in June we saw for the first time more than 100,000 passengers pass through the terminals. The total number of passengers was 2,757,528 million, representing a growth rate of 9% year on year, resulting at the busiest ever start to the summer at Copenhagen Airport," said Copenhagen Airport CEO Thomas WoldbyeOne of the favourite destinations is Spain with a 30% increase in passenger numbers in the first six months of the year."We can see that passengers have really taken advantage of the additional capacity offered by the airlines on routes to Spain. Overall, the number of seats available exceeded 298,000, representing a year-on-year increase of 31%; and a corresponding growth was seen in passenger numbers. That is a good example of how more flights to a destination also make more passengers choose to travel to that destination," said Woldbye.This is also recorded by Statistics Denmark in the form of a 46% increase in Spanish bed nights in Copenhagen in the first five months of the year.So a significant part of the year's 11% growth in Copenhagen Airport has been generated by an increase in the number of foreign tourists choosing Denmark as their destination because of the many new routes in recent years. In the first quarter of 2016 alone, 27.2% more tourists travelled to Denmark via Copenhagen Airport compared with the same period of last year.Not only international traffic is growing. Domestic traffic has also taken off in 2016, showing accumulated growth of 7% in the first six months of the year. The growth rate for domestic traffic in June was 4.7%.Attachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=578423
Kaman Aerosystems (Kaman) announced today that its Air Vehicles and MRO (AVMRO) division has successfully secured a contract for $39.8 million (USD) with General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada to commence work on the implementation phase of the previously announced Peruvian Navy's SH-2G Super Seasprite aircraft program. The total expected value to Kaman for the combined program, including this contract and previously issued contracts, now totals $50.5 million (USD), total sales of $10.6 million (USD) had already been recognized as revenue through April 1, 2016, and the balance is expected to be recognized through the remainder of the program.
Drake Klotzman, General Manager AVMRO said, "We are very pleased to be working with General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada to provide advanced maritime, search and rescue, and surveillance capabilities to the Peruvian Navy. The SH-2G platform is proven to meet the demanding maritime requirements of today's rapidly changing naval environment and we are confident that the addition of the SH-2G aircraft to its fleet will enhance the Peruvian Navy's defense capabilities. We are looking forward to a long-lasting relationship with Peru and General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada to support and service these aircraft."
"We are pleased to be teamed with Kaman, the OEM of the highly capable SH-2G on this program. The SH-2G is well suited for the needs of the Peruvian Navy and we look forward to providing remanufactured and upgraded aircraft for the nation's long-term defense requirements," said Brian Fava, Vice President Air and Naval Systems, General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada.
The program began with a preliminary design effort in 2014. During the implementation phase, which is expected to last through 2018, four aircraft will undergo extensive remanufacture and upgrade by Kaman at its Bloomfield, Connecticut facility. Kaman's Jacksonville, Florida operation will contribute manufacturing effort and its Everett, Washington engineering organization will provide design support to the program.
General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada is under contract to lead this program and provide the integrated mission system for the aircraft. As part of the program, a total of five SH-2G aircraft are being transferred to the Peruvian Ministry of National Defense.
The SH-2G Super Seasprite is an advanced maritime weapon system and proven day/night/all-weather multi-mission helicopter. Originally designed to meet the exacting requirements of the U.S. Navy, the SH-2G Super Seasprite has the highest power-to-weight ratio of any maritime helicopter, assuring a safe return-to-ship capability even in single-engine flight conditions. Its robust design, outstanding stability, and excellent reliability have been proven through more than 1.5 million flight hours. The SH-2G is a multi-mission maritime weapon system designed to fulfill anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), over the horizon targeting, surveillance, troop transport, vertical replenishment, search and rescue, and utility missions. It is the largest, most powerful small ship helicopter in use today and is recognized for its mission effectiveness, support, and unmatched performance. The SH-2G Super Seasprite is currently operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy, the Egyptian Air Force and the Polish Navy.
Risks Associated with Forward-Looking Statements
This release includes "forward looking statements" relating to the estimated value of the contract and program discussed above. These statements are based on assumptions currently believed to be valid, but they involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in the forward looking statements. Important uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in the forward looking statements are identified in periodic reports filed by Kaman Corporation with the SEC, including its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, its Annual Reports on Form 10-K, and its Current Reports on Form 8-K. The forward looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this release, and Kaman Corporation does not undertake any obligation to update the forward looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
About Kaman
Kaman Aerosystems is a division of the aerospace segment of Kaman Corporation (NYSE:KAMN), which was founded in 1945 by aviation pioneer Charles H. Kaman. Headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut, Kaman Corporation conducts business in the aerospace and distribution markets. The company produces and/or markets widely used proprietary aircraft bearings and components; super precision, miniature ball bearings; complex metallic and composite aerostructures for commercial, military and general aviation fixed and rotary wing aircraft; aerostructure engineering design analysis and FAA certification services; safe and arm solutions for missile and bomb systems for missile and bomb systems for the U.S. and allied militaries; subcontract helicopter work; production of the K-MAX medium-to-heavy lift helicopter and support for the company's SH-2G Super Seasprite maritime aircraft. More information is available at www.kaman.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160712005342/en/
Contacts:
Kaman Corporation, Bloomfield, CT
Eric Remington, 860-243-6334
VP, Investor Relations
Eric.Remington@kaman.com
DALLAS, TX -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Masergy Communications Inc. today announced that its Masergy Unified Enterprise Security (UES) solution has been recognized by the 2016 SaaS Awards Program in the Best SaaS Product for Business Intelligence or Analytics category.
Masergy's UES was selected as a finalist for providing advanced behavioral analytics to the task of security monitoring and threat detection. Judges particularly noted the solution's advanced machine learning and big data analytics that collect, analyze and predict patterns in network behavior over time to identify security threats.
"Stolen data has become a new currency," said Tim Naramore, CTO, Masergy. "To protect customers' digital assets, Masergy has developed an advanced and integrated approach to cyber security."
The UES solution can be integrated with customer's existing security solutions or used in standalone mode to offer:
Advanced Persistent Threat Management
Security Threat Intelligence Dashboard
Integrated Vulnerability Scanner & IDS/IPS System
Managed Firewalls
Masergy's UES was also recently recognized for Most Innovative Security Strategy by Light Reading.
The SaaS Awards winners will be announced on Tuesday August 9, 2016.
About Masergy
Masergy owns and operates the largest independent Software Defined Platform in the world, delivering hybrid networking, managed security and cloud communication solutions to global enterprises. Our patented technology, customizable solutions and unmatched customer experience are why a growing number of leading organizations rely on Masergy to deliver performance beyond expectations. Learn more about Masergy and follow us on our blog Transforming Enterprise IT, Twitter @Masergy, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Masergy Contact:
Betsey Rogers
BridgeView Marketing
603-886-7087
betsey@bridgeviewmarketing.com
ROSENBERG, TX -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- HITEC Power Protection, the inventor of diesel rotary UPS, today announced its attendance at DatacenterDynamics Webscale, San Jose, CA, July 19-20 (Booth #31). The company will showcase its PowerPRO series, the most reliable and efficient continuous power system available for mission-critical facilities.
Tweet this: See industry's most efficient UPS power solution Booth 31 @dcdconverged DCDWebscale http://bit.ly/1M02bZW datacenterpower
Attended by over 1,200 senior business, operations and technology professionals, DatacenterDynamics Webscale covers the full ecosystem for how enterprise data centers are being redefined and how the economics of IT and data center service delivery is being reshaped. HITEC's PowerPRO solution embodies the event's mission and allows attendees to learn how diesel rotary uninterruptible power supply (DRUPS) solutions offer the greatest power density in the market while delivering the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO).
"Mission-critical facilities, governments and data centers all require continuous power to conduct operations," said Ranjan Misra, President of HITEC Power Protection North America. "However, these facilities are vulnerable to power failures and need immediate backup to ensure uninterrupted operations. HITEC's PowerPRO solves the need for continuous power while also lowering energy consumption. We are eager to share our DRUPS breakthroughs with DatacenterDynamics Webscale attendees."
To learn how your company can benefit from HITEC's PowerPRO series, visit HITEC at DatacenterDynamics Webscale Booth #31 or schedule an appointment for a free TCO and power analysis by contacting (800) 794-9398 or emailing: smart.simple.reliable@hitec-ups.com
About HITEC Power Protection
HITEC Power Protection is the world leader in continuous power solutions with over 1600 systems installed globally. With offices in Texas, California, and Virginia, HITEC delivers UPS solutions that are designed to fit local market requirements and the business-critical needs of its customers. HITEC guarantees customer service support through an integrated network of highly qualified service engineers and backed by its Regional Support Centers and Global Helpdesk. For more information, please visithttp://www.thenew-hitec.com/.
Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3030418
For more information, contact:
Jackie Abramian
BridgeView Marketing (for HITEC Power Protection)
603-570-7533
Jackie@bridgeviewmarketing.com
COLUMBUS Platte County employees will pay more for health insurance premiums starting Sept. 1, marking the first increase in six years.
The monthly premium will be $738.83 for single coverage, $1,333.72 for an employee plus one dependent and $1,999.54 for a family. The county will continue to pay 90 percent of employee-only coverage and 75 percent for employee plans with a dependent. It will cover more of the family cost, though, going from 75 to 80 percent.
That means single coverage will cost $73.88 per month, up about $10 from last year. Those with employee plus a dependent coverage will pay $333.43 a month, an increase of approximately $15. Family coverage is $399.91 a month, a jump of about $36.
Without the county paying more for family plans, employees with that coverage would have paid $499.89 monthly.
Supervisor Tom Martens said during the Tuesday meeting that such an increase would hurt the working family because $100 more a month is a lot of money for lower-paid employees. Having the county absorb some of that cost will help attract new employees and keep the current work force, according to Martens.
That helps out our employees and helps retain our employees. One of the things we need to do is retain good employees by providing good benefits. Thats my opinion, he said.
Todd Drapal, senior account executive with OCI Insurance and Financial Service, was asked why the family coverage went up so much. He said a few factors include the average age of a family increasing, more people taking family coverage and the majority of claims are occurring at the family level as opposed to the employee level.
The breakdown of employees getting coverage through the county is: 75 with employee-only, 25 with employee plus one and 31 with family.
By upping its percentage for the family coverage, the county will pay an additional $300,000 next fiscal year. Keeping the employer share at 75 percent would have resulted in an increase of $236,000.
Not increasing employee premiums would have left the county with a shortfall of more than $364,000. Under the approved plan, that deficit will be $60,000.
At a meeting in June, the board renewed a health insurance plan with American National Insurance Company of Texas that increased expenses 23 percent from this fiscal year.
Also during Tuesday's meeting, the board approved the purchase of technology to help emergency responders find rural residences.
The mobile GPS technology is provided by GeoComm, a company based in Minnesota that provides county governments with emergency development services.
With the approval, computers with turn-by-turn directions and map locations for calls will be used by the sheriffs office and rural fire department ambulances. Dispatchers will also be able to see the location of the responding vehicles.
When a 911 call is made, the dispatcher or the person responding has a map on their screen. They touch the address that they are responding to and it gives them driving directions to that location, Platte County Emergency Manager Tim Hofbauer said.
The company will soon be offering an app for fire departments allowing the map information and directions to pop up on a cellphone.
If they are responding from home and not going to the station first, they are going to have the same technology in their hand giving them directions to the location, telling them where the fire is or where the call is, whatever that may be, Hofbauer said.
The cost for the technology and installation is $61,701, with a yearly maintenance and subscription cost of $12,028.
Hofbauer also presented the board with another option of installing signs at the approximately 3,178 rural addresses at a cost of $120,764. He said several counties, including Colfax, Polk and Seward, have put up the blue signs. Though there would be advantages to having the signs, especially to the public and delivery drivers, they do fade over time and need to be replaced after eight to 12 years.
Because of that, the board decided to go the technology route.
The supervisors also approved a contract with Tom Tremel to be the county surveyor. The contract runs through June 30, 2017, and will not exceed $25,012.
PLAYA VISTA, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Lalpina Water (American Premium Water Corporation) (OTC PINK: HIPH), has landed squarely on the big screen with a placement in the new film, "American Satan," starring Denise Richards, Malcolm McDowell and John Bradley ("Game of Thrones").
"Hollywood tends to be ahead of the curve in health and lifestyle preferences, and let's just say we've had great reactions to our water out there," said Chairman and CEO, naturalist Al Culbreth. The film's executive producer Jeff Rice concurs, "I brought a couple of pallets to the set, and I honestly never saw anything get consumed so fast."
LALPINA WATER is sourced from a high-altitude aquifer deep in two locations, the Blue Ridge and the Blue Mountains. It is currently available in 7.3, 8.0 and 9.5 pH, either natural spring or sparkling, and in both 1-liter and 16 ounce glass bottles. The Company also recently announced a test run of its 7.3. pH water in PET/plastic.
Safe Harbor Notice
Certain statements contained herein are "forward-looking statements" (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). American Premium Water Corporation cautions that statements made in this news release constitute forward-looking statements and makes no guarantee of future performance. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the time statements are made. These statements may address issues that involve significant risks, uncertainties, estimates and assumptions made by management. Actual results could differ materially from current projections or implied results. American Premium Water Corporation undertakes no obligation to revise these statements following the date of this news release. Additional details of the Company's business can be found in its public disclosures as a reporting issuer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") EDGAR database.
This press release is issued on behalf of the Board of Directors by Alfred Culbreth, CEO and Director.
Disclaimer Regarding Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release, on American Premium Water Corporation's ("APWC") website and other oral and written statements made by APWC from time to time are "forward-looking statements", as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities and Exchange Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the United States Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding beliefs, objectives, intentions, goals, plans, strategies, financial projections, any other statements regarding the future and any statements that are not purely historical. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and APWC expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date thereof. All forward-looking statements, whether written or oral and whether made by or on behalf of the APWC, are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. APWC's expectations, beliefs and projections are expressed in good faith and are believed by the APWC to have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that management's expectations, beliefs or projections will result or be achieved or accomplished. A variety of factors, many of which are beyond APWC's control affect APWC's operations, performance, business strategy and results and could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of APWC to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For APWC, particular uncertainties arise, amongst others but not limited to and not in any order of importance, from (i) focusing on and allocating more resources on certain target markets (ii) the possibility to raise further equity and debt to fund future growth, (iii) changes in demand for APWC's products, (iv) performance issues with key suppliers, affiliates, agents, advisors or subcontractors, (v) changes in government changes in laws or regulations to which APWC or its suppliers are subject, including environmental laws and regulations relating to water or water sources and (vi) the inability to complete announced acquisitions, difficulty or unanticipated expenses in connection with integrating acquired businesses and the risk that anticipated synergies and opportunities as a result of acquisitions will not be realized or the risk that acquisitions do not perform as planned, including, for example, the risk that acquired businesses will not achieve revenue projections.
THIS NEWS RELEASE HAS BEEN PREPARED BY APWC'S MANAGEMENT, WHO TAKES FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS CONTENTS. NO SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. THIS NEWS RELEASE SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH JURISDICTION.
Contact Information:
American Premium Water Corporation
12777 Jefferson Blvd.
Suite 300
Playa Vista, CA 90066-7408
(888)-983-0054
Stock Symbol: HIPH
General Inquiries: info@americanpremiumwater.com
Investor Relations: ir@americanpremiumwater.com
Company Website: www.americanpremiumwater.com
Twitter:
@americanpremium
@lalpinawater
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Inspiration Mining Corporation (CSE: ISM) (the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that Mr. John Alan Gould has been appointed as its Qualified Person in respect to the Corporation's Carscallen Gold Property. Mr. Gould, who has extensive experience with geological formations similar to those involved in the Carscallen Property, has completed a review of the Property and has developed an initial work program for the Project.
Mr. Gould, who is 59 years old and a citizen of South Africa, holds a BSc degree (Geology, Physics and Chemistry) from the University of Witwatersrand. At the start of John Gould's career, he was initially involved in Witwatersrand-type and Bushveld-type mining operations in South Africa. His experience includes all aspects of mining and geological aspects that extended over deep and shallow level gold mining operations (Venterspost, East Driefontein, Randfontein Estates, Joel Gold Mine, ERPM, Grootvlei Gold Mine, Harmony and Virginia Gold Mines) as well as experience in the platinum mines (Rustenburg Platinum Mines - Amandelbult Section).
About the Carscallen Property
The Property is located 25 kilometres west of the center of the City of Timmins and 7 kilometres north of the Lake Shore Gold, Timmins Mine which produced an aggregate of 185,600 ounces in 2014.
Previous workers stripped a large area on the Property revealing quartz-carbonate-sericite alteration that is exposed for 25 metres across strike and at least 20 metres along strike and is overlain by overburden to the north and east. The alteration package contains quartz-carbonate vein stockwork with veins from 3 to 7 centimetres thick and dipping from 10 degrees to 30 degrees to the southeast. There are many similarities with the quartz-carbonate-sericite alteration on the Property and mines in the Porcupine Mining Camp which has produced approximately 70 million ounces of gold to present. Some veins are a light smoky colour and others contain associated black tourmaline all of which display pyrite haloes of up to 5%.
There is a small timbered shaft 220 metres northwest of the stripped area. The depth of the shaft is presently unknown. A regional north/south fault is exposed in outcrop 220 metres northwest of the above mentioned shaft. The fault exhibits abundant quartz-carbonate veining in a carbonate-sericite alteration package similar to the stripped area. A large pit was excavated 56 metres southwest of the fault exposure adjacent to a quartz-carbonate vein that appears to be greater than 1 metre in thickness and dips to the west.
Grab samples were taken in 2013 and 2015 and returned values from trace to 3.21 gpt gold. The shaft 1 area returned values of 0.007 gpt gold and 0.009 gpt gold, the shaft 2 area returned 0.261 gpt gold. The stripped area had 18 samples taken with values from 0.0025 gpt gold to 3.21 gpt gold. Eight of the samples were over 0.5 gpt gold. Historic assays of grab samples have been reported as high as 4.51 ounces per ton (155 gpt) in a MNDM publication, Mineral Deposits Circular 13 but values have not been substantiated as yet.
John Gould's international corporate experience started with him having headed up the South African operations for Platinum Group Metals for which he was responsible for the development, market position and technical performance of the company. Platinum Group Metals is a Toronto listed company with its primary assets in South Africa. John Gould then joined First Uranium Corporation as Vice President Exploration and Technical Services, and was initially responsible for the Business Plans for the company. The company rehabilitated and commissioned the Ezulwini Mine, a 200kT gold and uranium operation as well as the Mine Waste Solutions operations, a 1.2Mt sand processing operation. He was then promoted to Chief Operating Officer for First Uranium (Ezulwini Mining Company) and was responsible for the entire operation. He was involved in the restructuring and re-opening of this significant gold and uranium operation that employed some 4,000 underground and plant operational people. The operations involved the reopening of a shaft and extracting both the gold and uranium from the shaft pillar as well as remnant ground. The operations were eventually sold to Gold One, a significant operator in the gold and uranium sector in South Africa.
A more complete copy of John Gould's curriculum vitae appears on the Corporation's website, www.inspirationmining.com.
The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
We seek Safe Harbour
Contacts:
Inspiration Mining Corporation
Randy Miller
Chief Executive Officer
416-842-9000
www.inspirationmining.com
Enables detailed expense reports to be created with a single click, from any hotel bill
Chrome River, a global leader in expense and invoice automation, announces a new technology integration with Traxo, which will dramatically speed up business travelers' ability to create detailed expense reports from hotel bills.
Chrome River EXPENSE will incorporate Traxo's hotel e-folio parsing technology, which automatically creates separate expense line items for items such as room, tax, parking, meals and room service. A jointly developed technology available exclusively through Chrome River, the solution works with any hotel's bill from individual boutique hotels to major international chains and can read bills in English and most major foreign languages. As soon as hotel bills are sent to a traveler's Chrome River EXPENSE account, folio data is automatically extracted, categorized, and populated directly into the expense reporting system.
"The last thing that a business traveler wants after a long trip is to manually enter room, tax, parking, and other items from their hotel receipt in order to create their expense report," said Alan Rich, CEO of Chrome River. "With this exciting new technology, we enable travelers to turn what can often be a time-consuming task into something that can be done effortlessly, regardless of the type of hotel they stay in, or the language of the receipt. Chrome River continues to invest in innovations that streamline expense reporting and make employees' lives simpler and more stress-free."
"Chrome River has taken great strides to automate expense report creation and reduce the administrative burden on business travelers. We're delighted to work with the company to streamline hotel expense reporting," said Andres Fabris, Traxo founder and CEO. "By using our technology to extract data from folios and mapping this to pre-defined categories within the expense system, we're able to dramatically reduce the time that Chrome River's 1 million users take to create hotel expense reports."
Chrome River and Traxo will showcase their technologies for the managed travel industry at the Global Business Travel Association convention in Denver, July 17-20. Chrome River will be at booth 2318, while Traxo can be found at booth # 1864.
About Chrome River
Chrome River Technologies, Inc. lets business flow for some of the world's largest and most respected global organizations. Our highly-configurable cloud-based expense reporting and supplier invoice automation solutions deliver an elegant and intuitive user interface, which offer the same high quality experience on a smartphone, tablet or laptop. Our SaaS products provide a world-class business rules engine and technology infrastructure, combined with a completely agile solution that supports today's changing business climate, and that CFOs, AP and travel managers and employees will all love.
To find out why Chrome River is trusted by more than 1 million users at over 500 organizations worldwide, contact us at +1. 888.781.0088 or visit us at www.chromeriver.com.
About Traxo
Traxo, Inc. provides itinerary data aggregation solutions for corporations, TMCs, online booking tools, and other service providers to capture off-platform bookings, enhance policy compliance, and comprehensively track travel spend regardless of channel. With API-based and hosted white label solutions, along with private branded email parsing and data normalization solutions, Traxo provides its clients with the most robust suite of data aggregation services on the market. For more information, visit http://www.traxo.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160712005351/en/
Contacts:
Chrome River
Tim Wheatcroft
619 300 5531
tim.wheatcroft@chromeriver.com
Regulatory News:
Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE/Euronext Paris: PM) will host a live audio webcast at www.pmi.com/webcasts on Tuesday, July 19, 2016, at 9:00 a.m. ET to discuss its 2016 second-quarter results, which will be issued at approximately 7:00 a.m. ET the same day.
During the webcast, Jacek Olczak, Chief Financial Officer, will discuss PMI's results and answer questions from the investment community and news media. The webcast will be in a listen-only mode.
The audio webcast may also be accessed on iOS or Android devices by downloading PMI's free Investor Relations Mobile Application at www.pmi.com/irapp.
An archived copy of the webcast will be available until 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, August 17, 2016, at www.pmi.com/webcasts
Slides and script will also be available at www.pmi.com/earnings.
About Philip Morris International Inc. ("PMI")
PMI is the world's leading international tobacco company, with six of the world's top 15 international brands and products sold in more than 180 markets. In addition to the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, including Marlboro, the number one global cigarette brand, and other tobacco products, PMI is engaged in the development and commercialization of Reduced-Risk Products ("RRPs"). RRPs is the term PMI uses to refer to products with the potential to reduce individual risk and population harm in comparison to smoking cigarettes. Through multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities, and industry-leading scientific substantiation, PMI aims to provide an RRP portfolio that meets a broad spectrum of adult smoker preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. For more information, see www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160712005876/en/
Contacts:
Investor Relations:
New York: +1 (917) 663 2233
Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4666
or
Media:
Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4500
GREENVILLE, SC--(Marketwired - July 12, 2016) - KEMET Corporation (NYSE: KEM), will hold its 2016 Annual Stockholders' Meeting on July 28, 2016, at 10:30 a.m. EDT, at the Company's corporate headquarters, 2835 KEMET Way, Simpsonville, South Carolina.
On July 28, 2016, the Company will release earnings for the June 2016 quarter and will hold a conference call to discuss the earnings release at 9:00 a.m. EDT on that date. The call will last approximately one hour.
To access the call via telephone, participants in the United States should dial 1-800-416-8033, and participants outside the United States should dial 1-706-643-0979. Participants should reference "KEMET Corporation" and Conference ID #46577045. Participants can view a corresponding presentation from the KEMET website at www.kemet.com by clicking on the first quarter conference call link in the Investor Relations section of the website. The presentation will be available immediately prior to the beginning of the call. Following management's comments, there will be an opportunity for questions.
In conjunction with the conference call, there will be a simultaneous live broadcast over the internet that can be accessed at http://ir.kemet.com/. A replay of the conference call will be available until midnight, August 10, 2016, through the same link.
About KEMET
The Company's common stock is listed on the NYSE under the ticker symbol "KEM" (NYSE: KEM). At the Investor Relations section of our web site at http://www.kemet.com/IR, users may subscribe to KEMET news releases and find additional information about our Company. KEMET applies world class service and quality to deliver industry leading, high performance capacitance solutions to its customers around the world and offers the world's most complete line of surface mount and through-hole capacitor technologies across tantalum, ceramic, film, aluminum, electrolytic, and paper dielectrics. Additional information about KEMET can be found at http://www.kemet.com.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements included herein contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws about the Company's financial condition and results of operations that are based on management's current expectations, estimates and projections about the markets, in which the Company operates, as well as management's beliefs and assumptions. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," variations of such words and other similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect management's judgment only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly any of these forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events or otherwise.
Factors that may cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following: (i) adverse economic conditions could impact our ability to realize operating plans if the demand for our products declines, and such conditions could adversely affect our liquidity and ability to continue to operate; (ii) continued net losses could impact our ability to realize current operating plans and could materially adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to continue to operate; (iii) adverse economic conditions could cause the write down of long-lived assets or goodwill; (iv) an increase in the cost or a decrease in the availability of our principal or single-sourced purchased materials; (v) changes in the competitive environment; (vi) uncertainty of the timing of customer product qualifications in heavily regulated industries; (vii) economic, political, or regulatory changes in the countries in which we operate; (viii) difficulties, delays or unexpected costs in completing the restructuring plans; (ix) equity method investment in NEC TOKIN exposes us to a variety of risks; (x) acquisitions and other strategic transactions expose us to a variety of risks; (xi) possible acquisition of NEC TOKIN may not achieve all of the anticipated results; (xii) our business could be negatively impacted by increased regulatory scrutiny and litigation; (xiii) inability to attract, train and retain effective employees and management; (xiv) inability to develop innovative products to maintain customer relationships and offset potential price erosion in older products; (xv) exposure to claims alleging product defects; (xvi) the impact of laws and regulations that apply to our business, including those relating to environmental matters; (xvii) the impact of international laws relating to trade, export controls and foreign corrupt practices; (xviii) volatility of financial and credit markets affecting our access to capital; (xix) the need to reduce the total costs of our products to remain competitive; (xx) potential limitation on the use of net operating losses to offset possible future taxable income; (xxi) restrictions in our debt agreements that limit our flexibility in operating our business; (xxii) failure of our information technology systems to function properly or our failure to control unauthorized access to our systems may cause business disruptions; (xxiii) additional exercise of the warrant by K Equity which could potentially result in the existence of a significant stockholder who could seek to influence our corporate decisions; and (xxiv) fluctuation in distributor sales could adversely affect our results of operations.
Contact:
William M. Lowe, Jr.
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
williamlowe@KEMET.com
864-963-6484
LANSING, MI -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Andiamo Corporation (OTC PINK: ANDI), a Wyoming holding company, has launched their new Twitter account, @AndiamoCorp, as part of the Company's plan to increase public awareness. The Company will be using Twitter to post its latest news and happenings. You can also follow Peppermint Jim, a Joint Venture Partner of Andiamo, on their Twitter account; @peppermintjim.
"In order to better inform the public about Andiamo, we felt we needed to expand our social media presence," stated William White, CEO of Andiamo Corporation. "By utilizing Twitter, we are able to instantly bring information to people about the Company."
About Andiamo Corporation:
Andiamo Corporation, a Wyoming company, is a publicly traded company which specializes in prepackaged software services. Increased revenue and business opportunities have helped expand its role as a holding company. Specifically, we are looking for established companies with recurring revenues who need a capital infusion in order to move their business to the next level of profitability. With our additional resources, Andiamo now offers an end-to-end solution to ensure the success of our clients inside the micro-cap funding community, getting them the funding they need to bring their products to a national level with the aim of improving their bottom line. For more information on Andiamo Corporation, visit our website at http://www.andiinc.us, and sign up for our newsletter and receive the Company's latest news and updates delivered right to your email.
Safe Harbor Act: This release includes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involves risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the impact of competitive products, the ability to meet customer demand, the ability to manage growth, acquisitions of technology, equipment, or human resources, the effect of economic business conditions, and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel. The Company is not obligated to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.
Contact:
Andiamo Corporation
Investor Relations
Email Contact
MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Quebecers can order a pizza, a movie or a taxi online or from an app on their smartphone, but according to a new study conducted by Maru/VCR&C and commissioned by TELUS Health, Canada's largest health IT company, people in Quebec are craving technology solutions that will allow them to better manage their healthcare. Of those surveyed in Quebec, 85 per cent believe digital health technology will lead to better care. Yet just 21 per cent of Quebecers reported using any kind of health-related activity online, leaving 79 per cent of Quebecers wanting digital tools that would allow them to take control of their personal health just as effortlessly as other day-to-day activities.
At least 35 per cent of Quebecers are unaware of services that are already available through electronic methods at medical offices, health clinics or pharmacies in the province. For example, only 21 per cent of Quebecers surveyed have refilled prescriptions online and 35 per cent reported that they didn't even know that it was possible to do so, even though this service is offered through many pharmacies in the province. However, Quebec is still the top region in Canada for online prescription refills, with Ontario and Atlantic Canada tied at second at 15 per cent.
"Technology is already changing how doctors care for and treat their patients," says Dr. Robert Pontbriand from the Centre de medecine sportive de Laval. "Today I can review a patient's medical file from a secure mobile app on my smartphone or a tablet anytime and anywhere. I'm now able to devote more time to delivering high-quality care to my patients."
More from the TELUS Health Digital Life survey
- Quebecers surveyed ranked personal banking (70 per cent) and social media (52 per cent) among the most important things they do online, while half the province (51 per cent) ranked access to personal medical records as one of their top online activities.
- Of those surveyed, 81 per cent of Quebecers agreed that health information should be shared digitally between doctors and pharmacists, and 75 per cent of respondents agree that electronic prescriptions would limit the number of medical errors.
- More than three-quarters (77 per cent) of Quebecers surveyed believe that electronic medical records (EMRs) improve communication between doctors and their patients. An EMR replaces the paper charts doctors keep with a digital file to track all of a patient's medical history, lab results and prescriptions in one place.
- Quebecers' attitudes towards EMRs are overwhelmingly positive, though 58 per cent of respondents couldn't say if their family doctor used one. According to a 2015 Canadian Institute for Health Information study, 60 per cent of the province's primary care physicians use EMRs.
- The majority of Quebec residents surveyed agree that EMRs provide accurate information to doctors about their patients (82 per cent), help doctors diagnose patients more effectively and more efficiently (80 per cent) and allow for safe and secure sharing of medical information with patients, pharmacists, other doctors and specialists (76 per cent).
The future of healthcare
"Our health is our most prized possession, and Canadians may not realize that by embracing technology we can all better manage our health and the health of our loved ones," said Helene Chartier, Vice President, Go-to-Market, Strategy and Enablement, TELUS Health. "Whether it's to refill your prescription online or to get an alert when your child's medication runs low, we all need to ask our doctors how we can do more to technology to help understand our health. The more we use digital tools to manage and share relevant health information with our doctors, the more ubiquitous this technology will become in our everyday lives and transform the way Canadians receive care."
The TELUS Health Digital Life survey was in field from May 30 to June 3, 2016. The collected responses are balanced such that the results will be representative of Canada by region and age. Results are reported with a margin of error of +/- 3.1%.
About TELUS Health
TELUS Health is a leader in telehomecare, electronic medical and health records, consumer health, benefits management and pharmacy management. TELUS Health solutions give health authorities, providers, physicians, patients and consumers the power to turn information into better health outcomes. For more information about TELUS Health, please visit telushealth.com.
Contacts:
Jacinthe Beaulieu
TELUS Social and Media Relations
418-722-4154
jacinthe.beaulieu@telus.com
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Canadians can order a pizza, a movie or a taxi online or from an app on their smartphone, but according to a new study conducted by Maru/VCR&C and commissioned by TELUS Health, Canada's largest health IT company, Canadians are craving technology solutions that will allow them to better manage their healthcare. Of those surveyed, 89 per cent believe digital health technology will lead to better care. Further, at least 85 per cent report missing out on digital tools that would allow them to take control of their personal health just as effortlessly as other day-to-day activities.
The survey also found that 89 per cent of millennials, 83 per cent of Gen Xers and 79 per cent of baby boomers say they feel comfortable with the idea of digital health technology tools; with nearly nine out of 10 (87 per cent) of all respondents saying they are comfortable with sharing their medical history digitally between their healthcare providers.
"Both physicians and patients have significantly changed their attitudes towards digital communication over the past few years," said Dr. Sacha Bhatia, a cardiologist in Toronto. "Doctors are much more comfortable communicating with patients and other healthcare providers using electronic means. I also think patients have seen the benefits of the internet and online services in their daily lives, and they expect to be able to have those same benefits when accessing health services."
Surprisingly, despite Canadian's belief in the importance of digital health solutions and how much they use digital tools in other parts of their lives, at most only 15 per cent of Canadians reported conducting any kind of health-related activity online.
In fact, most (at least 48 per cent) are unaware of services that are already available through electronic methods at medical offices, health clinics or pharmacies in some parts of the country. For example, only 14 per cent of Canadians surveyed have viewed lab results online and 61 per cent reported that they didn't even know that it was possible to do so, even though many of Canada's specimen collection labs will let patients check their results online.
More from the TELUS Health Digital Life survey
- Canadians surveyed ranked personal banking (75 per cent), social media (51 per cent) and shopping (50 per cent) among the most important things they do online, while fewer than half of Canadians (48 per cent) ranked access to personal medical records as one of their top online activities.
- Of those surveyed, 81 per cent agreed that health information should be shared digitally between doctors and pharmacists, and 75 per cent of respondents agree that electronic prescriptions would limit the number of medical errors.
- More than three-quarters (76 per cent) of Canadians surveyed believe that electronic medical records (EMRs) improve communication between doctors and their patients. An EMR replaces the paper charts doctors keep with a digital file to track all of a patient's medical history, lab results and prescriptions in one place.
- Canadians' attitudes towards EMRs are overwhelmingly positive, though 56 per cent of respondents couldn't say if their family doctor used one. According to a 2015 Canadian Institute for Health Information study, 73 per cent of Canadian primary care physicians use EMRs.
- The majority of Canadians surveyed agree that EMRs provide accurate information to doctors about their patients (80 per cent), help doctors diagnose patients more effectively and more efficiently (75 per cent) and allow for safe and secure sharing of medical information with patients, pharmacists, other doctors and specialists (71 per cent).
The future of healthcare
"Our health is our most prized possession, and Canadians may not realize that by embracing technology we can all better manage our health and the health of our loved ones," said Helene Chartier, Vice-President, Go-to-Market, Strategy & Enablement at TELUS Health. "Whether it's to refill your prescription online or to get an alert when your child's medication runs low, we all need to ask our doctors how we can do more to technology to help understand our health. The more we use digital tools to manage and share relevant health information with our doctors, the more ubiquitous this technology will become in our everyday lives and transform the way Canadians receive care."
The TELUS Health Digital Life survey was in field from May 30 to June 3, 2016. The collected responses are balanced such that the results will be representative of Canada by region and age. Results are reported with a margin of error of +/- 3.1%.
About TELUS Health
TELUS Health is a leader in telehomecare, electronic medical and health records, consumer health, benefits management and pharmacy management. TELUS Health solutions give health authorities, providers, physicians, patients and consumers the power to turn information into better health outcomes. For more information about TELUS Health, please visit telushealth.com.
Contacts:
Jill Yetman
TELUS Social and Media Relations
jill.yetman@telus.com
416-992-2639
FARNBOROUGH, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Note to editors: A photo accompanying this release will be available on the news wire via Marketwired later in the day.
Pratt & Whitney Canada's PW100 family of turboprop engines, designed for the regional airline industry, has been selected by TRJet to power its new TRP328 aircraft. TRJet, an aviation company based in Ankara, Turkey, has asked Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) to develop a new version of its PW127 engine to provide heightened performance over the PW119 engine that powered the original 328 aircraft which entered into service in 1993. P&WC is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).
"The P&WC PW100 family of engines has played a major role in the growth of regional airlines around the world," said Maria Della Posta, Senior Vice President, P&WC. "We are delighted to be working with TRJet in helping build the regional airline business in Turkey. We believe both of TRJet's planned aircraft have tremendous potential."
In October, 2015, P&WC announced its intention to resume production of its PW306B turbofan engine to power the TRJet turbofan aircraft. The PW306B was developed to power the turbofan version of the original Dornier 328 regional aircraft.
"We are excited for the opportunity to be a part of the re-launch the TRJ 328 aircraft program," said Della Posta. "TRJet is a subsidiary of Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) which has carved an exceptional reputation in the industry for specialized and innovative aviation solutions. TRJet, utilizing its experience in the latest technologies in the aviation industry, effectively reintroducing both the 328 turboprop and turbofan version of the aircraft and has selected the dependable engines that led to the original success of the aircraft program. P&WC looks forward to teaming with TRJet to support these new and improved aircraft"
The PW100 turboprop engine is the proven airline benchmark for low fuel consumption on the shorter routes of 350 miles or less. PW100 powered airline turboprops consume 25 to 40 per cent less fuel and produce up to 50 per cent fewer CO2 emissions than similar-sized regional jets in operation today. As a result, many airlines are renewing their fleets with PW100-powered aircraft. With a range of 1,800 to over 5,000 shaft horsepower, the PW100 has demonstrated its versatility in powering aircraft applications spanning the airlines, coastal surveillance, firefighting and cargo transport.
The PW300 is a two-spool engine with a five-stage high pressure compressor driven by a two-stage, cooled high pressure turbine and a three-stage low pressure turbine driving a robust, advanced technology fan. Thirteen PW300 models have been produced ranging in thrust from 4,700 to 8,000 pounds. The PW306B has 6,976 pounds thrust and is valued for its low fuel consumption, standard-setting environmental friendliness, reliability and economical operation.
The new version of the PW127 turboprop engine will be developed and manufactured at P&WC's facility in Longueuil, Quebec, while the PW306B engine will be produced at the company's Mississauga, Ontario, facility.
P&WC will be at Farnborough 2016 (Pavilion OE3). Interested operators are invited to drop by the booth to speak with a customer service representative.
About Pratt & Whitney Canada
Founded in 1928, and a global leader in aerospace, P&WC is shaping the future of aviation with dependable, high-technology engines. Based in Longueuil, Quebec (Canada), P&WC is a wholly owned subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries.
This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning future business opportunities. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in levels of demand in the aerospace industry, in levels of air travel, and in the number of aircraft to be built; challenges in the design, development, production, support, performance, and realization of anticipated benefits of advanced technologies; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in United Technologies Corp.'s Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
Note to Editors
Follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pwcanada) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/PrattWhitneyCanada) for our latest news and updates.
Contacts:
Karine Baccichet
Pratt & Whitney Canada
514-240-6143
karine.baccichet@pwc.ca
www.pwc.ca
Las Vegas, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - July 12, 2016) - North Springs Resources Corp. (OTC Pink: NSRS) is pleased to announce that the Company has entered the final stage of preparation to bring state-of-the-art pharmaceutical, Poten, to the marketplace; a new emerging treatment for erectile dysfunction. In expectation of a strong launch, the Company mobilizes to meet robust anticipated demand.
Due to patent expirations expected to span the next few years, the window of opportunity swings open for viable contenders like Poten to gain market share. According to a recent report, key drivers of this market include an increase in patient awareness and education levels and growing base of geriatric population. Rising adoption of a sedentary lifestyle and increasing incidence of lifestyle diseases are further anticipated to fuel growth. North America constituted the largest share of approximately 55.0 percent in 2013 of the total erectile dysfunction market.
"This is a very exciting milestone for us. Our entrance into the erectile dysfunction segment is an outstanding addition to what we have developed thus far. As we continue to develop our revenue streams, our intent is to bolster our position in the pharmaceutical marketplace by acquiring high-quality and effective medicinal solutions." stated J. Douglas Pulver, President of North Springs Resources Corp.
The Company will be keeping shareholders updated regarding progress with the FDA, manufacturing, marketing strategies, and market entrance.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) can be described as the frequent inability for a man to attain and sustain an erection; this could inhibit sexual intercourse and affect quality of life. Onset of ED can begin at the age of 40 and affects 18 to 30 million men. Occasional failure to achieve an erection is not uncommon but a prevalence of 50% or more of the time could be an iandication that treatment is required.
Safe Harbor Statement:
This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements. These statements are any statements that are not of historical fact and may be deemed to be forward-looking statements made by management that express their belief at the time they are made regarding the Company's results of operations, possible profits, financial developments business activities, and potential for success in various aspects of our operations. You can identify forward-looking statements as those that are not historical in nature, particularly those that use terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expects", "anticipates", "contemplates", "estimates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "predicts", "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these similar terms. In evaluating these forward-looking statements, you should consider various factors, including the following: (a) those risks and uncertainties related to general economic conditions, (b) whether we are able to manage our planned growth efficiently and operate profitably, (c) whether we are able to generate sufficient revenues or obtain financing to sustain and grow our operations, and (d) whether we are able to successfully fulfill our primary requirements for cash. The Company's actual results may differ significantly from the results projected in the forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements.
For More Information Contact:
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Mawson Resources Limited ("Mawson") or (the "Company") (TSX: MAW)(FRANKFURT: MXR)(OTC PINK: MWSNF) announces details for the summer exploration program at the 100% owned Rompas-Rajapalot gold project in Northern Finland.
Key Points:
-- 1,000 base-of-till ("BOT") drill hole program to commence at Rajapalot from August 2016; -- Landholder permit now received for commencing BOT program east of Palokas. -- Hand-portable diamond drilling, to 100 metres depth, to recommence at the Palokas gold project in August 2016; -- The results from the recently completed winter diamond drill campaign have confirmed the large scale of the gold mineralized system at Rompas- Rajapalot and redefined the mineralization style as a Paleoproterozoic Lode Gold+/-Ironstone-Copper Style system; -- This reinterpretation has identified 65 kilometres of gold mineralized target stratigraphy within Mawson's exploration permit area and the BOT drill program will provide a focus on key structural-stratigraphic relationships; -- Continued baseline mapping of species, habitats and vegetation has been ongoing with up to five biologists collecting data for plants, birds and fauna for ongoing environmental studies over the last 8 weeks.
The recently completed 16 hole winter diamond drill campaign for 3,386 metres was encouraging in that it confirmed the large scale of the gold mineralized system at Rompas-Rajapalot (Mawson New Release April 26, 2016). The campaign included 8.4 metres @ 4.2 g/t gold from 206.0 metres in PAL0016, including 3.4 metres @ 9.5 g/t gold from 211 metres, below and 450 metres along strike from earlier near-surface drill results which included 19.6m @ 7.5 g/t gold from 18.1 metres in drill hole PRAJ0107 including 5.0m @ 24.1 g/t gold from 26.7 metres (Figure 1 - Longitudinal Section). With the current permits that the Company now has obtained, a large and systematic semi-regional exploration program is warranted to test the larger mineralized area which is covered by up to 99% thin glacial soils, which average 3-5 metres thickness over the entire project area. The reinterpretation of the geology after winter drilling indicates that more than 65 kilometres of host stratigraphy exists within Mawson's permit area (Figure 2 - Regional Plan).
The exploration program for the remainder of 2016 will consist of:
-- Three hundred BOT drill holes at Raja (Figure 2). Drilling will commence at the start of August 2016. The area is located outside Natura 2000 areas, to the east of Palokas. Drillling will take place on a 150 metre grid, with infill drilling at closer spacing based on onsite hand-held XRF analysis and geological logging. This drilling will take place on both Mawson's recently granted exploration permit at Hirvimaa, as well as within an area covered by a landholder permit, received last week. Multiple surface targets remain untested, which include: -- Raja, located 500 metres east of Joki, where 23 boulders and subcrops extend over 1,500 metres and using a greater than 0.1 g/t gold lower cut, range from 0.1 g/t gold to 236 g/t gold with an average of 22.6 g/t gold and median of 1.0 g/t gold. This area is interpreted as the extension of the Palokas mineralized zone. -- Light-weight, hand-portable "Winkie" diamond drilling down to 100 metres depth, will recommence from late August 2016 at Rajapalot, to test near surface drill targets; -- Field mapping continues within the new target areas; -- Seven hundred BOT drill holes to be drilled at Rajapalot, to aid in targeting gold at the Palokas prospect. This program is subject to final permitting and inside Natura 2000 areas and will commence when frozen ground conditions allow for access from December 2016. The Palokas mineralized position will be systematically tested over 3.5 kilometres strike. Multiple surface geochemical targets remain untested, which include: -- Rumajarvi, located 1,500 metres south of Palokas, where 68 boulders and subcrops greater than 0.1 g/t gold range from 0.11 g/t gold to 3,870 g/t gold with an average of 101.4 g/t gold and median of 0.6 g/t gold. Two holes drilled at Rumajarvi failed to find the source of the boulder train. -- Joki, which was not tested during this drill campaign, where 13 boulders and outcrops greater than 0.1 g/t gold range from 0.10 g/t gold to 2,871 g/t gold with an average of 518.5 g/t gold and median of 135.5 g/t gold. -- Boardwalk, which was not tested during this drill campaign, where 13 boulders and outcrops greater than 0.1 g/t gold range from 0.18 g/t gold to 221 g/t gold with an average of 38.2g/t gold and median of 1.0 g/t gold. -- Larger scale drilling, subject to final permitting and when the ground freezes, from December 2016 to follow up on near surface and the larger scale and systematic BOT drilling programs. -- Continued baseline mapping of species, habitats and vegetation. Up to five biologists have been collecting baseline data for plants, birds and fauna for ongoing environmental studies over the last 8 weeks. After 2 years of detailed biological studies, the Company is now well positioned to complete Natura Assessment for the entire 16,380 hectares of granted exploration permits and application areas.
Base of Till ("BOT") Drilling
Various sampling methods are available for testing bedrock and dispersion of gold below glacial till. The method is dictated by the scale and objective of the geochemical survey. Mawson has chosen a 150 metre spaced local grid sampling survey, with the main goal is to map both the gold distribution and the associated geochemical signature of the hydrothermal alteration to define deeper drill targets, beneath an area that is 99% covered by 3-5 metres of glacial soils. A small, tracked percussion drill rig, with a flow-through bit, will drill through the glacial till and sample the till-bedrock interface (Figure 3).
Rompas-Rajapalot Global Analogues
As a result of the first deep diamond drilling program over the last winter, Mawson has been able to define the Rompas-Rajapalot mineralization as a Paleoproterozoic Lode Gold+/-Ironstone-Copper system. This well-documented deposit style has contributed more than 200 million ounces of gold at a global scale. The best analogue to Palokas is the Homestake Mine in South Dakota. However, Salobo (Brazil), and the Tanami mines in Australia are also regarded as excellent analogues.
The similarities of Rompas-Rajapalot to the Paleoproterozoic Lode Gold+/-Ironstone-Copper deposit style include:
-- Similar age host rocks and mineralization age; -- A similar tectonostratigraphic setting with a Paleoproterozoic sequence with large layered mafic sequence at the base, mature clastic and carbonate platform sediments, including rocks deposited during the Great Oxidation Event (GOE) transitional into deeper water, reduced facies including carbonaceous rocks. -- Post-peak metamorphic emplacement of large intrusives driving hydrothermal fluids causing metal deposition in a brittle and brittle- ductile regime. -- A strong stratigraphic-structural control including stratabound and fold hinge related mineralization; -- Large retrograde hydrothermal fluid systems carrying significant gold; -- Similar iron and magnesium-rich alteration rock types forming a close association with gold mineralization.
The Rompas-Rajapalot project continues to evolve with significant advances in the understanding of similar structural-stratigraphic and fluid-rock controls on apparently contrasting mineralization styles. The adoption of a "mineral systems" approach combined with the results of the recent winter diamond drilling allows us to interpret the entire new mineralized gold camp that Mawson has defined. This new interpretation has led to the definition of more than 65 kilometres of host stratigraphy in the project area. The Paleoproterozoic Lode Gold+/-Ironstone-Copper target style is a geological concept and is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization style that will eventually exist on the Property. The exploration programs defined for the rest of 2016 will systematically test some of the target areas, in order to test structural and stratigraphic traps that may host this style of gold mineralization.
Technical and Environmental Background
The qualified person for Mawson's Finnish projects, Mr Michael Hudson, President & CEO for Mawson and Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining Metallurgy has reviewed and verified the contents of this release.Two Energold Group ("Energold") EGD Series III rigs which have been modified to meet environmental requirements and climate conditions were used for the recent winter drill program. Core diameter was NTW (56 mm) diameter core. Core recoveries were excellent and average close to 100% in fresh rock. After photographing and logging, core intervals averaging 1 metre in length for mineralized samples and 2 metres for barren samples were cut in half at the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) core facilities in Rovaniemi, Finland. The remaining half core is retained on site for verification and reference purposes. Analytical samples were transported by Mawson personnel or commercial transport from site to the CRS Limited facility in Kempele, Finland. Samples were prepared at Kempele and analyzed for gold at Raahe using the PAL1000 technique which involves grinding the sample in steel pots with abrasive media in the presence of cyanide, followed by measuring the gold in solution with flame AAS equipment. The QA/QC program of Mawson consists of the systematic insertion of certified standards of known gold content, and blanks at the within interpreted mineralized rock. In addition, CRS inserts a number of blanks and standards into the analytical process.
About Mawson Resources Limited (TSX: MAW)(FRANKFURT: MXR)(PINKSHEETS: MWSNF)
Mawson Resources Limited is an exploration and development company. Mawson has distinguished itself as a leading Nordic Arctic exploration company with a focus on the flagship Rompas and Rajapalot gold projects in Finland.
On behalf of the Board,
Michael Hudson, President & CEO
Forward-Looking Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Although Mawson believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: aim, believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate, and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Mawson cautions investors that any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, capital and other costs varying significantly from estimates, receipt of shareholder approval of the Placement, successful completion of the Placement, timing and the successful completion of an initial mineral resource estimate at the Rompas-Rajapalot prospect in Finland, changes in world metal markets, changes in equity markets, planned drill programs and results varying from expectations, delays in obtaining results, equipment failure, unexpected geological conditions, local community relations, dealings with non-governmental organizations, delays in operations due to permit grants, environmental and safety risks, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Mawson's most recent Annual Information Form filed on www.sedar.com. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Mawson disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.
To view the figure 1-3, please visit the following links:
Figure 1 - http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/MAW-Figure1.pdf
Figure 2 - http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/MAW-Figure2.pdf
Figure 3 - http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/MAW-Figure3.pdf
Contacts:
Mawson Resources Limited
Mariana Bermudez
Corporate Secretary
+1 (604) 685 9316
info@mawsonresources.com
www.mawsonresources.com
EAGAN, MN -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Nova Management, a California staffing and recruiting company, settles with TempWorks Software, a leader in staffing software, agreeing to pay TempWorks an undisclosed sum in settlement of a lawsuit initiated by Nova in 2015. Nova agreed to pay the settlement in exchange for dismissal, and the agreement states that neither party is admitting to wrongful conduct.
Nova initiated suit in November of 2015, alleging that the software company refused to provide copies of its operating databases in TempWorks' custody. As part of its initial filing, it sought an injunction compelling TempWorks to produce Nova's databases. Less than two weeks thereafter, Hennepin County District Court Judge Thomas M. Sipkins denied Nova's motion, stating in his order that "TempWorks has not denied Nova access to [its] data. Nova has access to the data through the software, in PDF form, and through the FTP site."
As a routine matter, TempWorks provides operating data to its customers upon request in a variety of convenient formats, and makes those available on its customer FTP server.
"While we're thrilled at the outcome of this case, at the same time we regret the diversion of resources from our mission of providing an excellent workplace to our employees and the highest quality service and technology to our customers," said David Dourgarian, CEO of TempWorks. "With a well learned lesson about conflict management under our belt, we look forward to many future years of service to staffing and recruitment companies around the world."
For more information, please visit: http://www.tempworks.com/
About TempWorks:
TempWorks Software, with offices in Eagan, MN and Hertfordshire, England, is a leading provider of staffing software and payroll funding. A proven technology partner for nearly 20 years, TempWorks has 135 employees and 2015 sales of more than $18,600,000. The company provides the temporary staffing industry with integrated front and back office staffing software, payroll funding, and back office outsourcing. TempWorks' goal is to keep its customers happy and profitable by providing world class customer support and investing heavily in innovation.
Media Contacts
Courtney Calderon
Uproar PR for TempWorks Software
+1.321.236.0102 x233
Email Contact
DUBLIN, OH--(Marketwired - July 12, 2016) - Epcon Communities, the 40th-largest home builder in the U.S. (Builder Magazine, May 2016) and the 22nd-largest privately owned homebuilding company in the country, launched its Freedom Tour 2016 marketing initiative in partnership with Honor Flight, Columbus.
Held over June 11 and 12, the campaign, which highlighted Epcon's approach to low-maintenance living, donated a percentage of proceeds from each Epcon home sold to Honor Flight, a non-profit organization for senior veterans.
Epcon homes offer freedom
Epcon offers easy-maintenance, ranch-style homes that, according to internal market research, are exactly the kinds of homes that a key demographic segment, people aged 55+, are looking to buy.
In an Epcon community, many of which are managed by condominium associations, the "have-to's" such as lawn care, driveway maintenance and snow removal are all taken care of so homeowners can indulge in their own personal "want-to's."
In fact, Epcon's new American Porch collection offers a porch at the front of the home, providing outdoor space for socialization with neighbors and friends. Many communities have amenities such as walking paths, a pool and fitness equipment to maintain an active lifestyle without need for expensive gym memberships.
Epcon homes offer attractive long-term benefits
While Epcon's low-maintenance homes offer plenty of entertaining space and foster an active lifestyle, they're also built for the long term keeping buyers' evolving needs in mind. Epcon's copyrighted open floor plans feature wider doorways and hallways, a wheelchair-friendly feature. Many are single-floor, ranch-style homes, with an owner's suite that's easy to access. A zero-step entrance allows wheelchair users to navigate the home without having to negotiate steps.
These features offer an additional kind of "freedom": from worrying about having to move so Epcon homeowners can age in place. This is an especially important factor given that data from the AARP indicate that a significant percentage (71%) of Americans aged 50-64 want to stay in their own home and be with friends and neighbors as they age.
The freedoms that Epcon homes deliver are applicable to other demographic segments, too. Research from the National Association of Home Builders indicates that about two-thirds of homebuyers -- 64 percent -- would prefer a single-story home, with millennials at 35 percent, Gen Xers at 49 percent, baby boomers at 75 percent and seniors at 88 percent.
Epcon Franchise Builders capitalize on market demand
Given the growing demand for such low-maintenance, ranch-style homes, there's a market niche that's waiting to be filled by capable homebuilders.
Epcon has 30 years of experience in the homebuilding business and 20 years in franchising and continually evaluates market trends so the homes they build are the ones consumers want to buy. Being an Epcon Franchise Builder allows builders of all sizes to utilize established market research and processes. What's more, the Epcon construction process promotes accelerated building and sell-through so valuable capital is not tied up in a project longer than necessary.
In this sense, Epcon confers Franchise Builders their own freedoms too -- the freedom to focus on building following a tested recipe and the freedom to not worry about creating their own marketing strategy and business processes. Epcon homes offer both buyers and Franchise Builders the freedom to realize their aspirations in the most efficient way possible.
Investigate the Epcon franchise opportunity
For in-depth details about the Epcon franchise opportunity, visit www.epconfranchising.com, where you can download a free franchise report and research the brand and industry.
Disclaimer: The offer of a franchise can only be made through the delivery of a Franchise Disclosure Document. Certain jurisdictions require registration prior to the offer or sale of a franchise. We do not offer franchises in jurisdictions where we are not registered (or exempt from registration). Epcon Communities Franchising, Inc. 500 Stonehenge Parkway, Dublin, Ohio 43017. Minnesota Franchise Registration No. F-3531.
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Jason Coffee
Business Development Manager
855-746-8988
jcoffee@epconcommunities.com
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Criticism leveled at the Bank of England in the run-up to the EU referendum had been 'extraordinary in all senses of the word', Governor Mark Carney said Tuesday.
Before June 23, the bank cautioned Britons about the risk of leaving the EU. Carney had warned that the 'Brexit' would spark a technical recession.
'What was in the March record and the July FSR [Financial Stability Report] are the views of the FPC [Financial Policy Committee]', he told lawmakers at the Treasury Committee hearing on Tuesday.
'They are not prejudged, they are not pre-decided. They are based on analysis, robust discussion,' Carney added.
On the low yields of long-dated gilt, Carney said markets are hedging of downside risk. The economy has tremendous strength and it is reinforced by a financial system that can withstand huge shock.
Further, Carney said there will be no 'credit crunch' as seen during the 2008-09 financial crisis. Banks will have enough funds to lend, he added.
His comments came after the release of the record of the Financial Policy Committee meeting held on June 28 and July 1, earlier on Tuesday.
At the FPC meeting, members unanimously decided to reduce the countercyclical capital buffer rate to 0 percent from 0.5 percent of banks' UK exposures with immediate effect.
According to the record of the meeting, the FPC had identified in March that risks relating to the UK commercial real estate market could be exacerbated by uncertainty around the referendum.
Valuations in some segments of the market, notably the prime London market, had become stretched, the FPC minutes said.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
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Praxair, Inc. (NYSE:PX) announced today that it has signed a long-term agreement for the purchase of liquid helium from Polskie Gornictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo SA (PGNiG), a leader in the Polish natural gas market, as well as the only producer of helium in Central Europe.
PGNiG owns and operates a helium production facility located in Poland that extracts and refines helium from gas produced by its domestic natural gas fields. The company has been consistently producing helium from this plant for supply to the global market since the late 1970's.
"Through this agreement, Praxair gains a high-quality, proven source that enhances the efficiency and reliability of our helium supply into Europe," said Amer Akhras, general manager of Praxair's Global Helium business.
PGNiG Managing Director, Tomasz Jaskolski, said, "We are very pleased to have reached this agreement with Praxair, a leader in the global helium industry."
Praxair's leadership in the helium industry dates back to its development of the first plant for extracting helium from natural gas in 1917. Today, Praxair is a fully-integrated and global leader in the production and distribution of industrial grade helium, with numerous operations throughout the world. Helium is used in many applications, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), fiber optics and semiconductor manufacturing, breathing atmospheres, balloons and leak detection.
About Praxair
Praxair, Inc., a Fortune 300 company with 2015 sales of $11 billion, is a leading industrial gas company in North and South America and one of the largest worldwide. The company produces, sells and distributes atmospheric, process and specialty gases, and high-performance surface coatings. Praxair products, services and technologies are making our planet more productive by bringing efficiency and environmental benefits to a wide variety of industries, including aerospace, chemicals, food and beverage, electronics, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, primary metals and many others. More information about Praxair, Inc. is available at www.praxair.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160712005284/en/
Contacts:
Praxair, Inc.
Media:
Jason Stewart, 203-837-2448
or
Investors:
Kelcey Hoyt, 203-837-2118
PORTLAND, Oregon, July 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
A baby monitor, is basically a baby alarm, which facilitates parents to remotely track the movements and other activities of the baby. A basic audio monitor consists of a transmitter and microphone, which enables a two-way communication between the parent and the baby. Baby video monitor is an advanced version of baby monitor, which allows parents to see and monitor baby's movements. Further, baby monitors with movement trackers and preinstalled lullabies, are also available in the market, to cater to the varying needs of the parents.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141014/710132 )
Increase in the number of working parents and nuclear families has led to a higher adoption of baby monitors in homes and day care centers. Growing awareness about baby safety, increasing disposable income and increased online retailing are other factors that have fueled the growth of the market. However, declining birth rate due to sedentary lifestyle and safety concerns associated with these products are amongst major challenges for the players operating in the industry. Irrespective of challenges, the industry is anticipated to offer attractive business opportunities in developed as well as developing regions in near future.
For More Information Visit @ http://www.bigmarketresearch.com/baby-monitor-market
The world baby monitors market is segmented on the basis of type, mode of connection and geography. Based on type, baby monitors are categorized as audio and video baby monitors. Market is categorized as wired and wireless baby monitors depending on mode of connection. Wireless baby monitors offer the advantage of portability, ease of installation and connection as these can be easily connected to WLAN. The world baby monitors market is analyzed on the basis of geographical regions, which include North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and LAMEA.
The key players profiled in the report include Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Dorel Industries Inc., Angelcare Monitors Inc., LOREX Technology Inc., VTech Holdings Ltd., ShenZhen Foscam Intelligent Technology Co. Ltd, Summer Infant Inc., Koninklijke Philips N.V, Nest Lab. Inc. and Withings Inc. Presently, the baby monitor market is largely driven by growth strategies such as product launch and acquisition. Companies such as Lorex Technology Inc., Summer Infant Inc., Nest Labs, Inc. and VTech Holdings Ltd. have launched new baby monitors in recent past to attract more number of customers and increase their market share.
KEY BENEFITS
This study provides an in-depth analysis of baby monitors market with current and future trends to elucidate the imminent investment pockets in the market
The report provides information regarding key drivers, restraints and opportunities with impact analysis
Porters five forces analysis of industry and SWOT analysis of the key market players have been provided to illustrate the business strategies adopted by them
The value chain analysis of the industry highlights the key intermediaries involved and elaborates their roles and value additions at every stage in the value chain
The quantitative analysis of the market during the period of 2014-2020 has been provided to elaborate the market potential
Enquiry about this report visit @ http://www.bigmarketresearch.com/report-enquiry/426441
BABY MONITOR MARKET SEGMENTATION
The market is segmented on the basis of type, mode of connection and geography.
BABY MONITOR MARKET BY TYPE
Audio
Video
BABY MONITOR MARKET BY MODE OF CONNECTION
Wired
Wireless
BABY MONITOR MARKET BY GEOGRAPHY
North America
Europe
Asia-Pacific
LAMEA
KEY PLAYERS
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
Dorel Industries Inc.
Angelcare Monitors Inc.
LOREX Technology Inc.
VTech Holdings Ltd.
ShenZhen Foscam Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd
Summer Infant Inc.
Koninklijke Philips N.V
Nest Lab. Inc.
Withings Inc.
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PUNE, India, July 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
According to the new market research report "Industrial Cooling System Market by End User (Power Generation, Industrial Manufacturing, Petrochemical Processing, Food Processing & Storage, Petroleum & Natural Gas Refining, Pharmaceutical, Data Center), Type & by Region - Global Forecasts to 2021", published by MarketsandMarkets, The market size is projected to reach at USD 17.24 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 5.0% from 2016 to 2021.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )
Browse 85 market data Tables and 51 Figures spread through 168 Pages and in-depth TOC on"Industrial Cooling System Market".
http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/industrial-cooling-system-market-123451073.html
Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.
Power generation was the fastest-growing end-user segment of the global industrial cooling system market
Power generation segment contributed the largest share to the industrial cooling system market in 2015, and is projected to be the fastest-growing application segment from 2016 to 2021. Although cooling systems are a pre-requisite in every industry, they find the highest use in the power generation segment, owing to the high demand from the power industry. Cooling systems are used in thermal and nuclear power plants to control temperature and pressure conditions.
Evaporative cooling system segment was the largest segment of the industrial cooling system market
Based on type, the industrial cooling system market has been segmented into evaporative cooling system, air cooling system, hybrid cooling system, and water cooling system. Evaporative cooling system was the largest segment of the market in 2015. Growth of the evaporative cooling system segment is driven by increasing demand for evaporative cooling system from the power generation and industrial manufacturing sectors of the region due to its relatively lower price and less energy requirements.
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Asia-Pacific was the largest market for global industrial cooling system market in 2015, globally
Asia-Pacific was the largest market for Industrial Cooling System Market in 2015, owing to the rise in demand of industrial cooling system in this region. Asia-Pacific is the key commercial market for industrial cooling system globally and is expected to grow rapidly during the forecast period. One of the primary drivers for industrial cooling system market growth in the Asia-Pacific region is the steady economic development in the region. In addition, an imposing growth of industrialization in developing countries of the region, such as China and India, is also driving the market.
Key players operational in the industrial cooling system market include Baltimore Aircoil Company (U.S.), Bell Cooling Tower (India), Brentwood Industries Inc. (U.S.), Hamon Group (Belgium), Johnson Controls Inc. (U.S.), Paharpur Cooling Towers (India), SPIG S.p.A. (Italy), and SPX Corporation (U.S.).
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Cooling Tower Market by Type (Dry, Evaporative, Hybrid), by Design (Natural, Mechanical), by Construction Material (Concrete, Steel, FRP, Others), by Application (Power, HVACR, Food & Beverages, Others), by Region - Trends & Forecasts to 2020
http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/cooling-towers-market-268219049.html
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http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/district-cooling-market-27186936.html
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MarketsandMarkets is the world's No. 2 firm in terms of annually 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 infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers.
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VAL D'OR, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Hinterland Metals Inc. (TSX VENTURE: HMI) ("Hinterland") is pleased to announce that it has signed a Letter of Intent ("LOI") with Beaufield Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: BFD) ("Beaufield"), whereby Hinterland may earn an interest in the "Lithium Rights", defined as all elements, metals and minerals excluding precious metals (i.e., gold, silver, platinum and palladium), and base-metals (i.e., cobalt, copper, lead, nickel and zinc), attached to Beaufield's 92-claim (4441-hectare) Troilus property (the "Property") located in the Frotet-Evans area of Quebec, approximately 100 kilometres north of Chibougamau. An all-season gravel road starting from Chibougamau passes through the western part of the Property.
The Troilus claims completely surround the Moblan lithium development project held by Perilya Ltd. (60%) and Soquem Inc. (40%). A mineral resource estimate of the Moblan deposit was reported in May 2011 with a 0.60% Li2O cut-off grade as summarized in the following table (Perilya website consulted July 11, 2016):
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Classification Tonnes Li2O % ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Measured 4,719,000 1.63 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Indicated 6,752,000 1.33 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inferred 2,780,000 1.22 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 14,251,000 1.41 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Although documented lithium mineralization is present on the Moblan project in several zones immediately adjacent to the boundary with the surrounding Troilus property, very little previous exploration work has been completed on the Troilus claims. Hinterland plans to commence work immediately with a compilation of available geological data and generation of lithium exploration targets. A map of the Property can be viewed at http://www.hinterlandmetals.com/s/TroilusLi.asp
Pursuant to the LOI, Hinterland can earn a 50% interest in the Lithium Rights by issuing to Beaufield an aggregate of 2,000,000 shares (500,000 upon closing) and completing work expenditures of $1,000,000 ($200,000 in the first year) over a three year period. Upon completion of the 50% earn-in, Hinterland and Beaufield will form a joint venture with initial respective participating interests to be 50%. The transaction is subject to completion of due diligence, final documentation and approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.
Mark Fekete, P.Geo is the designated "qualified person" as defined in Section 1.2 in and for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 that reviewed and approved the technical content of this 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 release. This release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary materially from targeted results. Such risks and uncertainties include those described in the Company's periodic reports including the annual report or in the filings made by the Company from time to time with securities regulators. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revision of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they are made or to reflect the occurrence of an unanticipated event.
Shares Issued 32,924,614
Contacts:
Hinterland Metals Inc.
Mark Fekete
President
1-819-354-5244
Hinterland Metals Inc.
Zak Dingsdale
Director
1-905-269-0797
info@hinterlandmetals.com
www.hinterlandmetals.com
Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Mining in Serbia: Business Report 2016" report to their offering.
This report is a comprehensive research of Mining in Serbia.
The first two chapters of the report feature the country profile by giving general information on Serbia and by thoroughly studying its economic state (including key macroeconomic indicators and their development trends).
The third chapter covers common business procedures in the country: from starting a project to closing a business. This chapter elucidates the country's fiscal system, existing labour practices, property rights regulation peculiarities and other issues vital for running business in this country.
Further the report analyses Mining in the country. This key chapter tells about main trends in the industry, identifies key market players (including major producers, traders, etc.), and evaluates trade operations within the sector in the recent years.
Related news bulletins update adds the finishing touch to an overview of economic situation in Serbia.
Key Topics Covered:
1. SERBIA: COUNTRY PROFILE
1.1. Geographical position
1.2. Historical background
1.3. Demography
1.4. Administrative divisions
1.5. Political situation
1.6. Economic situation
1.7. Foreign relations
1.8. Social environment and culture. Cultural differences and their impact on business negotiations
2. SERBIA: FINANCIAL AND ECONOMICAL PROFILE
2.1. Country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP): historical trends and projection
2.2. Industrial production outlook
2.3. Serbia foreign trade
2.4. Current investment climate
2.5. Labor market overview. Current employment state
2.6. Ratings by major rating agencies
3. PECULIARITIES OF DOING BUSINESS IN SERBIA
3.1. Procedures for starting a business
3.2. Routine for building permits obtaining
3.3. Registration of ownership rights
3.4. Basic terms of providing business loans by banks
3.5. Measures for investments protection
3.6. Tax system
3.7. Foreign trade transactions
3.8. Debt collection
3.9. Business liquidation
4. SERBIA MINING OVERVIEW
5. SERBIA ECONOMY NEWS AND ANALYSIS DIGEST
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/7zxvcp/mining_in_serbia
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160712006079/en/
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CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Canadian dollar drifted higher against its major rivals in early New York trading on Tuesday, as European stocks rose along with commodities amid easing political worries in the U.K. and hopes for continued support from the central banks across the globe.
Expectations for stimulus from Japan and China as well as hopes that the Bank of England will lower rates in response to the Brexit vote soothed investor nerves.
Oil prices rebounded, as traders weighed the latest monthly report from OPEC.
Crude for August delivery rose $1.30 to $46.06 per barrel.
OPEC warned European oil demand 'faces substantial downside risks' because of the landmark Brexit vote.
Still, the cartel kept its world oil demand growth forecast unchanged at 1.2 million barrels a day for 2016.
The loonie has been trading in a positive territory against most major rivals in European trading.
The loonie strengthened to a 4-day high of 1.3001 against the greenback, compared to 1.3117 hit late New York Monday. Further gains may see the loonie challenging resistance around the 1.28 level.
The loonie advanced to near a 3-week high of 80.33 against the yen, up from Monday's closing value of 78.36. The next possible resistance for the loonie-yen pair may be found around the 81.00 zone.
Data from the Bank of Japan showed that Japan's producer prices fell 0.1 percent on month in June.
That was in line with expectations following the downwardly revised 0.1 percent gain in May.
Reversing from an early low of 1.4529 against the euro, the loonie edged up to 1.4429. If the loonie extends rise, it is likely to challenge resistance around the 1.42 mark.
Data from Destatis showed that German wholesale prices continued to drop in June but the pace of decline slowed further.
Wholesale prices decreased 1.5 percent year-on-year in June, slower than the 2.3 percent fall seen in May and a 2.7 percent decline posted in April.
The loonie bounced off to 0.9924 against the aussie, after falling to more than a 3-month low of 0.9666 at 4:00 am ET. The loonie may test resistance around the 0.98 area.
Looking ahead, U.S. wholesale inventories data for May is due shortly.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
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PUNE, India, July 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
According to a new market research report "Stoma Care/Ostomy Care and Accessories Market (Procedure (Colostomy, Ileostomy, Urostomy, Bags (One-Piece, Two-Piece, Drainable, Re-usable), Accessories (Paste & Powder, Cream, Cleanser, Deodorant) & End Users) - Global Forecast to 2021", published by MarketsandMarkets,The market for Stoma Care/Ostomy Care is valued at an estimated USD 2.62 Billion in 2016 and expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.4% between 2016 and 2021 to reach USD 3.41 Billion by 2021.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )
Browse 95 market data Tables and 8 Figures spread through 174 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Stoma Care/Ostomy Care and Accessories Market"
http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/ostomy-care-accessories-market-267183143.html
Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.
The major factors driving the growth of this market are the increase in the aged population; rise in the number of ostomy surgeries due to the rising incidence rate of bowel/bladder cancer and Crohns disease; rise in awareness towards ostomy care products; and technological advancements. On the other hand, unstable reimbursement systems are expected to restrain the growth of this market during the forecast period.
Based on product, the Ostomy Care Market is segmented into bags and accessories. Of these, ostomy bags are expected to command the largest share of the Ostomy Care Market in 2016, while ostomy accessories are expected to grow at the highest CAGR between 2016 and 2021.
The ostomy care bags market is segmented (based on procedures) into colostomy bag, ileostomy bag, urostomy bag, continent ileostomy bag, and continent urostomy bag. In 2016, the colostomy bags segment is expected to account for the largest share of the market.
The ostomy care accessories market is segmented into pastes and powders, creams, cleansers, deodorants and others (alcohol wipes and ostomy bags). In 2016, the pastes and powders segment is expected to account for the largest share of the ostomy care accessories market.
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Based on end user, the Ostomy Care Market is segmented into hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and homecare settings. The homecare settings segment is expected to command the largest share of the Ostomy Care Market in 2016; moreover, this segment is also expected to witness the highest growth in the end-user market.
Based on geography, the Ostomy Care Market is segmented into Asia, Europe, North America, and Rest of the World (RoW). Europe is expected to command the largest share of the global Ostomy Care Market in 2016. However, the market in Asia is expected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period.
The key players in the Ostomy Care Market are Coloplast (Denmark), ConvaTec (U.S.), Hollister (U.S.), B. Braun (Germany), Alcare (Japan), Marlen Manufacturing (U.S.), 3M (U.S.), Smith & Nephew (U.K.), and Nu-Hope Laboratories (U.S.).
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Wound Care Market by Product (Advanced (Foam, Alginate, NPWT, Active), Surgical, Traditional), Wound Type (Chronic (DFU, Pressure Ulcer), Acute (Burn)), End User (Hospital (Inpatient, Outpatient), Long-Term Care, Home Healthcare) - Global Forecast to 2021.
http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/wound-care-market-371.html
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MarketsandMarkets is the world's No. 2 firm in terms of annually 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 infographics 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.
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FREDERICK, MD -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Welocalize, global leader in translation and localization solutions, has demonstrated significant growth and industry leadership over the past year and as a result is now ranked as the 7th largest global language service provider (LSP) in the world, according to independent research firm Common Sense Advisory (CSA).
The recently released ranking of language service providers in Common Sense Advisory's annual global industry report, "The Language Services Market: 2016," indicates Welocalize has made a significant upward move in the Global Top 10 Language Services Providers from 9th place to 7th place in just one year.
"Welocalize has achieved solid and steady growth by delivering a wider portfolio of innovative language and technology solutions to existing and new clients across the complete product lifecycle, from intellectual property to digital marketing and software validation," said Smith Yewell, CEO and co-founder of Welocalize. "We anticipate continued growth and expansion as we partner with industry leaders across all sectors, applying our expertise and specialized services to help them achieve their targeted business goals while earning our position as the most respected and trusted brand in the global language services industry."
The Common Sense Advisory 12th annual global industry report states that the market for outsourced translation and interpreting services and technology grew 5.52% to $40.27 billion from 2015 to 2016 and will grow at an average of 2.82% over the next four years, with a cumulative growth rate of 11.77% over that period.
Welocalize's continued expansion has come from organic growth, acquisitions and diversification of language services in areas of quality validation services, supported by functional and linguistic testing, staffing, language technology and automation, and specialized language solutions in life sciences, digital marketing and finance.
"Welocalize has established itself as one of the most valued, well-respected and fast-moving brands in the global languages service industry," said Jamie Glass, CMO and EVP of global service lines at Welocalize. "Our deliberate prioritization of customer service, quality, global teamwork and innovation is reflective in our dramatic rise in CSA's Global Top 10 Language Service Providers ranking."
As noted in the CSA report, Welocalize has a continuous focus on strategic acquisition to add new brands to the Welocalize portfolio. The company made two significant acquisitions in the past 12 months driven by the intent to play a major role in helping companies with the entire globalization journey, including digital marketing and localization of content in regulated industries.
In December 2015, Welocalize acquired London-based multilingual digital marketing agency Adapt Worldwide and in May 2016, Welocalize acquired Nova to add to its growing portfolio of regulated industry language solutions for life sciences.
About Welocalize - Welocalize, Inc., founded in 1997, offers innovative language services to help global brands reach audiences around the world in more than 175 languages. We provide translation and localization services, talent management, language tools, automation and technology, quality and program management. Our range of managed language services include machine translation, digital marketing, validation and testing, interpretation, staffing and enterprise translation management technologies. We specialize in consumer, technology, manufacturing, learning, oil and gas, travel and hospitality, marketing and advertising, finance, legal and life sciences industry language solutions. With more than 800 full-time employees worldwide, Welocalize maintains offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Romania, Poland, Japan and China. www.welocalize.com
About Common Sense Advisory - Common Sense Advisory is an independent market research company helping companies profitably grow their international businesses and gain access to new markets and new customers. Its focus is on assisting clients to operationalize, benchmark, optimize and innovate industry best practices in translation, localization, interpreting, globalization, and internationalization. For more information visit www.commonsenseadvisory.com
Media Contacts:
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Jamie Glass
Email Contact
602.369.5537
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Louise Law
Email Contact
ANN ARBOR, MI -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- At EAA AirVenture Oshkosh later this month, TECAT Performance Systems will demonstrate the first commercially available wireless sensor capable of measuring in-flight torque data on experimental aircraft with real-time results. In booth 424 at the Oshkosh show, TECAT will show the WISER 4000 wireless torque measurement system used to gather this data, and demonstrate the system's installation and operation. A Saber Manufacturing propeller extension instrumented with the WISER 4000 will be on view, as well as the first experimental aircraft to undergo WISER wireless performance testing: the Relentless NXT, owned and flown by Kevin Eldredge. The WISER 4000 will also be the subject of a talk, "Next-Gen Engine Health Monitoring," by Dr. Douglas Baker, TECAT's founder and chief technology officer.
"TECAT has already demonstrated the capabilities of our WISER wireless sensor systems in automotive, industrial, and energy applications, so in 2016 we've turned our attention to aviation -- and in particular, the needs of people building or maintaining piston-powered experimental aircraft," said Don Keating, vice president of business development at TECAT Performance Systems. "Test results on the Relentless NXT have confirmed that the WISER system can measure torque and horsepower in flight with extraordinarily high resolution, opening up many new capabilities for engine health monitoring and more."
TECAT's WISER systems are the smallest, lightest, and most power-efficient solutions available for the measurement of torque, acceleration, pressure, temperature, distance, and magnetization. The WISER 4000 is comprised of three subsystems. The remote unit consists of the data capture electronics connected to Micro-Measurements strain gages, a transceiver, and a long-life battery. The base unit plugs directly into a PC USB port and houses an antenna, transceiver, and up to four analog outputs. The WISER Data Viewer software is used for system configuration and calibration, live monitoring, and data logging. The WISER 4000 enables positive and negative shunt calibration with two independent shunt calibration legs using 100 k ohm resistors.
In addition to measuring torque, the WISER 4000 has the optional ability to measure 3-axis acceleration, barometric pressure, and ambient temperature, all within a small footprint measuring 36 mm x 23 mm x 4 mm. On-board data logging with triggering capability allows high-resolution data to be collected on the remote unit without PC or DAQ connectivity, while remote flash enables firmware upgrades without removing the system from the unit under test.
The presentation by Douglas Baker, "Next-Gen Engine Health Monitoring," will take place Wednesday, July 27, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. at Forum Stage 4. In the talk, Baker will discuss test results and development plans for an aviation product for engine health monitoring.
Known as the "World's Greatest Aviation Celebration," EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is the world's largest annual gathering of aviation enthusiasts. Oshkosh 2016 highlights will include a Pearl Harbor 75th commemoration, two night-time air shows, daily air shows featuring the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, a Desert Storm 25th anniversary commemoration, a salute to veterans, a World War I aviation celebration, a Boeing 100th anniversary celebration, WomenVenture, Young Eagles Day celebrating the 2 millionth flown, a Coast Guard centennial celebration, a Martin Mars flying boat, 10,000 airplanes, 1,000 forums and workshops, and 800+ exhibitors. More information on the expo is available at www.EAA.org/tickets.
About TECAT Performance Systems
TECAT Performance Systems was founded in 2010 by Dr. Douglas Baker, CTO and inventor of its torque telemetry system. The company designs and manufactures the smallest, lightest, most power-efficient wireless sensors available. These features enable the measurement of torque, acceleration, and atmospheric data in places never before accessed. The company is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan. More information on TECAT Performance Systems is available at http://tecatperformance.com/.
Link to WISER 4000 photo:
http://www.redpinesgroup.com/TECAT/160614WISER4000.jpg
Agency Contact:
Bob Decker
Redpines
+1 415 409 0233
Email Contact
TECAT Performance Systems Contact:
Don Keating
Vice President, New Business Development
+1 248 615 9862
Email Contact
SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- DroneDeploy, the leading cloud software platform for commercial drones, and DJI, the world's leading maker of drones and camera technology, today announced at Intersolar North America 2016 that they have partnered to dramatically increase the efficiency of the solar panel installation and inspection via drone thermal imagery capture and analytics. Customers can reduce residential measurement times by up to 50% and commercial measurement times from days to minutes. In addition, drone thermal imagery will help ensure optimum placement of equipment for maximum production.
"We're excited to partner with DroneDeploy to help businesses get the most out of their DJI drones," said Ryan Tong, Director of Marketing at DJI. "Roof inspection hasn't changed significantly over the past decade. Introducing safe and accurate drone-based 3D models to replace survey wheels and measuring tapes is a step forward for the industry."
With just two taps on an iOS or Android device, customers will be able to leverage the DroneDeploy application to automatically fly a DJI drone including: take off, flight and data capture, and landing. The captured images are then processed in DroneDeploy's rapid cloud-based infrastructure, enabling:
Accurate 3D structural models, which eliminates the need to climb on dangerous roofs.
Precise property and structural measurements, which reduces on-site human error.
Avoidance of hot spots with the Zenmuse XT thermal camera, which improves solar equipment production. Coming soon!
Development of pre-flight maps, which reduces time required on-site.
Inspection of completed installations to identify cleaning and maintenance needs.
"DJI is the largest drone hardware player in the market, and the manufacturer of choice for many of our customers," said Darr Gerscovich, Senior Vice President, Marketing of DroneDeploy. "DroneDeploy's new inspection workflow and thermal image processing capability is a really exciting development for the solar energy industry and beyond. These functionalities open up a wealth of new possibilities for businesses and government organizations looking to put drones to work."
Residential solar installations increased almost 60 percent between 2014 and 2015, and in 2015 America averaged one new residential solar installation about every 100 seconds.
Try DroneDeploy Today
Want to learn how DroneDeploy can help your business? Visit www.dronedeploy.com or start your free trial today. The DroneDeploy application is available for free download for both iOS and Android devices.
Visit DroneDeploy at Intersolar North America
DroneDeploy will be at Intersolar North America 2016, one of the most popular conference for photovoltaics, PV production technologies, energy storage systems and solar thermal technologies, from July 12-14, 2016 in San Francisco's Moscone Center. To schedule an interview with DroneDeploy, visit Booth #7533 or contact dronedeploy@10fold.com.
About DJI
DJI is a global leader in developing and manufacturing innovative drone and camera technology for commercial and recreational use. DJI was founded and is run by people with a passion for remote-controlled helicopters and experts in flight-control technology and camera stabilization. The company is dedicated to making aerial photography and filmmaking equipment and platforms more reliable and easier to use for creators and innovators around the world. DJI's global operations currently span North America, Europe and Asia, and its revolutionary products and solutions have been chosen by customers in over 100 countries; for applications in film, advertising, construction, firefighting, farming, and many other industries.
About DroneDeploy
DroneDeploy is the leading cloud software platform for commercial drones, and is making the power of aerial data accessible and productive for everyone. Trusted by leading brands globally, DroneDeploy is transforming the way businesses leverage data across industries, including agriculture, construction, mining, inspection and real estate. Simple by design and easy to use, DroneDeploy enables professionalgrade imagery and analysis, 3D modeling and more from any drone on any device. DroneDeploy users have mapped and analyzed over 3 million acres in over 120 countries. DroneDeploy is located in the heart of San Francisco. To learn more visit www.dronedeploy.com and join the conversation on Twitter @DroneDeploy.
Contact Information
James Cameron
dronedeploy@10fold.com
(415) 800-5367
RIMOUSKI, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Puma Exploration (TSX VENTURE: PUM)(SSE: PUMA) ("Puma") has signed a LOI (letter of intent) with Black Widow Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: BWR) ("BWR") to sell 100% of its interest in the Little Stull Lake Gold project in northern Manitoba. The gold project is composed of the adjoining Little Stull Lake claims (20 claims totaling 2,900ha) and the Kistigan (14,715 ha) and Edmund Lake (20,310 ha) Mineral Exploration Licenses (MEL).
Following its corporate development plan, Puma is concentrating its efforts on the Famous Bathurst Mining Camp of New Brunswick, where a drilling program is underway at the Turgeon Zinc-Copper Project. Puma will continue to benefit from the exploration and development of the Little Stull Lake Gold project by having a significant (approximate 20%) equity interest in BWR.
The main elements of the LOI with BWR include a cash payment of $150,000, from which the first $50,000 was a deposit due upon signing the LOI as well as two other milestone payments of $50,000 each, payable when Edmund Lake and Kistigan Mineral Exploration Licenses are transferred to BWR. Also, Puma will receive up to 10,000,000 BWR shares that on a pro forma basis may represent a significant (approximately 20%) equity in BWR. The first 5,000,000 shares will be received at the signature of the final definitive agreement. The remaining 5,000,000 shares to be received upon certain exploration and development milestones being met by BWR over the next years. In addition, Puma will have the first right of refusal to maintain its pro rata interest in BWR by investing in future financings of BWR. If commercial production is attained at the Little Stull Lake Project, Puma retains a non-buyable 1% of the NSR. Puma will also nominate one director to the BWR board of Directors.
The most recent corporate activity in the Project area is the Yamana Gold (TSX: YRI) takeover of Mega Precious Metals (TSX VENTURE: MGP). Yamana now holds the Monument Bay Gold Deposit (see MGP news release 2015-06-22) located 15km southwest of the Little Stull Lake Gold Deposit
"Now, with what we think is the beginning of a new bull market for significant Gold Projects, we are very pleased to sign the LOI with Black Widow Resources Inc. From the different opportunities and propositions evaluated over the last few months, Mr. Novak and his management team at Black Widow were preferred because of their proven discovery track record and their demonstrable ability to develop effective and respectful working relationships with First Nation Communities." notes Marcel Robillard, President of Puma Exploration.
The Little Stull Lake gold zones lie in a similar geological environment to that of the nearby Monument Bay deposit being developed by Yamana Gold. Monument Bay is reported to contain 3.1 million ounces of gold (MGP news release 2014-11-21). The historical drilling carried out on Little Stull Lake property resulted in the discovery of high-grade gold mineralization in an Archean greenstone belt. The gold mineralization is mainly confined to quartz veins in brecciated basalt 25 to 50 metres thick. This unit has so far been traced on surface (diamond drilling and surface trenches) at Little Stull Lake for more than 5 km and coincides with a major regional fault striking more than 60 km in length that is currently protected by the Mineral Exploration Licenses.
Puma completed ten (10) drill holes totalling 1,500 metres in the Little Stull Lake gold property's 11W Zone in 2007. This zone carries the highest gold grades intersected in drilling of the basalt during previous work, with 330 g/t Au, 202 g/t Au, and 125 g/t Au over one metre of core, which are included in longer intercepts of 7.4 g/t Au over 47.0m and 4.5 g/t Au over 45.2m. All of Puma's holes intersected the mineralized basalt, which contains an average of three core intersections one metre in length with gold values ranging from 1 to 46 g/t Au. Moreover, the drilling intersected some high-grade layers one metre long containing 46.0 g/t Au, 15.6 g/t Au, 8.4 g/t Au, and 7.2 g/t Au (PUM news release 2008-09-01).
About Puma Exploration
Puma Exploration is a Canadian mineral exploration company with advanced precious and base metals projects in Canada. The Company's major assets are the Turgeon Zinc-Copper Project and the Nicholas-Denys Project in New Brunswick and their equity interest in BWR as related to the Little Stull Lake Gold Project in Manitoba. Puma is focusing its exploration efforts in New Brunswick, Canada.
Learn more by clicking here: www.pumaexploration.com
The contents of this press release were prepared by Marcel Robillard, a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101. 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.
Forward-Looking Statements: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Puma Exploration Inc. to be materially different from actual future results and achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date the statements were made, except as required by law. Puma Exploration undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are described in the quarterly and annual reports and in the documents submitted to the securities administration.
Contacts:
Puma Exploration Inc.
Marcel Robillard
President
(418) 724-0901 or Toll free: (800) 321-8564
president@explorationpuma.com
www.pumaexploration.com
ALBANY, New York, July 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
QYReseachReports.com has recently announced the inclusion of a new market intelligence report to its comprehensive collection of research studies. The 111-page research report, titled "Global Data Centre Market Professional Survey Report 2016," offers a detailed analysis of the market. The product portfolio, key growth drivers, barriers, major geographical segments, and the competitive scenario of the global data centre market have been discussed in the research report.
Furthermore, the research study has presented the past performance and projected figures of the global market for data centre with the assistance of tables, charts, info graphics, and graphs. In addition, the recommendations and inputs given by the industry experts are expected to help the existing and new players in formulating market-centric strategies. The research study has made use of several analytical tools to determine the potential opportunities and growth factors in the next few years.
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A data centre refers to a facility that is used to store the computer systems and related components, including storage systems and telecommunications. It majorly comprises redundant data communications connections, environmental controls backup power supplies, and several security devices. It is termed as a centralized facility used widely for data storage, computing, and processing.
Data centers are created by the enterprises that are dealing with the cloud-based service sector. At present, there are several enterprises across the globes who are engaged in the building of data centre facilities along with the modern infrastructure. With the introduction of cloud computing and growing use of big data analytics, there is a high demand for data centre sin the global market.
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The construction of green data centre is one of the prominent trends, which is expected to fuel the growth of the global data centre market throughout the forecast period. In addition, the cloud-based services are projected to create potential opportunities in the next few years. On the other hand, the consolidation of data centre is one of the major factors projected to curb the growth of the overall market in the next few years.
The global market for data centre has been classified on the basis of geography into Europe, India, Japan, North America, China, and Southeast Asia. The market share, size, demand and consumption of each region have been discussed thoroughly in the research study.
Furthermore, the research study analyzes the prominent players operating in the global data centre market and provides a thorough vendor analysis for the same. To provide a clear understanding of the market, the study discusses the company profiles, inception details, financial status, business policies, and recent developments such as mergers and acquisitions if any. The leading players mentioned in the research report include Green House, Schneider, Baselayer, Emerson, Google, DELL, IBM, Compu Dynamics, and Astmodular.
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A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of A (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating of "a+" of Lloyd's Syndicate 1225 (Syndicate 1225) (United Kingdom), which is managed by AEGIS Managing Agency Limited. The outlook for each rating is positive.
The ratings of Syndicate 1225 reflect the financial strength of the Lloyd's market, which underpins the security of all Lloyd's syndicates. In addition, the syndicate benefits from its association with Associated Electric Gas Insurance Services Limited (AEGIS), which is the ultimate parent of its main capital provider, AEGIS Electric Gas International Services Limited.
The syndicate has a record of good operating performance in recent years, as demonstrated by a five-year average combined ratio of 86%. In 2015, the syndicate achieved a very strong result, reporting total comprehensive income of GBP 66.3 million and a combined ratio of 83%, reflecting good catastrophe claims experience, prior year reserve releases and an improved result from outwards reinsurance. In a benign year for claims, the largest loss arose from the MV Sorrento ferry fire off Majorca.
The syndicate writes a well-diversified portfolio comprising property and casualty business. Diversification has improved significantly in recent years, due to a combination of growth in new classes and a reduction in energy and utility lines, which previously dominated the book. Syndicate 1225 maintains a good business profile and considerable expertise in energy and utility insurance despite this reduction, supported by its association with AEGIS, which is a Bermuda-based mutual serving U.S. utility and energy companies.
Partly offsetting these strengths is the potential for earnings volatility due to exposure to catastrophe losses and the effect of exchange rate movements on the expense ratio.
This press release relates to rating(s) that have been published on A.M. Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see A.M. Best's Recent Rating Activity web page.
A.M. Best is the world's oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.
Copyright 2016 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160712006225/en/
Contacts:
A.M. Best
David Drummond, +44 20 7397 0327
Senior Financial Analyst
david.drummond@ambest.com
or
Catherine Thomas, +44 20 7397 0281
Senior Director, Analytics
catherine.thomas@ambest.com
or
Christopher Sharkey, +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159
Manager, Public Relations
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com
or
Jim Peavy, +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5644
Assistant Vice President, Public Relations
james.peavy@ambest.com
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Group Ten Metals Inc. (TSX VENTURE: PGE)(FRANKFURT: 5D31) (the "Company" or "Group Ten") announces that it has been approved under the Junior Exploration Assistance Program sponsored by the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation and the Ontario Prospectors Association. The JEAP grant will provide Group Ten with a rebate of up to 33.33% on approved exploration expenses at the Black Lake-Drayton project, to a maximum of $100,000.
Group Ten CEO Michael Rowley commented, "The Ontario Prospectors Association and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation have done great work in bringing back a grant program of this type. The high-grade targets on our Black Lake-Drayton gold project are fully permitted and the extra funding will allow us to accomplish significantly more in our work there."
Drill targeting work announced March 7, 2016 proposed a 20-hole, 2,000-metre drill program to test high-grade mineralized shoots in the Moretti area of the Black Lake project which yielded historic bulk samples of 18.65g/t Au average in 4,087kg and 14.10g/t Au average in 8,069kg (historic data not independently verified by Group Ten). The project is situated 10 kilometres south of the town of Sioux Lookout beside First Mining Finance Corps' Goldlund project (recently purchased from Tamaka Gold Corporation) and Treasury Metals' Goliath project, both of which have significant high-grade gold resources. All three projects lie in the Abrams-Minnitaki greenstone belt northeast of New Gold's advanced-stage Rainy River gold project.
An updated corporate presentation is available at http://grouptenmetals.com
About Group Ten Metals Inc.
Group Ten Metals Inc. is a mineral exploration company focused on exploration for deposits of gold, platinum group metals (PGM), nickel, and copper and in emerging districts with proven world-class potential. In addition to the high-grade Black Lake / Drayton gold project in northwest Ontario, the Company also controls a premier land position in the Kluane Ultramafic Belt in the southwest Yukon Territory where it adjoins Wellgreen Platinum Ltd's Wellgreen deposit.
The technical contents of this release were reviewed by Dr. E. Max Baker, PhD, PGeo, project manager of the Drayton-Black Lake project and qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. The property has not been the subject of a National Instrument 43-101 report, and Dr. Baker has not verified the technical data disclosed in this release.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
GROUP TEN METALS INC.
Michael Rowley, President & Director
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.
Statements which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future.
It is important to note that actual outcomes and the Company's actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental, environmental and technological factors that may affect the Company's operations, markets, products and prices. Readers should refer to the risk disclosures outlined in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis of its audited financial statements filed with the British Columbia Securities Commission.
Contacts:
Group Ten Metals Inc.
Michael Rowley
President & Director
(604) 681 1568
http://grouptenmetals.com
PHOENIX, AZ -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Z'Tejas Southwestern Grill is excited to announce its contribution of more than $90,000 to local nonprofits since it began Cornbread for a Cause in December of 2015. The restaurant group's corporate giving program chooses local organizations in Arizona and Texas that benefit each quarter from proceeds of sales of its famous, freshly baked Z'Tejas cornbread. Those organizations that have benefitted in the past include Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation, Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas, Scottsdale Active 20-30 Club and Cheyanna's Champions for Children.
Most recently, $17,912 was raised for Military Assistance Mission in Arizona and $12,362 for the American Widow Project in Texas.
"We first started Cornbread for a Cause as a way to give back to our communities," said Gary Manley, General Partner at Z'Tejas Restaurants. "To see these large donations roll through is truly amazing and cannot be done without our customers who come in and support our mission. We are excited about continuing the momentum."
From July 1 through September 30, proceeds from Z'Tejas' five Phoenix-area locations will go to Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA (AAWL) and cornbread sales from the three Austin-area locations will be donated to The Comfort Crew for Military Kids (CCMK).
AAWL & SPCA is the largest and oldest no-kill shelter in Arizona, celebrating its 45th year in its mission to create a world with no homeless dogs and cats. AAWL rehabilitates and re-homes more than 4,000 dogs and cats annually that are abandoned or that have been surrendered by their owners through adoptions at their main campus and their store in Chandler Fashion Center. All pets offered for adoption have been spayed or neutered; micro-chipped, are current on all vaccinations and come with a lifetime return guarantee. Supported by over 500 volunteers and 150 foster families, AAWL continues to make a difference in people and pet's lives in Arizona.
CCMK is a national non-profit creating programs and resources designed to support and comfort the children of the military. CCMK's programs help children with the hardships of everyday military life including multiple deployments, reintegration, visible and invisible injuries and loss of loved ones. In addition, CCMK provides presentations for elementary and middle schools around the world as well as free Comfort Kits to military families.
For more information on Cornbread for a Cause or Z'Tejas, visit ztejas.com.
About Z'Tejas Restaurants
In 1989, the first Z'Tejas opened in an old Victorian house on historic 6th St. in downtown Austin, Texas. Since then, Z'Tejas has grown to become the premier dining destination for Mexican and Southwestern style cuisine in Phoenix, Arizona, where it has five locations and Austin, Texas, where it has three locations, including the original that still stands at the same old Victorian house on 6th St. You can follow Z'Tejas on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For more information, visit www.ztejas.com.
About Z'Tejas Cornbread for A Cause
Launched in December 2015, Z'Tejas Cornbread for A Cause is the restaurant group's corporate giving arm. Its mission is to raise funds for charitable organizations that help people in the communities that Z'Tejas serves. Funds are raised through proceeds from sales of Z'Tejas' famous, freshly-made cornbread.
Arizona Media Contact:
Liz Lastra
Evolve Public Relations & Marketing
480.862.4765
Email: Email Contact
Texas Media Contact:
Joe Vasquez
VASQ PR
Phone: 201.889.3340
Email: Email Contact
IRVINE, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- UCI Division of Continuing Education (DCE) has announced the appointment of Erich Delcamp as the director of Information Technology. Having substantial success in leading IT business operations and large-scale enterprise-wide projects specific to academic institutions, Delcamp along with his team, will ensure DCE's technological capabilities are top-notch and effectively providing the necessary productivity. In addition, Delcamp will support the school's information technology needs for instructors, students and staff.
"Having an IT professional well versed in the very specific IT needs of an academic institution is important," said Gary W. Matkin, Ph.D., dean of Continuing Education, Distance Learning and Summer Session. "We look forward to benefitting from Erich's extensive experience in project management, IT governance, datacenter management, networking, telecommunications, and PCI."
Delcamp comes to UCI DCE with more than 13 years of experience in leading large-scale IT business operations. At Regis University in Colorado, Delcamp most recently served as the assistant vice president of technology solutions -- where he was selected to direct and lead a new team of innovators and technical staff. Delcamp received his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Regis University, and is completing his Master of Science degree in IT Management this fall.
About UCI Division of Continuing Education: The University of California, Irvine Division of Continuing Education provides open enrollment learning opportunities, serving adult students online, at the UCI campus, and at employer sites nationally and worldwide. Since 1962, the UCI Division of Continuing Education has offered open enrollment learning opportunities to the Orange County community, providing open access to the resources of the university, through certificate and specialized studies programs (found here) and free, open educational resources (http://open.uci.edu/). Connect with UCI Division of Continuing Education on the institution's social media channels.
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 28,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. Located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities, it's Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $4.8 billion annually to the local economy.
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CONTACT:
Vivian Chan-Slater
714-573-0899 x235
Email Contact
CUPERTINO (dpa-AFX) - Apple Inc. (AAPL), which has generally defied the industry trend of declining PC sales, is now no longer immune to the worldwide slowdown in purchases of desktop and laptop computers.
According to International Data Corp. or IDC's Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker, Apple recorded an 8.3 percent decline in PC shipments during the second quarter of 2016.
The tech giant's shipments in the second quarter were 4.42 million units, down 8.3 percent from 4.82 million units in the year-ago period. Its market share also declined to 7.1 percent from 7.4 percent in the prior-year quarter. Apple was in fifth position among the top global vendors worldwide.
'Apple continues to face an increasingly competitive market as it awaits a refresh of its PC lineup. As a result, shipments experienced a decline from last year,' IDC said. Apple has enjoyed increases in Mac sales for 2014 and most of 2015.
According to the IDC report, worldwide PC shipments declined 4.5 percent year-over-year to 62.4 million units in the second quarter of 2016, but beat the forecast for a 7.4 percent decline.
Improvement in channel inventories appears to have contributed to the stronger results, along with an easier year-on-year comparison and easing of component supply, IDC said. The U.S. market saw a healthy 4.9 percent jump in PC shipment growth in the second quarter of 2016.
Lenovo topped the vendors' list worldwide with 13.20 million shipments in the quarter, though it's shipments declined 2.3 percent from the prior-year period. But second-ranked HP Inc. reported a 5.1 percent increase in second-quarter shipments to 12.96 million units.
Meanwhile, another report by Gartner showed that Apple's PC shipments in the second quarter declined 4.9 percent year-over-year to 4.56 million units. However, the company's market share remained unchanged at 7.1 percent. The report too placed Apple at fifth spot among the world's top-selling vendors.
According to the Gartner report, worldwide PC shipments in the second quarter declined for the seventh consecutive quarter, but the market is showing signs of improvement.
While reporting its second-quarter financial results in late April, Apple had said Mac unit sales declined 12 percent from the prior-year period to 4.03 million units, while Mac revenues declined 9 percent to $5.11 billion.
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BROOKFIELD, NEWS -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Brookfield Asset Management Inc. ("Brookfield") (NYSE: BAM)(TSX: BAM.A)(EURONEXT: BAMA) announced today that it held the final close on Brookfield Infrastructure Fund III ("BIF III" or the "Fund") with an aggregate of $14 billion of equity commitments, creating a global infrastructure fund that invests in high-quality, core infrastructure assets on a value basis.
BIF III marks the largest private fund raised by Brookfield and the largest private infrastructure fund ever raised in the industry. In the last 18 months, Brookfield has raised approximately $27 billion across its flagship private fund strategies, including the close of its flagship real estate fund, Brookfield Strategic Real Estate Partners II at $9 billion, and its flagship private equity fund, Brookfield Capital Partners IV at $4 billion. All three funds surpassed their fundraising targets.
Total capital commitments of BIF III exceed the original $10 billion fundraising target, reflecting a robust investment pipeline and strong investor demand for the asset class. BIF III's predecessor fund closed in 2013 with $7 billion of total capital commitments.
Investors in the Fund are a diverse group of over 120 institutional investors, including public and private pension plans, sovereign wealth funds, financial institutions, endowments and foundations and family offices. Brookfield committed $4 billion to the Fund, ensuring alignment of interests with other Fund investors. Brookfield's commitment will be funded through Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. and Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P.
Sam Pollock, head of Brookfield's infrastructure business, said "We are grateful for the strong support we received from our investors. This fundraise demonstrates that demand for infrastructure investing is growing as investors continue to increase their allocations to real assets. We are excited about the opportunities we are seeing for investments."
To date, the Fund has committed to invest over $3 billion in assets consistent with the Fund's investment strategy, including a portfolio of U.S. hydroelectric facilities, a portfolio of Brazilian electricity transmission projects, a leading Colombian power generation company, a portfolio of Peruvian toll roads and a U.S. water infrastructure project developer.
Brookfield Asset Management
Brookfield is a leading global alternative asset manager with over $240 billion of assets under management. We have over a 100 year history of owning and operating real assets with a focus on property, renewable energy, infrastructure and private equity. Brookfield offers a range of public and private investment products and services, and is co-listed on the New York, Toronto and Euronext stock exchanges under the symbol BAM, BAM.A and BAMA, respectively. For more information, please visit our website at www.brookfield.com.
Contacts:
Communications
Suzanne Fleming
(212) 417-2421
Suzanne.fleming@brookfield.com
Investor Relations
Linda Northwood
(416) 359-8647
Linda.northwood@brookfield.com
MAPLE GROVE, MN--(Marketwired - July 12, 2016) - TopLine recently teamed up with YouthCARE (Youth for Cultural Appreciation and Racial Equality) of Minneapolis to provide a financial literacy workshop for youth who participate in their Community Service Stars Employment Training Program.
Youths, ages 14-18, from across the Twin Cities participated in YouthCARE's summer session of their Community Service Stars Employment Training Program, which is an 8-week training program that focuses on communication, time management, post-secondary options and financial literacy. The training program provides meaningful employment and service-learning opportunities for urban youth, from diverse ethnic, cultural, and racial backgrounds.
As part of the 8-week program, TopLine Federal Credit Union conducted a financial literacy workshop emphasizing goal setting; how to budget; how to make saving a habit; how to divide income into saving, sharing and spending buckets; and how to use a checking account and debit card. TopLine's session also outlined for students which kinds of accounts to open; what questions should be asked when opening accounts; and how to protect personal information to avoid identity theft.
"Each youth who participate in the Community Service Stars Employment Training Program earns minimum wage. For most, this is their first job so having an expert talk about how to manage their money before they receive their first paycheck provides students a basis for building good personal money management habits," says Jessica Daleske, Community Service Stars Crew Leader."
"Studies show that kids who learn about managing savings and checking accounts are more likely to save, create goals, have a budget and have money to make purchases," says Vicki Erickson, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, TopLine Federal Credit Union. "That's why TopLine is committed to assisting kids in programs like this one from YouthCARE -- we are here to help build the next generation of well informed consumers and financially savvy young adults."
Since 1974, YouthCARE has led ambitious multicultural youth development programs to empower youth in Minneapolis and St. Paul to thrive and lead. YouthCARE has consistently risen to meet the needs of a diverse and changing community, providing real life employment and leadership opportunities. Through innovative programming and relationships with caring adults, participants find the support, education, and perspective to become global citizens and community leaders. A preeminent organization in youth development, YouthCARE challenges youth to contribute to their communities, develop friendships across cultures, and view their futures as infinite possibilities. YouthCARE operates three primary programs: the Young Women's Mentoring Program, Camp Sunrise, and YouthLEAD. For more information visit http://www.youthCAREmn.org.
TopLine Federal Credit Union, a Twin Cities-based credit union, is Minnesota's 13 th largest, with assets of more than $385 million. Established in 1935, the not-for-profit cooperative offers a complete line of financial services, as well as auto and home insurance, from its five branch locations -- in Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Maple Grove, Plymouth and in St. Paul's Como Park -- as well as by phone, mobile app and online at www.TopLinecu.com. Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott or Washington Counties and their immediate family members.
Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/7/12/11G106266/Images/YouthCare_CS_Stars_Vault_070116_1-d609e3578d5aaf10b245d7061ccdf5bc.jpg
CONTACT:
Vicki Roscoe Erickson
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
verickson@toplinecu.com
763.391.0872
Large Mixed-Use Redevelopment Project in Downtown Yangon, Myanmar
Mitsubishi Corporation Telephone: +81 3 3210 2171 Facsimile: +81 3 5252 7705
TOKYO, July 12, 2016 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. are pleased to announce the July 12 signing for the Landmark Project, a large mixed-use redevelopment in Central Yangon, Myanmar. The Project will be developed with Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd. and First Myanmar Investment Co., Ltd. (FMI). Both Yoma and FMI are affiliates of Serge Pun & Associates Ltd. Group (SPA Group), a major Myanmar-based conglomerate.The Project entails redeveloping four hectares, where the SPA Group had constructed and operated an office building, commercial facilities, a hotel and other real estate assets, with two office buildings, one condominium, one building combining a hotel and serviced apartments, with commercial facilities being installed on the lower floors of each building, across a total floor area of over 200,000 m2.Mitsubishi Corp and Mitsubishi Estate will form a joint venture set up in Singapore for implementation of the Project. The Project will also benefit from a preferred equity investment by the Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment Corp. for Transport & Urban Development (JOIN). Total investment by the Japanese Partners is up to approximately USD 200 million.JOIN was established in October 2014 through public and private sector equity participation with the aim of facilitating urban and infrastructure development by Japanese corporations overseas. The Project will be JOIN's first equity participation project in the field of overseas urban development. The Japanese Partners will work with Yoma and FMI to establish a local project company.The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) will also make equity contributions, and the Local Project Company will borrow project funds from these two financial institutions to finance the Project.Myanmar made the transition to democracy in 2011 and is proactively promoting economic growth through market liberalization and attracting foreign investment. With the arrival of the new administration in April, more rapid development is expected along with greater need for supporting social infrastructure.The Project will take place around Yangon Central Railway Station, the city's main downtown business and commercial district, the equivalent of Marunouchi in Tokyo. Given its size and mixture of land uses, the Project will not only provide infrastructure to support Myanmar's development, but will also, quite literally, become a landmark in downtown Yangon.The Project will combine the real estate development know-how that Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsubishi Estate have accumulated around the world along with Japanese high tech and product planning capacity with the SPA Group's extensive experience in the real estate business in Myanmar. This will allow for high value-added urban infrastructure and related services, which, it is hoped, will contribute to rapid economic development in Myanmar.About Mitsubishi CorporationMitsubishi Corporation (MC; TSE: 8058) is a global integrated business enterprise that develops and operates businesses across virtually every industry including industrial finance, energy, metals, machinery, chemicals, foods, and environmental business. MC's current activities are expanding far beyond its traditional trading operations as its diverse business ranges from natural resources development to investment in retail business, infrastructure, financial products and manufacturing of industrial goods. With over 200 bases of operations in approximately 80 countries worldwide and a network of over 500 group companies, MC employs a multinational workforce of nearly 60,000 people. For more information, please visit www.mitsubishicorp.com.Source: Mitsubishi CorporationContact:Copyright 2016 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
The global cellular M2M connections marketis expected to grow at a CAGR of close to 30%, whereas the global cellular M2M services market is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 33% during the forecast period, according to Technavio's latest report.
In this report, Technavio covers the market outlook and growth prospects of the globalcellular M2M connections and services marketfor 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the following:
M2M services revenue from cellular technologies, including 2G, 3G, and 4G long-term evolution (LTE).
Revenue from M2M value-added services (VAS) and platform services.
M2M services income from verticals such as consumer electronics, automotive, transport and logistics, healthcare, energy and utilities, and manufacturing. Other verticals include financial services, retail, public services, consumer goods, and security.
Technavio's research study segments the global cellular M2M connections and services market into the following regions:
Americas
EMEA
APAC
Americas: largest market for cellular M2M connections and services
The cellular M2M services market in the Americas is expected to grow rapidly during the forecast period at a CAGR of 35.77%.
The large-scale deployment of LTE network infrastructure is propelling the cellular M2M services market in the Americas. The adoption of remote monitoring and fleet management solutions will contribute to the market growth as well. In addition, the evolution of new business models from telecom operators (VAS and bundled services) is driving the market.
"Nearly 85% of the enterprises in the US have been using M2M products and services, with the support of cloud platforms and data analytics, to improve their business efficiency. This trend is likely to continue in the coming years," says Rakesh Kumar Panda, a lead analyst at Technavio for research on M2M and connected devices
Ask for a sample of this report: http://goo.gl/Imb4b8
Cellular M2M services market in EMEA
In Western Europe, M2M devices and services are predominantly used in the energy and utilities, retail, security, and transportation sectors. The cellular M2M services market in EMEA is also driven by government regulations. For example, the eCall regulation was passed for emergency services in the EU.
The mass deployment of advanced LTE networks is expected to trigger an increase in the demand for M2M services in the EU. In addition, strategic alliances between M2M solution providers to offer premium M2M services to SMEs are also boosting market revenue. The partnership between Telit and Telefonica in 2012 is one such example.
In a few African countries, including South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria, M2M technology is widely deployed in applications such as fleet management, asset tracking, POS, and PAYG insurance. In addition, several African governments have passed regulations to enforce the smart monitoring of electricity and water meters, thereby increasing the use of M2M systems in the energy and utility sectors.
Cellular M2M services market in APAC
The cellular M2M services market in APAC will likely grow rapidly during the forecast period at a CAGR of 32.01%. The increasing penetration of high-speed broadband networks is expected to drive the cellular M2M services market in APAC.
China, being the leading country in the automotive segment, contributes majorly to the connected vehicles revenue. In addition, strategic alliances in the M2M market are expected to boost market revenues.
"Smart home M2M applications are gaining popularity in APAC with the support of reliable and high-speed broadband communications. The M2M industry in the region will benefit due to the growing use of cross-industry solutions such as mobile payments, mobile health, smart metering, and smart appliances," says Rakesh.
The top vendors in the global cellular M2M connections and services market highlighted in the report are:
AT&T
China Telecom
EE
Sprint
Verizon Communications
Browse Related Reports:
M2M Platform Market in Western Europe 2016-2020
Global Cellular-based M2M VAS Market 2015-2019
Cellular M2M Connections Market in the US 2015-2019
Do you need a report on a market in a specific geographical cluster or country but can't find what you're looking for? Don't worry, Technavio also takes client requests. Please contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and our analysts will be happy to create a customized report just for you.
About Technavio
Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.
Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users.
If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160712005102/en/
Contacts:
Technavio Research
Jesse Maida
Media Marketing Executive
US: +1 630 333 9501
UK: +44 208 123 1770
www.technavio.com
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Lundin Mining Corporation ("Lundin Mining" or the "Company") (TSX: LUN)(OMX: LUMI) announces that the report for the second quarter period ended June 30, 2016 will be published after the close of the trading day in Toronto on Wednesday, July 27, 2016.
The Company will hold a telephone conference call and webcast at 08:00am ET, 14:00 CET on Thursday, July 28, 2016. Conference call details are provided below:
Please call in 10 minutes before the conference starts and stay on the line (an operator will be available to assist you).
Call-in number for the conference call (North America): +1 734 385 2616 Call-in number for the conference call (North America Toll Free): +1 866 393 4306 Call-in number for the conference call (Sweden): +46 (0) 8 5661 9361
To view the live webcast presentation, please log on using this direct link:
http://www.investorcalendar.com/IC/CEPage.asp?ID=175156
The presentation slideshow will also be available in PDF format for download from the Lundin Mining website http://www.lundinmining.com before the conference call.
A replay of the telephone conference will be available after the completion of the conference call until August 4, 2016.
Replay numbers:
North America: +1 404 537 3406 The pass code for the replay is: 48979175
About Lundin Mining
Lundin Mining is a diversified Canadian base metals mining company with operations in Chile, the USA, Portugal, and Sweden, primarily producing copper, nickel and zinc. In addition, Lundin Mining holds a 24% equity stake in the world-class Tenke Fungurume copper/cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in the Freeport Cobalt Oy business, which includes a cobalt refinery located in Kokkola, Finland.
On Behalf of the Board,
Paul Conibear, President and CEO
The information in this release is subject to the disclosure requirements of Lundin Mining under the Swedish Securities Market Act and/or the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act. This information was publicly communicated on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Contacts:
Lundin Mining Corporation
Mark Turner
Director, Business Valuations and Investor Relations
+1-416-342-5565
Lundin Mining Corporation
Sonia Tercas
Senior Associate, Investor Relations
+1-416-342-5583
Lundin Mining Corporation
Robert Eriksson
Investor Relations Sweden
+46 8 545 015 50
July 12, 2016 (TSX: LUN; OMX: LUMI) Lundin Mining Corporation ("Lundin Mining" or the "Company") announces that the report for the second quarter period ended June 30, 2016 will be published after the close of the trading day in Toronto on Wednesday, July 27, 2016.The Company will hold a telephone conference call and webcast at 08:00am ET, 14:00 CET on Thursday, July 28, 2016. Conference call details are provided below:Please call in 10 minutes before the conference starts and stay on the line (an operator will be available to assist you).Call-in number for the conference call (North America): +1 734 385 2616Call-in number for the conference call (North America Toll Free): +1 866 393 4306Call-in number for the conference call (Sweden): +46 (0) 8 5661 9361To view the live webcast presentation, please log on using this direct link:http://www.investorcalendar.com/IC/CEPage.asp?ID=175156The presentation slideshow will also be available in PDF format for download from the Lundin Mining website http://www.lundinmining.com before the conference call.A replay of the telephone conference will be available after the completion of the conference call until August 4, 2016.Replay numbers:North America: +1 404 537 3406The pass code for the replay is: 48979175About Lundin MiningLundin Mining is a diversified Canadian base metals mining company with operations in Chile, the USA, Portugal, and Sweden, primarily producing copper, nickel and zinc. In addition, Lundin Mining holds a 24% equity stake in the world-class Tenke Fungurume copper/cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in the Freeport Cobalt Oy business, which includes a cobalt refinery located in Kokkola, Finland.On Behalf of the Board,Paul ConibearPresident and CEOThe information in this release is subject to the disclosure requirements of Lundin Mining under the Swedish Securities Market Act and/or the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act. This information was publicly communicated on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time.For further information, please contact:Mark Turner Director, Business Valuations and Investor Relations +1-416-342-5565Sonia Tercas Senior Associate, Investor Relations +1-416-342-5583Robert Eriksson Investor Relations Sweden +46 8 545 015 50Attachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=578492
THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Alset Energy Corp. (TSX VENTURE: ION) ("Alset" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that the Company continues to move towards completion of the definitive agreement to acquire a right to earn 100% in the previously announced Mexican lithium, potassium and boron brine salar assets (see PR May 10, 2016) located in Zacatecas and San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Alset's Mexican subsidiary, Grupo Minero Alset, has been incorporated and registered with the requisite government authorities. In addition, the Optionors, through Alset's legal counsel in Mexico, are filing all documentation with the governing bodies with respect to the mineral concessions. Permitting for exploration and development work will start immediately after the completion of the definitive agreement.
The Company would also like to announce that it has received the permits necessary to conduct further exploration work on their 100%-owned Champion graphite project, located near Kenora, Ontario. As such, a trenching program is currently underway to test encouraging carbon values uncovered from the recently completed prospecting program. During the program, seven small individual holes dug to bedrock at a depth of approximately 1m over a distance of approximately 1.3km across stratigraphy has identified flake graphite that graded from 1.7% to 8.98% carbon (See PR dated May 25, 2016). The Company cautions all the sampling results above are selective grab samples and may not be reflective of the average grade of any of these identified zones. Channel sampling of the exposed bedrock created during the trenching program will provide better confidence in the size and grade of the graphite mineralization as well allowing for the collection of mini-bulk samples for metallurgical purposes if warranted. Trenching will be followed by diamond drilling of priority targets, if warranted.
In addition, the Company is presently working with the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines and Lac La Croix First Nation to secure an exploration permit that will allow the Company to advance the Wisa Lake Lithium project in a manner that is respectful of Lac La Croix's traditional and cultural practices. Early prospecting at the Wisa Lake Lithium project returned grades from trace to as high as 6.28% Li2O in selective grab samples (see PR dated May 30, 2016).
Alset is well funded with approximately $900,000 in cash.
Clinton Barr (P.Geo.), V.P. Exploration for Alset Energy Corp, is the qualified person responsible for this release.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Alset Energy Corp,
"Stephen Stares"
Stephen Stares, President
THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements."
Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to gold price and other commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections.
Contacts:
Stephen Stares
684 Squier Street
Thunder Bay, ON P7B 4A8
Phone (807) 475-7474
Fax (807) 475-7200
www.alsetenergy.ca
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - July 12, 2016) - Astur Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE: AST)(FRANKFURT: CDC) ("Astur" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into strategic agreements, subject to filing approval by the TSX-V, organised by Lionsbridge Pty Ltd ("Lionsbridge") for the restructuring of the Company.
Lionsbridge, RMB Australia Holdings Limited("RMBAH") and the Company have entered into an option agreement, facilitated by Lionsbridge, under which RMBAH has granted Astur the option (the "Option") to repay the secured debt facility owed by Astur to RMBAH (currently US$8.77 million) in consideration for a cash payment of US$3,000,000, a 2% net smelter returns royalty on the first 800,000 ounces of gold produced from the Company's Salave Project (the "NSR"), certain additional consideration to a maximum of U.S $6,000,000 if, over a three year period, Astur enters into any sale, merger or joint venture involving the Salave Project where the Salave Project is valued in excess of US$10,000,000, and reimbursement of certain expenses. The NSR may be repurchased by Astur at any time until the earlier of (a) receipt of primary environmental approvals for the Salave Project or (b) December 31, 2017 for a cash payment of US$3.0 million. If Astur wishes to repurchase the NSR before December 31, 2016, it may do so for a cash payment of US$2.0 million. Under the Option Agreement, RMBAH has granted Lionsbridge the exclusive right until 6 September 2016 (the "Exclusivity Period") to arrange the necessary financing to exercise the Option. The Option will terminate if it is not exercised on or before the expiry of the Exclusivity Period. Under the terms of the Option, RMBAH will continue to contribute working capital to the Company during the Exclusivity Period.
The Company has also entered into a services agreement (the "Services Agreement") with both Lionsbridge and Westech International Pty Ltd ("Westech") under which Lionsbridge will provide the Company with corporate management services. Westech will, subject to independent approvals, provide the Company with technical services to progress the Salave project. The Services Agreement is subject to acceptance for filing by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV").
Effective on closing of the Services Agreement, which is expected to occur as soon as practicable following TSXV acceptance, the management and Board of Directors of Astur will be restructured. Brian Wesson, Clyde Wesson and Mark Gelmon will be appointed to the Board. Brian Wesson will also be appointed as President and CEO, Mark Gelmon will be appointed as Chief Financial Officer and Marion McGrath will be appointed as Corporate Secretary. Mr. Turnbull has agreed to remain as a consultant to the Company for a transitional period of 120 days.
Lionsbridge has also arranged a non brokered private placement (the "Placement") for Astur of up to 12,000,000 units at a price of $0.05 per unit for gross proceeds of up to $600,000. Each unit will consist of one common share and one common share purchase warrant, each warrant entitling the holder to purchase one common share at a price of $0.07 per share for a period of 24 months. If, during this 24 month period, the closing price of the Astur's common shares is at least $0.20 for a period of 20 consecutive trading days, Astur may, at its option, accelerate the expiry date of the warrants by issuing a news release or giving written notice thereof all holders of warrants, and, in such case, the warrants will expire on the earlier of: (i) the 30th day after the date on which the news release or written notice is disseminated by Astur; and (ii) the original expiry date.
Lionsbridge will be paid a finders fee of 12.5% of the gross proceeds raised, payable in shares of Astur at a deemed price of $0.05 per share. The private placement is subject to acceptance for filing by the TSXV. The proceeds of the private placement will be used for general working capital purposes.
Astur's President and CEO, Douglas Turnbull states "we appreciate the patience our shareholders have demonstrated and the support of our financial partner RMBAH for the past two years while we have tried to find the best possible solution to resolve the company's outstanding debt, secure an injection of capital to move the company forward. The new partnership with Lionsbridge is a major step in accomplishing these goals. Not only does Lionsbridge have significant mine financing expertise, they are also an experienced mine developer with a proven track record in permitting and building mines worldwide. I believe this agreement will provide the essential elements that will be required to advance the Company's Salave Gold Project in Spain."
Lionsbridge's Brian Wesson stated "We wish to thank the outgoing Board of Directors; including the outgoing founding director Cary Pinkowski, and in particular Douglas Turnbull for his contribution as CEO to the Company over the past 24 months. Further, we thank RMBAH for their continued support of the Company, they have been and will continue to be an important strategic partner of the Company. We look forward to utilising our resources and experience to unlock shareholder value by progressing the significant Salave project. We have developed a strategy for moving the Salave project forward focused on stakeholder engagement. We will keep the market informed as we progress."
Biography's of the incoming Board of Directors, Officers and Service Providers
Mr. Brian Wesson has extensive experience spanning a career of over 30 years in the management, operation design and construction of natural resource operations globally. He qualified as an engineer in South Africa, gained an MBA in Australia, studied Economics at the University of South Africa and is a fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Mr Wesson founded the Wesson Group of Companies, which Lionsbridge and Westech form part, with a view to utilising the Groups' experience in the ownership, management and development of natural resource companies and the intellectual property developed to unlock shareholder value.
Mr. Clyde Wesson holds bachelor degrees in both Law and Commerce (BCom, LLB) from Macquarie University. He is currently completing both a Masters of Law (LLM) from Melbourne University and the requirements that lead to admittance to practice as a solicitor in the Supreme Court of NSW. Clyde Wesson has extensive experience in corporate finance, structuring transactions and drafting, negotiating and executing commercial agreements. Further, Clyde has significant experience in the management of corporate entities. Clyde is a member of both the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Law Society of NSW.
Mark Gelmon obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of British Columbia and subsequently attained his chartered accountant designation in 1995 and is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of B.C. Mr. Gelmon has provided his expertise to several TSX Venture Exchange listed companies in the capacity of director, chief financial officer and consultant. His background as a C.P.A. provides the Company with the necessary skills required for financial management, reporting operating results to the Board of Directors, liaison with financial institutions, and compliance with today's complex regulatory reporting requirements.
Marion McGrath has been actively engaged in the securities industry for 30 years. She has served as a director and officer of numerous public companies in a corporate administrative capacity. Ms. McGrath is the owner of iO Corporate Services Ltd., which company provides corporate and accounting services to various publicly-traded Canadian companies. Prior to organizing iO Corporate, Ms. McGrath was a senior paralegal with a Vancouver-based securities law firm.
Amelia Wesson is a key person of Lionsbridge with 25 years of global experience in the management of natural resource projects at a Board of Directors, Vice president, "C" Suite and on site level. Amelia's focus is on stakeholder engagement, social responsibility and administration. Amelia will bring these skills to the furtherance of the project and executive team. Amelia is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Lionsbridge is dedicated to the creation of shareholder and investor wealth by providing clients with a holistic suite of corporate management, consultancy and financial solutions. Lionsbridge benefits from experience in both ownership and management of natural resources companies in global markets and across the entire natural resources sector.
Westech is a global resource engineering firm with the expertise and experience to offer our clients holistic technical solutions for natural resource projects encompassing the entire value chain from initial review to extraction and sale. Our depth of expertise allows us to offer our clients a plethora of engineering and technical solutions covering their needs over the entire life cycle from feasibility works to EPC and EPCM, project construction and improvement review and optimisation.
Further information on both Lionsbridge and Westech can be found at:
www.lionsbridge.com.au
www.westech.com.au
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Signed "Douglas Turnbull"
Douglas Turnbull, Chief Executive Officer, President and Director
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. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. This document contains certain forward looking statements which involve known and unknown risks, delays and uncertainties not under the Company's control which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from the results, performance or expectation implied by these forward looking statements.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Douglas Turnbull
#300-1055 West Hastings Street,
Vancouver, B.C., V6E 2E9
Tel: 604-694-1600
info@asturgold.com
www.asturgold.com
NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, TO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, SOUTH AFRICA, JAPAN OR ANY MEMBER STATE OF THE EEA OR TO ANY NATIONAL, RESIDENT OR CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, SOUTH AFRICA, JAPAN OR ANY MEMBER STATE OF THE EEA IF TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS AND REGULATIONS IN SUCH JURISDICTION.
HARBOURVEST GLOBAL PRIVATE EQUITY LIMITED (the 'Company')
RESULTS OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
HarbourVest Global Private Equity Limited (the 'Company') hereby announces the results of its Annual General Meeting ('AGM') held at 1.20 p.m. on 12 July 2016 at Dorey Court, Admiral Park, St Peter Port, Guernsey GY1 2HT.
In accordance with the Principle 19 of the AIC Code of Corporate Governance, the Company advises that for the General Meeting held on 12 July 2016 valid proxy appointments were made in respect of 47,508,780 voting shares and voting was as follows:
ORDINARY BUSINESS
IT WAS RESOLVED To receive the annual financial statements of the Company and the reports of the Directors and Auditors for the year ended 31 January 2016; (47,505,353 votes cast in favour, 4,427 votes cast against and nil votes withheld).
IT WAS RESOLVED to receive the directors' remuneration report for the year ended 31 January 2016.( 46,621,741 votes cast in favour, 6,627 votes cast against and 880,412 votes withheld).
IT WAS RESOLVED to re-elect Sir Michael Bunbury as a Director of the Company. (47,502,153 votes cast in favour, 6,627 votes cast against and 0 votes withheld).
IT WAS RESOLVED to re-elect to re-elect Mr Keith Corbin as a Director of the Company; (44,646,618 votes cast in favour, 2,586,009 votes cast against and 276,153 votes withheld).
IT WAS RESOLVED to re-elect Mr Alan Hodson as a Director of the Company. (47,508,780 votes cast in favour, nil votes cast against and nil votes withheld).
IT WAS RESOLVED to re-elect Mr Andrew Moore as a Director of the Company. (44,652,119 votes cast in favour, 2,580,508 votes cast against and 276,153 votes withheld).
IT WAS RESOLVED to re-elect Mr Jean-Bernard Schmidt as a Director of the Company. (45,271,550 votes cast in favour, 1,961,077 votes cast against and 276,153 votes withheld).
IT WAS RESOLVED to re-elect Mr Peter Wilson as a Director of the Company. (45,209,853 votes cast in favour, 2,022,774 votes cast against and 276,153 votes withheld).
IT WAS RESOLVED to re-elect Mr Brooks Zug as a Director of the Company. (45,209,853 votes cast in favour, 2,022,774 votes cast against and 276,153 votes withheld).
IT WAS RESOLVED to reappoint Ernst & Young LLP as the independent auditors of the Company. (35,784,724 votes cast in favour, 11,724,056 votes cast against and nil votes withheld).
IT WAS RESOLVED to authorise the Directors to determine the auditors' remuneration. (36,668,461 votes cast in favour, 10,840,319 votes cast against and no votes withheld).
SPECIAL BUSINESS
IT WAS RESOLVED THAT, in accordance with section 315 of The Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008, as amended (the 'Law'), the Company be, and hereby is generally, and unconditionally authorised to make one or more market acquisitions (as defined in section 316 of the Law) of its Shares (as defined in the Company's Articles of Incorporation), provided that:
the maximum aggregate number of Shares hereby authorised to be acquired does not exceed 14.99 per cent. of the Company's issued share capital at the date this resolution is passed;
the minimum price (exclusive of expenses) which may be paid for a Share shall be 1 pence;
the maximum price (exclusive of expenses) which may be paid for a Share shall be not more than the higher of (i) five per cent. above the average of the middle market quotations for the Shares as derived from the Official List of the London Stock Exchange plc for the five business days before the day the purchase is made, and (ii) the higher of the price or the last independent trade, and the highest independent bid at the time of the purchase for the Shares;
the authority conferred shall expire (unless previously renewed, varied or revoked by the Company in general meeting) at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company to be held in 2017 or on the date which is 18 months from the date of the passing of this resolution, whichever is earlier;
notwithstanding paragraph (iv), the Company may make a contract to purchase Shares under the authority hereby conferred prior to the expiry of such authority which will or may be executed wholly or partly after the expiration of such authority, and may make a purchase of Shares in pursuance of any such contract after such expiry;
the price payable for the Shares so purchased may be paid by the Company to the fullest extent permitted by the Law; and
any Shares bought back may be held in treasury in accordance with the Law or be subsequently cancelled by the Company. (47,508,780 votes cast in favour, nil votes cast against and nil votes withheld).
As a special resolution IT WAS RESOLVED THAT in accordance with section 42(1) of the Law, the new Articles of Incorporation of the Company produced to the meeting and, for the purpose of identification, initialled by the Chairman be approved (the New Articles) and adopted as the New Articles, in substitution for and to the exclusion of all existing Articles of Incorporation of the Company, which are hereby deleted in their entirety. (47,433,780 votes cast in favour, nil votes cast against and 75,000 votes withheld).
NOTES
It should be noted that a vote withheld is not a vote in law and will not be counted in the calculation of the proportion of the votes for and against each resolution.
For further information, please contact:
JTC (Guernsey) Limited
Company Secretary
+44 (0) 1481 702 400
This announcement is distributed by GlobeNewswire on behalf of GlobeNewswire clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: HarbourVest Global Private Equity Limited via GlobeNewswire [HUG#2028206]
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DAYTON, OH -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Dayton's tallest building, the 30 story Kettering Tower is in the final stages of a $2 million renovation project. What's interesting about the project is how the job was enabled by an innovative financing program, known as PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) and lots of behind the scenes work between building owner, Tower Partners LLC, the mayor's office, city commission, Port Authority, and the energy services provider and project manager, Plug Smart. The teamwork in this private-public partnership brought the PACE Program to the table, and made this ambitious project a reality.
"The City Commission is proud to participate in the renovation of one of Dayton's landmarks, the Kettering Tower, through approval of a special energy improvement district," states Mayor Nan Whaley. "The tower's owners recognize downtown Dayton as a great place to invest, and we are happy to join them in creating another Dayton success story."
PACE is an innovative program that makes it possible for owners of commercial and industrial properties to obtain low-cost, long-term financing for energy-efficiency, water conservation and renewable energy projects. PACE has been established in 32 states and its statutes authorize municipalities and counties to work with lenders to provide upfront financing to property owners for qualified projects, and to collect the repayment through annual assessments on the property's real estate tax bill.
The PACE Program was introduced to Tower Partners by one of Ohio's leading energy services firms, Plug Smart. "The Kettering Tower needed a lot of work to the building's infrastructure and needed to improve its ability to manage energy on its various systems. After we conducted our comprehensive facility analysis, we knew this had the potential to be a fully funded PACE project," states Lucas Dixon, Chief of Strategy for Plug Smart. "We have a lot of experience developing PACE projects. One of the big challenges was it had never been done in Dayton before so a lot of groundwork was necessary to tap into the program."
Plug Smart collaborated with Jerry Brunswick. President of the Dayton Montgomery County Port Authority, the provider of the PACE financing. Jerry spearheaded the bringing together of the Mayor's office and city commission to form a true private-public partnership that enabled PACE funds to be accessed in Dayton. "City leaders were excited about joining with us to bring PACE financing to Dayton," states Jerry Brunswick. "Everyone wanted to help make this project happen. We were very happy when we heard Plug Smart was working with the Kettering Tower, because it was the first building we thought of when we began working on the PACE mechanism. The city and port are looking forward to seeing more building owners take advantage of the PACE Program as part of the downtown renovation efforts in the months ahead."
The work on Kettering Tower is also bringing money into area companies. Because this building is such a signature effort for downtown Dayton, Project Manager Plug Smart made the commitment to hire local service providers. "We've worked almost exclusively with Dayton/Miami Valley contractors," continued Plug Smart's Dixon. "One of the other ways this project is deemed successful is by the work and commerce it has infused into the Dayton area." The job began earlier this year and is scheduled to be completed mid-to-late fall.
Tower Partners LLC are very pleased because the project was fully funded through PACE and Port Authority. The new building automation system, cooling tower upgrades, high efficiency lighting, and other work will save an estimated $367 thousand dollars each year in reduced operation costs. In addition, through Plug Smart, Tower Partners was able to take advantage of over $300 thousand in various energy saving incentives.
"PACE is a great private-public partnership that enables building renovation, creates jobs, while at the same time conserving energy and helping the environment. I believe we are going to see Dayton's civic leadership use it as an effective tool for promoting commerce, renovating downtown, and revitalizing the city," concluded Dixon from Plug Smart. "PACE solves a lot of problems for building owners in the sense that it allows building owners to pay for improvements using 100%, off-balance sheet financing, that can survive a transfer of ownership while at the same time improving the value of the property and delivering superior cash on cash returns."
Plug Smart believes there are many buildings in Dayton and across Ohio that could qualify for a fully funded PACE Program, but are just unaware of it or do not know how to access it. "This is where we can help. Plug Smart has developed some of the largest commercial PACE projects in Ohio and our team can help our clients leverage this unique and innovative program from concept through construction."
Plug Smart is a full-service, Ohio-based energy services company with offices in Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, Cleveland, and Ft. Myers, Florida. Plug Smart offers turnkey and individual project services for commercial/industrial clients, school districts, government facilities and hospitals. http://www.plugsmart.com
Contact
Jason Nowland
The Nowland Group
Jason@NowlandGroup.com
614-332-1994
CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- PetroFrontier Corp. ("PetroFrontier") (TSX VENTURE: PFC) is pleased to announce that further to its news release dated June 1, 2016, PetroFrontier and Kasten Energy Inc. ("Kasten"), have entered into a definitive agreement dated July 12, 2016 (the "Definitive Agreement") for the acquisition of certain resource assets of Kasten (the "Assets") in the Cold Lake area of northeastern Alberta (the "Acquisition").
In connection with the Acquisition, PetroFrontier has prepared and filed on SEDAR today, a filing statement (the "Filing Statement"), which provides further details regarding the Acquisition, the Assets and PetroFrontier, assuming completion of the Acquisition.
The Definitive Agreement and the Filing Statement may be viewed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
GMP Securities L.P. ("GMP") as financial advisor to PetroFrontier has provided the board of directors of PetroFrontier with their opinion that, as of the date thereof, subject to certain assumptions, limitations and qualifications contained therein, the consideration to be paid by PetroFrontier pursuant to the Acquisition is fair, from a financial point of view, to the PetroFrontier shareholders. A copy of the written opinion prepared by GMP is included in the Filing Statement.
As disclosed in PetroFrontier's news release dated June 24, 2016, at its annual and special meeting of shareholders held on June 24, 2016 (the "Meeting"), PetroFrontier adjourned consideration of the resolution to approve Kasten as a new Control Person of PetroFrontier until July 19, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. The Meeting is to be reconvened at that time at the offices of Burstall Winger Zammit LLP, located at Suite 1600, 333 - 7th Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta T2P 2Z1, at which time the resolution to approve Kasten as a Control Person under the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") is scheduled to be considered by shareholders.
Proxy voting on this resolution has been extended to July 18, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. (Calgary time). The full text of the resolution is contained in PetroFrontier's Management Information Circular dated May 30, 2016, which may also be viewed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
PetroFrontier shareholders are encouraged to review the Filing Statement in advance of the reconvened Meeting.
PetroFrontier also advises that it has re-filed its interim financial statements for the first quarter ended March 31, 2016 (the "Financial Statements") today on SEDAR. The only change from the originally filed Financial Statements is to reflect that the Financial Statements have now been reviewed by PetroFrontier's auditors in connection with the preparation of the Filing Statement. The Financial Statements are also attached as a schedule to the Filing Statement.
About PetroFrontier Corp.
PetroFrontier currently has approximately $8.9 million in working capital and no debt.
PetroFrontier's head office is in Calgary, Alberta and its common shares are listed for trading on the TSXV under the symbol "PFC".
Trading in PetroFrontier Shares on the TSXV will remain halted until the documentation required by TSXV has been reviewed and accepted by the TSXV.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking information that involves substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, most of which are beyond the control of PetroFrontier, including, without limitation, statements pertaining to the Acquisition, statements pertaining to the adjourned Meeting and obtaining necessary approvals from the TSXV. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and such information involves various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Any forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release and, other than as required by applicable securities laws, PetroFrontier does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances.
Completion of the transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including TSXV acceptance and disinterested shareholder approval of the creation of a new Control Person. The transaction cannot close until the required Shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.
Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the Filing Statement, any information released or received with respect to the Acquisition may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of PetroFrontier should be considered highly speculative.
The TSXV has in no way passed upon the merits of the Acquisition and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.
Contacts:
Robert J. Iverach, Q.C.
President and CEO
Robert L. Gillies
Vice President Finance and CFO
PetroFrontier Corp.
(403) 718-0366
(403) 718-3888 (FAX)
info@petrofrontier.com
www.petrofrontier.com
Technavio has announced the top five leading vendors in their recentglobal fractional flow reserve market 2016-2020report. This research report also lists 10 other prominent vendors that are expected to impact the market during the forecast period.
Competitive vendor landscape
The global fractional flow reserve market was dominated by two players, namely Volcano and St. Jude Medical. However, in the last two years, new companies such as Boston Scientific, Opsens, and ACIST have entered the market with their new fractional flow reserve products. With the entry of new companies, there has been a rise in new regulatory approvals in the market. Vendors are developing new technologies such as instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) and non-invasive fractional flow reserve to gain significant share as the market penetration of fractional flow reserve is increasing, especially in developed countries. Also, vendors are conducting new clinical studies to expand the application of fractional flow reserve in other cardiac diseases as well.
"In addition to the organic growth, the market is also witnessing inorganic growth as vendors involve in strategic collaborations with other companies to gain expertise and enhance market presence. The major inorganic growth initiative in the market was the acquisition of Volcano by Phillips in December 2014," says Barath Palada, a lead analyst at Technavio for medical imagingresearch.
Request for sample report: http://goo.gl/3ll1Vd
Key Vendors:
ACIST
ACIST was established in 2000 and is headquartered in Maastricht, the Netherlands. The company distributes diagnostic and interventional products. It operates as a subsidiary of Bracco.
ACIST in global fractional flow reserve market offers a range of products for measuring fractional flow reserve. In March 2014, the company launched the RXi Rapid Exchange fractional flow reserve system to perform fractional flow reserve procedures. This is the world's first rapid exchange fractional flow reserve and high-definition IVUS systems.
Boston Scientific
Boston Scientific was established in 1979 and is headquartered in Massachusetts, US. The company develops and markets medical devices for interventional medical specialties worldwide. The company operates its business through MedSurg, rhythm management, and cardiovascular segments.
The company offers fractional flow reserve products through its cardiovascular segment. Its Polaris software is designed to run on the iLab System and has been approved and launched in Europe and the US. iLab System is intended to enhance the diagnosis and treatment of blocked vessels and heart disorders.
Opsens
Opsens was established in 2006 and is headquartered in Quebec, Canada. The company develops and markets fiber optic sensors and associated signal conditioners. It produces pressure, temperature, strain, and displacement sensors used by the oil and gas, medical, energy, and laboratory industries.
In the global fractional flow reserve market, the company manufactures and installs fiber optic-sensing solutions for various applications. The company has added a hydrophilic coating to its guidewire to facilitate navigation in the most tortuous and calcified vessels. It has received regulatory approval in Europe and Japan.
St. Jude Medical
St. Jude Medical was incorporated in 1976 and is headquartered in St Paul, Minnesota, US. It is a developer, manufacturer, and distributor of cardiovascular medical devices for cardiac rhythm management, cardiovascular diseases, and atrial fibrillation therapy areas. It also provides interventional pain therapy and neurostimulation devices for the chronic pain management and movement disorders.
The company offers its products through its vascular products segment. Its products are sold in more than 100 countries and have direct sales organizations in 35 countries worldwide. The company has manufacturing facilities in Arizona, South Carolina, Texas, New Jersey, California, Minnesota, Oregon, Massachusetts, Georgia, Costa Rica, Sweden, Brazil, Puerto Rico, and Malaysia. It also has over 100 sales and administrative offices worldwide.
Volcano
Volcano was established in 2000 and is headquartered in San Diego, California, US. The company provides intravascular imaging for coronary and peripheral therapeutic devices. The company's business activities are classified into two segments: medical and industrial. It is supported by a strong operational network of manufacturing facilities located in Coyol (Costa Rica) and Rancho Cordova (California, US).
The company offers a range of products in the global fractional flow reserve market. It uses a guidewire-based technology to analyze pressure and flow parameters from inside the vessel. These wires are used in conjunction with angiography. It is used by physicians to provide clinical guidance to aid appropriate treatment.
Browse Related Reports:
Global Coronary Artery Disease Treatment Devices Market 2015-2019
Global Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) Market 2015-2019
Global Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) Drug Market 2015-2019
Do you need a report on a market in a specific geographical cluster or country but can't find what you're looking for? Don't worry, Technavio also takes client requests. Please contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and our analysts will be happy to create a customized report just for you.
About Technavio
Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.
Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users.
If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160712005112/en/
Contacts:
Technavio Research
Jesse Maida
Media Marketing Executive
US: +1 630 333 9501
UK: +44 208 123 1770
www.technavio.com
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Candente Copper Corp. (TSX: DNT)(LMA: DNT) ("Candente Copper" and/or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the non-brokered private placement launched on July 11th, 2016 (news Release No. 080) (the "Private Placement"), is currently over-subscribed. As a result, the size of the offering has been increased from Cdn$500,000 to approximately $650,000. Approximately $250,000 of the gross proceeds will be used to further define drill targets on the Canariaco Sur Cu-Au deposit and Quebrada Verde Cu-Au target, and approximately $400,000 will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes. Qualified investors are welcome to participate in the Private Placement until 5pm PST on Thursday, July 14th, 2016.
The overall size of the Private Placement will be increased to approximately 7.2M units ("Units"). Terms of the financing have not changed: the Units remain priced at $0.09 per Unit, with each Unit consisting of one common share and one half share purchase warrant. Each full warrant (a "Warrant") entitles the holder to purchase one additional share of the Company's common stock (a "Warrant Share") for two years at a conversion price of $0.15, subject to an acceleration provision. If at any time after November 30th, 2016, the Company's common shares have a closing price on the TSX Exchange at or above a price of Cdn$0.30 per share for a period of 10 consecutive trading days, the Company may give notice by News Release that expiration of the Warrants will be accelerated to 40 days from the date of providing such notice. Both Unit and Warrant Shares will be subject to a mandatory 4 month hold period commencing the day of closing of the Private Placement.
If aggregate subscriptions for Units under Private Placement exceed the maximum number of Units to be sold, Candente Copper may increase the size of the Private Placement or subscriptions will otherwise be accepted on a "first-come, first-served" basis. The Company may pay finder's fees in connection with a portion of the Private Placement.
Joanne Freeze, CEO and a director of the Company, and other directors of the Company are to subscribe for a portion of the Private Placement, which in total will be for less than 25% of Candente Copper's market capitalization. The Company is therefore intending to rely upon exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions.
The Private Placement is being offered to both accredited investors and existing shareholders of Candente Copper who, as of the close of business on July 8, 2016, held common shares of the Company (and who continue to hold common shares of the Company at the time of closing) pursuant to the prospectus exemption set out in British Columbia Instrument 45-534 and in similar instruments in other provinces of Canada.
Unless the Candente Copper shareholder is a person that has obtained advice regarding the suitability of the investment and, if such shareholder is resident in a jurisdiction of Canada, that advice has been obtained from a person that is registered as an investment dealer in such jurisdiction, the aggregate subscription cost to such shareholder for the Units subscribed under the Private Placement cannot exceed $15,000 (166,666 Units).
On behalf of the Board of Candente Copper Corp.
Joanne C. Freeze P.Geo., CEO, Director
NR-081
Contacts:
Candente Copper Corp.
info@candentecopper.com
www.candentecopper.com
Walter Spagnuolo
Manager, Investor Relations
mobile: + 1 (604) 306-8477
local: + 1 (604) 689-1957 ext 3
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Parkit Enterprise Inc. ("Parkit" or "the Company") (TSX VENTURE: PKT)(OTCQX: PKTEF) is pleased to announce that Institutional Shareholder Services ("ISS"), a leading independent proxy advisory firm, has recommended that Parkit shareholders vote FOR the current independent board nominees (Robert Emri, Pesach (Pace) Goldman, Joel Dumaresq, David Mullen, and Bryan Wallner) using the BLUE proxy.
ISS stated in their report that "The dissidents seem to have not adequately explained why the continuance of the board would be a cause of concern which may be detrimental to the interest of all shareholders by giving concrete examples. More importantly, given that the dissidents are seeking the full control of the board, the dissidents have not disclosed a detailed business plan with elaboration of any new strategic initiatives. Overall, given the light details with respect to the rationale behind the launch of the proxy contest and the lack of disclosure of the dissident plan given that the dissidents are seeking the full control of the board, the dissidents have not made a compelling case for change."
ISS is a leading independent international corporate governance analysis and proxy advisory firms who, among other things, provide proxy voting recommendations to pension funds, investment managers, mutual funds and other institutional shareholders. The independent recommendations of ISS are intended to assist their clients in making choices regarding proxy voting decisions.
Your Board needs your support to prevent the Dissident Officers from taking control of Parkit. We urge you to support the current Board and to put the costly distraction of a proxy contest behind us and allow us to get back to building a stronger company. No matter how many shares you own, your vote is crucial to stop the Dissident Officers from taking control of your Company. As a Parkit shareholder, you may have received a proxy and information circular from the Dissident Officers. If you have voted using the dissident yellow proxy and wish to change your vote for the current directors, please vote using the BLUE form of proxy or voting instruction form. This will automatically revoke any previous proxies submitted. PLEASE VOTE USING ONLY THE BLUE PROXY AND DISCARD ANY OTHER PROXY RECEIVED. A later dated proxy will revoke any previous vote submitted. If you have not voted, please take the time to vote as the outcome of this meeting will be determined only by the shareholders that participate.
Please use the proxy control number located on the accompanying BLUE proxy or BLUE voting instruction form to vote using one of the available methods provided. We recommend that you vote on the internet or via the telephone, to ensure your vote is received prior to the voting deadline of Friday July 22, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. (Pacific Time). If you require any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our proxy solicitor, Shorecrest Group toll free at 1-888-637-5789 or direct: 647-931-7454. Please visit the Company's website for updates www.parkitenterprise.com.
About PARKIT
Parkit Enterprise Inc. is engaged in the acquisition, optimization and asset management of income producing parking facilities across the United States. The Company's shares are listed on TSX-V (Symbol: PKT) and on the OTCQX (Symbol: PKTEF).
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.
Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information
Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them.
Contacts:
Shorecrest Group
Toll Free: 1-888-637-5789
Direct: 647-931-7454
MILPITAS, CA and SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- (INTERSOLAR NORTH AMERICA) - Beamreach Solar today announced that Jonathan Carr has joined the company as senior director of finance. Carr's extensive experience in solar, energy efficiency and other types of energy industry finance will support Beamreach Solar's future growth as its expands commercialization of its Sprint lightweight solar panel system and introduces other groundbreaking solar products in the future.
"With experience managing internal financial operations for a variety of clean energy companies, as well as structuring financing for solar, energy efficiency and energy storage projects, Jonathan is very well-qualified to manage Beamreach Solar's financial operations and provide support to our customers as they seek to finance their solar projects," said Mark Kerstens, CEO of Beamreach Solar. "His financial knowledge will be a major asset to us as we expand our manufacturing, marketing and sales capabilities and bring Sprint and other new solar products to market."
"I have seen first-hand how the technological limitations of existing solar systems have prevented the commercial solar market from growing as fast as it could," said Carr. "I am thrilled to join a company with products that break through these limitations, and make solar power an architecturally feasible and economically attractive choice for commercial customers."
Prior to joining Beamreach Solar, Jonathan served as director of bond operations at Renew Financial, where he managed the closing of PACE bonds for residential renewable energy, energy efficiency, and water efficiency projects. Before Renew Financial, he was a senior underwriting manager and senior financial planning and analysis manager at SunEdison, where he managed financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting, built analytic modeling, and conducted merger and acquisition (M&A) valuations. His clean energy industry financial experience also includes director level positions at ENN Mohave Energy LLC and Foresight Renewable Solutions. He holds an M.B.A. from the Monterey Institute of International Studies and a B.A. in International Relations / Economics from the State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz.
Beamreach Solar recently named Mark Kerstens CEO, unveiled its new brand and introduced its Sprint lightweight photovoltaic (PV) solar panel system for flat commercial roofs. Sprint's light weight allows it to be installed on millions of commercial roofs that cannot currently support heavy conventional solar systems, dramatically expanding the market for commercial solar power systems. In addition, Sprint's high power capacity, ultra-fast install process, and other unique features provide commercial customers with a better return on investment and a lower cost of electricity than conventional solar power systems.
Beamreach Solar will be exhibiting Sprint at Intersolar North America this week at booth 7111. It will also be at Solar Power International (SPI) on September 12-15 and at other trade shows and conferences over the coming months.
About Beamreach Solar
Beamreach Solar breaks through barriers in the solar market, moving us closer to a world where clean energy is everywhere. Born from proven technology, inspired by design and driven by performance, Beamreach Solar's innovative solar technology enables the commercialization of groundbreaking rooftop solar products. With solar systems that are light, high performance and fast to install, Beamreach Solar delivers more value to solar installers, developers, roofers and commercial solar customers than conventional photovoltaic (PV) solar systems. Learn more at www.beamreachsolar.com
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Newmarket Gold ("Newmarket" or the "Company") (TSX: NMI)(OTCQX: NMKTF) is pleased to announce production results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016. Full financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 will be released Friday, July 29, 2016.
All dollar amounts are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
Second Quarter 2016 Highlights
- Cash balance of $69.9 million as of June 30, 2016, representing an increase of 34% or $17.8 million from $52.1 million as at March 31, 2016, after investing approximately $3.6 million in growth expenditures during the quarter. Preliminary working capital at quarter end strengthened to $56.3 million.
- Record quarterly consolidated gold production of 61,191 ounces, up 9%, from Q2 2015 with H1 2016 consolidated gold production of 119,248 ounces on track to exceed full year production guidance (205,000 - 220,000 ounces).
- Fosterville delivered a quarterly record 37,245 ounces, achieving record mill grade of 7.50 g/t Au and record quarterly recovery of 90.8%, supported by successful commissioning of the new gravity gold circuit, including a record monthly recovery in June of 91.3%.
- Cosmo achieved record quarterly recovery of 94.2%, producing 15,442 ounces at an average grade of 3.01 g/t Au.
- Stawell delivered 8,504 ounces, at an average grade of 1.48 g/t Au and 79.3% recovery.
- Harrier South gold system drill results from the Fosterville Gold Mine intercepted the first recorded visual gold. Results include: 22.13 g/t Au over 3.4m in hole UDH1559 (Estimated True Width "ETW" 3.3m) and 10.3 g/t Au over 3.35m (ETW 3.27m) in hole UDH1596 (see Newmarket Press Release dated June 27, 2016).
- Maud Creek Gold Project Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") delivered strong results including a Pre-tax NPV5% of AUD$201 million (US$155 million) and IRR of 116% and a 1.25 year payback period at AUD$1,550/oz gold (US$1,200/oz) (see Newmarket Press Release dated May 18, 2016).
Douglas Forster, President & Chief Executive Officer of Newmarket Gold stated: "We are very pleased to report record quarterly consolidated production of 61,191 ounces in Q2 2016, driven by record production, grade and recoveries at our flagship Fosterville Gold Mine. Strong operating performance resulted in a significant increase in our cash balance at quarter end to $69.9 million, an increase of 34% or $17.8 million from Q1 2016. Fosterville's production of 37,245 ounces for the quarter represented 61% of our consolidated production, with Fosterville mill grades increasing to 7.50 g/t Au, a 27% increase from the Q2 2015 grade of 5.92 g/t Au. Fosterville's newly commissioned gravity gold circuit recovered 17% of the gold produced during the quarter and was largely responsible for the record quarterly recovery of 90.8%, a 4.0% increase from Q1 2016 recovery of 86.8%. Growth activities continued at Fosterville during Q2 2016 with both surface and underground diamond drill rigs operating during the period. Ongoing drill programs are targeting both Mineral Resource growth and Resource Definition in both the Lower Phoenix and Harrier South gold systems with eight drill rigs currently in operation."
"Entering the second half of 2016, Newmarket Gold is well positioned with a strong balance sheet, essentially no debt, record Q2 2016 operating results, unhedged production with the Australian denominated gold price averaging AUD$1,689/oz over the quarter, and an experienced leadership team that is focused on creating shareholder value. As a result of our strong first half operating results, Newmarket is reviewing 2016 production and cost guidance with the view to revising guidance when the Company announces our Q2 2016 financial results on July 29, 2016."
Second Quarter and Six Months 2016 Consolidated Operating Results
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q2 2016 Q2 2015 Q1 2016 YTD 2016 YTD 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ore Milled (tonnes) 564,401 588,381 572,451 1,136,852 1,174,101 Grade (g/t Au) 3.75 3.31 3.63 3.69 3.44 Recovery (%) 89.8% 88.0% 86.8% 88.3% 87.2% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gold Ounces Produced 61,191 55,998 58,057 119,248 115,674 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Second Quarter 2016 Operational Results
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q2 2016 Q2 2015 Q1 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fosterville Gold Mine Ore Milled (tonnes) 169,884 173,323 161,868 Grade (g/t Au) 7.50 5.92 7.34 Recovery (%) 90.8% 89.0% 86.8% Gold Production (oz) 37,245 29,648 33,138 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cosmo Gold Mine Ore Milled (tonnes) 169,252 193,084 181,025 Grade (g/t Au) 3.01 2.97 3.09 Recovery (%) 94.2% 92.7% 90.7% Gold Production (oz) 15,442 17,073 16,340 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stawell Gold Mines Ore Milled (tonnes) 225,265 221,974 229,558 Grade (g/t Au) 1.48 1.57 1.43 Recovery (%) 79.3% 83.1% 79.9% Gold Production (oz) 8,504 9,277 8,579 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Gold Ounces Produced 61,191 55,998 58,057 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Second Quarter 2016 Operational Highlights
Fosterville Gold Mine
Fosterville produced a quarterly record 37,245 ounces in the second quarter, surpassing the Q1 2016 production of 33,138 ounces. This result marked a 12% increase over the previous quarter and a 26% increase over Q2 2015.
Mine production continued to deliver strong, consistent performance during the quarter, delivering 160,889 tonnes at an average grade of 8.30 g/t Au, compared to 169,931 tonnes at 7.22 g/t Au in Q1 2016 and 178,186 tonnes at 5.59 g/t Au in Q2 2015. Tonnes mined were down slightly from the corresponding period of 2015, however grade has continued to increase to a new quarterly record level, a 15% increase over the previous quarter and a 48% increase on Q2 2015 grade. The improvement was driven by continuing high-grade development and stope production on multiple levels in the Lower Phoenix area where both higher grade west and east-dipping lenses were extracted. The slightly lower mined tonnage reflects the deliberate change to a total extraction mining method which incorporates cemented backfill into the production cycle to optimize the mined grade.
Mine development advanced 1,697m during Q2 2016, slightly above the previous quarter. In addition, during the quarter, Newmarket advanced a total of 121m on growth development to complete a drill drive off of the Harrier decline which establishes a platform for growth drilling to test down plunge extensions of the Phoenix and Lower Phoenix gold systems. Growth activities continue at Fosterville with eight drill rigs in operation, targeting both Mineral Resource growth and Resource Definition in both the Lower Phoenix and Harrier South gold systems.
Tonnes milled in the second quarter were 169,884 tonnes at a record average grade of 7.50 g/t Au, compared to 161,868 tonnes at 7.34 g/t Au in Q1 2016, and 173,323 tonnes at 5.92 g/t Au in Q2 2015. Mill throughput was driven by availability of mine tonnes coupled with a 9,000 tonne draw down in stockpiles. The mill achieved a record quarterly recovery of 90.8%, a 4.0% increase over Q1 2016 recoveries of 86.8%. The quarter culminated with a site record monthly recovery of 91.3% in June. The injury free and on schedule commissioning of the new gravity circuit in March 2016 is the main contributing reason for the Q2 record recoveries. During Q2, 6,454 ounces, or 17%, of the quarterly production was recovered from the gravity circuit. The continued focus on process improvements at Fosterville is demonstrated with 2016 year-to-date recovery being 88.9%, versus full year average recoveries of 88.5% in 2015 and 86.4% in 2014.
Cosmo Gold Mine
With gold production of 15,442 ounces in Q2, 2016, Cosmo has produced 31,782 ounces of gold in the first half of 2016, a 24% improvement over the second half of 2015 due to a 3% increase in mined tonnes, 17% improvement in grade and 3% improvement in mill recovery.
Mine production slowed this quarter in terms of volume and grade compared to the previous quarter, producing 155,737 mined tonnes at an average grade of 2.97 g/t Au compared to 192,939 tonnes at 3.12 g/t Au in Q1 2016 and 183,307 tonnes at 2.98 g/t Au in Q2 2015. Tonnage decreased 19% compared to Q1 2016 as new mining areas were developed into the newer Sliver and Hinge areas, as well as additional rehabilitation works required in some of the stope areas with poor ground conditions. Mined grade was 5% lower than Q1 2016 as lower grade blocks had to be mined in June to ensure the mining sequence was maintained.
Mine development was in line with the previous quarter with 413m compared to 450m in Q1 2016. The mine utilized one jumbo drill in the 640 Drill Drive and for rehabilitation works associated with stoping in areas with poor ground conditions.
With the mill now focused on quality, optimizing recovery as opposed to maximizing tonnage, the benefits are clearly evident with a record quarterly recovery of 94.2% in Q2, up from 90.7% in the previous quarter and 86.9% in Q4 2015. The mill processed 169,252 tonnes at an average grade of 3.01 g/t Au compared to 181,025 tonnes at 3.09 g/t Au in Q1 2016, and 193,084 tonnes at 2.97 g/t Au in Q2 2015.
Stawell Gold Mine
Stawell produced 8,504 ounces of gold in Q2 2016, in-line with the first quarter of 2016 and down 8% compared to Q2 2015 due to lower underground ore grade. Mined tonnes for the second quarter were 116,550 tonnes at 2.37 g/t Au, with production consisting predominately of higher grade Reserve material from the Federal Albion South, complemented with non-reserve material from the upper levels.
Mine development was 818m in Q2 2016 compared to 824m in the previous quarter. Capital development advanced 254m into the U2 production area while operating development advanced 564m to open additional mining fronts in the Federal Albion South area.
Low grade oxide stockpiles continued to supplement underground ore resulting in total mill feed of 225,265 tonnes at 1.48 g/t Au and recovery of 79.3%, generally consistent with the first quarter of 2016.
Growth activities at Stawell have continued to progress the understanding of the Aurora B gold discovery and extending the Aurora B Mineral Resource reported in Q1 2016. An eight-hole program was completed during the second quarter which successfully demonstrating the continuation of mineralization both up and down plunge. Drilling will continue in the third quarter with two rigs focused on the Aurora B gold zone on the East Flank of the Stawell gold system. The West Flank of the Stawell gold system has produced 2.3 million ounces over 30 years of continuous mining whereas the East Flank has no recorded production.
Second Quarter Development Stage Gold Project Highlights
During Q2 2016 Newmarket Gold reported positive results from the Maud Creek Gold Project Preliminary Economic Assessment which was completed by SRK Consulting (Australasia) Pty Ltd. (see Newmarket Press Release dated May 18, 2016). Highlights of the PEA include a Pre-tax Net Present Value at a 5% discount rate ("NPV5%") of AUD$201 million (US$155 million) and an Internal Rate of Return ("IRR") of 116% with a 1.25 payback period. The project also has a 9.5 year mine life with annual gold production of 52,000 ounces per year with a peak annual production rate of 70,000 ounces. Total recovered gold is 496,000 ounces with an average diluted head grade of 4.2 g/t Au. The cash operating costs are estimated to be AUD$822/oz (US$632/oz) with pre-production capital cost of $32 million and LOM capital costs of AUD$112/oz. With the positive outcome from the Maud Creek PEA, during the third quarter Newmarket will be reviewing options to conduct a Feasibility Study.
Cash Balance and Working Capital Position
Newmarket Gold ended the second quarter with a cash balance of $69.9 million, a $17.8 million increase from March 31, 2016. Working capital at quarter end was approximately $56.3 million and includes approximately $3.6 million in growth expenditures during the quarter.
Qualified Person
Mark Edwards, MAusIMM (CP), MAIG, General Manager, Exploration, Newmarket Gold, is a "qualified person" as such term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information and data included in this press release.
Second Quarter 2016 Financial Earnings Conference Call Details
Full financial results and associated operating and all-in sustaining cash cost details for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 will be released Friday, July 29, 2016 before the opening of the North American stock markets.
Douglas Forster, President and Chief Executive Officer, Darren Hall, Chief Operating Officer and Robert Dufour, Chief Financial Officer, will also host a conference call to discuss the results on Friday, July 29, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. (EDT).
Participants may listen to the call by dialing toll free 1 (877) 291-4570 at approximately 10:50 a.m. (EDT) and ask to join the Newmarket Gold conference call. International or local callers should dial 1 (647) 788-4919 at approximately 10:50 a.m. (EDT) and ask to join the Newmarket Gold conference call.
The call will be webcast live at http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/6t6xwz96 and at www.newmarketgoldinc.com in the Events and Webcast section under the Investor Relations tab.
The live audio webcast will be archived and made available for replay at www.newmarketgoldinc.com.
Presentation slides which accompany the conference call will be made available in the Investors section of the Newmarket Gold website, under Presentations, prior to the conference call.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
"Douglas Forster"
Douglas Forster, M.Sc., P.Geo., President & Chief Executive Officer
About Newmarket Gold Inc.
Newmarket Gold is a Canadian-listed gold mining and exploration company with three 100% owned operating mines across Australia. The Company is focused on creating substantial shareholder value by maintaining a strong foundation of quality gold production, over 200,000 ounces annually, generating free cash flow and maintaining a large resource base as it executes a clearly defined gold asset consolidation strategy. The Company is focused on sustainable operating performance, a disciplined approach to growth, and building gold reserves and resources while maintaining the high standards that the Newmarket Gold core values represent.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information
Certain information set forth in this news release contains "forward-looking statements", and "forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. Except for statements of historical fact, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements, which include the Company's expectations about its business and operations, and are based on the Company's current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs, which may prove to be incorrect. Some of the forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "will", "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "projects", "plans", and similar expressions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or outcomes and undue reliance should not be placed on them. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or 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 such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are included in this press release or incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Contacts:
Ryan King
Vice President, Investor Relations
Newmarket Gold, Inc.
778.372.5611
rking@newmarketgoldinc.com
www.newmarketgoldinc.com
MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 07/12/16 -- Beaufield Resources Inc. ("Beaufield") (TSX VENTURE: BFD) is pleased to announce that Hinterland Metals Inc. (TSX VENTURE: HMI) has signed a Letter of Intent ("LOI") to option a 50% interest to Hinterland Metals in the rights to Lithium and other elements (the "Lithium Rights") excluding precious metals (i.e. gold, silver, platinum and palladium) and base metals (i.e. cobalt, copper, lead, nickel and zinc). The LOI covers 92 claims or 4,441 hectares of Beaufield's 23,640 hectare Troilus area properties.
As a result of a review by the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada ("IIROC") Beaufield is retracting the mineral resource table that was included in the original press release dated July 12th, 2016. The resource table was obtained from the Perilya Ltd. website, and is not detailed enough to accurately represent the actual mineral resource estimate for the Moblan Lithium deposit prepared by Roscoe Postle Associates Inc. ("RPA") as of May 1, 2011. To clarify, the following table below more accurately summarizes the stated RPA mineral resource estimate (Perilya Limited May 31, 2011 News Release).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PEG1(i) PEG2(ii) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grade Grade Category Tonnes Li2O% Tonnes Li2O% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Measured 4,459,000 1.66 - - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Indicated 4,885,000 1.43 - - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Measured + Indicated 9,334,000 1.54 - - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inferred 664,000 1.47 441,000 1.33 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (i)PEG1: Main Pegmatite Sill body (ii)PEG2: Footwall Pegmatite body
The RPA mineral resource estimates were prepared according to the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves ("the JORC Code"). The RPA mineral resources were estimated by constrained whittle pit shells at cut-off grades of 0.60% Li2O, and using an average price of $350 per tonne of spodumene concentrate and a $US/$C exchange rate of 1:1.
The RPA mineral resource estimate is not publically available and therefore has not been reviewed or verified by a qualified person on behalf of Beaufield. The Company cautions that the resource for the Moblan deposit is not necessary indicative of the mineralization that may be identified on the Troilus property, and there is no certainty that future exploration on the Troilus property will result in a resource being defined.
Beaufield is very pleased to have Hinterland Metals, an active Lithium explorer with the required expertise, explore for lithium in a high priority area for that element. Once Hinterland Metals has earned its 50% interest, Beaufield can decide upon participation.
Beaufield will concentrate its efforts on gold exploration in Urban with secondary emphasis on its holdings in the Eleonore-Cheecho gold camp and Troilus base metals and gold where it has a technical report in compliance with National Instrument 43-101 on the Tortigny deposit.
The Troilus claims completely surround the Moblan lithium development project held by Perilya Ltd. (60%) and Soquem Inc. (40%).
Pursuant to the LOI, Hinterland Metals can earn a 50% interest in the Lithium Rights by issuing to Beaufield an aggregate of 2,000,000 shares (500,000 shares upon closing) and completing work expenditures of $1,000,000 ($200,000 in the first year) over a three year period. Upon completion of the 50% earn-in, Hinterland and Beaufield will form a joint venture with initial respective participating interests to be 50%. The transaction is subject to completion of due diligence, final documentation and approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.
Qualified Person:
This news release has been prepared by Jens E. Hansen, P. Eng, President and CEO of Beaufield, the Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101.
About Beaufield:
Beaufield is a well financed mineral exploration company with its exploration activity focused in Quebec. Please refer to Beaufield's website to view the company's properties in Eleonore-Opinaca, Troilus and elsewhere. The Corporation is actively exploring, well financed with approximately $2.5 million in cash, has no debt and has excess work credits on its properties.
The information set forth in this press release includes certain forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on assumptions exposed to major risks and uncertainties. Although Beaufield deems the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements to be reasonable, the Corporation cannot provide any guarantee as to the materialization of the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements. The Corporation 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, except as required by applicable law.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this Release.
Contacts:
Jens E. Hansen
President and CEO
514.842.3443
Mathieu Stephens
VP Exploration and Corporate Development
613.721.2919
info@beaufield.com
www.beaufield.com
Investor Relations Europe
Kai Hoffmann, Soar Financial Partners
+49 69 175 54832 0
bfd@soarfinancial.com
Wir sprechen Deutsch
HURLEY, England, July 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UK CONSUMER MEDIA ONLY (EXCLUDING REPUBLIC OF IRELAND AND MEDICAL MEDIA)
The fixed-combination foam spray (calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate 50 micrograms/g + 0.5 mg/g) is more effective than other combination treatments for all severities of plaque psoriasis in adults
People in the UK living with psoriasis now have a new treatment option with which to manage their condition. Enstilar is the first psoriasis treatment available in a foam spray formulation for application to the skin, for use in adults.[1] It is available on prescription only. The launch of Enstilar provides GPs and dermatology healthcare professionals with a new solution to support people living with psoriasis by helping them to regain control and live well with this chronic, life-impacting skin condition.
The clinical data shows that it is a more effective topical combination treatment than those currently available and is generally well-tolerated.[2],[3] Additionally, in clinical trials, more than half of patients experienced significant visible signs of improvement after four weeks, and with some patients seeing improvements at one week.[4]
"The launch of Enstilar foam spray in the UK is a significant advance which provides an easy to apply topical combination treatment for plaque psoriasis, a distressing condition which affects up to 2 million people in this country. The fact that Enstilar is more effective than other topical combination treatments and is generally well-tolerated means that individuals with psoriasis now have the chance to discuss with their GP or dermatologist whether this once-daily,foam spray may be an option that they should consider," commented Dr Keith Freeman, Consultant Dermatologist, Sunderland.
The delivery system of the new foam spray provides a convenient treatment option for psoriasis patients,[2] ensuring the product is easy-to-apply.[2] It was developed to treat patients with plaque psoriasis[1] - the most common clinical form of psoriasis, affecting approximately 80% of psoriasis patients.[5]
Impact on Quality of Life
This treatment can also improve patients' quality of life (QoL).[6] 75% of patients feel that their quality of life is significantly impacted by psoriasis, both emotionally and physically.[6] 81% of psoriasis patients using Enstilar foam spray in trials reported QoL improvements after four weeks,[7] with more than 70% seeing a reduction in itch-related sleep loss.[4] The symptomatic relief experienced by the majority of patients may be attributed to the cooling effect of the new foam spray.[8]
"We are delighted that there is a new, effective treatment choice now available to treat plaque psoriasis, an area of significant unmet need," comments John Warne, Founder, Psoriasis Help Organisation. "Nearly 2 million people across the UK are living each day with the significant challenges of this chronic skin condition so we welcome new options to help them take back control."
Adherence in Psoriasis Management - LEO Pharma's Solutions for Patients
Adherence is a significant challenge for patients living with psoriasis (studies consistently suggest that up to 40% of people with psoriasis do not use their medication as directed).[9] In recognition of this challenge and to help patients achieve optimal outcomes, LEO Pharma has developed the below suite of new resources:
QualityCare TM website - For more information about psoriasis visit http://www.qualitycarebyleo.co.uk
website - For more information about psoriasis visit http://www.qualitycarebyleo.co.uk MyPso app - For practical advice to make small changes that can have a big impact on psoriasis, download the MyPso app at the Apple App Store or Google Play
Nurse support line - To speak in confidence to a nurse before, during and after treatment call our dedicated nurse support line on 0800 090 2165 for the UK. Lines are open Monday to Friday from 08:30-17:00
The launch of Enstilar is an exciting landmark for LEO Pharma, which is committed to improving outcomes and quality of life for people living with skin conditions such as psoriasis," comments Geraldine Murphy, Managing Director of LEO Pharma UK & Ireland. "This is the first combination treatment of its kind and the foam spray delivery offers a convenient new treatment option. Insights from patients show that it will be easy and convenient to use, as well as being effective and generally well-tolerated. This could be a great advantage in improving treatment adherence, which can be such a challenge for people living with long-term skin conditions."
Notes to editors
Backgrounders on Enstilar and psoriasis are available on request.
Access to case studies and healthcare professionals' spokespersons for interview can be arranged.
Regulatory Approval for Enstilar
The launch of Enstilar foam spray in the UK follows findings in the positive regulatory review of the results of the pivotal Phase 3a PSO-FAST study,[4] which evaluated its efficacy and safety profile across a four week period, and the Phase 2 MUSE safety profile study.[3] In the PSO-FAST clinical trial, over half of patients treated with calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate foam spray were "Clear" or "Almost Clear" by week 4, as measured by the Physician Global Assessment (PGA) improvement score.[4] Additionally, more than half of patients treated with calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate foam spray achieved a 75% improvement in modified (excluding head) Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (mPASI) score from baseline after 4 weeks of treatment.[4]
About Enstilar
Enstilar (calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate) is a topical, alcohol-free, foam spray treatment for all severities of plaque psoriasis in patients who are 18 years or older.[1] It is designed to provide patients with a convenient treatment option that can be easily applied.[2] In clinical trials, the foam spray was generally well-tolerated[2],[3] and provided relief from psoriasis symptoms, including itch.[4] Patients treated with the new product in clinical trials experienced significant improvements in symptoms within the first week, and more than half achieved treatment success after four weeks.[4]
About Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease, which is frequently accompanied by multiple physical and/or psychological comorbidities (the presence of one or more additional diseases), such as psoriatic arthritis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and depression.[10]
Psoriasis is estimated to affect up to 3% of the population of the UK.[11] 80% of patients are affected by plaque psoriasis - the most common type of psoriasis.[9]
Topical treatments can be used as first-line therapies for the majority of patients living with psoriasis.[12]
About LEO Pharma
LEO Pharma helps people achieve healthy skin. By offering care solutions to patients in more than 100 countries globally, the company supports people in managing their skin conditions.
Founded in 1908 and owned by the LEO Foundation, LEO Pharma has devoted decades of research and development to delivering products and solutions to people suffering from skin diseases.
LEO Pharma is headquartered in Denmark and employs around 4,800 people worldwide. The UK/IE affiliate is headquartered in Hurley, Berkshire.
For more information about LEO Pharma UK/IE, visit http://www.leo-pharma.co.uk.
References
1. Enstilar SmPC; UK. Available at: http://www.medicines.org.uk Last Accessed June 2016
2. Koo J, et al. Superior efficacy of calcipotriene and betamethasone dipropionate aerosol foam versus ointment in patients with psoriasis vulgaris - A randomized phase II study. Journal of Dermatological Treatment 2015; 1471-1753
3. Taraska V, et al. A Novel Aerosol Foam Formulation of Calcipotriol and BetamethasoneHas No Impact on HPA Axis and Calcium Homeostasis in Patients With Extensive Psoriasis Vulgaris. Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery 2015; 1-8
4. Leonardi C, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Calcipotriene Plus Betamethasone Dipropionate Aerosol Foam in Patients With Psoriasis Vulgaris - a Randomized Phase III Study (PSO-FAST). Journal of Drugs in Dermatology 2015; 14(12): 1468-77
5. American Academy of Dermatology. Psoriasis. Available at: http://www.aad.org/media/stats/conditions/psoriasis Last accessed June 2016
6. Leonardi C, et al. Improvements in health-related quality of life, and correlations with efficacy measures, with fixed combination calcipotriol plus betamethasone dipropionate aerosol foam (psoriasis PSO-FAST study. Poster 1722 presented at the 24th EADV Congress; Copenhagen, Denmark, 7-11 October 2015
7. Bhosle, M.J, et al. Quality of life in patients with psoriasis. Available at:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1501000/B9 Last accessed: June 2016
8. LEO Pharma data on file: LEO90100 - 004 April 2016
9. Richards, HL. (2006), Adherence to treatment in patients with psoriasis, Journal of theEuropean Academy of Dermatol and Venereology, 20 (4): 370-379
10. National Psoriasis Foundation. Comorbidities associated with psoriatic disease. Available http://www.psoriasis.org/about-psoriasis/related-conditions Last accessed June 2016
11. Psoriasis Association. About Psoriasis. Available https://www.psoriasis-association.org.uk/pages/view/about-psoriasis Last accessed June 2016
12. Psoriasis Association. Topical Treatments. Available http://www.psoriasis-association.org.uk/pages/view/about-psoriasis/treatments/first-line-treatmentsLast accessed June 2016
Job code: UK/IE/1070/00066
Date of preparation: June 2016
Flashpoint, a NYC-based platform that brings intelligence from the Deep & Dark Web, closed a $10m Series B funding round.
The round was led by Greycroft Partners with participation from new investors Jump Capital and Leaders Fund and existing investors TechOperators, K2 Intelligence, Bloomberg Beta, and Cisco Investments. In conjunction with the funding, Ellie Wheeler, Partner at Greycroft Partners, will be joining Flashpoints board.
The company intends to use the funds to expand into Business Risk Intelligence (BRI).
Led by CEO Josh Lefkowitz, CSO Chris Camacho and VP of Intelligence Tom Hofmann, Flashpoint leverages intelligence from the Deep & Dark Web to deliver a platform that allows business units and functions across organizations to mitigate risk. Fortune 500 and government customers use the companys intelligence across the enterprise, including bolstering cybersecurity, confronting fraud, detecting insider threats, enhancing physical security, assessing M&A opportunities, and addressing vendor risk and supply chain integrity.
The company also has offices in Tysons Corner, VA, and Dublin, Ireland.
FinSMEs
12/07/2016
Universal Avenue, a Stockholm, Sweden-based on-demand sales service, has raised $10m in its series A funding round.
The round was led by Eight Roads, the proprietary investment arm of Fidelity International Limited, with participation from existing investors Northzone and MOOR. In conjunction with the funding, Davor Hebel, Head of Eight Roads Ventures Europe, will join Universal Avenues board.
The company, which has raised $17m in total funding, intends to use the capital to further expand global operations. Launched in July 2014 and already active in the UK, Spain, Greece, Sweden, Norway and Finland, Universal Avenue plans to launch in the US and elsewhere in Europe later this year.
Led by Co-Founder and CEO Johan Lilja and Co-Founder and Executive Vice President Petter Hederstedt, Universal Avenue connects businesses with a freelancing salesforce to drive customer acquisition, test new markets, expand and scale without carrying the risks of employing an internal salesforce.
Sales professionals on the platform can enjoy the freedom to define their own working patterns, and have a flexible lifestyle.
The company also has offices in London, Athens and Barcelona, and represents Brands and Brand Ambassadors worldwide.
FinSMEs
12/07/2016
Leuven, Belgium-based venture capital firm Capricorn Venture Partners has launched its 6th fund dedicated to cleantech.
The Capricorn Sustainable Chemistry Fund (CSCF) will focus on sustainable chemistry trying to capture opportunities emerging from a wave of innovation in novel feedstocks, efficient production processes, functional materials, food & feed products, fibers and transportation fuels. The firms cleantech portfolio already includes Avantium and Green Biologics, which are companies advancing novel bio-chemical technologies.
In conjunction with the launch of the new fund, Capricorn has hired Babette Pettersen in the newly created position of Chief Business Development Officer. Prior to joining the firm, Babette was the Chief Commercial Officer for BioAmber Inc., a sustainable chemicals company.
Led by Jos Peeters, Founder and Managing Partner, Capricorn Venture Partners is investing out of the venture capital funds Capricorn Cleantech Fund, Capricorn Healthtech Fund and Capricorn ICT Fund. In addition, it is the asset manager of Quest for Growth, quoted on NYSE Euronext Brussels, and the
investment manager of Quest Cleantech Fund, subfund of Quest Management SICAV.
FinSMEs
12/07/2016
Kenya: India will lend Kenya $45 million to help develop a textile factory and other smaller industries, the leaders of both nations said on Monday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a four-nation tour of Africa that is part of a policy push to make his country a more global player, economically and diplomatically.
"India is Kenya's largest trading partner and the second largest investor here. Even with that, there is a potential to achieve much more," Modi told a news conference with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Monday's deal highlights Kenya's desire to link up with countries that can help improve its struggling manufacturing sector.
Kenyatta said $30 million of the funds would be used to revive Rift Valley Textiles Factory, which went out of business in 2000 as mismanagement of the cotton sector led to Kenyan production to collapse. The factory is owned by a local university.
Kenya exports raw or semi-processed commodities such as tea and coffee to India, while India exports finished products including pharmaceuticals, steel, cement, paper and paperboard, electronics, machinery, vehicles and motorcycles to Kenya.
Kashmir has been on tenterhooks since the killing of the 22-year old Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani. Has the state government erred in controlling the situation? Or, has it been the fault of the central government? Is Pakistan fishing in troubled waters in Kashmir? Answers in the public domain to all these questions appear to be conflicting. And the suggested solutions to overcome the crisis appear to be equally conflicting.
If one goes by the Twitter messages of former chief minister Omar Abdullah, he seems to suggest that the restoration of normalcy is beyond the capacity of the present coalition between the PDP and the BJP, that there cannot be any peace in the state unless Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti shuns the communal BJP and that the (Indian) security forces must be kept away from the state as it is not the militants but the security forces that are at the root of the problem. A former chief minister, during whose regime the Valley saw the stone-pelting crisis of 2010, arguing on these lines may appear strange, but that is what his politics is all about these days.
The Congress party, which was Omars coalition partner, agrees with him that the present coalition in the state does not know how to govern. In fact, at the national level, one often hears the Congress supporters saying that a nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proved to be a man of straw for allowing a chief minister to continue in office despite her known weakness for soft terrorists.
Then we have a powerful group of human rights activists, media experts and academia, who dominate Indias intellectual discourse and suggest (and we have been hearing this since ages) that the Kashmiris must be provided dignity and justice. All the trouble makers and separatist leaders, if in detention, must be freed unconditionally and the government must start negotiating with them without any preconditions. Simultaneously, and this is equally important, the government must revoke all draconian laws like the Armed Forces Special Act and the Disturbed Areas Act and punish ruthlessly the security officials who have acted against the protesters and separatist leaders.
However, my point here is different. I am not going into the merits or demerits of the solutions suggested above. The pertinent question is whether any one of them is a solution at all of the Kashmir issue. I am afraid that as is the case most of the time our chattering classes are simply beating around the bush. Therefore it is time to reflect hard realities, which we as a nation will ignore at our peril.
Let us be extremely careful of the fact that in the name of buying peace with the separatists in the Kashmir Valley, we do not commit something that is not acceptable to the people in Jammu and Ladakh regions. Let us not allow the separatists to hijack the entire state the way they like. In fact, notwithstanding the ongoing impasse, it is extremely doubtful whether the separatists represent the majority populace of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. All told, opinion polls conducted in recent years by international organisations (the prestigious London School of Economics and Chatham House, for instance) have shown that while the separatist sentiments are relatively strong in the Kashmir Valley, the majority of the people overall in the state wants to stay with India.
In fact, the agenda of the separatists has not many takers in other parts of the state. That being the case, any future talks with separatists cannot be held separately. The real meaning of political dialogue is that it is sensitive to all shades of opinion before arriving at any political consensus. The nation must not overlook the tactics that the separatists are adopting.
Experts analysing arson and violence all over the world have pointed out a dangerous trend of the dominant political and media elites easily falling preys to the demands of the trouble-makers in finding virtues in their demands, howsoever unreasonable and illogical those may be. These elites simply do not have patience and perseverance to discover the truth that a trigger group of just 15 to 20 persons can always instigate a mob of thousands to violence. As a part of this tactic, these instigators often hire women and children during protests so as to ensure that todays 247 media will highlight their pictures all over the world and create necessary commotions that can pressurise the government in taking decisions in their favour. No wonder why these days a section of mainstream media, including some noted TV channels, in India has become the greatest ally of the Kashmiri agitators in forcing Indias second partition.
We can no longer close our eyes to the fact that the minorities in the state Hindus and Sikhs have been forced to flee the Valley or convert. But in the Hindu-majority Jammu and Buddhist-dominated Ladakh, the demographic compositions are systematically changing with more and more Muslim population and properties. In fact, the ongoing protests have seen systematic attacks on the properties and lives of the minorities in the valley.
The message is obvious. No amount of concessions to the separatist leaders will ever appease them, their real goal being secession. They want the state to be exclusively for the Muslims and they will never reconcile with a secular India. In fact, what we are seeing in Kashmir is nothing but Islamisation. And that, in turn, makes any negotiated settlement of the Kashmir issue almost impossible. An Islamic Kashmir will have nothing to do with India. Let me explain this point.
Over the years, Kashmir has been witnessing what Bangladeshi scholar Abu Taher Salahuddin Ahmed says three principal trends Indianness, Kashmiriness and Muslimness. The Indianness has been propagated by the federal forces of the country, be it the central government or national parties like the Congress and BJP. However, the problem in the state is due to the tussle between those believing in Kashmiriness and those loyal to Muslimness. Kashmiriness is an offshoot of the much talked about Kashmiriyat, which, while coexisting with Indianness, talks of inclusive or composite identity, binding all groups together and not offending any section. No wonder why despite being a Muslim-majority area, beef-eating, until recently, was virtually non-existent in the Valley.
Of course, some scholars now point out that there were always differences between Muslims and Hindus (essentially Kashmiri Pundits) in their interpretations of the concept of Kashmiriyat. But those believing in the concept did promote coexistence. Majority of the Kashmiri Muslims, therefore, had no problems with the Hindus or for that matter with the Buddhists. And the important factor key to the success of the Kashmiriyat was the fact that overwhelming majority of the Kashmiri Muslims believed in Sufism or what is said the Rishi tradition that believed in saint and shrine worships. Of course, it was greatly facilitated by the fact that as was the case in other parts of the subcontinent, Muslims were essentially converts from the fold of Hinduism.
In contrast, the Muslimness always advocated the exclusive concepts in the Valley. Promoted by the Wahhabi and Ahl-i-Hadith sects, this school relies more on the authority of the Quran and Hadith and totally opposed to the concept saints and shrine worships. This tradition or school has always been in minority in Kashmir, but it has been there always. It was behind the organisations like Muslim Conference and Kashmir Jamaat (KJ).
Needless to say that almost all the separatists and terrorist, including the so-called moderate separatist elements like Huriyat Conference, belong to the school of Muslimness. They have nothing to do with India. They believe in the theory of Kashmir for Muslims. Their essential argument is that they cannot coexist in a Hindu-dominated India.
Interestingly, these elements became active in Kashmir only after the 1979 Iranian revolution. It was after 1979 that one heard more and more of liberation of Kashmir and Islamic revolution. These elements became more vocal in politics also and formed many small political outfits. In September 1985, 12 such outfits came together to form the Muslim United Front (MUF). Soon the MUF claimed to provide an alternative to the National Conference of Farooq Abdullah on the ground that he sold out Kashmiris interests in the Accord with the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Since then, the political Islam has made firmer roots in the Valley. The Pakistani support and assistance to the cause has greatly facilitated the cause. But what has really helped the Political Islam in the Valley is the virtual politics of appeasement on the part of the central and state governments to the separatists. But appeasement will never work with forces of Muslimness; it will rather embolden them and strengthen the cause of Kashmir for Muslims.
Fortunately, even today the majority of the people in the state would like to remain part of India. And the present coalition between the PDP and BJP, under Mehbooba is best placed (representing for the first time the will of the people belonging to all the regions of the state) to reach the ordinary people by ignoring and disciplining the separatists and their militant supporters, who, in reality, are in a minority. If they are imposing the so-called bandhs and people are listening to them it is mainly because of the fear they have generated in the peoples hearts.
The Prime Minister and the Chief Minister need to appeal directly to the people through good governance. And more important, our secular Muslim leaders from the mainstream must be encouraged to visit Kashmir more often to impart the message that Muslims are more secure in India than in Pakistan. That is the best way to fight the Islamisation of the Valley.
Srinagar: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Tuesday took a swipe at Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for not taking part in the crucial meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to review the volatile situation in Kashmir.
However, a senior official in Jammu and Kashmir clarified that since it was a briefing by central ministers on the Kashmir situation, Mehbooba had no role in the high-level meeting.
On the micro blogging site Twitter, Omar criticised Mehbooba, who is heading PDP-BJP government in the state, for leaving the meeting unrepresented by the state.
"I understand if @MehboobaMufti didn't leave the state to attend but why not by video conference? State unrepresented.
I understand if @MehboobaMufti didn't leave the state to attend but why not by video conference? State unrepresented https://t.co/lauYxV05te Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) July 12, 2016
"We set up video links for all sorts of meaningless things but here where it matters to have @MehboobaMufti involved in the process - nothing," the former chief minister tweeted.
We set up video links for all sorts of meaningless things but here where it matters to have @MehboobaMufti involved in the process - nothing Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) July 12, 2016
Modi on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting on the situation in Kashmir Valley which has witnessed violent protests in the wake of the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani, leaving 24 dead and over 300 injured.
The meeting was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar among others.
New Delhi: With Kashmir on the edge, Home Minister Rajnath Singh has postponed his visit to the United States to attend the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue scheduled for next week.
A Home Ministry official cited the busy schedule during the coming Monsoon session of Parliament beginning 18 July as the reason for the deferment of the visit.
However, tension in Kashmir Valley in the wake of killing of Hizbul Mujahedeen militant Burhan Wani could be the other key factor for the postponement of the Home Minister's five-day visit to America, sources said.
New dates have not been fixed but the trip now may take place sometime in September, the official said.
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi away on a foreign trip, the home minister, who is responsible for the internal security of the country, has been leading the central government's efforts to bring back normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir, where 24 people have lost their lives ever since violent protests started following Wani's death.
Singh has held a series of meetings with top union ministers, officials and reached out to opposition leaders like Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah as parts of efforts to bring back peace and normalcy in Kashmir Valley.
The home minister was supposed to lead the Indian delegation at the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue to be held in Washington with the US team to be headed by Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Charles Johnson.
Further cementing anti-terror cooperation, real-time sharing of intelligence inputs, cyber security and critical infrastructure protection, countering illicit finance, global supply chain security, megacity policing and science and technology are some of the other key issues supposed to be discussed at the strategic meeting.
This senior-level exchange between India and the US is part of the strategic homeland security partnership and aimed at enhancing operational cooperation in investigations, capacity building, and countering threats.
I dont see any reason why Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have cancelled his African tour because of the unrest in Kashmir.
I might have reservations about the vanilla blandness of the African visit and the poor coverage by his official entourage and the bland agendas but this criticism that he should change his itinerary and dash back seems unwarranted.
Why should he have upgraded the issue created by the killing of Burhan Wani by displaying a concern that adversaries would read as panic and would give much joy to his detractors and those fomenting trouble? It is a good feeling to get the PM of a country to cancel his engagements and trot back, sort of giving solid PR to the hostile elements. See, we have them on the run.
As for Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar distributing light bulbs in Goa while Kashmir burns, well, get over it. Firstly, it is not a war with another country; it is an internal conflict and comes under the Home Ministry. Let them do their job. They are doing it. Let Parrikar distribute his light bulbs...the more normal life is, the less large the looming of the problem. With todays technology, no one is out of the loop wherever they are and physical distance is not equivalent to the ostrich head in the sand. Audio-visual connectivity is real time 24/7.
Modi probably got a better news feed than you and I.
Do you really think that if Modi had rushed back and flown to Srinagar, it would show great concern and resolve the conflict? On the contrary what it would have done is detract from the operation, unnecessarily add stress on the men and women in uniform, create a massive security problem, become a lightning rod for more demonstrations and generally be a colossal self indulgence.
Again, if he did it, Rahul Gandhi would have to follow if he is back from the secret vacation no one particularly cared about. And that is not something anyone wants, so lets stop being nasty for the sake of being nasty.
As for comparing it to US President Obama coming back from Spain and making it straight to Dallas, that is very unfair. Obama is going to call on the families of the dead policemen. It is the done thing followed by a nationwide address on an issue that is affecting the black and white communities and has exploded in his face. Even then, he didnt short circuit his Spain trip and if Modi had on his return, called on the families of those who have lost sons and fathers and brothers and husbands in this confrontation, good on him. And he can take Parrikar with him, light bulb in hand, to brighten the darkness in the homes of extinguished lives.
We have this habit of looking for fault. You really think, even if you are a rabid anti Modi individual that he was not fully conversant and updated on what is happening in Kashmir when in Africa? We do not need or want a visual confirmation.
Beating drums in Kenya is not a display of indifference. It is just putting the situation in perspective in the greater scheme of things and marching on.
Sometimes, lets give ourselves some credit.
Imagine an immigration officer telling you that you dont look Indian. Imagine that officer quizzing you to prove your Indian nationality. Imagine a lady at the next counter giggling as you battle these insults.
This is the nightmare that Monika Khangembam, a resident of Manipur, encountered last week at Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport. In a Facebook post on 9 July, Monika wrote about her humiliating experience. The bloody racist immigration desk at it again! Looks at my Passport and says, "Indian toh nahi lagti ho." I get that all the time so don't react much to it but then he goes on, "Pakka Indian ho?" with a smirk. I still don't react. What really got me was when he said, "See... You yourself need to know your Indianess. How many states are there in India?" she posted.
Reacting to the incident, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, was quick to apologise to Monika, assuring her that she would take up the matter with Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The minister has also promised to ensure that all immigration officials sign up for a sensitisation programme. Whether such a programme, if and when it materialises, would yield results is of course anybodys guess.
Swarajs apology, no doubt, marks a welcome shift of stance from her response (or the lack of it), to the brutal killing of Masonda Ketanda Olivier, a Congolese national, by a mob in the Capital two months ago. Virtually denying that Indians can be racist, Swaraj had then issued a statement saying, India is the land of Gandhi and Buddha These were not premeditated acts against a particular community, rather these were spontaneous attacks perpetrated by anti-social and criminal elements.
That this land of Gandhi and Buddha has also come to be perceived as the land of racism is no longer a matter of speculation. Racism is as much a fact of life in India as is the culture of its denial. A whole range of Others from African nations to residents of the North East have to grapple with racism on a daily basis. From the colour of skin, facial features, to form of attire and lifestyle, any one of these attributes can work as a trigger to discrimination, harassment, and all too frequently, mindless violence.
Monikas experience at the immigration counter is just one among countless such other incidents faced by people from the North East. Consider for example, the assault on a 26-year-old woman from Manipur that took place in Mumbai four months ago. Molested and dragged by her hair in Santacruz in public, the victim, found no sympathy or help from bystanders and even the local police. The victims sister said that North Easterners are frequently discriminated against because of their facial features.
A NDTV report quoted her saying: Because of our North-East facial features, people believe that we are from China or Nepal. Because of this discrimination, no one came to my sister's rescue.
What is particularly alarming is that far from showing any signs of abating, racism has continued to flourish regardless of the transformative economic and cultural changes that have taken place in the country over the last two decades.
Twenty seven years ago, Kishore Seram, a journalist from Manipur, had written an evocative article on what it meant to be an Outsider Within. In an article published in the Delhi-based daily Patriot, Seram wrote: I remember the first three months of my hostel life in Chandigarh cornered and sneered at by my big-bully brothers in the very first week. I remember too, how humiliating it was when they wanted to know if my Nepali sister was a prostitute. Seram described how it hurt to declare that I am an Indian from the state of Manipur, only to hear them say with disdain: Junglees! And it hurt too, to be grouped with other foreigners, in spite of my vehement protests that I was an Indian. The head clerk in college was adamant that chinkies were found only in Nepal and Thailand! he wrote.
Monikas encounter at the airport is a disturbing affirmation of how little things on the ground have changed since then. Notwithstanding all the political grandstanding on Indias multiculturalism and tolerance, the roots of racism have been nurtured and strengthened.
Though Swarajs assurance of sensitising immigration officers may be a good idea, she and her colleagues would have to acknowledge racism as not as an aberration but a deep-seated structural problem of Indian culture. That is if they are seriously concerned about racism.
The Supreme Courts trashing of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) on 8 July must come as a breather for all nationalist Indians. The apex court was hearing a petition by Families of Manipur that had listed 1528 cases of fake encounters involving Manipur police and the armed forces.
The Supreme Court bench, consisting of Madan B Lokur and UU Lalit, observed: Use of excessive force or retaliatory force by the Manipur police or the armed forces of the Union is not permissible. As is evident from the Dos and Donts and 10 commandments of the Chief of Army Staff, the Army believes in this ethos and accepts that this principle would apply even in an area declared as a disturbed area under AFSPA and against militants, insurgents and terrorists. There is no reason why this principle should not apply to the other armed forces of the Union and the Manipur police.
The Supreme Court invoked the nationalist spirit when it said: If members of our armed forces are deployed and employed to kill citizens of our country on mere allegation or suspicion that they are enemy not only the rule of law but our democracy would be in grave danger.
The Supreme Court said this with reference to the Section 4 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act that enumerates the special powers of the armed forces which are deployed in a state in aid of civil power. The Section 4 states: If he (army officer) is of opinion that it is necessary so to do for the maintenance of the public order after giving such due warning as he may consider necessary fire upon or otherwise use force, even to the causing of death, against any person who is acting in contravention of any law or order for the time being in force in the disturbed area If this provision is not disturbing enough, then consider the Section 6 of the said Act which confers a protection upon the persons acting under the Act. No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding can be instituted against such person in respect of anything done or purported to be done in exercise of the powers conferred by this Act.
This is clearly a draconian provision, not an enabling provision.
Unfortunately, the Supreme Court had upheld the constitutional validity of such a draconian Act in Naga Peoples Movement of Human Rights vs Union of India case (1998).
The Supreme Court has made suitable amends in its 2016 verdict when it said: It does not matter whether the victim was a common person or a militant or a terrorist, nor does it matter whether the aggressor is a common person or the State. The law is the same for both and is equally applicable to both This is the requirement of democracy and the requirement of the preservation of the rule of law and the preservation of individual liberties.
The apex court did not go to the extent of declaring AFSPA as unconstitutional but suggested stern measures to prevent its abuses. It said: A thorough enquiry should be ordered into encounter killings in disturbed areas because the alleged enemy is a citizen of our country entitled to all fundamental rights including under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The Supreme Court even went to the extent of saying that even if the inquiry proved that the victim was an enemy and unprovoked aggressor, the security forces would still have to answer the question whether excessive or retaliatory force beyond the call of duty was used.
The Union government, of course, made a forceful submission that the lack of immunity from prosecution would have a demoralising effect on the armed forces, which would then refuse to take on the insurgents pro-actively, however, the Supreme Court was unconvinced. It spoke pointedly there is no concept of absolute immunity from trial by a criminal court if members of the security forces commit any offence while discharging their duties.
The Supreme Courts observations should make nationalist hearts happy as the most hapless Indians in such disturbed areas would get the protection of law after this ruling. So far, thousands of such innocent men and women have perished, unsung and unheard, in the crossfire between the armed forces and the terrorists for no fault of their own. A high-level Commission headed by the retired Supreme Court judge Santosh Hegde had said in its report to the Supreme Court in 2013 that none of the victims of the encounter killings in certain parts of disturbed areas had any criminal record nor were any of them involved in any kind of insurgency activity. In fact, the Commission found an identical pattern in most of the killings.
The Hegde Commission had gone on record to say that AFSPA was an impediment to achieving peace in both northeastern states as well as Jammu and Kashmir. Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee, which was set up by the UPA government in 2005 to look into the charges regarding the misuse of the provisions of the AFSPA also held that the draconian law was against the spirit of the rule of law and must be repealed.
Even the JS Verma commiittee, which was set up by the UPA government in the aftermath of the heinous Nirbhaya rape case, had some bitter truths to tell about AFSPA. In its report, the Committee said: We note that impunity for systematic or isolated sexual violence in the process of Internal Security duties is being legitimised by the Armed Forces Special Powers Act which is in force in large parts of our country. It must be recognised that women in conflict areas are entitled to all the security and dignity that is afforded to citizens in any other part of the country. India has signed the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance which has to be honoured.
The Verma Committee report went on to say: To this end, we make the following recommendation for immediate implementation:
Sexual violence against women by members of the armed forces or uniformed personnel must be brought under the purview of ordinary criminal law.
Justice JS Verma, a former chief justice of the Supreme Court, also made a forceful plea to review the continuance of AFSPA and AFSPA-like legal protocols in internal conflict areas to restore confidence in the administration in such areas.
After long years, the Supreme Court has now acted to ensure that alienation of a section of our people is brought to an end and their mainstreaming takes place. All nationalist Indians should welcome this move.
Amritsar: Three Pakistani intruders were shot dead on Tuesday by the BSF following an encounter in Darya Mansoor area along the Indo-Pak border.
A BSF official said a night patrol party of the force spotted the three Pakistani intruders entering Indian territory and asked them to surrender.
However, they ignored the warning and kept on marching towards the BSF patrol party and opened fire. In the ensuing encounter, three Pakistani intruders were killed, the official said.
However, two of the intruders managed to flee back towards the Pakistani side, the official said. The encounter took place in Darya Mansoor area, around 15 kilometers from the border village of Ajnala in Amritsar district.
The intruders, who are in their twenties, are yet to be identified. After the encounter, BSF recovered three Pakistani
mobiles and Indian currency from the spot.
Inspector General of BSF from Jalandhar along with senior officials was rushing to the encounter site to take stock of
the situation.
Indian investigators, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), may not have much luck in initiating any legal action against controversial Islamic preacher, Zakir Naik, who allegedly inspired Islamic state of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorists in Dhaka, Bangladesh and members of its Hyderabad module.
The reason, as Firstpost noted in an earlier article, is that Naiks speeches, where the English-speaking Islamic preacher seemingly advocates the supremacy of Islam over other religions and exhorts his fans to fight against Islams enemies, are full of contradictory statements that leave very little scope for the law to corner him. Legal experts say, at the best, Naik can be booked for hurting religious sentiments or charges of hate speech.
There is another side to this problem.
If the Indian government has identified Naiks speeches both, through the TV and outside, as a threat to religious harmony and a threat to countrys secular fabric, caution is also warranted on the operations of a school, conceptualised and run by Naik in Mumbai. The institution, Islamic International School (IIS), which describes itself as an institution which was "conceived, planned and developed by Dr Zakir Naik... a visionary-par-excellence." Naik is the chairman of the IRF Educational Trust and President of the Islamic Research Foundation in Mumbai.
The website of IIS says Naik has visited several Islamic and other educational institutions worldwide and interacted with many experts on school and university education to grasp their approach towards Islamic orientation, teaching methodology, curriculum implementation and management. The pragmatic insights gained from these meetings and latest research and learning on effective education strategies help in the continuous improvement and development of IIS, to be contemporary and Islamic... to fulfill the students educational needs for this duniya (world) and the Aakhirah (hereafter). The school also has a branch in Chennai.
Comments from government functionaries so far indicate that the Indian government has identified Naiks speeches and the ideology he advocates as detrimental to Indias communal harmony. But the governments challenge in dealing with Naik lies in how much of his speeches and actions fall within the purview of tangible violation of law. Thats where the investigators seem to meet a dead end.
There is a common pattern seen in Naiks speeches. He enchants the crowds with his skills to recollect the chapters and versus of religious scriptures and connects these lines to establish his fundamental idea that Islam is the only true religion and the rest are either false or impure. In one of his videos, Naik aggressively exhorted his fans to take on enemies of Islam and proclaimed that he would side with anyone, including Osama Bin Laden, if the fight is against the enemies of Islam like the America, "the biggest terrorist".
"If he is terrorising America, the terrorist, biggest terrorist, Im with him. Every Muslim should be a terrorist. The thing is that if he is terrorizing the terrorist, he is following Islam," Naik says. But, in the same breath Naik distances himself from potential trouble and says things like, "Whether he is or not, I dont know. Now dont go around outside saying Zakir Naik is for Osama Bin Laden and I dont know him personally. I dont know what he is. I cannot base my judgment only on news. But, you as Muslims, without checking up laying allegations is also wrong."
Naik has been extremely tactful and here he washes his hands off after putting across the obvious idea he wanted to convey to thousands of listeners. One can argue that how the preacher concluded that America is the biggest terrorist, presuming that Naiks knowledge of that country is through media. There is no evidence so far that Naik met George Bush, Barack Obama or any US authorities in person and got personally convinced that they are terrorists.
But, the point here is that an Indian sleuth, who sits down to examine the video and contemplate using this as evidence before the court of law, will be disappointed to see these contradictory statements. Most of his talks have a similar pattern. This is where the investigators walk into a cul de sac and Naik will have the final laugh.
But, everyone, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Cabinet colleagues, know that hate speeches are a threat to Indias secular society. Preachers like Naik, who even justify suicide attacks if it is for the sake of religion and against the enemies of Islam, can guide, misguide and instigate a young mind to the path of terrorism and killing of several innocents. Thats a bigger threat. This is why educational institutions run by the likes of Zakir Naik need closer scrutiny.
To be sure, that may not be the intention of Naik (in his subsequent video messages, Naik vows that he never asked anyone to kill innocent people) and the Bangladesh daily, which reported Naik inspired terrorists too have backtracked from that statement. But, the fact is that his speeches often amount to encouraging religious fundamentalism. This is something even leaders within the Islamic community have pointed out. The Indian government and the NIA have taken cognizance of the issue and has taken certain actions on the Peace TV and NGO run by Naik, sensing a potential danger.
On Monday, addressing the students at the University of Nairobi, PM Modi too took a dig at Naik, saying hate preachers are a threat to the society. Preachers of hate and violence are threatening the fabric of our society," Modi said. "Youth can play an important role in building a counter narrative to extremist ideologies."
Union minister for information and broadcasting, M Venkaiah Naidu too said that Naiks Peace TV is affecting countrys peace and is broadcast is illegal. Peace TV had applied for license in 2008 but it was rejected. So its broadcast is already illegal. I appeal to the people that if they see any unauthorised channel on their cable networks, they should inform the Information and Broadcasting Ministry," said Naidu.
The bottom line is that if the government is indeed convinced that there is a problem to the secular fabric of the country on account of the ideas disseminated by Naik through his speeches, there is certainly a case to probe the functioning, curriculum and the religious learning of the educational institution conceptualized and operated by Naik.
Harrisburg city leaders and Mayor Eric Papenfuses Interfaith Council held a vigil Monday for peace and justice following the shootings deaths of police officers in Dallas and black men in Louisiana and Minnesota.
Papenfuse spoke to an atrium filled with grieving people Monday afternoon.
Everyone here today shares their pain, he said.
The vigil had speakers that included Police Chief Thomas Carter, who was both saddened and frustrated that violence on both ends keeps happening.
We had enough. Enough is too much, he said. No more.
Deb Marteslo with Moms Demand Action called on people to not only express anger, but to act upon those feelings.
We cannot fall into despair, she said. Theres too much work to be done. We dont have time. We need to act.
Spiritual leaders offered prayers and guidance.
We live in a broken, messed-up world, Rev. Ricardo Volcy said. We need hope.
But as apparent from many in Harrisburg, sometimes those wounds are deep and go back generations. Kenniqua Jenrette, a young mother, said her kids have a fear of police.
We grew up learning you dont call the cops. You do not snitch. Snitches get stitches, she said. But something has to be done.
Now, she takes part in the Black Lives Matter movement and wants African-Americans and police officers to strengthen the community bond. Jenrette said she did not want to sit idly and watch her sons become a statistic.
Along the way of life, someone must have the sense and morality to cut off the chain of hate, Rev. Geoff Dunaway said.
Yet, both the public and police spoke the same message of cooperation and respect.
If we dont start treating people as people, the question will always be asked: when will it stop? he said.
There is common ground to build a foundation of trust both felt afterward. Carter believes the common foe is not each other, but fear. When both sides show compassion for one another, the fear should subside.
When we share compassion for each other we can achieve true peace and justice, Dunaway said.
The vigil was viewed as a necessary outlet to grieve, but also to grow.
It was everything that we need in a city, Jenrette said. In order to become a greater city and, let [the black community] know that the cops are not that bad.
New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday staged a protest against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal outside his residence and demanded action against corrupt AAP legislators and those facing charges of sexual harassment.
"We demand action against those MLAs whose names have appeared in the cases of sexual harassment, eve-teasing and domestic violence," senior Delhi Congress leader Barkha Singh Shukla told IANS.
"We demand action against the corrupt MLAs of the Delhi government," she added.
Congress leaders staged a protest outside the Delhi Chief Minister's house and also submitted a memorandum with Lt Governor Najeeb Jung demanding action.
The Congress leader's remarks came following a number of cases filed against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders in the recent days.
Last week a case of eve-teasing and molestation was registered against AAP MLA Prakash Jarwal, who represents Deoli constituency from south Delhi. A case of sexual harassment was registered against AAP legislator Dinesh Mohaniya from Sangam Vihar last month.
Attacking, Delhi Women Commission chief Swati Maliwal, Shukla said, "She has failed to take any action against any of the AAP leaders accused in cases against women."
"She stays mum whenever an incident of wrongdoing emerges against AAP leaders. She has failed in doing their job of upholding dignity of women as such situation warrant a non-partisan approach," Shukla alleged.
If the spin doctors of the CPM in Kerala are to be believed, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is not amused by Kannur dominating the headlines. They would like us to believe that after the episode involving the alleged harassment of two Dalit girls by CPM activists in Kannur last month, Vijayan called up the Kannur district leaders and gave them a piece of his mind. "It will be counterproductive,'' he is believed to have told them.
If the two killings on Monday night of a CPM worker reportedly by RSS cadre and the alleged retaliatory killing of a BJP worker in Payyanur is any indication, the CM's dressing down to his Kannur comrades has had little effect. In the latest round of political violence, 41-year-old CPM worker CV Dhanaraj was attacked at his home, allegedly by RSS workers at 10 pm on Monday. A little after midnight, Dhanaraj's murder was avenged. CK Ramachandran, a member of BJP's labour wing, was stabbed at his home. The word 'revenge' quite clearly defines Kannur's political vocabulary.
In the political culture of the 'Wild West of Kerala', an eye for an eye, a stab for a stab, a leg for a leg is what adds sheen to a karyakarta's CV. The perception that CPM, since 19 May, has a spring in its step and is more aggressive, is making matters worse. It has made the RSS, which is the CPM's main rival in these parts, feel cornered and resorted to offence to defend itself. Attacks on rivals during CPM victory processions have only made those who predicted that "if the LDF comes to power, Kannur will rule Kerala'', crow "I told you so''.
The Kannur CPM blames the RSS for killing Dhanaraj before his family but says it is not sure if its "angry comrades'' avenged his killing. The CPM says the saffron unit is unleashing violence and says it is not a blemish on Pinarayi Vijayan's governance.
"Since we came to power, the RSS has killed three CPM workers. How can you say we are getting a bad name? We are in fact, the victims,'' says MV Jayarajan, CPM state committee member. The CPM accuses the RSS of plotting to get inside CPM strongholds like Kannur and create unrest.
The BJP reads out the same script, except that the bag guys in its narrative are different. It calls the Payyanur killing a pre-planned attack by CPM workers, while claiming that the CPM leader was killed by a non-RSS person.
"The chief minister is not acting like a chief minister or a home minister. His police force is acting like an extension of the CPM. The CPM workers decide what action the police will take. If RSS-BJP petition the cops, they do not even accept it,'' alleges K K Vinod Kumar, Kannur district general secretary of the BJP.
In the last four decades, since Kannur has existed with the dark underbelly of political violence, over 225 people have been killed on both sides of the bitter party-based divide. When the LDF came to power, Kannur marked the occasion by spilling blood. RSS workers allegedly attacked CPM victory processions in different parts of the district and one person was killed and eight activists injured. In retaliation, CPM cadre allegedly burnt down houses of RSS workers. The BJP took the battle to Delhi, trying to gherao AKG Centre, the CPM headquarters on 22 May, where 600 BJP workers were detained.
The BJP sensing an opportunity to embarrass the new chief minister, sent several of its big guns to Kerala. Ravi Shankar Prasad, Ram Madhav and Meenakshi Lekhi made an attempt to nationalise what the BJP calls CPM-sponsored violence in the CM's backyard.
When the BJP asked Vijayan to control his party cadre, the CM saw red. Speaking more like a party man, he retorted in a Facebook post. "BJP has lost the tolerance to accept the people's verdict in Kerala. That is why they have unleashed violence.''
On the street, people like entrepreneur Naushad believe that the chief minister's post gives Vijayan the stature to behave like a statesman and unilaterally wave the white flag. But not everyone is convinced either outfit will be able to rein in its cadre, arguing peace talks have taken place before, without success.
"Kannur culture is continuous killings. Occasionally they stop for a couple of months after peace talks. But then they start again. They make a living out of it,'' says NP Rajendran, Kozhikode-based political analyst.
But with former chief minister VS Achuthanandan not entirely happy being Kerala's Fidel Castro, Vijayan will have to ensure things in his hometown do not get out of hand. Lest the nonagenarian plays the Kannur card against the Kannur boy.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal routinely accuses the Narendra Modi-led Central government of Hitlershahi and autocracy. The latest instance being the arrest of his Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the transfer of 11 senior officials. Except that now, there is a growing army of officials in the Delhi government turning against Kejriwal for the very same reason.
Senior Delhi government officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that Kejriwal himself unilaterally decides all transfers and postings in Delhi, completely bypassing the Chief Secretary. The command structure is additionally vitiated by Kejriwals bullying of officials to follow his orders arbitrarily without following the mandatory guidelines and rules prescribed for the purposes of carrying out official work, they say.
Exerting absolute control in this manner indicates that Kejriwal himself must be fully accountable for all lapses in governance and administrative efficiency in his government. The only thing Kejriwal doesn't have control over is the Delhi police, which is a law enforcement arm, so he cannot blame serious governance issues/corruption coverups on this. Yet, he seeks to divert all blame to the Centre.
In the light of growing evidence against Rajendra Kumar, Kejriwal, who earlier defended him vigorously, has abstained from making any press statement in the past few days, leaving it to his Deputy CM, Manish Sisodia to continue to bemoan the loss of the IIT-educated, brilliant and talented Kumar with honest image, while alleging a conspiracy by the Modi government, motivated by political vendetta, to strip the Delhi government of all such talent.
This is despite the fact that the CBI also arrested Tarun Sharma, Deputy Secretary in Kejriwal's office, Ashok Kumar, a close aide of Rajendra Kumar and Sandeep Kumar and Dinesh Gupta both owners of Endeavour Systems. Ashok Kumar has confessed to taking bribes from Endeavour at the behest of Rajendra Kumar.
Sisodia had made three other charges against the Centre: That it is using vendetta politics to paralyse the Delhi government by slapping the CBI case on Rajendra Kumar and transferring its senior, honest and talented officials; that the transfers were done without consulting the Chief Secretary; and that the Centre is threatening good officers with transfers to remote areas without their families solely on account of them working for Kejriwal.
2016-07-12_11-02-30 by Firstpost on Scribd
No evidence of vendetta by Centre
Kejriwals own officials confirm that the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is the cadre-controlling authority for DANICS officers, was only following laid-down procedure in transferring the 11 officials on 4 July, 2016. (See Officer Memorandum dated 12 December, 2012).
The transfers were far from arbitrary or before the completion of their tenure, as alleged by Kejriwal. The 11 DANICS officials in question include Sanjeev Ahuja, Geetika Sharma, Shashi Kaushal, Sushil Singh, and Sunil Kumar Singh. A mandatory condition of service for DANICS officers is that they have to serve in various segments of the UT cadre and complete two years of service in each posting. If they are transferred out before they fulfill their term in one segment, they can be transferred back from the new posting before the completion of that posting. This is specified in the revised MHA guidelines for transfer/posting of DANICS/DANIPS officers dated 27 August, 2015, in Point 2. Some specific examples include Sanjeev Ahuja who was posted in Daman, but did not complete two years, and Shashi Kaushal who didn't complete her tenure in Lakshadweep. Some other transfers could also be because of seniority list rotation.
Kejriwal governments branding of the transfers to another union territory as punishment smacks of a superiority complex, apart from raising questions over the depiction of Andamans as a remote area. This shows that for this government, there is either Delhi or nothing in a DANICS officers life.
Kejriwal charged with shielding, rather than exposing the corrupt.
While Kejriwal projects himself as an anti-corruption crusader, recently stating that I will die, but will not compromise on corruption, state government officials allege that in reality, he handpicks and favours some officials such as Rajendra Kumar and C Arvind, Secretary to Deputy CM, Manish Sisodia while punishing talented and upright officers with impeccable records like Kuldeep Singh Gangar, former Special Commissioner, Transport, and Ashish Joshi, former Member Secretary (Finance) of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) and also the man who blew the whistle on Rajendra Kumar.
It is alleged that C Arvind took arbitrary decisions during his tenure in the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) and it is only a matter of a simple probe to unravel his dealings.
Questions are also being raised why Kejriwal, who claims to be ruling with a heavy hand on the corrupt, failed to initiate a probe against his IIT-alumni Rajendra Kumar when his integrity came under the scanner, rather than first defending him and later crying foul when the CBI eventually took action.
It's not just Kejriwal's claim to favour officers of integrity that appears increasingly untenable. His stated preference for merit is also being challenged after the manner in which he dealt with Gangar, the man who is credited with successfully implementing the car-free day in Delhi. Gangar was transferred by Kejriwal, without any posting, eight months ago punishment for proposing to invite fresh tenders for allotment of shops at various Interstate Bus Terminuses in Delhi. These shops were allotted on tender only for a period of one year, 20 years ago but were being given extensions every year. Gangars proposal, which was made in order to overturn an existing scam, strangely enough, instead of pleasing Kejriwal, irked him to the point that he removed Gangar.
However, since it was a pertinent irregularity that had been flagged, the Delhi government, perhaps for fear of being caught on the wrong foot, had to eventually approve Gangars proposal and tenders were finally invited on 6 July, 2016. (See documents).
2016-07-12_11-04-33 by Firstpost on Scribd
Kejriwal responsible for the paralysis
Delhi government officials say there is no question of the Central government paralysing the administration since there are many equally, if not more talented, IAS officials who have moved to Delhi from Andaman but are sitting idle for want of Kejriwal giving them a posting. The authority to determine postings of IAS and DANICS officers within Delhi, rests with the Chief Minister, however, Kejriwal has no say in postings that are external to Delhi.
Several officers received their posting orders only on 8 July, after languishing without work for two months, while there is no immediate line of sight to a posting for Gangar, even after eight months.
Officials further point out that just like Kejriwal's huge Rs 526-crore advertising expenditure on his own publicity, it is equally a shocking waste of public resources for Kejriwal to place so many good officers on long paid leave for no reason.
They emphasise that far from being threatened by the Modi regime for loyalty to Kejriwal with postings in remote areas, many honest officials do not themselves wish to serve under Kejriwal and have asked for postings outside Delhi. A case in point is Yashpal Garg, Special Secretary, Home, who was wrongfully suspended by the Delhi government and whose suspension was then set aside by the MHA.
Ahmedabad/New Delhi: Former Gujarat BJP MLA Yatin Oza, who was once close to BJP president Amit Shah, has alleged that Shah had a secret pact with AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi ahead of the Bihar polls last year.
Oza, who has been lying low, made the allegation in a letter to Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal.
Oza, who told reporters here after Kejriwal's two-day Gujarat visit that he was joining the AAP, said in his 4 July letter that Shah had a secret meeting at his residence on 15 September last year with Akbaruddin Owaisi, younger brother of AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi.
Shah and Owaisi junior worked out a mutually convenient strategy to divide the votes in Bihar on communal lines, Oza alleged.
Oza, a practicing lawyer in the Gujarat High Court, said he was joining the AAP to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the "rampant corruption promoted by his government". Oza had contested against Modi in the Maninagar Assembly constituency in 2002 but lost.
According to the letter, it was decided that the AIMIM would field candidates in Bihar's Muslim- dominated areas.
"It was also decided that Owaisi will vomit poisonous communal speech, the script of which shall be written by Shah, which may have potentiality to result into communal divide.," he said.
His letter alleged that major cases of corruption were investigated by the CAG when Modi ran the government in Gujarat and even now.
"There are at least eight findings of CAG which directly indict the present government about siphoning off funds from the state exchequer for personal gains. I shall see that these reports would be handed over to you," Oza told Kejriwal in the letter.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh termed the revelations made by Oza as shocking and demanded clarification from BJP on the issue.
The BJP owes an honest explanation to the people of the country about these shocking charges. AAP demands an immediate clarification from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP and Amit Shah on this matter, he said in a statement.
New Delhi: As violent protests continue to rock Jammu and Kashmir over the killing of a Hizbul Mujahideen militant, CPI and MIM on Tuesday demanded that the Centre convene an all-party meeting "without any ego" and make a joint appeal for restoration of peace in the state.
"Communist Party of India (CPI) is of the opinion that the Union government should call an all-party meet to discuss the situation in Kashmir and make a joint appeal for restoration of peace. Ego should not hinder calling of the meeting," party general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said in a statement.
He also asked the government to order a judicial probe into the matter to instill confidence among people.
While MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi had also made a similar announcement, urging the Centre to call an all-party meeting on the violence in the Kashmir Valley.
In a series of tweets, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president asked why the Modi government abandoned the peace process.
"Why has the Modi government abandoned process which was started by Vajpayee government on Kashmir i.e. development to isolate separatists," he asked.
He said Pakistan had no right to interfere in the internal affairs of India. "Better they do their own introspection," he added.
The MIM leader also found fault with National Conference leader and former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who has criticized the handling of the situation by the present government.
Owaisi said Omar Abdullah was clueless and inactive in 2010 when 110 people were killed.
Reddy alleged that there was "something wrong" in government's dealing of the entire affair as he stated that people in the Valley "have never reacted so massively with anger" over death of a youth earlier.
The Valley was hit by violent clashes between security forces and protestors following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani last Friday during an encounter.
The valley has been in the grip of violence since security forces shot dead a top militant, Burhan Wani, on Friday.
With inputs from agencies.
Fortune favours the brave, goes the adage. And how befitting it is to veteran actor Raj Babbar, who was on Tuesday appointed as the Congress chief of Uttar Pradesh, ahead of the state's Assembly polls in 2017. Not too long ago, Babbar was a star campaigner in the Assam Assembly election this year, which saw the end of the 15-year-old rule of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, making way for the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in North East India.
Babbar, who has five Filmfare Awards to his credit, had himself suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Minister of State for External Affairs, General (Retd) VK Singh in the 2014 Lok Sabha election from the Ghaziabad constituency in Uttar Pradesh. Singh had defeated Babbar by a mammoth margin of 5.67 lakh votes. The former Indian Army chief had got a total of 7,58,482 votes while Babbar only won 1,91,222. Like many of his brethren in the Congress, he too probably suffered because of the Modi wave.
Despite his lacklustre performance of late, the party has still reposed faith in him and has asked the former party spokesperson to lead the Congress armada in the battle for the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha next year. His somewhat good-looking scorecard (before the Modi tsunami literally drowned the Congress) helped him to ascend to the driver's seat in Uttar Pradesh. In 2009, Babbar had defeated Dimple Yadav in Firozabad, wife of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and daughter-in-law of Samajawadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav during a bye-poll. In the same year earlier, Babbar had lost to Seema Upadhyay of the Bahujan Samaj Party in the General Election. Prior to that, the actor-turned-politician had won the Agra seat for the Samajwadi Party by defeating Murari Lal Mittal Fatehpuria of BJP in the 2004 Lok Sabha election. However, he was shown the door on disciplinary grounds in 2006 for questioning Amar Singh's views on privatisation of airports.
"Babbar, who was elected from Agra constituency twice, has been attacking Amar Singh alleging that he was a 'fixer' and promoting 'broker culture,' besides maligning the party's socialist moorings," a rediff.com report had said then.
The 64-year-old actor began his political career in 1989 after he joined the Janata Dal before joining the Samajwadi Party. He has remained part of the Lok Sabha thrice so far. Babbar was also a Rajya Sabha member from 1994 to 1999.
Even as the country is keen to know what role Priyanka Gandhi will play for the Congress in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh polls, the party did spring a surprise by naming Babbar as its state chief. Belonging to the upper caste Vishwabrahmin family, the National School of Drama and Agra College pass out, would have to play the role of a conjurer if he wants to see Congress ruling the 403-member Legislative Assembly. It is also the largest Legislative Assembly in the country. In the last Assembly poll in 2012, Congress won only 28 seats, that is short of 174 MLAs to win the majority mark. The last time the party had won majority in the Assembly was way back in 1980 after winning a massive 309 seats. In 1989, it had won 94 seats, which is by far the last most significant outing in Uttar Pradesh for the country's grand old party.
It is quite likely that Babbar's appointment on Tuesday had the stamp of political strategist Prashant Kishor, who is given the responsibility of reviving the Congress in the state.
Political analyst Aakar Patel, in one of his columns Why Congress' 'Brahmin strategy' in UP won't work in Firstpost had said: "Reports say he (Kishor) has suggested two strategies. The first is to go after Brahmin voters, and second to project a Gandhi, either Rahul or Priyanka, as the chief ministerial candidate."
He went on further to say: "Kishore's logic is that the Brahmin vote in UP (it is about 10 percent of the population) is easy for the Congress to get because it had been with the party in the past. This is true, and many Congress chief ministers of UP in the past were Brahmins, like ND Tiwari, Kamalapati Tripathi, Govind Ballabh Pant and Sripati Mishra. However, the Congress last won an election in UP three decades ago. I can remember those days but not many people will."
According to PRSIndia, Babbar has till date given a good show as a Rajya Sabha member after he became member of the Upper House in March last year representing Uttarakhand. At 85 percent, he has beaten the national average, which is 78 percent. Babbar has also till date participated in 21 debates in the Upper House in his latest stint.
If not for star power, which miserably failed in Assam in April, the Congressman had his share of controversy by dishing out sermons on the cost of full meals while he was the party spokesperson.
"People should have full meals two times a day. How one can have it is a very good question that you have asked. Even today in Mumbai city, I can have a full meal at Rs 12. No no not bada paav. So much of rice, daal saambhar and with that some vegetables are also mixed," Babbar had famously said in a press conference in July 2013 while trying to defend the Planning Commission's new poverty line figures.
In the same month, the actor-cum-politician courted another controversy by comparing then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi to Adolf Hitler while comparing Gujarat's government opposition to Lokayukta's appointment with Hitler's act of lockout of institutions during his rule.
Babbar surely realises the present Haqeeqat (1985) of his party in Uttar Pradesh, and unless he displays an altogether miraculous Tevar (2015) in the forthcoming Assembly polls, the Congress would again end up as Shikaar (2004) for the other parties.
HARARE Zimbabwe's government warned protesters on Tuesday they would face the "full wrath of the law" if they heeded a call by a detained preacher to continue with the biggest demonstrations in a decade against President Robert Mugabe.
Baptist minister Evan Mawarire has become a household name in Zimbabwe since he started a social media campaign in April that has tapped into mounting public anger over corruption, high unemployment and economic woes.
In a video recorded before his arrest on Tuesday, Mawarire urged supporters to go ahead with further 'stay at home' demonstrations. He had called for a one-day protest last week which closed businesses across the southern African nation in the biggest strike since 2005.
"The police whose mandate is to protect life and property will be out in full force to deal with any disturbances that may arise," Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo told reporters.
"Let me warn the instigators behind the intended protests that they will face the full wrath of the law," said Chombo, flanked by the ministers of defence and state security.
Chombo said there were no plans to deploy the military.
Mugabe, Africa's oldest leader at 92, has led the former British colony since independence in 1980. Since then it has gone from being one of the continent's most promising economies to being a country mired in economic crisis with a reputation for rights abuses.
After initially ignoring his grainy online videos, shot on a cellphone and calling for mass protests, Mugabe's administration has started to push back, especially after they attracted support from thousands of unpaid civil servants.
"Yes, he has been arrested for inciting public violence and disturbing peace," Mawarire lawyer Harrison Nkomo told Reuters. He said police had raided his client's Harare home, office and church.
Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba was not available to comment on the charges.
A copy of a search warrant seen by Reuters said police believed Mawarire was in possession of a stolen police helmet, baton stick and "other subversive material" that could be used to incite public violence.
The law under which the bespectacled 39-year-old has been detained carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years. According to Zimbabwean law, he must appear in court within 48 hours. He was summoned by police early on Tuesday morning.
Mawarire said he broke no law in calling for the one-day shut-down last Wednesday.
International Crisis Group analyst Piers Pigou said Mawarire's #ThisFlag movement had rattled Mugabe's government but was still a long way from becoming the first "Arab Spring" south of the Sahara.
"It's provoked a certain amount of panic from the authorities given the scale of the stay-away," Pigou said. "But a stay-away doesn't translate into active support for rebellion against the regime."
GANDHI COMPARISON
More protests are planned for Wednesday and Thursday as part of #ThisFlag, which aims to appeal to Zimbabweans' national pride and exploit the widespread use of social media in the country.
In a pre-recorded video posted on Twitter under the #ThisFlag hashtag after he was charged, Mawarire said his arrest should not stop Zimbabwe's 13 million people going ahead with demonstrations.
"No matter what has happened to me, you and I have done well. We have stood up and raised our voices to build this nation," Mawarire said.
Last Friday police summoned and arrested Prosper Mkwananzi from social media group Tajamuka - meaning 'We refuse' - on charges of public violence. Mkwananzi was released on bail on Monday.
Mawarire launched #ThisFlag in April after struggling to pay school fees for his two daughters or bus fares. His complaints struck an immediate chord with Zimbabweans and 120,000 people watched his video in its first week.
Within three months, some have even started likening him and his adherence to non-violence to Indian anti-colonial hero Mahatma Gandhi, who started becoming politically active as a lawyer in neighbouring South Africa in the early 1900s.
"There is nothing wrong from learning from the people like Gandhi because they achieved a lot of things in pushing the non-violent aspect of things," Mawarire said in an interview with the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper this month.
"If we fight violence with violence, the result will be more violence," he said. "There comes a time when we have to use a different strategy to that being used by the people we are confronting."
(Additional reporting Pete Vernon; Editing by Joe Brock, Ralph Boulton, Sonya Hepinstall and Pravin Char)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
The Shippensburg Area School District board of directors approved Monday a one-year affiliation agreement with Shippensburg University outlining the operation of Grace B. Luhrs University Elementary School.
Two issues addressed in the agreement, which runs through July 11, 2017, are enrollment procedure and busing.
Luhrs school is located on the Shippensburg University campus but is part of the Shippensburg school district. The affiliation agreement between the university and the school district expired June 30.
Previously, the enrollment procedure at Luhrs school gave top priority to children of university employees. The Pennsylvania Department of Education demanded that procedure be changed in order to give equal enrollment to all children in the district; in addition, the school district was required to provide transportation to Luhrs school students.
On Monday, Superintendent Beth Bender said a new enrollment procedure is in place at Luhrs school.
Its a grandfathering procedure that fixes the situation, she said.
Also, Luhrs school will operate next year from 8:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. This allows the district to provide transportation without a substantial increase in cost.
If we didnt change the time school starts, the cost would have almost doubled, board president Mark Buterbaugh said.
Luhrs students who use district transportation will ride buses with students who attend the intermediate school. Buses will stop at the intermediate school and then proceed to Luhrs school.
In other business Monday, Alison Van Scyoc and Todd West of the SASD ad hoc committee offered a presentation on the proposed multipurpose stadium.
According to Van Scyoc, the cost of the stadium was projected at $7.5 million in the original feasibility study. However, she said the project could be completed in phases.
Phase I would cost $5.6 million and include the stadium and two turf fields with lights, scoreboard, bleachers, portable restrooms and concession stands, excavation and paving.
Phase II would be completed at a cost of $1.2 million and include permanent restrooms and concession stands and stadium team rooms.
She said the district currently has a contract with Shippensburg Borough to use Memorial Park fields for games and practices. Cost for 2017 will be $18,000.
She said the use of the facilities is limited because the fields are grass, and there are no lights at the stadium. She said there are also costs associated with maintaining and lining the fields.
In addition, she said concession stand sales at Memorial Park go to the Lions Club. At a new stadium, she said concession stand sales would go to the district, and additional money could be made from events like band competitions.
The group hopes to get the boards blessing next month to proceed with a capital fundraising campaign.
Were probably five to 10 years away (from completing the stadium), West said. Right now, were just trying to show the board that this is possible.
Washington: Racial tension following police violence against African-Americans continued ahead of President Barack Obama's visit to Dallas, where five police officers were gunned down last week.
Obama is scheduled to travel to Dallas where he will pay tribute to the five officers killed during a "Black Lives Matter" protest on 7 July, together with his wife, Michelle; Vice President Joe Biden and former US President George W. Bush.
"Last week was a tough week for our country," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest in his daily press briefing on Monday, adding that the government wants to "ensure that the rights of all citizens are protected, and law enforcement officials, who have a very dangerous job, are also protected."
In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 52 people were arrested on Sunday evening in a new wave of protests against police violence because of the killing by police of an African-American resident of the city in an incident on 5 July.
In many other cities across the US similar demonstrations occurred after the events of last week with cases of Baton Rouge and Minnesota, where another African-American man died in a shooting by a policeman, and the killings of Dallas.
The Dallas shooting is the deadliest attack for police officers since 11 September, 2011.
On Wednesday, President Obama will host a meeting at the White House with the representatives of civil rights leaders and law enforcement officials to address the violence in the country.
Obama said that it is possible to "honour the incredible courage and service" of the police and also "recognise the racial disparities" in the criminal justice system.
"There's no contradiction there. And if we are going to come together to solve these problems, we have to understand that. So we'll have to talk to each other. We'll have to listen to each other. And we'll have to see each other as equal parts of the American family," Obama added.
WASHINGTON/BEIJING China risks violating international law if it continues to strike a defiant tone and ignores an arbitration court ruling that denies its claims in the South China Sea despite calls from the United States and the head of the United Nations for the peaceful resolution of disputes in the oil-rich waters.
In a case that was seen as a test of China's rising power and its economic and strategic rivalry with the United States, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled on Tuesday that China had breached the Philippines' sovereign rights by endangering Philippine ships and fishing and oil projects.
The United States, which China has accused of fuelling tensions and militarising the region with patrols and exercises, said the ruling should be treated as final and binding.
"We certainly would urge all parties not to use this as an opportunity to engage in escalatory or provocative action," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters in a briefing.
The ruling is significant as it is the first time that a legal challenge has been brought in the dispute, which covers some of the world's most promising oil and gas fields and fishing areas.
U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said Washington has seen signs in recent weeks of continued militarization by China in the South China Sea. President Barack Obama's top Asia policy adviser, Daniel Kritenbrink, said the United States had no interest in stirring tensions in the South China Sea as a pretext for involvement in the region.
"We have an enduring interest in seeing territorial and maritime disputes in the Asia Pacific, including in the South China Sea, resolved peacefully, without coercion and in a manner that is consistent with international law," Kritenbrink said at a forum of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
China boycotted the arbitration hearings and described them as a farce. China's Foreign Ministry rejected the ruling, saying its people had more than 2,000 years of history in the South China Sea, that its islands did have exclusive economic zones and that it had announced to the world its "dotted line" map in 1948.
"China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards," it said.
The ministry also repeated, however, that China respected and upheld the freedom of navigation and overflight and that China was ready to keep resolving the disputes peacefully through talks with states directly concerned.
CROSSROADS
International law experts and China observers described the ruling as a legal blow to its claims in the disputed waters.
"China will respond with fury, certainly in terms of rhetoric and possibly through more aggressive actions at sea," said Ian Storey of Singapore's ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute.
The ruling and Chinas defiance of it have brought China, the United States, Southeast Asia and the concept of an international order based on accepted rules of behaviour to a dangerous crossroads, with one path leading to negotiations but the more likely one toward growing tensions in a politically and economically vital area, administration officials and outside experts said on Tuesday.
"This is a tactical victory for the Philippines and a strategic defeat for international law," said Chas Freeman, a former U.S. diplomat who was then-President Richard Nixons interpreter on his historic trip to China in 1972. "This decision has left the issue in the condition where it can only be resolved by the use of force. There is no diplomatic process underway to settle claims, and now there's no longer a legal process."
Julia Guifang Xue, a professor of international law at Shanghai Jiao Tong University said that given Beijing's sensitivity about sovereignty and security "we won't be surprised to see some kind of renewed effort by China to consolidate its claim in the area."
U.S. officials have previously said they feared China may respond to the ruling by declaring an air defence identification zone in the South China Sea, as it did in the East China Sea in 2013, or by stepping up its building and fortification of artificial islands.
China claims most of the energy-rich waters through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.
Finding for the Philippines on a number of issues, the court said there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within its so-called nine-dash line, which covers almost 90 percent of the South China Sea.
None of China's reefs and holdings in the Spratly Islands entitled it to a 200-mile exclusive economic zone, it added.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on all parties to resolve the disputes in a "peaceful and amicable manner through dialogue and in conformity with international law."
The judges acknowledged China's refusal to participate, but said they sought to take account of China's position from its statements and diplomatic correspondence.
Taiwan, which maintains that the island it occupies, Itu Aba, is legally the only island among hundreds of reefs, shoals and atolls scattered across the seas, said it did not accept the ruling, which seriously impaired Taiwan's territorial rights in the 3.5 million sq km sea.
A U.S. official who helps set the administration's Asia policies said that faced with the prospect of continuing Chinese assertiveness, it is important for countries in the region and for the United States to avoid provocative actions and leave the door open for Beijing to pursue peaceful solutions "and avoid making matters worse."
He also said, however, that the United States must honour its defence commitments in the Pacific and reassure the Philippines, Vietnam and Chinas other neighbours that it would not abandon them or Obamas pledge to devote more resources to Asian security.The Philippines said it was studying the ruling.
"We call on all those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety," Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay told a news conference. "The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision as an important contribution to the ongoing efforts in addressing disputes in the South China Sea."
The court has no power of enforcement, but a victory for the Philippines could spur Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei to file similar cases.
(Additional reporting by Anthony Deutsch, Thomas Escritt in Amsterdam, Enrico Dela Cruz and Martin Petty in Manila, Megha Rajagopalan in Beijing, Tim Kelly in Tokyo, John Walcott, David Brunnstrom, Yara Bayoumy, Jeff Mason in Washington, JR Wu in Taipei and Greg Torode in Hong Kong; Editing and writing Lincoln Feast and Nick Macfie; Editing by Mike Collett-White and Grant McCool)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Washington: Congo's leading opposition candidate for president said he was poisoned as part of a
government plot to kill him, a dramatic claim almost certain to escalate tensions even further over upcoming elections in one of Africa's largest countries.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Moise Katumbi said he was roughed up by police in May who injected him with an unknown substance outside a courthouse in the city of Lubumbashi.
"Their plan was to kill me," Katumbi said yesterday, "because they are scared about my popularity."
Katumbi said the directions came from the highest levels of Congo's government, but he did not provide details about whom he specifically believes was responsible.
Katumbi and other critics of President Joseph Kabila have expressed concern that the election set for November will be delayed so that Kabila will stay in power longer.
Kabila is supposed to leave office in December, but he has not publicly declared his intentions.
Congo's communications minister, Lambert Mende, was unavailable to comment, but he had previously dismissed allegations Katumbi had been harmed by the police.
He noted that Katumbi was allowed to leave Congo for medical treatment elsewhere.
"If the objective was to kill him as he claims, why let him go and vilify us in the press?" Mende said in a recent interview with a radio station.
Since Congo won independence from Belgium in 1960, there has never been a peaceful, democratic transition of power in the country.
Kabila has been in office since 2001, taking over less than two weeks after his father, President Laurent Kabila, was shot by a bodyguard in the presidential palace.
He was elected president in 2006 and again in 2011. Kabila is barred by Congo's constitution from a third term.
Congo, which has vast mineral deposits, is nearly one-fourth the size of the United States and has a population of more than 79 million.
More than a decade after Congo's back-to-back civil wars ended, the country's east remains in discord.
Scores of militias and armed groups are blamed for violence against civilians, and nearly 2.7 million Congolese are internally displaced as a result, according to figures compiled by the United Nations.
Baton Rouse: Criticism mounted on Monday over how Baton Rouge police dealt with throngs of protesters during the weekend, including nearly 200 demonstrators who were arrested and may yet face criminal charges.
The protests have been growing around the country as people express outrage over the recent deaths of two black men at the hands of police in Louisiana and in Minnesota.
East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar C Moore III said Monday that his office hasn't made any decisions on charges against the protesters and that it will be done on a case-by-case basis.
"We're going to do as good job as we can, as quickly as we can, to try to go through the (police) reports as they come in," he said.
Moore suggested that "first offenders" and people who may have just "stepped over a line" could have their cases resolved more quickly than those for protesters accused of carrying guns or injuring officers.
But with tensions rising since last week's killings of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge and Philando Castile in Minnesota by white officers, and an attack on police by a black sniper in Dallas that killed five officers, many have questioned whether the police response has been appropriate.
Kristy Carter said she's been protesting every night since Sterling was killed. She said that officers outside the police station said they don't have a problem as long as protesters don't cross barricades or stop traffic but that in practice it's different.
"Yesterday evening we were standing here ... and they just started coming and attacking the crowd for no reason," Carter said of police. "They are telling us not to be violent, but they are being violent against us."
Jade Flint said police seemed to be getting more agitated as the Saturday evening protests went on.
"The job is to protect us while we are out here trying to protest for our rights. Not to agitate us and pick and grab people," she said.
Kira Marrero, a 22-year-old resident of New Orleans who graduated last year from Williams College in Massachusetts, was the first protester freed from Baton Rouge's jail on Sunday. She accused police of acting in an "inflammatory" manner and said an officer had pointed a rifle at her and other protesters before her arrest.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana said Monday that Baton Rouge police "used violent, militarized tactics on groups of people who have gathered peacefully in protest of Alton Sterling's killing."
On Sunday, Amnesty International questioned the high number of arrests during Saturday's protests and whether it was a "proportionate response to peaceful protests."
Louisiana authorities have said repeatedly that they have no problem with protesters and pointed out the number of rallies that have been coordinated with authorities and have gone off without problem.
On Sunday some 2,000 people rallied outside the Capitol building, State Police Maj. Doug Cain said, calling that initial protest "very organized and peaceful."
In the first few days following Sterling's death, police took a more reserved approach to enforcement, keeping a low profile as hundreds of people gathered outside the convenience store where Sterling died.
Baton Rouge Police Chief Carl Dabadie Jr. said Friday that his department was striving to avoid a "military-style response" to the protests.
But Friday, tensions ratcheted up. Police have arrested 200 demonstrators over a three-day period and taken to the streets in riot gear, carrying rifles and driving armored vehicles.
Gov. John Bel Edwards said Sunday he's "very proud" of how Louisiana's law enforcement agencies responded to the protests and that he doesn't believe police officers have been overly aggressive.
A Baton Rouge police spokesman said Monday that the arrests stemmed largely from people not complying with officers' commands.
During a confrontation Sunday evening near an interstate ramp, a police officer in an armored vehicle had warned protesters over a loudspeaker that they would be arrested if they didn't leave the area. Within minutes, officers in riot gear began making dozens of arrests.
"They had several opportunities to get out of the road, to disperse. They were ignored," said Baton Rouge Police Sgt. Don Coppola.
Asked why some officers are armed with high-powered rifles at protests, Coppola said, "You don't really know what you're walking into. You want to have every precautionary means that you may need ... to disperse these crowds."
Coppola said the department respects people's right to protest peacefully, and that people from outside Baton Rouge are largely responsible for confrontations at protests.
Police have confiscated three rifles, three shotguns and two pistols during protests, Coppola said earlier in an email.
One officer was hit by a projectile and injured in the weekend protests, authorities said.
On Monday, convenience store owner Abdullah Muflahi filed a lawsuit against Baton Rouge police alleging that he was illegally detained after he recorded the confrontation between police and Sterling on his cellphone. The suit says he was kept in the back of a police vehicle for four hours and detained at the Louisiana State Police headquarters for two hours while he was questioned.
A search warrant for surveillance video from the store said that, during the arrest, officers saw "the butt of a gun" in Sterling's pocket and that he tried "to reach for the gun from his pocket."
The Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights investigation of Sterling's death. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said in a statement that he won't have access to the federal investigation on the shooting until it's completed and a decision has been made on potential federal charges.
Moore, the local district attorney, said the Justice Department would rather not have "parallel investigations."
"It's better that DOJ do their work. They're completely independent, from nowhere around here," he said.
Moore also said he's recusing himself from any state criminal investigation into the shooting death of Sterling. He cited his professional relationship with the parents of one of the officers involved in the shooting, Blane Salamoni.
Sterling's funeral will be held Friday in Baton Rouge. Services will be at the Southern University F.G. Clark Activity Center. A viewing is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., with the service to follow at 11 a.m.
Indians are transfixed by the violence in Jammu and Kashmir; there is a fair chance that it is part of the ISIs pincer movement cause trouble for India in J&K on the west, in Bangladesh on the east, and with its group of fifth columnists everywhere, especially in the media. The Modi Special, perhaps. There may be some urgency, because Pakistans all-weather friend and sponsor China is annoyed that India is growing at China-like rates. So they probably got the ISI to ratchet up the violence on command.
China has some reason to be unhappy, as things are not all going swimmingly in its favour. Theres much that is gratifying and positive, though: first, the near collapse of Atlanticism as seen in Brexit suggests that the Anglo-American and Euro-American alliances are fraying.
Second, the continued helplessness of the Americans in the face of violence in the Middle East, as well as even back in their home territory (eg. Orlando) suggests to China that the American Century is well and truly over. Third, the One Belt, One Road and other Chinese initiatives are progressing even as the American-dominated Bretton Woods regime, such as the IMF and World Bank are regressing.
The things that should be worrying China are three-fold: first, the problems of the domestic debt and the slowing of the economy; second, the increasing alarm among its neighbors, especially in the South China Sea that shows the smokescreen of peaceful rise is not getting much traction; and third, the increasing likelihood of military alliances specifically targeting China and seeking to contain it.
Much has been said about Chinas debt overhang and also its hangover based on export-led strategies that have created a monstrous overcapacity and thus collapsing prices, for example in photovoltaic cells and steel. Ruchir Sharma of Morgan Stanley, an astute observer of emerging markets, is among those betting that China will suffer badly from its debt problems.
The South China Sea is becoming the key battleground in which Chinese military strategists are testing their mettle. It is a major trade artery, with a significant portion of the world trade traversing in it. It is also surrounded by a large number of Asean states, all of whom have territorial claims on it based on various rocks, shoals, reefs and islands, such as the intriguingly named Mischief Reef, Fiery Cross Reef, Scarborough Shoal, the Spratly Islands, and the Paracel Islands. While these small features themselves are not so interesting, the exclusive territorial waters around them are potentially rich in mineral wealth.
China has used a textbook example of its tactic of manufacturing history to claim almost the entire sea as, in effect, a Chinese lake. They produced some maps in which there is a feature called the nine-dash line, which they claim is the maritime boundary. That is literally a set of nine dashes on the map that suggest that almost the entire sea belongs to China. Based on nothing more than this pious myth, they now assert sovereignty. This is much the same as their entirely vacuous claims over Tibet, but there as here, they are betting that their military strength will allow them to turn the fiction into fact.
They have already wrested several islands from others, and have proceeded with creating facts on the ground, or in this case, in the water. They have pumped sand from the bottom of the sea and built up land facilities including runways: in effect turning reefs into stationary aircraft carriers from which they can project power elsewhere in the sea.
The Philippines have taken China to the Hague Tribunal, accusing it of violating UNCLOS (the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea) which it is a member of.
As I am writing this, there is breaking news says that the Hague Tribunal has ruled against China, saying that it had no historical rights it has claimed. That is a historic judgment indeed!
Now I expect China to simply ignore this, partly because the Tribunal has no enforcement authority. However, it is a massive loss of face for China, and anticipating this, they had avoided the trial, and the captive Chinese media and internet armies have been furiously condemning the ruling they anticipated would go against them.
The good thing about it is that it shows China for what it is: a rogue nation, a bully, which refuses to act by international standards. It is a fine counterpoint to its diplomatic theatre in the NSG a couple of weeks ago, when it pretended that convention indicated it should oppose Indias entry.
The third thing that should worry China happened in Japan. In a surprise result, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won a landslide victory in elections to the Upper House, which will now give him the flexibility to seek a constitutional amendment. That document, written by the American conquerors after WW II, with the intention of keeping a defeated and prone Japan defenceless forever, has an amazing clause in it, Article 9, that forces Japan to abjure war forever.
It had been put about by the 'deep state' types such as The Economist that Japan is deeply paficist, and that Article 9 would never be overturned. Famous last words, because the circumstances have changed drastically, and America is a declining power, and China is a hostile and growing power. The Japanese must defend themselves.
Thus, the possibility of a Japan arming itself (and they had a formidable fighting machine, including the Mitsubishi Zero, a famed fighter plane), along with possible freedom of navigation flotillas will test the Chinese in the South China Sea.
The possibility of Japan, India, Vietnam, Australia, hitherto neutral Indonesia (it has recently seen Chinese moves that threaten its resource-rich Natunas island chain), and even Singapore along with the US, all opposing China and building a coalition to contain it has increased with these events. This week may well mark the time the rest of the world said to China, Enough!.
Jerusalem: The Israeli parliament finalised a controversial law compelling NGOs that receive most of their funding from foreign state entities to declare it in official reports, a Knesset spokesman said.
The law, seen by critics as targeting leftist groups that campaign for Palestinian rights, was passed in a 57-48 vote following a lengthy debate.
"The law wishes to deal with the phenomenon of NGOs which represent foreign interests of foreign states, while acting under the cover of local organisations seeking to serve the interests of the Israeli public," its introduction read.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the law's goal was "to prevent an absurd situation, in which foreign states meddle in Israel's internal affairs by funding NGOs, without the Israeli public being aware of it."
"Unlike the left's claims, the law's approval will increase transparency, contribute to creating a discourse that reflects the Israeli public opinion, and will strengthen democracy," he wrote on his Facebook page following the final vote.
Earlier versions of the law had included the requirement that representatives of applicable NGOs must wear identifying tags and declare their funding sources when speaking at a Knesset, or parliament, committee.
Opposition head Isaac Herzog said ahead of the vote that the law represents "the buds of fascism blooming in Israel."
Head of the Arab Joint List Ayman Odeh said the law sought to "intimidate and wipe away the few organisations that act and fight in the public sphere for equality to the Arab public."
The law does not specifically refer to leftist organisations, but will be applicable to some 25 NGOs.
Right-wing NGOs, such as those supporting Israel's occupation of the West Bank, tend to rely on private donations, to which the law does not apply.
Several left-wing Israeli NGOs receive large percentages of their funding from abroad, including from European governments.
State government began operating Tuesday under a $31 billion election-year spending bill that nevertheless lacks the tax collections to sustain it for the entire fiscal year, and lawmakers say they are scrambling to fix that before it draws a lawsuit or bond downgrade.
Tuesday was expected to be crucial in determining whether the tax-averse Legislature controlled by huge Republican majorities will pass a tax increase to fully fund the spending bill and help shore up the state governments deficit-riddled finances.
But Tuesday came and went, with no major tax legislation unveiled, amid closed-door wrangling over hundreds of pages of budget-related legislation and open disputes about taxes and Republican efforts to pave the way for more charter school slots in the cash-strapped Philadelphia School District.
Theres still some issues out there that were trying to work through, said House Majority Leader Dave Reed, R-Indiana. You always have issues that are still going to be out there until the moment youre ready to go.
The House and Senate ended session Tuesday evening, with plans to resume session Wednesday morning. Lawmakers expected a vote on a nearly-finished tax package that Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf would accept.
At midnight Monday, the spending bill became law after negotiations proved fruitless, and Wolf decided not to stand in its way. Tax collections are projected to fall hundreds of millions of dollars short of funding it, while nearly $600 million in aid to Penn State, Temple, Pitt, Lincoln and Penn remained held up in the House.
Top lawmakers hoped to put a quick end to legal questions over how the state can operate on an unbalanced budget and the potential that it could draw another downgrade of Pennsylvanias battered credit rating.
Failure to act swiftly could create the momentum to do nothing, and leave it in limbo for at least the rest of the summer, top lawmakers warned.
Leaving here, with the way the governor has set the table for all the budget to become law, whatever that is, doesnt put a lot of pressure on people to come back here and do funding, and so Id rather see us with a responsible funding package than nothing at all, said Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson.
Credit ratings agency Standard & Poors took note that Pennsylvania was embarking on its 2016-17 fiscal year without a balanced budget and swiftly warned that the states credit rating could suffer.
Closed-door revenue discussions had revolved around a $1.3 billion package that relies heavily on a $1-per-pack cigarette tax increase, to $2.60-per-pack. The grab-bag included increasing taxes on banks, extending the 6 percent sales tax to digital downloads of music and videos and extending wholesale taxes to smokeless tobacco and electronic cigarettes, said Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Browne, R-Lehigh.
Legislation that would make Pennsylvania the fourth state to legalize casino-style gambling on the internet will wait until the fall, but be counted on to provide $100 million for the state treasury, Browne said.
The package also would include some sources of one-time stopgap cash that Wolf had sought to limit.
The Wolf administration maintains that it is constitutional to allow the spending bill to become law and suggested that the state constitution makes the Legislature, not the governor, responsible for ensuring that spending bills are funded.
Reed said he had some concerns about the legality of the bill. There is precedent from a 1932 court ruling under which legally mandated expenses are protected, but discretionary programs must be reduced by the same share across the board, Reed said.
That could be the result if a revenue package is not finished quickly, Reed said.
Even if lawmakers pass a revenue package, it does not solve the state governments long-term deficit, as rising costs are expected to continue to outpace sluggish tax collections.
That could be compounded by a budget that funds state prisons and Medicaid programs at more than $300 million below what the Wolf administration had recommended would be necessary to cover costs.
Unless the Wolf administration finds ways to cut costs, there could be significant cost overruns in the current fiscal year, administration officials said.
Islamabad: The mastermind behind the December 2014 massacre at Peshawar's Army Public School, has been killed in a US drone strike in Afghanistan, senior Pakistani security officials claimed.
The officials told Dawn on Monday that Umar Mansour was killed, along with another militant leader Qari Saifullah, in the US drone attack in the Bandar area of Afghanistans Nangarhar province on Saturday.
One of the officials said they had credible reports of Mansour having been killed with Saifullah, who was in charge of suicide bombers.
What we have is pretty credible, the official said.
On 25 May, the US State Department had declared Umar Mansour a global terrorist, thus clearing the path for his inclusion in the hit-list.
The State Department's announcement came four days after a drone strike killed Afghan Taliban leader Akhtar Mansour in Balochistan on 21 May.
Mansour orchestrated the attack on 16 December, 2014, on the Army Public School which killed 122 students and 22 teachers. It was one of the worst terrorist attacks which prompted the government to declare an all-out war against terrorist outfits in the country.
Mansour and Saifullah belonged to Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan's (TTP) Tariq Geedar group and used to operate in Peshawar and adjoining Frontier Region Peshawar and Darra Adamkhel.
Mansour fled to Afghanistan following a military operation in Khyber tribal region and continued to operate from there. He was held responsible for the September 2015 attack on a Pakistan Air Force base in PeshawarAs Badaber area, which killed 29 people.
He was also behind the January 2016 attack on the Bacha Khan University in Charsadda in which 18 students and faculty members lost their lives.
Kathmandu: In a sudden but not surprising move, the Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'-led CPN (Maoist Centre) on Tuesday withdrew support from the K.P. Sharma Oli government in Nepal, reducing it to a minority.
A meeting of the party's senior leaders had earlier decided to withdraw support to the barely nine-month-old Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxists-Leninists) -led government that came to power shortly after the Himalayan nation had adopted a new Constitution.
"I have decided to withdraw support from the government," said Prachanda in a statement later.
Prachanda said the party decision has been conveyed to President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister Oli and Pratinidhi Sabha (lower house of the Nepali Parliament) Speaker Onsari Gharti.
While receiving the letter of withdrawal of support, Prime Minister Oli congratulated Prachanda for "the new government", sources said conjecturing that the comment was perhaps made in a sarcastic vein.
The rift between Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda's CPN (Maoist Centre) and Olis CPN(UML) has been growing since May when the Maoists found support in the country's main Opposition, Nepali Congress. Prachanda had then asked Oli to join the government under his leadership.
However, a day later, Prachanda changed his mind and decided not to break the Left-led and Left-dominated government thus giving Oli "a reasonable amount of time to quit with dignity and subsequently support Prachanda as his successor.
With political parties now engaged in talks to form a new alliance, the developments were being keenly watched by observers as the decision to withdraw support to the incumbent government by CPN (Maoist Centre) was ostensibly to clear the path for the formation of a consensus government in the country.
Prachanda, in his abortive 5 May quit-notice to the Oli government, had also won the support of the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) that had launched a five-month-long protest movement against the Oli government after the promulgation of the Constitution on 20 September last year.
In case Oli decides to resign, it will pave the way for Prachanda's return as Prime Minister, seven years after he quit following the President's "veto" upsetting his decision to sack then Nepal Army chief Rukmangud Katawal.
New Delhi: A diplomatic spat erupted between India and Pakistan today over the unrest in Jammu and Kashmir after the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani with New Delhi dismissing Islamabad's strong attack, saying it reflected its "continued attachment" to terrorism.
India also asked Pakistan to refrain from interfering in its internal affairs, in comments that came after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif issued a statement expressing "shock" at Wani's killing. On Monday, Pakistan Foreign Office had issued a statement condemning continued "killing of innocent Kashmiris".
Pakistan also summoned Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale and conveyed Pakistan's "serious concerns over the recent killings of Kashmiri leader Burhan Wani and many other civilians in Kashmir by the Indian military and paramilitary forces." An official statement in Islamabad said Bambawale was called in by the Foreign Secretary in Islamabad.
"We have seen statements from Pakistan on the situation in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. They reflect Pakistan's continued attachment to terrorism and its usage as an instrument of State policy.
"Pakistan is advised to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of its neighbours," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in New Delhi.
Sharif's office in a statement earlier said, "The Prime Minister of Pakistan has expressed his deep shock at the killing of Kashmiri leader Burhan Wani and many other civilians by the Indian military and paramilitary forces."
Sharif said it was "deplorable that excessive and unlawful force was used against the civilians" who were protesting against the killing of Wani on Friday.
"Oppressive measures such as these cannot deter the valiant people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand of exercising their right to self-determination in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions," he added.
Pakistan's Foreign Secretary while summoning the Indian High Commissioner said the use of "excessive force" against innocent civilians protesting peacefully over extrajudicial killings, is deplorable and a blatant violation of the Right to Life, Right to Freedom of Expression and Opinion, Right to Peaceful Protest, Right to Peaceful Assembly and other fundamental rights.
The Foreign Secretary also deplored the firing by Indian security forces on peaceful protesters, an official statement said in Islamabad.
Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed also waded into the diplomatic spat, and welcomed the statements of Pakistan's foreign ministry and the Prime Minister and said the Pakistan government should raise the issue at the international level at a juncture when the "movement" for right to self-determination has gained momentum.
Bagram: US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter arrived in Afghanistan on Tuesday for talks with President Ashraf Ghani, days after the United States and Nato pledged to keep thousands of troops in the troubled country.
Carter flew in to the Bagram air base outside Kabul, and was due to meet with chief executive Abdullah Abdullah in the capital later. The Pentagon chief's visit follows a renewed commitment to Afghanistan from Nato, which said over the weekend that it would keep forces there at least until the end of 2017.
While most troops are American, some 40 countries have deployed personnel there. Their official role is to train Afghan forces, now responsible for their country's security.
Despite a massive, nearly 15-year international effort to defeat the Taliban, the resurgent group controls large areas of Afghanistan and have vowed to keep fighting until foreign forces leave.
US President Barack Obama, elected eight years ago on a pledge to end the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, has been unable to do so given the fragile security situations in both countries. Last week he dialled back plans to cut US troop numbers in Afghanistan from 9,800 to 5,500 by the end of the year.
Instead, some 8,400 US troops will remain, providing training and air support to the Afghans. Obama has also relaxed rules of engagement, making it easier for US troops to target the Taliban.
Local forces took the lead in providing security in 2015, but are struggling to contain Taliban offensives and prevent attacks from the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda.
More than 5,000 Afghan security forces were killed last year, and attacks continue. The Taliban claimed responsibility last month for a suicide attack that killed more than 30 Afghan police cadets in Kabul. Further complicating matters is endemic corruption and allegations of rights abuses.
About 13,000 Nato troops, most of whom are American, are currently stationed in Afghanistan under Operation Resolute Support to train and assist Afghan security forces.
Nato has agreed about 12,000 troops will remain in Afghanistan through at least 2017, though in reality local troops are likely to need foreign support and funding for years to come. In return, Nato is demanding reforms of the Afghan security forces.
Carter's visit followed a brief trip to Baghdad on Monday, where he pledged hundreds of additional US troops to assist Iraqis fighting against the Islamic State group.
Kabul: US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter reiterated Washington's support for "courageous" Afghan security forces Tuesday, days after the United States and Nato pledged to keep thousands of troops in the troubled country.
Carter spoke as President Ashraf Ghani welcomed the "environment of trust" between Washington and Kabul at a joint news conference in the Afghan capital.
"The Afghan security forces have demonstrated the motivation, the will and the resilience in the face of a persistent enemy," Carter said.
"I have confidence in the ability of the Afghan forces to provide for the stability and security that the Afghan people deserve and I commend them for fighting courageously last year during a tough fighting season."
The Pentagon chief's unannounced visit follows a renewed commitment to Afghanistan from Nato, which said over the weekend it would keep forces there until the end of 2017 at least.
Most are American, but around 40 countries have deployed troops there. Their official role is to train Afghan forces, which are now responsible for their country's security.
Despite a massive, nearly 15-year international effort to defeat the Taliban, the resurgent group controls large areas of Afghanistan and has vowed to keep fighting until foreign forces leave.
Both Carter and Ghani also addressed the role of Afghanistan's neighbour Pakistan, long accused by Kabul of sponsoring militants including the Taliban.
Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed by a US drone in Pakistan earlier this year in a strike that Islamabad said violated its sovereignty.
But Carter, while stressing the US would work with Pakistan "wherever it can" on extremism, warned that Washington would "continue to target and strike terrorist leaders everywhere in the world where they might threaten Americans or our interests and our friends".
"Pakistan has a fundamental decision to make," added Ghani, who has loudly demanded in the past that Pakistan take action against the Taliban. "There is no difference between good terrorists and bad terrorists."
'Full transparency'
President Barack Obama, elected eight years ago on a pledge to end the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, has been unable to do so given the fragile security situations in both countries.
Last week he dialled back plans to cut US troop numbers in Afghanistan from 9,800 to 5,500 by the end of the year.
Instead, around 8,400 US troops will remain, providing training and air support to the Afghans.
Obama has also relaxed its rules of engagement, making it easier for US troops to target the Taliban a move the head of Nato forces in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, said was in "recognition of the difficulties that we are facing".
Local forces took the lead in providing security in 2015, but are struggling to contain Taliban offensives and prevent attacks from the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda.
More than 5,000 Afghan security forces were killed last year, and attacks continue. The Taliban claimed responsibility last month for a suicide attack that killed more than 30 Afghan police cadets in Kabul.
Further complicating matters is endemic corruption and allegations of rights abuses.
"Corruption is as dangerous as terrorism," Ghani said Tuesday, vowing to account for every penny "with full transparency".
About 13,000 Nato troops, most of whom are American, are stationed in Afghanistan under Operation Resolute Support to train and assist Afghan security forces.
Nato has agreed about 12,000 will stay until at least 2017, though in reality local troops are likely to need foreign support and funding for years to come.
In return, Nato is demanding reforms of the Afghan security forces.
Carter's visit followed a brief trip to Baghdad on Monday, where he pledged hundreds of additional US troops to assist Iraqis fighting the IS group.
Singapore: Four Bangladeshi nationals on Tuesday were sentenced in Singapore to up to five years in prison for raising money for the dreaded Islamic State terror group and plotting to overthrow the government back home.
Ringleader Rahman Mizanur was sentenced to five years in prison. Sohel Hawlader Ismail Hawlader was sentenced to 2 years in jail while Miah Rubel and Md Jabath Kysar Haje Norul Islam Sowdagar were handed down 2.5 years jail term each.
They were earlier charged with providing or collecting money to fund terrorist acts in Bangladesh.
Asking for deterrent sentences, the prosecution pointed out that the accused men have caused public disquiet and were funding one of the Islamic State militant group.
The four were part of a group of six charged under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act (TSOFA) - the first time the Act has been used for prosecution.
The other two - Zaman Daulat and Mamun Leakot Ali have denied the charges and are claiming trial. Court documents had shown that the men had clearly defined roles. They were led by Rahman, with Mamun as the group's deputy leader.
Miah was in the group's financial council, while Jabath handled the group's media. Zaman and Sohel were in the group's security and fighter councils respectively. Miah and Jabath were also accused of possessing money for terrorist purposes.
Court documents also showed that Jabath was in possession of USD 1,360 - this includes a sum of USD 1,060 that he was handed by Miah last month. In all, the six had contributed sums of USD 60 to USD 500 to the cause.
They were planning attacks back home in hopes of toppling their government, Strait Times reported.
Their goal was to set up an Islamic state in Bangladesh and bring it under the self-declared caliphate of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), it said.
The six were among eight men arrested between late March and early April this year. Bangladesh has been reeling under a spate of terror attacks.
Victims of the attacks by suspected Islamists have included secular bloggers, gay rights activists and followers of minority religions including Hindus, Christians and Muslim Sufis and Shiites.
Recently, gunmen stormed a popular restaurant in Dhaka's diplomatic enclave and killed 22 people, most of them foreigners from Italy, Japan, India and the US in an attack that was claimed by the Islamic State.
Manila: Philippine activists on Tuesday protested outside the Chinese Embassy ahead of a landmark ruling by an international court on a territorial dispute in the South China Sea.
The activists carried placards saying "The Philippines is ours, get out China," "Hands off Philippines" and "China out of the Philippine Waters" as they marched to the embassy in the financial district of Makati City.
"We are confident the arbitration court will favour the Philippines and we can disprove China's irrational claim in our territory," said Salvador France, vice chairman of Pamalakaya, a fisherfolk organization that led the protest.
"China by hook or by crook must immediately stop their reclamation activities in the West Philippine Sea and leave if the arbitration will favour the Philippines' claim on the disputed waters," he added.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration is scheduled to hand down a decision on the Philippines' case against China at 5 pm (0900 GMT).
Manila filed the case in January 2013 after China took control of Scarborough Shoal, 124 nautical miles from the Philippines' northwestern coast.
The case seeks to declare China's claims to almost the entire South China Sea as illegal and against international maritime laws, particularly the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Beijing has refused to participate in the arbitration.
Apart from China and the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam also have overlapping claims to the South China Sea, a key shipping lane believed to be rich in mineral and marine resources.
The United States will send 560 more troops to Iraq to transform a freshly retaken air base into a staging hub for the long-awaited battle to recapture Mosul from Islamic State militants, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Monday. The new American forces should arrive in the coming weeks.
Most of the engineers, logistics personnel, security and communications forces will concentrate on building up Qayara air base, about 40 kilometers south of Mosul. They will assist Iraqi forces planning to encircle and eventually retake the biggest city anywhere that has fallen under IS control.
The extremist group captured Mosul in the summer of 2014. It has used the city as a main headquarters since.
These additional U.S. forces will bring unique capabilities to the campaign and provide critical enabler support to Iraqi forces at a key moment in the fight, Carter said on an unannounced visit to the country.
Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, the top U.S. commander in the fight against the Islamic State group, said they have already received warning orders to deploy and will flow in relatively soon.
Carter announced President Barack Obamas decision as he met about 120 troops in a building at Baghdads airport, shielded from scorching desert hovering near 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It is Obamas second U.S. troop increase in Iraq in the last three months, and it brings the total U.S. force authorization there to 4,647.
Asked how long America will continue to send more forces to the fight, Carter said that the U.S. is determined to defeat IS, and if commanders need for more troops, Ill ask the president for them.
He also said he has offered Iraqi leaders additional help in learning how to detect and counter explosives and roadside bombs, in order to enhance security in Baghdad, where there have been several recent deadly attacks.
Carter told reporters that U.S. advisers are prepared to accompany Iraqi battalions in operations, as those units begin the Mosul siege. Its not clear when exactly that will happen. U.S. officials said a team of American troops went into Qayara for a quick site assessment Sunday and left.
The airfield has two runways, officials said, making it easier to move supplies and personnel. But the facilities are damaged by years of fighting, and may require repairs to be operational. Officials werent authorized to talk about the airfield publicly and demanded anonymity.
Iraqi forces retook the Qayara air base from the Islamic State group on Saturday. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi hailed the success and said residents should get ready for the liberation.
Carter called it a strategic victory. Before arriving in Baghdad, he said the base will be a hub to help Iraqi forces complete the southern-most envelopment of Mosul. He likened Qayara to the eastern city of Makhmour, where U.S. troops set up a fire base for artillery to support advancing Iraqi units. Marine Staff Sgt. Louis F. Cardin was killed there in March in an IS rocket attack.
MacFarland said the new forces wont go any closer to the fight than other troops operating out of Makhmour or Taqaddum, a staging base for the battles in Ramadi and Fallujah. Iraqi forces recently retook both cities.
Amsterdam: An arbitration court in The Hague will rule on Tuesday in a dispute about the South China Sea in which the Philippines is challenging China's right to exploit resources across vast swathes of the strategic territory.
China has boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, saying it does not have jurisdiction to decide on the matter.
The ruling stands to further ramp up tensions in the region, where China's increased military assertiveness has spread concern among its smaller neighbours and is a point of confrontation with the United States.
The United States and China regularly conduct military exercises in the area, which is of vital interest to both Beijing and Washington, and have accused each other of provocations as recently as last month.
Influential state-run Chinese newspaper the Global Times said in an editorial on Tuesday that China's reaction to the ruling "depends on provocation".
"So far, none of the concerned parties want military confrontation. But all are ratcheting up military preparations," it said.
Even if Beijing ignores the decision, it is significant as it will be the first time that a legal challenge has been brought in the dispute, which draws in five countries with overlapping claims to some of the world's most promising oil and gas fields and vital fishing grounds.
It reflects the shifting balance of power in the 3.5 million square kilometre sea, where China has been expanding its presence by building artificial islands and dispatching patrol boats that keep Philippine fishing vessels away.
The case, brought by the Philippines in 2013, hinges on the legal status of reefs, rocks and artificial islands in the Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Island Group.
WILL JUDGES GO BIG?
Manila's 15-point case critically asks the tribunal to rule on the status of China's so-called 'nine-dash line', a boundary that is the basis for its 69-year-old claim to roughly 85 percent of the South China Sea.
The tribunal will not decide on matters of territorial sovereignty, but will apply the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in determining which countries can claim economic exploitation rights, based on geographic features.
Under the 1982 UNCLOS, islands grant their owners a 12 nautical mile radius of sovereign territorial waters.
Manila argued in closed court hearings that none of the islands, shoals and reefs in the Spratlys are large enough to grant an additional 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for fishing and extracting seabed resources.
Manila also contests China's effective control of the Scarborough Shoal, a scattering of rocks off the coast of the Philippines' Luzon island, seeking a ruling that would show it sits within the Philippines' EEZ.
A decision on the nine-dash-line's legality would signal that the court's judges had "decided to go big", said Julian Ku, law professor at Hofstra University. "If the nine-dash line were declared invalid, then in theory all the other countries would be emboldened."
The court has no power of enforcement, but a victory for the Philippines could spur Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, which also have overlapping claims, to file similar cases.
Beijing: Calling for national unity ahead of Tuesday's verdict by an international tribunal on China's claims in the South China Sea, state media directed its ire against US and Japan saying that Beijing should be on high alert if tensions escalate putting to test the PLA's military strength.
"The US and Japan have claimed that relevant countries, including China, should comply with the arbitration result. They stand in sharp confrontation with China, which has announced that the award would be 'nothing but a piece of paper'," state-run Global Times said ahead of the verdict of the five-judge arbitral tribunal constituted Permanent Court of Arbitration adjudicating on the Philippines' petition against China's claims.
Besides accusing China of taking control of the area around 140 miles from its coast, the Philippines' petition asked the international tribunal to reject China's claim to sovereignty over waters within a 'nine-dash line' that appears on official Chinese maps.
The U-shaped line represents China's claims to as much as 90 per cent of the South China Sea (SCS) important for global trade and rich in natural resources, including oil deposits.
"Whether the arbitration will lead to a severe geopolitical crisis has come under the global spotlight," it said in its editorial titled "China's reaction to arbitration depends on provocation".
"We believe the Chinese government must have made a series of contingency plans to deal with subsequent actions. What actions China may take on Huangyan and Ren'ai, (the area under contention) and whether China will announce a SCS Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) depends on the reactions of Philippines to the arbitration result and the degree of US and Japanese provocations," it said.
"So far, none of the concerned parties want military confrontation. But all are ratcheting up military
preparations. The South China Sea has been clouded by unprecedented tensions. It's uncertain where the situation will head to," it said.
In a similar editorial another state-run newspaper China Daily said, "The United States and some of its allies are already eyeing Tuesday as a day of triumph, as they believe the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration will rule against China in a case unilaterally brought by the Philippines over their South China Sea dispute. Much fanfare can be expected should the farce directed by Washington finally reach the climax it anticipates".
China claims almost all of the SCS bit its claim is firmly contested by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan which have overlapping claims over the area.
Juba: South Sudan's president and his estranged deputy ordered a ceasefire on Tuesday after a new day of heavy fighting in the capital that sent thousands fleeing and threatened a return to civil war.
President Salva Kiir's ceasefire order Monday evening was followed by a similar call from ex-rebel and Vice President Riek Machar, raising hopes of an end to three days of deadly fighting between the army and former rebels in the world's youngest nation.
"The president has reiterated his commitment to the continued implementation of the [peace] agreement in letter and spirit, and thus issues an order of cessation of hostilities with immediate effect," Information Minister Michael Makuei said on state television at 6:00 pm local time (1500 GMT).
Machar, a former rebel, then asked troops loyal to him to stop fighting.
"I inform all troops who have been fighting and have been defending themselves that they should observe the ceasefire and stay in position," Machar said on Eye Radio Juba.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon meanwhile called for an immediate arms embargo against South Sudan and also appealed to the UN Security Council for targeted sanctions against those involved in the fighting.
The UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) should also be strengthened with attack helicopters, Ban said.
UNMISS said "more than 7,000 people" had sought shelter at two compounds it runs for the displaced in Juba, while fighting was also reported in the south-eastern town of Torit where thousands fled to a UN base.
Eight people have been killed and 67 injured at the UN's so-called "Protection of Civilian" sites in Juba since Sunday. "UNMISS compounds are caught directly between the fighting and continue to sustain impacts from small arms and heavy weapons fire," it said in a statement.
Intense battles were fought throughout Monday with tanks and helicopter gunships deployed and artillery and mortar fire heard in parts of the city.
Witnesses reported "very, very heavy fighting" in Juba with residents barricading themselves inside houses and aid workers holed up in bunkers. The US embassy warned of "serious fighting between government and opposition forces".
The only civilians on the streets scurried for shelter during lulls in fighting.
The current fighting between soldiers loyal to Kiir, a member of the Dinka tribe, and former rebels backing Machar, a Nuer, was triggered by a deadly altercation at a checkpoint Thursday night.
That was followed by hours of violent confrontations on Friday evening that left "over 300 soldiers" dead, according to Makuei.
Of all the flamboyant characters amidst the very public backstabbing in the race to become Britain's next prime minister, the winner turned out to be an understated workhorse who maintained a low profile throughout the campaign.
Interior Minister Theresa May, 59, is not well-known internationally, but she has served for six years in one of Britain's toughest jobs, playing an important role in counter-terrorism policy, and will now take charge of delicate negotiations to separate Britain from the European Union (EU). Britain's planned withdrawal has weakened the 28-nation bloc, created huge uncertainty over trade and investment, and shaken financial markets.
She was less visible and less talked-about as a likely future prime minister than Treasury Chief George Osborne and former London mayor Boris Johnson, but she proved to be the stealth candidate, out-maneouvering both in the intense competition to replace David Cameron at 10 Downing Street.
May on Wednesday will become the prime minister who leads Britain into talks to quit the European Union, after her last rival in the bid to succeed Cameron pulled out. May became the only contender after Andrea Leadsom who had stirred a storm for suggesting she was more qualified to be premier because she had children abruptly quit the race on Monday.
Accompanied by her banker husband Philip and surrounded by supportive MPs, a smiling May later stressed the need "to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU" in brief comments outside parliament. With Cameron's inglorious exit from the government after 52 percent Britons voted to leave EU, May has a score of challenges ahead of her as she moves into 10 Downing Street on Wednesday evening.
Apart from the long-term plans of the new British PM, May will have causes which would need immediate attention.
Brexit
Britain has faced the worst political turmoil in generations following 23 June's shocking referendum vote to leave the EU. The outcome prompted Cameron to step down, plunging his ruling Conservative party into a bitter leadership race. One of the major tasks for May would be to steer Britain's withdrawal from the EU.
During the EU referendum campaign, Osborne was passionate about remaining in the EU, and lost his leadership hopes when voters turned the other way. Johnson led the campaign to take Britain out of the EU, but never formally entered the leadership race because of dwindling support among his party's lawmakers.
By contrast, May stayed largely out of the referendum fray. She tepidly backed staying in the EU in a single speech, then remained largely out of sight as the behemoths of the Conservative Party including Cameron and Justice Secretary Michael Gove did each other in.
Publicly, May has spoken thrice on Brexit and everytime she has maintained:
"Brexit means Brexit, and we're going to make a success of it. There will be no attempt to remain inside the EU, no attempts to rejoin it by the back door, and no second referendum. The country voted to leave the EU, and as prime minister I will make sure that we leave the EU."
May has ruled out any 'second referendum' and no re-entry in to the EU via the back door. But she, like the Leave campaign of which she was not a member, has clearly said with any precision what she thinks Brexit means. May's ascension to the post of Britain's premier means that the complex process of extricating Britain from the EU will be led by someone from the losing side of the acrimonious referendum campaign. She has said Britain needs time to work out its negotiating strategy and should not initiate formal divorce proceedings before the end of the year.
May's biggest challenge will be to map out the course of Britain's withdrawal, a process still clouded in uncertainty, and to sort out new terms of trade with the other 27 EU nations. EU leaders will want immediate activation of Article 50, the trigger for formal negotiations. Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union allows a member state to notify the EU of its withdrawal and obliges the EU to try to negotiate a withdrawal agreement with that state it involves five points laid out below. May had initially said that the leadership would consiering activation of Article 50 only by January 2017. The road is tricky if she does not immediately enforce Article 50, it will not go down well with EU leaders, if she softens her stand on it, her critics in UK won't wait to pin this is as her first failure.
How May unites the 52-to-48 (percentage in which Britain voted during EU referendum) is possibly the largest challenge for the soon-to-be prime minister. Since May belonged to the Remain campaign, her detractors will be watching her closely for any hint of backsliding.
"We will have difficult negotiations with Britain, it will not be easy," said German chancellor Angela Merkel who insisted that Britain would not be able to get free access to the EU's single market without accepting free movement of people. European Economics Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said: "We should open the negotiations as quickly as possible in order to limit uncertainty." More than 1,000 British lawyers said in a letter to Cameron that members of parliament should decide whether Britain leaves the EU because the referendum was not legally binding.
Opposition members of Parliament, responding to the impending appointment of May, demanded a general election. "It is crucial, given the instability caused by the Brexit vote, that the country has a democratically-elected prime minister," Labour party election coordinator Jon Trickett said.
Britain's dwindling economy
May wants to begin formal talks to leave the EU by the end of the year at the earliest, despite pressure from Brussels to speed things up. Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the Dutch finance minister who heads the Eurogroup of his 19 eurozone counterparts, reiterated calls for the transfer of power to take place as soon as possible, AFP reported.
"The sooner we can sort out let me say it diplomatically this problematic situation, the better," Dijsselbloem told reporters. The pound, which hit a 31-year low following the Brexit vote, briefly rose after Leadsom, a pro-Brexit figure with no senior ministerial experience, withdrew from contention to be prime minister.
Described as a "safe pair of hands", the new prime minister faces the daunting job of negotiating a deal with an angered EU, one that does not cripple the British economy. However, trade deal between the EU and Britain currently is a mess.
Cameron and EU leaders, till last week, were arguing over when to officially begin the process. Cameron had said he wanted to know what a deal will look like first, and the EU had said talks cannot begin until they are given confirmation that Britain wants out.
The UK will want access to Europe's tariff-free single market, but to do so, Britain will also have to be forced to accept free movement of labour, a rule according to which EU citizens can turn up in Britain to look for work with or without a job offer and vice-versa. This is where it gets tricky for Britain as stopping EU citizens from coming into the country in large numbers was a key argument in the campaign to leave the Union, in the first place.
British markets and the pound took a battering following the Brexit vote, but according to reports, they do appear to be bouncing back. Bigger worry for May would be the country's debt, which is estimated at over 1,000,000,000,000 a trillion pounds ($1.3 trillion) or as CNN pointed out 90 percent of its GDP. Reuters reported that Britain lost its top credit ratings with agencies Standard & Poor's and Fitch Group, following Brexit voting, which meant that investors are losing confidence in the nation's leadership.
Immigrants and EU nationals
There are three million EU nationals currently living in Britain. May's earliest challenges will be to decide what to do with that set of population. May had initially said that she couldn't guarantee them a permanent place and, although she would like them to stay, their status would be subject to the withdrawal negotiations.
May has portrayed herself as a unifying leader and tough negotiator who can stand up to Brussels in the talks over Britain's exit from the 28-nation bloc although the 59-year-old is notorious for her tough stance on immigration. Her work in Westminster has largely consisted of tightening immigration controls and refusing to welcome larger numbers of refugees into the island nation. She has fought, but failed, to cut immigration since 2010. According to Russia Today, May rejected EUs proposal of compulsory refugee quotas. Her contention was that it is important to help people living in warzones and refugee camps, but not the ones who are strong and rich enough to come to Europe.
Even though her promotion to the top job was hailed by most world leaders as a progressive move, May will not guarantee EU nationals already living in a post-Brexit Britain can stay unless she receives a similar commitment from the other 27 member states about Britons overseas, Associated Press reported. Under her tenure, hundreds of asylum seekers, including women and children, have been kept in detention centers across Britain before being deported on secret charter flights, Guardian reported.
She was also responsible for the notorious billboard campaign telling immigrants to "Go home or face arrest". The controversial scheme, where two advertising vans were driven around displaying the slogan and advertising a helpline to illegal immigrants who want to leave the UK, was deemed unsuccessful as just one illegal immigrant came forward.
Trident and defence spending
Britain must prioritise replacing its Trident nuclear deterrent in the wake of the referendum to leave the EU with a parliamentary vote in July, May recently said. According to a Reuters report May wants all four of Britain's submarines to be replaced and expects Cameron and Michael Fallon, the defence minister, to use a Nato summit in Poland to tell Britain's allies that the British government is committed to Trident.
"The House of Commons should, before the summer recess, vote on Britain's next-generation nuclear deterrent and we should get on with getting it built."
One of the first tasks of a British PM, after meeting with the Queen, is to write "the letter of the last resort."
Given some time alone, the prime minister is requested to decide and write it in a letter addressed to the commanders of each of the Vanguard-class submarines in the navy. The message is then sealed in an envelope and sent to be placed into the boats safes. The options are said to include the orders "Put yourself under the command of the US, if it is still there"; "Go to Australia"; "Retaliate"; or "Use your own judgment".
May has called for an urgent vote on whether to renew the nations Trident nuclear deterrent in the wake of the Brexit vote, "saying it would be sheer madness for Britain to give up on it. The British Parliament is expected to vote at the end of July on whether to proceed with building successor submarines to the existing Vanguard fleet, which is due to become obsolete within 15 years. According to BBC, May wants all four submarines to be replaced, saying a post-Brexit Britain must show it is committed to working with its Nato allies.
Activists, however, claim the renewal of Trident is expensive, unsafe, ill-suited for contemporary warfare and in violation of international commitments. Those who oppose Trident renewal cited the massive cost of replacing the weaponry 205 billion ($296 billion). The Labour party, however, is split over Trident. Many MPs back the nuclear deterrent but their leader, Jeremy Corbyn, does not.
With inputs from agencies
Juba: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the Security Council on Monday to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan, sanction leaders and commanders who are blocking the implementation of a peace deal and fortify a UN peacekeeping mission.
Heavy fighting involving tanks and helicopters raged in South Sudan on Monday between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and those backing Vice President Riek Machar. The violence, which erupted in the capital Juba four days ago, risks a return to civil war in the world's newest nation.
"This is the time to massively reinforce UN action," Ban told reporters, adding that fighting had spread to areas outside of Juba in Central Equatoria state.
"When a government cannot or will not protect its people, and when warring parties seem more intent on enriching and empowering themselves at the expense of their people, the international community has a responsibility to act," he said.
Two Chinese UN peacekeepers and one local UN staff member have been killed in the fighting, Ban said. UN peacekeepeers have been deployed in South Sudan since the country gained independence from Sudan in 2011.
"We desperately need attack helicopters and other material to fulfil our mandate to protect civilians," Ban said. "I also urge all countries contributing to (the UN mission) UNMISS to stand their ground. Any withdrawals would send precisely the wrong signal, in South Sudan and across the world."
Kiir and Machar have long been rivals in politics and on the battlefield. A civil war that began in December 2013 came a few months after Kiir dismissed Machar as his deputy. The pair signed a peace deal in August 2015, but implementation has been slow.
"Yet again, the leaders of South Sudan have failed their people," Ban said. "What kind of leadership is it that resorts to deadly weapons and identity politics, time and again? Failed leadership."
In a rare move, Ban called for an immediate arms embargo on South Sudan and targeted sanctions on leaders and commanders blocking implementation of the peace deal.
The United States, Britain, France, Angola and other members of the Security Council pushed for an arms embargo on South Sudan earlier this year. But veto power Russia said it was opposed to such a move because it did not believe it would be helpful to implementation of the peace deal.
Ban said he would meet with the 15-member Security Council on Tuesday to discuss the situation in South Sudan.
Washington: A group of 15 top American Muslim organisations has alleged that a California board responsible for developing school textbooks is injecting "Islamophobic content" in the new curriculum.
"The injection of Islamophobic content into the teacher's manuals would inflame how student discussions are framed. Students, teachers, and communities all suffer when the content is rigged to cause disruption," the top Muslim American group said in a letter to the California State Board of Education, which is in the final stages of revising and updating the K-12 History-Social Science Framework for public schools.
"The bombardment of prejudicial ideas, from media outlets to candidates in the Presidential election primaries has left no one immune. Even the educators our children look up to are impacted by the hateful discourse," the letter told the California Board which is considered to be very influential as its textbooks are followed and adopted in several US states.
In the letter, the organisations alleged that contrary to the treatment given to other religions, Islam has been introduced in the curriculum primarily under a narrative of war and conquest.
These organisations include the Islamic Society of North America (National), Islamic Circle of North America, Northern California Islamic Council (NCIC), Islamic Shura Council of Southern California and Indian American Muslim Council. "The curriculum text in its current form is prejudiced in its references to alleged forced conversions of non-Muslims to Islam, often when no such forced conversions are even reported in historical sources," the letter said.
"Likewise, the curriculum text completely obliterates the role played by the US foreign policy in funding extremist religious Muslim groups to achieve short term political objectives and advances the idea that religious extremism is to be found only among Muslims, placing the blame squarely on 'Radical Islam'," it said.
The letter alleged that only Islam is singled out when it comes to the study of religious nationalism even though Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army has killed tens of thousands of people in Africa in the name of Christian nationalism.
"Despite India being the second most populous country in the world, the dramatic rise of Hindu nationalism in that country and its violent consequences to religious minorities have been reduced to a passing reference in the curriculum under the religious nationalism section," it alleged.
"It is disconcerting to see hundreds of edits submitted by groups and individuals that insert more Islamophobia into the already problematic California school curriculum," the letter said.
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Energy prices are important for everyone, and the plunge in crude oil prices in 2015 showed just how important changes in the values of key commodities can be for consumers and investors alike. But for investors, there's more to consider than the price of oil today. Crude oil futures offer you an opportunity to profit from fluctuations in the price of a barrel of WTI or Brent crude, but they work a lot differently from just buying oil and gas company stocks. Below, you'll learn the basics of crude oil futures, and the impact that they can have on your portfolio.
Crude oil futures defined
Crude oil futures are futures contracts in which buyers and sellers of oil coordinate and agree to deliver specific amounts of physical crude oil on a given date in the future. The benchmark futures contract for crude oil in the U.S. involves West Texas Intermediate, a particular grade of oil that has fairly low density and sulfur content that makes it relatively easy to refine. It has historically traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange, and therefore many traders refer to the contracts as NYMEX WTI crude oil futures. Trading is also common globally for what are called Brent crude oil futures, which involve a different grade of oil found in the North Sea off the European continent.
The specifications for crude oil futures contracts are set in a way that allow market participants to trade them uniformly. Each contract covers 1,000 barrels, and dates for delivery are available up to nine years into the future. At some point during the delivery month, the seller must deliver the oil to the buyer at a pipeline or storage facility in the energy hub of Cushing, Oklahoma, with official transfer of title accompanying the actual physical movement of oil.
How to invest using crude oil futures
As you can see, the primary purpose of crude oil futures is to connect producers of oil with consumers of oil. Oil producers can sell futures contracts that match up to their expected future production, and by doing so, they can effectively lock in current prices. Although futures contract prices change every day, a seller receives financial credit when futures prices go down, offsetting the drop in oil's market price. For instance, if a contract falls from $50 per barrel to $49, then the seller will get a $1,000 credit, corresponding to the $1 decline multiplied by the 1,000 barrels covered by the contract. Conversely, if the contract rises from $50 to $51, the seller takes a $1,000 loss, offsetting the eventual gain the seller will get in future by having a higher price.
Buyers who need crude oil as a raw material, on the other hand, such as refinery companies, can ensure they have adequate future supplies and lock in favorable pricing. For buyers, the finances of futures work in the opposite direction. Rising prices give them a financial credit, while falling prices cost them. The net effect, though, is to set the price actually paid for the oil at the level at which the buyer entered into the futures contract in the first place.
Crude oil futures and speculation
Investors generally aren't interested in taking possession of thousands of barrels of crude oil. Many traders participate in futures markets without ever dealing with actual physical delivery. As long as you close out your futures position before the expiration date of the contract, then you can experience the same financial gains and losses as other participants from the daily movements of futures prices.
In order to trade futures, however, you have to set up a margin account with a broker that handles futures trading. In order to cover potential losses, you also have to maintain a certain amount of equity in the account. For NYMEX crude oil futures, the current margin maintenance requirements range from $2,900 to $3,400 depending on the date of the contract. If losses push the available capital in your margin account below that level, then you'll have to deposit more money in order to keep your futures position.
Even if you never trade in futures yourself, keep in mind that any energy companies in which you invest likely use futures for their own account. Therefore, understanding how crude oil futures work can give you a lot of insight into how companies' share prices should react to changing oil prices. For instance, a producer that has already sold futures on most of its future production shouldn't react much when oil prices change. Those that don't participate in the futures markets, however, are largely unhedged and can see a lot of volatility when oil prices move sharply.
Crude oil futures are an integral part of how the energy industry operates. The futures markets can be a risky place for individual investors, but energy companies that use futures well can often boost their profits or avoid losses that their peers end up suffering.
Image source: Getty Images.
The Roth IRA is one of the most valuable tools you can use to save for retirement. Even though they don't offer the upfront tax deduction that traditional IRAs give you, what you get in return is tax-free treatment of withdrawals after you retire. Given all the potential tax savings, it's important to make sure you follow the rules for Roth IRAs. Below, we'll look at five Roth IRA rules you should commit to memory as you plan out your retirement investing strategy.
Rule 1: There are limits to whether and how much you can contribute to a Roth IRA.
Roth IRAs have the same contribution limits as regular IRAs. For 2016, those limits are $5,500 for those younger than age 50, and $6,500 for those 50 or older. You need to have earned income in order to contribute to a Roth, however, so once you retire, you won't be able to continue to make Roth IRA contributions. Those who have smaller amounts of earnings from wages, salaries, tips, or other compensation can only set aside up to what they make. So an 18-year-old earning $2,500 can contribute only $2,500 to a Roth, but one making $6,000 can contribute the $5,500 maximum.
In addition, those who make too much income have further limitations on contributing to a Roth. One income limit begins a phase-out of your ability to make Roth contributions, with the maximum amount being reduced from the limits above. Above a higher income limit, you can't contribute at all. The table below has the limitations based on filing status.
Filing Status Phase-Out Begins No Roth Contribution Allowed Above Single or head of household $117,000 $132,000 Married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er) $184,000 $194,000 Married filing separately $0 $10,000
Data source: IRS.
Rule 2: You can always take back your Roth IRA contributions without tax or penalty.
One of the downsides of traditional IRAs is once you make contributions, your money is generally locked in. Withdrawals are taxable, and unless you qualify for an exception, a 10% penalty applies for early withdrawals before age 59 1/2. That can deter younger savers from using IRAs for retirement saving.
Roth IRAs are more flexible about getting access to your money. Because you funded the Roth with after-tax money, you can withdraw those contributions tax-free, and the IRS is kind enough to treat withdrawals as coming first from your contributions. Ideally, you'll be able to keep money in a Roth until retirement to have it work as hard as possible for you. But knowing you can get at it if you need it is a powerful incentive to use Roth IRAs for retirement saving.
Rule 3: Roth IRAs don't make you take distributions in retirement.
Roth IRAs are also more flexible than their traditional counterparts once you retire. Regular IRAs force you to take minimum distributions beginning at age 70 1/2, whether you need the money or not. Because those withdrawals are taxable, they can create an unexpected tax burden that retirees are ill-prepared to handle.
By contrast, Roth IRAs don't force you to take required minimum distributions at any age. You therefore have the flexibility to keep money in a Roth until you truly need it. That can simplify finances greatly for those in retirement.
Rule 4: There's a tricky way to get into a Roth IRA.
High-income taxpayers used to be locked out of Roth IRAs because of the income limits described above. But in 2010, a workaround became available when lawmakers repealed former income limits on Roth conversions.
Image source: Getty Images.
Therefore, if you have money in a traditional IRA or 401(k) account, you can do a Roth conversion to move money into a Roth IRA. You'll pay income tax on the converted amount just as you would on any other regular retirement account withdrawal. However, from there on out, the Roth IRA will grow tax-free, and withdrawals won't be taxed as long as you comply with some detailed rules about Roth distributions and conversions.
Rule 5: If you goof up, you can undo Roth IRA contributions or conversions.
Some people get scared to use Roth IRAs because they're afraid they'll run afoul of the rules. In particular, income limits can make it tricky if you're not sure whether your earnings will be below or above the applicable thresholds. Similarly, Roth conversions can have dramatic tax impacts that can affect the rest of your tax return in an undesirable way.
To accommodate these concerns, the IRS allows retirement savers to undo Roth contributions or conversions within a certain time period. If you find out that you're not allowed to make a Roth contribution, you have until the tax filing deadline for the tax year for which you made the contribution to withdraw the money along with any earnings. Similarly, you can undo a Roth conversion in a process known as recharacterization, putting the converted amount and any earnings back to its original traditional IRA source. In either event, the IRS will treat the transaction as if it had never happened.
Roth IRAs have benefits that no other retirement account can match. By knowing these rules and committing them to memory, you'll be better prepared to use Roth IRAs in your own retirement planning to put yourself in a more financially secure position.
The article 5 Roth IRA Rules You Should Know by Heart originally appeared on Fool.com.
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Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Image source: Applied Micro.
Applied Micro Circuits, a company that made it onto the radars of tech investors as one of the first vendors of ARM server chips, put out a press release today announcing that it will adopt Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s 7-nanometer chip technology for future products.
Additionally, the company also provided an update on its upcoming third-generation X-Gene family of products. Let's take a closer look at these announcements and what they might mean to investors.
Nothing surprising about 7-nanometer adoption
TSMC is currently in mass production on its 16-nanometer manufacturing technology, the technology that Applied Micro's third-generation X-Gene is built on. The chip manufacturer is expected to transition to its next-generation manufacturing technology -- 10-nanometer -- early in 2017.
The 10-nanometer node, however, is expected to be short-lived for TSMC. The node will likely be adopted for 2017 smartphonesby the likes of MediaTek, HiSilicon, andApple , but it is generally believed that many fabless companies will skip 10-nanometer and go to TSMC's 7-nanometer technology.
It's no surprise, then, that Applied Micro will skip the 10-nanometer technology node altogether and land its fourth-generation X-Gene processor family on TSMC's 7-nanometer process.
Update on third-generation X-Gene
In the press release, Applied Micro said that its third-generation X-Gene processor family is expected to "sample to customers by early 2017." Generally speaking, one can count on at least a yearlong gap between when a processor family samples and when it starts shipping to customers in significant volume. In other words, I believe that X-Gene 3 won't start contributing materially to the company's revenue until 2018.
Indeed, in light of this timeline, it's not hard to see why Applied isn't bothering to move to 10-nanometer. TSMC says that its 7-nanometer technology will go into mass production in the first half of 2018, so by the time that the fourth-generation X-Gene chips are ready to go into production, so too will TSMC's 7-nanometer process.
What this means for the company
Applied Micro has long compared its products to those of server-processor market leader Intel . Although X-Gene 1 and X-Gene 2 do not appear to have been particularly successful in the marketplace, Applied aims to take server-processor share from the chip giant with the X-Gene processor family.
Although the success or failure of a product in the marketplace depends on more than the manufacturing technology that it's built on, manufacturing technology is certainly a factor that drives performance and power efficiency.
Intel released server processors aimed at servers based on its 14-nanometer technology in March of 2016, and is expected to transition to a second generation of chips using its 14-nanometer technology in the first half of 2017.
If Intel keeps to an annual server-product release cadence, then we should expect to see the first parts based on its 10-nanometer technology available in volume during the first half of 2018. In that case, Intel would still have a substantial manufacturing edge over Applied, which could make it difficult for the latter to gain share with X-Gene 3.
The article Applied Micro Circuits Corporation Announces Use of TSMC 7-Nanometer Tech originally appeared on Fool.com.
Ashraf Eassa owns shares of Intel. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Apple. The Motley Fool has the following options: long January 2018 $90 calls on Apple and short January 2018 $95 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool recommends Intel. 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.
Promotional image for the company's "Norwegian Getaway" cruise ship. Image source: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.
What:Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. stock fell14.2% in June, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data.
So what:The cruise operator found itself giving up ground after results of the U.K.'s Brexit vote were tallied on June 24. Norwegian Cruise Line stock, which had lost nearly 5% in the first three weeks of June, sank another 9% on the 24th.
Like peers in the travel and leisure industry, Norwegian is now subject to uncertainty over how the exit of the U.K. from the European Union will affect its operations. The company was already experiencing difficulties in Europe. In its first-quarter 2016 earnings report released in May, Norwegian cited terrorist attacks in Paris, Brussels, and Istanbul as a drag on European cruise revenue.
On one hand, the consequences of the Brexit could actually provide a boost to Norwegian's European business, as North American and Asian travelers may take advantage of a weaker euro, which has already declined more than 3% since the Brexit referendum.
But if the U.K. slips into recession, and perhaps Europe as well, as some economists have predicted, Norwegian's earnings momentum would probably be blunted. According to company management, Europeans make up roughly 30% of Europe-originated cruises.The company notes that these travelers tend to spend less at sea than their North American counterparts. Thus, a decline in ticket revenue and further reduced onboard spending on European cruise routes -- not to mention other destinations to which Europeans travel -- will hurt. In such a scenario, it might be difficult to replicate Q1 2016's relative outperformance, in which revenue rose 15%, and adjusted earnings per share leaped 41%.
Now what: Before the Brexit vote, European weakness in Q1 was offset by North American passengers, who opted instead for destinations such as Hawaii, Alaska, and the Caribbean. If post-Brexit uncertainty rises, especially in the form of a more cautious European customer, high-spending North American passengers may provide a key defense for the company.
Norwegian will also look to the Asia-Pacific region to absorb some of the slack. The cruise line is scheduled to launch its first purpose-built ship for the Chinese market, the Norwegian Joy, next summer. The ship's upcoming christening represents the company's success in this rapidly expanding market. But it also suggests a potential strategy for a revenue pivot, should conditions on the continent worsen.
The article Why Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. Dropped 14% in June originally appeared on Fool.com.
Asit Sharma 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.
Priceline wants to take advantage of China's growing travel industry. Image: Getty Images
Priceline Group has been watching China as a potential major market for its growing online travel agent (OTA) business. It makes sense, as China has a vastly growing middle class and an increased appetite for travel and booking travel services online. However, fierce local competition and trouble navigating the political landscape have made it hard for other internet companies to succeed in China. Here's what Priceline has done to learn the market and increase its investment in China for long-term growth.
Why the Chinese travel market looks so enticing
According to BCG analysts, average incomes in China rose 11% per year from 2010 to 2015, and those analysts expect this rise to lead to around 9% annual increase in consumer spending in the country through 2020. Even though China's overall GDP and economic growth are slowing, the middle class and their consumer spending are rising much faster than in most other regions of the world.
That rising middle class, now with more disposable income, also has a growing appetite for travel. China's travel industry grew 19% in 2015 year over year and is set to be larger than the United States' travel market by 2020, according to Goldman Sachs analysts. Even better news for Priceline is that those travelers are increasingly booking online. In 2015, travel booked online grew26% in China year over year.
Priceline's timely investment in China
Priceline took its time to study the Chinese market before jumping right in and getting rejected, avoiding the fate of other internet businesses that are now either blocked or mostly irrelevant in the country, such as certain search and social-media companies. Instead, Priceline waited for the right time and partnership to enter China more aggressively.
Priceline has invested in China in two ways. The first is by building a local presence in the country. Priceline has opened 11 offices in Shanghai that are staffed by hundreds of bilingual customer-service representatives, and it increased its advertising in the country, particularly online.
The second way Priceline invested in China is through a stock investment in local travel-booking service Ctrip International.
The importance of the Ctrip deal
In 2014, Priceline invested $500 million in Ctrip, a growing online travel booking site with similar options to Priceline. At first, investing in a seeming competitor might sound counterintuitive. However, that investment has grown substantially, as Ctrip's shares risen nearly 30% since.
Last year, Priceline said it was investing another $250 million into Ctrip, which put Priceline's stake in the company at over 10% and put a Priceline observer on the Ctrip board.The two companies also announced astrategic partnership, in which Priceline's two major properties, Booking.com and Agoda.com, will supply much of the inventory of hotels for Chinese users to choose from when booking through Ctrip.
Then in October, Ctrip announced a merger deal with its own competitor, Qunar -- pronounced "choo-naar," which means "to where?" in Mandarin. Goldman Sachs analystDavid Jin predicts that the combined company will control 83% of China's online flight booking market and 64% of its online hotel booking market by 2017. This new company, acting like a middleman for Chinese travelers to book Priceline properties, could lead to major booking sales gains for Priceline in the coming years.
The long-term investment
China still makes up a relatively small part of Priceline's business. Management doesn't break out revenues by geography in its earnings release, but an RBC Capital Markets analysts estimated that Chinese operations will make up only about 4% of Priceline's $77 billion of expected bookings in 2017.
Still, this is only the start of what Priceline sees as a long-term growth opportunity. By the end of 2015, Priceline represented 35,000 properties in China, nearly 350% more than 2014. With the largest middle-class population of any country, and Priceline's rising partnership with the market-leader in local online bookings, China has the potential to become a very significant part of Priceline's business.
The article Why Priceline Is Making Big Investments in China originally appeared on Fool.com.
Bradley Seth McNew has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Priceline Group. The Motley Fool recommends Ctrip.com International. 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.
Every investor has their own preferences about how to pick stocks, and occasionally, you may find that your axioms put one or two companies into the "never buy" category. Two that fall into that class for me are Snap Inc. (NYSE: SNAP) and Fitbit (NYSE: FIT). It's not that these companies are horrible, or that they don't have some potential. Rather, it's that I don't think they have what it takes to fend off their competition over the long term.
The case against Snap Inc.
Snap went public in mid-2017 with much fanfare, but investors' excitement soon turned to dread. The company's share price tumbled when it became clear that, despite spending tons of money, its growth isn't keeping pace with that of its rivals.
Specifically, the social messaging features on its app are being easily replicated. For example. one of Snapchat's core features is Stories, which lets users take video and images of themselves throughout the day and share them in serially for their friends to view.
Facebook's (NASDAQ: FB) added a near clone of Stories to its Instagram app last year, and it's become a huge success. The number of Instagram Stories users now surpasses Snapchat's monthly active user figure.
That should be unsettling for Snap investors; if uber-popular Instagram can simply replicate anything Snap does to differentiate itself, how can the smaller social media company ever create an economic moat? I don't think it can.
To make matters worse, Snap is already burning through cash just to keep up in the social space, and its user growth fell short of the company's own expectations in the third quarter. Daily active users hit 178 million, but Snap's management had been expecting about 182 million.
Perhaps that's why Snap's share price is down about 40% since it went public. The company could certainly develop some killer features for Snapchat in the future, but I think Facebook's size -- and the fact it has seemingly put a target on Snapchat's back -- justifies my decision to never touch this stock.
Fitbit
Fitbit has been a leader in wearable technology for years, but since its IPO back in 2015, its shares have plummeted 80%. That stock price drop isn't Fitbit's biggest problem though; it's the fact that it's getting boxed in by its competitors that makes me want to leave this stock alone.
Last year, Strategy Analytics' data showed that the China-based Xiaomi sold more wearable devices than Fitbit, and that Fitbit's market share had fallen by 10 percentage points in just one year. The drop came not only because Xiaomi's sales jumped, but also because Fitbit's sales sank 40% year over year. That left the company in the No. 2 spot among wearables vendors, with Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) on the rise and hot on its heels in third place.
The bad news gets worse when you consider that Fitbit's latest strategy revolves around its new high-end smartwatch, called the Ionic, which costs just $30 less than the Apple Watch. Now, you can call me a pessimist if you want to, but I think those two situations add up to a disaster for Fibit.
The company can't chase after the low-end wearable segment against Xiaomi because the margins are too thin, and I don't think it can take on Apple at the high end because Apple's Watch has more features, better quality, and a far superior app ecosystem. For those reasons, you'll never find Fitbit on my buy list.
Things could change of course
I'm too much of realist not to admit that something could change with these companies in the future that could put them in much more competitive positions. But as matters stand right now, I don't think either company can generate enough of a competitive advantage to overtake its main rivals. Snap would have to create a feature for Snapchat that Facebook can't replicate, and Fitbit would have to create a wearable device that's better than Apple's -- and the chances of either of those things happening are just too thin.
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Chris Neiger has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Apple, Facebook, and Fitbit. The Motley Fool has the following options: long January 2020 $150 calls on Apple and short January 2020 $155 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Source: Getty Images.
I wouldn't blame you if you'd never heard ofCintas, despite its status as a member of the S&P 500. The company's primary business is renting uniforms and floor mats to other businesses. Not exactly the most exciting (or visible) line of work.
The company's performance, on the other hand, has been anything but dull. Not only has it handily trounced the S&P over the past five years, but it's also beaten the performance of smaller rivals such as UniFirst andG&K Services:
CTAS data by YCharts
But that doesn't necessarily mean smooth sailing from here on out. Owning even a strong company like Cintas carries some risk. Here are three of the biggest risks to shareholders.
Risk No. 1: Bigger isn't necessarily better
Generally speaking, as a company gets larger, its growth rate slows down, but Cintas has been bucking that trend with strong earnings and revenue growth in recent years. The company's compounded annual revenue growth since 2011 has been 4.5%, and its compound annual growth of net income has been an impressive 13.1% :
CTAS Normalized Diluted EPS (TTM) data by YCharts
But rapid growth can't continue forever, especially when Cintas isn't the only company in this space. The North American uniform rental market is very fragmented, and there are lots of smaller players. Cintas controls about 25% of it overall.Rivals UniFirst and G&K Services control 9% and 6%, respectively, with the uniform division ofAramarkcontrolling an additional 10%.That leaves fully half of the market consisting of smaller local or regional players.
You might expect that these smaller companies would have an advantage over Cintas, at least in terms of growth. But since the Great Recession, Cintas' EPS growth (the blue line in the following chart) has outpaced its smaller industry peers:
CTAS Normalized Diluted EPS (TTM) data by YCharts
This strong growth profile may already be priced into the stock, given that its enterprise value to EBITDAratio is the highest of its peer group.If that's true, and growth slows down, the stock price will take a hit. Which is definitely a risk for a company that has come so far, so fast.
Risk No. 2: New ventures fizzle
To combat any potential slowing of growth, Cintas has been branching out into new business lines since 2002, when it introduced a restroom supply business. Document shredding and fire protection offerings soon followed in 2003.
These other business lines make up a very small piece of Cintas' revenue pie. The core uniform/floor mat rental business still contributes 77% of the company's revenue, with another 10% coming from uniform sales.Only the remaining 13% or so comes from these new ventures, which include first aid kits.
But expanding into new lines of business -- even on a limited basis -- is risky. Cintas found this out firsthandwhen divested its document shredding business last year after it failed to meet its growth expectations.For now, the remaining new ventures are highly profitable, sporting a 44.1% profit margin overall. But that's no guarantee of continued success. They, too, could fail to grow as anticipated, or face new competition, leavingthe company headed for slower growth and tougher times.
Risk No. 3: Fewer workers, fewer uniforms
It stands to reason, of course, that periods of high unemployment -- recessions, for example -- would be particularly tough on a company like Cintas. After all, fewer employees need fewer uniforms. And sure enough, Cintas' share price is affected by recessions.
But this could become a further problem for Cintas -- indeed, for any uniform renter -- if automation technology begins to replace human workers in traditionally uniformed professions. For example, if a delivery truck becomes automated, or replaced by a drone, there won't be any need to rent a uniform for the driver. Receptionists, cashiers, warehouse employees: Anyone whose job becomes automated is one less employee needing a uniform... and one less customer for Cintas.
Of course, that's a long-term problem (although some believe it's coming sooner rather than later), so it's unlikely to affect the company's fortunes in the short term.But if automation seriously begins eating into its profits, or if other technological or economic factors start to have a major impact on overall employment, you can expect Cintas' performance to suffer.
The Foolish bottom line
Cintas is a strong company, but it isn't immune to risks. A changing labor market, untested new ventures, and slowing growth could have an impact on the company's fortunes, and the fortunes of its shareholders. For now, Cintas seems to be avoiding these potential pitfalls and cruising to continued success. But there are a few things investors should keep an eye on to gauge whether Cintas is vulnerable to these risks.
The easiest to track is the unemployment rate, which has been dropping steadily over the past several years. If it reverses course, instead ticking upwards over multiple quarters in succession, that would be a red flag for Cintas. Investors should also watch the profit margins of the company's non-core business lines, as weakness there will have an impact on the bottom line. Finally, check in on the company's core revenue and earnings growth every quarter for signs of a prolonged slowdown, which might indicate that the company's days of rapid growth are nearing an end.
The article 3 Big Risks to Investing in Cintas originally appeared on Fool.com.
John Bromels owns shares of Cintas. The Motley Fool recommends Cintas. 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.
The stock market may have ended the day at a record closing high on Monday, but that wasn't the case for Netflix . At the end of last week, shares of the streaming video leader were more than 25% below the all-time high set in late 2015, and they fell more than 2% again on Monday, driven by a wave of negative analyst sentiment.
Netflix Stock Performance, data by YCharts.
Several key criticisms of Netflix seem to crop up again and again these days. However, none of them holds up to serious scrutiny.
High content obligations
In recent years, bears have repeatedly pointed to Netflix's high content costs -- and especially its future content obligations -- as a sign that the stock is overvalued. Netflix ended last quarter with $12.3 billion of streaming content obligations, up from $9.8 billion a year earlier. One bearish analyst cited by Barron's expects this to grow to $14 billion by the end of 2016.
This number may seem high for a company that is expected to generate less than $9 billion of revenue this year. However, these content obligations are spread over many years.
In fact, just 42% of the content obligations come due in the next year -- a much more manageable $5.16 billion. Indeed, Netflix has been very up-front about how much it plans to spend on content each year. For 2016, it expects to record more than $5 billion of content expense on its income statement and spend more than $6 billion on a cash basis.
Netflix now spends billions of dollars annually on content. Image source: The Motley Fool.
This is still a lot of money, but content is by far Netflix's biggest expense. Without content, there wouldn't be a business. Importantly, Netflix has shown an ability to leverage its content costs over time. In 2014, Netflix's revenue increased 26% but its "cost of revenues" -- a proxy for content costs -- rose just 20%. More recently, content costs have been growing faster than revenue, but that is a temporary phenomenon driven by rapid international expansion.
Slowing domestic growth
A second issue that has received a lot of attention recently is Netflix's slowing domestic growth rate. For example, analysts at Jefferies recently downgraded Netflix stock, stating (among other things) that it will take longer than expected to reach the company's goal of having 60 million to 90 million domestic subscribers.
It's true that Netflix's domestic growth rate is slowing in percentage terms. And it added "only" 5.57 million domestic subscribers in the 12-month period ending in March. That compared to 5.73 million net additions in the previous 12-month period and 6.50 million in the 12-month period before that.
Still, these figures show that the absolute growth rate is slowing modestly, not crashing. Netflix ended its first quarter with 47 million domestic subscribers, so it is already pretty close to the low end of the target range. Furthermore, Netflix's average revenue per user will rise significantly in the next few quarters as price increases start to hit users whose subscription plans were previously grandfathered in with lower prices.
Thus, even if the percentage growth rate of Netflix's domestic subscriber base is slowing, its domestic revenue could increase by about $1 billion on an annualized basis by this time next year. Not too shabby for a company supposedly facing slowing growth!
Brexit
Finally, some analysts have pointed to Brexit as a new risk factor for Netflix, including Needham & Company's Laura Martin. The separation will likely reduce economic growth both for the United Kingdom and for the European Union more broadly.
That said, it's hard to see economic conditions getting so bad that people have to cancel their Netflix subscriptions. If anything, belt tightening might cause some people to trade down from a full pay-TV package to Netflix. (That said, pay-TV costs tend to be much lower in Europe than in the U.S.) For example, Netflix has grown steadily in Brazil in recent years, despite the huge economic slump there.
A stock slump is an opportunity
Netflix is in the midst of a turbulent transition period. In the past few years, it has been growing rapidly but has barely been profitable. Going forward, Netflix's revenue growth will slow, but its earnings growth will finally take off.
This transition is already giving investors a bumpy ride -- and some pundits are predicting even bigger stock price declines ahead. But Netflix is well positioned to emerge from its transition in a few years as a highly profitable and still-growing company. If the stock continues to fall, it could create some great buying opportunities for long-term investors.
The article 3 Reasons Why Analysts Are Worried About Netflix -- And Why They're Wrong originally appeared on Fool.com.
Adam Levine-Weinberg has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Netflix. 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: Getty Images.
Since the depths of the Great Recession, shares of Costco and Target have had very different fates. Whereas Target (after including dividends) is actually losing to the S&P 500, Costco has walloped the averages, returning 424% to investors.
Does that mean that Costco is the sure bet to outperform moving forward? Or does it mean that Target's stock is so depressed that it shouldn't be passed up? There's no way to tell with 100% certainty which interpretation is correct.
But below, I evaluate these stocks through three different lenses I use every time I start making an investment decision.
Financial fortitude
While money in the bank isn't very sexy to investors, it has a crucial purpose. When times get tough, economically speaking, cash gives companies options -- like buying back stock, outspending rivals, and even acquiring competitors. The opposite is true of debt, which can make an organization so fragile that it has to narrow its offerings in an effort to survive.
That's why financial fortitude is so important with an (always) unknowable future. Here's how these two stack up in terms of balance sheet strength:
Cash Debt Net Income Free Cash Flow Costco $6.02 billion $5.11billion $2.39billion $1.88billion Target $4.04billion $14.23billion $3.36billion $3.11billion
Data source: Yahoo! Finance.
Given that Target has a market cap that is actually 40% smaller than Costco's, it's pretty impressive that Target has more net income and free cash flow than Costco. That's no small feat.
But when measuring financial fortitude, it's cash vs. debt that is the truly important metric. I include net income and free cash flow more as a way of ensuring that a company is bringing in enough money on an absolute basis to keep itself afloat.
While Target's debt load isn't crippling, it's certainly not as healthy as Costco's. If a recession were to hit tomorrow, Costco would be left with far more options for navigating the choppy waters than Target, and so the winner here is pretty easy to tell.
Winner = Costco.
Sustainable competitive advantages
Since I started investing eight years ago, no variable has been more predictive of a stock's success than the sustainable competitive advantages of the underlying business. Without such advantages, competitors will always be able to come in and offer the same products more cheaply.
Here again, I believe that Costco is the clear winner. Target's main advantages include its network of physical locations -- almost 1,800 worldwide -- and its brand, though the latter isn't much to speak of.
Costco, on the other hand, has a much stronger brand, as well as a business model that's tough to beat. Essentially, the company offers its products for such low prices, at such razor-thin margins, that it wouldn't be very profitable if sales were its only revenue stream. But yearly membership dues, at $55 per year, bring in the lion's share of profit.
With such a strong and growing membership base, and very little room for competitors to beat Costco's prices, this company is the clear winner in terms of its sustainable advantages.
Winner = Costco.
Valuation
But then we come to this last metric and things get thorny. There are lots of ways to measure valuation; I've included four of my favorites below.
P/E P/FCF P/S PEG Costco 32 39 0.6 3.1 Target 15 14 0.6 1.5
P/E = price to earnings; P/FCF = price to free cash flow; P/S = price to sales; PEG = price/earnings to growth.Data sources: Yahoo! Finance, SEC filings, E*Trade.
On just about every measure, Target is the cheaper stock. This is even after factoring in -- via the PEG ratio -- that Costco has better prospects for geographic growth moving forward.
Additionally, Target offers a better dividend yield than Costco -- 3.4% vs. 1.1% -- and Target's dividend is still very healthy, as the company used only 44% of its free cash flow to pay it out over the last year.
While Costco is clearly the superior company, its stock is very expensive relative to the prospects it has going forward.
Winner = Target.
To be honest, after this analysis, I don't think either of these companies are screaming deals. Costco is a better long-term deal. But I think it would be prudent for investors to wait until the stock is trading for a more reasonable multiple--ideally under 25 times earnings--which is what the S&P 500 trades for right now.
The article Better Buy: Costco Wholesale Corporation vs. Target Corporation originally appeared on Fool.com.
Brian Stoffel has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Costco Wholesale. 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: Getty Images.
Two biotech stocks have received plenty of buzz lately for very different reasons. Medivation attempted to jump-start a bidding war after rejecting Sanofi's second acquisition offer. Inovio has made headlines recently with its sprint to develop a vaccine for the feared Zika virus. Both Medivation and Inovio have posted impressive gains so far in 2016, but which stock's hype is more justified? Let's see how the biotechs stack up.
The case for Medivation
There's nothing like interest from a big suitor to do wonders for a stock. At the end of March, Medivation's shares traded at less than $38. One month later, the biotech's stock was up to almost $58 per share after Medivation's board rejected Sanofi's first offer of $52.5 per share in cash. Medivation isn't opposed to selling, but only for the right price. The company announced on July 5 that it had "entered into confidentiality agreements with a number of parties that have expressed interest" in a deal.
So what's so attractive about Medivation? Put Xtandi at the top of the list. The prostate cancer drug generated $547 million worldwide in the first quarter of 2016, a 53% year-over-year jump. Medivation's partner Astellas kept a lot of that amount, but Medivation still made $182.5 million from Xtandi.
Medivation and Astellas appear likely to rake in plenty more cash in the coming years. Analysts estimate peak annual sales of Xtandi could reach close to $5 billion. Hitting that mark, though, depends in part on success from approval for other indications, including earlier-stage prostate cancer, advanced breast cancer, and liver cancer.
Sanofi's most recent bid was $58 per share plus an extra $3 per sharein the form of a contingent value right (CVR) of Medivation's next potential winner, talazoparib. That amounts to pegging the price tag of the experimental cancer drug at just under $500 million. Considering that estimates of peak annual sales fortalazoparib range from $200 million to $850 million, it's not surprising that Medivation didn't like Sanofi's CVR offer.
Medivation's other pipeline candidate,pidilizumab, is in a phase 3 study for treatment of relapsed or refractorydiffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Pidilizumab could reach peak annual sales of over $400 million.
The case for Inovio
A biotech's lead drug usually gets the most attention. For Inovio, however, that hasn't proven to be the case recently. While the company's cervical dysplasia vaccine VGX-3100 will soon be in a late-stage study, lately more interest has been shown for Inovio's experimental Zika virus vaccine. And that vaccine just received approval in June to begin phase 1 testing.
It certainly hasn't hurt Inovio that the Zika virus has received considerable news coverage across the world. Several celebrity athletes have opted out of the summer Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro over fears about Zika. The World Health Organization issued an advisory urging pregnant women to avoid traveling to areas with Zika outbreaks, including Rio. Meanwhile, more cases of Zika virus infection have been reported across the U.S.
So far, Inovio appears to be in a leading position in the race to develop a Zika vaccine. However, several other larger drugmakers have their own vaccine programs underway. It's still uncertain which company will ultimately emerge as the biggest winner -- or how long it will take for a successful vaccine to be developed.
But don't forget that Inovio isn't just about Zika. VGX-3100 could potentially bring peak annual sales of $500 million if the vaccine gains regulatory approval and analysts' estimates are right. If the cervical dysplasia vaccine indeed clears regulatory hurdles, that should bode well for Inovio's INO-3112 vaccine, which is in one early-stage study focusing on cervical cancer and another for head and neck cancer. INO-3112 combinesVGX-3100 with aDNA-based immune activator.
For a small biotech, Inovio's pipeline looks quite robust. The company has several other early-stage clinical studies in progress for experimental vaccines targeting hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, influenza, Ebola, and MERS.
Better buy
I like the potential for both of these stocks. However, I'd go with Medivation as the better buy right now for one reason: risk.
Inovio doesn't have any products on the market yet. While there's a good chance that VGX-3100 could win regulatory approval in the not-too-distant future, there's also always a risk that some issue could derail the vaccine. Likewise, Inovio's current leadership in developing a Zika virus vaccine could prove fleeting if one of the other companies in the hunt achieves a major breakthrough. I'm not saying this will happen, but it could happen.
On the other hand, Medivation has a bona fide blockbuster with Xtandi. The biotech's pipeline comes with some risks, but both of its candidates are already in phase 3 while Inovio has yet to launch a late-stage study. There's also a risk that no deal materializes for a larger company to buy Medivation. That outcome would probably hurt the stock, at least temporarily.
I still see Medivation as the less risky pick, though. The companies with interest in potentially buying the biotech know they'll have to beat Sanofi's last offer. I expect Medivation to sell for a price tag that should reward even those investors who buy shares now.
The article Better Buy: Medivation, Inc. vs. Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. originally appeared on Fool.com.
Keith Speights 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.
Image source: Getty Images.
What: Shares of Liberty Global plc fell 22.2% in June 2016, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. Share prices started sliding at a modest pace in the second week of the month, due to rumors of a messy acquisition about to happen in Poland. Moreover, a pending merger of Liberty Global's Dutch operations with the cable assets of telecom titan Vodafone was labeled "an act of desperation" as Vodafone was downgraded.
But all of that was just noise on the line by the end of the month. The vote to separate Britain from the European Union slammed Liberty Global shares like a runaway freight train. About three-quarters of June's massive plunge fell under the Brexit banner.
So what: The international cable arm of American billionaire John Malone's media empire collects 36% of its annual revenue in the U.K., which also holds the company's headquarters. Hence, British affairs are very relevant to Liberty Global's bottom line.
The Brexit vote threatens to undermine the British economy in the long run, with unpredictable effects on local consumer markets. The British Pound immediately fell 12% against the U.S. dollar, and you'll see the very direct effects of that change in Liberty Global's next earnings report.
Now what: Liberty Global's management is keeping a stiff upper lip, of course. The Vodafone deal, for example, will happen anyway.
"The deal with Vodafone is already agreed," said Liberty Global CEO Mike Fries in a Reuters interview shortly after the British vote. "It is being reviewed by EU regulators and their review should not be impacted by Brexit."
Indeed, Fries doesn't seem worried about the political headwinds at all.
"It has no immediate impact on our business and it has not reduced our appetite or interest in Europe," Fries continued. "The U.K. is a relatively large part of our business and in the end, British consumers will still want the same products and services."
Fair enough, I suppose. The political climate change is unlikely to transform British culture and consumer habits overnight. The company must still overcome the currency valuation cliff, since Liberty Global reports its results in U.S. dollars, but the underlying business is not going away.
Expect more volatility from this stock as the Brexit shock waves continue to settle. This could take a while.
The article How Liberty Global plc Fell 22% in June originally appeared on Fool.com.
Anders Bylund 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.
Image source: Snapchat.
Snapchat's ascent into the upper echelon of social media has been fueled primarily by its incredible popularity among younger users. Now, as older people are moving to the platform in bigger numbers, the kids are complaining. But Snapchat probably isn't. With the company increasingly focusing on revenue growth en route to an upcoming IPO, it needs to grow its audience and adults are a promising way to do that.
Snapchat's parent problem
As a new report from researcher comScore confirms, "Snapchat isn't just for teens and college-age adults anymore," a claim the company backs up with compelling amounts of cold, hard data.
Case in point, Snapchat's usage among both millennials aged 25-34 and those 35 or older in the U.S. has soared in recent years. Three years ago, only 5% of those between the ages 25 and 34, and 2% of those 35 or older, used Snapchat. Fast-forward to today, and those number have grown to 38% and 14%, respectively. See for yourself:
Image Image source: comScore.
To be sure, Snapchat's popularity among its largest constituency -- those between the ages of 18 and 24, which some deem part of Generation Z-- is at its all-time high, 69%. Therefore, the risk of a mass exodus to the next, shiny social media product seems unlikely. However, a few recent reports suggest that younger users aren't thrilled to see their parents increasingly appear on their vanishing-video app.
Not now, Mom
In a recent article, The Wall Street Journalchronicled the tensions some younger Snapchat users have expressed as their parents flock to the next major social media platform.
The article quoted one Snapchat user's Twitter response to learning a friend's parents just joined Snapchat, saying "Lmao I'm so done my friends parents got Snapchat."
The loss of any age-related "cool factor" mirrors the history of the world's largest social network:Facebook . Per the WSJ report, Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg commented in 2013, a time when older generations were similarly flocking to this service, that "coolness is done for us." Though that hasn't turned out to be a problem for Facebook.
Image source: Snapchat.
Like Snapchat, Facebook started as a phenomenon on U.S. college campuses. Today, Facebook sees roughly 1.65 billion monthly active users (MAUs) and 1.09 billion daily active users (DAUs). Embracing older demographics was certainly a necessary step in Facebook's evolution into one of the world's largest and most prosperous tech companies. The company saw earnings per share increase 17% last year on $3.7 billion in net income, and Facebook's per-share profits are expected to again rise an impressive 99% this year. In order for Snapchat to build a similarly profitable franchise, it will need to embrace older users, much like Facebook has.
A great problem to have
To be sure, Snapchat's problem here is certainly of the "embarrassment of riches" sort. Moreover, if it plans to reach, and eventually exceed, its purported fiscal target of between $500 million and $1 billion in revenue next year, Snapchat will need older users to help drive continued user growth both domestically and internationally. Remember that like rivals Facebook and Twitter, Snapchat's revenue model is largely based on serving advertisements to its users. To continue to succeed, Snapchat must increasingly cater to new users types and age groups.
Moreover, Snapchat's lofty $20 billion valuation makes catering to a more mainstream cohort of users all the more necessary. This shift was going to happen whether Snapchat's younger users liked it or not.
If it fails to do so, which seems rather unlikely at present, Snapchat could face a fate like the now-cautionary tale that is Twitter. For wholly unrelated reasons, Twitter's user base growth has stagnated in recent quarters, which has led to a roughly 58% decline from its IPO price at the time of writing.
While Snapchat's evolution into perhaps the most important new media platform since Facebook will assuredly create its fair share of growing pains, these kinds of changes are wholly inevitable and should be viewed as a sign of maturity by tech investors everywhere.
The article Opportunity Knocks as Snapchat Isn't Just for Kids Anymore originally appeared on Fool.com.
Andrew Tonner has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Facebook and Twitter. 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.
Smartphone giant Xiaomi became China's mostvaluable start-up after its valuation topped $46 billion in late 2014. That's roughly $10 billion higher than Sony's currententerprise value, and the equivalent of about 40 GoPros . Xiaomi competes with Sony in smartphones, wearables, and other electronics, and the company threatens GoPro by producing drones and sellingYi Technology's action cameras.
But as I mentioned in a previous article, Xiaomi's growth is slowing down. Sales rose just 5% to 78 billion yuan ($11.7 billion) in2015, down from 135% growth in 2014. This means that it could struggle to justify its valuation, and other hot Chinese start-ups could soon catch up. One such rising star is Shenzhen-based DJI Innovations, the biggest drone maker in the world, which has an estimated value of $8 billion and big growth numbers under its belt.
DJI's Phantom 4 drone. Image source: DJI.
Meet the 800-pound flying gorilla of drones
DJI was founded a decade ago, but it only achieved global fame after releasing the first version of its flagship drone, the Phantom, in 2013. The Phantom series was a hit among high-end drone buyers, and it helped DJI conquer nearly 70% ofthe global civilian camera drone market last year, according to IDC. The Verge praised the Phantom drones as "simple enough for beginners, but powerful enough to interest serious hobbyists, professional photographers, and filmmakers."
DJI is frequently called the "Apple of drones." It reportedly owns 70% of the consumer drone market and appeals to high-end tech shoppers. Apple even agreed to display DJI's new Phantom 4 drones in big"feature bay" displays at over 400 of its brick-and-mortar stores, serving as DJI's exclusive retailer during the drone's initial launch in March. DJI employees also visited select Apple Stores to provide training sessions to customers.
DJI's sales either tripled or quadrupled every year between 2009 and 2014, when itreported revenue of $500 million and $120 million in net profit. DJI claimed thatits sales would double to $1 billion last year, but ithasn't officially updated that figure yet. The company employs about 5,000 people worldwide and has offices in Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Kobe, Rotterdam, and Los Angeles. DJI was valued at $8 billion after its latest round of funding last May, and expects to cross the $10 billion mark in the near future.
Xiaomi fights back with a very cheap drone
In response to DJI's rapid growth, Xiaomi recently launched theMi Drone, a 4K drone which only costs $460, its entry into drones. That's less than half the price of most DJI drones, which cost over $1,000. The Mi Drone represents another way for Xiaomi to diversify beyond its core smartphone business, which has been ceding market share to low-cost rivals like Oppo and Huawei.
Xiaomi's Mi Drone. Image source: Xiaomi.
Xiaomi's main strategy is to sell devices with high-end hardware at low-end prices via an online model that eliminates brick-and-mortar markups. That causes it to run on paper-thin margins -- its last known operating margin was 1.8% in 2013, and that figure has likely declined due to rising competition in smartphones.
DJI is making 24% profit per drone, but those profits might decline if it has to match Xiaomi's aggressive prices. However, Xiaomi's Mi Drone still lacks HDR, burst shot, time lapse photos, and obstacle detection -- all features which areincluded in DJI's Phantom 4. Ambarella , which provides the image processors for GoPro's cameras, notably also provides the SoCs for Xiaomi's and DJI's drones.
Should Xiaomi be worth more than DJI?
Since Xiaomi generated nearly 12 times more revenue than DJI in 2015, it should logically have a higher valuation. But Xiaomi's sales growth has slowed down to the single digits, while DJI hasn't stopped posting triple-digit growth yet.Xiaomi is currently valued at about 4 times its 2015 sales, while DJI is valued at about 8 times sales. This indicates that investors are willing to pay two times more for DJI than Xiaomi, which is reasonable based on its stronger sales growth.
Moreover, Xiaomi has possibly become unprofitable since 2013, while DJI could be reporting double-digit profit margins for the foreseeable future. It's impossible to assign DJI a traditional P/E value since it's a private company, but we can assume that investors are willing to pay more for DJI since it's churning out sustainable profits.
However, DJI's growth could eventually slow down due to rising competition and new drone regulations, while Xiaomi's more diversified portfolio of mobile devices, consumer electronics, and apps could leave it less exposed to a single market. DJI might face the fate of high-growth single-product companies like GoPro, with sales abruptly peaking, while Xiaomi would merely experience slower growth more comparable to a tech giant like Sony.
Therefore, Xiaomi deserves a higher valuation than DJI based on trailing sales, but that figure should probably be a bit lower based on its mediocre margins. Since Xiaomi has stated that it doesn't need any more funding, its $46 billion valuation should stay the same while its sales and earnings gradually catch up. Meanwhile, DJI's valuation will likely keep rising with additional investment rounds, so it might close the gap with Xiaomi over the next couple of years.
The article Should Xiaomi Be Worth More Than DJI Innovations? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Leo Sun has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Ambarella, Apple, and GoPro. The Motley Fool has the following options: long January 2018 $90 calls on Apple and short January 2018 $95 calls on Apple. 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.
The White House said on Tuesday that an arbitration court ruling that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea should be treated as final and binding.
"We certainly would urge all parties not to use this as an opportunity to engage in escalatory or provocative action," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters in a briefing. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
Below is an earlier reporter version from Reuters:
An arbitration court ruled on Tuesday that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea and has breached the Philippines' sovereign rights with its actions, infuriating Beijing which dismissed the case as a farce.
A defiant China, which boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, vowed again to ignore the ruling and said its armed forces would defend its sovereignty and maritime interests.
China's state-run Xinhua news agency said shortly before the ruling was announced that a Chinese civilian aircraft had successfully tested two new airports in the disputed Spratly Islands.
And China's Defence Ministry said a new guided missile destroyer was formally commissioned at a naval base on the southern island province of Hainan, which has responsibility for the South China Sea.
"This award represents a devastating legal blow to China's jurisdictional claims in the SouthChina Sea," Ian Storey, of Singapore's ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute, told Reuters.
"China will respond with fury, certainly in terms of rhetoric and possibly through more aggressive actions at sea."
The United States, which China has accused of fuelling tensions and militarizing the region with patrols and exercises, urged parties to comply with the legally binding ruling and avoid provocations.
"The decision today by the Tribunal in the Philippines-China arbitration is an important contribution to the shared goal of a peaceful resolution to disputes in the South China Sea," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.
U.S. officials have previously said they feared China may respond to the ruling by declaring an air defense identification zone in the South China Sea, as it did in the East China Sea in 2013, or by stepping up its building and fortification of artificial islands.
China claims most of the energy-rich waters through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.
Finding for the Philippines on a number of issues, the panel said there was no legal basis forChina to claim historic rights to resources within its so-called nine-dash line, which covers almost 90 percent of the South China Sea.
It said China had interfered with traditional Philippine fishing rights at Scarborough Shoal and had breached the Philippines' sovereign rights by exploring for oil and gas near the Reed Bank.
None of China's reefs and holdings in the Spratly Islands entitled it to a 200-mile exclusive economic zone, it added.
"2,000 YEARS OF HISTORY"
China's Foreign Ministry rejected the ruling, saying its people had more than 2,000 years of history in the South China Sea, that its islands did have exclusive economic zones and that it had announced to the world its "dotted line" map in 1948.
"China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards," it said.
However, the ministry also repeated that China respected and upheld the freedom of navigation and overflight and that China was ready to keep resolving the disputes peacefully through talks with states directly concerned.
In a statement shortly before the ruling, China's Defence Ministry said its armed forces would "firmly safeguard national sovereignty, security and maritime interests and rights, firmly uphold regional peace and stability, and deal with all kinds of threats and challenges"
The judges acknowledged China's refusal to participate, but said they sought to take account ofChina's position from its statements and diplomatic correspondence.
"The award is a complete and total victory for the Philippines ... a victory for international law and international relations," said Paul Reichler, lead lawyer for the Philippines.
Vietnam said it welcomed the ruling.
Taiwan, which maintains that the island it occupies, Itu Aba, is legally the only island among hundreds of reefs, shoals and atolls scattered across the seas, said it did not accept the ruling, which seriously impaired Taiwan's territorial rights.
"This is the worst scenario," Taiwan Foreign Minister David Tawei Lee told reporters, promising unspecified "action" from Taipei.
GROUND-BREAKING RULING
The ruling is significant as it is the first time that a legal challenge has been brought in the dispute, which covers some of the world's most promising oil and gas fields and vital fishing grounds. [http://bit.ly/29AlvXc]
It reflects the shifting balance of power in the 3.5 million sq km sea, where China has been expanding its presence by building artificial islands and dispatching patrol boats that keep Philippine fishing vessels away.
The Philippines said it was studying the ruling.
"We call on all those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety," Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay told a news conference. "The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision as an important contribution to the ongoing efforts in addressing disputes in the South China Sea."
Japan said the ruling was legally binding and final.
Oil prices jumped following the findings, with Brent crude futures <LCOc1> up almost 3 percent at $47.87 per barrel at 1130 GMT (7:30 a.m. ET).
The court has no power of enforcement, but a victory for the Philippines could spur Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei to file similar cases.
Ahead of the ruling, around 100 members of a Philippine nationalist group demonstrated outside the Chinese consulate in Manila, calling on Beijing to accept the decision and leave the Scarborough Shoal, a popular fishing zone off limits to Filipinos since 2012.
In China, social media users reacted with outrage at the ruling.
"It was ours in the past, is now and will remain so in the future," wrote one user on microblogging site Weibo. "Those who encroach on our China's territory will die no matter how far away they are."
Spreading fast on social media in the Philippines was the use of the term "Chexit" - the public's desire for Chinese vessels to leave the waters.
(Additional reporting by Thomas Escritt in Amsterdam, Enrico Dela Cruz and Martin Petty in Manila, Megha Rajagopalan in Beijing, Tim Kelly in Tokyo, John Walcott and David Brunnstrom in Washington, JR Wu in Taipei and Greg Torode in Hong Kong.; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Nick Macfie)
Seagate Technology stock is hopping.
This morning, shares of Seagate Technology leapt 20% in price in response to a whole raft of positive commentary out of Wall Street. According to the most recent count on TheFly.com, there have so far been at least three price targetincreases on Seagate (RBC Capital hiking to $27, Needham to $33, and Brean Capital pushing its target price all the way from $30 to $35), one reiteration of a buy rating (that being Needham), and a single actual upgrade (to equal weight, from Morgan Stanley), all accruing to Seagate stock.
But what does all this enthusiasm really add up to? Is Seagate stock a buy just because the analysts say so? Is it still a buy after so many investors have already rushed to take the analysts' advice, and bid up Seagate stock by 20%?
Here are three things you need to know.
Hard drives are selling like hotcakes at Seagate. Image source: Getty Images.
1. Seagate sets the stage
It all started with a press release. Last night, Seagate issued an earnings preannouncementgiving investors a glimpse at its Q4 and full-year fiscal 2016 earnings results for the year ended July 1, 2016.
In it, Seagate revealed that it expects to report earning gross margin of 25% (and a pro forma gross of 25.8%) on revenue of $2.65 billion for the fiscal quarter. Why this is exciting for investors is that previously, Seagate had promised only 23% pro forma margins on $2.3 billion in sales. Put together, that implies sales 15% higher than what investors were expecting to see, and profits (at least, gross profits) perhaps as much as 17% higher.
2. How'd that happen?
Seagate credits "better than expected demand for the Company's HDD product portfolio" for the unexpected surge in sales. And as for the profits, Seagate implies that with more volume going out the door, it's operating more efficiently and profitably, using more of its production capacity and leaving less capacity idle. Additionally, the company says it has succeeded with "cost containment" initiatives, keeping operating expenses at the $440 million level it previously promised to produce.
As part of this cost containment effort, by the way, Seagate noted that it has finalized its head count reduction target, and plans to lay off "approximately 6,500 employees " by the end of the current fiscal year 2017. That will cost Seagate about $164 million in pre-tax charges to earnings -- but cut its salaries and benefits expenses by perhaps 14% (the size of the payroll reduction) going forward, permitting the company to begin targeting a gross margin hike in the "range of 27-32%."
3. So how good is this news?
Pretty nice numbers, huh? And yet, not all analysts are convinced that it changes the story. At the same time as everyone else was singing Seagate's praises this morning, Swiss banker UBS put out a more somber note acknowledging the attractive numbers, but insisting the story has not changed.
As related on StreetInsider.com, while Seagate appears to have succeeded in getting customers to buy larger hard drives (HDDs) than expected, and is enjoying a boost in prices from the improved "product mix," as fiscal 2017 gets under way the company still faces the problem of "the price of HDD bits [continuing] to drop at about the same rate as before." Additionally, UBS is unconvinced that Seagate will succeed in selling more HDDs this year than last. Even if the HDDs Seagate sells have more memory, and cost more, UBS is holding its unit-sales estimate at 156 million units -- down 8% year over year.
And UBS still insists that Seagate is a sell -- targeting a price of $15 per share (albeit that's up $1 from before the preannouncement).
The most important thing: Valuation
Is that fair -- upping its target price along with everyone else, but still calling Seagate stock a sell? It sure sounds like UBS is hedging its bets here. And while I hate to go with the consensus on most things, I actually feel more aligned with what Seagate's cheerleaders are saying this morning, than with UBS' negative note.
Consider: Right now, with just $1.02 in trailing earnings, Seagate shares are selling for the seemingly high P/E ratio of 28.2. Analysts now expect earnings to rise sharply in Q4, however (UBS predicts earnings will be $0.49 better than it initially expected -- $0.62 per share), and then to surge as high as $2 a share or better in fiscal 2017.
If that's how things play out, it will drop Seagate stock's forward P/E ratio down into the 14-ish range -- about half what the stock currently appears to sell for. Additionally, data from S&P Global Market Intelligence show Seagate's free cash flow averaging $1 billion a year at last report. Thus, the stock sells for just 8.6 times free cash flow, while it's pegged for a 6% long-term profits growth rate, and pays a 10.5% dividend yield.
Combined, that's a 16.5% total return on an 8.6 times FCF stock -- which seems mighty cheap to me. At this valuation, I think the folks upgrading the shares, and marking up the price targets, have the better side of this argument -- and UBS is getting it all wrong.
The article Wall Street Floods Seagate Stock With Upgrades: 3 Things You Must Know originally appeared on Fool.com.
Fool contributorRich Smithdoes not own shares of, nor is he short, any company named above. You can find him onMotley Fool CAPS, publicly pontificating under the handleTMFDitty, where he's currently ranked No. 290 out of more than 75,000 rated members.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: Getty Images.
What: Shares of materials and metals stocks surged higher Tuesday as prices for commodities took a step higher. Cliffs Natural Resources Inc , Freeport-McMoRan Inc , and AK Steel Holding Corporation were up 10%, 10.6%, and 9.7%, respectively, at 3:20 p.m. EDT after all of them rose double-digits throughout most of the afternoon.
So what: Iron ore and steel stocks were driven higher by a rally in China's steel prices. That was driven by government officials in Tangshan city in Hebei province ordering steel mills to reduce output ahead of the Great Tangshan earthquake memorial on July 28. The region wants clean air for the memorial, and one way to do that is reduce industrial activity. This comes as inventories in the area have shrunk to a six-year low, so short-term prices are rising as a result.
Iron ore prices are following the steel move as well as it often trades in unison with steel prices. This is partially driven by China cutting back iron ore production as the industry deals with oversupply.
Freeport-McMoRan is being helped by a 3% rise in copper prices today. Copper is another commodity that's had a volatile year, but a big rise like we saw today can send stocks significantly higher.
Now what: Day-to-day, miners and metal producers can swing wildly on the movement of commodity prices because their operations are so heavily leveraged to those prices. They incur a lot of fixed costs to run their businesses, so when prices rise, it's a lot of upside for the bottom line.
The problem is that nearly all minerals and metals have suffered from oversupply recently as China pumps out more product than the world needs, and demand in the U.S. and overseas remains tepid. It's that dynamic I think investors should be concerned about, because Cliffs Natural Resources, Freeport-McMoRan, and AK Steel have all lost money over the past two years.
CLF Net Income (TTM) data by YCharts.
Long term, I don't see materials or metals prices making a sustainable move higher, and until they do, these stocks remain too speculative for long-term investors to be betting on them, especially based on a single day's move in the volatile commodity market.
The article Why Metals Stocks Traded Sharply Higher Today originally appeared on Fool.com.
Travis Hoium has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of Cliffs Natural Resources and Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold. 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: Getty Images.
What: Shares of wireless giant Verizon Communications Inc. have jumped 20.9% so far in 2016, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence, as investors search for safety among slowing global growth.
So what: Verizon has benefited from the market's search for companies with consistent earnings and dividend payments. You can see below that over the past five years Verizon has managed to grow its top and bottom lines, holding off competitors offering a lower-cost product.
VZ Revenue (TTM) data by YCharts.
In the first quarter, Verizon was able to add 640,000 postpaid wireless customers, 98,000 Fios internet, and 36,000 Fios video customers. As a technology leader with capital investment in place -- that competitors have a tough time matching -- the business remains in a solid strategic position at the high end of the telecom market.
Now what: Despite Verizon's rising stock in 2016, shares still trade at just 12.7 times trailing earnings with a 4% dividend yield. That's still a reasonable value. This is especially true when you consider that Verizon will be a first mover in 5G, which it is already testing on a pre-commercial basis in limited states. The 5G launch is expected next year and this will be the next growth phase for Verizon.
Given the value, strong competitive moat, and growth potential, I don't think Verizon's shares are done moving higher. This is a great stock for investors, and with wireless communication only set to grow, I'll be a shareholder for a long time to come.
The article Why Shares of Verizon Communications Inc. Have Jumped 21% in 2016 originally appeared on Fool.com.
Travis Hoium owns shares of Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Verizon Communications. 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 Tesla Model S. Image source: Tesla Motors.
Shares of Tesla Motors fell in after-hours trading on Monday after The Wall Street Journal reported that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has opened an investigation into whether Tesla violated securities laws by not disclosing a fatal crash involving its Autopilot system to investors.
Tesla's shares recovered in early trading on Tuesday, suggesting that investors are largely unconcerned about the investigation. Is there anything to worryabout here?
What's happening?
According to the Journal's report, which cited "a person familiar with the matter," the SEC is investigating whether Tesla knew that the May 7 accident, which involved a Tesla Model S, was a "material" event that the company was obliged to disclose to investors. Tesla owner Joshua Brown was killed when his Model S, which was driving itself via Tesla's Autopilot system, collided with a tractor-trailer truck that pulled in front of him on a highway in Florida.
Specifically, the investigation will likely focus on whether Tesla knew in advance of its stock offering that began on May 18 that the crash had involved the Autopilot system. Tesla sold about $2 billion worth of stock in the share sale on May 18 and May 19.
Although the company first reported the crash to auto-safety regulators on May 16, it waited until June 30 before making the information public via a blog post.
What did Tesla say?
Tesla hadn't heard from the SEC as of late Monday. But the company has already vigorously defended its actions in the aftermath of the accident.
Tesla said that it reported the accident to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on May 16, when it first began looking into the events surrounding the crash. It then sent an investigator to Florida on May 18 to retrieve data from the damaged car. It didn't finish reviewing that data until the last week of May.
Normally, Tesla can retrieve data from any of its cars more or less instantly. But not in this case: "The damage sustained by the Model S in the crash limited Tesla's ability to recover data from it remotely," a Tesla spokesperson told the Journal.
Long story short: Tesla is arguing that it didn't know that Autopilot had been involved in the crash until after the stock offering had concluded.
What does it mean for Tesla investors?
The SEC's investigation is in a very early stage, according to the Journal. If the SEC determines that an enforcement action is warranted, it could hit the company with fines or other penalties.
Based on what we know right now, I think an enforcement action is unlikely. Assuming that Tesla's timeline holds up -- that is, assuming that the SEC investigation concludes that Tesla didn't know that Autopilot was involved in the accident until after its stock offering -- then there's no violation.
Will Tesla's timeline hold up to scrutiny? To your humble Fool, who has been following the inner workings of automakers for many years, it seems quite plausible.
While it's not impossible that the SEC's investigation will dig up some sort of bombshell revelation, I would bet that the SEC will end up closing this investigation without taking any action against Tesla Motors.
The article Will the Feds Bust Tesla Motors for Securities-Law Violations? originally appeared on Fool.com.
John Rosevear has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Tesla Motors. 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.
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The first African-American Miss Alabama called the man who shot and killed 5 Dallas police officers during a Black Lives Matter protest on Thursday a "martyr."
Kalyn Chapman James, who was crowned in 1993, said in a tearful video on Facebook Sunday that while she doesn't want to "feel this way," she finds it difficult to be sad for the departed police officers and "can't help but feeling like the shooter was a martyr."
"And I know it's not the right way to feel because nobody deserves to lose their lives," she said in the two minute video. "But I'm so torn up in my heart about seeing these men, these black men, being gunned down in our community...I wasn't surprised by what the shooter did to those cops and I think a lot of us feel the same way and I know it's not right and I definitely don't condone violence against innocent people."
The comments on James' video were overwhelmingly positive. Many thanked the former beauty pageant winner for voicing her opinion.
"I TRULY relate to you," one person wrote. Another said, "You are not alone As you were speaking I was crying with you because I share the same experience."
However, James, now a TV host for Miami station WPBT2, revealed she has received backlash from the video.
A statement released by James' employers said they do "not condone the personal statements made by one of its independent contractors regarding the events in Dallas."
Without specifically naming James, the media organization said they placed the contractor on "administrative leave while [they] actively and carefully looks further into the matter and will determine additional course of actions based on its thorough review of the matter."
The Miss Alabama pageant operators told AL.com in a statement that James' "opinions she expressed are her own, and do not represent the viewpoint of the current Miss Alabama or the Miss Alabama Organization. We have nothing but the utmost respect and appreciation for the men and women of law enforcement, and would never condone violence of any kind."
James told Alabama TV station WPMI there are now "people telling me to watch my back, people telling me to be careful, people telling me the police should never protect me."
She also claimed the wife of one of the slain police officers reached out to her after seeing the video to say she "wasn't mad, she understood what I was saying and that she forgave me."
James also apologized for her comments, telling WPMI, "I apologize to anyone who was offended by my comments my heart was not filled with hate."
Actress Lena Dunham is standing and eating in solidarity with whiny students from her ultra-liberal alma mater, who protested this year that Oberlin College was insensitive for serving culturally appropriated food in its dining halls.
The Girls star who graduated from the exclusive liberal arts school in 2008 said students are indeed justified in picking a food fight, Food & Wine magazine reported.
There are now big conversations at Oberlin, where I went to college, about cultural appropriation and whether the dining hall sushi and banh mi disrespect certain cuisines. The press reported it as, How crazy are Oberlin kids? But to me, it was actually, Right on, Dunham told the magazine.
Gastronomically correct students at the Ohio college protested in November that phony dining hall versions of the ethnic cuisine are slap in the face to people from those countries.
Click here for more on this story from The New York Post's Page Six.
Mixed-martial artist Jason "Mayhem" Miller was arrested Sunday morning on suspicion of assaulting a police officer, according to the O.C. Register.
Miller, 35, allegedly got into a fight with two women at the Saddle Ranch Chop House in Orange County, Calif., and things turned physical. He grabbed one of the women after she slapped him and attempted to hit her but security "took him down and handcuffed him," Sgt. Dan Miles of the Costa Mesa Police Department told the O.C. Register.
"While being detained, he spit on one of the officers...which is disgusting," Miles told the paper.
Miller was taken to jail and released, FOX411 has confirmed. He is set to appear in court on August 8, according to his arrest report.
The MMA fighter is no stranger to getting in trouble with the law. He was arrested in Irvine, Calif., in February for a DUI and accused of throwing a tile at an Orange County sheriff's deputy and threatening police officials with a metal pole in October.
In 2014, he live-tweeted an incident with police who had come to detain him for an outstanding domestic violence arrest warrant. He was also arrested in 2012 for being found naked inside of a church, but the case was later dismissed.
Neither gay men nor heterosexual people diagnosed with HIV transmit the virus to their partner when they are on suppressive antiretroviral treatment, according to results from whats considered the largest study to date of HIV patients taking the medication and having condomless sex.
Researchers in the United Kingdom monitored nearly 900 couples of which at least one had HIV and was on antiretroviral therapy from 14 European countries. According to a news release, 548 of those couples were heterosexual and 340 were gay men.
Several years after the couples had sex regularly without a condom, researchers reported that there have been no instances of virus transmission between infected patients and their partners.
After the study period, 11 partners who initially tested negative for HIV became infected with the virus, but researchers took phylogenetic analyses of the new cases and each of their partners viruses, and determined that the study partner on the prescribed therapy was not the cause.
The HIV virus can be divided into several sub-groups, each with its own genetic characteristics, and this makes it possible to see whether the virus is genetically similar to a partner's. In all cases, the results showed that the virus came from someone other than the partner under treatment, lead study author Anna Maria Geretti, a clinical infection, microbiology and immunology professor at the University of Liverpool Institute of Infection and Global Health, said in the release. "This research is vital for us to gain an even better understanding the risks associated with this particular virus."
Geretti and her team plan to continue monitoring the gay study participants for three more years to gather additional data on HIV transmission during anal sex, but study authors suggested their preliminary findings may offer promise for HIV patients and their partners.
"The results clearly show that early diagnosis of HIV and access to effective treatment are crucial for reducing the number of new HIV cases, senior study author Jens Lundgren, a viral diseases professor at the University of Copenhagen and chief physician at the department of infectious diseases at the Danish hospital Rigshospitalet, said in the release. As soon as a patient with HIV is on treatment with a suppressed viral load, the risk of transmission becomes minimal."
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Continental Mills Krusteaz Blueberry Pancake Mix and three flavors of Betty Crocker cake mixes are the latest products affected by a large recall of potentially tainted flour manufactured at a General Mills Facility.
The possible contaminant is Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC O121), which also may be present in a handful of other previously recalled General Mills flour products, including Gold Medal All Purpose Flour, Gold Medal Wondra Flour and Gold Medal Self-Rising Flour.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the recall of Krusteaz Blueberry Pancake Mix affected only specific lots, which were manufactured between April 2016 and June 2016. Those products are: Krusteaz Blueberry Pancake Mix 28 oz. carton with a best by date code between 3/30/2018 and 6/16/2018, and a UPC code 041449001289; and Krusteaz Blueberry Pancake a 3.5 lb. bag, with a best by date code between of 4/27/2018 to 4/28/2018, with a UPC code 041449001487.
The flavors of cake mixes include Betty Crocker Delights Super Moist Party Rainbow Chip Cake Mix, which is called Betty Crocker Super Moist Rainbow Bit Cake Mix in Canada.
In the United States, the mix carried a Package UPC 000-16000-40997 and better if used by dates including 25MAR2017, 28MAR2017, 27APR2017, 28APR2017, 23MAY2017, 24MAY2017, and 25MAY2017.
The U.S. recall also includes Betty Crocker Delights Super Moist Carrot Cake Mix with UPC 000-16000-40987 and better if used by dates including 12APR2017, 13APR2017, 14APR2017, 28May2017, 29May2017, 30MAY2017, 07JUL2017 and 08JUL2017.
The FDA has not received any reports of illness from consuming the pancake mix or cake mixes, but the companies advised customers throw away the affected products as a precaution.
Customers seeking a refund from Continental Mills can call the company's customer relations team at 1-800-457-7744.
U.S. consumers who have questions or want to request a Betty Crocker replacement product should call General Mills at 1-800-230-8103. Additional recall information can also be found at www.generalmills.com/flour.
General Mills initial flour recall was issued May 31, and since then 42 people from 21 states have been sickened and 11 have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
Symptoms of STEC infection include often-bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps that exhibit an average of three to four days after swallowing the germ.
For a full list of the recalled flour products, visit CDC.gov.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The legalization of medical marijuana in an increasing number of U.S. states may be linked with a lower rate of use of other prescription drugs, a new study says.
Researchers found an estimated $165.2 million in savings in 2013 in Medicare spending on the prescription drugs that treat some of the same conditions that marijuana may be used to treat, according to the study. That was the same year that 17 states and the District of Columbia implemented medical marijuana laws.
The savings accounted for 0.5 percent of the 2013 budget of Medicare Part D (which is the part of the Medicare program that helps people pay for prescription drugs and drug insurance premiums). The researchers said that finding shows that people are turning to medical marijuana as an alternative to other medications. [11 Odd Facts About Marijuana]
"The results suggest people are really using marijuana as medicine and not just using it for recreational purposes," Ashley Bradford, a student researcher at the University of Georgia (UGA) and the lead author of the new study, said in a statement.
In the study, the researchers reviewed all claims for prescriptions filed between 2010 and 2013, by people enrolled in Medicare Part D, for the nine conditions that marijuana can be used to treat: anxiety, depression, glaucoma, nausea, pain, psychosis, seizures, sleep disorders and spasticity.
In particular, the researchers focused on prescriptions for treating glaucoma, they said.
"It turns out that glaucoma is one of the most Googled searches linked to marijuana, right after pain," study co-author W. David Bradford, a professor of public policy at UGA, said in the statement. And so, for this condition in particular, the researchers theorized that more people would have gone to the doctor as a result of demand for marijuana following the passage of medical marijuana laws.
However, when marijuana is used to treat glaucoma, the drug's effects last only an hour. And because using marijuana once an hour is unrealistic, the researchers expected that the wave of people going to the doctor for glaucoma would actually result in an increase in prescriptions for other glaucoma medications over the study period.
Indeed, the study showed that prescriptions for other glaucoma medications were higher in states that had medical marijuana laws in 2013 than in states that did not have legal medical marijuana. The states where marijuana was legal had, on average, 35 more doses of other glaucoma medications than the average of about 2,550 daily doses prescribed in states without a medical marijuana law.
But glaucoma medications were the exception. For the other conditions that marijuana can be used to treat, there were decreases in the number of prescriptions written for medications other than marijuana. For instance, prescriptions for drugs to treat pain were lower by 1,826 daily doses in the states where medical marijuana was legal compared with states where it was not legal (where the average was 31,810 daily doses).
Based on their results, the researchers estimated that the Medicare program would have saved about $468 million on prescription medications if all states had implemented medical marijuana.
In their study, the researchers noted that although their findings showed an association between the legalization of medical marijuana and Medicare savings, their study does not prove there is a cause-and-effect relationship.
Ashley Bradford said the study will continue, next by looking at medical marijuana's effects on Medicaid.
Original article on Live Science.
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Over-the-counter (OTC) nasal strips or clips often relieve chronic nasal stuffiness, according to a new report.
"Consumers should try these relatively safe devices before accepting surgery," co-author Christopher Badger of the University of California Irvine School of Medicine told Reuters Health by email.
Experts say millions of Americans suffer from nasal stuffiness each year. The obstruction may be related to structural abnormalities inside the nose or to swelling caused by allergies or viruses.
To investigate how well nasal strips or clips work, Badger and colleagues searched for information on OTC mechanical nasal dilators on PubMed, Amazon and Google. They focused on healthy individuals whose breathing problems were not related to chronic runny noses or other long-term illnesses.
As reported in JAMA Facial and Plastic Surgery, they only analyzed products available online or in production in 2015.
"We identified four basic product designs and 10 studies examining the efficacy of available devices," Badger said.
Five studies supported the use of external nasal dilator strips such as Breathe Right and AirPlus; four studies supported the use of nasal clips such as Airmax and NoZovent; one study supported the use of the nasal stents called Max-Air Nose Cones; and no studies supported the use of so-called septal stimulators.
"External nasal dilator strips and nasal clips are effective devices that should be utilized before subjecting patients to the risks of surgery," Badger advised.
However, he said, "Although OTC nasal dilators effectively relieve nasal valve obstruction, other medical or anatomical problems may contribute to breathing problems."
Therefore, patients should work with their doctors to choose the best therapy for their specific conditions.
Badger's team points out that the adhesive nasal strips cost an average of $0.40 apiece. Nasal clips are "considerably more expensive," with an average cost of $19.31 per device, but because they're reusable, they cost less over time.
Commenting by email, Dr. Julia S. Kimbell of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, told Reuters Health by email, "It is important to note that while over-the-counter nasal dilators may temporarily induce changes in nasal resistance similar to those induced by surgery, these products cannot provide the long-term treatment for nasal airway obstruction that surgery may offer."
"However, nasal dilator technology is rapidly advancing and may have significant potential" to help manage nasal obstruction in the future, she added.
The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery advises on its website, "Try lifting the tip of your nose to see if you breathe better. If so, the external adhesive nasal strips . . . may help."
The art of medicine goes beyond the cookie-cutter science. It involves compassion, spirit, faith and, above all, the art of healing. But in the frenzied moments of triage and stabilization that followed the shootings that killed five police officers and wounded nine others, including seven cops, in Dallas last week, it was the rehearsed science of emergency medicine that took hold to save lives. Emotions were suppressed in favor of efficiency and skill.
The emergency room at Baylor University Medical Center, located in the heart of Dallas, is one of our nations top Level 1 trauma centers. It joins with Parkland Hospital to provide immediate lifesaving care. Baylor was mobilized last Thursday following the shootings. Dr. Stephen Burgher, emergency room physician at Baylor and captain in the U.S. Navy Reserve, described to me what it felt like that night as he helped coordinate and oversee the medical response.
I was on duty and it was surreal, Burgher said. I felt as if I were back in Afghanistan. We had to mobilize quickly and clear the room for critical care services. Just as in Afghanistan, we didnt know when the next wave of casualties could come. We moved existing patients to the back of the ER to make room for more. Our focus was to stabilize, identify critical injuries, decide where they should go and then prepare for the next wave.
Burgher was stationed in Afghanistan from 2013 to 2014, working as head of a trauma emergency department. He recently returned from Iraq, where he was lead physician for the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force, which provided medical support in the fight against ISIS. His special training and experience prepared him well for last Thursday night.
I have witnessed shooter and victim lying side-by-side in a trauma emergency room where doctors, nurses and techs worked through the night to save both. The science of medicine does not allow us to differentiate based on good versus evil.
Some were very unstable. There were gunshot wounds to the arms and legs, but also bullets to the chest and abdomen that were life-threatening. The first step was to stabilize them. Damage-control surgery was sometimes necessary to control the bleeding. From there to the ICU, where we continue to resuscitate them before more definitive surgery. We give them blood products. Immediate operations are sometimes needed for fractures to the pelvis and thigh, whereas less severe fractures can be splinted and treated the next day.
Baylor treated a variety of injuries that night, from gunshot wounds to minor injuries incurred in the protest rally. Baylor utilizes a team approach and practices, drills and rehearses its mass casualty response periodically.
Im really proud of our team, Burgher said. It is a team of teams. We have nurses, technicians, radiologists, respiratory therapists, ER physicians, all coordinating seamlessly with our trauma surgeons, orthopedists, blood bank, etc.
Burgher said the entire team was honored to care for their brethren.
We are part of a brotherhood, he said, EMS, law enforcement, firefighters, emergency department personnel. There is a kinship. All in the same fight to care for our country, to protect our community. Same as in the military. The military is part of that brotherhood as well.
Some didnt make it. Burgher said the toughest part of all was knowing you did all you could do and it wasnt enough, and we lose one of our brothers.
I have witnessed shooter and victim lying side-by-side in a trauma emergency room where doctors, nurses and techs worked through the night to save both. The science of medicine does not allow us to differentiate based on good versus evil.
Which is not to say that we dont rejoice when a heros life is saved or mourn deeply when one is lost.
When the medical crisis was finally over, Burgher was able to step back and reflect, and to see law enforcement officers comforting and hugging each other in the hallways. It was only then that he allowed the deep emotions to hit him.
It breaks your heart, he said. It is an honor and a great sorrow to care for them.
President Obama journeys to Dallas Tuesday in the wake of the slaughter of five police officers there by Micah Johnson, the sniper who methodically assassinated them specifically because they were officers of the law, and white.
The presidents visit to Dallas is mind-bending, because during his presidency he has sown the seeds of hatred for police officers.
That began with his condemnation of Sgt. James Crowley in Cambridge, Mass., for simply doing his job. Crowley arrested Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., who appeared to be breaking into what turned out to be his own home.
It continued when Obama sent then-Attorney General Eric Holder to the funeral of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., after Brown tried to take a white police officers gun and was killed by the officer.
The president arrives in Dallas having caused countless police officers severe psychological trauma. He has put officers in the paralyzing position of defending the whole of our citizenry after he has methodically cleaved that citizenry into pieces, with some like shards of glass ready to cut officers down.
And it hasnt stopped. Even the presidents recent statement that those who attack white police officers are doing disservice to the cause implies, psychologically, that protesters have every reason to be enraged, organized and on the march, but that they should try to show restraint.
The president arrives in Dallas having caused countless police officers severe psychological trauma. He has put officers in the paralyzing position of defending the whole of our citizenry after he has methodically cleaved that citizenry into pieces, with some like shards of glass ready to cut officers down. He has implicitly suggested that officers ask themselves if their impulses to protect and to serve are a thin veil for opposite impulses to harm citizens even to kill them.
Journeying to Dallas in support of police officers is another toxic mind game by the president. It apparently wasnt enough for him to pit whole populations against the police. It apparently wasnt enough for him to make police question their own motivations and decency. Now he has to deny that he was the instigator of these seditious forces by praising officers and saying he mourns those who were assassinated. This will deprive some officers of their own proper rage at having been wrongly vilified by the president. And denying ones proper rage is the growing place for depression.
The tug of war inside America, as regards those charged with protecting and serving us, at risk of their own lives, is the product of the Obama administration. The tug of war inside police officers who must protect and serve us while wondering if large numbers of us hate them is the product of the Obama administration.
I believe the president knows very well that dividing is the way to conquer the spirit of our nation and the spirit of those fundamentally decent men and women who protect our laws with their lives.
Washington Times editor and columnist Monica Crowley said Monday on Special Report with Bret Baier that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps choice for running mate could matter a great deal to voters who are on the fence about the candidate.
I do think choice matters this time with him more than probably any previous Republican candidate in recent memory, simply because he's never done this before, Crowley said.
He's already offered voters a lot of hope that if they choose him, there will be true change, that the status quo will, in fact, be smashed. But he also now needs to offer voters reassurance in addition to that hope, reassurance that he will, in fact, govern responsibly, she added.
Crowley, a Fox News contributor, said that Trump can afford to choose somebody who is perhaps a little less exciting than the candidate himself, but has more political experience.
I think he needs to choose someone who will, in fact, help him govern responsibly, who's done this before, who knows what they are doing, she said.
House Republicans are demanding more answers about why FBI Director James Comey did not recommend federal charges against Hillary Clinton over her use of private email servers.
Their request was made in a letter sent Monday by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and committee member Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina that also was signed by more than 200 other GOP House members.
Comey said Tuesday that Clinton was extremely careless in using multiple, private servers in sending and receiving classified and other government correspondence but that the FBI would conclude its investigation into the matter without recommending federal prosecution.
He also said federal prosecutors had no findings to support bringing criminal charges of mishandling or removing classified information.
However, House Republicans said in the letter that it didnt take long for them to perform a simple legal search to find a case in the late 1980s in which a Marine was found guilty of mishandling classified material as a result of gross negligence.
As a former prosecutor, please explain your understanding of the legal difference between actions performed with gross negligence and those done 'extremely carelessly, Gowdy said in the letter. How did you determine that extreme carelessness did not equate to gross negligence?
In the Marine's case, the sergeant was found guilty, sentenced to confinement, forfeited pay for three years and had his rank reduced to the lowest enlisted grade for failing to report that he mistakenly took classified documents from his workplace after he cleaned out his desk.
Comeys recommendations and Attorney General Loretta Lynchs decision to follow them concludes the case against Clinton, now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
Comey testified Thursday before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Affairs regarding the roughly two-year-long investigation.
Secretary Clinton clearly placed our nations secrets in peril, the letter also read. And your decision to not refer the case for prosecution has created a cloud over our nations justice system. No one is above the law, and the American people deserve a more robust explanation for your decision to not recommend criminal charges.
The letter also stated the FBI probe shows Clinton clearly transmitted classified information on an unclassified system, despite her saying she did not and that emails were marked classified after she had sent or received them.
In addition, the letter asked whether any of the emails Clinton deleted and that the FBI forensically recovered from Clintons private servers pertained to the Clinton Foundation. And it asked whether the agencys Counterintelligence Division is still trying to determine whether so-called hostile actors gained access to Clintons emails, considering Comey said last week that a combination of factors raises such a possibility.
President Obama isn't giving up on a government insurance plan option for ObamaCare, despite widespread congressional opposition when it was considered in 2010.
Obama in an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association called on future policymakers to implement a series of reforms to ObamaCare. Among the reforms is a call to "revisit" the idea of a public option for ObamaCare enrollees.
Obama tried to add the public option, in which the government competes with private insurers and offers ObamaCare plans on the marketplaces, when the law was drafted about six years ago. However, heavy lobbying from the insurance industry nixed the provision.
Now, Obama said a public option can help enhance competition in the marketplace. He pointed out in the article that 88 percent of ObamaCare enrollees live in a county with at least three insurers this year, but 12 percent live in areas with only one or two.
Read more on WashingtonExaminer.com
In the wake of Dallas, Donald Trump is getting pummeled by the press.
In the wake of James Comey, Hillary Clinton is getting thumbs down from a majority of voters.
And these dynamics are unfolding at a crucial stretch of the campaign: Trump must settle on a running mate in the next couple of days, while Clinton needs to pick a running mate by next week.
Lets start with Trump. Its true, according to my sources, that his campaign had a daylong debate on how to respond to the murder of five police officers in Dallas, and took the cautious route. Trump gave no interviews and limited himself to a few comments on Twitter and a 90-second Instagram video. Prayers and condolences to all of the families who are so thoroughly devastated by the horrors we are all watching take place in our country, Trump tweeted.
Its also true that the campaign reached out to try to set up a meeting with New York police officers, and this was vetoed by Police Commissioner Bill Bratton. Im told Trump was quite angry that his staff made this move without his knowledge.
Still, Trump basically struck a note of unity. But look at the way the New York Times renders this in a news story:
His advisers raced to do the seemingly impossible: transform an often hotheaded candidate into a figure of leadership and calm.
The episode highlighted just how limited Mr. Trump has proved in the general election a figure so volatile and hard-line that simply speaking in public can be a risk.
And despite Trumps caution, he might still have paid a price for his tendency for fulmination and furybecause Clinton did speak out on the shootings in interviews and appearances.
Bottom line, also in the aftermath of Orlando, according to the Times: His advisers have tried to seize opportunities for him to project a sense of calm leadership. So far, this has been unsuccessful.
Keep in mind, that's a news story, not an op-ed or editorial.
Washington Post columnist Chris Cillizza pronounced Trumps last two months absolutely disastrous.
Trump should have remained laser-focused on the FBI scolding of her mishandling of classified information, he writes. But at a Cincinnati rally last week, something snapped. He threw away the notes and lit into the media and society, more generally over two recent controversies: (1) his campaign tweeting out and then removing an image that looked suspiciously like the Star of David, and (2) his comments about how late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was so good when it came to dealing with terrorists
Its hard to explain how bad that turnaround is for Trump. And how avoidable it all was. Whats even more remarkable is that he seemed to have the blueprint read the speech, blast Clinton, get out of the way for a good day. Instead, he voluntarily dipped into two issues debating whether he was anti-Semitic and defending his praise for a brutal dictator that are straight losers, politically speaking.
And yet Trump just gave Cillizza a 25-minute interview on his veep search (more on that in a moment).
Meanwhile, the FBI has closed its case against Clinton, but a new poll has this stunning finding:
A majority of Americans reject the FBI's recommendation against charging Hillary Clinton with a crime for her State Department e-mail practices and say the issue raises concerns about how she might perform her presidential duties, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
Six in 10 voters say the outcome will have no impact on their vote this November, even as those who do largely say it discourages them from backing the presumptive Democratic nominee.
Fifty-six percent of those surveyed disagree with no legal charges against Clinton, while 35 percent agree. That means 56 percent essentially think Hillary is a crook, or at least that she should have been forced to stand trial over her handling of classified information.
Given the battering that Trump has taken in the press over the last month, he should be 20 points down. But Trump is up 2 points in a Rasmussen poll, and down just 4.5 points in the Real Clear Politics average. That obviously has something to do with who hes running against.
On the VP front, Trump seemed to rule out Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn and tilt toward Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, telling Cillizza:
I dont need two anti-establishment people. Someone respected by the establishment and liked by the establishment would be good for unification. I do like unification of the Republican Party.
Pence, who would face a tough reelection fight, fits those criteria. But he doesnt fit another of Trumps desires: someone who has great chemistry with me.
Trump would be far more comfortable with another governor, Chris Christie, but he faces internal opposition.
In the end, Trump is right: a running mate almost never helps you win. The same goes for Clinton. But those two picks will dominate the media coverage as we head toward Cleveland and Philadelphia.
The stop-Trump movement isn't dead yet -- and Ohio Gov. John Kasich could be their last hope.
Republicans opposed to Donald Trumps 2016 bid reportedly are making a fresh pitch for Kasich to step up as an alternative candidate ahead of the partys convention in Cleveland. Former New Hampshire Sen. Gordon Humphrey asked Kasich allies Sunday to contact the former presidential candidate and urge him to offer himself as an alternative at the convention, according to Cleveland.com.
"Given our shared effort in the Kasich campaign, I am sure you agree," Humphrey reportedly wrote. "But, John needs encouragement to make the move. Please email John and offer him your encouragement and continued backing. ... It's not going to get better than this, but time is of the essence."
Humphreys email highlights a key difficulty the anti-Trump Republican have faced they dont have an alternative candidate waiting in the wings as a rallying point for those opposed to the billionaires nomination.
Prominent anti-Trump commentator William Kristol made a similar call on Sunday, calling for either Kasich or 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney to step in at the last minute.
Kristol previously had tried to convince a number of possible candidates to step up to the plate against Trump, to no avail. He eventually eyed National Review writer David French who opted not to run.
Kasich has remained coy about his plans, telling The Washington Post he has no plans to endorse Trump or speak at the convention, but that he is not shutting down his political operation.
Im not shutting my political operation down, the governor of the host state said. Im not closing any doors. But my focus right now is going to be on the House, the Senate, and the down-ticket here in my state.
The anti-Trump movement also faces a hurdle in party rules binding delegates to the candidate they were assigned by their state contests. To have a chance at the convention, supporters have to convince the GOP Rules Committee to change those rules in order to allow delegates to vote their conscience.
The committee is set to meet Wednesday and Thursday.
Politico reports that anti-Trump delegates led by Colorados Kendal Unruh are trying to scrape together support for a so-called "conscience clause" at the convention.
Unruh told Fox News Tuesday that the rules committee delegations from five states, as well as two individuals, are preparing to announce their support for a rule change, and that she has the support of more than a dozen others.
Anti-Trump delegates were given a small boost Monday when a Virginia judge ruled that the state cant force its delegates to vote in a winner-take-all fashion, as stated in an obscure portion of Virginia election law. But the law in question was so obscure that Republicans had already decided to allocate delegates in a proportional fashion, based on the results of the state's March 1 primary, which Trump won. The ruling leaves that unchanged.
Still, Virginia delegate Carroll Correll Jr., who filed the lawsuit last month, counted the ruling as a symbolic victory.
"Requiring delegates to vote for any candidate is unconstitutional and today's announcement is a blow to Trump's efforts," said Correll.
Fox News' Peter Doocy and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Hillary Clintons campaign is vetting former NATO leader and retired Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis as a possible vice presidential pick, sources confirmed Tuesday to Fox News.
The New York Times first reported that the retired four-star admiral and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Europe was being vetted, with sources saying Clinton was likely to seek someone with military experience on the short-list.
Others, however, were skeptical about the possibility of picking Stavridis, with the reports seen as a possible counter to Donald Trumps consideration of retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn.
Stavridis also had been passed over the role of Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, amid an investigation for improper use of a military aircraft to attend a party in France.
He was later cleared.
Both Clinton and Trump are thought to be in their final stages of running-mate vetting, as the presumptive nominees head into their respective party conventions over the course of the next two weeks.
Fox News Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
Rising tensions after the deadly ambush of police officers in Dallas and subsequent protests nationwide have led Cleveland and Philadelphia to adjust security plans for the national political conventions this month.
Cleveland, where the Republican National Convention is to begin Monday, has moved up by a week the activation of a tip line for reporting suspicious activity, Police Chief Calvin Williams said. Security plans have been "ramped up" because of the Dallas shootings last week, which killed five officers and wounded nine others at the end of a march to protest the fatal shooting of black men by police in Louisiana and Minnesota, he said.
"We're going to make sure we stay vigilant," Williams said. "But we also want to make sure that we ask the community to remain vigilant."
There have been no credible reports of threats against officers in Cleveland or the surrounding region, Williams said. But adding to concerns over security is Ohio's status as an "open carry" state, meaning it's legal to carry a gun in the open without a permit. One supporter of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump, has already asked Cleveland march participants to be mindful of the message that openly carrying might convey.
"We really don't want people to bring long guns," said Tim Selaty Sr., lead organizer for Citizens for Trump.
In Philadelphia, where the Democratic convention begins July 25, Police Commissioner Richard Ross said Monday that his agency won't change its general approach for policing protesters at the Democratic convention. He said the Dallas shootings have "required that we do things different tactically," although, like Cleveland's police chief, he declined to elaborate on specific strategies.
With Philadelphia police already on heightened alert because of Dallas, an incident at a downtown high-rise hotel late Monday rang alarm bells. Two people were found on the rooftop with smoke bombs and camera equipment and taken into custody. There was no immediate word on what they were doing.
One Philadelphia group's police protests grew hostile in recent days, with anti-police chants and at least one speaker praising the Dallas gunman. That group, the Philly Coalition for REAL Justice, has sought a permit for a march in downtown Philadelphia on the second day of the convention. It's pending.
But a lack of official permission to demonstrate will not stop them or anyone else from protesting; police say the lack of a permit alone will not result in arrests.
The U.S. Secret Service, which is in charge of security planning for both conventions, didn't return a message Monday seeking comment.
Even before Dallas, Cleveland's convention raised concerns about the potential for violent clashes between Trump supporters and opponents. And on Monday, Trump predicted more violence.
"I mean, you were having big, big trouble in many cities," he said. "And I think that might be just the beginning for this summer."
The convention will be a test for police in Cleveland, which last year began operating under a reform-minded agreement called a consent decree after a U.S. Justice Department investigation concluded officers had shown a pattern of using excessive force and violating people's civil rights.
Cleveland and Cuyahoga County plan to have hundreds of jail cells available to house arrested protesters. Police and the FBI also interviewed several protesters over the past month to ask about their protest plans.
At least one group has already canceled a Cleveland march following the Dallas shootings.
"In the current uncertain environment nationwide, we are concerned for police officers who would be charged with protecting our marchers and advocates as well as for the safety and well-being of our march participants," Michael Weinstein and Tracy Jones, with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, said in a statement. The group still plans a rally on the campus of Cleveland State University Sunday.
Philadelphia's police approach includes having on-scene leadership at every level to "remind men and women in uniform to remain patient, professional and maintain their resolve," Ross, the police commissioner, said.
"This is not an easy to thing to do when people are an inch away from your nose calling you the most vile, despicable things you've ever heard," Ross said. "We have to be flexible, and willing to adapt. We will allow people to protest and exercise their First Amendment right."
A Florida congresswoman indicted on fraud charges is telling supporters she's being "persecuted" by federal authorities because she's black.
U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Fla., and her chief of staff pleaded not guilty after being indicted last week on multiple fraud charges and other federal offenses.
In a statement posted Sunday on her campaign website, Brown says her indictment was part of a "very rough" week that included a black man fatally shooting five officers in Dallas and the killings in Louisiana and Minnesota of two black men by white police officers.
Brown proclaimed her innocence, saying the indictment was "very scary." She wrote: "I'm not the first black elected official to be persecuted and, sad to say, I won't be the last."
She was one of the first three African-Americans elected to Congress from Florida since Reconstruction.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch repeatedly dodged and deflected specific questions Tuesday on the FBIs probe of Hillary Clintons email use, referring Republicans to the FBI director instead of answering them herself and leading to heated exchanges with top Republicans over the course of several hours of testimony.
Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., said Lynchs lack of clarity is bad for the republic.
During questioning before the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, also asked about the legality of sharing classified information outside the proper channels and other issues. Lynch said it would be unfair to give a blanket answer.
I think youre sending a terrible message to the world, Chaffetz said. The lack of clarity that you give to this body is pretty stunning.
The exchanges were in keeping with the tense tone of a hearing where Republican lawmakers struggled over and over to draw detailed answers from the nations top law enforcement official regarding the decision not to pursue charges against Clinton over her email use.
She repeatedly deferred to FBI Director James Comeys comments on the case, declining to elaborate herself.
I would refer you to those statements, Lynch said. I, as attorney general, am not able to provide any further comment on the facts or the substance of the investigation.
Even as Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., noted it was her conclusion in the end on whether to act, Lynch would not comment in detail, specifically when pressed on Comey findings that conflicted with Clintons public statements on her email use.
Republicans, though, ramped up their criticism not only of Clinton but of the Justice Departments handling of the case. Goodlatte said the conclusion not to pursue charges defies logic and the law -- and once again criticized her for meeting on a tarmac in Phoenix with former President Bill Clinton just a week before the decision was announced.
The timing of and circumstances surrounding this announcement are particularly troubling, he said.
Goodlatte suggested that and other factors could have been grounds for recusal, but Lynch rebuffed the notion. And she insisted that the discussion with the former president was social and did not pertain to the email investigation.
Lynch has nevertheless expressed regret for the meeting and acknowledged that it had "cast a shadow" on the public perception of the Justice Department's independence.
Her limited answers on facts of the case, meanwhile, prompted some tense exchanges with lawmakers later in the hearing. Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., repeatedly pressed Lynch on whether there was some legal prohibition on her discussing the case that did not apply to Comey, who has discussed the probe at length.
In a rapid-fire exchange, Lynch said she could not provide the same level of detail and they had very different roles in the case.
There is no legal prohibition that can be cited here, Forbes countered.
As they did last week when Comey was grilled by House Republicans, Democrats criticized their GOP colleagues for holding Tuesdays hearing.
The criminal investigation is closed. There was no intentional wrongdoing, said Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., top Democrat on the panel.
Meanwhile, a new poll reflects widespread public unease about the FBI decision.
The ABC News/Washington Post poll showed 56 percent disagreed with the FBIs recommendation not to pursue charges. Just 35 percent approved. A separate NBC News tracking poll showed the Democratic presidential nominees lead over Republican Donald Trump narrowing to just 3 points.
Meanwhile, Lynch addressed police interactions with minorities in the aftermath of a violent week that brought that issue to the forefront.
The attorney general last week appealed for calm one day after a sniper who said he wanted to kill whites fatally shot five police officers in Dallas. The attack began during protests over the police killings of Philando Castile, who was fatally shot near St. Paul, Minnesota, and Alton Sterling, who was shot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after being pinned to the pavement by two white officers.
Lynch, who was sworn in as attorney general on the same day as racially tinged riots occurred in Baltimore, has repeatedly said that one of her top priorities in office is to improve relationships between police and the communities they serve.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Obama joined the Dallas community Tuesday to honor the memories of the five police officers killed last week by a sniper, saying they answered the call to protect fellow Americans who now are struggling with what we have witnessed.
The people of Dallas, people across the country, are suffering, the president said at a memorial service where George W. Bush and others spoke. All of us are wounded and suffering.
The officers were fatally shot Thursday by Micah Johnson, a 25-year-old black Army veteran, purportedly angry about two recent incidents -- in Louisiana and Minnesota -- in which a police officer fatally shot a black male.
The killings occurred during a protest in downtown Dallas over the Louisiana and Minnesota incidents.
Dallas Police Chief David Brown said Johnson, killed in a police standoff, wanted to kill white people, especially white officers.
I understand how we are feeling, Obama said at the interfaith memorial service Tuesday at Meyerson Symphony Center, in Dallas. Scripture tells us that in suffering there is strength, and strength brings character, and in character brings perseverance, then hope.
Bush said the slain officers died for the safety of strangers and are the best among us.
Today, the nation mourns. But to those of us who live and love in Dallas, we have lost five members of our family, also said Bush, who was president during the Sept. 11, 2001, terror strikes, the worst attack in history on U.S. law enforcement.
The names of the five slain officers are Lorne Ahrens, Michael Krol, Michael Smith, Brent Thompson and Patrico Zamarippa. Their funeral services and burials are scheduled for later this week.
Obama, who cut short his official European NATO trip to attend the event, on Monday called the police killings a hate crime against police, according to Politico.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Tuesday that Obama has called the families of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile -- the black males killed in Louisiana and Minnesota, respectively -- to offer his and first lady Michelle Obamas condolences on behalf of the American people.
Earnest also could not remember another time in which the president attended a memorial service for which all of the victims were law-enforcement officers, though he has attended one in which first-responders were among the victims.
Bernie Sanders on Tuesday delivered his long-awaited endorsement of Democratic primary rival Hillary Clinton -- who in exchange for that support gave the Vermont senator a platform to lay out what amounts to his socialist-inspired vision he expects Clinton to carry and the party to promote.
The Vermont senator spoke at length as he endorsed Clinton and went on to hammer his own campaign agenda that includes Wall Street reform, free college, a higher minimum wage and expanded, government-backed health care.
In turn, Clinton echoed many of Sanders' campaign priorities, completing the embrace of many planks of his agenda that has been in the works for weeks -- notably, on college debt.
"We're going to make college debt-free for all, and help millions of people struggling with existing student debt save thousands of dollars," she said.
She also said, "Wages are just too low for most Americans to get ahead. We need to go big."
The two shared the stage as Sanders declared hell do everything possible to make certain she will be the next president of the United States.
"Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nomination," Sanders said on stage with Clinton in New Hampshire. "And I congratulate her for that."
But more broadly, Sanders declared victory in having won "the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic Party." Clinton and her allies on the platform-writing committee have in recent days embraced several Sanders-backed proposals, a coming together which helped pave the way for Tuesday's endorsement.
Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, told the crowd that he arrived on stage "not to look back, but to look to the future."
"We started a political revolution, and that revolution continues," Sanders said to loud applause. "We want a government that represents all of us, not just the 1 percent."
Clinton became the presumptive nominee in early June, after accumulating enough delegates through roughly 30 state primaries and caucus victories.
However, the Vermont senator had until Tuesday essentially withheld his endorsement to get Clinton to embrace and adopt some of his progressive ideas, including free college tuition and Wall Street reform.
Sanders on Tuesday also touted his 20-plus primary and state wins, while acknowledging "it wasn't enough."
Sanders made the endorsement in New Hampshire, where he defeated Clinton by 22 points in the states presidential primary in February.
His endorsement also comes after weeks of negotiations between the Clinton and Sanders campaigns, including the candidates and top staffers meeting in June at a Washington hotel. Their campaigns have since been in frequent contact.
The event, at a high school in Portsmouth, N.H., was also an attempt to project Democratic unity before Republicans formally nominate presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump next week in Cleveland.
"How much more enjoyable is this election going to be?" Clinton said to the crowd. "Because you know what, we are stronger together. Thank you for your endorsement.
Trump tweeted before the endorsement: I am somewhat surprised that Bernie Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters. They are not happy that he is selling out!
Clinton has recently campaigned with President Obama and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren in recent weeks, warning Democrats of the threat of a Trump presidency.
Clinton last week rolled out proposals on college affordability and access to health care, winning praise from Sanders, and the platform agreed to last weekend in Florida includes many of Sanders' priorities, including a $15 an hour minimum wage.
Recent polls have shown that many Sanders voters plan to back Clinton but have reservations about her honesty.
Sanders has said he will do all he can to prevent Trump from winning the White House and the senator's vouching for Clinton could help her with the independents, liberals and millennials who flocked to his primary campaign.
He saw his longshot bid for the White House quickly catch fire in 2015 at large-scale rallies where he denounced income inequality, the influence of Wall Street and the role of big money in politics.
His campaign was powered by an impressive online fundraising machine that raised more than $200 million and threatened Clinton's once overwhelming lead in the primaries with the help of voters drawn to his anti-establishment message.
Sanders' unruly white hair and glasses was often depicted in campaign offices and on T-shirts and a campaign catch-phrase, "Feel the Bern," marked his rise online. Comedian Larry David portrayed Sanders on "Saturday Night Live" and the senator made an appearance on the show before the New Hampshire
Sanders' challenge influenced Clinton's shift to the left on several issues, including her opposition to the proposed Keystone XL pipeline between Canada and the U.S. and her opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Donald Trump reportedly condemned Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburgs critical comments about his presidential campaign, calling them highly inappropriate and a disgrace to the court.
Trump told The New York Times on Tuesday, Its highly inappropriate that a United States Supreme Court judge gets involved in a political campaign, frankly I think she should apologize to the court.
I would hope that she would get off the court as soon as possible, he added.
Ginsburg had said on Sunday that she did not even want to think about what the nation would look like under Trumps leadership.
I cant imagine what this place would be For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be -- I dont even want to contemplate that, she said in an interview with The Times.
She also jokingly suggested New Zealand as a viable alternative to America if the Republican presumptive nominee wins in November.
Experts have unearthed stunning mosaics depicting Noahs Ark and the parting of the Red Sea during the excavation of an ancient synagogue in northern Israel.
The mosaics were found on the nave floor of the synagogue in Huqoq that dates back to the fifth century when the area was part of the Roman Empire. In addition to the ark, pairs of animals that include elephants, leopards, donkeys, snakes, bears, lions, ostriches, camels, sheep and goats are depicted. The vivid depiction of the Red Seas parting shows Pharoahs soldiers being swallowed by a large fish, surrounded by overturned chariots with horses and chariot drivers.
Archaeologists working on the Huqoq Excavation Project, which involves the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Baylor University, Brigham Young University and the University of Toronto, discovered the mosaics last month.
There are many ancient synagogues from the late Roman Period that do have mosaic floors and sometimes even figured scenes like Biblical stories but there are no other ancient synagogues with the kind of content that we have depicted in our Huqoq synagogue, Excavation Director and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Professor Jodi Magness told FoxNews.com. The scenes of Noahs Ark and the parting of the Red Sea are very, very rare.
The quality of our mosaics is very high - thats also significant, she added.
The Huqoq site, which is closed to the public, offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of an ancient Jewish village in Israels lower Galilee.
Noahs Ark mosaics have been found at ancient synagogues in Jerash, Jordan, and Mopsuestia, Turkey, while the Red Sea parting has been depicted at Khirbet Wadi Hamam in Israel and Dura Europos in Syria. However, the high level of craftsmanship in the Huqoq mosaics is particularly notable.
We see here evidence of a very prosperous village with lots of wealth and the ability to pay for a very beautiful mosaic and a very large building, Magness told FoxNews.com. Theres a very widespread view that Jewish communities suffered and declined when Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire in the fourth century this runs counter to that view.
The mosaics have been removed from the site for conservation, and the excavated areas have been backfilled, according to statements released by the University of North Carolina and Baylor University. Further excavations at the site will continue next summer.
Excavations at Huqoq began in 2011, and the first mosaic was discovered the following year. Notable mosaics unearthed at the site include Samson carrying the gate of Gaza on his shoulders, which was discovered in 2013. The first non-biblical story ever found decorating an ancient synagogue, which may show the legendary meeting between Alexander the Great and the Jewish high priests, was excavated in 2013 and 2014.
Other artifacts discovered at Huqoq include pottery and coins. "The coins, alongside the ceramics provide crucial information on the occupation of the monumental synagogue and associated village, and greatly inform the debate regarding the chronologies of synagogues like these in this region, explained Nathan Elkins, assistant professor of art history at Baylor University and the projects coin specialist, in an email to FoxNews.com. Our coin finds have spanned approximately 2,300 years attesting to the long and varied history of the village."
Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
NASA has released an image of dunes on Mars that bear a striking similarity to Morse code.
The image, which was taken on Feb. 6, 2016 by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows a series of dark dunes on the Red Planets surface.
In a statement, NASA explained that the dunes are influenced by local Martian topography. The shape and orientation of dunes can usually tell us about wind direction, but in this image, the dune-forms are very complex, so its difficult to know the wind direction, it said.
The space agency notes that a circular depression on Mars, which is probably an old impact crater, has limited the amount of sand available for dune formation and also influenced local winds. As a result, the dunes here form distinct dots and dashes, it said. The dashes are linear dunes formed by bi-directional winds, which are not traveling parallel to the dune.
Winds hitting the dunes at right angles from two directions funnel the surface material into the linear shapes seen in the image. The smaller dots (called barchanoid dunes) occur where there is some interruption to the process forming those linear dunes, NASA explained. This process is not well understood at present and is one motivation for HiRISE to image this area.
Built by Ball Aerospace, the HiRISE camera is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson.
Mars looms ever larger in Americas space future. Earlier this year NASA announced a May 2018 launch for its delayed Mars Insight mission to study the red planet. NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter celebrated 10 years at the red planet on March 10.
NASAs goal is to send a manned mission to Mars by 2035. However, former astronaut Buzz Aldrin thinks that a slightly later target date of 2040 is more realistic. In an interview earlier this year, the Gemini 12 and Apollo 11 astronaut told FoxNews.com that by 2040, astronauts could have visited Mars moon Phobos, which could serve as a sort of stepping stone to the Red Planet.
Private space company SpaceX plans to launch an unmanned mission to Mars as early as 2018, with CEO Elon Musk eyeing a manned space mission around 2025. Musk also hopes that humans will one day establish a city on Mars.
Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
Researchers are pushing for banner ads that offer free HIV test kits to gay men on the dating and hookup site Grindr after a UCLA and Indiana University study.
Results from the study, reported in the journal Sexual Health, suggest that greater access to free testing will improve rates of testing. The team says that after posting 300,000 banners ads and three broadcast messages targeting a high-risk HIV population in Los Angeles in the fall of 2014, 333 tests were requested, 56 men took them and filled out questionnaires, and two men ultimately learned that they were HIV positive.
Engadget notes that given 5 million men in 192 countries use Grindr, the simple step could be a "very effective" means of slowing the spread of HIV.
Paper author Dr. Jeffrey D. Klausner, an HIV specialist at UCLA's school of medicine, tells the New York Times that using the app to encourage home testing is "ripe for expansion" in other cities and possibly countries.
He says they used Grindr because it's the "oldest and biggest" gay dating app, and they focused on black and Hispanic men who have sex with men because they are four times more likely than their white counterparts to not know they are HIV positive.
Recipients received test kits in the mail, via a pharmacy voucher, or via a code that produced a vending machine kit at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center.
The test relies on a simple swab of the gums and results are available in 20 minutes. (The CDC predicts that one in two gay black men alive today will become HIV positive in their lifetime.)
This article originally appeared on Newser: Because of Grindr, 2 Men Learn They Have HIV
An 8-year-old boy who fell into a pool on a cruise ship off the coast of New Jersey late last month has died of his injuries.
The New York City medical examiner's office said Monday that Prince Adepoju of Maryland died of accidental drowning.
Staten Island University hospital tells the Staten Island Advance that the boy died July 2.
Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas left New York Harbor and was heading to the Caribbean when the accident happened June 30. The Coast Guard says the boy had been in the water for eight to 10 minutes.
The medical examiner also says a "seizure disorder" was a contributing condition in the boy's death.
Royal Caribbean officials have issued a statement saying they're "heartbroken," and their thoughts and prayers are with the family.
An inmate snatched a deputy's gun inside a southwestern Michigan courthouse and killed two bailiffs while he was handcuffed, investigators said Tuesday giving new details into the shooting.
Officers killed the inmate, 45-year-old Larry Gordon, soon afterwards, Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey told reporters. He said Gordon got into a fight with the deputy while being escorted from a cell for a courtroom appearance at the Berrien County Courthouse in St. Joseph.
The deputy who was escorting Gordon is recovering in a hospital with injuries that aren't life-threatening. A woman was also injured. Her name and condition weren't immediately provided.
Two court bailiffs were killed and a deputy sheriff shot Monday inside a southwestern Michigan courthouse when an inmate broke loose and got his hands on an officer's gun, officials said.
During the incident, Bailey said Gordon took hostages for a short period of time before trying to leave through another door.
The sheriff said he faced multiple felony charges but did not specify what they were.
Bailey said authorities had "no warning signs" that the suspect would be violent. Contrary to reports Monday, he said Gordon was in handcuffs.
The inmate shot a sheriff's deputy, killed the bailiffs and then shot a civilian in the arm in a public area, the sheriff said.
During the incident, Bailey said Gordon took hostages for a short period before trying to leave through another door. The inmate then was fatally shot "by two other bailiffs who came to render aid, along with several other officers," Bailey said.
"He was trying to escape," the sheriff said.
Bailey identified the bailiffs killed as Joseph Zangaro, 61, and Ronald Kienzle, 63. He said the longtime law enforcement officers were close friends of his who became court officers after retiring from their departments.
Zangaro was head of court security. He retired from the Michigan State Police as commander of the Bridgman Post in Berrien County. Kienzle retired as a sergeant of the Benton Township police department after serving in the U.S. Army.
Both had been employed by the court for more than a decade.
The injuries suffered by the deputy and the civilian weren't considered life-threatening. Bailey said the deputy, 41-year-old James Atterberry Jr., had surgery on his arm and is "doing fine." He said the civilian was a woman who also suffered an arm injury. He did not identify her.
"We need prayers and the families need your prayers especially," he told reporters.
The incident occurred just days after five Dallas police officers were killed by a sniper, and amid a wave of violence and threats against law enforcement officers around the country.
An official from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives told Fox News that agents from the agency's Detroit Division are en route to the shooting scene at the courthouse.
Another law enforcement official told Fox News the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Detroit field office is monitoring the situation in Berrien County, and that FBI has offered its assistance to local officials but is not involved at this time.
The courthouse is located about 50 miles west of Kalamazoo, where an Uber driver killed six people in a shooting spree earlier this year.
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder announced on Twitter that the Michigan State Police has secured the scene, and is beginning its investigation into the shooting.
Synder called the shooting "a terrible event" in an afternoon press conference, and called for the public to "rally together" to support one another.
"This is a particularly tough time for law enforcement," he said.
Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich, who is from St. Joseph, described Monday's shooting as a "horrific situation."
What occurred today in my hometown breaks my heart. My thoughts are with our entire community our friends and neighbors," he said in a statement. "This tragic event reminds us all too well that our law enforcement officers have their lives on the line every day not knowing what that day will bring. We have lost two very able public servants and we all grieve for them and their families."
Bailey said the courthouse would be closed on Tuesday.
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Fox News' Matthew Dean, Chad Pergram and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The hype around growth hacking has not only affected people in the Silicon Valley but every place in the world where an ambitious and determined entrepreneur has ever lived. As of June 2016, LinkedIn has 2,587 people with the term "growth hacker" in their title. A majority of them are startup founders and CEOs. So why do these founders want to be known as growth hackers rather than entrepreneurs, founders or CEOs?
Changing your title on your business profile does not make you a growth hacker. Growth hackers are people who accelerate growth within a company. They have decisive ideas about growth, virality and the success of a product or company that are needed to bring the company to the front and center of the public, media and potential investors. Airbnb, Dropbox and Payal are just a few examples of companies that hacked their growth. Here are some ways you can follow in their footsteps.
1. Learn the art of piggybacking.
Whether you are in an actual or a metaphorical room, make sure you are in the right room and are rubbing shoulders with the right people. PayPal managed to become popular by cashing in on eBays popularity. It managed to convince eBay to use the PayPal logo along with other big names in payment like Visa and MasterCard. This presence on the website next to big-shot companies gave PayPal all the leverage it needed to become popular. You need to think of groundbreaking ideas, or learn how to piggyback on other platforms in order to growth hack.
Related: The Definitive Guide for Growth Hacking (Infographic)
2. Get multi-domain expertise.
Startup founders are good at a couple of skills and slowly build on those skills as they grow. Growth hackers already have a set of various skills, allowing them to accelerate the growth of their business. Growth hackers have knowledge in numerous domains, such as content marketing, programming, design and sales.
This allows them to make accurate, balanced and quick decisions on any business topic under the sun. They are one-part businessperson, one-part artist and one-part salesperson. If you lack multi-domain skills, its time you to upgrade your skillset and become a growth hacker.
3. Be willing to take risks.
Growth hackers are quick decision makers. They understand that no decision comes with a 100 percent certainty. They know that any path they choose, they will face hardship and struggles. Despite knowing this, they are quick thinkers and can make decisions faster than average entrepreneurs and founders.
Related: 6 Growth Hack Techniques You Can Try Today
4. Build your personal brand.
Think Apple, and you think Steve Jobs. Think Virgin Airlines, and you think Sir Richard Branson.
What I'm trying to say is that all these entrepreneurs went to extensive lengths to build their personal brand. When people line up to hear you at the TED talk, when your tweets get as many hearts as the population of a small country, when your companys mention is automatically followed by your name, you know you have success on your hands. You can hack your way into an inner C-Suite network, and supercharge your business. Try to build your reputation as an influencer or industry expert. Start slow with AMAs and podcasts, and slowly progress to touring and interviews.
Related: 10 Growth Hacks That Will Disrupt Your Industry
5. Understand marketing technology.
Growth hacking is basically marketing on steroids, which then fires up your business. There is an unbelievable number of experts, from Neil Patel to Quinn Whissen, who have shed light on hacks that can help you win at marketing. Further, growth hacking is synonymous with tools. There are many tools such as HubSpot, BrandWatch, SEMrush and others that automate and simplify digital marketing, thus making your life easier.
A lot has been written about founders and small business owners who capitalized on a niche gap or solved a customer pain point. You usually see that either the profits are too small or the idea is too big and unviable. The difference between these founders and growth hackers is that no matter the industry, the idea or the competition, these people are able to grow their company by leaps and bounds.
Chelsea Manning has tweeted that she's OK following her hospitalization for a suicide attempt last week.
The 28-year-old transgender soldier imprisoned for sending classified information to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks also posted on her Twitter account Monday night, "I'm glad to be alive."
Manning doesn't have internet access behind bars at the military prison at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, but wrote last year that she dictates her tweets to someone who puts them online.
Manning's attorneys say the suicide attempt happened at the prison early on July 5.
I am okay. I'm glad to be alive. Thank you all for your love <3 I will get through this. #standwithchelsea Chelsea Manning (@xychelsea) July 12, 2016
Mannings attorneys accused the U.S. Army of a "gross breach of confidentiality" for publically revealing that Manning was hospitalized.
"She would have preferred to keep her private medical information private, and instead focus on her recovery," said her attorneys, who appeared unaware of Manning's hospitalization until reached by reporters the next day and who criticized leaks of the information to media outlets.
Manning was convicted as Bradley Manning in 2013 and sentenced to 35 years. She's appealing the criminal case, arguing her sentence is unfair and her actions were those of a naive, troubled soldier.
Manning recently wrote a column from prison for The Guardian about the new U.S. rules allowing transgender people to openly serve in the military.
"Gender presentation should reflect the person that you are, Manning wrote. When you lose control of your gender presentation you lose an important aspect of your identity and existence. By setting so many caveats, time lines, standards, and training, the military is making this far, far, more complicated and bureaucratic than it needs to be. The simple reality is that we are who we say we are."
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Dallas sniper Micah Johnson was shunned by the New Black Panther Party after he began encouraging fellow members to take up arms, the hate group's leader X claimed Monday.
Houston-based New Black Panther Party leader Quanell X told radio station KTRH he "excused" Johnson when the Army veteran encouraged the group to stockpile guns and ammunition.
"I knew brother, and brother had spent some time with us in New Black Panther Party nation and he also worked some security details for me in events that we had," X said in the radio interview with host Mike Patrick.
It was not clear if X considered Johnson a member of his group, but he said he told Johnson "to excuse himself" from the group about three years ago after Johnson questioned why the group was not buying guns and ammunition to fight the government.
I told him, This is not Afghanistan. See a therapist, X said. We are an organization that has a paramilitary chain of command. He ignored that chain of command.
X said he did not warn authorities and that he could not know that Johnson, who he called a "ticking time bomb," would perpetrate what was the most deadly attack against U.S. law enforcement since 9/11.
The Houston New Black Panther leader did not return phone calls to FoxNews.com.
The development comes as authorities probe whether Johnson, who shot 14 Dallas police officers, killing five, at a Black Lives Matter protest Thursday, acted alone or with the knowledge or help of others.
Until we search every lead, Im not going to be satisfied Johnson acted alone, Dallas Police Chief David Brown said Monday.
Black Lives Matter immediately disavowed the murders and no organized domestic group has claimed credit for them. The New Black Panther Party is considered a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Police are combing through computers and electronic devices taken from Johnson's home for clues, experts said.
The FBI will be looking at whether there was subterfuge communication, retired FBI agent Pat Villafranca told FoxNews.com. Was he using encryption or a gaming system? Was he just reading or was he making a secret deal?
It is likely detectives are also analyzing voice data. In particular, a 10:30 a.m. threatening call made in Dallas on Thursday to the Harris Country Sheriffs Office Emergency Dispatch Center from a male caller is being looked at.
Why are yall killing black people? the caller asked, before pledging to "kill" police.
Since the attack, more threats have been received, including a Saturday Facebook post to a Houston law enforcement agency, calling for an unspecified police purge.
Brown said he also had personal death threats from a private Facebook account.
Almost immediately we received death threats, said Brown. We are all on edge.
A purported image of the gunman wearing a self-styled black and white keffiyeh with his gun raised overhead during a protest last summer at the Waller County Sheriffs office has been circulating over the Internet. However, the department did not have cause to ID anyone during the protest, so Waller County Sheriff Glen Smith could not confirm the identity appearing in the photograph.
Smith said if there was coordination between Johnson and others, it may be difficult to prove.
From my experience, groups like the New Black Panther Party are smart, Smith said. They point their guns in the air and dont look you in the eye and say Im going to kill you, but say pigs in blanket, or need to fry some bacon.
Its a word game, but for law enforcement its absolutely a threat, he added.
Oren Segal, director of the Anti-Defamation Leagues Center on Extremism, criticized efforts to blame Black Lives Matter, which several law enforcement authorities have called a terrorist group.
The African American Defense League and the New Black Panther Party are hate groups with a long and very different record than Black Lives Matter, which is an idea, a movement, Segal said. Its not even close. People should be asking if BLM wasnt leading protests, who would be leading them? It could be worse. What group would fill the vacuum?
The arsenal Johnson amassed in his home in the Dallas suburb of Mesquite suggested he had bigger plans, even if he intended to act alone.
There was a large stockpile of bomb-making material, Brown said. He knew what he was doing.
To remain in compliance with a new state law requiring certain municipal offenders to appear before a judge within 48 hours of their arrest, the Desloge Board of Aldermen approved the purchase of a mobile audio visual system at its Monday night meeting that will allow Municipal Judge Seth Pegram to hold preliminary hearings for county jail inmates electronically when necessary.
Judge Pegram appeared before the board at its May meeting to discuss the impact of Senate Bill 5 on the city's municipal court. The bill was passed in the wake of the August 2014 riots in Ferguson. Pegram noted that if an incarcerated offender doesn't appear in front of a judge within the requisite 48 hours they aren't required to post bond or pay jail board costs and are released from jail.
City Administrator Greg Camp said Monday that representatives of Schillers Audio+Visual of St. Louis that had been recommended by the mobile system provider, Polycom recently performed a walkthrough of the county jail to see what equipment is currently in use there.
The group was joined by the city of Farmington's technology administrator, Floyd Massey. Camp explained that Massey was present because Farmington had purchased a Polycom system within the last six months for the purpose of holding remote preliminary hearings.
Camp told board members that the cost of purchasing the Polycom mobile system recommended by Schillers Audio+Visual would total $23,134. The price includes a 50-inch monitor, a three-year warranty and a six-way multipoint license which allows for multiple teleconferences to be held in different locations.
Speaking in favor of purchasing the multipoint license, Alderman Chris Gremminger said, "Instead of [Judge Pegram] having to leave his office and come here and make his rounds to do that, he could set it up where he works at his office while the city hall staff is working here."
Camp told the alderman that he received the quote from Schillers the day after the board had approved the new city budget, but that the capital funds account had enough to cover the system's purchase.
"It just depends on how much we want to commit to trying to deal with these new rules the legislature keeps throwing at us because that's what this boils down to," he said. "It is essentially an unfunded mandate. It puts us in a position where we have to spend more than $20,000 that we weren't planning on spending, but we have to do it to make the system work for us."
A motion made by Alderman Alvin Sutton to purchase the recommended system was approved unanimously.
Mayor David Kater asked board members to be aware of the Zika virus that recently claimed its first life in the United States. The virus, first identified in Uganda in 1947, is transmitted by the same type of mosquito that carries dengue fever, yellow fever and chikungunya virus.
"Just be aware what's in your surroundings especially with our ditch project and other things we've got laying around town," he said. "We've got stagnant water in places. It's rained a lot and I understand that.
"I didn't know I had a tire out back that I found water in. My boy was hitting it with his bat for training, but I said he needed to make sure the water was out of that so it's not staying. So, I'm doing my part. We took care of that.
"Just try to be aware of the standing water pots, pans sitting around in yards. Bring it up to somebody so that can get it taken care of. It is not yet in Missouri, but it's not far away."
Following the meeting, City Administrator Camp told the Daily Journal that a deal in the works for Piramal Glass Ltd., an India-based company, to purchase the former US Tool building in town had fallen through.
"The building's still up for sale," he said. "We thought we had a deal there. Apparently they need a very, very clean environment for this labeling. They still have that division in New Jersey and they wanted to get everybody here kind of, so to speak, under one roof. It just didn't work out."
Relatives of Philando Castile, the Minnesota man shot and killed by a police officer during a traffic stop last week, plan to sue over his killing, a former TV court show judge now representing the family in civil matters announced Tuesday.
Judge Glenda Hatchett and The Hatchett Law Firm agreed to represent the family on Monday. Hatchett did not say whom the family intends to name as defendants or otherwise elaborate on the suit.
Hatchett says Castile's family is "very passionate and committed to ensuring" that his death "is not just another statistic."
St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez, 28, shot Castile, 32, last Wednesday in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights, investigators said. Castile's girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, livestreamed the aftermath online.
Castile's death -- and another police shooting a day earlier in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that also left a black man dead -- prompted protests around the country, including in Dallas, where five officers were killed Thursday.
Thomas Kelly, an attorney for Yanez, said Castile was pulled over because the officer considered him a "possible match" for the description of a suspect in a recent robbery in the area. Kelly also said the officer was responding to Castile's gun, not his race.
Castile, who had no felony record, told the officers he had a gun and a permit to carry it, Reynolds said.
She later told reporters that Castile had the firearm in a holster, and that the officer didn't see it before shooting him.
In Reynolds' nine-minute video, she calmly explains -- while sitting next to Castile, his shirt soaked in blood -- that she and Castile were pulled over for a "busted tail light."
She said Castile was reaching for his wallet when he was shot multiple times.
"Judge Hatchett" ran as a syndicated TV series from 2000-2008.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Rev. Franklin Graham took a moment this week to give Christians an update on the health of his beloved father, evangelist Billy Graham.
In a letter shared on the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website, Franklin Graham told friends and supporters that his father is still living in his Montreat, North Carolina, home with the help of a caregiver "at all times."
The Samaritan's Purse CEO said the elder Graham usually eats meals at the kitchen table, and "on days when the weather is good and he feels up to it" he enjoys gazing out at the mountains from his front porch.
Although the junior Graham said his father's eyesight and hearing are poor, he watches the news with the help of a big screen TV and uses a wheelchair to get around.
"His ministry now is praying," Franklin Graham wrote, "and he looks forward to reports of what God is doing around the world."
Click Here to Read the Full Story at ChristianPost.com
Friends gathered to pay tribute Monday to a 35-year-old Yelp marketing executive who died after she plunged 400 feet into the mouth of the Grand Canyon, the victim of an apparent accidental fall.
Colleen Burns, who was visiting from Florida, tried to shift her position to let another tourist take in the view of the Arizona landmark when Burns lost her footing, a witness told WESH.
She was stepping out of the way for another gentleman to kind of squeeze in, and unfortunately, Colleen kind of got tripped up on her own feet and fell backwards, fell into the canyon, said Jessica Roman, who was vacationing with Burns and another friend. That was the longest, strangest, craziest two seconds of my life.
Colleen Burns, 1st @Yelp Orlando Community Manager, has passed away. There are no words. Hoping to find some soon. pic.twitter.com/iZTKOPSbl5 Andi P- Yelp Orlando (@YelpOrlando) July 10, 2016
Burns death was announced Monday, the same day friends gathered at an Orlando tavern to remember the vivacious exec.
She was a force, and it wasnt her trying to be that. Thats just who she was, friend Joshua Johnson told WESH.
The group had just snapped a picture at Ooh Aah Point, Roman said, when Burns fell to her death. The location is about a mile down the popular South Kaibab trail.
Park rangers later recovered Burns body and the National Park Service and the Coconino County Medical Examiner were investigating the incident. Officials expected to conduct an autopsy, The Orlando Sentinel reported.
Yelp said in a statement that the company was deeply saddened by Burns death.
Colleen launched the Yelp community in Orlando nearly seven years ago, the statement said. Her passing represents a tremendous loss to our company, the communities she supported and the many friends she made while doing what she loved. We are heartbroken but thankful to have been positively shaped by her passion and joy for life.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The leader of a polygamous Mormon sect likely used olive oil or some other lubricant to slip off his home GPS monitor and escape home confinement last month.
Lyle Jeffs was awaiting trial in a multimillion-dollar federal food stamp fraud case. FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric Barnhart, told Fox 13 that the substance Jeffs used to remove the bracelet did not damage it "such to trigger the full array of alarms that law enforcement or the U.S. Marshal's Service would have responded to."
Jeffs, a bishop in the Fundamentalist LDS Church, is accused of ordering members to turn over food stamp benefits to church leaders. Utah officials say so-called SNAP benefits are only intended for use by direct recipients.
FBI spokeswoman Sandra Yi Barker said Tuesday that Jeffs may have been driven away in a dark, late-model Ford Mustang that neighbors saw at his Utah house June 18.
U.S. District Court Judge Ted Stewart had ordered Jeffs released from prison less than two weeks earlier over the objections of prosecutors. Stewart said the 10 other defendants in the case had already been released and obeyed the court's conditions. Prosecutors disagreed, claiming Jeffs was a flight risk.
On Tuesday, Jeffs' attorney filed a motion to dismiss the indictment, claiming that Fundamentalist LDS members have a right to consecrate their property to the church, which then redistributes it according to their community's "wants and needs."
Lyle Jeffs is the brother of Warren Jeffs, the former FLDS leader who was convicted of sexual assault charges related to underage "marriages" the group contracted. He was sentenced to life in prison in 2008.
The FBI has issued a wanted poster calling Lyle Jeffs armed and dangerous.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Michigan sheriff pledged Tuesday to review his department's guidelines for transporting suspects charged with violent crimes after an detainee who was cuffed in front rather than behind his back wrested a gun from a deputy and killed two court bailiffs.
Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey initially told reporters that Larry Darnell Gordon wasn't handcuffed at all Monday during the brazen courthouse escape attempt. On Tuesday, Bailey revised that account, explaining Gordon was handcuffed in front but that the restraint was not attached to a belly chain, which security experts say is a safer way to restrict movement.
"We're going to look at everything about why this happened and make sure that if there are things we can change so this never happens again, we will," Bailey said. "We'll be working with our chief judge about our protocols at the courthouse."
Gary Klugiewicz, an inmate transport expert with security consultant Vistelar in Wisconsin and a retired Milwaukee County sheriff's captain, said the lack of a transport belt could have played a major role in the fatal shootings.
"Somebody handcuffed in front is totally able to do just about anything if they're not restrained to any type of belt," he said.
Gordon was being moved from a holding cell in an area of the courthouse not open to the public when he disarmed Deputy James Atterberry Jr. during a fight and shot him. He then moved into a public hallway in the courthouse and killed bailiffs Joseph Zangaro, 61, and Ronald Kienzle, 63, both retired police officers, Bailey said.
The detainee also shot a woman in the arm and briefly took hostages before being fatally shot by other bailiffs.
"Those bailiffs were heroes along with all the other officers," Bailey said. "They ran to where shots were being fired. This could have been a lot worse without them being so brave to go into the gunfire and take this person down."
Nathan Hall, a consultant with the National Center for State Courts, which advises court officials on security, said it's best if two deputies transport an inmate. One armed with a stun gun or baton, but not a firearm would escort the defendant directly. The second deputy, armed with a gun, would trail at a safe distance.
"That best practice is tailored specifically to the potential for a firearm to be used against that transporting officer," Hall said. "These are best practices. The reality is that that can be expensive. We understand that. However, these instances happen."
Hall said his group also recommends handcuffing from behind.
Klugiewicz said many factors are considered when deciding how to transport an inmate such as whether the charges are violent offenses, the defendant has been violent in jail and if the court appearance is a sentencing.
"He's not been combative. He's always been cooperative the entire time he was here," Bailey said of Gordon's time in jail while charges were pending.
Gordon was charged in April with kidnapping, assault with a dangerous weapon and criminal sexual conduct, according to state police records. No other details were immediately available Tuesday.
Gordon was discharged from probation in 2014 after being sentenced for stealing fireworks from a temporary stand, said Michigan Department of Corrections spokesman Chris Gautz. He served time in state prison from 1999 to 2002 for fleeing and eluding police.
Zangaro, one of the bailiffs killed, was head of court security. He retired from the Michigan State Police as commander of the Bridgman Post. Kienzle retired as a sergeant in the Benton Township police department after serving in the U.S. Army.
In 2011, Zangaro told The Herald-Palladium newspaper that security staff had a "ton of experience," more than many police departments.
"Probably 90 percent of the people who are here don't want to be," he said of people with business in the courthouse. "They have either a criminal issue, a civil issue or a family issue, and those become very emotionally charged sometimes."
The courthouse was closed Tuesday but was expected to reopen Wednesday.
Experts said attention on courthouse security has intensified since 2005, when Brian Nichols overpowered a deputy escorting him to court for his rape trial, took her gun and fatally shot the presiding judge and court reporter and then killed a sheriff's deputy outside the building. He stole a car and drove to an affluent Atlanta neighborhood, where he shot and killed an off-duty federal agent.
A federal case involving a New Jersey limo driver, the most powerful man in the world and the prime minister of Albania has drawn scant attention in the U.S., but it threatens to rock the southern European nation's corridors of power.
On paper, New Jersey chauffeur driver Bilal Shehu was a big donor to President Obamas 2012 re-election campaign, ponying up $80,000 for he and his wife to attend an exclusive fundraiser in San Francisco.
But Shehu didnt bring his wife; he brought Edi Rama, who would go on to become Albanias prime minister. The feds say it was Ramas money all along, and a picture Rama got with the U.S. president gave his campaign back home a huge boost.
Shehu,of the New York suburb of Paramus, N.J., has not fared as well. He pleaded guilty June 29 to knowingly and willfully making foreign contributions and donations and faces five years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced on Oct. 5.
In his homeland, Albanian political operatives have charged that the money was provided by drug dealers, and Rama's rivals are calling for him to be prosecuted.
Edi Rama has committed at least three criminal acts and personally profited from that, lawmaker and opposition leader Eduard Halimi told The Associated Press after filing a criminal complaint against Rama last week.
According to documents filed in Shehus case, which was investigated by the FBI, he admitted to receiving the money from a foreign source via a wire-transfer into his bank account. He then provided it to a joint fundraising committee, disguising its true origin and conspiring to have a foreign national attend a campaign event.
Ramas name was not mentioned in the case. The documents said that the foreign national was denied access to the event in San Francisco but was allowed to be photographed with President Obama.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey said in a statement that no one from Obama's fundraising committee is accused of wrongdoing, and the committee has fully cooperated with the investigation.
No one on the joint fundraising committee has been accused of any wrongdoing and the committee has fully cooperated in the investigation leading to todays guilty plea, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement.
Shehus attorney says that no plea deal had factored into his clients admittance of guilt before the court.
"My client entered a guilty plea in open court and is not a cooperating witness for the government, Alan Abramson told FoxNews.com.
Under the Federal Election Campaign Act, no foreign national may donate or spend money in connection with any local, state or federal U.S. election. The only exception is if the person has a green card and permanent residence within the country.
While the U.S. investigation is wrapped up, the story continues to roil Albanian politics.
No Albanian today believes that Rama is not afraid of independent judges and prosecutors, National Democratic Party head Lulzim Basha said in a post on his Facebook page.
US scandal for Edi Rama. NJ court found he ilegally paid 80.000 $ by disguising money from Albania to get this photo pic.twitter.com/BPQqSpt93W Gent Strazimiri (@GentStrazimiri) July 1, 2016
Prosecutors in Albania have until the end of July to pursue an investigation against Rama, according to balkaninsight.com.
Albi Serani, spokesperson for the Prosecutor General, told the news site that in accordance with standard procedures, it takes about one month to verify such complaints.
"During this time, prosecutors have to decide if there is any indication of a criminal element and in the case, and they then open an investigation, or they just dismiss the complaint," he said.
Even after a militant anti-cop shooter stopped firing a barrage of shots at Dallas police officers in the streets on Thursday, Police Chief David Brown was forced to confront a virtual war on his force and other officers nationwide, as hate-filled posters took aim at cops online.
Brown said Monday that he was the subject of death threats almost as soon as Micah Johnsons deadly rampage which killed five officers and wounded nine others had ended. The threat against Brown was posted by a private Facebook account to the Dallas police Facebook page, and Brown said he was taking the menacing social media message seriously. Dallas police have so far been unable to identify the source of the threat.
There is a heightened sense of awareness over threats weve seen all around the country, Brown said at a news conference. Were all on edge, we are, and were being very careful.
The concern Brown is facing, even days after Johnsons assault ended with the killer being blown up by a police robot, is mirrored by other officers and other police departments around the country.
Detroit Police Chief James Craig said Sunday that four men in that city were arrested for making Facebook threats against white police officers.
One of the men is accused of posting All lives cant matter until black lives matter. Kill all white cops, The Detroit News reported.
Craig said while his department must consider the free speech rights of Internet posters, direct threats to law enforcement officers wont be tolerated.
Social media is new territory, and while its been established that hate speech is protected by the First Amendment, were talking about people specifically saying on Facebook they want to kill white police officers, Craig said.
While the rhetoric of protesters marching in anti-cop demonstrations in recent years including a What do we want? Dead cops chant in 2014 has often been heated, online threats in the days following the Dallas shooting are taking on a new significance.
The co-founder of a black militia whose events the Dallas police shooter had attended wrote after the attack in a since-deleted Facebook post that the killer shall be celebrated one day, The Dallas Morning News reported.
Huey P. Newton Gun Club co-founder Yafeuh Balogun also tweeted: I have no remorse for the Dallas Police Officers shot downtown, its about time.. at the protest etc.
The gun club was named after the radical founder of the Black Panther Party and was formed to institute armed patrols of communities in Dallas, The Dallas Morning News reported.
The FBIs New Orleans Division on Friday also sent out a bulletin to police departments in the Baton Rouge and Shreveport areas warning of multiple groups on social media calling for a purge. The FBI memo was obtained by Judicial Watch.
Baton Rouge purge starts July 9th 12am ends 5am July 10thRule 1 must kill every police!!! one post cited by the FBI said.
Though nothing materialized from the threat, police officials are eyeing the warnings with increasing alarm.
If someone threatens to kill the president, that person would be arrested and prosecuted, Craig said. How is it any different when someone threatens to kill white cops?
Fox News Matthew Dean contributed to this report.
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As a conservative talk-radio host in the 1990s, Mike Pence described himself as "Rush Limbaugh on decaf."
Two decades later, Pence is the unflappable conservative governor of Indiana who has caught the eye of another fiery personality: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Where the brash billionaire is impulsive, Pence is cool-headed. Where Trump makes conservatives suspicious, Pence has credibility. And where Trump struggles to draw evangelical Christians, Pence is well-regarded by them.
A favorite quote highlights how Pence might smooth some of the sharp corners of the Trump campaign and its supporters.
"I'm a conservative," Pence has often said. "But I'm not angry about it."
The former congressman also is a proven fundraiser with close ties to billionaire industrialists David and Charles Koch and their network of wealthy donors, many of whom have been dismissive of Trump.
"One thing you can say about Mike Pence is he's got a very calm, steady demeanor that in some ways is a little Reaganesque," said Christine Mathews, a Republican pollster for former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels. "He's a counterbalance to Trump in that way."
Trump's decision, expected by the end of the week, would cap months of speculation.
Not so long ago, their relationship was a little awkward. Trump met privately with Pence before Indiana's primaries, seeking his endorsement. Instead, Pence, under pressure from national conservatives, tepidly endorsed Trump's rival, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, while still lavishing praise on Trump. Trump won that primary. Before the night was over, Cruz had quit the race.
For Pence, a former six-term congressman, selection by Trump would offer a return to national politics after his embrace of the role of a governor of conservative social issues sidelined his own presidential ambitions. Describing himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order," Pence marched Indiana to the front lines of the nation's culture wars. In 2015 he provoked a national backlash after signing a law that critics said would have allowed businesses to deny service to gay people for religious reasons.
Even some Indiana Republicans have questioned his decisions, suggesting Pence has at times seemed more interested in appealing to national conservatives than doing what's best for the state. For example, Pence's support of the state's religious objections law led to a revolt from the business community, which joined gay rights advocates in successfully pushing for changes to the law.
Raised in Columbus, Indiana, in an Irish-Catholic family, Pence revered the Kennedys growing up and has said he voted for Jimmy Carter in 1980. He later identified as an evangelical Christian and was inspired to join the Republican Party by former President Ronald Reagan, whose "happy warrior" rhetorical style Pence has since tried to emulate.
After attending Hanover College, Pence graduated from Indiana University Law School in 1986. He met his wife, Karen, around the same time and twice unsuccessfully ran for Congress before taking a job at Indiana Policy Review, a conservative think tank. In a 1991 essay titled "Confessions of a Negative Campaigner," Pence swore off harsh political tactics he used in "one of the most divisive and negative campaigns in Indiana's modern congressional history" while calling for "basic human decency."
"That means your First Amendment rights end at the tip of your opponent's nose even in the matter of political rhetoric," Pence wrote, though in the face of a difficult re-election campaign in Indiana he has since backtracked.
In Congress, Pence did not sponsor a single bill that was passed into law. But he built a national following among conservatives for his willingness to buck his own party after opposing President George W. Bush's Medicare expansion and the No Child Left Behind education overhaul. During the early years of President Barack Obama's administration, Pence helped lead the opposition to the Democrat's agenda.
"He has a particularly strong talent, a gift if you will, for being able to stick to principle while making his political opponents or those who disagree with him feel like they are being heard and respected," said Ryan Streeter, a former Pence aide and George W. Bush staffer who is now a public affairs professor at the University of Texas at Austin.
Pence's congressional experience is one trait that Trump, who has never held public office, said he seeks in a running mate.
Marc Short, a former Pence aide and top Koch Brothers operative, elaborated: "He's worked with (House Speaker) Paul Ryan. He's worked with the team in House leadership. He's somebody who has deep relationships in the evangelical movement, and he's somebody who has foreign affairs experience."
Pence's one term as governor has drawn mixed reaction, and he has managed to alienate moderate Republicans over social issues.
Groups threatened boycotts over last year's religious objections law. Late-night television hosts mocked the policy, and a coalition of gay-rights supporters and business interests successfully demanded that lawmakers approve changes.
This year Pence clashed with the local Catholic archdiocese by opposing the settlement of Syrian refugees in Indianapolis.
Pence was also slammed for the planned 2015 launch of "JustIN," a state-operated news service that was ditched after critics panned it as "Pravda on the Plains."
But he has also presided over Indiana's improving economy and plummeting unemployment rate, which Republicans credit to the state's low taxes, limited regulation and pro-business climate.
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Police arrested five people for allegedly shooting at officers in Washington, D.C., early Tuesday, officials said. No injuries were reported.
The group allegedly fired at police to avoid arrest, not as part of a targeted attack on cops, a police official told The Washington Post.
Officers in marked police cruisers were responding to reports of gunshots just after midnight in southeast Washington, D.C., near Martin Luther King Elementary School, when the cops were shot at by people inside an SUV, police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck said.
Police returned fire at the suspects, who barricaded themselves in the vehicle, Sternbeck said. Officers ordered the group to come out, but they refused.
After about 30 minutes, three women and two men in the SUV surrendered to authorities. None of the five had been publicly identified as of Tuesday morning.
The investigation will include whether the individuals who were arrested may have been involved in any other crimes before police arrived.
Police were initially alerted to the area by the ShotSpotter system, WTOP reported. ShotSpotter uses sensors to detect gunfire around the city and then notifies authorities if anything is picked up.
Tuesday's incident follows protests over police shootings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota and the fatal shooting of five police officers by an anti-cop, anti-white assailant in Dallas last week.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
At least two tornadoes, torrential rain and powerful winds damaged homes, caused an evacuation of a nursing home and flooded highways in north-central Minnesota Tuesday.
Up to 20 homes were damaged by a tornado in Meeker County on Monday afternoon, authorities said. The communities of Litchfield and nearby Watkins were hit hard by the storms.
Fifty residents were removed from the Hilltop Health Care Center in Watkins after the storm ripped off part of the building's roof. The American Red Cross said it is assisting the evacuees.
The National Weather Service had warned of catastrophic flooding for parts of Minnesota Monday and early Tuesday.
In Litchfield, Mayor Keith Johnson says there's serious damage, but no one has been injured.
The storms generated a deluge of heavy rain causing the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office to advise against travel late Monday because of flooding. Flash flooding also left drivers stranded in the St. Cloud area.
The National Weather Service reported 11 inches of rain fell in the east-central Minnesota city of Sturgeon Lake.
The National Weather Service said the Mississippi River in Aitkin County could crest at nearly 18 feet and would overrun the Aitkin sewage plant. Forecasts predict that the river should hit 15 feet by Tuesday morning.
A series of alerts were issued through Monday night in several areas in Minnesota. A flash flood emergency was issued at 9:40 p.m. after reports from local authorities that said "many state, county and local roads are underwater, and some road washouts have been reported in the Sturgeon Lake, Willow River, Denham, Bruno, Askov and Sandstone areas, according to the Duluth News Tribune.
Mike Stewart, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Duluth, told the paper that the storm front remained parked over central Minnesota for hours.
During the evening hours Monday, Moose Lake reported 4.7 inches of rain and had more one the way. The town saw similar floodwaters four years ago when the river and lake overflowed into homes, schools and other surrounding buildings.
Thats why we had a meeting tonight, right away, to plan for (Tuesday) in case the waters continued to rise, Mayor Ted Shaw said told the Duluth News Tribune. We wanted to be sure that we are as ready as we can be.
Last time, it came up so fast that we werent ready for it, and you just kind of scramble. Now we put together a plan, just to start prioritizing what are the key things that we learned from the last flood, that we would use now on our key infrastructure items to save them before they flood?
City officials in the region monitored the rain totals throughout the night.
The National Weather Service urged extreme caution to residents and drivers. The service said 6 inches of water is enough to take a person down and at least 12 inches could move a small vehicle.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Some might consider Connie Myers to be a ray of sunshine through the speaker.
For more than eight-and-a-half years, Myers voice has been a friendly greeting at the drive-thru window of the McDonalds located on Highway 221 in Farmington.
With her distinct voice, friendly demeanor and fancy fingernails something she admits has become an addiction its hard to believe the 54-year-old Parkland native served six years as an MP in the United States Army.
I was in Panama (in 1989) when they captured Manuel Noriega, she said.
Myers joined the military after working as a CNA at local nursing home facilities the job where she thinks she picked up her use of darlin, honey, and sweetie that she now uses with her customers.
While she said the work was rewarding, it was also physically demanding. Thats when she decided to get back into the fast food industry.
Myers, who grew up between Elvins and Bismarck, said she and her husband always moved away from home when their four children were young, but we always came back.
We were doing really well in Kentucky my husband and I had good jobs, she said. But, it wasnt home. We met in Farmington and we always come back to Farmington.
Her first fast-food job was in Bowling Green, Kentucky at a Wendys where she received Employee of the Year after only six months of working there.
Myers admits working the drive-thru is her preferred spot because of the day-to-day interaction during her typical 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. shift.
It depends on where you work as to how happy you are, she said. I worked at a couple of places where it was just like going through the motions.
I like my regulars and they always tell me I make their day and that just makes me happy to make somebody else happy. Its a give-give situation.
Its not uncommon for Myers to call her customer by name as soon as she hears their order.
Ill call their name out of the speaker box when I hear their voice, she said.
Myers said she had other jobs in the industry where she worked drive-thru and it wasnt the same.
Im who I am when I am in that window, she said. I like all my people.
She said its not that uncommon for a customer to say just hearing her voice made their day brighter.
On the McDonalds app (for smart phones), one lady took the online survey on the receipt and said I was better than her first cup of coffee in the morning, Myers said, adding, with a chuckle, ... Which, to me is pretty special.
And, its not uncommon for customers to wonder where Myers is when she is taking orders but not greeting them at the payment window.
Ive heard people pull up and say, wheres Connie? and Ill lean out the service window and say here I am,' she said.
Customers often make special trips to the location because of Myers even if there is another more close stop on their way.
Some go out of their way to tell her their visits to the drive-thru will be decreasing due to retiring from work, moving from the area, or an increase in the prices.
I know a lot that disappear and it seems like Ill think, I wonder where so-and-sos been I havent seen them in forever,' she said. And then, within the next few days to a week or so they show up. Its like they read my mind.
Like everyone, Myers has those days when being her upbeat self is not so easy.
Her husband had a heart attack in April. There were days she admits to coming into work and going through the motions and keeping it upbeat while thinking about her husband as he recuperated.
When I have those days, Im just kind of blah and bland, she said. My customers pull up to the window and say whats the matter with you? Somethings up. Youre not yourself. They always notice if something is not right.
She said there arent many places she can go that someone does not recognize her. Shes been followed around in local restaurants by some of her younger fans.
During a visit to another local fast food restaurant, Myers said three different individuals said, Look! Its Connie! My McDonalds lady!
My husband started singing, Im in love with the McDonalds girl (from the commercials), she said. I told him, Oh, Donnie, please. Dont.
But sometimes, shes not so familiar to regular customers when seen outside of her drive-thru window.
I have one little boy who makes his mom roll down the back window when they go through the drive-thru so he can give me a high-five, she said, but when she attempted to give the youngster a high-five in Walmart one day when he froze.
Mom! Myers said he yelled. His mom said, Do you not know who that is? Thats Connie from McDonalds.' After that, he said, Oh, high-five!
Whether it be a cup of coffee or a high-five she's serving up, it's obvious that she is the pick-me-up that many of the restaurant's drive-thru patrons look for every day.
A small-city mayor who's also a veteran standup comedian was indicted Tuesday on four felony counts including election falsification and theft in office.
The state auditor's office announcement followed a monthslong investigation of Republican Hillsboro Mayor Drew Hastings by special prosecutors appointed by a Highland County judge. The counts also include theft and tampering with records.
Hastings said he has done nothing wrong and was "mystified" when he was served with the indictment while having lunch at a restaurant.
"I'm only guilty of trying to represent our citizens without the consent of an established political structure," Hastings said.
Among allegations probed were improper personal use of Hillsboro city trash bins, a $500 vacant building fee refund he received and election falsification concerning his residency in the city of 6,600 residents, where he has a downtown apartment. He has called the investigation a politically motivated "witch hunt" and a waste of taxpayers' money.
Auditor Dave Yost acknowledged Hastings "has long complained about the length of time a careful, proper investigation takes."
"That investigation is now complete," Yost, a fellow Republican, said in a statement. "... I am confident the jury of his peers will find that evidence amounts to proof beyond a reasonable doubt."
Hastings was re-elected last November to a second four-year term, winning 59 percent of the vote.
Former Mayor Betty Bishop, a Democrat and campaign manager for Hastings' last opponent, said it was "a sad day" for their community.
"All I can do is pray instead of criticize," she said.
Hastings said he and his attorney will be ready to fight the charges, which could bring jail time with convictions. His first court appearance is scheduled for July 27.
Hastings bought a small farm 60 miles east of Cincinnati a decade ago, then bought several downtown properties. He ran in 2011 as an anti-establishment Republican ready to shake things up and scoffing at political correctness. He said while "America is going to hell in a handbasket," he could help revitalize little Hillsboro. He won 62 percent of the vote.
Hastings, 62, has been a frequent guest on radio's syndicated "Bob & Tom Show." His TV appearances have included Jay Leno's "Tonight Show" and Comedy Central. He has been praised by The Times-Gazette for improving the city's finances and for downtown progress.
But critics see a heavy-handed, self-serving mayoral style. Bishop had said after his re-election that voters might not have recognized the issues with Hastings, "but they will."
Hastings' bluntness has gone too far at times. He apologized to upset black residents late last year after he made a Facebook post that said "blacks have all but formally declared war on whites."
Hastings also was investigated in 2013, when the state attorney general responded to a challenge on whether he was a city resident, concluding there was no cause for action. A lawsuit alleging official misconduct was filed last December, but a judge dismissed it as moot because allegations stemmed from Hastings' first term.
Authorities in Louisiana said Tuesday that a burglary at a Baton Rouge pawn shop was part of a larger conspiracy to target law enforcement officers amid protests over the fatal shooting of an African-American man by police.
At a press conference, Louisiana State Police Superintendent Mike Endmonson told reporters the plot represented a "substantial, credible threat" against police.
Investigators believe four men broke into the pawn shop early Saturday and stole eight handguns. Baton Rouge Police Chief Carl Dabadie said that one of the suspected robbers was captured at the scene and told officers the guns were stolen "to get bullets to harm police officers." Dabadie said the suspect, later identified as 17-year-old Antonio Thomas, didn't indicate when or where a possible plot would be carried out.
"We have been questioned repeatedly over the last several days about our show of force and why we have the tactics that we have. Well, this is the reason, because we had credible threats against the lives of law enforcement in this city," Dabadie added.
The police department has come under criticism for the tactics it's employed to deal with protesters, using riot police and military-style vehicles on the streets of the capital city. Over a three day period, police arrested about 200 protesters.
Another suspect, Malik Bridgewater, 20, was apprehended Sunday and a third suspect -- a 13-old boy -- was apprehended on a street. They called on the fourth suspect to turn himself in.
Another man was arrested for allegedly purchasing two of the stolen guns, but he hasn't been linked to the alleged plot, a police spokesman said.
All of the suspects are from Baton Rouge and all are black. The suspects face charges including burglary, simple burglary, and theft of a firearm; they have not been arrested on any charges related to plotting to kill police.
"Look what happened in Dallas," Edmonson said, referencing the shooting of five Dallas police officers by a sniper last Thursday. "I think the threats speak for themselves. We can't take anything for granted."
A number of threats have been made against Louisiana law enforcement officers since Sterling's death. However, authorities said this was the first one that had been deemed substantive and credible.
Edmonson said authorities were investigating a case where an officer had reported being followed, but declined to provide more details.
Earlier Tuesday, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards defended the police response to protesters.
"We've had a police officer with teeth knocked out of his face because of a rock. If you don't have on riot gear, you have no defense against that sort of thing," said the Democratic governor, who comes from a family of sheriffs.
"In light of what happened in Dallas, understanding that just one gunman can change the situation entirely, how do you in good conscience put police officers on the street without the ability to defend themselves?" he said.
The Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights investigation into Sterling's shooting.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana has criticized police as using "violent, militarized tactics on groups of people who have gathered peacefully." Amnesty International has questioned the high number of arrests.
Community leaders have tried to defuse tension and keep interactions between protesters and law enforcement calm.
State Rep. Ted James, a black lawyer who grew up in the area where Sterling was shot, and Cleve Dunn Jr., a prominent black businessman in Baton Rouge, met with local Republican leaders at a public luncheon to discuss the shooting. The two men have showed up at protests and urged calm.
"I truly believe that we can have parallel conversations about respect for police officers, making sure that they're safe, but also have a parallel conversation about the things that are happening with African-American males across the country," James said.
James said black community leaders want Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry to appoint a special prosecutor to handle any state investigation into Sterling's shooting death. He said the attorney general's office doesn't have the level of expertise to do the investigation and the appointment of an outside prosecutor would depoliticize the work.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Wine, art and investing often blur.
There is an art to making good wine, and there is art to sound investing.
Additionally, you can invest in art and wine. But there are rare times when both wine and art collide that create extraordinary opportunities.
Weve talked about investing in wine before, but sometimes it takes hard numbers to make the point.
According to the London International Vitners Exchange, over the last five years, the S&P 500 is up 57 percent whereas a bottle of 2004 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti from the Grands-Echezeaux vineyard in Burgundy, France, is up 143 percent over the same period.
A bottle of the 2007 Opus One out of Napa Valley is up 113 percent over that period as well.
More recently, while the S&P 500 has been basically flat over the last year, a bottle of 2002 Masseto is up about 51 percent.
Related: The Top Wine Trends Expected in 2016
Granted, much like picking stocks, the variables matter. In the wine world, the vintage, or year, of the wine is key to appreciation so education is necessary before you buy and hold.
Investing in art has a similar upside, especially if you pick the right artist and the right medium. So imagine what could happen if wine and art merged.
Ornellaia, one of Italys great Super Tuscan wines, has created that union.
In 2008, CEO Giovanni Geddes da Filicaja started the Vendemmia dArtista project, which allows his wine labels to be a platform for contemporary art.
Related: Wine Ring App Lets Your Taste Shape Your Ordering
Each year after harvest, Ornellaia Winemaker Axel Heinz is asked to come up with a single word that describes the vintage. The winery then hires an artist to design a label that encapsulates that description.
Granted Chateau Mouton Rothschild, one of the most famous wineries in the world, has been doing that since 1945. And its annual label has been created by artistic greats, such as Marc Chagall, Keith Harring and Andy Warhol.
Ornellaia has taken it a step further though by adding a charitable component. Its artist-designed bottles are auctioned, and the proceeds are donated to back to the art world.
This year, Ornellaia Winemaker Axel Heinz chose the word "L'Eleganza" (The Elegance) to encapsulate the 2013 vintage.
They then hired Japanese artist Yutaka Sone to translate that notion onto the label. They gave me a chance to drink 2005, 2007, 2011 and 2013," he said.
"No artist, who worked on Vendemmia, has studied the wines as hard as Yutaka, Heinz said. (Cant blame him. The wines are amazing.)
Related: Why the American Wine Industry Needs a Shakeup
Sone designed multiple labels that were placed on larger format bottles and recently auctioned off at LAs Hammer Museum. They raised $128,000, which Ornellaia donated to the Museum.
Since Vendemmia dArtista began, they have raised more than $1.7 million for arts foundations around the world, including the Whitney Museum in New York, the Royal Opera House in London and the H2 Foundation in Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Sone also designed a label for the regular-sized 2013 Ornellaia wine bottle, which retails for around $150. One in every six bottles will have Sones label on it.
Granted, these wines are an investment. So you can you buy the wine, hold it, and let it appreciate. Or you can drink it, and still appreciate it.
Either way, its a win-win.
Its tempting to think of the rise of the gig economy as a nice little bonus for people willing to put in the extra hours to get ahead. But, make no mistake -- the side-gig movement isnt just an optional opportunity for those who want it. Its actually a glimpse of the overall future of work.
Related: Addressing the Backlash: What's an Accurate Picture of the Gig Economy?
That future is one in which people wont just have one full-time job with a couple of side hustles. Instead, were going to see the rise of people working multiple jobs at the same time, up to the equivalent of full-time hours.
I know: That sounds outrageous. And, perhaps it is, right now. But we've been preparing for this inevitability for some time. Consider how high school students have been told for decades that they cant expect simply one lifetime career. Even the advice that we should expect to have multiple careers in our lifetimes seems antiquated.
Why? Start with the fact that the working world is becoming overwhelmingly more entrepreneurial. The tools required to make a business are available to everyone for relatively little or no cost: website creation, advertising and marketing education, online programs that teach you how to code within a relatively short amount of time and platforms that help you run your business more smoothly.
Even platforms like Etsy are creating new entrepreneurs all the time, through side jobs and businesses.
These tools are all free, or nearly so, and they work -- you need only perform a cursory search of the internet to find a 12-year-old whos creating working apps and programs.
Nor is this trend just about software. Digital tools enable people to connect their traditional skills to people who need them. That could encompass anything from the creative arts to the full gamut of manual labor jobs, including painting, construction and anything else.
That is a good thing. It means that everyday people are becoming highly skilled at creating properties that create value -- and are empowered by their own abilities.
Related: Helping Independent Workers Grow Their Business in Gig Economy Revolution
At the same time, even within the context of a traditional career or workplace, employees are using tools and systems that encourage productivity and self-motivation. Communication platforms like Slack and the adoption of principles such as Agile methodology are training people to think and work like entrepreneurs in the context of creating and selling product. A 2015 HP survey even found that Agile is now the new normal.
We live in a world where small businesses are able to compete with multi-billion dollar behemoths. As companies become more nimble and adaptable, more productive and more technologically savvy, so too will their employees. They are entrepreneurs in training.
And they need to be. Automation means fewer employees are required in traditional roles. Even in Silicon Valley, experiments regarding the adoption of a universal basic income have been hotly debated -- and incubator Y Combinator has embarked on a controversial study of such a move. The citizens of Switzerland recently voted on a similar measure.
Weve seen automation before. It has been happening for hundreds of years, and will continue to. But, in this context of multiple jobs, automation brings with it a wave of change that will see the structure of the full-time job fade away.
This isnt just opinion the numbers confirm it. According to the Department of Labor, the number of part-time workers rose from 13.5 percent of all employees in 1968 to 18.5 percent as of May 2016. More people are having to combine part-time jobs due to the lack of full-time work.
The reality is that the economic shift around changing work habits and structures will undoubtedly affect some in a negative way; and some are being left out by the significant change happening.
But this change also provides a great deal of opportunity. Instead of relying on low-skilled jobs to provide value for the economy, imagine, for instance, a future in which someone well equipped with digital tools could combine a variety of work activities. Driving for Uber or fulfilling some jobs on work-for-hire platforms is just a start.
People could also supplement this work with steady part-time work in a job that fulfils them -- whether that be photography, event planning, administrative work, personal training or whatever else they choose.
This has a huge benefit, also, for older workers who find it hard to shift toward our heavily digitized industry (especially those who may be laid off due to automation but havent had the opportunity to retrain themselves in digital skills).
Those with skills to offer, whether they be teaching, manual labor or anything else are now able to find buyers for those skills on work-for-hire platforms. Theyre doing the same work they've always done. The only thing thats changed is the delivery system.
This change wont come easily. No change does. We need to make sure that as a society were teaching young people the skills they need to exist in this new society: skills that help us become self-starting, entrepreneurial and literate in digital technology.
For older workers, meanwhile, more effort should be put into training so they arent left in the lurch when automation transforms even more jobs along the way.
Businesses should also consider how they can train their employees for this future world. Its in those businesses' best interests: Workers who are more entrepreneurial and able to see change coming will be able to deliver better results.
Related: What This On-Demand Startup CEO Thinks the Sector Should Really Be Called
Certainly, this change will be difficult, but we shouldnt be afraid of it entirely. Instead, we should embrace it, knowing that we have the tools, skills and knowledge to make a better future for everyone.
Yale University will not press charges or seek restitution against an African-American dishwasher who last month smashed a stained-glass window at the university because it depicted what he considered a racist scene.
Corey Menafee admitted he took a broom handle to the glass panel, which was in the Ivy League schools Calhoun residential college dining hall, because it depicted slaves carrying bales of cotton.
The school issued a statement Tuesday saying it did not want to pursue his prosecution and is not seeking any restitution.
State prosecutors plan to meet with lawyers for the school and Menafee and will have the final say as to whether to pursue the criminal case.
Menafee, who faced a felony criminal mischief charge, told the New Haven Independent he was angered by the racist, very degrading image.
I took a broomstick, and it was kind of high, and I climbed up and reached up and broke it, he told the newspaper. Its 2016, I shouldnt have to come to work and see things like that.
I just said, That things coming down today. Im tired of it, he added. I put myself in a position to do it, and did it.
New Haven police arrested Menafee, 38, after the June 13 incident.
Last week, Yale official Julia Adams said a set of remaining stained-glass panels depicting various moments from the life of building namesake John C. Calhoun, a onetime U.S. vice president and defender of states' rights, which included slavery, would be removed from the college common room.
Calhoun's tainted legacy prompted a petition last summer to change the name of the building, but in April, Yale President Peter Salovey announced the school will keep the name.
Adams said the decision to take down the other windows followed a study by Yales Committee on Art in Public Spaces that was prompted by Menafees action. Although the decision might be seen as affirming Menafees act, Yale spokeswoman Eileen OConnor told the Independent that breaking the glass put others in danger.
An incident occurred at Calhoun College, a residential college on the campus of Yale University, in which a stained glass window was broken by an employee of Yale, resulting in glass falling onto the street and onto a passerby, endangering [her] safety, OConnor said. The employee apologized for his actions and subsequently resigned from the University. The University will not advocate that the employee be prosecuted in connection with this incident and is not seeking restitution.
Menafee, who had worked at Yale since 2007, said he regretted breaking the window.
It could be termed as civil disobedience, Menafee told the Independent. But theres always better ways of doing things like that than just destroying things. It wasnt my property, and I had no right to do it.
The body of a U.S. airman has been found in a river in the northern Italian town where he went missing 10 days ago, Italian authorities said Tuesday.
A Carabinieri official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to give the information, said the body of Staff Sgt. Halex Hale was identified by his father and colleagues from the Aviano Air Base. The body, clad in just a swimming suit, was spotted earlier Tuesday by a passer-by, who notified authorities.
The U.S. Air Force confirmed that Hale's body had been found in the Livenza River, within a mile of where he disappeared July 2, and the cause of death is under investigation.
"We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss of life," said Brig. Gen. Lance Landrum, commander of the 31st Fighter Wing. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, fellow Airmen and friends."
The 24-year-old from Middletown, Indiana, who was assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base north of Venice, went missing on July 2 after leaving a friend's cookout off base in the town of Sacile to walk to another friend's home about 15 minutes away. He left his cell phone, credit cards and car and the cookout.
The body was found in an area searched for five days with the aid of divers and dogs, but the Italian official said it was likely that the body had gotten caught in vegetation below the surface and had been freed more recently by the current.
Authorities say it is possible that Hale had gone swimming in a canal in front of his friend's house, although the cause of death remains unknown. The canal runs into the river where the body was found.
An autopsy is planned for Wednesday, the official said.
Hale's father traveled to Italy to aid in the search for his son. His mother, Amy, told The Star Press in Muncie, Indiana, that her son had been in the Air Force for six years and at Aviano since February 2015. He also served in Afghanistan. He was a member of the wing's communications squadron.
Pastor Phil Rogers of the Middletown Church of the Nazarene where both Halex Hale and his brother attended daycare said the airman "loved what he was doing" in the military.
"It's just heart-wrenching. Because now they're dealing with the reality that he's gone," he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
EXCLUSIVE: The United Nations, which spends tens of billions of its member states dollars annually, apparently has a simple approach to dealing with fraud in its sprawling operations ignore it.
That is the main thrust of a 133-page examination of fraud detection, prevention and response across 28 organizations in the U.N.s network, carried out by members of the world organizations Joint Inspection Unit (JIU), a special group of experts mandated to carry out examinations across the entire array of U.N. funds, organizations and programs.
The JIU report is hardly the first internal effort to discover that U.N. organizations, while long on rhetoric, are often blind, or at least vision-impaired, when it comes to looking out for fraud or misspent revenue even in the most sensitive humanitarian operations.
But the JIU document is definitely one of the most comprehensive efforts to look at the issue, and one of the most systematically damning inspired, in part, by repeated concerns from the U.N.s independent auditors at suspected fraud reporting statistics and erupting procurement scandals.
After a nine-month examination last year of the U.N. organizations anti-fraud policies, what JIU examiners found was something akin to anarchy: a state of near denial among some U.N. organizations about the theft of their goods, money and services; and inertia, incoherence and a perceived sense of impunity for fraud perpetrators in many others.
Among other results: the report declares that more than half of some 16,000 U.N. staffers and 164 executive managers consulted in a JIU fraud perception survey that formed part of the work, indicated that they believe that fraudulent behavior goes unpunished in their organization.
The report is pretty devastating, observes Brett Schaefer, an expert on U.N. finances at the conservative Heritage Foundation. The U.N. apparently has very little interest in policing fraud, and there is very little reason to believe its own figures and data about it.
The JIU inspectors, appropriately enough, could not put a figure on the fraud that they detected the U.N. was not equipped, or willing, to discover. But they cocked a deeply skeptical eye at the U.N.s own fraud statistics, which claimed to discover wrongdoing only in microscopic amounts.
According to the inspectors, the U.N. finds fraud in the range of only 0.03 percent of its annual revenues. Average estimates of fraud in the public and private sector, the report says, normally run in the range of 1 percent to 5 percent of total revenue or 33 to 165 times higher.
In other words, the inspectors declared, under-reporting and/or non-detection [of fraud] in the United Nations system could be significant and endemic.
The anemic efforts at fraud reporting, the inspectors indicate, are proceeding behind anti-fraud assurances from U.N. organizations that resemble Potemkin villages: lots of words up front, with not much architecture, organization or will to turn them into real efforts.
The report cites a long litany of challenges to the effort that include:
the absence of a strong tone at the top in dealing with fraud;
no promotion of a broad anti-fraud culture;
no systematic assessments of the level of fraud risk exposure;
lack of resources;
delays of investigations coupled with a lack of investigators;
lack of follow-up to those investigations, including criminal referrals
The basic fact, however, is that most U.N. organizations, have a fragmented, often ad hoc and incoherent approach to combating fraud a fact that has emerged in earlier JIU reports dealing only with the billions the U.N. spends on partner contracts.
Some of them also have inability and/or unwillingness to acknowledge and deal with the threat of fraud at the appropriate level.
Even when individual U.N. organizations claimed to have strong anti-fraud policies, the inspectors found, by and large, they were mostly backed up by fuzziness: a lack of clear definition of roles, responsibilities and accountabilities, or a lack of clear guidance on how to operationalize the policy.
Moreover, there is little, if any, information on the performance of anti-fraud activities based on specific performance indicators, the level of fraud exposure . . . credible fraud statistics, sanctions, fraud losses and recovery of assets and lessons learned.
In short, just about everything.
Small wonder that many respondents in the mammoth JIU fraud perception survey did not perceive a clear commitment on the part of the senior management to tackle fraud in their organizations.
The inspectors pointedly noted that U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moons New York Secretariat is one of the places where that impression might come from. Fraud is not considered a corporate risk in the Secretariat, the document says, and no specific fraud risk assessments are conducted.
In fact, there isnt even a U.N. system-wide definition of the term fraud itself, the inspectors discovered even within the same organizations although there was tantalizing evidence that efforts to fill that void in the past had been squelched at the highest level.
According to the JIU report, which synthesized interviews with some 380 U.N. officials, it was mentioned in the course of the probe that a committee of U.N. organization chiefs set out in 2005 to work out the common fraud definition but the work of the group was discontinued.
No documentation was provided to the Inspectors for a review of the work conducted by this group, the report states, and no explanation was offered or reasons adduced . . . as to why this effort was terminated.
[The inspectors do not mention it, but a document referenced in the JIU report shows that the timing of the earlier effort coincided with the 2004-2005 explosion of the Oil-for-Food scandal, a mushroom-cloud of bribery, financial misappropriation and unsupervised allocation of hundreds of billions of dollars in sanctioned Iraqi oil revenues, to the benefit of its then-dictator, Saddam Hussein.
The 2005 ending of the U.N. fraud definition effort also coincided roughly with the publication of a five-volume investigative report on the Oil-for-Food scandal, which included acknowledgement of yet another major scandal, inside the U.N.s own procurement department.
The internal reluctance to define fraud comprehensively, the report says, is echoed in a U.N. reluctance to fund anti-fraud training, cooperate on information sharing about vendor behavior, or conduct due diligence on so-called implementing partners including government ministries to which the U.N. increasingly funnels development assistance, including cash transfers, to do its work.
Many U.N. organizations, the report indicates, are equally silent on the application of anti-fraud policies to vendors who also carry out U.N. work, as well as those who supply the effort, and when they do address the issue are a hodge-podge of different levels and degrees of oversight.
Fraud investigation efforts, the report says, are not only underfunded but, in complicated cases, nearly endless: it can take an average of 12 to 18 months to complete a fraud investigation, followed by another 4 to 8 months of management follow-up.
And follow-up often just ends: the U.N. bureaucracy is reluctant to prosecute fraudsters even when discovered. The reason: it may involve lifting the immunity of witnesses and related United Nations documents, and may exposure the United Nations organizations to counter-claims.
The brakes on prosecution, in other words, come from the U.N.s own lawyers, who the report says were very direct in expressing reservations about the United Nations systems ability to effectively pursue cases with national authorities.
The same reluctance apparently also applies to recovering stolen money and property.
In other words, the report confirms what U.N. employees feel: Whats the point of speaking out, when the organization doesnt want to punish the fraudsters?
As the report notes, that attitude puts a damper on the most effective anti-fraud action of all: encouragement of whistle-blowers who actually see offenses taking place.
The report calls comprehensive support for whistle-blowers key to an effective anti-fraud program, and says whistle-blowers alone account for the uncovering of more fraud and corruption than all other measures of fraud detection combined.
U.N. staffers surveyed dont see much current evidence of that support. More than half of the 16,000 in the JIU survey say they are not certain they would be protected against retaliation of they reported fraud a fear echoed by important whistle-blower protection organizations who have charged that recent U.N. internal justice decisions have badly undercut whistle-blower support and protection.
What to do about it all? The JIU report lists a long roll call of recommendations, most of which boil down to: quit doing what you do now, and do the opposite. Among other things:
The U.N.s diverse organizations should come up with common definitions of fraudulent, corrupt, collusive, coercive and obstructive practices, and a joint statement with a clear and unambiguous position on fraud.
Senior managers should take direct responsibility for anti-fraud policy. Anti-fraud training and awareness should be provided to all.
Fraud allegations should be centralized. Key performance indicators for investigations should be established, along with adequate capacity to investigate.
Top U.N. management should present annual reports on anti-fraud activities, along with more key performance indicators.
U.N. agencies should revise their whistle-blower policies with a view to adopting good practices.
They should also strengthen existing protocols and procedures to bring fraud cases to national enforcement authorities and courts, as well as for asset recovery.
Will that happen?
CLICK HERE FOR THE JIU REPORT
Many of the JIU recommendations are addressed to the U.N.s highest inter-agency body, the U.N. Chief Executives Board for Coordination, which is chaired by Ban Ki-moon. Fox News asked Board officials whether the Board would take up the inspection report at its next meeting, or the meetings of any of its high-level committees.
The response was that the JIU report was only very recently released, and none of the Chief Executives Board bodies have met subsequent to its release.
But it seemed very, very, unlikely that the recommendations would be taken up directly, or soon.
Instead, the response said, the analysis, findings and recommendations of the report will inform a review of the subject matter that is already ongoing in a sub-grouping of the Boards top-level management committee, in the context of the follow-up to the General Assemblys consideration of the Secretary Generals report on the accountability system in the United Nations Secretariat.
And that, in turn, is intended to develop system-wide guidance so as to achieve consistent application across all organizations of the United Nations system.
In UN-speak: bureaucratic quicksand.
George Russell is editor-at-large of Fox News and can be found on Twitter: @GeorgeRussell or on Facebook.com/George Russell
Two days before the anniversary of the landmark nuclear agreement reached between Iran and six world powers led by the United States, a top U.S. military commander says Iran has not changed its behavior, as five Iranian patrol boats took turns shadowing a U.S. Navy warship he was visiting in the Persian Gulf.
Army General Joseph Votel, who leads U.S. Central Command, said while the deal has frozen Irans nuclear weapons program for a time, the activities of Irans Revolutionary Guard forces still concern him in the Persian Gulf and beyond. Among those activities: capturing 10 U.S. Navy sailors at gunpoint when their vessels drifted into Iranian territorial waters in January.
Their general activities that we see out here in the Gulf have not changed as a result of the [nuclear agreement]... and really as weve seen much more broadly around the region, Votel said. He spoke to a small group of reporters during a visit aboard USS New Orleans (LPD-18) in the Persian Gulf as the amphibious ship transited the Strait of Hormuz.
The 684-foot warship was leaving the Persian Gulf with a crew of 1,100 including 650 Marines, following nearly five months of operations during a planned seven-month deployment.
Votel said Iran should be taken to task for capturing the Navy sailors before releasing them a day later.
I think they should be held accountable for the way they conducted themselves, Votel said, but he added that it was not up to him to determine what that punishment should be.
Had the roles been reversed, the outcome would have been very different, Votel said.
If we came across a [disabled] ship, a small vessel in the area, we would try to assist it, we certainly wouldnt board it against their will.
A U.S. Navy investigation recently determined that Iran violated international law for its actions in subduing the American crew.
During the generals visit to USS New Orleans, five Iranian patrol craft approached the ship. The Iranian vessels included one Houdong-class missile boat, identified by U.S. Navy sailors as P313-6 Shams, capable of launching four anti-ship missiles or firing its two 30 mm cannons. Three other Iranian patrol boats had .50 cal machine guns mounted as well as two rows of multiple rocket launchers.
The missile boat sailed within 500 yards of the U.S. ship.
Lt. Forrest Griggs, an operations officer, said one of the Iranian patrol boats raced up and cut its engines near the USS New Orleans' escort ship, USS Stout, a guided-missile destroyer.
"I would prefer they not cut in front of our vessels," he said.
While some sailors characterized Iran's behavior Monday as harassment, the general was more measured.
Votel called the incident "normal activity." Officials with Central Command, responsible for military operations in the Middle East, called the interaction "safe, routine and professional and without incident."
Fox News was present aboard USS New Orleans and witnessed the Iranian interactions and can confirm the Iranian ships did not appear to show hostile intent.
But similar Iranian warships launched unguided rockets 1,500 yards from the American aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt in December -- also during a transit of the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Navy ships cross the strait 250 times a year. 90 percent of those transits are characterized as safe, According to Cmdr. Bill Urban, a spokesman for the U.S. Navys 5th fleet, responsible for maritime operations in the Persian Gulf.
Its those other 10 percent of Iranian interactions with U.S. Navy warships that have Votel concerned.
In a relatively compressed space here, there is great opportunity for miscalculation, the general said. Our people dont always have a lot of time to deal with those interactions, what we have probably learned here today is that its measured in minutes.
Urban says the U.S. Navy has rendered assistance to four Iranian-flagged vessels in the last two months, 11 since 2012.
Appearing before the Senate Armed Service Committee in March, Votel told lawmakers the United States should expose Iran for the destabilizing role it was playing in the Middle East.
When asked about those comments Monday aboard USS New Orleans, Votel said: Iran has to be held accountable for the type of influence they are trying to create, whether it is instability in Yemen, whether it is their backing of the Syrian regime, who attacks their own people who drops barrel bombs on them... [and] causing significant refugee problems.
Iran tried illegally to obtain nuclear equipment in the months after the nuclear agreement was reached last year, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing German intelligence officials. In January, he U.S. and European Union lifted some sanctions against Iran as part of the deal.
When asked if Iran had been held accountable for taking the U.S. Navy sailors hostage, Votel said, I dont think so.
A Mineral Point man is being charged with arson after he allegedly started a fire in his room at an assisted living facility as a way to get out of the facility and go to jail.
Phillip Broadwell, 69, of Mineral Point, is being charged in Washington County with a class B felony of arson in the first degree and property damage in the second degree.
According to a probable cause statement, Broadwell was living at Chapel Ridge Assisted Living Center, at 10160 Restoration Circle in Mineral Point, when he set fire to a blanket and pushed the blanket beneath the window blinds on the west wall of the building.
Another resident told police that Broadwell made the statement Im going to burn this mother f****r down." During the time Broadwell set the fire the building was occupied by the owner, an employee and 12 other residents.
The report said there was approximately $250 worth of damage to the window and blinds. A deputy reported that upon arrival to investigate the incident Broadwell approached with his hands out and said to take him to jail. The deputy also reported that Broadwell said he wanted to go to prison.
As of press time Broadwell was being held in the Washington County jail on a $35,000 bond.
Boats from Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps maneuvered dangerously close to a U.S. military vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, part of a pattern that the top American general in the regionwho was on the ship at the timesaid risked grave miscalculation.
What concerns me is our people dont always have a lot of time to deal with those interactions, said Gen. Joe Votel, head of U.S. Central Command, as he stood on the bridge of the amphibious ship later in the day. Its measured in minutes to really have the opportunity to make the right decision.
The five Iranian boats included four small patrol craft and a larger boat called a Houdong fast-attack craft. At least one of the patrol boats was equipped with a .50 caliber machine gun and what is known as a multiple rail rocket launcher. They came within several hundred yards of the American ship.
The series of encounters on Monday took place as the New Orleans sailed in international waters through the strait. Gen. Votel, on a swing through the Middle East this week, voiced concern about how quickly such an encounter could turn lethal for the ship, which was carrying about 700 Marines.
The encounters might have been considered more dramatic if they werent so common. American Navy ships reported about 300 incidents with Iranian vessels during 2015, according to data provided by the Navys Fifth Fleet. Most of those interactions, as the Navy calls them, are considered safe or dont rise to the level of harassment, according to Navy officials.
Navy officials essentially grade Iranian naval behavior on a curve. They said that the way the Iranians behave typically, even when they dont actually harass American warships, is still not the way most professional navies behave at sea.
The IRGCs routine actions in the region force American warships to have to determine just what their intent is, said one officer here.
Its very common for them to come up to within 300, 500 yards of us, and then theyll turn, or parallel us and stop, said Lt. Forrest Griggs, the New Orleanss operations officer. We try not to become accustomed to that because we dont want to become complacent.
Navy officials maintain they always navigate through the international waters of the straitthrough which a third of all seaborne oil and other energy products are shippedand Gen. Votel said the U.S. isnt trying to provoke Iran with such operations.
Click for more from The Wall Street Journal.
A suicide car bomb ripped through an outdoor market in a Shiite-dominated northeastern district of Baghdad on Tuesday, killing at least 12 people, officials said, as government forces deployed across much of the Iraqi capital in preparation for a major military parade later this week.
Five more people died in bombings Tuesday elsewhere in Iraq.
The developments came on the heels of two large-scale attacks claimed by the Islamic State group that killed more than 300 people last week. On Monday, visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Washington will send 560 more troops to Iraq to help battle IS.
In Tuesday's Baghdad bombing, the explosives-laden pickup truck exploded during the morning rush hour at a vegetable and fruit market in the al-Rashidiya district, a police officer said. The blast killed 12 and wounded up to 37, and also damaged several cars, he added.
Elsewhere, a bomb went off at another outdoor market, this one in the town of Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles south of Baghdad, killing three shoppers and wounding 10 people, police said. And two more civilians were killed and nine were wounded in a bombing that targeted a commercial area in the capital's southern neighborhood of Dora, police also said.
Medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to talk to the media.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks, but they bore the hallmarks of the Islamic State group. The Sunni extremists, who consider Shiites heretics, swept across northern and western Iraq in the summer of 2014, capturing large chunks of territory and plunging the country into its worst crisis since U.S. troops left at the end of 2011.
Last week, IS killed more than 300 people in two attacks. A massive truck bombing struck a bustling commercial area in a Baghdad's predominantly Shiite neighborhood of Karada, killing 292 people -- one of the deadliest attacks since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. And last Thursday, an attack at a Shiite shrine north of Baghdad killed 37 people.
Iraqi government forces deployed in most of Baghdad on Tuesday, closing off main roads and snarling traffic. The Interior Ministry spokesman, Brig. Gen. Saad Maan, said the troops were "practicing for a planned military parade for a specific occasion." Maan didn't name the occasion, but the country is due to mark the anniversary of its 1958 overthrow of a Hashemite monarchy and the declaration of Iraq as a republic on Thursday.
The recent uptick in IS attacks beyond the front lines demonstrated the IS group's ability to launch lethal attacks despite recent territorial losses in both Iraq and Syria, where it has established a self-proclaimed caliphate. IS militants still hold pockets of territory in northern and western Iraq.
According to Carter, who on Monday met with top Iraqi officials, the new American forces should arrive in the coming weeks. They will primarily be tasked with transforming an air base retaken this month from IS into a staging hub for the long-awaited battle to recapture Mosul -- Iraq's second-largest city -- from Islamic State militants.
Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro put the armed forces in charge of a new food supply system aimed at alleviating crippling shortages, ceding yet more power to a military apparatus that is already involved in everything from banking to imports.
The head of the armed forces, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, will be in charge of transporting and distributing basic products, controlling prices and stimulating production, according to a decree published Tuesday in the official gazette.
All the ministries, all the ministers, all the state institutions are at the service and in absolute subordination to Mr. Padrinos so-called Great Sovereign Supply Mission, Mr. Maduro said in a televised address Monday night.
The elevation of Mr. Padrino makes him among the most powerful people in the socialist government, reducing the influence of Vice President Aristobulo Isturiz, Industry Minister Miguel Perez Abad and other ministers who held various economic roles.
This is now a completely militarized government, said Luis Manuel Esculpi, a security analyst in Caracas and former head of the armed forces commission in the congress. The army is Maduros only source of authority.
Since coming to power three years ago, Mr. Maduro has relied increasingly on the armed forces as a spiraling economic crisis pushed his approval ratings to record lows and food shortages led to lootings. Generals are already in charge of state companies importing the bulk of Venezuelas food; they run the countrys largest bank, a television station and a state mining company.
The armed forces have swiftly repressed all opposition rallies as well as the food riots that flare up daily across the country.
Maduro is giving the keys to Miraflores [presidential palace] over to a military leader who is unable to confront the economic crisis, said opposition deputy Julio Borges. What this means is more roadblocks, more corruption and less production.
Click for more from The Wall Street Journal.
Padgett Business Services Rolls Out New Business Growth Program for Tax Professionals
Program Aims To Assist Tax Professionals In Growing Their Business
July 12, 2016 // Franchising.com // ATHENS, Georgia - Padgett Business Services, a leading small business tax planning and preparation company, announced a brand new business growth program for qualified tax professionals and business owners.
The Business Growth Program for Professionals is an exclusive opportunity that allows CPAs, enrolled agents and other tax professionals operating their own businesses to take advantage of a fully-supported network that lets them retain and grow business, leverage state-of-the-art client marketing and acquisition strategies, maintain and improve client service and remain up-to-date on industry compliance issues.
For 50 years Padgett Business Services has been a leader in small business tax planning, Roger Harris, president and COO said. With our Business Growth Program for Professionals, independent business owners will now have access to an organization that has its finger on the pulse and an immense knowledge of the industry. This program allows business owners to benchmark their operations, while keeping aligned with all of the best practices in tax preparation and compliance.
Walter Padgett launched Padgett Business Services in 1966 after witnessing local business owners struggling with the financial aspects of running their companies. His idea was to help those small businesses thrive -- half a century later, Padgett Business Services continues to run on that same principle.
With headquarters in Georgia, the company now boasts a network of more than 300 offices in North America across the United States and Canada, assisting tens of thousands of small business with their tax planning and preparation needs.
Simply put, there is no other program in the market that does what we do -- we are more than experts in our field, we are the small business pros, said Steve Rafsky, CEO of the company. Several big-name competitors have tried to enter this segment of small business tax services, but PADGETT has stood the test of time in this market. Our secret lies in years of building client relationships and teaching tax professionals the best ways to do just that.
New Padgett Business Services offices receive professional support from a firm that has unmatched credibility in the tax industry, top-of-the-line technologies, client acquisition strategies and more. The Business Services Business Growth Program for Professionals is currently open to qualified tax professionals operating businesses in the United States, with a particular emphasis on those based in the Northeast and Texas.
For more information about Padgett Business Services, visit smallbizpros.com or call (877) 729-8725.
About Padgett Business Services
Padgett Business Services is a small business professional tax planning and preparation company providing services for small businesses with fewer than 20 employees. With more than 300 offices operating across the United States and Canada, Padgett Business Services offers an exclusive Business Growth Program for Professionals that allows CPAs, enrolled agents and other tax professionals operating their own businesses to take advantage of a fully-supported network that lets them retain and grow business, leverage established strategies, maintain and improve client service and remain up-to-date on industry compliance issues.
For more information about the franchise, visit smallbizpros.com.
SOURCE Padgett Business Services
Media Contact:
Bob Spoerl
bspoerl@topfiremedia.com
(708) 249-1090
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Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Deepens Global Reach of Sheraton Grand Tier with Designation of Sheraton Istanbul Atasehir
Marking the Brands Second Grand Property in Turkey, Sheraton Grand Istanbul Atasehir Hotel Joins Roster of Exceptional Hotels and Resorts Around the World
ISTANBUL - July 12, 2016 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT), today announced the designation of newly opened Sheraton Istanbul Atasehir as a Sheraton GrandSM, welcoming it to the brands new premier tier of hotels recognized for their enticing destinations, distinguished designs, and excellence in service and guest experience. Joining a portfolio of 31 Sheraton Grand properties globally, Sheraton Grand Istanbul Atasehir is recognized for its outstanding top-floor views overlooking the Princes Islands and the Sea of Marmara. Sheraton Grand is one of many initiatives currently underway for Sheraton 2020SM, a comprehensive plan designed to solidify Sheraton as a leading global hotel brand of choice, everywhere.
Sheraton Grand Istanbul Atasehir is a shining example of the elevated design, dedicated service and above-and-beyond experience that Sheraton Grand embodies, said Michael Wale, President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East. Having just opened in December of last year, the hotel highlights our commitment to the Turkish market, where seven of our brands are already represented across 15 flourishing hotels.
Located in Atasehir, a modern suburban district of Istanbul, and only one kilometer from the Istanbul Finance Center, Sheraton Grand Istanbul Atasehir features 165 stylish guest rooms and suites with a range of breathtaking city and sea views. Each accommodation features all of the brands signature amenities and services, including a premium sleep experience, high speed internet access, a 42-inch flat screen TV, tea/coffee machine and minibar. Located on preferred floors, Sheraton Club rooms and suites offer special access to the Sheraton Club lounge and feature private terraces with breathtaking views. Guests can relax and recharge at the SIA Club Wellness & Spa, equipped with high-tech workout equipment and a convertible indoor pool. The SIA Club promises the ultimate in relaxation with indulgent massages and treatments, and also features a hammam, sauna and relaxation area.
The Sheraton Grand Istanbul Atasehir offers approximately 2800 square meters of versatile function space that can accommodate a variety of gatherings. The Conference Center is comprised of a 1.084 square meter Grand Ballroom, which can be divided into two rooms, as well as ten light-filled meeting rooms. All meeting spaces are equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment to ensure successful meetings and memorable occasions. On the lobby floor, The City Brasserie Restaurant which features both an indoor dining area and a spacious terrace, which is ideal for festive functions and summer weddings, offers international cuisine with an emphasis on local market with a wide variety of dishes including seasonal fresh greens, healthy options, vegetarian and gluten-free options can also be.
Sheraton Grand Istanbul Atasehir joins six other Sheraton hotels, including: Sheraton Atakoy, Istanbul, Sheraton Ankara, Sheraton Cesme, Sheraton Bursa, Sheraton Adana and Sheraton Grand Samsun opened in February 2015.
A Clear Vision
Sheraton Grand is just one of many initiatives currently underway for Sheraton 2020, a comprehensive 10-point plan revealed in June 2015 designed to put Sheraton Hotels and Resorts firmly back into the global spotlight. A nod to the plans clear five year vision, Sheraton 2020 also includes a multi-million dollar marketing campaign; the launch of a new elevated food and beverage lobby program, Paired; continuous innovation of the Sheraton guest experience; an unwavering commitment to service excellence; the implementation of revenue and profit-driving initiatives to benefit owners and developers; and the goal of adding more than 150 new Sheraton hotels worldwide by 2020.
For more information on Sheraton Grand Istanbul Atasehir , please visit www.sheratonistanbulatasehir.com, facebook/sheratongrandistanbulatasehir or follow the property on twitter/sheratonataseh and Instagram/sheratongrandistanbul .
About Sheraton Hotels & Resorts
Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, the largest and most global brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., makes it easy for guests to explore, relax and enjoy the possibilities of travel through smart solutions and effortless experiences at more than 440 hotels in more than 72 countries around the world. The brand is currently in the midst of implementing Sheraton 2020, a 10 point plan designed to make Sheraton the global hotel brand of choice, everywhere. Sheraton recently launched Where Actions Speak LouderSM, a multi-channel, multi-million dollar advertising campaign that highlights the brands ongoing enhancements to its guest experience, including new products and partnerships, and a renewed focus on service. With work well underway, the brand has already rolled out a variety of initiatives under Sheraton 2020, including PairedSM, a new imaginative lobby bar menu; the richest SPG promotion in the brands history; and Sheraton Grand, a new premier tier that recognizes exceptional Sheraton hotels and resorts. To learn more, visit www.sheraton.com. Stay connected to Sheraton: @sheratonhotels on Twitter and Instagram and facebook.com/Sheraton.
SOURCE Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Media Contact:
Tanya Elm
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
917-202-5309
Sheraton Global Public Relations
Tanya.Elm@starwoodhotels.com
Sara Migliore
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
39 02 6363641
Director of Communications - Italy
Sara.Migliore@starwoodhotels.com
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USA Insulation Franchisees Receive Guild Quality's Guild Master Award for Commitment to Service Excellence and Customer Satisfaction
CLEVELAND - July 12, 2016 // PRNewswire // - USA Insulation announces the recognition of Akron,Northeast Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh locations, which were recently awarded Guild Quality's Guild Master Award for 2016. Franchisees Mike & Jim Carey of Akron, James Mintzer of Northeast Pennsylvania, and Mike Madden of Pittsburgh locations were recognized for their service excellence and customer satisfaction.
Guild Quality provides customer satisfaction surveys to help home builders, remodelers and contractors to gather and leverage authentic customer feedback to build better businesses. The Guild Master Award is awarded annually and is based on a number of merits.
Guild Quality explains, "We seek to elevate the stature of the building and home improvement industry to a level commensurate with its importance. Our Guild members build, sell, improve, maintain, and care for people's homes and our task is to help them do the best job possible and earn the recognition they deserve for their commitment to service excellence.
In pursuit of our mission, we adhere to three core values: innovation, integrity, and empowerment. Companies that subscribe to Guild Quality are graded annually, and for those that score 90% and above, along with other criteria, receive the Guild Master award."
For over 30 years, USA Insulation has consistently strived to set an example of quality for service excellence and customer satisfaction for all its franchises. Not only has this set a nationwide standard, it has helped to brand the company as America's Insulation Experts.
Patrick Pitrone, President of USA Insulation Franchise Corporation, explains, "Our product is insulation, our benefit is comfort, savings and energy efficiency, but the real key to our success is that we have remained a family business focused on customer service for thirty years."
About USA Insulation
USA Insulation is in the business of helping homeowners save thousands of dollars over the course of home ownership through the installation of high-quality residential home insulation. The U.S. Department of Energy's number one recommendation for reducing energy bills for heating & cooling is by adding insulation - to attic spaces, ceilings, interior walls and crawl spaces. USA Insulation offers the best solutions for your home improvement dollars including proprietary injection foam that expands to fill all cracks and crevices. Air sealing services are also available to further reduce drafts. USA Insulation is dedicated to providing a superior product and service, resulting in satisfied customers nationwide.
SOURCE USA Insulation Franchise Corporation
Media Contact:
Lynne Wilson
440-951-6800
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With the start of school just around the corner, the St. Francois County Health Center is encouraging parents to make sure their childrens vaccinations are up-to-date before they return to the classroom.
If you want to avoid the back-to-school rush come in now during our July shot clinics, said Jane Howard, SFCHC nursing supervisor.
According to Howard, SFCHC in Park Hills offers a walk-in immunization clinic every Monday throughout the year from 1-3 p.m. as well as extended hours from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Monday in August.
"School-age children from preschoolers to college students need vaccines and may be required to be vaccinated against certain diseases before going to school," she said. "Making sure that children receive all their vaccinations on time is one of the most important things a parent can do to ensure their child's long-term healthas well as the health of friends, classmates, and others in their community.
Howard added that those unsure of Missouri's school requirements, now is the time to check with their child's doctor, their school or SFCHC.
The health center can look up shot records for vaccinations that we have given here, she said. If you have had shots here, you can call for a copy of the shot record.
Anyone under the age of 18 receiving immunizations at SFCHC must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or adult with written consent from the childs parent or guardian. Additionally, current immunization records and current insurance cards, as well as the childs social security number are required in order to receive immunizations.
Howard said that while some vaccine-preventable diseases have become very rare thanks to vaccines, cases and outbreaks still occur.
"According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, the United States experienced a record number of measles cases during 2014, with 668 cases from 27 states reported to CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases," she said. "Getting every recommended dose of each vaccine provides children with the best protection possible. During the early years of life children need vaccines to protect them from 14 diseases that can be serious, even life-threatening.
"Those who choose not to vaccinate their children increase the risk of disease not only for their own children, but also for other children and adults throughout the entire community. For example, vulnerable newborns too young to have received the maximum protection from the recommended doses of vaccines or people with weakened immune systems, such as some people with cancer and transplant recipients, are also at higher risk of disease."
Howard said that immunizations are also available at the health center by appointment for individuals unable to make the Monday walk-in clinics by calling 431-1947, ext 131. For additional information on shot requirements, visit CDC's recommended Childhood Immunization Schedule at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules.
The United States and Great Britain are suffering through an upsurge of hateful slights and slurs aimed at "others" - people with dark skin or foreign accents or strange clothes. And there is a clear cause behind the episodes in both countries.
Call it the Trump Brexit Effect.
Politicians on both sides of the Atlantic have given permission for this sort of despicable behavior. They have encouraged and exploited an ancient impulse -xenophobia, the fear of foreigners - for cynical political advantage.
Donald Trump says he'll "Make America Great Again," but he really wants his supporters to hear that he'll "Make American White Again." His code words aren't even subtle: build the wall, block the Mexicans, bar the Muslims, boot the immigrants.
In Great Britain, the victorious "Leave" campaigners had their own set of signals. Instead of building walls, they want to demolish the bridges that have connected the U.K. to Europe since the end of World War II.
The message in both places is the same: It's all right to hate. Cut off the world. Keep out the "others." Return to a time when white Christians, especially white Christian men, ran everything.
In describing the Brexit vote to the Huffington Post, Paul Bagguley of the Centre for Ethnicity and Racism Studies at Leeds University could have easily been referring to the Trump campaign, too:
"I think that's given people a sense at which they can express racist ideas and do things they frankly wouldn't do," said Bagguley. "It legitimizes people saying things they might keep private, or just between friends and people they trusted.
"I don't think we've quite seen that before," he added. "I think this is more of a kind of celebratory racism. As if it's in celebration that white England has finally got something."
The latest example of "celebratory racism" here in the U.S. was the Trump campaign tweeting out a red Star of David, layered over a pile of $100 bills and positioned next to a picture of Hillary Clinton, who was labeled "Most Corrupt Candidate Ever!"
The Trumpists insist the image was benign, but they removed it two hours later; investigative reporters traced its origins to "an internet-based movement associated with white nationalism," reported The New York Times.
Erick Erickson, a prominent conservative commentator, skewered Trump's attempts to duck responsibility: "A Star of David, a pile of cash, and suggestions of corruption. Donald Trump again plays to the white supremacists."
The key word is "again." Trump has repeatedly played the race card to stir up supporters, going back to the days when he led the "birther" movement that questioned Barack Obama's credentials to be president. And his vile fear-mongering is filtering down to the playgrounds of America.
Columnist Petula Dvorak in The Washington Post tells the story of Evelyn Momplaisir, mother of a "brown-skinned" third-grader in northern Virginia. "I just got a call from my son's teacher," Momplaisir posted on Facebook in March, "giving me a heads up that two of his classmates decided to point out the 'immigrants' in the class who would be sent 'home' when Trump becomes president. They singled him out and were pointing and laughing at him as one who would have to leave because of the color of his skin."
Similar stories have erupted across Britain since the Brexit vote. The National Police Chiefs Council reports a 57 percent increase in hate crimes. Graffiti scrawled on a Polish community center fulminated, "Leave the EU, no more Polish vermin."
Conservative politician Sayeeda Warsi told Sky News that human rights activists have told her "really disturbing (stories) from people being stopped in the street and saying, 'look, we voted Leave. It's time for you to leave."
"All of a sudden, a small group of extremists feel empowered," Joanna Ciechanowska, an activist in London's large Polish community, told The Guardian. "The margins of society feel they can do it because they think they have the support of half the nation."
Leaders in both countries must show that the haters are wrong. They should follow the example of David Cameron, the outgoing British prime minister, who vigorously denounced the "verbal abuse hurled against individuals because they are members of ethnic minorities."
"Let's remember these people have come here and made wonderful contributions to our country," he said. "We will not stand for hate crimes or these kinds of attacks. They must be stamped out."
Cameron is correct. The Trump Brexit Effect violates our most cherished Anglo-American values. It must be stamped out.
Steve and Cokie Roberts can be contacted by email at stevecokie@gmail.com
The Park Hills City Council will meet at 6 p.m. for a regular session in the municipal court chambers at city hall located at 9 Bennett St.
In unfinished business, city officials and council members will continue their discussion about options and alternatives for the use of the parking lot adjacent to Rinke and Main streets.
In new business, the council will consider a resolution that would permit sidewalk sales in the central business district on Aug. 13. Council members will also consider a resolution to accept a petition for annexation and set a public hearing regarding the matter.
Also on the agenda, City Administrator Matt Whitwell will give reports on the citys Parks and Recreation, Public Works and Utilities departments.
The meeting is open to the public.
Italy Cardiac Assist Procedures Market Segments - Total Artificial Heart (TAH) Implant Procedures and Ventricular Assist Procedures
"Italy Cardiac Assist Procedures Outlook to 2021", provides key procedures data on the Italy Cardiac Assist Procedures. The report provides procedure volumes within market segments - Total Artificial Heart (TAH) Implant Procedures and Ventricular Assist Procedures.
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The data in the report is derived from dynamic market forecast models. Radiant Insights uses epidemiology based models to estimate and forecast the procedure volumes. The objective is to provide information that represents the most up-to-date data of the industry possible.
For further inquiries, about - Italy Cardiac Assist Procedures Market Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast , click on this link - http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/italy-cardiac-assist-procedures-outlook-to-2021
The epidemiology-based forecasting model makes use of epidemiology data gathered from research publications and primary interviews with physicians to establish the target patient population and treatment flow patterns for individual diseases and therapies. Using prevalence and incidence data and diagnosed and treated population, the epidemiology-based forecasting model arrives at the final numbers.
Extensive interviews are conducted with key opinion leaders (KOLs), physicians and industry experts to validate the procedure volumes.
Browse All Reports of This Category @ http://www.radiantinsights.com/catalog/medical-devices
Scope
- Italy Cardiac Assist Procedures volumes by segment - Total Artificial Heart (TAH) Implant Procedures and Ventricular Assist Procedures.
- Projections for each of the market segments. Data is provided from 2007 to 2014 and forecast to 2021.
Request a Free Sample Copy of this Report @ http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/italy-cardiac-assist-procedures-outlook-to-2021/request-sample
Reasons to Buy
- Develop business and investment strategies by identifying the key market segments expected to register strong growth in the near future.
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About Radiant Insight
Radiant Insights is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. It assist and facilitate organizations and individuals procure market research reports, helping them in the decision making process. The Organization has a comprehensive collection of reports, covering over 40 key industries and a host of micro markets.
For more information, please visit http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/italy-cardiac-assist-procedures-outlook-to-2021
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Address: 28 2nd Street, Suite 3036
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Source: http://marketersmedia.com/italy-cardiac-assist-procedures-market-segments-total-artificial-heart-tah-implant-procedures-and-ventricular-assist-procedures/122900
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Office Space Planning Service In Washington DC, Maryland And Virginia Launched By Office Furniture Installation Experts
Office Furniture Installation Experts by Furniture Assembly Experts is a professional furniture assembly, disassembly and furniture delivery service in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia.
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One of the most widely-popular, fastest growing furniture installation company, Office Furniture Installation Experts launches a unique service that is currently offered by very few furniture installation companies in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia, Office Space Planning Service.
Through this unique service, Office Furniture Installation Experts' team will help its clients plan out their office layout to make the most out of their limited office space. This service was highly-requested by the clients of Office Furniture Installation Experts, the clients demanded-highly that they want Office Furniture Installation Experts to help them plan the layout of their office areas, apart from just installing their office furniture.
Office Furniture Installation Experts was already offering this service to its clients on a small scale, but Office Furniture Installation Experts has now properly designated a professional team of layout experts that will fully facilitate Office Furniture Installation Experts' clients in professionally designing and setting the layout of their offices.
As this service was high-on-demand, it has been well received by the customers of Office Furniture Installation Experts and the people who have used this service are completely in love with it. As stated by a regular client of Office Furniture Installation Experts:
"I have been hiring the professional furniture assembly, disassembly and furniture delivery service by Office Furniture Installation Experts for a few years now, and I must say that the office furniture installers of Office Furniture Installation Experts are undoubtedly highly-skilled and they treat you as family and complete your work with full sincerity, hard work and dedication.
The best thing is that the office installers of Office Furniture Installation Experts are now also offering Office Space Planning Service, I have hired this service and believe me, I'm very impressed by my office's new layout that Office Furniture Installation Experts has planned for me, I highly-recommend this service to everyone who is looking for highly-professional yet affordable Office Space Planning Service in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia".
Office Furniture Installation Experts has already helped thousands of clients in installing their office furniture, and now they are enthusiastic and fully-ready to help their clients in planning their office layouts.
About: Office Furniture Installation Experts by Furniture Assembly Experts is a professional furniture assembly, disassembly and furniture delivery service in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia, that offers a comprehensive range of professional furniture moving, packing, unpacking, loading, unloading, installation, and other services. For more information, please go to www.OfficeFurnitureInstallationExperts.com
For more information, please visit http://www.OfficeFurnitureInstallationExperts.com
Contact Info:
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Address: 9418 annapolis rd suite 204
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New Home Builders And Realtors' Partnership In Washington DC, Maryland And Virginia Launched By Furniture Assembly Experts
Furniture Assembly Experts has been offering professional furniture assembly, disassembly and furniture delivery services for the past 3 years.
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One of the most popular, highly-recommended and well-recognized furniture assembly, disassembly and furniture delivery service, Furniture Assembly Experts announces their partnership with new home builders and local realtors' of Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia.
As stated by the spokesperson of Furniture Assembly Experts: "Furniture Assembly Experts has launched a partnership with local new home builders and local realtors to help you home buyers move into their home easily. Through this partnership, realtors and new home builders will allow furniture assembly experts to reach out to their customer to provide them furniture assembly service and moving help service after they purchased their new home".
The biggest problem new home owners face in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia is to find good, reliable and professional furniture assembly, disassembly and furniture delivery service providers that offer fast, cost-efficient furniture moving service. Though, there are many furniture assemblers available in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia, but in the hustle-bustle of their new home's build the new home owners tend to randomly choose their furniture assembly service providers which charge them heavy, yet their work is completely unsatisfactory.
But now with Furniture Assembly Experts' new home builders and realtors' partnership, the new homeowners would always get highly-professional furniture assembly, disassembly and furniture delivery service, and would never have to pay more than they actually should.
Furniture Assembly Experts team is continuously looking for ways to facilitate their clients and to help them in making their furniture assembly, disassembly and furniture moving job more convenient and hassle-free. This is the reason why they have recently launched several services, and have partnered will different new home builders and local retailers in order to fully facilitate their clients from all aspects.
The exciting news is that Furniture Assembly Experts is further planning to launch more furniture installation services in the upcoming days. So, the clients of Furniture Assembly Experts should stay updated, if they do not want to miss Furniture Assembly Experts' upcoming excited offers.
About: Furniture Assembly Experts has been offering professional furniture assembly, disassembly and furniture delivery services for the past 3 years. They are one of the fastest growing furniture moving company that within 3 years of time only, has built-up good-reputation in the market, and now they are one of the top most-recommended furniture assembly, disassembly and furniture delivery service providers in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. For more information and details about Furniture Assembly Experts' new home builders and realtors' partnership, please go to www.FurnitureAssemblyExperts.com
For more information, please visit http://www.FurnitureAssemblyExperts.com
Contact Info:
Name: Furniture Assembly Experts
Organization: Furniture Assembly Experts
Address: 9418 Annapolis rd Suite 204
Source: http://marketersmedia.com/new-home-builders-and-realtors-partnership-in-washington-dc-maryland-and-virginia-launched-by-furniture-assembly-experts/122960
Release ID: 122960
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BAUM Set To Demo Premium Brand Product Range At Sight Village 2016, Birmingham
BAUM Retec (UK) Ltd is celebrating its 1 year anniversary and reveals some of its big wins and challenges it faced getting this far. More information on the business can be found at http://baumuk.com
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BAUM Retec (UK) Ltd is celebrating their First Anniversary, and commemorates this Rewarding year in business at Sight Village in Birmingham. This is a huge milestone for the London-based assistive technology business, which has provided Braille Displays, Braille Notetakers, Video Magnifiers and other Assistive Technology Products. to Employers, educators, blind and low vision users since 2015.
BAUM Retec (UK) Ltd got it's start in 2015 when founded by Ian Bradburn. Ian spent many years developing his understanding of the assistive marketplace when working at Sight and Sound Technology, which at that time was a Bradburn family business. The family influence extended beyond these shores, with the Bradburn name also being present within assistive technology suppliers in the USA. This is where the opportunity with BAUM was first identified. Ian's brother David, who heads up BAUM US, believed there might be a similar opportunity within the UK. This was now Ian's chance to return to an industry he held dear to his heart. Ian had spent several years in the food industry, bringing new products to the UK marketplace and establishing these new brands as household names in what might be seen as the toughest test any sales executive could embark upon. Therefore, the blending of BAUM product excellence and Ian's market and marketing experience signifies a truly exciting development in the world of assistive technology.
One of the earliest challenges BAUM Retec (UK) Ltd faced was Starting this new business within an extremely specialised marketplace. It is never easy and there is a potential for the existing organisations to close rank and protect against change. But change was needed in an industry that tends to move relatively slowly in a fast moving world. Until BAUM Retec (UK) Ltd was formed, the brand had marketed through a series of resellers, who in turn had a vested interest in seeing the status quo remaining as was. However, BAUM were a premium brand that really needed a premium outlet that was dedicated to delivering their excellence with consistency throughout the UK marketplace, and hence the company was born..
While every business of course faces challenges, some, like BAUM Retec (UK) Ltd are fortunate enough to enjoy real successes, wins and victories too. Once such victory came as the first BAUM Braille displays and video magnifiers hit the shelves at the BAUM warehouse, it was exciting to see how all of the planning was coming together. Within just days, the first units were undergoing final testing before being sent out to end users and what was even more exciting was seeing the feedback coming into the BAUM office. Testimonials from delighted customers were arriving with almost every delivery, proving that the mark of excellence was firmly established throughout the entire sales process, from first communication, through to product delivery and ongoing support or training.
Ian Bradburn, Managing Director at BAUM Retec (UK) Ltd was also quoted when discussing another big win. "One of the high points of BAUM Retec (UK) Ltd's year so far was Sight Village 2015, which marked the inaugural appearance of BAUM Retec (UK) Ltd, after opening their doors for business only weeks earlier. The BAUM stand had representation from the US company as well as the main influencers from the head offices in Germany. This exhibition truly placed BAUM UK firmly on the assistive technology landscape within the UK, and they are now looking forward to returning to Sight Village in 2016 to celebrate the passing of this first year in business."
BAUM Retec (UK) Ltd's Founder, Ian Bradburn says "We're delighted to be celebrating our 1 Year Anniversary. I believe the secret to getting this far in business today is first and foremost to treat each connection as the most important in my business. Every individual or organisation that has a need to connect with us can be assured their requests will be met with utmost priority and respect. I stand 100% behind the BAUM brand, knowing it to be the best in the market. It is now my job to blend that product superiority with customer service excellence. I am proud to represent BAUM within an industry I hold close to my heart. The first year has been an amazing journey of discovery, each subsequent year will yield even more breadth to our brand and market status.".
BAUM Retec (UK) Ltd currently consists of 3 employees and has big plans for the upcoming year. One of their core objectives is to further establish the BAUM range of products, such as the Vario Ultra and the Visio Book, into a service where premium quality engineering and durability is of primary importance. Students who need to rely on equipment lasting the duration of their learning and beyond, or workplaces where high frequency use is depended upon are perfect examples of where the BAUM products excel. BAUM will also look to further extend their training and support department, backing up their sales excellence with outstanding after-sales experience for all customers.
BAUM Retec (UK) Ltd would also like to thank friends, customers and all its partners for their well wishes on this happy occasion.
More information on the business can be found at
http://baumuk.com
For more information, please visit http://baumuk.com
Contact Info:
Name: Ian Bradburn
Organization: BAUM Retec (UK) Ltd
Address: BAUM Retec (UK) Ltd. Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London, WC1H 9BB. United Kingdom
Phone: +44 (0)20 8133 9432
Release ID: 122973
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Apartment Rental Communities in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia Launched Partnership with Furniture Assembly Experts Company
Furniture Assembly Experts Company has been offering expert furniture assembly, disassembly and furniture moving services for the past 3 years. They are one of the most popular, recommended and recognized assembly service providers of current times.
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Widely-known and highly-trusted Furniture assembly service, Furniture Assembly Experts Company recently announced their partnership with Apartment Rental Communities in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia.
This partnership announcement is a very good news for apartment rental communities of Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia as all the new residents of apartment communities would now be able to hire Furniture Assembly Experts Company's highly-professional yet affordable services without any hassle.
"Furniture Assembly Experts is launching partnership with apartment communities in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia to facilitate the moving process of apartment lease by new residents. The company will be providing furniture assembly services to new residents of apartment communities all over the area", stated the spokesperson of Furniture Assembly Experts Company, while celebrating the news of their partnership with the apartment rental communities of Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia.
The spokesperson further added that they have designated a special team for this job, and the best thing is that, like Furniture Assembly Experts Company has recently partnered with a few apartment rental communities in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia, soon they will be partnering with nearly the all the apartment rental communities that are available in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia.
So, the entire apartment rental community of Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia should stay prepare, because very soon they would also be able to get Furniture Assembly Experts Company's expert furniture assembly, disassembly and furniture moving services.
Apart from that, the furniture assemblers team that Furniture Assembly Experts Company has especially designated for their recently partnered apartment rental communities, is specially trained by the expert trainers of Furniture Assembly Experts Company. So, the Apartment Rental Communities can expect superior-class service from the furniture assemblers of Furniture Assembly Experts Company.
Furniture Assembly Experts Company though, is a recently launched company (it was launched in 2013), but still the rates of Furniture Assembly Experts Company's success is relatively higher than all the other furniture assembly service providers in all of Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. It is merely because the team behind Furniture Assembly Experts Company is very hard working and they have proved to the world that with hard work anyone can achieve anything, and the best example of Furniture Assembly Experts Company's success is their recent partnership with the apartment rental communities.
About: Furniture Assembly Experts Company has been offering expert furniture assembly, disassembly and furniture moving services for the past 3 years. They are one of the most popular, recommended and recognized assembly service providers of current times. For more info, please visit www.FurnitureAssemblyExperts.com
For more information, please visit http://www.FurnitureAssemblyExperts.com
Contact Info:
Name: Furniture Assembly Experts
Organization: Furniture Assembly Experts
Address: 9418 Annapolis rd Suite 204
Source: http://marketersmedia.com/apartment-rental-communities-in-washington-dc-maryland-and-virginia-launched-partnership-with-furniture-assembly-experts-company/122994
Release ID: 122994
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Acquiro, Data Quality Software Vendor, Opens Singapore Office This global expansion by Acquiros parent company, SSG, is in response to the increasing need for more complete and accurate marketing data required by companies across the Asia-Pacific Region. Although SSG has an established presence and regional sales team in support of its Selling Simplified content syndication business, the addition of the recently launched Acquiro brand is in recognition of the expanded opportunity for its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) data solutions product, LeadFUSION. View as PDF Print View July 12, 2016 (FPRC) -- With its charter and focus of improving marketing data quality for todays sales and marketing teams, Acquiro, a marketing technology solutions vendor launched earlier this year, announced today the opening of its Singapore office. Acquiro part of the Selling Simplified Group (SSG) was formed with the mission of bringing to market data quality solutions engineered to dramatically increase a companys revenue by validating and enriching lead contact data.
This global expansion by SSG is in response to the increasing need for more complete and accurate marketing data required by companies across the Asia-Pacific Region. Although SSG has an established presence and regional sales team in support of its Selling Simplified content syndication business, the addition of the recently launched Acquiro brand is in recognition of the expanded opportunity for its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) data solutions product, LeadFUSION.
We believe companies throughout the Asia-Pacific region have a tremendous need to address the poor data quality problem which can greatly inhibit their revenue growth, says Michael Whife, CEO, Acquiro. Our Acquiro LeadFUSION Suite is the only sales data quality solution available on the market which is proven to be as effective in these global regions as it is in the U.S.
About Acquiro
Launched in May of 2016, Acquiro is part of the Selling Simplified Group (SSG) founded in 2012, an organization of sales and marketing technologists who are dedicated to helping companies fill sales funnels and grow revenue fast! Our mission is to simplify selling so sales teams can focus on closing and growing revenue by keeping pipelines full of high quality, nurtured, sales-ready leads. In keeping with this mission, Acquiro was formed to focus on the development of cutting-edge technologies to bring to market advanced SaaS solutions engineered to improve sales data quality that can dramatically increase clients' revenue streams. With headquarters in Greenwood Village, Colorado, Acquiro is a global organization with regional offices in California, London, Singapore, and Pune, India.
http://www.acquiro.com
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917-439-4628 Recent Press Releases By The Same User
LiveViewGPS, Inc. Launches Guide Addressing Employee Concerns Over GPS Tracking
GPS tracking in conjunction with a well-rounded business management approach offers benefits for companies and employees alike, publishes liveviewgps.com
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Analysts from various sectors of the business world are currently touting the potential role of GPS-based fleet tracking measures in managing company-based profits and losses. While related statistics vary widely by industry, some reports list fuel cost reductions of 20 percent or more as well as measurable boosts in productivity among the most notable benefits for businesses making use of this type of technology. On the other end of this spectrum, however, employees largely view these measures in a negative light.
In response to this potentially counterproductive difference of opinion, George Karonis of LiveViewGPS, Inc. has launched the company's latest guide entitled 5 Ways LiveViewGPS Tracking Benefits Employees. Said Karonis, "The number of companies incorporating GPS Tracking from LiveViewGPS into their daily routines grows continually as more businesses realize the many advantages to be gained. Employees tend to see this as an intrusive act, but the benefits actually extend far beyond the confines of corporate headquarters. Our new guide is meant to help change the way employees think of GPS tracking and hopefully bridge the gap between them and their overseers."
One of the more obvious advantages of GPS tracking is greater efficiency where routing is concerned. Devices such as these provide continual updates on traffic and weather conditions as well as offering alternate routes for drivers looking to avoid potential delays. Tracking devices are additionally said reduce the amount of paperwork involved in log updates and record-keeping efforts while generating real-time proof of employees' whereabouts capable of being used in their own defense should false allegations arise.
GPS-based fleet tracking systems likewise notify drivers and employers of routine maintenance needs and can be programmed to schedule service appointments. By taking note and alerting employers of unsafe driving practices, this type of equipment may be able to increase safety for employees. A complete version of the LiveViewGPS Tracking employee benefit guide as well as more information about the types of systems available can be found on the company website.
Concluded Karonis, "The potential benefits of using GPS fleet tracking are virtually endless for employees as well as business. That being said, our systems are tools to be used in conjunction with other positive means of business and asset management. They can alert employers of hard braking, sudden lane changes, employees straying from designated routes and other issues, but they won't explain why these actions take place. Automated tracking can help improve efficiency, safety and productivity, but fairness, good judgment and understanding can't be omitted. The technology we provide must be combined with the human element in order to truly be beneficial for all involved."
About LiveViewGPS, Inc.:
Located in Southern California, LiveViewGPS, Inc. is a Location-Based Service Company (LBS) providing wireless location products and services for businesses, law enforcement and family safety. Their GPS tracking devices include vehicle and fleet-tracking systems, asset trackers, trailer tracking systems, surveillance monitoring tools, people tracking devices and GPS asset protection equipment.
For more information, please visit http://www.liveviewgps.com
Contact Info:
Name: George Karonis
Organization: LiveViewGPS Inc
Phone: (661) 294-6805
Source: http://marketersmedia.com/liveviewgps-inc-launches-guide-addressing-employee-concerns-over-gps-tracking/123013
Release ID: 123013
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Burnett Wilson Reeder Named 2016 Sustaining Law Firm By Bay Area Legal Services
Firm's support will help Bay Area Legal Services assist even more low-income members of the Tampa community, Burnett Wilson Reeder reports
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Burnett Wilson Reeder, P.A. has been named a 2016 Sustaining Law Firm by Bay Area Legal Services Inc. Bay Area Legal Services facilitates access to counsel and representation for non-profits and low-income residents of the Tampa area, with its Legal Information Center having recently reached the milestone of 100,000 clients served.
By providing the high level of support associated with the Sustaining Law Firm designation, Burnett Wilson Reeder helps Bay Area Legal Services better pursue its nearly fifty-year mission of "Preserving Independence, Hope, and Dignity" for people and worthy causes throughout the region. As a plaintiff-focused practice, Burnett Wilson Reeder helps clients work with the kind of personal injury, construction defect, or real estate fraud attorney tampa residents and businesses consistently derive the best results from.
"Bay Area Legal Services has been an integral part of the Tampa community for decades now, and they do an impressive amount of valuable work every year," Burnett Wilson Reeder shareholder and noted personal injury and real estate fraud attorney Joshua Burnett said, "We're proud to support this wonderful organization and to help out however we can. Justice is something that everyone deserves and has a right to, and Bay Area Legal Services helps to make that ideal a reality."
Bay Area Legal Services was founded in Tampa in 1967 by a team of four active attorneys with a mission of providing access to legal counsel for low-income locals. Having grown consistently over the decades since, the non-profit firm now maintains a staff of over 100 attorneys and support personnel, and has served an average of nearly 20,000 clients in each of recent years.
Balancing the seven-million-dollar annual budget that allows Bay Area Legal Services to do so much valuable work requires significant, sustained financial support from the Tampa community. In particular, Bay Area Legal Services relies on generous donations from legal practices in the area, with members participating at the Sustaining Law Firm level together providing a particularly important source of income.
With a deep, practice-wide commitment to making Tampa a better place to live and do business for all, Burnett Wilson Reeder has been named a 2016 Sustaining Law Firm by Bay Area Legal Services. The Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent-rated attorneys of the firm provide the best, most vigorous representation for personal injury, construction, and real estate fraud matters, giving clients throughout Florida the benefit of over 40 combined years of experience and successful litigation. Those interested in learning more or scheduling a free consultation can do so at the Burnett Wilson Reeder website.
About Burnett Wilson Reeder, P.A.:
Representing homeowners, consumers, workers and others in effective, vigorous ways, Burnett Wilson Reeder is a plaintiff-focused legal firm practicing in the areas of personal injury, construction, real estate fraud, and related fields.
For more information, please visit http://bwrfirm.com/
Contact Info:
Name: Joshua Burnett
Organization: Burnett Wilson Reeder
Address: 200 North Pierce Street Tampa, FL 33602
Phone: (813) 221-5000
Source: http://marketersmedia.com/burnett-wilson-reeder-named-2016-sustaining-law-firm-by-bay-area-legal-services/123017
Release ID: 123017
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Fabric Dyeing Machine Market Forecast and Analysis Report From 2016 To 2021 : Radiant Insights,Inc
RadiantInsights.com has announced the addition of "Global Fabric Dyeing Machine Market Trends, Growth And Forecast Report Up To 2021 : Radiant Insights, Inc" Market Research Report to their Database.
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This report provides detailed analysis of worldwide markets for Fabric Dyeing Machine from 2011-2016, and provides extensive market forecasts (2016-2021) by region/country and subsectors. It covers the key technological and market trends in the Fabric Dyeing Machine market and further lays out an analysis of the factors influencing the supply/demand for Fabric Dyeing Machine, and the opportunities/challenges faced by industry participants. It also acts as an essential tool to companies active across the value chain and to the new entrants by enabling them to capitalize the opportunities and develop business strategies.
Browse Full Research Report With TOC on http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-fabric-dyeing-machine-market-forecast-and-analysis-2016-2021
Dyeing is the process of adding color to textile products like fibers, yarns, and fabrics.[1] Dyeing is normally done in a special solution containing dyes and particular chemical material. After dyeing, dye molecules have uncut chemical bond with fiber molecules. The temperature and time controlling are two key factors in dyeing. There are mainly two classes of dye, natural and man-made. The primary source of dye, historically, has generally been nature, with the dyes being extracted from animals or plants. Since the mid-18th century, however, humans have produced artificial dyes to achieve a broader range of colors and to render the dyes more stable to resist washing and general use. Different classes of dyes are used for different types of fiber and at different stages of the textile production process, from loose fibers through yarn and cloth to completed garments.
Global Fabric Dyeing Machine Market Forecast and Analysis 2016-2021, has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the global Fabric Dyeing Machine market collected from specialized sources. The report covers key technological developments in the recent times and profiles leading players in the market and analyzes their key strategies. The competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market share analysis of key industry players. The major players in the global Fabric Dyeing Machine market areThies GmbH (Germany), Texfab (India), Peninsula (India), BRAZZOLI (Italy), Tong Geng Enterprise (Taiwan), HISAKA WORKS (Japan), CHTC Fong's Industries (China), Shaoyang Textile Machinery (China), KIN WAH Machinery (China), Wuxi Feida (China).
The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Rest of World. In this sector, global competitive landscape and supply/demand pattern of Fabric Dyeing Machine industry has been provided.
Request A Sample Copy Of This Report at: www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-fabric-dyeing-machine-market-forecast-and-analysis-2016-2021/request-sample
Table of Contents
Part 1. Scope of Report
1.1 Research Methodology
1.2 Geographic Scope
1.3 Years Considered
Part 2. Introduction
2.1 Key Findings
2.2 Value Chain Analysis
2.2.2 Upstream
2.2.3 Downstream
Browse All Reports of This Category at: http://www.radiantinsights.com/catalog/equipment
Part 3. Manufacture
3.1 Manufacturing Process
3.2 Issues and Trends
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/global-fabric-dyeing-machine-market-forecast-and-analysis-2016-2021
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/fabric-dyeing-machine-market-forecast-and-analysis-report-from-2016-to-2021-radiant-insightsinc/123037
Release ID: 123037
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It appears that democracy is squarely to blame for clients being unable to get their money out of many of the UK direct property funds.
Who would have thought that the vote last Thursday would leave us with this sort of cause and effect? Nobody, we hope. Thats because it has little to do with Brexit, in spite of the headlines.
The real reason involves stating the obvious: these funds buy bricks and mortar property that takes weeks to buy, after involving parties like solicitors, estate agents and surveyors.
And, so it follows, that if these funds need to sell the same property, it takes just as long. Surely, then, when there are more sellers than buyers of the fund, these portfolios must grind to a halt eventually?
The canary in the coal mine was well before Brexit, in May this year, when fund managers started to shift from offer to bid pricing, effectively creating an exit cost of 5 per cent for investors who wanted their money back.
Fund groups wanted to stop all the outflows because they knew that suspending fund redemptions was a reluctant last resort.
Gating, unlike an exit levy, has stronger self-fulfilling negative sentiment because, lets face it, it creates a desire to want your money back even more. The queue of (angry) sellers is only getting longer now. What we really question is the apparent mindset it is ok to operate in a state of wilful blindness
As advisers to our clients on this issue, we have looked pretty silly for quite some time. Back in December 2014, we decided to suspend all our property ratings on the back of these liquidity concerns and the heightened state of property valuations.
And in May this year, when the exit fees became commonplace, we wrote to our clients again, suggesting that gating may be the next step.
Yet, all that happened, between December 2014 and April 2016, is that direct property kept on going up in what was close to a straight line with very little volatility or downside.
It doubled the returns of sterling equities, bonds and listed property over this period. But then came May, and finally July. And we fear that when these direct property funds eventually reopen, the value of clients investments will be even lower.
What we really question is the apparent mindset that it is ok to operate in a state of wilful blindness. Aggregate failure, it seems, is fine so long as we are all in this together.
But as financial services professionals, we are all in the business of generating reputational capital and I am afraid that we have done a disservice to our clients and industry here. The issue of a daily traded fund, which needs weeks to sell its underlying investments, is so obvious. We all knew.
Property funds willingly took on the massive inflows when buyers significantly outnumbered sellers. It smacks of greed, to knowingly accept such large and frequent inflows that could not possibly be serviced as outflows if they left at the same speed they arrived.
Openwork has exceeded 3,000 advisers across the group for the first time in its history, the company has announced.
It has also raised more than 2.5bn into its fund range Omnis less than 30 months after its launch.
Mark Duckworth, chief executive of Openwork, said: Exceeding 3,000 advisers for the first time in Openworks history is a huge achievement for the business, particularly in light of the long-term fall in adviser numbers in the UK.
Our growth, however, has not come at the expense of quality and it is extremely pleasing that Openwork continues to attract high-calibre advisers; something that speaks to the significant appeal of our proposition but also our unique structure, which gives firms joining us part-ownership of the business and influence over its direction.
Our Omnis fund range goes from strength to strength and it is remarkable to consider that it only launched in early 2014.
Using our size and scale to award mandates to asset managers means we are able to offer bespoke funds at sub-market prices and we are thrilled that advisers have embraced the range so wholeheartedly and recognised the benefits it can bring to their clients.
According to the FTAdviser Top 100 Financial Adviser ranking for 2015, Openwork is the fourth largest advice firm in the UK by gross sales.
The Omnis Graphene proposition allows advisers to access bespoke funds at below-market prices from leading groups including Woodford Investment Management, Schroders and Threadneedle.
Openwork recently announced two new additions to the Graphene range, a European Equity Fund run by Jupiters Cedric de Fonclare and an Asia Pacific Equity Fund managed by Ballie Giffords Iain Campbell.
In February, Openwork announced it had signed an agreement that will see Zurich divest its 25 per cent shareholding in the network within four years.
By March 2020 Zurich will transfer its shares to Openworks other main shareholder, Openwork Partnership LLP, which represents the adviser base.
In June Openwork announced an operating profit of 4.8m for 2015, the fourth consecutive year it has found itself in the black.
SCM Direct has launched a scathing attack on the emerging robo-advice industry, arguing most firms are destined to fail, leaving regulators and ombudsmen to clear up the mess.
A report suggested such firms are wired to lose money, with most likely to go bust before acquiring the sizeable assets under management required to ensure their sustainability.
SCMs research looked at 10 UK robo-advisers, finding average fees excluding VAT for a 25,000 portfolio, where disclosed, were 0.59 per cent a year (fees ranged from 0.3 per cent to 0.94 per cent annually).
SCM calculated revenues excluding VAT for a 25,000 account based on an average 0.59 per cent excluding VAT were just 147.50 a year. Many of these companies appear to be storing up huge liabilities if down the road either their algorithm fails or markets collapse SCM Direct report
In terms of money spent on initial advertising and client acquisition, many robos appear to be spending large sums on Google AdWords, which SCM stated its own experience suggested costs of about 3.15 per click.
SCM also claimed the finance sector has an average conversion rate via Google Display Network of just 1.75 per cent.
Therefore, customer acquisition costs were calculated at 3.15/0.0175 or 180 per account for this one advertising channel alone.
From the latest report and accounts of four UK custody and administration platforms, which concentrate on UK financial advisers, SCM calculated that average operational cost as a proportion of assets were about 0.29 per cent annually.
Including the net interest income payable/receivable within the overall costs, but excluding any other operating income, SCM estimated 0.0029 times 25,000, or 72.50 per account.
SCMs analysis also stated the robo-adviser business model appears to be employing more investment management, IT, sales, customer service and compliance staff than expected.
From our calculations, it would take more than 10 years for these robo-advice companies to break-even, and nearly 11 years to make a profit, the report concluded.
In a best case scenario, even if a robo-adviser managed to achieve a 10 per cent a year investment return, whilst keeping growth costs to just 5 per cent a year, it would still take five years to break-even.
It also pointed out that by often targeting younger investors with smaller pots, UK robo-advisers will be hampered by managing uneconomic accounts.
The escalation in robo-advisers all targeting millennials is surprising as this target audience represents just 5 per cent of the overall investment market, the paper added.
As for regulatory issues, evidence from the sample of 10 UK rob-adviser firms revealed misleading performance calculations, questionable statements regarding fees and a reliance on risk questionnaires, missing pages of key legal documents.
The research showed 80 per cent of these firms websites use risk questionnaires, but 25 per cent of these did not possess the regulatory permission to give advice to retail clients.
This would be a material regulatory breach were the services of these two firms to be deemed by the Financial Conduct Authority or the Financial Ombudsman Service to be advice, read the report.
The financial services industry has welcomed the news that Theresa May will take over from David Cameron as prime minister, saying it will restore a degree of stability after the post-Brexit chaos.
However, they said a great deal of uncertainty remains, particularly given that Ms Mays position on what sort of deal she will push for with Europe is unclear.
Ms May has said: Brexit means Brexit and we are going to make a success of it.
Ms May was confirmed as the UKs first female prime minister in 26 years after Conservative party leadership contender Andrea Leadsom withdrew her bid to take charge of the country on Monday afternoon (11 July).
Chris Hannant, director general of the Association of Professional Financial Advisers, welcomed this development on the grounds that at least some of the uncertainty is removed.
But he said it was hard to tell how things would change. Having a new government clears some of the question marks out of the way, but a great many still remain, he noted.
It depends on where she stands on the spectrum with regard to the single market versus free movement of people.
Mr Hannant also pointed out that if Brexit results in a removal of EU directives, there would be scope for the FCA to deregulate, but of course that will be up to them, and they will take their lead from the government. If we dont remain in the single market, we will have to re-write all the rules for the financial services industry. Anthony Grossman
Several regulatory experts told FTAdviser in the wake of the EU referendum that the result was unlikely to slash the amount of European regulation financial firms face anytime soon.
Anthony Grossman, head of investment management at BLP Private Wealth, said it was a bit too early to predict how Ms Mays government would affect regulatory change, but he said the industry would be delighted about the leadership races outcome.
The City would have had a degree of concern [if Ms Leadsom had become PM] because she is a far more enthusiastic Brexiter.
However, he said Ms Mays stated commitment to withdraw from Europe could still spell trouble for the industry.
She was quite forceful in saying, we are coming out come what may. That indicates coming out even if we dont remain in the single market.
If we dont remain in the single market, we will have to re-write all the rules for the financial services industry, Ms Grossman explained.
Keith Richards, chief executive of Personal Finance Society, also welcomed Ms Mays victory, saying he was confident that she will provide the strong leadership required during a time of political and economic upheaval.
The most important thing for the financial advice industry was that recent pension reforms and the Financial Advice Market Review were not derailed or held back because of the political upheaval post-Brexit, he argued.
UK life companies have pulled back so much from offering cover to expatriates that Britons living abroad can only get quotes from 16 per cent of the market.
According to the latest expatriate insurance survey from specialist mortgage and insurance firm Unusual Risks, this is a marked reduction from 2015, when 33 per cent of life companies offered life insurance products to British citizens living abroad.
Over the past few years, major names in the insurance sector have withdrawn from offering cover to expatriates.
Of those who remain in the market, only 8 per cent are prepared to accept an application for critical illness cover and only in limited circumstances.
Chris Morgan, financial adviser, called this a major problem for British expatriates living abroad, especially as international companies offer expensive annual renewable and reviewable premium products. There are many financial industry professionals who rarely offer expatriate protection services to their clients
He said: There has been a shift in the availability for life insurance products for British expats. The majority of mainstream UK insurers have all withdrawn from offering this type of cover.
British expats will have genuine reasons for needing a UK-based life assurance plan, for example if they have property interests, outstanding mortgages or tax interest in the UK.
We have also met expatriates who require life assurance to protect family members and children who are still resident in the UK.
To help advisers with expatriate clients, Unusual Risks has launched a new fee-based service to enable them to find life insurance cover from within the UK.
According to Mr Morgan, because this service will be offered to advisers on a fee basis, purely for getting insurance for expatriate clients, there will be no cross-selling against any other products and services.
Unusual Risks will help advisers to arrange level term assurance with reputable UK insurers, and source the best quotations, Mr Morgan explained.
He said: There are many financial industry professionals who rarely offer expatriate protection services to their clients, as many are specialists in mortgae, pension and investment planning.
For them to conduct specific research on protection for their British expatriates would be time consuming and inefficient.
Earlier this year, Emma Thomson, life office relations director for Lifesearch, said it was not only the fact life offices have withdrawn from offering expatriate cover, but also tax rules in the UK and regulation in Europe had made it more difficult.
There is also an issue with people falling ill abroad, according to Saga Travel Insurance. According to the specialist provider, one in four people aged 50 and above have fallen ill abroad and one in 10 of these do not have travel insurance, potentially leaving many facing a big medical bill.
If I were you, what would I do today when advising a client with Group Income Protection?
As an ex-adviser (now chained to a desk in my insurance company ivory tower!), I genuinely miss the interaction with employers.
I find employers are genuinely interested in the value services that characterise our industry (Group Income Protection (GIP) specifically, where they marvelled at what was available), interested in the detail of the technical, legislative and tax aspects of the products and actively seeking the best outcome for their organisations and its employees.
So if I were you, with what is going on in the disability world and GIP specifically, what would I be doing, right now, to delight my paying customers with pragmatic actions?
These actions not only engender client loyalty but can develop further business opportunities. As a financial business case the virtuous circle does stack up if you take the time to do this kind of quality consulting work.
Early Intervention Services
To start with, I would do is educate them about what they are not using and therefore missing out on. Firstly, the industry-wide increased usage and profile of Early Intervention Services (EIS) demonstrates the importance and value of accessing vocational rehabilitation early.
Now providing a paperless vocational rehabilitation referral process from day one of an absence, Canada Life has quantified that 90 per cent of EIS referrals do not result in a claim, leading to reduced claim incidences for employers and therefore sustainable premiums.
Of these, 80 per cent of employees who are referred to EIS make a return to work before claim. Simply put: we are offering outsourced vocational rehabilitation at no additional cost. What a wow! that will get!
Secondly, we support employers making claims for employees with mental health issues from day one. Some 80 per cent per cent of these claims last only seven months where EIS is used, compared to 2 years if it is not, a 70 per cent reduction in claim duration.
As mental ill health is the cause of 25 per cent of our claims and 21 per cent are musculoskeletal, you can see why this service is important. Our research shows over half (57 per cent) of UK employees have suffered from mental health problems while in employment, with stress (43 per cent) and depression (26 per cent) the most commonly experienced problems. There is a clear need to support employers.
Removing the evident challenge of complex mental health, subjective case management will genuinely delight managers and employees, let alone the HR team (if the organisation has one).
The third thing, fantastic at a case management and strategic health and wellbeing level, is the additional support services.
Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM) is planning to expand its line of retail products in the UK, then set its sights overseas, according to head of UK retail Simon Hynes.
Mr Hynes said June had been the fund houses best month for flows so far this year, despite the emergence of new concerns for the industry namely the UK leaving the EU and mass redemptions from UK property funds.
Despite concerns over how the UKs relationship with its largest trading partner will work and further uncertainty about the regulatory backdrop, Mr Hynes suggested the flows put LGIM in an ideal situation to set out expansion plans.
He said this will begin with the firm increasing its product range in the active equity space. This will then be accompanied by active fixed income, as well as passive strategies. Alongside this, popular institutional strategies will continue to be transferred over and sold to retail clients.
Were trying to offer more products to [UK retail] wealth managers so were trying to grow our product range, particularly active fixed income and active equities, and also the index range so we have more to offer in the UK, Mr Hynes said.
That will enable us to have more to offer the banks that distribute across Europe, and increasingly some of those banks have clients in and outside the UK so they want an offshore fund structure, as well as a unit trust or an Oeic, so we need to build the range to cope with that part of the market.
The company also wants to add more products like the Real Income Builder it launched in April as a retirement product to focus on clients long-term saving needs.
The strategy had been run for institutional clients for some time and was brought to the retail market in the wake of last years pension freedoms.
Real Income Builder is an outcome-oriented product. We see a big growth in these products that look to deliver a real income rather than beat a benchmark or a sector, Mr Hynes said.
The asset manager has already taken the primary steps necessary for expanding its business outside the UK. It has an institutional business in the US, as well as some funds domiciled in Luxemburg and a distribution deal in place with an Asian asset manager.
We have Luxemburg Sicavs so we could look to add more product to that, or we could look at Irish Oeic structures. Were looking at all those things but have made no firm decisions on what and when.
Another piece that were missing globally is Asia, so were looking at an Asia hub as well and to what extent we can deploy resources there to try to capture an exciting area of the world in terms of growth, Mr Hynes said.
The only truly inevitable things in life are death and taxes, but retirement can lay a strong claim to third place.
So once the Brexit dust has settled, demand for pensions is likely to emerge fairly unscathed.
In fact it may even rise if Brexit uncertainty takes the steam out of the property market. Frankly. it would be no bad thing if people spent less time obsessing about the deposit for their first home and thought more about saving for the long-term as well.
Yes, annuity rates have taken a pummeling and the underlying equity assets on which DC schemes rely face a volatile few months.
However, the instinct to save not just for a rainy day, but for the hopefully golden years of retirement, remains as strong as ever. IFAs should reap the benefits of a pensions revolution that has made retirement planning more interesting and more complicated
Though admittedly if Sterling continues to plunge at its current rate, many of us will be retiring to a bungalow in Bournemouth rather than a villa in Valencia.
Take a bow, pensions freedom
While autoenrolment is strong-arming hundreds of thousands of people into the pensions habit for the first time, the growing appetite for retirement planning can be traced back to last years pensions revolution.
OK, so pensions arent quite the new rock n roll yet. But a combined splurge of media coverage and government announcements on pensions has raised public awareness, if not understanding, of retirement options to record levels.
After years languishing at the bottom of most clients financial to do lists, retirement planning is now one of the primary reasons people seek help from their advisers.
As a result IFAs have become more important than ever, and should reap the benefits of a pensions revolution that has simultaneously made retirement planning more interesting and more complicated than ever before.
Race to the bottom on fees?
But the surge in demand for advisers pension expertise has coincided with intense competition on margins.
Many advisers are now being stretched by strong demand and squeezed by price competition at the same time.
The rise of the robo-adviser has led many to warn that the adviser profession is in danger of being commoditised, and could see a race to the bottom on fees.
But price wont be the only battleground on which this struggle plays out speed and quality of service will be just as important.
Pension transfers that require an adviser to fill in a 20-page paper document and endure a 30-day wait dont just frustrate clients, they also waste the advisers time and eat into their margins.
Tech to the rescue
Clearly, any technology that reduces paperwork and improves efficiency is crucial for IFAs seeking not just to survive, but thrive in the post-pensions revolution world.
A farmer is claiming victory in his personal bid to receive his delayed 2015 Basic Payment Scheme payment.
After staging a one-man protest outside the head offices of the Rural Payment Agency (RPA) in Reading, Berkshire, on Monday (11 July), tenant farmer Sam Stables has now been given assurances over when he will get paid.
RPA bosses have given recent entrant Mr Stables, who farms with his wife Emily at Kings Pitt Farm, in Kingsthorne, Herefordshire, a commitment that he will receive the remainder of his payment within a fortnight.
See also: Farmer stages one-man protest at RPA offices over BPS
A delighted Mr Stables told Farmers Weekly: I have got a position from Ed Schofield, one of the directors of the RPA, that they are going to pay me the remainder of my BPS and the money will be in our bank account by 26 July.
They have calculated the additional payment I am owed is about 12,400.
Mr Stables said the RPA told him that their computer system was showing that he had already been paid the full and final amount of his BPS 2015 claim.
Its only after they looked at it in greater depth that they realised there had been a system error and it turned out that they owed me all this money.
Mr Stables said he felt his decision to stage a one-man protest had been vindicated as he could not have allowed the non-payment of his BPS to drag on any longer.
If people honestly do not believe that they have been paid what they believe they are owed, my case shows it is worth kicking up a fuss with the RPA, he added.
I just wonder how many farmers are in a similar situation to me?
See also: Duchy of Cornwall on farm tenancy and viable rural communities
Mr Stables thanked the Duchy of Cornwall for being 100% supportive and Farmers Weekly for raising his case with the RPA.
He added: I feel like a huge pressure has been lifted off my shoulders. I can give the Duchy a definite date which I will be paid by, so I can pay the rent owing to them.
Mr Stables travelled to Reading from Herefordshire on Monday to protest alone outside the RPA offices. He said he would not go home until he had a written assurance from the RPA over when he would receive his BPS payment.
An RPA spokesman said: We said we would investigate claims where theres a discrepancy between claim information and that held on the Rural Payments service as part of the planned payment reconciliation process.
As we work each claim, we will contact the farmer or agent if we need more information.
Once a claim is finished, we will let the farmer or agent know the outcome and whether there are any adjustments or a top-up payment that needs to be made.
As well as the cases known to RPA, and so it can investigate all claim issues, the agency asked farmers who believe their payment was not what they expected to write to them. Anyone with a query can still write to RPA, so it can investigate.
Story Highlights Index at high of +33, same as in May
Perceptions of hiring in the Midwest reach new high for any region
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. workers' reports of hiring activity at their place of employment in June held at the record high first achieved in May. The +33 Job Creation Index score for June represents 44% of employees saying their employer is hiring workers and expanding the size of its workforce minus the 11% saying their employer is letting workers go.
Gallup has asked workers to report on hiring activity at their places of employment since 2008. The index was negative between December 2008 and August 2009 amid the Great Recession -- meaning more U.S. workers reported a loss of jobs rather than hiring at their places of employment -- but steadily improved since then. For much of 2015, the Job Creation Index stayed at a then-record +32 before falling back in the late fall and winter months to scores of +29 and +30. But workers' reports brightened in the spring, with the index reaching a new high +33 in May.
The latest Job Creation Index is based on interviews with 17,930 U.S. adults who are employed full or part time, conducted throughout the month of June. In addition to the 44% of workers reporting a net hiring increase and the 11% reporting a net hiring decrease, 39% of employees say the size of their workforce is unchanged.
Perceptions of Hiring in the Midwest Best for Any Region Since '08
Of the four major U.S. regions, the Midwest has the highest job creation index (+37), followed by the West (+34), with the East and South (both +31) slightly further behind. The Midwest had led the other regions most of last summer before falling behind the West in the winter months. As the weather warms again, the Midwest has re-emerged as the strongest region for hiring.
The Midwest's +37 index score is notable as the highest Gallup has measured for any region in its eight-year trend, but it is not significantly better than the region's scores of +36 on two occasions last summer.
Bottom Line
Workers' perceptions of employers' hiring remain stronger than at any point in the last eight years. These perceptions of job creation can produce different results from other indicators of job growth the government measures in part because Gallup's measure gets at workers' general views of hiring and firing at the company level but does not quantify the extent of that activity or the types of jobs involved. However, the fact that only 11% of workers say that their employer is letting workers go, while four times that many say their company is hiring, suggests a relatively positive jobs situation at this juncture.
These data are available in Gallup Analytics.
Survey Methods
Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted June 1-30, 2016, on the Gallup U.S. Daily survey, with a random sample of 17,930 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia who are employed full- or part-time. For results based on the total sample of working adults, the margin of sampling error is 1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting.
Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 60% cellphone respondents and 40% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods.
Learn more about how the Gallup U.S. Daily works.
'Xbox One Backwards Compatibility' Update: See the Latest titles That Arrived on the Feature
At least four new titles will arrive next on the Xbox One backwards compatibility this week, following the surprise arrival of the "Red Dead Redemption" game on the feature last week. Although the "Red Dead Redemption" hype hasn't totally died down, Microsoft feels like it's about time that they release the next set of games for the backwards-compatible feature.
According to the EXPRESS UK, the next in line for the Xbox One backwards compatibility titles include Bioshock 1, Bioshock 2, Bioshock Infinite and Skate. Prior to the release of the "Red Dead Redemption" game, these titles have been rumored to be the next in line for the Xbox One backwards compatibility feature; it looks like this time around, Microsoft is heading towards that direction.
If the lack of announcement from Microsoft at the recent E3 2016 event about the backwards-compatibility titles disappointed fans in more way they can imagine, it looks like the company is trying to make up for those times. Before "Red Dead Redemption," the month of May brought players Call of Duty: Black Ops and in June, Fallout: New Vegas came.
The titles look promising, and the consistent release of new games largely erased the doubts of fans that there won't be any good news coming this July. Unfortunately, Microsoft's consistency is also partnered by the unavoidable shelving of at least 160 other titles on the Xbox One backwards compatibility feature.
Microsoft defended this action by explaining that, some games on the Xbox One backwards compatibility feature have been removed due to their "Software-only simulation," they also further explained that titles that require players to have hardware accessories are not included.
What titles do you expect to arrive on Microsoft's Xbox One backwards compatibility feature? Do you think Grand Theft Auto V will follow on the next edition of the backwards-compatibility feature? Read on GamenGuide for the latest update on the Xbox One backwards compatibility list.
'No Man's Sky' Release Date, News & Update: Sean Murray Reveals Game's 18 Quintillion Planets Only Takes 6GB Of Data; Certifications Already Passed! First Update Now Being Worked On!
It looks like "No Man's Sky" will be surely delivered, finally, on its said release date. As the game already gone gold, Sean Murray revealed that the title would only take 6 GB of data on his Twitter page on Sunday.
"For those asking - size of No Man's Sky on disc is just 6 GB. A lot of that is audio," Sean Murray, founder of Hello Games developer of "No Man's Sky," tweeted.
Although "No Man's Sky" boasts its 18 quintillion planets, the game only needs 6 GB of data on Blu-ray Disc for PlayStation 4, according to Game Spot.
In fact, most of the data on the said 6 GB figure is made up of "No Man's Sky" sound. Aside from that, this is mere because that much of its content is "procedurally generated."
For those asking - size of No Man's Sky on disc is just 6GB. A lot of that is audio Sean Murray (@NoMansSky) Hulyo 10, 2016
As a result, less space will be consumed on "No Man's Sky" CD. Sean Murray also disclosed that "No Man's Sky" already passed its certification in Europe, United States and Asia.
Although, "No Man's Sky" certification in Japan is now being submitted. Moreover, Hello Games, too, now is busy working for "No Man's Sky" Update 1.
However, details about the new update for "No Man's Sky" are not yet revealed by Sean Murray or Hello Games.
Meanwhile, Sean Murray also used his Twitter page to tell everyone that "No Man's Sky" has already gone gold, as previously reported by Game N Guide.
It's happened. No Man's Sky just went gold. I'm so incredibly proud of this tiny team. 4 years of emotions pic.twitter.com/YJoI6JVgxq Sean Murray (@NoMansSky) Hulyo 7, 2016
At last, "No Man's Sky" has finished its development and now ready for a massive production of game discs and through online distribution.
To recall, "No Man's Sky" has been under development for the past four years and faced a number of difficulties in production.
With its continues delay and a lot of teasers made by Sean Murray and Hello Games, "No Man's Sky" becomes a much-anticipated title.
"No Man's Sky," too, is being considered as a new game that will bring back the interests of its players to space simulation genre, like "Elite: Dangerous" and "Star Citizen."
"No Man's Sky" will be released on Aug. 9.
The city of Corvallis has shut down the drinking fountains at four city parks because tests revealed elevated lead levels.
Drinking fountains have been closed at Village Green, Little Fields, Riverfront and Lilly parks. The city is conducting follow-up tests on each of the parks to confirm the levels and eliminate false positives.
The fountains were among 73 public water outlets the city tested. The city undertook the campaign, said City Manager Mark Shepard, because of recent disclosures about lead issues in the water in Portland schools.
I saw what was happening in Portland, and I thought it would be a good idea for us to check, Shepard said.
Sites tested included parks, fire stations, offices, library buildings, Public Works facilities and other city-owned properties.
The city should find out the results of the second set of tests in the next couple of weeks.
In addition to the four drinking fountains, four additional water outlets in city parks showed lead levels in excess of the 15 parts per billion considered acceptable by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. City officials noted that those outlets are not accessible to the public, are used sparingly and that increased lead concentrations are common in stagnant water that sits in pipes for lengthy periods of time.
Lead typically enters the water supply by leaching from older pipes or fixtures that contain lead. Congress banned lead solder, pipes and fittings in 1986. EPA regulations require municipal water systems to collect tap samples from sites served by the system that are more likely to have plumbing materials containing lead. The city conducts these tests every three years, as required, and has not detected lead levels in residential properties that exceed the federal health limits.
The city's water supply comes from the Willamette River and the Rock Creek Watershed, and lead has never been detected in these sources.
Shepard said that if the follow-up tests come back positive, the city will begin tracing the problem back from the fountains.
The fountains will remain closed until we can determine if the fountains are safe or until we can make them safe, Shepard said. It might be inconvenient, but the safety of our water is paramount.
Oregon State University conducted similar testing of its facilities after the reports on the Portland schools became public. OSU tested 40 University Housing and Dining Services buildings and one, Poling Hall on Southwest Weatherford Place, showed levels above the EPA limits in one sink and three showers.
OSU has shut off water to those fixtures until repairs are made and plans to do more extensive testing that should be finished by August, said Dan Kermoyan, assistant director of environmental health and safety for OSU.
Kermoyan said that testing at other OSU facilities, including Extension Service offices, experimental and research stations as well as the Bend and Newport campuses, will be completed by early September.
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This log includes incidents in which there might have been a public disturbance or a risk to the public. Information comes from the Corvallis Police Department, the Benton County Sheriffs Office and Oregon State Police. It does not include all calls for service. The status of incidents might change after further investigation. Locations are approximate. People arrested or suspected in crimes are considered innocent until proven otherwise.
Corvallis Police Department
SUNDAY, JULY 10
DUII: 9:25 p.m., Northwest Third Street and Polk Avenue. An officer arrested Aaron Bernard Byers, 21, of Corvallis on charges of DUII and reckless driving. Byers reportedly had a blood alcohol content of 0.09 percent.
HIT AND RUN: 9:42 p.m., 1335 N.W. Van Buren Ave. A woman reported to police that her car was hit by another vehicle that left the scene. An officer arrested James David Weik, 63, of Corvalllis, whose plate number matched the number reported by the victim and whose vehicle had damage consistent with the circumstances of the collision.
Benton County Sheriffs Office
SATURDAY, JULY 9
DUII: 12:56 a.m., Northwest Fourth Street and Jackson Avenue. An officer arrested Hanna Elizabeth McNeal, 23, of Corvallis on a charge of DUII and an outstanding warrant. She reportedly had a blood alcohol content of 0.18 percent.
DUII: 2:26 a.m., Southwest West Fourth Street and Adams Avenue. A deputy arrested Laurie Ramsey, 39, of Philomath on a charge of DUII. She reportedly had a blood alcohol content of 0.14 percent.
THURSDAY, JULY 7
DUII: 9:21 p.m., South Third Street and Kiger Island Drive. A deputy arrested Bruce William Austin, 55, of Corvallis on charges of DUII and reckless endangering. He reportedly had a blood alcohol content of 0.15 percent.
As the founder and commander of the Benton County Sheriffs Office aerial search and rescue unit, Paul Ehrhardt has always believed in leaving no stone unturned.
So when the 68-year-old realized he was nearing the end of his days as a pilot, Ehrhardt decided it was time to train his new replacement a DJI Phantom 4 Drone.
Ehrhardt, a U.S. Army veteran and mechanic, founded the volunteer Benton County Sheriffs Office Air Search and Rescue American Volunteer Group (also known as Sky SAR) in 2012 with the intent of utilizing untapped resources at the Corvallis Municipal Airport to aid in all search and rescue operations in the county.
I will not rest if there is someone out there, and that means looking everywhere and that means exhausting every resource, Ehrhardt said. There are more resources out here and they were, for the longest time, sitting here doing nothing. Ive survived by never leaving a stone unturned, and I wanted to apply that to search and rescue.
Today, about 12 volunteer pilots and spotters headquartered at Corvallis Municipal Airport assist BCSOs Search and Rescue operations in finding missing persons, locating downed aircraft and monitoring wildfires. The group, which trains regularly, has logged hundreds of hours and covered thousands of miles in search and rescue assistance in 2016 alone.
It makes sense to use pilots with aircraft from the area that are used to flying here because they know the land, Ehrhardt said. But a big reason we use small aircraft is because I looked at what could happen during a disaster and found theres a very good chance that a lot of our publicly-owned equipment is going to get destroyed. The small planes are going to survive.
Thats why Sky SAR members keep a Cessna 150 airplane and Robinson 22 helicopter tethered outside the groups hangar at Corvallis Municipal Airport.
While Ehrhardt said hes always trying to stay prepared for any possible disaster, over the last several years hes seen countless reminders of how dangerous and unpredictable it can be to fly. On June 19, 2014, John Larson, chief flight instructor for Corvallis Aero Service and first commander of Sky SAR, died when his small aircraft crashed in a remote area in southwestern Colombia.
Ive had 23 friends and relatives killed in airplane crashes in my lifetime. John was No. 22, Ehrhardt said. So Im pretty interested in doing it right. And I want to do everything I can to make sure were as safe as we can possibly be.
After taking over for Larson as commander in 2014, Ehrhardt said he realized the handwriting was on the wall and that someday he would have to retire.
Im getting old enough; Ive got to bow out here one of these days, he said.
For a long time, the idea of using a drone was like blasphemy for Ehrhardt. He has been an avid pilot for more than 10 years and, in fact, personally owns Sky SARs Cessna 150, which he has spent years and several thousand dollars restoring and maintaining.
Being a pilot, I was kind of anti-drone for a while, he said, but I think we can use this thing to keep our pilots safe, and thats a lot more important.
After researching dozens of drone programs over the last several months, Ehrhardt purchased a DJI Phantom 4 professional drone. The quadcopter features tablet computer support that allows Ehrhardt to safely navigate the skies by taping his fingers on a touchscreen. In addition to providing a new resource to supplement the teams work, Ehrhardt said there have been numerous occasions over the last few years where conditions did not allow pilots to take to the skies to aid in a search.
There are a lot of times when its just too dangerous to put a plane in the air but well still need to look for someone, he said. If I have it, I can send up a drone, and if the worst happens, I lose a drone. No big deal. At least we wont have lost a person.
Ehrhardt said the dozen members of the team collectively have thousands of hours of flight time logged and several decades of experience and the drone only allows for roughly 30 minutes of flight time over a 3-mile radius, so it wont make pilots obsolete.
There are many advantages to having a pilot in the sky, Ehrhardt said. There is nothing better than having peoples eyes on the situation.
Ehrhardt said the team is so capable, hell likely retire soon anyway.
Any one of these pilots weve got can come in and run this just as good, he said. I only go up about a couple of times a month unless we get a mission. Im the commander, so everyone else gets to fly while I stand there with a walkie-talkie in my hand.
Ehrhardt said hes likely never going to stop working with Sky SAR in some capacity; hell just hold a less flashy title.
Im the commander right now, but Im really the janitor, and I think thats what Ill be, he said. Im going to sweep floors and watch everyone else leave and enjoy the fact that theyre doing it, knowing that were in the best hands with the best pilots in the sky. If we need it, Ill man the drone and make sure were not leaving any stones unturned.
The state of Oregon last week launched the first steps of a campaign aimed at preventing marijuana use among youth.
It's about time, although this is only a pilot campaign initially will roll out only to youths in the Portland metro area and two counties in southern Oregon, Josephine and Jackson.
The small-scale rollout is by design: Legislators allocated about $4 million to the Oregon Health Authority to develop, pilot and evaluate a youth marijuana use prevention campaign in a rural and an urban area of the state.
The Legislature approved the prevention campaign in the wake of the statewide vote to legalize recreational marijuana. One point on which both legalization supporters and foes agreed during the lively election campaign on legalization is that kids shouldn't be using marijuana. The medical evidence to date is reasonably clear that marijuana use can have an outsized effect on developing brains.
But how to get that message out to young people who know that recreational pot now is legal in Oregon and are curious about the drug?
The Health Authority says it conducted audience research and convened 28 focus groups in Portland, Bend, Medford and Pendleton with 260 youths and young adults between the ages of 14 and 20.
The campaign, which has been saddled with the nondescript inspirational moniker "Stay True to You," includes some interesting parts suggesting that Oregon's youth are at least somewhat thoughtful about recreational pot. For example, the campaign includes testimonials from adults who had experience with marijuana as youth and young adults. (The Health Authority says that the most common request from focus group participants was to hear from real people who had used marijuana and could talk about their experiences. This suggests that credibility will be important to the youths the Health Authority wants to reach.
The campaign also includes reminders to older youths that their actions regarding pot will influence their younger siblings and facts on marijuana's effect on brain development and learning.
(You can check out a sample of the campaign materials at this web address: https://www.staytruetoyou.org/materials. The password is 12345.)
The trial campaign aims to get the message out primarily through digital and streaming video.
The Health Authority plans a secondary campaign aimed at parents, teachers and school administrators in the fall. The trial campaign will be evaluated twice for effectiveness in November and May 2015, with reports due to the Legislature next year.
The campaign's success will hinge on its credibility and even-handed tone: If kids start to question the accuracy of the information or sense that they're being preached at or condescended to, that will be a fatal blow.
But even if "Stay True to You" fizzles in this trial, we still should be able to learn something important from failure. And the message we want to spread about marijuana use and youths is so important that it merits continued efforts to get the word out in a way that its target audience finds persuasive. (mm)
Kurfurstenallee : International school campus proposal
Bad Godesberg IBIS and Max and Mary Kindergarten hand over a proposal for building a campus on the historical Kurfurstenallee.
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For a long time now, there have been discussions about what to do with the kurfurstlichen Zeile, the area of historical buildings and town hall in Bad Godesberg. Where the closed swimming pool, music school and Max and Mary Kindergarten stand, an international school campus has been proposed. Independent Bonn International School (IBIS) and the kindergarten have suggested a plan to form the Kurfursten Campus, which would include a music school. Their suggestion has been put forth to local politicians.
Nathalie Thelen-Sattler of IBIS says the first step would be to close the gap next to the kindergarten on Kurfurstenallee 7, and this should be done quickly. The school needs more space. Currently, IBIS is located on the Heiderhof and schools children up until the sixth grade. To accommodate a grade 7 and 8, they would need the space on Kurfurstenallee. In the proposed two-story building with a top floor as well, chemistry labs would be included as well as a digital library and other features. The classrooms would be in the current kindergarten, which would have to be temporarily moved according to Christian Rollmann, a co-founder.
The second step would be to erect a building between the current swimming pool and the music school. Rollmann said that details about what would be housed where would still need to be determined. If it is up to IBIS and Max and Mary Kindergarten, the music school would be a part of the campus. If the city wishes, investors would be ready to build a new music school on the property, commented Rollmann.
As part of the project, the historical building which currently houses the music school would be renovated and integrated. The building stands under historical preservation. Depending on what would happen with the pool, the school could also be expanded in that direction.
We want to have an international campus with an international library, which could also be open to everyone, said Thelen-Sattler. Rollmann emphasized that the plans can only be carried out when a definite green light is given by the city. The project doesnt require any changes from city planning because these plans work within the existing building plans. A decision about the future of this project rests with the responsible political bodies, explained Rollmann.
Bonn tourism : Open-air Kussmund bus
Bonn Although it is not necessarily a designated kissing bus, the open-roof Bonn touring bus is popular and once again available for tours.
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Kussmund is the pair of red lips that can be spotted on not only T-shirts and other souvenirs, but also on Bonns beloved open air touring bus. Kuss is kiss and Mund is mouth - put together, it can only signal great affection for Bonn. The open air bus is now out on the streets and available for tours with the start of the German school vacation period, Sommerferien. Souvenirs with the Kussmund are available in many forms, shapes and sizes.
I find the retro-character of the logo unbeatable, says Christine Lulsdorf from Bonn. She especially likes the postcard where there is a space between the B and the nn where one can fill it in with a personal kiss. A tourist group from China favored the key chains and T-shirts. One of the tourists said, The one I like best is the lion with the logo on it. I will take one home with me. Coffee cups, breakfast boards, stickers, bags, bibs and tattoos were also available.
Heinz-Peter, who drives the bus said I like the logo a lot. The bus is 20-years-old this year, and that makes it an old treasure; a little fresh kick does it good. The bus is not the only one celebrating a round Birthday, Exactly 60 years ago, the first city tour took place, he says. Back then, the tour started from Munsterplatz.
Whoever looks at the original Kussmund closely will notice a few differences from years ago. We changed the design a little, says Melanie von Seht, director of Bonn Information. The letters were replaced with cursive writing and the Kussmund runs a little into the letter B. As well, there is no more period at the end. For that, some souvenirs are sold with the phrases, Diesen Kuss der ganzen Welt! (This kiss for the whole world!) or Ode an die Freude (Ode to Joy), which refers to Beethoven. In 2015, the city paid 20,000 euro for the rights to this trademark and filed a patent. This means the Kussmund can be used commercially.
Police in Bad Godesberg : Security concept triggers irritation
The police in Bad Goldesberg increase enforcements Foto: Axel Vogel
Bad Godesberg An anonymous letter asserts that some police refuse to take part in nighttime security initiatives. The police department responds.
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A new security concept is meant to increase the feeling of safety amongst Bad Godesberg residents. This action results from growing unease following the fatal attack on Niklas P. More police officers are on the streets now and there is a greater focus on potential juvenile offenders during nighttime inspections in critical areas. For many citizens, these actions have been welcomed, but within law enforcement circles, it seems to be peppered with some resentment.
General Anzeiger received an anonymous letter from a member of Police Headquarters in Bonn, asserting that some officers refuse to participate in nighttime operations, it was too dangerous for them, they were just too old. Armed police officers refused to protect the Bad Godesberg population. In my view, a scandal! That is not the only criticism; another is the approach by authorities. As a result, those police officers who are fearful must only perform this duty when a special force of 100 officers are deployed. Its quasi police protecting police. For Bad Godesbergers, this means fewer available police for the critical areas because the special force of 100 is rarely available for use on weekends in Bad Godesberg.
Comments expressed in the letter are not entirely correct, according to the press office of Bonn police. An internal shifting of staff we have, said speaker Robert Scholten. In carrying out the concept, however, all directorates were involved, including the transportation unit, which is the smallest, and having the highest average age in the late 50s. They had to revise the concept to the effect that members of the transportation unit are increasingly used in bicycle and foot patrols.
This could be interpreted to mean that some officers are showing their presence, but their participation in the special security operations are reduced. It would not be correct to say there are fewer police on patrol in Bad Godesberg on weekends. The security concept and exercises are carried out despite task force availability; the number of officers stays the same - its just that they are configured differently.
Whether the letter writer is a single critical voice or if there are others at police headquarters who share the opinion is not known. Udo Schott, chairman of the Bonn Union of Police says I am not aware of complaints - neither from authorities nor from the Bad Godesberg police station.
In general, the concept makes sense. There is the need and we support it, says Schott. They have already seen some success; known offenders have been banned from parks and other public places for three months during certain time periods.
An opportunity for foodies and beer lovers to get lost in a world of food and drink from a hand-selected range of food trucks and breweries from around New Zealand.
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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.
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Google to train 2 million mobile developers in India News oi -GizBot Bureau
In a fillip to government's Skill India initiative, technology giant Google on Monday launched its "Android Skilling and Certification" programme to help make the country a global hub of high-quality mobile developers.
The programme aims to train two million mobile developers by unveiling a slew of initiatives to skill up, educate and certify millions of talended students and developers in Android development.
Xiaomi Store Sheds Light on Purported Specs of Xiaomi Mi 6 Slated for 2017
"With nearly four million developers, India is expected to have largest developer population globally by 2018. But today, only 25 per cent of them are building for mobile," Caesar Sengupta, Vice President (Product Management) at Google, told reporters here.
India is uniquely placed to innovate and shape the internet experience of billions of users "who are and will come online on the mobile platform," he added.
Google also launched an instructor-led training programme on Android fundamentals to provide an in-person training to students in universities.
Do You Really Need a 6 GB RAM Smartphone? Get to Know!
In addition to all public and private universities and training institutes of the National Skill Development Corporation of India, the course will be available free of charge on NTPEL (an initiative of IITs and IISc) as part of its online "Mobile Computing" course, starting from July 18.
Google has tied up with training partners like Edureka, Koenig, Manipal Global, Simplilearn, Udacity and UpGrad who will operate as authorised Android training partners in India to help Google train the trainers and update Android courseware to prepare students for Android certification.
"By building a world-class curriculum and making it easily accessible to the students, we want to contribute to the Skill India initiative and make India the global leader in mobile app development," Sengupta added.
Google also announced the launch of its globally recognised job-oriented "Associate Android Developer Certification" exam that will help candidates get an entry-level Android developer job.
After training, the aspiring candidates can log on to the Google Developer training website and take the certification exam priced at Rs 6,500.
Top 10 Android Marshmallow Smartphones Priced Below Rs 8,000
"We introduced the Android Nanodegree programme in India last year with Udacity and today, we have over 11,500 students in India enrolling every month in our courses," said Peter Lubbers, Head of Google Developer Training.
Google will also open-source all Android Developer Fundamentals practicals and courseware and make these available to everyone for free.
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Inherent Resolve Strikes Hit ISIL in Syria, Iraq
From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release
SOUTHWEST ASIA, July 10, 2016 U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
Officials reported details of yesterday's strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
Strikes in Syria
Bomber, attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 13 strikes in Syria:
-- Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed two ISIL oil wellheads.
-- Near Raqqah, a strike struck an ISIL used-bridge.
-- Near Manbij, 11 strikes struck eight separate ISIL tactical units, suppressed an ISIL sniper position, and destroyed seven ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL vehicles, and an ISIL-used bridge.
Additionally, officials said three strikes were not reported on the July 9 release, due to an administrative error. The correct assessment reads:
-- Near Manbij, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL-used bridge.
Strikes in Iraq
Attack, ground-attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 10 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of the Iraqi government:
-- Near Bashir, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL assembly area.
-- Near Beiji, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL tunnel.
-- Near Hit, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL artillery piece and an ISIL bunker.
-- Near Mosul, a strike suppressed an ISIL tactical unit.
-- Near Qayyarah, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, denied ISIL access to terrain, and destroyed an ISIL mortar system, an ISIL tactical vehicle, an ISIL excavator, four ISIL vehicles, an ISIL fighting position, six ISIL rockets and four ISIL rocket rails.
-- Near Ramadi, a strike destroyed an ISIL tactical unit.
-- Near Sultan Abdallah, a strike suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
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 a 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, the region, 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.
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Obama: U.S. Commitment to European Security is Unwavering in Pivotal Time for NATO
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, July 10, 2016 As NATO faces an unprecedented range of security, humanitarian and political challenges, the alliance always can count on the United States, President Barack Obama said during a press conference yesterday on the final day of the NATO Summit in Warsaw, Poland.
Multiple NATO nations -- the United States, Canada, France, Belgium, and Turkey -- have endured terrorist attacks directed or inspired by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Russia has violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and engaged in provocative behavior toward NATO allies. And European borders and economies have been tested by millions of migrants, the president said.
"In this challenging moment," Obama added, "I want to take this opportunity to state clearly what will never change -- and that is the unwavering commitment of the United States to the security and defense of Europe, to our transatlantic relationship, to our commitment to our common defense."
Common Defense
During the meetings this week in Warsaw, Obama said, NATO nations reaffirmed their Article 5 obligations to the common security and agreed to move forward with the most significant reinforcement of NATO's collective defense any time since the Cold War.
"First, we're strengthening NATO's defense and deterrence posture. Building on our European Reassurance Initiative, which has already increased readiness, from the Baltics to the Black Sea, our alliance will enhance our forward presence on our eastern flank."
The United States will be the lead nation in Poland, deploying a battalion of U.S. soldiers. The United Kingdom will take the lead in Estonia, Germany will take the lead in Lithuania, and Canada in Latvia. This means that 4,000 more NATO troops will be in the region on a rotational basis, the president said.
The additional U.S. Armored Brigade will rotate through Europe, including an additional 4,000 U.S. troops, he added, and to the south NATO nations agreed on new deterrence measures in Romania and Bulgaria.
"NATO is sending a clear message that we will defend every ally," Obama said.
The alliance also is strengthening the readiness of its forces against a range of threats, the president said.
Range of Threats
NATO's joint task force is now operational and can deploy anywhere in Europe on short notice. With recent progress in Poland, Romania and Spain, NATO's ballistic missile defense is coming online, and the alliance is launching a new effort to boost the resilience of allies to better defend against new kinds of threats, including cyber attacks, Obama said.
At a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission, member nations agreed on a new assistance package to improve alliance support for Ukrainian forces, he added.
"[British] Prime Minister [David] Cameron, [French] President [Francois] Hollande, [German] Chancellor [Angela] Merkel, [Italian] Prime Minister [Matteo] Renzi and I met with [Ukrainian] President [Petro] Poroshenko, and we reaffirmed our strong support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the need to continue political and economic reforms," the president said.
"And even as the NATO-Russia Council will meet in Brussels next week," he added, "our 28 nations are united in our view that there can be no business as usual with Russia until it fully implements its Minsk obligations."
Fighting ISIL
NATO also will do more also to fight terrorist networks, Obama said.
Every ally already contributes to the campaign against ISIL and now the alliance will contribute airborne early warning and control aircraft to improve intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance against ISIL, he said.
NATO training of Iraqi security forces will move from Jordan to Iraq, where they can be more effective, Obama said. And building on his decision to largely maintain the current U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan into 2017, he said 39 nations, including the United States, have committed more than 12,000 troops to NATO's training mission. He also mentioned that 30 nations have pledged more than $900 million to help sustain Afghan forces.
On NATO's southern flank, the alliance will increase its support to E.U. naval operations in the Mediterranean to stop arms traffickers and go after criminals who are exploiting migrants, Obama said, and the alliance will do more to help partners from North Africa, the Middle East and Georgia strengthen their own defense capacity.
Stepping Up
"Over the past two years, most NATO members have halted cuts and begun investing more in defense. This means defense spending across the alliance is now scheduled to increase. I especially want to commend our friends in the U.K., Poland, Greece and Estonia, all who, along with the United States, pay their full share of at least 2 percent of [gross domestic product] for our collective defense," Obama said.
Still, he said, most allies are still not hitting that 2 percent mark, an obligation alliance members agreed to at the 2014 NATO Summit in Wales.
The members had a candid conversation about this, the president said, and there's a recognition that given the range of threats the alliance faces and the capabilities it needs, everybody has to step up and everybody has to do better, Obama said.
Strengthening Alliances
Noting that the NATO Summit in Warsaw was his last as U.S. president, Obama said that one of his top foreign policy priorities has been to strengthen the nation's alliances, especially with NATO.
The United States has increased its presence in Europe, he said, adding that NATO is as strong and ready as ever, and the presence of Montenegro at the summit shows that the door to NATO membership is open to nations that can meet its high standards.
"Nobody should ever doubt the resolve of this alliance to stay united and focused on the future," Obama said. "And just as our nations have stood together over the past hundred years, I know that we'll stay united and grow even stronger for another hundred more."
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Taiwan dispatches 2,000-ton coast guard ship to Taiping Island
ROC Central News Agency
2016/07/10 20:18:58
Taipei, July 10 (CNA) A 2,000-ton coast guard ship set sail for the South China Sea on Sunday to patrol Taiping and other islands controlled by the Republic of China (Taiwan), the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said.
The Wei Hsing vessel has been deployed to the area since a 100-ton patrol boat stationed on Taiping Island was damaged by big waves there and had to be brought back, the CGA said.
The 2,000-ton vessel will join the rotation of ships dispatched by the Ministry of National Defense to safeguard Taiwan's territories, the CGA said.
(By You Kai-hsiang and Elizabeth Hsu)
ENDITEM /pc
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Tanks, helicopters attack South Sudan vice president residence
Iran Press TV
Sun Jul 10, 2016 8:2PM
Tanks and helicopters have been used in an attack on the home of South Sudan's vice president as renewed fighting in the country's capital sparks fears of a return to the civil war.
Fighting in Juba gained momentum on Sunday as Riek Machar was attacked by troops loyal to South Sudanese President Salva Kiir.
"Machar's residence was attacked twice today including using tanks and helicopter gunships. Helicopters from Kiir's side attacked the residence twice," said the VP's spokesman, James Gatdet Dak.
According to Health Ministry, at least 272 people have lost their lives since clashes broke out between rivaling factions late on Thursday.
Thousands of people have been killed and more than two million forced from their homes because of clashes between the rival factions. Machar fled Juba at the start of the civil war in December 2013. In August 2015, however, a peace deal was signed between the rivals and Machar became the first vice president.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on Kiir and Machar to take "decisive action" to bring the situation under control and urged them to calm their troops.
"I am deeply frustrated that despite commitments by South Sudan's leaders, fighting has resumed," said Ban. "This senseless violence is unacceptable and has the potential of reversing the progress made so far in the peace process."
On Friday, the two leaders met at the country's presidential palace and issued a call for calm in the country.
The United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) also slammed the renewed fighting which it said had forced hundreds of civilians to flee the capital.
"The United Nations Mission in South Sudan is outraged at the resumption of violence in Juba [on Sunday] which is severely impacting on the civilian population Both UNMISS compounds in Juba have sustained impacts from small arms and heavy weapons fire," read an official statement.
An official at one of the UN camps said that the situation was currently "very badWe have a lot of casualties this side, I think around 50 to 60 besides those of yesterday. We have civilian casualties. We have rocket-propelled grenades that have landed in the camp, which have wounded eight people," he added.
"The European Union will join the international community and South Sudan's neighbors to ensure that peace is restored rapidly," read a statement released by the EU Commission.
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South Sudan: United States Demands an Immediate End to Fighting in South Sudan
Press Statement
John Kirby
Assistant Secretary and Department Spokesperson, Bureau of Public Affairs
Washington, DC
July 10, 2016
In response to ongoing violence in South Sudan, the Department of State ordered today the departure of non-emergency personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Juba. U.S. citizens in South Sudan are advised to take precautions to enhance their personal security and should check U.S. Embassy Juba's website for the latest consular information, including security messages and the latest Travel Warning. The Embassy's ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Juba is extremely limited.
The United States strongly condemns the latest outbreak of fighting in Juba today between forces aligned with President Salva Kiir Mayardit and those aligned with First Vice President Riek Machar Teny, including reports we have that civilian sites may have been attacked. We again call on both leaders and their political allies and commanders to immediately restrain their forces from further fighting, return them to barracks, and prevent additional violence and bloodshed. The United States is determined to ensure appropriate measures are taken to hold accountable those responsible for continuing fighting and violations of international humanitarian law, including attacks on the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and targeting of civilians.
We are in active communication with African Union and regional leaders at the most senior levels; all are working jointly to press the South Sudanese leaders and their commanders to end the fighting. We have asked for an emergency session of the UN Security Council to address the situation.
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South Sudan's Rival Leaders Call for Cease-Fire
by Dan Joseph July 10, 2016
South Sudan's rival leaders have called on their forces to halt fighting which threatens to tear apart a fragile peace agreement and unity government.
Speaking to a local radio station Monday, First Vice President and former rebel leader Riek Machar urged his forces to honor a cease-fire declared hours earlier by President Salva Kiir.
"I am informing all the troops that have been fighting, defending themselves, to respect this cease-fire and to remain where they are now," Machar told independent Eye Radio.
Kiir's "declaration of cessation of hostilities," issued Monday, ordered both sides to stop fighting at 6 p.m. local time in Juba. It directed commanders to control their forces, protect civilian life and property and safeguard any ethnic group that may be targeted by soldiers under their command.
Later, government officials ordered army troops to return to barracks immediately.
Fighting raged across Juba for a fifth day Monday, hours after the United Nations Security Council called on leaders in South Sudan to control their rival forces, and warned that ongoing attacks on civilians and U.N. facilities may constitute war crimes.
Thousands of frightened civilians have crowded into U.N. bases to escape the clashes between pro-Kiir and pro-Machar forces that erupted on Thursday, and a witness told VOA Monday that Kiir forces had shelled a U.N. protection of civilians site.
Local radio in the capital earlier reported as many as 276 dead in several days of violence, while a spokesman for Machar said at least 150 were killed with scores of others wounded.
In Washington, the State Department welcomed the call for a cease-fire.
"Today, we welcome the presidential decree declaring a unilateral cease-fire to take effect at 6 o'clock," said State Department Spokesman John Kirby on Monday, urging leaders of both sides to "do everything in their power to ensure these decrees will be fully respected, and unfettered humanitarian assistance will be provided."
Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Juba has reduced the number of staff in response to the deterioration in the security situation. But the ordered departure of non-emergency personnel is not an evacuation.
Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said the attacks in South Sudan are "deplorable" and that the "targeting of what are meant to be inviolable U.N. premises is totally outrageous and unacceptable and goes beyond even the savagery that we've seen over the life of this conflict."
Akshaya Kumar of Human Rights Watch said, "For too long, the U.N. Security Council has relied on the goodwill of South Sudan's leaders, neglected accountability and brandished empty threats of an arms embargo and individual sanctions." Kumar said that was a "losing strategy" that has "obviously failed."
"The council should make clear that attacks against civilians will not be tolerated and that U.N. peacekeepers will use the full force of their mandate and military capabilities to protect civilians under their care," said Kumar."It should also finally impose an arms embargo, which could immediately ground the South Sudanese attack helicopters that are operated by foreign crews and constrain the ability of armed forces to target civilians going forward."
Ambassador Koro Bessho also urged Kiir and Machar to "genuinely commit themselves to the full and immediate implementation of the [2015] peace agreement" that ended a devastating two-year civil war in the impoverished country.
The war erupted in December 2013, a few months after Kiir fired Machar as South Sudan's vice president.
Machar has since been reinstated as part of the peace deal, reached last August, which also led to the formation of a transitional unity government.
Neither leader, however, has yet offered a workable plan to integrate their forces.
The latest fighting in Africa's newest nation was the first major outbreak of violence since Machar was reappointed vice president in April.
The World Food Program says 4.8 million South Sudanese are facing severe food shortages this year, with parts of the impoverished country on the brink of famine. It also says fighting has driven 2.4 million residents from their homes, while hundreds of thousands of others have fled the country as refugees.
With the country's fragile economy in shambles, monitors predict as many as 1 million South Sudanese will have fled the country by the end of the year.
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Carter Salutes Iraqi Forces, Announces 560 U.S. Troops to Deploy to Iraq
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, July 11, 2016 DDuring his visit to Baghdad today, Defense Secretary Ash Carter met with Iraqi leaders, coalition commanders and U.S. troops and also announced that the United States, in close consultation with the Iraqi government, will deploy an additional 560 troops to Iraq to assist in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, according to a DoD news release.
"At every step in this campaign, we have generated and seized additional opportunities to hasten ISIL's lasting defeat," Carter said. "These additional U.S. forces will bring unique capabilities to the campaign and provide critical enabler support to Iraqi forces at a key moment in the fight."
Carter met with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al Abadi and other Iraqi leaders, commending them for recent progress in the fight against ISIL, including the capture of a strategicin airfield near the town of Qayyarah that will aid operations to free Mosul, the release said.
"With the retaking of Qayyarah West airfield, the Iraqi security forces have once again demonstrated a serious will to fight," the defense secretary said. "I congratulate them on their recent successes and reaffirm that the United States, along with our coalition partners, will continue to do all we can to support Iraq's effort to serve ISIL a lasting defeat."
Building on Counter-ISIL Momentum
Carter also discussed the next steps in the counter-ISIL military campaign, the release said. In light of Iraqi security forces' recent advances, the release said, the defense secretary announced that the United States, in close coordination with the Iraqi government, will deploy an additional 560 troops to Iraq to build on that momentum.
The additional troops, the release said, will provide a range of support for Iraqi security forces, including infrastructure and logistical capabilities at the airfield near Qayyarah.
As the campaign shifts toward Mosul -- more than 250 miles from Baghdad -- the airfield will become a vital springboard for Iraqi forces' offensive into Mosul, the release said. Coalition forces will also continue to provide enabler support to Kurdish Peshmerga as they converge on Mosul from Iraq's north, according to the release.
Obama approved the additional forces on Carter's recommendation after consulting with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, U.S. Central Command commander Army Gen. Joseph L. Votel, and the commander of Operation Inherent Resolve, Army Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, the release said.
In his meeting with the Iraqi prime minister, the defense secretary also expressed his condolences for the recent tragic bombing in Baghdad, the release said.
Efforts to Protect Iraqis Against ISIL Attacks
Carter said the United States is prepared to bolster its support for Iraqi government efforts to protect Iraqi civilians from ISIL terror attacks, according to the release.
U.S. forces already share intelligence with their Iraqi counterparts, the defense secretary said, noting he is directing the Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Agency -- which leads the department's efforts to counter improvised explosive device -- to provide additional assistance that could enhance security in Baghdad.
Carter's visit comes as the international coalition has intensified pressure on ISIL in both Iraq and Syria, the release said. In addition to the capture of the airbase at Qayyarah, Iraqi forces backed by coalition air power and other support recently freed the city of Fallujah from ISIL's control after previous gains in Ramadi, Hit and Rutbah, according to the release.
In Syria, local forces backed by the coalition have surrounded the city of Manbij, a hub for the flow of ISIL foreign fighters, the release said. The defense secretary said the U.S. is also prepared to step up its efforts to help vetted Syrian forces willing to take on ISIL.
To ensure ISIL's defeat is truly lasting, Carter stressed throughout his visit the need for economic aid and reconstruction efforts to keep pace with progress in the military campaign, the release said.
The defense secretary closed his trip to Iraq, his fourth as secretary of defense, by thanking U.S. troops for their dedication, sacrifice and willingness to keep America safe, the release said.
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Counter-ISIL Strikes Target Terrorists in Syria, Iraq
From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release
SOUTHWEST ASIA, July 11, 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
Bomber, attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 12 strikes in Syria:
-- Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed five ISIL oil wellheads.
-- Near Manbij, 10 strikes struck eight separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed nine ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL-used bridge, an ISIL headquarters and an ISIL artillery piece.
-- Near Mara, a strike produced inconclusive results.
Strikes in Iraq
Bomber, attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 14 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government:
-- Near Baghdadi, a strike destroyed an ISIL bunker.
-- Near Huwayjah, a strike struck an ISIL vehicle bomb factory.
-- Near Mosul, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL supply caches, an ISIL weapons cache, five ISIL assembly areas and an ISIL mortar system.
-- Near Qayyarah, five strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and an ISIL rocket storage facility; destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL headquarters, an ISIL mortar system, an ISIL assembly area and an ISIL vehicle; and denied ISIL access to terrain.
-- Near Ramadi, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL supply cache, two ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL vehicle, four ISIL front-end loaders and an ISIL tactical vehicle.
-- Near Sinjar, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL mortar systems and an ISIL assembly area.
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.
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Taiwan reaffirms stance on eve of ruling on South China Sea disputes
ROC Central News Agency
2016/07/11 19:24:15
Taipei, July 11 (CNA) Taiwan on Monday reaffirmed its stance on its claims in the South China Sea a day before an international tribunal is to rule on a dispute between the Philippines and China in the region.
The government will continue to insist on Taiwan's sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea, including Taiping Island, the largest naturally formed island in the Spratly Islands, Presidential Office spokesman Alex Huang () said Monday.
Huang also said the government will stay on top of all developments related to the ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague and has prepared for various contingencies.
He reiterated the government's three main principles related to South China Sea disputes.
First, all related parties in the South China Sea must base their claims on international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Second, Taiwan expects all claimants to resolve their disputes through peaceful means, and third, all related parties have the obligation to respect the freedom of navigation and overflight in the region.
"We have always advocated setting aside disputes, jointly tapping resources and promoting regional peace and stability with related countries," Huang said.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration is scheduled to give a ruling on the case brought by the Philippines against China over their disputes in the South China Sea.
Manila argues that the land formations China claims in the South China Sea are nothing more than reefs and therefore not entitled to 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zones, which buttress Beijing's insistence that it has sovereignty over the waters.
China has repeatedly rejected the tribunal's jurisdiction over the case since it was filed in 2013.
Although Taiwan is not a party to the case, its claims in the South China Sea are similar to those of China, and Taiping Island (also known as Itu Aba), which is controlled by Taiwan, was brought up in testimony during the court hearings.
Should the court rule that Taiping Island is not an island under international law, it could also undercut some of Taiwan's claims.
Vice Foreign Minister Leo Lee () said Monday that the government's stance on its sovereignty over the South China Sea has remained unchanged.
The ministry will respond strongly if the ruling says Taiping is not an island, Lee said, adding that it will launch an international promotion campaign.
(By Sophia Yeh, Chen Chia-lun, and Lilian Wu)
Enditem/ls
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U.S. Department of Defense
Press Operations
News Release
No. NR-259-16 July 11, 2016
Defense Secretary Commends Iraqi Forces, Announces New Accelerants to Combat ISIL in Visit to Iraq
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter met today in Baghdad with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al Abadi and other Iraqi leaders, commending them for recent progress in the fight against ISIL, including the capture of a strategic airfield near the town of Qayyarah that will aid operations to free Mosul.
"With the retaking of Qayyarah West airfield, the Iraqi Security Forces have once again demonstrated a serious will to fight," Carter said. "I congratulate them on their recent successes and reaffirm that the United States, along with our coalition partners, will continue to do all we can to support Iraq's effort to serve ISIL a lasting defeat."
In his meetings with Iraqi leaders, coalition commanders and U.S. troops, Carter also discussed the next steps in the military campaign. In light of Iraqi Security Forces recent advances, Carter announced that the United States, in close coordination with the Iraqi government, will deploy an additional 560 troops to Iraq to build on that momentum.
The additional troops will provide a range of support for Iraqi Security Forces, including infrastructure and logistical capabilities at the airfield near Qayyarah. As the campaign shifts toward Mosul, more than 250 miles from the Iraqi capital, the airfield will become a vital springboard for the ISF offensive into Mosul. Coalition forces will also continue to provide enabler support to Kurdish Peshmerga as they converge on Mosul from Iraq's north.
President Obama approved the additional forces on Carter's recommendation after consulting with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford, U.S. Central Command commander Gen. Joseph Votel, and the commander of Operation Inherent Resolve, Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland.
"At every step in this campaign, we have generated and seized additional opportunities to hasten ISIL's lasting defeat," Carter said. "These additional U.S. forces will bring unique capabilities to the campaign and provide critical enabler support to Iraqi forces at a key moment in the fight."
In his meeting with the prime minister, Carter also expressed his condolences for the recent tragic bombing in Baghdad. He said the United States is prepared to bolster its support for Iraqi government efforts to protect Iraqi civilians from ISIL terror attacks. U.S. forces already share intelligence and with their Iraqi counterparts. Carter said he is directing the Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Agency, which leads the department's efforts to counter improvised explosive devices, to provide additional assistance that could enhance security in Baghdad.
Carter's visit comes as the international coalition has intensified pressure on ISIL in both Iraq and Syria. In addition to the capture of the airbase at Qayyarah, Iraqi forces backed by coalition air power and other support recently freed the city of Fallujah from ISIL's control after previous gains in Ramadi, Hit and Rutbah. In Syria, local forces backed by the coalition have surrounded the city of Manbij, a hub for the flow of ISIL foreign fighters. Carter said the U.S. is also prepared to step up its efforts to help vetted Syrian forces willing to take on ISIL.
To ensure ISIL's defeat is truly lasting, the secretary stressed throughout the visit the need for economic aid and reconstruction efforts to keep pace with progress in the military campaign. He closed his trip to Iraq, his fourth as secretary of defense, by thanking U.S. troops for their dedication, sacrifice and willingness to keep America safe.
http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/832829/
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U.S. Department of Defense
Press Operations
News Transcript
Presenter: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter; Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland, commander, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve July 11, 2016
Media Availability with Secretary Carter and Lt. Gen. MacFarland in Iraq
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ASH CARTER: OK. I'm here with General MacFarland.
Come on up, Sean.
And we're here, you heard the announcement I made earlier to the troops here. So I won't repeat that. We're simply ready to take your questions.
STAFF: Lita?
SEC. CARTER: Lita.
Q: For the general, maybe, some details. Along what timeline do you think these new additional troops are coming in? And could you give us a broader or at least a little bit more detail on the kinds of things you expect them to be able to do -- (inaudible) -- possible bridging advice and help for the Iraqis? What are you looking for from these troops?
STAFF: Can you step to the mic, sir.
LIEUTENANT GENERAL SEAN MACFARLAND: Sure, sorry, sir.
SEC. CARTER: All right.
GEN. MACFARLAND: These troops are coming in to do a variety of tasks. All of them are support tasks. The ones that the secretary just announced, the 560, are coming in to help expand the base at Qayyarah West airfield into a node that can support the Iraqi security forces as they move forward with the Mosul operation.
It will be an operational airfield like the ones in Al Asad and Tadji and Taqaddum. And so we have to bring in a wide array of capabilities to make those fully functional. And that's what these forces do.
And as always when we bring in forces to an area, we bring in a security envelope with them. And there is a security element that goes with that. So that is basically who these folks are.
(CROSSTALK)
GEN. MACFARLAND: Oh, to the timing. It will be relatively soon. I don't want to be too precise for operational security purposes. But they will begin flowing in fairly short order. They've already gotten the warning orders.
SEC. CARTER: Let me just add a little bit to that, if I could.
I mean, Lita, they are ready to come. It's like days and weeks, not months. And the reason for that is that the Iraqi security forces have been successful in getting to Qayyarah West.
And the only other thing I would add is just to remind you the importance of Qayyarah West. It is one of the two locations, Maqhmur being the other ones -- objectives that we set some months ago as places from which the Iraqi security forces would position themselves for the southernmost envelopment of Mosul.
Because the whole idea is to envelop Mosul from the north and the south, and then collapse ISIL's control over it, as has been done in other cities -- Hit, Rutbah, Fallujah, Ramadi, and so forth.
GEN. MACFARLAND: Manbij.
SEC. CARTER: Manbij ongoing, Manbij in Syria. That's the importance of it.
STAFF: Thomas?
Q: Thank you, Mr. Secretary, general.
Can you just help to reconcile for the general public, on the one hand you're very essentially touting the significance of -- (inaudible). Nonetheless, we continue to see an increasing number of terrorist attacks around the world.
So can you please explain like at what point there will some kind of inflection point, ISIL will be defeated here and also -- (inaudible)?
SEC. CARTER: Well, there have been important results here in Iraq by the Iraqi security forces, enabled by the coalition. Here, I want to give really great credit to General MacFarland and all the troops -- U.S. troops that are here supporting. Sean has made an enormous difference as commander here.
And it's necessary -- it's essential that this work continue. It's not done yet. We still have important work to do here in Iraq and also in Syria. But to get to your question. It's necessary, but not sufficient to destroy ISIL in Iraq and Syria because this is where it began, and is what I have called the parent tumor of the cancer of ISIL.
But like cancer, ISIL has spread and metastasized to other places. And it also threatens our homelands. And so in all three of those ways, not just the Iraq-Syria theater, but elsewhere around the world, and in protecting our homelands, we have to work hard in all three of those areas.
And ISIL will be active in all three. Even here in Iraq, you've seen, and I gave my condolences to the prime minister today. You've seen ISIL carry out attacks. And so it's important to recognize that as we expel ISIL from the major urban areas of Iraq, which the Iraqi security forces with our help are in the process of doing, there will be a larger -- need to be a larger effort to secure the country.
And that will be something that we will be helping them with as well.
Sean, do you want to add anything to that?
GEN. MACFARLAND: Sir, the other thing I would add is that as the enemy loses control over some of these key support nodes like Manbij, and eventually Raqqah and Mosul, they lose a base of operations. They lose finances. They lose the ability to plan, to create the fake documentation that they need to get around the world.
And they lose financial resources. So we don't know how many acts of terror that we've disrupted or prevented so far. It's impossible to know or to prove. But you have to believe that as we continue to deny the enemy the ability -- or a safe haven where they can plan and prepare for these operations, it will eventually support the larger campaign against terror around the world.
STAFF: -- (inaudible) --
Q: (inaudible) -- the general -- (inaudible) the two categories that were mentioned specifically (inaudible) for logistics and the other one was -- (inaudible).
GEN. MACFARLAND: Yes, sure. So look, it's an airfield, right? So we're going to need airfield operations. And if you want to go in concentric circles around that, we're going to also have to have a logistics footprint there to facilitate the flow of goods and supplies and personnel through that airfield.
We'll have a security envelope around that. We'll have a communications capability there so that we can talk and command and control or a headquarters element as well. Nothing very sexy in any of that, but all very necessary to keep the campaign moving forward.
Q: -- (inaudible) --
GEN. MACFARLAND: In a previous lift, we got the advisers that we requested, so we have that capability. Thanks.
STAFF: -- (inaudible) --
Q: Is there any concern that as ISIL poses a terrorist threat to Baghdad -- (inaudible) -- Iraqi government will pull forces to back from the fight in Mosul to the capital?
SEC. CARTER: I did talk -- I'll start and then, Sean, you can add.
We did talk -- I did talk to the prime minister, of course, and in addition to offering my condolences, we did talk about improving the security situation in Baghdad, not in that sense of changing at all our operations plan for the north or in Anbar or anything else.
But there are things that we can help him do as he beefs up security in Baghdad. We didn't talk about additional forces. He has substantial forces here. We did talk about detectors for perimeter to provide security and detect explosives being introduced into Baghdad.
We did talk about how to detect and help him to detect the networks that build and deliver IEDs. And I offered him, this is important, the help of the organization that we use and used over the last years in both Iraq and Afghanistan to help U.S. forces cope with the IED threat.
And the commander of that effort will be coming to Baghdad shortly in order to bring to the Iraqi security forces that substantial experience and tradecraft that we learned by hard experience in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
So those are important ways that we can help.
But let me ask Sean if he wants to add anything.
GEN. MACFARLAND: Thank you, sir.
The enemy is adaptive. And we have to continually adapt as well. And what the secretary just laid out are some of the means by which we're doing that. But I would also add that the best defense is a good offense. And by continuing to put pressure on the enemy in places like Raqqah, Mosul, Manbij, it does prevent the enemy from really hatching a lot of these types of plots. But we are starting to put pressure on the enemy's terrorist -- terror networks, threat networks that are around the capital, and we will continue to ramp that up over time.
STAFF: We have time -- (inaudible).
Q: (inaudible) -- string of small, incremental -- (inaudible) -- U.S. forces to this region. And I wonder if you can sort of explain to the American people -- (inaudible). Is there an unlimited number of Americans that could be returning to this war zone? And particularly looking ahead to Mosul, which I think -- (inaudible) -- one of the largest fights in this conflict against ISIL, is there any limit on the number of Americans who will return?
And then I have a question about -- (inaudible).
SEC. CARTER: Well, first of all, we're looking for, and have been for months now, ways that we can accelerate the campaign to defeat ISIL here in Iraq and Syria. And consistent with our overall strategic approach, which is to achieve a lasting defeat which means working with capable, motivated local forces that can hold territory and govern territory after ISIL is expelled from it.
So we're looking for ways to do that. And you're exactly right. We have over the course of six months I described of this campaign, the plays of this campaign, been looking for and asking General MacFarland, what is it that you need that will help you take the next steps.
We've given him the authorities and the capabilities that he has asked for when he has asked for them. And in each case when I've done that, the president has approved them. And Sean has them in time.
So we're in fact looking for opportunities to complete the defeat of ISIL in Iraq and Syria. And then I'll just remind you, going back to an earlier question, there are other places as well. Plus we have work to do in the homeland.
So there is a lot to do. But we will defeat ISIL, I don't have any doubt about that. But as and when Sean determines that there are additional capabilities that he needs, again in the enabler role, we will provide them. I will ask the president for them and I have every expectation he will give them.
Sean, do you want to add anything?
GEN. MACFARLAND: Sir, the only thing I would add to that is that whenever we look for an additional capability to bring into the country, we do that in consultation with the government of Iraq. And that's an important part of the process. And so far, we've had absolutely no issues with getting the approvals that we require.
SEC. CARTER: That's an important point also. I mentioned President Obama, who obviously has to approve U.S. forces. But anything that goes on here is subject to Prime Minister Abadi's approval.
That's why I discussed this with him today to confirm his approval for this change in the number of U.S. forces here. And that's true of all coalition forces. And of course, it's important that all of the forces that we support are under the command and control of Prime Minister Abadi and the Iraqi security forces.
GEN. MACFARLAND: And I would just add also, sir, that our coalition partners are also increasing their capabilities here right along with us. And it's not just the United States. There is a large coalition and more and more we're getting the contributions that we need from our partners who, by the way, are decreasing the number of U.S. troops that need to deploy as well.
SEC. CARTER: Now let me just add, if I may -- sorry just to double-down on that last point. I'll be convening in a week-and-a-half all of the defense ministers of the entire counter-ISIL coalition in Washington, specifically to discuss the question that you asked. What more can we do? And what more can they do?
And just to broaden the aperture a little bit here, don't -- remember that our support to Iraq in defeating ISIL will not only be military. There is also stabilization and economic support. Now that's not our job, but it is something that Secretary Kerry will be discussing with other foreign ministers.
And it's crucial, because it's crucial that after ISIL is expelled from Ramadi, Fallujah, and it will be from Mosul, it's important that people who are displaced by the campaign be dealt with humanely, that they be returned to their homes and so forth.
So there's a lot of work to do here. And it's not just U.S. work, and it's not just military work in order to make sure that the defeat of ISIL is lasting, and some of the damage that they've done in the course of their barbaric ruling of some of these cities is repaired.
STAFF: Last -- (inaudible).
Q: (inaudible) -- just to be clear that all (inaudible) airfield, and then (inaudible) that this is closest that U.S. troops have been actually based to the fighting -- (inaudible) -- living and sleeping at this location -- (inaudible) -- the fighting is only -- (inaudible) -- or less.
And if that's -- (inaudible) -- does that mean the U.S. troops with this new deployment will be in more danger?
GEN. MACFARLAND: So, no and no. Does that help? (Laughter.)
You said there were two questions. But, so no, they will not all be at this airfield. The preponderance of them will be. To make an airfield work, some of the people have to push supplies to that airfield. So some of these folks will be located outside of the airfield, but supporting it.
And that will not necessarily be the closest our troops are to the enemy. We've had obviously three servicemen killed in action. So we've been in contact with the enemy. We've been doing operations in places like Makhmur where we're providing support there within range of the enemy; in Taqaddum airfield, Al Asad -- all these places we're close to the fighting around Haditha, Ramadi, Fallujah.
So no, this will not be any closer to the enemy than we've been anywhere else. But we need to move to this place so that we can be as close to the fighting as we have been in the Euphrates River valley fights.
SEC. CARTER: Let me just -- can I just add on just -- or Footstomp, which Sean has sent out.
We need to be clear that there are Americans at risk here in Iraq. There have been. I've emphasized that right along. They're doing all kinds of essential functions. Their basic strategic function is enabling. But there is risk associated with that. And make no mistake about that. And so there have been casualties here.
And we -- when we request and deploy forces, speaking for myself, but I know I speak for Sean too, we understand that we're putting people at risk here. All Americans who are at risk here who are working in this place can be at risk because this is a terrorist network, as well as an insurgent network.
STAFF: Thanks, everybody.
SEC. CARTER: Thanks.
http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/833905/
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SPMAGTF-SC Engineer Marines participate in horizontal construction projects alongside Hondurans
US Marine Corps News
By Cpl. Ian Ferro | July 11, 2016
Marines with the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command's engineer teams worked on horizontal construction projects alongside Honduran engineers at Puerto Castilla, Honduras, June 23-July 1.
The Marines worked side by side with their Honduran counterparts on different construction and restoration projects, and shared knowledge and experience on techniques including maintenance and operation of heavy equipment.
Creating a mark in history, the joint operations symbolized the first time U.S Marine engineers and Honduran engineers have ever worked together. However, in order to establish an efficient partnership between both counterparts, certain obstacles, such as work experiences and cultural and language barriers, had to be overcome.
"There was definitely an element of enthusiasm within our Marine Corps engineers and the Honduran engineers," said U.S. Marine Chief Warrant Officer 2 Calvin Gatch, engineer equipment officer with SPMAGTF-SC. "Even though there were a few barriers present, they were broken down by the facial expressions, gestures and the desire both parts have to be here and to work alongside each other. We may not be able to communicate perfectly, but our enthusiasm speaks for the lack of translation."
The first day the engineers worked together was focused on integration. The partners established safety precautions and introduced gear and heavy equipment that would be used. The following day consisted of periods of instructions given by the Marines on basic heavy equipment operations.
Although many of the machines were familiar to the Honduran engineers, most of the models used by the Marine Corps had a few small differences. The lack of experience with the different equipment was vastly overwhelmed by the Hondurans curiosity and thirst for knowledge.
"The first day we met the Honduran engineers, we were very pleased with their knowledge level and the experience they brought to the table," said U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Kenneth E. McNulty, engineer chief with SPMAGTF-SC. "They asked us numerous technical questions about our equipment such as tracks tension, grease points and maintenance procedures and schedules. Some of their questions definitely caught us off guard."
Honduran and Marine engineers will work together throughout the next several months on engineering projects in Honduras, to include the construction of a school and renovations to a medical facility in the Gracias a Dios region of Honduras. These projects represent a perfect opportunity for Marines to work with their Honduran counterparts and to build upon and strengthen existing relationships between the two forces.
"The greatest thing about this SPMAGTF is the relationships we are building with our partner and host nation," said Gatch. "We have been on the ground for a little more than a week and we are already working side by side with Honduran engineers, sharing our experiences, pushing dirt, clearing old roads and creating new pathways."
Within a couple days of working and interacting together, a solid cohesion was built between the two sides. Honduran and American engineers shared experiences and work knowledge amongst themselves, as well as the hardships and satisfaction from a hard day of work. Group photos were taken, jokes told, memories made and friendships created. At the end of the day, a solid first step toward a long and prosperous relationship between U.S Marines and Hondurans was taken with a steel-toed boot.
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Whidbey Island Visits Augusta Bay, Sicily
Navy News Service
Story Number: NNS160711-12
Release Date: 7/11/2016 12:55:00 PM
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan R. McDonald, Navy Public Affairs Support Element
AUGUSTA BAY, Sicily (NNS) -- Amphibious dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) pulled into Augusta Bay, Sicily for a scheduled port visit July 11.
The stop offers Whidbey Island the opportunity to resupply, and is the first foreign port visit for the ship's Sailors and embarked Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).
Quotes:
"This is the first foreign liberty port that Whidbey Island has seen in five years. It's a great opportunity for our crew." - Cmdr. Ethan Rule, USS Whidbey Island commanding officer.
"I'm excited to work with the MWR team to establish and carry out trips and activities for everyone on the ship. It will be great to sample the wonderful Italian culture," - Engineman 1st Class Brian Smith, USS Whidbey Island MWR president.
Quick Facts:
While in port, Sailors and Marines will have a number of sightseeing and cultural excursions offered through Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR).
Partnerships with NATO allies and European partners allow a U.S. naval presence and strengthen the shared goals of maintaining safety and security of the world's oceans and sea lanes.
Whidbey Island, along with Commander, Amphibious Squadron 6, amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio (LPD 17), amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) and the embarked 22nd MEU, comprise the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group (ARG).
The Wasp ARG is currently deployed to support maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.
U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.
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Center for Information Dominance Changes Name
Navy News Service
Story Number: NNS160711-10
Release Date: 7/11/2016 12:30:00 PM
By Carla M. McCarthy, Center for Information Warfare Training Public Affairs
PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- Capt. Bill Lintz, Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT) commanding officer, announced the information warfare (IW) community's training arm officially changed its name from Center for Information Dominance (CID) to CIWT, July 7.
Earlier this year, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare and Director of Naval Intelligence Vice Adm. Ted Branch replaced the term "information dominance" with "information warfare." This also resulted in Naval Information Dominance Forces, which identifies the requirements for the IW community's training, also changing name to Naval Information Forces to be consistent with naming conventions for other type commanders.
The evolution in terminology and command names is in response to Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson's Jan. 5 release of "A Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority." The document emphasizes "information IN warfare" and "information AS warfare" and demands the delivery of information warfare as a critical capability of the Navy's mission sets.
With headquarters at Naval Air Station Pensacola Corry Station, Florida, CIWT continues to train the IW community at 18 locations in the continental United States, Hawaii and Japan, as a learning center reporting to Naval Education and Training Command.
"We have come a long way from when the first class of communications technicians, later called cryptologic technicians, began training at Naval Communications Training Center at Corry Field in Pensacola in 1961," said Lintz. "Eventually that command developed into what was most recently called CID, following a history of several schoolhouses, including information technology and intelligence, merging together."
Today, CIWT teaches cryptologic technicians, information systems technicians, intelligence specialists, and electronics technicians. For officers, CIWT provides training to cryptologic warfare, information professional, intelligence, and foreign area officers.
"Our largest locations at Corry Station, Virginia Beach, San Diego and Monterey continue to be full commands in their own right, led by senior IW community officers," said Lintz. "Each of these commands is now called Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC), and each has very unique and distinctive histories of their own."
Focused on producing the Navy's linguists, IWTC Monterey remains the Navy component at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language School.
IWTC San Diego and IWTC Virginia Beach both originated as intelligence training centers, and IWTC Corry Station has most often been thought of by the cryptologic community as the "cradle of cryptology."
"Those three locations have broadened the scope of what they offer to the IW community, branching out beyond their original charters and making the training for all of the IW community more accessible when and where our Sailors and joint service customers need it," said Lintz.
The additional 14 CIWT detachments and learning sites at Navy, Army and Air Force installations and commands in the United States and Japan likewise provide targeted training opportunities to meet the demands of the fleet, as well as the other military services and the national security establishment.
CIWT also continues to oversee two Navywide programs -- Navy Credentialing Opportunities On-line (COOL) and the Center for Language, Regional Expertise, and Culture.
"I'm so proud of the entire team of staff and instructors throughout our CIWT enterprise," said Lintz. "Our direction from the Chief of Naval Operations is clear, to deliver high velocity learning at every level and to further ingrain information warfare. The future of CIWT is bright, and we're only going to continue to adapt and evolve as we prepare our students -- the IW community's professionals -- to meet the mission."
CIWT, with headquarters at Naval Air Station Pensacola Corry Station, delivers information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services, enabling optimal performance of information warfare across the full spectrum of military operations.
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President Obama Visits EODMU 8 during Inaugural Visit to Rota
Navy News Service
Story Number: NNS160711-07
Release Date: 7/11/2016 9:56:00 AM
By Ensign Seth Wartak, Explosive Ordnance Mobile Unit 8 Public Affairs
ROTA, Spain (NNS) -- President Barack Obama made his inaugural visit to Naval Station Rota, July 10, and spoke to more than 2,400 U.S. and Spanish service members gathered at the Explosive Mobile Unit (EODMU) 8 headquarters.
During his speech, Obama thanked service members for their service, highlighted the United States' unchanging commitment to Europe, and spoke on a range of other issues.
"In this moment of uncertainty in Europe, we will remain steadfast allies through NATO -- the strongest alliance that the world has ever known," said Obama. "All of you embody the spirit of cooperation and resolve as much as anyone and my main message here today is to say, 'thank you.' On behalf of a grateful nation, we're proud of you. We thank you for your service and we thank your inspiring families as well, for all that they do to make sure that you can do your jobs."
Speaking to the future, Obama proclaimed, "I am absolutely confident that people of goodwill will ultimately overcome those forces that seek to divide and destroy us."
Obama also toured the EODMU 8 facility, shaking hands with, and expressing his gratitude to the Sailors he passed.
"I could not be more proud of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 8 and our Thunderstealers' operational resiliency over the past 25 years since its inception," said Cmdr. Gareth Healy, EODMU 8 commanding officer. "President Obama's visit to Naval Station Rota, and Mobile Unit 8 specifically, is an enormous honor to our Sailors, civilians, and Thunderstealer families. EODMU 8 presented our commander-in-chief a naval force poised with the integrity, accountability, initiative and toughness to strengthen our network of partners in the European and African theaters and protect our national interests from explosive threats, be they ashore or in the sea."
EODMU 8 is forward-deployed to Rota, Spain and serves as the EOD element of Commander, Naval Expeditionary Task Force Europe and Africa (CTF 68). EODMU 8 forces have been operationally employed in combat action in Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Libya, Yemen, Djibouti, Kuwait, Liberia, Yemen, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and is the most decorated naval unit in the European and African theaters.
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Michigan undocks, ending historic refit
Navy News Service
Story Number: NNS160711-28
Release Date: 7/11/2016 8:23:00 PM
By PSNS & IMF Public Affairs Office
BREMERTON, Washington (NNS) -- Although USS Michigan (SSGN 727) only moved a few dozen yards July 8 when it left Dry Dock 2 for nearby Pier 5, the brief journey was a major step forward for the sub, the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF), and the Navy.
Michigan's undocking marked the beginning of the end of a Major Maintenance Period that began in August 2015 and included complex repairs in the sub's sail, superstructure, engineering spaces and missile compartments, said PSNS & IMF Project Superintendent Kevin Looney. It also included the historic installation of the first submarine living quarters for enlisted female Sailors.
"Major alterations and improvements in the submarine's ability to navigate and communicate, as well as the first berthing of enlisted women, sets the course to return this warship as a standard bearer for the fleet," Looney said.
The complex task of constructing living quarters for enlisted women aboard Michigan required a team effort from PSNS & IMF, Electric Boat and Michigan's crew. Their mission was to accommodate up to three female chief petty officers without a change to the total complement of 20 CPOs, and to accommodate from nine to 36 women crew members without changing the total complement of 120. They accomplished this in part by enlarging the forward washroom, adding four showers by converting a bunkroom into shower space, splitting the aft washroom to allow for a shower/head combo and a watchstander head, and creating a new bunkroom from the old crew's study.
"It has been very exciting to watch this part of history unfold in front of me," said Melissa Kittrell, the project's work integration manager. "The very first female enlisted Sailors have reported for duty during this MMP. As a former enlisted Sailor, I am so excited to be a part of this alteration and drive the work to completion."
Kittrell said making this alteration in the boat's structure alongside the other ongoing repair and production work created many challenges for the team.
"Translating the designs on paper to the actual steel of the 34-year-old boat was a feat that ship's force, Shipyard employees and contractors tirelessly worked through," she said. "The lessons learned will help future boats that will be receiving this alteration, and provide the capability to accommodate the next cycle of female enlisted Sailors coming through the pipeline that will serve on these warships."
The commander of Submarine Group 9, to which Michigan is assigned, emphasized the importance of Michigan's undocking and acknowledged the Shipyard's role in this milestone.
"The demands on our submarine force continue to grow," said Rear Adm. John W. Tammen. "Strategic stability and deterrence remain key elements of our nation's strategy and SSGNs, like USS Michigan, are vital to achieving both. Undocking Michigan is a significant milestone in returning the ship to operations in the Pacific and could only be accomplished through teamwork and dedication.
"We all have our role in maintaining undersea superiority, but we rely heavily on the men and women assigned to PSNS & IMF for their expertise in ensuring the material readiness of our ships," he added.
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US troops to bolster Iraq's fight on ISIL: White House
Iran Press TV
Mon Jul 11, 2016 10:22PM
The new American troops set to be sent to Iraq will be used to bolster the successes the Iraqi military has already achieved in fight against Daesh, says the White House.
"The United States and our coalition partners will be committed to supporting Iraqi forces as they take the fight to ISIL," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday.
Earnest made the remarks after Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced that 560 American troops would be sent to Iraq to help the country fight against Daesh and retake Mosul, the country's second largest city, from the terrorist group.
"We agreed for the United States to bolster Iraqi efforts to isolate and pressure Mosul by deploying 560 additional troops," Carter said at the Baghdad airport after he met the Iraqi premier and defense minister on Monday.
Heading for Mosul
Carter met Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi to discuss a range of issues, including intensification of the fight against the Takfiris in both Iraq and Syria.
He said that the additional American troops will greatly support Iraqi forces in a critical moment of their fight.
"Iraqi security forces, accompanied and advised by us as needed, will complete the southernmost envelopment of Mosul. That's its strategic role, and that's its strategic importance," he noted.
Carter further congratulated the Iraqi forces on "retaking of Qayyarah West airfield" and reaffirmed that "the United States, along with our coalition partners, will continue to do all we can to support Iraq's effort to serve ISIL (Daesh) a lasting defeat."
According to a release from the Pentagon, the new US troops will provide support mostly in the area of "infrastructure and logistical capabilities at the airfield near Qayyarah."
The base "will become a vital springboard for the (Iraqi forces') offensive into Mosul", the Pentagon said.
"We need to move to this place so we (will) be as close to the fighting as we have been in the Euphrates River Valley fights," said Lt. Gen. Sean B. MacFarland, the head of American forces in Iraq.
Abadi said on Saturday that Iraqi forces had recaptured the Qayyarah airbase, which is situated about 60 kilometers south of Mosul. The airfield was seized by the ISIL in June 2014.
Located about 360 kilometers (225 miles) northwest of the capital, Mosul fell to Daesh militants after the Takfiri terrorist group mounted an offensive in the Arab country and overran parts of Iraq in north and west.
In early 2003, the US, strongly backed by the UK, invaded Iraq under the pretext that the regime of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction. No such weapons, however, were ever found in Iraq.
Instead, more than one million Iraqis were killed as a result of the invasion, and subsequent occupation of the country. The invasion also plunged Iraq into chaos, resulting in years of deadly violence and the rise of terrorist groups like al-Qaeda, which was a precursor of Daesh.
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Philippine troops kill 40 Daesh-linked Abu Sayyaf militants
Iran Press TV
Mon Jul 11, 2016 4:4PM
The Philippine army has killed at least 40 members of the Daesh-affiliated Abu Sayyaf militant group and injured 25 others in the country's volatile south, a military official says.
According to regional military spokesman, Major Filemon Tan, who was speaking on Monday, the casualties occurred in two battlefronts in the country's southern islands in the first major counter-terrorism operation under the new Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte which started last week.
He said 22 militants were killed and 16 others sustained injuries in the assaults that began in the jungles of Sulu islands, located about 590 miles (950 kilometers) south of the Philippine capital of Manila.
Tan added that 18 Abu Sayyaf militants were killed and nine others wounded in a simultaneous offensive on the nearby island of Basilan.
One Philippine soldier was reportedly killed in the fighting in Sulu.
Abu Sayyaf, quite well-known for its kidnappings, beheadings and deadly bombings, was founded in 1991 on southern Basilan island with a pledge to wage a war against the government.
Abu Sayyaf members are in constant clashes with the Philippine forces across the troubled region.
The Takfiri group lost major commanders at the beginning of its fight and was gradually split into factions with a few hundred militants. The group continues to survive on ransom and extortion.
The Philippine president, who started his six-year term on June 30, has warned the Abu Sayyaf to stop the wave of ransom kidnappings.
Officials say Abu Sayyaf is still holding some 14 foreign hostages, including one Dutch, one Norwegian, five Filipinos and seven Indonesians.
In October 2014, the militant group claimed it received USD 5.3 million in exchange for two German hostages they held captive for six months.
Last year, two major commanders of Abu Sayyaf expressed their support for the Daesh Takfiri terrorists mainly operating in Iraq and Syria.
Abu Sayyaf was once regarded as an offshoot of al-Qaeda.
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Shabab attack on Somali base kills 10 soldiers
Iran Press TV
Mon Jul 11, 2016 7:35AM
The al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab militants in Somalia have killed at least 10 soldiers in an attack on a military base southwest of the capital, Mogadishu.
The fatalities came on Monday when the Takfiri group rammed a car packed with explosives into the base. Militants then stormed the base, sparking a heavy exchange of fire which lasted for hours.
Major Ahmed Farah from the nearby town of Afgooye said at least 12 militants were killed in the clashes while a spokesman with the Takfiri group claimed to have killed 30 soldiers.
The assault on the base 50 km (30 miles) outside Mogadishu was part of the group's campaign to topple the Western-backed government.
Somalia has been the scene of deadly fighting between government forces and al-Shabab elements since 2006.
Takfiri terrorists have been pushed out of Mogadishu and other major cities by government troops and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
AMISOM is largely made up of troops from Ethiopia, Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, Sierra Leone, and Kenya.
Al-Shabab members have continued to carry out attacks in Mogadishu despite being driven out from their bases in the seaside city in 2011.
Its victims have included international aid workers, journalists, civilian leaders and African Union peacekeepers.
Last month, a bomber first detonated a car with explosives at the gate of a hotel often used by politicians and tourists in the capital before the attackers moved in, killing at least 14 people.
The group claimed attack on another hotel in Mogadishu which killed at least 10 people and left 50 others injured.
On Sunday, more than 100 al-Shabab militants raided a police station in northeast Kenya overnight, wounding one officer and making off with arms and ammunition.
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Update: air strikes against Daesh
11 July 2016
British forces have continued to conduct air operations in the fight against Daesh
Latest update
*Thursday 7 July Typhoons struck Daesh extremists in western Iraq, while Tornados and a Reaper attacked terrorists near Sharqat and Mosul in the north.
*Friday 8 July Typhoons provided support to Iraqi forces in close combat along the Euphrates valley. A Reaper also supported troops near Sharqat.
*Saturday 9 July A Reaper destroyed a Daesh truck in northern Iraq.
*Sunday 10 July Tornados hit seven targets in western and northern Iraq.
Detail
In the early hours of Thursday 7 July, an RAF Reaper assisted Iraqi ground forces operating near Sharqat in the north of the country. The Reaper's crew conducted two successful precision attacks using Hellfire missiles against two small groups of Daesh extremists firing on the Iraqi troops from a fortified position. Having located a larger group of terrorists, the Reaper then provided targeting assistance to an attack by coalition fast jets.
In northern Iraq, Tornado GR4s dropped a Paveway IV guided bomb which destroyed a heavy position 15 miles east of Mosul. Typhoon FGR4s meanwhile patrolled to the north of Ramadi and used a Paveway IV against a group of Daesh fighters concealed in a tree line.
Friday 8 July saw a Reaper again supporting operations around Sharqat. It conducted four attacks, with three Hellfires and one GBU-12 guided bomb, against several groups of terrorists manoeuvring in a gully, and an ammunition truck which was being loaded with rocket-propelled grenades. Over Anbar province, Typhoons maintained their patrols along the Euphrates north and west of Ramadi and supported an Iraqi unit engaged in very close combat with three Daesh heavy machine-gun and rocket-propelled grenade teams. Despite the proximity of the Iraqi troops, the three positions were successfully struck with Paveway IVs.
A Reaper employed a Hellfire on Saturday 9 July to destroy a truck carrying a Daesh group north of Bayji.
On Sunday 10 July, Tornados conducted an armed reconnaissance mission in the Mosul area. North-west of the city, they used Paveway IVs to attack a command and control post, a mortar team, and a weapons cache, then used a Brimstone missile to destroy a second weapons stockpile. A second Tornado flight operated over Anbar province conducted four attacks with Brimstone missiles to destroy a group of engineering vehicles, which Daesh had mustered to construct positions 35 miles south-west of Ramadi.
Previous air strikes
1 June: Reapers were in action again, one patrolled the skies above Qayyarah, where a camouflaged set of loaded rocket launch rails were spotted and destroyed with a Hellfire missile. A second Reaper patrolled over eastern Syria and western Iraq, and located a terrorist check-point on the Iraqi side of the border, west of Al Qa'im, which was stopping the free movement of traffic. Again, a Hellfire missile was employed and the check-point successfully attacked.
Two Tornado missions provided reconnaissance and close air support to Iraqi forces around Fallujah. One pair of Tornados used Paveway IVs to conduct simultaneous attacks on two Daesh-held buildings close to a canal to the south of the city; one building housed a terrorist sniper team, the other a recoilless anti-tank artillery piece. Both targets were destroyed by direct hits. The second Tornado flight successfully silenced a heavy-machine-gun positioned in a third Daesh strongpoint after it opened fire on the advancing Iraqi troops.
2 June: Three successive flights of Tornado GR4s and Typhoon FGR4s provided close air support to Iraqi units on the southern outskirts of the city. One Tornado flight conducted four attacks with Paveway IV guided bombs, striking a bunker and three teams of terrorists armed with an anti-tank gun, rocket-propelled grenades and a heavy machine-gun. A second Tornado mission delivered simultaneous attacks on two Daesh-held buildings, then a third bombing attack on a heavy machine-gun position that had opened fire on Iraqi troops. The Typhoon flight dealt with a further artillery piece, using a Paveway IV.
In northern Iraq, another pair of Typhoons struck a group of terrorists spotted advancing towards peshmerga positions near Kisik, then headed to an area south-east of Mosul where they used three Paveways to attack more extremists mustering in and around a large warehouse.
3 June: Operations over southern Fallujah continued when a pair of Typhoons conducted Paveway attacks on two Daesh strongpoints which had opened fire on Iraqi forces with machine-guns and other weapons. Two Reaper remotely piloted aircraft patrolled over the city the following day, exploiting their long endurance and excellent surveillance capabilities to provide persistent overwatch for the Iraqi troops on the ground.
During the course of Saturday, the Reapers delivered five attacks, using two GBU-12 guided bombs and three Hellfire missiles, against two machine-gun teams, two Daesh firing positions and a tunnel network. They also provided assistance to five other air strikes conducted by coalition fast jets on terrorist positions.
5 June: Tornados were again in action over southern Fallujah. A factory producing improvised truck-bombs was struck with a pair of Paveway IVs, destroying two vehicles that were being prepared for use, and two further attacks with Paveways accounted for two anti-tank weapons.
6 June: Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s continued to provide close air support to the Iraqi operation to liberate Fallujah. A coalition surveillance aircraft spotted a group of Daesh terrorists taking up position in a building to the west of the city, allowing them to be quickly targeted by the Typhoons using a Paveway IV guided bomb. In northern Iraq, intelligence had located a large truck-bomb factory near Mosul and two RAF Tornado GR4s armed with 1000lb Enhanced Paveway II guided bombs were tasked with its destruction. A single EPW II destroyed the factory.
7 June: Operations around Fallujah continued when Tornados successfully attacked a weapons and ammunition stockpile hidden to the south-east of the city.
8 June: Tornados conducted three attacks to support Iraqi ground forces engaged in firefights with terrorists inside Fallujah. Despite the close proximity of the Iraqi forces, the GR4s were able to deliver simultaneous attacks with Paveway IVs against two strongpoints housing Daesh machine-gun and artillery teams. They then struck a further machine-gun position when it also opened fire on the Iraqis.
Typhoons also contributed to the Fallujah operations, using Paveway IVs against two groups of Daesh extremists armed with a light machine-gun and rocket-propelled grenades. In northern Iraq, another Typhoon mission successfully attacked a Daesh-held building east of Mosul, whilst a Reaper used a GBU-12 bomb to demolish a building where another coalition surveillance aircraft had observed terrorists unloading supplies. A second Reaper patrolled over Syria and employed a Hellfire missile to destroy a Daesh truck travelling at speed on the open road south of Raqqa.
9 June: Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s continued to provide close air support to Iraqi ground forces fighting to liberate Fallujah. One Tornado flight conducted successful attacks using Paveway IV guided bombs against four Daesh-held buildings from which terrorists were directing machine-gun fire at the Iraqi forces. A second Tornado mission used a Paveway IV to destroy a building west of the city, within which a terrorist armed vehicle was reported by nearby Iraqi troops to be concealed.
10 June: A Reaper worked in close conjunction with other coalition aircraft to engage Daesh rocket and mortar teams operating near Qayyarah. The Reaper provided support to two coalition strikes on rocket positions, then used its own Hellfire missiles and a GBU-12 guided bomb against a further set of rocket launchers and a mortar. A Typhoon FGR4 flight was also operating near Qayyarah, and they conducted attacks against five targets: three buildings where Daesh extremists had been spotted gathering and two more rocket launcher positions. North-east of Mosul, another pair of Typhoons destroyed a heavy machine-gun team with a Paveway IV. To the south, Tornados again provided close air support over Fallujah, using their Paveways against three strongpoints which housed two machine-gun teams and a group of terrorists armed with rocket-propelled grenades.
11 June: An RAF Reaper continued to hunt terrorist rocket and mortar teams around Qayyarah, conducting three attacks with Hellfire missiles.
12 June: Another Reaper patrolled over Qayyarah, and also fired three Hellfires, its targets were two terrorist vehicles and a group of Daesh fighters. Typhoons were also active nearby, and used Paveway IVs to attack two groups of terrorists caught in the open and two Daesh-held buildings. A Typhoon mission also joined Tornados operating over Fallujah; the Typhoons used one Paveway IV against a machine-gun position, whilst the Tornados delivered five very precise attacks in very demanding circumstances, with Iraqi troops extremely close to the terrorist targets. Paveway IVs were used to destroy a rocket team, an anti-tank gun, a heavily armed pick-up truck and a heavy machine-gun team, whilst a Brimstone missile silenced a light machine-gun.
During Sunday night, a pair of Tornados armed with 1000lb Enhanced Paveway II guided bombs conducted a carefully planned strike on a factory to the south-west of Qayyarah where truck-bombs were being built by Daesh. Four EPW IIs hit their targets accurately and initial reports suggest the mission was a success.
13 June: A pair of Typhoons assisted Iraqi troops as they engaged in very close combat inside Fallujah. Our aircraft delivered four precision attacks, all with Paveway IV guided bombs, that destroyed five strongpoints defended by Daesh terrorists armed with machine-guns, rocket-propelled grenades and an anti-tank gun.
14 June: The Typhoons continued operations over Fallujah, and again worked very closely with the Iraqi units hitting five terrorist positions including sniper and machine-gun teams. In northern Iraq, around Qayyarah, a second Typhoon flight and a Reaper supported Iraqi and Kurdish units. The Typhoons attacked a Daesh-held building with a Paveway IV, while the Reaper conducted four attacks: a GBU-12 guided bomb was used against a group of terrorists gathered at a weapons stockpile, and three mortars were attacked in turn with Hellfire missiles. The Reaper also tracked the arrival of a truck-bomb and observed it being concealed inside a garage this surveillance enabled a successful attack to then be delivered by a coalition aircraft which destroyed the vehicle.
15 June: Two Typhoon flights saw action over Fallujah on Wednesday, and between them they conducted seven successful attacks with Paveway IVs. Again all were in very close support of Iraqi ground forces, accounting for terrorist teams armed with heavy weapons, rocket-propelled grenades, and a 23mm anti-aircraft gun.
16 June: With Iraqi forces making steady progress pushing into Fallujah, two flights of Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s contributed to the coalition's air support. Our aircraft successfully attacked four Daesh machine-gun positions that were identified by the Iraqi ground forces, using Paveway IV guided bombs.
17 June: An RAF Reaper patrolling over northern Iraq, north of Bayji. The Reaper's crew identified a large mortar and a Daesh truck, both were destroyed by Hellfire missiles.
18 June: A second Reaper operated in the same area, supporting an offensive by Iraqi forces. It used four Hellfires and a GBU-12 guided bomb to successfully engage three armed pick-up trucks which were firing at the Iraqi troops, a fourth vehicle and a trench position. In north-west Iraq, in Harunah, two pairs of Tornado GR4s, armed with eight 1000lb Enhanced Paveway IIs conducted a pre-planned strike on a complex of buildings which had been identified by intelligence as a headquarters, accommodation and weapons facility for Daesh foreign fighters. All four target buildings were destroyed. Another Reaper patrolled over Syria and attacked a Daesh vehicle south-west of Manbij, destroying it with a Hellfire missile.
19 June: Typhoons were in action over Fallujah, providing close air support to Iraqi troops who had penetrated to the city centre. Six terrorist strongpoints housing machine-gun, artillery and rocket-propelled grenade teams were struck in a series of precision Paveway attacks. In northern Iraq, a Reaper used a pair of Hellfires to engage two groups of Daesh extremists north of Bayji, while Tornados used a Brimstone missile against a third group in the same area, and a Paveway IV against a rocket-launcher north of Mosul.
20 June: An armed reconnaissance patrol by Tornados over eastern Syria used a Brimstone missile to attack a truck-bomb hidden under a tarpaulin between two ruined buildings north of Dayr az Zawr. The Brimstone scored a direct hit; a massive explosion followed, which confirmed how heavily the vehicle had been laden with explosives. Further west, near Raqqah, a Reaper conducted three attacks with Hellfire missiles against a Daesh vehicle and extremists on foot. Typhoons and Tornados were again active over Fallujah, and used Paveway IV bombs to destroy four Daesh machine-gun posts engaged in very close combat with the Iraqi security forces. Since the start of the operation to liberate Fallujah, RAF aircraft have prosecuted some 96 targets in and around the city and neighbouring areas in the Euphrates valley.
21 June: Reaper patrols north of Bayji continued, and five attacks were conducted in support of Iraqi offensive operations. Hellfires accounted for two supply vehicles and a truck armed with an anti-aircraft gun, as well as an observation post dug-in on a ridgeline. A GBU-12 guided bomb destroyed a Daesh mortar team, spotted as they fired at an Iraqi position. A Typhoon flight operated further north, north-west of Mosul, where they used a Paveway IV to hit a rocket-launcher site.
22 June: Typhoon FGR4s, based at RAF Akrotiri and supported by a Voyager air refuelling tanker, flew close air support missions over Fallujah. They successfully attacked three Daesh strongpoints with Paveway IV guided bombs, the targets had been identified by Iraqi ground forces as being manned by machine-gun and rocket-propelled grenade teams.
North of Bayji, Tornado GR4s and a Reaper supported an Iraqi offensive operation. The Tornados employed one Paveway IV and three Brimstone missiles to destroy four Daesh fighting positions along a defensive embankment, whilst the Reaper used a single GBU-12 guided bomb to destroy two more positions.
23 June: A second Reaper continued support in the area into Thursday and used a Hellfire missile to eliminate a terrorist spotted with a man portable surface-to-air missile. Typhoons continued their support over Fallujah as well, conducting a Paveway IV attack on a machine-gun team. Another Typhoon flight operated over northern Syria, close to the Turkish border and destroyed two Daesh-held buildings several miles east of Azaz.
24 June: A Reaper supported an Iraqi offensive near Sharqat, west of Kirkuk. Its crew used a Hellfire missile to destroy an engineering vehicle which was being used to create defences ahead of the Iraqi advance. Tornados patrolled further north and employed a Paveway IV against a mortar position north-west of Mosul.
Typhoons conducted further operations over Fallujah and were called in by the Iraqi army to destroy two machine-gun positions on the northern outskirts of the city. A total of 101 targets have been successfully prosecuted by the RAF in Fallujah and neighbouring areas since the start of the Iraqi operation to liberate the city.
25 June: A Reaper again on patrol near Sharqat, and this aircraft delivered three successful attacks with Hellfire missiles against a truck, a group of terrorists, and a van which Daesh had been seen loading with weapons and ammunition.
26 June: Intelligence had determined that Daesh were using a large concrete bunker in western Iraq as a weapons facility. Due to the massive construction, built during the Saddam era, it was decided to use four Stormshadow missiles against it, as the weapon has particularly good capabilities against such a challenging target. The missiles were launched by two Tornados, all four Stormshadows scored direct hits and penetrated deep within the bunker. Also in western Iraq, south-east of Hit, a Typhoon flight used a single Paveway IV to destroy a much smaller bunker built by Daesh south-east of Hit. In northern Iraq, a Reaper provided close air support near Sharqat for the third successive day, using its Hellfires to attack a vehicle, a group of terrorists on foot, and a team planting improvised explosive devices.
27 June: While Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s conducted reconnaissance missions to gather intelligence on Daesh activity, Typhoon FGR4s and Reaper remotely piloted aircraft provided support to both Syrian democratic forces and Iraqi units. The same day, in Syria, a pair of Typhoons conducted a successful attack with Paveway IV guided bombs against a Daesh strongpoint on the south-western outskirts of Manbij.
28 June: Typhoons executed a similar attack against a mortar position close to Manbij. Over Iraq, a Reaper supported Iraqi ground forces near Sharqat in the north of the country. The Reaper used Hellfire missiles against two groups of extremists caught in the open, including a machine-gun team engaged in combat with the Iraqi troops.
29 June: Typhoons and Reapers conducted a number of attacks against Daesh terrorists fleeing in the face of Iraqi operations in Fallujah. A Typhoon struck two vehicles and a large group of extremists with Paveway IV bombs west of Fallujah and two Reapers destroyed a further four vehicles and a group of fighters, using Hellfire missiles and a GBU-12 guided bomb. One Reaper observed the Daesh vehicles refusing to stop and pick up fellow armed extremists trying to escape on foot. Another Reaper was active near Sharqat, where it destroyed two vehicles with Hellfire missiles and attacked a group of terrorists with a GBU-12 bomb.
30 June: With Daesh forces continuing to flee in defeat from their former stronghold of Fallujah, Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s patrolled over the desert of Anbar province and located a group of terrorist vehicles a number of miles to the south-west of Ramadi. Attacks with four Brimstone missiles and a Paveway IV guided bomb successfully accounted for five trucks. In northern Iraq, a pair of Typhoons used Paveway IVs to bomb two Daesh mortar teams some 25 miles south-east of Mosul, while a Reaper conducted two attacks with Hellfire missiles against terrorists fighting Iraqi forces near Qayyarah.
1 July: The following day, Tornados used a Paveway IV to destroy a Daesh defensive position in the Qayyarah area.
3 July: Two RAF Reapers provided close air support to Iraqi security forces mounting an offensive near Sharqat. The Reapers gave targeting and surveillance assistance to three air strikes by coalition fast jets and conducted seven attacks of their own. They used six Hellfire missiles and a GBU-12 guided bomb against various groups of Daesh extremists engaged in close combat with the Iraqi troops, and a truck. In north-western Iraq, a Tornado flight used a Paveway IV to destroy a Daesh-held building near Tal Afar, while Typhoons successfully targeted a tunnel and trench network south-east of Hit, striking with two Paveway IVs.
4 July: A pair of Typhoon FGR4s used Paveway IV guided bombs to destroy a number of rocket launchers near Qayyarah. The Typhoons then moved further north and attacked a terrorist muster point some 25 miles south-east of Mosul.
5 July: Typhoons were again active near Qayyarah where they conducted two successful Paveway IV attacks that destroyed a mortar team and a nearby ammunition stockpile. The Typhoons were two of the fifty coalition aircraft controlled over Syria and Iraq that day by an RAF Sentry E-3D, making its regular contribution to the coalition's command and control of a round-the-clock air campaign, and were, as ever, supported by a Voyager air refuelling tanker.
6 July: Tornado GR4s used Paveway IVs to strike a river crossing near Qayyarah which had been improvised by Daesh following successful coalition attacks against their supply routes. Meanwhile, a Reaper patrolled near Sharqat in support of Iraqi ground forces, and used Hellfire missiles against a motorcycle mounted terrorist observation team. It then struck a group of extremists identified manoeuvring in the open nearby.
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Afghanistan's Ghani Urges Pakistan to Expel Insurgents From Its Soil
by Ayaz Gul July 11, 2016
Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani is again urging neighboring Pakistan to expel militant groups that are fighting his country.
"We don't expect Pakistan to bring us peace. We want Pakistan to banish those groups from its territory that fight against Afghanistan and oppose peace talks," Ghani said.
Ghani addressed reporters in Kabul after attending the recently-concluded NATO summit in Warsaw, Poland, where member nations vowed to sustain their military mission in Afghanistan and reiterated funding pledges for Afghan security forces.
Kabul has long maintained Taliban leaders are based on the Pakistani side of the border from where they direct the Afghan insurgency.
"Our call for peace is still in place, but only for those who call themselves Afghans, not for those who are used as tools by others," Ghani said, referring to Pakistan's alleged support for the Taliban.
Ghani again said that Pakistan has imposed an "undeclared war" on Afghanistan, despite his peace overtures.
Afghan officials say that while Pakistani security forces have been arresting or killing militants linked to anti-state local Taliban groups, they continue to protect and shelter members of the Afghan Taliban.
"... their dangerous distinction between good and bad terrorists is being maintained in practice," Ghani alleged in his speech to the NATO summit on Saturday.
Pakistan swiftly rejected Ghani's accusations as part of Kabul's blame game based on "inaccurate assumptions" and that it sought Afghan cooperation in counterterrorism efforts.
"It is unfortunate that Afghan leaders continue to make hostile statements against Pakistan and blame Pakistan for all failures in Afghanistan," said a Foreign Ministry spokesman in Islamabad. He also called for the Afghan government to deny sanctuaries to anti-Pakistan militants blamed for plotting cross-border terrorist attacks.
Call for peace talks
During a recent speech in Islamabad, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's key aide on foreign policy, Tariq Fatemi, emphasized the need for a political solution to the Afghan conflict and urged the government in Kabul and the Taliban to engage in peace talks.
"It is better for Afghan society and for the country to agree on a reconciliation process; but as far as Pakistan is concerned, we do not wish to distinguish amongst the Taliban," Fatemi said.
The mutual allegations of sponsoring terrorism on each other's soil has recently plunged historically uneasy relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan to new lows.
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UN Chief Calls for Arms Embargo, Sanctions on South Sudan
by Margaret Besheer July 11, 2016
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Monday urged the Security Council to impose an arms embargo and targeted sanctions on South Sudan, where violence has resumed.
"Today, I urge the [Security] Council to take action on three fronts," Ban told reporters at a hastily called news conference. "First, impose an immediate arms embargo on South Sudan. Second, enact additional targeted sanctions on leaders and commanders blocking the implementation of the [peace] agreement. Third, fortify the U.N. Mission in South Sudan UNMISS."
He said the mission is in desperate need of attack helicopters and other material in order to be able to protect civilians.
Violence in the 5-year-old nation resumed on Thursday, after forces affiliated with President Salva Kiir and first Vice President Riek Machar engaged in a deadly clash at a checkpoint in the capital, Juba.
Since then, hundreds of people are believed to have been killed and thousands displaced by the renewed violence. Many have tried to seek safety at U.N. compounds in the capital, but even those facilities are not safe small arms and heavy weapons fire have hit both U.N. compounds in Juba. UNMISS said Monday that 67 people were injured in and around protection sites and eight of them later died.
The U.N. chief had harsh words for the two leaders, whose political rivalry first sparked the violence in December 2013. He said they had both "yet again" failed their people and squandered the promise that independence brought.
"What kind of leadership is it that resorts to deadly weapons and identity politics, time and again? Failed leadership," Ban said. He called on both men to do everything to de-escalate the hostilities immediately and to order their forces to withdraw to their bases.
More peacekeepers
The U.N. Security Council met in an emergency session for several hours late Sunday. The 15-nation council said it would consider boosting U.N. troops and police to help quell the violence and urged regional countries to prepare to contribute troops.
There are currently about 12,000 soldiers and 1,200 police as part of the U.N. mission known as UNMISS.
U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said before Sunday's council meeting that "the situation is spiraling out of control." She expressed concern over "what appears to be the lack of command and control over the troops" by both Kiir and Machar. She also called for accountability for those perpetrating attacks against civilians and U.N. premises and peacekeepers.
Two Chinese peacekeepers were killed and several Rwandan troops injured in the past days.
U.N. officials are very concerned the fighting could spread across the country. Already there has been violence in Wau and Bentiu, in addition to the capital.
A senior U.N. official told VOA that contingency plans are being made to evacuate international staff should the situation continue to escalate.
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International Court Ruling on China, Philippines Dispute Could Be Vital
by William Gallo July 11, 2016
An international tribunal will issue a ruling on Tuesday (July 12) on a territorial dispute between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea. Though the decision will not determine sovereignty of the territory in question, it could have wide-ranging implications for China's sweeping claims in one of the world's most important and bitterly contested waterways.
What's behind the dispute?
China claims nearly the entire 3.5 million square-kilometer South China Sea, based on its so-called "nine-dashed line," which it says is based on ancient maps. China's claims overlap with not only the Philippines, but also Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan. Some of the disputes stretch back decades or even centuries. But tensions have worsened in recent years, as Beijing has moved to assert its control over the territory.
Who brought the case against China?
The Philippines filed the case against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague in January 2013. Manila argues Beijing's territorial claims and recent aggressive activities in the South China Sea violate the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), an international treaty both nations have ratified.
How has China responded?
China refuses to participate in the tribunal, arguing it has no obligation to do so under UNCLOS. Beijing has also repeatedly insisted it will not recognize what it predicts will be a biased ruling. In the meantime, China has continued to build artificial islands and military outposts in the contested waters, in an attempt to create "facts on the ground."
What exactly is the court considering?
The Philippines brought a total of 15 complaints against China. The most significant is complaint number two, which claims China's "nine-dash line" is contrary to UNCLOS. So far, the court has not determined it has jurisdiction to rule on that complaint.
Instead, the tribunal announced late last year it will tackle seven other critical issues. These include complaints challenging specific Chinese activities around particular locations. It is also expected to officially categorize various land features as either rocks, islands, or low tide elevations - labels that would affect the rights of whoever owns the territory.
Is the ruling binding?
Technically, yes. But in reality, UNCLOS has no way to enforce its rulings, since it does not have a police force, an army or a way to impose sanctions on those who ignore its decisions. Some analysts have speculated that the matter could be taken to the U.N. Security Council, but China and Russia, which are permanent members, would inevitably veto any action there.
If the ruling is not enforceable, why does it matter?
If, as expected, the court rules at least partially in the Philippines' favor, it could put important diplomatic pressure on China. It could also provide an important symbolic victory for Asian leaders who say Beijing is ignoring international law as it seeks to assert its power in the region.
A ruling against China would also set an important legal precedent and become part of international law. It could also encourage other countries who have territorial disputes with China to take similar legal action.
What is the U.S. stance on the dispute?
The U.S. says it takes no official position on China's various territorial disputes. But top officials have repeatedly criticized China's actions in the South China Sea and have urged China to accept the court's eventual ruling. However, any U.S. efforts to publicly shame Beijing may be limited by the fact that Washington itself has refused to ratify UNCLOS.
So what's next?
China's next move is uncertain. Some have said it may withdraw in protest from the UNCLOS treaty system. But that can only be done with a year's notice, allowing other nations plenty of time to file last-minute cases. The move also may reinforce a perception that Beijing does not want to play by the established rules of international order.
China says it prefers to solve territorial disputes through direct negotiations, but has taken no meaningful steps toward holding talks. Instead, Beijing is seemingly content to let the disputes play out as it continues building in the disputed areas.
Will anything change under the Philippines new president?
The Philippines' incoming president, Rodrigo Duterte, says he is open to bilateral talks with China if the standoff is not resolved in two years. That represents a policy difference from his predecessor, Benigno Aquino, who took a hardline stance on the territorial dispute.
But Duterte also made it clear this week he does not intend to give up much ground, saying the disputed territory "is ours," and telling China: "You have no right to be there." The tough-talking politician has also threatened to personally ride a jet ski to one of the disputed islands to stake his country's claim.
What's at stake?
A lot of money, and a lot of national pride. More than $5 trillion in trade passes through the South China Sea every year. The area is also home to vital fishing grounds and is thought to contain vast natural gas and oil deposits. Political leaders in many claimant countries have also exploited the issue to rouse nationalistic sentiment.
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Al-Shabab Takes Control of Key Port Town
by Harun Maruf, Mohamed Olad July 11, 2016
Somali militant group al-Shabab has taken control of the strategic port town of Merca, 100 kilometers south of the capital, residents and officials said on Monday.
The government troops and the African Union peacekeepers who have been controlling the town left at dawn, giving al-Shabab militants a port on the Somalia coast.
"The AMISOM and government troops withdrew from the town at dawn this morning and now heavily armed al-Shabab militants are manning the city's major check-points," one of the residents told VOA on condition of anonymity.
"The militants took up the strategic locations and hoisted their flag," another resident said.
In an interview with the VOA Somali, Abdifitah Ibrahim Geesey, the security minister of the South Western Somali Federal State confirmed that the militants have taken the control of the town.
This is the second time the militant took over the town since February this year.
It is not clear why African Union troops and the Somali army withdrew from the area, but this comes hours after al-Shabab fighters temporarily overran a Somali government military base in Laanta Buur, a former prison about 40 kilometers west of Mogadishu.
During the attack at least eight government soldiers and five militants were killed according to officials and residents.
Eight wounded government soldiers have also been admitted at hospitals in Mogadishu.
Al-Shabab was ousted from the capital, Mogadishu, in August 2011, but still has a presence in large areas of southern Somalia and often stages attacks across the country.
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China-Philippine economic ties damaged by US interference
People's Daily Online
(Global Times) 08:46, July 12, 2016
Economic ties have greater potential without interference: analysts
Trade and economic cooperation between China and the Philippines have great potential and both countries should overcome political obstacles and interference from outside nations for their people's best interest, analysts said.
The UN arbitration court in The Hague is set to announce its decision on the South China Sea case on Tuesday.
"The Philippines should avoid being used by the US for its pivot to Asia strategy as it hurts the Philippines' interests. The arbitration was a mistake made by the former regime and Duterte has a chance to fix it and bring better economic relations for the people of both China and the Philippines," Shen Shishun, an expert on Asia-Pacific studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times.
According to data from China's foreign ministry, bilateral trade volume between China and the Philippines reached $44.42 billion in 2014, an increase of 16.75 percent from the same period the previous year.
Shen said that imports from the Philippines consisted of agricultural and fishery products. Due to the US pivot to Asia strategy, former Philippine President Benigno Aquino III changed the country's policy toward China, and Aquino's provocative policy harmed economic ties between the two sides.
Imports from Philippine slid to $18.23 billion in 2013, a decrease of 7.2 percent from 2012, affecting many agriculture products, such as bananas.
Rod Kapunan, a columnist from Philippine newspaper The Standard, told the Global Times he believes President Rodrigo Duterte will have friendlier policies toward China than the Aquino regime, and that he hopes some old projects would restart and start new ones as well.
"The railway project once offered by China could have been a good opportunity," he said, adding that infrastructure, such as telecommunications, would also present opportunities for bilateral cooperation.
In November 2015, Japan signed a $2 billion loan agreement with the Philippines to partially finance and reactivate the frozen North-South Commuter Rail Project (NSCRP) which was originally offered by China, according to a Manila Times report.
China needs to build better relationships with local NGOs and improve project transparency in future cooperation, suggested Xu Liping, an expert on Southeast Asian affairs at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The Philippines has a huge demand for infrastructure, and compared to the US and Japan, China has many advantages, such as funds, technology and experience in this area, Xu said.
In a May article, Inciting to War with China, Kapunan wrote, "We opted to initiate our version of the Cold War, which effectively denied us to share in the economic prosperity that China could offer through economic development assistance. In fact, some members of the ASEAN have already taken the approach of building stronger ties with China, consistent with the view that neighbors should cultivate friendship rather than heighten instability and insecurity. This could only open the door for the US to divide the countries of Southeast Asia."
Growth areas
Media reports present Philippine real estate as an investment haven where the Chinese are beginning to develop an interest in.
Patrick Steinmann, director of sales at Century Properties in Manila, told the Chinese Business Network last year that there is a rising trend of Chinese buyers. He said that the return on investments in the Philippine real estate market can reach as high as 8 percent.
Li Kaisheng, an associate research fellow at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that it is a challenge for both China and the Philippines to talk about how economic and trade relations can develop after the arbitration result comes out. He said the tensions have already hurt economic relations, with no new projects since the last few were suspended, including the railway.
There is more interaction on the grass-roots level as well. According to data from the Philippine Department of Tourism in June, during the first five months of 2016, 285,000 Chinese tourists visited the Philippines, an increase of 81 percent compared to last year's figure. In May alone, there were 47,000 tourists, a 48.5 percent increase from April.
Shen said many countries are trying to attract Chinese tourists, and geographically, the Philippines has the advantage, and if both sides reach agreement on direct cruise links between China's Hainan Province and the Philippines, there would be a huge potential for the tourism industry.
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PRESS RELEASE
THE SOUTH CHINA SEA ARBITRATION (THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES V. THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA) The Hague, 12 July 2016 The Tribunal Renders Its Award A unanimous Award has been issued today by the Tribunal constituted under Annex VII to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (the Convention) in the arbitration instituted by the Republic of the Philippines against the Peoples Republic of China. This arbitration concerned the role of historic rights and the source of maritime entitlements in the South China Sea, the status of certain maritime features and the maritime entitlements they are capable of generating, and the lawfulness of certain actions by China that were alleged by the Philippines to violate the Convention. In light of limitations on compulsory dispute settlement under the Convention, the Tribunal has emphasized that it does not rule on any question of sovereignty over land territory and does not delimit any boundary between the Parties. China has repeatedly stated that it will neither accept nor participate in the arbitration unilaterally initiated by the Philippines. Annex VII, however, provides that the [a]bsence of a party or failure of a party to defend its case shall not constitute a bar to the proceedings. Annex VII also provides that, in the event that a party does not participate in the proceedings, a tribunal must satisfy itself not only that it has jurisdiction over the dispute but also that the claim is well founded in fact and law. Accordingly, throughout these proceedings, the Tribunal has taken steps to test the accuracy of the Philippines claims, including by requesting further written submissions from the Philippines, by questioning the Philippines both prior to and during two hearings, by appointing independent experts to report to the Tribunal on technical matters, and by obtaining historical evidence concerning features in the South China Sea and providing it to the Parties for comment. China has also made clearthrough the publication of a Position Paper in December 2014 and in other official statementsthat, in its view, the Tribunal lacks jurisdiction in this matter. Article 288 of the Convention provides that: In the event of a dispute as to whether a court or tribunal has jurisdiction, the matter shall be settled by decision of that court or tribunal. Accordingly, the Tribunal convened a hearing on jurisdiction and admissibility in July 2015 and rendered an Award on Jurisdiction and Admissibility on 29 October 2015, deciding some issues of jurisdiction and deferring others for further consideration. The Tribunal then convened a hearing on the merits from 24 to 30 November 2015. The Award of todays date addresses the issues of jurisdiction not decided in the Award on Jurisdiction and Admissibility and the merits of the Philippines claims over which the Tribunal has jurisdiction. The Award is final and binding, as set out in Article 296 of the Convention and Article 11 of Annex VII. Historic Rights and the Nine-Dash Line: The Tribunal found that it has jurisdiction to consider the Parties dispute concerning historic rights and the source of maritime entitlements in the South China Sea. On the merits, the Tribunal concluded that the Convention comprehensively allocates rights to maritime areas and that protections for pre-existing rights to resources were considered, but not adopted in the Convention. Accordingly, the Tribunal concluded that, to the extent China had historic rights to resources in the waters of the South China Sea, such rights were extinguished to the extent they were incompatible with the exclusive economic zones provided for in the Convention. The Tribunal also noted that, although
Chinese navigators and fishermen, as well as those of other States, had historically made use of the islands in the South China Sea, there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or their resources. The Tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line. Status of Features: The Tribunal next considered entitlements to maritime areas and the status of features. The Tribunal first undertook an evaluation of whether certain reefs claimed by China are above water at high tide. Features that are above water at high tide generate an entitlement to at least a 12 nautical mile territorial sea, whereas features that are submerged at high tide do not. The Tribunal noted that the reefs have been heavily modified by land reclamation and construction, recalled that the Convention classifies features on their natural condition, and relied on historical materials in evaluating the features. The Tribunal then considered whether any of the features claimed by China could generate maritime zones beyond 12 nautical miles. Under the Convention, islands generate an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles and a continental shelf, but [r]ocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf. The Tribunal concluded that this provision depends upon the objective capacity of a feature, in its natural condition, to sustain either a stable community of people or economic activity that is not dependent on outside resources or purely extractive in nature. The Tribunal noted that the current presence of official personnel on many of the features is dependent on outside support and not reflective of the capacity of the features. The Tribunal found historical evidence to be more relevant and noted that the Spratly Islands were historically used by small groups of fishermen and that several Japanese fishing and guano mining enterprises were attempted. The Tribunal concluded that such transient use does not constitute inhabitation by a stable community and that all of the historical economic activity had been extractive. Accordingly, the Tribunal concluded that none of the Spratly Islands is capable of generating extended maritime zones. The Tribunal also held that the Spratly Islands cannot generate maritime zones collectively as a unit. Having found that none of the features claimed by China was capable of generating an exclusive economic zone, the Tribunal found that it couldwithout delimiting a boundarydeclare that certain sea areas are within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, because those areas are not overlapped by any possible entitlement of China. Lawfulness of Chinese Actions: The Tribunal next considered the lawfulness of Chinese actions in the South China Sea. Having found that certain areas are within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, the Tribunal found that China had violated the Philippines sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone by (a) interfering with Philippine fishing and petroleum exploration, (b) constructing artificial islands and (c) failing to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing in the zone. The Tribunal also held that fishermen from the Philippines (like those from China) had traditional fishing rights at Scarborough Shoal and that China had interfered with these rights in restricting access. The Tribunal further held that Chinese law enforcement vessels had unlawfully created a serious risk of collision when they physically obstructed Philippine vessels. Harm to Marine Environment: The Tribunal considered the effect on the marine environment of Chinas recent large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands at seven features in the Spratly Islands and found that China had caused severe harm to the coral reef environment and violated its obligation to preserve and protect fragile ecosystems and the habitat of depleted, threatened, or endangered species. The Tribunal also found that Chinese authorities were aware that Chinese fishermen have harvested endangered sea turtles, coral, and giant clams on a substantial scale in the South China Sea (using methods that inflict severe damage on the coral reef environment) and had not fulfilled their obligations to stop such activities. Aggravation of Dispute: Finally, the Tribunal considered whether Chinas actions since the commencement of the arbitration had aggravated the dispute between the Parties. The Tribunal found that it lacked jurisdiction to consider the implications of a stand-off between Philippine marines and Chinese naval and law enforcement vessels at Second Thomas Shoal, holding that this dispute involved military activities and was therefore excluded from compulsory settlement. The Tribunal found, however, that Chinas recent large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands was incompatible with the obligations on a State during dispute resolution proceedings, insofar as China has inflicted irreparable harm to the marine environment, built a large artificial island in the Philippines exclusive economic zone, and destroyed evidence of the natural condition of features in the South China Sea that formed part of the Parties dispute. An expanded summary of the Tribunals decisions is set out below.
The Tribunal was constituted on 21 June 2013 pursuant to the procedure set out in Annex VII of the Convention to decide the dispute presented by the Philippines. The Tribunal is composed of Judge Thomas A. Mensah of Ghana, Judge Jean-Pierre Cot of France, Judge Stanislaw Pawlak of Poland, Professor Alfred H.A. Soons of the Netherlands, and Judge Rudiger Wolfrum of Germany. Judge Thomas A. Mensah serves as President of the Tribunal. The Permanent Court of Arbitration acts as the Registry in the proceedings. Further information about the case may be found at www.pcacases.com/web/view/7, including the Award on Jurisdiction and Admissibility, the Rules of Procedure, earlier Press Releases, hearing transcripts, and photographs. Procedural Orders, submissions by the Philippines, and reports by the Tribunals experts will be made available in due course, as will unofficial Chinese translations of the Tribunals Awards. Background to the Permanent Court of Arbitration The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) is an intergovernmental organization established by the 1899 Hague Convention on the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes. The PCA has 121 Member States. Headquartered at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands, the PCA facilitates arbitration, conciliation, fact-finding, and other dispute resolution proceedings among various combinations of States, State entities, intergovernmental organizations, and private parties. The PCAs International Bureau is currently administering 8 interstate disputes, 73 investor-State arbitrations, and 34 cases arising under contracts involving a State or other public entity. The PCA has administered 12 cases initiated by States under Annex VII to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. In July 2013, the Tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration appointed the PCA to serve as Registry for the proceedings. The Tribunals Rules of Procedure provide that the PCA shall maintain an archive of the arbitral proceedings and provide appropriate registry services as directed by the Arbitral Tribunal. Such services include assisting with the identification and appointment of experts; publishing information about the arbitration and issuing press releases; organizing the hearings at the Peace Palace in The Hague; and the financial management of the case, which involves holding a deposit for expenses in the arbitration, such as to pay arbitrator fees, experts, technical support, court reporters etc. The Registry also serves as the channel of communications amongst the Parties and the Tribunal and observer States.
Photograph: Hearing in session, July 2015, Peace Palace, The Hague. Clockwise from top left: Registrar and PCA Senior Legal Counsel Judith Levine; Judge Stanislaw Pawlak; Professor Alfred H. A. Soons; Judge Thomas A. Mensah (Presiding Arbitrator); Judge Jean-Pierre Cot; Judge Rudiger Wolfrum; PCA Senior Legal Counsel Garth Schofield; former Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, Mr. Albert F. Del Rosario; former Solicitor General Mr. Florin T. Hilbay, Counsel for the Philippines; Mr. Paul S. Reichler; Professor Philippe Sands; Professor Bernard H. Oxman; Professor Alan E. Boyle; Mr. Lawrence H. Martin.
SUMMARY OF THE TRIBUNALS DECISIONS ON ITS JURISDICTION AND ON THE MERITS OF THE PHILIPPINES CLAIMS 1. Background to the Arbitration The South China Sea Arbitration between the Philippines and China concerned an application by the Philippines for rulings in respect of four matters concerning the relationship between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea. First, the Philippines sought a ruling on the source of the Parties rights and obligations in the South China Sea and the effect of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Convention) on Chinas claims to historic rights within its so-called nine-dash line. Second, the Philippines sought a ruling on whether certain maritime features claimed by both China and the Philippines are properly characterized as islands, rocks, low-tide elevations or submerged banks under the Convention. The status of these features under the Convention determines the maritime zones they are capable of generating. Third, the Philippines sought rulings on whether certain Chinese actions in the South China Sea have violated the Convention, by interfering with the exercise of the Philippines sovereign rights and freedoms under the Convention or through construction and fishing activities that have harmed the marine environment. Finally, the Philippines sought a ruling that certain actions taken by China, in particular its large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands in the Spratly Islands since this arbitration was commenced, have unlawfully aggravated and extended the Parties dispute. The Chinese Government has adhered to the position of neither accepting nor participating in these arbitral proceedings. It has reiterated this position in diplomatic notes, in the Position Paper of the Government of the Peoples Republic of China on the Matter of Jurisdiction in the South China Sea Arbitration Initiated by the Republic of the Philippines dated 7 December 2014 (Chinas Position Paper), in letters to members of the Tribunal from the Chinese Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and in many public statements. The Chinese Government has also made clear that these statements and documents shall by no means be interpreted as Chinas participation in the arbitral proceeding in any form. Two provisions of the Convention address the situation of a party that objects to the jurisdiction of a tribunal and declines to participate in the proceedings: (a) Article 288 of the Convention provides that: In the event of a dispute as to whether a court or tribunal has jurisdiction, the matter shall be settled by decision of that court or tribunal. (b) Article 9 of Annex VII to the Convention provides that: If one of the parties to the dispute does not appear before the arbitral tribunal or fails to defend its case, the other party may request the tribunal to continue the proceedings and to make its award. Absence of a party or failure of a party to defend its case shall not constitute a bar to the proceedings. Before making its award, the arbitral tribunal must satisfy itself not only that it has jurisdiction over the dispute but also that the claim is well founded in fact and law. Throughout these proceedings, the Tribunal has taken a number of steps to fulfil its duty to satisfy itself as to whether it has jurisdiction and whether the Philippines claims are well founded in fact and law. With respect to jurisdiction, the Tribunal decided to treat Chinas informal communications as equivalent to an objection to jurisdiction, convened a Hearing on Jurisdiction and Admissibility on 7 to 13 July 2015, questioned the Philippines both before and during the hearing on matters of jurisdiction, including potential issues not raised in Chinas informal communications, and issued an Award on Jurisdiction and Admissibility on 29 October 2015 (the Award on Jurisdiction), deciding some issues of jurisdiction and deferring others for further consideration in conjunction with the merits of the Philippines claims. With respect to the merits, the Tribunal sought to test the accuracy of the Philippines claims by requesting further written submissions from the Philippines, by convening a hearing on the merits from 24 to 30 November 2015, by questioning the Philippines both before and during the hearing with respect to its claims, by appointing independent experts to report to the Tribunal on technical matters, and by obtaining historical records and hydrographic survey data for the South China Sea from the archives of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, the National Library of France, and the French National Overseas Archives and providing it to the Parties for comment, along with other relevant materials in the public domain.
2. The Parties Positions The Philippines made 15 Submissions in these proceedings, requesting the Tribunal to find that: (1) Chinas maritime entitlements in the South China Sea, like those of the Philippines, may not extend beyond those expressly permitted by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; (2) Chinas claims to sovereign rights jurisdiction, and to historic rights, with respect to the maritime areas of the South China Sea encompassed by the so-called nine-dash line are contrary to the Convention and without lawful effect to the extent that they exceed the geographic and substantive limits of Chinas maritime entitlements expressly permitted by UNCLOS; (3) Scarborough Shoal generates no entitlement to an exclusive economic zone or continental shelf; (4) Mischief Reef, Second Thomas Shoal, and Subi Reef are low-tide elevations that do not generate entitlement to a territorial sea, exclusive economic zone or continental shelf, and are not features that are capable of appropriation by occupation or otherwise; (5) Mischief Reef and Second Thomas Shoal are part of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of the Philippines; (6) Gaven Reef and McKennan Reef (including Hughes Reef) are low-tide elevations that do not generate entitlement to a territorial sea, exclusive economic zone or continental shelf, but their low-water line may be used to determine the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea of Namyit and Sin Cowe, respectively, is measured; (7) Johnson Reef, Cuarteron Reef and Fiery Cross Reef generate no entitlement to an exclusive economic zone or continental shelf; (8) China has unlawfully interfered with the enjoyment and exercise of the sovereign rights of the Philippines with respect to the living and non-living resources of its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf; (9) China has unlawfully failed to prevent its nationals and vessels from exploiting the living resources in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines; (10) China has unlawfully prevented Philippine fishermen from pursuing their livelihoods by interfering with traditional fishing activities at Scarborough Shoal; (11) China has violated its obligations under the Convention to protect and preserve the marine environment at Scarborough Shoal, Second Thomas Shoal, Cuarteron Reef, Fiery Cross Reef, Gaven Reef, Johnson Reef, Hughes Reef and Subi Reef; (12) Chinas occupation of and construction activities on Mischief Reef (a) violate the provisions of the Convention concerning artificial islands, installations and structures; (b) violate Chinas duties to protect and preserve the marine environment under the Convention; and (c) constitute unlawful acts of attempted appropriation in violation of the Convention; (13) China has breached its obligations under the Convention by operating its law enforcement vessels in a dangerous manner, causing serious risk of collision to Philippine vessels navigating in the vicinity of Scarborough Shoal; (14) Since the commencement of this arbitration in January 2013, China has unlawfully aggravated and extended the dispute by, among other things: (a) interfering with the Philippines rights of navigation in the waters at, and adjacent to, Second Thomas Shoal; (b) preventing the rotation and resupply of Philippine personnel stationed at Second Thomas Shoal; (c) endangering the health and well-being of Philippine personnel stationed at Second Thomas Shoal; and (d) conducting dredging, artificial island-building and construction activities at Mischief Reef, Cuarteron Reef, Fiery Cross Reef, Gaven Reef, Johnson Reef, Hughes Reef and Subi Reef; and (15) China shall respect the rights and freedoms of the Philippines under the Convention, shall comply with its duties under the Convention, including those relevant to the protection and preservation of the marine environment in the South China Sea, and shall exercise its rights and freedoms in the South China Sea with due regard to those of the Philippines under the Convention.
With respect to jurisdiction, the Philippines has asked the Tribunal to declare that the Philippines claims are entirely within its jurisdiction and are fully admissible. China does not accept and is not participating in this arbitration but stated its position that the Tribunal does not have jurisdiction over this case. In its Position Paper, China advanced the following arguments: - The essence of the subject-matter of the arbitration is the territorial sovereignty over several maritime features in the South China Sea, which is beyond the scope of the Convention and does not concern the interpretation or application of the Convention; - China and the Philippines have agreed, through bilateral instruments and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, to settle their relevant disputes through negotiations. By unilaterally initiating the present arbitration, the Philippines has breached its obligation under international law; - Even assuming, arguendo, that the subject-matter of the arbitration were concerned with the interpretation or application of the Convention, that subject-matter would constitute an integral part of maritime delimitation between the two countries, thus falling within the scope of the declaration filed by China in 2006 in accordance with the Convention, which excludes, inter alia, disputes concerning maritime delimitation from compulsory arbitration and other compulsory dispute settlement procedures; Although China has not made equivalent public statements with respect to the merits of the majority of the Philippines claims, the Tribunal has sought throughout the proceedings to ascertain Chinas position on the basis of its contemporaneous public statements and diplomatic correspondence. 3. The Tribunals Decisions on the Scope of its Jurisdiction The Tribunal has addressed the scope of its jurisdiction to consider the Philippines claims both in its Award on Jurisdiction, to the extent that issues of jurisdiction could be decided as a preliminary matter, and in its Award of 12 July 2016, to the extent that issues of jurisdiction were intertwined with the merits of the Philippines claims. The Tribunals Award of 12 July 2016 also incorporates and reaffirms the decisions on jurisdiction taken in the Award on Jurisdiction. For completeness, the Tribunals decisions on jurisdiction in both awards are summarized here together. a. Preliminary Matters In its Award on Jurisdiction, the Tribunal considered a number of preliminary matters with respect to its jurisdiction. The Tribunal noted that both the Philippines and China are parties to the Convention and that the Convention does not permit a State to except itself generally from the mechanism for the resolution of disputes set out in the Convention. The Tribunal held that Chinas non-participation does not deprive the Tribunal of jurisdiction and that the Tribunal had been properly constituted pursuant to the provisions of Annex VII to the Convention, which include a procedure to form a tribunal even in the absence of one party. Finally, the Tribunal rejected an argument set out in Chinas Position Paper and held that the mere act of unilaterally initiating an arbitration cannot constitute an abuse of the Convention. b. Existence of a Dispute Concerning Interpretation and Application of the Convention In its Award on Jurisdiction, the Tribunal considered whether the Parties disputes concerned the interpretation or application of the Convention, which is a requirement for resort to the dispute settlement mechanisms of the Convention. The Tribunal rejected the argument set out in Chinas Position Paper that the Parties dispute is actually about territorial sovereignty and therefore not a matter concerning the Convention. The Tribunal accepted that there is a dispute between the Parties concerning sovereignty over islands in the South China Sea, but held that the matters submitted to arbitration by the Philippines do not concern sovereignty. The Tribunal considered that it would not need to implicitly decide sovereignty to address the Philippines Submissions and that doing so would not advance the sovereignty claims of either Party to islands in the South China Sea.
The Tribunal also rejected the argument set out in Chinas Position Paper that the Parties dispute is actually about maritime boundary delimitation and therefore excluded from dispute settlement by Article 298 of the Convention and a declaration that China made on 25 August 2006 pursuant to that Article. The Tribunal noted that a dispute concerning whether a State has an entitlement to a maritime zone is a distinct matter from the delimitation of maritime zones in an area in which they overlap. The Tribunal noted that entitlements, together with a wide variety of other issues, are commonly considered in a boundary delimitation, but can also arise in other contexts. The Tribunal held that it does not follow that a dispute over each of these issues is necessarily a dispute over boundary delimitation. Finally, the Tribunal held that each of the Philippines Submissions reflected a dispute concerning the Convention. In doing so, the Tribunal emphasized (a) that a dispute concerning the interaction between the Convention and other rights (including any Chinese historic rights) is a dispute concerning the Convention and (b) that where China has not clearly stated its position, the existence of a dispute may be inferred from the conduct of a State or from silence and is a matter to be determined objectively. c. Involvement of Indispensable Third-Parties In its Award on Jurisdiction, the Tribunal considered whether the absence from this arbitration of other States that have made claims to the islands of the South China Sea would be a bar to the Tribunals jurisdiction. The Tribunal noted that the rights of other States would not form the very subject-matter of the decision, the standard for a third-party to be indispensable. The Tribunal further noted that in December 2014, Viet Nam had submitted a statement to the Tribunal, in which Viet Nam asserted that it has no doubt that the Tribunal has jurisdiction in these proceedings. The Tribunal also noted that Viet Nam, Malaysia, and Indonesia had attended the hearing on jurisdiction as observers, without any State raising the argument that its participation was indispensable. In its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal noted that it had received a communication from Malaysia on 23 June 2016, recalling Malaysias claims in the South China Sea. The Tribunal compared its decisions on the merits of the Philippines Submissions with the rights claimed by Malaysia and reaffirmed its decision that Malaysia is not an indispensable party and that Malaysias interests in the South China Sea do not prevent the Tribunal from addressing the Philippines Submissions. d. Preconditions to Jurisdiction In its Award on Jurisdiction, the Tribunal considered the applicability of Articles 281 and 282 of the Convention, which may prevent a State from making use of the mechanisms under the Convention if they have already agreed to another means of dispute resolution. The Tribunal rejected the argument set out in Chinas Position Paper that the 2002 ChinaASEAN Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea prevented the Philippines from initiating arbitration. The Tribunal held that the Declaration is a political agreement and not legally binding, does not provide a mechanism for binding settlement, does not exclude other means of dispute settlement, and therefore does not restrict the Tribunals jurisdiction under Articles 281 or 282. The Tribunal also considered the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, and the Convention on Biological Diversity, and a series of joint statements issued by the Philippines and China referring to the resolution of disputes through negotiations and concluded that none of these instruments constitute an agreement that would prevent the Philippines from bringing its claims to arbitration. The Tribunal further held that the Parties had exchanged views regarding the settlement of their disputes, as required by Article 283 of the Convention, before the Philippines initiated the arbitration. The Tribunal concluded that this requirement was met in the record of diplomatic communications between the Philippines and China, in which the Philippines expressed a clear preference for multilateral negotiations involving the other States surrounding the South China Sea, while China insisted that only bilateral talks could be considered.
e. Exceptions and Limitations to Jurisdiction In its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal considered whether the Philippines Submissions concerning Chinese historic rights and the nine-dash line were affected by the exception from jurisdiction for disputes concerning historic title in Article 298 of the Convention. The Tribunal reviewed the meaning of historic title in the law of the sea and held that this refers to claims of historic sovereignty over bays and other near-shore waters. Reviewing Chinas claims and conduct in the South China Sea, the Tribunal concluded that China claims historic rights to resources within the nine-dash line, but does not claim historic title over the waters of the South China Sea. Accordingly, the Tribunal concluded that it had jurisdiction to consider the Philippines claims concerning historic rights and, as between the Philippines and China, the nine-dash line. In its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal also considered whether the Philippines Submissions were affected by the exception from jurisdiction in Article 298 for disputes concerning sea boundary delimitation. The Tribunal had already found in its Award on Jurisdiction that the Philippines Submissions do not concern boundary delimitation as such, but noted that several of the Philippines Submissions were dependent on certain areas forming part of the Philippines exclusive economic zone. The Tribunal held that it could only address such submissions if there was no possibility that China could have an entitlement to an exclusive economic zone overlapping that of the Philippines and deferred a final decision on its jurisdiction. In its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal reviewed evidence about the reefs and islands claimed by China in the South China Sea and concluded that none is capable of generating an entitlement to an exclusive economic zone. Because China has no possible entitlement to an exclusive economic zone overlapping that of the Philippines in the Spratly Islands, the Tribunal held that the Philippines submissions were not dependent on a prior delimitation of a boundary. In its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal also considered whether the Philippines Submissions were affected by the exception from jurisdiction in Article 298 for disputes concerning law enforcement activities in the exclusive economic zone. The Tribunal recalled that the exception in Article 298 would apply only if the Philippines Submissions related to law enforcement activities in Chinas exclusive economic zone. Because, however, the Philippines Submissions related to events in the Philippines own exclusive economic zone or in the territorial sea, the Tribunal concluded that Article 298 did not pose an obstacle to its jurisdiction. Lastly, in its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal considered whether the Philippines submissions were affected by the exception from jurisdiction in Article 298 for disputes concerning military activities. The Tribunal considered that the stand-off between Philippine marines on Second Thomas Shoal and Chinese naval and law enforcement vessels constituted military activities and concluded that it lacked jurisdiction over the Philippines Submission No. 14(a)-(c). The Tribunal also considered whether Chinas land reclamation and construction of artificial islands at seven features in the Spratly Islands constituted military activities, but noted that China had repeatedly emphasized the non-military nature of its actions and had stated at the highest level that it would not militarize its presence in the Spratlys. The Tribunal decided that it would not deem activities to be military in nature when China itself had repeatedly affirmed the opposite. Accordingly, the Tribunal concluded that Article 298 did not pose an obstacle to its jurisdiction. 4. The Tribunals Decisions on the Merits of the Philippines Claims a. The Nine-Dash Line and Chinas Claim to Historic Rights in the Maritime Areas of the South China Sea In its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal considered the implications of Chinas nine-dash line and whether China has historic rights to resources in the South China Sea beyond the limits of the maritime zones that it is entitled to pursuant to the Convention. The Tribunal examined the history of the Convention and its provisions concerning maritime zones and concluded that the Convention was intended to comprehensively allocate the rights of States to maritime areas. The Tribunal noted that the question of pre-existing rights to resources (in particular fishing resources) was carefully considered during the negotiations on the creation of the exclusive economic zone and that a number of States wished to preserve historic fishing rights in the new zone. This position was rejected,
however, and the final text of the Convention gives other States only a limited right of access to fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (in the event the coastal State cannot harvest the full allowable catch) and no rights to petroleum or mineral resources. The Tribunal found that Chinas claim to historic rights to resources was incompatible with the detailed allocation of rights and maritime zones in the Convention and concluded that, to the extent China had historic rights to resources in the waters of the South China Sea, such rights were extinguished by the entry into force of the Convention to the extent they were incompatible with the Conventions system of maritime zones. The Tribunal also examined the historical record to determine whether China actually had historic rights to resources in the South China Sea prior to the entry into force of the Convention. The Tribunal noted that there is evidence that Chinese navigators and fishermen, as well as those of other States, had historically made use of the islands in the South China Sea, although the Tribunal emphasized that it was not empowered to decide the question of sovereignty over the islands. However, the Tribunal considered that prior to the Convention, the waters of the South China Sea beyond the territorial sea were legally part of the high seas, in which vessels from any State could freely navigate and fish. Accordingly, the Tribunal concluded that historical navigation and fishing by China in the waters of the South China Sea represented the exercise of high seas freedoms, rather than a historic right, and that there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters of the South China Sea or prevented other States from exploiting their resources. Accordingly, the Tribunal concluded that, as between the Philippines and China, there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources, in excess of the rights provided for by the Convention, within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line. b. The Status of Features in the South China Sea In its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal considered the status of features in the South China Sea and the entitlements to maritime areas that China could potentially claim pursuant to the Convention. The Tribunal first undertook a technical evaluation as to whether certain coral reefs claimed by China are or are not above water at high tide. Under Articles 13 and 121 of the Convention, features that are above water at high tide generate an entitlement to at least a 12 nautical mile territorial sea, whereas features that are submerged at high tide generate no entitlement to maritime zones. The Tribunal noted that many of the reefs in the South China Sea have been heavily modified by recent land reclamation and construction and recalled that the Convention classifies features on the basis of their natural condition. The Tribunal appointed an expert hydrographer to assist it in evaluating the Philippines technical evidence and relied heavily on archival materials and historical hydrographic surveys in evaluating the features. The Tribunal agreed with the Philippines that Scarborough Shoal, Johnson Reef, Cuarteron Reef, and Fiery Cross Reef are high-tide features and that Subi Reef, Hughes Reef, Mischief Reef, and Second Thomas Shoal were submerged at high tide in their natural condition. However, the Tribunal disagreed with the Philippines regarding the status of Gaven Reef (North) and McKennan Reef and concluded that both are high tide features. The Tribunal then considered whether any of the features claimed by China could generate an entitlement to maritime zones beyond 12 nautical miles. Under Article 121 of the Convention, islands generate an entitlement to an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles and to a continental shelf, but [r]ocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf. The Tribunal noted that this provision was closely linked to the expansion of coastal State jurisdiction with the creation of the exclusive economic zone and was intended to prevent insignificant features from generating large entitlements to maritime zones that would infringe on the entitlements of inhabited territory or on the high seas and the area of the seabed reserved for the common heritage of mankind. The Tribunal interpreted Article 121 and concluded that the entitlements of a feature depend on (a) the objective capacity of a feature, (b) in its natural condition, to sustain either (c) a stable community of people or (d) economic activity that is neither dependent on outside resources nor purely extractive in nature. The Tribunal noted that many of the features in the Spratly Islands are currently controlled by one or another of the littoral States, which have constructed installations and maintain personnel there. The Tribunal considered these modern presences to be dependent on outside resources and support and noted that many of 9
the features have been modified to improve their habitability, including through land reclamation and the construction of infrastructure such as desalination plants. The Tribunal concluded that the current presence of official personnel on many of the features does not establish their capacity, in their natural condition, to sustain a stable community of people and considered that historical evidence of habitation or economic life was more relevant to the objective capacity of the features. Examining the historical record, the Tribunal noted that the Spratly Islands were historically used by small groups of fishermen from China, as well as other States, and that several Japanese fishing and guano mining enterprises were attempted in the 1920s and 1930s. The Tribunal concluded that temporary use of the features by fishermen did not amount to inhabitation by a stable community and that all of the historical economic activity had been extractive in nature. Accordingly, the Tribunal concluded that all of the high-tide features in the Spratly Islands (including, for example, Itu Aba, Thitu, West York Island, Spratly Island, North-East Cay, South-West Cay) are legally rocks that do not generate an exclusive economic zone or continental shelf. The Tribunal also held that the Convention does not provide for a group of islands such as the Spratly Islands to generate maritime zones collectively as a unit. c. Chinese Activities in the South China Sea In its Award of 12 July 2016, the Tribunal considered the lawfulness under the Convention of various Chinese actions in the South China Sea. Having found that Mischief Reef, Second Thomas Shoal and Reed Bank are submerged at high tide, form part of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of the Philippines, and are not overlapped by any possible entitlement of China, the Tribunal concluded that the Convention is clear in allocating sovereign rights to the Philippines with respect to sea areas in its exclusive economic zone. The Tribunal found as a matter of fact that China had (a) interfered with Philippine petroleum exploration at Reed Bank, (b) purported to prohibit fishing by Philippine vessels within the Philippines exclusive economic zone, (c) protected and failed to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing within the Philippines exclusive economic zone at Mischief Reef and Second Thomas Shoal, and (d) constructed installations and artificial islands at Mischief Reef without the authorization of the Philippines. The Tribunal therefore concluded that China had violated the Philippines sovereign rights with respect to its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. The Tribunal next examined traditional fishing at Scarborough Shoal and concluded that fishermen from the Philippines, as well as fishermen from China and other countries, had long fished at the Shoal and had traditional fishing rights in the area. Because Scarborough Shoal is above water at high tide, it generates an entitlement to a territorial sea, its surrounding waters do not form part of the exclusive economic zone, and traditional fishing rights were not extinguished by the Convention. Although the Tribunal emphasized that it was not deciding sovereignty over Scarborough Shoal, it found that China had violated its duty to respect to the traditional fishing rights of Philippine fishermen by halting access to the Shoal after May 2012. The Tribunal noted, however, that it would reach the same conclusion with respect to the traditional fishing rights of Chinese fishermen if the Philippines were to prevent fishing by Chinese nationals at Scarborough Shoal. The Tribunal also considered the effect of Chinas actions on the marine environment. In doing so, the Tribunal was assisted by three independent experts on coral reef biology who were appointed to assist it in evaluating the available scientific evidence and the Philippines expert reports. The Tribunal found that Chinas recent large scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands at seven features in the Spratly Islands has caused severe harm to the coral reef environment and that China has violated its obligation under Articles 192 and 194 of the Convention to preserve and protect the marine environment with respect to fragile ecosystems and the habitat of depleted, threatened, or endangered species. The Tribunal also found that Chinese fishermen have engaged in the harvesting of endangered sea turtles, coral, and giant clams on a substantial scale in the South China Sea, using methods that inflict severe damage on the coral reef environment. The Tribunal found that Chinese authorities were aware of these activities and failed to fulfill their due diligence obligations under the Convention to stop them. Finally, the Tribunal considered the lawfulness of the conduct of Chinese law enforcement vessels at Scarborough Shoal on two occasions in April and May 2012 when Chinese vessels had sought to physically obstruct Philippine vessels from approaching or gaining entrance to the Shoal. In doing so, the Tribunal was
Islamic State Is Losing Ground, But Is It Even More Dangerous Than Ever?
July 11, 2016
by James Miller
If there was any illusion that the fight against the extremist group Islamic State (IS) was nearing its final chapters, that naive notion should have been shattered in the last few weeks.
In the past month alone, IS has suffered major defeats, won major victories, and conducted some of its most impactful and successful terrorist attacks yet, proving that the fight against this group is at least as complicated as the battle to subdue its predecessors in Iraq.
When Al-Qaeda In Iraq (AQI) was formed following the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, it had several advantages over the United States.
For starters, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq started as fairly traditional combat missions against fighting forces (the Taliban and the Iraqi Army, respectively) that were concerned with holding territory, and quickly scattered once this territory was captured by the overwhelming firepower of the U.S.-led coalition. Both wars soon devolved into asymmetrical counterinsurgencies which are much harder to fight.
AQI, however, had another trick up its sleeve -- the blending of asymmetrical and more traditional warfare. Coalition military commanders quickly learned that it was not enough to capture territory, but that territory had to be held, preferably by local forces which had to be convinced of the worthiness of the cause.
But whereas AQI was successful in briefly holding neighborhoods and even cities like Fallujah while conducting terrorist attacks in other regions of Iraq, IS has taken this blending of war plans to the next level, simultaneously occupying vast areas of land while conducting attacks across the entire Middle East and far beyond while inspiring attacks across the planet. Islamic State is at once a military, a terrorist group, a guerrilla warfare organization, and an idea, and all four of those aspects are proving difficult to fight.
In recent months there has been a lot of speculation that IS the military organization would be the easiest part of the terrorist group to beat. To be sure, IS has lost a series of battles in both Iraq and Syria. According to a newly-published report by experts at IHS, a data analysis company, Islamic State lost 14 percent of its territory in 2015 and another 12 percent in the first six months of this year.
As a result of those defeats, the extremist group is already changing its narrative by focusing more on conducting terrorist attacks abroad than in using propaganda to praise its more traditional military victories. This is undoubtedly a sign of weakness, but a wounded animal is clearly a very dangerous one.
Furthermore, IS still has the advantage of being able to use the power it derives from holding territory to project terrorism and fear beyond its borders. As a consequence of that dynamic, the faster it is defeated militarily, the better. The recapturing of more than a quarter of IS's physical strongholds in 18 months is certainly an important first step in ultimately defeating the terrorist group. But does this mean that it will take six years to militarily defeat IS?
Lagging Momentum
There are also indications that the battle is not going as well as many expected. Fallujah has been recaptured from IS after many months of siege and more than a month of nearly-constant combat. But Fallujah was one of IS's most vulnerable positions, originally captured by the militants primarily for its symbolic power. The Atlantic Council's Faysal Itani told RFE/RL that the city likely fell so quickly because Islamic State is overstretched in the region. Battles for places like Mosul and, ultimately, Raqqa, IS's "capital" in Syria, could take much longer.
Elsewhere, in Syria, there have been setbacks for the anti-IS coalition. IS forces launched attacks earlier in the week against the Syrian Defense Force (SDF), a primarily Kurdish group that is key to U.S. efforts to defeat the terrorists. Those efforts may have been reversed.
An Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman, U.S. Army Colonel Christopher Garver, was optimistic in his assessment on July 6, in which he stated that the SDF was resisting IS in Manbij and that other vetted opposition forces were making gains further west, near the hotly contested "Mara Line."
The SDF now claims that Islamic State is fleeing Manbij. Still, especially near Mara, Western-backed rebel forces are striking back against an IS offensive launched this spring rather than advancing deeper into the heart of IS's territory. Momentum is clearly lagging.
Worse yet, another key part of the U.S. strategy to defeat IS in Syria has suffered a major setback. In the last week of June, we reported on Russian air strikes against the New Syrian Army (NSA), a group dedicated to fighting IS which is backed by the United States and Britain.
Consisting largely of former Syrian special forces units that deserted the Assad regime, the NSA is important on several levels.
First, the NSA is made up of predominantly Sunni fighters -- an important symbolic balance to predominantly Kurdish and Shi'ite forces backed by the United States elsewhere.
Second, NSA's position south of IS's strongholds opens a new front against the terror group. Within a week of the Russian airstrikes, the NSA launched their own offensive against Islamic State in Al-Bukamal, the back door between IS's territory in Syria and Iraq. Despite initial success, the NSA was routed and retreated across 150 miles of open desert.
Sectarian Dynamic
It's unclear whether the Russian air strikes weakened the group enough to enable its defeat, but the United States also decided to reroute air support for the NSA to Iraq, to target IS in Fallujah. On July 7, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said that the United States had "missed an opportunity" in not providing air support for the NSA offensive.
Even in military victory there are setbacks, however. As the Associated Press points out, the mission to retake Fallujah was led by powerful Iraqi Shi'ite militias, and their victory has already taken on a troublesome sectarian dynamic. Unfortunately, this is exactly what experts predicted would happen.
Islamic State will be defeated militarily. It has to be. The world does not have a choice. Even though progress is being made, the slow pace of victory and concerns about worsening regional sectarian tensions are indications that much work remains to be done.
Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/islamic-state-losing- ground-more-dangerous/27852308.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.
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DPRK Foreign Ministry Informs Asian Diplomatic Envoys of Current Situation
Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS)
Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- The Foreign Ministry of the DPRK Monday held a meeting to inform the diplomatic envoys of Asian countries here of the situation as regards the fact that the U.S. has recently driven the situation on the Korean peninsula to an unpredictable phase while perpetrating illegal hostile acts of insulting dignity of the supreme leadership of the DPRK over the "human rights issue".
Present at the meeting were ambassadors of Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Iran, India and Vietnam and the charge d'affaires ad interim of the Pakistani Embassy here.
Choe Hui Chol, director general of the Asian and Oceanian Department of the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK, referred to the principled stand of the DPRK on the recent moves of the U.S. and south Korean puppet forces to isolate and stifle the DPRK.
The U.S. dared take issue with the supreme leadership of the DPRK on July 6 when opening to public the report of the Department of State related with the "human rights issue" of the DPRK peppered with false stories and fabrications and the list of targets of special sanctions of the Department of Treasury pursuant to it, he said, stressing this is an open declaration of a war against the DPRK as it is the worst hostile act far beyond confrontation over the "human rights issue".
Now that the U.S. crossed the "red line" in an all-out confrontation with the DPRK while slandering dignity of the supreme leadership of the DPRK, the latter can never remain a passive onlooker to this, he said, adding: Proceeding from this, the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK on July 7 stated that in case the U.S. does not lift the current sanctions, all diplomatic contact space and channels between the DPRK and the U.S. will be cut off immediately and the toughest measures to resolutely smash the U.S. hostile acts will be taken.
Referring to the fact that the south Korean puppet forces are steadily escalating the tension on the Korean peninsula as evidenced by the decision to deploy THAAD in south Korea in league with the U.S. despite the strong protest of the DPRK and its neighboring countries, he stressed that all Asian countries should be vigilant against this, clearly understand who is the ringleader and chief criminal driving the situation on the peninsula to an unpredictable phase and neither sympathize nor join in action harmful to the regional peace and stability.
Diplomatic envoys of Asian countries expressed deep understanding of the fact that the U.S. heinous hostile policy toward the DPRK is rendering the situation on the Korean peninsula and in the region extremely tense. -0-
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Artillery Bureau of General Staff of KPA Strongly Warns against U.S. and S. Korea's Decision to Deploy THAAD
Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS)
Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- The U.S. and the south Korean puppet group decided to deploy THAAD despite the unanimous opposition and rejection of the DPRK and many other countries.
The Artillery Bureau of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA) declared in a strong warning on Monday:
The THAAD deployment is a direct product of the sinister ambition of the U.S. to dominate the world by holding its military hegemony in the Asia-Pacific region and the south Korean puppet group's vicious moves to escalate the confrontation with the fellow countrymen in the north in a bid to invade the north, backed by its master.
Under the pressure of the U.S. master the Park Geun Hye group decided to introduce the unfinished THAAD whose military effectiveness has not been verified and which may cause casualties by superpower radio waves by paying huge funds running into astronomical figures collected from the south Korean people as taxes. This clearly proves that the Park regime is a group of traitors without equals.
The Artillery Bureau of the General Staff of the KPA serves the following strong warning to the U.S. and the south Korean puppet warmongers upon the authorization:
Firstly, the DPRK will take a physical counter-action to thoroughly control THAAD, aggression means of the U.S. for world domination, from the moment its location and place have been confirmed in south Korea.
The U.S. had better understand that the more massively it introduces war weapons to south Korea and its vicinity, the closer they will come into the firing range of the KPA and the more miserable end the U.S. will meet without even a moment to make a shrill cry.
The KPA possessed of sufficient latest offensive strike means will take more merciless and powerful successive corresponding measures against the U.S. keen to ignite a war by deploying THAAD and will make the warmongers suffer from the nightmare of extreme uneasiness and terror.
Secondly, the south Korean puppet forces' introduction of THAAD of the U.S. master would precipitate their miserable self-destruction due to the merciless strike of the KPA.
Their attempt to ward off the KPA's strike of justice with THAAD only reveals military ignorance and amounts to mocking and deceiving the public and people's mindset.
The KPA has long put not only all the aggressive war means of the enemies but even their attack and logistic bases against the DPRK in the precision sighting strike range.
The desperate efforts of the Park Geun Hye group of traitors to keep offering south Korea as its master U.S. nuclear outpost would only result in cutting short its despicable remaining days by itself.
We once again warn the enemies that it is the steadfast will of the KPA to make merciless retaliatory strikes to reduce south Korea to a sea in flames, debris once an order is issued.
Thirdly, our revolutionary armed forces will as always bolster up its might in every way on the forefront for safeguarding the peace and security not only on the Korean peninsula but also in Northeast Asia and the rest of the world.
It is the noble duty of the KPA to guarantee the peace and security of the world.
Our powerful Paektusan revolutionary army will never pardon the aggressive war moves of the outrageous U.S. and its henchmen but continue taking bold military measures.
The KPA will take ceaseless self-defensive steps to punish all injustice in the world threatening justice till the gangster-like U.S. and other hostile forces are wiped out to the last man. -0-
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Borujerdi: Iran missile tests do not violate UN resolutions
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Tehran, July 9, IRAN -- Iran's missile tests do not violate UN resolutions and the allegations made by German chancellor and United Nations secretary-general are politically-motivated, Member of Parliament Alaeddin Borujerdi said on Saturday.
Iran missile tests have nothing to do with the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), he said adding that Iranian missiles are not able to carry warheads and they are being manufactured for defense purpose in line with the rights of the governments to secure defense capability.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has indicated good faith to implement the JCPOA, he said adding that Iranian government has the right to employ weapons and facilities to defend the country's territorial integrity and thwart threats to the national sovereignty.
Iranian officials at the defense ministry for many times have underlined that there is no room for other countries to be concerned about Iran's missile tests as the tests are merely for defense purpose, he said.
The allegations made by German chancellor and UN secretary general are in line with a new plot against Iran, he said adding that western heads of states have restored to politically-motivated and unprofessional allegations of some people but the Iranian Foreign Ministry will give them diplomatic response.
1430**1416
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Major General Baqeri: Armed forces fully ready to defend country
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Tehran, July 10, IRNA -- Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Mohammad-Hossein Baqeri underlined the country's full preparedness to confront any foreign threats and plots.
'Timely and prompt response to any threat in proportion with different plots and in view of the plots in the surrounding countries and regions as well as the enemies' efforts to penetrate and spread this unrest to inside the country is crucial,' Major General Baqeri said.
The chief of staff of the Armed Forces said that another duty the Armed Forces is to boost the defense and security preparedness which is the main goal of defending the country.
'Upholding the popular mobilization in all dimensions, specially upholding the defense capabilities and preparedness as well as the role played by the Armed Forces to further deepen the roots of the Islamic Revolution is seriously being pursued,' Major General Baqeri added.
He reiterated that the country's Armed Forces are appropriately following up the process of completion of intelligence, operations, logistics and commanding operations.
2050**2050
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Iran Army fighter jet crashes, pilots survive
Iran Press TV
Sun Jul 10, 2016 12:53PM
A Sukhoi Su-24 aircraft belonging to Iran's Air Force has gone down near a lake in southern Iran with the two pilots ejecting in time before the jet crashed into the ground, a provincial official says.
The jet crashed near the Bakhtegan lake in Estahban County, in the southern Fars province Sunday morning, Hadi Pajouhesh Jahromi, a provincial deputy governor general, said.
He added that both pilots are in good health but the aircraft has been completely destroyed.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Army's Air Force announced that technical failure had caused the incident, adding, that the jet was on a training mission.
Iran signed a contract with Russia in February to purchase a newer version of the Russian-made fighter jet, the Sukhoi-30.
Su-30 is a multirole advanced fighter aircraft for all-weather, air-to-air and air-to-surface deep interdiction missions.
Tehran and Moscow signed the deal after Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany started implementing an agreement on Iran's nuclear activities, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), on January 16.
After the JCPOA went into effect, all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran by the European Union, the UN Security Council and the US were lifted. Iran, in return, has put some limitations on its nuclear activities.
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Iran, France to cooperate on building fusion reactor: Official
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Tehran, July 11, IRNA -- Iran and France have agreed to develop ties in the international nuclear fusion research and engineering project, known as the ITER, says the spokesman for Iran's Atomic Energy Organization.
Based on the general understanding between Tehran and Paris, for the first time and by 2030, the two countries are going to cooperate in setting up Iran's first thermonuclear experimental reactor that is expected to produce 500 megawatts of electricity, said Behrouz Kamalvandi AEOI Deputy Head and Spokesman on Monday.
The joint project was launched ten years ago and by 2030 Iran will have its first thermonuclear experimental reactor while by 2040 the Islamic Republic is going to operate its first reactor of this type, Kamalvandi said.
The Iranian scientists are going to join ITER and cooperate with the international megaproject, he added.
The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project aims to make the long-awaited transition from experimental studies of plasma physics to full-scale electricity-producing fusion power stations.
The official also elaborated on restructuring the heavy water reactor in Arak and said that we have negotiated with other parties about the process of redesigning the reactor and about who is going to do the job.
Part of the restructuring is expected to be done by the Iranians and part by the Chinese experts who will do it under the supervision of P5+1 group of countries, he said.
2044**
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Iran blasts NATO communique on missile program
ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency
Mon / 11 July 2016 / 09:27
TEHRAN (ISNA)- Iran rejected the NATO conference communique on Iranian missile program, saying that it is repeating previous unfounded claims.
"As announced several times, missile capabilities of our country are merely in line with legitimate defense plans of the Islamic Republic of Iran and have not been designed for carrying nuclear warheads at all," said Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi.
He reiterated that Iranian missile program has nothing to do with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and nuclear talks, and as it has been reiterated several times it is not violating Resolution 2231.
End Item
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Iran rejects NATO claims on missile work
Iran Press TV
Mon Jul 11, 2016 7:9AM
The Iranian Foreign Ministry has dismissed a recent NATO communique concerning the Islamic Republic's missile program as "a repetition of past baseless allegations."
NATO, in a statement released on June 9, expressed "serious concern over the development of Iran's ballistic missile program and continuing missile tests," claiming that they "are inconsistent with UNSCR 2231."
Resolution 2231 was adopted on July 20, 2015 to endorse a nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and puts no limits on Iran in terms of missile activities. The resolution merely "calls upon" Iran not to undertake any activity related to missiles "designed to be capable of" delivering nuclear weapons.
Iran says it is involved in no such missile work and has no such weapons.
"Not only does not Iran's missile program have anything to do with the JCPOA, but also, as reiterated numerous times, it is not in breach of Resolution 2231, either," said Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi on Monday in reaction to the NATO statement.
"As declared repetitively, our country's missile capabilities merely fall within the framework of the Islamic Republic of Iran's legitimate defense program, and [the missiles] are by no means designed to carry nuclear warheads," he added.
Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany struck the JCPOA on July 2015 and started implementing it on January 16 this year.
Under the deal, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program and provide enhanced access to international atomic monitors in return for the termination of all nuclear-related sanctions imposed by the United States, the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) against the country.
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Iran nuclear program separate from missile work: Senior Iranian official
ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency
Tue / 12 July 2016 / 08:31
TEHRAN (ISNA)- A senior Iranian official said one of the achievements of the Islamic Republic in the nuclear deal it has struck with six world powers has been the separation of the two issues of Iran's nuclear program from its missile activities.
Seyyed Abbas Araqchi, who is a deputy foreign minister and the head of a task force to oversee the implementation of the nuclear deal, said on Monday that in the course of the negotiations that culminated in the agreement, Iran managed to set the two issues of the Iranian missile program and that of the nuclear program apart.
He said a previous United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution Resolution 1929 had prohibited Iran from engaging in ballistic missile activities, a prohibition that he said was "dangerous."
"One of our achievements in the JCPOA was that, by whatever means at hand, we managed to end the state of the [Iranian] missile and nuclear [activities] being intertwined," Araqchi said, referring to the nuclear deal by its acronym, which stands for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
"This was a huge feat and took a lot of effort," he said.
The JCPOA was clinched on July 2015 and started being implemented on January 16 this year. Iran's partners are the five permanent members of the UN Security Council the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany, collectively known as the P5+1.
The deal was endorsed by a new UNSC resolution days after being signed. Resolution 2231 was adopted on July 20, 2015 and puts no limits on Iran in terms of missile activities. The resolution merely "calls upon" Iran not to undertake any activity related to missiles "designed to be capable of" delivering nuclear weapons.
Araqchi pointed out that, following Iran's first test-firing of a missile after the deal, US officials acknowledged that the JCPOA had not been breached, testimony to the fact that missile activities were no more associated with the nuclear program by the Americans.
However, he said, the US continued to be "worried about our capabilities."
"Our missile tests were taken to the Security Council, yet, the US failed to get even a press release [let alone a resolution]," the Iranian deputy foreign minister said. "We have pushed them way back."
Araqchi said the United Nations (UN)'s Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon should report on Resolution 2231 every six month, adding that he has drafted a report, which, although not published yet, has been obtained by Iran.
In the report, Ban has pointed to Iran's missile tests and claimed that they are incompatible with the "constructive spirit" of the JCPOA, Araqchi said, adding that this has elicited a harsh response from Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who was the top negotiator at the nuclear talks.
"Mr. Zarif had a very heated telephone conversation with Mr. Ban Ki-moon" the other say, Araqchi said, adding, however, that since the draft was not official, Iran did not take an official stance, either.
Earlier, the Western military alliance of NATO also expressed concern about Iranian missile tests, linking them to Resolution 2231.
Reacting on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi rejected the NATO claim, reiterating once again that Iran's missile program is not in breach of the resolution.
End Item
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Iraqi airstrike kills senior member of Daesh
Iran Press TV
Mon Jul 11, 2016 5:57AM
A high-ranking member of the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group has been killed in an Iraqi airstrike in the province of Salahuddin, north of the capital, Baghdad.
The Iraqi warplanes bombed a position of the terrorist group in the province's city of Shirqat on Sunday, killing Abdul Azim al-Ojeili, who had declared himself the "governor" of Salahuddin, Iraq's al-Forat news agency reported.
According to the report, the air raid also killed 18 other terrorists and destroyed two of their vehicles.
To the west, dozens of Daesh terrorists were killed in Iraqi airstrikes on their positions in the district of al-Karablah in Anbar Province.
Iraqi fighter jets also pounded a Daesh factory for armoring vehicles in the town of al-Qa'im in Anbar, leaving all the terrorists inside dead. Reports did not say how many terrorists were killed.
Meanwhile, Iraq's al-Sumaria news website quoted a local source as saying that more than half of the Daesh terrorists in the city of Hawijah in Kirkuk Province have fled the city as Iraqi security forces are approaching the area.
The unnamed source said on Sunday that some of the terrorists have shaved off their beards and headed toward remote areas as the Iraqi security forces are closing in on the vicinity of the city.
A security source had said on Saturday that Daesh is transferring the families of its commanders from Hawijah to Nineveh.
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. The militants have been committing vicious crimes against all ethnic and religious communities in Iraq, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds, Christians and others.
The Iraqi army together with fighters from the Popular Mobilization units has been engaged in operations to liberate militant-held regions.
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Moscow Slams NATO For Focusing On 'Nonexistent' Russia Threat
July 10, 2016
by RFE/RL
Russia has slammed NATO for focusing on what it called a "nonexistent" threat from Russia at a summit in Warsaw.
During the two-day conference, alliance leaders endorsed new major troop deployments in Eastern Europe in response to Russia's forcible annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and its backing for armed separatists in Ukraine.
"A preliminary analysis of the results of the meeting shows that NATO continues to exist in some sort of military-political looking-glass world," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on July 10.
The statement added: "Contrary to the objective interests of maintaining peace and stability in Europe... the alliance concentrates its efforts on deterring a nonexistent threat from the east."
The spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said in a statement that Moscow will seek explanations for the alliance's plans at a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council on July 13.
The Russian Foreign Ministry also said it will seek explanation from NATO for a Finnish plan to improve air defenses over the Baltic Sea.
NATO has previously said it is looking to step up defense cooperation with Finland and Sweden by way of more joint exercises and increased information-sharing following increased activity by the Russian military in the air and the sea.
Part of the NATO summit, which concluded on July 9, was dominated by the formal authorization of plans for multinational battalions of up to 1,000 troops each to be stationed on a rotating basis in Poland and the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
The battalions will be led by the United States, Canada, Britain, and Germany.
NATO officials termed the deployment a direct response to Russian belligerence and the biggest such move by the alliance since the end of the Cold War.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on July 9 that a "more assertive" Russia has built up its military capabilities, modernized its armed forces, and tripled its defense spending in recent years.
He also said Moscow has been "willing to use military force against neighbors, against Ukraine, illegally annexing Crimea, and destabilizing eastern Ukraine."
With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and TASS
Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/moscow-says-nato- focusing-nonexistent-russia-threat/27850119.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.
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Syria: UN airlifts bring humanitarian lifeline to northeast governorate of Al Hassakeh
11 July 2016 The first United Nations World Food Programme-chartered flight carrying relief aid reached Al Hassakeh Governorate in Syria's northeast over the weekend, an area cut off from food and humanitarian supplies for more than six months.
Road access into the north-eastern area from inside the country has been blocked by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) for more than two years, while the border crossings from the neighbouring countries have been closed since the beginning of 2016.
"These airlifts are a big step forward in the humanitarian response in Syria this year and bring a glimmer of hope to the people of Al Hassakeh Governorate who have survived without a lifeline for far too long," said Jakob Kern, Syria Country Director for the World Food Programme (WFP), noting that the agency's food stocks in the area were exhausted a few weeks ago.
The UN has said that airlifting is not the first choice of method to deliver aid because it is costly, but in the absence of ground access, more air operations have been planned in the recent weeks.
The WFP-chartered plane carried 40 tons of food including rice, bulgur, pulses, salt, vegetable oil and sugar. The agency also sent Plumpy'doz, a specialized nutrition product used to treat and prevent malnutrition in children.
It is estimated that 275,000 people living in many areas in Al Hasskeh Governorate are in need of humanitarian assistance but have been cut off from food and humanitarian supplies for more than six months. Priority is given to more than 75,000 people, mainly displaced families in shelters and unfinished buildings, female-headed households as well as some vulnerable Iraq refugee families in the Hwal camp.
Over the course of a month, the plane will fly at least 25 rotations between Damascus and the area to deliver over 1,000 metric tons of humanitarian cargo including food, nutrition supplies, medicines, as well as items from other humanitarian organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East (GOPA).
Food distributions will be conducted by WFP's partners on the ground in coordination with local relief committees in 35 distribution points around the governorate covering rural and urban areas.
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To the editor:
Well, good for the British. They got tired of an arrogant, overbearing government in a faraway place, and decided to do something about it. I wonder where they got that idea.
The similarities continue long after 1776. Our government today isnt in some other country, but it might as well be. Our ruling elite, who know so much better than we whats good for us, live in their gated communities with their taxpayer-funded security, having no idea what its like in the rest of the country. We have to deal with the consequences of their decisions, they dont. Immigration, whether Muslim or Hispanic, poses no threat to their lives or their jobs.
President Barack Obama came to office on a promise to totally transform the country, and that is one promise he intends to keep. He didnt say exactly how he planned to transform it, and none of the Obamaroids thought to ask. Now we know. Illegals pour across the southern border, bringing disease, crime, drugs and further overloading our already stressed safety nets, schools and hospitals. Muslim refugees pour in, despite warnings by officials that they cant be safely vetted, and despite threats by the Islamic Stateg group that they plan to infiltrate their fighters among the refugees. Taxpayers are footing the bill to raise the fence around the White House, but the man living behind that fence doesnt care who comes into the country. It is insanity.
If we dare complain about any of it, were labeled as Islamophobes and racists, clinging to our guns and religion. Were knuckle-dragging, cousin-marrying hicks who belong in a past age. Well, Im tired of it. Im ready for our president to start lecturing them about clinging to guns and religion. They need the sermons, not us.
Obamas pathological incapacity to deal with reality must come free with an Ivy League law degree. The whole damned bunch in Washington seems to suffer from it. When Nadal Hassan whose business cards read Soldier of Allah shouted Allahu Akbar and opened fire on our soldiers in Fort Hood, our government told us that it was just workplace violence. When the nutcase in Florida opened fire in the gay nightclub, authorities were searching for clues as to the cause. Couldnt quite figure it out.
According to all Democrats, and some Republicans, Donald Trump is the crazy one for suggesting that this just might not be the best idea our government has ever had. Gee, ya think?
Then we had real-life Snakes on a Plane last week. Bill Clinton, whose wife is under FBI investigation for her careless handling of classified information, and who himself is, or should be, under investigation for various contributions (we used to call them bribes) to his foundation, met privately with our attorney general, who is responsible for those investigations.
We live in a Bizzarro world. I think its time for our own Brexit, and the only hope I see is Donald Trump. The rest of them are just part of the problem, and have been for years. Trump may or may not fix it, but none of the others will even try. They like things the way they are.
ROBERT HUDSON
Pelham, North Carolina
The building that will house Overfinch North America the first American location for the British company that enhances Range Rovers into customized, luxury vehicles will be at 500 Stinson Drive in the Danville-Pittsylvania County Regional Industrial Facility Authority-owned Cyber Park.
In a joint news release from the Danville and Pittsylvania County economic development departments regarding Overfinchs investment, it was noted that the building gives this company the flexibility to grow in an existing industrial building or construct a new building as their business grows.
The building was built by RIFA in 2008-09 and sold to Advanced Vehicle Research Center for $94,932, which borrowed $1.6 million from BB&T Collateral Services Corp. to set up the interior of the building and provide start-up capital.
Founder and executive director Dick Dell used the 15,600-square-foot building to expand the North Carolina companys footprint and provide it with a location to do research into alternative-fuel technologies and vehicles.
A natural-terrain track on a 63-acre site behind the building was used for testing manned and unmanned military (the company had a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy) and off-road vehicles.
AVRC also worked with Danville to test how the use of alternative-energy vehicles including solar power would be economically and environmentally feasible in a municipal government setting.
But in 2012, Dell died, followed within weeks of the death of his wife, Sandy. Their deaths threw the company into chaos.
The couples son, Richard Dell Jr., tried to take over the reins but by July 2012 all of the staff had been laid off and he had resigned as president of the company.
BB&T scheduled a foreclosure auction, but despite the auction, AVRC maintained ownership of the building until August 2013, when it sold the building for $525,000 to Daly Management LLC for Patrick Daly Jr.s PDJ Enterprises Inc.
At the time, Daly said his company managed Holiday Inn, Marriott and Hilton hotels in Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Washington as well as Sun Tan City locations in several states.
NextGen Aeronautics Inc. continued to rent space in the building, as it had during the time the building was owned by AVRC.
The Industrial Development Authority of Danville purchased the building for $1.1 million in April, but Daly and NextGen continue to hold leases for office and production areas, according to Kim Custer, special projects assistant in the citys economic development office.
It is expected that the renovations needed to prepare the building for Overfinch will take 60-90 days and hiring will being this fall.
Custer said she does not know if Daly and NextGen will continue to lease space in the building or if they will have to find new rental space when the renovations begin.
High school student Jesse Carey wasnt born yet when Kurt Cobain died, but hes a Nirvana fan all the same. Jesse made a laser engraving of the iconic grunge bands logo on the body of the custom electric guitar he built recently in a class at Danville Community College.
The homeschooled 11th-grader, who lives in Ringgold, is just one of a growing number of music enthusiasts of all ages who now own guitars they built themselves at DCC. The relatively new program touches on woodworking, electronics, music, product design, STEM concepts and more.
Its a project that requires lots of sanding, soldering of wires, and precise measurements in order to transform a plain piece of wood into a functioning instrument, but patience pays off: The result is a truly one-of-a-kind guitar bearing a custom paint job or personalized, intricate engravings lasered into the wood.
A few spots remain in the next electric guitar-building class, which starts Tuesday on DCCs main campus. Taught by Sam Knapp and Dan Wolfe, both musicians themselves, the class will be held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 6 to 9 p.m., through Aug. 16. The $490 cost includes tuition and all materials; and, because the class is offered as non-credit, there is no out-of-state charge for North Carolina residents who sign up. At least one student in the upcoming class is driving from Greensboro, school officials said, and the spring class attracted a father and son who drove all the way from Bassett.
Chad Hall and his 15-year-old son, Christian, who live in Bassett, signed up for the spring class because My wife wanted to get rid of me for two nights a week, Hall joked.
In reality, he said, I thought it would be cool to build a guitar with my son, though the father does not play guitar. The musical genes apparently went to his daughter and son, who both play in the praise band at New Day Church, where Hall pastors. The elder Hall used the laser engraver to etch the churchs logo onto the guitar body, letting the warm golden color of the wood shine through.
Christian, a 10th-grader, was the only one in his class to try the swirl painting method to decorate his instrument. As the other students gathered around outside to watch, Knapp dropped black and white paint droplets on the surface of water filling a large rubber trash can a clean one, of course and used a dowel to swirl the paint. Demonstrating using a piece of scrap wood, he showed Christian how to slowly and carefully dip the guitar and move it side to side to create the swirl pattern. Christian and his classmates seemed to approve of the result. He said he would add it to his instrument collection, which includes three guitars.
Its been fun to help each other and work on these, he said of the class. What surprised him was how much time and effort goes into it, and how careful you have to be.
Another instrument collector taking the class, Gary Johnson of Gretna, already has guitars, a fiddle and a mandolin to his name, but his newest addition is special: He created it with a glossy coat of deep red paint and his initials laser-engraved on the head. He said he would keep it and play it. Its been a fun class. I enjoyed it thoroughly, Johnson said.
GW High School senior Nick Johnson has played guitar for almost three years. His favorite part of the class? I liked the sanding in the beginning, and working on the guitar body.
DCC President Bruce Scism, who also took the class, couldnt pin down a favorite part. Everything, he said. Learning about mounting the frets, shaping the body, installing the electrical components This whole experience has just been tremendous.
Scism, a musician himself, plays in a local trio and even has a woodshop at his home. Getting the hands-on instruction, however, has given me a lot more confidence in building the instruments, he said.
The college launched its electric guitar-building program in the fall in South Boston at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center, and the first Danville session wrapped up this spring. In June, a group of Halifax County High School teachers spent an intense week of their summer vacation at SVHEC building instruments and turning the concepts into creative, hands-on lesson plans to use in their classrooms. By popular demand, another teacher session will be offered in South Boston soon, Knapp said.
HAMPSHIRE, England The Farnborough International Airshow a bi-annual conference of the most advanced international technology companies proved an apt setting for Gov. Terry McAuliffes announcement that UK company Overfinch plans to expand in Danville, Virginia, and create 41 new jobs.
The adverse British weather conditions could not dampen the spirits of the contingency of Danville and Pittsylvania County representatives who joined McAuliffe for the announcement.
Danville City Councilman Sherman Saunders gave an impassioned introduction for the governor, who opened by recapping the progress made in the first leg of this trade mission, during which he signed a defense contract for a cyber company to come to Northern Virginia. However, McAuliffe described todays announcement as the highlight of the trip announcing that Overfinch will create 41 new, high-paying jobs alongside an investment of up to $8.6 million.
McAuliffe thanked the company for investing in Virginia, giving credit to Danville and Pittsylvania County for having the best workforce in the world the hardest working, the most dedicated workers you can find. He said the Commonwealth Opportunity Fund had committed $125,000 to make this deal possible. Evan Feinman, executive director of the Tobacco Commission, announced that the commission was also providing a $275,000 incentive package for Overfinch.
Overfinch CFO Andrew McCarthy followed McAuliffe with a brief history of the company, established in 1975, and explained plans for the expansion. Overfinch North America Inc. will be the first time the company has expanded internationally, with a product development and engineering center based in Danville.
Choosing Danville
Virginia was chosen as the base in part because of its excellent communication links, and McCarthy stated Danville was chosen in particular because of the citys focus on vocational training and education. Theres a real commitment to advanced manufacturing and theyve invested heavily in facilities, training and offering college programs to educate the workforce, he said
The company aims to be operational in Danville by the end of the year, with sustained headcount growth and capital investment thereafter. McCarthy later noted a total $3 million is intended to be invested over a three-year period, alongside the creation of the 41 highly skilled jobs with annual salaries starting between $40,000 and $50,000.
The three-year period has been specifically set up so the company can hire locally, rather than bring in a foreign workforce. Enforcing this point, McCarthy said, We intend to sell most of our vehicles outside the state of Virginia, but the quality, the workforce and the passion behind Overfinch USA will all be Virginian.
The project was put together over six months of cooperation with the economic development teams, which McCarthy noted was key in making their final decision. He said Virginias representatives pushed the envelope in terms of attracting investment, through aggressive thinking, meaningful financial support and action. As a brand synonymous with quality and the highest standards, this was important to us. Ultimately we chose Danville because the team worked so hard to attract us, presented the cities more effectively and made us feel more welcome than anywhere else. We were impressed with their drive, success and achievement and their passion for local community.
The Danville and Pittsylvania County representatives present were delighted by the announcement, and Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jessie Barksdale said what the investment means for the Dan River Region.
Overfinch knows our workforce has the skills needed to meet the demands of the customized luxury car customers, he said, adding My confidence is not only due to the quality and brand recognition of the company itself, but also due to our regions low energy rates, first-class industrial infrastructure, appreciation for manufacturing and a business friendly environment.
Putting together the deal
Barksdale was clear to point out that this was not a project that emerged overnight, and along with other representatives praised the hard work that had come from everyone involved in putting the deal together.
Saunders added after the announcement that, We are very appreciative of Overfinch, our governor, our partnership with Pittsylvania County, and everyone working together to bring jobs to our community. He also praised the partnership work done with Danville Community College and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research that have made the training possible to bring high tech jobs to the city.
This is a great announcement for the city of Danville, its the kind of industry we want to see in the city of Danville high tech, high precision machining, City Manager Ken Larking said. He was especially positive that it would give those studying at Danville Community College an opportunity to stay and work in Danville, at a company who will be taking their skills and using them to the best of their abilities.
This sentiment was shared by Pittsylvania County Economic Development Director Matthew Rowe, who said this validates the investment that both the county and city have put into its workforce programs. Its very rare where you can have two locales work so well to recruit a business.
Telly Tucker, the director of Danville Economic Development, said, I firmly believe that there will be other industries who will take a look at Danville because of the presence of Overfinch. Weve seen their operation both here in London and in Leeds, were confident that they will bring the same level of quality to Danville.
Reflecting the positive sentiments of everyone present at the announcement, Larking said that Credit goes to the Danville City Council for its very innovative and aggressive approach to economic development, and the resources they give our economic development team to be able to bring this exciting announcement to Danville and were looking forward to making future announcements in the next few months.
Bored of menus where garden salad and hot chips are the only vego options? Yellow's truly inventive food will stun you. Photo: Supplied
Bentley - which is Yellow's sister restaurant - serves one of the best vegetarian degustations in Sydney. Photo: Nikki To
Even Buddhist monks dig Loving Hut, a set of vegan-friendly restaurants located in western Sydney. Pictured is the faux pho. Photo: Fiona Morris
Moon Park doesn't make a big about its vegetarian menu - but you should, it's fantastic. The desserts - like the signature Moon Pie - are inspired, too. Photo: Peter Schofield
The Plant Gallery opened earlier this year with a one-of-a-kind menu: raw Peruvian and vegan. Photo: Christopher Pearce
From Mumbai street snacks to Indian-style pizza and beyond, Chatkazz offers subcontinental vegetarian food with a twist. Photo: Fiona Morris
Can you have a cheese-free pizzeria? Gigi has proved it's possible with its surprisingly great vegan slices. Photo: Supplied
Good luck leaving Soul Burger hungry - the menu is full of appetite-filling items. Oh and it happens to be all vegan, too. Photo: Supplied
By day, Two Chaps is a fantastic cafe that doesn't make a big deal about the fact it's vegetarian. Mushroom, haloumi and egg with beetroot relish is on the breakfast menu. Photo: Edwina Pickles
By night, Two Chaps channels Italy and serves brilliant antipasti, foccacia and pasta - such as ravioli with pumpkin, buffalo ricotta, burnt sage butter and walnut aillade. Photo: Supplied
Like Two Chaps, its sister cafe, El Chapel has a meat-free menu. The smaller venue serves purple tacos with prickly pear hot sauce and smoked mozzarella, grilled cheddar baguettes and this chia seed brekkie cup. Photo: Daniel Munoz
Waqu's Japanese menu includes inventive vegetarian-friendly dishes, such as goat's curd with basil sorbet and tomato 'clouds'. Photo: Supplied of
The myth that you'll be penalised for being a vegetarian is thoroughly busted by the many excellent meat-free dining options across Sydney. Here's a preview of the top 10 best vego-friendly restaurants from the upcoming edition of The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2017.
The Bridge Room
At 2016's Restaurant of the Year, chef Ross Lusted uses the charcoal-burn of his robata grill to magnify the flavour of vegies to knockout impact. Cos lettuce that's seductively branded with heavy singe-marks gets extra firepower from smoked enoki mushrooms, and is rounded out with parsley root cream, fennel oil and basil. Slow-roasted beetroot with radicchio butter and sheep's milk curd is outstanding, too.
Ground Level, 44 Bridge Street, Sydney, 02 9247 7000, thebridgeroom.com.au
Chat Kazz
If you're willing to roll with Chat Kazz's semi-eccentric approach, it can be a lot of fun. The all-vegetarian Indian menu is super-charged with a fast-food feel and yep, you can order Tandoori paneer pizza, if that's your thing. Stockpile a basket of savoury Uttapam pancakes, hoard those batter-crisp towers of vegie-stacked jini dosa and (if you're feeling truly adventurous), try a cumin soda.
Shop 4, 14-20 Station Street East, Harris Park, 02 8677 0033, chatkazz.com.au
Gigi
When this popular pizzeria announced its shift to a vegan menu, people treated it like a legit doomsday scenario. Gigi's sceptic-converting menu is full of standouts, though (like cauliflower and artichoke calzone or the surprisingly brilliant Swiss brown mushrooms with radicchio and blue 'cheese'). The pizzeria still boasts Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana endorsement and long queues. The toughest trick here is exercising portion control.
379 King Street, Newtown, 02 9557 2224, gigipizzeria.com.au
Loving Hut
Mock-meat haters might want to step outside, but it's kinda tough to be offended by this cheap-and-fun vegan chain. Even Buddhist monks dig the place (apt, seeing as meat alternatives boast centuries of religious cred). There are plenty of plastic-sleeved pages to browse through, but Viet-style chicken salad, the banh cuon rice noodles, vegan-friendly pho and sweet and sour 'fish' are worth considering.
Shop 6, 18-20 Greenfield Parade, Bankstown, 02 9709 4396; also locations in Cabramatta and Canley Heights, lovinghut.com/au.
Moon Park
You won't see it advertised on its site, but Moon Park's vegetarian menu deserves blazing spotlights and attention - it's one of Sydney's best. A dish plainly described as "corn, tofu, pickled onion and eggplant" has so much dimension, colour, crackle and flavour that it deserves a better PR agent. This Korean one-hatter also applies equal flair to zucchini bulgogi, potato and shiitake pancakes and more. Book in a visit before it (sadly) closes in September.
34B Redfern Street, Redfern, 02 9690 0111, moon-park.com.au
The Plant Gallery
There's no museum wing full of well-framed carrots, but The Plant Gallery's outlook is definitely unconventional. Its opening menu included raw vegan Peruvian dishes such as smoky gazpacho shots, Caesar salad with eggplant bacon and coconut crisps; zucchini spaghetti swirled through with a Romesco-like sauce and an Inca berry cheesecake with orange nut crumble. Order strategically - some dishes have stunt-double similarities.
95 Bondi Road, Bondi, 02 8971 3674, theplantgallery.com.au
Soul Burger
Think vegan food is all saintly greens and weak weapons against hunger? Try this burger joint. You can stuff yourself on its thick-cut herbed fries, coconut ice-cream shakes and impressively convincing plant-based choices (like its battered 'fish' burger with tartar sauce or the classic cheeseburger); you can end up so satisfyingly comatose that a forklift operator will need to move you from the venue.
49 Perouse Road, Randwick, 02 9398 7496, soulburger.com.au
Two Chaps
Here's the venue's double act: the daytime menu has cafe hits (blueberry sourdough crumpets, killer hash browns, excellent baguettes) while the dinner includes Italian winners such as mushroom garlic casarecce with smoked mozzarella. The food is so good you'll need a support group to process the grief that you're physically incapable of eating everything. A sister venue, El Chapel, is located nearby in Enmore.
122 Chapel Street, Marrickville, 02 9572 8858, twochaps.com.au
Waqu
You're not stuck with avocado sushi or miso soup (again) at this Japanese restaurant. Its inspired takes on vego-friendly options include Tomato x Tomato x Tomato (with tomato 'clouds', goat's curd and basil sorbet), while mushroom tempura is teamed with stuffed zucchini flower and a left-field drop of romesco sauce. The caramel-poached apples with candied nuts, baked white chocolate and praline powder is fantastic.
308 Pacific Highway, Crows Nest, 02 9906 7736, waqu.com.au. (Note: Waqu has just closed its Crows Nest location and will be moving to Barangaroo in October.)
Yellow
When this acclaimed restaurant achieved lift-off with its all-vegetarian dinners this year, it did so without a mushroom risotto or cliched meat-free dish. Don't bypass brilliant snacks (such as smoked macadamias or baby corn with almond crunch) or the vegan menu, with its fantastic whipped coconut and carrot sorbet or koji-rich snake bean and black rice. Sister restaurant Bentley serves one of the city's best vego degustations, too.
57 Macleay Street, Potts Point, 02 9332 2344, yellowsydney.com.au
The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide award night, presented by Citi and Vittoria, is on September 5. The Guide will be on sale in newsagents and bookstores from September 6, with all book purchases receiving free access to the new Good Food app.
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By Staff Report
COUNTY COURT-AT-LAW
Judges Penny Roberts
and Ben Nolen presiding
Criminal Docket
Dispositions
Tarecia Renea Martin, 4/73, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful possession of marijuana. She was sentenced to 60 days in jail, fined $300 and her driver's license suspended 6 months.
Jose Luis Torres Jr., 6/89, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while license suspended/invalid. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, fined $100 and his driver's license suspended by law.
Kendall Duane Griffin, 10/67, pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal trespass. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail.
Tarecia Renea Martin, 4/73, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful possession of marijuana. She was sentenced to 90 days in jail, fined $500 and her driver's license suspended 6 months.
Tonya T. Hillegas, 2/67, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful carrying of a weapon. She was sentenced to 75 days in jail (probated 1 year) and fined $200.
William Clayton West, 3/77, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while intoxicated. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail (probated 1 year) and fined $500.
John Eric Juarez, 3/85, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful possession of a controlled substance. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail and his driver's license suspended 1 year.
Amanda Marie Fairchild, 8/77, deferred adjudication on a charge of driving while license suspended/invalid.
Cindy Elsa Grutzmacher, 2/78, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while intoxicated. She was sentenced to 90 days in jail (probated 1 year) and fined $500.
Angelica Minjarez, 9/74, pleaded guilty to a charge of theft, checks. She was sentenced to 60 days in jail and ordered to pay $577 in restitution.
Isiah Lee Gedney, 9/78, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail (probated 1 year) and fined $400.
Paul Nathaniel Green, 9/64, deferred adjudication on a charge of indecent exposure.
Joseph Mark Englert, 5/63, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while license suspended/invalid. He was sentenced to 75 days in jail, fined $300 and his driver's license suspended by law.
Trisha Renee Munoz, 3/82, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while intoxicated. She was sentenced to 120 days in jail (probated 1 year) and fined $600.
Shannon Thrower, 7/79, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while intoxicated. She was sentenced to 180 days in jail (probated 1 year) and fined $500.
Brady Lamar Brazeal, 7/88, deferred adjudication on a charge of criminal mischief.
Richard Luna Gutierrez, 6/62, deferred adjudication on a charge of driving while license suspended/invalid.
Joe Luis Salazar, 1/53, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while intoxicated. He was sentenced to 120 days in jail (probated 18 months), fined $500 and his driver's license suspended 1 year.
Henry Urista Navarro, 11/73, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail and fined $300.
Mario Alberto Pacheco Jr., 1/86, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful possession of marijuana. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail, fined $400 and his driver's license suspended 6 months.
About 'For the Record'
The records in "For the Record" are provided by the Tom Green County justice of the peace, county and district clerks' offices. The Standard-Times publishes all the records it receives from the office and does not edit them for content. Entries involving criminal cases include the defendant's name, date of birth and the charge. Civil dockets involve divorces and lawsuits in which damages are sought.
For corrections or clarifications, please call (325) 659-8252.
Following is a glossary of legal terms in the records.
Arraignment: The calling of an accused person before a court to answer the charge made against him. Typically, pleas are entered and bonds are set at arraignment.
Disposition: The resolution of a case.
Deferred adjudication: A type of probation. If the defendant successfully completes the terms of probation, the proceedings are dismissed.
Probated: A probated jail sentence is not served unless the defendant violates terms of probation.
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By Staff Report
The San Angelo Chamber of Commerce, after a five-month search, has named its new president.
Daniel Koenig of Overland Park, Kansas, a candidate with more than 25 years of community leadership and administrative experience, was chosen for the job, which became vacant after the sudden death of Phil Neighbors in February. Neighbors had been the chamber president for 10 years, and Peggy Arnold has been serving as the interim president since then.
The announcement was made today by chamber board chair Jamie Akin.
Koenig's experience includes two previous chamber presidencies, in Bellevue, Nebraska, from September 1997 to April 2001, and Overland Park from April 2001 to August 2004. For the past 12 years he has served as parish administrator of the Church of the Nativity in Leawood, Kansas, a Catholic church with 2,200 members, dozens of programs, more than 55 employees and an annual budget of $5.5 million.
Overland Park is a community of 166,000 just outside Kansas City; Bellevue Nebraska, lies just outside Omaha and has a population of 75,000. Leawood is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area and has a population of about 31,000.
He is a 1986 graduate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, with a degree in journalism and communications and a minor in business management. He worked as a photographer and reporter for the Council Bluffs, Iowa, Daily Nonpareil, and did freelance work through 1989 for The Associated Press, and during 1987-89 acted as community director for March of Dimes in Omaha.
Koenig also worked as executive president for the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce, director of development for the Heritage Service Foundation in Omaha, a nonprofit involved in operation of several museums, and project information coordinator for the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.
Koenig is also certified by the Institute for Organization Management.
The San Angelo Chamber of Commerce, with more than 1,000 members, celebrated its 100th anniversary this year.
Search Committee Chairman Alvin New said that Koenig was selected after a nationwide search and multiple on-site interviews with applicants.
"It was a pleasure to work with the Search Committee, and we were fortunate to attract some very good candidates," he said.
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By Staff Report
Green's Grocery & Cafe, which tried to carve out a niche as an "old fashioned butcher shop" and serve up fresh food from scratch, has announced it will be closing it's doors at 4240 Southwest Blvd.
The business, which attracted a small, but loyal following, will slowly morph into an online store that caters to wholesale meat sales and special orders on still-to-be-determined specialty items, said Mary Beam, the store's director. No specific closing date has been determined, she added.
"We're in the process of going through our inventory," she said. "We'll close after we exhaust our current inventory. We're continuing to look for community support and hope people continue to see us while remain open.
The store opened Nov. 2, 2014, but struggled to find a sustained customer base, Beam said.
Green's employed more than 100 families who helped grow produce and other goods sold at the grocery store and butcher shop, Beam said. The company is trying to help employees find new employment.
associated press file Donald Trump has raised the possibility that, as president, he would try to "open up" the nation's libel laws to make it easier to sue.
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By Nick Penzenstadler, USA TODAY NETWORK
Say something bad about Donald Trump, and he will frequently threaten to go to court. "I'll sue you" was a Trump mantra long before "Build a wall." But an analysis of about 4,000 lawsuits filed by and against Trump and his companies shows that he rarely follows through with lawsuits over people's words. He has won only one such case, and the ultimate disposition of that is in dispute.
The Republican presidential candidate has threatened political ad makers, a rapper, documentary filmmakers, a Palm Beach civic club's newsletter and the Better Business Bureau for lowering its rating of Trump University. He's vowed to sue multiple news organizations including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and USA TODAY. He didn't follow through with any of those, though he did sue comedian Bill Maher, an author over a single line in a 276-page book, and Miss Pennsylvania.
The threats can be effective. Even the possibility of a lawsuit by a rich, powerful opponent raises the specter of years of expensive and time-consuming litigation. "Plainly, the guy uses lawsuits as a tool of intimidation and doesn't care how much he clogs the courts with nonsense," Maher said in an interview.
Alan Garten, the Trump Organization's general counsel, said Trump the person and Trump the brand are intertwined, which means lawsuits, or the threat of them, are important to insure the name. "My job is to protect my clients and their brand from attacks," Garten said. "To say now he should stop engaging in business or protecting his rights is crazy and inconsistent with the principles of the American people."
He said it's not surprising that few suits have actually been filed. "I'm not aware of many defamation lawsuits we've filed in the last 10 years, because we were able to achieve results without that process," he said. "We've been very effective in using cease-and-desist letters."
Some of the threats come in the heat of the moment on social media. "Watch Kasich squirm if he is not truthful in his negative ads I will sue him just for fun!" Trump tweeted in November about one of his primary opponents, Gov. John Kasich of Ohio. Trump dropped the threat there.
Trump has raised the possibility that, as president, he would try to "open up" the nation's libel laws to make it easier to sue. That's unlikely to happen because standards for libel have been set over decades based on the Constitution, Supreme Court rulings and state laws, and the president has limited authority or influence in those realms, but it's still disconcerting for some who study the media.
"We have a system that worked remarkably well to foster debate and discourse over 50 years. I think we tinker with that at our peril," said Gene Policinski, senior vice president of the Newseum Institute's First Amendment Center in Washington, D.C.
In September, Trump lawyers threatened the conservative Club for Growth with a lawsuit over political television advertisements aired during Iowa's caucuses. A letter from Garten said the commercial's assertion that Trump supports higher taxes was among messages "replete with outright lies, false, defamatory and destructive comments and downright fabrications." It threatened a "multimillion dollar lawsuit" if the organization didn't pull the ads.
Club for Growth attorneys responded by calling it "nonsense" and threatened countersuits for abusive litigation. "We responded with a letter, ran several more ads and never heard from them again," said Doug Sachtleben, Club for Growth spokesman. "We are strong on the First Amendment and free speech and would argue it's best for the voters to see those messages and do their own investigation on their own if they'd like."
Garten acknowledges the strength of the First Amendment, but added, "That doesn't give them the right to misrepresent that facts."
Journalists frequent targets
Both The Washington Post and New York Times have reported receiving threats from Trump lawyers during the campaign, though no suits have been filed. This isn't new: In 1978 the Village Voice reported Trump threatened to sue one of its journalists. In 1990 The Wall Street Journal said the same happened to reporter Neil Barsky for reporting on Trump's business record.
Trump's lawyers threatened to sue USA TODAY in 2012 over a column by newspaper founder Al Neuharth that branded Trump a "clown," noted his casino bankruptcy and said his Trump-branded skyscraper in Tampa, Florida never materialized and was a "parking lot." At the end of the column was a response from Trump because, as was Neuharth's custom, he sent his columns to those mentioned and gave them a chance to respond right next to his words. In this case, Trump's ended with a trademark: "Neuharth is a total loser!" Still, a Trump attorney threatened a lawsuit over a series of telephone calls. Trump never sued.
Winning a libel or defamation case as a public figure is very difficult, but that's sometimes not the end goal, said Larry Rosen, an outside attorney for Trump in New York City. "It's basically firing a shot across the bow and saying, look, you can't just write whatever you want to write," Rosen said. "You have to speak fairly, objectively and can't recklessly disregard the truth."
Twenty-eight states have adopted laws known as "Anti-SLAPP," for strategic lawsuits against public participation aimed at protecting against lawsuits that could chill free speech. Trump already lost one such claim. Tarla Makaeff, a California yoga instructor who is one of the plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit against Trump University, employed an Anti-SLAPP defense in 2014 when Trump countersued her for defamation. A judge ruled in her favor, ordering Trump to pay a $798,000 penalty, although the money won't come until the entire case is resolved.
Trump isn't alone in trying to "hijack the judicial system" to silence critics, said Evan Mascagni, policy director at the Public Participation Project, an advocacy group lobbying for a federal anti-SLAPP law.
"Donald Trump has repeatedly attempted to silence his critics over the years through frivolous lawsuits," said Mascagni, citing Makaeff's winning claim as one example. "If you really examine some of these cases, it becomes pretty obvious that Trump didn't file these suits to seek justice. Rather, he filed them to intimidate, harass and silence his critics."
Libby Handros just last summer got her 1991 documentary "Trump: What's the Deal?" released via iTunes. She said lawsuit threats from Trump's team scared broadcasters from airing it at the time. "The whole episode shows that broadcasters and the media are kind of wimpy," she said. "It was very frustrating that it got dropped." She vows to defend any new legal challenges from Trump herself. Major broadcast networks ABC and the BBC have said they too were threatened over airing different Trump documentaries, but they went ahead and broadcast them anyway.
In October, Trump took offense at a flier distributed by union workers during one of his campaign stops in Las Vegas. The flier's claim: Trump didn't stay at his own hotel during the event. Trump spoke that night at the Tropicana, but his campaign disputes the union's claim that he didn't spend the night at Trump Hotel Las Vegas. Trump and the hotel sued the culinary and bartenders union in federal court.
The suit does not claim libel, slander or defamation, which would require Trump to show that the flier wasn't true and possibly that the union made its statement knowing it was false. Instead, the suit says the fliers violated Trump's trademark by distributing "false and deceptively misleading statements" that could cause "reputational injury" to Trump Hotel Las Vegas. Trump's attorneys claim the hotel "suffered and continues to suffer damages and irreparable injury which cannot be accurately computed at this time."
"This is speech," said Kristin Martin, the Las Vegas attorney representing the unions. "Only a litigious person would file this type of lawsuit. You have to wonder, what are his damages?"
A federal court has yet to rule on a motion to dismiss by Martin. That decision could come this summer.
No joking matter
Trump also went after a frequent critic, HBO's Maher, for $5 million in the wake of a 2013 joke on his show that was reiterated on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno. At the time, Trump was insisting President Barack Obama was not born in the U.S., and Trump wanted Obama to prove otherwise. Maher said on air that he'd give Trump $5 million if he could prove he wasn't the descendant of an orangutan.
Trump's lawyers sent his birth certificate to Maher and demanded the $5 million, which Maher did not pay. Then, after filing a breach of contract in California superior court complete with a copy of his New York birth certificate Trump dropped the effort before it could get to trial. Asked about the case, Trump's attorney Garten said only that "it was withdrawn pretty quickly."
Maher said he's used to death threats and nasty feedback, but the lawsuit was a first. He said he was ready to fight in court. "I think the guy legitimately lashes out at any entity that challenges him," he said.
The case Trump won in court involved former Miss Pennsylvania Sheena Monnin in 2013. When judges eliminated Monnin from Trump's Miss Universe competition, she fired off a Facebook post calling the pageant "rigged" and resigned her state title. Monnin made appearances on national television in the wake of the statements, which eventually were part of the defamation case. Trump on ABC's "Good Morning America" called it "loser's remorse" and on NBC's "Today" show called the allegations "disgraceful."
Trump sued in federal court in New York, and his attorneys successfully argued the organization lost a business contract over the situation. A judge ruled in Trump's favor and ordered Monnin to pay $5 million.
"The extremism of it baffled me," Monnin wrote in a book self-published this summer. "Was I such a threat that it was determined by the opposing side to shut me down and close my mouth from speaking, no matter the cost?"
"Litigation is evidently his business model," said her father, Philip Monnin, who is not an attorney but initially represented her in the dispute. "He comes at you with overwhelming legal force, and as a private citizen you don't have the ability financially or experientially to defend yourself."
Monnin lost a series of appeals, and her family says she ultimately settled the case for an undisclosed amount. Philip Monnin said Sheena didn't pay "a penny" of the $5 million. Trump's attorney, Garten, declined to clarify. "We won the judgment and recovered funds," he said.
Journalist beat Trump over book
In 2006, Trump sued journalist Timothy L. O'Brien over his book "TrumpNation." At the time Trump said he was worth $5 billion or $6 billion, but O'Brien, now an executive editor at Bloomberg, wrote the figure was no more than $250 million. Trump sued in New Jersey and lost on appeal in 2011. The appeals judges found O'Brien didn't act with "actual malice," regardless of whether the book contained false statements.
"We stripped the bark off Trump like an old tree," O'Brien said. His attorney, Mary Jo White, now chairwoman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, was able to use discovery to pry open Trump's financial records via revealing depositions and financial documents.
Still, the legal battle stretched half a decade and if not for legal and financial support from a publisher, could have ended differently, O'Brien said.
"We're in an era where it's very easy for plaintiffs with deep pockets to intimidate defendants in the media," O'Brien said. "Things are always different without resources."
To view an interactive database of the over four thousand lawsuits, please click here.
President Barack Obama makes a statement on the Dallas police shootings Friday after arriving in Warsaw, Poland. Obama will pay tribute to the fallen officers Tuesday in Dallas. Associated Press
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By Kathleen Hennessey, Associated Press
WASHINGTON When he pays tribute to fallen police officers in Dallas on Tuesday, President Barack Obama will be aiming to comfort the mourning and calm the angry.
After a week of rising racial tensions in a restless summer, Obama will step into a storm of strong emotions about race, justice, policing and guns in America. Defusing those tensions will take a deft hand and carefully chosen words, navigating between the opposing pressures of protesters and police, blacks and whites, Republican and Democrats.
For Obama, it's a task he's attempted throughout his presidency with mixed results. He has had to address the nation after violence with exhausting frequency. In speeches in Tucson, Arizona, and Charleston, South Carolina, he's offered lofty rhetoric and emotional release likely to be remembered as pivotal moments in his presidency.
But Obama has had more difficulty positioning himself as a bridge builder, particularly on questions of police tactics and gun control. Despite years of trying to persuade critics, Obama is viewed skeptically by many in law enforcement, and his push for local departments to change their ways has stalled.
As protests over police brutality continue in American cities and the Dallas police department prepares to bury five white officers targeted by a black shooter, Obama's words and actions this week will be closely watched.
COMFORTER IN CHIEF
Obama has had more practice than he'd like in this role. The persistence of mass shootings in America means responding to these events is a new part of life at the White House. For many, he issues a statement. For some, he flies to the scene to visit with families. For a few, he delivers a high-profile speech on the meaning of the moment.
Obama's most memorable of these speeches is likely the eulogy he delivered in Charleston last year, after the shooting at Emanuel AME Church. The speech was largely a sermon on grace, which he described as "that reservoir of goodness." "If we can find that grace, anything is possible. If we can tap that grace, everything can change," Obama said, before breaking out into a solo performance of "Amazing Grace."
BEYOND THE BEER SUMMIT
Obama on Tuesday will tie his condolences to a more specific political issue: The lasting rift between black communities and police.
Obama's approach has evolved dramatically over this presidency. Early in his tenure, he stepped clumsily into a dispute between a white police officer in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and African-American professor Henry Louis Gates.
After saying the police acted "stupidly" in the case, Obama tried to orchestrate a teaching moment by inviting Gates and Sgt. James Crowley to share a beer at the White House.
In recent years, after the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, Obama has chosen his words more carefully.
Esther Cepeda is a Washington Post columnist. Contact her at estherjcepeda@washpost.com.
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It has been nearly a year since the Pew Research Center reported that Asian immigrants are elbowing Latin Americans aside and are projected to become the largest immigrant group by 2055. Policy analysis on the implications of this shift is beginning to trickle out.
There are two important issues that Asian-Americans have been trying to call attention to for years: The harm of the "model minority" myth and the invisibility of various Asian subgroups and their unique needs when they are all grouped together as an "Asian community."
Gerard Robinson, an American Enterprise Institute fellow, recently highlighted how the stereotype of Asian students as academic superstars is not only indeed a myth. It also hides real achievement issues for at-risk populations.
This isn't to say that many Asian students aren't high achievers. As Robinson wrote in "A Tale of Two Disparity Gaps" on the blog of the Brookings Institution, "White students' math and writing SAT scores were 64 and 18 points lower than Asians' in 2015. In fact, the combined SAT score of 1654 for Asians in 2015 saw a 54-point increase since 2006. Whites and others saw a decline during the same time."
The problem is that not all Asian students are alike.
It seems preposterous to even have to articulate this, but much like the so-called Latino community, the U.S. Asian population is wildly diverse in terms of country of origin, immigration status, education level, English-language proficiency and socioeconomic status.
Despite the folklore of the Tiger Mom overscheduling her cubs into success, Robinson notes that "many Asian students struggle in (English-language learning), reading and math classes, including some from higher-income households. In regard to an intra-Asian dynamic, Hmong, Tongan and Vietnamese populations, for example, are among the most poorly educated communities in the United States not just within the Asian community. In fact, some black and Hispanic students outperform these populations as well as some higher-achieving Asian students."
Erroneously assuming that certain groups are high achievers inevitably results in other communities of need getting the short shrift on interventions and supports.
For instance, when policymakers look at the white-minority achievement gap, poor whites who live in the same type of poverty that stunts the academic growth of poor black and Hispanic students tend to get lost in the shuffle.
The blind spot is huge. According to Census figures, there is a 10 percent poverty rate among white non-Hispanics. In raw numbers of people, impoverished whites are approximately twice the size of African-Americans in poverty, the group with the highest rate of economic hardship (25.8 percent).
Similarly, when Asians are seen only as a homogeneous group of academic high achievers and not as a diverse population that includes immigrants from impoverished countries and refugees from war-torn regions those who need support are overlooked. And because Asian students might not be concentrated in highly segregated or impoverished communities and school districts, they're unlikely to be targeted for help the way Hispanic and black students are.
For Asians of all ages, the remedy lies in demographic data disaggregation, a clunky term that has not captured the general population's imagination but is seen as an effective way to change the narrative of the prototypical Asian.
In California, where the Asian-American population grew by 34 percent between 2000 and 2010, Asian-American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander civil rights organizations are advancing a bill that would require California's public institutions of higher education and public health to collect, analyze and report data for up to 42 subgroups of those three broad categories.
Civil rights groups there know that the disparities among national-origin groups are stark. For example, without more nuanced collection and reporting of subgroup data, differences such as those between older adult Chinese and Vietnamese elders (who have the most chronic health conditions) and Japanese elders (who have the least) may potentially mask the reality that Japanese women are nearly twice as likely to die of cancer as Asian Indian women.
Correspondingly, adding more racial subcategories on nationwide standardized tests and breaking out performance data by subgroup could bring to light the diversity of the young Asian population's academic successes and struggles.
Ultimately, fully understanding the fastest-growing racial population in the country isn't some insurmountable dream. It's not rocket science, but it does require a societal will to choose to see this collective of Asian ethnic groups as diverse and multifaceted, rather than as homogeneous and monolithic.
Esther Cepeda's email address is estherjcepeda@washpost.com. Follow her on Twitter, @estherjcepeda. She writes for The Washington Post Writers Group.
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The following editorial appeared in Sunday's Corpus Christi Caller-Times:
Now is the time to exit our silos, our echo chambers. Now is the time to set aside our social and political differences and unite.
If that sounds impossible, surely we all can agree on this much that the Dallas police are both heroes and friends in need.
On Thursday night, Dallas police wore their uniforms to a protest. They didn't wear protective gear because of the symbolic message it would have sent to the protesters, whose grievance was police violence against unarmed people of color. Then the shooting started, killing five officers and wounding six. The police ran toward rather than away from the danger, shielding and redirecting the protesters to safety. Protesters could be heard crying and screaming in anguish that their peaceful protest against police had become a sniper attack. Their concern for the police was as audible as their fear for their lives. The world witnessed it in videos from the shocking scene.
The bonding that occurred in that moment of terror needs to go beyond its immediate participants and it needs to endure. This is the difficult part. The tendency after this kind of event is for people to magnify rather than resolve their differences, to scapegoat to blame the protesters, guns, not enough guns in the right hands, and so on.
This was a gun crime and therefore is bound to spark another gun-control feud. Open carry is legal in Texas, military-style semi-automatic rifles are popular, a man carried one openly at the protest and he wasn't the shooter. Neither did he use his rifle heroically to stop the villain. He proved that a responsible rifle owner can carry one safely in public and that being seen carrying openly wasn't a deterrent this time. Now is a good time for gun control advocates to think about what the controls they seek can accomplish realistically, and for gun rights advocates to reality-check the harm those restrictions would do to them. At the very least, don't dehumanize dead and wounded police officers by turning them into mere talking points.
In this event, the gun was a tool and racial tension was the trigger. The protest was about two recent killings of unarmed black men by police under circumstances suspicious enough that the officers' actions can be condemned without choosing sides against the police.
In the aftermath of those two fresh police-civilian incidents and the Dallas shooting, consider what can be done to make sure that all lives matter. Not using "all lives matter" as a retort to the Black Lives Matter movement would be a start. To say "black lives matter" doesn't imply that all lives don't. Nor is it a demand for special treatment. It's a demand for an end to unfair treatment that the body count proves not to be a figment of black people's imaginations.
Destined to be one of the most memorable images from the Dallas shooting is a photo of a grieving black transit police officer being consoled at an emergency room entrance. Police lives matter, black lives matter, all lives matter. At a time like this, our political and philosophical differences need to matter less. It is no time for political opportunism, for stepping out of the echo chamber just to echo what's inside and ignore what's echoed by the person from the other silo.
Political opportunists already have begun their echoing. We'll deal with them later. Now is a time to show how much each other's lives matter.
For the 2016 presidential primary season, it was the classic and inevitable television "election moment": As the clock ticked past midnight, thousands of Maricopa County, Ariz., voters were still standing in line to cast ballots in Arizona's presidential primary.Longtime County Recorder Helen Purcell soon became the logical "film-at-11" culprit, especially after she'd initially suggested, not implausibly, that nearly 20,000 non-party-affiliated voters who couldn't legally cast ballots in Arizona's closed presidential primary had clogged the lines by showing up anyway on March 22.However, long lines hadn't bedeviled Arizona's other counties on primary day, and a likelier explanation soon emerged. With more than 1.2 million registered Democrats and Republicans, Maricopa County officials, aiming to save taxpayers' money, had opened only 60 polling places. This compared to 200 in the 2012 presidential primary , and it was far fewer than other counties with far smaller populations. "We certainly made bad decisions and didn't anticipate there would be that many people going to the polling places," Purcell later told the. "We were obviously wrong -- that's my fault."But as an elected Republican, Purcell's unfortunate moment in the national spotlight happened to fit conveniently into a larger narrative. Under the guise of fiscal responsibility, wasn't this yet another Machiavellian Republican attempt to disenfranchise or dissuade lots of young, minority and Democratic-leaning voters? Purcell's forthright mea culpa didn't begin to quell the partisan outrage: Democrats accused her of voting suppression, and a U.S. Department of Justice voting-rights investigation was demanded.But is that the real story of Maricopa County's long voting lines? I spent nine years as Oregon's secretary of state, an elected Democrat overseeing an election system whose 36 county clerks were a mixture of elected and appointed officials of both parties (or none). Based largely on that personal experience, and some excellent reporting by the's Rebekah L. Sanders, Maricopa County Democrats' dark assertions seem more like an implausible conspiracy theory than a genuine effort by Republicans to keep Democrats from voting.Purcell's deputy, county Elections Director Karen Osborne, is herself a registered Democrat. When Osborne first unveiled the plan for voting in the primary, it was met with little criticism (or even attention), including from Democrats. And more to the point, it was a reasonable, and even innovative, attempt to deal with one of the most vexing problems of modern election administration.American elections have been getting increasingly complicated and more expensive to administer, especially as voting-access advocates have lobbied successfully for a number of reforms to spur voter turnout. These include online and automatic voter-registration systems; making absentee ballots more available; and opening polls days or even weeks prior to Election Day. Mistakes, and even occasional serious misjudgments, are inevitable.The real culprits in so many "election glitch" stories, including this one, inhabit state capitols and serve as state legislators. They're the ones who enact most substantive election laws -- and then largely insist that elections continue to be financed primarily (or entirely) by local governments. According to a report last month by the National Conference of State Legislatures, only two states, Alaska and Delaware, fully reimburse local governments for all election costs. In most states, including Arizona, local governments bear the lion's share of the bill.When Arizona legislators decided to create a separate, stand-alone presidential primary election, they promised counties full reimbursement. But costs soon outstripped legislative appetites. This year, Maricopa County estimated it would cost about $3.5 million to hold another 200-polling-place election. This was about $1 million more than the state's reimbursement formula allowed.In 2008, more than 400 polling stations had been used for the presidential primary contest. For 2012, the number was cut to 200, and even then many were little used or even empty for long stretches of time. Meanwhile, more and more voters were avoiding polling places altogether, preferring the convenience of mailed-out absentee ballots. This March's long lines obscured that fact that just 88,000 voters (most of them Republicans, by the way) cast their ballots at polling places, while 535,000 (85 percent of the total) used absentee ballots.So further consolidation of polling places certainly made sense. Earlier this year the County Board of Supervisors -- four elected Republicans and one Democrat -- tried to strike an optimal balance between cost and voter access. What emerged was a fairly innovative idea, already used in several other Arizona counties. No longer would voters be required to find their one (and only) correct polling station. Instead, the county would set up 60 much-larger polling places. Voters still could vote near their homes, but they also could cast ballots near their workplaces or where they dropped their kids off to school.With 20/20 electoral hindsight, Maricopa officials obviously failed to strike that optimal balance. A relative handful - maybe a dozen -- of the sites were unexpectedly overloaded with far more voters than projected. Hence some intolerably long lines, and a spate of bad publicity that Arizona's other counties largely avoided.But if anything, most of those other counties arguably failed in the other direction, opening far too many polling places while racking up higher costs than necessary by hiring too many underutilized poll workers. Some polling places were so poorly attended that for much of the day paid poll workers outnumbered voters.Since Maricopa's unwanted moment in the spotlight, thousands of election officials across the country doubtless have uttered their own prayers to the election gods to keep them as far from such notoriety as possible. The message they've gotten from Maricopa is pretty clear. Continuing to spend way too much on poorly attended elections is a lot safer than trying a new approach that might far better serve both voters and taxpayers.This May, Maricopa County held another election involving several statewide ballot measures. Deciding to leave nothing to chance this time, election officials opened almost twice as many voting centers. Just 44,000 voters showed up, half of March's volume, and many polling sites sat empty for long periods.In a country where voter turnout is among the lowest in the world, especially for local elections, we need far more state legislators and election officials willing to try new, innovative approaches. (One obvious one: Legislators should give Maricopa County the freedom, which they now lack, to save even more money by mailing ballots to all registered voters, at least for local and special statewide elections.)So give Maricopa's election officials at least two cheers of praise for getting itright this time -- and some encouragement to continue to try to make voting more accessible as well as more cost-effective for as many voters as possible.
An initiated act aimed at legalizing medical marijuana has been cleared for the Nov. 8 general election ballot, but the proposal faces opposition from three fronts -- the backer of a competing constitutional amendment, a conservative organization and the governor.The Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act received enough valid signatures to appear on the ballot, Melissa Fults, campaign manager for Arkansans for Compassionate Care, said in an interview Thursday. Kerry Baldwin, a spokesman for the secretary of state's office, confirmed that the group did meet the signature threshold. It is the first initiated proposal to clear that hurdle; today is the deadline for submitting petitions for a general election ballot proposal.In an interview, Fults said she planned to spend Thursday celebrating, but she also repeated a call for David Couch, a Little Rock lawyer, to withdraw his Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment. If both proposals appear on the ballot, both will fail, she said."We're not going to give up," Fults said. "We're going to continue to fight."As the news spread Thursday, Jerry Cox, executive director of the Arkansas Family Council Action Committee, vowed to oppose both medical-marijuana measures. In an interview, he said his group will verify petitions, consider making a legal challenge and campaign against both proposals."If we have to battle David and Jerry, we're going to be fighting on two fronts, but the upside is we don't back down, we're not afraid to fight," Fults said. "We have 1,000 volunteers on top of that. You can't buy loyalty."At a news conference, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said he also opposed the measure."I believe that while we want to provide medicine to anyone who needs it, this opens up a lot of doors that causes more problems than it solves," said Hutchinson, a former director of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. attorney and federal homeland security undersecretary. "And we do want to continue to listen to the medical community as what is good medicine and not, so I challenge them to speak up.
In any given month of 2014, at least 2,000 households in the Southeastern U.S. were getting food stamps from more than one state. Public money spent on so-called dual participants represents millions in unintended costs, which is why government officials have long looked for a way to prevent them.Now they might have found it.Five states recently tested a new data-sharing system that lets them check to see whether applicants are already getting food stamps somewhere else. The system, which is updated daily and called the National Accuracy Clearinghouse, saved an estimated $5.6 million in one year.If someone is found to be participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) while trying to apply to it elsewhere, a caseworker is notified and conducts an investigation. Most of the time, people continue to receive their benefits but only in the state where they're actually eligible.The clearinghouse appears to be a modest success that could expand to more states and more welfare programs, such as Medicaid. After joining the system, states saw dramatic declines in the numbers of dual participants -- ranging from 81 percent in Mississippi to 27 percent in Florida, according to a recent report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).The report also reveals that dual participation for food stamps is a rare problem. No more than two-tenths of 1 percent of SNAP users were found to be dual participants. But because so many people get food stamps -- more than 45 million nationwide -- even a fraction of one percent of all recipients translates into millions of dollars in potential savings.Its not chump change by any stretch, said Paul Lefkowitz, a project director with Public Consulting Group, the firm that conducted the research on dual participants for the USDA.One question the report did not answer is why people apply for SNAP in more than one state. According to Lefkowitz, they werent able to quantify how much of the duplication came as a result of intentional gaming of the system. He did, however, come across anecdotal information suggesting that at least some of the dual participation was due to human error.For example, he frequently heard about children who lived with a parent in one state during the school year but with grandparents in another state during the summer. When the families sought SNAP benefits for their kids in the second state, it showed up as dual participation. In cases like these, the children would continue to receive benefits but only in the state where they were living at the time.To call it out-and-out fraud, he said, is probably not an accurate characterization.As with almost anything in fraud prevention, the clearinghouse costs money. States that consider using it will have to weigh whether theyll save enough to make it worthwhile. In the five pilot states, the initial implementation costs ranged from $29,000 in Alabama to $330,000 in Mississippi. After that, the monthly expenses ranged from $5,500 to $22,000, while the monthly savings ranged from $40,000 to $160,000.The five pilot states -- Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi-- are still using the system, and its all but certain that it will spread. Six states are already undergoing free proof of concept testing to see how many dual participants the system can find. Another 29 states are in contact with Mississippi and Lexis Nexis Risk Solutions, the contractor that built the system, about testing in the future.If every state participated, Public Consulting Group estimates that the federal government could save more than $114 million a year.
Going to the hospital is rarely a pleasant experience. In the last few years, though, it's gotten a lot easier to visit an emergency room without ever setting foot in or near a hospital. Easier for some, at least.Freestanding ERs have become a more popular alternative for some to hospital ERs. But while they're more convenient, they often leave patients with surprise medical bills and rarely improve health-care access for the people who need it most.There are currently 360 freestanding ERs in the U.S. -- 60 percent of which are in Colorado, Ohio and Texas.Unlike most urgent care clinics, they're usually open 24/7 and have "emergency" in their titles. The first of them opened in the 1970s as a way to provide emergency care for areas that didn't have a hospital. But in the past decade, entrepreneurs have increasingly established freestanding ERs with a more profit-focused, free-market model of health care. In other words, while most older freestanding ERs accept insurance, many newer ones don't or aren't covered by popular networks.A new study in thealso found that most freestanding ERs are located in areas with more privately insured individuals -- people who, even if they were surprised by a bill, would be more likely to pay in full.They are an extremely innovative model of care, said Jeremiah Schuur, an emergency doctor and lead researcher on the study. Theyve provided the components of emergency care, but without the big, complicated hospital system. But the thing is, our health-care system isnt really a free market. People think of emergency care as a public service. It is the one guaranteed health-care right given to us by law. But thats simply not the case [with most] freestanding ERs."This has been especially apparent in Texas, where 73 percent of all freestanding ERs are private, for-profit entities and the majority of out-of-network claims are filed from a freestanding ER, according to the Texas Association of Health Plans.They can be tricky. Many of them will tell a patient when theyre getting treatment that they accept insurance, but the patient gets a surprise bill down the line because they are out-of-network, said Jamie Dudensing, executive director of Texas Association of Health Plans. They are also typically nicer than your average ER, and its easier to get the care you want. They tend to cater to the consumer."But that added convenience and luxury comes at a price. For example, getting treated at an urgent care clinic for an ear infection will generally run about $100. But at a freestanding ER, that same treatment could cost patients $760.State regulations surrounding freestanding ERs vary wildly.California, for instance, has so many regulations that when you add it all up, it basically requires them to just be a hospital, said Schuur.On the other hand, Colorado and Texas -- which hold most of the country's freestanding ERs -- essentially require just three things: an application, a fee and a transfer agreement with a local hospital.Ohio is a bit more stringent, requiring all freestanding ERs to be hospital-affiliated.Texas, however, is cracking down on the increasingly for-profit industry. The state passed a law last year that requires freestanding ERs to make patients aware that physicians might not be in their health insurance network. And according to Dudensing, the state legislature is expected to take up more patient protection measures in its next session. The aim of future legislation, said Dudensing, is to increase transparency. She's confident that will happen.Consumers want easier access, and they want to be seen that day. It just so happens that the people who can do that are also the most expensive right now. Its all very confusing for consumers, but with time and more laws, itll work itself out."
Gov. Pat McCrory signed a bill on Monday that will preclude police body camera footage from being a public record in North Carolina.The Republican-controlled N.C. General Assembly passed House Bill 972 on June 30 as the 2016 legislative session neared adjournment. The bill, co-sponsored by state Rep. John Faircloth, R-Guilford, of High Point, would set limits on when and how footage and audio from police body cameras could be released by any law enforcement agency in the state.During a signing ceremony with law enforcement officers in Raleigh, McCrory said House Bill 972 will promote public trust while respecting the rights of public safety officers.The law sets up "clear and distinct procedures and standards by which a law enforcement agency may disclose or release a recording from a body-worn or dashboard camera," said the first-term Republican governor.The legislation establishes rules on when and how police body camera footage can be viewed and heard. The recordings could be accessed only by certain parties with the consent of law enforcement agencies or the courts.A representative with the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union objected to the new law."People who are filmed by police body cameras should not have to spend time and money to go to court in order to see that footage. These barriers are significant, and we expect them to drastically reduce any potential this technology had to make law enforcement more accountable to community members," said Susanna Birdsong, policy counsel for the ACLU of North Carolina.Activists gathered outside the governor's mansion in Raleigh this past Friday and Saturday to urge McCrory to veto House Bill 972, said one of the organizers of the campaign, Aneisha McMillan of Fayetteville.The fatal police shootings last week in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Falcon Heights, Minnesota, highlight the need for police body camera recordings to be available to the public following a confrontation, McMillan told told The High Point Enterprise.Faircloth, a former High Point police chief, told The Enterprise last week that the bill is a fair compromise between allowing access to police body camera recordings and protecting evidence in law enforcement investigations.Faircloth attended the signing ceremony of the bill Monday with the governor in Raleigh.
Those considered to be of prime working age are between the ages of 25 and 54.In 2015, an estimated 128 million Americans fell into this age bracket. Over the past five years, Census estimates suggest many areas have experienced notable declines in the prime working age population even though overall numbers have increased slightly. In some places, aging of baby boomers accounts for the decline, while other regions are experiencing outmigration of their young and middle-aged adults.Select a county to view its annual working age population estimates from 2010 through 2015:
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GIS - 12 July, 2016: The Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) is called upon to look into innovative ways and means of further reducing the cost of doing business so as to promote trade, businesses and embark on a higher economic growth path and also position Mauritius among the top 10 countries on the Ease of Doing Business. The Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) is called upon to look into innovative ways and means of further reducing the cost of doing business so as to promote trade, businesses and embark on a higher economic growth path and also position Mauritius among the top 10 countries on the Ease of Doing Business.
This statement was made by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Jugnauth, yesterday in the context of the celebrations marking the 10th anniversary of the MRA at the Intercontinental Hotel, Balaclava.
Minister Pravind Jugnauth, underlined that the MRA remains a strategic partner for the Government in the wake of the urgent socio-economic transformation of the country not only in terms of raising optimal revenue to finance public policies and economic development but also in providing to the public a living example of a most successful re-engineering of public sector institutions.
He further emphasised the importance of ICT to raise efficiency and improve delivery of public services while at the same expressing his concerns with regards to the rising public debt, which he said is the biggest challenge confronting fiscal policy. Measured in accordance with the Public Debt Management Act, public sector debt has reached 56.4% of GDP as at 30th of June 2016, compared to 55.6% last year.
Hence, he added the challenge is in the arbitrage for the allocation of resources, for investment in public infrastructure, while at the same time addressing the needs of the poor and the vulnerable groups. To this effect, he pointed out that the forthcoming budget will contain several initiatives for modernising public management system as well as strengthening accountability, transparency and fiscal discipline.
The Finance Minister also spoke on the fair jurisdiction and simple and transparent taxation system in Mauritius whereby he added that the tax rates are very competitive and that the tax burden on the population is among the lowest - at less than 20% of GDP compared to over 30% for upper middle income and 35% for advanced economies.
He further appealed to the MRA to pursue its efforts to bring taxpayers to fulfil their tax obligations and also to change the citizens attitude to taxation through education and communication while at the same respecting the rights of tax payers. With regards to Customs he called for a close cooperation between MRA customs, Police and Fisheries to prevent the entry of drugs in our country and combat smuggling, narcotics and duty evasion.
Minister Pravind Jugnauth reiterated his motto which is to strive for excellence in fulfilling our main roles and responsibilities so as to take the country to new heights. It is the bold, innovative and visionary actions that we take today that shall determine the legacy that we shall leave to our children tomorrow, he concluded.
Since its inception in 2006, the MRA has continuously modernised tax administration, enhanced voluntary compliance and improved revenue collection for the State.
During the fiscal year 2015-16, the MRA collected some Rs 70 billion revenue from tax. Another Rs 8 billion have been collected by the Registrar-Generals Department and other agencies. Government also received a further Rs 12 billion of revenue from property income, dividends, user charges, fines. Total Government revenue collection for the last fiscal year aggregated to Rs 90 billion.
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GIS - 12 July, 2016: The National Coast Guard (NCG) will be celebrating its 29th Anniversary on 24 July 2016. To mark this event, a number of activities will be conducted throughout the island to reflect the spirit and values of the Mauritius Police Force and the NCG. The National Coast Guard (NCG) will be celebrating its 29Anniversary on 24July 2016. To mark this event, a number of activities will be conducted throughout the island to reflect the spirit and values of the Mauritius Police Force and the NCG.
From 11 to 18 July, the NCG is targeting various stakeholders as regards to basic safety and security precautions when at sea and on beaches in line with the vision of the Police force With you, making Mauritius safer.
The headlight event will be a formal Division, comprising of two Guards of Honour, at the headquarters of the NGG at Les Salines on 22 July. The Commissioner of Police will take the Salute. On the same occasion an award of commendation certificate will be presented to NCG Officers whose performances have been outstanding throughout the preceding year.
The programme also comprises the cleaning of lagoons around the island on 18 July so as to ensure a safer, greener and eco-friendly environment. Moreover the NCG Northern Area will clean Flat Island with the assistance of Trainee Police Constables of the NCG.
Two blood donation camps on 21 July (one at Mahebourg Waterfront and one at the headquarters of the NCG at Les Salines) and the distribution of food to needy people at registered institutions, will add to the social dimension of the event.
On 23 and 24 July, the ships of the NCG will be open to members of the public from 10 hrs to 15 hrs.
The celebration programme also includes a family element, with a sea trip on the Interceptor Boats for families of NCG officers on 15 July, as well as an open day for families of Police and NCG officers on 17 July where they will be able to visit the ships of the NCG as well as the aircrafts of the Maritime Air Squadron in Plaisance.
Moreover, children of Police Officers aged from 12 to 15 years will be initiated to scuba diving during a five-day training course (16- 21 July).
The National Coast Guard
Set up in July 1987, the NCG has not only grown in years but has also enhanced its daily functioning with training manpower and consolidation of expertise.
The NCG comprises 21 posts around Mauritius and one in Rodrigues. It also operates two posts in St Brandon and one in Agalega. The No 1 Patrol Vessel Squadron is composed of CGS Barracuda, CGS Guardian, CGS Rescuer, CGS retriever and CGS Observer. The Air Wing of the NCG comprises three aircrafts.
The Unit aims not only at maintaining the sanctity of the vast expanse of the EEZ of 2.3 million sq kms but has also the responsibility of the search and rescue region which is of nearly 5 million sq kms. Besides policing the EEZ and search and rescue, other operations such as pollution control, casualty evacuation from outer islands, anti-drug and smuggling activities, maritime rescue coordination are carried out by officers of the NCG.
The NCG regularly undertakes joint exercises with the naval forces of countries such as India, France, USA, and South Africa amongst others. These joint exercises help in streamlining search and rescue procedures and other maritime aspects in conducting such operations.
In the local community context, the NCG enhances its relation with the public by actively participating in sensitisation campaigns, blood donations, security week/days, and cleaning campaigns of beaches.
(TNS) -- Mary Shofer could do anything. At least, that's what she thought.She and her husband opened a tire business down the road from the family's Shofer's Furniture on South Charles Street in Baltimore. When Shofer was widowed in 1977, she insisted on living independently. She joined a gym at 102 years old.But a bad fall in her late 90s that left her stranded on the floor for hours proved that even a silver superwoman like Shofer sometimes needs help.Inspired by his grandmother's fierce independence but fearful for her safety, Paul Merenbloom set out to find a way for seniors to live on their own while offering family members a way to ensure they are well without being pesky or invading privacy.In June, Merenbloom's company, Concordia Systems, launched its software program, which uses the motion sensor data from home security systems to track seniors' activity. Family members can stay abreast of their relative's health through the program's mobile application."They break all of the old molds," Merenbloom said of today's seniors. "Now the question is, 'How do we adapt and support them?'"With the SentinelCare system, Baltimore-based Concordia taps into the $300 billion and growing elder care market.As the baby boomer generation ages, their health-care costs mount, straining their savings and public support programs, which, in turn, puts emotional and financial pressure on families who take on the responsibility of caring for elderly relatives. There is enormous opportunity for businesses that help address these challenges and perhaps reduce the ballooning cost of care."We're in the early innings of a revolution in new products and services to not just serve older adults, but do things like keep families connected, monitor them as they age," said Paul Irving, chairman of the Milken Institute's Center for the Future of Aging.Concordia's SentinelCare system learns people's daily routines and sends alerts when something seems amiss, so that family members can respond quickly to emergencies and be alerted to potential health problems.For example, sensors can tell if Grandma never got up from bed this morning, hasn't come out from the bathroom a sign of a potential fall in the tub or hasn't opened the cabinet that holds the medication she's supposed to take twice daily.In Shofer's case, the system helped make her caregiver aware of a urinary tract infection, flagging her repeat trips to the restroom as unusual activity, Merenbloom said."It's having an extra set of eyes to identify things you wouldn't otherwise see and aren't necessarily looking for," he said.Concordia's monitoring service, which costs about $45 a month, only works in tandem with an existing home security system with motion sensors in almost every room. Such systems vary in cost depending on the home's size.The need for a security system makes SentinelCare a business opportunity for security companies, too.Vintage Security, a Jessup-based subsidiary of Protection 1 Security Solutions, partnered with Concordia and is offering a 20 percent discount on its home security systems to people who also buy SentinelCare.Charles Gerringer, a residential sales manager for Vintage, said installation would cost about $1,500 for a typical home, plus monthly monitoring fees.Vintage agreed to partner with Concordia as a way to meet demand from customers asking for this type of service."We weren't exactly sure how to do it because we're a traditional alarm company this is new for us," Gerringer said. "This kind of gave us an opportunity to dip our feet into this area and expand our customer base."Vintage has about 18,000 security customers in Maryland and Northern Virginia, and Gerringer thinks the Concordia partnership could eventually expand its customer base by up to 20 percent.Concordia isn't the first to use sensor technology to address seniors' health care problems.Minnesota-based Healthsense has raised millions of dollars to develop remote monitoring systems for seniors. It's already deployed its system for assisted-living facilities and is working with home care companies on home-based monitoring. In a pilot study, Healthsense said its early-detection system reduced hospitalizations by 7 percent and emergency room visits by 38 percent.It's also secured a joint federal grant with the University of Nebraska to study whether its remote monitoring system can benefit people with dementia, who typically need more intensive oversight.And in May, national senior care franchise Right at Home partnered with Royal Philips on a sensor-based home monitoring system that it began rolling out in 25 U.S. markets last month.
(TNS) -- Starting with his very first interview for the job of president of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, Zach Brandon made it clear: His was not a traditional plan.Rather than focus solely on established businesses, Brandon wanted to embrace start-ups, the "scalable and salable" companies, as he called them.Some called it a flash-in-the-pan strategy. They criticized how he never even mentioned major local employer Oscar Mayer in his vision statement.But four years later, as Oscar Mayer is closing its Madison plant and moving 1,000 jobs out of town, Brandon's strategy is looking more and more on target. He says start-ups and technology companies have accounted for about 25% of the Madison chamber's new memberships since he took the top job in 2012."Madison's self concept is starting to change because the chamber decided we can't follow the business community, we have to lead it," Brandon said.Now he wants to get the rest of Wisconsin involved.Brandon, who previously headed the Wisconsin Angel Network and was deputy secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, has been handing out copies of Steve Case's new book, " The Third Wave: An Entrepreneur's Vision of the Future ." The first 450 registrants for the chamber's annual Icebreaker lunch in April, where Case was the keynote speaker, received the book for free.Case, co-founder of America Online, suggests the United States is entering a new chapter in the history of its economy, a third wave, during which entrepreneurs will leverage the internet to challenge and disrupt the world's largest industries, such as health, education, transportation, energy and food. They won't do it by simply building new apps; they will have to build partnerships across sectors, navigate the policy landscape and overcome formidable barriers to entry, Case says.Madison has a running start toward this third wave. While the state lost 40,000 millennials during the past decade, Madison gained 10,000, Brandon said.The city is home to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which regularly ranks among the top five schools in the country for research spending. Madison ranked 14th in the nation for venture capital per capita, the highest ranking in the Midwest, according to an analysis earlier this year by urban policy expert Richard Florida and an associate. And Madison was the 11th "most prosperous" among the nation's 100 largest cities in a recent analysis by the Economic Innovation Group.However, it will require more than Madison for Wisconsin to truly participate in the third wave, Brandon said.A case in point: the "health highway" the almost 100 companies between Madison and Milwaukee that Brandon says are operating in the health data space.Madison has the second-highest density of software publishing jobs in the country, he said. Add in Milwaukee, and the 68 miles between the two cities has 3.8% of the country's software publishing jobs. That concentration is nearly as high as Wisconsin's 4% share of the nation's agricultural jobs, and it tops the state's 3.7% share of the country's manufacturing jobs, he said."If that 68 miles were anywhere else in the country, it would be on the cover of Site Selection magazine," Brandon said.Brandon has shown the software publishing data to Gov. Scott Walker. Brandon informed Walker that 23,000 new jobs have been added in Madison's growing innovation clusters during the past 10 years, including 8,677 in biomedical/biotech and 7,287 in information technology. Brandon successfully prodded Walker to tour Epic Systems, the industry-leading medical records software maker that was started by a UW-Madison computer science professor.Brandon plans to share his vision with state legislators. He has talked with other local chambers around the state. The Waukesha County Business Alliance asked him to be the keynote speaker at its inaugural emerging-leaders award breakfast in May."He's a great example of an emerging leader and has a tremendous background," said Amanda Payne, vice president of public policy for the Waukesha agency.According to Brandon's playbook, Madison needs to build a business brand that sells itself not only to the world, but to the rest of the state. There needs to be, as well, a greater appreciation for the key role of UW-Madison, Wisconsin's flagship research university.The role of a large research university, like the role of Milwaukee in its heyday as toolmaker to the world, is not to solve a state's economic problems."It's to solve the world's problems then you'll have products, services and technologies the world wants, and the money will come," Brandon said. "If our role is just to solve problems within our borders, then it's a slide downward."Brandon represents a new generation of business leaders, said Jay Loewi, chief executive officer of The QTI Group Inc., who headed the search committee for Brandon's position. Brandon has shined a spotlight on the start-up community, bringing a broader understanding of its size and scope. And he has helped established businesses and start-ups realize that they need each other, Loewi said."It's a circle, and you can't be missing a wedge from that circle, otherwise things don't go around," Loewi said.Oscar Mayer was a "workhorse" in the Madison ecosystem for years, said Gary Wolter, top executive at Madison Gas and Electric and a member of the search committee that selected Brandon. Now, with Oscar Mayer leaving, the community is focusing on discovering the city's future workhorses, Wolter said."We have a lot of creative energy, and taking advantage of that and helping young entrepreneurs commercialize their ideas are good things and necessary for the community," Wolter said.The chamber's events have become more thought-provoking, too, Wolter said. Recent speakers have included J.B. Pritzker, who is behind many of Chicago's entrepreneurial efforts; Case, discussing his "Third Wave" theory; Steve Johnson, presenter of the "How We Got to Now" PBS series that explored the legacy of great ideas; and Richard Reeves, who talks about social mobility and the need for an inclusive economy."Once you start introducing people who think about the world differently, it builds upon itself, and you start ingraining new ideas and creative thinking into the entire community," Wolter said.It will take collaboration and rethinking, but Wisconsin has the ability to brand itself as an entrepreneurial state, Brandon said. For that to happen, different factions need to come together, and Milwaukee, in particular, needs to expand its entrepreneurial ecosystem, Brandon said."We're in the right place at the right time with the right set of industries," he said. "But if we don't act, it's ours to lose.""Madison's self concept is starting to change because the chamber decided we can't follow the business community, we have to lead it," Brandon said.
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Judge David Delsman on Tuesday found Lebanon resident David Arthur Nyquist guilty of second-degree assault, fleeing in a vehicle and on foot, reckless endangerment and reckless driving.
The sentencing, which capped a two-day trial, stems from events on May 7, when authorities were alerted that a female assault victim had been treated at the Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital emergency room at about 3:50 p.m.
A Linn County deputy later spotted Nyquists vehicle at about 2 a.m. the next morning in the 500 block of Santiam Highway in Lebanon, and police chased the vehicle through town, according to police logs.
At the final day of the trial, Linn County Prosecutor Coleen Cerda asked for enhanced sentencing in light of Nyquist's criminal past. He faced attempted murder and other charges in a 2002 case from Linn County, but he was found guilty by a jury of first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and felon in possession of a firearm.
Delsman granted Cerda enhanced sentencing, and also agreed that the assault charge is separate from the elude charges. What that ruling does is allow Cerda to seek two consecutive sentences. The ruling for enhancement factors also moves the crimes above measure 11 sentencing.
The result for Nyquist is that when he is sentenced Aug. 25, he'll face a possibility of 70 months in prison for the assault conviction, and 11 months for the elude convictions.
Under the agreement, Ballard will license the designs of its 1.7 and 5 kilowatt FCgen H2PM systems to Synergy for manufacture in the City of Yunfu in Guangdong Province and exclusive sales in China. Synergy has paid Ballard an upfront Technology Solutions fee of $2.5 million for the license and related technology services and will make additional recurring payments to Ballard for each unit sold, subject to annual minimums. Ballard will also be the exclusive supplier of air-cooled fuel cell stacks to Synergy for use in the FCgen-H2PM systems that it produces and sells.
Ballard recently sold its methanol Telecom Backup Power business assets to Chung-Hsin Electric & Machinery Manufacturing Corporation (CHEM) for a purchase price of up to $6.1 million, while retaining the companys direct hydrogen fuel cell backup power system assets. The direct hydrogen fuel cell backup power system has since been rebranded FCgen-H2PM. In the transaction with CHEM, Ballard also signed a fuel cell stack supply agreement with CHEM which includes minimum sales of $2 million.
China Tower Corporation is a joint venture established in 2015 through the consolidation of $36 billion in network infrastructure of three telecom operators: China Mobile; China Unicom; and China Telecom. China Tower Corporation provides construction, maintenance and operations services for this consolidation of telecommunication towers and ancillary facilities.
Ballard and Synergy have previously signed a number of deals. These include licensing and equipment supply agreements for fuel cell power modules, parts kits and stacks for buses in China. The largest-ever fuel cell bus agreement, to support the deployment of 300 buses in the cities of Foshan and Yunfu, was signed by Ballard and Synergy in 2015.
The Guilford County Board of Education encourages Gov. Pat McCrory to veto the Achievement School District bill (HB 1080) when it reaches his desk.
Research conducted by our 11-member board indicates that this bill, designed to take low-performing public schools out of the hands of locally elected officials and turn them over to charter operators, is destined to be an exercise in futility that will put struggling students even further behind.
The proposed district is risky and expensive; it fails to improve student growth and performance; it lacks accountability and will bring more uncertainty and less stability to poverty-ridden schools and communities already teetering on the brink.
Similar attempts to establish achievement districts in Tennessee, Louisiana and Michigan have been unsuccessful, mainly because using this one-sized-fits-all approach does not help when schools are failing for different reasons, including but not limited to overcrowding, poverty, inadequate resources, inexperienced teachers, high staff turnover and student mobility rates, and other concerns typically associated with struggling schools.
Chris Barbic, who recently resigned his position as the superintendent of the Tennessee Achievement District, notes that achieving positive results in a zoned neighborhood school environment is much harder than in start-from-scratch charters. Challenging students such as exceptional children, students with disabilities and poor students whose families cannot afford to provide transportation to and from school have already been weeded out of existing charters.
We see this in Guilford County Schools. Prior to state testing each spring, we enroll students who have been asked to leave their local charter schools, typically because the students are struggling academically, socially, emotionally, behaviorally, or some combination of these issues. Others require special education or English as a Second Language services typically not provided by charter schools. In 2016, for example, we received 10 such students from a local charter school just two weeks before school ended. Last year, two failing seniors were sent back to GCS during high school graduation season.
Not surprisingly, given this context, state takeovers of struggling schools have been ineffective in many parts of the country. According to researchers at Vanderbilt Universitys Peabody School of Education, ASD data shows declining proficiency in some Tennessee schools, with reading scores actually plummeting by 4.5 percent after three years. Research studies cited in The Hechinger Report (Oct 19, 2015) point out that after years of experimenting with achievement districts, Michigan educators found its average ACT score is 13.7, which is well below the national average, and that after a decade of state -operated charter schools, Louisianas performance data shows only mixed results.
Why run the risk of putting low performing schools in the hands of for-profit entities that have no experience running highly impacted schools? Former ASD Superintendent Barbic maintains that there are not a lot of great charter operators to begin with. Giving private operators the flexibility to select staff and develop curriculum without oversight while requiring only limited accountability for student growth and budgetary transparency will make Norths Carolina s Achievement District ripe for failure and fertile ground for the kind of corrupt and fraudulent practices we have seen in Michigan and other states.
Why waste the taxpayers money on a failed achievement model that leaves schools open to inexperienced operators, declining achievement and fraudulent irregularities. Why allow our states children to fall victim to yet another educational experiment that is neither well thought out nor data driven?
As a Board of Education, we ask the governor to veto the Achievement School District bill (HB 1080) and recommend that the State of North Carolina fully fund the Turning Around North Carolina's Lowest-Achieving Schools (TALAS) model already in place at the Department of Public Instruction. TALASs proven remedies for success universal pre-kindergarten, wrap around services, smaller class sizes, access to high quality instructional materials and one-on-one instruction for struggling readers remain the best approach for increasing student proficiency and promoting student growth. Local parent and community engagement and buy-in also are critically important.
GCS has had success using this research-based approach; unfortunately, when funding dries up and the additional student and school supports are eliminated, student achievement tends to backslide to previous levels. Educators cannot do this alone; working together, however, we can improve student learning and life outcomes for all students. As our new superintendent, Dr. Sharon Contreras has stated, The best way to close the achievement gap is to prevent it from happening in the first place.
North Carolinians know about the immediate economic fallout from HB 2 the so-called bathroom bill as performers, businesses and governments have ruled out coming here.
As a small-business owner, I want to tell you how much worse the damage really is ... for all of us.
Right up until the passage of HB 2, my arts-related business had been growing steadily; first-quarter sales of my ceramics were up over 40 percent from last year.
I planned to hire a second employee and had begun building a new studio.
That came to a screeching halt in late March with the bills passage.
Sales for the next three months fell by 30 percent. My own state government did what a major recession, two presidential election cycles and road construction outside my shop failed to do: Make me lose money. Most of my fellow small-business owners report similar drop-offs.
If you dont own a tourist- or arts-related business, you may think this situation doesnt touch you, but it does. Not only are my tax payments to North Carolina falling sharply, but my own spending is way down. I wont be adding an employee and may curtail the second studio.
I must put off buying new truck tires, will postpone dental work and have to stop dining out as much. Those businesses get hurt, too. The ripple effects are catastrophic.
Gov. Pat McCrory and other state lawmakers have had many opportunities to substantially change or eliminate HB 2, and they repeatedly declined.
Now its time to put North Carolina back in business by changing our state leadership.
The two-day trial of a Lebanon man accused of second-degree assault and leading police on a car chase in May began in Linn County Circuit Court on Monday morning.
David Arthur Nyquist, 43, argued with a woman he was dating because she wouldnt give him money, then punched her in the face, and the blow was so strong it fractured bones near her eye, said Prosecutor Coleen Cerda, during opening arguments in the case.
The victim needed reconstructive surgery. She still has substantial bruising to her eye and she still has vision difficulties to this day, Cerda said.
Nyquist also poked and scratched at the womans eyes, she said.
When the victim convinced Nyquist to take her to Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital, He tells her to tell hospital staff that her injury was caused by a horse kicking her, Cerda added.
Instead, the woman told medical workers about the alleged assault, and Linn County Sheriffs Office deputies responded.
Hours later, one of the lawmen noticed the victims car, which Nyquist had been driving, in the hospital parking lot. When (the deputy) approaches the vehicle, the defendant hits the gas and hes gone, Cerda said.
Nyquist allegedly drove through stop signs and red lights, as well as over curbs and through yards. He stopped after he crashed into a fence, then ran from police on foot and initially eluded them before being apprehended.
There is no jury during the court trial, and instead, Judge David Delsman will determine the verdict.
Defense attorney Keith Rohrbough made no opening argument.
Besides second-degree assault, Nyquist is charged with felony attempt to elude (by vehicle), misdemeanor attempt to elude (on foot), recklessly endangering another person, reckless driving and second-degree criminal mischief.
Second-degree assault carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of nearly six years in prison.
The state is seeking an enhanced sentence in the case based on, among other factors, Nyquist being on post-prison supervision for a similar offense at the time of the alleged crimes.
Nyquist faced attempted murder and other charges in a 2002 case from Linn County, but he was found guilty by a jury of first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and felon in possession of a firearm.
Kathe Lathams letter of July 4 is typical of the liberal mindset that has crippled America. Smother them with love seems to be the liberals answer to everything, including barbaric Islamic terrorism. So Omar Mateen didnt get a daily hug and a participation trophy when he was a child, and this drove him to slaughter 49 innocent people in an Orlando nightclub? Ditto Adam Lanza, Nidal Hasan and James Holmes?
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GREENWICH State representative candidate Dita Bhargava is formally launching her campaign on Sunday and will start it with an endorsement from U.S. Rep. Jim Himes.
Himes, who is also on the ballot this fall as he seeks a fifth term in Congress, will be giving his support to the political newcomer at an event at her home starting at 10 a.m. on July 17.
Bhargava said she was happy to have both Himes and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthals support as she begins her campaign in town. She has already started knocking on doors in the district.
I think its fantastic, Bhargava said. Im very happy that our senior leaders, who I have a lot of respect for, have confidence in me.
A Democrat, Bhargava is seeking to break the longtime Republican lock on Greenwichs seats in the state legislature. She is running against longtime state Rep. Fred Camillo (R-151st), who is seeking his sixth term.
Himes said he was familiar with Bharagava before she declared her candidacy, calling her one of the leading voices in the Indian American community in Fairfield County.
Shes a really strong go-getter, Himes said. Shes an impressive candidate for office with a great life story and Im happy to support her.
Himes, a town resident and former head of the Greenwich Democratic Town Committee, said he realizes how hard it is for Democrats to win in Greenwich, where Republicans still enjoy a significant advantage in registered voters.
But Himes noted his own town victory in 2012 and the election of Democratic First Selectman Richard Bergstresser in 2000. State legislature races in 2004 and 2014 where, respectively, Democrats Edward Krumeich and Jill Oberlander came close to victory, also meant things might be changing.
Things are moving forward for Democrats in Greenwich when were able to offer excellent candidates like Dita, Himes said. People will look at her and see a very thoughtful and well-spoken Democrat.
Camillo said he was not doing a formal campaign kick-off, preferring to spend time in the community as much as possible.
Still, at the end of a two-year term, you find out from the voters whether or not they like having you as their voice at the Capitol, so I never take their support for granted, Camillo said. I love my home district and hear from people every day on local, state, and even federal issues.
Camillo said he voters remain frustrated with the states direction.
Everything from frustration with one party rule in the state, high taxes, and government over-regulation to things such as replacing light poles and helping them resolve issues with state agencies and departments are part of my daily conversations, Camillo said he had heard.
It is a great honor to be their voice in Hartford, and I will work very hard to again earn their support to continue my work on financial reform, economic development, public safety, and animal welfare, with special focus on getting my legislation regarding the protection of off duty police officers to the governor's desk, he said
Bhargava said she was eager to get out on the trail.
I look forward to meeting voters and sharing my vision for Connecticuts future, she said. Connecticut needs a plan to secure our economic prosperity and enhance the quality of life for our families. I encourage anyone whos interested in change to attend our event and let me know what matters most to them in this election.
Himes has his own race in the fall against Republican challenger John Shaban (R-135th).
DTC Chairman Jeff Ramer said he believed the more people get to know Bhargava, the more impressed they will be with her. He said Himes and Bhargava had sat down for a series of conversations about issues confronting the state and country.
Dita is astonishingly smart and focused, Ramer said. She has set aside a successful Wall Street career to apply her considerable talents to public service. Jim has endorsed her because he sees that she brings fresh ideas and the drive to make a difference.
Ramer said that as part of the campaign, Bhargava will hold a series of coffees around the community to introduce herself to the voters.
kborsuk@scni.com
Thumbs down to fire safety violations turning up in all of the Greenwich public schools. Obstructed exits and flammable artwork were among the offenses. That said, the perfect inspection is a challenging goal, and the facilities director for the school system reports that there has been a downward trend in violations in recent years. We encourage school officials to discuss the violations openly with stakeholders to get on top of the problems immediately. This issue is so much more important than merely passing an inspection.
Thumbs up to Richard Cochran, who recently retired as a lieutenant in the Greenwich Police Department after a 35-year-career. Cochran has had an exemplary career, gaining considerable attention in the public eye as the towns first canine officer, and out of the public eye for his work with domestic violence victims. Were happy to see that he will continue to occasionally assist at special events as a special police officer.
Sept. 18, 1945 Nov. 28, 2015
Raymond H. Broomfield passed away at Albany General Hospital on November 28, 2015. Ray was born September 18, 1945, in Ogden, Utah to William and Ruby (Smalley) Broomfield. His family moved to the Willamette Valley when Ray was a child. He attended schools in Molalla and graduated from Molalla High In 1964. It was there that he met his wife, Marilyn. After high school, he enlisted in the Air Force where he was trained for the medical field. He spent time in California, Viet Nam and Germany. After discharge, he worked as an electronics technician for several years before going back to school to become a Paramedic. He worked for about 2 years in the Portland area for private ambulances before getting hired by Albany Fire Department.
It seems like every week brings more news of trouble in Rio.
The run-up to the Winter Olympics in Sochi were hardly rosy, but the problems in Brazil go beyond infrastructure. There are health concerns, safety concerns and dead bodies washing up on popular beaches.
The Taiwanese-American Big Chicken Bun at Win Son. Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine
If you thought New York held no new surprises in the realm of discount dining, this years edition of the budget-gourmet guide will set you straight. We have seen a distinct upswing in national pride in the celebration of American regional cuisines, and have greeted the tasty arrivals of Detroit-style pizza, Hawaiian poke, Buffalo milkshakes, and Pennsylvania Dutch schnitz und gnepp. At the same time, weve reaped the rewards of globalization in the forms of Israeli hummus (via Philadelphia), New Brooklyn Taiwanese, and family-style Egyptian in Astoria. All unimpeachably delicious. Read on for the full list.
Israeli Hummus
Dizengoff NYC
75 Ninth Ave., at 15th St.; 646-833-7097
If youve considered New Yorks hummus needs to have been well met up to now, you havent experienced the canny brilliance of this Philly transplant, Michael Solomonov and Steven Cooks aspiration to fast-casual world domination. The smooth chickpea paste itself is sufficiently lemony, garlicky, and, especially, tahinid, but then again, so are many others. Where the Chelsea Market stand triumphs is in two crucial, heretofore neglected areas: the fluffy, flame-licked pita, which is baked in-house and served hot, and the ever-changing roster of toppings (shawarma-spiced maitake mushrooms! Peanut harissa and avocado! French fries with zaatar!), which are artful compositions on a creamy canvas. Seasonal side salads are equally inspired, and the sweet, crisp onion-petal pickles make ideal hummus scoopers.
Deep-Fried Vegan
Toad Style
93 Ralph Ave., nr. Putnam Ave., Bedford-Stuyvesant; 347-789-1589
Toad Style occupies a top position in a burgeoning category: vegan junk food. The kitchen steadfastly abstains from animal products and GMOs but has no issue whatsoever with deep-frying. Hence pizza fries doused in marinara and almond cheese; Buffalo cauliflower (a Super Bowl special); and banh mi featuring delectably crispy nuggetsof a coconut-crusted substance we can identify as oyster mushrooms because the menu told us so.The cremini-lentil cheeseburger is satisfyingly crumbly rather than mushy a true achievement in the veggie-burger world and a BBQ pulled-jackfruit sandwich mimics the vinegary tang, smoky essence, and finger-licking sauciness of the real porky thing. This is comfort food with a conscience, even if it might require a defibrillator. Why should carnivores have all the fun?
Pan-baked, cheese-rimmed Detroit-style pizza at Emmy Squared. Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine
Detroit Pizza
Emmy Squared
364 Grand St., at Marcy Ave., Williamsburg; 718-360-4535
Detroit-style pizza? In Brooklyn? Were Cleveland and Pittsburgh styles unavailable? We confess to a New York bias, but isnt this stuff simply Sicilian with an attitude? So what if some cheese is scattered around the upper edges, where dough meets pan, to make the rim crunchy like a Friulian frico? That happens all the time in pan-pizza kitchens without anyone trying. And yet the pizza here is so ridiculously good crisp but supple and springy (reminiscent, it merits saying, of the square pies Sara Jenkins made with a mashed-potato-enhanced dough at the late, great Veloce Pizzeria) that were willing to admit Emmy Squared is sui generis. Topping combos are spot on, too, especially the pepperoni-riddled Roni Supreme and the three-cheese Marn Blanc.
Wings Central
Buffalos Famous
1111 Church Ave., nr. Stratford Rd., Prospect Park South; 347-425-0134
What else is Buffalo famous for besides wings? One visit to this friendly orange-Formicad takeout joint and youll be an expert on all things Western New York: fried bologna (thick cut, with Webers horseradish mustard, peppers, and onions), potato pierogies, hot roast beef (on a kummelweck roll, dipped in au jus), Sahlens hot dogs (dressed, like a Chicago dog, with ketchup, mustard, white onion, relish, and pickles), grilled chicken (bathed in Chiavettas Barbeque Marinade), and a milkshake made from Perrys chocolate ice cream and loganberry syrup, one of over 50 different flavor options. You will also likely be coated in wing sauce (we recommend the BBQ hot) and craving a salad.
Meat Pies
Bolivian Llama Party
TurnStyle, in the 59th St.Columbus Circle station; 347-395-5481
There is more to Bolivian food than the saltena, but that stuffed-dough pocket is what brought fame (if not yet fortune) to the three brothers who launched this pop-up brand, a veteran of Smorgasburg and current tenant of the underground food court at the Columbus Circle subway station. Whatever you do, dont think of comparing saltenas to empanadas, though the temptation is as great as the similarity. The main difference, so far as we can tell, is that saltena innards are much soupier theyre actually prepared with gelatin-based consomme that melts as it cooks, in the style of xiao long bao. The dough is mildly sweet and enriched with lard, and the fillings include chicken, beef, and vegetables all greatly enhanced by the housemade salsa.
Mid-Atlantic
Delaware and Hudson Tavern
135 N. 5th St., nr. Bedford Ave., Williamsburg; 718-218-8191
Before Patti Jackson came along, you might not have been aware that Mid-Atlantic cuisine needed a champion, or even that there was such a thing as Mid-Atlantic cuisine. But not only has Jackson created a delicious prix fixe primer for the regional style at her homey Williamsburg restaurant (tagline: from Baltimore to Buffalo), shes opened an adjacent tavern dedicated to the beers and bar food of New York, New Jersey, Maryland, D.C., Delaware, and her native Pennsylvania. The long room is quaint rather than boisterous, and the food reminiscent of family gatherings: a cheese-ball platter with homemade crackers, warm German potato salad, the Pennsylvania Dutch specialty called schnitz und gnepp, which marries gnocchilike dumplings with dried apples and smoked ham. Should you require something fried or junky to accompany your local craft IPL (yes, India pale lager: Its a thing), go for the Buffalo broccoli or the Scranton Coney Island style Texas wiener, served nightly after 9 p.m.
Turkish breakfast at Tekoa, with a house-baked sesame-seeded simit. Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine
Creative Coffee Shop
Tekoa
264 Clinton St., at Verandah Pl., Cobble Hill; 347-987-3710
Tekoa has some of the trappings of a Brownstone Brooklyn coffee shop: stroller-pushing mommies, table-hogging laptoppers, Colson Patisserie pain aux raisins. But because its owned by husband-and-wife chef duo Eder Montero and Alex Raij of the neighboring La Vara, the clean, bright space offers some welcome twists on a familiar formula. Namely, an egg-in-a-hole that makes a nest of a lemony spinach pie from Atlantic Avenue landmark Damascus bakery, and a good tuna melt of Spanish bonito and pimento cheese, further improved by the surprising sweet-tart zing of pickled pineapple. The Milan style minestrone is largely cabbage and, thanks to plenty of olive oil and Grana Padano, entirely delicious. And the offbeat, not-too-sweet house pastries range from a chocolate-sugared riff on a Mexican concha to a molasses-sweetened oatcake thats equal parts indulgent and wholesome.
Middle Eastern
King of Falafel & Shawarma
30-15 Broadway, Astoria; 718-340-8068
No ones saying that Astorias street-cart czar Fares Freddy Zeideias herby, craggy, ellipsoidal falafel isnt spectacular, or that it doesnt live up to the name that appears on the sign outside his first brick-and-mortar shop. But what gets short shrift is the & Shawarma part. One forkful of the combination beef-and-lamb shawarma a groaning platter of meat, doused with competing sauces and served over rice with various pickled things is enough to remind you that Freddy, by his own admission, is not only the king of chickpea fritters but also the sultan of alternately stacked strips of spiced meat and fat roasted on vertical spits. Just in case you disagree, Freddy always throws in a couple of falafels.
Thai
Look by Plant Love House
622 Washington Ave., nr. Pacific St., Prospect Heights; 718-622-0026
If you need proof that this Elmhurst transplant doesnt intend to water down its Thai home cooking for the new neighbors, there it is on the menu, first entry under Noodle: guay tiao num tok (otherwise known as pork-blood noodle soup). Even if you choose to abstain from this delicacy, though, there are many other enticements. Were referring particularly to the steamed-fish-curry-custard special called hor mok pla, a pair of banana-leaf cups filled with an airy, almost mousselike custard of finely ground fish, decorated with squiggles of sweet coconut cream, julienned Kaffir-lime leaf, and threads of red chile. Fat triangles of chive cakes are fairly irresistible, best when eaten at their hottest and crispest. And the deep-fried red snapper called pla lui suan appears as battered pieces, piled over a sweet-and-sour dressing of lime juice and chiles and showered with handfuls of cashews and herbs. There are Mason jars of pink-tinted, syrup-sweetened iced milk (nom yen), Thai and American-style desserts, and outdoor dining amid trailing roses and fruit trees.
Pan-Caribbean
Angelas
417 Nostrand Ave., at Jefferson Ave., Bedford-Stuyvesant; 718-552-2297
Exposed brick, bare bulbs, and salmon beurre blanc all suggest bistro; the mostly Bob Marley soundtrack, tender curry goat, and coconutty rice and peas shout Caribbean kitchen. However you categorize it, the breezy corner spot has a homey vibe and a small but appealing menu that covers island classics like jerk chicken and braised oxtail. Particular care is taken with accompaniments like sauteed cabbage and fried plantains, and although the plates are hefty and fully accessorized, you shouldnt neglect the sides. Its a rare mac n cheese that can claim both a burnished crust and a curdy interior, and soft, smashed stew pumpkin shows the winter squashs savory side. The lonely bar awaits the arrival of the beer-and-wine license; until then, thoroughly refreshing mint-flecked pineapple iced tea will have to suffice.
Nashville Hot Chicken
Carla Halls Southern Kitchen
115 Columbia St., at Kane St., Columbia Street Waterfront District 718-855-4668
At times, the new Nashville-style hot-chicken joint from television personality Carla Hall seems too cute for its own good. Theres the Hootn Heat Levels of chile spice, with the kitchen crew hollering boomshakalaka every time someone orders the hottest; the faded recipe cards lining the bathroom walls; and the mini general store of Nashville foodstuffs, from Sunday-morning pancake mix to bourbon-nib brittle. But the welcome is genuinely warm, no matter how overrun the small dining room may be, and the chicken itself is golden-crusted and juicy (if not as scorching as wed been led to believe). It sits on top of a slice of Pullman bread, which soaks up some of the chile oil, and can be ordered by the piece or in combo plates with a choice of sides; were partial to the slow-cooked collards, which still have some life in them. If you want to snack on something while youre waiting, pimento cheese and Ritz crackers is just what it sounds like, which is fine by us.
Frankels matzo-ball soup. Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine
New York Jewish
Frankels Delicatessen & Appetizing
631 Manhattan Ave., at Nassau Ave., Greenpoint; 718-389-2302
It would be easy to write off this combination delicatessen and appetizing shop as a bandwagon-jumping, hipster-infested exploitation of a current food-nostalgia trend. But, truth be told, were downright impressed. The young brothers Frankel seem to take their ancestral cuisine (Zabarsian, a.k.a. Upper West Side Jewish) quite seriously. In a tiny retail space inspired by places like Russ & Daughters, they make a smartly streamlined selection of deli classics from good ingredients. The pastrami, prepared to the brothers specifications at a nearby facility under a characteristic veil of deli secrecy, is terrific, and can be had on classic rye or as a fiendish pastrami-egg-and-cheese breakfast sandwich. Even better are homemade items like a savory, almost buttery matzo-ball soup, and a hot brisket thats sweet and lush and based on a Frankel-family recipe. Its available on Amys challah as a sandwich, or as a platter with latkes and cucumber salad. You cant go wrong either way.
Northeast Chinese
Auntie Guans Kitchen 108
108 W. 14th St., nr. Sixth Ave. 212-206-8388
Chinese cooking from the northeast hinterlands of Dongbei is old hat by now in Flushing, Queens. But news of its arrival on West 14th Street practically warrants a mayoral ribbon cutting or at least a visit from Instagram sensation Food Baby. The owners (who also run Flushings Golden Palace and a takeout Auntie Guans on 23rd Street) have larded the menu with a hodgepodge of multiregional dishes, anticipating wimpy Manhattan palates. But we recommend you stick with the Dongbei classics: the ho-hum-sounding-yet-transcendent sauteed potato, green pepper, and eggplant; the pork-and-cabbage cake, like a cross between an Indian paratha and a Hot Pocket; Chinese leek turnovers shaped like little calzones; the hearty sauteed pickle cabbage with vermicelli and pork, a robust assemblage that eats like something that might have originated in Northern Italys Alto Adige region; and the ever-impressive lamb chop with cumin, a braised, battered, and deep-fried slab of chewy, fatty ribs festooned in what we call the Dongbei everything-bagel style (cumin seeds, dried chiles, black and white sesame seeds, and whatnot). Among the Dongbei cognoscenti, its as venerated as a Keens mutton chop.
Pakistani Grill
BK Jani
276 Knickerbocker Ave., nr. Suydam St., Bushwick; 347-460-5110
Fans of BK Janis grilled Pakistani meats and paratha rolls have adopted a pre-Yelp style of expressing approbation: writing their reviews on sheets of paper that are taped to the walls like good report cards that get hung on refrigerators. Most of these critiques are five-star raves about the exuberantly seasoned burger and the marinated lamb chops, but not all. I want to live my life in that lentil soup, writes one Meg of Bushwick. No offense, Meg, but the meat is the thing, charcoal-grilled and intricately seasoned. As good as those chops and burgers are, our scribbled testimonials would reserve higher praise for the chicken roll, wrapped in chewy, blistered flatbread with vibrant mint chutney, and the spice-suffused minced-beef seekh kebab. The chef-owner is going for a picnic vibe, with long communal tables, paper plates, and no utensils. (Unlimited wet-naps are available at the counter.) Make it a real picnic by taking your feast across the street to Maria Hernandez Park everything tastes a little better outdoors.
Super Sandwiches
Southside Coffee
652 Sixth Ave., at 19th St., Greenwood Heights; 347-927-4870
Why you seldom find great coffee and great grub hobnobbing under the same roof is one of the culinary mysteries of our time. An exception is this pint-size coffee bar that has been doling out expertly brewed drip coffee and espresso for years and added sandwiches to the lineup last fall along with a talented sandwich-maker named Josh Sobel. Every one of Sobels creations, from a well-lubed Italian hero to a pan-griddled tuna melt, is exceptional, as youd expect from someone who studied at such venerated institutions of higher sandwich learning as Court Street Grocers and Mile End Deli, but were especially fond of his breakfast sandwiches. The eponymous Southside unfathomably fluffy scrambled eggs, Heritage Meats ham, Cheddar, pickled onion, and drippy breakfast mayo on toasted brioche is satisfying in the way that only porky egg-and-cheese sandwiches are; simply looking at one could cure a hangover at 20 paces. And you can get it until the very civilized hour of 3 p.m.
A rice ball at Kichin. Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine
Korean Rice Balls
Kichin
297 Broadway, at Marcy St., Williamsburg; 718-599-1002
Onigiri, a.k.a. omusubi, or just plain rice balls, are traditional Japanese finger food made from seasoned white rice squeezed into triangular and oval shapes and wrapped in nori. In Korea, they call them samgak kimbap. Besides the fact that its the ultimate portable snack, the beauty of the rice ball is that, like the sandwich and the pizza, there is no limit to what you can shove into or place on top of one, the inevitable outcome of which is the specialty of this Korean-American snack shop: a chunk of rice stuffed with Cheddar, bits of bacon, and a runny quail egg, the whole package girdled with a sheet of nori and charred on the grill. Kichins rice balls also come with other fillings like avocado and edamame, spicy salmon, and crunchy nuggets of Korean fried chicken. There are rice bowls and salads, too. But if Kichin were to offer nothing but bacon-egg-and-cheese rice balls, it would still do brisk business.
Dough-Driven Pizza
PN Wood Fired Pizza
2 W. 28th St., nr. Broadway; 646-964-4834
Most pizzerias allow you to choose your toppings; four-month-old PN would like you to pick the flour used in the dough from which your pizza is made. The flours range from organic stone-ground Italian whole wheat to high-gluten Canadian mingled with farro and rye, and, yes, its no coincidence that the place is owned by a flour company. While this may seem like the promotional gimmick to end all promotional gimmicks, the pizzas are already among the best in town: remarkably tender-crusted with well-articulated pockets of air that aficionados associate with long fermentation, and some first-rate charring around the cornicione. And thats not all: Theres good antipasti and great housemade pastas, including a tagliatelle alla trapanese, a specialty of the Sicilian chefs. Skip the lamb burger, though.
Midtown Lunch
Pickler & Co.
216 E. 45th St., nr. Third Ave. 646-869-9026
Midtown is not the first place you think of when you think of ecofriendly, possibly organic, vaguely hippieish noontime feeds. But that may be owing to the fact that youve never heard of Pickler & Co., a year-old, under-the-radar, mostly takeout shop plunked down smack-dab in the lobby of a fashion college, whose mission is to serve its desk-jockey clientele worry-free wraps, salads, and sandwiches. The meats are antibiotic-and-hormone-free; the dairy is locally sourced; the spices are non-irradiated; the cooking oil non-GMO. None of which would matter as much if the four-ounce burgers werent so delectable (despite their pretzel buns), the grilled cheese with bacon so rich and gooey, and the streamlined Reuben the best, if not in all of Manhattan, then certainly in midtown. Great cup of certified organic, fair-trade joe, too.
A slice of fat-streaked pancetta thats house-cured by the folks at Ends Meat butchers in Sunset Park. Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine
Nose-to-Tail Sandwiches
Ends Meat
254 36th St., nr. Third Ave., Sunset Park; 718-801-8895
Lonza, saucisson sec, and provolone with mayonnaise and mustard greens on a hero roll? Roasted Goldbar squash with parsley salad and feta on ciabatta? This is not your average Boars Headonrye deli counter. In fact, you might think of John Ratliffs salumeria inside the food court at Industry City as a modern-day Faiccos or a Corona Heights Pork Store, only instead of making muzz and slinging meatball subs on the side, its serving pigstrami with Swiss on semolina and breaking down whole, grass-fed animals a few feet away from the customers. All the cured-meat sandwiches are delicious and reasonably priced, but were not ashamed to admit that weve got a thing for the chicken Caesar on ciabatta (not least because of the bacon thats put on it). And this might be the only whole-animal salumeriacumsandwich shop whose nose-to-tail philosophy extends to vegetables. Those tangy, crunchy, stalky green things that add such a nice counterpoint to the richness of one days cotecchino-and-lentils blue-plate special? Pickled chard stem. We dont like to waste anything, says Ratliff.
New Brooklyn Taiwanese
Win Son
159 Graham Ave., at Montrose Ave., East Williamsburg; 347-457-6010
In several ways, Win Son seems like a Taiwanese-American Momofuku. Theres the lowercase menu lettering; the small glasses that accompany the Taiwanese beer; the inventive, interpretive approach to an ethnic cuisine. There are small-plate appetizers, stark white bowls of noodles, and lots of pork. But mostly, theres the knack for sandwiches. Where David Chang built an empire on pork buns (and is trying to do the same with fried-chicken sandwiches), chef Trigg Brown is banking on his own canny constructions. His Nutritious Sandwich is a Croissanwich for the ages, its sweet fried-dough roll encasing sliced ham and pickled pineapples. The Big Chicken Bun, with its supercolossal slabs of seasoned dark meat protruding from the edges of its squishy pineapple bun like an Iowa pork-tenderloin sandwich, is a delicious understatement. (Fermented-tofu mayos a nice touch.) The theme extends to dessert a simple but deadly vanilla-ice-cream sandwich, served inside a fried mantou bun with sweetened condensed milk cascading down the sides.
Family-Style Egyptian
Tuts Hub
30-91 Steinway St., Astoria; 929-382-2332
Part Egyptian temple (the imposing facade), part boisterous romper room (the third-floor play space), Tuts Hub might be Astorias most unusual restaurant. The steam trays and pizza oven could be found in any midtown deli, but not the foods they convey: koshary, a carb-loaders dream of lentils, chickpeas, rice, and elbow macaroni, anointed with crispy onions and tomato sauce; warm, tender, superb rice-stuffed grape and cabbage leaves; pureed lentil soup redolent of bay leaf and cumin; and feteer, sweet or savory pastry made from dough thats stretched tablewide and paper thin and filled with anything from pastrami to chocolate syrup. Oddly, the kitchen devotes itself equally to Americana like burgers and pizza, so you might assume the baked pasta in the display case is lasagna; its actually macaroni bechamel, made with ground beef and penne, and as popular in Cairo, Egypt, as tuna casserole is in Omaha, Nebraska.
Malaysian breakfast of soft-boiled eggs blasted with pepper at Kopitiam. Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine
Malaysian Coffee House
Kopitiam
51B Canal St., nr. Orchard St. 646-894-7081
Kopitiam might be named for and modeled after the Malaysian coffee shops where customers linger for hours, but dont try that here. The five counter seats are in constant demand, and your fellow diners will hover anxiously as you attempt to savor chef-owner Kyo Pangs snacks and sweets. The counter display case is filled with variations on a Malaysian-dessert theme, mostly involving sticky rice, coconut, palm sugar, and condensed milk, all of which go well with Pangs famous hand-pulled coffee. But be sure to order something from the minuscule kitchen, either sweet (thick slabs of warm toast glued together with pandan-tinged coconut jam) or assertively savory (nasi lemak, a craggy nest of tiny dried anchovies flavored with a sambal of fermented shrimp paste, chiles, and peanuts, deposited over a mound of coconut rice). The cooking is homey and packed with flavor, an untranslated love letter to Pangs ancestral cuisine.
Hunanese Home Cooking
Hunan Bistro
96 Third Ave., nr. 12th St.; 212-388-9855
What would an annual cheap-eats list be without an excellent new Sichuan wait, lets make that the even hotter Hunan, Sichuans southern neighbor joint to scorch your lips and set your tongue on fire? Hunan Bistro, which opened late last year a few doors down from the equally blazing Han Dynasty, fulfills the requirement. Start your meal off on the right piquant note with a pile of Hunan pickled cabbage, which looks innocent enough but will cause jets of steam to shoot out your nostrils like an angry cartoon bull. Fan the flames with sauteed preserved pork with dried turnips. Move on to the main event, a steamed whole tilapia thoroughly covered in chopped scallions and red chiles. Then lower the thermostat with dessert a sticky rice ball with sweet rice wine for two.
Third-Generation Sausages
Schallers Stube
1652 Second Ave., nr. 86th St. 646-726-4355
Papaya King, the cheap eaters home away from home, is within tube-steak-tossing distance of this takeout-window-and-barroom spinoff of the Schaller & Weber butcher shop. But Schallers Stubes pricier product is more along the specialty-sausage lines of Hallo Berlin, and well worth the extra shekels. The classic bratwurst with a swipe of mustard is pretty much perfect, but our favorite is the Swiss-cheesed, sauerkrauted, and secret-sauced all-beef frankfurter called a Steubens Reuben, a combination that could change even the most conscientious hot-dog purists views regarding outre toppings. It comes on a buttery brioche bun and gets smooshed on a panini press, which seems like a terrible thing to do to a hot dog until you try it.
Shanghai Soup Dumplings
Yaso Tangbao
148 Lawrence St., nr. Willoughby St., Downtown Brooklyn; 929-337-7599
Nothing about the location of this fast-casual dumpling peddler a grim, strip-mall-like stretch of Downtown Brooklyn inspires confidence. (If youre from Los Angeles, where strip malls and crackerjack kitchens go together like bacon and eggs, this might be a promising sign.) But everything that comes out of the dumpling-observation room behind the counter (a glassed-in cubicle that brings to mind a maternity ward) is much better than you expect. Xiao long bao, the signature pleated soup dumplings that look like miniature hangover ice-packs, are chewy but tender, built like Swiss watches, and possess just the right amount of soup and pork, or pork-and-crab, if you prefer. Ditto the pan-fried pork buns, which also house a stealth teaspoon or two of hot broth. The real surprise, though, is how good all the non-dumpling stuff is: cold drunken chicken poached in rice wine; braised pork meatballs as light and fluffy as good matzo balls; and a chicken curry over crunchy fried noodles that eats a little like a dry, user-friendly version of the great Northern Thai dish khao saoi.
*This article appears in the July 11, 2016 issue of New York Magazine.
On sale Friday at noon. Photo: Paul Wagtouicz
Not to be outdone by Daniel Boulud and Nicholas Morgensterns hot-dog ice cream, Dominique Ansel and Empellons Alex Stupak have collaborated on an ice-cream taco, with sweet-corn ice cream, a masa-waffle cone taco shell, a swirl of roasted corn caramel, lime zest, sea salt, and smokey salsa verde on the side. (If youve ever had corn ice cream like at Cones you know its a special flavor.)
Ansel and Stupak. Photo: Paul Wagtouicz
The $6 taco will be sold this weekend only, July 15 to 17, at Dominique Ansel Kitchen in the West Village, which is becoming an incubator of sorts for guest chefs: Wylie Dufresne worked with Ansel on a breakfast sandwich, and Deuki Hong made a Korean French dip. The restaurant will begin serving it at noon, and itll be available until it sells out, along with housemade horchata. Sadly, there is no Choco Taco.
The Zaxbys in question. Photo: Google
Two police deputies in Cleveland County, North Carolina, were reportedly mistreated at a location of chain restaurant Zaxbys. The wife of one of the officers, who wishes to remain anonymous, wrote in a Facebook post that the boys in the back cooking the food started yelling at them and calling them names. While she says her husband and his partner ignored the insults from the cooks, it didnt stop there. According to her account, her husband realized upon sitting down that his wings were covered in the hottest sauce possible on [his] wings to the point where his food wasnt even fit to eat. Which is, well, not great.
Cleveland County captain Joel Shores, who wasnt at the restaurant, spoke to WBRC about tension between the community and officers in the wake of last weeks horrific killings, saying, We dont want to shoot no one. We dont want to pepper-spray. We dont want to Taser, thats not what we wake up to do. We wake up to protect. In response to the incident, Zaxbys has committed to an internal investigation.
Lenovo Vibe C2 is official and it's not the next Moto E
Today Lenovo Russia announced the Vibe C2, which was previously reported to be the placeholder for the next Moto E. As it turns out, Vibe C2 is a standalone smartphone and not intended to be a part of the Moto series.
The Vibe C2 was published on Lenovo Russia official website and will launch very soon in the country. And while the exact pricing and availability are yet to be announced, we have the full specs.
Lenovo Vibe C2 packs a 5" 720p display and runs on the MT6735P with a quad-core 1.0GHz Cortex-A53 processor, Mali-T720MP2 GP, and 1GB of RAM. The phone comes with 8 or 16 GB expandable internal storage and supports both LTE and dual-SIM connectivity.
The Vibe C2 packs an 8MP rear snapper, a 5MP front shooter, and is powered by a 2,750 mAh battery. It runs Android OS is 6.0.1 Marshmallow with Vibe UI and you can have it in Black or White.
We guess Lenovo will be launching the Vibe C2 in other markets as well, so we'll keep an eye for its official release date and pricing.
Source Via
ALBANY POLICE
Vehicle theft arrest 1:05 a.m. Friday, Linn County Jail. Allan Fabian Flores, 22, of Tallman, Washington, was arrested on a charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. His initial bail was set at $2,500.
Domestic violence arrest 8:40 p.m. Saturday, Linn County Jail. Jose Rojas-Morgado, 32, of Albany, was arrested on charges of felony fourth-degree assault (domestic violence), strangulation, harassment and interfering with making a report. He also had warrants for contempt of court and four instances of failure to appear. His initial bail was set at nearly $120,000.
DUII crash 1:51 a.m. Sunday, 4500 block Waverly Drive. Officers responded to a report of a car that rolled and crashed into a fence. James Howe, 35, of Springfield, was arrested for driving under the influence of intoxicants and driving while suspended. Howe was transported to a local hospital for treatment, as was a passenger in the vehicle, Robert Martinez, 36.
Generator theft 9:42 a.m. Sunday, 800 block 29th Avenue S.E. An unlocked storage trailer was entered and a generator valued at $1,200 was stolen. The theft occurred sometime after 9 p.m. on Sunday.
LINN COUNTY SHERIFF
Trespass arrest 10:17 p.m. Sunday, Santiam Towing & Recovering, 611 Main St., Lyons. Two employees caught a man breaking into the business yard, chased him and ended up detaining the suspect until deputies arrived. Justin Tolle, 40, was arrested on charges of second-degree criminal trespass and unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle.
Vehicle theft arrest 12:13 p.m. Monday, Linn County Jail. Forrest Clayton Norman, 48, of Gates, was arrested on a warrant with a charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. His initial bail was set at $50,000.
LINN COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT
STABBING CHARGES 3 p.m. Monday. Christina Marr, 31, of Sweet Home, was charged with first-degree assault in Linn County Circuit Court. Judge Daniel Murphy appointed Forrest Reid as her defense attorney and set her bail at $50,000. Her next appearance was scheduled for July 25.
DOMESTIC ASSAULT CHARGES 3 p.m. Monday. Michael Jay McPeak, 40, of Sweet Home, was charged with three counts of strangulation, four counts of fourth-degree assault, and one count of interference with making a report and seven of the charges were labeled as domestic violence. The victim told the court that she was afraid for her life if McPeak was released. Murphy set his bail at $75,000, and appointed Keith Rohrbough as his attorney. The next hearing in the case is set for $75,000.
The blaze that destroyed the Burger King on 14th Avenue Southeast on Saturday morning was started when an employee accidentally overturned a gasoline can.
Spilled fuel was lit aflame moments later by a pilot light inside the fast food restaurant, according to an Albany Fire Department investigation.
It ignited with employees present. Pretty scary. Were feeling really fortunate that nobody was more seriously hurt, said Sandy Roberts, fire department spokeswoman.
The gasoline, believed to be for a pressure washer used for landscaping at the business, was in a storage area. An employee unknowingly bumped into the gas can, left, then returned and found the spill, Roberts said.
The value of the building was listed at $1.1 million, according to Linn County Assessors records. There was no information on how much the contents of the restaurant were worth.
A Burger King spokeswoman could not be reached for comment late Monday afternoon.
Antonio Delvalle, a manager at the Pacific Boulevard Burger King, said that employees from the 14th Avenue franchise are working at other area locations for the fast food chain.
We have tried to get every person there a job, he said. Delvalle declined further comment, saying he wasnt authorized to speak on behalf of the business.
The fire was reported at 8:43 a.m. on Saturday at the restaurant, 1435 Geary St. S.E. Five employees and two customers were present when the blaze started. One of the workers suffered a small burn on his arm and was treated by medics at the scene.
Tangent, Lebanon, Corvallis, Adair and Turner firefighters assisted Albany Fire Department at the scene.
Haiti - Music : The Haitian guitarist Amos Coulanges on stage in Haiti
Recognized as one of the best guitarists of his generation, Amos Coulanges will be in Haiti during the month of July for two concerts and a workshop at the Knowledge and Freedom Foundation (FOKAL).
As part of the activities planned for the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Monique Calixte Library, FOKAL host two concerts of Amos Coulanges Monday 18 and Monday, July 25 at 6:00 p.m. (By invitation to withdraw at the reception from Tuesday, July 12).
Meanwhile, a classical guitar workshop will be held Thursday, July 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on registration on to the 34 68 42 99)
Learn more about Amos Coulanges :
Amos Coulanges was born in 1954 in Port-au-Prince. He devoted himself entirely to the study of music in 1976, after being acclaimed as the revelation of the Guitar Festival of Martinique and have recorded their first album entitled "Haitian Music for Guitar".
He studied in Canada (where he graduated Bachelor of Art) and in European academies Siena (Italy) with Oscar Ghiglia, and Paris with Javier Quevedo to the Ecole Normale de Musique. He also obtained a D.E.A. (Advanced Studies Diploma) in musicology in 1987 and in 1992 a Music Teacher Diploma of State, Guitar option.
He taught music while leading a remarkable career of concert performer in Paris, but also in the world (Belgium, Canada, Cuba, United States, Haiti, Jamaica, Japan, Turkey).
He won the first composition prize at the 7th Carrefour Mondial de la Guitare in 1986 and a gold medal in classical guitar at the Conservatory in Saint Germain en Laye (France) in 1989.
His works combine with happiness, elegance and refinement, the popular themes of Latin American inspiration and European art music. They place it in the gallery of the greatest composers for guitar such as F. Tarrega, H. Villa-Lobos, Leo Brouwer, M. Ponce, etc...
HL/ HaitiLibre
Haiti - DR : The situation of returnees remains worrying
Since June 2015, an increasing number of migrants have been deported or have voluntarily returned to Haiti from DR. International Organization for Migration (IOM) interviewed more than 120,000 people on a voluntary basis https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17698-haiti-social-more-than-160-000-haitians-have-left-the-rd-in-12-months.html
Since the deadline to register under the national plan for regularization of foreigners (PNRE) of Dominican Republic ended in June 2015, many foreigners living in the country, especially thousands of Haitian and Dominicans of hatian decent found themselves in irregular situation and virtually with no rights. Immediately thousands of people started to arrive in Haiti, some through expulsion or deportation, others more or less on voluntary or spontaneous returns.
Faced with this influx, the Government of Haiti, with the support of humanitarian partners, have developed an Inter-agency contingency plan in May 2015 to assist and support between 20,000 and 30,000 returned people. This plan helped meet the needs of first returned people by making available a small returning kit and a basic recording mechanism and support to arrive to their areas of origin.
Immediately after the start of the arrivals from the Dominican Republic, six spontaneous sites were created nearby the town of Anse a Pitre. To address this situation, a CERF funding was provided by OCHA to IOM in order to relocate these people, in line with government policy aiming to not fix people in the sites.
Between March and April 2016, some 2,200 returnees from the Dominican Republic, who lived in precarious conditions in six makeshift camps in Anse-a-Pitres have received assistance for their resettlement in areas of their choice https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17178-haiti-humanitarian-relocation-of-returnees-from-dr-is-underway.html . The relocated families have benefited from a financial support for renting a home of their choice for a year, provided that the home fits to the minimum standards established by IOM.
A border monitoring began immediately after the start of the crisis under the leadership of IOM and with the financial support of OCHA and USAID. The data collected through this mechanism are the most reliable on this issue so far. But it is important to note that this mechanism only covers a portion of those arriving from the Dominican Republic because the interviews are made on a voluntary basis. Other actors such as Groupe dAppui aux Rapatries et Refugies (GARR) and the Jesuit Service for Migrants (SJM) complete the monitoring device and play an important role in the registration of returnees in several official and unofficial entry points at the border. In addition, the low capacity of state services at the border did not allow this monitoring work, which has been done for over a year by humanitarian actors, to be systematically integrated into national systems.
In the second half of 2016 a significant number of Haitian nationals, who received a residence permit for one year under the National Regularization of Foreigners Plan (PNRE) will have their document expire, on July 18th. Human Rights organizations working on this problem estimate there are nearly 130,000 Haitian nationals who will be affected by the end of this permit, which increases the risks of a new wave of deportations, expulsions or spontaneous returns to Haiti https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17947-haiti-flash-140-000-haitians-facing-deportation-because-of-the-inaction-of-haiti.html . Haitian immigrants affected by this measure must have their situation regularized before that deadline. For that, it is necessary to present a series of official documents that are not always easy to get (for example temporary permit, criminal record, medical examination) and pay renewal fees (14,000 Pesos or 305 USD per person).
See also :
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17990-haiti-flash-the-dominican-government-could-aid-the-haitians.html
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17989-haiti-dominican-republic-the-haitian-government-says-anything.html
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17947-haiti-flash-140-000-haitians-facing-deportation-because-of-the-inaction-of-haiti.html
HL/ HaitiLibre
Haiti - News : Electoral Zapping...
Famni Lavalas presents its Senate candidate
Sunday, the departmental coordination of the Fanmi Lavalas party has chosen Senator Jean-Baptiste Bien-Aime to represent the party in the next electoral competitions to renew one third of the Senate. The presentation of the parliamentary as candidate of was held in his stronghold in Ouanaminthe.
Civic Contributions to support the elections ?
In a letter to President de facto Privert, Me Andre Michel proposes to open a special bank account for the deposit of voluntary contributions from those who want to contribute to the financing of elections 2016/2017 "[...] I ask you to please pass instructions to proceed with the opening at the Banque Nationale de Credit (BNC) of a special account, permanent, transparent and accessible to all citizens, called 'Account of the Electoral Sovereignty (CSE)' (Compte de la Souverainete Electorale (CSE)) intended to receive citizens' contributions to the financing of our elections [...] I am committed, at the opening of this account to bring my personal financial contribution [...]"
Security : special meeting of CSPN
Following correspondence from the Minister of Justice https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17998-haiti-security-the-minister-of-justice-wrote-to-the-prime-minister.html Prime Minister Enex Jean Charles convened a special meeting of the Superior Council of the National Police (CSPN) on motorcycle traffic, particularly in the metropolitan area, as part of the fight against insecurity. He also assured the adoption of new provisions to counter violence.
Sadness of Head of Government
Prime Minister Enex Jean-Charles expressed his sadness at the murder of Willems Edouard, former director of the national press, describing the disappearance of the latter as a "great loss for the country."
Camille Junior Edouard, Minister of Justice who presented his condolences to the family of the victim, said he was outraged and said that this act will not remains unpunished, the PNH and Justice will make every effort to reach to arrest and convict criminals who sow mourning in the Haitian families.
The Parliament will have to put their hands in the pocket
The Prime minister stated that parliamentarians should also be involved in the effort to mobilize financial resources for the 2016-2017 elections, without giving further details on the proposed measures.
An ID card
Jean Gabriel Fortune, the new mayor of Les Cayes announces a communal identity card since birth.
HL/ HaitiLibre
Published on 2016/07/11 | Source
While Park Yoo-chun has been ruled not guilty, everyone wants to know what's next.
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Gangnam Police in charge of this investigation, ruled him not guilty on all the four accounts of rape. It was ruled this way because there was no evidence to prove that he had forced the women to have intercourse with him. The case will be wrapped up and forwarded to the prosecutors.
Now what matters is how the prosecutors are going to look at it. When the police hands them over the case, they are going to closely go through the case once again and deal with it. In some circumstances there might be additional investigations and/or those people involved in the case might be summoned back for more questioning. However, the legal professions see that the police have done meticulous work on it.
The public wants to know what's next for Park Yoo-chun.
He is currently on duty at the Seoul Gangnam District Office on National Service. He has until next August. Park Yoo-chun has mentioned that if he was ever found guilty of the crimes he was charged with, he would quit from the biz world. However, he did create a social happening and it looks like he's going to refrain from doing anything external for now.
Meanwhile, the police are looking into the charges Park made on the first accuser for threat and false accusations. They have found out 100 million won has been discussed between them and are looking into it.
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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.
13:18, 27 OCT 2022
Linn County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Murphy heard more than three hours of testimony Monday in the first round of Linn Countys $1.4 billion breach of contract lawsuit versus the Oregon Department of Forestry, but had to schedule a second motions hearing for 10 a.m. on August 17 before rendering any rulings.
The State of Oregon has filed several motions including to dismiss the case in its entirety and some environmental groups have asked to intervene in the lawsuit.
Representing Linn County were attorney John DiLorenzo and Aaron Stuckey of the Portland law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine.
Representing the State of Oregon were Scott Kaplan and Sarah Weston of the Oregon Department of Justice.
Ralph Bloemers of the Crag Law Center in Portland represented the organizations that want to intervene in the suit. They are Robert Van Dyk, as an individual; the Wild Salmon Center; Association of Northwest Steelheaders; Association of Northwest Guides and Anglers; and the Pacific Rivers Council.
Several motions to be ruled upon by Judge Murphy include whether the case should proceed to trial, whether there should be a summary judgment, whether the case should be heard in the Linn County Circuit Court or the Oregon Court of Appeals, whether interveners should be allowed to participate and whether the lawsuit should be approved as a class action.
Murphy said he would also like to set a tentative trial date probably early in the spring of 2017 at the August 17 court date. Because all parties agreed this is a complex case, it may take longer to prepare for trial than other cases, so there will be some leeway in terms of setting a court date.
In January, Linn County Commissioners Roger Nyquist, John Lindsey and Will Tucker, along with their attorneys, held press conferences at the State Capitol and in Portland, outlining their intention to file a breach of contract lawsuit against the Oregon Department of Forestry.
That suit was actually filed in March.
The commissioners contend that since 1998 the State of Oregon, specifically the Oregon Department of Forestry, has placed greater emphasis on uses such as recreation and fish habitat, thereby reducing the annual timber harvest off the states Forest Trust Lands.
Starting in the 1930s and running through the 1960s, the State of Oregon, in agreement with counties, took possession of more than 700,000 acres of primarily cut-over forest lands, many of which had been in tax default. In return for taking possession of the properties, the state agreed to take a management fee and return a portion of the timber sales from those properties to the counties.
A key issue in the lawsuit and the states motion to dismiss is what the term Greatest Permanent Value means. Linn County believes the context of that definition should be when the deeds were originally signed over, which would place an emphasis on timber harvesting.
Linn County has 21,000 acres of Forest Trust Land. The commissioners contend the term means managing the properties so as to return the most financial gain to the counties. Linn County believes the lawsuit should be defined as a class action because 15 counties are affected by the Forest Trust Land system.
The state contends Greatest Permanent Value means for all of the states residents, which includes clean water, recreation and wildlife enhancement projects.
Linn County contends the state has underpaid Forest Trust counties by more than $35 million per year since 2001 for a total of $528,600,000. Interest would be about $26 million on that amount and future damages of $881 million if the state does not change its harvest and county payment schedules.
Monday, the environmental groups that want to intervene in the case issued a press statement that the Oregon Forest Industries Council, Hampton Tree Farm, Stimson Lumber Company, and the Sustainable Forest Fund, have agreed to help pay up to $125,000 of Linn Countys legal fees.
This latest disclosure shows that this case is really about timber companies trying to force the state to clear cut public forests to supply private lumber mills, said Bob Van Dyk, Oregon and California policy director at Wild Salmon Center. These companies cant stand balanced management of public lands, so they are using the guise of a county lawsuit to push their agenda.
Commissioner Nyquist responded to Van Dyks claims by saying, This is a breach of contract case, pure and simple.
Nyquist said Linn County has been strategic about how this case is going to be paid for. We made no secret of it. We passed a resolution about this in a public meeting on January 13 and a description of the issue was included on our agenda for everyone to see.
rsquo;ve all heard about the outrageous salaries, the crayfish dinners and the Qantas Lounge travel that accompanied Fly In-Fly Out (FIFO) resources workers.But with sliding commodity prices, FIFO workers are facing tougher rosters, down-graded food and an end to the regime where they kept their frequent flier points.In 2015 Fortescue Metals Group announced it couldnt afford the roster that gave workers six days off after every eight days of consecutive work, and changed to 12-hour shifts for 14 consecutive days before getting seven days off.But while the Fortescue roster requires the employer buying fewer return flights per worker, it is also controversial in terms of the potential psychological impacts on workers.Edith Cowan University found that FIFO workers were reported a higher level of "psychological distress" than the general population, and the distress was strongest in those working the most compressed rosters.As Brisbane-based workplace lawyer from Clyde & Co, Fiona Austin told a Queensland mining industry Health & safety Conference this year, A great concern for the mining industry at the moment is how to do more for safety and health with fewer resources. Many industries in the past have faced this challenge. They all must ask whether what they are doing makes sense and what they can do better with less.Austins warnings on budgets and safety is important in Queensland where mines can no longer be staffed entirely by FIFO workers.Following years of controversy over the effect FIFO operations have on communities, the Queensland Government is stopping mines operating with a workforce of 100 per cent FIFO employees.The WA Parliamentary Inquiry into FIFO last year found the employment practice played into significant mental health problem areas.The typical FIFO resource worker comes from the highest risk demographic (male aged 18 44) for mental illness and suicide, said the report of the Inquiry. FIFO takes such an individual regularly away from home, puts him in isolation from his family and other social supports, subjects him to fatigue and then controls his life within the camp environment. Understandably, this can have a significant impact on his emotional health and wellbeing.Independent research on mental distress in the FIFO community showed that the incidence rate is higher amongst FIFO workers than in the general population.Among the 30 recommendations handed down by the WA inquiry, was a suggestion that the mining industry adopt the sorts of rosters that foster good mental health.
The Art Cellar Gallerys Coffee talk series continues this Saturday July 16 with artist David Birmingham. Join us for this special event as the artist talks about his art, life and also presents a figure drawing demonstration.
Birminghams oils on canvas transport viewers to the mountain vistas, tree lined roads and waters edge of the mountain region.His ability to capture the light, shadow and mood of his subjects has developed over his lifetime, as he traveled the world sketching and painting the scenes around him. During this Saturdays Coffee talk the artist will give insight into his interesting artists journey, sharing his passion for all the arts and his vast knowledge as a studio artist and a teacher.
The Art Cellar Gallery is exhibiting many of Birminghams works from expansive canvases to more intimate smaller works. The gallery will also be showing several of Birminghams new figurative works. The artist will discuss drawing the human figure and give a simple figure drawing demonstration.
July 23rd . Along with the feature exhibition the other floors of the gallery are filled with the painting, sculpture, glass and clay from the wide range of artists the gallery represents. The Art Cellar Gallery is open Monday through Saturdays from 10am till 5pm , for more information call The main floor gallery is currently featuring the Retrospective exhibition of Bryan Keith Smith showing a rich range of work from the artists career. The exhibition features watercolors from mountain views to oceans edge and also includes several of the artist oils on canvas. The Retrospective exhibition continues through. Along with the feature exhibition the other floors of the gallery are filled with the painting, sculpture, glass and clay from the wide range of artists the gallery represents. The Art Cellar Gallery is openthrough Saturdays from, for more information call 828-898-5175 or at artcellaronline.com
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For nine straight days, Tweetsie Railroad visitors will experience the real dog days of summer, in a fun and exciting way! From July 23-31, 2016, the K-9s In Flight Frisbee Dogs will showcase their skills at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., with special Saturday performances at 7:00 p.m. as part of Cool Summer Nights. The dynamic dogs put on acrobatic freestyle routines that have wowed viewers nationwide on television and in special performances. Shows are first-come, first-seated and are included with regular park admission.
All of the dynamic dogs that perform as part of the K-9s In Flight Frisbee Dogs are rescued or adopted, and the show helps promote and emphasize the importance of pet adoption. These homeless to high-flying dogs are eager to please and will surely thrill your whole family with their amazing feats. Some dogs are expert Frisbee snatchers, some are agility marvels, some are excellent divers and swimmers, but all the four-legged performers are adorable and fun to watch. As both adopter and trainer, John Misita has been producing the K-9s In Flight showcase for over 15 years and has been featured on The Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, ESPN, HBO and more.
North Carolinas first theme park offers special events such as K9s In Flight, in addition to all of its other fun. Visitors can enjoy the centerpiece of the park an exciting Wild West ride in a train car pulled by one of Tweetsie Railroads historic steam locomotives along with amusement rides, live shows, arcade games and more. The whole family will have a blast at Miners Mountain, where you can try to strike it rich while panning for gold or mining for gems, or visit the 90 animal residents at the Deer Park Zoo.
Tweetsie Railroad is open seven days a week from May 27 through August 21. The park returns to the weekend schedule from August 22 through October 30, including Labor Day Monday. The 2016 season ends Sunday, October 30. The parks regular hours are 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., but will be open until 9:00 p.m. July 9, 16, 23 and 30 for Cool Summer Nights. Daily admission to Tweetsie Railroad is $44 for adults and $28 for children ages 3 through 12. Children 2 and under are admitted free. The Ghost Train Halloween Festival will take place Friday and Saturday nights September 23 through October 29 from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., with an admission price of $36 for adults and children. Tickets and Golden Rail Season Passes are available at Tweetsie.com.
Tweetsie Railroad is located on U.S. Highway 321 between Boone and Blowing Rock, North Carolina. For more information about the 2016 season at Tweetsie Railroad, visit Tweetsie.com or call 877.TWEETSIE (877.893.3874). Find Tweetsie Railroad on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Tweetsie and Twitter and Instagram, @TweetsieRR.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fshJa6-Zf3E&feature=youtu.be
By Jesse Wood
With more than 90 percent of construction complete, the Foley Center at Chestnut Ridge in Blowing Rock is expected to open sometime in September, according to Gillian Baker, Appalachian Regional Healthcare Systems vice president of corporate communications.
Excavation of the 87,500-square-foot, 112-bed post acute care center off of U.S. 321 began in July of 2014, and by May of 2015, the project was nearly 50 percent complete. Last week, ARHC released an aerial video of the construction progress, which currently stands at 92 percent.
When asked what construction work was left to do in the facility, Baker responded in an email, It varies Some parts of the building are complete and are waiting on the final cleaning, while others still need paint, etc. Also, the grounds/landscaping work is still in progress.
With construction still ongoing, a definitive grand opening date has yet to be scheduled. One week or so prior to the opening, patients currently of the ARHS Blowing Rock Rehabilitation and Davant Extended Care facility will move to the Foley Center at Chestnut Ridge.
ARHS plans to sell the 3.61-acre property that used to house the old Blowing Rock Hospital, currently known as the Blowing Rock Rehabilitation and Davant Extended Care. A Charlotte-based development group has proposed to demolish the hospital and clinic and build 24 condominium units.
In June, the N.C. Department of Transportation celebrated the dedication of the Reba and Grady Moretz Jr. Bridge, which is located across the street from the Edmisten Road intersection, the main access road to Appalachian Ski Mtn., which the Moretz family runs. The bridge, however, accesses the Foley Center at Chestnut Ridge.
ARHS has also worked with the Town of Blowing Rock, the N.C. Department of Transportation and the Middle Fork Greenway Association to provide access for the Middle Fork Greenway to run through the ARHS-owned property. Plans call for the Middle Fork Greenway to go underneath the Reba and Grady Moretz Jr. Bridge in the future.
Last summer, Rob Hudspeth, the senior vice president for system advancement with ARHS, told High Country Press, that ARHS had raised $8,881,831 of the $11.5 million fundraising goal for the Foley Center. This figure didnt count the $3,903,374 in infrastructure grants that were already secured and werent apart of the fundraising goal. Current figures werent immediately available.
Dennis and Diane Foley donated a total of $3.75 million to the project. Whenever a community-needs assessment came back that the Blowing Rock Rehabilitation and Davant Extended Care Center should be replaced with a modern post-acute care center, the Foleys were eager to contribute.
We have roots here. Our children and grandchildren live in the area. To have been able to avail ourselves of such wonderful care, and be in an area that we enjoy so much, is priceless, the Foleys said when their gift was announced last June.
The project includes a primary care clinic on site, and Chestnut Ridge will provide memory support, palliative care and rehabilitation services. According to an ARHS whitepaper document, the primary goals for Chestnut Ridge are to create an integrated and interdisciplinary care-management model that will:
Reduce Patient Readmissions to the Hospital
Reduce Patient Lengths of Stay
Increase Discharges to Home
Ensure Functional Improvement Gains for Patients
Improve Quality Indicators
Improve Patient Satisfaction
For more information, click here.
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VIDEO FILMED ON WATAUGA LAKE
By Jesse Wood
As Blue Ridge Electric lineman work in Western Watauga to restore power to the last 300 customers still without, emergency officials in Watauga County are in the initial stages of assessing the damage from Mother Natures 10 minutes of fury on Friday night.
Watauga County Fire Marshal and Emergency Management Coordinator Steve Sudderth said that its too early to tell how much damage the storm inflicted on properties in the High Country. Sudderth is asking Watauga County property owners to email pictures of any damage with the street address to [email protected] and [email protected].
We dont know yet. The biggest damage is going to be the public assistance with the power companies and they go through the state when they report their cost of putting everything back together, Sudderth said. Thats kind of where we are at. I dont think we are going to reach the level of any type of declaration. Well see.
Sudderth noted that one person was injured in the county when a tree fell on their car. That person was transported to the Watauga Medical Center and their condition is currently unknown.
The storm was quick yet powerful. RaysWeather.com posted that the storm lasted about 13 minutes and produced straight-line winds of 60 to 85 miles per hour. Grandfather Mountain, for example, experienced winds up to 87 mph.
Its safe to say that for about 5-10 minutes, some areas were experiencing effects similar to a Category 1 hurricane. While in an event of this magnitude, a small tornado cannot be completely ruled out. No confirmed tornadoes have yet been identified, and there were no radar indications of rotation within these thunderstorms, RaysWeather.com posted.
See a more technical analysis of the storm at RaysWeather.com.
Watauga County Sheriff Len Hagaman said that the high winds, tree movement and power interruption to thousands caused a bunch of alarms. The deputies conducted many welfare checks on family members who couldnt contact one another.
[There were] also many reports of neighbors helping each other with chainsaws and elbow grease and most of all, a BIG heart, Hagaman said.
A Red Cross emergency shelter opened at Alliance Bible Fellowship on Friday evening.
Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation (BREMCO) said this was the most devastating storm since 2009. More than 100 linemen from BREMCO and cooperatives across the state worked on more than 18,000 power outages in BREMCOs territory.
As of Sunday afternoon, nearly 1,500 customers in Watauga County and another 150 in Ashe, Avery, Caldwell and Wilkes counties were still without power. As of first-thing Monday morning, the total number of outages in the BREMCO area dwindled to about 300.
BREMCO reported that after Alleghany County power was restored, a car accident on Saturday took down power poles and lines, which led to additional outages. BREMCO responded to more than 150 damaged locations, and 50 power poles were broken in the storm.
This was a highly unusual and unprecedented summer storm, said Doug Johnson, chief executive officer of Blue Ridge Electric.
We heard reports of 80-mile-per hour winds and many trees taken down across our service area in a short amount of time Friday eveningmany of which tore down our power lines and broke power poles, said Johnson.
The storm affected most of the state and caused severe outage situations for other utilities, which led to having fewer additional resources available to us and to other utilities. We are very grateful to the visiting crews from French Broad, Rutherford, Jones Onslow, Central, Piedmont and Edgecombe Martin cooperatives who assisted our linemen and technical staff in getting power restored as quickly and safely as possible.
BREMCO ADVISORY
If you are the only household in your neighborhood without power, Blue Ridge Electric advises you to call the cooperatives PowerLine at 1-800-448-2383 and report the outage even if you have already done so.
Members are also advised to stay far away from downed power lines as they can still be energized and dangerous, even deadly! Members are asked to report downed power lines and their location by calling any local Blue Ridge Electric district office to speak to a member services representative.
Outage updates and other helpful information is available on the cooperatives social media sites at: www.facebook.com/blueridgeemc and www.twitter.com/blueridgeemc.
For safety tips and other information including views of the cooperatives social media pages, please visit the website at www.BlueRidgeEMC.com.
RaysWeather.com Analysis of Storm
Heres how RaysWeather.com described the weather event from 6:40 to 6:53 p.m.:
On Friday evening, July 8,2016, a line of severe thunderstorms entered the region from Tennessee and produced widespread wind damage across parts of the High Country. Within this line, a powerful downrush of wind from a thunderstorms downdraft produced a bow echo on radar as it accelerated across Watauga and southern Ashe County.
This downburst produced major straight-line wind damage with winds of 60-85 mph+ as this feature moved across. While this kind of event is rare for the mountains, the atmospheric profiles of moisture and instability were nearly ideal for this occurrence, along with the time of day.
The dBZ values between 60 and 70 indicate an extreme event. Its safe to say that for about 5-10 minutes, some areas were experiencing effects similar to a Category 1 hurricane. While in an event of this magnitude, a small tornado cannot be completely ruled out. No confirmed tornadoes have yet been identified, and there were no radar indications of rotation within these thunderstorms.
Old Tornado Photo From Colorado Spreads Like Wildfire
After the storm on Friday evening, a photo of a tornado supposedly taken in Bethel spread like wildfire on social media. That photo, however, was actually taken a few years earlier in Colorado. See image below.
Watauga County Sheriff Len Hagaman said that several eyewitnesses reported seeing funnel clouds in the High Country, but as RaysWeather.com noted, WCNC Meteorologist Brad Panovich posted on Facebook that no tornado occurred.
While there were no tornadoes in the area Friday, its important to understand that widespread damage from straight line winds is just as dangerous. Our focus on what we call things needs to end and the focus on the impacts are all that matter in severe weather. Heres a link to learn more about downbursts and straight line winds which account for 90% of all wind damage across the U.S. annually.
Fallen Tree Kills Two Campers at Watauga Lake
Former Carter County Court Clerk, John Mathes and his wife, Robin, were camping in a cove at Watauga Lake when Friday nights storm hit the High Country. The couple was killed when a tree fell onto their tent. It was a sad evening, storm witness Linda Hardin told WCYB. It was just like a war zone. All the trees were down campers were damaged.
Town of Boone Storm Debris Pick-Up Notice & Greenway Closure
The Town of Boone Public Works Department will provide town residential storm debris pick-up on a neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis beginning today, July 11, 2016.
Storm debris should be placed curbside and free of all other debris. It is NOT necessary to call to schedule a pick-up. Areas that sustained considerable damage will be first priority. The Town of Boone Facilities Maintenance Division may be contacted at 828-268-6230.
The Town of Boone Greenway Trail will be closed today, July 11, 2016 to continue clearing storm damage. Pending the degree of damage, there may be a possible closure tomorrow, July 12, 2016. We apologize for any inconvenience and will open the trail as soon as possible. The Town of Boone Facilities Maintenance Division may be contacted at 828-268-6230.
Power Outages, Down Trees, Damage Due To Storm https://t.co/oDKxzjF61c pic.twitter.com/fSzHpR9JKT Kenneth Reece (@RadioMediaGuy) July 9, 2016
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Pedestrians in Banner Elk now have music to stroll by thanks to the Go Ahead, Play Me public art project. Six pianos placed throughout downtown encourage passersby to take a minute and tickle the ivories.
The Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce worked with Lees-McRae College to present the project, which debuted Saturday, July 9, and will continue for approximately a month.
All pianos are located outdoors. Locations include Hayes Auditorium at Lees-McRae College, Dunns Deli, Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce, Banner Elk Cafe, the courtyard near Sorrentos Italian Bistro and the field in front of the Historic Banner Elk School.
Lees-McRae students and local area residents painted the pianos, giving each one a colorful design.
Tom McMurray, husband of Chamber president Jo-Ann McMurray, found inspiration for the project online. He came across a similar project in large cities like New York and Chicago, spurring the McMurrays to replicate the concept in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Not knowing where to turn, they put out a call for pianos and were pleased to acquire six. Three were donated and three were purchased.
Youd be surprised how many people will give you a piano, Jo-Ann McMurray says.
Tom McMurray found tuning software online that works with a computer. When he told the company what it was for, the company donated the software. The Banner Elk Tourism Development Authority provided covers to protect the pianos at night and during bad weather.
One of my goals is to bring art to Banner Elk, Jo-Ann McMurray says. We have Lees-McRae College and the theater; a lot of students study art here. The arts can be a positive direction for this little town.
To learn more about the Go Ahead, Play Me project and see a map of piano locations, visit www.BannerElk.org.
The Employment Contracts Act should be revised in a way that allows businesses with fewer than 30 employees to terminate an employment relationship for substantial reasons or on acceptable grounds, Mikael Pentikainen, the chief executive of the Federation of Finnish Enterprises, argued at SuomiAreena, an annual debate forum, in Pori on Monday.
The Federation of Finnish Enterprises has voiced its concerns that small businesses are currently reluctant to hire new employees out of fear that an unsuccessful recruitment process will topple the entire business.
Such revisions, he believes would be in the best interest of the entire nation as they would encourage job creation.
The Employment Contracts Act currently stipulates that employment contracts can only be terminated on substantial or pressing grounds. The threshold is very high when examining the possibilities of business-owners to lay off employees for reasons related to the employee in question, he explained.
The Federation of Finnish Enterprises highlights in a press release that small and medium enterprises have recently been practically the only source of job creation in Finland.
Pentikainen estimated that new measures to improve the operational preconditions of small and medium enterprises should be introduced especially because the outlook for Finland has eroded in the wake of the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union.
Aleksi Teivainen HT
Photo: Antti Aimo-Koivisto Lehtikuva
Source: Uusi Suomi
Parkhill to retire as BRCC president
Molly Parkhill
Blue Ridge Community College President Molly Parkhill announced on Monday that she plans to retire from her decades-long career in higher education.
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After careful thought and personal reflection, the time has come for me to transition to a new phase in my professional and personal life. I have decided to retire on June 30, 2017, she said in a letter to the Board of Trustees.
She officially announced her decision to the Board of Trustees, BRCC faculty and staff and other leaders on Monday. Parkhill, who has been at the helm since 2007, is the third president and only woman, to lead Blue Ridge since the college was founded in 1969. Prior to being named president, she served for 21 years in various roles, including director of cooperative education, associate dean for Transylvania County programs and dean for continuing education. In 2006, Parkhill was the North Carolina Community College System Staff Person of the Year. She has served in leadership roles on the Board of Directors for Henderson County Chamber of Commerce, Pardee Hospital, United Way of Henderson County and YMCA.
Students are the reason we exist, Parkhill wrote in the letter. I have had the good fortune to meet and get to know so many of the students who have attended Blue Ridge Community College. It has been extremely gratifying knowing that the work we do collectively is impacting thousands of lives.
Under Parkhills leadership, BRCC, in partnership with Henderson County public schools, established Henderson County Early College High School in 2009. An expansion of the highly successful Early College, along with a Career Academy, will open on the Henderson County Campus in 2017. The College has also been part of a recently established historic partnership with Wingate University, Pardee Hospital, Henderson County, and City of Hendersonville to establish a state-of-the-art Health Sciences Center. The College will move its health care training programs to the Center in August. In 2015, Blue Ridge Community College joined Achieving the Dream, a national network for student success in higher education.
Blue Ridge Community College Board of Trustees will meet on Sept. 12 to announce a transition plan and begin the search for its next president.
Valley Hill, Council on Aging win grant for elderly fall prevention
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Valley Hill Fire Department and the Henderson County Council on Aging have been selected as a winners of a 2016 NC Regional Remembering When conference scholarship.
The Remembering When program, sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association, focuses on fire safety and fall prevention for older adults. Training through the Remembering When conference will provide the team with materials and information geared to help the Henderson County community reduce injuries and deaths related to fire and falls among older adults. Upon completion of the training, the Council on Aging and Valley Hill Fire Department will work together to provide presentations to older adults in Henderson County, train staff members on fire and fall prevention, and perform home visits specifically geared towards the Remembering When program.
We are excited to be partnering with Valley Hill Fire Department on this project and look forward to bringing the Remembering When program back to the Henderson County community, said Wendy Billings, Outreach and Resource Coordinator for the Council. This fire safety and fall prevention training will serve our staff, volunteers, clients, and community well.
"Working together with the Council on Aging for Henderson County will enable Valley Hill Fire Department to better connect and educate the older adults that live in our community so they can continue to live independently at home in a safe environment says Chief Tim Garren.
Additionally, on June 30, the Valley Hill Fire Department hosted a lunch-and-learn session for the Partnership for Independent Living, the Council on Agings care management team. The breadth of information was incredibly helpful," said Suzanne Sherrill, a care manager with the Council on Aging. "From learning that 60-65 percent of their calls are medical related and how they deal with falls, to seeing how the jaws of life work, Im now equipped with a better understanding of their services and better able to serve our clients.
Anti-water charge protesters take to the streets of Dublin Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Payment of water bills collapsed by 15m in the wake of the Government's decision to set up a commission into whether charges should be abolished.
Irish Water is now facing a serious funding shortfall which will be have to filled from general taxation as no more bills will be issued this year.
The company has revealed it collected 18.3m during the fifth billing cycle, which covered the period between January and March.
This is almost half of the 33.4m collected for the final three months of 2015.
Bills for the first quarter of 2016 were issued in April and May, just as Fine Gael and Fianna Fail were negotiating the deal which resulted in the formation of Enda Kenny's minority government.
In order to secure Fianna Fail's tacit support, the Taoiseach agreed to set up a commission, which will take five months to study a variety of funding models.
However, it has already been mired in controversy after chairman Joe O'Toole resigned as opposition parties complained he was not impartial.
The commission's report will be debated by an Oireachtas committee before the Dail votes on its recommendations.
In total 989,000 households have paid water charges at some stage over the past five billing cycles. This includes 14,000 new customers this year.
However, Irish Water refuses to reveal the breakdown of how many households have paid their bills in each cycle.
In a statement, the company said that it has been reassured that any shortfall due to the suspension of charges will be covered by the Exchequer.
"This will allow Irish Water to continue to deliver on its business plan," it said, adding the customers remain liable for any outstanding amounts due.
"There is no change to water service charges for business customers as they are unaffected by the suspension of domestic water charges," the company said.
Irish Water plans to spend 5.5bn between 2013 and 2021 on the network, including upgrading and replacing plants, water mains and sewers, and eliminating leaks and lead piping.
Boycott
Reacting to the figures, Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Mick Barry said they show a widespread boycott.
"This is a massive rejection of the charges, and people sending a clear message to the government and Simon Coveney that they want to see them scrapped.
"Over the last 18 months we have said that there were many people who only paid because they felt bullied or intimidated into it by the Government and Irish Water's threats.
"Now that the fear is gone, this level of non-payment reflects how people really feel on the issue," he said.
Mark Sheehan was jailed for nine months for assault
A publican was punched in the face after he told two friends that they were barred from his pub.
Mark Sheehan (26) claimed he came to his friend Thomas McGee's aid after publican Joe Sherman pushed him.
Sheehan also claimed Mr Sherman kicked him in the groin and left him with "severe bruising to the genitals".
Mr Sherman said he was called "a fat f**k" and McGee, also 26, threatened to "come back and burn the place down".
Judge Dermot Dempsey handed Sheehan a nine-month sentence and ordered McGee to complete community service.
Sheehan, of Dun Emer Green in Lusk, was found guilty of seriously assaulting Joe Sherman at The Strand Bar in Rush.
McGee, of St Catherine's Park in Rush, was found guilty of a breach of the peace and failing to comply with directions.
Mr Sherman said he was working around 10pm on August 31, 2014, when he saw McGee at the doorway.
He said he told McGee that he was barred.
Mr Sherman said Sheehan then started throwing shapes and told him "you're only a fat f**k".
He said Sheehan lunged at him with a "karate-type kick", before punching him in the face.
Denied
Mr Sherman said Sheehan gave him "a good clatter" and his nose started bleeding.
He went into the bathroom and cleaned away the blood.
He came back out and McGee, a fisherman, was at the door, threatening to "come back and burn the pub down".
Mr Sherman denied he threw McGee out of the pub or kicked Sheehan in the groin.
He said Sheehan fell over after punching him and he saw McGee kick and punch a bus stop pole after the incident.
Garda Vinnie Turley said he saw the two men argue and fall on top of each other as they walked up Rush Main Street.
He said Sheehan was holding his genital area and calling McGee a "f**king eejit".
In evidence, Sheehan claimed Mr Sherman punched him and kicked him in the groin.
He claimed he only threw one punch and missed Mr Sherman.
He said there was no medical evidence of a groin injury because he was "embarrassed to get his genitals out to a nurse".
McGee claimed Mr Sherman pushed him to the ground, Sheehan defended him and was "beaten to a pulp".
The men denied they had "concocted their story up".
A woman who sent obscene phone messages to Aras an Uachtarain threatening to bomb President Michael D Higgins if he visited England will be sentenced later for this and for harassing her local priest.
On one occasion Anne Fennell (57) referred to President Higgins as a "ladyboy" and on another told the receptionist that "the President and Sabrina Higgins would go home in plastic bags if they set foot on English soil".
She made repeated threats to bomb the president over a number of phone calls in April 2014 and again in October the same year.
Obscene
Fennell of Monastery Gate Green, Clondalkin, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to making persistent annoying phone calls and sending obscene or menacing phone messages to Aras an Uachtarain, the Department of Finance, the European Commission Representation, An Post Dublin Mail Centre and the constituency offices of TDs Alan Kelly, Aodhan O Riordain and Noel Coonan between February 2 and December 1, 2014.
She also pleaded guilty to harassing Fr Desmond Byrne at an address in Clondalkin on dates between September and October 2006. Fennell has no previous convictions.
Judge Greally heard during the sentencing hearing last December that the entire area around the Dail had to be searched on November 18, 2014 when Fennell called to say there would be a bomb at the main gate.
The parliamentary usher who took the call later told gardai that Fennell, a former An Post worker, had hung up "screaming".
Garda Aisling McGowan told Fiona Murphy BL, prosecuting that Fr Byrne came into contact with Fennell in 2000 as he regularly visited her invalid mother at the time.
Nuisance
The woman later died and in October 2005 Fr Byrne began to receive numerous nuisance calls from Fennell. She also ordered taxis and takeaways to his home.
The priest was later blacklisted by local cab firms as a result of the bogus bookings.
CCTV footage captured Fennell hanging around the priest's home. She put brown sauce, crisps and chips through his letterbox and threw black paint over his garage door.
Fennell was arrested in November 2006 and accepted what she had been doing. She said she would pay for any damage and claimed to have had no recollection of doing it.
A victim impact report from Fr Byrne said the calls were a nuisance but he was not scared by them. He also had to install CCTV footage and change the phone system in his home.
Kevin White BL, defending told Judge Greally that his client struggled to cope with her mother's death and wrongly believed Fr Byrne was pushing her aside when he recommended that she join a local group.
The judge had noted last December, after photos were handed in of Fennell's home, that she lived in "sub-human conditions" but was informed by Mr White today that she has made vast improvements to her living conditions since January.
He said she had set about cleaning up her house, had it painted and had installed a washing machine.
Judge Greally adjourned the case to next November and ordered an updated probation and psychological report for that date.
"I applaud her for the manner in which she approached her situation and this gives the court hope for optimism," Judge Greally said before she added that Fennell should keep moving in the right direction.
Under-fire Taoiseach Enda Kenny has dismissed criticism of his leadership and said he intends to focus on seeing through plans for a taskforce in the North Inner City.
Mr Kenny yesterday said he has "no intention of being diverted" from the task of running the Government.
"Let me say I have no intention of being diverted from that work that I have undertaken and for which I have received a mandate to fulfill," he said at an event in Castlebar.
"That is my focus and my focus is entirely on the future and for those who might be interested. I will not be diverted from that task and that duty and that responsibility which is the mandate given to me by the people."
Mr Kenny said he would also concentrate this week on putting together the final plans for the North Inner City task force in Dublin "following a number of serious murders in that area".
Challenges
"Last Friday I spent five hours down there, talking to people who told me their stories and how they are recovering from alcoholism, from drug addiction, from domestic violence, from all other challenges that so many people face out there in a real community," he added.
Mr Kenny's position as Taoiseach was strengthened yesterday after a raft of ministers rounded on his critics and called for calm heads within the Fine Gael party.
But Mr Kenny remained under serious pressure last night to spell out exactly when, and how, he intends to pass over the baton to a new leader.
Mr Kenny's leadership was brought into sharp focus after he suffered a series of setbacks and saw his credibility openly questioned by members of his own party last week.
And panic spread throughout Fine Gael following reports that a motion of confidence was being prepared ahead of this week's meeting of the parliamentary party.
However, Kerry TD Brendan Griffin emerged yesterday as the only deputy willing to publicly criticise Mr Kenny and call for him to be replaced.
"We are rudderless and we are drifting and that needs to be addressed," Mr Griffin told RTE's Morning Ireland.
Despite several deputies privately expressing no confidence in Mr Kenny, nobody followed suit and backed Mr Griffin's call for him to quit.
In contrast, senior party figures yesterday reaffirmed their support for Mr Kenny.
Speaking in Brussels, Finance Minister Michael Noonan batted away any suggestion that Mr Kenny's leadership is under threat.
"I think the country and the party are fortunate to have Enda Kenny as Taoiseach now."
Education Minister Richard Bruton said any such motion of no confidence would cause unnecessary "division" in the party.
A brother of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch has survived an assassination bid after a hitman botched the attempt on his life, the Herald can reveal.
The home of Paddy Hutch Snr - who is the father of feud victim Gary Hutch (35) - was targeted at the weekend.
It is believed that a lone gunman on a bicycle approached Mr Hutch's house in the north inner city but failed to carry through with the attack.
Paddy Hutch Snr (55) was issued with a Garda Information Message (GIM form) eight days ago.
GIM forms are issued when gardai receive credible information that a person's life is under threat.
Detectives in the Dublin North Central division received intelligence that there was an imminent threat against Hutch's life.
Gardai in the north inner city were alerted to a suspected gunman on a bike in the Champions Avenue area on Saturday evening.
Checkpoints
Members of the armed Emergency Response Unit (ERU) arrived minutes after the call-out at around 6pm.
A source said the threat against Hutch is being taken "extremely seriously" by gardai, and the target was informed as recently as last week that he was in danger.
"Members of the ERU were carrying out their Operation Hybrid checkpoints and received a call-out over a gunman on a bicycle in the Champions Avenue estate," the source said.
"The armed officers flooded the area, but the would-be gunman didn't carry out a shooting.
"It is being investigated as a potential threat against the life of this man."
No arrests have yet been made in relation to the incident, and officers are continuing their inquiries.
The identity of the gunman has not yet been established, but gardai believe associates of the Kinahan cartel were behind the attempted hit.
Paddy Hutch Snr was previously arrested and questioned for several days by detectives investigating the feud.
He was later released without charge.
Gardai from the North Central division have been routinely patrolling four estates in which members of the Hutch family live since February over fears that further murders will be carried out.
The ongoing feud between members of the Hutch organised crime gang and the cartel has so far claimed seven lives.
However, the murders of Darren Kearns (33) last December 30 and David 'Daithi' Douglas (54) 11 days ago have been linked to the dispute.
Members of the Kinahan cartel believed that the two men were involved in a botched assassination attempt last November.
A lone gunman approached gang members Liam Roe (38) and Liam Byrne (35) and tried to fire a number of shots, but his gun jammed.
Despite being linked to the failed hit, gardai are satisfied that neither man was directly involved in the incident at the Red Cow hotel on November 6.
Three relatives of Gerry Hutch (53) have already been murdered as part of the gangland feud.
His brother Eddie Snr (59) was gunned down by a four-man murder squad on February 9 at his home on Poplar Row, Ballybough.
Two of Gerry Hutch's nephew's have also been murdered in shootings related to the dispute.
Gareth Hutch (35) was shot dead as he got into his car in the Avondale House apartment complex on North Cumberland street on May 24.
Another nephew, Gary Hutch, was shot dead at his apartment complex on the Costa del Sol last September.
A new task force to tackle the gang feud is expected to be launched within weeks after its 38 members were chosen by senior officers.
The new unit will comprise one detective inspector, seven sergeants and thirty gardai.
They will work alongside a number of national units including the Criminals Assets Bureau (CAB).
Franklin County man guilty of killing man, hiding body
Justin Hockenberry was found guilty of killing Demetrios "Jimmy" Kalathas in November 2019 and faces life in prison without parole.
Pilots of huge airplanes, A350 and Boeing 787, will be trained in Vietnam next year.
Canadian CAE Inc. will provide training services for pilots from the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines in Ho Chi Minh City, the Vietnamplus reported Monday.
Under a 10-year agreement signed between the two companies recently, CAE will deliver three new full-flight simulators - Airbus A320, A350 and Boeing 787- to install in Vietnam Airlines (VNA) training center in Ho Chi Minh City and support the Vietnamese partner to train teaching and technical staff to operate the simulators. VNA is in charge of supply infrastructure and human resources for the operation of the simulators.
Cooperation with CAE will help VNA to save costs of sending its pilots overseas for training, said the companys chairman of the Board of Directors Pham Ngoc Minh.
"We are honored that CAE is our training partner of choice, helping us deliver world-class service to our passengers, including the highest standards of quality and safety," Minh said.
Vietnam is the fourth country in Southeast Asia, after Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines, to receive training services from CAE, which will begin in mid-2017, Minh added.
The VNA training center in Ho Chi Minh City is capable of holding six full-flight simulators. The firm has already installed a simulator of A320-200 to train pilots of A321 planes as well as one A320 flight training device. VNA began training its pilots of A321 planes at the center in June 2012.
A Vietnam Airlines' Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Photo by VnExpress/Minh Tri
CAE provides training for the civil aviation, defense and security and healthcare markets worldwide. It has 160 sites and training locations in 35 countries, including joint venture operations, and the world's largest installed base of flight simulators. Each year, CAE trains more than 120,000 civil and defense crewmembers, as well as thousands of healthcare professionals, the Canadian company said.
VNA, which has several modern airplanes including A350 and Boeing 787, plans to carry 20.1 million passengers this year, an increase of 15.5 percent from 2015.
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One of Vietnam's biggest corruption cases included several individuals who helped syphon off millions.
Former chairman of the Vietnam Construction Bank (CB) Pham Cong Danh was not alone in the "super-crime" case that lost the bank $404 million. Investigators have found that 17 directors also managed to embezzle $298 million.
With the alleged support of Thien Thanh Groups directors, Danh (51) illegally withdrew large amounts of money using counterfeit documents and deposited them in three other commercial banks. The Ministry of Public Security said it was a "deliberate act against state regulations on economic management, causing serious consequences."
Vietnam Construction Bank's former chairman and other officials will go on trial from July 19 to August 18. Photo by cbbank.vn
Pham Cong Danh , former chairman of CBs board, requested the groups directors to deposit VND6.63 trillion ($298 million) in three other banks then guaranteed loans for Danhs companies using the money as collateral.
As part of the expanded investigation, in which Pham Cong Danh was arrested in July 2014, the ministrys investigation agency said it had issued a decision to take legal action against ex-officials from the bank. The charge is usually known as "breaching regulations on loan provision in the operations of credit institutions."
Regarding legal regulations, four members of the State Bank of Vietnams supervision board are alleged to have allowed Danh and his accomplices withdraw over $839 million. The bank was under special control of the SBV at that time and every transaction worth over $225,000 needed to be approved by the supervision board.
In 2012, the State Bank of Vietnam restructured Trust Bank and re-branded it as the Vietnam Construction Bank with the main focus on lending to the construction sector. It had a charter capital of $135 million and total assets of over $1.26 billion.
From December 2012 to March 2014, Danh also established a dozen affiliates under Thien Thanh Group to take out loans from the bank, using assets that had already been put down as collateral for loans from other banks.
In March 2015, the SBV acquired all CB's equity for $0 per share. The acquisition is necessary to restore CBs payment abilities in line with general efforts to create a healthier banking system, former SBV Governor Nguyen Van Binh said at the time.
In the Committees review meeting on June 30 , Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, who is head of the Central Steering Committee for Corruption Prevention and Control said that the handling of the case must be comply with legal regulations and not be influenced by any organizations and individuals, to ensure that justice is executed.
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Contribution from crude oil to the state budget in the first half is estimated to have fallen 45 percent on-year to VND20.3 trillion ($910 million).
Vietnamese government has asked state-owned PetroVietnam to pump an additional one million tons of crude oil this year, the national oil and gas company said on July 8.
The new production target in 2016, thus, will be raised from 16.03 million tons to 17.03 million tons of crude oil.
This is the second consecutive year that the government has assigned more production to the company to secure greater contribution to the state budget. In July last year, the government directed PetroVietnam to produce an additional one million tons of crude oil for the year to help achieve the targeted annual economic growth rate of 6.2 percent in 2015.
The government in a resolution released on July 7 said the country's annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the first half was 5.52 percent, down from 6.32 percent in the same period last year. As part of the measures to help achieve GDP growth of 6.7 percent in 2016, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has been directed to adjust the country's production target of crude oil.
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Vietnamese dragon fruit finds their way onto Big C Thailand's shelves
Two leading supermarket chains in Vietnam, Big C and Metro, are controlled by Thai investors.
Vietnams Cao Thanh Phat Company has signed a contract with Thailands consumer goods group TCC Holding Co. Ltd to sell the first 100 tons of dragon fruit to Big C Thailand.
Products from Cao Thanh Phat in the central province of Binh Thuan fully meet Vietnamese Good Agriculture Practice (VietGap) and GlobalGap quality standards, the companys managing director Nguyen Cung Kinh said in a statement Monday.
The deal was inked amid worries from Vietnamese suppliers that local products will find it hard to enter leading supermarket chains in Vietnam following acquisitions from TCC and other Thai investors.
In January this year, TCC completed its acquisition of Metro Vietnam for 655 million euros ($704.1 million).
The Thai firm has also acquired a 25 percent stake in Big C operations in Thailand from Thai Central Group, which bought Big Cs operations in Vietnam from France's Casino Group for one billion euros ($1.14 billion) earlier this year.
Vietnams Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc urged Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, chairman of TCC, to buy more products from Vietnam to sell in its supermarkets during a meeting on July 8.
In response, Charoen said that TCC is seeking permission to buy Vietnamese oranges, sweet potatoes, limes, star apples, sapodilla and rice powder to sell in Thailand and other countries.
Vietnamese suppliers to Big C in May expressed concerns over the supermarket chains recent demands involving discounts. According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Big C was asking for higher discounts as part of new contracts for 2016. The new rates will increase from 5 percent to about 17 to 20 percent, and even 25 percent for some products.
The demands came after Thai Central Group announced on April 29 that it had acquired Big Cs operations in Vietnam from France's Casino Group.
From January-June this year, Vietnam exported 4,608 tons of fresh fruit, mainly to the U.S., Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia, of which 72 per cent was dragon fruit, Vietnam News Agency reported last week, citing data from the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetables Association.
Dragon fruit exports are expected to rise after Taiwans suspension on fruit imports from Vietnam is lifted. Taiwan plans to import 14,000-16,000 tons of dragon fruit per year.
Vietnam hopes to gain $2 billion from fruit and vegetable exports this year, according to the association.
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> Vietnamese suppliers cry out after Big C turns the screw
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If nothing's done, "the [Mekong] delta's agricultural production will be exhausted in the next three years."
About 45 percent of Vietnams Mekong Delta, where more than half of the countrys rice is grown, will be affected by saltwater intrusion by 2030 if hydropower dams and reservoirs along the Mekong River stop water from flowing downstream, said the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
If we dont come up with solutions right now, the deltas agricultural production will be exhausted in the next three years. And by 2030, up to 45 percent of the Mekong Deltas areas will be salinitized, the governments online news portal quoted Nguyen Van Hieu, deputy minister of Planning and Investment, as saying.
Vietnam has been struggling with its worst drought since French colonial administrators began recording statistics in 1926.
A joint rapid assessment, carried out by the Vietnamese government, the United Nations and non-governmental organizations in March, estimated that in the 18 of the country's most severely affected provinces, as many as two million people have no access to clean water and 1.1 million are in need of food aid.
The agriculture sector took a hit from the adverse weather conditions, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, adding that the sector recorded negative growth of 0.7 percent during the first half of the year.
The historic natural disaster has taken a heavy toll on agricultural production. Thousands of hectares of fruit, rice and sugar crops have been destroyed.
The Department for Agricultural Economy under the Ministry of Planning and Investment said the country's south central region, Central Highlands and southern Mekong Delta have been hit hardest.
Saltwater has made its way nearly 80 kilometers inland in the Mekong Delta, official statistics show.
Experts estimated that the prolonged drought, along with falling groundwater levels, have increased salinity levels in inland areas to as high as 23ppt (23,000 milligrams of salt per liter).
The buildup of salt in soil has reached toxic levels making it impossible for plants to grow.
The intensified saltwater intrusion has hit Vietnams 2015-2016 winter/spring paddy crop, which accounts for about 45 percent of annual production.
The Mekong Delta, which accounts for half of the winter/spring output, recorded the highest losses. Official reports show that the drought has hammered the deltas production down by 1.1 million tons from the same period last year to 10 million tons, the U.S. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a food security brief released on July 5.
The FAO forecast that Vietnams total rice output is likely to fall this year by 2 percent from last year to 44.5 million tons.
The countrys rice exports will also decline somewhat, due to a combination of tighter export availabilities and reduced demand, said the FAO.
Reuters cited industry analysts last month as saying that Vietnams rice exports this year will dip 4.45 percent from last year to 6.44 million tons. The country produced a record 45.21 million tons of paddy in 2015 and exported around 30 percent of the output, mainly to China, the Philippines and Indonesia.
Rice has not been the only victim of the prolonged drought and salinity; it has also taken a heavy toll on the countrys shrimp production.
The latest report released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that as of June, the worst drought and saltwater intrusion in almost 100 years had ravaged 83,000 hectares of shrimp farms.
The southernmost province of Ca Mau, which accounts for 25 percent of the countrys shrimp production, last month recorded a loss of VND260 billion (about $12 million) in shrimp production, with 52,000 hectares of affected areas.
According to a new estimate, the most severe drought and salinity in almost a century has caused some VND4.7 trillion ($300 million) in lost agricultural production in the Mekong Delta.
The Mekong Delta in the south of Vietnam contains 12 provinces: Long An, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Ben Tre, Dong Thap, Tra Vinh, An Giang, Hau Giang, Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Kien Giang and Ca Mau, plus the city of Can Tho.
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The money will be used to fund urban development, climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods.
Vietnam will use $250 million for the Can Tho Urban Development and Resilience Project, to reduce flood risk and improve connectivity between Can Tho's city center and new urban areas, benefiting more than 420,000 urban dwellers, and help city authorities to manage disaster risks.
The remaining $310 million will be used to build climate resilience and ensure sustainable livelihoods for 1.2 million people living in nine Mekong Delta provinces affected by climate change, saline intrusion, coastal erosion and flooding.
Recent extreme weather phenomena in the Mekong River Delta, including flooding, drought and salinity intrusion, are negatively affecting the lives of people in the region both in urban and rural areas, most of whom are poor, said Achim Fock, acting country director for the World Bank in Vietnam.
We believe the projects signed today will contribute to efforts to help the region adapt to climate change in a sustainable manner, he added.
The Mekong Delta Integrated Climate Resilience and Sustainable Livelihoods Project supports climate-smart planning and improved climate resilience on land and water.
The project will benefit farmers in the upper delta provinces and aquaculture farms along the coastal provinces in the region, including the Khmer ethnic minority people living in Soc Trang and Tra Vinh provinces.
The project is a critical part of the World Banks long-term engagement in the Mekong Delta to strengthen integrated adaptive delta management by bringing together different sectors and provinces to plan, prioritize and implement resilient investments.
The Can Tho Urban Development and Resilience Project supports the construction of surrounding embankments, tidal gates and improved rainwater storage and drainage systems, as well as other non-structural measures to help the city manage urban flood risks.
The project will also help increase intra-city connectivity and encourage new urban development in the less flood prone areas of Cai Rang. Under the project, management systems will also be built to improve spatial planning, data and information management and financial management.
The International Development Association, the World Banks financing arm, will offer $310 million for the Mekong Delta Integrated Climate Resilience and Sustainable Livelihoods Project and $125 million for the Can Tho Urban Development and Resilience Project.
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the World Banks fund for middle income countries, will also provide $125 million for the Can Tho Urban Development and Resilience Project.
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In 2010, Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi famously declared, as he glowered at his Singapore counterpart, that China is a big country and other countries are small countries, and thats just a fact. But small countries can draw upon weapons of the weak. On Tuesday, July 12, as part of a case brought by the Philippines, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague issued a remarkable, wide-ranging, and stinging rebuke of Chinas exercise of power in the South China Sea. The implications for Asias maritime disputes, US-China tensions, and Indias approach to the region could be serious and far-reaching.
Read | Philippines willing to share South China Sea natural resources: Govt
The South China Sea is not a new dispute. In the 1980s, for instance, Vietnam lost around 60 sailors in a clash with China. But in the six years after Yangs blunt observation, China established a series of new and significant facts on the ground or, more precisely, in the water. It constructed artificial islands at breakneck speed, placed missile batteries and radar facilities on others, and declared a provocative Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) in the nearby East China Sea. American warships responded by pointedly ignoring Chinese claims and sailing right up to Chinese-claimed areas, in so-called freedom of navigation operations. In June 2012, a standoff between the Philippines and China culminated in Chinese forces taking control of Scarborough Shoal in the north part of the South China Sea. The next year, Manila brought a broad case against China under the United Nations Convention on the law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both are signatories. China angrily rejected its jurisdiction, but it was taken up regardless by a tribunal of the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
Read | Explained: What the South China Sea dispute is all about
Read | Tribunal rules against Beijing in South China Sea dispute, China rejects it
That tribunals ruling is a landmark. It found against China on every important point, but on three in particular. First, it shattered the validity of Chinas infamous nine-dash line, according to which Beijing claims 85% of the South China Sea. There was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or their resources, noted the judges, and the line was contrary to the Convention and without lawful effect. This in itself is a serious blow to decades of Chinese diplomacy, given that the line first appeared (with eleven dashes) in 1947. Second, the tribunal says that key features claimed by China are not naturally habitable, and therefore cannot generate a 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This de-legitimises many of Chinas artificial islands in those supposed EEZs, undercuts its demands as to what foreign warships can and cant do in those areas, and erodes its claim to natural resources discovered in the future. Third, the tribunal reprimands not just Chinas claims, but also its behaviour. China violated the Philippines rights by interfering with fishing and oil exploration, it created a serious risk of collision in doing so, knowingly caused irreparable harm to the marine environment, and has aggravated the dispute by building new islands.
Read | Dialogue the way to settle rows: China
China had declared it would ignore the verdict, and so it has. The state news agency Xinhua tweeted abuse at the law-abusing tribunal and its ill-founded award. It is unenforceable, short of starting a war with Asias largest power. There will be no sanctions. But there are important consequences. Xi Jinping has staked national pride in the South China Sea, and will face domestic pressure to respond to a legal humiliation. This could take the form of vitriolic, if harmless, rhetoric. But it could be something more threatening, such as fresh military deployments or even direct confrontation with the Philippines. The United States is right to have pre-emptively deployed a second aircraft carrier in the region. The ruling, and its categorical rejection by Beijing, will also reinforce the widespread sense, in the West and within Asia, that China is taking a cavalier approach to international law and, more broadly, the nebulous idea of the rules-based international order. Whether these perceptions are right or wrong and there is surely some irony in the fact the US has not ratified UNCLOS, the very convention at stake here it will contribute to the geopolitical balancing against China that we see amongst Asias largest powers, notably Japan, Vietnam, and India.
Read | A flashpoint in the sea
India has become increasingly engaged on the South China Sea over the past two years, sending four warships there for a months-long deployment in May. The award comes at an awkward moment in Sino-Indian relations, in the aftermath of Indias foiled bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Beijings rejectionism also stands in obvious contrast to New Delhis dignified acceptance of its defeat to Bangladesh at the hands of the same Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2014. The distinction, and what it says about the nature of each countrys rise, will not be lost on smaller Asian countries balancing their relations with India and China. India will also have to consider the implications for its near seas. Not only is Chinas uncompromising approach a possible indication of its broader behaviour, but intensified US-China competition in the western Pacific, far from tying down Chinese forces, may well induce China to redouble its efforts to protect sea-lanes in the Indian Ocean.
Shashank Joshi is senior research fellow, Royal United Services Institute RUSI. The views expressed are personal.
Though it lost on all legal fronts in the judgment of the international tribunal over its South China Sea claim, China may yet emerge geopolitically the winner.
The reason: if Beijing suffers no material damage from defying the tribunals judgment, the lesson for Southeast Asia will be that the continents unipolar moment has arrived and China is atop the pole.
Chinas strident denunciations of the tribunal even before the judgment indicated it knew it would lose. But for Beijing, the nine-dash line saga has been largely an expression of raw power, a signal that Beijing could lay claim to 90% of an international water body and that no one, specifically the United States, could do anything about it.
Read: Tribunal rules against Beijing in South China Sea dispute, China rejects it
This has largely been accomplished. For nearly three years an isolationist Barack Obama administration failed to respond to Chinas atoll-hopping.
Only in the past one-and-half years has the US responded with naval patrols and airpower, but none of this changes the hard reality of what China has captured on the ground.
The greatest damage has been to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a regional body of largely American allies. Chinas territorial claims overlap those of five ASEAN members: the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.
But, say Vietnamese and Singaporean officials, China has been able to divide ASEAN with at least four members ensuring that the grouping has been unable to put up a common front against the nine-dash line.
ASEAN unity is now a fiction, a senior Singaporean diplomat said recently.
For those Southeast Asian countries which have thrown in their lot with Beijing, the inability of the US to roll back Chinas actions is confirmation that they are on the winning side.
When a former Indian former secretary asked a group of eminent ASEAN people some years ago how they saw the present US-China tussle over the South China Sea, they responded with a military metaphor If a Chinese carrier comes our way we will look to the US. If it does not send a carrier in response, then we will welcome the Chinese carrier with open arms.
Read: Beijing has no historic title over South China Sea: Timeline of dispute
If, as many expect, the US will do little other than attack China rhetorically after the judgment, Southeast Asians will see it as further evidence of Beijings ascendancy.
Privately, Indian diplomats have been critical of the US response to Chinas moves. One senior official described the Chinese grab of the South China Sea as akin to Beijings takeover of Tibet.
The Obama administrations back-and-forth policy on countering China and the USs inability to get allies like Japan or Australia to join US naval incursions into Chinese maritime claim areas were key reasons India turned down US requests for joint naval patrols in the South China Sea.
We will oppose Chinas claims to the last Vietnamese or Filipino, was how one official semi-seriously characterised Indias policy.
However, Chinas continuing success in its South China Sea snatch and grab policy has been a major catalyst for India to deepen and broaden its economic and military influence among Indian Ocean states.
A policy that will only be enhanced after a tribunal judgment that China, though obligated by treaty to obey, has declared as null and void.
Rapid urbanisation is a phrase used by many to describe the urban transformations taking place across India. However, this is far from the truth. While India has experienced rapid urban growth, its pace of urbanisation has been abysmally slow. To explain this conundrum, it is imperative to understand the difference between urbanisation and urban growth and the drivers behind these phenomena.
Indias urbanisation rate or the proportion of people living in urban areas increased from around 20% in 1971 to 31% in 2011. India uses a conservative definition of urban areas compared to other countries and alternative definitions can raise this figure to 37% or 47% if one adds rural settlements with more than 10,000 people or 5,000 people respectively to the urban definition.
Read: Urbanisation can mitigate poverty: PM Modi at smart city launch
However, the change in urbanisation rates of 2-3 percentage points per decade is unaffected by definitions and are nearly half of those in many other countries with similar economic growth rates. Why has the pace of urbanisation in India been so slow? This is the question we address in a recent International Growth Centre research study.
The pace of urbanisation depends on both urban and rural population growth rates, which in turn depend on natural growth rates (birth rates minus death rates), migration and reclassification effects. Thus rapid urban growth does not necessarily lead to faster urbanisation if it is offset by equally rapid rural growth.
In the 1970s, natural growth rates in urban and rural India were identical. Since then, they have dramatically diverged with rural natural growth rates currently standing substantially higher than urban natural growth rates. This is mainly due to higher birth rates in rural areas as death rates have converged between rural and urban settings.
Read: Just a small percentage of population to benefit from Smart Cities Mission
This demographic divergence between rural and urban natural growth rates implies that in the absence of migration and reclassification effects, India has been de-urbanising. Such a demographic divergence has rarely been witnessed in other countries or for that matter in many parts of India. The All-India demographic divergence is an outcome of divergence in the relatively poorer northern states - Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Assam.
In contrast, south India, Maharashtra, Gujarat and even Punjab did not experience the demographic divergence. Our district level analysis reveals that regions with low agricultural productivity per hectare and higher differences in rural-urban literacy levels exhibited higher degrees of this demographic divergence.
Read: Why India needs to be smart about urbanisation
Thus, the pace of urbanisation in India could quicken by boosting agricultural productivity and rural literacy levels, reducing rural natural growth rates and reversing the demographic divergence.
In theory, these measures could also reduce migration from villages to cities and thus slow down the pace of urbanisation through the migration channel. In practice, longer duration rural-urban migration streams are positively associated with income and education levels in India as farm work becomes a less attractive proposition.
Gendered migration, however, is another reason that explains Indias slow pace of urbanisation. The bulk of work related migration in India tends to be male-dominated and semi-permanent in nature. Male migrants often work their entire lives in cities but retire back in their native villages due to factors such as cultural norms about womens mobility and adverse housing conditions. As a result, in-coming cohorts of migrants are partially offset by out-going cohorts of older migrants in major Indian cities, and this dampens the pace of urbanisation.
Urban growth, as against urbanisation, has been fairly rapid but even here there are distinct signs of slowdown as fertility rates dip along the course of the demographic transition. Most Indian cities grew at a slower annual rate post-1991 than the period between 1951 and 1991 due to a decline in fertility rates.
The exceptional cases such as Surat and Tiruppur grew faster post-1991 because high in-migration rates linked with an industrial upswing compensated for the fertility decline. Our analysis reveals the significance of education in positively driving city growth rates through in-migration over the past five decades and investments in the Information & Technology (IT) sector as an important factor for growth in the past decade. In general though, northern cities have grown faster than southern cities due to higher fertility rates and this trend will continue in the next decade.
India is thus witnessing a paradox of rapid urban growth and slower urbanisation in the north as compared to slower urban growth and faster urbanisation in the South.
Urbanisation is an important process through which poverty can be reduced, a point underscored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his recent speech at the launch of the Smart City projects.
Our analysis suggests that a boost to agricultural productivity in the poorer northern States will reduce Indias demographic divergence and foster rapid urbanisation by changing the rural-urban fertility divide.
Rural prosperity is thus demographically linked with the process of urbanisation and the two phenomena can and should occur simultaneously.
Chinmay Tumbe, department of economics, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad.
From a relatively unknown locality in Hoshangabad of Madhya Pradesh, a 26-year-old son of a farmer has made his way into the international arena with his 13 Android apps, now earning a lakh per month.
Hemant Mehra, from Gwaltoli, has studied only till Class 10, but his apps have takers in the US, South Africa, France, Israel and other countries.
The most popular one is the Lovers in a Spin, which has been downloaded more than 500 times, mostly by Americans, 46%, followed by Penguin Shooting, which is more popular in the Middle East and Indonesia.
Talking to HT, Hemant recalled how he had to quit studies as his parents were not able to fund it. Having no interest in farming, he took to technology and was inspired to develop apps after reading an interview of an app developer in a newspaper in 2013.
Breaking into tears, he said he was even mocked at and insulted when he shared his ideas with people about developing the apps.
Many even told me on my face that this is the work of IT engineers and computer experts. I had no money to take any kind of training for this. So I bought books, researched on internet and kept experimenting myself, he said.
Now, the same people treat me with respect because they see that I have accomplished something, despite not being a graduate. It is sad that our country largely judge people based on their educational qualifications, he said.
RK Pateria, head of the computer science department at Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), Bhopal, said it was unusual for a person without any practice or study of computer coding, he has developed so many different kinds of apps.
It is good thing that people are learning on their own and following their passions, Pateria remarked.
Hemants 13 apps include 8 games, a news app, a shopping app for clothes, a neurotherapy app, an astrology app and a messenger app called Mappi, which can be used for both chatting and file sharing, even without internet.
Available on Google Play store, these have takers from Poland, Russia, South Korea, Japan, Mexico and Germany too.
Having a monthly turnover of around Rs 1 lakh from advertisements on his apps, Hemant is currently working on his dream project, Apna MP which will serve as a business to customer platform for various users.
Hemant, who has been developing apps alone till now, plans to provide employment to more than 50 people in the state.
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Actors Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone are headed for a vacation to Vivamayr spa in Austria. The couple will reportedly be joined by their respective families too.
According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, they will be spending a few days at the detox clinic together.
Read: Ranveer will always be an important part of my life: Deepika Padukone
Earlier, there were reports that all was not well between the two. However, these were refuted by reports of the two getting secretly engaged sometime back.
Having been on a weight losing spree, Parineeti Chopra felt the pressure of Bollywood to be in shape but she is now happy to be fit. There are women who are pregnant or are dealing with post pregnancy weight, or teenagers who are obese, from across the world, (they) want to know my story. I am a fat-to-fit story, said Parineeti.
I have struggled with my weight. I was big and unhealthy, not chubby. I took it upon myself to work towards this. There was pressure of Bollywood to bring me on right part.
I am fit now. People need to be fit no matter what size they are. I was big and unfit. There are dancers in New York who are big but flexible. It took me a year-and-half to reach here.
Read: I was not happy with the way I looked before, says Parineeti Chopra
The Daawat-e-Ishq actor was away from the screen for quite sometime and now post her weight-loss break, she is all charged up. Of course, I missed (being on screen). When I entered the film industry I did four films back-to-back as everyone was used to seeing me on screen. I am not filmy as these (star kids) guys. I come from a different discipline and I have lived my life in a different way. I needed that emotional break. I wanted to settle down.
Read: Bollywood pressure reason for my weight loss, says Parineeti
Parineeti feels the break helped her sort out her priorities. Its a different world for me. I come from a world of banking and academics and I had to be in front of camera all the time and had the pressure. I just wanted to sort out some things.
Now I have this dedication and concentration on my work because of the break. I wanted to work on my body, I am 27 years old. I wanted to wear shorts and better clothes and not worry about anything. This one year break was amazing.
Watch: Parineeti, Varun in a song from Dishoom
Parineeti will be seen dancing with Varun Dhawan in the Jaaneman song from his upcoming film Dishoom.
Follow @htshowbiz for more.
Since the beginning of 2016, Sajid Nadiadwala has been busy with films such as Baaghi, Housefull 3 and the upcoming Varun Dhawan-John Abraham starrer Dishoom. In the midst of his professional duties, the film-maker has also been tackling a peculiar issue an impostor.
A few weeks ago, Nadiadwala was surprised to find out that his friends in the industry were getting messages and invites from him on Facebook, when he isnt on any social media sites.
Read: Definitely we will be doing Housefull 4 very soon: Sajid Nadiadwala
When a number of actors and directors told Nadiadwala that they had been chatting with him on Facebook, he informed them that he doesnt have an account on the website, says an insider.
When the impostor continued chatting with industry members, the film-maker decided to lodge a complaint with the Mumbais cyber cell. The impostor wasnt just talking to the industry people about general things. He had started inviting them for auditions and look tests. Nadiadwala had to stop him from continuing that, before it became a big issue, adds the insider.
Read: Budget plays an important role in film-making: Sajid Nadiadwala
The film-maker has now asked his team to keep an eye out for any other fake accounts that may exist on social media platforms. Nadiadwala has always stayed away from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, despite many of his industry friends and his wife, Warda Nadiadwala, asking him to test the waters, says the insider.
When contacted, Nadiadwala says, I have lodged a complaint with the cyber cell after learning about this issue from a lot of my friends. I am confident that the authorities will take the necessary steps.
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The prime culprit behind Vietnam's mass fish deaths arbitrarily picked a less environmentally-friendly waste-treatment method.
An arbitrary change to the steel plant's waste-treatment system was a serious procedural violation by the prime culprit of Vietnams mass fish death, Environment Minister Tran Hong Ha said in a report to the Vietnamese parliament on the environmental disaster caused by a unit of Formosa.
Ha made the statement on Monday at a meeting in Hanoi focused on socio-economic development in the first six months. He was reporting to the National Assembly, Vietnam's legislature, the results of the investigation into Formosa Ha Tinh Steel -- the Vietnam subsidiary of Formosa Plastics -- saying that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment had detected 53 procedural violations committed by Formosa. Among those, an illegal change to waste-treatment technology was deemed the worst violation.
The most serious violation is that Formosa has arbitrarily changed their environmentally-friendly dry ore processing technology to wet processing a method that dispenses more waste, especially gas, Ha said. Although this change was not related to the environmental incident which resulted in the mass fish deaths, it is a serious violation of the law.
Ha said Formosa was undergoing test-runs during the mass fish death phenomenon and the companys ore processing plant was only running at a fourth of its capacity. Despite the plant being the biggest source of pollution, the incident happened due to an electrical problem.
If they operate the system correctly at its capacity and all regulations are monitored closely, Formosa should be able to control their waste treatment, the minister said.
After the Vietnamese government declared Formosa responsible for the environmental disaster along Vietnams central coast, the discussion on damage assessment and how to prevent such incidents from recurring continues.
Nguyen Thuy Anh, chairwoman of the parliamentary Committee on Social Affairs, questioned the governments over problems identified in the inspection process at Formosa. She also raised concerns about foreign laborers working in the Vung Ang Economic Zone in the central province of Ha Tinh, where Formosa is located.
Pham Minh Huan, deputy minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs said the ministry, together with Ha Tinh People's Committee, conducted several inspections and found that 70 percent of the foreign workers at Formosa had been granted work permits.
"Currently, permits are the responsibility of local authorities in Ha Tinh, and as far as we know, the procedure is strictly regulated," Huan said.
Taiwanese firm Formosa hit the headlines recently for causing one of the biggest environmental disasters in Vietnamese history, killing tons of fish across four coastal provinces. The company has officially apologized to the Vietnamese people and promised to pay compensation of $500 million to make up for the damage.
Related news:
> Vietnam slaps polluting steel firm Formosa with $70 mln tax bill
> Vietnams police investigate provincial agencies following Formosa incident
> Formosa offers $500 mln to compensate Vietnam for catastrophic environmental damage
> Formosa: a costly precedent for Vietnam
Have you seen those viral photos of Rani Mukerji and Aditya Chopras seven-month-old baby girl Adira? Theyre adorable. But unfortunately, theyre also fake.
Why is the internet so mean?
Ranis representative clarified that she was not on any social media platform and those viral photos of her baby Adira were fake. (Twitter)
Just when it seemed Rani had finally decided to share the first pictures of her baby, the Bollywood actress representative clarified that Rani was not on any social media platform. The pictures were shared by an Instagram account iamranichopra, which Rani, clearly, does not operate.
A statement issued from the actress side stated that there are many fake accounts that keep cropping up in the name of the Mardaani actress.
Read: Rani Mukerji turns 38, makes first appearance after becoming mother
This is to inform you that Rani Mukerji is not on any social media platform and has never been. There are several fake accounts that keep cropping up. We would like to request you to not pay any heed to them or the content they put up as it is all fake, Ranis spokesperson said in a statement.
Meanwhile, with these photos of Adira now being deemed fake, we can no longer access the iamranichopra account on Instagram, either.
Read: Rani Mukerji, Aditya Chopra blessed with daughter, name her Adira
Rani and Aditya, who had been in a relationship for long, got married in April 2014 in Italy. The couple welcomed their first daughter on 9 December 2015.
To stem the attrition of employees, national carrier Air India (AI) has decided to stop extending post-retirement benefits such as free passages (tickets) and medical facilities to those seeking voluntary retirement from the company.
AI, like other Indian carriers, has seen employees leave for greener pastures abroad, especially to join airlines in the Gulf, or poached by domestic rivals.
I strongly feel that the company should stop extending post-retirement passages and medical benefits to its employees who seek voluntary retirement, or resign from the service, except due to extreme medical reasons. This should be applicable also in cases where the application of voluntary retirement is pending at present, chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani said in an internal note, accessed by the HT.
Sources said the government has barred fresh hiring in the company, except for pilots and cabin crew, which has added to AIs problems.
The company is passing through difficult times at present. The attrition of various categories of staff, including those in the licensed category, is a matter of extreme concern as presently the company has been restricted from recruiting staff on regular basis, Lohani wrote.
Other AI officials also expressed concern over the attrition rate.
The company is losing experienced employees when it is most wanted, said an official.
AI is considered to have one of the best medical policies for employees, which are available to them post-retirement as well, and the company hopes that withdrawing these perks will help stop the resignations.
Of late, I have noticed a large number of applications from the employees seeking voluntary retirement; obviously most of such employees are seeking greener pastures. It needs appreciation that such attrition is extremely detrimental for the company, especially in the present critical juncture, and therefore cannot be encouraged in any circumstances. In fact, such attrition of employees, much before their actual date of retirement needs to be actively discouraged unless of course it is due to extreme medical reasons. The above is necessary as we have to keep the interest of the company supreme, especially at this crucial juncture in the life of the airline, the note said.
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The new governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is likely to be appointed before the next session of Parliament begins, top sources in the finance ministry told HT on condition of anonymity. The monsoon session is scheduled for July 18.
The government has already clarified that the decision on the successor will be taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in consultation with finance minister Arun Jaitley.
The successor has already been decided, it is the announcement that has to be made. And it will be done before Parliament begins, said the source. Now, with prime minister Narendra Modi back from his 4-nation Africa tour, and with just a few days to go before the Parliament session begins, there is hectic speculation around Raghuram Rajans successor.
Read: Arvind Panagariya may be named new RBI governor in place of Rajan: Report
Names, including State Bank of India chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya, RBI deputy governor Urjit Patel, former deputy governors Subir Gokarn and Rakesh Mohan, former economic advisor Kaushik Basu, tax expert Parthasarathi Shome, chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian and economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das, have been doing the rounds.
Read: Who after Raghuram Rajan? Govt cuts RBI governor shortlist to four
The latest to join the list of probables is Arvind Panagariya, after two television channels reported that the NITI Aayog head is a front-runner. Both reports cited unnamed government sources for their information.
Arvind Panagariya was an economics professor at the Columbia University when he was appointed as the head of NITI Aayog. He is an admirer of the Gujarat model of development, and his views on economy are considered similar to that of Modis.
The preference is for someone who has international acceptance as an economist and has served the Indian government in some capacity, sources told HT. However, reports suggest that the race may narrow down to Gokarn, Basu and Mohan, who have strong international presence.
Gokarn is currently the executive director on the board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He represents India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan. Basu, who was earlier chief economic adviser to the finance ministry, is the World Banks chief economist. Rakesh Mohan has served as deputy governor in RBI and has been Indias executive director at the IMF.
RBI governor Raghuram Rajan recently announced that he will return to academia when his term ends on September 4.
Upgrade my family and face actionthat s the message from Air India( AI) chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani to his senior staff.
By virtue of being the CMD, Lohanis family is entitled to travel in executive class subject to the availability of seats, an airline official said. However, Lohanis order not to upgrade his family to a higher class is being viewed as a move to enforce discipline within AI.
The focus should be to sell the maximum number of first-class tickets because thats where a full-service carrier like AI makes most of its money from. They should not be filled with freeloaders. By taking a stand on the issue, Lohani has sent a clear message. When the CMDs family can travel in economy so can others. It also sends a message to bureaucrats and politicians who are perpetually requesting for upgrades, another senior AI official said.
Upgrading passengers travelling in economy to a higher class is a common practice in airlines. Passengers can be upgraded subject to the availability of seats, or can seek an upgrade by paying a little extra. However, this facility, sources said, has sometimes been misused in the past.
An upgrade can only be given by the CMD. There is no one else who has that power now, another official said.
The airline has strictly barred its crew from upgrading passengers. Once the aircraft doors are shut, the captain is the boss. The crew very often used to allow family and friends to shift to the higher class, if seats were available, the official quoted above said.
The national carrier recently stopped that practice.
It has come to our notice that at times upgrades are done within the aircraft by the cockpit or the cabin crew. A serious view has been taken of the same and personal responsibility shall be fixed in such cases. It is reiterated that no upgrades shall be done without a message from the chairmans office, according to a note sent by the CMDs office. Upgrades can only be given by the crew after informing the CMDs office, it added.
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NEW DELHI: A 71-year-old woman was found murdered at her residence in south-east Delhis Kalkaji on Monday evening.
The incident was reported just hours after the police claimed to have solved last weeks murder of a 69-year-old woman in west Delhi and arrested her former domestic help for the crime.
Bearing strong similarities with the previous case, in this murder too police suspect the role of the womans former servants.
Around 7.20 pm, the police control room received information about the murder of 71-year-old Harneet Kaur, a resident of E block in Kalkaji.
Police said that Kaur was reportedly at home with one of the domestic helps when she was murdered. Police suspect she was strangled.
Police said they received information about the incident from Kaurs daughter-in-law around 7.20pm. The woman reportedly said that at about 6pm, she had gone to the local gurudwara.
At about 7.15pm when she returned, she found the main gate unlocked. On entering the house, Singhs daughter-in-law saw Kaur lying unconscious on the ground.
The rooms were reportedly ransacked. The family told police around Rs 70,000-80,000 cash and jewellery worth lakhs were missing.
Preliminary investigation revealed that about 20 days ago, the family had sacked their two domestic helps. The present domestic help, Lalit, claimed he had gone to the top floor to take a bath.
Investigating officials said they were verifying Lalits claim that he was in the bathroom and did not realise Kaur had been murdered. Police are checking the servant verification records of the two men who were sacked last month.
It looks like the work of an insider. Somebody who knew the womans daughter-in-law would be in the gurudwara may be involved. We are looking at CCTV footage and trying to get clues, said an investigating officer.
Police collected finger print samples from the house and were analysing them with their database.
NEW DELHI: The CBI may seek witness testimonies from senior officials of a software supplier to strengthen its corruption probe against a Delhi-based private firm and former principal secretary to Delhi CM, Rajendra Kumar.
A senior official from the accused firm, who is under the CBI scanner, allegedly persuaded the supplier to pay around Rs 69 lakh for bagging a state contract, according to the CBIs case papers.
The alleged payment was made via a camouflaged MOU/ contract between the accused firm and the supplier, to facilitate the transaction.
The payment was allegedly made from the commission received for supplying software worth around Rs 10 crore to a state department, according to the probes findings. The accused people and firms in the case have denied the allegations.
We are examining allegations that the accused firms senior official told the software providers partners that it was his active intervention, owing to his connections with officials, which led to the contracts award, said a CBI source.
The agency on Saturday arrested former and current managing directors of the publicsector undertaking Intelligent Communication System India Limited, in its corruption probe. The two arrested officials were accused of manipulating tender guidelines to ensure that the Delhi-based firm bagged a lucrative state contract.
The agency recovered from an accused, a diary in which the entries allegedly indicated suspicious monetary transactions involving an FIR-named accused, claimed another CBI source. The CBI is examining if the payments were indeed made as per certain diary entries and why, he said.
MUMBAI: Islamic televangelist Zakir Abdul Karim Naik cancelled his return from Saudi Arabia to hometown Mumbai on Monday morning, triggering speculation that he is dodging police after allegations that his sermons influenced a terrorist killed in the July 1 Dhaka siege.
In a statement released from abroad, he said no Indian government agency has contacted him over the allegations.
It would be my pleasure to cooperate with any official Indian government investigation agency for any information they might require from me, he said, reaffirming that he does not support terrorism or violence and neither does he support any terrorist organisation.
Bangladesh has banned Naiks Peace TV, saying it incited the attack on a Dhaka cafe in which 22 people were gunned down by young, educated terrorists who belonged to affluent families.
His trouble compounded after suspicion that his speeches inspired 20-odd people, who disappeared from Kerala and feared to have joined the Islamic State terrorist outfit.
Naik is unlikely to return to the country for another two to three weeks as he is planning to visit some African nations for public speeches, an aide of the 50-year-old preacher said. But he is not running away from any inquiry or the media, whom he will address via Skype on Tuesday to clear allegations of inspiring terrorists through his speeches, the aide said.
His travel schedule had been made long back. After performing Umrah, he is scheduled to travel to Jeddah from where he will visit Africa for public talks scheduled there. He is, therefore, not expected in the country for another two to three weeks, at least.
Naik is banned from entering UK and Canada for his controversial hate speeches, but there is no substantial evidence that suggests he or his sermons influenced or radicalised young men to join terrorism.
The political class is divided after Bangladeshi investigators said a terrorist in the deadly Dhaka attack was spurred by his radical speeches on television.
Shiv Sena demanded Naiks arrest, as soon as he lands in Mumbai, while the Samajwadi Partys Maharashtra unit president Abu Azmi supported the preacher.
Zakir Naik has been a preacher for around 25 years. If he has been inspiring terrorists, why was no action taken against him from so long? There should be an inquiry, conducted by a retired Supreme Court judge. But this media trial against him should stop, Azmi said.
The qualified doctor, who became a preacher and founded the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), has been under surveillance since 2003 serial blasts in Mumbai, when his name cropped up. Naik was questioned extensively, but Mumbai Police could not find any evidence linking him to any act of terrorism.
But Naik has been under continuous surveillance of intelligence units and agencies since then, a senior IPS officer said.
There is little possibility that Naik would try to influence the youth using a public platform such as Peace TV. What if Naik met any youth who joined IS or any other terrorist organisation behind closed doors? he asked.
Police were not ruling out the possibility as parents of two brothers from Kerala have revealed that the duo had met Naik in Mumbai. The brothers are among the 20-odd missing youth from the state, suspected of joining the IS.
Police sources said a special team has gathered details about his property, funding and other activities.
Apart from monitoring social networking websites, officers are sifting through interrogation reports of suspects to find out if any of them were influenced by Naiks speeches or had met him in person.
GREATER NOIDA: Hearing on a petition of the accused in the Dadri lynching case to file an FIR against the family of victim Mohammad Ikhlaq has been deferred to July 14.
The public prosecutor argued that the matter of lynching and assault was sub judice.
The counsels of the accused sought an FIR against Ikhlaqs kin, referring to the forensic report of the flesh that was allegedly recovered from the fridge of the deceased.
The public prosecutor, Chaman Prakash, said: This plea should not be entertained as a murder has taken place and the matter is still sub judice, he said.
The counsels of the accused persons, however, maintained that the forensic report confirmed cow slaughter, hence a case under the UP Cow Protection Act, 1955, should be registered against Ikhlaqs kin.
The forensic test report confirms that a crime was committed. We demand legal action against all those who violated the law. In her statement, Ikhlaqs daughter Shaista had said the pieces of meat were gifted by her relatives, so it makes them offenders as well, said Thakur Shishpal Sisodiya, counsel of the accused persons.
On the night of September 28, a mob of locals allegedly attacked Ikhlaq and Danish at their residence over allegations of slaughtering a cow and storing its meat for consumption. Ikhlaq had succumbed to his injuries while Danish survived with a fractured skull.
We hope the court will order the registration of a case against all the accused in the next hearing, said Ram Sharan Nagar, the counsel of accused persons.
During the argument in the court, the counsel of Ikhlaqs kin and the public prosecutor said the forensic report was not enough to file a case.
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NEW DELHI: The Centre has accepted the Delhi governments pending demand for land at token prices.
The union urban development ministry on Monday announced it had drastically reduced the rates at which the DDA allotted land to the Delhi government.
Land for medical institutions, maternity centres, night shelters and orphanages will be allotted at a nominal charge of Rs 1 per annum.
The Delhi government had been demanding land from the Central government for a while. It had written to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), seeking land at token prices.
Apart from control over the police, the Centre and the Delhi government have been sparring over land.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has many a time said the state government had the right to land. He said if the government was constructing structures for public welfare, it should be given land at nominal rates.
Also the land for DTC depots and offices, which was earlier allotted at market rate ranging between Rs 1,82,400 and Rs 6,72,000 per square metre, will be given at a nominal rate (no profit no loss) of Rs 11,745 per square metre.
Facing land crunch for bus depots, the Aam Aadmi Party government had last year sought 500 acres from the DDA for parking 10,000 buses in the national Capital.
The rate for land for staff quarters at schools and hospitals of the local bodies and the Delhi government has been reduced from 10% of residential rates to Rs 1 per annum, said an official.
The rate was between Rs 31,000 and Rs 75,700 per sqm.
The urban development ministry approved the new rates after consulting senior officials of the DDA and the Delhi government, he said.
Similarly, the cost of land for Delhi government offices has been reduced from its market rate to zonal variant rates that range from Rs 23,490 to Rs 52,853 per sqm. The market rate was between Rs 1,82,400 and Rs 6,72,000 per sqm.
Further, the land for roads, graveyards and crematoria, play grounds and parks, water supply and drainage for DDA colonies will continue to be allotted free of cost or at Rs 1/- per annum.
SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI: Kashmir remained locked down amid reports of continuing protests and violence for a third day on Monday, as the government began efforts to forge a political consensus in Delhi to deal with the unrest sparked by the killing of a young militant commander.
A top home ministry official said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meeting on Tuesday to discuss ways to end the protests which erupted after troops shot dead last week Burhan Wani, the 22-year-old commander of Kashmirs largest militant group Hizbul Mujahideen. At least 24 people have been killed in the violence.
Across Kashmir, roads remained empty and shops shuttered on Monday but confrontations continued despite a round-the-clock curfew in most of the Valley. By noon, crowds ignored the clampdown to gather in parts of Srinagar and towns south of it but troops repelled them.
A mob in southern Kashmirs Kulgam district took a policeman hostage, demanding the release of a youth arrested for stone-pelting. A head constable was abducted by a mob at Behibagh and held hostage, a spokesman said.
Security forces remained the prime target as militants hurled a grenade at a police station in Srinagar late on Monday, wounding at least 13 CRPF personnel. Dozens of protesters pelted stones at an Indian Air Force base outside Srinagar before paramilitary police chased them away.
The annual Amarnath Yatra, which was suspended after Wanis death, resumed on Monday from Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu. Pilgrims moved in convoys under CRPF protection.
The pilgrimage to the cave shrine restarted. About 1,500 pilgrims in 34 vehicles have left the base camp, said Sunil Gupta, the senior superintendent of police in Jammu.
Around 20,000 pilgrims were left stranded in Jammu and Kashmirs winter capital following the volatile situation in the Valley. In New Delhi, home minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Opposition leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Omar Abdullah, in what was the first concerted move by the government in three days.
The government could seek an all- party meeting once calm returns to Kashmir, sources said.
In her first comments on the violence, Gandhi said, There can be no compromise on matters relating to national security.
Terrorism must be dealt with firmly. Even so, the death of so many of our citizens and attack on security forces is very painful.
Earlier in the day, national security adviser Ajit Doval cut short his visit with Modi to Africa. He held a meeting with Singh, finance minister Arun Jaitley and defence minister Manohar Parrikar, among others, to discuss the situation in Kashmir.
If there are problems, there are solutions. We are quite confident and competent of finding solutions, Doval told PTI news agency.
Government sources said efforts were also on to hold an all-party meeting in the Kashmir Valley after state chief minister Mehbooba Mufti called up on state opposition leaders to suggest ways to defuse the situation.
At least 23 civilians and one policeman have died from wounds sustained in clashes over the weekend, as security men used live ammunition, pellet guns and tear gas to try to break up the protests.
Most of those killed were young men under the age of 26 from southern Kashmir, police said. In addition, more than 150 civilians and 100 government troops have been injured. At least 10 of the wounded civilians were in serious condition.
Top home ministry officials said they were surprised at the intensity of the public unrest in southern Kashmir. We were prepared for unrest post (the) death of Burhan Wani and had deployed forces in Pulwama and Tral as well as Srinagar, a senior official said.
However, despite the deployment in Anantnag and Kulgam due to the Amarnath Yatra, the mob attacked no less than 40 CRPF pickets and some 22 (J&K police) pickets along the route.
The government was also concerned about the looting of about 35 INSAS rifles, SLRs and pistols from an armoury in Kulgam district on Saturday, a source said.
Filipino activists and Vietnamese nationals hold placards and wave Philippine flags. Photo by AFP/Photo by AFP/Ted Aljibe
"None of the Spratly Islands grant China an exclusive economic zone," said Hague tribunal.
The Tribunal stated that China's claims to historic rights under nine-dash-line are contrary to U.N. convention. Hague also finds that Chinese actions have aggravated Philippines dispute during resolution attempts.
"China had violated the Philippines' sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone by interfering with Philippine fishing and petroleum exploration, by constructing artificial islands and failing to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing in the zone," the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration said in a statement.
The Philippines "welcomes" South China Sea (Vietnam's East Sea) ruling, calling for "restraint and sobriety".
Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay gives a brief statement regarding the issuance of the award by the arbitral tribunal constituted by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) during a press conference at the Department of Foreign Affairs headquarters, Manila, Philippines July 12, 2016. Photo by Reuters/Romeo Ranoco
In the 497-page ruling, judges also found that Chinese law enforcement patrols had risked colliding with Philippine fishing vessels in parts of the sea and caused irreparable damage to coral reefs with construction work.
The Chinese state media Xinhua said China "does not accept and does not recognize" Hague tribunal judgement.
China foreign minister says the ruling will worsen the tensions. President Xi Jinping said China is dedicated to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea but will not accept any positions or actions based on the outcome of the arbitration case over the dispute.
Philippines Foreign Minister said experts have studied award with care in response to Chinese Xinhua's claim that court has issued "ill-founded award" on the disputed waters.
Statement of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs pic.twitter.com/s40RAN3K2i DFA Spokesperson (@dfaspokesperson) July 12, 2016
Previously on July 5, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had offered to hold conciliatory talks with China and vowed he would not "taunt or flaunt" any ruling.
Vietnam's Foreign Ministry welcomes the tribunal ruling.
Taiwan says South China Sea disputes should be resolved via multilateral negotiations.
Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said in a statement that Japan has consistently advocated the importance of the rule of law and the use of peaceful means, not the use of force or coercion, in seeking settlement of maritime disputes. He also stated that the Hague tribunal ruling on the South China Sea was final and legally binding, and the parties to the case were required to comply.
A five-member tribunal of maritime affairs experts in The Hague has issued the ruling.
The tribunal set up by the Permanent Court of Arbitration is allowed to arbitrate on matters of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It has the power to make a decision that cannot be appealed. However the tribunal and the PCA have no means to enforce the verdict, with compliance left to the parties concerned.
China claims most of the South China Sea, even waters approaching neighboring countries, based on a vaguely defined "nine-dash-line" found on a 1940s Chinese map. The Philippines, and other countries, dispute this claim.
Commentators say the 3 million square kilometres (1.2 million square miles) of water are a potential flashpoint for regional conflict.
The tensions have alarmed the United States which has key defense treaties with many regional allies, and in a show of strength last week sent warships to patrol close to some of the reefs and islands claimed by China.
Meanwhile, the Chinese navy conducted combat drills near its southern island province of Hainan and the Paracel islands in the South China Sea one week ahead of the Hague tribunal's ruling.
Scientists believe that the disputed waters could contain unexploited oil, gas and minerals, which would be a boon to any country that can establish their claims to the region's waters, especially in resource-hungry Asia. It's also home to abundant fisheries that feed growing populations.
Related news:
> Beijing will not 'step back' in 'South China Sea'
> Philippines willing to share 'South China Sea': govt
> China urged to #CHexit from 'South China Sea'
> Vietnam waits with bated breath for The Hague to rule on Philippine lawsuit
NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay has chosen khadi angavastrams, a Hindu traditional white piece of cloth or stole, for the convocation ceremony of its graduating batch.
The move is aimed at evoking a feeling of nationalism in students as khadi is a national symbol, IIT-Bombay director Devang Khakhar said.
Sources said the institute has ordered 3,500 angavastrams made of honey comb towel cotton khadi. Students will drape the piece of cloth over their clothes to mark the occasion.
Khadi has been at the centre of Narendra Modis plan of reviving the traditional textile industry and the Prime Minister has repeatedly exhorted the public to increase its use of the fabric, especially through his monthly radio address, Mann ki Baat.
But the decision is expected to reignite allegations that the government is trying to saffronise education and introduce Hindu elements in top institutions to bolster its cultural agenda.
Earlier this year, Gujarat Technological University made khadi compulsory for its convocation. IIT-Mumbai chooses khadi as their convocation robe. After Gujarat University, now khadi has also made a niche in the hearts of authorities of premiere Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, said a statement by the ministry of micro, small and medium enterprises.
Officials from IIT-Kharagpur said that they were also considering introducing khadi for convocations. Our objective is always to promote local artisans who require encouragement from people like us. Swadeshi means many things including khadi. So our options are open, said a senior official from IIT Kharagpur.
Officials in the HRD ministry said they had not asked any IITs to follow it and they take such decisions independently.
A senior official from IITDelhi said they had not decided whether to go for khadi-made convocation robes. Our convocation will be held in the later part of the year and we havent taken any decision yet.
The release described the decision as a significant development that showed that khadi was gaining ground in every sphere of life.
In July 2015, the University Grants Commission issued a circular to all universities and affiliated colleges to consider using handloom for ceremonial dresses prescribed for special occasions such as convocation.
Gujarat Technological University officials had pointed to the same circular while making khadi mandatory during the institutes convocation.
The move has sparked opposition from many students, such as those at University of Hyderabad who last year termed the proposal a Hindu imposition designed to saffronise education.
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NEW DELHI: The unrest in Jammu and Kashmir over militant commander Burhan Wanis death triggered a diplomatic spat between India and Pakistan on Monday, with New Delhi dismissing Islamabad s criticism and accusing it of using terror as an instrument of state policy.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs criticism of Wanis killing drew an angry reaction from India, which asked Pakistan not to interfere in the countrys internal affairs.
Sharif, targeted by opposition parties for what they described as his silence on the Kashmir issue, expressed deep shock at the death of Wani and civilians in a statement issued on Sunday. He also said India should fulfil its human rights obligations under UN Security Council Resolutions.
On Monday evening, Pakistan foreign secretary Aizaz Chaudhry called in Indian envoy Gautam Bambawale and expressed serious concerns over the killings of Kashmiri leader Burhan Wani and many other civilians. Chaudhry sought a fair and transparent inquiry against individuals responsible for these killings , said a statement from the Foreign Office.
The Indian governments response was sharp. Without naming Sharif, external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said statements from Pakistan reflected the countrys continued attachment to terrorism and its usage as an instrument of state policy. He added: Pakistan is advised to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of its neighbours.
There were similar reactions from ministers in the Narendra Modi government. Minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju said Pakistan should worry about human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir since Kashmir is aninternal matter of India.
Jitendra Singh, minister of state in the Prime Ministers Office, accused Pakistan of stirring up violent protests in Jammu and Kashmir .As far as Pakistans involvement is concerned, it is more than evident now There has been involvement and there has been perpetration of terrorism on India s soil from Islamabad, he said.
Prime Minister Modi, on a four-nation visit to Africa, told a gathering in Nairobi the world community needs to condemn those who give shelter to terrorists and use them as political instruments.
In remarks that appeared to be aimed at Pakistan, Modi added that we live in a world where preachers of hate and violence are threatening the fabric of our society.
Like Pakistans Foreign Office, Sharif had referred to Wani as a Kashmiri leader in his statement and said: It is deplorable that excessive and unlawful force was used against the civilians who were protesting against the killing of Burhan Wani.
Suchoppressive measures cannot deter the Kashmiris from demanding theright to self- determination , said Sharif, who returned to Pakistan last week after an open-heart surgery in London.
Opposition Pakistan Peoples Party leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was among those who targeted Sharif, saying the Sharif-Modi friendship is causing irreparable damage to the Kashmir issue.
Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed too stepped up anti-India propaganda, saying Wanis killing will strengthen jihad in Jammu and Kashmir.
The JuD used social media to push the Pakistan government to play up the unrest in Kashmir and to back freedom-loving Kashmiris.
Saeed joined Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin for funeral prayers organised for Wani at Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Sunday. A video of Saeeds speech features him saying: After Burhans martyrdom and the martyrdom of many others, I expect the jihad in Kashmir will rise with strength. The scene will change completely.
Saeed also spoke on Wanis death in a video posted by JuD on its official Twitter account .We ask the Pakistan government and all political parties to take advantage of this situation and immediately declare openly that they will support forces working for Kashmiri freedom, he said.
Mera campus better hai! Nahi, mera campus better hai! -Youd hear a lot more of this in any debate on which Delhi University (DU) campus is better- North or South.
For foodies, North Campus has an edge due to Tom Uncle ki Maggi, the Bhelpuri waale bhaiya next to the Patel Chest bus stop, and Momo point in Kamla Nagar market. However, South Campus does not lag behind either. Satya Niketan ke cafes, Yashwant Place ke food stalls and fruit beer, and the bhelpuri wale bhaiya outside Lady Shri Ram College for Women poses a tough competition!
When it comes to college canteens, both campuses fare the same. Hindu College ka pocket friendly canteen, Ramjas Colleges three-storey canteen, Lady Shri Ram Colleges multi-cuisine canteen, and Kamala Nehrus mini food court the options are endless.
South Campus colleges hold favour with students as it has more shopping hubs around it. (Amal KS/HT)
South Campus students boast about shopping havens such as Sarojini market and Lajpat Nagar market. For those who love to splurge, there is always Vasant Kunj, Hauz Khas Village, and Saket. For students of North Campus, the options are limited to Kamla Nagar market, or K-Nags as it is popularly known, and Tibetan Market.
Another point where North Campus wins over South Campus is the convenient metro accessibility. Since most of its colleges are not scattered, it is easy for students to get to their college via the Vishwavidyalaya metro station. South campus colleges, are situated in various areas and arent as well connected by the metro as North Campus colleges are.
While the debate will never end, students from both campuses battle it out and tell us what makes their campus cooler.
Read: From HKV to CP: This is where South Campus students like to hangout
North Campus
Shubham Vaish, Ramjas College: Who has higher cutoffs? North Campus. And colleges are closer and more clustered in North Campus than in South where colleges are quite a distance away. Its where the VC stays. Three of the oldest colleges Hindu College, Ramjas College, and St Stephens College are in north. Food joint are more or less the same everywhere, for shopping purposes, south might be better though
Sukrita Singh, Hindu College: North campus is way cooler. Unlike South, where colleges are so scattered, its actually an university campus with a plethora of colleges located side by side. Its like a mini universe booming with energy and liveliness and is also the home to V-Tree Pooja, Lovers point, Sudama ki chai and the most amazing college fests!
Dan Thomas Kirori Mal College: DU ki feel toh North campus mein hi hai yaar! Also, all the colleges are closely placed to each other, unlike South Campus where all colleges are scattered in different areas. This makes our campus very student-friendly. And better metro connectivity kaunse campus ki hai? Obviously, North ki!
South Campus
Karina Sharma, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College: Our campus is way more cool. We have Satya Niketan, the hub of south campus which has innovative cafes like Cafe Pipeline, Scooter on the Wall, and Roof-Top-Cafe. These are much more fun than the usual McDonalds, Dominoes or Dunkin Doughnuts in Kamla Nagar. It is also in close proximity to all happening locations that make up for a everyday party after college. Shopoholics can straight head to Lagpat or Sarojini Nagar and we have Hauz Khas, GK and Saket to make up for cool and sophisticated lounges for all party addicts. Since the colleges here are fairly newer, we dont follow a hierarchial order in our cultural societies like students from North Campus Colleges do.
Kashish Minocha, Sri Venkateswara College: Why I think South Campus is better than North Campus is because all south campus colleges are close and well connected with the best hot-spots to hang out in Delhi, be it Hauz Khas Village, Greater Kailash, Vasant Kunj or Saket. You can easily study hard in your college and party harder in all of these places! After all, every now and then we need to move out of Kamla Nagar and Satya Niketan and South Campus delivers that in the best way.
Mayank Garg, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College: South Campus toh cool hoga hi yaar! North Campus mein Kamla Nagar aur Tibetan Market ko chhod ke hai hi kya? Satya Niketan, Vasant Kunj, Greater Kailash, Saket everything is so much closer to South Campus colleges. Subah classes, sham ko masti. We study also and get to chill also acche se.
What makes North Campus cool:
1. The Vice Chancellors office, once the Viceregal Lodge, is where Lord Mountbatten had proposed to his wife Edwina and where Bhagat Singh was confined in a dungeon like room.
2. Hindu College, Ramjas College, Indraprastha College for Women and St Stephens College are three of the oldest colleges.
3. North Campus is home to amazing food stalls like Tom Uncles Maggi Point and bhelpuri waale bhaiya at Patel Chest.
What makes South Campus cool:
1. Colleges are very well connected to popular hangout spots. Pocket-friendly markets such as Sarojini Nagar and Lajpat Nagar, and posh markets such as Saket and Vasant Kunj are a stones throw away.
2. Satya Niketan is home to some cool and innovative food cafes that offer pocket-friendly food.
3. Paying guest accommodations in South Campus areas are much cheaper than those in North Campus.
Read: DU- The University of Gastronomics
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At least one person was murdered in Delhi every day this year. According to Delhi Police, 241 people were killed till last week for reasons as trivial as getting splashed in the rain.
But if you think this is badThe situation has only slightly improved from 2015 when 280 cases were reported till June 30. A total of 570 cases of murder were registered in the capital last year. Here are six cases that made news in the first half of 2016:
Man kills son to frame tenant
On March 18, 2016 the body of a 13-year-old Mohit was found in an isolated park at Sunheri Bagh in New Delhi area. Days later, the police arrested the boys father Shanti Prasad, a peon in the Ministry of Steel, who said he murdered his son to implicate his tenant. Prasad had slit his sons face and stoned him to death outside his tenants flat. He told the police his tenant was not vacating the area.
Teen murders for an iPad
On February 1, 2016, a 17-year-old boy murdered 68-year-old Mithilesh Jain, a retired military services engineering officer. The teenager murdered the woman for her iPad he wanted to sell to fund his dreams of becoming a dancer by taking part in a reality show.
Enjoying rain cost him his life
One July 3, Radhe Shyam,30, was enjoying the first monsoon showers outside his house in Central Delhis Anand Parbat when he accidentally splashed rain water on two bikers outside his house. Shyam was beaten to death in front of his father. The attackers, Shashi Bhushan, 32, and Pankaj, 30, told police they were drunk when the murder took place.
Fearing revenge, woman kills stepson
On July 8, a woman in Kirari murdered her eight-year-old stepson, Prince, fearing that he would take revenge against her when he grew up. She confessed to having tortured the boy. The police said that Prince had left his house many times to escape the thrashing from his stepmother. Kajal, 26, wife of scrap dealer Indal Paswan told police when she married Paswan, he had lied to her about his son Prince.
Engineering student kills father to protect mother
On May 25, in west Delhis Sagarpur, a 20-year-old engineering student stabbed his father to death. Nitin told police his father, Virender, a contractor, regularly thrashed his wife Pushpa. Police said there were eight stab wounds in his hands, legs and chest.
Jilted lover kills girl and her family
Rahesuddin,30, killed a woman, her sister and their mother in north east Delhis Brahmapuri on June 9. He told the police he was in love with 19-year-old Mehrunisha but she turned down his proposal for marriage. Rahesuddin, who was also unhappy with Mehrunishas friendship with a local, hacked the three women to death in the bathroom of their house.
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Two senior doctors of Indraprastha Apollo Hospital joined the police probe into the kidney racket on Tuesday, even as a parallel investigation by the Delhi government has hit a hurdle for want of access to documents.
The enquiry could not be completed because all the documents related to the case are with the police and they refuse to share it, said Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain.
Read More: Kidney rackets rampant across India as crackdown proves difficult
Documents related to the case cannot be shared with any agency as they have been seized as case property and can be produced only in the court concerned . Also, our investigation is still not over, a senior police officer said:
Thirteen people, including kingpin T Rajkumar Rao, two personal staff of a senior nephrologist of Apollo hospital, donors and a beneficiary, have been arrested in the case.
The doctors arrived around 5 pm and their questioning continued till late in the night. They were questioned about their role in the racket as most of the transplants were done under their supervision. The SIT had prepared a questionnaire and the doctors were asked to answer the questions, said the officer.
We will verify their replies with disclosures made against them by their arrested personal staff and other racketeers, the officer said.
Read More: Delhi kidney racket kingpin arrested in Kolkata, three more held
Apollo Hospital issued a press statement later in the evening.
Indraprastha Medical Corporation Limited (Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals) has been a victim of a well-orchestrated operation carried out by a few individuals with malafide intent who deliberately committed forgery and fraud. The matter is under investigation by the Delhi Police and as in the past, the hospital continues to extend full cooperation to the investigating team. Additionally, we have advised the doctor, who has been asked to join the investigation, to extend full cooperation with the police. The hospital reiterates it has the highest regard for the law and its processes and urges Delhi Police to take their investigation to its logical conclusion, the statement said.
As many as 23 CBI courts meant to ensure quick disposal of the central agencys cases in the capital city delivered judgments only in 101 of 908 pending cases through 2016.
This has spurred legal experts to suggest that as many of these courts were not being utilised to their full potential, their judges should be reassigned elsewhere. Such a move, they say, will bring respite to an otherwise overburdened judicial system.
An RTI application filed by Hindustan Times has revealed that the number of CBI cases in the six districts of Delhi is decreasing, as is the disposal rates of the courts. In 2014, its 23 courts had 839 cases pending before them. Only 238 cases had been decided by the end of the year, with the courts showing a mere 28% rate of disposal.
While the disposal rate of the courts increased to 413 cases in 2015, the pendency of cases also rose to 787. On an average, each judge disposed less than 18 cases a year.
The CBI courts were created through a Supreme Court order in 2005 to tackle the increasing number of corruption cases. However, legal experts cite the low rate of disposal to say that the courts are now becoming useless. The judges dont even come of their chambers most of these days, said a CBI prosecutor on the condition of anonymity.
Many cases remain stuck before trial courts for years on account of appeals pending before higher courts. About 90% of the cases are waiting to be heard in the trial court because an appeal has been filed in the high court. As they usually ask for the case file, the trial court judge has nothing to work with, a CBI prosecutor told HT on the condition of anonymity.
This results in overburdening of other special courts, and sensitive cases involving vulnerable victims and witnesses getting delayed indefinitely. There is a huge disparity in the workloads of various district courts in Delhi.
For instance, Delhi has only six fast track courts to deal with crimes against women despite its notoriety as the nations rape capital. With the rising number of rapes six cases are reported in Delhi everyday these six judges were struggling with a pendency of 782 cases as of January 1 this year.
Another set of overburdened judicial officers who could benefit from some of the workload being removed from their plates are top additional sessions judges in trial courts. The ASJ-1s courts, which deal with criminal appeals, murders, heinous crimes and terrorism-related cases, also handle all child sexual assault cases. Over 2,500 cases were pending before such courts this year alone.
So, while each of the 23 CBI judges in Delhi had to decide an average of 39 cases in 2016, a single judge at a fast track court was required to dispose of 130 cases. The seven top additional sessions courts in the city, on the other hand, were burdened with 358 cases per judge.
ASJ-1 courts, which have to work on POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) cases as well as other portfolios, are in a dire situation. According to a 2015 study by the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights, 85% of all child sexual assault cases remain pending before these courts. A data survey by HT showed that only 170 POCSO cases are decided in a year, and a mere 12% culminate in convictions.
A study by the Council to Secure Justice an NGO that deals exclusively with child rape cases has proposed that separate courts be instituted for POCSO cases because they require more time, and special training for judges and prosecution officials.
However, the NGO admits this could just be a pipe dream given the growing pendency of cases and lack of judicial resources.
Read more: CJI writes to chief justices on filling 400 vacancies in high courts
Not everybody is this pessimistic, though. Some experts believe the pendency problem can be resolved with a simple reshuffling of judges. Half the judges in the courts are not working while the other half are overburdened, said retired Delhi high court judge SN Dhingra, adding that the disproportionate workload and redundant courts amount to a failure on the part of the judicial system. The top administration is unaware of the ground realities in the district court. They need to do a proper study to see how work can be distributed properly, and what kinds of courts are actually needed, he added.
HTs calls to the CBI spokesperson for his comment on the high number of defunct courts went unanswered.
Delhi transport minister Satyendar Jain on Tuesday Jain hinted that the third phase of the odd-even car rationing scheme could be back in winters.
Pollutions is usually low in monsoon, so whatever happen will happen in winters, said Jain at a press conference when asked about the return of the odd-even scheme.
The first and second editions of the road-rationing scheme were implemented in January and April this year. The aim of the scheme was to bring down rising pollution levels in the capital.
Jain, who recently took charge of the transport department, said a notification to impose a fine of Rs 2,000 on motorists obstructing the plying of buses in their dedicated lanes will be issued by the end of July.
Jain said the scrapping of Bus-Rapid-Transit (BRT) corridor is almost over and re-carpeting will be done after monsoon.
Read: Odd-even 1 more effective than phase 2, says TERI analysis
DDA trying to favour private builders: Jain
Jain said the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) was trying to favour the builder lobby by allowing only private developers to benefit from the urban development ministrys notification on changes in the transit-oriented development (TOD) policy.
The TOD policy has paved way for the vertical growth along the Delhi Metro corridor.
Under the TOD policy, a floor area ratio (FAR) of 400 has been approved. This will enable high rises to come up in these areas and make for denser colonies. TOD colonies can come up in the influence zone of the Metro which extends to 500 metres on both sides of the corridor.
But Jain alleged the DDA had proposed to amend the Master Plan guidelines to limit the benefits of the policy to private builders.
It has been learnt that public, semi-public buildings and transportation amenities will be exempted from the benefit. This has been done to favour the private builders, who can construct as many floors but vertical growth of government buildings will not be allowed, said Jain.
Jain has written a letter to UD minister M Venkaiah Naidu, requesting his interference in the matter.
Jain said DDAs proposed amendment was not in public interest. Jain asked the UD minister to consult the Delhi government and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) before finalising the modifications.
A 33-year-old former Hindu College student, who headed an interstate wildlife trafficking gang, was arrested from Delhi on Monday night.
Police said Akash Chand is the son of Sansar Chand - known as the Veerappan of the North for having poached wild animals, including tigers in Sariska, for over three decades.
Police said after Chands death in 2014, Akash was running the interstate racket with his mother Rani.
Akash was arrested by a crime branch team from Paharganj in Central Delhi, where he had come to meet his relatives. Police sources said this was the fifth time they had received information about Akash, who had gave them the slip in the past.
Joint commissioner of police RS Yadav said they had received a request from their Jaipur counterparts to arrest Akash, against whom a non-bailable warrant had been issued by a local court.
Akashs anticipatory bail petition had been rejected by the Rajasthan high court.
Our officers received information about Akash visiting Paharganj. When the team went there, a mob gathered at the spot and refused to hand him over. The police team was attacked. They even bit head constable Hamender and constable Pankajs hands and pelted stones at the police party, said Yadav.
The police party asked for reinforcement. A team from the local police station reached the spot and filed a separate case against Akashs family members.
Read: Notorious poacher-smuggler Sansar Chand dies
Akashs name cropped up during the interrogation of two men in Rajasthan last year who were arrested with leopard skins, said an investigating officer.
Police approached a court and a warrant was issued against him. Investigating officers said that in all these years, Akash and his mother Rani were running their operations from Delhi. Their role was to identify the clients and contact poachers in Rajasthan. Akashs mother presently out on bail was arrested in the same case in May.
Police said the family ran a mobile phone shop in Karol Bagh as a cover. We have handed him to the Rajasthan police. They will interrogate him, an officer said.
Akash told police that in 2014, after his father died of cancer, he took over the business. Akash was then studying BCom at DUs Hindu College. He has been arrested once in 2004 after leopard nails were seized from him. His mother was also arrested in the same case and spent a year and a half in prison.
Showers on Tuesday spilled problems for daily commuters with waterlogging and traffic jams reported from across the city. The rain also led to delay and diversion of multiple flights.
According to airport officials, nine flights were diverted, and seven delayed. Early morning traffic jams and waterlogging caught passengers off guard, many of them reaching late, and in some cases, even missing flights.
The civic bodies blamed each other for the problem. The municipal corporations said that while all waterlogging points belonged to the public works department (PWD), the latter said corporations were playing politics.
All major waterlogging point are cleared within an hour of rain. The PWD has enough water pumps to ensure there is no waterlogging. Also, as compared to last year, we have received fewer complaints of waterlogging, said Satyendar Jain, PWD minister.
The municipal corporations claim they are 100% ready for the monsoon with an action plan. The civic agency had previously said it had completed de-silting of drains a week in advance and had introduced a helpline system to deal with waterlogging.
The corporation said it received 25 complaints, which were addressed within an hour.
Read: Light rain in Delhi NCR, overcast likely to stay today
Year after year, the civic agencies claim to be ready but all it takes is an hours rain to wash away those claims. It took two hours to travel 15 km in the morning and the condition will remain the same in the evening, said Sanjay Yadav, a daily commuter.
Affected areas included Lajpat Nagar, Kalkaji, Malviya Nagar, Neb Sarai, Rohini, Mundka, Punjabi Bagh, Janakpuri, Vikas Puri, CR Park, Laxmi Nagar, Vikas Margh, Dhaula Kuan, and Azadpur among others.
Municipal corporations have 7,000 big and small drains approximately, which run over 2,900 km in the national capital. The corporations are responsible for de-silting and waterlogging in their areas.
All major drains under our jurisdiction have already been de-silted. Although like previous years the PWD has once again failed to carry out its duties. We request the Delhi government to pull up the department and its officials and ensure that the work on drains is complete, said Parvesh Wahi, Standing Committee chairman, North MCD.
Two employees of Thomas Cook India Limited, who had stolen foreign currency worth R 2.20 crore in cash, have been arrested. The police also claimed to have recovered the cash.
Deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) Jatin Narwal said on Monday that a complaint was received from the Noida Police that two Thomas Cook assistant managers were robbed of cash in Connaught Place when they were transferring the money to their branch there.
Police said at 9.30 am on Monday, assistant manager Sumit Kumar was handed over R2.20 crore in foreign currency for transferring the amount to the Connaught Place branch. Kumars senior in the company approached the police at around 2 pm alleging that Kumars phone was switched off and that there was no information about his whereabouts. Kumar later called his company from Noida alleging that he had been robbed. His company officials reached Noida and they informed us, said Narwal.
Police said they questioned Kumar but he gave contradictory answers. He later broke down during interrogation and told police that he, along with his friend Rohit Kumar who also works as an assistant manager in the company, and Rohits brother Rahul staged a robbery to steal the money.
A spokesperson for Thomas Cook India Limited said, We confirm that a currency consignment that was reported stolen was recovered in its entirety, and we place on record our appreciation for the timely intervention and support of the Delhi Police in recovering the same.
Delhi Police on Tuesday arrested a UP Police constable for allegedly providing call detail records of individuals to a gang for money.
The police had earlier busted a racket of obtaining phone call detail records (CDRs) of individuals and arrested four persons.
The arrested constable, Narendra Choudhary, was detained in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on Sunday and then brought to Delhi for questioning. His name cropped up during questioning of the four arrested suspects in the case.
Narendra was posted in the surveillance cell at the Inspector General of Police office in Kanpur.
Ravindra Yadav, joint commissioner of police (crime), said Narendras interrogation revealed he had been illegally using the official email ID of the SSP, Kanpur, to send requests to telecom operators and nodal agencies concerned for obtaining CDRs of various individuals.
Narendra had been receiving requests for CDRs from the prime accused, Jaiveer Singh Rathore, who runs a detective agency and a private news channel from his office in south Delhis Mahipalpur, said Yadav.
Read: Call data case: Cops probe if suspect has links with corporates
Besides obtaining CDRs of various individuals that his detective agency was spying upon, Rathore took contracts from other private detective agencies for providing them with call detail records of people they were keeping an eye on as well, said an investigator.
The police said Rathore first collected details of targets whose call records he wanted to view and then sent them to Narendra. The constable obtained CDRs of the said targets and saved them as drafts on his email account that had been opened especially for the purpose.
The drafts were never sent. Narender used to do just share password of the email account with Rathore who in turn downloaded the CDRs. Once the work was done, Narendra used to delete the account. He opened a new email account every time he had to share new set of CDRs, said an investigator.
Police said they were going through the bank account details of Narendra to establish the monetary transaction between him and Rathore. It has been found Narendra allegedly earned over `20 lakh by supplying CDRs to various detective agencies.
A 17-year-old boy entered a physical relationship with a 26-year-old woman who met him on Facebook.
Later, they charge each other of forced sex and filed complaints.
In what may seem a bizarre crime drama on television, the case in Delhi came to light when the juvenile was booked for rape charge and the woman under POCSO Act.
The 17-year-old boy claimed he was approached by the woman through a Facebook profile titled Zinda and they became friends, police said.
They met on Monday and went to a hotel in Vasant Kunj area where they allegedly indulged in sex. The woman later called the police and accused the boy of raping her, a senior police officer said.
However, the boy claimed that the woman had offered him to enter into a physical relationship and he initially spurned the offer. But she later lured him into it, the officer said.
Cross FIRs have been registered under relevant sections of IPC and POCSO Act, he said, adding police suspect it to be a case of honeytrapping and no arrests have been made so far.
If the days after the June 23 Brexit vote reaffirmed Harold Wilsons dictum that a week is a long time in politics, a fortnight can be more eventful. What started as a way to assuage Euroscpetic feelings in the Conservative party has led to the most politically turbulent phase in British politics in contemporary memory: a prime minister resigns; aspirations of two high profile Tories Boris Johnson and Michael Gove lie in tatters; the Labour leader faces a leadership contest less than a year in the post; the markets are on a rollercoaster; a Remainer is chosen as the prime minister to lead Brexit; no one quite knows how the future will pan out; and the once Great Britain is diminished in the eyes of many as Little England.
Read | Theresa May: Cricket-loving British leader with impact on India
The saga of intrigues, opportunism and worse associated with the EU referendum can be expected to be soon reflected in popular culture, but behind the play in newspaper headlines on Theresa May taking over as the next prime minister Monday Mayhem, May Day, Maggie May the task before her is daunting, to say the least. The second woman prime minister in British history may be set for an equally historic tenure as the first: Margaret Thatcher.
Read | Theresa May to replace Cameron on Wednesday as pro-Brexit rival quits PM race
At stake is not only redefining Britains vision of itself outside the European Union and on the international stage, but also making the best out of a bad bargain by reconciling the many contradictions in negotiations to extricate Britain out of the EU. May does not want to trigger until the end of the year Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which sets out the two-year exit process. But European leaders have already signalled their impatience and want to get it over with and move on as soon as possible.
Read | Will tough Theresa May be a unifying post-Brexit PM?
Brexit is the biggest item in Mays in-tray and every move will be closely followed by the millions who voted for it, as well as those who did not, particularly on immigration. At the heart of Brexit negotiations is the ambition to get the same trade access and facilities as a member of the EU but without agreeing to the freedom of movement of EU citizens. The implications for Londons reputation as the capital of finance and business are enormous, with Paris and Frankfurt already beckoning banks and businesses to relocate. The task before May is not only to lead Britain out of the EU, but also unite the divided Conservative party and the dis-United Kingdom demand is growing to hold another independence referendum in the pro-EU Scotland. Given her formidable reputation as a no-nonsense Home secretary and as one who coined the words nasty party in 2002 while seeking to refashion her Conservative party, May appears to be the best person to deal with the situation. In other words, May is set for the test of a lifetime that she cannot afford to fail, come what may.
Read | Brexit vote: All you need to know about Britains referendum on leaving the EU
The numbers convey their own story about the tragedy unfolding in Kashmir. At least 30 civilians have been shot dead by security forces and over 1,400 others injured in clashes after the killing of the popular militant Burhan Wani. Many civilians have been shot by live ammunition and the use of non-lethal pellets has been devastating. Nearly a hundred eye-surgeries have been performed most victims will be blinded for life. The Valley is seething and the authorities, unsure what to expect, have imposed strict curfew conditions.
Read | The Kashmir manifesto: Delhis policy playbook in the Valley
The Centre is persisting with its firm approach to the unrest. Minister of state for home Jitendra Singh conveyed the Prime Ministers appeal for calm and peace after a high level meeting on Tuesday but the governments messaging has had a pronounced stern tenor. Union minister Venkaiah Naidu said Kashmir issue has been there for long but reiterated terrorism will not be tolerated the Centre is effectively basing its narrative on the necessity to eliminate Wani, rather than focusing on the bloody aftermath. This approach will find a measure of support among middle classes in other parts of India but will do little to pacify Kashmir which is coping with grief in recent days. The road ahead remains unclear. There is a view in Delhi that this situation, like the crises during 2008-10, will pass; that the Kashmiris will get exhausted with prolonged curfews and resume their everyday lives and that all the security forces need to do is enforce calm for an extended period.
Read | Kashmir erupts: Burhan Wani aftermath
The government should not be framing policy based on such cynical calculations. There are at least two outcomes to be mindful of. There is a new generation of angry Kashmiris who were born after 1990 who have lived their lives in a heavily militarised environment and are deeply alienated by New Delhis policies and security practices. Few can anticipate what fatalism at scale can do to the political stability of societies over time. Two, the authority of the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP government is being irreparably weakened each day. The chief minister and her party leaders have been holed up in their homes, nonplussed and unable to face or reassure their constituents. With the state government seen as the hapless instrument of the Centre, the State has hardly any option to reach out to Kashmiris, particularly since all palliatives like probes and inquiries have been tried before, in vain. The nub of the current crisis lies in the use of excessive force by security forces. Right now the biggest priority is to ensure there are no further casualties. How we handle protests is also intimately linked to the kind of democracy we want to be.
Computer science, information technology and electronics and communication engineering are the most popular choices this year for engineering aspirants in Delhi.
This has been reflected in the trends emerging after two rounds of common counselling at four prominent engineering institutions in the Capital Delhi Technological University (DTU), Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT Delhi), Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women (IGDTUW) and Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology (NSIT).
In June 2014, for the first time ever, admissions to the BTech programme were conducted through a common counselling process in three of these institutions. Recently NSIT also joined the process.
The common counselling is on the lines of the selection process for admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology and the National Institutes of Technology. During counselling, the choices submitted by candidates are processed centrally and seats allotted in the order of merit on the basis of the locked choices.
According to Professor Rakesh Kumar Singh, member, joint admissions committee for these institutions, Since 2014, the admission to BE/BTech programme is being conducted through joint admission counselling. Students are required to fill the common application form for admission to the four premier engineering universities/institutions of the Delhi government. The rank list for all the four is generated together.
Unique aspects of 2016 common counselling
The admission to the BArchitecture programme at IGDTUW was offered in offline mode in 2015. This year, it has been integrated in the joint admission counselling (JAC) portal. The number of courses and the number of seats have been increased in the various participating universities/institutes. DTU has increased 250 seats in various courses, IGDTUW has increased 60 seats in computer science engineering and IIITD has also increased 70 seats. The total number of seats offered by four participating institutions in 2016 is 3,328, which was 2,928 in 2015 in BE/BTech programmes. The number of seats for BArch in IGDTUW remains 40 in the 2016 counselling. Computer science engineering is the first preference of the students followed by IT based on the round 1 cut-off. The BArch programme of the IGDTUW has also gained popularity with high cut-off in round 1, says Professor Singh.
The total number of registrations of students seeking admission in the undergraduate courses is also increasing. Another advantage is that due to common counselling, the total duration of admission process has reduced. This time the counselling process is completing on July 31, 2016, and the session will start with full strength of the students from August 1, 2016, he says.
Manoj Kumar, vice chairman, BTech admissions, DTU, says, This time, DTU has increased seats in computer engineering from 140 to 360 and in information technology from 90 to 120. But the most popular branch is still computer engineering. For outside Delhi candidates, computer engineering and mechanical engineering are popular. Our branch, mathematics and computing started in 2012 is also gaining popularity because of its curriculum design and good placements.
Boon for applicants
The common counselling process, says Professor Singh, has helped the students immensely as a common application form is required to be filled for the four institutions and the admission process is also conducted jointly. After the implementation of common counselling, prospective candidates now dont have to deposit the fee separately in the participating institution while waiting for the branch of their choice. The verification of documents is also done once, and if the candidate is upgraded to another participating institution, he/she is not required to go for document verification again. With the centralised merit list, the admission process has been made smoother. The candidate is required to report to the final allocated institute at the end of the counselling process, he says. Says Kumar, Earlier, each institute was conducting its own counselling and the students were applying separately, paying `1,000 to `1,200 in each and blocking seats in multiple institutes. They ended up spending thousands of rupees. Now, with common counselling, a candidate gets his best choice and pays fee only once.
With the advent of JAC for four participating institutes, each candidate is allotted only one seat. Earlier, candidates used to block various seats in different institutions in Delhi. Interestingly, no seat has remained vacant during counselling through JAC in 2014 and 2015.
Read more: Joint counselling for engineering institutions
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A formula racing car made by a team of 25 students of Zakir Hussain College of Engineering and Technology (AMU) will be in action at a formula racing competition for students at the Silverstone Racing Circuit in the UK from July 14 to 17.
In a first instance of AMU students participating in an event at an international racing circuit, the engineering students team will be one of the four teams from Indian universities participating in the event.
The AMU team will represent India in the competition along with teams from IIT Bombay, Delhi Technical University (DTU) and Chitkara University, Punjab.
The AMU team includes Arpit Upadhayay, Ayush Mittal, Anchal Varshney, Mehul Varshney, Irfan Khan, Haani Farooqi, Mridul Sharma, Mohd Faraz, Sharif Kidwai, Asim Noor, Faizan Anwar, Hamzah Khan, Asnal Rizvi, Kashif Zafar, Syed Faraz, Faraz Ahmad, Sagar Varshney, Areeb Mahmood, Wamiq Hashmi and Aman Agarwal among others. These students are from mechanical, electrical, electronics and computer engineering backgrounds.
The team started building the formula racing car in March 2015 and completed it in June 2016.
Weighing 200 kg, the car is powered by a Honda CBR 250cc engine. Its parts have been imported from the US and Germany for best results while the body is self-designed and made from carbon fibre to make it light weight and suitable for racing applications.
Read more: IIT Delhi students create device that turns waste cooking oil into biodiesel
Team Captain, Arpit Upadhyay said the maximum speed of the car is 110 km/hr.
He added that after an encouraging response from last years performance in Formula Student India competition where the team won the Most Popular Formula Car Award, it is expected that the team will bring laurels with their international participation.
He further said that the total cost in development of the car is approximately Rs 25 lakh.
The AMU team has also conveyed their gratitude to the AMU alumni organisation of 1987, 1989,1990, 1991, 1993 batches and the alumni organisation of Jeddah, Qatar, Riyadh, North America and many other individuals without whose support the project would not have been possible.
These students have also thanked the AMU administration for their guidance and support.
Technical specification of the car:
110 km/hr: Maximum speed of the car
200 kg: Weight of the car which is powered by a Honda CBR 250cc engine
Rs 25 lakh: Total cost of the car
Carbon fibre body: Its parts have been imported from the US and Germany for best results while the body is self-designed and made from carbon fibre to make it light weight and suitable for racing applications.
The confusion surrounding colleges and other details resulted in 72% seats of BEd courses lying vacant after two rounds of admissions in Madhya Pradesh.
Questions are now being raised over the purpose of holding B.Ed entrance test, which was conducted by Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board for Department of Higher Education (DHE) in April. As many as 44,000 candidates had appeared for the exam for 57,000 seats.
In the first round, 12,500 aspirants took admission. The second round saw only 3,500 of the total 8,000 registered candidates take admission.
Three new integrated courses BA-BEd, BSc-BEd and BEd-MEd will be introduced from this academic session. But students were not given information on the fees structure.
When the examination was held we were not aware about fees structure and name of colleges which are offering new courses. All are private colleges and National Council for Teachers Education has given them approval, a DHE official said.
There are a total of 21 institutions where the three integrated courses will be offered to students.
The DHE requested the Admission and Fee regulatory Committee (AFRC) to announce the fees for students. Subsequently, the fees were declared: `18,500 for BA-BEd course, `20,500 for BSc-BEd course and `24,500 for BEd-MEd integrated course.
Some students found the fees expensive.
When I filled the form, I didnt know that it will be so expensive for a course like BSc and BA. Why will a student pay Rs 30,000 extra for traditional course? a student asked.
Loopholes in programme
Due to holidays and server problems, the dates of filling and reporting were changed many times in both the rounds.
The department didnt follow the schedule of admission process. In both rounds, candidates were given only one day to take admission, to issue demand draft and to take transfer certificate. How is it possible for a student to get all things done in a day? MP Private Colleges Association vice-president Jitendra Rawat said.
The college owners are now demanding postpone the admission dates.
I agree that small number of candidates have taken admissions. We are trying to review the whole process. The issue of announcement of fees was resolved by AFRC on our request, DHE commissioner Umakant Umrao said.
Some private college owners met and discussed their problems. We held a meeting and possibly in the next round, a number of seats will be filled.
Indias top public sector bank, State Bank of India (SBI), has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE), (IIT) Bombays technology business incubator, to promote innovation by startups in the financial sector.
This MoU will definitely help in mentoring startups. SBI now has a Rs 200 crore fund for startups and what better place than SINE at IIT Bombay to reach out to startups to use those funds, Poyni Bhatt, COO, SINE, told HT Education.
As per the MoU, both the parties will identify FinTech startups that have products or applications to cater to the financial sector and can help SBI explore opportunities to enhance the synergy for their banking services. SBI will provide a platform for testing/ piloting such products/applications and maybe also check for any specific business linkages, says a statement from the institute.
Read more: Adding a new chapter: IITs and IIMs help launch manufacturing startups
Both SINE and SBI aim to address the issues faced by the entrepreneurial community. SBI will interact with the entrepreneurial and research community at IIT Bombay, including e- cell, Desai Centre, startups of SINE to get a better idea of the latest research being done, innovations and also conduct knowledge sessions for mutual benefit.
This MoU also aims to help evaluate startups operating out of SINE or those being promoted by SINE for early stage funding within the banks norms. If SBI decides to infuse funds in the startups, SINE may help the bank do initial screening for technical competency, product roadmap, innovation subject, impact of innovation etc. If SBI decides to infuse funds in any of the startups at SINE, the funding model will be considered on case to case and merit basis.
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Responding to a Hindustan Times report, Delhi-based fashion institute Pearl Academy has said that it is not closing its centres in Noida, Jaipur and Mumbai.
The institute did, however, admit to receiving a notice from the University Grants Commission, asking it to stop awarding undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in collaboration with Nottingham Trent University (UK) since it is not a university within the definition of the UGC Act 1956.
In an e-mail to HT, Pearl Academy group chairman Deepak Seth said, The academy had received a notice on the 23rd of May (attached) enquiring about the relationship with NTU . We had replied This notice does not in any way talk about the closure of all our centres.
Since then we are in active discussion with UGC and the ministry on the matter. The email went on to say: Our communication to our students and prospective students has been consistent and transparent (including our website) as regard the granting of the certification by the NTU and delivered by the Pearl Academy, hence the claim that we are misleading students is false.
Read more: UGC asks Pearl Academy to close degree courses
The UGC in its notice dated May 23, 2016 said, It has become a matter of grave concern as many students are becoming victims of fraudulent act of the institute.
In a response to the University Grants Commission, Pearl Academy CEO Sharad Mehra has said that his institute is outside the ambit of the UGC Promotion and Maintenance of Standards of Academic Collaborations between India and Foreign Educational Institutions Regulations 2012.
The Special Investigation Team of the Mumbai Crime branch arrested two more Gurgaon police constables in the encounter of gangster Sandeep Gadoli on Tuesday, taking the total arrest toll to three.
On July 5, the SIT arrested sub-inspector Pradyumna Yadav who led the team during the encounter.
Pradyumna, along with four other policemen, barged into the Hotel Airport Metro in Andheri (east) on February 7 and allegedly killed Gadoli.
Assistant commissioner of police Praful Bhosle confirmed the arrest and said: Both the police constables were arrested from Mumbai. We will produce them in court on Wednesday.
The arrested have been identified as Vikram Singh and Jitendra Yadav. Vikram and Jitendra entered the hotel along with Pradyumna on the day of the encounter. A police source said one of them even broke the CCTV in the hotel after killing Gadoli when they realized that the incident was recorded on camera.
Read: Sandeep Gadoli encounter: Haryana police sub-inspector arrested
Both were called in by the SIT for inquiry after their role in the investigation became clear. Following their statements, the SIT placed them under arrest on Tuesday evening, said a police officer on condition of anonymity.
Pradyumna is in police custody till July 16 and his interrogation is underway.
An official said he made several revelations during the inquiry and that the investigating teams are verifying it.
The SIT is likely to summon an assistant police commissioner (ACP) of Gurgaon for questioning in connection with the case.
The ACP was constantly in touch with Pradyumna and Gadolis girlfriend Divya Pahuja. Pahuja was present in the hotel room at the time of encounter. She allegedly tipped off the Gurgaon police about Gadolis location.
The Gurgaon police team and other suspects planned to kill Gadoli and followed him from Gurgaon to Mumbai, the SIT investigation revealed. They created fake evidence to make it seem like an actual encounter, officials said.
Vietnam has condemned the shooting of two men and the sinking of two of its boats.
Vietnam has asked Thailand to launch an investigation into an attack by Thai naval forces on Vietnamese fishing boats last week.
Vietnamese Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday that in the encounter on July 8, Thai naval forces opened fire on three Vietnamese fishing boats from Ben Tre Province with 18 crew members on board, leaving two fishermen injured and another missing. Two of the boats sank after colliding with Thai naval vessels.
Pham Thu Hang, the deputy spokesperson for the Vietnamese foreign ministry, said in the statement that the Vietnam Embassy in Thailand is working with local authorities to verify what actually happened while providing support for the fishermen who are being held in custody. On the same day, a representative of the Vietnamese foreign ministry met with counterparts from the Thai Embassy in Hanoi to protest the use of force against Vietnamese fishermen.
Nguyen Hai Ngoc, the first secretary of the Vietnam Embassy in Thailand, had said earlier that firing on foreign fishing vessels over territorial disputes is against the law and international practices.
Thailand has sent a number of aircraft and ships to search for the missing Vietnamese fisherman, according to Nguyen Tat Thanh, the Vietnam ambassador to Thailand. So far, Vietnam has yet to receive any official response from Thai authorities.
The two injured fishermen have been identified as Nguyen Van Queo (29) and Nguyen Van Linh (25). Queo was shot in the leg while Linh was wounded in the shoulder. The fishermen are currently being held at Naval Zone 2 of Thailands Royal Navy in the southern province of Songkhla.
Thanh told VnExpress on Monday that he had met with the Vietnamese fishermen who were arrested by Thai authorities last week. Two were injured, but they are up and about again, Thanh added.
This is the second time Thai warships have opened fire on Vietnamese fishing vessels and injured fishermen. In September last year, Thai warships opened fire on a Vietnamese fishing boat, killing one crew member.
Related news:
> Thailands navy shoots at Vietnamese fishing boats
> Chinese vessels sink Vietnamese fishing boat near Paracel Islands
> Unidentified ship sinks Vietnamese fishing boat in Hoang Sa archipelago
Actress Kristen Stewart would like to see a female James Bond. While pitching for a female James Bond, the Twilight actress said a male actor playing the much sought-after spy would be stale now.
Read: Kristen Stewart worked with Woody Allen despite his alleged sex abuse
While promoting her new film Equals with co-star Nicholas Hoult, the subject turned to James Bond, and Stewart voiced her interest in seeing a woman portray the iconic British superspy, reported E! Online.
While pitching for a female James Bond, the Twilight actress said a male actor playing the much sought-after spy would be stale now. (Pinterest)
When asked Hoult what he thought about his name being included as a potential successor to Daniel Craigs 007, the 26-year-old actor said, I think Im a bit too young, to be honest, noting that Bond is usually in his 30s or 40s.
Yeah, but thats getting a little stale, Stewart interjected.
Read: Turns out that Kristen Stewart isnt dating Robert Pattinson after all
The pair then dismissed critics of casting a black or female actor as Bond. Stewart, 26, even imagined how a female version of the character could be introduced.
You start off as the Bond girl and then you think its just the girlfriend and then youre like, Shes actually [Bond], she said. In the trailer, its him and then [a] bait and switch.
Quentin Tarantino believes the role of sadistic Nazi officer Hans Landa in Inglorious Basterds is by far the best character he has ever written in his career.
The 53-year-old The Hateful Eight filmmaker has loved all his characters but found Landa, which won Christoph Waltz the best supporting actor Oscar, his favourite, reported Screen Daily.
Landa is the best character Ive written and maybe the best I ever will write, the director said during an appearanceat the Jerusalem Film Festival.
Read: Quentin Tarantino: Im a legit poet whos leading the pack
I didnt realize that he was a linguistic genius. Hes probably one of the only Nazis in history who could speak perfect Yiddish, Tarantino said.
The director, who was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the festival, also talked about how he found Waltz.
Tarantino was initially worried about finding the perfect actor for Landa and even thought of shelving the movie until Waltz came along.
Read: Quentin Tarantino leaves his mark on Hollywood, fulfils dream
I was getting worried. Unless I found the perfect Landa, I was going to pull the movie. I gave myself one more week and then I was going to pull the plug.
Then Christoph Waltz came in and it was obvious that he was the guy; he could do everything. He was amazing, he gave us our movie back, he added.
The Austrian-German actor won a second best supporting Oscar for his role in another Tarantino movie Django Unchained. Waltz has forged a successful career in Hollywood but Landa remains his most memorable performance.
Read: Hateful Eight review: Quentin Tarantino spins a bloody, intriguing tale
At the festival, Tarantinos Pulp Fiction was screened on 35mm. The director, who often talks about retirement, reiterated the idea but said he may come back if a story beckons him.
Read: Quentin Tarantino to give up films, turn to writing novels soon
I am planning to stop at 10, but at 75 I might decide I have another story to do. Tarantinos filmography includes cult hits like Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill and Reservoir Dogs.
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Even as state government strives to restore normalcy in strife-torn Kashmir, a fresh batch of over 4,000 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar base camp on Tuesday evening for undertaking annual Amarnath pilgrimage.
A total of 4,052 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar base camp in a fleet of 85 buses and 37 light motor vehicles under tight security arrangements, said Jammu deputy commissioner Simrandeep Singh.
However, mobile internet services remain suspended across the region. Singh said as a precautionary measure to check rumour-mongers, the administration decided to keep mobile internet service suspended till Wednesday evening and the decision will be reviewed depending upon the situation.
Kashmir has been on the boil following death of Hizb-ul militant Burhan Wani on Friday. The state government, in tandem with the Centre, has mobilised its resources and has deployed additional companies of paramilitary forces to ensure safety and security of the pilgrims.
For the security of the pilgrims, additional paramilitary and police personnel have been deployed in sensitive areas on the Kashmir Highway, Srinagar, Anantnag and Ganderbal districts, said a Home Department official.
Mehmood Ghaznavi will be the Hizbul Mujahideens new commander in Kashmir, the militant group announced on Tuesday.
Ghaznavi will succeed Burhan Wani, whose death in an encounter last week triggered a wave of violent protests in Jammu and Kashmir. At least 32 people have died so far and more than 1,300 have been injured.
Read: 32 dead in Kashmir violence, CM Mehbooba appeals for peace
Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin held a meeting of the group on Tuesday and announced Ghaznavis appointment in a statement issued to local news agency KNS. The group has been fighting against Indian troops in the militancy-hit state for decades.
There was no immediate information available on Ghaznavi. Speculations were rife that his real name was Sabzar Ahmed Bhat. But police refused to comment on this.
A native of Rathsuna in southern Kashmir, Sabzar was said to be a close friend of Wani, who joined the militant group when he was 15 years old and became the poster boy of modern-day militancy in Kashmir .
Officials said Sabzar and another militant, Shakir Ahmed Bhat, joined the Hizbul Mujahideen in April 2015 after Wanis brother, Khalid, was killed by forces in Kamla forests of Tral town. Wani reportedly discouraged the two at that time as Shakir was just 16 years old.
In December 2015, police announced a cash reward on a group of militants and Sabzar was among them.
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In view of the increased threat perception of terror attacks by Pakistan ultras on the ongoing Amarnath pilgrimage this year, the BSF, apart from its nine regular battalions, has deployed 600 men along the Indo-Pak International Border (IB) in Jammu.
The sensitive 198-km long border runs from Paharpur in Kathua district to Chicken Neck area of Akhnoor in Jammu district. And, the 87-km long Jammu-Lakhanpur highway, dotted by various Army formations, has remained a target of Pakistan-based militants. The BSF has nine battalions deployed on the IB. As per official figures, each battalion has around 1,200 men.
We have mobilised all our resources this year. Last year, around 600 men from training battalions were sent to Kashmir for guarding Amarnath pilgrimage but this year we have deployed them on the IB. In fact, we have come up with a second-tier grid on the border, said a top BSF source.
The source informed that apart from thick deployment along the IB, gaps between the foot-patrols have also been narrowed down.
While surveillance equipments have been upped and integrated, nine commanding officers and three DIGs have been asked to hold their ground till August 18, when the pilgrimage gets over.
These three DIGs and nine commanding officers have been continuously moving around in their respective sectors, because we anticipate infiltration bids by militants. Definitely, there has been heightened activity on other side of the border, he added.
Apart from more manpower and foot-patrols, the BSF has also put up laser fence to ward off intruders.
Intrusion bids foiled
The BSF foiled an intrusion bid by four armed Pakistan militants in Hiranagar sub-sector on the intervening night of July 10 and 11 and another bid was foiled in the adjoining Ramgarh sub-sector on the intervening night of July 9 and 10.
BSF DG KK Sharma, on June 3 this year, had said that there were intelligence reports about militants planning to attack the Amarnarh Yatra.
The BSF has been on operational alert because of the pilgrimage. We have also increased surveillance on seasonal rivulets and rivers like Chhap Nullah, Bhag Nullah, Tarnah Nullah, Bain Nullah, Aik Nullah, Devak Nullah, Basanter River, Tawi River, Chenab River, Ravi River, Ujh Nullah, and two to three more rivulets that flow into Pakistan.
Pakistan militants rely upon traditional routes of rivulets and rivers to sneak into the Indian territory.
Heightened security
Apart from nine regular battalions, BSF has deployed 600 men along IB in Jammu. Each battalion has around 1,200 men.
Troops from training battalions fresh recruits who are still undergoing training have been deployed on IB.
Gaps between the foot-patrols have also been narrowed down
Surveillance equipments have been increased and integrated.
Laser fence has been put up to ward off intruders.
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Amid reports of 21 young Muslim men from Kerala having joined terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (IS), anger is brewing within the community against people who soft-pedal on ultraconservative, fundamentalist Wahabi preaching.
It was waiting to happen, a Muslim reformer from Malabar in north Kerala said, pointing to the failure of community leaders and intelligence agencies in anticipating the traction of radical outfits among the youth. Reformers have been warning against growing radicalisation but nobody took notice.
There are also reports the some IS sympathisers collected donations in the name of Palestinians and diverted it to Syria. Though the exact amount is not known, many businessmen in Malappuram and Kozhikkode admitted that they contributed regularly to such causes.
Channels of communication between Kerala and war-torn Syria were also active and many online sites, operating from outside the country, organised question-answer sessions for youngsters of the state. Two months ago, a Syria-based media group linked to the IS reported the migration of south Indians to the country on its website.
Brothers from South India who migrated to Sham to help oppressed Muslims have launched Telegram channel in Malayalam language also to update the life in Syria. Spread and share to brothers from Kerala, Ahzaab Media said in a Facebook post.
Most of the missing people used Telegram a heavily encrypted chat app that auto-deletes messages after a set amount of time, making it difficult for intelligence agencies to track to communicate with their family members.
Intelligence agencies and community leaders, however, failed to read the signs.
This is not the states first tryst with terror either. With its vast coastline and growing migrant population, Kerala has been a sitting duck. The Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) was banned in 2002, but it managed to spread its wings in the state through a number of front organisations and sleeper cells.
In 2007, SIMI organised a three-day training camp in Wagmon in Idukki district, which intelligence agencies feel resulted in the formation of the Indian Mujahideen (IM).
The family members of the missing people blame hold the Salafi sect, which preaches Wahabism an ultra Sunni sect that believes in Sharia law, responsible for the indoctrination of their children. The sect was founded by a former SIMI member.
Salafis live a simple, secluded life on the lines of Prophet Muhammads life in seventh century Arabia. They settled near Nilambur in the Muslim-dominated Malappuram district, and lived in a closed community, rearing goats for a living. Some of the missing youngsters visited Nilambur frequently in the name of being trained in goat farming, family members claimed.
Worried by the turn of events, Keralas Muslim community is planning a vigorous campaign against such sects. The Muslim League and Nadvathul Mujahideen, both moderate organisations, have announced their plan to contain the menace. However, differences have cropped up in the Muslim League, which gave a clean chit to controversial spiritual leader Zakir Naik.
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Amidst ambulance sirens and chants of slogans, a young man is taken out on a stretcher by a group of people outside Srinagars Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital.
As he is taken inside the hospital, people surround him and take photographs.
Make way for him, please. He will die of suffocation, says a hospital volunteer, amidst the chaos.
Hordes of people still follow the stretcher. Lying on it is Manzoor, a wide-eyed clean shaven man in his twenties, with a gunshot wound in his lower back.
Outside, people surround the ambulance in which Manzoor was ferried. Where are you coming from? somebody from the crowd asks the driver.
Read: 30 dead, 1,300 injured in Kashmir violence, PM appeals to maintain calm
Pulwama, the driver answers. More ambulances are on the way. I somehow managed to reach before others.
It has been four days since Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter along with two associates. Since then Kashmir has been engulfed in street protests that have claimed at least 30 lives and 29 of them are from the restive south Kashmir.
The violence, however, hasnt stopped. More protests are being reported across Kashmir and reports say police and other paramilitary forces have fired directly at the protesters to quell the violence at most places.
Kashmiri protesters throw stones at police during clashes in Srinagar. Street protests have claimed at least 30 lives and 29 of them are from the restive south Kashmir. (Waseem Andrabi / HT Photo)
Gunshot wounds, eye injuries
Frantic calls for help can be heard inside SMHS Hospital, where more than 200 people have been admitted since the last three days. Most of the injured are from south Kashmir.
SMHS medical superintendent, Dr Nazir Ahmad Chaudhary, says more than 17 people have serious bullet injuries.
The situation has been very bad since all this started. Patients are being admitted with upper body bullet injuries. One of the patients has serious head injuries and he is being treated upon, Dr Chaudhary says.
The hospital has recorded five deaths due to bullet wounds and all those who died belonged to south Kashmir.
Most of the critical patients are being referred here from south Kashmir. We also have two females with bullet injuries in the abdomen, Dr Chaudhary says.
Shahid Fayaz, a Class 10 student, lies silently on a bed. A resident of Larnoo in south Kashmirs Kokarnag, Shahid was coming home after offering prayers at Wanis funeral when a group of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel allegedly fired at people. He was shot in the abdomen.
The doctors are saying that the next 24 hours are critical. They [doctors] are worried about the infection, Mohammad Afzal, his father, says.
With half of his body covered in bandages, Shahid spoke in a low tone. Its more like a murmur. All I wanted was to see Burhans face.
People carry a man with eye injuries to a local hospital in Srinagar. Apart from the 17 patients with bullet injuries, SMHS Hospital has also treated more than 77 people with eye injuries due to pellets. (Waseem Andrabi / HT Photo)
Next to Shahid is Mudasir, one of the first patients to be treated by the hospital. Shot in the back, he has been unable to move his lower limbs that doctors say will take time to heal.
Shani, 25, who was married last month, is one of the women being treated in the emergency surgical ward for a gunshot wound to her lower abdomen.
Unlike the others who were injured, Shani wasnt part of any protests. Minutes before being shot, Shani was patiently watching a television news channel that was reporting on Wanis death.
As people in Islamabad town were coming back from Wanis funeral in Tral, police resorted to teargas shelling and aerial firing. Concerned for her younger brother, Shani followed him to find out what was causing the commotion outside.
As soon as she crossed the gate, she was shot.
Shani was shot at directly. They [police] were frustrated. They tried to kill everybody, her husband alleged.
Apart from the 17 patients with bullet injuries, the hospital has also treated more than 77 people with eye injuries due to pellets. Two hospital wards, 7 and 8, have been designated to treat people with eye injuries.
Seventeen-year-old Farhats right eye is covered with a thick bandage. Doctors say that there are little chances for him to regain his eyesight, his father, who was sitting next to him, said.
Most of the injured are in their early twenties.
Doctors in the hospital, who have been on duty since the past 72 hours, are enraged and exhausted. Most of them say the number of casualties is higher than that from 2010.
The rate at which killings are happening is multiple times more than that of 2010 when around 120 protesters were killed, a doctor at the hospital says.
Helping hand
As more and more injured are being treated in the hospital, local volunteers and NGOs are also chipping in. Volunteers outside the hospital can be seen offering food and water to the patients, ambulances drivers and press alike.
Read: The Kashmir manifesto: Delhis policy playbook in the Valley
Many say if it werent for the local ambulances, the causalities could have mounted drastically.
I have been accompanying my elder brother here for the last two days. He was injured after a teargas shell hit him. We brought him here in a private ambulance and since yesterday I have seen hordes of private ambulances ferrying the patients, Sajid, a resident of Kulgam, said.
While Srinagar roads remain empty and full of concertina wires, some residents are also thronging to the hospital to donate blood for the injured.
These (injured) people are resisting for us. We also need to do our bit, a donor said.
Pakistan asked the five permanent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members on Tuesday to take notice of the tense situation in Kashmir and call on India to respect human rights of the people in the violence-hit Valley.
Foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry briefed the envoys of China, France, Russia, UK and US on the situation in Kashmir, the Foreign Office (FO) said.
He (Chaudhry) expressed Pakistans serious concern over the brutal killings of civilians and violation of their other fundamental human rights by the Indian security forces, it said in a statement.
The foreign secretary said that India should conduct a fair and transparent inquiry against the individuals responsible for the killings.
Chaudhry urged the international community and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to take notice of the gravity of the situation, call on India to respect human rights of the people of Kashmir and implement UNSC resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.
The foreign secretary rejected Indias attempts to claim that the deteriorating human rights situation in Kashmir was its internal affair and emphasised that the disputed nature of Jammu and Kashmir is awaiting the implementation of the UNSC resolutions.
He said killings of innocent Kashmiri people could not be condoned under the pretext of terrorism.
Chaudhry said the just struggle of the Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination cannot be equated with terrorism.
Such inhumane and oppressive measures cannot deter the valiant people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand of exercising their right to self-determination in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions, he said.
India had asked Pakistan on Monday to refrain from interfering in its internal affairs after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif issued a statement expressing shock at the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani in Kashmir during an encounter.
The cycle of violence that gripped the Valley in 2010 is a painful memory for former chief minister Omar Abdullah, but as he sees Kashmir erupt again, he finds his successor making the same mistakes he did.
Mehbooba Mufti has made the same mistake as me. I went into a shell in 2010 and she has also withdrawn into a shell. The first 24-48 hours are crucial. That is when your people need to see and hear you, National Conference leader Abdullah told HT in an exclusive interview at his residence in Srinagars Gupkar Road area.
The Abdullah government never really recovered from the political shock of 116 youth being shot dead one after the other that summer, and hes candid enough to admit he lost the elections in 2014 because he was punished for not responding to innocent deaths.
Mehbooba openly called for my resignation in 2010 but Im not going to do the same. It is a difficult situation for her to deal with, he said.
Read | 32 dead in Kashmir violence, CM Mehbooba appeals for peace
Abdullah said he expected her to learn from his mistakes.
She should have at least been on television appealing for calm but she seems to have retreated into a shell at a time when she needed to be seen and heard. People call her baaji or elder sister but I had no such kind titles coming my way.
Comparing 2010 to 2016, Abdullah cautioned that while the former was a demand-specific protest in which street protests led to deaths, the current phase of violence is plain anger and dangerous because it is leaderless.
In 2010, people wanted those guilty of the Macchil fake encounter to be punished. The protests were organised by separatists and the bar council, but this time people are coming out in the thousands without a leader pushing them to, he said. He expressed surprise that while he had received a call from Union home minister Rajnath Singh, Mehbooba had neither spoken to him nor called an all-party meeting.
Blaming intelligence agencies for not anticipating the violent backlash to the killing of Kashmirs poster-boy militant Burhan Wani, the former chief minister, however, said, This is not the time for politics. I am not demanding her resignation. This is the time for restraint and we (the National Conference) are not going to fan the flames by using this as an opportunity to unseat her.
Read | Staring in the dark: Silent struggle of Kashmirs young pellet victims
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The Narendra Modi government is set to create a central database of NGOs in the country and will tell states this weekend to get the voluntary sector to log in to the portal started by NITI Aayog.
The move that comes after a crackdown on the governments critics among foreign-funded non-governmental organisations has triggered worries among civil society groups that the database could be used to target other NGOs as well.
Read:NGOs: An extension of the government, not an adversary
Under the Centres plan drawn up in close coordination with the Prime Ministers Office, the National Institution for Transforming India Aayog-run portal would issue a unique number to each NGO.
Provision has been made to enter the details of members of the (NGOs) governing body as well, a government document circulated ahead of Inter-State Council meeting on Saturday said.
Read: Indira Jaisings NGO Lawyers Collective suspended for 6 months
But the Centre needs to get the states on board as they have the power over NGOs. and the discussion on Saturday was aimed towards this objective. The NDA government wants the states to issue instructions to their regulatory bodies such as the Registrar of Societies and Charity Commissioner to mandate that the NGOs enrol on the portal.
Read: Modi government tightens grip on NGOs with recast rules
This will enable to have a good repository of such organisations, their areas of work and their members, the agenda note said.
Most states are expected to readily agree to the database as it will help them too. The UPA government had conceived the idea but did not force the NGOs to register.
Read: NGOs receiving over Rs 1 crore govt grant to be brought under Lokpal
But within the voluntary sector, the crackdown targeting NGOs that criticised government policies and its leaders has them worried.
Rajesh Tandon, founder president of PRIA that works for the empowerment of the excluded and policy advocacy, said his primary fears around the database arose due to the governments recent actions, a reference to the crackdown on foreign-funded NGOs.
In the last two years, the government has tried to squeeze several foreign-funded civil society groups that had been its loudest critics.
Greenpeace India was the first to feel the heat. In the months that followed, the government also suspended or cancelled the registration of activist Teesta Setalvad-headed Citizens for Justice and Peace as well as Sabrang Trust.
Last month, it suspended foreign contribution registration of Lawyers Collective run by Indira Jaising and her husband Anand Grover. An unusually graphic home ministry order cited purchase of personal effects such as a sanitary napkin as one of the grounds for its decision, an order that has been criticised by eminent people in India and abroad.
Lawyers Collective bore the brunt because its founders had got on the wrong side of the government due to their strong opinions on certain matters ... But dissent is the fundamental characteristic of a democracy, Tandon, an IIT-IIM alumnus, said.
Harsh Jaitli, chief executive officer of VANI - the apex body of the voluntary sector, wondered why the government did not consult the stakeholders before trying something as ambitious as this.
If the government wants to strengthen the sector, there are many other problems that it needs to address. This, he said, includes overhauling the 19th-century laws such as Societies Registration Act 1860 that regulate the voluntary sector.
There is a need for looking at the ease of doing business in the voluntary sector too, Tandon added.
Da Nang will be allowed to borrow more, but how much is enough?
The National Assemblys Standing Committee has agreed to give Da Nang a special framework so that will allow the city more room to regulate its fiscal budget and financing.
The central government will delegate more financial powers to the coastal city, which means Da Nang will have more budget independence, including more control over budget revenue and investment projects.
Da Nang will borrow more by offering municipal bonds to the public, said local authorities, since its annual budget of VND1.3 trillion ($58 million) will not be enough to meet the rising demand of the citys rapidly growing economy.
Following the new financial mechanism, Da Nangs outstanding public debt can reach a ceiling of VND3 trillion annually.
The Vietnamese central government controls local government borrowing by imposing rules that can take the form of restrictions on the overall debt or expenditure ceilings.
Da Nang has faced a dilemma in which on one hand the city is willing to run up more debt to have funds to build infrastructure; on the other hand, its borrowing capacity is limited by the rule saying that its total outstanding debt should not be higher than 30 percent of the citys annual capital expenditure budget.
The city's top officials, including Secretary of Da Nang's Party Committee Nguyen Xuan Anh who at a meeting with newly-elected State President Tran Dai Quang in April asked for the central governments support in favor of the citys efforts to make an economic breakthrough, have tried to change that rule for quite a long time, raising the ceiling to 100 percent from 30 percent.
However, the decision has been met with mixed opinions.
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said the new cap will inflate Da Nangs public debt.
Da Nang should think carefully [about the proposal] and take its debt-servicing capacity into account. [The city] should not live beyond its means. Soaring public debt will take a heavy toll on Da Nang, said Ngan.
Minister of Finance Dinh Tien Dung also expressed his concern over the new cap. He suggested it should be raised to 40 percent, equal to a 10 percent increase from the current ceiling.
The cap [of 40 percent] is appropriate for Da Nang to control its budget deficit as well as public investments, said Dung.
However, Chairman of the Peoples Committee of Da Nang Huynh Duc Tho dismissed such concerns.
Da Nang has aimed for a new ratio higher than current 30 percent. We are confident that the city will use the funds effectively and will be able to pay back its debts, said Tho.
[We also want the central government] to delegate more [administrative] power to Da Nang so that the city will be more proactive with administrative management and business regulations, the citys top official added.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc last month agreed to give Ho Chi Minh City more freedom to act on its own so that the southern city can realize its full potential, developing into the pearl of the East Sea.
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Congress on Tuesday criticized Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for expressing deep shock over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.
Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid said it is very ill-advised to comment on somebody (Wani) who was questioning Indias sovereignty and integrity.
Speaking to ANI, Khurshid said, It is very ill-advised to be commenting on somebody who was questioning Indias sovereignty and integrity, and who was equipped to hurt ordinary Indians who disagreed with him.
So, I dont think it is fair for Mr Nawaz Sharif to be commenting on this, he added.
Earlier today, Sharif expressed deep shock over the killing of Wani and other civilians and condemned the excessive and unlawful use of force against people in Indian-administered Kashmir.
It is deplorable that excessive and unlawful force was used against civilians who were protesting against the killing of Burhan Wani, said Sharif in a statement.
On Sunday, the foreign office spokesperson of Pakistan also issued a statement deploring the oppressive measures adopted by Indian forces and called the killing of Wani as extrajudicial.
Pakistan reiterates that the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is only possible by the realisation of the right to self determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, as per the UNSC resolutions, through a fair and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices, the statement said.
Such acts are a violation of fundamental human rights of Kashmiris and can not deter the people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand for the realisation of the right to self determination, the statement added.
Islamabad also expressed its concern over the detention of Kashmiri leadership and called upon New Delhi to fulfill the human rights obligations as per the United Nation.
Acknowledging Pakistans statement on the current situation in the valley, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) yesterday responded saying that, Islamabads statement reflected their attachment to terrorism.
They reflect Pakistans continued attachment to terrorism and its usage as an instrument of state policy. Pakistan is advised to refrain from interfering in internal affairs of its neighbours, the ministry said in a statement.
The 22-year-old commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen along with his two cohorts, was killed by the security forces on last week.
The Kashmir valley has been on a boil since as widespread protests were carried out over Wanis killing with many separatists calling for a shutdown.
Two workers belonging to the CPI(M) and BJP were killed on Tuesday Night in Keralas Kannur, a district notorious for red-saffron clashes.
A CPI(M) worker was stabbed to death in Payyanur in wee hours and later an RSS worker was killed in similar fashion.
Their houses were attacked and they were stabbed in front of their relatives, the police said. CPI(M) worker Dhanraj (32) was killed first, hours later C K Ramachandran, an auto-rickshaw driver was stabbed to death. Both CPI(M) and RSS-BJP blamed each other for the fresh bout of violence. Both RSS and CPI(M) had called a shutdown in Payannur and surrounding areas.
Notorious for spiralling cycle of violence between two-cadre based parties, the district had witnessed at least 200 killings in last two decades. Many maimed and crippled, victims of political clashes, roam around here as a sad reminder of politics of intolerance.
When it comes to ideology and retaliation, both RSS and CPM, outsmart each other in precision and planning.
Here the two cadre-based parties virtually compete to create martyrs and build colourful columns over bodies of their dead workers. The area is dotted with innumerable concrete sickles, oms and lotus. They have no qualm in displaying their memorials and they nurture killing squads to equal their goals, a term used in local parlance to settle political scores. A missing flag, defacing of party wall or damage to a bus shelter in the name of a martyr are enough to ignite a fresh round of violence.
Two of the four death-row convicts in the infamous Delhi gangrape case have written to Chief Justice of India (CJI) TS Thakur and justice Dipak Misra, stating that they do not approve of the defence counsels appointed by the Supreme Court to argue their case.
Justice Misra heads the top court bench that is hearing the appeals against their punishment.
In an incident that shocked the nation, six people had brutally assaulted and gang-raped a 23-year-old paramedical student before throwing her out of a moving bus in New Delhi on the night of December 16, 2012. She died in a Singapore hospital almost two weeks later.
Pavan Gupta (22) and Vinay Sharma (23), lodged in Tihar Jail, sent handwritten letters in Hindi to the two judges on July 2. Their lawyer, AP Singh, said the duo expressed reluctance to take the assistance of senior advocates Raju Ramachandran and Sanjay Hegde because both had condemned them at the time of the incident.
Read: SC appoints two senior lawyers to defend Dec 16 gang rape convicts
The letter states the two senior counsels expressed their views on the matter during television interviews and also put up critical posts against them on Facebook. They have provided copies of articles authored by the advocates to Singh.
Ramachandran denied the claims made by the two convicts. All that I can say is: To the best of my knowledge and recollection, I have not spoken on this case at all. And if I have, I would like to be told when and where, he said.
Read: SC to work extra hours, hear Dec 16 gangrape convicts plea against death
Hegde refused to comment. Whatever I have to say, I will tell the court, he said.
Singh told HT that his clients were not opposed to accepting court-appointed lawyers to defend them. But they should not be biased. The comments and articles clearly show they (Ramachandran and Hegde) are pre-decided on the issue, he said.
The duo claimed the case against them was false, and all the documents proving their innocence were with Singh who might file a formal application on July 18. Pavan also opposed Ramachandrans appointment on the grounds that he had represented two terrorists Ajmal Kasab and Yakub Memon in the apex court.
A day ago, the Supreme Court had defended its order directing Ramachandran and Hegde to assist the court as defence counsels. Clarifying that it did not intend to undermine the credentials of the lawyers hired by the convicts, it said: The appointment came because we also want to learn from their assistance.
The court is likely to sit beyond its working hours from next week to fast-track the appeals of the four convicts against the death sentence awarded to them.
The Delhi high court protected the estranged wife of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah and their children from being evicted from their government residence in Delhi till July 28.
Justice Indermeet Kaur asked the Centre on Tuesday not to take any coercive steps against Payal Abdullah and her two sons till next date pursuant to the eviction order of June 30.
The court asked the Ministries of Urban Development and Home Affairs to reply to the petitioners plea that if they are found to be entitled to an alternate government accommodation, then the Centre be directed not to evict them till a suitable residence is alloted to them and it is cleared and equipped by security personnel.
The Estate officer, Resident Commission, Government of Jammu and Kashmir was asked by the court to respond to the plea that petitioners should not be evicted or a suitable alternate accommodation be allotted to them where they can be effectively protected.
In their plea, the wife and sons of Omar Abdullah, have claimed the Centre, through a letter dated September 9, 2015, allotted the 7 Akbar Road bungalow to the state of Jammu and Kashmir as the chief ministers residence with retrospective effect from August 11, 2009, without following the due process of law, which was thus illegal.
They have contended that even now the website of the Department of Hospitality and Protocol of Government of Jammu and Kashmir shows that the residence of chief minister of the state was at 5, Prithviraj Road.
Additional solicitor general (ASG) Sanjay Jain, during the hearing, told the court that the petitioners were not entitled to stay on at the premises as Omar Abdullah was no longer the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
Payal Abdullah, in her plea filed through advocate Amit Khemka, has claimed that she moved the high court as Omar Abdullah -- in his response to the estate officers show cause notice -- had said he was no longer in occupation of the said premises and hence the authority was free to take whatever steps necessary to take over the premises.
Muslim academics and religious scholars asked the government on Tuesday to tread cautiously on the issue of action against Islamic preacher Zakir Naik.
While all sections of the society have to take a united stand against anything which remotely promotes extremism, the ongoing attempts to single out Zakir Naik even before any investigation has been conducted doesnt bode well, spokesperson of Nadwatul Uloom, Lucknow Maulana Syed Hamza Nadwi said.
We differ with them on some matters, but we are yet to find evidence of any hate content in their teachings, he said.
General secretary of the Paghamey Insaniyat Committee, Maulana Syed Bilal Hasni said, we have always had reservations about some of the teachings of the Ahle Hadees school of thought. They have full right to their views, but we do not approve of their approach of running down other schools of thought, while trying to appropriate Islam.
However, he said, any attempt to single out Zakir Naik without proper investigations is not correct and government should tread cautiously on the issue.
It is apparent that many other people in the country are preaching hatred and issuing inflammatory statements in all forms, and no action is being taken. There has to be a single yardstick, he said.
Prof Asmar Baig of department of political science at Aligarh Muslim University said that the ongoing attempt to drag AMU in the controversy surrounding Zakir Naik is unfortunate.
Baig said, Naiks three year term as a member of the AMU court began and ended much before the government found anything inappropriate in his preaching. He played no role whatsoever in AMU affairs.
Separatist leaders issued a joint appeal to Jammu and Kashmir police on Tuesday, requesting them to not use live ammunition against common Kashmiris, who are your own people unlike Indian army and CRPF.
In a joint statement by The leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik in a joint statement said, (They) should ask themselves as to why they have become an instrument of repression at the hands of Indian authorities in killing and injuring their own children and young men.
Read | 32 dead in Kashmir violence, CM Mehbooba appeals for peace
Separatists said by doing so they are not only failing their basic responsibility to their own community but incurring the wrath and dislike of people. The leaders claimed that the people are angry and disillusioned with them (policemen) for their role and are asking the leadership to excommunicate and socially boycott them (police).
At the end of the day, they belong to this place and those that they kill are innocent young Kashmiris, the separatist leaders said, asking them to refuse to carry weapons in dealing with the protesters and not become a part of the design to annihilate Kashmiris.
Meanwhile, paying tributes to martyrs of July 13, 1931, Hizb-ul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani and others, the Jammu Kashmir Awami Action Committee (AAC) led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq resolved to take their mission to its logical conclusion.
In a statement, AAC informed that Mirwaiz Umar Farooq would lead a procession from Jamia Masjid Srinagar after the afternoon prayers to the Martyrs Graveyard at Naqshband Sahab shrine at Khawaja Bazaar.
It added that other separatist leaders including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Muhammad Yasin Malik will lead processions to the Martyrs Graveyard where special prayers will be offered.
AAC has also appealed the freedom-loving people of Kashmir to maintain discipline and participate in this peaceful procession that would culminate at the Martyrs Graveyard at Naqshband Sahab, the statement said.
Four Dalit men were chained to a car, stripped and beaten up by cow protection vigilantes in Gujarats Gir Somnath district, police said on Tuesday.
The attack took place on Monday. A video purportedly recorded by the attackers and shared online shows the four men chained to a car and being beaten with iron rods.
The victims, belonging to a Dalit community at Mota Samadiyara village of Una taluka, claimed that they were skinning an already dead cow, but the six accused said the animal was killed before being skinned, police said.
We have arrested three persons in this connection while three others are absconding. We have also called a team of forensic science laboratory experts and veterinary doctors to ascertain if the cow was already dead before being skinned or was killed for skin, Gir Somnath districts deputy superintendent of police KM Joshi said.
#WATCH Suspected cow leather smugglers thrashed by cow protection vigilantes in Somnath (Gujarat) (11.7.16)https://t.co/UTA4qmAPRm ANI (@ANI_news) July 12, 2016
According to the FIR, the six accused identified as Ramesh Giri, Balwant Simer, Ramesh Bhagwan, Rakesh Joshi, Rasikbhai and Nagjibhai Vaniya came in a car and began abusing the villagers on finding that they were skinning a cow.
They then allegedly took out iron rods from their car and started beating them up. Two people sustained severe head injuries and were referred to Junagadh civil hospital for treatment, Joshi said.
According to the complainant, Vasrambhai Sarvaiya, the accused also took away their mobile phones.
Cow protection vigilante groups have been active in various parts of the country against slaughter of cows and consumption of beef. Several state governments too have tightened laws on both. In one of the most brutal attacks over cow protection, 52-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq was lynched in Bisada village near Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, by a Hindu mob for allegedly killing a calf for meat.
With inputs from agency.
Defence minister Manohar Parrikars visit to check on health of a local AAP leaders father has sparked a row, with Congress saying on Tuesday that Parrikar should have been asked by AAP to look into the burning issue of Kashmir.
Parrikars visit to the house of AAP Goa secretary Walmiki Naik was disclosed to media on Sunday by Naik.
Congress said, Naik should have advised the defence minister to rush to the headquarters to look into the burning issue of Kashmir and visit the grieving families of jawans who have lost their lives.
Though Naik had denied any political links with Parrikar, during the press conference called by him on Sunday, he suddenly walked out without entertaining queries from media.
Congress Goa spokesperson Trajano DMello told reporters on Tuesday that calling of the press conference by the AAP leader (on Sunday) to announce defence ministers visit at his residence betrayed his (Naiks) guilt. Moreover, he (Naik) refused to take questions from the press after making the announcement of the defence ministers visit.
Naik had clarified that Parrikars visit was limited to inquiring about health of his father Datta Naik, who, he said has cordial relation with the defence minister.
I thank Parrikar for his visit today to my father and I urge the Narendra Modi government to take some lessons from Parrikar and learn to extend similar courtesy to the AAP government in Delhi, Naik had said on Sunday.
Taking a dig, DMello said, Its shocking and surprising that visit of the defence minister to his (Naiks) residence had to be announced or made public by calling a press conference.
Even if the announcement was not made, the news would have trickled to the media anyway. An explanation would have been understood had the media attributed motives to the visit, he said.
The Congress leader alleged that Naik was asking Parrikar to give the AAP government in Delhi, which is the creation of an illicit relationship among the BJP, RSS and AAP, honour and dignity.
He (Naik) should remember that an illicit relationship can never get an honour or dignity as that of a sanctified relationship, DMello said.
AAP had already announced its intention to contest all 40 constituencies in next years Goa Assembly elections.
During his maiden rally in the coastal state, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal had launched an acerbic attack on Parrikar, former CM of Goa, over the latters frequent visits to the coastal state.
However, in a veiled attack, Parrikar had equated AAP with monsoon grass and called the party as looters of Delhi.
Going against its own orders, issued six months ago, the environment ministry has decided to exempt big buildings and real estate projects from taking environment clearance, a mandatory requirement under the law for the past more than a decade.
The U-turn will take the construction industry out of the environment ministrys purview and no project could be challenged on environmental grounds before the National Green Tribunal, says experts.
Under the current law, the building and township projects of more than 20,000 square meters size are required to carry out an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study to gauge possible impacts of the project on the surrounding environment before starting its construction. If the project is considered safe, the State Environment Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAA) appointed by the environment ministry, give permission (environment clearance) to the project.
The ministry has now issued a draft notification on April 29 which says the states which will integrate environmental conditions in the building approvals under their Building Bylaws will not have to get environment clearance for construction projects. It replaces the area-specific EIA and environment clearance process carried out by SEIAA prior to starting of the project with standard conditions such as sewage discharge, water harvesting and DG Sets specification imposed and monitored by the local urban authorities post construction of the project.
This will mean, no construction project can be ever stopped or rejected on environmental grounds. Since there will be no environment clearance under the Environment Protection Act, the projects could also not be challenged before the National Green Tribunal which doesnt have its jurisdiction over the state building bylaws, said environment lawyer Ritwick Dutta.
The National Green Tribunal has, in the past, penalized developers for constructing environmentally damaging projects. In May, it quashed the environment clearance of a project that encroached and damaged 3 acres of lake in Bangalore and slapped Rs 117 crore fine on the developer. In July last year, the tribunal slapped a fine on Akshardham Temple for carrying out expansion near Yamuna Flood Plains without an environment clearance. The Supreme Court also said in an order in January this year that housing projects coming up without environment clearance were illegal.
The latest position of the environment ministry is a break away from the past. The environment ministry, itself, reiterated in its order on November 10, 2015 that the states should follow the procedure for environment clearance for building projects in letter and spirit. To cut the delays, the order insisted that SEIAA will assess the project only on the thrust environmental areas while the rest of permissions should be dealt with by the local authorities. The order came after a series of reviews of the need of environment clearance for building projects in the environment ministry including by a High-Level Committee (see box: flip flop flip).
The latest notification and the change in the ministrys stance has come after hectic discussions between the environment ministry, the urban development ministry, the Prime Ministers Office, and the representatives of the construction industry, said an official in the environment ministry. The documents, accessed by HT, indicate the environment ministry sent a proposal to the ministry of urban development in February regarding incorporation of environmental guidelines in the building bylaws and the matter was treated by the two ministries as urgent and important.
The environment ministrys notification stresses upon governments efforts for ensuring Ease of Doing Responsible Bussiness, and streamlining the permissions for buildings and construction sector, which, it says, is important for providing affordable housing to weaker section in urban area. However, rather than making exemptions for affordable houses which are often smaller than 20,000 sq meters, it exempts all big construction projects such as shopping malls, multiplexes and office complexes.
When asked for the reason of change in the ministrys stand, Manoj Kumar Singh, Joint Secretary in the Environment Ministry, said in an email reply The draft notification dated 29.04.2016 proposes to integrate the standard and objectively monitorable environmental conditions with the building permissions starting from built up area of 5000 sq. mtrs. and above. The number of buildings in this category and cumulative built up area of such buildings is much larger than buildings of 20000 sq. mtrs. and more. So here idea is to make more buildings follow the environmental norms. He insisted the proposed notification will not take out these buildings (20000 sq. mtrs to 150000 sq. mtrs.) from the purview of EIA Notification, 2006 and E (P) Act. It proposes to integrate these standard environmental conditions with the building permissions, he added.
CHANGING STANCE 2004 Construction sector brought under the purview of the Environment Protection Act, 1986
Construction sector brought under the purview of the Environment Protection Act, 1986 2006 EIA Notification, 2006 mandated building projects of more 20,000 sq meters should carry out green assessment
EIA Notification, 2006 mandated building projects of more 20,000 sq meters should carry out green assessment 2009 The ministry proposed to exempt projects up to 50,000 sq meters from requirement, but proposal dropped due to environmental concerns
The ministry proposed to exempt projects up to 50,000 sq meters from requirement, but proposal dropped due to environmental concerns Dec 2012 The environment ministry constituted a committee to review the provisions of Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006
The environment ministry constituted a committee to review the provisions of Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006 June 2013 Environment ministry accepts panels recommendations
Environment ministry accepts panels recommendations April 2016 Ministry issues draft notification to replace environment clearance for building projects
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The Supreme Court gave on Tuesday six weeks time to a panel headed by a retired judge to give suggestions on how to stop circulation of jokes about the Sikh community and their commercial exploitation. The top court took cognizance of a public interest petition seeking a ban on jokes ridiculing sardars.
Khushwant Singh, the late author and journalist, was famous for such jokes. Here is a collection of Singhs best Santa-Banta jokes.
Read | SC gives panel 6 weeks to suggest ways to stop circulation of Sardar jokes
1) Santa and Banta met on a village road. Santa was carrying a large gunny bag over his shoulder.
Oye, Santa, hailed Banta, what is in the bag?
Murgiyan Chickens, came the reply.
If I guess how many, can I have one? asked Banta
You can have both of them.
OK, said Banta, five.
2) Banta said to Santa, I have invented a new kind of computer which behaves like a human being.
In what way? asked Santa.
Whenever it makes a mistake, replied Banta, it blames other computers.
3) Santa and Banta went fishing. They caught a lot of fish and returned to the shore.
Santa: I hope you remember the spot where we caught all these fish.
Banta: Yes, I marked X on the side of the boat to mark the spot.
Santa: You idiot! How do we know we will get the same boat tomorrow?
4) Banta sent an SMS to his pregnant wife. Less than a minute later, the report came on his phone and he started dancing. The report said, Delivered.
5) How can Santa kill a lion?
Santa thinks and thinks hard and comes to a conclusion: Ill drink poison and let the lion eat me. O bolo ta ra ra
6) Banta went to a cheap restaurant to have dinner. He ran into his friend Ram Lai who was working there as a waiter. Ram Lai, arent you ashamed of working in this third-class restaurant? Santa asked.
I may work in a third-class restaurant, replied Ram Lai, but I dont eat in one like you.
7) Santa was flying to Chandigarh from Pune. He was allotted a middle seat but decided to take the window seat instead, which had been allotted to an old lady. The lady requested Santa to exchange the seats and let her sit on the seat allotted to her. He refused, saying, I want to see the view from the window.
The old lady complained to the air hostess who requested Santa to sit on his allotted middle seat. Santa was adamant and bluntly refused. The air hostess went up to the co-pilot. He too came and requested Santa, but in vain. Finally, the captain of the aircraft came. He whispered something in Santas ears. Santa immediately vacated the window seat and took the middle seat.
Astonished, the air hostess and the co-pilot asked the captain what he had said to Santa. The captain replied: Nothing, I just told him that only the middle seats will go to Chandigarh. All others were going to Jalandhar.
8) Banta: Can you tell me what Ford is?
Santa: Sure! Its a gadee (motor car)
Banta: Tell me what is Oxford.
Santa: Sure, sure! Oxford is baiyl di gaadi (bullock cart)
9) Santa: Im feeling like a legislative body - Vidhan or Lok Sabha
Banta: What do you mean?
Santa: My stomach is upset.
Banta: What does your stomach have to do with Legislative Assemblies or Parliament?
Santa: Im passing motion after motion.
10) Santa goes to see an astrologer.
Astrologer: You are the father of three children.
Santa: Oye Khote! I have four children
Astrologer: Thats what you think!
"Vietnam welcomes the arbitration court issuing its final ruling on July 12," foreign ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh said.
Vietnam welcomed a ruling by the International Court of Arbitration court concerning the East Sea, internationally known as the South China Sea, on Tuesday, saying it strongly supports the peaceful resolution of disputes while reasserting its own sovereignty claims, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"Vietnam strongly supports the resolution of disputes in the East Sea by peaceful means, including diplomatic and legal processes and refraining from the use or threat to use force in accordance with international law, Binh said.
The ministry also reasserted Vietnam's sovereignty claims over the Paracel and Spratly islands, and its jurisdiction over its Exclusive Economic Zone.
[The ruling] benefits the Philippines," attorney Nguyen Toan Thang from the Hanoi Law University told VnExpress. "The tribunal has clarified the legality of the 'nine-dash line' and other structures in the East Sea. Other related countries will have to reconsider their declarations and claims on their sovereign rights over these features."
Earlier, the Hague Tribunal, in a 497-page ruling, stated that China's claims to historic rights under the nine-dash line are contrary to a U.N. convention China has ratified. The Hague also found that Chinese actions have aggravated the Philippines dispute during attempts to resolve the issue.
"None of the Spratly Islands grant China an exclusive economic zone," said Hague tribunal.
The panel also found that Chinese law enforcement patrols had risked colliding with Philippine fishing vessels and caused irreparable damage to coral reefs with construction work.
China foreign minister says the ruling will worsen the tensions. President Xi Jinping said China is dedicated to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea but will not accept any positions or actions based on the outcome of the arbitration case over the dispute.
"Legally, the verdict has clarified many issues. Now the court has determined there are no structures that warrant an exclusive economic zone, it will reduce a lot of the overlapping area," said Thang.
China claims most of the South China Sea, even waters approaching neighboring countries, based on a vaguely defined "nine-dash-line" found on a 1940s Chinese map. The Philippines, and other countries including Vietnam, dispute this claim.
Commentators say the 3 million square kilometres (1.2 million square miles) of water are a potential flashpoint for regional conflict.
The tensions have alarmed the United States which has key defense treaties with many regional allies, and in a show of strength last week sent warships to patrol close to some of the reefs and islands claimed by China.
Meanwhile, the Chinese navy conducted combat drills near its southern island province of Hainan and the Paracel islands in the South China Sea one week ahead of the Hague tribunal's ruling.
Scientists believe that the disputed waters could contain unexploited oil, gas and minerals, which would be a boon to any country that can establish their claims to the region's waters, especially in resource-hungry Asia. It's also home to abundant fisheries that feed growing populations.
Related news:
> Philippines wins 'South China Sea' case against China
> Embassy urges Filipinos to be vigilant in China
> China urged to #CHexit from 'South China Sea'
> Philippines willing to share 'South China Sea': govt
Prominent Dalit leader and junior social justice minister Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday blamed inter-caste love and marriages for growing atrocities on Dalits, and reiterated his demand for weapons to the lower castes for protection.
People from the upper castes cannot accept somebody from their community marrying a Dalit, said the president of the Republican Party of India (Athawale faction), a BJP ally, in an interview to Hindustan Times.
Atyachar ka mool karan hain inter-caste love aur marriage Yeh unko accha nahin lagta hain. Iske liye atyachar badh raha hain jyada. (The main reason for atrocities is inter-caste love and marriage. This is not liked by the upper caste. This has led to growing incidents of atrocity), he said.
The Rajya Sabha parliamentarian, who was made the minister of state for social justice and empowerment when Prime Minister Narendra Modi recomposed his team on July 5, reaffirmed his pitch to allow Dalits to keep weapons for their defence.
Maine bola tha self-protection ke liye hona chahiye. Theek baat hain. Hamare mantralay ko vichaar karna chahiye lekin yeh home department ka vishay hain. (I have said it should be for self-protection. This is right. My ministry should think about it. But it is an issue for the home department), he said.
Athawale had said in January, after Hyderabad University Dalit student Rohith Vemulas suicide, that the government should give Dalits licences to keep firearms for protection.
To make his point, he cited Sikh customs.
The Sikhs have permission to keep arms. People are afraid to get into a fight (with Sikhs).
At the same time, he underscored his ministrys responsibility to bring communities together.
Its the home departments mandate to act against atrocities. It is our ministrys responsibility to see that atrocities do not occur, and suggest ways and means to protect them. I will speak to my senior minister (Thawar Chand Gehlot) and secretary to see what can be done.
The 56-year-old Dalit leader from Maharashtra also batted for the longstanding demand for reservation in private-sector jobs. As various sectors are getting privatised, government jobs are shrinking. That is why there should be no issue with providing quota in the private sector.
He said reservation will only strengthen social justice. Being a social justice minister, I will try to get it done. I will speak to the PM about it.
Athawale also supported quotas within the reserved categories, saying the condition of those from the extremely backward classes is worse.
There should be a separate reservation for them. They should be given additional 19% reservation. My ministry will also push for it, he said.
But the minister admitted that this cannot be a long-term solution. We have to find a way to improve their lives.
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Kashmir is an internal matter of India, the US said on Tuesday, and asked the stakeholders to find a peaceful resolution in the Valley following the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani last week.
We have seen reports of the clashes between protestors and Indian forces in Kashmir, and we are concerned by the violence. We encourage all sides to make efforts towards finding a peaceful resolution, a State Department spokesman said.
The spokesman said the US has not spoken with Indians on this issue as it is an internal matter.
.....We have not. This is an internal matter for the Government of India, the spokesman said.
Read | Stay out of our internal affairs: India tells Pakistan over Kashmir remarks
Authorities struggled to contain street protests on Monday by Kashmiris defying patrols and a stringent curfew after at least 25 people died in clashes.
Paramilitary troops and police in riot gear patrolled villages and towns in the Himalayan region. Most shops were shuttered, businesses were closed, and cellphone and mobile internet services were suspended in parts of the region. But crowds ignored the clampdown and clashed with government troops in parts of Srinagar and several other places in the region.
The protests erupted on Saturday, a day after Indian troops killed Burhan Wani, the young leader of Kashmirs largest rebel group, Hizbul Mujahideen, which has been fighting since the 1990s against Indian rule. Wani, in his early 20s, had become the iconic face of Kashmirs militancy, using social media to rally supporters and reach out to other youths like him who had grown up while hundreds of thousands of Indian armed forces have been deployed across the region.
With inputs from PTI
As tensions mount, the number of persons injured and struggling for their lives continues to escalate in the Valley. Of the 1,365 people who have been injured in clashes, 110 have been admitted with bullet injuries in the three major super speciality hospitals.
Over 390 persons are admitted in Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS), Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) and Bone and Joint Hospital in Srinagar have injuries caused by bullets, pellets, tear gas shells and lathicharge by government forces.
Questioning the rationale of security forces of using live bullets on stone throwing protesters, a senior doctor at SMHS said that the aim seemed to escalate than control.
How can we justify this wanton use of force? In many cases bullets and pellets have been fired above the waist. The objective definitely seems to kill or maim the person for life, the doctor said.
Angry crowds came out in droves attacking government forces across Kashmir. At some places police posts and government buildings were also set on fire. In retaliation, forces fired bullets and pellets killing at-least 30 and injuring over a thousand mostly in Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian.
Medical superintendent Dr Rashid Budoo said that 58 have been admitted since Saturday. Of these 46 persons have fire-arm injuries. All those injured by fire arms have major fractures. Three others were serious with nerve injuries, he said.
In SMHS hospital in old city Srinagar, as many as 320 injured persons were admitted since Saturday. Medical superintendent of SMHS Dr Nazir Chowdhary said that 50 patients have already been discharged.
Many youth admitted in SMHS were hit by bullets and pellets during stone pelting incidents. However, there have been many allegations by the injured against police and CRPF of targeting them without any provocation.
Kashmir is burning and our Prime Minister would rather tweet about his travels and play the drums, Congress said on Monday taking potshots at Narendra Modi who is on a tour of African countries.
The jibe was taken by the opposition party in a tweet posted on INC India.
Randeep Surjewala, Chief spokesman of the party, was equally caustic, who took to Twitter to advice the Prime Minister to cut short his tour and return home with Kashmir on the boil.
I 21 , , I ! pic.twitter.com/Jv0YgRdND4 Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) July 11, 2016
Surjewala wanted the Prime Minister to follow the US President Barack Obama in the wake of the Dallas shootings of policemen.
Kashmir is burning. 21 people have died. Security forces are being attacked daily. Amarnath Yatra suspended and Modiji is playing the drums. At least wake up now, he said in another tweet in Hindi.
He also reminded the Prime Minister that the PDP-BJP government in the state is unable to handle the situation and he should not throw Kashmir in the shadow of the gun to ensure that the peace process remained unaffected.
At the Congress briefing, party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi attacked Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for deploring India for excessive force against civilians in the Valley while expressing deep shock over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.
He reminded the Pakistani leader that his country is known in the world over as largest exporter of terrorism and a nation which is imploding at seams.
He also said Nawaz Sharifs statement showed how Indian foreign policy is going in reverse gear.
In reply to a question, he said that it would be good if the government convened an all party meeting. He said that the initiative has to be taken by the government.
Please do not make a martyr of a declared terrorist, he said emphasising the need to handle the situation with tact and tolerance to wean away misguided youth.
We would urge the government to show maturity in handling the situation. The government, the NDA Government in the centre and the BJP-PDP alliance Government in the State, have to remember that they inherited a peaceful valley from the UPA Government. It was their duty to take this process forward, the party said in a commentary on its website.
From Modi returning to India to hold meeting over Kashmir violence to who will be the next British PM, and our HT Spotlight story on Tuesday, here are our five major stories this morning:
Modi holds meeting on Kashmir
PM Narendra Modi will chair a meeting on Tuesday to discuss ways to end the protests which erupted after troops shot dead Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani last week. Modi, who returned from a four-nation tour today, will be briefed at the cabinet committee meeting.
Read the full report here
Do not interfere, Pakistan
After Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharifs expressed deep shock at the death of Burhan Wani, India asked the neighbouring country not to interfere in its internal affairs.
Read the full report here
Fly Air India @ Rajdhani AC II
Air India has expanded its spot fare scheme, wherein unsold seats are offered at Rajdhani AC II-tier rates four hours before a flights departure, to include seven more routes. The scheme, which started on July 10 on routes from Delhi to Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru and Kolkata, has been extended to routes connecting Delhi to Ranchi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Bhubaneshwar, Goa, Patna and Raipur.
Read more here
The next Britain PM
Theresa May speaks to reporters after being confirmed as the leader of the Conservative Party and Britain's next Prime Minister outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, central London on Monday. (Reuters)
The uncertainty that clouded UK following the Brexit vote cleared off on Monday as PM David Cameron confirmed that the interior minister Theresa May would take over as the next prime minister on Wednesday.
Read the full report here
Khadi robes in IIT-Bombays convocation
To evoke a feeling of nationalism in students as Khadi ia a national symbol, the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay has chosen Khadi angavastrams for the convocation ceremony of its graduating batch.
Read more here
Follow Hindustan Times on Facebook and Twitter @htTweets for more such stories.
With Kashmir on the edge, Home Minister Rajnath Singh has postponed his visit to the United States to attend the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue scheduled for next week.
Clashes between protesters and security forces in Kashmir mounted to 23, and normal life remained paralysed in the Valley due to curfew-like restrictions and separatists-sponsored strike in the wake of Wanis killing in an encounter earlier on July 8.
A Home Ministry official cited the busy schedule during the coming Monsoon session of Parliament beginning July 18 as the reason for the deferment of the visit. However, tension in Kashmir Valley in the wake of killing of Hizbul Mujahedeen militant Burhan Wani could be the other key factor for the postponement of the Home Ministers five-day visit to America, sources said. New dates have not been fixed but the trip now may take place sometime in September, the official said.
Read: Centre steps in to calm nerves in tense Kashmir
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chair eda high level meeting to review the situation in the Kashmir Valley.
Prime Minister Modi, who returned from his four-nation five-day tour of Africa on Tuesday, will reportedly be given a detailed presentation on the situation in the Kashmir Valley.
Read: Stay out of our internal affairs: India tells Pakistan over Kashmir remarks
Rajnath Singh on Monday held a high-level meeting with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and others on the Kashmir situation, an official source said. Doval returned after cutting short his visit to Kenya to join in the efforts to defuse the volatile situation in the valley. Rajnath, along with his team of ministers and officials, also kept a close watch on the Kashmir situation during the day.
Doval had accompanied Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his tour of Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya. The NSA was to return along with Modi on Tuesday morning but cut short his visit.
Earlier on Monday Rajnath Singh reached out to various political leaders, including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, and discussed the prevailing situation in Kashmir. The minister expressed confidence that normalcy will soon return to the state.
Restrictions on the movement of people in Srinagar and four districts of south Kashmir, which were imposed in the wake of killing of Wani and the ensuing deadly violence, remained in force on Tuesday in order to maintain law and order in the Valley.
Read: Kashmir violence: Death toll reaches 24, restrictions continue for 3rd day
The Separatist groups, meanwhile, extended their strike call in Jammu and Kashmir by two more days. Kashmir has been on a boil as widespread protests broke out across the valley over Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wanis killing. Separatists have been calling for a shutdown ever since.
Across Kashmir, roads remained empty and shops shuttered but confrontations continued despite a round-the-clock curfew in most of the Valley.
Private offices, business establishments and petrol pumps remained shut, while government offices and banks witnessed thin attendance, the officials said.
Public transport was completely off the roads for the fourth consecutive day, while private cars and auto-rickshaws were seen plying at few places in the areas where there were no restrictions.
Educational institutions in the valley were closed on account of the ongoing summer vacations, while Central University of Kashmir (CUK), Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) and Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) have postponed the examinations due to the prevailing situation.
With inputs from PTI
A banker, who recently met Rahul Gandhi after a gap of eight months, said the Congress vice-president was almost reluctant to talk about the Goods and Services Tax bill.
In our first meeting, he had spoken for almost 20 minutes why the GST bill needs to be opposed. In our last meeting, he mentioned GST barely for 2 minutes, he said.
Gandhis apparent reluctance to speak elaborately on the GST was not an indication that his party has started considering it as a non-issue. But it might have reflected the fact that, eight months ago, the fate of the GST bill lay in Congress hand.
Now, its no more.
The largest Opposition party which put in three strict conditionsincluding a cap on the tax rate in the 122nd Constitution amendment billstands all but isolated as no other party, including the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Janata Dal(United) or Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, supports its demand.
This demand was to ensure that it becomes a pro-peoples GST bill and not a pro-corporate law. But now, with no supporting voice from other parties on this issue, the Congress is talking about taking a flexible stand, opening itself to negotiations with the ruling side.
Although the Congress is no more in the position to stall the bill, it still holds a key for GST bills passage simply because if the party decides to disrupt the House, the Constitution amendment bill cant be passed amid chaos.
But the strategy to disrupt Parliament is now too old and risks earning the ire from other opposition parties that have repeatedly shown interest in running the House. It has already washed out two sessions of the Rajya Sabha by creating a ruckus. Congress disruptive approach may not get support from other opposition parties anymore.
In the last session, while the Congress didnt allow the Question Hour and the Zero Hour on many days, it didnt block the passage of many other billsthereby again marking a shift in its floor strategy.
Two senior Congress leaders have spoken about diluting the rigid demand in the last four days.
Deputy leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Anand Sharma, spoke about ring-fencing the tax rate.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that if the government is not ready to put a cap in the Constitution amendment bill, it may do so in the GST bill which will follow the passage of the amendment bill.
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday set aside an order of a Delhi court summoning the 2010-11 balance sheet of the Congress party in the National Herald case.
Justice PS Teji said the trial courts order was passed in a casual manner without due application of mind and without giving opportunity to the opposite party to put up their arguments.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi, her son and party vice president Rahul Gandhi, party leaders Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda and a company called Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YI) are accused in the case, which involves alleged financial irregularities in National Herald, a newspaper founded by former prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru in 1938.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has alleged cheating in the acquisition of the Associated Journal Limited (AJL), the publisher of National Herald, by Young Indian Limited (YIL) a firm in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi each own a 38% stake.
Swamy had accused the Congress of loaning this money to AJL and then assigning the debt to YIL for Rs 50 lakh - a transaction that the BJP leader said amounted to cheating and a breach of trust.
All the accused have denied the allegations levelled by Swamy saying that the partys Rs 90 crore loan to AJL was assigned to Young Indian to revive the publication.
Non-issuance of notice to the opposite side and impugned orders being non-speaking (order where reasons for the findings are not given) and without due application of mind as per the law laid down by Apex Court, culminates into the impugned orders as ineffective, redundant and not sustainable in the eye of law and liable to be set aside, Justice Teji said.
Shortly after the HC verdict, Swamy tweeted, Delhi HC judgment is not on law but on procedure. I will return to Patiala House (court which summoned Congress balance sheet) for documents again and let court follow the HC procedure.
The High Court said Swamy could move the trial court again with a similar plea. It further said that the trial court was empowered to pass order keeping in view the necessity and desirability of document in situationsand by granting an opportunity of hearing to the other party.
Earlier, the trial court had allowed Swamys application for summoning of balance sheet of 2010-2011 of AJL while observing that the documents of INC and AJL could not be referred to as personal documents of the accused.
Vora, Fernandes, Dubey, Pitroda and YI had challenged the trial courts order before the HC contending that they were neither heard nor summoned before passing any order.
However, Swamy had claimed that they have no locus in the issue.
The Centres estimate of militants in Manipur shot up from 1,500 to 5,000 in a span of 10 days during the Supreme Courts hearing into the fake encounters in the north-eastern state but the spike may have just been on paper.
The government had reported the two figures in affidavits filed on December 5, 2012, and December 15, 2012, to persuade the court to dismiss pleas that sought probes into the alleged fake encounters in the state. It is emphasised that only around 1,500 militants are holding a population of about 23 lakhs in Manipur to ransom and keeping the people in constant fear, the government said in the case decided last week.
In its judgment, the SC, however, said this estimate was different from the figure cited 10 days later (in 2012) by the Centre in a similar case. Parts of the second affidavit too were reportedly a cut-paste job but with a higher estimate of the number of militants.
A home ministry official said they would need to look up the records to figure how the error crept in. And this wasnt the only goof-up. The court pointed out that the government also got Manipurs population wrong in both affidavits, observing that the 2011 Census had put the states population at over 27 lakh, not 23 lakh.
Security expert Ajai Sahni said he wasnt surprised at the slip-ups but the problem was a lot more fundamental .
The government and the home ministry demonstrate no respect for data and have often manipulated figures over time to suit their narrative, said Sahni, executive director at the Institute for Conflict .
The Chhattisgarh government promptly stood up to junk the figures, asserting that the total number of armed Maoist cadres in the state alone were in excess of this estimate. But does an estimate of 5,000 militants imply that the problem in Manipur is much more serious than in Jammu and Kashmir?
No, said Sahni, pointing that the size of an insurgency had nothing to do with the intensity of the insurgency. Brig (retd) Gurmeet Kanwal, distinguished 2012, and December 15, 2012, to persuade the court to dismiss pleas that sought probes into the alleged fake encounters in the state.
The SC said the Centre also got Manipurs population wrong in both affidavits, observing that the 2011 Census had put the states population at over 27 lakh, not 23 lakh. fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, agreed, saying the number of militants in Jammu and Kashmir was estimated at 400 but were much more active.
Kanwalwho has commanded an infantry brigade in the high altitude Gurez Sector in northern Kashmir and an artillery regiment in counter insurgency operations in the Kashmir Valley said the J&K figure comprised hardcore armed militants and were estimated on the basis of 15-20,000 radio interceptions made every month, interrogation of suspected terrorists and weaponry.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly expressed unhappiness over the media coverage of violent protests in Kashmir following the killing of Burhan Wani, saying the Hizbul Mujahideen militant was portrayed as a hero.
The Prime Minister said this on Tuesday at a high-level meeting to review the situation in Jammu and Kashmir after Wanis killing in an encounter, sources said.
In the meeting attended by top Union ministers and officials, Modi was briefed about Wani, the encounter, subsequent protests and the drowning of a police officer.
Modi said the militant, who was involved in terror activities and was working to disintegrate the country, was portrayed as a hero by the media, thereby whipping up frenzy among his followers, sources said.
The Prime Minister cited over a dozen cases under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act against Wani, most of which were serious in nature.
Also discussed at the meeting was the Rs 80,000-crore financial package announced by the National Democratic Alliance government for Jammu and Kashmir and its implementation.
Foreign secretary S Jaishankar briefed the Prime Minister on Pakistans response to Wanis death, including the statements issued by its Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the foreign office, and the summoning of Indian high commissioner Gautam Bambawale in Islamabad.
The home ministry is believed to be particularly worried about the situation in the Valley over the next two days Thursday is Martyrs Day and Friday is the jumme ki namaz. Intelligence reports suggest Pakistan-supported groups are trying to incite violence over the next two days, sources said.
Vietnamese in the Philippines releasing balloons for peace in Vietnam's East Sea. Photo by VnExpress/C.T.V
This shows that "the rule of law always prevails over aggression, justice always prevails over coercion and intimidation, they said in a statement on Tuesday.
The overseas Vietnamese community in the Philippines has welcomed the decision by the International Court of Arbitration and congratulated the Philippines, while asking China to respect and abide by the tribunal's decision.
The community held a press briefing in the Philippines on July 12 which was attended by nine political, social and religious organizations along with reporters from more than 30 local and foreign media outlets.
The ruling on the case creates a legal basis for narrowing the scope of the dispute, promoting peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea (Vietnams East Sea), averting one countrys efforts to recourse through sheer force of arms and the use of state bribery and intimidation, the statement said.
The Vietnamese community believes that the ruling is impartial, objective and may open up opportunities for other countries with territorial disputes with China to follow in order to reduce tensions in the waters.
Chinas attempt to bypass and ignore international law will have to bear all consequences and finally be stopped, the statement said, urging China, a member of the UNCLOS-1982, to respect and abide by the tribunal's decision.
The community also called on ASEAN to raise a common voice in support of the tribunals ruling.
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A fan of Portugal football team, which won the Euro 2016 final, was arrested for allegedly offering a necklace with cross to a Hindu deitys idol in south Goa.
A few hours after the Portugal team won the Euro 2016 final, the man, identified as Lucas Carvalho, on Monday offered the necklace with cross to the deity at a temple in Sanguem village, about 80km from the capital Panaji, police said on Tuesday.
Some of the devotees complained about necklace with cross being offered to the deity, police inspector Uttam Raut Dessai said.
Local youth Lucas Carvalho was arrested yesterday on suspicion. He has confessed to the act and told us that he did it to celebrate Portugals victory in Euro 2016 final, he said.
Goa, a former Portugal colony, was liberated in 1961.
Dessai said that the mans act did not incite any communal discord as he was immediately arrested.
We are questioning him further. We are also examining if he had any intention to incite communal sentiments through his act, the police officer added.
Ending months of speculation, the Congress on Tuesday appointed actor-turned-politician Raj Babbar as party chief in the politically important state of Uttar Pradesh that goes to polls early next year.
Babbar, 64, a Rajya Sabha MP from Uttarakhand, replaces Nirmal Khatri who was named as the chairman of the screening committee that will shortlist the party candidates for the upcoming polls. Khatris appointment came as a surprise since it is usually the state chief that heads the poll panel.
It is a big responsibility which I will take up not as a challenge but as a mission, he told HT.
The party also appointed four senior vice-presidents -- Raja Ram Pal (OBC), Rajesh Mishra (Brahmin), Bhagwati Prasad Chaudhary (Scheduled Caste) and Imran Masood (Muslim) taking into account different caste equations.
Congress sources said all the appointments were made after due consultations between Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice-president Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh Ghulam Nabi Azad. Significantly, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was extensively involved in the deliberations and all these names had her approval as well. She visited Azads residence a few times in the past fortnight, including on Tuesday.
Several names such as Sheila Dikshit, Jitin Prasada, RPN Singh and Pramod Tiwari were discussed for the state chiefs post but the leadership finally decided to go with Babbar in view of his non-controversial and clean image. Dikshit is likely to be considered as the partys chief ministerial candidate.
Babbar had triggered a major controversy ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections with his remark that it was possible to have a full meal at Rs 12 in Mumbai as he tried to explain that poverty level has come down. The remark drew sharp reactions from the Congress political opponents, forcing him to apologise and take back his words.
Azad said the actor-turned-politician is above caste and has an appeal across the country.
To stop Muslim youth from joining terror groups like Islamic State (IS), RSS-linked organisation Muslim Rashtriya Manch will soon form a new anti-terrorist body.
The Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) will soon form a new anti-terrorist front that will help guide Muslim youths and channelise them into national work, Manch president Mohammad Afzal told PTI.
Asked when the new body would come into being, he said, very soon.
The new body will be formed within the next two months, he added.
The move is seen as an attempt by the pro-RSS organisation to stop the exodus of youth from the country to join terror organisations, after being misguided by radical Islamist groups.
It also assumes importance in the wake of reports that many Indian youth have been inspired by Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and joined the militant ranks.
According to reports, several Indian youth who have taken to militancy are believed to have been inspired by Naiks speeches, made at public functions and through his television channel Peace TV.
The Indian government has launched multi-pronged investigation into controversies around Naiks speeches and online sermons.
Bangladesh has also banned Naiks Peace TV, saying it incited the attack on a Dhaka cafe in which 22 people were gunned down by young, educated terrorists who belonged to affluent families.
Naik is banned from entering the UK and Canada for his controversial hate speeches.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave six weeks to a panel to suggest ways to stop circulation and commercial exploitation of jokes on the Sikh community.
The Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) constituted the panel headed by justice HS Bedi after the top court took cognisance of a petition seeking a ban on jokes ridiculing Sardars.
The petitioner, lawyer Harvinder Chowdhury, has cited harassment faced by her family members.
She has been very passionate about it. We must not waste more time on this. Tell the panel to formulate the mechanism within six weeks so that we are able to hold a proper hearing of the matter, a bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur told the DSGMC counsel, senior lawyer RS Suri.
The committee includes retired SC judge Justice MY Iqbal, former bureaucrat Pawan Kumar Verma, Rajya Sabha member MP Bezbaruah and retired IAS officer Raghubir Singh.
Chowdhury recalled the harassment her children faced as Sikhs. She urged the court to hear the matter at the earliest and pass some directions to stop bullying of Sikh kids in schools.
The lawyer said it should be mandatory for parents to give an undertaking that their kids will not bully children from the Sikh community.
Besides, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has also sought a ban on jokes lampooning Sikhs. The SGPC counsel said: A stereotype has been created and Sikhs are being discriminated against in society because of a particular language and religion.
The bench assured the counsel that it will certainly look into suggestions to stop people from circulating such jokes. We dont want any group to be an object of constant ridicule. But how can our order imposing the ban be implemented? it asked the lawyer.
In an earlier hearing too, the court said its orders had to be within the judicial dimension so that they are capable of being implemented. We cannot say something which is impossible for implementation.
The Supreme Court agreed on Tuesday to examine a contentious question whether Hindus and other non-Muslim communities constitute a minority community in Jammu and Kashmir and if they were eligible for benefits under governments welfare schemes exclusively meant for them.
On a public interest petition filed by J-K based advocate Ankur Sharma, a bench of Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justice DY Chandrachud asked the Centre, state and the National Minority Commission (NMC) to respond to the petitioners claim that the non-Muslim communities were denied sops, which minority communities receive in other states.
According to the petition the 2011 Census puts Muslim population in J-K to 68.3%. However, several non-muslim communities eligible to be notified as minorities have not been identified and were not awarded their share of scholarship in educational institutions.
Hindus in J-K constitute around 20%. I am not arguing for any particular community. It is for the State Minority Commission whenever it is set up to determine the minority status of the various communities, the petitioner said.
There is no definition of the term minority in the Constitution. In 1958 the SC for the first time defined it through a judgement in which it said a group of people who are numerically a minority in a state as a whole, distinguished from any particular area, will be belong to a minority community.
This essentially means that determination of minority has to be done on state-wise, it said.
Merely because a community is numerically larger in number throughout the country, does not disqualify it to be notified as a minority for the purpose of a state, the petition stated.
According to the petition when the Centre offered 20,000 high value scholarships for 2007-08 in the field of technical professional education to the identified national level minorities, in J-K, Muslims, who constitute 66.971% of the total population according to the 2001 census, were allotted 717 scholarships out of a total of 753.
This clearly reflects the unfairness and discrimination of the State towards the communities in the state which are eligible to be notified as minorities, Sharma said in his petition. This, he argued, is in violation of an individuals constitutional right to live.
A Shia group that calls itself the Hussaini Tigers has placed a Rs 15-lakh bounty on the head of controversial TV evangelist Zakir Naik.
He (Naik) is a khalnayak (villain). He has insulted the Prophet of Islam and whosoever kills him would be rewarded not only in life [and beyond]...but would also get cash reward from us, Syed Kalbe Hussain Naqvi, the president of the outfit, said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.
Naqvi is son of senior vice-president of the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board and prominent cleric Syed Kalbe Sadiq.
Naik is a kafir (heathen). He has insulted the Prophet and radical clerics are defending him saying he has no connection with the terrorists, Naqvi said.
The bounty announced by the Shia leader amounts to criminal intimidation, an offence under Section 506 of the Indian Penal Code that carries a maximum seven-year jail term. Though several political and religious leaders have made similar statements in the past, few were penalised under the law.
We have not come across such a statement or death threat as yet. But a person issuing such a threat would be booked for spreading hatred and disturbing communal harmony, deputy inspector general of police (Lucknow range) RKS Rathore told HT.
Naik, a doctor-turned-preacher, has long been on the radar of security agencies for his controversial statements, including his support for Osama bin Laden for terrorising the US. But he has come under renewed focus after Bangladesh authorities linked him to the July 1 terror strike on a Dhaka cafe that left 20 people dead, including a 19-year-old Indian girl.
The Mumbai-based cleric has denied the allegation, saying in a video message that while one of the attackers may have been his fan, he has thousands of such followers in Bangladesh.
Naik has come under attack from various quarters for his contentious comments.
Members of the Bharatiya Janata Partys minority cell burnt his effigies on Tuesday. Naik is misguiding youths and misinterpreting Islam and its tenets. The centre should immediately put him behind bars and order a probe as to where his organisation is getting the funds from, said Shafat Hussain, a member of the BJPs minority cell.
Naik has repeatedly insulted Hindu deities and should be taken to task, said Shamil Shamsi, president, Muslim Vyapar Sangh.
But Naik also has a legion of fans. Last year, the Saudi king conferred on him the King Faisal International Prize a $200,000 prize, gold medal and citation for being a promoter of Islam. Naiks son, Fariq, is studying in Saudi Arabia and also gives speeches about Islam.
From Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, political class in the country was under the attack of social media users for not speaking up over the violence in Kashmir after the killing of militant Burhan Wani.
Except Congress president Sonia Gandhi who issued a statement on Monday morning, top leaders from most political parties have remained silent. There can be no compromise on matters relating to national security. Terrorism must be dealt with firmly and forcefully, Gandhi said in a statement.
Even so, the death of so many of our brethren is very painful. The political process has made many gains in J-K over the last two decades particularly and these must not get lost, she said.
The Congress president also appealed to people in the Valley to allow political parties to find durable and enduring ways of fulfilling their aspirations in a peaceful and democratic manner, three days after violence erupted in the valley.
Rahul Gandhis whose last tweet from his handle, @OfficeOfRG, was on July 6 wishing everyone Eid Mubarak, was also criticised on Twitter.
While Modi is on a five-day, four-nation tour of Africa, he has tweeted regularly on his itinerary and bilateral meetings with different heads of states. He has also spoken on a variety of issues at home but no word on the situation in Kashmir.
At the University of Nairobi on Sunday, Modi said, We must condemn those who give shelter to terrorists and use them as political instruments. Parallels have been drawn with the fact that Barack Obama was in Europe when the Dallas killings took place, but he instantly spoke out on the need for calm.
PM Modi should make a statement on Kashmir violence from Africa. Would be the right thing to do--and optics do matter, author Minhaz Merchant tweeted on Monday evening.
The BJP is part of the coalition government in the state but party president Amit Shah has not spoken on the issue either. Top leaders of other political parties havent been forthcoming with their views on this issue, either.
A 55-year-old advocate of the Chennai high court was attacked by his son on Tuesday over a family dispute, police said.
Manimaran was attacked with a sickle by his son from an earlier marriage, Rajesh, after retiring to his chambers after a court session.
Rajesh fought with his father and then pulled an aruval (sickle) out, police said.
The high court premises is protected by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). But a lawyer familiar with the situation said the CISF has a minimal presence, and they offer protection only to judges and not advocates.
Manimaran was taken to the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital in Chennai, where he is currently stable.
Rajesh was also taken to a local hospital after sustaining injuries in the scuffle. He is under police supervision.
India urged China on Tuesday not to reject a United Nations-backed tribunals ruling that Beijing had no legal basis to claim historic rights to resources within much of the South China Sea, which has been subject to territorial disputes by several countries.
A statement issued by the external affairs ministry on the award contained no reference to China, but there were no prizes for guessing who it referred to.
As a State Party to the UNCLOS, (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) India urges all parties to show utmost respect for the UNCLOS, which establishes the international legal order of the seas and oceans, the statement said.
Read: Chinese President Xi leads Beijings offence against ruling on South China Sea
The words utmost respect stood out in the statement, which came four hours after the ministry issued the first missive, saying it was carefully studying the award.
China, which boycotted the hearings at the court in The Hague, dismissed the order as null and void, saying it neither accepts nor recognizes it.
Beijings stand was supported by its all-weather ally, Pakistan, even as the US said the arbitration court ruling should be treated as final and binding and not as a reason to raise tensions.
The hard-hitting judgment said Chinas claims to historic rights under the nine dash line were contrary to the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas. It added that China had no entitlement to an economic zone within 200 miles of Mischief Reef or Thomas Shoal.
India said it supported freedom of navigation and over flight, and unimpeded commerce, based on the principles of international law as reflected notably in the UNCLOS.
One subtext is to highlight how China is not playing by international rules. It shows Chinas double standard of insisting on sticking to the rules on Indias membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) but ignoring its treaty obligations when it comes to the UN-backed tribunals orders.
India believes that States should resolve disputes through peaceful means without threat or use of force and exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that could complicate or escalate disputes affecting peace and stability, the statement said.
Sea lanes of communication passing through the South China Sea are critical for peace, stability, prosperity and development, India said.
Read: Beijing has no historic title over South China Sea: Timeline of dispute
Pakistan backs China
But Pakistan said Islamabad opposed any imposition of unilateral will on others.
Pakistan maintains that disputes over the South China Sea should be peacefully resolved through consultations and negotiations by states directly concerned, foreign affairs ministry spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said.
The United States said it had an interest in seeing territorial and maritime disputes resolved without coercion.
We have an enduring interest in seeing territorial and maritime disputes in the Asia Pacific, including in the South China Sea, resolved peacefully, without coercion and in a manner that is consistent with international law, said Daniel Kritenbrink, President Barack Obamas top Asia policy advisor.
US state department spokesperson John Kirby termed the courts decision an important contribution to the shared goal of a peaceful resolution to disputes in the South China Sea.
(With agency inputs)
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The Supreme Court is likely to take up on Tuesday the Dance Bar Associations plea seeking a direction to the Maharashtra government to start issuing licences to dance bars.
Earlier, on May 9, the Supreme Court had ordered the state to give conditional licences to eight bars in the city. The bars were asked to comply with a set of stringent rules in order to get back their licenses.
Following the order, 150 bars sought licences to hold live dance performances.
The order came after Maharashtra government had filed an affidavit in the court informing the bench that they had not granted licenses to eight dance bars as some of their employees had criminal background.
The state will also inform the Apex court about the action taken against 28 orchestra bars in Mumbai.
Earlier the SC had also ordered that CCTV cameras be installed at the entrance of bars and not in the restaurant or the performance area as requested by the state government.
The bars were raided under the new rules framed after the enactment of the law to regulate dance bars in April this year. The stringent rules has raised the annual deposit to Rs2 lakh from Rs2,000, penalty for violations related to licences to Rs25 lakh and hefty fines for insult to dignity of women working in bars.
The bar owners had said earlier that they had complied with all 26 conditions to hold dance performances on the premises of their bars, but the state government was making the process longer.
The home department took a series of review meetings last week to prepare for the SC hearing. The department also questioned the Thane and Navi Mumbai commisionerates for not initiating action against orchestra bars.
The home department officials claimed the stringent rules have not only made reopening of dance bars impossible, but even it has made difficult for orchestra bars to operate.
Dance bar owners have challenged the state governments act of banning the dance bar by amending the Maharashtra Police Act in 2006 and 2013, and enacting a new law regulating bars in 2016.
Moving on to Y Ty, Lao Cai Province at 1,000 meters above sea level, she opted for pho with horse meat, a meat more popular at this altitude and said to be better than beef with fewer calories. After the mutated pho, Phuong went for thang co, only to vow never to try it again. The dish is cooked in a hot pot with all kinds of offal. Food left unprocessed in the small intestine creates the distinct smell of thang co that attracts its own fandom and an army of haters much like the way durian does. All the dishes there are cooked bland, kept boiling and served hot with unrefined salt so its consumers can fight the humid cold that blankets the whole area.
As twilight casts soft shadows across the sparsely furnished living room of Arshiya Ismails tiny rented flat in New Delhis Dwarka area, the 46-year-old sits near the balcony looking through a sheaf of court papers that have come to define her life in the past few years.
A school teacher with a post-graduate degree in English and an MBA, Ismail was allegedly divorced in 2011 by her husband, a wing commander in the Indian Air Force, by uttering the triple talaq, an age-old custom that allows a Muslim man to leave his wife simply by saying the Urdu word thrice.
In courts and at offices of civil rights activists, young Muslim girls in burqa ask me how an educated woman like me became a victim of this unjust practice, says Arshiya, articulating the commonly-held belief that triple talaq is prevalent only among the less educated, orthodox and economically backward sections of the community.
The Supreme Court on June 29 decided to examine if Islamic laws governing marriage and inheritance violated the fundamental rights of women and take a call on how far it can intervene to modify the existing laws.
The debate around triple talaq had received a shot in the arm earlier this year when a victim, Shayara Bano of Uttarakhand, filed a petition in the apex court seeking a ban on the practice. She had also challenged the practices of polygamy and nikah halala, which mandates that a woman has to marry another man and consummate it if she and her divorced husband wish to get back together.
Shayara Bano in her petition said the inhuman practice of triple talaq affected her fundamental rights, besides violating her dignity as a woman, says Balaji Srinivasan, advocate on record for Bano and Gulshan Parveen, another petitioner.
Shayara Banos challenge of the practice is the first instance of an individual from the community seeking legal recourse against the practice, he adds.
A former Tamil Nadu legislator, Bader Sayeed, has also asked the top court to bar clerics from validating triple talaq.
India has separate sets of personal laws for each religion governing marriage, divorce, succession, adoption and maintenance. While Hindu law overhaul began in the 1950s and continues, activists have long argued that Muslim personal law, which has remained mostly unchanged since 1937, is tilted against women.
Read | Muslim women rise against triple talaq
In the famous Shah Bano case in 1986, the Supreme Court had decided in favour of granting alimony to a Muslim woman after she was divorced. However,
the Centre later enacted the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986, that virtually nullified the court directive.
(AFP file photo)
There is a nexus between the male-dominated Muslim clergy and elected representatives which allow Muslim men to interpret the laws according to their convenience. The legal discrimination of Muslim women has to end, says Zakia Soman, one of the co-founders of the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, which has been pushing for reforms in Muslim personal laws.
She believes that the system of triple talaq, as is being practiced today, is not sanctioned by the Quran. There is no mention of triple talaq in the Quran. The decision of talaq can be taken by both husband and wife, but there has to be an attempt at reconciliation, followed by mediation by friends and family. It is a procedure that takes place over a period of time. Talaq has to be just and fair, she insists.
However, in recent years, talaqs are often instantaneous and being communicated through text messages and over WhatsApp with women often left clueless of their husbands intention of divorce till the last moment.
Instances of triple talaq havent gone up, feels Soman, but women today are more aware of their rights and are speaking up against it, she says.
Several women spoke of domestic violence, rape, mental torture, dowry demands or just a desire for remarriage in men culminating into talaq. In most cases, the women are left without any maintenance or means to support themselves or their children.
Read | Triple talaq raked up to defame Islam, says Muslim Board member
Deserted 21-year-old says she doesnt accept divorce
Nagma was 17 when her parents married her off in 2012. On a visit to her mothers house a few months later, she was allegedly raped by an engineering student who managed to develop relations with her. The boy, Asif, then showed their intimate photos to Nagmas husband, who divorced her.
On Nagmas request, Asif married her and went on to splurge the `1 lakh she got as meher. Next, he managed to bring all of Nagmas belongings from her ex-husbands home, and then left her at a hotel where they stayed for a fortnight.
A police complaint was filed, following which Asifs family pressured Nagma and her mother Waseem to withdraw the case. They refused. When Nagma attempted suicide, Asif took her back, only to desert her a few days later on December 7, 2014. He hasnt returned since.
Last year, Nagma and Waseem visited Asifs home in Makrana. They were allegedly assaulted. The duo then sought the help of the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan following which an FIR was filed.
However, Asifs family told the police he had already given talaq to Nagma, who never got any divorce notice. I dont accept this, says Nagma, 21.
Different stories but similar fate
Young Shaista was harassed for more than two years by her in-laws and husband before she was thrown out of the house along with her two sons. Her modest financial and educational background unlike that of her husbands family had led her to suffer it all quietly.
The Bhopal woman sought refuge in her maternal home where she got a letter that carried the triple talaq. Shaista sought to mend things, but to no avail. Her husband owns a shop of religious books in the Old City area. Shaista is now looking for a job to support her family and sons, says Safia Akhtar, state convener of Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan.
Sadaf Mehmood is a similar victim, though she is well-educated and married in an affluent family also in Bhopal. In December 2013, my husband dropped me at my home and never came back. He just sent the talaq papers through the Mufti.
Read | Muslim men lend support to campaign against triple talaq
Helping others save their marriages
Sarammals husband divorced her in 2012 after two decades of marriage. She was 40 then. The notice from Abdul Razak came as a letter. My husband and his family harassed me for dowry right after I got married in 1991, she recalls. Razak left her in 2010 but approached her again after two years. He agreed to take me if I could bring in the dowry he demanded.
As her family did not have the means, Sarammal continued to live with her parents in Dindigul. Then in 2012, she got a talaq letter. Sarammal tried to reach the local Muslim clergy, who expressed helplessness in the issue. Her persistent pleas to Razaks parents fell on deaf ears.
Sarammal eventually came to know that Razak had married a second time. Today, she tries to counsel fellow Muslim women facing marital problems and tries her best to save their marriages.
(With inputs from Salik Ahmed, Khusboo Joshi and KV Lakshmana)
Aiming to clamp down on the unauthorised airing of Islamic televangelist Zakir Naiks Peace TV channel, information & broadcasting minister Venkaiah Naidu said on Monday that an advisory has been sent to all states and district magistrates to remain vigilant and report any illegal broadcast.
He said citizens, too, could report unauthorized airing of the channel by tweeting to the ministry.
Read: Police wait as controversial preacher Zakir Naik stays put in Saudi
As it is, there is not much the Centre can do directly to prevent it, except forwarding the complaint to the concerned state and district administrations, which could take action against cable operators.
Meanwhile, it emerged that Naiks channel might have been refused license by the UPA government in December 2012, but he was far from being a persona non grata for the government. In February 2013, then minority affairs minister K Rahman Khan forwarded a complaint from the Islamic Research Foundation (Naik is its president) to then I&B minister Manish Tewari, which said Naik was being portrayed as a sympathiser of terrorism by Sudarshan TV.
Read: Zakir Naik seeks support from Muslim community against media trial
Rahman wrote to Tewari that the IRF had sought protection from a campaign by Sudarshan TV and Hindu Janajagruti Samiti to allegedly defame Dr Naik.
The above mentioned news agencies have seemingly resorted to project Dr Naik as a sympathiser of terrorism for vested interests. I would, therefore, request you to kindly look into the matter in order to prevent any confrontation between communities, the letter read.
Khan told HT that the letter was forwarded to the concerned ministry, since as minority affairs minister his office received many such representations.
We have not been in touch, I am neither an admirer nor follower (of Naik), Khan said.
It was the UPA government that in December 2012 had proscribed 24 TV channels, including #PeaceTV for anti-India propaganda & hate speech, Tewari had tweeted after the recent controversy broke out.
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When Kanhaiya Kumar delivered his famous speech after being granted bail on March 3 and shouted slogans hailing Ambedkar and Rohith Vemula, some Dalit intellectuals warned that Kanhaiya and other Left leaders of JNU might try to hijack the Dalit movement.
Those intellectuals will feel vindicated now by the latest move of the JNU Students Union (JNUSU) president who also belongs to the CPI(M)-affiliated AISF the All India Students Federation.
Kanhaiya and the JNUSU have decided to host a national convention of students on July 15 and 16 to form a committee that will draft the Rohith Vemula Act -- an anti-discrimination law tailored for campuses. Only, they havent bothered to invite or even inform Rohith Vemulas comrades in the Ambedkar Students Association (ASA) and other Dalit student leaders of the Hyderabad Central University (HCU). Even the students union of HCU hasnt been invited.
In doing so, Kanhaiya and his leftist comrades appear to have deliberately overlooked the fact that the demand for a separate law to counter caste discrimination on campuses originated in the HCU following the suicide of Vemula who was allegedly harassed by the university management for his anti-caste activism.
This is very strange. How can they discuss the Rohith Vemula Act without consulting the ASA to which Rohith belonged? If this was done deliberately, it is very sad because this only helps the people who killed my brother, Rohiths brother Raja Vemula told HT in Guntur.
There is a growing feeling here that the decision to keep the HCU students out of the loop was a deliberate one. Rama Naga, the JNUSU general secretary, visited the HCU campus recently but did not meet or invite anyone from ASA, the HCU students union or the JAC seeking justice for Rohith. He even went to Guntur to extend a personal invitation to Rohiths mother and brother.
I learnt only through the media that Kanhaiya and the JNUSU are holding a discussion on the Rohith Act, said Dontha Prashanth, the ASA leader who is leading the agitation on campus. How will they draft a law to protect Dalits without consulting Dalits? He also said that upper caste activists like Kanhaiya, who belongs to the Bhumihar caste, should work toward creating an anti-caste sentiment among upper castes. What can they tell Dalits about caste that they dont already know?
ASA co-convenor Munna Sannaki said, This entire Ambedkarite and anti-caste movement was born in HCU. It is the moral and political responsibility of the JNUSU and Kanhaiya to keep us informed. This is supposed be a fight against discrimination. It should not become a fight between leaders for visibility.
Hyderabad University JAC member Firdous Soni said, This just goes to once again prove that leaders in Delhi think that they have the legitimate right to call the shots. The anti-caste struggle in HCU started long before Rohiths death and long before Kanhaiya and his leftist friends discovered the slogan Jai Bhim. The experience of the HCU students is central to understanding what an anti-discrimination law should look like.
Pramod Mandade, member of HCU based cultural troupe Pehel, said, The Indian Left has historically been criticised for not taking up caste as an issue. Rohith Vemulas death forced them to talk about caste. Now their hypocrisy has been exposed once again.
However, when contacted in Delhi for their comment, Rama Naga said, We are calling everyone for the convention. We will be e-mailing ASA and the JAC to attend the convention. We are also inviting the HCU students union.
Naga said when he was in Hyderabad, he could not meet anyone on the HCU campus, but he did personally invited Vemulas mother for the convention.
However, Rama Naga issued a statement in Delhi on Tuesday, regretting the delay in sending invitations to various student organisations and unions.
The delay has been caused by lack of funds, as a result of which we couldnt earmark enough budget for arranging everyones travel, and we did not want to leave out anyone Also, the administration had earlier not given us permission to hold our programme at the JNU convention centre. It confirmed our permission for the programme only yesterday, he said.
Kanhaiya Kumar was not available for comment.
For 19 years, Kumar Krishnan Pillai evaded a red corner notice (international arrest warrant) and security agencies while travelling to Hong Kong, South Africa, Singapore, China, Cambodia and Sri Lanka.
A Bachelor of Science student in geology at Somaiyya College, he had dropped out to avenge his fathers murder in 1990 and eventually became an underworld gangster.
After almost two decades on the run, his luck finally ran out while visiting his wife Kalpana and daughter Praeeli in Singapore in February this year. Pillai, a doting father, wanted to send Praeeli to the United States to pursue her interest in arts, so she and Kalpana approached the US consulate in Singapore for a visa.
Little did they know that officials at the consulate could quickly access Pillais criminal record. The officials saw that there was a red corner notice against him and informed the authorities in Singapore, who cross-checked with their counterparts in New Delhi and confirmed Pillais identity.
Pillai, who used to live in Hong Kong and visit his daughter and wife once a week, was arrested when he next entered Singapore, on February 18. To evade extradition to India, and prosecution, he tried to claim that he was a Hong Kong citizen. But this did not work as the Indian authorities had gathered enough evidence to ascertain his true identity, and Pillai was brought back to India.
Hindustan Times tracks back Pillais journey into the underworld and how, after initially surviving on a paltry sum his mother used to send via hawala, he steadily built up a businesses in Hong Kong and even became a citizen.
In early 1990, Pillais father Krishnan was killed on the orders of Lal Singh Chauhan, a corporator from Vikhroli. Pillai promptly dropped out to avenge his fathers death and pledged to walk barefoot until he killed all his fathers murderers. He allegedly plotted Chauhans murder and ensured that he was killed in October 1990.
Pillai then went on to join the dreaded Amar Naik gang, but his luck ran out quickly. In January 1991, he was arrested for Chauhans murder. He got bail in 1997 and decided he would never return to jail. While the trial continued (he was acquitted years later) Pillai went to his hometown in Tamil Nadus Nagercoil district and planned to start a coconut business. He also got back in touch with Kalpana, his childhood sweetheart, and married her.
But Pillai knew that the police would continue to search for him and decided to leave the country. He drew inspiration from his elder brother Keshav, who had moved to Australia, and decided to go to Hong Kong in 1991.
The move was no cakewalk for Pillai. He initially struggled with his finances but scraped through because of his mother Kamla, who sent him more than Rs1 lakh each month through hawala channels. Kamla also visited him in Hong Kong every six to eight months. Pillai earned Rs 50,000 a month as one of the directors of a school at Vikhroli set up by his late father, and also received rent from six shops his father owned in Chembur and Vikhroli. Police sources said that today, the three shops at Chembur fetch Rs 75,000 a month each in rent while the three at Vikhroli fetch Rs 50,000 a month each.
In Hong Kong, Pillai initially dabbled in the garments and electronics businesses. He would buy pick up German and Japanese electronic goods and sell them in China, where there was a huge demand for them. He later graduated to selling diamonds, according to a police source. He would get uncut and unpolished diamonds from South Africa, have them polished in India and sell them in China. His business grew, and at one point was worth Rs 30 crore.
For a short time 2013, Pillai made a living by selling condoms in Cambodia and Kenya. In 2012, he set up a business in which he would source sand from Sri Lanka and sell it to construction companies in China and India.
The Mumbai crime branch, curious about a Pakistani visa stamp dated 2014 in Kumars passport, found that he had a business there too producing the foil that tablets are packed in through his manager Adil Shaikh. The police learnt that Pillai was supposed to visit Pakistan for the wedding of Adils brother in 2014 but the plan did not work out.
Pillais past
In 1991, Kumar Pillai applied for Hong Kong citizenship. Initially, he was being questioned over the application. However, he managed to get one for himself claiming that he has a turnover of Rs 30 crore through his business in Hong Kong.
Extortion sometimes
There wasnt any substantial gangland activity or followers of Pillai apart from three persons identified as Vinod Ghogare, Sanchit Shetty and Mahesh Kalingan. The investigators revealed that he didnt have more than five henchmen with him in Hong Kong.
Pillai claimed that since birth he was based in Vikhroli and wanted to have a good hold there, so occasionally to scare the locals and to ensure that his three-member gang gets some money, he made extortion calls.
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Mocking the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in the Mumbai civic body and showcasing the plight of city roads riddled with potholes, the Congress held on Tuesday a potholes photo exhibition near the BMC office.
Inaugurating the day-long exhibition displaying about 402 photos of potholes surfacing on in the wards represented by Sena, BJP and MNS corporators, Congress MLA Nitesh Rane criticised the BMCs ruling coalition for jeopardising the lives of city dwellers through their corrupt practises.
These two coalition parties are ruling BMC for last many years and have put lives of people in the city in danger through their corrupt practices. And these potholes (on roads) are an example of their misdeeds, Rane said.
According to Rane, the pictures were shot on the day when Birhanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Ajoy Mehta took a stock of road conditions and had said that there were only 62 potholes in the city.
The exhibit pictures carry details like location, name of ward and constituency.
I dont say that there are no potholes in the wards represented by Congress corporators. But if there are any, then let the ruling party corporators show them, he said.
Former MP Nilesh Rane, who was also present on the occasion, alleged that the civic corporation was currently in a mess due to corruption in awarding raod contracts by BMC officials.
BMCs annual budget runs up over Rs 40,000 crore. The Sena-BJP leaders have failed to run the city. Now that (BMC) elections are approaching, it is high time that people should know the realities and these potholes are a tip of the iceberg of the corruption done by them, Rane further alleged.
He said they had written to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, Mumbais guardian minister Subhash Desai, corporators and other civic body officials to attend the exhibition, but no one turned up.
The police probing into Islamic preacher Zakir Naiks activities are still in the process of finding concrete evidence against him.
Investigators said they will take help of the forensic experts to ascertain if any objectionable material, found during the probe, has been doctored.
While the police have scanned hundreds of his speeches, the quantum of his sermons collected for scanning is humongous.
Hence, the officers have formed teams of over 20 personnel to hear the CDs and read through selective printed material.
The teams have come across some hate speeches but more sensitive material is being looked into to have a strong set of evidence against him. The teams are also scanning through the details of the previous cases and the statements that he had given then as the material is on police record, said a senior police officer.
The police said there are three cases in Maharashtra against Naik in connection with a speech that he had given in 2013. While one case was registered in Kurla, two others were registered in Sawantwadi and Vengurla. There are several other cases against Naik in other states registered over the period of time, officials said.
Officials added that a writ petition filed by Naik in the apex court, asking for one agency to be appointed for investigating all the cases spread in different states, is also pending.
Naik was, however, asked to report to the Mumbai police while leaving the country and on arrival, after the recent case was registered.
The special branch of the Mumbai police is also compiling a list of former employees of Naiks Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) and the Harmony Media Pvt Ltd that edits shows meant to be aired on his channel Peace TV. Officials are counting on the former employees for a detailed version on the activities of Harmony Media.
Case progress
The teams have come across hate speeches but more sensitive material is being looked into to have a strong set of evidence against him
The teams are also scanning through the details of the previous cases and the statements that he had given then as the material is on police record
The police said there are three cases in Maharashtra against Naik in connection with a speech that he had given in 2013
While one case was registered in Kurla, two others were registered in Sawantwadi and Vengurla
There are several other cases against Naik in other states registered over the period of time
The special branch of the Mumbai police is also compiling a list of former employees of Naiks Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) and Harmony Media Pvt Ltd that edits shows meant to be aired on his channel Peace TV
Officials are counting on the former employees for a detailed version on the activities of Harmony Media.
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MUMBAI: The states women and child development ministry, led by BJPs Pankaja Munde, is likely to come under the scanner for tenders worth Rs6,300 crore (for seven years) to supply take home rations under the Centres Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). This controversy comes close on the heels of the Rs206 crore chikki scam that the department had been hit with.
The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay HC on Monday, in its operative order, is learnt to have called for quashing of an essential clause of the contentious tender, which had divided the state into 70 blocks for handing over the food contracts. While none of the other tender clauses have been set aside, this one condition in itself could jeopardise the process for issuing contracts worth Rs900 crore annually to provide supplementary nutrition and put a question mark on the intention of the government.
Munde, who is currently in Singapore, did not respond to HTs calls and text messages. The entire order will be issued on Tuesday.
The operative part of the order clearly said that the tender clause for the 70 blocks be quashed and set aside. As far as other tender conditions are concerned, they have been kept intact, said Dyaneshwar Bagul, an advocate for self-help groups that are the petitioners.
The high court has also directed the state government to conduct a survey to find eligible self-help groups or mahila mandals at the project level and take appropriate decision, Bagul said.
ICDS commissioner Vinita Singhal, however, in a statement, said that while the issue was heard in court on Monday, the order in the take home rations tender had not yet been finalised or put on the court website. The news being reported on the order is not factual, the statement said.
The minister herself had requested the court to monitor the bidding process, to make the entire process transparent. Once the court issues the order, the department will immediately do the needful, Singhal said.
The controversy over supplementary nutrition meant for infants from 0 to 3 years, pregnant and lactating mothers has been brewing since last year after local self-help womens groups alleged that the governments tender issued in March was aimed at pushing them out to in favour of big contractors. And that it was going against the grain of Supreme Court orders in 2004, 2006 and 2009, which called for decentralisation of such contracts through local women communities at the village level.
In March, this year the department issued its tenders for the 70 food contracts, two for 35 districts based on its target urban and rural population. Before this, the contracts were broken into 543 blocks and given to 314 women self-help groups. This year, it was to be reduced to just 70 blocks with the ICDS commissioner having rights to give one group more than two or three contracts.
The writ petition i n the Aurangabad high court had been filed by a self-help group based in North Maharashtra and Marathwada, seeking to quash the tenders.
The lucrative food contracts provided by the state have a murky history with a stinging report from principal advisor Brij Patnaik to the office of commissioners to the Supreme Court in 2009, which pointed to a nexus between officials, contractors and politicians in hijacking this process. The report had spoken of how three womens groups had been used as fronts to give back door entry to three big contractors.
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NEW DELHI: Refuting former environment minister Jairam Rameshs charges that it was surviving on the Narendra Modi governments largesse, the Adani Group credited on Monday the liberalisation policies of the previous Congress governments for its prosperity.
In a statement, the group headed by Gautam Adani also accused Ramesh of undermining the contribution of the Congress in liberalisation.
After the Congress leaders attack, the Adani Group said in an e- mail response: The Adani Group is proud about their contribution to Nation Building. This was made possible because of the opportunities provided due to the opening-up of the Indian economy. Shri Jairam Ramesh is undermining the contribution of Congress which ushered in the era of liberalisation. Our late Prime Minister Honble Shri Rajiv Gandhi had conceived liberalisation and it was further strengthened by Congress Govt. in 1991. Most leading Corporates of todays India, including Adani Group, owe their success to this.
Earlier in the day, Ramesh countered industrialist Gautam Adanis claims that he, as a Union minister, had given permission for mining forest land area in Chhattisgarh.
Standing by his decision of permitting the allocation of a coal mine to the Rajasthan government, Ramesh said: What Shri Adani has conveniently forgotten is that the issue now is not that he is the mine operator selected by the Rajasthan government. Shri Adani has deliberately sidestepped the real issue: That the Chhattisgarh government has cancelled the rights that have to be settled under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 before the mine can be developed.
In its response, the Adani Group said: The mine is owned by the Rajasthan Government. The clearance was issued by Chhattisgarh Govt. to Rajasthan Govt. Hence, we are surprised and fail to understand, why Shri Ramesh is seeking an explanation from us on getting any benefit/favour in the case?
In an interview to an economic daily on Monday, Adani said the Rajasthan government owned the said mine and that the Adani group was just a contractor.
NEW DELHI: The Kashmir imbroglio poses a multi-faceted challenge to our polity trapped in an increasingly polarised discourse thats oxygen for separatists. In turn, the religio-cultural nationalism thats echoing elsewhere including Jammu feeds just as much on the Kashmiri chants for azadi.
If not politically doused, the indigenous nature of the Kashmiri rebellion could outshout pro-India voices in the border state. The consequences would be deleterious to Indias Kashmir diplomacy and parties such as the Peoples Democratic Party, the National Conference and the Congress that contest separatists on the turf now in ferment.
Its deja vu in many ways on the diplomatic front. The events are a throwback to the 1990s, when New Delhi had its back against the wall while Islamabad sermonised it to create a climate thats propitious for talks. Another oft-repeated Pakistani argument those days was: There cant be business as usual with India as long as human rights violations occur in Kashmir.
Against this backdrop, the 1994 foreign secretary- level talks ran into unprecedented Pakistani intransigence. The newly-elected Benazir Bhutto regime refused to sign up for the next round of talks despite New Delhi making a break from the past to flag Kashmir among the issues on the table.
I think it has become something like those days, says SK Lambah, Indias envoy to Pakistan during the period. Then it (the militancy) was Pak-sponsored; now its Pak-supported.
If the ostensibly homegrown upsurge strikes deeper roots, Islamabads artful moral, political and diplomatic formulation that camouflages its support of cross-border terror could gain credence with the international community.
We cant afford not to communicate with an entire generation of youth in the Valley, notes another Pakistan expert on the condition of anonymity. Its Kashmirs intifada (a term used for the Palestinian uprising against Israel). Qualitatively, its worse. Unlike the 1990s, we cannot entirely blame it on Pakistan.
The Centre has done well by reaching out to Opposition parties that have legislative presence in the state. But the dialogue has to be taken forward in a structured manner, bringing as many disaffected stakeholders in its ambit as possible.
In fact, the talks if and when they happen could draw from the ideologically-divergent two-party coalitions Common Minimum Programme. There should be no dispute over its text, which commits the BJP to Jammu and Kashmirs special status in the Constitution, or the preamble that reads: The PDP and BJP have entered into a governance alliance based on an agreement and agenda which is an effort towards seeking a national reconciliation on Kashmir
A pre-requisite for reconciliation to become even fleetingly real would be an all-party consensus on a restrained discourse in the upcoming assembly polls. If the BJP reworks its political idiom, it can in tandem with other pro-India parties calm down the Kashmiri youth. The choices before the party run counter to its majoritarian appeal very much dovetailed to its historical position on Kashmir.
However, amid the crisis lies an opportunity to prevent Kashmir from sliding into another abyss. A sincere peace overture can probably also win the trust of its estranged youth, who do not see the same allure in Pakistan as they did in Benazirs 1990s.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A missing Muslim youth from Kerala messaged his relatives on Sunday, informing them that he has reached his destination and they shouldnt bother looking for him.
The audio message gave further wind to swirling speculation about 20-odd young people from two Kerala districts joining the Islamic State (IS) terrorist outfit in West Asia after their puzzling disappearance in the past few months.
We reached our destination. There is no point in complaining to police as this will create more problems for you. We have no plans to return from the abode of Allah, said the online message sent by Ijas Muhammad, a physician and native of Kasargode in northern Kerala.
An intelligence official said the online communication originated from West Asia.
Muhammad, who has a medical degree from China, was working with a clinic at Vadakara in Kozhikode district. He was on leave for the past two months, colleagues said.
His message came on a day the Kerala government admitted for the first time about the missing people.
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed the state assembly that the whereabouts of 17 people from Kasargode and four from Palakkad could not be ascertained. The missing from Kasargode included four women and three children. And two women were among the missing from Palakkad, he said.
According to reports, at least eight of these people slipped out of the country through Bengaluru and Mangaluru airports in neighbouring Karnataka.
Among them were two women in advanced stages of pregnancy, a police officer said. CCTV footage from the airport is being scanned. A man named Firoze, who is close to one of the missing people, was detained at Mumbai airport on Sunday night for questioning.
Chief minister Vijayan scotched reports linking peoples disappearances with terrorism. Terror has no religion. It is not fair to blame a community, he said.
Most of these people are highly educated and from affluent families.
Police suspect the role of Salafi groups in radicalising these people. Most of them are inspired by Wahabism. The IS too is driven by the same principles, said a Muslim reformist in Kozhikode who did not want to be named.
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The special task force (STF) of Bihar Police arrested fugitive criminal Mukesh Pathak from a running train at Ramgarh railway station in Jharkhand on Monday.
Pathak was wanted in connection with the sensational murder late last year of two engineers Brajesh Kumar and Mukesh Kumar who were engaged in road construction project in Darbhanga district of north Bihar.
The two engineers were working on a 120-km stretch of state highway 88 (Begusarai-Darbhanga), a project being executed by private vendors. They were gunned down at Gangdah village under Baheri police station in Darbhanga district on December 26.
They were killed allegedly for not paying extortion money. Earlier, a supervisor of a private company was also killed in Sheohar for a similar reason.
Pathak, one of the sharpshooters of the notorious Santosh Jha gang, was carrying Rs 1 lakh reward on his head. He had earlier escaped from judicial custody (Sheohar sadar hospital) on July 22, 2015.
DGP Pramod Kumar Thakur described Pathaks arrest as a big catch for the police. Pathak, who runs an extortion syndicate, was absconding for months. He will be brought here and interrogated by a team of police officials, he said.
The DGP told HT that Pathak was facing over 17 criminal cases lodged in Gopalganj, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Motihari and Darbhanga. He said the police would take Pathak on remand for interrogation and file a charge-sheet against him soon for his speedy trial.
The process of speedy trial of engineers double murder case has already started and deposition of witnesses is on.
Thakur said the police had so far arrested 14 criminals from several districts in connection with the twin murders. All the shooters of Jha were already behind bars, he said.
The DGP said the STF had sent teams to Odisha, Nepal, Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi, Meerut, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Delhi to arrest the gangster who was living in disguise and frequently changed his location to dodge the sleuths.
Police sources revealed that Pathak made extortion calls and left handwritten pamphlets at the crime scene to evoke terror. The syndicate is tech-savvy. It generally targets senior officials working on a project to terrorise people and get attention, said an officer.
Santosh Jha, the kingpin of the syndicate, is currently lodged in Gaya jail. He had broken away from the CPI (Maoist) in early 2000 and formed his gang, Peoples Liberation Army, also known as Parshuram Sena in Nepal.
The gang has been into demanding heavy cuts or levy from road projects. It has allegedly killed over a dozen engineers and supervisors in the last one decade.
An official of a construction company targeted by Pathak said he had been demanding 50% cut out of the project proceeds since August 2015. The official said Pathak had called several times between December 16 and 20, 2015.
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The Border Security Force (BSF) gunned down three Pakistani intruders on Tuesday before they could cross the Ravi river in the Ajnala sector.
Those killed can be terrorists, scouts, or smugglers, says the BSF, which has caught three more Pakistanis after search and seized four mobile phones, five Pakistani SIM (subscribers identity module) cards, and 655 Pakistani rupees. The intruders were about to cross the iron fence when an electronic surveillance alarm went off around 3.30am.
BSF jawans holding the intruders captive at Ajnala near Indo-Pak border, Amritsar on Tuesday. (Sameer Sehgal/HT Photo)
After starting a gunfight with the BSF patrol party that challenged them, three intruders were killed in the exchange of 39 rounds. Three men on the Pakistani side, who could be Rangers (Pakistani border guards), gave them cover fire from automatic weapons.
BSF senior officials inspecting the scene on Tuesday. (Sameer Sehgal/HT Photo)
BSFs Punjab frontier inspector general (IG) Anil Palliwal inspected the scene of encounter across the Ravi. Two of the killed Pakistanis appear to be in their twenties, while the other looks in the mid-thirties. They were in salwar-kameez, which is traditional Pakistani dress.
J&K connection
The BSF has increased the vigil on the fence, as we have inputs of more infiltration attempts coming up, said BSF additional director general Arun Kumar. Yesterday (on Monday), we spotted a group of infiltrators approaching the border along Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in the Ajnala sector and asked Rangers to stop them. The Pakistani guards got them to change and carried them away in own cars along with their bags and weapons. This might have a link with the intrusion on Tuesday.
Read: 32 dead, 1,300 injured in Kashmir violence, PM appeals to maintain calm
We are sending a strong protest note to Pakistani Rangers about both incidents, said the BSF ADG.
Captured men claim to be wedding guests
The captured Pakistanis are Babar Ali of Sheikhupura, Shehzaad of Lahore, and Ali Raza of Narowal on the banks of the Ravi. Caught around 10.30am, two are teenagers, while one is in his twenties. They told the BSF in preliminary interrogation that they had come to a wedding at a Pakistani border village. The force is investigating. Since border security in Jammu and Kashmir is tight, Pakistanis might try to sneak into Punjab. But we are alert here as well, said Arun Kumar.
(Sameer Sehgal/HT Photo)
Encounter details
Time: 3.30am
Place: Dariya Mansoor outpost, Ajnala sector
Pak intruders killed: 3
Pak intruders captured: 3
Items seized: 4 mobile phones, 5 SIM cards, Pakistani currency
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More than 1,200 farmers were detained in Bathinda, Moga, Sangrur, Barnala, Muktsar and Mansa districts on Tuesday to quell a protest rally here.
Members of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ugarahan) have been staging a sit-in outside the mini-secretariat here since May 23 and the farmer body had given a call for Tuesdays state-level rally. Farmers have been demanding loan waiver and a policy to deal with suicides by debt-ridden peasants.
Farmers sitting on a protest at Bathinda-Faridkot road on Tuesday. (Sanjeev Kumar/HT Photo)
More than 1,000 cops were deployed at the entry points of Bathinda city to restrict farmers movement.
Police personnel and farmers locked horns at many places. Farmers blocked Malwas keys roads, including Bathinda-Patiala national highway-64 at Rampura Phul, 30km from here. The protesters also blocked Mansa-Bathinda road near Bheniwagah village, Moga-Barnala road near Bhotna village and Bathinda-Kotakpura road.
Police diverted the traffic through link roads at some places.
Police using force to dispel the farmers protesting in Ghuda village on Tuesday. (Sanjeev Kumar/HT Photo)
There were skirmishes between the cops and farmers at Bathindas Ghuda and Rampura villages and Bibiwala chowk. Farmers alleged police used force and fired tear-gas shells at Rampura, but senior superintendent of police Swapan Sharma refuted this. We quelled the protest rally in Bathinda without using force, the SSP said.
Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ugarahan) state general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokri said the rally was planned to announce calling off their 49-day Bathinda dharna and the same was conveyed to the police and district administration.
He said police action came as a surprise as the cops raided at houses of several farmer union leaders in Bathinda, Moga and Mansa districts in the wee hours of Tuesday.
We have called off our Bathinda dharna, but blockade will be lifted only when all our members are released, Kokri said.
The SSP said detainees will be released in the evening.
Farmers demands
The main demands of the farmers are a ban on auctioning of properties belonging to debt-ridden farmers, Rs 5-lakh compensation to the family of farmer committing suicide and government job to one of the dependants and tubewell connections to those having less than 2.5 acres of farmland.
A nine-year legal battle with the Indian Railways in which a city resident fought for being overcharged Rs 60 towards service tax on a rail booking has finally borne fruit.
Sunil Kapoor of Civil Lines was overcharged when he booked tickets through Rail Travellers Service Agents (RTSA) of the Indian Railways based in Ludhiana in 2007.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has penalised Indian Railways, IRCTC group general manager, Ferozepur ADRM, Ludhiana Railway Station superintendent and Vandana Travel Service, finding them guilty of unfair trade practices. They have been directed to pay Rs 6,060 towards compensation, litigation costs and refund to the complainant.
Initially he took up the matter with the railways, but when the complaint was not addressed, he moved the consumer forum three years ago.
Read: Need not visit online retailers location for relief from consumer court
In his complaint, Kapoor stated that he had filled a form for four journey-cum-reservation e-tickets for sleeper class at Vandana Travels on June 6, 2007 by giving Rs 400 in cash as advance.
The tickets were to be booked for three persons from Ludhiana to Delhi and return journey ticket for one person from Delhi to Ludhiana.
Also read: Water at Ludhiana railway station not meant for consumption
When the complainant went to collect the tickets, he was asked to deposit Rs 336 Rs 120 (Rs 30 per head) as service tax and Rs 216 as token money even though prevalent service tax on that date was Rs 15 per ticket.
Kapoor made several complaints, including a written a complaint to the railway minister, following which a fine of Rs 800 was issued to the travel agency.
In its order, the forum stated that even if the travel agency has been fined Rs 800, the departmental proceedings stands on different footing than consumer forums proceedings.
Also read: How 30 hours of faulty AC cost railways Rs 30,000!
Charging extra service tax at the time of issuance of tickets is a malpractice, which amounts to unfair trade practice. And the agency has charged Rs 60 extra from the complainant, said the forum, while dismissing the railways claim that they were not liable for any agents mistake.
Keeping in view the fact that the complainant pursued the case for three years by writing different letters to different railway authorities, he is entitled to refund of an excess amount of Rs 60 charged from him, compensation of 5,000 for mental pain and sufferings and litigation cost of Rs 1,000, the forum said.
Also read: How Flipkart got conned by a Punjab gang via easy return policy
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Congress legislators of poll-bound Punjab will need to take a loyalty pledge for the 2017 assembly elections but the partys state affairs in-charge, Asha Kumari, says it is an old practice in the party.
This system of seeking a written undertaking from those hoping for the party ticket is nothing new. We had followed this format in the Himachal Pradesh assembly elections in December 2012, Asha Kumari, who is the Dalhousie MLA, said in Shimla on Tuesday.
She was in town to attend the Himachal Pradesh assemblys rural planning committee meeting.
The Congress had made its legislators sign the loyalty affidavit in the West Bengal elections in May to ensure that they dont rebel if denied the chance to contest. In the March 2012 elections in Punjab, Congress hopefuls had contested against official candidates on being denied the party ticket.
The loyalty affidavit is part of the application format devised with the help of the partys poll strategist Prashant Kishor.
When applying for the ticket, the aspirant has to declare in writing that he/she will work for the party irrespective of being given the chance to contest. The new thing is that the ticket aspirants will need to mention the names of two voters from every booth in the constituency they want to contest from. There is nothing wrong in that, she said.
AAP doesnt understand Punjab
Asha Kumari, who succeeded Congress leader Kamal Nath as Punjab affairs in-charge in June after he quit following an opposition uproar over his role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, said the party was geared up for the election.
Senior leaders would be touring the state for 45 days, she said, adding Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singhs Coffee with Captain and Halke Vich Captain were such connect programmes.
But the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is an outsider. It does not understand Punjab and its culture. Those who dont understand the state are trying to create a wave in AAPs favour. Their Mehrauli (Delhi) MLA, Naresh Yadav, is being questioned for his role in a Quran sacrilege case in Malerkotla. This shows they are desperate to grab power but lack local support, she said.
Also read: Past, present MLAs agree on AAP hand, but many in Malerkotla have questions
She denied infighting in the Punjab Congress. Difference of opinion should not be dubbed as groupism. The state Congress is united and focused on the election, she said.
Prashant Kishor is only a poll strategist. He will not design the entire campaign, she said on his role in the elections.
Virbhadra being harassed
Asha Kumari, who is convicted in a land grab case and on bail after a Chamba court sentenced her to one-year jail in February, said the arrest of Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singhs insurance agent Anand Chauhan last week in a disproportionate assets case is the result of personal vendetta by Union finance minister Arun Jaitley.
This case is an attempt to harass a popular chief minister, she said.
Not only the Himachal cabinet but the entire Congress is also with Virbhadra Singh, she said, referring to the emergency meeting of the cabinet to express solidarity with the chief minister.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is an outsider in Punjab. It does not understand the states culture, Asha Kumari said.
Every billed shopping can make you eligible for a cash reward up to Rs 50,000, but only if the owner of the shop you made your purchase from is dishonest!
In its bid to check tax evasion by traders, the Punjab government has introduced monetary incentives for customers who help the excise sleuths in checking the violation through a mobile app that was launched here on Tuesday.
Through the app, Apna Tax, the excise and taxation officials can keep a check on unscrupulous traders who evade tax despite charging the same from the customers.
Deputy excise and taxation commissioner (DETC), Ludhiana, JK Jain said, at times, traders, at the time of billing, charge tax from customers, but do not deposit the same with the department. This is a very serious offence. The department wants to connect directly with the customers through the app.
All they (customers) need to do is upload a copy of the bill (amount exceeding Rs 100) using the Apna Tax app, said Jain.
Once the bill is submitted through the app, the customer will be automatically eligible for the cash prize. The name of the winner will be announced after a monthly lucky draw, he said.
If the department gets hold of a particular bill for which tax has not been paid by the trader to the department, the customer shall stand a chance to win a cash prize five times the value of the bill (excluding VAT and tax-free goods). The maximum value of the cash prize will be Rs 50,000 and entries from the first to the last day of the month shall be considered, said Jain.
He said dealer to dealer bills and those related to petrol, diesel, automobiles, LPG, bakery, plywood and brick kilns will not be eligible.
The lucky draw will be held on the 15th day of the month and a minimum of 10 cash prizes will be given away every month, he said, adding the first draw will be held on August 15.
Jain urged the people to make use of this facility and contribute their bit in checking tax evasion. He said every person should insist on proper bills at the time of buying something and people should understand that the amount collected from taxes will ultimately be spent on their welfare.
The Apna Tax mobile app can be downloaded free of cost from Google Play Store or from www.pextax.com.
How will it work
Collect bills against your shopping exceeding Rs 100.
Upload the copy through Apna Tax app.
If the shop-owner is found evading tax, you are eligible for a cash reward up to five times the bill (maximum Rs 50,000).
The lucky draw will be held on the 15th day of the month.
Minimum 10 cash prizes will be given away every month.
First draw to be held on August 15.
Many parts of the city remain waterlogged after rain lashed the city two days ago. The sewerage seems to have given up as accumulated water refuses to flow out of city streets.
In many such areas, sewer lines bounced back following a fault that developed in the sullage carrier near Gheri Baghi village on Sunday morning.
Superintending engineer BD Singla said there was no option but to stop the motors that pump out rainwater because of the fault.
This is the only reason sewer pipes overflowed in many parts of the city post rain on Saturday, said Singla. But the civic bodys inability to deal with the rainy season is evident as many areas are still submerged in knee-deep water.
Singla said they usually ran motors to pump out water collected in sewer lines to the sullage carrier round the clock. We use extra motors during the monsoon but the low capacity of the sullage carrier causes the drainage to slow. The corporation is planning to lay a parallel pipe of to make the carriers capacity better. The work on that front will start soon, he added.
The sullage carrier was built in 1990 and has a capacity of 64 cusecs of water. He said the fault was repaired and rainwater will soon be pumped out.
However, residents of Powerhouse road, Sirki bazaar, Ajit road, Mall road, Fauji chowk to Teachers Home, Amrik Singh road, bus stand and civil station area, are the worst-hit every time it rains.
But the MC blames the topography of these areas. These are low-lying areas that are more vulnerable to waterlogging. It takes time to pump out water from these areas, said Singla.
Congress leaders meet DC
Congress councillors, led by leader of the Opposition Jagroop Singh Gill, met with the deputy commissioner to discuss the issue of water logging.
Why dont civic body authorities make adequate arrangements before the monsoon? asked Gill.
Water has entered houses and commercial units, causing damage to property. Who will pay for their losses? he said.
Former Congress councillor Harmandar Singh Jassi said if the corporation failed to take action in the coming 24 hours, Congress would gherao the MC office.
The members of Nurses and Ancillary Staff Union intensified their agitation for regularisation of their jobs and in the process six nurses climbed atop a water tank at Rajgarh village near Bhakra canal at wee hours on Monday.
In the evening the paramedical staff also blocked the Chandigarh-Sangarur National Highway-64, causing inconvenience to the commuters.
The nurses, who were on indefinite strike since June 1 with their demand for regularisation of jobs, on Monday morning, climbed the water tank. Gurpreet Kuar, Jasmeet Kaur, Poonam, Amandeep Khokar, Jasmeet Sharma and Amandeep Chahal, climbed atop a water tank, while others kept sitting near the tank to support them.
The government has failed to keep its promise as there is not agenda on regularisation of our jobs in the cabinet meeting scheduled on Tuesday. In the last meeting, chief ministers principal secretary SK Sandhu had assured us that the agenda related to regularising jobs will be passed in next cabinet meeting. But they have betrayed us, said, Karamjit Kaur, president, Nurses and Ancillary Staff Union.
We have waited enough and have been protesting peacefully since 2013. But now the state government has forced us to climb on the water tanks and block the national highways. It is not our fault. It is the failure of the Punjab government, she said.
Meanwhile, there was no indication from the government to resolve the issue, as Dr Manjit Kaur Mohi, director, Medical Education and Research, said, We have informed the Punjab government about their demand and agitation. It depends on the government what action it takes regarding their demands.
Deputy commissioner Ramvir Singh said, We are trying to resolve the issue and negotiation is going on between the district administration and nurses. A number of protesting nurses have joined their services and the remaining will be convinced to do the same soon.
The pressure of shifting of 101 last-batch students of Pathankots Chintpurni Medical College has mounted on the Punjab government.
On Monday, the Punjab and Haryana high court directed director of research and medical education Dr Manjit Mohi to appear on July 15 to discuss the matter. The order comes three days after the government submitted that moving students to the other state-run colleges would take a few months, pending the medical education departments decision on the withdrawal of essentiality certificate to the college.
The students enrolled in the session 2014-15 press for early exit over a virtual collapse of the colleges academic atmosphere. Student Parth Monga cited the shortage of teachers and patients for almost a year now. Besides, teachers keep changing and the classes are irregular, he said. If the government wants us to become good doctors and get recognised degrees after five years, it should shift us to better colleges.
Genesis of the problem
The Medical Council of India (MCI) requires new medical colleges to clear inspection while the first batch is in. This is to have its degree recognised and further admission allowed. After the first batch graduates, the recognition is renewed every five years.
Chintpurni Medical College came up in 2011 with 150 MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) seats after the council issued it a letter of intent based on state governments essentiality certificate, which is an undertaking to the Centre that if the college fails to get regular recognition, the state government will adjust the students in one of own colleges.
The colleges failure to clear inspection first two years in a row set off panic in the first batch and admission stopped. Fearing they will not get valid degrees after course, the students managed transfer to other state medical colleges after a two-year legal battle.
Last batchs fate uncertain
The fate of the 2014-15 or last batch of students hangs in balance. To start the batch, the college had to move the Supreme Court and promise to deliver adequate facilities, said Sushil Garg, parent of a medical student from Bathinda. But the last two MCI inspections revealed how the college had almost no teacher.
Another parent, Arun Batra, said the government should not delay the shifting process and take action under the essentiality-certificate clause. Medical education secretary Vikas Partap declined to comment on the grounds that the matter was in court. His affidavit in the court states that the transfer will come before November.
College chairman Swaran Salaria said the Supreme Court had scheduled another hearing next month. We have no infrastructural deficiency that the MCI claims to have observed, he said.
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The Punjab cabinet on Tuesday cleared the decks to give private university status to Amritsar-based Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research being run by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and setting up of Khalsa university on the iconic Khalsa College campus.
A go-ahead to the twin proposals had already been given by the high-powered committee. The cabinet approval was needed though chief minister Parkash Singh Badal had given the green signal to issue the letters of intent a month back.
Named after Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh master and founder of holy city Amritsar, the SGPC-run medical institute is currently affiliated to Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) and SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar is the chairman of the minority institute.
After getting the status of a university, the medical institute will not be governed by the BFUHS.
PCS OFFICER PUNISHED
The cabinet gave approval to implement the decision of competent authority to stop two increments of Vijay Kumar Syal, a Punjab Civil Services (PCS) officer. The disciplinary proceedings were started against the officer for placing his feet on the memorial of Shaheed Bhagat Singh when he was posted as the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), Banga, a spokesperson said. Syal is currently posted as assistant commissioner (grievances) at Faridkot.
SLASH IN VAT
The cabinet slashed value added tax (VAT) rate on e-bikes, e-scooters and e-rickshaws from 13%+10% surcharge (14.30%) to 5.5%+10% surcharge (6.05%). The objective of the decision is to promote pollution-free public transport. The VAT on these items in Uttarakhand, Delhi and Rajasthan is 0%, and its is 5.25% in Haryana and 13.75% in Himachal Pradesh. This cut in the VAT rate will cause a loss of `2 crore to the state exchequer, a spokesperson said.
TOURISM DEVELOPMENT
Amritsar Tourism Development Authority will undertake the maintenance work of Harmandar Sahib, Durgiana Mandir, Ram Tirath temple, Town Hall, Gobind Garh Fort and Urban Haat at Amritsar, instead of local government department. About 500 to 750 square metres area around these religious and tourist destinations will be under the control of this authority that will execute works such as cleanliness, electricity, monuments-lighting, sanitation, upkeep of roads, solid waste management. The authority will raise funds from the cess collected under the excise policy.
EMPLOYMENT
The cabinet gave nod to convert 162 vacancies of JBT/ ETT category reserved for blind/partially blind into hobby teachers. Ex-post facto approval was given to create three posts of chief parliamentary secretaries (CPSs). After five CPSs were sworn in, the number of CPSes in Punjab is 24 and cabinet had already given approval for 21 such posts.
Nine posts will be created/regularised in group-D of different cadres of daily workers working at Dr BR Ambedkar Institute of Career and Courses, Mohali, since March 18, 2011, in the wake of a high court decision.
Cabinet okayed Punjab Financial Commissioners Secretariat (Group-A) Services Rules, 2016. Personnel department on the recommendation of 5th Pay Commission had included officers drawing a Grade pay of `5000 or more in the Group A service. In view of this, new rules have been framed so as to implement the necessary conditions for service of these officers.
The cabinet deleted a sub section of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976 wherein a minimum 10 years service was fixed for appointment of commissioner of municipal corporation.
JAITON NEW BLOCK
Jaiton in Faridkot district will be a new block consisting of 67 panchayats for which the cabinet also created 10 posts. Currently, people of these 67 villages have to go to Kotkapura for their development works and to Jaiton for works related to SDM/revenue officers.
LAND LEASE
Sixteen kanal land of Kishan Kot village in Batala tehsil of Gurdaspur district will be given on lease to Sarhad Pune for 33 years to set up Bhasha Bhawan Yatri Niwas where the wards of terrorists and riot-affected people and children of needy or poor families will receive education.
No decision on PCOCA
CHANDIGARH: Punjab cabinet on Tuesday declined to give approval to the draft of Punjab Control of Organised Crime Act (PCOCA) after some ministers expressed reservations on the necessity of the bill. Punjab Police had proposed this bill to curb the activities of gangs and it was formulated on the lines of MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act).
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It is not the first time that there is tension in Malerkotla over sacrilege of the Quran. In September 2010, curfew was clamped in the town after a 200-strong mob set ablaze one of its three churches at night after rumours that a Quran copy was burnt in Michigan, US.
On June 24, when the news of torn pages of Quran found near a madrasa in the town spread, a 300-strong mob marched towards the residence of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA Farzana Nissara Khatoon and reportedly threw petrol bombs and fired gunshots. The next day, her husband, former Punjab director general of police (DGP) Mohammad Izhar Alam, accused former Congress MLA Razia Sultana of a conspiracy behind the attack on their house.
Also read | HT Spotlight: Malerkotla talking love jihad after Quran sacrilege
Both Farzana and Razia, wife of another police officer, Mohammad Mustafa, who was promoted as DGP by the Punjab government in March this year, are fielded as proxies by the two top cops in the states only Muslim-dominated seat. Meeting visitors at his residence, Alam claims he got to know about the sacrilege around 9.20 pm on June 24, and none of the DC (deputy commissioner), SSP (senior superintendent of police) or DSP (deputy SP) picked up his phone.
I felt as if I was under a siege. Before I could leave for the spot where the torn pages were found, the mob was at my door. They lobbed petrol bombs, burnt down a barrack of guards and fired gunshots. Being the month of Ramzan, many Muslims were busy in namaz (prayers) at the time, but those who attacked my house were not bothered to perform their prayers, he says.
Razia claims Alam has falsely named 19 people in the FIR registered for the attack. All of them are innocent. The special investigation team (SIT of the police) knows it, and so does the town, that the attack was orchestrated by two municipal councillors of the SAD, she says.
Alam does not rule out the possibility: Some disgruntled elements in the SAD too could have been involved.
And, even as they disagree on most other things, the sitting and the former MLA say the police are doing a fair and commendable job. The police have interrogated Mehrauli (Delhi) MLA of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Naresh Yadav for his alleged involvement in the Quran sacrilege after an arrested accused named him. We have full faith in the police investigation, Razia said.
Alam points out the math. Muslim vote matters in as many as 15 (of 117) constituencies in Punjab where there are more than 5,000 Muslims, he says.
But, the people on the streets of Malerkotla, from where AAP led in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and its candidate Bhagwant Mann won the Sangrur seat with the highest margin in Punjab, are not convinced.
Sangrur police could not find the killers of 11-year-old Vidhu Jain in 10 months and we had to knock at the doors of the Punjab and Haryana high court to transfer the case to the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation). How have they nabbed the culprits in this (sacrilege case) within three days? ask Vidhus uncles, Prem Jain and Vinod Jain, and his father, Navneet Jain.
Ajmat Dara (40), a local Muslim industrialist who is eyeing the AAP ticket, says thousands came for Kejriwals Iftar party despite protests by SAD-BJP workers. They (SAD-BJP and Congress) will go to any extent to keep the AAP out, he adds.
Many also question how the police nabbed those allegedly behind the Quran sacrilege within three days while those responsible for the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib or the murder of Namdhari sect matriarch Chand Kaur have not yet been caught.
Alam attributes it to divine intervention. God came to our help and the police were able to nab the culprits within 72 hours. Thankfully, the mob that day headed towards my home and not towards the houses of Hindus. Also, mercifully, no one was fatally injured in the attack on my house.
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Safety of students and staff has taken a back seat at 12 government primary schools of the district, as all of them are running sans boundary wall.
In absence of the wall, stray animals enter the schools. Locals throw garbage at the schools, which are at continuous risk of thefts.
A visit to Government Primary School, Panjab Agricultural University - it has a strength of 140 students - revealed that the school is without a boundary wall for past 36 years.
Anybody can enter the school unhindered, said a schoolteacher, requesting anonymity. Several incidents of thefts of LPG cylinders, utensils and water taps have been reported in the past. Local residents have made our school a garbage dump. The authorities must give us funds to construct the boundary wall.
School incharge Hema Gupta said, We had written to the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Office in 2014 requesting for construction of boundary wall, but to no avail. Now, the district education officer (elementary) has assured us that a boundary wall will be constructed at the earliest.
When contacted, district education officer (elementary) Gurjot Singh said, The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Office had written to the Centre in December 2014, requesting for funds to construct boundary walls at these schools, but there is no response from the government. So, we are tying up with city industrialists, who are willing to give funds for building walls. We are hopeful that the school will get a boundary wall this year.
Similar is plight of other primary schools
Government Primary School, Balipur Khurd, has a boundary wall on only three sides. Government Middle School, Mand Khanpur, Macchiwara, is running with a boundary wall on two sides for past 10 years. There is no boundary wall in the front and rear of the building.
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They crush stones and are powerful enough to do the same to voices of dissent.
As the stone crusher owners continue to plunder the ecology of Mukerian area in Hajipur block of Hoshiarpur district, the police have arrested an activist who had been fighting a battle against the mining mafia.
Dharminder Singh of Naushera Simble village was arrested on July 3 in a case related to a clash that took place in September last year between villagers opposed to the mining and henchmen of stone-crushers owners.
The FIR in this case was registered on September 15, 2015, and the police added Section 326 (voluntarily causing serious injuries by means of weapon) on March 19, 2016.
The original FIR was registered under Sections 323/324 (causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 506 (intimidation), 148 (rioting) and 149 (unlawful presence at a site) of the Indian Penal Code.
Hajipur station house officer Surinder Kumar said Section 326 was added on the directions of Punjab and Haryana high court after the complainants (crusher owners) approached the court.
Anti-mining activist Dharminder Singh. (HT Photo)
Hindustan Times had reported in September last year how Dharminder was roughed up by the henchmen of mining mafia, leading to the clash and villagers chasing away the owners of stone crushers and their men.
We came to know about the addition Section 326 months later through some documents related to the illegal mining cases, said Deepak Thakur, a member of Pind Bachao Saanjhi Sangharsh Committee that spearheads the movement against the illegal mining.
Dharminder and Deepak have been lodging complaints against the mining mafia and taking up the issue with the administration from time to time.
Passing the buck
Mukerian sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Harcharan Singh acknowledged the illegal stone crushing in the area, but put the onus of inaction on the police and the mining wing of the industries department.
It is the duty of the general manager, mining, to act with the help of the police, the SDM said, when asked why none of the crushers had so far been sealed.
Hoshiarpur districts GM (mining) Subhash Kumar evaded a reply on the illegal stone crushing in the area. We are looking into the matter. We have a meeting with the pollution control board officials on Tuesday, he said.
Murky mining
With no approved quarry around, JCB machines are digging the pits deeper near Dhamiya and Wazira villages, 12 km from Mukerian, in the Hajipur block of Hoshiarpur district. At some points, the pits are as deep as 150 feet, posing a cave-in threat to the adjoining maize fields.
The fleet of trucks that comes for the fill take the raw material to the stone crushers in the area. Some crushers are illegal and others have permission to crush only stones coming from Jammu and Kashmir.
Cases were registered against some illegal stone-crushing units in the last one year, but that was it.
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With many start-ups deciding to go slow on hiring and funding drying up substantially, there has been a 78% drop in space being leased by e-commerce companies this year. E-commerce firms took up about 4.2 million square feet of the total of 17.5 million sq ft space in the first half of 2015. However, in the same period this year, it consumed only about 0.9 million sq ft of the overall consumption of 20 million sq ft, a Knight Frank report has said.
There are very few e-commerce companies looking at taking up fresh office space this year. The biggest indicator has been that hiring in campuses has been slow and space requirement for expansion plans is absent. Most companies that had made a pre-commitment to take up more office space this year have not exercised that option, hiring too is slow and funds have dried up substantially, says Viral Desai, national director, Occupier Solutions Group, Knight Frank.
The other services sector drove the office space demand in NCR during the first half of 2016, backed by demand from consulting and e-commerce companies such as UrbanClap, Cheil, Oyo Rooms, McKinsey and Bechtel. Urbanclap took up 35,000 sq ft of space, Policy Bazaar about 10,000 sq ft, Oyo Rooms around 30,600 sq ft and OLX around 8,000 sq ft - all in Gurgaon. These volumes, however, were substantially lower than last year when Snapdeal alone picked up around 5 lakh sq ft.
In terms of leasing, NCR saw a total of 3.5 mn sq ft of office space transactions in the first half of 2016, registering a 5% drop compared to the same period in 2015. The share of IT/ITeS decreased considerably. NCR is no longer an IT-dominated market but a diversified market, says Desai.
In Bengaluru, the share of the other services sector, of which the e-commerce sector is a part, has dropped from 36% in the first half of 2015 to 30% in the first half of 2016. Booking.com took up 6,000 sq ft of space in Murphy Road, Tiny Owl leased around 5,000 sq ft in the Madiwala area and Groupon took up 20,000 sq ft in the Whitefield area.
The IT/ITeS sectorthe key demand driver of the citys office market, the share of which in absorption had fairly lessened in the first half of 2015strove to maintain its resurgent stance in the first half of 2016. The sector accounted for 58% of the total absorption in the first half of 2016, as compared to the first half of 2015, which had seen a 50% share. This could be attributed to the large-size deals transacted by IT majors such as TCS (550,000 sq ft), HP India (400,000 sq ft) and Google (100,145 sq ft), among others.
In Mumbai, the other services sector, comprising consulting, media and e-commerce firms, recorded the largest deal share and the total number of deals recorded a 200% jump to 251 deals in the city. Suburban business district West, with localities such as AndheriKurla, Goregaon and Malad, recorded the highest number of transactions. Media, consulting and e-commerce firms preferred this market for setting up office. E-commerce firms such as OlaCabs, Justdial, MakeMyTrip and Saavn signed leases in the SBD West market, drawn by the attractive rents and improving connectivity.
The BFSI sector (comprising banking, financial services and insurance sector) and consulting media sectorsthe traditional demand drivers of office space in the citytook up more space but it was the push from the IT/ITeS and manufacturing sectors that strengthened the citys demand growth, the report says.
Bengali director Pallav Gupta, who has worked in the media in Delhi, had a long cherished dream to pay his tribute to celebrated women TV journalists on the big screen and the crime reporter in his film Sesh Sangbad has traces of all his favourite reporters.
Pallav has worked in a production team of a national channel, working on crime stories and political happenings in Delhi. He has zeroed in on the crime scene in rural Bengal in his film with actress Srabanti Chatterjee playing the role of the journalist.
Read: Bengali cinema is more content-driven, says actor Prosenjit Chatterjee
In a profession like journalism and channel reporting, at times girls are marching ahead of men in on-spot reporting besides keeping pace with them always. My crime reporter Srabanti Chatterjee has traces of all such women characters in her role, he said.
Watch the trailer of Sesh Sangbad here:
But if you ask me personally I liked the Kargil adventure of Barkha Dutt the most and my principal character is largely modelled on her though the beats and circumstances are different. It is not a film based on the exploits of a certain individual.
Read: Kalki learns Bengali for Konkona Sensharmas Hindi film
The filmmaker said the movie is a statement on women empowerment.
Girls are making their presence felt in media in an increasing way. And with the rise in incidents of crimes against women, it will be befitting to cast a woman crime reporter to bring the perpetrators to book, Pallav explained.
Srabanti, one of the most popular Bengali actresses, said she was inspired by Rani Mukerji for her portrayal of a journalist in No One Killed Jessica.
ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop
The horror of rape is best painted stark, and the Suzette Jordan Story goes to show just that.
The first thing you notice on the stage is a chair. Then you see a bunch of women sleepwalking around the piece of furniture until a buzzer rings at random forcing whoever is in front of it to sit. There is a collective gasp of horror. No matter. The woman gets up and they all resume stumbling around until the buzzer goes off again. Repeat.
Read: Exclusive: In Delhi, a rape accused has 83% chance of acquittal
The metaphor is clear, and so is the message. There is a rape happening in India every 15 minutes, says the sutradhaar. What are we doing to stop this?
Like thousands of Indians who took to the streets to protest after the Nirbhaya gang rape in December 2012, the members of Delhi-based theatre group Shapno Ekhon decided to do a little more than just remain passive observers to a social evil that preys on Indian women day after day. The groups efforts found fruition with their latest production, The Suzette Jordan Story, which was performed at the Safdar Studio in the Capital last weekend.
The Suzette Jordan Story was performed at the Safdar Studio in New Delhi last weekend.
The play presents the ordeal Jordan went through after she was gang-raped by five people in February 2012, and the courage she displayed in revealing her identity to the public. It is the first in a series titled Manohar Kahaniya on the lives of women survivors of gender violence.
In the Suzette Jordan Story, the Kolkata-based women rights activist is played by three actors dressed in different attires a short dress, a salwar kameez and a tee-shirt with harem pants. Her clothes change, as does her face, but the story remains the same.
Read: Family, police pressure: Why most rape victims turn hostile during trial
Rape is not about what the woman is wearing or which nightclub she visits. It is violence. And gender violence is about asserting power, says Shomik Ray, one of the groups founders and the writer-director of The Suzette Jordan Story.
According to him, the idea is to reclaim gender space through real-life stories of resilience. When you say gender equity, who defines it? Again, it is men, says Ray. We decided to reclaim gender space from such patronisation through stories of women who have stood up for themselves without the help of men.
The clothes change, so do faces, but the story remains the same.
The next in line is a play on Pakistani woman Mukhtar Mai, who was gang-raped in 2002 on the orders of a tribal council. Going against custom that expected Mai to kill herself, she went to court. The third play in the series will be on Sushmita Banerjee, who wrote a memoir about her escape from Taliban and was shot dead when she returned to Afghanistan in 2013.
We intend to explore other aspects of gender violence too, such as those related to caste and relationships, says Ray, who also teaches at the Indian Institute of Public Health.
Read: Only 12% of those charged with raping children convicted in Delhi
This was the 10th performance of The Suzette Jordan Story, which debuted in 2015. The audiences response, according to Ray, has been heartening. When it was performed at the One Billion Rising event in Delhi, we had people coming in and hugging the three Suzettes, he says. Whatever weve said in the play is available in the public domain either through essays written by Jordans daughter, her father or some wonderful articles by journalists.
Shapno Ekhon performs the play in three formats a mono-act, a full-stage version and street-play. We want to do theatre for social change. That has been our main motivation while selecting plays and venues, says Ray.
Follow @htlifeandstyle for more.
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But imagine that Canadas oil production grows so much that it becomes as important to Canada as oil is to Saudi Arabia. Is that bad?
No. First, Canada is a vibrant democracy with competitive political parties and a fair amount of civil and economic freedom. Not so Saudi Arabia.
Second, although many people, including Smith, worry about Dutch disease, a situation where strong oil exports keep the value of the currency high so that manufacturing suffers, Dutch disease isnt even figuratively a disease. Its just simple comparative advantage. The exchange rate is a price. It signals whether it makes sense to produce and export more oil or to produce and export manufactured goods.
There are many things to worry about in the Canadian economy: the growing level of federal debt, government pensions that are high and rising, and a heavy degree of regulation. Something not to worry about: more oil production.
Paranormal investigator Gaurav Tiwaris mysterious death came as a shock. If you, like him, were an aficionado of the paranormal or if you are the sort who doesnt find horror movies fulfilling enough, you probably need some real-life thrills: You may have seen everything from The Exorcist to The Conjuring, but ones thirst for the paranormal can never be quenched by cheap jump-scares on the silver screen. Believe it or not, there are more haunted places in India than you know.
Read: Now, take a tour of Bengals haunted railway station
So grab your ghostbusters gear and check out any of these places across the country at a time when the moon is out and black cats prowl the shadows.
Aleya Ghost Lights in West Bengal is said to be haunted by a fishermans spirit. (Twitter)
1 Aleya Ghost Lights, West Bengal
Do you remember the wisps that Merida followed around in Brave? Wisps are a phenomenon noticed at night, mostly around swamps and marshes. Aleya Ghost Lights in West Bengal is one such place. The area is said to be haunted by a fishermans spirit, and the pattern of light is supposed to be an outline of his once-existent body. Fisherfolk in the area believe the wisps are a sign of impending doom.
They say Agrasen Ki Baoli is frequented by tourists during the day, and spirits at night. (Twitter)
2 Agrasen Ki Baoli, Delhi
They say Agrasen Ki Baoli is frequented by tourists during the day, and spirits at night. Rumour has it that the place was once filled with black water, enticing visitors to waddle their way to a watery grave. The site recently appeared in PK, with Aamir Khans character sitting on its long stone staircase. But then if the ghosts are here, can aliens be far behind?
Read: Explore the lesser known baolis of Delhi
Strict warnings have been issued about the dangers at Bhangarh Fort, which is said to be cursed by a magician. (Twitter)
3 Bhangarh Fort, Rajasthan
Bhangarh Fort has gained notoriety as one of the most haunted places in India. In fact, even the government is aware of the fact that spirits prowl its ruins which is probably why they have banned visitors from entering after sunset. Strict warnings have been issued about the dangers at the historic structure, which is said to be cursed by a magician.
Read: Bhangarh Fort, the most haunted place in India?
The Church Of Three Kings is a haunted place in India that is not avoided by visitors. (Twitter)
4 The Church Of Three Kings, Goa
The story behind this church is a classic example of why there is enough in the world for mans need, but not his greed. Back in the day, three Portuguese kings always fought over the kingdom of Goa. Finally, one of them called the other two for a meeting at the now famous The Church Of Three Kings, and poisoned them. When the people discovered what the king had done, they came after him in a bloodthirsty horde. Unwilling to be lynched in public, he committed suicide by consuming poison. All the three were buried in the same church. This is a haunted place in India that is NOT avoided by visitors.
This hotel, now shut down due to incidents of alleged haunting, shot to fame due to a curious incident that occurred on the sets of Raaz. (Twitter)
5 Fern Hill Hotel, Ooty
This hotel, now shut down due to incidents of alleged haunting, shot to fame due to a curious incident that occurred on the sets of Raaz. Choreographer Saroj Khan and her troupe had settled down to sleep one night when somebody began rearranging furniture in the room above. Soon, the screeching and slamming sounds rose to such a pitch that sleep became a distant prospect. Attempts to contact the reception desk went in vain because the telephone line was dead. Finally, some of the frustrated crew members went down to complain, only to have the hotel staffers point out that there was no floor above theirs.
There is a reason why people regard GP Block with foreboding, and you dont want to know it. (Twitter)
6 GP Block, Meerut
If you see four men drinking beer in candlelight or a woman in red passing by during a visit to this compound in Meerut, just keep walking until they are out of sight. There is a reason why people regard GP Block with foreboding, and you dont want to know it.
Mukesh Mills, built in 1870, is another haunted place that has gained notoriety over the last century. (Twitter)
7 Mukesh Mills, Mumbai
Mukesh Mills, built in 1870, is another haunted place that has gained notoriety over the last century. According to reports, an actress once became possessed by a spirit and told staffers to clear out of the place in a spooky male voice. Bipasha Basu is also said to have experienced paranormal events here.
Many paranormal activities have also been recorded at National Library in Kolkata. (Twitter)
8 National Library, Kolkata
Kolkatas beautiful National Library comes as a pleasant blast from our colonial past. However, the monuments architecture and rich literature are not the only things it is known for many paranormal activities have also been recorded here. If you are a doubting Thomas, why dont you ask the guards why they are afraid to take night shifts at the library.
This hotel in the picturesque Lonavla hill station is famous for having a haunted room right behind the reception at the ground floor lobby. (Twitter)
9 Raj Kiran Hotel, Lonavla
This hotel in the picturesque Lonavla hill station is famous for having a haunted room right behind the reception at the ground floor lobby. People who have stayed in the room reported spooky movements in the dark, sheets being pulled off sleeping people, and an unnatural coolness to the air. The hotel does not give out this room to people unless they ask for it.
Visitors at Savoy Hotel have reported hearing disturbing noises late at night, and the sound of footsteps echoing in the lobby. (Twitter)
10 Savoy Hotel, Mussoorie
In the summer of 1911, a spiritualist named Frances Garnett-Orme stayed at the hotel with her friend. One night, the hotel staff found her poisoned to death. This sparked off a series of mysterious incidents, some of which even led to deaths. Visitors have reported hearing disturbing noises late at night, and the sound of footsteps echoing in the lobby. The story finds a mention in Agatha Christies The Mysterious Affair at Styles and Ruskin Bonds In a Crystal Ball A Mussoorie mystery.
So, now that you have the list, go out and experience some real fear! (If you really, really want to, that is.)
The Af-Pak border region continues to be safe haven for many terrorist groups, the US said on Tuesday acknowledging that efforts made in this regard have not always gone smoothly in the past.
We understand that the border region is still a safe haven for many terrorist groups, State Department spokesman John Kirby said.
We understand that the governments in Afghanistan and Pakistan know this themselves and have made efforts in the past to work together to try to address that threat, he said.
We understand that effort also has not always gone smoothly, and we continue to urge those two governments to work together along that spine to eliminate the safe haven that so many groups there still enjoy, because those groups are targeting both Afghan and Pakistani civilians innocent people that continue to die and be maimed by these groups, Kirby said.
So theres a shared interest there, and thats what were focused on. We are not focused on lines on the map; were focused on lines of effort to go after these groups by both governments, he said.
After raising the profile of India-UK relations since 2010 through what he called a new special relationship, Prime Minister David Cameron chaired his last cabinet meeting on Tuesday before leaving office.
A focus on India was often mentioned by former Labour governments led by Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, but it was Cameron who took relations to a new level, which included lifting in 2013 a decade-long boycott of Gujarat under Narendra Modi after the 2002 riots.
Cameron, who will be succeeded by Theresa May on Wednesday evening, visited India three times since 2010 and pulled out all stops to make Prime Minister Modis November 2015 visit to London a success. During his first visit, he delighted many by warning that Pakistan could not look both ways on the issue of terrorism.
Britain's Indian community has traditionally been Labour voters, but Cameron met with some success in wooing the crucial vote after he took over as Conservative leader in 2005.
He joined large gatherings of spiritual leaders such as Morari Bapu and often visited temples and gurdwaras during elections. He also appointed minister of state Priti Patel as the Indian diaspora champion to espouse the cause of the community.
Cameron launched the initiative to install a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Parliament Square days before the May 2015 elections, and often extended Britains support to Indias bid to become a member of the UN Security Council and the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
The cabinet meeting at 10, Downing Street was quite emotional, according to ministers, with wonderful tributes paid to Cameron, led by prime minister-in-waiting May and chancellor George Osborne.
Health secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "There was a feeling across the cabinet of great pride at what David Cameron has achieved over the last six years, sadness that it has ended, in a way, perhaps much quicker than people thought. But also huge gratitude to him for what's he achieved for the country and the way he's changed the Conservative Party."
Cameron stepped down on June 24 after a referendum produced a vote to leave the European Union. He will appear at his last Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon, and then travel to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation.
Soon after, May will meet Queen Elizabeth and return to Downing Street as the new prime minister tasked with leading Britain out of the EU.
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Bernie Sanders ended his insurgent campaign on Tuesday and endorsed presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, appearing jointly with her at a rally in New Hampshire, which gave him his first primary win.
This campaign is about the needs of the American people and addressing the very serious crises that we face, he said. There is no doubt in my mind that...Hillary Clinton is far and away the best candidate to do that.
I intend to do everything I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United States.
With Clinton smiling and nodding beside him, Sanders listed his reasons for endorsing her that read much like his own agenda which, in his words, was now adopted by her.
Clinton has indeed adopted some of Sanderss pet campaign promises, such as raising minimum wages to $15 an hour and making community college tuition-free.
With Clinton smiling and nodding beside him, Sanders listed his reasons for endorsing her that read much like his own agenda which, in his words, was now adopted by her. (AP)
Read: Will do anything to defeat Trump: Bernie to vote for Hillary, no endorsement yet
She needs Sanders, but she needs his supporters more to, among other things, dispel an enduring perception of her lack of support among young Democrats and independents.
Clinton will also need his list of donors, who kept him afloat financially against the former secretary of states formidable fund-raising machine through small contributions.
People should not underestimate me, Sanders had said when he launched his campaign in April 2015, and soon proceeded to prove wrong anyone who still did.
A supporter of U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders holds a sign during a rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on Tuesday. (REUTERS)
He drew large crowds to his rallies, filling large stadiums and sporting arenas with mostly young, educated white men and women fired up by his Feel the Berne campaign slogan.
Sanders raised more than $200 million through small contributions, averaging $27 a piece, and went on to win 22 primaries and caucuses, collecting close to 1,900 delegates.
In the end, Clinton out-raised him, and beat him to the Democratic party threshold of 2,383 delegates by collecting 2,807 delegates when the nominating contests ended in June.
Read: Hillary will win if elections are held now: Polls
A UN-backed international court ruled on Tuesday that China never had historic rights over islands in the South China Sea (SCS) but Beijing said it would neither accept nor recognise the verdict.
The ruling by a tribunal formed by The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration, which backed claims made by the Philippines, is expected to stoke further tensions in Southeast Asia.
Besides the Philippines, China is locked in disputes in the South China Sea with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.
The tribunal said though China had historically made use of the islands in question, there was no evidence it exercised exclusive rights over them.
Read: Beijing has no historic title over South China Sea: Timeline of dispute
Chinas foreign ministry declared the verdict null and void and said it had no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognises it, it said in a statement.
The unilateral initiation of arbitration by the Philippines was aimed at denying Chinas territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, the statement said. China also said it would not accept any means of third party dispute settlement.
Earlier, foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said China would not even receive a copy of the verdict because the foundation of the arbitration was illegal.
The tribunal noted that though Chinese navigators and fishermen had historically made use of the islands in the South China Sea, there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or their resources.
The tribunal said China had violated the Philippines sovereign rights by exploring for resources in the region. China had caused permanent and irreparable harm to the coral reef environment by building artificial islands, it added.
The tribunal further said Chinas claims to historic rights under the nine dash line were contrary to the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS). Beijing also had no entitlement to an economic zone within 200 miles of Mischief Reef or Thomas Shoal, it said.
The tribunal made it clear that it had jurisdiction to rule on Chinas claim in the South China Sea.
The arbitration tribunal was formed under the UNCLOS. Both China and the Philippines are signatories to the convention.
The verdict is binding on UNCLOS members but the Permanent Court of Arbitration has no powers of enforcement.
A large number of police personnel were deployed around the Philippines embassy in Beijings Central Business District to prevent protesters from demonstrating in front of the compound. Police barricaded roads to leading to the mission and sealed off access.
China had mounted a massive campaign against the tribunal, deploying its diplomats around the world to drum up support. Beijing had said the tribunal had failed to clarify or identify the disputes between China and the Philippines in its ruling on jurisdiction.
The arbitration process was carried out at a stunning speed, the ruling on the jurisdiction failed to give full consideration of Chinas claims although it ostensibly noticed them, the arbitration tribunal failed to complete the necessary legal analyses and it did not respect the principle of legal consistency in that some arbitrators altered positions without giving explanation, state media reported.
In a related development, Chinas state-run Xinhua news agency reported a Chinese civilian aircraft successfully carried out calibration tests on two new airports in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on Tuesday.
It said the airports, on Mischief Reef and Subi Reef, will help with personnel transfers to the Spratlys.
The announcement came as the tribunal in The Hague said none of the Spratly Islands granted China an exclusive economic zone.
A UN-backed international court ruled on Tuesday that China never had historic rights over islands in the South China Sea (SCS) but President Xi Jinping led Beijings dismissal of the verdict.
The ruling by the tribunal formed by The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration, which backed claims made by the Philippines, is expected to stoke further tensions in Southeast Asia. Besides the Philippines, China is locked in disputes in the South China Sea with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.
The tribunal said though China had historically made use of the islands in question, there was no evidence it exercised exclusive rights over them.
In Beijing, Xi said China would not accept any proposition or action based on the award issued by the arbitral tribunal unilaterally initiated by the Philippines.
Read: Beijing has no historic title over South China Sea: Timeline of dispute
China's territorial sovereignty and maritime interests in South China Sea, under any circumstances, will not be affected by the award, he said.
China is firmly committed to peace and stability in the South China Sea, and to settling the disputes with countries directly involved, through peaceful negotiations based on the recognition of historical facts and in accordance with international law.
Xi chose to make the remarks at a meeting with European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker soon after the ruling was delivered in the Netherlands.
The verdict itself was direct: the tribunal said China had violated the Philippines sovereign rights by exploring for resources in the region. China had also caused permanent and irreparable harm to the coral reef environment by building artificial islands, it added.
The tribunal said Chinas claims to historic rights under the nine dash line were contrary to the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS). Beijing had no entitlement to an economic zone within 200 miles of Mischief Reef or Thomas Shoal, it said.
The tribunal made it clear that it had jurisdiction to rule on Chinas claim in the South China Sea.
The arbitration tribunal was formed under the UNCLOS. Both China and the Philippines are signatories to the convention. The verdict is binding on UNCLOS members but the Permanent Court of Arbitration has no powers of enforcement.
Read: If China defies tribunal without tangible loss, Beijing will be the winner
Foreign minister Wang Yi described the arbitration as a political farce and his ministry declared the verdict null and void, saying it had no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognises it, the ministry said in a statement.
The initiation of arbitration by the Philippines was aimed at denying China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, the statement said. China also would not accept any means of third party dispute settlement.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said China would not even receive a copy of the verdict because the foundation of the arbitration was illegal.
At a news conference hurriedly convened by the defence ministry, spokesperson Yang Yujun said the Chinese military will resolutely protect the country's national sovereignty, security and maritime rights and interests, and will address threats and challenges.
Responding to questions on the Chinese navy's recent drills in the South China Sea, Yang said the manoeuvre was a routine one in line with an annual exercise plan. The drill targeted potential situations at sea and was a live-fire test to boost the navy's capabilities, Yang said.
The view from Philippines was expectedly more positive, with foreign secretary Perfecto Yasay calling on all parties to exercise restraint and sobriety.
The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision as an important contribution to ongoing efforts in addressing disputes in the South China Sea, he said. The Philippines would pursue the peaceful resolution and management of disputes to enhance peace and stability in the region, he added.
Jay Batongbacal from the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea told HT: The decision, practically a complete victory on all submissions, will reshape the regional discourse on the South China Sea disputes. Hopefully it will allow Philippines and China to take a step back with mutual respect, and re-engage in sober discussions for future fair resolution of their differences. Both parties now actually have an opportunity for statesmanship in directing the trajectory of the disputes.
Batongbacal said he believed any decision that reinforces the principle of freedom of navigation would provide India with legal support for its presence in the South China Sea despite China's challenges and veiled intimidatory actions.
India would be able to fully and freely exercise its maritime rights and freedoms in the South China Sea. Although not directly related to its unresolved border disputes with China, Indian presence in the region would almost certainly provide leverage in future diplomatic relations/negotiations with China over any issue, including border disputes, he said.
As news of the verdict became public, a large number of police personnel were deployed around the Philippines embassy in Beijings Central Business District to prevent protesters from demonstrating in front of the compound. Police barricaded roads leading to the mission and sealed off access.
China had mounted a massive campaign against the arbitral tribunal, deploying its diplomats around the world to drum up support. Beijing said the tribunal had failed to clarify or identify the disputes between China and the Philippines in its ruling on jurisdiction.
The arbitration process was carried out at a stunning speed, the ruling on the jurisdiction failed to give full consideration of China's claims although it ostensibly noticed them, the arbitration tribunal failed to complete the necessary legal analyses and it did not respect the principle of legal consistency in that some arbitrators altered positions without giving explanation, state media reported.
In a related development, Chinas state-run Xinhua news agency reported a Chinese civilian aircraft successfully carried out calibration tests on two new airports in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on Tuesday.
It said the airports, on Mischief Reef and Subi Reef, will help with personnel transfers to the Spratlys.
One of the first acts that led to Theresa May being perceived as a tough home secretary was banning controversial Indian preacher Zakir Naik, whose five-year UK visa was cancelled hours before he was scheduled to take off from Mumbai six years ago.
May, set to take over as prime minister, had been in the post for a little more than a month after the May 2010 elections. Reports in the British media had highlighted Naiks controversial views and his forthcoming visit to deliver lectures at major events in Sheffield, Wembley and Birmingham.
The Home Office investigated Naik and, using discretionary powers to exclude individuals from entering Britain, May decided on June 16 his presence in Britain would not be conducive to public good.
The next day, the deputy British high commission in Mumbai delivered a letter to Naik, cancelling his visa hours before he was to take off on June 18 and informing him May had decided to exclude you from the UK for engaging in unacceptable behaviour by making statements that attempt to justify terrorist activity and fostering hatred.
Naik, currently in focus after it emerged that one of the attackers who targeted a cafe in Dhaka had followed the preacher on social media, had travelled around 15 times to Britain, delivering lectures and participating in activities related to his companies and charity organisations. In August 2006, a Welsh MP expressed concern over the contents of his lecture in Cardiff.
May used 11 controversial public statements by Naik in the decade following 1997 as evidence of unacceptable behaviour, which was incorporated in law soon after the July 2005 London bombings amid concern over individuals travelling to Britain to encourage extremism.
Naik challenged Mays ban decision in the high court here, insisting he was against terrorism; that reports in the British media were false and had misrepresented him; that his quotes were taken out of context and his visit was intended to deliver a message of peace based on Islamic values.
In November 2010, the high court upheld Mays decision. Delighted at the victory, May said: An individual will be excluded if their presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good. We make no apologies for refusing people access to the UK if we believe they might seek to undermine our society.
She added: Coming to the UK is a privilege not a right and we are not willing to allow those who might not be conducive to the public good to enter the UK. Exclusion powers are very serious and no decision is taken lightly.
May went on to act against other controversial individuals, further cementing her image as a tough, no-nonsense home secretary. Her actions were often highlighted by Prime Minister David Cameron among his governments major achievements.
He told the Israeli parliament in 2014: Weve excluded more foreign preachers of hate on the basis of our strategy for preventing extremism than ever before. We said no to Zakir Naik, we said no to Yusuf Qaradawi and we said no to Judon Mumbala Umbala, whose abhorrent displays of anti-Semitism have no place in a tolerant and inclusive Britain.
As May continued her tough policy, Cameron was to later add: And we kicked out Babar Ahmad, Abu Hamza and Abu Qatada too. We are a tolerant country but if you preach terror you are not welcome here.
Naiks Peace TV is available in Britain on the Sky platform and is regulated by Ofcom, the communications regulator. His Islamic Research Foundation International registered with the Charity Commission had an income of 972,490 in 2015, according to its annual return.
The number of individuals excluded from the UK under the unacceptable behaviour policy between October 25, 2012 and October 25, 2013 was 11, official figures reveal.
UKs list of unacceptable behaviours (announced after July 2005 London bombings):
The list of unacceptable behaviour is indicative rather than exhaustive. It covers any non-UK national whether in the UK or abroad, who uses any means or medium including:
* writing, producing or distributing material;
* public speaking including preaching
* running a website; or
* using a position of responsibility such as teacher, community or youth leader
To express views which:
* justify or glorify terrorist violence in furtherance of particular beliefs;
* seek to provoke others to terrorist acts;
* foment other serious criminal activity or seek to provoke others to serious criminal acts or;
* foster hatred which might lead to inter-community violence in the UK.
(Source: UK high court judgement in Naik v Secretary of State for Home; November 5, 2010)
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The nine-month old KP Sharma Oli government in Nepal plunged into crisis on Tuesday after key coalition partner Maoists decided to withdraw support.
Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) withdrew support and recalled its ministers alleging that the government had failed to implement agreements signed with the party in May.
A letter by party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda mentioning the CPN (MC) decision to the effect was handed over to Oli on Tuesday.
Since the present government isnt interested in implementing the 9-point agreement and the 3-point gentlemens agreement with us, we withdraw support to the government with immediate effect, the letter stated.
CPN (MC) is the second biggest party in the present government after Olis Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist).
We already have an agreement with Nepali Congress on formation of the next government. The details will be unveiled on Wednesday, senior Maoist leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara told journalists later.
Leaders from Nepali Congress, the main opposition party in parliament, however maintained that it hasnt entered into any agreement, either written or verbal, with CPN (MC) on formation of next government.
Though his government has been reduced to minority, Prime Minister Oli is unlikely to announce his resignation. Sources close to him say he is planning to face a trust-vote in parliament
This is the second time in two months that Maoists have decided to topple the present government. Their earlier move in May was shelved after Oli signed the 9-point deal with Maoists.
Maoists were unhappy that the deal which dealt with formation of a national consensus government, implementation of the constitution, solution to the Madesi problem and relief for quake affected wasnt getting due attention.
There was reportedly another 3-point gentlemens agreement between both parties on heading the government after the annual budget is passed by parliament. Olis party has denied existence of any such deal.
On Monday, senior leaders of CPN (MC) mandated Prachanda to take a call on withdrawal of support to the government and initiate process to form a national consensus government headed by the party.
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Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis nine-month-old government in Nepal plunged into crisis on Tuesday after the Maoists, a key coalition partner, withdrew support.
The Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre recalled its ministers, alleging that the government had failed to implement agreements signed with it in May.
A letter from party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, which mentioned the CPN-MCs decision, was handed over to Oli on Tuesday.
Since the present government isnt interested in implementing the nine-point agreement and the three-point gentlemens agreement with us, we withdraw support to the government with immediate effect, the letter said.
The CPN-MC is the second largest party in the government after Olis Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist.
Senior Maoist leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara told journalists: We already have an agreement with the Nepali Congress on formation of the next government. The details will be unveiled on Wednesday.
Leaders of the Nepali Congress, the main opposition party in parliament, maintained it hadnt entered into any agreement with CPN-MC on forming the next government.
Late on Tuesday evening, a news website posted what it said was a copy of a seven-point agreement between CPN-MC and the Nepali Congress on forming the next government. Besides addressing the demands of Madhesis and other communities by amending the constitution, the purported agreement dealt with implementing the statute and providing relief to those affected by last years earthquakes.
Though Olis government was reduced to a minority, he is unlikely to announce his resignation. Sources close to him said he planned to face a trust-vote in parliament.
This is the second time in two months that the Maoists have decided to topple the government. Their earlier move in May was shelved when Oli signed the nine-point deal.
The Maoists were unhappy the deal - which dealt with formation of a national consensus government, implementation of the constitution, solution to the Madesi problem and relief for victims of two earthquakes last year - wasnt getting due attention.
There was reportedly another three-point gentlemens agreement between both parties on heading the government after the annual budget is passed by parliament. Olis party has denied the existence of any such deal.
On Monday, senior CPN-MC leaders had mandated Prachanda to decide on withdrawing support to the government and initiating the process to form a national consensus government.
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On a recent visit to London for the Institute for Economic Affairs annual Think conference, conversations with students and other speakers centered on the Brexit vote. I was struck by the wide array of views on the future of the UK economy post-Brexit.
As the Conservative party prepares to select Theresa May as prime minister to guide the United Kingdom out of the European Union, the question remains: Will Brexit help or harm the UK economy?
George Mason University economist Tyler Cowen, a fellow speaker at Think, expressed major concerns over the UKs future. He argued that the Leave vote was mainly about limiting globalization, and that the countrys economy will suffer as a result. He argued that the UKs productivity is below that of many other EU countries, a lower-value pound sterling will not boost domestic production, and services (which comprise about 85 percent of the UK economy) are increasingly global.
Diego Zuluaga, a research fellow at the Institute for Economic Affairs, was not as pessimistic as Cowen. He says it is too early to predict if the UK economy will be better off outside the EU, but he is worried about the future of the European Union.
Zuluaga told me, One reason for concern over Brexit is that the UK has been a powerful free-market voice in the EU. It is precisely because of British influence during Margaret Thatchers tenure that Europe has legal provisions against economic interventionism and state subsidies to industry.
He explained that recent proposals for a more free-trade and pro-innovation EU were largely British in origin, with the support of Nordic and East-Central European countries. With the UKs departure, this balance will tilt more protectionist and stagnant, the attitudes espoused by France and Mediterranean countries.
Even though many people were concerned about the future of the UK and the EU, a similar number were optimisticespecially about the UKs future. The EU is often lauded for its commitment to free trade. But many people I met with reminded me that, while the EU offers free trade for its member countries, the EU is effectively a cartel that serves to protect European businesses from trade and competition with the rest of the world. If the UK is able to work out a low-cost way to access the European market (similar to the situation of Norway and Switzerland) and negotiate free trade deals with other countries from around the world, it is easy to see how Brexit would end up boosting the UK economy.
Director of The Freedom Association and the Better Off Out campaign Rory Broomfield explained that, "Having voted to leave the EU in record numbers, the UK has many opportunities ahead. If the political establishment can use this opportunity to embrace the global market, shed onerous EU regulations, and install a fair and merit-based immigration system, the UK can become a beacon of international investment and long-term economic growth."
There are other positive economic signs that show the UK is headed in the right direction. In his first interview after the Brexit vote, the UKs Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osbourne called for cutting the countrys corporate tax rate to less than 15 percent from the current rate of 20 percent. This is discouraged within the EU, as member states are worried about a race to the bottom to create a business-friendly environment. Making the UK an even more attractive place to do business from a tax and regulatory perspective could help attract companies during what is likely to be an economically turbulent next few years.
While markets fell after the Brexit vote, this decline was not necessarily indicative of long-term negative economic effects. Britain has a lengthy path forward to leave the EU, and there are many questions that still need to be resolved. This leads to high levels of uncertainty for both the UK and EU, which unsettle markets. But if the British embrace globalization and a freer economy, Brexit will be remembered as a major step towards encouraging a more dynamic UK economy.
Jared Meyer is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. Follow him on Twitter here.
Victims of last Novembers Islamic State (IS) attack on Paris plan to sue the French state for failing to avert a killing spree by militants who had drawn scrutiny from police and intelligence services, a lawyer for the group said on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day a court in a separate case found the French state partly at fault over the killing of a French soldier in 2012 by Mohamed Merah, a militant whose activities had also been tracked for some time by police and security services. Merah was killed in a shootout with police that year.
Samia Maktouf, a lawyer representing 17 victims of the Paris attacks, said she would take legal action against the state on the grounds that some of the assailants were also people the police and judicial authorities had been keeping tabs on.
We will do all we can to get the French state convicted for failing to prevent terrorists, some of whom were under judicial surveillance, from carrying out their act, Maktouf told BFM TV.
Nine militants killed 130 people and wounded hundreds more on November 13, 2015. Some assailants blew themselves up near the Stade de France stadium, others opened fire on downtown cafe terraces and a third group armed with guns and suicide vests killed 90 music fans at the Bataclan rock concert hall.
A parliamentary investigation into the attack ended with the publication of a report last week that highlighted, among other possible failings of the state, the fact that one of the Bataclan attackers had gone to Syria a month earlier despite being under surveillance over a 2012 trip to Yemen.
France has since cracked down on people suspected of going to war zones like Syria to train as jihadist combatants.
A French court last week sentenced several people who returned from one such sortie to between eight and 10 years in jail - including the brother of one of the Bataclan attackers.
In a ruling sure to encourage victims of the November attacks and others, a court in the southern city of Nimes on Monday judged the French state to have been partially at fault for the killing of soldier Abel Chennouf in 2012.
He was one of three soldiers killed that year by Merah, a 23-year-old who said he was inspired by al Qaeda and went on to kill four Jews, three of them school children, before being cornered in a flat and dying in a hail of police bullets.
The judge faulted the French state on the grounds that the police and intelligence services had decided at one point to stop tracking Merah.
The decision to halt all surveillance of Mohamed Merah ... constitutes a mistake for which the state is liable, given the profile of Mohamed Merah and his highly suspect behaviour, notably after recent trips to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Mondays verdict stated.
The judge ruled that the state should as a result provide financial compensation to the wife, child and parents-in-law of the murdered soldier.
The mastermind of the Pakistani Taliban attack on an army school in Peshawar that left over 140 schoolchildren dead in 2014 has been killed in a US drone strike in neighbouring Afghanistan, security officials said.
Officials said Umar Mansour, alias Umar Naray, had been killed along with another militant leader Qari Saifullah, in the US drone attack in the Bandar area of Afghanistans Nangarhar province on Saturday.
An official said they had credible reports of Mansour having been killed with Saifullah, who was in charge of Taliban suicide bombers, the Dawn reported.
What we have is pretty credible, he was quoted as saying in the report.
The massacre on December 16, 2014, left 144 students and staff members dead after seven gunmen of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) stormed the Army Public School in the northwestern city of Peshawar.
The US State Department had on May 25 designated Umar Mansour as a global terrorist, clearing the path for his inclusion in its hit-list.
There was no official confirmation of Mansours death from either the TTP or any independent source. If true, his death would be a severe blow to the terror group.
Mansour because of his violent and major terrorist attacks was regarded by Pakistani security agencies as a major threat.
South Sudans president and vice-president ordered their loyalists to cease hostilities on Monday after days of fighting threatened to plunge the country back into civil war and bring further instability to an impoverished region of Africa.
Fighting erupted four days ago in the capital Juba between followers of President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, the former rebel leader who became vice president under a deal to end a two-year civil war.
The violence, which has killed hundreds of people, broke out as the worlds newest nation prepared to mark five years of independence from Sudan on July 9.
In this photo taken Saturday, July 9, 2016, people walk with their belongings in the capital Juba, South Sudan. (AP)
Presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny said Kiir and Machar had spoken by phone on Monday, a day which saw tanks and helicopters involved in some of the fiercest clashes yet.
All the commanders of (Kiirs) forces are directed to cease any hostility and abide by the order and control their forces, Ateny told Reuters. President Salva Kiir is determined to carry on his partnership with Riek Machar.
Machar responded by ordering his troops to stand down.
The president has declared a unilateral ceasefire, I want to reciprocate the declaration of unilateral ceasefire, he told the independent Eye Radio.
Much is unclear, however, about the latest violence in Juba, including what the objective of either side has been and how much control Kiir and Machar have over their forces.
The U.S. State Department said it was carrying out an ordered departure of its staff from South Sudan.
At least 3000 displaced women, men and children gather to seek shelter in Juba, South Sudan at the UN compound in Tomping area, Monday, July 11, 2016. (AP)
The fighting has raised fears of a return to the civil war that erupted in late 2013 and broadly ran along ethnic lines, pitting Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, against Machar, a Nuer.
The conflict killed thousands of people, forced more than 2.5 million people from their homes and left almost half the population of 11 million people struggling to find food. Oil production, by far the biggest source of government revenue, has plummeted.
A new flare-up risks driving yet more people to refugee camps in neighbouring countries in the central African region, which is already plagued by myriad woes.
Central African Republic is riven by conflict, the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo is contending with a patchwork of militias and rebels groups, and Burundi is embroiled in a violent political crisis.
The UN Security Council on Sunday demanded Kiir and Machar rein in their forces and end the fighting. The UN mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, expressed its outrage after its bases in Juba were caught in the crossfire between the two sides and two Chinese peacekeepers were killed.
The United States condemned the violence and said it would hold those who commit atrocities or impede efforts to stop the fighting fully accountable.
We call on those fighting to return to their barracks. This senseless and inexcusable violence, undertaken by those who yet again are putting self-interest above the well-being of their country and people, puts at risk everything the South Sudanese people have aspired to over the past five years, White House national security adviser Susan Rice said in a statement.
A wreckage of a Sudan People's Liberation Movement armored personnel carriers (APC) is seen abandoned after it was destroyed in renewed fighting in Juba, South Sudan, July 11, 2016. (REUTERS)
WRANGLING
Kiir and Machar have long been rivals, both in politics and on the battlefield. Civil war broke out in 2013 a few months after Kiir sacked Machar as his deputy.
Fighting has often erupted outside Juba since the two men signed a peace deal in August last year. But this was the first time it had flared in Juba since Machar finally returned in April after months of wrangling about terms of the pact.
Clemence Pinaud, an assistant professor at Indiana University and an expert on South Sudan, said that tensions increased in Juba during the past month.
We most likely witnessed an acceleration ... into a full-on war in Juba between the two parties, Pinaud said.
Experts say the failure to swiftly implement important elements of the deal, such as integrating and demobilising their forces, has allowed tension to fester and risked igniting a new conflict.
South Sudanese policemen and soldiers stand guard along a street following renewed fighting in South Sudan's capital Juba, July 10, 2016. (Reuters)
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday urged the Security Council to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan, sanction leaders and commanders who blocked the implementation of a peace deal and fortify the UNMISS mission.
There has been no official death toll from the recent flare up but at least five soldiers died on Thursday and a Health Ministry source said 272 people, including 33 civilians, were killed on Friday. Sunday and Mondays fighting was more fierce.
UNMISS said gunfire had erupted on Monday around the UN headquarters in the Jebel area of Juba and also around a base near the airport. It said UN sites had been hit in exchanges of fire, killing eight and injuring 67.
Highlighting lawlessness on Jubas streets, one resident said he saw police officers trying to loot a shop in his neighbourhood by shooting off the padlocks and firing in the air to scare away people, echoing similar witness reports on Sunday.
This handout image provided by the UNMISS (United Nation Mission in South Sudan) on July 11, 2016 shows some of the at least 3000 displaced women, men and children taking shelter at the UN compound in Tomping area in Juba. (AFP)
An army spokesman said that any soldier found stealing civilian property or looting would be arrested, and shot at if they resisted.
The African regional grouping IGAD echoed the UN Secretary-Generals call to beef up UNMISSs mandate, calling for it be given an enforcement role similar to a UN-backed intervention brigade working in eastern Congo.
Through the civil war, however, world powers and regional states struggled to find leverage over the warring factions, despite US and European sanctions on some military leaders and African threats of punitive actions.
Police in the Pakistani port city of Karachi have arrested two men for killing a female relative and injuring a man in an incident of honour killing.
According to police officials, Nasreen, 36, was shot dead by her brother-in-law Ilyas and his son Qasim at Orangi Town in Karachi after they discovered a man leaving their home in the early hours of Monday.
On Tuesday, officials said they had arrested Ilyas and Qasim, who suspected Nasreen was having an affair with the man currently beinh treated at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
Ilyas, with the help of his son, shot dead his sister-in- law Nasreen, who he suspected was having an affair with a man as her husband is working in Saudi Arabia, senior superintendent police Akhter Farooq said.
Moments after seeing the man, they fired at him. He is under treatment at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, the official said.
Police had arrested a young man in the same neighbourhood in April for slitting his teenage sisters throat and watching her bleed to death. Hayat Khan used a kitchen knife to murder his 17-year-old sister Sumaira after he found her talking to a man on her mobile phone at their home.
Attacks targeting women for actions that reportedly affect the honour of the family have been recorded in cities across Pakistan. The government has taken some steps to curb the attacks but they have continued.
MEXICO CITY: If you want a wall along the border with Mexico, build it if you are elected, the Mexican president told the White House Republican front-runner Donald Trump on Sunday.
The bombastic real-estate mogul has promised to crack down on illegal immigration and insulted Mexican immigrants by calling them rapists, criminals and drug dealers.
As his partys presumptive presidential candidate, Trump is now eyeing a clash in the November election with his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
There is no way to have Mexico pay (for) the wall. But any decisions inside (the) USA -- is a decision of its government , Pena Nieto said on Sunday.
The Mexican president earlier had said Trumps campaign pledge was a non-starter, but he did not address the issue as specifically.
SANDERS TO ENDORSE CLINTON TODAY
Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders will join Hillary Clinton at a presidential campaign rally in New Hampshire on Tuesday at which he is expected to deliver his long-awaited endorsement.
Both campaigns said on Monday that Sanders will join the former secretary of state at a high school in the town of Portsmouth to discuss their commitment to building an America that is stronger together and an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.
DHAKA: Bangladesh on Monday cancelled downlink permission for Indian Islamic preacher Zakir Naiks Peace TV, a day after it banned the channel over reports that his provocative speeches encouraged some militants to unleash the worst terror attack in the Muslim-majority nation.
The information ministry issued the order cancelling the permission mandatory for television broadcasts.
Based on the cabinet committees decision, free-to-air TV channel Peace TVs downlink permission has been cancelled for violating downlink conditions, the ministry said.
Its spokesman said copies of the circular have been sent to the home ministry, press information department, state-run BTV and cable operators association KOAB.
Reports from Bangladesh said that cable operators have begun stopping broadcast of the channel throughout the country after the government order.
The action came a day after the Cabinet Committee on Law and Order decided to ban the Mumbai-based preachers channel. The doctor-turned televangelist is facing heat in India and Bangladesh after it emerged that Naiks speeches goaded some of the militants who stormed the upmarket cafe in Dhakas diplomatic area on July 1, triggering a hostage situation.
BEIJING: A day ahead of an international court s ruling on a Sino-Philippines dispute in the choppy waters of the South China Sea, China on Monday cited its protracted negotiations with India as the correct way to handle border rows and build sustainable relations.
Giving the example of the talks between China and India on their disputed 3488-km border, the foreign ministry told Hindustan Times that bilateral talks were part of the correct methods for settling disputes between two neighbours. The statement came in response to a question whether the Permanent Court of Arbitrations ruling will affect China s border disputes with other countries.
Philippines has sued China over the ownership of islands and reefs in the South China Sea, saying Beijing had made false historical claims about its rights to the Spratly (Nansha) islands and Scarborough Shoals.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague will issue a decision on Tuesday on the complaint by the Philippines.
China is prepared to ignore the ruling, calling it a farce.
In a written response to Hindustan Times, the foreign ministry gave the example of bilateral talks with India and said negotiations between countries involved in boundary disputes is the way forward.
Between China and India, the two countries have achieved major development through the mechanism of border special representatives (SRs) since 2003, (and) it has laid a solid foundation for the development of sustainable relations between China and India, the ministry said.
India and China created the SR mechanism during former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayees visit to Beijing in 2003 to explore a political solution to the boundary dispute.
China thinks this should be the correct methods of managing and handling disputes, and a real fulfilment of international laws, the ministry said.
Through hard work, China has reached borderland agreements with 12 out of 14 neighbouring countries ,( and) the borderline extends for more than 20,000 km. China has completed the border line negotiation with Vietnam on Gulf of Tonkin, it added.
Under the SR mechanism, India and China have held 19 rounds of talks, the last one during National Security Advisor Ajit Dovals visit to Beijing in April. Officials from both sides say the mechanism has been useful in containing incidents along the border though a resolution to the festering dispute doesnt seem close.
China currently has land border disputes with India and Bhutan, with which it doesnt have diplomatic relations.
It is also locked in maritime disputes with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. The foreign ministry described the tribunal appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration as illegal.
LONDON: Britains June 23 vote to leave the European Union may have upset millions, but there is cautious optimism that the crisis caused by severe shortage of chefs in the countrys 4 billion-pound curry industry will be eased through recruitment from the Indian subcontinent.
It was an explicit promise of the Vote Leave camp during the referendum campaign that leaving the EU would rescue the industry crippled by visa rules that make it difficult to hire chefs from India. Industry bodies say every week, two restaurants have been closing due to the crisis.
We hope there will be a more flexible system to recruit chefs from abroad, but it will take at least two-three years. Also, the minister who introduced the tough restrictions Theresa May may be the new prime minister. So lets wait and see, celebrity chef Cyrus Todiwala told HT.
Visa restrictions include a higher salary threshold that not many owners can afford to pay.
The chef shortage has been building up over the years, affecting restaurants that offer Indian and other non-EU cuisines such as Chinese.
Manoj Vasaikar, who owns three restaurants in London, said: Besides the chefs crisis, I am also seeing a curtailment in spend. There was uncertainty before the referendum, now it is worse. If people have less disposable income as a result of Brexit, why will they come to restaurants after it actually happens?
Given the considerable demand in areas dominated by Indian and Asian communities, there are reports that some Indian restaurants employ illegal immigrants as chefs, inviting visits and severe penalties by immigration officers.
But Mukesh Alora, who last week opened a trendy restaurant called Delhi Live in Romford, has hired chefs with experience in Taj and Ashoka hotels at high salaries. It is no longer easy to find the right chefs to ensure high quality food and the right experience for customers, he said.
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KATHMANDU: Sushila Karki took charge as the first woman chief justice of Nepals Supreme Court on Monday, after her name was endorsed by a parliamentary panel.
The 64-year-old was administered oath of office and secrecy by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari at Sheetal Niwas, the official residence of the head of the state.
With Karkis appointment, Nepal has three women in prominent positions.
Last October, Bhandari had replaced Ram Baran Yadav to become the first woman head of state.
The same month, Maoist lawmaker Onsari Gharti Magar was elected unopposed as the first woman speaker of Nepals parliament.
Karki, who was working as acting chief justice since April, had to appear before the panel to clarify about six complaints against her, including one related to assets disproportionate to income.
Her name was approved after she furnished documentary evidence that absolved her of the charges.
Born in 1952, Karki had begun her legal practice in 1979.
She joined the Supreme Court as a temporary justice in 2009 and was made a permanent one a year later.
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LONDON: Theresa May, the tough-talking Oxford-educated home secretary, will take over as Britains next prime minister on Wednesday after a leadership contest was cut short on Monday when rival Andrea Leadsom pulled out of the race amid controversies.
May, 59, launched her campaign for leadership of the Conservative Party in Birmingham, but Leadsom announced her withdrawal from the race soon after in London.
Also on Monday, Angela Eagle announced her leadership bid to replace Jeremy Corbyn as the Labour Party leader.
Prime Minister David Cameron said he would chair his last cabinet meeting on Tuesday and appear at his last Prime Ministers Question Time in the House of Common son Wednesday afternoon. Thereafter, he will go to Buckingham Palace to resign, paving the way for May s installation in 10, Downing Street, by Wednesday evening.
British politics has been in turmoil since the June 23 vote to exit the European Union, which resulted in Camerons resignation. His replacement was to be announced on September 9, but the process was expedited by Leadsoms withdrawal.
The shortening of the process will be welcome news for business and finance, which suffered several shocks after the Brexit vote and clamoured for political certainty.
Labour and Liberal Democrats demanded a mid-term election to settle several issues, including giving voters another chance to vote on the issue of Brexit. Besides a legal challenge, there is a demand that parliament should have the final say on Brexit.
Jon Trickett, Labours election coordinator, said: It is crucial, given the instability caused by the Brexit vote, that the country has a democratically elected prime minister. I am now putting the whole of the party on a general election footing.
Leadsoms withdrawal came after she faced abuse over the weekend for her comments to The Times that she had a better claim to prime ministership because she was a mother, unlike May, who does not have children.
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Lawrence Decatur Davis was born on June 22, 1833, in Halifax County, Virginia, and attended Hampden-Sydney College, but ran away to find adventure in Texas. According to family lore, he came back to Virginia so handsomely dressed in buckskin that Mildred Eldridge, a neighbor, immediately fell in love with him. They were married in 1857.
Lawrence enlisted in the Confederate Army on March 27, 1864, joining the 1st Battalion, Virginia Light Artillery. That unit had begun its service as an infantry company organized on April 24, 1861, by Dr. Edward K. Young. Youngs company soldiered in the 14th Virginia Infantry before transferring to the 1st Battalion, Virginia Light Artillery, on May 1, 1862. Lawrences brother, Robert B. Davis, was a first lieutenant in the battery.
Davis and his fellow artillerymen were posted in Battery No. 5 in the Dimmock Line, a series of earthworks protecting Petersburg. That stronghold became a focal point of the Union attacks on June 15, 1864, launched by portions of the Army of the Potomac and Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butlers Army of the James, including some regiments of U.S. Colored Troops. Union commander Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant hoped that the Federal assaults would capture the city while it was lightly defended, but after initial success, the Federal drive bogged down, leading to months of siege warfare. The following material, previously unpublished, is part of a history Lawrence Davis wrote in 1907 for his family, drawing from his memories of his part in the June 15 fighting. Paragraph breaks have been added for ease in reading.
The battle at the Jordan House known as Battery No. 5, 5 miles east of Petersburg on the south side of the Appomattox River, fought on June 15, 1864.
This battery from Halifax Co., Va., had gone through the war, had never been in an engagement up to the summer of 1864. The officers & men actually had the blues, thinking the war would close without their having the fun of fight but little did they know what was in store for them. On the day previous to the fight Lieut. Fergusonwho had charge of the only rifled piece belonging to the Battery, was ordered from battery No. 9 to Battery No. 5, which place we reached in the evening. Next morning just as we sat down to a breakfast of ham & eggs on a grassy plot in the northeast corner of Jordans yard, the roar of small arms commenced in the woods east of the house. We were all excited & very much exhilarated but this exalted feeling did not last long for soon our pickets were seen coming slowly over the hill & the yankee infantry was seen spreading out over the river bottom, & taking the ditches in single file. Then the stern reality burst upon us & a stern sense of duty dispelled the illusory rapture.
The battle continued all day, waxing fierce as the evening came on. And altho one of the hottest days ever experienced I heard no man speak of water or wanting anything to eat. About 10 oclock in the morning there came a yankee staff emerging from the woods & galloping in all the pride & circumstance of war into Beasleys house just a mile down the river. Capt. Sturdivant who was in command of the light guns ordered my Lieut. Ferguson to put a ball right into that Staff and as soon as the smoke cleared up we all stood out to see the effect of the shot. If any were killed we could not tell but such scampering into Beasleys house you never saw.
Then Sturdivant says to Ferguson Put a ball through Beasleys house. How far is it? Just a measured mile was the response. So we cut our fuse for that distance but the house being so completely shut in by a grove we could not see the effects of the shot. But that evening during a Lull in the fighting, Col. Jones who had command north of the river came over to see how we were holding out, and asked Capt. Sturdivant what gun it was, that put the ball through Beasleys house? When told that it was Lt. Fergusons but that soon after he was shot down. He remarked that it was the most beautiful shot he had ever seen; That the ball passed right through the house & exploded in the back yard where the Yankees had been congregated all the morning. Lt. Ferguson was shot by a sharpshooter from a treetop. Capt. Sturdivant & myself were standing by him when shot & though of a ruddy complexion weighing 220 lb when struck he instantly turned deathly pale & commenced falling backward, when we caught him in our arms & eased him down. Our ambulances being sheltered under the hill, we carried him down & placed him in one and just at starting, he begged me to go with him to the hospital, as we were warm friends. But having no orders from my Capt. I had to deny him. Poor fellow, I afterwards heard that he died the third day, then the South lost one of its truest & best.
When reaching the top of the hill on my return to the Battery the bullets were flying so thick & fast that I jumped behind a big yellow pine. I stayed there until a pause came in the shooting. Finally I summoned up courage & ran facing the minnies from 70 or 80 yards all along the Battery. That was a time to try the soul. I have often thought since that if I knew the owner, I would say to him Spare that tree.
The fighting intensified as the shades of night drew on until just at dusk, the yankees brought up 16 pieces of artillery to the hill east of us, and about 300 yards from our works. There was sublime grandeur for a short time with bomb bursting overheadlike myriad of lightning. They had our distance exactly, but were a little high, otherwise there would have been none left. Capt. Sturdivant, in the voice of a Stentorian says, Men, save yourself, we are charged by negroes. our works are carried, I shall stand my ground. We leaped to the gun & with a file & sledge hammer drove it into the torch hole, putting it out of order. I, along with others wanted to get back to the main Commands so off we darted. A young man by the name of Strange, who was a neighbor boy preceded me by a few steps. I happened to be looking at him when he was struck by a minnie & he began wriggling along like a bird shot in the back when down he came. I kept on a short distance & ran just a few yards farther, when a dark skin, powder-besmirched, white man ran up & said Surrender.
I replied, I surrender seeing no possible avenue of escape, as the Enemy was forming in front of me. I should have made the man take me in charge but he kept right on down the hill to the bottom & I stopped, still thinking as a matter of course that I was safe, having surrendered. In a minute however a big yellow negro ran up to me & demanded my surrender. I told him I had already surrendered. He said, Dam you, I will kill you anyway, you have killed a heap of our good men today. At that he held his gun & I was feeling for the ball, I could see the cap shining on his musket but I suppose it was only half cocked. Anyhow he couldnt get it off & when he lunged at me with his bayonet, but the hill being very precipitous he kept right on down. I omitted to say the negroes were liquored just sufficient to make demons of them. The whole atmosphere was impregnated with the scent of it. I knew it would never do to remain there so I ran back to the Battery & there they had about 30 of our men surrounded by a cordon of negroes eight or ten deep. Coming up (in darkness) behind them they didnt seem to notice me, so I took my hands & parted them right & left. In this by some good chance were four or five officers & one of them in particular saved our lives. He cut at the negroes to kill & said Damn you, you shall not kill these prisoners.
The other officers only used their swords in a half-hearted manner. To one alone did we owe our lives. When he swung at them to kill, the negroes would jump back. He said & repeated ever time he would cut with his sword, Damn your souls, you shant kill these prisoners. As soon as quietude was restored I witnessed a most beautiful incident. A young officer, unknown to me, drew a beautiful gold-hilted sword that fairly glittered in the starlight & going up to the officer who had saved our lives said Captain I wish to present you this sword, as a token of our gratitude for having saved our lives. The response was, I will accept it, but I did nothing more than my duty. (You can be sure he was a graduate of West Point or heavily affected by a graduateDuty, Honor, Country.) Though apparently formal it was genuine. The whole thing, bowing & scraping, would grace a ballroom. We prisoners were conducted that night 20 miles across the country to City Point on the James.
About the first thing I recollect hearing when reaching there was from an intelligent looking negro, who said that Gen. Grant had told them that all he wanted was 3 days start on Lee & from the noise of the trains running into Petersburg the live-long night, which we could plainly hear, we were afraid he had stole the march on Lee. That morning we prisoners were carried to General Butlers headquarters, who was bivouaced nearby. We were held in about 30 yards of his tent, which seemed to be made of silk.
We sent one of our men who was caught in a bomb-proof, supposed from that fact, & consequently would gladly tell all he knew. The General was mistaken, however, as he was a man good & true. he told us when he returned what passed between them & amongst other things he said to Gen. Butler. General, I dont think you ought to fight the negroes against us. We of the South regard them as non combatants & we dont fight them against you. Why, he replied, I would arm a regiment of mules to kick your damned brains out.
As Gen. Butler had been accused of tantalizing prisoners I will tell you how he treated us. His ten[t], some 30 yards away, was on an elevation. He had a galvanized rebel [a Confederate who had changed his allegiance to the Union] darting in & out of his tent, dressed in all sorts of gay & flaring colors & he would dance & sing ribald songs also for our benefit. I guessed he was the vilest man engendered by the war. That evening the General dressed up in a fine suit of broadcloth & mounted a fine horse, rode slowly around us, gazing at us with eyes of hate. As a military man on horseback, big & fat as he was, he was a parody.
We were carried from there & placed on a boat just above Grants pontoons. They had three of them, two for his men & artillery & one for beef cattle. There were 3 days & nights in crossing. It was a grand pageant, an unending stream of blue. The pontoons were lifted at last & we were sent down the river to Point Lookout.
Lawrence Davis was transferred from the prison at Point Lookout, Md., at the tip of the peninsula formed by the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay to the larger holding pen at Elmira, N.Y., on July 25, 1864. He was paroled March 10, 1865, and sent back to Virginia. He moved with his wife and family to North Carolina and later to Brenham, Texas. From there they moved to Oklahoma Territory, where Lawrence taught school in Erick. He died in Oklahoma in 1911.
This article was written by Faye Royster Tuck and originally appeared in the July 2005 issue of Americas Civil War magazine. For more great articles be sure to subscribe to Americas Civil War magazine today!
T he East End heartland remains a popular hunting ground for first-time buyers.
Away from the gleaming towers of Canary Wharf, the arty lofts of Hoxton and gentrified pockets around Victoria Park, homes are still affordable enough to keep the property dreams of young Londoners alive, especially with shared-ownership options and Help to Buy lowering the entry price.
New homes continue to sprout in Shadwell, Bethnal Green, Haggerston, Mile End and Bow all inner-city areas that are rough around the edges but cool, too.
Chloe McMahon works for a South Bank advertising agency, borrowed 20,000 from her parents to buy a new one-bedroom flat at East City Point, in fast-changing Canning Town, an emerging cultural outpost that has enticed English National Ballet School to a new HQ.
I viewed nearly 100 properties during the course of a year, she says. My priority was to buy into an area on the up, and a good investment.
The latest new homes in London 1 /26 The latest new homes in London St Clements From 440,000: new homes at St Clements, formerly a Victorian workhouse infirmary, in Mile End the site is being redeveloped into a walled estate of 252 private, shared-ownership and rental homes.
Scroll right for more new homes in London Camberwell on the Green From 446,000: 92 flats at the areas biggest new homes development, Camberwell on the Green. Call 020 7368 4830. Wing From 375,000: in Camberwell Road, Wing is another new launch of flats, with the offer of 1,000 towards legal fees. Call 020 7487 1710. Brickfield Court From 232,000: for a one-bedroom flat at Brickfield Court, one of six new residential buildings in Slough. The flats qualify for the Government-backed low-deposit Help to Buy scheme. Call 01753 331 064. Emerald Gardens From 435,000: Emerald Gardens is the latest apartment scheme seeking to bask in the glory of Kew's unmatched green spaces. There are 170 flats in low-rise blocks divided by landscaped courtyards. Call Taylor Wimpey (020 3667 5595). The Danvers From 975,000 : built on the site of a run-down council estate, these new homes have their own front door facing a new street called Danvers Avenue. Call Peabody on 020 3369 8690 for more information.
Read more Bermondsey Works From 507,500 : this stylish, contemporary block is made up of 148 flats and duplexes above a new free school and City of London sixth form academy. Call Telford Homes on 020 3538 3457 for more information.
Read more St Georges Gate From 825,000 : this new development of two-bedroom and four-bedroom townhouses are great for families looking to trade up to a bigger home. Call 0333 577 5878 for more information.
Read more Smithfield Square From 575,000 : duplex homes at Smithfield Square in Hornsey boast two entrances - one for a studio and one for a one-bedroom apartment. Call St James on 020 3411 9880 for more information.
Read more St. James Urban Living Lord Palmerston Court From 850,000 : an historic Victorian pub has been transformed into five light-filled apartments on Britannia Road, Fulham. Call Savills on 020 7731 9400 for more information.
Read more City North From 450,000 : City North is is the largest regeneration scheme in Islington borough since Arsenals Emirates stadium project, bringing 308 new homes to the area. Call Telford Homes on 020 3538 6897 for more information.
Read more Taper Building From 595,000 : located between London Bridge and Tower Bridge, this new scheme of apartments offer climate-control, underfloor heating and fast fibre cabling. Call KFH on 020 3486 2250 for more information.
Read more Leithfield Park From 409,000 : Homes in semi-rural commuter locations are proving firm favourites with the capital's homebuyers, and could result in savings of up to 450,000. Leithfield Park was formerly Milford Hospital and is based in the Surrey Hills.
Read more Acton Gardens From 625,000: new split-level homes come with sunken patios and first-floor terraces. The Uberhauses replace a bulldozed council estate in west London.
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Camden Courtyards From 200,000: a new development in the canalside regeneration that has brought bars, cafes and a Eurostar terminal that puts Paris less than two hours away. Call Barratt on 020 7428 4455 for more information.
Read more Cadogan Terrace From 435,000: A new-build block of eight flats at 129 Cadogan Terrace has the advantage of backing onto Hertford Union Canal. The homes have up to three bedrooms and generous-size terraces and there is on-site parking too. Slough From 230,000: Milestone is a development being built on land next to the old town hall in Slough, with 73 homes ranging from one-bedroom apartments to three-bedroom houses. Prices range from 230,000 to 500,000, and buyers get a 100 voucher towards the cost of a new bike at one of the towns cycle shops. Call 01753 326 106 for more information. Horizons From 995,000: six spectacular penthouse homes, spilt over three levels, in Docklands offer panoramic views from their terraces. Call Cushman & Wakefield on 020 3296 2222 for more information.
Read more Maida Vale From 560,000: Renamed Westbourne Place, this former "nick" has been split into 25 flats with period features, and two new blocks have been built at the rear around a communal courtyard garden. Call Redrow on 020 3538 3791 for more information.
Read more Catford Green From 338,000: Catford Green is a new scheme of 558 new homes overlooking the recently upgraded Ladywell Fields park and the Ravensbourne River. Only a five per cent deposit is required for a one-bedroom flat. Call 0844 5566166 for more information.
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Fast transport was vital. Previously I had a 90-minute commute from my parents home in Windlesham, Surrey. But the Jubilee line takes me straight to the office, 30 minutes door to door. And coming soon is Crossrail.
Prices at the development start from 432,500. Call Countryside Properties on 020 7473 1198.
Stepney is another good-value address, equidistant between the City and Canary Wharf, close to two Tube stations and a walk from the nightlife of Shoreditch.
Thoughtful new architecture is enhancing this inner-city district. Its a part of London that drips with history and is sprinkled with conservation areas and pockets of green, while upgraded Regents Canal and Lottery-funded Mile End Park are well-used spaces.
So Stepney, is a development of new flats that includes a Victorian school, converted into apartments. Prices from 325,995. Call Bellway on 0845 459 5021.
Radisson Blu, the iconic hotel brand driven by innovation and design, is delighted to announce the opening of the Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Center in Kigali, Rwanda.
Valued at more than $300 million (about Rwf223 billion), the complex will comprise the five-star Radisson Blu hotel with 292 rooms and conference facilities that can host more than 5,000 people.
"We are delighted to open this landmark hotel and convention center under the Radisson Blu brand. This new opening in Rwanda further strengthens our position in the East African Economic Community and on the African continent. Africa is our biggest growth market where, on average, we have signed a new hotel every 37 days and opened a new hotel every 60 days", added Andrew McLachlan, Senior Vice President Business Development of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group.
"Radisson Blu is Europe's largest upper upscale brand and Africa's fastest growing brand with the largest pipeline of hotel rooms under development on the continent. The opening in Kigali solidifies the brand's pole position and supports our long-term growth strategy in Africa."
The project is owned by UCL, a joint venture co-owned by the Government of Rwanda through the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB) and Prime Holdings Ltd as well as private investors, including Crystal Ventures Ltd and Rwanda Investment Group (RIG).
Carlson Rezidor's Area Vice President, Marc Descrozaille, said: "We are incredibly proud to continue our unparalleled growth in Africa. This project is in line with our long-term strategy to establish Radisson Blu as the premier upper upscale brand in Africa with a strong network across selected economic hubs and capital cities across the continent."
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has the largest pipeline of hotels and rooms under development of any international hotel operator on the continent. The Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Center is hosting over numerous African Heads of State at the Rwanda first African Union Summit in July 2016 in addition to host Africa's largest hotel investment conference (AHIF) in October 2016.
The Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Center, Kigali also features two on-site restaurants, serving Continental and Rwandan favorites as well as the Super Breakfast Buffet; six food and beverage outlets, including The Lobby Bar & Lounge which caters for lighter fare or a relaxing nightcap; 650 parking bays for guests; a fitness center; an outdoor swimming pool; boutique retail shops; and a spa by Amani, which is open for a relaxing rain mist shower, steam bath, sauna or just for winding down in the relaxation lounge. The adjacent Convention Center will have a net floor area of 53,000 square meters, and is set to become an iconic landmark for Kigali and Republic of Rwanda.
General Manager of Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Center, Kigali, Denis J. Dernault, said: "Our beautiful new hotel features the best of world-class upper upscale facilities, technology and complete range of services. The opening of Kigali Convention Center will be a truly memorable occasion, changing the face of events in the region and putting the global spotlight on Rwanda as the new center of opportunity. This landmark comprising of 18 meeting rooms of varying sizes, including an auditorium that can accommodate up to 2,600 delegates, will showcase Kigali, as a formidable international events destination in Africa."
Ideally located between the city center and Kigali International Airport, the surrounding area is one of the prime locations of the capital and close to key government offices, corporate and diplomatic missions, and mixed use shopping malls.
The World Bank 'Doing Business survey' ranked Rwanda as the "Top Reformer" in the world in 2009. The country often referred to as 'The Land of a Thousand Hills' and 'Land of the Eternal Spring' boasts incredible biodiversity, wildlife, and natural beauty. It is one of the few places in the world where tourists can track the famous mountain gorillas.
Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Center in Kigali, Rwanda is operated by The Rezidor Hotel Group.
More information available at www.radissonblu.com/en/hotel-kigali
Africa Office Media Contact:
Marie-Laure Blaise, Senior Area Marketing Manager, Opening Support
[email protected]
Corporate Office Media Contact:
Lucie Cardona, Corporate Communication & PR Manager
[email protected]
About Radisson Blu
Radisson Blu is one of the world's leading hotel brands with nearly 300 hotels in operation in 69 countries and territories. Radisson Blu's vibrant, contemporary and engaging hospitality is characterized by a unique Yes I Can!SM service philosophy, and all of its first class hotels offer a range of signature features that are empathetic to the challenges of modern travel, including the 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Distinguished the world over as the brand with Hotels Designed to Say YES!SM, Radisson Blu offers a vivid visual celebration of leading-edge style where the delight is in the detail. Radisson Blu hotels are located in prime locations in major cities, airport gateways and leisure destinations across the world.
Radisson Blu is a part of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, which also includes Quorvus Collection, Radisson, Radisson RED, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson and Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM. For reservations and more information visit, www.radissonblu.com. Connect with Radisson Blu on social media: @RadissonBlu on Twitter and Instagram and facebook.com/RadissonBlu.
About Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group is one of the world's largest and most dynamic hotel groups and includes 1,400 hotels in operation and under development with more than 220,000 rooms and a footprint spanning 115 countries and territories. The Carlson Rezidor portfolio includes a powerful set of global brands: Quorvus Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson and Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM. In most hotels, guests can benefit from Club CarlsonSM, one of the 2015 2016 "Top Three Hotel Rewards Programs" as ranked by U.S. News and World Report. Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group and its brands employ 90,000 people worldwide and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., and Brussels, Belgium. For more information, visit www.carlsonrezidor.com and follow on Twitter @carlsonrezidor.
Marie-Laure Blaise
Senior Area Marketing Manager,Opening Support: Africa & Indian Ocean
+ 27 21 431 2900
Radisson Hotel Group
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Celebrating 80 years in Elko, the Anacabe familys Elko General Merchandise has been a landmark in downtown Elko selling mining, cowboy and ranching gear.
Continuing her fathers tradition and business, Anita Anacabe Franzoia also supports the Basque community as a teacher and tour guide of the old country.
Joe Anacabe immigrated to the United States in 1901 at 11 years old. After arriving in Winnemucca, he worked on ranches in the area. In 1912, he married Fabiana Guenaga and they had a son, Frank. The Anacabes moved to McDermitt as ranchers before Joe opened his first store in the 1920s.
Joe relocated the store to Berkeley, California where Frank was attending the University of California before moving to Elko in 1936. Joe and Fabiana held their grand opening of Elko General Merchandise the following year at the corner of Fourth and Idaho Street, where Wells Fargo Bank is today.
Advertising the finest cowboy garments money can buy at prices you can afford to pay, the store outfitted cowboys and buckaroos. According to Anita, his store was the first in Elko to sell womens riding pants.
The store quickly became a gathering place for Basque immigrants who enjoyed talking with Joe and Fabiana about the old country and fellowshipping with each other. Two years after Frank joined the business in 1950, Fabina died of a stroke.
During a visit to Spain, Joe met and married Margaret Olabe. Their daughter, Anita, was born in Elko in 1954 and the family continued the business. The store continued to thrive and moved to its present day location at 416 Idaho St.
Upon the death of Joe in 1971, the business transferred to Frank, who died five years later, leaving Anita and Margaret to run the business. Together, they kept Elko General Merchandise going as Anita finished her degree in business education at Boise State University.
Anita and her husband, Mike Franzoia, raised their children Teresa, Andrea, Mateo and Kristina, in Elko. The family has been heavily involved in both the Basque community and public service when Mike served as mayor of Elko for four terms.
The Hospitality Industry faces a changing landscape in Online Reputation Management
Online reviews have come to hold a central place in the hospitality industry. As hoteliers learn to work with this new means of relaying information, they must keep in mind the evolutions that are yet to come - because technology is not stopping here, and with new developments, the hospitality industry must continue adapting.
Whats the point of ORM? Why it matters?
In our previous article The Rise of Online Reputation Management in an Age of Online Reviews, we outlined the ways in which Online Reputation Management also known as ORM has evolved in the past decade.
You can download part 1 of our new article for free here!
What is changing in ORM
New structures in marketing
The dynamic of online reviews changes as hoteliers actively engage with and use these reviews to their advantage. Skift refers to this as the commodification of the traveller approaching the review-writing guests published content as add[ed] value to the travel suppliers messaging, marketing, and overall reputation.
As hoteliers become more involved with and make use of the online content provided by their guests, their focus shifts to integration and attracting guests to the hotels website through the online review. The increase of user-generated content across the web propagates a more content-based approach to marketing, with hoteliers who plug into the system to get people where they want them that is, on their hotels website says Mark G. Johnson, consultant for years in the travel and online reputation space, founder of Hotel Chatter and Jaunted, and now consulting for hotels in the web and digital space.
Whether were talking about marketing or service, what guests are looking for is a good, genuine experience and genuine service.
>> Read the full article here!
About the company
Customer Alliance is a young, Berlin-based company offering smart solutions for hotels. Customer Alliances Review Analytics is the official tool of the German Hotel Association (IHA) for hotel reputation management. More than 35.000 hotels in over 35 countries are already improving their workflow with the 360 reputation management. software.
Review Analytics helps hoteliers get more authentic reviews to improve their online reputation. Hoteliers can keep track of how they are doing in relation to their competitors, as well as more effectively increase their sales by generating commission-free bookings through their own distribution channels.
Since officially starting in 2009, the fast-growing company has become a 90+ person international team composed of members coming from various backgrounds in the tourism & hotel industry.
Global Business Travel Spend Topped Record-Breaking $1.2 Trillion USD in 2015
China Takes Place as Leading Market in Global Business Travel Spend as India Becomes Fastest Growing Business Travel Market
Global business travel spend topped $1.2 trillion USD in 2015, growing 5 percent over 2014, and is forecast to reach 1.3 trillion in 2016 according to the GBTA BTI Outlook Annual Global Report & Forecast, a new report released today by the GBTA Foundation, the education and research arm of GBTA, and sponsored by Visa, Inc. Despite continued global uncertainty, cautious optimism rules the forecast, which predicts global business travel spend to advance 5.8 percent on average over the next five years reaching $1.6 trillion in 2020.
Global business travel remains a critical driver of the success of organizations around the globe, said Michael W. McCormick, GBTA executive director and COO. Business travel has demonstrated a tremendous resiliency as it continues slow and steady progress even in the face of global uncertainty, a weakened global economy, terrorist attacks, world health issues and other obstacles. Companies across the globe clearly understand the return on investment business travel delivers for their bottom line.
While overall growth has remained steady despite global uncertainties, signs are good for a solid end to the decade as we approach 2020, said David Henstock, VP, Global Business Solutions at Visa, Inc. Business travel has continued to evolve as the world is becoming more connected, and the transition to electronic payments will help businesses reduce costs and pay for travel expenses more efficiently.
The Annual Rankings
At $291 billion, China surpassed the United States as the largest business travel market in the world in 2015.
The Next Five Years: The Quest for Growth in an Era of Uncertainty
Sustained economic uncertainty and mixed results among the major business travel markets will drive continued moderate growth, but as GBTA looks ahead towards 2020, we expect that there will be a drastic difference in the relative performance of business travel markets around the globe.
Both India and Indonesia will average double-digit growth in business travel spending over the next five years. Chinas economic growth continues to moderate and GBTA forecasts their business travel market will be the fifth fastest growing major market in the world over the next five years a vast departure from their #1 average ranking over the last 15 years. Despite declines in growth, China remains the largest single market opportunity for travel suppliers and marketers as their $291 billion market size coupled with 8.4 percent average growth will lead to the largest gains in spending of any major market by far.
The Impact of Brexit
The annual forecast was compiled before the U.K. voted for Brexit on June 23, but the added uncertainty the vote brings will likely make its mark felt on business travel. The financial upheaval and pending changes to trade and immigration rules will raise management heartburn causing some postponement, and even outright cancellation of business trips. It may also trigger travel budget constriction as management seeks to hedge the uncertainty. If the U.K. does enter a mild recession, domestic and outbound business travel will suffer. On the other hand, a much weaker pound will make leisure and business travel to the U.K. a real bargain.
Business Travel Evolution: 15 Years of Volatility
With 15 years of business travel spend now tracked by the GBTA Foundation, it is clear that business travel has evolved rapidly in this time. In 2000, $634 billion was spent on global business travel, half of the $1.2 Trillion spent in 2015. Growth has been driven by an increasingly connected world and the rapid maturation of a number of key business travel markets.
External forces have also had a dramatic impact as early in the millennium business travel volumes were held back as many developed economies battled recession. By 2004, however, the global economy was back in full swing and business travel prospered between 2003 and 2008. Beginning in late 2008, the Great Recession and Financial Crisis began and global business travel plummeted over the following 18 months. Business travel clawed its way back over the next few years, outpacing the recovery in the overall global economy. Following the robust recovery period for business travel in 2010 and 2011, global business travel spending growth entered the doldrums only growing in the 3 percent range. Now we have entered an era of uncertainty marked by moderate growth for the foreseeable future.
United States 2016 Q2 Outlook Highlights
The GBTA Foundation also released its GBTA BTI Outlook United States 2016 Q2 report today with slightly downgraded expectations from the previous quarter. GBTA forecasts U.S. business travel spending to grow only 0.9 percent this year ($292.5 billion) before advancing 4.2 percent in 2017 ($304.9 billion).
Increasing risks in the domestic and global economies, uncertainty leading up to the U.S. presidential election, the surprising vote from the U.K. to leave the EU and continued signs of a weakening global economy have combined to influence the slightly more pessimistic outlook for U.S. business travel over the next six months.
The slow growth environment of the U.S. and global economies has taken a toll on many fronts leading to this new normal of slow, but steady one to two percent progress, said McCormick. Favoring dividends, M&A and stock repurchases over investing in capital, people and business travel in this environment could come back to haunt U.S. businesses. When growth does re-accelerate, companies must be ready with the newest technologies, the most productive workforce and the critical customer relationships necessary to take full advantage.
More Information
The GBTA BTI Outlook Annual Global Report & Forecast and the GBTA BTI Outlook United States 2016 Q2 are free of charge to all GBTA Members by clicking here. Non-members may purchase the report through the GBTA Foundation by emailing pyachnes@gbtafoundation.org. Click here to view a preview of the research.
Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Center in Kigali, Rwanda
Radisson Blu announced the opening of the Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Center in Kigali, Rwanda. Valued at more than $300 million (about Rwf223 billion), the complex will comprise the five-star Radisson Blu hotel with 292 rooms and conference facilities that can host more than 5,000 people. We are delighted to open this landmark hotel and convention center under the Radisson Blu brand. This new opening in Rwanda further strengthens our position in the East African Economic Community and on the African continent. Africa is our biggest growth market where, on average, we have signed a new hotel every 37 days and opened a new hotel every 60 days, added Andrew McLachlan, Senior Vice President Business Development of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. "Radisson Blu is Europes largest upper upscale brand and Africas fastest growing brand with the largest pipeline of hotel rooms under development on the continent. The opening in Kigali solidifies the brands pole position and supports our long-term growth strategy in Africa. The project is owned by UCL, a joint venture co-owned by the Government of Rwanda through the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB) and Prime Holdings Ltd as well as private investors, including Crystal Ventures Ltd and Rwanda Investment Group (RIG). Carlson Rezidors Area Vice President, Marc Descrozaille, said: We are incredibly proud to continue our unparalleled growth in Africa. This project is in line with our long-term strategy to establish Radisson Blu as the premier upper upscale brand in Africa with a strong network across selected economic hubs and capital cities across the continent. Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has the largest pipeline of hotels and rooms under development of any international hotel operator on the continent. The Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Center is hosting over numerous African Heads of State at the Rwanda first African Union Summit in July 2016 in addition to host Africas largest hotel investment conference (AHIF) in October 2016. The Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Center, Kigali also features two on-site restaurants, serving Continental and Rwandan favorites as well as the Super Breakfast Buffet; six food and beverage outlets, including The Lobby Bar & Lounge which caters for lighter fare or a relaxing nightcap; 650 parking bays for guests; a fitness center; an outdoor swimming pool; boutique retail shops; and a spa by Amani, which is open for a relaxing rain mist shower, steam bath, sauna or just for winding down in the relaxation lounge. The adjacent Convention Center will have a net floor area of 53,000 square meters, and is set to become an iconic landmark for Kigali and Republic of Rwanda. General Manager of Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Center, Kigali, Denis J. Dernault, said: Our beautiful new hotel features the best of world-class upper upscale facilities, technology and complete range of services. The opening of Kigali Convention Center will be a truly memorable occasion, changing the face of events in the region and putting the global spotlight on Rwanda as the new center of opportunity. This landmark comprising of 18 meeting rooms of varying sizes, including an auditorium that can accommodate up to 2,600 delegates, will showcase Kigali, as a formidable international events destination in Africa. Ideally located between the city center and Kigali International Airport, the surrounding area is one of the prime locations of the capital and close to key government offices, corporate and diplomatic missions, and mixed use shopping malls. The World Bank Doing Business survey ranked Rwanda as the Top Reformer in the world in 2009. The country often referred to as The Land of a Thousand Hills and Land of the Eternal Spring boasts incredible biodiversity, wildlife, and natural beauty. It is one of the few places in the world where tourists can track the famous mountain gorillas.
Hotel JAL City Haneda Tokyo
The eight-floor, 103-room facility will be located just 70 meters (230 feet) away from the existing Hotel JAL City Haneda Tokyo. Free shuttle buses will connect the hotels with the airport.
ORIX Real Estate Corporation, a subsidiary of ORIX Corporation, and Okura Nikko Hotel Management Co., Ltd., operator of the Hotel JAL City brand, jointly announced today that this coming September they will open Hotel JAL City Haneda Tokyo West Wing as the brands second hotel near Tokyos Haneda International Airport. ORIX Real Estate will operate the hotel, which is currently being constructed by Airport Facilities Co., Ltd.
The eight-floor, 103-room facility will be located just 70 meters (230 feet) away from the existing Hotel JAL City Haneda Tokyo. Free shuttle buses will connect the hotels with the airport.
Guests will be offered four room types, including business-purposed rooms with generous workspaces and spacious twin bedrooms for international travelers with larger luggage. The hotels interior features a distinctively Japanese ambiance created by the global design and architectural firm Gensler. The San Francisco-based company boasts a portfolio that includes The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, Le Meridien Chicago, Grand Hyatt Incheon, Indigo Hotel in Saudi Arabia and many other notable properties.
International travelers are increasingly flying in and out of Haneda International Airport, Japans most-used airport and one of the busiest airports in the world. A key reason for its growing popularity is its extra-convenient location.
According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, international travelers to Japan rapidly increased to nearly 21.4 million, an all-time high, in the fiscal year that ended in March. Looking ahead, the Japanese government hopes to welcome 40 million overseas visitors in the year 2020.
Going forward, ORIX Real Estate and Okura Nikko Hotel Management will respond to growing accommodation demands through their hotel businesses.
3 Technologies to Watch from HITEC 2016
Walking the exhibit floor at HITEC, it was evident to me that what weve been searching for is well and truly here. From the Internet of Things (IoT) to robotics, mobility, and payment security, HITEC 2016 had it all. Here are three companies that piqued my interest, and which I believe are poised to impact the hospitality industry in the near future.
As the Senior Vice President for the Travel and Hospitality practice here at DataArt, its important that I stay on top of the latest digital trends affecting the industry. So each year I look forward to attending the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC), the worlds largest hospitality expo that brings together the brightest minds and hottest hospitality products and services. And this year, it seems I was not alone. HITEC 2016 saw record-breaking attendance, with 6,395 hospitality professionals from 65 countries descending on the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans from June 20-23, 2016.
This record attendance doesnt surprise me. It seems that each year more and more new products and services are coming to market, promising to revolutionize the hospitality industry as we know it. Hospitality professionals are hungry for innovation; for that next big thing thats going to make their day-to-day lives a little easier. Walking the exhibit floor at HITEC, it was evident to me that what weve been searching for is well and truly here. From the Internet of Things (IoT) to robotics, mobility, and payment security, HITEC 2016 had it all.
Here are three companies that piqued my interest, and which I believe are poised to impact the hospitality industry in the near future.
Beewake
Beewake is a mobile app looking to end the stigma of booking hotels by the hour. It enables consumers to book daytime hotel space to function as a temporary office, meeting room or co-working environment. Given that most U.S. properties today are hovering around a 65% occupancy rate, Beewake represents a significant opportunity for hotels to explore alternative revenue streams.
Consumers can sort by distance, price, or the built-in map to find a space that best suits their needs, and book by the day or hour. On the flip side, hotels can register on Beewake for free and receive a 15% commission on any bookings made through the app. Through Beewakes extranet, they can define their own space and inventory, set daily rates and time slots, and manage their bookings in real-time.
While not the first to specialize in selling hotel space by the hour (HotelsByDay, DayUse, and ByHours do it as well), Beewake is one of the first to focus on the business market, capitalizing on one of the biggest trends shaping todays workforce: mobility. Coworking centers, temporary work hubs, and turnkey workspaces that dont require a multilayer commitment have become one of the hottest trends among tech startups, freelancers, creative types and entrepreneurs. These folks arent working a traditional 9am-5pm work day; their business can take them anywhere, anytime. Companies that can offer flexible solutions to meet their needs are poised for tremendous success. I have high hopes for Beewake, not to mention the properties who use them!
Savioke
Savioke (pronounced savvy-oak) is a robotics company based in San Jose, California. Founded in 2013, they create autonomous robot helpers for the services industry, including hotels, aged care facilities, hospitals, restaurants, and offices. Needless to say, their booth at HITEC was awesome! It was here that I met Relay, their robot for hotels, designed to relay items between hotel operations and the in-room guest.
Heres a typical scenario of how Relay would work in a hotel: Say, for example, while on a trip you forget your toothbrush. You call down to the Front Desk Manager, and they get a toothbrush for you. They place it inside Relay, type in your room number, and the robot will make its way to your room on its own. When it gets to your door, it calls your phone. Once you open the door, it opens its lid, and you can remove the toothbrush. Kind of cool, huh? Crowne Plaza, Grand Hotel, Holiday Express and Resident Inn all think so, with Relay already being put to work in some of their properties. Relay is also delivering coffee to guests from the lobby Starbucks at the Marriott Los Angeles LAX. To date, Relay has completed over 30,000 autonomous deliveries.
Of course, this isnt the first time weve heard about robots being put to work in hotels. Earlier this year, the Hilton McLean introduced Connie, its first robot concierge designed to help hotel guests decide what to do in the local area, and how to find places on-property. Its clear that weve reached a point in time where were ready for robots. As Saviokes CEO, Steve Cousins, explains, Computers and sensors are now cheap enough that we can build robots to help people. [They] can be aware of the presence of humans near them and work safely in that environment. Just how soon robots will make their way into every hotel remains to be seen, but I for one would love my next room service order to be delivered by Relay! I wonder if you would have to tip[Office1] check out the Hennna Hotel video here.
CheckMate
Though hard to compete with a robot, CheckMate is making serious strides of its own in the area of automation. Travel shoppers, in particular, Millennials, are hungry for greater personalization throughout the travel shopping journey. The issue for most hoteliers has been how to make personalization scalable; CheckMate is poised to answer that question.
CheckMate is a personalized communication system that allows hotels to reach guests in any modern channel - SMS, email, or Facebook Messenger. It enables hotels to map the guest journey and engage the guest via automated messages at each moment. These can include welcome messages, in-stay service alerts, or pre-departure messages, and each can be customized to different guest segments; for example, first-time guests, repeat guests, loyalty program members, attendees of a group or wedding, etc. Segments make it easy for hotels to communicate the right information to the right guest at the right time, resulting in a better overall guest experience.
Importantly, CheckMate also provides an easy way for guests to communicate back. Through a shared team inbox, employees can respond to customer emails and texts in real-time, or route them to an appropriate team member for action, as well as leave internal notes. The result is a more open, efficient communication experience that leaves guests feeling valued and helps correct any negative experiences quickly, without waiting for feedback surveys, or the dreaded negative online review.
Checkmate integrates with StayNTouch and Frontdesk Anywhere using PMS sign-on credentials. This makes it incredibly easy for hotels to begin using Checkmate to communicate with their guests. It will even remember individual guest preferences, so you can continue to deliver better service and, in turn, create brand evangelists. And at the end of the day, isnt that what you want?
Its exciting times ahead for the travel and hospitality industry, with technologies like these looking to evolve the travel experience in significant ways. Let me know what you think of the technologies mentioned here. Would you use them in your business? And if you attended HITEC 2016, Id love to hear what tech stood out to you. Leave your comments below, or hit us up on LinkedIn or Twitter.
About Greg Abbott
Greg Abbott is a Partner at DataArt, leading the Travel & Hospitality Practice, which he formed in 2010. Greg has deep experience in executive sales & travel system operations, with 20+ years in domestic and international online travel industry sector, including entrepreneurship, management, product development, and consulting. His career in travel began in the early 90s while attending the University of California at Berkeley and working at the corporate campus travel agency that was later acquired by STA Travel.
Over his decade with STA Travel, Greg rose to the Director position and later departed to join NEXGEN Travel in Munich, Germany's leading online travel startup, assuming the role of Product Director for nearly four years. While at NEXGEN, his team tackled some of the most unique system and technology challenges in the hospitality & tour operator distribution landscape. On his return to the U.S., Greg joined DataArt as SVP of Travel & Hospitality to lead the charge in building out DataArts service to leading travel technology companies around the globe. He is a frequent speaker and a thought leader, with a loyal following in the press and social media alike. @jgabbott
About DataArt:
DataArt is a technology consulting firm that creates end-to-end solutions, from concept and strategy, to design, implementation and support, helping global clients in the financial services, healthcare, hospitality, media and IoT sectors achieve important business outcomes. Rooted in deep domain knowledge and technology expertise, DataArt designs new products, modernizes enterprise systems and provides managed services delivered by outstanding development teams in the U.S., UK, Central and Eastern Europe, and Latin America. As a recognized leader in business and technology services, DataArt has earned the trust of some of the worlds leading brands and most discerning clients, including McGraw-Hill Financial, Coller Capital, BankingUp, Ocado, artnet, Betfair, Skyscanner, Collette Vacations, Booker and Charles River Laboratories.
Motif Restaurant & Bar Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. today announced plans for an all-new luxury hotel in the heart of Tokyo's bustling Otemachi business district. Part of a mixed-use development, the Hotel is set to open in the spring of 2020 with approximately 190 guest rooms.
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. today announced plans for an all-new luxury hotel in the heart of Tokyo's bustling Otemachi business district. Part of a mixed-use development, the Hotel is set to open in the spring of 2020 with approximately 190 guest rooms. The Hotel will occupy the upper six floors of a 39-story office tower, offering panoramic views of the city and in close proximity to transit routes, shopping, dining and the energised nightlife of downtown Tokyo.
"A landmark hotel in one of the best locations in Tokyo, this will be a striking property that speaks to our confidence in this city as we meet the growing demand of Four Seasons guests and international luxury travellers visiting Tokyo," says J. Allen Smith, President and CEO, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
"We have been seeking the right opportunity to extend our presence here and are excited to work in partnership with Mitsui Fudosan to introduce a new Four Seasons experience in Tokyo, one that that will appeal to business and leisure travellers, as well as the domestic market," continues Smith. "Japanese outbound travellers represent a significant number of Four Seasons guests around the world and we look forward to offering our Japanese guests a new opportunity to experience Four Seasons at home."
Blending contemporary and classic design, the soaring hotel tower will offer world-class dining through multiple indoor and outdoor restaurants and bars, as well as sweeping views of the city from the 39th floor rooftop terrace. The Hotel will also feature a state-of-the-art spa, fitness centre and indoor pool as well as extensive meeting and events spaces and an Executive Club lounge for business travellers.
The new Four Seasons Hotel in Otemachi, Tokyo will provide the perfect complement to Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi, offering luxury travellers another Four Seasons destination when visiting the city. Four Seasons has operated hotels in Tokyo for more than 25 years and will be extending its presence in Japan with the opening of Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto in the fall of 2016.
DoubleTree by Hilton Signs Chateau on the Park Christchurch Hotel
The iconic Chateau on the Park Christchurch is nestled amongst five acres of beautiful gardens and is an enduring favourite hotel destination amongst locals and travellers to Christchurch.
Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT) and DoubleTree by Hilton today announced the signing of a management agreement with M&L Hospitality to manage Chateau on the Park Christchurch, a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Christchurch New Zealand.
The management agreement will take effect from 1 September 2016 and will strengthen Hilton Worldwide's presence in New Zealand, which includes four existing hotels in Auckland, Taupo and Queenstown.
"We are committed to growing Hilton Worldwide's presence in New Zealand," said Robert Scullin, vice president, development, Australasia, Hilton Worldwide. "The signing of Chateau on the Park Christchurch as a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel is integral to our portfolio expansion plan for the country, which focuses on key cities and leisure destinations across both the North and South Islands of New Zealand."
The 192-room hotel includes two food and beverage outlets, meeting rooms, a business centre, pool and gym. Currently operating as Chateau on the Park Christchurch, the hotel recently underwent extensive renovations before re-opening as part of the DoubleTree by Hilton brand.
"Chateau on the Park Christchurch, a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, is a fantastic addition to our growing Australasia portfolio. We are thrilled to be bringing this second DoubleTree by Hilton hotel to New Zealand, and we are especially proud for Hilton Worldwide to be represented in Christchurch - an important hub for both business and tourism in New Zealand," said Dianna Vaughan, senior vice president and global head, DoubleTree by Hilton and Curio - A Collection by Hilton.
"M&L Hospitality is delighted to be expanding its relationship with Hilton Worldwide in New Zealand with the signing of Chateau on the Park Christchurch, a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel," said Neil Maxwell, chief executive officer, M&L Hospitality. "The refurbishment of guest rooms and public areas means the hotel is positioned to become the preferred choice for leisure and business travellers to Christchurch."
DoubleTree by Hilton hotels strive to bring each guest the special comforts and acts of kindness that are unique to the brand - starting with the warm chocolate chip cookie welcome and continuing throughout every guest's hotel stay.
Among the amenities that guests will enjoy are invigorating Aroma Actives body care products, complimentary high-speed internet access in public areas, and an industry-recognized service culture which is built around the idea of CARE - Create A Rewarding Experience for guests, Team Members and the community.
nearly Zero Energy Hotels (neZEH)
The neZEH e-toolkit evaluates the energy performance of hotels through a questionnaire and identifies options for energy efficiency, including efficient use of non-renewable sources, while raising awareness on the topic through inspiring examples.
The nearly-Zero Energy Hotels (neZEH) e-toolkit, which is available online at: www.nezeh.eu assesses the energy performance of hotels and proposes measures to improve efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy sources towards nearly-zero consumption. The toolkit is the outcome of a three-year long project funded by the European Union.
The neZEH e-toolkit evaluates the energy performance of hotels through a questionnaire and identifies options for energy efficiency, including efficient use of non-renewable sources, while raising awareness on the topic through inspiring examples.
The project aims to support hotels in Europe to comply with nearly-Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB) regulations, which all EU Member States are required to meet by 2020. An nZEB-level building must demonstrate high levels of energy performance. The nearly-zero, or very low, amount of energy required should be generated to a very significant extent by renewable energy sources, including those produced onsite or nearby.
As stated by UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai, this unprecedented initiative shows not only the concerns, but also the high level of commitment, of the tourism sector in addressing one of the worldwide preoccupations: climate change.
Sixteen hotels across seven European countries (Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Romania, Spain and Sweden) participated in the project as pilot European neZEH Hotels. These are to become inspiring examples to the European hotel industry of how to implement best practices to achieve nearly zero energy level performance.
Preceding the launch of the e-toolkit, the policy implications of a zero-energy tourism sector in Europe were debated at the European Parliament on 17 March 2016. The event, addressed at regional, national and European policy makers, stressed the need to reduce legislative barriers and introduce supporting measures to promote zero energy growth and ensure the sustainability and competitiveness of tourism in the EU.
The neZEH project is co-funded by the European Commission in the framework of the Intelligent Energy Europe Programme. It aims to accelerate the rate of large-scale renovations of hotels into nearly-Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB) by providing technical advice to hoteliers and demonstrating flagship nZEB projects in the European hospitality sector.
The neZEH partnership includes ten partners across seven European countries: the Technical University of Crete-Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems Lab (Greece), the coordinating partner for the project, along with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Network of European Region for a Sustainable and Competitive Tourism (NECSTouR), Sustainable Innovation (Sweden), Creara Consultores S.L. (Spain), the Energy Institute Hrvoje Poar (Croatia), the Istituto Superiore sui Sistemi Territoriali per lInnovazione (Italy), the Agency of Brasov for Energy Management and Environment Protection (Romania), the Federation of European Heating and Air-conditioning Associations (Netherlands), and ENERGIES 2050 (France).
Useful links:
neZEH Nearly Zero Energy Hotels
neZEH e-toolkit
neZEH Position Paper Nearly Zero Energy Hotels towards low carbon growth in the European Union
The bassist is leaving at the end of the Rock Or Bust Tour
AC/DC have suffered another major blow with bassist Cliff Williams announcing his departure from the band after they complete their Rock Or Bust tour with Axl Rose.
Its been what Ive known for the past 40 years, but after this tour Im backing off of touring and recording, he tells Gulfshore Life magazine. Losing Malcolm, the thing with Phil and now with Brian, its a changed animal. I feel in my gut its the right thing.
Which might just be one loss too many for the legendary Antipodean rockers.
BATTLE MOUNTAIN After an above average winter and wet spring, rangeland vegetation, predominately cheatgrass, is now two to three times above average in some areas in Nevada.
This threat is of special concern in Western and Northern Nevada and areas that typically experience sustained winds greater than 20 mph. This combination of fuel and weather creates the potential for extreme fire behavior.
Given the extremely dry, windy and hot conditions, the Bureau of Land Management is asking the public to help out by being proactive in protecting their property from wildfires.
Last week the Hot Pot Fire demonstrated extreme fire behavior with hot, dry, and windy conditions that pushed the fire to burn over 10,000 acres per hour. Despite 20 aircraft dropping water and retardant for hours on end, firefighters were unable to save nine structures during the fires most aggressive runs July 2nd and 3rd.
Flaming brands and embers can travel as far as 5 miles ahead of the active front of a wildfire. Recent research has shown that up to 60 percent of wildland/urban interface home ignitions are from red snow (embers) landing on flammable roofs or on other flammable objects, which in turn ignites the structure.
There are many things you can do to decrease your home ignition potential, many of which costs little money and can be done in a weekend. Here are some tips homeowners can do now to prepare for the wildfire threat.
Most of the activity that makes a home less vulnerable to wildfires addresses the home and its immediate surroundings, out to 100 feet.
Make areas around homes and outbuildings lean, clean and green. This means removing or mowing dead and dying vegetation around your home.
Thin dense stands of brush and trees to create space between them. Spacing should be twice the length of the average shrub.
Remove tree limbs to a height of at least 10 feet.
Eliminate flammable shrubs and grasses and plant fire-resistant ones.
Avoid operating mechanical and other equipment on hot, windy days.
To be successful with protecting communities and homes, firefighters and property owners need to work together to keep everyone safe from the dangers of wildfires.
For more information about how to protect your home from wildfires, visit www.livingwithfire.info or www.nevadafireinfo.blogspot.com.
Pride of place will be going to her haunting debut single, 'Pool Party'
The extremely hip and seriously happening Julia Jacklin is bound for Dublins Grand Social on November 11 with tickets priced 15 going on sale on Thursday July 14.
Given how much attention is being paid to her debut Pool Party single, we suspect that the house full signs will be going up for the Sydney songstress.
When I was growing up I was so ambitious; Im going to be this amazing social worker, save the world, a great musician, fit, an amazing writer Jacklin says of the suffering shes done for her art. Then you get to mid-20s and you realise you have to focus on one thing. Even if it doesnt pay-off, or you feel embarrassed at family occasions because youre the poor musician still, thats the decision I made.
With Fiona Apple, Anna Calvi and Angel Olsen among the reference points, Ms. Jacklin makes a very heavenly noise.
The Minister for the Arts also confirmed an additional 255k in funding for the project, with the Irish Film Board and Element Pictures also investing.
Minister Heather Humphreys confirms Element Pictures will operate Galways Picture Palace
The Minister for Arts, Heritage Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys TD, has confirmed that Element Pictures are to take over the management, completion and operation of the Picture Palace in Galway. Minister Humphreys has also confirmed that she has approved a final funding injection of 255,000 from her Department to complete the fit-out of the cinema.
Element Pictures are one of Irelands most successful film production companies recent productions include the Oscar-winning feature from Lenny Abrahamsson (pictured), Room, and Colin Farrell vehicle The Lobster and they also operate Dublins Lighthouse Cinema. It is expected that Picture Palace originally the brainchild of film-maker Lelia Doolan will be open to the public by mid-2017.
I am pleased to confirm that Element Pictures will be taking over the operation of the Picture Palace in Galway, Minister Heather Humphries said. "Element have a strong track record with the Lighthouse Cinema in Dublin and will no doubt help to ensure that the Picture Palace is a great addition to Galways cultural scene.
My Department has been working in partnership with Galway City Council over the past year seeking to have construction on the Picture Palace recommenced, after it ceased over two years ago. When I approved funding last August to kickstart the project, I was aware that a final tranche of funding would be required. Today I am approving an extra 255,000, with additional investment also being made by the Irish Film Board and Element Pictures.
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The Minister also thanked Galway City Council for its support in making the completion of the project possible.
Taxpayers have invested significantly in the Picture Palace since the project first started and it has not been without its challenges. The priority now must be to bring the project to completion for the benefit of Galway residents, visitors and film enthusiasts. When completed, the Picture Palace will be a state-of-the-art cinema located close to the historic Spanish Arch and just a stones throw from the Mick Lally Theatre (Druid).
I would like to acknowledge the input and support of Galway City Council, which has been instrumental in keeping faith in this project. I would also like to acknowledge the vision, passion and commitment which Leila Doolin showed for this project over many years. My Department will continue to work the City Council, the Irish Film Board and Element Pictures in the coming months to ensure the Picture Palace is completed and open to the public.
The rise of UKIP was a key element in the decision to hold a referendum on Britains membership of the EU. Now, the vote to leave has delivered a major boost for reactionary far-right parties all across Europe. But who are these parties and what do they stand for?
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The '60s psych-folk merchant also happens to be Stephin Merritt's dad!
48-years after the release of his debut South Atlantic Blues, which is considered a psych-folk masterpiece, Scott Fagan embarks on his first European tour, which includes an October 7 stop-off in Whelans. Tickets are 20.
Variously compared to Scott Walker, Tim Hardin, early Bowie and Donovan, Fagan was almost signed to the Beatles Apple Records, played on the same bill as a pre-fame Jimi Hendrix and was mentored by legendary songwriter Doc Pomus.
Most notably, though, hes the father of Magnetic Fields Stephin Merritt, which proves that maverick talent is genetic.
South Atlantic Blues was re-released last year, hence the belated flurry of activity!
Scott Fagan "South Atlantic Blues" 1968 US... by John_Dug
Channel 4 have given the green light for a third and fourth series.
It's a multi-award winning show so it's not rocket science that Channel 4 decided to carry out the Catastrophe.
The joint brainchild of Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney, Catastrophe boasts on its mantel two 2015 IFTA Gala Television Awards (Comedy Writer, Comedy/Soap Actress), 2016 Royal Television Society Awards (Scripted Comedy and Writer: Comedy) two 2016 Broadcasting Press Guild Awards (Best Comedy and Best Writer), a 2016 BAFTA TV Craft (Writer: Comedy), a 2016 Rose DOr Award (Best Sitcom), a 2016 Golden Nymphs Award (best actress in comedy); a 2016 South Bank Sky Arts Award (Comedy); and a 2016 Women in Film and TV Awards (Writing). Phew!
Starring Horgan and Delaney in the titular roles, the pair find themselves parents after one week of romping, end up as parents. The trials and tribulations of first-time parenthood, getting to know each other and domestic life is only a snapshot of what Catastrophe has to offer. The show has done incredibly well over here, in the UK and in America, showing the relevancy and relatability factor that Horgan and Delaney carry with such charm.
Speaking of Catastrophe's return, Head of Channel 4 comedy Phil Clarke was only delighted to invite Sharon and Rob back into our lives; "I am thrilled to commission a third and fourth series of the multi award-winning Catastrophe. It's a welcome return for the brave, razor edged, excruciatingly honest and painfully funny portrayal of a modern, long term relationship."
Season Three is intended to go into production this November with it makings its debut in 2017. HOORAY!
The British politician discussed her favourite tracks for 'Desert Island Discs'
Theresa Mary May - Britain's Prime Minister-in-waiting and Leader of the Conservative Party since July 2016 - has shared her favourite ever songs, in the unlikely event she ever gets stranded on an island in the middle of nowhere.
In 2014, the politician spoke on an episode of the popular BBC Radio 4 programme 'Desert Island Discs', sharing her most treasured tracks.
May's picks included the likes of ABBA and Frankie Vallie & The Four Seasons.
She also chose 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen as her book and her luxury item was a lifetime subscription to Vogue.
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Theresa May's full list of eight songs included:
Original Broadway Production of the Jersey Boys
'Walk Like a Man'
Capella Gregoriana
The Pange Lingua Gloriosi Corporis Mysterium
Edward Elgar
Cello Concerto in E Minor - opening
Performer: YoYo Ma.
ABBA
Dancing Queen
The Rondo from the Abdelazer Suite
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
The Queen of the Night aria from Mozart's Magic Flute
Performer: Cheryl Studer. Performer: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Performer: Sir Neville Marriner.
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Paul Eddington & Derek Fowlds
Yes Minister The Compassionate Society (1981)
Isaac Watts sung to the tune of Rockingham
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Performer: Wesley Chapel Congregation.
Dublin, Galway & Belfast are all on the New Yorkers' itinerary
We Are Scientists, who stunned a couple of years ago with their Indiependence set, return to Ireland for shows in the Opium Rooms, Dublin (October 20); Roisin Dubh, Galway (21) and Limelight 2, Belfast (23).
The Brooklynites new album, Helter Seltzer, was produced by their former keyboard-player, Max Hart, whos spent the last three years running round the world with Katy Perry.
A power pop monster, its lead single, Buckle, is accompanied by an epic food fight video.
A coalition of 19 top Democrats took the Senate floor Monday afternoon to call for an end to what they referred to as the fossil fuel industry's "web of denial" on climate change, calling out companies including Irving-based Exxon Mobil.
Among those speaking were Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, both reported to be on the short list for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's running mate.
"We have to be open to different points of view, but when the science is settled and people who know better are fighting against it, we should know better," Kaine said.
For years a handful of Senate Democrats like Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse has called on companies including Exxon Mobil to cease funding think tanks and trade groups that question research showing temperatures are rising globally.
But a resolution introduced Monday by Whitehouse and Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., claimed fossil fuel companies had used a "misinformation campaign to mislead the public and cast doubt in order to protect their financial interest." The measure drew support from a wide cast of lawmakers that included Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and veteran New York Sen. Chuck Schumer.
Kent Lassman, president of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a libertarian think tank, sharply criticized the resolution and Whitehouse's attacks on the fossil fuel industry.
"Apparently, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse is the new Sen. Joe McCarthy, and green is the new blacklist," Lassman said in a statement. "It is unhealthy for democracy and abusive when members of Congress create an enemies list based on policy positions."
In a statement, an Exxon Mobil spokesman said, "To suggest that we had reached definitive conclusions, decades before the world's experts and while climate science was in an early stage of development, is not credible."
These latest attacks on Exxon Mobil come as the company seeks to separate itself from past public relations campaigns and statements questioning climate change research. Lately, the company has supported a carbon tax to account for the environmental cost of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.
But a coalition of state attorneys general continues to investigate Exxon Mobil and other fossil fuel companies as to whether they misled the public and their investors over the threat of climate change.
"It's inspiring to see senators join the movement to hold the likes of Exxon accountable for their decades of deception," Jamie Henn, spokesman for the environmental group 350.org, said in a statement. "Bigoil robbed us of a generation's worth of climate action, and to this day are still sowing doubt and misinformation."
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In Pasadena, a homeowner cautiously opens a front door in response to someone knocking. A woman with a clipboard stands on the step; she's taking a survey about health issues and industrial emissions. Just a few questions.
It sounds simple, but Pasadena is an industry town. Answers might be hard to come by.
"When we went and visited homes, a lot of the community members were scared to speak up because they worked in the plants and they thought their jobs might be affected," said Raquel Lopez, a 10-year Pasadena resident who helped conduct such a survey recently.
The hesitancy Lopez encountered is part of the challenge facing Air Alliance Houston, a nonprofit research and advocacy group, in an ongoing project to collect data on two types of air pollutants in Pasadena: emissions from diesel trucks, and "fine particulate matter," tiny particles from industrial and other sources, such as dust kicked up by vehicles on unpaved roads.
Pasadena's refineries and petrochemical plants are key sources of emissions that concern environmental groups and public health officials. The plants also are the community's main providers of jobs. The resulting tension is inevitable, although it's more intense in some communities than others.
"Pasadena is a classical industry town," said Adrian Shelley, Air Alliance Houston's executive director. "We have not made strong inroads with local government there."
When I pressed him, Shelley couldn't provide an example of overt resistance by Pasadena business or political leaders to efforts to improve air quality. But that might be tested, he said, when his organization finishes gathering data and recommends policy changes, such as laws adopted in Houston and Galena Park that limit idling by diesel-fueled trucks.
Pursuing an air quality initiative in a place like Pasadena requires strategies to win over the hearts and minds of the population. That's why Shelley recruited canvassers from area high schools to help with the surveys.
"It can provide a tool for community advocacy and empowerment," Shelley said. "People can gather and take ownership of their own data. They can really speak out on an issue that's affecting their health."
Last fall, the nonprofit Neighborhood Centers Inc. organized workshops on air quality at its Cleveland-Ripley center in Pasadena after residents identified the issue as one they wanted to focus on. The participants visited a city monitoring site and learned how to report suspected violations when they noticed unusual smells, for example.
Seven of the residents, including Raquel Lopez, spoke at a January public hearing on a permit renewal for Pasadena Refining System, a plant with a history of emissions violations that is owned by Brazil's national oil company, Petrobras.
Lopez found the experience empowering.
"I learned that unity creates strength, and we can do a lot for our community," said Lopez.
The plant's permit application is still under review. About a month after the public hearing, an explosion at the facility injured a worker.
Community activist Patricia Gonzales lives about four miles from the Pasadena Refining System plant; she previously lived in Manchester, a southeast Houston neighborhood also close to heavy industry. Rigorous scientific studies are required to prove a connection, but Gonzales is convinced that living close to the plants has made her sick.
"You notice I have a raspy voice," she told me by phone. (I had noticed.) "That comes from the pollution."
Gonzales recently met with an Environmental Protection Agency official in Washington in an effort to get fence line pollution monitors installed. She was told this would take time.
Elected officials in Pasadena, she said, have not been responsive to her or her neighbors' concerns: "We're not going to get any help from them."
The Air Alliance Houston project, meanwhile, will continue for another 2 1/2 years, said Shelley. Change comes slowly in an industry town.
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A Fort Bend County judge on Monday dismissed felony charges arising from an alleged bribery case against a Lamar Consolidated ISD trustee, a former trustee and a Houston businessman.
District Judge Brady G. Elliott threw out the criminal charges against businessman Jim Gonzales, Trustee Anna Gonzales and former Trustee Jesse Torres after prosecutors said there was insufficient evidence to proceed.
The three had been indicted by a grand jury earlier this year, escalating a controversy that has roiled the suburban school district in Fort Bend County for more than a year.
The charges centered on allegations that Jim Gonzalez, who was pursuing a contract with the district, had offered cash to trustees. Anna Gonzales was accused of receiving money from Jim Gonzales, no relation. His company, Houston-based IDC Inc., had overseen several multimillion dollar bond projects for the district going back to 2003.
District Attorney John Healey watched Monday's proceedings from the back of the courtroom. Later, he said in a written statement that he respected the work of the grand jury, whose sole role, he noted, is to determine whether there is probable cause to believe that someone has committed a crime.
But he added, "The degree of proof required to convict is far higher than a Grand Jury's is to indict. It is proof beyond a reasonable doubt. When an accused is indicted, and the facts known to the prosecutor do not establish a violation of the law or do not rise to that high degree of proof that should lead a jury to say 'guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,' then justice demands that the indictments charging the accused be dismissed."
Both Anna Gonzales and Jim Gonzales faced charges of bribery, a felony, attempt to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery, engaging in organized criminal activity and gift to a public servant, the sheriff's office said in a news release in March.
Anna Gonzales additionally faced charges of abuse of official capacity and coercion of a public servant.
Richmond city commission member Jesse Torres, a former LCISD trustee, faced charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, engaging in organized criminal activity, fabrication of physical evidence and tampering with a government record with intent to defraud.
Prosecutor Scott Carpenter said Monday that the state had found "no evidence to support a bribery claim."
Elliott then dismissed the related charges.
Next, the state addressed additional charges against Torres regarding alleged tampering of evidence.
"There is insufficient evidence for us to proceed," Carpenter said.
Donald Bankston, the defense attorney representing Torres, agreed that the accusations were not based in fact.
"The charge should have never been brought," Bankston said. "We fully believe that the state is right."
Elliott, presiding over the 268th district court, dismissed the remaining charges with a word of caution.
"We have to be extremely careful in how we account for and keep our public records," he said. "The public demands it."
Exiting the courtroom, Torres thanked his supporters and attorney and said he gave praise to God.
"I'm relieved," he said, as others waited to hug him.
Bankston said the charges had been racially and politically motivated.
"These were the acts of an out-of-control, runaway jury," he said.
Steven Rocket Rosen, defense attorney for Jim Gonzales, said his client had done excellent work in the area for more than 20 years. Having such charges brought had tarnished his name.
"It cost him his profession," Rosen said.
Anna Gonzales did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Mayor Allen Owen, who served as foreman of the grand jury, also could not be reached for comment.
The case stemmed in part from the Lamar Consolidated ISD board's selection of IDC and Plano-based Gilbane Building Co., to oversee work on bond projects approved by voters in 2014.
A divided school board voted in June 2015 to terminate negotiations on an $8 million contract with IDC after a newly elected board member, Tyson Harrell, alleged during a meeting that he and another board member, James Steenbergen, were offered cash during the spring campaign.
Attorneys for Gonzales wrote in court papers that the businessman was delivering cash donations that had been raised by other sources for the two candidates' campaigns after he was asked to assist the bids.
Gonzales sued the district and the two board members for defamation, but his lawsuit was thrown out by a judge after the court determined the board members were protected by professional immunity. Meanwhile, the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office continued its own investigation.
According to a statement from the sheriff's office, Jim Gonzales opened a joint bank account with Anna Gonzales, and funded it with $15,800, which was used for apartment rental applications in Rosenberg.
In May 2014, Jim Gonzales deposited $167,000 into Anna Gonzales's personal bank account, of which Anna Gonzales used $10,000 to pay bills between June 2014 and December 2014, according to the statement. Deputies said Anna Gonzales then paid Jim Gonzales $157,000.
Torres' attorney had said his client collected the money from employees of a local architectural firm, family and friends, then gave it to Jim Gonzales to give to the trustees for their campaigns. Attorneys had said both Torres and Jim Gonzales worked on the campaigns, and there was no quid pro quo requested.
Sheriff Troy Nehls said in a written statement, "It is our responsibility to thoroughly investigate accusations of crime and present the facts to the Grand Jury. Lt. David Schultz and his team did exactly that and I commend them for their excellent investigation. The decision to take a case to trial or not rests with the District Attorney's Office."
State Rep. Ron Reynolds, explaining that he was a friend of Torres, watched among a crowd of dozens in court Monday to support the defendants.
"I think that justice has prevailed today," said Reynolds, who is appealing his conviction for barratry in a case he has described as racially motivated.
Mihir Zaveri contributed to this report.
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - The top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan said Tuesday that U.S. troops are shifting the primary emphasis of recently approved operations against the Taliban to the eastern part of the country, where a variety of insurgents remain entrenched.
Army Gen. John Nicholson told reporters that he is applying new authorities approved by President Barack Obama in June "almost daily," and that they extend beyond carrying out airstrikes to providing specific kinds of support troops to plan and carry out operations. In one recent example, the new authorities were applied as Afghan forces attacked the Taliban in the southern district of Maiwand, in Kandahar province, he said.
Since then, offensive operations have started to shift east to Nangarhar province as the Afghan military carries out a campaign plan it established for the year, Nicholson said. The mountainous region along the Pakistani border is home to both members of the Taliban and the Islamic State militant group. Nicholson said U.S. forces will "use our authorities to assist the Afghans there in an offensive, proactive manner."
One U.S. military official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the operations, said that a "couple dozen" airstrikes have been carried out using the new authorities since they were approved. Nicholson said he reviews requests made through them personally before they are approved. Under the new rules, if the operations are deemed to be of strategic importance, the United States can get directly involved.
The general's comments came toward the end of a day-long visit to Afghanistan by Defense Secretary Ashton Carter. He landed at Bagram Airfield in a C-17 cargo plane late in the morning, and was quickly whisked away in an Army CH-47 helicopter to meet at the presidential palace in Kabul with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. They discussed a variety of issues, including how the new authorities can be used.
Ghani, speaking in a joint news conference with Carter afterward, thanked Obama for announcing last week that he will leave 8,400 U.S. troops in Afghanistan through the end of his term as president, rather than shrinking the number to 5,500, as previously planned. There are presently about 9,800 U.S. troops deployed.
Ghani said the Afghan government has always pursued peace, but it has not been reciprocated by the Taliban. A bridge built with $2 million can be blown up by insurgents for the price of $10,000, he noted.
The United States will contribute 6,700 troops to the NATO-led Resolute Support mission next year under the new deployment plans. But a little-known wrinkle is that 400 of them will be based in other countries in the region in an "over the horizon" force. They will carry out support missions and travel to and from Afghanistan as needed, Nicholson said. They also will not count against the 8,400-troop number just approved.
Political party conventions are supposed to be somewhat like dreams. When Democrats and Republicans gather for their national conventions, all the intra-party divisions are supposed to melt away and expose the partys core that unifies as many voters as possible.
This week, news surfaced that Bernie Sanders is set to endorse Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination. This comes after President Obama and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren already have campaigned for Clinton. Vice President Biden scheduled his campaign event with Clinton after the Dallas police shootings, but there is still plenty of time this summer. With Sanders backing, the Democratic Partys major figureheads the ones who can command cameras and huge crowds are lined up behind Clinton. It makes it much easier to put together a four-day dream sequence of a Democratic National Convention this way.
Presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump, who heads to the party convention in Cleveland next week, has created his own kind of dream, but its a little different. Consider what former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who wont vote for Clinton or Trump, told NBC in an interview scheduled to air Monday night.
The tragedy of this, though, is that there isnt going to be a wall built, Bush said. This is all like an alternate universe that he created. And thats the heartbreaking part of this, is I think people are really going to feel betrayed.
That alternate universe created an environment that kept Trump atop the GOP field for months, as opponent after opponent took blows that proved fatal. Bush acknowledged Trumps media savviness, crediting Trump for being very smart at exploiting these kinds of opportunities.
Kudos for him, for kind of creating the environment and then manipulating the environment to his effect, Bush told NBC.
That might be the kind of line youd expect from a former opponent who happens to be part of a legacy GOP family that Trump has used as a punching bag for months. For all Bushs compliments today if you can call them that another one of his former adversaries who has thrown his support behind the presumptive nominee is coming to Trumps defense.
Im for Donald Trump, and he says were going to build a wall, the Mexicans are gonna pay for it, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry said in an interview with Snapchat. Its not going to happen.
Instead its going to be a digital wall, Perry said. Never mind that Trump has never denied that when he advocates building a wall, he very much means in the physical sense. Maybe the New York mogul will get more specific, perhaps in his convention speech, but the fact remains that voters believe a wall means a literal wall.
There is also a deep irony here, which is that Perry has made Clintons case for her on this issue. One of the former secretary of states most targeted criticisms of Trumps wall plan has been that no physical wall can keep out the Internet, a tool homegrown terrorists historically have been used to become radicalized. After the attack at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Clinton tore into Trump for the wall idea that would have done nothing to stop the shooter, who was born and raised in the United States.
Trumps dream this year involves building a wall on the countrys southern border, even if his allies and Republicans who arent too fond of him both agree that it is an impossible idea. Its hard to see how the cornerstone of his campaign so far is going to fall by the wayside when he arrives in Cleveland next week to live the Republican dream.
The following are excerpts of reports generated by the Texas County Sheriffs Department:
A Cabool man called June 10 to report that two dogs were chasing his chickens.
An investigating officer spoke to the man who owns the dogs and warned him of a possible citation if the matter wasnt resolved. The owner said he understood.
A deputy assisted the Missouri State Highway Patrol after a motorist reported a domestic assault taking place inside a moving vehicle on Highway 17 at Slabtown Road near Roby.
The motorist had provided a license plate number, and an investigating deputy determined the vehicle was registered to a woman. The officer went to her parents Evening Shade residence, and the woman pulled into the driveway about five minutes later.
She denied being on Highway 17, but the deputy advised her of the motorist providing the license number of her vehicle and asked her if she needed medical attention. She said she didnt.
A Licking woman reported on July 9 that a week earlier, someone had broken a window to her Cooper Drive residence and opened a door on her daughters car. An investigating officer didnt observe anything out of sorts.
A 61-year-old Plato man called July 9 and stated that a deputy better come to his Highway AW residence soon before he shot somebody. An investigating officer determined the man was angry over an easement dispute with a 65-year-old woman and advised the man the matter was civil.
A deputy assisted with a civil stand-by on July 9 as two small barns were repossessed from a Lundy Road property at Houston. The officer stated the operation took several hours due to people living in the barns. Once the peoples belongings were removed, the barns were taken away without incident.
A Raymondville man called July 9 to report a man carrying a rifle walking along Highway 137. An investigating deputy made contact with the man and determined the rifle was a paintball gun.
A Licking man called July 6 to report being harassed by a neighbor man at his Bean Creek Drive residence.
The man told an investigating officer he was digging a trench when the neighbor man came out of his home and appeared to raise a shovel handle in the air while grumbling something. The man said he told the neighbor that if he had a problem he should come to the street where the two could settle matters like real men.
The man said the neighbor responded with mumbling. The officer advised the man to ignore the neighbor and go about his business.
A deputy was dispatched at about 3:10 p.m. July 8 regarding a report of animal abuse at a Bowen Road residence at Willow Springs.
A 40-year-old man who lives there showed the officer carcasses of several animals that had been killed by dogs, including three rabbits and a chicken. The man told the officer he had come home and seen two dogs at his animal pens and chased them away.
A rabbit cage sustained heavy damage. Investigation continues.
A 40-year-old Cabool woman reported damage to a barbed wire fence at her Highway U residence on July 7.
The woman told an investigating officer she came home to find some of her horses out and discovered the damage. She named her neighbor as a suspect.
A 53-year-old Plato man reported a burglary at his Turley Road property on July 7.
The man told an investigating officer that several items had been swiped with a total value of $4,900, including a John Deere riding mower valued at $2,600. There are no suspects.
Texas County Jail admissions
July 1
George R. Campbell non-support
Jeffrey L. Wakenight parole violation
Alex J. Collins possession of controlled substance
Bethany M. Day drug charges
Theresa L. Villarreal 48-hour commitment
Steven L. Woolsey 12-hour commitment
Amber D. Kirk Five warrants
Scott A. Grim theft of narcotics
July 2
Jason L. Williams DWI
Parish L. Gale burglary
July 3
Yonua B. Pollock assault
Wesely K. Dailey assault
Barry M. Smith ex-parte violation
July 4
David A. Dajardin theft
July 5
Paulette M. Copley assault
Christina M. Villarreal drug charges
Tommy W. Barton MDOC hold
Roger C. Blanks tampering with motor vehicle
July 6
William S. Dixson Wright County hold
Carl E. Hutsell 72-hour shock
Ryan C. Dennis Christian County hold
Norma V. Rabun theft
Rudolph P. Corpus DWI
Steven L. Woolsey 10-hour commitment
July 7
David A. Dujardin burglary
Jami L. Vance burglary
Amber K. Rodery DWI
Kevin L. Hackworth drug charges
Macie D. Hayes driving while revoked
Laurine K. Litchfield possession of controlled substance
James P. Mitchell DWI
Susan D. Roberson Platte County hold
July 8
Steven L. Woolsey 12-hour commitment
Amanda D. Smith 48-hour commitment
July 10
Neilson N. Neal receiving stolen property
The following are excerpts from reports generated by the Houston Police Department:
Billy J. Burke, 37, of 16466 Forrest Drive in Houston, was issued a citation July 8 for driving while intoxicated.
An officer cited Burke after observing a blue 1990 Dodge Dakota moving erratically and turning without signaling and then initiating a traffic stop on Oak Hill Drive.
After making contact with the driver, the officer observed a bottle of whiskey on the seat next to him, according to a report. Burke was taken to the Texas County Jail.
Amber D. Kirk, 27, of 112 N. Hamrick Ave. in Houston, was arrested July 1 for having five active Texas County felony warrants.
An officer who was aware of the warrants made the arrest after observing Kirk outside her residence at about 11:20 p.m. The warrants included one for hindering prosecution of a felony, one for receiving stolen property, one for possession of a controlled substance and two for other drug charges.
She was taken to the Texas County Jail and held without bond.
Alex J. Collins, 27, of 329 Ozark St. in Cabool, was arrested July 1 for having an active Texas County warrant for possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia.
Collins was arrested after he came to the HPD station regarding another matter. He was taken to the Texas County Jail, where he was unable to post $100,000 bond.
Macie D. Mitchell, 25, of 2457 S. U.S. 63 in Cabool, was arrested July 7 for having an active Licking municipal warrant for driving while revoked and stealing. An officer made the arrest at the state probation and parole office in Houston after being advised that Mitchell was there. She was taken to the Texas County Jail where she was unable to post $200 bond.
Shane L. Briggs, 30, of 22707 Pike Lane at Hartshorn, was arrested July 7 for having active Mountain Grove municipal warrants for assault, trespassing and peace disturbance.
An officer who was aware of the warrants made the arrest at a Holt Street residence at about 9 p.m. Briggs was taken to the Texas County Jail to await extradition to Mountain Grove.
He also had a Shannon County warrant for non-support.
An officer was dispatched at about 10:40 p.m. July 1 regarding a report of a house fire at an Ozark Street residence.
Upon arrival, the officer determined the house was not burning, but there was a large pile of debris blazing in the back yard, with flames about 10 feet high. The City of Houston Fire Department responded and firefighters extinguished the fire.
As a result, Jackson C. Morgan, 39, of 300 W. Ozark St., was cited for unlawful disposal of solid waste illegal burning. During the investigation, a glass smoking device containing marijuana was found and Morgan was also cited for possession of drug paraphernalia.
Zachary J. Thurman, 20, of 124 N. Friend St., No. 10, in Licking, was cited for stealing under $500 after allegedly swiping two sodas from the Murphy USA gas station on U.S. 63 in Houston on June 26.
Thurman was cited after a manager reported that an employee had taken the drinks from a cooler and drank them without paying, and had still not paid by 3 p.m. the next day. He was fired, according to the report.
WINNEMUCCA Three Bureau of Land Management firefighters, who were in a single-vehicle crash Sunday on State Route 140, about 37 miles north of Winnemucca, have been identified by authorities.
The firefighters were returning from duty in the Denio area and were on their way back to Winnemucca at about 5:20 p.m. when the accident occurred while they were traveling in the southbound lane.
The preliminary investigation cites tire failure as the cause of the vehicle overturning, said Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Jim Stewart.
The driver of the BLM fire truck was Jacob OMalley, 27. The right, front passenger was Will Hawkins, 22, both of Winnemucca, said Stewart. Both were killed in the crash.
Zachery McElroy, 23, of Reno, was seated in the middle of the truck. He was transported to Renown Regional Medical Center via Care Flight.
McElroy did not sustain life-threatening injuries, said Stewart.
"Our hearts are heavy, but our focus, our thoughts, our or prayers are with the families of these extraordinary brave people who served to protect the people of Nevada and the public lands of that belong to all of us," said Nevada BLM State Communication Chief Steve Clutter.
NHP and local agencies were escorting the two deceased firefighters from Winnemucca to Reno Monday, said Stewart.
The accident is under investigation.
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ELKO An Elko man believed to have shot the door of a police patrol vehicle last summer was arraigned Monday in Elko District Court.
Justin Temoke, 33, pleaded not guilty to attempted murder with the use of a deadly weapon and discharging a firearm at or into an occupied vehicle.
More specifically, the States alleged that you committed an act or acts, which attempted but failed to result in the commission of the offense, murder with the use of a deadly weapon, said Elko District Judge Al Kacin, describing the first felony offense as when Temoke allegedly shot a .22-caliber bullet into a moving patrol car in a supposed attempt to take the life of an Elko police officer.
The vehicle was traveling east in the early morning hours of Aug. 30, 2015, on Silver Street between Eighth and Ninth, responding to a routine domestic violence call when a bullet struck the driver-side front door right about in the middle of the P in the word police, said Police Chief Ben Reed, during the investigation. The round fragmented in the door and stopped on the inside.
Both charges are category B felonies, for which prison terms cannot be less than one year minimum and the maximum term cannot be more than 20 years.
The State estimated five days for the trial, said Kacin, which was found sufficient by Temokes defense attorney, Deputy Public Defender Brian Green.
The defense waived the 60-day trial rule as there is a possibility of filing pretrial motions.
We also have an expert coming down to do some work on this case from Canada, said Green, who told the court the work will not start until next month.
Green would not comment after the proceedings on the purpose of or the reason for bringing in a foreign expert.
A date for trial was not set.
Temoke remains released on previously posted bail.
The defendant was bound over to district court by Senior Judge Barbara Nethery in May.
Not only do we have multiple inconsistent statements about his involvement in this case, but those statements are what we consider half-admissions, said Deputy District Attorney Tyler Ingram in Elko Justice Court.
During the proceedings in the lower court, Green claimed the State didnt have the evidence to prove Temoke committed the act. However, according to the State, the defendant admitted to police he had a poor opinion of them, addressing motive.
ocal property portal, 99.co, has fired one of its employees after receiving complaints of rude behaviour on social media.The employee, Sonny Truyen who is from Australia, had been working with the firm for only one week when he posted the rant on Facebook. In it, he complained about the fact that Pokemon Go a popular mobile game was not yet available in Singapore.You cant f***ing catch pokemon in this piece of f***ing s*** country, he wrote.The post and later comments sparked anger amongst social media users who found where he worked and notified his employer.Truyen was fired yesterday (11 July) with the CEO and co-founder of 99.co Darius Cheung issuing a statement through the companys official blog.We are a proud Singaporean company and do not condone such language or behaviour, hence we have since terminated his engagement once the incident came to light, he wrote.I apologise on behalf of 99.co, we pride ourselves to be a principled company that celebrates values like diversity and equality. We take responsibility for the public behaviour of any employee or consultant affiliated with us as a reflection of the company.When judging how to react to social media use, especially with regards to more controversial opinions, employers can dismiss workers in certain situations, Julia Yeo , employment law specialist at Clyde & Co, told HRD.If the post is done outside office hours, and intended for a private group, the employer should not interfere, she said. However if an inflammatory post becomes public inadvertently, there may be grounds for dismissal on the basis of conduct damaging to employers reputation.Cheung, in his blog post, called upon Singaporeans to beat back the resentment felt by an increasing number of foreign workers.For a small nation like Singapore, growth is the only way to survive and the truth is we need foreigners to join us as much as the foreigners enjoy becoming part of us, he said. It is within our power as citizens and residents of Singapore, to nip this at the bud and reverse the trend.Truyen also issued an apology through online news site, Mashable.It was a **** move on my behalf and a very big error in judgment to negatively label an entire country over Pokemon. It was very wrong of me to rage like that.However, he said he was disappointed to see the lengths people went to attack him without giving him the chance to make amends.I've parted ways with 99.co and would appreciate it if everyone could stop the witch hunt there and leave them alone, bombarding them with threats isn't helping, he added.
of New Zealands leading unions filed legal proceedings in the Wellington Employment Court yesterday, desperate to halt the proposed eight day lockout of aviation security staff."We are asking the Employment Court to deal with this urgently and issue an interim injunction to restrain these unlawful and irresponsible lockouts," said Glenn Barclay, national secretary of the New Zealand Public Service Association."We consider the lockouts are unlawful because of uncertainty coming from the employer about who is locked out, how long for and the reason for it, he added.The Aviation Security Service gave notice of potential lockouts last week but both the PSA and E tu have since questioned the legality of the move which could affect staff at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown and Dunedin airports.Mediation between the unions and AvSec is currently scheduled to take place on Wednesday and Barclay called on the organisation to focus all its energies into bringing an offer to mediation that can settle this dispute and resolve in all action being called off."AvSec representative Mike Richards declined to comment on the injunction but indicated a response could be expected later today.Last week, active chief executive John Kay suggested AvSec would pursue mediation where possible.Our primary focus is to ensure that this matter is brought to a conclusion in a timely fashion and to ensure safe and secure flights especially during the school holiday period, he said. We will do all we can to maintain our service and minimise disruption.For all the latest HR news and info straight to your inbox, subscribe here
WestJet has encountered plenty of turbulence on its way across the Atlantic.
Last year, the Calgary-based airline announced it would start flying to London's Gatwick Airport out of Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto and St. John's.
But the expansion has been fraught with problems and even WestJet's CEO admits it, according to CBC News.
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In a video obtained by CBC, WestJet CEO Gregg Saretsky sounds less than satisfied with the service offered by the planes the airline uses for its flights to London.
"Clearly not," Saretsky says when asked whether he's happy with the four Boeing 767 jets. He said they've had several mechanical problems that have resulted from subpar maintenance work by a repair organization located in Lake Charles, La.
Nevertheless, Saretsky said the airline is undergoing "teething pains" and that it is fixing issues with the 767s.
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WestJet bought the planes from Australian airline Qantas, and all of them are between 23 and 25 years old, The Financial Post reported.
Airline spokeswoman Lauren Stewart said it's normal for companies to experience issues when they introduce new aircraft.
WestJet experienced growing pains when it introduced Bombardier Q400s into its fleet as part of its Encore regional service, she said.
The airline's response comes as Internet users express deep dissatisfaction with WestJet's service to London-Gatwick.
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A forum focused on WestJet on customer review website SkyTrax had some harsh words for the airline's London flights, with one user saying a trip from Gatwick to Toronto was "really a disgrace."
The user, identified only as "C Bower," said the flight was cancelled without notice and that it took a long wait before learning that there were no flights available until the following day.
Others have also complained about cancellations and delays. Stewart told the Post that only four per cent (10 flights) of its London trips had been cancelled as of July 5.
Flyers upset about lack of food
But complaints around WestJet's London service go beyond delays and mechanical issues with its planes.
Earlier this year, it emerged that the airline wouldn't serve a free hot meal for lower-cost sections on flights from Vancouver to London.
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WestJet defended that practice by saying that customers have always told the airline "that they do not want to pay for things they do not need or want, and that includes expensive meals."
Also on HuffPost:
Said Ahmed is committed to customer service.
So much that when an armed robber entered his store in New Zealand and demanded cash, he continued packing up a sandwich for a customer.
BBC News reports that Ahmed, who owns Egyptian Kebab House in Christchurch, simply ignored the robber and calmly walked away to his kitchen, where he called police.
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Canterbury Police shared surveillance footage footage of the colossally failed robbery:
"I'm not a hero," Ahmed told the broadcaster. "I am a businessman. I hadn't finished with my customer and my priority was to finish serving him."
'Took away the power'
The businessman, who is originally from Egypt, told The Guardian that even though he was scared, he remained cool and "took away the power" from the suspect who had a gun.
Ahmed can be even seen smiling in the footage while the robber stands there, dumbfounded.
His daughter told the newspaper that the video of her dad and the robber scared her, but that Ahmed's collected demeanour was typical.
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"His only choice was to leave," Yasmin said.
July 11
Serene Z. Al-Abbodi, 18, of West Jordan, Utah, was arrested at 680 Wendover Blvd. in West Wendover for buying, possessing or receiving stolen property; and burglary. Bail: $6,140
Wade E. Fordin, 53, of Spring Creek was arrested at the Elko County Jail for exploiting an old or vulnerable person of $5,000 or more. Bail: $70,000
Melissa M. Hawkins, 38, of Highland, Utah, was arrested at 157 Hwy 93 in Wells for failure to appear after bail for a misdemeanor. Bail: $400
Jeffrey L. Howe, 37, of Carlsbad, California, was arrested on Interstate 80 for DUI, use or possession of drug paraphernalia, speeding 16 to 20 miles over the limit, an open container of alcohol in a vehicle and restricted drivers license violation. Bail: $2,465
Audie J. Noble, 27, of Elko was arrested on Lamoille Highway for failure to appear after bail for a misdemeanor, driving with a suspended drivers license; proof of insurance required; displaying bogus vehicle registration, plates or title; and operating an unregistered vehicle, trailer or semi. Bail: $2,500
Andrea Stone, 36, of California was arrested at 1114 W. Main St. for contempt of municipal court. Bail: $192
Bradley C. Stock, 45, of Pacifica, California, was arrested at 1200 Wendover Blvd. in West Wendover for reckless driving disregarding the safety of persons or property, a driver disobeying a peace officer endangering other people, speeding 21 or more miles over the limit, four counts of failure to yield at a stop or yield sign or control, four counts of use or possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of one ounce of less of marijuana, giving false statement to or obstructing a public offical, failure to maintain lane or improper lane change, failure to decrease speed or use due care, and failure to stop at a roadblock or obey an officer at a roadblock. Bail: $14,235
Sergey Tkachenko, 18, of Salt Lake City, Utah, was arrested at 680 Wendover Blvd. in West Wendover for conspiracy to buy, possess or receive stolen property and burglary. Bail: $6,140
"everybody knows Tarzan's straight and in love with Jane. Must every Hollywood product push the gay agenda?" absolute cringe
we want better, man (@outoflullabies) July 12, 2016
One Pakistani woman was forced to go on her honeymoon without her husband but not because things went sour at the altar.
Huma Mobin and Arsalaan Sever Butt got married seven months ago, but plans for a second honeymoon to Greece went awry when Butt wasn't granted a visa, Mobin told BuzzFeed.
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The couple, who live in Lahore, Pakistan, had planned to travel with Butt's parents, so Mobin and her in-laws went without him, since the trip was already paid for.
I cried the first night on my mother-in-laws shoulder, but she told me to make the best of it, she told the website.
Not only did she make sure to stop by all the places she and Butt had planned to visit, but she also showed him how upset she was by taking the same sad photo at every spot.
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Just look at that heartbreak.
To make things worse, she dropped her phone in the Aegean Sea during the trip.
"Arsalaan, I'm lost without you!"
Even her husband's parents played along.
But the idea for the themed photos didn't start with the Greece trip, she told the BBC.
"Whenever one of us travels alone without the other, we do this. We can just show that we're missing [each other]."
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The picture that started it all.. My #bub A photo posted by Huma Mobin (@outsidegirlpk) on Jul 12, 2016 at 12:27pm PDT
It's hard not to laugh at the shots, which have gone viral.
But she told the BBC the holiday itself was bittersweet.
"He's the life of the party, my better half I wouldn't have gone without him but he forced me to."
Some drew comparisons with the 2014 Bollywood film "Queen," in which a woman goes on her honeymoon by herself after her fiance tells her he no longer wants to marry her.
However, this story had a much happier ending.
Also on HuffPost
WOLFRAM KASTL via Getty Images A protestor holds up a sign reading 'Black Lives Matter' during a demonstration in Berlin, on July 10, 2016 with the motto 'Black Lives Matter - No Justice = No Peace' as protest over the deaths of two black men at the hands of police last week. / AFP / dpa / Wolfram Kastl / Germany OUT (Photo credit should read WOLFRAM KASTL/AFP/Getty Images)
Protesters hold up signs at a demonstration in Berlin July 10, 2016. Photo credit: WOLFRAM KASTL/AFP/Getty Images)
The best hashtag I've seen in a long time is #enough. It's short, it's poignant, and it expresses what a whole lot of people are thinking this week. Enough violence. Enough discrimination. Enough hatred. We probably reached the "enough" point thousands of years ago. According to a couple of famous political thinkers, history is littered with moments of "enough". It fuels great literature, music and film.
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So here I am, in 2016, sitting at my desk, and I really, really want to help. Besides trying hard not to be violent, discriminatory, and hateful myself, I'm not sure how my one pair of hands, my one little brain, my one squeaky, sarcastic voice can make a meaningful contribution to all of this long-needed, long-awaited "enough".
Here's the only thing I know how to do: I'm adding more "enough" to the list.
Enough excusing ourselves from big questions because they're difficult, or uncomfortable, or because we're afraid that our ideas won't matter.
First, enough pretending that being a thinker is something that can be left to academics. Enough shrugging our shoulders when asked about something important, something like justice, equality, identity, and saying things like "I dunno. Whatever." Enough excusing ourselves from big questions because they're difficult, or uncomfortable, or because we're afraid that our ideas won't matter.
If there's one thing that's become clear over the past few weeks, it's that the way we discuss questions about justice, equality and identity (and a whole lot of other important things) really does matter.
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It matters as much as cutting the grass, getting a haircut, watching TV, or the myriad of other things we spend time doing every day. It matters so, so much more than any of these things. Enough letting a day go by where it's not important to think about these things.
Enough allowing ourselves to think things like "Well, everyone's entitled to their own opinion." We can no longer put stock in just opinions. Our new currency has to be arguments -- reasonable, well-explained arguments. I'm not saying that there are concrete, clear-cut answers to difficult questions like these, but it should be pretty obvious from the events this week that some answers are better than others. Some answers clearly aren't working for us. Enough with the "anything goes" approach, and of being afraid to challenge what's already there.
Enough of not doing everything we can to encourage our children to ask these questions too. I'm not proposing that we sit them down in front of gory news footage or present them with vivid descriptions of recent events. We fuss over what our kids wear, what they eat, what they play with, how long they brush their teeth, but their reasoning skills, their ability to think critically, their insatiable drive to know "Why?" are often considered cute distractions, even annoyances.
Enough putting this on the back burner because, let's face it, we're not sure how to tackle these questions ourselves, as grown-ups. Yeah, parenting is hard, and awkward, and exhausting. If I'm going to finish the day completely spent, I'm okay with it being because of my kid's incessant questions. Enough assuming that these questions don't belong in their daily routine.
We've had a long time as a species to smarten up, and we haven't. In fact, we seem to be making an even bigger mess.
Enough assuming that I'm not part of the problem too. Yeah, if I turn over rocks, I'm going to find creepy stuff. While asking these really difficult questions about justice, equality, and violence, I'm probably going to find I've contributed, even if it's just in very small ways, without realizing it. But I can't fix something unless I know that it's broken.
Enough wishing and hoping that everything just fixes itself. We've had a long time as a species to smarten up, and we haven't. In fact, we seem to be making an even bigger mess. What's different about this particular moment in time is that technologically speaking, we now have the capability to share. Sometimes the sharing is of the bad news itself, the shock and the horror, the disbelief.
Maybe this in and of itself is a good thing, at least a catalyst for change. It's much more difficult to excuse one's self from difficult questions when there's video evidence that they need to be asked. Enough thinking we don't have a means to talk to one another about these things. Enough bemoaning social media or other mass communication for being vapid or unsubstantial. Let's actually learn to use them for something important. What's more, enough using these tools to be violent, unjust, or hateful.
Enough wishing and hoping that everything just fixes itself.
Here's my humble suggestion: once a day, after you've cruised Twitter or Facebook, after you've read the paper or watched TV and you're properly horrified by what's been happening, take a few minutes and formulate a question. Make it a big one, one that begins with "Why?" and one that doesn't have an immediate resolution. Think of an answer. Turn it over and over in your mind for a bit and see if you can find holes in it (you probably will, so don't be alarmed). Sometime later in the day, try another answer, and another, and another.
Then ask someone else the same question, and be patient and respectful when they give their answer. Patiently and respectfully turn their answer over and over, looking for weak spots, just as you did with yours. Repeat the process. A lot. Like, all the time. Share. Discuss. Listen. Respect. Keep going with all of this, knowing that even though you've had your fill of tragedy, when it comes to asking big, important questions, you will never reach "enough".
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ALSO ON HUFFPOST:
DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS via Getty Images Demonstrators from the Black Lives Matter movement march through the streets of central London on July 10, 2016, during a demonstration against the killing of black men by police in the US. Police arrested scores of people in demonstrations overnight Saturday to Sunday in several US cities, as racial tensions simmer over the killing of black men by police. / AFP / DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS (Photo credit should read DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images)
Alton Sterling. Shot dead by Police. Selling CDs. Caught on video. Another one.
Don't bother watching the gruesome video. You've seen it before... many times. There will be more.
A hi-res phone video camera is not the luxury item for black Americans that it is for other communities. Sadly, it's now a necessary tool of self defence. One of the nuances of being black in America.
Stop saying "All Lives Matter." Start proving it. Be a human being and not an arrogant, judgmental catch phrase.
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#AllLivesObviouslyDontMatter
#AllLivesObviouslyDontMatter
#AllLivesObviouslyDontMatter
Sandra Bland earned two university degrees and was heading to a job at a university when she was pulled over by police. She was found dead in her cell three days later. The officer responsible was indicted for perjury and was fired, but no one has gone to jail for this.
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#AllLivesObviouslyDontMatter
There's tons more...
A Guardian study reveals that in the U.S., one in 65 deaths of young black males is caused by being shot by police.
#AllLivesObviouslyDontMatter
In 2015, 41 per cent of people killed by police were black, despite making up only 20 per cent of the population in the cities the shootings occurred.
#AllLivesObviouslyDontMatter
When black people facing this type of brutality, which has gone on for centuries, speak out in protest, they're told to be patient. To be respectful, and told where and when they can protest... and how.
People who I never see post a single comment asking how the hell in 2016 the leading cause of death of young black males can be getting killed by police have tons to say to disparage the people who bring up this issue and demand change.
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Why can't you ask, "What if that was my child/father/brother/sister/friend?" Why is it so hard to have empathy for a 12-year-old black kid playing in a park, or a woman with two degrees going for her first big job? Or a poor young black man who's hustling selling CDs to look after his family, instead of begging on the streets?
If your 12-year-old son was playing in the park by himself with a toy gun and you saw video of a policeman shoot him and stand over him watching him die, and you spoke out against that injustice... what would you say if someone responded by saying All Lives Matter?
What ever happened to empathy? Be a human being.
I'm tired of wasting time and energy arguing with people who are more concerned with their convenience and comfort than with the fact that black Americans are standing in a pool of their own blood. I'm tired of explaining right and wrong to people who should have learned it in kindergarten.
I'm tired of people, who in the words of Martin Luther King, "... are more devoted to 'order' than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says 'I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action;' who paternalistically feels he can set the timetable for another man's freedom..."
Stop saying All Lives Matter until it's true.
By the way -- I'll save you some time. We will learn every sordid detail of this latest victim's life to justify why he deserved to die. There will be marching for two weeks, with counter-marching from the growing All Lives Matter movement, maybe even sprinkled in with a KKK presence and armed white supremacist "Patriot groups."
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The policemen will be exonerated by a carefully manipulated grand jury. And quietly, a year from now, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile's families will be paid $5 to $6.5 million (the going rate of these settlements, it seems) in taxpayers money in a civil settlement by the city while "not admitting any wrongdoing."
It's now a cost of doing business built into police budgets. It's normal.
Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
#AllLivesObviouslyDontMatter
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America has traditionally been referred to as a "melting pot," welcoming people from many different countries, races, and religions, all hoping to find freedom, new opportunities, and a better way of life. The term is often associated with the words seen on some American coins,"e pluribus unum," the Latin term for, "Out of many, one."
In fact, the term melting pot was popularized by American immigrant playwright Israel Zangwill. In 1908 he foresaw an America as a place where all races and ethnicities melted happily into a harmonious whole. In his view, the melting pot of immigrants and their descendants were discouraged from maintaining close ties with their countries and cultures of origin and, instead, were urged to adopt the American way of life.
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These days you don't hear a great deal of praise for the American melting pot. Perhaps it's because there is a growing realization amongst Americans that historically the melting pot was more virtual than real. A frank look at the evolution of the race relations across America's history throws the melting pot idea into question. It is legitimate to ask how a country where racial segregation was legal over much of the 20th Century can proudly describe itself as a melting pot. One wonders whether many enthusiastic supporters of the melting pot are suffering some form of amnesia.
These days you don't hear a great deal of praise for the American melting pot.
So attractive did the melting pot concept become to so many Americans that they successfully exported the myth north of the border where it was ultimately embraced by critics of multiculturalism in Canada. The latter often referred to the American melting pot as a model for our country to imitate. In light of America's continuing challenges in the area of race relations, the critics should be very cautious in insisting that America's incorporation of immigration and diversity as a good example.
Thankfully it has been a little over fifty years since the legalized segregation of African Americans has been abolished. There are nonetheless frequent reminders that too many young African Americans face powerful prejudice in the United States.
Those driving the melting pot rhetoric might argue that it refers to the immigrant experience and is therefore not about the American-born black population. That observation however makes illusory the melting pot objective of creating a harmonious whole. As regards immigrant acceptance in the American melting pot, the success of Donald Trump's campaign has also served as a reminder of the high levels of anxiety and hostility towards immigration and diversity. Then again, perhaps the melting pot theorists were thinking about melting white European and not Hispanic immigrants. Well, so much for the idea that the American model of diversity seeks to make one out the many.
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It's difficult to give credibility to misinformed critics that point south of the border to offer a better alternative.
In a thoughtful essay in a 2012 edition of the journal National Identities , northeastern University political science professor David Michael Smith notes that the success of the melting pot rhetoric is attributable to the concept's ambiguity. It simultaneously represents both uniformity in its end product and the presence of diversity which it must somehow incorporate. Smith observes that "...in the first instance, attention is focused on the creation of a 'new race'' or ''new compound' which is nonetheless homogeneous in character." It by virtue of this ambiguity that the concept it used across a spectrum of Americans that rally those who are favorable to immigration and those opposed to it.
Paradoxically, when it comes to describing cultural pluralism in the United States, the trend amongst several American thinkers is towards some variant on the idea of multiculturalism. For some time, the tired melting pot adage has been giving way to a depicting the country as a "salad bowl" with a mixture of various ingredients that keep their individual characteristics. Even the most ardent American proponents of the melting pot acknowledge that it is increasingly difficult to defend the idea.
Sure Canadian multiculturalism has historically and continues to confront a set of important challenges, but it's difficult to give credibility to misinformed critics that point south of the border to offer a better alternative.
Judging on what is apparent and leaving the hidden to Allah ~ al-Nawawi
Khawaja Siras is a cultural identity in that may be loosely translated as trans persons. In the aftermath of recent horrific violence faced by the khawaja siras in Pakistan, a group of Sunni clerics issued a fatwa (legal opinion) sanctioning their rights including that of marriage. However, by skirting dialogue with the khawaja siras community, the clerics may have failed to maximize their potential.
The fatwa forbids the humiliation of khawaja siras and allows them the rights of inheritance and burial in a Muslim cemetery. However, judging on apparent anatomy, the clerics restricted the right of marriage to those who could be subsumed to the binaries of male and female. They seem to have based their fatwa on the categories of sexual minorities found in the medieval legal manuals - the khuntha (intersex persons).
The khuntha are classified into two categories. The khuntha ghayr mushkil are those whose biological gender can be determined based on external predominate anatomical features. Pakistani clerics have allowed the marriage right to those khawaja siras who can be subsumed into this category. The khuntha mushkil are those whose biological gender is indeterminate based on anatomical features. Pakistani clerics have prescribed permanent celibacy to this group. Their reasoning often alludes to the tests of life or Allah's will.
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It is obvious from al-Nawawi's quote above that in taqlidi (imitation) style, Pakistani clerics remain consistent with the medieval legal manuals by judging solely on apparent attributes. The overwhelming majority of Pakistani clerics follow the Hanafi school of jurisprudence, which does not hold the marriage of the khuntha mushkil as valid. However, before condemning them to permanent celibacy, they can draw from the diversity that exists within the extant Sunni and the Shia schools of jurisprudence.
Despite the focus on the exterior, one valid opinion within the Hanbali school of jurisprudence, captured in the Kuwaiti Encyclopedia of Fiqh, actually emphasizes the hidden attributes as follows.
Hanbalis disagree on the issue of marriage. According to Hiraqi, the intersex persons are asked about themselves. If they say they are male and interested in women, they can marry a woman. If they say they are female and interested in men, they can marry a man. This is because only they can decide and no one other than them can decide in this matter. So, their word is accepted just as the word of a female is accepted when she says that she has having a menstruating period. The khuntha may know themselves according to their desires, that is, which of the two genders they desire.
Shia jurists like al-Yazdi hold similar opinions. According to my co-author Hussein Abdullatif, the jurists who allowed the khuntha mushkil to marry according to their inner disposition allowed them to do so based on the gender they were attracted to as opposed to the anatomy they found desirable.
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Such legal opinions make it clear that the khawaja siras should be consulted in the formulation of legal opinions on marriage for they alone are able to know their gender. This would, however, require the Pakistani clerics to forgo the emphasis on the apparent and instead base their fatwa on the hidden attributes.
This emphasis on the hidden attributes is bolstered in the fatwa on gender re-assignment surgery from the late Muhammad Sayyid Tantawi, grand Imam of Al Azhar in Egypt. Unlike the Pakistani clerics, Tantawi focused on khuntha nafsiyya (psychological intersexuality) and despite external anatomy emphasized the buried male or female nature of the individual. Likewise, Dr. Vardit Rispler-Chaim writes in her book Disability in Islamic Law, that in the determination of gender, psychological and emotional inclinations also need to be examined apart from external attributes.
However, Pakistani clerics seem concerned about "fake khawaja siras" undergoing nirvan (ceremonial operation) and having anal intercourse, which are both considered prohibited. If they had actually consulted with the khawaja siras, they would have found that neither concern is justified. Indeed consulting them is necessary as, according to Dr. Hashim Kamali at the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies, distinguishing between the various categories "may admittedly not be self-evident," and that "the fiqh (jurisprudence) tradition, too, has moved beyond simplistic categories."
Have Pakistani clerics wondered that nirvan is perhaps a form of gender reassignment surgery by those who cannot afford expensive medical procedures? While they may argue that tampering with Allah's creation is forbidden, it is also true that both Sunni and Shia scholars have allowed for gender reassignment surgeries.
Shia scholars like the late Sayyed Fadlallah base their opinion on the juristic principle that what is not expressly prohibited is in principle permissible. According to Rispler-Chaim, jurists like Ayatollah al-Khaminai have allowed the procedure for males who emotionally and sexually incline toward female behaviour or appearance. Sunni scholars like Tantawi have even obligated the procedure to reveal the hidden gender.
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The concern on anal intercourse is also unwarranted. The issue at hand is one of intimacy and not a particular sexual act. The following words of a khawaja sira shed light on the real concern at hand.
I often wonder, why I cannot get what I deserve. ... Everyone is aware of his or her sensitive feelings. ... Obviously, everyone wants their tender desires to be fulfilled by someone. If deep feelings do not get satisfied, how will that person feel? Isn't it a sad thing?
A contestant flips a calf in the tie-down roping event during the Calgary Stampede rodeo in Calgary, Alberta. (Photo: REUTERS/Todd Korol)
As our national public broadcaster, the CBC should presumably reflect modern Canadian values, but when it comes to its coverage of the Calgary Stampede, it chooses to ignore the values of the majority of Canadians who are opposed to rodeos.
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A 2015 survey by polling company Insights West found that 63 per cent of Canadians oppose the use of animals in rodeo. But CBC Sports, in its public pronouncements says, "The Calgary Stampede is a wonderful, entertaining and authentic Canadian tradition that has special meaning for millions across the country."
But what about the millions more who disagree with what happens to animals in rodeos? Clearly, their opposition stems from ethical concerns about animal welfare, an important social value. It seems those concerns don't count for much when pitted against a minority of enthusiastic rodeo viewers. (The CBC has also ignored a online petition signed by more than 20,000 people urging the corporation to stop its rodeo broadcasts.)
When it comes to ethically indefensible uses of animals, rodeo is near the top of the list.
The CBC and the Stampede defend the rodeo on the basis of tradition, but in fact, there is very little about the Stampede's rodeo that is "authentic" or even Canadian when it comes to our western heritage. The Stampede's founder, Guy Weadick, was an American vaudeville and Wild West show performer. He invented the chuckwagon race for the Stampede in 1923. Real cowboys of the Old West did not race chuckwagons. Nor did they ride bulls (why would they?) or wrestle steers. Steer-wrestling was originated in the 1930s by yet another American Wild West show entertainer.
But it's not the Stampede's myth-making (abetted by the CBC) that animal advocates and so many Canadians object to. It's the brutalization of animals for the sake of human amusement.
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Rodeos subject animals to fear, stress and pain just to entertain a crowd. Three-month-old calves running at high speed are roped to a sudden halt, picked up, thrown to the ground and tied up. Steers have their necks twisted until they fall to the ground or are roped by the horns and hind legs, often stretching the animal off its feet. Horses and bulls are tormented by a "flank strap" tied around their hindquarters, which is tightened to make them buck. When it comes to ethically indefensible uses of animals, rodeo is near the top of the list.
Calf-roping at the Calgary Stampede (Photo: Jo-Anne McArthur)
Not only are the majority of Canadians opposed to all this, so are virtually all animal welfare agencies, including the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies and the national SPCAs of the United States, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. These are the organizations entrusted with preventing cruelty to animals, yet their views are apparently meaningless to the CBC.
By ignoring these views and the concerns of millions of Canadians, CBC is contravening its own program policy, which states:
"In any situation where a significant segment of the audience might reasonably be expected to be disturbed or offended for any reason by an element of program content, program personnel responsible must take appropriate pre-broadcast steps to remove or reduce such risk."
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Yet CBC's rodeo coverage is broadcast live in the middle of the day with no warning to viewers about the nature of the content.
The CBC has defended its promotion of the Stampede (in a letter to the Vancouver Humane Society), arguing that it is "popular with millions of Canadians." But popularity is not a measure of morality.
Historically, sensational events from medieval bull-baiting to 19th century freak shows have always drawn crowds. In 1906, a New York zoo put an African tribesman on public display. A crowd of 40,000 people lined up to see him. Would such events be morally defensible now? No, because civilized, ethical voices argued against them and ultimately shifted public opinion.
Public attitudes on morality do change over time -- but only when they are informed by cultural institutions willing to scrutinize and confront the societal norms of the day. The CBC, as one of Canada's most important public institutions, should be doing exactly that.
Instead, the corporation is acting as the Calgary Stampede's public relations agency and unthinking cheerleader. It needs to develop a corporate conscience, stop pandering to rodeo fans and start addressing the legitimate concerns of compassionate Canadians. It needs to stop broadcasting animal cruelty.
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dc1975 via Getty Images brexit and eu flag on a pc keyboard
Brexit has rattled the economic, political and social landscape of not only the European Union but also the whole world. Its effects are expected to vibrate throughout the world, including North America. The reasons and consequences of Brexit can be classified as political, social and economic. While discussing the political and social aspects, this article will mainly explore the economic reasons and consequences of Brexit.
The European Union led to harmonized political decisions across the EU countries and, possibly, less independence for individual member countries to enact political decisions contrary to EU policies. This may have fuelled the rise of pro-Brexit voices.
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At the social level, free movement of people within the EU led to many EU citizens to move to the U.K. Combined with immigration from non-EU countries, this may have led to U.K. citizens consider immigration less favourably, leading to rise of pro-Brexit voices.
The economic reason behind Brexit is unregulated globalization which led to increased inequality in the U.K. Like other developed countries, automation and outsourcing have led to increased unemployment among low income and middle-class workers in the U.K. Also, migration from EU countries put downward pressure on wages of low-income workers. Increased income inequality, fewer jobs for low income and middle-class workers, and downward pressure on wages of low-income workers were the economic triggers of Brexit.
Various analysis have shown that Brexit will adversely affect Britain's economy. According to the Centre for Economic Performance, LSE, Britain's economy will decrease by 1.3 per cent to 2.6 per cent without considering foreign investment, migration and reduced trade. When the long-run effects of Brexit on productivity are considered, the decline in income is forecast to be between 6.3 per cent and 9.5 per cent. PwC estimates that the decrease will be between 3.0 to 5.5 per cent in 2020. Also, Oxford Economics predicts that it will decrease by 0.1 per cent to 3.9 per cent.
Again, analysis by HM Treasury yielded that Brexit will be harmful for the U.K. economy. OECD finds similar predictions for both the near term and long term.
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As 44 per cent of Britain's exports go to the EU and only eight per cent of EU exports go to Britain, this shows the importance of EU trade to Britain's economy. All analysis of Brexit have predicted that it will be harmful for the UK economy. While the U.K. can implement trade deals with individual EU countries, it would certainly take some time to negotiate and implement these trade deals.
Brexit is forecast to affect the EU economy and reverberate across the whole world. It is predicted that it will negatively affect both Canada and the U.S. Even though the U.K. consists of only three per cent of Canada's exports, Brexit could adversely affect U.K.'s foreign direct investment to Canada while Canadian companies may be more cautious while investing in the U.K.
The more adverse effect is the uncertainty that Brexit will add to the world economy. The uncertainty and the resultant business pessimism and low confidence could lower everything from investment and consumption, leading to decreased economic performance of countries. The Chief Economist of OECD has predicted that 0.25 per cent of Canada's GDP could be adversely affected by Brexit by 2018.
Again, the U.K. consists of 3.1 per cent of U.S. total trade. Therefore, the direct effect of Brexit on the US economy may not be that significant. However, the uncertainty in the world economy that Brexit may bring can increase the adverse effects on the world's largest economy. TD Bank predicts that Brexit could reduce Canada and U.S. growth rates by 0.5 per cent to 1.0 per cent in the second half of 2016.
It seems that the country forecast to be most adversely affected by Brexit is the U.K. itself. Brexit could lead to lower level of GDP and GDP growth, decline in standard of living and loss of jobs in the U.K. It could have a negative effect on London's position as a financial capital of the world as many financial institutions may move out of the U.K. due to Brexit, which would adversely affect the U.K. economy and employment situation. Foreign direct investment in the U.K. may decrease as many foreign companies invested in the U.K. to access the EU market. Without unlimited access to EU markets, FDI in the U.K. could be adversely affected.
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Brexit has indicated the limits of globalization and the effects of unhindered globalization. Globalization and being part of the EU benefited the U.K. significantly in terms of high level of GDP and helping London to position itself as a financial center of the world. However, it also lead to increased income inequality among the British population as globalization mostly benefited high-income groups while the middle-class and low-income people did not benefit from it.
Increase in real estate prices in London made it difficult for middle-class Londoners to purchase real estate in London. The low-income group of the society and people with low education and skills were adversely affected due to increased globalization and free migration of EU citizens to the U.K. While the U.K. economy prospered and London cemented its position as a financial capital, the middle class and the low-income groups, in particular, struggled.
Brexit demonstrated the perils of unhindered globalization. It demonstrates the need for globalization to be inclusive so that it benefits all segments of the population, particularly people in the low-income group, and people with low levels of education and skills. The introduction of guaranteed minimum income, increased opportunities for skills development and incentives for companies to hire locally would improve the economic conditions of the low-income and middle-class population. Only when the fruits of globalization are enjoyed by all segments of the society, especially the low-income and middle-class, would globalization be more acceptable politically and socially by broad segments of the population.
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Volunteers sort through clothing donations for Syrian refugees who are expected to arrive in Canada within the next month. (Photo: REUTERS/Ben Nelms)
A recent New York Timesarticle presents a mostly glowing picture of Canada's reception of Syrian refugees. It highlights the extraordinary hospitality of Canadian refugee sponsors, noting that "the Canadian government can barely keep up with the demand" to welcome new Syrian families.
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Canadians' welcome of Syrian refugees, and the Vietnamese before them, is emblematic of our culture. Across our diverse country, we are united by an incredibly strong belief in volunteerism and mutual aid. Response to the New York Times article was alternately one of pride (from Canadians) and envy (from non-Canadians).
Mixed Reviews of Canada's Treatment of Refugees
The Times article was almost overwhelmingly positive. A recent statement from Senator Jim Munson, chair of the Senate Human Rights Committee, offers a less glowing appraisal of the situation faced by Syrian and other refugees in Canada. Senator Munson notes that "fine words and open arms... are not sufficient to address the very real and very urgent problems that lie ahead" for new refugees, and points to a pressing need for mental health services, fast-tracking of child benefits and increased funding for language training programs.
Senator Munson's statement brings attention to the gap between the intensive mutual aid offered by individual Canadians and the confusing, bureaucratic and often penny-pinching supports provided by governments. Nowhere is this more evident than in the income benefits offered by provincial welfare programs.
Starting Off in Poverty
John McCallum, the federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, has said that he has to "work very hard not to treat refugees better than we treat Canadians." This means that refugees -- particularly those sponsored by the federal government rather than private citizens -- have to make do with provincial social assistance benefits that are far below any reasonable measure of poverty.
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As Canadians have been doing for more than three decades, refugees from Syria and many other countries turn to our nation's food banks, because government supports for the most vulnerable don't even provide enough money to cover the most basic necessities. That fact that (as Minister McCallum has noted) "many Canadians who have tight budgets use food banks" is being treated as normal -- as if not having enough food to eat is par for the course. When did this become acceptable?
A Patchwork System
The kindness of Canadian strangers -- in refugee sponsor groups, in food banks and in many other capacities -- is heartwarming and laudable. It is also imperfect and, unfortunately, unequally distributed. Some refugees will land in better circumstances than others; similarly, while Canadians have donated generously to immigrant settlement organizations in response to the Syrian influx, other necessary services that rely on public support languish. This patchwork effect is the unavoidable result of our overreliance on the voluntary sector.
Only governments have the capacity to offer equitable levels of service regardless of one's location or circumstance. Our response to Syrian refugees is just one example of how the voluntary sector -- partially and imperfectly -- is filling the gaps left by governments.
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Riccardo Lennart Niels Mayer via Getty Images
This autumn, the world will mark the first anniversary of the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development -- a set of 17 commitments which world leaders signed last September to eradicate poverty in all its forms by 2030.
Global Goal 6 commits the global community to reaching everyone, everywhere with access to clean water and basic toilets by 2030, leaving no one behind.
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But fourteen years isn't much time, and getting off to the right start matters. If we're to end extreme poverty, the important groundwork must begin now, and that requires efforts from everyone including national governments, service providers and the private sector.
That's why WaterAid is delighted to announce a five-year strategic partnership with Diageo. This new partnership builds on support Diageo has given WaterAid over the last 15 years to help reach some of the world's most marginalised communities with access to water, sanitation and hygiene services.
As a global drinks company, Diageo understands that water is an essential resource, and its careful management and conservation is a top priority. Through this partnership we can use our collective influence to advocate and promote access equitable, inclusive and sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services; empowering and investing in the communities in which Diageo works, and by amplifying the calls for change.
Access to water and sanitation are human rights, but hundreds of millions in our world are deprived of these most basic of life's necessities. Some 650 million people do not have access to clean water, and 2.3 billion do not have access to decent toilets.
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Ending this crisis will mean saving the lives of the 315,000 children under five each year who die as a result of diarrhoeal illness. And it means helping many millions of other children to reach their potential. Some 159 million children in the world have had their growth and development stunted from malnutrition, at least half of that linked to chronic diarrhoea and worm infestations -- depriving their communities and countries of a new generation of great thinkers, athletes, entrepreneurs and leaders.
There is a moral imperative to end this crisis. It's also an economically sound investment.
For every 1 invested in water and sanitation, at least 4 is returned in increased productivity. These basic essentials increase employee wellbeing and help address workforce absenteeism. Communities become more prosperous, and less consumed with basic day-to-day survival.
I've seen first-hand the difference this makes. When women and children no longer have to spend hours collecting water, or are no longer constantly ill from dirty water and a lack of good sanitation and hygiene, they can go to school or set up their own businesses. In the long run this contributes to economic growth and productivity, as well as to health and well-being.
60-year-old Jesca Mugala has lived without access to clean, safe water in Kangalaba village in Uganda her entire life. Every day since she was a child, she has walked to collect water from an open spring about three kilometres from her home. Over her lifetime, she has walked the equivalent of nearly three times around the Earth, just to get water.
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Jessica Mugala - Water User Committee chairperson, Kangalaba Village, Uganda. Credit: WaterAid/ James Kiyimba
The effort and time spent on collecting this vital resource left her little time to do anything else. But that changed in 2014 when a borehole was installed in her community. Since then the village has prospered and women like Jesca have seized new opportunities. She's now the chairperson of the Water Users committee, which manages the new water points, which she is extremely proud of.
Partnerships such as this one with Diageo will make long walks for water a thing of the past for more women in more villages across the globe, and enable more women like Jesca to prosper. It will also help girls finish their education, through safe toilets and running water in their schools which help them to manage their periods with dignity.
But there are many such villages still to reach, and we can't reach everyone, everywhere on our own. Our partnerships are key to magnifying our voice as well as our reach, to help influence the decision-makers to make change happen.
It's in everyone's interest to address the global water and sanitation crisis. Diageo has raised more than 1 million for WaterAid's work in the last five years, helping us reach more than 141,500 people with access to safe water, and 152,700 people with access to a decent toilet. We have just started a new project together in Bauchi State in Nigeria which will provide access to safe water, improved sanitation and hygiene for over 10,000 people.
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CARSON CITY Nevada Attorney General Adam Paul Laxalt announced Tuesday that Wade Fordin, 53, of Elko County, was arrested on one count of exploitation of an older person and one count of theft, both category B felonies.
He was booked Monday into Elko County Jail with bail set at $70,000.
The alleged crimes were committed between February 2012 and November 2013.
According to the criminal complaint, Fordin was appointed as the permanent guardian of his 80-year-old mother Helen Mae Fordin and her estate, after it was determined that she was unable to care for herself. As a guardian, Fordin was entrusted funds for the limited purpose of providing for her care. However, Fordin subsequently converted more than $6,000 of her funds for his own personal use.
The State of Nevada v. Fordin criminal complaint follows the Attorney Generals Offices first ever guardianship abuse conviction in State of Nevada v. Wendy Rudder. The defendant in that case, providing public guardian services pursuant to a contract with Lincoln County, pleaded guilty to one count of misconduct of a public officer related to unauthorized withdrawals from a wards guardianship account. Defendant Rudder was sentenced in the spring of 2015.
Working on ways to protect the most vulnerable are a priority for me, said Laxalt. These prosecutions are firsts for the Attorney Generals Office and are added to the first ever human trafficking conviction and illegal Internet gaming operator conviction my prosecutors obtained last year. I look forward to achieving future firsts and continued convictions with this hardworking team.
Laxalt said the Fordin case was referred to his office from Elko County during his third Law Enforcement Summit in February, and demonstrates the importance of collaborative efforts with law enforcement.
My prosecutors will continue to partner with local law enforcement and district attorneys to deter the exploitation of vulnerable populations, and to ensure our elderly are treated with respect and dignity-- not victimized.
This latest arrest comes only a week after the Nevada Legislatures Interim Finance Committee unanimously approved Laxalts request to combat increasing financial fraud within the State using non-taxpayer settlement funds awarded to his Office.
The request includes the allocation of more than $400,000 of non-taxpayer settlement funds to the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada in order to boost their capacity to fight civil guardianship exploitation and abuse.
Having just resigned as Prime Minister, David Cameron strolled back into Downing Street on Tuesday humming himself a little tune--a tune not unremarkably different to that of The West Wing. 'Good one, Dave. Thanks for taking your elected office so seriously...' thought people, everywhere, as he sang his way over the threshhold. And while we are at it, have a gold star for opening the floodgates to a torrent of xenophobic, idiotic and jingoistic bilge water, and only half heartedly trying to mop it up. No really, cheers for that.
So jubilant, seemed Dave, as he skipped back into No. 10, that you'd think this was all part of his retirement plan. After all, all things considered, things are going swimmingly for him. He's just dodged two years of frankly filthy political turmoil (soon to splatter the pristine blouse of his right honourable friend); he can still sort of sleep at night, having convinced himself that he's 'done his bit' as the exceedingly blunt spearhead of the remain campaign; and, most importantly, now he and SamCam can go to Lanzarote whenever they darn well please, without the bloody media lecturing him on his priorities.
"Right." He exclaimed decisively after his resignation, the sort of remark one might make before they tackle a particularly penetrative stain on the living room carpet, embark upon a dull and long-neglected tax return, or clean out the complex matrix of their son's hamster cage. "Right" is the prologue to getting a job done. This is not what you say before you totally abandon ship, as it hurtles relentlessly towards a monumental political iceberg. "Sorry guys, and good f**king luck." That would have been more appropriate.
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I have feeling that a transcript of the last month in Whitehall would read rather frighteningly like a script of The Thick of It. However, this all becomes remarkably less funny when it is: a) real and, b) bereft of Malcolm Tucker.
'Ah, but he made a real go at it,' his ardent supporters will sigh. They may mention his impassioned support of the leave campaign, when Dave travelled around dreary old England on a bus with George, his friend from school, both of them teary eyed at the thought of a life outside of Europe.
But these folks have of course forgotten something rather crucial. Had Dave not chosen to put 'Must be Prime Minister again' bang at the top of his list of New Year's resolutions ('do what's best for the people I'm supposed to be serving' was a sorry number seven, and 'don't bank offshore' didn't feature, if you were interested), there would have been no need for a campaign of any kind. Sure, Nigel and the People's Army--which confusingly excluded most people--gathered the kindling. But it was good old Dave that lit the fire. Perhaps he was distracted by the thought of finally getting his hands on that hedge fund.
Yet all hope is not lost! We have a new Prime Minister, and a female prime minister at that, as we are sure to be reminded of at steady intervals each day. Sturdy Theresa May, serious Theresa May, experienced Theresa May--does what it says on the tin.
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Sounds great, but all that stuff she mentioned about building "One Nation" conservatism--so conservatism for everyone as opposed to just big fat bankers--seems a little fishy after perusing her track record. One Nation Theresa voted against controls on rent in the private sector, against building 100,000 new affordable homes, and against reforms to banking (turns out she's rather keen on big fat bankers, and their bonuses).
In fairness, she has voted continually to raise VAT whilst vehemently combatting almost all other proposed tax hikes on the wealthy, and has been pretty reluctant to do anything to curb the rampant rise of energy prices.
Oh, Wait.
In a post EU referendum world, as we face one of the most serious constitutional crises the UK has ever faced, the product of a self-inflicted act of vandalism, it is dispiriting to say the least to see the leaders on both sides of the referendum debate - Johnson, Farage, Gove, Corbyn - seemingly put themselves and their own career interests first. But just as we thought our faith in our political class could not be damaged any further, we saw the unedifying performance last week of Tony Blair and his supporters responding to Chilcot in the only way they know how: with message management and spin.
Look out in the coming days and weeks for what that message is: Prime Ministers must make 'difficult decisions', that the rest of us cannot understand, that they are beset with pressures that give them insights into decisions that are beyond the rest of us, and on which they bring to bear their judgement and faith. Alastair Campbell, Ben Bradshaw, Charles Falconer, and many other Blairites have taken to the airwaves to defend Mr Blair on this front. Mr Blair himself still maintained that this 'difficult decision' was the correct one, despite the carnage in the Middle East that has resulted from it, and maintains that he made this decision based on his supposedly skilled political judgement and good faith.
But let us think about what exactly this means. If political leaders are to claim that they are confronted with decisions that are difficult, pressurised to the extent that they are often matters of life and death, then fine. We can accept that, and indeed, most of us welcome that it is they that have to take the decisions and not us - a crucial trade off in representative democracy. However, the flip side of this is that if we elect and entrust our political leaders to make these decisions on our behalf, and provide them with good remuneration and prestige in doing so, then they have to commit themselves 100 per cent to getting those decisions right. On this front, as Chilcot shows, Mr Blair got it so badly wrong that were he in any other industry other than public office, he would be now facing charges of criminal negligence.
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Part of the exchange of representative democracy is that our leaders are asked to make decisions that best suit the majority of the population who have elected them. In this, a Prime Minister must ensure that he or she is carrying out to the best of their abilities the will of the electorate, balanced by their own insights into what best serves that same electorate.
Endowed with such grand responsibilities, they must ensure that in every decision they make - especially so in the most consequential of decisions - that they have examined in as full and as objective a manner as possible all of the possible contributing factors to and potential outcomes of that decision. However, as we now know, in July 2002, eight months before the invasion of Iraq, Mr Blair wrote to President Bush and told him 'I will be with you, whatever'.
That is to say, long before the evidence had been fully examined, long before the UN weapons inspectors had filed their report on the existence of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), long before Mr Blair had discussed it with his Cabinet, long before the UN had discussed the collective international position on Iraq, and long before Mr Blair had taken the issue to the rest of the elected representatives of the UK in the House of Commons, he had already made his decision that he would follow the United States into war with Iraq. The consequences of this cannot be overstated: this meant that every piece of intelligence that came before Mr Blair, every argument for or against the invasion of Iraq, every protest or plea not to invade, every cry to deal with terrorism post 9/11, would be made to fit a decision Mr Blair had already taken.
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Even earlier, in December of 2001, Mr Blair had discussed the idea of regime change in Iraq with President Bush, as Chilcot also revealed yesterday. That is, long before even the drumbeat of war in Iraq had begun, long before the entire narrative around WMDs in Iraq had developed, long before dossiers claiming that Saddam was a threat to the West and could attack in 45 minutes, Mr Blair was already thinking of regime change, whether Saddam was in reality a threat or not.
Taken together, these are the two central decisions that Mr Blair took that led us to the war in Iraq, a war that has cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians in Iraq, and destroyed the lives of hundreds of British families who lost loved ones. However, these are not the 'difficult' decisions as defined in the Blairite message management of this week. The genuinely difficult approach to all of this would have been to sit down and examine all of these things, resisting making a decision before all of this was done, and then using one's judgement and faith informed by the evidence. Sadly, Mr Blair did not do this. Chilcot has proven that he got the decision badly, badly wrong as a result.
The result of the Brexit referendum on EU membership has no binding force in law. This was the main point made in an open letter to David Cameron signed by 1054 barristers on 9 July 2016. This is undoubtedly correct. But the rest of the letter, and especially the part that proposes "a way forward", reads like a joke.
Purely Advisory
Let's start with the good part of the letter, which claims that the referendum result is not legally binding but is purely advisory. Quite right. This is based on a fundamental principle of the British Constitution: the sovereignty of Parliament - which, however, the letter doesn't even mention!
Delegation of Power
But, as Parliament is sovereign, can't Parliament delegate powers to other bodies? Yes, it can. So, can Parliament delegate power to the electorate to decide an issue by means of a referendum? Yes, it can. The trouble is that Parliament can only delegate power by passing legislation to that effect - and no such legislation was passed in regard to the Brexit referendum. The legislation arranging the referendum, called the European Referendum Act 2015, goes into a huge amount of detail about all sorts of technical matters, but there is nothing at all about the legal status of the referendum result nor any indication of what would happen in the event of a Brexit vote.
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The 1975 EC Referendum
The UK joined the European Community (EC) without a referendum in 1973. Harold Wilson's Labour Government held a referendum in 1975 on whether the country should remain in the EC or leave - the same question as in this year's referendum. But, unlike now, the Wilson Government made it clear that, though the referendum result did not bind Parliament, the Government would honour it, which of course they did.
Wrong End of Stick
The 1054 barristers' letter gets hold of the wrong end of the stick. Instead of basing the advisory nature of the referendum on the bedrock constitutional principle of Parliamentary sovereignty - which is the true basis for it -- the 1054 barristers' letter links this status to the absence of a threshold to leave the EU. It is true that setting a threshold can be a useful device, but it's strictly irrelevant to legal status.
Threshold
The 1979 Scottish and Welsh devolution referendums did have a threshold. Legislation was passed before the referendum introducing devolution. There was a stipulation that for devolution to occur, those voting Yes had to amount not only to at least 50% of those voting but also at least 40% of those entitled to vote. In the Scottish referendum there was a 51.6% Yes vote, which however represented only 32.9% of registered voters. So the legislation introducing devolution had to be repealed. Devolution came only in 1997, this time with a pre-legislative referendum without a threshold.
Royal Commission
The 1054 barristers' letter "proposes that the Government establishes, as a matter of urgency, a Royal Commission or an equivalent independent body to receive evidence and report, within a short, fixed timescale, on the benefits, costs and risks of triggering Article 50 to the UK as a whole, and to all of its constituent populations". The letter proposes that there should then be a free vote in Parliament --- after the" commission" has reported.
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Joke?
Is this a joke? Instead of delegating power to the people, what this proposal amounts to is delegating it to a faceless "commission". Secondly, the alternatives identified by the "commission" will not all be automatically available. And they will need years of negotiation. Even the extremely limited agreement between the EU and Canada took seven years to negotiate - and is still not in force! How long, in any event, will it take for the "commission" to produce its report, even on "a short, fixed timescale"? Royal commissions and the like normally take at least four years to report - and the Chilcot report on the Iraq War took seven years.
Practical Solution
Tel Aviv is truly a city that never stops. With 14 kilometers of Mediterranean beachfront, promenades, sandy beaches, numerous cafes and restaurants, fancy hotels, trendy nightclubs, and endless blue horizons, Tel Aviv is a must-see destination on any visitor's Israel itinerary.
The city has been recognized by travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler as one of the best food cities in the world as well as offering a cuisine suitable for the most discerning vegetarians. Tel Aviv has frequently been mentioned as one of the most gay-friendly travel destinations with its gay beaches and huge annual Pride Parade. But the city's best kept secret is its colorful open air market.
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The Carmel Market (Shuk Hacarmel) runs from Magen David Square at the intersection of Allenby, King George and Sheinkin Streets to the Carmelit bus terminal in south Tel Aviv. On its central street you can purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, spices and pickled goods, boutique cheeses and beers, meat and fish, freshly baked bread and pastries, halva and candy, coffee, dry food and other groceries, household accessories, low-priced clothing, paper goods, music, flowers, souvenirs, and much more. The loud cries of the vendors vying for customers' attention make the visit a multi-sensory experience. The market is particularly crowded on Fridays when shoppers are stocking up for Shabbat.
Before exploring the Carmel Market, it's good to know a little bit of the market's history. Tel Aviv is a relatively new city, established in 1909 in the sand dunes outside the much older Yafo (Jaffa). Yafo was mentioned in the Bible and was ruled by the Canaanites and Phoenicians before being conquered by King David and King Solomon. Alexander the Great and the Romans stationed troops in the port city, and it was conquered by the Arabs, the Crusaders, the Ottomans, and Napoleon. Theodor Herzl arrived at Yafo port on his visit to the Holy Land.
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Jews first moved out of Yafo and set up their own neighborhood of Neve Tsedek in 1887. Twenty-two years later, in 1909, 66 families created Ahuzat Bayit, the first neighborhood of the new city of Tel Aviv. The first five streets of the Jewish city are still well known today: Herzl, Ahad Ha'am, Lilienblum, Rothschild, and Yehuda Halevy.
Following riots in 1921, most Jews left Yafo for good to move to Tel Aviv and the establishment of the Carmel Market, as well as the market on Levinsky Street, followed. Tel Aviv and Yafo were joined together as a single municipality in 1950. Yafo is today a mixed city, with Jewish, Muslim, and Christian residents. Its port, art galleries, flea market and iconic Clock Tower are popular attractions.
Located in the streets adjacent to the Carmel Market is the colorful Yemenite Quarter. Kerem Hateimanim, literally the Yemenite Vineyard, was set up as a "road stop" on the way from Yafo across the dunes to the Jewish Trumpledor cemetery following a cholera epidemic in 1902. Its original inhabitants were Jews who had come to Israel from Yemen in the late 1800s. They were later joined by the mass immigration of Yemenite Jews to Israel following the establishment of the State.
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Once one of the city's poorest areas, Kerem Hateimanim is today enjoying a real estate boom. The quarter's picturesque streets are home to tasty Yemenite restaurants serving jahnun, malawach, hilba, semna and a spongy Yemenite bread called lachuch.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
On Monday I asked an Urgent Question in the House of Commons. That means that the Speaker decided the issue I wanted to raise was important enough to summon a Minister to the House to give an explanation.
I asked whether the government will give Parliament the chance to vote on the triggering of Article 50 - the mechanism to begin Brexit.
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Unfortunately, the Minister for the Cabinet Office wasn't able to give me a proper answer.
It might seem like a dry topic, but in fact, whether or not Parliament has a vote on triggering Article 50 has huge implications for the power and sovereignty Brexiters claimed leaving the EU would return to the UK, and for our future relationship with the world.
The EU Referendum resulted in a majority for leaving the EU. The process for achieving this is set out in Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. This article states that:
Any Member State may decide to withdraw from the Union in accordance with its own constitutional requirements.
So the question is, what are our constitutional requirement? Oliver Letwin, in charge of Whitehall's new Brexit unit, told the Foreign Affairs Committee last Tuesday that his advice was that A50 could be invoked under the Royal Prerogative without parliamentary approval and he's using taxpayers' money to defend a case in court to keep it this way! I sit on the Treasury Select Committee, and on the same day, constitutional lawyers gave evidence to us saying that legislation is required.
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However, the issue is not what the government must to do, it is what the government ought to do.
The importance of parliamentary approval before A50 is triggered and negotiations begin is clear. Famously, there is no Brexit Plan. There are multiple options for our negotiating objectives, with very important and far-reaching significance. These include such issues as citizenship rights and immigration law (whether we change free movement); employment and social rights; all law relating to agriculture, consumer protection, environment and financial services; trading relations with EU countries (whether we access the single market) and third countries. All of these have important Scottish and Northern Irish implications. Without legislation to invoke A50, Parliament will not be able to influence let alone agree the negotiating approach.
The UK is a parliamentary democracy. Without a vote, we are handing over huge powers to the executive (the government) without a say on how they will be used. This isn't about blocking a Brexit vote, it's about making sure we have transparency and a democratic say over how we go forward in the best interests of the country.
Neil Hall / Reuters
So that's it then. A leadership race that was forecasted to last almost three months has come to an end less than two weeks after it commenced with the result most people could see coming. That is not to say that it was entirely predictable though, far from it, in fact it was a contest characterised by the eccentric unpredictability of the candidates; self-imploding one after the other. Fitting then that it was Theresa May, inherently pragmatic, who came out on top in the end.
Liam Fox was the first of these to fall. Puzzling why he even bothered to stand really given the past controversies which have typified his time in parliament; namely being the worst exploiter of expenses hitherto the Telegraph's investigation, and the allegations that he allowed friend and lobbyist Adam Werrity access to the Ministry of Defence during his stint in cabinet. Suitably he only got 16 nominations and was eliminated without much of a fuss.
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Next to go, and by his own accord, was Stephen Crabb, a man of questionably high ambitions and seemingly even more questionable morals judging by revelations in the past few days. A devout Christian, Crabb voted against both same-sex marriage in 2013 and anti-discrimination laws designed to help protect gay people in 2007 whilst retaining links to CARE, an organisation which has in the past advocated gay-cure therapy. Funny then that over the weekend he was revealed sending lewd WhatsApp messages to a 'female friend'.
Michael Gove was the final candidate to fall before the final leadership decision was to be handed over to party members. No surprise really. Gove an already divisive figure well and truly pushed the self-destruct button before nominations had even begun by stabbing Boris Johnson so publicly in the back. The only reason his stock was on the rise in the first place was due to his association with Johnson and the Brexit campaign, so to then effectively betray the cause was clearly not a good decision. Obviously that was not so evident to the Justice Secretary and that in itself is not a sign of a good PM.
This left Theresa May competing with Andrea Leadsom for Number 10. Some achievement for Leadsom considering she only entered Parliament six years ago and has never held a cabinet position, but to a certain extent this was part of her appeal. She is a fresh face and unlike many at the top of politics she has held jobs outside Westminster. However, as is the intrinsic nature of being in the public eye, details of her private life and past statements crawled out of the woodwork to curtail her credentials.
This included, dubious tax arrangements, views on maternity leave and the minimum wage, and a prior assertion that leaving the EU would damage the nation's economy - a concept she very much refuted during the EU Referendum campaign. The final straw was claims made in an interview with the Times that she had a 'higher stake' in the nation than Theresa May because, unlike her opponent, she had children, something which she was wildly criticised for. It was also revealed in the same article that she doesn't consider herself to be a feminist as she is not 'anti-men', an opinion which surely deserves to have received more publicity than it has.
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Leadsom could arguably still have competed with May, and quite possibly won but nevertheless she has decided to take herself out of the fray resulting in an effective coronation for the Home Secretary. There can be little doubt that this result is the best for the country. While her rivals have all conspired to essentially self-destruct, that was never going to be the case for the favourite; she is one of the most circumspect, cautious figures in government and is well known for working until the small hours scouring through Home Office papers with forensic detail.
More important than this though is the unquestionable fact that she was the one true unity candidate in the race. There is an almighty schism right through the centre of the Conservative party at the moment and there is no doubt that this needs to be closed; something unlikely to be achieved with a vehement Brexiteer at the helm. May, a soft Remainer though, is the perfect person to do this.
Germany is finally catching up with more just standards on laws relating to rape. On Thursday, the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, passed a new sexual violence law, based on the premise that 'No Means No' - allowing, for the first time, for a victim not to have to actively fight back their attacker. The upper house, the Bundesrat, still has to vote, but it is likely to be enacted in the next few months.
Commentators had posed the question as to whether a victim under the previous definition needed to be killed or severely beaten to prove they did not consent to rape. This very narrow definition was among the reasons why there is a high level of impunity for rape in Germany.
According to reports, the revised legislation is also said to classify groping as a sex crime for the first time, punishable by a fine or a two-year prison sentence. It also includes provisions on when a victim is taken by surprise, intimidated or threatened.
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The central European country has had a turbulent past with enacting and enforcing laws which ensure equal rights for women. In 1997, following 25 years of sustained efforts by local organisations, it was one of the last countries in Western Europe to outlaw rape within marriage.
Discussion around the New Year's Eve attacks in Cologne seems to have been a wake-up call for Germany, although women's groups had long been pressing the domestic issue and the new legislation has been under discussion for some time. Previous opposition to the bill has been relaxed, while attitudes to sexual violence have changed. Most Germans now want legal change on this issue. There appears to have been a paradigm shift on how both the general public and parliamentarians view rape, but the government needs to collaborate with specialist groups to ensure the law, and its enforcement, is unequivocal.
Regional pressure has also increased on Germany to update its restrictive law. In 2011, it signed the lstanbul Convention, the Council of Europe's roadmap on preventing and combating violence against women. In late 2014 the Convention came into force, although Germany - like the United Kingdom and many others - has yet to ratify it.
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This reflects global estimates from the United Nations, which suggests that 35% of women worldwide have experienced either physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives. The country has had a female head of state since 2005 and female political participation in Germany is at 36% according to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap report from 2015. While this means that a majority of men are still legislating for both men and women, it would be interesting to see if this closer balance of representation had any effect on the change in the law.
Germany also has some of the worst laws in the world relating to the sex trade. The legalisation of pimping, brothel-keeping and buying sex in 2002 has been a failed experiment and has led to an enormous expansion of the industry, with over 400,000 people now selling sex to over 1.2 million men each day.
Equality Now has worked on fixing sexist laws around the world for almost 25 years. We have seen how attitudes within governments and within broader society can influence the passage of good laws, which protect and promote the rights of women. We have also seen the flipside of this - how laws can help change attitudes in how countries value women.
Domestic violence was 'normal life' about 30 years ago. Female genital mutilation used to be a 'cultural tradition'. For many parts of the world, neither is now considered anything less than a grievous abuse of human rights and violence against women and girls.
Getting good laws in place to end sexual violence has proven to be more complex. Resistance by legislators has meant that far less progress has been made in the last 20 years than envisaged at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, which produced the Beijing Platform for Action, a blueprint for women's empowerment around the world.
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We can only hope that the new German law will help to make it more likely that survivors of sexual violence access justice. However, many barriers will continue to exist. It is an extremely traumatic experience for victims to 'relive' what happened to them. In most cases, there is no third party eye-witness and victim-blaming is sadly still all too common - including by the judicial system. For the most part, the survivor needs to convince others there was no 'fault' on their part, for what they were wearing or where they were walking, or for something else they did or did not do.
Not long ago I shared my guide to a Not long ago I shared my guide to a Gluten Free London Yet, there's plenty of options beyond the big smoke. Today's blog focuses on Birmingham and the best places to try for gluten and dairy free dining.
1. Rofuto, Broad Street
Source: www.abalancedbelly.co.uk
Situated in the swanky, brand new Park Regis hotel (at the top of Broad street) Rofuto is the perfect venue for a romantic dinner. The location is amazing: the glass windows provide an epic view of Birmingham ;making it the perfect place to celebrate a birthday or anniversary. Even more importantly for us gluten free folk: they offer a massive range of sushi; almost all of which is gluten and dairy free. What's more, our waiter was extremely knowledgeable about different allergens and explained how the sushi was made differently to most places- making the gluten free choices so much wider
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2. The Stables, Near Grand Central
Situated at the back of Grand Central, The Stables is the perfect place for after-work or post-shopping dining (and a cheeky glass of cider). It offers an extensive pizza menu- all named after local landmarks which is a fantastic touch- and what's more every pizza can be made both gluten and dairy free. The atmosphere and decor in this restaurant are very laid back and has 80 different types of cider on offer. It really has something for everyone.
3.Bank, Brindley Place
Source: www.abalancedbelly.co.uk
Located in Brindley place, BANK offers an amazing menu that is fresh, healthy and naturally free of many allergens. The outdoor seating area is perfect for alfresco dining while sipping a glass of prosecco. BANK offer a dedicated gluten free menu but our waitress was happy to offer suggests on how dishes could be further adapted for other allergens, such as dairy. What is great about BANK is that the emphasis is on great, naturally healthy produce; offering dishes such king prawn cocktail and seabass and baked sweet potato. The menu is a little pricey but with great views of the canal and excellent quality ingredients, you get what you pay for!
4.Pho, Grand Central
Pho, a chain offering Vietnamese street food, is definitely the place to go for some post-shopping noodles. Almost all of the menu is gluten free and dairy free and they've been accreditated by coeliac UK. Try a steaming bowl of chicken noodle broth for the ultimate rainy day cure.
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5. Henry Wong's, Harbourne
This upmarket Chinese restaurant (located in Harbourne) offers an extensive gluten free menu; with lots of favourites on offer. Think yuk sung, sweet and sour chicken and even gluten-free cheesecake! If you've been missing your Saturday night takeaway, then this place will fill the spot!
In 2014 I sat with a funding application for a tour in front of me, the week before a panel was due to decide whether or not to fund it. News had just come in that one of the collaborators named in the application had died. Did the artists want to continue with the application?
They went ahead and the tour of Dancer - a performance by Ian Johnston and Gary Gardiner - was supported by Unlimited. Adrian Howells was a collaborator on the original production, made possible through a collaboration between the Arches and Touchbase, Sense Scotland. Dancer lives on, gaining a four-star review from Lyn Gardner in the Guardian for being "such a lovely piece of work: simple, generous-spirited, vulnerable and entirely without side." It has toured repeatedly in Scotland, and also to Cardiff, London, Birmingham and Berlin and has recently been chosen as part of the Made in Scotland showcase for 2016's Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Adrian lives on too - through the body of work he created, those he inspired and the connections he made around the world. And now for a new generation of people who never had the privilege to engage directly with him, a publication has been released providing new insights into his process and practice - It's All Allowed: The Performances of Adrian Howells, part of Intellect Live which is a collaboration between Intellect Books and Live Art Development Agency. The publication is a not just equally fascinating and important; for those wanting to engage in acts of intimate performance, it's possibly the most comprehensive reference book available.
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So who was Adrian Howells? A performance maker with exquisite (and often annoying) attention to detail? A pioneer of 1-1 and intimate performance? His alter ego Adrianne? A gay man who struggled with depression and placed both repeatedly into his work? An artist creating works focused on holistic acceptance, reducing shame and guilt for those they touched? A man who blurred boundaries and took repeated risks? A man obsessed with feeling failure? An artist nuanced in exploring discomfort and creating comfort? A virtuoso at performing intimacy? Of course, he was all, and more. It's all allowed.
It's heavy - physically too heavy to take with me on the train. Some bits made me cry, some bits challenged me with the complexity of their thought processes, the vast majority fascinated me. I was repeatedly moved, bored, stirred, enlightened and more. As I read, the thing that struck me most was how we need this collection of essays, opinions, perspectives. Those of us who admired his work in one area want to know more about the other spheres in which he operated, those entering the intense arena of intimate performance need his experience and wisdom to guide them.
I was particularly struck by the notion of 'accelerated intimacy', the culmination of carefully selected movements, spaces, structures and processes found within his work that enabled participants to surrender to the work and unburden themselves within in. The care with which this was created (by all members of his teams) was exquisite - from the documents framing participation, to the relations he established with everyone in the venues in which he performed.
I loved Stephen Greer's essay on What Money Can't Buy: The Economies of Adrian Howells, looking through boxes and files of uncatalogued papers to see what can be uncovered and what forever will remain hidden. I read Dominic Johnson's interview Held and used up a box of tissues, an unsettling feeling descending on me for days afterwards whilst I reached out to artists I know who might need support, conversation or just to know they are important to someone. Tea and Footprints, by Luzy Gaizely, Gary Gardiner and Ian Johnston made me smile - an easy conversation by people I know. I learnt masses from Helen Iball (Towards an Ethics of Intimate Audiences) and Robert Walton (The Pedagogy of Adrian Howells) on how to care for both performer and audience in such work.
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And the images; there is extensive photographic documentation within the publication, intrinsic in a way I was not expecting. Adrian stares at me, is resting, is laughing, is reflective, is always performing. The work he created is shown in its true colours - vibrant, challenging, provocative and real. Without the images it would be easy to get caught up in the myth of the man. They ground us, bring us back down to what Adrian was (what all of us are) - complex, contradictory, human.
There is a line in Jennifer Doyle's reflection Distance Relation: On Being with Adrian where she reflects on 'the challenge of being, the difficulty of being present to others, and the limits of words'. Adrian's work occurred both with and without words, often dependant on the desire of the audience as much as the structure of the work he created. This publication takes on the challenge of communicating Adrian to new audiences, and whilst no words can ever sum up any human and their contribution to the world, for now it is enough.
It's All Allowed: The Performances of Adrian Howells is available from http://www.thisisunbound.co.uk/products/its-all-allowed-the-performances-of-adrian-howells
Hundreds of men and women stand on the side of the road waving placards under the hot sun. Police and military are nearby, watching. I'm in Male, the capital of the Maldives and standing in the middle of a protest. The Maldivans aren't happy. Beyond the idyllic beaches and luxurious resorts I've discovered another side of this small island nation. As part of my long running work to raise attention about violence and discrimination against women for my foundation Project Monma, I came to the Maldives. I wanted to learn more about how this country's precarious human rights situation and unsteady relationship with democracy was faring with women. I approached some of the burqa clad women in the street and asked them why they were there. 'We are protesting against corruption,' they told me.
'We have no rights here,' they yell showing me their signs. 'There is no democracy.'
Democracy was ushered into the small Muslim country for the first time in 2008 when President Nasheed was elected to power. However, when he was thrown out in 2012 democracy took a downward spiral.
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Standing back from the crowd I watched the police forces confront the crowd. A special woman's police force was brought in to deal with the angry female protesters.
Democracy did indeed appear to be in decline. All of the women I interviewed asked me to not use their names, they were scared of repercussions. My first indication that democracy was not thriving in the small island nation.
I first went to meet with a small NGO called Hope for Women. We met in their small office in the centre of Male. 'The move to democracy was difficult for the people of the Maldives,' they told me. 'People didn't know what to do with freedom of speech.' It has also had a negative impact on women. Before there were limits on who could preach Islam, now anyone can.
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What this means is that the small group of extremists in the country are using religion as an excuse to oppress women and they're using freedom of speech as a means to do so. Girls are being raised to think they need to obey their husbands and cannot leave their homes without a man accompanying them.
'Women don't have freedom,' they say. 'And the problem is women don't question these things.'
Meeting with Society for Health Organization, an NGO working on women's issues in Male, they agree that democracy has encouraged the rise of Islam in the country, which has not been good for women.
'The veil and the burka is something that is becoming more forced. When we were growing up we didn't see this so much. We have started to see women covering up more and more.'
Like Hope for Women, they attribute this change to freedom of speech, which has allowed the more extreme Islamists a platform, many of whom come from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
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They are advocating that women must be subservient to men and are using social media and public meetings to spread their message.
Hope for Women are working to counter these violent attitudes by going to schools to speak with young girls and are using Islamic scholars to teach that violence is not Islam.
'Democracy has been exploited by people who want to oppress women,' she says.
I next went to visit Transparency International, the only independent organization that observes the elections in the Maldives. I met with two young women, both who had returned from studies abroad and wanted to bring a more free and fair governmental system to the Maldives. Their efforts have been received with death threats.
'There has been a failed transition to democracy which has led to instability,' one woman explains to me. 'Most Maldivans want to have democracy but when it comes to rights is difficult especially with Islam and women.'
'The role for a man and a woman has changed a lot,' says one of the women. 'They have changed for the worst. Democracy and Islam are a constant negotiation.'
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My final meeting was with Humay a Freelance researcher in a small cafe in Male. 'One of the worst things that has happened with the democracy movement was Nasheed giving a platform to the radical Islamic groups. They now have an Islamic ministry where preachers are promoting a more radical view of Islam. They are promoting child marriage for example,' she explains. 'We never had this before. We do not need an Islamic ministry.'
'I feel like there is a loss of our identity,' she says.
'There's no freedom here, no freedom of speech, no freedom of religion. You have to be a Sunni. The constitution says that if you are not Muslim then you are not Maldivan.' She looks at me concerned and reminds me to not use her name, she is worried about death threats.
Ambassador John Bolton; Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin; and U.S. Congressman Dr. Joe Heck will be among the featured speakers at the Second Annual Basque Fry on Aug. 20, the Morning in Nevada PAC announced.
The Basque Fry, which will be held at Corley Ranch in Gardnerville, has quickly become one of Nevadas most popular events among conservative and Republican activists, attracting political, business and community leaders from around the state and the country. The inaugural Basque Fry in 2015 drew more than 1,500 attendees, including several then-candidates for president.
During this time of enormous challenges facing our state and our country, it is an honor to have Ambassador Bolton, Sheriff Clarke and Congressman Heck join us in celebrating a rich Nevada tradition, and also in renewing our commitment to the principles that will help create a better and brighter future, said Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt, the Basque Frys chief supporter and organizer.
Bolton, who was U.S. ambassador to the United Nations from 2005-06 and has served in multiple presidential administrations, is among the nations leading intellectuals on national security policy. Clarke is currently serving his fourth full term as Milwaukee County sheriff, and has emerged as one of the countrys most outspoken and prominent critics of destructive progressive policies and defenders of strong, effective law enforcement. Both Bolton and Clarke are FOX News contributors.
Dr. Heck, a Brigadier General in the U.S. Army Reserves who represents Nevadas Third Congressional District, is the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate seat now held by retiring Sen. Harry Reid.
Additional speakers for the event will be announced as confirmed.
The Basque Fry is held to celebrate Nevadas rich Basque heritage, as the most prominent descendant of Basque sheepherders in state history is also among Nevadas most accomplished and respected political figures former governor and U.S. senator Paul Laxalt. The grandfather of Adam Laxalt, Sen. Laxalt regularly hosted Basque lamb fry events throughout his career, both in Nevada and in Washington, D.C.
The Morning in Nevada PAC was created in 2015 by friends of Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt to help fund conservative causes, candidates and organizations. The Basque Fry is its signature event. More information on the Morning in Nevada PAC and the Second Annual Basque Fry is available at www.MorningInNevadaPac.org.
Cacao is not a crop which makes a farmer much money in many areas of the world. Recently the man awarded World's Best Pastry Chef 2016 got involved in adjusting the fermentation methods of cacao which is a critical process in giving chocolate its unique flavour - and it isn't the first time he's gotten stuck in. But is it right to interfere by adding in foreign fruit during the fermentation process to add flavour to the bean?
Chocolate is not like pastry. Making chocolate is, in fact, more difficult than coffee. In order to make a bar of chocolate, several cocoa pods have to be harvested and cut open. The seeds inside are covered in a white mucilage which is left on as they are piled into a box or onto banana leaves to ferment for a few days. The fermentation process is critical to the flavour of the chocolate it makes, best illustrated by the two bars offered by Friis Holm where beans are just either turned twice or thrice during fermentation. These two bars taste completely different from something as simple as just turning them during fermentation - so what will adding passion fruit do?
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Pierre Herme has gotten his hands dirty getting involved in the process of chocolate making purely to increase the flavours delivered through his pastries. Famous all around the world, Pierre Herme was called by Vogue "the Picasso of Pastry" though I'm not entirely sure that was a compliment. He has, however, genuinely revolutionised pastry-making with regard to taste and modernity. He helped write the book - the bible - of making chocolate delights. He has serious credibility with everything to do with after the chocolate is made, including creating ab absolutely stunning breakfast served at one of the best hotels in Paris - Royal Monceau-Raffles. It takes a lot more than baking with chocolate to start changing essentials like fermentation.
After fermentation there is a lot more that goes in to making chocolate taste awesome including the roasting of the bean (too much and it tastes burnt, too little and it can remain sour or taste flat), cracking and winnowing, refining, conching and then tempering. This process is something artisan makers like Askinosie have perfected for each origin they work with and as master chocolate makers, the Askinosie team spend significant periods of time in origin. In this area, Pierre Herme turns the process over to expert chocolate makers Valrhona. So given the distance from the actual processing of the cacao, is it right for someone like Pierre Herme to get involved in adjusting fermentation processes?
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I'd argue that of all the pastry chefs in all the world, Pierre Herme is probably one of about six who would actually have enough of a clue to sympathetically adjust fermentation to create a better chocolate. It isn't just understanding complimentary flavours or the over four decades of working with chocolate that he already has, it is understanding the local environment and spending time in origin - which he does. Pierre Herme spends time in origin like Shawn Askinosie, Willie of Willie's Delectable Cacao, and of course Sam and Vincent of Marou who live in Vietnam.
The chocolate that Pierre Herme has created (but is not available) is the result of several failed experiments, and while it will not change chocolate as we know it, it also will. What he has done is simply to add passion fruit to the beans during fermentation to add a fruit flavour to an already fruity bean. While it may seem simple, it isn't as not every fruit is local to cocoa growing areas, not every fruit will complement the natural flavour of the bean and not every fruit will work to infuse a flavour during fermentation. This will, I feel, lay the foundation for more creative experimentation with fermentation.
The Head of the Girls' Day School Trust, Helen Fraser, recently raised concerns about how girls are being affected by their 'Inner Critic', which is stopping them transferring their educational success into workplace success. Not long after that article, BBC News featured a piece offering advice on silencing your inner critic, from high-profile women including J K Rowling and Dame Kelly Holmes.
I've thought a lot about this since I read it. It feels very much like the things that have been worrying many of us for some time, but we couldn't put our finger on how to describe them, finally have a name. With the new wave of feminism we are in at the moment, we are hearing a lot about this inner critic, about 'Imposter Syndrome' and the need for women to 'lean in'. I don't think I'm alone in worrying about the lack of progress in achieving equality for girls and women, but I find some comfort that the recognition is starting to happen. Perhaps this is a start for our girls for the future, but it doesn't answer how we silence the inner critic now and indeed how we silence the inner critic for women who have listened to it for years. How do we change a whole way of thinking for an entire gender? One thing is certain and that is the enormity of the task.
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I met my inner critic when I hit puberty. Until about 12 years old, I had been very confident, chatty, outgoing and self-assured. I had never had a boyfriend but I didn't care too much; I had lots of friends. My school went away for a week on an adventure week. Before we went, I had my hair cut off. Regrettably, I let the hairdresser experiment with my hair and cut it very short. Far from looking like the fourth member of Bananarama as I'd hoped, I looked a bit too much like Wendolene Ramsbottom from Wallace and Gromit. It wasn't good. Whilst I was away, I had to obviously wash my hair. And I didn't have the first clue what to do with it to get it to how the hairdresser had styled it. Of course, now I know I shouldn't have been worrying about it to the level that I did. But we put a lot of store by how we look when we are younger. Hell, we do even as now as grown-ups. And as a 12-year-old girl I just wanted to look good. I was in love with a boy who I thought might love me back and I wanted him to think I looked good too. The last thing I needed was a major hair set back.
When I arrived back at school after the week away, the first thing my friends did (my actual friends mind you - not just kids in my class) was laugh at me. When it's your friends laughing at you, even though as a grown-up you might question whether that meant they were friends at all, you feel the pain much more than if it is people you don't like. And I felt the pain. And I felt self-conscious and suddenly incredibly shy. I felt myself withdraw and over the next year or so, I came to really dislike my appearance. My hair grew back of course but I felt like I lost my sense of self-assurance in how I looked and how I communicated to others. Self-doubt took over, self-assurance lost.
In the years that followed, I attributed it all to the hair incident. But In retrospect, it was never about the hair. It was about a significant time in my youth - puberty - triggering the onset of a shyer period for me, where my inner critic became known and I began to really listen to her.
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I know this will be a familiar tale for young people the world over and in particular young women who believe they are not quite good enough, and who believe that the person next to them is better. The problem isn't necessarily that this happens, the problem is that it isn't always recognised and young women and girls are not always encouraged to stick two fingers up at their inner critic. And perhaps it isn't even about silencing the critic. Critics after all are not always bad. A useful and insightful inner critic may be helpful and healthy for us all. To have somebody to help us reflect on how we're doing is no bad thing. But when that voice is always doubting and negative, it is bad.
Helen Fraser's comments about girls not mirroring their educational achievements in the workplace really resonated with me. I think it will be the case with a lot of young women and girls, that they don't feel they can put themselves forward in the workplace for opportunities and leadership roles in the same way boys and men might. Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In initiative in America is a wonderful way to try to combat this. I wish we had something similar in the UK - perhaps it will take off. I know a lot of people around me now are becoming more and more aware of Imposter Syndrome - where women feel that they are imposing on a role that isn't really theirs. They may be doing something very important at work, they may be experiencing a new success at home. On the outside, people can see their achievement. Inside however, the women are waiting to be unveiled as a fraud, because they feel that they don't deserve it, that they can't really do it, and somebody will soon find out. I feel this too.
Imposter Syndrome. The Inner Critic. Do these all come in some way from the role women and girls are expected to play in life? Centuries of telling us we are the 'second sex'? When education used to be the preserve of boys and men, when women's roles were only in the home and not in the workplace. Is this the hangover from so many years of backward and unequal thinking? I think so. But I know that these things don't change overnight. Indeed, great change often takes so many years.
**WARNING: TRIGGERING**
'I've learnt everything I know about harming myself from social media, but I also know the value of these communities in decreasing isolation.'
Honest albeit conflicting words from one of my 17-year-old students.
Similarly, the paradox of a blase headline and capped-up trigger warning highlights just how muddied the waters of provocative online content are.
The first time I became aware of the concept of triggering was in 2014.
I was watching a documentary called 70 Stone Man, and inevitably, the Twittersphere split fiercely into two camps: compassion vs disgust.
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Playing Devil's Advocate to those preaching 'no sympathy', I argued that eating yourself into a bed-bound state is likely due to a mental health issue, not just greed, and believed the reaction would be different if the film had been documenting a 4st anorexic.
Someone replied with a 'little heads-up', telling me there was 'no need to mention triggering low weight details'.
My immediate reaction was defense, it felt like a pernickety reaction to a hypothetical point.
I clicked onto their profile and in the bio saw 'living with anorexia'. While unintentional, what I understood to be fair comment had clearly taunted her.
It wasn't until several months later when researching my Understanding Self-Harm workshop for SET [Self-Esteem Team] - the group I work with who go into schools to talk about mental health - that I experienced triggering content firsthand.
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At the click of a button, thousands upon thousands of images, from surface scratches to hardcore photos I cannot unsee.
I have a long history of self-harm, though as a 90s kid, grew up in an internet-less world. At my most vulnerable, I wasn't exposed to pictures or language which could have been hazardous to me, and that no doubt would have spurred me on to inflict more damage.
I'm often asked 'Is social media to blame for our self-harm epidemic' - one in every five teens in the UK has self-harmed at least once, while the number of children admitted to hospital for self-inflicted injuries has risen 70% over the last decade - and I do feel there is an element of contagion.
The fact is, we are influenced by what we see, so much so that face-scan technology is now being trialled to analyse emotional attachment to adverts so marketing can be tailored to capitalise on human response. While biologically, our 10% conscious brain is dominated by its 90% subconscious, allowing information to seep in via the absence of critical thinking.
Do I think a happy, confident person would see a picture of a noose then suddenly want to take their own life? No. I do, however, believe people in a vulnerable mindset might be susceptible to triggering content because when someone is struggling, and in search of coping mechanisms, self-destruction doesn't seem that far removed from the pain they're already enduring.
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Even recovered, triggering content isn't always comfortable to look at, and a warning tag will often deter me from looking if I'm not in the right headspace.
It's the 'turn around' message on the Hansel and Gretel path luring me back to harm.
Self-harm is a language I understand but cannot translate into English. I don't see horror. I lack the rationale to see sorrow. I actually feel envy. For me, it doesn't trigger sadness or what was going on in my life when I harmed, it triggers a habit, a muscle memory, a reminder of something I did without question. It's a hug and a punch at the same time.
It's the bite from the apple temptation.
As with other mental health issues, self-harm can be highly competitive, and when unwell, people are at risk of using the physicality of their illness as a voice. I've been called into a school by a teacher who said his Year 8 girls were using self-harm to 'identify' with each other. A school nurse told me about her fears of 'upping', where more extreme acts are done to show who's sickest. Another teacher said if her students witness others who seem outwardly more ill than they are, it's just another fail in their own eyes. That competitiveness with others, even with the self, can be fuelled by pictures or articles which divulge methods. Hence, social media is a disaster in creating that competitiveness.
Yet with the exponential growth of cyberspace - 1.7 billion Facebook users, 400 million Instagrammers, and 310 million Tweeters worldwide - along with our thirst to communicate online, controversial content cannot be controlled at the rate it's being published. Even if reported, it's already been seen and imprinted onto the retina.
Recently, I met with someone who works at Instagram and asked about their guidelines, questioning if they ever ban users who share posts which might be deemed triggering.
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Unless users are glorifying this behaviour (like pro-anorexia pages) they are allowed to upload selfies of their harm or weight as the community team trust that people use the app like a journal, to talk in a space with others who understand and don't judge.
It's a catch-22, online communities can be a hub for support, yet also the very space negative behaviours breed and are normalised.
Censorship is unhelpful; deactivating someone's account who is using it to connect with people they can't necessarily relate to in real life seems potentially dangerous to consequently isolate them even further. I often see 'don't report, just block' in social media bios, people petrified of being robbed of their one outlet and the right to express themselves just because another person can't handle what they see.
Even if it was fruitful, it doesn't prevent the viewer from being exposed to triggering material in other aspects of life, for example, a film which sparks an emotion, a passer-by, a song lyric, a certain smell, sound or sight etc.
On the flip side, telling society to 'man up' is redundant, 'forget about how you feel' said no therapist ever. And to empathise isn't to mollycoddle, it's just basic humanity.
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For me, the answer is nearly always education, as well as ongoing discussion to evolve with the world around us.
Teach users about their settings. Tumblr set a great example allowing people to customise what they see by blocking (blacklisting) topics, giving full control to the individual in choosing the wallpaper of their own life.
The power of prevention over cure is invaluable. When the average age for a child in the UK to get their first smartphone is 10-years-old, introduce social media lessons into primary schools. Talk about what to do if confronted with the #CutForBieber or #CutForZayn hashtag. Speak about they think 'thinspiration' means.
It's cumulative, we have a duty of care for each other, it's baffling to me how trigger warning critics wouldn't want to help make the world an easier place to navigate. A warning takes a nanosecond to write, if they prevent one person from distress, I celebrate the term being used on articles and social media. Perhaps Google and other search engines should also play a bigger role in what they allow to be indexed and available at our fingertips.
A warning isn't synonymous with creating 'Generation Snowflake', it's giving autonomy. An alcoholic can choose not to walk into a pub as they're signposted, a soldier with PTSD can choose to avoid a fireworks display if the explosions traumatise them with memories of war, someone influenced by online content deserves to choose what they see before clicking.
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Algerians of New Caledonia, known as Algerians of the Pacific are a group men that were deported by French Authorities to labour camps on the islands of New Caledonia in 1873, just off the coast of Australia. Why? As punishment for participating in the 1871 uprising against the French Colonial Administration in Algeria.
They are an echo from and of Algeria, where colonial France hung on for too long and paid a price that scarred Algeria and those associated.
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The beginning
More than an estimated 2,000 Algerians who were considered rebels by the French were deported to the Pacific island in the last quarter of the 19thcentury. Journeying by sea and some even dying after refusing to eat pork when their dates ran out, they were imprisoned in jails in New Caledonia.
The first settlers of this community were deported between 1873 and 1874. Presently, the vast majority live in the valley and Nessadiou Bourail, a small town near the valley.
The majority of these in New Caladonia in present day are descendants of deportees who participated in the Mokrani Revolt of 1871; a revolution that started from Souk Ahras and was led by Mohamed Keblouni in eastern Algeria, followed then by the uprising which spread across Algeria until it reached Bordj Bou Arreridj and Kabylie.
Trials and deportation
The trials took place in the city of Constantine in May 1873, where the trial of 212 individuals; which included 74 notable leaders and Sheikhs that are accused in participating in the revolution of Mokrani, were questioned and judged for their involvement in revolutionary action against the French.
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Deportation destinations included Brest, in the north-western part of France, as well as many having second trials in Oran in the west of Algeria before finally being deported to once again, France. This was only the beginning.
The trials and deportation period stretched over a 28 year period, between 1867 - 1895, where 2,166 prisoners were transported from North Africa to New Caledonia. The majority of the prisoners were Algerians, with a minority of Moroccans and Tunisians who arrived to New Caledonia in 42 Convoys.
What is important to note is that the deportees were not allowed to be accompanied by their wives and children, hence the first Algerians in New Caledonia were all men.
Mohamed Ben Brahim was the first Algerian to be deported to New Caledonia on May 9th1864.
Many Algerians died on this 150 day journey across the world to the Pacific Ocean, from fear, hunger and depression.
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List of deportees from Algeria to New Caledonia
Life in New Caledonia
The French's aim was to deracinate and destroy the identity of the Algerian deportees by refusing to send them back home to Algeria once the Algerians had completed their sentences in the labour camps.
They enforced cultural alienation by rejecting any women or children on this journey, imposing new marriages on these Algerian men to the islanders of New Caledonia (Kanak) or French women. More so, Islam was banned and all men and their new families were obliged to follow Catholicism as well as all children to attend Catholic schools. Arabic names were barred and the French Colonial Administration only allowed Christian names. It wasn't till a ban was lifted in 1930 that the French names of Pierre and Philip could return to their original names of Kader, Ali and Mohamed.
Great strain and stress was caused to these deportees, who found the difference in culture, language and religion so far removed from their own.
Their exile, a form of political repression that has left deep wounds, uprooted them and separated them from a land they called home. Forced to dig up their own graves of their brothers as French militia watched while playing cards.
Once they completed their sentence, a plot of land was offered but no advice or aid on how to set up their future.
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The sadness lies in the colonisation through another colonisation. The Algerians were used to colonise New Caledonia, while they themselves were colonised by the French.
Today
An estimated 15, 000 descendants of deportees continue to live in New Caledonia today.
The descendants created an "Association of Arabs and Arab friends" in 1969 to support the story and continue the collective memory of their ancestors.
The descendant of the deportees refer to their ancestors as Old Arabs, with many descendants of the deportees actually returning to their ancestor's homeland in Algeria. Though they see themselves as Caledonian, they have been instilled with an affection for Algeria by their Grandparents.
There is an attitude amongst the older voter (and I'm pegging at 40 and over, but don't be offended by that definition!) that Britain's youth today are ungrateful for all the hard work of the previous generation. There is also a stereotype that Britain's young care more about themselves, about their personal 'brand' and how they can easily slip their way through life without doing a proper day's work. That's probably quite true if you're a 25-year-old social media guru working in Dalston or Shoreditch, but for pretty much everyone else in the UK, it's wholly unfair.
I have seen older voters accused the youth vote of 'not knowing what they were voting for', and simply voting the way they are being told to do, or because they simply want 'more for themselves'. Young people are ungrateful, unwilling to recognise the sacrifice of the previous generation, who now expected to be guided by the wisdom of their elders. Young people aren't trusted with the big decisions, such as the EU or renewal of Trident; or even, possibly, military action in other countries (Iraq anyone?). After the events of the last 20 years and the way Britain suffers with rising inequality and debt lumbered onto the younger generation, I don't blame them for being ungrateful.
Now if you're an older voter; pay attention. I'm glad the young voter is ungrateful. Simply, the working young of Britain has had to shoulder the burden of the demands of the older generation for too long. Whilst young Britons struggle under huge debts, big rents and no savings towards a pension or deposit, older Britons have the triple lock protection on their pensions. They have gold plated public sector pensions which has led to Britain having a pension deficit of nearly 935bn, this deficit being made worse by older voters choosing to take the UK out of the EU which collapsed the value of the pound. Older voters will want renewal of Trident, nothing more than a global status symbol which 'gives us a seat at the top table'. Once again, older voters choose it and young people pay for it. Because I can assure you, older people won't accept a cut to their pensions to fund Brexit or Trident.
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The government has long been guilty of focussing on older people, simply because they vote. Turnout among 18-24 year olds has fallen from over 60% in the early 1990s to an average of 40% for the general elections in 2001, 2005 and 2010, making the UK one of the lowest in the European Union.
As a result, one of the biggest surprises to come out in the last week regarding the EU referendum in the UK, was the youth vote. A poll conducted by Opinion has found that turnout was 64% among 18-24 year olds and 65% among 25-39 year olds. That's pretty amazing, seeing a significant improvement by these age groups over the last few elections. What was not surprising however was that people aged under 40 voted strongly towards remain, with 71% of people aged 18-24 voted to remain in the EU, and 62% of 25-39 year old's. This is great new. Following from a 58% turnout for 18 - 24 year old's in 2015's general election, it means we are now seeing young people standing up to the older voter to ensure their voices are heard.
There is a terrible attitude towards young people in Britain. And so I say to those under 40 when wondering if they should vote, the answer is absolutely yes. I am glad you act ungratefully to those older voters. Those older voters who enjoyed low house prices, who gave us Tony Blair and the Iraq War. The older voters who led us to Brexit, despite the costs, and lumber the youth of today with low pay and high rents.
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David Cameron recently announced that from November, all roles in the UK Armed Forces (stand fast Catholic Padres) will be open to men and women. This seems like a logical step to take in order to improve combat effectiveness. Gender aside, if you increase and diversify the talent pool you have to choose from then it follows that you increase the talent and mix of skills you recruit. Marvellous. Except, not everyone thinks this is great, including certain key senior military figures. This is because the move will be felt as a direct challenge to the masculine status quo that still prevails in the British military.
The UK military, whether we like it or not, is an inherently masculine institution. Only ten percent of its workforce are women. In a 2015 study, approximately 40 percent of women in the Armed Forces admitted experiencing sexual harassment ranging from unwelcome comments to physical assault. And whilst there are a handful of women now holding senior, influential military commands, I am yet to hear one of them concede to experiencing sexual harassment themselves. This either means that women who experience harassment leave before they get promoted or that these particular women are not speaking out for fear of rocking the boat. I fear the later even more than the former.
For many men, the current military provides the necessary resources to construct a masculine gender identity. This is especially true of close combat units such as the Infantry and Royal Marines which allow men to cast themselves as more physically able, willing to take risks, self-disciplined and aggressive than their non-military counterparts. This identity is also significantly bolstered by the exclusion of women and anything deemed 'female.'
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Yet this doesn't work as an argument. It's not okay to disagree with allowing women to serve in close combat roles because they will disrupt masculine hegemony. But it is okay to disagree if it's got the potential to compromise operational effectiveness, which is why this line of argument comes up whenever something happens that doesn't concur with the culturally entrenched notion of how men and women should act. Including women in close combat units will result in standards being lowered, so the argument goes, despite this not being even being mentioned as a possibility. But it's an easy swipe to take and preys on idea that men and women are biologically different. Yet, whilst the biology of men and women does differ, it is only different in terms of two discrete categories when considering the reproductive organs (and even then the distinction is overly simplistic and doesn't take into account intersex conditions). We are different on a continuum where things like hormone levels and stature are concerned. Whilst there may be some women who will never compete an 8 mile yomp with a 25kg pack no matter how hard they try, there are some men who won't either and some women who certainly will.
Another argument deployed to explain how women in close combat will compromise operational effectiveness is that the men they work with will have an irresistible urge to stop and help them if they get injured on ops, thus compromising the mission. Really? If it wasn't so offensive to the men in the military who have been trained to the highest of standards then it would be laughable. Men are no more mechanical slaves to prehistorical desires than women are damsels in distress. Moreover, if for some reason this was to happen and a man did take an unnecessary risk to rescue a comrade because she was a woman, then this would clearly be a training issue. I'd want to know why the soldier wasn't disciplined enough to follow procedure.
Similar is the argument that woman don't have the same 'killer instinct' as men and would therefore do poorly in face-to-face combat. There are two things wrong with this. Firstly, it is an assumption based on gendered socialisation. Thanks to an innate desire to survive, all human beings are born with the potential to kill if the stakes are high enough. During war, the stakes are about as high as they get. When a solider comes under enemy fire he or she is going to fight back, not necessarily because they have a 'killer instinct' but because they have a survival instinct. Secondly, if you think about it logically, do we really want our soldiers to have a 'killer instinct'? Rules of engagement (ROE) are complex but essentially don't allow a soldier to attack the enemy unless the enemy is posing a direct threat. Rightly or wrongly, soldiers have been charged for unlawful killing during war because they didn't follow the ROE. Being prepared to kill when necessary is vital, having a 'killer instinct' is risky.
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There are two big issues for Labour today: how to respond to the vote for Brexit and the Labour Party leadership. Rarely have these issues been discussed together. They should be.
Less than a year ago, a significant majority of the Labour family voted for Jeremy Corbyn as leader. According to YouGov, in the June 2016 EU referendum, 65% of those who had voted Labour in 2015 voted for the UK to remain in the EU.
Nevertheless, many working people did vote for Brexit, voting to reject an institution that they saw as imposing rules, such as the requirement to accept unlimited immigration from Eastern Europe, but without providing benefits to the UK that they felt were worth keeping. They were unimpressed by the arguments that half our exports go to Europe, that millions of British jobs are linked to trade with our largest market - the EU, that our standards of living and rights at work are protected by the EU. They saw the status quo as so irredeemably broken that they had little to lose by leaving the EU: we could trade with other countries, we could be free from EU laws and we could 'take control' of immigration.
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So, what happened? 37.4% of the electorate voted to leave the EU. A narrow win for Leave, with a margin of victory of 1.3 million votes. Within hours, the key promises on which the Leave campaign were based began to unravel: it turns out that there is not 350 million per week to spend on the NHS after all; it turns out that immigration from the EU can't be controlled while we remain in the single market; it turns out that we are not alright economically now, with the pound plummeting dramatically, companies already beginning to relocate, taking jobs with them, and the prized triple-A credit rating - in zealous defence of which George Osborne imposed a decade or so of austerity - gone within days. The fall in economic growth that will follow will be devastating for ordinary people's livelihoods; jobs will disappear just as prices for goods in the supermarket will rise.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister who called the referendum has resigned. Nigel Farage, who excited anti-immigrant sentiment, has gone too; as has the deputy leader of UKIP. Boris Johnson, shocked to have won the referendum, promised the moon on a stick for what post-Brexit Britain would look like and was swiftly betrayed by his chum Michael Gove. In turn, Gove failed to make the final two in the Tory leadership contest.
The only prominent Brexiteer left is Andrea Leadsom, a junior energy minister, of whom no-one had heard before the referendum TV debate. As the last Brexiteer standing, and the anti-continuity candidate for the Tory leadership, she could become Prime Minister, enjoying the endorsements of Britain First, UKIP and the BNP. Her main qualification for the job of Prime Minister, ignoring the allegedly sexed-up CV, appears to be that she is a mother. She has views on gay marriage that are out of step with Britain in 2016. She wants to overturn the ban on fox-hunting. The icing on the Leadsom cake is that she wants to scrap maternity pay and the minimum wage for small businesses. At the same time, across the country, we see a terrifying rise in hate crime and racist sentiment, openly expressed. In London alone, reported hate crimes have risen by over 50% since the referendum.
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It is painfully clear that there is no plan for what happens next. The economically sensible option of remaining in the single market and continuing to enjoy tariff-free and unfettered access to our vital main export market requires accepting common rules, over which we would have no say. Those common rules would almost certainly include free movement of labour. Accepting free movement of labour, even if the other 27 EU members would allow us to stay in the single market, would undermine the motivating factor for millions of English Leave votes. Imagine the fury when the perceived main disadvantage of EU membership is perpetuated. On the other hand, leaving the single market would be devastating for our economy and would mean quickly negotiating new trade deals with countries that are not neighbours, as Richard Corbett puts it, without "the full clout of the world's largest market behind us". It is difficult to imagine even moderate Conservatives stomaching this option.
In addition, we have all heard the countless accounts of people who simply wished to register a protest vote, not expecting their vote to be on the winning side. While almost all polls pre-referendum pointed to a close result, a number of polls showed that a clear majority of people expected Remain to win. In other words, potentially millions of people voted for Leave but expected Remain to win - a protest vote not expecting adverse consequences.
Little wonder, then, that, according to research from Opinium, about 1.2 million people already regret voting to leave the EU. That's within a whisker of the margin of victory; and that's before the economic pain has fully filtered through to ordinary purses and wallets. Wales, of course, benefits from EU membership to an annual net figure of 245 million, according to Cardiff University research. An ITV Wales / Cardiff University poll found Welsh voters would now vote Remain by 53% to 47% for Leave if there were a second EU referendum. That's a roughly 6% swing to Remain since the actual referendum result in Wales, where Leave had prevailed by 52.5% to 47.5%. Only 86% of those who voted Leave said they would do so again.
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The issue is clearly not dead. Simply telling at least 48% of voters (especially when they include most of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Gibraltar, London and most of the big cities) to shut up and move on is hopeless. For such a major constitutional change, voted for on false pretexts (in this week when we have heard so much about false pretexts) and on the basis of outright lies, such a narrow margin in favour of such a far-reaching change, from 37.4% of the electorate, is clearly inadequate. Especially when it is still not clear what has been voted for: we are still trying to piece together what Britain outside the EU would look like and whether those who voted Leave will like what they see.
For the sake of our democracy, in dealing with this matter, which will take at least 2 years to develop or unravel, it is vital that our parliamentary democracy provides a strong voice for those who voted to Remain, for those who already regret their vote to Leave, and for those who, when they see what Leaving will look like, will decide that it is better off to Remain after all. With a Conservative Party that will be led by either a Brexiteer or a shy and reluctant Remainer (where was Theresa May during the referendum campaign?), the opposition - i.e., Labour - needs to be robust, loud and proudly pro-Europe. Our party policy has been to Remain, we campaigned to Remain, and most of our members and voters (and many of the voters that we need to win over) voted to Remain. If the next general election is called sooner than scheduled, Labour must fight it on a pro-Remain platform.
Does this mean that we must elect a new leader? No. It is manifest nonsense to suggest that Brexit was somehow Jeremy Corbyn's fault. In Corbyn, Labour have a leader who understands the struggles of the working family, who understands the economic challenge posed by rampant in-work poverty, who is passionate about fighting against the draining of resources from state safety nets and passionate about fighting for a better quality of life for those who need state help. More than any other potential Labour leader, Corbyn can speak to working families with the credibility that comes from sincerely held and plainly spoken beliefs, rather than the focus-group-calibrated words of someone who cares about winning more than about principle. Corbyn is best-placed to make the case for the benefits of immigration that leaders have for years been too afraid to make. After all, it is a case that he believes in. It is also a case on which securing public support for continued membership of the single market, and even the EU, depends. Corbyn is the person to make the case for solving the root causes of the problems of working-class communities: for providing the investment to build the houses, provide the jobs and properly fund the schools and hospitals put under such pressure in these areas by austerity, a pressure that is exacerbated by immigration. He is the person to make the case against austerity because he is, and has from the start been, the anti-austerity leader. There need be no contradiction between arguing for the interests of marginalised communities and arguing for immigration. Let Corbyn tackle the root causes of the strains on working-class communities and then the aggravating factor of immigration becomes diminished as a problem in its own right.
With all respect to her, to suggest that Angela Eagle is more electable than Jeremy Corbyn is laughable. As Stephen Bush elegantly put it, the grassroots do not want "a return to the days of anti-immigration mugs and lukewarm opposition to the Conservative cuts." In the week after the publication of the Chilcot report, it is absurd to suggest that Labour should offer the public a leader who voted for invading Iraq and for air strikes on Syria, consistently voted against an investigation into the Iraq war, voted for university tuition fees and failed to vote against the Welfare Bill in July 2015.
On policy, apart from Trident (a difficult issue for Labour, no matter who is leader), Europe is the only policy area where a contender from Labour's right or soft-left could enjoy a clear advantage over Corbyn. He faces political danger if his opponent chooses to stand on a platform that is more pro-European than his. Even though Corbyn has made Labour unequivocally an anti-austerity party, as Tom Watson memorably announced at the 2015 Annual Conference, some of Corbyn's supporters owe as much allegiance to their place in Europe and the wider world as they do to Corbyn's social policies and McDonnell's breath of fresh air in economic thinking. But if he makes a strong pro-Europe stand, Corbyn decisively outflanks his opponents, leaving them with no obvious policy issue of substance with which to attack him.
So, it is not an either / or choice. To provide a credible alternative to the Conservatives, to provide a meaningful opposition on the most important issues in our politics today, we need to be pro-Europe and we need to be pro-Corbyn. This is our path to winning the next general election. That is not to say that Corbyn's leadership has been perfect: no doubt lessons must be learned from the last few months and the Vice documentary uncovered a worrying apparent lack of competence in his staff. As George Monbiot beautifully put it, "the lords of misrule will not be overthrown by mumbling". Corbyn on song, as he was at the Durham Miners' Gala, is a force to be reckoned with. Corbyn, when reading off someone else's script, can be prone to the political equivalent of mumbling. Now, more than ever, Labour, and Britain, need powerful pro-European opposition from Corbyn, and Corbyn at his best: speaking out loudly and proudly for tackling the root causes of the problems of marginalised and left-behind communities - problems that no-one understands better than he does, speaking out loudly and proudly for the net positive contribution made by immigration, speaking out loudly and proudly for Europe and so for Britain.
UPDATE: Monday 11/07/16, 5pm: The above piece was initially submitted at about 2am today. Within 10 hours, there had already been further developments. Andrea Leadsom, the last Brexiteer standing, withdrew from the Tory leadership contest. The Tory Party rallied around Theresa May and this afternoon it was announced that May will be Prime Minister by Wednesday evening. This further underlines my point that the Brexiteers have abdicated responsibility, leaving the country in limbo, edging towards a seismic constitutional change that its new leaders did not really want and which the people who argued for the change have proven entirely unable to deliver. Meanwhile, also this morning, Theresa May declared that "Brexit means Brexit" and that, under her premiership, there would be "no attempt to re-join [the EU] by the back door". These developments reinforce my arguments above about the need for and importance of Labour providing meaningful and powerful opposition on a pro-Remain platform.
In the hours following the announcement that Theresa May would become prime minister without a vote being put to the membership of the Conservative Party, Tory MPs from both wings of the parliamentary party rallied quickly and efficiently around their new leader. However, there are increasing signs of dissent among the membership and core constituencies of the party that could spell trouble for its electoral prospects.
Most notable of these signs is an article in the Telegraph by Norman Tebbit, in which he predicts that Conservative Leave voters will fear that the Remain side - backed by May - has taken control of the Brexit negotiations. He suggests that out of a sense of betrayal and to secure Britain's complete removal from EU institutions, Conservatives will defect to, and campaign for, Ukip in the next election.
The same thought seems to have occurred to Ukip's bankroller Aaron Banks, who has claimed that May would never negotiate Brexit, saying that she would be "elected to pretty much ensure it doesn't get delivered". He said also that if May won the leadership contest, Ukip would concentrate on fighting the Conservatives at the next election.
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The threat from Tebbit to the Conservative leadership is a real one, since he represents an ideologically hardline right-wing, free-marketeer and Eurosceptic strand of the Tory Party that was willing to torment John Major throughout his seven years in office (indeed, Tebbit himself delivered a damning verdict on Major right in front of the man at the 1992 Conservative Party conference) and might still be able to muster that kind of revolt. Banks's remarks are less significant, since he has already left the party, but they do suggest that May will not be able to count on drawing support from the Conservatives' right flank.
Europe, moreover, is only one aspect of the rift. Many Tory members with free-market leanings will have been horrified to hear May talking of compulsory worker representation on company boards and restrictions on executive pay, while some - though probably fewer - will also be furious with her newly-adopted hard line on tax avoidance. These are ideas that the Parliamentary Labour Party would probably attempt to prevent Jeremy Corbyn from adopting, for fear of appearing too left-wing.
These policies have already aroused some criticism from the rank and file. Their announcements on Twitter are spotted with disparaging remarks: "that's the way to bring business into the UK. Well done", and "They've got a responsibility to their shareholders and employees, not to voluntarily fund stupid government schemes." are among the comments written under her vow to tackle tax avoidance. Twitter is certainly not representative of public opinion, but here it does exemplify the outrage of politically-engaged free-market conservatives.
However, the controversy could drive their way into the very head of the party. While the pragmatism of Tory MPs has consistently disappointed those pundits predicting outright civil war in the party, there are still plenty among their number who will find such a bold move into left-wing territory hard to swallow, either for ideological reasons, or because it might put in jeopardy the age-old hidden forces that tend to spirit retired Conservative MPs away to lucrative directorships in large companies.
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Even if Conservative MPs are willing to swallow their personal qualms about the policies, they will face stern and determined lobbying from the representatives of British capital. Immediately after May had announced her ideas, a businessman appeared on Radio 4 to condemn them. It is difficult to imagine that the lobbying machine that convinced George Osborne to veto caps on obscene banker bonuses will allow more general restrictions on CEO pay to pass without a fight.
This means that May is unlikely to be able to implement the proposals. While they would in principle require very little Tory support to be passed by the House of Commons, since Labour will accept them and the SNP might decide that their populist credentials outweigh their slavish devotion to business, May will not want to risk the embarrassment of a major Tory rebellion. However, this may not be enough to win back the goodwill of the party's Right.
The ideological differences between the new leadership and the party's core support have been exacerbated by the manner of her appointment to the leadership. Conservative members are not as concerned for their sovereignty as Labour members: they are used to a restricted role in the process, and they have only held any involvement at all since 2001. Nonetheless, some certainly feel that they have been cheated of an opportunity to make their voice heard, especially after years of frustration with Cameron's centrism and caution.
There are also suspicions of a stitch-up by the party Establishment. Two of my friends, both supporters of Leadsom, have queried the suddenness of their candidate's decision to withdraw and wondered if May backers leaned on her. Many also resent what has been called a smear campaign against her, believing that Leadsom's motherhood gaffe was blown out of proportion and that May backers orchestrated media attacks on her in order to bully her into submission.
I watched as the skin around the joint in her middle finger started to swell and bruise. It had happened innocuously some time ago on a trip to a local climbing wall. The finger was definitely larger and the worrying thing was that my wife had lost the ability to flex the last joint of that injured finger.
I knew that a call to our friend, who was an orthopaedic surgeon, wasn't really necessary. She needed to somehow navigate her way into the local hospital Hand Clinic, which meant a trip to A+E. As a doctor working in a small team she didn't want to miss work on the off chance that her own GP could circumvent the system; and besides our orthopaedic friend, who we did end up calling for some almost impartial, informal advice, said it needed an X-ray to rule out a small fracture (where the tendon pulls off its anchoring bone) and an ultrasound scan to look at the tendon itself.
So the rest of "date night" that week was spent in the Emergency Department of our local hospital. I had plenty of time, about 4 hours to be precise, to consider the way that the hospital was working and how things might be different if it had been daytime or a weekend. Technically speaking the current government could argue that we attended during "normal" working hours; we arrived at 9:45 pm. It is proposed that the normal working weekday for junior doctors extends to 10 pm. However, we haven't yet reached that nirvana of 5-day working stretched over 7 days, so following an assessment by an emergency department doctor my wife was referred for the obligatory X-ray and onto the junior doctor cover the Hands and Plastic Surgery specialty overnight.
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At some point just before 2 am, when we finally got home, it struck me that across the country, in many hospitals, the same sort of junior doctor was covering all the surgical specialties overnight; that is General Surgery (bowels and abscess), Ear, Nose and Throat, Urology (bladders, kidneys, genitalia), Plastic Surgery, Burns and possibly trauma and orthopaedics. The cover of surgical specialties, as well as other specialties, by junior doctors at weekends during the day is similar. As a junior doctor myself about 10 years ago, the small regional hospital I worked in would be run at the weekend by ten or eleven junior doctors; 2 each of surgical, medical, paediatric, obstetric and anaesthetist, plus the occasional orthopaedic trainee and a variable number of doctors in the Emergency Department. There would have been around four or five times that number on duty on a week day.
If the government wants to push ahead with the current iteration of the junior doctors contract to enable what it calls truly 7-day working, then at the weekend, during the day at least, each hospital will need to make sure there are 4-5 times the number of junior doctors than they have currently, in order to offer the same service as week days. One junior doctor for every specialty so that no-one has to cover for someone else. Either that or they downgrade the weekday service so that the Monday to Friday "normal working day" level of coverage is akin to the level that was available to my wife on a late Thursday night, at best a compromise of some intermediate level of junior doctor coverage.
If the NHS budget is stable, or even shrinking through efficiency savings, and if doctor numbers remain stable (a big "if") and if the number of hours they are allowed to work also remains safeguarded (less certain since the Brexit decision) then it is inevitable that the only potential solutions are to either downgrade week day services by spreading the workers more thinly or getting the work done by (cheaper) non-doctors. The "flying pig solution" would be to increase NHS investment to ensure that there were enough doctors to fulfil an expanded working week.
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Theresa May - said Kenneth Clark, caught unawares on camera - is 'a bloody difficult woman'. It was quite an endorsement, actually. Because when he added to Malcolm Rifkind that they had, after all, worked for Margaret Thatcher, the link in his mind was plain to see.
Comparisons with Baroness Thatcher are inevitable for both May (the Iron Mayden, as one headline called her) and her rival Andrea Leadsom. But in fact, difficult women at Westminster have a far longer history.
Think of a female autocrat who once stalked there - a figure of charisma and controversy. One who came to power against the odds, but wound up giving her name to an era. One who went down in history . . . We could be talking about Margaret Thatcher - or about Queen Elizabeth I, back in the sixteenth century. And comparisons between those two come rather easily.
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Both wanted to be seen as statesmen first and women second, but neither hesitated to play the feminine card when necessary - Elizabeth with her flirtations and her appetite for flattery, Mrs Thatcher (as then she was) with her reproof that an opponent was 'ungentlemanly'. Elizabeth described herself as married to her country; Mrs Thatcher was pictured as the nation's stern nanny. Now we have Theresa May with her kitten heels - and Andrea Leadsom's suggestion that her motherhood would make her the better prime minister of the two, though that may backfire, spectacularly.
In 1550s England it was considered extraordinary to see a queen attempting to rule without a husband. In 1980s England - said the broadcaster Jon Snow - he still found it very odd to be interviewing a woman, whose very skirt and stockings gave her gender away. Both women provoked whispered questions as to whether they were not really a man (in Mrs Thatcher's case from the Chinese premier). Perhaps none of the whisperers could believe a woman could rule so successfully.
But both women provoked something else too - a blend of fascination and fury. Not only from their adversaries, but from the men working under them, often caught on the hop by their blend of inspiration and obstinacy. Mrs Thatcher was ultimately brought down by the men around her, while Elizabeth too saw her nation tire of 'petticoat government', and her ministers and favourites turn away. Nothing in Thatcher's Cabinet meetings matched Elizabeth's Tudor temper tantrums - but perhaps that is just the fault of our mealy-mouthed day.
Both Iron Lady and Virgin Queen have been blamed for having failed to promote women to any significant degree. Of having a rivalrous relationship with another eminent woman - in Mrs Thatcher's case, the Queen of England; in Elizabeth's, the Queen of Scots. Of being, in fact, a queen bee.
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That's one way in which Theresa May at least shines by comparison with her illustrious predecessors. Co-founder of Women2Win, set up to promote more Conservative women into Parliament, May was indirectly mentor and sponsor even to her rival Leadsom, ironically. But both Margaret Thatcher and Elizabeth Tudor left an undisputable legacy for other women - whether or not the two leaders themselves would have wanted it that way. When she died, Barack Obama spoke of Mrs Thatcher as having smashed a glass ceiling for his daughters. To Harriet Harman, as a leading woman of the opposing party, the famous Conservative was nonetheless 'one of the great leaders of the twentieth century'.
Elizabeth and Maggie both used tough talk. There's a direct line from the Tilbury speech with which Elizabeth hurled defiance at the advancing Spanish Armada, to Thatcher's famous 'The lady's not for turning'. And whether or not Theresa May knows her history, she seems to follow that ballsy line quite naturally. 'I am a bloody difficult woman. The next man to find that out will be Jean-Claude Juncker' she said, reassuring her party that Britain's negotiations with the European Union would not be conducted by a patsy.
There's always been a theory, of course, that the advent of more women into politics would make the whole thing more cosy. Collegiate, non-controversial . . . The idea that women are temperamentally averse to - or unsuited for - the fray has been used simultaneously to elevate and to disallow them.
In fact the jury is still out on that one. Never mind the Conservative contest in Westminster, Angela Eagle is expected to aggressively challenge Jeremy Corbyn for the Labour leadership any day. And new research suggests that the way men and women speak out in public life is not necessarily different (though the way their assertiveness is perceived may be).
When James Comey announced his decision not to recommend the prosecution of Hillary Clinton for the misuse of classified information, it was not his first investigation of Clinton that ended without the filing of criminal charges. It was his third investigation of Clinton, and the second in which he personally decided not to charge her with a crime.
For Comey, in the words of Yogi Berra, it must have seemed like deja vu all over again.
In 1996, Comey was appointed as a deputy special counsel to the Senate Whitewater Committee that investigated, among other things, allegations of obstruction of justice by top Clinton White House officials, including Hillary.
In 2002, Comey had just been appointed the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York when he again found Hillary Clinton in his crosshairs. As the new U.S. attorney, Comey had inherited a well-developed investigation into allegations that the Clintons had traded presidential pardons for financial contributions to Bill Clintons presidential library and Hillary Clintons New York Senate campaign. Although a grand jury was empaneled and heard testimony from witnesses, Comey closed the investigation without filing any charges.
Curiously, one of the last-minute pardons issued by President Clinton went to John Deutch, his former CIA director. Deutch had agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor for the misuse of classified data that was found on a home computer connected to the internet, but the information charging him with the crime had not been filed by the time he received Clintons pardon.
Deutchs pardon, which specifically mentioned the criminal information, was widely reported in the press. As Hillary Clinton was intimately involved in the granting of pardons by her husband and received specific warnings that her use of a personal Blackberry and private email server put classified information at risk it is difficult to understand how Comey could reasonably conclude that she had not broken the law.
Perhaps the Clintons greatest crimes have been against the historical record, which is now full of holes thanks to their penchant for concealing and destroying official government documents. The Whitewater investigation was dominated by allegations that top officials in the White House Counsel deliberately concealed and ultimately destroyed records that were sought by law enforcement from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
In 2003, Sandy Berger, President Clintons former National Security Advisor, was caught attempting to steal official White House records from the National Archives by stuffing the documents down his pants. The documents included classified terrorist threat warnings President Clinton received before 9/11. Berger later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, was forced to give up his law license and lost his security clearance for three years.
Since 1995, the written policy and regulations governing State Department officials have specifically provided that electronic mail ... are considered federal records that must be preserved under the Federal Records Act. Since 1943, applicable federal laws have stated that a document can constitute a federal record regardless of physical form and characteristics.
Yet Clintons lawyers admitted to the FBI that they deleted thousands of emails from her personal server without even reading the contents. Not only did the lawyers delete the emails, according to Comey, but they cleaned their devices in such a way as to preclude complete forensic recovery.
At heart, Comey is an establishmentarian who is deeply invested in the revolving-door cronyism of Washington D.C.s financial-security-industrial complex the rigged system that both Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump complained about.
Throughout his career, he has shifted between high-powered jobs in the DOJ, the defense contractor Lockheed Martin, the large hedge fund Bridgewater Associates and, very briefly, academia. One doesnt succeed in such a tight-knit, incestuous community by making enemies or antagonizing important, powerful people. The currency that matters most in this milieu is power and wealth, not a burning desire to see justice done by getting to the truth of a matter.
Comeys first priority as an establishmentarian is to avoid political chaos, which goes a long way toward explaining why, for him, the third time was not the charm in his prosecutorial investigations of Hillary Clinton.
July is often Beijing's hottest month. The humidity is draining. Sometimes a thunderstorm breaks through the oppressive heat, for a while.
This time last year, lawyers across China found themselves at the eye of a different kind of storm. They were part of a community of 'rights lawyers', so-called because they work on 'sensitive' cases defending the rights of petitioners and victims of police abuse, for example.
By 12 July 2015, over a hundred had been detained, interrogated, or forcibly disappeared. Law firms were searched and shut down. Friends and relatives desperately tried to reach lawyers who had been summoned by the police. The Hong Kong-based China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group posted updates every day, sometimes every few hours, as the number of lawyers detained continued to rise. The crackdown was not confined to Beijing: it stretched across the country, sweeping up not only rights lawyers but activists, family members and colleagues.
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The crackdown has been criticised by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, a joint statement signed by 12-UN member states, and the UK Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, as well as numerous non-governmental organisations.
One year on, many of those detained have been released, but for those still detained there has been little or no news. Over three hundred people have been touched by the clampdown on the legal rights defence community, dubbed the 709 Crackdown. More than 20 have been officially arrested. In the most serious cases, they are accused of subverting state power, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Against this backdrop, what is it like to be a rights lawyer today?
Alongside the high profile detentions, more cases of harassment of lawyers in the courts are coming to light. On 3 June, lawyer Wu Liangshu had his clothes torn off by three court police officers while requesting to file a case in the Qingxiu District Court in Nanning, Guangxi Province. Wu claims he was beaten and choked by the officers in the presence of two judges and one other official when he refused to hand over his mobile phone for inspection. Over 1,000 lawyers signed a joint letter to demand that the officers involved be held to account, and the case was even reported in the Global Times, an English-language paper under the Communist Party's People's Daily.
While the coverage and response is unusual, however, the incident itself it not. As Lawyer Wu told the BBC, there are "plenty of weird and violent stories of things happening to lawyers in China". On 18 June 2015, just before the crackdown, a lawyer in Shandong Province was dragged from the court room by court bailiffs and beaten at the direction of the presiding judge.
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Rights lawyers have long since reported harassment, intimidation and assaults by security officers outside the court: many veteran rights lawyers have been tortured on multiple occasions. Meanwhile the Chinese media have criticised lawyers for "colluding with petitioners" and "stirring up" public opinion issues, branding those detained in July as members of a criminal gang.
A large number of lawyers in China, of course, are not directly affected by these affairs. Lawyers who work on commercial cases, for example, and do not take on those which are 'sensitive' or 'political', most often go about their work without harassment. Indeed, many of the lawyers now detained started out like this.
However, the mistreatment of lawyers in the courts in particular has wider implications for the profession. A lack of respect for individual lawyers indicates a lack of respect for their profession, and by extension the law itself.
Avoiding these 'sensitive' issues and cases is an option for both those inside the country and lawyers, companies and governments outside doing business with China.
No-one would blame a Mainland Chinese lawyer for steering clear of cases which she or he knows will draw the attention of the authorities. Not everyone is in a position to risk their career, their reputation and their safety, and the events of the past year have shown that the consequences of taking up such cases are not only borne by the lawyers but by their spouses and children too.
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This week I want to mourn and celebrate my friend and close work colleague at Mallett for nearly 20 years who has died far too young in her 60s.
In 1995 - and I have too admit I am a bit wobbly on dates - Felicity Jarrett applied for a job at Mallett at Bourdon House. She was not the usual 20 something young girl who applies for such jobs, she had worked in the city and had travelled the world as the wife of an engineer. She was the mother of three grown up children. Her sister Marilyn, whom we knew well through business, had recommended her. At interview she was obviously competent if not highly overqualified but she clearly wanted the job that was part time and ostensibly un-pressured. Her approach was to be utterly professional and whilst she seemed quiet, almost timid and deferential, one could see that she was a powerhouse just below the surface.
From this part-time job she grew into being one of the most widely loved and successful salespeople at the company. It began with her helping me write the description tickets for the stock. Every other day we had to walk round the showrooms checking, replacing and writing tickets. She began by correcting my grammar - which has always been atrocious - and developed into asking questions about the date, style and authenticity of the pieces. She was soon correcting me and our labels greatly improved. As her expertise grew so did her confidence and my erstwhile colleague Henry Neville inadvertently gave her a big break. He took six months off from work to live in NY with his fiancee Rena and Felicity volunteered to move from behind her desk to the front line of sales. The first couple of tours with clients I went round with her, but soon she was off on her own. Within a month she was making significant sales. She was not tall and was slight of frame but her power lay in her ability to laugh and put people at ease. She exuded total confidence and whilst not being strident or pushy she had a way of persuading people that the object in question was exactly what they needed.
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Felicity quietly now began to change the all male dogmas within the company. It may seem trivial now but she pioneered the wearing of trousers for women. In a business far behind the curve of modern thinking this was quite revolutionary. Quietly at first, but increasingly forcefully, every time a patronising or misogynistic comment was made she would jump on it and ferociously berate the guilty party. The men in the company became wary and would consider what they said in advance - a novelty for most. She hated any suggestion that a 'woman' was in any way incapable of doing anything. She shifted heavy furniture. She insisted on locking up and being on call for the alarm - which in turn alarmed the Mallett men. But she got her way.
Felicity loved NY and she came up with a plan to make regular visits to see clients and decorators. After another victory over sexism with the board she was sent off. In those days we had no portable computers or mobile phones and she used to head off with a rolling suitcase full of heavy files of photographs. Up and down Manhattan she would lug this thing and thus she cemented her increasingly central role in the company. Weeks of telephone calls followed and couriers laden with images and descriptions sped from her desk and good business was done. She was no longer simply useful she was integral and vital to the company sales programme.
Mallett Bond St had exhibited from nearly its inauguration at the Autumn International show in NY - run by the Haughton family and only recently sold on to the TEFAF organisation. At Bourdon house we decided to take on a stand at the Winter Show, which takes place in the same location in NY, but in January. It is a very well established show historically dedicated to Americana but then with a few exhibitors from other areas of collecting. We took continental furniture. Felicity made the show a success by sheer force of will, she sent out invitations, tempting photographs and wined and dined until sales came. The clients and decorators of NY flocked to the stand to see her and get her advice.
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She was appointed an associate director and then a full director. As the years passed and her seniority and stature grew she never acquired airs and graces - instead she took new young staff under her wing and nurtured and encouraged them. She suffered no fools and if she spotted anything that she thought was unfair or simply stupid she was fearless in pointing it out.
Sadly for Felicity the good years at Mallett began to fade after they sold Bourdon House. The balance between costs and earnings tipped the wrong side and losses began and though she continued to work tirelessly she was increasingly frustrated by decisions made by senior management. Add to this period of business decline - her beloved husband Colin had a terrible stroke and though she nursed him as well as anybody could, he died. Further horrors followed with her diagnosis with breast cancer, which initially she beat - but then it came back and took her life.
For me Felicity was a huge support and a life enhancing person to know. My personal memories will be of sitting, and planning opportunities to benefit the company - often enhanced by eating and drinking well. I will cherish the client parties we had at Bourdon house, the dinners in NY, lunches in Paris shopping for treasures and endless laughter in the office, often naughty, often bawdy she knew no taboos when it came to jokes.
Baby on floor looking at toy robot
Whilst caring for children seems a very human endeavor, there have nonetheless been a number of projects recently that have seen robots built for just such a task.
For instance, MIT's Huggable is a teddy bear robot that aims to provide support and comfort to children with chronic illnesses, all the while reporting on various vital signs to their doctors.
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The University of Delaware meanwhile developed a robot, called NAO, which is capable of reading the mood of the child, recognizing their family and even understanding your preferences for food, music and so on.
Teaching robots
Of course, such things aren't reserved just to custodial tasks, with a Harvard team developing a robot, called Root, that is designed to help its young charges learn how to code.
The latest project along these lines is from the Tilburg Center for Cognition and Communication (TCC), who have developed a robot that is designed to help young people learn a new language.
The robot is believed to be the first of its kind anywhere in the world, and is designed to support the children in their development of English or Dutch skills.
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The team believe that strong language skills are increasingly crucial in our globalized world, especially with people increasingly living in countries where the official language is not their native-tongue. For instance, many immigrant children may speak their native language at home, but need to learn the language of their host children before they start school.
Doing this will have a big impact on how successful they prove to be at school, and subsequently their chances of integrating successfully into their host society.
Picking it up at an early age
Linguists believe that children are particularly susceptible to new languages from an early age, hence why the team specifically developed their robot to target pre-school children. They worked with the Servicebureau Kinderopvang in Tilberg to partner with five pre-schools in the area.
The first experiment using the device was completed this summer, with the researchers hoping to use the findings from it to further enhance the way the robot communicates with the youngsters. The results from this experiment are due to be published in August.
Have a look at the video below to see the device in action. Could you see a robot helping to teach your child a new language?
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A recent Brookings report estimated that 3 million young people ages 16-24, or 7.6 percent of all young people in the U.S., are disconnected from pathways to economic success, because they are either unemployed or not in school. The report also found that young people become more competitive job candidates when they have education, skills, and experience on their resume.
This is an area that I'm passionate about - I can still vividly recall meeting a group of teens from Anacostia in Washington D.C. in 1996 at a forum for youth violence. They eloquently articulated the obvious, that they needed jobs to help them forge a new path and stay out of trouble. They were eager to develop their credentials in order to join the workforce but lacked the opportunities. Too often, urban young adults face a multitude of challenges that impact their long-term success. My experience led me to help create Urban Alliance, a nonprofit that supports youth in the D.C. area and additional cities across the country with paid internships, training and mentorship. For many young people, Urban Alliance opens a door for them to gain employment experience that is vital for them to develop a trajectory for success.
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Recently, there have been several thought-provoking articles about the need to boost young people's skills and opportunities through paid internships - in his New York Times oped, Ford Foundation president Darren Walker notes that paid internships are often secured by those with networks and connections that others lack, while Shayndi Raice's blog in the Wall Street Journal states that young people with paid internships are more likely to secure job offers and make inroads on their professional path. It's clear that the future of our communities hinge on the success of our young people, but so much more remains to be done to help put all of our young people on the path to success.
At Bank of America, we believe that we cannot be truly successful unless the customers and communities we serve have a chance to create their own success. Today, we announced a $40 million, three-year, commitment to connect 100,000 young people to the skills and employment experiences they need to achieve long-term success. Through this effort and in partnership with nonprofits and mayors offices across the country, we'll support summer internships, education and workforce training, and make investments to advance diverse talent. It's about helping youth find pathways to success, something that ultimately benefits all of us, and advances our commitment to create a more sustainable future.
There are tangible ways for each of us to engage in this effort - from supporting a local organization investing in youth to mentoring a young person as they navigate academic and career choices. I'm reminded that we need our young people to develop into the future leaders who will address the challenges we face as a nation, and as a society.
On June 23, a referendum (a vote in which everyone of voting age can take part) was held to decide whether the UK should leave or remain in the European Union. Leave won by 52% to 48%. The unexpected result generated widespread shock, no surprise given the far-reaching economic and political consequences. What did take me aback was the vitriol directed at older voters, who were blamed in appalling terms.
Headlines included: "How old people have screwed over the younger generation" from the Independent and "EU Referendum Results: Young 'Screwed By Older Generations'..." in the Huffington Post, and "We Should Ban Old People from Voting" in GQ A piece on Vice, titled "Oh My God, Grandma, What the Fuck Have You Done?", began "Lean your wrinkly little face close to me ...". Here's how Vox.com laid it out: "Not content with racking up insurmountable debt, not content with destroying any hopes of sustainable property prices or stable career paths, not content with enjoying the benefits of free education and generous pension schemes before burning down the ladder they climbed up, the baby boomers have given one last turd on the doorstep of the younger generation."
A sign held up at a pro-Remain/anti-Brexit rally in East London last week read: "Old white people, please die." The Twitterverse echoed that sentiment, with "most of the folks that voted for #brexit will be dead within 25 years. 75% of 18-30 voted stay. The old & dying sticking it to the young - @DJMightyMike" and "... how long till enough old people die to erase #Brexit majority? Has anyone worked that out? @matthewjdavies."
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Here's another take on the lifespan issue: these supposedly selfish and short-sighted olders will live through the short-term turmoil but not long enough to play a central role in the positive changes they envision, nor to benefit from them. Misguided or not, their vote is one of confidence in the vision and abilities of the generations that follow. Nothing matters more to most olders than the welfare of their children and grandchildren, and it is grotesque to propose that those interests are inherently opposed.
How about a closer look at the data that got people so worked up about this generational divide.
In the 45-54 age group--not exactly "older people"--a clear majority voted for Leave, and even in the 35-44 age cohort, the numbers for and against differed only slightly. "You could in fact argue that the key shift occurred in the 45-54 age group," the AgeUK blog pointed out. The older voters were, the less faith they retained in the European Union. Nostalgia played a part in their decision, but so did lived experience. These are the same people, after all, who voted to join the Common Market in 1975.
More significantly class, gender, and race are all far better indicators of how people vote than age. The working-class vote in the North of England, traditionally loyal to the left, voted against the EU; cosmopolitan Londoners leaned heavily the other way; along the coast that faces Europe, concerns about immigration generated a vehement vote to Leave. I happened to be in London at the time of the Brexit vote, and almost everyone I met voted to Remain. They were largely professionals with degrees, the characteristics identified by the Financial Times as most strongly associated with Remain voters. (In comparison, fewer of today's olders had the chance to go to university.) The third strongest factor cited by the Financial Times was "not holding a passport." The fourth was income ("areas with higher median incomes tended to lean Remain, whilst lower incomes leaned Leave"). Age and turnout came in fifth.
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The median age in an area was the strongest predictor of turnout and showed a familiar pattern--the older the median age in an area, the more likely it was to have had a high turnout. Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron's take on this was that "Young people voted to remain by a considerable margin, but were outvoted." True, but only 36 per cent of eligible 18 to 24-year-olds exercised their right to vote. The overall turnout was 76 per cent.
"Throw Granny to the wolves" headlines make good clickbait, and we shouldn't be surprised when the media fans the flames. Prohibition, rock & roll, Vietnam, the environment--intergenerational conflict makes for a good story. This is the first time age has taken center stage in the political narrative, however, which is a troubling harbinger. It is critically important to see these headlines for what they are: a distraction from the underlying issues of social and economic inequality that affect the 99%--younger workers scrambling for a foothold in the global economy and olders stranded and stigmatized by the same forces. As the 1% grows more ruthless in its efforts to maintain the status quo, we can expect more of the same.
Given that xenophobia (specifically Arabo-Phobia and Islamophobia) is insanely on the rise and is foreseen to increase even more in the future with the rise of far-right groups in many countries and the unprecedented hate rhetoric that many politicians use, any Middle Eastern planning to travel/live in Europe or U.S.A., he/she better follow the below tips to keep their safety:
1. Do not speak Arabic.
-Student removed from Southwest flight after speaking Arabic on plane
2. If you are a woman with a head scarf (Hijab), you've got to take it off baby or better take the advice of Hasan Minhaj.
- Man pleads guilty to grabbing, taking off woman's hijab on plane
3. Don't wear your traditional clothes because you will be mistaken for a terrorist.
-'They were brutal with me' Emirati describes arrest in US after being mistaken for ISIL member
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4. If you look Middle Eastern, I advise you undergo a plastic surgery to change your skin color.
-Hate-filled Florida woman mistakes comedy film crew as Middle Eastern -- and launches racist tirade about terrorism
6. Last and most importantly, do not -- under any circumstances -- say that you are Muslim.
- French Embassy Employee Fired for Being Muslim, Pregnant
With these advices, I guarantee that no Middle Eastern will be hurt and none will face any kind of discrimination. Funny right?
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Actually it is not, and it is getting real. United Arab Emiratis asked its citizens not to wear their traditional clothes while traveling abroad. It will be possible to see other countries asking their citizens to use my guide above. But now as human beings sharing this world, are we aware that the stories we used to read in history books about the dark ages of religious persecution are now our daily news?
According to Merriam-Webster, persecution is to treat (someone) cruelly or unfairly especially because of race or religious or political beliefs. This is exactly what is happening with many Muslims or anyone who looks Middle Eastern. Actually now being a Muslim means your life matters less, and if you are a citizen of an European country, your citizenship might mean nothing and you might be thrown out of the country because of your religion.
The Office of the President may be the most important office in the land, but the Office of the Vice President has helped shape the course of history for decades. The right vice-presidential choice can help secure an election and build a lasting legacy, and the wrong one can tank even the most promising political career.
As the 2016 presumptive nominees for president get ready to select their running mates, the five best and worst vice-presidential picks in U.S. history offer valuable lessons.
The Best
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon's youthfulness helped counter and balance his 62-year-old running mate, Dwight D. Eisenhower. Nixon also brought California's support to the ticket. But much like his eventual presidency, Nixon's contribution as Vice President was a mixed bag. Less than two months after the Republican convention, reports surfaced that he'd used wealthy businessmen to finance his political expenses.
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Lyndon B. Johnson
Texan Lyndon Johnson is credited with helping John F. Kennedy win the presidency by securing the south. Despite concerns that Senator Johnson, a bitter enemy of Kennedy's in the presidential nominating contest, meant to overshadow the president, Johnson accepted his role as second.
George H. W. Bush
Having served as congressman, U.N. ambassador, diplomat to China, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, and CIA Director, George H. W. Bush brought an unprecedented wealth of experience to the position of Vice President. He also helped his running mate, Ronald Reagan, unite the Republican party by providing a balance to Reagan's ideology.
Al Gore
As a Senator from Tennessee, Al Gore brought Washington-insider experience and a well-known name to a little-known Arkansas governor's presidential campaign. As a mirror to Bill Clinton, Gore energized President Clinton's campaign and strongly supported his headline making two-term administration.
Dick Cheney
George W. Bush had a real-life Darth Vader in Dick Cheney. Considered by many to be the most powerful Vice President in U.S. history, Cheney served his president by keeping the president's political enemies at bay and his neoconservative allies in line. He was also heavily involved in almost every major policy decision made by his president.
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The Worst
Thomas Eagleton
Just 18 days after Thomas Eagleton officially joined his ticket, George McGovern asked him to step down after reports emerged that he was taking Thorazine, a powerful anti-psychotic. Eagleton's records also contained references to suicidal thoughts and manic depression. Though Eagleton left the ticket, people questioned McGovern's judgment to such an extent that he only won 17 electoral votes.
Spiro Agnew
Richard Nixon selected Spiro Agnew to appeal to the south without alienating the north. He also did not want to be outshined by better known Republicans like Ronald Reagan. Despite using racial slurs on the campaign trail, Agnew's popularity with the Republican base helped Nixon win the election. Unfortunately, like the president he served, Agnew eventually resigned in disgrace after reports indicated that he had evaded taxes, laundered money, and taken bribes.
Geraldine Ferraro
Walter Mondale's 1984 selection of Geraldine Ferraro as his Democratic running mate was historic. Unfortunately, after a televised debate the American people deemed Ferraro too inexperienced for the position. Moreover, when the media revealed that she filed separate tax returns from her husband, a firestorm erupted from which she and her running mate could not recover. Theirs is considered the least successful major party campaign in U.S. history.
Dan Quayle
Despite suffering a bad defeat in a debate, Dan Quayle went on to become Vice President under George H. W. Bush. Unfortunately, Mr. Quayle persisted in making confusing, often outright nonsensical remarks that became a political punchline. His most famous one came during the 1992 reelection campaign when he corrected a child's spelling of the word potato to potatoe during a spelling bee.
Sarah Palin
For a brief time, the half-term governor of Alaska drew immense excitement to the McCain campaign. But after electrifying her party at the Republican National Convention, Ms. Palin proved unable to cast the same spell on the majority of Americans. Incapable of naming a single newspaper when asked by Katie Couric, she quickly became an embarrassment for the McCain campaign.
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It's too soon to say whether our presumptive nominees, Clinton and Trump, will choose running mates that will sink or sail their campaigns to the Oval Office. If history is any indication, the decision should be a careful one.
Penn State student Zaniya Joe wears a piece of tape over her mouth that says 'Black Lives Matter' during a Ferguson protest organized by a group of Penn State University students on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014, in University Park, Pa. (Nabil K. Mark/Centre Daily Times/TNS via Getty Images)
Before Thursday, May 19, Kentrill Carraway was a young man from Miami, Florida. Kentrill, 22, comes from a large family whose love for him reaches across the east coast from New York City down to Miami. He was a father trying to make a way out of no way. No way, in this case, is the system that says when black boys are born, their pipeline is to be incarcerated or violently killed. Unfortunately the latter happened, and he was shot in the back by a Miami-Dade police officer.
Kentrill is my cousin.
The evening of May 19, 2016, Kentrill was under a tree in his neighborhood, sitting with a group of friends and probably discussing his birthday plans since he would have turned 23 years old the following week. A group of plainclothes officers approached the group, targeting them for "suspicious activity", and one of the detectives shot Kentrill twice in the back as he tried to escape. The officer claimed my cousin had a gun and feared for his life, but how can you murder out of fear when that someone may have feared you just the same? He was running from the officer with his back turned when he was shot. He did not have a gun, and that night my cousin became a hashtag.
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I remember how I felt about Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Mike Brown and Sandra Bland. When I heard about their stories, of who they were before they became a hashtag and the unjustly circumstances of their deaths; I posted about it, I attended rallies and I prayed. Although I feared for myself and my family members (one of them being a police officer), I never imagined that the experience of losing someone at the hands of an officer would hit so close to home. I never thought that a family member, let alone my cousin, would share a similar plight like the other 506 and more persons who have been wrongly killed by a police officer.
Last week Alton Sterling and Philando Castile were added to the list of those who were wrongfully killed by police officers. July 5 - 7 were some of the toughest days I had to experience since Kentrill's death. The emotions were high for me, because I actually know what it feels like to lose someone at the hands of an officer. As we talked about Alton and Philando, I was saddened because no one knew Kentrill's name. No one was saying his name and no one was sharing his story. When Beyonce shared the names of people who have been killed by police, I wondered if Kentrill's name was on that list at her recent concert. Each day I thought to myself, "Do they know his name?"
New Networks Institute (NNI) today filed comments with the FCC in a cluster of active proceedings that are all tied at the hip --Special Access (Broadband Data Services), the IP Transition (and the discontinuance of copper-based services), and 5G fixed wireless.
NOTE: 5G wireless, if and when it ever shows up, will require the use of the 'special access' networks, while the IP Transition has been designed to remove any regulatory obstacles to move (push) customers onto wireless.
These comments are focused on the new financial information from Verizon NY for 2015, which is the state-based, incumbent utility telecommunications provider that controls critical infrastructure. But all of the incumbent phone companies (AT&T and CenturyLink) have been using the same accounting and business practices, it would appear.
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Also, on June 28th, 2016, Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and NNI filed joint comments in the FCC's special access proceeding, detailing massive overcharging of customers and over-the-top profit margins--for what are essentially copper-wire-based (TDM) utility services.
Simply put,
There are massive cross-subsidies between and among Verizon's 'local utility networks' and Verizon's other lines of business, which includes special access and wireless.
Special Access is very profitable because it is paying a fraction of the expenses, uses the utility networks and can overcharge customers and competitors that use these networks.
The majority of expenses were disproportionately allocated into the local phone networks' accounting, making them appear 'unprofitable'.
Verizon has also been able to fund the wires to the cell towers, (and this will include 5G), via the local wireline construction budgets, as well as paying a fraction of what competitors pay for access; this lowered revenues as well as raised expenses of the local networks.
Massive manipulation of the accounting of access lines. While Verizon points to a 'loss in lines', special access has grown 79% in revenues since 2007--but none of the special access lines, even the copper-TDM lines, have been counted.
In New York, there were multiple rate increases based on 'massive deployment of fiber optics' and 'losses'. The deployment was diverted to fund wireless and the losses were artificial, subsidizing other lines of business.
The 'IP Transition' claims no one is using the copper networks and that the networks are unprofitable--Special access uses the copper networks and are very profitable.
The IP Transition claims access lines are declining--but the accounting ignores the majority of copper lines in service.
5G requires fiber optics and special access, which will increase the local wired networks; but the problem is that wires are being funded via local phone customers and the wireline utility, not Verizon Wireless.
These financial machinations have had and will have multiple harms.
Customer Overcharging
Low income families pay extra fees for services, including rate increases, and are in areas that are less likely to be properly upgraded and maintained, much less 5G'd.
All users of 'special access' services pay inflated rates.
Competitors pay retail while Verizon's affiliates receive major discounts or a free ride.
CFA has found $75 billion in customer overcharging and an additional $75 billion in economic harms for the last 5 years. We believe this is the low number.
Lack of Broadband
Cities and communities, especially in more rural areas, did not get properly upgraded because the capital expenditures were diverted to other lines of business.
Industries Harmed
The alarm industry is a target because 70% of the alarm industry is based on reliable copper networks. Shutting the copper and replacing it with wireless has a massive cost to the independent security companies.
The wireless small cell "DAS" competitors and others are blocked from using any new 'fiber build outs' - even if paid for by local phone customers.
All competitors that rely on using these networks--from those who use the copper networks and are restricted from the fiber optic services, to wireless companies paying multiples for the same service, need to have this properly resolved.
Unfortunately, the FCC asked about pricing of special access, and there is a proposed set of principles put forth by Verizon and INCOMPAS, the association of competitors. Sadly, the discussions center around creating pricing that is based on mathematical 'X' factor productivity models. It can't work:
There is no mathematical model that accounts for cross-subsidies or underpayments; the special access business is paying a fraction of the expenses that are used in the models.
I.e.; the cross-subsidies described here-in, based on the financial reports, are more accurate and need to be dealt with vs a mathematical model. We believe Verizon has agreed to this deal with INCOMPAS so that it stops any requests for actual 'cost data', and keeps the cross-subsidies intact and hidden from view.
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The Primary Findings
1)Special Access Size of Market: Nationwide, TDM Special Access is Estimated at $29 Billion in 2015; the Total is $48 Billion. In May 2014, our report "It's All Interconnected" found that the mostly copper-based TDM services were a $23.4 billion market in 2013, and that there was another financial cache of special access on other Verizon state-based reports that would bring the total to $45 billion for the year 2013.
17 months later, the FCC confirmed our findings, providing virtually identical market sizing, but the FCC's analysis is based on the FCC's own data collection. Using our same methodology, we updated the information to 2015.
Also, since 2007, Verizon NY special access TDM revenues have grown 79%.
2)Verizon NY's Access Services had a 53% Profit Margin in 2015. Verizon's Special Access services pay a fraction of every expense charged to "Local Service"--including capx and maintenance, even though these are part of the state utility networks and Title II.
3)Special Access Overcharging: We Estimate that Nationwide, about $21 Billion has been Overcharged in 2015. In separate investigations, using different sources of information, CFA's 'macro' analysis, published in April 2016, shows that special access is being overcharged about $20 billion annually; this matched our 'micro' analysis.
4)RED FLAG: Local Service Paid $1.5 Billion in Network Costs in 2015 - There are No Serious Network Costs. Simply put, the numbers show that Local Service, which is based on the aging copper networks, paid the majority of network expenses and double what the special access line of business paid--and Local Service paid the majority of all expenses, which created massive financial losses.
5)Verizon Wireless has Verizon Wireline Build the Wires Used for Wireless. Verizon corporate has made it clear that the Wireless company did not pay for most of the capx to build its wireline networks-- this means that billions in capx, per state, was diverted away from wiring cities.
6)There has been a Manipulation of the Accounting of Access Lines. In 2007 there were 47 million access lines listed in the FCC's "Statistics of Common Carriers" for just Verizon New York; about 40 million were special access. With a 79% increase in revenues since 2007, there could be over 80 million total lines (and equivalents) in just New York.
7)The FCC has provided 'zero' actual lines in service and has not supplied basic, updated data from its 2007 data collection.
8)There are a Number of Financial 'Buckets' of Revenues for Special Access. We uncovered that there are multiple revenues for special access, where some areas are not paying common costs or that the affiliate companies may only be paying a fraction of the expenses to use the networks.
This information is part of a six year investigation, which includes special access services. We call it Fixing Telecom:
The story I have continued to tell others is that race and socio-economic relations in this country have come a long way; that we are close to fulfilling Dr. King's dream. Maybe it's a story I believed myself. After the events of this past week, I'm faced with a more stark reality: we are not.
I woke much earlier than usual last Friday morning. I needed to think through what I was seeing on the morning news - a non-violent protest of police brutality marred by violence itself. I'm still in shock. I'm angry, frustrated, and struggling--I am still making whatever sense there is to make of not just of the events in Dallas, not just the instances of brutality against the African-American community that proceeded it, but by the near constant flow of similar incidents over the last few years.
Perhaps I had the TV up too loud. My 11-year old daughter had been listening from her bedroom. She joined me on the couch, visibly afraid.
Why, she asked, was this happening? Why are people shooting police? Why are police shooting Black people? Hadn't Martin Luther King, Jr. and countless others helped us to resolve these problems? Should she be worried?
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I fought back anger and tears. How could I help my baby girl understand all that she's been processing? It's important that I help her make sense of these events, so that, as she begins her journey into adolescence, she has the necessary knowledge, tools, and courage to combat the ignorance that exists in this world. But how?
It's not just her. I also want to communicate with the young people we serve in our schools, whose communities are impacted daily by senseless acts of violence. Our young brothers and sisters witness blatant disregard for their lives and those of everyone who looks like them. They, like my daughter, wonder how to navigate this world as they transition into adulthood.
What is my stance as a father, a citizen, an educator, and as a leader in an organization that at its core is about equity of opportunity and justice? I remain guided by Dr. King's observation: "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
To state the obvious, we are in those times.
Black and brown people are losing hope that the "system" will protect them and treat them fairly. In a letter to his son, author Ta-Nehisi Coates writes, "All you need to understand is that the officer carries with him the power of the American state and the weight of an American legacy, and they necessitate that of the bodies destroyed every year, some wild and disproportionate number of them will be Black." Racially-biased media coverage describes acts of violence against the police officers as "vicious and despicable," but the shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile--because of reckless and racist policing--are considered "unfortunate and sad".
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The senseless targeting and homicide of police officers in Dallas is heartbreaking and tragic. Our collective hearts go out to their families and the greater law-enforcement community. The #BlackLivesMatter movement publicly condemned the mass shooting in Dallas. Still, I cannot bring myself to understand why the outrage at the senseless killing of the officers is so seemingly more intense than the equally senseless killing of innocent Black people? Have we become so habituated to the killing of Black people for minor or no offenses? Are Black people "being hunted," as Philando Castile's mother protested? Have the masks officially come off?
Do some lives matter more than others?
I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting an amazing young man, Lewiee Blaze, a senior at Minneapolis' High School for Recording Arts, at the Deeper Learning conference in San Deigo this past spring. Lewiee, outstandingly as a young man of his age, most persuasively--for me--answers that question:
All lives matter
You matter I matter but black lives matter
When I say black lives matter it is not to disintegrate any other race, because skin tone is just a shade
Different colors but all a color,
Living different lives but we all have lives & they all matter,
But black lives matter
See black and brown people for some reason have been treated differently we can take it back to the 17th century when we were being shipped over seas,
See there was this man who spoke to me in my dream,
He told me to follow the dream create a scheme that'll prevent another dead teen Oh yeah and that's why black lives matter I mean would it matter to you if people you're easily compared to keep dying around you and your similar thinking is you can die too
Tell me you won't try to take a stand, I'm not racist I'll shake a hand & make a friend; I understand that we are both woman and man
But black lives matter
This simple statement contrasts so eloquently the standard progressive approach du jour of mixing color-conscious moral diatribe with color-blind public policy. People of color do not want to be lectured by those speaking from positions of power and privilege on how we should respond to oppression. Yes, all lives matter. But, Black Lives Matter!
In my home I value trust, love, agency, and mattering. But how do I protect my daughter when these same values appear to be declining in our society. Instead, I see hopelessness, anger, and fear. In such unstable conditions, even small issues become catalysts for outsized consequences. Sparks become blazes. Fear and hate... produce snipers.
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In our school, for the young people we serve and for their families - our obligation is love, to make sure that they feel like--no--that they KNOW that they matter. Anyone who has accepted the mantle to work in schools or school systems has pledged to change lives. These are the times of challenge and controversy when our work is most needed. A true school community does not have to wait until classes begin again in August and September.
Former Ethiopian Regent and Emperor, Haile Selassie, said: "throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph." As I learned from my former students during my days as a teacher and principal--and recently reminded by my daughter--young people are always watching our actions and more importantly, our inaction!
So, we must not be afraid to engage our students, our children, in a discussion of these issues. To ignore what many of them are hearing, if not experiencing, is to pretend it does not matter. We must help them make sense of themselves and this world. We must do our part to ensure that our young people feel they matter, are loved, and are supported to achieve their aspirations. Without fear, but with hope. That is what our young people deserve. That is our responsibility during these challenging times.
Nita Ambani reminds us that, "Education is not only a tool for development - individual, community and the nation. It is the foundation for our future. It is empowerment to make choices and emboldens the youth to chase their dreams."
Ambani's insight is the goal that rouses me in times like these, motivates me to intensify our work on behalf of young people who matter and will make a difference for themselves and their world.
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Perhaps you are, like me, still making sense of it all. Still formulating your own narrative about these issues. Please share it when it--and you--are ready.
Editor:
According to three public opinion surveys, taken by Pew, Gallup and U.S.A. Today, Colorado voters increasingly regret their 2012 vote to legalize recreational marijuana-- for good reason.
Teen and adolescent marijuana use is now 74 percent higher in Colorado than the national average. Teen and adolescent alcohol use has also gone up since legalization. In fact, alcohol sales across-the-board have increased since marijuana legalization. People are not trading alcohol for marijuana, they are using both -- at increased rates.
Colorado stands out as the only state that is a top abuser of opioids, marijuana, alcohol and cocaine, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Colorado's Democrat Governor, John Hickenlooper, opposed the 2012 legalization. In 2015, he said legalizing it was a "bad idea" and wished he could go back in time and reverse the 2012 ballot initiative. In a recent CNBC appearance, Hickenlooper offered this advice to other states, like Nevada, considering legalization: " I would suggest waiting a year or two and see how it goes."
Nevada is currently on a different course -- let's continue to invest in our schools and in our workforce -- and not legalize something that hinders both.
Both Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, a Republican, and California Governor Jerry Brown, a Democrat have indicated their opposition to legalizing recreational marijuana. A nonpartisan coalition of Nevadans must unite in recognition that legalizing recreational marijuana is bad for Nevada.
Jim Hartman
Genoa
Starting in 2014, the Obama Administration conducted a prolonged and expensive process of soliciting public suggestions to update the archaic antitrust consent decrees that regulate songwriters represented by the ASCAP and BMI performing rights organizations. Most of these suggestions came from songwriters themselves, but a handful came from digital music services.
It has recently come to light as reported out of closed door meetings with at least one conflicted official at the Department of Justice that the Obama Administration has decided to ignore all of the ideas presented by songwriters, publishers and performing rights organizations and focus on the one thing that is almost guaranteed to destroy the PRO system in the U.S.
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The Obama White House intends to adopt the punitive policy of "100% licensing" to the great benefit of Google once again. That would be Google, the former client of the conflicted Justice Department official.
What Does "100% Licensing" Have in Common with a DeLorean?
Simply put, 100% licensing derives from the English common law--even older than the consent decrees. It refers to the ability of a co-owner of an undivided interest in real property to grant a nonexclusive license to allow a third party to use the whole parcel without the consent of her other co-owners. A co-owner relying on this rule also assumes the obligation of accounting to her other co-owners and may not license at a rate that constitutes economic waste of the property. So yes--the Obama Administration wants to lead songwriters back to the future.
The Obama Administration seeks to apply this theory to song copyrights through the consent decrees. After all the hopeful aspirations that the legacy consent decrees were going to be fixed by the Obama Administration based on the public comments solicited by the Justice Department, it now appears that at this late stage of the Administration's term, the can will just get kicked down the road even further.
Still confused about 100% licensing? If you're confused, it's partly because the concept applied to songwriters subject to the consent decrees is inapt and illogical. Take these examples:
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Example 1: Two ASCAP and BMI Co-Writers: If I am an ASCAP songwriter and you are a BMI songwriter and we co-write a song, we have to decided on our shares. Let's say we decide to share the song 50/50. That means 50% of the song that you write is subject to the BMI blanket license because you have an agreement with BMI that BMI represents your share of all songs you write. My 50% is likewise represented by ASCAP for the same reasons. We may have a simple song split agreement between us, typically a one-page form where we acknowledge each other's shares and that we will each administer our respective shares. We have to agree on any licenses, such as synchronization licenses, and our PROs collect all the performances.
Under the current regime, because ASCAP and BMI are the only two PROs that are subject to the consent decrees out of the handful of PROs that exist in the U.S., the government determines all aspects of how songwriters can license their songs. The government controls songwriters through the consent decrees that are the longest in U.S. history (in place since 1941) and also through the rate courts, an expensive and cumbersome process of a single federal judge deciding what the ASCAP rates should be and a second federal judge deciding what the BMI rates should be.
Services have for decades obtained licenses from both ASCAP and BMI and usually one or more of the competitors to ASCAP and BMI (who are themselves very much competitors) such as SESAC and more recently a new PRO called Global Music Rights.
Under 100% licensing, a digital music service can go to either ASCAP or BMI to license 100% of our song, even though we agreed between us that our shares would be licensed through our respective PRO blanket licenses. If the digital service went to ASCAP first, then ASCAP would have to license the BMI share and vice versa.
Doesn't seem legal? But wait, there's more.
Example 2: One ASCAP, One BMI and One GMR Songwriter Same example, except add a third writer who is represented by GMR. Global Music Rights is not subject to the ASCAP or BMI consent decrees.
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In this case, because the GMR writer made the creative choice to write with you and me, she is now subject to either the ASCAP or the BMI consent decree, just as if she had signed to ASCAP or BMI. But she can't tell which one, because the digital service can decide which one she will be forced to license through--even though she never signed to ASCAP or BMI, and may have made that decision because she did not want to be subject to the government's regulation of songwriters through the already unpopular--and about to get a whole new level of unpopular--government regulation of songwriters.
If this seems complex, it's really exponentially more complex in practice for the billions and billions of streams every month, not to mention a "regulatory surprise" that imposes a cost not included in the judge-made rates set under the consent decrees.
And that's right--the Obama Administration is about to rule that the consent decrees now extend to all songwriters who write with an ASCAP or BMI co-writer regardless of what their private contract says with their PRO or with their co-writers. This all is for the benefit of digital services, especially Google. That would be Google who is locked in a fight with GMR over YouTube.
And that's also right--the most valuable company in the world that is being sued by countries for violating antitrust law needs to be protected from the anticompetitive urges of songwriters. At least according to Google's former lawyer now driving the attack on songwriters in the Obama Justice Department.
Legislation by Any Other Name
If the consent decrees are starting to look like legislation, you're not the only one who thinks so. Initial reaction from Congress is negative, such as this from Congressman Doug Collins:
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"The Department of Justice's position is arrogance at its worst. The decision fails to address the vitally important issue of terminating or reforming outdated consent decrees, and instead broadly expands its interpretation of existing consent decrees. Under this expanded interpretation, the PROs must adopt "100 percent licensing" even if the PRO does not represent all joint owners of a musical work. This is a departure from common practice in the music industry and one that could have drastic consequences. The decision won't fix anything, but it will create new problems for the music industry. I fear these problems could undermine creative collaborations, harm songwriters, and tip music industry contracts and negotiations on their head."
The Obama Administration's relatively new position appears to have been based on extraordinarily bad advice--advice that is so bad it looks punitive. This in part because in order to get to the punchline, the Administration has to ignore the implications to international trade, replace a voluntary licensing doctrine with a government mandate, ignore written agreements between generations of songwriters, and impose untold transaction costs on songwriters without requiring an increase in royalty rates to permit cost recovery.
The Four Preconditions
It is true that the ancient common law rule rule has been applied to copyright in the U.S. from time to time, but it is actually quite rare because of four preconditions.
Limitation to U.S. Law
First, to the extent the rule obtains at all, it is a U.S. creature. Applying this rule to copyrights originating in countries other than the U.S. when the rule is not recognized in those other nations raises the real possibility that the proposed application by the Department of Justice is unlawful. In fact, it may actually be a treaty violation that could cause the United States to be hailed into a WTO arbitration. (See Fairness in Music Licensing Act where that exact thing happened, the U.S. lost, and U.S. taxpayers are subsidizing foreign songwriters.)
Limited to Voluntary Licensing
The ancient 100% licensing rule also involves voluntary licensing by the co-owner. To my knowledge, it has never been applied to a government mandated license in copyright, real property or otherwise.
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Interferes with Private Contracts
The rights of the co-owner typically will originate with some agreement or purchase agreement that grants to the co-owner the right to the use of the whole of the property even though they only own a partial interest. In order to be effective, the co-owner license must not violate an agreement to the contrary between or among the co-owners.
At a minimum, songwriters often avail themselves of "song split agreements" to document their percentage ownership. Since song split agreements typically provide for each writer to administer their respective shares of copyright, it is likely that there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of song split agreements covering songs available under ASCAP and BMI blanket licenses.
Not only are there likely to be written agreements covering these songs, the fact that each songwriter has registered their works with their respective PROs of which they are writer members is pretty easily interpreted as an "implied in fact" contract from the mere uncontested registration of song shares with multiple PROs. As the U.S. Supreme Court noted in Baltimore & Ohio R. Co. v. United States, 261 U.S. 592 (1923):
[A]n agreement "implied in fact" founded upon a meeting of minds, which, although not embodied in an express contract, is inferred, as a fact, from conduct of the parties showing, in the light of the surrounding circumstances, their tacit understanding.
What could be clearer than the uncontested act of PRO registration?
Negotiation for All Costs of the License
Perhaps most importantly and most relevantly for this post, the co-owner's license is presumed to be negotiated at a rate that will take into account the cost of the license to the granting co-owner. This is another place that the Obama Administration's proposed rule disintegrates or even becomes punitive.
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Under the DOJ's proposed 100% licensing rule, the applicable rate payable to PROs under the consent decrees is a rate for the use of the music licensed. No rate court took into account the "surprise" cost of administering songs in a 100% licensing world now being created by the DOJ from whole cloth.
Cost Recovery
Since the cost of administering these licenses was never included in the rate, any fee charged for 100% licensing by PROs would simply offset the costs for the convenience of the licensee music user and not be a rate for the benefit of songwriters, it seems proper that any music user seeking to trade on this theory should pay the freight.
In other words, ASCAP and BMI songwriters should be able to charge a fee for the convenience of 100% licensing that should be outside of the consent decrees and rate courts altogether. If not, the new transaction cost of administering 100% licensing when deducted from the already minuscule rate court license fees may well cause the music user to be in a better position than she would be in if the PRO had fully performed under the consent decree's terms.
This is particularly true regarding the rates that were mandated by the two rate court judges without an opportunity for songwriters to be heard regarding these additional "surprise"regulatory costs now contemplated by the Administration.
If the Obama Administration wants to lame duck their way out of amending (or terminating) these ancient consent decrees, they could at least do songwriters the courtesy of requiring their revolving door appointees to tell songwriters to their faces at a public hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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The Communications Workers of America whole-heartedly endorses Secretary Hillary Clinton for president of the United States.
We know that elections are about choices. The contrast between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, couldn't be greater.
Hillary Clinton has stood with CWA members and pledges her commitment to making life better for working families. She's walked with us on the Verizon picket line. She supports the call to get big money out of politics. She is committed to ending special treatment for Wall Street and the 1 percent. She wants to help students end the cycle of education debt. She has a solid record on the issues that are critical for working families: bargaining rights and the right to organize; family and medical leave; closing tax loopholes that benefit the 1 percent at the expense of our communities; secure health care and retirement benefits, and equal pay legislation. She has reaffirmed her opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, now and in a possible lame-duck session of Congress.
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Donald Trump also has been telling us exactly what he would do. He supports "right to work" laws that weaken workers' bargaining rights. He thinks the minimum wage is too high and that workers who want good jobs should accept lower wages. He dismisses the need for equal pay for women. He talks a good game about bad trade deals but manufactures his fancy ties offshore.
Hillary Clinton is thoughtful and experienced. Donald Trump is reckless, unthinking and much more likely to cut a deal with his billionaire colleagues than look out for working families.
In a Donald Trump administration, we'd be watching our backs for four years. We'd have no opportunity to move forward on real gains for working families, instead, we'd be forced on defense, just to defend the jobs and gains we've made over the years. With Hillary Clinton as president, we will have the ability and opportunity to push forward on our agenda to build a just, democratic society for working families.
The choice is clear. CWA will do everything we can to mobilize our members and activists to elect Hillary Clinton president of the United States.
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A Cannabis plant is pictured at the "Weed the People" event as enthusiasts gather to celebrate the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana in Portland, Oregon July 3, 2015. Smoking marijuana became legal in Oregon on July 1, fulfilling the first step in a voter-approved initiative that will usher in a network of legal weed retail stores in 2016, similar to the systems already operating in neighboring Washington state and Colorado. REUTERS/Steve Dipaola
The end of the federal government's War On Weed is approaching fast. No matter how the details work out, that much seems pretty clear at this point. What began roughly 100 years ago as a racist legislative overreaction to Latino workers' preferred method of relaxing -- and was then ramped up (under Richard Nixon) to punish hippies and minorities and college students -- could once again become sane governmental policy, ending almost a century's institutional demonization of a fairly harmless natural substance. When it happens, it will be the most significant governmental shift on a pointless and endless social "war" since the end of Prohibition. The only remaining questions are how the mechanics of the war's end will work out, and how fast it'll happen. But whether it ends with a bang or a whimper, that end is definitely now in sight.
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Consider the following developments (some very recent and some ongoing):
DEA about to report
The Drug Enforcement Agency is going to announce any day now their completion of a review of the status of marijuana under federal drug law. They had promised it'd be done by the end of June, so it's already overdue. No matter what their review recommends, it may spur fundamental change in the legal status of marijuana.
Suppose the D.E.A. actually applies common sense and science to the federal classification of marijuana. If they do so, they will recommend a downgrade from Schedule I to at least Schedule II (although a strong case could be made for Schedules III through V just as easily, depending on how you interpret the concept of "abuse" of marijuana). If the D.E.A. leads the way, the process will be fairly smooth and fairly quick. But even if they dig in their heels (they are the nation's drug warriors, after all) and refuse to recommend any change, they might just spark a backlash from other parts of the government.
Obama could act on his own, after the election
One of President Obama's campaign promises was to stop letting politics trump science in federal policy. He has had a very mixed record on this issue, however, as evidenced by the long (and pointless) battle his administration fought against allowing over-the-counter sales of the "Plan B" emergency contraceptive. Obama also consistently treated any suggestion of changes in federal marijuana policy as a joke to be laughed off, for pretty much his entire first term in office. His first attorney general sent some awfully conflicting guidelines out to federal prosecutors on marijuana policy -- first seeming to relax enforcement and then to tighten it back up. This confusion did eventually end, and the Department of Justice has now (mostly) taken a hands-off stance to states with legalized medical and/or recreational marijuana.
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This is important, because it is not ultimately the D.E.A.'s decision how marijuana is classified -- it is instead the attorney general's decision. Congress doesn't even need to be involved with any shift in policy, because the attorney general can change the federal government's classification with her signature alone. So even if the D.E.A. review refuses to recognize that "the times they are a changin'," the Justice Department can easily overrule them and go ahead and reschedule marijuana. President Obama might just order this to happen on his way out of office, during the lame-duck period after the election, no matter what the D.E.A. has to say about it. What would a self-described former member of the "Choom Gang" have to lose, at that point?
Congress could act as well
Even if the D.E.A. proves recalcitrant and the Obama administration isn't bold enough to reschedule on their own, Congress may get involved. A bill which will remove all the needless red tape from medical research on marijuana is working its way through the House right now, and it is notable for who has sponsored it -- not just pro-marijuana congressmen, but also some of the most avidly anti-marijuana congressmen as well. It is no longer a politically acceptable stance to deny doctors from even studying marijuana's benefits anymore -- another measure of how the War On Weed is winding down.
For years, marijuana research was only allowed if the hypothesis was some version of: "Marijuana's bad for you... mmm-kay?" No science was permitted with the aim of proving any benefits at all -- and then politicians and the medical establishment could sanctimoniously fight against legalizing medical marijuana with the Catch-22 excuse of "no solid research has been done, therefore marijuana can't be considered a medicine." As Doc Daneeka might have explained to Yossarian: "Doctors say medical marijuana isn't a proven medicine until they see studies scientifically showing the benefits, but research showing any beneficial uses doesn't actually exist -- because any researcher who tries to prove beneficial uses is denied the permission to conduct such research by the government -- so this scientific evidence will never actually be allowed to exist." That was then, but now even the most strident anti-drug congressmen are working to remove this enormous Catch-22 situation, forever.
Democratic Party officially calls for change
This one has a worrisome undertone to it, because of the way it happened. Still, it's a positive development any way you look at it. This weekend, in a showdown between Bernie Sanders supporters and Hillary Clinton supporters, a plank was inserted in the Democratic Party platform document that called for a "path to legalization" for marijuana. This is stunning, because the subject hasn't been addressed by either party in such a direct fashion since at least the 1970s. Sanders, in his campaign, called for "descheduling" marijuana -- treating it like alcohol, essentially, and moving its regulation over to the folks who now oversee tobacco and alcohol (instead of the drug warriors). This was proposed by the Sanders supporters at the platform committee meeting, but the idea was voted down. Compromise language was offered instead (with the "path to legalization" language) which called for at least rescheduling marijuana down from Schedule I. This passed by only one vote (out of over 150 cast). The worrisome aspect was that the Clinton people fought so hard against it -- fighting for timidity rather than leadership, as Democrats have been regularly doing on the issue ever since they were badly spooked by Republican charges of being "soft on crime," back in the 1980s and 1990s.
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A platform document fight doesn't guarantee how Hillary Clinton will treat the matter once in the Oval Office, however. Both Clinton and Obama, if you'll remember, were publicly against gay marriage in the 2008 campaign (timidity ruled the day on the issue among Democratic leadership, back then). But look where we are now -- Obama realized that he needed to "evolve" on the issue and politically it has done him a lot of good. He'll go down in history as the boldest president on gay rights of all time, in fact. Clinton could wind up doing the same on marijuana, too, no matter how timidly she's approached the issue so far during this year's campaign.
Legalize it
Even though the federal government states (as part of the Schedule I definition) that marijuana has "no accepted medical use," half of the United States have now legalized such medical use. Half. Depending on how you count, the number of such states is now at least 25 (some states have severe restrictions, red tape, and other hoops such as only allowing CBD oils and other non-euphoric forms, to treat diseases such as epilepsy). The tide on medical use has already turned and nobody will ever force this genie back into the bottle again.
The voters of four states -- and the District of Columbia, the seat of our national government -- have completely thrown in the towel altogether and just legalized adult recreational use of marijuana. The sky has not fallen in any of these jurisdictions. The sun rises, the sun sets, and the hellscape predicted by those against legalization has not materialized at all. This year, California voters will get a chance to vote on recreational legalization in November. California is the biggest market in the entire country -- if the state were its own country, it would have the sixth largest economy in the world. And California won't be alone. Seven other states may also have the opportunity to vote to legalize this November. Which means by the end of this year, marijuana may be fully legal for any adult to buy openly in over 10 states. This isn't quite the tipping point that medical marijuana has already reached, but it may be the biggest step towards such a tipping point yet taken.
Double the budgetary impact
Once other states see how much tax revenue is generated by states who have legalized recreational use, it's going to be pretty hard to argue against allowing such taxes to be collected. But marijuana legalization actually has a two-fold impact on state budgets. First, there's the tax revenue to be collected -- and marijuana smokers are just about the only political group in the country who are currently actually begging to be taxed. Think about that, especially seen through the eyes of a conservative politician. Who else is not going to complain about paying new taxes, after all?
But it gets even better, because the secondary budget impact is that millions of dollars (billions, when all states are added together) in law enforcement funds will be saved by not having to hassle with low-level pot busts anymore. Cops will be freed up to concentrate on other things, and new tax revenue will flow in at the same time. That is a double benefit to any state trying to put together a yearly budget -- and it's going to become more and more irresistible over time, especially to those who profess themselves to be fiscal conservatives.
War On Weed's end
In conclusion, although it is impossible to see precisely which path we'll take at this point, the federal government's War On Weed is almost over. Its days are numbered. The end is in sight.
It won't happen overnight, of course. Even it the D.E.A. gives its approval and Loretta Lynch acts immediately, rescheduling marijuana on the Controlled Substances list isn't going to be the last gasp. The war won't truly be over until the last vestiges of the federal government's wrongheaded policies have been reversed entirely. What would this look like? It would have many facets, because the idiocy behind the policy has become so ingrained in federal law.
First and foremost, federal officials would not be strangled by gag laws which now prevent them from even publicly admitting that marijuana is not as dangerous as heroin. This has got to be the biggest piece of idiocy in the entire misguided War On Weed, but it'll be the easiest to change.
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More concretely, marijuana businesses need to stop being persecuted for what they sell. Right now, it is impossible for many of these businesses to use the banking system. The federal penalties for laundering money from drug trafficking are so severe that the banks refuse to allow marijuana businesses -- completely legal ones, in states where they are allowed -- from opening an account. That has got to change. Marijuana businesses should not be forced to operate on a cash basis (what other business is?) and instead should be treated like any other wholesaler or retailer in the country. Tax laws also need to reflect this normalization. As of now, marijuana businesses can't legally claim common business expenses like employee salaries or rent -- again, like every other business in operation is allowed to. This will require a shift in the federal tax code.
Medical research on marijuana should be approved just like research on any other substance. Marijuana supplies for such research should be allowed from anywhere, instead of one government farm being a bottleneck for such research supplies. No extra approvals by a multitude of departments should be necessary any more (the hoops that such research has to jump through are still on the order of Catch-22, even after some recent improvements have been made). Doctors should be able to get solid scientific studies which show effectiveness and which also start to break down the dozens of chemicals in the plant to more accurately prescribe their use for different medical conditions.
Marijuana should really become legal on federal property, so that campers in a National Park aren't at risk of punishments they wouldn't face if they stepped outside the park's boundaries. But this brings up a much wider point -- what I see as the real end of the road for the fight to dismantle the federal War On Weed. Prohibition required a constitutional amendment to end, and at least we won't have that hurdle to get over. But the War On Weed's end is going to look a lot like how Prohibition ended in one enormous way.
The states have to be given full control -- up to a point -- over how marijuana will be treated. The end to the federal War On Weed won't mean marijuana will be legalized in all 50 states the next day, but that's actually OK. Indeed, Prohibition hasn't actually ended yet in many counties across America. "Dry" counties still exist in plenty of states, where the sale of alcohol is absolutely forbidden. Alcohol can't be sold on Sundays in lots of other places (so much for separation of church and state). In some places "near beer" is the only thing you can buy (which is pretty horrendous stuff to drink, it should be mentioned). In other places, Everclear (190-proof grain alcohol) is illegal, but Bacardi 151 can be purchased. Laws still differ everywhere, in other words, concerning the legal purchase of alcohol. But here's the crucial footnote to this patchwork of alcohol laws across America: you can buy a bottle of liquor legally (in a "wet" county, of course) and then get in your car and legally drive to any place in America, wet or dry -- without having to worry about getting busted by the cops for having an unopened bottle of hooch in your car. As long as you consume it in private, mere possession of alcohol is not banned by law anywhere in America.
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That is the real end of the road for marijuana, as well. No matter how all the rest of the details are worked out, this is when the war will fully be over. It's a monumental shift in federal policy, so it'll likely happen incrementally, but even so it may happen a lot sooner than you might think. These things have a way of steamrolling, in politics. The first step is taken (boldly or timidly), and then the next steps become easier because the logic supporting the entire War On Weed will begin to fall apart. "Why do we bother to still ban this, when we are now allowing that to take place?" becomes the question with no defensible answer (other than the wholly-inadequate: "Well, because we've always done it that way"). The framework will collapse of its own weight, and sometimes these collapses happen very swiftly. If 40 million Californians can enjoy the same freedom that citizens of Colorado and Oregon now enjoy, then the federal government is going to look pretty silly trying to turn back this tide. To some, the federal War On Weed won't be over until everyone affected receives an apology for all the idiocy (a full presidential pardon for Tommy Chong, perhaps?), but realistically speaking the end will happen when the government does exactly what Bernie Sanders boldly called for during his campaign -- the federal government treating marijuana not the same way it treats heroin or crystal meth, but the same way it treats alcohol and tobacco.
That was once a pipe dream, if you'll excuse the stoner-joke metaphor. For anyone who has lived through the War On Weed era, it seemed at times that the federal government was going so far backwards that such an end could not even realistically be conceived. But times are changing fast. The once-inconceivable hasn't quite become inevitable yet, but even so the end of the War On Weed is definitely now on the political horizon. Politicians should really take note, because they're now at risk of being on the wrong side of history. The old movement slogan has never seemed more appropriate, in fact: "Lead, follow, or get out of the way." Those are really the only choices left for the politicians, as the people in state after state jettison the War On Weed on their own, at the ballot box.
Chris Weigant blogs at:
Eighth-grader Gianna Salazar knows what to expect when she walks through the hallways of Grovetown Middle School in Georgia. If certain classmates aren't telling her that she should get deported, they're sometimes calling her names like "border jumper" -- or worse. It doesn't matter that she's a U.S. citizen. Up until this school year, she had never dealt with this kind of abuse. But, now, it happens every day, she told me in an interview over Instagram. You see, up until this school year, Donald Trump wasn't running for president.
Trump's words mean something. Now, I'm not particularly interested in diving into a debate about whether his words are amoral, sexist or racist. Because, first and foremost, I'm not your priest. I'm not Lena Dunham, and I'm not Al Sharpton - nor do I really care to be.
But I am interested in the implications of Trump's words. Do they create division? Are they making America less great? While some pundits and journalists try to play Pope Francis of politics -- describing Trump's rhetoric as the dregs of political discourse while encouraging congregants to rise above and turn the other cheek -- many of these questions about the effect of Trumpisms go unanswered. If anyone wanted to find the answer, all they'd have to do is look...in a middle school classroom.
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In everyday conversation, some Hispanic students are assailed by their peers with unfounded claims of being an "illegal" or a "border jumper."
Also in Grovetown, at Columbia Middle School, where I'm an eighth-grade student, the hallways have become witnesses to xenophobia from the mouths of some kids. Before this year, I thought I'd seen a lot; random acts of public twerking, strange obsessions with Kylie Jenner's lips and, more recently, the "daaaamn Daniel" phenomenon which overtook the internet in an almost monstrous fashion. Now, though, the ridiculousness has taken on a different tone: My school has become the home of many young, enthusiastic supporters of Trump, and has, in the process, formed into an undeniable bastion of anti-immigrant rhetoric.
In everyday conversation, some Hispanic students are assailed by their peers with unfounded claims of being an "illegal" or a "border jumper." As a resident middle schooler, I've seen firsthand how Trump's words transcend the boundaries of age. It's impossible to miss the implications his language has for the hallways, classrooms and playgrounds of schools like mine across the country. In conversation after conversation with Hispanic classmates and peers outside my school, I've heard stories of racially-insensitive comments being hurled at them. It made Salazar feel "singled out" for ridicule. Another student deemed what she had to go through as "disgusting."
While my personal opinions about Trump may mean little, I do feel his the victims of it deserve a say from the man who ultimately is supposed to represent them should he become president of this union.
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For their part, some Hispanic children feel ostracized because of Trump's rhetoric, arguably targeted for no reason other than their heritage. Sure, his supporters may see his words as the product of a candidate unbound by the strains of political correctness. But while he may have loosened those constraints in order to "give it to us straight," he's laid new chains at the feet of kids seeking an education in peace.
The preamble of the U.S. Constitution states: "We the People of the United States... do ordain and establish this Constitution..." This is widely interpreted to mean that "popular sovereignty - power to the people - is the foundation upon which the entire Constitution depends."
James Madison, hailed as the "father of the Constitution," said: "There be prefixed to the Constitution a declaration, that all power is originally vested in, and consequently derived from, the people. That government is instituted and ought to be exercised for the benefit of the people...That the people have an indubitable, unalienable, and indefeasible right to reform or change their government whenever it be found adverse or inadequate to the purpose of its institution."
President Lincoln in his Gettysburg address said: "that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
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A Gallup poll in 2013 found that 75 percent of Americans would vote for a constitutional amendment to limit the number of terms that members of Congress and the U.S. Senate can serve. This is consistent with pols since 1994. In 1995, in U.S. Term Limits v. Thornton, the Supreme Court ruled that congressional term limits can only be achieved by constitutional amendment, however the Congress has not felt compelled to initiate the process for such an amendment. Term limits are opposed by incumbent politicians and the special interests that support them.
A large majority of Americans would vote for a constitutional amendment to eliminate the Electoral College system for the election of the U.S. president. Over the last 200+ years numerous efforts to abolish it have failed.
In 2015, in the U.S. nearly 13,000 people were killed by guns, an average of 36 people a day, and the year before a toddler shot someone about once a week. Although gun violence is endemic in the U.S., even after the worst mass shooting in American history, Congress failed to pass even mild measures of gun control - like barring individuals on the terror watch list from buying firearms and to tighten the background checks for gun buyers - which are supported by a large majority of the American people.
The U.S. Constitution provides that all legislative powers are vested in the Congress - the Senate and the House of Representatives - and amendments to the Constitution can be proposed either by two thirds of both houses of Congress, or by a constitutional convention called by two thirds of the State legislatures. Thus, although the "We the People of the United States..." may be understood to mean that the people are the sovereign - the supreme ruler - as democracy requires, only the politicians can make laws and amend the constitution. And the politicians have ignored and ignore the will of the people on numerous issues beyond the few examples mentioned above.
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In Greece, the mother of democracy, the Constitution states: "Popular sovereignty is the foundation of government. All powers derive from the People and exist for the benefit of the People and the Nation; they shall be exercised as specified by the Constitution." Although the Constitution declares that the government is based on the sovereignty of the people, and all powers are derived from and for the benefit of the people, as experience shows, the exercise of these powers by the government "as specified by the Constitution" limits the sovereignty of the people and does not assure that they "exist for the benefit of people."
The first Constitution of Modern Greece was adopted in 1822 and since then it has been revised many times. The latest revision took place in 2008. With the exemption of a number of referenda on the question of retaining, or abolishing, or re-instituting the monarchy, and of the referendum of July 1973 - where the people, under dictatorial rule, were asked whether they were for or against a new Constitution drafted by the dictatorship of the colonels - the Greek people have not been asked to approve or disapprove any of the many revisions of the Constitution.
Article 110 of the Constitution states: "The need for revision of the Constitution shall be ascertained by a resolution of Parliament adopted, on the proposal of not less than fifty Members of Parliament... This resolution shall define specifically the provisions to be revised. Upon a resolution by Parliament on the revision of the Constitution, the next Parliament shall... decide on the provisions to be revised by an absolute majority." Proposals for revisions can be submitted only by members of the parliament, the parliament decides on what revisions would be considered, and the ruling majority in the parliament decides on what revisions will be adopted. It could be claimed that the revisions also represent the will of the people who elected the parliament. But it can be amply demonstrated that this is not necessarily the case. One of the most consequential and extensively publicized examples is the criminal liability of members of the government.
Article 85 of the Greek Constitution states: "The members of the Cabinet and the Undersecretaries shall be collectively responsible for general Government policy, and each of them [severally] for the actions or omissions within his area of responsibility according to the provisions of statutes on the liability of Ministers." The Constitution allows the parliament to pass special laws on the criminal liability of Ministers. It has been argued that the special legal arrangements for the criminal liability of those in the government are needed to protect them from unwarranted legal actions that would make their work problematic. This is reasonable, but it should not be used as an excuse to nearly provide legal immunity to members of the government.
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The Greek Constitution provides extensively "according to the provisions of statutes." This allows the government to interpret basic clauses of the Constitution as it serves its purposes.
Article 86 (last revision 2001) of the Greek Constitution provides:
"Only the Parliament has the power to prosecute serving or former members of the Cabinet or Undersecretaries for criminal offences that they committed during the discharge of their duties...
Prosecution, investigation, preliminary investigation or preliminary examination...shall not be permitted without a prior resolution of Parliament ....
A motion for prosecution is submitted by at least thirty Members of Parliament. The Parliament...sets up a special parliamentary committee to conduct a preliminary examination; otherwise the motion is rejected as manifestly unfounded. The findings of the committee...are introduced to the Plenum of Parliament, which decides whether prosecution shall start or not... The Parliament may exercise its competence... until the end of the second regular session of the parliamentary term commencing after the offence was committed. The Parliament may at any time revoke its resolution or suspend the prosecution, preliminary proceedings or main proceedings..."
Typically, a cabinet member or undersecretary that may have committed a criminal act is a member of the majority in the parliament, which has a vested interest not to pass the resolution for the "prosecution, investigation, preliminary investigation or preliminary examination against" the accused. The majority of the special parliamentary committee set up to conduct the preliminary examination also belongs to the ruling party, and the findings of this committee have to be submitted to the plenum of the parliament, dominated by the ruling majority, to decide "whether prosecution shall start or not." Moreover, the majority in the parliament "may at any time revoke its resolution or suspend the prosecution, preliminary proceedings or main proceedings." The constitutional provisions violate basic principles of justice - impartiality, transparency, and equality before the law - repeatedly, and set multiple obstacles in the rendering of justice in cases of criminal acts committed by members of the government.
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In 2005, in an interview to the newspaper Kathimerini, the then minister of Justice Nikos Dendias stated: "At this time, both the existing law and Article 86 of the Constitution, are in disharmony with popular sentiment." The newspaper article stated that the constitutional provisions "in combination with the 'normal practice' of the Parliament essentially provide impunity to the politicians."
In 2006, the former minister of Justice Ioannis Varvitsiotis referring to Article 86 of the Constitution wrote: "it was instituted a very complex process for the prosecution of ministers, which can hardly result in a referral to the court.... is obvious that if the minister "charged" belongs to the party that holds the majority in the Parliament, then the decision of the parliament, both for the formation of a special parliamentary committee to conduct a preliminary examination and for the final judgment for the prosecution, becomes almost impossible... I am astonished that the proposals of the government for the revision of the constitution do not include Article 86."
On April 13, 2011, in a speech to the Parliament, the then minister of Justice Charis Kastanidis referring to the law on the responsibility of the government ministers said: "The bill to amend the law on the Liability of Ministers... is the result of a demand expressed by the people... obvious political, moral and legal grounds impose on the Government and the Greek Parliament to respond to the demand of the Greek people ... to combat the phenomenon of corruption, and to establish, to the greatest possible degree, rules of transparency in the public life... There is an internal contradiction in the choice we have made over time. Regardless of how shining the conscience of the Members of the Parliament may be, they do not cease to be members of parties. So, even involuntarily they can be bound by party mandates, or party obligations. When the parliamentary process attempts to operate as a judicial process, there is a risk to prevail not the criterion of the judge, but that of the Parliament Member who is bound by party discipline. This contradiction in the Constitution must be removed." These statements reafirmed the demand of the people to amend the law, and eloquently state the reasoned basis of the need to amend the constitutional provisions on the liability of members of the government.
Although Article 1 provides that "popular sovereignty is the foundation of government," and "all powers derive from the People and exist for the People," Article 73 states: "The right to introduce Bills belongs to the Parliament and the Government." Although it is claimed that the people are sovereign, the Constitution established by the politicians deprives them their sovereign right to pass laws or recall laws passed by the politicians.
In representative democracy, the political parties present to the voters a package of proposals that promise to implement if elected, and an ideology that will guide their work as government (legislative, executive). The voters, by necessity, decide on a package basis although they may not like all the items in the package. Also, by the nature of things, the package presented to the voters cannot include unforeseen developments. Moreover, as experience abundantly shows, the politicians, when elected, take advantage of the fact that they will be judged on a package basis and take actions that serve their own interests up to the point that they consider that this will not risk their reelection. In Greece, the term "kommatokratia" is used to express the utter corruption of public life by the political parties. For the last thirty five years, public life, at all levels, has been organized around the political parties to serve the interests of the class of politicians and of those attached to them.
The other day The Washington Post reported on a report from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) that 53 of 76 major U.S. universities, including three of my almae matres, do not require history majors to take a course in U.S. history. Of course, on further examination, it turns out that virtually all such majors at these schools do, indeed, take such courses, so the "requirement" is unnecessary. Still, it makes for a good story and right-wing sound bite.
I can safely report, in a similar vein, that as I reported last month, major law schools, including Harvard and Georgetown, do not require any understanding of science for their graduates. The latest persons of note include Roger Severino of the Heritage Foundation and a Harvard Law grad, his colleague, Kyle Duncan who studied law at Columbia, and now represents the North Carolina legislature (a dream job, I'm sure), and Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law. They recently spoke at the Heritage Foundation.
Severino said at the conference,
Things have moved so far, so fast and so surprisingly, and not in a good way. We're at an inflection point in America, and it's all related to the idea of sexual identity, sexual morality and the role of faith in the public square.
Since I, a physician, have learned enough about the law to be able to intelligently opine on the legal aspects of sex and gender, I will now run a short tutorial for those lawyers who opine on sex and gender but are unaware of their profound ignorance of biology. If I could learn some law, they can learn some biology.
The importance of language is also evident in the new ad from the LGBT community, the first since the Trans United ad from the early days of HB2. It's one thing that we have to constantly challenge the right-wing framing; it's another when we internalize and promote it ourselves.
I will discuss the ad in my next column.
So to begin with the Heritage conference -
The administration's guidance is the same they've been following throughout the eight years of the Obama presidency, and follows upon federal court rulings which have been consistently pro-trans since the 2004 Smith v. City of Salem case in the 6th Circuit. Twelve years can hardly be considered "so far, so fast."
Kyle Duncan said,
The whole concept of sex has been turned on its head.
And Paxton added,
Congress has understood sex to be biological and gender to be cultural. But the president has a habit of going it alone when Congress fails to do what he wants. True to form, his agencies have done just that.
No, Congress has not been holding symposia on the meaning of "sex" over the last five decades, so it's hard to know what Congress (which Congress?) thinks "sex" means. Nor has Congress passed any federal laws (other than the Violence Against Women Act) that deal specifically with gender identity and sexual orientation. Although, based on the VAWA vote, one could argue they have a very modern conception of the meaning of "sex."
I also want to point out that when Congress passed VAWA it did so in a bipartisan fashion. When the EEOC ruled in Macy it did so unanimously, with two Republican Commissioners, and when the federal courts have ruled, they have done so with judges appointed by both Democrats and Republicans. Most famously, Judge William Pryor of the 11th Circuit in Atlanta, long viewed as extremely homophobic, supported the decision in the Glenn v. Brumby case, covering trans persons under the Equal Protection clause as well as recognizing the Title VII coverage "because of sex."
The most insulting comments come from the Attorney General of Texas, mimicking those of his Lieutenant Governor, subsumed in a profound ignorance.
Paxton says,
The federal government's guidance letter in May relies on Title IX's prohibition on sex discrimination to conclude that students can use the bathroom or shower of the gender they feel like. In short, Obama thinks that sex is the same as gender.
No, it does not say that students can use the bathroom that they feel like. The only boys who might identify as trans because they "feel like it" would be those related to former Governor Mike Huckabee. Trans girls don't "feel like it;" they are it. They always feel it, because it is rooted in their brains. "Biological sex" includes human brains, which take precedence over genitalia. While Paxton clearly of the prudish crowd that can't say "genitals," let alone "penis" or "vagina," and retreat to euphemisms, he might be interested in knowing that it is not a disembodied penis that some14 year old girls fear, but that same penis attached to a boy. It's probably true given the sad degree of science teaching in much of the country that many such girls will never have heard of intersex kids or girls with penises or boys with vaginas, but they would be much more likely to accept such fellow students if acceptance was reflected in their teachers and administrators.
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Another recent example of basic misunderstanding of biology came from Iowa, where the Fort Des Moines Church of Christ had filed a federal lawsuit against the state of Iowa in response to a poorly worded document (subsequently promptly edited) from the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, claiming,
The church says it teaches that "maleness or femaleness is designed by God and is tied to biology, chromosomes, physiology, and anatomy."
I don't know about God, but I agree -- maleness and femaleness is tied to biology, chromosomes, physiology and anatomy (and histones, genes, gonads, genitals, hormones, hormone receptors, etc. -- all part of human biology, along with that most mysterious organ, the brain).
Paxton also said,
There are a host of reasons why allowing 14-year-old boys into girls' locker rooms is a bad idea.
There are, indeed, sir, but you might find that the girls aren't quite as twisted up about it as you. That being said, and the feelings of 14 year old girls vary from place to place, I can agree that we shouldn't allow 14 year old boys into girls' locker rooms. You not only missed Human Sexual Development 101, you missed AAG Gupta's succinct definition on May 9:
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Transgender men are men . . . ; transgender women are women.
Paxton, the AG for a state that idolizes guns above most everything else, closed, in a horrific foreshadowing of events that would transpire later that night in Dallas,
Over 18 percent of our Texas education budget is composed of federal funds. That is clearly a gun to the head.
Following up on the statement about Title IX's guidance, Paxton concludes,
In short, Obama thinks that sex is the same as gender.
Paxton impugns the president's legal knowledge, but as a constitutional lawyer the president is fully aware, as Paxton is not, that the courts routinely use both "sex" and "gender" to mean the same thing. Maybe they shouldn't, since "gender" was devised to provide a useful academic distinction between the biological and sociocultural. Again, it doesn't matter, because being trans is a biological phenomenon. It would behoove the chief law enforcement officer of a rather large state to learn that simple fact.
I know it's hard to wrap one's mind around the biology of sex and gender, since so many have spent most of their lives thinking about genitals and sexual behavior in very crude and ultimately demeaning terms. It's hard to step back from the crude language of the men's locker room and to think seriously about human sexual development and then what it must be like being trans. Make the effort, please. Imagine what it would be like to be castrated and still insist that you're a man, or to be born with a penis while knowing you're a woman. It takes a little effort, but it's well worth it. Millions of Americans have done so, having watched as the parents of trans children have struggled and come to learn about their child's sexual development and ended up accepting the child, and becoming better people in the process.
One day you will all look back at your words and wonder how you could have been so ignorant and proud of it, just as many of the racist officials in the Deep South lived to regret their bigotry. Like Spencer Cox, the Lieutenant Governor of Utah, however, you, too, can change.
My fellow millennials, no one in the world of business knows what to do with us.
When a millennial enters an office, how does one respond?
Do they say hello, but, like, Snap it? Do they need to fold our cubicle walls into a makeshift ping-pong table? Should they have prepared a welcome basket of kale and burritos, a cleverly worded card assuring us they're on the house?
The confusion over just how to welcome our generation into the workplace has inspired a market for consultants and a slew of blog posts on the topic.
One consultant, 52-year-old Lisa McLeod, even charges $25,000 for a keynote address sharing her expertise on our confounding generation. If she brings along her bonafide millennial daughter, 23-year-old Elizabeth, they command a cool $30,000.
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What are these people saying about how to manage us?
I scoured the internet for tips from those who claim to know our generation best. Here's what they want our bosses to know:
1. We like to work in groups... but also by ourselves.
"Millennials have a reputation for 'crowdsourcing,' and they often do tend to want to work in groups," advises Chad Holverson at When I Work. "But don't let that make you think that they are unable to make decisions on their own."
In fact, "millennials are at their creative best when relaxed and left alone to experiment," suggests Tom Kaneshige at CIO.
OK, good. Glad to clear that up.
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2. We know how to use technology, but we don't always want to.
Basically, when it comes to tech, we're smart and old people are dumb, so listen to us. We know the app that will do the thing better and faster and cheaper... oh no, there goes my job.
Of course, "millennials crave in-person collaboration and abhor the faceless vacuum that technology has brought," says Holverson.
That's true. As most of our friends are just robots and memes, the workplace is a good opportunity for face time and human touch.
3. Near-constant praise our whole lives makes us crave feedback at work.
"Today's young worker requires a kind of care that flies in the face of generations past," explains Kaneshige.
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But we're not looking for never-ending praise, per se.
Rather we "want to 'keep score' on how [we're] doing in all aspects of [our] career," according to Business Insider. "[We] never want to have a surprise," startup CEO Jeff Lawson told BI.
Surprises are scary, after all.
4. If you convince us we're making a difference, you can pay us less.
"Looking to hire millennials? Well, offering a bigger paycheck may not be the best way to go," CNBC reports in a convenient interpretation of data.
"Millennials are motivated by a sense of progress, the opportunity to be creative and a sense that what they are doing matters," writes Holverson.
We don't get into jobs just for the money, like those greedy baby boomers might have done.
"Millennials want to own a project, run with it and make a real, measurable difference," explains HR professional Emily Disston on The Muse.
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What do we need money for, anyway? Baby boomers are still paying our rent.
5. If you'll say, "Jump," we'll ask, "But, why?"
"Pivotal events like Woodstock and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the Vietnam War, Civil Rights Movement, Sexual Revolution and the Cold War had profound effects on millennials' parents and fostered inquisitive children who were often asked for their opinion," says Disston.
Also, have you seen how boring offices are? We need to entertain ourselves somehow.
6. WE NEED A PING PONG TABLE. Er, no, money. We need money.
No, but seriously, please pay us.
"All my friends have been wowed by foosball tables and all these benefits," Elizabeth McLeod, the $5,000 millennial, told the Wall Street Journal, "but when it comes down to the nitty-gritty and everyone hates their job, no one cares about foosball tables."
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You know what? On second thought, never mind. Don't manage us at all. We prefer to be led.
Your Turn: Are you a millennial? What do you really look for in a workplace?
Dana Sitar is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder, one of the largest personal finance websites. We help millions of readers worldwide earn and save more money by sharing job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more.
China is not happy about Tuesday's ruling at The Hague, which stated that its de facto expropriation of islands throughout the South China Sea is illegal. The Annex VII Tribunal situated at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) at The Hague ruled that China's 9-dash line is "incompatible" with the exclusive economic zones provided for in the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and that there was "no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the 'nine-dash line'".
The ruling raises a host of questions - for China, for the Philippines (which brought the action against China to the PCA), and for the other nations bordering the South China Sea, which also have ongoing disputes with Beijing on the same subject. Beijing has dismissed the proceedings as a "political farce", and "a trap set by the U.S. to maintain its dominance in the Asia-Pacific region". From the beginning it has sought to legitimize its de facto expropriation of the islands based on purportedly centuries-old maps which only it views as the current (and sole) law of the sea.
Virtually of the world's other nations operate under UNCLOS, which came into effect in 1994, defines nations' rights and responsibilities with regard to use of the world's oceans, and for which 167 nations and the 27 nations of EU subscribe (including China, which was one of the first nations to sign the Convention in 1982 -- on the very first day it became a legal instrument). China predicates its '9-dash line' claim over most of the South China Sea despite the fact that it enthusiastically signed into UNCLOS, which precisely prevents a state from invoking historical rights (save for areas which are 'internal waters'). The South China Sea in its entirety clearly does not fit that definition. 'Internal waters' and 'territorial waters' do not extend beyond 12 nautical miles from a coastline for any coastal state.
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Anticipating a loss, Beijing set a belligerent tone in its pre-ruling response, refusing to take part in the Tribunal's proceedings, taking out ads in major newspapers telling its side of the story, and writing the entire process off as nothing more than a Western conspiracy against its rise as a global power. China had an opportunity to embrace the rule of law, participate in the proceedings and abide by the Tribunal's ruling. Instead, Beijing has chosen to fight it every step of the way - outside of the very legal process it signed into and agreed to. In doing so, it has set the stage for what may be expected of its behavior vis-a-vis the South China Sea going forward (more of the same), and it has strongly delivered the following message: it will continue to selectively choose which parts of international law it will comply with, and which it will not. It has already blown the chance to put its best foot forward as a rising global power.
Will the arbitral award turn out to be little more than a paper judgment, given China's intransigence and non-recognition of the case? This will remain the post-arbitration challenge for Beijing all the other nations bordering the South China Sea in the years to come. Armed with a judgment in its favor, the Philippines, in particular, should work to exhaust all other international and regional legal avenues available to it in order to help ensure Chinese cooperation -- and eventual compliance -- with the norms, content, and tenor of that judgment. Even if neighboring claimants are not parties to the arbitration between the Philippines and China, all claimants will likely indirectly benefit from the ruling and will invoke it as Manila has against Beijing.
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In the absence of military engagement to prevent it (which is highly unlikely - and Beijing knows it), there appears to be little doubt that China will continue with its now formally illegal land reclamation and artificial-island building activities in the South China Sea, despite the ruling and the "freedom of navigation" naval operations being led by the United States (U.S.). China's approach is to attempt to convince other nations that 'lawfare' is neither a necessary nor sufficient condition to end disputes, and that no outcome of litigation can deter the practical effects of its "cabbage strategy" - that of surrounding contested islands with as many civilian and military ships as it can, so that each island is wrapped layer by layer like a cabbage.
Compliance with judgments of international tribunals may not be in name, but by behavior. In the 1986 case of Nicaragua vs. U.S., it took Nicaragua six years for its legal campaign against the U.S. to take effect. As with China today, the U.S. was found by an international court to have violated international law. The International Court of Justice then ruled that the U.S. had breached the obligation of non-interference by conducting paramilitary activities within Nicaragua's borders. And as is the case with China today, the U.S. also refused to participate in the proceedings. Yet the ICJ found that U.S. refusal did not prevent the world court from deciding the case. More recently, in the 2013 case the Kingdom of Netherlands vs. Russian Federation before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), Russia was even faster to comply with an international judgment. Russian authorities began releasing prisoners approximately two months after the filing of the case in 2013, and well before final judgment in 2015, in spite of Russia's initial refusal to recognize the court's jurisdiction.
In seeking to "enforce" the judgment, the Philippines should continue to seek for safe harbor under the UN system of grievance resolution. Since China is a permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC), any resolution attempting to enforce the ruling will be vetoed by the Council. Instead, the Philippines should immediately consider filing a resolution with the UN General Assembly (UNGA) calling for China's full compliance with the ruling, as well as generally calling upon all states to observe international law.
In the Nicaraguan case, Managua's resolution seeking enforcement had been vetoed six times by the UNSC, but the same resolution succeeded at the UNGA. An Assembly composition tilted towards advancing developing country interests and rising global public opinion against U.S. hegemony combined to raise the reputational cost of resisting the ICJ judgment to be greater than complying with it. When the U.S. felt that a "costs" threshold was reached in1986 (i.e. when Washington felt it cost the U.S. more not to comply than to comply) it gave Nicaragua half a billion dollars in economic aid. It is expected that the Philippines will be able to achieve considerable world consensus (and therefore lead the charge in applying international pressure) in support of the ruling, and with it, eventual Chinese de facto compliance. As an element of soft power, consensus will be key to raising reputational costs for countries that choose not to comply with legal rulings widely perceived to be legitimate.
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Aside from numerical superiority, the quality of international consensus will also matter. According to the AMTI Arbitration Tracker, at least 40 countries have already voiced support for the binding nature of the arbitral award or have called on China to respect it. Many of them score high in transparency perception and rule of law indices. On the other hand, while China claims to have garnered more than 60 countries in favor of its view, very few have issued explicit statements of support. The Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies could only confirm official statements from Afghanistan, Gambia, Kenya, Lesotho, Niger, Sudan, Togo and Vanuatu. Of these, six are in Africa, many of them are landlocked, distant from the disputes, and all are in some way beholden to China for military, development or financial aid.
The Philippines continues to benefit on this subject from the U.S.'s "ironclad commitment" to mutual defense, as well as from declarations of support for the arbitration outcome from the G7 and a number of other countries known for their respect for the rule of law. The Philippines is also expected to gain explicit support from the Association of South East Asian Nations, even though China has succeeded in the past in blocking the formation of consensus within the 10-member bloc. It remains to be seen how individual Asian countries will respond to the ruling - whether they will seize the opportunity to form a united front against China, or will refrain from doing so for fear of how the region's economic and political goliath may in turn react.
How quickly the Philippines will be able to galvanize international consensus in favor of the ruling will ultimately determine the ruling's near-term impact upon China. Even though Beijing has repeatedly said that it will not recognize the award, it has also worked very hard since the filing of the case in early 2013 to get the Philippine government to drop it. This is because China has always viewed the "illegitimate" arbitration proceeding at The Hague as one inimical to its interests, which affirms the real value of potentially adverse decisions of international tribunals, even as it disavows them if they are perceived to be against Chinese interests. That said, if the PCA or other legal body had ruled in China's favor, Beijing would surely be praising 'the process'.
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While Beijing presumably does not want to be seen as an international outlaw, since that would undermine China's narrative that it is a responsible rising power and that it deserves a greater role in the international order, its continued intransigence will make other countries wary of Chinese objectives, as well as the value of its stated and written 'commitments', and will drive neighboring states even closer to Japan and the U.S. If prior history in international compliance is anything to go by, even given the Russian or U.S. examples, it will be in China's interest to comply with the Tribunal's ruling. In an international legal order that has no centralized system of enforcement, international pressure has always been, and will remain, the sole enforcement mechanism for international legal decisions. As unlikely as it appears, China still has the opportunity to step up to the plate and do the right thing. The Philippines has already done that. Building a formidable consensus in favor of the ruling is the Philippines' next challenge.
*Edsel Tupaz is a public interest attorney and legal academic, based in Manila. Follow Edsel on Twitter: www.twitter.com/edseltupaz.
Once upon a time, poetry was the language of popular literature. Dactylic hexameter helped Homer recall and rework and recite his Iliad and Odyssey epics.
High school English class. Literature courses, African American literature courses, creative writing workshops. Throughout my education, a few works of art were taught universally and repeatedly, at the most basic and the most advanced levels. I can think of few of these--only three, actually: "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost, "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas, and "Harlem" by Langston Hughes.
I remember being struck by Frost's and Thomas's poems in my youth. I discussed them with my father. Frost's "And miles to go before I sleep" and Thomas's "Rage, rage against the dying of the light" ending lines are viscerally affecting, even to a young person with relatively little life experience. All of us, universally throughout the human experience, understand at an instinctive level that life is a journey, and Frost articulates the exhilaration and exhaustiveness in his wondrous verse. Thomas articulates nearing the end of that journey--the panic, the animal instinct to preserve oneself. These poems help young readers to understand the concept of metaphor so successfully that little or no explanation of the concept is needed: it's simply understood.
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"Harlem," for me, was a different experience. Hughes's poem is even briefer than Frost's and Thomas's already-short poems are. It is a collection of rhetorical questions and elegantly evocative images that arouse the senses.
This is what I took from the poem when I was young: that language can activate the senses, and that a poem can be a means through which to explore philosophical ideas without necessarily having to answer them, essay style. In other words, the poem can catalyze the imagination and can add depth to how we perceive our experiences. I didn't really "get" anything else about the poem when I was young.
Then, in my first African American literature class in college, I came to understand the historic context of Hughes's poetry, of what Harlem represented to him and to black Americans, and this lent the poem a great deal of depth and deepened my appreciation of it.
But I still didn't get it.
Now I get it.
Unlike Frost's and Thomas's poems, Hughes's poem is heavy with political ramifications. Actually, it conveys how human lives are affected by culture, society, and politics. For white kids growing up in Virginia suburbs, some of this is relatable conceptually when taught the context. It's not directly understandable without knowing people who live the lives Hughes wrote about.
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Langston Hughes doesn't tell us what dream was deferred--it could be any dream. As a kid in high school, and then as an aspiring writer in a college-level literature class, I assigned my own dreams to this poem's open-ended exploration. Despite learning about Hughes's life and reading more of his work, even as a college student Hughes's "Harlem" was a kind of self-help poem to me. I read it often: "What happens," I would ask myself, "if you don't take chances and try to become who you feel you are meant to be?" And then I would go down the list: I might dry up. I might fester. I might rot. I might become bitterly saccharine, nostalgically tethered to bygone potential that I never exploited.
I never really paid all that much attention to Hughes's last line until now.
I have a hard time wrapping my mind around what is happening in this country, in my country. It doesn't feel like the same United States of America that I grew up in. Where I was taught in school, for example, that ending a sentence with "grew up in" is a serious offense. Where I went to school in a time and place during which no one--no one, ever--had a fleeting worry about being blown away by multiple rounds of bullets while sitting in a classroom. That didn't happen then.
But I now realize, too, that my United States of America is not everyone's United States of America. I first saw this, and couldn't make any sense of it, after Hurricane Katrina, when I noticed that nearly everyone I saw on TV whose life was devastated was black. The talking heads delved into this, explaining that the poor, black neighborhoods of New Orleans were those primed for disaster, built in the areas most likely to be devastated by a flood, and under-resourced for emergencies. The information helped to make sense of the images but, really, the images alone told the story in black and white terms. Until I saw this, I had always thought of racism in individual or cultural terms--how people behave toward one another and think about one another. I never, ever thought about the life-and-death consequences of racism being built into our infrastructures, urban planning, and economic design. Katrina taught many of us who were once naive--and who now would be ignorant not to accept it--about this reality.
Moving to Washington, D.C. and becoming close friends with people who grew up here, going to D.C. public schools, I learned that this country is not the same country for all of us. We may have been in school at the same time, less than an hour away from one another, but our environments couldn't have been more different. Friends my age who went to school in Washington, D.C. didn't worry about Columbine and Sandy Hook-inspired shootings, it is true, but many worried shootings and stabbings, gang violence--they worried about surviving every day. It's not even really right to say they worried about these events; they lived these events. So many people, I never really understood, live in a world that I had to learn about in a college film class focusing on depictions of violence in the media.
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In HBO's 1998 documentary "Thug Life in D.C.," we follow the lives of young people from poorer neighborhoods of the Nation's Capital as they follow a well-worn--and to many of them, a seemingly inevitable--path from school to street to prison. Where I grew up in the comfortable suburbs of Northern Virginia, this was indeed the road not traveled. For many black Americans, and particularly black men, the criminal justice system feels unjust--because, by the numbers and by the way court cases are judged, the criminal justice system is unjust for black American men, who objectively receive harsher sentencing in courts of law than white defendants do.
This may not be an absolute hard-and-fast-with-no-exceptions rule. Lives and opportunities have improved for many people. For a huge number of people, they have not. And any attempt to dismiss the effects of deferred dreams and inequitable treatment should be compared against the words of Hughes's poem. Working in downtown Washington, D.C., I encounter homeless people on every block. Nearly all are black, and they are neither culturally lazy nor individually crazy--although many are crazed and (understandably) enraged by the injustice of barely being able to survive and totally unable to access opportunities in a neighborhood that features scores of restaurants that advertise $12 happy hour cocktails and $33 pan-seared scallops for lunch.
Katrina opened by eyes to invisible inequality. Living and working in a city in which this equality is not only visible but actually a defining characteristic--and knowing that this city just happens to be the capital of the entire country--has widened by eyes in alarm. Seeing horrific video after horrific video capturing violence committed against black Americans by those who supposedly enforce the law made my eyes weep.
Because of sensitivities and fairness, anyone engaged in this discussion is practically obligated to interrupt any such lament to state that, of course, not all police are unjust or biased or racist or [fill in the appropriate term]. That is true. Just because I am in a sense obligated to state this doesn't mean the observation is insincere. It is sincere. Cops put their lives on the line for people every day, and few of us would ever have the bravery, boldness or commitment to do that.
Police do not deserve this.
We can't deny the state of the union, however. We can't deny serious racial and ethnic disparities that are both blatantly and covertly rampant in this country. We can't afford to keep pointing the finger, or to keep denying that this is happening. Everyone is a victim of this--all of us. The #BlackLivesMatter movement came about because of these disparities, and evening out disparities is the only solution to unifying our nation and making it safe again for all of us, from black men who live in high-population cities and fear that every day could be their last day alive or their last day outside of captivity, to the white police officers who were murdered in Dallas.
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Langston Hughes predicted in his remarkable, prescient poem "Harlem" that the long-term result of deferring dreams of equality would be an explosion. Langston Hughes told us this would happen. It's not a matter of policy; it's a matter of humanity, human rights, irrepressible human psychology and explosion of pent-up pressures.
Read his poem now, with history in mind, and then read it again thinking about today. When black Americans were granted freedom from the bonds of slavery, those human beings were invited to participate in the American dream. And generation by generation, those dreams have been deferred for so many. The promises continue, but they prove continuously for so many people to be empty promises--tomorrow, people are told, tomorrow you can pursue your dreams. Your children, they're told, will have the opportunities that you haven't. Keep banking on the future. And the pressure builds. I don't know about you, but every time I see a shaky smartphone camera video on the news, I've come to expect the seemingly inevitable outcome: another black person injured or, if he is lucky, only beaten or humiliated, by some official. And then the pundits debate--the same debates every time. And the pressure builds.
The effects of this are many. Some people simply wither away like raisins. Some suffer throughout their lives, some resort to unrealistically syrupy optimism. In the end, though, Hughes left us with a knowing caution, and he delivers it to us all the way from 1951.
Harlem
by Langston Hughes What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load. Or does it explode?
We have arrived at the end of Hughes's poem.
We have arrived at the answer to his question.
The presumptive GOP candidate, Orange Julius Caesar, has turned us all into Teslas -- and by this I mean thanks to his divisive and often blatantly racist language, we have become a country of freewheeling autonomous killing machines, driven by the same kind of violent road rage that can be found on way too many roads in America.
When I woke up, like most of you, and heard about the Dallas Shooting (which made me think of the Kennedy assassination right away) my first thought was first Trump and then GOPhuck yourselves of Congress.
Just the other day I watched all those congressmen -- whose salaries that we are paying for -- create yet another Arthur Miller-worthy witch hunt instead of working and legislating which is the actual job description for what they are supposed to be doing.
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In between trying to eviscerate Medicare and social security while trying to wipe out programs for the elderly and less fortunate while giving more and more tax breaks for people like Trump, they decided that the Republican and deeply religious head of the FBI was not one of them, that he had somehow violated their playbook and made a blatant and obvious attempt to discredit both him and the Attorney General -- before she even testifies.
Get ready for the Loretta Lynching.
Kind of symbolic, given how they have treated our president and a few innocent black men over the last 8 years, don't you think?
I blame Trump and the GOP and a few racist, paranoid thug cops entirely for it.
Trump and the GOPhuck yourselves have unleashed the beast and given carte blanche permission to the racist bottom feeders of America to say and do whatever they want because this is "their America."
Cue the statue of liberty throwing up in New York harbor.
You know and I know that all this tantrum-quality blind jealousy and rage has been a significant part of our national fabric. The only thing that has changed is that the invisible is now not only visible but captured on smartphones and broadcast all over the world.
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We have long allowed Fox to pretend to be fair and balanced while we know it's really the true voice of Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch who create daily sound byte talking points for the likes of Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan.
No one is fooled by their fake sincerity and "concern" for the American people.
But they have Jesus and guns on their side and that is catnip to the crazies and extremists.
While they never, ever act like true Christians (I'm a Jew and I'm far more Christian than they will ever be) they pander and pretend to be pious -- while they treat the common man like dog shit.
When Carly Fiorina went after Planned Parenthood with a completely fake film, within days one of her many mentally-ill disciples visited one in Colorado with America's favorite go-to toy: an automatic military grade weapon and shot the shit out of it. Just like they were Sandy Hook first graders.
He even quoted her. He used her language.
And yet accomplices in this country get off scott-free. To me, her statements were just as lethal as all those car manufacturers who have been lying about the quality of their murdering air bags.
That, to me, is precisely what Trump is. In my opinion, he is a murdering air bag if only for the crap that he spews to make the meek and illiterate feel that he is one of them. And now they are acting on those words while Nero fiddles in the greatest, biggest condo in the world. Believe me. Believe me.
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Trump literally gets away with murder all the time. Living here in New York we all know someone whose services he refused to pay for. He steals, He stomps. He lies. He frauds. He bilks.
But he speaks for you.
And the only thing that the GOPhuck yourselves can do is try to bring Hillary down to his level by keeping all this email nonsense alive. Did she lie to Congress? She did not. Is she guilty of being careless? Yup. But so the fuck what? We want politicians to appear as human as possible but when they actually act like fallible humans, we pounce on them and publicly crucify them while pretending just how Christian we are.
Cue to the Pope throwing up.
I will say this to my dying day: stop being Trump's Super PAC by giving him free airtime. Stop listening. Stop paying for products that CNN, MSNBC and FOX advertise.
You are not as impotent as you think. Your vote is your bullet. Use it to get rid of all those congressmen who do not care about children or innocent men dying. Fuck their minute of silence. Silence them forever once and for all.
And take all that hate that you now have in your heart (hey I have it too) and read what Ghandi and Martin Luther King and even Malcolm X had to say about all this.
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We are a global disgrace right now.
We are the Old West and the Good Ol' Boy pre-Civil War South born again, shootin' up the equivalent of injuns because of our national disease: a universal sense of entitlement.
We believe that this land of is our land -- even though it never was. We just took it. And that is the only kind of patriotism that I know Trump has.
Our society was built first on the need for independence and democracy, but over a period of 200 plus years, we have become dependent.
Dependent on our own selfish needs and hard core often racist beliefs.
HILLARY: "WALK ON THROUGH THE WIND..."
By Don C. Reed
Remember that grand old song "You'll Never Walk Alone"?
"Walk on through the wind, walk on through the rain, though your dreams be tossed and blown..."-- Rogers and Hammerstein's CAROUSEL.
Throughout her career, Hillary Clinton has walked through an inordinate amount of wind--much of it from blowhard Republicans.
The formerly Grand Old Party has been insulting and attacking the Clintons for decades. They investigated the family's real estate holdings, labeling it the "WhiteWater Scandal".
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Nothing much came of that investigation-- except evidence that Bill was being unfaithful. Infidelity is of course a tragedy to the family, but not a crime, or else such well-known philanderers as Donald Trump and Newt Gingrich would long since have been on trial.
Amazingly, though the sin of adultery was Bill's, Republicans even blamed Hillary for that as well, as when Donald Trump called her an "enabler".
When the Benghazi tragedy occurred, four brave men died soldiers' deaths, giving their lives in the service of their country.
This was a deep sadness for all--but the GOP used it as a way to blame Hillary.
Seemingly endless investigations began. When one concluded without the desired result, another sprang up to take it place: these multi-million dollar affairs lasted longer than the investigation of Pearl Harbor, Watergate, and the alleged weapons of mass destruction used as an excuse to invade Iraq.
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And what grave crimes were discovered?
Columbus Telegram columnist Dick Polman summed it up:
"None of the previous investigations unearthed any evidence that Clinton, in her role as secretary of state, had done anything perfidious or criminal. (Neither did the) "Republican-led House Intelligence committee (nor the) Senate Intelligence Committee... the Senate Armed Services Committee..., the House Foreign Services Committee...the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee... the Senate Homeland Affairs Committee... Nor the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff..."
However--all that digging did disclose that Secretary Clinton had a private email account on which she did government business. So that too was investigated.
When no less than the director of the FBI James Comey declared there was no case to be brought against Secretary Clinton, Republicans were furious.
One of her chief interrogators, Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), puffed himself up in self-righteous indignation: stating that an ordinary citizen would "be in handcuffs" if he had done what Secretary Clinton was accused of.
But Mr. Chaffetz himself has a private email, on which he knowingly comports government business. Should he be in handcuffs too?
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And what about Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice? Are they also in danger of imprisonment? Both had private email accounts, on which they conducted governmental business.
But the mere absence of a crime was not enough to stop the investigation.
These are no objective seekers of truth! Watch the video: interrogator Chaffetz actually laughs as he promises to help the FBI continue the interrogation of Hillary, not to investigate her actions, but the words she used to defend herself. Chaffetz's face lights up with glee; he has found another avenue of attack!
Remember the grueling eleven hour ordeal Hillary endured before their committee? She sat there so calmly, back straight, answering every question they could dream up. But it wasn't enough.
These endless investigations are like the "trial" of Joan of Arc, when her enemies knew beforehand that she was going to be found guilty of something, and it did not really matter what. They attacked Joan day after day, until they finally found her guilty--of the sin of wearing men's clothes!
Even some Republicans grudgingly admit the politics of the anti-Hillary hearings.
"...a big part of this investigation...was designed to go after...an individual, Hillary Clinton."--Rep. Richard Hanna, R-New York.
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"Everybody thought Hillary Clinton was unbeatable, right? But we put together a Benghazi special committee...What are her numbers today? Her (poll) numbers are dropping..."--Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, (R-Calif).
And when Republican staffer Bradley Podliska was fired from the committee, he claimed that part of the reason he was ousted was that he had been insufficiently enthusiastic in going after Ms. Clinton. Podliska called it a "partisan investigation" with a "hyper-focus on Hillary Clinton".
Partisan tricks must not deny us a potentially great President.
We all know what she is capable of: how as First Lady, she fought for the Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP).
The late Senator Edward Kennedy said, "The Children's Insurance Program wouldn't be in existence today if we didn't have Hillary Clinton pushing for it..."
Compare that to the Republican "accomplishments" in healthcare, i.e. their dozens of votes to try and kill Obamacare.
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Granted, it must be frustrating for them, to see one of America's strongest healthcare advocates on the verge of becoming President.
But that is how democracy works. You win some, you lose some. I was not happy when George W. Bush was the President, especially as he won under questionable circumstances, when a Republican-dominated Supreme Court stopped a recount that might have given us President Al Gore. But I put up with it.
One hopes Republicans will similarly respect the voters' will, when it is Madame President Hillary Clinton taking the oath of office.
But I doubt it. So long as they have power, I expect Republicans will continue obstruct anything offered by a Democratic President, just as they have done throughout President Obama's time in office.
And Hillary?
She will be there too, fighting for the non-millionaire portion of our country. She will bring change, getting things done, calmly, undramatically, but making progress in small ways and large. She will nominate new members of the Supreme Court, raise the minimum wage, help students pay their way through college, fight the poisoning of earth, sea and sky, setting a shining example for youth around the world--no matter what trash the opposition talks.
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As the old song says, she will walk on through the wind with her head held high-- and as long as there are Americans who respect courage and compassion, Hillary Rodham Clinton will never walk alone.
African primary school kids in theirs uniforms going to school. Image from South Africa.
Leaders recognize young people are the future. Therefore, it is critically important for leaders to take a stand for children. Early in her life, Carol McCullar made a commitment to address the educational needs of children in her home country, South Africa. Her mission is to transform struggling readers into exceptional learners- through compassionate connections among students, teachers, family, and community. Day by day she is advancing this goal by creating beneficial learning environments for the children of South Africa.
The Educator as Leader
Throughout her lifetime, Carol has always understood the importance of education. Education is not only a learning mechanism, but also an empowerment tool that inspires individuals to reach their dreams and fulfill their destinies. It is also the key to a just and inclusive society.
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Educators have a responsibility to exemplify leadership in a way that serves as inspiration for all students to become leaders and change agents. Carol began her vocational journey as a school principal who served children with special needs. In this role, she witnessed firsthand the deficiencies of the education system in South Africa.
At this time, there was no scientific measurement available for assessing how many students in South Africa were unable to read. This created a leadership challenge for Carol. How could children succeed without the foundation of basic literacy? She combined her training, expertise, and passion for justice to make an impact in the educational system. Carol introduced a new scientific reading assessment method which measured the reading and writing levels of South African students. What she found was astonishing- in one second grade classroom 100 percent of second graders read below grade level and a full 50 percent could not read at all. As Carol traveled across South Africa, she documented similar outcomes related to literacy rates and educational obtainment.
"One 5th grader just started crying," Carol said because he couldn't read at all.
These experiences compelled Carol to take action. She created her own comprehensive program that would combat these figures. This was the beginning of "The Butterfly Readers Program." The purpose of "The Butterfly Readers Program" is to empower students by developing their reading and writing skills which will in turn improve the lives of the students.
The global citizen empowers others to discover the leader within.
After conducting research on South African students' reading and writing levels, Carol McCullar decided she must take action in order to help students learn, grow, and prosper. Leaders not only understand the issues, but they also create a plan that will fight the injustices at hand. Carol McCullar launched "The Butterfly Readers Program" at Athlone Girls High School in Johannesburg, and it proved to be successful. In one school after completing a 12 week reading program, 7th grade students were now reading at 9th and 10th grade levels. Schools across South Africa are now seeking to implement this reading program into their schools due to its' remarkable success.
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A global citizen makes a lasting impact.
Although Carol no longer resides in South Africa, she is still an important advocate for South African schools. She moved to Minnesota and began teaching at the Lighthouse Project, a program specifically for children with special needs. She still travels to South Africa and works with schools in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Due to the success of her reader program, Carol McCullar has submitted a proposal to the Department of Education in Gauteng District which would fund 100 tutors to teach students how to read and write in South African schools. A leader never stops until the goal is completed. Carol moved over 8,000 miles away from South Africa but still leverages her time, resources, and talents for improving the quality of education in South Africa. Through her efforts, she exemplifies the qualities of a transformative educator who answered the call to leadership and took a courageous stand for children.
The Unesco World Heritage Committee is about to do what even in the annals of the UN is unprecedented. It is going to vote on a Palestinian-Jordanian resolution bluntly stating that the Old City of Jerusalem and Temple mount have no historic ties to the Jews, and calling for a return to the old ''historic status quo'' in the holy site. REALLY? The UN decides on holy places of religions? Did the UN ever even contemplate about holy places of Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists, Sikhs, Rastafarians? [and pardon me if I forgot anyone...]. It is only against Jews that something like that is in motion. This is what can be called anti-semitism, pure and simple. An attempted cultural/religious genocide against Jews and their history and religion. It is to be hoped, that the 21-member committee will evade this atrocity, but the hope for this happening are slim at best. There is an automatic majority against Israel in Unesco, and in the UN altogether. Some background is needed here, something which will highlight the ''historic status quo'' they are talking about ?
First, history, but since when? It is an historic fact, that the SECOND Jewish Temple was destroyed by the Romans in the year 70 A.D., after an heroic Jewish struggle, and this happened 600 years before the Islamic occupation of Jerusalem. The FIRST Jewish Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians at 586 B.C, 1200 years before the occupation of Jerusalem by the Muslims. You want history, well, here is a piece of it -- what happened between 1948 to 1967, the years of the illegal Jordanian occupation of the Old City of Jerusalem, leading to an annexation of Jerusalem and the West Bank by Jordan, on 24 April 1950, which was never recognized by any international organ. Jews were the only ones forbidden by the Jordanian occupiers from exercising their thousands years long right to pray at the Wailing Wall and Temple Mount. Christians and Muslims were allowed to pray there. Needless to say, under this ''historic'' Jordanian status quo, there was an ethnic cleansing of Jews from the Old City , and ALL the synagogues were razed to the ground.
So, this is the status quo that the UN wants to return to. Wishful thinking on their part, it will not happen.
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Then there is another context, the political one. For the Palestinians to negate any Jewish tie to Jerusalem is obvious. Were they to acknowledge it, then the entire argument about them being the indigenous population is nonsensical. The Muslim Mayor of Jerusalem, Yusuf Al-Khalidi did acknowledge exactly that in 1891. Much has changed since then, so the official position of the Palestinian Authority [PA] under Chairman Abbas is that the original Jewish Temple was built by King Solomon, 3000 years ago, and Solomon was a Muslim [1400 years before the Prophet Muhammad. Go figure]. But Jordan? Some blunt truth should be addressed to the Hashimite Kingdom of Jordan; For you to initiate this atrocious resolution is stupid politically, short-sighted and eventually very dangerous.
The last thing that anyone needs these days, that is to say, reasonable and far-sighted people, is to ignite a religious fire over Temple Mount. The Hashimites should remember history, not least the history of the tacit but so effective actual Israeli guarantee for Jordan's independence. They should also remember their disgraceful expulsion from Mecca in 1924 by the Saudis. They should remember it all, because they may arouse currently sleeping dogs.
Those who will remind them that Jordan could become Palestine, those who will remind them that those who want to remove one religious group from its holy places, can themselves be removed from these very holy places.
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All this is bad. Who needs this madness right now? What useful purpose does it serve? Can we expect reason to prevail in the excruciating heat of July in the Middle East?. Jerusalem is a powder keg, and there are rights there to Muslims and Christians. Taking Jewish rights away is therefore unacceptable.
The recent (and in many respects ongoing) Brexit vote in the United Kingdom provides a superb example of poor use of mathematics. Regardless of your views on the desirability or otherwise of the UK remaining a member of the European Community (an issue on which this article is agnostic), for a democracy to base its decision on a complex issue based on a single number displays a woeful misunderstanding of numbers and mathematics.
Whenever there is an issue that divides a population more or less equally, making a decision based on a popular vote certainly provides an easy decision, but in terms of accurately reflecting "the will of the people", you might just as well save the effort and money it costs to run a national referendum and decide the issue by tossing a coin--or by means of a penalty shootout if you want to provide an illusion of human causality.
Politicians typically turn to popular votes to avoid the challenge of wrestling with complex issues and having to accept responsibility for the decision they make, or because they believe the vote will turn out in a way that supports a decision they have already made. Unfortunately, with a modicum of number sense, and a little more effort, it's possible to take advantage of the power that numbers and mathematics offer, and arrive at a decision that actually can be said to "reflect the will of the people".
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The problem with reducing any vaguely complex situation to a single number is that you end up with some version of what my Stanford colleague Sam Savage has referred to as the Flaw of Averages. At the risk of over-simplifying a complex issue (and in this of all articles I am aware of the irony here), the problem is perhaps best illustrated by the old joke about the statistician whose head is in a hot oven and whose feet are in a bucket of ice who, when asked how she felt, replies, "On average I am fine."
Savage takes this ludicrous, but in actuality all-too-common, absurdity as the stepping-off point for using the power of modern computers to run large numbers of simulations to better understand a situation and see what the best options may be. (This kind of approach is used by the US Armed Forces, who run computer simulations of conflicts and possible future battles all the time.)
A simpler way to avoid the Flaw of Averages that is very common in the business world is the well-known SWOT analysis, where instead of relying on a single number, a team faced with making a decision lists issues in four categories: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. To make sense of the resulting table, it is not uncommon to assign numbers to each category, which opens the door to the Flaw of Averages again, but with four numbers rather than just one, you get some insight into what the issues are.
Notice I said "insight" there; not "answer". For insight is what numbers can give you.
Applications of mathematics in the natural sciences and engineering can give outsiders a false sense of the power of numbers to decide issues. In science (particularly physics and astronomy) and engineering, (correctly computed) numbers essentially have to be obeyed. But that is almost never the case in the human or social realm.
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When it comes to making human decisions, including political decisions, the power of numbers is even less reliable than the expensively computed numbers that go into producing the daily weather forecast. And surely, no politician would regard the weather forecast as being anything more than a guide--information to help make a decision.
Yet we now have the spectacle of a major nation reduced to a scene reminiscent of headless chickens running around in a farmyard, as a result of reducing a complex decision to a single number. Good grief, even the weather forecast comes in the form of a range of numbers.
One of mathematicians' favorite examples of how single numbers can mislead is known as Simpson's Paradox, in which an average can indicate the exact opposite of what the data actually says.
The paradox gets its name from the British statistician and civil servant Edward Simpson, who described it in a technical paper in 1951, though the issue had been observed earlier by the pioneering British statistician Karl Pearson in 1899. (Another irony in this story is that the British actually led the way in understanding how to make good use of statistics, obtaining insights the current UK government seems to have no knowledge of.)
A famous illustration of Simpson's Paradox arose in the 1970s, when there was an allegation of gender bias in graduate school admissions at the University of California at Berkeley. The fall 1973 figures showed that of the 9,442 men and 4,321 women who applied, 44% of men were admitted but only 35% of women. That difference is certainly too great to be due to chance. But was there gender bias? On the face of it, the answer is a clear "Yes".
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In reality, however, when you drill down just one level into the data, from the school as a whole to the individual departments, you discover that, not only was there no gender bias in favor of men, there was in actuality a statistically significant bias in favor of women. The School was going out of its way to correct for an overall male bias in the student population. Here are the figures.
Men applied 825, admitted 62%; women applied 108, admitted 82% Men applied 560, admitted 63%; women applied 25, admitted 68% Men applied 325, admitted 37%; women applied 593, admitted 34% Men applied 417, admitted 33%; women applied 375, admitted 35% Men applied 191, admitted 28%; women applied 393, admitted 24% Men applied 373, admitted 6%; women applied 341, admitted 7%
In all departments except 3, a higher proportion of women applicants was admitted, in Department 1 significantly so.
There was certainly a gender bias at play, but not on the part of University Admissions. Rather, as a result of problems in society as a whole, women tended to apply to very competitive departments with low rates of admission (such as English), whereas men tended to apply to less-competitive departments with high rates of admission (such as Engineering).
We see a similar phenomenon in the recent UK Brexit vote, though there the situation is much more complicated. British Citizens, politicians, and journalists who say that the recent referendum shows the "will of the people" are, either though numerically informed malice or basic innumeracy, plain wrong. Just as the UC Berkeley figures did not show an admissions bias against women (indeed, there was a bias in favor of women), so too the Brexit referendum does not show a national will for the UK to leave the EU.
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Britain leaving the EU may or may not be their best option, but in making that decision the government would do well to drill down at least one level, as did the authorities at UC Berkeley. When you do that, you immediately find yourself with some much more meaningful numbers. Numbers that tell more of the real story. Numbers on which elected representatives of the people can base an informed discussion as how best to proceed--which is, after all, what democracies elect governments to do.
Much of that "one level down" data was collected by the BBC and published on its website. It makes for interesting reading.
For instance, it turned out that among 18-24 years old voters, a massive 73% voted to remain in the UK, as did over half of 25-49 years of age voters. (See the table "How different age groups voted" on that BBC page.) So, given that the decision was about the future of the UK, the result seems to provide a strong argument to remain in the EU. Indeed, it is only among voters 65 or older that you see significant numbers (61%) in favor of leaving. (Their voice matters, of course, but few of them will be alive by the time any benefits from an exit may appear.)
You see a similar Simpson's Paradox like effect when you break up the vote by geographic regions, with London, Scotland, and Northern Ireland strongly in favor of remaining in the UK (Scotland particularly so).
It's particularly interesting to scroll down through the long chart in the section headed "Full list of every voting area by Leave", which is ordered in order of decreasing Leave vote, with the highest Leave vote at the top. I would think that range of numbers is extremely valuable to anyone in government.
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There is no doubt that the British people have a complex decision to make, one that will have a major impact on the nation's future for generations to come. Technically, I am one of the "British people," but having made the US my home thirty years ago, I long ago lost my UK voting rights, and my interest today is primarily that of a mathematician who has made something of a career arguing for improved public appreciation for the sensible use of my subject, and railing against misuse of numbers.
My emotional involvement today is in the upcoming US presidential election, where there is also an enormous amount of misuse of mathematics, and many lost opportunities where the citizenry could take advantage of the power numbers provide, in order to make better decisions.
But for what it's worth, I would urge the citizens of my birth nation to drill down one level in your referendum data. For what you have is a future-textbook example of the same phenomenon highlighted by Simpson's Paradox (albeit with many more dimensions of variation). To my mathematician's eye (trained as such in the UK, I might add), the referendum provides very clear numerical information that enables you to form a well-informed, reasoned decision as to how best to proceed.
Deciding between the "will of the older population" and the "will of the younger population" is a political decision. So too is deciding between "the will of London, Scotland, and Northern Ireland" and "the will of the remainder of the UK". What would be mathematically irresponsible, and to my mind politically and morally irresponsible as well, would be to make a decision based on a single number. Single numbers rarely make decisions for us. Indeed, single numbers are usually as likely to mislead as to help. A range of numbers, in contrast, can provide valuable data that can help us to better understand the complexities of modern life, and make better decisions.
We humans invented numbers and mathematics to understand our world (initially physical and later social), and to improve our lives. But to make good use of that powerful, valuable gift from our forbearers, we need to remember that numbers are there to serve us, not the other way round. Numbers are just tools. We are the ones with the capacity to make decisions.
The death of Black people at the hands of law enforcement has become so commonplace and routine that many of us who are African-American have managed to become simultaneously outraged and psychologically numb. Over the past few years, we have become front row spectators to grainy and, in some cases, graphic footage of police offices engaged in horrific levels of violent behavior toward people of African descent.
Tamir Rice, Ousmane Zongo, Rekia Boyd, Walter Scott, Eric Garner, Kajieme Powell, Samuel DuBose, Laquan McDonald, Sandra Bland, Oscar Grant, Sean Bell, Kayla Moore and Tanisha Anderson are among those whose deadly encounters readily come to mind. We can now add Alton Sterling and Philando Castile to the growing number of victims of a list that is already far too long. The world has witnessed Sterling, 37, being shot multiple times at the hands of police officers, Blane Salamoni, a four-year veteran of the Baton Rouge Police and Howie Lake II, a three-year employee. Like Sterling, 32 year old Mr. Castile had multiple bullets pumped into his body by St.Paul police. Both men were shot down like animals.
While we all have been asked to wait for "due process" and to "wait for the facts," many Black folk with good reason are likely bracing ourselves for the likelihood that justice (as has been the case in far too many incidents involving Black citizens) will fail to materialize. As predictable, the standard police defense of the officers is that Sterling was armed and thus they feared for their lives. The fact that one of the police officers removed an object from his bag draws their (police officers) explanation into question. To their credit, the Justice Department immediately launched an investigation into the matter. Both incidents are disturbing on many levels. In the case of Philando Castile, Minnesota governor Mark Dayton made it clear that he saw the murder as having racial overtones. President Obama has weighed in on the recent tragedies that have engulfed our nation as have presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump .
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Witnessing the news conference of Quinyetta McMillon's oldest child weeping as he cried out for his father while his mother read an impassioned statement denouncing the slaying of her husband and her now fatherless children, advocating for justice was indeed a chilling and haunting moment for people across racial lines. Likewise, observing Diamond Reynolds, the 24 year old girlfriend of Philando Castile with tremendous poise, calmly describe the sadistic murder of her lover as he lay dying as blood poured from his body like a river while her 4 year old daughter sat in the backseat was nothing short of surreal. I was immensely impressed. Both situations indicated that it was a clarion call demanding that justice be served.
Predictably, there have been certain segments of the media and right-wing trolls wasted no time going on a perverse form of offense. Some segments of the media brazenly attacked Sterling's character. They made the case that he was a violent man, was a deadbeat father, had a lengthy criminal record and so on. Personal flaws aside (and we all have our shortcomings), it is probably safe to say that he never fatally pumped four bullets into another human being while that person was pinned on the ground. The entire issue is sickening.
The fact is that, since stepping foot on the shores of America, Black lives and bodies have been routinely scrutinized, objectified, sexualized and racialized. For many people, Black bodies and Black people, children as well as adults, have never been seen as fully human. All too often, we have been seen as men and women who are largely primitive and invisible, largely denied any degree of humane acknowledgment from mainstream society.
One has to answer whether the average White person be the victim of such random violence by police officers. The answer is absolutely not! The fact is that, if White people were routinely and randomly subjected to police violence and being gunned down in the street by law enforcement duplicative to the rate of Black and Hispanic people, there would be calls for congressional demonstrations and cries of protests so loud that it would result in political suicide for any politician or police force who dared to ignore such a rallying cry and decisive message. An equally formidable message must become a reality for people of color as well.
As we all know, there are police officers and other members of law enforcement (arguably most) who are decent, law-abiding human beings who manage to perform admirably doing a job that undeniably is stressful. The horrific assassinations/murders of five (5) Dallas police officers (6 were wounded) Sr. Cpl Lorne Ahrens, Michael Krol, a nine year veteran, Michael Smith, retired, Brent Thompson, a recent newlywed, Patrick Zamarippa a five year veteran on July 7th by Michael Xavier Johnson a 25 year old army veteran with a disturbing level of unhinged racial hatred toward Whites was another senseless act violence. We can only hope their families and loved ones will have the strength to get thorough such an unspeakable crisis. Honorable police offers aside, the fact is that there is also a faction -- one is too many -- of law enforcement officials with badges who personify corruption and shamelessly abuse their power.
White denial, factions of right wing media irresponsibly suggesting the strong possibility of an impending race war, declaring certain Black organizations as hate groups, wrongly blaming President Obama as being a racial divider, various forms of intellectually dishonest rhetoric and other factors notwithstanding, (certain segments of the left have been irresponsible in this regard as well) the fact is that Black people are human beings and deserve to be treated with as much respect and dignity as any other group of people. These killings (as well as those of the police officers) are modern day lynchings. Such sadistic behavior and wicked disregard for people of color cannot continue.
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Image credit: Ike Slimster
As seen on Fabulize Magazine:
I'm so thrilled that in this day and age, black women can create spaces to celebrate their natural beauty with each other. Black sisterhood is important, reinforcing black beauty is also important and having a social environment where black women are not only setting the standard for beauty but also encouraging other women to embrace themselves naturally is pivotal. The natural hair community has not only increased in numbers on social media but they are taking the movement to public spaces to celebrate black girl magic, naturally.
Three years ago, Curly Girl Collective began hosting Curlfest, a natural hair festival that takes place at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York. The women that have founded Curly Girl Collective are a team that focuses on marketing and branding within the natural hair community. Their expertise range from public relations, project management and art to social media and marketing. With the success of reaching more than 66 million social media impressions and solidifying a strong and loyal audience, Curlfest is now one of the most anticipated natural hair events during the summer in New York City.
This was my first time attending! I think I started hearing about Curlfest two years ago in passing when someone asked me if I was going to attend. The idea of a festival that would celebrate natural hair appealed to me so I had to go. It was a beautiful Sunday on June 29th when I arrived in Brooklyn. The further I got into Brooklyn, the more naturals I was seeing and we were all going to the same place. There is something special about seeing a black woman rock her natural in all her glory. Her confidence is unmatched, she's unbothered and she walks with her head high and her hair just slays as if she was destined to wear her crown in the sun. This type of confidence needs to be celebrated more and seen more in media and in our everyday lives. I will say this however; nobody compliments and uplifts black women like other black women!
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Everywhere I turned at Curlfest I heard, " Yes girl, your hair is beautiful!" or " Girl, I love your hair!" It was magical to see and hear all these black women talk about their hair journey both good and bad. Black women will travel across the country to celebrate themselves and each other because if nobody else loves us, who will? There is this misconception that women that are natural are always praised - I can confirm we are not. We have lost love interests, we've been passed up on job opportunities and ridiculed by family members and friends for having natural hair. We need events like Curlfest to allow us to be in a safe space, even for a limited time to embrace ourselves and each other. We can never have enough spaces to gather to tell each other, " Hey Sis, you look good and your hair is beautiful!" Yes, sis you are indeed beautiful.
Image credit: Ike Slimster
Image credit: Ike Slimster
Image credit: Ike Slimster
Image credit: Ike Slimster
Image credit: Ike Slimster
Image credit: Ike Slimster
When questioned one too many times about Hillary Clinton's email transgressions, an exasperated Bernie Sanders exclaimed to his opponent, "The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails!" Like it or not, we'll be hearing ever more about them as Hillary's woes potentially deepen in light of the recent FBI investigation as well as the hacking of one of her volunteers' emails accounts. It's enough for all of us, across the political spectrum, to question how, when and why we rely on this mainstay of communication in our own professional and personal lives. Is email doing us more harm than good? If so, can we go against the grain and minimize its role in our lives?
With security breaches plaguing everyone from Sony executives to the Russian government-hacked Democratic National Committee, the French cracking down on after hours emails, and the rising popularity of apps such as FlipD to give us a break from the never-ending inbox onslaught, could our cultural obsession with email be at the tipping point? Could the days of electronic mail be over, with Yahoo, Hotmail, and yes, even Gmail, relics of the days of internet past, gone to wherever Excite.com was laid to rest?
Grand statements of the demise of email and one of its elemental aspects--the written word--have long been exaggerated. In fact, Facebook's VP of Europe, the Middle East and Africa just predicted that in 5 years time, Facebook "will be probably all video." She explained that video "conveys so much more information in a much quicker period. So actually the trend helps us to digest much more information." While certainly plausible, it's difficult to imagine video completely overtaking the human script we've relied on since 3200 BC.
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Nonetheless, the flaws of email as a contemporary means of conveying messages, whether they be animated or static, visual or aural, are clear. As Phil Simon, author of "Message Not Received: Why Business Communication Is Broken and How to Fix It" explains, workers are now spending well over 1/4 of their workday just managing this behemoth. Once a tool for workplace communication and efficiency, email has instead become a time glutton, eating away at 16.8 minutes of every 60, and far more by some estimates. Perhaps this horrifying headline graced your inbox last year: "Average worker spends 6.3 hours a day checking email."
Until a safer and more efficient email 2.0 comes down the pike, email as we know it may be here to stay for a bit longer. The forward-thinking approach may lie in changing our relationship to it. Tethering ourselves to our accounts as a false sense of accomplishment serves only to hinder us, and doing away with the inbox entirely is an unrealistic expectation doomed to failure barring widely accepted alternatives.
A recent NY Post article pitting email traditionalists against resistors reflects the common assumption that those who rely most heavily on email are the more efficient/hard working/disciplined among us. Skipping the out-of-office message, for example, is heresy to personal productivity experts and mainstream business authors.
Yet, email-centrism has a growing cadre of vocal critics, who point out that email often becomes a means of perpetuating what Shareen Pathak of Digiday terms "busyness disease"; inefficient practices we retain for the sake of appearances. As Dave Donars, Chief of Research and Analytics at Brooklyn-Based digital development agency Cardwell Beach puts it, "Email is an essential business tool--but in the pursuit of seeming busy, business culture has turned the zero inbox policy into a badge of honor. We shouldn't heroicize an empty inbox for its own sake because it's an errand, not an accomplishment."
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Donars sees email not as a communications tool of immediacy--"that is best left to phone, text, Google hangouts and internal CMS like slack." Instead, he sees the real power of email in its capacity as a time-stamped, accessible archive. "By rethinking the role of email in our lives, it can serve as a vital resource for tracking, organizing and planning, without bogging us down in the fruitless task of attempting to keep up with a tool that should be serving us. Above all else, process is far more important than tools."
Image source: Deposit Photos
Today, students and professionals are hungering for purpose. Rarely a day goes by without experiencing some manifestation of the great search for meaning in work that is currently underway. Sometimes it appears in the frustration of a loved one about her boredom at work; she wants to contribute more and more meaningfully. Other times it shows up in the emptiness that our best friend feels when he has found himself going through the motions at work, rather than being fully present and engaged; he wants to do things that stretch him and applies his strengths, values and passions in the pursuit of something worthwhile. Often, it can be seen in the relentless job hopping that seems to be so prevalent nowadays in just about every organization; sometimes we just think that the occupational grass here is bland, and it will be greener and tastier elsewhere.
Michigan Ross management professor Andy Hoffman thinks that the solution the biggest calling of our generation is all around us. "The sustainability challenges we face today are of a completely different order than those of the past", says Hoffman in his new book. "Business must be the source of the solutions to those issues. The market is the most powerful institution on Earth and business is the most powerful entity within it. If they are not solving these problems, they won't be solved." And it appears that many students are heeding the call. Hoffman notes that "students that wanted to make a difference in the world twenty years ago went to graduate schools of government or non-profit management. Today, more and more of them are going into schools of business."
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I will be the first to admit that I am far from perfect. Indeed, I feel more than a twinge of hypocrisy as I write this article. I drive a gas guzzling car! I enjoy a nice steak all too often! But Hoffman's point is that none of us are. But that shouldn't stop us. There are myriad ways that individuals or organizations can make a difference starting today. Some yield small and immediate results. Others will be the work of many people over decades or longer. We do not all need to be Elon Musk and lead the reinvention of the auto sector, but we can aspire to create products and services differently. At the recent Ross Positive Business Conference, Cascade Engineering CEO Mark Miller told us how his company took an environmental challenge to their business and turned it into an extraordinary commercial opportunity. (See the story here, starting at 49.08). He was driven to do this by a deep sense of purpose about both building his business and serving society.
Having a calling changes our subjective day-to-day experience of work. Some may not feel the compulsion to make environmental stewardship their calling. They may feel drawn more toward helping their communities or their families, perhaps. One of my colleagues says that her calling is simply "to make each room better than how she found it". Everyone who experiences the events that she produces knows that this is something that she takes seriously. Her calling energizes her actions on a daily basis.
For many people, the challenge is where to begin. Here are two concrete steps to get the ball rolling:
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1. "Start small", suggests Hoffman. "Begin to explore what your passions are and where you want to devote your life's energies". In order to do this, you may choose to find a mentor or keep an energy journal. For two weeks, simply note down the times when you feel excited and energized by situations you come across. Over time, as you reflect on your notes, you will find common themes across the people you interact with, the issues you consider, and the tasks you do when you find yourself being energized.
2. Connect to something bigger than just your immediate needs and wants. This will give you a purpose beyond yourself and a community with which to connect; both will fuel your energy and excitement for the long run. Many workplaces have Green Teams (grassroots networks to help with environmental initiatives), or diversity councils, or other such groups that fit your energy that welcome new contributors. Outside of work, many attend Green Drinks events or volunteer in environmental work.
FIERY CROSS REEF, SOUTH CHINA SEA - MAY 31, 2014 to JUNE 3, 2016: DigitalGlobe overview imagery comparing Fiery Cross Reef from May 31, 2014 to June 3, 2016. Fiery Cross is located in the western part of the Spratly Islands group. Photo DigitalGlobe via Getty Images.
BEIJING -- On July 12, the ad hoc South China Sea arbitration court set up by The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration as unilaterally initiated by the Philippines is expected to announce its decision. The Chinese government has once again expressed its firm position of non-recognition and non-acceptance of any decision by that court, emphasizing that "the Ad Hoc Court has no jurisdiction whatsoever over this case and other related issues and therefore it should not proceed with arbitration nor make any decision thereupon."
The U.S., Japan and some Western nations have been drumming up noise on the arbitration while turning a blind eye to the fact that the Philippines' presentation and the setup of the arbitration tribunal violate international standards of law and rules. Moreover, the unilateral initiation of arbitration by the Philippines is contradictory to its agreement with China to settle their sovereignty disputes through bilateral negotiations.
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So why are they doing this? It is obviously aimed at framing China as a nation that "does not abide by international law." It is good to know that an increasing number of nations worldwide as well as international law experts have spoken out in support of China's position.
International law experts have spoken out in support of China's position.
What we are witnessing is in reality a fight to safeguard international standards of law and the rule-based world order.
Of course, as an old Chinese saying goes, "Bad things can be turned into good things." As long as we take a principled position on the issue involved and tell the real story in good faith and with clarity, the truth behind the "veil" knit by the Philippines with the backing of the U.S. will emerge clearly for all to see.
The international standards of law and rules embodied in the U.N. Charter clearly stipulate that any disputes on sovereignty should be settled by disputants through consultation and negotiation based on international law and practices while respecting historical facts.
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NASA image showing the Spratly Islands and their occupying nations. (CIA/NASA/China Safety Administration)
Regarding UNCLOS' jurisdiction, its article 298 says that the international community has no recourse under it to mandatory procedures of settlements for disputes concerning maritime demarcation, territorial sovereignty, historical rights, military confrontations, etc. Therefore, UNCLOS signatories are entitled to issue written disclaimers of not accepting mandatory arbitrations on such issues. Any disputes thus excluded may not be presented for arbitration and no arbitration court has jurisdiction over such disputes.
What's more, China's claim of treating Nansha Islands or Archipelago as a whole is also ignored by the Philippines and the arbitration tribunal.
China, in accordance with UNCLOS and through proper procedure, made such a disclaimer of exclusion in 2006. As an ad hoc arbitration tribunal will cover issues related to sovereignty, historical rights and ownership, China should be automatically exempted from its jurisdiction. No matter what the decision is, there is nothing at all in UNCLOS that compels China to accept it.
What we are witnessing is in reality a fight to safeguard international standards of law and the rule-based world order.
What the Philippines did in pushing the arbitration in Hague is contradictory to basic principles of international law in general and UNCLOS in particular. The Philippines seems not to have knowledge of international law, since UNCLOS makes it crystal clear that its case on the South China Sea holds no water. What the Philippines did is to hoodwink the world by packaging the arbitration with hidden links to sovereignty and territorial demarcation while on surface it appeared to be within the purview of UNCLOS.
Under the tutorship of American and British lawyers, the Philippines tried to bypass territorial sovereignty issues that UNCLOS has no jurisdiction by presenting 15 fussy issues for arbitration such as what are the natural features of the islands and reefs of China in South China Sea, and whether or not China's construction on those islands and reefs violates environmental protection rules under UNCLOS. In addition, it asked the court to rule whether China's sovereignty claims based on the "nine-dash line" are valid.
UNCLOS stipulates that as far as islands and reefs are concerned, the former enjoy 12 nautical miles territorial waters, 200 nautical miles of exclusive economic zone and continental shelf rights while the latter only have 12 nautical miles of territorial waters. For the low-tide elevations, they don't have any maritime rights. It is clear from these definitions that how to define the natural features of an island, a reef or something else will no doubt involve maritime sovereign rights and demarcation over which the arbitration tribunal has no jurisdiction.
Satellite imagery of Flat Island in the South China Sea collected on May 7th, 2016. (DigitalGlobe via Getty Images)
In other words, UNCLOS follows the principle of international law "land commands the sea" in the sense that maritime rights come from littoral or coastal nations' sovereignty over land. Therefore, it "puts the cart before the horse" to bypass sovereignty of islands or reefs and go directly to talk about maritime entitlement and delimitation such as EMZ or continental shelf of those islands or reefs as suggested by the Philippines. It does not make any sense in international law.
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From a historical perspective, the South China Sea is the biggest land-adjacent sea in the western Pacific with a total area of 3.5 million square kilometers. Since ancient times, China has been exercising sovereignty over four big archipelagos in South China Sea, namely the Xisha, Nansha, Zhongsha and Dongsha.
The Nansha Archipelago was found and thus named by China the earliest. It is also China that has exercised on a continuous basis over the archipelago. The sovereignty of the archipelago has never been contested in history until very recently. Many maps and encyclopedias produced by other nations without exception mark this archipelago as part of China. It is therefore indisputable that China enjoys historical rights over four archipelagos and no countries including the U.S. has ever challenged China's claims until now.
UNCLOS follows the principle of international law 'land commands the sea'
The occupation of some islands occurred mostly in 1970s and 1980s as a result of discovery of large deposits of petroleum and natural gas. Of course it is also related to the passage of UNCLOS because 200 nautical miles of EMZ is a creation by UNCLOS.
In addition, the Philippines has been emboldened by the geopolitical rift between China and the U.S. as the latter has openly pushed "rebalance in Asia-Pacific" by abandoning its neutral position on the South China Sea and increasingly leans against China whenever such sovereign disputes come to the fore. The geopoliticalization of the South China Sea by the U.S. has further complicated the security situation in the region and placed more hurdles in the peaceful settlement of these disputes. As called for by many countries, the U.S. should rethink its moves in the region.
The new president of the Philippines has made remarks concerning possible resumption of dialogue and negotiation on the Nansha Islands disputes between the Philippines and China. That is definitely welcome and if carried through will correct the wrong course chosen by the previous administration of the Philippines and help defuse tensions in the region.
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Also on WorldPost:
If you're happy and you know it and you really want to show it, if you're happy and you know it...
Local Vigil tonight for #blacklivesmatter. Community comes together. Brings hope.
41 dead in Istanbul. Suicide attack in Iraq kills dozens.
Stand united.
Jewish community livid at Trump campaign Anti-Semitic use of Jewish star.
It was a sheriff's star. It is a circle now. Frozen used it too.
Holocaust survivor Eli Weisel dies.
"There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice,
but there must never be a time when we fail to protest."-Eli Weisel
Another black man killed by a white police officer.
Justice.
Justice.
Power.
Justice.
Muslim man beaten outside of his mosque.
The Dallas Chief of Police: "Our profession is hurting...we are heartbroken...
this must stop, this divisiveness between our police and our citizens."
Orlando shooter homophobic.
People kill people.
Don't talk about guns.
Make it stop. Make it stop.
Hate.
It is a bad word.
So righteous in our hatred
So blind
Police officers run Towards the gunshots.
Police officers run Towards the gunshots.
#blacklivesmatter
Respect.
A fight to be treated equally. To be recognized.
Step out of your perspective and look through my eyes.
Be aware.
My world is not your world.
Recognize that.
Your recognition can bring us closer together.
It is part of the fight.
We all want the same thing.
Community comes together in the wake of tragedy.
Children peacefully march for a better future.
Help us.
Show me something beautiful.
My children giggle.
Beautiful.
Yet I cry.
If your happy and you know it, and you really want to show it...
Your babies are our babies.
Our babies are your babies.
Once you bring life into the world, you must protect it.
We must protect it by changing the world. -Elie Wiesel
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A recent New York Times article ('I Thought They Were Playing Dead': Officers Are Haunted by Scene at Orlando Club, June 24, 2016) described the unfolding psychological pain of Orlando police officers who responded to the massacre at The Pulse. The piece suggested that fear of being stigmatized as sick or labeled as weak may deter officers from seeking much needed psychological support. I agree. When working with Sandy Hook first responders and community members and active duty military and veterans, as well as fire fighters after 9/11, I've observed similar concerns.
My experience working with psychological trauma in the Middle East and Turkey tells me there will be similar issues in Istanbul following the airport killings. The usual response to addressing traumatic events--enlisting individual therapists to provide one-on-one counseling--is well-intentioned but inadequate and potentially counterproductive. Solely focusing on individual trauma and its psychological consequences doesn't relieve the stigma or comprehensively address the pain of entire communities. Though many may benefit from individual therapy, it is crucial to acknowledge the collective wounds and to develop a plan to address them-- as a normal response to an overwhelming and abnormal situation.
A population-wide program of self-care and group support which invites vulnerability and also appreciates strengths is likely to be most effective as well as most acceptable. This is the kind of program The Center for Mind-Body Medicine has successfully implemented in Israel, Gaza, Kosovo, and Haiti and in Southern Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, as well as with US Military.
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Joining a group as a member of the community, not because you have a disorder, eliminates stigma. Self-care techniques--such as meditation, drawing, guided imagery, exercise, and movement-- help us quiet our fight or flight response, release tension, and overcome the feelings of powerlessness that overwhelm us when we confront horrors like the Orlando and Istanbul killings. Having the opportunity to share our pain with others who are similarly affected is powerfully therapeutic: social support is widely understood as the single most important factor in trauma recovery.
Treating affected individuals is not enough. Embracing and engaging the whole community in collective healing is essential.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Last week, the highly-anticipated report from House Republicans on the September 11th, 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya was released.
There has been subsequent outcry from various corners of the political punditry criticizing Republicans for spending millions of dollars trying and failing to ensnare Democratic presumptive frontrunner Hillary Rodham Clinton in scandal. When Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) announced he wanted FBI Director James Comey to testify before the committee, he was accused of continuing a purely political witch hunt at the taxpayers' expense, but Ryan told reporters this morning he's worked out a plan to pay for keeping the Benghazi investigation going "forever, and ever, amen."
"This investigation is like a giant cable knit sweater that someone just keeps knitting, and knitting, and knitting, and knitting," Ryan told reporters at a Monday morning press conference. "And just like when you unravel a sweater, what we have after spending more than $7 million this last time is a big ol' pile of nothing."
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Mr. Ryan said he is sympathetic to calls from the public to not waste any more taxpayer money on Benghazi, but said he believes he's found "the perfect and final solution" to paying for the investigations -- gutting Social Security.
"Will some seniors die if they don't have access to medicine and food," Ryan asked rhetorically, "sure. But I can't help but shrug a little bit. Because you know what's most important in Americans' lives now? De-legitimizing a political candidate, that's what. It's not the economy, the War on Drugs, or systemic racism or gun violence. It's focusing the entire might of one-half of one-third of the federal government on making sure Hillary Clinton doesn't become president."
Ryan says that "sacrificing a few Oldie McOldOlds to the pyre" will be worth it if it keeps Clinton out of office.
"But make no mistake," Ryan said, "this isn't some witch hunt focused solely on one person, Hillary Clinton. We are hoping to bring down the entire Democratic Party with this investigation, and frankly we'd go to these extremes for any Democrat."
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It would take "just a 90% cut" to Social Security, Ryan says, to ensure that Congress would always have the funds necessary to keep investigating Benghazi long, long into the future.
"Some have suggested we won't stop this investigation until Hillary dies," Ryan said, "but if you think a little something like mortality is going to keep us from finally convicting Hillary Clinton of the crimes we believe she committed in our heads, then you don't the modern day Republican Party, do you?"
Reached for comment, Republican frontrunner and alleged billionaire Donald J. Trump said he'd "absolutely friggin' cut the fuck outta" Social Security to fund the Benghazi investigation "in purple-tootery."
The Anschutz Foundation is not a member of [Washington Post columnist] Jonathan Capehart's alleged "vast right wing conspiracy." The Anschutz Foundation donates to thousands of worthy organizations each year, and it does not attempt to dictate to those organizations how they spend their monies. Moreover, those donations are made in accordance with our process and guidelines, and neither process or guidelines identify or reference in any way sexual orientation or gender issues.
Mr. Anschutz, and the Anschutz companies, invest in many businesses employing tens of thousands of people. In all instances, personal lifestyles are neither a requirement or limitation to employment.
Mr. Capehart's attempt to smear individuals with unfounded allegations is straight out of the Saul Alinsky playbook. It is unworthy of him and of the publication by which he is employed.
There is no reason to comment further on his unfounded statements or on the individuals quoted in his article.
I was walking down a street in England when my phone rang; a voice from across the world was on the other end.
It was a voice I knew well, usually cheery and light. This time, it sounded heavy with emotion. I asked how he was. "Sad," he said. "Why?" I answered, alarmed. "Don't you know what's happened here?" he replied.
I didn't. He told me. A young black man shot to death in St. Paul, stopped on a minor traffic matter and reaching for his driver's license when a police officer fired his gun. Five Dallas police officers shot down in cold blood in revenge, picked off by a sniper who said he wanted to kill white cops.
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I could scarcely take in the horrific events he described, one piled on after another -- so far it was from the peaceful street where I stood. As the sun glinted on cobblestoned pavement, he told me of the tragedy upon tragedy.
I hung up and looked around. All that surrounded me was peace: young people whizzing by on bicycles, backpacks on their backs; a white-haired couple with canes, keeping in slow step with one another; a middle-aged man walking a small dog who trotted smartly along the edge of a green park. It seemed so far from the turmoil engulfing my country at that same moment.
Shootings like these fill me with rage and despair. My younger sister, her husband and their unborn baby were shot to death, murdered in their own home by a teenaged intruder with a gun. Thirty-eight caliber bullets fired from a stolen .357 Magnum revolver cut short their lives. After their deaths, I argued and pled and marched, wrote and campaigned and voted, for reasonable gun measures that would help stem the carnage.
And then there was shooting after shooting after shooting. Oak Creek. Newtown. Ferguson. Orlando. Minneapolis. Dallas.
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The targets were Sikhs, children, a young black man, LGBT people, another black man, white police officers. What did they have in common, except that their blood ran red when they died? And that they left a gaping hole of grief in the hearts of those who loved them?
What agonizes me as much as anything is that the names of all the victims may have already been forgotten, if they were noticed or remembered in the first place, by anyone other than those closest to them. Will we remember only the killers, and the fear or hatred or madness that drove them to kill?
That is the question answered, for me, by a monument in the place where I grew up: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. When Timothy McVeigh set off the massive explosion that ripped the front off the Murrah Federal Building in my hometown, it was an act of revenge against the federal government, which McVeigh despised. The "collateral damage," as he described it, was 168 lives, including 19 small children playing in the day care center on the second floor.
The memorial starts with photos of that day -- one like September 11, 2001 in New York: glorious and sunny, bright blue sky giving no hint of the darkness that was to come. A recording that captured the sound of the explosion plays. The rooms that follow show the aftermath of the blast: rubble, personal items dug from the debris, the frantic efforts of rescue workers. You read about McVeigh's manifesto of hate, his desire to strike a blow against the federal government for its supposed wrongs.
Toward the end, you enter a room with small displays honoring each of the victims who died. Each has a name, a photo, and a few items belonging to the honored dead. Baby shoes. A medal. A favorite stuffed animal. A graduation photo. Precious things, given by those who survived and loved and remembered them.
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On the day I visited, in the center of that room was a box of tissues, set there for visitors who needed it to wipe away tears.
Photo by Jess Davidson
There are many thought-provoking videos and articles being circulated on social media after America's week of tragedies. One in particular has stood out to me.
A white woman, race educator Jane Elliot says to an auditorium full of people "I want every white person in this room who would be happy to be treated as this society, in general, treats our citizens - our black citizens - if you, as a white person, would be happy to receive the same treatment that our black citizens do in this society, please stand." Unsurprisingly, no one moves. She pauses. "You didn't understand the directions. If you white folks want to be treated the way blacks are, in this society, stand." More marked silence and lack of movement. She continues, "Nobody's standing here. That says very plainly that you know what's happening. You know you don't want it for you. I want to know why you're so willing to accept it or to allow it to happen for others."
I want to know the same. White America, it is time for us to stand up and take a stand against injustice.
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My route home from work takes me in front of The White House every day, and on Friday as I walked by, I found myself in a Black Lives Matter march that ended in front of our President's home. As I stopped to join, my eyes brimmed with tears for all our country has endured this week. I felt an uncomfortable shame to be part of the race causing such injustice to those who have historically been "othered" by our race.
Embarrassed and ashamed, in that moment, I wanted to shed my whiteness like a snake sheds its skin.
I feel it too, White America. What our race is doing in this country is uncomfortable, disgusting and criminal to say the least. Like an ostrich sticks its head in the sand, it might feel easier for one to ignore the institutional, social and economic structures of injustice we have imposed on our fellow Black Americans than to take up the mantle ourselves. But that desire - to hide from what is uncomfortable and wrong - is exactly the problem.
Wanting to shed our whiteness out of embarrassment and anger, wishing this all away instead of actively fighting, is an active decision to commit further injustice. Whiteness is, like it or not, an asset that we can and should use to promote equitable change. Our role in fighting for Black Lives is critical - if Black America could have solved this without White Americans, they already would have. It takes all of us to fight hard and meaningfully.
Guilt, discomfort and grief will not solve the problem alone. We cannot depend on empathy to save Black Lives.
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Rather, we must embrace our discomfort and act.
My fellow White Americans, if we remain silent and uneducated - if we refuse to proclaim Black Lives Matter - then we might as well be holding the gun ourselves. Silence allows oppressors to continue to oppress. Silence is acceptance - and most of us don't want to, cannot, must not -accept a world where more black men were killed by police in 2015 than were lynched at the height of Jim Crow in 1892, a world where Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and four Dallas cops no longer walk.
I don't just mean retweets and sharing articles on Facebook. Write. March. Cry. Call legislators.
Above all, we must educate ourselves. Have critical and difficult conversations with the people we love - especially those that have not been vocal. Make a required reading list: this curriculum is a great start, designed for White Americans to educate themselves on race and racism outside of our public school "education" on the Civil rights era. Or this article on being a white ally. Or this one. Read informative books, blogs and articles by people of color. "Dear White People" is both a book and documentary that can serve as a great jumping off point.
Ask yourself what you don't know and don't understand - and then seek to understand it. I know I still have a lot that I need to learn.
Above all else, we should listen - deeply, and openly, without defending ourselves for being white. Admit to yourself and your fellow White Americans that you're uncomfortable - and push past it, using that discomfort as a vehicle to get productively angry. Talk about violence against Black Lives until what made you uncomfortable is now something that you're actively working to change. Decide what solidarity means for you, and then take it a step further.
Prayers and thoughts are important, but they're not enough. We cannot stay silent, because silence is acceptance. We cannot stay silent, because we have a responsibility to use our pigment and privilege for good.
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In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., "The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people."
We can - we must - overcome oppression. The safety of Black Americans depends on it. But overcoming, pushing forward, not living in a world with the senseless tragedy that has so rocked us this week, requires each and every one of us to acknowledge the role we can play in doing so. Loudly, frequently, critically. Together.
Only one presidential candidate qualifies as commander-in-chief
Presidential elections are about many things, but perhaps most consequentially, they are about America's role in the world.
So let's not choose the chaos candidate for president. Instead, let's choose someone who instinctively knows how to calm the chaos. Rarely do elections create such existential differences among the candidates. This is one of those times.
The American commander-in-chief is a unique figure. This individual has enormous independence of action and unparalleled tools of power at his or her disposal.
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This is why this fall's presidential election is so important. Americans will be choosing between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump -- two candidates who are near polar opposites in temperament, experience and vision on questions of national security. On one side, we have a candidate known for business bankruptcies who revels in offending people. On the other side, we have the nation's former top diplomat who actually has done the hard work of governing for many years.
We cannot afford to get this choice wrong.
At this moment in our nation's history, we only have to turn on the nightly news to see what's at stake. Terrorist attacks take place on a near-daily basis. Longstanding alliances are under strain. Refugees flee to safe harbors by the tens of thousands.
We cannot afford the vision of Donald Trump, a man whose behavior would exacerbate rather than resolve these problems.
When it comes to foreign affairs, it often looks like everything is messy. Critics can therefore easily identify a specific issue happening overseas -- for example, the Brexit vote in Britain -- and immediately lay the blame at the feet of the president for not having prevented it. This makes for an easy talking point, a snarky political attack ad or a clever tweet.
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But this is not how the world works. Those ultimately responsible for Britain choosing to leave the European Union are the British themselves, not President Barack Obama for having called on them to stay. You can bet that if Mr. Obama had stayed silent, he would have been attacked for not having done enough.
But because overseas events are invariably messy and unpredictable, the key asset that an American president must have is a clear vision for what needs to get done and how we can do it.
What the American president should not do is throw gas on the fire. So, when Mr. Trump cheered the Brexit, because, in his mind, it would be good for his business, he demonstrated an instinct for making difficult challenges worse for the American people, not better. He expressed zero vision for how to create calm in the markets and to reduce American anxieties. He seemed to revel in the chaos. In stark contrast, Ms. Clinton demonstrated a clear understanding of the issues at stake and communicated steadiness when we needed it most.
We don't need a chaos president.
Brexit is but one of a multitude of foreign policy issues the next president will have to deal with. How to defeat the Islamic State. How to ensure that Iran lives up to the nuclear deal. How to resolve the Syria crisis, deepen our engagement in Latin America and take advantage of economic opportunities in Asia. We will have to determine how to spend enough for defense while not breaking the bank. And we'll have to figure out how to stop climate change.
We will need the world to work with us to handle these issues - long gone are the days when America could even contemplate going it alone, and it's clear that, in this election, only one of the candidates can pass the test of real leadership.
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When assessing the leadership skills are best suited to handle these challenges, there are three simple questions we should ask ourselves about our next commander-in-chief. Does this person have a willingness to listen? An ability to adapt? A level head?
On this scorecard, Mr. Trump scores zero. Ms. Clinton goes three for three.
America cannot afford having a hothead with his finger on the nuclear button, one who expresses racism without pause, and one whose tone is openly hostile and alienating to our potential allies and partners.
Offending the world is not a strategy for success in foreign affairs. It's a sure fire way to turn the world against us -- at our peril.
UNITED STATES - JULY 21: Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., speaks during the Senate Democrats' news conference to highlight the fifth anniversary of Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation on Tuesday, July 21, 2015. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
Names like Jeff Merkley and Scott Brown are unlikely to wow the American electorate. But each fills a fundamental need for each candidate, and probably wouldn't hurt either nominee.
Too often, when people speculate about who should be a candidate's vice-president, they think about who they, the writers, want as their own vice-president, if running. Instead of thinking about people, such writers need to think about needs, and who could fill them.
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Hillary Clinton doesn't have as many needs as Donald Trump. She has executive experience as Secretary of State, along with the foreign policy expertise that comes with the job. She has Senatorial experience from her eight years representing New York.
But she's got one real big gap: she must appeal to progressives who backed Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. When I suggest a Clinton-Sanders ticket, Sanders supporters seem excited by the prospects of such a pairing. Unity tickets have a mixed record, as we found earlier this year when Ted Cruz paired up with Carly Fiorina.
That narrows the field to Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez, Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown and Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, a former governor and DNC Chair, would be there, but the Clinton team might be wary of recent stories of campaign gifts he received, even if there's not much in it.
Of these, Senator Merkley would do the best He endorsed Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders (the only senator to do so), while still saying nice things about Hillary Clinton. That's the strongest sign Clinton can offer the Sanders people that she wants a progressive on the ticket, even though Warren and Brown have fairly liberal voting records, and Perez is also considered a liberal. Merkley ousted a two-term incumbent in a big upset in a state that is showing signs of going more purple than usual, and handily won reelection in 2014, a bad year for the Democratic Party.
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Trump has too many needs to be filled by a single candidate. He needs someone with political experience, executive experience (of a government agency, not a business), foreign policy experience, and knows something about how Washington DC works. Appealing to groups that he offended by putting someone on the ticket that represents them probably won't work.
The Trump selection is likely to come down to the same type of decision criteria that ironically the Bush family value: courtesy and loyalty. When he interviewed a series of candidates for vice-president in 1988, only one replied to George H. W. Bush with a thank-you letter: Indiana Senator Dan Quayle. George W. Bush picked family insider Dick Cheney, his father's Secretary of Defense, who he had tasked to pick a vice-president.
That loyalty selection is likely to come down to former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown, who took Ted Kennedy's seat in a special election upset in 2009. Brown, who lost to Warren in 2012, also ran for the U.S. Senate in New Hampshire, a swing state. He has some moderate policies that could appeal to independents, while I can see Trump liking the fact that Brown was a former male model, in a bid to appeal to women. He's backed just about everything Trump has said, something that cannot be said of other would-be running mates being considered.
You may choose to disagree with my picks, of course. In 2008, for Southern Political Report, I described a candidate with a long resume and foreign policy experience for Obama (and he picked Biden over my choice of Sam Nunn, who filled both requirements), and I also wrote that McCain should take a woman (he picked Sarah Palin over Lisa Murkowski, my choice). In 2012, I created a formula based on Romney's needs that had Paul Ryan as the second-best choice (behind Ohio Senator Rob Portman). So I am not always correct, but I usually get close, by focusing on what a candidate needs.
John A. Tures is a professor of political science at LaGrange College in LaGrange, Ga. He can be reached at jtures@lagrange.edu.
"It ain't what you don't know that gets you in trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." - Mark Twain
Former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair discussed the momentous June 23 Brexit Referendum on a still "Too Big to Fail" bank conference call last week. Revealing how he really felt near the end of the interview, he proclaimed, "Knowing what you're talking about became a disqualifier during the Referendum."
Blair typifies the neo-liberal elite who as Twain observed "know for sure" what they are talking about, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. One would think the Brexit debacle (not to mention the Trump debacle, the rise of Sanders, and the race tensions spinning out of control in the U.S., all rooted in a deeply flawed and divisive economic system that works too well for a few, and not well at all for too many) might cause these leaders to seriously ask themselves whether what they "know for sure just ain't so." And we wonder why today's "elites" attract such disdain.
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No doubt, the Leave vote was supported by many who had little understanding or interest in the European Union (E.U.); this has been well-documented. No doubt we also find its roots in the rise of xenophobic, anti-European opportunists who spearheaded the Leave campaign, only to shamefully disappear from the public stage when they surprised themselves and got their way.
The potential damage caused by Leave vote is a consequence of the far greater and more destructive ignorance on the part of the elites, including Blair himself. This elite ignorance arises from a blind faith in a dangerously-flawed neo-liberal economic ideology and the E.U.'s misguided, core architecture: monetary union without fiscal union. A basic understanding of biology tells you that organisms move toward food and safety when their life is under threat. Take away the adjustment mechanism of national currencies; squeeze people until they cannot live under a misguided austerity ideology; combine this with a commitment to free labor mobility -- and you have designed a guaranteed refugee crisis with all the social turmoil that comes with it. So yes, Mr. Blair, as you said, "these people" as you called them -- presumably you were referring to the ignorant little people who voted to Leave -- "really do want these problems solved."
In that same interview, Blair also put his finger on a root cause when he said, "The basic concept of Europe is about how to exercise power in a multi-polar world. Small countries need to band together to exercise collective power." This fear-based philosophy is understandable in our highly competitive and too often violent world. But, building this fear-driven competitive narrative into the architecture of our political economy guarantees we will never transcend it. The logical extension of fear-based division and extreme competitiveness is violence in all its forms, from the violence that we have seen play out, too often, over much of modern Wall Street, to the violence we see in our divided communities, to the violence of war.
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This competitive narrative is at the heart of neoliberalism with its belief in: uncontrolled globalism; the financialization of unrestrained "free markets"; and "free trade" defined around mega-corporate interests which locks the world into a race-to-the-bottom around health, labor, and environmental safeguards.
So how will Great Britain fare outside of the E.U., assuming the Brexit vote will not get a do-over? The pundits and economists are all alarmed about the loss of growth. They "know for sure" that less growth means a poorer Britain, but they appear to be ignorant of the uneconomic growth now emanating out of the City of London. Could it be that Brexit's ignorant, xenophobia-fueled vote will have the ironic effect of breaking apart the entrenched, systemic ignorance of neoliberal elites, and lead to a healthier and wiser Great Britain?
Let's imagine what a better Britain might look like. First, the financial sector might be cut down to size as it splinters into more manageable units across Europe. The consequence of London as a world financial center (do we really need one?) is a national economy way out of balance, dependent on a too powerful, extractive export industry that corrupts politicians with influence (even if subconsciously); drives extreme inequality; and separates London's elite from the rest of the U.K. as Brexit demonstrated. A smaller financial sector in London, more aligned with the genuine needs of the real economy (rather than playing to its own speculative wants) is a good thing -- unless you happen to own expensive real estate in London. We see similar consequences in corrupt, extractive export dependent economies in Africa. There it is diamonds and oil rather than finance, and the corruption may be more brazen, but the consequences for society follow a similar pattern.
Second, the U.K. had the foresight not to sign up for the fatally-flawed common currency. The British Pound has depreciated nicely making the country immediately more attractive as a trading partner or investment region to the rest of the world. If it could now shake the destructive austerity ideology imported from the E.U. (i.e., Germany), it would have the opportunity to take advantage of historically cheap borrowing-costs to invest in its health, education, and critical infrastructure beginning with a smart, clean, energy systems, the foundation for a thriving economy in the 21st century. To do this, some tax shifting (and collecting) will be necessary over the long run. For starters, by imposing a financial transaction tax, the new Britain could send a positive signal across the Channel by finally joining the rest of Europe in nudging finance away from excessive speculation. This new revenue stream will actually enhance the resilience of capital markets and, with it, the health and stability of the real economy (notwithstanding the ignorant neoliberal cries to the contrary).
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Health care Cost statistics with stethoscope and Calculator
At its Orlando, Florida meeting two days ago, the DNC platform committee voted down a proposed amendment to include single-payer health care in the Party Platform by a vote of 92 to 62, even though public support for single-payer includes 81 percent of Democrats and 58 percent of U.S. residents. As Michael Lighty of National Nurses United said at the time: "If this is controversial in this room, it is the only room of Democrats in which it is controversial." Hillary Clinton's whips in the room were urging on the negative votes. (1)
Hillary has also just come to a compromise with Bernie Sanders's support of single-payer national health insurance (NHI)--bring back the public option (to supposedly compete with private insurers), expand Medicare to include people 55 years of age and older, and increase funding for community health centers. She contends that NHI would undercut the Affordable Care Act (ACA), meanwhile posturing with this rhetoric:
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"We have more work to do to finish our long fight to provide universal, quality, affordable health care to everyone in America." (2)
By taking this predictable position, the Clinton campaign ignores these inconvenient facts about the ACA:
Since the ACA was enacted six years ago, private health insurers have grown stronger through consolidation with most of the market controlled by three giant insurers.
Insurers still have wide latitude to raise their premiums and pass along more costs to patients and their families.
There are still no effective price controls in health care.
There are about 29 million uninsured and tens of millions underinsured.
One in three Americans cannot afford health care, with many delaying or forgoing care altogether.
Choice of physician and hospital has been severely restricted by insurers' narrow networks.
Discontinuity of care is widespread--as one example, a recent study in California found that 70 percent of people could not gain access to primary care physicians of their choice, both within and outside of the insurance marketplaces. (3)
Most of the co-ops established by the ACA have either already failed or are unsustainable, plagued by high costs and adverse selection.
The ACA has been a bonanza to corporate stakeholders in health care, with health care stocks the leading sector on the S & P 500.
Hillary's overly cautious proposals will ignite powerful opposition from Republicans, and perhaps of moderate Democrats. Whatever she does, she cannot avoid another contentious debate. Why fight another big battle with the Republicans over a program that won't work? A recent blog post showed how the public option, if ever adopted, has no chance of working against the continuing presence of the private insurance industry. (4) So why not go for real reform--universal health care as a human right--which enjoys so much public support, will contain prices and costs, save us $592 billion a year, and reduce what 95 percent of Americans now pay for insurance and health care?
The main answer, of course, is that Hillary is still captive to corporate and Wall Street money. She has never released her transcripts of talks given to Wall Street groups. Even though she said in 1994 that single-payer would be inevitable by 2010 unless health care was reformed by then (5), she is not taking leadership on health care when there is so much public support for NHI, including Millenials and so many millions of Bernie supporters.
We have an oligarchy, not a democracy, as pointed out by John Acheson in his recent Common Dreams blog:
We the people have no say and almost zero influence in our governance. Forget about the land of the free and the home of the brave--we've become the land of the duped and the home of the indentured. . . . This is reality. It's the logical end-point of the pay-to-play PACster politics that reached its peak with the Citizens United Decision. (6)
The "system" under the ACA is collapsing as many insurers exit markets that are not sufficiently profitable, as the costs of insurance and health care continue to escalate, and as the ranks of the underinsured grow. We have to recognize that multi-payer, profit-oriented health care financing is not sustainable for either patients, their families, or taxpayers.
This is an ideal time to include single-payer NHI in the Democratic platform. The GOP is more fractured than it has been for many years. Trump's "plan", would be even worse than the ACA. It will increase the numbers of the uninsured by 18 million, eliminate the ACA's minimal benefit requirements, and lead to higher prices of insurance with skimpier benefits. (7) And the ACA will never get to universal access, despite Hillary's posturing about Medicare expansion at age 55 and the public option.
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Universal access to health care can only be achieved by single-payer NHI. It is time to seize the opportunity, not to be so cautious as to miss it. Though NHI failed at the time, Teddy Roosevelt campaigned for it in 1912, as did Harry Truman in 1948.
2017 could be the moment for real reform if the Democratic platform and Hillary's campaign listen to the public it is supposed to serve, takes on corporate opposition, wins the White House and hopefully gains enough seats in Congress to govern the country. The words of French historian Henry See apply to this moment of opportunity:
History is like the waves lapping at a cliff. For decades nothing happens and then the cliff collapses.
References:
1. DNC Platform Committee votes down single payer. Healthcare-NOW, July 10, 2016.
2. Lucey, C, Thomas, K. In nod to Sanders, Clinton offers new health care proposals. Associated Press, July 9, 2016.
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3. Haeder, SF, Weimer, DL, Mukamel, DB. Secret shoppers find access to providers and network accuracy lacking for those in marketplace and commercial plans. Health Affairs, July 2016.
4. Geyman, JP. Hillary's public option proposal: Could it work?, June 3, 2016.
5. Clinton, H. speaking to a group at Lehman Brothers Health Corporation, June 15, 1994, as reported by Health Care for All-WA Newsletter, Winter, 2015, p. 9.
6. Acheson, J. Put away the fireworks . . . you don't live in a democracy anymore. Common Dreams, July 4, 2016.
This week Americans celebrated the Fourth of July, with barbeques, beer, music, and fireworks, all packaged up in the celebration of freedom. That's the popular narrative for the birth of our country. But the truth is, the United States had many parents. Democracy was one. Slavery was another, property a third, patriarchy a fourth, and genocide a fifth. These were all the essential ingredients for the birth of our nation.
As much as democracy was heralded in the Declaration of Independence with "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness", the new constitution codified inequality and slavery, with people, owned by other people, counting as three-fifths of a person. Women could not participate in this democracy. White men without property were likewise excluded.
Not only was this a democracy for white men with property, only. The federal government and individual prospectors, farmers, and hunters continually encroached upon native peoples, taking their land by force, destroying their cultures, and killing the majority through warfare, disease, and starvation.
Slavery provided the essential fuel for capitalist development in our country. Northern financiers did not invest in cotton production because they felt good about it. They invested in cotton to make money from the toil of slaves.
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It went all the way to the top. Our first, third, fourth, fifth, seventh, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth presidents were all slave-owners while they were president: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe, with 19th century leaders right behind them: Jackson, Tyler, Polk, Taylor.
Washington enslaved more than 300 people, Jefferson 200. Jackson was a slave trader. Jefferson appointed Jackson to take over the Creek and Cherokee Indian lands. He did, massacring Indian men, women, and children, and stealing 23 million acres for plantation slavery. As president he legalized ethnic cleansing with the Indian Removal Act.
I live in Seattle, in Washington state. Seattle is in King County. King County was initially named for William King, elected as United States Vice President in 1852. This King and his relatives owned 500 slaves. The King County Council remedied this recognition of an enslaver by renaming the county after Martin Luther King Jr. But place names for enslavers continue to surround us in our daily life, reminding us of our national heroes. We can start with Washington state, named after our first President, George Washington, whose wealth, power, and prestige was built on the backs of 300 slaves.
The legacy of racism and second class citizenship is reverberates in our country. The citizens of Washington DC, a majority-minority city, are not allowed voting representatives in the U.S. Senate and Congress. In Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee you can request a state-issued license plate with the confederate flag. Carved into the largest bas relief sculpture in the world at Stone Mountain, Georgia are the silhouettes of confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson and the President of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis.
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Just as the founders of our country could not bring themselves to mention the word slavery in the constitution, but lived their lives as well-heeled enslavers, today's defenders of the symbols of the confederacy say they just want to honor southern culture. At the bottom of that culture is the practice of enslaving other people.
There is a truth to this: our country was built on freedom and slavery, on democracy and genocide, on the entrepreurial spirit and patriarchal domination. For three centuries we have been taught to see the other in our fellow residents of these United States. Instead of being one of us, they are one of them. They may be black, or gay, or Latina, or trans, or Muslim, or Jewish, or women, or native Americans. Their families may have been here for generations and generations before ours, or for years after our own arrival. They may be poor, or working class, old or young. Their wages may be compromised, as may be their health and wellbeing.
Privilege for the elite in our democracy rests on keeping people apart from each other, in culture, in prejudice, in mindset, in where we live. The elite benefit when social solidarity disintegrates. They don't want to see the words on the seal of the United States, "E pluribus unum" that is, "out of many, one", become the reality of our democracy.
One hundred fifty three years ago President Abraham Lincoln proposed that "our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." Lincoln also foresaw that through the civil war, "this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom--and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
We are not there yet.
This blog enables the personal opinions of the author, not the organizational agreement of the Economic Opportunity Institute.
Demonstration in response to the rape of a young woman on the first night of Sanfermines. VILLAR LOPEZ (EFE)
Four rapes have been reported so far during the five days of the Sanfermines fiestas in Pamplona, along with an attempted rape and seven sexual assaults. Some 12 people have been detained, with seven being held in jail.
According to Aritz Romeo, Pamplonas public safety councilor, Pamplona City Hall and womens groups have succeeded in raising awareness and encouraging women to report sexual harassment and assault. I dont think that anything different is happening in Pamplona that isnt happening in other cities where there are fiestas, we have just taken measures to deal with it and there are 3,400 efficient police officers to catch wrongdoers, he said. In 2015, there were four reports of sexual assault.
On Monday night, one of the sites of an alleged rape Plaza del Castillo was packed with people protesting the sexist attacks. Organized by feminist groups, the demonstration was unanimously supported by local and regional authorities.
Since 2008, womens groups have campaigned to raise awareness of the dangers of sexual assault during the fiestas, as well as demanding a zero-tolerance attitude to sexual harassment of any kind
Meanwhile, Spanish police are investigating a report by a 22-year-old French woman that she was raped on Saturday night in Pamplona during the fiestas. The woman was assisted by a number of people who accompanied her to one of the information points set up throughout the city to report sexual assaults. She was able to supply a description of the man, who is now being sought by police.
Local officers have arrested three other men in relation to other sexual assaults during this years Running of the Bulls celebrations. A fourth man has been detained after he injured a woman.
Seven cases of sexual abuse have been reported so far, besides four rapes and one attempted rape.
In one of the reported cases, five men were arrested for their involvement in the rape which one of them filmed of a 19-year-old woman on Thursday evening, the first day of the internationally famous festival in northern Spain. One of the men, all in their 20s and from Seville, is a recent graduate of the Civil Guard law enforcement agency who has since been suspended from duty.
There has been increased media coverage in recent years of sexual assaults against women during the fiesta, prompting Pamplona City Hall to take measures. On July 7, a huge demonstration was held in central Pamplona attended by tens of thousands of people to protest what a judge recently described as collective rape.
On July 7, a huge demonstration was held in central Pamplona attended by tens of thousands of people calling for an end to sexual attacks against women
Local police issued a statement on Sunday thanking people attending the fiestas for helping to prevent sexual assaults or coming to the aid of women who have been attacked.
Pamplona City Hall has issued a statement calling for Fiestas free of sexual aggression, encouraging people to be active in stopping any kind of attack against women, to help and to support women who have been attacked and to isolate the aggressor.
The mayor of Pamplona, Joseba Asiron, has issued a statement saying that any such attacks will be pursued and punished.
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The image of a young woman with her naked torso being fondled by a bunch of guys cannot be how Sanfermines is seen around the world, said Aritz Romeo.
Dozens of CCTV cameras have been installed in Pamplona city center, and have already helped to identify the five men now being held over the rape of the 19-year-old woman.
Pamplona only began taking the issue of sexual assault and harassment seriously in the wake of the 2008 murder of a young nurse named Nagore Lafagge. City Hall was represented in court during the trial, which led to a 12-year sentence for her murderer. Since then, womens groups have campaigned to raise awareness of the dangers of sexual assault during the fiestas, as well as demanding a zero-tolerance attitude to sexual harassment of any kind. In 2014, with the support of City Hall, a working group called Sanfermines en Igualdad (Equality at Sanfermines) was set up.
Pilar Mayo, Pamplona City Halls equality councilor, says that the mix of alcohol, drugs and the permissive atmosphere associated with Sanfermines is behind the sexist behavior displayed by some men attending the event. Something makes them think that the festivities include womens bodies, she says. Last year, for the first time, the authorities set up an information and advice center in the citys main square. Last year, some 5,000 people requested information.
The working group has prepared a survey of the most dangerous areas of Pamplona for women, as well as talking to participants in the fiesta about their experiences.
Some 3,500 police officers from different forces have been drafted in for the week-long festivities, which see up to a million people descend on Pamplona.
As part of the effort to crack down on sexual harassment, undercover officers are also patrolling the narrow lanes and alleys of the city, in constant radio contact with officers monitoring CCTV cameras.
English version by Nick Lyne.
As a Country we have too willingly accepted two hundred years of racial, social and economic injustice and greed. In recent decades we have coupled that with unrestricted access to concealable handguns and military grade weapons, under the gun lobby's misinterpretation of the Second Amendment.
As a result we have reached a dangerous critical mass of frustration, distrust and an epidemic of gun violence from all too easy access to high powered firearms without commonsense criminal background checks and detection by law enforcement.
This growing frustration and increasing gun violence, combined with Congress making law enforcement the enemy of gun rights and, literally, arming criminals and suspected terrorists, without concern or even a background check has made us fear each other, law enforcement and our government.
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More unrestricted access to guns, more gun violence by criminals, terrorists and angry hate mongers, more fear...and more gun sales. Meanwhile, Congress has targeted law enforcement, not criminals or terrorists as the enemy, giving police handguns with just 17 rounds while criminals and terrorists have more time between reloads with unrestricted access to military weapons and 30- to 100 round ammunition magazines. A great business plan for the gun lobby to sell fear and guns, enabled by Congress with predictable consequences: more gun violence and more gun sales.
Nothing sells better than fear. The uniquely unregulated gun industry, which Congress gave immunity from lawsuits to, are laughing all the way to the bank while 90 more families bury loved ones from gun violence every day. This includes Cerberus Capital Management, the three headed dog guarding the gates of hell and owner of twenty percent of the entire gun industry including the Bushmaster AR 15, the weapon of choice for mass shooters at Sandy Hook Elementary School, DC Sniper, San Bernardino and the list goes on.
For decades, Congress and the gun industry were content with unrestricted gun access in poor minority communities, where guns are easier to get than jobs. In fact, former NRA Board member Jeff Cooper wrote in Guns and Ammo magazine that "The consensus is that no more than five to ten people in a hundred who die from gunfire in Los Angeles are any loss to society. These people fight small wars amongst themselves. It would seem a valid social service to keep them well supplied with ammunition."
No surprise 90 people die a day from gun violence and since 1975, more Americans have died from gunfire in the United States than all US service men and women killed in all foreign wars combined.
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No surprise that angry disenfranchised criminals and domestic terrorists are now killing police, like they've been targeting the rest of us for years and there have been over 1,000 mass shootings since Sandy Hook.
How do we begin to change and heal?
We should start with sincere apologies to and from law enforcement of all races, urban and rural.
Past and present Presidents and members of Congress should apologize for not fighting hard enough to reduce racial and social injustice. Plus apologies for failing to provide the support law enforcement and first responders deserve while protecting us from domestic criminals and foreign terrorists.
Even in our own relationships, apologies always seems so hard, yet always seem to disarm and begin hard conversations and renew trust.
Apologies helped change the conversation on opioid addiction as a disease versus a crime and begin to build trust between police and their communities.
It can happen again with race and unrestricted access to deadly firearms and we can turn this epidemic of hate and gun violence around too.
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Finally, we all need to take responsibility and support each other and hold ourselves, Congress and law enforcement accountable for their roles and actions. We're humans and we're all capable of the very best and worst that has ever been done.
Every Country has their fill of violent criminals, terrorists, dangerously mentally ill and greedy corporations like Cerberus, that left unchecked will choose violence and money over empathy and public safety. But thanks to the spineless majority in Congress, owned and intimidated by the gun lobby, in America we arm everyone with military grade weapons without criminal backgrounds checks or accountability. And only in America do we allow an unregulated gun industry to get away with murder at the rate of over 30,000 Americans every year by selling fear and more guns, while Congress ignores the resulting public health and social crisis, simply to pad the pockets of the gun industry and their supporters in Congress.
Is this really what we've become?
Like the only two long term choices with the epidemic of opioid addiction effecting every family, it's treatment or death?
In 1984, my brother and I were fortunate enough to survive an encounter with the police. It occurred near the beginning of a drive from Princeton, New Jersey to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where I was completing my doctorate at Harvard University. I was joined by my fiance, who was completing her doctorate at MIT, my brother, who was completing his at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and his wife, who was about to enter medical school.
When two Princeton officers flashed us to a halt, my brother and I knew what to do, based on "the talk" our parents had given us years before. We were taught to comply with all orders issued by the police and respectfully reply to any questions they may ask. By doing so, we were told that the encounter would probably have a safe and desirable outcome.
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Accordingly, we slowly got out of the front seats with our empty hands in clear view, we placed them on the hood of the car, and we spread our legs, all as sternly instructed. As we were patted down by one officer, the other kept his hand on his gun.
After I respectfully asked the officer why he stopped us, my brother and I worked hard to remain poised once he answered, "You have out-of-state plates, you don't look like you live here, and you have a car full of belongings!"
I say we survived the police encounter because "the talk" worked for us. We respectfully did as we were told, we quietly absorbed the undeserved humiliation, and we eventually drove away.
So, the most remarkable thing about the recent fatal police shootings of black men is that Philando Castile, who perished in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, clearly heard and heeded "the talk," too. Although a full investigation is pending, Mr. Castile seems to have conducted himself with the same cooperation and respect my brother and I had, and that so many young black men have been successfully disciplined to display in such situations. And yet, Mr. Castile was brutally shot and killed anyway.
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Why? And how?
My wife and I have a 21-year old son, and I now serve as president of Morehouse College -- a campus with more than 2,000 African American men.
What should we teach them now?
Three things come immediately to mind as a message to black and minority boys and men. First, stay disciplined. Our parents and teachers were not wrong when they gave us the talk. Because the talk is fundamentally about how best to negotiate the world, it is essentially consistent with the values we work to instill in all men of Morehouse - namely, we want them to demonstrate acuity, practice integrity, exhibit agency, commit to brotherhood and lead consequential lives. We are called to be our best selves even and especially when others are at their worst. Disciplined poise in the face of danger can still save lives.
Second, stay determined. President Obama correctly referred to this peculiar vulnerability of black and other minority males as "an American issue that we should all care about." It is. It has no place in the America that most of us envision. Even Governor Mark Dayton of Minnesota wondered whether this would have happened if Mr. Castile and his passengers were white, and he concluded, "I don't think it would have." Many Americans know that, at least where police shootings are concerned, there has been a race-based double standard. And many Americans have grasped the obscenity that being a black male makes you more likely to be killed in a variety of settings, including: after buying skittles in Orlando; while playing in a public park at the age of 12 in Cleveland; after selling loose cigarettes in New York City, and; in countless similar situations where the imminent danger posed by the victims remains nearly impossible to identify.
It is important to stay determined and avoid being trapped and neutralized by crippling fear, apathy and cynicism. In my judgment, this is the only way we realize an America where equality under the law is the norm for all, and where the content of our character is more readily recognized and weighted than the color of our skin.
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At Morehouse College, we celebrated our fourth Rhodes Scholar this past spring. But I worry that some police officers will see his tall, lean, dark body and think of him as a menace, rather than a mensch. I worry that his Rhodes Scholarship will no more work for him, than our prestigious graduate pursuits worked for us on that small, dark road in Princeton back in 1984. Being in mortal danger for no other reason than because we are black men is a disgusting feature of an America that we must remain determined to change.
Finally, stay on the high road. Our national "justice for all" agenda will not be realized by responding to violence with violence. By all means, we must shun all tendencies toward hatred and retribution. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." Similarly, Mahatma Gandhi said, "An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind." The random assassination of white police officers in Dallas or anywhere else will only exacerbate our challenges rather than help us to meet them.
I join others in calling for a high-road, national conversation about police/community relations, with a particular focus on the experiences of African American men. Because whether or not a black man walks away from a confrontation with police cannot be determined by chance. In the same vein, law enforcement officers should be able to support and protect peaceful protestors without randomly becoming the victims of a self-appointed assassin.
Back before school reform killed so many of the opportunities to teach meaningful subject matter in a holistic manner, my inner city high school students frequently read Nick Kristof's New York Times columns and his in-depth reports on global problems. Our discussions were so wonderful that I almost felt personally betrayed when Kristof editorialized in support of corporate school reform. Then, he and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, wrote A Path Appears. It was predictably brilliant in terms of their analysis of world poverty and science-based solutions.
A Path Appears was mostly silent about the output-driven school reform movement but, for me, its treatment of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) was nearly as good as an apology. Had the technocrats who imposed market-driven reform on America's schools understood the effect of ACEs on inner city schools, we would have never had to endure the test, sort, reward, and punish education policies of the last generation.
Now, Kristof apologizes for his support of welfare reform. He writes, "In 1996, President Bill Clinton signed a controversial compromise bill for welfare reform, promising to 'end welfare as we know it.'" Kristof admits to being sympathetic to Clinton's goal at the time, but he now says, "I was wrong." He recently visited Tulsa, Oklahoma, where "cash welfare is essentially dead, leaving some families with children utterly destitute." Kristof has now joined local and national experts who compare Oklahoma's extreme poverty to that of a Third World country. He writes that in "the heartland of America" that "the embarrassing truth is that welfare reform has resulted in a layer of destitution that echoes poverty in countries like Bangladesh."
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By the way, Oklahoma is tied for first in the nation in the percentage of children who have survived multiple ACEs, and it is at the top of states in the decline of life expectancy for uneducated middle aged persons.
The Oklahoma Policy Institute's David Blatt further documents the tragedy which resulted from welfare being replaced by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). He explains that extreme poverty is defined as household income of less than 50% of the poverty level, which is $200 a week for a family of three, and more than 10% of Oklahoma children are in that category. Blatt writes:
Welfare barely exists in Oklahoma. A monthly average of just 2,469 adults were enrolled in TANF in Oklahoma in fiscal year 2015. That's less than the number of women in Oklahoma prisons. Prior to the 1996 law, Oklahoma provided cash assistance to half of all families in poverty; now it goes to fewer than one in ten. ... Even during the depths of the recession in 2008-2010, while the number of children in families with no working parent rose substantially, the number of TANF recipients barely budged.
Oklahomans have sometimes been among the pioneers of humane, evidence-based education and mental health programs. But, as Blatt explains, even some of our best efforts are being decimated:
The state Department of Education slashed funding for high-quality early childhood programs by $2.5 million and eliminated funding for financial literacy programs. Oklahoma used to invest heavily in parenting training for disadvantaged families, but the Department of Education just eliminated the last $1 million from the Parents-as-Teachers program, while the Health Department has cut funding for the Children First program by 30 percent since 2011. Until five years ago, the state provided over $2 million for adult education programs; that funding was wiped out in 2011.
Blatt describes recent cuts in mental health, substance abuse, and child care programs. There is a temporary freeze on accepting new families for child care subsidies, and "as a final blow, a single mother with two kids working year-round at $10/hr will now lose $231 a year because the Legislature cut the state Earned Income Tax Credit."
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The maximum cash payment for a family of three in Oklahoma is $292 per month, and that makes me wonder what Kristof supports in terms of cash welfare. He speaks highly of Franklin Roosevelt's "aggressive jobs programs" as a way to put money in poor peoples' pockets. Even though welfare reform has failed, Kristof writes, "The solution is not a reversion to the old program. Rather, let's build new programs targeting children in particular." He cites academic researchers, as well as "the real experts," poor people, who warn against programs that create dependency. He cites one poor woman who criticized reliance on TANF, "Everybody was taking advantage of it." Another woman said, "If it (continuing payments) was readily available, I'd abuse it; I'd say they're giving me free money. ... People use these systems as a crutch more than a steppingstone."
Such statements cut both ways. Yes, we must respect the observations of welfare recipients who can often be their toughest critics, but their words are also evidence that poor people don't want to depend on the government, and they work hard to avoid that possibility.
And, that brings me back to class discussions in the mid-1990s, when legislators and experts like the late Hannah Atkins visited class and presented the case against Clinton's welfare policy. My poor students understood multiple sides of the arguments. As usual, they took a more conservative stand than their representatives, Ms. Atkins (Oklahoma's first black female state representative and former Oklahoma Secretary of State) and their liberal teacher. Sometimes my students' arguments were blunt, and they were bolstered by unsettling anecdotes. But, that sort of deep moral consciousness is our best protection against so-called "waste, fraud, and abuse."
If policy makers and analysts were to spend more time with poor kids and their families, I strongly believe that they would be less fearful of systems being abused. Poor women and their children are very sensitive to the complexities, the contradictions, and the trade-offs they face. They are determined to maintain their dignity.
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"I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today: my own government. For the sake of those boys, for the sake of this government, for the sake of the hundreds of thousands trembling under our violence, I cannot be silent."--Martin Luther King Jr.
The latest shootings--in Texas, Minnesota, Louisiana, Illinois, New York, Missouri and every other state in the nation--are symptomatic of a psychotic outbreak by a nation that has been waging a war against its own citizens for too long.
We have long since passed the stage at which a government of wolves would give rise to a nation of sheep. As I point out in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People, what we now have is a government of psychopaths that is actively breeding a nation of psychopathic killers.
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We're getting distracted, people.
Instead of focusing our ire on the architects of the American police state, who are responsible for turning the streets into mini-war zones, we're getting distracted by the many voices eager to play the blame game by pointing their fingers at someone else.
Police groups are blaming President Obama and the Justice Department for failing to prosecute "cop killers." Texas Republicans are blaming the Black Lives Matter movement for fomenting a "war on cops" mindset. Gun control advocates are blaming "gun lovers and their mouthpieces at the National Rifle Association" for America's gun violence, reasoning that if all Americans were unarmed, police would not have to treat them as potential threats.
News outlets such as Rolling Stone and Mother Jones have concluded that racial bias is to blame for the "disproportionately high number of African-Americans among police shooting victims." The Drug Enforcement Administration has suggested that illegal steroid use could be responsible for "police officers who exhibit rage, aggression and/or poor judgment (all symptoms of possible steroid abuse) in confrontations with citizens."
Human Rights Watch blames police misconduct and excessive use of force on a systemic lack of accountability within law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system. And civil rights advocates are blaming police militarization and the abundance of laws (overcriminalization) pushed by lawmakers for the nation's over-policing, over-jailing and over-killing.
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Yet in the midst of all this finger pointing, no one is stepping forward to take responsibility for the violence that is tearing the nation apart, deepening racial tensions, heightening police tensions, justifying all manner of civil liberties abuses, and pushing us ever closer to a state of lockdown.
Shame on President Obama for not taking personal responsibility for the blowback resulting from America's endless wars abroad, the militarization of local police, and the ramifications of allowing police to use battlefield equipment such as drones, assault weapons, tanks, etc. How telling that the first domestic killing of an American citizen by a drone (in this case, a bomb-equipped police robot) should be carried out during the final term of a president whose targeted drone killings abroad have resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians.
Shame on Congress and the countless federal and state policy-making bodies for not taking responsibility for the overabundance of laws that have turned law-abiding citizens into criminals and police into the inflexible enforcers of a legal code that benefits the corporate elite at the expense of the working classes.
Shame on Corporate America, particularly the military industrial complex, for not taking responsibility for having militarized America's police forces and subjected its citizenry to the tyranny of a heavily armed police state.
Shame on the various government agencies, from the FDA and Social Security Administration to the Department of Education, for not taking responsibility for ratcheting up tensions by using military firepower to advance their bureaucratic agendas.
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Shame on Republicans and Democrats for not taking responsibility for having sidelined legitimate matters of concern such as police misconduct in favor of party politics and campaign contributions from special interest groups and unions.
Shame on the courts for not taking responsibility for allowing government agents to hide behind the shield of qualified immunity, rather than being held accountable for their actions.
Shame on law enforcement agencies for advancing the notion that the lives--and rights--of police should be valued more than citizens. Shame on them for not taking responsibility for allowing blind allegiance to the so-called "thin, blue line" to trump the constitutional rights afforded to every American equally.
Shame on communities for not taking responsibility for using SWAT teams that are armed to the teeth and ready for action to deliver mere search warrants, terrorizing and killing American citizens.
Shame on those who embrace violence as an answer to what ails America for not taking responsibility for their part in contributing to an environment that is growing increasingly tense with every new shooting. It's a vicious cycle in which the police are becoming more hypersensitive, twitchy and quick to shoot at the slightest provocation, and the populace is growing more fearful, outraged and unconvinced that if they "just obey," all will be fine.
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Shame on the religious community for not taking responsibility for its deafening silence in the face of what can only be termed evil, despite its historic lineage of dissenters such as Jesus, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. who dared to speak truth to power.
Shame on white Americans, black Americans, brown Americans and every other skin tone in between for not taking responsibility for their part in allowing racism, prejudice and bigotry to dictate justice in America.
And shame on so-called "patriotic" Americans who equate good citizenship with blind obedience to government authority and adulation of the military for not taking responsibility for holding their government officials accountable to the nation's founding principles. Remember, "we the people" were entrusted with the power to make and unmake the government whenever it ran afoul of its primary purpose, which is to protect our lives, freedoms and property.
Clearly, there's more than enough blame to go around, but the real question is what can "we the people" do about it? What can average Americans do to stay alive and counter the violence being inflicted on our communities? What can you do to push back against the power of the police state?
For starters, let's all agree that violence can never be the answer. Violence will only give rise to more violence.
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Stop buying into the "us vs. them" rhetoric being pushed by politicians, police unions and those who use the race card as a justification for bloodshed. No matter what color your skin is, what politics you subscribe to, how much money you've got, whom you love, where you live, whom you worship, what school you attend, where you work, or any other superficial label that is used to divide us: we all bleed red.
Put your prejudices behind you and stop dealing in stereotypes. Not all police are bloodthirsty. Not all young black men are thugs. Not all people who challenge government authority want anarchy.
In a police state, you're either the one with your hand on the trigger or you're staring down the barrel of a loaded down. In other words, we're all in this together. The oppression and injustice--be it in the form of shootings, surveillance, fines, asset forfeiture, prison terms, roadside searches, etc.--will come to all of us eventually.
Stop allowing yourself the luxury of distraction and the sin of neutrality. These things happen--the madness and the mayhem--because good people stood by and did nothing.
The only real power we have to push back against the police state is as a unified body.
So what can you do on a practical level?
For starters, find common ground on the issue of gun control, especially as it pertains to government agents. Demilitarize the police. It's worked in other countries.
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Demand that police be held financially responsible for official misconduct.
Put your taxpayer dollars to work for you instead of against you for a change. Tell your elected representatives to stop investing in militarization, wars and weaponry that will only be used against you eventually. Instead, apply the same funds being wasted on endless wars abroad on badly needed infrastructure here at home. By putting more Americans to work rebuilding our communities and our economy, we'll also strike at the heart of the poverty that drives crime.
Get informed about the workings of government. Get outraged about the corruption that has rotted our republic from the core. Get vocal about the need for transparency, accountability and reform. There are so many issues in need of attention. Pick just one to start with and raise hell about it. For instance, why has the government been spending three times more on jails and prisons than schools for the past 30 years?
In my day job as an educational researcher, I encounter a great many educational standards and other works trying to help ascertain the knowledge, skills and abilities students need to learn to succeed in the 21st Century.
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills, for example, coalesces around four key areas; Communication, Collaboration, Creativity and Critical Thinking. Then you've got the "Deeper Learning" standards which includes Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Collaboration, and Effective Communication (along with Mastery of Core Academic Content, Self-Directed Learning and an "Academic Mindset"). Meanwhile, Harvard Education icon Tony Wagner urges us to focus on Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Collaboration Across Networks and Effective Oral and Written Communication (alongside Agility and Adaptability, Initiative and Entrepreneurship, Accessing and Analyzing Information and Curiosity and Imagination).
If you're seeing a pattern forming, it seems that everyone is in agreement that critical thinking should be at the center of any modern educational project. Information, after all, is now ubiquitous which means all the facts and knowledge we have traditionally used schooling to impart to students are now just a Google quest away. Given this, we need to equip today's students not to memorize information but to locate it, evaluate it for quality, analyze it and put it to use.
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This centrality of critical thinking is reflected in our educational rhetoric with Presidents, Governors, Secretaries of Education and nearly every educational policy maker and philanthropist stressing the importance of raising a generation of critical thinkers -- a priority reflected in the Common Core Standards that have been adopted (more or less) by 46 of the 50 states.
As worthy as these aspirational goals might be, they do raise a number of important questions, such as what we mean when we use the phrase "critical thinking"?
During a brief stint in educational publishing, I discovered that every textbook had a few pages at the end of each chapter labeled "Critical Thinking Exercises." But upon close inspection, those exercises seemed to all be writing and research assignments, or some other activity that (unlike a multiple-choice question) did not have a right and wrong answer.
The aforementioned standards go much deeper than these transparent attempts to use "Critical Thinking" as a slogan or label to be ticked off on a textbook-adoption checklist. But even with many of these thoughtful standards, the notion of "critical thinking" seems to be conflated with real-world problem solving which hides an assumption that solving authentic, real-world challenges allows students to master some sort of the critical thinking toolset.
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But what is that toolset? Do students, for example, need to be taught the principles of inductive and deductive logic in order to become critical thinkers? And if they are supposed to be able to detect crap when evaluating the information they find online, do they need to know the rhetorical techniques people use to distort reality or avoid responsibility? Speaking of rhetoric, given that Communication comes in a close second to Critical Thinking in nearly every proposed standard, might it be worth teaching students how far they can get with a decent anaphora (Google it) or other rhetorical device?
I suspect that the reason formal logic and rhetoric aren't highlighted when critical thinking is brought up as our most vital 21st Century Skill is that these two subjects formed the basis of formal education from the ancient Greeks until the Enlightenment, after which they got crowded out by all the new areas of knowledge mankind was generating. And what could a 21st century skill possibly have to do with ones first codified by marbly old men in the 5th century BCE?
This is not to say that the teaching of critical thinking should consist solely of subjects drawn from the distant past. The ever-growing Library of Alexandria known as the Internet is certainly a game changer. Which means the Information Literacy skills codified by the librarian field years ago are more important than ever in helping students locate, evaluate, organize, synthesize and communicate information.
As this year's election is demonstrating, confirmation bias (a flaw in our human mental makeup fleshed out by cognitive scientists) can cause even the most able and informed person to blind themselves to facts that don't fit their belief system. Which means modern brain science has a lot to say (albeit not everything) about what it means to be a critical thinker.
If we are able to move from "what's new?" to "what works?" it seems that a fusion of ancient and modern -- Aristotle meets Kahneman meets the Internet - might give us the best checklist for determining what students need to learn in order to become truly critical thinkers. And putting those tools to use -- immediately and frequently -- stands the best chance for turning some interesting techniques for organizing one's thinking into a life-changing skill.
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With Bernie Sanders' endorsement of Hillary Rodham Clinton today he gains power and influence over the long-term direction of the Democratic party and potentially the policies of the next administration. Bernie has more clout remaining inside the tent than outside of it. By joining forces with the Democratic party's 2016 nominee he has become a kingmaker.
This endorsement unifies the Democratic party and cements the social movement Bernie leads as a powerhouse inside the party pulling it to the left. Going forward he can mobilize his supporters to keep the heat on Clinton whenever her knee-jerk corporatism and militarism get the better of her.
And what was the alternative for Bernie at this point in the election? To sweep up his 1,900 delegates, walk out of the Democratic convention, and run as a third party in a doomed and ultimately symbolic campaign? Such a foolish move would divide and weaken the Democratic party and terminate any role the Sanders movement could realistically play in Democratic politics going into the future.
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Bolting the party would also strengthen Republican candidates up and down the ballot in every state of the Union and could even divide the Democrats to the point where the unthinkable could happen: the election of President Donald J. Trump.
If Hillary Clinton becomes president she will do whatever she can to keep Bernie and his formidable coalition inside the Democratic party.
Bernie and his supporters have the leverage now to generate enough opposition from within the party to sink her presidency. This clout should pull her to the left on many key issues as the Democratic party platform for 2016 already shows.
Hillary Clinton acknowledged today "Bernie is building a movement that is bigger than one candidate or one campaign." She could solve just about all of her problems with the left side of her party by simply asking Bernie to join her as her running mate. "Stronger Together."
I did not intend to write about Brexit given the extensive analyses flooding the media and the fact that almost everything to be said, and more, had already been voiced on the issue. However, I was intrigued by a poignant statement made by an English friend of mine on Facebook which I deemed to be, literally, "dramatic political criticism" and, as such, posted it on my personal wall.
My friend, who wants to remain anonymous, wrote:
"Never have I expressed political opinion here on Facebook but what a truly terrible day.
Sadness, heartbreak and shame for turning our backs on our friends.
Whoever said a referendum is democracy? It was won on the backs of the poor and old, who would take us back in time 100 years! Of the young, 75% opted to remain. It is their future, yet they were not heard!
Who knows where we are headed, the breakup of the EU? the UK?
What a catastrophe. What an unmitigated disaster!"
Immediately, these comments sparked a heated rivalry among my Greek friends on my wall, with many savagely attacking my Brit friend who dared opine on the following realities of the vote:
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1) that Brexit was championed by the elderly, unproductive citizens of Britain who were swept away by the dry nationalism of demagogue politicians;
2) that Brexit was rejected by 75% of Britain's youth, as young people envision their future in the arms of a united Europe;
3) that Brexit prevailed through a referendum that did not reflect the choice of many categories of the United Kingdom's citizens even though it garnered 52% of the votes cast.
The attacks from my Greek friends came in the form of a verbal tirade, accusing my friend of railing against the old and the poor and relegating them to second-class citizens.
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The assault continued with inarticulate shouts of nationalist slogans and boasts that the British chose to protect their national integrity, their historic consciousness, their borders, etc.
As such, and in order to set the record straight and place the political phenomena in their true dimension, I would like to state the following:
1) the Britons that cast their ballot in favor of Brexit were, indeed, mostly elderly and economically challenged. They voted for a Britain without strangers, without economic migrants whom they perceive as stealing their jobs, unfortunately echoing the rhetoric of Europe's neo-fascist parties (such as "The National Front" in France and the "Golden Dawn" in Greece) as well as that of Donald Trump who has based his electoral campaign on the closing of America's borders;
2) that the austere economic policies that were imposed upon Greece by the Europeans played no role in the outcome. On the contrary, these measures that degraded, humiliated and devastated the livelihood of Greece continue to provide the English with the benefit of bargain holidays;
3) that the "Brexiters" were lost in the belief that they could withdraw behind the protective cover of an erstwhile British Empire by sheltering themselves from an overreaching European bureaucracy.
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Undoubtedly, Brexit is the tantamount blow to the free movement of people and ideas within a united Europe, a historical achievement that was built on the blood of war and conflict. And it is precisely this idea of an "un-united" Europe that is the most tragic consequence of the referendum, an idea that brings us back to centuries of hatred and isolationism.
As such, the dire ramifications of Brexit, beyond the short-term consequences for the global economic environment which are easily reversible given that Britain never adopted the euro, are that it may lead to an explosion of popularity of the aforementioned fascist and nationalist parties in the heart of Europe and bring about a total unravelling of the bonds of the continent.
The dictionary defines the word "dilemma" as: a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially equally undesirable ones. So referring to Election 2016 and the notion of casting a vote for president as a dilemma is more than appropriate, especially for those of us who share a Christian worldview.
A plain reading of scripture leads many Christians to conclude that we are free to participate in the political process of our nation as long as it does not conflict with any prohibitions set forth in the bible. Indeed, the Apostle Paul encourages us in Romans 13:7 to, "Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed." But what should we do when none of the options align with our Christian worldview?
For many Christians (especially those who identify as evangelical) there are a handful of definitive issues at play in any national election. The most prominent among these are abortion and same-sex marriage. While I am not immune to the importance of these issues, there are others that would score higher on my hit parade. But let's look at each of these and try to pin down where the candidates stand.
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The right to an abortion on demand (with some important caveats and restrictions) is the law of the land in the United States. Personally, I am pro-life and believe that abortion is the taking of a human life. I am not, however, in favor of changing the law unless the majority of Americans cause their elected representatives to overturn Roe vs. Wade. We have seen that movie before and it almost always ends in tragedy. I also believe the church has done a terrible job of giving women in the midst of a crisis or unwanted pregnancy viable alternatives to abortion. Rather than expend time, resources, and political influence to change laws, the church should be lovingly serving those facing a life and death choice and helping them to make a better choice. Surely there are examples of churches that do just that, but the Christian church writ large has not tackled this problem with anything close to the fervor that it has attacked abortion rights groups or abortion providers. We can and should do better.
If the church were to take a more active role in this issue, I believe the hearts and minds of Americans would change on this issue and abortion would no longer been seen as a reasonable option. Such a heart change would naturally lead to a change in the law as it has with so many other issues.
Secretary Clinton has been unwavering in her support of the pro-choice movement and favors fewer restrictions on abortion. This is clearly not a Christian perspective and should give Christian voters pause when considering supporting her candidacy, if abortion is high on your list of priorities.
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Donald Trump has for all of his public life been a vocal supporter of the pro-choice movement, until his recent ascendency in the GOP. As a presidential candidate he has "evolved" on the issue and is now "very pro-life." Whether a Christian voter accepts this change of heart is up to them. Personally, I believe he is saying whatever he needs to say to win the support of the GOP electorate. So far, it's working.
Same-sex marriage has recently become the law of the land as well. This has caused many Christians great angst as they view it as further evidence of the moral decline of the United States.
I believe that marriage, as a Christian ordinance (or sacrament for Catholics), is defined as one man and one woman. But I also do not believe that my religious definition should be applied via law to anyone else, especially if they do not share my Christian beliefs. So I am a strong advocate for same-sex civil marriage. I believe that families (however they are arranged) are good for our country.
Secretary Clinton has evolved her position on this issue over time. She was for many years a supporter of the Defense of Marriage Act. In an interview with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, Clinton said,
"On Defense of Marriage [Act], I think what my husband believed -- and there was certainly evidence to support it -- is that there was enough political momentum to amend the Constitution, and that there had to be some way to stop that... It [DOMA] was a defensive action."
Today she is considered a fierce advocate for LGBTQ rights by many leading advocacy organizations including the Human Rights Campaign. Go figure.
Donald Trump has at times verbalized support for same-sex unions. But in recent years he has had a relatively stable position in support of "traditional marriage"--his three marriages notwithstanding. Trump's current position on marriage equality seems to have evolved before his decision to run for president, so it may accurately represent his views on the subject. It will be interesting to hear his thoughts on this and many other issue during the presidential debates this Summer.
As it stands today, I am doubtful that I will be able to support either candidate in this election. It has little to do with abortion or same-sex marriage, and everything to do with the integrity and character of each candidate. Mr. Trump's continued flourishes of misogyny, megalomania, bigotry, and xenophobia make him unfit in my opinion for the job. Secretary Clinton's history of political expediency, misrepresentations of the truth, and lack of integrity make her a poor choice for the job, even though she is more than qualified in terms of experience and temperament.
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Yinglian has over 10 years of experience in security. Her work has been focusing on fighting large-scale attacks, where she combines parallel-computing techniques, algorithms for mining large datasets, and security-domain knowledge into a new theme of solutions in "big data for security." In the past, Yinglian worked at Microsoft Research and collaborated with many product groups to improve the security of hundreds of millions of online users. She received her Ph.D. degree from the Computer Science Department of Carnegie Mellon University.
Fang's work focuses on "big-data for security." Over the past 10 years, she has been developing algorithms and building systems for identifying various malicious traffic such as worms, spam, bot queries, faked and hijacked account activities, and fraudulent financial transactions. Fang received her Ph.D. degree from the EECS Department at University of California at Berkeley.
How has your life experience made you the leaders you are today?
Yinglian: I've always tried to go beyond my own comfort zone and explore, take risks, and tackle big challenges. Like many teenagers, I chose a university far from home. After college, I wanted to be in the United States to pursue research and have the opportunity to do so in the best environment. These steps may seem scary at first, but I've never regretted making these decisions. With DataVisor, it is another new adventure beyond the research realm to have a tangible and rewarding impact.
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Fang: Being from an academic background, when you work on a PhD, you are working on things that have never been done before. In a lot of ways, that mirrors entering the the startup world. It's a brand new endeavor and we have tried to tackle it the same way. You need both courage and skills to work on challenging problems. It's the confidence and methods learned during the PhD process that help me to learn quickly, adapt quickly and move forward quickly.
How has your previous employment experience aided your tenure at DataVisor?
Yinglian: Fang and I met at Microsoft where we were both researchers with access to the best technology out there. Together we have developed concrete and cutting-edge solutions to difficult, real world problems. We were surrounded by curiosity and innovation and that is a big part of what we've built at DataVisor. That drive for innovation is embedded deep in our roots and impacts everything we do now.
Fang: Throughout our careers, we've worked with some of the most brilliant researchers in the world. It helped us push ourselves to do new research and solve new problems. It's important to remember that true innovation is a process, as long as you continue to learn and grow throughout it, you can make yourself, and your company, better.
What have the highlights and challenges been during your tenure at DataVisor?
Yinglian: Overcoming the challenges of building a startup has led to some of the biggest highlights.
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We started everything from the ground level. As with many companies in Silicon Valley, it can be a challenge to figure out the culture we want for our team. With any business, it isn't just about skill set, but also fit.
Our company is highly technical, so we are looking for not only the brightest minds, but people who bring a startup, roll-up-your-sleeves, mentality. People who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty and do whatever it takes to push what seems like an impossible idea into production.
Fang: Thankfully, as two women who have collaborated together for so long, we've had similar experiences, share similar values and support each other in work and in life. We always have someone to bounce an idea off of or talk through a challenge. I feel lucky that we are able to work through each challenge and learn as we go.
There are a number of challenges that come along with starting a company for the first time and fundraising was definitely one. It's a very complicated process full of industry terms and jargon, but we had each other and some great mentors to help guide us through each of the steps successfully.
What advice can you offer to women who want a career in your industry?
Yinglian: My mother is always very supportive of me and what I want to pursue in both life and in work, and I want to pass on the same support to my daughter: If you are passionate about something, work hard for it.
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It's important for all women to have that level of support outside of their own family. The typical image of a woman is risk-averse, not as self-confident and less likely to go into a field like engineering. We hope our experiences provide some encouragement to other women to be brave, follow your passion no matter what the subject is and go for it.
Fang and I had many business ideas prior to founding DataVisor. We were constantly brainstorming different options and at one point we were even going to start our own jewelry company. But what drove us, our passion, was innovation and technology. Even though we were two women looking to start a company, and that might seem a bit odd, we knew that was what we wanted to do. If you follow your passion, you will make a positive impact in the world.
Fang: Agreed. My advice to women, and all founders really, is to work on something about which you are passionate. You will be investing too much of your own blood, sweat and tears to not care for your work. Also, focus on building a good team and network who are driven by the same things you are. When things are not going smoothly, you need to be surrounded by folks who can help you right the ship and push you forward.
What is the most important lesson you've learned in your career to date?
Yinglian: Don't over analyze everything to the point that you are paralyzed with fear. If you are passionate, and you want to do something, go for it.
There were so many questions we had before starting DataVisor and of course there were times when we doubted ourselves. Even though we knew we had the technological background, were we going to be able to pull this off? Were we going to get funding? It was difficult to move past doubt but you have to go do it. You will never find out if you can do it or not unless you try.
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Fang: Never let your own fear or doubt stop you. Admit what you don't know, learn it or find someone who does, and move forward.
How do you maintain a work/life balance?
Yinglian: As a woman, work/life balance can seem a particularly challenging and daunting task. Fang and I are both mothers and we get it. But in order to find balance, you have to stay disciplined. We try to be as efficient as possible at work by recruiting and empowering the best people. At home, your family is counting on you as well. I encourage my children to be independent so that family time is a time together for fun activities rather than just getting things done.
Fang: Everyone wants balance and it's something we consciously strive for at DataVisor. We are not only co-founders, we are wives and mothers. It becomes a matter of prioritizing and being efficient. Of course sometimes there are sacrifices, but we try to make it so that is the exception, not the norm.
What do you think is the biggest issue for women in the workplace?
Yinglian: One of the most difficult issues women have to overcome is lack confidence. When we first started, we feared that having two female co-founders at the helm of a tech company would lead to a particularly hard bootstrap. But like I said, you never know until you go for it.
Fang: One of the biggest issues for women is battling misperceptions. Often, people have a misperception that women are inferior to men in certain jobs, especially engineering-related professions. The truth is that good engineers come from both genders. For the females who choose engineering majors, you can do as good a job, if not better, than your male peers. At DataVisor, we are well balanced and have incredibly talented female employees helping us grow the company.
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How has mentorship made a difference in your professional and personal life?
Yinglian: Mentors, both male and female, have made a difference in my life. There are always things you have not done, but you can likely find someone who can offer perspective on these challenges and issues you are facing, whether personal or professional. Seek guidance and learn from other people's successes and failures.
Fang: Mentorship has made a huge impact on my life. I've been surrounded by brilliant advisors, mentors, and peer researchers, even some Turing award winners. We were never micromanaged and given a lot of freedom to pursue great work. We were mentored, supported in what we wanted to do, provided resources if we needed them, and encouraged. That made a big impact on me and how we want the environment at DataVisor to be as well.
Which other female leaders do you admire and why?
Yinglian: One woman I've always admired is Agatha Christie. Her detective stories were always so interesting and a source of inspiration for my love of security. She is one of the top-selling authors of all time, male or female, and full of creative story ideas that she has shared with the world.
Fang: I like Sheryl Sandberg's book Lean In. It echoed a lot of what I believe are really important values, especially for women leaders.
What do you want DataVisor to accomplish in the next year?
Yinglian: We are a young company so growth is definitely our main focus right now. Not only are we looking to grow our team and our customer base, but more importantly, continue to innovate and make our technology better. We're not only protecting users today, but preparing to fight against the fraudsters of tomorrow as well. It's a constant evolution and we have to focus on moving forward and staying one step ahead.
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A major record company president once told me I'd probably never be a star because, as he put it, "You wouldn't kill your mother for it." Although this may have been an oversimplification, it takes a special personality to strive for and thrive in the spotlight. And fame isn't always sought, sometimes forced, but even those who chase the limelight eventually get burned. From Monroe, Garland, Joplin, Morrison, Hendrix, Presley to Phoenix, Houston, Jackson, and Prince, the list of drug and alcohol casualties is sobering.
Loss of Self
Much of our self-perception is based on the reflection in the eyes that surround us. It becomes increasingly difficult to maintain a true perspective when the mirrors are distorted by gadflies projecting what they think you want to see and hear. If no one will tell you the truth, you can begin to doubt who and what is real, including yourself.
L.A. Fame Culture vs N.Y. Money
The fragile fame culture of Hollywood is deceivingly seductive. In the past, I'd warn musicians coming from Europe not to be fooled. In New York it was hard to get a meeting, rarely lasting long. But if they smelled money, a pokerfaced deal was negotiated. In L.A. everybody 'loves' everything and wants you to meet the family, but won't remember you next time or make an offer until someone else does. In the end, with no offer on the table, the uninformed musician returned home with the mistaken impression that no one liked their music in New York and everyone loved it in Hollywood. Two completely different cultures... in New York, muggers stare and stab you in the stomach, in L.A. they smile and stab you in the back. Either way you're dead.
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Empty Materialism
With fame often comes the ability to fulfill all you dreams... but what happens then? In a 'Twilight Zone' episode from the 60's, a cheap hood dies and awakens in what he believes is 'heaven,' where everything is rigged so he can't lose. It takes a while for him to realize that it is in fact 'the other place.' What do you do or want when you have everything you've ever wanted? Perhaps a new high, a new experience, a new drug, or cynicism, boredom or depression... individual personalities dictate the reactions.
Loss of Privacy
The term 'paparazzi' apparently originated with a character in Federico Fellini's "La Dolce Vita," named after an oversized blood sucking mosquito. With zoom lenses, even a home window is not safe. As if they aren't bad enough, with today's cell phones, imagine the constant inescapable possibility of being captured in an unflattering moment and instantly splattered all over the internet. Add to that the microscopic critical attention to your every move, or wrinkle, or dress, or relationship, leering, peeping into every aspect of your life... which means you always have to be 'on' and on your guard. And then there are the stalkers... the crazies that become obsessed and want more than just a picture.
Down Time
Artists thrive on creating, displaying or performing their art. For a musician, it's often the magical birth of a musical line and the synergy of fellow musicians, creating more than the sum of its parts. In performance, it's the amplified energy bouncing back off an audience in waves of adulation, or the quiet appreciation and hypnotic spell of the moment. The highs are addictive. But what about the times between... the traveling and rubber curtain motels, cold pizza and broken equipment; or the simple lonely drudgery of everyday living, hiding from paparazzi or the next cell phone camera (or worse). How do you deal with these?
Dealing With Age
In France I noticed women seem to innately accent their best feature, un-slaved by fashion with a flair for style. And age apparently irrelevant. If a woman believes she is sexy, she is. And in France they mostly still believe. However, in youth-oriented America, that spends billions on creams, potions, and quackery to preserve it, the challenge is especially difficult for celebrities with 'an image' to maintain. And the widely accepted outdated adage that "men get distinguished as woman simply age" places additional stress on an actress or model. Add a little self-doubt, and the pressure can be overwhelming.
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Fame Is Fleeting
"You're only as good as your last hit" may be a little extreme, but not so far off the mark. Before the internet, when albums were important, a musician would spend years writing, performing and perfecting the songs for their first release. But if they had a hit, they had to come up with another ten songs in a matter of months. Even today, if you can't follow up your current hit with another one soon, you're yesterday's news. And it's even worse for film stars, who actually have very little control over the finished product, but a couple of bad films, and someone else gets their table at Spago's.
In The End
In a 2012 article about fame and its effects, clinical psychologist Dr. Donna Rockwell notes, "the celebrity often goes through a process of: first loving, then hating fame; addiction; acceptance; and then adaptation," some adapting better than others. She goes on, "fame and celebrity can closely mirror substance abuse symptomology -- and over time, result in actual substance abuse, isolation, mistrust, dysfunctional adaptation to fame, and then, too often, untimely death."
It was very, very fast lasting just two minutes and 13 seconds and spectacular, with some beautiful runs, and it was clean, with early reports suggesting just two bruised runners and no gorings. That was the sixth Running of the Bulls at San Fermin, which featured animals from the Madrid stockbreeder Victoriano del Rio, which was visiting Pamplona for the seventh time. Barring any updates, they also lived up to their reputation as the least dangerous.
With fewer runners on the streets than was seen at the weekend, but with the streets more densely packed out closer to the bullring, the run was a dream for any experienced mozo, as the runners are known, thanks to the veterans having space to run alongside the herd.
When the group reached the door of the corral, the clock was showing a record time for the stockbreeder, which had previously been set at two minutes and 14 seconds.
At 8am on the dot, the first animal to charge up the Santo Domingo hill was a tame bullock, with four black bulls closing up the group. In just a few seconds, two more tame bullocks took the lead with just a few meters to go before they reached the first runners.
The bulls enter the ring at Day 6 of Sanfermines 2016. Peio H. (EFE)
By the end of the slope, three bulls were leading the herd and were charging along at high speed. By that point just one runner had been trampled.
A few more had fallen to the ground to be stomped on by the animals by Mercaders street, and at the Estafeta bend the animals had no choice but to crash into the fencing, where, fortunately, there were no runners to bear the impact.
The straight part of Estafeta allowed the bulls to build up a head of steam once more, the fighting animals beginning to leave the tame bullocks behind.
At the Telefonica curve, the animals veered to the right, and thanks to their momentum cleared the fence of the runners and spectators who were perched there
One of the bulls slipped and fell before reaching the end of the street, but quickly made it up again and rejoined the race.
At the Telefonica curve, the animals veered to the right, and thanks to their momentum cleared the fence of the runners and spectators who were perched there.
Through the tunnel they went, into the bullring, where they felt the more familiar sand of the arena under their hooves. Five of the fighting bulls went straight into the corral, followed by the tame animals, and finally the last of the herd, the one who slipped on the way in but was obviously keen to see his group beat their record time.
A courtroom is a place where justice is supposed to be served. More and more, however, courts are becoming crime scenes -- here, innocent people are being kidnapped and held captive. There's no justification for the wrongdoing behind the record number of exonerations society is witnessing -- 149 last year, and the numbers are rising.
At one point, innocent prisoners had a variety of avenues to appeal their convictions and argue their innocence. Now, those avenues have been restricted by law. Today, there are strict procedures, guidelines and timelines for filing our appeals. The bar is set extremely high when we argue our innocence. If we submit our appeal just one day late, we are "time barred" from filing. It doesn't matter if we have evidence to clear us of the crime -- if the appeal is too late, it will not be heard.
When these strict procedures are used to prevent us for showing our innocence, the courts are being used as a weapon against us.
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Sometimes prosecutors withhold exculpatory evidence of a defendant's innocence, and don't turn it over until they are forced to. Take a look at the exonerations reported in recent years and you will see a pattern of prosecutors continuing to fight against our release even when our innocence is uncovered. There are many innocent prisoners who have been buried alive in these prisons by this kind of corruption.
And let's not leave out the defense attorneys who failed to exercise due diligence when representing the innocent -- the ones who did no investigation into our alibis or innocence claims, causing us to spend years in prison until (if we're lucky) another lawyer comes along to clean up their mess. They are also a big reason why even those who are successfully exonerated spend an average of thirteen-and-a-half to fifteen years in prison. Some of us are still fighting to get our innocence recognized but are time-barred because of previous attorneys' failures.
How do the culprits responsible for these wrongful convictions sleep at night? Well, to be honest, these people have no consciences. It's like any other day at the job for them. Some have built their careers on the backs of us innocent prisoners, and now they sit in high places.
There are many more examples of how the innocent suffer from fault not of our own due to laws being enacted to restrict our access to the courts. Until the day comes when culprits responsible for wrongful convictions are held fully accountable -- wrongful convictions will never stop.
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Photo: Joe Worthem
Ace Atkins, while working as a crime reporter for the Tampa Tribune, earned a Pulitzer Prize nomination for his coverage of a cold case from the 1950s. At age 27, his first novel, Crossroad Blues, was published and be became a full-time novelist at age 30.
The Innocents is the sixth installment of his critically acclaimed Quinn Colson series. After a stint in Afghanistan where he trained local police, Quinn returns to his hometown of Jericho, Mississippi. Along a country road, an eighteen-year-old former high school cheerleader is found engulfed in flames; and there's no shortage of suspects in her murder. Working with Lillie Virgil, the first woman sheriff in the state, Quinn and others sort through a web of intrigue and secrets, trying to bring justice to the town of Jericho.
One of the striking things about The Innocents and the other books in the series is how the town of Jericho almost becomes a character. Will you talk about setting?
I'm always struck by how many novels today focus on international intrigue and involve white-knight superheroes. While I enjoy reading them, I try to write a different kind of novel. I write about ordinary people living in a small town such as Jericho, Mississippi. I love capturing the atmosphere of Southern life with its unique ambience and everything that goes on--the good, the bad and the unexpected.
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I also think one of the advantages of a series is the author can elaborate on the setting and the characters with each successive novel. I can expand and dig deeper with each novel. Six books into the series, Quinn Colson has become a more complex character, and Jericho's corrupt underbelly has been more vividly exposed.
You anticipated my next question. In the Quinn Colson novels, is Jericho a microcosm of the larger world?
Yes, absolutely it is. You don't have to be in Paris, London or New York, and you don't have to write international thrillers to experience corruption, intrigue, brutality, and criminality. It's as much a part of life in a small town as anywhere else.
So, as you said, the fictional town of Jericho is a microcosm of the larger world. And a protagonist like Quinn Colson has all the flaws and warts you would expect to find in people anywhere: he's had a problematic off-again-on-again relationship with a married woman; has issues with work; and must sort out complicated relationships with his father and sister.
The Innocents, as are all your other Quinn Colson novels, is peppered with authentic dialogue. Tell us how you approach writing dialogue.
I think dialogue is the engine driving a novel. It propels the story and bespeaks character. A novel's characters are made real by their dialogue more than by anything else. I've always felt dialogue is not just what people say to each other; it's what they do to each other with words. I love walking around and jotting down little bits of dialogue I overhear, whether it's at the general store, standing in a supermarket line, or sitting in a restaurant.
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Without trying to eavesdrop, I hear the most amazing bits and pieces of conversation, some of which I can fit in a novel.
A short while ago, while walking around, I heard a man and woman talking. From their conversation and the tones of their voices, it was clear they knew each other very well. She gave him a gentle punch on the shoulder and said, 'How dare you sleep with another woman.' He laughed and said, 'What can you expect? I was in jail for a month.' [Laughter]
By listening to conversations taking place anywhere, a writer can find a treasure trove of dialogue that might wind up in a novel.
The Born Losers, a motorcycle gang, plays a significant role in The Innocents. Is any of this based on your observations of real-life people?
Some of what I try to capture in my writing is the way the South was back in the Seventies--motorcycle gangs, overt prejudice, and things like that. And I've always loved films like Easy Rider and I've done research on motorcycle gangs; but most of what appears in the Quinn Colson books is a product of my imagination.
Quinn's relationship with his father, Jason, is interesting. Tell us about that.
In the previous Quinn Colson novel, I decided to bring Jason Colson back. He was something of a ghost in Quinn's life, having been largely absent when Quinn was growing up--Jason was a Hollywood stuntman living the fast life.
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When I reintroduced Jason, I wasn't really sure what to do with him. I didn't have him sketched out as well as I'd have liked. I gave the script to a psychologist friend who made a very perceptive observation: he felt that as a Hollywood stuntman, Jason Colson had a risk-taking personality and that trait would permeate his lifestyle. So, Jason is a risk-taker, and gets immersed in various high-stakes ventures. True to form, in The Innocents, Jason wants to get involved in a huge land deal.
Because of Jason Colson's absence all those years, he and Quinn don't have a close relationship. In fact, it's quite strained, as are many father-son relationships in real life.
As a successful novelist, what's the most important lesson you've learned about writing?
The most important thing is to work, work, work.
I work on my books every day except when I'm on vacation. To be a professional novelist means you want to improve with each project, and there's no substitute for always working and trying to write better prose.
I've been doing this for almost twenty years, and it's a constant struggle to keep at it and grow as a writer.
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What do you love most about the writing life?
Sometimes I love it and sometimes I hate it [Laughter].
I do love the freedom the writing life allows, but as a professional writer, I've got to make deadlines. I have to deliver a manuscript on time and it has to be good, sharp, and right. My editors expect a solid book, not a rough draft. So, while I love being my own boss, and having independence, the writing life also confers responsibilities.
What's coming next from Ace Atkins?
I'm working on my twentieth novel. It's going to be my sixth Spenser novel. I'm overwhelmed by how accepting readers have been of my taking over the series after Robert B. Parker's passing. Writing those books has been very satisfying.
Congratulations on penning The Innocents, another compelling and atmospheric Quinn Colson novel in a series about which John Sandford said, 'With terrific, inflected characters and a dark, subtle sense of place and history, these are exceptional novels.'
Micah Johnson, the Dallas shooter, was rebelling against what he felt was cruel and oppressive rule by the government over blacks. That's the textbook definition of tyranny. His feeling was crystallized by the shootings in St. Paul and Baton Rouge.
In a 2013 poll, 65% of American adults thought the purpose of the Second Amendment was to make sure that people are able to protect themselves from tyranny. This belief is exploited by the NRA and its supporters in Congress as it fights for unfettered access to guns for all.
So the tyranny-fearing Johnson was precisely the type of person the NRA wanted to empower with a Russian-made SKS so he could fight his personal tyranny.
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The NRA never limited the type of tyranny the guns were to be used against. It's not just the land-grabbing Bureau of Land Management or the confiscatory tax man of the IRS or the jackbooted thugs flying in black helicopters. It's also cops and family-men named Patrick, and Lorne, and two men named Michael from the Dallas Police Department and a guy named Brent from Dallas Area Regional Transit.
Ten years ago a compliant Supreme Court ignored the requirement of a militia in blessing a nation of weapons. At least with a militia, the definition of tyranny wouldn't be an individual decision.
So the NRA got its guns. And its dogmatic resistance to any meaningful gun control let one deranged guy stand up against tyranny by killing cops protecting marchers ironically protesting Johnson's own tyranny. With any luck, it'll be another week or two until someone else sees his tyranny in EPA environmental regulations or a Department of Education school lunch program and shoots another one or two or twelve or fifty of our neighbors.
So congratulations, NRA. The War Against Tyranny has begun, and you just won the first battle.
The title of this article is an homage to a 1979 Pogo cartoon by Walt Kelly which read: "We have met the enemy and he is us."
Flag of Canada
Last week, the New York Times ran a front-page story on Canada's private refugee sponsorship program--in which Canadian citizens and community groups essentially adopt refugees and welcome them into their lives.
The energy and support from the Canadian private sector alone has resulted in more than 10,200 Syrians coming to Canada this year--about double the U.S. total. Thanks to a combination of government and private funding, more than 28,000 Syrians now call Canada home.
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The Canadian model is one of the best current examples of humanitarianism, during a time of unprecedented displacement of people worldwide.
The NYT piece tracks the stories of both sponsors and refugees and their experience in the last year. It's detailed and heartbreaking, as it paints a vivid picture of the moments of joy and hardship in resettling in a different country.
It's truly a must-read, as it helps understand the Canadian refugee system which is so starkly different from the U.S. approach to the crisis.
Moreover, the article provides a blueprint for how enhanced private sector engagement can improve a nation's refugee resettlement system.
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The Niskanen Center has been pointing to the Canadian model as something to learn from since 2015. We were delighted to be included in an accompaniment for the piece which asks, "who else can sponsor a refugee?". As the Washington Post Magazine reported earlier this year, we have been aggressively advocating in favor of a privately funded refugee category to increase humanitarian admissions.
American advocates for refugee resettlement should keep their eyes up north, and draw lessons for how to further infuse private sector actors in the refugee system.
The Canadian private sponsorship operation features more than 9,000 groups that have raised necessary funding and and ready to resettle Syrian refugees. John Sewell, the former mayor of Toronto and advocate for private sponsorship, has estimated more than $200 million has been deposited into charitable accounts to aid resettlement in the last year.
This is all in a country that has one-tenth the population of the United States. The Toronto Star humorously calls the Canadians who want to resettle Syrians an "angry mob of do-gooders."
While Canada is clearly the global leader when it comes to private resettlement, other nations have adopted similar programs. Ireland and Italy have recently taken steps forward to increase their private programs, something I originally reported on in an op-ed for USA Today earlier this year.
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America is far behind the global trend towards private resettlement. Not tapping into the energy of the private sector is inherently restrictive at a time when the global community needs to do a far better job in aiding families on the run.
U.S. lawmakers should pursue mechanisms to leverage private sector financial contributions and engagement more robustly than they currently do. The Niskanen Center has suggested that the State Department launch a new refugee category that Americans can donate to which would increase resettlement totals.
President Obama recently said, "We are urging our nongovernmental partners, including the private sector, to do more as well" to help alleviate the suffering from the refugee crisis. We should learn from our friends up north on how to craft private sponsorship programs to do just that.
The technologies of tomorrow are making headway into Tennessee classrooms as one of the largest Digital Resources Library was announced today in Nashville, Tennessee. It took nearly eighteen months to complete the library, which brought fifty-eight Tennessee teachers together, who curated digital learning resources for high school courses that are aligned to state standards. While Texas and a handful of other states have also created digital libraries, this is one of the largest digital libraries which combined the efforts of numerous organizations including the Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA), Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents (TOSS), Tennessee Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (TASCD), and the Tennessee Educational Technology Association (TETA).
"We are very excited about the launch of the digital library and believe it will be a tremendous resource for our educators and students," said TSBA Executive Director Dr. Tammy Grissom.
Funded by the American Public Education Foundation and Pickler Companies, the Tennessee Digital Resources Library was created to help school districts use and share open educational resources to help teachers deliver content in the classrooms. Many top educators see the process of technology coming into the classroom as "inevitable" which is why Tennessee took such a strong position in embracing new technologies and creating partnerships with Apple, Inc., which provided technical support to all fifty-eight teachers. In August 2015, teachers began curating digital learning materials for the following fourteen high school courses: Algebra I and II; Biology; Chemistry; Economics; English I, II, III and IV; Geometry; Government; Physical Science; U.S. and World History.
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"Tennessee has been a true reform leader in the post-common core world. The state has established Tennessee-specific standards. They are developing curriculum around these high standards, and with the TDRL, we have the opportunity to bridge the digital divide and create greater educational opportunity for all students," said Foundation president David A. Pickler, J.D, founder and president of Pickler Companies. The Foundation and Pickler Companies provided all fifty-eight teachers supporting the project with iPad Air 2s and stipends ranging from $500 to $1000 (team leaders).
Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S., July 5, 2016. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
There are some notable LGBT Republicans who are not supporting Donald Trump, probably for the same reasons that many other Republicans aren't supporting a man viewed not only as unfit for the job and unstable, but who breaks from GOP orthodoxy on several key issues. Ken Mehlman, for example, former George W. Bush campaign manager and one-time Republican National Committee chair , is part of the "Never Trump" crowd.
But then there's billionaire and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, who is a Trump delegate to the Republican National Convention next week. And Caitlyn Jenner, who had a phone call with Trump, and is now all in. And, perhaps most hypocritically, Chris Barron, the former GOProud leader who now has founded an LGBT for Trump campaign. Barron agrees with the Log Cabin Republican leader Gregory T. Angelo that Trump is "one of the best, if not the best, pro-gay Republican candidates to ever run for the presidency," impressed that he "mentions" the LGBT community often.
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I've refuted this ridiculous, dangerous notion several times, a notion that has almost single-handedly been blown up among those in the media by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jeremy Peters, who, seemingly for the sake of a sexy story, continually downplay Trump's opposition to marriage equality -- the biggest civil rights issue for LGBT people of our time -- and his promise to overturn the "shocking" Obergefell ruling, and, like the Log Cabin GOPers, play up the fact that he has had gay friends and associates.
But let's give them this for a minute and presuppose that Trump is pro-gay. It means that gay GOPers are behaving exactly the way they've accused gay Democrats of behaving for years: as single-issue voters. For several decades gay Republicans have decried LGBT people who support Democrats as being in the pocket of the Democratic Party and voting only on a single issue -- support for LGBT rights -- while gay Republicans are looking at a broader spectrum of issues (and, in their case in particular, at conservative fiscal issues with regard to taxation and government spending.) This of course isn't true, as most LGBT people, like the majority of members of other minority groups, tend to be progressive on other issues.
But putting that aside too, gay Republicans supporting Trump truly are doing so based on his supposed support of LGBT rights even as he has broken with the GOP on bedrock issues that these same gay GOPers have championed, from tax cuts (Trump has been all over the place on this, but has said taxes have to go up on some people at some point) to cutting Social Security and other programs, which Trump has opposed. So LGBT GOPers supporting Trump are the very single-issue voters they've decried all these years.
And of course, even on that single issue, no one could say Trump is better than Hillary Clinton -- who supports marriage equality while Trump does not. So, people like Barron defend support for Trump by claiming Trump would be better on national security -- yes, even with his reckless stubby fingers on the buttons -- protecting gays against terrorism. And then they blather on about the same things that reporters like Haberman and Peters promote: that Trump has long had business and personal associations with gays and that he's now saying he's a better choice for gays over Clinton, even as he recently met with and made a pact with hundreds of anti-LGBT leaders.
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Peters even wrote a piece this week in the Times on the battle over the GOP platform at the convention in which he claimed Trump was distancing himself from the platform on gay rights and viewed that, somehow, as pro-gay. The logic here is that Trump is better on gay issues than prior candidates, who would be making sure the platform was anti-LGBT and would be very much involved. Instead, he was allowing pro-gay GOPers to battle it out with anti-LGBT religious conservatives on the platform committee and he was staying out of it.
Well, surprise, surprise: the proposed platform hammered out yesterday is the most anti-LGBT platform we've seen. It strongly reaffirms opposition to marriage equality and gay adoption. It calls for regulating where transgender people can go to the restroom, supporting draconian laws like HB2 in North Carolina, and it supports the First Amendment Defense Act, which anti-LGBT GOPers in Congress are debating and allows for discriminatory religious exemptions among businesses, organizations and taxpayer funded nonprofits.
And it's unclear why Peters viewed Trump's campaign as not being actively involved, or distancing itself, from the platform regarding LGBT rights, since Trump's anti-trade-deal policies and his wall at the Mexican border are very much part of the platform. The truth is, Trump agrees that Obergefell should be overturned -- promised to appoint judges who would do so -- supports the First Amendment Defense Act and believes that states should be able to pass transgender bathroom bills even if he disagrees with them personally. So, if indeed Trump distanced himself from the platform on LGBT rights it was because he agreed with the religious conservatives who wrote it and let them do what they wanted.
That's because, on LGBT issues, Trump needs anti-LGBT groups to win the election and will surely promote their agenda in return for the votes. And beyond LGBT issues, what does it say that gay Republicans would support a candidate who is blatantly racist and misogynistic, having made outrageous comments and getting the lowest poll numbers among women and minorities we've seen? It's as if they don't realize that women and people of color together make up the majority of LGBT people and couldn't possibly see this man as their champion. And how could any LGBT people not stand with other minorities being blatantly attacked by Trump? This isn't, after all, just a matter of policy difference: the man has called Mexicans "rapists," flirted with white supremacists and even defended an anti-Semitic tweet.
As Robert P. Jones, author of the "The End of White Christian America," wrote in a Times op-ed, there's a reason why Trump has garnered enormous support from anti-LGBT evangelicals. While Ted Cruz promised incremental change, if you will, by vowing to "secure them exemptions from the new realities" by promoting religious liberty laws, Trump promises to fully take America back, to "make America great again" in the eyes of white Christian evangelicals. To do that, you need, as Trump supporter Rev. Robert Jeffress said, "the meanest, toughest, son-of-a-you-know-what."
According to some polls only 10 per cent of citizens in Serbia recognize the fact that genocide was committed in Srebrenica.
It is important to learn what makes some people, who otherwise look "normal" to hate others, who take part in crimes or simply stand by and witness systematic killing and elimination of others. The core teachings of our holy books seem to provide clues of this primordial sin of human from the very beginning of our existence on earth.
(One of thousands of "Mothers of Srebrenica" reads Qur'an in the Memorial of Potocari where victims of Srebrenica genocide are burried. Photo: M. Kovac)
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"Now Hevel became a shepherd of flocks, and Kayin became a worker of the soil . . . But then it was, when they were out in the field that Kayin rose up against Hevel his brotherand he killed him.YHWH said to Kayin: Where is Hevel your brother?He said:I do not know. Am I the watcher of my brother?Now he said:What have you done!Hark - your brother's blood cries out to me from the soil!"
(GENESIS 4: 2, 8-10.)
"But the other's passion drove him to slaying his brother; and he slew him: and thus he became one of the lost. Thereupon God sent forth a raven, which scratched the earth to show him how he might conceal nakedness of his brother's body. [And Kayin] cried out: "Oh, woe is me! Am I then too weak to do what this raven did, and to conceal the nakedness of my brother's body?" - and was thereupon smitten with remorse."
(QUR'AN, 5:30-31.)
As everyone can notice these two narratives from Bible and Qur'an are fully corresponding. Those who follow Abrahamic faiths know they are coming from the same source. Those who don't believe in scriptures can understand the meaning and messages from these universal calls. Qur'an, the holy book of Muslims goes even further after the story of first human killing to illustrate how Almighty God treats the killing of a fellow human being. It is equalized with the killing of all humanity.
"Because of this did We ordain unto the children of Israel that if anyone slays a human being-unless it be [in punishment] for murder or for spreading corruption on earth-it shall be as though he had slain all mankind; whereas, if anyone saves a life, it shall be as though he had saved the lives of all mankind. And, indeed, there came unto them Our apostles with all evidence of the truth: yet, behold, notwithstanding all this, many of them go on committing all manner of excesses on earth."
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(QUR'AN, 5:31-32.)
This Monday on July 11th we will again remember the crime of genocide in Srebrenica, the crime that happened in the courtyard of Europe, after it had already vowed "Never again". We will have again to face with the crime that was committed under the full lights of world attention and in the supposed UN "Safe heaven".
(This year bodies of 127 victims of Srebrenica genocide will be buried in Potocari Memorial Photo: M. Kovac)
And still today we face the challenge in the Balkans that this horrible crime is being denied, even by those who should lead their people to facing the crimes committed in their names. According to some polls only 10 per cent of citizens in Serbia recognize the fact that genocide was committed in Srebrenica. Sadly, the vast majority of Serbs rejects even the verdicts of international institutions of justice. Situation in Serb entity within Bosnia is even worse - leading politicians openly deny the crime and continue to work on further divides between peoples of Bosnia. That is not the way towards the future since according to scholars of genocide the denial of this crime leads into its repetition. According to Gregory H. Stanton the crime of genocide has eight stages: classification, symbolization, dehumanization, organization, polarization, preparation, extermination and denial. The last, eight stage of genocide is according to him "the surest indicators of further genocidal massacres."
"The perpetrators of genocide dig up the mass graves, burn the bodies, try to cover up the evidence and intimidate the witnesses. They deny that they committed any crimes, and often blame what happened on the victims," concludes Stanton his explanation of 8 stages of genocide.
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Bosnia and Herzegovina today is clearly in its 8 stage of genocide and this cannot bring any hope for the future. The roads to reconciliation are blocked and the outlook for justice is bleak. The great powers failed in the Balkans as history of this turbulent region did not teach us a lesson.
The only hope lies in justice as only earthly virtue that is great and godlike, as English politician and writer Joseph Addison once concluded. But who will bring the justice to mothers who lost their complete male members of families?
With the blood of Hevel still crying from the soil of Srebrenica and his brother Kayin still denying his crime we are left only to pray that Almighty saves our souls from future genocides. We are left to Srebrenica Prayer that is being read every year on the day of genocide - July 11th:
As per FBI Director James B. Comey and Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Hillary Clinton learned this week she will not be indicted for her email indiscretions, but she may well face an impeachment process if she is elected president. If we have learned anything from Republican behavior during the Obama years and, yes, during the Bill Clinton presidency, it is that the GOP will do almost anything to obstruct a Democratic president from devoting the necessary time and energies to serving the country.
House Republicans are laying the groundwork for such a move after grilling Comey during a hearing Thursday for four hours. They are not convinced he was right in determining Clinton did not commit a prosecutable offense by handling top secret emails on her personal server. Indeed, they will seek further investigation by the FBI as to whether Clinton perjured herself during testimony before Congress.
If she is elected president, and Republicans remain in the majority in the House, expect impeachment talk to be front and center from the start of her administration. Don't expect Donald Trump to bring impeachment up during the campaign as it would hint he doesn't think he would win. But if he loses, expect a fusillade of tweets and rants that Hillary should be impeached.
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A GOP majority in the House jumps that hurdle.
However, it is uncertain if actions taken before she was elected president would qualify Clinton for impeachment. Doubters need only look to Ford's analysis to expect a positive take on that question from a Republican House.
Impeachment, though, would not kick Clinton out of the White House, as conviction would require a two-thirds vote by the Senate, a level of agreement difficult to attain in a forum expected to be almost equally divided by the parties. As more than a dozen Democrats would have to vote to convict, Hillary, like her husband, would remain in office after acquittal by the Senate.
For Republicans, however, the reward of impeachment is not necessarily in conviction as even then the presidency would remain in Democratic hands. Rather, the GOP goal is to stymie Clinton, to divert her attention from governing.
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This article has been submitted as part of the Natural Capital Coalition's series of blogs on natural capital by Pavan Sukhdev, founder & chair, GIST Advisory
COP-21 will be remembered as a feel-good moment in the struggle to contain climate change. Whether it was skilful French diplomacy, or the replacement of inconclusive top-down negotiations with bottom-up consensus-building, or the fear of shame of the unwilling, or perhaps just the quality of food (good by any measure, and outstanding by COP standards) COP-21 definitely lifted spirits up. I certainly did not leave Paris feeling miserable, as I did Copenhagen six years ago.
The Intended Nationally Determined Contributions ("INDC's") announced by governments at Paris added up to impressive reductions against 'business as usual'. However, they were well short of reductions needed to be 2/3rd confident of staying within 2oC of warming. The so-called "emissions gap" based on these INDC's was still around 20%-30%.
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This "emissions gap" should come as no surprise. We need nothing short of a global change in economic direction and resource use to achieve these pledges. Governments struggle to manage macroeconomic direction at the best of times, and they do worse with managing resource use. It is corporations - the engines of today's economies - that decide economic direction and resource use.
The private sector delivers around two-thirds of today's economy (measured in terms of GDP and jobs), but can today's corporation deliver tomorrow's green and climate-safe economy? I think not. I have argued that we need a new corporate model if we are to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and other global environmental problems. This responsible, sustainable new model (I call it 'Corporation 2020') will drive 'stakeholder capitalism': delivering private profits without causing public losses. Such a transition will need trenchant changes in the ways corporations leverage, advertise, get taxed, and report performance. Redefining corporate performance is a key part of this new model, as the performance metrics of shareholder capitalism ignore third-party impacts on society, the so-called externalities of business.
But well before we get there, we need widespread acceptance of a common approach and framework for such measurement and evaluation. The formal launch of the Natural Capital Protocol, on July 13th 2016, is a crucial step in this direction. This Protocol is a universally applicable approach and framework for any business to measure its impacts and dependencies on natural capital. The draft was circulated in November last year, in the run-up to COP-21.
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Further work will be needed to measure impacts on human capital (knowledge, skills and health that enable individuals to earn a living) and on social capital (formal and informal relationships and rules that enable people to engage and transact). Measuring and integrating corporate performance across all capital dimensions, not just shareholder financial capital, will herald a vital change in the nature of today's corporation towards one which has positive externalities: a yardstick for corporate sustainability.
I entered COP-21 pleased with declared INDC's, and delighted with the draft Natural Capital Protocol, but one nagging question remained. What if the emissions gaps from COP-21 pledges remained unbridgeable, not because corporations failed to take leadership and transform production as they did not know their true costs (because after natural capital accounting is commonplace, they truly will) but because their customers, consumers such as myself, refused to change what they bought? So I began to wonder, at COP-21, what could I pledge personally that might make a difference?
There are some obvious examples of consumer demand that destroys natural capital. For example, beef usually damages forests, climate and freshwater supply. These 'externalities' of livestock farming are estimated at several hundred billion dollars. I had stopped eating beef (and all other meat) several years ago in 2009, when I realised (through TEEB research) the extent of natural capital damage caused by meat production systems- such as the impacts on mangrove forests of prawn farming, the unsustainability of ocean fisheries and livestock's long shadow on rainforests. So I could not commit much more on that front.
But what about my use of other heavily advertised, high-footprint, "volume" goods? The footprint of clothing is immense, including GHG emissions and freshwater impacts along its value chains. I pledged a change personally at COP-21, where I wore a "new" suit. It was my father's. I had 'borrowed' it from him due to some rushed and careless packing and a stopover in New Delhi. This suit was four decades old, but you'd never guess: styles in men's suits seem to turn in circles, and this was a well-known French brand. So I wore it right through COP-21 and entertained myself by asking people I met to guess when I had bought it: the most educated guess was "seven years ago".
I called my father in India and told him about this pledge. He laughed, and promptly gifted me another four old suits from when he lived in colder climes. They all fit me perfectly, and seem none the worse for wear. I have resolved to never buy another suit for the rest of my life. I treasure these "new" old suits for sentimental reasons, and because my personal climate pledge now also requires me to keep my weight in check.
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Now isn't that an unusual positive externality, for a suit-maker? The brave new world of 'Corporation 2020' awaits.
Disclaimer: Articles in this series are submitted by people who work in organizations who are part of the Natural Capital Coalition, or people who are involved in the natural capital space more generally, the views expressed here do not necessarily represent the views of The Natural Capital Coalition, other Coalition organizations, or the organization that employs the author.
Follow Pavan on Twitter: @PavanSukhdev
Pavan Sukhdev is founder-author of 'Corporation 2020', a movement that sees corporate sustainability as the cornerstone of a 'green economy' and maps a rapid pathway to a new model for corporate behaviour driven by regulatory changes & responsive to the reality of planetary boundaries and their imminent tipping-points. Pavan wrote his book 'Corporation 2020' at Yale University where he was awarded the 2011 McCluskey Fellowship. Pavan is also founder-CEO of GIST Advisory, a consulting firm that specializes in helping governments and corporations value and manage their impacts on natural and human capital.
Earlier, from 2008 to early 2011, Pavan was Special Adviser and Head of UNEP's Green Economy Initiative, and lead author of their report "Towards a Green Economy", as well as Study Leader for the G8+5 commissioned project on The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB). Pavan was appointed to lead TEEB by the EU Commission and Germany, and delivered its "Interim Report" while still working full time at Deutsche Bank in 2008. He then took a sabbatical from Deutsche Bank to lead TEEB and the Green Economy Initiative for UNEP from 2008 to 2011.
Pavan is a Goodwill Ambassador for UNEP, a role in which he promotes TEEB implementation and Green Economy transitions to governments. He serves on the boards of Conservation International, the Stockholm Resilience Centre (SRC), TEEB, and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
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On 13th July 2016, The Natural Capital Coalition will launch a standardized framework for business to identify, measure and value their impacts and dependencies on natural capital. This 'Natural Capital Protocol' has been developed through a unique collaborative process; a World Business Council for Sustainable Development consortium led on the technical development and an IUCN consortium led on business engagement and piloting. The Protocol is supported by practically focused 'Sector Guides' on Apparel and Food & Beverage produced by Trucost on behalf of Coalition.
Keep up to date with the Natural Capital Coalition on Twitter: @NatCapCoalition
By Valerie Bogart, Director, Evelyn Frank Legal Resources, New York Legal Assistance Group
Before the members of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee adjourned for the July 4th holiday they struck a blow to the independence and wellbeing of millions of seniors and people with disabilities by proposing to eliminate funding for a vital Medicare counseling program that helps people navigate an increasingly complex Medicare benefits system. Fortunately, last week the U.S. House Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education approved a bill that would provide funding at the current level of $52.1 million.
For the last 24 years, Medicare State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) have operated in every state to provide information and one-on-one counseling that assists, educates and empowers Medicare-eligible seniors and people with disabilities. Counselors help beneficiaries, their families and caregivers understand - quite literally - the A, B, C, D (and more) of Medicare. Every year the federal government's 1-800-Medicare hotline refers over 250,000 callers to local SHIPs offices for help with complex cases. An average counseling session lasts almost an hour, due to the complexities of Medicare and the in-depth nature of SHIPs counseling.
Navigating Medicare is a daunting process. Today, Medicare beneficiaries must choose from among a dizzying array of prescription drug plans, Medicare Advantage plans, as well as various Medigap supplemental insurance policies--all with different premiums, cost sharing provisions, provider networks, and coverage rules.
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For the clients NYLAG and other advocates for the poor serve, SHIPs are a particularly critical resource. Medicare is a great benefit, but it is expensive. Low-income people would never be able to afford Medicare without expert assistance to obtain the vital subsidies they need to reduce costs.
Along with other advocates, NYLAG collaborates with the New York State Office for the Aging to accept referrals of the most complicated cases and resolve thorny Medicare issues. We also operate as technical assistance support for the State's Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP).
To give you a sense of the magnitude of the assistance provided, according to the Medicare Rights Center, in 2015 New York's HIICAP saved people with Medicare an estimated $30 million through enrollment in low-income assistance programs, including Medicare Savings Programs and the Part D Low-Income Subsidy.
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And remember, the website is a tool for Medicare wonks like me, people who are familiar with health and public benefits law. Imagine how intimidating, if not terrifying, it would be for someone who is poor, elderly and suffering from Parkinson's to wade through these arcane rules and attempt to select plan options that match her health needs and her ability to pay.
In 2015, SHIPs provided assistance to more than 7 million people including nearly 1.3 million people with incomes below 150 per cent of the Federal Poverty Level (less than $18,000 in annual income for a single household). And those numbers are going up significantly, with 10,000 Baby Boomers every day becoming eligible for Medicare benefits. That's 10,000 more people - daily - who are confused by the array of choices, don't understand the coverage offered, aren't sure whether it will include the drugs they need, and have no idea what their rights are. Volunteers play a vital role, providing about half of SHIPs counseling sessions. But this work can't be done by volunteers alone, and volunteers can't go it alone. It takes money to screen, train, and support these valuable partners.
In the months ahead, it is imperative that Congress adopt or improve on the House Subcommittee proposal to provide SHIPs funding at the current level. Rather than eliminating SHIPs, Congress should dramatically increase funding. The alternative is to leave millions who need support stranded--with nowhere to turn.
Spanish Civil Guard and Gibraltar Police vessels in disputed waters. CLAUDI ALVAREZ
Spains Foreign Ministry summoned Britains ambassador, Simon Manley, on Monday to protest what it called reckless behavior by a Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) patrol boat in disputed waters off the Rock on July 8.
The Spanish authorities say that an RGP patrol boat traveling at high speed narrowly missed a Civil Guard vessel, causing a large wave that destabilized the Spanish boat.
The Foreign Office in London said that Spanish police had illegally entered British waters. The incident took place about one mile off the east coast of Gibraltar close to la Caleta, or Catalan Bay.
Shortly after taking office in 2012, the Popular Party (PP) proposed sharing sovereignty of Gibraltar with the United Kingdom
In a statement, Spains Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Ignacio Ybanez, accused the RGP of failing to contact the Spanish vessel in any way. Ybanez called on Manley to take the necessary measures to prevent further incidents.
The clash is the latest in a long line of incidents in the disputed waters off Gibraltar.
During his meeting with Manley, Ybanez reiterated Spains position regarding the areas in and around the Rock that were ceded to Britain in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht.
Under the treaty, Spain ceded the port, the town, and its defenses, but not the isthmus that connects Gibraltar with the Spanish peninsula or the surrounding waters. Spain only recognizes as British the waters within the interior of the port itself.
Shortly after taking office in 2012, the Popular Party (PP) proposed sharing sovereignty of Gibraltar with the United Kingdom.
The PP government ended the so-called tripartite forum which brought representatives from Madrid, London and Gibraltar together around the same table and in its place suggested a forum featuring two or three groups, in which the leading role of the Gibraltar executive would be offset by the presence of the regional government of Andalusia and Campo de Gibraltar local authorities. But the British Foreign Office has refused.
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Since then, Spanish authorities have imposed strict customs controls on vehicles entering and leaving Gibraltar, creating long delays. At the same time, RGP patrol boats harass Spanish vessels fishing in disputed waters.
Despite the United Kingdoms decision to leave the European Union, Britain is unlikely to give up the overseas territory in the medium term; among other reasons because since the beginning of the 1990s it has been financially self-sufficient and does not cost the British treasury a single pound.
Meanwhile Gibraltarians who have an average income of 47,000 a year compared with 17,000 in Andalusia, and who overwhelmingly favored the UK remaining in the EU have made it clear they feel no desire to move closer to Spain.
English version by Nick Lyne.
When I asked Michael Maccari, the Creative Director of Perry Ellis if he sees a bright future ahead for the world of menswear with all of the shake-ups happening on the fashion calendar, he responded, "I do. Even though everyone is showing differently, I think it shows that there is a lot of movement and a lot of attention on menswear." A lot of attention is right. Brands like Gucci, Burberry, Pubic School and more have opted to combine their women's and menswear runway shows which led to many of these brands being absent on the men's show schedules in London, Milan and New York. Though it may look like the future of Men's Fashion Weeks is sketchy, Maccari still thinks it's benefits to presenting during a solely men's focused fashion week. "When we did our first season we were a part of New York Fashion Week. That was great but, I think there's so much that happens during women's [fashion week] that overpowers the men's presentations, so I think it's great to separate them," he told me at the Perry Ellis Spring 2017 presentation.
A selection of contraceptive methods at a health facility in Rwanda. Photo by Charles Harris for IntraHealth International.
Today is World Population Day, an annual event established in 1989 to focus attention on critical issues related to population. In late 2015, the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) centered on 5 'P's: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnership. And back in 1967, a Time magazine cover highlighted a game-changing new technology: "The Pill."
What do these events have in common, besides the letter P and the flow of time?
They all entail change, evolutionary or revolutionary. And they all relate to population -- its composition, distribution, growth rate, and ultimate size. By enabling the uncoupling of sex from reproduction, the oral contraceptive pill launched the "sexual revolution" that was so much a part of the fabric of the Sixties. But what was really revolutionary about the Pill -- and by extension, all other modern methods of contraception -- is that it changed women's and men's understanding of their fertility: The number, timing and spacing of your children is up to you, once you have access to effective contraception.
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Access to modern contraception has become a widely recognized human right and, increasingly, across the globe, contraceptive use has become an informed individual choice. Yet data regarding world population growth might seem to suggest that international family planning programs have not performed well. After all, when the birth control pill was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1960, the world's population was 3 billion. On that first World Population Day in 1989 it had just crossed 5 billion. Now, in mid-2016, it has climbed to almost 7.4 billion, and is projected to rise to almost 10 billion by 2040 and more than 11 billion by 2100.
But consider this: in 1965, when the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) established its Office of Population, only 9 percent of married women in "less developed countries" used modern contraception. These women had more than six children on average. Fifty years later, 55 percent of women are using modern contraception in these countries, compared to 59 percent in "more developed countries," and the average number of children per woman has declined markedly, to 2.6. Without family planning programs, the world's population would be an estimated 700 million more; rates of maternal deaths and disability also would be considerably higher.
Leadership and innovation from the international donor community and the private sector has spurred the development of contraceptive methods like hormonal implants and intrauterine devices (IUDs), and the diffusion of high-impact service delivery practices such as community-based provision of methods, contraceptive social marketing, and contraceptive provision by lower levels of trained health professionals. In addition, the increasing availability of digital solutions for training and information sharing is allowing countries to achieve faster, more sustainable progress in their family planning programs.
Further, nongovernmental organizations like IntraHealth International have continued to advocate for investments in family planning as essential for human and economic development. And the message is resonating. High contraceptive access and use in rapidly-developing "middle-income" countries has helped generate their economic growth and development, which in turn has fueled increasing adoption of contraception. Global megatrends such as rapid urbanization, women's education and empowerment, and the spread of social media are driving a desire for smaller families. This desire is achieved by use of modern contraceptive methods, enabling greater investment per child and greater women's health and family well-being.
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Family planning has a positive impact on all 17 of the SDGs, not only SDG 3, Good Health and Well-Being, and SDG 5, Gender Equality, but also SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 8 (Economic Growth), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Sub-Saharan Africa's urban growth rate of 5 percent per year is fueling peri-urban slums, with all their attendant misery and volatility, related to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities). There is arguably no more feasible and cost-effective intervention for the environment than increased access to voluntary family planning, related to SDG 13 (Climate Action). Wide access to contraceptive services increases political stability, as called for in SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). And like it or not, we are all in this together, as reflected in SDG 17 (Partnerships).
The international family planning community knows "what works." What have been lacking, however, are political will and adequate financial and human resources to enable wider provision of family planning services.
More than 225 million women, each with her own specific individual circumstances, still have an unmet need for modern contraception; that number is even more striking when written out: 225,000,000. This year's World Population Day theme of investing in teenage girls is especially apt, as the largest cohorts in human history are entering their reproductive years. We must ensure widely available, respectful, welcoming, and stigma-free access to modern contraceptive services for young people. Over 90 percent of sexually-active unmarried young women worldwide want to avoid pregnancy, but many have great difficulty in accessing contraceptive services.
Compounding this challenge, in the U.S. the broad bipartisan support for population assistance that once existed in Congress has fallen away in the face of abortion politics and partisan political rancor. This change has taken place despite longstanding prohibitions on U.S. government financial support for abortion services, and the fact that abortion almost always represents, in some sense, "failed family planning." When contraceptive services are less available, abortions, whether legal or not, rise. Contraceptive use reduces maternal deaths by over 30 percent, and 99 percent of such deaths occur in low-income countries.
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The annual total of U.S. foreign assistance to family planning programs in low-income countries is about 600 million dollars. That sounds like a lot of money. But we Americans spend 13 times that much every year -- 6.9 billion dollars -- on Halloween alone.
If you are concerned about climate change, support voluntary family planning programs. If it bothers you that nearly 3 billion people live in dire poverty on less than $2 per day, support voluntary family planning programs. If you oppose abortion or want to reduce it, support voluntary family planning programs. If you are worried about political instability, support voluntary family planning programs. If unconscionably high maternal mortality in low-income countries disturbs you -- in South Sudan, where maternal mortality is the world's highest, there is one maternal death for every 50 births -- support voluntary family planning. Let Congress members know that voluntary family planning programs should be a global health and development priority.
The U.S. contribution to family planning programs represents less than one cheeseburger per American per year. Surely we could make it three cheeseburgers.
There is a new petition No National Security Briefing for Donald Trump on "We the People" at WhiteHouse.gov. If it gets 100,000 signatures, the government must respond.
It has been a tradition for an Administration to provide both major party nominees a national security briefing. It is only a tradition. It is not a legal requirement.
This is the petition:
"No National Security Briefing for Donald Trump
Donald Trump is unqualified and unhinged. Providing him with national security information will pose a clear-and-present danger to the American people. He cares about nothing but himself.
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He will abuse the information for his own benefit. And, he will try to find ways he can profit from it financially.
There is no law or regulation compelling the Administration to provide national security information to presidential nominees. It is only a tradition. The Administration must not follow tradition blindly."
You can view and sign the petition here.
Please sign immediately and pass it along. If Trump gets the nomination next week, the process for providing the traditional briefing will begin. We have to nip it in the bud.
The petition says it all. Trump is unqualified to process the information, and unhinged. He will abuse it in any way he can. We cannot just blindly follow tradition.
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If Trump wins the presidency, he will get secret information. That frightening prospect will be the will of the American people, not the decision of an Administration.
Sun shining on an empty Japanese classroom.
Gloria Jean Merriex grew up in Gainesville, Florida. Gainesville is a city of extremes; on the one hand, it's the home of the University of Florida and has many of the features of a big college town; on the other hand, the southern and eastern neighborhoods of Gainesboro are home to crushing poverty. Charles Duval Elementary School is located in the center of an eastern neighborhood filled with crime and poverty.
Merriex saw teaching as a path out of the poverty of her neighborhood, but she did not choose to leave the neighborhood itself. Once she had her degree, she chose to teach at Duval Elementary, where for about twenty-five years she was a middle-of-the-road, competent-but-not-exceptional teacher.
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I became acquainted with Merriex through the work of filmmaker Boaz Dvir; my nephew, who studied film at Penn State, had Dvir as a teacher and thought we might have a few things to say to each other. But years ago, Dvir was a professor in Florida who heard about Merriex and decided to tell her story. The result is a documentary in progress entitled "Discovering Gloria." I've watched a rough cut of the film, and it is a challenging and moving story.
Photo (Courtesy of Discovering Gloria)
The story, of course, is not about the first twenty-five years of Merriex's career. The story really starts with Florida's reform efforts, Florida's Big Standardized Test (FCAT), and Florida's assignment of letter grades to schools, back in the days when No Child Left Behind was the hot, new thing.
Duval scored a big fat F, and Merriex was troubled. Couldn't-sleep-at-night troubled.
The school having "failed," the state stepped in with strict pacing guides and mandated materials so that the school would be working toward Meeting the Standards. Meanwhile, Merriex faced the realization that she could not keep teaching as she had. It was a transformative moment for her, not just as a teacher, but as a person. She began to think about what she really had to do.
She dumped the state pacing guides and teaching materials. When she got caught, she begged Duval principal Lee McNealy for a chance to give her methods a try, and McNealy had the guts and trust to give it to her. So Merriex developed materials and approaches of her own, and for the early 2000s, her choices were a bit out there. She wrote raps and dances to do with her students for learning math vocabulary and basic processes. She used call and response in the classroom. She was stern and demanding in a classic sense, but she did constant outreach and made family connections in the modern teacher-counselor sense. She visited homes, saw to students' non-academic needs, provided instruction to entire families. Cooked classroom meals. mended school uniforms. Held Saturday classes for FCAT prep. She refined and reflected, developed and grew more materials.
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Duval became a miracle school, getting spectacular test results. Duval scored A after A, Merriex's students posting the greatest test score gains in the state. The school was filled with pride, the students confident and accomplished. Duval-- and Merriex-- became one of Florida's great success stories. Merriex created a math team, a group of students who toured and demonstrated their math rap and math skills. Merriex herself was in increasing demand, speaking and demonstrating her techniques for teachers and administrators from all across the state and country.
Merriex's story defies simple categorization. There is frankly much here that reformsters will like. The letter grade system shocked Merriex and her school out of their old ways. And once it was clear that Merriex was on to something, Duval's administration packed her classroom, having her teach forty or fifty students at a time. And the rough cut of Dvir's film tells the story of a student previously labeled learning disabled who blossoms and succeeds under Merriex's tutelage, an apparent confirmation of the "replace special ed with high expectations" reformster camp.
At the same time, reformsters should also note that Merriex completely dismantled and dismissed the state plan for how the courses should be taught. The pacing guide? Out the window. Dvir talks to one of the many academics who came to watch Merriex to try to figure out what she was doing; one striking feature was that Meriex would work completely out of the "normal" sequence and jump from one math subject to another in ways that defied conventional approaches. Yet somehow they worked.
Merriex met her students where they were, creating her materials to match their own concerns and interests. Her techniques defied "scaling up" because they were developed for the children of that neighborhood-- a neighborhood that she had known her whole life. It would never be possible to take five weeks to teach a bunch of college kids the Merriex Method and send them out into schools all across the nation in communities that they've never set foot in before. Merriex's techniques were custom made for students in that community by a lifelong member of that community.
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Nevertheless, the Lastinger Center for Learning at the University of Florida decided to study her, even mounting cameras in her classroom intending to stream her lessons around the world. And the Kellogg Foundation-- one of the great reformster money-spreaders-- awarded the center grants to help fund the study. But Kellogg went one better-- in May of 2008, they awarded Merriex a grant to develop a national math curriculum.
Merriex appeared to be living proof of concept for the Hero Teacher.
On the day after the awarding of the Kellogg grant, Merriex suffered a diabetic stroke. She died at the age of 58. It is hard not to conclude that in order to be a Hero Teacher, Merriex had worked herself to death.
What are the lessons of Merriex's story? Dvir does a good job of providing some balance. The fact that he's been wrestling with this film for several years is, in part, a testament to how tricky a story this is to tell. If you watch the trailer, you'll note that the film is funded in part by the ever-reformy Kellogg Foundation, about which Dvir has this to say:
Although I received a grant from Kellogg., I've had 100 percent editorial and creative control. I never had even one conversation with Kellogg about the making of the film. I interviewed a Kellogg rep as part of the filming process, but he never asked me about what I was doing. He simply answered my questions. I've never even screened the rough cut for Kellogg! As I said, I've had complete editorial and creative control over this film - as I have and continue to have on all my films. I'm as strict as any documentary filmmakers get about this. Part of it is my journalistic DNA. Another part is that I do this work purely for scholarship and making a difference.
I've talked to him (and I trust my nephew as a judge of character) and I see the documentary as objective and journalistic in character. I don't smell reformy agenda here.
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As I suggested above, I think reformsters may rush to learn the wrong lessons from this story-- that you just need to find a super-teacher and clone her, that BS Tests are great for measuring and fixing education (a premise that everyone in the film accepts and nobody actually challenges), that if you just believe and try real hard then poverty and race don't really matter. But I think there are far more important lessons to be learned from Merriex's story.
One is the power of administration to protect teachers from bad state and federal policy. Merriex's story of transformation and achievement would never have happened if, in the very beginning, her principal had said, "Dammit, no. We scored an F, so there will be no experimenting. You get back in that classroom and follow the pacing guide the state sent us, and you follow it to the letter." But Merriex's principal trusted her, trusted her professional judgment, and trusted her commitment to her students, and so that principal let Gloria Jean Merriex do her thing. It was easy for everyone to fall in behind Merriex after the fact, and therefor it's easy to forget that Merriex and her principal were risking their careers and bucking the district, the state and the feds.
Another lesson is the limits of the administrative power-- the school still had to face having its success measured by the BS Test and a single letter grade.
Another lesson is the value of community connection. Merriex could figure out what needed to be done because she was of that community, in that community. She knew the language, the values, the streets and neighborhoods, the families. It mattered that she grew up there as a young black girl, to become a teacher in a 99% black school. All the fresh-scrubbed ivy league honor roll graduates in the world could not substitute for what Merriex knew by being of her community. There's a moment (it's also in the trailer) where Merriex's former principal tells the story of letting the teacher know that the school received an F and she appears to almost says "She just turned white" and then catches herself. If you like extra-close readings of moments, it's a resonant moment because if Gloria Jean Merriex had turned white, her success would never happen. If anything, Merriex achieved success in that school by turning less white, by more fully rejecting what the classically white education system told her she was supposed to do and by more fully embracing the culture of her community.
Also-- sitting each of those students down with a computer to work on their interactive adaptive education software would also have failed as a substitute for Merriex.
That points to another huge lesson- while reformsters may say, "Look, high standards and hard work erased the effects of poverty," that overlooks the fact that for Merriex, offsetting the effects of poverty was a second full-time job on top of her teaching job. Working with families, providing concrete support for students, providing emotional support for students and families and co-workers-- Merriex was doing all those non-teaching duties with every spare hour she had so that her actual teaching would have a chance of actually being effective. And ultimately, her second full time job of offsetting the effects of poverty required everything she had. To say that Merriex overcame the effects of poverty "just" with high standards and high expectations would be a lie.
I found it humbling to watch her story, to realize that while I can talk about dedicating my life to teaching, I don't mean anything like what Gloria Jean Merriex meant. I've written about the limits of what we can do as teachers, and most of us who teach are aware of those limits, but few of us push ourselves as close to (or over) those limits like Merriex did.
I will be sure to let you know when the completed film is finally released. In the meantime, here's the trailer for what is, for better or worse, a teacher story for the new millennium.
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Creative Commons via Wikimedia Commons, Opisthotonus (Tetanus), oil on canvas, 1809, by Charles Bell.
This is a poem I penned in 2012. It first appeared on YouTube in 2012. This poem seems like a rhyme written for our present inconsolable times, though this poem could have been written thousands of years ago and at any place and it would have been just as relevantly fitting.
The World Be Always Bleeding
The world be always bleeding--
It echoes through the night:
Yes: the torturing of all and every be
Our most common of grim plight.
Orphan-child of Africa's sands weeps of
Sickness plaguing across her land;
Mother of India cries-wails at all
The tragic poverty tales.
Travel far and roam wide, and be witness how
Agony doth travel all oceans' sides.
And in every place and at every eon, there
Be suffering as if all be peon.
Whilst peasants forever silently-stoically endured
His wrath, never questioning benevolent
Creator's Torquemada's path,
Alexander great and Caesar invincible never genuflected
In contrite, even as they too were disemboweled
By Suffering's relentless might.
And if to-day Her maw may seem to but gently feed and dine,
Be assured, later She will come and rage
Beyond moral creeds and crimes.
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It be most loyal antagonist of our ancient past--
From Pompeii's devastation vast to a thousand
Spanish Inquisitions-Influenzas cast:
It be the Archfiend that slaughters-feasts on
Brutes and beasts till all be deceased.
Where life breathes and bathes it always slays as
It trods even upon our sacred gods.
Before Man's Iron Age of Suffering crawled ashore,
This pagan witch reigned galore, and after ye be
Dust and lore, this Satyr-whore may rule once more.
Maya's beauty be Divine, yet beyond galaxies of celestial
Light, and beneath-below the peering of wondrous
Eyes, this anguish also most cruelly vies.
For this Satanic Fire what burns and bleeds
Entire, be the pith and wherefore of
Chaos-cosmos Christless ire.
And when life leaps with love, dances with virgin joy,
When spiritual bliss be beautiful as Helen of Troy--
Still this Serpent-Monster be never faraway coy,
Always waging war to peace destroy.
Yet, rejoice and make mirth and be rapturous
In pleasures of thine earth--
And when ye be euphoric in playful make, remember
How brethren be in pitiable ache and
Never sweet life partake.
And what of the Almighty power that be? Where be
Her compassion, mercy, and love for thee?
Or, doth the She-Divinity that governs-
Reigns, be helpless-hopeless to cease
All or any of unbearable maim?
And if a sage could unriddle why all this excruciating
Torment be, then that magus would know the essence of
What be at the heart of our Universe-Sea.
But why this timeless flogging? Why war Abel and Cain?
The genesis of Buddha's philosophy? This
Devil without mercy tame?
And what of worms who decree this woe
But meaningless insect vanity?
Yes, what if this pretentious horror--this trifling
Animal fright--be without metaphysics
Of any Godful light?
Renaissance Knights proclaim how the sword of Enlightened
Reason and the pike of scientific thought
Be Grendel slayer if bravely fought.
Yet, court jesters of Newton's laws and concubines of what
Descartes saw, make much Herculean-triumphant
Gain, only to be massacred by cruel campaign
That be all but God ordained.
Himalayan Holy Monks and Shamanistic Seers of the
Wild Steppe, wisely know this cursing be mystery
Beyond learned man and awakened theology.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 07: Vietnamese-American activists participate in a protest outside the White House as U.S. President Barack Obama meets with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong of the Communist Party of Vietnam in the Oval Office July 7, 2015 in Washington, DC. The activists protested against the Community Party of Vietnam and called for human rights in the country. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
"Life in prison is hard. I fell into despair. I was in this situation because I was trying to be a good citizen, to help people out according to the law [...] But I was arrested and put in prison. I felt like I was in a dark tunnel with no way out."
These are the words of Pham Thi Loc, a human rights defender from Bac Giang province in the north of Viet Nam, working on land rights.
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Loc's story reflects those of many of Viet Nam's peaceful activists. Compelled by injustice in her own life, and the lives of others in her community, she started to speak out and to advocate for change and justice. But in Viet Nam, such peaceful activism -- asking the authorities to ensure the rights contained in Viet Nam's constitution and the international treaties it is a party to -- is viewed as subversive.
In 2011, like so many other human rights activists before and after her, Loc was arrested. She unjustly spent four years in jail, where she endured months of solitary confinement and incommunicado detention, cut off from the outside world, including her family and her legal representatives. She was dragged into a secretive world; a world of silence and darkness, of pain and isolation, where prisoners of conscience are frequently subjected to torture and other ill-treatment.
Loc was eventually released from Prison No 5 at Yen inh in Thanh Hoa province at the end of her sentence in May 2015.
By Amnesty International's count, there are currently 84 prisoners of conscience in Viet Nam. This is 84 men and women who, just like Loc, have been imprisoned solely for the peaceful exercise of their rights. They should be immediately and unconditionally released.
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On 12 July, Amnesty International will publish a new report which offers a rare glimpse into this world. The report is based on a series of interviews with 18 former prisoners of conscience. It outlines unlawful practices including prolonged periods of incommunicado detention and solitary confinement; the infliction of severe physical pain and suffering; the denial of medical treatment; and punitive transfers that take prisoners of conscience from prison to prison throughout the country, cutting them off from their families and support networks.
Our report is based on testimony of events that took place before February 2015, when Viet Nam ratified the UN Convention against Torture. However, the report highlights entrenched practices within the prison system, and outlines instances amongst the current 84 prisoners of conscience where these practices are known or believed to be happening today. Viet Nam's ratification of the Convention was a landmark development but ending torture and other ill-treatment will require real political will and systematic legal, policy and administrative reform. Viet Nam must initiate these reforms wholeheartedly and without delay and ensure victims have access to justice and reparations. An important step in these reforms would be the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience.
"Prisons Within Prisons" -- the title of the report -- is a term repeated by different prisoners of conscience interviewed by Amnesty International. It conveys the sense of isolation that pervades the prison experience for detained activists. By isolating prisoners of conscience, the authorities seek to punish them for their beliefs and/or activism, and coerce them into "confessing" to the charges levelled against them.
One of the many revelations in Jeff Feuerzeig's riveting documentary Author: The JT LeRoy Story, was that Laura Albert, the mastermind behind her fictive persona JT LeRoy, an author of some renown, also worked with director Gus Van Sant on his 2003 Elephant, a movie of a Columbine-like mass shooting at a school. She was commissioned to write the script, which was then discarded, the movie retaining only the image of a fat girl in the library, the shooter's first victim. In the post-screening Q&A at Guild Hall for the Hamptons International Film Festival's SummerDoc series, Alec Baldwin enthused about Elephant, a coincidence for him to realize the connection to Laura Albert.
As a film, Author: The JT LeRoy Story provides a unique window into this San Francisco based writer, punk rocker, con artist. Jeff Feuerzeig said Laura Albert agreed to make the film with him because he was a Jew, and because he liked punk rock. She appears onscreen against a large scrim of her writing, and tells her story boldly: how early trauma led her to expressing herself in a series of guises, most significantly as the male author of the books Sarah and The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things, as JT's assistant "Speedie," among others. You may have read this sensational story after New York Magazine's 2005 investigative scoop. Even her literary agent, Ira Silverberg, learned her real identity, belatedly, just like everyone else, although Albert did come out, confiding her true identity to a select few, including David Milch, showrunner of HBO's Deadwood. Tapes with everyone, including Courtney Love, who takes a moment to do a line of coke (offscreen, of course), form the mosaic of Author's intricate narrative.
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Jeff Feuerzeig said his documentary was inspired by The New Journalism, a literary genre using fictional techniques in the writing of non-fiction; Tom Wolfe, Truman Capote, Seymour Krim, and Gay Talese whose new book The Voyeur's Motel is just released this week, are key practitioners, and some of his heroes. How does this fiction-writing strategy translate to non-fiction filmmaking? In Author, some key elements of Laura Albert's life are withheld until the end, so that the film has you on the edge of your seat.
4 friends sharing on smart phones.
By Evette Dionne
This post originally appeared on Revelist.
Tech companies have rushed to offer empty statements of solidarity to the Black Lives Matter movement, after police officers unleashed fatal bullets into Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, two innocent Black men, in the span of 24 hours.
Google offered a similar statement of support on Twitter, saying "We stand in solidarity for the fight for racial justice." Even Twitter, the platform used most often to mobilize protests for racial equity, issued a statement of support. "We're sick of seeing names trend because they were killed brutally and unjustly. We demand change," the official Blackbirds page tweeted.
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Twitter even revived the #BlackLivesMatter emoji, so three multi-colored fists appear alongside the hashtag whenever a user tweets it.
These statements are important: Google, Twitter, and Facebook are tech giants. Collectively, they're able to participate in the shifting of a cultural narrative. Instead of telling victims they must be perfect and unblemished to prevent the wrath of an officer's gun, they're joining the fight to place the onus on officers -- and a racist system -- to stop killing us.
However, there's a glaring issue with tech's support for racial justice: It's sparing, only deployed when the bullseye isn't on them. They're cherry-picking when racial justice matters, especially as they displace communities of color, contribute to the erasure of culture, and refuse to create diverse workplaces.
Were sick of seeing names trend because they were killed brutally and unjustly. We demand change. #BlackLivesMatter https://t.co/uWjwigAm03 Twitter Blackbirds (@Blackbirds) July 8, 2016
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San Francisco, home of Silicon Valley and the booming tech industry, has a housing shortage. This isn't ordinarily an alarming issue, since many larger cities, like New York and Chicago struggle with housing populations that are continually swelling.
However, in the past decade, San Francisco has become one of the most unaffordable cities in the United States -- and it's mostly thanks to the encroaching presence of tech companies.
A June article from Inc. found that a person needs to make $119,570 annually to live in San Francisco, which is $30,000 more than San Jose, California, the second most expensive city in the country. The average home in California costs $459,000, which is double the national average, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Combine this exorbitant cost of living with a housing shortage, which The Los Angeles Times estimates would take 13,000 homes built every year for the next three years to overcome, and San Francisco's undergoing a vast transformation that's shafting poor people of color.
Facebook's founder, Mark Zuckerberg, posted a statement to his personal page, urging for peace and understanding. The company also posted a massive Black Lives Matter sign outside their offices, which is comprised of the names of multiple police shooting victims.
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Of course, this is due to multiple issues, including landlords raising rental costs and pushing low-income tenants outward. However, it is most due to the presence of the tech industry, which has led the population of African-Americans in San Francisco to drop from 60,500 to 48,000, according to The IB Times.
The tech industry has remained alarmingly silent about this growing issue, which even impacts schools.
Pushing people of color out of San Francisco has led to the resegregation of schools, according to The San Francisco Public Press. The newspaper found that in 2010, six in 10 schools in San Francisco are dominated by one race. This makes the schools racially-isolated, according to the San Francisco Unified School District.
Much of this resegregation is due to wealthier families isolating their children in private schools, which leaves public schools in economic disarray. This matters.
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As The San Francisco Public Press explains: "Recent studies from Stanford and the University of California, Berkeley, show that many students do much better on tests when placed in integrated classrooms, and that all kids are much less likely to grow up with racial stereotypes and prejudices. Far from being opposed to each other, excellence and diversity go hand in hand."
Teachers are also struggling with this housing and education crisis. An April report from The Mercury News found that teachers are unable to afford to live in the cities they're teaching in. For example, The Mercury News reports that the average monthly price for a studio apartment in San Francisco and the Bay Area is $2,137 with two bedroom apartments going for upward of $2,850.
If a teacher makes $73,000, the average salary for a teacher in the Bay Area, housing will eat up 30% of her income. Being unable to live on a teacher's salary means of course, less teachers.
"Every year we have a problem. It's always a challenge to make sure that the schools are staffed," Jody London, an Oakland Unified school board trustee, told The Mercury News. "But with the rapidly rising housing market, the fact is it's crazy right now. And it's getting harder for teachers to stay in Oakland."
These complications have an impact on student achievement. Education is a racial justice issue, and the tech industry is complicit in both crises -- and it may be due in part to another glaring issue within the tech industry: the lack of people of color at their companies, to begin with.
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Numbers from the United States Census Bureau confirm this problem. As The New York Times points out, African-Americans are only represented 11% of the total science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce in 2011, though they comprise 6% of college graduates with degrees in computer engineering and tech.
Tokenism is also rampant at these companies, according to The New York Times, leaving many graduates wary to join them.
"Any student of color looking at the numbers from the tech giants is going to be turned off and wary about taking a job there because it tells you something about what the climate is," sociologist Maya A. Beasley told The New York Times. "They don't want to be the token."
Of course, all of these issues are not at the feet of the tech industry. Housing and education need federal and state legislation that protects the working class and people of color, but silence equals a willingness to be complicit within a system that oppresses and silences the most marginalized and vulnerable among us.
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Racial justice must be a set of political commitments, not opportunistic status updates. Until Silicon Valley addresses the issues in their own companies, and realize they're all interconnected with the Black Lives Matter movement, their messages of solidarity are as empty as the fancy emoji-hashtag.
No: 560-LR-3410
His Excellency Ban-Ki Moon
Secretary General of the United Nations
The United Nations
New York, NY 10017
Re: International Campaign for the Immediate Release of Narges Mohammadi from the Islamic Republic's Prison
Your Excellency,
We urge the international community to demand the immediate release of Narges Mohammadi, a prominent political prisoner, from the notorious Evin prison in Tehran, Iran. We are seriously concerned about Mohammadi's health due to the denial of proper medical care, while the authorities of the theocratic regime refuse to provide any information about her condition. Recent reports point at her weakened health following several days of wet hunger strike, which she started on June 27th to protest her jailors' refusal to grant her phone contact with her children. Mohammadi suffers from pulmonary embolism and crippling muscle disease, which combined with her hunger strike under these difficult conditions pose a serious threat to her life.
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Mohammadi, the former spokesperson of the now banned Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC) and the winner of the 2011 Per Anger Prize for Human Rights Initiatives, was first arrested in 1998 for her criticism of the theocratic regime in Iran. She was summoned to the Islamic Revolutionary Court for her membership in the DHRC, released on bail, and rearrested within days.
In July 2011, Mohammadi was prosecuted again and found guilty of "activities against the security of the Islamic Republic, membership in the DHRC and propaganda against the regime'. She was subsequently sentenced to 11 years of imprisonment before being temporarily released following the international community's outrage at her imprisonment. In May 2015, Mohammadi began serving a six-year sentence for charges that include 'spreading propaganda against the system' for her human rights work. This year, a new trial was held where she was sentenced to an additional 10 years for forming a group against the death penalty.
We appeal to your high office and the international community to join our campaign for the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience. Iranians across the political spectrum appreciate your tireless efforts in support of various human rights initiatives. It is with an emphasis on the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and a non-violent solution for the future of Iran that we formed the Iran National Council for Free Elections in 2013. Our ultimate vision is to hold free, fair and transparent elections in our beloved homeland. This vision requires the moral support of the international community for the unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience.
We thank you sincerely for your consideration and offer our unqualified assistance on this urgent matter.
Yours sincerely,
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Bernie Sanders's campaign is now officially over, but the movement he began is still just beginning. He's provided it seven big legacies:
First, Bernie has helped open America's eyes to the power of big money corrupting our democracy and thereby rigging our economy to its advantage and everyone else's disadvantage.
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Polls now show huge majorities of Americans think moneyed interests have too much sway in Washington. And thanks, in large part, to Bernie's campaign, progressives on Capitol Hill are readying a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, and bills requiring full disclosure of donors, ending gerrymandering, and providing automatic voter registration.
None of these will get anywhere in a Republican-controlled Congress, but they will give progressives a powerful theme for the upcoming election. It's called democracy.
Second, Bernie has shown that it's possible to win elections without depending on big money from corporations, Wall Street, and billionaires. He came close to winning the Democratic nomination on the basis of millions of small donations from average working people. No longer can a candidate pretend to believe in campaign finance reform but say they have to take big money because their opponent does.
Third, Bernie has educated millions of Americans about why we must have a single-payer health-care system and free tuition at public universities, and why we must resurrect the Glass-Steagall Act and bust up the biggest banks. These issues will be front and center in every progressive campaign from here out, at all levels of American politics.
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Fourth,the Sanders campaign has brought millions of young people into politics, ignited their energy and enthusiasm and idealism.
Fifth, the movement Bernie ignited has pushed Hillary Clinton to take more progressive positions on issues ranging from the minimum wage to the Trans Pacific Partnership, the XL Pipeline, Wall Street, and Social Security.
Sixth, he's taught Americans how undemocratic the Democratic Party's system for picking candidates really is. Before Bernie's candidacy, not many people were paying attention to so-called "super-delegates" or whether independents could vote, or how primary elections and caucuses were run. From now on, people will pay attention. And the Democratic National Committee will be under pressure to make fundamental changes.
Seventh is the real possibility Bernie has inspired of a third party - if the Democratic Party doesn't respond to the necessity of getting big money out of politics and reversing widening inequality, if it doesn't begin to advocate for a single-payer healthcare system, or push hard for higher taxes on the wealthy -- including a wealth tax -- to pay for better education and better opportunities for everyone else, if it doesn't expand Social Security and lift the cap on income subject to the Social Security payroll tax, if it doesn't bust up the biggest banks and strengthen antitrust laws, and expand voting rights.
If it doesn't act on these critical issues. the Democratic Party will become irrelevant to the future of America, and a third party will emerge to address them.
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One of the people arrested during the raid at Yubari restaurant in Barcelona. Massimiliano Minocri
Arman Mayilyan, an Armenian citizen who owns one of the most upscale restaurants in Barcelona, Yubari, was arrested on Tuesday morning as part of an investigation into a money laundering ring.
A total of 12 people are being held in connection with the investigation led by the Anti-Corruption Attorneys Office and a Barcelona court.
Mayilyan is a successful businessman who is a well-known figure in Armenia
National Police and regional Mossos dEsquadra officers also searched several homes and business premises in search of evidence of financial crimes by a network made up chiefly of Ukrainian nationals.
A leading member of the ring, Stephan Chernovetsky son of a former mayor of Kiev was arrested in the Catalan coastal town of SAgaro.
Investigators believe that Yubari, which specializes in Asian food, was at the heart of a scheme to launder large amounts of money from illegal sources. Located on Barcelonas Diagonal Avenue, Yubari which is named after the most expensive melons in the world, according to its website offers haute cuisine from Japan in a luxury setting.
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Mayilyan is a successful businessman and a well-known figure in his native Armenia. Over the last four years, he has developed extensive business and social connections in Barcelona, sponsoring an Olympic fight club and paying for its members trips to Armenia and Eastern Europe. He is listed as the manager of three companies in Spain specializing in food and real estate.
English version by Susana Urra.
LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 20: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the National Rifle Association's NRA-ILA Leadership Forum during the NRA Convention at the Kentucky Exposition Center on May 20, 2016 in Louisville, Kentucky. The NRA endorsed Trump at the convention. The convention runs May 22. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Let's do an imaginary scenario. A white, middle-aged male in a southern or border state is pulled over by a federal officer. He has a pistol and a CCW permit. There is a confrontation in which the civilian announces that he is a permit holder and has a legal right to a firearm, yet the officer shoots and kills the individual.
This is hypothetical, so we can't state as fact what the NRA's reaction was. But we can look at their past history to get a sense of what that response might be.
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For a long time, the NRA has been an outspoken advocate of open carry laws, and those who legally carry firearms under these laws. As an article in the American Conservative put it, "NRA supporters and certain other Second Amendment support groups define guns and weaponry as not just the symbolic but also the highest material expression of liberty, freedom, and moral rectitude. Anybody who can buy and possess a gun, especially if he or she conceals it -- or even open carries -- in public, automatically passes into the ranks of being a 'good guy'. No matter what this new hero's background, inclinations, or emotional make-up might be." Notice that there is no mention of race in this list.
The NRA has been a stalwart and long-standing supporter of open carry laws across the United States. At the 1914 Annual Meeting, the AP reported,
With concealed weapons now legal in all 50 states, the National Rifle Association's focus at this week's annual meeting is less about enacting additional state protections than on making sure the permits already issued still apply when the gun owners travel across the country. The nation's largest gun-rights group... wants Congress to require that concealed weapons permits issued in one state be recognized everywhere, even when the local requirements differ. Advocates say the effort would eliminate a patchwork of state-specific regulations that lead to carriers unwittingly violating the law when traveling.
Based on their emphatic position on this issue, it is fair to postulate that their response to the situation posited at the start of this article would have been loud, quick, and vigorous.
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But their reaction to the Philandro Castile case has been minimal and muted.
First, some facts. Philandro Castile was shot by a police officer for having a gun after the officer had been informed that Mr. Castile had a firearm and was a legal permit holder. This occurred on Wednesday, July 6 at roughly 9pm.
On Thursday at 8:57 am, nearly twelve hours after the now nationally recognized incident, the NRA tweeted, "Gun-Controlled Chicago: More Homicides Than LA, NY Combined". Thirty minutes later, they tweeted an attack on Matt Damon, who had called for a ban on guns. A full two days passed before the Rifle Association finally released a mild and equivocal statement: "The reports from Minnesota are troubling and must be thoroughly investigated. In the meantime, it is important for the NRA not to comment while the investigation is ongoing."
Even other pro-gun advocates were more concerned than the NRA. Andrew Rothman, 46, the president of Saint Paul, Minn.-based Gun Owners Civil Rights Alliance, exclaimed, "It scares all of us... This is the first incident that approaches this level of seriousness with permit holders." The Second Amendment Foundation, a gun-rights group based in Bellevue, WA, said that "exercising our right to bear arms should not translate to a death sentence over something so trivial as a traffic stop for a broken tail light."
NRA members questioned the silence as well. Marco Gallologic wrote on the NRA's Facebook page, "Your lack of message concerning the Castile case disappoints me and makes me question my membership." Dennis Gesker posted on his own page, "Philando Castile had a valid concealed weapons permit but was shot and killed... As an NRA member, I urge you to take a strong position in favor of this man."
So what is the difference between the real and the hypothetical examples? Why did the NRA react slowly and with diffidence to this government use of lethal force against someone with a legal right to bear arms?
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There seem to be two divergencies. The Phalandro Castile case involved an officer of the local, vs. the federal government. It seems that the Rifle Association chooses which law enforcement officers to support and which to condemn, depending on the level of authority they work for. Local law enforcement officers will receive support, federal law enforcement officers are "jack-booted thugs", according to the NRA. Both uphold the laws of this nation. But some are good guys, others not. (5)
The other obvious fact is that the victim in the hypothetical was white, while Philandro Castile is black. Kind of glaring.
There is precedence for their inactivity in a gun rights case involving African-Americans. In 2012 Earl D. Brown was a 73-year old black night watchman in Lauderhill, FL. Employed as a security guard, he was carrying a licensed gun, a .44 Magnum. Police officers showed up to investigate a possible burglary and confronted him. Mr. Brown raised his hands and announced, "I'm security." The officers fired 22 rounds, two of which struck Mr. Brown, who had a heart attack at the hospital and died. A grand jury chose not to indict the officers but issued an extremely negative report calling them poorly trained and inexperienced. After an Internal Affairs investigation within the department, they were exonerated.
The NRA did not comment on this situation.
Mr. Brown's widow, Gloria, did, however: "Honestly, I hear the NRA talking about the right to bear arms... He had the right to bear his that night; they just never told us he wouldn't have the right to life. It seems like white men and police officers are the only ones who have the right to bear arms in this country."
In a press release, the NRA has declared that it "represents law-abiding gun owners." If you're white.
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Racism is often used casually: a "racist" is simply someone who is prejudiced in one situation or the other.
But the technical definition of racism is that people of separate races are different, and ranked in a hierarchy. Some races are higher, better, matter more. Some are lower, inferior, matter less.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte walks past honour guards before Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald Bato Dela Rosa's Assumption of Command Ceremony at the Camp Crame in Manila on July 1, 2016. Authoritarian firebrand Rodrigo Duterte was sworn in as the Philippines' president on June 30, after promising a ruthless and deeply controversial war on crime would be the main focus of his six-year term. / AFP / NOEL CELIS (Photo credit should read NOEL CELIS/AFP/Getty Images)
MANILA, Philippines -- On July 12th, 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague will announce the ruling of the special five-member arbitral tribunal on the case filed by the Philippines against China over maritime disputes in the South China Sea.
Ahead of the announcement, Hong Lei, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, released an official statement reiterating Beijing's rejection of any ruling of the special tribunal. Lei stressed:
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The Chinese government will continue to abide by international law and basic norms governing international relations as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, and will continue to work with states directly concerned to resolve the relevant disputes in the South China Sea through negotiation and consultation on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law, so as to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.
However, Lei also underscored that "China does not accept any means of third party dispute settlement or any solution imposed on China."
Cognizant of China's firm stance on the issue, Perfecto R. Yasay, Jr., the newly appointed secretary of foreign affairs by the newly installed administration of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, expressed the Philippine government's caution not to make provocative reactions on the ruling, arguing for the new Philippine administration to rely on China's goodwill. In a press conference in Manila, Yasay underscored:
There is always a possibility that China might take more aggressive action insofar as its reaction to the decision of the arbitral tribunal, especially as it would be in favor with the Philippines. While we say this as a matter of possibility, there is also the equal possibility that China will not because it has assured us of its relationship of goodwill with us.
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Even President Duterte, in his first cabinet meeting, urged new Philippine officials not to "taunt or flaunt'' the ruling contending that, "I really do not want to declare any fighting with anybody. If we can have peace by just talking, I would really be very happy."
For the Duterte administration, the arbitration ruling should not be a hindrance to repair damaged political ties with China.
Apparent from the various statements of the new Philippine government is its serious intention to talk to China in order to peacefully manage the South China Sea Disputes even after the arbitration ruling. While the ruling may give the Philippines the moral and legal victory on the arbitration, the Duterte administration believes only in improving bilateral ties with China can the Philippines enjoy political victory.
In fact, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Yasay even urged China to avoid violence after the arbitration ruling and to refrain from harming Filipino fishermen who have resumed their livelihood in the Scarborough Shoal. Yasay pointed out, "What if, in the phase of these circumstances, China will dig in and put us in a test? They will disallow again our fishermen from fishing in our Scarborough Shoal. I think, if this should happen, there is no point for us." Thus, the Duterte government finds it more prudent to improve ties with China after the arbitration ruling.
However, the Duterte administration is facing strong pressure from other major powers to act strongly on the arbitration ruling. Yasay disclosed, "Those who are concerned about ensuring freedom of navigation and maritime security in the place, they seem to project the impression that if the decision will come out and it would be in our favor, they would like for us to make stronger statements."
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Without mentioning these major powers, Yasay alluded to the pressures from the United States and Japan for the Philippines to make strong statements on the arbitration ruling. But Yasay said that he was averse to the pressures from these major powers.
Activists hold a protest in front of the Chinese Consular Office in Manila on June 10, 2016. (NOEL CELIS/AFP/Getty Images)
There is, therefore, a strong likelihood that after the arbitration ruling, the Duterte administration will explore ways on how to resume talks with China in order to build a new model for Philippines-China relations. For the Duterte administration, the arbitration ruling should not be a hindrance to repair damaged political ties with China.
Thus, it is essential for China not to overreact on the arbitration ruling and to provide the Philippines a conducive environment to improve Philippines-China relations under the Duterte administration. If China overreacts by changing further the current situation in the South China Sea at the expense of Philippine security, the Duterte administration will face no choice but to succumb to the pressures of other major powers.
But if China reacts calmly on the arbitration ruling and assures the Philippines of its goodwill, the Duterte administration will continue to resist pressures from other major powers in order to build a new era for Philippines-China relations. Duterte is willing to talk to China, and China must read his lips.
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The purpose of the Olympics is to "contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practised without discrimination or any kind, in a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play." Current US rhetoric of building a wall, kicking Mexicans out, requiring Muslim citizens to be on a registry, and police brutality against black lives goes against the very fabric and purpose of the Olympics. A Chicago 2016 Olympics would have caused global concern in the international community due to US police racial profiling and stop and frisk tactics. Olympians from black, brown, and Muslim countries would surely be racially profiled. Remember what the NYPD did to Olympian James Blake? Due to the death of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, the Bahamas, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain issued travel warnings to its citizens traveling in the US, especially if they encounter the police.
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Other western capitalist countries do not allow citizens or law enforcement to use guns. America's gun fascination scares the rest of the modern western world. The last Olympics held on US soil, Eric Rudolph detonated a bomb. Ted Kaczynski, Andrew Joseph Stack, Timothy McVeigh, Terry Nichols, and Bruce Ivins committed some of the worst attacks on American soil. All white men labeled as lone wolves. Yet, former NYC mayor Giuliani and former Congressman Joe Walsh indicts all black people and Black Lives Matter if one black person commits a crime that injures a police officer. Eric Frein hunted police for over 48 days and no shots were fired when he was captured alive. Philando Castile informs police that he has a licensed weapon and is shot on sight in front of his child. What Micah Johnson did in Dallas was unspeakable, but the entire black community has been indicted as a danger to society by politicians and people in authority. Police officers have been caught involved with white power movements, yet black people are told that we are making an issue of nothing.
Would Chicago's crime rate be this high if it won the 2016 Olympic bid? Heck no. After Obama's 2008 presidential win, Daley, then Chicago mayor, assumed Chicago would be a shoe in to win the 2016 Olympics. Daley's "Teflon Don" demeanor was not well received in the international community, especially the prime and proper IOC (International Olympic Committee). Daley had chosen Washington Park in the historic Bronzeville neighborhood as the site of the proposed Olympic Village.
As a Chicagoan, I wanted the Olympics because it would mean our CTA, public transit system, would be upgraded and expanded. Plus, the increased tourism had many condo and homeowners looking for a real estate windfall from rentals in the months leading to the Olympics. It would have been a feat if the city could pull it off. Unfortunately, the location was problematic.
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The Bronzeville community, although lined with beautiful Greystone homes and a history of black culture - Chicago's version of Harlem Renaissance - was prostitute and drug infected. I knew several young black professionals (urban pioneers as my friends called them) who bought homes there trying to restore the neighborhood to its former glory when Joe Louis called it home and the Beatles would come to hear the blues. The neighborhood was controlled by Daley's ally, former Alderman Dorothy Tillman who "after Daley was first elected, Tillman said that he was 'fostering racism in the city,' but eventually she and the Mayor reached a detente...by 2006 Tillman was voting with Daley two-thirds of the time." Once the city announced its bid, almost overnight police presence increased. Prostitutes and dealers virtually disappeared from street corners. The neighborhood plight changed and home values almost doubled.
Unfortunately, city and state politics along with Daley's "Teflon Don" tactics killed consideration. The State did not want to cough up money for improvements to city infrastructure saying it only benefited the city. If tourists came to Chicago for the Olympics, surely they would linger and visit Lincoln's Springfield, New Salem, and other points of interest. Without State financial support, Chicago could not improve the CTA, necessary to transport Olympians and tourists to venues. Shortly after Chicago was eliminated from consideration, the police presence in Bronzeville disappeared as quickly as it appeared.
In light of the Zika virus and political upheaval in Brazil, Chicago would have been the better choice. Some of you are skeptical. What about the violence, police brutality, and Laquan McDonald? Hosting the Olympics puts the eyes of the world on the city. The reputation of the city and host country are at stake. If Chicago was hosting the Olympics, Laquan McDonald's death would have caused international uproar over civil rights and the safety of Olympians. Other countries would be concerned if one of their citizens would be shoot by US police. During the Cold War, whenever the US tried to talk about the former Soviet Union's violation of human rights, the Soviets always countered with the hypocrisy of the US in light of its treatment of blacks and Native Americans. If Chicago had the Olympics, Michael Brown and Eric Garner deaths would have forced the US and state governments to re-evaluate policing procedure. I interviewed Minneapolis attorney-activist Nekima Levy-Pounds after Jamar Clark's death. Not a year later, Philando Castile is dead because nothing changed.
In 2008, Chicago's crime rate was nowhere near today's. Brazil promised that crime would not be an issue for hosting the Olympics. Brazil performed mass raids on the favelas, rounding up people and handing out long prison sentences. Chicago would have done the same violating citizens' rights. However, it would have made the government respond due to global pressure over safety concerns. The discovery of Chicago police secret holding site, Homan Square, where people were detained for weeks and months without right to counsel or trial would have had the international community outraged if only out of concern for Olympians safety. Chicago has a well-documented history of police torturing confessions for crimes citizens did not commit. Remember Anthony Abbate, the Chicago cop that viciously beat a female bartender, threatening to do more of the same if she filed a report. The brothers in blue stood in solidarity at court hearings for one of their own in spite of damning video evidence.
At least the Olympics would have cast a global eye on police brutality and forced the US to deal with it if only to protect Olympians. So much for the US being a place "with liberty and justice for all." No, all lives do not matter in the US when the color of your skin or size of your nose justifies the police in pulling you over and shooting you. It does not matter that you have a permit for your gun and that you live in an open carry state. The Olympic spirit of friendship, solidarity, and fair play does not exist in "mak[ing] America great again."
How are your local courts and jails funded? If your community is like most of America, chances are the criminal justice system itself has become a revenue collection service - with problematic results. Every state except Alaska, North Dakota, and DC has increased civil and criminal fees since 2010. Many charge for services that are constitutionally required and were once free. As states and local governments have felt the pinch from the 2008 economic crash, they have turned to fines and fees to fill in budget gaps. The most famous example is in Ferguson, Missouri. The U.S. Justice Department's investigation of the Ferguson Police Department exposed how the department collects fines and fees not for the sake of public safety, but to raise money for city government. The FPD revenue targets in 2015 accounted for 20% of the city's operating budget. Or listen to Jared Thornburg, in Westminister, Colorado. He was ticketed for making an illegal left turn. But because he had lost his job after a serious workplace injury, he couldn't pay the ticket. He found a new job - but the day before he started, he was arrested for not paying the fines, which had escalated from $165 to $306. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail, which cost that city $70 per night. As Jared points out, "It cost the taxpayers more than what my fine was for and it just wasted 10 days of my life." It adds up to what Bill Mauer, from the Institute of Justice, calls "taxation by citation." This reliance on fines and fees to cover fiscal gaps brings along with it four main problems. First, it distracts from public safety. Consider Ferguson, again. The Justice Department report found that the need to collect money "compromised the institutional character of Ferguson's police department, contributing to a pattern of unconstitutional policing." It also raises concerns about due process at the municipal court, and led to horrible relationships between law enforcement and the African American community who bore the brunt of the fees. A 2013 study from the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators said law enforcement officials spend too much time pursuing people who have had licenses suspended - often for failure to pay fines - rather than enforcing safe driving. Law enforcement is a tough enough job without asking cops to be debt collectors, too. When we put that kind of pressure on our criminal justice system, it changes the incentives for everyone involved and corrupts our system of law. Second, reliance on fines and fees is inefficient - and, surprisingly, can actually cost more. The State of Washington saw a net gain of less than $6 million in 2006 despite collecting $21 million. In Washington, one man was jailed for two weeks for missing $60 in court payments, and in Ohio, a woman was held in jail for over a month for an unpaid legal debt of $250 - even though it can cost more than $100 per night to incarcerate someone. In 13 percent of 2008 incarcerations for unpaid debts in Rhode Island, the cost of jail exceeded the amount owed. The truth is few states evaluate whether such systems cost more than they bring in. The Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank, is currently working with the Brennan Center under a grant from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation to conduct a fiscal impact study to measure when approaches to issuing and collecting fines and fees makes financial sense. This is invaluable research that will change lives. Just imagine if Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, had done the math before it jailed 246 people in 2009 in an attempt to ward off a budget deficit and state austerity cuts. They collected only $33,476, while spending more than $40,000 on jail terms. Third, extensive fines and fees are completely counter-productive. According to the Brennan Center, a non-partisan public policy institute focused on issues of democracy and justice, fines and fees make it harder for people to reenter society after jail, because they often start out with justice system debt around their neck, and increases the rate at which people who have served time end up back behind bars. The Brennan Center and the ACLU both point out that incarcerating people who have no money actually makes it harder for them to repay their debts, and hold down a steady job. In short, using fines and fees to pay for regular expenses results in a rehabilitation system that doesn't rehabilitate, and a revenue system that can cost more than it rakes in. Last but not least, the fines and fees fiasco makes life miserable for everyone. One of the plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit challenging this system is a woman who was given a two-page list of improvements to complete on her house within 30 days or receive tickets from the city. 83 years old and on a limited budget, there was no way she could comply. When we start filling budget gaps with fines and fees, it perverts our system of justice, erodes communities, and can even make fiscal situations worse. Hopefully our state and local officials take notice.
Dear Secretary Clinton:
I write to urge you, while you are in my hometown, Philadelphia, for the Democratic National Convention, to choose Vice President Joe Biden to be your running mate. His qualities are those that can assure your success.
I write as a very strong supporter, one who is deeply afraid of the consequences if you lose this election in these perilous and unpredictable times. You are the only candidate I trust to be commander in chief, communicate with world leaders, and safeguard our economy. Now is not the time to take chances. Now is the time for proven and experienced leadership.
You well know that the candidate one selects while alone in a voting booth is a matter of both head and heart. Your Republican opposition has pitched successfully to the fears and disorientation of the millions who have been traumatized by endless catastrophic events, compounded by the extraordinary fast paced changes in our society on every conceivable front that all are asked to cope with and adjust to.
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Of all of your opposition, Donald Trump has most skillfully translated this growing fear, and its accompanying feelings of displacement and insignificance, into support. After a six-year period of studying and publishing about the impact of societal and personal burnout resulting from extraordinary change, I well understand why Trump has been so effective; and I have written in The Huffington Post and elsewhere, when his candidacy has been considered a joke, to take his appeal and strength very, very seriously.
This said, I am grateful that you are now addressing the issues of the lack of trust and likability that have hounded you for far too long. You have stopped blaming the Republican attacks (although vicious and pitching to the worst possible instincts) and the right-wing conspiracy (although the right wing has been out to destroy you and your husband's commitments throughout your public lives), and you are taking responsibility for some of your own actions and decisions that have hurt you. Now is the time when you must show the voters who your really are, what you believe in, and how deeply you care about them.
Following are Twelve Reasons why Joe Biden's proven record and demonstrated qualities can help your beliefs, competency, and caring personality to reach our public:
1. Continuity: President Obama has in many respects treated Biden like a Co-President. He has been met with regularly, consulted with constantly, and has been part of all major decisions the President has made.
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2. Familiarity: Joe Biden has been completely vetted and is exceedingly well known and respected. His selection will bring no surprises that may distract from necessary issues to be faced.
3. Affection and Respect: Joe Biden has dealt with the demands of the office and his family responsibilities with depth, clear thinking, and timely consideration. His wife, Dr. Jill Biden, is respected for her personal and professional commitments as well. Our nation mourned with the Biden family when their treasured oldest son, Beau, the former attorney general of Delaware, died of brain cancer at age 46.
4. Impulse Control Challenge: To be candid, Secretary Clinton, your devotion to President Clinton is both clear and admirable. However, our charismatic and brilliant former President's lack of impulse control (when there is something he feels strongly about -- and he supports you, realizes your far reaching abilities as no one else can, and wants you to win with every fiber of his being!) was demonstrated again recently in his airport conversation with Attorney General Loretta Lynch, a meeting that did damage to both you and the Attorney General. This aspect of your husband's personality will be tempered with Biden (ever your colleague, never your rival) by your side.
5. Entitlement Challenge: I join millions who see you as one who has had to manage so very, very much, and well understand why you have made certain choices. However, far too many see you and President Clinton as viewing yourselves above the laws others must follow. Jill and Joe Biden, on the other hand, are seen as like us, struggling with the same challenges and losses, and trying to rebuild when calamity hits. This perception will help others see you this way also. For you truly are.
6. Confusion Challenge: It is so difficult for many to understand all you have gone through, sacrificed, and endured to be successful. And so, as you well know, many are confused by some personal choices and decisions (most are private - none of anyone's business!), and unable to identify with you, are therefore unable to see themselves in you. Sadly, this is translated into not liking you. With Joe Biden by your side, you will be seen as who you are, and this confusion will melt away.
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7. Envy and Jealousy Challenge: Success does breed envy and jealousy of those who (understandably) wish similar attainment could be theirs. As a woman, this reaction is far more intense. Only the selfish, enraged or disturbed (or their combination) do not, in time, stop comparing their lives to others, and make peace with their realities. Once again, with Joe Biden at your side, you will be seen and appreciated as yourself. A younger, less experienced candidate, however, may compound this issue, especially in this dangerous and ugly period of time.
8. Maturity Issue: Joe Biden is also well suited to be President, which will reassure all. Yes, there are younger, appealing, marvelous candidates in the Democratic Party. Their time will come, and they can continue to serve, be recognized, and advance in other ways.
9. "What If?" and Too Horrible to Discuss: Joe Biden will not be learning on the job. He knows what a President faces. He knows the issues and the players. In these uncivilized, highly unpredictable times, if ever necessary, he could lead our country.
10. Timing: I do not have to tell you the importance of timing. I was a page at the Democratic Convention when President Kennedy received the nomination. One of the joys of my life occurred when the National Committee Woman of Maryland (where I was born), Dr. Mildred Otenasek, introduced me to then Senator Kennedy (who later directed me to the graduate school experience that has led to my professional life). I watched with the Maryland delegation as Kennedy chose Johnson, a former rival, to be his running mate. In much the same way, President Obama chose you as Secretary of State - for all you could bring and contribute. For parallel reasons the dire challenges of today make Joe Biden your wisest, most trusted choice.
11. Patriotism: Joe Biden and his family members are true patriots devotedly committed to serving our country. Prior to being stricken, Beau was getting ready to be deployed to Iraq. No candidate the Republicans select can match these years of individual and family service and devotion. The Biden family's demonstrated patriotism will strengthen your ticket enormously. (A rival's attempt to ridicule or demean Joe Biden or his family will lead to horrific backlash.) If you tell him why you and America need his continued service, he will join you.
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Amid of New York Men's Fashion Week frenzy, let's pause and celebrate 6 female models "tech-ing" over using fashion's powerful platform to encourage the women in STEM movement. With recent research showing women in code face huge gender prejudice barriers, it is timely to showcase the expert tech brains behind some of fashion's most celebrated faces.
1.LYNDSEY SCOTT
Photo courtesy of Lyndsey Scott
Alongside a stellar career modeling for fashion giants like Victoria's Secrets and Prada, Lyndsey Scott has been making headlines for her pioneering tech projects. Scott graduated from Amherst College with dual majors in Theater and Computer Science and has since developed a number of lifestyle and fashion apps such as Squarify. Programming credentials aside, Scott has also been commended for her efforts to promote diversity in the tech field.
2.KARLIE KLOSS
Photo courtesy of Alique
Karlie Kloss is a social media natural, the supermodel speaks fluent tech. Launched in 2015, her initiative Koding with Karlie provides 21 scholarships for young women to learn code at the Flatiron School in New York City. Kloss has always had a love for math and science and recently fronted Nike's fitness and fashion tech concept.
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3.ALINA BAIKOVA
Photo courtesy of Rayan Ayash
Hailing from Ukraine, Alina Baikova has walked the runway for the likes of Dior and Dolce & Gabbana. Baikova's career in tech blossomed last year when she came up with Alina's Flowers, an app available on iOS that allows users to design bouquets.
"The freshness is very important", she explained. The app sources flowers from the world's biggest flower market in Amsterdam. Bouquets can be delivered freshly-cut almost anywhere in Europe within 24 hours. A bespoke floristry experience Baikova points out is anything but commercial. Perhaps this is best demonstrated by her commitment to donate floral centerpieces to AMFAR Gala at Cannes Film Festival and the Leo DiCaprio Foundation Gala in 2015.
4.ANINA
Photo courtesy of Thomas Paquet
"As a fashion model, my lifeline was my cellphone", this is how Beijing-based Anina.net credits her unique insights into the fashion tech industry. After a successful career modeling for Sonia Rykiel, Ferragamo and more, she has established herself globally as an expert in wearable technology. Anina is the Founder of the 360Fashion Network and develops state-of-the-art tech products such as solar powered bags and 3D printed prosthetics. For over a decade, she has been helping brands adopt innovations such as 360 video.
5.JESSICA PEREZ
Photo courtesy of Jessica Perez
Costa Rican Jessica Perez has been gracing the pages of the world's major glossies for over a decade from Marie Claire to l'Officiel. Perez recently developed Tycoon, an app that helps models organize their finances around an often chaotic, fast-paced, international career. The app supports freelance models with fiscal difficulties and even has features that enable users to deduct commissions and taxes from gross income.
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6.TERESA MOORE
Photo courtesy of Teresa Moore
As an African American woman, my mother Elizabeth, had the traditional fear that all African American mothers have; a fatal interaction with police where one of her three sons would be shot or killed. My mother had another fear; that her police officer son would be killed on duty.
My brother David is now a retired Chicago police officer who used to patrol some of the most crime riddled areas of Chicago; the projects. David, my brother Micheal and I have had very animated discussions about policing and African American men. As a Stanford and Harvard graduate, I have a chip on my shoulder about being stopped by police which started while a was a high school student in Chicago. A friend and I were asked to get out of our vehicle by police while waiting for my mother in front her work place. We were parked legally but were drinking sodas out of brown paper bags. The police asked us to get on the ground, face down.
A crowd gathered and luckily my mother came out of her office building just in time to ask the officer what was going on. The officer said your son and his friend were drinking alcohol in this vehicle. My mother said "impossible." When the police officer finally took a whiff of our two sodas, he knew he was in the wrong. The police officer took my mother aside, allowed us to get off the ground and drive away with my mother. In the car on the way home, my mother gave us the "be compliant" with police narrative. I was humiliated, but my mother feared for my life and was doing the best she could.
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My brother David became a police officer in spite of the fact he was harassed by police in our neighborhood in the 1970's. He was constantly stopped in his Ford Gran Torino because the probable cause was he did not look like he belonged in that vehicle because of his age. My mother worked for Ford and co-signed for my brother to get the car. David had every right to be in his Gran Torino. Worse, his car was often searched for drugs when he was stopped.
Every day when David went to work as a police officer in the projects of Chicago my mother's additional fear manifested itself. Would her son return from the soup of black-on-black crime in Chicago?
Research for this article was provided by Samuel Patterson, a recent graduate of Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.
Theresa May, slated to become the next British Prime Minister, joins a small--but hopefully--growing list of women holding the highest office in the land. Theresa May would become the second woman prime minister in the United Kingdom following in the footsteps (or heel steps) of another conservative woman leader, Margaret Thatcher, the so-called "Iron Lady" who reigned from 1975 to 1990. Leaving aside the Queen, the UK needs a good woman to deal with Brexit and other problems.
We can glean a lot about the state of the world by looking at statistics about women and political power. In fact, if you look at the most powerful position in the world -- that of President or Prime Minister, women are certainly not occupying these jobs at the same rate as men. Not even close.
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There are 195 countries in the world, and less than two dozen women leading them. Half of those women are the first ones to hold their country's highest office. Most countries have never had a female president or prime minister, including the United States. Historically, 63 of 142 nations studied by the World Economic Forum have had a female head of government or state at some point in the half-century preceding 2014. However, in nearly two-thirds of those nations a woman was in power for less than four of the 50 years. And in 11 countries (17%), a woman led for less than a year.
Theresa May joins a list of strong women leaders in Europe--one of the strongest continents in regards to women at the top of national governments. Angela Merkel is a household name representing Germany. Iceland is currently led by a male, but its record on female leadership is pretty good. As of 2014, Iceland had had a female president and/or a prime minister during 20 of the past 50 years, the fourth-most in the world. Finland and Norway rank close behind, with 12 and 11 years, respectively.
(Norway currently has its second woman running the country - Erna Solberg, since 2013.) Denmark did elect a female head of government in 2011 - Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt but she lost her re-election in 2015. Poland gets high marks. It is on its third woman prime minister with Beata Szydlo. Pretty impressive. And tiny Malta is on its second woman leader, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca.
What Theresa May probably knows is that women often don't get the name recognition and historic credit they deserve with the exception of people like India's Indira Gandhi or Israel's Golda Meir. Today, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite is not only the country's first female leader, but also the first president to be re-elected to a second term. Croatia has its first female president, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, elected in 2015-- the youngest president to date.
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Some countries are in desperate need of female leadership. Take Turkey. It can claim Tansu Ciller as the 30th prime minister and its only female leader. But her term began in 1993 and ended 20 years ago. Hardly a good showing for a nation that many claim is on the rise.
One European country with no history of women running the place is Russia. Think what you will about Ukraine's Yulia Tymonshenko, at least that country had a female leader - as did some of the other former Soviet countries, including Kyrgyzstan.
If you want to see some great female leadership, travel to sub-Saharan Africa. There, women have made significant gains, particularly at the parliamentary representation level. Indeed, the most successful social movement in Africa in recent decades has been the women's movement, particularly in policy and parliaments. Ellen Sirleaf Johnson paved the way in Liberia. Other female leaders have been appointed or served in an acting capacity in Senegal, Mauritius, Mali and the Central African Republic. Africa's traditionally strong legacy of female leaders in pre-colonial traditions, combined with the recent parliamentary and cabinet gains across the continent, is a very positive indication of Africa's direction. But it definitely needs more good women at the top of the political ladder.
Asia is an interesting story of rising female leadership with South Korea and President Park Geun-hye elected in 2013. Taiwan is setting the pace with the recent election of Tsai Ing-wen, the country's first female president. Early in the 2016 Taiwanese election, it looked as though both parties might run female presidential candidates.
The world knows Aung San Suu Xi of Myanmar, who has paved the way for many female leaders in that part of the world. In 2015, after decades in the opposition, often under house arrest, she led her party to victory in a landslide free election. Although the new head of state is male, it is the first civilian leader of the country--a democratic step that Aung San Suu Xi made possible.
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A bad news story for female leadership right now is the Americas with the suspension of Brazilian president, Dilma Rousseff, in May and others falling from power. Argentina recently saw off Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, the first elected female president of Argentina, elected in 2007. In Peru, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski just beat Keiko Fujimori in an election that was almost too close to call. After electing its first female prime minister, Trinidad and Tobago now have a male leader in newly installed Keith Rowley and Jamaica's female leader, Portia Simpson Miller, lost her seat. Chilean President Michelle Bachelet is hanging on, but a sluggish economy is pulling her poll numbers down. (Bachelet is not only that country's first female president - now serving a second, non-consecutive term - but also a powerful voice for women all around the world.) A major holdout in the Americas - one of the countries that has never had a woman running the place -- is Mexico.
The worst place for female leadership is the Middle East and the Gulf. From Damascus to Doha, from Baghdad to Beirut and many places in-between, we have not, with the exception of Israel, seen many female heads of state. That should tell us something about the lack of progress for women in these societies. Whether it is education, political rights, law, health or freedom of expression, the countries of the Gulf and the Middle East have strong female activists and advocates but not heads of state.
2015 was not a banner year for women and global leadership. According to UN Women and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the political participation of women across the board remains spotty and limited, with much progress still to be made on gender equality which is critical for global development.
The big question for 2016 -- will the United States break with history and elect its first woman president? Will it follow the British lead? Will it be more like Canada to the north, which has had a female leader, and less like Mexico to the south in terms of women at the top of the political pyramid? Electing a woman as U.S. president could change the balance of power in the world - or certainly the balance sheet on global female leadership. If we are truly a role model, others may follow suit. For now, all eyes are on London.
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By Gordon Brown
Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; UN Special Envoy for Global Education and Chair of the Education Commission
Across the globe - from Tahrir Square in Cairo to Dupont Circle in Washington DC - more and more young people are coming to recognise a widening gap between what they aspire to achieve and what reality will deliver. Aware they are illiterate, not because of their failings but because of ours, the young are joining together in a movement demanding their right to an education. These civil rights campaigns, often led by young people themselves, emphasize the need to remove children from exploitation - from the strains of child labour to the stresses of child marriage. And having promised free universal primary and secondary education for all, it is time for us to respond.
The last half century of education promises betrayed means we cannot sit idly by hoping national governments, from those in Africa to Asia, finally achieve our aims. For while governments are the principal duty-holders, the responsibility to act - to find a way - and secure education rights extends to the international community. Indeed the responsibility rests with us all as international obligations can best be secured by a global groundswell.
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That is why the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity (the Education Commission), is set to agree on innovative new obligations - a new responsibility to provide - that will balance the rights and duties of both national governments and the international community. This Commission has been championed by Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg drawing strength from her leadership as co-convenor alongside the Presidents of Malawi, Indonesia, Chile and the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova. And now, this Commission has embarked on a year's work to construct a new and innovative financing case to ensure every single child is in school by 2030.
The statistics confronting the Commission are a reminder of both the scale of the challenge and what is at stake. There are 124 million children out-of-school globally. Among them, 60 million primary school-age children are deprived of an education due to conflicts and emergencies - 30 million of whom are caught in the crossfire. The Syrian Civil War alone has disrupted the education of some 6 million adolescents, half a million of whom are deprived of a higher education. None of this is to speak of the millions of children in school who receive an education inadequate for this century's challenges.
Promises have been made before. In 1990, we made a promise guaranteeing every child a place in primary school. In 2000, we pledged that by 2015 every of-age child will have completed primary education. And last year, we went further saying, by 2030, of-age children will see the promise of universal secondary education fulfilled. Based on current trends, this last guarantee is likely to be met a full century behind schedule in 2130.
Our failure to deliver an education for refugees and displaced children is not accidental but, in part, the result of a flawed aid system.
Our failure to deliver an education for refugees and displaced children is not accidental but, in part, the result of a flawed aid system. Trapped between humanitarian budgets that inevitably focus on food and shelter, and development aid earmarked for times of peace and not crisis, out-of-school children fall off the agenda. In turn, less than 2 per cent of global humanitarian aid goes to education. To stay the course would be unacceptable.
So what we need is nothing short of an education revolution. As a starting point, the Education Commission - through the generous support of the Norwegian Government - has summoned two dozen global leaders, among them five former heads of government and three Nobel Prize recipients, who are unequivocal in stating education is a basic human right. We are developing a new approach to finance that will ensure every child - irrespective of location, race or wealth - is guaranteed a free education, and that if that child works hard enough the runway to their future is limitless. We know that when a teacher and a child come together in a classroom, we get more than knowledge creation - we see hope come alive. For it is our belief that education should equalise opportunities and incentivise courageous, novel thinking.
An education secures chances and opportunities while humanising us all. Aside from our basic humanity, schooling should be our common denominator.
It has been said that we are not optimists but we live with hope. I say we can be both. We can secure and provide basic minimums necessary to live such as water, food, shelter - often the international community succeeds in these areas. And we can also exercise rights that push us forward. Food keeps you alive but schooling advances the human cause. An education secures chances and opportunities while humanising us all. Aside from our basic humanity, schooling should be our common denominator.
We should all be able to live with a little less fear of what the future holds, a little more certainty that potential can be unleashed. This will be the ladder we come to climb. Recognising the education imperative, any meaningful ladder of opportunity must codify primary and secondary education as universal rights. If and when governments fail to act, this declaration will be held high. But make no mistake, these victories will be hard won.
Ladders of opportunity have taken us to the summits of mountains, the tops of skyscrapers, and into the very beginnings of the cosmos. And when this ladder is born in the classroom, the rungs lead us into an atmosphere of opportunity and monumental achievements. These ladders remove humanity from the sludge of ignorance instead placing us on firm ground from which we can make our ascent. But before we climb to these unimaginable heights, we all must take that first step into the classroom.
Gordon Brown
Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; UN Special Envoy for Global Education and Chair of the Education Commission
Of U.S. Military Interventions, Alien Disaster Movies, and 'Star Wars'
Cross-posted with TomDispatch.com
Perhaps youve heard the expression: We have met the enemy and he is us. Cartoonist Walt Kellys famed possum, Pogo, first uttered that cry. In light of alien disaster movies like the recent sequel Independence Day: Resurgence and Americas disastrous wars of the twenty-first century, Id like to suggest a slight change in that classic phrase: we have met the alien and he is us.
Allow me to explain. I grew up reading and watching science fiction with a fascination that bordered on passion. In my youth, I also felt great admiration for the high-tech, futuristic nature of the U.S. military. When it came time for college, I majored in mechanical engineering and joined the U.S. Air Force. On graduating, I would immediately be assigned to one of the more high-tech, sci-fi-like (not to say apocalyptic) military settings possible: Air Force Space Commands Cheyenne Mountain.
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For those of you who dont remember the looming, end-of-everything atmosphere of the Cold War era, Cheyenne Mountain was a nuclear missile command center tunneled out of solid granite inside an actual mountain in Colorado. In those days, I saw myself as one of the good guys, protecting America from alien invasions and the potential nuclear obliteration of the country at the hands of godless communists from the Soviet Union. The year was 1985 and back then my idea of an alien invasion movie was Red Dawn, a film in which the Soviets and their Cuban allies invade the U.S., only to be turned back by a group of wolverine-like all-American teen rebels. (Think: the Vietcong, American-style, since the Vietnam War was then just a decade past.)
Strange to say, though, as I progressed through the military, I found myself growing increasingly uneasy about my good-guy stature and about who exactly was doing what to whom. Why, for example, did we invade Iraq in 2003 when that country had nothing to do with the attacks of 9/11? Why were we so focused on dominating the Earths resources, especially its oil? Why, after declaring total victory over the alien commies in 1991 and putting the Cold War to bed for forever (or so it seemed then), did our military continue to strive for global reach, global power and what, with no sense of overreach or irony, it liked to call full-spectrum dominance?
Still, whatever was simmering away inside me, only when I retired from the Air Force in 2005 did I fully face what had been staring back at me all those years: I had met the alien, and he was me.
The Alien Nature of U.S. Military Interventions
The latest Independence Day movie, despite earning disastrous reviews, is probably still rumbling its way through a multiplex near you. The basic plot hasnt changed: ruthless aliens from afar (yet again) invade, seeking to exploit our precious planet while annihilating humanity (something that, to the best of our knowledge, only we are actually capable of). But we humans, in such movies as in reality, are a resilient lot. Enough of the plucky and the lucky emerge from the rubble to organize a counterattack. Despite being outclassed by the aliens shockingly superior technology and awe-inspiring arsenal of firepower, humanity finds a way to save the Earth while -- you wont be surprised to know -- thoroughly thrashing said aliens.
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Remember the original Independence Day from two decades ago? Derivative and predictable it may have been, but it was also a campy spectacle -- with Will Smiths cigar-chomping military pilot, Bill Pullmans kickass president in a cockpit, and the White House being blown to smithereens by those aliens. That was 1996. The Soviet Union was half-a-decade gone and the U.S. was the planets sole superpower. Still, who knew that seven years later, on the deck of an aircraft carrier, an all-too-real American president would climb out of a similar cockpit in a flight suit, having essentially just blown part of the Middle East to smithereens, and declare his very own mission accomplished moment?
In the aftermath of the invasion of Afghanistan and the shock and awe assault on Iraq, the never-ending destructiveness of the wars that followed, coupled with the U.S. governments deployment of deadly robotic drones and special ops units across the globe, alien invasion movies arent -- at least for me -- the campy fun they once were, and not just because the latest of them is louder, dumber, and more cliche-ridden than ever. I suspect that theres something else at work as well, something thats barely risen to consciousness here: in these years, weve morphed into the planets invading aliens.
Think about it. Over the last half-century, whenever and wherever the U.S. military deploys, often to underdeveloped towns and villages in places like Vietnam, Afghanistan, or Iraq, it arrives very much in the spirit of those sci-fi aliens. After all, it brings with it dazzlingly destructive futuristic weaponry and high-tech gadgetry of all sorts (known in the military as force-multipliers). It then proceeds to build mothership-style bases that are often like American small towns plopped down in a new environment. Nowadays in such lands, American drones patrol the skies (think: the Terminator films), blast walls accented with razor wire and klieg lights provide force protection on the ground, and the usual attack helicopters, combat jets, and gunships hover overhead like so many alien craft. To designate targets to wipe out, U.S. forces even use lasers!
In the field, American military officers emerge from high-tech vehicles to bark out commands in a harsh alien tongue. (You know: English.) Even as American leaders offer reassuring words to the natives (and to the public in the homeland) about the U.S. military being a force for human liberation, the message couldnt be more unmistakable if you happen to be living in such countries: the aliens are here, and theyre planning to take control, weapons loaded and ready to fire.
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Other U.S. military officers have noticed this dynamic. In 2004, near Samarra in Iraqs Salahuddin province, for instance, then-Major Guy Parmeter recalled asking a farmer if hed seen any foreign fighters about. The farmers reply was as simple as it was telling: Yes, you. Parmeter noted, You have a bunch of epiphanies over the course of your experience here [in Iraq], and it made me think: How are we perceived, who are we to them?
Americans may see themselves as liberators, but to the Iraqis and so many other peoples Washington has targeted with its drones, jets, and high-tech weaponry, we are the invaders.
Do you recall what the aliens were after in the first Independence Day movie? Resources. In that film, they were compared to locusts, traveling from planet to planet, stripping them of their valuables while killing their inhabitants. These days, that narrative should sound a lot less alien to us. After all, would Washington have committed itself quite so fully to the Greater Middle East if it hadnt possessed all that oil so vital to our consumption-driven way of life? Thats what the Carter Doctrine of 1980 was about: it defined the Persian Gulf as a U.S. vital interest precisely because, to quote former Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitzs apt description of Iraq, it floats on a sea of oil.
Of Cold War Memories and Imperial Storm Troopers
Whether anyone notices or not, alien invasion flicks offer a telling analogy when it comes to the destructive reality of Washingtons global ambitions; so, too, do space operas like Star Wars. Im a fan of George Lucass original trilogy, which appeared in my formative years. When I saw them in the midst of the Cold War, I never doubted that Darth Vaders authoritarian Empire in a galaxy far, far away was the Soviet Union. Werent the Soviets, whom President Ronald Reagan would dub the evil empire, bent on imperial domination? Didnt they have the equivalent of storm troopers, and wasnt it our job to contain that threat?
Like most young Americans then, I saw myself as a plucky rebel, a mixture of the free-wheeling, wisecracking Han Solo and the fresh-faced, idealistic Luke Skywalker. Of course, George Lucas had a darker, more complex vision in mind, one in which President Richard Nixon, not some sclerotic Soviet premier, provided a model for the power-mad emperor, while the lovable Ewoks in The Return of the Jedi -- with their simple if effective weaponry and their anti-imperial insurgent tactics -- were clearly meant to evoke Vietnamese resistance forces in an American war that Lucas had loathed. But few enough Americans of the Cold War-era thought in such terms. (I didnt.) It went without question that we werent the heartless evil empire. We were the Jedi! And metaphorically speaking, werent we the ones who, in the end, blew up the Soviet Death Star and won the Cold War?
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How, then, did an increasingly gargantuan Pentagon become the Death Star of our moment? We even had our own Darth Vader in Dick Cheney, a vice president who actually took pride in the comparison.
Think for a moment, dear reader, about the optics of a typical twenty-first-century U.S. military intervention. As our troops deploy to places that for most Americans might as well be in a galaxy far, far away, with all their depersonalizing body armor and high-tech weaponry, they certainly have the look of imperial storm troopers.
Im hardly the first person to notice this. As Iraq war veteran Roy Scranton recently wrote in the New York Times, I was the faceless storm trooper, and the scrappy rebels were the Iraqis. Ouch.
American troops in that country often moved about in huge MRAPs (mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles) described to me by an Army battalion commander as ungainly and un-soldier like. Along with M1 Abrams tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles, those MRAPs were the American equivalents of the Imperial Walkers in Star Wars. Such vehicles, my battalion commander friend noted drolly, were not conducive to social engagements with Iraqis.
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Its not the fault of the individual American soldier that, in these years, hes been outfitted like a Star Wars storm trooper. His equipment is designed to be rugged and redundant, meaning difficult to break, but it comes at a cost. In Iraq, U.S. troops were often encased in 80 to 100 pounds of equipment, including a rifle, body armor, helmet, ammunition, water, radio, batteries, and night-vision goggles. And, light as they are, lets not forget the ominous dark sunglasses meant to dim the glare of Iraqs foreign sun.
Now, think how that soldier appeared to ordinary Iraqis -- or Afghans, Yemenis, Libyans, or almost any other non-Western people. Wouldnt he or she seem both intimidating and foreign, indeed, hostile and alien, especially while pointing a rifle at you and jabbering away in a foreign tongue? Of course, in Star Wars terms, it went both ways in Iraq. A colleague told me that during her time there, she heard American troops refer to Iraqis as sand people, the vicious desert raiders and scavengers of Star Wars. If they seem like vicious aliens to us, should we be surprised that we just might seem that way to them?
Meanwhile, consider the American enemy, whether the Taliban, al-Qaeda, or any of our other opponents of this era. Typically unburdened by heavy armor and loads of equipment, they move around in small bands, improvising as they go. Such terrorists -- or freedom fighters, take your pick -- more closely resemble (optically, at least) the plucky human survivors of Independence Day or the ragtag yet determined rebels of Star Wars than heavy patrols of U.S. troops do.
Now, think of the typical U.S. military response to the nimbleness and speed of such rebels. It usually involves deploying yet more and bigger technologies. The U.S. has even sent its version of Imperial Star Destroyers (we call them B-52s) to Syria and Iraq to take out rebels riding their version of Star Wars speeders (i.e. Toyota trucks).
To navigate and negotiate the complex human terrain (actual U.S. Army term) of planets like Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. troops call on a range of space-age technologies, including direction-finding equipment, signal intercept, terrain modeling, and satellite navigation using GPS. The enemy, being part of that human terrain, has little need for such technology to master it. Since understanding alien cultures and their peculiar human terrains is not its forte, the U.S. military has been known to hire anthropologists to help it try to grasp the strange behaviors of the peoples of Planet Iraq and Planet Afghanistan.
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Yet unlike the evil empire of Star Wars or the ruthless aliens of Independence Day, the U.S. military never claimed to be seeking total control (or destruction) of the lands it invaded, nor did it claim to desire the total annihilation of their populations (unless you count the carpet bombing fantasies of wannabe Sith Lord Ted Cruz). Instead, it promised to leave quickly once its liberating mission was accomplished, taking its troops, attack craft, and motherships with it.
After 15 years and counting on Planet Afghanistan and 13 on Planet Iraq, tell me again how those promises have played out.
In a Galaxy Far, Far Away
Consider it an irony of alien disaster movies that they manage to critique U.S. military ambitions vis-a-vis the "primitive" natives of far-off lands (even if none of us and few of the filmmakers know it). Like it or not, as the world's sole superpower, dependent on advanced technology to implement its global ambitions, the U.S. provides a remarkably good model for the imperial and imperious aliens of our screen life.
We Americans, proud denizens of the land of the gun and of the only superpower left standing, dont, of course, want to think of ourselves as aliens. Who does? We go to movies like Independence Day or Star Wars to identify with the outgunned rebels. Evidence to the contrary, we still think of ourselves as the underdogs, the rebels, the liberators. And so -- I still believe -- we once were, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
We need to get back to that time and that galaxy. But we dont need a high-tech time machine or sci-fi wormhole to do so. Instead, we need to take a long hard look at ourselves. Like Pogo, we need to be willing to see the evidence of our own invasive nature. Only then can we begin to become the kind of land we say we want to be.
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Kimberly-Clark's plant in Venezuela. CARLOS JASSO (REUTERS)
More information Venezuela toma la fabrica de panales y papel higienico Kimberly-Clark
The Venezuelan government says it has taken over a factory run by Kimberly-Clark following the US companys decision last week to suspend operations due to the worsening economic crisis in the South American country.
From this Monday, Kimberly-Clark will be opening its doors, we are going to protect workers, Oswaldo Vera, minister for labor social processes, told Venezuelan television channel Globovision.
By order of the president we are going to protect the workers of Kimberly-Clark Oswaldo Vera, minister for labor social processes
Kimberly-Clark produces lavatory paper, sanitary towels, disposable nappies and napkins, products that are increasingly difficult to find in a country suffering from shortages of all kinds, which often cause long lines outside supermarkets and pharmacies.
At the same time, US lender Citibank says it will close the accounts of the Central Bank of Venezuela and the Bank of Venezuela, used by the government of President Nicolas Maduro to make international transactions. Maduro described the move as a financial blockade.
Vera said that the decision to take control of Kimberly-Clark was in response to a request by workers at the plant, as well as on the orders of Maduro.
On Friday, the company closed its doors throwing thousands of workers onto the streets, and by order of the president we are going to protect the workers of Kimberly-Clark, he said.
Today, the machines will start again to reactivate the company and begin production in Venezuela, he said, adding: Companies that are closed will be occupied and opened by workers with the government.
Responding to the governments decision, the company added: If the Venezuelan government takes control of Kimberly-Clarks installations and operations, it will be responsible for the well-being of the workforce, as well as its assets and machinery, news agency Reuters reported.
On Sunday, Kimberly-Clark said it was suspending its operations in Venezuela indefinitely due to the continuous deterioration of economic and business conditions, according to US news channel CNN.
If the Venezuelan government takes control, it will be responsible for the well-being of the workforce Kimberly-Clark
Todays announcement is very difficult, particularly in light of the efforts of employees, who have worked diligently in the face of the challenges that exist to keep the business going, concluded the company.
In May, the Coca-Cola Company announced it would be ending production in the country because of sugar shortages.
The economic situation in Venezuela continues to worsen, hitting imports of basic goods required for food and drink processing.
US companies such as PepsiCo, General Motors and Ford also face serious problems due to the continued devaluation of Venezuelas currency.
The energy shortage has led to frequent and sustained blackouts throughout the country, prompting a breakdown of law and order, with riots in many areas of the country.
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The country has been hit hard by a drought that has seen water levels at the Guri dams Simon Bolivar hydroelectric power station, which produces 70% of the countrys power, fall drastically. Critics accuse the government, which took over the electricity sector in 2007, of mismanagement, failing to invest in alternative electricity generation and of corruption.They add that billions of dollars have been invested in the electric power industry in recent years to no apparent effect.
The government has sought to tackle the electricity shortages by reducing the working week to two days, as well as extending public holidays.
Venezuelas opposition says that the only way out of the crisis is through a change of government. It has called on Maduro to stand down, as well as for a recall referendum to formally depose him. It has already gathered more than 1.1 million signatures to support the referendum.
English version by Nick Lyne.
If Dajuan Harris Jr. is underrated, its not by those at Kansas
Venezuelans shopping at a supermarket in Cucuta, Colombia. SCHNEYDER MENDOZA
More information Colombia esta dispuesta a abastecer a los venezolanos, con previo aviso
In La Parada, the first Colombian neighborhood on the other side of the Simon Bolivar Bridge, one of the four land crossings between Colombia and Venezuela, drivers were having trouble finding passengers to fill the buses due to travel to border town Cucuta on Monday morning. It was a different story on Sunday.
On that day there were more passengers than seats, after President Nicolas Maduro had ordered border security agents to open the gate on Saturday night. The Venezuelan government closed the border in August 2015 as part of a crackdown on smuggling. But Maduros announcement on Saturday allowed some 35,000 Venezuelans to rush across the border to stock up on food, medicine and other goods that are in short supply in the South American country.
Sales rose by 190 percent compared to the usual amount of business done on a Sunday when the border is closed
But by Monday morning, the influx had subsided: there is no sign of the newcomers in Norte de Santander province, in northeast Colombia. Business in the local shops is just as slow as it was 11 months ago. Police, immigration officers and Colombian customs agents are keeping up their routine by checking travelers papers as they cross the border. Everything is as it was before, people keep saying.
There is a similar atmosphere on Sixth Avenue in downtown Cucuta. Residents are going about their usual business. Today we brought back the usual staff, says a manager at Los Montes supermarket. Thousands of Venezuelans shopped at the market on Sunday, spending the equivalent of two minimum wage salaries (15,000 bolivars a month, worth $15 dollars on the black market). On Monday morning, store clerks were working hard to restock shelves but it was just another ordinary day for other employees.
We want to tell President Santos that Venezuela cannot make these decisions unilaterally National federation of merchants chief Fenalco Cucuta
According to Fenalco Cucuta, the citys branch of the national federation of merchants, sales rose by 190 percent compared to the usual amount of business done on a Sunday when the border is closed. The next day, the organization met to write a report addressed to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. Although we have some scarcity issues because of the truck drivers strike, we can respond to situations like this, said Gladys Navarro, Fenalcos chief in the region. But we want to tell President Santos that Venezuela cannot make these decisions unilaterally.
Police, government workers and merchants all say they can maintain peace and order but there is uncertainty in their tone. Negotiations between the two countries continue and within 20 days the foreign ministers will meet, said Victor Bautista, an advisor on border issues at the Colombian Foreign Ministry. Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin announced on Monday morning that she will meet with her Venezuelan counterpart, Delcy Rodriguez, on August 4. The location of that meeting has not been announced.
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We hope that this meeting will be followed by others between the defense ministers and presidents, Holguin said.
Venezuelans who crossed the border on Sunday said they will do it as many times as they can. Businesses in Cucuta are still counting the profits they made on Sunday as the streets swarm with rumors that a similar situation might happen again. Neither country has said exactly how many of the 35,000 Venezuelans who crossed the border into Colombia returned home. The great majority, is the only clue Holguin gave to reporters.
English version by Dyane Jean Francois.
Indie Music Trade Groups A2IM, AIMP, CMPA Issue Joint Response To DoJ 100% Licensing Position
Condemnation of a new U.S. Department of Justice position allowing 100% licencing of songs has been nearly universal within the music publishing community. In a show of unity, three independent music trade groups have issued a joint response.
______________________________________________
Statement from the AIMP, A2IM and CMPA regarding the DoJ position on 100% licensing
We, the undersigned, represent the independent music publishing and record label community in North America, and want to lend our unified voice to the recent press and discussion regarding the outrageous position the Department of Justice (DoJ) has taken with regard to the ASCAP and BMI consent decrees.
The heart of the music business is the song. No recording artist would exist without a song, and songs would not exist without songwriters. The songwriters are the smallest of small businesses, and many of them control the ownership to their songs. A significant number of songwriters have entered into mutually beneficial agreements with music publishers who develop and promote their songs. The independent music publishing and record company sector is over one-third of the music industry in North America and employs thousands. While each company may vary in size and have relationships with major labels and/or music publishers, they all share the same independent DNA. The vibrant, diverse and dynamic music business we know today was built by songwriters, independent music publishers, and independent record labels but thats all about to change.
After spending a great deal of U.S. taxpayer money the last few years reviewing the 75-year-old consent decrees, holding public testimony on the various ways in which the anachronistic consent decrees should be updated to address the challenges of a digital economy, and apparently ignoring hundreds of public comments officially submitted to them, the DoJ determined both that the consent decrees should not be amended and that ASCAP and BMI should be forced to issue 100% licenses.
This position by the DoJ on 100% licensing is 100% wrong. The DoJs position will obstruct every level of the music business as songwriters creative processes will be impacted by which PRO their co-writers are signed with. In a world where songwriters, artists, music publishers and record companies are already being paid below market rates by tech companies that built their businesses by using our songs, the DoJ has opened the door for even lower payments. The DoJs decision reaches far beyond our shores and threatens our relationships with foreign writers, publishers and record companies. The DoJ has now unwittingly entered the creative process in the writing room and the recording studio. They do not belong there.
Independent songwriters, music publishers and recording artists deserve more than what we have received here. The DoJ and its largest supporter in its recent ruling, Public Knowledge, has propped up the media conglomerates at the expense of the entire music industry. We deserve fair market rates that are not regulated by the U.S. government and the ability to decide when and where our property is used. The DoJ cannot be permitted to decide that for us.
AIMP (Association of Independent Music Publishers), A2IM (American Association of Independent Music) and CMPA (Canadian Music Publishers Association) stand shoulder to shoulder in opposing this unfortunate DoJ decision on 100% licensing. The vast majority of music publishers, songwriters, labels, and recording artists are small- and medium-sized enterprises, and it is essential for them to be able to control the use of their copyrights in order to sustain their businesses and careers.
If we value music, we need to value those who create it.
Michael Eames Richard James Burgess, Ph.D. Jodie Ferneyhough
President CEO President
AIMP A2IM CMPA
ABOUT AIMP
The Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) was formed in 1977 by a group of Los Angeles music publishers, and has local chapters in Los Angeles, New York and Nashville collectively representing over 700 members. The organization's primary focus is to educate and inform music publishers about the most current industry trends and practices by providing a forum for the discussion of the issues and problems confronting the music publishing industry. The opportunity to exchange ideas and opinions with others on issues of mutual concern is fostered by the informal atmosphere of the AIMP's monthly meetings, forums, and workshops, the videos of which can be seen (along with more general info on the organization) at http://www.aimp.org
ABOUT A2IM
Celebrating its 11th anniversary, A2IM is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade organization headquartered in New York City representing a broad coalition of 391 Independently-owned American music labels. The organization represents these independently owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) interests in the marketplace, in the media, on Capitol Hill, and as part of the global music community. In doing so it supports a key segment of Americas creative class that represents Americas diverse musical cultural heritage. Billboard Magazine, using Nielsen SoundScan data, identified the Independent music label sector as 34.4 percent of the music industrys U.S. recorded music sales market in 2015 based on copyright ownership, making Independent labels collectively the largest music industry segment. For more information go to http://www.A2IM.org
ABOUT CMPA
The Canadian Music Publishers Association (CMPA) is a membership-based organization that ensures the views of music publishers working in Canada are heard. It is our mission to promote the interests of music publishers and their songwriting partners through advocacy, communication, and education. For more information go to http://www.musicpublisher.ca
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Ed. Nalbandian: Azerbaijan tries to ignore the reached agreements
Statement by Edward Nalbandian, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia at the Eastern Partnership Informal Dialogue Meeting of the Foreign Ministers Dear Pavlo, Dear Johannes, Dear Helga, Dear Colleagues, I would like to thank our Ukrainian colleague for hosting this informal ministerial dialogue. This year we already have met twice - in Prague and Brussels, sharing our vision in regard to the cooperation with European Union and perspectives of multilateral relationship within the Eastern Partnership. We hope the EU will be able to overcome the situation created by the Brexit soon. As for Armenia, we will continue our efforts to further develop and deepen the partnership with the European Union, EU member states as well as the UK. Months that passed since our last meeting in this format in Tbilisi were fruitful for the Armenia-EU cooperation. Negotiations on a new framework document between Armenia and the European Union were launched last December. This agreement will reflect the depth and essence of our bilateral relations and set new guidelines for enhanced and comprehensive partnership. Four rounds of negotiations have been held so far, recording a steady progress. Dear Colleagues, The outcomes of the Riga Summit and the Joint Declaration adopted in May 2015 provided a shared vision for our partnership and cooperation in coming years. Agreement on the participation of Armenia in the COSME Programme (for small and medium-sized enterprises) was signed last December. A month ago Armenia joined Horizon 2020 programme (for research and innovation). We envisage becoming soon a part to the Creative Europe Programme, (which offers a broader frame for cultural exchanges) and we also expect the negotiations on the Common Aviation Area agreement to start this year. The enhanced mobility remains one of the important prerequisites for making our societies closer. A month ago third meeting of the Joint Committees on monitoring the implementation of the Visa Facilitation and Readmission agreements took place in Yerevan. The parties highlighted their successful realization. We are looking forward to live up to our joint commitment to secure mobility and contacts between people by launching a Visa Liberalization Dialogue. Dear Colleagues, The Government of Armenia continues the reform process aimed at the consolidation and strengthening of the democratic institutions. On May 25th the National Assembly adopted the new Electoral Code. The Joint opinion of the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR recognized the tangible efforts made by the authorities to take into account the recommendations on the basis of broad engagement with domestic stakeholders and stated that the draft electoral code could provide an adequate basis for the conduct of democratic elections. To take an extra step forward the Government of Armenia continued to work with the opposition and civil society and a deal was signed between the Government and the representatives of the parliamentary opposition to introduce new amendments in order to conduct more fair, inclusive and transparent elections. In this context, let me note that we highly appreciate the EUs continued support and assistance provided to our country over the years, which has been instrumental for the effective implementation and sustainability of the reform process and institutional capacity building in Armenia. Dear Colleagues, The ENP Action Plan was our cooperation roadmap for the last decade. Now, after the ENP Review, we are looking forward to elaborating a new Partnership Priorities document that together with the new framework agreement will become the core of our enhanced political and economic cooperation with the EU. Dear Colleagues, Since we are here to discuss also the security challenges, I would like to bring to your attention recent developments regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. The Vienna and St. Petersburg Summits were first and foremost aimed at stabilizing the situation in the conflict zone in the aftermaths of large-scale military offensive unleashed by Azerbaijan against Nagorno-Karabakh in April, which was accompanied by the gross violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws. First of all, it is a necessity to implement what was particularly emphasized and agreed upon in the frameworks of the Summits in order to create conditions for the continuation of the negotiation process - the exclusively peaceful settlement of the conflict, the full adherence to the 1994-1995 trilateral ceasefire agreements, which do not have time limitations, the creation of mechanism for the investigation of ceasefire violations, the expansion of the team of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. Unfortunately, Azerbaijan after both Summits tries to ignore the reached agreements hindering the advancement of the peace process. Armenia will continue its efforts together with the Co-Chair countries aimed at exclusively peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Dear Colleagues, Giving full credit to the effectiveness of this setting in following up, discussing and moving forward the issues ahead of us, Armenia would like to host the next Eastern Partnership Informal Dialogue Meeting of the Foreign Ministers in Yerevan. We count on your consent in this regard and hope to make a meaningful contribution to our cooperation through the Yerevan meeting. Thank you.
A conversation with J. Patrick Gallagher Jr. is likely to leave one with no doubt as to why insurance is a worthy career path for young job seekers. Gallagher points to Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.s own internship program, which his father established in the 1960s.Well have 300 to 350 interns globally this year, he says. Were introducing young people and were basically saying, Youve got to look at this incredible industry. You can be an introvert and succeed; you can be the most extroverted salesperson and succeed. If youre a hardworking, smart person, this is the greatest business on earth.And why does Gallagher believe thats the case?Number one, its the most important business. Theres no global trade without insurance, he says. Number two, its huge. And number three, its incredibly lucrative. I dont know anybody in my career that was good at this industry that didnt get to the end of their career with enough money to put their kids through college and to retire comfortably.But theres one aspect of insurance that Gallagher says particularly piques the interest of young people.I was in New Orleans nine days after Katrina, he says. It looked like an atom bomb blew up. To put that in perspective, the area of damage, if it had happened in the UK, would have gone from Scotland to the English Channel. The federal government didnt put that town back together. The insurance industry put that town back together. And when we have an injured party, were the industry that takes them through the hospital and gets them back in their job. When your house burns down, we fix it. So what I say to young people is, What other industry can say that, at the end of the day, what they do is put peoples lives back together? And that resonates with young people.Gallagher himself began as an AJG intern in 1972. His grandfather, Arthur James Gallagher, founded the organization, and his father also worked in the brokerage.When I graduated from eighth grade in 1966, I went to work with my dad for a couple of weeks during the summer, Gallagher says, recalling his time spent working as a file boy. I came out of that thinking I really liked those people, and it seemed to be an exciting thing to do. My grandfather was also a huge proponent and would always tell me it was the best business on the planet I guess Im one of those guys who was lucky enough to find his way early on.He began working for the company full-time in 1974 as a production account executive, and was promoted to vice president of operations in 1985. Hes been president and CEO of AJG since 1995.Reflecting on two decades spent in the companys most senior leadership role, Gallagher identifies three standout achievements.Im very proud of the people Ive hired throughout my career, he says. Ive been very lucky to make some very good picks. Im also very proud of what those people have accomplished. One of the greatest blessings of my life is Ive been at the same place full-time for 42 years, and Im working with my best friends. That can be challenging, but its still very rewarding.Finally, Gallagher points to the culture hes helped build at AJG as one of his proudest accomplishments.We do feel like a smaller family enterprise, he says. Weve been able to keep that culture focused on our core values, which we refer to as the Gallagher Way. Those are the tenets written by my uncle in 1984, as we became public. I travel the world and visit our offices, and I can tell you, whether Im in an office in Australia or in Denver, that culture hangs together.And Gallagher believes that unique culture is what sets AJG apart from its competitors around the world.This is a very aggressive company, he says. We are out to tell people that they should trade with us, that were the best at advising them on their insurance, and we truly believe that. We believe were operating in the most important business on the planet.But despite outward competitiveness, Gallagher says, weve got a culture of teamwork. We get people who join us through the acquisition process and, within 30 days, theyre saying, I cant believe how supportive people are.Discussing todays landscape, Gallagher agrees with those who say the industry is changing at a faster pace than ever.I think its a heck of a challenge, he says, and thats a big part of the fun and a big part of the importance we play for our clients in helping them deal with a world thats becoming riskier, a world thats becoming closer and closer, and a world where information is attainable literally instantaneously. I think the big challenge in all of that for us is to make sure that we stay very much knowledgeable about the risks our clients face and are very good at continuing to be the best at helping them handle those risks.In spite of the rapid pace of change in the industry, Gallagher says AJG will continue to focus on the same four core areas that have led the company to become the third-largest insurance broker in the world.The first of those is organic growth. We dont like to lose clients, and we have a very good retention rate, Gallagher says. And we go out aggressively to get new clients every day.Number two, he continues, we want to convince the best operators in our business in the agency/brokerage/consulting world to join us through mergers and acquisitions. And believe me, theres a lot of competition. So when you see us announce an acquisition, they had a lot of choice, and Im proud that they chose to join us.
On-demand platforms such as Uber and Netflix allow consumers to hail a ride or watch their favorite shows whenever they want, however they choose; who would have thought that the insurance industry could also utilize the same systems?Ambitious insurance startups are playing around with apps and/or technologies that allow them to provide customizable insurance products directly to their customers. Not only are such features incredibly convenient, they also potentially omit insurance agents from the coverage shopping equation."Startups are seeing new opportunities to create brands that adjust to new lifestyle and locational trends, including those of millennials," said CB Insights senior research analyst Matthew Wong.One such startup that hopes to cater to the specific needs of millennials is Trov. The San Francisco-based companys app allows consumers to "protect just the things [they] want, exactly when [they] want, entirely from [their phones]" without the need for an agent or a long-term contract.Through Trovs app, users create an online inventory of their most valuable possessions. Once the inventory is completed, they can then swipe on the items that they want protected, then choose a price and deductible suitable to their financial conditions. Once a policy has been secured, customers may then submit their claims through text messages.The app can be used to insure just about anything, from insuring a laptop against the risk of loss or accidental damage, to a pair of skis for a weekend trip. The company then both bills and collects premiums through the app, sharing the portion of the proceeds with its insurance underwriting partner.Although based in the U.S., Trov has yet to offer its services to Americans. Trovs services are currently available in Australia, with plans to launch their app in the United Kingdom by the latter half of this year and the United States next year, reported Chicago Tribune.Insurance apps like Trov are expected to grow in popularity as more millennials look for alternative and flexible ways to secure coverage for their properties. While it is true that these apps make the role insurance agents play appear redundant, there are still those who prefer to purchase coverage with the help of a friendly and familiar face.
by Joe RosengartenSmall organizations across the United States are refraining from purchasing essential cyber coverage products. This is due to a common misconception held by smaller firms that, because theyre not operating in the big leagues, they are not going to be the target of an organized attack to capture their data or customers information.The truth is that no organization is too small to be impacted by cybercrime, and smaller companies are ignoring cyber policies at their peril. Whereas a larger organization may be able to absorb the costs of a cyberattack if theyre not adequately covered, for a smaller organization the consequences could be catastrophic. Theres a misconception that only bigger companies are targets and that cyber criminals are only interested in obtaining large volumes of credit card data or private information, explains Jeremy Barnett, Senior Vice President of Marketing at NAS Insurance Services.Standard CGL policies often have gaps that dont cover cyber exposure, and although saving a couple of thousand dollars by not buying a cyber policy may seem like a smart move, organizations who do this are opening themselves up to serious exposure and financial loss. Barnett believes that brokers have an important role to play in educating smaller clients about their cyber exposure and the nature of the policies on offer. A cyber liability policy goes much further than just protecting against a breach of customer data, Barnett says. Every organization, no matter the size, relies upon its network, the internet and the computers that employees use, and cyber liability policies cover all of those things, too.Even if an organization does not store credit card data or customer information, it is still at risk of having its computer network shut down by a virus or malware. Suddenly, that client has to halt operations, which impacts the bottom line and damages organizational reputation. A cyber liability policy protects against business interruption; thats the biggest risk and why companies of all sizes should be buying cyber liability policies, Barnett says. The policy will also help cover the costs associated with recovering the network, hiring technology experts and restoring data if it gets lost or corrupted.Its not just smaller organizations that are reluctant to purchase much-needed cyber coverage: some medium and large sized companies believe that their in-house IT departments have the capability to offer guaranteed protection. These companies are underestimating the reach and sophistication of the modern cybercriminal and showing a lack of understanding around impact of third party liability and first party expenses.Brokers have an important role to play in educating and then guiding their clients to a suitable cyber policy. In such a rapidly expanding market, brokers have a great opportunity to grow their business and become a trusted partner in the cyber segment.
Plans for redeveloping the non-gas gas station at Eagle and Canal got its first approval on Monday. The new store would be tucked into the corner of the lot with the pumps along Canal Street. The state is looking to upgrade the curvy intersection at Phelps Avenue and Route 2. Plans show the wider curve (in red) being reduced. The current path to the footbridge will be removed and replaced and the private drive on the right shifted west. PreviousNext
North Adams Gas Station Approved by Conservation Commission
Emily Stockman explains some of the changes at 140 Eagle St. to the Conservation Commission.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Plans to redevelop the corner of Canal and Eagle streets passed its first hurdle on Monday night.
The Conservation Commission accepted the Notice of Intent submitted by Thomas Frawley of Summit Distributing LLC, based in Lebanon, N.H., for a new convenience store and gas pumps at 140 Eagle St.
The city has been pressuring the owners to do something with the property, which hasn't had gas in years. A single small kiosk dating to the 1970s has been purveying cigarettes and other merchandise.
Summit, which is also redeveloping the Getty station in the West End, plans to tear down the kiosk and the pump canopies and build a new 1,400 square-foot convenience store tucked into the northeast corner of the 1/2-acre property. The new pumps would be on the Canal Street side, near the riverfront.
Emily Stockman, of Stockman Associates in Adams, said there were some areas of improvement that could be taken on the property.
"Rather than take advantage of the full degraded and impervious footprint they've been able to reduce the impervious surface by about 556 square feet," she said. "The other thing we've been able to do in compliance with [state law] is to meet the redevelopment standards for water."
There's currently invasive Norway maples on the property. Stockman said the plan is to install water-quality swales to direct the water flow to storm receptors and treatment centers. The areas would incorporate native plants with landscaping on the Eagle Street side, along Canal and in an odd corner on the southeast edge.
"We don't trigger anything for remediation," she said, calling the green areas "good faith" plantings. "There is no formal mitigation because we don't exceed the 10 percent and we're reducing the area."
MHF Design consultant Huseyin Sevincgil said the stormwater is currently draining directly into the flood control chute. With the swales and the new system, much of the water will be cleaned before exiting into the river.
"There's an existing retaining wall that was part of a factory ... we're keeping this wall intact and were positioning our station as close to the wall as possible and filling in behind," he said.
The commission approved the NOI with the caveat that it receive further documentation on three comments made by the Department of Environmental Protection regarding stormwater and infiltration.
Commissioner Andrew Kawczak wondered why the stockade fence and canopies were being painted if the whole thing was going to be demolished. Frawley said that had to do with the "other side" of City Hall and the owners desire to continue operations at the site.
The Planning Board has been considering whether the former BP station's permit is still active considering there's no gasoline being sold. The board also pushed back in April for the property to be cleaned up.
The site plan is expected to go before the planners next month. Frawley said he hoped to begin work this construction season.
"I think it's a fantastic improvement to that whole intersection," said Commissioner Jeffrey Meehan.
Mr. Tire will reopen as Vianor tire service this August. Planners were not impressed with owner Charles Fox's cleanup of the former RMV, asking that extraneous items be removed before approving a business to locate there. PreviousNext
Mister Tire Property to Reopen Under New Ownership
The Planning Board approved several new businesses but called on one to clean up the property first.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The Mister Tire property will reopen for tire service this August under new owners Vianor Inc.
The Planning Board approved a special permit request Monday for the change of ownership of Mister Tire, located at 558 Curran Highway.
"We are excited, and we have big shoes to fill," said Vianor President Jason Phelps.
Phelps said other than a fresh coat of paint and some interior changes, the business should be left mostly unchanged.
"We plan to continue the drive-through tire service like it has been done at this location since 1992," he said. "Hopefully, we can keep all the employees and continue to do business as it has been."
Longtime owner Larry Davis had run the business for 38 years until deciding to close up shop in June.
Vianor is a tire service chain with stores throughout New England, and one of the largest tire chains in the Nordic countries. Its parent is Nokia Tyres of Nokia, Finland, and it sells Nokia, Michelin and Bridgestone brands.
Phelps said a new unlighted sign will go up on the building after the front is painted a dark gunmetal gray to match Vianors branding and the new name on the lighted pole sign.
He added they plan to construct an interior waiting room and showroom area to separate customers from the garage.
The hours will remain the same: Weekdays from 8 to 5 and Saturdays from 8 to noon. The plan is to open by Aug. 8.
The board also approved, with some conditions, the application of Syed Jamal to open an electronic vapor cigarette shop at 420 Curran Highway.
Jamal said the store was first slotted for a location on Holden Street but because of a signage issue had to relocate. He was told to use one sign but instead installed two.
"We are going to be using the last sign as we did last time but just one sign," he said. "It was a misunderstanding."
However, tenants in the Holden Street building had objected strenuously to the vape shop because they had voted the building to smoke-free.
The owner of the Curran Highway property, Charles Fox, said it had been cleaned up.
"We have done extensive cleanup of the property, and as a matter of fact, all of the shrubs have been pruned down to a normal size," Fox said. "It has been significantly weeded, and one of our tenants who had a lot of unsightly stuff stored on the property was told to remove it."
Chairman Michael Leary thought otherwise.
"I beg the differ ... I don't know what your definition of trimming the shrubs was but it looks still pretty unsightly to me," Leary said. "The fencing is still falling apart, and on the inside of the building there are piles of junk and signs."
Fox said many of the items inside are from his partners antique business, which he said will be removed soon. He said other items inside are for the construction of a wall to subdivide the interior.
A dog training and day facility were approved in the same location in March with conditions that demanded the owner clean up the property.
Fox said the dog training tenants were going to install the fence to accommodate their use but the owner sustained a back injury and has yet to do this.
The board approved the request but only if Fox removed or replaced the fence and cleared the property of extraneous material. The planners will review the case in 60 days.
In other business, planners approved:
An application of Devin Kibbe and Deborah Raber to operate a yoga and fitness instruction business at 26 Holden St.
Raber said she will provide fitness instruction and Kibbe will provide yoga instruction.
"The fitness will all be low level, and there wont be any throwing weights around," Raber said. "It is more or less more functional movement for people to make feel better. That is my goal to help people in the community feel better."
A request from Cumberland Farms to add a temporary storage unit at 70 Ashland St.
Planner Brian Miksic said he believed the storage unit was needed to hold extra products. With the current construction of the new Cumberland Farms near the Mohawk Trail, the Ashland Street location has seen an upswing in business.
Leary said he was concerned about parking.
"It takes up three parking spaces in the lot that is already pretty congested on a regular basis," he said. "I worry about it because it is busy most of the time."
The storage container will be removed when the Cumberland Farms on the Mohawk Trail is completed this September.
Berkshire Banks Wealth Management Team Expanded
PITTSFIELD, Mass. Berkshire Bank has expanded its Wealth Management team through appointments of Elizabeth Gore to SVP, Trust Operations and Compliance, and Janice Ward to SVP, Wealth Advisor and Senior Fiduciary Officer.
Gore is a graduate of New England School of Banking at Williams College with a degree in Trust Banking. She has more than 35 years of banking experience, 28 of which have been dedicated to Berkshire Bank.
Within her position as SVP Trust Operations and Compliance, Gore will oversee all aspects of operations and compliance for the Wealth Management Group and the departments trust accounting system. She is also responsible for fiduciary and tax work, preparation of annual probate accountings, implementing disaster recovery policies and assisting auditors.
She currently manages the Lenox Wealth Management Office, assisting clients on a daily basis.
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MONTREAL AND PARIS, 12 JULY 2016 Major contributions over the last 70 years to the safety, security and sustainable development of international civil aviation, on behalf of ICAOs European and the North Atlantic (EUR/NAT) Regional Office, were celebrated in Paris by ICAOs Council President Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu and Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu, and Frances Director General of Civil Aviation Mr. Patrick Gandil, and hundreds of other government and aviation sector guests.
It is a great pleasure to be back in Paris, and especially for an occasion as joyous and significant as the celebration of this offices 70th anniversary of historic service to international civil aviation, declared ICAOs Council President, Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu. ICAOs Paris Office serves no less than 56 States, and it could not accomplish this very significant mandate without the continuing generosity and unwavering commitment of the Government of France to its effective operations.
ICAOs Secretary General, Dr. Fang Liu, underlined to the assembled dignitaries how ICAO is working to strengthen the resources of all of its Regional Offices to better support the more effective implementation of ICAOs Standards and Policies, and to meet the new challenges and responsibilities they are facing. By strengthening our Regional Offices responsibilities and accountability, especially with respect to how they engage and coordinate directly with States, ICAO can better ensure seamless organizational coordination at both the global and regional levels. This process also aids the generation of the political will required to build capacity and promote and implement our key No Country Left Behind initiatives, she stressed.
ICAOs EUR/NAT Office has been instrumental to safely managing the technological progression to the first jet aircraft, and the complex introduction of the first supersonic transports. It has also been essential to the effective European cooperation established for flexible civil and military airspace use, and in helping to facilitate the liberalization transition from national airlines to privatized carriers.
ICAOs regional presence here in Paris is nothing short of essential to the effective coordination of safe, secure and reliable air services, The Council President of ICAO remarked. He also recognized that the work of all of its seven Regional Offices worldwide is becoming more important than ever to how the Organization plays its part in assuring the necessary cooperation to realize safe and reliable global air transport access for citizens and businesses everywhere.
This further brings to mind that while Europe today is characterized by a number of strong and effective institutions in the domain of civil aviation, the governance structure of these bodies doesnt permit them to be accredited to as many States, covering such a diverse and comprehensive geopolitical spectrum, as ICAOs EUR/NAT Regional Office, Dr. Aliu commented.
Secretary General Liu also noted the significant challenge in the EUR and NAT Regions given the wide-ranging variation in the level of maturity of States civil aviation systems, traffic profiles and operational capabilities.
ICAOs EUR/NAT Regional Director, Mr. Luis Fonseca de Almeida, concluded that Cooperation amongst States, international and regional organizations, and the aviation industry, is the only effective way to achieve continuous improvements in aviation both at the regional and the global level. In order to better support States in aligning technical and operational outcomes, using their strategic inputs, it is necessary to reinvent ourselves and adapt our business model to the new challenges. The support of our regional stakeholders has been essential to our success in the EUR and NAT Regions over the past seven decades, and we will be counting on it even more in the years ahead.
Azerbaijan will again buy arms from Russia: Lavrov is in Azerbaijan (video)
The military-technical cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia is deepening. After April War, Russia is going to sign a new agreement on the arms supplies with that country. This news has been officially confirmed by Russias Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vladimir Dorokhin. Ambassador also declared that President Putin will not come to Baku with nothing in his hands, The visit will not be only formal, it will be a working visit. He didnt rule out the signing of new arms contract between the sides just during that visit. Azerbaijan is an ally of Russia, though not so formal, but it is much closer than Armenia. Russia has made it clear for many times that Azerbaijan is much closer and it gives privilege to the interests with that country than with Armenia. In spite of the fact that Armenia is included in all the structures serving the interests of Russia- the EAEU, the CSTO, the CIS, Daniel Ioannisyan, project coordinator at the Union of Informed Citizens NGO, told A1+. He says that Russia will not only restore the losses sustained by Azerbaijan, It will try to find out which kind of military equipment Azerbaijan lacked for reaching military success and they will supply that very equipment. To note, after April War Russia doesnt leave Azerbaijan alone together with its losses, which Azerbaijan sustained after attacking Armenia. On the other hand, the possible term of Russias arms supply to Armenia cannot be seen; Russia didnt do it during April War and isnt doing it now. Armenia must have shown to Russia long ago that if Azerbaijan is an ally of Russia, Armenia would look for other military-political allies, adds Daniel Ioannisyan, highlighting that first of all Armenia needs a faithful ally. By the way, at the moment Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov are discussing the issue of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict resolution. As Armenpress informs, the Azerbaijani APA agency informs about it, saying that the meeting between the Foreign Ministers of two countries has already kicked off. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received the RF Foreign Minister yesterday in the evening. Watch the video!
NATO countries understood that Russia is getting more aggressive (video)
NATO doesnt want a clash, NATO is not going to arouse problems for neighboring countries, but the member states of the Union has a security issue and the population of about 1 billion has presented a claim for ensuring security. Expert at the Armenian Institute of International and Security Affairs (AIISA) Gevorg Melikyan has come to such a conclusion after the NATO summit in Warsaw. We are speaking about the recent problems of Finland and Sweden, the Baltic countries with Russia. Wales Summit in 2014 adopted much stricter approaches against Russia, but NATO still hoped that Russia would surrender, would try to take certain steps. In two years, NATO countries understood that Russia is getting more aggressive, says Mr Melikyan. The expert highlights another notable fact; NATO-EU new rapprochement took place; it seems that the disagreements existing between them are getting solved. He says that two geopolitical unions have always differed; NATO highlights the military component in the actions, unlike the EU, which aims at solving the issues using milder measures. According to the assessment of Gagik Melikyan, with Warsaw summit, NATO made it clear to Russia that it returns to the old method- deterrence, We speak about the nuclear deterrence during Cold war, when the Soviet Union and the West had relevant nuclear base and were able to restrain each other and didnt allow aggression. NATO will not wait anymore to see how Russia will behave. Nevertheless, according to the expert, NATO leaves open doors giving a chance to Russia to become more constructive, which isnt approved by the member states of the union bordering Russia, as those countries expect stricter actions against Russia. According to the political expert Aghasi Yenokyan, Russia has had some success during Warsaw summit, as it succeeded in preventing formulation of the NATO Black Sea group, Bulgaria rejected the project, and it couldnt be formed only with Romania and Turkey. As a result of it, NATO lost the chance to strengthen the naval forces of Georgia and Ukraine. Aghasi Yenokyan doesnt expect cold war in NATO-Russia relations, There is a policy of silent deterrence instead of it, which is expressed by usual, missile, sometimes nuclear armaments. Professor at Sorbonne University Hayk Martirosyan rules out the development, when Russia will attack any member state of NATO, as well as any opposite development. NATO and Russia resort to confrontation giving nothing, instead of it they could unite against number one international threat. Hayk Martirosyan draws the attention to the discussions relating to Nagorno Karabakh, when NATO, in fact, recognized the territorial integrity of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, It means that first of all NATO recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, which implies certain policy. It would be better if NATO refrained from expressing any viewpoint, especially during this tense situation.
Lavrov: We have grounds to think that we are now moving much closer to success (video)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is currently in Azerbaijan, met with the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev; the process of Karabakh conflict resolution was among the topics of discussion. The conversation was rather useful, and this will help us to move forward toward realization of the understanding reached by the presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia at the meeting in St. Petersburg. We have grounds to think that we are now moving much closer to success than ever before, said Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during the joint press conference with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov. The main topic of speech of Azerbaijans Foreign Minister was again process of Karabakh conflict resolution. He especially highlighted the efforts by Russias President Vladimir Putin for resolving the issue. Mammadyarov highlighted that after the meeting in St. Petersburg, Putin had phone conversations with Presidents of France and the USA, and that they also had discussions with them. The military component in the conflict is a big threat both for regional and international security, said Mammadyarov. He also reminded the words of Ilham Aliyev that the talks arent so intense, As a result of rapid talks, we will be able to make progress in such issues, which havent been resolved yet, said Azerbaijani official. During the joint press conference with Sergey Lavrov, Mammadyarov also declared that during the upcoming months serious discussions are expected between Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia over the issue of creation of transport corridor.
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Academy Award-winner Helen Mirren stars in the white-knuckle thriller Eye in the Sky that tackles the moral ambiguities of modern-day warfare. Co-starring with Mirren are three-time Emmy Award winner Aaron Paul (from Breaking Bad) and the late Alan Rickman (best known for his role in the Harry Potter films as Professor Severus Snape).
A contemporary international thriller set in the shadowy world of remotely piloted drone warfare, Eye in the Sky tracks London-based military intelligence officer Colonel Katherine Powell (Mirren) who is remotely commanding a top secret drone operation to capture a group of dangerous terrorists from their safe-house in Nairobi, Kenya. The mission suddenly escalates from a capture to a kill operation as Powell realizes that the terrorists are about to embark on a deadly suicide mission. From his base in Nevada, American drone pilot Steve Watts (Paul) is poised to destroy the safe-house when a nine year old girl enters the kill zone just outside the walls of the house. With unforeseen collateral damage now entering the equation, the impossible decision of when to strike gets passed up the kill chain of politicians and lawyers as the seconds tick down.
Director Gavin Hood returns to the realm of contemporary warfare with the tense thriller Eye in the Sky, which explores both the practical application and the ethical ramifications of drone warfare. I was aware of all the different aspects of drone warfare, begins Hood, because Id made a film about American military adventures with Rendition. Id read articles, Id read opinions and Id read books. I had always tried to keep up-to-date with what was happening in the American military but I hadnt taken a deep dive into this very specific question of targeted assassination.
The collateral damage caused by a drone strike extends beyond potential human casualties. The killing of civilians, even accidentally, has a profound impact on the propaganda war. For the filmmakers, it was vital that the narrative posed these difficult questions while asking the audience to decide on the answers. What you dont want to do as a director is preach to your audience, says Hood. You want to create a sense of pace, a sense of tension, a thriller, while at the same time, raising difficult, philosophical questions in the mind of the audience.
In order to do that you have to keep the story moving forward so as to keep the tension alive, while at the same time finding moments where the story breathes, which allows the audience to catch up. You need to give the audience time to process the arguments.
And then, just when the audience thinks they have sided with one particular argument, you throw in another argument that turns it on its head and has the viewer asking, Wait a minute, do I really think what I just thought a minute ago? No, maybe I dont. And just when theyre agreeing with someone else, here comes another point of view.
Eye in the Sky opens July 20 in cinemas nationwide from Pioneer Films.
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Imperial Valley News Center
Blue Angels announce new Solo Pilot
San Diego, California - U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, announced their selection of a prior Blue Angels pilot to serve as their new Blue Angel #6 Opposing Solo pilot
The team will welcome back Navy Cmdr. Frank Weisser for the remainder of the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
Weisser previously served on the Blue Angels from 2008-2010, and performed duties as the Narrator, Key Influencer and VIP Pilot, Opposing Solo, and Lead Solo.
Weisser, is a native of Atlanta. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics in 2000, and was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy. Weisser received his wings of gold in November 2002. He has accumulated more than 4,000 flight hours and 400 carrier-arrested landings.
The Blue Angels will interview all other 2017-2019 pilot and support officer finalists at the team's home base of Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, during the week of the Pensacola Beach Air Show, July 11-16. Selections are slated to be made at the conclusion of the interview week.
The mission of the Blue Angels is to showcase the pride and professionalism of the
United States Navy and Marine Corps by inspiring a culture of excellence and service to country through flight demonstrations and community outreach.
How state policies shortchange early educators and millions of kids
Berkeley, California - Policies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., shortchange the 2 million educators who are shaping the future of 12 million children in childcare and preschool across the nation, according to a report released today by UC Berkeleys Center for the Study of Child Care Employment.
Early educators skills, knowledge and well-being are inseparable from the quality of childrens early-learning experiences, said Marcy Whitebook, CSCCEs director and one of the studys authors. But states are failing to provide the combination of appropriate compensation, professional work environments and training teachers need to help children succeed.
Early educators are among the lowest-paid workers in the country, the center reports. Nearly half of all childcare workers are in families that participate in at least one public-assistance program, such as Medicaid or food stamps, as compared to 26 percent of the U.S. workforce.
Beyond appraising state policies and workforce status, the report offers recommendations for improving early-childhood jobs and the early-learning opportunities of millions of children.
Without transforming policies that shape how we prepare, support and pay early educators, warned Whitebook, the 21st-century goal of quality early-learning opportunities for all children will remain elusive.
Burning one plastic bag causes more damage, than several days fuel used by a car
10 drams for a plastic bag; according to Svetlana Andreasyan, the manager of Nor Zovk supermarket chain Hanrapetutyan 71 branch, the sale of bags has only environmental reasons, and the rumors that this step is done for commercial purpose is useless. We sell products at very low prices; they are sold at cost price. Consequently the sale of bags cannot affect the number of customers. According to the manager, the announcement of bags sale has been hung on the entrance door for already 2 days, but there have been no complaints. Environmentalist Karine Panosyan says that we paid for those bags, simply that cost was included in the price of products, and we were presented that the bags were provided for free. Second, it will keep the people alert, and when demanding an additional bag people will first think. The whole world is rejecting the use of plastic bags, but we are lavishly wasting it, harming our health and environment. Several days ago France officially banned the use of plastic bags. According to the environmentalist, polyethylene isnt harmless material; everything is coordinated in nature, and everything decays, and the fact that polyethylene doesnt decay, already proves its harmfulness. The food kept in it is also affected by chemical composition of polyethylene. Those materials may cause cancer and allergy. If speak from the point of view of nature, polyethylene may cause many problems, as it doesnt decay. The residents of our country, especially in the villages, burn the bags, without knowing that burning one plastic bag causes more damage, than several days fuel used by a car. The environmentalist, together with the people, who have the same ideas, collects the items made of polyethylene and hands over to the processing plant, which has been operating in Yerevan for already 8 years, If they hand it over to the processing plant, they will receive money and will not hurt the nature, our life and health. Last year a group of environmentalists held a discussion over this issue, and developed a number of proposals, among which payments for polyethylene products, using all the possible means for informing people, examination of experience of foreign countries and adoption of effective mechanisms. Environmentalists Karine Panosyan and Levon Galstyan met with the Director of Sanitek LLC, and proposed cooperation for singling out vehicles and boxes for plastic bags and containers. The director informed that it will cost much, as vehicles are needed, new equipment and he has no right to make any changes; the Yerevan Municipality has such a right. We are going to offer Yerevan Municipality so that waste management operator singles out one garbage bin for only plastic items, leaving a relevant note on them, Levon Galsyan told A1+. The environmentalist stressed the importance of allocating separate areas for waste, where only plastic waste will be collected, which will ease the work of processing companies.
Department of Social Services Mobile Office to Visit Westmorland
Westmorland, California - Tuesday, July 12, the Imperial County Department of Social Services (ICDSS) will host an open house of their Mobile Office unit during the Imperial County Board of Supervisors meeting in Westmorland. The Mobile Office will be available for viewing from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Westmorland Union Elementary School.
The open house is an opportunity to tour the new unit and learn about the services that will be provided by ICDSS staff to Imperial County residents in the countys outlying areas. The Mobile Office will allow ICDSS staff to complete eligibility determinations, process changes to active cases, issue benefits, and receive documents for Medi-Cal and other Social Services programs remotely.
The Mobile Office will also be open the following day on July 13, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. next to the City Hall at 355 South Center Street in Westmorland. There will be an eligibility worker onsite to accept applications for public assistance (Medi-Cal, Cal Fresh, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), answer eligibility questions, and provide referrals to the public.
Residents of Westmorland and surrounding communities interested in receiving more information about the services provided at this mobile office are encouraged to attend.
7th Fleet Staff Hikes Mount Suribachi
Iwo To, Japan - U.S. Sailors and Marines from the U.S. 7th Fleet staff were warned to stay on the trails to keep safe from unexploded ordinance, poisonous snakes and other hazards on the historic volcanic island
On the island of Iwo To, formerly known as Iwo Jima -- with a heat index of 95 degrees, 70 percent humidity and almost no shade -- 63 personnel took the roughly 8,500 step journey, July 7, from the airfield terminal to the top of Mount Suribachi where the iconic flag was planted.
"I mainly reflected on what it had been like in 1945," said Chief Religious Program Specialist Alan Grow. "As much as I was suffering in the heat, it is nothing compared to what the Marines and Sailors went through ... the fire ... in the black sand ... in that heavy gear."
The trip took weeks of coordination by Chief Damage Controlman Andrae Sutherland, 3,000 of the steps taken were from the base of the mountain to the top.
"I thought it was important for military personnel to experience one of the most iconic and historical parts of American and Japanese history," Sutherland said. He called it a "once in a lifetime experience."
Rusting B-29 propellers, a wrecked ship still grounded on a beach, bunkers, and memorials are among some of the things 7th Fleet staff members saw on the approximately 9-mile trek from the airfield to Mount Suribachi and back.
Marine Cpl. Joshua Anair said he's glad he climbed Mount Suribachi with his squadron. His group was one of the first to reach the summit.
"The raising of the flag on Iwo Jima is one of the most iconic photos of World War II, and to be able to connect in that moment in history is ... priceless," said Anair.
For U.S. 7th Fleet Chaplain Capt. Cameron Fish, it was a spiritual experience.
"When I was walking I was praying, fully reflecting on the events that took place there from both sides and offering prayers for peace that this sort of thing does not need to happen again," Fish said.
More than 6,500 Americans and an estimated 20,000 Japanese troops died in the 36-day battle for control of the 8 square mile volcanic island located 575 miles from the Japanese coast.
Secretary Kerry Travel to Paris, Moscow, Luxembourg City, London, and Brussels
Washington, DC - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Paris, France at the invitation of President Hollande, July 1314, to attend Bastille Day celebrations.
Secretary Kerry will then travel to Moscow, Russia, July 1415, where he will meet with senior Russian officials to discuss Syria, the Ukraine crisis, and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, among other issues.
The Secretary will travel to Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, July 1517, where he will meet with Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn to discuss a range of bilateral issues, the transatlantic relationship, and a variety of other issues of mutual interest.
Secretary Kerry will then travel to Brussels, Belgium, July 1718, where he will meet with EU Member State Foreign Ministers and EU High Representative Federica Mogherini, ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council, to discuss key foreign policy priorities.
Next, Secretary Kerry will travel to London, U.K., July 1819, where he will attend multilateral meetings on Yemen and Syria.
On the Occasion of Montenegro's National Day
Washington, DC - Secretary of State John Kerry: "On behalf of President Obama and the American people, I offer my warmest wishes to the people of Montenegro as you celebrate your National Day.
"This years holiday is particularly significant, as you mark the signing of the NATO Accession Protocol. This achievement, coming just ten years after regaining your independence, exemplifies the tremendous progress Montenegro has made towards fulfilling its Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Your country has earned NATO membership by undertaking difficult domestic reforms and demonstrating leadership on regional and global security issues. We congratulate you on your impressive progress.
'The United States is also grateful for the enduring support Montenegro provides in counterterrorism through partnerships such as the counter-ISIL coalition and in Afghanistan. We will continue to back Montenegros efforts towards NATO and EU accession in pursuit of a Europe whole, free, and at peace.
"Congratulations on this special day. I look forward to our continued cooperation in the year ahead."
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!
Indian Twitter Had the Best Memes in Pakistan's Defeat to Incredible Zimbabwe in T20 World Cup
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Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders
PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces
There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan
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Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia
Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair
Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan
I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General
I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox
UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS
There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur
EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay
An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan".
UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT
The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022
Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully
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The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces
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STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN
This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan
Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments
Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan
Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement
With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building
OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border
Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh
USA Embassy Message for U.S. Citizens
ANCA Issues National Call to Action to Stop Taxpayer Funding of Aliyevs Aggression
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Back in February, the Chinese central government demanded an end to all mainland construction of buildings that are oversized, xenocentric or weird and a move toward architecture that is pleasing to the eye.
Fast forward five months, and a 12-story toilet has been built in Henan province.
The building will be home to the North China of Water Conservancy and Electric Power, so its possible that the shape is a very unsubtle nod to their industry, but more likely its an oversight.
The building has a clear bowl, cistern and even a blue roof that doubles for toilet water.
The governments call for less weird architecture came after people drew comparisons between the new design for the Beijing airport and a vagina, and the Beijing Peoples Daily Headquarters and a penis.
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Poble Espanyol, literally translated as Spanish town, is a truly beautiful setting for a music festival. An architectural museum that celebrates Spains rich culture and history, this elegant mini-village made up of 117 buildings becomes an annual thriving hub for fans of complex, unconstrained and unorthodox rock. The arena itself is housed in a beautiful courtyard surrounded by incredible feats of architecture inspired by several Spanish communities. Whilst prog is generally considered an old mans game in Britain, theres clearly no such stigma attached on the continent and the atmosphere is made all the better for the wide ranges of young, old, male and female that make up the crowd over the festivals two days.
Local boys Exxasens get things off to a flying start with their tremendous blend of (mostly) instrumental space-rock riffery. Culling the majority of their set from latest album Back To Earth, Exxasens brilliantly manage to interweave beauty, majesty and virtuosity. Mixing up the heavier elements of And So I watch You From Afar and God is an Astronaut and adding sporadic touches of shoegaze makes for a truly stunning display of post-rock with blissful crescendos. At times, the rhythm section provides a hypnotic, locked-in groove that immediately draws comparisons to Tool a compliment of the highest order. The band themselves are a tad static and the visuals, whilst impressive and suitably spectacular, do lose some of their impact in the Catalan sunshine, but all in all, Exxasens are a fantastic way to start off the third Be Prog! My Friend festival.
Starting with the epic, brooding atmospheric 10-minute song The Kandinsky Group is certainly a smart way for fellow Barcelonians Obsidian Kingdom to win over a crowd devoted to progressive music. Prog song structures meet 21st century metal guitar tones with subtle edges of electronica. Genuinely creepy dystopian visuals accompany the band and give a gloomy visual edge to proceedings. The clean vocals are occasionally at odds with the strong metallic sound of the guitars and the band are at their best when firing on all cylinders, sounding especially electrifying when incorporating sporadic use of blast beats. With just one album behind them (2016s A Year With No Summer) Obsidian Kingdom could be one to watch in the future.
Iamthemorning vocalist Marjana Semkina and drummer Evan Carson (Aranzazu Peyrotau)
Iamthemorning are an oddity on this bill, the core of the group being a Russian chamber prog duo, pianist Gleb Kolyadin and vocalist Marjana Semkina. Theyre fleshed out with cello, violin and drums and provide an alluring and elegant counterpoint to the rest of the line up; theyre the only act on the bill to have sheet music on-stage, a rare sight indeed in this world of ringing amplifiers and heavy rock. Semkina, positioned to the far right of the stage, is an adorable ethereal presence, completely awestruck at the rapturous response they recieve. At one point, a bunch of flowers are thrown in her direction and she seems genuinely taken a-back. Her vocals are beautiful too, haunting and ghostly and the music is transcendent; if Grieg and Rachmaninov decided to coalesce and form a sinister post-rock project, the results would be not too dissimilar to Iamthemorning. Theyre a little too off-kilter for some of the audience in Barcelona, but they win over the over-whelming majority.
Agent Fresco vocalist Arnor Dan Arnarson (Aranzazu Peyrotau)
The most astonishing set of Friday was by far and away Agent Fresco. The Icelandic quartet are genuinely one of the most unique new bands on the planet, managing to somehow blend the math-rock of Arcane Roots, the ethereal beauty of Sigur Ros and the vitriolic intensity of The Dillinger Escape Plan, all the while sounding like their own beast entirely. Songs from last years astonishing sophomore album Destrier make up just over half the set, with the likes of See Hell, Pyre, Dark Water and Howls all sounding utterly sublime in this beautiful ornate setting. A particularly savage Angst threatens to destroy the mortar of the beautiful architecture surrounding the venue, but this band are just as proficient at tugging mercilessly on your heart strings. Tonight, we hear five songs from their debut, A Long Time Listening, a concept album about the death of vocalist Arnor Dan Arnarsons father. If religious scriptures are truly to be believed and there is indeed an afterlife, then surely Arnarsons father could hear the vocal refrain of the title track being sang back to his son in glorious unison by the ecstatic crowd, a truly special moment from a band who are set to have a career full of special moments. Undoubtedly one of the most exciting new bands in the world today, Agent Fresco are so far ahead of the curve they practically redefine the term progressive.
Day two starts with Anneke Van Giersbergens The Gentle Storm providing an operatic spectacle thats just a chorus line dance away from prog rock musical. That may be music to your ears or sheer anathema (not the band) depending on your disposition towards the cheesier side of rock. What is undeniable however is the power of Van Giersbergans voice, which is the real star of the show. The songs can at times sound a little Devin Townsend-lite (which is merely highlighted when they cover The Devin Townsend Projects Fallout), but thats hardly surprising considering the abundance of their collaborations. Fans of Van Giersbergens previous band The Gathering are treated to a rendition of Strange Machines from their 1995 album Mandylion and the mainly partisan crowd, for the most part, laps up their set.
Between the Buried and Me vocalist / keyboardist Tommy Rogers Jr and drummer Blake Richardson (Aranzazu Peyrotau)
Whilst Between the Buried and Me have always been partial to the ways of prog, the material from their last two albums, The Parallax II: Future Sequence and Coma Ecliptic saw the band fully embrace the genre, making them a perfect fit for this festival. The majority of their set is culled from those two albums, but old-school fans are treated to Informal Gluttony from the bands stunning 2007 masterpiece Colors and an absolutely mesmerising Selkies: The Endless Obsession from 2005s Alaska. The latter features a particularly spellbinding solo from guitarist Paul Waggoner which elicits one of the loudest cheers of the whole festival (deservedly so). Theyre one of the few bands of the weekend to suffer from a slightly skewed sound, with Tommy Rogers magnificently schizophrenic vocals occasionally getting a little lost in the mix, but the band are on such strong form that its a mere blip in a stunningly bonkers performance.
Magma's avant-garde brand of hypnotic, eerie mystical weirdness is debatably the most impenetrable sound emitting from the stage all weekend. The Magma faithful are truly dedicated however, chanting the band's name in unison before the band play a single note and both Steven Wilson and Opeths Mikael Akerfeldt have professed their love for the radical French zeuhl pioneers. Theyre not, however, to everyones taste; if the islanders from The Wicker Man formed a prog band, it would look and sound a lot like Magma. Their drawn-out hypnotic dirges are punctuated by shrieking wails from vocalists Stella Vander and Isabelle Feuillebois with the band occasionally exploding into some impressive atonal freaky wig-outs, (bolstered strongly by founder Christian Vanders frenetic drumming patterns) but boy does it take them a long time to reach those peaks! To say Magma are an acquired taste is like saying the Earths core is a tad hot; half the crowd love their brand of weird-as-hell jazz fusion prog, but the other half use their set as an opportunity to have a breather and sit in the shade. Their divisive nature is summed up by the events at the end of their set; after one hour and just three songs, the band are unceremoniously cut to boos from their dedicated fans but the blessed relief of everyone else.
Opeth vocalist / guitarist Mikael Akerfeldt (Aranzazu Peyrotau)
Opeth are clearly taking no prisoners. Despite frontman Mikael Akerfeldts protestations that the band are rusty, having not played a show for 8 months (bar a support slot with Iron f**king Maiden two weeks previously), the band are on absolutely sublime form. Judging by the sheer number of t-shirts bearing the bands intricate logo and the volume of the crowd chanting their name as the bands intro tape begins, theyre the most anticipated band of the whole weekend, and boy do they deliver!. Crashing straight into Cusp of Eternity, the first single from their latest album Pale Communion, Opeth sound absolutely monolithic. The guitars reverberate around this picturesque setting with precise, bludgeoning force and the band are on the form of their lives, ushering in the night over the course of a 2 hour set that showcases material from almost every album of the bands career (bar Orchid and Morningrise). Their constantly evolving fusion of metal/prog/jazz/folk/whatever-the-hell-they-want-to-be is world class. Technical enough for the muso aficionados but accessible enough for those that demand melody and song craft, Opeth are masters of their art. They are able to conjure enormous slabs of heavy monstrosity with as much aplomb, style and verve as they are able to hypnotise with soft, lilting exquisite beauty. Once darkness falls, were treated to an extraordinary light show that accompanies Watershed cut Heir Apparent brilliantly, a song written to silence critics of the band who claimed that they had gone soft. Based on this performance, Opeth make those critics look like deaf, simpering idiots. As the band finish with an utterly devastating one-two punch of The Grand Conjuration and Deliverance, not a single person in Poble Espanyol is left in doubt that this is one of the best progressive acts of all time. An utterly sublime, majestic performance.
Steven Wilson (Aranzazu Peyrotau)
Following Opeth at their best would be a tall order for any accomplished musician and whilst Steven Wilson doesnt quite manage to match them, the former Porcupine Tree frontman makes a damn good fist of it. With the majority of the set made up of songs from his fantastic fourth solo album, Hand. Cannot. Erase. he was never going to pale into insignificance and the material from that record sounds particularly transcendent, with Routine and Home Invasion both being solid highlights. The new material especially benefits from the surround sound and given that its an experience the majority either cant afford or simply do not have space for in their own homes, its mad to think that more artists arent employing its use as a means to get people to live gigs. The crowd here are treated to four Porcupine Tree songs, including Lazarus (dedicated to David Bowie and Prince) and Sleep Together, but its a testament to Wilsons dynamic latter work that most of the best moments come from his material away from that band. Everything from the agitated industrial stomp of Index to the gorgeous, heavenly, transcendent closer, The Raven That Refused to Sing remind us that, incredibly, Wilsons best work may still be ahead of him.
Be Prog! My Friend will return in 2017
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Matt Damon is not ruling out the possibility of slipping into a superhero suit, on one condition.
The Hollywood actor will soon be returning to the Bourne franchise as the lead in fifth film Jason Bourne but could be tempted by a stint with Marvel or DC, so long as his best mate Ben Affleck was in the directors chair.
Affleck, who recently starred as Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and will be reprising the iconic role in Suicide Squad, has written his own solo Batman movie and will be both starring in it and directing. Could Damon be his Robin after all, as fans have long been hoping?
Id consider anything with the right director, but I can't imagine there are any superheroes left, I think theyre all taken at the moment, he said at the Jason Bourne premiere. If [Ben] was directing me, Id jump on it in a New York minute. Id love to work with Ben.
Damon talks Bourne & Bond
However, as Affleck fans will know, he does like to hog the glory (admittedly not in Good Will Hunting, he let Damon have that one, but Argo was another story). The problem with Ben is every time he directs a movie he gives himself the best role in it, so until hes willing to give up the best role to one of his friends were not going to get on with it, Damon laughed.
The 45-year-old has no intention of trying to wangle the coveted part of James Bond from Daniel Craig. I dont think anyone from outside the UK should touch that, he said. Everything is tougher at 45, just getting into shape is a much more difficult proposition. I started [Bourne] when I was 29, it was so much easier.
Jason Bourne arrives in UK cinemas from 27 July.
Additional reporting by Press Association
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Amidst the multitude of Star Wars treats to go wild with anticipation for - between Rogue One, Episode VIII, or the Han Solo movie - Disney are prepping for one of the ultimate fan experiences around.
A brand new Star Wars-themed land is set to open at Disneyland in Anaheim and Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney Resort in Orlando; marking the company's single biggest park expansion, currently primed for 14 acres each, even bigger than the planned Avatar land at Disney's Animal Kingdom. This is epic stuff we're talking about here.
The area will see guests enter a "never-before-seen planet, a remote trading port and one of the last stops before wild space where Star Wars characters and their stories come to life"; including the chance to pilot the Millennium Falcon, step into the battle between the First Order and the Resistance, taste local delicacies, and visit a cantina.
Deadline reports that crews have already started clearing the land on the site that once marked Big Thunder Central in Frontierland; the area's launch date, however, is yet to be announced.
Disney has, in the meantime, released a brand new piece of concept art for the land which you can see below, alongside previously released concept art for the area.
First glimpse at Disneyland's 'Star Wars' experience Show all 15 1 /15 First glimpse at Disneyland's 'Star Wars' experience First glimpse at Disneyland's 'Star Wars' experience First glimpse at Disneyland's 'Star Wars' experience ABC/Disney First glimpse at Disneyland's 'Star Wars' experience ABC/Disney First glimpse at Disneyland's 'Star Wars' experience ABC/Disney First glimpse at Disneyland's 'Star Wars' experience ABC/Disney First glimpse at Disneyland's 'Star Wars' experience ABC/Disney First glimpse at Disneyland's 'Star Wars' experience ABC/Disney First glimpse at Disneyland's 'Star Wars' experience ABC/Disney First glimpse at Disneyland's 'Star Wars' experience ABC/Disney First glimpse at Disneyland's 'Star Wars' experience ABC/Disney First glimpse at Disneyland's 'Star Wars' experience ABC/Disney First glimpse at Disneyland's 'Star Wars' experience ABC/Disney First glimpse at Disneyland's 'Star Wars' experience ABC/Disney First glimpse at Disneyland's 'Star Wars' experience ABC/Disney First glimpse at Disneyland's 'Star Wars' experience ABC/Disney
The image gives a pretty good overview of what the site will look like, alongside a look at the iconic Millennium Falcon parked on the open pavement area. The river you can see in the image is the famous Rivers of America, where the now-docked Mark Twain Riverboat and sailing ship Columbia are located.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits UK cinemas 16 December.
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Five years after it was shut down by the US government for allegations of piracy, popular file sharing website Megaupload could be re-launching in 2017.
Megaupload was a file-sharing and hosting website akin to Dropbox where users could upload a file and receive a unique link they could send to others so that they could then download the file. It's an ideal system when sending files that are too large for email. However, it's also a popular way to share pirated material.
Plans for a relaunch of the site were announced in a series of tweets by the sites owner, Kim Dotcom, who hopes to have the site back up and running on January 20th 2017.
He also announced that on the 2017 site previous members would see their accounts reinstated with a free upgrade to premium privileges, storage capacity would be expanded, and there would be no data-transfer limits.
It was also hinted through a vaguely disturbing tweet that the virtual currency bitcoin would be used in some way on the site, though it wasnt stated exactly how.
Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty
Kim Dotcom founded Megaupload in 2005, and at the height of the sites popularity, it drew in over 50 million users per day. The site was shut down in 2012 after the US government said it was heavily used by copyright pirates and Dotcom and three others were arrested, accused of profiting from this piracy.
Dotcom has denied the charges and since 2012 has been resisting extradition to the US as a resident of New Zealand, arguing that his website was a storage facility for files and should not be accountable if any of the content was illegal.
The tech entrepreneur is encouraging his followers to spread the news of the sites relaunch, stating that everyone who tweets that Megaupload is coming back will receive early access to the site.
He has also reached out to former Megaupload employees in an attempt to bring them on board with the new site. Despite the fact that his name still hasn't been cleared from the allegations that tie him to the original site, Dotcom seems confident that his efforts will be successful, tweeting Ill be the first tech billionaire who got indicted, lost everything and created another billion $ tech company while on bail."
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Theresa May might have some fans but her time in the Home Office will also be remembered less favourably by the privacy campaigners and internet industry that named her villain of the year.
Ms Mays time in the Home Office has been marked by conflicts with the biggest technology and internet companies over laws that would see them forced to break their own security to help surveillance. That has come despite an apparent commitment to liberal ideals in her campaign speeches, leaving many campaigners worried that she might actually pursue more aggressive policies despite her public statements.
"Theresa May has been a draconian Home Secretary, introducing the wrong policies at the wrong times for the wrong reasons, said Harmit Kambo, campaigns director at Privacy International. Instead of responding to public alarm about the Edward Snowden disclosures by rolling back state surveillance powers, she has instead ratcheted it up with the Investigatory Powers Bill, the most intrusive surveillance legislation of any democratic country.
The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Show all 6 1 /6 The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Brexit The big one. Theresa May has spoken publicly three times since declaring her intent to stand in the Tory Leadership race, and each time she has said, Brexit means Brexit. It sounds resolute, but it is helpful to her that Brexit is a made up word with no real meaning. She has said there will be no second referendum and no re-entry in to the EU via the back door. But she, like the Leave campaign of which she was not a member, has pointedly not said with any precision what she thinks Brexit means Reuters The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address General election This is very much one to keep off the to do list. She said last week there would be no general election at this time of great instability. But there have already been calls for one from opposition parties. The Fixed Term Parliaments Act of 2010 makes it far more difficult to call a snap general election, a difficulty she will be in no rush to overcome. In the event of a victory for Leadsom, who was not popular with her own parliamentary colleagues, an election might have been required, but May has the overwhelming backing of the parliamentary party Getty The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address HS2 Macbeth has been quoted far too much in recent weeks, but it will be up to May to decide whether, with regard to the new high speed train link between London, Birmingham, the East Midlands and the north, returning were as tedious as go oer. Billions have already been spent. But the 55bn it will cost, at a bare minimum, must now be considered against the grim reality of significantly diminished public finances in the short to medium term at least. It is not scheduled to be completed until 2033, by which point it is not completely unreasonable to imagine a massive, driverless car-led transport revolution having rendered it redundant EPA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Heathrow expansion Or indeed Gatwick expansion. Or Boris Island, though that option is seems as finished as the man himself. The decision on where to expand aviation capacity in the south east has been delayed to the point of becoming a national embarrassment. A final decision was due in autumn. Whatever is decided, there will be vast opprobrium PA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Trident renewal David Cameron indicated two days ago that there will be a Commons vote on renewing Britains nuclear deterrent on July 18th, by which point we now know, Ms May will be Prime Minister. The Labour Party is, to put it mildly, divided on the issue. This will be an early opportunity to maximise their embarrassment, and return to Tory business as usual EPA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Scottish Independence Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP are in no doubt that the Brexit vote provides the opportunity for a second independence referendum, in which they can emerge victorious. The Scottish Parliament at Holyrood has the authority to call a second referendum, but Ms May and the British Parliament are by no means automatically compelled to accept the result. She could argue it was settled in 2014 AFP/Getty
The Investigatory Powers Bill which in its earlier form was stopped by the Liberal Democrats looked to hand huge new surveillance powers to bodies including the police and spies. It seems to force companies to weaken their own security technology to let those authorities in, and compels internet companies to store huge amounts of data on their customers browsing histories, which can be accessed at any time by the Government.
Ms Mays pushing of that bill put her in a bitter and unprecedentedly public dispute with many of the biggest technology companies including Apple, Facebook and Google over whether the law should be passed. Campaigners argued that it was a law that allowed more intrusive surveillance than anywhere else in the world.
Her commitment to strengthening surveillance and rolling back privacy could be further strengthened by the fact that Brexit could allow the UK to opt out of many of the European laws that safeguard peoples privacy, campaigners have warned.
The first test of Ms Mays approach to surveillance will come when European courts decide on a dispute between the Government and two MPs, David Davis and Tom Watson, who argue that the DRIPA legislation that is used to spy on Britons is unlawful. The court is expected to give a preliminary judgement later this month, though it will not in itself be binding.
Campaigners say that it will be important to watch how Ms May responds to the judgement, which could compel the Government to change some of its surveillance practices. Though the UK has voted to leave the EU, it is bound to accept its judgements until it actually does so and the degree to which the new Prime Minister accepts them could define her time in power.
In the longer term, how Ms May chooses to deal with the various parts of European law that will be scrappable could define her approach to privacy. EU rules have been a restraining factor on Ms Mays Home Office, serving as a framework that protects against certain data protection abuses and forces companies to look after information in particular ways.
If [Theresa May] goes for a full-on exit from European law, were going to have some really fundamental challenges, said Jim Killock, the executive director of the Open Rights Group. What happens to data protection law? Do we have the same standards, or ones that are similar or weaker?
Theresa May: How her leadership speech differed from her voting record
The same questions can be asked of electronic privacy regulations, net neutrality, safe harbour rules and copyright. Nearly everything we do thats digital is European law at the moment, notes Mr Killock, and all of them can be re-written once Britain leaves the EU.
In the wake of all of those decisions, we could encounter problems because there will be a rush towards getting rid of regulations rather than preserving or re-writing them. The UK parliament has shown little interest in deciding on laws governing digital rights and privacy, potentially meaning that those decisions will be made by civil servants instead.
Much of the surveillance and anti-terror policy that Ms May has been criticised for began under the Labour government that preceded her. And the Home Office has gradually moved towards an approach of assuming that the best amount of surveillance is also the most, and that it is best limited by legislation that decides how exactly it can be used rather than how much data can be stored.
That will mean that the new Home Secretary is likely to keep much of the same surveillance policy, whoever is chosen to take on Ms Mays now vacant job.
Campaigners have also pointed to reasons for believing that Ms Mays new and public commitment to liberal policies could signal a switch towards being more open about privacy.
While in opposition she opposed the introduction of ID cards, said Mr Kambo. As Home Secretary she has reformed police stop and search powers and has strongly supported equal marriage. She has also recently indicated that she will not pursue earlier plans to pull out of the European Convention of Human Rights, admittedly only because the majority of Parliament opposes withdrawal, not because she does.
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Economists have labelled George Osbornes crusade to slash the UKs corporation tax rate in the wake of the traumatic Brexit vote a mistake, the wrong thing and likely to backfire.
The Chancellor said last week he wants to push the levy on company profits down below 15 per cent in order to demonstrate that Britain is open for business to international investment in the wake of the shock vote by the electorate to leave the European Union.
Mr Osborne has already slashed the rate from 28 per cent in 2010 to 20 per cent today and has made deep reductions in the levy one of the centrepieces of his personal economic record.
The renewed drive from Mr Osborne to reduce the tax on companys reported profits has been welcomed by libertarian think tanks such as the Adam Smith Institute and the Taxpayers' Alliance, but a host of senior economists interviewed by The Independent have questioned the Chancellors proposed direction of travel.
I think there is this kind of confusion between wanting a competitive economy and saying the way we get it is reducing the rate of corporation tax. I think that is just a mistake said John Van Reenen of the London School of Economics Centre for Economic Performance.
The way you get a productive economy is changing the fundamentals. You get your people to be more skilled, or you have your infrastructure working efficiently. Youre never really going to get there just by reducing corporate tax.
The Treasury published an economic model in 2013 which suggested reducing the corporation tax rate reduces the cost of capital of businesses and thus tends to increase their levels of investment. This increase in company investment feeds directly into higher GDP.
The economic model used by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility also assumes cuts in corporation tax increase business investment by around 0.3-0.5 per cent over its forecast horizon for each percentage point reduction in the rate.
Impact of corporation tax cuts on investment
OBR
However, the Treasurys model does not assume the increase in GDP and boost to tax revenues is large enough that rate cuts end up paying for themselves.
And the Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that the Chancellors corporation tax cuts over the past six years mean tax revenues are now lower by around 10.8bn a year (in 2015-16 terms) than they otherwise would have been.
There are lots of spending decisions for which this money could be utilised said Simon Kirby, head of economic modelling at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research.
[They say] this has long-run positive growth implications because we get more investment. But lots of things have long-run positive growth implications, be they investment in infrastructure, investment in education and training and so on. And thats what you should be comparing it to.
Professor Michael Devereux, the director of the Oxford Universitys Centre for Business Taxation, said the thrust of the Chancellors rate reduction strategy was misguided and would be likely to exacerbate a zero-sum international race to the bottom between governments on tax rates.
Were focusing on the wrong thing. What Id recommend is a complete overhaul of the corporation tax system. Try and tax profits in the place where the sales are made. That ties in with the popular mood. If we moved to a tax based on sales then the tax rate ceases to be important and the competitive pressure gets taken away he said.
Corporation tax bought in 45bn in 2015, according to the Office for National Statistics, up from around 42bn when Mr Osborne became Chancellor.
Revenues resilient
But as a share of GDP the corporation tax take has declined in step with the Chancellor's headline rate cuts falling from 2.8 per cent in 2010 to 2.3 per cent last year.
Tax rate down, tax take down
IFS
The head of the World Trade Organisation, Pascal Lamy, and a host of charities have already criticised Mr Osbornes latest drive as dangerous tax competition, which reduces corporate tax revenues everywhere in the world, including in developing countries.
The UK already has one of the lowest headline rates of corporation tax in the G20 and further cuts would put the UK in the same bracket as states like Ireland, which has a 12.5 per cent rate and Latvia (15 per cent).
IFS
Allan Monks, an economist at JP Morgan, added cuts to the British rate could hamper the UKs efforts to negotiate a favourable post-Brexit trade deal with the rest of the EU.
Any suggestion that the UK is moving toward setting itself up as semi tax-haven is going to antagonise the rest of the EU even before discussions on our terms of exit begin he said.
The Chancellor has implied that further deep cuts in the corporation tax rate, which was already flagged to come down to 17 per cent by 2020, might provide a near-term stimulus to the UK economy by encouraging business investment as it teeters on the brink of recession.
But Christian Odendahl and John Springford of the Centre for European Reform said this was likely to backfire.
The stimulative effect of such tax cuts in the short run is weak, as with monetary policy. Companies will be unlikely to invest their extra earnings while they face uncertainty" they said.
"And the more the UK plans to become a tax haven the tougher the EU will be as a negotiating partner. The remaining states have no interest in rewarding the UK for attracting investors by undercutting tax rates elsewhere in Europe."
Larry Summers, the former US Treasury Secretary, writing in the Financial Times, has suggested that previous corporation tax rate reductions by the UK and other nations, seen as an element of an elite-focused policy agenda, had been partly behind the rise of popular disaffection with established political parties, which helped deliver the Brexit vote.
Tax burdens on workers around the world are a trillion dollars or more greater than they would be if we had a proper system of international co-ordination that identified capital income and prevented a race to the bottom in its taxation he wrote.
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Siemens, the largest engineering company in Europe, has vowed to continue to invest in the UK despite the nations vote to leave the EU, backing away from earlier warnings.
The German company, which has 13 plants in the UK and employs 14,000 people across the country, was among multinational firms to openly back a Remain vote ahead of the referendum on June 23.
Were here to stay, Joe Kaeser, Siemens chief executive, said at an event at the House of Commons on Monday.
Recommended Read more HSBC to keep headquarters in London despite Brexit
The UK matters with or without being a member of the EU. The Brexit vote will not diminish our commitment to your country. Siemens will not leave the next generation behind, Kaeser said.
However, he urged the UK Government to unify and agree on the future relationship it wants to establish with the EU. This will reduce both reduce investor uncertainty and create a clear roadmaps to encourage future investments, he argued.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Kaeser said the companys earlier warnings were misunderstood in the heat of the referendum campaign.
We never said the UK is in bad shape if it leaves the EU: we said the EU would miss a massive opportunity. Without the UK, the EU may never be able to stand up against superpowers like China and the US, he said.
Siemens had previously said that the EU referendum was a decision for the British people and their view must be respected. However it warned its staff on the significant and negative long-term effects of a Brexit vote ahead of the referendum.
Juergen Maier, the companys chief executive in the UK, was among nearly 1,300 business leaders who signed a letter backing the campaign to keep the UK in the EU.
In particular, a new trade deal with the EU could take many years to conclude and it is impossible to predict the terms that will be agreed and at what price. This uncertainty, and threat of increased costs, could make the UK a less attractive place to do business and may become a factor when Siemens is considering future investment here, the company said in a statement in April.
Siemens also said it was putting new wind power investment plans in Hull on hold in the week following the result of the referendum. But Kaeser on Monday said it was too early to take a decision in regards to the Hull expansion.
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
The Hull investment is not in trouble at all. It was built for the projects we have and for those we anticipate getting, he said.
Siemens has played a crucial role in the Thameslink and Crossrail projects in the UK and is due to deliver 1,140 commuter rail carriages in London in the coming years.
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The UK may have voted to leave the European Union, but if its next prime minister gets her way, its companies might look a little more like those in EU countries such as Germany or France.
Theresa May, who is set to become prime minister after her only rival quit the race, on Monday pledged an overhaul of corporate governance, including appointing employee representatives to boards.
The move would bring the UK closer to the system in Germany, where the labour side makes up half of corporate supervisory boards.
May, who supported keeping the UK in the EU but will now be in charge of overseeing its departure, vowed to crack down on the excesses of big business, including executive pay.
In doing so, she marked a radical departure from the policies of the UKs last female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher.
Thatcher broke the unions, said Ingo Speich, a fund manager at Union Investment in Frankfurt.
When you bring them to the board, even as non-executive directors, its a clear signal to the markets that things are changing.
In her first major speech on the economy, May outlined her vision for British business, calling for an industrial strategy that would defend important sectors from foreign takeovers a policy often associated with France rather than the traditionally more free-market UK.
She singled out Pfizers unsuccessful bid to take over AstraZeneca two years ago as an example of what she had in mind.
May indirectly criticised George Osborne, the chancellor of the exchequer, when she said not enough had been done in recent years to bring about deep economic reform.
Theresa May: Britain's next PM
Her proposal to add employee representatives to company boards goes further than the opposition Labour Partys 2015 election manifesto, which called for employee representation on corporate compensation committees.
I want to see changes in the way that big business is governed. The people who run big businesses are supposed to be accountable to outsiders, May said. In practice, they are drawn from the same narrow social and professional circles as the executive team.
Her speech on Monday didnt spell out how many employees would be added to boards or how they would be selected.
Hows this going to work? said Alex Flynn, spokesman for Unite, the UKs biggest trade union.
If there are going to be employee representatives, they need to be democratically chosen and appointed by a recognised trade union. At companies where there isnt trade-union representation, there needs to be a dialogue between workers and management.
Theresa May in quotes Show all 10 1 /10 Theresa May in quotes Theresa May in quotes On being described by the former chancellor Ken Clarke as a bloody difficult woman: Politics could do with some Bloody Difficult Women actually Rex Features Theresa May in quotes On keeping secrets even from her husband: There are some things I am told that I am not able to confide in anybody Rex Features Theresa May in quotes On the relentless focus on her appearance during a speech at the Women in the World summit: "I like clothes and I like shoes. One of the challenges for women in the workplace is to be ourselves and I say you can be clever and like clothes. You can have a career and like clothes Getty Images Theresa May in quotes On comparisons to Margaret Thatcher: I think there can only ever be one Margaret Thatcher. Im not someone who naturally looks to role models. Ive always, whatever job it is Im doing at the time, given it my best shot. I put my all into it, and try to do the best job I can AFP/Getty Images Theresa May in quotes On her rebelliousness, or lack of, as a teenager: I probably was Goody Two Shoes at school Getty Images Theresa May in quotes On being replaced as chairman by Lord Saatchi and Liam Fox in 2003: Yes, it takes two men to step into the shoes of one woman AFP/Getty Images Theresa May in quotes What Theresa May said when she was asked about her political ambitions during an interview with Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, a lawyer married to Nick Clegg, in December: MD: "My very last question is: that little girl who is somewhere there, is she dreaming of becoming the next British Prime Minister?" TM: "Shes dreaming of carrying on doing a good job in the Home Office" Getty Images Theresa May in quotes On not being able to have children: I like to keep my personal life personal. We couldnt have children, we dealt with it and moved on. I hope nobody would think that mattered; I can still empathise, understand people and care about fairness and opportunity Getty Images Theresa May in quotes On whether she can deliver the mandate of the EU referendum: I think for party members and indeed for others, I would say look at my record. I think they can see that Im somebody who gets on with the job, but Im also somebody who says it as I see it and actually delivers on what I say Getty Images Theresa May in quotes On the equally relentless obsession with her shoes: As a woman I know you can be very serious about something and very soberly dressed add a little bit of interest with footwear. I always tell women you have to be yourself, dont assume you have to fit into a stereotype and if your personality is shown through your clothes or shoes, so be it Getty Images
Mays proposal would likely fall short of Germanys system, which requires half the seats on supervisory boards to be given to officials of unions or works councils.
The other side represents shareholders and the chairman often casts a deciding vote on the supervisory board, which makes strategic decisions while a separate board handles day-to-day management.
It looks more like Germany but we have a different structure, Speich said. I dont see any big disadvantages between the German or UK system, but when you change the structure significantly or bring them together you should think in detail, because they took decades to develop.
Mays proposal on executive pay goes beyond the governments 2013 rule changes, which gave shareholders a binding vote every three years on compensation policies in addition to an advisory vote on actual pay every year.
May said she wanted votes on pay to be binding as a way of confronting rising income inequality.
There is an irrational, unhealthy and growing gap between what these companies pay their workers and what they pay their bosses, May said.
She called for full disclosure of bonus targets and the publication of data showing CEO compensation as a multiple of a companys average pay.
Investors broadly supported Mays proposal on pay, saying this could make shareholders take the issue more seriously at annual meetings.
Ive been in favour of moving toward binding votes, said Nigel Wilson, chief executive of Legal & General. That way people will participate with greater conviction and there will be increased communication between investors and boards.
This spring there was a widespread investor backlash against UK executives pay as an increasing percentage of shareholders voted against large compensation packages.
Almost 60 per cent of investors at BP voted against CEO Bob Dudleys compensation total of 14 million for 2015, while about 33 per cent at advertising company WPP gave a thumbs-down to CEO Martin Sorrells 70 million package.
Still, most executive pay deals were approved by a majority of shareholders.
Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.
Some investors questioned how binding votes on pay, rather than just compensation policies, would work in practice.
Its not straightforward, said Paul Lee, head of corporate governance at Aberdeen Asset Management.
There isnt scope under UK law to take money back from directors. Either you dont pay out the money until after the shareholder vote, which is quite a constraint, or the binding vote results in more of a conversation, which we have already but maybe we can make it more forceful.
2016 Bloomberg
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Andrea Orcel, president of UBS investment bank, has warned the Swiss bank is considering moving its staff to a European country, following UKs vote to leave the EU.
UBS, considered to be the worlds largest manager of private wealth, previously warned that London is likely to see an exodus of finance jobs in the wake of the Brexit vote.
We would need to consider moving a number of our employees to a European Union country, Orcel said on Bloomberg TV.
Recommended Read more UK banks and businesses count the cost of Brexit
We would still deal with the UK but the part of the business that is EU business, done from London, would need to be done from elsewhere, he added.
Orcel did not specify a number but said the impact would be significant enough and will require a complete reassessment of the banks model going forward.
UBS currently employs 5,000 people in London and the location of where staff would be moved remains unclear.
May's Brexit vision
The French government, the German government, a number of governments are making, if I may call it this way, a case for people to move to their jurisdiction. At the end of the day they would like to import wealthy people who spend, who earn, who create jobs for their economies into their own centres, Orcel said.
UBS choice will depend on infrastructure, on the nature of the deal the bank can reach in each country, and on the shape of the EU at that point in time, Orcel explained.
In the same interview, Orcel said the bank has finally reduced its headcount to the right size. A different statement from May when the bank said it would cut costs after its profit dropped 67 per cent in the first quarter.
So far no UK bank has officially confirmed it is moving jobs onto the continent but many have underlined they will ultimately do what is best for their clients.
UK banks fear they may lose passporting rights, which allow firms in one EU country to provide services to clients elsewhere in the single market.
Banks are discussing whether they will need to move European headquarters to the continent to keep the same privileges.
HSBC has confirmed that it will keep its headquarters in London despite the shock decision for the UK to leave the EU.
Goldman Sachs has not yet ruled out moving some of its staff out of the UK.
Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Show all 12 1 /12 Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Brexit protest: Thousands march in London A woman poses with a home-made European Union flag as Remain supporters gather on Park Lane in London to show their support for the EU in the wake of Brexit PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Remain supporters demonstrate in Parliament Square PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Tens of thousands of people gathered to protest the result of the EU referendum PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London A majority of people in the capital voted to remain in the European Union Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Protesters chanted: What do we want to do? Stay in the EU PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The march follows a similar rally in Trafalgar Square that was cancelled due to heavy rain but which tens of thousands of people turned up to anyway Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Britain voted to leave the European Union in a referendum by 52 per cent to 48 per cent Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London But support for the Leave campaign in urban areas and among young people was significantly lower Rex features Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Marchers gathered at Park Lane at 11am and marched towards Parliament Square PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Some protesters held up baguettes in a display of affection for our continental neighbours PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The disparity between different parts of the country has promoted a four million signature petition calling for a second referendum and even a renewed push for Scotland to cede from the UK PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The events organiser, Kings College graduate Kieran MacDermott, wrote: We can prevent Brexit by refusing to accept the referendum as the final say and take our finger off the self-destruct button" Reuters
If passporting was totally removed, we would have to adjust our footprint and where people were located, Richard Gnodde, the co-head of the investment banking division of Goldman Sachs, said.
Malcolm Barr, an economist at JP Morgan, said in a note: We expect there to be clear evidence of multinational operations shifting the location of their activity out of the UK given the regulatory uncertainties. Financial services are among the sectors that will be most exposed to this process.
Francois Hollande, the president of France, has been clear that London will lose its importance as a financial centre because of the referendum result.
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Some of the UKs top universities have reportedly faced issues working with their European partners, including being asked to leave EU-funded projects, in the wake of the EU referendum result.
According to a confidential survey of the elite Russell Group universities carried out by the Guardian, reports of being asked to pull out of leadership roles have come from across the disciplines of the sciences and engineering as EU academics become increasingly worried about financial stability.
Recommended Read more How the Brexit result will affect universities and students
Prior to the referendum, leading scientists and academics had warned that leaving the EU could cause a major funding blow to British universities and scientific research.
The Russell Group 24 of Britains leading universities which are committed to high-class research acknowledged immediately after the Brexit result that it would have a profound effect on our universities.
Attempting to remain positive, however, the group added in a statement: It is essential to remember that, in terms of our global outlook, nothing has changed. We have not yet left the EU and we are just as open and welcoming to students, staff, and ideas as we were before the referendum.
We have already reassured current staff and students that their rights to work and study here will continue for the foreseeable future, and we can still participate in cross-European collaborations and bid for EU funding. We are already working closely with the Government to ensure the best possible outcome from upcoming negotiations and UK policy decisions for universities and the research community.
The Universities Minister, Jo Johnson, also sought to quell concerns over the EU framework programme for research and innovation, also known as Horizon 2020. He said: The referendum result has no immediate effect on those applying to or participating in Horizon 2020. UK researchers and businesses can continue to apply to the programme in the usual way.
The Russell Group further said it would be working hard to ensure the UK research community continues to play a leading role in Europe and around the world.
The news has come shortly after BBC Newsnight reported that European academic bodies were pulling back from research collaboration with UK academics amid uncertainty after the Brexit result. The programme said it was aware of concerns raised by academics at the prestigious Oxbridge universities, as well as the universities of Bristol, Exeter, and Durham.
May's Brexit vision
While some of the universities said to be affected told The Independent it was too early to provide detailed comment, one said that, although leaving the EU was not something it had wished or campaigned for, it will be working to address the challenges and identify opportunities that now exist for universities.
Univeristies outside the Russell Group are also concerned at the effect of Brexit. Chris Husbands, vice-chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University told Newsnight that, of 12 projects it had been working on, four European collaborators have said they feel the UK should no longer be a partner because they dont have confidence in what the future is going to hold.
Professor Husbands added: Its not where we are now and, in that uncertainty, people are making decisions about what might happen. Like all people planning for the future, theyre planning on a worst-case scenario. Additional reporting by Press Association
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The Cult frontman Ian Astbury has apologised for saying All Lives Matter at a concert.
During the British group's performance at the RBC Bluesfest on Saturday, lead vocalist said the phrase, All Lives Matter during a more general political speech about fighting racism and gun violence and environmental concerns, according to The Ottawa Citizen.
The phrase is sometimes used to counter and dismiss the anti-police brutality and racial equality campaign Black Lives Matter which led some to criticise Astbury on Twitter.
Astbury issued an apology through The Cults Twitter account, telling their 32,000 followers they were sorry for any offence caused and had now been enlightened about the phrase.
(Screengrab/Twitter (Screengrab/Twitter)
I fully support #blacklivesmatter and wished to show my solidarity. So disheartened to know that I have offended people of colour, Astbury wrote. Thank you for enlightening me that this phrase is offensive. I shall never use it again.
Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Show all 19 1 /19 Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protestors demand justice for Philando Castile on July 7, 2016 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protestors lie in an intersection during a demonstration for Philando Castile on July 7, 2016 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protestors lie in an intersection during a demonstration for Philando Castile on July 7, 2016 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protestors demand justice for Philando Castile on July 7, 2016 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protesters march throughout New York City. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protesters march throughout New York City. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protesters are arrested by NYPD as they call for justice throughout New York City. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protesters are arrested by NYPD as they call for justice throughout New York City. AFP/Getty Images Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police AFP/Getty Images Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police AFP/Getty Images Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Getty
The band then had to issue another tweet urging fans not to attack those who had complained about Astbury using the original phrase.
We will not condone racism or hate speech in ANY way on our socials, the group said. We have no problem deleting, banning or reporting you.
Hundreds of people joined a Black Lives Matter protest through London over the weekend to demand justice for the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, two black men who were fatally shot by US police officers within a day of each other last week.
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Anita Rani has said the West is in danger of turning away from tolerance over the refugee crisis and warns the Brexit bubble must not distract the country from helping solve the ever-growing issue.
The Countryfile presenter recently visited a Syrian refugee camp home to 80,000 refugees in Jordon and recalled her experiences in an article for the Radio Times.
Rani says she didnt hesitate to visit the camp after her time on Strictly Come Dancing at the end of last year as shed become sickened by some of the rhetoric used to describe fellow humans in their most extreme hour of need.
The 38-year-old said she was acutely aware how lucky she was to live in Britain and discussed her fathers decision to move to India for work in the 1950s after being invited as he was from a Commonwealth country. She also noted many of the refugees she spoke to did not want to come to Britain, but instead return to their beloved home country.
The refugee crisis - in pictures Show all 70 1 /70 The refugee crisis - in pictures The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Syrian refugee holding a baby in a lifetube swims towards the shore after their dinghy deflated some 100m away before reaching the Greek island of Lesbos The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A refugee raises a child into the air as Syrian and Afghan refugees are seen on and around a dinghy that deflated some 100m away before reaching the Greek island of Lesbos The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Syrian and Afghan refugees fall into the sea after their dinghy deflated some 100m away before reaching the Greek island of Lesbos The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A refugee cries as he holds a child on the Serbian side of the border with Hungary in Asotthalom Reuters The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees stand in front of a barrier at the border with Hungary near the village of Horgos, Serbia Reuters The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A refugee from Syria prays after arriving on the shores of the Greek island of Lesbos aboard an inflatable dinghy across the Aegean Sea from from Turkey. Greece sent troops and police reinforcements to Lesbos after renewed clashes between police and migrants, the public broadcaster said, while Syrian refugees on the island were targeted with Molotov cocktail attacks The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Police try to stop refugees going under a fence to board a train at a station near Gevgelija, Macedonia. Several thousand refugees in Macedonia boarded trains to travel north after spending a night in a provisional camp. Macedonia has organised trains twice a day to the north border where they cross into Serbia to make their way to Hungary The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees push each other as they try to board a bus following their arrival onboard the Eleftherios Venizelos passenger ship at the port of Piraeus, near Athens, Greece The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees are welcomed by locals after their arrival at the main railway station in Frankfurt, Germany. Over 1,000 more refugees arrived in Germany to cheers and "welcome" signs, but calls grew for a European solution to its worst refugee crisis since World War II The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A young Syrian boy arrives on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing in a dinghy with other refugees from Turkey AP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees walk on the railway tracks between Bicske and Szar, some 40 kms west of Budapest, trying to reach Germany EPA The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Hungarian policemen stand by the family of refugees as they wanted to run away at the railway station in the town of Bicske, Hungary The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A family is arrested by local police after their local train coming from Budapest and heading to the Austrian border has been stopped in Bicske, west of the Hungarian capital The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A man is arrested by local police after his local train coming from Budapest and heading to the Austrian border has been stopped in Bicske, west of the Hungarian capital The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict More than 2,500 refugees have died trying to reach Europe this year and the struggle continues as they travel through the continent Getty Images The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees protest in front of a train at Bicske railway station. Hundreds of people, were stranded on a train in Hungary for a second, demanding passage to Germany in a standoff with riot police The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Syrian refugees arrive on the shores of Lesvos island Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Syrian refugees on the Greek Macedonian border Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees storm into a train at the Keleti train station as Hungarian police withdrew from the gates after two days of blocking their entry The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees storm into a train at the Keleti train station in Budapest The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees cross the border between the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Greece, near the town of Gevgelija, Macedonia. The Gevgelija-Presevo journey is just a part of the journey that the refugees, the vast majority of them from Syria, are forced to make along the so-called Balkan corridor, which takes them from Turkey, across Greece, Macedonia and Serbia to Hungary, the gateway to the European Union, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A refugee helps up an exhausted fellow refugee as they cross the border between Macedonia and Greece, near the town of Gevgelija, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict People breaking through a police cordon and crossing the border between Macedonia and Greece, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees pass the border between Macedonia and Greece, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Macedonian policeman carries a child across the border between Macedonia and Greece, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Syrians sleep on railroad tracks waiting to be processed across the Macedonian border in Idomeni, Greece, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Czech police officer marks a refugee with a number after more than than 200 refugees were detained, mostly from Syria, on trains from Hungary and Austria at the railway station in Breclav, Czech Republic, September 2015 AP Photo, CTK/Igor Zehl The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A baby is lifted on to the Norwegian vessel Siem Pilot during a search-and-rescue mission off the Libyan coast, September 2015 AP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Budapest's main international railway station ordered an evacuation as hundreds of people tried to board trains to Austria and Germany, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict People wave their train tickets and lift up children outside the main Eastern Railway station in Budapest, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict People protest at the Eastern (Keleti) railway station of Budapest, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugee children sleep in the surrounding green area of the Keleti railway station in Budapest, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Syrians cross under a fence into Hungary at the border with Serbia, near Roszke, August 2015 Reuters The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees who have just crossed the border from Serbia into Hungary walk along a railway track that joins the two countries, August 2015 Getty Images The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Police arrest refugees at Cobham Services on the M25 in Surrey, August 2015 Twitter: @bigwheeluk The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Men hold a boy as they are stuck between Macedonian riot police officers and fellow refugees during a clash near the border train station of Idomeni, August 2015 AFP/Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Syrian father holds his children close as his arrives on the Greek Island of Kos, August 2015 Eyevine The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A tourist offers water to Iranian refugees as they arrive by paddling an engineless dinghy from the Turkish coast (seen in the background) at a beach on the Greek island of Kos, August 2015 Reuters The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Syrian holds his 30-day-old baby on an overcrowded train as they travel through Macedonia. Tens of thousands of refugees, mainly from the Middle East and Africa, use the Balkans route to get into the European Union, passing from Greece to Macedonia and Serbia and then to western Europe, August 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A man rests on a platform at the train station in Gevgelija, on the Macedonian-Greek border, August 2015 Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees react after boarding the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) ship MV Phoenix some 20 miles (32 kilometres) off the coast of Libya. Some 118 refugees were rescued from a rubber dinghy off Libya. The Phoenix, manned by personnel from international non-governmental organisations Medecins san Frontiere (MSF) and MOAS, is the first privately funded vessel to operate in the Mediterranean, August 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Authorities are being overwhelmed as they try to fight off hundreds of refugees, prompting France to beef up its police presence, July 2015 AFP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict People escape from the French Police as they try to catch a train to reach England, July 2015 EPA The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A man jumps over a fence as he attempts to access the Channel Tunnel, in Calais, northern France, July 2015 PA/Thibault Camus The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Two men cling to the roof of a freight truck as it leaves the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone, July 2015 Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A man climbs a security fence of a Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles near Calais, July 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Men help a man squeeze through a gap in a fence near the Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles in Calais, July 2015 Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Desperate for entry to the EU, the group of people risked being washed away by the sea at Ventimiglia rocks, June 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Stranded refugees spend night on rocks - they were supplied with emergency blankets after a cold night next to the sea, June 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees climb in the back of a lorry on the A16 highway leading to the Eurotunnel in Calais, June 2015 Getty Images The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A police officer sprays tear gas to men trying to access the Channel Tunnel on the A16 highway in Calais, northern France, June 2015 PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP/Getty Images The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Men jump out of a lorry after being discovered by French gendarmerie officers, June 2015 AP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A man sits under the trailer of a lorry, June 2015 AP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Belgian navy sailor passes life vests to refugees sitting in a rubber boat as they approach the Belgian Navy Vessel Godetia, June 2015 AP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict People on the Belgian Navy vessel Godetia after they were saved during a search and rescue mission in the Mediterranean off the Libyan coast, June 2015 AP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Iraqis wait as they are detained by Hungarian police after crossing the Hungarian-Serbian border illegally near the village of Asotthalom, Hungary, June 2015 Reuters The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Syrian refugees walking on train tracks through Macedonia on the Western Balkans migration route, after entering Europe through Greece, June 2015 Reuters The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A group of people huddle together during an operation to remove them from the Italian-French border in the Italian city of Ventimiglia. Italy and France engaged in a war of words as a standoff over hundreds of Africans offered a graphic illustration of Europe's migration crisis. Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano described images of refugees perched on rocks at the border town of Ventimiglia after being refused entry to France as a "punch in the face for Europe", June 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A man is carried by Italian police in Ventimiglia, Italy. Police reportedly removed refugees from under a railway bridge, June 2015 EPA The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict People queue after disembarking from the Royal Navy ship HMS 'Bulwark' upon their arrival in the port of Catania on the coast of Sicily, June 2015 GIOVANNI ISOLINO/AFP/Getty Images The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Syrian child holds a drawing as he waits to disembark from Belgian Navy vessel Godetia at the Augusta port, Italy. Around 250 refugees from Syria arrived at the Sicilian harbour from a Damascus refugee camp, June 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A dinghy overcrowded with Afghan refugees arrived on a beach on the Greek island of Kos, May 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict An Afghan child is helped off a rib on the Greek island of Kos, May 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict An Afghan girl holds the hand of a woman as they arrive on a beach on the Greek island of Kos, after crossing a part of the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece, May 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees crossed part of the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece, May 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Afghan refugees arrive on a beach of Kos, May 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Rescuers help children to disembark in the Sicilian harbor of Pozzallo, Italy in April 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A boat transporting refugees arrives in the port of Messina after a rescue operation at sea, April 2015 Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Armed Forces of Malta personnel in protective clothing carry the body of a dead man off Italian coastguard ship Bruno Gregoretti as surviving refugees watch in Senglea, in Valletta's Grand Harbour, April 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Rescued people talk to a member of the Malta Order after a fishing boat carrying refugees capsized off the Libyan coast, is brought ashore along with 23 others retreived by the Italian Coast Guard vessel Bruno Gregoretti at Boiler Wharf, Senglea in Malta, April 2015
When we portray refugees as other, we distance ourselves from them, Rani wrote. Im deeply concerned that we are increasingly unable to see beyond someones colour or accent.
The West is in danger of turning away from tolerance, from the progressive, forward-thinking countries that we pride ourselves on being. Instead we are becoming close-minded and extreme, all within living memory of the Second World War.
The presenter encouraged humanity and kindness and said that although the UK may be in a Brexit bubble the continuing refugee crisis cannot be ignored.
At the moment Britain is living in a Brexit bubble, but we cannot ignore the most important story of our times. What shows character is how we react in a crisis. Right now the world is in crisis and we are one of the best-placed countries to help.
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The lawyers for Chelsea Manning, the transgender military whistle-blower serving a 35 year sentence for sending classified information to Wikileaks, have confirmed she was hospitalised last week following a suicide attempt.
Manning, 28, who is serving her sentence at the US Military Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, was taken to hospital on 5 July.
Her lawyers were shocked and outraged at the time of the hospitalisation, due to US media outlets having been informed of an incident that involved information about her personal health. Her legal team were told they could not speak to Manning for a number of days at the time.
Recommended Read more Chelsea Manning lawyers accuse prison officials of cutting contact
The lawyers spoke to Manning for the first time since her hospitalisation on Monday and accused the US Army of a gross breach of confidentiality for publically revealing the soldier had been hospitalised.
In an email to media, lawyers Chase Strangio, Vincent Ward and Nancy Hollander said in a joint statement: "Last week, Chelsea made a decision to end her life.
"Her attempt to take her own life was unsuccessful.
They added that Manning knows that people have questions about how she is doing and will remain under close observation at the lockup for several weeks.
Snowden, Assange and Manning statues unveiled in Berlin
She would have preferred to keep her private medical information private, and instead focus on her recovery.
The governments gross breach of confidentiality in disclosing her personal health information to the media has created the very real concern that they may continue their unauthorised release of information about her publically without warning, the statement read.
Manning, who was born male but identifies as a woman, was arrested as Bradley Manning. She has since been granted hormone therapy by the US Army to transition while serving her sentence.
Manning is a former intelligence analyst in Iraq, who in 2013 was convicted by a military court of providing more than 700,000 documents, videos, diplomatic cables and battlefield accounts to WikiLeaks. It was the biggest breach of classified materials in U.S. history.
The US army has been contacted for comment.
Additional reporting by agencies
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David Camerons children are likely to attend private school after they leave Downing Street, claims the Prime Ministers biographer.
Mr Cameron has confirmed that Theresa May, 59, will be the new Prime Minister by Wednesday evening and he will be vacating Downing Street before then.
Isabel Oakshott, the co-author of the unauthorised biography of Mr Cameron Call Me Dave, has claimed Mr Camerons children are likely to be educated privately now that he is out of the public eye.
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
Call Me Dave is a 2015 book by political journalist Oakshott and Conservative peer Michael Ashcroft.
As for the children, sooner or later, they are likely to move schools, Oakshott writes in her Daily Mail column.
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Currently at a state secondary in Westminster, Nancy can now be educated privately, without it creating a big fuss. But the Camerons will need to decide whether to put her through even more upheaval by enrolling her in a new school.
Elwen, who along with Florence is currently at a Kensington primary, is thought to be down for a prep school in south-west London.
Mr Cameron and his wife Samantha have three children, Nancy, 12, Elwen, 10, and Florence, 5.
In 2009, Mr Cameron said it would be crazy to send his children to private school when there should be good state places available.
Id like my children to go to state school. Its crazy that we should have to pay lots of money for private schools. We all pay our taxes. You should have really good state schools available for all, he said.
The couple sent their daughter, Nancy, to Grey Coat Hospital last year, a highly academic state-funded secondary school in Westminster, making Mr Cameron the first serving Conservative Prime Minister in history to send his child to a state school.
David Cameron booed by Wimbledon crowd after Andy Murray pays tribute to Prime Minister
But in January 2016, the Mail on Sunday reported the couple were considering sending their son Elwen to an 18,000-a-year private school.
A representative for Mr Cameron did not immediately respond to request for comment.
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Hip-hop artist Lil' Wayne was hospitalised after suffering his third seizure in two months.
TMZ first reported that the 33-year-old rapper spent time in an intensive care unit after suffering the seizure shortly before a Las Vegas performance.
Waynes private jet had made two emergency landings last month during a flight across the states. The artist, who has epilepsy, apparently had an issue with medication, the Hollywood gossip rag said, and physicians are working to find the proper balance to treat his ailments.
People news in pictures Show all 18 1 /18 People news in pictures People news in pictures 7 October 2015 Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in an ice hockey match between former NHL stars and officials at the Shayba Arena in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Vladimir Putin spent his 63rd birthday on the ice, playing hockey with NHL stars against Russian officials and tycoons EPA People news in pictures 6 October 2015 German designer Karl Lagerfeld (R) and model Cara Delevingne (C) appear at the end of his Spring/Summer 2016 women's ready-to-wear collection for fashion house Chanel at the Grand Palais which is transformed into a Chanel airport during the Fashion Week in Paris, France Reuters People news in pictures 5 October 2015 Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne addresses the Conservative party conference in Manchester. The Chancellor argued that reducing the payments to people in low paid jobs would give them economic security by reducing the Governments spending deficit Getty Images People news in pictures 4 October 2015 Cowboys captain Johnathan Thurston takes a moment in the centre of the field with his daughter Frankie Thurston, holding dark-skinned doll, after winning the 2015 NRL Grand Final match between the Brisbane Broncos and the North Queensland Cowboys at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. The image quickly became the talking point of Australias National Rugby League Final and provoked a strong reaction on social media, with many praising Thurston for giving his child a toy that promotes inclusiveness and diversity Getty Images People news in pictures 3 October 2015 Pope Francis gives a thumbs-up as he greets people at the end of an audience to the participants of a meeting organized by the "Food Bank" at the Paul VI audience hall in Vatican Getty Images People news in pictures 2 October 2015 Britain's Finance Minister George Osborne (L) throws an American football as he meets with former American football players Dan Marino (2nd R) and Curtis Martin (not pictured) at 11 Downing Street in London, ahead of the New York Jets playing against the Miami Dolphins at London's Wembley Stadium on 4 October Getty Images People news in pictures 1 October 2015 An honor guard opens the door as Russian President Vladimir Putin enters a hall to attend a meeting with members of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia People news in pictures 30 September 2015 Former Mrs America Lisa Christie, who alleges misconduct by Bill Cosby, holds up photos of her younger self during a news conference at the law office of attorney Gloria Allred in Los Angeles People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Matt Damon has defended himself against claims that he instructed gay actors to remain in the closet. He had said I think youre a better actor the less people know about you and sexuality is a huge part of that. Whether youre straight or gay, people shouldnt know anything about your sexuality but an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show said, I was just trying to say actors are more effective when theyre a mystery. Right? Getty People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Actor Marion Cotillard has said that there is no place for feminism in Hollywood. Speaking to Porter magazine, she saidFilm-making is not about gender/ You cannot ask a president in a festival like Cannes to have, like, five movies directed by women and five by men. For me it doesnt create equality, it creates separation. I mean, I dont qualify myself as a feminist." Getty People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Actor Paul Walkers daughter, Meadow, is suing Porsche over her fathers death in a lawsuit that claims he was trapped in the burning car because of design flaws and the seat belt. The Fast and Furious star was killed when the Porsche Carrera GT he was a passenger in hit a pole in California in 2013. The driver, his friend Roger Rodas, also died when the vehicle burst into flames. AP People news in pictures 28 September 2015 Robert Mugabe waits to address the United Nations General Assembly. The leader of Zimbabwe reportedly exclaimed 'We are not gay!' as he criticised Western nation's "double standards and attempts to prescribe new rights that are contrary to our values, norms, traditions and beliefs. In 2013 he described homosexuals as worse than pigs, goats and birds. Reuters People news in pictures 28 September 2015 South African comedian Trevor Noah hosts the first 'Daily Show' since taking over from Jon Stewart as host. Stewart had presented the US satirical news show since 1999 and was described by Noah during the show as a 'Political father' 2015 Getty Images People news in pictures 25 September 2015 Sir Elton John may have received a phone call from the real Vladimir Putin. Mr Putin's spokesman announced he had made contact weeks after the singer was duped by pranksters pretending to be the Russian President. Getty People news in pictures 25 September 2015 Actor Leonardo DiCaprio was mistakenly declared as the artist who produced the Mona Lisa by Fox News anchor Shepard Smith. It was in fact Leonardo da Vinci. People news in pictures 24 September 2015 A new biography claims Donald Trump expected to be dead by 40 and never marry. The Guardian says the a new book also claims that in 1980, Mr Trump manufactured a fake vice-president of his real estate conglomerate, whom he called John Baron. People news in pictures 24 September 2015 The Dalai Lama has said that Britain's policy towards China is just about 'Money, money, money.' And asked 'Where is morality?' People news in pictures 24 September 2015 Puff Daddy secured the number-one spot on the Forbes Hip Hop Cash Kings list, with the publication calculating he made an estimated $60million (39m) between June 2014 and June 2015.
Doctors described Waynes seizure as severe. Nonetheless, he was released from the hospital and is currently recovering at his Miami home.
Wayne made his solo debut 1999 with the platinum-certified album Tha Block is Hot. Since he produced 10 subsequent solo records.
According to his website, Lil Wayne surpassed Elvis Presley with more than 100 solo songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Wayne first joined Cash Money Records at the age of nine.
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Queen Latifah has lamented the police brutality which has erupted in America in the past week and has said racism is still alive and kicking.
Speaking at the VH1's Hip Hop Honours event on Monday night, the 46-year-old rapper said it was imperative we changed deeply entrenched racist attitudes within society. Queen Latifah gave the example of a taxi driver passing her by for a white woman to illustrate her wider point.
The musician said she hoped the tension which has recently unfolded could be channelled in a positive way.
In the past week, two black men have been fatally shot by police in the US. Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old father of five, was selling CDs in Baton Rouge in Louisiana when he was shot by a police officer last Tuesday and Philando Castile, 32, was fatally shot by police a day later during a traffic stop in Falcon Heights in Minnesota. Five police officers were later killed after a man opened fire near a peaceful protest in Dallas.
We all know that the world and our world is really tense right now, Queen Latifah said.
It's a lot of tension. It's a lot of angst. It's a lot of hurt. A lot of pain. I'm hoping that we can somehow manage to channel all of these emotions that we have in a positive way and really do something to change our world.
Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Show all 10 1 /10 Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Gerald Herbert/AP Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Bryn Stole/Twitter Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Bryn Stole/Twitter Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Bryn Stole/Twitter Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Brittany Weiss/Twitter Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Brittany Weiss/Twitter Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Bryn Stole/Twitter Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Alton Sterling/Facebook Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Google Maps Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Family Handout
I don't care how much money or things I have, or Puff has, or Missy [Elliot] has, the ladies have, if I go outside and try to hail a cab and he passes me for the white woman standing right there - that racism is still alive and kicking. And we have to change that. And I'm not blaming the white lady, she needed a cab too. I'm just saying we gotta change this attitude.
The VH1 Hip Hop Honors event recognises women in hip-hop and celebrates their accomplishments. Lil' Kim, Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah and Salt-N-Pep attended the event and the show was opened by Black Lives Matter founders Alicia Garza and Darnell Moore.
Recommended Read more Beyonce demands justice for victims of police brutality
This movement is grounded in black peoples' dignity, justice and freedom. It's about love, not violence, Garza said. Joy is also an important part of our movement.
Michelle Obama commended Queen Latifah and Missy Elliot in a pre-recorded video broadcast at the event. Ms Obama thanked the pair for their support towards the White Houses Let Girls Learn initiative, which endeavours to bring education to young girls in underprivileged communities around the world.
Im so proud of the two of you because through your music and your activism - including your support of our 'Let Girls Learn' initiative - you all are empowering young women around the world to believe in themselves and fulfill their boundless promise, Ms Obama said.
The deaths of Mr Sterling and Mr Castille follow a lengthy list of incidents of black people shot or fatally wounded by the police. A study by The Guardian found the police had killed at least 136 black people in 2016 so far. The same study found young black men were nine times more likely than other Americans to be killed by police officers in 2015.
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A rising tide of xenophobia and anti-intellectualism in the UK following the Brexit vote is making academics think of leaving the country and discouraging others from applying for jobs here, pro-EU scientists have warned.
Mike Galsworthy, the programme director of Scientists for EU, has been contacted by about 350 scientists since the referendum, almost all of whom expressed concerns about the future of British scientific research.
The EU provides about 1bn a year in funding for science in the UK, which has been extremely successful in both winning grants and attracting the brightest talents from the continent.
It is possible for non-EU countries to access the grants if they pay a contribution based on their GDP, but the UK will have to negotiate a new deal in order to do this.
This is so important to British science that the pro-Brexit Scientists for Britain refused to even contemplate not being able to access the funding, suggesting that this would be Armageddon for the research community.
May's Brexit vision
Of the academics who contacted Dr Galsworthy, 18 per cent said they were now planning to leave the UK and 11 per cent said they were concerned about the surge in xenophobia and racism.
The number of hate crimes officially recorded by police during the last two weeks of June was 42 per cent higher than the same period last year. And there have been numerous media reports of people being racially abused and told to go back to your country.
Professor Franck Duvell, who studies migration at Oxford Universitys Centre on Migration, Policy, and Society, said: After years of anti-EU and anti-immigration discourse and now the outcome of the referendum we, my wife and I, have had enough.
Unless the referendum is overturned by some parliamentary decision, wed prefer leaving and watch out for opportunities in the EU.
We realise that after over 18 years in the UK this is easier said than done, which puts us in a pretty awkward position.
Professor Duvell is a German citizen and his wife is an economist from non-EU member Ukraine, which means their situation is more complicated because they currently benefit from EU mobility rules that may not apply in post-Brexit Britain.
My wife is particularly cynical, feeling that in Ukraine people were killed for wanting to be more European, whereas in the UK people threw this privilege out of the window.
An American academic who receives a large European research grant told The Independent said she was concerned she would not be able to recruit and retain the best staff from across Europe and was thinking about relocating to the another EU country.
She said friends of her family in England had complained to her about immigrants but then told her youre different when she pointed out she was one herself.
Because Im white and I speak English? Thats racist, she said. That attitude is ramping up.
And I guess anti-intellectualism [is another reason]. We had [Tory Justice Secretary] Michael Goves quote that weve had enough of experts.
People seem to be really pissed off and kind of just voting with their hearts rather than their brains.
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
This reminds me so much of whats happening in America. They liked George W Bush because he spoke simply and they didnt like Professor Obama thats like an insult.
I thought Britain was better than that. The Brexit vote is now this really horrible outcome of all this ill-will towards government.
She said it had been heart-breaking when the council area where she lives voted for Brexit.
Dr Galsworthy told The Independent that concern about xenophobia and racism was a theme of the comments he had been sent.
And he said that Mr Goves comment about experts had really resonated within the science community and polls had also shown that Leave voters did not trust scientists or experts.
Theres this big culture of distrust towards the authorities and people who know their areas . We are used to being trusted, he said.
On our Facebook page, there was a lot of cynicism about vested interests, youre all bought out by the EU, shame on you for thinking of yourself before British democracy.
This cultural climate, he said, was making academics think is Britain really a place I want to be in, if this is the attitude towards science.
David Banks, of Scientists for Britain, insisted there was no cause for concern among scientists in the UK, saying they would still have access European research grants.
The situation with Horizons 2020 and European Research Council [funding schemes] is that about a third of the countries that participate in both of them are non-EU. For that reason the UK has every propensity to continue, he said. There doesnt even need to be a break of service.
He refused to even contemplate what would happen if the UK did not have access to the grants.
I just find it so unlikely that it doesnt warrant entertaining the notion because what will happen then is people will construct the headline Brexit scientist says there will be Armageddon. I just cannot entertain that premise, its so far-fetched, he said.
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 attacked the pro-EU supporters for expressing their fears for the future of British science in the event of Brexit.
They need to stop some of this stuff about uncertainty because it isnt uncertainty, Mr Banks said.
The whole framing of the future as if its some black hole is simply a continuation of the campaign by people who simply cannot get their head around the result [of the referendum].
He argued that EU drug regulations which he said were imposed after lobbying by multi-national pharmaceutical companies had hampered research, put small British firms out of business, delayed the introduction of some cancer drugs and even cost peoples lives.
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Two men have been found guilty of smuggling the largest haul of cocaine ever seized in the UK.
Mumin Sahin and Emin Ozmen were found guilty of the 500m operation to smuggle more than three tonnes of cocaine at the High Court in Glasgow.
Co-accused Kayacan Dalgakiran, Mustafa Guven, Umit Colakel and Ibrahim Dag were found not proven by majority verdict.
In Scotland, juries can return a verdict of not proven in additional to guilty and not guilty.
The drugs were found inside the ship MV Hamal about 100 miles off the coast of Aberdeen in April 2015.
Inside the hold was the largest cocaine haul ever found at sea in Europe, and drug enforcement officers said the scheme was one of the most sophisticated they had ever seen.
The tugboat, which was registered in Tanzania, had sailed from Istanbul to Tenerife and then onto the North Sea where it was stopped by Royal Navy frigate HMS Somerset and Border Force cutter Valiant with the drugs onboard.
Sahin, 47, and Ozmen, 51, both originally from Turkey, were found guilty of knowingly carrying and concealing the cocaine between 20 February and 23 April 2015 and being concerned in the supplying cocaine between 21 and 23 April 2015.
Dalgakiran, 64, Guven, 48, Colakel, 39, and Dag, 48, were acquitted of the smuggling and supply charges by the jury of 14 men and women.
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. 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City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. 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Lord Kinclaven has deferred sentencing until 12 August.
The Border Force and the National Crime Agency (NCA) had been tipped off by French customs officials that a ship was travelling around the UK with a significant amount of drugs.
The ship had turned off its Automated Identification System (AIS), meaning it could not be tracked electronically, so it had been spotted by eyes in the sky scouring the Atlantic and the North Sea.
When the boat was stopped, unarmed officers boarded and steered it to Scotland, detaining the crew - including the cook - when it reached UK waters.
The pair have been found guilty of smuggling 500m worth of cocaine into the UK (PA)
Once it was docked in Aberdeen a welded plate was found inside protecting a dry void within a ballast tank.
It took two Border Force officers two hours to cut through the steel with a household drill before they found an access hatch to the drugs which were hidden behind a medicine cabinet bolted to the wall of the upstairs accommodation.
Border Force director Murdo MacMillan said: "The ship had been specifically adapted to conceal this void. It's effectively a tank within a tank.
"This was very sophisticated. I don't think there's many people who would rebuild or adapt a vessel to the degree that this had been done."
John McGowan, of NCA Border Policing Command in Scotland, said the haul was five times bigger than the largest Scottish seizure on land and only slightly smaller than the total haul seized by enforcement officers in England and Wales for the whole of 2014/15.
He said the seizure had removed a significant drugs mule from the sea: "That vessel, not necessarily with the same crew, has made similar journeys. That's known from old AIS tracking and customs records."
Plans for the ship, which was built in 1979, show the void was not part of the original design but officials believe it had been there for some time.
Additional reporting by PA
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A brick was thrown through the window of Angela Eagles Wallasey constituency office following the announcement that she will challenge Jeremy Corbyn for leadership of the Labour Party.
Reports say Ms Eagles office staff have also stopped picking up phones, due to receiving abusive calls following the announcement.
The former shadow Business Secretary launched her leadership bid on Monday at an event in London, claiming Jeremy Corbyn is unable to provide the leadership this huge task needs.
But the Labour Party branch in Wallasey, where Ms Eagle has been MP for 14 years, released a statement prior to the announcement declaring their support for current leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Last night at our branch meeting Wallasey branch Labour Party passed, with an overwhelming majority, a motion of support for Jeremy Corbyn as Leader of the Labour Party, the statement said.
Ms Eagle now faces the prospect of a vote of no confidence from her constituency party.
She is due to be the topic of lively debate in a meeting on Friday, with a no-confidence motion on the agenda, according to the constituency partys vice chair, Paul Davies.
Ms Eagle's official Facebook page has been 'hijacked' by Corbyn supporters since she announced her plans to challenge him as leader, with thousands of comments containing the hashtag #StillCorbyn as well as more creative tags such as #TheEagleHasCrashLanded, and #YouSupportedIraqWar.
People who joined the Labour Party specifically because Mr Corbyn was the leader have been commenting with '#Joined4Corbyn' and #BecauseOfCorbyn'.
(Facebook)
Mr Corbyn issued a statement after the attack on Ms Eagle's office urging Labour Party members to treat each other with respect and to cease any violent or threatening behaviour.
As someone who has also received death threats this week and previously, I am calling on all Labour Party members and supporters to act with calm and treat each other with respect and dignity, even where there is disagreement.
I utterly condemn any violence or threats, which undermine the democracy within our party and have no place in our politics," he said.
Territorial integrity of Azerbaijan has nothing to do with Nagorno-Karabakh
Answer of Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh ocharyan to the question by "Panorama.am" agency Question: Mr. Kocharyan, how would you comment on the statements of the President of Azerbaijan regarding the phased solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue? Shavarsh Kocharyan: The Madrid Document proposed by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs suggests packaged settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue based on mutual compromises. One of the key elements of that packaged solution is the determination of the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh according to the legally binding expression of will of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. The adoption of the Madrid Document in general, including the idea of referendum as a basis for the negotiation process, was a serious compromise by the Republic of Armenia, considering that the referendum on the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh was conducted before the collapse of the Soviet Union in full compliance with the fundamental norms of the international law and the Constitution and legislation of the Soviet Union then in force. The idea of the new referendum was substantiated by the Co-Chairs in terms of providing the Azerbaijani leadership time to prepare their population to the inevitability of holding such referendum as well as to long-term peace and not to war. However the Azerbaijani leadership used the timeframe after the adoption of Madrid principles for distorting the essence of negotiation process, seeding hatred towards Armenians, preparing their population for war, maintaining the tension and carrying out provocations along the borders with the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh and the Republic of Armenia. The logical continuation of such politics was the renewal of large-scale military offensive against the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic by Azerbaijan, which represents a grave violation of the latters international obligations under trilateral - Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia- agreements on the establishment of ceasefire regime and the enforcement of the ceasefire regime of 1994-1995, which have no time limitations. The Azerbaijani aggression was conducted by a cruelty not inferior to ISIS with grave violations of humanitarian law, including shelling of schools resulting in the death and injuries of children, torture, mutilation and killing of elderly people as well as decapitation of soldiers. Moreover, the President of Azerbaijan demonstratively decorated the barbarian, who decapitated the Armenian captive soldier, exactly how he previously heroized another barbarian who axed an Armenian lieutenant during the NATO courses in Budapest. The international community attempted to give the Azerbaijani leadership a chance to retake a civilized and constructive path. To that end, Baku must respect and implement the agreements reached on 16th of May in Vienna and reaffirmed on 20th of June in St. Petersburg and facilitate the creation of an atmosphere necessary for the resumption of negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement. However, the statements of the Azerbaijani leadership prove that Baku is losing as well this opportunity provided by the mediators. Azerbaijans April aggression clearly demonstrated the inability of its leadership to adhere to its international commitments under the agreements signed by that very side and proved that the launch of the packaged settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh issue must start with the recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic by Azerbaijan and its proclamation on the readiness to return the occupied territories of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan has nothing to do with Nagorno-Karabakh and the conflict must be resolved within the framework of realisation of the right of self-determination of people of Nagorno-Karabakh and responsibility of Azerbaijan in its aggression against the self-determined Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
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The husband of a British-Iranian woman who has been held in solitary confinement in Iran for three months delievered a letter to No 10 begging for the Government to intervene.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 37, and her three-year-old daughter Gabriella are currently trapped in Iran after she was arrested by members of the Revolutionary Guard (IRG) at Imam Khomeini airport in Tehran in April as she was preparing to fly home to London.
Over the weekend, her family marked the 100th day she had been held without charge at a secret location, while her daughter was being cared for by her parents as her passport has been seized.
The Iranian authorities have now said she has been charged with unknown offences.
Richard Ratcliffe renewed his call for more political noise from the UK Government to free her.
He said he found it astonishing that no British minister has publicly criticised Tehran for arresting one of their citizens.
Speaking outside No 10, Mr Ratcliffe said consular staff in Iran and at the Foreign Office had been working on her case.
But he added: There has been no public criticism by any British minister of this situation.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with husband Richard and daughter Gabriella (Change.org)
This is a British baby and a British mother being held hostage, effectively, and I think that is astonishing.
I think more political noise is needed because it doesn't feel we have too much traction just yet.
Mr Ratcliffe claimed his wife was being used as a bargaining chip but the IRG would release her if they could reach a deal with Tehran's political leaders.
He added: She is a political prisoner in Iranian politics between hardliners and those who are trying to embarrass their own government, and is clearly being used as a pawn in international relations.
World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. 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In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. 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Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. 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Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe works for the Thomson Reuters Foundation the charitable arm of the news agency and has never been involved in political activism in the country.
The IRG had previously claimed she had participated in the design and implementation of cyber and media projects to cause the soft toppling of the Islamic Republic.
On Monday, Irans semi-official ISNA and Tasnim news agencies reported that three dual nationals had been charged with unknown offences.
It quoted Tehrans prosecutor, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, who said retired Iranian-Canadian university professor Homa Hoodfar and Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi whose father is also being held are the other dual nationals charged.
Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe works for a charity and has no political involvement in Iran (Family Handout)
Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese man with US permanent resident status, has also been charged.
All four were arrested in connection with separate cases in the past year. All fours families said they have done nothing wrong.
Those detained typically face trial in Iran's Revolutionary Court, a closed-door tribunal which handles cases involving alleged attempts to overthrow the government.
Additional reporting by agencies
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Angela Eagle has dismissed questionning about her vote in favour of the Iraq War, by accusing interviewer John Humphrys of pandering to a "Corbynista meme on Twitter".
The former shadow business secretary was questioned about her leadership credentials and emotional strength during an interview on BBC Radio 4s Today programme.
Quizzed about her decision to vote for the war during a heated exchange, Ms Eagle said: "You're not going to repeat a Corbynista meme that's going round Twitter are you?"
The awkward moment when Angela Eagle realised journalists had all left her leadership bid launch
She also defended crying over Jeremy Corbyn during media interviews as she continued her bid to become the next Labour leader.
You used the word strong to describe yourself, and youll accept you have to be pretty ruthless if youre going to be a political leader of a party, Mr Humphrys said.
Yet the nation heard you shedding a tear a couple of times on the radio and on television when you were talking about Jeremy Corbyn.
Many people might have thought Hang on - do we want someone who weeps in the face of this sort of thing, confronting Putin for instance?
The MP for Wallasey replied: I tried for nine months to fulfill my promise to Labour party members to try to make Jeremy Corbyns leadership work. And it was just emotion that I had been unable to deliver that.
The popular meme is circulating on social media among supporters of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership
Theres more than one way to be a leader and I think being in touch with your emotions is an important thing. It was a difficult day. Politicians ought to be human beings and leaders can be human beings.
During an interview on the World at One on Radio 4 in June, Ms Eagles voice audibly cracked as she criticised Mr Corbyns ability to lead the Labour party into the next General Election.
She continued: Im not crying now, am I? The issue here is whether youve got a vision for the country, whether you can provide strong leadership to unite the Labour party and heal our country in these dangerous times. I believe I have got all of those qualities.
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.
Ms Eagle added she was looking forward to a contest of ideas during her leadership challenge and said trade unionist Len McCluskey had been watching too many am-dram performances for suggesting anti-Corbyn MPs had betrayed the Labour party.
On Tuesday morning, it was reported a brick had been thrown through the window of Ms Eagles constituency office in Wallasey, Merseyside, overnight and numerous abusive messages had been left on her parliamentary answer phone.
It is believed Ms Eagle may face a vote of no confidence at a Wallasey Labour party meeting on Friday.
Ms Eagle announced her leadership bid on Monday morning, with the support of over 50 MPs and MEPs.
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Theresa May has been urged to get on with resolving the UK's post-Brexit relationship with the EU as quickly as possible.
Angela Merkel has lead a series of European leaders in calls for Britain's Prime Minister-elect to begin negotiations with EU countries to avert any paralysis across the continent.
The German chancellor has said the UK should clarify quickly how it wants to shape its future relationship with the European Union and warned that the forthcoming Brexit talks will not be easy.
It comes as Ms May and the Chancellor, George Osborne, led tributes to the Prime Minister as he bid farewell to his top team by chairing an "emotional" final Cabinet meeting.
The new Tory leader posed for photos as she arrived at 10 Downing Street - as removal vans began the process of moving out Mr Cameron.
The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Show all 6 1 /6 The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Brexit The big one. Theresa May has spoken publicly three times since declaring her intent to stand in the Tory Leadership race, and each time she has said, Brexit means Brexit. It sounds resolute, but it is helpful to her that Brexit is a made up word with no real meaning. She has said there will be no second referendum and no re-entry in to the EU via the back door. But she, like the Leave campaign of which she was not a member, has pointedly not said with any precision what she thinks Brexit means Reuters The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address General election This is very much one to keep off the to do list. She said last week there would be no general election at this time of great instability. But there have already been calls for one from opposition parties. The Fixed Term Parliaments Act of 2010 makes it far more difficult to call a snap general election, a difficulty she will be in no rush to overcome. In the event of a victory for Leadsom, who was not popular with her own parliamentary colleagues, an election might have been required, but May has the overwhelming backing of the parliamentary party Getty The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address HS2 Macbeth has been quoted far too much in recent weeks, but it will be up to May to decide whether, with regard to the new high speed train link between London, Birmingham, the East Midlands and the north, returning were as tedious as go oer. Billions have already been spent. But the 55bn it will cost, at a bare minimum, must now be considered against the grim reality of significantly diminished public finances in the short to medium term at least. It is not scheduled to be completed until 2033, by which point it is not completely unreasonable to imagine a massive, driverless car-led transport revolution having rendered it redundant EPA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Heathrow expansion Or indeed Gatwick expansion. Or Boris Island, though that option is seems as finished as the man himself. The decision on where to expand aviation capacity in the south east has been delayed to the point of becoming a national embarrassment. A final decision was due in autumn. Whatever is decided, there will be vast opprobrium PA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Trident renewal David Cameron indicated two days ago that there will be a Commons vote on renewing Britains nuclear deterrent on July 18th, by which point we now know, Ms May will be Prime Minister. The Labour Party is, to put it mildly, divided on the issue. This will be an early opportunity to maximise their embarrassment, and return to Tory business as usual EPA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Scottish Independence Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP are in no doubt that the Brexit vote provides the opportunity for a second independence referendum, in which they can emerge victorious. The Scottish Parliament at Holyrood has the authority to call a second referendum, but Ms May and the British Parliament are by no means automatically compelled to accept the result. She could argue it was settled in 2014 AFP/Getty
May has reiterated her stance at her victory speech that Brexit means Brexit and there will be no attempts to stay within the EU.
There will be no attempts to remain inside the EU, no attempts to re-join it by the back door, and no second referendum. The country voted to leave the European Union and as Prime Minister I will make sure that we leave the European Union," Ms May said.
Recommended Read more Donald Tusk rules out any UK negotiations over four EU freedoms
The Brexit vote was also a message that we need to bring control to free movement. Free movement cannot continue as it has up to now.
On Tuesday, the eurozone's top official, Eurogroup president Jeroen Dijsselbloem, told Mrs May to "find solutions for the Brexit which has been causing a lot of problems particularly for the UK, but also for Europe."
Ahead of a meeting of European finance ministers in Brussels, he said that the "sooner we can sort out this problematic situation, the better."
The comments indicate that the EU is still willing to play hardball with Britain over the Brexit negotiations, which will be at the top of the new PM's list when she enters No 10.
The German Chancellor has warned that there can be no cherry picking of what it wants to keep from its EU membership while jettisoning aspects of the relationship it does not like. We will have difficult negotiations with Britain, it will not be easy, Merkel told conservative supporters in eastern Germany on Monday.
But of course the EU and the remaining 27 member states also have to protect their interests, Ms Merkel said during a speech at the annual diplomatic corps reception in Meseberg, north of Berlin.
Theresa May: Going to make success of Brexit
And despite suggestions from senior British politicians that access to the tariff-free market could continue alongside curbing migration from the bloc, Ms Merkel said: For example, whoever would like to have free access to the European internal market will also have to accept all basic freedoms in return, including the free movement of people.
In an interview with the ZDF TV channel, the German Chancellor added: The decision has been taken . . . and the next step is and Britain will do this only when they have a new prime minister to invoke Article 50, she said. I expect that to happen. I deal with reality and I firmly expect that application will be made.
Ms Merkel added: We have spoken to Britain and made clear there will be no negotiations with Britain until they have made their application, and there will be no cherry picking.
Donald Tusk, the European Council President, has previously warned that Britain must accept the EUs four freedoms people, goods, capital and services to retain access to the tariff-free single market. He added that there will be no formal negotiations until the British prime minister has triggered Article 50.
After the Leave campaign won on a promise to cut immigration, the new Prime Minister will be under great pressure to get a deal that does not include acquiescence to freedom of movement rules. But Theresa May, so far, has failed to outline how she will negotiate this relaxation of the EUs four freedoms in the face of such vocal opposition from the 27 other EU member states.
We wish UK as close partner. Access to the single market means acceptance of all four freedoms. No single market a la carte many expect Europe to do better. Europe brought hope for decades. Our responsibility to return that, Mr Tusk added.
Mr Cameron had been planning to use the G20 summit in China in early September as his keynote signing-off point from the gallery of global leaders, but it will now mark Mrs May's introduction to such set-piece international gatherings instead.
With the Tory leadership race timetabled to climax on September 9, Mr Cameron had expected to attend the meeting of the leaders of the world's 20 most significant economies, and then return home for a final Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons on September 7.
Mr Cameron will now complete his final set-piece parliamentary duty at PMQs on Wednesday before formally resigning during an audience with the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
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A House of Commons debate on a petition calling for a second EU referendum will take place on Monday, 5 September.
The Commons Petitions Committee confirmed the record-breaking online petition, signed by more than four million people, will be put forward for debate.
The petition, which was set up by a Brexit supporter before the referendum was held, called for the Government to annul the results if the Remain or Leave vote won by less than 60 per cent on a turnout of less than 75 per cent.
A House of Commons spokesman said in a statement: The Committee has decided that the huge number of people signing this petition means that it should be debated by MPs.
The Petitions Committee would like to make clear that, in scheduling this debate, they are not supporting the call for a second referendum.
The debate will allow MPs to put forward a range of views on behalf of their constituents. At the end of the debate, a Government Minister will respond to the points raised.
The spokesman also said the debate does not have the power to change the law and will not end with the Commons deciding whether or not to have a second referendum.
He added: The petition which was opened on 25 May, well before the referendum calls for the referendum rules to be changed. It is now too late for the rules to be changed retrospectively.
"It will be up to the Government to decide whether it wants to start the process of agreeing a new law for a second referendum.
Brexit - Some Leave voters are regretting their vote
The Government previously rejected the petition's call for a second referendum on EU membership. In an official reply, the Foreign Office said 33 million people had had their say and "the decision must be respected".
"We must now prepare for the process to exit the EU," it added.
The petiton was disowned by its original author, Leave activist William Oliver Healey, who said his opinions on the need for a high turnout and high level of support for one side had been hijacked by EU supporters.
Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Show all 12 1 /12 Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Brexit protest: Thousands march in London A woman poses with a home-made European Union flag as Remain supporters gather on Park Lane in London to show their support for the EU in the wake of Brexit PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Remain supporters demonstrate in Parliament Square PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Tens of thousands of people gathered to protest the result of the EU referendum PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London A majority of people in the capital voted to remain in the European Union Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Protesters chanted: What do we want to do? Stay in the EU PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The march follows a similar rally in Trafalgar Square that was cancelled due to heavy rain but which tens of thousands of people turned up to anyway Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Britain voted to leave the European Union in a referendum by 52 per cent to 48 per cent Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London But support for the Leave campaign in urban areas and among young people was significantly lower Rex features Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Marchers gathered at Park Lane at 11am and marched towards Parliament Square PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Some protesters held up baguettes in a display of affection for our continental neighbours PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The disparity between different parts of the country has promoted a four million signature petition calling for a second referendum and even a renewed push for Scotland to cede from the UK PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The events organiser, Kings College graduate Kieran MacDermott, wrote: We can prevent Brexit by refusing to accept the referendum as the final say and take our finger off the self-destruct button" Reuters
More than 1,000 lawyers have signed a letter addressed to Prime Minister David Cameron saying the result of the referendum is merely "advisory" and not legally binding.
The lawyers add that the Government should organise an independent investigation into the costs and benefits of withdrawal before making plans to exit the bloc.
Four out of 10 people would like to see a second referendum before Britain leaves the EU, according to an opinion poll for The Independent.
Meanwhile, Government lawyers say the decision to begin the process of leaving the EU can be made using an executive order from the new Prime Minister.
Cabinet Office minister John Penrose told the Commons Parliament will nonetheless have a role in triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, formally starting the process of Brexit.
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Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, has increased the pressure on Theresa May to tell the three million EU nationals living in the UK that they can remain after Brexit.
Ms Davidson, who backed Ms May in the Tory leadership election, urged her to move quickly after taking over as Prime Minister to allay fears among the EU nationals that they might be forced to leave the UK. Ms May has refused to make such a promise, saying that residency rights should form part of the negotiations with the EU on Britains exit terms which will also cover the position of the 1.2 million Britons living in other EU countries.
The Scottish Tory leader told Westminster journalists that the status of the EU nationals should be guaranteed. That's an assurance that I want from the Government, and I want it pretty quick. Its not enough to say to people who have come here and made a home here, and have made their life here, that we want your labour, that's all we want, she said.
She added: "We have got to be able also to say we want your brains, we want your culture, we want your passion, we want you in our country, making our country better, and giving these people security."
Ms Davidson dismissed SNP demands for a second referendum on Scottish independence following the Brexit vote as utterly unjustified and completely irresponsible. She said the SNP should put the national interest before its own nationalist vision for once.
But she admitted: The result is testing this countrys sense of unity. In Scotland, where people voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU, the result is testing the binds of the Union as well. However, she pointed out that two million people in Scotland had voted to stay in the UK in the 2014 referendum, more than the 1.6 million Scots who opted to remain in the EU last month.
The SNP is, as usual, trying to seize on a moment of doubt and uncertainty to declare that the shining star of independence is the answer, said Ms Davidson. And it's trying to claim that, as a result of Brexit, there is now a massive groundswell for a second independence referendum. This is simply not true. Even after the EU vote, only four in 10 people in Scotland say there should be an independence referendum.
The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Show all 6 1 /6 The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Brexit The big one. Theresa May has spoken publicly three times since declaring her intent to stand in the Tory Leadership race, and each time she has said, Brexit means Brexit. It sounds resolute, but it is helpful to her that Brexit is a made up word with no real meaning. She has said there will be no second referendum and no re-entry in to the EU via the back door. But she, like the Leave campaign of which she was not a member, has pointedly not said with any precision what she thinks Brexit means Reuters The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address General election This is very much one to keep off the to do list. She said last week there would be no general election at this time of great instability. But there have already been calls for one from opposition parties. The Fixed Term Parliaments Act of 2010 makes it far more difficult to call a snap general election, a difficulty she will be in no rush to overcome. In the event of a victory for Leadsom, who was not popular with her own parliamentary colleagues, an election might have been required, but May has the overwhelming backing of the parliamentary party Getty The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address HS2 Macbeth has been quoted far too much in recent weeks, but it will be up to May to decide whether, with regard to the new high speed train link between London, Birmingham, the East Midlands and the north, returning were as tedious as go oer. Billions have already been spent. But the 55bn it will cost, at a bare minimum, must now be considered against the grim reality of significantly diminished public finances in the short to medium term at least. It is not scheduled to be completed until 2033, by which point it is not completely unreasonable to imagine a massive, driverless car-led transport revolution having rendered it redundant EPA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Heathrow expansion Or indeed Gatwick expansion. Or Boris Island, though that option is seems as finished as the man himself. The decision on where to expand aviation capacity in the south east has been delayed to the point of becoming a national embarrassment. A final decision was due in autumn. Whatever is decided, there will be vast opprobrium PA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Trident renewal David Cameron indicated two days ago that there will be a Commons vote on renewing Britains nuclear deterrent on July 18th, by which point we now know, Ms May will be Prime Minister. The Labour Party is, to put it mildly, divided on the issue. This will be an early opportunity to maximise their embarrassment, and return to Tory business as usual EPA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Scottish Independence Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP are in no doubt that the Brexit vote provides the opportunity for a second independence referendum, in which they can emerge victorious. The Scottish Parliament at Holyrood has the authority to call a second referendum, but Ms May and the British Parliament are by no means automatically compelled to accept the result. She could argue it was settled in 2014 AFP/Getty
Refusing to join Ms May in ruling out a second referendum on Brexit, Ms Davidson said: The honest answer is I don't know what's going to happen I think it would be highly unlikely.
She joked about how speedily the Tories had put Mrs May in place, compared with the pace of Labour's attempt to oust Jeremy Corbyn. Labour is still fumbling with its flies while the Tories are enjoying their post-coital cigarette, she said.
Theresa May: How her leadership speech differed from her voting record
Hitting back at Ms Davidsons speech, Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister, said: It is the selfish and reckless irresponsibility of the Tories that has brought Scotland to the brink of being taken out of EU against our will, with all the damage and upheaval which that would entail for many years to come for our economy, society, rights and place in the world.
In these circumstances it is incumbent on Scottish government to navigate a path that protects Scotland's interests and place in the EU. Given the seriousness of the situation we face, it would be wrong and irresponsible not to have all the options on the table.
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It's inevitable that David Cameron's reign as Prime Minister, both as the head of the coalition government from 2010 and with an outright majority from 2015, will be overshadowed by Brexit.
The UK's vote to leave the EU, if it is to go ahead as planned, will fundamentally change the country and its position in the world.
In his victory speech, Mr Cameron, the youngest Prime Minister since Lord Liverpool in 1812, said: "Our manifesto is a manifesto for working people and as a majority government we will be able to deliver all of it: indeed, it is the reason why I think majority government is more accountable.
"Three million apprenticeships, more help with childcare, helping 30m people cope with the cost of living by cutting their taxes building homes that people are able to buy and own, creating millions more jobs that give people the chance of a better future and yes, we will deliver that in-out referendum on our future in Europe."
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
But as the MP for Witney is replaced by Theresa May as leader of the country, it's worth looking at Mr Cameron's legacy: a one-nation Tory who wanted his party to stop banging on about Europe.
Cameron appears to hum West Wing theme tune as he finishes resignation announcement
House prices
According to data from the Land Registry, average UK house prices have risen from 161,148 in 2009, just before Mr Cameron became Prime Minister, to 206,953 in 2016 a 28 per cent increase.
But in London, which continues to be far more expensive than anywhere else in the country, the average house price is now more than 470,000.
In context, that's compared with the median average UK salary of 27,531 last year.
Balance of Payments
From a position of near-parity in 1997, the UK's balance of payments transactions between a country's residents and its nonresidents involving goods, services and income is now at a historic low.
In 2015, the UKs current account deficit was 100.2 billion, or 7.2 per cent of the country's GDP, the highest ever recorded.
Immigration
David Cameron's 2010 pledge to reduce net migration to "tens of thousands" is now in tatters.
In 2015, net migration was up to 332,000, and left Nick Clegg, the former Deputy Prime Minister, saying they "failed spectacularly to deliver".
Hate crime
The aftermath of the EU referendum has led to a spate of racist hate crimes being perpetrated, with a 42 per cent rise for the last two weeks in June compared with the year before.
But in the last two years of Mr Cameron's leadership, hate crimes as a whole have grown significantly.
Between 2012/13 and 2014/15 alone, reports of hate crimes increased by 25 per cent, reaching 55,000 over the year.
Poverty
Although there are questions to be raised over how poverty is measured, over Mr Cameron's reign, there was a slight decrease in overall and persistent poverty rates.
Persistent poverty dropped from 8 per cent of the population in 2009 to 6.5 per cent in 2014, the most recent figures available.
Relative poverty means a person can't afford to live an ordinary, pleasurable life, whereas absolute poverty tends to refer to being unable to afford the basic needs of life the latter definition is not monitored by the UK government.
Suicides
The rate of suicide across Britain showed a general upward trend, from 10.2 suicides per 100,000 of the population to peak of 11.1 in 2013.
A 20-year high of 3,899 was reached for female suicides in 2015, according to figures released by the Ministry of Justice.
Suicides in prisons also rose signficantly to an eight-year high.
Homelessness
Under Mr Cameron, the number of statuorily homeless people in the UK rose for six consecutive years.
Westminster, where the Houses of Parliament is situated, is the worst affected area in the entire country.
Meanwhile, rough sleeping on Londons night buses increased 121 per cent in the past four years, according to an internal report by Transport for London.
The Budget
The budget deficit is at its lowest point in Mr Cameron's time as prime minister, but even then at 39 billion, it is more than four times the level it was when the year before he arrived in office.
In 2010, that figure peaked at an eye-watering 103 billion, though reductions have been made since.
George Osborne's 2016 Budget, however, was geared benefit the to 10 per cent most wealthy households in the UK, according to analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the Resolution Foundation.
Inflation
The Consumer Price Index (CPI), the official measure how expensive goods and services are, fell from 4.5 per cent in 2010 to on average 0 per cent in 2015.
This level of is well below the 2 per cent the Bank of England is mandated by the Government to target.
In fact, last year the UK experienced a period of deflation not seen since the 1960s.
Employment
In 2016, the number of people in work reached a record high of 31.42 million, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The rate of employment among 16 to 64-year-olds rose from 70.4 per cent in 2010 to 73.7 per cent in 2015.
How Brexit will affect this remains to be seen.
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Theresa May has ruled out an early general election, arguing that the country is only one year into the current parliament.
But with a narrow majority, the incoming Prime Minister may come to regret her decision and change her mind out of necessity.
And yet, she may be constrained by the Fixed Term Parliament Act, which sets the date of the next general election in 2020. Could she call an early general election?
Can the Prime Minister call an election?
The Fixed Term Parliament Act was published by the 2010 Coalition government (Getty Images)
Before the 2011 Fixed Term Parliament Act (FTPA) the Prime Minister could simply call an election.
This was effectively the PM exercising the royal prerogative: no parliamentary vote was needed, it was the PMs decision.
This power was transferred to the House of Commons under the FTPA, which was introduced by the 2010 Coalition government.
On paper it is no longer the Prime Ministers decision.
Does that means elections cannot be earlier than every five years?
General elections are set by the FTPA every five years (Getty Images) (Getty)
No, there are two ways under the FTPA that an election can be called ahead of schedule.
The first is if two thirds of MPs vote to hold an election. This is a very high bar and would in practice require both Labour and Conservative support.
The second is if there is a no confidence vote in the government of the day. After such a vote other parties are given 14 days to form another government. If none can be formed, a new election is held.
Could the Government declare no confidence in itself?
The vote would have to be moved in the House of Commons (PA)
On paper, a majority government could, by a simple vote, declare no confidence in itself. Since no other party has a majority, after 14 days an election would be set.
But, Professor Robert Hazell of University College Londons Constitution Unit says, this artificial move could backfire.
This does have the potential to go embarrassingly wrong. It would only take a handful of Conservative rebels to derail an attempt to call an election, he tells the Independent.
The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Show all 6 1 /6 The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Brexit The big one. Theresa May has spoken publicly three times since declaring her intent to stand in the Tory Leadership race, and each time she has said, Brexit means Brexit. It sounds resolute, but it is helpful to her that Brexit is a made up word with no real meaning. She has said there will be no second referendum and no re-entry in to the EU via the back door. But she, like the Leave campaign of which she was not a member, has pointedly not said with any precision what she thinks Brexit means Reuters The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address General election This is very much one to keep off the to do list. She said last week there would be no general election at this time of great instability. But there have already been calls for one from opposition parties. The Fixed Term Parliaments Act of 2010 makes it far more difficult to call a snap general election, a difficulty she will be in no rush to overcome. In the event of a victory for Leadsom, who was not popular with her own parliamentary colleagues, an election might have been required, but May has the overwhelming backing of the parliamentary party Getty The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address HS2 Macbeth has been quoted far too much in recent weeks, but it will be up to May to decide whether, with regard to the new high speed train link between London, Birmingham, the East Midlands and the north, returning were as tedious as go oer. Billions have already been spent. But the 55bn it will cost, at a bare minimum, must now be considered against the grim reality of significantly diminished public finances in the short to medium term at least. It is not scheduled to be completed until 2033, by which point it is not completely unreasonable to imagine a massive, driverless car-led transport revolution having rendered it redundant EPA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Heathrow expansion Or indeed Gatwick expansion. Or Boris Island, though that option is seems as finished as the man himself. The decision on where to expand aviation capacity in the south east has been delayed to the point of becoming a national embarrassment. A final decision was due in autumn. Whatever is decided, there will be vast opprobrium PA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Trident renewal David Cameron indicated two days ago that there will be a Commons vote on renewing Britains nuclear deterrent on July 18th, by which point we now know, Ms May will be Prime Minister. The Labour Party is, to put it mildly, divided on the issue. This will be an early opportunity to maximise their embarrassment, and return to Tory business as usual EPA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Scottish Independence Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP are in no doubt that the Brexit vote provides the opportunity for a second independence referendum, in which they can emerge victorious. The Scottish Parliament at Holyrood has the authority to call a second referendum, but Ms May and the British Parliament are by no means automatically compelled to accept the result. She could argue it was settled in 2014 AFP/Getty
It would risk looking ridiculous. It would need to be very confident that all its MPs would vote for the motion and would formally say they have no confidence in Her Majestys government.
Her press people would have to go into overdrive in explaining to the public what this was intended to achieve and why they didnt really mean what they said.
The whips would need to be very confident that they could get a majority remember that the majority is only 12 so it only takes half a dozen mavericks to rebel and the governments doesnt have a majority.
While entirely possible, this isnt an ideal option.
What about the two thirds majority option?
In practice, Labour would have to back a two-thirds motion (PA)
The Government could simply get two thirds of MPs to agree to vote for an election. In practice this means both Labour and the Tories would have to back one
The inherent problem here is if the Government wants an election, the opposition probably (at least privately) doesnt, since they both want to win it.
The Government could try to shame the opposition by playing a game of chicken, Professor Hazell suggests calling Labour cowards might do the trick.
Yesterday opposition parties made positive noises about an election if May changed her mind in six months time, she could point to those statements to secure Labour support.
Yet what remains of Labours self-preservation instinct might still kick in.
What about repealing the Fixed Term Parliament Act?
The Government wouldn't have to go as far as full repeal of the FTPA (Alamy)
This would work, but would raise a whole host of awkward questions about where the power to call an election lies, Professor Hazell says.
He explains that constitutional lawyers are split on whether the power to call an election would simply return to the Prime Minister as before, or not.
But the Government neednt get into this, he says.
It could be literally a one clause bill saying notwithstanding the Fixed Term Parliaments Act 2011 the next election shall be held on x date, he explains. The FTPA would remain in place, but be bypassed.
Thus, Britains doctrine of parliamentary supremacy saves the day for the Government. As with a self-no confidence vote, this might look underhand, but it would be completely within the rules
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There have been dramatic scenes at a meeting of Labours ruling body this afternoon as Jeremy Corbyn's future hangs in the balance.
The partys national executive committee is holding a special session to determine whether Mr Corbyn will automatically be on the ballot paper of any leadership contest if someone challenges him.
Citing sources inside the meeting, Channel 4 News reports that Mr Corbyn, who sits on the NEC by virtue of his position as leader, was asked to leave the room but refused.
Corbyn arrives at Labour HQ
Recommended Read more Labour party leadership election officially triggered
The request for him to leave came after the NEC voted by 17-15 in favour of asking the question regarding the ballot paper as a secret ballot.
Sky News later reported that Mr Corbyn vacated the room after having first refused to do so.
The decision about whether Mr Corbyn will automatically be on the ballot paper will be revealed later this evening.
Separate sets of legal advice have reportedly backed both opinions.
Mr Corbyn's supporters are thought to have a narrow majority on the NEC.
The Labour leader is expected to struggle to gain the required nominations if forced to obtain them.
It is possible that any decision either way could be challenged in the courts by the side that loses.
Mr Corbyn was hit by a wave of frontbench resignations last month, with MPs calling for him to step down.
After he refused to quit, former shadow business secretary Angela Eagle announced she was standing against him for the leadership.
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David Cameron is facing one final challenge to his decisions while Prime Minister in the form of Larry the cat.
British voters have voiced their disappointment after it was reported the outgoing premier would not be taking Number 10's resident feline to his new family home.
Larry, who has been the official mouser at with the Cameron family for six years, is understood to be staying behind to welcome new occupant, Theresa May.
The news prompted anger among some social media users.
Larry was brought to Downing Street one year after the Camerons moved in in 2010.
Matthew d'Ancona once asserted in his biography of Mr Cameron, In It Together, that the Camerons found Larry annoying owing to his lazy attitude towards rodents - and that he was little more than a public relations ploy.
Having charitably been given a second chance when he was taken from Battersea Dogs And Cats Home in 2011, the cat only recorded one kill in his first year in residence..
His normally nonchalant approach to the mouse problem in Downing Street had led to speculation that his days there might be numbered.
Other reports have suggested Mr Cameron privately admits he is a "dog man".
Yet claims were quickly quashed, with claims from a spokesperson that everyone in the house got on "purrrfectly well".
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The security and intelligence services, who are pressing for new powers to combat terrorism, have been pleased with what Theresa May has been able to deliver as Home Secretary. They and the armed forces wait to see who she will appoint to her cabinet, and how they tackle a range of defence and security issues.
One person the security agencies certainly would not want to see at the Home Office is David Davis, a Brexiteer who swung his support behind Mrs May and is expected to get a senior role. Davis had been a shadow home secretary, but it is unlikely that he will get the post in the new cabinet. Michael Gove is seen as an outside bet for the job if Ms May wants to show she is magnanimous for the sake of unity, but there is a feeling in the security field that he is almost too much of a zealot.
George Osborne may get the Foreign Office if Philip Hammond achieves his long-held ambition to be at the Treasury. As Chancellor Mr Osborne was generous in the funding of MI6, MI5 and GCHQ but has not been popular with the armed forces for his cuts to the defence budget. They were pleasantly surprised last year that military spending would get an annual increase until 2020 to achieve the Nato defence spending target of two per cent of national income.
Michael Fallon has been a popular Defence Secretary, but he may be moved to become chief whip or leader of the house. Liam Fox, a regular dining companion of Mrs May who backed her when his own bid for Tory leadership failed, has spoken of unfinished business at the Ministry of Defence from where he resigned under a cloud five years ago. But the reason he had to go for access given to his close friend and unofficial advisor Adam Werritty raised questions about his judgment which have still not been fully answered in the minds of some senior officials.
The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Show all 6 1 /6 The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Brexit The big one. Theresa May has spoken publicly three times since declaring her intent to stand in the Tory Leadership race, and each time she has said, Brexit means Brexit. It sounds resolute, but it is helpful to her that Brexit is a made up word with no real meaning. She has said there will be no second referendum and no re-entry in to the EU via the back door. But she, like the Leave campaign of which she was not a member, has pointedly not said with any precision what she thinks Brexit means Reuters The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address General election This is very much one to keep off the to do list. She said last week there would be no general election at this time of great instability. But there have already been calls for one from opposition parties. The Fixed Term Parliaments Act of 2010 makes it far more difficult to call a snap general election, a difficulty she will be in no rush to overcome. In the event of a victory for Leadsom, who was not popular with her own parliamentary colleagues, an election might have been required, but May has the overwhelming backing of the parliamentary party Getty The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address HS2 Macbeth has been quoted far too much in recent weeks, but it will be up to May to decide whether, with regard to the new high speed train link between London, Birmingham, the East Midlands and the north, returning were as tedious as go oer. Billions have already been spent. But the 55bn it will cost, at a bare minimum, must now be considered against the grim reality of significantly diminished public finances in the short to medium term at least. It is not scheduled to be completed until 2033, by which point it is not completely unreasonable to imagine a massive, driverless car-led transport revolution having rendered it redundant EPA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Heathrow expansion Or indeed Gatwick expansion. Or Boris Island, though that option is seems as finished as the man himself. The decision on where to expand aviation capacity in the south east has been delayed to the point of becoming a national embarrassment. A final decision was due in autumn. Whatever is decided, there will be vast opprobrium PA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Trident renewal David Cameron indicated two days ago that there will be a Commons vote on renewing Britains nuclear deterrent on July 18th, by which point we now know, Ms May will be Prime Minister. The Labour Party is, to put it mildly, divided on the issue. This will be an early opportunity to maximise their embarrassment, and return to Tory business as usual EPA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Scottish Independence Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP are in no doubt that the Brexit vote provides the opportunity for a second independence referendum, in which they can emerge victorious. The Scottish Parliament at Holyrood has the authority to call a second referendum, but Ms May and the British Parliament are by no means automatically compelled to accept the result. She could argue it was settled in 2014 AFP/Getty
Mrs May will reassure that Britain will continue to play a prominent role in Nato and, with Brexit, any chance of being part of a European military force, has disappeared. Discussing the security aspect of Brexit, Admiral James Stavridis, of the US Navy, was of the view that a new British government will presumably be a very motivated Nato partner.
The former head of Nato forces in Europe held that now it has chosen to become a relatively marginal economic player on the international stage the UK will choose to show its standing, not least in the relationship with America, by demonstrating commitment to its own defence and that of its allies.
But the problem with becoming a relatively marginal economic player means there will be budget cuts and defence is one of the sectors likely to suffer. The UK may well find it difficult to meet some of the defence pledges it has already made, let alone to make new ones.The projects under scrutiny will range from the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II planes for the two new aircraft carriers being built at vast expense, to the replacement of the Trident nuclear deterrent system.
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Theresa May is due to take over as Prime Minister after her only rival for the Conservative Party leadership, Andrea Leadsom, withdrew from the race.
What happens next?
The Conservative Partys board will formally confirm that Ms May is its new leader, and that the leadership election due to conclude on 9 September will not take place.
When will May become Prime Minister?
On Wednesday evening. David Cameron will chair his final Cabinet meeting tomorrow and answer questions at Prime Minister's Questions for the last time on Wednesday. Ms May will be installed in Number 10 by Wednesday evening. One of her first tasks will be to announce her new Cabinet.
How does David Cameron actually resign?
He has already announced his resignation, on the morning after the country voted to leave the EU in last months referendum. Any PM has to formally tell the Queen, but Mr Cameron did so on that morning, when he travelled to Buckingham Palace. He will now want to officially inform the Queen that Ms May has been chosen as Conservative Party leader. The Queen is in Scotland, and so the confirmation may be done by telephone or through officials. She will return to London by Wednesday, when Mr Cameron will formally tender his resignation at Buckingham Palace. The Queen will then meet May at the Palace and formally invite her to become PM.
1922 Committee: No chance of re-opening contest
What is the 1922 Committee?
It is composed of all 330 Conservative MPs, including ministers as well as backbenchers. But only backbenchers vote when it chooses its chairman. Its executive committee is a powerful body that represents backbench views to the party leadership, whether it is in government or opposition.
The 1922 Committee also supervises the running of party leadership elections: to challenge a vote of confidence in the leader, 15 per cent of Tory MPs (currently 50) have to write letters to the committees chairman, Graham Brady.
The committee gets its name from the year in which Tory MPs agreed to set up a self-help group for the party's new arrivals at the Commons.
When was the last time this happened?
Tony Blair stood down as PM in 2007, a decision he announced the previous year after coming under pressure from allies of Gordon Brown, his Chancellor, to name his departure date. In September 2006, he promised he would leave Downing Street within a year.
Mr Brown was the only candidate in Labours leadership election after the left-winger John McDonnell, now the shadow Chancellor, failed to win enough MP nominations to secure a place on the ballot paper. Mr Brown went ahead with Labour Party hustings meetings around the country even though he was unopposed. He entered Number 10 in June 2007.
In 1990, Margaret Thatcher was forced out as PM after losing the confidence of her Cabinet and MPs. Her successor, John Major, was chosen by Tory MPs in an election in which Michael Heseltine and Douglas Hurd also stood. At the time, Tory members did not have a vote.
The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Show all 6 1 /6 The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Brexit The big one. Theresa May has spoken publicly three times since declaring her intent to stand in the Tory Leadership race, and each time she has said, Brexit means Brexit. It sounds resolute, but it is helpful to her that Brexit is a made up word with no real meaning. She has said there will be no second referendum and no re-entry in to the EU via the back door. But she, like the Leave campaign of which she was not a member, has pointedly not said with any precision what she thinks Brexit means Reuters The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address General election This is very much one to keep off the to do list. She said last week there would be no general election at this time of great instability. But there have already been calls for one from opposition parties. The Fixed Term Parliaments Act of 2010 makes it far more difficult to call a snap general election, a difficulty she will be in no rush to overcome. In the event of a victory for Leadsom, who was not popular with her own parliamentary colleagues, an election might have been required, but May has the overwhelming backing of the parliamentary party Getty The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address HS2 Macbeth has been quoted far too much in recent weeks, but it will be up to May to decide whether, with regard to the new high speed train link between London, Birmingham, the East Midlands and the north, returning were as tedious as go oer. Billions have already been spent. But the 55bn it will cost, at a bare minimum, must now be considered against the grim reality of significantly diminished public finances in the short to medium term at least. It is not scheduled to be completed until 2033, by which point it is not completely unreasonable to imagine a massive, driverless car-led transport revolution having rendered it redundant EPA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Heathrow expansion Or indeed Gatwick expansion. Or Boris Island, though that option is seems as finished as the man himself. The decision on where to expand aviation capacity in the south east has been delayed to the point of becoming a national embarrassment. A final decision was due in autumn. Whatever is decided, there will be vast opprobrium PA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Trident renewal David Cameron indicated two days ago that there will be a Commons vote on renewing Britains nuclear deterrent on July 18th, by which point we now know, Ms May will be Prime Minister. The Labour Party is, to put it mildly, divided on the issue. This will be an early opportunity to maximise their embarrassment, and return to Tory business as usual EPA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Scottish Independence Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP are in no doubt that the Brexit vote provides the opportunity for a second independence referendum, in which they can emerge victorious. The Scottish Parliament at Holyrood has the authority to call a second referendum, but Ms May and the British Parliament are by no means automatically compelled to accept the result. She could argue it was settled in 2014 AFP/Getty
Will May have a democratic mandate?
Her allies say she has a mandate from Conservative MPs after winning the support of 199 out of 330 of them in the voting rounds that choose the shortlist of two candidates due to go into a ballot of the partys 125,000 members. That will not happen now that Andrea Leadsom, the other candidate shortlisted by MPs, has withdrawn from the race. Ms May does not have a mandate from Tory members; although she was the favourite to win the decisive ballot, we will never know whether Ms Leadsom would have pipped her at the post (as Ms Leadsoms campaign team believed she could).
Ms Mays supporters claim she has a mandate because we live in a parliamentary democracy and she can command a Commons majority.
Although MPs who were backing Leadsom have rallied behind May in public, they will be keen to hold her to her pledge that Brexit means Brexit because she backed Remain in the referendum.
How likely is a new general election?
The Liberal Democrats have demanded an early election and Ms May will face criticism that she lacks a mandate from the voters (just as Gordon Brown did in 2007 after he dropped plans for a snap election).
Ms May has said she will not call an election before the one due in 2020. She knows that holding one would add to uncertainty and instability not least on the financial markets at a time when there is enough turmoil after the Brexit vote.
If she changed her mind, the Fixed Term Parliaments Act, stipulating an election every five years, means she would have to persuade Tory MPs to vote for an election. At present, they do not want one that could potentially put their own seats at risk. An immediate one would allow pro-EU campaigners to try to turn the election into a referendum on last months referendum and give a voice to the 48 per cent who voted Remain.
There is an outside chance that Ms May might change her tune next spring, especially if Jeremy Corbyn remains Labour leader as the Tories are confident they would beat him. She might be tempted to seize the chance of extending her party's slender majority of 12. But the odds are that May will stay on as PM until 2020 without a general election.
Recommended Read more Prime Minister Theresa May has a formidable task ahead of her
What has Ms May said about Brexit?
She has said that Brexit means Brexit in an attempt to allay fears among Tory MPs who backed Leave that, as a Remain supporter, she might try to dilute the referendum result. She wants to maintain as much access as possible to the European single market for UK goods and services. But she has also accepted that the exit terms to be negotiated with the remaining 27 EU countries must include restrictions on the free movement of EU migrants who can currently come to Britain. She said that was a key message from the voters in the referendum.
The trade-off between single market access and immigration will be the fundamental question to be resolved in the negotiations.
Ms May said she intended to invoke Article 50 of the EUs Treaty of Lisbon after the end of the 2016 calendar year. That was based on a September timetable for taking power and so could now come forward by two months. She and her Cabinet will work out their negotiating aims. She will hope that there could be informal discussions with EU leaders now that they know who the British PM will be even though the EU has formally ruled out such soundings.
Once Article 50 is triggered, the EU is in the driving seat in the formal talks on a new deal. The UK will be on a path out of the EU and the process is supposed to be completed in two years.
How likely is a second EU referendum?
May has ruled one out, so the answer is unlikely. However, MPs and peers who want to keep the UK in the EU have not given up hope of reversing the Brexit vote.
The Government has rejected demands for an immediate second referendum, even though a petition signed by 4.1 million people has been collected.
There is no prospect of an immediate second public vote. However, there is an outside chance of a referendum on the exit terms agreed in the UK-EU negotiations over the next two years. Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, has floated this idea and is supported by many Labour MPs.
There is evidence of public support: an opinion poll by ORB for The Independent found that 40 per cent of people support a referendum on the exit terms, and that the Government should seek to remain in the EU if the deal is rejected. Although 44 per cent oppose the idea, it is backed by 12 per cent of those who voted Leave last month, which suggests that some of them may be having second thoughts.
Pro-EU politicians admit privately that three conditions would probably have to be met for a second referendum to take place: the EU deal was seen as a bad one; the economy had clearly suffered since the Brexit vote and there was strong public support for another vote.
Brexit could be overturned by a general election, if the winning party proposed to do so in its manifesto.The Liberal Democrats are likely to make such a pledge if Britain has not formally left the EU by the next election. A Labour Party under a pro-EU leader might do so, but Jeremy Corbyn would not.
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The relatively unknown investment fund where Theresa Mays husband Philip works as a senior executive is one of the worlds largest and most powerful financial institutions, controlling $1.4 trillion in assets.
Its portfolio also includes $20 billion of shares in Amazon and Starbucks, both of which were cited by the Prime Minister-designate in her pledge to crack down on tax avoidance yesterday.
Latest filings to US authorities show that Los Angeles based Capital Group owns huge stakes in a variety of companies, including investment bank JP Morgan Chase, defence giant Lockheed Martin, tobacco company Philip Morris International, the pharmaceutical sectors Merck & Co, and also Ryanair.
The company, which has a low profile outside the financial sector, has confirmed that Mr May, a pension fund expert, works out of its Mayfair office in London, with a spokeswoman telling The Independent: Philip is a client relationship manager who stays in contact with organisations and institutions in the UK to ensure they are happy with the service being delivered by Capital Group and that we understand their goals. Philip is not involved with our investment research or portfolio management activities.
Who is Philip May?
However, the company he works for has benefited from its investments in the likes of Amazon and Starbucks, both of which have been criticised for tax avoidance structures and which were mentioned by Ms May as she outlined her manifesto for Downing Street yesterday.
She said: We need to talk about tax. It doesnt matter to me whether youre Amazon, Google or Starbucks: you have a duty to put something back, you have a debt to your fellow citizens, you have a responsibility to pay your taxes. So as Prime Minister, I will crack down on individual and corporate tax avoidance and evasion.
Capital International's office in London (Google)
It is not clear whether she was aware that her husbands company was such a significant investor in the Amazon and Starbucks.
According to latest filings on 31 March this year, Capital Group, through its various divisions and funds, including Capital World Investors and Capital Research Global Investors, owned at least 32 million shares in Amazon, worth about $20bn.
5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Show all 5 1 /5 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Facebook Facebook paid 4327 in corporation tax in 2014, after it made a pre-tax loss of 28.5 million, according to filings at Companies House. That's less tax that new average UK employee pays on their salary. 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Amazon Amazons UK business paid just 11.9m in corporation tax last year, even though the online retail giant took 5.3bn in sales from British shoppers. 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Google So well known for avoiding tax that it had the 'Google tax' on multinationals that move profits to low-tax countries named after it. Alarm bells started ringing in 2012, when Google revealed it payed only 11.6 million to the Treasury, despite taking 3.4 billion in the UK. 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Uber Uber paid 22,134 in UK corporation tax last year despite making an 866,000 profit. 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Starbucks In October, the European Commission ruled that Starbucks' tax deal in the EU was illegal, ordering it to pay pay between 20-30 million to the Netherlands.
Its 6 per cent stake made it one of Amazons biggest shareholders.
It also owned about $2bn of Starbuck shares at the end of March when the total assets under its management was $1.4 trillion.
Other shareholdings included at least $7bn in JP Morgan Chase, $9bn in Philip Morris International, $5bn in McDonalds, $6.6bn in Lockheed Martin, and $1.5bn in Ryanair.
A source close to Ms May said: 'She said in her speech that these companies have a duty to put something back. That is her strong view and it remains her strong view.'
It is not clear which clients Mr May deals with on behalf of Capital Group, but his name has been mentioned in the minutes for Norfolk County Councils pension committee reports, where he has appeared on behalf of his company as a pension manager.
A spokesman for Starbucks said: We pay all our taxes in the UK and in 2014 we moved our European Headquarters to London. Last year we paid 18m in corporation tax.
Theresa May: How her leadership speech differed from her voting record
Amazon, which has been previously criticised for diverting profits out of the UK, last year began booking sales in Britain. It has previously denied deliberate tax avoidance.
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People have started to emerge from makeshift shelters in South Sudan's capital after a ceasefire silenced days of heavy fighting that has destabilised the world's newest nation.
Forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and Vice-President Riek Machar have been battling each other with anti-aircraft guns, attack helicopters and tanks since Thursday almost five years to the day since South Sudan declared independence from Sudan with promises of aid and support from world powers.
We don't even know what is happening. These things, they just happen again and again, and the people of South Sudan are suffering. We need peace, Samson Kenyi, a 34-year-old motorcycle taxi rider said in the capital, Juba.
The violence has raised fears of a collapse of a near year-old peace deal that was supposed to end two years of ethnically charged civil war between Mr Kiir and Mr Machar's supporters. Both leaders deny responsibility for starting the violence and called for calm while it raged, leading to concerns that they have lost control of their forces or other political figures may be involved.
A ceasefire called on Monday night appeared to hold and officials from Mr Machar's side said he was ready for talks. But there were no details of a meeting or an accord.
Shops were shut and residents said some of the civilians who ventured out were walking down Juba's dusty streets towards UN bases, where thousands have already sought safety during the clashes. Those unable to reach the UN bases, huddled in churches and schools to escape the fighting.
Some of the many displaced from the recent fighting have come out to stretch their legs a little bit. They are in the streets. They are not moving far, said Jeremiah Young, a policy and peace-building adviser for the aid group World Vision. The humanitarian needs are going to be very great after this, Mr Young added. They are going to need food, they are going to need shelter, they are going to need water.
South Sudan violence raises fears of war
The UN called for those uprooted by fighting to be protected, and for easy movement of humanitarian supplies and the African Union has said anyone violating the ceasefire would be subjected to stern measures, including targeted sanctions.
The EU and US have previously imposed sanctions on several military leaders on both sides. But world powers and regional states have struggled to find much leverage over the two men and their forces.
The rival leaders, who have long fought in politics and on the battlefield, could meet or hold telephone talks to shore up the ceasefire, Mr Machar's spokesman, James Gatdek Dak, said, adding that it was not clear when such talks might take place, or that a venue had been agreed.
Machar is committed to implementation of the peace agreement. If Kiir can reciprocate I believe they can build confidence, he said. If one party is not committed to implementation of the peace agreement, I doubt that they will successfully agree to work together.
An international body, the JMEC, chaired by Festus Mogae, a former president of Botswana, was set up to monitor the ceasefire and peace deal implementation. Machar's spokesman said the JMEC was mediating, but it had no immediate comment.
The civil war broke out in December 2013 after Mr Kiir sacked Mr Machar. The fighting, which often follows ethnic lines, pitting Mr Machar's Nuer group against Mr Kiir's Dinka, has killed thousands of people, driven more than 2.5 million people from their homes and left almost half the nation of 11 million struggling to find enough food.
Oil production, a vital revenue source for the impoverished nation, has plummeted.
Mr Kiir's officials have said he is committed to working with Mr Machar to end the conflict. A peace deal was signed in August 2015 but was followed by months of wrangling over details and sporadic fighting around the country. Mr Machar returned to Juba in April, retaking the post of Vice-President, a move seen as a step towards securing the peace.
But the relationship remains brittle and experts say the failure to implement elements of the peace deal, such as integrating their rival forces, has increased the chance of further fighting.
Mr Machar's side says the flare-up on Thursday, which led to the street battles, was triggered by the shooting of one of the Vice-President's officers.
The US has condemned the violence and said it would hold those who commit atrocities or impede efforts to stop the fighting fully accountable.
It has demanded that Mr Kiir and Mr Machar rein in their forces and said attacks on civilians or UN bases, which were hit in the exchange of fire, could amount to war crimes that would need to be investigated. Reuters
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An eight-year-old girl used a Kung Fu move to fight off a male intruder who broke into their house in the middle of the night and tried to drag her out of the house.
I would have woken up to an empty bed, the girls mother, Janie Sue, told KTVU. "I just cant comprehend that story.
The intruder broke into the house in El Cajon, California, around 4am Sunday morning by entering through a downstairs window, according to a police statement.
He then went to the girls bedroom, which she shared with her six-year-old brother, while her parents were sleeping.
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The girl, who remains unidentified, said: A burglar picked me up. I woke up on the stairs.
He smelt like garbage, according to the young girl.
She said she applied pressure to his neck, and when he dropped her she ran to her parents room for help.
He left the front door open when he fled the house.
The victim did not appear to be injured and nothing was stolen from the house, El Cajon police Lieutenant Rob Ransweiler told KSWB.
The family has installed a new home security system.
Shes scared but shes also empowered, her mother said.
"Shes going to be even safer because were going to protect her even better now. Not being naive that something bad isnt going to happen to us.
Police used search dogs to find the intruder but have not yet located him.
He was described as a very tanned white man, wearing a backpack.
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A police officer has been stripped of his badge and gun while authorities investigate the killing of a citizen when he was off duty.
Officer Wayne Isaacs shot and killed unarmed motorist Delrawn Small in Brooklyn while the officer was in plain clothes and on his way home in an unmarked vehicle.
He was still carrying a handgun, a common procedure of NYPD officers.
Mr Smalls girlfriend Zaquanna Albert told police he was angry because he thought Mr Isaacs had cut him off. He got out of his car at a traffic light on Atlantic Avenue to confront him.
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Police said they believed at first that Mr Isaacs shot him two times after Mr Small reached through the open window on the drivers side and repeatedly punched the officer.
Mr Isaacs was treated at Jamaica Hospital Center for bumps and bruises to the face and head.
A new video shows Mr Isaacs opening fire as soon as Mr Small approaches the car, however, without a clear indication that the officer was assaulted.
Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Show all 20 1 /20 Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas A Dallas Area Rapid Transit police officer receives comfort at the Baylor University Hospital emergency room entrance in Dallas Dallas Morning News/AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Emergency services help an unknown patient on a stretcher as law enforcement officials stand nearby at the emergency receiving area of Baylor University Medical Center AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Dallas Police shield bystanders after shots were fired, during a protest over two recent fatal police shootings of black men AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Bystanders run for cover after shots fired at a Black Live Matter rally in downtown Dallas AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Police check a car after snipers opened fire on police officers in Dallas AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas A man raises his hands as he walks near a law enforcement officer, following the shootings of several police officers in downtown Dallas AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas A Dallas police officer steps out of a vehicle as he arrives in front of Baylor University Medical Center AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Dallas police officers face protesters on the corner of Ross Ave. and Griffin street after police officers were shot during a peaceful protest in Dallas EPA Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas A Dallas police officer covers his face as he stands with others outside the emergency room at Baylor University Medical Center AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Law enforcement officials escort a couple in through the emergency room entrance at Baylor University Medical Center AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Dallas Police respond after shots were fired at a Black Lives Matter rally in downtown Dallas AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Dallas Police respond after shots were fired at a Black Lives Matter rally in downtown Dallas AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Police cars sit on Main Street in Dallas following the sniper shooting during a protest AFP/Getty Images Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas A Police officer stands guard at a barricade following the sniper shooting in Dallas AFP/Getty Images Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Police stand near a barricade following the sniper shooting in Dallas AFP/Getty Images Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Dallas police check a car after detaining a driver after a shooting in downtown Dallas AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Dallas police order people away from the area after several police were shot in downtown Dallas AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Dallas police move to detains a driver after several police officers were shot in downtown Dallas AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Dallas police detain a driver after several police officers were shot in downtown Dallas AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Dallas Police respond after shots were fired at a Black Lives Matter rally in downtown Dallas Dallas Morning News/AP
In the video, obtained by the New York Post, Mr Small, 37, falls to the ground after being shot.
Mr Isaacs, who has worked in the police for three years, steps out his car and looks towards Mr Small but then returns to his vehicle.
The footage is being investigated by the NYPD and the state Attorney Generals Office.
The officer is still employed at the 79th precinct but has been stripped of his badge and gun, described as "modified duty".
Investigators are still seeking additional videos, NYPD Commissioner William Bratton said.
They're still seeking to identify (a third) motorist who was ... stopped at the red light that may have witnessed some of the circumstances that occurred there.
At a press conference last week, Mr Smalls brother, Victor Dempsey, said: His wife was in the car with him. His two kids were there. They were going to see fireworks up by whatever park is in the neighborhood.
It has to stop, he added. Its not right that they just get a gun and a badge and they can do what they want to do.
CBS reported that 12 police cars outside Mr Isaacs 79th Precinct station had their tires slashed.
The incident occured on 4 July over the holiday weekend, the same month that two black men, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, were shot dead by white police officers.
At a peaceful protest against the deaths in Dallas, a man killed five police officers and wounded six more.
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President Barack Obama has called for Americans to sustain unity following the murder of five police officers in Dallas and heightening racial tensions across the country.
Were here to honour the memory and mourn the loss of five fellow Americans, he said, to grieve with their loved ones, to support their community, to pray for the wounded, and to try to find some meaning amidst our sorrow."
The president cut short his trip to Poland and flew to Dallas with First Lady Michelle Obama to attend the memorial ceremony.
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Dallas police officers Lorne Ahrens, Michael Smith, Brent Thompson, Michael Krol and Patrick Zamarripa were killed whilst overseeing a peaceful protest against the deaths of two black men in Baton Rouge and Minnesota.
The president's speech focused on racial divisions, on police feeling unfairly maligned and African Americans feeling unfairly targeted.
He talked of how black people are more likely to receive the death penalty or be stopped and searched by police.
None of us is entirely innocent [from racism], he said. No institution is entirely immune. And that includes our police department. We know this.
Hundreds Attend Vigil for Officers Killed by Dallas Sniper
In a state where the governor Greg Abbott is strongly pro-guns, Mr Obamas disparaging comments about lax gun laws were saved for more than half way through his speech.
We flood communities with so many guns that its easier for a teenager to get their hands on a glock than a computer or a book, he said. "Then we tell the police: youre the social worker, youre the teacher, youre the parent, youre the drug councillor.
Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Show all 20 1 /20 Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas A Dallas Area Rapid Transit police officer receives comfort at the Baylor University Hospital emergency room entrance in Dallas Dallas Morning News/AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Emergency services help an unknown patient on a stretcher as law enforcement officials stand nearby at the emergency receiving area of Baylor University Medical Center AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Dallas Police shield bystanders after shots were fired, during a protest over two recent fatal police shootings of black men AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Bystanders run for cover after shots fired at a Black Live Matter rally in downtown Dallas AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Police check a car after snipers opened fire on police officers in Dallas AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas A man raises his hands as he walks near a law enforcement officer, following the shootings of several police officers in downtown Dallas AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas A Dallas police officer steps out of a vehicle as he arrives in front of Baylor University Medical Center AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Dallas police officers face protesters on the corner of Ross Ave. and Griffin street after police officers were shot during a peaceful protest in Dallas EPA Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas A Dallas police officer covers his face as he stands with others outside the emergency room at Baylor University Medical Center AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Law enforcement officials escort a couple in through the emergency room entrance at Baylor University Medical Center AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Dallas Police respond after shots were fired at a Black Lives Matter rally in downtown Dallas AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Dallas Police respond after shots were fired at a Black Lives Matter rally in downtown Dallas AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Police cars sit on Main Street in Dallas following the sniper shooting during a protest AFP/Getty Images Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas A Police officer stands guard at a barricade following the sniper shooting in Dallas AFP/Getty Images Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Police stand near a barricade following the sniper shooting in Dallas AFP/Getty Images Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Dallas police check a car after detaining a driver after a shooting in downtown Dallas AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Dallas police order people away from the area after several police were shot in downtown Dallas AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Dallas police move to detains a driver after several police officers were shot in downtown Dallas AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Dallas police detain a driver after several police officers were shot in downtown Dallas AP Police officers killed by sniper at protests in Dallas Dallas Police respond after shots were fired at a Black Lives Matter rally in downtown Dallas Dallas Morning News/AP
We ask the police to do too much, and we ask too little of ourselves," he said.
He highlighted Shetamia Taylor, the woman who got shot while protecting her four sons amid gun fire, and how one of her 12-year-old sons wants to be a police officer when he grows up.
Thats the America I know, said Mr Obama amid a standing ovation.
Those who dont like the phrase 'Black Lives Matter' - even they should hear the pain of Alton Sterlings family, he said, referring to the black man who was killed in Baton Rouge.
Community mourns Dallas deaths
He described Philando Castile, another man killed by police, as a gentle soul, whose life mattered to many people of all races.
He thanked the Dallas mayor, Mike Rawlings, and the Dallas chief of police, David Brown, who has served over 30 years in the police force and who has lost his partner, his brother and son to violence in the city.
Thank you for your steady leadership and for your powerful example, Mr Obama told them.
Police chief Brown quoted his favorite song lyrics for the fallen police officers and their families.
Until the ocean covers every mountain high, Ill be loving you, he said.
Texas senator John Cornyn also expressed gratitude to the former president and Texan George W Bush and his wife Laura in the way they inspired Americans to unite against hatred during the days after 9/11.
None of us were prepared or could be prepared for such an ambush with malice, said Mr Bush. The shock of this evil has not faded. At times it seems the forces pulling us apart are stronger than the forces binding us together.
Americans have a great advantage. We only have to remember our values, he added.
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Bernie Sanders has finally endorsed Hillary Clinton for president.
Sanders campaigned with Clinton for the first time on Tuesday and thanked the millions of supporters who voted for him in the primaries.
Together, we have begun a political revolution to transform America and that revolution continues, Sanders said on the trail in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Together, we continue the fight to create a government which represents all of us, and not just the one percent a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice.
Clinton all but secured the nomination weeks ago, but a reluctant Sanders still said hed campaign against the presumed Democratic nominee up until the party's convention on July 25-28.
Too many people in America are still being left out, left behind and ignored. In the richest country in the history of the world there is too much poverty, and too much despair, Sanders added. He also took time to condemn the presumed Republican nominee by saying his presidency would be disastrous for civil liberties, equal rights and the future of our country.
Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Show all 15 1 /15 Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Andrew Harnik/AP Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Darren McCollester/Getty Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Mary Schwalm/Reuters Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Brian Snyder/Reuters Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Brian Snyder/Reuters Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Brian Snyder/Reuters Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Brian Snyder/Reuters Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Brian Snyder/Reuters Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Andrew Harnik/AP Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Andrew Harnik/AP Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Darren McCollester/Getty Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Andrew Harnik/AP Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Andrew Harnik/AP Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Andrew Harnik/AP Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Andrew Harnik/AP
The Trump campaign responded to the endorsement by saying Sanders has joined "the rigged system."
"The candidate who ran against special interests is endorsing the candidate who embodies special interests," Stephen Miller, Trump's senior policy advisor, said in a prepared statement. "The candidate who ran against TPP is endorsing the candidate who helped draft the TPP. The candidate who ran in opposition to globalization is running against the candidate who has led the push for globalization."
"The candidate who wants to get money out of politics is voting for the candidate who has made a career out of making money from politics," Milled added. "Bernie's endorsement becomes Exhibit A in our rigged system the Democrat Party is disenfranchising its voters to benefit the select and privileged few.
You can read Sanders' speech in full below.
Let me begin by thanking the 13 million Americans who voted for me during the Democratic primaries. Let me also thank the people here in New Hampshire who gave us our first big win and a special thanks to the people of Vermont whose support for so many years has sustained me.
Let me also thank the hundreds of thousands of volunteers in every state in our country who worked so hard on our campaign and the millions of our contributors who showed the world that we could run a successful national campaign based on small individual contributions 2 1/2 million of them.
Together, we have begun a political revolution to transform America and that revolution continues. Together, we continue the fight to create a government which represents all of us, and not just the one percent a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice.
I am proud of the campaign we ran here in New Hampshire and across the country. Our campaign won the primaries and caucuses in 22 states, and when the roll call at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia is announced it will show that we won almost 1,900 delegates. That is a lot of delegates, far more than almost anyone thought we could win. But it is not enough to win the nomination. Secretary Clinton goes into the convention with 389 more pledged delegates than we have and a lot more super delegates.
Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process, and I congratulate her for that. She will be the Democratic nominee for president and I intend to do everything I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United States.
I have come here today not to talk about the past but to focus on the future. That future will be shaped more by what happens on November 8 in voting booths across our nation than by any other event in the world. I have come here to make it as clear as possible as to why I am endorsing Hillary Clinton and why she must become our next president.
During the last year I had the extraordinary opportunity to speak to more than 1.4 million Americans at rallies in almost every state in this country. I was also able to meet with many thousands of other people at smaller gatherings. And the profound lesson that I have learned from all of that is that this campaign is not really about Hillary Clinton, or Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders, or any other candidate who sought the presidency. This campaign is about the needs of the American people and addressing the very serious crises that we face. And there is no doubt in my mind that, as we head into November, Hillary Clinton is far and away the best candidate to do that.
It is easy to forget where we were seven and a half years ago when President Obama came into office. As a result of the greed, recklessness and illegal behavior on Wall Street, our economy was in the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Some 800,000 people a month were losing their jobs, we were running up a record-breaking deficit of $1.4 trillion dollars and the worlds financial system was on the verge of collapse. We have come a long way in the last seven and a half years and I thank President Obama and Vice President Biden for their leadership in pulling us out of that terrible recession. But, I think we can all agree, much, much more needs to be done.
Too many people in America are still being left out, left behind and ignored. In the richest country in the history of the world there is too much poverty, and too much despair.
This election is about the single mom I saw in Nevada who, with tears in her eyes, told me that she was scared to death about the future because she and her young daughter were not making it on the $10.45 cents an hour she was earning. This election is about that woman, and the millions of other workers in this country who are falling further and further behind as they try to survive on totally inadequate wages.
Hillary Clinton understands that we must fix an economy in America that is rigged and that sends almost all new wealth and income to the top one percent. Hillary Clinton understands that if someone in America works 40 hours a week, that person should not be living in poverty. She believes that we should raise the minimum wage to a living wage. And she wants to create millions of new jobs by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure. our roads, bridges, water systems and wastewater plants.
But her opponent Donald Trump well, he has a very different view. He believes that states should have the right to lower the minimum wage or even abolish the concept of the minimum wage altogether. If Donald Trump is elected, we will see no increase in the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour a starvation wage.
This election is about which candidate will nominate Supreme Court justices who are prepared to overturn the disastrous Citizens United decision which allows billionaires to buy elections and undermine our democracy; about who will appoint new justices on the Supreme Court who will defend a womans right to choose, the rights of the LGBT community, workers rights, the needs of minorities and immigrants, and the governments ability to protect the environment.
If you dont believe this election is important, take a moment to think about the Supreme Court justices that Donald Trump will nominate, and what that means to civil liberties, equal rights and the future of our country.
This campaign is about moving the United States toward universal health care and reducing the number of people who are uninsured or under-insured. Hillary Clinton wants to see that all Americans have the right to choose a public option in their health care exchange, which will lower the cost of health care. She also believes that anyone 55 years or older should be able to opt in to Medicare and she wants to see millions more Americans gain access to primary health care, dental care, mental health counseling and low-cost prescription drugs through a major expansion of community health centers throughout this country. Hillary is committed to seeing thousands of young doctors, nurses, psychologists, dentists and other medical professionals practice in underserved areas as we follow through on President Obamas idea of tripling funding for the National Health Service Corps.
In New Hampshire, in Vermont and across the country we have a major epidemic of opiate and heroin addiction. People are dying every day from overdoses. Hillary Clinton understands that if we are serious about addressing this crisis we need major changes in the way we deliver mental health treatment. Thats what expanding community health centers will do and that is what getting medical personnel into the areas we need them most will do.
And What is Donald Trumps position on health care? No surprise there. Same old, same old Republican contempt for working families. He wants to abolish the Affordable Care Act, throw 20 million people off of the health insurance they currently have and cut Medicaid for lower-income Americans. The last thing we need today in America is a president who doesnt care about whether millions will lose access to the health care coverage that they desperately need. We need more people with access to quality health care, not fewer.
Hillary Clinton also understands that millions of seniors, disabled vets and others are struggling with the outrageously high cost of prescription drugs. She and I are in agreement that Medicare must negotiate drug prices with the pharmaceutical industry and that we must expand the use of generic medicine. Drug companies should not be making billions in profits while one in five Americans are unable to afford the medicine they need. The greed of the drug companies must end.
This election is about the grotesque level of income and wealth inequality that currently exists, the worst it has been since 1928. Hillary Clinton knows that something is very wrong when the very rich become richer while many others are working longer hours for lower wages. She knows that it is absurd that middle-class Americans are paying an effective tax rate higher than hedge fund millionaires, and that there are corporations in this country making billions in profit while they pay no federal income taxes in a given year because of loopholes their lobbyists created. While Hillary Clinton supports making our tax code fairer, Donald Trump wants to give hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks to the very wealthiest people in this country. His reckless economic policies will not only exacerbate income and wealth inequality, they would increase our national debt by trillions of dollars.
This election is about the thousands of young people I have met who have left college deeply in debt, the many others who cannot afford to go to college and the need for this country to have the best educated workforce in the world if we are to compete effectively in a highly competitive global economy. Hillary Clinton believes that we must substantially lower student debt, and that we must make public colleges and universities tuition free for the middle class and working families of this country. This is a major initiative that will revolutionize higher education in this country and improve the lives of millions. Think of what it will mean when every child in this country, regardless of the income of their family, knows that if they study hard and do well in school yes, they will be able to get a college education and leave school without debt.
This election is about climate change, the greatest environmental crisis facing our planet, and the need to leave this world in a way that is healthy and habitable for our kids and future generations. Hillary Clinton is listening to the scientists who tell us that if we do not act boldly in the very near future there will be more drought, more floods, more acidification of the oceans, more rising sea levels. She understands that we must work with countries around the world in transforming our energy system away from fossil fuels and into energy efficiency and sustainable energy and that when we do that we can create a whole lot of good paying jobs. Donald Trump: Well, like most Republicans, he chooses to reject science something no presidential candidate should do. He believes that climate change is a hoax. In fact, he wants to expand the use of fossil fuel. That would be a disaster for our country and our planet.
This election is about the leadership we need to pass comprehensive immigration reform and repair a broken criminal justice system. Its about making sure that young people in this country are in good schools or at good jobs, not in jail cells. Secretary Clinton understands that we dont need to have more people in jail than any other country on earth, at an expense of $80 billion a year.
In these stressful times for our country, this election must be about bringing our people together, not dividing us up. While Donald Trump is busy insulting Mexicans, Muslims, women, African Americans and veterans, Hillary Clinton understands that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths. Yes. We become stronger when black and white, Latino, Asian American, Native American all of us stand together. Yes. We become stronger when men and women, young and old, gay and straight, native born and immigrant fight to rid this country of all forms of bigotry.
It is no secret that Hillary Clinton and I disagree on a number of issues. Thats what this campaign has been about. Thats what democracy is about. But I am happy to tell you that at the Democratic Platform Committee which ended Sunday night in Orlando, there was a significant coming together between the two campaigns and we produced, by far, the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic Party. Our job now is to see that platform implemented by a Democratic Senate, a Democratic House and a Hillary Clinton president and I am going to do everything I can to make that happen.
I have known Hillary Clinton for 25 years. I remember her as a great first lady who broke precedent in terms of the role that a first lady was supposed to play as she helped lead the fight for universal health care. I served with her in the United States Senate and know her as a fierce advocate for the rights of children.
Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding president and I am proud to stand with her here today.
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A Christian man is on the run in Pakistan after he was charged with blasphemy when a Muslim friend accused him of insulting Islam in a poem.
Nadeem Masih is alleged to have sent a poem to his friend on WhatsApp that was derogatory about the Prophet Muhammad and other Islamic holy figures.
"Police have registered a case on blasphemy charges against Nadeem James and are searching for him as he has fled his home," a local law enforcement official told AFP, according to The Express Tribune.
World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty
Another police official said Mr James' relatives had been taken into "protective custody," while security had been increased in Christian neighbourhoods in the town of Sara-e-Alamghir, in Punjab province, because of local tension concerning the complaint.
Pakistan's draconian blasphemy laws impose the death penalty for insulting Islam and allegations of blasphemy have spawned mob violence and vigilante attacks.
Critics say blasphemy laws are used to persecute minority faiths and settle petty grievances.
Pakistani actress gets 26 years in prison on blasphemy
In 2015, Muslims beat to death a Christian couple and burned their bodies in a brick kiln for allegedly desecrating the Quran.
Although a majority-Muslim state, Pakistan has a Christian population of more than two million.
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High levels of activity have been detected around North Koreas nuclear test site, according to satellite images obtained by an independent US watchdog.
The images appear to show supplies and equipment being stacked up at sections of the Punggye-ri test site in the north of the country, as well as mine carts possibly being transported through the sites tunnels.
If such activity is taking place, it appears North Korea could be preparing its nuclear site for future tests, should the countrys chairman Kim Jong-un decide further tests are necessary.
However the commercial satellite photographs are of insufficient resolution to accurately determine the true purpose of the activity at present, according to reports.
The intelligence was obtained by the independent monitoring project 38 North, which is run by Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies in Baltimore, Maryland.
The watchdogs report added: It is likely that they [the workers at the site] are either engaged in spring maintenance or traveling to and from the test facility.
Several separate groups of people and vehicles have been spotted on the south road leading into the facility, and the images show certain buildings may have been camouflaged.
Four nuclear tests have so far taken place at the Punggye-ri site - in 2006, 2009, 2013 and most recently in January this year.
Inside the daily life in North Korea Show all 19 1 /19 Inside the daily life in North Korea Inside the daily life in North Korea People reading a newspaper at the metro station Inside the daily life in North Korea Thoughts of the leaders on the tram. They have about a dozen of these on every tram, all with different thoughts Inside the daily life in North Korea Young people training for a big upcoming festival Inside the daily life in North Korea People at the Pyongyang's annual marathon Inside the daily life in North Korea Many stars on one of the trolleys in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea An intimidating poster in a primary school in North Korea. Inside the daily life in North Korea Solar panels installed on a street lamp. Inside the daily life in North Korea A poster on the window next to one of the venues we visited in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea Kids playing football next to the Arch of Triumph. After a while tourists were allowed to join, so some of us did Inside the daily life in North Korea Class in an educational center in Pyongyang (where people over 17 years old can attend any classes they choose after school, for free) Inside the daily life in North Korea People waving at me during the Pyongyang marathon Inside the daily life in North Korea People having a great time dancing at a public park Inside the daily life in North Korea A metro driver in a metro station in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea Fireworks to mark the birthday of the Eternal President Kim Il Sung on our last night in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea My wonderful tour guide at a public park Inside the daily life in North Korea One of the parks in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea A person rowing some boats for the day at a river in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea The National War Museum Inside the daily life in North Korea Public park in Pyongyang
The testing of a hydrogen bomb at the start of 2016 prompted international outcry, with Nato saying the test undermined regional and international security, in clear breach of UN Security Council resolutions.
On Monday, North Korea said it will end a diplomatic communication channel with the United States and hinted at harsher punishment for Americans detained in the country in retaliation for US sanctions targeting leader Kim Jong Un.
Heavy sanctions have previously been placed on North Korea due to its pursuit of a nuclear weapons programme, but this is the first time the countrys leader has actively faced punishment.
Last month, the International Atomic Energy agency said satellite imagery showed North Korea may have resumed work at a polonium plant in Yongbyon.
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China has "no legal basis" to claim historic rights to waters or resources in the South China Sea, an international tribunal has ruled.
The Phillippines challenged the so-called "nine-dash line" China uses to claim virtually the entire South China Sea.
The dispute centered on waters through which an estimated $5 trillion in global trade passes through each year. The waters are also home to rich fishing stocks and a potential wealth of oil, gas and other resources.
The Philippines also asked the Hague-based tribunal to rule on whether several disputed areas are outcrops, reefs or islands, a move aimed at clarifying the extent of territorial waters they are entitled to or if they can project exclusive economic zones.
According to the Guardian, the court declared that although Chinese navigators and fishermen, as well as those of other states, had historically made use of the islands in the South China Sea, there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or their resources.
The tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line.
The panel said that any historic rights to resources that China may have had were wiped out if they are incompatible with exclusive economic zones established under a UN treaty.
The Philippines' foreign minister welcomed the ruling as a "milestone decision".
China's territorial disputes Show all 5 1 /5 China's territorial disputes China's territorial disputes South China Sea A satellite image of what is claimed to be an under-construction airstrip at Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea China's territorial disputes South China Sea Chinese dredging vessels are purportedly seen in the waters around Mischief Reef China's territorial disputes South China Sea A Chinese Guided Missile Frigate Hengshui docked at a port in Yalong Bay in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province. China's military compared its controversial island reclamation project in the South China Sea to ordinary construction going on in other parts of the country, such as the building of roads and apartments China's territorial disputes South China Sea The alleged on-going land reclamation of China at Subi reef is seen from Pagasa island (Thitu Island) in the Spratlys group of islands in the South China Sea, west of Palawan, Philippines China's territorial disputes South China Sea U.S. military forces aboard Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV) manuevre on South China Sea near the shore of San Antonio, Zambales during the annual "Balikatan" (shoulder-to-shoulder) war games with Filipino soldiers in northern Philippines. The U.S. Marine Corps is bringing together foreign commanders from amphibious forces deployed mostly in the Asia-Pacific for a conference aimed at taking initial steps to integrate their operations, with China excluded from the event, according to officials and planning documents
"The Philippines reiterates its abiding commitment to efforts of pursuing the peaceful resolution and management of disputes with the view of promoting and enhancing peace and stability in the region," Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay told a news conference.
China reportedly censored news of the ruling, replacing the BBC's broadcast with a black screen as the channel prepared to report on the judgement.
Users on Weibo opposed the ruling and said Western media is biased towards the Philippines.
Look at the Western media, its all criticising China, BBC, NHK Western media is unfair, and has intentions, one commenter wrote, the Hong Kong Free Press reports.
Another said: Although BBC and CNN wants to lead the discussion in favour of the Philippines, but excuse me? The South China Sea carries Chinas name! The sea was Chinas, is Chinas and will always be Chinas.
China accused of being more hostile in South China Sea
China, which has boycotted the case, has summoned its demobilized sailors and officers for training drills, state media confirmed, in exercises that apparently started just days ago.
The People's Liberation Army Daily newspaper said on social media late Monday that Chinese navy reserves have been called up to perform "functional tasks." The post followed online rumors that reservists in central Chinese provinces were called up for an unspecified mission from July 10 to July 22.
The PLA Daily's post did not explicitly link the call-up to the South China Sea ruling, but said that decommissioned naval officers and reserves hold "normal trainings every year, after which they are able to proficiently operate naval vessels and equipment."
It added: "'If there is war, we must answer the call' is the sentiment in the hearts of many demobilized veterans."
Responding to the ruling, Catherine West, Shadow Foreign Office Minister said: This historic ruling brings much-needed clarity and it is important that its conclusions are respected by all parties.
As a key trading partner with China, the UK has a responsibility to insist that this decision must be upheld. Ministers should press upon their Chinese counterparts the importance of recognising the legitimacy of the Court and of scaling back Chinas activities in the South China Sea.
It is essential for freedom of navigation and international security that peaceful and diplomatic solutions are sought to the disputes in the region, in full accord with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which China is a signatory.
In February, China deployed surface-to-air missiles on disputed islands in the South China Sea.
American and Taiwanese officials said missile batteries had been set up on Woody Island, part of the Paracels chain that has been under Chinese control for more than 40 years but which is also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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A young boy was attacked by a wedge-tailed eagle at a birds of prey show in Australia, leaving him with a gash to his face.
The seven-year-old was visiting Alice Springs Desert Park with his family in central Australia when the eagle swooped down, apparently aggravated, and took his hood and head in its talons.
He was reportedly pulling the zip on his camouflage jacket up and down repeatedly before the eagle changed course and headed his way in the middle of the show.
Christine O'Connelly, who was standing nearby, described the moment she captured on camera at the nature beauty spot in the Northern Territory.
"For some reason the wedge-tailed eagle did not like [the boy pulling at his zip] and instead of flying over to the log he is meant to, for a photo opportunity, he flew straight at the young boy and attacked him," she said.
"The show was quickly cancelled and the boy taken off to first aid. Those talons are huge, he was a very lucky boy."
It is thought to be the first time the wedge-tailed eagle, whose species have a wingspan of up to 2.84 metres, had ever attacked a member of the public. The boy and his mother were reportedly distraught, according to The Herald Sun.
Tourist Keenan Lucas told the newspaper: "The bird flew over the crowd and tried to grab on to a young boy's head."
The park said the boy's wounds were not serious but that the incident was under investigation.
Comedy Wildlife Show all 13 1 /13 Comedy Wildlife Comedy Wildlife Highly Commended (by Julie Hunt) Comedy Wildlife Silver Runner up (by William Richardson) Comedy Wildlife Highly Commended (by Charlie Davidson) Comedy Wildlife Highly Commended (by Alison Buttigieg) Comedy Wildlife Bronze Runner up (by Oli Dreike) Comedy Wildlife Winner (by Julian Rad) Comedy Wildlife Highly Commended (by Mohammed Alnaser) Comedy Wildlife Highly Commended (by Julian Rad) Comedy Wildlife Highly Commended (by Yuzuru Masuda) Comedy Wildlife Highly Commended (by Tony Dilger) Comedy Wildlife Highly Commended (by Megan Lorenz) Comedy Wildlife Highly Commended (by Marc Mol) Comedy Wildlife Highly Commended (by Graham McGeorge)
The wedge-tailed eagle is Australia's largest bird of prey and is also found in parts of New Guinea, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.
The birds are known to be adaptable in their search for prey, having been found hunting hare and rabbits as well as driving herds of kangaroo and sheep to identify weaker animals.
It is registered as endangered by the Australian government and there are fewer than 200 pairs left in the wild.
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Great Britain risks being turned into Little Britain after Brexit if Scotland and Northern Ireland choose to stay in the European Union, Austrias finance minister has warned.
Hans Joerg Schelling said a fast decision should be made by Britains new prime minister, Theresa May, while warning of the economic impact from the UKs vote to end its role in the EU.
Some people in Great Britain are thinking about 'Was it our fault or not?', but it was a decision by the inhabitants of Great Britain, he told reporters in Brussels.
If you look at other countries, you can change these decisions by parliament. And I hope the wisdom of the parliamentarians will give a new guidance for leaving, and not to make a Brexit.
I think there will probably be a Brexit-lite, so Scotland will not leave, probably Northern Ireland will stay in the union and probably Great Britain will become Little Britain.
He also welcomed the news that Theresa May will replace David Cameron as Britains prime minister on Wednesday, according to AFP.
Last week, Mr Schelling predicted Britain will still be a member of the EU in five years, as economic complications will prompt a rethink by the country.
The reaction of the financial markets to the Brexit result announcement since June 23 has been a salutary shock for the UK, he told Handelsblatt newspaper.
The financial impact will be very much greater in Britain than for the rest of Europe, Mr Schelling added, although a prolonged period of uncertainty would create problems for many countries.
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
Dutch finance minister Jeroen Dijseelbloem also emphasised the need for haste in resolving the difficulties of the UKs Brexit decision.
"The sooner we can sort out - let me say it diplomatically - this problematic situation, the better," he told reporters.
We look forward to working with whomever is coming out of this democratic process. And we will have to find solutions for the Brexit which has been causing a lot of problems, particularly for the UK but also for Europe.
On Monday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said post-Brexit negotiations between Britain and the rest of the EU will be difficult, with the remaining 27 member states forced to outline their priorities for the union going forward.
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One of the world's most respected intellectuals has warned that right-wing populism in the European Union will continue to grow unless there is a "deepening of European co-operation."
Jurgen Habermas, a German philosopher and sociologist famed for his work on modernity, said right-wing populist groups, such as the Sweden Democrats, Five Star Movement in Italy, National Front in France, the Danish People's Party and Ukip, will continue to grow in Europe unless equality is achieved between EU member states.
And while EU officials are cautious about appearing too meddling, Mr Habermas said only real integration between the remaining EU countries could achieve that.
The currently unequal levels of involvement increase the perception of Germany as being charge of everyone else, he warned.
"Germany is a reluctant, but insensitive and incapable dominator, that both uses and ignores the disturbed European balance of power," he told Die Zeit.
"This provokes resentments, especially in other Eurozone countries."
His comments come after the Brexit vote was hailed by Marine Le Pen, of the anti-EU National Front party in France, as "the beginning of the end of the European Union."
Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Show all 12 1 /12 Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Brexit protest: Thousands march in London A woman poses with a home-made European Union flag as Remain supporters gather on Park Lane in London to show their support for the EU in the wake of Brexit PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Remain supporters demonstrate in Parliament Square PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Tens of thousands of people gathered to protest the result of the EU referendum PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London A majority of people in the capital voted to remain in the European Union Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Protesters chanted: What do we want to do? Stay in the EU PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The march follows a similar rally in Trafalgar Square that was cancelled due to heavy rain but which tens of thousands of people turned up to anyway Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Britain voted to leave the European Union in a referendum by 52 per cent to 48 per cent Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London But support for the Leave campaign in urban areas and among young people was significantly lower Rex features Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Marchers gathered at Park Lane at 11am and marched towards Parliament Square PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Some protesters held up baguettes in a display of affection for our continental neighbours PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The disparity between different parts of the country has promoted a four million signature petition calling for a second referendum and even a renewed push for Scotland to cede from the UK PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The events organiser, Kings College graduate Kieran MacDermott, wrote: We can prevent Brexit by refusing to accept the referendum as the final say and take our finger off the self-destruct button" Reuters
Brexit had been won on the back of "identity questions" in the UK that were fuelled by a feeling it was no longer a great power, said Professor Habemas.
But he said that did not mean the EU should lose confidence and stop trying to offer a powerful and compelling narrative for its member states.
Trying to win over right-wing Eurosceptic supporters by promising "no more grand visions" would not work, he said.
Instead, "only a properly functioning core Europe can convince the presently polarised populations of all member states that the project makes sense," said the author of The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere.
He added that this "core Europe" was currently France and Germany, but should include more and more member states in a "deepening" of relations between countries.
"As long as this undemocratic and faulty structure is not got rid of you can hardly be surprised by anti-European smear campaigns," he said.
"The only way to get democracy in Europe is through a deepening of European co-operation."
Britain voted 51.9 per cent to leave the campaign against 48.1 per cent to stay.
Cities, the young, the better educated and Scotland were largely more pro-European than those in rural, less educated and less multicultural areas.
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At least 22 people have been killed and 30 more have been injured after two passenger trains collided in the Puglia region of Italy, firefighters have said.
The two trains were travelling on a single-track line between the coastal towns of Bari and Barletta in the country's olive region when they crashed into each other around 11.30 am local time.
Emergency services are at the scene near the town of Andria and are trying to free passengers from the wrecked carriages.
An image of the crash showed the carriages had been badly damaged and forced off the rails at sharp angles, with debris strewn across either side of the tracks.
Firefighters work at the site where two passenger trains collided in the middle of an olive grove in the southern village of Corato, near Bari, Italy, in this handout picture released by Italian Firefighters, 12 July, 2016 (Reuters)
A damaged passenger train is seen after a collision with another in the middle of an olive grove in the southern village of Corato, near Bari, Italy, in this handout picture released by Italian Firefighters, 12 July, 2016 (Reuters)
"Unfortunately the death toll has risen to 20," said Giuseppe Corrado, the deputy head of the local province. He said four people had been "seriously" injured and appealed for blood donors to go to local hospitals.
He said other passengers had been taken to hospital with less severe injuries.
A field hospital was set up in the nearby countryside to treat the injured, who are also being transported to hospitals.
"We are working with dozens of rescue teams to open up the carriages," said Luca Cari, a fire service spokesman.
"The rescue is complicated because this happened in the middle of the countryside," he added.
A small child was rescued from the wreckage and taken to hospital in a helicopter.
"Some of the cars are completely crumpled and the rescuers are extracting people from the metal, many of them injured," Riccardo Zingaro, the chief of the local police in Andria, told ANSA at the scene.
National police and carabinieri could not immediately provide details about the extent of the crash.
Massimo Mazzili, the local mayor for the town of Corato, posted several photos of the crash on his Facebook page
He said: "It is a disaster, as if a plane crashed.
"The emergency workers and civil protection staff are there, unfortunately there are victims."
Italy's prime minister Matteo Renzi said the crash "is a moment of tears", and pledged not to stop until a cause is determined.
World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty
He said Granziano Del Rio, Italy's minister for infrastructure and transport, is heading to the crash site with the head of civil protection.
Mr Renzi interrupted a trip to Milan to return to Rome following the accident.
Pope Francis has offered his condolences to the families of the victims.
A firefighter at the site of the crash where at least 22 people have died (Reuters)
He sent a telegram to the archbishop of Bari, Monsignor Fracnesco Cacucci, saying he shared in the pain of so many families and was praying for the recovery of those injured.
Thousands of people use the line, managed by Ferrotramviaria, each day.
The last major rail disaster in Italy was in 2009, when a freight train derailed in Viareggio, in the centre of the country. More than 30 people living close to the tracks died in the subsequent fire.
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A Spanish pro-bullfighting organisation has threatened legal action against animal rights activists who celebrate the death of 29-year-old bullfighter Victor Barrio on social media.
A professional matador, Mr Barrio was attacked by a half-tonne bull while in the ring, in scenes broadcast live on Spanish television. He was pronounced dead in hospital.
Hundreds of people joined Mr Barrios family and friends at his funeral, showing support for the matador, but many animal rights activists have taken to social media to express the opinion that Mr Barrio deserved to die.
Though many are likely to see these posts as harmless, anyone seen to be insulting the matador's reputation could face a 14-month prison sentence, a Spanish bullfighting group has announced.
Teaming up with law firm Cremades & Calvo-Sotelo, the Bullfighting Foundation (Fundacion Toro de Lidia) issued a statement outlining plans to take legal action against anyone who publically insults Mr Barrios memory, or his friends and family.
The Foundation would pursue criminal cases for "injuries against the person", which can result in a prison sentence of up to 14 months.
Lawyer Jose Miguel Soriano has said analysis of the facts shows this is not a restriction of freedom of expression, but simply what is required in order to enforce the law.
Public authorities and state security are working with the Foundation to identify those responsible for hateful or insulting messages.
The Foundation also called for social networking sites to enforce their already existing terms of use and community guidelines to prevent users or the companies themselves - getting involved in any serious criminal cases.
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The majority of Europeans believe the influx of refugees across the continent has led to an increase in the likelihood of terrorism.
According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, in eight of the ten European countries surveyed at least half are concerned about the terror threat.
The majority of people in five nations say refugees will be an economic burden and take away jobs and social benefits.
In Hungary, Italy, Poland and Greece, the majority of respondents say they have an unfavourable opinion of the Muslims. At least a quarter of every nation had the same belief.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees told The Independent: "Refugees are people who are fleeing conflict, persecution and/or abuses of their human rights and they have a right under international law to seek asylum in other countries.
"Many will have encountered gruelling dangers as they fled for safety. All they want is to rebuild their lives in peace and safety.
Pointing to safeguards built into the 1951 Refugee Convention, they added: "Combatants/fighters are not entitled to refugee status, those involved in war crimes, crimes against humanity or other serious crimes may be excluded from refugee status, and refugees may be expelled under certain circumstances.
"The growing and misguided focus on the threat from refugees and asylum-seekers has enormous and damaging repercussions."
"This report points to the need to further create awareness in Europe (and elsewhere) about who refugees are and why some are coming to Europe. It is of concern to UNHCR the findings included in this report point to negative perception of refugees which feed into mistrust, but also discrimination and xenophobia."
The survey, which was conducted between April and May this year, covered the European countries of Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Britain, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Hungary and Poland.
Underlining the divisive nature of the refugee crisis, the survey notes: Across the EU nations surveyed, the refugee crisis has brought into sharp relief deep ideological divides over views of minorities and diversity.
On nearly all of the questions analyzed in this report, people on the ideological right express more concerns about refugees, more negative attitudes toward minorities and less enthusiasm for a diverse society.
More than one million refugees arrived in Europe in 2015, the majority coming from warn-torn Muslim countries such as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Anti-refugee populism has increased hugely, with political parties such as the National Front in France, the UK Independence Party, Alternative for Germany and Austria's Freedom Party making huge gains.
Europe has recently suffered several major terrorist attacks, including the assaults by the Isis group on Paris and Brussels that killed scores of people. Many of the attackers were European-born, but some are believed to have traveled to Syria to join Isis before returning to carry out the attacks.
Some 76 per cent of people surveyed in Hungary said they're concerned that refugees will increase the likelihood of terrorism in their country, followed by the Polish with 71 per cent.
Germany and Sweden which took in the second most asylum seekers in 2015 are the only countries where at least half say refugees make their nations stronger because of their work and talent.
Refugees settle in Germany Show all 12 1 /12 Refugees settle in Germany Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Zayat, a refugee from Syria, plays with his daughter Ranim, who is nearly 3, in the one room they and Mohamed's wife Laloosh call home at an asylum-seekers' shelter in Vossberg village on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. The Zayats arrived approximately two months ago after trekking through Turkey, Greece and the Balkans and are now waiting for local authorities to process their asylum application, after which they will be allowed to live independently and settle elsewhere in Germany. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity 2015 Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany A refugee child Amnat Musayeva points to a star with her photo and name that decorates the door to her classroom as teacher Martina Fischer looks on at the local kindergarten Amnat and her siblings attend on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. The children live with their family at an asylum-seekers' shelter in nearby Vossberg village and are waiting for local authorities to process their asylum applications. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Kurdish Syrian asylum-applicant Mohamed Ali Hussein (R), 19, and fellow applicant Autur, from Latvia, load benches onto a truckbed while performing community service, for which they receive a small allowance, in Wilhelmsaue village on October 9, 2015 near Letschin, Germany. Mohamed and Autur live at an asylum-applicants' shelter in nearby Vossberg village. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Ali Hussein ((L), 19, and his cousin Sinjar Hussein, 34, sweep leaves at a cemetery in Gieshof village, for which they receive a small allowance, near Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Zayat, a refugee from Syria, looks among donated clothing in the basement of the asylum-seekers' shelter that is home to Mohamed, his wife Laloosh and their daughter Ranim as residents' laundry dries behind in Vossberg village on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. The Zayats arrived approximately two months ago after trekking through Turkey, Greece and the Balkans and are now waiting for local authorities to process their asylum application, after which they will be allowed to live independently and settle elsewhere in Germany Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Asya Sugaipova (L), Mohza Mukayeva and Khadra Zhukova prepare food in the communal kitchen at the asylum-seekers' shelter that is their home in Vossberg village in Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Efrah Abdullahi Ahmed looks down from the communal kitchen window at her daughter Sumaya, 10, who had just returned from school, at the asylum-seekers' shelter that is their home in Vossberg Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Asylum-applicants, including Syrians Mohamed Ali Hussein (C-R, in black jacket) and Fadi Almasalmeh (C), return from grocery shopping with other refugees to the asylum-applicants' shelter that is their home in Vossberg village in Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Zayat (2nd from L), a refugee from Syria, smokes a cigarette after shopping for groceries with his daughter Ranim, who is nearly 3, and fellow-Syrian refugees Mohamed Ali Hussein (C) and Fadi Almasalmeh (L) at a local supermarket on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. All of them live at an asylum-seekers' shelter in nearby Vossberg village and are waiting for local authorities to process their asylum applications, after which they will be allowed to live independently and settle elsewhere in Germany 2015 Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Kurdish Syrian refugees Leila, 9, carries her sister Avin, 1, in the backyard at the asylum-seekers' shelter that is home to them and their family in Vossberg village in Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Somali refugees and husband and wife Said Ahmed Gure (R) and Ayaan Gure pose with their infant son Muzammili, who was born in Germany, in the room they share at an asylum-seekers' shelter in Vossberg village on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity, and are waiting for authorities to process their application for asylum 2015 Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany German Chancellor Angela Merkel pauses for a selfie with a refugee after she visited the AWO Refugium Askanierring shelter for refugees in Berlin Getty Images
The number of refugees in the world has reached the highest level ever recorded, according to figures published by the United Nations (UN), at an estimated 65.3 million by the end of 2015.
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Three tourists have caused upset in Rome after they ditched their clothes for swimming costumes and bikinis and leapt into a 17th century fountain.
The women were photographed in the Fontana dellAcqua Paola fountain on Friday, known locally as the fountain of Gianicolo, on a day when temperatures reached 30 degrees Celsius.
An Italian magazine tweeted the pictures, with the message: Its very hot, but the fountain of Gianicolo cant become a swimming pool for tourists. Rome deserves more respect, The Local reported.
Many users posted complaints underneath the photos, calling the tourists rude, while one offended resident wrote: You should go and do something similar in England or Germany. Im going tomorrow in my boxer shorts and swimming cap.
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The fountain was completed in 1612 and is one of a many historic and protected monuments in the city.
It has been prohibited to bathe in the fountain since the 1700s, but a more modern law could have seen the tourists fined a considerable amount of money: it is illegal to jump into Romes fountains or to throw rubbish in them, carrying fines of up to 200 (168) for those who are caught doing so.
Just last year six British tourists were fined in the Italian capital and charged with indecent exposure after they were caught frolicking naked in the Fountain of the Naiads.
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It was a well planned, lethally effective attack: Isis suicide bombers and gunmen killed 35 people at a Shia shrine in the town of Balad. Just another grim reminder last weekend of the carnage that continues in Iraq, 13 years after "liberation" of the country by troops sent by George W Bush and Tony Blair.
Balad, 50 miles north of Baghdad, played a crucial, but little known part in the vicious war in the shadows which followed the invasion. It was from here that the US commander Stanley McChrystal ran counter-insurgency with American and British special forces. These "black-ops" were lethally effective, playing a key part in the death and capture of 3,500 insurgents. It was also an operation which caused a deep dispute between the US and UK.
The Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq War has reported the tensions that grew between the American and British military as the security situation unravelled, but the secret Balad operation is not something it had examined.
The mission was an extraordinary set-up: inside the command centre "The Machine" was the "Death Star", on the walls of which were banks of television screens, "Kill TV", running live pictures of action taking place and surveillance footage in real time from which suspects could be picked out for future arrest or elimination.
The violence at the time was relentless, partly the result of the decision by the American civilian administrator for reconstruction in Iraq, Paul Bremer, to disband the Iraqi army and police in a shortsighted policy of debaathification. There were hardly any credible local forces to take on the Islamist jihad which resulted and Major General McChrystal had been tasked with sorting out the mess.
The team he ran was also under orders to track down Saddam Husseins weapons of mass destruction. They quickly decided that this was a wild goose chase and focused on the real danger at hand: the insurgency. Major Gen McChrystal would often lead the raids himself, his Delta Force team informed at the last minute that the commander was coming along for the ride. No one was quite sure what the Pentagon policy was on two star generals joining such dangerous missions, but then few people in Washington had any grasp of the campaign of terror and counter-terror taking place in Iraq.
In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Relatives and friends of the military personnel who died in Iraq, leave the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre PA In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Dawn Holmes, the mother of L Cpl Sarah Holmes who died in Iraq, is consoled by solicitor Matthew Jury as she leaves the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre PA In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report A family member holding a photograph of Stephen Robert Wright (R), outside the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, after the publication of the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq War PA In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Families of soldiers killed in the Iraq conflict stand together outside the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre after the outcome of the Chilcot report Getty Images In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Relatives of military personnel killed during the Iraq War talk at a news conference after listening to Sir John Chilcot present The Iraq Inquiry Report at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster Getty In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Relatives of military personnel killed during the Iraq War react after listening to Sir John Chilcot presenting The Iraq Inquiry Report at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in London AP In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Relatives and friends of military personnel killed during the Iraq War attend a news conference after listening to Sir John Chilcot present The Iraq Inquiry Report at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster Getty Images In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Family of those who died in Iraq speak to the media as they leave the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London PA In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Relatives and friends of military personnel killed during the Iraq War attend a news conference after Sir John Chilcot presented The Iraq Inquiry Report at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster Getty Images In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Victoria Jones (L), a relative of a British soldier killed in Iraq, holds a copy of The Report of the Iraq Inquiry, by John Chilcot, at the Queen Elizabeth II centre in London Reuters
Some senior British officers were unhappy at what was going on and the involvement of the UKs SAS and the SBS. Why are we helping to run Latin American-style death squads? One British commander, himself ex-SAS, demanded to know. The SAS were, on at least two occasions, barred from carrying out such missions in the British-run south of the country.
Questions were asked about how information was being obtained from suspects in Balad. There was an unofficial inquiry into the treatment of prisoners at the base, although no evidence was found to implicate Maj Gen McChrystal.
There were notable successes from the mission, with UK forces taking part in some of them, such as the freeing of the British hostage Norman Kember and breaking supply chains providing explosives to be used against British forces in Basra. Then came the biggest success of all, the obtaining of intelligence which led to the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, who had taken the jihad to a new levels of violence.
The gate of Sadaam Hussein's hideout in Tikrit, Iraq, 2003 (Rex)
But the reverberations from special forces operations in Iraq continued. Six years later Maj Gen McChrystal, by now a four star general and commander of international forces in Afghanistan, had received a complaint from the UKs director of special forces (DSF) for speaking about operations carried out with the SAS and SBS in Iraq and Afghanistan. Meanwhile an SAS lieutenant colonel, who had served with distinction under Maj Gen McChrystal in Iraq, was told to stay away from the Regiments headquarters in Hereford.
Jeremy Corbyn: We must hold Blair to account on Iraq war
The Chilcot inquiry noted that the US and UK strategies had, in effect, been on different courses since the UK decision to focus its attention on MND (SE) [Multi-National Division South East, the British run zone] in 2003. As result of this decision, the UK had acquired distinctly different priorities from the US. It was only marginally involved in the central tasks of stabilising the Iraqi government in Baghdad and managing sectarian divisions, while it had come to see its main task in Basra as one of keeping the situation calm while building the case for withdrawl.
In May 2006, General Sir Mike Jackson, the head of the British Army, told Tony Blair that the perception, right or wrong, in some if not all US military circles, is that the UK is motivated more by the short-term political gains of early withdrawal than by the long-term importance of mission accomplishment, and that, as a result, MND(SE)s operational posture is too laissez faire and lacks initiative.
Eight months later, Sir David Manning, the British ambassador to the US, reported that Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, had asked him to tell her honestly whether the UK was now making for the exit as fast as possible. The answer, to those watching events on the ground, was a definite yes.
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An immigration lawyer has identified a serious problem which could affect hundreds of thousands of current and former EU students who wish to remain in the UK post-Brexit.
Emma Brooksbank, head of immigration (Leeds) at solicitors Simpson Millar, has warned that around 125,000 EU nationals* who want to apply for permanent residence in the UK are learning their time spent studying may be discounted by the Home Office because of a loophole relating to compulsory sickness insurance.
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The lawyer explained: EU migrants who have come to the UK to study need to provide proof they have had sickness insurance during their time here, either in the form of a reciprocal arrangement from their own countrys health service, or a private insurance policy.
A European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) would be valid whilst their stay was temporary, but not once they wish to stay permanently - a common, and potentially serious, misunderstanding.
Brooksbank explained how she recently advised a young woman who spent three years as an undergraduate in Leeds, and a further two studying for Masters. She added: That equates to the requisite five years lawful residence history in the UK for the Home Office to grant her permanent residence. But the Home Office has challenged her application because she didnt have the correct insurance in place. I suspect there are tens of thousands of people just like her making the same mistake right now.
The lawyer is now strongly advising all students in similar situations to seek advice either from their universitys international office, or from a specialist immigration solicitor as soon as they can.
The Independent has contacted the Home Office for further comment.
The warning has come as the Home Office is already coming under heavy criticism for its treatment of international students in the UK over the last two years, something which has resulted in the department becoming the centre of a full inquiry.
The Home Affairs Committee published a damning report in June which said the departments actions of removing tens of thousands of students from the country appeared to have been a knee-jerk reaction to a BBC Panorama documentary which saw all overseas students be implicated in an English test cheating scam which took place at just two London-based schools.
Although the Committee said 28,000 refusal and removal decisions had been made, and that over 4,600 people had already been removed from the UK, Indian media has suggested the number could be as much as up to 50,000. According to the Indian Workers Association, around 70 per cent of all students affected are of Indian nationality.
Theresa May under fire for threatening to deport EU migrants after Brexit
Oliver Robbins, Second Permanent Secretary at the Home Office, told the Committee at a preliminary hearing: The Home Office is convinced its response has been both immediate and proportionate to the risks highlighted. However, with an official inquiry now having been confirmed, the National Union of Students welcomed the news, having made a call for such an inquiry in April.
Mostafa Rajaai, NUS international students officer, said: This whole debacle is indicative of the Home Offices wider aggressive approach to international students and other migrants in the UK. Im pleased the Committee is taking the treatment of international students seriously. Clearly, the Home Office does not.
*According to Higher Education Statistics Agency data, there were 125,000 EU nationals studying in the UK in 2014/15
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Syria is a place of wounds. Flesh wounds, mental wounds, wounds of the memory. The scars settle like a tissue over every conversation. Perhaps thats why the market in western Aleppo is still packed each evening and the road outside the old Baron hotel jammed with traffic because pretence of normality is the best cure for a front line that runs straight through the brain. Like the man who told me that the war had so framed his daily life ensuring the washing machine would end its cycle before the scheduled power cuts, listening to the news each hour with the passion of an addict, calling friends after air raids that his greatest fear was that peace would break out.
Many people feel like this. In Aleppo, some in the government-held west of the city watch the two Syrian opposition TV channels, one broadcasting from Turkey and the other from Dubai, to learn about the barrel bombs and the new snake bombs explosives in tubes, a weapon originally designed to destroy mine-fields in earth revetments which are dropped by the regime on both rebel and civilian targets in Nusrah or Isis-controlled areas. Perhaps this makes sense of the Nusrah mortars that fall across military and civilian targets in western Aleppo.
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There are moments of unexpected, infinite sadness. In a military prison in Damascus, a 34-year old Muslim who wanted to be an Islamist fighter breaks down in tears as he tells us how he lied to his wife, informing her that he was going to Moscow to earn money for their family in Kyrgyzstan. Instead of going to Russia, he headed for Syria to make jihad but rather than sending him to the front, Sukrat Baba Jans colleagues from Chechnya forced him to be a cook. His was a familiar story, lured on by internet calls for a holy war in Syria and a well-organised system of villas for newly arrived jihadis already set up on the other side of the Turkish border.
But when Baba Jan called his wife from rebel-held Syria, she begged him for money. When was he coming home from Moscow? Now he is in the hands of the Syrian army and she is still waiting for Baba Jan to send her money from Russia. He has a six-year old child called Abdul-Rahman, he says. I ask his wifes name.
Hafiza, he replies, and breaks down in tears. I cannot remember her last name. This cannot be true. He does not want us to contact her. She thinks he is still in Moscow. And he sobs away in misery. A lost soul.
And then there is the young Syrian soldier on the front line north of Aleppo who tells me that his parents are in the besieged Isis-held town of Manbij. Remember Manbij, which the American-supported Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces were just about to capture in May, but which mysteriously remained uncaptured and thus unreported ever afterwards? Its Kurdish rather than Syrian, definitely not democratic and has no force unless US planes bomb its enemies. The Syrian soldier has managed to call his mother and father on the phone just once in three years. He fears that Isis will destroy the town. We spoke very vaguely, I said I was well and unhurt. I could say no more. They couldnt say anything either. But they heard my voice. Yes, they know I am a soldier.
The teenagers commander, Major Hassan, is not unhurt. He has been wounded four times first by a bullet in Hama, then by shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade in Homs, third by a bullet in Sheikh Sayeed, and then by a mine explosion under his car. He shows me a photograph of his almost severed leg poking from beneath the wreckage and now he has a prosthetic left leg. But he begged to stay in the army and now he is a Syrian special forces officer liaising with the Lebanese Hezbollah and the Iranians on the front lines.
He talks of the 300 religious television channels in the Arab world, of which only three are educational, the rest dedicated to wash the minds of the young. These [religious] people use technology for the wrong purpose. The internet and social media serve their purpose. This is sufficient to throw up the suicide bombers.
Then Major Hassan changes the subject. He talks of his wifes love, how she nursed him and believed in his future even when he started a course of 42 operations and even after his brother was shot in the back defending the besieged Koyeress airbase; his brother will never walk again. But Major Hassan drives himself round the front in the ruins of the Sheikh Najjar Industrial City, jumping down from parapets on his peg-leg. I so love my wife because I got my strength back through her power, he says.
But the Syrian war provokes far earlier memories. Take the Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblat who has always blamed President Bashar al-Assads late father Hafez al-Assad for his own father Kamals assassination in Lebanon in 1977. Walid Jumblat now constantly demands the overthrow of Bashar, and in a recent speech recalled how he travelled to Damascus less than two months after Kamals murder to meet Hafez al-Assad, the man he was convinced ordered his fathers own death.
Geopolitics dictates unavoidable choices so, after the 40th day [of death, when families again receive condolences], I took the road to Damascus, Jumblat said. I climbed the steps of the presidential palace in those days a modest building below Mount Qassioun and arrived on the first floor where a door opened onto a sparsely furnished room which contained the descendant of the Old Man of the Mountain Hafez el-Assad himself. In walking to greet me, he fixed me with his small, intense black eyes in which I thought I could see the shadows of a terrible past. And he exclaimed, with apparent surprise: How you resemble Kamal Jumblat!
Who is Bashar al-Assad?
Thirty nine years after Jumblats visit to Damascus, however, the city remains safely in his sons hands and Bashar al-Assads army has not collapsed as the regimes enemies predicted.
By chance, I met again a few days ago a Syrian general whose soldier son was killed in Homs and who was wounded by shrapnel in the battle with Isis to retake Palmyra this year. He sat under the shade of a wrecked house, close to the spot where almost 2,000 years earlier, another military man, the Emperor Diocletian, had built a camp for the 1st Legion after Palmyra had rebelled against Roman rule.
In present day Palmyra, the general Fouad is his real name was already thinking about the future.
Yes, he said, after the war, the rebuilding will start, even political rebuilding, even military reconstruction. It all sounded a bit Roman. And then, he suddenly admitted after much questioning: I will write a book! Essential reading, I imagine.
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Am I missing something here? Weve just had a seismic referendum, David Cameron has resigned as a result, another prime minister is being installed with no referral to the Conservative Party faithful, and we're supposed to sit back and say "That's fine! We're all super happy!"?
Well, I'm sorry, but this is not democracy in action. We must have a general election as a matter of urgency as soon as possible. How do we, the country, the voters, instigate this?
Fiona Coombes
Lancashire
Legislation is needed to fight MP dishonesty
May I wish our new PM very best wishes, and to suggest that if she wants to stamp her authority on her government, and prove that she is a true reformer, there would no better way to start than to bring in emergency legislation to outlaw dishonesty from MPs.
Looking back over the recent events that led up to Theresa Mays appointment, it is clear that this was the result of deliberate and cynical lying by so many of those MPs supporting the Leave campaign.
While it is reassuring that it would seem natural justice has conspired to damage the prospects of these liars, I would argue we need to learn the lessons and ensure legislation is brought in without delay. This legislation would reassure the electorate that the nation can never again be damaged by individuals whose dishonest practices should bar them from retaining their parliamentary seats.
David Curran
Feltham
Dont ask, dont tell
The coronation of Theresa this mustnt be a coronation May conforms to Conservative tradition. When the party decides to replace one Prime Minister with another, you might reasonably take this to mean that most of its MPs or members prefer the new one to the old one. Yet, bizarrely, their established policy regarding this very basic question is Dont ask, dont tell. Curiously, many Labour MPs are now looking to adopt this rather puzzling custom.
John Riseley
Harrogate
A necessary compromise between Leave and Remain
It is ridiculous to suggest, as some Leave campaigners are now doing, that 52 per cent of Britain voted for an end to free movement of people. In reality, those who voted Leave did so for a wide range of reasons.
The Leave campaign did not specify what form Brexit would take, and instead made vague, often unfulfillable promises. They cannot now expect to dictate its terms.
Conversely, it is undeniable that 48 per cent of us voted for free movement to remain exactly as it is.
Therefore, if Brexit there must be, then Theresa May must at the very least find a compromise on this and other issues. She must keep workers' rights and environmental protections.
A hard Brexit that fails to preserve any of the benefits of EU membership would intensify the divisions within our country and make the break-up of the UK almost inevitable.
Richard Milne
Edinburgh
The capital of England ought to be moved from London to a more representative area
We didnt get a Brexit Prime Minister, so how about a Brexit capital to govern in the interests of the whole country?
Our elected representatives were clearly misled by mixing with too many London Remainers to realise that the country as a whole wanted something else. Anxious to fix this problem, the seat of government will presumably need to move somewhere more representative somehwere like Basingstoke and Deane which matched the mood of the country perfectly by voting 51.9 per cent Leave.
Or perhaps Parliament should move around the country say, six months in Basingstoke, followed by six months in Knowsley (51.6 per cent Leave)? Come to think of it, this has already been tried somewhere else, so maybe its not going to happen.
Graham Lane
Shropshire
We cannot forget politics in favour of technology
Whilst agreeing with Hamish McRae that technology is a game-changer with the potential to "push the world towards fairness" (Voices, 10 July), this will not happen if the developed world follows his advice to "forget politics".
How can we forget politics when our leaders decisions to intervene in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria continue to have hugely negative boomerang effects? How can we forget politics when these decisions put our cherished freedoms in jeopardy? How can we forget politics when government policies can be decisive in determining which and at what pace technologies succeed, and how fairly the "digital dividend" is distributed?
Technology certainly doesn't trump politics in the developing world, and democrats everywhere are becoming more concerned about how best to manage technological change so that to take McRae's example such transitions as that from fossil to electric-fuelled transport take place humanely.
So, sure, many of us want technology to be a great equaliser. But it wont be unless we acknowledge the political dimension ought to have primacy. Then, maybe we would also feel moved to use technology to change politics itself by widening participation in decision-making by informed voters.
Richard Bryden
Llandudno
The attack on Eagles constituency office window is a shame
It is utterly despicable that Angela Eagle's constituency office window has been broken in. No doubt it will automatically be assumed that it was broken in by one of her enemies. Yet it is quite possible that it was broken in by one of Jeremy Corbyn's enemies, knowing that it would be his supporters who would unquestioningly be blamed. We should guard against jumping to conclusions.
Elizabeth Morley
Aberystwyth
If I were Nicola Sturgeon...
In discussing Brexit, I see no mention of the Queen and the demise of the UK. At present, Paris is seriously wooing London's bankers. If I were Nicola Sturgeon, I too would be looking for ways of luring banks and insurance companies to Edinburgh.
How would the English fund the NHS without those primary sources of revenue?
Rodney Lunn
Address supplied
The UK sighs with relief as they get a new Prime Minister determined to focus on the real priorities. Meanwhile, Scotlands First Minister and her SNP government are looking to find a way to separate from the UK, even though the current financial consequences to Scotland would be simply ruinous. Previously much-trumpeted priorities in education, health, and other key public services are less important now, as ideology takes the driving seat and Scotland hangs on for a bumpy ride.
Keith Howell
Scottish Borders
Blair must demonstrate his integrity
Tony Blair should embrace the initiative to review his possible contempt of Parliament on Iraq with open arms.
It is a golden opportunity for him to demonstrate his integrity in a court of law, and hence lay to rest the verdict that is long established in the court of public opinion. If he is not inclined to subject himself to such scrutiny, that in itself speaks volumes for his true assessment of his own culpability, and we will be entitled to draw appropriate conclusions.
An innocent man fears neither examination nor the truth.
John Harvey
Gloucestershire
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The sudden selection of Home Secretary Theresa May as the new UK Prime Minister will see her move into Downing Street later this week. The first item on her agenda is huge, in tackling the damning legacy of David Cameron the British exit of the European Union and potential unravelling of the the UK itself.
This is a huge political task for May. The tragedy is that this political inheritance was by no means inevitable, stemming as it does from Camerons own unwise decisions in office. The EU referendum was called of personal choice and reflected in large part his concerns in 2014, before the last British general election. The country has moved on, but Theresa May is left with the consequences of his thinking two years ago.
The implications for the future of the UK cannot be underestimated. Our current constitutional settlement has become further destabilised with significantly increased likelihood of a second Scottish independence referendum vote, and also the possibility of greater political uncertainty in Northern Ireland.
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Unlike England and Wales, both Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU last month. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP Leader, has previously argued that the United Kingdom should only exit the EU if all four constituency countries (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) individually voted to leave an exceptionally unlikely scenario, as she well knows. Should the leave vote ultimately lead to the UK leaving the EU under May as prime minister and she has already asserted that Brexit means Brexit Sturgeon will be high likely, in her own words, to seek a second plebiscite on Scottish independence. Given the strong attachment that many Scottish people have with the EU, it is quite possible if not likely that the country could vote for independence.
Indeed, the working assumption of some financial institutions is that Scotland could now vote for independence during the course of the current Westminster Parliament. For instance, Malcolm Barr at JP Morgan has indicated that a new referendum could be held by 2019 with Scotland potentially then launching its own currency. In Northern Ireland, too, where all parties except the Democratic Unionist Party campaigned for a remain vote, the results could have destabilising effects with Sinn Fein leading the charge.
The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Show all 6 1 /6 The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Brexit The big one. Theresa May has spoken publicly three times since declaring her intent to stand in the Tory Leadership race, and each time she has said, Brexit means Brexit. It sounds resolute, but it is helpful to her that Brexit is a made up word with no real meaning. She has said there will be no second referendum and no re-entry in to the EU via the back door. But she, like the Leave campaign of which she was not a member, has pointedly not said with any precision what she thinks Brexit means Reuters The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address General election This is very much one to keep off the to do list. She said last week there would be no general election at this time of great instability. But there have already been calls for one from opposition parties. The Fixed Term Parliaments Act of 2010 makes it far more difficult to call a snap general election, a difficulty she will be in no rush to overcome. In the event of a victory for Leadsom, who was not popular with her own parliamentary colleagues, an election might have been required, but May has the overwhelming backing of the parliamentary party Getty The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address HS2 Macbeth has been quoted far too much in recent weeks, but it will be up to May to decide whether, with regard to the new high speed train link between London, Birmingham, the East Midlands and the north, returning were as tedious as go oer. Billions have already been spent. But the 55bn it will cost, at a bare minimum, must now be considered against the grim reality of significantly diminished public finances in the short to medium term at least. It is not scheduled to be completed until 2033, by which point it is not completely unreasonable to imagine a massive, driverless car-led transport revolution having rendered it redundant EPA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Heathrow expansion Or indeed Gatwick expansion. Or Boris Island, though that option is seems as finished as the man himself. The decision on where to expand aviation capacity in the south east has been delayed to the point of becoming a national embarrassment. A final decision was due in autumn. Whatever is decided, there will be vast opprobrium PA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Trident renewal David Cameron indicated two days ago that there will be a Commons vote on renewing Britains nuclear deterrent on July 18th, by which point we now know, Ms May will be Prime Minister. The Labour Party is, to put it mildly, divided on the issue. This will be an early opportunity to maximise their embarrassment, and return to Tory business as usual EPA The 6 most important issues Theresa May needs to address Scottish Independence Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP are in no doubt that the Brexit vote provides the opportunity for a second independence referendum, in which they can emerge victorious. The Scottish Parliament at Holyrood has the authority to call a second referendum, but Ms May and the British Parliament are by no means automatically compelled to accept the result. She could argue it was settled in 2014 AFP/Getty
For those who favour a strong United Kingdom in a reformed EU no doubt the new Prime Minister included these developments are immensely concerning. A weaker United Kingdom, as now seems likely, would no longer punch so strongly on the international stage and would also adversely affect its ability to bolster international security and prosperity at a time when both remain fragile.
Scottish independence would undermine the UKs influence in multiple ways, including its voice in key international forums from the United Nations, the G7 and G8, the G20, and Nato. As former Conservative Prime Minister John Major has argued, the union would be perceived to be harmed if a chunk of it voluntarily chose to leave In every international gathering that there is, the voice of Britain would be growing weaker because we would have had a political fracture of a most dramatic nature.
Perhaps most prominently, the break-up of the union could be seized upon by some non-permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC), or other UN members, to catalyse a review of UKs membership. To be sure, reform of UNSC is overdue. However, Scottish independence could see this issue being decided upon less favourable terms for Britain.
7 things you didn't know about Theresa May
Budgetary cuts forced by the loss of Scotlands tax base could also impact the UKs sizeable annual overseas aid budget, which promotes massive goodwill abroad. The UK is the worlds second largest provider of international aid after the United States, and is one of the few G7 states to adhere to an internationally agreed target of spending 0.7 per cent of GDP on overseas aid.
Moreover, a UK Parliamentary Committee rightly warned in 2014 that losing the Scottish tax base, especially at a time of fiscal austerity, could lead to further budgetary cuts to the armed forces. These cuts could even threaten the future of Trident, Britains expensive sea-based nuclear weapons programme, which is due for potential renewal in coming years. Our nation would no longer punch so strongly on the international stage, adversely affecting its ability to bolster international security and prosperity at a time when both remain fragile.
May now has to tackle, as best she can, Camerons legacy as Prime Minister which could ultimately be the demise of one of the worlds most successful political unions.
Andrew Hammond is an associate at the LSE IDEAS centre, pat of the London School of Economics
Official figures on Ireland's economy have been branded a farce.
The country's Finance Minister Michael Noonan said the phenomenal growth numbers - 26.3% last year - combined with rising employment and strong consumer spending showed the signs of "real growth".
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) said the numbers were down to a surge in aircraft leasing business being recorded in Ireland, a 300 billion euro increase in company assets being transferred and a 200% jump in intangible assets such as patents being recorded.
But it refused to divulge the true extent of each, citing confidentiality clauses with companies.
It also said multinationals were continuing to use so-called inversions to base their businesses in Ireland and reclassify balance sheets which gives the appearance of more work being done in the Republic.
And it accepted that "employment has not changed greatly as a result".
Economists lined up to dismiss the numbers.
Aidan Regan, assistant professor in the School of Politics and International Relations at University College Dublin, called on the Irish Government to make a public statement on the confusion created by the report.
"The 26.3% makes for a great media headline. But if the media want to go find this growth, they might as well go plane-watching at Dublin airport," he said.
"It's a farce. There is simply no credibility to the national accounts. Most serious observers looking in at Ireland know this. And this is what should really concern the Government and civil servants."
Professor Regan called on the CSO to print a clear disclaimer on the economic report.
"These figures have to be taken with a pinch of salt," he said.
The CSO originally estimated that the economy grew by 7.8%.
Seamus Coffey, economics lecturer at University College Cork, said some of the transfer of assets to Ireland can be explained by companies wanting to prevent allegations of tax avoidance.
"Any US multinational engaged in manufacturing in Ireland could be doing it - it is about aligning profits with substance," he said.
Mr Coffey said reports on unemployment and job creation were better measures of how an economy was changing.
The CSO report for 2015 said gross domestic product (GDP), which calculates the value of all business - including multinationals - grew by 26.3% and gross national product (GNP) - which reflects Irish-owned companies - was up 18.7%.
In the first quarter of this year, GDP contracted by 2.1%.
Mr Noonan, in Brussels for talks with European counterparts, said: "People's lives are improving, with more at work than at any time since the onset of the downturn.
"We no longer need to impose swingeing cuts to public services, rather we have room to invest in services and infrastructure."
Sinn Fein finance spokesman Pearse Doherty urged people to take the numbers with "a ton of salt" and the 26.3% number was a "nonsense".
"It is irrelevant. It does not reflect any sort of reality as to how the economy is faring," he said.
Mr Doherty called for a new way of analysing economic growth. He said the numbers are "polluted" and "intertwined with international tax and accounting stunts".
Mr Kenny intends to call for a "calm and measured" approach towards negotiations with the UK. Photo: AP
Taoiseach Enda Kenny travels to Berlin today to discuss the fallout of the UK's Brexit vote with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Mr Kenny intends to call for a "calm and measured" approach towards negotiations with the UK.
He will also reiterate Ireland's own commitment to EU membership. Investment, the single market, the digital single market and counter-terrorism will also be on the agenda.
A spokesman said: "The Taoiseach will also use the opportunity to outline Ireland's perspective on the upcoming negotiations to Chancellor Merkel and to highlight our particular concerns in relation to Northern Ireland, North-South relations, the Common Travel Area and our inter-connected trade."
Speaking before his departure, Mr Kenny said the majority of Irish people support our membership of the EU.
"In Ireland, we very much see our future at the heart of Europe and this view is supported by the vast majority of the population," he said.
Mr Kenny's visit to Berlin will be followed by a visit to Ireland next week by French President Francois Hollande.
The Government must have a "loud voice" at the table in Brussels to ensure farm family incomes and agri-jobs are protected post-Brexit, a business leader has warned.
Dawn Farm Foods boss Larry Murrin said businesses and the country's marketing agencies have worked for over five decades to open up "sophisticated markets" like the UK, which takes 4.4bn of Irish food and drink exports each year.
"Inside and outside the farm gate in this country there are more than 200,000 incomes and jobs to be protected in what is the country's most important indigenous industry," said Mr Murrin, who attended a Bord Bia Brexit conference that heard warnings the UK was heading towards a recession. "We've got to work together, all stakeholders led by the Government, to protect our position."
Mr Murrin said the country was now in "unprecedented territory" and all that could be seen at this stage were the first "ripple effects" on currency.
"This really needs to be an all hands to the pump solution, but the Government needs to lead this," he said.
ABP's Paul Finnerty warned the UK economy was already very "fragile" without Brexit. He said there was a view that the pressures would mean the UK would look "far and wide" for lower-cost product.
"The pressures now will revolve around what happens with the trade deals the UK strikes when it exits from the EU," he said, with currency an issue in the short-term.
Further delays in the delivery of the State-funded broadband service planned for 2020 could cost jobs, farming and rural bodies have warned.
The 1bn National Broadband Plan, which will provide broadband to 900,000 homes, businesses and schools around the country, was described by Communications Minister Denis Naughten as a decision matching the scale and significance of rural electrification in the 1950s and '60s.
Macra na Feirme, ICMSA, IFA and Irish Rural Link (IRL) agreed that the plan was a positive development. However, concerns were voiced over continuing delays in commissioning the strategy and private sector involvement.
Seamus Boland of IRL said careful oversight of the programme would be required in light of Minister Naughten's decision to give private enterprise the lead role in implementing the broadband strategy.
"The Government will need to ensure that the worst excesses of using private monopolies will not damage the ongoing roll out of the plan," Mr Boland said.
Mr Boland said provision of high speed broadband was the last chance saloon for many rural areas and he urged the minister to push for a completion date of 2018.
The 2020 deadline was also criticised by Patrick Rohan of ICMSA. He said the broadband programme has been characterised by "unwarranted delays" and a failure to "nail down" specific timetables.
IFA president Joe Healy said broadband pricing structures for rural customers had to be affordable and it was vital for rural families and businesses.
Macra president Sean Finan said private sector companies involvement would ensure "cheaper and faster" delivery.
The Department of Agriculture is facing the first wave of potentially thousands of appeals against inspection decisions and penalties relating to EU farm payment entitlements.
The appeals follow a recent High Court decision which ruled the Department's inspection procedures were "flawed".
Galway solicitor John Cuddy confirmed he had received several inquiries from farmers after the findings of the recent High Court case were revealed in the Farming Independent.
"Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done and this case highlights the fact that the decision making body and the appeals process had little or no regard to a farmer's constitutional rights," said Mr Cuddy.
The precedent-setting case saw a Co Tipperary farmer take a High Court challenge against the decision of the appeals officer after his 2010 single farm payment application was rejected.
The judge ruled the Department of Agriculture's inspection was "procedurally flawed" and a "control report" should have been provided so the farmer could review the details of the checks carried out.
It found there was "very little regard for fair procedures" and he should be entitled to the payment of the subsidy on the lands that qualified.
Mr Cuddy is advising farmers to seek a review of any Appeals Office decision by the Director of the Appeals Office.
Former agri advisor and Minister of State at the Gaeltacht Department Sean Kyne said the decision had "serious consequences" for the Agriculture Department and for farmers hit with penalties under EU schemes.
"Land eligibility concerns have been flagged with the Department for years and clearly farmers' concerns have been upheld in the recent court judgement," he said.
Both Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice and the hill farmers' group INHFA have called for an independent review of all decisions potentially impacted by this case.
Mr Fitzmaurice said the case confirmed that farmers rights were being breached.
"I am calling for an independent committee to be set up to deal with all historical penalties, particularly as the rules around eligibility have been reinterpreted again this year," he said.
Vincent Roddy of the INHFA hill farmers group called for an independent review of the appeals office and all decisions that could "potentially affected by this decision".
He said farmers "should not be the ones picking up the tab for any more appeals as they try to enforce this decision".
The ICSA's Eddie Punch said the case "undoubtedly has implications for other farmers who feel they have got a raw deal on land eligibility penalties". He pointed out there were many land eligibility penalties imposed under the LPIS review.
The IFA have called for a review of all Department penalty files following the decision.
The Independent Appeals Board received 610 appeals in 2014, 886 in 2013, while over 1,000 were received in 2012.
IFA deputy president Richard Kennedy said proper procedures must be followed in inspections and it was "worrying" the farmer had to go to court to get his rights upheld. He called for the Charter of Farmers' rights to be sent to all farmers as promised.
Another Tipperary farmer who had a 100pc penalty reduced to 5pc found despite his success in the appeal he was unable to recover any of the legal costs from the Department or Appeals Office. He was left with bills of around 6,000.
The Department of Agriculture has refused to comment stating the case was ongoing.
The ongoing dispute over setback distances for wind turbines from residential homes is to go to arbitration, it was confirmed this week.
Confusion has broken out over who has responsibility for setting the required setback distance for wind turbines following a High Court challenge.
However, an independent inspector will be appointed by Planning Minister Simon Coveney before the end of the month.
The inspector is to report back to Minister Coveney, who will then decide on the matter within a further six weeks.
The court challenge was taken by independent Donegal councillor John Campbell against attempts by the last government to standardise setback distances nationally.
Mr Campbell took the court action after the Environment Department overruled efforts by Donegal County Council to introduce guidelines under the county development plan, which stipulated wind turbines could not be erected within 1km of a residential home.
The setback distances allowed under the national guidelines are 500m and over.
The case was listed to be heard in the High Court on June 21, but was settled in advance of the hearing commencing, with both sides agreeing to wait on the findings of the independent inspector.
A statement issued on behalf of Minister Coveney's department insisted that national planning guidelines on setback distances for wind turbines still applied.
But the uncertainty has sparked differences between wind energy representatives and politicians.
Independent TD for Roscommon Michael Fitzmaurice said the case was "worth a read for councillors", who could now have the power to legislate for setback distances in their own different municipal and council areas. "I am sure that the Government can agree to a setback distance of 1km from private houses," he said.
Mr Fitzmaurice said such a move would help communities opposing wind turbine developments throughout the country.
However, Brendan Heneghan of the Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA) insisted that the current guidelines regarding setback distances for wind turbines remained in force and met with best international practice.
"The current [planning] guidelines, which have delivered for both communities and towards Ireland's binding renewable energy targets, remain fully in place to ensure that all local authorities have the information and national guidance necessary on the strategic and sensitive planning of wind energy," Mr Heneghan said.
"These existing guidelines are in line with international best practice, and there are also rigorous processes in place through our planning system to ensure that regulations are strictly adhered to," he added.
Charles Gallagher: actively looking for new projects
Housebuilder Abbey has reported gradual progress in the Irish market as profits at the firm last year jumped to 61.5m from 49.1m in the previous year.
In a trading update released to shareholders this morning Abbey said its project in Lucan is nearing completion while it also launched a new development in Delgany in June.
The company also spent the year buying up land in Rotaoth, Meath, and Cornelscourt, Dublin - both schemes are now under construction.
Abbey also said that demand for new home ownership in many parts of the wider Dublin area "remains muted".
Overall the company concluded 597 sales groupwide, including 23 in Ireland, bringing in a total turnover of 198.6m.
Abbey has set out a dividend of 8c per share for approval at the AGM.
Grafton Group has tipped continued growth in the Irish and Dutch merchanting markets despite the results of the Brexit referendum.
In a trading update released to shareholders, chief executive Gavin Slark said he expects the uncertainty cause by the vote to weigh on the UK market.
"Growth in the Irish and the Netherlands merchanting markets is expected to continue broadly in line with recent trends. The groups financial strength and geographic diversity leave it well positioned to take advantage of any opportunities that may emerge across the markets in which it operates," he said.
Revenue at the company increased by 13.3pc in the first half of the year to 1.23bn, up from the 1.08bn the company made during the same period last year.
Grafton's revenue from its Irish merchanting business increased by 12.6pc in the first six month of the year while its Irish retailing and manufacturing arm increased by 6.4pc and 14.9pc respectively.
The company said it benefited from a positive trading environment in Ireland thanks to a recovering housing market.
Planning permission has been granted for a new seven-storey 97-bedroom extension to the Hilton Dublin hotel in spite of local objections.
The City Council gave the go-ahead to Charlemont Leisure for the plan that will result in the hotel expanding to a total of 305 bedrooms.
An Taisce and local residents had expressed concerns over the proposal for the hotel, which overlooks the Grand Canal.
The planner in the case stated that given the city centre location, the existing height context and the previous planning history on the site, the proposed hotel development is considered acceptable. An objection from the management firm of the nearby Harcourt Green apartments raised a number of concerns.
In the objection lodged with the City Council, it stated that the Hilton plan "will greatly degrade the environmental, amenity and living standard of its (Harcourt Green) residents".
The planning permission comes against the background of a report from the the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation reporting that there is a need for 30 additional hotels providing 5,000 additional rooms in the capital by 2020/21.
Ireland's status as a leading world centre for aircraft leasing is perhaps more a product of business history than our favourable corporate tax treatment. Stock photo: PA Wire
The Irish economy grew, in GDP terms, by 26.3pc last year, according to revised official figures.
That's dramatically faster than the 7.8pc growth rate estimated in March, the Central Statistics Office said this morning.
The dramatic hikes were due to contributions from the likes of the aircraft leasing sector and multinationals -increases in the stock of capital assets of companies, company relocations, a massive jump in net exports due primarily to contract manufacturing, and in part to inversions.
The revised data is due to "more complete and up to date data" than what was available earlier this year.
GNP, which strips out the activities of multinational companies based here, grew by 18.7pc in 2015. The earlier estimate was for 5.7pc.
Net exports in 2015 grew by 102.4pc, while total domestic demand increased 9.9pc.
GDP fell by 2.1pc in the first three months of this year, compared with the previous quarter. GNP rose by 1.3pc, the CSO said.
But year-on-year, GDP rose by 2.3pc and GNP increased 10.6pc.
Net exports in the first three months of this year rose 11.2pc, but investment declined by 16.1pc.
Finance Minister Michael Noonan said the debt-to-GDP ratio is now expected to be around 80pc considerably lower than the 88pc noted in the Summer Economic Statement published last month.
Other indicators, including tax revenue published last week, consumer spending and labour market data are all consistent with an economy where recovery is firmly established, Mr Noonan said, in a statement.
I think the figures released by the Central Statistics Office show that Irelands economy continues to grow. Peoples lives are improving with more at work than at any time since the onset of the downturn. We no longer need to impose swingeing cuts to public services rather we have room to invest in services and infrastructure. Ireland is now in a position where we borrow relatively small amounts at very low rates which ensure that investment is made in delivering more than the bare minimum of services to our citizens. These are all evidence of a country growing in real terms.
But economist Jim Power dismissed the 26pc figure as meaningless.
It is impossible to interpret whats going on, he said.
Theres clearly a lot of balance sheet accounting transactions going on that are seriously distorting what is happening in the economy. What we have to do is look at what is happening on the ground. We need to look at employment, unemployment, tax revenues and consumer spending and consumer confidence.
What they suggested in 2015 and what theyre suggesting in the first half of 2016 is that there is a reasonable level of economic activity going on. It feels like an economy growing at a rate of 4pc, 4.5pc, but it certainly doesnt feel like a 26pc economy. I think in terms of international interpretation to whats going on here, its a meaningless exercise.
Mobile phone operators say they want a weakening of telecoms rules and fresh public subsidies of up to 1bn or else consumers may not see 5G mobile networks rolled out.
Vodafone, Three and a host of other operators across Europe have come together to ask for a dilution of so-called 'net neutrality' rules and up to 1bn in taxpayers' money in exchange for them continuing to invest in mobile networks.
At present, 'net neutrality' regulations do not allow mobile operators to ensure their customers get faster access to websites or services of those operators' commercial partners. The rules are supposed to protect startups and small businesses, which cannot afford to compete with multinationals in paying off operators to prioritise access to their websites over mobile networks.
However, the operators say that the strictness of the rules won't match the business cases likely to emerge with 5G.
"Automated driving, smart grid control, virtual reality and public safety services are examples of use-cases with distinguished characteristics which call for a flexible and elastic configuration of resources in networks and platforms, on a continuous basis, depending on demand, context and the nature of the service," said a joint statement from the operators, entitled '5G Manifesto'.
"The current Net Neutrality guidelines create significant uncertainties around 5G return on investment. Investments are therefore likely to be delayed unless regulators take a positive stance on innovation and stick to it."
The mobile operators are also looking for up to 1bn of public money to be spent on 5G-related "trials" and a separate publicly-financed "5G venture fund" over more than 1bn to invest in 5G startups.
"Such grants can be between the 0.5bn to 1bn range, also from existing EU funding instruments, awarded through agile governance," they said.
"A 5G venture fund instrument, above the 1bn mark, would allow the EU to take equity stakes in European innovative start-ups aiming at developing 5G technologies and applications across verticals."
The mobile operators are also looking for hospitals and schools to sign up to 5G services at an "early" stage.
Pinewood Studios in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, where the latest Star Wars and James Bond movies were filmed
James Bond and Star Wars have helped Pinewood Group more than double its annual profits, with the film studio saying the plunge in sterling following the EU referendum would also give it a boost.
Revenues at Pinewood grew 10.9pc to 83.2m (97.6m)last year while the company's operating profit soared 136.3pc to 13.6m.
'Star Wars: The Force Awakens', which was partly shot in Co Kerry, and James Bond's latest incarnation in 'Spectre', filmed at its studios, saw the firm cash in on two of the largest grossing movies of last year.
Britain's exit from the European Union will be "largely mitigated" as its most significant customers are based in the United States, Pinewood said.
Chief executive Ivan Dunleavy said yesterday: "The result of the UK's referendum on membership of the EU is now known.
"In the context of our business, the decline in the sterling exchange rate is undoubtedly positive for our international customers."
Mr Dunleavy also said that five new sound stages are now operational, meaning its Buckinghamshire site in England now has capacity to take on two more blockbusters a year.
In February, Pinewood hired Rothschild to conduct a strategic review, which could conclude with the firm's sale for more than 250m. Pinewood said the review is "ongoing".
Liam Neeson certainly knows how to do presents.
Just when we thought we couldn't love Liam Neeson any more, he goes and does something brilliant.
Earlier this week, the star dropped into Irish-owned New York bar The Dead Rabbit, which was named the World's Best Bar in 2015.
Never one to be impolite, the 64-year-old came bearing gifts.
But instead of a box of chocolates, Neeson gave the bar the Celtic cross that he carried in 2002 blockbuster Gangs of New York.
The delighted staff at the bar took to Facebook to share the news, saying:
"Remember the big celtic cross that Liam Neeson carried with him in Gangs of New York? Well the coolest thing happened last nght...."
They shared the update alongside a photo of Neeson and the cross in the pub, as well as a snap from a scene in the film.
You can't get much more Irish than that now, can you?
Laura Whitmore attending the premiere of Star Trek Beyond held at the Empire in Leicester Square, London. Photo: Ian West/PA Wire
With a galaxy of celebs on show it may come as a surprise that an Irishwoman was the star that shone brightest at a major London premiere tonight.
Bray beauty laura Whitmore was on the red carpet interviewing the actors as they arrived for the first UK showing of Star Trek Beyond.
Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Laura Whitmore interviews Chis Pine during the premiere of Star Trek Beyond held at the Empire in Leicester Square, London.Photo: Ian West/PA Wire Laura Whitmore attending the premiere of Star Trek Beyond held at the Empire in Leicester Square, London. Photo: Ian West/PA Wire Jasmin Walia attending the premiere of Star Trek Beyond held at the Empire in Leicester Square, London. Photo: Ian West/PA Wire (left to right) Idris Elba, John Cho, Simon Pegg, Sofia Boutella, Chris Pine, Karl Urban and Zachary Quinto attending the premiere of Star Trek Beyond held at the Empire in Leicester Square, London. Photo: Ian West/PA Wire Idris Elba and Sofia Boutella attending the premiere of Star Trek Beyond held at the Empire in Leicester Square, London. Photo: Ian West/PA Wire Sofia Boutella and Chris Pine attending the premiere of Star Trek Beyond held at the Empire in Leicester Square, London. Photo: Ian West/PA Wire Laura Whitmore attending the premiere of Star Trek Beyond held at the Empire in Leicester Square, London. Photo: Ian West/PA Wire George Shelley attending the premiere of Star Trek Beyond held at the Empire in Leicester Square, London. Photo: Ian West/PA Wire Linzi Stoppard attending the premiere of Star Trek Beyond held at the Empire in Leicester Square, London. Photo: Ian West/PA Wire Olivia Inge attending the premiere of Star Trek Beyond held at the Empire in Leicester Square, London. Photo: Ian West/PA Wire Alex Zane attending the premiere of Star Trek held at the Empire in Leicester Square, London. Photo credit should read: Ian West/PA Wire John Cho attending the premiere of Star Trek Beyond held at the Empire in Leicester Square, London. Photo: Ian West/PA Wire Simon Pegg attending the premiere of Star Trek Beyond held at the Empire in Leicester Square, London. Photo: Ian West/PA Wire / Facebook
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Dressed in a plunge neck, long sleeve white mini number, the TV host caught the attention of the waiting fans and even one security guard.
She teamed it with a pair of skyscraper, peep toe heels.
Ms Whitmore (31) was joined on the red carpet by Star Trek actor and writer Simon Pegg who urged incoming British Prime Minister Theresa May to consider "What would Kirk do?" when she takes over.
Pegg, who plays Scotty in the rebooted franchise, said he hopes Mrs May follows the example of the captain of the starship USS Enterprise after she takes up residency in 10 Downing Street.
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Arriving at the UK premiere of Star Trek Beyond, which he co-wrote, Pegg urged: "Lead for the people, don't forget anybody. Don't just protect the people who are well off, look after everybody. There are a lot of people in this country who need to be looked after, who are so often forgotten.
"Ask yourself 'what would Kirk do?' Theresa."
Pegg said the film, which sees the crew of the USS Enterprise face a new and ruthless enemy, has messages that could benefit the British people following the vote to leave the European Union.
He said: "Ironically the message is it's better together, unity is strength. It's about co-operation and breaking down the boundaries between races and species and types and working together and it seems incredibly apposite at the moment considering the decision this country has just made, which feels a little bit to me like a retrograde step.
"We need to be a little bit more Star Trek, a bit more like the Federation."
Pegg, who described himself as a "dyed in the wool" left-winger, also voiced his support for embattled Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn saying: "I respect Jeremy Corbyn because I like that fact he's brought some opposition back into party politics.
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"Party politics had become very bland, they had almost become the same party and you need someone to mix it up. You need the dark and the light, you need the opposites, you need debate and you need to move forward through debate and I think Jeremy is just standing up for shit and I have got to respect that."
Zachary Quinto, who plays vulcan Spock in the film, echoed Pegg's sentiment about the film's message, saying unity is "something a lot of people in the world could benefit from right now".
He added: "We all feel pretty fractured right now and the divisiveness seems really pervasive and overwhelming and that is unfortunate. There seems to be one way of thinking which is much more progressive and accepting and open and one which is much more xenophobic and nationalistic and closed off. I think there is only one clear path forward."
Quinto said he could see parallel divisions in society in the UK and USA, as well as other parts of the world, adding: "It's shocking to me how quickly it has happened, that we have split off into these two factions that are not really interested in what the other group has to say, it's very intolerant on both sides.
"Openness and curiosity and connectivity are things that could benefit all of us in this day and age."
Pegg and Quinto were joined at the premiere by their co-stars Chris Pine, John Cho and Karl Urban, as well as franchise newcomers Idris Elba and Sofia Boutella.
Star Trek Beyond is released in UK cinemas on July 22.
Actress Courteney Cox was served a bag of boiled maggots for dinner after joining adventurer Bear Grylls for a trek in rural Ireland.
The former Friends star is among the celebrities who have put their survival skills to the test for the new season of Running Wild with Bear Grylls, and the daring Brit reveals Courteney had a particularly tough run on the show, which was filmed at the end of June.
Grylls made the revelation during an appearance on U.S. breakfast programme on Monday when he joined another brave participant, Julianne Hough, to promote their upcoming episode, which premieres in the U.S. next month.
Dancer-turned-actress Julianne thought she had it rough after having to squeeze fresh elephant dung for water during the trip, but she confessed it wasn't as bad as she had imagined.
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"I did the dung dance..." she said. "You know when you eat spinach, it kinda tasted like spinach, when your teeth get all weird...so yeah, the elephant dung was quite pleasant, but not really!"
She also had trouble stomaching caterpillars for food, and ended up vomiting after eating.
"The caterpillars were pretty bad, I was gagging for sure," she explained. "I was worried about the pop, when you go to bite something, like a little bug, and the insect guts come out, that's what I was worried about!"
But Grylls made it known Julianne could have been served much worse - as Courteney found out when she had to eat a particularly foul piece of offal.
"Courteney Cox was one of our guests last week, and I found a rotting sheep, full of maggots," Bear recalled. "(I) got the maggots, cut its (the sheep's) testicle sack off, took its testicles out, filled the sack with maggots, boiled it up and gave it to her for dinner, so... you got off lightly!"
International success: TV3's Red Rock is an example of the new sort of challenge facing RTE.
The residents of Carrigstown will be green with envy at the news that Red Rocks debut on BBC One drew in an audience of 1.1m.
The TV3 soap has won over British audiences after its premiere on Monday, getting an 18.6pc share of the audience.
The show was bought by the flagship UK station earlier this year, making it the first Irish soap to find an audience abroad.
The BBC have bought the shows first season of 80 episodes and it has also been sold to US on-demand platform Amazon Prime in a transaction worth as much as 1m.
Actress Roisin ODonovan, who plays Niamh Tyrell on the soap, said the cast were not surprised by the shows successful debut.
Because its been doing so well here, we feel satisfied at the fact that its going on and doing wonders, she said.
People arent surprised. I think we were expecting it to do okay.
Its really lovely. Its great that its going so well over there.
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The Malahide native reckons its the shows unique mix of drama and comedy that has made it stand out from the crowded UK soap market.
It has something that isnt in a lot of other soaps which is that balance of drama and comedy and that warm Irish heart as well, she said.
I think people will fall in love with that. Weve been getting a lovely response and its been really nice that people have been saying its something a little bit different.
Viewers in the UK seemed pleased with the soap with many taking to social media to praise the storyline and characters.
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Anyone think UK soap is lacking strong, powerful, inspirational female characters? Check out Red Rock, one user said.
Some even went as far to say as the show has brought new life to the genre.
If you feel like the soap genre has gotten stale and sensationalist in the UK, definitely give Red Rock a try.
Hopefully we have something for a teenage audience and its not full of teenage angst.
The move to the BBC marks a healthy move for the soap which struggled to find viewers in its early days on TV3.
It has since found its feet and more series are planned next year.
Met Eireann delivered the most Irish weather report of all time by including good drying weather in their broadcast.
While we can guarantee that our Irish summers will be changeable, Met Eireann gave us the heads up that we can put our washing out to dry.
Even Met Eireann forecaster Evelyn Cusack smirked as she informed Irish mammies everywhere that the week would be good for getting clothes dry outside.
As expected social media went wild.
The Supreme Court has, by a four/three majority, dismissed the State's appeal against orders directing the release of three dissident republicans serving sentences in Portlaoise Prison after being convicted in England 14 years ago of trying to buy weapons and explosives on behalf of the Real IRA.
The three Co Louth men were jailed for 30 years in England which sentences were later reduced to 28 years.
In the High Court in September 2014, Judge Gerard Hogan ordered the men be released "forthwith" after finding the High Court had no jursdiction to retrospectively adapt, so as to achive compatibility with Irish law, the defective warrants under which the three were detained here following their transfer from English prisons in 2006.
He refsued to grant a stay on his order, with the effect Fintan OFarrell and Declan Rafferty, both from Carlingford, Co Louth, and Michael McDonald, from Dundalk, whom the State sought to keep in jail until October 2016, had to be freed.
A 4/3 majority Supreme Court today dismissed the State's appeal against the High Court decision. The majority court comprised Judges William McKechnie, John MacMenamin, Mary Laffoy and Iseult O'Malley. The Chief Justice, Judge Susan Denham and Judges Frank Clarke and Donal O'Donnell were in the minority.
In his judgment, Judge MacMenamin said this was "a troubling case and many would say, having committed these very serious crimes", the three should be made face the full consequences of their actions for the full period of the sentence imposed.
However, the process whereby they were placed in detention in Ireland was "fundamentally defective" and the warrants were "void ab initio" (from the beginning).
He also held the jurisdictional deficiencies cannot be corrected, either under the provisions of the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Acts or via the inherent jurisdiction of the court.
The minority court disagreed the warrants could not be varied and held it could be varied to provide for a term of imprisonment of 18 years and eight months, less time already served in England.
In a joint judgment, Judges Clarke and O'Donnell, with whom the Chief Justice agreed, said the fundamental problem in this case arose because of the dichontomy between the sentence announced in the English court, the provisions of UK statute law concerning the meaning of such a sentence, plus the manner in which such a sentence should be recorded for the purposes of a prisoner's transfer. Such matters should be clearly resolved in the courts of the sentencing state, they said.
It was in the long term intersts of all prisoners and their families, as well as the public interest, the regime udner the Transfer of Prisoners act should have clear and effective applicaiton on the ground rather than give rise to complex and protracted litigation in courts, they stressed.
The court was previously told the three, who sought arms and financial support from the Iraqi government, were arrested by Slovak police in July 2001 after they met two agents whom, they believed, were Iraqi arms dealers but were in fact undercover British security agents.
All three were extradited to England where, in 2002, they pleaded guilty at a London court to charges under the UKs 2000 Terrorism Act and conspiracy to cause explosions in London. Their 30 year sentences were later reduced to terms of 28 years and in 2006 they were transferred to Ireland and detained in the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise.
Lawyers for the three in June 2014 secured a High Court inquiry into the lawfulness of their continued detention and in two judgments of August and September 2014, Judge Hogan held their detention was unlawful and directed their release.
Judge Hogan ruled the warrants detaining the three were defective on grounds including arising from another Supreme Court decision - the Sweeney case - addressing incompatibility between the English sentencing regime and Irish law.
The English regime provides for release of a prisoner on licence after they have served two thirds of their sentences or, in the cases of persons jailed after 2005, one half of their sentences. The Irish system does not allow for release on licence but provides for 25 per cent remission.
Judge Hogan said, had the three men remained in England, they would have been entitled to release on licence after serving sentences of some 18 years and eight months. However, the 2006 warrants under which they were detained here recorded their sentences as 28 years and were therefore defective.
He also noted Irish law only permits a maximum sentence of 20 years for the offence of conspiracy to cause explosions while the maximum sentence in England for that offence is life.
The judge said the sentences of the three men should have been adapted, under the terms of the 1995 Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners Act, so the nature of the English sentence could be modified to reflect the true equivalent sentence as might have been imposed by an Irish court.
He later ruled the warrants could not be varied or adapted to address the defects identified.
Businessman Denis O'Brien has lost an appeal appeal against a 2011 High Court decision dismissing the his claim the Moriarty Tribunal had incorrectly restricted cross-examination of a key witness at its public hearings.
A five-judge Supreme Court unanimously dismissed the appeal in which he claimed there was a breach of fair procedures by sole tribunal member, Mr Justice Michael Moriarty, by limiting both the amount of time and the extent of the questions his lawyers could ask Danish telecommunications expert, Professor Michael Andersen.
Prof Andersen was managing director of the international consultants engaged by the Department of Communications in 1995 to assist civil servants in assessing six applications form the country's second mobile phone licence, which eventually went to Mr O'Brien's company, Esat Digifone.
The tribunal, set up to examine payments to politicians Michael Lowry and Charles Haughey, examined the awarding of that licence by the Mr Lowry, who was communications minister at the time.
Mr O'Brien had argued that a declaration that fair procedures were not applied during part of the tribunal, which centred on payments to politicians Michael Lowry and Charles Haughey, would have an effect on the public view of the tribunal's report.
If he got such a declaration from the Supreme Court, he could also consider moving to quash certain parts of the report and this could also have consequences for the issue of the tribunal's costs, he argued.
The tribunal had opposed the appeal arguing the matter was moot as its report has been published and there has been no challenge by Mr O'Brien to its contents.
In one of three separate judgments dismissing the appeal, Chief Justice Susan Denham found Mr O'Brien's rights to fair procedures, and constitutional justice had not been breached.
She said it became apparent Prof Andersen was available to give evidence, having previously declined to do so, some considerable time after the provisional findings of the tribunal had been circulated to interested parties.
The professor had indicated his availability was limited so it was necessary to indicate the time available to various parties to cross examine him, she said.
The curtailment of time to Mr O'Brien's lawyers to ask questions was clearly appropriate and took into account Mr O'Brien's rights and the rights of other parties, she said.
The Chief Justice said there are exceptions to the general rule that the court would not hear a moot appeal but this was based on factors in the case and whether there are special and unusual circumstances.
She was satisfied the issue as to the cross-examination of Prof Andersen was moot.
However, she said, the court still had discretion to hear the appeal and had done so.
She found that the High Court was correct that Prof Andersen had given evidence that in his (Andersen's) opinion, the tribunal's lawyers were biased and that he had explained in detailed what he had meant.
The High Court was correct in finding the most that could have been hoped for (in a cross-examination) was for Prof Andersen to repeat himself and "perhaps gild the lily", the Chief Justice said.
In his separate judgment, Mr Justice William McKechnie said the High Court correctly observed the right to cross-examine related to the right to cross-examine one's accuser. In this case, Mr O'Brien sought to cross-examine a witness who not only was not an accuser, but who had previously given evidence favourable to Mr O'Brien, he said.
Mr Justice McKechnie was also satisfied the issue was moot and did not find there were exceptional circumstances for considering an appeal which he was therefore refusing to entertain.
In a third judgment, Ms Justice Iseult O'Malley agreed with the Chief Justice and Mr Justice McKechnie the appeal was moot. "There is no live controversy affecting the appellant's rights that requires to be resolved", she said.
It became moot, in her view, not because of the acknowledged pressure on the Supreme Court lists but because the tribunal's report was published in the absence of any application to restrain publication.
Her view was the court should not exercise its discretion to consider the merits of the appeal. However, in view of the fact the majority of the court felt it appropriate to do so, she also agreed that, in any event, neither of the rulings in issue breached Mr O'Brien's right to fair procedures.
A Dublin couple, who claim they have had to live in Thailand for several years in a bid to adopt their late sons abandoned child, today lost their Dublin home in a bank re-possession case.
Judge Jacqueline Linnane heard in the Circuit Civil Court that in 2009 Christopher and Elizabeth OBriens son died in Thailand leaving his year-old child to the care of its Thai mother who had since abandoned it.
James P Evans, solicitor for the OBriens, said the couple, who owe 117,000 mortgage arrears on their home at 6 the Walk, Cypress Downs, Templeogue, Dublin, were not out of the jurisdiction for financial convenience.
Their situation has come about due to the death of their son in Thailand in 2009 and whose one-year-old child was abandoned by its mother, Mr Evans told the court.
They felt compelled to go to Thailand to bring their grandchild back to Ireland and had been going through an administrative process but were refused in Ireland.
They then had to apply for the adoption of the child and believe this may take another 12 months. They had been making payments of 700 a month towards their mortgage and can increase that figure to 1,200, Mr Evans said.
When Judge Linnane asked Mr Evans how this level of payment would deal with mortgage repayments and arrears of 117,000, the court heard that Mr and Mrs OBrien were attempting to engage with Permanent TSB PLC, formerly Irish Life and Permanent.
Mr Evans said the OBriens had a daughter living in the property at The Walk, Cypress Downs, who was meant to take responsibility for mortgage repayments and who, unfortunately, had not, leading to the large amount of arrears.
He said Mr and Mrs OBrien, for a significant period of time, believed their daughter was taking care of their mortgage and were unaware of the developing situation because their mail was not being forwarded to them in Thailand.
When they found out this wasnt happening they took the necessary steps to engage with the bank. Thats the correct and accurate situation, Mr Evans said.
They had now obviously arranged for all of their mail to be forwarded to Thailand and were attempting to come to some arrangement with the bank.
I dont believe they are working in Thailand but they own a number of rental properties in Ireland, Mr Evans said.
He told Judge Linnane that all but one of the couples rental properties were mortgaged and when Judge Linnane asked if the OBriens were making payments on them, Mr Evans said a financial statement of their affairs had been forwarded to the bank.
Victoria Hayes-Burke, a manager with Permanent TSB, told the court that in October 2007 the OBriens had borrowed 380,000 from the bank and now owed 117,000 in repayment arrears alone.
Barrister Niall Mooney, counsel for Permanent TSB, said the financial statement did refer to other properties, mostly apartments, against which there were outstanding balances.
Granting the bank an order for possession of No 6 The Walk, Cypress Downs, together with its legal costs, Judge Linnane said the problem was just not being addressed. The OBriens had not even arranged for their post to be transferred and they appeared to be living permanently in Thailand.
In some of these cases the amounts of arrears are mind-blowing, Judge Linnane said. Have they not thought of selling this property? They could find themselves with an awful lot of debt due to negative equity and it might be prudent for them to come back from Thailand and address their finances face to face with their financial institutions.
Mr Evans said they regarded No 6 as their family home and was granted a two months stay on execution of the possession order to allow the OBriens make some further attempt to rearrange or restructure their indebtedness.
A woman charged with murdering her colleague by driving him into a harbour, where he drowned, told gardai that she couldn't take it anymore after he had followed her, texted her and told her he loved her "24 hours a day" over two years.
The waitress's first garda statements were read to the Central Criminal Court yesterday on the fifth day of the 29-year-old's trial.
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Marta Herda, of Pairc Na Saile, Emoclew Road, Arklow, Co Wicklow, is charged with the murder of 31-year-old Csaba Orsas on March 26, 2013. The Polish woman has pleaded not guilty to murdering the Hungarian at South Quay, Arklow.
Submerged
Garda Anthony Crehan said that he took a voluntary statement from Ms Herda at the hospital, where she had been taken after swimming to safety from her submerged car. He took another statement at Arklow Garda Station.
She said in her statement that she had met Mr Orsas while working at the BrookLodge Hotel two years earlier.
"I think he fell in love with me," she said. "I was never his girlfriend, but it was 24 hours a day. He came to my place, to my friends' places."
Ms Herda said that he used to talk about her to her colleagues.
"He tell them we have sex, but that not true," she said in broken English. "It got worse."
"People think this funny, but not for me. The second year it no longer funny. I once got angry with him but he like me angry. He like my eyes."
She said that the management were aware of the problem, and that a friend had spoken to the deceased man's brother in order to keep him away.
Ms Herda claimed that she would frequently see Mr Orsas's car outside her house, where she lived alone. She said that she had told him to "f**k off" and leave her alone, but he told her that he could see in her eyes that they would have children together.
Ms Herda said she was scared and depressed, and didn't tell gardai because "people don't like police" in Poland.
Ms Herda said that the day before the incident Mr Orsas had followed her to the playground, where she had been minding her friend's children.
She said that she went to a friend's house that night and had a couple of glasses of wine. That friend, Viktor Szentesi, had driven her home in her car.
"Csaba come to my car. He wanted to talk," she said. "He was screaming at me. He say 'motherf**ker Viktor'."
She said she drove down Main Street, Arklow, and he was feeling her left leg and remembered hitting the accelerator.
"I feel I have enough of this," she said. "I drive to water. I cannot take this anymore."
"When I drove into the water, I wanted this all to stop."
The trial also heard from the doctor and nurses who treated her in hospital that morning.
Nurse Claire Best testified that she asked her if she had been hurt.
"She said she didn't give him a chance," Ms Best said.
The trial continues before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of eight men and four women.
A jury has been shown a Valentines card allegedly sent to the woman charged with murdering the sender by driving him into a harbour, where he drowned.
A garda held up the Valentines card and read out its contents to the Central Criminal Court on Tuesday on the sixth day of the 29-year-olds trial.
Marta Herda of Pairc Na Saile, Emoclew Road, Arklow, Co Wicklow is charged with the murder of 31-year-old Csaba Orsas on March 26, 2013.
The Polish waitress has pleaded not guilty to murdering the Hungarian at South Quay, Arklow. Both had worked at Brook Lodge Hotel in Aughrim.
Garda Anthony Crehan testified that he had taken a voluntary statement from the accused, in which she said that the deceased had been in love with her but that she had told him that they couldnt ever have a relationship. She said it was 24 hours a day and that she couldnt take it anymore.
She gave the garda a Valentine's card that she had received from the deceased.
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Garda Crehan held it up in the witness box so the jury could see. He explained that it had pink roses in a vase on the front of the card and included the words, Thinking of you, printed inside. A love heart had been drawn around this, he said.
He then read what had been handwritten on both sides of the card.
LOVE LETTER!
Dear Marta, I would just like to tell you in letters how much I love you. Seriously, I feel that I find you finally, the girl I was looking for in all my life. I wish to share my life with only you.
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Gda Crehan explained that Marta was then spelled out, with a love heart drawn around each letter.
Im ready to do anything for you. I can change all my bad habits for the way you wish. Millions of kisses, it continued.
Thinking of you in every second. I love you Marta. I can promise that I will be the best husband and you will never regret it.
A phone number was given and a smiley face drawn before the final words: Im mad about you.
The card was dated and timed, "21/5/12, 22.54".
The defence had earlier suggested that he had not put to Ms Herda the proposition of her driving into the water deliberately.
I wrote it down as she said it, he replied. Shes painted a picture of a back history with this guy and it culminated in this.
The defence then put to him the contents of a subsequent interview, in which Gda Crehan had not participated.
I didnt want to do that, but I dont want all this happened, she had said. It was horrible and scary in this car. I dont want to see him anymore.
She was asked if she had driven deliberately into the water.
No. I would never want to hurt anyone or even to destroy my car, she replied.
The accused womans former boyfriend, Eamon Ibrahim, also gave evidence.
He testified that she had been suspicious of his former girlfriends and maybe a bit jealous.
He was asked how she was with other men while they were together.
She got on with other men, he replied.
He was also asked about her swimming ability and he described it as good.
The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of eight men and four women.
The plush, gated family home of shamed Console chief Paul Kelly - worth an estimated 650,000 - will be the top personal asset to be disclosed in the High Court today.
The home in Alexandra Manor, Clane, Co Kildare, features electric gates and once boasted his Mercedes car and his wife Patricia's 57,000 Audi in the driveway. It was the mark of a charmed life before revelations of his extravagant spending of charity funds shattered the dream.
Mr Kelly had until 1pm yesterday afternoon to furnish statements of assets and any asset transfers made since 2012.
The full list of assets will be revealed in the High Court today as efforts are made to find out what was paid for from charity funds. It also features the Console headquarters, a five-bed house in Whitethorn Grove, Celbridge, Co Kildare. A third house, with a 500,000 mortgage - used for counselling in the Navan Road in Dublin - will also be listed.
Expand Close The list of assets features the Console headquarters, a five-bed house in Whitethorn Grove, Celbridge, Co Kildare. Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. / Facebook
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Whatsapp The list of assets features the Console headquarters, a five-bed house in Whitethorn Grove, Celbridge, Co Kildare. Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.
It comes as the future of Console is set to be decided later this week when the charity's board meets. The board is expected to have no option but to agree that an application for its liquidation be made on the grounds it is insolvent.
It will mean the transfer of bereavement counselling services and its helpline to other charities - including Pieta House, the Samaritans and Aware.
Significant
The HSE is understood to have agreed contingency plans to offer around 300 people undergoing counselling with Console the option to transfer to other services if the liquidation goes through.
The handing over of the services to other agencies is expected to cost the HSE significant extra funding on top of the 70,000 it previously paid Console each month.
Legal moves to secure the Kellys' assets are to be examined, but any decision will have to be weighed against the costs involved. Interim chief executive David Hall and forensic accountant Tom Murray will make decisions in conjunction with the board of Console, which is entering its final chapter after being founded in 2002.
Twelve staff are to lose their jobs and thousands of euro in outstanding fees are due to counsellors.
There are 11 companies linked to Mr Kelly, and a trust called the Console Foundation has also been discovered which had its own cheques and bank accounts.
Meanwhile, further evidence of difficulties between Mr Kelly and health officials have emerged in correspondence between Console and the Department of Health.
He secured around 100,000 in National Lottery funding through the Department of Health while former minister for health Mary Harney was in office. The grant was given on condition that the charity furnish the department with a certificate of expenditure to demonstrate how the money was being spent.
However, it is understood that Mr Kelly had to be written to three times in the course of two years to provide the necessary documentation.
Separately, he received another 100,000 in National Lottery funding to set up a counselling and support service for children and teenagers bereaved by suicide.
Officials encountered the same problem when he failed to submit documents regarding certification of expenditure.
Lesbian couples are much more likely to dissolve their relationships than gay ones, new figures published by the Court Service indicate.
The statistics show that 6pc of the 2,071 civil partnerships the precursor to same-sex marriage entered into between 2011 and 2015 ended up being dissolved.
However, there was a huge disparity between the proportion of gay and lesbian couples formally calling it a day.
Around 12pc of lesbian partnerships had been dissolved by the end of last year, compared with just 2.4pc of gay partnerships.
The reason for the disparity is unclear, but the statistics are broadly in line with trends abroad.
Of 1,298 gay civil partnerships, 31 ended with applications for a dissolution.
In comparison, of the 733 lesbian partnerships registered in Ireland, applications had been made to dissolve 88 of these up to the end of last year.
Data contained in the Courts Service Annual Report for 2015, published today, also revealed how the heterosexual divorce rate in Ireland was the highest it has ever been last year.
Following a lull during the recession, divorce applications surged by 9pc between 2014 and 2015.
Some 4,314 applications for divorce were made last year, according to the Courts Service Annual Report.
The figure tops 2008, the previous highest year, when 4,257 applications were made.
A similar rise was seen in applications for judicial separation, which removes the obligation on spouses to co-habit. There were 1,419 such applications, up from 1,301 the previous year.
The majority of applications for divorces and separations were made by wives.
The report also indicates that domestic violence is on the rise.
At the launch of the report, the Chief Justice and chair of the Courts Service board, Susan Denham, said it was a matter of concern that there had been a 35pc increase in applications for safety and protection orders over the past five years.
Applications made under domestic violence legislation surged by 6pc, including a 16pc rise in the number of protection orders.
Courts Service chief executive Brendan Ryan said domestic violence was a particular concern in Dublin with a 13pc increase in applications at the District Court.
He said additional staff had to be allocated to the district family law court to allow for additional sittings.
Major efforts have been made to encourage people to settle family law disputes through mediation, rather than through the courts.
A pilot initiative was introduced requiring litigants applying for legal aid in Cork and Athlone to attend a mandatory information session on mediation before they were granted representation.
Information sessions were also available in Dublin, Naas, Tipperary and Limerick. Some 2,382 parties attended such sessions nationwide last year with 549 final agreements reached.
The report also detailed how the High Court dealt with a surge in child abduction cases, up from 26 in 2014 to 41 last year.
Child care applications also rose significantly, up 11pc to 10,217.
Meanwhile, the report showed a 43pc reduction in drink driving orders made in the past three years.
A man who handled money stolen from a Mexican bank account and took advantage of a weakness in the credit union system to take nearly 14,000 has pleaded with a judge after he was jailed for two years.
Adebowale Okunade (41) with an address in Curragh Hall House, Tyrrellstown, Dublin told Judge Melanie Greally in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today / yesterday (TUES), he had never been a criminal.
I collected money for someone, Okunade told the court. I've never been a criminal. Please, I have a family.
Okunade pleaded guilty to possessing the proceeds of crime on October 28, 2014 and to four counts of dishonestly appropriating money from Dunboyne Credit Union and Waterford Credit Union between November 14, 2014 and December 19, 2014.
He also pleaded guilty to using an electricity bill in another name to open another account at Ballyfermot Credit Union on December 15, 2014.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Okunade opened a Bank of Ireland account in Blanchardstown in September 2014 and the following month, a sum of 27,127 was transferred into his account.
Under questioning from Anne Rowland BL, prosecuting, Garda Richard Lynch told the court this money came from the brokerage account of a Mexican woman, who used the fund to care for her elderly mother. This woman's smartphone was stolen shortly before she noticed the money had disappeared from her account, the court heard.
Gda Lynch told the court that Okunade opened an account at Dunboyne Credit Union in October 2014 and transferred 5,000 from his Bank of Ireland account, which he withdrew in person on October 30.
Okunade then took advantage of a glitch in the credit union system to lodge money into his Dunboyne credit union account using a number of compromised credit cards.
He made a number of lodgements over the phone using different credit cards, before withdrawing the money in person.
In December 2014, Okunade also transferred money into Waterford Credit Union using a compromised credit card and withdrew 2000 from it, which was the maximum amount he was allowed to take out.
The total loss to the credit unions was 13,950, Gda Lynch said. Because the credit unions didn't operate a chip and pin system, they had to suffer the loss, Gda Lynch said. That system had now been put in place, he added.
The court heard Okunade told gardai he collected the money for other people.
Pieter Le Vert BL, defending, said Okunade had become involved in crime when he was at a low point in his personal life when his marriage was breaking down. He had since found a new partner.
Mr Le Vert said Okunade, who is originally from Nigeria but has lived in Ireland for 15 years, had no previous criminal convictions and only got 5000 from the crime.
This is entirely out of character for him, Mr Le Vert said. He is terrified at the prospect that may await him.
Judge Greally said it was not an opportunistic crime.
Due to a weakness in the credit union system of not demanding a chip and pin, the accused managed to exploit this deficiency and make significant transfers, she said. This was a well-planned and systematic exploitation of a glitch and deficiency in the credit union system at the time.
Judge Greally sentenced Okunade to three years' imprisonment for possessing the proceeds of crime, but suspended the final 12 months.
A man who was one of three burglars who raided an elderly priest's home will be sentenced next November.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that one of Edward Travers' co-accused punched the 66-year-old clergy man to the jaw after he told the intruders to get out of his house.
The priest had been on the phone when there was a knock to his door. He didn't get to answer it before Travers along with a man and a woman kicked it in. They were trying to raid the priest's office when the sacristan from the nearby church noticed an unusual car outside the parochial house and went in to investigate.
The burglars fled the house but the sacristan was able to get the registration of the getaway car. Travers was nominated as a suspect as the burglary was caught on CCTV and he was arrested the following year.
Travers (24) of The View, Millbrook Lawns, Tallaght, Dublin pleaded guilty to burglary on December 2, 2013. His 70 previous convictions include theft, drugs, public order, assault, road traffic offences and burglary.
Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to November 25, next for sentence. She ordered a probation report and urine analysis for that date having heard evidence that Travers was now drug free.
Garda Thomas Conway told Maurice Coffey BL, prosecuting that the priest had some bruising to his face which took a few weeks to heal.
A victim impact report before the court stated that he no longer felt safe in his home and had upgraded his security. Gda Conway said the priest was shook by the burglary and felt isolated in his home.
He agreed with Thomas Pearse BL, defending that Travers came from a dysfunctional background and had spent a lot of time in custody.
Gda Conway accepted that Travers looked better today than he did at the time of his arrest.
Mr Pearse said his client was now drug free and disgusted by his behaviour. He had done an anger management course since his remand in prison.
A convicted paedophile has been jailed for seven years after he was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting his niece.
The 81-year-old man was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury last May of raping and indecently assaulting the child in August 1971 in County Clare. He had denied the two charges.
He was jailed for four and a half years last year after conviction by another Central Criminal Court jury of 11 counts of indecently assaulting one daughter in Clare between January 1971 and December 1973 and a second daughter in 1980. Both girls were aged between 11 and 13 years old at the time.
The man cannot be identified to protect the anonymity of his victims.
Garda Donal Corcoran told Martina Baxter BL, prosecuting, that the now 56-year-old victim later told gardai she was 11 years old when she was first raped by the man. She said a woman took her out of her own bed and put her in the bed of the sleeping naked accused.
She recalled the woman brushing her (the victim's) hair and leaving the room before she was raped. She described being in tremendous pain. Afterwards she re-dressed and returned to her own room where her siblings were still sleeping.
The victim recalled a second occasion when she was out shooting rabbits with the accused. He placed her on the ground and molested her while kissing her. He told her if she remained silent it would not happen to any of the others. The girl took it that the man was referring to her own siblings.
Gda Corcoran said the accused left Ireland for some time before he was found again in the UK. He was returned to Ireland on foot of a European Arrest Warrant in June 2012. He later received bail pending the trials.
A victim impact report before the court stated that the offences still has a massive impact on the woman to this day.
My childhood was taken. I was made to think it was all my fault, the woman continued before she added that it had been a huge burden on my life.
She said she could now sleep more often without nightmares and she doesn't want to be a victim anymore.
Michael Delaney SC, defending, handed in medical reports to the court but told Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan that there were no major concerns about his client's health.
He said he was limited in what he could say given the manner in which he met the case.
Ms Justice Heneghan noted that the accused had never shown any remorse for his actions.
One of seven teenagers who launched a violent city centre attack on a Chinese man before robbing him has been given a three-year suspended sentence.
John O'Rourke (18) with an address in Stanhope St, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery of Fen Ling Wang on Liffey Street on July 10, 2015.
Mr Wang (29) was walking home through Dublin city centre at 3am, having finished work in a restaurant, when the five males and two females set upon him. He was knocked to the ground where he received dozens of kicks, many of which were directly to the head.
After Mr Wang was knocked unconscious, the gang robbed his phone and shoes before leaving him in the middle of the street. Gardai in the CCTV monitoring room on nearby O'Connell Street watched the assault unfold live and three of the attackers were caught close to the scene.
The group were on acid at the time of attack and gardai had to wait six hours before they could interview them.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court previously heard that the attack was so vicious that one of the teens asked gardai to stop playing the footage during the interview because it was upsetting him. The court had heard that all of the group were in some form of care at the time.
Garda Paul Fay previously told the court that he and colleagues observed the assault via high quality live CCTV cameras. Footage of the attack from several different angles was played to the court.
As Mr Wang walked on Liffey Street a girl from the group went up and hugged him. Several males then approached and asked for his phone and wallet. They then began hitting Mr Wang.
They pulled his shirt over his head so he couldn't see before kicking him repeatedly while he was on the ground. One male can be seen delivering a final blow which appears to knock Mr Wang unconscious.
Another male then rifled through the victim's pockets and stole his runners. One of them threw a sausage he was eating at the man before they left the scene.
In a victim impact statement Mr Wang said he didn't realise the extent of his injuries until he looked in the mirror in hospital. He had headaches and painful joints afterwards and had to take time off work while the swelling to his face went down.
Mr Wang added in his report he had incurred significant medical expenses and loss of income as a result of the assault.
Sentencing O'Rourke today, Judge Melanie Greally said it was an extremely ugly incident.
She said it was fortunate Mr Wang didn't sustain enduring injuries.
Obviously this had a deeply disturbing effect on him, she said.
She noted O'Rourke had an extremely difficult childhood and had taken very positive steps in terms of his living accommodation, his relationships and in his use of alcohol and drugs.
She said O'Rourke had co-operated fully with probation services, which recommended a non-custodial sentence.
She sentenced him to three years' imprisonment but suspended it entirely on several conditions including that he be of good behaviour, remain under Probation Supervision and undertake a number of drug, alcohol and anger awareness programmes.
Some of the group have already been dealt with in other courts. One male got a ten month sentence while a girl who was 14 at the time received five months. Another received a suspended two-and-a-half year sentence.
Red Flag Consulting will suffer irreparable harm if ordered to disclose documents revealing the identity of the client who commissioned it to prepare a dossier on businessman Denis O'Brien, the High Court has been told.
The claims were made by Michael Collins SC, for Red Flag, in a hearing over discovery of documents in advance of Mr O'Brien's case against the firm alleging conspiracy to damage him personally and professionally.
Counsel disputed claims on behalf of Mr O'Brien that, if the client is a competitor of Mr O'Brien's and/or is involved in "bitter" litigation involving Mr O'Brien, and/or involved in the planned Digicel initial public share offering (IPO), then this was all highly relevant to claims of conspiracy and that Mr O'Brien was entitled to know the client's identity.
The client may be a competitor, involved in litigation or just involved in business and it is not unusual or untoward in business to do research on others in business, this happens daily and confidentiality rules apply, counsel said.
The relationship of confidentiality is crucial to Red Flag's business and it will suffer "irreparable harm" if that is breached, he argued.
The court previously refused to make an order compelling Red Flag name the client. Mr OBrien should not get effectively the same order via a discovery application, counsel argued.
Red Flag has agreed to provide a range of documents, including concerning the circumstances of its retainer concerning the dossier, but is entitled to maintain the clients confidentiality, he submitted.
Michael Cush SC, for Mr OBrien, said he wants the clients identity, not just for his action against Red Flag alleging it conspired to damage him, but because he also wants to sue the client over alleged conspiracy.
Mr OBrien claims unrelentingly negative material in the dossier is defamatory and evidence of a conspiracy to damage him personally and professionally.
Most of that material comprises media stories about the businessman but also includes documents entitled Moriarty Tribunal explainer and Who is Denis OBrien?.
A hearing date for the businessmans action against Red Flag and some of its executives and employees has yet to be set.
The case was before Judge MacEochaidh on Tuesday in relation to discovery matters.
Mr Cush argued he had an unanswerable case for entitlement to the documents on grounds including the clients identity may be relevant to the case.
If they were, for example, a commercial competitor, and/or known to be in bitter litigation concerning Mr OBrien, and/or involved in the planned Digicel IPO, that would be self-evidently relevant and go to motive or predominant purpose, he said. If the client was involved in the IPO, that heightens the relevance, counsel added.
While the judge had refused order relating to the naming of the client previously, he had indicated Mr OBrien could pursue the matter in a discovery application, Mr Cush said.
If there is evidence of wrongdoing on part of the client, that is relevant and any confidentiality concerning identity of the client was the clients, not Red Flags, he said.
The judge was told Red Flag has in its defence denied defamation and conspiracy and also pleads Mr OBrien has failed to establish evidence of publication of the dossier.
If publication is found, defences of qualified privilege and/or honest opinion have been pleaded. It also pleads the dossier was prepared in the ordinary course of business under a retainer for a client.
Mr Collins argued Mr O'Brien must fully explain how he came into possession of the dossier, contained on a USB computer memory stick.
Mr O'Brien has claimed the USB stick was in an envelope which arrived anonymously in his Dublin offices in October 2015.
Controversy continues concerning what happened to the USB stick after the court previously ordered it be handed over forthwith to be retained by Mr O'Brien's solicitors pending further court order, counsel added.
The hearing continues.
UCD student Aoife Hardesty thinks that the option of student loans proposed by the Cassells report is a feasible one.
Aoife (21) receives a SUSI grant, which covers half her fees, but her parents still struggle to pay for her college costs every year. She thinks that a loan system, while more expensive, would make it easier for families.
"I think it's certainly a much fairer option in that it makes it easier for people to actually afford it, for people who aren't entitled to grants," she says.
"It would certainly take the pressure off parents and it would put the onus on the students themselves. You'd have to have a system in place where people weren't having huge chunks taken out of their pay cheques, but it might help people take a bit more responsibility for their own education."
The fourth-year neuroscience student from Co Kilkenny says applying for SUSI causes a lot of strain, which the loan system could remove: "I think there's a lot of pressure even applying to SUSI and getting your grant, it's a worry every year."
Aoife says the Government should ideally fund third-level education but accepts that "that's not the reality".
Instead, she thinks that companies who profit from Ireland's educated workforce should foot part of the bill.
"A universal charge on companies in Ireland who are benefiting from our workforce would certainly take the pressure off using entirely Government spending towards it," she says.
James Blackwell, who is about to start his third year in physics and medical physics at NUIG, is concerned about the fairness of the loan system for student fees.
The 20-year-old student from Limerick would prefer to see a continuation of the contribution charge that is currently in place, where students pay 3,000 a year.
"My main argument is that we are just not competitive enough (at third level) to be charging these prices," James says when asked about the prospect of paying 5,000.
He agrees that, while fees are significantly higher in the UK and the US, they also have some of the top universities in the world.
"I don't think Ireland can compete," says James, whose parents are funding his studies. He also says paying back a loan after college would be a challenge.
"If I've just finished college and I'm in an entry-level position, I don't think I want any extra financial burdens," he says.
"At least with the current system, you know what you're paying for. It's not a crazy amount."
He acknowledges that it is a reasonable expectation that students should contribute money to their education, but believes that 3,000 a year is a fair amount for students in return for the education they receive. Meanwhile, the free fees option is "unrealistic", he believes.
"Where would the money come from for that kind of option? It seems like a bit of a fairy tale at the moment. I don't think it's realistic," he adds.
Tributes have been paid to former Independent Newspapers Managing Director Joe Hayes, who has passed away after a short illness.
He was an innovator whose marketing ideas led to the growth of the company's national and regional titles, and he was also chair of the Irish Daily Star.
He joined the company from the tobacco firm Gallahers, where he was hugely successful.
Originally from Ballyduff, outside Tralee, he studied dentistry but later said he "couldn't stand the sight of blood". Instead, he joined Gallahers as a sales rep in 1967. By 1973 he was managing director. He was persuaded to join Independent Newspapers, now Independent News and Media, by Tony O'Reilly in 1979 after they met at a corporate function.
Mr Hayes was a great believer in marketing the content of the titles to readers. He also developed the Independent's interests in MMDS cable television.
Leaving the company in November 1993, he said he had a business opportunity abroad which he couldn't refuse. He moved to Austria and later the Isle of Wight, before returning to Ireland, where he became a successful tillage farmer.
Read more: Tributes paid to former Independent Newspapers managing director Joe Hayes
Former chief executive of INM Vincent Crowley said Mr Hayes had been an inspiration.
"I had a great admiration for Joe," he said. "He was a real action man, who approached everything in an innovative manner. He was all for creating change at an interesting time for newspapers and he had a certain genius about doing it. He was very inspiring."
Former advertising executive Brendan McCabe described his "extraordinary energy".
"He was the first in the industry to bring editorial, circulation and advertising together into the same room and got everyone working together.
"He was an extraordinary man with an extraordinary vision. His energy was infectious.
"He could do almost anything he turned his hand to, and he did it to perfection."
Robert Pitt, chief executive at INM, said Mr Hayes had been key to cementing Independent Newspapers' pre-eminent position in the Irish market.
Mr Pitt said: "I am deeply saddened to hear of the death of Joe Hayes and pass on my condolences to his family.
"Although I never got to meet Joe, I knew him by his reputation. Joe was an innovator and recognised the importance of marketing and market research for newspapers. He had an intuitive knowledge of what the readers wanted and delivered this with intelligent marketing and promotion to complement the editorial style of each title."
Mr Hayes was 69 and had fought pancreatic cancer for the past eight months. He lived in Rathmore, Co Kildare, but farmed in Rathcoffey.
He is survived by his grieving wife Collette, children Colin, Danielle, Amber, Thady and Georgina, and his nine grandchildren. His son Thady said: "He was the most incredible man who was loved and cherished by all who knew him. We'll never be the same without him."
Funeral Mass is this Thursday at Cross Chapel, Blessington, at 10am, followed by a private cremation ceremony.
A spokesman for former health minister James Reilly said the senators statement was '100pc truthful and accurate.' Pic Stephen Collins/Collins Photos
The Department of Health did not advise the HSE that it had brought disgraced Console founder Paul Kelly in to answer questions about the fact he had impersonated a doctor in the 1980s.
A principal officer in the department, acting on a tip-off from a parliamentary assistant, raised the issue with Mr Kelly in 2011. However, no briefing was prepared for the then Health Minister James Reilly and the HSE was not notified about the events.
Despite a flag being raised about Mr Kelly's past within the department, State funding to Console more than trebled between 2012 and 2014. The HSE grant-aided Console with 252,114 in 2012 and increased it to 598,557 in 2013. It jumped again to 855,227 in 2014.
Tommy Morris, who was working for TD Derek Keating in 2011, said he raised concerns with the minister about Mr Kelly's suitability as a person in receipt of public funds and was advised to contact an official in the department.
Conflicting accounts of what was said and where it was said have emerged between both Senator Reilly and Mr Morris. However, Dr Reilly did not respond to repeated attempts by the Irish Independent to clarify these discrepancies in recent days.
Mr Morris claims he gave the former health minister a folder which contained information about Mr Kelly and details of funding given to Console. Mr Morris said this happened in late 2011 after first raising the issue in the foyer of the Shelbourne Hotel earlier that day.
Read more: Questions over what Reilly knew in 2011
He also said he went on to raise the issue several times with Dr Reilly and did so "passionately".
Mr Morris first said the concerns were raised in 2013 but says he has since realised he was mistaken on the date.
In response, Dr Reilly has said he met with Mr Morris on several occasions, explaining: "I do recall Tommy raising Paul Kelly with me on one such occasion in the Dail canteen, but nothing specific".
However, Mr Morris has said he never spoke about Mr Kelly in the canteen.
Last night the recently reappointed Fine Gael deputy leader declined to answer further questions, with a spokesman for the senator saying that the statement was "100pc truthful and accurate", and that Dr Reilly wouldn't be commenting further.
Revelation
Dr Reilly was asked a number of questions by this paper, including whether he passed the file given to him by Mr Morris to the HSE. He was also asked if it was the first time he was made aware of Mr Kelly's impersonation of a doctor, which occurred in Baggot Street Hospital.
He was also asked if he followed up with the department after Mr Kelly was brought in, if he was briefed informally on the probe and if he, or anyone else, requested that the charity's funds be more closely monitored following the revelation.
Mr Morris also said he was never asked to file an official complaint with the department in 2011 and said he would have had no problem doing so at the time.
However, a spokesman for the department has said Mr Morris was asked to file an official complaint and declined to do so.
Read more: State shows how helpless it is in face of charity scandals
The department spokesman also said that at no point was concerns raised about the governance or financial dealings of Console at that time.
A HSE spokesperson told the Irish Independent: "No new information was given to the department which was not already a matter of public record."
The safety of residents with autism living in three centres was found to have been put at risk due to a range of failures in care.
The HSE has now taken over the running of the centres, which were operated by the Irish Society for Autism (ISA).After inspecting the centres, which had 47 adult residents with autism, patient safety watchdog Hiqa cancelled their registration. The ISA received 4.1m from the HSE last year to run the service.
Hiqa found that there were inadequate protections from injury for residents and, in one centre, the agency staff were not trained in fire safety controls.
The residents are living in three farm-based centres: Cluain Farm, Kilwarden; Dunfirth Farm near Johnstown in Co Meath; and Sarshill House in Co Wexford. Inspectors who visited the Wexford centre in April were particularly concerned that there were inadequate measures to protect residents from serious physical assault by other residents.
They pointed out that many agency staff were not aware that there had been a serious injury.
When they were quizzed by the inspectors, it emerged that they were not trained in the protection of vulnerable adults. The inspectors also found there had been inappropriate guidance in the use of chemical restraint in Dunfirth Farm.
An unannounced inspection of Cluain Farm followed a notification of incidents of concern leading to injuries to residents.
There were ongoing risks to residents, which the inspectors said were not appropriately managed or responded to. And they highlighted poor governance and oversight leading to negative outcomes for residents.
Hiqa said the provider was offered a number of opportunities to address the failings.
Hiqa instigated escalated action including increased monitoring activity, provider meetings and warning letters. This did not result in sufficient improvement and Hiqa cancelled the society's registration.
The provider appealed the decision to the District Court in the case of two of the centres. It later withdrew these appeals and the HSE was directed to take charge of these centres.
In a statement, the providers said: "We have entered into an agreement with the HSE to ensure continuation of services... We are a small organisation and believe that... this is in the best interest of our residents."
Ann Boyle, whose life has been filled with grief since the disappearance of her daughter
A fresh investigation into the disappearance of six-year-old Mary Boyle will be launched with all evidence and suspects to be re-examined.
The Irish Daily Star reports that senior gardai have confirmed that the cold case unit of the gardai is launching a new investigation into the mystery.
It is understood the investigation will be launched in the next few weeks and will last up to six months.
The first thing that will happen is that the team will go to Donegal (where Mary disappeared) to get a feel for the area, a source told newspaper.
The source also revealed that the detectives would draw up a list of all serving and retired gardai that investigated Marys disappearance in 1977.
The source said that the new cold case team would have no pre-conceived ideas of who was or wasnt a suspect and that all evidence would be followed.
At the end of the new investigation a report with the findings will be given to the Garda Commissioner Noirin OSullivan.
After a documentary into the investigation earlier this month called Mary Boyle: The Untold Story, there were claims of political interference by two former gardai involved in the case.
Retired sergeant Martin Collins claimed a political figure rang gardai at the height of the probe and said:
The gist was that none of a particular family should be made suspect for Marys interference.
Former detective Aidan Murray told the documentary he believed he was close to getting a suspect to confess to murdering Mary but was told to ease-off on the suspect by a senior officer.
Marys twin sister Ann said she believes Mary was being sexually abused and was killed to cover "the secret".
Six-year-old Mary Boyle had been at her grandparents' house in Cashelard, a remote and boggy townland outside Ballyshannon, where the extended family had lunch. Her uncle, Gerry Gallagher, was the last person to see her alive after she walked back to her grandparents house but never made it there.
Gardai, family and scores of neighbours scoured the 450-yard stretch of land between the only two houses in the area, in a search that escalated over the following weeks into a trawl of bog holes, lakes, streams and the countryside beyond. Not a trace of Mary was ever found.
Hundreds of demonstrators protest in Windrush Square in Brixton, London, against the killing of two black men in the United States Credit: David Wilcock/PA Wire
A demonstration to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement is taking place today at 6:30pm at the Spire on Dublin's OConnell Street today.
The Anti-Racism Network (ARN) and the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland (MASI) have organised the demonstration to condemn the horrific acts of violence perpetrated on a daily basis by US law enforcement against Black bodies.
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The protest comes as racial tensions are high in the US following the shooting of two black men, Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota, by police officers last week.
Five police officers were shot in Dallas last Friday by a former veteran Micah Johnson who said he wanted to kill white people and has soared racial tensions in America.
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The Anti Racism Network Ireland said: In 2015, Black males aged between 15 and 34 were five times more likely than white males of the same age to be killed by the police."
"It is clear then that a Black persons mere existence still represents a threat worthy of extermination, as evidenced by the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Miriam Carey, Tanisha Anderson, Tamir Rice, Mya Hall, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, to name but a few."
This devaluing of dark skin also stretches beyond the borders of the US and informs our reactions to the 10,000 people that have drowned in the Mediterranean since 2014, and to the 5,000 people currently incarcerated in the Direct Provision system here in Ireland. We therefore stand in solidarity with the #BlackLivesMatter movement in the US and their struggle against deeply ingrained institutional racial prejudice, but also against the international system of white supremacy.
Sean Carraher (55) of Stradbrook Hill, Blackrock, Dublin arrives at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where he has pleaded not guilty to harassing Garda Sergeant Conor Gilmartin between March 2009 and May 2011 Pic: COLLINS COURTS
A man on trial for harassing a garda online by accusing him of corruption is no Don Quixote character, the State has told a jury.
Sean Carraher (55) is accused of posting about 50 messages on the websites Rate-Your-Solicitor and Victims of the Legal Profession, alleging, among other things, that Sgt Conor Gilmartin had withheld evidence in a previous case involving the accused. Mr Carraher is also accused of making harassing phone calls to Sgt Gilmartin.
Mr Carraher told gardai on his arrest that he was a whistle-blower who was using the internet to expose garda corruption.
In his closing speech, James Dwyer BL, prosecuting, told jurors they may see Mr Carraher as a Don Quixote type; a knight fighting a great and noble battle when in reality he was is in a dream-world and tilting at windmills.
But this isn't a Quixotic tale of tilting at windmills, counsel said, it was rather a case of Mr Carraher impacting and disrupting someone else's life.
Mr Carraher's defence counsel, Damien Colgan SC, put it to the jury that the internet postings were the only way he could get back at people who are corrupt, who are conspiring against him.
He said Mr Carraher believed he was exposing corruption which qualified as a reasonable excuse for making the posts.
Mr Carraher of Stradbrook Hill, Blackrock, Dublin has pleaded not (NOT) guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to harassing Sgt Conor Gilmartin between March 2009 and May 2011.
On Tuesday the accused gave evidence that Sgt Gilmartin had fabricated evidence against him in relation to allegations that he had harassed his estranged wife.
He also said the garda had launched a campaign of harassment against him which included repeatedly arresting him for breaching court orders relating to his wife and phoning him late on Christmas eve.
Mr Carraher admitted he made four phone calls to Sgt Gilmartin in quick succession but said this was because the garda kept hanging up on him. He said he couldn't remember if he called the sergeant a lying bastard but said he did lose his temper at times because of how he was being treated.
The accused said he was making the online posts to make contact with people and expose garda corruption.
Mr Dwyer referenced a post where Mr Carraher alleged Sgt Gilmartin was being unfaithful to his wife. He also raised a post in which Mr Carraher accused the sergeant of having a relationship with the accused's estranged wife.
Mr Carraher agreed that these claims had nothing to with garda corruption but that he posted it because I heard it.
Mr Dwyer asked Mr Carraher if he made a post which read: Just a simple question, is there a paedophile ring operating from Shankhill garda station?
No I don't believe I did, the accused replied before adding he had never seen the post before.
Mr Carraher's defence counsel told jurors that they may not like the accused but that they must consider if what he alleged about gardai could reasonably be true.
Mr Colgan said if Carraher believed there was a campaign of garda corruption against him then he felt he had reasonable excuse to make the postings, which would mean he was not guilty under the legislation.
Mr Dwyer said in closing there was no evidence Sgt Gilmartin was corrupt but that this was irrelevant. Even if the garda was corrupt it would still be an offence, he said.
Even if someone rang me everyday and said 1+1= 2, that would be harassment. It's the repetitive nature that's distressing.
The trial continues on Wednesday when the jury are expected to begin deliberations after an address by Judge Patrick McCartan.
A UK based development company is to invest up to 400m in student accommodation in a number of Irish cities over the next number of years.
Ziggurat Student Investment Fund Unit Trust, which already provides student accommodation in Dublin, Cork and Edinburgh, is set to create a further 4,000 places between Dublin, Cork and Galway.
The development group says the investment is the next step in their 400m long term plan to create 4,000 student bed spaces across Ireland.
The group also says almost 100m capital investment will now be sought to realise the latest developments.
On Monday Matthew McAdden of Ziggurat told Independent.ie: There is a severe shortage of high quality student accommodation in Ireland, driven by historic under-investment and by a growing university population.
Ziggurats latest move is expected to generate 380 student accommodation units at the former H Textile premises at Upper Dominic Street, which is off Bolton Street in Dublin.
It says the new development is convenient to the campuses at Grangegorman and Trinity College.
A further 420 units are planned for the companys North Circular Road site, which is also adjacent to Dublin Institute of Technology at Grangegorman.
Meanwhile in Cork, Ziggurat acquired the former Esso Station on Western Road and have made a planning application to create a 205 unit development there.
It hopes to open the Cork development by 2018.
A further development is also planned for Galway.
On Monday the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) welcomed the announcement but pointed to the need for continued government involvement in the issue of housing, including the housing of students.
USI President Annie Hoey told Independent.ie that although she welcomes the plan to increase student housing, she does not think private companies should be filling the space left by government.
She explained: It should not be a get out of the jail free card for the government.
She also said the USI believes the government should continue to engage with the relevant stakeholders in the housing crisis and include student housing in plans to tackle the issue.
Ms Hoey also said the 4,000 proposed units were just a small drop in the number [of units] required.
Ziggurat has previously invested in student housing in Montrose in Dublin, with rooms available for the upcoming academic year from 245 per week.
This property had been converted by Ziggurat from the former Montrose Hotel into the current 192-bed Montrose Student Residence.
The company says the property is now on the market with Savills and is expected to raise 40m based on what it says are higher than predicted rents and full occupancy.
It claims to offer secure and quality accommodation within a 4 minute walking distance of University College Dublin.
The current Montrose property offers students what the company describes as cluster flats of 6 and 8 bedrooms, with shared kitchens and living spaces.
According to the companys website, its Copley Court and Leeside properties in Cork are already booked out for the upcoming academic year, which begins in September.
Oscar-nominated director Lenny Abrahamson who criticised the governments commitment to the arts has met with minister Heather Humphreys and had what he described as a very good chat.
The 'Room' director hit out at Taoiseach Enda Kenny in May for the decision not to have a specific arts portfolio.
He took to social media at the time arguing that the government's support for the arts was "shamefully low".
Minister Heather Humphreys later contacted Mr Abrahamson to assure him she values the arts and the film sector and offered to meet him in July.
The pair met today and Mr Abrahamson Tweeted afterwards: Had a very good chat with Minister [Heather Humphreys] who, true to her word, invited me to the department to talk about arts policy.
A spokeswoman for Ms Humphreys said that the minister didnt want to let the opportunity pass to meet Mr Abrahamson while he is back in Dublin.
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As one of Irelands most successful film makers, the Minister was keen to have a proper discussion with Lenny about the opportunities for the audio visual sector here, she said.
They had a very positive discussion about the Irish film and TV sector and how there is a great story to tell in terms of the huge amount of talent in Ireland.
Lenny has lots of good ideas on how the Irish film and TV sector can grow and the Minister intends to follow up on them, the spokeswoman added.
Ms Humphreys had been appointed Minister for Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht by Mr Kenny at the beginning of May.
She responded to criticism of the lack of a specific arts portfolio insisting she would be making the case at Cabinet for extra funding for the sector.
Last week the government confirmed that the name of the Department would be changed to Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.
Placing Arts at the start of the title reflected the fact that the arts accounts for the largest proportion of the Departments budget, Ms Humphreys said of the name change.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel (right) and Enda Kenny attend a news conference at the chancellery in Berlin. Reuters/Hannibal Hanschke
GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel has all but ruled out making Ireland a special case in the post Brexit negotiations with Britain.
Ms Merkel today twice declined to issue such guarantees, adding that Irelands concerns will treated on par with those of the remaining 27 EU member states.
But Ms Merkel did give a glimmer of hope in relation to the border with Northern Ireland. The senior German politician said she recognises the Common Travel Area between Ireland and Britain has been in place since 1922, prior to the establishment of the EU.
Its difficult to give guarantees at this point of time, Ms Merkel said when asked to ensure Ireland will not be sidelined in the negotiations.
"We dont even have the position of the United Kingdom. We have to wait for Great Britain to take a stand and give us an idea of the type of relationship they are thinking about, she added.
Ms Merkel made the remarks at a joint press conference with Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the German Chancellery in Berlin.
During the conference, Mr Kenny batted off a question about his leadership, which has come under fire internally within Fine Gael.
He said each minister has a brief and a set of commitments to follow through and that this should be where the focus lies.
We have an agreement with Fianna Fail in terms of confidence and supply, we have a programme for government with the independent alliance and the independents with over 600 commitment and my focus is entirely on that future in making this happen. We have a great deal of work to do in the time ahead and I would like to think that people can concentrate on their duties in the time ahead.
But the failure by Ms Merkel, arguably Europes most influential politician, to issue assurances to Ireland will come as a blow.
Ministers and Oppositions TDs in Ireland believe Ireland must press for specific conditions in the upcoming talks in order to prevent our economy being badly hit following the result of the EU referendum.
Ms Merkel told reporters that Irelands voice will be treated equally with those of other member states.
But she pointedly declined to accept Ireland should be treated as a special case, adding that such negotiations cannot begin until the Prime Minister-elect Theresa May unlocks Article 50.
Of course I cannot anticipate the outcome of the negotiations. The 27 member states will bring their influence to bear. The Irish voice will be heard as much as every other voice. It is important that Ireland plays a part here and we will do so in a special friendship. We will approach the post-Brexit challenges on the basis of friendship between the two countries.
Article 50 is the clause in the EU rulebook that allows a member state to formally exit the union.
Mr Kenny also expressed opposition to the prospect of a long delay before Article 50 is triggered.
He said that he told Ms Merkel of the various different connections between Ireland and the UK.
But I pointed out to the chancellor that Ireland offers a different perspective in many respects because of our close association over many hundreds of years, Mr Kenny said.
Because of the many thousands of people working in British companies and the almost million people living in Britain and because of the extent of our trading relations across the Irish sea. I pointed out to the chancellor of the fact we have a memorandum of understanding signed with Downing Street over the past number of years, which we update every year and where the senior officials meet from both governments meet on a regular basis discussing issues of Anglo Irish relations and northern Ireland.
Fianna Fail's Micheal Martin has warned that "everybody will be going to Dublin for an emergency department" if the Government keep reducing services.
The party leader told the Dail today that a report suggests nine A&E departments are "under threat for downgrading" and called on the Government to start reviewing their policy.
"This causes concern right across the country. In all of the emergency departments across the country there is incredible overcrowding," he said.
During Leaders' Questions Mr Martin cited leaked details of an unpublished report from the Trauma Steering Group which was set up by previous health minister Leo Varadkar to look at developing a national trauma network.
Among its recommendations is the removal of trauma care from the following hospitals: Cavan, Naas, Portiuncula in Ballinasloe, Mullingar, Portlaoise, St Luke's in Kilkenny, Wexford, South Tipperary in Clonmel and Mercy University Hospital in Cork.
Mr Martin said: "There will be regions without emergency departments if this trend continues."
He complained that there is a possibility of no A&E service between Waterford and Dublin, and between Tullamore and Tallaght.
Emergency departments in Dublin are already "bursting at the seams", he said.
"There needs to be a re-evaluation of this because before we're finished everybody will be going to Dublin for an emergency department."
However, Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald rejected the claims of cutbacks to A&E services, saying the trauma report was about "getting the best outcomes for a particular small category".
"There is no question of closing down emergency departments.
"There is no question of focusing emergency care in Dublin.
"There are very large demands on our health services, that's why an extra 500m has been allocated this year," she said.
However, Mr Martin responded that while A&E may not be closed, their services could be re-evaluated.
He said the Government needed to apply "common sense".
"Someone needs to push back in. Tallaght's not going to be able to take everything. Galway can't cope. Cork University Hospital can't take anymore," he said.
Sinn Fein Louise O'Reilly claimed people would be driving by their local hospital tonight and wondering "if it's going to survive this government's tenure".
Ms Fitzgerald said there was no reason why people should do that "unless by statemnents in here that anxiety is raised unnecessarily".
"Trauma services are one of those areas that requires a national policy direction.
"To say emergency deparments are now under threat because we're discussing patients with traumatic injuries is incorrect," she said.
Social Protection minister Leo Varadkar says he won't give councillors special treatment as he considers extending access to benefits to them and also admitted he's become a "statistics nerd" in his new portfolio.
Mr Varadkar made the remarks while taking questions on his brief in the Seanad.
Last month he revealed he may allow access to benefits to councillors with the remarks leading to speculation that it was a tentative move on the Fine Gael leadership given that the party's councillors make up part of the electorate for the role.
While questions over the Taoiseach continued leadership of the party arose last week, Mr Varadkar - one of the main contenders to succeed him - insisted theres no vacancy and that Enda Kenny has his support.
This evening he further elaborated on the proposal to extend benefits to councillors.
Councillors currently pay a 4pc PRSI rate known as Class K but aren't entitled to benefits like jobseeker's allowance.
Mr Varadkar said that any measures to change this situation would be included in the Social Welfare Bill that would come before the House by the end of the year.
He said that the Local Authorities Members Association and Association of Irish Local Government are conducting a survey where councillors are being presented with two options.
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Mr Varadkar explained councillors could: Either to go Class S which is similar to self-employed where they would continue to pay 4pc and would get some benefits but not all benefits or just not pay it at all.
He added: What I cant allow is councillors to pick or choose their class.
Wed all love to be able to pick or choose what taxes we pay and pick or choose what class of PRSI we pay. I cant do that.
What I will do for councillors is fair treatment. I cant do special treatment and I dont think anyone in the house would want me to do that.
The remarks came during Statements on Social Protection where Mr Varadkar was also asked about his plans for supporting pensioners by Fianna Fail Senator Gerry Horkan.
Senator Horkan encouraged a strong focus on pensioners and certainly Ill do my best in that regard in the forthcoming Budget. But others mentioned carers and people with disabilities as well.
Actually when you look at the statistics - Im starting to become a bit of a statistics nerd in this Department - interestingly enough if you take the poorest 10pc in Irish society - the lowest decile virtually none of those are pensioners.
Theyre almost all people with disabilities, carers and those on lower incomes than pensioners.
Thats not to say we should do nothing for pensioners but its something that I think does need to be borne in mind, Mr Varadkar said.
On other matters he told Independent Senator Alice Mary Higgins that his department should take a central role in gender and equality-proofing Budgets a procedure that has been promised in the Programme for Government.
He was also asked about lower rates of job-seekers allowance for the under-25s and said that most countries have this policy for lots of good reasons.
I dont think its a good idea to give an 18-year-old 188-a-week, he added.
Frank Santra, Mary Poppins, Aretha Franklin, the Titanic and water charges.
Events in the Dail have taken a strange turn with an Opposition TD quoting a string of song lyrics in an effort to allege the upcoming Commission on Water is a "sham".
Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Mick Barry stopped short of breaking into song but did manage to draw a smile from Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald who he was actually attacking at the time.
Mr Barry suggested that the Fine Gael members of Cabinet needed to show some 'R-E-S-P-E-C-T' to Shane Ross, that Joe O'Toole needed something to "help the medicine go down" after resigning as chair of the commission and that Taoiseach Enda Kenny was determined to do everything "My Way".
The Cork deputy went on to compare the boycott of water charges to Titanic hitting the iceberg and sinking.
He said the Titanic was "unsinkable" and that while the Government believed the same of Irish Water, the "gunship of water charges has crashed into the iceberg".
He suggested it was time of the Government to give charges a "decent burial" and scrap plans for the Commission because Joe O'Toole "let the cat out of the bag". "The cat ran right across the floor of the Dail," he said.
In response Ms Fitzgerald joked she was concerned he was going to break into song.
She said the way forward has been charted by the government and charges are being suspended.
"We believe that is the right route in order to diucss out the infrastructure that is so necessary and needed in this country is funded," she said.
Housing Minister Simon Coveney has already indicated that he sees no way of abandoning water charges completely. Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins
Irish Water collected just over a quarter of what it expected as floods of householders failed to pay their water bills in the wake of the Government's decision to suspend charges.
The utility collected just 18.3m during the fifth billing cycle, which covered the period between January and March.
This is almost half of the 33.4m collected in the final three months of 2015 and just over a quarter of the 66m which the utility would expect to collect in any billing cycle.
It means Irish Water is now facing a serious funding shortfall, which will have to be filled from general taxation as no more bills will be issued this year.
Bills for the first quarter of 2016 were issued in April and May, just as Fine Gael and Fianna Fail were negotiating the deal that resulted in the formation of Enda Kenny's minority Government.
In order to secure Fianna Fail's tacit support, the Taoiseach agreed to set up a commission to look at whether water charges should be abolished. It will take five months to study a variety of funding models.
However, it has already been mired in controversy after chairman Joe O'Toole resigned as Opposition parties complained he was not impartial.
The commission's report will be debated by an Oireachtas committee before the Dail votes on its recommendations.
In total, 989,000 households have paid water charges at some stage over the past five billing cycles. This includes 14,000 new customers this year.
However, Irish Water refuses to reveal the breakdown of how many households have paid their bills in each cycle.
Read more: Irish Water payments almost halved in recent months
Read more: Water experts 'will explore all avenues' - then it's politicians' problem again
In a statement, the company said it had been reassured that any shortfall in income due to the suspension of charges would be covered by the Exchequer.
"This will allow Irish Water to continue to deliver on its business plan," it said, adding that customers remained liable for any outstanding amounts due.
"There is no change to water service charges for business customers as they are unaffected by the suspension of domestic water charges," the company said.
Irish Water plans to spend 5.5bn between 2013 and 2021 on the network, including upgrading and replacing plants, water mains and sewers, as well as eliminating leaks and lead piping.
Reacting to the figures, Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Mick Barry said they showed a widespread boycott. "This is a massive rejection of the charges, and people are sending a clear message to the Government and Simon Coveney that they want to see them scrapped.
"Over the last 18 months we have said that there were many people who only paid because they felt bullied or intimidated into it by the Government and Irish Water's threats.
"Now that the fear is gone, this level of non-payment reflects how people really feel on the issue," he said.
Mr Barry said the "writing is on the wall" for Irish Water and the Government needed to "accept defeat".
However, Housing Minister Simon Coveney has already indicated that he sees no way of abandoning water charges completely. He met with the EU Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella last Friday to make Ireland's case for the nine-month suspension. Fianna Fail has claimed that Ireland can legally scrap charges. However, a spokesperson for Mr Vella warned that a previous exemption is no longer valid.
As the cryptosporidium outbreak took hold in Galway in 2007, one of the industries hardest hit was the hospitality sector which bore a cost of 50,000 per day.
One business determined to meet the crisis head-on was the Galway Bay Hotel.
Within days of the outbreak occurring, the hotel took steps to deal with the issue privately.
Garry Walsh, group commercial director with the Hodson Bay Hotel Group, which owns the hotel, put his background in food science to good use.
"I have a degree in food science and technology and majored in food engineering. The minute crypto came up as an issue we knew to be effective at the time we needed to look at filtration," he said.
The group consulted with a company in the UK for the necessary equipment and the new system was installed within three days on the initial outbreak.
"Effectively, what we did was put in a system that gave us the cleanest water in Galway regardless of cryptosporidium," he added.
The move, which cost around 5,000, ensured it saw no fall-off in tourist numbers. In fact, the crisis led to a boost in bookings for the hotel as tourists changed hotels.
Read more: 'I spend 600 a week on bottled water... they're passing the buck'
"Whilst Galway was then feeling the pressure from an economic point of view, because of what we managed to do and the coverage of it, our summer had negligible impact, which was bizarre.
"Anyone who had plans to go to Galway switched into the Galway Bay Hotel. We had a very, very healthy constant feed of people who were trying to accommodate themselves in our hotel," he said.
Representatives of the Irish Hotels Federation, the local chamber and tourism bodies held a meeting at the hotel for further information on the system.
"We shared what we were doing and the whole essence of the meeting was to get the local bodies and the Department of Environment, etc, to endorse and share it as a solution to the wider industry," he said.
The hotel is now putting in place an Aquifer well to ensure it is self-reliant for water in the future.
Allowing children to bypass their bedtime and stay up late this summer could have a terrible impact on their mental health, according to an Irish expert.
Paediatric sleep expert Lucy Wolfe suggests that serious health concerns including depression and self-harm could be set off by poor sleep routines during the summer holidays.
Speaking to The Irish Daily Star, Wolfe suggested that disturbed and fragmented sleep could also be a catalyst for obesity, diabetes, and learning problems.
Now that the summer holiday is upon us, the inclination to allow bedtimes to start later and to have a more relaxed attitude for sleep is appropriate, but not at the expense of the child getting less than what is advised.
Some of the problems with a later bedtime is that although many children will sleep later in the morning to make up the difference, the vast majority of children will not will not and as a result, will get less sleep.
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The sleep expert stands behind the guidelines for sleep set out by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, which suggests that infants need 12 to 16 hours of sleep each day, including naps for children between the age of four and 12 months. Children from age one to two should get between 11 and 14 hours of sleep, while three to five-year-olds should be getting 13 hours of shut eye.
Children between the ages of six and 12 should sleep for 12 hours, while it is recommended that teenagers get between eight and ten hours sleep each night.
I remember it like it was just yesterday - the moment I was told that my baby girl Ellie had Down Syndrome. It wasn't just because I felt the news was delivered in the wrong way - it was so abrupt and sudden - but today I feel guilty for ever shedding a single tear over her diagnosis.
I loved Ellie from the second I saw her. When I was pregnant, we had no idea that there were any problems, but just moments after she was born, it became clear that something wasn't right.
Doctors took her away for a physical examination and although we had to wait for the blood test results to confirm it, they could tell she had Down Syndrome.
But it didn't matter - she was my beautiful little girl and nothing was ever going to change that fact.
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Of course, when the medics told us about their suspicions, it did bring a whirlwind of other worries and fears.
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Almost immediately, the endless round of medical checks began and each test brought with it an overwhelming feeling of stress.
I remember the happiness when the results were all clear and then the panic that set in when the doctors had concerns over others.
Once we were discharged from the maternity hospital, the appointments just kept coming.
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It felt as though we were back in Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Crumlin every second week. There was no time to actually enjoy the new baby girl we had just brought into the world and I get sad when I think this is a time that I can never get back with Ellie.
To be honest, I knew nothing about Down Syndrome before I had Ellie. I knew that the people who had it had similar characteristics, and in my ignorance that was all I knew.
It was explained to me that it was an intellectual disability and that Ellie would find it that bit harder to reach her milestones.
I was told that early intervention was extremely important and that this would mean recurring appointments with physiotherapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists and any other additional services that they felt Ellie needed.
Ellie has been exceptionally lucky as she is in the care of Stewarts, an early intervention service in Lucan, Co Dublin, which she's attended since she was eight months old.
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So in our case, access to early intervention services has been excellent. For many others, it's not that simple.
I speak to other parents who have no services at all, which is absolutely disgraceful, especially when we are all told how important it is.
That's why the work of the Down Syndrome Centre is a blessing for all of us. The centre offers all of the services that are required so that our children can reach their full potential.
The first year of Ellie's life was a complete blur. When she was nine months old, we noticed she suddenly stopped smiling and would give these subtle fright-like movements.
Like any new parents, my partner Darren and I were always extremely cautious, so we brought her straight to A&E.
Tests showed that she had developed a sever form of epilepsy in babies known as infantile spasms.
Treatment had to start immediately as these spasms could cause additional developmental delays. Ellie had to be admitted to Crumlin and stayed there for three weeks, where she was treated with steroid injections every other day.
It was a really difficult time for the whole family, but after a tough few months Ellie started to recover and really began to thrive.
With the first year behind us, slowly but surely, things began to calm down. Our routine with appointments just became the norm and we began to enjoy Ellie for the fabulous little girl that she is.
Ellie's now two, and yes, we spend additional time working on building her muscle tone so that one day, she will take off walking. And we spend lots of extra time on flashcards and speech aids so that some day she will communicate with us to the best of her ability.
It's difficult sometimes because we know that she's depending on us to provide all of that extra help that she needs, and then the feeling of guilt sets in when you might let sometimes slip where you don't work on the areas she needs extra help. When I look at Ellie and see how hard she works and never complains, I could just burst with pride. Even at two years old, she could teach us all a thing or two. Her attitude is basically just to get on with it.
Ellie recently started to pull herself to stand - and it felt as though I had just won the EuroMillions. And every word that she attempts merits a call to everyone in the family, as everyone must know immediately what just happened so they can celebrate with us!
I have absolutely no doubt that Ellie will reach her full potential and grow into the most amazing person. And in lots of ways, she is just like every other two-year-old.
She'll sit for hours watching all her favourite shows, especially if they involve Disney princesses and she has her tantrums when she doesn't get her own way - and even more so since her little sister Katie arrived.
It's fantastic to see them together - they're only 15 months apart and already they're the best of friends. Ellie really thrives when she is around other children - she loves to be involved and even though she is not walking yet, she always manages to still be in the centre of things.
In September, she'll start mainstream playschool and I've no doubt she'll settle there and thrive. But when I think of what might lie ahead, as she gets older, I begin to worry a little.
I worry she may not be fully accepted into the society we live in today. While I agree that people's perceptions have changed a lot, there are still some outdated attitudes out there.
We need to educate people so they know that those with the Down Syndrome are no different to you and I. We're all unique in our own way. They just happen to have one extra chromosome that causes some recognisable characteristics and they find it that bit harder to reach their milestones.
That's why we were delighted when Down Syndrome Centre asked us if we would take part in the 21 Faces Campaign, which aims to change public perceptions of Down Syndrome.
Ellie is one of the 21 children featuring in a poster campaign currently running on Dublin Bus and all around the city and the reaction has been fantastic so far.
Together we can raise awareness and educate people so that all of our children can grow up in a society where people living with Down Syndrome are not excluded. We need to chance the misconceptions out there, one step at a time.
For more information visit: downsyndromecentre.ie
The Irish woman who was crowned 2015s Miss Teen Ireland has addressed competition of the event, which is open to young women from the age of 14.
Emma Gavin was crowned the winner of last years competition, open to teenagers in the Republic and Northern Ireland, and said the culture builds confidence and important life skills.
I understand people watch the likes of Toddlers and Tiaras but thats not what its like here, Gavin told TV3s Ireland AM.
Basically its a completely different thing. Its more judged on personality more than, you know, getting up on stage and how you look and how big your smile is. When I won Miss Teen Ireland I went there with no intentions of winning but the first year I did Miss Teen Ireland I came first.
Its fun and I met a load of people from it. I actually met my best friend, she said.
M&m photography #missteenireland #chicago A photo posted by Emma Gavin (@emmagavin2) on Mar 18, 2015 at 7:35pm PDT
The secondary school girl, who is set to do her Leaving Certificate next year, said competing in the pageants gives her a buzz unlike any other and has helped her build confidence.
I did ballet and have done since I was four. I love [the stage]. Even when I was in Spain Id do karaoke all the time and Id make everybody watch me. It was something fun. When youre going up on stage you feel great and you feel good about yourself. When everybodys clapping for you, you feel great, you feel on top of the world, she said.
Its not about winning, its not about losing. Its about going and having a good time. Enjoying yourself is the main thing. If youre in it to win it, whats the point, wheres the fun, she said.
The Maynooth teenager appeared on the programme with Jennie Lynch, the organiser of six events which are due to take place in Dublin in October, one of which is open to children aged 10, who can compete for the Junior Miss Ireland title.
Before it all went down #shitnight #officallynotaty #gotamierit #speltthatwrong #bringonsummer A photo posted by Emma Gavin (@emmagavin2) on May 20, 2015 at 5:55am PDT
Speaking to The Irish Independent last week, Lynch stressed that the pageants' purpose is to build confidence and friendships, and is not judged on physical appearance.
However there are no restrictions on the wearing of make-up, fake tan and other accessories.
"I would encourage those with concerns to actually watch one of our pageants and see that no matter what each girl looks like, everyone in the room is cheering for them," Jennie said.
"It is about having fun, a night of glitz and glamour."
Last years Miss Teen Ireland, who was 15 when she was crowned, revealed she would be opposed to competitions that involve a swimwear category, unlike Miss Teen Ireland which does not.
So proud to be part of Live Out Loud charity , this charity had helped me through hard times and had always been there no matter what. Im so glad to be Doing my second year this time as miss ultimate world wide teen #crownsup A photo posted by Emma Gavin (@emmagavin2) on Oct 23, 2015 at 9:19am PDT
I wouldnt overly want to do swimwear. Its not something Im into. Of course I do pageants but I still stand on my own two feet I know what Im doing.
Gavin revealed that her pageant success has allowed her to work with important charities including Live Out Loud, which supports young people coping with depression and bullying.
Im the Ultimate World Wide Team Ambassador for Live Out Loud Charity which is actually to do with suicide prevention, depression and anti-bullying because when I was younger I was bullied.
"Thats why I went into pageants. I was really the girl that was sat in the corner and didnt want to talk to anybody, really enclosed in myself and I wasnt confident at all, she said.
Monday mornings are never easy. The dread of the week ahead, coupled with post-weekend fatigue, invariably leads to a low-level anxiety and a disconcerting feeling that you haven't done your homework.
It's even worse for those whose anxiety is more pronounced. These poor souls will experience a lurching stomach and a tightened chest before they've even arrived at their desk.
Anxiety is a daily struggle for tens of thousands of people in Ireland. Yet I can't help but notice that a lot of sufferers don't make Monday mornings any easier for themselves.
On the contrary, they tend to compound their symptoms by partaking in habits that are proven to increase anxiety levels.
Sometimes they check their work emails before they've even left the house, or agonise over how many 'likes' a social media post received during the commute.
Later on, just to make sure their heart is well and truly in their throat, they grab a double-shot coffee that sends their cortisol levels shooting through the roof.
The relentless go-go-go of modern society breeds anxiety. The on screen/off screen double life that many people are leading only adds to it.
It's no surprise that we're living in the midst of an anxiety epidemic, or what writer Alvin Toffler prophetically described as 'future shock'.
What is surprising, however, is our tendency to search for ways to manage it rather than ask how our lifestyles may be contributing to it.
An entire industry has been born out of rising anxiety rates. Techniques and therapies, books and apps, lotions and potions not to mention Big Pharma and the emergency diazepam that many anxiety sufferers keep in their wallets. Type 'anxiety' into Amazon and you'll be directed to almost 80,000 results...
In one sense, it's wonderful that there are so many options and outlets available to anxiety sufferers. In another sense, it's absurd that we don't question the daily routines and rituals that may be exacerbating - if not causing - the disorder.
A number of recent studies have linked heavy social media use with low self-esteem, anxiety and depression, especially among young people.
In one study, by the University of Salford, half of the 298 participants said social networks like Facebook and Twitter made their lives worse.
Anxiety sufferers often have a few self-help strategies that they rely on - belly breathing, positive self-talk and calming visualisations, to name just a few.
Yet despite evidence that irrefutably links social media usage and anxiety, very few sufferers regulate their social media use as part of their anxiety management programme.
If you suffer from anxiety, it's good to get into the practice of asking yourself the question: 'Will this make me more or less anxious?'
Or, at the very least, ask yourself what benefit you're deriving from checking your ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend's Facebook page; following hashtag braggadocios or downloading the Who Deleted Me app.
It's also helpful to engage in a weekly digital detox and schedule specific hours for checking social media instead of responding to every ping. Managing your privacy settings can also calm anxiety. Personally speaking, I've opted out of the ominous 'last seen' WhatsApp timestamp, which seems especially designed to promote anxiety. This also prevents you from seeing other users' 'last seen'. Win-win.
The endless news stories, invites and general infomania of social media can also cause distress. As author Richard Saul Wurman writes in Information Anxiety: "One of the most anxiety-inducing side effects of the information era is the feeling that you have to know it all."
Incidentally, Wurman is the founder of TED and I can't watch one of its 'ideas worth spreading' without becoming anxious about the thousands that I haven't watched...
Setting a designated time to digest new information is helpful in this regard. Instead of keeping multiple tabs open and scan-reading articles, compile all the information in a folder and refer to it when time is on your side.
Likewise, it's helpful to be realistic about your schedule. The enormous expectations we place on ourselves these days invariably lead to anxiety.
For instance, consider your past form the next time you pencil in five workouts in one week... if you haven't done it before, it's unlikely that you'll do it now.
Anxiety sufferers should also contemplate how their work may be contributing to their condition. Freelance and casual work lacks job security, which, of course, leads to anxiety. Then again, the long-term, pensionable job is dying out as a more dynamic and flexible way of working begins to emerge.
The challenge for those suffering from anxiety in this situation is to work out how they can find security in their current job.
You'll feel a great deal safer if you opt out of workplace politics and keep the lines of communication open with your manager instead of second-guessing their intentions...
There are all manner of coping tools and relaxation techniques available to anxiety sufferers, but what use are they if we don't consider the anxiety-inducing aspects of modern life?
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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.
There is no bad way to become prime minister, but this not how Theresa May wanted to win. Andrea Leadsom's remarkable self-immolation will add just one more major problem to the huge and heavy in-tray that awaits her in Downing Street.
That problem is how to deal with the significant number of Conservative MPs and Conservative members who actually wanted Ms Leadsom to become PM, or who at least wanted a proper contest to decide who got to be leader.
The real risk for Ms May is that some of Ms Leadsom's backers believe that they have been cheated, their candidate unfairly shunted out of the race by political opponents and a hostile media.
Never mind the dignified and magnanimous statement Ms Leadsom gave, in which she pledged loyalty to the new PM, presumably in the expectation of a cabinet job.
And never mind the facts here. Never mind that what the Leadsomites consider unfair hostility is in fact just normal scrutiny for people at the top of politics. What matters is what her followers believe.
And they believe, truly believe, that she is the victim of dirty tricks. Minutes after she quit, Iain Duncan Smith spoke of "a genuine operation to demean Andrea".
Owen Paterson said Ms Leadsom had been "under the most brutal assault".
For men like Mr Duncan Smith and Mr Paterson, Ms Leadsom's leadership was a chance to get their party back from the Cameron-centrists, to take the Tories back to "family values" and an unflinching commitment to leaving the EU as quickly and sharply as possible.
That dream has now been snatched away from them. Their party will now be led by a woman who voted Remain and who, in their eyes, is not wholly and utterly committed to severing all ties with the EU.
And for all the gracious words in public, there is deep and real anger among some of Ms Leadsom's backers about the way events have unfolded - just as they are still angry that Margaret Thatcher was toppled as leader, angry that John Major signed the Maastricht Treaty, angry that David Cameron became leader . . . We are talking about people who are very, very good at holding grudges. Yesterday's events have just added one more grievance to their collection.
Remember that for all the woefulness of the Labour opposition, the Conservatives do not have a commanding position in parliament. With a majority of just 16, it takes only a handful of Tory MPs to block government business and make the prime minister's life miserable.
John Major's agonies at the hands of the Maastricht rebels (Mr Duncan Smith was one, as were several other Leadsom backers) are an object lesson in how badly things can go for a Tory prime minister with a small majority and a group of MPs determined to cause trouble on Europe.
So Ms May will have to work very hard, very quickly, to reconcile the Leadsom Tories to her leadership. Expect her to offer Ms Leadsom herself a cabinet post, albeit not a senior one, as an olive branch.
But Mr Duncan Smith and Mr Paterson and the like? Securing their loyalty will be much, much harder. I'd expect them to remain firmly on the backbenches, watching Prime Minister May like hawks and swooping on anything that looks like backsliding on Brexit.
The fear among Ms May's friends is that the Leadsomites will end up as the tail wagging the Tory dog, that in order to placate them and the voters they represent, she will have to take a harder line on Europe than she might otherwise have done. Just ask David Cameron how appeasing the Tory Right on Europe works out.
Away from Europe (yes, there will be political debates about things other than Europe), the angry Leadsomites could make possibly even more trouble. Ms May's leadership launch yesterday morning (it feels like a year ago now) was a remarkably centrist pitch, suggesting continuity from Mr Cameron's social policy agenda.
Many Tories backed Ms Leadsom in the hope of reversing Mr Cameron's modernisation agenda. How will they feel about a leader who got her job without a full election seeking to continue that agenda?
Already, some are suggesting that the outcome of the leadership non-contest will cost the Conservatives dear as more of its traditionalist, Leave-voting supporters abandon the party. One senior Tory backer of Ms Leadsom put it this way: "This is a very good day for Ukip." ( Daily Telegraph, London)
On both sides of the Irish Sea right now there seems to be an incredible amount of raw politics going on for this time of the year. While Enda Kenny has to deal with his own problems in Dublin, in London yet another act from the unfolding post-Brexit drama has played out in both a dramatic and bizarre fashion. It would seem that this script is fresh from a Jeffrey Archer novel.
The Tory leadership contest has come to a shuddering halt. How a relatively new and completely untested MP could effectively end up going head to head for the most senior position in British politics, seemingly unprepared for the battle ahead, is beyond comprehension.
The entire events surrounding David Cameron's departure and the leadership contest is really quite amazing, even by Tory standards of backstabbing and conspiracy. I'm sure that both Michael Gove, he of backstabbing fame himself, and his latest victim, the hapless former Mayor of London Boris Johnson, can only stare into the sky, wondering what's happened and could it all be true.
Two weeks ago, when the EU leaders of the 27 member states met in Brussels, they made it clear to the British that after electing a new prime minister they expected to see movement on Article 50. That's the article that triggers the formal opening of the EU/British negotiations on Brexit.
Theresa May's unexpected coronation yesterday has suddenly moved Brexit to the foreground of EU politics much earlier than expected and will put pressure on all sides to get on with the divorce settlement. The only question now is when will Article 50 be invoked? Ms May has said 2017. But the EU might not be happy for that long. And that's where the problem is - she can't move on the issue until she has some idea of what the final settlement might look like.
And that's where Mr Kenny comes into the picture. What Ireland needs now in the middle of all this uncertainty is the Taoiseach on the pitch dealing with the implications of this settlement.
The next year is a crucial one for our interests as a country to be highlighted and understood at every level in the EU. Mr Kenny is well positioned for that work.
Until yesterday, two things were continuously mentioned in the EU institutions here in Brussels.
One was that the British needed time to elect a new leader and set out a plan to leave the EU. Most EU leaders were keen to let the British mull over the implications of Brexit. Secondly, people here were still talking about a second vote, hoping beyond hope that if the British had experienced the cold winds of recession, they might think again and re-run the referendum.
Such European hopes are well and truly dashed now. Although Ms May was careful not to rule anything out when questioned yesterday, she was very clear to say at the same time that Brexit was Brexit.
There will be no early general election in the UK. Ms May as the new prime minister will now have to unite her party quickly, divided after three decades of internal fighting over Europe, behind her leadership. But principally she will have to deal with the coming economic clouds that will face Britain from jobs to investment - the tailwinds of which will undoubtedly affect us.
It won't be plain sailing as Britain's isolationist position in a globalised and complicated world plays out.
The task of Enda Kenny, the Irish Government, the opposition - in fact all of us here who work in the EU institutions - must be to protect Ireland's interests in the most uncertain of times.
Without a strong economy, it is impossible for us to build a compassionate society. Without a fair society, it is impossible for us to create a growing economy.
The higher education sector is at the heart of delivering on massive social and economic challenges:
But it needs to be properly funded.
Many people do not realise it, but third-level education is on the brink of a funding crisis. During the downturn our universities and Institutes of Technology dealt admirably with increased student numbers in the context of tightened budgets. Now, in the coming decade, the demographic bulge will start to come through to higher education, with numbers expected to be nearly 30pc higher by 2030.
Doing nothing about higher education funding is not an option.
As Peter Cassells, the lead author of the report said, none of the options are easy. All of them are difficult. But we have to choose one of them. Otherwise we will be failing future generations.
As we published the report and referred it to the Oireachtas Committee I said that I believed we needed a consensus across political parties on this issue over the next 10 years.
Everyone agrees that significant investment is now needed - the next step is reaching agreement in a responsible way on where that money will come from.
It is disappointing to see some political parties have already ruled out some of the options. It is easy to find fault with one proposal or another. If different political parties agree with the ambitions set out in the report for the higher education sector, but disagree with the options put forward to fund those ambitions, then they must outline their own solutions as to where we will find the money to pay for the investment that everyone agrees is needed.
For new politics to work, the committee should consider the evidence in the report, call witnesses, speak with the members of the expert group, look to other countries, and then make a decision which will be in the best interests of students, parents, our society and our economy.
I believe strongly that any increase in funding for the third-level sector must be strongly linked to results. I want to see 50,000 upskilling and reskilling places over the next five years. I want to increase participation in higher education by people in the most disadvantaged areas.
I want to see better results from our research and innovation investment. And I want to increase the numbers of entrants studying on a flexible basis (online, part-time).
Our capacity as an Oireachtas to chart a sustainable path in areas such as health and education which will deliver for our people will ultimately reflect how successful new politics is.
Richard Burton is the Education Minister
In the wake of the Brexit disaster, as the Orangemen gather for the Twelfth, it behoves the leaders of the Green tradition to pay more attention to the real position of fundamental unionism on this island than was shown in the recent clumsy handling of the All-Ireland Forum idea which the DUP so contemptuously dismissed.
Before highlighting a situation which has an important bearing on the Unionists' position, let me recount two episodes which illustrate unionist thinking. One was related to me by the legendary Harry Diamond, the Republican Labour representative for Belfast's Dock Ward, to which the late Gerry Fitt succeeded.
One morning, back in the days of Lord Brookeborough's premiership, Diamond called in to the office of a senior Stormont civil servant seeking a favour on behalf of a constituent. He was one of the few friendly faces Diamond normally encountered at Stormont. The civil servant chuckled when Diamond entered the office saying, "Oh Harry - you'll be interested in this!" Someone on the Unionist benches had asked Brookeborough a question about the numbers of Protestants who had won decorations during World War II, expecting that the answers would highlight the loyalty of the Protestants and the corresponding disloyalty of the Catholics.
But the research showed that the Catholics had out-performed their counterparts.
The civil servant was dealing with the unwelcome outcome by the simple expedient of swapping around the statistics to favour the Protestants. Diamond could make no protest, if he did, not alone would his constituent not have their problem solved, neither would any of his other constituents henceforth.
Some 70,000 citizens of Ireland served in the British armed forces during the war, together with another 50,000 from Northern Ireland.
Incidentally, southerners won a total of 780 decorations, including seven Victoria Crosses. An eighth was won by James Magennis, a Belfast Catholic.
Another anecdote stems from Ian Paisley's days marching under banners bearing the slogan: 'CRA (Civil Rights Association) equals IRA'. Standing before a crowd of Belfast loyalists, he accused his hearers of being cowards and produced a list containing the names and addresses of Catholics who, shamefully, were being allowed to live in their midst.
The Catholics are still living in the North.
This is part of the background which explains why Arlene Foster and her colleagues in the DUP advised her followers to ignore reality and vote to leave the EU during the Brexit referendum.
No matter that many ignored the advice. The North's is a begging bowl economy heavily reliant on British subsidies and on those from Brussels for agriculture.
Readers can make a fairly accurate guess for themselves as to what the attitude of farmers in the Republic would be if the main party in the Dail deliberately adopted a policy which would end with cutting off the grants from Brussels in order to put obstacles in the path of North/South relationships.
And here we come to the importance of the Harry Diamond episode - the numbers game, as played at Stormont; when figures don't suit.
For several decades, the Census returns have been used to show a seemingly impervious unionist majority despite the apparent contradiction of an increased Catholic birth rate.
Light was shone on this practice when two Dublin demographers, Brendan Walsh and Cormac O'Grada, analysed a recent Census return.
The official finding was that there were 38pc Catholics and 12pc who declared no religion appearing under "not stated".
However, when the two statisticians applied the test of increased fertility and knowledge of the Irish language to the "not stated", they decided that the Catholic 38pc could be over 40pc.
This, of course, was only an estimate but when the next official Census appeared (2011), the figure for Catholics was given as 40.8pc.
Curiously, however, the non-stated had gone up to 17pc and, we were told, these were largely Protestant males.
It is now some years since a former Taoiseach informed me that according to his information, the true Catholic population could well be around 46-48pc.
But, of course, neither he nor others involved wanted to risk frightening the horses by amplifying such estimates.
In the 2011 Census, the combined totals of the Presbyterian, Church of Ireland and Methodist churches only stands at 35.8pc, with other groupings making up the balance.
So all in all, the Catholics are probably only something like 100,000 to 150,000 persons away from becoming the majority in the Six Counties.
All this is of significant contemporary relevance because in April we had the inter-censual period exercise. This is the Census which takes place five years after the Census which is always held a year after the decade, 2001, 2011, and so on.
These returns are due to be published this year and Dublin should scrutinise them a lot more carefully than the ground was prepared for the abortive All Ireland Forum.
The tectonic plates of the North/South relationship are shifting and in this period of unparalleled, Brexit-induced uncertainty.
Dublin (and London) should make it clear that the Census figures should be used to concentrate minds on the necessity of unionists and nationalists living peacefully in mutual cooperation.
Alicia Vikander attending the European premiere of Jason Bourne held at Odeon Cinema in Leicester Square, London
Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender during the Kiss Cam segment at the BAFTAs. Picture: Debbie O'Donnell/Twitter
Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender in The Light Between Oceans trailer
Actress Alicia Vikander poses during a press conference to promote of her new film "Jason Bourne" in Seoul, South Korea
Alicia Vikander said she's looking forward to finally catching up MIchael Fassbender after spending weeks apart due to their busy schedules.
The Oscar-winning actress has been dating the Irish actor for nearly two years and their relationship is coming full circle as they prepare to launch the promotional tour for their upcoming film - where they first met in 2014.
While Vikander is still touring the world with Jason Bourne, she's back into it again in two weeks for The Light Between Oceans.
And the Swedish star said she's looking forward to finally spend some time together and even catching up with her mother Maria, who she hasn't seen since the Oscars in February.
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"It's been a lot of travelling, I consider London my home but this is only my sixth day here this year," she told Lorraine on ITV.
"I haven't seen my mum since the Oscars, but she's on her way to the hotel right now so I'm going to meet her for lunch today."
In another string to her bow, the former ballerina was also confirmed as the new Lara Croft in the upcoming Tomb Raider movies, filling in Angelina Jolie's shoes.
Vicky McClure has said the UK needs more affordable drama schools
Vicky McClure has called for more affordable drama schools in the UK.
The Line Of Duty star trained at a free workshop in Nottingham, and insisted budding actors do not need to attend costly establishments.
She told Radio Times: "It's striking how many successful actors came out of Nottingham.
"We don't need to send people to expensive drama schools.
"When I went to the Nottingham Television Workshop it was free, and even now it's affordable - 100 a term - and if people don't have that there are bursaries and sponsors."
McClure, 33, added: "There should be places like that in every city."
The actress got her break at 15, when Nottingham-based director Shane Meadows visited the workshop and cast her in his film A Room For Romeo Brass.
She said: "I thought my big break had come because the film was going to be shown in cinemas. Then I found out it was only six cinemas.
"It's been a blimmin' long, hard slog to get to where I am now.
"It took another ten years before I did This Is England 86."
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McClure is now set to appear in her first period drama, a three-part BBC adaptation of Joseph Conrad's literary classic The Secret Agent.
She plays Winnie, the wife of Soho sex shop owner and secret agent Anton Verloc, who is played by Toby Jones.
:: This week's Radio Times is on sale on Tuesday, July 12.
Luciana Barroso and Matt Damon attend the "Jason Bourne" European premiere at the Odeon Leicester Square on July 11, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Matt Damon and wife Luciana Barroso attending the European premiere of Jason Bourne held at Odeon Cinema in Leicester Square
Luciana Barroso and Matt Damon attend the "Jason Bourne" European premiere at the Odeon Leicester Square on July 11, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Luciana Barroso and Matt Damon attend the "Jason Bourne" European premiere at the Odeon Leicester Square on July 11, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
He might be the star of the movie, but Matt Damon played second fiddle to his beautiful wife Luciana Barroso at the Jason Bourne premiere.
The Oscar-winning actor (45) was joined by his wife on the red carpet in London on Monday night and looked more rock solid than ever after 11 years of marriage.
And while Damon might be the superstar of the relationship, the mother-of-four rivalled his star status in a fuschia gown with a high slit and plunging neckline.
The couple famously at a bar in Miami where she was working in 2002 while he was filming Stuck On You in Miami and he's never shied away from gushing over his other half.
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"I literally saw her across a crowded room, literally," he said of their first meeting.
"Eight years and four kids later, that's my life. I don't know how else our paths would've crossed if that didn't happen. If all those things didn't happen."
He credits marrying a "civilian" with keeping him and his family grounded and doesn't feed the tabloids with a salacious personal life.
I got lucky, I fell in love with a civilian," he previously told Esquire. "Not an actress and not a famous actress at that. Because then the attention doesnt double it grows exponentially. Because then suddenly everybody wants to be in your bedroom.
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But I dont really give them anything. If Im not jumping up and down on a bar, or lighting something on fire, or cheating on my wife, theres not really any story to tell.
"They can try to stake me out, but theyre always going to get the same story middle-aged married guy with four kids. So as long as that narrative doesnt change too much, theres no appetite for it."
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Meanwhile, his co-stars Alicia Vikander - minus boyfriend Michael Fassbender, in a Louis Vuitton dress - and Julia Stiles, were also spotted at the premiere at the Odeon cinema in Leiceister Square.
Four Weddings And A Funeral star Simon Callow has voiced his concern about children bullying their gay classmates in school playgrounds.
The writer and director, 67, who recently married his 33-year-old partner Sebastian Fox in the Greek islands, said he feared children were picking up anti-gay sentiments from their parents.
Speaking to the Radio Times shortly after the shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, he said: "We're not in the Promised Land. There's a great deal of bullying and prejudice; some of the worst incidences of anti-gay feeling are in the playground.
"That's very, very, very dismaying and strange. Children don't, generally speaking, bully their black fellow pupils, the children of Poles or Italians or whatever, which they certainly used to do in my day.
"Now, they very steadily and determinedly bully their gay fellow pupils. One can only assume they get it from their parents."
The actor, who is best known as gay reveller Gareth in Richard Curtis's film Four Weddings And A Funeral, said he believed resistance to gay marriage by conservative elements of society was "one of the great paradoxes of our times".
Callow, who said he has received his fair share of hate mail about his sexuality, told the magazine: " They should have been the ones supporting it, unless they actually say homosexuals are indefensible and must be put out into the middle of the ocean and drowned. I'm sure there are some people who think that."
Callow will next be seen as Henry Palmer in The Rebel, a sitcom based on a column in the Oldie about a pensioner who pines for the social rebellion of his youth.
The full interview appears in the Radio Times, which is on sale now.
An Irish backpaker woke to find himself on the roof of an Australian business.
Police in Darwin took to Facebook this week to say Fire and Rescue services were called out to help the "Gee-Eyed' male who decided this was a good place for a kip".
Senior Sergeant Garry (Uncle Gaz) Smith explained that his team are trained in all aspects of emergency management but "every now and again we respond to community calls for assistance that do not always make total sense".
He went on to explain that they were "called out to rescue someone apparently fallen off a ledge only to later find the victim fast asleep at home or like this morning, the NT (Northern Territory) Fire and Rescue Service called out to (no, not a kitty cat stuck up a tree) a backpacker stuck up on a roof after the Gee-Eyed male decided this was a good place for a kip.
Acting Sgt Jacqueline Lynden said after the rescue: He promised to walk home and not get into any more vulnerable situations.
The Irish man was issued with an infringement notice "for his adventure".
Sgt Smith told AAP "gee-eyed" was "Irish slang for blind drunk, basically".
Emergency Services and a long ladder helped the man down from the roof on Tuesday morning.
The man told police he had no idea how he got up there, Senior Sergeant Smith said.
"It's got to give you a giggle but we've also got to be serious, we're talking about a very intoxicated person who has no recollection of climbing up to a very high place and falling asleep, he could have fallen and injured himself or a pedestrian," he said.
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"You've got to roll your eyes, but also what do you do, it's just part of Darwin."
The proposal was defeated by just one vote
The Anglican Church of Canada has voted against allowing same-sex marriages by the thinnest of margins after nearly a week of passionate debate about blessing the unions.
More than 200 delegates attending the six-day General Synod 2016 north of Toronto rejected the resolution after 60-plus speakers made their points, with most supporting the resolution.
Same-sex marriage has been legal in Canada since 2005 and Monday's vote puts the Anglican Church - the third largest in Canada - out of step with most Canadians, including prime minister Justin Trudeau, who recently took part in a gay pride parade in Toronto.
The resolution required two-thirds support from each of three orders - the lay, clergy and bishops - to pass.
The bishops voted 68.42% in favour of the resolution and the lay delegates 72.22% in favour. But the clergy voted 66.23%, missing the percentage needed by a single vote.
The vote sparked bitter disappointment among some members.
"It is breaking my heart that there are people who see gay marriage as a separation from God and from love," said Eliot Waddingham, 24, a transgender person from Ottawa, who was an observer at the conference and worried that the vote was tantamount to a "death sentence" for the church.
"Woah. One vote," said the Rev Jeremy Smith in a tweet. "Prayers for all those wounded by the anti-LGBTQ vote."
The electronic voting was conducted secretly at the request of delegates as a privacy measure.
Earlier, Archbishop Colin Johnson of Toronto cited his own decades of marriage in arguing for the motion.
"I want my gay and lesbian colleagues to have the same joy," he said. "I believe it's the right thing to do."
Some speakers urged delegates to reject the resolution, with one saying it would cause "ghettos of resentment" if allowed, while several aboriginal delegates denounced it as condoning an "abomination" and disobedience of God.
The General Synod is held every three years and the vote was the culmination of work that began when the last General Synod, the church's legislative body, asked a panel to come up with a draft motion.
Even if it had passed, the decision would have needed to be affirmed by the next General Synod in 2019, which could have made its own amendments.
If the resolution passed it would have changed the denomination's definition of marriage and would have permitted clergy to conduct gay marriages.
The vote followed complaints about bullying during weekend discussions on the resolution in smaller working groups. In remarks ahead of the vote, Archbishop Fred Hiltz urged respectful discussions on a topic that has proven bitterly divisive.
"Some members of our synod are deeply hurt. Some of them are deeply offended. Some are feeling unsafe to continue to speak lest they be reprimanded," he told the gathering.
"This kind of behaviour is not appropriate. It's unacceptable."
About 1.6 million Canadians identify themselves as Anglican, according to Statistics Canada.
The US Episcopal Church, the Anglican body in the United States, is alone among Anglican bodies in approving gay marriage and has faced a backlash for its support of same-sex unions.
Earlier this year Anglican leaders temporarily restricted the role of the US Episcopal Church in their global fellowship as a sanction over the American church's acceptance of gay marriage.
Other Anglican national churches in Brazil, South Africa, New Zealand and Scotland have taken steps towards accepting same-sex relationships.
European Union and Chinese leaders are kicking off a two-day summit in the shadow of global uncertainty over Britain's exit from the bloc and pressure from companies for better access to China's market.
EU leaders are expected to press their Chinese counterparts to step up their efforts to reduce overcapacity in sectors including steel following complaints that low-cost Chinese competition is putting European steelworkers' jobs at risk.
President Xi Jinping and premier Li Keqiang are meeting European Council president Donald Tusk and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in Beijing.
Also high on the agenda during the summit will be a push for progress on an investment agreement between the two sides, which, t he EU says, will enable fair competition between Chinese and European companies.
Chinese officials say they want to sign an agreement quickly to benefit both sides and that foreign companies are welcome in their economy.
EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment had to be concluded first before any negotiations could start on a free-trade agreement between China and the 28-nation EU. Negotiations first started in January 2014.
Other topics are likely to include the situation in Syria and the resulting migrant crisis, possible new fields of defence and security co-operation in Africa and climate change.
New rules governing transatlantic data transfers have been formally approved, months after Europe's top court ruled against the previous arrangements amid concerns over surveillance activity by US intelligence agencies.
The EU and the US said the new Privacy Shield imposes stricter obligations on American companies, including the likes of Facebook and Apple, to safeguard the personal data of individuals, from health matters through to social media activities.
Critics argue that the new framework does not go far enough, and are concerned that the consumer protections are not sufficiently strong. They also warn that the possibility of blanket surveillance from US agencies remains.
As part of the deal, the US government has given assurances that any access on national security grounds by public authorities to personal data transferred under the new arrangements will be subject to "clear conditions, limitations, oversight and preventing generalised access".
The two sides said the deal includes stronger monitoring and enforcement by the US department of commerce and federal trade commission, including increased cooperation with European authorities.
Under the terms of the new deal, there will be an annual joint review of the pact, while those who think their data has been misused have a route for complaint.
A new ombudsman based at the US state department will be appointed to follow up on European complaints.
At a joint launch in Brussels, the US commerce secretary Penny Pritzker said: "The approval of the Privacy Shield is a milestone for privacy at a time when the sharing of data is driving growth in every sector, from advanced manufacturing to advertising.
"For businesses, the free flow of data makes it possible for a start-up in Silicon Valley to hire programmers in the Czech Republic, or a manufacturer in Germany to collaborate with a research lab in Tennessee."
The deal potentially brings an end to a period of uncertainty for businesses following last October's decision by the European Court of Justice that the previous Safe Harbor pact was invalid because it did not adequately protect consumers when their data is stored in the US.
The pact, which had been used by around 4,500 companies, had allowed the easy transfer of data from the EU by having US companies promise to provide privacy protections equivalent to those in the EU.
The EU court's ruling that the pact was invalid opened up the possibility that data privacy officers across the 28-country EU might be inundated by complaints from consumers worried about their privacy.
Markus J Beyrer, the director general of lobby group BusinessEurope, said: "The adoption of Privacy Shield will enhance legal certainty for thousands of businesses on both sides of the Atlantic, while providing an adequate level of protection for citizens' data.
"Transatlantic data flows are fundamental to the success of the European economy, and today's decision will support job creation across industry."
Concerns over the privacy of data transfers had been stoked by spying revelations from Edward Snowden, a former contractor at the US National Security Agency. Snowden's claims had prompted the complaint to the European court from Max Schrems, an Austrian law student.
Mr Schrems said the new arrangements do not go far enough, and argued that the requirements on the US authorities are not equivalent to those that exist in the EU.
"It is little more than a little upgrade to Safe Harbor," he said.
"It is very likely to fail again ... This deal is bad for users, who will not enjoy proper privacy protections, and bad for businesses, which have to deal with a legally unstable solution."
Both Ms Pritzker and Vera Jourova, the European commissioner for justice, said they are confident that the new deal will stand up to any court challenge.
AP
When the 45-year-old crew member eventually turned up for work, he smelled strongly of alcohol Stock photo: PA Wire
An airline crew member was arrested at Gatwick Airport after turning up to work on a flight smelling of alcohol, police said.
The Corfu-bound flight's scheduled 9.10am take-off from the West Sussex airport was delayed on Monday because of the man's absence.
When the 45-year-old crew member eventually turned up at 10.40am, he smelled strongly of alcohol and was not allowed to board the plane.
Sussex Police said the man, from London, was arrested on suspicion of acting as a member of the crew of an aircraft while under the influence of alcohol.
He was bailed to September 8.
Two passenger trains are seen after a collision in the middle of an olive grove in the southern village of Corato, near Bari, Italy Italian Firefighters/Handout via Reuters
Italian firefighters Vigili del Fuoco respond to the scene of a train accident after two commuter trains collided head-on in the southern region of Puglia, killing several people, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (Italian Firefighter Press Office via AP)
The wreckage of a crumpled wagon at the scene of a train accident after two commuter trains collided head-on in the southern region of Puglia, killing several people, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (Italian Firefighter Press Office via AP)
Italian firefighters Vigili del Fuoco inspect the wreckage of two commuter trains after their head-on collision in the southern region of Puglia, killing several people, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (Italian Firefighter Press Office via AP)
Firefighters work at the site where two passenger trains collided in the middle of an olive grove in the southern village of Corato, near Bari, Italy, in this handout picture released by Italian Firefighters July 12, 2016. Italian Firefighters/Handout via Reuters
Firefighters work at the site where two passenger trains collided in the middle of an olive grove in the southern village of Corato, near Bari, Italy, in this handout picture released by Italian Firefighters July 12, 2016. Italian Firefighters/Handout via Reuters
Two passenger trains are seen after a collision in the middle of an olive grove in the southern village of Corato, near Bari, Italy, in this handout picture released by Italian Firefighters July 12, 2016. Italian Firefighters/Handout via Reuters
Firefighters work at the site where two passenger trains collided in the middle of an olive grove in the southern village of Corato, near Bari, Italy, in this handout picture released by Italian Firefighters July 12, 2016. Italian Firefighters/Handout via Reuters
Firefighters work at the site where two passenger trains collided in the middle of an olive grove in the southern village of Corato, near Bari, Italy, in this handout picture released by Italian Firefighters July 12, 2016. Italian Firefighters/Handout via Reuters
Two passenger trains are seen after a collision in the middle of an olive grove in the southern village of Corato, near Bari, Italy, in this handout picture released by Italian Firefighters July 12, 2016. Italian Firefighters/Handout via Reuters
Firefighters work at the site where two passenger trains collided in the middle of an olive grove in the southern village of Corato, near Bari, Italy, in this handout picture released by Italian Firefighters July 12, 2016. Italian Firefighters/Handout via Reuters
Two passenger trains are seen after a collision in the middle of an olive grove in the southern village of Corato, near Bari, Italy, in this handout picture released by Italian Firefighters July 12, 2016. Italian Firefighters/Handout via Reuters
A damaged passenger train is seen after a collision with another in the middle of an olive grove in the southern village of Corato, near Bari, Italy, in this handout picture released by Italian Firefighters July 12, 2016. Italian Firefighters/handout via Reuters
This aerial handout photo shows what is left of two commuters trains after their head-on collision in the southern region of Puglia, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. At least 10 people died and several others are reported injured. (Italian Firefighter Press Office via AP)
At least 22 people have died after two Italian commuter trains collided head-on in the southern region of Puglia, officials said.
Scores more were injured and at least two passengers were pulled alive from the crumpled wreckage as the rescue operation ground on in the scorching heat.
Railway police commander Giancarlo Conticchio told Sky TG24 said that the number of dead was 22 with 43 people injured, adding that the final toll could still be higher.
"Surely one of the two trains shouldn't have been there. And surely there was an error. We need to determine the cause of the error," Mr Conticchio said.
Another official stressed the final toll would not be known until the train cars had been pulled apart; a giant crane arrived at the scene to remove the mangled debris.
The two trains, each with four cars, collided head-on in an olive grove on flat terrain between the towns of Andria and Corato on a line with just a single track. The accident occurred around 11.30am local time, some 30 miles north-west of the Puglia regional capital, Bari.
Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Firefighters work at the site where two passenger trains collided in the middle of an olive grove in the southern village of Corato, near Bari, Italy, in this handout picture released by Italian Firefighters July 12, 2016. Italian Firefighters/Handout via Reuters Two passenger trains are seen after a collision in the middle of an olive grove in the southern village of Corato, near Bari, Italy Italian Firefighters/Handout via Reuters Two passenger trains are seen after a collision in the middle of an olive grove in the southern village of Corato, near Bari, Italy, in this handout picture released by Italian Firefighters July 12, 2016. Italian Firefighters/Handout via Reuters Firefighters work at the site where two passenger trains collided in the middle of an olive grove in the southern village of Corato, near Bari, Italy, in this handout picture released by Italian Firefighters July 12, 2016. Italian Firefighters/Handout via Reuters Firefighters work at the site where two passenger trains collided in the middle of an olive grove in the southern village of Corato, near Bari, Italy, in this handout picture released by Italian Firefighters July 12, 2016. Italian Firefighters/Handout via Reuters This aerial handout photo shows what is left of two commuters trains after their head-on collision in the southern region of Puglia, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. At least 10 people died and several others are reported injured. (Italian Firefighter Press Office via AP) Italian firefighters Vigili del Fuoco inspect the wreckage of two commuter trains after their head-on collision in the southern region of Puglia, killing several people, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (Italian Firefighter Press Office via AP) The wreckage of a crumpled wagon at the scene of a train accident after two commuter trains collided head-on in the southern region of Puglia, killing several people, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (Italian Firefighter Press Office via AP) Italian firefighters Vigili del Fuoco respond to the scene of a train accident after two commuter trains collided head-on in the southern region of Puglia, killing several people, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. (Italian Firefighter Press Office via AP) / Facebook
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"It's a disaster as if an airplane fell," Corato mayor Massimo Mazzilli said on his Facebook page, where he posted photos of the crash.
Italian premier Matteo Renzi pledged a thorough investigation and returned to Rome from Milan to monitor the situation. His transport minister, Graziano Delrio, as well as local prosecutors were at the scene.
"We must begin to understand the causes of this tragedy that has saddened the whole country," Mr Delrio said at the site, announcing a commission of inquiry. "The crash was certainly violent. Extremely violent."
The cars clearly slammed into one another: They rested crumpled together like an accordion, off the tracks at sharp angles. News reports said rescue workers pulled a child alive from the rubble.
Riccardo Zingaro, the chief of the local police in Andria, told Sky it was "a great tragedy". Some rescue workers seemed overwhelmed by the scene and the heat.
"The impact was significant, and we are now verifying the consequences," said Giovanni De Siervo of Italy's civil protection service.
A field hospital was set up in the nearby fields to treat the numerous injured, who were also being transported to hospitals.
"Some of the cars are completely crumpled and the rescuers are extracting people from the metal, many of them injured," Mr Zingaro told ANSA at the scene.
Mr Renzi said the train crash "is a moment of tears" and pledged not to stop investigating until a cause was determined.
The trains were operated by a private, Bari-based rail company, Ferrotramviaria, that connects the city of Bari with Puglia towns to the north and the airport.
Ferrotramviaria's website said its fleet comprises 21 electric trains, most with four cars each. The line serves mostly students and commuters.
In a phone interview with state TV, Ferrotramviaria director general Massimo Nitti said the dynamics of what went wrong are still to be determined, but it is clear "one of the trains wasn't supposed to be there" at the same time as the other.
Theresa May visiting Number 10 last year tomorrow she moves in as prime minister. Photo: Anthony Devlin/PA Wire
Theresa May will reward loyal supporters but ensure that prominent Leavers have key positions in her cabinet.
Chris Grayling, Ms May's campaign manager and currently the Leader of Commons, may succeed her as home secretary or play a central role in Brexit talks.
Other allies, such as Damian Green, a former home office minister, and Alan Duncan, who acted as a spokesman for the May campaign, are also in line to return to government.
Another significant figure is Robert Halfon, the Conservative Party's vice-chairman. He has called for sweeping changes in the way the party organises and thinks, in order to increase its appeal to working-class voters.
Other supporters who can expect jobs include James Brokenshire, the immigration minister, and Michael Ellis, her parliamentary private secretary. Justine Greening, the development secretary, may also hope for a domestic ministerial post.
Leading candidates for the Treasury are Philip Hammond, the foreign secretary and Sajid Javid, the business secretary. Nicky Morgan, the education secretary, would like to be the first female chancellor, but is seen as an outside bet for the post. Almost all Conservative MPs expect the current chancellor, George Osborne, to leave the Treasury.
Other changes expected include a new health secretary to replace Jeremy Hunt.
One of the biggest questions facing Ms May will be what to do with Boris Johnson - and if he is prepared to serve in her Cabinet, perhaps as Conservative Party chairman. Some of Mr Johnson's friends have suggested he would like to be defence secretary.
Meanwhile, current Northern Ireland secretary Theresa Villiers says she wants to stay in the post. ( Daily Telegraph, London)
Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Police are investigating reports that a brick was thrown through a window at Labour leadership contender Angela Eagle's constituency office.
Merseyside Police said they were called to the premises in Manor Road, Wallasey, on Tuesday morning following reports of criminal damage.
"It is believed that between 5pm last night (Monday) and 9am today, damage was caused to the front ground-floor window of an office," the force said in a statement.
"The incident was reported to Merseyside Police at 9.55am today. An investigation into the incident is ongoing."
The incident follows the formal announcement on Monday by Ms Eagle that she is challenging Jeremy Corbyn for the Labour leadership.
Local councillor Bernie Mooney - a supporter of the MP - told the Liverpool Echo that she had just learned of the attack and was not sure of the damage.
"All I've been told is they have put the windows through. I just got the message and I'm going there now," she said.
Ms Eagle may face moves by local party members to de-select her after the Wallasey Constituency Labour Party (CLP) had urged her to support Mr Corbyn.
The estranged wife of celebrity chef Marco Pierre White could be cleared of assault because son Marco Jr is "too hungover" to give evidence against her, a court has heard.
Matilde White, who is separated from their father and known by her maiden name Conejero, is accused of attacking her adult sons, Luciano and Marco Jr.
She allegedly "burst her way" into Marco Jr's flat in Chiswick, west London, and told him: "You're a f****** loser junkie - you're going to prison."
White apparently then kicked Marco Jr repeatedly in the groin before dragging him along by his hair.
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When Luciano tried to separate them she allegedly lashed out at him and bit him on the arm.
Both Luciano and Marco Jr, key witnesses in the case, failed to attend Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.
The prosecution are now reviewing the case to see if there is enough evidence to proceed with the trial without the two alleged victims.
Officers were initially unable to make contact with either of the brothers because both were not answering their phones.
Marco Jr later told police he was "too hungover" to give evidence after apparently going out partying on Monday night.
Prosecutor Katie Weiss said: "An officer went to the address, Marco Pierre White Jr wasn't there. Friends at the property said he had a gone to a party last night and he was in Hampshire.
"Officers spoke to him on the phone and he said he is too hungover to come today. He said he is ill."
Police have been unable to make contact with Luciano, the court was told.
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District Judge Deborah Wright issued witness summons for Luciano and Marco Jr on Tuesday but refused to adjourn the trial after they still failed to turn up.
"Luciano is not at home nor contactable, his phone is switched off," she said.
"I am advised that Marco went to a party last night and is too ill to attend court today, probably because of a hangover.
"In both cases the witnesses were aware of their obligation to attend court today and they haven't done so."
White arrived at the court at 9am and spoke only to confirm her details in the dock before the case was adjourned until Tuesday afternoon.
The 51-year-old, of Chiswick High Road, west London, is charged with two counts of common assault by beating.
She denies the charges and claims she was acting in self-defence during the incident on September 20 last year.
Michael Smith, defending, branded Marco Jr "utterly outrageous" for his attitude to the criminal justice system.
The 21-year-old sparked controversy during his recent appearance on Big Brother after romping with former fellow housemate Laura Carter.
He had apparently been given a "hall pass" by fiancee at the time, Kim Melville-Smith, which allowed him to cheat on her during his time on the show.
But after his on-screen sexual encounter, she angrily tweeted that it did not mean an "open relationship" and the pair have since split up.
Marco Jr, the first evictee of this year's show, was engaged to commodity broker Jessyca Hydleman until March 2016.
New Conservative Party leader Theresa May gets a kiss from her husband Philip John May at Westminster. Photo: Getty
Theresa May has pledged to "forge a new role" for Britain outside the EU and give the people of the UK back their "control" after it was announced she will tomorrow become the second female prime minister in the nation's history.
She will inevitably be now compared to Margaret Thatcher, who was dubbed the 'Iron Lady'.
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Ms May, the home secretary, said that "Brexit means Brexit" as she pledged to "make a success" of life outside the EU after Andrea Leadsom, her rival for the Conservative Party leadership, stepped aside.
David Cameron said at Downing Street that Ms May would "provide the leadership our country is going to need".
He announced he will travel to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to the queen tomorrow following a final Commons farewell at Prime Minister's Questions.
Ms May will be formally confirmed as Britain's 76th prime minister in the evening, and is expected to appoint her Cabinet the following day.
Yesterday she made a brief victory speech outside the St Stephen's entrance to the Commons in front of 100 supporters in which she paid tribute to the "dignity" of Ms Leadsom.
Ms Leadsom quit the contest after she admitted she had been left "shattered" by criticism from fellow Tory MPs for suggesting that as a mother she was better placed to be the next prime minister than Ms May.
Ms May said: "During this campaign my case has been based on three things - first the need for strong, proven leadership to steer us through what will be difficult and uncertain economic and political times.
"The need, of course, to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU and to forge a new role for ourselves in the world. Brexit means Brexit and we're going to make a success of it.
"Second, we need to unite our country and, third, we need a strong new positive vision for the future of our country. A vision of a country that works not just for the privileged few, but that works for every one of us.
"Because we are going to give people more control over their lives. That's how together we will build a better Britain."
She rejected calls for her to hold a snap general election, instead vowing to Conservative MPs that she would win an increased majority in 2020.
It came after a day of political drama, which began at 11am when Ms May officially launched her leadership campaign in Birmingham.
Read more: Theresa May: Meet the woman who will be Britain's new Prime Minister
Read more: Theresa May says she's 'honoured and humbled' to become British Prime Minister
With her husband Philip watching from the front row, Ms May spent 20 minutes delivering her vision for a "different kind of Conservatism" as she distanced herself from the economic legacy of David Cameron and George Osborne.
As she finished her speech, she and her staff were prepared for a nine-week Conservative leadership election contest.
Instead, they discovered she would be getting a coronation - anointed prime minister-in-waiting just five hours later after a contest that lasted just four days.
At 11.50am, with rumours in Westminster that Ms Leadsom was about to resign, Ms May and her closest advisers were driven back to London.
At 12.15pm, Ms Leadsom announced she was quitting the leadership contest, clearing the way for Ms May to become Conservative leader.
On the two-hour drive back to London, Ms May texted supporters as she tried to come to terms with the sudden end of the leadership campaign and the realisation she would become the next prime minister.
On her return to London, Ms May wasted little time. At 3pm she held a meeting with Mr Cameron, where he agreed there should be a "swift" transition.
Less than an hour later, the prime minister emerged from Downing Street and announced the timetable for his departure.
Until yesterday it was assumed he would stay on as Conservative leader until September 9, finishing his tenure with a summit of G20 world leaders. He told media at Downing Street he would now be leaving office tomorrow evening.
He said he would hold a cabinet meeting this morning, have a valedictory Prime Minister's Questions tomorrow and formally tender his resignation to the queen shortly afterwards.
"We're not going to have a prolonged Conservative leadership election campaign. I think Andrea Leadsom has made absolutely the right decision to stand aside and it's clear Theresa May has the overwhelming support of the Conservative parliamentary party.
"I'm also delighted that Theresa May will be the next prime minister. She is strong, she is competent, she's more than able to provide the leadership that our country is going to need in the years ahead and she will have my full support."
Michael Gove, who finished a distant third among MPs, said: "Andrea Leadsom spoke with great dignity and courage today. I wish her every success in the future." ( Daily Telegraph, London)
Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
People walk with their belongings in the South Sudan capital Juba following the ceasefire announcement (AP)
Embassies and aid organisations in South Sudan are evacuating staff from the capital, Juba, as a precarious calm settled over the city following several days of deadly clashes between government and opposition forces.
UN officials said several hundred people have already been killed, including civilians seeking refuge, many of whom were targeted on the basis of their ethnicity.
South Sudan's government said at least 272 people have been killed, including 33 civilians, in fighting that broke out on Thursday between opposing army forces which raised fears of a return to civil war.
President Salva Kiir and former rebel leader, first vice president Riek Machar, declared separate ceasefires on Monday night.
Since then, military trucks have driven through Juba, using megaphones to order soldiers back to barracks.
The UN said It is "hugely worrying" that the fighting appeared to be spreading outside the capital.
The US Embassy, Doctors Without Borders and the International Medical Corps are among organisations pulling out their staff from South Sudan.
Private chartered planes have flown foreigners out of Juba's reopened airport throughout Tuesday, as regional carriers including Kenya Airways cancelled flights.
Japan has dispatched military aircraft to evacuate its citizens. Uganda will also send troops to Juba to ensure its citizens leave safely.
South Sudanese nationals trying to escape the capital were prevented from doing so by authorities, according to a security worker in Juba.
Aid groups have warned about the lack of clean water for the tens of thousands of people sheltering in various sites around Juba as water tankers have not been able to make deliveries.
The fighting in Juba has severely threatened a peace deal signed last year between Mr Kiir and Mr Machar to end a civil war which has killed tens of thousands since late 2013.
The agreement brought them and their supporters into a transitional coalition government in April.
In the latest fighting, government troops lined up tanks and fired on a UN base where tens of thousands of civilians are sheltering, according to witnesses. At least eight civilians in the UN camp were killed in the crossfire.
Government officials have repeatedly accused the civilians inside the UN bases of being rebels or rebel supporters.
Two Chinese peacekeepers with the UN mission were also killed.
The government also overran one of Mr Machar's two bases in Juba, deploying helicopter gunships and tanks against opposition forces carrying only light arms.
Some 35 of Mr Machar's bodyguards were killed in the latest clashes.
South Sudan's civil war exposed deep ethnic fault lines in the country, pitting the Dinka supporters of Mr Kiir against the Nuer followers of Mr Machar.
The latest fighting has awakened fears that South Sudan's other ethnic groups will be drawn into the conflict.
AP
The paper stresses that Germany will not act unilaterally
Germany has affirmed its growing role on the world stage in new security guidelines that mark another step away from its caution following the Second World War.
A draft defence policy paper due to be presented on Wednesday states that "Germany is a globally highly connected country ... which has a responsibility to actively shape the global order".
The paper formalises what leading officials have been saying for the past two and a half years - a period in which Germany has played a leading diplomatic role in the Ukraine conflict and joined a campaign to support the fight against Islamic insurgents in Mali.
Germany also sent weapons to Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq, breaking with a previous reluctance to send arms into conflict situations.
Although the country has stepped up its diplomatic and military role, there is still little chance of the government - which must have all military missions approved by parliament - dispatching combat troops to global hotspots in the same way as European allies France and the UK, or acting unilaterally.
The so-called "white book," the first such security policy review since 2006, stresses that Germany has no intention of acting alone and that all military action and diplomatic crises need to be tackled and solved with the country's partners and allies.
"The armed forces are focused on acting in a multilateral framework," it says.
"When it comes to taking responsibility for international security we are strongly dependent on the coordinated cooperation with our partners."
However, the government also said: "Germany is ready to introduce itself as an early, determined and substantial source of inspiration in the international debate, to have responsibility and take on leadership."
The paper also raises, albeit vaguely, the possibility of other European Union countries' citizens serving in Germany's military.
"Opening the armed forces for citizens of the EU would offer not just far-reaching integration and regeneration potential for their personnel robustness, but also would be a strong signal for a European perspective," it said.
Germany backs Nato nations' pledge to spend 2% of their national incomes on defence and is increasing defence spending.
However, German chancellor Angela Merkel acknowledged last week that "a lot remains to be done" to reach that mark - officials estimate that Germany's defence spending will increase from 1.19% of gross domestic product this year to 1.21% in 2017.
Germany emerged slowly from its post-Second World War diplomatic shell after reunification in 1990.
Former chancellor Helmut Kohl broke a taboo over deploying troops abroad by sending military medics to support the UN mission in Cambodia in 1992.
By the early 2000s, Germany had thousands of troops abroad - taking significant roles in Afghanistan and Kosovo, among other places.
AP
An Indian soldier stands guard near a roadblock set up by Kashmiri protesters, during a curfew in Srinagar (AP)
India's prime minister has called an emergency meeting to discuss the escalating violence in Kashmir amid anti-India protests that have left at least 28 people dead in clashes with authorities.
The protests erupted over the weekend after Indian troops killed the popular young leader of Kashmir's largest rebel group which has been fighting against Indian rule in the Himalayan region since the 1990s.
Defying curfews and paramilitary troops and riot police on patrol, crowds of stone-throwing youths rallied in the main city of Srinagar and other places around the region on Tuesday. Separatist politicians, most of them under house arrest, extended a call for a general strike until Wednesday.
Police said on Tuesday that the death toll from the street violence had reached 28, after three young men died overnight. Most of those killed were teenagers and men younger than 26 from southern Kashmir, they added.
Doctors and government officials said they were struggling with a medical emergency after hundreds of civilians were admitted to hospitals with bullet and pellet wounds. At least 100 troops were also injured in the clashes.
Authorities appealed for calm a mid reported scuffles between law enforcement and hospital staff.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, having just returned from a four-nation tour in Africa, called a high-level government meeting on Tuesday to discuss how to calm the region and restore peace.
On Monday, authorities said they sent at least 2,000 more law enforcement troops to the mountainous region, where hundreds of thousands are already deployed on a permanent basis.
Indian officials also lifted a suspension on the annual Hindu pilgrimage to a mountain cave which draws about half a million people each year, and asked that law enforcement ensure the security of the pilgrimage.
Across Kashmir on Tuesday, shops were shut, businesses closed and mobile phone and internet services were suspended in parts of the region.
The violence is part of an ongoing conflict that dates back to 1947, when India and Pakistan gained independence but failed to agree on which country would get Kashmir. The two countries have fought two of their three wars over their rival claims to the mostly Muslim region, while each currently administers a part of it.
On the Indian side, many of the 12 million residents resent the Indian troop presence and back rebel demands for independence or a merger with neighboring Pakistan. Since the 1990s, more than 68,000 people have been killed in Kashmir's uprising against Indian rule and the subsequent Indian military crackdown.
In an unprecedented outpouring of support for the rebel cause, tens of thousands of Kashmiris defied a curfew to attend the funeral on Saturday of rebel leader Burhan Wani, who was killed by Indian forces in a gun battle on Friday night.
Wani, in his early 20s, had become the face of Kashmir's militancy, using social media to rally supporters and reach out to other youths like him who had grown up while hundreds of thousands of Indian armed forces have been deployed across the region.
On Monday, Pakistani Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry expressed concern over the killings of Wani and civilian protesters, telling the Indian high commissioner that the use of force against peaceful protesters was a human rights violation and that the killings should be investigated, according to a statement.
AP
U.S President Barack Obama waves after his speech to army service members and their families at the Rota naval airbase, near Cadiz, Spain. Reuters/Marcelo Del Pozo
US President Barack Obama is to lead the nation in honouring victims of the Dallas shooting.
He will visit the Texas city less than a week after five of its police officers were shot dead by an army veteran-turned-sniper during a brazen act of violence that Mr Obama denounced as a "vicious, calculated and despicable attack on law enforcement" by a "demented" individual.
Just a few weeks ago, he spent hours in Orlando, Florida, consoling the loved ones of 49 people who were killed in a shooting rampage at a gay nightclub.
In what has become an unwelcome but regular duty of his presidency, Mr Obama was preparing to address an interfaith memorial service in Dallas for the officers. They were killed last Thursday while standing guard as hundreds of people peacefully protested over the police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota earlier in the week.
The attack ended with the gunman, Micah Johnson, 25, blown up by a bomb delivered by a police robot. The black army veteran portrayed the attack on the white officers as payback for the fatal police shootings of black men in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and suburban Minneapolis.
Portions of both shootings were videotaped and broadcast nationwide, leading to fresh outrage, protests and scores of arrests. The killings also put the country on edge, heightened racial tensions and pushed the issue of the use of deadly force against black males by white police officers to the forefront.
Mr Obama will seek to bridge those issues with his tribute to the fallen five, who included a former army ranger, a navy veteran and a newlywed starting a second family.
The President, joined by his wife, Michelle, and Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, will also meet privately with the dead officers' families as well as the injured to convey the support and gratitude for their service and sacrifice that has been expressed around the country. At least nine other officers and two civilians were injured in the attack.
Former president George W Bush and his wife, Laura, will also attend. Mr Bush, who settled in Dallas after leaving office in 2009, will also speak at the service.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Mr Obama recognises that people across the US join Dallas in grieving over the recent, troubling events.
"The President is hoping to offer some measure of comfort," Mr Earnest said.
Mr Obama and Mr Biden met police chiefs, sheriffs and rank-and-file officers on Monday to discuss adopting a series of reforms that were drafted by a White House taskforce on policing, as well as how to restore trust between police officers and the communities they are sworn to serve and protect.
Mr Obama is planning a meeting on Wednesday with a broader group that includes law enforcement, activists and academics.
The massacre of law enforcement officers in Dallas was the latest gun tragedy in the extraordinary life of the city's police chief, David Brown.
Mr Brown (55) lost both his brother and first police partner to gun violence.
Most painfully of all, six years ago his own son shot dead a policeman and was then killed himself by other officers.
Mr Brown is black, grew up in a rough neighbourhood in South Dallas and describes himself as an "inner city kid".
Having seen first-hand the ravages of the crack cocaine epidemic in the early 1980s he became passionate about joining the police force.
In 1988 his first partner, Officer Walter Williams, was investigating a burglary when he was ambushed and fatally shot in the head.
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Three years later, his younger brother Kelvin was also shot in the head and killed by drug dealers. Mr Brown was devastated by the tragedies but forged on, spending most of the 1990s as a SWAT officer.
In 2010, he was made head of the Dallas Police Department and its 3,600 officers.
Weeks later, on Father's Day, a gunman randomly killed a young father who was driving his family in a car. A police officer rushed to the scene and was also shot and killed.
More police arrived and opened fire, fatally hitting the gunman with 12 bullets.
Incredibly, they then discovered the dead shooter was 27-year-old David Brown Jnr, the chief's son. The young man suffered from bipolar disorder and a post-mortem showed he had been high on drugs, including PCP.
Mr Brown went to visit the families of his son's victims and apologised to them in person.
At the time he said: "It hurts so deeply I cannot adequately express the sadness I feel inside my heart."
He added: "I can't deny that's a part of who I am. The families of victims, I know what they go through."
Meanwhile, around 130 people have been arrested in Baton Rouge as demonstrations continue over shootings by police.
With officers carrying rifles in an effort to keep protesters off a major road, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said he was "very proud" of the law enforcement response to marches over the fatal shooting of a black man by white police officers in the city.
Democratic US Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton smiles as Senator Bernie Sanders pauses while endorsing her during a campaign rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, US. Picture: REUTERS/Brian Snyder
Bernie Sanders has endorsed Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee in the race for the White House.
The Vermont senator stood side-by-side with his rival as he backed Mrs Clinton at a rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
He pledged that his "political revolution" would continue, but acknowledged that Mrs Clinton had won the delegates required to snag the nomination.
This has been true for weeks, and Democrats have been angling for Mr Sanders to drop out of the campaign and endorse the former secretary of state.
Expand Close Democratic US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton addresses a campaign rally where Democratic candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (L) endorsed Clinton in Portsmouth, New Hampshire,US. Photo: REUTERS/Brian Snyder / Facebook
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Whatsapp Democratic US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton addresses a campaign rally where Democratic candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (L) endorsed Clinton in Portsmouth, New Hampshire,US. Photo: REUTERS/Brian Snyder
Mr Sanders promised to work to help Mrs Clinton win in November, calling her "far and away the best candidate" to confront the challenges facing America.
Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump has been trying to draw Sanders supporters towards his campaign.
Mr Sanders called for unity just two weeks shy of the Democratic National Convention.
The self-described democratic socialist, whose calls for a "political revolution" energised millions of American voters, congratulated Mrs Clinton for winning the nomination and vowed to do everything he can to help her beat Donald Trump.
Listing his reasons for the endorsement, Mr Sanders said: "Hillary Clinton understands that we must fix an economy in America that is rigged and that sends almost all new wealth and income to the top 1%.
"Hillary Clinton understands that if someone in America works 40 hours a week, that person should not be living in poverty."
Democrats have coalesced around Mrs Clinton's candidacy since she defeated Mr Sanders in primaries last month in California and five other states, led by endorsements from president Barack Obama, vice president Joe Biden and others.
Mr Sanders has spent the past month seeking to influence the party's platform at the Philadelphia convention and promote electoral reforms, including allowing independents to participate in future primaries.
The platform includes many of his proposals, including a 15 dollars per hour (11) minimum wage, tougher restrictions on Wall Street and an end to the death penalty.
The event at a Portsmouth high school sought to project Democratic unity before Republicans formally nominate Mr Trump next week in Cleveland - but some Sanders supporters in the crowd did not appear to be ready to move on.
Chants of "Bernie" broke out in the gymnasium while opening speakers addressed the crowd, prompting Mrs Clinton's backers to chant: "Unity".
When senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Clinton supporter, told the audience: "We need to elect Hillary," some Bernie supporters stood and shouted "No," which was followed by chants of "Hillary" from other parts of the crowd.
The Vermont senator saw his longshot bid for the White House quickly catch fire in 2015 at large-scale rallies where he denounced income inequality, the influence of Wall Street and the role of big money in politics - all part of a system he described as "rigged".
Mr Sanders was powered by an impressive online fundraising machine which raised more than 200 million dollars (154 million) and threatened Mrs Clinton's once overwhelming lead in the Democratic primaries. He drew upon the support of college students, independents and white voters drawn to his anti-establishment message.
His endorsement could help bring some of those supporters into the fold for Mrs Clinton as she prepares to face off with Mr Trump in the autumn.
Mr Trump, who previously said Mr Sanders had been "treated terribly by the Democrats" and should have run as an independent, wasted no time in going after the Vermont senator.
"Bernie Sanders, who has lost most of his leverage, has totally sold out to Crooked Hillary Clinton," Mr Trump wrote on Twitter.
"Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters."
Donald Trump's campaign said Mr Sanders "is now officially part of a rigged system".
Senior policy adviser Stephen Miller said the Vermont senator is "endorsing one of the most pro-war, pro-Wall Street, and pro-off-shoring candidates in the history of the Democratic Party".
He added: "The candidate who ran against special interests is endorsing the candidate who embodies special interests."
Mr Sanders told the audience in New Hampshire: "It is no secret that Hillary Clinton and I disagree on a number of issues - that's what this campaign has been about."
But he added: "There was a significant coming together between the two campaigns and we produced, by far, the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic Party.
"Our job now is to see that platform implemented by a Democratic Senate, a Democratic House and a Hillary Clinton president - and I am going to do everything I can to make that happen."
Mrs Clinton then took to the microphone to welcome "friends, old and new," and echoed her campaign slogan by telling the crowd: "We are stronger together."
Mrs Clinton added that the election will be far more enjoyable now that she and Mr Sanders are on the same side.
The former US secretary of state said she is happy to be working with someone who has energised the primaries, and claimed Mr Sanders has "brought people off the sidelines and into the political process".
Mrs Clinton also hailed her former rival as a warrior for liberal issues, noting that "his reputation for passionate advocacy hasn't always made him the most popular person in Washington, but that's generally a sign that you're doing something right".
Senator Bernie Sanders will join presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at an event in New Hampshire today, their campaigns have said.
Sanders made his most pro-Clinton comments to date on Thursday, signalling a formal endorsement of his primary rival was imminent.
"We have got to do everything that we can to defeat Donald Trump and elect Hillary Clinton," he said in a taping for PBS's 'Charlie Rose' programme.
Clinton (right) and Sanders will "discuss their commitment to building an America that is stronger together and an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top", at Portsmouth High School, according to the two campaigns.
An endorsement event in the state where Clinton and Barack Obama held their first joint rally in 2008 has been under discussion by the two campaigns, a person familiar with the planning said last week.
Sanders has been working to influence the party's agenda since Clinton clinched the nomination last month. In recent weeks, Clinton has offered plans on healthcare and college affordability that Sanders praised.
The event announcement follows a weekend of intense debate among Democratic Party activists in Orlando, Florida, about the final draft of the 2016 platform - a non-binding document that will be presented at the party's convention in Philadelphia later this month.
An earlier draft hit Wall Street hard in a reflection of Sanders' increased influence on the party. On Saturday, Democrats approved stricter 'financial crime' language in the final platform draft.
About half of Sanders' primary supporters said they'll back Clinton in the general election against Trump, according to a Bloomberg Politics national poll conducted last month.
Meanwhile, NBC reported that the anti-Trump forces within the Republican party have unleashed a back-up plan in case their efforts to deny the controversial billionaire the nomination fail: Give delegates in Cleveland the power to chose his vice president.
It's a roll of the dice, with the idea being that if can't deny Trump the nomination, then at least they can effect one major concession.
The proposal is being distributed by the executive director of the group 'Free the Delegates', Regina Thomson, and it would change 'rule 40' - a party bylaw that guides how delegates choose the nomination of both the president and vice president. The anti-Trump rebels' proposals would give delegates the power to have a say in Trump's running mate.
"It would make it so that it would be more clear and easier for the convention body to assert itself in making the nomination," said a delegate on the rules committee sympathetic to the anti-Trump effort.
The nominee's running mate is still technically decided by an independent delegate vote and delegates have no obligation to support the nominee's choice.
That scenario has recent precedent. When Senator John McCain seriously considered then Senator Joe Lieberman as a running mate in 2008, many delegates viewed Lieberman's abortion record as so unacceptable, they threatened to vote him down in a floor fight if nominated.
Criticism is mounting over how police in Louisiana dealt with throngs of protesters during the weekend, including nearly 200 demonstrators who were arrested and may yet face criminal charges.
The protests have been growing around the country as people express outrage over the recent deaths of two black men at the hands of police in Louisiana and Minnesota.
East Baton Rouge district attorney Hillar Moore said his office had not made any decisions on charges against the protesters and that it would be done on a case-by-case basis.
"We're going to do as good job as we can, as quickly as we can, to try to go through the (police) reports as they come in," he said.
Mr Moore suggested that "first offenders" and people who may have just "stepped over a line" could have their cases resolved more quickly than those for protesters accused of carrying guns or injuring officers.
But with tensions rising since last week's killings of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge and Philando Castile in Minnesota by white officers, and an attack on police by a black sniper in Dallas, Texas, that killed five officers, many have questioned whether the police response has been appropriate.
Kristy Carter, who has been protesting every night since Mr Sterling was killed, said officers outside the police station said it would not be a problem provided protesters did not cross barricades or stop traffic - but that in practice it was different.
"Yesterday evening we were standing here ... and they just started coming and attacking the crowd for no reason," Ms Carter said of the police. "They are telling us not to be violent, but they are being violent against us."
Jade Flint said police seemed to be getting more agitated as the Saturday evening protests went on.
"The job is to protect us while we are out here trying to protest for our rights. Not to agitate us and pick and grab people," she said.
Kira Marrero, 22, of New Orleans, was the first protester freed from Baton Rouge's jail on Sunday. She accused police of acting in an "inflammatory" manner and said an officer had pointed a rifle at her and other protesters before her arrest.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana said Baton Rouge police "used violent, militarised tactics on groups of people who have gathered peacefully in protest of Alton Sterling's killing".
Amnesty International questioned the high number of arrests during Saturday's protests and whether it was a "proportionate response to peaceful protests".
Louisiana authorities have said repeatedly that they have no problem with protesters and pointed out the number of rallies that have been co-ordinated with authorities and have gone off without problem.
In the first few days following Mr Sterling's death, police took a more reserved approach to enforcement, keeping a low profile as hundreds of people gathered outside the convenience store where he died.
Baton Rouge police chief Carl Dabadie said on Friday that his department was striving to avoid a "military-style response" to the protests.
But tensions ratcheted up and police arrested 200 demonstrators over a three-day period and took to the streets in riot gear, carrying rifles and driving armoured vehicles.
Governor John Bel Edwards said on Sunday he was "very proud" of how Louisiana's law enforcement agencies responded to the protests and did not believe police officers had been overly aggressive.
A Baton Rouge police spokesman said Monday that the arrests stemmed largely from people not obeying officers' commands.
"They had several opportunities to get out of the road, to disperse. They were ignored," said Sergeant Don Coppola, referring to one incident.
Asked why some officers were armed with high-powered rifles at protests, he said: "You don't really know what you're walking into. You want to have every precautionary means that you may need ... to disperse these crowds."
Mr Coppola said the department respected people's right to protest peacefully and people from outside Baton Rouge were largely responsible for confrontations at protests.
Police had confiscated three rifles, three shotguns and two pistols during protests, he said earlier.
One officer was hit by a projectile and injured in the weekend protests, authorities said.
On Monday, convenience store owner Abdullah Muflahi filed a lawsuit against Baton Rouge police claiming he was detained illegally after he recorded the confrontation between police and Mr Sterling on his mobile phone.
The writ says he was kept in the back of a police vehicle for four hours and detained at the Louisiana State Police headquarters for two hours while he was questioned.
A search warrant for surveillance video from the store said that, during the arrest, officers saw "the butt of a gun" in Mr Sterling's pocket and that he tried "to reach for the gun from his pocket".
The US Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights investigation into Mr Sterling's death.
Police tape surrounds the Berrien County Court in Michigan after the shooting (Chelsea Purgahn/Kalamazoo Gazette/AP)
A prisoner trying to escape from a Michigan court wrested a gun from an officer, killing two bailiffs and injuring two more people before he was shot dead.
People scrambled for cover inside Berrien County Courthouse in St Joseph, about 100 miles north east of Chicago.
"Our hearts are torn apart. I have known them for over 30 years. It's a sad day," Sheriff Paul Bailey said of the bailiffs, Joseph Zangaro, 61, and Ronald Kienzle, 63.
Mr Zangaro, who was head of court security, had retired from the Michigan State Police as commander of the Bridgman Post in Berrien County.
Mr Kienzle retired as a sergeant with the Benton Township police after serving in the US Army. Both had been employed by the court for more than a decade.
Larry Gordon, 44, who was in custody facing several felony charges, was being moved from a cell for a court appearance on Monday when a fight broke out and he was able to disarm an officer, Sheriff Bailey said.
He shot sheriff's deputy James Atterberry, 41, killed the bailiffs, then shot a woman civilian in the arm in a public area, the sheriff said. Mr Atterberry is in a stable condition at Lakeland Hospital, following surgery on his arm.
Gordon was finally shot dead "by two other bailiffs who came to render aid, along with several other officers", Sheriff Bailey said. "He was trying to escape."
During the incident, Gordon took hostages for a short period before trying to leave through another door.
The sheriff said it did not appear that Gordon was handcuffed and authorities had "no warning signs" that he would be violent.
Gordon's ex-wife Jessica Gordon told WOOD-TV and the Detroit Free Press that he was probably trying to escape to see his family. She said he was "not a monster" but "an amazing man that got mixed up with the wrong people".
Ms Gordon said they divorced earlier this year but he remained close with his six-year-old daughter. She said she spoke with him on Sunday and had no indication he was planning an attack.
Michigan governor Rick Snyder cut short a visit to Midland and travelled across the state to St Joseph to meet investigators and victims' families.
Mr Snyder described the incident as a "terrible day in a wonderful community".
Bernie Sanders has endorsed Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee in the race for the White House.
The Vermont senator stood side-by-side with his rival as he backed Mrs Clinton at a rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
He pledged that his "political revolution" would continue, but acknowledged that Mrs Clinton had won the delegates required to snag the nomination.
This has been true for weeks, and Democrats have been angling for Mr Sanders to drop out of the campaign and endorse the former secretary of state.
Mr Sanders promised to work to help Mrs Clinton win in November, calling her "far and away the best candidate" to confront the challenges facing America.
Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump has been trying to draw Sanders supporters towards his campaign.
Mr Sanders called for unity just two weeks shy of the Democratic National Convention.
The self-described democratic socialist, whose calls for a "political revolution" energised millions of American voters, congratulated Mrs Clinton for winning the nomination and vowed to do everything he can to help her beat Donald Trump.
Listing his reasons for the endorsement, Mr Sanders said: "Hillary Clinton understands that we must fix an economy in America that is rigged and that sends almost all new wealth and income to the top 1%.
"Hillary Clinton understands that if someone in America works 40 hours a week, that person should not be living in poverty."
Democrats have coalesced around Mrs Clinton's candidacy since she defeated Mr Sanders in primaries last month in California and five other states, led by endorsements from president Barack Obama, vice president Joe Biden and others.
Mr Sanders has spent the past month seeking to influence the party's platform at the Philadelphia convention and promote electoral reforms, including allowing independents to participate in future primaries.
The platform includes many of his proposals, including a 15 dollars per hour (11) minimum wage, tougher restrictions on Wall Street and an end to the death penalty.
The event at a Portsmouth high school sought to project Democratic unity before Republicans formally nominate Mr Trump next week in Cleveland - but some Sanders supporters in the crowd did not appear to be ready to move on.
Chants of "Bernie" broke out in the gymnasium while opening speakers addressed the crowd, prompting Mrs Clinton's backers to chant: "Unity".
When senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Clinton supporter, told the audience: "We need to elect Hillary," some Bernie supporters stood and shouted "No," which was followed by chants of "Hillary" from other parts of the crowd.
The Vermont senator saw his longshot bid for the White House quickly catch fire in 2015 at large-scale rallies where he denounced income inequality, the influence of Wall Street and the role of big money in politics - all part of a system he described as "rigged".
Mr Sanders was powered by an impressive online fundraising machine which raised more than 200 million dollars (154 million) and threatened Mrs Clinton's once overwhelming lead in the Democratic primaries. He drew upon the support of college students, independents and white voters drawn to his anti-establishment message.
His endorsement could help bring some of those supporters into the fold for Mrs Clinton as she prepares to face off with Mr Trump in the autumn.
Mr Trump, who previously said Mr Sanders had been "treated terribly by the Democrats" and should have run as an independent, wasted no time in going after the Vermont senator.
"Bernie Sanders, who has lost most of his leverage, has totally sold out to Crooked Hillary Clinton," Mr Trump wrote on Twitter.
"Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters."
Donald Trump's campaign said Mr Sanders "is now officially part of a rigged system".
Senior policy adviser Stephen Miller said the Vermont senator is "endorsing one of the most pro-war, pro-Wall Street, and pro-off-shoring candidates in the history of the Democratic Party".
He added: "The candidate who ran against special interests is endorsing the candidate who embodies special interests."
AP
Mr Sanders told the audience in New Hampshire: "It is no secret that Hillary Clinton and I disagree on a number of issues - that's what this campaign has been about."
But he added: "There was a significant coming together between the two campaigns and we produced, by far, the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic Party.
"Our job now is to see that platform implemented by a Democratic Senate, a Democratic House and a Hillary Clinton president - and I am going to do everything I can to make that happen."
Mrs Clinton then took to the microphone to welcome "friends, old and new," and echoed her campaign slogan by telling the crowd: "We are stronger together."
Mrs Clinton added that the election will be far more enjoyable now that she and Mr Sanders are on the same side.
The former US secretary of state said she is happy to be working with someone who has energised the primaries, and claimed Mr Sanders has "brought people off the sidelines and into the political process".
Mrs Clinton also hailed her former rival as a warrior for liberal issues, noting that "his reputation for passionate advocacy hasn't always made him the most popular person in Washington, but that's generally a sign that you're doing something right".
Mr Trump has said he believes the problem is "far worse than Barack Obama thinks it is" (AP)
US presidential hopeful Donald Trump has said he believes relations between police and the nation's African-American community are "far worse" than people think.
The presumptive Republican nominee predicts that protests against police violence which followed the fatal shooting of five police officers in Dallas last week "might be just the beginning for this summer".
Mr Trump struck a balance between the law-and-order rhetoric he has espoused during his campaign and an appreciation for the concerns held by black Americans about the conduct of police.
Mr Trump suggested that a lack of training for officers might be at least partially to blame for the two police shootings which led to last Thursday's protest in Dallas, where a lone gunman killed five officers in an apparent act of vengeance against white police.
At the same time, Mr Trump denounced the name of the Black Lives Matter movement as "a very divisive term".
"A lot of people agree with that. A lot of people feel that it is inherently racist. And it's a very divisive term," he said, echoing recent comments by former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.
"Because all lives matter. It's a very, very divisive term."
Mr Trump added that he has heard some Black Lives Matter activists say "horrible, horrible things about police and about others".
The billionaire also said of protests over police brutality: "It's time for our hostility against our police, and against all members of law enforcement, to end, and end immediately, right now."
He went on to compare anti-police sentiment to the harassment faced by returning veterans in the aftermath of the Vietnam War.
But Mr Trump also referenced the "tragic deaths in Louisiana and Minnesota" during his interview, saying they made clear that "a lot of work" must be done to ensure all Americans feel their safety is being protected.
He said he was disturbed by the images of the two killings - firstly of Alton Sterling, who was shot by police last Tuesday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after being pinned to the pavement by two officers. The altercation was captured on mobile phone video.
The following day, Philando Castile was fatally shot by an officer in suburban St Paul, Minnesota, an act streamed live on Facebook by his girlfriend.
Mr Trump said of the deaths: "I thought they were horrible, horrible to witness.
"Whether that's a lack of training or whatever ... but I thought they were two incidents that were absolutely horrible to witness. At the same time, our country is losing its spirit. African-Americans are absolutely losing their spirit."
Mr Trump framed the issue in largely economic terms, blaming the mood of the nation's black community on high unemployment and low wages.
"Jobs can solve so many problems," he said. "And we're going to open our country up and we're going to be a huge jobs producer again instead of having terrible jobs.
"Our good jobs are going away, they're going away from this country," he added.
"We're going to open our country up again for great jobs where people can make terrific livings and be happy."
Asked specifically what he would say to black Americans who feel targeted by police because of their race, Mr Trump said: "We have to talk to 'em and we have to build up the spirit."
He added: "We have to talk with the police. And we have to get people to really get along. People are not getting along in this country. We are in a divided country."
The White House hopeful went on to predict the problem would only grow worse.
"When president Obama said the other day that he doesn't think it's as bad as people think, I think it's far worse - and certainly far worse than he believes it is.
"We are in a divided nation. I looked two nights ago and you were having trouble in 11 different cities, big, big trouble. And the press actually plays it down.
"I mean, you were having big, big trouble in many cities. And I think that might be just the beginning for this summer."
AP
Kizza Besigye had been charged with treason (AP)
Uganda's main opposition leader has been freed after spending two months in jail on treason charges.
A judge freed Kizza Besigye on bail, rejecting prosecutors' calls for him to be remanded indefinitely until his case is concluded.
Mr Besigye waved to chanting supporters in a packed courtroom when the judge ordered his release.
He told reporters that he did not know how long his freedom would last.
Mr Besigye insists he won a presidential election held in February. According to official results, the longtime president, Yoweri Museveni, won with more than 60% of the votes.
Mr Besigye declared a defiance campaign, urging his supporters to protest against what he called a fraudulent victory for Mr Museveni.
The current president has held power since 1986.
AP
Twin brothers Brandon-Lee Thulsie and Tony-Lee Thulsie were charged with conspiring to blow up the US Embassy in Pretoria
Two sets of South African siblings have appeared in court on terror-related charges, including a pair of twin brothers accused of plotting to blow up the US Embassy and various Jewish institutions in the country.
The four were allegedly planning to fly to Syria, where they were due to undergo training by a terror organisation, police spokesman Hangwane Mulaudzi said. They had been under surveillance for nearly a year.
"The allegation is that after the training, they would come back to South Africa," Mr Mulaudzi said, adding that security officials hoped there would be more arrests.
Twin brothers Brandon-Lee Thulsie and Tony-Lee Thulsie were charged with conspiring to blow up the US Embassy in Pretoria and various Jewish targets. Mr Mulaudzi said the twins were arrested in Johannesburg on Saturday.
A provisional charge sheet says the brothers may have links to Islamic State.
Siblings Fatima Patel and Ibrahim Mohammed Patel appeared in a separate court on Monday after a stun grenade and live ammunition were confiscated during a raid on their home outside Johannesburg on Saturday night, said Phindi Louw, a spokeswoman for the National Prosecuting Authority.
All four of the accused are expected to have the chance to apply for bail next week.
Mr Mulaudzi said the arrests are not connected to the warning the United States issued last month of possible terror attacks in South Africa during the holy month of Ramadan.
The South African government accused Washington of creating unnecessary alarm and undermining the country's fight against terror.
This is not the first time South Africa has arrested someone suspected of trying to leave to join Islamic State.
Last year, a 15-year-old girl was arrested on a flight in Cape Town while on her way to join the extremist group, the state security ministry said. It was the country's first known detention linked to Islamic State.
AP
FILE - In this Sunday, May 1, 2016 file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump reacts to a song during a campaign rally at the Indiana Theater in Terre Haute, Ind. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)
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By Nick Penzenstadler, USA TODAY NETWORK
Say something bad about Donald Trump and he will frequently threaten to go to court. "I'll sue you" was a Trump mantra long before "Build a wall." But an analysis of about 4,000 lawsuits filed by and against Trump and his companies shows that he rarely follows through with lawsuits over people's words. He has won only one such case, and the ultimate disposition of that is in dispute.
The Republican presidential candidate has threatened political ad-makers, a rapper, documentary filmmakers, a Palm Beach civic club's newsletter and the Better Business Bureau for lowering its rating of Trump University. He's vowed to sue multiple news organizations including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and USA TODAY. He didn't follow through with any of those, though he did sue comedian Bill Maher, an author over a single line in a 276-page book, and Miss Pennsylvania.
The threats can be effective. Even the possibility of a lawsuit by a rich, powerful opponent raises the specter of years of expensive and time-consuming litigation. "Plainly, the guy uses lawsuits as a tool of intimidation and doesn't care how much he clogs the courts with nonsense," Maher said in an interview.
Alan Garten, the Trump Organization's general counsel, said Trump the person and Trump the brand are intertwined, which means lawsuits, or the threat of them, are important to insure the name. "My job is to protect my clients and their brand from attacks," Garten said. "To say now he should stop engaging in business or protecting his rights is crazy and inconsistent with the principles of the American people."
He said it's not surprising that few suits have actually been filed. "I'm not aware of many defamation lawsuits we've filed in the last 10 years, because we were able to achieve results without that process," he said. "We've been very effective in using cease-and-desist letters."
Some of the threats come in the heat of the moment on social media. "Watch Kasich squirm -- if he is not truthful in his negative ads I will sue him just for fun!" Trump tweeted in November about one of his primary opponents, Gov. John Kasich of Ohio. Trump dropped the threat there.
Trump has raised the possibility that, as president, he would try to "open up" the nation's libel laws to make it easier to sue. That's unlikely to happen because standards for libel have been set over decades based on the Constitution, Supreme Court rulings and state laws, and the president has limited authority or influence in those realms, but it's still disconcerting for some who study the media.
"We have a system that worked remarkably well to foster debate and discourse over 50 years. I think we tinker with that at our peril," said Gene Policinski, senior vice president of the Newseum Institute's First Amendment Center in Washington, DC.
In September, Trump lawyers threatened the conservative Club for Growth with a lawsuit over political television advertisements aired during Iowa's caucuses. A letter from Garten said the commercial's assertion that Trump supports higher taxes was among messages "replete with outright lies, false, defamatory and destructive comments and downright fabrications." It threatened a "multi-million dollar lawsuit" if the organization didn't pull the ads.
Club for Growth attorneys responded by calling it "nonsense" and threatened countersuits for abusive litigation. "We responded with a letter, ran several more ads and never heard from them again," said Doug Sachtleben, Club for Growth spokesman. "We are strong on the First Amendment and free speech and would argue it's best for the voters to see those messages and do their own investigation on their own if they'd like."
Garten acknowledges the strength of the First Amendment, but added, "That doesn't give them the right to misrepresent that facts."
Journalists frequent targets
Both the Washington Post and New York Times have reported receiving threats from Trump lawyers during the campaign, though no suits have been filed. This isn't new: In 1978, the Village Voice reported Trump threatened to sue one of its journalists. In 1990, the Wall Street Journal said the same happened to reporter Neil Barsky for reporting on Trump's business record.
Trump's lawyers threatened to sue USA TODAY in 2012 over a column by newspaper founder Al Neuharth which branded Trump a "clown," noted his casino bankruptcy and said his Trump-branded skyscraper in Tampa never materialized and was a "parking lot." At the end of the column was a response from Trump because, as was Neuharth's custom, he sent his columns to those mentioned and gave them a chance to respond right next to his words. In this case, Trump's ended with a trademark: "Neuharth is a total loser!" Still, a Trump attorney threatened a lawsuit over a series of telephone calls. Trump never sued.
Winning a libel or defamation case as a public figure is very difficult, but that's sometimes not the end goal, said Larry Rosen, an outside attorney for Trump in New York City. "It's basically firing a shot across the bow and saying, look, you can't just write whatever you want to write," Rosen said. "You have to speak fairly, objectively and can't recklessly disregard the truth."
Twenty-eight states have adopted laws known as "Anti-SLAPP," for strategic lawsuits against public participation aimed at protecting against lawsuits that could chill free speech. Trump already lost one such claim. Tarla Makaeff, a California yoga instructor who is one of the plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit against Trump University, employed an Anti-SLAPP defense in 2014 when Trump countersued her for defamation. A judge ruled in her favor, ordering Trump to pay a $798,000 penalty, although the money won't come until the entire case is resolved.
Trump isn't alone in trying to "hijack the judicial system" to silence critics, said Evan Mascagni, policy director at the Public Participation Project, an advocacy group lobbying for a federal anti-SLAPP law.
"Donald Trump has repeatedly attempted to silence his critics over the years through frivolous lawsuits," said Mascagni, citing Makaeff's winning claim as one example. "If you really examine some of these cases, it becomes pretty obvious that Trump didn't file these suits to seek justice. Rather, he filed them to intimidate, harass and silence his critics."
Documentarian Libby Handros just last summer got her 1991 documentary "Trump: What's the Deal?" released via iTunes. She said lawsuit threats from Trump's team scared broadcasters from airing it at the time. "The whole episode shows that broadcasters and the media are kind of wimpy," she said. "It was very frustrating that it got dropped." She vows to defend any new legal challenges from Trump herself. Major broadcast networks, ABC and the BBC, have said they too were threatened over airing different Trump documentaries, but they went ahead and broadcast them anyway.
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By Ray Chandler, Special to Independent Mail
School meal prices for Oconee students will rise by 10 cents in the 2016-17 school year as the county school district works to comply with a federal mandate.
The same mandate will mean increases in meal prices for the next several years, district officials said.
At the only meeting it will hold in July, the School District of Oconee County Board of Trustees voted unanimously Monday to accept an administrative recommendation to implement the price hike.
The price of breakfast will increase to $1.40, up from $1.30, at all schools. Lunch prices at elementary schools will jump to $2.05 from $1.95, while lunch prices at middle and high schools will rise to $2.25 from $2.10.
The dime hike, according to Steve Hanvey, assistant superintendent for operations, is the minimum increase the district could make to be on target to meet the federal mandate.
District Superintendent Michael Thorsland said the mandate requires the county to eliminate the gap in the price the district charges for meals and the amount the U.S. Department of Agriculture reimburses the school district for meals provided under the free lunch program for economically disadvantaged students.
According to district officials, the district's target price for lunch to meet the mandate will be $2.85.
"Next year, we'll have to come back for another raise," Hanvey told board members. "We're having to do it by increments because we don't want to just raise it 50 cents or so all at once."
Thorsland said the reason for the hikes was "simply the federal government's involvement."
"They'll say, 'We'll give you this money, but you have to play by our rules,'" he said.
In other business Monday, the school board unanimously adopted a new grading scale that has been approved by the South Carolina Board of Education.
For grades 3-12, an A will now be defined as a numerical grade between 90 and 100. This replaces the scale under which an A was a numerical grade between 93 and 100.
A grade of B will be from 80-89 instead of 85-92; a C from 70-79 instead of 77-84; and a D from 60-69 instead of 70-76. A grade of 59 or below is an F.
The board took no action Tuesday regarding the issue of granting 4-year-olds early admission to regular kindergarten, which normally doesn't serve children younger than 5.
After some discussion Tuesday, board members consigned the issue to the agenda for an upcoming board planning retreat.
The issue arose in response to a request by a parent, district officials said.
Thorsland said a survey of other districts' policies had produced no clear guidance on the issue, but had shown some of the difficulties associated with 4-year-olds being admitted to regular kindergarten.
Hanvey said kindergarten teachers and elementary school principals have voiced opposition to the idea of early admission.
KEN RUINARD/INDEPENDENT MAIL The Tillman Hall bell tower (left) and Clemson University's Memorial Stadium can be seen from U.S. 123, where construction continues for a NewSpring Church campus near S.C. 93 north of Clemson.
By Nikie Mayo, Kirk Brown
What happened at NewSpring Church this month is not unique among megachurches.
What happens next, after the departure of founding pastor Perry Noble, depends on several factors, experts said Monday. The most important factor, they said, is the congregation's resilience.
"The congregation is no doubt experiencing shock and sorrow in response to the news of Perry Noble's departure, but I do not predict defections on a massive scale," said Warren Bird, research director for Leadership Network. The nonprofit helps fast-growing churches.
In the hours after Noble's removal as senior pastor was announced Sunday, hundreds of NewSpring members took to social media to express support for him as he struggles to overcome what he described as an increased reliance on alcohol.
"We will get through this at NewSpring, because if Perry has taught us anything, it is that if God brought us to it, he will bring us through it," Lynda Pimentel wrote on the church's Facebook page. "Perry and his family will be in my prayers."
Bridgett Collier Hargroves wrote that she felt she was in a bad dream.
"I just want this nightmare to end," she said. "I want to wake up and go to church all over again and everything be OK."
"Perry is my people," she said, making reference to a "These Are My People" sermon series Noble started in June before his troubles were made public.
Other churches with thousands of members have experienced losses similar to NewSpring's. After those losses, results have been mixed.
Less than five years ago, Seattle-based Mars Hill Church had one of the fastest-growing congregations in the United States, with more than a dozen campuses spread across at least five states.
In October 2014, church founder Mark Driscoll resigned after a church committee completed a review of accusations made against him about his conduct.
By January 2015, Mars Hill Church had dissolved.
Driscoll has relocated to Arizona and has started a new church. The Trinity Church had its first service in Scottsdale for Easter this year.
In contrast to Mars Hill, Summit Church was able to survive after the loss of its leader. The church in Central Florida has multiple campuses and thousands of members.
Summit Church's former senior pastor, Isaac Hunter, committed suicide in December 2013. His death came one year after he resigned amid allegations of adultery, abuse and heavy drinking.
The two men who founded Summit Church with Hunter are still on its leadership team, according to the church's website. John Parker now serves as the lead pastor, and Andy Simonds is worship pastor.
The staff at NewSpring is one of the factors that will be critical to its future, said Michael Duduit, founding dean of the College of Christian Studies and the Clamp Divinity School at Anderson University.
"With any church, the key to managing a dramatic transition is leadership and the foundation that has been built previously," Duduit said.
The naming of Clayton King as NewSpring's interim senior pastor "will help during the coming weeks," Duduit said. King has frequently preached at NewSpring.
"Clayton is well-known to the NewSpring congregation; he is a close friend of Perry, so that is a strong link that builds trust with longtime NewSpring folks, and Clayton is also a gifted communicator," Duduit said.
But Duduit also said it is not unusual for any church to experience some "attendance drift" after a change with the senior pastor.
"There is always a certain percentage of attenders who are drawn to a charismatic speaker, and if he is no longer there, they will move elsewhere," he said.
Dave Travis, chief executive officer of the Leadership Network, said "churches that have 'high debt' ratios tend to be the ones that struggle in this situation."
NewSpring launched a $90 million building campaign in 2013. The church, which is the biggest in South Carolina and one the nation's largest, now has 17 campuses and soon will be opening new buildings in Powdersville and Clemson. Travis acknowledged that he has "no idea how much debt they carry and how they have it split up between campuses."
Citing Noble's reputation for sharing his struggles with anxiety, depression and other issues, Travis said NewSpring needs to find a way to continue telling the story that "we are a messed up people seeking God."
Noble did not respond to a request for comment.
Noble addressed his problems with alcohol in his first book, "Unleash!", which was published in 2012.
"On one particular occasion, I remember hugging the toilet and promising God that if He would sober me up and make the rock concert in my head go away, I would never drink again. In fact, I'd become a missionary in the Congo!" he wrote. "Just a few short weeks later, I was back to hitting the bottle."
Last summer, Noble posted a video on his blog. In it, he talks about a new tattoo on his right wrist. The tattoo features the letters INAM.
"It is a testimony," he said. "I want every time that I look at my right arm to be reminded that I am called to live a life that 'it's not about me.'"
In the coming months, what happens at NewSpring will determine whether Noble was right.
Follow Nikie Mayo and Kirk Brown on Twitter @NikieMayo and @KirkBrown_AIM
NewSpring Church timeline
Fall 1998: Perry Noble begins holding a Wednesday evening Bible study at his apartment in Anderson.
Jan. 16, 2000: NewSpring Church conducts its first service, with 115 people, at Anderson Universitys Sullivan Building.
August 2001: The church moves to Anderson Universitys Rainey Fine Arts Center, a 1,100-seat auditorium.
February 2006: The church moves to S.C. 81 North in Anderson with about 7,000 people attending the first services in the new location.
July 2008: The churchs Greenville campus opens.
January 2009: The churchs Florence campus opens.
March 2009: The church opens KidSpring and Fuse, the children and youth ministry locations, also off S.C. 81 North in Anderson.
September 2009: NewSpring opens its Columbia campus.
January 2011: NewSpring opens its Charleston campus.
February 2012: Spartanburg campus opens.
April 2012: Myrtle Beach campus opens.
September 2012: Senior Pastor Perry Noble publishes his first book, Unleash!
December 2012: NewSpring opens its Greenwood campus.
September 2013: NewSpring launches $90 million building campaign with the goal of adding seven satellite campuses across the state. NewSpring is South Carolinas largest church, as well as one of the nations fastest-growing.
January 2014: Church launches Boiling Springs campus.
June 2014: Lexington campus opens.
December 2014: Noble draws criticism for a Christmas Eve sermon in which he describes the Ten Commandments as actually 10 promises that you can receive when you say yes to Jesus.
January 2015: Temporary campus opens at Powdersville High School.
August 2015: NewSpring launches campuses in Hilton Head, Rock Hill, Sumter, Clemson, Aiken and Northeast Columbia.
July 1, 2016: Noble is removed as NewSprings senior pastor for his posture toward his marriage, increased reliance on alcohol and other behaviors.
Coming soon: Construction of campus buildings in Powdersville and Clemson should be completed later this year.
By Dezan Shira & Associates
Editor: Tracie Frost
The possibility of foreign law firms to open offices in India took a step forward this week when reports emerged that the Bar Council of India (BCI) drafted rules to allow foreign lawyers to practice in India. The new rules would allow foreign lawyers and law firms to set up offices in India to practice non-Indian law, after registering with the BCI and paying registration fees of US$ 25,000 for individual lawyers and US$ 50,000 for law firms. Practitioners would also be required to make security deposits of US$ 15,000 or US$ 40,000 for individual foreign lawyers and law firms.
Under proposed changes, foreign lawyers would be allowed to do all non-Indian law transactional legal work and could hire Indian lawyers or go into partnership with Indian lawyers. Under the proposed rules, foreign lawyers would be allowed to work for clients with foreign headquarters in international arbitrations held in India. However, foreign lawyers would not be allowed to provide any legal advice relating to courts, tribunals, boards or statutory authorities.
In the minds of many foreign governments and companies, not to mention many within the Indian legal and business communities, these long overdue rule changes would bring rapid improvements to the Indian business climate. India ranks 130 out of 189 countries in the World Banks Ease of Doing Business list. Several indicators that determine the World Bank ranking directly relate to the legal sector, such as enforcing contracts, resolving insolvency, registering property, and starting a business. By introducing foreign lawyers into India, many believe that the ease of doing business in India will improve. This improvement will come in part due to foreign competition in the legal sector, but more importantly, because international legal norms will be more readily adopted and practiced in India.
In the past 20 years, the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF), which is a collective of Indias top corporate law firms and the only representative body for law firms of India, had stood forcefully against liberalization. However, in early 2015 SILF announced their support for a phased, sequential entry of foreign players into the sector. SILF proposed that the first phase involve information dissemination about foreign entry; the second phase of allowing entry of foreign firms would commence through reciprocity agreements when the first phase is achieved. At the same time, SILF expressed its opposition to accountancy firms taking up legal work in India, calling it a threat to the legal profession, and to the independence of legal profession. Additionally, SILF expressed opposition to any foreign direct investment into the sector.
Many analysts maintain that the phased, sequential entry proposal is tantamount to no progress at all, as it would take decades to implement any meaningful results. Meanwhile, the American Bar Association and groups from the UK and Australia have been in regular contact with BCI and the Government of India to encourage reform and to exchange ideas.
SILF, three other trade associations, the Ministry of Law and Justice and four other Indian ministries were invited to meet with BCI on July 5, 2016 to discuss the proposed rules. During this initial meeting, SILF highlighted some gaps in the regulations and agreed to propose their own suggestions within four weeks. The next meeting will be scheduled around August 10.
An important component of the proposed rules is to now allow foreign practitioners to provide legal advice relating to courts, tribunals, boards, or statutory authorities. This has been a major concern to the more than 1 million practicing lawyers in India, who fear that foreign firms will take up litigation practice on a district level. However, foreign firms consistently have said that their primary interest in practicing in India is to advise their clients within the country, and that they have no interest in competing in litigation, especially at a local district level. Indeed, foreign firms would face a competitive disadvantage at a local level.
Observations
The question on the minds of many observers is, how quickly can liberalization occur? It all depends on the pace of work undertaken by BCI and the Government of India. This is only one of several significant developments facing the Indian legal sector. BCI and the relevant governmental entities that will decide on the proposed reforms are already stretched to their limits, which will reduce their capacity to act on the proposed rules. In addition, BCI is likely to use the question of reciprocity with various countries as a stalling tactic. Notwithstanding the increasing pressures from within and outside of India to hasten the process, it is unclear how promptly BCI will adopt and then implement rule changes in a way that meaningfully affects the legal profession. If the past is any indication of the future, the pace of change will be slow.
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.
Using Indias Free Trade & Double Tax Agreements
In this issue of India Briefing magazine, we take a look at the bilateral and multilateral trade agreements that India currently has in place and highlight the deals that are still in negotiation. We analyze the countrys double tax agreements, and conclude by discussing how foreign businesses can establish a presence in Singapore to access both the Indian and ASEAN markets.
Passage to India: Selling to Indias Consumer Market In this issue of India Briefing magazine, we outline the fundamentals of Indias import policies and procedures, as well as provide an introduction to engaging in direct and indirect export, acquiring an Indian company, selling to the government and establishing a local presence in the form of a liaison office, branch office, or wholly owned subsidiary. We conclude by taking a closer look at the strategic potential of joint ventures and the advantages they can provide companies at all stages of market entry and expansion.
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This morning, while scrolling my newsfeed I stumbled upon the following headline; Governor Pence hits the streets of Indianapolis to talk about lowering crime, The sight of him, in that neon colored crossing guard vest caused my jaw to clench. Reading further that it was Ten Point Coalition, who allowed for this Twilight Zone-esque occasion made me nauseous.
It has been reported, that this meeting had been in the works for weeks and that the timing, which coincides with presidential candidate Donald Trumps visit to Westfield today where he may or may not make an announcement concerning Pence, was purely coincidental. I am absolutely not buying that and I feel that it is an insult to the communitys intelligence to even think that load of crap would fly. Pence is currently one of top choices to be named Trumps running mate and his little walk through the hood was just one of a handful of stops he plans to make this week. He is also expected to make remarks at Expos Governors Reception today as well.
We know what Trump is about. Throughout his campaign, he has managed to isolate and disrespect several segments of society with his xenophobic, misogynistic and downright idiotic viewpoints. His vision to Make America Great Again, has people that look and live like me seriously wondering if that doesnt involve us going back to live on a damn plantation or being kicked out of the country that was literally built on our backs. Dont believe me? Take a look at the study done by Teaching Tolerance, titled The Trump Effect. The research conducted showed that schoolchildren from all across the nation literally live in fear of what is to come if this man is elected president. My students are terrified of Donald Trump, said one of the surveyed teachers from a middle school with a large population of African-American Muslims. They think that if hes elected, all Black people will get sent back to Africa.
We also know that Pence, has exhibited some of these same problematic behaviors. Anyone remember RFRA? What about when he wouldnt support pre-K funding? Or how about the time he tried to block aid to Syrian refugees or the time he attempted to pass what has been referred to as a sadistic and draconian abortion law. Thankfully on those last two, we had a true leader in the Hon. Tanya Walton Pratt who ruled both attempts unconstitutional.
I know why Pence and Trump are a match made in Hell but what I dont understand is why Charles Harrison would think its ok to whore out his platform and influence to someone who has quite literally shown that he does not give a damn about the marginalized.
People are upset about this and I believe their rage is justified. We are sick and tired of the okey-doke. We are sick and tired of seeing our leaders looking cute and dumb, guzzling down the cyanide laced Kool-Aid with smiles on their faces begging us, the proletariat to have a taste. The world is watching and Black people are hurting!
How long are we going to play these dumb games, allowing whoever has a fat check, or a nice cool spot in the Big House to come on down to the quarters for a quickie whenever they want? Do you know that they are laughing at you and at us for being so damn foolish? Situations like this are one of the reasons why we as a people cant get ahead socially and politically. They see us as a joke and as a toy to be played with. We dont need no more damn photo opps. We dont need no more damn leaders looking for the come-up at the expense of you and I. The next time a proven bigot wants to play nice and come visit, we (Black people) need to say Hell No! This goes for community groups, churches, social organizations, etc.
We all have some serious reflecting to do and if this pissed you off then good. Ive done my job. We cant keep selling ourselves out. There is far too much at stake.
Violent clashes that took place in wake of Burhan Wani's encounter which claimed 23 lives and the Supreme Court taking cognizance of 1528 cases of alleged fake encounters involving army and police has once again triggered the debate whether Armed Forces (Special Power) Act (AFSPA) implemented in various troubled zones in India is of any help or not.
BCCL
Many security experts bat for AFSPA whereas scores of academia, and human right activist, call for its abolition. They argue that since armed forces misuse the provisions to kill people, the immunity given under AFSPA to armed forces personnel should be ended.
Supreme Court in its decision on Friday said that any encounter carried out by armed forces in the garb of AFSPA should be subjected to thorough inquiry.
It does not matter whether the victim was a common person or a militant or a terrorist, nor does it matter whether the aggressor was a common person or the state. The law is the same for both and is equally applicable to both... This is the requirement of a democracy and the requirement of preservation of the rule of law and the preservation of individual liberties, a Bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur and U.U. Lalit said in an 85-page judgment.
AFP
But despite a lot of hoopla about AFSPA, many of us don't know much about it.
Why and when was it enacted?
AFSPA was enacted in 1958 to bring under control what the government of India considered disturbed areas. It was first implemented in Manipur and Assam in 195, following the Naga movement. The Central government empowered the governors of the states and administrators of Union Territories to take a call whether the areas of that particular state or union territory is disturbed or not.
BCCL
In the case of AFSPA (Manipur and Assam) 1958, the government of India used article 355 of the Constitution to confer power in the hands of governors. "Keeping in view the duty of the Union under Article 355 of the Constitution, inter alia, to protect every State against internal disturbance, it is considered desirable that the Central government should also have power to declare areas as 'disturbed', to enable its armed forces to exercise the special powers".
AFP
Later The Armed Forces (Assam and Manipur) Special Powers Act, 1958" were substituted by "Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958", getting the acronym of AFSPA, 1958.
How governor declares an area 'disturbed'?
AFSPA's section 3 enables the governor of the state or union territory to issue an official notification in The Gazette of India, after which the centre get the constitutional authority to send armed forces for civilian aid.
BCCL
Though it's quite unclear whether governor has to request the Centre to send arm forces or it's Centre's own prerogative. Once declared a 'disturbed' region, an area has to maintain status quo for a minimum of three months, according to The Disturbed Areas (Special Courts) Act, 1976.
State governments role?
In case of AFSPA, state government is more or less of a toothless tiger. The state government can suggest whether the act should be enforced or not (In Tripura's case), but thanks to section (3) of the Act, its opinion can be overruled by the governor or the Centre.
Where all AFSPA has been implemented?
Apart from northern-eastern states of India where AFSPA has been implemented for over 50 years now, the other states where AFSPA was implemented are Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir.
Punjab
The centre enacted the Armed Forces (Punjab and Chandigarh) Special Powers Act on 6 October 1983, repealing The Armed Forces (Punjab and Chandigarh) Special Powers Ordinance, 1983, to enable the central armed forces to operate in the state of Punjab and the union territory of Chandigarh. The Act was enforced in the whole of Punjab and Chandigarh on 15 October 1983 to counter the Khalistan movement initiated by separatist who were demanding a separate nation for Sikhs.
BCCL
It was removed in 1997 after a period of 14 years. But the state government removed its Disturbed Area Act (DAA) only in 2008. Most of us don't even the know that the capital of Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh was under DAA till 2012 till Punjab and Haryana High Court struck it down in September that year.
Kashmir
Many would be surprised to know that despite militancy finding its feet in Kashmir in late 1970s, till 1990, Kashmir and AFSPA was alien to each other. It has been under AFSPA ever since.
BCCL
Though despite having a separate constitution, J&K government could do nothing in 1998 when the then Farooq Abdula government lapsed its DAA but couldn't do much about AFSPA. The Centre argued that despite the state government lapsing its DDA, the state can still be declared 'disturbed' under the section (3) of AFSPA.
What sort of immunity does AFSPA give an officer?
According to AFSPA, an officer can exercise the following powers:
1. After giving due warning, an officer is allowed to open fire or use other kinds of force even if it causes death.
2. Destroy any arms dump, hide-outs, prepared or fortified position or shelter or training camp from which armed attacks are made or can be made by by the armed volunteers.
3. To arrest anyone without warrant who has committed cognizable offences or is reasonably suspected of having done so.
4. To enter and search any premise in order to make such arrests, or to recover any person wrongfully restrained or any arms, ammunition or explosive substances and seize it.
5. Stop and search any vehicle or vessel reasonably suspected to be carrying such person or weapons.
6. Army officers have legal immunity for their actions. There can be no prosecution, suit or any other legal proceeding against anyone acting under AFSPA.
7. Government's judgment on why an area is found to be disturbed isn't subject to judicial review.
Criticism of APSPA
Be it the ending Irom Sharmila's hunger strike in Manipur or the protesters out on candle marches against AFSPA in capital or anywhere else, AFSPA has been under severe criticism from all quarters of the society for being a draconian law widely misused by the armed forces. Lately, in a landmark decision, the Supreme Court on Friday said that all the encounters carried out by armed forces including police under AFSPA act too should be subjected to inquiry. The decision came after hundreds of Manipur families filled a plea that over the years more 1500 cases of fake encounters have taken place where armed forces have murdered innocent people under the garb of AFSPA. Many human right activists and organisations too have been demanding its removal from north-east as well as Kashmir.
Climate change is likely to kill 250,000 more people each year by 2030, latest assessment by the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows. Most of these deaths will be caused from malaria, diarrhoeal disease, heat stress and malnutrition.
BCCL/representative image
India, which already has a huge burden of these diseases, is expected to contribute significantly to the global death toll. A separate study conducted by the University of Oxford, published in the international medical journal Lancet earlier this year, projected 130,000 deaths in the country from climate change in 2050.
The heaviest burden of diseases due to climate change will fall on children, women, elderly and the poor, further widening health inequalities between and within populations, WHO said. It asked countries, including India, to spend more to protect itself from health risks linked to climate, such as extreme weather events and outbreaks of infectious diseases.
BCCL/representative image
The UN agency had set up an agenda and proposed key actions for its implementation during its recent Paris meet. WHO estimates that climate change is already causing tens of thousands of deaths every year.
These deaths arise from more frequent epidemics like cholera, as well as the vast geographical distribution of diseases like dengue and from extreme weather events, like heat waves and floods.
BCCL/representative image
At the same time, nearly seven million people die each year from diseases caused by air pollution, such as lung cancer and stroke. More than half of these air pollution related deaths are being reported from China and India, with the latter's contribution to this dismal statistic being 1.59 million.
Climatic conditions intensely affect diseases transmitted through water and insects. According to WHO's assessment, in the next 15 years, heat exposure will cause around 38,000 deaths. Deaths due to diarrhoea are projected to reach 48,000, as many as 60,000 due to malaria and 95,000 owing to childhood malnutrition.
BCCL/representative image
At the same time, nearly seven million people die each year from diseases caused by air pollution, such as lung cancer and stroke. More than half of these air pollution related deaths are being reported from China and India, with the latter's contribution to this dismal statistic being 1.59 million.
Climatic conditions intensely affect diseases transmitted through water and insects. According to WHO's assessment, in the next 15 years, heat exposure will cause around 38,000 deaths. Deaths due to diarrhoea are projected to reach 48,000, as many as 60,000 due to malaria and 95,000 owing to childhood malnutrition.
Work on India's first pod taxi service, connecting Gurugram to Delhi will begin this month-end.
"We have received four bids from several companies, including two foreign firms. The bids are being scrutinised. The contract will be awarded after a formal decision is taken," said a transport ministry official told Business Today.
The Rs 4,000-crore public transport project will connect people to commute via ropeway connected driverless pods, and promises to decongest traffic problems for lakhs of office going commuters on the NH8.
Every pod can take up to five passengers. For the pilot project route, 16 stations have been planned, starting near Ambience Mall. A personal rapid transit (PRT) network is made up of small automated vehicles running at close intervals on a guide-way with docking stations for passengers to get on and off. While a pod can accommodate up to five people, there is also an option to hire an entire pod that will take a passenger straight to the destination, skipping the scheduled stops. The average speed of the pods is 60 kmph.
The Punjab and Haryana governments had, in the past, announced a roll out of pod taxis in Amritsar and Gurgaon, but these never came to fruition. According to estimates prepared by the NHAI, while building a kilometre of Metro costs at least Rs 250 crore and of monorail Rs 200 crore, the Metrino system can be built with just Rs 70 crore. It's lighter as well. "The NHAI will roll out the project soon. We have set a target of a year. Subsequently, we could extend this to Dhaula Kuan and Manesar on each side," said the NHAI official.
The Ol-Pajeta conservancy in Kenya recently witnessed an incredible show of animal empathy. A lioness, suffering from a wound in one of her paws, was shot with a tranquilizer dart.
AFP/Getty Images
The decision to shoot the big cat was taken by a highly-trained team of rangers who wanted to quieten the animal in order to treat her disease lest she suffered more damage.
However, as soon as they shot the lioness, a cub rushed to her aid and pulled the dart out from her side with his teeth, reports Daily Mail.
AFP/Getty Images
The cub's instinct was to save the lioness sensing apparent danger. However, thankfully the cat was shot only to be treated so that she could be let free in the wild.
AFP/Getty Images
Once the lioness had been subdued, the team of conservationists treated her wound and even put a radio collar around her neck to keep an eye on her movements.
An online flash mob is taking place in Russia and Ukraine under the hashtag #ImNotAfraidToSayIt. It went viral after Ukrainian social activist, Anastasia Melnichenko, replied to a mans Facebook post which described a woman hed met at the park, whod been raped. She said he concluded the post with the implication that it was the girl's fault because she was out so late at night alone.
She replied reciting her own incident, which prompted women from all over Russia and Ukraine to come out and speak about their own incidents of sexual harassment as well.
Melnichenko said (as translated by Google Translation), I want to speak today as we are women. So we talk about the violence that most of us have experienced. We do not have to make excuses. We are not to blame. Blame ALWAYS lies with the rapist.
She added, Do men ever wonder what its like growing up in an environment in which you are treated like meat? You did not do anything, everyone feels entitled to fuck you and dispose off your body. She urged women to speak up about their incidents rather than feeling ashamed.
Her Facebook post received almost 2,000 likes and around 300 comments.
Buzzfeed shared some of the posts that have been shared by Facebook women in Russia and Ukraine:
At the age of 5 or 6, I found out that my cousin is a pedophile. I realized this when he joined the army. Thats when my childhood ended. He regularly started showing his penis. He always tried to make me hold it, while pressing me into the corner.
When youre 6 and hes 18, its hard to run away. Its hard to understand that the man who is supposed to protect you from everything bad is doing something like this to you. It is hard to understand why hes putting his hands in your underwear, why he is always undressing you. And most importantly, its hard to figure out where to run from all of this. And he tells you that its ok, its normal, and that it prepares me for my future and I have to remain quiet about all of this.
I dont want to get into the details about his favorite ways of entertaining himself, but it lasted for 13 years, until I finally learned to fight back. He tried to rape me many times, but I always managed to fight back
What I regret the most is that I didnt tell my mother soon enough. I regret that I didnt go to the police when I understood what he was doing is not normal. I regret that I was too ashamed to do it and I was too afraid to make hurt my relatives and those close to me.
When I was 18, I was working as an assistant to some shady man my mom knew. I was young, I needed money and so on. The man once held a conference on government relations businessmen were supposed to meet members of the government. Well, the businessmen certainly didnt attend. From the government side, there was Rogachev (rest in peace) Russian ambassador to China (1992-2005) but he had already retired and was working in the upper house of the parliament. My boss told me to go and give the man his invitation. It was February I didnt even want to take my jacket off. But I guess the 75-year old man saw something that appealed to him. By that time, little girl Anna knew that she shouldt trust grown men. But I didnt think that something like that could happen in the upper house of the parliament. I was wrong. Little girl Anna was pressed to the wall, while the old man kissed her, while trying to get his hands inside five layers of clothing. This story could end differently, but his [secretary] Lenochka knocked on the door someone important came, someone who was not expected. So, I was free.
I complained to my boss later, but his only response was: Someone touched your knees, whats the big deal! Such a serious man paid attention to you! I disagreed with him, but he didnt care. The only thing we ended up agreeing upon was that I wont be dealing with Rogachev again.
Women in India are often reminded not to venture out too late at night or dress appropriately to be safe. There are around 92 rapes on average reported in the country so it seems odd yet oddly comforting when women from other countries surface expressing a similar kind of fear and stories. According to LiveNation, the number of rape incidents per 100,000 citizens in India is 1.8, in Ukraine it is 1.4 while in Russia it is 3.4.
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Blair Damned. But Did The Chilcot Report Go Far Enough?
By Daniel Margrain
July 12, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - Having mounted sustained attacks on Jeremy Corbyn since he became the Labour leader, the Blairite factions within the right of the party stepped-up their campaign of vilification and hostility in the wake of the much anticipated release of the Chilcot report in what they hoped would be one last concerted push to depose him. With Corbyn remaining defiant and showing no indication that he plans to step-down, the strategy has clearly been a monumental failure. With grass-roots membership of the party set to increase to an estimated 600,000, Corbyn currently heads the biggest movement of the left in Europe.
The Chilcot report was utterly damning of Blair and, by extension, was also critical of the plotters opposing Corbyn who either abstained or voted in favour of the Iraq war. However, the report fell woefully short of offering any justice for the families of British soldiers who lost loved ones or for the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians who were killed. For many, it wasnt necessary for Chilcot to have taken seven years to oversee a report comprising 2.6 million words at a cost of 10m, in order for the public to grasp the fact that the war amounted to what the Nuremberg Tribunal defined as the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole.
Under the UN Charter , two conditions must be met before a war can legally be waged. The parties to a dispute must first seek a solution by negotiation (Article 33). They can take up arms without an explicit mandate from the UN Security Council only if an armed attack occurs against [them] (Article 51). Neither of these conditions applied to the US and UK. Both governments rejected Iraqs attempts to negotiate. At one point, the US State Department even announced that it would go into thwart mode to prevent the Iraqis from resuming talks on weapons inspection.
Iraq had launched no armed attack against either nation. We also know that the UK government was aware that the war it intended to launch was illegal. In March 2002, the Cabinet Office explained that a legal justification for invasion would be needed: Subject to Law Officers advice, none currently exists. In July 2002, Lord Goldsmith, the attorney-general, told the Prime Minister that there were only three possible legal bases for launching a war: self-defence, humanitarian intervention, or UNSC [Security Council] authorisation. The first and second could not be the base in this case.
Bush and Blair later failed to obtain Security Council authorisation. A series of leaked documents shows that the Bush and Blair governments knew they did not possess legal justification. Chilcot repeated the lie outlined in the Butler Inquiry that the intelligence was not knowingly fixed. The contents of the Downing Street memo, puts that lie to rest. The memo, which outlines a record of a meeting in July 2002, reveals that Sir Richard Dearlove, director of the UKs foreign intelligence service MI6, told Blair that in Washington:
Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy.
The Downing Street memo reveals that Blair knew that the decision to attack Iraq had already been made; that it preceded the justification, which was being retrofitted to an act of aggression; that the only legal reasons for an attack didnt apply. The legal status of Bushs decision had already been explained to Blair. In March 2002, as another leaked memo shows, the UK foreign secretary, Jack Straw, had reminded him of the conditions required to launch a legal war:
i) There must be an armed attack upon a State or such an attack must be imminent;
ii) The use of force must be necessary and other means to reverse/avert the attack must be unavailable;
iii) The acts in self-defence must be proportionate and strictly confined to the object of stopping the attack.
Straw explained that the development or possession of weapons of mass destruction does not in itself amount to an armed attack; what would be needed would be clear evidence of an imminent attack. A third memo, from the Cabinet Office, explained that:
there is no greater threat now than in recent years that Saddam will use WMD A legal justification for invasion would be needed. Subject to Law Officers advice, none currently exists.
Apologists for Blair often claim that war was justified by recourse to UN resolution 1441. But 1441 did not authorise the use of force since:
there is no automaticity in this resolution. If there is a further Iraqi breach of its disarmament obligations, the matter will return to the Council for discussion as required in paragraph 12.
In January 2003, the attorney-general reminded Blair that resolution 1441 does not authorise the use of military force without a further determination by the security council Such a determination was never forthcoming. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan reaffirmed that the Iraq War was illegal having breached the United Nations Charter. The worlds foremost experts in the field of international law concur that the overwhelming jurisprudential consensus is that the Anglo-American invasion, conquest, and occupation of Iraq constitute three phases of one illegal war of aggression.
As well as their being no legal justification for war, its also worth pointing out that the invasion was undertaken in the knowledge that it would cause terrorism a point amplified by Craig Murray:
The intelligence advice in advance of the invasion he received was unequivocal that it would increase the threat to the UK, and it directly caused the attacks of 7/7.
Nevertheless, this determination was followed by a benevolent course of action. As Chilcot made clear, the process for coming to the conclusion that Saddam had in his possession WMD as the basis for Blairs decision to go to war, was one in which his Cabinet was not consulted.
Has Chilcot laid the ground for Blairs possible impeachment?
Alex Salmond certainly believes that under plans drawn up by MPs, Blair could be impeached and put on trial in parliament. A source close to the families who died told the Daily Telegraph the report provided legal grounds for a lawsuit against Blair.
What have we learnt from Chilcot?
Firstly, that flawed intelligence assessments were made with certainty without any acknowledgement of the limitations of the said intelligence. Second, that the UK undermined the authority of the UN Security Council, and third, that Blair failed the Cabinet about Lord Goldsmiths rather perilous journey by saying the war was actually legal having previously said it was illegal having mulled over it for over a year.
In the end, even though Chilcot can be applauded for the fact that it did something that most other societies in the world didnt do, ultimately the report can be defined by the fact that it fudged the legal question. Chilcot didnt explicitly say that the war was illegal. As such, Blair in his post-Chilcot speech was still able to dishonestly depict the invasion as an effort to prevent a 9/11 on British soil in the knowledge that the real culprits of 9-11 were the Saudi elite who finance him.
The warmongering psychopaths contrived quivering voice, long pauses between sentences and attempts at conjuring-up fake tears that gave a new meaning to the Stanislavsky method, gave the impression Blair is a man who is self-aware of his accusers ability to look deep inside his soul.
In the run up to the report being published in which various worthies were wheeled out, Chilcot said, the circumstances in which a legal basis for action was decided were not satisfactory. In other words, the establishment, which Chilcot and his team represent, hid behind processes as opposed to stating loudly and clearly that the British government at that point was hell-bent on going to war with Iraq irrespective of what the evidence said about WMD or anything else.
In the post-Chilcot context, its clear that no lessons from the guardians of power in the media have been learned, despite claims to the contrary. This can be seen, for example, in the reluctance of the media to allow the expression of dissenting voices that extend beyond the restrictive parameters of debate the media create. In highlighting the inherent bias, Craig Murray said:
The broadcast media seem to think the Chilcot report is an occasion to give unlimited airtime to Blair and Alastair Campbell. Scores of supporters and instigators of the war have been interviewed. By contrast, almost no airtime has been given to those who campaigned against the war.
Similarly, Stop the Wars Lindsey German pointed to the lack of balance on the BBCs Today programme.
Its quite astonishing that the comments made by an authoritative figure such as General Wesley Clark who tells how the destabilization of the Middle East was planned as far back as 1991, has not been examined and debated in the mainstream media. Perhaps just as pertinently, the media have virtually ignored the claim made by Scott Ritter who ran intelligence operations for the United Nations from 1991 to 1998 as a United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq, that by the time bombing began, Iraq had been fundamentally disarmed.
War on Terror Blowback Hits Dallas
The blowback from Americas war on terror swept into Dallas last Friday when an Afghan War veteran allegedly killed five police officers and was killed in turn by a remote-controlled robot deploying a bomb, writes retired Col. Ann Wright.
By Ann Wright
July 12, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Consortium News " - In response to the killing of five police officers and wounding of seven more in Dallas, Texas, Police Chief David O. Brown became the first city or state official to order a remote-controlled execution of a suspected killer with whom hours of negotiation had not resulted in surrender.
The decision of the local city police chief to remotely assassinate the cornered suspect rather than make an attempt to incapacitate him is a stark continuation of what appears to be a U.S. military and police tactic of kill rather than capture. Brown has 30 years of law enforcement experience with training at many police schools including the National Counter-Terrorism Seminar in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Due to the past 15 years of U.S. ground and drones wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Libya and Somalia, many veterans of U.S. military and CIA paramilitary units are now on local, state and federal police forces. These officers have served under wartime rules of engagement which should be much different from civilian law enforcement.
However, with the militarization of U.S. police forces, it appears that the Dallas police chief used the military tactic of assassination by a remote-controlled weapon system to protect the lives of the police and sacrifice the rights of an accused to trial.
No doubt the police chief will argue that he could have ordered snipers to shoot to kill the suspect and that the method of death didnt matter once the decision was made to kill Afghan war veteran Micah Johnson, the alleged shooter, rather than to incapacitate him.
In that sense, the Dallas Chief of Police and the President of the United States use the same rationale to execute without trial someone suspected of a crime. There are also parallels between Chief Browns choice of a robot to deliver the lethal explosives and President Obamas extensive use of missile-firing drones.
Do U.S. government officers at all levels national, state and local now believe that remote-control killing of a target is safer and cheaper than detaining the accused (whether a suspected international terrorist or a domestic suspect) than arresting the person, holding a trial and imprisoning him or her after a conviction for a crime?
It appears that shooting to kill is easier in all aspects whether its unmanned aerial drones killing people outside the United States or unmanned ground robots with bombs inside the United States. The next step down this the slippery slope may be the use of small aerial weaponized drones by local police departments to kill suspects, just as this ground drone robot bombed a suspect to death. Already some U.S. law enforcement agencies have deployed aerial drones for surveillance purposes, including border patrol.
Dont Just Blame the Cops
Who Is Responsible for Americas Killing Fields?
By John W. Whitehead
I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today: my own government. For the sake of those boys, for the sake of this government, for the sake of the hundreds of thousands trembling under our violence, I cannot be silent.Martin Luther King Jr.
July 12, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - The latest shootingsin Texas, Minnesota, Louisiana, Illinois, New York, Missouri and every other state in the nationare symptomatic of a psychotic outbreak by a nation that has been waging a war against its own citizens for too long.
We have long since passed the stage at which a government of wolves would give rise to a nation of sheep. As I point out in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People, what we now have is a government of psychopaths that is actively breeding a nation of psychopathic killers.
Were getting distracted, people.
Instead of focusing our ire on the architects of the American police state, who are responsible for turning the streets into mini-war zones, were getting distracted by the many voices eager to play the blame game by pointing their fingers at someone else.
Police groups are blaming President Obama and the Justice Department for failing to prosecute cop killers. Texas Republicans are blaming the Black Lives Matter movement for fomenting a war on cops mindset. Gun control advocates are blaming gun lovers and their mouthpieces at the National Rifle Association for Americas gun violence, reasoning that if all Americans were unarmed, police would not have to treat them as potential threats.
News outlets such as Rolling Stone and Mother Jones have concluded that racial bias is to blame for the disproportionately high number of African-Americans among police shooting victims. The Drug Enforcement Administration has suggested that illegal steroid use could be responsible for police officers who exhibit rage, aggression and/or poor judgment (all symptoms of possible steroid abuse) in confrontations with citizens.
Human Rights Watch blames police misconduct and excessive use of force on a systemic lack of accountability within law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system. And civil rights advocates are blaming police militarization and the abundance of laws (overcriminalization) pushed by lawmakers for the nations over-policing, over-jailing and over-killing.
Yet in the midst of all this finger pointing, no one is stepping forward to take responsibility for the violence that is tearing the nation apart, deepening racial tensions, heightening police tensions, justifying all manner of civil liberties abuses, and pushing us ever closer to a state of lockdown.
Shame on President Obama for not taking personal responsibility for the blowback resulting from Americas endless wars abroad, the militarization of local police, and the ramifications of allowing police to use battlefield equipment such as drones, assault weapons, tanks, etc. How telling that the first domestic killing of an American citizen by a drone (in this case, a bomb-equipped police robot) should be carried out during the final term of a president whose targeted drone killings abroad have resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians.
Shame on Congress and the countless federal and state policy-making bodies for not taking responsibility for the overabundance of laws that have turned law-abiding citizens into criminals and police into the inflexible enforcers of a legal code that benefits the corporate elite at the expense of the working classes.
Shame on Corporate America, particularly the military industrial complex, for not taking responsibility for having militarized Americas police forces and subjected its citizenry to the tyranny of a heavily armed police state.
Shame on the various government agencies, from the FDA and Social Security Administration to the Department of Education, for not taking responsibility for ratcheting up tensions by using military firepower to advance their bureaucratic agendas.
Shame on Republicans and Democrats for not taking responsibility for having sidelined legitimate matters of concern such as police misconduct in favor of party politics and campaign contributions from special interest groups and unions.
Shame on the courts for not taking responsibility for allowing government agents to hide behind the shield of qualified immunity, rather than being held accountable for their actions.
Shame on law enforcement agencies for advancing the notion that the livesand rightsof police should be valued more than citizens. Shame on them for not taking responsibility for allowing blind allegiance to the so-called thin, blue line to trump the constitutional rights afforded to every American equally.
Shame on communities for not taking responsibility for using SWAT teams that are armed to the teeth and ready for action to deliver mere search warrants, terrorizing and killing American citizens.
Shame on those who embrace violence as an answer to what ails America for not taking responsibility for their part in contributing to an environment that is growing increasingly tense with every new shooting. Its a vicious cycle in which the police are becoming more hypersensitive, twitchy and quick to shoot at the slightest provocation, and the populace is growing more fearful, outraged and unconvinced that if they just obey, all will be fine.
Shame on the religious community for not taking responsibility for its deafening silence in the face of what can only be termed evil, despite its historic lineage of dissenters such as Jesus, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. who dared to speak truth to power.
Shame on white Americans, black Americans, brown Americans and every other skin tone in between for not taking responsibility for their part in allowing racism, prejudice and bigotry to dictate justice in America.
And shame on so-called patriotic Americans who equate good citizenship with blind obedience to government authority and adulation of the military for not taking responsibility for holding their government officials accountable to the nations founding principles. Remember, we the people were entrusted with the power to make and unmake the government whenever it ran afoul of its primary purpose, which is to protect our lives, freedoms and property.
Clearly, theres more than enough blame to go around, but the real question is what can we the people do about it? What can average Americans do to stay alive and counter the violence being inflicted on our communities? What can you do to push back against the power of the police state?
For starters, lets all agree that violence can never be the answer. Violence will only give rise to more violence.
Stop buying into the us vs. them rhetoric being pushed by politicians, police unions and those who use the race card as a justification for bloodshed. No matter what color your skin is, what politics you subscribe to, how much money youve got, whom you love, where you live, whom you worship, what school you attend, where you work, or any other superficial label that is used to divide us: we all bleed red.
Put your prejudices behind you and stop dealing in stereotypes. Not all police are bloodthirsty. Not all young black men are thugs. Not all people who challenge government authority want anarchy.
In a police state, youre either the one with your hand on the trigger or youre staring down the barrel of a loaded down. In other words, were all in this together. The oppression and injusticebe it in the form of shootings, surveillance, fines, asset forfeiture, prison terms, roadside searches, etc.will come to all of us eventually.
Stop allowing yourself the luxury of distraction and the sin of neutrality. These things happenthe madness and the mayhembecause good people stood by and did nothing.
The only real power we have to push back against the police state is as a unified body.
So what can you do on a practical level?
For starters, find common ground on the issue of gun control, especially as it pertains to government agents. Demilitarize the police. Its worked in other countries.
Demand that police be held financially responsible for official misconduct.
Put your taxpayer dollars to work for you instead of against you for a change. Tell your elected representatives to stop investing in militarization, wars and weaponry that will only be used against you eventually. Instead, apply the same funds being wasted on endless wars abroad on badly needed infrastructure here at home. By putting more Americans to work rebuilding our communities and our economy, well also strike at the heart of the poverty that drives crime.
Get informed about the workings of government. Get outraged about the corruption that has rotted our republic from the core. Get vocal about the need for transparency, accountability and reform. There are so many issues in need of attention. Pick just one to start with and raise hell about it. For instance, why has the government been spending three times more on jails and prisons than schools for the past 30 years?
Finally, take it upon yourself to interfere. Pay attention to whats going on around you. Use those cell phones that are never far from your side and record police interactions in order to hold them accountable to playing by our rules, the rules of the Constitution. Most important of all, take a stand for freedom and humanity. Neutrality, as Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel reminded us, helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must - at that moment - become the center of the universe.
John W. Whitehead is an attorney and author who has written, debated and practiced widely in the area of constitutional law and human rights. Whitehead's concern for the persecuted and oppressed led him, in 1982, to establish The Rutherford Institute, a nonprofit civil liberties and human rights organization whose international headquarters are located in Charlottesville, Virginia. Whitehead serves as the Institutes president and spokesperson, in addition to writing a weekly commentary that is posted on The Rutherford Institutes website (www.rutherford.org),
Vladimir Putin Is The Only Leader The West Has By Paul Craig Roberts July 12, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - A Reuters news report under the names of presstitutes Robin Emmott and Sabine Siebold shows how devoid the West is of honest, intelligent and responsible journalists and government officials. First we will examine the dishonesty or incompetence of the reporters and then that of Western government officials. Emmott and Siebold describe NATO as a Western defense alliance. Since the Clinton regime NATO has been an alliance for waging offensive war, a war crime under the Nuremberg rules established by the United States. Under the NATO banner a number of countries have been bombed, invaded, and had their governments overthrown by Washington acting under the cover of NATO. These destroyed countries posed no threat whatsoever to the countries of the NATO alliance and undertook no aggressive actions against NATO members. How is it possible that Reuters reporters and editors are not aware of this? Why do they call an instrument of Washingtons aggression a defense alliance? Emmott and Siebold report that Russian aggression is the reason NATO is deploying 3,000 to 4,000 troops in the Baltic states and Poland. In other words, something that does not existRussian aggression toward the Baltics and Polandis assumed to be a fact that must be countered with military deployments. The reporters do not question whether this insignificant number of NATO troops constitutes a defense or a provocation. The number of troops would have to be 100 times greater before the force even begins to approach a defensive force. What then is the purpose of the 3,000 or 4,000 NATO troops? Every informed person knows that there is no need of a defense force against Russia in the Baltics and Poland. Aside from this fact, only an absolute idiot could think that three or four thousand troops constitutes a defense against the Russian Army. In June 1941 Operation Barbarossa hit Russia with an invasion of four million troops, the majority German component of which were probably the most highly trained and disciplined troops in military history, excepting only the Spartans. By the time that the Americans and British got around to the Normandy invasion, the Russian Army had chewed up the Wehrmacht. There were only a few divisions at 40% strength to resist the Normandy invasion. By the time the Russian Army got to Berlin, the German resistance consisted of armed children. The Reuters reporters raise no question about President Obamas statement that 1,000 of this insignificant force will be Americans in order to enhance our forward presence in central and eastern Europe. Why does the United States need a forward presence in central and eastern Europe? What does a US forward presence in central and eastern Europe represent except an insane recklessness? One thousand US troops are good for nothing except a provocation. Emmott and Siebold report with a straight face without laughter or question unverifiable accusations of Russian aggression by White House Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes, Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski, President Obama, and head of NATOs military committee, Czech General Petr Pavel. Gen. Pavel said Russia was attempting to restore its status as a world power, an effort that included using its military. Obama said it is necessary to keep sanctions on Moscow in place until it fully complies with the ceasefire agreement in Ukraine. Waszczykowski said: We have to reject any type of wishful thinking with regard to pragmatic cooperation with Russia as long as Russia keeps on invading its neighbors. Rhodes threatened Russia with a NATO response to Russias continued aggression. These statements are propagandistic. If those who made the statements actually believe them, they are too imbecilic to be trusted with public offices. Is it possible that the Czech general does not know that Russia has used its military only to repel a Washington-inspired Georgian invasion of South Ossetia and against ISIS in Syria, which the US, UK, and France also claim to be doing? After repelling the Georgian invasion, Russia withdrew its forces. After dealing ISIS a setback in Syria, Russia withdrew and was forced to return by Washingtons resupply of ISIS. Can the Polish Foreign Minister identify the countries that Russia keeps on invading? Does the President of the United States really not know that Russia is not a party to the ceasefire agreement in Ukraine? This is an agreement between the breakaway republics and the government in Kiev. Washington has done everything possible to discourage Kiev from keeping the agreement Kiev signed. Can National Security Adviser Rhodes tell us where continued aggression by Russia is occurring? What countries are being invaded and overrun? How can there be so much Russian aggression and no evidence of it? Recently, President Putin dressed down to their faces the Western media whores who are fanning the flames of World War III by repeating without question Washingtons propagandistic lies. These lies are reckless. They endanger all life on planet Earth. During my lifetime, American presidents worked to reduce tensions between the two major nuclear powers. JFK worked with Khrushchev to defuse the dangerous situation arising from the placement of US missiles in Turkey and, in response, the placement of Russian missiles in Cuba. President Nixon brought forth SALT I, the strategic arms limitation treaty, and the ABM Treaty. President Carter crafted SALT II. President Reagan negotiated with Gorbachev the end of the Cold War, the most promising achievement of the 20th century. The Clinton, George W. Bush, and Obama regimes have done everything possible to raise the tensions between nuclear powers to heights beyond those of the most dangerous days of the Cold War. The evil Clinton regime broke the word of the government of the United States, thereby destroying the honor of the US government, by taking NATO to Russias borders. The evil George W. Bush regime pulled the US out of the ABM Treaty and rewrote US war doctrine in order to elevate nuclear weapons from a retaliatory weapon to a first strike weapon. This insane act put the Russians on notice. The evil Obama regime intends to place nuclear missiles on Russias borders in Poland and Romania and engineered a coup in Ukraine with the intent of depriving Russia of its Black Sea naval base in Crimea, Russias only warm water port. Faced with a Russophobic Washington-installed government in Ukraine, the Russian population in Crimea, a Russian province since the 1700s, voted practically unanimously to rejoin Russia, where Crimea had resided until Khrushchev reassigned the Russian province to Ukraine in the mid 20th century. The Russian governments acceptance of the wishes of its own people were propagandistically misrepresented by Washington and the presstitutes as Russian invasion and annexation of Crimea. This lie is where the myth of Russian invasion came from. Russian military forces were already present in Crimea, because when Russia granted independence to Ukraine, Russia retained a long-term lease on the Russian naval base in Crimea. As all international observers testified, the vote was independent of the Russian military presence. The White House Fool said that the vote in Crimea was meaningless because all of Ukraine did not get to vote. The Fool was too ignorant to know that by this laughable charge he discredited the American Revolution because the British people didnt get to vote. For the precise same reason that The Fool wants Crimea returned to Kiev, the US must be returned to Britain. I doubt that the British would have us. Who wants a war criminal nation drowning in its own hubris? The world is now faced with the prospect that insouciant Americans will elect a crazed and incompetent criminal or semi-criminal as their president, a person who has declared the President of Russia to be the new Hitler. The stupid bitchs statement is a declaration of nuclear war, and this dangerous, reckless, incompetent, careless person has been selected by the Democratic Party as the next POTUS !!! The ignorance and stupidity of the American people will destroy the world. Little wonder that Vladimir Putin, the only responsible world leader other than the president of China, is desperate that the Western media understand that their irresponsible negligence to the truth is helping Washington drive the world to nuclear war. Putin does not want war. He is doing everything in his power to avoid it. But Putin is not going to surrender Russia to Washington. The trip-point of World War III will be the installation of Washingtons missiles in Poland and Romania. As Putin recently made clear to the imbecilic Western journalists, these missiles can easily and secretly be changed from anti-ballistic missiles to nuclear attack missiles that can strike their Russian targets within 5 or fewer minutes of launch, thus depriving Russia of its retaliatory deterrent. Once these missiles are in place, Washington can issue orders to Russia. Whatever the evil men and women in Washington who are gambling with the life of the planet think, Russia is not going to accept these missiles. Where does world leadership reside? In Washington, the war criminal capital of the world that is driving the world to nuclear war, or in Russia whose leadership accepts countless affronts and provocations in an effort to avoid war? Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments. His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following. Roberts' latest books are The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism and Economic Dissolution of the West , How America Was Lost , and The Neoconservative Threat to World Order .
In a massive redeployment exercise, the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) on Tuesday announced the transfer of 159 senior officers and one non-commissioned personnel to man new positions.
The redeployment, which was approved by the Controller-General of Prisons, Jaafaru Ahmed, was contained in a letter issued Monday, July 11, 2016.
According to Ahmed, the reshuffling exercise was carried out to help the service meet the contemporary challenges of prisons administration in the country.
According to the letter, the Directorate of Inmates Training and Productivity is now headed by ACG E. O. Ogundele. The position was formerly occupied by ACG Ali Bala Salami, who has been retired from service.
ACG Musa Usman from Zone D Minna now heads the Directorate of Administration and Supply while ACG Charles Ahaotu takes over the Directorate of Works and Logistics.
Also, ACG Shehu Kangiwa heads the Directorate of Finance and Budget even as ACG Musa Salami from Zone C Bauchi, is to superintendent over Health and Social Welfare Directorate while ACG Etsu Ubi, is to head the Operations Directorate.
Other senior officers affected in the mass movement include 6 Zonal Coordinators, 25 State Controllers and 32 officers in-charge of different prison formations across the country.
In a statement on Tuesday by the Prisons Public Relations Officer, Francis Enobore, the controller-general noted that the redeployment became necessary to inject fresh orientation in the workforce, reduce idleness and truancy particularly at the National Headquarters, in order to enhance efficiency.
Enobore added that the era where officers spend their entire work life in one location and on a particular post, was over.
According to him, such obsolete practice does not allow for sustenance of security in the prison yard and also negates sound understanding of the dynamics of penal management that is needed to make a difference in the life of offenders.
The Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole has said that the federal government has released N42.5m ($1.5m) for the thirty six states and the Federal capital Territory (FCT) to share for the financing of primary healthcare system.
The minister revealed this information on Monday at the presentation of the National Healthcare Plan to officials of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Abuja.
Professor Adewole lamented the neglect of the primary healthcare system in the country as he disclosed that only 20% of Nigerias 30,000 primary healthcare facilities were working.
Also speaking at the presentation, Amina Shamaki, The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health enjoined the government to encourage healthcare practitioners to stay in communities where primary healthcare facilities are situated as she also appealed for the financial and technical support of the World Health Organization.
However, Dr. Matshidiso Rebecca, the Regional Director of WHO for Africa, has assured the government of the organizations unwavering support.
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor E. A. Adeboye, yesterday morning paid a visit to the family of the late Assistant Pastor of the Divine Touch Parish of the RCCG, Mrs Eunice Elisha, in Abuja.
This was the same day that a former Minister of Education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili called on the Federal Government and security agencies, particularly the police, to expedite action and bring to justice masterminds of the murder.
The forty-two-year-old mother of seven was killed in cold blood around Bazango-West area of Kubwa in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, while evangelizing on Saturday morning.
Barely a day after the wife of the Vice-President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, also a pastor of the RCCG, paid a condolence visit to the deceaseds husband and children, Adeboye visited the husband of the deceased, Pastor Olawale Elisha and the family around 6am to console them.
Meanwhile, the former minister and BringBackOurGirls campaigner tweeted at about 1.17pm on her personal handle, @obyezeks, that the government should act fast, not only on the murder of Mrs. Olawale, but, also resolve the murder of another woman in Kano two months ago for alleged blasphemy.
She wrote: Two women-Bridget Agbahime and now, Eunice Elisha have been needlessly killed for their faith.
The federal government and police owe them speedy justice.
Source; Dailypost
The Federal Ministry of Education on Monday sent a strongly worded memo to Nigerian universities, warning them that only the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) can admit students.
The Director, Press and Public Relations, in the ministry, Mr. Ben Goong, stated that any institution that acted against the directive would have itself to blame.
He denied media reports that the earlier decision to cancel post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) was upturned.
The ministry insisted that universities had no business admitting candidates other than those sent to it by JAMB but could screen candidates to remove those with anti-social traits and suspicious credentials.
The federal government said while the ban on post-UTME stayed, screening was only for those admitted by JAMB and limited to examination of credentials and physical examination of candidates to ensure that they are not of questionable characters.
All these should be done upon resumption. No university is allowed to have anything to do with any applicant who is not its student. Screening and registration are only for those who have been admitted by JAMB, the ministry stressed.
Source: Dailypost
The Presidency on Monday reacted to the claim by #BringBackOurGirls movement that President Muhammadu Buhari had broken all promises he made to them regarding the rescue of the girls abducted from Government Secondary School Chibok, Borno State in April 2014.
The BringBackOurGirls group, which made the claim in a recent statement, also gave the Buhari administration knocks for being lackadaisical in its rescue mission of the Chibok girls.
A statement issued Monday by the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said the claims by the group were dispiriting and capable of causing collateral damage.
While their intentions are honourable, perhaps the BBOG leadership have not considered the collateral damage which must inevitably follow its riveting and dispiriting claim that the president has broken all promises allegedly made to the group on this issue. Or that he has been lackadaisical in rescuing the Chibok girls, Shehu said. The Federal Governments focus has always been to free the Chibok girls alive and unharmed.
The Presidency said while the group continued to campaign for the rescue of the girls, it should also note that the rescue of many other abducted citizens were equally important.
The group, the Presidency said, should also lend a helping hand to military families, who had so far lost family members to the insurgency.
The presidential spokesman appealed to officials and members of the BBOG group not to waiver in their support for the government in the war against terrorism and in the ongoing effort to free all Nigerian citizens taken captive by the Boko Haram terrorist group.
He pointed out that The past year of this administration has seen the Nigerian military step up bombardment of the Sambisa Forest, a stronghold of the Boko Haram terrorist group, leading to the capture of hundreds of insurgents.
Also, records from the Army show the rescue of no fewer than 15,000 captives, mostly women and children from the terrorists from February to date. In addition, dozens of communities that were previously under the control of the terrorists have been liberated, allowing thousands of previously displaced citizens to return home and resume their normal lives.
Thousands of these women and children freed from captivity have also been reunited with their families.
This huge number of rescued women and children may not be prominent names, and their disappearance may not have generated any massive media attention and campaign.
However, their liberation is just as important as that of every other missing woman and child, and a testament to the devotion of our military personnel who daily risk life and limb in the effort to bring back every Nigerian citizen kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists.
Along with these ongoing efforts to rid our country of terrorists and terrorism, the Nigerian government is focused on the welfare and rehabilitation of rescued Nigerians, many of whom were found in a state of severe malnutrition and illness.
The President is conscious always about the fact that terrorism in Nigeria is part of a global phenomenon. Since coming to office, his response to it has been firm and well considered.
President Buhari will never make bogus promises or play to the gallery. It is misleading of anyone to preach that the Chibok girls are within an easy grasp. If the military under the President knew where they are held, they will bring the Chibok girls home today.
The Presidency is open to renew cooperation with the BBOG group, international bodies, religious groups, social workers, and all others who are assisting in the field to ensure that those who have so far been rescued from Boko Haram captivity are given the support they need to make a full recovery and be reintegrated fully into society.
Groups such as the BBOG can also lend a helping hand to military families whose losses need to be appreciated and focused upon.
The life of every single Nigerian matters to this government and the security agencies, under the command of President Buhari, will continue to exert all its powers to ensure that every Nigerian is safe from the brutality of terrorists and terrorism.
The Ekiti State Government has carpeted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over what it described as the anti-graft agencys trial and error investigation.
The government claimed that in a bid to nail Governor Ayodele Fayose, officials of the commission today stormed a popular Guest House on Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja to seal off the property in the erroneous belief that it belonged to the governor.
The government disclosed that the EFCC officials were however, disappointed when they were confronted with the e fact that operator of the Guest House leased the property from its owner for ten years.
The government, in a statement signed by the Special Assistant Fayose on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, noted that it was only in Nigeria that anti-corruption agency will arrest a suspect first before looking for evidences to prosecute the suspect.
The statement read; Today, the EFCC demonstrated that it has been lying against Governor Fayose and other Nigerians all along by the failed attempt it made to seal off a property located on Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja that is being used as Guest House just because the governor used to lodge there.
It was at the point of sealing off the property that the owner of the Guest House told the EFCC officials that he only leased the property for ten years from its owner, a former Chief of Defence Staff, who was also a one-time Minister of Defence.
The EFCC operatives moved to the next building to the Guest House, which is the residence of the retired army general and they were told by the generals wife that the building being used as Guest House as well the one next to it belonged to the general and not Governor Fayose.
It is shocking that in its desperate bid to nail Governor Fayose so as to satisfy their paymasters, EFCC is going about claiming that properties owned by other law abiding Nigerians are owned by the governor and the result of this investigation by trial and error by the EFCC is the embarrassment it faced at Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja when its operatives went there to seal off a property belonging to a retired army general thinking that it belonged to the governor.
That was the same way they told Nigerians that they discovered mansion in Asokoro, Abuja owned by the governor. Unknown to the EFCC, the mansion being referred to is a property rented by the Ekiti State Government and being used as Governors Lodge.
While insisting that whatever properties owned by Fayose were acquired thorough legitimate means, the government said like every other citizen, the governor reserved the rights to own properties and can also receive money from people to fund his election.
Embattled former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, on Monday withdrew his motion seeking the transfer of his case file before Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, to another court.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, arraigned the ex-NSA and four others on a 19-count charge bordering on money laundering and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N13.5bn before Justice Baba-Yusuf.
The others are; Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance and Administration, Office of the NSA; Aminu Babakusa, a former General Manager, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); and two firms Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
At the resumption of the hearing yesterday after the court had announced the commencement of its annual vacation, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), informed the court that the case was earlier adjourned to yesterday for the application filed by the first defendant.
Responding to the observation by the prosecution, Counsel to Dasuki, Adedayo Adedeji, holding brief for J. B. Daudu (SAN), told the court that his client sought to withdraw the motion dated 11/06/2016 and filed on 13/06/2016 seeking transfer to another judge.
With no objection received from other parties in the case, Justice Baba-Yusuf struck out the motion.
The defence lawyer also informed the court of another motion filed on June 31, 2016 seeking the consolidation of the charges before the court with another case before Justice Peter Affen of the same court. He pleaded with the court for a date to move the motion.
Counsel to the second defendant (Salisu), a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Akin Olujinmi (SAN) urged the court to give the date already agreed upon by the counsel, October 5 for the motion to be moved.
Justice Baba-Yusuf therefore adjourned the trial to October 5, 2016 for definite hearing on the motion for consolidation of charges.
The Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has declared three days of prayers for the repose of the souls of eight students of the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, who died on Monday in ghastly road accident.
Describing the accident as unfortunate and one death too many, the governor urged people of the state to reflect and pray for Gods mercy as well as his intervention in consoling the families and friends of the victims.
I sympathize with them (families and friends of the victims). It is unfortunate; it is not a good news, it is one too many, said a distraught Governor Fayose. Were saddened but we have to take solace in God.
It was gathered that the victims, final year engineering students of EKSU, were returning from an outing when their Lexus car rammed into a bus belonging to a private school in front of the university.
Fayose, who was at the State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) to get a first-hand account of what happened and ensure that those who survived the accident receive the best medical treatment available, said the prayers was also meant to forestall a recurrence of such terrible incidences.
The governor expressed regrets that the accident claimed the lives of eight students even as some others are in the intensive care unit battling to stay alive.
Reckless driving and over-speeding has cost us eight lives and some others in ICU. I just want to commit them into the hands of God because there is nothing to say for now rather than to pray that God should intervene and console the families and the people of Ekiti, he said.
Ekiti State governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose has described the death of about eight persons involved in a fatal accident which occurred Monday along Eksu/Iworoko road as unfortunate and one too many. Mr. Fayose made this known Monday night when he visited some of the survivors at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital.
The governor called on the people of Ekiti to reflect and pray for Gods mercy on the State as well as his intervention in consoling families and friends of the victims. I sympathise with them, its unfortunate, its not a good news, it is one too many. We are saddened but we have to take solace in God.
Reckless driving and overspeeding has cost us eight lives and some others in intensive care unit, I just want to commit them into the hands of God because there is nothing to say for now rather than to pray that God should intervene and console the families and the people of Ekiti, he said.
Source: Trezzy blog
Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun has urged insurance industry to recapitalize to reposition the sector, this is coming nine years after the last recapitalization of the industry.
The minister made this remark on Monday at the opening ceremony of the National Insurance Conference organised by the sectors Insurance Industry Consultative Council (IICC) held at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.
The principal objective of the reform is to have emergence of bigger and stronger players with enhanced capacity, restoration of confidence of the public, enhance the international competitiveness of local operators.
Mrs Adeosun added that the industry was under-performing, compared to its global and African peers
She identified low awareness, unhealthy competition, lack of innovation among others as part of the factors responsible for the under-performance of the sector, noting that less than 23 advertised their products, out of 57 insurance companies in the country.
There is need to immediately address the issues responsible for the under-performance because a 0. 33 per cent increase in insurance penetration can result to a growth of 0.5 per cent in GDP and is capable of creating over 70,000 jobs annually.
As insurers, you need to take a risk and recapitalise. The industry manages risk and they must be ready to take risk themselves. There is no alternative. The industry is evolving and I see the opportunities. But the challenge is for you to take concrete actions that need to be taken quickly for us to realise the potential of the industry.
At least six children have died from an outbreak of measles at the ATC Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
The outbreak of the disease, which has been attributed to congestion at the camp, also affected 22 persons.
It was learnt that the camp had over 8,000 IDPs when the measles broke out forcing officials to evacuate 1,913 displaced persons from Gwoza to the Bakassi IDP camp while 345 others from Askira Uba, have been returned to their community.
However, despite the decongestion, officials said the ATC IDPs camp is still struggling with lack of drugs and medical doctors.
Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has delivered 13,400 assorted bags of food items to the Borno State Government for the feeding of IDPs in the state.
The spokesperson for the agency, Sani Datti, in a statement on Tuesday, said the items include 8,000 bags (25kg) of rice, 1,200 bags (50kg) of maize gritz, 1,000 bags (25kg) of millet and 3,200 bags (25kgs) of beans.
The statement said the food items, which are expected to feed IDPs residing in camps across Maiduguri for a period of one month, were presented by North East zonal coordinator of NEMA, Mohammed Kanar and was received by the deputy governor, Alh. Usman Durkwa, on behalf of the Borno State Government.
Oge Modie was appointed Chief of Staff to the former Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu in August 2015.
Upon confirmation of her Principal as the Honorable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources in November 2015, she now plays the dual role as the Chief of Staff providing administrative and advisory support to the GMD and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.
Despite her inexperience in the industry, she has played a leading role in the decision making process within the last 7 months.
She has been accused of murdering due process while running a one-woman show. The position of Chief of Staff is unprecedented in the ministry as no minister or GMD in the past has employed or appointed a chief of staff, rather they have what is called STAs Senior Technical Assistant who is normally picked from experienced staff within the ministry.
Her appointment as Chief of Staff has fostered divisions in the ministry as she calls the shot, controlling and issuing directives to Group Executive Directors, GEDs that have over twenty years of experience in the industry.
Referred to as Queen of Mean by some officials of the NNPC for her legendary cruelty towards her employees and disdain for staff. She persist in the arrogant belief that shes above the law, according to some workers in the ministry.
She has taking workers disdain to new lows at the NNPC and the Ministry with most GEDs reporting to her.
She has succeeded in earning the hostility of workers for her anti-people behaviors and actions, according to ministry staff who spoke to this media house under the condition of anonymity.
Information gathered by Per Second News revealed that Oge and some of her co-travellers brought into the NNPC by the former minister of state are on their way out as the new NNPC GMD is about to fumigate the place.
persecondnews.com
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, will tomorrow (Wednesday) question Lt. A.O Adewale, the former Aide de Camp to immediate past Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro over the N1.299billion flown to the Akure Airport for Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose.
Lt. Adewale of the Nigerian Navy, has received an invitation to make himself available for interrogation at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
Mr. Adewale, as part of his responsibility as ADC, reportedly accompanied the former junior minister to deliver the cash, which was meant for the prosecution of the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti.
The cash is believed to have come from the arms procurement fund that was under the Office of the former National Security Adviser (ONSA), Sambo Dasuki.
The officer was on board a chartered aircraft with Registration No: HS125-800 5N-BMT belonging to Gyro Air Limited, which ferried the N1.299billion to Akure on June 17 and 18, 2014.
He was supposed to have reported last week at the EFCC headquarters but requested to report tomorrow after getting clearance from the Navy.
A source said: We are expecting him on Wednesday. Our team of investigators is on standby to interact with the naval officer who was the ADC to Obanikoro.
We took time to invite him because investigation has not reached his own curve. Now, as a star witness to the movement and the modus operandi of the ex-minister, we need to hear from him.
We are interested in his role in the movement of the cash to Fayoses associate.
Meanwhile, it was learnt that Fayoses associate, Abiodun Agbele, who allegedly collected the slush funds from Obanikoro, was said to have cringed when EFCC detectives confronted him with incontrovertible evidence.
Agbele, who is presently in EFCC custody, was said to be worried after being shown some damning bank tellers, which he personally signed.
He was just cringing, the source added.
The Niger State councils of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have directed all civil servants in the state to proceed on an indefinite strike action over cuts in their salaries by the state government.
The organized labour said the decision to embark on strike followed the expiration of a two-week ultimatum handed the state government to pay full salary of workers in the state.
The Organized Labour directed that the civil servants should sit at home and await further directives.
The Niger State Council of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) hereby direct all Niger State civil servants to proceed on an indefinite strike action from Monday 11th July, 2016, said a bulletin signed by the labour unions in Minna, the state capital yesterday.
The State NLC Chairman, Comrade Yahaya Idris Ndako, asserted that This time around, no going back! The strike is inevitable.
Reacting to the strike action declared by the workers, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello said government did not cut workers salary.
According to him, the current salary regime was necessitated by circumstances beyond the control of government.
Speaking in Minna, the governor said, We are faced with a critical situation. Our monthly receipt from the federation allocation has been on a constant decline, the drastic fall in global price for crude oil and the continued heinous activities of the Niger Delta Avengers on our oil installations are affecting our resources. We have no intention to cut salary.
Mr. Sani Bello pointed out that in spite of the states lean allocation, government was able to pay 70 per cent salary to all workers last month.
Punch
No fewer than six students of Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, are feared dead in an auto crash involving a car and a commercial bus on Monday.
Vanguard
NIGER Delta Avengers has blown up yet again another of the nations crude oil pipeline, operated by ExxonMobil.
Thisday
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, will next Thursday meet with outgoing United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, over the sexual misconduct allegation against three legislators.
The Sun
Former Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof Tolu Odugbemi, has frowned at the activities of supervisory bodies that monitor institutions of higher education, who place pecuniary advantage above national interest.
Daily Times
The Director-General, Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, has blamed the various challenges facing the country on previous administrations.
Daily Trust
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has approved the winner of the June 18, 2016 primary election, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, as the partys flagbearer for the forthcoming Edo State governorship election.
Leadership
Residents of Bwari area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have appealed to Police in the area to increase security surveillance, following the murder of Mrs Eunice Olawale who had gone out for early morning preaching around the Gbazango-West area of Kubwa, a satellite town in the Federal Capital Territory.
The Nation
Detained Senator Iyiola Omisore is under pressure to name the beneficiaries of the N60 billion budget padding in the Sixth Assembly.
New Telegraph
The leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is worried stiff by the lingering crisis between the executive and legislative arms of the Federal Government controlled by the party.
Daily Independent
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State on Monday called for the impeachment of Governor Ben Ayade for alleged numerous constitutional breaches.
When officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, stormed the residence of a former deputy governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore in Maitama, Abuja to effect his arrest penultimate Sunday, they never anticipated that it would yield the discovery of documents that would raise fresh concerns about the budget of the National Assembly.
The EFCC operatives, who went to arrest Omisore over N1.310bn he and three companies received from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) under Sambo Dasuki, ended up stumbling on some documents during a search of the former senators residence that indicated a N60billion financial scandal in the budget of the Senate in the 6th National Assembly (2007-2011).
Omisore, who represented Osun East under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was the chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation at that time.
The document showed how N60bn was voted for extraneous overhead expenses for some senators and members of the House of Representatives in the 6th National Assembly.
Of the sum, the former Osun deputy governor was reportedly paid N2.5 billion by the National Assemblys management for undisclosed reasons.
It was learnt that the EFCC has formally written the management of the National Assembly on the discovery.
It would be recalled that the budget of the National Assembly, which has often elicited condemnation from Nigerians, has over the years been shrouded in secrecy.
The budget that covers the salaries and allowances of the 109 Senators, the 360 House of Representatives members, their aides as well as the budget of the National Assembly Commission, National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS) and the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), started skyrocketing in 2003 when it was jerked up from N23.347bn to N32.229bn in 2004 and reached an all-time high of N154.2billion in 2010.
Since 2010, the budget of the National Assembly remained at N150bn for four years until last year when it was slashed to N120bn and this year N115bn, amid dwindling revenue.
The latest discovery by the EFCC may help shed more light on the astronomical rise of the budget of the National Assembly.
In a move that is bound to repair the frosty relationship between Governor Adams Oshiomhole and his deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu, all aides of the governor sacked or suspended for supporting Odubu, have been recalled.
Odubu contested the primary election of the All Progressives Congress, APC, last month but lost to the perceived candidate of the governor, Godwin Obaseki, who will now fly the partys flag in the September 10 governorship election of Edo State.
During the primary election campaigns, some aides of Oshiomhole openly showed their support for Odubu while denouncing the choice of Obaseki, a move that earned them disciplinary actions from the governor.
One of such officials was the Executive Director on Poverty Alleviation and Mobilization, Chief (Mrs) Evelyn Igbafe, who was sacked for dereliction of duty, incompetence and abdication of responsibilities.
However, the affected political appointees were recalled at a reconciliatory meeting the governor held with his deputy on Tuesday.
Mr. Oshiomhole said the party primaries was to demonstrate internal democracy and distinguished the APC from other political parties.
He noted that the step taken towards reconciliation was in the interest of the party and honesty of purpose on his part.
He said, The deputy governor and I have worked together, dined together and socialized together. For some time its being in the news that the deputy governor and I are not in good term. I believe watchers of Nigeria politics will agree that Pius and I have had an extremely cordial relationship and I have had without any prompting agree that in my working with Pius I found him to be absolutely loyal, dedicated and committed.
Nobody was able to infiltrate us and nobody ever came to settle a quarrel between the deputy governor and I in the past seven and half years. Some times when we joke we dont relate as boss and subordinate but as brothers as we have been.
Pius and I fought many battles, both political battles as well as battles to reposition this government and together we can effortlessly point out what our stewardship accomplished for the benefit of the people of Edo State. I believe all these formed the foundation for the electioneering campaign that is about to begin. Having worked so hard and related so closely, there is no question Pius and I in and outside government will remain friends and comrades.
The primaries have come and gone. As a governor, I took some decisions some of which clearly affected some of the supporters of my brother, the deputy governor.
As part of my own atonement and to demonstrate my commitment to our friendship, some of the people who were affected in the cause of this contestation I have decided to reinstate them to their former positions and even to get their remuneration reinstalled.
I believe that when a leader shows compassion and demonstrate spirit of forgiveness and calls his younger ones, pat them on the back and say return home, it is not a mark of weakness, it simply shows that we are ever conscious that as humans there are times to make mistakes and times to correct them.
In his response, Odubu reaffirmed his commitment to the APC and victory at all elections.
Eleven suspects were on Tuesday paraded by the Police at the Force Headquarters, Abuja over the kidnap of the deputy High Commissioner of Sierra Leone to Nigeria, Maj.-Gen. Alfred Nelson-Williams (retd.).
Williams was abducted along the Abuja-Kaduna highway on Friday, July 1 while traveling to Kaduna to attend the graduation ceremony of Senior Course 38 at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC) in Jaji.
The former head of the Sierra Leonean Armed Forces regained his freedom about a week ago.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Don Awunah, paraded 11 suspects arrested in the kidnap Tuesday afternoon.
Details later
RCCG Female Preacher Eunice Olawales Main Killer Arrested In Abuja As Police Promise Justice
RCCG Female Preacher Murder In Abuja: Islamic Cleric, Imam Who Ordered Muslim Youths To Chase Eunice Olawale Away Arrested
An Islamic Cleric who ordered some young men to chase away RCCG Deaconess Eunice Olawale has been arrested.
According to a police source NaijaGists correspondent spoke to today in Abuja, the self-professed peace-loving Imam reportedly ordered some boys to scare the preacher away from the front of the mosque in Kubwa early Saturday morning but the young men took the law into their own hands and stoned Mrs Olawale to death.
The Islamic cleric (name withheld by request) told Police he never ordered his boys to kill the preacher. He however admitted that he was the one who sent them to chase her away.
The spokesman Anjuguri Manzah for Abuja Police command said an investigation has started on the barbaric way in which the RCCGs Pastors wife was murdered. He promised to make the outcome of the investigation public soon.
As at the time of this report, 6 suspects are currently in police detention in connection with Deaconess Eunice Olawales murder.
Source: Naija Gists
APC National leader and former Governor of Lagos state, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu is indeed a happy man. Thats because, one of his sons, Seyi is getting married to his longtime girlfriend, Layal J. Holm in a destination wedding in Italy.
Although no official date has been given for the wedding, Information Nigeria gathers the movers and shakers in Nigeria as well as Lebanon would be invited.
Layal who is of Lebanese and Nigerian descent, is a consultant at an auditing firm. Congrats to them!
Checkout their pre-wedding photos.
Its been going down on Twitter and everything you knew about primary school mathematics is about to change. Most people, who went to primary school in Nigeria were probably told that the O in BODMAS stands for ORDERS not OF.
It all started innocuously with the 62(1+2) and opinions were divided as to whether the answer is 1 or 9. Take a crack at it and let us know what the correct answer is in the comment section!
This angry twitter user says whether right or wrong, who has BODMAS helped
Whether OF or ORDERS. I still havent used BODMAS to practically make any money. Everyday we discover another childhood lie. Sad mhen! Snap: datguykofo (@datGuyKOFO) July 12, 2016
And the one that wants a refund of all her school fees
Wait the O in BODMAS stands for Order Im going to warri soon my primary school must return my school fees.. Big fizzy (@fizzywillz) July 12, 2016
LMAOOO @degostee So the O in BODMAS stands for orders and not of, We want our school fees back pic.twitter.com/9h5yHAflXX B HIW (@TIMEEII) July 12, 2016
This photo that actually brings back our primary school memory esp if you were a kpako
After going through all this in primary school, Youre now telling me O in BODMAS is not OF issokay kontinu pic.twitter.com/KqW0vhldBD Olawole Olakunle (@MKO_Olawole) July 12, 2016
This one thinks the correction came too late
So its after Im done graduating from secondary school that you people will tell me that the O in BODMAS is Order and no OF. WAKA Domoj (@domojguy) July 12, 2016
And this one says his maths teacher would have had a better answer
If Only Mr Babs (my Maths teacher) is on twitter to see this BODMAS argument The Unusual Suspect (@Sixteen_digits) July 12, 2016
And someone is still in denial of the true state of our dear naira
Now that O in BODMAS is Order not Ofcould someone pls tell us that true exchange rate of Naira to Dollar is less than what we have now? Tonna (@talkin2tt) July 12, 2016
But someone says our teachers were right
Your Maths teacher didnt scam you. O for Of is correct in BODMAS. Check here: https://t.co/RflCivh24r Babatunde Oladehinde (@Tunde2708) July 12, 2016
Seriously, did you know the O meant Orders ? ?
On this day in 2003: Former President Bush met with former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Nigeria.
They discussed the circumstances under which former Liberian President, Charles Taylor would live in exile in Nigeria. Wrapping up a five-day tour of Africa, Bush said it would not be permitted for terrorists to use the continent as a base to threaten the world.
Also on this day in 2006: In Bayelsa State, two explosions hit oil installations belonging to an Italian oil company, along two Agip pipelines.
Equally on this day in 2014;Six young men were arrested by a team of anti- robbery policemen team attached to Area A Police Command, Lion Building around 8: 30 am, while they were looting properties from Savannah bank, at Broad Street, in Lagos Island.
The arrested armed robbers were all said to be teenagers and age between 18 to 20.
And on this day in 2013; Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State asked a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, to restrain the Felix Obuah-led Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state from probing his six years in office.
Microsoft is back at the core of the office -- and, more important, at the core of the new office. A few years ago, Microsoft was flailing, with Windows 8 a disaster, Windows Phone going nowhere fast, its cloud strategy disjointed and primitively executed, and both Exchange and Microsoft Office stuck in a rut.
No longer. Today, Microsoft Office and the related Microsoft ecosystem -- Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, and the rest of Office 365 -- is again an energized core for modern businesses. By modern, I mean multiplatform.
It's clear that Microsoft is refocusing away from Windows (Windows 10 is good but no longer the center of the universe) to Office, and that shift in the last year has moved from talk to action.
You see the action at many levels:
There's still a lot of work to be done -- and Microsoft needs to decide whether to kill Yammer or give it the serious attention it needs to be as good as Slack. But for the first time ever, Microsoft Office is a platform you can use across multiple devices -- and will want to use.
For businesses, that's a big sigh of relief. Microsoft's long-standing approach of favoring Windows while punishing others platforms was fine before the iPhone, but it's boomeranged since then. PC sales continue to fall, Mac sales continue to rise, and practically everyone in larger businesses has an iPhone if not an iPad.
IT today can have the common, standard platform (Office 365) it wants in a heterogeneous, increasingly mobile and BYOD world that users want. The web was supposed to be the center that replaced the PC, but instead it's the cloud suite (Office 365, in this case).
Under Microsoft's previous trajectory, Google Apps was becoming a real option for IT, since it works (poorly) on any computer via a browser and via native mobile apps. Despite its subpar productivity capabilities, Google Apps has mastered document sharing, and many people were willing to give up powerful editing for the ability to work wherever whenever.
Now, you don't have to make that choice, even if Office 365 document sharing remains more complex than it should be.
Nor do you have to use Apple's iWork suite on iOS, which was the only rational approach 18 months ago. Office is strong on iOS and on MacOS, where iWork has long been available as a backup for the day Mac Office users couldn't take it anymore. That day has been pushed far forward and perhaps may never come.
Apple's web strategy for iWork on Windows and Android has essentially shut it out of any large multiplatform environment -- especially as Apple reduced the native app functionality in 2013 to make the web and native apps equivalently functional. As with Google Apps' web centrism, that resulted in a crippled suite. Although Apple brought back some native features a year later, the momentum for iWork has already ended.
In fact, Microsoft's decision to move from web centrism to app centrism has paid off. A few years ago, native apps were a bad thing, and the future was the web app. Except it wasn't: Web apps can't do as much, and they work terribly in multi-app contexts, which described most professional work. Using a web app today is like going back to a singe-tasking app in 1995 -- you do it only if you have no choice, because being able to switch among apps and share common file systems and so forth is too compelling to give up.
But back in the day, Microsoft followed Google's lead to the web app, resulting in the horrible Office Online. (Apple followed later with iWork, which has yet to recover.) Microsoft has since reversed course, putting native apps front and center again, with all the power and convenience they bring.
Yet Microsoft has not abandoned the web app: For most Office 365 applications, you can use the web version or the native version. The web versions are good enough for quick or isolated work, handy when you're not at your computer or don't want to fire up the app for a small change. If you want to have simultaneous editing, web apps are the way to go. Native apps are great for doing big-screen, multiwindow work or for complex documents.
As a result of Microsoft's "both" approach, you get the convenience of Google Apps without the capability penalties of Google Apps. Apple's iWork ostensibly offers the same duality, but Apple's lack of investment in iWork for several years, coupled with its decision to limit native apps to MacOS and iOS, has essentially turned iWork into a free, simple suite for home users who don't want to pay for Office.
To put it another way, with Office 365 you get the best of the native app and the cloud on most every device. Well, not the best quite yet -- there are plenty of issues in Office 365 that Microsoft must address, from artificial limits on Mac users, an Exchange messaging back end that still needs to be reinvented to use common APIs across all clients, and web-centric functionality in OneDrive and SharePoint that need to move to the native clients.
Still, Microsoft clearly has the best office platform for the modern office. There really are no alternatives to consider, even if there are point products that are better for some aspects like instant messaging. I wouldn't have believed 18 months ago that I would be writing these words, but it's the truth.
If Microsoft finishes the job, it will have successfully replaced Bill Gates' famous "Windows on every desk" ambition with the even bigger "Office 365 on every device" ambition, certainly for business users. If Microsoft pulls that off, sustains its current efforts, and maintains the results over time, I'll gladly join in. I bet you will too.
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WALMART: One of the more Historical and Profitable US companies Wavetraders - 1 hour ago Walmart remains bullish from Elliott wave perspective, as it's one of the more historical and profitable US companies.
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A report published earlier this year sounded the alarm about an impending education crisis in California. The study found that the supply of new teachers in the Golden State is at a 12-year low, and educator program enrollment has dropped 70 percent over the last 10 years. You dont have to be a tenured professor to form an educated guess about which subjects are hit the hardest: math and science, which are increasingly taught by underprepared teachers with waivers and temporary permits in the absence of qualified STEM educators.
EnCorps, a California nonprofit founded in 2007 by former Paramount Chair and CEO Sherry Lansing, has spent the last decade recruiting STEM experts and military veterans to transition into second careers as public school teachers. It's since done reasonably well on the fundraising front. The W.M. Keck Foundation committed $250,000 a few months ago, and a trio of fundersthe American Honda Foundation, the Cheryl Saban Self-Worth Foundation for Women and Girls, and the Boeing Foundationprovided grants in May.
Corporate funders are a key part of the picture for EnCorps, which is true of other groups working on STEM. Many top U.S. companiesespecially those involved in technology, energy, and manufacturingare acutely worried about STEM skills of tomorrow's workforce. They're pouring millions into nonprofits working in this space.
So it's no great surprise to hear that the telecommunications giant Qualcomm will help EnCorps recruit and train an additional 670 teachers in Southern California by June 2020, an influx of qualified STEM instructors that local schools desperately need. Qualcomms corporate philanthropy policy calls for tight lips on grant amounts, but EnCorps believes that this new multi-year, long-term partnership will allow the nonprofit to fill up to a third of the states annual shortage of STEM teachers.
Qualcomms founder, Irwin Jacobs, has given away an estimated $500 million of his considerable fortune to causes in the San Diego area. In addition to a $100 million grant to the San Diego Symphony, Jacobs has supported education and health initiatives. As for corporate philanthropy, Qualcomm focuses its giving in areas where the company has a business presence. In the case of the EnCorps partnership, this means Orange County and San Diego.
The Qualcomm grant is an opportunity for EnCorps to scale its model and deepen its impact on local schools. The nonprofit recruited a record 118 fellows in 2015-2016, and will need to increase capacity to meet the ambitious goal of more than 165 new STEM educators annually for the next four years. To that end, EnCorps has hired a program and recruitment director to operate on Qualcomms home turf of Orange County and San Diego. Three new staff members are focused on local engagement, and a new board member will offer legal guidance as the organization grows.
Qualcomm has been a consistent funder and advocate since 2008, EnCorps Business Development & Communications Director Cara Bibbiani tells Inside Philanthropy. Qualcomm has played a pivotal role in the evolution of EnCorps, as we share a core belief in developing and strengthening communities through inspirational, innovative solutions that serve diverse populations. Heading into the 10th year of our critical mission, our model has been influenced by Qualcomm's regional footprintSan Diego Unified is the second-largest California district of need.
EnCorps reports that as of this month, the California Department of Education has designated the organization as the state employee giving nonprofit recipient as part of a partnership to ramp up the recruitment of STEM professionals into public school teaching.
Back in early 2015, the San Diego Foundation restructured its grantmaking model, arguably diminishing the arts in the process and contributing to the departure of Felicia Shaw, the foundation's longtime Director of Arts and Creative Economy.
You could hear a collective "gulp" coming from the city arts community.
A year and a half later, the foundation's support for the arts remains strong; it just announced the five winners of its Creative Catalyst program, which award artists with $10,000 to $20,000 fellowships and partner with nonprofit arts and culture mentoring organizations.
According to the foundation's site, fellowships require the development of "new work or advancement of existing work over a 12-month period that includes extensive community engagement and culminating project exhibitions or performances for all San Diegans to enjoy."
So everything turned out just fine, right? More or less, yes. Lord knows it could be worse. Then again, it could be better.
To see what we mean, let's travel back in time to 2011. That was when a woman named Felicia Shaw (that name seems to ring a bell, doesn't it?) launched Creative Catalyst as a pilot program with the help of a startup grant from the Irvine Foundation. The program gave a total of $285,000 to 15 artists in 2012.
The total amount of funding awarded this round, meanwhile, stands at $100,000, as each of the five winners walks away with $20,000. And therein lies the crux of the "it could be better" sentiment. As the San Diego Union-Tribunenoted, "the overall dollar amount and number of recipients have dropped steadily" since Creative Catalyst's inception.
What's more, the foundation awards a ton of stuff across all sorts of vectors. "Arts, Culture, and Humanity" is one of 11 categories in the foundation's Social Impact Areas program. There are many moving parts under the hood and finite dollars to go around.
But who's to say that the trend can't be reversed?
According to the Union-Tribune, the program adheres to a "pooled philanthropy" model whereby "donors not only write checks but take an active interest in the outcome." What's more, the San Diego Foundation contacted people whod attended previous Creative Catalyst events and raised enough to continue through 2020 and awarding grants roughly every 18 months.
And when it comes to the actual number of grants the Creative Catalyst is willing to dole out, Jill Hall, co-chair of program makes a convincing case for a "less is more" approach: "I felt, very confidently, that it would be better to do three cycles of five artists each, than to do one year with 15 artists. It raises the level of the work. It makes the grant more prestigious. It makes it a tighter cadre of artists."
Earlier this year we wrote another piece on the San Diego art scene. Dr. Andrew Viterbi, the Italian-born co-founder of Qualcomm and philanthropist announced a $5 million gift that will create the Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Fund at the Old Globe Theater. At the time, Dr. Viterbi hoped the gift would "encourage other philanthropists to chip in to support the theater."
A similar feeling of cautious optimism can be found at the San Diego Foundation. When asked by the Union-Tribure if she would expand the Creative Catalyst program to previous levels if more money could be found, Hall said, "you always dream."
By Timarie Kilsheimer Thompson
My husband and I have just opened our brand-new self-storage facility, Delaware Beach Storage Center (DBSC) in Lewes, Del. Over the past year, Inside Self-Storage has published articles in which I describe our decision to develop this new 675-unit property and, later, how we designed and implemented our marketing strategy for a facility in lease-up. As construction on our project neared completion, we then turned our attention toward the operational framework that had to be in place before we could open our doors.
To many, building and operating a self-storage facility appears to be an easy and lucrative way to own your own business. Although the operation will become less intensive on a day-to-day basis once the units are leased, the initial foray is elaborate. Its essential to establish a working foundation on which to run the site. Will you think of everything and get all the details correct? Probably not, especially if youre new to the industry. Can you do your best to create a comprehensive to-do list using industry resources? You bet!
The first step in tackling what might initially seem an insurmountable task is to build a spreadsheet containing all key action items. Nothing is too smallorder name tags, anyone?or too big. Understand that many of these are ongoing as a part of a project timeline. Having all of these tasks in one place, with each job owner and a target completion date, will be invaluable so nothing falls through the cracks.
Once youve assembled the list, group items into componentssome are fundamental, others more tactical. Many key sections are fairly obvious, but not necessarily easy or quick to address. Most of the marketing tasks (website, marketing strategy, etc.) were addressed in my last article. Below are some other areas for discussion.
Operations Manual
Creating an operational framework for a new self-storage facility, including the company's policies, best practices and procedures, sets out the way you do business. Itll generally outline guiding principles on employment, employee conduct, customer interaction, safety, facility maintenance and security. Additionally, it will include detailed information on day-to-day operation such as:
Opening and closing procedures
Daily reports and tasks
Customer service including sales and service philosophy
Lead fielding, follow-up and closing
Telephone and in-office etiquette
Handling customer issues or disgruntled customers
Tenant insurance
Retail sales
Making reservations
Taking payments
Vacating a unit
Collections
Lien sales
The sum of these components, in the form of an operational handbook, will establish and develop a company ethos and culture. If you need assistance in this area, there are industry veterans whove written manuals for you. You can use them as is or as a starting point to customize policies and procedures for your store. Either way, it may be a good (and fairly modest) investment if youre time-constrained.
Legal
Maneuvering within the legal arena is tough enough for a layperson. Add the complexity of industry-specific issues and constantly changing laws and you have challenges with potentially significant business and monetary ramifications. Establishing a solid legal base (addendums, leases, waivers, etc.) for your new operation is critical. You must make sure your lease is iron-clad, reflects your business rules, and adheres to your state and local laws.
Just as important is having a strong legal resource once operation is underway. Challenges include lien sales, auctions, abandonment of goods, tenant bankruptcy or death, collections, and continuously changing laws, among many others. Failure to follow these laws and execute accordingly could leave you open to litigation.
From the very beginning of our project, we recognized that we didnt know what we didnt know, and the legal component was no exception. We felt it was essential to team up with an industry veteran to establish our initial documents. Self-storage law is all that he does. As such, hes privy to the changing legal landscape, helping us consider issues we never thought about. Hell also serve as an ongoing resource as we encounter day-to-day legal challenges and questions, whether its a lien sale or language for our marketing campaign.
Software
Choosing a software to manage your operations is critical, not only for in-office tasks but for your online business, which has become a vital success factor for self-storage. With multiple vendors in the industry, how do you decide? First, you need to determine your needs. Below are the elements that were most critical to us:
Customer service, training and support: Not knowing the software, it was important that we were comfortable with the functionality and interface, and that we would be able to receive timely and comprehensive support.
Not knowing the software, it was important that we were comfortable with the functionality and interface, and that we would be able to receive timely and comprehensive support. Online payments, rentals and reservations: Online presence and this functionality are key differentiators in our market. Were expecting them to help streamline and expedite lease-up.
Online presence and this functionality are key differentiators in our market. Were expecting them to help streamline and expedite lease-up. Accounting and reporting: With 680 units, bookkeeping will get complicated fast. A user-friendly software that has the capabilities to provide the necessary accounting reports will make our lives easier. Itll also enable us to ensure the business is on track. If its not, itll alert us to fix it!
With 680 units, bookkeeping will get complicated fast. A user-friendly software that has the capabilities to provide the necessary accounting reports will make our lives easier. Itll also enable us to ensure the business is on track. If its not, itll alert us to fix it! Lead tracking: With a new store, we cant afford to let any potential customers fall through the cracks.
With a new store, we cant afford to let any potential customers fall through the cracks. Electronic signature: Providing customers with a convenient (and green) way to sign or renew a lease is yet another amenity that isnt common in our market.
After youve determined your needs and priorities, talk with different industry software providers. From there, try the demos and participate in online webinars to get a taste of what youll be working with every day. Based on that, you can make an informed decision and move forward with implementation.
Other Vendors
General vendor selection is another important point to consider. Whos going to provide:
Trash removal?
Phone and Internet service?
Security monitoring?
Janitorial services?
Landscaping?
Facility-maintenance services?
Equipment leasing?
Insurance (business and tenant)?
Payment services?
Retail product?
Sometimes you may not have a choice. We decided to handle a lot of things ourselvesalthough I did put my foot down on the trash, so we bid that out!
Tenant insurance has become the industry norm and no longer considered an optional amenity. Customers expect it, and operators can garner an important revenue stream from this offering.
Evaluating merchant-service providers and performing a rate comparison, especially if youre going to strongly recommend auto-pay to your customers, will have a potentially significant effect on your bottom line. In this domain, however, we also strongly weighed the providers customer service and support. The last thing we want is to encounter an issue and not be able to resolve it immediately.
Retail is yet another income source and something to consider as we market ourselves as a one-stop-shop for moving, packing and storage materials. Surprisingly, this is something our market currently lacks.
Framework in Place, Now What?
Establishing your framework is just the first step. Now you need to implement, and theres still much work to be done. Keep in mind:
Writing your operational handbook will happen over time, not overnight.
Vet and select your legal counsel early in the process. Even if you dont start working on your documents immediately, you dont rush this important part of your business.
Once you decide on a software provider, it still takes time to learn the program, get comfortable with it, get all the settings right, input your data (and at 680 units, that was no small feat!), integrate with your website and merchant services provider, and test everything.
Most of this sounds logical, however, many underestimate the time it takes to not only establish these key business components but execute them. The last thing you want is to be behind the eight-ball when your doors are about to open.
Timarie K. Thompson and her husband, James Blair Thompson, are the owners of Delaware Beach Storage Center in Lewes, Del., which opened in June. Timarie has been involved in the marketing and strategic-planning fields for more than 20 years. She lives in Rehoboth Beach, Del., with Blair and their son. For more information, e-mail [email protected]; visit www.debeachstorage.com.
Update 5/24/18 Hampshire presented a revamped design for its proposed self-storage project on Morris Street to the city council this week, but the changes dont appear to be enough to flip residential opposition. The new design includes a 6 percent reduction in capacity to 98,000 square feet and an 800-square-foot addition to the art studio. A new facade designed by New Jersey architect Dean Marchetto includes brick-loft styling, according to the source.
Marchetto appeared at the meeting and told the council the structure would be comparable to his other work in the city, including cube-like apartments and the triangular Fox Rothschild building near the town green.
Though some residents like the design, they are dead set against the use. Please do not build a storage facility and pretend it is a cultural asset, resident Linda Carrington told the council.
I dont care how you dress it up. Its the scale, its the size, its the use, argued former councilmember Brady.
Vitolo noted the public presentation was his seventh during the last two year and indicated the next move is up to the city council to accept or reject the proposal.
2/14/18 Morristown residents remained strongly opposed to Hampshires Morris Street self-storage proposal during a city council meeting on Feb. 8. After more than two hours of debate, the council adjourned the meeting without voting on the zoning amendment the developer needs to move forward on the project, according to the source.
Objections included the potential for increased late-night traffic and noise from the outdoor performance plaza included in the plan. Some also criticized the architectural renderings presented to the council for not including signage, surrounding homes and topography to better depict how the storage facility would fit into the community, the source reported.
Werder told the council the local arts scene would flourish from the dedicated studio spaces. While councilmember Alison Deeb and some residents liked that aspect of the proposal, others questioned whether 50 artists could share 10 spaces of 160 square feet each.
Former councilmember Margaret Brady argued the storage facility would hurt tourism by distracting visitors on their way to nearby historical venues. A community park, fire station or additional housing would be a more appropriate use for the site, she said.
Though Hampshire officials indicated they want to continue working with the community to alleviate or accommodate concerns, Iannaccone indicated hes seen enough. The proposed use is inappropriate for the location, he told the source. I think the public was correct with its concerns and position on the appropriateness of the use and scale of the proposed storage facility.
Its not clear when the council might further review the proposal.
2/8/18 The controversial mixed-use project proposed for Morristown will be presented to the town council tonight. The hearing had been delayed for more than a year due to scheduling issues, according to Abramson.
Mayor Tim Dougherty, who hasnt publicly endorsed or opposed the project, said he didnt request delaying a vote on the project during last years election. My election wouldnt have mattered either way, he said, adding its up the applicant to make his case.
Hampshire, which has cleaned up the site and demolished the existing structure, requested the meeting to find out what kind of redevelopment the council wants for the property, Abramson said. What can be expected is an indicator one way or another on how they would look to proceed, he said. The developer would like to know the councils reaction to the proposal and whether it makes sense to prepare something for them to vote on.
Councilmembers, who are also the towns redevelopment authority, havent received any new information about the project from the developer or town officials, according to councilmember Robert Iannaccone, whose First Ward includes the proposed site. They didnt show us anything. Even the agenda is not clear what theyre coming for, he said, noting hes not inclined to support the project based on public input during the workshops. I basically vote the way my constituents ask me to vote.
The council has also had turnover, with councilmember Michelle Dupree Harris leaving after an unsuccessful mayoral bid. She was replaced last month by David Silva.
Frank Vitolo, the attorney representing the developer, hopes to show how the project will benefit the community. Were there to present our plan for the project, but also to field questions from the council and the public, explain why its a terrific fit for Morristown, and how it comports with the redevelopment plan and the town master plan, he said.
1/24/17 Plans for the self-storage building that will be part of the Morris Street Redevelopment project have reduced the number of floors from five to four after residents expressed concern it would be an eyesore. The adjustment was made public during a recent workshop in which representatives from SNS Architects & Engineers PC and planning firm Topology were present, according to the source.
In addition to self-storage and the art studio, a performance center will be part of the project, the source reported. While the art studio will cater to local artists looking for affordable space in which to work, the spaces will be surrounded by windows allowing the public to view projects as they are created, Katie Dempsey, director of placement for Morris Arts, told the workshop audience.
Town officials are still accepting comments from the public.
7/18/16 A large group of residents participated in a public workshop last week to learn about the Morristown project that would feature self-storage and art space. Members of a neighborhood association in the nearby Franklin Corners townhome community told city officials they were concerned the facility would be an eyesore for more than 70 apartments under development on Hill Street, according to the source.
Similarly, former council member Margret Brady said an artist rendering of the facility looked to me as though a huge box had landed from outer space.
Other residents argued the development didnt meet the towns plans to make this particular stretch of Morris Street into a residential gateway to the community.
As proposed, zoning revisions would need to be passed to accommodate the project, since self-storage isnt among the permitted uses for the area and building height is limited to three stories, Abramson said.
Residents spoke favorably about the art-space component to the project. There were a number of people who showed up who learned a lot of new information about the plans, Werder told the source. We heard that people wished that the artist studio was a much larger part of the program for the new building.
Its too early in the approval process to know if the art space will become a larger portion of the project, Werder said.
7/12/16 Hampshire Properties, an affiliate of real estate investment firm Hampshire Real Estate Cos., has proposed a mixed-use development for Morristown, N.J., that would feature self-storage and rentable art space. The five-story structure at 175 Morris St. would include 100,000 square feet of self-storage and a 2,600-square-foot art facility operated by Morris Arts, a nonprofit agency, according to the source.
If approved, the storage facility would be managed by real estate investment trust Extra Space Storage Inc. and rebranded under the companys operating name, town planner Phil Abramson told the source.
Under the plan, Morris Arts would rent space to artists as well as hold performances and exhibitions on patio space to increase pedestrian traffic in the area, which is near railroad tracks and several recently developed apartments. This will bring some life down there, Tom Werder, executive director of Morris Arts, told the source.
The project would replace the former Milellis Auto Service and Towing and extend onto an adjacent property that abuts the train tracks. Morris Street 2015 LLC acquired both parcels last year for $5 million.
The property also once housed a heating-oil distributor. Environmental issues makes the ground unsuitable for residential development, Abramson said.
A public workshop to discuss the project was scheduled for Monday. The proposal was inspired by Mana Contemporary, a Jersey City, N.J., warehouse that was converted into a popular arts venue, as well as other self-storage projects that have incorporated art space, according to Abramson.
Hampshire Real Estate has a diversified investment platform that includes self-storage, industrial, medical, office and retail properties primarily in Northern New Jersey. The company has a strategic alliance with Extra Space, which has been involved in other Hampshire developments. The partnership includes the REIT acquiring a 50 percent interest in a 78,000-square-foot self-storage facility in Bloomfield, N.J., according to the Hampshire website.
Sources:
John Auton, owner of commercial construction company Imperial Design Builders, has received zoning approval to build a self-storage facility in Fuquay-Varina, N.C., despite opposition from residents. About a dozen people from the South Lakes master-planned community spoke out against the development, which would be near the neighborhoods entrance, during a July 5 town-board meeting.
The proposed site is part of a 6.5-acre parcel on the southeast corner of Jones Lake Road and North Carolina 55. The 1.5 acres closest to the intersection is currently zoned for commercial retail. The council voted unanimously to zone the remaining acreage for self-storage use, according to the source. Commissioner Jason Wunsch recused himself from the vote because he has family living in South Lakes.
Residents had hoped the entire parcel would be reserved for family-friendly retail. An online petition against the rezoning garnered 533 signatures prior to the vote. However, it wasnt submitted to the town as an official protest petition because it didnt provide signers addresses to prove they lived in the neighborhood, the source reported. Some names also appeared as many as four times.
Prior to the vote, board members discussed the project, noting the developer promised to blend it into the neighborhood through a tasteful facade, anti-light-pollution measures and 30-foot evergreen buffers, said Adam Mitchell, town manager.
As I have learned more, I believe what they have proposed is reasonable, said Charlie Adcock, commissioner. My philosophy ultimately is to let the market dictate what needs to be a built. I dont see that as the role of the board to determine whats needed, whether it be mini-storage or anything else.
The developers concessions didnt appease the residents, who said they didnt want a self-storage facility in their neighborhood regardless of its aesthetics or barriers. I didnt want something we had to hide in a mixed-use community, said resident Daniel Klausner. I wanted something we could go to with our kids after a day at work and hang out at with our friendsnot something pretending to be a retail building or hidden by landscaping.
Homeowner Katherine Van Allen agreed. We spend a lot of money in this town trying to make it beautiful, and a mini-storage is not going to make it more beautiful, she said. I cant fathom why they want to put a business in the neighborhood thats not wanted. That might sound a little shallow, but aesthetics matter.
Resident Cassandra Cranston questioned whether there was even need for another storage facility in city. She said four already exist and none are at capacity, according to phone calls she made to each.
Mitchell countered thats not the case. It was mentioned that there are X number of mini-storages that arent full, but thats not weve found in our research, he said. Were finding that the storage units in our town are almost always full.
One homeowner, whose house borders the development site, spoke in favor of the project. John Wilbon told board members he was satisfied with changes made to the proposal since it was first shown to residents.
The rezoning application was submitted under Timing Is Everything LLC, which is also owned by Auton. The land is owned by Southlake Investors LLC, a privately held company based in Greensboro, N.C.
Billed as Fuquay-Varinas first master-planned community, South Lakes launched in 2005 by Preston Development Co. The recession stalled its progress, resulting in 338 homes built of the planned 700 when complete. The neighborhood also includes a 30-acre lake as well as 120 acres of greenways, open space and wetlands.
Founded in 2002 and based in Fuquay-Varina, Imperial Design Builders offers building, design and pre-construction services. It completed more than 75 projects from 5,000 to 45,000 square feet last year.
Ramser Development Co., owner of Boat Storage Depot, RV Storage Depot and other commercial real estate properties, plans to build a new self-storage facility in Fountain Valley, Calif. The property at 16842 Harbor Blvd. is the former site of a used-car dealership and boat/RV-storage yard. The two-building project will comprise 97,000 square feet of storage space in 700 units. Construction will begin later this year, with the property opening in fall 2017.
Both of the buildings will offer drive-up storage. One will also be a three-level structure with elevator access to additional units. The storage facility will be technologically advanced" with automated access, climate control and online reservations, according to Scott Ramser, president.
"Fountain Valley has great neighborhoods and a great population that has demand for a clean, new self-storage facility of this type," Ramser said.
Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Tustin, Calif., Ramser Development owns six self-storage facilities. Scott Ramser is the board secretary for StoreLocal, a co-op of private self-storage operators in Canada and the United States. Hes developed more than 1 million square feet of boat and RV storage.
@FlamboroSpdwy @OSCAARracing Hamilton, ON (July 12, 2016)- A solid performance for Power To Go Motorsports on Saturday night unfortunately came to an end following an issue mid-race.
Bowman started off the night by finishing fourth and fifth in his heats, setting him up solidly for the feature.
The veteran ran just outside of the top-five throughout the feature, till he spun entering turn one on Lap 31 after an apparent mechanical issue, making contact with the outside wall. Hed be credited with an eighth place finish at the end of the event.
The team will focus on repairs and taking what they learned from the night forward with them to Delaware Speedway on July 22.
Power To Go Motorsports is proud to be supported by Halls Heat & Cool Incorporated, Re/Max Canada and Hanover Holidays, and welcomes fans to stay tuned to the team website at http://powertogo63.comfor further updates.
Press Release by: Ashley McCubbin / ashleymccubbin17@gmail.com
South Africas infrastructure may leave much to be desired, but the countrys stock exchange is getting an upgrade. To keep up with growing competition, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange has embarked on a long-term project to gather all of its markets onto a single, faster trading platform and a new clearing system.
The effort comes as ZAR X, the first new South African exchange in more than a century, prepares to open for business in September, blazing a trail for more would-be domestic rivals to the JSE. But CEO Nicky Newton-King isnt too worried about the competition. We dont have a statutory monopoly; nor do we have a divine right to exist, says Newton-King, 49, who became the JSEs first female chief executive in 2012. Therefore its important that absolutely everything we do, we do better every day.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the JSE closing its trading floor and going fully electronic; with an average daily trading volume of 270 million shares, the largest bourse on the African continent continues to invest for speed. Four years ago it upgraded its equities market with a trading engine developed by Sri Lankabased MillenniumIT, a branch of the London Stock Exchange Group, that made execution speeds almost 400 times faster.
The exchange is in the process of migrating its derivatives and fixed-income markets onto the MillenniumIT platform, with equity and currency derivatives scheduled to go live next year. Concurrently, each asset class will be shifted onto a new, real-time clearing system developed by Stockholm-based Cinnober Financial Technology. I think markets that offer less than what their clients are used to in their home countries will struggle to attract the kind of attention they might otherwise, Newton-King says.
The JSE has also been trying to innovate ahead of potential competitors arising within South Africas borders, the Cape Town native adds. ZAR X the first of several applicants to receive a stock exchange license has grown out of an over-the-counter trading platform focused on restricted-share schemes, such as those used in South Africa to boost black ownership in companies. It will have little to no overlap with JSE products, at least for now. However, one application waiting in the wings, the 4 Africa Exchange (4AX), plans to go toe to toe with the giant JSE. The main advantage that start-up exchanges have over incumbents is the lack of legacy technology that can drive up costs and slow transaction speeds. For example, ZAR X offers same-day clearing and settlement, whereas the JSE spent the past half year upgrading its systems to shorten its settlement cycle from five days to three, as of July 11. The JSE is also adding block trading facilities to its equities market in September.
While there isnt another bricks-and-mortar exchange, we in fact have a vigorous level of competition in almost all of our products, says Newton-King, who holds a master of laws degree from the University of Cambridge and joined the exchange in 1996 after serving it as an attorney for Johannesburg-based law firm Webber Wentzel.
The JSE competes with local banks for trading currencies and bonds and with global exchanges for dual-listed securities like Belgian megabrewer Anheuser-Busch Inbev, which listed on the JSE in January in anticipation of the completion of its $108 billion takeover of South Africas pride and joy, SABMiller.
More competition isnt the only threat to the JSEs ability to win the hearts of foreign investors. Scandals around the ruling African National Congress, coupled with slowing growth, have damaged confidence in South Africa and put its credit rating at risk of being cut to junk status in December. In the first five months of this year, the JSE saw 55 billion rand ($3.8 billion) in foreign capital outflows from its equities market, though investors returned at the end of June chasing opportunities to profit from Britains decision to leave the European Union.
In March, Newton-King joined Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan on a road show in London in a bid to relieve investors concerns over South Africas political stability, growth prospects and high income inequality. Exchanges are at an interesting nexus of the real economy and capital markets, she says. On the one hand we have to operate a highly functional world-class capital market, and on the other hand we have to have our eyes very clearly on how we can serve people and help the real economy move forward.
Follow Jess Delaney on Twitter at @jdelaney_NYC.
At least one uncertainty in the U.K. has been settled: Home Secretary Theresa May looks set to become the U.K.s prime minister tomorrow, replacing the outgoing David Cameron, who said he would leave after losing the Brexit vote. The Conservative Partys May, who opposed the U.K. leaving the European Union, will have to grapple with negotiating Brexit. In comments to the press earlier today, EU Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici reiterated calls from EU leaders for a rapid departure in response to Mays comments that the U.K. may not officially break ties until 2017. In comments today before Parliament, Bank of England governor Mark Carney defended the central bank yet again against criticism that its perceived anti-Brexit bias was inappropriate. In notes released this morning by the Bank of England, Carney also underscored possible risks to reducing capital requirements for U.K. banks. While so much uncertainty hangs over the fate of the U.K.s economy, traders today drove the pound sterling higher by roughly 1 percent versus the U.S. dollar in a possible signal that more investors are willing to wager that the situation will resolve itself soon.
IMF warns over Italian bank risks. In a report issued this morning, analysts at the International Monetary Fund warned that nonperforming loans held by Italian banks represent a major risk. The IMF estimates that the total percentage of bad loans in Italy is running at 18 percent. Discussions between Italian banking authorities and EU regulators over a bailout of the troubled banks have been held up over whether bondholders should share in the losses.
Yen continues to decline. In reaction to the victory of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Liberal Democratic Party over the weekend, the yen continued to slide against the U.S. dollar today, bringing the week-to-date decline to 3 percent. Traders are wagering that the victory will lead to more stimulus as the Abe administration and Bank of Japan struggle with deflation.
China rebuked over South China Sea claims. The Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague today ruled in favor of the Philippines in a claim against China over its attempts to establish control over disputed portions of the South China Sea. The ruling, which does not have a mechanism for enforcement, is the latest chapter in the ongoing tensions between China and its southern neighbors over ownership of the waters.
Comac receives order for new jet. China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings announced today that it will purchase up to 60 new regional jets from Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China, better known as Comac, in a deal valued at more than $2 billion. The orders for the ARJ21 come only months after the new models maiden flight. The aircraft will be operated by Indonesian carriers.
FDA approves new Shire eye drops. Shares of Shire rose sharply in trading in London today after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new treatment for dry eyes. The drug, Xiidra, is a topical treatment for an eye condition estimated to affect more than 15 million Americans.
The car industry has another reason to worry as police and car insurers say thieves are now hacking into the electronic ignitions of late-model cars to steal the vehicles, reported The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).Said the WSJ report, the method was discovered after two thieves were caught on camera using a laptop to start a 2010 Jeep Wrangler and steal it from the owners driveway in Houston. Its the same method, police say, which was used to steal four other late model Wranglers and Cherokees in the city, none of which were recovered.Senior Officer James Woods of the Houston Police Departments auto anti-theft unit told WSJ: If you are going to hotwire a car, you dont bring along a laptop.We dont know what he is exactly doing with the laptop, but my guess is he is tapping into the cars computer and marrying it with a key he may already have with him so he can start the car, said Woods.According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), an insurance group that monitors car thefts across the US, there are recent police reports that link thefts of newer model cars to what it calls mystery electronic gadgets.We think it is becoming the new way of stealing cars, said Roger Morris, NICB VP.The public, law enforcement, and the manufacturers need to be aware.Morris said they had no idea how many cars have been stolen using this method. And as miniscule it is in the overall car thefts, it shows that hackers will do anything stay one step ahead.Over the past two years, Fiat Chrysler, General Motors, and Tesla Motors were forced to alter their car electronics after discovering their vehicles could be hacked. Last year, Fiat Chrysler recalled 1.4 million vehicles to fix a software loophole that enabled two hackers to remotely hijack a 2014 Jeep Cherokee.Startups and car-parts makers have also become committed to cyber-protecting cars.In an era where we call our cars computers on wheels, it becomes more and more difficult to stop hacking, Yoni Heilbronn, VP of marketing for Argus Cyber Security Ltd., an Israel-based company that develops technologies to stop or detect hackers, told WSJ.What we now need is multiple layers of protection to make the efforts of carrying out a cyberattack very costly and deter hackers from spending the time and effort, said Heilbronn.San Francisco-based Voyomotive is developing a mobile app that when used with a relay switch installed on the cars engine can prevent hackers from stealing the car by controlling the door locks and preventing the engine from starting.
A Milford, Massachusetts man has been indicted on larceny and workers compensation fraud charges in connection with allegedly collecting more than $18,000 in disability benefits while he continued to work, according to the office of Attorney General Maura Healey.
Kenneth Doyle, 42, was indicted this week by a Worcester Grand Jury on charges of workers compensation fraud and larceny over $250. He will be arraigned in Worcester Superior Court at a later date.
The AGs Office said it began investigating this matter after it was referred by the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) in August 2015.
The Insurance Fraud Bureau vigorously pursues these working while collecting claims, said Daniel Johnston, executive director of the Insurance Fraud Bureau . Working for income while collecting insurance for a total temporary injury at the same time is fraud. Claims like these drive up workers comp benefits for everyone.
According to officials, an investigation revealed that Doyle suffered an injury working as a vinyl siding installer for a Medway-based company in April 2012, and began receiving temporary total disability benefits after filing a workers compensation claim. While collecting benefits, Doyle allegedly owned and operated his own siding and windows business, Doyle Siding & Window Co. Inc. As early as May 2012, he allegedly began collecting payments for work done by his company and performed siding and roofing work, receiving more than $76,000 in checks from homeowners and contractors.
According to officials, he did not report these earnings to the insurance carrier and affirmatively stated that he was not working.
Authorities allege that Doyle collected $20,743 in disability benefits between April 2012 and February 2013, more than $18,000 of which were collected fraudulently.
This case is being handled by Assistant Attorney General Anuj Khetarpal of AG Healeys Insurance and Unemployment Fraud Unit, with assistance from Senior Investigator Philip Mantyla of the Attorney Generals Office and Investigator Nora Saint-Martin from the IFB.
Topics Workers' Compensation Fraud Massachusetts
Britains next Prime Minister Theresa May must find ways to protect Londons financial sector as the country negotiates its exit from the European Union, senior lawmaker Stephen Hammond said on Monday.
May is set to succeed David Cameron as leader, taking on the role of negotiating an end to Britains EU membership after a June 23 referendum vote to leave the bloc which left doubts over Londons future as a global financial hub.
Hammond, a former banker and a member of the influential Treasury Select Committee which scrutinizes the governments financial policy, said he expected the future of the City of London to be a high priority of his fellow Conservative May.
One of the things Im expecting her to do is look at how to make sure that financial services are a key part, staying in London and going forward for this country, he told Reuters.
He said negotiations before triggering the formal exit process should be allowed to take as long as needed as much as 18 months to ensure Britain has a clear Brexit strategy.
The decision to leave the EU has put rival financial centers in Europe on alert, eyeing the possibility of persuading swathes of the banking industry based in London to relocate, or using financial regulation to lever them out.
I would not be surprised to see us look at regulatory structures, Hammond said.
Although one needs equivalence, we can make sure theres not arbitrage against us and therefore make sure its in our favor.
He also said London needed to make sure it kept pushing itself in specialty markets like infrastructure finance and the insurance sector to keep hold of business.
Markets have reacted poorly to the uncertainty caused by the Brexit procedure and the possibility of a protracted negotiation, but Hammond said there should be no rush to trigger Article 50, the formal legal process for leaving.
May has also said Britain should not rush to trigger the process, but that puts her on a collision course with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is often portrayed as the EUs most influential politician as leader of its strongest economy.
I would not be surprised to see this running later than a number of people think, Hammond said.
Im hopeful that a number of other European countries will want to have discussions rather than negotiations in the next 18 months, and I think thats highly likely.
Asked whether he meant it could be 18 months before Article 50 is triggered, he said: Yes, I think so.
Hammond added: If it is clearly seen that we are making progress to secure a negotiating position, I dont think its in anyones interests to have an early trigger of Article 50.
(Reporting by William James; editing by Andrew Roche)
Topics Legislation Europe London
Global oil and shipping markets reacted nervously on Tuesday after an international arbitration court ruled against Beijings claims across large swathes of the South China Sea, fueling geopolitical tensions in the vital waterway.
A tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, found China had breached the sovereign rights of the Philippines and had no legal basis to its historic claims in the South China Sea, a major shipping lane between Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The ruling will be seen as a victory by other regional claimants such the Philippines and Vietnam, but with China rejecting the ruling and saying its military would defend its sovereign rights, nerves were on edge.
Although shippers and oil traders said they did not expect an immediate impact on shipping as a result of the ruling, oil prices jumped following the findings. Brent crude futures were up over $1, or more than 2 percent, to $47.60 per barrel at 1110 GMT.
It is vital that merchant ships are allowed to go about their lawful business on the worlds oceans without diversion or delay. We will of course be monitoring for any interference in the coming weeks, said Peter Hinchliffe, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping in London.
The deep waters of the South China Basin between the Spratly and also-disputed Paracel Islands are the most direct shipping lane between northeast Asias industrial hubs of China, Japan and South Korea and Europe and the Middle East.
The geography of the region offers few economically viable alternative routes for large oil tankers or dry-bulk ships and container ships.
Esben Poulsson, president of the Singapore Shipping Association, said any actions that restricted the right of innocent passage and freedom of safe navigation for merchant shipping would potentially drive up shipping costs, resulting in a detrimental impact on maritime trade.
Reuters shipping data shows that, counting just Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) super-tankers, some 25 VLCCs are passing between the disputed Spratly and Paracel islands at any time, with enough capacity to carry the equivalent of about 11 days worth of Japanese demand.
Some industry participants were more relaxed, however.
Its just pure politics, Ralph Leszczynski, head of research at ship broker Banchero Costa said.
China will simply ignore it, and it will not change in any way the reality on the ground. All there is at stake is access to offshore oil and gas deposits and perhaps fishing grounds, he said.
Insurers said costs were unlikely to rise in the short term.
We dont currently foresee any increase in insurance costs as a result of the ruling and would be surprised to see operators being penalized by the insurance market for trading in this area, said Andrew Brooker, founding partner, at Hong Kong marine marine insurance brokers Latitude Brokers.
Neil Roberts, manager of marine underwriting at the Lloyds Market Association, said the South China Sea is not listed by the LMAs joint war committee which highlights insurance hotspots.
Unless it is there would be no prospect of premiums rising, Roberts told Reuters. The shallow waters and numerous reefs in the Spratly island region means that commercial shipping is unlikely to be sailing within the territorial waters of any of the islands.
(Editing by Lincoln Feast)
Topics Energy Oil Gas China
Allied World Assurance Company Holdings AG announced that Allied World Europe has appointed Darren Jacobs as senior vice president, General Casualty.
Jacobs will lead Allied World Europes primary and excess casualty operation in London.
Jacobs has worked in the insurance industry for almost 25 years and has experience in both company and Lloyds markets in London, Western Europe, Scandinavia and the Middle East. He joins Allied World from Zurich Insurance Co., where he was previously head of Global Corporate/chief underwriting officer, Middle East, based in Dubai. Prior to that, he held roles at AIG, Allianz and Starr Companies.
Julian James, president, Global Markets, said: We have made great strides in enhancing our primary casualty offering, and Darrens arrival will further increase our expertise. He will have responsibility for building out our international book of business across a complex portfolio of public and employers liability risks, and will help ensure that we are designing the right products to meet our clients needs.
Source: Allied World Assurance Company Holdings AG
Topics Europe London Casualty
Markel International, the specialist insurer, has appointed Andy Lane, senior underwriter, in its newly created marine equipment business, part of its marine, energy and property division.
Lane joins David Stallard, underwriter, who started his role earlier in the year. With a focus on marine and subsea equipment, they will also provide cover for inland contractors plant and cargo.
Lane has 20 years insurance experience most recently as class underwriter for marine equipment at Skuld, and before that in senior underwriting positions at Tokio Marine, CNA and RSA.
Stallard has 17 years experience in the London marine market, both as an underwriter and a broker.
Their appointments follow recent additions to the marine and energy team to support the development of Markels marine trades business and its ports and terminals business, the company said in a statement.
Commenting on the appointments Paul Jenks, managing director of Markels marine, energy and property division, said: Andy and David are successful market leaders in this specialist area of marine coverage. As our customers marine and transportation businesses become increasingly diversified, we have been actively broadening and extending the range of coverage that we offer so that we can provide them with the comprehensive service they are looking for.
Source: Markel International
Topics New Markets
Karen Pauli has joined Strategy Meets Action (SMA), the Boston-based insurance strategic advisory firm, as a principal.
Pauli will support the expansion of SMAs advisory business and provide advice and thought leadership to insurers and industry vendors, according to Deb Smallwood, SMA founder.
Pauli joins SMA from CEB TowerGroup, where she led the property/casualty insurance advisory practice for 10 years. Prior to her position at CEB TowerGroup, she held roles in underwriting and claims at various insurers.
Source: SMA
After two confirmed U.S. cases of a superbug that thwarts a last-resort antibiotic, infectious disease experts say they expect more cases in coming months because the bacterial gene behind it is likely far more widespread than previously believed.
Army scientists in May reported finding E. coli bacteria that harbor a gene which renders the antibiotic colistin useless. The gene, called mcr-1, was found in a urine sample of a Pennsylvania woman being treated for a urinary tract infection.
On Monday, researchers confirmed preliminary findings that E. coli carrying the same mcr-1 gene were found in a stored bacterial sample of a New York patient who had been treated for an infection last year, as well as in patient samples from nine other countries.
The report came from a global effort called the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program, led by Mariana Castanheira of JMI Laboratories based in North Liberty, Iowa.
The mcr-1 superbug has been identified over the past six months in farm animals and people in about 20 countries including China, Germany and Italy.
The bacteria can be transmitted by fecal contact and poor hygiene, which suggests a far wider likely presence than the documented cases so far, according to leading infectious disease experts.
Health officials fear the mcr-1 gene, carried by a highly mobile piece of DNA called a plasmid, will soon be found in bacteria already resistant to all or virtually all other types of antibiotics, potentially making infections untreatable.
You can be sure (mcr-1) is already in the guts of people throughout the United States and will continue to spread, said Dr. Brad Spellberg, professor of medicine at the University of Southern California.
Dr. David Van Duin, an infectious disease expert at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, said he expects more documented U.S. cases of mcr-1 in coming months because it is already here and will spread from abroad. We will see a lot more of this gene.
Colistin causes kidney damage, but doctors have opted for it as other antibiotics increasingly fail. Its overuse, especially in overseas farm animals, has allowed bacteria to develop resistance to it.
Past and Present Infections
To track the mcr-1 gene, U.S. hospitals are working together with state and federal agencies to test bacteria samples of patients that have recently been treated for infections. Many of the largest research hospitals are examining samples of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that have long been stored in their freezers.
Gautam Dantas, associate professor of pathology at Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis, has tested hundreds of U.S. samples of archived bacteria in recent months and has not yet detected mcr-1. But he expects dozens of confirmed cases of the gene will be documented by next year in the country, mostly among current patients.
The concern of many disease experts is that mcr-1 could soon show up in bacteria also resistant to carbapenems, one of the few remaining dependable classes of antibiotics. In that event, with colistin no longer a last-ditch option, some patients would have to rely on their immune systems to fight off infection.
Within the next two to three years, its going to be fairly routine for infections to occur in the United States for which we have no (effective) drugs available, Dantas said.
Castanheira also believes mcr-1 will find its way into carbapenem-resistant bacteria, formally known as carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE).
In an interview, she said the resulting virtually impervious bacterium would likely spread slowly inside the United States because CRE themselves are not yet widespread in the country, giving drugmakers some time to create new antibiotics.
Beginning in August, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will use $21 million to expand surveillance at laboratories operated by all 50 state health departments and seven larger regional labs. The federal funding will help pay for more-sensitive equipment to test for antibiotic resistance in bacteria samples provided by hospitals.
Jean Patel, deputy director of the CDCs Office of Antimicrobial Resistance, said the effort will provide the CDC improved national surveillance of antibiotic-resistance trends, including any spread of mcr-1.
This is data for action, she said, adding that special procedures to prevent infections from spreading in hospitals could be taken once a patient is identified with mcr-1 related infections or with multidrug-resistant bacteria.
(Reporting by Ransdell Pierson; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
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Topics USA
Gun-rights activists, some of them wearing camouflage and military-style gear and openly toting rifles and handguns, marched alongside the hundreds of people who flocked to downtown Dallas last week to protest police shootings of blacks.
Their presence was part of the new legal landscape in Texas, which earlier this year allowed people to openly carry firearms in public.
Moments later, when a sniper gunned down officers patrolling the peaceful march, killing five, the attack ignited panic and confusion. Who was shooting? Were the people with weapons friend or foe?
It was the same nightmare scenario that some law enforcement officials predicted when Texas approved the open-carry proposal.
Dallas Police Chief David Brown estimated that 20 to 30 open-carry activists attended the rally. He said some wore gas masks, bulletproof vests and fatigues. They ran when the shots rang out, but the presence of so many armed individuals at the scene of a sniper attack caused instant confusion.
Doesnt make sense to us, but thats their right in Texas, Brown told CNN, adding: For our officers, they were suspects. And I support that belief. Someone is shooting at you from a perched position, and people are running with AR-15s and camo gear and gas masks and bulletproof vests. They are suspects until we eliminate that.
One man in the crowd, Mark Hughes, was carrying an AR-style firearm and wearing a camouflage T-shirt. In the early moments after the attack, police released a photo of Hughes describing him as a suspect. He was questioned and released, and authorities soon announced that the attack had been the work of a single gunman named Micah Johnson.
In the aftermath, President Barack Obama criticized the open-carry law.
Police, Obama said, have a really difficult time in communities where they know guns are everywhere. And as I said before, they have a right to come home, and now they have very little margin of error in terms of making decisions. So if you care about the safety of our police officers, then you cant set aside the gun issue and pretend that thats irrelevant.
Forty-five states have laws that allow citizens to openly carry a firearm in public places.
During debate over the open-carry issue, some people in Texas law enforcement expressed concerns, fearing that it would lead to panic, especially in active shooter situations. The state, which legalized concealed-carry firearms in the 1990s, now has more than 850,000 residents with licenses to carry.
C.J. Grisham, the president and founder of Open Carry Texas, stood Saturday outside the Lamar County Sheriffs Department in Paris with a small group of people, most of them with a handgun and spare magazines visible and strapped to a belt. They were there in part to protest the agencys refusal to allow people to openly carry a firearm into the building, which is connected to a jail, and to talk about what issues are next on the frontier of gun rights.
Grisham, who served in the military in Iraq and Afghanistan, travels around the state with a trailer in tow. Inside, hes got T-shirts, stickers and pamphlets that trumpet the groups key messages.
Were not the threat, Grisham said.
As he spoke, members of the group nodded their heads. They expressed concern that requiring people to carry concealed weapons is sometimes impractical. Texas weather can make it difficult to conceal a gun without wilting in the summer heat or to shed a coat in the winter. That puts them at risk of breaking the law by revealing they are carrying a weapon.
Thats what this is really about: being able to get comfortable and not become a criminal, Grisham said. If you boil it down, the only difference between open carry and concealed carry is a thin piece of fabric.
None of those who stood outside the sheriffs department said they had been stopped by police. And they maintain they havent caused any panic among civilians worried when they see their firearm.
Still, Grisham offers a practical suggestion for preventing alarm: Carry a long gun slung over your back with the muzzle pointed downward and dont touch it. That way, its hard to call it confrontational, he said.
On Sunday, Hughes was quizzed by his pastor about his decision to attend the protest with a gun.
What in the world were you thinking? Bishop T.D. Jakes asked him during services at The Potters House, a megachurch with 30,000 members.
The crowd of several hundred people laughed. Im just curious, Jakes said, chuckling.
Hughes said it was an opportunity to exercise his rights and make a statement, and he would do it again.
I understand and respect your right, Jakes responded. But I think the right is wrong.
Several in the audience shouted in agreement.
Associated Press Writer Christine Armario contributed to this report.
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Topics Texas Law Enforcement Gun Liability
According to new data released by CoreLogic, the 2016 hail season is already one of the most severe in Texas history, with year-to-date results reaching the nine-year average for U.S. hail storm damage.
Estimated losses from hail events this year in Fort Worth, Plano, Wylie and San Antonio totaled $689.6 million, according to CoreLogic.
CoreLogic pegged the Fort Worth loss at $72.5 million, losses from the Plano event at $35.8 million, losses from the Wylie hail event at $246.8 million, and losses from the San Antonio hailstorm at $334.5 million.
Fort Worth was hit with a series of powerful thunderstorms on March 17, 2016. The severe weather left a trail of destruction across the southern part of the city, where homes and businesses were blasted with wind-driven hail measuring more than 2 inches in diameter.
At least 236,452 homes were located in the footprint of the storms in Fort Worth. Hail measured .75 inches in diameter up to 2.25 inches. A closer look at the total number of homes affected by the hail damage was significant and revealed that 39.47 percent of the homes were impacted by hail of .75 inches, leading to an estimated $17.9 million in residential losses. In addition, hail over 2 inches did affect 12,630 homes with combined residential losses reaching upwards of $12.5 million.
In the Plano event, which occurred on March 23, parts of Denton, Collin, and Dallas counties suffered downpours of hail ranging from 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter to a swath stretching nearly fifty miles in length, from near Lewisville to points east of Wylie.
The number of homes in the footprint of the Plano storms totaled 263,440. Hail ranged from .75 inches in diameter to 3.25 inches. 31.58 percent of the homes were impacted by hail of 1.5 inches, leading to an estimated $11.2 million in residential losses. In addition, hail over 1.75 inches did affect 11,301 homes with combined residential losses reaching upwards of $9.1 million.
The Wylie event occurred on April 11, when, a lone supercell thunderstorm erupted near the north-central Texas town of Scotland, just to the north-west of Fort Worth. This long-lived storm began to produce copious amounts of dangerously large hail early in its life cycle, and left a path of destruction nearly 200 miles in length as it traveled east-southeast over the north Texas landscape. Extensive property damage began as the storm entered the city of Denton, where hail up to four inches in diameter was reported.
Data shows that 310,088 were located in the storms footprint and hail measured .75 inches in diameter to 3.5 inches. 17.31 percent were impacted by hail of 1.5 inches, leading to an estimated $18.5 million in residential losses. In addition, hail over 3 inches did affect 7,188 homes with combined residential losses reaching upwards of $57.5 million.
On April 12, a line of severe thunderstorms formed in an unstable air mass located over portions of central Texas, near San Antonio. The storms marched eastward, and by 9:00 PM, the southern-most cell began to reach its peak intensity as it encroached on the San Antonio metropolitan area.
The number of homes in the footprint of the San Antonio storms totaled 263,440; hail measured .75 inches in diameter to 3.25 inches. 21.36 percent were impacted by hail of .75 inches, leading to an estimated $10.8 million in residential losses. In addition, hail over 3 inches did affect 4,569 homes with combined residential losses reaching upwards of $36.6 million.
The Central Texas supercell struck first in the Helotes community, where it dumped hail larger than baseballs, then continued slowly across the northern half of San Antonio, damaging property at the University of Texas at San Antonio, the North Star Mall, and auto dealerships near the San Antonio airport along the way. It continued eastward across Alamo Heights and Fort Sam Houston, and consistently pounded communities with hail ranging in size from golf balls to grapefruits.
To normalize the data, CoreLogic excluded homes valued below $40,000.
For more detailed data, visit the interactive story maps at https://CoreLogic Texas Hail Spring 2016.
Source: CoreLogic
Related:
Topics Texas Profit Loss Windstorm
The West Virginia Office of Miners Health, Safety and Training will receive more than $524,000 in federal funds for training courses aimed at reducing mining accidents, injuries and illnesses.
The Mine Safety and Health Administration announced the grants July 6. MSHA has awarded $8.4 million in grants to 47 states and the Navajo Nation.
The funds will be used to provide federally mandated training at all coal, metal and nonmetal mines. MSHA says that includes miners engaged in shell dredging or working at surface stone, sand and gravel mining operations.
Some states also use the funding to support mine emergency response efforts.
In Kentucky, the state Energy and Environment Cabinet will receive a $508,000 grant and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development will receive about $148,000.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Topics Virginia Training Development Mining
An Uber driver in Florida was arrested after deputies say he refused to transport a group of blind people and their service dogs.
According to news outlets, citing an arrest report, 60-year-old Simon Pierre Andre Nau was picking up Robert Stigile, whos blind, and other blind people in Stigiles group July 4 in Orlando.
Stigile says that when Nau showed up, he said, I dont take dogs. Stigile explained the dogs were service animals and Nau allegedly replied I dont care.
Stigile says he was standing in the open door frame and felt the car move forward, striking him.
Orange County Sheriffs deputies arrested Nau on charges of failure to transport a blind person with a service dog and battery.
Deputies say Nau laughed about the incident as if he didnt fully understand that he had broken the law. Its unclear if Nau has an attorney.
Topics Florida Personal Auto
Suren Hovhannisyan, 27, a licensed insurance agent of North Hollywood, Calif., was arrested at his residence this week on multiple felony counts of burglary, grand theft, and unauthorized use of access cards after allegedly scheming to embezzle over $100,000 from his employer and clients for his personal use.
After receiving a complaint from Hovhannisyans employer who suspected the embezzlement, the California Department of Insurances investigation division launched an investigation that reportedly showed Hovhannisyan offered fictitious discounts to policyholders if they paid him in cash for their automobile insurance. Rather than remitting the cash payments to his employer, Hovhannisyan allegedly deposited the money into his mothers bank account for his personal use.
A search warrant of Hovhannisyans residence also uncovered a notebook containing the names, Social Security numbers, and credit card numbers of dozens of other potential victims. CDI investigators are working to identify and contact those victims.
Investigators say they found evidence that Hovhannisyan used the credit cards of some clients, without their permission, to pay the automobile insurance premiums of those who paid him with cash. One victims credit card was reportedly charged 145 times to pay a total of $45,545 in insurance premiums for 80 other policyholders.
Licensed agents and brokers hold a position of trust and fiduciary responsibility, Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said in a statement. Hovhannisyan broke that trust and his pledge to follow the laws and regulations that govern his license with this department.
Hovhannisyan was booked into Los Angeles County Jail. The Los Angeles District Attorneys office is prosecuting the case. Hovhannisyan faces up to six years in prison if convicted on all charges. The department has taken administrative action to suspend Hovhannisyans insurance license.
Topics California Agencies Commercial Lines Business Insurance
(Bloomberg) -- As you may have suspected, your car is spying on you. Fire up a new model and it updates more than 100,000 data points, including rather personal details like the front-seat passengers weight. The navigation system tracks every mile and remembers your route to work. The vehicular brain is smart enough to help avoid traffic jams or score parking spaces, and soon will be able to log not only your itineraries but your internet shopping patterns.
The connected car will be a wonderful convenience or an intrusive nightmare, depending on your tolerance. For automakers, it could be a gold mine, which is why the industry is building firewalls to keep the likes of Google Inc. and Apple Inc. at bay -- and hoping to pry you away from their phones and apps when youre motoring.
Everyone is trying to control the screens in the car, says Tony Posawatz, chief executive officer of the consulting firm Invictus iCar and one of the developers of the Chevrolet Volt. There is tremendous value in the data, and they are trying to figure out how to get it.
The dashboard battle is gearing up as cockpit technology rapidly advances. Once self-driving cars are the norm, people will have the downtime to become truly mobile consumers. (Granted, that may seem farther away after the recent death of a Tesla Model S owner who was using its Autopilot system.) Ford Motor Co. and others are already angling to give the Googles of the world limited to no access to the juiciest data that will be amassed once millions of people are shopping in seat belts.
Were not in a position of turning over our vehicles to a Google or Apple experience, says Don Butler, Fords executive director for connected vehicles and services. We want to make sure our customers have a chance to give informed consent on how details about their habits are used. And, he adds, we want to share in any value created.
Ford, BMW AG, General Motors Co. and others have developed or purchased special systems that can host and supervise apps from outsiders. Many brands, including Chevrolet and Ford, have elected to allow drivers to pipe in systems created by Apple and Google -- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto -- without giving the tech companies entree to drivers personal information or vehicle diagnostics. (It goes both ways: For example, since CarPlays mapping, messaging and audio offerings are largely operated by the phone itself, whatever its apps know isnt readily available to the cars computer.)
Fords answer is called AppLink, which Toyota Motor Corp. also uses; it enables the car to work with 90 phone apps without using CarPlay or Android Auto. If drivers choose, they can link those operating systems to vehicle screens without tech competitors being able to mine vehicle data.
Mapping Capabilities
As for BMW, Daimler AG and Volkswagen AG, they teamed up last year to buy Nokia Corp.s digital mapping business, called Here, for $3.1 billion. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., whose YunOS connects phones, tablets and smartwatches, is working on deals with Chinese automakers to hook up with vehicles too. Mazda Motor Corp. Helped fund development of a network called OpenCar, which will announce agreements later this year with other companies, says Bryan Mistele, CEO of the software company Inrix, which acquired OpenCar in March.
All the automakers, he says, are worried about Google and Apple.
For good reason. Theyre developing cars or driverless technology themselves, and are giants when it comes to connected services. Most everyone has a smartphone at hand at all times, including while driving.
In-Car Apps
Among the dozens of apps popular with people in cars: Googles Waze, an advertising-supported and crowd-sourced program that offers congestion-avoiding directions; Yelp, which gives locations and reviews of local businesses; and music-streaming Spotify.
If what automakers ultimately have to offer in the dash doesnt measure up, motorists will stick with their handsets. The car companies just arent as good at apps and digital content as tech companies, says Eric Noble, president of the CarLab consulting firm. What are the odds that carmakers will come out with anything that will compete with a phone? Theyre chasing a rainbow.
A spokeswoman for Google, Kaori Miyake, says the company is eager to work more with the auto industry on car connectivity. She also says Google isnt interested in car-based consumer behavior data to use for its own advertising purposes, without specifying whether Google would like to get its hands on that to be able to sell to others. Apple spokeswoman Stephanie Saffer declined to comment beyond pointing out that the iPhone-makers privacy policy states that it doesnt gather user location or behavior data, as it doesnt generate revenue from advertising.
Insurers Interest
Waze already digs into personal data in phones and blasts pop-up ads on the screen to its 50 million users around the globe, says Julie Mossler, head of brand for Waze. The intrusiveness is why David Fuller, a contractor in San Antonio, says he deleted Waze after one day. He doesnt like the distraction of pop-up ads, either. Thats as bad as texting.
Its not only tech companies that are interested in the data. Insurers would be thrilled to have front-seat knowledge about a driver -- it could charge higher rates for a proven lead foot. Ford and GM both will track such statistics and give them to insurers anonymously, allowing a consumer to contact the carrier if their driving habits will cut premiums.
When it comes to advertising, GMs OnStar subscription service has taken a page from the tech-company model by, for example, offering dashboard-available coupons for Exxon and Mobil gas stations and the ability to book hotel rooms. Mercedes-Benzs concierge service Mbrace can, at the touch of a button, route a driver around traffic or bad weather. Both cost about $20 a month.
GM will be careful to keep its dashboard Internet offerings related to motoring, according to Phil Abram, the companys chief infotainment officer. We have to be careful about what we push, he says. It has to be relevant to the vehicle. Its a win-win -- up to the point that it becomes spooky.
"The Brexit vote plunges all companies big and small, domestic and international into the abyss of the unknown when it comes to their tax matters and how to plan for the future, but the key is not to panic," said Kevin Conway, a London-based tax partner at King & Spalding law firm.
Ireland
Ted McGrath, partner at law firm William Fry in Ireland, said that the UK's exit means Ireland is losing one of its key partners against some EU initiatives.
"Both Ireland and the UK have been opposed to closer harmonisation on tax matters. After Brexit, Ireland will lose an important ally at the EU negotiating table, leaving us more isolated on our stance against harmonisation on tax matters. This could accelerate the possibility of the introduction of a mandatory CCCTB for all EU member states," he said.
Nevertheless, research suggests Ireland will profit from the UK's departure. Ireland's Economic and Social Research Institute said: "Ireland and the UK are perceived to be similar as alternative locations for FDI in particular by investors from outside the EU and for FDI, in the services sector. This result suggests that a possible redirection of FDI from the UK to Ireland in the case of Brexit would be more likely by investors from outside the EU and in the services sector."
Tax practitioners are less optimistic.
The EU's draft Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive (ATAD) will require member states to introduce or amend their controlled foreign companies (CFC) legislation.
"Unlike many EU countries, Ireland taxes dividends at either a 12.5% or a 25% corporation tax rate, and operates a wide-ranging credit system for double tax relief. Ireland taxes dividends as an alternative to having a CFC regime," said Dublin-based law firm Mason Hayes & Curran. "With the Brexit vote decided, and the UK expected to highlight the benefit of the UK as a holding company location which exempts dividends, the Irish may change their tax regime."
Ted McGrath also said that the possible reintroduction of VAT and customs duties could have "serious" implications for Ireland. The border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland "would become the only land border between the EU and the UK", he said. Moreover, the high level of trade between Ireland and the UK would lead to "increased costs and administrative burden of doing business with the UK would be likely to increase the cost of goods and have a negative impact on overall Irish/UK trade as well as having potentially negative economic and political effects on the border region", McGrath added.
The UK-Irish trading relationship could be further damaged if EU state aid rules do not apply to the UK, allowing it to offer tax and non-tax incentives to UK based businesses, McGrath added.
For the European Commission, however, the UK's exit removes a significant obstacle from its path towards a Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB) to harmonise corporate taxation across EU nations.
Sweden
Similarly to Ireland, Sweden's Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said the country has lost an important partner in the EU.
"We have often pursued issues together, not least important trade issues. The UK will remain an important partner for Sweden in its new role outside the EU," said Lofven.
Scotland
Brexit will also have significant repercussions in Scotland, with many predicting a second referendum on independence from the UK. However, this brings with it more questions over how Scotland would have to adapt its relationship with the UK in terms of trade, tax and other areas.
A majority of citizens in all 32 councils in Scotland voted to remain in the EU, which has spurred Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to consider a second referendum.
"Given the voting pattern across Scotland and what seems to be cross-party political alignment, it is no surprise that the Scottish government is seeking to maintain the country's ability to trade and employ EU citizens freely and to have free movement of Scots throughout the EU," Isobel D'Inverno, Brodies' director of corporate tax, told International Tax Review.
"If Scotland were to become an independent country, the existing UK tax legislation is likely to continue to apply in Scotland in its current form initially. That already includes some devolved Scottish taxes, the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Scottish Landfill Tax (SLfT), which are administered and collected by Scotland's new tax authority, Revenue Scotland. The Scottish approach to taxation does differ from that of the UK, with arguably a greater focus on simplicity and on combatting avoidance, and that would be likely to inform the development of the tax system in an independent Scotland," D'Inverno said.
According to Michael Dean, head of the EU, competition & regulatory practice at Maclay Murray & Spens in Glasgow, the UK's uncertain constitution very arguably requires the government to seek approval of the UK and Scottish Parliaments before giving notice to start the countdown process to leave the EU under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. Approval from the Scottish lawmakers would be required because a UK Parliament vote would affect a range of matters devolved to the Scottish Parliament. "Therefore, we think a Scottish referendum may be the political price of Scottish Parliament consent, especially if the UK government is set on a negotiating position outside of the EU single market," Dean told International Tax Review. "We think that such a referendum is likely."
"If there is such a referendum and the choice is between, on the one hand, remaining part of a UK political establishment which has lost credibility and, on the other, becoming independent but be part of the UK which remains within the EU or re-joins (subject to a potential Spanish veto), we think that the majority vote would be to secede from the UK.
"The economic underpinning might come from the investment attracted as an EU member. We think independence is quite if not very likely. We doubt whether issues regarding currency will dissuade voters next time," Dean said.
If Scotland became independent, a number of areas would need to be addressed, including the negotiation of new double tax treaties, D'Inverno said. In addition, mechanisms would need to be developed to apportion company profits between operations in Scotland and the rest of the UK. "This would not involve starting from scratch, however, as the approaches adopted by the OECD in relation to cross-border operations over a number of years could be followed."
"We might see a situation arise in which an independent Scotland remained part of the EU post-Brexit, with an EU border between Scotland and England. In theory that could present issues for trade between Scotland and the rest of the EU, but in practice is that likely to be the case? Those negotiating the UK's Brexit deal are likely to try and ensure that existing trading relationships are protected so far as possible and that will apply to dealings between Scotland and the rest of the UK in the same way as to transactions between the UK and the rest of the EU," D'Inverno said.
According to Dean, if Scotland remains part of the UK and Britain does not have access to the single market, Scottish businesses "will face not only tariffs but also potential other barriers to trade such as charges equivalent to tariffs and non-tariff barriers such as quotas, and administration of a customs nature (certificates of origin, licenses, type approval), regulatory barriers (standards), lack of free access to public markets on a non-discriminatory basis. These are not absolute barriers to business but additional potential hurdles."
"In both potential scenarios (Brexit and/or Scottish independence) the starting position is likely be the existing law and practice, rather than a void; and in that position there are some back-stops to cope with issues crossing new borders, such as unilateral tax credit relief to protect against double taxation," said D'Inverno. "It would take time to develop comprehensive new arrangements, although an independent Scotland within the EU would have a compulsory bedrock of Community level tax laws on which to build," she said.
US
The UK's departure may also affect US tax treaty eligibility for European companies, according to law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld.
"US tax treaties generally require that a company claiming treaty benefits meet certain ownership requirements, often by requiring ownership by persons in the country in which the company is organised. In the case of US treaties with EU members, ownership by other EU members can often satisfy this requirement for purposes of providing certain treaty benefits (referred to as claiming 'derivative benefits' under the treaty). Accordingly, when the UK is formally no longer an EU member, companies that relied on UK owners as members of the EU could lose the ability to claim derivative benefits," the firm said.
However, if the UK choses to become a member of the European Economic Area (EEA), "it may be still qualify for derivative benefit status, depending on the treaty because some treaties accord derivative benefits if the owner is a member of the EEA," the firm added.
India
"The fallout from Brexit on India so far has been contained," said Zulfiqar Shivji, head of BDO India's Transactions Advisory Services team.
"Since the UK accounts for a small portion of India's trade/remittance flows (3.3% of Indian exports and 1.3% of imports) the near-term impact of Brexit on Indian trade is more likely to be determined by the ramifications on the Eurozone growth, rather than by direct economic linkages to the UK," he said. However, the medium-term impact on India is "shrouded in much greater uncertainty with the length and exact nature of Brexit being hard to quantify", Shivji said.
Looking further ahead, India may face other challenges in the medium to long term, Shivji said, such as:
From the policy response that may be unleashed in China, Japan and other countries to counter their own economic slowdown, both domestic as well as external; and
Other countries following the UK in exiting the eurozone.
China
In China, Brexit will not have much impact in terms of taxation, according to Gilbert Shen, senior associate at CMS Legal in Shanghai. "Chinese government and tax authorities have not issued any regulations to specifically deal with Brexit," he said.
"As to the Chinese business in the UK, it depends much on whether the UK government has changed any policy on the investment from China after the exit," said Shen.
Austria
In Austria, Finance Minister Hans Jorg Schelling said he "does not expect Brexit to have a significant effect on the Austrian economy, as the Budget was prepared based on growth forecasts by economic research institutes."
Schelling also said he was unafraid of the much cited "domino effect" of other countries possibly following Britain for a referendum on EU membership.
"The countries always mentioned in this regard have an overall pro-European majority. The vote by the United Kingdom is nevertheless a wake-up call for the EU," said Schelling. "We have to look for and take advantage of benefits even in the context of a Brexit. Attempts to make citizens aware of the benefits brought by the European Union were unsuccessful this definitely has to improve!"
Singapore
Observers suggest that Brexit will not have a direct and immediate impact on Singapore, but could delay trade agreements.
The Singapore Business Federation said the UK's decision "adds more risk to Europe's stability and to global markets at a time when the world economy needs more stability. The possibility of a weaker EU, given its importance as a trading and investment partner to Singapore, will have significant impact on our economy."
"The long-term impact of Brexit on Singapore and the world is hard to ascertain as this path has never been trodden before," the organisation said, but noted that "Singapore companies that have investments in the UK may be impacted." In addition, it recommended that Singapore companies planning to use the UK as the gateway to the EU may have to consider alternative plans.
South Africa
Andrew Wellsted, head of tax at Norton Rose Fulbright for South Africa, said the nation is adopting a "wait and see" approach, based on how the UK exits the EU. "South Africa's economy and currency is so affected by offshore events like Brexit and we're grouped with emerging markets, so we're watching how the situation unfolds," he told International Tax Review. "We're hoping the effect on the local economy is not too significant while the markets adjust following the outcome of the vote."
The UK: What next?
To leave the union, the UK has to notify the EU that it intends to withdraw from the institution. The notice would trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which provides for a two-year negotiating timeframe between the UK and the 27 remaining member states to tackle key tax issues, such as EU tariffs on British goods.
"We can be sure that there will be no major tax changes without legislative process and announcement, and it is highly unlikely that any changes will be backdated to a date before specific announcements," said King & Spalding's Kevin Conway.
The vote is expected to trigger changes to tax legislation, potentially driving up the compliance and administrative burden for businesses. Once the UK does leave the EU, its tax rules will almost certainly begin to diverge over time from EU rules.
"Taxation will inevitably become more complex and burdensome for multinationals that have group companies in both the UK and EU," said Mathew Oliver, partner and corporate tax lawyer at Bird & Bird.
Some analysts remain optimistic, however, saying the UK could be a more attractive destination for investors if it is not part of EU-wide initiatives targeting corporate tax avoidance, plans to harmonise corporation tax rules and the financial transaction tax.
KPMG told International Tax Review that while being outside the EU "brings challenges", it should also be noted that politically and economically successful jurisdictions like Switzerland have shown "they are not insurmountable".
"Bear in mind that non-EU Switzerland has been home to many of the world's largest and most successful MNCs for years, as well as a regional headquarter for many US and Asian groups," KPMG said in a statement responding to International Tax Review questions.
Got something to say? Take the Brexit Survey for in-house tax professionals here and contribute to the conversation. You will also receive the results of the survey direct to your inbox.
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If you asked the average saver if it's safer to invest $100 in the stock market or to put $100 in a savings account, most would pick the savings account. This makes sense in the short term; stocks can lose value, but the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) guarantees savings accounts. However, the long-term answer is the exact oppositeit is much riskier to continue to sock money away into savings than it is to invest it. It is certainly possible to make money in stocks.
This is one situation where short-term rationality does not equate to long-term rationality. The $100 put into a savings account will earn a very low interest rate, and over time, it will likely lose value to inflation; a real loss in purchasing power is almost inevitable. The $100 invested into the stock market may have up days and down days, but the lesson from history is that stocks outperform virtually everything else over a period of several decades. (Caveat: Needless to say, we are not talking about putting all your money in high-risk penny stocks or similarly risky investment vehicles.)
Key Takeaways Investing just $100 a month over a period of years can be a lucrative strategy to grow your wealth over time.
Doing so allows for the benefit of compounding returns, where gains build off of previous gains.
Investing in such a manner also allows for dollar-cost-averaging, whereby money is invested when the market is going up as well as when it is down.
Making room in your finances for $100 a month to put towards investing may require careful budgeting.
Compounding Returns
Monthly contributions really begin to make sense when you understand the concept of compounding. Compound returns act like a snowball rolling downhill; it begins small and slowly at first, but picks up size and momentum as time moves on.
The two key elements of compound returns are reinvestment of earnings and time. Stocks generate dividends that can be reinvested, and over time this acts as a self-feeding source of financial growth. At its core, compound investing is all about letting your interest generate more interest, which ends up generating even more interest down the road.
Suppose, for example, that a 30-year-old individual has $5,000 invested in equities earning 8% a year, which is a little below the historical average of 10%, as of January 2020. At the end of the first year, the investor's portfolio earned $400 in interest ($5,000 x 1.08). If the investor re-invests the interest, the same 8% growth will yield $432 in year two ($5,400 x 1.08). Year three will generate $466.56, year four generates $503.88 and so on. At age 35, the re-invested portfolio is worth $7,346.64, all without any additional non-interest contributions by the investor.
Follow this pattern for another 25 years, and the investment reaches $50,313.28. This represents more than a 10-fold increase, despite a lack of additional contributions.
Investing $100 Monthly: An Example
Now suppose the same 30-year-old investor finds a way to save an additional $100 per month. He contributes the extra $100 to his portfolio and keeps reinvesting his dividends and interest payments. His investment still earns 8% per year. For simplicity's sake, assume compounding takes place once per year in January.
After a 30-year period, thanks to compound returns and a small monthly contribution, his portfolio will grow to $186,253.14 (as compared to $50,313.28 without the monthly contributions). While $186,253.14 is not enough money to retire on, especially after 30 years of inflation, remember that this is just with $100 a month in contributions and returns below historical averages.
Suppose the annual return is 9%, which is closer to historical averages for a 30-year period. With a $5,000 principal investment and $100 monthly contributions, the portfolio grows to $229,907.44. If the investor is able to save $200 a month for contributions, the future value of his portfolio is $393,476.48.
Why Invest in Stocks?
Equities (such as stocks or mutual funds) are the best investment option for those who are decades from retirement. Stocks are more likely to lose value in the short term than bonds, certificates of deposit (CDs), or money market accounts, but they have been proved to be a better long-term value than any common alternative.
This is especially true in low-interest-rate environments. CDs, bonds, money market accounts, and savings accounts all yield less when rates are low. This often pushes savers to equities to beat inflation and bids up the price of stocks and other equity assets.
Research by Dr. Jeremy Siegel and John Bogle, the founder of Vanguard, looked back over a period of 196 years and compared the real returns of stocks, bonds, and gold. They found that if an investor had started around the year 1810 (the New York Stock Exchange was actually founded in 1817) and put $10,000 in gold, his inflation-adjusted portfolio would be worth just $26,000. The same investment in bonds would have grown to $8 million. However, had the investor picked stocks in 1810, he would have turned his $10,000 in $5.6 billion.
Stocks are still the big winner if you select a more realistic time frame; most investors have a 30- to 40-year horizon, not 200 years. Between January 1980 and January 2010, the average annualized growth rate of the S&P 500 was 8.15%. The Dow Jones averaged 8.81% over the same period, while the NASDAQ jumped 9.51% per year. Bond returns averaged less than 3% between 1980 and 2010. The dollar had an average inflation rate of 3.30% per year between 19802010, meaning that $1,000 in a savings account in 1980 would have a real value of $2,646.31 in 2010.
The 30-year period between 1985 and 2015 was even stronger. The S&P averaged 8.73%, the Dow Jones averaged 9.33%, and the NASDAQ averaged an impressive 10.34% per year.
Ways to Save $100 Each Month
The first step in investing $100 a month is to save $100. There are a number of simple steps the average person can take to cut costs; it doesn't require drastic lifestyle changes.
Shopping at warehouse stores (Costco and Sam's Club are two good options) for bulk items is a good idea. Bulk purchases cost less per item, so maybe make one trip to Costco each month rather than three or four trips to the local grocer. If you eat out a lot or buy your lunch every day, this is probably a better place to start.
If you need a little more discipline in your checking account activity, set up an automatic transfer each month from checking to savings. Savings are more difficult to dip into, and this could end up saving you a lot more than $100 a month by preventing frivolous purchases.
If you pay for utilities, you can save on air conditioning by opening a window or buying a small fan. The opposite is true in the winter when you can close your blinds or throw on a sweater to help avoid high energy bills.
Younger workers can save by going out on the town one or two fewer nights a month, which could save at least $50 to $150 a month. Homeowners can refinance their mortgage to lower their interest payments. Credit card users can sometimes save by just transferring their balance to a card with a lower interest rate.
If you don't think you can save $100 a month, try tracking all of your purchases for a month. This is a healthy financial habit that can help you find extra savings by limiting impulse spending.
The Bottom Line
Investing $100 a month adds up over time, especially with compound interest. Making small sacrifices every day to consistently add $100 to your stock investments every month will benefit you in the long run.
For the majority of U.S. historyor at least as far back as reliable information goeshousing prices have increased only slightly more than the level of inflation in the economy. Only during the period between 1990 and 2006, known as the Great Moderation, did housing returns rival those of the stock market. The stock market has consistently produced more booms and busts than the housing market, but it has also had better overall returns as well.
Any results derived from comparing the relative performance of stocks and real estate prices depend on the time period examined. Examining the returns from just the 21st century looks very different than returns that include most or all of the 20th century.
Key Takeaways Stocks and real estate represent important paths to wealth for many Americans.
Historically, the stock market experiences higher growth than the real estate market, making it a better way to grow your money.
Stocks are more volatile than housing, making real estate a safer investment.
Stock earnings are taxed as capital gains when realized.
Stocks have no tangible value, whereas real estate does.
Stock Market vs. Housing Market Returns
The simplest way to compare stock and real estate is by examining the indexed performance of both markets. From March 1992 to March 2022, the U.S. average growth rate was 5.3%. The S&P 500 returned 9.65% annualized from the beginning of 1992 to the same period in 2022.
The inflation-adjusted appreciation on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) over the same 30-year period was 5.565% per year, and that's just for asset value. If you assume that dividends are reinvested, the returns are better than 8.044%. Over time, stocks outperformed real estate.
Or, consider the 47 years between 1975 and 2022. A $100 investment in the average home (as tracked by the Home Price Index from the Federal Housing Finance Agency [FHFA]) in the fourth quarter of 1975 would have grown to about $928 by the first quarter of 2022. A similar $100 investment in the S&P 500 at the beginning of 1975 would yield approximately $19,351 in 2022, provided all dividends were reinvested.
While stock prices tend to have higher returns, they also incur capital gains taxes. On the other hand, there are significant tax advantages to buying a home.
Key Differences
While stock prices and housing prices both reflect the market value of an asset, one should not compare houses and stocks for market returns only. For one, stocks are historically more volatile than real estate, meaning that those higher returns may also come with higher risk.
Stocks represent an ownership interest in a publicly-traded company. They are not tangible, physical assets and serve no utility other than a store of value and a liquid security instrument. While there is some reason to believe that the overall stock market would gain in real (as opposed to nominal) value over time, there is little reason to believe that a single stock should grow in perpetuity.
Real estate is not like stocks. Some people speculate with real estate prices, but commercial and residential real estate serve tangible functions. People live in houses and condominiums. Businesses operate out of commercial property. Physical property has value.
This introduces two conflicting phenomena. On the one hand, existing real estate structures should naturally lose value over time through wear, tear, and depreciation. An unmodified home has no reason to grow in value over time; all of the floors, ceilings, appliances, and insulation age and become less valuable.
On the other hand, the average homes built in 2015 were arguably superior to the average homes built in 1915. While existing structures shouldn't gain value, new structures should be more valuable on the basis of their structural and functional improvements.
Advisor Insight Doug Kinsey, CFP, AIFA, CIMA
Artifex Financial Group, Dayton, OH From 1968 to 2009 the average rate of appreciation for existing homes increased around 5.4% per year. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 averaged an 7.5% return; small cap stocks averaged 11.5% per year. The rate of inflation was around 4.6%. We don't expect real estate investments to grow much more than inflation. But numbers dont tell the whole performance story. You also have to look at the impact of tax advantages, income yield, and the fact that real estate investments often allow for significant leverage (you can finance a home purchase, putting no more than 20% of your own money down, for example). Of course, if you buy real estate directly, you also need to factor in your time in managing the property and maintenance and repair costs. Comparing the rates of return has to include all these elements.
What Happens to the Housing Market When the Stock Market Crashes? The consequences of a stock market crash on the housing market can be mixed, depending on the scale of the crash. In some cases, falling equities can bring more money to the real estate market, as investors move to less risky assets. A prolonged crash is more likely to hurt real estate prices, as incomes fall and banks become more cautious with lending.
How Do You Invest in the Real Estate Market? The most straightforward way to invest in the real estate market is to buy a house, although this represents a sizeable commitment for the typical retail investor. It is also possible to invest through a real estate mutual fund or REIT. These are funds that invest in a portfolio of rental properties and pass on the net income to their shareholders. This has the added benefit of diversification.
What Are the Benefits of Investing in Real Estate? Real estate has higher risk-adjusted returns than the stock market. Although housing prices do not grow as quickly as equities, there is a comparatively lower chance of an investor losing their savings in a sudden real estate crash. However, housing crashes are still a possibility, as demonstrated in the 2008 Great Recession.
The Bottom Line
Although real estate and stocks have historically performed well, stocks outpace real estate in returns. Alternatively, stocks have experienced more peaks and valleys, making them a riskier investment. Despite their potential to generate sizeable returns, stocks have no tangible value; on the other hand, real estate is a valuable, tangible asset and profit generator. Which investment is best depends on more than just their returns; other factors must be considered. But if history is an indicator of future performance, both stand to produce attractive gains in the long run.
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HR is a critical function in any business. Not only does it help to manage the workplace, but it also plays a role in talent
An Irish doctor is one of six people who have been asked to join an underwater NASA mission in Florida later this month.
Dr Marc O Griofa will live for eight days in a research station 19 meters under the Atlantic Ocean, overseeing the deployment, research and development of several related life sciences projects.
The NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations program, or NEEMO, studies the tools and techniques being tested for future space exploration. The six crew members will live in simulated spacecraft conditions under the sea and will follow a daily timeline similar to astronauts on a space mission.
Speaking on RTE's "Morning Ireland," Dr O Griofa said: "If you imagine a small space station stuck on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, about 200 square feet. You have six people effectively crammed down into this tiny little space.
"You have sleeping conditions where you have three bunks, one on top of the other. You have a small galley where food can be prepared.
"You have a science lab where everything from DNA sequencing to communications for underwater space walks can be done."
O Griofa studied medicine at University College Dublin before completing a PhD in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Limerick, and has carried out aerospace medicine and biomedical research at the Kennedy Space Center, RTE reports.
With Dr Derek O'Keeffe from NUI Galway, he conducted an experiment for monitoring sleep disturbance and stability in weightlessness the first Irish experiment on board the space shuttle and International Space Station in 2006.
On his upcoming mission, Dr O Griofa said: "This NEEMO mission has brought together leading researchers from NASA, ESA and other organizations to collaborate on some very exciting scientific projects,"
"The research that we are conducting in telemedicine, epigenetics, remotely operated underwater vehicles and telomere regeneration not only have a direct application to contributing to future spaceflight missions but create the building blocks for significant advances in conventional medicine and technology."
"Participation in this mission also highlights the tremendous contribution that Irish researchers make to such exciting scientific studies and highlight what our next steps should be both in space and here on earth."
Dr O Griofa has been involved in research activities around NEEMO missions previously, but has never lived on board the undersea capsule. He will be joined by other researchers and NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Megan McArthur Behnken.
Theresa May is set to become leader of the Conservative Party and the next British Prime Minister on Wednesday evening after her leadership rival Andrea Leadsom pulled out of the race yesterday. May confirmed that the UK would continue the process of leaving the EU, despite suggestions from some parties that the referendum result be ignored.
Mays predecessor David Cameron will travel to Buckingham Palace on Wednesday morning to tender his resignation to the Queen before May takes up residence in No. 10 Downing Street later in the evening. Cameron announced that he intended to resign following the Brexit vote, but he had said he would stay on as Prime Minister until October when it was believed a new leader would be appointed. Leadsoms decision to pull out of the contest, however, eliminated the need for a nine-week campaign before party members vote and May has since been confirmed as Prime Minister-elect.
Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Enda Kenny is set to seek an early meeting with May as she begins the task of overseeing the UKs departure from the EU. Kenny enjoyed a good relationship with Cameron. Kenny is believed to have felt that May was the best candidate to take over as Prime Minister despite concerns Irish government misgivings over May's commitment expressed earlier this year to take Britain out of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Irish government warned that doing so would be a breach of the 1998 Belfast Agreement (Good Friday Agreement) and threaten the peace in Northern Ireland. May later changed her position.
Britain's next Prime Minister #TheresaMay 'honoured and humbled' to have been chosen as David Cameron's successorhttps://t.co/vBiOR9rbc2 ITV News (@itvnews) July 11, 2016
Irish government officials told the Irish Times that May has previously been involved in Irish affairs during her seven-year stint as Home Secretary, a role considered one of the toughest in the British cabinet.
She managed to survive in the Home Office for seven years. So we would obviously respect that, one official said.
Irish Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald also commented on her previous co-operation with May.
Shes very easy to work with, very pragmatic, very clear, she said.
We worked closely together on justice and home affairs issues, and she is familiar with Northern Ireland issues.
Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster said: Theresa May has a positive history of working with the Northern Ireland administration across a range of Justice issues, Foster said.
The withdrawal of Andrea Leadsom means our new Prime Minister will be in place within a much shorter time frame than previously thought which helps reduce some of the political uncertainty.
Foster, who campaigned to leave the EU, also welcomed the new Prime Ministers commitment to upholding the Brexit referendum result, despite the fact that May herself campaigned to remain.
I welcome the fact that Mrs May has indicated that the UK will exit the European Union in keeping with the result of the referendum, said the First Minister.
It is important that she can commence work on planning the UK exit and the new arrangements to be negotiated.
May rejected proposals to ignore the referendum result at her campaign launch yesterday morning, confirming that she would oversee the country's withdrawal while Prime Minister.
Brexit means Brexit and we're going to make a success of it, May said.
"There will be no attempts to remain inside the EU, there will be no attempts to rejoin it by the back door.
"As prime minister, I will make sure we leave the European Union."
Her comments came as the finance ministers from the three devolved administrations of the UK met to discuss the impact of Brexit. Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Finance Derek Mackay met with his Northern Irish and Welsh counterparts Mairtin O Muilleoir and Mark Drakeford to discuss public finances in the future.
The impact of the EU referendum has created uncertainty and challenges for us all across these islands, O Muilleoir stated.
"It is therefore critically important that the three devolved administrations work together closely on financial areas of common interest."
It is vitally important that she hears Northern Irelands voice loud and clear and that means bringing an end to the period of drift which seems to have engulfed the Northern Ireland Executive," stated Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt.
During the referendum campaign May stated that it was inconceivable that Northern Ireland would not see changes to the border with the Republic when it leaves the EU.
Speaking in Northern Ireland just days before the vote, the Prime Minister-elect stated that tariffs would have to be put in place.
Read more: Irish passport forms sell for $130 on eBay due to Brexit panic
Chancellor George Osborne says #TheresaMay has "got the steel and determination to do the job" and the economy needs certainty Sky News Newsdesk (@SkyNewsBreak) July 11, 2016
We'd be fools to think #TheresaMay as PM will make the Tories a more compassionate gov't b/c as Home Secretary she was one cruel minister. Harry Leslie Smith (@Harryslaststand) July 11, 2016
The July 12th Orange Order parades have been a point of intense friction in Northern Ireland for many years as Protestants and Catholics clashed over the annual celebration of Protestant King William of Oranges defeat over the Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
Violence also came to a head on several occasions in New York, however, as the Orange Order marched through Irish Catholic areas in the city, causing anger among the neighborhoods immigrant residents. The Orange Riots in 1870 and 1871 saw an outbreak of Irish political tension on the streets of New York and resulted in dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries.
Anti-Irish sentiment was high in New York at the time. The Irish were portrayed as drunken fighters by cartoonist Thomas Nast among others, a stereotype heightened after the violence of the Draft Riots in 1863. Taking their cue from nativist Americanss, the Protestant Irish in New York argued that the Catholics were loyal to the Pope and could not be true citizens nor could they ever become fully-fledged Americans.
The tension between the two Irish groups came to a head on July 12, 1870 when violence erupted at the annual Orange Order parade, resulting in the deaths of eight people. Marching up eighth avenue from 29th St to their headquarters near Elm Park at 92nd St, where a Boyne picnic was to be held, some 2,000 Orangemen were joined by members of the American Protective Association (APA), a nativist group best known for its hostility towards Catholics in general, and Irish immigrants in particular.
The parade marched through Hells Kitchen, at the time a well-known area for Irish Catholics. Accounts differ as to which group was the first to raise a fist. Some say that the Protestant Irish were taunting Catholics by singing tunes such as Protestant Boys and Croppies, Lie Down, while others say the Catholics launched a completely unprovoked attack on an otherwise peaceful parade.
Whoever began the scuffle, the riot quickly spread and is believed to have covered 30 blocks at one stage.
Fighting spilled onto nearby streets, then eastward to Central Park, then down to Eighty-Second Street, and finally onto Eighth and Ninth Avenue streetcars as Orangemen and APA members tried to hurry their families to safety, writes Michael A. Gordon in The Orange Riots: Irish Political Violence in New York City, 1870 and 1871.
A heavy downpour eventually damped down the anger on the streets, but the stage had been set for greater violence the following year.
As the 1871 parade day approached, the Orange Order requested permission to march again, but the request was initially denied by the city's police commissioner, James J. Kelso, with the support of Boss William M. Tweed, the head of Tammany Hall, the Democratic Party political machine which controlled the city and the state. It is believed Kelso was also pressured to ban the parade by New York Mayor A. Oakley Hall, on advice he was given by New Yorks Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Knights of St. Patrick.
This initial decision was overturned, however, by Governor John T. Hoffman, who promised that the National Guard would be on hand to protect against any outbreaks of violence should events show signs of going the same way they had in 1870. The decision to hold the parade was supported by much of the mainstream media, which claimed that calling off the parade would be to caving in to the Irish mob and give the ever-expanding population of Irish Catholics in the city even more power.
The marchers again met at Lamartine Hall on 8th Ave, but this time they traveled south in order to avoid Hells Kitchen. Protected by 1,500 policemen and five regiments of the National Guard, the Orange Order set off making their way through the angry crowd mostly made up of Irish Catholic laborers.
Despite the extra police and National Guard, the tension broke into violence as soon as the parade got under way. The violence rapidly developed and was dramatically greater than it had been the previous year.
As rocks and bottles were thrown at the marchers from the crowd, the Guard began to shoot indiscriminately at the people lining the parade route. They also charged at the crowd to clear a path for the parade to continue, using clubs and bayonets to move the people.
The parade made it to 23rd Street, turned onto Fifth Avenue where there was more support for the Orangemen. It continued to Cooper Union, where it again met a hostile crowd, who were again charged by the National Guard.
Read more: Catholic Irish soldiers too drunk to fight at Battle of the Boyne
More than 60 people, mostly Irish immigrants, were killed and over 100 civilians, 22 policemen, and one Orangeman were injured in what quickly became known as the "Slaughter on Eighth Avenue." Some 20,000 turned out the following day to join the funeral processions making their way to Calvary Cemetery in Queens.
A scene of mad confusion ensued, during which the soldiers of the escort, deploying around the paraders whom they were protecting, lifted their rifles and poured a volley into the crowds, wrote a 1921 New York Times article.
On the instant Eighth Avenue was strewn with dead and dying and wounded persons, while hundreds of others dashed into door ways or down side streets in an attempt to escape the bullets flying in all directions.
This was the last time that the Orange Order would march in such a manner in New York and was also the last major outbreak of violence against Irish Catholics. Many Orangemen continued to join organizations like the American Protective Association that espoused nativist ideals, however.
The blame fell at the door of Tammany Hall with an issue of Harpers Bazaar claiming that the political movement had failed to restrain their Irish Catholic supporters and dubbed it The Tammany Riot.
Orange Order parades take place throughout Northern Ireland annually on July 12, although the number has drastically dropped due to the violence that ensued from such parades during the Troubles. This year, just 18 demonstrations will take place marking the 326th anniversary of King William III's victory.
Since 1998 the Parades Commission has acted as a regulator of the parades. The commission deals with disputes arising over parades. Although the threat of violence has receded in recent years, thousands of PSNI officers will be deployed at parades today.
Although mainly based in Northern Ireland, the Orange Order can also be found in Scotland, England, the United States of America, west Africa, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Founded in September 1795, the Orange Order has a strong tradition of parades, holding its first Boyne Commemoration Parade in 1796.
At least 12 people have died after a suicide car bomb ripped through an outdoor market in a Shia-dominated district of Baghdad.
An explosives-laden pickup truck exploded during morning rush hour at a fruit and vegetable market in the north-eastern al-Rashidiya district, killing a dozen people and leaving another 37 wounded.
The incident comes as government forces are deployed across much of the Iraqi capital in preparation for a major military parade later this week.
It also follows two large-scale attacks claimed by the so-called 'Islamic State' (IS) group which killed more than 300 people last week.
Yesterday, visiting US defence secretary Ash Carter announced that Washington will send 560 more troops to Iraq to help battle IS.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but it bore the hallmarks of IS.
The Sunni extremists, who consider Shias to be heretics, swept across northern and western Iraq in the summer of 2014, capturing large chunks of territory and plunging the country into its worst crisis since US troops left at the end of 2011.
Last week, IS killed more than 300 people in two attacks.
A massive truck bombing struck a bustling commercial area in a Baghdad's predominantly Shia neighbourhood of Karada, killing 292 people - one of the deadliest attacks since the 2003 US-led invasion.
And last Thursday, another attack at a Shia shrine north of Baghdad killed 37 people.
Iraqi government forces have deployed in most of Baghdad, closing off main roads and snarling traffic.
The interior ministry spokesman, Brig Gen Saad Maan, said the troops were "practising for a planned military parade for a specific occasion".
The country is due to mark the anniversary of its 1958 overthrow of a Hashemite monarchy and the declaration of Iraq as a republic.
The recent surge in IS attacks beyond the front lines demonstrated the group's ability to launch lethal attacks despite recent territorial losses in both Iraq and Syria, where it has established a self-proclaimed caliphate.
IS militants still hold pockets of territory in northern and western Iraq.
According to Mr Carter, the new American forces should arrive in the coming weeks.
They will primarily be used to transform an air base retaken this month from IS into a staging hub for the long-awaited battle to recapture Mosul - Iraq's second-largest city - from the extremists.
An airline crew member was arrested at Gatwick Airport after turning up to work on a flight smelling of alcohol, police in England have said.
The Corfu-bound flight's scheduled 9.10am take-off from the West Sussex airport was delayed on Monday because of the man's absence.
In other cases buyers have yet to exercise such get-out clauses but are keeping the option open to try to renegotiate the price down, according to property lawyers and managers.
A third group is playing for time in the hope the effect of the June 23 referendum result on values becomes clearer, they say.
British commercial real estate - from office blocks to shopping centres - has been particularly hard hit by uncertainty surrounding Brexit.
Transactions fell sharply before the referendum and a number of property funds have been suspended since then as retail investors try to bail out.
Some buyers demanded contract provisions before the referendum allowing them to pull out if the decision was to leave the EU.
It was unclear how widespread they were, but some are now being exercised following the result, although the overall number is unknown.
Brexit clauses have been invoked across the industry including some by our clients, Paul Firth, head of real estate at law firm Irwin Mitchell told Reuters. We have had at least three, he said.
Before the vote, Mr Firth said a significant percentage of the firms bigger investment deals with values ranging from 10m (11.7m) to 80m either included Brexit clauses, or purchasers had sought to negotiate that they be included.
The economic effect of Brexit is beginning to be felt. British consumer confidence suffered one of its biggest drops in 21 years, a survey showed, clouding the prospects for retail property.
Doubts also surround the ability of the British financial services industry, which employs more than two million people, to continue serving clients on the continent.
Under an EU passport system, banks, asset managers and clearing houses have access to the single market only if the country where they are based complies with the blocs regulations.
This may mean moving jobs from Britain to countries that remain in the EU, heightening uncertainty over demand for office space particularly in London.
Shares in British-listed companies that invest in commercial property, which own large amounts of office space in the capital, have already fallen sharply.
It is likely the uncertainty created by the EU referendum result will have a negative impact on economic growth in London, Toby Courtauld, chief executive of Great Portland Estates said.
As a result, we can expect Londons commercial property markets to weaken during this period of uncertainty, he said.
The Bank of England also said commercial real estate transactions by overseas investors had fallen by 48% in the first quarter.
Investors in retail property funds are trying to get out in such numbers that a number have now suspended redemptions, freezing more than 18bn.
Staff in its US company-operated stores will get a bump in base pay of at least 5% on October 3, Starbucks said in a statement yesterday.
The coffee chain also is doubling the size of its annual stock award to employees who have been with the company for two years.
Combined, the changes will bring the compensation increase to as much as 15%.
The range of increase will be determined by geographic and market factors and is intended to ensure Starbucks remains a retail employer of choice in all the markets where we operate, chief executive Howard Schultz said in the statement.
Starbucks faces a tightening labour market in much of the US, as well as minimum wage increases in some states and cities.
That has pushed restaurants and retailers, including Wal-Mart Stores, McDonalds and Target Corporation to boost pay in a bid to retain hourly workers.
Starbucks said last year that employees who work at least 20 hours a week were also eligible to have full tuition covered for online classes at Arizona State University.
In addition to the compensation changes, Seattle-based Starbucks also is loosening its dress code, Mr Schultz said.
Weve heard your requests for more freedom when it comes to bringing your whole self to work.
"Our latest dress code changes are designed to work well with the green apron while expanding your options, providing more room for self-expression, and allowing you to choose from items that may already be part of your everyday wardrobe, he said.
Details on that policy change will be released by the end of this month.
Starbucks had about 150,000 employees at company-operated stores in the US.
The company was accused by employees through an online petition of cutting US staffing hours after Starbucks introduced a software for ordering and paying from mobile devices.
Mr Schultz also said the company would address scheduling concerns.
You have my personal commitment we will work with every partner (employee) to ensure you have the hours you need, he said. Shares have slipped 6% this year. n Bloomberg and Reuters
CPLs share price is now down by more than 20% since June 23 when it sat at 6.14 and fell 1.61% yesterday to 4.90.
CPLs net fees from outside Ireland currently represent 26% of its total net fees and the main exposure to the UK is through its healthcare and life sciences segments, said Ross Harvey of Davy Stockbrokers.
In a brief trading update, CPL yesterday said its profits and revenues continued to grow in the second half of its financial year and that its full-year profits for the 12 months to the end of June - should meet market expectations.
Analysts expect a 4% rise in profits, to 15.6m, for the period.
However, the impact of Britain voting to leave the EU remains to be seen as the group enters a new fiscal year, but management yesterday attempted to put a positive slant on the development.
We are monitoring the effects of the recent Brexit vote in the UK and assessing its implications for our business. Our initial assessment is that it presents both challenges and opportunities for us.
Goodbody Stockbrokers Gerry Hennigan said amid the obvious market concern from the Brexit fall-out, CPLs higher exposure to the Irish market should offer a degree of comfort to investors.
He also interpreted the companys outlook regarding Brexit as offering near-term challenges in the UK market and medium-term opportunities in Ireland.
CPL said its balance sheet and cash flow remain strong.
Photo for illustration. (Source: CPV)
The decision was made due to the product of Senegalfound to be contaminated with the extremely destructive pests: the Trogoderma granarium Everts and Serratus Caryedon serratus Olivier.
These are two extremely dangerous weevil species listed on Vietnams plant quarantine and they have not appeared in the countrys territory. In particular, the Trogoderma granarium Everts was listed among the world's 100 most dangerous alien species.
The weevil could cause huge economic losses because it would directly affect the quality of agricultural products, as well as narrow the export markets open to Vietnams agricultural products if it penetrated the country.
The Ministrys Plant Protection Department has sent notice to Senegals agency for plant protection under international rules and Vietnams regulations on plant quarantine.
The suspension will begin 60 days after the signing of the decision./.
Rome and Berlin have been at loggerheads in recent weeks over an Italian plan to inject taxpayers money into its weakest lenders, including Monte dei Paschi di Siena.
In Brussels for a Eurogroup meeting, Italian finance minister Pier Carlo Padoan said his government was making progress on the issue with the European Commission.
The Italian government is working to prepare precautionary instruments that will be used only if necessary, he said.
But Eurogroup president Jeroen Dijsselbloem saw no acute crisis when speaking to reporters before the meeting of eurozone finance ministers, which he chairs.
There are issues of non-performing loans in Italian banks, but thats not a new issue, he said, dismissing calls to address the Italian banking sector crisis as a fallout of the market turmoil caused by Britains vote to quit the EU on June 23.
Italys lenders have been struggling for months to unload 360bn of non-performing loans about one third of the eurozone total.
After the Brexit vote, Italian bank shares were the most hit in the eurozone, compounding heavy losses since the beginning of the year.
Other eurozone finance ministers refused to be drawn on the Italian banking crisis.
Commission vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis said yesterday there were a number of ways the problem could be solved without harming small investors and financial stability.
Eurozone finance ministers also held a first discussion on the impact of the UKs vote to exit the EU.
Michael Noonan said the economic hit would depend on the kind of post-Brexit deal negotiated between the EU and the UK.
He said the impact would be very little if the UK retains full access to the EUs single market, but quite severe if it was forced to operate by World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.
Eurozone finance ministers also indicated they are loath to fine Spain and Portugal for breaching EU deficit rules given the current market volatility and the persistent problems in Italys banks.
Last week the Commission said that Spain and Portugal had not taken effective action to reduce their deficits, despite being given leeway to come down below the EUs budget deficit limit of 3% of GDP.
EU economics chief Pierre Moscovici said the EU was not out to damage growth and jobs and that the blocs deficit rules were not a punishment.
Ireland does not support sanctions, though Michael Noonan said he agreed with the Commissions assessment that the two countries had breached EU rules.
From Irelands point of view, it would be sufficient to have the finding that they were in breach, Mr Noonan said on his way into yesterdays meeting.
Were not interested in having sanctions apply to them. Mr Dijsselbloem said the EU decision would hinge on extra measures.
Its not just about where we are now, its also about what extra measures can be taken in the next year, two years, he said, and the more those countries can do in the coming period the easier it will be for the Commission.
The deal also means that RTE will face tougher competition during peak times.
Its new director general, Dee Forbes, started work at Donnybrook yesterday.
However, the acquisition also raises a headache for TV3s schedules because it will own the Republic of Ireland rights to popular ITV soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale currently screened on UTV Ireland which will now compete for viewers and advertising with TV3s own home-produced and ratings-winner soap, Red Rock.
As part of the deal, ITV has committed to a comprehensive 10-year output deal for Ireland.
The proposed acquisition of UTV Ireland will ensure further investment in the independent Irish television sector as we continue to compete head-on against significant local and international competition, said Pat Kiely, TV3s managing director.
A spokeswoman for TV3 said, pending regulatory approval, it was too early to answer questions about jobs, schedules, any potential rebranding of UTV Ireland, and the future of UTV Irelands Dublin docklands studios.
I think there will also be a lot of opportunities, she said.
Mr Malones Virgin Media unit acquired TV3, based in Ballymount, south-west Dublin, in a deal worth 87m last year, while ITV acquired the fledgling UTV Ireland when it paid the Belfast parent company 135m for its TV assets, in a deal unveiled last October.
UTV Ireland has struggled to make money despite snatching the rights to broadcast Coronation Street from TV3 ahead of its launch 18 months ago.
Mr Malones US holding giant, Liberty Global, which is valued at $27.5bn, has long been expanding its reach across Europe, snapping up television production firms as it positions itself to produce media content.
Liberty Global had also increased its stake to 9.9% in ITV over a year ago, raising speculation of a mega-buyout of ITV.
UTVs former radio stations in the UK and Ireland were sold to News Corp in a 220m deal announced last month.
The Paris-based European Securities and Markets Authority will recommend this month whether hedge funds, private equity and real-estate funds based in some countries outside of the EU should be able to continue selling products within the bloc.
The opinion will be closely scrutinised by London-based fund managers because it could become a template for when Britain exits the EU.
This decision is an important test and will set a precedent for UK alternative funds and their access to a marketing passport for European investors post Brexit, said Lisa Cawley, a partner at law firm Kirkland & Ellis in London.
If other third countries are allowed access by ESMA, then it will be easier for London funds to get approval, she said.
The so-called Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive passport for non-EU funds may become mandatory from 2018.
Only investment firms based in the bloc will be able to sell their products to European clients once the new rules kick in.
ESMA will recommend this month whether those based in countries with equivalent rules will also get a passport to do business.
About 85% of Europes hedge-fund assets are managed out of London, making it the second-largest centre after New York.
Hedge funds and other alternative funds manage about 10% of all assets in the country, according to estimates from industry group TheCityUK.
In theory, extending third-country AIFMD passporting to the UK after Brexit should be straight-forward, said Matt Huggett, a partner at law firm Allen & Overy in London.
In practice, it will be a political decision with an uncertain outcome. Many managers would like to safeguard themselves beforehand and set up offices in places like Luxembourg and Dublin, he said.
ESMA will make a recommendation to the European Commission this month on whether to extend passporting to funds in countries with similar rules to the EU, according to an ESMA spokesman in Paris.
Countries being considered are: Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, Isle of Man, Japan, Singapore and the US.
The Commission is awaiting ESMAs advice and hasnt yet taken a decision yet, according to a spokeswoman for financial services at the EC.
The UK-based film studio saw its operating profits surge 136.3% to 13.6m (15.86m) on the back of a 10.9% jump in revenue to 83.2m.
Pinewood Studios chief executive Ivan Dunleavy said the company is expecting a further boost from the UKs decision to leave the European Union and subsequent fall in sterling.
The company is very pleased to report another set of strong results showing a 10.9% increase in group revenue and a 31.1% increase in normalised earnings per share.
"The result of the UKs referendum on membership of the EU is now known.
"In the context of our business, the decline in the sterling exchange rate is undoubtedly positive for our international customers.
"We will continue to monitor sentiment around the issue going forward, Mr Dunleavy said.
Pinewoods largest film project of the year was Star Wars: Episode VIII which was part shot on the Dingle Peninsula following the success of filming Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens on Sceilig Mhichil the previous year.
Other major productions based at Pinewood and Shepperton Studios - both part of the Pinewood Group - included the 24th Bond film, Spectre and The Huntsman starring Charlize Theron.
The groups film division revenue totalled 53m last year - a 20.6% increase on 2015.
Pinewood Groups net debt rose 1.2% to 72.8m while Mr Dunleavy said 2016 has started strongly with good visibility for the rest of the year.
Earlier this year, Pinewood agreed a worldwide marketing deal with Troy Studios in Limerick.
The deal will see Troy handle Pinewoods international bookings once it opens its doors in the coming months.
The studio is being established in the former Dell factory site in Castletroy which Limerick and City Council purchased before leasing it to Troy.
It is expected the 6,500 sq m studio will employ 500 or so workers once operational.
Senior Sergeant Garry Smith wrote about the incident on the Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services Facebook page.
After highlighting a number of unusual call-outs, he said their latest strange rescue involved "a backpacker stuck up on a roof after the gee-eyed male decided this was a good place for a kip."
Senior Sergeant Smith later clarified to AAP that "gee-eyed" was "Irish slang for blind drunk".
An emergency services team helped the man down from a roof in the Mitchell Street tourist precinct using a ladder. He claimed he had no recollection of how he got up there.
He was issued with an infringement notice for his adventure and it seems the stranded sleeper has seen the error of his ways.
"He promised to walk home and not get into any more vulnerable situations," said Acting Sgt Jacqueline Lynden.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported on the quirky case, and identified the drunken napper as an Irish backpacker.
Senior Sergeant Smith told the site that although the rescue was farcical, it could have been far more serious had anybody gotten injured.
"It's got to give you a giggle but we've also got to be serious, we're talking about a very intoxicated person who has no recollection of climbing up to a very high place and falling asleep, he could have fallen and injured himself or a pedestrian," he said.
"You've got to roll your eyes, but also what do you do, it's just part of Darwin."
The Vocal FX from Wellington were mid-performance in their Glee-style medley when they broke into James Browns Living in America.
However, after singing the first line they decided to pay tribute to their own heritage and launched into their own version called Living in New Zealand.
Chief executive, Jason Whooley, said: This is very positive news for Killybegs and its hinterland and the wider Irish seafood sector.
"We have potential to create marine ingredients and human nutritional products to take the sector to a completely different level.
Two women complained to the diocese in 2009 that the priest had abused them when they were minors and he was placed on administrative leave.
Gardai investigated the complaints but the DPP chose not to prosecute.
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong receives Lao Vice President Phankham Viphavanh (Photo: VNA)
At a reception for Phankham Viphavanh in Hanoi on July 11th, the Party chief said Vietnam strongly supports Laoss renovation and believes that under the leadership of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party (LPRP), Laos will successfully implement the Resolution adopted at the 10th National Party Congress and build Laos into a country of peace, independence, democracy, unity, and prosperity towards socialism, particularly fulfilling the role of ASEAN Chair in 2016.
He extolled the remarkable achievements that Laos has gained over the past 30 years of renovation, and congratulated Phankham Viphavanh on his new election as Politburo member, Standing member of the LPRP Central Committees Secretariat and Vice President.
He highly valued the outcomes of the talks between the two countries high-level Party delegations and suggested the two sides enhance coordination to actively realise the agreements reached by the two Parties and States along with the Vietnam - Lao Joint Statement issued in April 2016.
It is recommended for the two nations to increase information exchanges in Party building and socio-economic management; and deepen bilateral cooperation in politics, defence, security, economy, culture, education and science-technology, he said.
The Party chief urged the two sides to bolster collaboration at multilateral forums, especially within the framework of ASEAN and sub-regional cooperation mechanisms to help maintain peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and beyond.
For his part, the Lao Vice President expressed his pleasure to visit Vietnam for the first time since his election. He took the occasion to thank the Vietnamese Party, State and people for their invaluable assistance to Laos in the past and at present.
He confirmed that Laos will work together with Vietnam to nurture the special rapport between the two countries and increase it to a new height for the sake of the two peoples.
He earlier held talks with Politburo member and standing member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Dinh The Huynh and Vice State President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, during which he confirmed that the Lao Party and State will closely coordinate with Vietnam to implement effectively the Vietnam - Lao Joint Statement issued in April 2016, as well as the cooperation agreements reached by the two Parties and States./.
Her first Garda statements were read to the Central Criminal Court yesterday on the fifth day of her trial.
Marta Herda, aged 29, of Pairc Na Saile, Emoclew Road, Arklow, Co Wicklow, is charged with the murder of Csaba Orsas, aged 31, on March 26, 2013. The Polish woman has pleaded not guilty to murdering the Hungarian at South Quay, Arklow.
Garda Anthony Crehan testified that he travelled to the hospital where Ms Herda had been taken after swimming from her submerged car. He took a voluntary statement from her there and another at Arklow station that afternoon.
She said she hadnt known the deceased until she began working at Brook Lodge Hotel two years earlier.
I think he fell in love with me, she said. I was never his girlfriend, but it was 24 hours a day. He came to my place, to my friends places. She said he also used to text her and put things on Facebook.
She said later that although she knew him only through work, he had known her before that.
He told me he knew me from Brook Lodge restaurant when I went there for a meal with friends. He even remembered what clothes I was wearing.
She said he used to talk about her to her colleagues.
He tell them we have sex, but that not true, she said. It got worse.
She said he used to sit beside her at work and wanted to hold her hand.
People think this funny but not for me. The second year it no longer funny.
She said management was aware of the problem due to him leaving his work to go to be with her.
She said a friend had spoken to Mr Orsass brother in order to keep the away from her and that she hadnt answered his calls for the last three months.
He also followed me in person the last two years, she said, explaining that she had lived alone for the first year and that she would frequently see his car there.
She said she used to make the taxi driver drive right up to her home and that she would run in the gate. She said she would then hear him banging the gate.
She said she had told her friends to contact the gardai if she ever went missing for more than three days.
She said the day before the incident he had followed her to the playground, where she had been minding her friends children.
She said she went to a friends house that night and had a couple of glasses of wine with him. That friend, Viktor Szentesi, had driven her home in her car before walking home.
Csaba come to my car. He wanted to talk, she said, adding that he had wanted her to take them to the beach.
He was screaming at me.
She said she drove down Main St. He was feeling my left leg, she said. I was afraid. She said she remembered hitting the accelerator.
I feel I have enough of this. I drive to water. I cannot take this anymore.
She said she recalled being under the water.
I screamed his name. I saw ladder and got out.
She said the deceased had not hit her. He had grabbed her very hard once but she had pushed him.
When I drove into the water, I wanted this all to stop, she said. I didnt want to tell the guards. You must remember that in Poland people dont like police.
The trial also heard from the doctor and nurses who treated her in hospital.
Dr Donal Bailey testified he had asked her if she knew what would happen when the car entered the water.
She nodded and became tearful, he said. Her only answer to me was that she knew he couldnt swim.
Under cross-examination by the defence, he agreed that she had difficulty with her tenses in English. He thought she was saying retrospectively that she knew what would happen, not that she knew beforehand. He agreed this didnt cause him to revise his conclusion that she had no homicidal intent.
Nurse Claire Best testified that she asked her if she had been hurt.
She said she didnt give him a chance, said the nurse. That he didnt think she would do it and she knew he couldnt swim.
She confirmed under cross-examination that the words he didnt believe Id do it were not in the notes she made that morning.
The trial continues.
Patrick McCarthy, aged 63, of The Estuary, Church Rd, Carrigaline, Co Cork, and Andrew Sheehan, aged 37, from Lisnagoureen, Castletownroche, Co Cork, went on trial at Cork District Court yesterday, with each man charged with assaulting the other.
Mr Sheehan was at the house on the day of the disputed incident of May 27 for a domestic matter and yesterday Judge Olann Kelleher dismissed the charge against him. He found the facts proved against McCarthy, noting he had gotten to the age of 63 with no conviction and he adjourned the matter until December 5 to see how matters would settle down.
The IHF is now calling for more support for people with dementia to live out their lives in their own homes.
According to the research, of the 4,200 people with dementia who die in Ireland each year, only 210, about one in 20, die at home while 2,310 die in residential care settings, and a further 1,680 die in acute hospitals.
That contrasts with the one in four of the general population who die at home, which in itself is far fewer than the three out of every four who say they would like to die at home.
Maire Lynch, the IHFs head of health care programmes, said the study raised questions about the involvement of people with dementia in plans for their final days.
While we recognise that dying at home may not be feasible or desirable for everyone, more can be done to facilitate people at end-of-life to be cared for and die in their home if that is their wish, she said.
The needs of people with advanced dementia are not often discussed, and little is known about what supports they need to enable them to both live well and die well.
The IHFs Nurses for Night Care service reaches about half of the dementia patients who die at home each year, but demand for the service is growing.
An audit of 52 dementia patients who were referred to the service over the six-month period from June to December last year found families put enormous effort into caring for their loved ones to the end.
Three quarters of the patients lived in their own home, while the others lived with family members, and three-quarters of the families were providing 24-hour care to their loved ones.
Many families used personal income to supplement home care packages, and 7% were paying privately for 24-hour live-in care.
Retired pharmacist, Mona ORiordan, died peacefully at home at the age of 92 in 2014 with her family by her side as she had wanted, and her daughter, Aine, said they felt lucky to have been able to honour her wish.
She had a really good life and a really good death, in her own bed, in her own home. You couldnt ask for better than that, she said.
She said having a member of the Nurses for Night Care team with them was a vital resource in providing both medical expertise and support for the family.
Im not a nurse and Id never been present at this stage of someones life before, she said. The nurse was wonderful. From the moment she arrived, she could not have been better. We knew she was going to mind our mother from a medical point of view, but she also minded us.
The study found that having access and early referral to specialist palliative care services in the community almost doubled the likelihood of a person remaining at home and achieving a home death. The IHF has called on the HSE, GPs and service planners to be more responsive to the needs of those with dementia as they near the end of their life.
With the publication of the National Dementia Strategy, there is a welcome emphasis on early diagnosis and establishing a dementia-friendly Ireland to enable people with dementia to live in their local communities, Maire Lynch said.
She said the same effort should go into ensuring people could die in their community if that was their wish.
However, while management and unions agree about the severity of the funding crisis, they differ on how the money is raised.
The Cassells report was published on the same day an international ranking system showed most Irish colleges improved their placings since last year. Trinity College Dublin is up 10 places to 175th in the Center for World University Rankings, but University College Dublin and University College Cork fell slightly to 240th and 443rd, respectively.
There were jumps up the ranking for four other universities and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, ranging from 545th-placed NUI Galway to University of Limerick in 972nd.
However, various rankings in the past three years have shown an overall downward trend in the position of Irish universities, despite the countrys relative strength for its size.
One factor has been increasing staff-student ratios, and the Irish Universities Association (IUA) said these have been rising because of staff cuts enforced by government employment controls.
With 2,000 fewer staff across the third-level sector than in 2008, universities alone have seen the number of students for each academic rise from around 17 to 21, considerably worse than OECD average ratio of 14:1 in 2012.
Report to recommend increase in fees paid by third-level students https://t.co/gmuTwsnUqc pic.twitter.com/K7HUpvPCOk Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 11, 2016
Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) general secretary Mike Jennings said it was very easy to illustrate cuts in other parts of the economy, but the higher education sector may be guilty of papering over the cracks and getting on with the job instead.
He said that, rather than having long holidays and a few lectures a week, permanent academics have seen their income cut by 20,000 a year in the last eight years.
At the same time, he told Today with Sean ORourke on RTE Radio One that 30% to 50% of lecturing is now done by casual staff with little security and some earning only 10,000 a year.
IFUT has joined with the Union of Students in Ireland, Teachers Union of Ireland, Siptu, and Impact in urging Mr Bruton to choose the option in the Cassells report of a fully publicly-funded education system.
It is more than just a nice idea. Its a real possibility. Thats why so many other countries in Europe offer it, said a joint statement from all five unions.
DRichard Bruton: Urged by a number of groups to opt for a fully publicly-funded education system.
IUA chair and University of Limerick president Prof Don Barry said it was appropriate that the funding options be considered by the Oireachtas, but it is equally important that the issue is confronted immediately.
However, IUA chief executive Ned Costello said it is difficult to see how higher education can continue to be funded almost entirely from the public purse.
The question, he said, could be whether the amount contributed by students is paid up front, or paid back when they have started earning enough to afford it.
However, the TUI said it believes in a higher education system that is free and which does not saddle young people with significant levels of debt.
Rebel TDs, who attempted in recent days to set a date for his departure as Fine Gael leader, have now rounded on senior party colleagues for not backing them after they were left isolated.
The Taoiseachs position now looks safe after a string of senior ministers yesterday gave their support for him and effectively killed off the mini-revolt.
However, renewed focus on Mr Kennys leadership is expected to be raised in the autumn or after the budget.
Mr Kenny said yesterday he was going nowhere and had no intention of being diverted from the task of leading the country. His remarks came after a succession of ministers backed him.
An experienced leader was needed for post-Brexit talks, ministers said, ahead of the Taoiseach today travelling to Berlin to fight for Irelands position in talks with German chancellor Angela Merkel.
Finance Minister Michael Noonan said Mr Kennys relationship with European leaders was important.
Fine Gael backbencher calls for new party leader to stabilise 'rudderless' Government https://t.co/oNw9hB1FbA pic.twitter.com/CJvmVM3DHZ Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 11, 2016
He led the government which took the country out of the biggest crisis theyve had in two generations, when we nearly slipped into bankruptcy, said Mr Noonan. He saw the back of the troika and hes presiding over the country thats growing at the fastest rate of the 28 in Europe.
A motion on Mr Kennys leadership will not be raised by backbenchers at tomorrows weekly Fine Gael meeting. Instead, a discussion is expected to be held, say party sources.
Health Minister Simon Harris said he had full confidence in Mr Kenny and it was premature to launch a motion of no confidence against Mr Kenny, given the minority Government was only two months old.
Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan said putting forward a counter-vote of confidence in Mr Kenny at the meeting could lead to division within the party.
However, Fine Gael TDs who attempted to set the date for Mr Kennys departure are now blaming senior party figures, tipped to succeed Mr Kenny, for not backing them up.
Leo Varadkar, Simon Coveney, and Frances Fitzgerald all played down demands by backbenchers that Mr Kenny decide how and when he would leave.
However, some of the dissenting backbenchers have told potential successors to go public with their ambitions.
Kerry TD Brendan Griffin told the Irish Examiner any fresh attempt to remove Mr Kenny now requires senior ministers seeking to replace him to express their real views, saying backbenchers have done all they can.
Mr Griffin is the only TD to publicly admit being behind the draft motion to oust Mr Kenny. He said concerns remain among more than a dozen Fine Gael TDs and that it is now up to ministers to push the matter.
I wouldnt be saying names, but if people, ministers, are saying off the record that he should leave, then they should have the courage to say the same on the record, said Mr Griffin. There is a lot more at stake here than being held in high esteem by the current Taoiseach. What this requires now is for people who want to be leader to make their views known publicly.
Fine Gael pretenders to crown fight shy of making the fatal cut, writes @Ocionnaith https://t.co/tgEXXpJFnY (DOD) pic.twitter.com/hymKk5AsTp Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 11, 2016
Another TD who had been critical up until yesterday added: It is time for people to make a decision, enough is enough.
Other critical TDs accept Mr Kenny is safe for now. They include Cork South West TD Jim Daly, Louth TD Fergus ODowd, and Wexford TD Michael DArcy.
However, those TDs remain convinced Mr Kenny will have to step down either over the summer break, the autumn, or at Christmas at the latest in preparation for a likely election next year.
Mr ODowd said he still wants a leadership change sooner rather than later, and the party should reflect on this over the summer.
News: 6
Fergus Finlay: 10
Editorial: 10
Mr Dunne was adjudicated bankrupt arising from default on loans of 164m issued to buy properties in Dublin by the High Court in July 2013.
The extension of the developers bankruptcy had been sought by the official in change of bankruptcy, Chris Lehane, for alleged non co-operation.
A senior garda said they recently intercepted a consignment of stolen outboard motors which was concealed under tonnes of clothing and were set to be smuggled out of the country in a container.
Chief superintendent Tom Hayes, who is in charge of policing in the Cork West Garda Division, told a meeting of the Cork County Joint Policing Committee that two other arrests had been made over foreign gang members who had been stealing other high-value products, which were also likely to be destined for resale on foreign markets.
He said these gang members typically came to Cork for two or three weeks at a time to carry out their crime sprees and the garda operation targeting them was still ongoing.
The meeting also heard the number of burglaries occurring in the city and county continues to fall. Between April and June 2015 there were 384 reported burglaries, but during the comparable period this year that has fallen to 197.
Chief Supt Hayes said much of this was down to Operation Thor, which specifically targeted criminal gangs who were coming into the region from Dublin and Limerick.
Thefts from shops were down from 625 to 521 cases and thefts of property from vehicles was also down from 193 to 130.
The senior garda said that garda patrols had targeted well-known beauty spots and walking areas because opportunist criminals were lurking in these areas and waiting to break into vehicles once their owners had left them.
He said he also credited motorists themselves for heeding garda advice not to leave valuable property in unattended vehicles.
The number of serious assaults in the region remains static, but minor assaults fell from 351 to 321 which chief supt Hayes said was good news, but a bit surprising as usually when the economy picks up there are more alcohol- related incidents.
He also described it as good news that there had been no murder recorded in the city or county between last April and last month.
However, he said the bad news was the increase in deaths on Cork roads.
During the three-month period this year he said crashes had claimed the lives of six drivers, seven passengers, two pedestrians, one motorcyclist and one cyclist.
Fine Gael councillor Kevin Murphy and Fianna Fail councillor Frank OFlynn told senior gardai they were concerned with a recent rise in the theft of historic signs.
Mr Murphy said a number had recently gone missing in the Kinsale area, including one pointing the way to the famous 1601 battle site.
Mr OFlynn said he was aware of similar incidents in north Cork and wondered if they were being sold to pubs abroad.
The order came despite members of the club having yesterday told Macroom District Court that its dogs were not on the farmers land on the day in question.
Patrick Kelleher of Shanakiel, Macroom, took the case against Macroom Foxhounds Hunts joint masters Donal Buckley and Francis Horgan, chairman Patsy Walsh, secretary Margaret Buckley, and huntsman John McSweeney. He sought compensation for the devaluation of the cattle as a result of the incident and for the cost of repairing fencing broken when the bulls scattered.
Judge James McNulty heard that the Macroom Foxhounds Hunt had organised a fundraiser in aid of the towns community hospital on January 15, 2014.
Mr Kelleher told the court that the incident was a total disaster for him, as his his bulls were mad, physically lame and unable to procreate as a result of the run-in with the dogs.
His son Kevin Kelleher witnessed the incident. He said that he was in the farmyard at Cahernafulla, Rusheen, some 400 yards away from the incident, when around four or five dogs came through a forestry, across the public road, and into the field towards the bulls.
He said the bulls became excited, scattered, and some went through the fields fencing. He left the yard and drove three miles to his parents house to inform his father as to what had happened
Patrick Kelleher, of Shanakiel, Macroom, who brought the case against the Hunt. Pictures: Michael MacSweeney/Cork Courts
Andrew Scannell rents the field to Mr Kelleher and was on adjacent land at the time.
He said he was shocked to see the bulls scattering in different directions and saw the dogs, which he assumed had strayed from the hunts pack.
Local vet Tom OLeary said that he inspected one of the bulls a fortnight or so after the incident. He said the animal had suffered lesions and scratches on its back and spinal injuries consistent with it having been stuck under a branch and forcing its way out. He said these injuries affected the animals gait and would impact on its ability to breed as it would not be able to successfully mount a cow.
The court heard from a number of witnesses who took part in the hunt, all of whom claimed that every one of their dogs stayed together in a pack and did not enter Mr Kellehers field.
Mr McSweeney said that the hunt that day involved 31 dogs, all of which were well trained. He said that the dogs did not come within half a mile of Mr Kellehers field.
He claimed that when subsequently making his complaint in a phone call, Mr Kelleher claimed to have CCTV footage of the incident, and also suggested that the hunt club could make an insurance claim, after which he would give Mr McSweeney and Mr Buckley 500 each. Mr Kelleher denied these claims in court.
Huntsman John McSweeney, of Macroom Foxhounds, at the court yesterday.
Mr Buckley supported Mr McSweeneys assertion that the hunt came within half a mile of Mr Kellehers farm at most. He said the hunt went towards a wind turbine on a hill above a forestry that divided their group from the road and adjacent fields, but that they lost any scent of a fox and turned around.
He said that he went to visit Mr Kelleher after the complaint, and received a heap of abuse for claiming the hunt had not gone near his field.
Tina Healy told the court that she kept constant count of the dogs throughout the hunt, and that there were 31 dogs in the pack at all times.
In delivering his verdict, Judge McNulty reminded both sides that civil cases are decided on the balance of probabilities, and that he was to find in favour of the side whose story is likely to be true.
He said that while there was no evidence of erectile dysfunction or sterility among the cattle as a result of the incident, nor was there evidence that the dogs directly attacked the bulls, Mr OLearys evidence had shown that the capacity of at least one bull to perform and to procreate was diminished due to a back injury.
Judge McNulty said that both Pat and Kevin Kelleher and Mr Scannell were credible witnesses, and that the members of the hunt were good and decent people who gave truthful evidence as to what they recall from that day.
Donal Buckley, joint master of Macroom Foxhounds Hunt, at Macroom District Court.
They have an enviable record of volunteering in their chosen sport, Judge McNulty said.
It is clear that their participation in their sport is to be cherished, respected and protected if necessary, but they must practice having regard to the rights of others.
He said the crux of the argument was whether or not the hunts dogs went into Mr Kellehers field that day. He said it was unlikely that the dogs seen by Mr Kelleher and Mr Scannell belonged to anyone else, and that there was no evidence of any other hunt on in the area that day.
He found in favour of Mr Kelleher, awarding him 4,000 plus costs, but said that he respects the integrity of the respondents, and their accounts of the hunt.
Its like the story of the proud mother who went to watch her sons regiment marching one day, said Judge McNulty. She went back and told her friends they were all out of step, except for my Johnny.
However, it says a student- loan scheme is the only sustainable way of bridging a higher education shortfall heading for 1bn a year.
The National Training Fund levy raises 340m a year by ringfencing amounts worth 0.7% of employees earnings, from PRSI contributions by employers.
The Cassells group recommends an extra 150m a year be contributed by employers paying 0.3% extra into the fund, regardless of which option is chosen to fund higher education. The amount could increase if employment continues to rise and businesses would be given greater leverage on the type of third-level courses being offered in return.
While it is presently taken from employers PRSI, the money would represent an additional cost to business, but one which the report says would be justified given the high proportion of graduates in the workforce.
It is acknowledged that employers already contribute financially to higher education institutions by paying tuition fees for employees, contributing to research projects and through donations or sponsorships, the Cassells group said.
However, the scale of benefits accruing and the principles of fairness and balance suggest employers should contribute more.
The additional money raised would be used to support programmes that target skills gaps in the economy and public services, as well as supporting part-time, distance, and online courses.
Report to recommend increase in fees paid by third-level students https://t.co/gmuTwsnUqc pic.twitter.com/K7HUpvPCOk Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 11, 2016
Ibec said it needs to consult with members about the levels of increased contribution suggested but head of education policy Tony Donohoe said the organisation does not oppose the broad idea, as long as there is transparency on how additional money would be spent.
If we have targeted areas of skills demanding being supported by the fund, we dont object in principle. Employers already contribute directly to higher education in various ways, he said.
Mr Donohoe said the projected 150m a year that would be raised would be a relatively small portion of the anticipated 1bn shortfall. He said there has been no change to the basis of the OECD recommendation 12 years ago for an income-contingent student-loan system because of its advice that a high-quality higher education system was impossible based predominantly on state funding.
Lloyds Pharmacy Ireland Ltd, which owns and operates 90 retail pharmacies in the State, claims the regulations, which require such medicines to be stored in a part of the premises to which the public does not have access, breach its property rights, and will cost it at least 1m a year.
It claims the regulations amount to an unlawful prohibition, or substantial limitation, on the visual display of non-prescription, pharmacy-only medicines known as P-meds. These include painkillers such as Panadol or Disprin and their generic equivalents and vitamin products like Pharmaton and Clonfolic.
President Tran Dai Quang receives Lao Vice President Phankham Viphavanh (Photo: VNA)
The President hailed the outcomes of the talks between Phankham Viphavanh and Politburo member and standing member of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committees Secretariat Dinh The Huynh and Vice State President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh.
He suggested the two countries work together to successfully implement the bilateral cooperation agreement for 2016-2020 and the collaboration plan between the Vietnamese and Lao Governments in 2016.
Both nations should continue to carry out effectively agreements reached at the annual meeting of senior officials from the two Politburos in December 2015, as well as the outcomes of the 38th session of the intergovernmental committee on Vietnam-Laos bilateral cooperation and visits by their top leaders, he said.
President Quang urged the two sides to realise the protocol on defence and security collaboration for 2016-2020 and the bilateral border trade agreement, while promoting energy and transport connectivity.
Vietnam and Laos are also expected to jointly hold numerous activities to celebrate the 55th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and 40 years of the signing of the Vietnam Laos Amity and Cooperation Treaty, he added.
The State leader congratulated the Lao Party, State and people on their achievements over the past number of years, saying he believes Laos will successfully implement the Resolution adopted at the 10th National Party Congress and the 8th five-year social-economic development plan.
He took this occasion to thank Laos for valuable support to Vietnam in the past and at present, confirming that the Vietnamese Party, State and people will always attach much importance to preserving and cementing the special relations with Laos.
President Tran Dai Quang highly valued the active contributions of the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Association, and Phankham Viphavanh in particular as former Chairman of the association, to encouraging Lao people to embrace relations with Vietnam.
For his part, Phankham Viphavanh, who is also Politburo member and standing member of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party Central Committees Secretariat, applauded cooperation achievements between the two nations in the past, saying that they have contributed significantly to the national construction and development of the Lao people.
He confirmed to do his utmost in his new positions to tighten the special amity and solidarity between the two countries for the sake of their people./.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) officials told a Cork County Council delegation that while the Macroom and Ringaskiddy roads were in the capital investment programme (2016-2021), funding had not been allocated and TII had been advised that expenditure will not ramp up until 2020/2021.
They said the Dunkettle upgrade was the top priority and TII intended to appoint a contractor in 2018, with a view to work commencing in 2019 or 2020. TII said work on both the Macroom and Ringsaskiddy roads would start sometime after 2021.
TII officials advised any political pressure county councillors could exert to accelerate a budgets increase would be appreciated.
They also expressed disappointment that the 800m Cork-Limerick motorway was not on the capital investment programme and the need for it had been highlighted by the number of recent fatal accidents occurring on the N20, especially in the Mallow area.
Independent councillor Declan Hurley, head of the councils roads and transport committee, said the need for lobbying was obvious and councillors should seek a meeting with Transport Minister Shane Ross.
Mayor of County Cork Seamus McGrath said the TII report made for grim reading.
Fianna Fail councillor Ian Doyle said he was very concerned at rumours a Cork-Limerick motorway would be routed through Mitchelstown. Both he and Fine Gael councillor Gerard Murphy said it would economically isolate Mallow and large swathes of north-west Cork. Mr Doyle also said the main Cork-Limerick road in Charleville was falling apart and needed urgent attention.
I dont think well see the M20 built in my lifetime, said Independent councillor Tim Collins. We also need the northern relief road built in Mallow because a lot of haulage moves through the town from Rosslare to Kerry and, at the moment, traffic congestion is a disaster.
TII officials said while the relief road was listed in the capital investment programme, funding had not been given so it could not provide a timeframe for construction.
It said a consulting engineer had been appointed to carry out a feasibility study into the project, but accepted there was a good business case for building the road.
Fianna Fail councillor Daithi O Donnabhain said there were nine suspended projects on TIIs list for Cork and that was having a major negative impact on economic activity in the region.
Councillors are to seek an urgent meeting with Mr Ross to discuss the issues.
Ministers also dismissed talk of a party motion of confidence in Mr Kenny being launched this week, to counter any revolt by TDs, amid fears the party could now become divided.
After four and a half days of questions about how long Mr Kenny was going to remain on as leader of Fine Gael, disgruntled backbenchers stood down their half-hearted heave yesterday.
There is now a general acceptance that Mr Kenny will be given the summer to consider his options but will have to set out his plan for stepping down in the autumn.
Finance Minister Michael Noonan, a loyal supporter of Mr Kenny, was the latest to dismiss any suggestions that the Taoiseach should step aside yesterday.
Speaking in Brussels, Mr Noonan set out several reasons why Mr Kenny should stay on.
He led the government which took the country out of the biggest crisis theyve had in two generations, when we nearly slipped into bankruptcy; he saw the back of the troika; and hes presiding over the country thats growing at the fastest rate of the 28 in Europe, said Mr Noonan.
Fine Gael backbencher calls for new party leader to stabilise 'rudderless' Government https://t.co/oNw9hB1FbA pic.twitter.com/CJvmVM3DHZ Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 11, 2016
Now were on the cusp of another crisis and his skills in crisis management and his international contacts are very, very important.
Mr Noonan said Mr Kennys relationship with, and ability to reach out to, other European leaders is important.
Hes going to Germany [today] to meet Chancellor [Angela] Merkel, hes meeting President [Francois] Hollande in Ireland the week after, said Mr Noonan. Therell probably be a new British prime minister within the week, and its very important that somebody who knows them well and can make contact at the end of a telephone has built up the relationships that were necessary. And Brexit is going to take a while to sort.
Some ministers reiterated the need for stability, claiming Mr Kenny would deliver that.
Earlier, Health Minister Simon Harris, seen as a potential successor to Mr Kenny, said he had full confidence in the Taoiseach to continue to lead the Fine Gael party and the government.
Mr Harris said his position represents the overwhelming majority view within my party.
Fine Gael pretenders to crown fight shy of making the fatal cut, writes @Ocionnaith https://t.co/tgEXXpJFnY (DOD) pic.twitter.com/hymKk5AsTp Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 11, 2016
On suggestions that backbench TDs had been prepared to launch a motion of no confidence in Mr Kenny, Mr Harris warned that this was a bit premature, as Mr Kenny was only voted in as Taoiseach by those very TDs two months ago.
Nonetheless, Mr Harris did say it was important that a conversation took place last Wednesday at the weekly parliamentary party meeting.
Mr Kenny, speaking in Mayo, said he has no intention of being diverted from the task of leading the country.
KBC and a receiver it appointed over the property are seeking an order from the commercial court for the removal of a legal restraint on the sale, known as a lis pendens.
The restraint was entered by co-owner Thomas Joyce, Hawthorn Place, Knocknacarra, Galway, and he is refusing to remove it despite being called on by the bank to do so, KBC says.
According to latest figures released by the utility, customers paid 18.3m during the fifth billing cycle. This is down from 33.4m for the previous quarter a drop of 45%. The planned nine-month suspension of domestic water charges was announced by the Government as the fifth bill was issuing to customers.
Irish Water said 989,000 customers have paid some or all of their domestic water charges over the first five bill cycles, with 14,000 paying for the first time during the latest billing period.
Responding to the figures, Sinn Fein spokesman on water Eoin O Broin TD said they show that domestic charges are no longer viable.
Irish Water has only managed to collect 27% of the charge due this quarter compared to 49% in the last quarter, 62% in the third quarter, 56% in the second quarter and 45% in the first quarter, he said.
These massive slumps in payment rates show clearly that water charges have no future. With the government and Fianna Fail still only advocating for a temporary suspension of the charges, it appears they are not listening to the people.
Mr O Broin called on the Government to legislate directly for the abolition of domestic water charges.
Everything else is only kicking the can down the road. Water charges will remain the most contentious of political issues until this government and Fianna Fail accept that last February the majority of people voted to scrap water charges and abolish Irish Water, he said.
Irish Water confirms huge drop in number of people paying bills https://t.co/zDetLWFDXK pic.twitter.com/NtM8pqPXbE Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 11, 2016
Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Mick Barry said the figures show a massive rejection of water charges by the Irish people.
Over the last 18 months we have said that there were many people who only paid because they felt bullied or intimidated into it by the Government and Irish Waters threats, he said.
Now that the fear is gone, this level of non-payment reflects how people really feel on the issue.
These figures mean that the writing is on the wall for Irish Water, water charges and the government. They will find it hugely difficult to revive the charge.
Mr Barry also called for the charges, as well as the commission on water, to be scrapped.
The charges should be scrapped and Irish Water should be abolished. People who have paid should be refunded and all arrears wrote off for those who didnt pay.
The Government should now accept defeat on the water charges. They should scrap the sham commission which they have set up and instead let the Dail decide on the future of water charges.
Kerry TD Brendan Griffin told the Irish Examiner any fresh attempt to remove Mr Kenny now requires senior ministers seeking to replace him to express their real views, saying back benchers have done all they can to start the conversation.
Despite Mr Kenny being the subject of a planned motion of no confidence at the weekend, any plans for the motion to be tabled at Fine Gaels parliamentary party meeting tomorrow were dashed yesterday after a string of senior Government ministers came out to back their party leader.
However, despite the situation, Mr Griffin who is to date the only TD behind the potential motion to publicly call for Mr Kenny to resign said that concerns remain among more than a dozen Fine Gael TDs.
Stressing the issue must be addressed at the partys parliamentary party meeting tomorrow, the Kerry TD said it is now up to potential future leaders to go public with their ambitions as backbenchers cannot do any more to push the issue.
I wouldnt be saying names, but if people, ministers, are saying off the record that he should leave then they should have the courage to say the same on the record, Mr Griffin said.
Jim Daly: The Cork South-West TD was said to be among the six TDs seeking the motion.
There is a lot more at stake here than being held in high esteem by the current Taoiseach. What this requires now is for people who want to be leader to make their views known publicly.
Mr Griffin added that he still wants to see as much clarity as possible from the Taoiseach tomorrow and for TDs and ministers to be true to what they really think.
Mr Griffin had earlier gone public with his call for Mr Kenny to step aside on RTE Radios Morning Ireland programme, saying he doesnt trust Fianna Fail not to take advantage of the leadership issue before the upcoming budget.
Speaking to this newspaper, a number of backbench TDs accepted Mr Kennys leadership is safe for now.
However, they said they remain convinced he will have to step down either over the summer break, the autumn or at Christmas in preparation for a likely election next year.
Michael DArcy: The vocal critic said that Mr Kennys departure is up to him.
Cork South West TD Jim Daly rumoured to have been one of the six TDs seeking the now shelved motion against Mr Kenny confirmed I dont expect one [a motion] to be put down before adding this week in reference to the fact the matter still needs to be addressed.
Louth TD Fergus ODowd, who called for a discussion on the partys leadership last week, said it would be entirely inappropriate and wrong for any motion to be put forward now.
However, he added that it is important Mr Kenny outlines his position sooner rather than later and that the party should reflect on this over the summer.
Wexford TD Michael DArcy, a vocal critic of the Taoiseach, said I dont support any division in the party and that Mr Kennys departure is up to him.
Fergus ODowd: Entirely inappropriate for any motion to be put forward now.
A number of other TDs said the Taoiseach should step aside soon, with one adding: Its time for people to make a decision, enough is enough. Weve pointed the conversation at this stage, its now a matter for the contenders to do something rather than do whatever.
The Fine Gael Cabinet member insisted there are no plans to close emergency departments, despite confirming an overhaul of the hospital system will see people sent to the right hospital for urgent emergency treatment.
Details revealed in the Sunday Business Post at the weekend show a draft copy of the Governments draft report of its trauma steering group proposed cuts to services at nine facilities nationwide.
The hospitals Cavan General, Naas, Portiuncula in Ballinasloe, Kilkenny, Wexford, South Tipperary, Clonmel, and the Mercy University Hospital in Cork City are now at risk of losing trauma care services in order to amalgamate care at larger nearby facilities.
The potential move, which will not be definitively confirmed until the end of the year, has caused significant political concerns as local TDs come under renewed pressure to ensure hospitals in their area are not affected.
However, while confirming changes towards a more amalgamated set of services across the country are being considered, Mr Harris insisted that no emergency department will be closed.
Let me be clear on this, what I read in the paper is not what I have seen, he said. There are no plans to close emergency departments in this [the document] and any suggestion is misleading.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation yesterday expressed serious concern at plans services may be scaled back.
Nurses are fed up with piecemeal change which actually makes the situation worse rather than better, said the groups general secretary, David Hughes.
This is not the first time that the re-directing of emergency departments to separate major trauma centres has been proposed.
So-called centres of excellence have been reduced to chaos when the major hospitals with few additional resources are expected to take the serious trauma on an already over-crowded and over-worked department.
Meanwhile, Mr Harris confirmed he wants to bring back the National Treatment Purchase Fund as soon as possible.
Despite criticism of the privatised service, Mr Harris said: We dont need a big ideological debate about what is best to clear waiting lists, adding that such a discussion does not help patients waiting today.
The boy, who cannot be named because he is a minor, is accused of the murder of Lorcan OReilly, aged 21, last year. He was aged 14 at the time of Mr OReillys death.
Mr OReilly, from Robert Emmet Close in south inner city Dublin, was stabbed in the nearby Oliver Bond flat complex in the early hours of November 1. The incident happened at approximately 2.30am when he had been at Halloween festivities with friends.
The teens solicitor asked the judge at Cork District Court yesterday to remand the accused in custody.
Solicitor Frank Buttimer for Volodymyr Reyterovych, aged 19, said: I would be very, very concerned about him. Harm is a major, major, immediate concern. He is at high risk.
The 55-year-old father was shot dead as he stood at the doorway of his wife Yumeis shop on Bridgefoot St in Dublins south inner city.
Their 14-year-old daughter was understood to be inside the Shoetown store at the time of the gun attack, shortly after 4pm, in the Liberties area of the city.
Gardai are investigating if the murder was linked to a dispute within a drugs gang in Cabra, north Dublin, where the deceased lived, or if it was connected to the Kinahan-Hutch feud.
The convicted gunman, armed robber and drug dealer escaped murder in a previous shooting in Cabra last November.
Speaking at his homily at the Church of the Most Precious Blood in Cabra, Fr Damian OReilly said the deceased was born into a loving family 55 years ago.
Some choices he made were very good choices, especially his decision to marry Yumei and having the wonderful gift of his daughter, said Fr OReilly.
Other choices he made in his early life were not the best choices for his life.
He said the wish of the family was not so much to talk about David but rather to pray for him.
Mr Douglas received a 12-year sentence for armed robbery and shooting with intent to murder a garda in 1983, and a 10-year sentence, with five suspended, for drug trafficking in 2010.
As we come to lay David to rest we silently smile as we recall his happy moments in his life and we reflect on some of the bad decisions he made which resulted in the torments that life had inflicted on him resulting in his tragic death.
He said what Mr Douglas wanted most was to walk his dog and walk in peace in the safety of his family.
Mr Douglas was associated with a significant drugs gangs based in the Cabra area and gardai suspect his murder, and that of fellow gang associate Darren Kearns last December, could have been part of that feud.
They are also investigating if the murder was carried out by two gunmen acting for the Kinahan cartel.
Mr Douglas was wrongly implicated in a botched gun attack on Kinahan lieutenants last November.
Gardai have appealed to people who saw a silver/ grey Mercedes CLA, reg 161D 26702, used in the shooting, to contact 01 666 9400.
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos (Source: VNA)
They had separate meetings with visiting Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos in Hanoi on July 12th.
General Secretary Trong hailed the Prime Ministers visit as a motivation to intensifying the two countries cooperation.
Thanking Romania for its support for Vietnams nation-building cause, the Party leader expressed his hope to boost traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with the European nation, especially in economics and defence.
He appreciated Romania for supporting the Vietnamese people living and studying there as well as the collaboration between Vietnam and ASEAN with the European Union.
PM Ciolos emphasised that Romania will do more for its time-honoured friendship and cooperation with Vietnam to grow further.
When meeting with President Quang, Ciolos affirmed that Vietnam is one of the priority partners of Romania in Asia.
Romania sees Vietnam as an example of economic development in the region, Ciolos stated, adding that his visit, therefore, focused on economic, trade and investment cooperation.
The host and guest shared the view that the two countries current economic, trade and investment cooperation have yet to meet respective potential and expectations.
Two-way trade has maintained a stable growth at 10-15 percent each year. Trade value reached USD175.6 million in 2015, of which USD102.2 million came from Vietnams exports.
The Vietnamese leader expressed his hope that Romania will do to speed up the European Unions signing of the EU-Vietnam free trade agreement (FTA), saying that once implemented, the agreement will help boost economic, trade and investment ties between Vietnam and the EU, of which Romania is a member.
He asked the European nation to soon recognise Vietnams market economy status, facilitate the export of Vietnamese goods, and encourage Romanian enterprises to expand investments in the Southeast Asian country.
The guest confirmed that Romania will swiftly ratify the agreement and push for the EUs official signing of the FTA with Vietnam.
Both agreed that the two countries will back each other in running for a non-permanent member seat of the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure.
Romania respects international principles and law and supports the settlement of disputes by peaceful measures, PM Ciolos said, hoping that the two nations will coordinate more closely in the issues of mutual concern.
Romania also decided to double its scholarships to 20 for Vietnamese students from 2017, he added./.
Most Irish consumers regularly use the internet to save money, both by researching products and purchasing bargains online. Most of us have bought clothes, computers and holidays online, but what about the weekly food shop? With Tesco and SuperValu both delivering to households around the country, is it time to start buying your meat and veg with the click of a button?
If interested, the first thing to check is that you are in a delivery area, particularly if you live in a rural location. Anyone within reasonable proximity to a town should be ok, but if you live in the countryside best check before you fill your basket.
SuperValu has a map on its site showing the delivery area for each of its stores that provide the service. You can also use a drop down menu to select your address and find the nearest store that delivers. Tesco, they will ask for your address as part of the registration process.
Both retailers have introductory offers to encourage new customers. Tesco offers 10 off your first delivery, with a minimum spend of 60. Supervalu offers a 15 discount off the first order, but the minimum spend is higher 75.
SuperValu charges 3 and 7 per delivery, depending on day and time of the week. Costs can fluctuate depending on how busy the time slots are but customers will know the delivery cost when booking their time.
Time slots are generally two hours long, but occasionally one hour. Tesco charges between 3 and 7 per order and delivery in two-hour time slots. Tesco also has the delivery saver option, a subscription-based service, for regular users. Customers pay Tesco a flat monthly fee and then any order placed will be delivered without incurring charges with a delivery every day if required.
Customers who are at home on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays can avail of the Midweek plan for 7.50 per week, while the Anytime plan costs 10 per week. Orders have to be over 50 to be free of delivery under these plans so it is geared more toward larger households who have a high grocery spend.
There are pros and cons to using these services. In the early days of home delivery a frequent complaint was that groceries were badly packed, with concern about the handling of meat and frozen food. But the supermarkets have worked to iron out these issues SuperValu states that it stores and delivers goods in accordance with HACCP guidelines so everything including frozen food will arrive just as it left the store.
Tesco also stands over the freshness and condition of deliveries. Customers can check their groceries when they arrive and anything they are not happy with can be returned with the driver for a full refund.
From a financial point of view, whether it is worth it is dependent on the size of the household and the amount spent on groceries. The delivery charge adds 10-20% to the cost of a 30-40 shop, but is a much smaller percentage if your groceries cost more. And households with a high spend are more likely to have children, so you can add in the benefit of time saved and not having to navigate the supermarket with kids in tow.
You can save items you constantly repurchase as favourites, meaning that after the first few times getting used to the site, ordering should be a doddle. Any special offers available in-store are also available to online orders, and you accumulate loyalty card points as usual.
Dunnes Stores does not currently offer online grocery shopping but is preparing to roll out the service, likely before the end of the year.
Away from the major supermarkets, there are other online food options. For those interested in organic produce can sign up to get a weekly fruit and veg box and order a host of other fresh items and store cupboard staples from www.organicsupermarket.ie.
As more supermarkets offer online groceries, the weekly food shopping could become yet another part of our lives that is only a click away.
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Irish Rail is promoting its family fares to help organise travel for those school holiday staycations. With the Galway Arts Festival taking place from July 11 to 24, now is just the time to take advantage of the open return family ticket for 79. That will get one or two adults with up to four children from Dublin to Galway and back.
But if Galway isnt your destination of choice, Irish Rail operating similar fares to destinations countrywide. A family can travel between Dublin and Cork for 99, from Dublin to Belfast and back for 89, or head to Kilkenny for 49.
These fares are available until August 31. The children can be aged between five and 15; under fives travel for free on intercity services anyway. The open return ticket is valid for one month from the outgoing journey. If you are simply bringing the family on a day trip, doublecheck the fare at www.irishrail.ie as some day return journeys have lower fares.
After three weeks of travelling, visiting family and friends, it feels good to be home. In addition, a small box of the years first chanterelle mushrooms awaited me in my mailbox, sent by my German friend in Kerry.
How lucky we are to live in an era of affordable airfares and can assuage our consciences by contributing to ecologically friendly initiatives that help undo the damage caused by our flight.
According to a calculator on the website co2.myclimate.org, every individual on a Cork to London flight results in an extra 0.328 tonnes of CO2 fuel emissions released into the atmosphere.
Terrestrial pollution by plastics as well as celestial pollution by greenhouse gases is the urgent concern of Environmentalists for Europe, an NGO lobbying to have plastic bottles made refillable, or subject to a refundable deposit/return fee of up to 23c, this to reduce the millions that find their way into rivers and seas.
Founded in Britain earlier this year, the group, acronym E4E, is, according to its website, supported by parliaments leading environmentalists, Friends of the Earth, The National Farmers Union and The Green Party.
Its patron is Bill Oddie, one-time comedian now consummate environmentalist. Its site asserts that Its because of European protections that our beaches are cleaner, our countryside protected, our air cleaner and our food safer.
Ironically, the message ends: Vote remain on 23 June.
An added irony is the fact that the groups co-chairman is Stanley Johnson, an apparently sensible, conscientious man, unlike his son Boris the Buffoon, who has clearly blotted the familys escutcheon with his ever-so-clever, fall-on-his-face, hoist-on-his-own-petard Brexit strategies.
It is uncertain if the organisation, with its proclaimed pro-EU stance, still exists since the success of Bigheaded Boriss Brexit campaign, driven home by the mendacious message on the side of his campaign bus.
When I phoned its HQ, I was told that there was nobody from E4E in the office.
Some 13bn single-use plastic bottles are annually bought in the UK 200 bottles per person per year.
Only 50% are recycled: 6.5bn bottles are strewn on streets, verges, parks and beaches, or tossed into culverts, rivers and seas. They are a plague.
Their manufacture squanders valuable fossil fuels and releases CO2 into the skies. The plastic contains bisphenol A (BPA), a cancer-inducing toxin, which may be released if it is scratched. The EU banned BPA from baby bottles in 2011.
Almost unbiodegradable, they will contaminate scenic and natural habitat for decades. Marine turtles, mistaking them for jellyfish, end up with stomachs full of plastic, and starve.
Albatrosses and other sea birds swallow the caps, mistaking them for squid. A recent cleanup of British beaches logged 160 plastic bottles per mile, 43% more than the year before.
When a deposit scheme was initiated in Germany, 98.5% of bottles were returned.
The Scandinavian countries, Iceland, and Estonia have adopted similar schemes. Scotland is considering a total ban.
Ireland should surely take up the running. We are lauded as forerunners in plastic bag and smoking controls.
On our coasts, I see small coves and creeks with tidelines piled high in water bottles and plastic milk containers, the latter often bearing local dairy labels.
Could TetraPak, designers of milk and fruit juice containers, not create water parks? The pure water (often less healthy than tap water, were told) would not be visible, but the container would be more degradable, for sure.
The oceans are, as so often in modern times, the final victims, exploited as infinite sources of protein and bottomless sinks for garbage. Plastic bottles dont float forever; they break down and sink to the ocean floor.
Dutch researchers have found 70% of discarded plastic ends up on the sea bed. Some 600,000 tonnes of plastic sits at the bottom of the North Sea.
As sea floors becomes smothered, wiping out organisms essential to the marine food chain, national and international bodies fail to curtail production of non-biodegradable plastic.
Ireland has 220m acres (about 880,000sq km) of seabed, an area more than 10 times our landmass.
The Government should surely protect this national asset not only by better controlling the floating monsters that rape its fish stocks, but also the sale of single-use plastic bottles contributing to the annihilation of the organisms upon which they feed.
Councillors formally agreed 23-4 to dispose of the former Cork Savings Bank premises on Lapps Quay to UCC for 1.425m after getting assurances that it was the best offer available, and that the building will be available for up to 12 civic functions a year.
The disposal price is almost twice the reported 800,000 acquisition price but council chief executive, Ann Doherty, said the deal will result in a 400,000 benefit to the city once costs are covered.
Ms Doherty also said she is happy to ring-fence the sale proceeds and facilitate debate about how it could be used.
A spokesperson for UCC said they were delighted that councillors agreed to the university acquiring one of the citys most iconic and beautiful buildings.
This building has played a very significant part in the business history of Cork and we look forward to it playing a very significant role in the future development of business professionals in the city and the region, the spokesperson said.
We are confident that it will be a great centre for the executive education and research aspects of the Cork University Business School (CUBS).
This, coupled with the recruitment of 10 professors for the business school and the ongoing plans for the development of a large business school building, speaks to UCCs commitment to establishing Cork as a global player in business education and development.
The council formally acquired the No 1 Lapps Quay and No 16 Parnell Place buildings, which together comprised the former Cork Savings Bank, from Permanent TSB in February.
The following month, city officials announced an open market process to identify the most appropriate and sustainable future use for the protected structure, and proposals were invited in a process administered for the city by Lisneys.
An independent panel was set up to consider the shortlisted proposals under a range of headings, including the financial offer, the proposed uses, the proposers track record and financial capacity to deliver, and manage the redevelopment of buildings of this importance and type.
The property was formally advertised in April for six weeks, and 19 expressions of interest emerged, Ms Doherty told councillors.
At the end of the six-week period, all interested parties were then invited to submit their detailed proposals.
Two proposals were ultimately shortlisted by the panel, and following more detailed consideration, UCC was recommended as the preferred proposal.
Ms Doherty said UCC is committed to developing a world-class executive education centre on the site.
The centre, which will be the universitys Business Schools flagship building in the heart of the city centre, will provide fit-for-purpose teaching rooms, spaces to provide business educational courses and programmes in areas of technology, healthcare, financial services, catering for early to mid-career executives and professionals, as well as postgraduate and masters students, she said.
While most councillors welcomed the disposal, the three AAA councillors and Independent councillor Cllr Paudie Dineen questioned the sale of a city asset.
Among those who supported the disposal were Sinn Fein councillor Shane OShea, who completed a graduate programme in Dublin.
He said the disposal would give Cork graduates an option closer to home.
James Cameron took what he had learned on his first full feature film, The Terminator, and amped everything up, delivering a sequel to Ridley Scott's Alien that did so much more than just furthering a single story. In many way, he created the xenomorph menace as we know it today, and also crafted one of the most influential sci-fi action films of all time.
The short version is it's a pretty great film, and you can see it in a whole new way with a live score by the RTE Concert Orchestra. The performance is part of the celebrations for the 30th anniversary and we're actually going to get to see it in Dublin before anywhere else in the world. While the premiere is set for the Royal Albert Hall in London on the 6th of November 2016, it will arrive at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre in Dublin as a preview on the 23rd of September.
According to the Chinese zodiac, 1968 and 2016 are both the Year of the Monkey. But maybe we should call this the Year of the Ghost Monkey of 19
From the US presidential primaries to the convention platform battles to bloody mayhem in the streets, 1968 is the go-to, default metaphor for what we seem to be reliving.
This year, like 1968, is certainly one of bitter conflict and wrenching change. And why is that a surprise? Some things dont change. A nation of several hundred million people, drawn from all over the world, can never exactly become a peaceable kingdom, a beloved community. Creeds differ, values clash; rival factions, communities, and priorities compete.
Harmony would be nice and an end to bloodshed is a goal to which most Americans can subscribe. But bear in mind that it has always been through conflict that Americans have decided who they are as a nation, discarding old assumptions and redefining identity and mission.
Ive been thinking about one of my favourite 1960s writers, the remarkable Vietnam War correspondent Michael Herr, who died two weeks ago. He covered the Vietnam War for Esquire in 1967-68, and his book, Dispatches, remains one of the greatest works about that troubled conflict. (Herr also contributed to the screenplays of two iconic Hollywood movies on the war, Apocalypse Now and Full Metal Jacket.)
Dispatches is more than a war memoir, however. It offers genuine insight into American history and the American character. There was such a dense concentration of American energy there, Herr wrote of Vietnam in the late 1960s. American and essentially adolescent, if that energy could have been channeled into anything more than waste and pain it would have lighted up Indochina for 1,000 years.
Dallas shootings suspect 'changed' after US military service, says family https://t.co/KKdRSzTjbc pic.twitter.com/GQycUPeUgS Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 11, 2016
I cant think of any other American writer who has managed to pack into one sentence so much love for his country and so much disdain for the folly in which, in that instance, it was engaged.
Another passage in Dispatches also came to mind last week. Herr describes the first time he went on a mission with a company of Marines, and ended up caught in a fire-fight, hugging the ground for hours, listening to it going on, the moaning and whining and the dull repetitions of whump whump whump and dit dit dit, listening to a boy whod somehow broken his thumb sobbing and gagging, and thinking Oh my God, this fucking thing is on a loop!...
Heres last weeks loop: Tuesday, whump whumpwhump, black man in Louisiana pinned to the ground by police officers then shot to death. Wednesday, dit dit dit, another black man, this time in Minnesota, shot and killed in the front seat of his car as, his girlfriend said, he tried to produce the drivers licence demanded by a police officer she sat in the seat beside him, her four-year-old daughter in the back seat.
Thursday night, dit whump dit, five Dallas policemen targeted and murdered by a vengeful rooftop sniper, seven others wounded. Senseless death of innocent victims, brought home in disturbingly graphic detail via cable news and social media. Is it apocalypse now in the streets of America?
And all this in the context of recent years of fervent protest over issues of racial injustice, in a nation beset by repeated acts of violence, both random and targeted, in the midst of a presidential campaign running off the tracks, with one candidate in particular displaying an ability to stir up as much rancour and discord as possible.
If history is on a loop, are we back in the world of Dispatches? Is this 1968 redux? Do we really have to sit through this movie again?
We don't feel much support most days, let's not make today most days, please we need your support: Dallas police pic.twitter.com/oXRpf8m0Aj Reuters (@Reuters) July 8, 2016
Not likely. Fifty years have indeed changed America. The country is more diverse, ethnically, racially, and religiously. There is a far more substantial black middle class than in 1968. (While at the same time the problem of black poverty, and, for that matter, white poverty, seems more intractable than ever.)
Although its sometimes hard to remember with all the noise generated by polarising politicians, the United States is more tolerant than it was half a century ago when the idea that there would someday be a black president seemed impossibly remote, and the notion of gay marriage unimaginable.
In 1968, America was still adjusting to the US Supreme Courts wonderfully named decision Loving v. Virginia, issued the previous June, which overturned laws that banned interracial marriage. Until then, nearly one third of US states had such laws on their books. Today at least 12% of all new marriages in the United States unite interracial couples, and the trend is expected to expand as millennials, least concerned of all Americans about race, reach marriage age.
Reminded by the Iraq invasion of the consequences of national hubris in international affairs, a lesson learned and then forgotten after Vietnam, Americans are again skeptical of boots on the ground scenarios for remaking the world in their own image.
The fact that this skepticism, even in the absence of a draft, is shared across the generational spectrum is another difference between 1968 and today.
Americans are also asking important questions about economic policies and decisions taken in Washington and corporate board rooms, that have increased income inequality to levels not seen since the 1920s. Americans as a people, many of them anyway, are more self-aware and thoughtful in this second decade of the 21st century than has been the case for some decades.
Barack Obama to meet relatives of shot Dallas police officers https://t.co/tBk2DjpT8D pic.twitter.com/lTzKdMJUDX Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 11, 2016
Its true that the presumptive presidential candidate of the party of Abraham Lincoln wants to make America great again by turning back the clock to the imagined splendor of an era of racial and ethnic homogeneity. But come November, after all the shouting and posturing, there will come a great moment of clarity, when the diverse population of America votes.
Speaking of clarifying moments in American history, in his first speech as president in March 1861, the first Republican president of the United States beseeched his fellow countrymen to listen to the better angels of their nature and avoid the looming Civil War. That did not, Lincoln assured Southerners, mean the end of slavery, at least in the short run.
His appeal fell on deaf ears. But just two and a half years later, in a November 1863 address at Gettysburg, Lincoln proclaimed a new birth of freedom, carrying on and transforming the meaning of the American experiment, in which there no longer was a place for human servitude. And, in doing so, changed the nation.
History was not on a loop in the 1860s.
Nor in the 1960s. In a Memphis church on April 3, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr reflected on the possibility of his own death. He had been nearly killed by a deranged assailant in 1958, and he explained why he was glad to have survived and not just because he loved life.
I wouldnt have been around here in 1960, King recalled, when students all over the South started sitting in at lunch counters.
What those students were doing, he said, was making America great again by setting out to challenge and change its injustices. They were really standing up for the best in the American dream, and taking the whole nation back to those great wells of democracy the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, he said.
Lincoln and King lived in difficult times, as we do. It is in just such eras that Americans have rediscovered and refashioned the best traditions bound up in our national experience.
Can we resolve in the years that follow the tumultuous election year of 2016 to listen to the better angels of our nature, and turn the dense concentration of American energy away from waste and pain and use it instead to light our world?
Maurice Isserman teaches history at Hamilton College. He is the co-author of America Divided: The Civil War of the 1960s
Mr Kenny came out fighting for his political future yesterday as a series of senior party figures took to the airwaves and put a sudden halt to talk of revolt.
For the moment, a somewhat forlorn Mr Kenny looks like he will make it to the finish line and escape unscathed for the summer when the Dail rises in two weeks.
The insurrection is over before it even began. But who was it that marched Fine Gael TDs to the top of the hill in the last week in what looked like a co-ordinated attempt to topple Mr Kenny?
By yesterday afternoon, three Cabinet members had calmly played down any talk of a coup as they backed up their party leader.
A very magnanimous Education Minister Richard Bruton, who lost the last leadership challenge against Mr Kenny in 2010, told RTEs Morning Ireland that now was not the time to challenge the leadership. Mr Kennys experience was needed in the post-Brexit talks, he said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan confirmed he had texted his party colleagues at the weekend warning that dissent could destabilise the Government.
Now is not the time for change. Now is not the time for instability. Now is the time for everybody to work together, he said.
Fine Gael backbencher calls for new party leader to stabilise 'rudderless' Government https://t.co/oNw9hB1FbA pic.twitter.com/CJvmVM3DHZ Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 11, 2016
By yesterday afternoon, a third senior minister was holding the line, defending Mr Kenny.
Finance Minister Michael Noonan reiterated earlier remarks by his Cabinet colleagues that the minority Government was barely two months old.
The party and the country are fortunate to have Enda Kenny as Taoiseach now, Mr Noonan said in Brussels.
The combined cavalry row-in behind Mr Kenny came after the Mayo man had earlier spoken in his home county and insisted he would not be stepping down anytime soon.
My focus is entirely on the future, he said. And for those who might be interested, I will not be diverted from that task and that duty and that responsibility which is the mandate given to me by the people.
That was that, then. The four-and-a-half-day mini- revolt by Fine Gael TDs was over. Phones of disgruntled backbenchers started to ring out and anyone who still picked up admitted their moves and proposed motion of no confidence in Mr Kenny were now being put on hold.
Were there any instigators leading the half-hearted heave, though?
Officially, those close to Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar, who has the biggest support among voters to succeed Mr Kenny, maintain that he has had no hand or act in the statements coming from TDs demanding Mr Kenny set out how and when he should stand down as leader.
The outspoken minister, who admits he wants to be Fine Gaels leader, has also been out speaking to the media regularly, and more than other senior figure in the last week. It is doubtful that Mr Varadkar marshalled the half a dozen or so TDs into openly taking down Mr Kenny.
Fine Gael pretenders to crown fight shy of making the fatal cut, writes @Ocionnaith https://t.co/tgEXXpJFnY (DOD) pic.twitter.com/hymKk5AsTp Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 11, 2016
But it would be unimaginable to think the Dublin West TD was not aware of the feelings of those TDs, especially after what was widely considered a disastrous week for Mr Kenny. Sources close to Mr Varadkar were also openly going out of their way to insist he would not be part of any heave.
This relates to the old adage that whoever wields the dagger seldom wears the crown. And for the moment, those knives after being quickly drawn have been quietly put away.
Imagine, if you will, a small parliament gathered for lunch. Nice room, in a decent club in the heart of the city, good wine with the beef, perhaps even a glass of port at the close of business. All gentlemen of course, and these gentlemen are here to work. Well, if not to work, to cogitate, reflect, ponder to gather and share the wisdom of their world.
Dont misunderstand me. The parliament Im describing is no mere collection of elected representatives. Parliament, I discovered recently, is the collective term for owls. And these are wise old owls, with many years of public service between them, a fine track record of advising governments over many years, and in many cases responsibility for negotiating on Irelands behalf with considerable impact.
They meet monthly, always privately and quietly of course, to discuss major current issues. These wise old owls worry about the state of the nation, and although they are no longer active, their collective views still carry weight when they choose to have discreet messages transmitted to the political powers that be.
They gathered recently for one of the their monthly lunches in the immediate aftermath of Brexit. If youd had a chance to listen in, youd particularly have enjoyed the discussion about Boris Johnson. Theyre not given to salty language, these chaps, but they made an exception in Boriss case. Some of them have dealt with David Cameron and his team in the past, and there was a lot of shaking of heads over his misjudgement.
But their primary concern, of course, was what was likely to happen to Ireland, and how wed be affected by the British decision.
Fine Gael backbencher calls for new party leader to stabilise 'rudderless' Government https://t.co/oNw9hB1FbA pic.twitter.com/CJvmVM3DHZ Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 11, 2016
Despite their vast experience and immeasurable intelligence (just what youd expect from a parliament of retired senior civil servants) they werent able to conclude that the future was certain in any way (senior civil servants never are, by the way). But they did note some key ingredients, some things that definitely must be protected.
The European relationship, for instance. For good or ill, were strong in Europe. There have been times in the past when Irelands economic development depended on things like regional funds or cohesion funds, and the wise old owls know how hard won they were. And there have been times more recently when Europe seemed, and behaved, more like a cruel uncle. But the strength of the relationship saw us through the worst of that.
And of course, the parliament of owls reckon the Irish economy is fundamentally sound, inward investment looks promising still, the books are heading towards balance. Thank goodness, they concluded over the port, that after that rather bizarre election, at least we have a government in place that looks like it might survive a year or two at least until the immediate Brexit crisis passes.
And, perhaps more importantly, we have a Taoiseach who knows his way around Europe, and is well liked by some of the more important European leaders. Through his involvement in the European Peoples Party, he had a significant role in choosing the President of the Commission and the President of the Council of Ministers, and knows them both very well.
I have to admit there wasnt unanimity on this point among the wise old owls. Not all of them are admirers of Enda Kenny personally, and a few even hanker after the good old days when the permanent government sat comfortably alongside the semi-permanent apparatus of Fianna Fail. Still, as one of the owls said as they were slipping into their overcoats, thank God we have an anchor tenant in Brussels.
So you can just imagine the consternation when the group met for lunch this past weekend. This is not a group that does emergencies, but if it were, this would qualify as an emergency session.
They looked, as they always do, to the most senior of their membership the Elder, they call him for guidance. But the Elder was nonplussed. Years as a Secretary General, vast experience of the machinations of politics in many of the major capitals, yet he wasnt sure what to think.
I confess, colleagues, he said, to being entirely baffled. Our larger government party, despite losing seats in the election, has more seats at Cabinet than at any time in its history. More have been promoted than ever before. They have somehow managed to persuade Fianna Fail Fianna Fail, can you imagine it, colleagues to allow them to introduce three budgets with a reasonable prospect of seeing them passed.
Fine Gael pretenders to crown fight shy of making the fatal cut, writes @Ocionnaith https://t.co/tgEXXpJFnY (DOD) pic.twitter.com/hymKk5AsTp Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 11, 2016
Three years of government lie ahead, he concluded, with complex international issues to be addressed but with a strong economy at home. And theyve chosen this moment to seek to get rid of their leader.
It makes no sense to me either, one of the other owls added. Its hard to imagine anything more destabilising of the government than a heave against their leader. Surely none of us could envisage the possibility that Fianna Fail would, to misquote one of their former leaders, stand idly by while some bright young thing got the leadership of Fine Gael and an immediate bounce in the opinion polls.
As one of the younger owls passed the cheese around, they ruminated for several hours, trying to figure out why Fine Gael was apparently hell-bent on injecting an entirely unnecessary political crisis into what was already a difficult situation for the country. Fine Gael, one of them said, seem to specialise in self-destructive claptrap like this.
Was it some kind of infectious disease, another wondered. British politics was tearing itself apart, and American politics was on the brink of becoming more bitter and divided than it had ever been (and some of these elderly gentlemen could remember back to Barry Goldwater). Perhaps this entirely unknown backbencher Brendan Griffin had brought it home from some foreign trip.
This parliament of owls had all lived through some political crises in their day ministers bugging each others phones, top politicians on the take, beef scandals, , Ireland losing its sovereignty to the troika. And now, it seemed, the Taoiseach about to lose his job over well, what, exactly? Despite their sagacity and experience, that was the one thing they couldnt figure out.
Theyre saying hes a bit ratty and tired, the young owl in charge of the cheese offered. The others chuckled. Theyd all known leaders for whom the words ratty and tired would be a term of endearment. Ratty and tired, it seemed to them, were part of the job description.
I think, gentlemen, the Elder said as they got up to leave, were living in a world that perhaps we dont understand any more. But we should keep in close touch. If things go on as theyre going, well be in the middle of another election by the time we meet again. Heaven knows what the outcome will be. Perhaps well be asked to advise a grand coalition of a hundred and fifty independents. Im not sure theres enough stilton and port in the world for that!
Demonstrations around the US also saw activists attempt to block some key road routes.
Police in riot gear prevented a group of protesters in Baton Rouge from entering a major artery, Interstate 110, thwarting a tactic which social justice activists have increasingly attempted in some major cities in protest over the deaths.
One officer was injured after he was hit by a projectile during Sundays protest.
Tensions between black citizens and police have risen since last weeks killings of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge and Philando Castile in Minnesota by white officers, and a retaliatory attack on white police by a black sniper in Dallas that killed five officers and wounded several others.
More than 1,000 people left a Black Lives Matter rally in Memphis, Tennessee, and occupied a key bridge over the Mississippi River on Sunday night, temporarily blocking all traffic on Interstate 40.
On the west coast, hundreds of protesters poured into the streets of Southern California late on Sunday night, shutting down a major intersection and blocking traffic on the 405 Freeway.
Authorities told the Los Angeles Times there were no arrests and no reports of violence.
Several hundred people also blocked an area of Interstate 94 in Minneapolis-St Paul on Saturday.
Hundreds marched onto I-264 in Portsmouth, Virginia, marooning motorists for hours inside the areas Downtown Tunnel recently.
In recent days, demonstrators failed in a bid to block highways in Atlanta and Columbia, South Carolina, while in San Francisco police managed to keep them off the Bay Bridge.
Meanwhile, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani has been criticised after he said the term black lives matter is inherently racist.
Mr Giuliani said: When you say black lives matter, thats inherently racist.
He went on to say: Black lives matter. White lives matter. Asian lives matter. Hispanic lives matter. Thats anti-American and its racist.
He also said black children face a greater threat from other black children than they do from police.
Mrs Clintons team is holding the event today at a school in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Mr Sanders defeated Mrs Clinton by a wide margin in New Hampshire, in the nations first primary. His endorsement will come a month after the final primary.
Mr Sanders has pushed for policy agreements on higher education, health care and a $15 per hour (13.60) federal minimum wage.
Some of those policies were included in a draft of the partys platform in Orlando, Florida, over the weekend.
Mr Sanders has not yet confirmed he will endorse Mrs Clinton in a battle against presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump in the autumn, but told reporters on Saturday that the two Democratic campaigns are coming together, and urged them to stay tuned.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump was set to deliver a speech on veterans issues.
The address is his latest bid to set out his policy agenda and convince still-reticent Republicans that he has the discipline and control to mount a credible general election bid against Mrs Clinton.
Mr Trumps 10-point plan, aimed at improving veterans care, will include allowing veterans to seek government-funded private medical care. He was expected to say: We made a promise to these heroes. You defend America, and America will defend you.
Mr Trump was expected to continue making the case for veterans to use any doctor they choose, including those outside Veterans Affairs centres.
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong receives KKE General Secretary Dimitrios Koutsoumpas (Photo: VNA)
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made the remark while receiving KKE General Secretary Dimitrios Koutsoumpas in Hanoi on July 11th as part of the guests ongoing visit to Vietnam from July 9th-15th.
He thanked the KKE and Greek people for their valuable support to Vietnam in the cause of national liberation, unification in the past, and in building and safeguarding the Southeast Asian countrys sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity at present.
The Party chief informed the guest about the outcomes of the 12th National Party Congress and the election of deputies to the 14th National Assembly and Peoples Councils at all levels in 2016-2021.
He reiterated Vietnams consistent policy to prioritise relations with traditional friends while expanding ties with important political parties in other countries.
He hailed the KKEs efforts to maintain its position in the political arena of Greece and Europe, as well as its significant and active role in strengthening solidarity among parties in the international communist and worker movements.
The Party leader suggested the two sides push ahead with specific cooperation to deepen bilateral relations.
He highlighted the KKEs viewpoint to address disputes in the East Sea, which actively contributes to maintaining peace and security in the region and around the world.
He proposed the KKE persuade the Greek Government and National Assembly to raise an active voice to support the settlement of disputes in the East Sea via peaceful means and in line with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
For his part, Dimitrios Koutsoumpas expressed his pleasure to visit Vietnam for the first time and witness the countrys remarkable socio-economic achievements over 30 years of Doi Moi (renewal). He described this as a big support for Greek communists and forces to fight for peace, democracy and socialism around the world.
He added that the KKE attaches much importance to the time-honoured relations and solidarity with the CPV, and hopes to make more contributions to push the bilateral friendship and cooperation forward.
Regarding the East Sea issue, the KEE General Secretary affirmed the significance of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each nation, supporting the settlement of any disputes through peaceful methods and in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNLOS./.
The former shadow business secretary said she could make Labour electable again, after the howl of pain expressed in the Brexit vote.
I dont go in for suicide missions, Ms Eagle said, when asked if her chances were doomed should Mr Corbyn be allowed on the ballot paper.
Ms Eagle said it was a matter for the partys national executive committee whether Mr Corbyn needed to be nominated by 51 MPs and MEPs to be allowed to stand as a candidate.
Taking a swipe at Mr Corbyn, Ms Eagle said: A kinder politics must be a reality, not just a slogan. She said she was not a Blairite or a Brownite: I am my own woman.
Referring to an attack from shadow health secretary, Diane Abbott, who claimed that Eagles bid was akin to The Empire Strikes Back, because she represented the old guard in Labour, Ms Eagle joked: More like Return Of The Jedi.
Ms Eagle said she had no choice but to stand against Mr Corbyn, because Britain was in danger of becoming a one-party Tory state under his leadership.
Saying she could unite the party, Ms Eagle said the anti-EU win in the referendum showed that voters felt they had been ignored for too long.
The party faces bitter legal wrangles over how the leadership election will be organised. Corbyn has vowed to fight any challenge and to continue, despite the overwhelming majority of his MPs having lost confidence in his ability to secure a general election victory.
Ms Eagle has the backing of the 51 MPs needed for a formal challenge, but it remains unclear whether Mr Corbyn will also have to secure such support to fight the leadership battle.
55-year-old Eagle said her background, as a good, sensible, down-to-earth woman with northern roots, would help her lead the party.
Meanwhile, Owen Smith, another potential leadership contender, expressed fears that Mr Corbyn and his allies were prepared to split the party to remain in place.
In a further sign the party is on the verge of civil war, Mr Smith said that he asked Mr Corby three times whether he was prepared to see a split, but he offered no answer.
Now the 59-year-old vicars daughter faces the toughest challenge of her political career and is set to arrive at Downing Street tasked with negotiating Britains exit from the EU.
She started out stuffing envelopes at her local Conservative Association and will now be expected to stamp her authority on the party in the wake of the EU referendum.
Although she was signed up to the Remain campaign, Ms May kept a very low profile during the lead-up to the vote.
But her reputation as a reluctant Remainer has not saved her from attacks by rivals who insist Brexit-backing voters will want a prime minister who actively campaigned to leave.
And she has sparked controversy by saying she could not guarantee that EU citizens living in the UK would be allowed to stay after Brexit, insisting their fate must be part of negotiations with former EU partners.
She will now take charge of a party she once described as nasty when she tried, as party chairman, to oversee modernisation.
It is not the only time the she has doled out some harsh truths with little sugar coating. Members of the Police Federation were stunned into silence when Ms May attacked the organisation in a blistering speech.
Hanging on to the home secretary brief, which notoriously ruins political careers, for six years shows her ability to navigate stormy political waters.
Securing the deportation of radical Muslim preacher Abu Qatada after a lengthy legal battle boosted her popularity among the partys rank and file.
However, she has held the post at a time when net migration has reached record levels of around a third of a million, leaving the government under intense pressure over its target of reducing the figure to below 100,000 While her long track record in the senior echelons of British politics is well-documented, the famously private Tory lets little slip about her personal life.
Earlier this month she revealed that she and her husband Philip were affected by not being able to have children but said it was just one of those things.
You see friends who now have grown-up children, but you accept the hand that life deals you, she told The Mail On Sunday.
Ms May told of her shock three years ago after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, which means she must inject herself with insulin at least twice a day for the rest of her life.
But the illness doesnt affect how I do the job, she insisted, adding: Its a case of head down and getting on with it.
Appearing on BBC Radio 4s Desert Island Discs, Abbas Dancing Queen and Walk Like A Man, from the musical Jersey Boys, were among her picks.
The fashion-conscious politician, known for her love of kitten heel shoes and designer outfits, chose a lifetimes subscription to Vogue as her luxury item to take to the island.
Politics is a way of life that leaves little time for relaxing, but occasional mountain walks and culinary experimentation she owns more than 100 cookbooks are among her outside interests.
Ms May is still a practising member of the Anglican church, but said it was right that we dont flaunt these things here in British politics.
Philip was her rock when she mourned the death of her father, the Reverend Hubert Brasier, in a car accident in 1981, and the loss of her mother months later.
Educated at Wheatley Park Comprehensive School in Oxfordshire and St Hughs College, Oxford, where she read geography, she embarked on a career in finance that included a six-year stint at the Bank of England.
Elected to Merton Council in 1986, she later headed to Westminster as MP for Maidenhead in 1997.
How Thatcher and May measure up
Here is how Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May, who is set to become the UKs second woman prime minister, compare:
Age on becoming prime minister:
Margaret Thatcher 53 Theresa May 59
Years spent as an MP before becoming prime minister:
Margaret Thatcher 20 Theresa May 19
Government experience before becoming prime minister:
Margaret Thatcher three years as a junior pensions minister from 1961-64; education secretary for three years and nine months from 1970-74 Theresa May home secretary for six years and two months, from 2010 to date
Constituency experience:
Margaret Thatcher MP for Finchley from 1959 to 1992 Theresa May MP for Maidenhead from 1997 to date
Defeats at elections before becoming an MP:
Margaret Thatcher twice, in 1950 and 1951 Theresa May twice, in 1992 and 1994
Birth:
Margaret Thatcher (born Margaret Roberts) Grantham, Lincolnshire, 1925 Theresa May (born Theresa Brasier) Eastbourne, East Sussex, 1956
Education:
Margaret Thatcher studied chemistry at Somerville College, Oxford University Theresa May studied geography at St Hughs College, Oxford University
Family:
Margaret Thatcher husband (Denis), two children (Carol and Mark) Theresa May husband (Philip)
People applauded and shouted torero, torero as the coffin was carried from a hearse to a packed San Bartolome church in the central town of Sepulveda where Barrio lived.
The 29-year-old matador died after being gored in the thigh and chest in the central city of Teruel on Saturday.
Mr Cameron hailed his successor as strong and competent as he announced he would go to Buckingham Palace to offer his resignation to the Queen following Prime Ministers Questions.
Ms Mays coronation follows rival Andrea Leadsoms shock decision to pull out of the Tory leadership race.
Ms Leadsom announced she was quitting the contest shortly after apologising to Ms May over an interview in which she appeared to suggest that the fact she was a mother gave her the edge over the childless home secretary as a future prime minister.
Some supporters suggested she had been targeted for attack, after a string of high-profile media stories questioning the accuracy of her CV and demanding that she release her tax returns.
The prime minister said he was delighted the home secretary would succeed him in Downing Street.
Mr Cameron will chair his last cabinet meeting this morning and will take his final Prime Ministers Questions tomorrow at noon.
In a statement in Downing Street yesterday, he said: Were not going to have a prolonged Conservative leadership election campaign. I think Andrea Leadsom has made absolutely the right decision to stand aside and its clear Theresa May has the overwhelming support of the Conservative parliamentary party.
Im also delighted that Theresa May will be the next prime minister. She is strong, she is competent, she is more than able to provide the leadership that our country is going to need in the years ahead and she will have my full support.
Obviously with these changes we now dont need to have a prolonged period of transition and so tomorrow I will chair my last cabinet meeting, on Wednesday I will attend the House of Commons for Prime Ministers Questions, and then after that I expect to go to the palace and offer my resignation.
So we will have a new prime minister in that building behind me by Wednesday evening.
The leadership contest had been timetabled to run until September but was dramatically cut short after Ms Leadsom announced she was withdrawing from the race.
Conceding she had too little support among Tory MPs to deliver a strong and stable government, the energy minister said she had concluded that the interests of our country are best served by the immediate appointment of a strong and well-supported prime minister and was offering Ms May her full support.
Ms May was facing demands for an immediate general election after securing her place as the UKs second female prime minister.
And, crucially, the figureheads of the Brexit campaign in last months referendum, Michael Gove and Boris Johnson, offered the home secretary their backing as new Conservative leader.
Labour election co-ordinator Jon Trickett said he was putting the whole party on general election footing, on the very day when its own leadership contest was kicked off by a formal challenge to Jeremy Corbyn from Angela Eagle.
And the Liberal Democrats and Greens demanded an early election following Ms Mays coronation.
Mr Brady said both Downing Street and Buckingham Palace had been properly consulted and involved in the process.
Meanwhile, Ms Leadsom was the victim of smears and faced an onslaught of personal attacks during her failed leadership bid, allies have claimed.
Campaign manager Tim Loughton criticised the use of spin and underhand tactics and attacked colleagues who had chosen to further their own ends.
MPs claimed Mrs Leadsom had endured a sledging at the hands of opponents who wanted to stop her taking the keys to No 10. But Tory former Cabinet minister Eric Pickles insisted the criticism she had faced did not compare to the challenges she would have encountered as prime minister.
Mr Loughton hit out at the media and Tory colleagues in a statement after Ms Leadsom announced she was pulling out of the race.
He said: Throughout our short campaign we have made it clear that we should be relentlessly focused on the positive case for electing Andrea as leader without the need to undermine the qualities of her opponents.
Despite an onslaught of often very personal attacks from colleagues and journalists we have never deviated from that goal. Colleagues who have chosen to further their own ends by putting smear above respect will no doubt account for their motivations but it is genuinely puzzling to understand who they think they are helping. It is certainly not our party or our constituents.
It is absolutely not the job of media commentators to big up politicians whether in this leadership contest or elsewhere in politics. But neither should it be their compulsion constantly to try to trip them up. Using spin and underhand tactics against decent people whose prime motivation is to serve has for too long undermined the confidence of the public in our politics. This need not be inevitable. It is this much needed fresh start to how we do our politics that was to be the centre piece of Andreas campaign and which we must together progress whatever her role in the future.
Burma ANP to Address Local Issues With Burmas Vice President
The Arakan National Party will deliver a letter highlighting local concerns to Vice President Henry Van Thio at a meeting with Mrauk U residents.
RANGOON The Arakan National Party (ANP) will deliver an open letter highlighting local concerns to Vice President Henry Van Thio during a meeting on Wednesday morning with residents in Mrauk U, according to an Arakan State parliamentarian.
The letter will address a number of issues: the excavation of ditches and tunnels that are filled with rubbish and soil from rice mill production; the supervision of businessmen operating in the state; the announcement of local projects before they begin; the need for new bridges; and the demolition of a railroad which runs through a designated Mrauk U archeological zone.
Mrauk U lawmaker Htun Tha Sein said, The railroad is like a water reservoir. It stores gallons of water, which later overflow during the rainy season and make their way into the city. Thats why we want to abolish the railroad.
Kyaw Lwin, the divisional minister of forestry, mining, agriculture and livestock, told The Irrawaddy that flooding has driven over 20,000 people from their homes in July, and the ministry has opened over 100 temporary camps for those displaced by natural disasters. Three bridges have been damaged in this months floods and one man has died.
He said the state government has provided about 1,200 bags of ricewhich would last for one monthand that the army has aided flood victims as well. But the state government has no plans for resettlement nor a sufficient budget to do so.
The flooding is not as bad as it was last year. Everyone can return when the water recedes, Kyaw Lwin said.
On Tuesday morning, Burma Armys Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing accompanied relief flights to Arakan States capital of Sittwe and brought emergency food and provisions.
Mrauk U residents waited at a local monastery on Tuesday morning upon hearing from township administrators that Min Aung Hlaing would arrive, but the army chief did not show.
According to a government bureaucrat who asked to remain anonymous, the senior-general will visit Mrauk U and Kyauktaw townships on Wednesday, and then continue to Ann and Thandwe townships.
Burma Govt to Release Census Data on Religion
Information from Burmas 2014 census on the populations of the countrys religious groups will be released in late July, says a ministry spokesperson.
RANGOON Data from Burmas 2014 census on the populations of the countrys religious groups will be released this month, a ministry spokesperson has announced.
Myint Kyaing, the permanent secretary within the Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population, told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that the religious data will be ready for publication in late July, but data on ethnic populations will continue to be withheld.
Due to ongoing debates, figures on Burmas religious and ethnic makeup were delayed from publication with the other census results in May of 2015, which revealed the total population to be more than 51 million.
We delayed at that time since we needed [to perform] more analysis and consultation. But now, since we have finished it all, we plan to publish [the results], Myint Kyaing said.
He said that the figures will reveal the population of each religious group in the country, as well as at the state and divisional level.
I dont think the figure will become an issue. I hope the data will support mutual understanding and respect in building a peaceful society and the development of the states and divisions, he said, adding that, There was not much significant change from 1983 census.
Burma is home to animists, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus and Muslims. One highly anticipated forthcoming figure is that of the countrys Muslim minority; the 1983 census reported that Muslims constituted 4 percent of the population in the Buddhist-majority country, but this percentage is believed by some to be a low estimation.
In addition, an estimated 1.3 million Rohingya Muslims in western Burma were not enumerated in the 2014 census; a 1982 law which narrows citizenship eligibility along ethnic lines excludes the Rohingya from recognition as one of the countrys ethnic groups; the law, as currently implemented, forces those in unrecognized groups to prove family residency over three generations, which is very difficult for most to prove, since the vast majority of people in Burma went without documents prior to laws introduced in 1951 requiring registration.
Myint Kyaing, said that the ethnic data from the census is expected to be released after four or five months as further statistical analysis is reportedly required, as are consultations with ethnic leaders and Burmas ethnic affairs ministry and committee.
The census was conducted in March and April of 2014, and marked the first attempt to carry out a nationwide population count in more than three decades. The massive data set includes demographic characteristics and living conditions, detailing population size and growth, age and sex, marital status, migration, births and deaths, education, employment, disability, and housing conditions and amenities in each of Burmas 330 townships.
Correction: This story originally stated that a 1982 law precluded the Rohingya from citizenship. It has since been updated to instead illustrate how the law has been used to deny citizenship to ethnic groups not recognized under the controversial statute.
Burma Ma Ba Tha Calls Off Anti-Govt Protests
The group urges its followers not to demonstrate in response to criticism from the Rangoon chief minister, saying they no longer take his comments seriously.
RANGOON Buddhist nationalist group Ma Ba Tha has urged its followers not to stage planned nationwide protests in response to criticism of the organization from the Rangoon Division chief minister, saying that they no longer take his comments seriously.
The request came two days before the associations deadline to Burmese President Htin Kyaw and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi to take action against Rangoon Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein after he described the ultranationalist association as unnecessary to the country.
Wirathu, a leading Buddhist monk within Ma Ba Thawhich is the Burmese acronym for its full name, the Association for the Protection of Race and Religiontold the media after a press conference on July 7 that if the government did not respond before Thursday, July 14, Ma Ba Tha members across the nation would organize demonstrations.
On Tuesday, Sopaka, another Ma Ba Tha senior monk, cryptically echoed this claim to The Irrawaddy, stating that if Phyo Min Theins comments did, in fact, represent government policy, then Ma Ba Tha would do what it had to do.
However, in a directive also released on Tuesday, Ma Ba Tha said that they had learned that Phyo Min Theins comments had been made independently and did not necessarily reflect a government stance concerning the organization.
Thura Aung Ko, Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture, told the media on July 9 that we dont have any particular comments [regarding what Phyo Min Thein said], as he was expressing his opinion. In a democracy, everyone has a right to a different opinion, the statement said.
We have learned that [the sentiment that] Ma Ba Tha is not necessary is just [held] by Phyo Min Thein and is not state policy. So we see it as Phyo Min Theins freedom of expression and we no longer take what he said seriously, the group added, concluding that Ma Ba Tha branches across Burma need not organize anti-government demonstrations.
Phyo Min Thein recently met with the leading monks of the Sangha Maha Nayaka, a committee appointed by the government to oversee Buddhist monastic discipline, in which the chief minister reportedly further explained his criticism of Ma Ba Tha.
Documents which appeared to have been created in preparation for an upcoming two-day meeting of senior Sangha Maha Nayaka members recently went viral online, revealing that they too had denounced the existence of Ma Ba Tha. Yet The Irrawaddy could not independently verify the authenticity of these documents and Tun Nyunt, the director for Rangoon Divisions department of religion, was not available for comment.
Phyo Min Theins criticism has widened a division between those who agreed with his stance against Ma Ba Tha and those loyal to the nationalist organization. His supporters see Ma Ba Tha as a group trying to derail the new governments plans by instigating conflict between Buddhist and Muslim communities, while the groups loyalists see it as the guardian of the Buddhism.
Since it was founded in 2014, Ma Ba Tha has garnered international notoriety for its hardline anti-Muslim stance, and has been condemned by rights groups as having propagated hate speech. In 2015, Ma Ba Tha successfully lobbied for the passing of four laws imposing restrictions on religious conversion, polygamy, interfaith marriage and childbirth. Critics have described these Protection of Race and Religion measures as discriminating against both women and religious minorities.
Burma Rangoons Martyrs Monument Revamped to Highlight Aung San
In preparation for Martyrs Day on July 19, the Martyrs mausoleum is being revamped to match the vision of the original architects, thwarted under Ne Win.
RANGOON Those who have previously visited the Martyrs Monument, sited just north of Rangoons Shwedagon Pagoda, should be prepared for a surprise on July 19, Martyrs Daythe anniversary of the assassination of independence hero Aung San and eight of his comrades in 1947.
The big white pointed star will be found missing from the upper left corner of the large red structure, which marks where Aung San and his eight comrades are interred. The exact spot where the star hung for the last three decades will have been hollowed out.
Those wondering where the star has gone need walk only a few meters beyond the mausoleum to find it half sunk into the ground.
The fallen star symbolizes Gen Aung San and his colleagues. The hollow in the structure represents that they are gone and we have lost them, said Sun Oo, one of the leading architects who designed the structure nearly thirty years ago.
Why these new design ideas after all these years?
The 61-year old architect said they are not new but were part of the original design proposed by his team.
The construction team at the time ignored some points in our design under various pretexts, Sun Oo recalled. More importantly, he was ordered by the government of the time, led by the military-socialist dictator Ne Win, not to highlight Aung San or his comrades in his design.
We were not allowed to reflect the identities of those interred there, he said.
As a result, Sun Oo has never felt pride over his work. The mausoleum lacks the spirit it should have conveyed, he said.
For these reasons, he had never visited the site until last month, when he was invited by the National League for Democracy-led government to oversee the revamp in the design of the mausoleum, in preparation for this years Martyrs Day, on July 19, when the government will stage its annual commemoration ceremony at the mausoleum.
Aside from the repositioning of the star, red granite slabs to be used as name plaques for those interred have recently arrived from China. The flagstaff is being repositioned from the top-middle to the right of the mausoleum, in accordance with the original design. Another architect from the original design team is working on billboards that will bear photos and bios of the independence heroes.
They will be planted alongside the lane leading to the mausoleum. Some of Gen Aung Sans famous quotes will be printed on them, said the architect Maw Lin, before explaining that the billboards were only temporary.
In our original design, we included space for such things. This year, we are running out of time. Thats why we can only arrange temporary displays, he added.
Sun Oo said the renovated mausoleum matches 95 percent of the original design. It still lacks features such as a museum about the leaders, which will happen later.
This is the first renovation of the mausoleum since its completion in 1985. After the 1988 military coup, the junta declared the site off-limits to the public, for fear of public gatherings contributing to unrest. The reformist military-backed administration of President Thein Sein, inaugurated in 2011, allowed public participation in the annual ceremony at the mausoleum.
President Htin Kyaw, consistent with his predecessor Thein Sein, will not be attending this years ceremony at the mausoleum. State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi will be attending, as she has done in previous years.
Burma Suu Kyi Will Chair Government Peace Center
State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi chairs the government peace negotiation body, as part of her stated prioritization of peace and national reconciliation.
RANGOON State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi will chair the government peace negotiation body, the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC), as part of her stated prioritization of peace and national reconciliation.
The NRPC, formally known as the Myanmar Peace Center (MPC) under the previous military-backed government, was reorganized by Suu Kyi in May when she replaced several key people who had ties to the Burma Army with civilians.
According to an announcement by the President Offices on Monday, Suu Kyi was appointed chairperson of the NRPC while State Counselors Office Minister Kyaw Tint Swe and government peace negotiator Tin Myo Win were appointed deputy chairmen.
Burma Army representatives from the Ministry of Defense including Lt-Gen Yar Pyae, Lt-Gen Min Naung and minister of border affairs Lt-Gen Ye Aung also serve as members of the NRPC.
The announcement stated that the NRPCs purpose was to set policies and guidelines for national reconciliation and the peace process.
The center also coordinates with donors and paves the way for participation and cooperation between government bodies, Parliament, the military, ethnic armed groups, civil society organizations, the international community, and local and foreign experts. The NRPC will form and appoint a technical board and support team to aid their work.
The 11-member NRPC also includes the ethnic affairs minister, Union Attorney General Tun Tun Oo, commanders from the Ministry of Defenses Bureau of Special Operations 2 and 4, and the chairpersons of the Upper and Lower Houses ethnic affairs committees.
Burma Villagers Fleeing Conflict Reach Hsipaw, Northern Shan State
Intensifying conflict between rival non-state ethnic armed groups the TNLA and the SSA-S displaces a whole village in northern Shan State.
RANGOON More than three hundred ethnic Palaung (Taang) displaced by conflict in their village between rival non-state armed groups the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Shan State Army-South (SSA-S) arrived in the town of Hsipaw in northern Shan State over the weekend.
Those displaced had come form Ohn Mu village in rural Hsipaw Township, according to Nyo Nyo Myat, a senior member of the Taang Womens Organization, which has been assisting them in their basic needs.
The SSA-S was based inside their village. The TNLA attacked them from outside. All villagers have fled, said Nyo Nyo Myat, adding that, They could not bring anything. They just have one set of clothes each.
A total of 339 people arrived on Sunday in Hsipaw. Some villagers had reached the town on July 7, and stayed in a monastery with insufficient food, according to Nyo Nyo Myat.
The chief minister of Shan State has distributed 10 million kyats (US$8,475) in relief funds, which has allowed for some food distribution.
Since Thursday, fighting has broken out almost every day in northern Shan State between the TNLA and the SSA-S (known also by its political wing, the Restoration Council of Shan State).
The TNLA have said they have been mounting an offensive to oust units of the SSA-S occupying their territory in rural areas of Kyaukme, Namtu, Mongton and Hsipaw townships.
TNLA deputy chairman Tar Jode Jar said both sides have suffered casualties in recent days. He mentioned a TNLA attack on an SSA-S base on July 4, where two of his troops were killed, as well as the deaths of nine SSA-S soldiers in an unspecified area of Kyaukme Township.
Fighting between the TNLA and the SSA-S, based largely on competing territorial claims, first broke out in late November and quickly spread across Kyaukme, Namhsan, Mongton and Namhkam townships of northern Shan State.
After a lull, the conflict reached a new level of intensity in February, starting in Namkham Township but spreading further, and has displaced several thousand people from rural areas.
The TNLA has accused the SSA-S of receiving the covert support of the Burma Army in its operations, a claim the SSA-S has repeatedly denied.
The RCSS/SSA-S signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement with the previous government in October last year, and has since enjoyed closer relations with Burmas military. The TNLA, however, was excluded from signing the ceasefire accordand their participation in the Union Peace Conference scheduled for later August remains uncertain, barring unilateral disarmament as previously demanded by Burmas military.
5 Recommendations to Secure the Internet of Things
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a hot button topic. Experts, users and commentators are worried about keeping it secure. Progress or at least news is being made, however. During the past few weeks, several announcements have been made, suggesting that the industry is hard at work at putting peoples fears to rest.
The highest profile announcement was made late last week: Security firm Avast Software acquired AVG, another security firm, for $1.3 billion. The acquisition is designed in part to enable Avast to move into the IoT security space. If the deal closes, the combined company will have a presence in about 400 million endpoints, including about 160 million mobile devices.
The second announcement, which was also made last week, is that SAP and WISeKey, a Swiss company, are collaborating. According to Engineering.com, WISeKey offers a managed cryptographic root of trust (RoT) that can be recognized by both applications and operating systems. The trust level can be extended to IoT devices using SAPs HANA platform.
A third announcement last week was made by the Swedish firm Clavister, which introduced what it called a fully virtualized, carrier-grade security operating system that aims to offer comprehensive protection for mobile networks. Clavister says that its platform does not rely on legacy hardware. Instead, its offered in a virtualized software format. Clavister says it offers as high a level of security and all the customary features of more expensive legacy approaches.
The final announcement, from late last month, is a collaboration between Microsemi and Veracity Security Intelligence. The companies aim to develop secure networking technology for industrial Ethernet deployments, according to the press release. A comment in the release from Steve Litchfield, Microsemis executive vice president and chief strategy officer, points directly at IoT security as an area of need.
These four announcements represent the tip of the iceberg of recent IoT-related security announcements. The bottom line is that the IoT indeed is a scary topic when it comes to security. At the same time, however, it seems that a great number of creative companies have their eyes on making it a whole lot less frightening.
Carl Weinschenk covers telecom for IT Business Edge. He writes about wireless technology, disaster recovery/business continuity, cellular services, the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine communications and other emerging technologies and platforms. He also covers net neutrality and related regulatory issues. Weinschenk has written about the phone companies, cable operators and related companies for decades and is senior editor of Broadband Technology Report. He can be reached at [email protected] and via twitter at @DailyMusicBrk.
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Top 25: Which Cities Pay Software Engineers the Best?
It might be my own ignorance, but my hunch is that not too many of us think of New York City as a bastion of software engineering talent. So when it came to my attention that Squarespace, one of the higher-profile website creation platform providers around, is headquartered in Manhattan, I was surprised.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Andrew Burke, head of talent development at Squarespace, who enlightened me on New Yorks growing status as a magnet for tech pros. Burke started off by explaining that interest among the top tech giants in establishing an engineering presence in New York is driving much of that growth:
A lot of companies have satellite engineering offices here companies like Google, Twitter, Facebook, Square, and Dropbox are starting to establish a presence, because they realize the engineering community in New York has really grown quite a bit over the last 10 years. Theyre looking at the opportunity to establish a presence where they can grow a fairly substantial and significant part of their engineering operation. And that provides us with more sources to potentially recruit from, as well. So while it creates more competition for talent, it also provides more opportunity. Thats the way weve approached it.
Weve always been in New York, and as a company were now close to 600 people. Were headquartered here, and all of our engineering, design, and product operations have been centralized here in New York, so I think from that perspective were probably coming up on being one of the larger technology presences in New York.
Squarespace is located on the border of West Village and SoHo, and I had a hard time wrapping my head around why a tech company would base its operations in Manhattan, one of the most expensive real estate markets in the world. Burke explained it this way:
Our founder and CEO, Anthony Casalena, moved the operation to New York City about three years after he had built the underlying software in his dorm room at the University of Maryland. He felt a real connection with New York he was inspired by the city, as I think we all are. Economically, is it the most viable option? Perhaps not, but I think when you look around the city, there are a lot of amazingly talented people here a lot of amazing companies that attract amazing talent. It gives us the opportunity to be a part of that conversation and that ecosystem.
Everything about Squarespace reflects the diversity of the city. New York has a lot of different disciplines you have finance, art, fashion. The way that we go about designing and marketing our product reflects all of that. Also, if you compare New York City with some other cities, like San Francisco, New York isnt that much more expensive.
I asked Burke if there are recruiting challenges that are unique to New York City. He said it can be tough:
Certain people have an opinion, obviously, about whether or not they would view this as a place they would want to live. So from that perspective, yeah, its a challenge. There are certain people who absolutely love New York, and would never live anywhere else, and other people who would never consider living here. So its something you have to explore, especially with people who have had little or no exposure to the city, and have a preconceived notion of it. I think you have to do a pretty good job in terms of selling the opportunity, and what New York City really provides in terms of the value and the exposure you get living here.
One of the strategies Burke and his team have developed to meet that challenge is an internship program dubbed Initial Commit that was launched in the fall of 2014. Burke said it was a strategy to help Squarespace compete for talent with the likes of Google and Facebook:
The recruiting team sat together to try to figure out, for the first time, really, what kind of internship program we wanted to put together for Squarespace. In the past it was very ad hoc we had interns, but we never really put together a fully fleshed-out program. We needed to think about, in order to compete against a lot of the companies that go to career fairs at universities, which are, in essence, very engineering-oriented universities and collegesplaces like Carnegie-Mellon, Cornell, NYU, Columbiahow do we differentiate ourselves, and stand apart from a lot of the companies that are going to be there?
A lot of the students dont know any better theyre not experienced professionals, so they get attracted by the bigger brands. You see the lines at these career fairs Googles line and Facebooks line are around the corner. So how do we differentiate and brand ourselves in a way that can be a little bit more memorable?
We came up with this idea called Initial Commit. Essentially, the idea was that for the first week of their internship here, they would have the opportunity to go to a really beautiful beachfront property, and spend a week with their fellow interns, as well as some very influential people at the company engineering and design leaders to build relationships, learn more about the product ecosystem, and just have fun.
Finally, Burke shared Squarespaces strategy related to recruiting tech talent from abroad:
If you look at the employee base at Squarespace, its interesting there are a lot of people who come from a lot of different places. Through the experience of having those people who have grown up outside the United States, were all products of our experiences, and that shapes the kind of work that we do, and the output we create.
Our strategy has always been, well hire great talent wherever it is. [CEO] Anthony [Casalena] has identified some of these people himself by going onto design-oriented websites, and thats really been effective. Ive always seen that as an effective strategy when it comes to hiring in general, when the executive team is really hands-on in the process, and can identify people that maybe I as a recruiter wouldnt have found. And we have some amazing people here because of that.
A contributing writer on IT management and career topics with IT Business Edge since 2009, Don Tennant began his technology journalism career in 1990 in Hong Kong, where he served as editor of the Hong Kong edition of Computerworld. After returning to the U.S. in 2000, he became Editor in Chief of the U.S. edition of Computerworld, and later assumed the editorial directorship of Computerworld and InfoWorld. Don was presented with the 2007 Timothy White Award for Editorial Integrity by American Business Media, and he is a recipient of the Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award for editorial excellence in news coverage. Follow him on Twitter @dontennant.
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Partnerships in the technology industry tend to spell really big things for the future. In this case, it is General Electric Co.'s Predix platform and Microsoft Corporation's Azure cloud for industrial businesses. The marriage of these two firms' initiatives is meant to lead the path for customers' taking intelligence from industrial assets, the Internet Of Things.
Microsoft News notes that currently, 6.4 billion devices are connected worldwide. In a mere four years, this number is expected to increase to 20 billion. There is no question that the Internet-of-Things would be a successful venture. That is, the interconnectivity of not just gadgets, but all everyday devices.
The sheer number of devices used worldwide is astonishing and makes the prospect of connectivity exciting. However, the publication claims that bringing GE's Predix software to Azure will give customers greater choice and more flexibility, which will securely obtain the power of data from all types of gadgets and machinery.
As Wall Street Journal explains, machinery currently equipped with GE's Predix software platform will eventually be able to connect to Microsoft's Azure cloud platform. While Predix allows industrial machines to connect to "industrial internet," Azure will allow users to analyze and share data from these machines using Microsoft applications.
Theoretically, companies all over the world would be able to rid themselves of the disconnect between the operational and information technology sectors that will make up the Industrial Internet of Things.
"Connecting industrial machines to the internet through the cloud is a huge step toward simplifying business processes and reimagining how work gets done," shares Jeff Immelt, the CEO of GE.
Meanwhile, International Data Corp. analyst, Al Gillen, shared that the partnership "is not a win for Microsoft as much as it is a catch up." This is because Azure was only released to battle the likes of Amazon.Com Inc.'s Amazon Web Services, Alphabet Inc.'s Google Cloud Platform and IBM's SoftLayer.
Qualcomm has just officially unveiled the Snapdragon 821 on Monday, July 11, and multiple rumors have already suggested that Google's upcoming Nexus 2016 and Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 phones will use the new chipset.
According to Know Your Mobile, the new Snapdragon 821 chipset features a faster KRYO CPU working at a 2.4 GHz clock speed. Qualcomm has added additional performance through the chipset's architecture.
Android Police reports that the chipset is internally known within the Qualcomm company by its model designation MSM8996 Pro. Rather than seeking to introduce new technologies, with the Snapdragon 821 release the company focused on overall performance and efficiency.
Qualcomm states on its press release that the 821 Snapdragon processor is designed to deliver greater application performance, improved power savings and faster processing speeds. The company aims to ensure that the devices powered by the new 821 chipset will keep pace with the growing performance demands of users.
While the Snapdragon 810 was octa-core, based on the ARM Cortex-A57 and A53, the the 821 is a quad-core chip based on the custom Kryo cores. With the Qualcomm Kryo quad-core CPU working at 2.4 GHz, the Snapdragon 821 is able to deliver a 10 percent performance increase over the 820.
The four Kryo cores can offer better performance without the downside of dealing with as much heat. According to the manufacturer, the 821 is designed to complement the competitive strengths of the Snapdragon 800 lineup, rather than replace the Snapdragon 820 model.
Qualcomm has confirmed that the Snapdragon 821 chipset would ship in the second half of 2016. There has been growing speculation about which Android phones will be among the first to feature the new chipset.
Based on multiple reports, tech analysts believe that it is extremely likely that the Snapdragon 821 will power both of Google's upcoming Nexus phones, Marlin and Sailfish. The chipset will likely be also used to power Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Note 7.
The Chinese-based Pangu group showed a jailbreak version of the iOS 10 at the Mobile Security Conference (MOSEC) held on July 1. The conference was held in Shanghai and was jointly hosted by Pangu and PoC, a Korean-based hacker team.
The group demonstrated its prowess by running the Cydia app manager on the iOS 10. However, no jailbreak tools were offered. The Chinese group also made a presentation regarding the lack of security for Apple devices running the on the iOS 9.3.2.
It was during this time that the Chinese reportedly announced that they have a working jailbreak version for the iOS 9.3.2 and intend to launch it as soon as possible. The Korean hackers however, denied that such an announcement has been made, according to superhen.co.
Although Pangu was successful in creating an iOS 10 jailbreak version, it was only a beta version of Apple's latest iOS. One of the Chinese hackers confided that iOS final versions are tougher nuts to crack.
Beta versions are easier targets since they are presumably stripped of security features. Pangu however, has gained some valuable insights on the weak security spots of iOS 10. They could easily exploit these weaknesses if Apple does not patch up these less protected areas in the full and final version.
Still, the rumor has elicited a buzz of excitement for those who are waiting for a jailbreak tool for their iPhone and iPads. Despite the denials, many are still waiting for a jailbreak version for the iOS 9.3.2.
Many Apple device owners resort to jailbreaking in order to gain access to apps not authorized by the Apple App Store. This can be dangerous since it effectively voids any warranty from the manufacturer in case something goes awry with their smartphones or tablets.
Users could also be unwittingly handing their personal and financial data to unauthorized apps loaded with malware. To lessen the risks, jailbreak users should only download apps verified by Cydia or other trusted sources.
Australia experienced about a quarter of a million ransomware attacks in April/May. Spam delivered most, and 95% were based on the Angler exploit.
Trend Micro found that Australia was one of the primary targets with more than 224, 000 ransomware attacks in the April/May period. Of these, more than 213, 000 used the Angler exploit kit.
The high volume of exploit kit ransomware attacks in Australia, second only to Japan in the same period, is due to a ransomware infection vector move toward URL and exploit kits.
Around the world, more than 66 million ransomware-related threats have been detected/blocked by Trend Micro from January to May of this year, with almost 700,000 of those in Australia and more than 19,000 in New Zealand.
Indi Siriniwasa, enterprise sales and channel director for Trend Micro Australia and New Zealand, said, With the growing threat of ransomware attacks specifically aimed at Australian organisations, enterprises, and small businesses must be more vigilant than ever. The new ransomware families have sophisticated delivery and evasion techniques such as self-destructing after they complete their routine. The best way to defend against this sophistication is to use a multilayered security approach.
Tim Falinski, consumer director, Trend Micro Australia and New Zealand, said, Australia has been targeted by cyber criminals with this Angler exploit kit, and it is Australian consumers that will suffer. Consumers should make themselves aware of the threats and ensure all their devices from smartphones to PCs to connected smart devices are protected.
Trend Micro found:
64% of ransomware threats were seen at the email layer. This is due to ransomware being largely distributed via spam, either as a macro or JavaScript attachment or via a clickable link in the message body.
34% of ransomware-related threats are blocked in the URL layer. These URLs are usually compromised sites, malvertisements, or landing pages that host exploit kits leading to ransomware.
2% of ransomware-related threats are ransomware detections blocked at the file layer.
From January to May 2016, Trend Micro has seen 50 new ransomware families. Of these, 19 ransomware families arrived via spam, while six of these new ransomware families arrived via exploit kits. All of these new families still encrypt files and drop ransom notes.
Most modern antivirus/malware programs like Trend Micro will protect against Angler exploits.
Unit4, a leading provider of ERP enterprise applications to the service industry, has acquired prevero, a leading provider of corporate performance management (CPM) and business intelligence (BI) solutions.
prevero (announcement here) helps more than 4000 international clients optimise their financial and operational functions, using business data to uncover deep insight and take quick action.
According to Unit4's chief executive Stephan Sieber, We had multiple different products that covered parts of what prevero can do, but they were never as strong and complete. We can now offer a 360 decision-making platform supporting all business areas. The whole FP&A discipline is something that goes across different areas of the business, and we never had such a complete offering."
prevero enables business leaders to align strategy, finance and operations by making smart decisions in every part of their business. Strong CPM and BI offerings complement Unit4s self-driving business solutions for services organisations, enabling customers to model service delivery around insightful strategic and operational data. Key capabilities of the prevero suite include:
Predictive analytics and business insights
Modelling and simulations
Ubiquitous access to information via in-memory technology
Corporate-wide collaboration and planning
Pre-built content for CxO offices and specific verticals
Unit4 and prevero share a focus on delivering powerful industry-specific solutions. Together the companies will focus on extending the functionality and delivering pre-built content for Unit4s key verticals including education and professional services.
prevero is a market leader in the field of CPM and BI, recognised as a visionary in Gartners Magic Quadrant for strategic CPM suites for the past three years. The solution will be available both standalone and integrated into Unit4s People Platform technology foundation, delivering customers leading performance management technology with native integration to Unit4s people-centric enterprise solutions.
Sieber said, As services organisations face increasing pressure to drive organisational transformation across all functions, CPM and BI are critical to successful strategy execution. This is particularly true for services organisations that need to find new service models and revenue streams. Through intelligent enterprise solutions, they can become more strategic and ensure efficiency and excellence in execution. The combination of Unit4 and prevero delivers the best performance management and the best services resource planning, designed with the latest technology to simplify the user experience and maximise productivity.
Alexander Springer, preveros co-founder and chief executive, said The combination of the two companies will deliver a market leading offering for strategic finance and other business functions, with the infrastructure and scale required for international expansion. More than ever, services organisations are looking to optimise the performance of their often over-complex financial planning, budgeting and forecasting processes. They are also looking to drive that same kind of insight down to all facets of the organisation. As part of Unit4, we will massively improve our ability to bring these capabilities to organisations globally.
Headquartered in Munich, prevero is a privately held company with customers in 30 countries, including major organisations such as ABB, Audi, BMW, Endemol, Heidelberg, Konica-Minolta, Mercedes, SwissLife and Swisscom.
The Asia Pacific region suffered a decline of 6.3% in PC shipments in the second quarter this year as worldwide shipments of PCs also declined for the seventh consecutive quarter, despite showing signs of improvement, according to global analyst firm Gartner.
But, while all regions recorded a drop in PC shipments for the second quarter, there was an upswing in North America, where shipments increased for the first time in five quarters to 15.2 million units, a 1.4% increase from the second quarter of 2015.
This latest Gartner report reveals that worldwide PC shipments totaled 64.3 million units in the second quarter to record the decline of 5.2% decline from the second quarter of 2015.
With what Gartner describes as a stagnant economy in the Asia Pacific region, it says this put pressure on discretionary spending, and smartphones ranked as a higher priority to purchase than PCs.
There were election activities in Australia, the Philippines and South Korea, which created a lull in IT spending from the government sector. PC shipments in China declined 6.4%. Business confidence is weak in China, and this affects consumer buying patterns, Gartner said.
And, according to Gartner, while the UK's vote to exit the European Union did not have a major impact in the worldwide PC results in the second quarter of 2016, Brexit could potentially create uncertainty, not only in currency, but also the entire economy beyond Europe.
Lenovo maintained the No. 1 position in worldwide PC shipments in the second quarter of 2016, despite a 2.2% decline in units from the same period last year the fifth consecutive quarter of global PC shipment declines for the big Chinese vendor.
Gartner reports that Lenovo did experience double-digit growth in the US mobile PC market, but EMEA continued to be a challenge for the vendor due to inventory build during the quarter.
And, in Asia/Pacific, Lenovo's shipments declined, but the decline was less than the overall average in the region.
For HP, the market improved, with the company returning to positive growth in the second quarter of this year after four consecutive quarters of shipment decline.
Gartner says HP resolved its inventory build-up, which had slowed its sell-in shipments, and the company did well in EMEA to maintain the top position, but was not able to surpass Dell in the US market.
Dell grew faster than the industry average in all regions in second quarter of 2016, and Gartner says the vendor did especially well in the US, Latin America and Japan markets while its mobile PC shipments grew across all regions except EMEA, and its desktop PC shipments declined in most regions.
Gartner also reports that Asus, Apple and Acer are battling it out for the fourth position in worldwide PC shipments for the second quarter of 2016, as preliminary results get finalised.
"One of the ongoing problems in the PC market has been the price hike in selected regions due to the weakening local currency against the US dollar," said Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner.
"The price issue has impacted the EMEA and Latin America regions for the past year. However, PC shipment declines became rather modest in the second quarter compared with previous quarters, which suggests a fading currency impact."
Gartner says all regions except North America experienced a PC shipment decline, and, according to Kitagawa, the Latin America region was still very weak largely because of political and economic instability.
PC shipments in Latin America are expected to fall below five million units for the second quarter of 2016, which is a decline of more than 20% from the second quarter of 2015. These shipment results would be some of the lowest in the history of the Latin America PC industry."
Aussie cloud contact centre provider ipSCAPE has eSCAPED to Indonesia, announcing a strategic partnership with telkomtelstra to power its omnichannel cloud contact centre solutions there.
ipSCAPE has partnered with telkomtelstra, a joint venture between PT. Telekomunikasi Indonesia and Telstra Corporation, to add its managed cloud contact centre solution to its offerings.
Executive chairman John Palfreyman said the partnership forms a key part of its channel strategy, which will enable it to grow and engage new and emerging markets.
ipSCAPE is very proud to partner with telkomtelstra to provide industry-leading omnichannel technology that will power telkomtelstras new cloud contact centre solution. The ipSCAPE platform also provides a managed service option that can support customers unique configuration and customisation needs, he added.
ipSCAPEs omnichannel approach empowers business to grow faster and engage customers in new and exciting ways, which is becoming increasingly important in Indonesias burgeoning business environment.
The cloud contact centre solution will empower Indonesian business to now run best-practice customer engagement programmes. The Indonesian market presents a significant opportunity for ipSCAPE due to its rapid development.
Palfreyman added, The power of our offering is that it is highly cost-effective and quick to implement. Contact centres used to be the realm of the big end of town, but our cloud contact centre changes this by significantly reducing the cost and time to implement. This deal with telkomtelstra will give Indonesian businesses of all sizes access to world-leading cloud contact centre technology at a fraction of the cost of an on-premise solution.
CompTIAs Advancing Women in IT Community group has launched its Dream IT world initiative in Australia and New Zealand in an endeavour to focus attention on the need for more women to take up IT careers.
The non-profit IT industry trade associations Dream IT programme is a global effort led by CompTIAs Advancing Women in IT Community group aimed at imparting the message that the IT industry is a great place for women and girls.
The Dream IT program was successfully launched in the US in 2014 and in the UK in 2015 by the CompTIA Advancing Women in IT Community group which includes both women and men enjoying successful careers in IT.
The group aims to empower women and girls with the know-how and skills they need to launch and grow their own IT careers.
Karen Drewitt, general manager, The Missing Link, and member of the CompTIA ANZ Executive Council, says the local ANZ community has shown real dedication in preparing for the launch of the initiative. Involving women in IT is an important issue and I urge everyone to get involved in the cause and spread the message.
Drewitt says the IT industry offers endless opportunities for women, but it has been a challenge for the industry to get that message across to young people.
Dream IT aims to address that challenge and introduce young women to the range of opportunities offered by technology careers.
A greater number of women in IT will bring a balance of leadership styles and interpersonal skills to the IT workplace, and help alleviate the growing IT skills gap in Australia and New Zealand.
The ANZ Dream IT website features ready-made presentation materials and resources anyone can use to spread the message about the opportunities in the IT workforce for women and girls.
Drewitt says women and girls interested in learning more about careers in IT can visit the Career Resource Centre which has comprehensive information on IT career options, tips for securing jobs, testimonials from women now in the IT workforce, and links to organisations that provide opportunities for mentoring, STEM education, and career guidance.
To access more information on the Dream IT initiative and learn how to get involved, click here.
Getty Images has created a new executive data and insights role as part of its investment in data capabilities and new revenue streams in both the B2B and consumer space.
A world leader in visual communication, Getty has appointed Andrew Hamilton to the newly created role of SVP of Data and Insights a pioneering role which sits on the companys executive committee. Hamilton will launch and lead the companys expansive data strategy and joins from dunnhumby, a world leader in customer science.
Based in New York and reporting to Getty Images chief executive Dawn Airey, Hamilton's appointment marks the next step in Getty Images strategy to extend its core B2B licensing business and establish new revenue streams in the consumer market.
Almost 97% of visitors to the Getty Images website are consumers browsing and admiring imagery. Hamilton will be responsible for developing and implementing a data strategy that will enable it to apply a better understanding of consumer behaviour across the business, while also developing new commercial opportunities.
Airey said, Our Getty Images Everywhere strategy is delivering our world-class content to everyone to our almost one million advertising, publishing and corporate customers, as well as to people that simply love viewing and sharing the worlds very best imagery. Establishing an even more in-depth understanding of the interests and needs of visitors to gettyimages.com is integral to this strategy. Andrew brings with him a rich background and expertise in data and strategic insights, and will play a critical role in Getty Images future growth. We are thrilled that he will join our team.
Hamilton, said, Getty Images creates the worlds best imagery we live our lives surrounded by it on the covers of newspapers, movie screens and throughout our social media feeds. I am thrilled to be joining the company at this exciting time, as it looks to embrace new opportunities within both the B2B and consumer space. I look forward to contributing to the companys strategy for growth.
Hamilton joins Getty Images from his role as global head of strategy and planning at customer science and data consultancy, dunnhumby. Before joining dunnhumby, Hamilton held senior management consulting roles at Accenture in London and Booz Allen Hamilton in the US. An accountant early in his career, Hamilton was later a captain in the Marine Corps, specialising in information systems and security.
This hire follows a series of recent new appointments to Getty Images executive committee as the company drives forward its strategy for growth. In June 2016, the company announced a new innovation group spearheaded by Steve Heck, chief innovation officer. These appointments follow the launch of the Getty Images Virtual Reality Group, a new business dedicated to the creation and global distribution of virtual reality content.
Even if you are 100% happy in your job, 75% of employees are passive candidates ready to be poached, a new study has found. But how can technology identify these future employees?
So says Rob van Es, chief operating officer of REFFIND. And he is right. There is a vast pool of people who have been trained by other companies (at their expense) just right for picking and poaching, but they dont know because they dont read the job ads or actively seek jobs. As a consequence, they are invisible to recruiters. Building a pipeline of potential candidates is key to successful recruitment.
Social media is a start searching for the right people on LinkedIn and putting the word out but mostly it is by engaging with a pool of like candidates and asking them for referrals.
Van Es said, Best-in-class companies are 30% more likely to invest in new technology that makes recruitment more engaging. This technology puts businesses ahead of the competition by ensuring the talent acquisition process is smooth, efficient, and interesting for all parties involved, not just the candidate.
REFFIND has identified three ways technology can empower recruitment teams to be successful:
1. User experience
The recruitment teams user experience should be simple, mobile, and should help them make the candidates experience as smooth as possible. Mobile-optimised recruitment technologies mean users can use any device, anywhere, and any time that suits them. This helps to streamline interactions with passive candidates and reduces the number of candidates lost due to poor experience, especially if it takes too long.
2. Collaboration
Organisations that let recruitment teams collaborate on candidates are almost twice as likely to grow hiring manager satisfaction and customer satisfaction on a year-on-year basis. Recruitment technologies can support team collaboration with tools that let them comment, thumbs-up, and ask questions of their colleagues about candidates.
3. Hire quality analytics
Recruitment technology can help companies determine if candidates are the right fit for different roles and can track how well new employees acclimate to the company, the role, and their responsibilities. Recruitment technologies make it simpler to measure and understand quality of hire, and analyse trends.
Employee referral programs are the most powerful corporate recruiting tool, bar none, said Dr. John Sullivan, internationally renowned HR thought-leader. Van Es says that where one in 18 candidates are hired from traditional methods, one in four candidates are hired from referrals. Add to that a 45% retention rate after two years (20% for traditional) and employee referrals using staff apps and incentives make sense.
Comment
During my 40 years in business well before LinkedIn and social media the best recruitment results were achieved by asking, and rewarding, my staff and my competitor's staff for referrals. That was true social networking, and a high percentage of employees came from organisations where they conveniently thought they would stay for life.
It seems building a potential employee pipeline is as important as building a customer pipeline. A lack of quality candidates can stifle a companys growth. Van Es is not advocating poaching, but suggesting that many employees stay put and ultimately do a less than sterling job if the company is not the perfect fit.
It has to be the lightest, most durable, shock resistant (well, it is solid state) portable backup device around.
Samsungs Portable SSD T3 comes in 250GBG, 500GB, 1TB and 2TB models.
Its USB-C (Gen 1, UBS 3.1) connector is capable [in theory] of up to 450MB/s thats nearly half a GB a minute or about four times faster than many portable, USB 3.0, external spinning disks.
It weighs just 51g and 74 x 58 x 10.5mm it is way lighter and smaller than spinning disks. It has AES 256-bit encryption on the fly and password setting for Windows, macOS, and Android.
While it's solid state, it can still break it is rated for 1500g force and a two-metre drop. It has a thermal guard to eliminate any possibility of overheating.
It uses 48-layer, 3D-vertical NAND, and an mSATA 5Gbps interface to keep compatibility with Mac, Windows, and OTG Android-enabled devices up to 2GB on a smartphone! All you need is a micro-USB male to USB-A female adaptor. It worked a treat on a Samsung S7 Edge and an LG G5 (USB-C).
It comes preformatted with exFAT.
In my tests using USB3.0 on a Microsoft Surface Book it regularly achieved between 100-125MB/s write (copy to) and over 200MB/s read (copy from). It is not quite as fast as the superseded Samsung T1 due to V-NAND versus single layer NAND. International lab tests show between 300-400MB/s write and 425-500MB/s read its an insanely fast drive.
Using an older USB 2.0 equipped desktop, I typically got 30-50MB/s write and 50-70MB/s read.
I had a few other portable HDDs, so I tested against these. While the WD My Passport Ultra was as fast at write, it was about 50% slower on read. The results were similar for a Seagate Backup Plus confirming that spinning disks are good at write but no so good at read. One thing I noticed was that its data transfer rates were pretty constant no slowing down if the buffer was full like a spinning disk.
Price
Samsung did not provide prices so here are retailer JB Hi-Fis prices. Online sellers appear to offer these for about 10% less and JB is always willing to match apples for apples.
250GB - $199
500GB - $329
1TB - $649
2TB - $1249
Conclusion
If you are looking for a tiny, pocketable, rugged, solid state backup device, this is it. Of course, speeds are relative to the computer and interface you use, but it should achieve top performance from all connections.
I rate it 10 out of 10 for a portable solid-state, backup, device.
Australian consumers are not satisfied with their Web and mobile shopping experiences, with the biggest concerns they have being their experience with in-store shopping and communications with retailers through their customer call centres.
The consumers' concerns are revealed in the latest customer experience index from IBM which surveyed 550 retailers around the world, including 21 from Australia, to evaluate the highlights and pain points of consumer shopping experiences.
Australian retailers rated poorly for consumer experiences with shopping on the Web and via mobile devices, where the dissatisfaction level for consumers garnered customer experience index (CEI) ratings of just 39% and 33% respectively.
The two biggest areas of concern were the in-store and call centre experiences, where Australian retailers were given CEI ratings of only 23% and 18%. IBM says its study shows that retailers can improve in-store and call-centre experiences.
And, face-to-face engagement (in-store) was found to be an issue for retailers across all countries included in the study, with the global average being only 20%.
In contrast, Aussie retailers excelled in comparison with other global markets at social media engagement with customers, with their CEI ratings at 60%.
The mixed results of the global survey show that Australia is marginally above the global average when it comes to providing a good shopping experience for consumers, with a CEI rating of 43% compared to 40% globally.
And, despite being above the global average for overall customer experience, shoppers gave participating Australian retailers a CEI rating of 54% for providing a consistent experience across channels. This was behind both the UK (60%) and US (55%) markets, indicating what IBM says are a disparity between channel experiences.
The results of the survey provided a snapshot of the Australian retail sector, with IBM noting that some businesses are still struggling to provide a seamless cross-channel experience, personalisation and convenience for customers.
Retailers globally and in Australia were assessed on 49 criteria across four key areas consistency (the ability to offer a seamless experiences across channels), convenience (enabling customers to interact with brands easily and as they choose), content (easy access to the stores information) and context (ability to offer personalised experiences).
Ian Wong, partner, IBM Interactive Experience, says the study showed that participating Australian retailers are starting to adapt new retailing methods and technologies, and that while most retailers globally (88%) offer basic in-store mobile services, they are missing an opportunity to support customer decision-making.
The IBM survey reveals that only 45% of retailers globally offer additional product information via a digital device in-store, compared to 62% in Australia.
And, according to IBM, some technological implementations are experiencing teething issues. For example, "Click and Collect" is now offered by 62% of Australian retailers, but this service received a rating of only 33% for the in-store collection experience.
With the growth of online commerce, Australian retailers have rushed to provide a true omni-channel experience for consumers, Wong notes.
According to Wong, the result has been an increased focus on social and digital engagement, but there is still a large expectation gap in the more traditional face-to-face interactions, like in-store and call centres.
While Australian retailers are providing a better overall customer experience in comparison with other, they still need to work on homogenising this experience across all channels to give customers the consistency they desire.
Wong also says that in order for Australian retailers to enhance the customer experience, they need to equip their staff with access to actionable customer insights to provide greater personalisation.
They need to continue to create compelling engagement, and ensure it is consistent across all consumer touchpoints. Finally, they need to invest in resources and early pilots which hold promise to disrupt retailing.
According to Peter Birtles, chairperson of the Retail Council of Australia, great customer service has always been the cornerstone of retail and maintaining high standards is critical as the sector becomes increasingly globalised.
This is why studies like IBMs CEI are really important to benchmark Australias performance compared with other markets, and its promising to see Australian retailers excelling in certain areas and embracing the power of technology, Birtles observes.
"Its an exciting time for the local industry, especially given the CEI study revealed that there are still some untapped opportunities, such as data and analytics, that can further enhance the customer experience.
Other areas highlighted by the study that IBM says represent an opportunity for greater improvement for Australian retailers were:
Personalisation: When it comes to providing tailored engagements based on individual needs and wants, Australian retailers were given a CEI rating of 34%, on par with the UK and US (both 35%). In-store personalisation via technology is another area where Aussie retailers can capitalise, with only 19% of retailers currently welcoming customers in-store via push notifications, self-service kiosks or other technology devices.
Convenience: Looking at convenient and seamless interaction with Australian retailers, shoppers gave them a rating of 38% which, while slightly above the UK rating of 35%, was far below the US rating of 47%.
Accessible store information: Shoppers gave Australian retailers a CEI rating of 42% for their ability to provide customers and associates easy methods to gain accurate and comprehensive information about their store, slightly behind the US (48%) and UK (54%).
Microsoft is bringing the dream of the Star Trek universal translator to businesses later this year with the launch of a new beta feature that offers live captioning of Skype for Business meeting broadcasts in 40 languages.
Using Microsoft's Bing Translator technology, speakers will be able to talk in one of a handful of supported native languages, and their viewers will be able to view computer-generated text translation of what's being said.
Skype Meeting broadcast is designed to allow a small number of speakers to broadcast a presentation to up to 10,000 viewers, for webinars, company meetings and other large occasions. Right now, those viewers can only hear the presentation in whatever language the speaker is using, but this translation feature will help bridge that language barrier.
This launch brings a cool feature to Skype for Business that's based on technology previously used in the consumer version of Skype. It comes at a time when the company is pushing hard to get Skype for Business in use at as many companies as possible. Microsoft faces stiff competition in that arena both from established players and upstarts like Slack and Hipchat.
Last year, Skype introduced Translator to consumers, which handles live, person-to-person transcriptions in calls and text messages. This feature is a pared-down version of what Translator does -- Meeting Broadcast is built for situations where only one person is speaking at a time, without cross-talk -- but it has serious implications for business users who want to reach an international audience.
The feature may also be a boon to hearing-impaired users, who will now be able to get live captions from feeds that are sent over Skype Meeting Broadcast.
Microsoft hasn't set an official release date for the feature, and the company hasn't yet said which input languages are available. The back end of the system is powered by Bing Translator, which can handle voice input in seven different languages, but they may not all be supported by Skype for Business when the translation feature launches.
All of that news is part of an expansion of Skype for Business features that Microsoft announced at its Worldwide Partner Conference in Toronto on Tuesday morning. Other changes include the launch of a Skype Operations Framework, which is designed to help guide Microsoft partners and customers in deploying and operating the business communication software.
On top of all that, the service's PSTN Conferencing feature, which lets people call into Skype for Business meetings using a regular phone rather than an app, now works in 92 countries. This month, Microsoft added support for Venezuela, Uruguay, Vietnam and Kenya, in addition to countries that the feature already supported.
Microsofts HoloLens has been available to developers for some time, but what's less well known is that its augmented reality headset also comes in an 'enterprise edition.'
CEO Satya Nadella talked up the HoloLens at Microsofts Worldwide Partner conference in Toronto Monday, along with an app that Japan Airlines is using to train its engineers.
"We now have HoloLens available both as a developer edition as well as an enterprise edition," Nadella said.
The reference to an enterprise edition caused some confusion initially, as Microsoft watchers speculated that the company had two versions of the product -- one for large businesses and another aimed at individual developers.
But that's not the case. Nadella was merely referencing an ongoing program intended to make it easier for businesses to try out HoloLens for use in-house.
The program allows businesses to buy more than two HoloLens headsets at a time, along with service contracts and other enterprise-focused features. The hardware is the same as that received by other developers.
Several organizations are testing HoloLens including Trimble, Autodesk, NASA and Volvo. Pricing for enterprises hasn't been released, but Microsoft is encouraging customers to talk with their sales rep if they want to get on board.
Developers who aren't part of the enterprise program can sign up to buy a HoloLens development kit, which will cost them $3,000 if they're selected.
Nadella's pitch on Monday was aimed at its partners attending the conference. MIcrosoft has a program in place through which companies can get certified to build HoloLens applications. That could accelerate adoption among businesses, because they won't need their own developers specializing in augmented reality to get started.
In future, we might see more divergence between the developer and enterprise editions of the HoloLens, especially as Microsoft continues to add new features to the version of Windows 10 that runs on the headsets. Right now, the company lets adventurous folk test updates to Windows through its Insider Program, while allowing enterprise users to delay updates. It seems likely that will come to the HoloLens at some point.
The news comes a little over a month after Microsoft announced at Computex that it wants the Windows Holographic operating system to be usable on other headsets, not just the HoloLens. It's an interesting move for Microsoft, which wants to create a platform for augmented reality computing that reaches other hardware makers.
Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, on Monday criticized the replacement of U.S. IT workers with foreign labor but stopped short of offering a plan to fix it.
In a videotaped interview with Vox published Monday, Clinton appears empathetic and sympathetic to IT workers who have trained their foreign replacements as a condition of severance. She mentioned IT layoffs at Disney, specifically.
"The many stories of people training their replacements from some foreign country are heartbreaking, and it is obviously a cost-cutting measure to be able to pay people less than what you would pay an American worker," said Clinton in the interview.
A major complaint Clinton said she now hears about is "how callous and insensitive" employers have become.
But other than to express concern about the workers, it was unclear what Clinton was trying to accomplish in the interview. There was no discussion of specific reforms to attack the problems she cited, leaving critics of the H-1B visa program uncertain about her stance on the issue.
Clinton seemed to acknowledge that the public is alert to the issue and that "everybody, with six degrees of separation either knows or thinks they know" someone replaced by foreign labor. But she may have also minimized the problem, according to critics.
Said Clinton: "It's hard to argue an economic analytics abstraction that really it's not that much job displacement, and, you know, the overall economy is better," in citing the case for temporary visa holders made by supporters. "It's really hard when you are the one who has lost the job, when you are at Disney in Orlando and you are told to train your successors."
Disney cut about 250 workers early last year after bringing in offshore contracting firms. IT workers complained about having to train foreign replacements.
Missing the larger picture?
After discussing the problem faced by Disney's IT workers, Clinton immediately mentioned how construction workers, replaced by undocumented workers, face something similar.
Keith Barrett, a former IT worker Disney who was among those replaced by contractors, was not happy with Clinton's comments, which he called "depressing."
"She starts off as if she understands the problem, but then dismisses it as collateral damage not of significant volume to address, and blends in the problem of illegal immigrant labor, which is mostly working in unskilled labor," said Barrett.
Clinton is "ignoring that not only are highly skilled employed Americans being fired by the tens of thousands every year due to H-1B labor, many are older age-protected people," said Barrett. "Plus, it's preventing qualified people from getting hired."
Ron Hira, an associate professor of public policy at Howard University, said Clinton is "downplaying the scale and scope of the problem. The job displacement isn't just real, it is large in scale and scope. And its impacts are amplified by the offshoring of some of that work. So, on key facts here she is very misinformed."
Hira said that it is "good to hear" that Clinton "is aware of the Disney case and the abuse happening with visas. But her policy statement on immigration never mentions it, so this begs the question where she specifically stands on guestworker visa reforms."
Those reforms include requiring U.S. worker preference in hiring, raising wage levels so guestworkers aren't hired because they're cheaper than Americans, and preventing the displacement of Americans.
"So, is she supporting H-1B and L-1 and OPT (Optional Practical Training) reforms? Or isn't she?" said Hira, "Or is reform simply a chip to be bargained away to the tech industry in exchange for its support for comprehensive immigration reform -- a way to keep the 'pressure' on the technology industry to use her words?"
Hira called Clinton's remarks a positive first step, but also sees her delaying a commitment to a solution. It's a "way to pander without making a hard promise," he said.
A good first step
Daniel Costa, director of immigration law and policy research at the Economic Policy Institute, said Clinton "rightly seemed concerned that H-1B workers can be vastly underpaid and are tied to their employers -- she said workers on visas are more 'compliant' because they want to stay in the country, and are therefore unlikely to complain when things go wrong or if they aren't paid fairly."
Costa said she "was explicit about 'how callous and insensitive American corporations have become to their American workers' because they are being used to replace skilled, incumbent U.S. workers by outsourcing companies after being forced to train their own replacements.
"We haven't seen many elected Democrats say these things and in such clear terms -- which I think makes it significant -- and might encourage others in her party to speak out about the flawed nature of guestworker programs and the abuses that occur," said Costa.
Costa said "it's really the first time" he has seen the former Secretary of State "offer a detailed opinion on immigration that was this balanced and focused on having an immigration system that is fair to, and seeks to protect, U.S. workers and the undocumented workers and guestworkers for whom enforcing labor rights is often impossible."
Some Republicans cited the Disney layoff in one of the presidential debates, and Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, has outlined a specific H-1B visa reform proposal. It was drafted with the help of leading Senate visa critics, including U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), the first Senator to endorse Trump for president.
Still needed: A solution
Republicans and Democrats have offered bipartisan bills over the years to reform the H-1B visa program and to make it harder to replace U.S. workers. But those efforts have been stymied by proponents of comprehensive immigration reform, who don't want to lose tech industry support for broader reform.
If Clinton supports a stand-alone H-1B reform bill, she didn't suggest that in this interview. She only discussed comprehensive immigration reform.
John Miano, a programmer who became an attorney and has sued the government over its expansion of Optional Practical Training program, said "American workers are at the bottom" of Clinton's priority list, and said the strategy is to hold U.S. workers "hostage" to get amnesty for illegal aliens.
Kim Berry, president of the Programmer's Guild, said that Clinton's comments show that she understands the negative impact that immigrants -- both illegal and visa holders that displace tech workers -- can have on U.S. workers.
"What I did not hear was her proposal to fix the problem," said Berry. "Is she willing to call for suspension and reform of the H-1B program? Is she willing to oppose comprehensive immigration reform 'amnesty,' which would give millions of low-skilled American jobs to illegal immigrants?"
Or is Clinton "merely offering some pity for the victims of the policies that she has, and will continue, to support?"
Leo Perrero, a former Disney IT worker who trained his replacement, said "we have finally witnessed Hilary Clinton commenting on the H-1B abuses happening all over the country. This is a good thing that more Americans are being educated and that now both presidential candidates are speaking out on this topic."
But, Perrero said, even after all the recent attention on the H-1B visa, there are three reform bills "sitting on the desks of our senators and they appear to be going nowhere and will expire at the end of this Congress in January if no action is taken."
Those bills include a longstanding effort by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to require employers "to first make a good faith effort to recruit American workers" before bringing in a visa worker.
China already has the world's fastest computer with its homegrown chip, but the country hasn't stopped loading up on technology to make more of its own chips.
ARM announced Tuesday it has licensed the ARMv8-A architecture to Huaxintong Semiconductor Technology, a joint venture between China's Guizhou province and a subsidiary of Qualcomm.
The Chinese company will make ARM-based chipsets for servers in data centers. The small Guizhou province is considered a big data hub, and the province hosts 2.5 million servers, including some used by China's top telecom companies.
It's not clear whether the server chipsets will be based on Qualcomm technology, which holds a minority stake in the joint venture. Huaxintong Semiconductor Technology is licensing Qualcomm technology and intellectual property, but can design its own custom chips, a Qualcomm spokeswoman said.
Beyond ARM, Chinese companies have access to other chip architectures. Suzhou PowerCore Technology is making chips based on Power architecture for the Chinese server market. AMD is licensing its server chip technology to Tianjin Haiguang Advanced Technology Investment, a joint venture between AMD and a consortium of Chinese companies.
The China server market is exploding, and the demand for data center equipment is growing. Companies like Baidu and Tencent are building mega data centers, much like Google and Facebook in the U.S. The explosion of data and cloud-based services has increased the demand for networking, storage, and server equipment.
China is a world power, and is building a strong IT industry to support itself, said Jim McGregor, principal analyst at Tirias Research.
The country wants to invest in technology to drive economic growth. In addition to building their own cloud and telecom infrastructures, making homegrown chips keeps factories busy and workers occupied.
"They are trying to build their own semiconductor industry so that they don't rely on anyone else," McGregor said. "And they are trying to break the Intel monopoly."
The mass of data centers coming online has made China a major battleground for server chip architectures, and IBM, ARM, and AMD are looking to take some market share from Intel, which dominates the server market in China. Intel has navigated China's politics through partnerships and investments but has kept its intellectual property close to its chest.
"They will give them a black box, but they won't let China mess with the architecture," McGregor said.
China decided 15 years ago to build homegrown processors for PCs, servers, and supercomputers. The company initially relied on MIPS architecture, but now has access to a wide range of architectures.
The country's latest chip is now powering the world's fastest computer, called Sunway TaihuLight at the National Supercomputing Center in Wuxi, China. But the architecture behind the chip remains a secret.
China is still evolving its IT infrastructure and lagging on chip development, McGregor said. The licensing of CPU architectures from Western companies helps companies experiment with new designs, but also builds worker skills so the country can ultimately build viable homegrown chips.
Honda Motor has developed the world's first electric motor for hybrid cars that doesn't use heavy rare earth metals -- a major step forward in development of motors that are free from the political whims of the Chinese government.
Rare earth metals are important for the production of many high-tech devices, including smartphones and the magnets in motors. About 80 percent of the global supply of these metals comes from China, and in the past, the country has restricted access to some of them for political reasons.
In 2010, for example, it blocked exports to Japan for two months over a territorial dispute. That incident that prompted Japanese companies like Honda to start working to reduce their reliance on rare earth metals.
So the motor announced on Tuesday is a big deal, not just in terms of technology but of geopolitics, too.
Honda
Traditionally, the neodymium magnets used in hybrid and electric car motors included one or both of the rare earth metals dysprosium and terbium. They were added to ensure very high heat resistance.
But Daido Steel, a Japanese steel maker, came up with an alternative production method that produces a magnet with even greater heat resistance properties without requiring the rare earth metals.
Honda worked with Daido Steel on perfecting the magnet and designed a new motor for use in hybrid vehicles. Daido Steel will begin mass production of the motor in August, and Honda plans to use it in the "Freed," a new minivan the company will launch in Japan later this year.
Honda said it plans to use the motor in new car models moving forward.
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Researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin are studying the best ways to treat Cardiac Arrest.
This notice is to inform you of a research study on cardiac arrest that will begin in Milwaukee County in August 2016. The study will be led by the Medical College of Wisconsin and Milwaukee County Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Cardiac arrest is a major public health problem. There are about 400,000 cardiac arrest cases in the U.S. every year and only about 10% of people survive. This national study will compare two airway tubes that are used by EMS providers to keep a persons airway open to give them oxygen during a cardiac arrest. This study could affect any person with cardiac arrest that is helped by Milwaukee County EMS. This study is also being done in Birmingham Alabama, Dallas Texas, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, and Portland Oregon.
What happens when someone has a Cardiac Arrest?
A Cardiac Arrest is when a persons heart suddenly stops beating. When the heart stops beating it is an emergency because blood does not reach important organs like the brain, lungs or kidneys. This can injure these organs. EMS providers treat cardiac arrest by performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This includes breathing for the person by inserting an airway tube into their windpipe to keep their airway open to give them oxygen. EMS providers currently use one of two airway tubes an endotracheal tube or a laryngeal tube.
Why do we need to do this research?
Right now both of these airway tubes are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are commonly used by EMS providers. Both methods are used by Milwaukee County EMS, but prior studies have not shown whether one works better than the other. The reason for this study is to compare the endotracheal tube to the laryngeal airway tube to see if one is better for patients.
Are there risks to this research?
All research has risks. Using either of these airway tubes has potential risks, including: not being able to place the airway, having to try more than once to place the airway, the tube being placed incorrectly, the tube not allowing enough air to pass into the lungs, vomiting after placing the tube, injury to the throat/mouth area, and a collapsed lung. These risks have been carefully examined and found to be small and reasonable given the possible benefits to patients. Patients who have been enrolled in this study will get all other regular treatments for cardiac arrest. All information obtained from the study will be kept private. The findings from this study will be shared at meetings and in scientific journals to help others, but information that could identify a person will not be used.
What is the benefit of this research?
This study may help others in the future. One type of airway tube used during cardiac arrest could be better for people than the other. People will not receive money for being in this research study and it will not cost a person anything.
If you are an adult and live in Milwaukee County, you may be in this study.
Cardiac arrest is an emergency and the EMS providers have to act quickly to treat a person. This means that there is no time to get permission. People with cardiac arrest are unconscious and cannot agree to join. In studies like this, a persons consent is not possible. This type of research is called an exception from informed consent for emergency circumstances and is approved by the FDA. If you do not want to be in this study you must ask to not be included. You will be sent a bracelet or necklace to wear that tells EMS that you are not part of the study. You will still receive all regular treatments. The FDA requires that researchers notify communities in cases when research is being done and consent is not possible due to an emergency (FDA Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Section 50.24).
Opting out of this study
Anyone who does not wish to be enrolled in this study may opt-out by wearing an opt-out bracelet or necklace. The Milwaukee County EMS providers are trained to not enroll anyone who is wearing this bracelet or necklace. An opt-out bracelet or necklace may be requested free of charge by either calling the Resuscitation Research Center at (414) 805-6493 or email at RRC@mcw.edu
If you do not want to be in this study, you can let the researchers know.
If you have questions or concerns about this study or you do not want to participate, please contact Dr. M. Riccardo Colella, either by phone (414-805-6493), mail (Department of Emergency Medicine, 9200 W. Wisconsin Ave., Froedtert Hospital East, PV1, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226 or email (RRC@mcw.edu), or visit the web site at (www.mcw.edu/ROCPART). Feedback from the community may be used to change the study.
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Off-price retailer Ross Dress for Less plans to open two new southeast Wisconsin stores this Saturday, one in Brown Deer and the other in Racine.
The Dublin, Calif.-based company, which moved into the Wisconsin market for first time last fall, said it will make local charitable donations and give away $1,000 in store gift cards to celebrate the opening of each store. The company said it will donate $2,500 to the Brown Deer Boys & Girls Club and $2,500 to the Racine Public Library Foundation.
From Saturday through July 24, customers may enter at the stores for a chance to win a $500 gift card or one of five $100 gift cards, the company said.
The Brown Deer store is located at 9088 N. Green Bay Road in the Brown Deer Center. The Racine store is located at Regency Mall at 2709 S. Green Bay Road.
The new stores open at 9 a.m. Saturday.
SHARE Donnell L. Weaver Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office
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A 41-year-old Milwaukee man accused of killing one man and wounding another told authorities he shot at the men in retaliation for a prior shooting, according to a criminal complaint released Monday.
Donnell L. Weaver is charged with first-degree reckless homicide in the death of 32-year-old Marquelle L. Miller, who was shot and killed July 2 while sitting on a porch in the 3600 block of N. 3rd St.
Weaver also faces charges of first-degree recklessly endangering safety in the shooting of a 22-year-old man on the porch with Miller, as well as charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and bail jumping.
The man who was wounded identified Weaver as the shooter in a photo lineup, the criminal complaint says.
When detectives interviewed Weaver, he claimed the two men had been involved in shooting at a house of a "loved one," according to the complaint. Weaver said the two men were threatening him and he believed they were armed so he drew a revolver and fired toward them, the complaint says.
Weaver said he threw the gun down a sewer grate, police said. Weaver, who had been free on $500 bail in a misdemeanor battery case, is expected in court July 19 for a preliminary hearing on the new charges. He remained in Milwaukee County Jail Monday on $250,000 bail.
Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls are under federal investigation on allegations of mistreatment of juveniles. Credit: Journal Sentinel files
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Milwaukee County officials are calling for the closure of a troubled Northwoods youth prison as part of a proposed overhaul of the state's juvenile justice system.
"We need a new juvenile justice system in the state of Wisconsin," said Hector Colon, director of the county's Health and Human Services Administration.
Colon told members of the city's Public Safety Committee on Monday that Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls north of Wausau are too far away and are based on an outdated model. He and others acknowledged that the ongoing crisis at the facility, which is under federal investigation due to allegations of minors being abused by staff, has added to the urgency of the situation.
"Lincoln Hills is too far, regardless of the current crisis we have there, which is horrible," Colon said. "It's still too far. From a best practices perspective, from a discharge planning perspective, it's not the right model. It's not the right model today, it wasn't the correct model five years ago, quite frankly."
The state closed a separate youth facility, Ethan Allen School in Waukesha County, in 2011 and instead sent all young male offenders to Lincoln Hills. At the same time, Southern Oaks in Racine County was closed, with girls to be placed at the Copper Lake facility on the Lincoln Hills grounds.
Colon said the county's proposal involves a regional plan that is far more focused on treatment, education and behavioral health. Officials are developing a local residential treatment facility and are working with a provider who's developed successful similar programs around the country.
"It's closer to home, where the kid and the families live, so that you can have better discharge planning and better ongoing support," Colon said.
Colon urged aldermen to lobby the state to move toward a "better" regional model.
"What is that going to do? It should close down Lincoln Hills," he said.
County officials acknowledged that the overhaul would require additional resources and more money but did not provide a specific price tag for the proposal.
County officials said they've spoken with Gov. Scott Walker about the plan, and will soon meet with state lawmakers from the Milwaukee area to discuss the proposal.
"We could use your lobbying efforts, your support as well," Colon said.
The Department of Corrections "is currently reviewing various options to continue its transformation of the juvenile justice system," department spokesman Tristan Cook said.
"As part of this process, DOC has received input from a number of stakeholders, including Milwaukee County, and reviewed various state-level juvenile justice models from around the country. At this point, no decisions have been made regarding any potential changes."
The number of young offenders from Milwaukee County being held at Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls has dropped since news broke late last year that the facility was under investigation.
About 95 young people whom the county is responsible for are incarcerated at the facility, and there are as many as 135 total from Milwaukee, including those in Wisconsin's serious juvenile offender program, officials said.
Other topics addressed Monday included car thefts, electronic monitoring, social services for young people, collaboration between county officials and the Milwaukee Police Department, and overcrowding at the 120-bed Milwaukee detention center.
Monday's meeting was the sixth in a series of special discussions Ald. Bob Donovan, chairman of the public safety committee, scheduled this summer to address violence in Milwaukee.
Jose Flores (from left), Ian Bautista, Ryan Ramnarace, Aldira Aldape of The Libre Institute participate in a panel discussion on criminal justice reform. Credit: Ivette Diaz
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The Libre Initiative, which attempts to spread conservatism among Latinos or, in the eyes of critics, dupe them into working against their own political interests has set up shop in Wisconsin, with about 70 volunteers based in Milwaukee.
Founded in 2011 and based in Texas, the organization has received considerable funding from billionaire businessmen Charles and David Koch. Earlier this year, Libre expanded into Wisconsin, one of 10 states where it now operates.
The organization describes itself as a nonpartisan, grass-roots movement aimed at "informing the U.S. Hispanic community about the benefits of a constitutionally limited government, property rights, rule of law, sound money supply and free enterprise."
"My biggest priority as state director is economic prosperity," said Aldira Aldape, who was hired to head the Wisconsin effort in March.
But organizations like Voces de la Frontera, a Latino and worker advocacy group that has been in Wisconsin since 1998, see Libre as a thinly veiled political vehicle to advance policies that in practice hurt the Hispanic community.
"Libre is supporting Republican candidates like (Gov.) Scott Walker and (Sen.) Ron Johnson who are in favor of mass deportation," wrote Voces' executive director, Christine Neumann-Ortiz.
Critical voting bloc
Latino voters have become indispensable for both parties.
After President Barack Obama won 71% of the Latino vote in 2012, with Mitt Romney receiving only 27%, conservatives recognized that actively seeking inroads among Hispanic voters would be critical to future success.
In the intervening years, Libre which means "free" in Spanish has been building bridges in several states with Hispanic concentrations, mixing programs on free market economics with help in tax preparation, instruction on how to pass a driver's test, even free flu shots and Thanksgiving turkeys.
In Wisconsin, there will be 156,000 Latinos eligible to vote in November, a 15% increase since the 2014 midterms, according to the Pew Research Center. Analysts from pro-immigration groups say those voters could tip the scales in the critical Wisconsin Senate race this year between Sen. Ron Johnson and Russ Feingold.
According to FEC records, the super PAC for the Kochs' political organization Freedom Partners has spent about $2.1 million supporting Johnson and opposing Feingold, by far the most money spent by a super PAC in the race.
Federal tax records show that Freedom Partners has given Libre more than $15 million.
Representatives for Libre contend they do not move into states because of specific races, and do not support specific candidates or parties. Rather, they push policy positions and ideas, such as school choice and opposition to Obamacare. These are, nonetheless, bedrock Republican issues.
The same logic applies to presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, who has drawn attention for his controversial proposals to deport undocumented immigrants on a massive scale and build a wall between the United States and Mexico.
"We're here advocating for issues; we're not involved in particular candidate," said Marilinda Garcia of Trump, though she also noted that his rhetoric "is obviously divisive and has caused consternation."
Garcia, a spokeswoman for Libre and a former Republican member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, also asserted that the Koch connection is overblown, because the organization has more than 1,000 other undisclosed donors.
"Our donor base is not the Kochs. It's private donors and individuals from a broad swath of society," she said. "(The Koch brothers) lived the American dream themselves, so they have the right to participate just as much as any other person."
Thus far, Libre's Wisconsin branch has canvassed in Latino neighborhoods and hosted workshops on financial wellness and college readiness.
The group has also put on larger functions, including a forum earlier this summer about criminal justice reform, which was held by the organization's educational arm, the Libre Institute.
The three-hour event was open to the public and featured two panels with speakers such as Eloise Anderson, who serves in Walker's cabinet as the secretary of the Department of Children and Families, and Pastor Jose Flores, lead organizer for the Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative.
About 30 people came to hear the panelists discuss the U.S.'s outsized prison population and rising costs of incarceration.
"This is an area where the government is actually failing us and not living up to its ideals and principles that we know about a just and free society," said Ivette Diaz, a Libre field director who helped organize the event.
Attendees were offered free sunglasses, lip balm, wristbands, notepads and pens all branded with the Libre logo, and treated to an Italian dinner.
The big prize of the night was an Amazon Kindle, which was raffled off at the end. To enter the raffle, participants had to fill out a form that asked for information such as their email and home addresses, views on criminal justice and opinions of Libre.
The privacy policy on the back of the form reads, in part, "we may share your information with our affiliates, associates and any other freedom focused entities."
Data collection efforts
As has been reported by The New York Times, Libre uses events like these to gather data for i360, a Koch-backed data analytics company that helps Republican candidates target specific constituencies using its sophisticated voter databases.
FEC records show that Johnson's campaign and the Kochs' Freedom Partners super PAC have paid the company a combined $1.98 million for access to this data and for its services helping Johnson's re-election bid.
"We work with i360 and leverage their technology to get a better understanding of the Hispanic community in the areas where we engage," Soledad Cedro, Libre's East Coast press secretary, told the Journal Sentinel.
Libre will continue to do research on Wisconsin's Hispanic community and hold events related to women and financial health. Over the long term, the Wisconsin operation will continue to hire more staffers and eventually set up an office, Cedro said.
Libre supports bipartisan, market-driven immigration reform that originates in Congress, though it does not endorse any specific plans or policies, according to Cedro.
"The president during his first campaign promised to deal with immigration reform," Cedro said. "Instead of working in a bipartisan way, he tried to do it his way or no way."
Such views are a red flag for Voces de la Frontera, which supported the president's immigration efforts.
"We're not going to let such an organization establish here knowing that they are going to damage our community," said Daniel Gutierrez, a Voces representative who handed out anti-Libre fliers at Tuesday's forum.
Voces plans to keep resisting Libre through social media campaigns, canvassing and showing up at Libre events. But Libre seems undeterred, and plans to be in Wisconsin for the long haul past election season.
Said Cedro, "We are here to stay."
The agreement on a free trade area between Ukraine and Canada since the moment of taking force after its ratification by parliaments of the two countries would reduce imports duties for 98% of Ukrainian imported goods and for 72% of Canadian exports to nil, Ukraine's Economic Development and Trade Ministry has reported.
"Imports duties on agricultural goods will be lifted at once (apart from 108 tariff lines and the access to them will be opened with quota) and all industrial goods (apart from passengers cars with a seven year transition period for revoking of imports duties)," the ministry said.
The ministry noted that for 22 groups of agricultural goods (108 tariff lines, including wheat, barley, dairy products, poultry and turkey, eggs and egg products, beef, pork and margarine) Ukrainian exporters will be able to supply them at a zero imports duty only as part of Canada's global quotas.
"The exceptions are severe. Three wide groups of goods were fully removed from free trade: poultry, eggs and dairy products. Canada does not give us any preferences for them. All possible goods made of milk (cheese, ice cream, for example) are excluded, while the EU opened this market for us," business envoy at the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine Taras Kachka said.
He said that these groups are sensitive for Canada, as trade with these goods is strictly regulated at the national level. These goods are also removed from the free trade area agreement between Canada and the EU, apart from the additional cheese quota.
The ministry said that the free trade area agreement between Ukraine and Canada foresees gradual elimination of imports duties on Canadian agricultural products: within three years for live poultry and sheep, beef, lamb, nuts, sauces, flour products; within five years sub-products from pigs, oilseeds, fat, vegetable oil and within seven years cooled pork and poultry, milk, cream, eggs honey, vegetable and sausages.
The partial liberalization in the form of cutting imports duties will apply to Canadian fat, cheese, margarine and mixtures. For example, imports duties for some goods made of poultry would be decreased only by 20% within seven years.
The tariff quotas for frozen pork and salo, and sugar (eight positions) will be removed from the free trade regime.
As for industrial goods, Canada introduces a seven-year transition period for revoking duties only for some positions of passenger cars, while Ukraine: a three-year period for construction materials, industrial equipment and parts of aircraft, a five-year period for electric equipment, light pipes, motorcycles, trailers, vessels, photo cameras and a seven-year period for cars, tractors and spare parts for them.
"Among key Ukrainian products that would receive advantages from the duty-free access to the Canadian market in the short-term outlook are sunflower oil, sugar, confectionary and chocolate, alcohol and beer, juices, clothes, ceramics, metal products and chemicals. The agreement would promote cooperation in the aircraft building sector," the ministry said, predicting a 3.5% rise in exports thanks to the removing the duty.
The ministry also pointed out the beneficial access to the participation in public procurement at the governmental level of the two countries, liabilities linked to protection of intellectual property rights and receiving technical assistance from Ottawa for the effective implementation of the free trade area agreement.
Flooding washed out a section of Highway 63 near Grand View in northern Wisconsin. Credit: Ready Wisconsin / Twitter
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Gov. Scott Walker on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in eight northern Wisconsin counties after torrential overnight rains flooded parts of the area, causing one fatality, closing roads, swamping harbors and washing out at least one bridge.
Storms that had brought tornadoes to Minnesota entered northwest Wisconsin, bringing flash flood warnings to Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Sawyer, Washburn and Price counties, the counties included in Walker's declaration.
A wide swath of the Northwoods recorded rain totals nearing double digits with Wascott in Douglas County topping the list at 11 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
Keith Kesler, Douglas County director of emergency management, said trees and branches were brought down in the area by the heavy wind and rain, but those were mostly cleared Tuesday afternoon.
In Iron County, Sheriff Tony Furyk said Mitchell R. Koski, 56, of Montreal died as a result of the storm but offered no further details, the Duluth News Tribune reported. Koski had served as mayor of Montreal and, more recently, on the Iron County Board, the newspaper reported.
Flooding washed out much of Saxon Harbor, damaging or destroying 85 boats and damaging 100 boat slips, according to the Wisconsin Emergency Operations Center.
Presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivers a speech during a campaign stop. Trump routinely threatens to sue people over comments that are made. Credit: Mark Wilson
SHARE An exclusive USA TODAY NETWORK analysis of legal filings across the United States has found that Donald Trump and his businesses have been involved in at least 3,500 legal actions in federal and state courts during the past three decades. The sheer volume of lawsuits is unprecedented for a presidential nominee. No candidate of a major party has had anything approaching the number of Trumps courtroom entanglements. For more on this USA TODAY NETWORK investigation, go to usatoday.com.
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Say something bad about Donald Trump and he will frequently threaten to go to court. "I'll sue you" was a Trump mantra long before "Build a wall." But an analysis of about 4,000 lawsuits filed by and against Trump and his companies shows he rarely follows through with lawsuits over people's words. He has won only one such case, and the ultimate result of that is in dispute.
The Republican presidential candidate has threatened political ad-makers, a rapper, documentary filmmakers, a Palm Beach civic club's newsletter and the Better Business Bureau for lowering its rating of Trump University. He has vowed to sue the conservative Club for Growth (over a political commercial during Iowa's caucuses) as well as multiple news organizations, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and USA TODAY. He didn't follow through with any of those. But he did sue comedian Bill Maher; journalist Timothy L. O'Brien over a single line about Trump's financial worth in the 276-page book "TrumpNation: The Art of Being The Donald"; and a Miss Pennsylvania.
A USA TODAY Network analysis of lawsuits involving Trump and his companies includes just six in which Trump's team formally claimed someone libeled, slandered or defamed him, and a few other cases where he used other legal avenues to fight what someone said about him. At least one Trump target filed a counterclaim for harassment and won.
The threats can be effective. Even the possibility of a lawsuit by a rich, powerful opponent raises the specter of years of expensive and time-consuming litigation. "Plainly, the guy uses lawsuits as a tool of intimidation and doesn't care how much he clogs the courts with nonsense," Maher said in an interview.
Alan Garten, the Trump Organization's general counsel, said Trump the person and Trump the brand are intertwined, which means lawsuits, or the threat of them, are important to ensure the name. "My job is to protect my clients and their brand from attacks," he said. "To say now he should stop engaging in business or protecting his rights is crazy and inconsistent with the principles of the American people."
He said it is not surprising that few suits have actually been filed. "I'm not aware of many defamation lawsuits we've filed in the last 10 years, because we were able to achieve results without that process," he said.
Some of the threats come in the heat of the moment. "Watch Kasich squirm if he is not truthful in his negative ads I will sue him just for fun!" Trump tweeted in November about one of his primary opponents, Gov. John Kasich of Ohio. Trump dropped the threat there.
Trump has raised the possibility that, as president, he would "open up" the nation's libel laws to make it easier to sue. That is unlikely to happen. Standards for libel have been set over decades based on the Constitution, Supreme Court rulings and state laws, and the president has limited authority or influence in those realms.
But it still is disconcerting for some who study the media. "We have a system that worked remarkably well to foster debate and discourse over 50 years. I think we tinker with that at our peril," said Gene Policinski, senior vice president of the First Amendment Center at the Newseum Institute.
Garten acknowledges the strength of the First Amendment but added: "That doesn't give them the right to misrepresent the facts."
'A shot across the bow'
Winning a libel or defamation case as a public figure is very difficult, but that's sometimes not the end goal, said Larry Rosen, an outside attorney for Trump in New York. "It's basically firing a shot across the bow and saying, look, you can't just write whatever you want to write," he said.
It's even more difficult to win a defamation case as a public official or candidate for public office. The nation's founders believed that public officials and candidates were fair game for criticism, and court decisions have affirmed that. Trump the candidate would have to prove not only that statements were false but that the person who made them knew they were false and then said or published the deliberate falsehoods with malicious intent.
"The general remedy for people in public office, particularly high public office, with claims about character is about the court of public opinion, not the court of law," Policinski said. "Generally, we as a system say that the more visible you are in public, the more you accept as being an elected official or public citizen, the more opportunity you have to remedy it by commanding the bully pulpit."
Twenty-eight states have adopted laws, known as "anti-SLAPP," for strategic lawsuits against public participation, that are aimed at protecting against lawsuits that could chill free speech. Trump already lost one such claim. Tarla Makaeff, a California yoga instructor who is one of the plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit against Trump University, employed an anti-SLAPP defense in 2014 when Trump countersued her for defamation. A judge ruled in her favor, ordering Trump to pay a $798,000 penalty, although the money won't come until the entire case is resolved.
Citing Makaeff's winning claim, Evan Mascagni, policy director at the Public Participation Project, which is lobbying for a federal anti-SLAPP law, said, "If you really examine some of these cases, it becomes pretty obvious that Trump didn't file these suits to seek justice. Rather, he filed them to intimidate, harass and silence his critics."
No joking matter
Trump also went after a frequent critic, HBO's Maher, for $5 million after a 2013 joke on his show that was reiterated on the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno." At the time, Trump was insisting that President Barack Obama was not born in the United States and wanted Obama to prove otherwise. Maher said on air that he would give Trump $5 million if he could prove that he wasn't the descendant of an orangutan.
Trump's lawyers sent his birth certificate to Maher and demanded the $5 million, which Maher did not pay. Then, after filing a breach of contract in California superior court complete with a copy of his New York birth certificate Trump dropped the effort before it could get to trial. Asked about the case, Garten said only that "it was withdrawn pretty quickly."
Maher said he is used to nasty feedback, but the lawsuit was a first. "I think the guy legitimately lashes out at any entity that challenges him," he said.
Pageant controversy
The case that Trump won in court involved former Miss Pennsylvania Sheena Monnin in 2013. When judges eliminated Monnin from Trump's Miss Universe competition, she fired off a Facebook post calling the pageant "rigged" and resigned her state title. Monnin made appearances on national television in the wake of the statements, which eventually were part of the defamation case. In TV interviews, Trump on NBC called the allegations "disgraceful" and on ABC called it "loser's remorse."
Trump sued in federal court in New York, and his attorneys successfully argued that the organization lost a business contract over the situation. A judge ruled in Trump's favor and ordered Monnin to pay $5 million.
"The extremism of it baffled me," she wrote in a book self-published this year. "Was I such a threat that it was determined by the opposing side to shut me down and close my mouth from speaking, no matter the cost?"
"He comes at you with overwhelming legal force and as a private citizen you don't have the ability financially or experientially to defend yourself," said her father, Philip Monnin, who is not an attorney but initially represented her in the dispute.
Monnin lost a series of appeals. Her father said she ultimately settled but didn't pay "a penny."
Trump's lawyer declined to clarify. "We won the judgment and recovered funds," Garten said.
The "TrumpNation" author O'Brien, who eventually won his half-decade legal battle with Trump, said, "We're in an era where it's very easy for plaintiffs with deep pockets to intimidate defendants in the media. Things are always different without resources."
David Stearns steps down as Brewers president of baseball operations
Stearns was hired in 2015 and oversaw the most successful run in franchise history
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Human Rights Watch |
Unlawful Attacks Harm Economy, Show Need for Victim Compensation
(Beirut) Saudi Arabia-led coalition airstrikes have unlawfully hit numerous factories, warehouses, and other civilian economic structures in Yemen.
The repeated coalition airstrikes on civilian factories appear intended to damage Yemens shattered economy long into the future, said Priyanka Motaparthy, senior emergencies researcher and author of the report. Saudi Arabia and other coalition members have shown no interest in investigating unlawful attacks, or even compensating the victims for lives and property lost.
Human Rights Watch interviewed victims and witnesses at the sites in the Sanaa and Hodaida governorates in March 2016, searched for possible military targets in the vicinity, and examined remnants of munitions found.
Until Saudi Arabia ceases unlawful strikes and either conducts investigations that meet international standards or agrees to an independent international inquiry, Saudi Arabia should be suspended from membership on the United Nations Human Rights Council. Human Rights Watch is not aware of any credible investigations by Saudi Arabia or other coalition members into these or other allegedly unlawful strikes, nor of any compensation for victims.
Raouf Mohammed al-Sayideh, a 25-year-old worker at a sewing and embroidery workshop hit in one attack, described rescuing fellow workers: I heard the bang and came to look for the other [injured] workers. One worker was stuck under the rubble. The manager had to call his phone so that we knew where he was to rescue him. The last person we rescued from inside [the wreckage] was the [16-year-old] boy. his legs got stuck between these two large blocks his body was charred.
Each of the attacks appeared to violate international humanitarian law, or the laws of war. Some may amount to war crimes. The laws of war prohibit deliberate attacks on civilian objects, attacks that do not discriminate between military targets and civilian objects, and attacks that disproportionately harm civilian objects compared with the expected military gain. Civilian objects include factories, warehouses, and other commercial enterprises so long as they are not being used for military purposes or become a military objective. Attacks on civilian objects committed willfully deliberately or recklessly are war crimes.
On March 26, 2015, the Saudi Arabia-led coalition consisting of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Sudan with United States participation, began an aerial campaign against Houthi and allied forces. The report documents strikes on civilian economic structures from the beginning of the aerial campaign to February 2016.
Parties to the Yemen conflict declared a cessation of hostilities on April 10, and began peace talks in Kuwait later that month. Though the level of violence in the country diminished after the ceasefire formally went into effect, both airstrikes and fighting on the ground have continued. On May 25, a coalition airstrike hit a water bottling factory in Lahj, injuring two workers.
Negotiations to end the conflict continue. Arriving in Kuwait on June 26 to support peace talks, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that the economy is in precarious condition, pointing to an alarming scarcity of basic food items in Yemen. The airstrikes have compounded an already bleak situation in which more than 80 percent of Yemens population requires some form of assistance, Human Rights Watch said.
On May 27, the Saudi government issued a statement asserting that coalition forces have fully complied with international humanitarian law and international human rights law in their military operations. The statement noted that, where claims about targeting of civilians [or] civilian facilitiesare made, investigations are conducted by a separate and distinct investigation team established at Coalition Air Force [headquarters]. However, the government provided no public information to verify these claims, and Human Rights Watch has found no evidence to support them. Saudi officials did not respond to repeated requests for information regarding the intended target of airstrikes documented in this or prior reports, or the progress of any investigations.
The repeated coalition airstrikes on civilian factories appear intended to damage Yemens shattered economy long into the future. Saudi Arabia and other coalition members have shown no interest in investigating unlawful attacks, or even compensating the victims for lives and property lost. Priyanka Motaparthy Senior Emergencies Researcher
The US also has a responsibility to investigate any strikes in which they took part. The US has been a party to the conflict since the first months of the fighting. In June 2015, a US military spokesperson stated that the US was helping the coalition with intelligence support and intelligence sharing, targeting assistance, advisory support, and logistical support, to include aerial refueling with up to two tanker sorties a day.
In March 2016, a US official stated, The things we are doing, providing intelligence and precision guided munitions, those are things that prevent civilian casualties. Human Rights Watch found remnants of US laser-guided or satellite-guided munitions used at three strike sites, two of which involved civilian casualties.
The United Kingdom also assisted the Saudi-led coalition by providing technical support, precision-guided weapons and exchanging information with the Saudi Arabian armed forces, the Defence Ministry said. Human Rights Watch found remnants of UK-manufactured guided munitions at two strike sites including one munition produced in May 2015 after the start of the aerial campaign and the remnants of a UK-manufactured cruise missile that killed or injured civilians at a third site.
Human Rights Watch and other international and Yemeni groups have called for foreign governments to halt sales and transfers of all weapons and military-related equipment to parties to the conflict in Yemen if there is a substantial risk of these arms being usedto commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law or international human rights law.
The US and UK have largely deferred to the Saudis to investigate unlawful strikes despite little reason for confidence these investigations will be diligently carried out or the results made public, Motaparthy said. These governments are benefitting from billions in arms sales and even claim their support is helping Yemeni civilians, but have done nothing to back up those claims.
Launch Gallery Case Study: Radfan Mineral Water Factory, Lahj Governorate
This attack took place on May 25, 2016, and is included as a supplement to the report. On May 25, starting at about 4 a.m., coalition aircraft dropped between eight and 10 bombs on the Radfan mineral water bottling factory. The factory was closed for the night, but some workers sleep onsite. The bombs hit the factory over a period of about 20 minutes, wounding two employees. The strike damaged generators, a production line, and multiple buildings in the factory compound, including the workers sleeping quarters. One factory employee told Human Rights Watch:
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |
Pew Research has released a report saying that
As a whole, the region continued to have the highest levels of religious hostilities in the world. In 2014, the median level of religious hostilities in the Middle East and North Africa reached a level four times that of the global median.
But is there another way to look at this data? Is it really all about religion?
Pew does excellent polling and Ive used their work a great deal, e.g. in my Engaging the Muslim World . And the good thing about their polling is that they are very up front about their assumptions and methodology.
This is what they mean by religion:
For the purposes of this study, religion-related terrorism includes acts carried out by subnational groups that use religion as a justification or motivation for their actions.
So a subnational group might well be driven primarily by nationalism, but if its members commit terrorism that is religion-related, then it gets counted under the sign of religion.
Social scientists talk about people having markers of identity. Language and religion can be such markers, as can constructions like race.
In the context of Protestant Britain, Irish immigrants in the 18th century were coded as Catholics or papists. Where there were mob attacks on them, however, it would be difficult to prove that the fine points of theology were always the main drivers of the violence. Some of it was social class, some of it was race.
So it isnt easy to disentangle religious motivations from nationalist ones.
Pew adds
Religion-related terrorism also includes terrorist acts carried out by individuals or groups with a nonreligious identity that deliberately target religious groups or individuals, such as clergy.
So what Pew is really measuring is not religious fanaticism at all, but the prevalence of symbolic targets that are religious in nature.
So if two secular groups fought and a religious symbol was harmed, the incident in this study would be classified as religious violence.
In social science, you have wide latitude in making your definitions, as long as you clarify your terms to begin with.
What Pew is actually saying is that in the Middle East and North Africa, people are four times as likely to act out their ethnic violence by attacking religious symbols as in the rest of the world. It isnt saying they are four times as likely to be religious fanatics.
My guess is that the Middle East is unusually religiously pluralistic, and this is especially true of the Levant to the Gulf. Whereas Poland is almost entirely Catholic, Iraq is 60 percent Shiite and 37 percent Sunni (counting Arabs and Kurds).
There are also relatively high rates of religious belief in the region. If you wanted to hurt a member of another ethnicity, youd know that striking their religious edifices or clergy, etc., would hit them hard. Thus, al-Qaedas destruction of the Shiite Golden Dome shrine of the eleventh Imam in Samarra in 2006 set off an Iraqi civil war. You couldnt hurt the feelings of very many French by taking a sledge hammer to a gargoyle.
A lot of the violence that gets coded in the US press as religious is actually about nationalism. This principle holds especially true in Palestine-Israel.
But take Syria. Some observers suggest that the Lebanese militia, Hizbullah, which is Shiite, intervened in Syria to help the Alawites, also Shiites. But they dont belong to the same branch of Shiism. Most Lebanese Shiites belong to the orthodox Twelver school, with mosques, collective Friday prayers, clergymen, etc. Alawites are heterodox lacking mosques and having wise men rather than seminary-trained clergymen. Most Sunni and Shiite Muslims dont consider the Alawites to be Muslims. Moreover, many Syrian Alawites are members of the Baath Party, which is highly secular and socialist. So Hizbullah did not come into Syria for reasons of religious sympathy. They came in because the Baath, secular government of Syria is a vital supply route for Hizbullah.
So if a Sunni mosque was shelled by Baath Party members because even relatively secular Sunni opposition groups were hiding behind it, Pew would count that as religious violence in this study.
That outcome is legitimate, since they defined their terms to begin with. But as consumers of such studies, we should be careful about how we use the findings. They arent saying what we might at first assume they are. In polls as in consumer purchases, always read the fine print.
Related video added by Juan Cole:
U Chicago Social Sciences: PANEL 2: Religious Minorities in Syrias Civil War | Keith Watenpaugh
Kyiv's Pechersky district court has arrested 33 wells in Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions developed by gas producers, which are part of Burisma Group belonged to former Ecology and Natural Resources Minister Mykola Zlochevsky.
According to court decisions dated July 1, 2016, the wells of Esco-Pivnich LLC, First Ukrainian Petroleum Company LLC and Systemoilengineering LLC were arrested under a request of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office (PGO).
The PGO says the non-arrest of the above-mentioned wells and fossil fuel extracted could result in the illegal sale of property.
The wells were arrested as part of a pre-trial investigation started on July 7, 2014 regarding the embezzlement of funds by officials of public joint-stock company Ukrgazvydobuvannia in 2010-2014 under cooperation agreements and in suspicion of tax evasion by officials of Esco-Pivnich, Pari, First Ukrainian Petroleum Company, Zond and Infox.
Vancouver, British Columbia / TheNewswire / July 11, 2016 - AFRICAN QUEEN MINES LTD. (the "Company") is pleased to announce that experienced, world-class senior geologist Reinhard Ramdohr, Ph.D., has now joined the Company as Head of Exploration and Project Manager at the Company's Yellowjacket Gold Project, which covers an aggregate of 228.04 sq. km in the historic Pine Creek and Spruce Creek areas 9 km East of Atlin, B.C. (the "Project"). His efforts will be focused on exploration of the hard-rock potential of the Project on a district basis with a view toward delineation and development of one or more commercially viable gold deposits. Initially, he will oversee the 2016 exploration program, which includes core drilling set to commence shortly in two phases.
Dr. Ramdohr is highly qualified as an exploration geologist and mining engineer with 40 years' experience in gold, base metals, iron ore, uranium and gemstone exploration around the world. His experience runs the gamut from grass roots exploration and mapping to sophisticated geophysical and drilling programs, to ore reserve calculation, feasibility studies as well as overseeing formal training and education programs. Dr. Ramdohr is a German national, resident of Weinheim, and will be on site at Yellowjacket through the end of the work season in November. He has a Mining Engineering degree from Clausthal,-Zellerfeld Technical University and a Doctorate in Geology from Heidelberg University. He is a frequent lecturer and published technical writer.
Dr. Ramdohr's arrival at the Company reunites him with the Company's management and technical teams which successfully carried out development of projects for Pan African Mining Corp., which was sold to Asia Thai Mining Co., Ltd. in 2008. Dr. Ramdohr successfully oversaw exploration for Pan African, with a focus on drilling and development of uranothorianite deposits in the Tranomaro area of southern Madagascar. More recently, he has served for nearly 4 years as Exploration Manager for Russian major Nordgold in Burkina Faso, West Africa. He contributed to gold projects Bissa (now in production) and Bouly (slated for production in near future). Dr. Ramdohr has worked for a host of other companies, large and small, over his lengthy career, in diverse locations with a focus on Africa and Australia. Dr. Ramdohr replaces Fionnuala Devine, Senior Project Geologist, who has departed the Company to pursue other commitments after nine months of service.
Throughout his career, Dr. Ramdohr has contributed his time and talents to educating third world geologists and mining engineers and training other technical personnel in state-of-the art techniques. He participated in a number of different projects for the German Third World assistance program ("GTZ"), supporting small scale mining ventures in Africa, as well as for the German Senior Expert Service. He has also recently been lecturing in Saudi Arabia at King Abdullah University for Science and Tecnology.
According to Irwin Olian, CEO of the Company, "We are honored that Dr. Ramdohr has agreed to take the reins of our Yellowjacket Gold Project. We had a great relationship with Reini when he served our predecessor company Pan African Mining Corp. in Madagascar. His experience and qualifications will be invaluable to us again and should enhance our potential for success at Yellowjacket."
About African Queen
The Company is an exploratory resource company engaged in exploration and development of mineral properties in Canada and Africa. It is presently focusing on development of its Yellowjacket Gold Project in Atlin, British Columbia, which covers an aggregate of approximately 228.04 sq. km in the historic Pine Creek and Spruce Creek areas. The Company has its executive offices in Vancouver, Canada. The Company was incorporated under the laws of the Province of British Columbia, Canada on April 30, 2008, and received certain southern African assets in a spin off transaction related to the acquisition of Pan African Mining Corp. by Asia Thai Mining Co., Ltd.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
AFRICAN QUEEN MINES, LTD.
"Irwin Olian"
Irwin Olian
Chairman & CEO
For more information, contact:
The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of the information contained herein. The statements made in this press release may contain certain forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ from the Company's expectations.
Copyright (c) 2016 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 12, 2016) - Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. ("Cornerstone" or "the Company") (TSX VENTURE:CGP)(FRANKFURT:GWN)(BERLIN:GWN)(OTCBB:CTNXF) announces the following project update for the Cascabel copper-gold porphyry joint venture exploration project in northern Ecuador, in which the Company has a 15% interest financed through to completion of a feasibility study. SolGold Plc is funding 100% of the exploration at Cascabel and is the operator of the project.
The Cascabel Project (Figure 1) is located on the gold rich northern section of the prolific Andean Copper belt (Figure 2).
HIGHLIGHTS: Drill hole 17 final assay results return 948m (true width 683m) @ 0.54% copper and 0.53 g/t gold (for 1.01% copper equivalent - "CuEq") from 330m at Alpala (at 0.2% CuEq cut-off grade). High grade sections within this envelope include: o 562m (true width 405m) @ 0.70% copper and 0.75 g/t gold (for 1.36% CuEq) from 702m (at 0.4% copper equivalent cut-off grade); o 248m (true width 179m) @ 0.94% copper and 1.36 g/t gold (for 2.16% CuEq) from 784m (at 0.7% copper equivalent cut-off grade); o 136m (true width 98m) @ 1.28% copper and 2.20 g/t gold (for 3.24% CuEq) from 846m (at 1.5% copper equivalent cut-off grade). Intersection commences at 330m, approximately 350m below surface, and remains untested at higher elevation. Alpala mineralization now drill confirmed over 450m width, 700m in length and 1800m vertically. Next drill campaign at Alpala includes testing the southwest area over a 500m strike length. Further outcrop targets identified at Tobar Creek 700m west of the Tandayama-America target. Mapping and rock saw channel sampling continues along significant outcrops to mature drill targets at Aguinaga, Moran, Parambas, Tandayama-America and Carmen.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Assay results have been received and compiled for drill hole 17, indicating an upper level high grade zone to the porphyry copper-gold system and confirming a 150m lateral extension to the southwest at Alpala. Results are presented in Table 1.
Cascabel Project - Drill Hole Intersections Hole ID Depth From Depth To Interval (m) Cu_% Au_g/t Cu.Eq_% True width (m) CSD-16-017 330 1278 948 0.54 0.53 1.01 683 incls 702 1264 562 0.70 0.75 1.36 405 incls 784 1032 248 0.94 1.36 2.16 179 incls 846 982 136 1.28 2.20 3.24 98
* Data Aggregation Method - Intercepts reported with up to 10m internal dilution. (Excluding bridging to a single sample) - Intercepts selected using Cu equivalent cutoff grades of 0.10, 0.20, 0.30, 0.50, 0.70, 1.0 and 1.50 ** Gold Conversion Factor of 0.89 calculated from copper price US$2.20/lb and gold price US$1350/oz. *** CuEq calculation assumes 100% recoveries of Cu and Au.
Table 1: Drilling results from Hole 17 (CSD-16-017) at Alpala.
The hole was drilled from the same location as Holes 4, 14 and 16, in a southwesterly direction (233 azimuth) at a declination of 74 degrees. The hole was designed to test and confirm the upper extensions of mineralization encountered in Holes 5 and 12. Molybdenum anomalies in soil samples in the area tested by Hole 17 are believed to indicate the surface expression of the zone encountered (Figure 3, Drill Hole Location Plan).
Porphyry style, copper sulphide mineralization in Hole 17, including 183m of bornite-chalcopyrite copper sulphide mineralization from 816m to 999m, was reported and announced on 16 May, 2016 (*bornite and chalcopyrite are important copper ore minerals containing around 63% and 35% copper, respectively). The highest grade mineralization in this zone assayed 136m @ 1.28% Cu and 2.20 g/t Au for 3.24% copper equivalent from 846m, at a cut-off grade of 1.5% copper equivalent.
The Hole 17 mineralized zone represents the continuation of copper and gold mineralization intersected in Holes 5 and 12 (Figure 4, Cross-section through Alpala Deposit) which returned intersections including: Hole 5: 532m (true width 319m) @ 1.05m% Cu and 1.08 g/t Au (2.01% CuEq) from 778m. Hole 12: 576m (true width 346m) @ 1.03m% Cu and 1.19 g/t Au (2.09% CuEq) from 844m.
The intersection in Hole 17 has the effect of extending the mineralized envelopes of SolGold's 3D models to the southwest by 150 metres. This result enhances the shallow high-grade resource potential at Alpala.
Examples of mineralized drill core encountered in Hole 17 are illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.
Alpala Central is the only drilled one of fourteen (14) targets outlined in the complex porphyry cluster on the Cascabel Exploration Concession (see Cornerstone news release dated July 6, 2016). The anomalies have been identified on the basis of coincident copper/zinc and molybdenum highs supported by 3D Magnetic Vector Imaging (MVI). The MVI models are reconciled to actual magnetic susceptibility data from drilling at Alpala, and SolGold is increasingly confident that the combination of the MVI modelling and surface mapping sampling and geochemistry is a predictive strategy for drill targeting.
Current field activities involve auger bedrock sampling, infill soil grids, and reconnaissance mapping and sampling and geophysical modelling, focussing on the Aguinaga, Tandayama-America, Moran, Trivino, Parambas and Carmen targets.
About Cascabel:
SolGold Plc owns 85% of the equity of Exploraciones Novomining S.A. ("ENSA"), an Ecuadorean company that holds 100% of the Cascabel concession in northern Ecuador. Cornerstone owns the remaining 15% of ENSA, which also holds the rights to the La Encrucijada gold-silver project. SolGold is funding 100% of the exploration at Cascabel and is the operator of the project. Cornerstone's 15% interest is financed through completion of a feasibility study.
Cascabel is located in northwestern Ecuador in an under-explored northern section of the Andean Copper Belt, 60 km northeast of the undeveloped inferred resource of 982 million tons at 0.89% Cu Llurimaga (formerly Junin) copper project (0.4% Cu cut-off grade; Micon International Co. Ltd. Technical Report for Ascendant Exploration SA, August 20, 2004, pages 28 & 29). Mineralization identified at the Llurimaga copper project is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization on the Cascabel Property.
Qualified Person:
Yvan Crepeau, MBA, P.Geo., Cornerstone's Vice President, Exploration and a qualified person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, is responsible for supervising the exploration program at the Cascabel project for Cornerstone and has reviewed and approved the information contained in this news release.
Logging, sampling and assaying
Holes referred to in this release were or are being drilled using HTW, NTW, NQ and BQ core sizes (respectively 7.1, 5.6, 4.8 and 3.7 cm diameter). Geotechnical measurements such as core recovery, fracturing, rock quality designations (RQD's), specific density and photographic logging are performed systematically prior to assaying. The core is logged, magnetic susceptibility measured and key alteration minerals identified using an on-site portable spectrometer. Core is then sawed in half at the ENSA core logging facility, and half of the core is delivered by ENSA employees for preparation at LAC y Asociados ISO 9001-2008 certified sample preparation facility in Cuenca. Core samples are prepared crushing to 70% passing 2 mm (10 mesh), splitting 250 g and pulverizing to 85% passing 75 microns (200 mesh) (MSA code PRP-910). Prepared samples are then shipped to MS Analytical Services (MSA), an ISO 9001-2008 laboratory in Langley, BC, Canada where samples are assayed for a multi-element suite (MSA code IMS-230, 0.2g split, 4-acid digestion, ICP-AES/MS finish). Over limit results for Cu (>1%) are systematically re-assayed (MSA code ICF-6Cu, 0.2 g, 4-acid digestion, ICP-AES finish). Gold is assayed using a 30 g split, Fire Assay (FA) and AAS finish (MSA code FAS 111). Over limit results for Au (>10 g/t) are systematically re-assayed (MSA code FAS-415, FA, 30g., gravimetric finish).
Drill hole intercepts from the Cascabel Property are calculated using a data aggregation method, defined by copper equivalent cut-off grades and reported with up to 10m internal dilution, excluding bridging to a single sample. Copper equivalent grades are calculated using a gold conversion factor of 0.89, determined using copper price of US$2.20/pound and gold price of US$1350/ounce. Copper equivalent calculation assumes 100% recoveries of copper and gold.
All reported drill core intervals from the Cascabel Property are core lengths, unless otherwise indicated. At present the true thicknesses of all of the holes has not been calculated by SolGold. Low-grade intersections, where applicable, are expressed as average true widths (utilizing the "B-vein > 0.5%" shell orientations). High-grade intersections are better constrained for holes 1, 5, 8 and 9, and these intersections are also expressed as average true widths (utilizing the "B-veins > 20%" shell orientations).
Quality assurance / Quality control (QA/QC)
The MSA Analytical Laboratory is a qualified assayer that performs and makes available internal assaying controls. Duplicates, certified blanks and standards are systematically used (1 control sample every 15-20 samples) as part of Cornerstone's QA/QC program. Rejects, a 100 g pulp for each core sample and the remaining half-core are stored for future use and controls.
Plans:
SolGold has announced it is planning a resource statement at Alpala, the most advanced target at Cascabel, during 2016, in addition to drill testing the other key targets at Aguinaga, Trivino, Alpala NW, Hematite Hill, Alpala SE, Cristal, Tandayama America, Moran, and Chinambicito within the Cascabel concession. By the end of 2016 SolGold has reported it is planning further metallurgical testing, and completion of early stage mine and plant design and a scoping study (which may or may not be the approximate equivalent of a preliminary economic assessment as defined under National Instrument 43-101) for an economic development at Cascabel. SolGold has reported it is investigating both high tonnage / low grade open cut and high grade / low tonnage underground developments as a block caving operation.
About Cornerstone:
Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. is a well funded mineral exploration company with a diversified portfolio of projects in Ecuador and Chile, and a proven ability to identify, acquire and advance properties of merit. The company's business model is based on generating exploration projects whose subsequent development is funded primarily through partnerships.
Further information is available on Cornerstone's website: www.cornerstoneresources.com and on Twitter.
Cautionary Notice:
This news release may contain 'Forward-Looking Statements' that involve risks and uncertainties, such as statements of Cornerstone's plans, objectives, strategies, intentions and expectations. The words "potential," "anticipate," "forecast," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "may," "project," "plan," and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify 'Forward-Looking Statements.' Although Cornerstone believes that its expectations reflected in these 'Forward-Looking Statements' are reasonable, such statements may involve unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed in our regulatory filings, viewed on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of financial and metals markets, predicting natural geological phenomena and from numerous other matters of national, regional, and global scale, including those of an environmental, climatic, natural, political, economic, business, competitive, or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in our Forward-Looking Statements. Although Cornerstone believes the facts and information contained in this news release to be as correct and current as possible, Cornerstone does not warrant or make any representation as to the accuracy, validity or completeness of any facts or information contained herein and these statements should not be relied upon as representing its views subsequent to the date of this news release. While Cornerstone anticipates that subsequent events may cause its views to change, it expressly disclaims any obligation to update the Forward-Looking Statements contained herein except where outcomes have varied materially from the original statements.
On Behalf of the Board,
Brooke Macdonald, President and CEO
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.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday urged [press release] Saudi Arabia and other coalition members to create an independent international inquiry into their attacks on civilian economic structures in Yemen. HRW cited its report [textt], Bombing Businesses: Saudi Coalition Airstrikes on Yemens Civilian Economic Structures, stating that airstrikes have killed 130 and injured 171 civilians and destroyed factories, commercial warehouses, a farm and two power facilities. The human rights organization concluded that the airstrikes on civilian economic structures have shattered Yemens economy and that the strikes were intended to unlawfully do so. HRW also called on Saudi Arabia to be suspended from membership on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) until it ceases unlawful strikes and either conducts investigations that meeter national standards or agrees to an independent international inquiry. HRW said [Yemen News Agency report] that Saudi Arabia and its allies have violated international humanitarian law and are considered war crimes through the raids against Yemen.
The rapidly deteriorating situation in Yemen has sparked significant international concern. Last month Amnesty International (AI) and HRW issued a joint statement [JURIST report] calling for the removal of Saudi Arabia from the UNHRC. Also last month the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned [JURIST report] a string of rocket and mortar attacks against residential areas and markets in Yemen. In May a UN Envoy for Yemen announced [JURIST report] that peace negotiations between Yemeni parties in Kuwait were off to an encouraging start that will set the ground for a negotiated solution. In April the UN Envoy for Yemen told [JURIST report] the UN Security Council that Yemen was at a critical crossroads as peace talks between the government and Houthis were scheduled to begin the following week.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) [official website] in The Hague ruled [award, PDF; press release, PDF] in favor of the Philippines Tuesday in a dispute with China over most of the South China Sea. The Philippines brought a case against China in 2013 disputing the latters territorial claims. The PCA concluded that China does not have the right to resources within its nine-dash line. The ruling is considered a win for the Philippines and could raise tensions in the area. China has long disputed [JURIST report] the PCAs jurisdiction over the matter and has rejected the ruling.
Territorial disputes over the South China Sea have been an ongoing source of tension [JURIST op-ed] between China and its neighboring countries. China claims nearly the entire 3.5 million square-kilometer South China Sea, a region believed to be rich in oil and minerals. China has come into territorial conflict over the region in the past, not only with the Philippines [JURIST op-ed], but also with Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. The Philippines and China were involved in a two-month standoff [Al Jazeera report] in 2012 around the Scarborough Shoal, a small cluster of uninhabitable islands 220 km off the coast of the Philippines, which, according to international maritime law, fall into the Philippines economic zone. The standoff was triggered when Chinese vessels blocked the Philippine navy from arresting Chinese fishermen for alleged illegal fishing activities within the Philippines exclusive economic zones.
Chaloka Beyani [official profile], UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons (IDPs), condemned [press release] recent attacks on IDPs and civilians in South Sudan Monday. Renewed violence in the capital city of Juba has resulted in the deaths [UN News Centre report] of two Chinese UN Peacekeepers, one UN national staff member and two IDPs. Beyani expressed concern at the violence that has already displaced 30,000 people in addition to the newly displaced 10,000 people in Juba. He urged the authorities to respect the broken peace agreement and called upon the parties to abide by international humanitarian law and protect civilians in times of armed conflict. Amid the clashes between the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) and the SPLA in Opposition, Beyani reminded the parties that threats and attacks against humanitarian staff and the UN Mission in South Sudan are unacceptable and called on them to cease immediate acts of aggression. The Special Rapporteur lamented that the country had marked its fifth anniversary of independence with gunfire instead of celebration.
Human rights concerns have been widespread concerning South Sudan. In June UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed [JURIST report] shock at the increasing number of children recruited and killed in armed conflicts in several countries, including South Sudan. In May Amnesty International reported [JURIST report] that dozens of detainees in South Sudan are being held in inhumane conditions. In April six human rights organizations called [JURIST report] for the next UN Secretary-General to do everything he or she can do to protect innocent civilians whose nation faced armed conflict, including South Sudan. In March the UN Human Rights Council decided [JURIST report] to investigate allegations of human rights abuses in South Sudan.
Slovakia's Nafta with facilities able to store 2.74 billion cubic meters of natural gas and developing gas fields near the border with Ukraine has acquired 50% of the Uzhgorod gas field for EUR 1.5 million from U.S. Cub Energy Inc. with assets in Ukraine.
Cub Energy said in a report that Nafta International B.V. (the Netherlands), the subsidiary of Slovakia's Nafta, acquired 50% in CNG Holdings Netherlands B.V., which holds 100% in CNG LLC (Vovkove, Yuzhgorod district), the holder of the license to develop the Uzhgorod gas field.
"We hope that the project would be a first step in creating a portfolio of Nafta's projects in Ukraine," Nafta CEO Martin Bartosovic said.
According to the public register, the license was issued in March 2016 to Tysagaz for 20 years until March 11, 2036. In June 2015 the newly created CNG LLC became the holder of the license. The field's area is 301.4 square kilometers.
Cub Energy said that Nafta will fund a 100 square kilometer 3D seismic survey within 20 months of closing and the drilling of first three wells within four years of closing. The company will fund the tie-in costs of the first three wells up to a maximum EUR 200,000 per well within four years of closing.
"We look forward to our new partnership with Nafta and will leverage their oil and gas experience on the adjoining Slovakian field with our experience in the nearby producing Rusko-Komarivske field in western Ukraine. Together we plan to continue the exploration and development of the Uzhgorod licence. We hope to commence the 3D survey later in 2016," Cubs CEO Mykhailo Afendikov said.
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European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn has called on the Russian Federation to abandon the restrictions imposed on transit of Ukrainian goods. However, he believes possible retaliatory sanctions imposed by Ukraine on Russian transit are counterproductive.
"I do not agree with such measures. I call on Russia to change its mind," he told reporters in Kyiv.
Hahn noted he understands temptation for Ukraine to do the same thing in retaliation. However, in his opinion, it will not benefit economic development.
As reported, Russian President Vladimir Putin on January 1, 2016 issued a decree establishing that international transit road and rail transportation of goods from Ukraine to Kazakhstan through the territory of Russia are carried out only from the territory of Belarus with the use of seals based on the technology of the GLONASS global navigation satellite system and with the availability of drivers' account coupons.
On July 3 Putin's decree dated July 1 was promulgated, which tightens the regulations. Now they also apply to transit to Kyrgyzstan, as well as introduce a full ban on transit of goods being "under embargo."
The government of Ukraine on July 4 announced the intention to immediately introduce countermeasures against Russia's strengthening trade war, but has only extended the response embargo on some Russian goods until the end of 2017.
Representatives of National Nuclear Generating Company Energoatom have discussed a possibility of cooperation in infrastructure and engineering projects with Spain's IDOM Ingenieria, the company's press service has reported.
The press service said that special attention was paid to IDOM projects implemented in the nuclear and energy sector: stress tests at all Spanish nuclear power plants (NPPs), construction of spent nuclear fuel storage facilities, introduction of the filtering venting system and simulation of serious reactor accidents.
The Energoatom's representatives presented information on the state of the implementation of the comprehensive program to increase safety of reactors of Ukrainian NPPs, a plan to build the centralized spent nuclear fuel storage facility and a list of investment projects to Spanish colleagues.
"At the meeting the sides agreed to look to promising directions for cooperation and the possible use of IDOM Ingenieria's experience in the Energoatom's future projects," the company said.
IDOM Ingenieria is a leading engineering company in Spain in the nuclear sector.
Energoatom is the operator of all four Ukrainian-based operating nuclear power plants, which have 15 VVER reactors with an overall generating capacity of 13.835 gigawatts.
On Tuesday, July 12, at 12.00, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference entitled "Energy Efficiency: How Does the State Help People?" Participating will be Chairman of State Agency for Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving Serhiy Savchuk, Manager of the IFC Ukraine Residential Energy Efficiency Project Sophia Lynn, Director of the USAID Municipal Energy Reform Project in Ukraine Diana Korsakaite, Coordinator of Housing and Utility Programs of Opora Civil Network Tetiana Boiko, Lutsk Mayor Mykola Romaniuk, Chairman of the Ukrainian Association of Energy Auditors Andriy Tsybulko, Board Chairman of the Council of the heads of condominiums of Lutsk town Roman Bondaruk, Board Chairman of Alma Centre condominiums (Kharkiv city) Yulia Samoilova, Board Chairman of Berehynia condominiums (Lviv city) Oleksandra Slobodian. Results of the national study entitled "Efficiency of State Support in the Implementation of Energy Efficiency Measures in the Condominiums" conducted by the State Energy Efficiency jointly with IFC and USAID; successful examples of winterization of multi-storeyed buildings with the state support and reduce of expenses on utility services for residents will be presented (8/5a Reitarska Street). Admission requires press accreditation until 1000 on July 12 by phone: (044) 590 5965, (096) 906 8595, e-mail: mailto:saeepressa@gmail.com
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said that the roadmap for the Minsk agreements implementation should include steps to ensure security in Donbas and an unlimited access for members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Special Monitoring Mission (OSCE SMM).
"The logic of the 'roadmap' that we want to create together is in the need to clearly identify the sequence of steps, and primarily, the sequence of steps toward security. They [the steps] are about both the ceasefire, and, first of all, withdrawal of the Russian troops. And of course, [about] a permission for the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to effectively monitor the territory of Donbas," Klimkin told a press conference in Kyiv on Monday.
The roadmap should also stipulate for access enjoyed by the OSCE SMM to the segment of the Ukrainian state border with Russia that is not controlled by Ukrainian forces, he said.
Prior to that, Klimkin told a briefing that he had discussed the format and the subject-matter of the roadmap for implementation of the Minsk Agreements with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has noted the need for the abolition of roaming charges when visiting European Union countries for Ukrainians.
"Today we've discussed a lot of interesting questions such as how to support small and medium enterprises, how to cancel roaming rates, which take a lot of money when our people travel to the European Union," Klimkin told reporters in Kyiv, referring to talks with European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, who is on visit in Kyiv.
According to the Ukrainian minister, there is also the need to develop transport infrastructure in Ukraine, including the issue of its rapprochement with the EU's infrastructure.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman at a meeting with the members of the U.S. mission to assess the need for the Ukrainian customs service reform in Kyiv have discussed recommendations for the reform and a plan of further cooperation.
The press service of the Ukrainian government said Groysman's meeting with the delegation of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service was the second one since the beginning of the mission's work to assess the needs in Ukraine on June 29 and was held to mark the end of its work.
"Your professional unbiased opinion is important for me. We want to change the customs service and do this as best as possible, therefore your experience is extremely important for us," the premier said.
He called on the American experts to develop recommendations on the reform of the Ukrainian customs as soon as possible.
He expressed hope the plan for short, medium and long-term actions will be quickly drawn up and the government will be able to move to its implementation.
European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn at a meeting with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has assured the president the European Union would further support reforms in Ukraine, the presidential press service has said.
"The commissioner assured that the European Union will continue to support Ukraine with all available means on the way of implementation of internal reforms," a statement reads.
During the meeting the parties discussed the situation in Donbas and the implementation of the Minsk agreements.
"It was confirmed that to effectively promote the political process of settlement in Donbas the key condition is a full ceasefire by Russian fighters and the implementation of other security measures within the Minsk accords," reads the report.
Hahn confirmed the immutability of the EU policy regarding non-recognition of the Russian occupation of Crimea.
Poroshenko stressed the positive dynamics in realization of the reforms confirms Ukraine's commitment and readiness to go through changes despite external challenges.
"The liberalization of the visa regime and the completion of the process of entry into force of the Association Agreement with the EU will not only become the recognition of the results achieved by Ukraine but also the success story of the European Union and the answer to Euro-skeptical challenges," Poroshenko said.
The United States and Great Britain are suffering through an upsurge of hateful slights and slurs aimed at others people with dark skin or foreign accents or strange clothes. And there is a clear cause behind the episodes in both countries. Call it the Trump Brexit Effect.
Politicians on both sides of the Atlantic have given permission for this sort of despicable behavior.
Donald Trump says hell Make America Great Again, but he really wants his supporters to hear that hell Make America White Again. His code words arent even subtle: build the wall, block the Mexicans, bar the Muslims, boot the immigrants.
In Great Britain, the victorious Leave campaigners had their own set of signals. Instead of building walls, they want to demolish the bridges that have connected the U.K. to Europe since the end of World War II.
The message in both places is the same: Its all right to hate. Cut off the world. Keep out the others. Return to a time when white Christians, especially white Christian men, ran everything.
In describing the Brexit vote to the Huffington Post, Paul Bagguley of the Centre for Ethnicity and Racism Studies at Leeds University could have easily been referring to the Trump campaign, too:
I think thats given people a sense at which they can express racist ideas and do things they frankly wouldnt do, said Bagguley. It legitimizes people saying things they might keep private, or just between friends and people they trusted.
I dont think weve quite seen that before, he added. I think this is more of a kind of celebratory racism. As if its in celebration that white England has finally got something.
The latest example of celebratory racism here in the U.S. was the Trump campaign tweeting out a red Star of David, layered over a pile of $100 bills and positioned next to a picture of Hillary Clinton, who was labeled Most Corrupt Candidate Ever!
The Trumpists insist the image was benign, but they removed it two hours later; investigative reporters traced its origins to an Internet-based movement associated with white nationalism, reported The New York Times.
Erick Erickson, a prominent conservative commentator, skewered Trumps attempts to duck responsibility: A Star of David, a pile of cash, and suggestions of corruption. Donald Trump again plays to the white supremacists.
The key word is again. Trump has repeatedly played the race card to stir up supporters, going back to the days when he led the birther movement that questioned Barack Obamas credentials to be president.
Racist incidents also are on the rise in Great Britain. Conservative British politician Sayeeda Warsi told Sky News that human rights activists have told her really disturbing (stories) from people being stopped in the street and saying, look, we voted Leave. Its time for you to leave.
All of a sudden, a small group of extremists feel empowered, Joanna Ciechanowska, an activist in Londons large Polish community, told The Guardian. The margins of society feel they can do it because they think they have the support of half the nation.
Leaders in both countries must show that the haters are wrong. They should follow the example of David Cameron, who vigorously denounced the verbal abuse.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!
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Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau had an informal meeting with representatives of business circles of both countries, the PR department of the Cabinet of Ministers Secretariat has said.
Groysman expressed hope Ukraine and Canada will always be strategic partners.
"I believe that Ukraine and Canada will open new opportunities of trade and economic cooperation and will always be strategic partners that trust each other, support and understand each other," the Ukrainian premier said.
Groysman stressed the importance of consistent support on the part of Canada for Ukraine in a difficult period for the country and thanked Trudeau for Canada's strong support for Ukraine's sovereignty in the international arena and in promoting reforms.
"Ukraine and Canada have a significant potential in development of cooperation, in particular in the economic sector. An important step in the unification of the countries was made after the signing of a free trade area agreement between Ukraine and Canada," Groysman said.
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Ronald Reagans last letter to the American people, penned with his own hand in November, 1994, went directly to the point:
My fellow Americans, I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be afflicted with Alzheimers disease.
In this deeply poignant moment, the former president explained that he decided to share his diagnosis to promote greater awareness of this condition, with the hope that doing so would encourage a clear understanding of the individuals and families who are affected by it.
More than twenty years later, it should be safe to assume that most adults are aware of what Alzheimers disease is. With more than five million affected Americans, it is not uncommon to have a family member or know of someone suffering from the disease. The numbers will only continue to grow as the population ages. It is estimated that in the U.S., people aged 65 and older will reach more than 88 million in 2050, 19 million of whom will be at least 85 years old. This amounts to about 20 percent of the population, with each one requiring one to four family members serving as caregivers. This trend is mirrored in other nations, and the elderly are now the fastest growing group in many countries.Not every old person will develop Alzheimers disease, of course, but the risk increases with advancing age.
With such an ominous outlook, the situation becomes more disturbing given research findings showing that Alzheimers disease remains an underdiagnosed condition. Alzheimers Disease International published a report in 2011 that estimated over 70 percent of people with dementia remained undiagnosed. A paper from Johns Hopkins published this month in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society analyzed data on over 7000 older Americans and found that individuals who probably have dementia but have not been formally diagnosed are twice as likely to engage in potentially dangerous activities. These elderly folk are at risk from harm just by performing everyday tasks such as cooking, driving, or taking their medications. Delayed or missed diagnoses also means a delay in starting treatment, increased costs, as well as greater burdens on caregivers.
If Alzheimers disease is a rapidly worsening health crisis, why is it not being diagnosed earlier? There are, as it turns out, many reasons. Dr. Halima Amjad was the leader of the study from Johns Hopkins that looked into the increased risks in people with dementia but had not been formally diagnosed. I asked Dr. Amjad about the apparent reluctance in diagnosing dementia.
The reluctance is multi-faceted, she said.
It occurs on many levels. The patient may not recognize the disease, or have poor insight and fear about the disease. They may also fear the loss of independence.
She also said that the family may be in denial, or consider the changes to be part of normal aging. Physicians play a role as well. Perhaps doctors are reluctant, she speculated, because Alzheimers disease is a condition that cannot be cured. It is a difficult topic to discuss with patients and their families, and the physicians may not have enough time in a typical office visit to address the issue.
An article published in 2009 examined the factors that caused missed and delayed dementia diagnosis in primary care settings. The authors learned that physician, patient, and caregiver factors all contributed to the problem. Interestingly, one of the physician factors listed was the concern of the stigmatizing consequences of diagnosis. Physicians were also doubtful of the utility of early diagnosis, given the lack of effective treatments. The same report cites patient and caregiver attitudes as affecting diagnosis. It mentioned studies showing a lack of awareness about dementia, as well as patients and caregivers who deny or prefer not to be informed of the condition. Poor communication between physicians, patients, and caregivers, time constraints, and a lack of information about available resources also hamper timely diagnosis.
One of the more intriguing effects of rendering a diagnosis of dementia is the impact on a patients identity. Frances Bunn and her colleagues reported their findings in a 2012 article in PLoS Medicine. They found that there was a profound effect on a patients sense of identity, as if they were transforming into a different person. In a very real way, this is in fact what happens, and the inevitability of it all is overwhelming for both patient and family. The authors explained that a desire to preserve a pre-dementia identity sometimes led to people being reluctant to disclose their diagnosis. On a more positive tone, they also found data showing that patients and caregivers eventually came to accept the diagnosis.
When Reagan concluded his letter by writing the now famous, I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life, he was acknowledging his own irreversible transformation; the same immutable affliction that more than five million Americans are experiencing today.
Margaret Thatcher, delivering the eulogy for Reagan, and herself suffering from Alzheimers disease, said of her friend, For the final years of his life, Ronnies mind was clouded by illness. That cloud has now been lifted. He is himself again, more himself that at any time on this Earth
The crux of our reluctance to accept this diagnosis stems from a human aversion to loss and change, witnessing loved ones suffer, or worse, knowing that loved ones will suffer because of us. It stems from uneasiness with long goodbyes.
While its true that there is no current cure for Alzheimers disease, early diagnosis can still provide tangible benefits. Early stages may still be amenable to pharmacologic treatment, if only to delay, albeit temporarily, progression of the disease. Other causes of memory loss, some possibly reversible, could be detected and treated. Learning about the disease early in its course will also allow patients and caregivers to better prepare for future needs, and more importantly, for the patient to still have a greater role in decision-making about his or her health care plans. This may in turn ultimately reduce the burden and suffering of the patient, as well the caregivers who are left behind.
Rod Tanchanco is an internal medicine physician and a writer. He blogs at rodtmd and can be reached on Twitter @rodtmd.
Image credit: Shutterstock.com
NATO expects decision on status from Ukraine, Rada should do part of work - Burbak
The People's Front faction in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine sees the strategy of Ukrainian independence in early accession to NATO, leader of the faction Maksym Burbak has said in parliament.
"The Warsaw summit showed our country has many influential friends in the West. The alliance gave a clear signal that they expect us to be ready and decide on Ukraine's status," he said.
The MP said Ukrainian authorities, including the parliament, should do their part of work, "which is in the systemic and rapid reforming of the country's defense capability, and to do this on a daily basis in the parliament session hall."
The parliamentarian said defense sector reform and rearmament of the Armed Forces require financial support from the state.
"We need stable defense spending levels like we had for two years when Arseniy Yatseniuk was the prime minister," Burbak said.
Finance Minister of Ukraine Oleksandr Danyliuk has said that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) insists on lifting the moratorium on repossessing property of debtors of the national gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy.
"Unfortunately, we haven't adopted all laws we would like to have, and a law was passed that the IMF will demand to veto. The law imposes to a moratorium on reimbursement to Naftogaz," the minister told journalists in Kyiv on Tuesday.
Danyliuk said that this law conflicts with the agreements with the IMF.
"This is a very bad signal ahead of the meeting of the Board of Directors [of the IMF]. We are trying to settle the matter as quickly as possible," Danyliuk said.
According to him, the Verkhovna Rada has not passed a number of important laws necessary for cooperation with the IMF.
"We have not passed the law on single-level appeal (a one-level system for hearing claims of taxpayers). It has been passed only in first reading," the minister said.
It was a heated morning with local veterans and county commissioners, as they spoke out against the sale of the property that was supposed to be used as the veterans museum.
During Commissioners Court, veterans spoke out about the property on Grant Street. They claim the property was already assigned as a museum, despite other veterans oppositions.
"That was the intention from the beginning," says local veteran Richard Geissler. "I don't know how it got so political, dirty under the table. The place was to honor our veterans, and everybody is talking about 'Oh we'll build it here or there,' and it takes millions and millions."
KGNS will have more information in our later newscasts.
Former Kyiv Mayor Leonid Chernovetsky said Spanish law enforcement agencies did not detain his son Stepan Chernovetsky, he is staying at home and is answering police questions related to another person.
"In the morning today, I learnt the news from the press that my son had allegedly been detained in Spain on suspicion of money laundering! Horrible news blown out of proportion by Spanish journalists! But I say with responsibility that my son had never been engaged in any undertakings, even those verging on crimes," Chernovetsky wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.
"It was unnecessary for him, because he has a lot of money in his accounts, which he had honestly earned from the sale of a bank in Ukraine! He is an honest person! And exclusively law-abiding!" he said.
He said that his son had not been detained and had been staying at his home in Barcelona, and had been answering questions from police about the details related to "a certain person". "If they wanted to detain him, he would have been detained already long ago. It is next to nothing to detain a person in Spain," Chernovetsky said.
Besides, he expressed confidence that the Spanish police would apologize to his son already in the course of the day. "As the police have officially announced about him in the press, my family will not leave it [unaddressed] to them so easily. We will file serious legal claims to the Barcelona police for the reports defaming my son," Chernovetsky said.
On Wednesday, July 13, he or his son will issue a new statement regarding this situation, Chernovetsky also said.
Spain's El Mundo has earlier reported about the detention in Barcelona of eleven people, including Stepan Chernovetsky, who are accused of involvement in the activity of a criminal organization, money laundering, falsification of official documents and illegal tax schemes.
El Pais reported that the son of the former mayor and other persons "have laundered" nearly EUR 10 million. Stepan Chernovetsky and his accomplices have bought companies in Spain in order to launder the funds, which are located in other countries, mainly Cyprus and the Virgin Islands. Besides, the son of the former Kyiv mayor was detained not in Barcelona, but in an elite sea resort town of Costa Brava, the edition said. The media outlet reported that the criminal organization had consisted of people, who are "mainly Ukrainian natives."
XKilkenny will know this Friday whether its bid with Waterford and Wexford to host the European Capital of Culture 2020 (ECOC) has been a success or not.
The region has been abuzz with excitement and putting in place final preparations ahead of the ECOC selection panel's arrival. Two panellists, Sylvia Amann from Austria and Christina Farinha from Portugal, touch down in the region tomorrow (Wednesday).
They are embarking on a one-day visit incorporating the cultural highlights of Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford. Three Sisters is urging everyone to come out on the streets to show their support for the event, and give a cheer as the panel and the bid team walk by.
The panellists visit will be action-packed, beginning with a tour of Wexford National Opera House. There will be visits to Waterford City Hall, Spraoi International Street Arts Festival workshop and Kilkenny Collective for Arts Talent at Callan, along with a range of other site visits and activities.
The day will finish at Kilkenny National Craft Gallery with the Presentation Girls School Kilkenny choir performing a farewell recital.
Across the region, businesses and retailers have also been preparing for the visit, by bringing a little bit of Europe to the region with eye-catching window displays. Cultural champions, including star jockey Davy Mullins, Waterford playwright Jim Nolan and Wexford potter Mairead Stafford, each directed window displays at Kilkenny Design Centre, Fitzgerald Menswear Waterford and The Book Centre, Wexford respectively. Several other businesses have also participated in the initiative.
The Three Sisters bid (Waterford, Kilkenny and Wexford) is competing against Galway and Limerick for the title. Either way, we will know who the winner is this Friday.
Bid director Michael Quinn is encouraging the public to actively support the bid as the panellists arrive.
In these last few days, the publics support on social media is crucial, he said.
We have seen an outpouring of support so far and we are hugely grateful for this. As the final countdown gathers pace, I would urge everyone who wants to see Three Sisters host the 2020 European Capital of Culture to like and share our posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and encourage friends and family to take action on social media also.
With the publics support, I am confident we can secure the ECoC title.
Ukraine's Finance Minister Oleksandr Danyliuk has said that the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have almost finished.
"We have virtually completed the talks with the IMF. We are finally done with it. At the moment the matter of the Board (IMF Board meeting, where a decision on the provision of another tranche of assistance to Ukraine is likely to be taken) remains," Danyliuk said in Kyiv on Tuesday.
At present, Ukraine is still not on the agenda of the IMF Board meeting scheduled for July 20.
First Majestic Silver Corp. (TSX: FR; NYSE: AG) reports second-quarter output at its six operating silver mines in Mexico reached 4.7 million silver-equivalent ounces, representing a 23% increase compared to the same quarter in 2015. Total production consisted of 2.8 million ounces of silver, 16,371 ounces of gold, 8.8 million pounds of lead and 3.8 million pounds of zinc. "We delivered a solid second quarter with total production coming in line with our guidance," says Keith Neumeyer, president and chief executive officer. He cites grade and recovery increases at Del Toro following improvements in dilution control and the implementation of a flash-flotation approach within the processing plant. "In addition, the La Encantada plant resumed normal operations in early May following mechanical modifications to the crushing and grinding areas," the CEO says. "These modifications required a temporary mechanical delay, which resulted in lower milling rates throughout most of April. At Santa Elena, the operation continues to exceed our production expectations largely in part due to the continued success in mill optimization. As a result, metallurgical recoveries of silver at Santa Elena achieved a new quarterly record of 89% during the second quarter."
By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com
Endeavour Reports Fatal Accident At Mine In Mali
Endeavour Mining Corp. (TSX: EDV) reports a fatal accident occurred at its Tabakoto Mine in Mali. An employee fell into a slot raise while working in the underground mine on Friday and died in a Bamako hospital Saturday. Local authorities in Mali have been notified and have launched an investigation, and Endeavour says it is cooperating plus conducting its own probe to determine the cause of the accident. "We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss and our sympathies and thoughts at this time are with the individual's family, friends and colleagues," says Sebastien de Montessus, chief executive officer of Endeavour.
By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com
Banro Posts Record Production In Second Quarter
Banro Corp. (TSX, NYSE MKT: BAA) says the Twangiza and Namoya mines produced a combined 49,673 ounces of gold during the second quarter for a year-to-date total of 93,865. Both figures represent record production levels for the company, Banro says. Gold production in the first half of 2016 is in line with 2016 production guidance, with the second half expected to deliver the bulk of annual production, Banro adds. Twangiza produced 26,218 ounces of gold in the second quarter, while Namoya produced 23,455 ounces, including a record 9,201 ounces in June. "We are very pleased with the continued ramp-up at Namoya during the second quarter, culminating in over 9,000 ounces of gold being poured in June. This positions the Namoya operation for steady state production during the second half of the year," says John Clarke, Banro president and chief executive officer.
By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com
Richmont Reports 24% Jump In 2Q Output At Island Gold Mine
Richmont Mines Inc. (TSX, NYSE: RIC) reports a 24% increase year-on-year to 18,617 ounces of gold in the second quarter at its Island Gold Mine. Consolidated output of 23,320 ounces of gold was down 11% mainly due to depletion of the Monique stockpile earlier this year, the company says. The company reports costs were below guidance. "The Island Gold Mine has delivered another solid quarter with record productivity from both the underground mine and the mill facility, and we remain well positioned to achieve the upper end of production guidance and the lower end of our cost guidance," says Renaud Adams, chief executive officer. He later adds, "At the Beaufor Mine, we expect that stope mining will begin in the higher-grade Q Zone in the third quarter and we remain confident that this asset will be net free cash flow positive for the full year. With our strong cash position and growing cash flow stream, we are well positioned to fully fund the accelerated development program and the Phase 2 exploration program at our cornerstone Island Gold Mine."
By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com
CEO: Klondex Mines Posts Record Production In Second Quarter
Klondex Mines Ltd. (TSX: KDX) posted record output in the second quarter, says its top executive. The company reports production at its Fire Creek and Midas mines totaled 41,436 gold-equivalent ounces (GEOs), rising year-on-year due to an increase in tonnes mined and milled. Gold output was 35,821 ounces, while silver production was 403,212. "We achieved record GEO production for the company in the second quarter and are on our way to accomplish our goal of filling the Midas mill," says Paul Huet, president and chief executive officer. "We are well positioned to meet our production guidance for the year as we expect our mining rates and mill head grades to be consistent with the second-quarter results, or even improve slightly, according to our mine plans." The company reiterates its 2016 guidance of 145,000 to 150,000 GEOs, which is split approximately 45%-50% in the first half and 50%-55% in the second half.
By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com
Jaguar Mining Second-Quarter Gold Output Rises 17% Year-On-Year
Jaguar Mining Inc.'s (TSXV: JAG) consolidated gold production in the second quarter increased 17% year-on-year to 24,222 ounces, the company says. Turmalina's production increased 45% to 15,083 ounces. "In the first half of 2016 we have accomplished our quarterly production targets and are on track to achieve our full-year guidance of 90,000 (to) 95,000 ounces of gold production," says Rodney Lamond, president and chief executive officer .
By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com
Fortuna 2Q Silver Output Down Year-On-Year But Gold Output Rises
Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. (NYSE: FSM; TSX: FVI) reports second-quarter production from its two operating mines in Latin America -- the San Jose Mine in Mexico and the Caylloma Mine in Peru totaled 1,553,217 ounces of silver and 9,365 ounces of gold. Silver output was down 7% year on-year while gold output was up 4%. The company also produces base metal by-products, with lead and zinc output up sharply year-on-year. Fortuna's production guidance for 2016 is 7 million ounces of silver and 42,800 ounces of gold, or 9.6 million silver-equivalent ounces.
By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com
The state Department of Transportation tweeted this image of the Hood Canal bridge Sunday showing how the west half of it was stuck open for about seven hours. It reopened to traffic about 3 p.m. Sunday.
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By Ed Friedrich of the Kitsap Sun
SHINE Residents answered a seven-hour Hood Canal bridge closure Sunday with ingenuity and perseverance.
Many, uncertain when they'd get across the water, drove a couple of extra hours around the southern end of the 60-mile-long waterway. Others waited it out, expecting the span to be repaired at some point. A Port Ludlow pastor who got stuck on the Kitsap side turned to technology to deliver his sermon.
A malfunctioning hydraulic lift caused a lift span to rise unevenly when the bridge was opened at 8 a.m. to let a boat through. It got so cockeyed it had to be lowered manually a time-consuming process.
The closure undermined one of few alternatives to the bridge. Crew members couldn't reach Port Townsend to staff the ferry Chetzemoka for its first sailing at 10:15 a.m., limiting service to Whidbey Island to one boat.
"Our crews couldn't get to work," Washington State Ferries spokesman Ian Sterling said. "They were stuck on the wrong side of the bridge. We didn't know how long the bridge was going to be out, so we informed everybody, including the later shifts, to drive around."
They made it to the dock in time for the 1:15 p.m. sailing.
Pastor Ron McClung also was stuck. He was scheduled to deliver the gospel at 10 a.m. in Port Ludlow. Problem was, he was at home on the Kitsap side.
He had the printed bulletins with him. The church typically puts bulletin information on a screen during services. Parishioners at Peace Lutheran Fellowship handled the projections, and another minister presided over the service.
Coincidentally, McClung had opened a live video account last week with the intent of filming sermons for out-of-towners to watch. He hustled Sunday to set it up and "when it came time in the service for sermon, it projected me up on the screen," he said. "It worked just great."
Port Gamble, a short distance from the closed bridge, was a tale of two cities. People with nothing to do flooded businesses, but the theater had to cancel its play.
"It was crazy from what I heard," Port Gamble General Store employee Chris Zantek said. "It was quite hectic, thanks to the bridge closure. We were absolutely packed. Two of the busiest days this summer were the Fourth of July and (Sunday)."
Managers called Zantek to come in and help because some workers couldn't get across from Jefferson County.
Across the street from the store, at the Port Gamble Theater, the sold-out 2 p.m. matinee of "Robin Hood" was canceled.
"We canceled it at 1:30 because four of my principal actors live on the other side of the canal," artistic director Scott Snively said.
Many patrons already were at the theater and were offered tickets to another performance, including one that will be added July 23.
"We took a bad situation and figured out how to work through it," Snively said. "We just made lemonade."
Terri Babcock, of Seabeck, had planned to drive to Sequim with her mother and husband to meet an aunt and uncle who were visiting from Idaho. They didn't let a closed bridge stop them.
"We got a beautiful drive all down the canal, and stopped in Hoodsport for delicious ice cream," she said. "We played 'Foodie Frenzy' all the way and learned such things as cheap wine tastes just as good as good wine when it's chilled to exactly 42 degrees. Sang to the radio. Eventually got to Sequim. Had a great visit and by then the bridge was open for a quick drive home. It's all in the attitude."
The bridge reopened just before 3 p.m., about seven hours after it closed.
The state Department of Transportation determined that the closure resulted from human error. The bridge has six lift spans three on each side that raise and lower when the bridge is opened and closed. They have a hydraulic lift at each of their four corners. During preventive maintenance, a valve on one of the hydraulic lifts on the span nearest Jefferson County was left partially closed. It didn't deliver enough hydraulic fluid Sunday to keep up with the other three lifts, and the deck got stuck at an angle.
"Our crews take great pride in their maintenance of the Hood Canal bridge," said an apologetic Troy Cowan, state Department of Transportation Olympic Region assistant regional administrator of maintenance and operations. "This mistake is a humbling reminder of how important their work is, and how important it is for them to be focused and diligent at all times."
As a result of the incident, policies for opening the lift span will be revised to include more quality assurance checks and additional test openings of the span after specific maintenance procedures, he said.
SHARE Rebekah Moani Daniel (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO) Victoria Daniel, 3, is being raised by her father, Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Walter Daniel, following the death of her mother and his wife, Navy Lt. Moani Daniel, at Naval Hospital Bremerton, Washington, while she was in labor. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
By Patricia Kime, Military Times USA TODAY NETWORK
BREMERTON Rebekah Moani Daniel arrived March 8, 2014, at Naval Hospital Bremerton with husband Walter to bring the couple's new baby into the world. And at 3:38 p.m. the following day, she did just that, giving birth to a healthy daughter, Victoria, in what seemed to be a nearly textbook delivery.
Within four hours, the 33-year-old Navy lieutenant was dead, never having held her newborn child.
A labor and delivery nurse at Bremerton, Daniel was surrounded by trusted co-workers, so when she began bleeding profusely, her cadre jumped to, immediately administering drugs to stanch the flow.
But the postpartum hemorrhaging didn't ebb. And from there, the response devolved. According to court documents, stronger drugs were administered but failed. A balloon device that could have halted the bleeding was employed too late. Within two hours of giving birth, Daniel had lost about 1 quarts of blood three times the average during birth and about one-third the body's volume.
An obstetrician called in to take the case from the delivery doctor a family practitioner waited to order a blood transfusion; court documents said the potentially lifesaving measure was ordered nearly 90 minutes after the standard recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
By the time Daniel received the transfusion, her heart rate had become erratic and bodily systems were shutting down. At some point, the team began CPR. It didn't work.
"Who dies of blood loss in childbirth nowadays in the United States?" Daniel's grieving husband, Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Walter Daniel, asked. "This is called a 'never event' in the medical world. It's not supposed to happen."
Statistics show that two to three women die each day in the United States from postpartum hemorrhage, and cases in civilian hospitals routinely result in wrongful death lawsuits.
But because Daniel was active duty, her family is barred from taking legal action by the Feres doctrine, the ruling that keeps troops from suing the government for injuries deemed incidental to military service.
Many believe the Feres doctrine, the result of a U.S. Supreme Court decision handed down in 1950, applies correctly to cases involving troops in combat, training and other activities that are part of military service. But critics say it wrongfully protects military hospitals and medical staff from malpractice claims.
Richard Custin, an attorney who teaches legal ethics and business law at the University of San Diego and opposes the application of Feres in medical malpractice, said the ruling should be addressed because it unfairly discriminates against military personnel, essentially stripping them, often unknowingly, of a civil right.
"The Supreme Court needs to go back and revisit Feres," Custin said. "Under Feres, the government can't be sued for injuries that are 'incident to service.' 'Incident to service' is a soldier charging a hill who gets injured and then questions the order. But babies? Birth injuries? That's not incident to service. Having your appendix rupture. That's not incident to service."
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Jonathan Woodson told Military Times that service members give up certain rights when they serve and allowing troops to sue for injuries on duty could create "chaos."
"This doesn't deprive people of a venue for addressing their complaints we have a fairly robust disability compensation system, so there is a way to compensate people for medical issues that might arise or occupational issues that might cause injury," Woodson said.
Troops and family members say, however, that in some cases, the government compensation system isn't enough.
Walter Daniel and attorney Andrew Hoyal believe Rebekah Daniel's case might be the one that prompts the justices to reconsider the doctrine.
"Accountability. That's what lawsuits of this kind are about," Hoyal said. "You have to have some sort of accountability, and right now, military doctors aren't held accountable for their mistakes."
The odds of the court accepting the Daniel case are slim, with roughly 10,000 petitions filed each year and the justices accepting between 75 to 80 cases.
But perhaps the circumstances of the case, which resulted in a service member's death, will prompt a review, Walter Daniel said.
"If my wife had been a civilian, we would have had a really strong case," he said.
In the past decade, the justices have refused to hear at least two Feres cases, including one filed by the family of Air Force Staff Sgt. Dean Witt, who died in 2003 after suffering irreversible brain damage after what was supposed to be a routine appendectomy.
When Witt stopped breathing following surgery at Travis Air Force Base, California, medical personnel gave him the wrong medicine and then tried to revive him using equipment designed for a small child. He languished in a coma for three months before he died. He was 25.
In another case, the husband of Army Spc. January Ritchie sued the Army over the death of his son in 2006. His wife's command at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, ignored a physician's recommendation she be placed on light duty and as a result, she went into premature labor after participating in grounds cleanup and "battle-focused physical training."
Infant Gregory Ritchie was born Aug. 26, 2006, 23 weeks into his mother's pregnancy. He lived 30 minutes.
In a case filed by the baby's father, Ritchie v. the United States, the lower court ruled in favor of the Army, as did the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, citing Feres. The Ritchies appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, but the justices declined to hear the case.
The last decision issued by the U.S. Supreme Court on Feres came in 1987, when the justices overturned an appeals court decision in a 5-4 ruling on a suit brought by the wife of a Coast Guard pilot against the Federal Aviation Administration.
Lt. Cmdr. Horton Johnson was flying a rescue mission in a heavy storm off Hawaii in 1982 when his HH-52 Seaguard helicopter slammed into the side of a mountain. Low visibility prompted Johnson to ask the FAA for radar guidance just minutes before the helicopter crashed. Johnson's wife sued, saying the FAA negligently caused her husband's death, but she lost.
Writing for the dissent, Justice Antonin Scalia suggested that Feres should be reconsidered: "Feres was wrongly decided and heartily deserves the widespread, almost universal criticism it has received."
Yet despite other opinions that indicate Justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Clarence Thomas also believe Feres should be reviewed, the court has remained mum.
In the 1950 Feres decision, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the Federal Tort Claims Act, the law that allows citizens to sue the government for wrongs done by federal employees or agencies, does not apply to military members.
The Feres decision actually resulted from three separate cases under the FTCA, including one filed by the widow of Lt. Rudolph Feres, who sued the Army for negligence after her husband died in a barracks fire caused by a faulty heating system.
The Supreme Court ruled the government is not liable for injuries sustained on active duty or resulting from the negligence of others in the armed forces, adding that the ruling was needed to ensure that Congress was not "burdened with private bills on behalf of military and naval personnel."
The court reasoned that a "comprehensive system of relief," including disability payments from the Veterans Affairs Department and compensation," has been established to care for injured individuals.
When a military service member dies on active duty, spouses can receive a $400,000 Servicemembers Group Life Insurance payment, health care, a monthly stipend of at least $1,154 under Dependency and Indemnity Compensation or more if they have children, and, for post 9/11 troops, a full scholarship for 36 months of school.
Their children also are eligible for scholarships and Social Security payments.
Walter Daniel has filed a lawsuit seeking millions for the death of his wife. But he says the fight is not about money.
A 2014 military health system review found that military hospitals and clinics largely provide health care on par with the private sector. But the investigation also found disparities in care, with eight of 17 hospitals reviewed having higher-than-acceptable surgical complication rates and worse-than-expected mortality rates at four major medical centers.
From 2010 to 2015, Navy hospitals saw 355 claims filed against them, resulting in 97 lawsuits; the Army had 1,277 claims, including 157 lawsuits, while the Air Force had 479 claims.
Attorney Jamal Alsaffar said Feres actually hurts the quality of military medical care because it shields physicians from lawsuits that would hold them accountable for their mistakes.
He added that extending it now to include babies born of military mothers is patently unfair.
"'Injustice' doesn't cover it. It's cruel," Alsaffar said.
Walter Daniel now lives near San Francisco where he is raising his daughter alone. He said his wife's death has affected his career, as he no longer is able to accept assignments that would take him away from his child. He added he is waiting for the results of any investigation by the hospital, which blamed Daniel's death on a rare condition called an amniotic fluid embolism that Daniel said his wife didn't have.
He also is still waiting for an apology.
"Military families place their trust and confidence in these doctors. They should be held accountable," he said.
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By Chris Henry, chenry@kitsapsun.com
PORT ORCHARD The city's development department is floating a proposal to offer developers property tax exemptions for certain multifamily housing projects.
The provision, allowed under RCW 84.14, is meant to stimulate development and provide affordable housing, especially in depressed areas of Port Orchard, including downtown and Mile Hill Drive, Mayor Rob Putaansuu said.
"We have some areas of our town that need help to create some activity," he said. "I think we need to put some incentives in place to encourage development in those areas."
The Port Orchard City Council will hold a public hearing on the proposal at 7 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 216 Prospect St.
Bremerton is the only city on the Kitsap Peninsula that has a multifamily property tax exemption. Bainbridge Island might consider the exemption during its upcoming comprehensive plan update, spokeswoman Kellie Stickney said.
If Port Orchard's council approves the code change, developers would get a temporary delay in value-based property tax increases for new, renovated or converted housing projects of at least 10 units within certain areas of the city.
The value of improvements would be exempted from property taxes for either eight or 12 years. Only property owners who commit to selling or renting at least 20 percent of units at prices accessible to low- or moderate-income households would be eligible for the 12-year exemption.
The exemption does not apply to the value of land, existing improvements or nonresidential improvements. Property taxes on these assets would remain in place during the exemption period.
Areas of eligibility identified in the proposal include much of Bay Street, most of Bethel Avenue and parts of Mile Hill Drive, including the old Kmart shopping center.
The vacant Kmart building is a prime example of property ripe for redevelopment under the tax exemption provision, said Putaansuu, who campaigned in November on a platform of revitalizing the city by courting development.
Adopting the exemption would make Port Orchard more competitive in attracting development within the region, said Mike Eliason, of the Kitsap County Association of Realtors, in a letter to the city.
Both Tacoma and Seattle offer the tax incentive.
Bremerton established its multifamily tax incentive in 2006, and through amendments in 2007, 2010, 2014 and 2016 expanded areas of eligibility to all urban centers identified in the city's comprehensive plan. These include downtown, the Wheaton-Riddell district, Wheaton-Sheridan district, Eastside Employment Center, the Charleston District and the Bay Vista Center.
Four projects in Bremerton have been granted the tax exemption: the 606 apartments (71 units, completed), Evergreen Pointe (109 units proposed, tax exemption conditionally approved), Spyglass Hill (80 units, under construction) and Inhabit Burwell (48 units proposed, tax exemption conditionally approved). All but Spyglass have the 12-year exemption for affordable housing, the need for which has increased sharply throughout Western Washington since the economy's rebound.
Kelli Lambert, the Bremerton planner in charge of the tax-exemption program, has heard from developers who say their projects wouldn't "pencil out" without the tax break.
The fiscal impact of the program to the city is hard to quantify, according to a staff report to the City Council in May, when the most recent expansion was proposed. Although property tax revenue is lost, other sources, such as sales and real estate excise taxes, might balance the reduction. Then there's the tangible and intangible value of drawing more residents to urban cores, with the potential to increase spending at local businesses.
Bremerton's share of property taxes is small compared to the portion going to Kitsap County, the memo notes. And once the exemption expires, the improved housing likely is to remain for several decades.
Under Bremerton's ordinance, renovation projects that qualify for the property tax exemption must not displace tenants. Mixed-use projects retail and residential are eligible in Bremerton if at least 50 percent of the area is devoted to living space.
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By Arla Shephard Bull, Special to the Kitsap Sun
Mason County voters could have the opportunity in November to form a metropolitan parks district that would collect taxes dedicated solely for parks and recreational facilities.
The Mason County commissioners will take comments about putting a parks initiative on the November ballot during a public hearing at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
The county does not need to hold a hearing to put the measure before voters, but the commissioners want more input on whether they should move forward on the proposal, which was brought forward by the new Mason County Friends of the Parks nonprofit.
"It has been a little over two years that we've been working on this," said Neal Winders, treasurer of Friends of the Parks and a former Mason County Park and Recreation Advisory Board member. "I think it's a great path forward that will get us some really great benefits down the road."
The measure as proposed would form a five-member board of at-large commissioners who would be tasked with the management, control, improvement, maintenance and acquisition of county parks, parkways, boulevards and recreational facilities, as outlined by state law.
The measure would levy 20 cents per $1,000 of assessed value of a home to fund parks for those living in unincorporated Mason County (Shelton has a metropolitan parks district, so Shelton voters would not see the measure on the ballot or be taxed if it passed).
The property tax would generate nearly $1.3 million for parks each year, compared with the county's current budget of around $550,000 for parks and facilities.
The funding could help the county realize plans of building a regional multimodal trail connecting Mason County to Thurston and Kitsap counties and fund major improvements at the county's 23 developed and undeveloped park properties, said Monte Ritter, Friends of the Parks president.
"We have an opportunity right now to go forward with a metropolitan parks district," said Ritter, who also serves on the Park and Recreation Advisory Board. "It'll give us the power to do larger, more grandiose projects."
While Mason County Friends of the Parks officially formed in January, the resident-driven effort to create a parks district has been in the works for more than two years.
The Park and Recreation Advisory Board voiced concerns to county commissioners in 2013 when the county used real estate excise taxes to fund the debt obligation and maintenance on the Belfair sewer system instead of funding parks improvements, for which those funds also can be used.
Since then, the parks department has become a division of the facilities department, and last year parks director John Keates left Mason County for a position in Bothell.
Keates' departure left the department fragmented, and the county now allocates parks and trails with less than half the budget it had eight years ago, Winders said.
Keates and representatives from entities such as the nonprofit The Trust for Public Land suggested that Mason County residents form a Friends of the Parks nonprofit to raise money for parks and develop alternative ways to fund parks sustainably.
There are 19 metropolitan parks districts in the state, with a mix of districts based in cities, like Bainbridge Island, and unincorporated areas, like Peninsula Metropolitan Park District in Pierce County.
"With a metropolitan parks district, you've got focus, you've got continuity of purpose," Winders said. "With leadership and with vision, your parks and trails become economic drivers for your community. It brings people into your area."
The Friends of the Parks partnered with The Trust for Public Land in April to survey 300 voters countywide on whether they would support a metropolitan parks district.
The results from the survey revealed that about 55 percent of voters would support a parks district, including 28 percent who would definitely approve it, 25 percent who would probably approve it and 2 percent undecided but leaning toward approval.
Voters surveyed in Mason County Commissioner Tim Sheldon's District No. 2, in the Hood Canal area, expressed the most support for the measure, at 62 percent.
Both Commissioner Randy Neatherlin's district in North Mason and Commissioner Terri Jeffrey's district in south Mason followed with 52 percent total approval.
At a commissioner briefing Monday, Neatherlin and Jeffreys leaned toward putting the measure before voters in November, because more voters are likely to turn out in a presidential election year.
"It is worth going out and asking people, 'How important are parks?'" Jeffreys said. "It's worth going to voters. Our (real estate excise tax) needs to be dedicated to essential infrastructure. Not that parks aren't essential, but we have a lot of needs ahead of us especially in sewer and water."
The last time the county went before voters with a ballot measure was in the 1990s, Jeffreys said.
"I don't like taxation, but I wouldn't stop the taxpayers from having the opportunity to place the burden on themselves," Neatherlin said.
Sheldon expressed concern that at-large parks commission positions, instead of positions based on commissioner districts, might not adequately represent all areas of Mason County.
"You could have all the candidates from one neighborhood," he said. "I hope if this goes to the ballot that we have some people that have the best intentions that would run."
If the measure goes before voters and passes, Mason County would need to develop a memorandum of understanding with the parks district board that would cover how parks employees are paid, the responsibilities of each agency and what happens to parks assets.
The state allows metropolitan parks districts to be governed either by a five-member board elected at the same time as formation of the district or by the governing board of the city or county of the district, in this case the current three-member Mason County commissioners.
Mason County is not considering the second option, Winders said.
The Friends of the Parks board recommends five at-large positions instead of positions based on districts because the county would have to map out five areas with equal population and send the information to the county auditor by Aug. 2.
The county cannot use the existing commissioner districts to form the parks commissioner districts because Shelton would have to be removed, creating a population imbalance.
Once a metropolitan parks district is formed, voters can petition and vote to annex into or out of the district and also can vote to dissolve the district with a majority vote.
If the county commissioners approve the measure Tuesday, the county Auditor's Office would open a special three-day filing period after Aug. 23 for candidates to file for parks commissioner positions.
The Friends of the Parks will make a special presentation about the metropolitan parks district at a North Mason Community Voice meeting at 7 p.m. July 25, at the Masonic Lodge, 23341 NE Highway 3 in Belfair.
For information on Friends of the Parks and the Metropolitan Parks District, visit www.mcfop.org/mpd.html.
Stuff reports:
A US Supreme Court judge could become one of New Zealands newest residents if Trump becomes president.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has strayed from the usual apolitical public stance of Supreme Court Justices to tell people just what she thinks of presidential hopeful Donald Trump.
I cant imagine what this place would be I cant imagine what the country would be with Donald Trump as our president, she told the New York Times.
For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be I dont even want to contemplate that.
But she did have a possible escape plan up her sleeve one she said her late husband, tax lawyer Martin Ginsburg, would have liked.
Now its time for us to move to New Zealand, Ginsburg said, smiling ruefully.
Radio NZ reports:
A group of Northland retirees who have never taken illegal drugs have started a petition to legalise marijuana.
The Otamatea chapter of Grey Power unanimously voted in May in favour of legalising the drug.
They have now started a petition, which they sent out to all the other 32 Grey Power chapters around the country.
Otamatea Grey Power president Beverley Aldridge said the drug had been used medically for over 10,000 years and it was only since 1961 when many governments made it illegal.
None of our [members] actually takes it yet, but we want to be able to take it. Weve seen our loved ones you know, family and friends dying in extreme pain and we dont want to go through that.
From Back Benches:
THIS WEEK ON PRIME TVs BACK BENCHES: Watch Wallace Chapman, Hayley Holt, the Back Benches Panel and special guests discuss the weeks hottest topics!
A BIT WARMER THAT USUAL: While most of us arent complaining about our extended summer and mild winter it is just further evidence that our climate is changingredefining coastlines and weather. The Environment Commissioner has said it is our largest environmental issue. So, what can we do to combat climate change? Is it about re-evaluating the ETS? Can we reduce our emissions? Will it make a global difference? Restricting farming practices? Or working with farmers to create new, better farming practices? What are the knock-on effects if we do nothing?
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO USHERES A HOUSE: As Labour celebrated the partys 100th birthday, they launched their housing policy promising 100-thousand affordable houses to first home buyers, cracking down on property investors by tightening the rules around capital gains, and revamping Housing New Zealand. But is their two billion dollar plan the solution weve all been looking for? Will this plan bring the dream of a first home into reality for more Kiwis? Or is this just a tweak of the plans currently in operation leaving more of the same for New Zealanders?
FULL OF PRIDE: New Zealand just celebrated the 30th anniversary of Homosexual Law Reform and this week, Uni Q at Victory University is celebrating Pride Week. How have we changed in the last 30 years? Is it time to reverse historic gay sex convictions? What more needs to be done?
There are two ways to get in on the political pub action:
First, you can join the live audience in Wellingtons iconic Backbencher Pub on Wednesday, 13th of June at 6pm. Filming begins around 6:20pm.
Or watch us that night on PRIME TV at 10:30pm!
http://www.primetv.co.nz/
Plus, Follow us on Facebook (BackBenchesTV) or on Twitter @BackBenchesTV.
Our Panel: Green Party MP Jan Logie, Labour MP Louisa Wall, National MP Chris Bishop, and United Future Leader Peter Dunne.
Comments on news websites are a fraught topic. For a long time they seemed like the way forward, a way to bring the audience into the stories, and lets face it, comments are still what media analysts like to call content. In the social media, mobile-driven world comments are the ultimate in engagement.
But for as long as there has been comments, dont read the comments has been a common refrain. If youve spent any time in discussion forums, youll be familiar with the pedantry and bad behaviour often found there.
As far back as 2012, Gawker Media founder Nick Denton said the promise of thoughtful discussion hadnt been fulfilled.
I dont like going into the comments For every two comments that are interesting even if theyre critical, you want to engage with them there will be eight that are off-topic or just toxic.
And so, news websites began turning off comments sections. Popular Science, CNN, Mic.com, Reuters, Bloomberg and The Daily Beast have all turned off comments in the past couple of years.
It is no longer a core service of news sites to provide forums for these conversations, wrote The Weeks editor-in-chief Ben Frumin. Instead, we provide the ideas, the fodder, the jumping off point, and readers take it to Facebook or Twitter or Reddit or any number of other places to continue the conversation.
When RNZ switched on comments last year, it was an experiment to see whether we could create a space where thoughtful and insightful comments would thrive.
And while the comments have been, for the most part, exactly that, there havent been many people involved in that conversation.
More and more, the conversations around RNZs journalism are happening elsewhere. We want to focus on making those spaces reflect that journalism and our charter.
As part of our upcoming overall redesign of the website, well be making it easier for you to find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, and you can always email us, text us, or even send us an actual letter.
Interesting things are happening around comments, like the Coral Project, and we will be watching those.
To use the parlance of the internet, this isnt a flounce, its TTFN.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said that cooperation between Ukraine and NATO can acquire the status of an enhanced partnership.
"It is very symbolic that we have decided today to further extend this special level of partnership between Ukraine and NATO, and this will allow us [to get] the status, which will include an enhanced partnership. This strengthens our cooperation and operational cooperation with NATO," he said at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Warsaw on Saturday.
Poroshenko noted that this decision is a demonstration of NATO's support for Ukraine.
Poroshenko recalled that July 9 marked the 19th anniversary of the signing of the Charter on a Distinctive Partnership between NATO and Ukraine. The Ukraine-NATO commission was also set up 19 years ago.
The Ukrainian president said that during the summit the parties discussed the progress of reforms in Ukraine in particular in defense, the fight against corruption and macroeconomic stability.
In his turn, the NATO secretary general said that despite certain challenges, Ukraine is committed to reforms and the struggle against corruption.
The joint statement of the Ukraine-NATO Commission passed at the Warsaw summit says: "Allies highly value Ukraine's significant contributions to Allied operations and the NATO Response Force and welcome the contribution made by the NATO-Ukraine partnership to providing security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area and beyond. Based on the decisions taken in Wales (the NATO summit in Wales in September 2014), we will examine the steps necessary to implement Ukraine's interest in the Enhanced Opportunities Program within the Partnership Interoperability Initiative."
Shenandoah, IA (51601)
Today
Showers early, then cloudy in the afternoon. High 61F. Winds SE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 50%..
Tonight
Partly to mostly cloudy. Low near 35F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.
Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti has discussed regional security issues with former presidents of Moldova and Ukraine.
The meeting, which took place on Tuesday at Timofti's initiative, was attended by former Moldovan presidents Mircea Snegur and Petru Lucinschi and former Ukrainian leaders Leonid Kravchuk and Viktor Yuschenko, the presidential press service told Interfax.
The meeting was held "in the context of new threats to national and regional security," it reported.
"The sides discussed the crisis in eastern Ukraine and the frozen Transdniestrian conflict, which have common elements in their manifestation. The former presidents of Ukraine spoke about problems and the price Ukraine was paying for freedom and the pro-Western choice. They said that continuation of the European course of Moldova and Ukraine was the only way to restore both states into the zone of stability and sustainable socioeconomic development," the report said.
"Trouble unites people. We should demonstrate solidarity and support each other in our bilateral projects at such moments. We have agreed with the former chiefs of state to find solutions, which would promote rapprochement between our countries and cooperation in the pursuit of the European course," the press service quoted Timofti's words.
BEIJING, July 11 -- A UN peacekeeper from China was killed and six others were injured when the armored vehicle carrying them was hit by a shell during a mission in Juba, capital of South Sudan, according to China's Ministry of National Defense.
The incident happened on Sunday evening local time as fighting between government and anti-government forces continued in Juba.
Three were severely injured, said the ministry's information office, adding that the peacekeepers' armored vehicle was hit by a shell during a mission to keep guard at a refugee camp.
"The Chinese military is deeply shocked and strongly condemns the attack, and it expresses deep condolences to the victims and their families," said a statement.
The Chinese military initiated emergency measures immediately after the incident, it said, adding that the Chinese peacekeeping troop has made full efforts to treat the injured and has stepped up precautions to ensure security.
SHANGHAI, July 12 -- Chinese deep-sea explorer ship Zhang Jian has set sail from Shanghai to the Southern Pacific for scientific research.
The vessel is the mother ship of Rainbow Fish, a submersible capable of diving to 11,000 meters, which Chinese researchers are preparing to send to the Mariana Trench late this year or early next year, said Fang Jiasong, chief scientist of the mission.
During Zhang Jian's two-month journey to the Southern Pacific, scientists will test the navigation abilities of the ship and its scientific equipment, said Fang. The ship is carrying the landing device for the Rainbow Fish submersible.
Its destination is the waters near the New Britain Trench, which is more than 8,000 meters deep in the Solomon Sea near Papua New Guinea.
"Zhang Jian is China's first ship specially designed and built for deep-sea exploration. The journey is an important step in our efforts to take on the Mariana Trench," said Fang.
Sixteen scientists from China and Papua New Guinea will work on board the ship and take part in exploration of the trench, which is about 750 kilometers long, with its deepest point measuring 8,320 meters.
"We will study the terrain of the trench, take samples of seawater, sediment and explore the bio-diversity, and increase our understanding of the Earth's deepest water," Fang explained.
Zhang Jian, named after the founder of Shanghai Ocean University, is 97 meters long and 17.8 meters wide. It has a designed displacement of around 4,800 tonnes and an endurance of15,000 nautical miles.
It will be used for general ocean expeditions, deep-sea engineering, rescue and salvage, underwater archaeology and film shooting.
China began developing Rainbow Fish in 2014. It will be able to go much deeper than the Jiaolong submersible, which set a Chinese record for manned diving when it reached 7,062 meters in the Mariana Trench in June 2012.
With a combined area larger than the United States, the world's26 hadal trenches, defined as those with depths of 6,500 meters or more, are home to many unknown species as well as energy and metal resources. Exploration at these depths has been held back by difficulties including high pressure and low temperatures.
EPA/DAMIAN BERG/NAVY A Remotec Andros F6A bomb-disposal robot is used during an exercise by the Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 6 in Mayport, Fla., on Feb. 22, 2013. Five police officers were killed, and at least nine people injured, including two civilians, when shots were fired during a protest rally in downtown Dallas on Thursday, officials said. The suspected gunman was later killed by an explosive device made of C4 and a detonating cord delivered by a Remotec model F5 police bomb robot, after negotiations had failed, the Dallas Police Department said Saturday.
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By Ed Marcum of the Knoxville News Sentinel
An Anderson County company produced the robot that police used to end a standoff with a sniper in Dallas last week, and this should be a point of community pride, Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank said Monday.
Clinton-based Remotec made the robot that Dallas police rigged with a homemade bomb and sent to end the life of a man accused of killing five police officers Thursday.
Related: Killer robot used by Dallas police opens ethical debate
"I am glad that a product produced here in Anderson County was used to stop the killing spree," Frank said. "You don't want to have to employ lethal force, but sometimes there is just not another way."
Remotec produced the Andros F5 robot that Dallas Police sent against Micah Johnson in a parking garage after he allegedly shot and killed five police officers. According to a statement by the Dallas Police Department, the robot's claw and arm extension were rigged with C4 plastic explosive and a detonation cord.
Remotec, which is a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Corp., referred questions to its parent company, and Northrop Grumman declined to provide any information about Remotec.
"We have no comment and are referring calls to the Dallas Police Department," said Northrop Grumman Corporate Director of Media Relations Mark Root.
Frank said that she has toured the Remotec facility and noticed the security there was much tighter than at other Anderson County companies she has visited.
"They don't share a lot of information," she said. "I believe they are dealing with some pretty sensitive stuff."
Tim Thompson, president of the Anderson County Economic Development Association, said that Remotec, which has operated at 353 J.D. Yarnell Industrial Parkway since 2005, has about 90 employees and is a major employer in Clinton.
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"I would say they are in the Top 10," he said.
According to its website, Remotec was founded in 1980 in Oak Ridge to provide remote-handling services to the nuclear industry there.
From there, it branched out to begin producing its Andros technology in 1986.
The F5 robot apparently is an earlier version of Remotec's current F6 series.
The F6 rides on a chassis with both wheels and articulating tracks for traveling across obstacles or rough ground. It has a manipulator arm with 7 degrees of free movement and an integrated arm and gripper. It is equipped with various sensors for a real-time feed on the position and rotation of the arm and gripper, and has numerous camera options.
Ironically, the Andros robots are commonly used by police and authorities to safely dispose of explosive devices, not deliver a bomb.
In 2013, Remotec become one of 26 industry and university Oak Ridge National Laboratory users chosen by the lab to use its Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, which is a Department of Energy funded center for developing and disseminating advanced manufacturing techniques.
Remotec was picked to use the facility to develop improved robots for first responders.
In this 2003 file photo, TVA pilot Randy Love takes off fromn Island Home Airport in downtown Knoxville to inspect transmission lines. Love died Monday near Hickory, Ky., when the TVA helicopter he was flying crashed. J. MILES CARY/NEWS SENTINEL/FILE
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By AP Wire
Randy Love, a 17-year TVA employee, was killed in the crash near Hickory, Ky., around 12:20 p.m., according to Jim Hopson, TVA public relations manager. "The thoughts of the entire TVA family are with Randy's family as we grieve the tragic loss of our colleague," Hopson said in a release.
TVA since has grounded its fleet of seven remaining helicopters until more is known about the crash, Hopson said.
"There is no indication of any problems with any of the aircraft, but it is prudent to do this until we have more information," he said.
Kentucky State Police officials began investigating the crash, while the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration investigators were en route to try to determine the cause.
The crash reportedly occurred at a TVA Center, on state Kentucky Route 95. Hopson said TVA is cooperating with authorities conducting the investigation, but he had few details on what happened.
"The helicopter was coming in for a landing at a TVA service center near Hickory, Ky., when the crash occurred," he said.
Love's death has shaken the many people at TVA who knew him and had flown with him, Hopson said. Love was one of the most experienced pilots at TVA, with 17,000 hours of flight time and 30 years of flying experience.
A big part of Love's job was conducting aerial inspections of TVA's 16,000 miles of high-intensity transmission line, but he also enjoyed taking dignitaries on helicopter tours, Hopson said.
"He absolutely loved his job," Hopson said. "He loved what he did, and he was a tireless promoter of the Tennessee Valley."
As part of its economic development support, TVA makes helicopters available to power clients, Blount Partnership President and CEO Bryan Daniels told The Daily Times Monday, explaining that Love was often an integral part of the recruiting effort.
"Whenever we would have projects of significant size that were taking on significant pieces of property, we would first reach out to TVA to see if we could use their helicopters to fly dignitaries to look at sites and infrastructure, and that sort of thing," Daniels said, explaining that it was invariably Love who was manning the pedals and stick.
"We would take trips back and forth on a variety of site visits between here and Oak Ridge, and we would fly over the community, we would fly over the national park, just trying to help them from an aerial perspective to see how close our assets in the whole region are," Daniels said.
It was not only Love's knowledge and appreciation for the region that made him an asset when it came to economic recruitment, but it was also his personality.
"Randy was more than just a pilot, he was one of Blount County's biggest spokespeople," Daniels said. "He's from here. He loves Blount County. . He was so well thought of - not just here, but he'd actually get requested as a pilot to fly for a variety of communities in East Tennessee. He was easy to work with."
Daniels recalled the "playful banter" that took place between Love and the Cirrus representatives, with the Maryville helicopter pilot teasing the aircraft manufacturing representatives about "how much better helicopters are than planes."
Cirrus is building an aircraft maintenance and delivery facility at McGhee Tyson Airport.
"Our heart goes out to his family," Daniels said.
"We felt like he was part of our family and our organization," Daniels said.
"We really cared for him. I know that a lot of communities felt the same way," he said. "To lose that is devastating, because a lot of those things aren't trained, they're just who you are."
Part of a 220-ton cyclotron is lowered into place at the Provision Center for Proton Therapy on Jan. 10, 2013, in Dowell Springs Business Park. The cyclotron, which is 16 feet in diameter and stands 8 feet high, is the key piece of equipment used in proton therapy, a type of radiation cancer treatment that uses a beam to destroy cancer cells. Provision
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By Kristi L. Nelson of the Knoxville News Sentinel
For more than four years, Provision Radiation Therapy has treated patients in the Dowell Springs medical complex off Middlebrook Pike while various courts considered whether the practice was fulfilling a valid need in the area.
Now the Tennessee Court of Appeals has affirmed Provision's state-granted certificate of need, overturning a 2014 Davidson County Chancery Court decision that reversed the state's decision to grant the certificate of need to the center, legally "East Tennessee Radiation Therapy Services" and owned by the nonprofit Provision Trust.
Provision applied for the original certificate of need to install a linear accelerator in August 2011; it was granted in December 2011, and the center began treating patients in August 2012.
But health providers Blount Memorial Hospital, University of Tennessee Medical Center, East Tennessee Hospital, Covenant Health and Thompson Cancer Survival Center all of whom also provide radiation services opposed the original CON, arguing that 15 existing linear accelerators in the area at the time weren't even at capacity.
Covenant Health, which owns nearby Parkwest Medical Center, appealed the CON, and the Davidson County court sided with Covenant.
Provision was able to keep offering radiation services during the court battle, said Scott Warwick, vice president of strategic initiatives and program development for Provision Healthcare.
The radiation center shares a staff of doctors and nurses with the Provision Proton Therapy Center, which opened across the street in 2014. Dowell Springs also has other cancer-related treatment centers on the campus; those patients could then get radiation on the same campus where they're being treated, Warwick said.
"We believe offering radiation therapy is an important part of our service to the community as a comprehensive cancer treatment center," he said.
Robert Netherland
SHARE Fried green tomatoes is just one way mountain folk prepared their harvest. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead) Thinkstock.com Fried chicken is typically paired with fresh garden vegetables.
By Susannah Felts, Chapter16.org
Chances are you've enjoyed many a "farm-to-table" meal, perhaps at restaurants presided over by chefs of star stature, perhaps from your own kitchen. Eating locally and growing-your-own are hallmarks of life in the early 21st century, far past trend status; the value of a homegrown repast is well understood. But it's strange how the way of life and eating known by rural Southerners as recently as 50 years ago feels exotic now, palpably distant from our own. In his memoir and cookbook, "Southern Appalachian Farm Cooking" (The University of Tennessee Press), Robert G. Netherland reveals the textures and tastes of a bygone time and place, one in which White Lily flour reigned supreme, butter was churned, tobacco crops provided extra cash for Christmas presents, and beans and cornbread were the basis of daily meals.
Netherland grew up in the hills of East Tennessee, in a small town called Surgoinsville on the Holston River, roughly 60 miles north of Knoxville. Born in 1946, he first lived in a "large, rambling chestnut log house" on a 60-acre farm with his parents and maternal grandparents; six years later, his father built the family their own home just across the yard. "Farm mechanization lagged behind other areas in the country," Netherland recalls, "and I still remember my grandfather and father working the fields behind a mule or a team of horses . Days were long and the work was constant if the farm were to produce what was needed to sustain a family year round."
But that labor-intensive life was lived in sturdy companionship with the earth. The family threshed wheat, grew tobacco, put up beans and tomatoes, made sorghum molasses and muscadine wine and slaughtered hogs in the late fall. Netherland also writes of country celebrations and "dinners on the ground," when families gathered together around makeshift tables laden with covered dishes and desserts, forming a glorious Southern spread one surely replicable with the guidance of the recipes included here. "[T]his cookbook is both a nostalgic and practical effort," he writes. "Hear the stories, then dive into the recipes and prepare them with the same care that our mothers and grandmothers did, and you will be rewarded with mouthwatering food from the Southern Appalachian farm."
It's interesting to note how central breads and veggies are to the culinary tradition on display in Netherland's book. The first chapter, titled oh-so-fetchingly "Biscuits, Biscuits, Biscuits," contains no fewer than six recipes for the quintessential Southern sopper or sandwich-maker. And what comes next? Cornbread, naturally, complete with a mouthwatering description of an iron-skillet meal: "The skillet was seasoned so well from years of baking cornbread that the bread just fell onto the serving plate when the skillet was tipped over it. We would pass the bread at the table and break off a piece with our hands, then crumble a piece of cornbread into a glass of sweet milk or buttermilk, and eat it with a spoon or dip a wedge into a bowl of greens and pot likker and watch it soak up the liquid before popping it into our mouths." Yes, please.
Next comes a chapter on "Light Breads," or any baked yeast bread. This section includes a recipe for dinner rolls that sound just like my grandmother's rolls, which my mom makes for every holiday dinner, a Southern-food tradition that I can only hope to carry on.
In subsequent chapters, Netherland focuses on individual vegetables beans, corn, potatoes and more before brief sections devoted to meats. (Here he includes, it must be noted, a recipe for fried squirrel, should you be so inclined.) But by book's end we return to the realm of the baked good, with recipes for Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies, White Layer Cake with Boiled Frosting, cobblers, and Mamaw's Butterscotch Pie (which I will be trying as soon as time allows). Clearly, we Southerners like our sweets and our gluten.
While many of the dishes are incredibly simple consider the delicious minimalism of "killed lettuce," which is lettuce and spring onions with a warm dressing of bacon, cider vinegar, and salt and pepper it's also true that a good number require substantial care and time. It's not hard to see why my mother's generation was eager to cut corners where they could, with a can of soup or a store-bought crust; but this book offers dishes galore, and generous dollops of personal history, to please both adventurous and lazy Southern cooks. In preserving an all-but-forgotten way of life, Netherland's memoir fits well on the shelf alongside Sean Brock's "Heritage," Frank Stitt's "Southern Table" and the groundbreaking books by Edna Lewis. Life on a Southern Appalachian farm was all consuming, Netherland shows us, but the payoff could be great.
Here are three recipes taken from the book.
Soup beans or pinto beans
Ingredients
2 pounds pinto beans
1 smoked ham hock or a comparable chunk (about 4 ounces) of salt pork, hog jowl, or bacon
1 onion, cut in wedges
2 teaspoons salt
Directions
1 Pick over beans for pebbles or bad beans, and then wash thoroughly in cool water. Place beans in a large pot with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Add the ham hock or other pork and the onion. Reduce the heat to a moderate simmer. Cover and cook until the beans are tender, 2 to 3 hours.
2 You will need to replenish the water when the level falls to the top of the beans in the pot to prevent beans from sticking or burning. Add salt about 30 minutes before the end of cooking, and stir to dissolve. The beans are done when they are completely soft and creamy. You can dip some beans from the pot with a spoon and blow on them. If the skin wrinkles or curls, the starch of the beans has completely cooked. Always taste to be certain. Remove the ham hock before serving. You can shred any lean ham and add it back to the beans.
Fried green tomatoes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons shortening, bacon grease, or lard, plus more if needed
3-4 medium-sized green tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds or thin wedges
1/2 cup fine cornmeal
Directions
1 Heat the shortening in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the cornmeal in a shallow dish. Dredge each slice of green tomato in the cornmeal until both sides are coated. Place each slice in the hot skillet and fry until the first side has browned nicely.
2 Turn each slice and continue frying until the second side has browned. Remove the slices from the skillet and drain them on brown paper or paper towels. Repeat the process for the remaining slices. Keep in a warm oven or serve immediately.
Deep-Fried Chicken
Ingredients
1 fryer chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
Vegetable oil for deep frying
DIRECTIONS
1 Beat the egg and milk together in a shallow bowl. Mix the flour, salt, pepper, and paprika in another shallow dish.
2 Heat the oil in a deep heavy pot or a deep fryer to a temperature of 365 to 370 degrees. Dredge the chicken pieces in the milk and egg mixture, then in the flour until it is completely coated.
3 Set aside for 5 minutes. Dredge the pieces in the flour again and place 2 to 4 pieces in the frying oil. Do not overcrowd the pot.
4 Cook until the pieces brown completely and float to the top of the oil, about 20 minutes. Remove the pieces and drain them on brown paper or on a rack over paper towels. Bring the oil back to 365 degreesand repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken. Serve with slaw and corn muffins.
For more local book coverage, please visit http://chapter16.org/, an online publication of Humanities Tennessee.
Freeform's "Dead of Summer" stars, from left, Amber Coney, Eli Goree, Elizabeth Mitchell, Elizabeth Lail, Mark Indelicato, Alberto Frezza, Paulina Singer, Zelda Williams and Ronen Rubinstein.
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By David Martindale, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Elizabeth Mitchell's summer camp experiences were never like this.
The Dallas actress who stars in the coming-of-age horror thriller "Dead of Summer," a new TV series about a sleepaway camp with a nightmare past might have told a few ghost stories back in the day when the campers all gathered around the fire at Camp Longhorn in the Texas Hill Country.
But those scary tales were just in fun. In "Dead of Summer," the restless spirits of Camp Stillwater are very real.
"The people in this show have good reason to be scared," Mitchell says. "There's something evil going on in these woods."
Any of Stillwater's unfortunate counselors and campers could die at any moment.
"Dead of Summer" airs at 9 p.m. Tuesdays on Freeform, the network formerly known as ABC Family.
Mitchell plays Deborah Carpenter, a woman who so fondly remembers her camp experiences that she buys Stillwater and reopens it five years after tragedy shut it down in the mid-1980s.
While the young group of counselors, many of whom knew each other years earlier as campers, gets reacquainted, newcomer Amy (played by Elizabeth Lail) starts seeing dead people, lots of them.
It's also filled with fun '80s pop-culture references, a creepy caretaker, a slaughtered deer, a cabin that goes up in flames, teen hormones, teen angst and numerous "made-you-jump" scares.
In short, "Dead of Summer" is an '80s teen horror movie reinvented as a TV series.
Mitchell is a fan of the genre.
"Spooky is fun," she says. "Scary is fun. Especially if you're watching at home with someone who you enjoy being scared with. It gives you a reason to cuddle with them more."
But the main reason Mitchell signed on was the chance to work again with two of the show's executive producers, Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz. She knows them well from her days starring on "Lost" (as Juliet) and "Once Upon a Time" (as the Snow Queen).
"They called and said, 'We've got a character and we named her after you. That's how much we want you to do it.' Her name in the script at that time was Elizabeth Mitchell, so she was kind of hard for me to miss. They changed the name to Deb later, but the first script I read had my name all over it."
Viewers will quickly learn that bad things have been happening in this neck of the woods for a very long time and that the ancient evil has reawakened. It's sure to be a summer no one there will ever forget, assuming they survive the experience.
There are essentially two kinds of summer-camp alums: those who loved it and those who hated it. Mitchell was one of those who loved it.
"I went to Camp Longhorn in Burnet, Texas, for 10 years," she says. "It's very different from Camp Stillwater, of course. For one thing, it's much hotter in Texas in the summer. But it was always fun.
"I made a lifelong best friend there, although it's been a while since I talked to her. I guess I really should call and catch up."
Mitchell isn't going to be phoning many people in the weeks to come, however. The show is in production in a remote area outside Vancouver, where cellphone reception is spotty even on good days.
The cast recently endured an entire week of no working cellphones and no wireless internet connections.
"At first, it was very annoying, because you become so accustomed to being connected to the world around you," Mitchell says. "But I ultimately made the most of it. Like, I read a book. Imagine that!
"It was a little like going back to the 1980s for real."
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By Michael Collins of the Knoxville News Sentinel
WASHINGTON The Justice Department's investigation into the shooting death of Darrius Stewart by a Memphis police officer last summer is still underway, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Tuesday.
"The matter is still under review," Lynch said in response to a question from Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing.
Lynch said she couldn't give a timetable for completing the investigation, but promised, "We will work to keep you informed."
Stewart, a 19-year-old black man, was shot July 17 last year by Connor Schilling, a white Memphis police officer, in Hickory Hill.
Stewart was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over for a headlight violation. The officer put him in the back of a squad car. After verifying warrants, police said, the officer opened a door to the car to handcuff him and Stewart kicked the door and attacked Schilling, striking him with the handcuffs. Video showed them tussling on the ground.
Stewart's death sparked protests in Memphis. A grand jury declined to indict Schilling, despite the Shelby County District Attorney General's recommendation that he be charged with voluntary manslaughter and using a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.
An attorney for Stewart's family said the family will file a lawsuit in the case on Wednesday.
In response to another question from Cohen at Tuesday's hearing, Lynch said police training is "of utmost importance" so officers properly respond to volatile situations and understand issues involving use of deadly force.
Cohen is pushing legislation that calls for independent prosecutors to investigate cases of deadly police force.
"We have a real problem in this country when it comes to the relationship between police and the communities they are sworn to protect and serve. Black lives matter," said Cohen in a news release. "Congressman Lacy Clay and I put forward a bill last year, the Police Training and Independent Review Act (H.R. 2302), to address two of the major issues to help improve this relationship."
The bill, supported by the NAACP and endorsed by the Chicago Tribune, would withhold some federal funding unless independent prosecutors are used to investigate and, if need be, prosecute instances of police use of deadly force, Cohen said in the release.
"Asking a local prosecutor to investigate the same local police with whom he or she works so closely on a daily basis is an obvious conflict of interest. Even if the prosecutor does everything right, the action can still appears biased," continued Cohen. "If we are serious about restoring a sense of trust, we need to eliminate this conflict of interest."
Asked what she thought about independent prosecutors investigating cases of deadly police force, Lynch said the office conducting the investigation would need experience handling complicated cases and forensic evidence.
Quantavious Williams
SHARE Jack Hutchins Jr.
By Jamie Satterfield of the Knoxville News Sentinel
A crew of alleged gang members did not just steal the Rev. Larry J. Mathis' car, keys and wallet at gunpoint. They threatened his faith.
"Most things I do, I do on faith," Mathis explained to a Knox County Criminal Court jury on Monday. "The first thing I thought of was why did this happen to me? We've never had any trouble with these guys, never. It almost changed my whole idea of the world."
Mathis was robbed and carjacked in what authorities say turned into a murderous crime spree by a group of Chattanooga gang members who came to Knoxville to initiate a new member. What began as an initiation practice of forcing a new recruit to commit "randoms" robberies of strangers like Mathis led, prosecutors say, to the shooting death of hardworking, much-admired handyman and father of eight Jack Hutchins Jr., 52, of the Parkridge community.
Standing trial this week in Judge Bob McGee's courtroom is that alleged recruit, Quantavious Williams, who was 17 when he admittedly found himself in the company of three Chattanooga members of the Rolling 20s Crips gang in November 2013. The quartet is charged in both Hutchins' death and the crimes of carjacking, aggravated robbery and especially aggravated kidnapping of Mathis. Each is being tried separately. Williams is the first to be tried. Trials are pending later this year for alleged leader Nolandus Sims, then 19, Antonio Marlin, then 18, and the alleged gunman, Andre Terry, who was just 15 but has been ordered tried as an adult.
Defense attorney Jackson Whetsel concedes Williams was waiting in the car when Hutchins was killed but contends he had nothing to do with the crimes committed against Mathis and did not intend for Hutchins to be robbed or killed.
"He's a 17-year-old boy in the back seat of a car, never got out, never had a gun, never shot a gun," Whetsel said in opening statements.
Williams, prior testimony has shown, was dating Hutchins' stepdaughter, leading police to suspect he set up the handyman. Prosecutors TaKisha Fitzgerald and Phil Morton are hoping to convince jurors Williams is criminally responsible for the others' crimes because he was a willing participant in the overall initiation robbery scheme.
Mathis leads the Pacesetter's Youth Outreach Church on Martin Luther King Boulevard and told jurors Monday he's dedicated his life's work to inner-city neighborhoods and troubled youth. He said he routinely rubs shoulders with gang members.
Less than an hour before Hutchins was gunned down in his front yard on Woodbine Avenue, Mathis was leaving his church when two armed men demanded the keys to his 2005 Escalade, his wallet and his phone and ordered him onto the ground. Prosecutors allege the accused gang members wound up abandoning the Escalade shortly after taking it because it didn't have enough gas to suit them.
Mathis said he tried to talk to the gunmen, whom he could not identify, to no avail.
"I was disappointed," he said. "I don't know if I was disappointed in myself, them or God. I'd worked in this for 30 years."
The trial continues today.
SHARE The Knox County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help to identify this man, who robbed the East Stop Exxon, 7503 Tazewell Pike, last week. (Knox County Sheriff's Office) The Knox County Sheriff's Office is trying to identify this man, who authorities say was a possible witness to an armed robbery at the East Stop Exxon, 7503 Tazewell Pike, last week. (Knox County Sheriff's Office)
By News Sentinel Staff
KNOXVILLE Authorities are asking for the public's help to identify a man who robbed a North Knox County gas station at gunpoint.
The robbery was reported at 1:42 a.m. Friday at the Easy Stop Exxon, 7503 Tazewell Pike, according to a Knox County Sheriff's Office news release Tuesday.
The robber, whose face was partially covered, brandished a black handgun and demanded cash.
Sheriff's Office detectives also are attempting to identify a possible witness who was filmed by a security camera while outside pumping gas at the time.
Anyone with information on the gunman or the witness may call the KCSO at 865-215-2243.
More details as they develop online and in Wednesday's News Sentinel.
SHARE TDOT regional director Steve Borden, right, explains the new changes coming to a stretch of Chapman Highway during Tuesday's community outreach meeting at First Baptist Church in Seymour. (Mike Blackerby / Special to the News Sentinel)
By News Sentinel Staff
SEYMOUR The grim statistics reinforce what many motorists who use Chapman Highway are already painfully aware of.
Travel the antiquated 24-mile highway, which bridges Knox and Sevier County, at your own peril.
From 2006 to 2015, there have been 14 fatal crashes, 48 incapacitating injury crashes, 198 other injuries and 685 total crashes on Chapman Highway, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
"They fly up our road," said 79-year-old Unavee Elliott, one of about 50 people who were on hand Tuesday night at Seymour Baptist Church as TDOT officials hosted the latest in a series of public meetings on ways to improve the 80-year-old roadway that also serves at U.S. Highway 441 through a four-phase project..
TDOT officials unveiled Tuesday a fall start date for work on improvements to the 7.2-mile section of Chapman from south of Foothills Drive to Whites School Road in Sevier County.
"For us, safety is our No. 1 priority," said Steve Borden, TDOT regional director.
The $2.1 million project calls for resurfacing of the existing roadway, reconfiguring lane markings to allow dedicated passing lanes, a continuous center turn lane, and wider shoulders.
The speed will also be reduced from 55 mph to 50 mph in that stretch of highway.
TDOT officials nixed another option, an $82 million plan that featured five lanes. The plan was deemed not feasible based on project length, traffic volumes, funding and impact to local businesses and residents.
"Adding a continuous turn lane is huge for this area," said Amanda Snowden, TDOT's director of operations for region one. "And it's important to do something with a near-term solution, rather a long-term solution, for this project."
Snowden said that 15,300 vehicles use the 7.2-mile stretch of Chapman Highway each day.
TDOT officials said the addition of the center turn lane will reduce crashes 37 percent, and the widened 7-foot paved shoulders will reduce accidents by 47 percent and provide enhanced refuge for emergency and disabled vehicles.
Judy Hutchins, who has lived near Chapman Highway for 45 years, said the addition of a continuous center turn lane is a good start, but she worries about the long-term success of the project.
"Adding a (center) turn lane will help, but it (the project) is going to take forever," said Hutchins.
"There's going to be more lives lost."
The project was initiated in January 2015 following a meeting with the Governors Highway Safety Office, local and state law enforcement and TDOT about the high frequency of fatal crashes along Chapman Highway.
"Improvements to Chapman Highway have been needed for a long time," said state Sen. Doug Overbey, whose 2nd Senate District includes Blount and Sevier counties.
As a student of the civil rights movement of the 1960s, I understand the importance of civil disobedience in demanding certain rights. It was more than 50 years ago when we picketed the downtown movie theaters and sat in at lunch counters. We were willing to be arrested as we sought equal access in those public establishments. We gave little thought to the consequences of our actions.
Our local newspapers have recorded a number of cases through the years of civil disobedience. One of those occurred after the state Legislature passed the last major Jim Crow bill on March 30, 1905, which separated black and white riders in streetcars. It required that blacks sit in the back of the vehicle and was enacted in spite of the fact that the head of the transportation company here went to Nashville to oppose its passage.
When the law went into effect in July of that year, blacks organized a boycott against the Knoxville Traction Company and refused to ride in segregated cars. Unlike the successful boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955, with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, the effort here fizzled after two days. For the next 55 years or so, blacks sat in the colored section of streetcars and buses.
One of the oldest, most intriguing and questionable acts of civil disobedience occurred here in 1883. A black man, Tom Humes, refused to allow his niece, Dora Houston, who had smallpox, to be taken to the pest house even after County Judge G.M. King's order to Knox County Sheriff Homer Gilmore: "I have been advised by the Board of Health that in order to prevent the spread of smallpox in East Mabry (Vine) Street in Knoxville, it is necessary to have Dora Houston removed to the smallpox hospital and the family to the quarantine station, and you are authorized to summons a posse in the execution of this order."
The judge's order followed the initial attempt of officer D.B. Hicks, who went to the home of Dora's mother to get the child but was met with resistance from the uncle, who displayed a shotgun and threatened to shoot anyone who attempted to remove her. Hicks left and reported the incident to the Board of Health, mayor of the city and judge of the County Court.
On Feb. 12, 1883, Tom Humes, the uncle, told a Daily Tribune reporter that he did not wish to violate city law, but he was determined that Dora would not be taken to the pest house and said he would shoot the first man who came into the yard without his permission, and the officers could not take the child until they had killed him. His reason was that "A difference is made between white people and negroes. No white person is forced to go to the pest house. Dora Houston is well quarantined and well taken care of where she is. Her mother owns the house and is able to pay for a nurse and even pay for the guard posted by the city," he said.
In support of Humes, about 300 of his friends and neighbors gathered near the house. "Some of the women were boisterous, but the men were quiet," said the reporter. "We were informed that the mayor had been there and ordered the crowd to disperse, but the order was not obeyed. The men told us that the mayor had returned to the city for the purpose of sending out the sheriff and a posse and the entire police force. We did not see any firearms in the crowd, but we were informed that at least two dozen of the men had pistols."
Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed as respected city physicians told County Court officials that the Humeses were "able to provide for themselves and should be quarantined in their own premises and left to suffer the consequences."
BEIJING, July 11 -- Western media have hyped up the South China Sea issue for a long time, with reports full of prejudice and distortion. They have purposely created rumors, smeared China and deliberately overlooked voices of justice.
However, the truth is apparent. China has gained wide support from politicians, experts and scholars in the South China Sea arbitration unilaterally initiated by the administration of former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III.
They reached consensus that the so-called arbitration on the South China Sea is unreasonable and unlawful, that the U.S. involvement hampers resolving the issue, and that China's proposal of dialogue is vital to the stability in Asia.
Makoto Taniguchi, former Japanese ambassador to UN
-- Even if the Philippines proposes the arbitration request to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), but its counterpart China does not participate in it, the tribunal should not hear the case. Unfortunately, the United States is backing the Philippines.
John Ross, well-known columnist in Britain, former deputy mayor of London
-- You can not have arbitration if one side says it does not participate, because arbitration is between two parties who want to participate.
This is particularly ridiculous when it comes to the United States because it does not adhere to a large number of international treaties.
This is ridiculous that the United States comes to the South China Sea about 8,000 km from the U.S. shore for political motives. It's deliberately trying to create problems.
Li Mingjiang, associate professor of S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore
-- The core disputes in the South China Sea will still need to be resolved through negotiations. An international legal mechanism is unlikely to resolve these disputes, unless all the parties concerned are willing to take this approach.
The fact China does not participate in arbitration is entirely legal. International laws and even the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) allow countries not to participate. So there is really no disagreement, no dispute on that observation.
Zheng Yongnian, director of East Asian Institute at National University of Singapore
-- The U.S. navy, the strongest in the world, will go wherever it wishes.
There are hostile forces in the United States, and they work together with the Philippines to make the arbitration case.
The United States is not part of the UNCLOS yet, but China has been a part of it.
The Philippine leadership made a mistake and misjudgment.
China and Vietnam have successfully solved the border dispute issue and Beibu Gulf issue. The same principle can be applied in the South China Sea issue.
Juan Carlos Capunay Chavez, Peruvian ambassador to China
-- The base and beginning of any dialogue or negotiation is the bilateral dialogue, because definitely when you go through some bilateral negotiation there are many details the court does not know, which is not part of the problem.
Let's solve the Asian problems through Asian dialogue.
Masood Khalid, Pakistani ambassador to China
-- China advocates a peaceful neighborhood. The South China Sea dispute should be addressed by the sovereign states which are directly concerned through negotiation and peaceful means.
Catherine West, shadow secretary of state for Foreign Affairs of the British Labour Party
-- We need to have a grown-up approach to dialogue. We just need to see the Middle East to understand how hard it is once we go down a particular route to get back to normal life.
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"Enough is enough!" is shouted from both sides following violent clashes between police and the black community, like when Alton Sterling and Philando Castile were shot to death by the police after being detained for minor offenses. The aftermath of the killings was captured on video.
As people took to the streets to protest the senseless loss of life, more shots rang out in Dallas when a man opened fire, killing five policemen and wounding seven others. The gunman admitted he wanted to kill white policemen to seek revenge for years of what he saw as racially biased treatment of blacks by law enforcement.
Former congressman-turned-radio talk-show host Joe Walsh threatened on Twitter: "This is now war. Watch out Obama. Watch out black lives matter punks. Real America is coming after you."
In a town hall meeting, Newt Gingrich argued instead for understanding, saying, "If you are a normal white American, the truth is you don't understand being black in America and you instinctively underestimate the level of discrimination and the level of additional risk."
It's time we recognized the racism in this country and did something about it. Leaders of the black community must sit down with law enforcement, not only to scrutinize police procedures, but to establish trust and cooperation. There's work needed on both sides. While the vast majority of police officers deserve our utmost gratitude and respect, there have been clear incidents of racial injustice. To quote Jon Stewart, "You can truly grieve for every officer who's been lost in the line of duty, and still be troubled by cases of police overreach."
Let's get going. Enough is enough.
Cheryl Peyton, Loudon
UNITED NATIONS, July 11 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday condemned the killing of two Chinese peacekeepers in renewed fighting between South Sudan's rival army factions in capital Juba.
"I condemn the killing of two Chinese peacekeepers and one UN national staff," the secretary-general told reporters here. "Let me start by expressing my deep condolences to the families and loved ones of all those who have been killed in the fighting that has consumed Juba over the past four days."
"Many people have been killed in heavy fighting. There are growing fears that many more could die in another round of violence," Ban said.
"The renewed fighting is outrageous. It is yet another grievous setback. It deepens the country's suffering," he said. "It makes a mockery of commitments to peace."
The UN mission in South Sudan on Monday reported heavy fighting in Juba, including in areas close to its compounds in Jebel and Tomping.
The latest round of violence followed deadly clashes between the rival factions on Friday and Sunday in the capital city.
South Sudan's Health Ministry says at least 271 people were killed in Friday's clashes. The exact number of those killed in fighting since Sunday is not known. On Sunday, the UN Security Council said in a press statement that the 15-nation UN body"condemned in the strongest terms the escalation of fighting in Juba," and they expressed their sympathies and condolences to the families of Chinese peacekeepers who were killed or injured in the attacks.
South Sudan has canceled this year's independence celebrations due to the economic crunch resulting from more than two years of civil conflict. It won independence on July 9 2011 from Sudan after more than two decades of war that ended in a bitter divorce.
The country again plunged into conflict in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup, which the latter denied, leading to a cycle of retaliatory killings.
President Kiir and former rebel leader and now First Vice President Machar signed a peace deal in August that paved way for the formation of the transitional unity government to end more than two years of civil conflict.
By Lee Hyo-sik
Chey Jae-won
SK Group vice chairman
Expectations are growing over the release of SK Group Vice Chairman Chey Jae-won and other jailed business tycoons, following President Park Geun-hye's remarks she would grant pardons to mark Liberation Day on Aug. 15.
Chey and many other jailed businessmen have been repeatedly denied parole or special pardons over the past few years due to unfavorable public sentiment toward their release before their jail terms end.
Among the controlling family members of the country's large business groups, SK Chairman Chey Tae-won was the only one to be pardoned a year ago by the Park administration.
Hanwha Chairman Kim Seung-yeon was given parole in February 2014 because of his deteriorating health. But Kim cannot assume an official role until his parole ends in February 2019.
In a meeting with Cheong Wa Dae secretaries, Monday, Park said she will grant special pardons to selected inmates, the third of its kind since she took office in February 2013.
"To celebrate the 71st Liberation Day and help achieve national unity, the government will grant special pardons," Park said. "The Korean economy, which has been facing increasing difficulties, needs to find a breakthrough."
Kim Yun-Hae, right, acting president of Korea Maritime and Ocean University, and Patricia Ricard, second from right, president of the Paul Ricard Oceanography Institute, sign an agreement for a sisterhood relationship on Embiez Island in Southwestern France, Saturday. / Courtesy of Pernod Ricard Korea
By Jhoo Dong-chan
Global liquor producer Pernod Ricard's Paul Ricard Oceanography Institute (IOPR) has signed a sisterhood relationship agreement with Korea Maritime and Ocean University (KMOU).
The agreement came after a long partnership between IOPR and KMOU since 2013, for oceanography development between Korea and France, on the occasion of "Korea-France Year of Mutual Exchange" this year.
Under the agreement, the two organizations are to expand academic, scientific and educational cooperation in the field of oceanography. The IOPR is to offer its "Take Ocean For Future" (TAKE OFF) Program to KMOU students and other academic opportunities such as fellowship and exchange student research programs in a bid to train young scientists in oceanography.
This is a part of Pernod Ricard Group's corporate social responsibility programs for environmental preservation.
Patricia Ricard, president of IOPR, and Kim Yun-Hae, acting president of KMOU, participated in the signing ceremony for the sisterhood relationship on Embiez Island in Southwestern France, Saturday.
"We are pleased to contribute to academic cooperation in the field of oceanography in this year's Korea-France Mutual Exchange," a Pernod Ricard Korea official said.
"This agreement is expected to bring mutual benefit and progress for both organizations, while sharing knowledge and experiences."
By Yoon Ja-young
Hospitals and clinics should provide patients or their families with detailed information on surgeons performing operations on them. They can switch to other doctors only when the patients or family members agree. These are part of the government measures to root out ghost surgery.
The fair trade commission (FTC) announced Tuesday that it revised the standard contract for surgery. Currently, only the name of the attending physician is included in the contract between the patient and the hospital. After the revision, however, the names of all physicians participating in the surgery as well as their specialties will be written in the contract. When doctors other than those in the contract are to do the operation instead, the hospital should explain to the patients or family why, such as the attending doctor being called away to an emergency or falling ill themselves. The hospitals should get prior written consent from the patient or family members before surgery.
"The new standard contract will effectively prevent ghost surgery by making clear the surgeon who is responsible," said Min Hye-young, an official in charge of contract reviews at the FTC.
The measure comes amid increasing concerns over ghost surgeons, especially in plastic surgery clinics. These hospitals attract patients by telling them that a renowned surgeon will do the job. After the patient is put under anesthesia, however, the so-called star plastic surgeon just leaves the operating room, leaving the work to be done by ghost doctors. These ghost doctors are often inexperienced in the field or haven't specialized in plastic surgery. Unqualified doctors wishing to build up experience in plastic surgery often take the work despite lower pay, while the star surgeons get incentives for only consulting with the patients without actually doing the surgery.
By Kim Jae-won
How Samsung Group's heir Lee Jae-yong will restructure the financial units of the nation's largest conglomerate remains a big question among investors.
Early this year, Lee had a series of meetings with the chiefs of top domestic financial groups and Samsung Life Insurance increased its stakes in the group's other financial units, igniting speculation that Lee had a scheme to transform the life insurer into the conglomerate's holding firm.
However, expectations of the insurance firm transforming into a holding company have faded on reports that Samsung decided to suspend the plan due to regulatory hurdles and high costs.
A bill allowing a sub-holding company under a bigger umbrella holding firm has yet to pass the National Assembly. The passage of the bill is a precondition for Samsung to make Samsung Life Insurance a financial holding firm under a group-wide holding company.
Market watchers say the Samsung heir wants to expand the group into three key sectors electronics, biologics and finance, after shedding noncore affiliates in the defense and petrochemical industries.
Lee has said that Samsung must concentrate on what it can do better than its rivals.
Last year, Samsung sold its two defense subsidiaries and one chemical company to Hanwha and three chemical companies to Lotte, speeding up the group's restructuring process.
Lee has been leading the change since taking the helm of the group in May 2014 after his father Lee Kun-hee was hospitalized by a sudden heart attack. The senior Lee is still staying at a hospital run by the group.
In a broader picture, Samsung C&T will assume the role of a holding firm for the whole group and the insurer will come under it.
"Samsung Life Insurance will take the role of a mid-level holding company under the wing of Samsung C&T, the de facto holding firm of the group," said Baek Kwang-je, an analyst at Kyobo Securities.
"Samsung may maintain this structure, which is similar to that of Hanwha, for some more time because Samsung Life Insurance cannot be transferred to a financial holding company right now due to legal barriers."
Samsung Life owns a 7.2-percent stake in Samsung Electronics, but under current rules aimed at separating financial and industrial capital, a financial holding company must not own any shares in nonfinancial firms.
Thus, Samsung Life should unload its stake in the electronics affiliate to become a financial holding company within two years after its transition.
Kim Sang-jo, an economics professor at Hansung University, said that Samsung can solve this problem by setting up a subsidiary between Samsung Life and Samsung Electronics.
Under the Financial Holding Company Law, a subsidiary of a financial holding company can own shares in nonfinancial firms on the condition that it is not the largest shareholder.
Even in this case, Samsung Life will have to sell part of its stake in Samsung Electronics and Shilla Hotel because the insurer is the largest shareholder in the two companies, Kim said.
"Samsung appears to have no other choice but to set up a holding company because its corporate governance structure is unsustainable," Prof. Kim said. "It will establish a financial holding company by separating an investment entity from either Samsung C&T or Samsung Life."
Samsung Life has increased stakes in the group's financial subsidiaries, including Samsung Card which was rumored to have been sold.
In February, Samsung Life bought a 37.45 percent stake in Samsung Card from Samsung Electronics for 1.5 trillion won, raising its stake in the card issuer to 71.86 percent.
Samsung Life also owns a 14.04 percent stake in Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance and an 11.07 percent stake in Samsung Securities, paving the way for placing them under its control.
In a web of shareholdings among group units, Samsung Electronics controls the group's nonfinancial affiliates, owning a 22.58 percent-stake in Samsung SDS and a 19.13-percent stake in Samsung SDI. Samsung Electronics also has a 22.8-percent stake in Samsung Electro-Mechanics and a 17.61-percent stake in Samsung Heavy Industries.
Disconnect crossholdings, strengthen business ties
Samsung is moving to disconnect its crossholdings between financial and nonfinancial affiliates, while strengthening business cooperation between the two fields at the same time.
Officials say that finance and technology units will strengthen their collaboration for integrated services.
Analysts said that Samsung is moving to strengthen its financial units as part of its corporate governance reform, but its direction is still unclear.
"Samsung considers changing the landscape of its financial subsidiaries," said Lee Jong-woo, head of IBK Securities' research center, "but it is still unclear how they will be reshaped because the group is quiet on the matter."
Last year, Samsung Electronics launched its mobile payment system Samsung Pay, offering payment services though its Galaxy devices in cooperation with Samsung Card and other credit card firms.
Samsung Pay is a good example of financial technology, or fintech, which applies newly developed technologies to traditional financial industries.
"Samsung is strong in information technology and seeks to expand its business into the fintech sector. Lee Jae-yong may have discussed the matter with financial leaders," said a spokesman at a leading financial group, asking not to be named.
Analysts do not rule out the possibility of the conglomerate putting Samsung Card and Samsung Securities up for sale in a reorganization of the financial units.
By Choi Sung-jin
Former President Lee Myung-bak has revealed critical views on President Park Geun-hye, especially concerning the prosecution's investigation of business groups he patronized in office.
"I didn't do a good job as a president, but (President Park) seems to be doing worse than me," former President Lee was quoted as saying to a ruling party lawmaker at their recent meeting, by the Segye Times, Monday. It was a joke but appeared to reflect Lee's views on his successor, political watchers said.
The lawmaker said the former president had a strong opinion that President Park is administering state affairs in the wrong way. "Particularly, former President Lee expressed discontent about the prosecution's continuous probes into large business groups," the lawmaker said, adding that Lee seemed to think these investigations are targeting his administration.
There have been rumors in political circles that the prosecution's earlier investigations into POSCO, and more recently into Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering and the Lotte Group, were aimed at the Lee administration.
Lee had refrained from directly criticizing his successor, who is from the same conservative party. As the ruling Saenuri Party suffered a humiliating setback in April's parliamentary elections and two-thirds of President Park's term in office have passed, he seems to have begun to express some bad feelings accumulated over the past three-and-a-half years, observers said.
Yet Lee praised Park's decision not to build a new airport in southeastern provinces but to expand the existing one near Busan, something he also tried to do but failed. "President Park handled it right," Lee was quoted as saying.
Most Internet users showed negative responses to Lee's remarks.
"Had Lee not wasted 50 trillion won ($43 billion) on river-rebuilding projects and overseas resources development and spent it for creating jobs for youth, Korea would have been far better off than now," a netizen said.
"Are you upset because the incumbent administration is bullying the Lotte Group that you favored so much?" another said. "Have you already forgotten what you did against your predecessor, the late President Roh Moo-hyun?"
"How come could you mention only probes into some chaebol of all the countless wrongs the Park Geun-hye administration has done?" a third said. "You made criticism for your own sake, not the entire people."
Some preferred Lee over Park, however, saying: "Former President Lee at least attempted to watch people's faces, but the incumbent president does not even pretend to do so."
By Kim Bo-eun
Na Hyang-wook
The Ministry of Education said Tuesday that it will seek the dismissal of a senior civil servant who triggered public outrage after referring to the public as "dogs and pigs."
The ministry will ask the Central Disciplinary Committee to review the dismissal request for Na Hyang-wook, former director general of the policy planning bureau.
The request is most likely to be accepted given the growing public uproar.
"We have decided to dismiss Na for his inappropriate remarks as a public servant, which offended the public and damaged the dignity of the civil service," said Vice Minister Lee Young at a briefing at the Seoul Government Complex. "Again we deeply apologize for disappointing the people."
The disciplinary committee is required to make a decision within 60 days after a request is filed, but the committee is expected to conclude the case promptly, considering the growing public outrage over his remarks.
Dismissal is the harshest punishment for a public servant. If Na is dismissed, he will only receive half the amount of severance pay and public servant pension. He will also be prohibited from being re-appointed as a government official for five years.
By Kim Hyo-jin
Lawmakers of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) are divided over whether to oppose the government's decision to allow the U.S. to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here.
Some are calling on the party leadership to take action against the plan, expressing doubts over the effectiveness of the battery against North Korea's missile attacks, and concerns over possible diplomatic fallout in relations with China.
But others argue that the party should keep its distance from hard-liners and take a cautious stance because the issue can affect the presidential race next year.
Against this backdrop, the party failed to decide its position on the planned deployment during a general meeting which was held Tuesday amid mounting calls from minor opposition parties to take a collective action as the opposition bloc.
"Many argued the party should make opposition its official position. They questioned whether THAAD was efficient enough to be a defensive measure against nuclear weapons and missiles and if it was worth risking diplomatic and economic relations with China and Russia," MPK spokesperson Rep. Ki Dong-min said.
"Still, some viewed it as inappropriate to decide the party's position on the issue at this stage, insisting our role should be limited to criticizing the government's secretive and hurried decision-making process and urging countermeasures."
Rep. Ki said the lawmakers only agreed on the need to set up a taskforce for further discussion.
The party has been in disarray while its senior lawmakers differed over how to respond to the government's decision.
Its interim leader Rep. Kim Chong-in said earlier that he did not oppose the THAAD deployment itself, and instead urged the government to discuss it further with the Assembly for public consensus.
But major contenders for the upcoming chairmanship race Reps. Choo Mi-ae and Song Young-gil remained adamant in their disagreement with the deployment of the battery. They called on the government to postpone and consider the plan from square one.
Meanwhile, the minor opposition People's Party responded swiftly.
The party decided to oppose the deployment of THAAD as its official position and asked the government to get parliamentary consent to carry out the scheme, its spokesperson Rep. Lee Yong-ho said, Tuesday.
"The party will seek a public petition and discuss a plan to send special envoys to China and the United States with other opposition parties," Lee said.
Urging the MPK to clarify its position, People's Party' floor leader Rep. Park Jie-won especially criticized Moon Jae-in, former MPK leader, for remaining silent.
"It's not desirable for a major presidential candidate to say nothing on such an important issue," he said.
By Lee Kyung-min
Expectations are high in the bioengineering sector, following the health ministry's approval to allow CHA University to resume an embryonic stem cell project, seven years after permission for the last such research project was granted in 2009.
The approval is likely to revitalize the stalled sector, after a decade-long suspension following a 2005 scandal over the manipulation of scientific papers involving the disgraced cloning expert, former Seoul National University Prof. Hwang Woo-suk.
Stem cells have the potential to develop into any kind of tissue in the human body. Although the relevant authorities will have strict guidelines on monitoring and preventative measures against the possibility of human cloning, the measure is likely to boost investments and research into developing treatments for incurable diseases including optic nerve damage, strokes and articular cartilage defects, serving as a steppingstone to more advanced medical technology.
On Monday, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said that a team of experts led by Prof. Lee Dong-ryul of CHA University in Gyeonggi Province will be able to continue its suspended project by the end of 2020 by using a total of 600 human eggs _ including 100 non-frozen ones.
Earlier in May, the presidential committee decided to approve the project on several conditions: the team should obtain the eggs legally and the study is limited to clinical purposes.
A ministry-organized ethical committee comprised of 10 infertility specialists and stem cell researchers will monitor whether the team abides by the regulations to prevent the research from being used in human cloning. It will conduct regular onsite inspections by tracking visual records of eggs and embryos used and discarded.
The ministry vowed to tightly monitor the project.
"We are fully aware of concerns raised in religious circles about the possibility of human cloning and fundamental degradation of human life," a ministry official said. "We will closely monitor and support the team."
The Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning has been demanding that the health ministry ease restrictions on using human eggs, including allowing the use of non-frozen eggs to induce better results.
The strict ban on the use of non-frozen eggs was implemented in 2005, after the scandal with Hwang, who used such eggs from women seeking infertility treatments. He was convicted of embezzlement and fabricating research findings.
Since the scandal, stem cell research here has been virtually frozen. CHA University failed to create an embryonic stem cell in 2009, but it said it succeeded to do so in a 2014 project in the U.S.
HONG KONG, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague has no jurisdiction over South China Sea disputes between China and the Philippines, which unilaterally filed an arbitration case, a Hong Kong law expert said on Monday.
Teresa Cheng, Chair of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Center (HKIAC) made the remarks here during a media briefing, citing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS).
Cheng said that according to the UNCLOS, both sides in the disputes should conduct negotiations prior to filing an arbitration, while the Philippines has not conducted negotiations with China.
China and the ASEAN member states, including the Philippines, jointly signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), agreeing to solve disputes by peaceful means.
"The DOC is still under implementation, therefore both the Philippines and China do not have the right to file an arbitration during this process," Cheng said, "From legal aspect, the PCA has no arbitration jurisdiction over the case as the Philippines did not take the right steps."
In addition, the sovereignty and territorial disputes are not under the jurisdiction of the UNCLOS, Cheng said, adding China has made related declaration excluding disputes concerning the above issues.
Cheng also said a conference under the title of "Public International Law Colloquium on Maritime Disputes Settlement" will take place in Hong Kong on Friday and Saturday.
The colloquium, co-hosted by the HKIAC and the Chinese Society of International Law (CSIL), aims to provide a unique platform for scholars and practitioners from all over the world to share views mainly on territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation, the disputes settlement mechanism under the UNCLOS, Cheng said.
The PCA will publish the award of the arbitration on Tuesday. In reaction to the award, the colloquium will provide a special session dedicated to discussion and comments on the topic from a legal perspective, Cheng said.
Japanese prosecutors demanded a five-year jail term for a South Korean man who is suspected of detonating a bomb in a public restroom at a controversial Tokyo war shrine last year, defining his actions as an act of terrorism.
The 28-year-old suspect, identified only by his surname Chon, has been indicted on charges of breaking into the premises of the Yasukuni Shrine on Nov. 23 and setting up the bomb in the public restroom. No one was hurt by the bombing.
He was arrested in December shortly after voluntarily returning to Tokyo by plane.
During the final hearing held at the Tokyo District Court, Chon said he is sorry about incurring damages. His lawyer demanded the court to hand down a suspended sentence.
At an earlier hearing, Chon admitted to his involvement in the suspected bombing.
By Kim Se-jeong
An arrest warrant has been sought against a 33-year-old Busan police officer who is under investigation for allegedly having sex with a 17-year-old female student whom he was supposed to be counseling.
Another office in Busan was booked without physical detention on a similar charge.
The chiefs of the two officers' police stations allegedly attempted to cover up the incidents.
A special investigation team under the National Police Agency (NPA) said Tuesday that it asked the prosecution to request an arrest warrant for the officer from Saha Police Station, surnamed Kim, on charges of having sex with the schoolgirl in a car in early June.
"The arrest warrant was sought because the police officer may run away or destroy evidence, considering that he changed his phone number on June 24 when the allegation emerged and disappeared with his family for four days at that time," an official on the team said.
It was also found that Kim gave 10 million won to the girl's parents when the accusation was made.
The other officer at Yeonje Police Station, surnamed Jeong, 31, allegedly had sex with another 17-year-old girl multiple times since March and sent her more than 18,000 mobile chatting messages in which he said he was attracted to her.
The two men were so-called "school police officers," tasked with keeping their eyes on students to prevent bullying and violence at school.
The investigation team also found that 17 superiors of the two officers, including station chiefs, knew about the incidents before they were made public, but allegedly attempted to cover them up by accepting the officers' resignations.
The two officers took early retirement without any punishment last month, receiving full severance pay. After the allegations were made public, though, the NPA cancelled their resignations according to a precedent that allows the cancellation of the retirement of public servants who did so to hide illegal activities.
The team asked the NPA to mete out disciplinary actions to the 17 superiors.
The school police officer system was adopted in 2012 in the aftermath of a student's death in Daegu who killed himself after being bullied by his peers.
Currently 1,075 officers are employed across the country, looking after students at 11,590 schools.
The Ministry of Education is reviewing the guidelines for such officers to limit counseling sessions to school property. For sessions outside school, at least two officers should be present.
/Courtesy of Twitter
By Choi Ha-young
Tourism ties between Korea and Saudi Arabia are strengthening, with visa changes to allow visitors to the countries to stay longer.
The two governments signed in May a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that increased the number of days visitors can stay from 60 to 90. It also increased the due period to validate visas from six months to five years.
Seoul will review the MOU and it is expected to be approved at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday. If approved, Korea will be the second country after the United States to have a visa policy contract with Saudi Arabia.
Korea will also cooperate with Saudi Arabia's new economic development initiative to diversify its now oil-dependent industry.
Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and the King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, discussed in May maintaining cooperation on construction and embarking on joint initiatives in infrastructure, medical treatment and defense.
Participants of the Scavenging for S(e)oul event, hosted by blogger Hallie Bradley on April 30, pose on the steps of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Seoul. The S(e)oul Derby event on July 16 will combine a scavenger hunt with "Amazing Race-esque missions." / Courtesy of the Soul of Seoul Tours
By Jon Dunbar
Power blogger Hallie Bradley will send dozens of her readers on a mad mission around Seoul, Saturday, to locate important cultural sites and complete various tasks.
The S(e)oul Derby is open to teams of four to participate in "a cross between scavenger hunt searches and Amazing Race-esque missions," according to the organizer.
"I love meeting people that read my blog the Soul of Seoul and love taking tourists around," Bradley told The Korea Times in an interview. "After residing in Korea for 10 years, it's pretty easy for me to know where to go, what to see and make clues for those places so it felt natural to put it together for others that probably can't."
Bradley, who moved here from Ohio in 2006, started blogging at thesoulofseoul.net in 2010 on lifestyle, travel, Korean culture and traditions and being part of a multicultural family in Korea, but she began offering various in-person events through the Soul of Seoul Tours.
On April 30 she offered Scavenging for S(e)oul, a hugely popular event attracting 82 participants.
"It was larger than we had originally expected but went off really well," said Bradley. "We wanted that event and this one to be an opportunity for people to see Seoul in a different way, learn about Korean culture and have fun and possibly see some different places that they haven't seen yet."
The event starts at 3 p.m. at Hapjeong Station and ends in Itaewon, with missions to Yeouido and Jongno and everywhere in between. Participants can win prizes, valued up to 1 million won in total from over a dozen sponsors including Mix & Malt, OK Burger, TrickEye Museum and Banh Mi.
/Courtesy of Twitter
By Lee Han-soo
The Korean Navy's Cheonghae Unit, which is part of the Combined Task Force 151 that counters piracy in Somalia, is under scrutiny after a current navy one-star general was arrested Monday for allegedly embezzling 30 million won ($26,000) of provision expenses.
The suspect led the unit during its 10th tour in 2012.
Military prosecutors have also booked two officers without detention on the same charge.
The officers allegedly embezzled money by giving favors to a Somalian company operated by a Korean. The company then doubled the price of provisions and gave kickbacks to the officers, who bought expensive whisky.
Army prosecutors are also investigating whether former captains during the unit's tour, which rotates every six months, also were involved.
In October 2015, the ship captain of the 11th tour was arrested for embezzlement and sentenced to 18 months in prison.
"Besides the 10th tour unit, we are also looking to prosecute five officers from the eighth, 12th, 14th and 18th tour for embezzling funds," a military prosecutor said.
Netizens described the charges as a dishonor to the unit, which earned high praise for rescuing Korean hostages in 2011 during Operation Dawn of Gulf of Aden.
The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday that it is "closely watching" for negative economic fallout from the recent decision by Seoul and Washington to deploy an antimissile system here.
The statement comes amid growing fears that China, which strongly opposes the stationing of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea, could take some retaliatory steps, including some form of economic sanctions.
"With regard to (China's possible) economic sanctions, we are closely watching the situation," Kang Seog-hoon, the president's senior secretary for economic affairs, told reporters.
Chinese state-run media outlets have published articles claiming that Beijing should take retaliatory measures against Seoul in response to the plan to deploy a THAAD battery, which Beijing says would undermine its security interests.
Kang said that the leaders of South Korea and China may have an opportunity to meet each other and possibly discuss the issue surrounding THAAD when they gather at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Mongolia later this week.
President Park Geun-hye will attend the two-day ASEM summit slated to begin on Friday. Premier Li Keqiang will reportedly represent China at the gathering.
On Monday, South Korea's Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho, who doubles as deputy prime minister for economic affairs, said that China may separate the political issues from the economic ones, and that he does not anticipate any "massive reprisal" from China. (Yonhap)
By Kang Seung-woo
South Korea and the United States have chosen Seongju County in North Gyeongsang Province as the site for a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, sources said Tuesday.
The government is expected to announce the decision on July 22 following approval from both nations' defense ministers.
Seoul and Washington officially announced Friday that they will deploy the U.S. missile defense battery in South Korea to counter continued North Korean threats after formal consultations began in March.
"After comprehensive reviews on candidate locations, the allies have reached the conclusion that Seongju is the optimal site for THAAD and they are currently in the final stage of administrative procedures," a government source said.
The source said that unless an unexpected factor comes up, Seongju County will become the home for THAAD.
The Air Force is currently operating a Hawk ground-to-air missile battery in the county and if THAAD comes to the town, it is expected to be moved to another region.
Seongju is out of range of North Korea's multiple rocket launchers deployed along its border with South Korea and THAAD can protect key U.S. facilities in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province and Daegu, if deployed there.
"If THAAD is deployed in Seongju County, it can contribute to providing air defense against North Korean missile threats for South Korea's Gyeryongdae military headquarters in South Chungcheong Province as well as U.S. military bases in Gunsan, Daeu and Pyeongtaek," a military official said.
In addition, the current Hawk battery is placed in a mountainous area at an attitude of 300 meters, so it may ease concerns over harmful electromagnetic waves emitted from THAAD's X-band radar.
The United States on Monday brushed aside North Korea's threat to take "physical counter-action" against the planned deployment of the U.S. THAAD missile defense system in South Korea, saying such a threat only confirms the deployment decision was right.
The North's military issued the threat earlier Monday, claiming that the agreement between the South and the U.S. to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in the South is part of their efforts to invade the communist nation.
The U.S. Defense Department rejected the threat.
"We came to this alliance decision because of North Korea's continued belligerence and its ongoing pursuit of ballistic missile and WMD capabilities despite multiple condemnations by the international community," Cmdr. Gary Ross, a Pentagon spokesman, told Yonhap News Agency.
"Incidents like this only confirm the prudence of our alliance decision, and we will continue to ensure that our defense posture remains capable of deterring conflict and defending ourselves and our allies," he said.
In an apparent protest the THAAD deployment decision, the North also test-launched a submarine-launched ballistic missile on Saturday, but the test ended in failure with the missile exploding at an altitude of some 10 kilometers after being launched from a submarine.
The U.S. had long desired to deploy THAAD to the South, but Seoul had wavered over whether to accept the deployment because of strong objections from China that claimed the system, especially the powerful X-band radar that comes with it, could be used against it.
North Korea's fourth nuclear test in January and the long-range rocket launch the following month provided a strong impetus for the U.S. and South Korea to move ahead with formal discussions about the potential placement of THAAD in the South. (Yonhap)
/Courtesy of 38 North
North Korea is showing "high-level activity" at its nuclear test site, the 38 North website monitoring the communist nation said Monday.
Commercial satellite imagery taken on July 7 of the North's Punggye-ri nuclear test site shows what appears to be supplies and/or equipment stacked on the ground at the site's North Portal, where the North conducted its fourth nuclear test in January, 38 North said.
In addition, a small vehicle is present at the support building immediately to the south of the portal and several mine ore carts may also be present southeast of the portal, suggesting the tunnel is being actively worked, 38 North said.
"Recent commercial satellite imagery indicates a high-level of activity at North Korea's Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site, specifically at the North Portal area where the DPRK conducted its 2013 and 2016 nuclear tests," 38 North said in a report.
Russia also likely to respond with relaxed sanctions
By Yi Whan-woo
China and Russia may re-consider implementing U.N. Security Council (UNSC) sanctions on North Korea in response to a decision to set up a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in South Korea, analysts said Tuesday.
They refuted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' claim that issues on UNSC sanctions and THAAD would be be dealt with separately, and that China and Russia have already pledged to implement the punitive measures against Pyongyang faithfully.
The analysts said Beijing and Moscow veto-wielding UNSC members can loosen their inspections on Pyongyang and allow the Kim Jong-un regime to exploit loopholes in the sanctions.
"The UNSC sanctions may not gain momentum although I would not say China and Russia will refuse to carry them out," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong University. "In particular, China may interpret clauses outlined by the UNSC in favor of North Korea and give the internationally-isolated state room to breathe."
Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, agreed.
"The dispute concerning THAAD will continue to draw attention from China and Russia over the UNSC sanctions for the time being," he said. "Against this backdrop, the UNSC sanctions will inevitably become looser."
Imposed in March, UNSC Resolution 2270 is aimed at banning North Korea's international trade in response to its nuclear and missile threats. It still has clauses that are seen as loopholes, such as permission for transactions if they are "determined to be exclusively for livelihood purposes."
Park said North Korea will capitalize on discontent from China and Russia concerning THAAD to bring "a new Cold War" to the peninsula against South Korea, the U.S. and Japan.
"Pyongyang will seek to widen the gap among the five countries to pursue its nuclear ambitions,' he said, citing that the five are all members of the six-party talks aimed at North Korea's denuclearization.
The foreign ministry said it will "not predetermine what measures China will take concerning THAAD.
Diplomatic challenges
Concerning diplomatic relations, the analysts said South Korea's bilateral cooperation with China and Russia also will be at risk.
Seoul and Beijing recently opened working-level dialogue on illegal fishing by Chinese trawlers in South Korean waters amid growing concerns over the depletion of fish stocks in the area.
"I'm afraid the dialogue will slow down for the time being although it will not be scrapped," Yang said.
Park voiced a similar view over President Park Geun-hye's Eurasia Initiative, her signature project aimed at establishing a unified logistics and energy network across the Korean Peninsula, Russia and Europe in the long term.
"Any discussion of the Eurasia Initiative will be put aside for now," he said.
Meanwhile, China and Russia have not joined South Korea, the U.S. and Japan in denouncing North Korea for its test-firing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) in defiance of UNSC sanctions. The test took place, Saturday, a day after Seoul and Washington decided to deploy a THAAD battery to deter Pyongyang's attacks.
An official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said any move to be taken by Beijing and Moscow concerning the SLBM will be "a barometer to judge whether they are willing to implement the UNSC sanctions."
Ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck said that the government expects a response from the UNSC against North Korea over its SLBM test.
The launch, Saturday, took place at the coastal town of Sinpo, South Hamgyong Province at around 11:30 a.m., according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
It is speculated that the secretive state hurriedly carried out the test to protest the decision to deploy THAAD.
The JCS said the missile only flew 10 kilometers and exploded in midair after being ejected from a 2,000-ton submarine launch tube.
The U.S. Strategic Command also said that the missile was tracked over the sea between South Korea and Japan, where it apparently fell.
HAIKOU, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Lu Jiabing does not understand how the sea where his family has fished for generations could be claimed by another country.
Talking about the South China Sea, the 66-year-old fisherman from Tanmen, Hainan Province, had his voice filled with emotion: "We live there and we die there. We earn our living and build our temples there. We inherited this sea from our ancestors."
Tanmen is a small township in the east of Hainan Island, with nothing like enough arable land. Where Lu lives, more than 4,200 villagers have to share 120 hectares. The land is also too sandy to grow vegetables and fruit. Villagers have to turn their eyes to the sea.
"All the grain produced in the village would only feed us for a month," said Zheng Zaiyong, another villager. "For the other eleven months, we have to buy rice from elsewhere."
While women and children go to the beach as tide recedes to gather shellfish, fishermen dive for fish and sea cucumber.
Lu's grandfather's grandfather started fishing in the South China Sea during the reign of Emperor Guangxu (1875-1908). Voyages could last up to six months, landing on islands like Taiping, Zhongye and Ganquan where fresh water was available. Wells can still be found today that were dug by long-forgotten Chinese fishermen. They found their way thanks to a compass and "Geng Lu Bu": the book of routes.
"With the book, they reached the Nansha, Xisha and Huangyan islands," said Zheng Qingzhi, vice mayor of Qionghai city, whose great grandfather was a captain during the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912).
Handwritten copies of the book of routes have been handed down since the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368). Some old fishermen still keep copies, yellowed by age, although new navigational aids have rendered it obsolete and fishing is now a much safer lifestyle.
Of course this does not mean our voyages are not dangerous. "Many fishermen die on the sea," Lu said.
He can still recall when, 41 years ago, a fishing boat was flipped over in a storm and all 30 on board lost their lives.
"People erected a monument," he said. On it is inscribed, "the old and young alike were deep in grief, with their wailing still to be heard even after a month."
On 17th of July, 1996, Captain Xu Shengwen sent out a distress signal. "We have met gales and the waves are tall," he said, then his final words, "Dangerous... I cannot report anymore." The ship was lost and the eighteen souls on board never came home.
"Each time we go to sea, we pray for safety," Lu said. "We pray in our boats and we pray on the islands, where we build little shrines."
Apart from gales and waves, fishermen from Tanmen fear foreign coast guards who can seize their vessels and confiscate their catch.
"Before the 1950s, only Chinese fishermen were seen on the Nansha Islands," said Su Chengfen, 82. "Fishing in the area stopped between 1956 and 1985. When we resumed, dozens of islands and reefs were occupied by other countries."
Almost all Tanmen villagers know which islands are involved in the disputes. Since the 1970s, the Nansha Islands have been invaded, illegally occupied by force and military facilities built.
Wang Shumao, 58, another Tanmen fisherman knows the exact location of every island in the Sea. "But we cannot go near many islands and reefs today because they are occupied by other countries," he said. "If we approach, we are warned or expelled. Sometimes, they even shoot at us."
Mai Yunxiu, 79, still recalls his detention in 1995 when he was fishing at Nansha.
"Our crew were taken by policemen from the Philippines and detained for up to 10 months," he said.
As captain of the ship, Mai was told to sign a piece of paper admitting that he had crossed a boundary. "They said if I signed, they would let me go."
He refused. "This is the sea left to us by our ancestors. Had I signed, I would have sinned against our ancestors."
Mai paid a high price for his obduracy. He stayed in jail for 10 months and lost his ship. He had to sell everything he had to his debts. Unable to accept their misfortune, his wife took her own life.
Chen Zebo had been detained three times and was beaten by police. "The only [foreign] word I know is China, which I repeated again and again," he said.
According to the government of Tanmen in 2013, since the 1990s more than 170 fishermen have been detained, fired upon or abused by foreign forces on the sea, but not one signed anything or admitted to any "transgression."
Fishermen from Tanmen are rightly concerned by a situation which threatens their very livelihood. On January 22, 2013, the Philippines unilaterally initiated arbitration on the disputes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea. The tribunal will issue its ruling on July 12.
Lu Jiabing does not know what to expect. "No matter what, the result won't change anything," he said.
"The South China Sea is where our ancestors made their living," he continued. "There we fished, and there we fish still."
Kim Jong-un has reportedly ordered North Korean government organizations and some citizens to use the Internet. /Courtesy of Twitter
By Lee Jin-a
North Korea has allowed state institutions and some citizens to use the Internet since April, a South Korean news outlet reports.
According to MBC News, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered each state organization to allow Internet access in April, saying: "We must actively use the Internet to be familiar with world trends and prepare ahead (for the future)."
North Koreans can also access the Internet as individuals but they must pass the state's complicated license process, a source said. "Because the conditions are too strict, only high officials have installed the Internet at their homes."
The source said the North also limits Internet searches. For instance, North Koreans must type "Dear Leader" in Korean in front of "Kim Jong-un" to receive search results.
Meanwhile, South Korea's Unification Ministry rejected the MBC report. Spokesman Jeong Joon-hee said: "The Internet is not open to the public in North Korea. Only a few of the state authorities are allowed to use the Internet when it is necessary.
Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, also said: "The report is not convincing because South Korea could never persuade the North to install the Internet at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex. If it is true, it will be a good start for the isolated country to open doors to other countries."
North Korean diplomats are reportedly earning foreign currency by smuggling rhino horns. / Courtesy of Twitter
By Lee Jin-a
North Korean diplomats are peddling rhinoceros horns in Africa, according to a U.S.-based media outlet Tuesday.
Radio Free Asia (RFA) said 29 diplomats have been arrested in Africa for smuggling rhino horns and elephant tusks since 1986 and 16 of them were from North Korea.
RFA reported that the latest case involved a diplomat at the North Korean embassy in South Africa who was indicted for illegally selling 4.5 kilograms of rhino horn in May last year. He was reportedly released on $30,000 bail.
"Rhino horn is one of the means for the North to earn foreign currency amid the international sanctions," said Julian Redemeyer, a researcher at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. "These horns are selling at high prices in the illegal international market."
He also called North Korea "a criminal state" because the government orders the diplomats to get involved in the illegal trade of elephant tusks and rhino horns.
By Yi Whan-woo
North Korea is showing signs of preparing for a fifth nuclear test at its main test site in Punggye-ri.
Citing satellite imagery, 38 North, a U.S. website specializing in North Korea-related issues, said Monday that vehicles and several mine ore carts were seen moving at the northern entrance to the underground test complex.
"It is clear that North Korea is ensuring that the facility is in a state of readiness that would allow the conduct of future nuclear tests should the order come from Pyongyang," it said.
The website said the satellite imagery was not clear enough to determine whether the activity in Punggye-ri was for maintenance, excavation or preparation for a new nuclear test.
However, the South Korean government warned against a possible nuclear provocation soon.
"The government views that North Korea is ready to go ahead with a nuclear test at anytime if its leadership determines it should do so," Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Cho June-hyuck said. "Pyongyang will have to face tougher international sanctions and will be isolated further if it make another provocation."
An official at the Ministry of Unification said the allied forces of South Korea and the U.S. are maintaining a readiness posture against Pyongyang.
The latest finding came after the U.S. blacklisted Korean leader Kim Jong-un on July 6 for human rights violations.
Seoul and Washington also agreed to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system on the Korean Peninsula on July 8 to deter Pyongyang's evolving nuclear and missile threats.
Some analysts have speculated that the dictatorial regime may conduct a new nuclear test in protest of the U.S. decision.
North Korea carried out all four nuclear tests at Punggye-ri in October 2006, May 2009, December 2013 and January this year.
Punggye-ri is located 385 kilometers northeast of Pyongyang.
By Michael Bergmann
Some need encouragement not to identify themselves as victims anymore. Before that, victims need recognition and help. What no one needs is the cynicism claiming that nearly all of us are victims and that we can no longer afford to help anyone.
Angela Merkel, known as Germany's top-manager of saturation, surprised many with the unconditional statement: Refugees will not be deserted. Germany is strong and friendly, wealthy and generous. No ifs, no buts, no numbers.
A mistake? Irrational? The first major lapse of political professionalism after 10 years in office? Predictably, the number of refugees heading for Germany swelled further after this announcement. An eruption of sentimentalism leading to a gigantic social experiment? A national psychotherapy for Germany's guilty past? A heroic exit from office? Or most cynically: Germany's surrender in a new type of war, confronting invaders coming with armies of children and tears as weapons?
I want to argue that from whatever moral, emotional or biographical impulse a political decision was born. There is no naivety: Education and labor market integration will need more than a generation. Social conflicts will have to be managed without arrogance. Balance has to be found between humanitarian principles, controlled migration and long-term stabilization of the countries of origin.
Those who suspect Merkel of having lost her political mind seem to have a narrow understanding of both rationalism and politics. Political leadership is the will to reconcile rationality with morality and the ability to offer convincing direction. And rationalism is certainly not confined to nationalism. We hear the voices grow louder in many countries, not only in Britain, that whoever offers a hand, a gesture of concern without immediate return is betraying the national interest. But those self-satisfied in saturation lament the demographic and economic stagnation.
Nationalism has often failed to prevent stagnation from sliding into depression. A rationalism that takes the future into account pursues the opposite strategy of reinvigoration. That it includes some compassion for the homeless does not compromise the political vision.
The vision is that of a dynamic post-national country in the heart of a more cooperative Europe, united under a constitutional patriotism with the unshakable pillars of freedom, democracy and mutual social responsibility culturally developing the German heritage with contributions by individuals from various backgrounds. No doubt, the more socially open a country is today, the more globally competitive it will be tomorrow.
When Willy Brandt, one of Merkel's predecessors in office (1969-1974), recognized the Oder-Neisse line, he was accused of giving away everything for nothing in return. Now even the cynics might agree that in fact he got everything Germany's international rehabilitation and gave nothing that had not been lost forever anyway. Just, the cynics would have lacked the positive impulse, considering pessimism a sign of intelligence.
Angela Merkel opened another door to the future 45 years later. Though controversial, her decision was neither irrational nor against Germany's national interest. Defining a promising challenge for generations, it may be remembered as a political decision of a century.
The writer is a German citizen who has lived in Korea for 10 years as a teacher. Reach him at bergmann2473@yahoo.de.
By Lee Seong-hyon
South Korean media are already abuzz with "imminent" Chinese retaliation to the Park Geun-hye government's announcement to host the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system. Has China suddenly become a vengeful hegemon? Even until January this year, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se characterized Seoul-Beijing ties as the "best ever." Media outlets often portrayed the relationship of the two leaders, Park Geun-hye and Xi Jinping, as a "honeymoon."
The South Korean eruption of fear over Chinese retaliation also contrasts with China's portrayal of itself as a "responsible power" (fuzeren de daguo) that emits an aura of a benevolent and big-hearted global leader. As the issue of THAAD and the Korean panic is soaring, with various specific scenarios of how China will seek revenge, it is also quite relevant to muse on how South Korean images of China are playing their psychological roles in the narrative.
Befitting this topic, three young Chinese scholars Dong Xiangrong, Wang Xiaoling and Li Yongchun penned a book titled "South Korean Images of China." These researchers represent China's new generation of emerging scholars. Among the highlights of the book are the surveys they conducted on how South Koreans feel about China. And the results are quite eye-opening.
According to the Chinese survey, South Koreans have a "conflicted image" of China. China can be characterized as "developing," "full of uncertainty," "a country that we don't like," or "a socialist country that cannot be trusted." South Koreans also see China as an "economic partner" yet "a politically alien country," which therefore poses a "threat" to South Korea. China represents to South Koreans a country that is "rapidly developing," yet "backward," and "uncertain of its future trajectory."
The survey also shows two keywords South Koreans use when referring to China: "a security threat," and "poor quality products." For instance, 73 percent of South Korean respondents said China's military buildup posed a security threat to South Korea and thereby reminded them of China's "invasion and oppression" and reflected their fear of China's growing influence on the Korean Peninsula.
What is bafflingly interesting is that South Koreans also have favorable cultural orientations toward China as well; South Koreans feel a natural affinity to the Chinese culture, recognize China's spectacular economic expansion, and respect China's hosting the six-party talks. So, why the conflicting images?
It's almost certain now that Korea will lose its vice president and chief risk officer (CRO) position at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) it secured by promising to contribute $3.7 billion to the founding of the bank.
The China-led regional lender announced on its Web site last week that it had demoted the CRO position to a directorship level. Instead, the AIIB would create a vice president post in charge of finance.
Given some press reports that Thierry de Longuemar, a French national and former vice president of the Asian Development Bank, was tapped as the fledgling bank's new vice president, Hong Ky-ttack, the Korean CRO and vice president, has no other alternative but to step down.
All these developments came after the former CEO of the Korea Development Bank, the country's policy lender, disappeared in late June after taking a six-month leave of absence.
Korea is the fifth-largest shareholder in the AIIB with a 3.8 percent stake, which would have ensured Hong's vice presidency. His sudden departure will lead to the loss of Korea's national interest in that there is no high-ranking official who is Korean in the international development bank launched in January.
Hong disappeared after an accounting scandal involving Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering erupted. He faced accusations of having sat on his hands during his tenure at KDB while the insolvency of the shipbuilder was snowballing. More importantly, he created a stir by claiming that the bailout of Daewoo was not a KDB decision but one made by top policymakers during meetings at Cheong Wa Dae.
But it's still a mystery why he disappeared all of a sudden. There is only speculation that China may have pressured him to quit, blaming him for the Daewoo fiasco, which was purely Korea's domestic problem. Our government needs to confirm the details of this speculation.
All this brouhaha involving Hong is a reminder of how "parachute appointments" can do harm to the national interest of a state. Hong, a former economics professor at a university in Seoul, was accused of lacking expertise and experience even when he was tapped as the KDB CEO in 2013. But he ultimately became one of the five vice presidents at the AIIB despite criticism that he was devoid of proper qualifications.
It's no secret that President Park Geun-hye stood behind him as both attended Sogang University in Seoul. Hong also took part in her presidential transition team.
After all, President Park has no one to blame but herself for the disaster at the AIIB. It's long overdue to uproot the evil practice of appointing those with political connections to public posts.
Park needs to effectively manage regional opposition
President Park Geun-hye must pay keen attention to resolving the simmering opposition over an abrupt announcement by Korea and the U.S. on the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, battery here. The government should not overlook the fact that it is just as important to manage the growing internal division over the THAAD deployment as the international conflict over the issue.
During a meeting Monday, the President strongly defended her decision on THAAD and urged national unity on issues relating to national security and threats from North Korea. However, this might not be the time for her to unilaterally call on the nation to accept the government's decision since her administration has so far failed to convince the public on the safety and necessity of the advanced missile defense system.
Park's argument for THAAD does not appeal to the people who reside in candidate cities, some of which are situated in rural regions. Protesters fear that their livelihoods will suffer.
Seongju in North Gyeongsang Province has emerged as a candidate town among several sites. Citizens of Seongju will launch a signature collecting campaign against THAAD deployment. Most of the candidate locations, including Pohang and Yangsan, have been staging rallies and press conferences to protest the deployment in their areas. Mayor Lee Kang-deok of Pohang, an industrial center in North Gyeongsang Province, expressed strong opposition to THAAD during a press conference Tuesday, saying that it will undermine the regional economy and endanger the environment. The resentment is not groundless because the government has been unilateral in making the decision and has not properly collected public opinion about it.
By Lee Min-hyung
The Korea Internet and Security Agency (KISA) has pledged to become a key player in mitigating cyberthreats in West Africa, as part of its first cross-border security cooperation drive.
This came after the internet agency launched the Cybersecurity Alliance for Mutual Progress (CAMP) Monday with a group of high-ranking officials from its 29 member countries. They agreed to pick KISA as the first secretariat of the global security alliance.
Following the event, KISA CEO Baik Kee-seung and the representatives of CAMP member organizations took their first official step, holding a meeting to establish an annual roadmap of the organization.
In particular, Senegal's Post and Telecommunication Vice Minister Malick Ndiaye joined the discussion and worked toward building a mutual alliance with KISA.
KISA offered to dispatch experts for a more systematic analysis of Senegal's cybersecurity and ICT infrastructures. The West African country, for its part, also agreed to fully cooperate with KISA's plan and pledged to spare no efforts in increasing its budget to build a safer online environment in the country.
Korea Internet and Security Agency (KISA) CEO Baik Kee-seung, right, discusses detailed plans to run a global consultative body for cybersecurity, with Senegal's Post and Telecommunication Vice Minister Malick Ndiaye, left, after an opening ceremony of the Cybersecurity Alliance for Mutual Progress (CAMP) at the Plaza Hotel in central Seoul, Monday. The KISA chief pledged to enhance its support to mitigate growing threats from cyberspace in West African countries. / Koreatimes photo by Shim Hyun-chul
"Senegal is one of the most advanced countries in West Africa in terms of telecommunications environments," said the vice minister.
"We also have a well-established mobile network infrastructure all across the nation, but this reflects that we can also be more vulnerable to potential threats from cyberspace. This was the reason for us to make a decision to join the CAMP."
CAMP will pave the way for West African countries to find effective countermeasures to cyber-related concerns, as the countries have had no systemized platform to deal with cybersecurity issues, said the official.
During their first official meeting, the CAMP members picked information-sharing as a top priority, requesting KISA to issue quarterly newsletters to help member countries access up-to-date information on cybersecurity, KISA said.
KISA also underlined the importance of sharing security information among CAMP members. In particular, the KISA chief called for the need to classify information into more detailed sectors including education, technology and culture as part of its bid to resolve security issues in a more professional way.
Toward that end, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also pledged to play a crucial role in connecting West African countries by helping its members strengthen information security capabilities.
ECOWAS commissioner Isaias Barreto Olimpio Da Rosa said: "As a regional body representing 15 West African countries, the ECOWAS will make all-out efforts for our member states to enhance their responsive systems in case of cyber emergencies, and plan to push for a joint project among them."
"Cybersecurity or cybercrimes should be addressed across the globe, due to the prevalence of mobile devices and personal computers. In the case of West Africa, the number of mobile users far exceeds that of PCs. In particular, we are considering ways to improve mobile services in a more secure way."
The West African organization representative said they decided to join the CAMP, hoping to learn from KISA's years-long cybersecurity experience and benchmark its various training programs.
KISA CEO Baik Kee-seung accepted their request and expressed confidence that the CAMP will bring a paradigm shift in international cooperation.
"The consultative body is expected to become a global hub to develop cybersecurity in various ways, including information-sharing and joint responsive systems," said the KISA chief.
KISA expands cybersecurity presence
KISA is one of the nation's largest organizations solely committed to establishing a threat-free online environment.
The state-run organization was established in 2009 amid growing calls for one special body protecting online information both in the public and private sectors.
KISA's noteworthy achievements include opening an Internet of Things (IoT) security test-bed, known as the "IoT test-bed," last October.
The IoT test-bed came as the agency has sought to protect against potential cyberthreats in emerging weak spots prevalent in the IoT and telecom sectors.
At that time, KISA partnered with the nation's major mobile carriers SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus.
The KISA chief said the platform is expected to become what he calls a "base camp" where mobile carriers and device manufacturers can test the security of their new services or products against any potential threats, ahead of new product launches.
On a global level, the agency signed partnerships with renowned global organizations including the World Bank and the University of Oxford over expanding cooperation to discuss ways to mitigate cyberthreats. For the two-year collaboration, KISA established the Global Cybersecurity Center for Development (GCCD) at its Seoul headquarters.
Last month, KISA also established another global organization for cybersecurity, the Cyberthreat Intelligence Network, by teaming up with six overseas security providers including Microsoft, Symantec and FireEye.
The organization came as KISA and the leading IT firms voiced their consensus in building a stronger responsive system by holding monthly meetings to discuss the latest cyberthreats and countermeasures, according to KISA.
By Kim Yoo-chul
Samsung SDI, the battery unit of Samsung, is set to resume its partnership with Anhui Jianghuai Automobile in China beginning in September of this year, at the earliest.
"Samsung SDI's business partnership with Anhui remains strong despite a few issues, most of which are procedural problems not structural ones. The partnership is expected to be fully normalized from September," said one official, Tuesday.
In June this year, Anhui Jianghuai notified Samsung SDI that the production of its electric vehicles using Samsung SDI-manufactured batteries has been stopped as Samsung SDI has failed to get certification for the battery from Beijing.
The Chinese carmaker said it will resume manufacturing its iEV6s sport utility vehicle, the company's premium electric vehicle with unit costs reaching $35,000 before subsidies, only after the Samsung's battery affiliate makes it to Beijing's approved list.
"Anhui Jianghuai has been forced to halt the production of some of its electric vehicle models as the Chinese government doesn't provide subsidies to its carmakers that are using batteries which failed to get certification," said the official.
He added that Samsung SDI will soon submit new requests with revised plans to Beijing for early battery certification.
Samsung SDI is expected to get certification in the next round, the fifth, possibly in August. As long as certification is received by the end of the year, analysts say the impact should be minimal.
Samsung SDI sells its car batteries via its joint venture in China, which became operational in the third quarter of last year.
China's exclusion of Samsung SDI and LG Chem with other foreign battery suppliers from the list of certified electric vehicle suppliers show that the protectionist threat from China is "real" and follows on the back of the NMC ban on electric-buses
But sources said it's highly unlikely that China's decision to exclude Samsung SDI from the list of qualified battery suppliers was partly due to the latest agreement by the United States and Korea to deploy the terminal high altitude area defense (THAAD) anti-missile system in Korea.
"THAAD is a political and diplomatic issue. Major decisions which have huge industrial impact are in accordance with interests of businesses not for non-business factors," said another official.
Mark Newman at Bernstein Research said the failure is a setback. But it doesn't mean that there is any ban on Samsung SDI's or even LG Chem's batteries for passenger electric vehicles until next year if at all.
The leading market research firm said that should the Samsung affiliate find measures to address concerns over the rising possibility for Beijing to introduce more protectionist measures, it will give a boost to domestic players.
"Since batteries overall are currently loss making this is unlikely going to have a huge impact on the bottom line but could slow the pace to meet the break-even point. Delays in getting certifications could also push Chinese electric vehicle makers to turn more to domestic suppliers," said the senior Bernstein analyst.
Japanese prosecutors have indicted a South Korean man 27, for the suspected bombing of a public restroom at a Tokyo war shrine last month, Yonhap reported Monday.
Identified only by his surname Jeon, the man is charged with breaking into the shrine.
Chon was arrested this month shortly after voluntarily returning to Tokyo.
Yongxing Island is home to the government of Sansha, China's southernmost city. [Photo/Xinhua]
The arbitration tribunal in the South China Sea dispute has explained the case in an irresponsible way and set a bad precedent, according to law professionals and scholars on international law from around the world.
The decision in the case, which was initiated unilaterally by the Philippines despite China's objection, is to be announced on Tuesday by the Arbitral Tribunal at The Hague.
Abdul Gadire Koroma, a Sierra Leonean who served two terms as judge at the International Court of Justice, said "the tribunal is not entitled to decide" questions concerning territorial sovereignty.
Myron Nordquist, a senior fellow at the Center for National Security Law at the University of Virginia School of Law, said "the arbitration sets a bad precedent with its award on jurisdiction".
"There is no way to guarantee the effectiveness of the Article 298 declarations except to honor the text which, despite my deep respect for the tribunal members and their good faith, was not done in this arbitration," said Nordquist.
Article 298 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea excludes compulsory arbitration on issues including maritime boundaries. In 2006, China declared it would exercise its rights under Article 298.
"They have already shown so much prejudice (against China)," Nordquist said.
In an earlier interview with China Daily, Nordquist also said he thought the United States is behind the Philippines' efforts to stir up the situation.
"They want to get back to those military bases. You know they got kicked out of quite a few of those places."
He said the ruling is likely to be bad for China. "It's not going to end the problem. It's going to exacerbate it."
"I am just not happy. I don't think China is getting a fair shake. I think part of the reason is that people that are being paid a lot of money by the Filipinos are taking advantage of the ignorance of people about this very complicated area."
Analysts estimate the additional 3% tax will hit bottom line profits of Baidu and Alibaba
Some of China's biggest internet companies may see their earning taking a hit from a new regulation, as the country takes a firmer grip on search advertising.
The State Administration for Industry and Commerce on Friday released the new regulation, which for the first time classifies paid searches as internet advertising. Analysts said that the revenue could be subject to an additional 3 percent culture-cultivation tax.
Such a move could force Baidu Inc, which runs China's biggest online search engine, to cut its fiscal 2017 net income to 16.3 billion yuan ($2.4 billion), according to analysts at Daiwa Capital Markets HK Ltd led by John Choi.
That estimate is about 4 percent below the average of estimates compiled by Bloomberg.
About 50 percent of e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's revenue in the first quarter would be affected, suggesting a 2.4 percent hit to earnings, wrote Hong Kong-based Choi.
"We would expect the market to cut its 2017-19 earnings forecasts for Baidu and Alibaba, given the additional surcharge burden," Choi said in a report.
The new regulation, which will take effect on Sept 1, is seen as the government's increased effort to oversee the country's $23.2-billion internet advertising market, which was under media scrutiny earlier this year after the death of a college student, who sought out a treatment for his rare disease on Baidu's search results.
Baidu said in a statement that the company would fully implement the new regulations. Alibaba said in a statement that if its pay-for-performance ads were charged a 3 percent fee, the impact of on its margins would be in the "low single digit" range as its revenue channels are becoming more diversified.
Analysts said the regulation would have positive impact on the Chinese online advertising industry. That is because it makes it clear that advertising publishers have the obligation to review ad contentsand advertisers from certain industries such as healthcare will have to obtain relevant licenses from watchdogs before they can do online advertising, said Jialong Shi, head of Nomura China Internet and Media Research.
"But being officially classified as an ad service, internet search operators will have the new obligation to review the paid search results which Baidu indicated in its 2015 annual report as 'being burdensome'," Shi said.
Photo taken on June 25, 2015 shows the outside look of the IKEA shopping mall in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province. The first IKEA shopping mall opened here on Thursday, which is the 17th IKEA, the world-renowned furniture retailer, opened in China. [Photo: Xinhua/Long Wei]
IKEA still has not made a final decision on whether to extend a recall into China, on a dresser that's been blamed for several accidental deaths overseas.
The Swedish company contacted quality inspection authorities in China on Friday and had promised a decision by Monday.
Currently, IKEA stores on the mainland are divided on their refund policies, even though the company sent a message to consumers saying the dressers could be returned to stores if they could not by firmly attached to a wall in the buyer's home.
The company ordered a recall of its "Malm" dressers in North America after several accidents where the piece of furniture tipped over. The defect has resulted in the deaths of six children in the US and Canada.
The company came under fire in China, as the country was not included in the recall. IKEA stated that the dresser meets all safety standards in China, and no accidents have been reported in the country.
Chinese People's Liberation Army Naval sailors aboard the Hengshui hoist the Chinese Flag after arriving at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam to participate in the multinational military exercise RIMPAC in Honolulu, Hawaii, on June 29. Nine naval ships from seven countries, including China, US, Australia and India, have been showcased at the open day event. It is the second time that the Chinese Navy has taken part in RIMPAC. The fleet, PLAN TG - XI'AN, is composed of missile destroyer Xi'an, missile frigate Hengshui, supply ship Gaoyouhu, hospital ship Peace Ark, submarine rescue vessel Changdao and three helicopters, as well as a marine and a diving squad. [Photo: Xinhua]
CHOCTAW COUNTY, Okla. -- On a hot summer day, Lake Raymond Gary in Choctaw County is a popular spot for folks looking to cool off.
"A lot of people come and swim here. A lot of people come here and cook out," Choctaw County Undersheriff Larry Hendrix said.
What should have been a fun time with family and friends ended in tragedy after a 16-year-old boy drowned trying to help a fellow swimmer.
"He died trying to help somebody. Young people, think, because that one action might be your last one, good deed or not," said Billie Jean Pitchford, who was one of several lake-goers who tried to to save the boy.
Witnesses say the boy tried to catch an inner tube drifting away from its owner. But after jumping in, he never resurfaced, prompting witnesses to call 911 just around 6:30 p.m.
The boy had been about 10 feet underwater for nearly 15 minutes when rescuers pulled him out.
Pitchford says first responders never gave up trying to revive him.
"They went beyond the call of duty. They never once gave up. Someone in the crowd said, 'well he's dead,' and one of the men turned around and said something, and you know it was kind of explicit, but you know: 'Do not give up on this boy,'" Pitchford said.
The Choctaw County Sheriff's Office says the 16-year-old, whose name has not been released because of his age, was in a no-swimming zone when he drowned. He was not wearing a life jacket.
He was pronounced dead at Choctaw Memorial Hospital, and his body has been sent to the Tulsa Medical Examiner's office for autopsy.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is investigating.
(Global Times) 08:46, July 12, 2016
Economic ties have greater potential without interference: analysts
Trade and economic cooperation between China and the Philippines have great potential and both countries should overcome political obstacles and interference from outside nations for their people's best interest, analysts said.
The UN arbitration court in The Hague is set to announce its decision on the South China Sea case on Tuesday.
"The Philippines should avoid being used by the US for its pivot to Asia strategy as it hurts the Philippines' interests. The arbitration was a mistake made by the former regime and Duterte has a chance to fix it and bring better economic relations for the people of both China and the Philippines," Shen Shishun, an expert on Asia-Pacific studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times.
According to data from China's foreign ministry, bilateral trade volume between China and the Philippines reached $44.42 billion in 2014, an increase of 16.75 percent from the same period the previous year.
Shen said that imports from the Philippines consisted of agricultural and fishery products. Due to the US pivot to Asia strategy, former Philippine President Benigno Aquino III changed the country's policy toward China, and Aquino's provocative policy harmed economic ties between the two sides.
Imports from Philippine slid to $18.23 billion in 2013, a decrease of 7.2 percent from 2012, affecting many agriculture products, such as bananas.
Rod Kapunan, a columnist from Philippine newspaper The Standard, told the Global Times he believes President Rodrigo Duterte will have friendlier policies toward China than the Aquino regime, and that he hopes some old projects would restart and start new ones as well.
"The railway project once offered by China could have been a good opportunity," he said, adding that infrastructure, such as telecommunications, would also present opportunities for bilateral cooperation.
In November 2015, Japan signed a $2 billion loan agreement with the Philippines to partially finance and reactivate the frozen North-South Commuter Rail Project (NSCRP) which was originally offered by China, according to a Manila Times report.
China needs to build better relationships with local NGOs and improve project transparency in future cooperation, suggested Xu Liping, an expert on Southeast Asian affairs at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The Philippines has a huge demand for infrastructure, and compared to the US and Japan, China has many advantages, such as funds, technology and experience in this area, Xu said.
In a May article, Inciting to War with China, Kapunan wrote, "We opted to initiate our version of the Cold War, which effectively denied us to share in the economic prosperity that China could offer through economic development assistance. In fact, some members of the ASEAN have already taken the approach of building stronger ties with China, consistent with the view that neighbors should cultivate friendship rather than heighten instability and insecurity. This could only open the door for the US to divide the countries of Southeast Asia."
Growth areas
Media reports present Philippine real estate as an investment haven where the Chinese are beginning to develop an interest in.
Patrick Steinmann, director of sales at Century Properties in Manila, told the Chinese Business Network last year that there is a rising trend of Chinese buyers. He said that the return on investments in the Philippine real estate market can reach as high as 8 percent.
Li Kaisheng, an associate research fellow at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that it is a challenge for both China and the Philippines to talk about how economic and trade relations can develop after the arbitration result comes out. He said the tensions have already hurt economic relations, with no new projects since the last few were suspended, including the railway.
There is more interaction on the grass-roots level as well. According to data from the Philippine Department of Tourism in June, during the first five months of 2016, 285,000 Chinese tourists visited the Philippines, an increase of 81 percent compared to last year's figure. In May alone, there were 47,000 tourists, a 48.5 percent increase from April.
Shen said many countries are trying to attract Chinese tourists, and geographically, the Philippines has the advantage, and if both sides reach agreement on direct cruise links between China's Hainan Province and the Philippines, there would be a huge potential for the tourism industry.
(Global Times) 09:26, July 12, 2016
Illustration: Liu Rui/GT
The US and South Korea said Friday that they agreed to deploy the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system as "North Korea's continued development of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction require the alliance to take this prudent, protective measure." The unusual decision on such a highly-watched sensitive issue will alter regional security and Northeast Asia's geopolitical landscape.
Due to the unequivocal opposition of China and Russia, South Korea has been ambiguous about whether to deploy the THAAD system or not. The South Korean public was previously divided over the issue, but President Park Geun-hye, whose five-year term ends in early 2018, made the final decision of deployment, purportedly in response to the North Korean nuclear threat.
The jointly agreed deployment, which came right before the arbitration result on the South China Sea case, may be part of the US portfolio of measures to constrain and irritate China. Whether it is willing or not to aid the US, South Korea may have seized the opportunity to express its veiled dissatisfaction and disappointment with China's way of handling North Korea's nuclear issue.
The deployment decision was not unexpected, but it still set off hot discussions in China.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed strong dissatisfaction with and resolute opposition to the decision and urged the US and South Korea to terminate the deployment. Some people even proposed that China immediately take countermeasures to sanction or punish South Korea.
Anyhow, it is of no use to technically analyze the THAAD system and its possible harm to regional and global strategic balance. The US has realized its phased goal of building a global anti-missile system to have a strategic edge. And in South Korea, public opinion is temporarily dominated by the egoism of conservatism and deceptive slogans of seeking self-reliance.
Strategically the THAAD deploymentwill prove to be a historically wrong decision. In terms of Northeast Asia's peace and security, Park is opening Pandora's Box.
South Korea's national interests, which combine public opinion, think tanks, political values, factionalism and US pressure, appear more obscure and uncertain than ever before. Security is supposed to be the priority of Seoul.
But shouldn't South Korea feel more insecure than before when nuclear powers like China, the US and Russia jointly object to North Korea's nuclear ambitions and have started sanctioning the latter? Will South Korea obtain more security when its moves jeopardize the strategic interests of China and Russia, which therefore destroys the multilateral mechanisms that check North Korea?
Can it feel more secure by breaking the current nuclear parity and even intensifying the confrontation between US-Japan-South Korea alliance and China, Russia, and North Korea?
The THAAD deployment will help neither denuclearization nor the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula. On the contrary, it may cause the suspension of international sanctions on North Korea and prompt Pyongyang to take new military adventures. The deterioration of regional security can also give Japan excuses to revise its pacifist constitution and seek to be a military power.
The THAAD deployment will invite a new arms race. It will jeopardize South Korea's relations with China and Russia. Meanwhile, China and Russia will be spurred to enhance the pre-launch viability and penetration capability of nuclear weapons. South Korea stands at the forefront of a possible new Cold War.
In response, China will take actions to protect its national interests and strategic balance, which will affect China-South Korea trade ties. Moreover, the THAAD deployment will lead to further domestic divide and political tumult within South Korea, and debates will be triggered over the location and cost of the THAAD system.
Park's trust-building process on the peninsula in 2013 and "unification bonanza" initiative in 2014 has found little reception in North Korea. Pyongyang conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and declared its nuclear-country status in May, while Park's Saenuri Party lost its parliamentary majority in April.
The frustrations prompt Park to use the THAAD deployment to set South Korea against the North. The fickle mentality over unification and fear for North Korean missiles expose the vulnerability of South Korea's conservative forces.
With the THAAD deployment, the US completes a critical step in its rebalancing strategy to the Asia-Pacific region.
However, a country without military sovereignty can easily become a pawn in great-power contests.
No one believes that Park makes the deployment decision in a hasty manner. But what can a decision that benefits no one bring to South Korea?
The author is director of the Department of International Political Science, College of Political Science and Public Management, Yanbian University. Follow us on Twitter @[email protected]
Washingtons outsider position undercuts its message as it urges China to respect global maritime norms, said an article bylined by Hannah Beech, East Asia Bureau Chief of the TIME Magazine.
In the article titled China Will Never Respect the U.S. Over the South China Sea. Heres Why, the author explained that the U.S. is one of the most vocal countries urging China to hew to international order. However, the U.S. refuses to play by international rules, declining to ratify a major U.N. convention to which more than 160 other countries are party. After years of complaints, the nation convinces the U.N. to tweak the treaty to many of its specifications. Yet even after those amendments, the great powers legislature prioritizes protectionist sentiment over respect for global rule of law.
Washingtons outsider position undercuts its message as it urges China to respect global maritime norms. After all, China ratified the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) in 1996, said the Time article.
The U.S. Navy will continue to ply the high seas, acting as the worlds oceanic policeman by engaging in freedom-of-navigation exercises. But American hypocrisy when it comes to maritime rule of law looks likely to endure, it added.
The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary
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PRESS RELEASE
Chinas Intent To Broaden Economic Ties with EU and ASEAN
July 11, 2016 (EIRNS)In the run-up to the upcoming China-European Union summit at Beijing to be held on July 13, Reuters reported EU officials saying that China is set to make good on a promise to invest two billion euros in the European Unions new infrastructure fund.
"China has a lot of liquidity and needs to invest it somewhere," one senior EU official told Reuters, asking not to be named. "Weve made it quite clear this is a European fund over which China has no sway, but Chinese banks can expect to see returns on their loans."
"At the EUs annual summit with China, Chinas premier Li Keqiang will make an initial investment of about two billion euros (1.70 billion pounds) in a financing vehicle linked to the European Unions 315-billion-euro European Fund for Strategic Investments,"
officials familiar with the talks told Reuters.
In Jakarta today, ASEAN and China pledged to deepen economic cooperation and enhance peace and stability in the region and the world. The Straits Times, reporting on the event, said the Chinese Ambassador to Asean, Xu Bu, speaking at a reception, "hailed the partnership as vigorous and dynamic." The article said Xu cautioned that
"while political relations have deepened and economic cooperation and trade have flourished, international and regional situations are undergoing profound changes." "Countries around the world are facing sluggish global economy, challenges in national development as well as non-traditional security threats such as terrorism, extremism, and natural disasters. Against this backdrop, it is more than necessary and important that China and ASEAN countries should further enhance unity and cooperation,"
Xu said and Reuters reported. Xu also quoted a Chinese proverb that says "close neighbors are dearer than distant relatives," the Straits Times article said.
ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh acknowledged the "significant progress" in wide-ranging areas of political security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation. Singapores Permanent Representative to ASEAN, Tan Hung Seng, said
"both sides pursue mutually beneficial economic cooperation and enjoy close people-to-people ties,"
the article reported.
China's Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Navy has a long tradition of summoning demobilized sailors and officers to participate in military drills, PLA Daily said, dismissing speculation that the Chinese military is preparing for militarization in the South China Sea.
According to Chinese law, army reserves conduct standard annual training, while navy drills in past years have seen regular participation by demobilized soldiers, and especially officers, who are able to operate equipment on the vessels with minimal training, PLA Daily wrote in an official Weibo post late on July 11.
The post came after news spread of an alleged PLA notice from Taojiang county, Hunan province, summoning a demobilized navy officer to participate an unspecified military mission from July 10 to July 22.
Many have speculated that the summons is related to the South China Sea issue, and some even viewed the news as evidence of Chinas attempts to militarize the region.
It is the common wish of many demobilized soldiers to return to the military in the context of a battle summons, PLA Daily noted.
In June 2015, over 120 demobilized officers participated in a four-day live ammunition military drill in the South China Sea. The officers had all been demobilized within the past five years, and all had strong professional skills, according to PLA Daily.
PRESS RELEASE
Europe on the Edge of a Full-Scale Financial Blowout
July 11, 2016 (EIRNS)The trans-Atlantic press is full of coverage of the Deutsche Bank and Italian banking crises, underscoring the importance of Lyndon LaRouches intervention, calling for a one-time bailout of Germany to prevent chaos in Europe, but based on the need for major changes in the banking system, to push credits into the real economy and shut down the derivatives and other speculative bubbles.
Russia Today picks up on David Folkerts-Landaus interview with Welt am Sonntag, in which the chief economist of Deutsche Bank (DB) called for an emergency 150-billion-euro bailout, and also cites statements from Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, chairman of Societe Generale, warning that the Italian banking crisis can spread to all of the EU. DB stocks are down 48 percent over the past 12 months, Societe Generale stock is down 63 percent, and the Bloomberg Europe index of 500 banks and financial service firms is down 33 percent, reaching a seven-year low. A timeline in the Bloomberg article is titled The Epic Collapse of Deutsche Bank, which makes clear that the European banking system is now, immediately, on the edge of a crash.
RT also picks up on a recent, signed op-ed by George Soros, declaring that the collapse of the EU has become almost inevitable since the Brexit vote.
The catastrophic scenario that many feared has materialized, making the disintegration of the EU practically irreversible, he wrote for Project Syndicate (which he heavily funds). He added that the financial collapse in the UK following Brexit is the worst in three decades. The very survival of the European project is on the line in the negotiations of how Brexit will occur. RT coverage noted that Marine LePen met with French President Hollande and pressed for a referendum on Frexit, but was rebuffed.
Reuters also gave extensive coverage to the Folkerts-Landau interview. Cityam, an online financial publication, noted that Italian banks are holding 360 billion of non-performing debt, with shares in all the major Italian banks and other Mediterranean banksUnicredit, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, Banco Popolare and Intesa San Paolo (Portugal)down 25% since the vote for Brexit. Michael Hewson of CMC Markets UK was quoted, If Italy goes under then it will take the rest of Europe with it.
The Street headlined back on July 5 Deutsche Bank to Initiate the Next Financial Crisis? Stock Could Be Headed to Zero. The article cited parallels to Lehman Brothers, showing DB in far worse shape than Lehman was at the end. The International Monetary Fund warned that the greatest spillover from DB will hit France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, which
have the highest degree of outward spillovers as measured by the average percentage of capital loss of other banking systems due to banking sector shock in the source country.
A Wall Street Journal chart cited by The Street shows the bank-to-bank connections of DB. DB is leveraged more than 40:1, far worse than Lehmans 31:1 at the time of its collapse; and its current derivatives portfolio is $72.8 trillion, 13% of all global outstanding derivatives.
If the domino effect does occur, Germany with its GDP of $4 trillion or the EU with a GDP of $18 trillion will not be in a position to gain control over it.
New Europe online headlines, Why Deutsche Bank is the most dangerous bank in the world, asking what the price would be for the German government to bail it out, versus the consequences of letting it blow out with systemic implications.
Bloomberg also warned that the London real estate market is crashing and this is another consequence of Brexit. Standard Life Investments announced that as of today, it will suspend its UK Real Estate fund, to ward off investors demanding their money back. This is already triggering contagion, with several other big real estate investors announcing similar freezes on clients funds, and others announcing simply that they are pulling out of existing deals for prime London real estate projects.
Taken together, the conditions of Italy, Deutsche Bank, and the London real estate market are more than sufficient to blow up the entire trans-Atlantic financial sector. It is precisely because of this already-onrushing crisis that emergency actions, precisely along the lines demanded by LaRouche, must be enacted immediately.
Louizandre Dauphin was having a tough week.
The Bathurst, New Brunswick, director of parks, recreation and tourism says he'd been thinking about the shooting deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile by police officers, and needed to get out of his apartment.
In an Instagram post, Dauphin wrote, "I decided to take a drive to the Stonehaven Wharf and sit by the water on this cold, rainy July day and try to pacify my mind by reading the works of Timothy Keller and C.S. Lewis."
On his drive back home, he was pulled over by an officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
"Thankfully, he is kind and respectful and asks me the usual questions; where I'm from and where I'm going," Dauphin wrote. "I tell him that I was at the Stonehaven Wharf reading a book pointing to the two books in the passenger seat. He smiles and says that a few citizens in Janeville called the police because of a suspicious black man in a white car was parked at the Wharf for a couple hours."
After verifying Dauphin's identity, the police officer let the former high school English teacher go.
"So, a black male, sitting in his car, reading a book is suspicious activity," Dauphin wrote. "Good to know. At this rate, I may never leave my home again." He ended the post (below) with the hashtag "#DangerousNegro.
Dauphin told CBC News that this wasn't his first time being questioned by police officers in Canada.
"[It] is just a reminder that no matter where we go in this country, there can be profiling or suspicion," Dauphin said. "We can't be so quick to point fingers or feel we're more exceptional than our American counterparts."
The RCMP disputes that race was a factor in the incident, the Canadian Press reports, saying that the call about a suspicious man near the wharf did not mention his ethnicity.
Contrary to his Instagram post, Dauphin told a reporter that race didn't come up in his conversation with the officer who pulled him over.
Nonetheless, Dauphin believes the incident is an example of a "systemic problem" involving people of color and the police.
"When you get pulled over for reading it does seem a little ridiculous," he said.
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The Securities and Exchange Commission is reportedly investigating Tesla Motor Co. for possibly breaking securities law by failing to disclose that one of its drivers had died while using the companys Autopilot semi-autonomous software.
After the May 7 death of driver Joshua Brown, who was behind the wheel of a Model S when it collided with a big rig in Florida, Tesla said it immediately reported the fatal crash to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Brown had been using Teslas Autopilot mode, which when engaged will assist drivers in steering, braking and collision avoidance; the feature is still in a public beta phase.
The Palo Alto electric car maker characterized the death as the first known fatality in just over 130 million miles where Autopilot was activated, but faced criticism for not disclosing the crash to the SEC, a possible breach of its corporate duty to inform the agency and thus, its investors of so-called material events.
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On Monday afternoon, the Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the matter, said the SEC was investigating. The agency declined to comment, and a Tesla spokesperson said the company had not received any communication from the SEC regarding this issue.
NHTSA is conducting its own separate investigation, and the National Transportation Safety Board also is looking into the crash.
The reported SEC investigation is the latest in a string of worrisome developments including two other Autopilot incidents for the highly regarded automaker and its popular chief executive, Elon Musk.
Over the weekend, a driver in Montana crashed his Tesla and told the Montana Highway Patrol that Autopilot had been engaged. And NHTSA is looking into a July 6 crash in Pennsylvania in which a Model X flipped upside down while, its driver said, it was in self-driving mode.
And last week, Tesla announced that shipments of the high-end luxury electric vehicles had not reached projected levels in its second quarter, after having announced in April that it had failed to reach projected goals in its first quarter. The company blamed supplier shortages, and revised its projected shipments for the year to 79,000 vehicles down from earlier stated goals of 80,000 to 90,000.
Musk has also been under fire for Teslas $2.5-billion bid for Teslas sister company Solar City. Critics of the proposed deal said that Musk, who is chairman of that company and owns 22% of its stock, had offered many multiples more than the solar panel company was worth, and would ultimately leave Tesla shareholders paying for the inflated deal.
Jill Fisch, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said the SEC responds to a number of triggers before opening an investigation, but cautioned, The fact that theyre investigating doesnt mean that theyve determined that there was a problem.
No one should be surprised by the SECs inquiry, said Joseph Grundfest, professor of law and business at Stanford and a former SEC commissioner from 1985 to 1990. And no one should be surprised if it ultimately leads nowhere.
Legal experts say Teslas case is helped by the stock markets reaction to news of the crash. Shares of Tesla rose July 1, the day after news of the crash became public.
There were also reports that the driver had been watching a movie at the time of the accident, as well as questions about whether he had been operating the Autopilot feature consistent with Teslas instructions.
You take all of these factors and you pull them together, and you can understand why many people could conclude that as tragic as this accident is, its not material to Teslas future as a company or to its stock price, Grundfest said. And if its not material, the SECs not going to be able to find a violation.
Investors may have also seen the Autopilot feature as technology in development, and that errors were inevitable, which makes it a difficult case, said Yoon-Ho Alex Lee, an associate professor of law at USC.
But the investigation, even if preliminary, could be problematic, said Jack Nerad, executive market analyst with Kelley Blue Book.
Anything that spooks investors, and this could spook investors, is going to be a big negative for the company, he said. Investment and continued investment is of critical importance to the company.
Tesla stock closed Monday at $224.78, up $8, or 3.7%, surging after a Musk promise Sunday on Twitter that Tesla would announce exciting new developments later this week.
But the stock fell nearly $3 in after-hours trading, perhaps as a result of news concerning the SEC investigation.
Questions of legal culpability concerning autonomous or semi-autonomous driving systems have perplexed analysts and experts for several years. Tesla, while offering Autopilot features, has in the past suggested that the driver must always be responsible for driving safely no matter what safety features are included in the car.
Noting that its Autopilot must be activated by the driver before it can be used, Teslas website advises that the system is new technology and still in a public beta phase. The company says that its suite of semi-autonomous features requires you to keep your hands on the steering wheel at all times, and that you need to maintain control and responsibility for your vehicle.
The driver cannot abdicate responsibility, Musk said last year.
But Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, said Teslas disclosure about its Autopilot self-driving mode did not convey the potential dangers of the feature.
What Tesla was doing with autopilot was saying it was far more than it was, he said. It certainly withheld the facts that it wasnt safe.
charles.fleming@latimes.com
samantha.masunaga@latimes.com
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5:32 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details.
This article was orginally published at 4:56 p.m.
Federal investigators looking into Tesla Motors Inc.'s autopilot system after a fatal crash in Florida are zeroing in on the limitations of the feature and how it reacts when obstacles cross its path.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday posted a nine-page letter seeking information from the electric car maker about autopilot which Tesla has said is an assist feature, not a substitute for an alert driver and about why the feature failed to detect a tractor-trailer that crossed in front of a Model S sedan May 7 in Florida.
Much of the letter seeks information on how the system works at intersections with crossing traffic, but it also asks Tesla to describe how the system detects compromised or degraded signals from cameras and other sensors and how such problems are communicated to drivers.
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The crash in Williston, Fla., killed the Tesla cars driver, former Navy Seal Joshua Brown, 40, of Canton, Ohio. Tesla, which collects data from its cars wirelessly, says the cameras on Browns Model S sedan failed to distinguish the white side of a turning tractor-trailer from a brightly lit sky and the car didnt automatically brake.
The safety agency also asked Tesla for its reconstruction of the Brown crash, and for details of all known crashes, consumer complaints and lawsuits filed or settled because the autopilot system didnt brake as expected.
NHTSA said Tesla must comply with its request by Aug. 26 or face penalties of up to $21,000 per day, to a maximum of $105 million.
A spokesman said the agency hasnt determined if a safety defect exists with autopilot. The information request is a routine step in an investigation, spokesman Bryan Thomas said.
Teslas autopilot system uses cameras, radar and computers to detect objects and automatically brakes if the car is about to hit something. It also can steer the car to keep it centered in its lane. The company says that before autopilot can be used, drivers must acknowledge that its an assist feature that requires both hands on the wheel at all times. Drivers also must be prepared to take over at any time, Tesla has said.
Tesla released autopilot last fall. Some safety advocates have questioned whether the company which says the system is still in beta phase, a computer industry term for software testing by customers and NHTSA allowed the public access to the system too soon.
No safety-significant system should ever use consumers as test drivers on the highways, said Clarence Ditlow, head of the nonprofit Center for Automotive Safety. He said NHTSA lacks the electronic engineers and laboratories needed to keep up with advanced technology.
Tesla says that autopilot has been safely used in more than 100 million miles of driving by customers and that data show drivers who use autopilot are safer than those who dont.
NHTSAs Thomas said he wouldnt comment on specifics of the investigation. The agency does not currently have legal authority to prevent automakers from rolling out features if they meet basic federal motor vehicle safety standards. It is in the process of developing standards for self-driving cars.
The investigation, opened June 28, could have broad implications for the auto industry and its path toward self-driving cars. If the probe finds defects with Teslas system, the agency could seek a recall. Other automakers have or are developing similar systems that may need to be changed because of the probe, which also could affect self-driving car regulations to be unveiled this summer.
In the letter, NHTSA also asked Tesla for details on any modification to the autopilot system that Tesla has made.
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The Walt Disney Co., like other corporations that rank as their host towns biggest employers and taxpayers, often has a tendency to come off like the owner of a company town. Thats the case in Anaheim, the home of Disneyland, which hasnt been known in recorded history to deny Disney much of anything.
Anaheims current mayor, Tom Tait, has been fighting hard to change that. His latest cause is an immense tax giveaway that will be the subject of a public hearing Tuesday night before the city council, and possibly a vote.
If Disney is going to build the hotel anyway, this incentive is more like a gift. Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait
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The issue is a 20-year city room tax rebate that Taits colleagues on the council are preparing to grant to Disney and the developers of two other proposed luxury hotels in the Disneyland vicinitya bizarre giveaway program to the influential and powerful, as Tait labeled it in an op-ed this weekend in the Orange County Register. The rebate would be 70% of the citys transient occupancy tax, which is 15% of room charges. Over 20 years, the city estimates, it would be writing checks to Disney totaling $267 million. The total for the three projects would be about $550 million. [UPDATE: The city council approved the tax giveaway Tuesday, 3-1.]
Tait is convinced that these projects are destined to go ahead even without the rebate. Thats especially true of Disneys project, a 700-room four-diamond luxury hotel slated to replace a parking lot just north of the Disneyland Hotel within the resort district. The expected room rate will be $450 a night, which is within the range of what youd pay for a room in midtown Manhattan (at the Trump International Hotel, say).
If Disney is going to build the hotel anyway, Tait told me, this incentive is more like a gift.
Tait, who was first elected mayor in 2010, has made a habit of opposing corporate handouts by his city. He opposed a deal cut last year to immunize Disneyland from any city ticket tax for 30 years, in return for the companys investing at least $1 billion in the park through 2024. There isnt a city ticket tax, as it happens, thanks to a 20-year guarantee that was to have expired this year. Tait objected at the time that the deal was a three-decade hamstringing of voters who might someday want to raise revenue with a ticket levy. Down the road, people will rue this day, he said then. Other people will look at us and say that we gave away the peoples right to vote.
His point now is that the city cant afford to give up more to Disney and other hotel operators than it already does. This will have a devastating financial effect on our city, he says, which means a devastating effect on our city services. Anaheims annual budget runs to $300 million. Of that, Tait said in his op-ed, the city spends $90 million a year in the resort district to support Disney and the other resort businesses. All that means less money, not more, to address funding public safety, providing transportation for seniors, creating transitional housing for working mothers, or creating after school programs for at-risk youth.
The proposal we are bringing before the city council will not be built without this incentive. Disneyland spokeswoman Lisa Haines
Taits argument parallels those made by other critics of tax incentive programs, which include programs aimed at goosing real estate development and the film industry: Theres almost never any evidence that they yield a profit to the taxpayer and considerable evidence that they dont. The recipients always assert that the handout is the key to their decision-making, but they would have to say that, wouldnt they, or they wouldnt get the money. Typically, the cost of the incentive more than offsets any gains from increased economic activity, or the money just ends up incentivizing a business to move from one town to the next one over to exploit a tax deal, or goes to projects that would happen anyway.
Disney calls its project a new flagship hotel and estimates it would create thousands of jobs and benefit Anaheim with more than $750 million in additional tax revenue over the next four decades, while helping the city reach its stated goal of attracting more high-end visitors.
But it says the rebate is an absolutely crucial factor in its hotel plans. The proposal we are bringing before the city council, Disneyland spokeswoman Lisa Haines told me, will not be built without this incentive.
It would be presumptuous to say Disney is bluffing in Anaheim, but it behooves us to ask if its position is plausible. To begin with, the economy is smiling these days upon Disneyland and the luxury hotel sector.
The park is benefiting from a new investment of more than $1 billion, including the creation of a Star Wars-themed expansion, and if we know anything about Disney, we know its an expert at squeezing every investment until it screams for mercy. The spike in interest and excitement in the park has enabled the company to jack up ticket prices to as much as $119 on peak days.
See the most-read stories in Business this hour >>
One great way to exploit a resort investment is through luxury room rates and food and beverage sales. Plainly, the company sees greater demand from high-end customers than can be filled through its existing four-diamond hotels, the Grand Californian and the Disneyland Hotel, and one has to ask how much it would be willing to leave on the table just because its been deprived of an additional 10.5% gimme (thats 70% of the 15% room tax) on top of whatever the market allows it to charge for rooms.
The luxury hotel segment isnt one that normally depends on tax incentives, according to Alan X. Reay, an expert in the California hotel market at Atlas Hospitality Group. Reay counts 102 four-diamond hotels in Southern California (four diamonds is AAAs ranking for top-line hotels). Of those, only two were built with tax incentives: the JWMarriott and Ritz-Carlton at the L.A. Live district of Los Angeles. When they were launched in 2007, he says, it was hard to get developers to invest without a come-on.
Reay is skeptical that the same necessity exists for the new projects, especially Disneys: There no question that Disney would go ahead even without the incentive, he says. Its possible that Anaheim is giving too much away all at once by approving rebates for three luxury hotels at one stroke. Because there are so few comparable luxury hotels in the area, the city would be better advised to wait until it had a better idea of whether the luxury market really needed a tax rebate to grow.
I see a good argument for an incentive to spur redevelopment in an area, he says. But theres no evidence that Anaheim is losing business to other areas.
Nor is it clear that Anaheim would do better with subsidized four-diamond hotels than with unsubsidized lesser hotels. Tait raised that very point in his op-ed. Proponents of the luxury hotel program, he wrote, claim that our citys general fund is better off keeping only 10% of the tax from a four diamond hotel than it would be by receiving the taxes from a three diamond equivalent. Then somehow, through the magic of luxury hotels, by gifting hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to corporations that dont need it, benefits will trickle down to residents, who ultimately will pay less in taxes. He had a word for that: This is a fantasy.
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.
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UPDATES:
7:15 a.m., July 13: This post has been updated with the result of the city council vote.
Californias economy, one of the worlds largest, has long outperformed the overall U.S. rate of job creation and business growth. But according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the state is losing its edge.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the chamber blamed the states labor regulations.
In the 1970s, California spawned more than 3,000 new businesses for every 1 million inhabitants, a rate that was much higher than the nation overall, according to a report released Monday by the chamber, which analyzed Census Bureau data. By 2013, the state was creating far fewer new companies, and barely outpacing the rest of the country.
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Californias employment rate, once above average, has also fallen below the rest of the country, the report said.
The Chamber of Commerce suggests that the downsides of Californias strict labor rules are just beginning to take effect. The report says new burdens include the $15 minimum wage, mandated paid sick leave, and laws that make employers liable for labor violations against their temp workers.
An increasing thicket of labor and employment mandates is jeopardizing the long-run performance of Californias economy, wrote Jeffrey A. Eisenach, the author of the study and an economist at NERA Economic Consulting and the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank.
The report is the latest attempt to untangle one of Californias enduring economic mysteries: How can a heavily regulated state grow so fast? Jobs in California grew by 2.8% over the 12 months ending in May, compared to 1.7% in the nation overall.
For all the complaints about Californias job destroying regulation, it certainly hasnt hurt tech employment and employment in other industries, said Alec Levenson, an economist at USC. Levenson added that the states worker protections are unique, but havent turned California into a European country.
There is always a trade-off between job growth at any cost versus job quality, he said. We are still a fairly flexible labor market.
Natalie.Kitroeff@latimes.com
Follow me @NatalieKitro on Twitter
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Starbucks announced Monday that it will give its U.S. workers a raise that will boost compensation by 5% to 15%. Thats very cool.
The coffee giant also said it will offer employees more affordable health insurance that will cut costs by being less comprehensive.
Thats not so cool.
What it represents is the ongoing trend of tiered healthcare in this country strong coverage for those who can afford it and high-deductible, primarily catastrophic coverage for most others.
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This is great for Starbucks healthier workers and for shareholders, said Peter Hilsenrath, a healthcare economist at University of the Pacific. But sicker workers likely will have to pay more.
The problem, he said, is that without healthier employees helping to subsidize the companys more comprehensive health plans, rates will go up for those desiring (or requiring) more coverage.
You could say Starbucks is exacerbating a problem that were also seeing on the insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act, Hilsenrath said. Costs keep rising for people who need more coverage because the healthier people choose cheaper, high-deductible plans.
Champions of free markets will argue that Starbucks is simply giving workers more choices, and thats true. Why should younger, healthier people pay higher premiums for more extensive health coverage?
In a letter to workers, Starbucks Chief Executive Howard Schultz said the company is evolving its benefits program so that employees (or partners in Starbucks-speak) may shop, compare and choose health coverage with the similar convenience and personalization people experience when they shop, compare and choose airlines and airfare.
The new healthcare options allow partners to only pay for the coverage they want and will actually use, he said.
Starbucks estimates that the lower-cost, less-comprehensive insurance plans will save individual workers up to $800 a year, or $2,600 for those with family coverage.
That sounds good in theory. In reality, however, it undercuts the basic premise of health insurance that the potentially huge costs of healthcare can be minimized on an individual basis by spreading risk evenly among as many people as possible, healthy and sick.
Employers have been looking to manage the growth in healthcare benefits for a long time, so increasing deductibles and reducing benefits are two common methods, said Gerald Kominski, director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. The Affordable Care Act establishes relatively minimal standards for larger employers, so this could be a trend.
Reggie Borges, a Starbucks spokesman, declined to elaborate on the companys plans. We will have more benefits news to share in the weeks ahead, including more choice and savings potential, which means more money in our partners pockets, he said.
Kominski said the move represents an erosion of benefits and a segmenting of a companys workforce because it can lead to higher premiums among those older or sicker employees who stick with the more generous coverage.
Think of it like this: Its the healthy, in looking out for themselves, unintentionally sticking it to the sick.
Free marketeers may not fret about that until they, too, require healthcare. And rest assured, they will.
Unless youre Superman, you will, at some point in your life, need medical attention.
Americans spend about $3 trillion annually on healthcare, an average of nearly $10,000 per person. But actual costs depend in large part on how old you are.
People between the ages of 65 and 84 spend roughly 3.5 times as much annually on healthcare as people between age 19 and 44, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
According to the Health Care Cost Institute, Americans age 65 and older can expect to pay about $146,400 out of pocket for healthcare until their dying day and thats for the relatively healthy ones. Those with a chronic medical condition can expect to spend more than $300,000 above what Medicare will cover.
This is the fundamental idea behind proposals for a Medicare-for-all insurance system, or the single-payer approach thats favored by almost all other developed countries. They typically spend about half what the United States spends on per-capita healthcare for the same if not better results.
The genius of the single-payer approach is that by pooling the healthy and sick over the long haul, comprehensive coverage costs for all can be brought down to affordable levels.
Dont blame Starbucks for looking after its own. The companys first obligation is to its employees. And Starbucks deserves credit for embracing a variety of socially conscious policies, such as a commitment to environmental protection.
But healthcare is unique. Unlike other goods and services, its something that represents enormous importance to the entire public. The more we focus on tiered coverage for individuals, the more we harm the broader interests of society.
Ideally, wed all have Venti or Trenta coverage. But the way things are going, many of us will have to settle for Tall.
And thats just a sneaky way of saying small.
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David Lazarus column runs Tuesdays and Fridays. He also can be seen daily on KTLA-TV Channel 5 and followed on Twitter @Davidlaz. Send your tips or feedback to david.lazarus@latimes.com.
High-profile venture capitalist Shervin Pishevar needed a top engineer to develop the futuristic hyperloop transportation system. In SpaceX rocket engine designer Brogan BamBrogan, he landed his first choice.
But two years later, with the nearly 700-mph pods-in-tubes idea inching toward reality faster than many expected, BamBrogan is no longer involved.
How the relationship between the leading investor and the founding chief executive of Hyperloop Technologies Inc. deteriorated is laid out in a wrongful termination lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court. BamBrogan and three other former high-ranking officials at the start-up say they were axed or forced to resign for speaking out to higher-ups and shareholders about widespread mismanagement and poor behavior at the Los Angeles firm.
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The allegations primarily target Pishevar and fellow investor Joe Lonsdale, who were said to have forced the company into multiple business deals that benefited friends, family members or themselves. Pishevar also regularly turned the Arts District headquarters of Hyperloop One, as the company now refers to itself, into a venue for showboating and personal parties, the lawsuit claims.
An attorney for the company called the claims pure nonsense. And a countersuit is expected, alleging BamBrogan and his colleagues engaged in pattern of misconduct that the company considered a mutinous power-grab, according to a person familiar with the dispute who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
For BamBrogan, the partnership with Pishevar started on a bad note and only got worse.
At the outset, 90% of the start-ups common stock went to Pishevar, who takes credit for persuading billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk to publicly share the hyperloop concept. BamBrogan was left with just 6% as his financially savvier partner took advantage of the situation, according to the lawsuit. Through a series of legal and financing maneuvers, Pishevar and Lonsdale now control 78% of voting rights, the court filing notes.
But as theyve gained greater control, theyve found more ways to abuse it, according to the lawsuit.
Tensions reached a fever point last month when Pishevars brother and company lawyer, Afshin Pishevar, left a noose on BamBrogans chair an incident captured on security camera footage, according to the lawsuit. BamBrogan left the company days later and is seeking a restraining order against Afshin Pishevar in a case expected to be heard Thursday. BamBrogan is now suing Afshin Pishevar and the company for assault as part of Tuesdays lawsuit.
Hours before the alleged noose episode, Shervin Pishevar had met with Russian investors with whom BamBrogan had shared his concerns. And the next morning, BamBrogan and 10 other employees who had signed a letter calling for management reforms were brought in to meet with Chief Executive Rob Lloyd, according to the lawsuit.
The meeting didnt go well, with concerns rejected and threats allegedly lodged at the disgruntled employees. The discussion prompted the resignations of BamBrogan; William Mulholland, vice president of finance; and Knut Sauer, vice president of business development. Assistant general counsel David Pendergast was fired.
The group had tried to convince Lloyd a former Cisco Systems executive named CEO last September as BamBrogan moved down to chief technology officer that engineering had become a sideshow to marketing exercises. Partly to blame were Pishevar and Lonsdale, who helped the company raise much of its $90 million in cash, but werent doing enough, in their eyes, to protect it.
Pishevar boosted the monthly pay of Hyperloop Ones public relations consultant also his fiance to $40,000 from $15,000, or more than any employee, the lawsuit says. The contract was cut when their engagement fell through.
He brought in his brother, whose background isnt in corporate law, to be the companys general counsel in a decision that slowed the companys progress, the lawsuit argues.
Lonsdales alleged transgression involved insisting the company sign with his brothers small investment bank for hundreds of thousands of dollars rather than with a larger, more well-connected institution willing to forgo fees.
Along the way, Pishevar, known for leading investments in Uber Technologies and Airbnb, lined his own wallet by pressuring at least one prospective Hyperloop One financier to invest in his own venture capital fund, according to the filing.
The lawsuit also states that Pishevar distracted employees by forcing them out of the office so he could host parties, and that he made BamBrogan and others give tours to people he wanted to impress, including celebrities and a nightclub doorman.
The plaintiffs are seeking a public apology, reinstatement and lost pay and stock options, among other damages.
Lonsdale and Pishevar didnt respond to requests for comment. But Orin Snyder, a partner at Gibson Dunn representing the company, said in a statement that frivolous lawsuits like this one have become all too common against start-ups that achieve breakthrough success.
Hyperloop One is among several organizations developing high-speed, city-to-city transportation lines that would use a mix of electricity, magnetism and air pressure to propel cargo and passenger pods through tubes. No projects have been formalized, but there are plans to hold a major demonstration of the technology late this year.
A smaller demonstration in North Las Vegas, Nev., in May went as planned, but it may have added to the bitterness between Pishevar and BamBrogan that ultimately led to their undoing.
Neither Pishevar, Lonsdale nor Lloyd even bothered to send an email of thanks and congratulations to the team that actually did the work, the lawsuit states.
paresh.dave@latimes.com
Twitter: @peard33
UPDATES:
4:42 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details from the lawsuit.
This article was originally published at 11:20 a.m.
Everybody needs to Netflix and chill out.
A recent appellate court ruling terrified legions of streaming viewers by suggesting sharing your password is going to land you in the real-life version of Orange is the New Black. But thats not exactly what the case was about, and theres no reason to believe the FBI is going to come knocking at your door to make sure you logged out of your exs HBO Go account.
Heres the short version of the case: David Nosal worked as a regional director at an executive search firm called Korn Ferry International. He left the firm and secretly started his own competing business. He had someone else use the login information of his former assistant who still worked at Korn Ferry to download extremely valuable proprietary information from the companys database.
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The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals handed down a decision in early July in the case of United States vs. David Nosal affirming that he knowingly stole trade secrets by accessing a protected computer without authorization in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and in violation of the Economic Espionage Act.
Video streaming sites had nothing to do with the case. The only reason anyone is bringing it up is because Circuit Judge Stephen Reinhardt, in his dissent, argued that the ruling could hypothetically lead to a precedent where anyone who shared a password could be construed to be violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, or CFAA.
I would hold that consensual password sharing is not the kind of hacking covered by the CFAA. Judge Stephen Reinhardt, in his dissent
The CFAA was passed in 1986 and was intended to be used to prosecute people suspected of hacking into someone elses computer network and stealing information from it. As technology has evolved, the CFAA is generally perceived to be overly broad and ambiguous by legal experts. The person who stole all those celebrity nude photos was prosecuted under it this year. In 2015, President Obama and the Justice Department proposed a number of changes that would narrow the circumstances under which someone could be prosecuted for violating the CFAA.
In the decision itself, the judges wrote, This appeal is not about password sharing. In his dissent, Judge Reinhardt wrote, This case is about password sharing. So its easy to see how people were a little confused by it.
See the most-read stories this hour >>
But to be clear, the dissenting judge was concerned about a speculative future situation. Its not like some new law was passed that criminalized sharing your password, and no one has been indicted for watching Mr. Robot with their moms Hulu Plus login. One judge is just saying hes concerned about setting an overly zealous precedent.
Besides, streaming sites know people share logins, and none of them appear to be cracking down on it. HBO Chairman and Chief Executive Richard Piepler said password sharing wasnt encouraged but wasnt a big enough problem to warrant the networks attention. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said people sharing an account hasnt really been a problem for his company either. And according to court documents, the firm where Nosal worked had employees sign a confidentiality agreement stating they would not share login information with anyone else.
If youre still worried about doing hard time for your old roommates binge-watch, you could always change your password.
Tell Jessica your ex-boyfriends HBO Go login on Twitter @jessica_roy.
jessica.roy@latimes.com
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Vincent van Gogh painted three versions of his Arles, France, bedroom its crookedly hung paintings set within narrow confines from 1888 to 1889, while staying at the psychiatric asylum at Saint-Remy-de-Provence. Soon the second in the trio will be exhibited for the first time on the West Coast.
The Norton Simon Museum will announce this week that its staging a special exhibit of Van Goghs The Bedroom starting in December. The piece is on loan from the Art Institute of Chicago, its permanent home. The other two versions of the painting are at the Musee dOrsay in Paris and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
The Norton Simon will display the artwork with six other Van Goghs from its permanent collection.
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The Bedroom is Van Goghs meditation on friendship, hope and crushing disappointment, Norton Simon chief curator Carol Togneri said by email. It serves not only as a type of self-portrait, but also as a symbol of the artists peripatetic existence and his search for an elusive sense of repose.
The Bedroom is the first and only major incoming loan this year for the Norton Simon. Its part of a series of reciprocal loans between the Norton Simon and the Art Institute of Chicago. Last year the Norton Simon lent Edouard Vuillards First Fruits to the Art Institute.
The Bedroom will be on view at the Norton Simon from Dec. 9 to March 6.
deborah.vankin@latimes.com
Follow me on Twitter: @DebVankin
A recent survey conducted by China Youth Daily showed that despite knowing little about antibiotics, 56.7 percent of respondents store antibiotics in their home. Moreover, 23.4 percent of respondents said that they take antibiotics whenever they feel physically uncomfortable.
The survey also showed that 60.9 percent of respondents believe the public lacks sufficient knowledge about medicine, and considers antibiotics to be a simple cure-all for any disease.
Qi Xin, a scientist at Tianjin Medical University, suggested that one solution might be curbing excessive prescriptions and curtailing hospitals' reliance on drug sales. Qi pointed out that since antibiotics are classified as prescription drugs, citizens can only get these drugs through prescriptions from doctors.
Zhang Silai, a pediatric specialist, believes that promotional campaigns could help patients learn about the proper applications of antibiotics. Zhang also emphasizes the necessity of regulation that is proportional to the effects of a given drug; the stronger the drug, the more tightly it should be controlled. Zhang's last recommendation is for the government to increase its control over the use of veterinary antibiotics. Poultry farmers routinely use antibiotics to prevent animals from contracting diseases, but those animals--and the antibiotics in them--later enter people's bodies as food.
China Youth Daily used online survey platform Wenjuan to administer the survey to a total of 2,001 respondents.
A drunk and vomiting Lamar Odom was reportedly removed from a Delta Air Lines flight Monday night just as the plane started to pull away from a gate at Los Angeles International Airport.
Khloe Kardashians estranged husband was seen slamming beer and whiskey in the Delta Skyclub at LAX before his red-eye flight to New York, TMZ reported Tuesday. Earlier on Monday, he'd been spotted near a strip club in West L.A., People said.
READ MORE: Lamar Odom: A Shakespearean tale for the TMZ era
Odom boarded the plane and took his seat, but as the aircraft was about to pull away from the gate he suddenly ran to the front and vomited first in the galley and then again in a bathroom with the door open, two first class passengers told TMZ. With vomit on his clothes, he was escorted off the flight, the website said, but returned about 10 minutes later and took his seat again, only to head for the bathroom unsteadily a few minutes later.
He was once again escorted off the plane, this time for good, TMZ said.
We never received a call about this at all, Airport Police Officer Rob Pedragon told The Times on Tuesday. He didnt know whether Odom had been asked to get off the plane by Delta personnel or did it on his own.
A rep for Delta declined to comment further, saying the airline takes customer privacy very seriously. Odoms divorce attorney could not be reached for comment.
Odom has struggled with substance abuse and nearly died in October when he overdosed on cocaine, alcohol and an herbal sexual supplement at a brothel in Nevada. Despite that, hes since been spotted ordering drinks, and Kardashian is said to have wanted him to go to rehab.
After pulling her 2013 divorce petition during Odom's recovery both parties had signed, but a judge had yet to sign off when he ODd the reality star re-filed for the split in late May. On Friday, Odom finally filed his response.
https://twitter.com/khloekardashian/status/752889025745199105
Odom has apparently left a house in Calabasas that Kardashian rented so he could be near her home during his recovery, but his reasons for moving out are up for debate. According to a People source, the former L.A. Laker was ready to move on as well and could have renewed the lease and paid for the place himself.
"They are divorcing and now that Lamar is doing better, he doesn't feel the need to live next door to Khloe," the source told the magazine. "He has been staying with friends but is also looking for a new place."
TMZ, however, said Kardashian decided not to renew after friends allegedly saw drug paraphernalia around the house.
Kardashians rep didn't respond immediately to a request for comment, but Khloes tweets around the time the story was breaking may have included one: she posted, simply, a sad face.
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When Richard and Mildred Loving got married in 1958, their relationship became the source of much ire because he was white and she was black. The story of how the two fought for their right to love each other, all the way to the Supreme Court, is the subject of Loving, whose first trailer released Tuesday.
Loving, from acclaimed writer-director Jeff Nichols, tells the true story of the Lovings, played by Joel Edgerton (Black Mass, The Great Gatsby) and Ruth Negga (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Warcraft).
When the couple married in the late 50s, interracial marriage wasnt just complicated, it was illegal. Since they couldnt get married in their home state of Virginia (or 24 other states), they went to the District of Columbia and were wed on June 2, 1958. But back in Virginia, they were convicted and sentenced to a year of jail for the crime of marrying outside their races. That is, unless they agreed to a different sentence: Leave the state, not to return for 25 years.
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With the help of the ACLU, the Lovings challenged the law in the U.S. Supreme Court in Loving vs. Virginia. And in 1967, the court ruled unanimously that state bans on interracial marriage were unconstitutional. The decision would help set the stage for the high courts legalization of same-sex marriage decades later.
Since then, the Lovings have gone down in history for what they represent to interracial couples and their offspring. About 13 years ago, Loving Day grew out of a graduate thesis project by graphic designer Ken Tanabe. It has become a celebration of that landmark decision and of multicultural identity.
Loving, distributed by Focus Features, will open in limited released Nov. 4, followed by a nationwide release later that month.
Times staff writer Michelle Maltais contributed to this report.
Get your life! Follow me on Twitter: @TrevellAnderson.
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The Kering-owned luxury label Balenciaga has picked Beverly Hills as the home of its second U.S. flagship store, a 1,883-square-foot maison at 353 N. Rodeo Drive, between the Gucci and Salvatore Ferragamo boutiques, that officially opened its doors on Saturday.
The new space, the first flagship to open under the creative direction of Demna Gvasalia, showcases the brands mens and womens apparel offerings as well as its eyewear and accessories collections against a backdrop of spare, minimalist gray concrete, glass and aluminum walls and fixtures with warm accents of polished rosewood (for display tables) and brown leather upholstery (topping concrete benches). The brands heritage is referenced in details that include fitting rooms appointed in cotton twill and red thread accents (emulating the toiles used in the ateliers) and wall hangings and carpeting meant to evoke the look of namesake designer Cristobal Balenciagas original Parisian couture house.
While the boutique is just one of 10 flagship Balenciaga stores worldwide (the other stateside one is located in New York City) and is a new addition to the retail mix on Beverly Hills fabled shopping thoroughfare, it isnt totally new to the neighborhood, as it replaces the brands previous digs on Melrose Place, which opened in 2008 when designer Nicolas Ghesquiere was at the helm. It closed its doors July 5.
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Balenciaga, 353 N. Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, www.balenciaga.com/us
The luxury pajama and lounge-wear label Sleepy Jones, which already has a permanent retail presence in Santa Monica, has apparently decided it wants to wake up in the Venice Beach neighborhood this summer. To that end, the brand that Andy Spade, Anthony Sperduti and Chad Buri launched three years ago has opened a roughly 500-square-foot pop-up shop on California Avenue next door to Salt & Straw ice cream shop.
In addition to the brands signature sleepwear for men and women, the temporary space will stock a range of coverups and caftans appropriate for the beach-bound sun and surf crowd. Also in the mix are some seriously festive footwear in the form of canvas espadrilles printed with bright, bold strokes of color, the result of a tripartite collaboration between the brand, New York City-based shoe label Soludos and Los Angeles-based artist and illustrator Mary Matson.
The pop-up, which opened its doors on June 28, pops back down on July 31 after which the sleepyheads of Venice will, once again, have to travel to Santa Monica to feed their jones for all things Sleepy Jones.
Sleepy Jones Venice Pop-Up, 529 California Ave., Venice, sleepyjones.com
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Roll over and say good morning to Sleepy Jones
For more musings on all things fashion and style, follow me @ARTschorn.
Because its never too early to plan what youre having for dinner or, in this case, eating over the course of a long weekend on the backlot of Paramount Studios. Call it an extended pop-up, a block party, a curated cocktail mixer or just a place to get together and Instagram food all day before heading to Amoeba or a night of negronis and 3 a.m. taco trucks.
The Taste, the Los Angeles Times annual celebration of Southern Californias culinary scene, takes place over Labor Day weekend, Sept. 2-4, and draws together not only a lot of hungry Angelenos, but some of this towns best restaurants, chefs and bartenders. Heres a list of whos coming:
OPENING NIGHT Friday, Sept. 2, 7:30 p.m. 10:30 p.m.
This is the opening night party, attended by Times food staff plus many of the weekends hosts and participants. Restaurants include Badmaash, Little Pine, Love & Salt, Manhattan Beach Post, Son of a Gun and Sweetfin Poke.
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FIELD TO FORK Saturday, Sept. 3, 11 a.m. 2 p.m.
Hosted by Amy Scattergood, The Times Food editor, and Michael Cimarusti, chef-owner of Providence and chef-partner of Connie and Teds. A conversation on the new artisan grain movement with Nan Kohler (Grist and Toll), Alex Weiser (Weiser Farms) and Roxana Jullapat (Friends and Family). Cimarusti, who advocates for sustainable seafood, will share his socially-conscious kitchen tips during a live demo. Madcapras Sarah Hymanson and Sara Kramer will team up for a vegetarian cooking how-to. Restaurants include Aqui es Texcoco, Doomies Home Cookin, Jenis Splendid Ice Creams, Kyes Montana, L.A. Chapter and Salazar.
DINNER WITH A TWIST Saturday, Sept. 3, 7:30 p.m. 10:30 p.m.
Hosted by Jonathan Gold, Times restaurant critic, Jenn Harris, Times deputy Food editor, and Ray Garcia and Michael Lay, chef-owner and beverage director, respectively, of Broken Spanish and B.S. Taqueria. A conversation about the current L.A. dining and cocktail culture. Garcia and Lay will highlight Mexican American flavors steeped in tradition and crafted with a modern sensibility. Kris Morningstar and Ryan Wainwright (Terrine) will showcase local terroir. Gold and Harris will host a group demo with three market-driven bartenders: Katie Emmerson (the Walker Inn), Nathan Oliver (Wolf) and Tobin Shea (Redbird). Restaurants include Church & State, Hache LA, Leona, Public School, the Bellwether and the Raymond 1886.
SUNDAY BLOCK PARTY Sunday, Sept. 4, 11:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m.
Hosted by Noelle Carter, Times test kitchen director, and Mary Sue Milliken, co-chef-owner, Border Grill. Duff Goldman (Charm City Cakes West/Cake Masters) will show off his pastry-meets-sculpture skills in a live demo. Milliken will serve up modern Mexican fare while Ramiro Arvizu and Jaime Martin del Campo (La Casita Mexicana/Mexicano) will demonstrate dishes from south of the border. Carter will host a discussion on resourceful ways to maximize ingredients with Bruce Kalman (Union/Knead & Co. Pasta Bar), Chris Cormier (L.A. Mission) and Michael Flood (L.A. Regional Food Bank). Restaurants include Chichen Itza, Donut Farm, Hinoki & the Bird, Mainland Poke, Simbal and the Guild.
FLAVORS OF L.A. Sunday, Sept. 4, 7:30 p.m. 10:30 p.m.
Hosted by Jonathan Gold, Times restaurant critic, and Kris Yenbamroong, chef-owner, Nigh + Market. Gold will explore new Filipino cuisine in a roundtable with three chefs: Charles Olalia (Rice Bar), Gary Menes (Le Comptoir) and Alvin Cailan (EggSlut/Unit120/Amboy). Yenbamroong will demo his Thai cooking. Nyesha Arrington (Leona) will share a seasonal recipe. Baroos Kwang Uh will showcase his freestyle Korean food. And Tricia Carr (the Concoctologist) will lead a cocktail demo with aperitifs, bitter liqueurs and rose wines. Restaurants include Guisados, Herringbone, Knead & Co. Pasta Bar, Oh Man! Ramen, the Little Jewel of New Orleans and Wolf.
Details and tickets: latimes.com/TheTaste. Connect on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @ TheTasteLA (#TasteLA).
The Taste is presented by Citi and produced in association with Best Events. Sponsors include Acura and &Tokyo. Opening-night tickets are $150. Tickets for each of the Saturday and Sunday events range from $100 to $125, with a $25 discount on individual tickets available exclusively to Los Angeles Times subscribers. L.A. Times The Taste has adopted the L.A. Regional Food Bank and the Collins College of Hospitality Management as charity beneficiaries for the 2016 event.
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A Chinese student was sentenced to three years in prison Tuesday in the bullying case of a fellow parachute kid in a Rowland Heights park.
The assault prompted soul-searching on both sides of the Pacific for the horrific details of the attack as well as the attention it brought to the increasing numbers of teenagers who attend high school in California while their parents remain in China.
For the record: An earlier version of this article stated that Zheng Lu pleaded guilty to kidnapping and assault. His guilty plea was for assault only.
Zheng Lu, 20, who pleaded guilty to assault, is the fourth student from China to receive prison time for the incident. Three others are already serving prison terms, ranging from six to 13 years for the attack on the woman, then age 18.
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A judge said the case reminded him of Lord of the Flies, William Goldings 1954 novel about boys stranded on a deserted island without grownups.
On March 30, 2015, a group of so-called parachute kids attacked the victim, stripping her naked, kicking her with high-heeled shoes, slapping her and burning her with cigarettes.
According to court testimony from the victim, the bad blood stemmed at least in part from an unpaid restaurant bill.
The prosecutor and defense attorney in Lus case would not provide details about Lus role. Lu did not make a statement and was handcuffed by a sheriffs deputy after Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Salvatore Sirna approved the sentence.
In February, Yunyao Helen Zhai was sentenced to 13 years for her role as the alleged ringleader of the attack as well as an assault on a second victim. Zhai, 20, had earlier pleaded guilty to kidnapping and assault in both attacks and inflicting great bodily injury in one of the attacks.
Xinlei John Zhang, 19, received six years because of his lesser role in the two attacks.
According to preliminary hearing testimony, Zhang was present but did not directly participate other than fetching a pair of scissors that the others used to cut off the victims hair in the March 30 attack. They then forced her to eat the hair.
Yuhan Coco Yang, 19, who received 10 years for kidnapping and assault, as well as inflicting great bodily injury, participated only in the March 30 attack.
Zhai, Zhang and Yang were charged in June 2015 and prosecuted together. Lu, who was not arrested until December 2015, was prosecuted separately.
In juvenile court, two other teenagers have admitted to assault in one or both incidents. Authorities believe that additional teens involved in the incidents have fled the country.
A sheriffs detective previously said that Wei Guo, 42, the father of a teenager allegedly involved in the bullying, was arrested on suspicion of trying to bribe a witness. He has since been charged.
Zhangs father, Manfan Zhang, who attended Tuesdays sentencing, said afterward that his son should not have received twice as much time as Lu did.
It was not fair. My son was wronged, he said in Mandarin.
In contrast to Tuesdays hearing, the February sentencing turned dramatic when attorneys read statements from two of the defendants highlighting the perils of sending high school-aged children to live abroad without parental supervision.
Growing numbers of Chinese teenagers have been coming to the U.S. on their own, hoping to learn English and gain an edge on admission to an American university. They typically study at private high schools and rent rooms from local families.
They sent me to the U.S. for a better life and a fuller education, Zhai said of her parents in her statement.
Along with that came a lot of freedom, in fact too much freedom Here, I became lonely and lost. I didnt tell my parents because I didnt want them to worry about me.
cindy.chang@latimes.com
Follow me on Twitter: @cindychangLA
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UPDATES:
3:24 p.m.: This article was updated with new details from Tuesdays hearing and background about the case.
11:24 a.m.: This article has been updated to add the sentence from Tuesdays hearing.
This article was originally published at 5 a.m.
Anaheim police Monday released a recording of the 911 call that led officers to a 32-year-old homeless man who died following an altercation with police.
Fermin Vincent Valenzuela died Sunday after he was removed from life support at West Anaheim Medical Center, according to Garo Mardirrosian, the attorney representing Valenzuelas family.
For the record: An earlier version of this story spelled the first name of Garo Mardirrosian, the attorney representing Valenzuelas family, as Gora.
In the 911 recording, the unnamed female caller told a police dispatcher that a man was pacing back and forth in front of the family home near the northwest corner of West Broadway and Magnolia avenues. She described the stranger as Latino, in his late 20s, wearing a tan beanie, a black shirt and black pants with burgundy shoes. She said the man was carrying a blue duffle bag.
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He followed my mom home, the woman says.
The dispatcher asked the caller if the man looked like he was having mental issues.
She responded: I dont think so.
Then the dispatcher asked if Valenzuela appeared to be on drugs. Doesnt look like it, the woman replied.
The call was made to police about 9:15 a.m. on July 2. Near the end of the conversation, the woman told the dispatcher that the man moved away from her home, heading toward some businesses.
Anaheim officers found Valenzuela about 9:20 a.m. inside a self-service laundry, where the father of two struggled with police, refusing to put his hands to his side when they ordered him to do so.
Anaheim Police Chief Raul Quezada said Valenzuela was shot once in the back with a Taser as he fled from the laundry to a 7-Eleven store, where he collapsed and was taken into custody. He said Valenzuela received medical attention when officers noticed he had stopped breathing.
Valenzuela was taken to West Anaheim Medical Center, where he was in a coma until Sunday when he was removed from life support.
Garo Mardirossian, the attorney who is representing Valenzuelas family, said during a Monday morning news conference that theres no evidence that Valenzuela was following the woman.
That was his path to this aunts home, Mardirossian said. This woman thought that he might be following her and she did the right thing, she called police, its OK. Its the police reaction that is in question.
Mardirossian said officers used excessive force and shot Valenzuela in the chest with a Taser, which he claims caused Valenzuelas heart to stop pumping.
Quezada could only confirm that Valenzuela was Tased once in the back and said an investigation would reveal if he had been Tased anywhere else in the body.
Mardirossian said he plans to file a lawsuit against the Anaheim Police Department and the Taser company.
anh.do@latimes.com
ruben.vives@latimes.com
For more Southern California news, follow @newsterrier and @latvives on Twitter.
A woman who was caught on video by an Alhambra homeowner stealing packages from his doorstep has been convicted and sentenced to six months in jail, prosecutors said.
Rianna Medina, 20, pleaded guilty to second-degree commercial burglary and grand theft of personal property Monday in connection with the May 10 theft.
Images of Medina appeared on social media in May after an Alhambra resident confronted her for stealing his packages and recorded the entire exchange on his cellphone. He then turned the video over to police, who distributed it to the media, asking for help in identifying the suspect.
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The 21-second video began when the resident had just pulled up in his car as a woman walked down his front walkway with two large boxes in her arms.
You know I live here, the man said. If I were you, Id put that down.
Why? Medina replied.
Because those are my stuff, he said. I live here.
No you dont, my mom lives here, she claimed.
Im going to call the police on you, the man calmly told her.
Medina then dropped the boxes and walked off, the video showed.
Tips from the community led to Medinas capture at a Rosemead motel two days later.
As part of her plea, Medina was also sentenced to five years of formal probation and to complete 180 days of a live-in residential treatment program after she leaves jail. L.A. County Sheriffs Department records show she has been in jail since May 13 and is expected to be released Aug. 1.
For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter.
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A motorist who plowed into a Los Angeles Airport Police motorcycle officer in Playa del Rey and then ran from the scene as the officer lay injured on the car windshield was arrested early Tuesday, according to police.
The officer was riding a department motorcycle around 12:10 a.m. near the intersection of Pershing Drive and West Manchester Avenue when he collided with the car, spokesman Officer Rob Pedregon said.
The officer was ejected from the motorcycle and landed on the vehicles windshield.
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Thats when the vehicles four occupants got out and ran into a nearby neighborhood.
Police surrounded the area and began searching for the occupants.
Several hours later, police found the occupants and identified the driver.
The driver, Francisco Arreola, 28, was taken into custody on suspicion of hit-and-run and driving under the influence, Pedregon said. Both offenses are felonies.
The officer, who is a 14-year veteran with the department, was taken to an area hospital, where he is listed in fair condition.
He suffered two broken wrists, cuts and bruises. The officer underwent surgery in which doctors placed pins in his wrists, Pedregon said.
For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter.
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Two weeks after she was beaten and robbed in her Richmond, Calif., home, Betty Reid Soskin, the nations oldest national park ranger, returned to work Tuesday to cheers and hugs.
Soskin, 94, is a ranger at the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, where she leads tours and provides a history of women who worked in factories during wartime. She began working with the park service at 85.
On June 27, she was attacked in her Richmond town home and robbed of her prized possessions, including a commemorative coin President Obama gave her in December.
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Betty Soskin returned to work today. The media was present as well as many co-workers and friends sharing hugs. pic.twitter.com/LNkydO2RJ7 Rosie Riveter NHP (@RosieRiveterNPS) July 12, 2016
Soskin told KTVU-TV she woke up last month to find a man with a flashlight standing near her. She reached for her cellphone, but he grabbed it from her and they struggled. Her attacker dragged her from the bed through a hallway, where he punched her multiple times on the side of the face.
Soskin thought he was going to kill me, she told the news station; her face was badly bruised after the attack, and her lip was split. She got away and locked herself in the bathroom, plugging in an iron and preparing to brand him if he entered, she told the station.
Soskin, smiling and wearing her rangers uniform, spoke to reporters at the park on Tuesday, her face healed of the bruises and cuts. Her colleagues took turns embracing her, cheering as she walked in to work.
I wanted to get back into the routine of life, she said. The experience took something away from me, and Im still trying to measure that. I dont know what that is, except that somethings missing now.
I wanted to get back into the routine of life. Betty Reid Soskin
She said she hid out in her home for several days after the attack, not showing her face so she would not be seen as a victim.
Theres a role that vanity plays in all this, she said, laughing. I was living in dread of seeing someone showing me with a couple of black eyes on YouTube.
Soskins attacker, who also stole electronics and jewelry, is still at large.
I think I need him to remain in the shadows, she said. Im almost afraid to find him.
Soskins boss, Park Supt. Tom Leatherman, told NBC Bay Area that he had been contacted by Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, who said the White House would replace the coin.
In a 2015 interview with the Department of the Interior, Soskin said her great-grandmother was born into slavery in 1846 and lived to be 102. She died when Soskin was 27.
I was a grown woman having met my slave ancestor, she said.
She said in the interview that her tours at Rosie the Riveter Park were booked up two months in advance. She said she works five days a week, working from memory.
Soskin said she wears her uniform at all times because when Im on the streets or on an escalator or elevator, I am making every little girl of color aware of a career choice she may not have known she had.
Thats important. The pride is evident in their eyes, and the opportunities get announced very subtly to those whove lived outside the circle of full acceptance, Soskin said.
Oldest U.S. park ranger (94yo) returns to work at #RosieRiveter museum in #Richmond after home invasion attack. pic.twitter.com/pei9cCMsHe Bob Redell (@BobNBC) July 12, 2016
hailey.branson@latimes.com
Twitter: @haileybranson
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2:24 P.M. Dallas Black Police Assn. president: Speech was magnificent An honor guard passes photos of the fallen police officers during a memorial service at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in Dallas. (Eric Gay/Associated Press) Lt. Thomas Glover, president of the Dallas chapter of the Black Police Assn., called Obamas speech magnificent. He was able to merge the solemn occasion of the two young men who lost their lives in Minnesota and Louisiana with the loss of the officers, Glover said. Glover said the president wasnt rushing to judgment, that he needed to address the epidemic of young African American men losing their lives at the hands of police. Glover knew one of the officers killed, Patrick Zamarripa, 32. He supervised him at the jail. Zamarripa, or Z as his buddies called him, was always willing to help, he said. He was the one youd call to get lunch when no one else was willing to go. When I heard his name that night I said, Oh no, not Patrick, Glover said. I believe he would be asking us to come together and move on, that human lives matter. Molly Hennessy-Fiske
2:14 P.M. Texas representative: Obama honored the officers but also the pain a lot of others feel Laura Bush, former President George Bush, Michelle Obama and President Obama raise their clasped hands during Battle Hymn of the Republic. (Paul Moseley/Fort Worth Star Telegram/TNS) Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas) called the presidents speech raw and said he struck the right balance, recognizing the pain of all people. He was no less empathetic to those families of police than he was in acknowledging the decades of oppression of black Americans, said Jackson-Lee, who is black. The audience sat with deep listening. When we left out of there we were hugging each other, she said. He obviously set the right tone. He didnt leave anyone out or diminished. He honored the officers but also the pain a lot of others feel. Jackson-Lee also liked former President Bushs comment about not judging groups by their worst members. And she noted the symbolism of seeing the two leaders of different races and parties speaking together. Lets see if we can find a common path. America needs to pause and feel the hurt of others, she said. Jackson-Lee is one of the leaders of the congressional gun task force thats trying to pass legislation limiting gun sales online, among other things. While the president mentioned the threat to police of guns flooding neighborhoods, he didnt speak much about them and she said that was appropriate. Molly Hennessy-Fiske
2:08 P.M. Head of police chiefs association on Obama in Dallas: This is the most open, honest and raw Ive ever seen him. President Obama speaks at a memorial service in Dallas. (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) Terry Cunningham, president of the International Assn. of Chiefs of Police, attended Tuesdays event after meeting with the president, vice president and leaders of several other law enforcement groups Monday. Part of the presidents frustration was he felt reform wasnt happening fast enough, Cunningham said. Police in turn said they expected more from Obama. Some around the table didnt think he was very supportive of law enforcement, Cunningham said. He said the presidents comments during the meeting were echoed in his speech. This is the most open, honest and raw Ive ever seen him, Cunningham said. Cunningham acknowledges that there are clearly police officials who are racist as in other professions, and that we have to find a way to root that out. But he said he and others at the meeting cautioned the president not to weigh in on videos of police shootings before they have been investigated. We said just dont rush to judgment in incidents like that - you fuel the debate, he said. Obama agreed, saying, we dont know what happened yet, but I can still support the families. And then he did it again today Cunningham said. Cunningham wished Obama had not mentioned Castile or Sterling Tuesday, and instead kept the focus on police. We talked to him about that: When police officers get killed, youre not calling them. Theres got to be a balance there, Cunningham said, noting that while Obama met Tuesday with relatives of the fallen officers in Dallas, and sends letters to families of others killed, he declined Cunninghams invitation to meet with the widow of a Virginia state trooper killed earlier this year. Its right in his backyard. Didnt happen, and yet he calls the families of Sterling and Castile, Cunningham said as he left after the speech, wearing his dress uniform. Molly Hennessy-Fiske
12:46 P.M. Watch former President George W. Bush speak about slain Dallas police officers
12:33 P.M. Obama grapples with how inadequate my own words can be U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during the Interfaith Tribute to Dallas Fallen Officers at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Texas. (LARRY W. SMITH/EPA) President Obama, in a striking bit of candor as he mourned slain Dallas police, reflected on how inadequate words can be in bringing about lasting change. Ive seen how inadequate my own words can be, he added. Its something the president has been grappling with privately, and now openly: what to say amid a relentless pace of gun violence and racial unrest. In his remarks the president cited scripture: Let us long not with words and speech but with actions and truth. If were to sustain the unity we need to get through these difficult times, if we are to honor these five outstanding officers who weve lost, then we will need to act on the truths that we know, he said. And thats not easy, it makes us uncomfortable. But were going to have to be honest with each other and ourselves. Michael A. Memoli
12:22 P.M. Obama: Everyone should be able to hear the pain of Alton Sterlings family
10:19 A.M. President Obama addresses grieving nation
12:01 P.M. Obama: We are not as divided as we seem U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during an interfaith memorial service for the victims of the Dallas police shooting at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center on July 12, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) The deepest fault lines of our democracy have now been exposed, perhaps even widened, President Obama said Tuesday in Dallas. And though we know such divisions are not new, that offers us little comfort. Faced with this violence we wonder if the divides of race in America can ever be bridged. We wonder if an African American community that feels unfairly targeted and police departments that feel unfairly maligned for doing their jobs can ever understand each other... I understand. I understand how Americans are feeling. But Im here to say: Dallas, we must reject this despair. We are not as divided as we seem. And I say that because I know America. I know how far we have come against impossible odds. I know we will make it because of what Ive experienced in my own life. What Ive seen of this country and its people and their goodness, their decency, as president of the United States. And I know it because of what Ive seen here in Dallas.
11:47 A.M. Dallas Police Chief David Brown quotes Stevie Wonder in tribute to slain officers
11:43 A.M. George W. Bush: At our best, we practice empathy Former U.S. president George W. Bush speaks during an interfaith memorial service for the victims of the Dallas police shooting at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center on July 12, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)
11:30 A.M. President Obama at memorial service for slain offers President Obama attends a memorial service for five slain Dallas police officers with Vice President Joe Biden, Laura and George W. Bush and First Lady Michelle Obama at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
11:26 A.M. Minister, imam and rabbi pray for healing in Dallas
11:23 A.M. Obama consulted scripture in preparing Dallas remarks U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama attend an interfaith memorial service for the victims of the Dallas police shooting at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center on July 12, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) President Obama personally wrote much of the speech he will deliver Tuesday at the memorial for five slain Dallas police officers, working late into the night Monday on a draft. The White House said Obama consulted scripture as he prepared his remarks. He did the same last summer when he spoke at a memorial service for the victims of the Emmanuel AME Church massacre in North Charleston, S.C. The theme of his speech was Amazing Grace, and he closed his remarks by singing the hymn. Michael A. Memoli
11:06 A.M. Obama arrives at memorial; national anthem sung
11:05 A.M. Ted Cruz joins Obama in flight to Dallas in show of unity
For the second time in less than a month, a former Republican presidential candidate joined President Obama on Air Force One to travel to his state to memorialize shooting victims. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida joined Obama during a somber visit to Orlando on June 16. Tuesday, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas traveled on the presidential jet with Obama to Dallas. Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the White House extended the invitation to Cruz, one of the administrations most ardent congressional foes. At a time when our country is so divided, I think it is important that the countrys leaders are coming together across party lines despite significant political differences to emphasize a shared desire to unify the country, Earnest told reporters. The states other Republican senator, John Cornyn, will speak at the service, as will former President George W. Bush. Its an indication, Earnest said, that our country is not nearly as divided as it might seem. Unfortunately, its in moments of tragedy that this unity is revealed, Earnest said. Michael A. Memoli
10:46 A.M. Obama calls families of black men shot to death by police last week
10:37 A.M. Seats in front row remain empty in honor of Dallas officers Reserved seats contain American flags and police hats during an interfaith memorial service, honoring five slain police officers, at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center on July 12, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
10:30 A.M. While Dallas waits for Obama, Black Lives Matter protesters demonstrate outside LAPD headquarters
10:06 A.M. Daughter of fallen Dallas officer in the front row at memorial service Patrick Zamarripa, 32, one of the officers killed last week, left behind a 2-year-old daughter, Lyncoln. The girl played in the front row of the concert hall as mourners filed in for an interfaith memorial service for the slain officers. Zamarripas father and fellow officers have said that Lyncoln was the apple of his eye, and he posted plenty of photos online of himself toting her around in a baby carrier or in his arms. Molly Hennessy-Fiske
Why will China never respect U.S. over South China Sea?
BEIJING, July 12 -- The United States, one of the most vocal countries urging China to hew to arbitration in the South China Sea, is still an outlier to the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNClOS) to which more than 160 countries, including China are party.
Such "American hypocrisy" was self-evident in an article carried by Time Magazine website a few days before the tribunal is to issue its final award Tuesday on the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government.
"A great power refuses to play by international rules, declining to ratify a major UN convention to which more than 160 other countries are party," the article said, noting "China ratified UNCLOS in 1996."
"After years of complaints, the nation convinces the UN to tweak the treaty to many of its specifications. Yet even after those amendments, the great power's legislature prioritizes protectionist sentiment over respect for global rule of law," it furthered.
In 1982, after around a decade of wrangling, the UN hammered out a framework to guide global maritime affairs and ensure freedom of navigation. UNCLOS covers everything from the rules of maritime commerce to the ways in which resource-rich seabeds can be divvied up between nations.
Shortly after UNCLOS was unveiled in 1982, then U.S. President Ronald Reagan refused to sign, claiming the convention undermined his country's sovereignty.
In 1994, after UNCLOS was revised to take into consideration American worries about losing control of valuable underwater oil and natural-gas deposits, then U.S. President Bill Clinton signed an updated UNCLOS agreement, although not the entire treaty.
Yet even though multiple presidential administrations, both Democrat and Republican, have since supported the convention, Republicans in the U.S. Senate have routinely scuttled efforts to ratify UNCLOS.
Black Lives Still Matter.
The slogan appeared on a protest sign as hundreds of activists met at a church in Dallas three days after a gunman killed five police officers at a downtown protest against racially driven police violence.
The message was clear: The cause of the Black Lives Matter movement is just as valid now as it was last week. The killings, carried out by a black man targeting white officers, did not change that fact that across the country police violence is disproportionately directed at black men.
The activists have nonetheless been forced to defend the movement as they contemplate the best way to carry on the momentum that has been building for two years.
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Since the Dallas killings, the El Paso police chief told reporters that Black Lives Matter was a radical hate group. Former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani called the group inherently racist and said that it essentially put targets on the backs of police officers.
And a white police detective in Detroit was demoted after he called the activists racists and terrorists in a Facebook post in which he wrote that he had considered taking a day off after the outrageous act perpetrated against my brothers.
Worries that such criticism would derail the cause were on display at the meeting Sunday night at Friendship West Baptist Church.
Its going to be very important for us to go ahead and acknowledge how angry, how painful and how confused this situation is, the churchs leader, the Rev. Freddie Haynes, told the mostly black crowd gathered in the pews.
Black rage is founded on wounds in the soul, he said. There are wounds on our soul.
The Black Lives Matter movement coalesced into a national political force after the 2014 police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.
Organizers have met with President Obama and other national leaders and confronted the two major presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. One of the leaders, DeRay Mckesson, unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Baltimore after the death of Freddie Gray, a black man injured in police custody.
The movements latest fuel came from the police killing last week of one black man in Louisiana and another in Minnesota.
But after the Dallas shootings, the activists found themselves having to disassociate the movement from the shooter, Micah Xavier Johnson, a 25-year-old former Army reservist who after a long standoff was killed by a police robot carrying explosives.
This man gets plastered all over TV and they say thats our men, the Rev. Isaac Steen told the crowd Sunday.
Before the shootings, Sharay Santora, a 36-year-old hair stylist, was making progress in reaching out to conservative white Texans, recently winning over a Trump supporter, she told the other activists.
But now with tensions running high, she said shes struggling to present Black Lives Matter in a way people can understand and support. She views the issue of racially directed police violence as the civil rights struggle of her time one that cannot afford to pause, even briefly.
At the same time, she said, just because were standing for our movement doesnt mean we cant go to the funerals for the fallen police officers.
1 / 103 Magnus, the 8-year-old son of slain Dallas Police Officer Lorne Ahrens, rides with his fathers coffin during the funeral Wednesday afternoon. Sr. Cpl. Ahrens and four other officers were killed in an attack during a Black Lives Matter protest on July 7. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 103 Pallbearers carry the casket of Dallas Police Sr. Cpl. Lorne Ahrens at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas on Wednesday afternoon. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 103 Magnus, the 8-year-old son of slain Dallas Police Officer Lorne Ahrens, speaks to officers after his fathers funeral Wednesday. Sr. Cpl. Ahrens was buried at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 103 Funeral services are held for Dallas Police Sr. Cpl. Lorne Ahrens at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times ) 5 / 103 People line up outside the funeral service for Dallas Police Sr. Cpl. Lorne Ahrens at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 103 Vice President Joe Biden, left, Laura Bush and former President George W. Bush join President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the memorial service in Dallas for five slain policemen. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 103 Dallas Police Chief David Brown, center, listens as President Obama speaks at the memorial service. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 103 Police officers from across the country and civilians attend a visitation for slain Police Sgt. Michael Smith at Mary Immaculate Church in Farmers Branch, Texas. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 103 A crowd gathers before the memorial at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, where President Obama and former President George W. Bush spoke. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 103 Police officers take part in the Dallas Strong candlelight vigil at City Hall on July 11, 2016, in honor of the five Dallas police officers killed last week. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 103 Police officers at the vigil. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 103 Kristy Zamarripa, daughter of slain Dallas Police Officer Patricio Zamarripa, is held by her grandmother in front of a photo of the officer at the vigil. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 103 A woman wipes her tears in a section of seats reserved for family members of the slain police officers. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 103 Dallas Police Officer Victor Guzman, who was at the sniper shooting scene, holds a candle. His wife, Ciprina, is in front of him. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 103 Family and friends of fallen police officers take part in the vigil. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 103 Officer Marc Macklemore tries to remain composed during a memorial for the slain officers at the vigil. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 103 Heidi Smith, center, wife of slain Dallas Police Officer Sgt. Michael Smith, is comforted by her dauther Victoria, left, as they take part in a candlelight vigil at City Hall on Monday. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 103 Rick Zamarripa, father of slain Officer Patrick Zamarripa, attends the vigil. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 103 Five portraits of the officers killed last week are displayed at the vigil. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 103 Honor guards put up the portraits. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 103 Community members hold hands in prayer at a Dallas church on Sunday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 103 Porsha Jackson, right, speaks during a community meeting at a Dallas church on Sunday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 103 Prayers continue to be said July 10 as the memorial in front of Dallas police headquarters continues to grow. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 103 Dallas police officers wipe tears following a prayer July 10.
(Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 103 People pray July 10 at Dallas police headquarters. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 103 Black Lives Matter activists hold hands at a protest July 10 in Dallas. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 103 Black Lives Matter demonstrators share a group hug with All Lives Matter activists July 10 in Dallas. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 103 Samuel Barnes, left, who was dispatched with emergency medical services after the Dallas attack, watches a Black Lives Matter demonstration July 10. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 103 Ella Fest, 3, looks at a makeshift memorial in downtown Dallas on Sunday. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 103 A wounded Shetamia Taylor, center, tears up as she recalls the Dallas police officers who saved her after she was wounded during a sniper attack Thursday night in which five officers were killed. At the news conference at a Dallas hospital, Taylor is surrounded by her sister, Teresa Williams, her husband, Lavar Taylor, and her children behind her. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 103 Shetamia Taylor, right, who is recovering after being shot, hugs Angie Wisner, who helped save her son during the deadly attack when a gunman killed five police officers and wounded other officers and civilians in Dallas during a peaceful protest. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 103 Worshippers come together for a service and town hall meeting at the Potters House megachurch in Dallas on Sunday, days after five officers were killed by a sniper during a peacerful Black Lives Matter protest. Bishop T.D. Jakes told the mostly black congregation of the citys police officers: When wickedness raised its head, they stood up for our protection. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 103 Saundra Sterling, an aunt who raised Alton Sterling after his mother died, is welcomed by worshippers at the Potters House church in Dallas. Alton Sterling was shot to death by police in Baton Rouge, La., last week. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 103 Elizabeth Holmes, 87, gives out hugs during a service at the Potters House church in Dallas, days after five law enforcement officers were killed by a sniper. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 103 Father Stephen Jasso greets Rick Zamarripa, father of slain police officer Patrick Zamarripa, during Sunday Mass at All Saints Catholic Church in Dallas on July 10, 2016. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 103 A picture frame with two portraits of slain police Officer Patrick Zamarripa sits on the pew as family members stand to pray during Sunday Mass at All Saints Catholic Church, in Dallas on July 10, 2016. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 103 Rick Zamarripa, father of slain police Officer Patrick Zamarripa, weeps during Sunday Mass at All Saints Catholic Church in Dallas on July 10, 2016. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 103 Dallas residents add to the memorial for the slain police officers. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 103 People give hugs to Dallas police officers standing outside the memorial for slain officers in the recent attacks in Dallas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 103 Tasha Lomoglio sits alone as she visits the memorial for slain police officers outside Dallas Police Headquarters. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 103 A memorial for the slain Dallas police officers. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 103 Community members pay their respects at the memorial for the slain officers in the recent attacks in Dallas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 103 Police officer M. Argumedo shares encouraging words with Brielle Delgado, 8, at the memorial for slain police officers in Dallas, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 103 Tasha Lomoglio, of Dallas, pays her respects in front of a growing memorial at the Dallas police headquarters. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 103 DART Police officers pray in front of the Dallas police headquarters on Saturday. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 103 DART Police officers pray in front of the Dallas police headquarters on Saturday. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 103 A woman weeps at a memorial outside the crime scene where 5 police officers were killed and 7 more wounded, in Dallas, Texas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 103 Officers are deployed around Dallas police headquarters because of an unspecified threat. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 103 Officers secure the scene around Dallas police headquarters because of an unspecified threat. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 103 Police locked down the area around the Dallas headquarters because of an unspecified threat. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 103 People wait for lock down to be lifter around Dallas police headquarters after an unspecified threat was made. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 103 Dallas police officers check out an unspecified threat around the headquarters. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 53 / 103 Mourners grieve in front of the Dallas Police Headquarters. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 54 / 103 The MVPz, a Central Texas, Softball Team, pray in front of the Dallas Police Headquarters. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 55 / 103 Assistant Police Chief, Gary Tittle, gets a hug at the Dallas Police Headquarters. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 56 / 103 Seven-year-old Jacob Flanagan greets Assistant Police Chief, Gary Tittle, with his Mom, Jennifer Cobb, in front of the Dallas Police Headquarters. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 57 / 103 Djuana Franklin is consoled by a passerby as she weeps at the memorial for slain police officers in Dallas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 58 / 103 Investigators walk in a formation on Lamar Street to comb through the crime scene outside El Centro College in Dallas where a gunman killed five police officers and wounded seven others. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 59 / 103 People pray in front of a growing memorial at the Dallas Police Headquarters. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 60 / 103 Homeland Security Agent, Ron Miller, of San Antonio, works with his bomb sniffing dog, Mattie, along the Earle Cabel Federal Building in downtown Dallas. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 61 / 103 Rachel Simon embraces her daughter Abigail Simon, 13, as they pay their respects to the slain officers at a memorial outside Dallas Police Department. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 62 / 103 Retired Army Sgt. Chandler Davis, pays his respects at the growing memorial in front of the Dallas Police Headquarters. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 63 / 103 Investigators comb through the crime scene for evidence outside El Centro College on Lamar Street in Dallas where a gunman killed five police officers and wounded seven others. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 64 / 103 Flowers, handwritten notes, balloons, candles and other mementos are left on squad cars parked at the Dallas Police Department in a memorial to the slain officers. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 65 / 103 Djuana Franklin weeps for the slain police officers at a memorial at the Dallas police headquarters. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 66 / 103 Flowers, cards, balloons, candles and other mementos form a makeshift memorial at the Dallas Police Department. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 67 / 103 A large American flag flies at half mast framed by the Dallas skyline in the aftermath of the deadly police shooting. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 68 / 103 Roses are placed on a makeshift memorial near the shooting scene. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 69 / 103 From top left counter clockwise, Fermin Betancourt, Damien Betancourt, 10, Destiny Betancourt, 11, and Police Officer Yuridia Morales pay their respects at the memorial for slain Dallas officers. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 70 / 103 Police Officer Katherine Rhodes, right, embraces Officer Yuridia Morales at a memorial for the shooting victims. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 71 / 103 Flowers, notes, balloons and other mementos are left on squad cars outside Dallas Police headquarters in honor of the slain police officers. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 72 / 103 Shelby Garcia, 16, sticks a hand-written note onto the squad cars meant to memorialize the slain Dallas police officers. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 73 / 103 Kenneth Parsons leans on Veronica Jones as they pay their respects at a memorial for the fallen police officers in Dallas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 74 / 103 Shelby Garcia, 16, writes a note for the slain Dallas police officers. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 75 / 103 Hand-written personal notes are left to honor the fallen police officers in Dallas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 76 / 103 Dallas residents join in a United to Heal prayer vigil at the Cathedral Guadalupe the day after the sniper attack that left five officers dead. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 77 / 103 An officer wipes a tear as fellow officers adjust flowers left on a police cruiser in front of police headquarters in Dallas. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 78 / 103 Daniel Bray embraces Emilie Bedell during an interfaith prayer event in Dallas for the victims of the mass shooting that killed five police officers and wounded seven others. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 79 / 103 Concord Church in Dallas hosts a gathering after the sniper attack on police by Micah Xavier Johnson of Mesquite, Texas. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 80 / 103 DALLAS, TX July 8, 2016 Neftali Davila, of Sallas, prays as her husband Mayte holds their newborn, Mateo, as worshipper attend A United To Heal Prayer Vigil at the Cathedral Guadalupe July 8, 2016 following a sniper attack by 25-year-old Micah Xavier Johnson of Mesquite, Texas. that left 5 officers dead. (Barbara Davidson/Los Angeles Times) (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 81 / 103 Stacy Powell, center, prays with others at the Concord Church in Dallas following the police shooting. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 82 / 103 Texas Highway Patrol officers help out in downtown Dallas as investigators look for evidence from the sniper attack on police the night before. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 83 / 103 Eleina Martinez, 5, touches Dallas Police Officer Arnie Pargas badge, draped with a black band, at a memorial outside police headquarters. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 84 / 103 Community members pray during an interfaith prayer event for the victims of the mass shooting in Dallas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 85 / 103 Tani Taylor claps for police officers during an interfaith prayer event for the victims of the mass shooting that killed five officers in Dallas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 86 / 103 Izzy May sobs during an interfaith prayer service for the victims of the police shooting in Dallas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 87 / 103 During a news conference Friday, Dallas Police Chief David Brown collects himself while talking about Thursday nights deadly shooting. (Mark Mulligan / Associated Press) 88 / 103 Noelle Hendrix places flowers near the scene of the shooting in downtown Dallas. (LM Otero / Associated Press) 89 / 103 Investigators document the crime scene outside El Centro College, where a sniper killed five police officers and wounding 7 others in Dallas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 90 / 103 Investigators examine the crime scene outside El Centro College in Dallas, where a sniper unleashed a barrage of bullets, killing at least five police officers and wounding seven others during a protest over recent police shootings in Minnesota and Louisiana. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 91 / 103 Investigators document the crime scene outside El Centro College in Dallas, where a sniper shot 12 police officers, killing five of them. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 92 / 103 Dallas police officers stand guard at a roadblock to the crime scene at El Centro College in Dallas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 93 / 103 Investigators search the crime scene outside El Centro College in Dallas where a sniper unleashed a barrage of bullets, killing five police officers and wounding seven others. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 94 / 103 A Dallas police officer, who did not want to be identified, takes a moment as she guards an intersection after the deadly shooting. (LM Otero / Associated Press) 95 / 103 Dallas police officers gather downtown after the deadly shooting. (Ralph Lauer / EPA) 96 / 103 Dallas police officers face protesters on the corner of Ross Avenue and Griffin Street after the shooting. (Ralph Lauer / EPA) 97 / 103 Police officers stand guard at a barracade following the sniper shooting in Dallas. (Laura Buckman / AFP-Getty Images) 98 / 103 Dallas police protest (LM Otero / Associated Press) 99 / 103 Police stop a driver in downtown Dallas. (LM Otero / Associated Press) 100 / 103 Dallas police stand watch after the shooting. (LM Otero / Associated Press) 101 / 103 Earlier in the day, people rally in Dallas to protest the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile in Louisiana and Minnesota, respectively. (Laura Buckman / AFP / Getty Images) 102 / 103 Marchers in Dallas. (Laura Buckman / AFP / Getty Images) 103 / 103 A man lies on the ground after yelling, Dont shoot me, at police during the rally. (Laura Buckman / AFP / Getty Images)
Cory Hughes, who had helped organize the Dallas protest last week, expressed a similar sentiment to the crowd: Though youre a Black Lives Matter activist, it doesnt mean you hate white people.
He was especially upset because his brother, who had joined the protest legally carrying a rifle before turning it over to police, was publicly identified by police as a person of interest in the aftermath of the sniper attack.
Hughes said the church gathering was a place he could express emotions that were off-limits elsewhere. I cant show any anger or passion because people will misconstrue it, he said.
Longtime state Sen. Royce West, a black Dallas Democrat, urged the crowd to work with other communities in the city to build coalitions. Some movement leaders encouraged residents to register to vote and to press for improvements to policing.
Others called for more militant, immediate action to confront discrimination and push for major reforms, such as banning the use of grand juries in fatal officer-involved shootings.
When black people stand up, we can get victories, shouted LaShadion Anthony, an activist with the Dallas Action Coalition and the Huey P. Newton Gun Club, named after one of the founders of the Black Panthers.
The crowd applauded, including Hughes. Ill go to war with you any day, Hughes said. The last I checked, theres not a voter registration card that will stop a cop from shooting me.
The Black Lives Matter demonstrations did not halt after the Dallas shootings. Protesters took to the streets in more than a dozen cities. They were arrested as they blocked highways and faced off against police in riot gear.
Mckesson was among more than 100 protesters arrested Saturday in Baton Rouge, La., where 37-year-old Alton Sterling was shot and killed by police earlier in the week outside a convenience store.
On Monday, Mckesson pushed back against some of the criticism his movement has received.
It is better for New Yorkers and the American people that Giuliani is no longer an elected official, he said. He is attempting to distract us from addressing the serious issues of police violence and this countrys legacy of racism against black people.
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President Obama urged activists and police to set aside their differences and acknowledge one anothers humanity as he presided over a memorial Tuesday for the officers slain last week in Dallas and tried to navigate an America deeply divided and in mourning after a week of violence.
Seeking to be heard himself by two groups who have dismissed him activists and law enforcement groups alike have complained he ignores their demands Obama called on police to acknowledge institutional racial bias but also condemned the killing of the white officers by a black gunman as an act of racial hatred.
Im here to insist that we are not as divided as we seem, Obama told the crowd of law enforcement and family members grieving the five officers killed Thursday during a protest of police killings of black men elsewhere. And I know that because I know America. I know how far weve come against impossible odds.
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He pointed to the officers on duty, who rushed to shield demonstrators protesting their very careers.
Despite the fact that police conduct was the subject of the protest, despite the fact there mustve been signs or slogans or chants with which they profoundly disagreed, these men and this department did their jobs like the professionals that they were, he said.
The task before Obama in Dallas was one of the most difficult he has faced in speaking out on racial conflict and criminal justice. Though it wasnt the first time he has asked the public to honor the sacrifices of law enforcement and join calls from activists for police fairness, never has he faced such a pressing need to do both at the same time.
Even as he appeared in Dallas, activists complained that he hasnt visited Baton Rouge, La., or Falcon Heights, Minn., the sites of the shooting deaths of black men by white officers that prompted Thursdays march in Dallas.
At the same time, some police blamed Obamas empathy for the Black Lives Matter movement for creating an environment where the Dallas attack occurred.
Obama sought to find common ground, lauding police as he has several times in recent days.
So much of the tensions between police departments and minority communities that they serve is because we ask the police to do too much and we ask too little of ourselves, he said, quoting Dallas Police Chief David Brown, who spoke earlier at the service.
The crowds response to Obama alternated between sitting stone-faced and at times standing and applauding.
Against that complicated backdrop, Obama was joined by a coalition of black and white officials, including prominent Republicans and Democrats.
Former President George W. Bush, wife Laura and Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, all Republicans, sat interspersed with the Obamas and Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill. Brown, the black chief, sat with Dallas white mayor, Mike Rawlings.
Bush challenged the idea that the forces pulling Americans apart are stronger than the forces pulling them together.
At our best, we practice empathy, he said. This is the bridge across our nations deepest divisions.
But the more empathy Obama shows to either side, the more criticism he draws for undercutting the other.
Obamas visit to Dallas suggests that the president sees an equivalency between what black and white America are experiencing after last week, said Princeton University professor Eddie Glaude Jr.
He sounds like hes trying to convince white people of the fact that black people are mourning and grieving, as opposed to speaking directly to black people, Glaude, chairman of the Center for African American Studies at Princeton, said on MSNBC before Obama spoke.
The president also had met a day earlier with law enforcement officials strongly critical of his rhetoric in moments of racially charged conflicts between police and young black men.
James Pasco, executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police, said he told the president that it often appeared to him that Obama would give one speech to minority communities and another to law enforcement.
I said we wanted to see him give one more-unifying speech, which addressed, to the satisfaction of all, the grievances and the grief of all parties, he said.
Obama repeatedly offered to provide transcripts of public comments he has made in support of law enforcement, according to Mike Chapman, the elected sheriff of Loudoun County, Va., who represented the Major Counties Sheriffs Assn. The offer was emblematic of what Chapman called a frank two-hour discussion in which Obama often seemed on the defensive.
Maybe youre hearing it differently, Pasco quoted Obama as saying.
Indeed, Obama publicly indicated Tuesday that he has grappled with the limits of his ability to change perceptions: Ive seen how inadequate my own words have been.
Nonetheless, he tried to reach several audiences at once.
Even those who dislike the phrase black lives matter, surely, we should be able to hear the pain of Alton Sterlings family, Obama said, addressing the law enforcement community at large.
Protesters, you know it, you know how dangerous some of the communities where these police officers serve are, he added, admonishing activists. And you pretend as if theres no context.
America, we know that bias remains, he said to his larger audience. Weve heard it at times in our own homes. If were honest, perhaps weve heard prejudice in our own heads and felt it in our own hearts.
If Americans dont confront such shortcomings, Obama warned, not just in the comfort of our own circles, but with those who look different than us or bring a different perspective, then we will never break this dangerous cycle.
Terry Cunningham, president of the International Assn. of Chiefs of Police, attended Tuesdays event and was also at the meeting Monday at the White House. He wished Obama had not mentioned Philando Castile or Alton Sterling on Tuesday, and instead kept the focus on police.
We talked to him about that: When police officers get killed, youre not calling them. Theres got to be a balance there, Cunningham said, noting that while Obama met with relatives of the fallen officers in Dallas, and sends letters to families of others killed, he calls the families of Sterling and Castile, Cunningham said as he left after the speech, wearing his dress uniform.
Times staff writers Molly Hennessy-Fiske in Dallas and Michael A. Memoli in Washington contributed to this report.
UPDATES:
3:33 p.m.: The story was updated throughout.
12:14 p.m.: The story was updated with President Obamas comments.
10:41 a.m.: The story was updated with President Obama calling the families of the two black men shot to death by police last week.
6:54 a.m.: The story was updated with comments from attendees of a vigil in Dallas.
The story was originally published at 3 a.m.
Trump sticks to false statement that he opposed Iraq war from the start
Over and over, Donald Trump has stated falsely that he opposed the Iraq war from the start, and he did it again Tuesday in Indiana.
It should have never happened, the Republican presidential hopeful told a crowd at a rally outside Indianapolis with a potential running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.
I didnt want to go from the beginning, and I have proof from the beginning. I didnt want Iraq. I said youre going to destabilize the Middle East, and thats exactly what happened.
But in an audio recording unearthed by Buzzfeed News, radio host Howard Stern asked Trump whether he supported invading Iraq in an interview on Sept. 11, 2002, six months before President George W. Bush ordered the start of the war.
Yeah, I guess so, Trump responded. I wish the first time it was done correctly.
Asked for proof that Trump had opposed the war, his spokeswoman Hope Hicks said he was referring to a clip from Neil Cavuto of Fox News from January 2003.
Trump told Cavuto that perhaps Bush shouldnt be doing it yet, and perhaps we should be waiting for the United Nations, according to Politifact, a nonpartisan fact-checking organization. But it was false, Politifact found, for Trump to state that he was totally against the war in Iraq and had warned it would destabilize the Middle East.
Trumps statements Tuesday came in freewheeling remarks to supporters in Westfield, Ind., after days of sticking to carefully scripted comments in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of five police officers in Dallas.
He accused Democratic rival Hillary Clinton of singlehandedly giving rise to the Islamic State terrorist group when she was secretary of State. Shes the one who created it with stupidity, he said. With stupid, stupid policy.
Trump, whose rallies have repeatedly deteriorated into violent clashes between protesters and his supporters, warned of four more years of civil unrest if Clinton wins the election.
He also said Iran had made fools of the United States with its deal to restrain its nuclear program. Folks, those days are over, Trump said.
And he returned to his hard-line rhetoric on illegal immigration, leading a call-and-response on his proposed border wall.
Who is going to pay for the wall? he asked.
Mexico! the crowd hollered back.
I dont hear you, Trump told the crowd.
After a loud reprise, Trump continued: They will 100%. And you know what? Theyll be happy to pay for the wall.
Trumps rally came amid growing speculation over who he will name as his running mate. Pence is the latest of several to audition by introducing Trump at rallies around the country.
I dont know whether hes going to be your governor or your vice president who knows, Trump joked. Good man.
When Bernie Sanders joins Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail in New Hampshire on Tuesday, he will be doing more than bowing to the inevitable. If, as expected, the senator from Vermont offers full-throated support to Clinton, he will also be serving the interests of his supporters and making good on his promise to do his utmost to defeat presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.
The race for the Democratic nomination was effectively over a month ago after Clintons convincing victory in the California primary. Outpolling Sanders by more than 3 million votes nationally, Clinton ended the primary season with a lead in both pledged delegates and so-called superdelegates, the party insiders the Sanders campaign alternately condemned and coveted.
Yet Sanders acceptance of that reality has been painfully protracted. Defenders of his slow-motion surrender argued that he had to be careful not to rush his most devoted supporters, many of them young people involved in their first campaign, and that procrastination increased his leverage on both Clinton and the partys platform-writing committee.
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Despite all the talk of Bernie or Bust, however, Sanders supporters already have been moving to Clinton as the general-election campaign nears. According to a recent Pew Research poll, 85% of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters who supported Sanders in the primary plan to vote for Clinton in November.
As for the platform, Sanders victories hardly seem worth the effort. Its not clear that the concessions the Sanders campaign obtained such as an endorsement of a $15-an-hour minimum wage and a statement opposing the death penalty wouldnt have been won in any event. And besides, non-binding party platforms dont seem to matter much to voters, or to candidates once they take office.
Sanders can still take satisfaction from the fact that his unexpectedly strong campaign has moved Clinton and the party to the left. That achievement should make it easier for him to do what runners-up in presidential primaries traditionally do: back the winner and acknowledge that the fight was a fair one.
Even at this late date, a Sanders endorsement of Clinton could sway two groups of supporters. One group comprises voters who might be beguiled by Trumps suggestion that he and Sanders are soulmates because they both opposed free-trade agreements and took on their respective parties establishments. Then there are the young people who might never support Trump but who disdain Clinton as a business-as-usual politician with no vision. Sanders needs to tell both that, on an array of issues, he and Clinton see eye to eye.
Late last month, as he was still edging toward an official endorsement of Clinton, Sanders insisted that Im going to do everything I can to defeat Donald Trump. Better late than never, he seems to have recognized that everything includes ungrudging support for the candidate who defeated him in the primaries.
Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
And with that, its over. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the 74-year-old Jewish socialist whose candidacy was dismissed by experts but who stunned the nation with 14 months of implausible successes, has offered his unequivocal endorsement to Hillary Clinton. He was a little slow to get there, and some thought he was a little more grudging than he ought to have been, but on Tuesday, he finally said what he needed to say: I intend to do everything I can to make certain that she will be the next president of the United States.
Sanders was a phenomenon in a year of phenomena. Relatively unknown, unpolished and underestimated, he nevertheless captivated enormous crowds with a charisma powered by passion and a vision of radical change. Why not think bigger, he asked voters? Healthcare for all! Universal college, tuition-free! Livable wages! Close the gap between rich and poor, and reject the big money and special interests that dominate the political system. To millions of Democrats skeptical of Clintons character or uninspired by her centrism, Sanders offered what sounded like an alternative worth fighting for.
The competition between two such different candidates unquestionably made the race more substantive. But ultimately, Sanders quixotic message and ambitious promises were insufficient. Hillary Clinton convinced her party and its voters and The Times editorial board that she was the leader with the experience, knowledge and savvy to translate ideals into action. Though she lacked Sanders intoxicating idealism, she was the vastly better-prepared candidate who could get the job done.
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Now, the 13 million Democrats and independents who voted for Sanders in the primaries need to join forces with Clintons backers in service of a larger and more essential goal. For all the differences between Sanders and Clinton, they have so much more in common with each other than with the presumptive Republican candidate, Donald Trump, who is intemperate and intolerant and a danger to the United States.
Trumps continuing efforts to divide and to bully, his cynical racial politics, his crude taunts, his know-nothing approach to the issues and his repeated reliance on untruths have shown him unfit to serve as president of the United States.
In the months ahead, we hope and expect that Sen. Sanders will work closely and enthusiastically with Clinton to protect this country against the disaster of a Trump presidency.
Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
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ISLAMABAD, July 12 -- Pakistan said on Tuesday that it believes that disputes over the South China Sea should be peacefully resolved through consultations and negotiations by states directly concerned.
A spokesman of the Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the maritime disputes should be addressed in accordance with bilateral agreements and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).
In this context, he added that Pakistan opposes any imposition of unilateral will on others, and respects China's statement of optional exception in light of Article 298 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The spokesman made the remarks in response to a verdict against China by an arbitral tribunal in the South China Sea case unilaterally initiated by the Philippines.
China said on Tuesday it neither accepts nor recognizes the verdict, dismissing it as "null and void."
The spokesman said, "Pakistan believes that maintenance of peace and security is the collective responsibility of all parties to the South China Sea."
"Countries outside the region should fully respect efforts made by China and the ASEAN countries to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea, and play a constructive role to this end."
To the editor: I was shocked and dismayed at reading two L.A. City Council members tag-team a series of anti-Palestinian letters to the editor. (Why anti-Israel BDS activism deserves special treatment by lawmakers, Readers React, July 10)
Councilmen Bob Blumenfield and Paul Koretz express their dangerously unconditional support of the state of Israel. They demonstrate their propensity to stifle the 1st Amendment rights of Americans who lawfully advocate for the full civil and human rights of Palestinians via the nonviolent Boycott, Sanctions and Divestment movement.
The fact that lawmakers across the U.S. are pushing through legislation restricting the rights of those who support nonviolent Palestinian resistance to decades-long injustices just goes to show how concerned many in the Israel-first crowd have become.
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Standing up for the oppressed and the voiceless is what is needed from representatives in leadership positions, not the continuation of pandering to the special interests of the elite and establishment classes. That is the American way.
Joseph Sarsour, San Mateo, Calif.
Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
To the editor: The Dallas police used a robot to kill a gunman, and questions are now raised about the ethics involved. We should examine the specifics. (Dallas police used a robot to kill a gunman, a new tactic that raises ethical questions, July 8)
The gunman was bent on assassinating police officers, according to his conversations with negotiators. He then terminated his conversation by renewing his gunfire, leaving the police with three options: waiting, moving in or using the robot.
The shooter showed no inclination toward ending his spree without bloodshed, and having police move in would have been too dangerous, so the robot was chosen. Seems a smart choice given the circumstances.
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Over time, police use of robots may come under scrutiny, and departments may use them poorly. But in Dallas on Thursday, it was the best choice to end the nightmarish situation there. Im sure the people of Dallas were relieved to learn of it.
Jack Fenn, Montecito Heights
..
To the editor: It is somewhat puzzling when we question the ethics of police tactics using technology.
In the United States, we allow ordinary citizens access to assault rifles. Is this ethical? If lawmakers cannot agree on restricting these kinds of weapons, what recourse do police have in confronting criminals armed with them?
I detest the use of robots and drones by authorities, but what really are the alternatives?
We seem to be headed toward a society that encourages wanton disregard for civility and condones violence. It is true that people kill people, but it is a heck of a lot easier for them if they can outgun the police.
Richard Thompson, Moreno Valley
..
To the editor: The tragedy in Dallas sure shoots holes in the argument by the National Rifle Assn. that the only way to stop mass shootings is to allow some of the potential victims to carry weapons. In Dallas, all of the targets were armed and trained, and it took a robot to bring down the perpetrator.
The bottom line is that we need new regulations that deal with unstable and violent individuals and with our easy access to military-style weapons.
Few Americans have any interest in taking away our 2nd Amendment rights to own reasonable weapons to protect ourselves, for hunting or for target practice. The slippery slope argument against any kind of gun control is utterly absurd.
Jordan Austin, Port Hueneme
Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
For months, two dangers have hovered over Hillary Clintons presidential campaign the possibility of criminal proceedings resulting from the investigation into her email practices and the risk that large numbers of Bernie Sanders supporters would desert her in the fall.
Last week, the first of those evaporated with a statement by FBI Director James B. Comey that sharply criticized her, but closed the door on prosecution. Tuesday, the second risk diminished greatly with a sentence from Sanders at a rally in a crowded high school gymnasium here.
I am endorsing Hillary Clinton, Sanders declared to cheers from a couple of thousand partisans. She must become our next president.
One rally, of course, will not bring every Sanders voter over to Clinton some will not shift for weeks, others never will. But Sanders words, which were noticeably more enthusiastic than many Democrats had expected, will almost certainly hasten a party unification process that polls indicate is already well underway.
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This campaign is about the needs of the American people and addressing the very serious crises that we face, Sanders said as Clinton stood nodding at his side. And there is no doubt in my mind that, as we head into November, Hillary Clinton is far and away the best candidate to do that.
Although long-awaited and, to some extent, anticlimactic, since many of Sanders backers already have moved Clintons way, the rally was nonetheless a positive moment that the Clinton campaign had badly wanted and worked hard to achieve. It opens the way for a nominating convention later this month that can showcase party unity, in likely contrast to the GOP convention that begins next week.
Sanders dispelled doubts about how strongly he would back the woman who had beaten him by delivering a half-hour litany that not only denounced Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, but praised the former secretary of State, saying repeatedly that Hillary Clinton understands the key issues he campaigned on.
On issues including healthcare, the minimum wage and aid for college students, he stressed how much he and Clinton agreed a sharp turnaround from months of detailing their differences.
He said he would go to every corner of this country to try to ensure her election.
Clinton returned the favor, inserting into her standard stump speech a strong endorsement of Sanders position on an issue on which they have differed one that the Vermont senator had not mentioned. In her administration, she said, the U.S. would say no to unfair trade deals including the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
President Obama has asked Congress to approve the massive trade pact, which Clinton had praised while it was being negotiated. Earlier in her campaign, she said the final agreement fell short of her standards and she would not support it, but many of Sanders supporters have doubted her commitment.
Thanking them, Clinton pledged, You will always have a seat at the table when I am in the White House.
Not everyone in the crowd was convinced. Earlier in the event, some pro-Sanders hecklers jeered Gov. Maggie Hassan when she praised Clinton.
And among Sanders delegates to the Democratic convention, some said they were still not sure they could bring themselves to vote for her.
I still cant speak to that, said Natalie Higley, a 23-year-old delegate from Lakeport, in Northern California. I think hes doing what he has to do, she said of Sanders.
Nominating Clinton is going to greatly reduce the participation in the Democratic Party, to elect a candidate who has some of the lowest favorable ratings in history, who is squeaking by, barely beating Trump in November. I think they are committing suicide, honestly, she said.
In an email to supporters, Sanders acknowledged that some of you will be disappointed by the decision to endorse Clinton. But, he said, Clinton had embraced the most progressive Democratic platform in the history of our country, in part because of the pressure exerted by the 13 million people who had voted for him in the Democratic primaries.
If Trump were to win, not only would none of those policies be adopted, his victory would be a devastating blow to all that we are fighting for, Sanders warned.
That was a persuasive argument for Robert Nelson, a retired scientist from Pasadena who is also a Sanders delegate.
This election is not about Hillary Clinton anymore. This election is about Donald Trump, Nelson said. Donald Trump represents the true threat of fascism, and fascism is a very, very dangerous thing.
The joint appearance here, in the state whose primary did more than any other to propel Sanders into the role of a true threat to Clinton, came after weeks of negotiations and careful choreography.
Sanders moved cautiously in Clintons direction too slowly in the eyes of some Democrats as her campaign edged toward his positions on major issues, most notably proposals to increase federal help with the cost of going to college and expanded efforts to cut the cost of healthcare.
Clintons new healthcare proposal, announced over the weekend, included a $40-billion increase in money for community health centers, a priority for Sanders, and a renewed call for the sort of public option insurance plan for which President Obama failed to secure when Congress passed the Affordable Care Act in 2010.
By now, polls show that most Sanders supporters already have made their peace with voting for Clinton spurred on by the prospect of Trump. Democrats are more unified than they were at this point in 2008. That relative party unity is a big part of the reason Clinton has held a consistent lead over Trump of about 4 to 6 percentage points in polling averages since the start of June.
But a significant minority of Sanders voters have resisted calls to fall into line behind Clinton, some feeling that her policies are not far enough to the left to suit them, others opposed to her personally.
Disaffected Sanders voters, especially men, provide a notable chunk of support for the Libertarian nominee, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson.
If a Sanders endorsement brings more of those voters over to Clintons side, her lead over Trump could be expected to grow by another percentage point or two nationally enough potentially to swing some close-fought states in her direction.
In part to engineer that outcome, the two sides spent considerable time over the last several weeks negotiating steps toward unity. Clintons campaign manager, Robby Mook, and his counterpart from the Sanders camp, Jeff Weaver, took the lead, said a Clinton campaign aide, speaking on condition of anonymity to talk about the private negotiations.
The two met for nearly two hours in early June after Clinton and Sanders got together at a downtown Washington hotel. They followed up with a dinner in Vermont a burger for Weaver and salad for Mook and have been in near daily contact by email and text messages, the campaign aide said, noting that Sanders wife, Jane, also played a major role in negotiations.
From early on in the discussions, it was clear that Sanders was focused mainly on specific issues that he could influence Clinton on and that Clinton was willing to accommodate him on at least some of those.
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That contrasts with some previous elections in which defeated candidates needed help retiring large debts or wanted jobs for supporters. The Clinton campaign has, however, begun hiring some key Sanders operatives, including a new director of on-campus political organizing.
Over the weekend, the Democratic platform committee finished drafting the partys positions for this election. Sanders top aide at the committee said his side had gotten 80% of what it wanted.
Staff writers Seema Mehta in Los Angeles and Chris Megerian in Sacramento contributed to this report.
david.lauter@latimes.com
For more on politics and policy, follow me @DavidLauter
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UPDATES:
2:46 p.m.: This article was updated throughout with new comments and details.
9:48 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from Clinton and Sanders.
8:41 a.m.: This article was updated with Sanders endorsement.
This article was originally published at 4 a.m.
State legislation to outlaw ransomware is drawing broad support from tech leaders and lawmakers, spurred by an uptick in that type of cybercrime and a series of recent attacks on hospitals in Southern California.
The bill, authored by state Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys), would update the states penal code, making it a felony to knowingly use ransomware, a type of malware or intrusive software that is injected into a computer or network and allows a hacker to hold data hostage until money is paid.
Ransomware has become a lucrative industry over the last three years, affecting schools, police departments and healthcare businesses. Trojans that work like viruses, such as CryptoLocker which began appearing in 2013 can be unleashed by users with few technical skills and reel in profits.
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We are at a point where the amount of money being made is so high, other (bad) actors will keep coming, said Craig Williams, a threat researcher for Talos, part of the cybersecurity company Cisco Systems.
Proponents say the proposed ransomware law is the right step to counter attacks difficult to prosecute under existing statutes that are not tailored to combat computer crime. But some question just who will get caught in the dragnet, as such incidents are tough to trace and culprits are often overseas.
Victims nationwide lost more than $209 million in ransomware payments in the first three months of 2016 alone, compared with $25 million in all of 2015, according to the FBI.
But no arrests were made. Nor were arrests made in more than half a dozen of ransomware incidents investigated by the Cyber Investigation Response Team of the Los Angeles County district attorneys office, which is a co-sponsor of the bill.
Prosecutor Don Hoffman, head of the division, said authorities were not able to prove who was responsible. He supports the proposed law.
You buy an umbrella before it starts raining, Hoffman said. Particularly as ransomware starts to get consumerized, the level of skills that is required to launch such a campaign will not be as high, and we certainly expect attacks to be coming from more countries and within the U.S.
Ransomware attacks are instigated when a person clicks on a compromised website or opens an infected email. The programs encrypt files, such as photographs, videos or documents, and they cannot be accessed without an encryption key.
Security researchers first saw similar attacks in 1989, when the so-called AIDS Trojan virus locked people out of their files if they clicked through a quiz about their sexual and drug habits. Ransomware has evolved over the last decade with the creation of police screen lockers, pop-up screens that appear to be created by law enforcement agencies that fraudulently order people to pay fines after accusing them of downloading pirated movies or child pornography.
At the federal level, prosecutors can use the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act to target ransomware. But state prosecutors typically must pursue such cases under laws against extortion, or those that target threats to injure a person or property that have not been acted upon.
That doesnt quite fit computer crime, Hoffman said.
With ransomware, the threat has already been carried out, he said. The data has already been encrypted; it has already been compromised. Its more like data kidnapping.
At least one other state, Wyoming, has outlawed ransomware.
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Supporters said such a law in California would encourage more law enforcement agencies to pursue ransomware investigations and make extraditions of offenders more likely.
Lawmakers pointed to the need to modernize laws in the wake of rising attacks. Hertzbergs own website was compromised a day after his bill cleared the Senate in May with a 39-0 vote.
But the most notorious incidents have involved hospitals in Southern California. The Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center became a target Feb. 5.
In April, Steve Giles, chief information officer for the hospital, told the state Senate Public Safety Committee that nearly all of its systems were shut down.
This created panic within the nursing and the physician staff, he said.
To pay the ransom, Giles said, hospital staff had to take $17,000 to a nearby ATM to have the cash converted into bitcoins, a digital form of currency.
Under the proposed legislation, the punishment for such a crime could be up to four years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
So far, the bill has faced no opposition in the Assembly, and must be sent to Gov. Jerry Browns desk by the time the Legislature adjourns at the end of August.
Having the signal sent to the criminals, we feel, is at least a step in the right direction, said Andrea Deveau, executive director of California and the Southwest U.S. region of TechNet, which co-sponsored the legislation. It would go far in letting these perpetrators know that the state is taking it very seriously.
But security researchers said the cases would be difficult for any one law enforcement agency to pursue attacks can be launched from servers spread across multiple countries.
If this legislation gives prosecutors the tools that they didnt have before, where are the cases that they have lost because they didnt have these tools? said Brandon Perry, a senior consultant for NTT Com Security. Authorities are focused on prosecuting criminals that they cant even find, as opposed to educating the victims to prevent this from happening again and again.
jazmine.ulloa@latimes.com
Follow @jazmineulloa on Twitter
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The semi-arid region of northeast Brazil offers little for a monkey to eat, except for a variety of hard-shelled fruits and seeds. So when capuchins arrived in this region about half a million years ago, they needed to find a way to access the only food available to them.
One ancient bearded capuchin looked at a cashew fruit and figured out how to crack it open with a rock. In doing so, he or she may have made monkey history by opening up a brand-new habitat for the species.
It may be that part of the reason that capuchins were able to colonize this area is that they found a technological solution stone tool use to overcome these plant defenses, said University of Oxford primate archaeologist Michael Haslam.
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Haslam, who heads Oxfords Primate Archaeology project, led a new study that suggests the monkeys have used tools in Brazil for at least 700 years, and possibly for much longer.
Haslam and his colleagues from Oxford and the University of Sao Paulo discovered dozens of stone hammers and anvils in northeastern Brazils Serra da Capivara National Park. The find, described Monday in Current Biology, represents the oldest non-human tools to be found outside of Africa, and the oldest known tools not belonging to humans or chimpanzees.
If tool use was indeed part of that colonizing process, then we can hypothesize that this behavior may be hundreds of thousands of years old, Haslam said. Of course, the only way to know for sure is to keep digging.
Most capuchins live in forests, such as the Amazon, where they dont regularly encounter the same variety of hard-shelled foods, Haslam said.
Cashews contain a corrosive oil to defend against would-be predators like monkeys or humans. Brazilian capuchins have learned different ways to avoid the yucky stuff and get to the seed in the middle. Members of one population, found in Fazenda Boa Vista, rub the fruits on a rough surface, making a hole to reach the kernel. At Serra da Capivara, the monkeys use stone tools to prepare their meal.
Capuchins choose tools based on size and material. Hammers should still be small enough to swing in their tiny monkey palms and are usually made of a hard quartzite. The heavier sandstone anvils serve as a flat surface to strike the cashew.
Once they find a suitable cashew-cracker, they dont want to lose it. So the monkeys stash little tool caches underneath the fruit trees, where they can find them again, Haslam said.
It becomes like a set of cutlery at a restaurant [the tools] are just sitting there for you, Haslam said in a video presenting the research.
To find the ancient monkey tools, the researchers looked near modern processing sites and near groves of cashew trees, as the growing conditions for the plants would not be too different now than in the recent past.
Researchers knew the assorted stones were tools because they had dark cashew residue on their surfaces (which was later carbon dated) and by tell-tale signs of damage. Just as modern capuchins do, the ancient monkeys also kept their tools organized in neat little piles.
The 700-year-old artifacts indicate a 100-generation tradition of tool use in capuchins. In human years, that would be the equivalent of roughly 2,500 years.
And in those 100 generations, capuchin technology unlike that of humans hasnt changed much.
This suggests the monkeys have developed a close-to-optimal system, Hallam said. That is, it works well enough that they have no need for an upgrade.
The age and consistency of the tools also tells us that they are very good at transmitting the behavior over and over again through the generations, Haslam said.
The first humans arrived in modern-day Brazil about 20,000 years ago. Its possible that when prehistoric people began eating cashews about 7,000 years ago, they learned how to harvest them by watching the capuchins. However, humans generally would prepare the cashews by roasting them, not whacking them, the study authors noted.
Humans get a lot of clues about their environment from the behavior of other animals, Haslam said. It may be that the highly visible and noisy cashew processing by capuchins could have acted as a guide to those people.
Because of the patchiness of the capuchin fossil record, this idea is more speculative than anything else, Haslam said, at least until scientists can fully explore the monkeys archaeological record.
Were standing at the starting line of non-human archaeology, a field that now includes sites of chimpanzees, macaques and capuchins, he said. Who knows what well discover as the work continues?
Follow me on Twitter seangreene89 and like Los Angeles Times Science on Facebook.
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Burbank resident Joanne D. Hale, founding president and life trustee of the Autry Museum of the American West, died last Tuesday. She was 87 years old.
Joanne was more than a friend. I considered her my cherished sister, said Jackie Autry, founding chair of the Autrys board of trustees, in a statement. She was also the heart and soul of the Autry. As much as I feel a tremendous sense of loss, I take comfort in the fact that her vision and passion for the American West will forever illuminate the museum she co-founded.
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Together with Jackie and Gene Autry, Hale and her husband, Monte, who died in 2009, were instrumental in the creation, planning, construction and continued growth of the Autry Museum.
We have lost a dear friend and visionary, said W. Richard West Jr., the Autrys current president and chief executive, in the statement. Throughout the Autry and beyond, Joanne was known for leading the museum with immense dedication, energy and focus. But a second element of Joannes great success here at the Autry was personal rather than professional it was her deep and abiding love for this museum and its subject, the American West. We will continue to honor Joannes legacy each and every day.
Prior to her work at the Autry, Joanne Hale served as director of administration services for the United Sporting Goods division of Edison Bros., and co-founder and chair of Sabre Products Inc., a computer company later purchased by Bell and Howell.
She served on the executive committees of the Music Center, the Employers Group and the June Ebensteiner Hospice Foundation.
She also served as a member of the board of directors of United Way; the trusteeship of Arts Inc.; the board of governors of Town Hall Los Angeles; the deans advisory board of the UCLA School of Public Health and the board of the Downtown Womens Center.
An alumna of UCLA, Hale received numerous honors for her contributions to the community, including commendations from the city of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County.
Hale is survived by her daughters Susannah Urlik, Brandy Burnett and Andrea Haverback; son, Harlan Haverback, and daughter-in-law, Ming Zhao; and grandchildren, Kyle Haverback and Christopher Burnett.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Joanne Hales name to the Autry Museum or the American Humane Assn.
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Mark Kellam, mark.kellam@latimes.com
Twitter: @LAMarkKellam
The number of students attending Burbanks 20 schools is expected to dip below 15,000 during the 2016-17 academic year, according to school officials, who discussed the latest trend during a recent meeting.
As of the beginning of January, 15,128 students were in kindergarten through 12th grades in Burbank Unified, which was 159 fewer students compared to the same time last year, according to a district report.
School officials project that the 2016-17 academic year will begin with 14,884 students.
However, more students are enrolling in Burbank Unified from outside the districts borders a trend that looks promising to school officials.
The report states that 1,184 students who dont live within Burbanks boundaries received permits to attend local schools for the current school year.
That figure is up by 31 students compared to this time last year, according to the district report.
However, 79 students who live in Burbank obtained permits to attend schools outside Burbank Unified for the current school year, said Brian ORourke, the districts director of safety and student services.
ORourke suggested making all of our sites as attractive as possible to those who live outside the district and want permits to attend local schools.
Theyre all very good schools but, for some reason, some request schools over one other, he said.
Last year, Los Angeles Unified didnt release its students to attend schools in other districts until near the beginning of the school year, ORourke said.
At the same time, Burbank Unified officials waited until almost the start of the academic year to approve permits for students wanting to attend local schools.
We didnt make some decisions on permits until very late, and by that point, parents had already enrolled at other schools, he added.
Next month, administrators will closely examine the districts permit process to hopefully improve it, ORourke said.
The earlier we can make those decisions [on permits], the better were going to do at retaining students outside the district, he said.
Other officials speculated on other reasons for the decline in student enrollment. School board member Steve Ferguson said the relatively high cost of living in Burbank could prohibit some young families from settling in the area.
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Look at property values. Young families cant afford to buy in Burbank, he said.
Burbank Unified Supt. Matt Hill said he also wants to pinpoint why parents who applied and received permits to attend the district ultimately chose other districts to enroll their children.
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Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com
Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
If they made it in New York, they can make it anywhere.
The Halal Guys, a New York City-based business that serves traditional platters and sandwiches of chicken, gyro and falafel, is heading to the West Coast to grow its cult-like following with the first Orange County opening in Costa Mesa on Oct. 2.
The eatery, which boasts of being in the top three most Yelped businesses in the United States last year, teamed up with restaurant franchise consulting firm Fransmart the company that turned Five Guys Burgers and Fries into a nationwide chain to expand its business model.
Leading the first Southern California development is Thomas Pham, who will own and operate the Costa Mesa site with business partners Paul Tran, Andrew Chen, Phillip Hoang and Alvin Wong. Pham will serve as CEO of the Costa Mesa site and handle other Southern California franchising.
The Halal Guys signed a deal to launch 50 units in Southern California. Future locations include Long Beach and other sites in Los Angeles County.
Were very excited, Pham said last month as he stood in front of the new location off Bristol Street while construction workers installed finishing touches. Were moving as fast as we can.
Pham, who had previous work experience in restaurant branding, said his interest in the fast-casual food chain started when he went to New York City a few years ago and tried its fare.
Halal is often used in reference to food and drinks that are permissible under Islamic law for Muslims to consume, and the chain adheres to that definition. Pham just found the food tasty.
I ate there four times in three days, Pham said. I thought, If I ever open something, this will be the restaurant.
After purchasing the rights to a franchise about a year ago and finishing the training, Pham said he and his business partners were looking for the best location in Orange County.
Being familiar with the county, Pham, a UC Irvine graduate, said he focused on Costa Mesa because not only do three freeways traverse the city, it is also a meeting point of diverse tastes in food.
We think Costa Mesa is the best spot because of the demographics, Pham said. Its a place that will match for the foodies.
He said he plans to cater to the lunch crowd from nearby business high-rises, attract a dinner crowd from the residential neighborhoods and appeal to people emerging from the late-night bar scene. The location will be able to seat about 38 people.
With its menu of Middle-Eastern-inspired dishes such as gyro meat platters served over rice and chicken drizzled in the companys signature white sauce, Pham said he hopes diners will enjoy the food and feel satisfied with prices under $10.
The three days a week of cooking training for the staff at the Costa Mesa store has allowed The Halal Guys to turn that food over to homeless shelters, including Someone Cares Soup Kitchen, a Costa Mesa-based organization providing meals to the unemployed, working poor and senior citizens.
The restaurants first priority, he said, is to provide friendly hospitality to everyone never forgetting the companys humble beginnings.
The Halal Guys began in 1990 when three Egyptian immigrants opened a hot dog cart in New York City. As the business grew, the founding partners noticed a demand from Muslim cab drivers seeking a halal meal. They created the platter of chicken and gyro over rice and added the food chains popular white and red sauces.
The chain quickly gained popularity, and 25 years later, it has or is planning over 200 new restaurants worldwide, with locations in Philadelphia; Chicago; Toronto; Manila, Philippines; and Jakarta, Indonesia.
But even as the company expands, one thing remains guarded, and thats the secret behind the white sauce kept in a nondescript bottle.
I dont know the recipe behind the secret sauce, Pham said with a laugh. But theres nothing like it.
If You Go
What: The Halal Guys
When: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily
Where: 3303 Bristol St., Costa Mesa
Information: (714) 850-1080 or visit thehalalguys.com
A Chinese naval fleet prepares to participate in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2016 exercises in Hawaii, U.S. on July 12.
The fleet is composed of missile destroyer Xi'an, missile frigate Hengshui, supply ship Gaoyouhu, hospital ship Peace Ark, submarine rescue vessel Changdao, three helicopters, a marine squad and a diving squad, involving 1,200 officers and soldiers.
Embarking on bake sales, dog walks and lemonade stands, students at Mariners Christian School have raised more than $18,000 to help build a middle school in Gulu, Uganda.
We know were very fortunate to have our school, and we can do something to help out other kids who dont have that, said Nick Thayer, a fifth-grader at Mariners, in Costa Mesa. They need to learn because they need to live.
Mariners, which has about 660 students in its elementary and middle school classes, took on the task of helping Gulus students after Mariners middle school Principal Heather Harrison met Dave Galaway and his wife, Frankie, through church last summer.
Galaway is the U.S. director of Uganda-based Christ the Center Ministries, which has already built an elementary school and established a feeding program in Gulu, a city in the northern region of the African country.
The Galaways, who travel to Gulu multiple times a year, mentioned that the ministry was working to add a middle school there. It sparked an interest in Harrison.
After hearing that they needed a middle school, I thought it would be a great opportunity for our middle school to help, Harrison said. Now theyre doing something thats going to change the lives of students who are their same age all the way across the world.
Mariners students started their fundraising efforts with a jar in each middle school homeroom to collect change.
From there, Harrison said, the urge to give to Gulu was contagious.
The Mariners middle and elementary schools began holding bake sales and movie nights to help the cause.
Some students even took matters into their own hands outside the school.
Nick and his classmates Ray Herold and Luke Kelly seized the opportunity to do more fundraising while at a play date.
We were sitting there and we thought, Why dont we raise money for Gulu? Luke said. Then we started asking [neighbors] if we could walk dogs.
Ray said he and his friends made $10 that afternoon all for Gulu.
I also got a job taking out the trash, Ray said. Its important what were doing. Were lucky to have all this stuff, so we should share what we can.
Throughout the school year, Mariners has received videos of students in Gulu singing in their school and sitting down for meals through the feeding program. In the videos, the students express thanks to Mariners for raising funds toward their middle school, Harrison said.
The money that Mariners has raised thus far for Christ the Center Ministries is enough to build one middle school classroom in Gulu and contribute to the feeding program.
The impact Mariners will have on students who are 13,000 miles away is going to be everlasting, Galaway said.
Harrison said Mariners next goal is to raise $10,000 to build a second middle school classroom for Gulu.
Upcoming fundraisers include campus bake sales Donuts with Dad on Wednesday and Muffins with Mom on April 13.
An Orange County supervisors vote on establishing the first legal dog beach on county land has been halted indefinitely over concerns that having unleashed canines in the area could harm two at-risk bird species.
The Board of Supervisors last week delayed voting on the second reading of an ordinance that would change county law to permit off-leash dogs along a stretch of sand straddling the Newport Beach and Huntington Beach border at the Santa Ana River mouth.
The delay came about two weeks after county leaders unanimously approved the first reading of the ordinance, which would designate the land as the first official parcel for off-leash dogs in unincorporated Orange County since leash restrictions were first enacted in 1975.
Though there is no official designation, the beach has long been a popular spot for owners to let their dogs run free.
Following the boards first vote in late April, the Irvine-based Sea & Sage Audubon Society and the Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy sent letters to the county calling for the supervisors to reconsider because the land is a nesting site for the endangered California least tern and a winter roosting spot for the threatened western snowy plover.
We are not opposed to changing dog access laws in more appropriate locations and, in fact, are in support of the dog beach currently operating in Huntington Beach, wrote Victor Leipzig, president of the Sea & Sage Audubon Society. Public access and enjoyment of the beach is very important to us; however, some of the most critical beach habitat for birds that remain in Southern California exists at river mouths.
Michelle Cook, communications director for Supervisor Michelle Steel, said Monday that county staff is looking into the groups concerns and has not yet made a determination about the possible environmental effects of allowing dogs in the area.
Cook said staff eventually will meet with the groups to discuss the issue. It is unclear when county supervisors will again consider the ordinance.
The issue of leash laws at the Santa Ana River mouth came to the forefront late last year after Newport Beach Mayor Diane Dixon said she was fielding complaints from nearby homeowners about unleashed dogs and dog waste.
In response, the city conducted an online survey to determine whether Newport residents would favor the city enforcing county leash laws at that beach. Hundreds of people responded, with the majority asking the city to leave the area alone.
The river mouth isnt regularly patrolled, so its difficult for county sheriffs deputies to cite dog owners who arent following the rules, city staff said.
Dogs play off leash at a county beach near Newport Beach and Huntington Beach that the Board of Supervisors is considering designating as the first official parcel for off-leash dogs in unincorporated Orange County since leash restrictions were first enacted in 1975. (File photo / Daily Pilot)
In March, after two hours of passionate testimony from dog owners who frequent the spot, Newports Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission voted unanimously to reject a proposal to have city animal-control officers enforce leash restrictions there. The commission instead suggested the county look into designating the area as an official dog beach.
Dixon, city staff, dog beach advocates and Steel, who represents Newport Beach on the Board of Supervisors, began working on a proposal to that effect.
In the meantime, dogs can be found frolicking on the sand and in the water.
Leipzig said the population of California least terns has increased by a few thousand since it was placed on the federal endangered species list in 1970. But the increase isnt enough to remove it from the list, he said.
A fenced preserve on the Huntington Beach side of the Santa Ana River provides a place for the birds to nest without disturbance from terrestrial predators, Leipzig said. They also use the beach and river mouth to court, bathe, teach their young to fly and forage for fish, he said.
The western snowy plover, which at one point nested in the area, now uses the river mouth for foraging and resting, Leipzig said. The bird is on the federal list of threatened species.
An endangered species is considered at risk of extinction. A threatened species is considered at risk of becoming endangered.
Leipzig fears the introduction of more people and dogs in the area could disrupt the presence of both species.
The impacts to the birds is very real, he said.
The Newport Beach City Council is expected to consider next Tuesday whether to move forward with discussions about the city changing the fencing and adding pathways, more dog waste bags and trash cans in the area to accommodate dog owners.
Newport council candidate and dog beach advocate Mike Glenn said hes confident the county will move forward with changing the law, despite the delay.
I dont anticipate well get anything in the next round except for a unanimous vote, he said. The dogs are already in the area. Its not like were talking about introducing dogs when they had never been there before.
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hannah.fry@latimes.com
Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
A proposed expansion of a Westside Costa Mesa senior-living facility is moving ahead after the city Planning Commission voted Monday to scrap a previously approved office building on the site in favor of more residential units.
The new project, approved on a 4-0 vote with Commissioner Jeff Mathews absent, will add a 111-unit independent- and assisted-living facility, a 1,700-square-foot fitness center and a 3,900-square-foot community events center to Vivante on the Coast, an upscale retirement community that opened in 2013 at 1640 Monrovia Ave.
The Planning Commissions decision is final unless appealed to the City Council.
The additional units will help fill a local need for senior housing, said Cory Alder, president of Nexus Development Corp., the projects applicant.
We see a great demand, and we think another 111 units will be well-received, he said Monday.
Nexus hasnt announced a timeline for construction.
Vivante already has 185 units 40 of which are designed for people with Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia. The additional facility will be four stories and have 15 studio units, 77 one-bedroom units and 19 two-bedroom units.
The new building will be on the northern 2.25 acres of the 6.8-acre Vivante site, which stretches between Monrovia Avenue and Babcock Street.
Planning Commission Chairman Robert Dickson said he thinks the expansion is going to be an excellent addition to the community.
Commissioner Colin McCarthy said the new project will be less intense ... than whats on the books right now a previously approved 42,000-square-foot office building that Nexus originally proposed for the site of the new living facility.
Its a wonderful place, and I think Costa Mesa can be proud of it, McCarthy said of Vivante. Expanding that operation is not a problem for me at all. I think its something we should accommodate and something we should go for.
A handful of Costa Mesa residents questioned how the new construction might affect the existing residents at Vivante, particularly those in the memory-care units, and whether the new units might lead to parking issues on the site.
Alder said the construction will have some effects but that Nexus will work to minimize them.
We have a $100-million investment in this and were from the community, he said. Were not going to do something silly thats going to be detrimental to what Vivante has built.
The expansion will include surface and underground parking with a combined 125 spaces.
Plans also call for a dance studio, a cafe, a bar/lounge, activity rooms, a library/computer room, an art room, an outdoor plaza park and office space for management services.
Two residents questioned whether Hixson Metal Finishing about a half-mile away in a section of Newport Beach that borders the Westside might pose a risk to Vivantes residents. One called the vicinity a toxic area.
State air-quality officials have taken Hixson to task in recent years over emissions of elevated levels of hexavalent chromium, which can cause lung, nasal and sinus cancers if inhaled in high concentrations, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Officials from the South Coast Air Quality Management District said at a meeting in February that toxic emissions have dropped significantly in the past year, though efforts were ongoing to continue lowering those levels.
Alder said Nexus stays on top of any potential issues.
Dickson said environmental regulators are all over Hixson theyre having meetings, theyre monitoring it constantly.
Nexus would not be operating if it was at a level that was considered hazardous, Dickson said.
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Luke Money, lucas.money@latimes.com
Twitter: @LukeMMoney
Hydrox, the chocolate cookie sandwich that dueled for decades to win over more taste buds than Oreo, is back, thanks to a Newport Beach company thats capitalizing on the niche market eager to munch on the sweet stuff once again.
For Ellia Kassoff, Leaf Brands president and CEO, his companys move has revived a classic brand war that will keep both sides on their toes. Leaf Brands acquired the trademark last year.
It was Oreo and Hydrox. It was Coke and Pepsi, he said. Its kind of like bringing back Pepsi after some years.
For the uninitiated, a Hydrox cookie, like an Oreo, is two chocolate cookies held together by a sweet, white creme filling. Hydrox debuted in 1908, four years before Oreo.
It was the original sandwich cookie, Kassoff said. Oreo knocked off Hydrox.
Hydrox cookies were first manufactured by Sunshine Biscuits. Keebler bought Sunshine Biscuits in 1996, and in 1999, Keebler replaced Hydrox with a similar but reformulated product named Droxies.
But Droxies were no Hydrox, according to Kassoff. Droxies lasted through 2003.
They really just butchered the product and the loyalty of what was Hydrox, he said.
Hydrox experienced a brief resurgence in 2008, the cookies 100th anniversary. Kellogg, which acquired Keebler in 2001, reintroduced the brand for a short time in response to petitions and pleas from dedicated fans.
Weve been touched by how many consumers describe their preference for Hydrox cookies as interwoven with their identity and family history, Brad Davidson, Kellogg North America president, said in a 2008 press statement. These Hydrox cookie loyalists can be proud to know theyve been heard and have inspired this latest chapter in the story of the little cookie that could.
Kassoff said the key to bringing back Hydrox has been making the nostalgia-filled cookies just the way people remember them. And with all those formula changes over the years, there were inherent problems in doing that, Kassoff said.
It was a totally different product, he said. It wasnt the distinctive Hydrox people had known for so many years.
Hydrox were preferred to Oreos for a variety of reasons, Kassoff noted.
A few of them? The Hydrox white creme wasnt as sweet, and the cookies had a darker chocolate flavor and were crispier better for dunking in milk.
To revive that original flavor, Leaf Brands put real sugar back in while taking out things like high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils. The cookies are made in a bakery in Vernon.
We wanted to roll back the formula to the way it was for 95 years, Kassoff said.
Hydrox got a surprise mention by Stephen Colbert during his inaugural appearance Sept. 8 as host of The Late Show.
Colbert was responding to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trumps announcement that he no longer wishes to eat Oreos because the cookies parent company, Mondelz International, was cutting jobs at its bakery near Chicago and upping Oreo production in Mexico instead.
Trumps anti-Oreo stance puts other Republicans in a tough spot here, Colbert said. Hes forcing them to decide between alienating Latino voters and eating a Hydrox.
That was unexpected, Kassoff said of Colberts joke. I had no idea.
Hydrox cookies will be available in the coming weeks in major supermarkets. Until then, theyre pre-selling on Amazon: $22.81 for six packages. Shipping begins Sept. 25.
A Costa Mesa sober-living operator is challenging the City Councils decision that banned the company from hosting group-counseling sessions within a Westside building it rents.
Solid Landings Behavioral Health and two of its subsidiaries filed a writ of mandate in Orange County Superior Court on Friday, contending that they didnt have a fair trial when the city denied their request in July to host the sessions at 657 W. 19th St., a 6,710-square-foot office building across from the California Department of Motor Vehicles office.
The council contended that the building didnt have enough parking for the group sessions.
Solid Landings argued that it didnt need the number of spaces the city was requiring because its clients arrive in vans, not their own cars.
In court documents, John Peterson, Solid Landings attorney, said the city relied on unsupported, hearsay statements and unsupported testimony lacking foundation with respect to alleged building and code violations.
Solid Landings is asking the court to overturn the councils denial and reinstate a city zoning administrators decision that permitted the counseling sessions.
We have briefed the City Council on this lawsuit, and we will be taking the appropriate actions to protect the interests of the city, Costa Mesa CEO Tom Hatch said.
Costa Mesa resident Ann Parker is also named in the case.
Parker, a critic of the sober-living industrys influx in Costa Mesa, paid $690 for a review of the administrators decision in April, about a week after it was reached.
Her request brought the topic to the Planning Commission in June, which then overturned the administrators approval.
Solid Landings then took its next available recourse by bringing the matter to the council, which upheld the commissions earlier denial.
Parker, at the advice of an attorney, declined to comment Wednesday.
In September, city officials said they were considering taking their own legal action against Solid Landings, which reportedly has continued having group-counseling sessions at 657 W. 19th in defiance of the councils decision. The company has received three citations as a result.
Solid Landings sued the city in an unrelated matter in November, alleging that an ordinance regulating sober-living homes was discriminatory. A federal judge twice has dismissed it.
The case is now pending on appeal.
Solid Landings operates between 20 and 30 sober-living facilities throughout Costa Mesa, according to city staff estimates earlier this year.
A Newport Beach man pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to participating in a fraud scheme that promised to help debtors pay off their credit cards but instead charged them secret upfront fees that ate up most of their payments for up to six months, according to authorities.
John Vartanian, 57, admitted he didnt disclose the fees and made false statements to prospective customers while he worked as a salesman at two companies that pitched themselves as law firms that would negotiate settlements for debtors.
Vartanian pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, according to a news release from federal officials.
He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison at a hearing scheduled for Oct. 17 in Los Angeles.
This defendant preyed upon victims that were already burdened by significant debt, said Eileen Decker, U.S. attorney for the Central District of California. He gave them false hope while stealing the money that could have been used to reduce their obligations.
Vartanian is one of five defendants who have pleaded guilty in the scheme, according to authorities.
He and others never told customers they were taking at least 15% of the total debt as upfront fees, according to authorities.
In addition, they never paid promised refunds, authorities said.
The scheme ran from February 2010 to September 2012, federal officials said. During that time, the company changed its name from Nelson Gamble & Associates to Jackson Hunter Morris & Knight LLP.
Though the company essentially remained the same, Vartanian told customers that the new company couldnt pay refunds, and he blamed any past problems on Nelson Gamble & Associates, authorities said.
The other defendants who have pleaded guilty are Jeremy Nelson of Laguna Niguel, Elias Ponce of Santa Ana, Christopher Harati of Anaheim and Athena Maldonado of Lake Forest, according to federal officials.
They too are awaiting sentencing.
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Jeremiah Dobruck, jeremiah.dobruck2@latimes.com
Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck
Shakespeares Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, is accused of being excessively morose, but he asks a question common to us all.
In his To be or not to be soliloquy, he ponders aloud what it is to die. Have we all not wondered that?
My advice on the matter is, frankly, inadequate because I have yet to trod that existential corridor. It so happens, however, that Im now entertaining thoughts of deaths propinquity in my own life. Ive lost a dozen friends in the past year.
Twelve! That got my attention.
There has been an excess of books written in recent years on near-death experiences. Persons claiming to have died and gone to Heaven author them. Ive read several and am convinced that some are rubbish.
But others leave me scratching my head.
Like the 3-year-old boy who had emergency surgery, experienced complications and afterward began to describe talking with Jesus and with others he couldnt possibly have had knowledge of. There was an older sister whod been miscarried or a man who was involved in a horrific head-on crash and, after he was pronounced dead at the scene by rescue workers, came back 90 minutes later claiming to have been to Heaven.
There was an orthopedic surgeon who drowned in a kayaking accident, was trapped underwater for 15 to 25 minutes and reported being accompanied by heavenly beings to Heaven.
Whats this preoccupation with Heaven? Some have accused Christians of being so heavenly minded that theyre no earthly good.
Christian apologist and Oxford don, C.S. Lewis, thinks otherwise.
A continual looking forward to the eternal world is not, as some moderns think, a form of escapism or wishful thinking, he wrote. But [its] one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were those who thought most of the next.
It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.
I was privileged to sit next to two great men as they died: my father and my father-in-law. I prayed and read Scriptures aloud as they went. There was no drama, no hysteria. Only peace.
Stephen, the first martyr of the New Testament, was stoned to death after Christs resurrection for his beliefs. The Book of Acts records the incident: "[Stephen] gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at Gods right hand; and he said, Look! I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at Gods right hand.
What a way to go!
Augustine, a fourth-century bishop and theologian, approached death with equanimity.
As Augustine lay dying, wrote his friend, Possidius, he ordered those psalms of David which are especially penitential to be copied out, and when he was very weak, he used to lie in bed facing the wall where the sheets of paper were put up, gazing at them and reading, and copiously and continually weeping as he read.
Does the life one leads have anything to do with their manner of death?
Joseph Stalin, the butcher of millions was, at the end, deeply disturbed.
The death agony was horrible, wrote his daughter Svetlana Alliluyeva who was at the bedside. At what seemed like the very last moment he suddenly opened his eyes and cast a glance over everyone in the room. It was a terrible glance, insane or perhaps angry and full of the fear of death.
Then something incomprehensible and awesome happened that to this day I cant forget and dont understand. He suddenly lifted his left hand as though he were pointing to something above and bringing down a curse on us all. The gesture was incomprehensible and full of menace, and no one could say to whom or at what it might be directed.
A final rattle, and then what?
One day we shall know.
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JIM CARNETT, who lives in Costa Mesa, worked for Orange Coast College for 37 years.
Claiming connections to Nazi atrocities, a Southland Jewish organization seeks the removal of a welcome sign at Crescenta Valley Park that pays tribute to a German World War I hero.
Los Angeles county officials will hold a meeting on April 7 at the Sparr Heights Community Center to discuss whether to take down the sign that commemorates the part of the park named for Paul Von Hindenburg, who served as Germanys president from the late 1920s to early 1930s.
The message on the sign reads willkommen zum, which means welcome to, followed by Hindenburg Park.
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In the 1920s, the grounds were acquired by the German American League and was a gathering place for local Germans. It also served as the site of the first Oktoberfest celebration in Southern California.
Hindenburg Park lies within Crescenta Valley Park, which was purchased by the county in 1958. The county dedicated a section of the park as Hindenburg Park in 1992.
The sign was paid for the Tri-Centennial Foundation, a German heritage organization, and it was erected last month.
The signs purpose is to honor history and how the open space was a gathering spot for the local German population, said Hans Eberhard, the foundations chairman.
Were trying to preserve the historic integrity of the site I cant see any reason why theres something wrong with [the sign], he said in a phone interview. This is a welcome to Hindenburg Park. Theres nothing wrong with that. Its an indication this is a historic site.
A local resident notified the Jewish Federation of the Greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys of the sign, and the organization took immediate issue with it.
Jason Moss, the Jewish federations executive director, is demanding the county take it down.
The sign does not only lead people to believe Crescenta Valley Park is called Hindenburg Park, the federation argues, but it jogs memories of when the park was the site of Nazi rallies.
While president, Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler as chancellor of Germany in 1933, the year before Hindenburgs death. The move paved the way for Hitlers rise to power and eventually the Holocaust and the deaths of more than 6 million Jews, Moss said.
Those issues are brought up when you see the word Hindenburg, he said in a phone interview. Theres really no way to separate it.
However, Eberhard said Hindenburg was elderly and senile when he appointed Hitler, and some historians argue he was pressured to do it.
Those who hoisted flags bearing swastikas during World War II at Crescenta Valley Park were doing so because it was the German flag at the time, not because they were Nazis, Eberhard added.
The county approved installation of the sign after the Tri-Centennial Foundation gained support from the Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley, said Kaye Michelson, a spokeswoman for the countys Department of Parks and Recreation.
At next weeks hearing, three members from the countys human relations commission will gather feedback from community members.
The feedback will then be presented to the full commission, which will decide whether to remove the sign.
The hearing will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on April 7 in the Verdugo Room at the Sparr Heights Community Center, 1613 Glencoe Way.
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Arin Mikailian, arin.mikailian@latimes.com
Twitter: @ArinMikailian
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Huntington Beach residents can now claim they live in The Soul of SoCal.
Visit Huntington Beach, the official destination marketing organization for the city, announced the new brand in late June at a meeting at the Pasea Hotel & Spa.
The organization partnered with Texas-based The Atkins Group, an advertising agency that predominantly promotes tourism, to create the new slogan, while simultaneously continuing the Surf City USA nickname.
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Huntington Beach has long been known as Surf City USA and one of Californias quintessential beach communities along the Southern California coast, said Visit Huntington Beach President and CEO Kelly Miller in a news release. We learned that Huntington Beach resonates deeply as a destination that authentically delivers our brand promise: endless summer, flawless waves, laid-back luxury and an unhurried, welcoming future full of life enthusiasts that represents The Soul of the SoCal experience to our visitors domestically and internationally.
Councilmember Billy OConnell said he sees this as great branding for the city.
This is Southern Californias greatest city to come to, he said. We have great hotels. Theres so much to do for families. Theres great surfing.
But everyone doesnt seem so keen on the idea.
According to a survey from the HB Citizens for a Better Downtown, 96.6% of those surveyed hate the new slogan.
Some Huntington Beach residents took to the Facebook group Huntington Beach Community Forum on Wednesday to express concerns about the new slogan.
What does Texas know about Huntington Beach? asked resident Cindy Dodson Windle.
More like Souled Out commented Jordan West.
Visit Huntington Beach officials maintain the branding will further promote the city.
A full media campaign is planned for the summer to introduce residents to the new branding, including digital, social and print media, as well as a new website, said Visit Huntington Beach Chief Marketing Officer Susan Thomas.
Our new campaign is focused on storytelling and content engagement around three distinct visitor experiential pillars: laid-back luxury, multi-generational family travel and action sports, Thomas said in an email. Given the dynamic, competitive environment in the travel marketplace in general, and many exciting new products adding to the Huntington Beach experience for visitors, Visit Huntington Beach is following industry best practices by assessing our brand position, including quantitative and qualitative research with leisure and group travelers domestically and internationally.
Our core brand absolutely continues to be Surf City USA, she added.
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Brittany Woolsey, brittany.woolsey@latimes.com
Twitter: @BrittanyWoolsey
Pele, the mythical Hawaiian goddess of fire, is putting on a dramatic performance once again in and near Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
The Puu Oo vent of the active Kilauea volcano has seen recent and ongoing eruptions of red and orange molten lava snaking across the volcanos south flank toward the ocean.
The Kalapana Lava Viewing Area outside the park opened in late June to allow visitors to see the fiery flow called 61G. Its nearly 5 miles long, according to the Volcano Global Update Center.
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You can look from the viewing areas parking lot or walk 6 miles round-trip along a designated route. The area is on Highway 130 and open 3 to 9 p.m. daily.
The flow can be seen starting from just beyond the parking lot all along the viewing area route, a July 3 statement from the County of Hawaiis Civil Defense Agency says. Sturdy shoes, plenty of water and flashlights are recommended for the trek.
The recent eruptions are taking place in a remote part of the national park, which is near the southern tip of Hawaii Island. And its drawing large numbers of tourists too.
Theres definitely been an increase in injuries since the 61G lava activity amplified, chief ranger John Broward said in a news release.
The Fourth of July weekend saw rangers responding to calls from people suffering from twisted ankles, dehydration and lacerations caused by the razor-sharp rocks in cooled lava fields.
Though its not illegal to walk across those fields to get a closer look, park officials discourage it, especially after dark. They say its easy to get disoriented, injured or become overcome by toxic fumes from the volcano.
Within the park, rangers suggest driving to the end of Chain of Craters Road past the Holei Sea Arch to get good views of the lava. However, visibility may be hampered by volcanic gas.
Also, you can see the lava glow from Kilaueas summit, from the Jaggar Museum overlook and other stops along Crater Rim Drive, according to the parks website.
Viewing within the park is accessible 24 hours a day. Additional hiking tips are available online.
Info: Hawaii Volcanoes National Parks volcano updates; U.S. Geological Surveys volcano updates
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On the afternoon of July 11, police discovered 28 boxes of live snakes on a bus traveling from Jiangxi province to Shanghai.
But where did the snakes come from? According to the bus driver, the boxes were left by a man at the highway toll station in Le'an, Jiangxi province. The man asked the bus driver to transport the boxes to Yiwu, Zhejiang province, and then left the boxes at the toll station in Yiwu. He told the driver that he would get paid in Yiwu once the boxes had been received.
The driver said he initially had no idea what was inside the mysterious packages. The snakes had been packed inside white foam boxes, and police could hear the animals hiss when they examined the bus. Some of the snakes even bit through their containers, presumably provoked by hot temperatures. Passengers aboard the bus were terrified when they saw the snakes.
Police eventually transferred all the snakes to the local forestry department. Based on preliminary examinations, they were determined to be a non-poisonous variety. Without a wild animal transport permit, however, all the snakes are temporarily stuck. Police are currently searching for the owner who commissioned the cargo.
It might sound like the legal team that argued the Philippines case against China over claims in the South China Sea had it easy after all, Beijing refused to take part in the proceedings, declaring them unlawful and unjust.
But Paul Reichler, the American attorney with the firm Foley Hoag who served as lead counsel for Manila, said Chinas absence made the case even harder for him.
It turns the tribunal, essentially, into attorneys for the other side, Reichler said in a phone interview Tuesday after the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague delivered a sweeping decision in Manilas favor. Its their job to pretend, essentially, to be Chinas lawyers and to try to develop evidence that China would have presented.
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The five-member tribunal was overseen by Thomas Mensah of Ghana; the other four members were Jean-Pierre Cot of France, Stanislaw Pawlak of Poland, Alfred Soons of the Netherlands, and Rudiger Wolfrum of Germany. All, Reichler said, are experts in the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, a pact to which both the Philippines and China are signatories.
China didnt boycott the proceedings entirely, Reichler noted. Beijing did formally submit a brief, in December 2014, on the question of whether the tribunal had jurisdiction to rule in the matter. They made four or five points. It was well-drafted, he said.
I think we were up against the best lawyers in the world. Paul Reichler, lead counsel for the Philippines in its case against China
But he didnt have to respond simply to those points. The tribunal took that into account but then they developed a number of other arguments that China might have made if it were fully participating, he said. I think we were up against the best lawyers in the world.
After the tribunal decided that it did have authority to rule in the case, the proceedings moved to the actual questions of merit. Normally, when two sides are arguing before the tribunal, the oral arguments would be the final step for attorneys on both sides.
But in this situation, the tribunal allowed extensive additional written pleadings after the conclusion of the Philippines oral arguments. Mainly, those consisted of reports and evidence submitted by Taiwan, which controls one major land mass in the Spratly Islands known as Itu Aba or Taiping Island, Reichler said.
Its unheard of, Reichler said. If you were simply up against another party, this would not be allowed.
Taiwan and mainland China are often at loggerheads. The two sides split in the late 1940s after Chinas civil war, and Taiwan has been ruled separately since that time, although communist leaders in Beijing consider democratic Taiwan a renegade province that ultimately must be reunited with the mainland.
In this case, though, the interests of Taiwan and mainland China aligned. Taiwan had argued that not only was Itu Aba a rock that is always above water even at high tide, but an island that was naturally capable of sustaining human life. That would entitle it to a 200-mile economic exclusion zone.
Such a zone would extend into an area known as Reed Bank, near the Philippines, where that country had been conducting oil and gas exploration until 2015. In 2011, a Chinese vessel nearly rammed a survey ship in the disputed waters.
Itu Aba, which covers about 0.2 square miles, boasts a 10-bed hospital, a lighthouse and $129 million worth of solar panels, along with a small airport for military use. About 200 Taiwanese, including coast guard personnel, medical workers and scientists, are stationed there.
But the tribunal ruled that Itu Aba would not be naturally capable of sustaining human life on its own, without the Taiwanese improvements and supplies, and therefore is entitled only to a 12-mile maritime zone.
Taiwan on Tuesday night criticized the ruling, calling it completely unacceptable and declaring that the tribunals decisions have no legally binding force.
Taiwan also claimed Tuesday that the tribunal did not formally invite it to participate in its proceedings.
Definitely, Taiwan and China had a common interest in arguing for a 200-mile entitlement zone, Reichler said. Asked whether he believed China had helped Taiwan make its case to the tribunal, he said: The possibility of coordination could not be ruled out, but there is no conclusive evidence one way or another.
China has complained that Manilas case against it is part of a Western plot. Washington and Manila are longtime allies and recently have stepped up military cooperation.
The Peoples Daily, Chinas Communist Party mouthpiece, said in a front-page commentary on Monday that the facts have proved clearly that the Philippines South China Sea arbitration case is completely a trap targeting China, which is hyped and manipulated by the U.S., led by the Philippines, and with cooperation from the arbitration courtroom.
But Reichler, who is based in Washington, dismissed the idea that his involvement was orchestrated by the U.S. government, and said he was chosen because of his expertise arguing these kinds of cases.
In the 1980s, he noted, he helped Nicaragua win a similar case against the United States. Some people in the U.S. government still hold that against me, he said.
The U.S. was surprised when this case was filed by the Philippines, he said. They had no idea it was coming.
julie.makinen@latimes.com
Follow me on Twitter @JulieMakLAT
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Delivering a sweeping moral victory for the Philippines, an international tribunal ruled Tuesday that Chinas claims to historic rights across a vast expanse of the South China Sea are invalid.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, Netherlands, also said that no land formations in the South China Sea whoever controls them are big enough to warrant exclusive maritime zones beyond 12 miles.
In recent years, China has asserted what it views as territorial rights in the sea by building up remote reefs into much larger land forms. Its fishing fleets have used those assertions to move into areas claimed by other countries, including the Philippines.
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The five-judge panel said Chinas island-building activities violated the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, as did its moves to deny Filipinos access to their traditional fishing grounds. The panel also rapped China for environmental destruction it said was a breach of UNCLOS.
There is no way for the Philippines to immediately enforce the ruling, and it is not clear what practical effect it might have. Experts said it could force Manila and Beijing back to the negotiating table or prompt other countries to take similar legal action.
In addition to China and the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei have various claims in the area, a vast expanse rich in fish as well as other natural resources, including oil and gas.
The panel was not deciding directly on matters of sovereignty in the South China Sea and which countries should control what reefs, shoals and other outcroppings in the region. Instead, the court was ruling on questions including whether a number of disputed land masses in the area should be considered islands, rocks or low tide elevations.
Those designations are important because under UNCLOS, they affect what kind of territorial or economic rights go with the features.
For example, if something is considered an island capable in its natural form of sustaining human habitation, the country controlling it would be entitled to 12 nautical miles of territorial waters and a 200-mile economic exclusion zone. But if it is a low tide elevation, which is submerged during high tide, its entitled to no territorial waters.
The court ruled that no features in the area were, in their natural state, anything bigger than rocks, and thus none were entitled to maritime zones bigger than 12 miles.
Although the ruling was a win for Manila, which brought the case in 2013, it was unclear what would happen next because Beijing boycotted the proceedings and said it would ignore the ruling. Both China and the Philippines are signatories to UNCLOS, but the tribunal has no powers of enforcement.
NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >>
The case does have precedents. In the 1980s, the United States fought such a case brought by Nicaragua, objecting to an international courts jurisdiction. But after the court ruled it had jurisdiction and found in Nicaraguas favor, Washington agreed to settle the matter. A more recent case saw Mauritius take the United Kingdom to a tribunal and win, even though London objected to the proceedings. The U.K. since has indicated it is open to negotiations with Mauritius.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay hailed the ruling a milestone decision and said his governments experts were studying the ruling. In the meantime, we call on all those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety, he said.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte called a Cabinet meeting Tuesday evening after the decision was released.
Chinas Foreign Ministry denounced the ruling. China solemnly declares that the award is null and void and has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it, the ministry said in a statement. It said Manilas unilateral initiation of arbitration manifested bad faith, and it called the tribunal unjust and unlawful.
The Peoples Daily, the official Communist Party mouthpiece, quoted President Xi Jinping as saying Tuesday that the islands in the South China sea had been part of the territory of China since ancient times and that its maritime rights are not influenced by the verdict under any circumstances.
But Paul Reichler, lead counsel of the Philippines legal team, said the decision benefited not only the Philippines but also other states affected by Chinas sweeping claims in the region.
Reichler, from the U.S.-based firm of Foley Hoag, said it was now up to these neighboring states, such as Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia, to vigorously assert their rights.
While Chinas rhetoric has been aimed at intimidating its neighbors, he said, you may see a different response from China in six months, a year or two years if other countries follow Manilas lead and push back.
Vietnamese expatriates cheer at a rally by Manilas baywalk before the U.N. international tribunal announced its ruling on the South China Sea on Tuesday. The Vietnamese are supporting the Philippines case. (Bullit Marquez / Associated Press )
The case was decided by a five-judge panel with members from Ghana, France, Poland, the Netherlands and Germany.
China said the dispute was, at its heart, about sovereignty a question beyond the purview of the tribunal and therefore refused to take part.
At the center of the fight is what Beijing calls the nine-dash line, a U-shaped area dipping far off the mainlands southern coast, sweeping east of Vietnam, down near Malaysia and Brunei, and then looping back up west of the main Philippine islands. The loop encompasses the Paracel and Spratly islands and Scarborough Shoal.
In the past few years, Beijing has engaged in massive engineering projects inside this line, turning formerly small reefs into land masses large enough to host landing strips and other facilities.
The Philippines is worried that China has been creating new facts on the ground and eventually will assert full sovereignty and control over all the land, water, seabed, atolls and shoals within that nine-dash line.
Despite the ruling, the Philippines, its allies in Washington and other Southeast Asian states may find it hard to reduce Chinas presence in the South China Sea, experts said.
Possession is 9/10 of the law, and it will be difficult to get China to relinquish control of any of the facilities it has established, said Eric Shimp, a trade and regulatory policy advisor with the law firm Alston & Bird. It might be best to think of this as the beginning of a prolonged negotiation phase.
John Kirby, a U.S. State Department spokesman, called the decision an important contribution to the shared goal of a peaceful resolution to disputes in the South China Sea.
The United States expresses its hope and expectation that both parties will comply with their obligations.
China has called for questions of sovereignty to be decided in one-on-one talks with each of the nations that have claims in the region. Unless sovereignty over those reefs and shoals is first determined, China contends, the issue of who may exercise the maritime rights and entitlements around them could not be resolved.
Summarizing its decision in a statement, the tribunal said while Chinese navigators and fishermen ... had historically made use of the islands in the South China Sea, there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or their resources.
The court added that even if China had such rights, they were essentially extinguished when it signed on to UNCLOS.
In another blow to Beijing, the tribunal concluded that none of the Spratly Islands is in its natural state capable of supporting human habitation. Therefore, the tribunal said, none of the features was entitled to a 200-mile economic exclusion zone. Only in such zones are countries entitled to build artificial islands.
Furthermore, the tribunal found that certain areas in the South China Sea are within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.
Based on that finding, the tribunal ruled that China had violated the Philippines sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone. Among the violations, it said, were interfering with Philippine fishing and petroleum exploration, constructing artificial islands and failing to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing in the zone.
And the court said Chinas construction of artificial islands on seven outcroppings in the Spratly Islands had caused severe harm to the coral reef environment and violated its obligation to preserve and protect fragile ecosystems.
It quoted Kent Carpenter, a biologist at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., as saying that Chinese activity in the South China Sea constitutes the most rapid nearly permanent loss of coral reef area ever caused by human activity.
The panel said, Chinese authorities were aware that Chinese fishermen have harvested endangered sea turtles, coral, and giant clams on a substantial scale in the South China Sea.
The tribunal also scolded China for its large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands, finding it incompatible with the obligations on a state during dispute resolution proceedings, insofar as China has inflicted irreparable harm to the marine environment, built a large artificial island in the Philippines exclusive economic zone, and destroyed evidence of the natural condition of features in the South China Sea that formed part of the parties dispute.
The panel said that because China had conducted such extensive artificial expansion of reefs, it had to consult historical materials to determine their natural conditions.
Lawrence Martin, another member of the Philippines legal team, said the tribunals ruling on the environmental questions was significant.
This is the first time that an international court or tribunal has put teeth in [UNCLOS] provisions relating to environmental protection, he said. States should be on notice that they can expect to be held to their obligation to protect and preserve the marine environment in the worlds oceans and seas.
Yingzhi Yang and Nicole Liu in The Times Beijing bureau contributed to this report.
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UPDATES:
1:53 p.m.: This article was updated with a quote from biologist Kent Carpenter.
8:43 a.m.: This article was updated with background on other cases.
6:30 a.m.: This article was updated with U.S. State Department comments.
5:47 a.m.: This article was updated throughout.
3:34 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from the Philippines legal team.
3:20 a.m.: This article was updated with statements from China and the Philippines.
This article was originally published at 2:39 a.m.
As a big blue moving van rolled up to 10 Downing Street in London and outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron made ready to hand off to his newly anointed successor Theresa May, Britons were fixated by questions momentous and mundane:
When would the new leader execute Brexit? And what would be the fate of Larry, the Downing Street cat?
May, a veteran Cabinet minister set to assume the prime ministers post Wednesday, was swiftly put on notice that European leaders expected decisions, and soon, about the timing and nature of Britains disentanglement from the European Union after the countrys June 23 vote to leave the 28-nation bloc.
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In Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel another pragmatic, detail-oriented politician to whom May has already drawn widespread comparison told reporters that providing clarity on the nature of Britains relationship with continental Europe should be the new prime ministers chief task.
May, like Cameron, had supported the campaign to remain in the EU, but she was hardly an outspoken advocate of staying in, and has said her inner circle will include figures who supported leaving as well as those who favored remaining.
Despite Mays brisk pledge that Brexit means Brexit, the lack of a fixed timetable for invoking Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon -- the triggering mechanism for a negotiated split -- leaves plenty of room for uncertainty.
The tea-leaf-reading over timing was in full swing Tuesday as May, 59, was set to become the new leader of the Conservative Party and the next prime minister.
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond caused a stir when he told lawmakers that finalizing a divorce from Europe could take up to six years and potentially involve individual parliamentary ratification by all 27 other members of the bloc.
And May ally Chris Grayling, who handles government affairs in Parliament, also suggested that the process could be a lengthy one.
We get ourselves ready for the negotiation; we decide what kind of relationship we want to negotiate, and then we move ahead and trigger Article 50, he told Britains Sky News. Well do it right, well do it in a proper way, and well do it when were ready.
But even if a long goodbye to Europe is in the works, analysts said May would have little choice but to lay out her intentions and at least put the preliminaries in motion.
My feeling now is its going to get started everybodys anxious for things to move on, Philippe Le Corre, a visiting fellow at the Center on the United States and Europe at the Brookings Institution, said in an interview. I have the impression that perhaps therell be some negotiations in the summer, but in September I wouldnt be surprised if theres an agenda put in place.
Mays abrupt ascension described by critics as a coronation since it did not involve balloting by the full party membership (she received the most votes in a ballot last week of governing Conservative Party lawmakers), let alone a popular vote appeared to be having at least a temporary calming effect amid intense anxiety in financial circles over longer-term monetary repercussions of a split with the EU. The hard-hit British pound rallied slightly Tuesday from its post-referendum battering.
Meanwhile, the mechanics of the power handover ground steadily onward. Cameron presided over his final Cabinet meeting, with a gaggle of television cameras greeting May, who serves as Home secretary, as she approached her residence-to-be.
TV footage also documented the arrival of a large moving van, with a flurry of reports about the number of packing cartons to be deployed for the Camerons departure.
Unsurprisingly, animal-loving Britons were also obsessed with the feline angle on all this, and it soon emerged that Larry a rescue shelter adoptee described by the Guardian newspaper as a brown and white tabby entrusted with the rat-catching portfolio, would, unlike the outgoing prime minister, stay on at Downing Street.
Along a stretch of two-lane highway outside Syrias embattled city of Aleppo, government snipers, artillery and airstrikes can target everything that moves.
Drivers traverse it at high speed, slowing only to swerve around bomb craters.
Parts of the road are protected by earthen berms or heaps of old vehicles the remains of cars, buses and trucks destroyed en route.
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The stench of death emanates from decomposing bodies pinned in the overturned vehicles. The road is so dangerous that residents dont dare to approach the cars to remove the dead for burial.
It may be one of the most dangerous roads on Earth a stretch of two-lane highway outside the embattled Syrian city of Aleppo.
Aleppo, which has seen fierce fighting between the government forces of President Bashar Assad and rebels and has been under severe bombardment in recent days, was hell, said Dr. Samer Attar, an orthopedic surgeon from Chicago who recently volunteered to help in the city.
I have no words to describe the fear and horror there, Attar, who is Syrian American, said in an email. It was hell. I saw so many people die.
Along with fellow volunteers Dr. Zaher Sahloul, a critical care specialist who also is Syrian American, and Dr. John Kahler, a pediatrician, both also from Chicago, Attar drove to Aleppo on June 29, entering via Turkey. They surveyed seven hospitals supported by the Syrian American Medical Society and other nongovernmental organizations, and they brought medical supplies and worked alongside other doctors in the Old City.
Sahloul and Kahler left Aleppo three days later, fearing the road would close, putting them, along with an estimated hundreds of thousands of others in rebel-held districts, under siege. Soon after, Castello Road, named for a restaurant and recreation center that no longer exist, came under new threat.
On Thursday, as it announced a regime of calm across the country, the Syrian government, with help from Russia and other forces, began a major offensive in and near Aleppo and advanced to within about 400 yards of the road, putting them in position to close it down.
I have no words to describe the fear and horror there. It was hell. ... I saw so many people die. Samer Attar, orthopedic surgeon from Chicago
Rebels regained some of the lost ground Saturday evening, but Syrian and Russian warplanes, firing as many as 100 missiles, retook it Sunday morning. At least 20 vehicles that attempted to traverse the road Sunday were hit by rockets, mortar fire or snipers. The wounded could not be rescued and the dead could not be buried because no one could get to the road, doctors at local hospitals said.
Attar had stayed an extra week and on Thursday worked at the main trauma hospital.
As helicopters and jets bombarded the rebel-held parts of the city, the hospital would shake and the windows rattle from nearby blasts when we were operating, Attar said. We could not show fear. We had to be strong for other staff and for patients.
The hospital is two stories underground. Wounded civilians overwhelmed the four operating rooms.
Patient after patient nonstop was wheeled into the small emergency room, Attar said. I saw mutilated limbs, dismembered bodies, dead children, screaming patients. People literally bleed to death in front of you, and there is nothing you can do about it.
The hospital has no morgue, so to make room for incoming patients, the bodies of the dead had to be wrapped in cloth and placed outside the hospital amidst all the chaos, he said.
The offensive began on the first day of Eid al-Fitr, ordinarily a time for celebration after a month of fasting for Muslims during Ramadan, and many of the wounded children arrived at hospital still in festive clothes.
The doctors trip provided a rare look at how health authorities cope in such conditions. Sahloul, a past president of the Syrian American Medical Society who had been to Syria 13 times before, said the medical facility had been targeted many times during the more than five years of civil war.
Foreign reporters rarely visit Aleppo, fearing kidnapping by Islamist groups but also because Turkey generally refuses passage.
Al Nusra Front, the Al Qaeda affiliate that has kidnapped reporters in the past, is a small player in Aleppo, but had a crucial role in Saturdays pushback carrying out three suicide attacks against government positions, rebel media reported.
Attar, Sahloul and Kahler, who are out of Syria, said their visit revealed not only the extreme gravity of the situation but also some unexpected glimpses of normality.
You see pockets of life, Sahloul said in a phone interview. There are schools, hospitals and markets and even fresh fruit is available, thanks to vendors risking their lives on Castello Road.
They did not see severe malnutrition in children. That means food is still coming through, Sahloul said.
In one neighborhood, which looks like a tsunami has hit, children scampered over piles of rubble to reach their homes, Sahloul said.
Kahler monitored about 150 children being examined in health clinics.
They are pretty healthy kids, he said in a phone interview, with mostly the same ailments as children everywhere, plus communicable diseases such as chickenpox and impetigo, a bacterial skin infection.
Another surprise: Parts of the rebel-held areas sustained little damage because they are near the front lines, where the government doesnt drop barrel bombs for fear they might land on the territory it holds, Sahloul said.
Anticipating a siege, local authorities stocked food for three months and medical supplies for three to six months, Sahloul said.
Electricity is on only two hours a day, and the hospitals rely on diesel generators, powered by fuel arriving via Castello Road. There are not enough doctors or equipment.
Attar said the local medical staff members were the most courageous and resilient group of people he had met. They dont want sympathy or tears or condolences or apologies or concern or worries, he said. Some said they needed more body bags. They want these airstrikes to stop.
But the airstrikes, the fighting and the deaths have continued. During the first three days of the government truce, 76 people were killed, 30 of them on Saturday, according to hospital staff. As warplanes attacked towns in the southern countryside of Aleppo and Castello Road and barrel-bombed the northern town of Hraytan, the government announced it was extending its regime of calm until July 12.
Sundays death toll could not be determined. On Monday, dozens more people were reported killed in airstrikes or fighting, Sahloul said.
When departing Aleppo, Sahloul and Kahler had set out just before dawn, driving without headlights. But as they advanced, oncoming cars were flashing their headlights a warning to turn back because of warplanes above Castello Road.
We heard bombs falling on either side, Kahler said.
They got to an overpass and a truck in front of them stalled. I thought now we are sitting ducks, he said.
But the young driver maneuvered them out of it, and they continued.
Those were the scariest 45 minutes of my life, Kahler said.
Afterward, Sahloul asked him, with a tone as earnestly as if he had a heart attack, Did you pray?
Sahloul, who is Muslim, had said the prayer Muslims invoke on the verge of death: We have no god but God, and Muhammad is his prophet.
Kahler, who is Roman Catholic, said he invoked any spirit that could help.
Gutman is a special correspondent.
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Britains Theresa May expected to become the next prime minister; David Cameron to step down Wednesday
A suicide car bomb ripped through an outdoor market in a Shiite-dominated northeastern district of Baghdad on Tuesday, killing at least 11 people, officials said, as government forces deployed across much of the Iraqi capital in preparation for a major military parade later this week.
The developments came on the heels of two large-scale attacks claimed by the Islamic State group that killed more than 300 people last week. On Monday, visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Washington would send 560 more troops to Iraq to help battle Islamic State.
In Tuesdays bombing, the explosives-laden pickup truck exploded during the morning rush hour at a vegetable and fruit market in the Rashidiya district, a police officer said. The blast killed 11 and wounded up to 32, and also damaged several cars, he added.
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A medical official confirmed the casualty figures. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to talk to the media.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but it bore the hallmarks of the Islamic State group. The Sunni extremists, who consider Shiites heretics, swept across northern and western Iraq in the summer of 2014, capturing large chunks of territory and plunging the country into its worst crisis since U.S. troops left at the end of 2011.
Last week, Islamic State killed more than 300 people in two attacks. A massive truck bombing struck a bustling commercial area in a Baghdads predominantly Shiite neighborhood of Karada, killing 292 people one of the deadliest attacks since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. And Thursday, an attack at a Shiite shrine north of Baghdad killed 37 people.
Iraqi government forces deployed in most of Baghdad on Tuesday, closing off main roads and snarling traffic. The Interior Ministry spokesman, Brig. Gen. Saad Maan, said the troops were practicing for a planned military parade for a specific occasion. Maan didnt name the occasion, but the country is due to mark the anniversary of its 1958 overthrow of a Hashemite monarchy and the declaration of Iraq as a republic on Thursday.
The recent uptick in Islamic State attacks beyond the front lines demonstrated the groups ability to launch lethal attacks despite recent territorial losses in both Iraq and Syria, where it has established a self-proclaimed caliphate. Islamic State militants still hold pockets of territory in northern and western Iraq.
According to Carter, who on Monday met with top Iraqi officials, the new American forces should arrive in the coming weeks. They will primarily be tasked with transforming an air base retaken this month from Islamic State into a staging hub for the long-awaited battle to recapture Mosul Iraqs second-largest city from the militants.
ALSO
Fear and horror in Aleppo, Syria and the doctors who traversed a dangerous road to offer help
South Sudan appears to be sliding back into war
Britains Theresa May expected to become the next prime minister; David Cameron to step down Wednesday
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A growing group of "Dreamers" are expressing concern the information they supplied to the government in hopes of benefiting from the immigration executive actions once enacted by President Obama will now be used against them.
Given the recent Supreme Court decision that effectively nullified the president's actions, thousands of undocumented immigrants fear a Texas judge's order to release the personal information of some 50,000 immigrants could leave them vulnerable to actions up to deportation.
"One of the things that the president announced in November 2014 was that, instead of two-year terms for the DACA deferred action, there would be three-year terms," said Thomas Saenz, president and general counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), said of those who now feel most targeted. "So, it relates to those who received three-year grants.
Justice Department Sanctions
U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen ordered the information be made public as one of the sanctions he imposed on the Justice Department stemming from their handling of a case filed there that opposed the president's mandate and was eventually heard by the high court.
Immigrants' rights supporters say the Supreme Court's June 23, decision where the justices' deadlocked at 4-4 has increased the deportation risk for those on the list.
Saenz also insists immigrants who registered for DACA had every reason to believe the information they submitted would be kept confidential. He added that the judge's current order has very little to do with the case.
"It is intended as punishment for what Judge Hanen believed to be misconduct by the federal government's lawyers," he said. "So, the question is whether that's an appropriate sanction on lawyers at all, and it quite clearly is not."
Saenz reasons forcing the Justice Department to surrender the information would be unconstitutional and vows to immediately file an appeal if the judge's order is upheld.
MALDEF Files Appeal
Hanen recently granted a stay on his actions after MALDEF filed papers in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans seeking to block his order. The case is next due in court on Aug. 22.
"This order cannot survive an appeal because there is no legitimate basis for punishing innocent immigrant youth, who are not party to the case before Judge Hanen, in order to address alleged misconduct by attorneys for the United States," Saenz said in a press release back then. "We are grateful that this egregious order will not go forward while the matter is appealed."
Recently, several videos showing about 6,000 newborns in a hospital in Anhui province were posted on a commercial website. The appearances and identifying features of the infants were not pixelated. (Photo from internet)
Footage showed the newborn babies lying in incubators, each one labeled with its occupant's name, age, current condition, hospitalization date and other information. The videos were recorded in the Maternity and Children's Hospital of Anhui (MCH), and the leak has triggered hot debates around the Web.
MCH explained on its official website that the videos, which were originally encrypted, come from their neonatal monitoring system which allowed parents to observe their own hospitalized baby online. The hospital believes that the videos were leaked due to an attack by hackers. Hospital officials have notified the police who ordered the website hosting the videos to take them down.
According to a report from Beijing News, the videos were posted on a website called "Anhui Maternity and Children," which is not an official MCH website. However, the website does have a cooperative relationship with the hospital. MCH wrote in its statement that the hospital retains the legal right to sue the website for its breach of confidentiality.
A draft of China's new environmental tax law is expected to be submitted to the National People's Congress (NPC) for deliberation in August, Economic Information Daily reported on Tuesday. The law may be officially enacted before the end of this year.
An initial draft, formulated by authorities in finance, taxation and environmental protection, was first released on June 10, 2015 for public opinion. A final draft will be submitted to the State Council after further amendments.
The new law will put emphasis on the adjustment of tax rates. Experts have said that the tax will use pollution discharge fees for reference in establishing taxation thresholds. The tax will be levied based on the quantity of discharge and emissions. Taxpayers in heavy-pollution industries including thermal power, steel, cement, electrolytic aluminium, textile and tanning will be assigned higher rates.
In addition, the draft sets no upper limit for tax rates in consideration of developmental differences between each region. Provincial governments can raise the rate based on a given region's environmental capacity, current emissions and economic, social and ecological development goals. However, in order to levy a tripled tax rate, approval must first be granted by the State Council.
Many experts agree that the environmental tax law is a major step forward for China, but they also stress that more efforts are needed to ensure the implementation of the law. In addition, one environmental law is not capable of addressing all environmental issues.
China's three telecom giants, China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom, have made plans to launch commercial service of a 5G network by 2020. They plan to build and begin testing of 5G pilot networks as early as 2017, according to a report in Economic Information Daily. The three operators might even start to build the actual 5G network in 2018 if everything goes well with their preparatory work.
Since the beginning of 2016, China has been moving forward with 5G technology research and development, even building an open platform for 5G development tests, according to Zhang Feng, chief engineer at China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
Preliminary reports show that the maximum 5G transmission rate can reach up to several dozen gigabits per second (Gb/s), a big jump from the 4G maximum of 100 megabits per second (Mb/s). The faster speed will better serve the public's rising expectations for data transmission. In addition, research from the EU shows that 5G technology will be capable of connecting 7 trillion wireless devices serving 7 billion people, provided that all networks in the world are eventually updated to be 5G.
Most industry insiders currently hold that widespread 5G networks will help promote the development of the "Internet of Things," a term describing the idea that most devices with an on/off switch will eventually be capable of connecting to the Internet. If their prediction comes to pass, the Internet of Things will likely be worth trillions of yuan once it is fully commercialized.
Many market institutions believe that technologies such as big data, cloud computing, smart home appliances and drones have entered a new, mature stage, but the development of these industries is still restricted by 4G telecommunications.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
Trend:
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $750 million multitranche program loan facility to upgrade power distribution networks in Azerbaijan, which will benefit over 1.4 million consumers and give the wider economy a lift by providing more reliable electricity supplies, said the ADB on its website.
Azerbaijan currently generates enough electricity to meet domestic needs. But electricity supply outside Baku remains unreliable with distribution network equipment at the end of its life, resulting in frequent power outages in many secondary cities and rural areas. The distribution network also suffers from sizeable system losses outside the capital.
This ADB program will help address the bottleneck in electricity supply and provide round-the-clock and reliable electricity to households and entities in secondary cities and rural areas in Azerbaijan, said Sean M. OSullivan, director general in ADBs Central and West Asia Department. It will also help promote inclusive economic growth, foster new business opportunities for small- and medium-sized enterprises, and reduce urban-rural income disparities.
The loan facility, which is earmarked to be rolled out in three tranches of $250 million each, will rehabilitate distribution network substations and lines, replace current low quality customer service lines and install modern, tamper-proof smart meters across the country.
The loan will also finance training and other support to improve the financial management and operational performance of the state power distribution oversight company, Azerishiq Open Joint-Stock Company (OJSC).
The investment underpins the governments commitment to achieve efficient use of energy resources and to provide sufficient and reliable electricity supply to all consumers.
ADB supports the government efforts in sector reforms, including developing and implementing an energy sector financial recovery plan, which aims to improve the sectors financial performance and sustainability.
The introduction of loss reduction and collection improvement measures in Baku by Azerishiq, a distribution company for Baku, including the introduction of modern metering and billing systems, has seen power losses drop to levels in line with many European countries. This investment will help Azerishiq to be able to replicate this experience elsewhere in the country.
The multitranche facility will run for over six years with an expected completion date of end December 2022. The first tranche of $250 million will cover investment activities from mid-2016 to the end of 2018.
ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration.
Established in 1966, ADB in December 2016 will mark 50 years of development partnership in the region. It is owned by 67 members - 48 from the region. In 2015, ADB assistance totaled $27.2 billion, including cofinancing of $10.7 billion.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
By Azad Hasanli Trend:
Azerbaijans state oil fund SOFAZ is exploring the possibilities of making investments in Turkey, Shahmar Movsumov, executive director of SOFAZ, told reporters July 12.
We constantly explore the possibilities of investing in the countries with favorable conditions, said Movsumov. Currently, we are exploring the opportunities for making investments in Turkey. It is a neighboring country and is of interest for us.
The geography of SOFAZs asset allocation is as follows: 60.46 percent - European countries, 20 percent - North America, 3.62 percent - Australia, 11.80 percent - Asia and the Pacific region, 0.63 percent - the Middle East, 0.27 percent - South America, 3.21 percent - international financial institutions, 0.01 percent Africa.
The assets of SOFAZ increased by 2 percent and stood at $34.25 billion as of Apr. 1, 2016, as compared to $33.57 billion in early 2016.
SOFAZ was established in 1999 with assets of $271 million.
Based on SOFAZ's regulations, its funds may be used for construction and reconstruction of strategically important infrastructure facilities, as well as solving important national problems.
The main goals of the State Oil Fund include accumulation of resources and the placement of the Fund's assets abroad in order to minimize the negative effect on the economy, the prevention of "Dutch disease" to some extent, promotion of resource accumulation for future generations and support of current social and economic processes in Azerbaijan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
Trend:
During their meeting in Baku, Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev and Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed both the bilateral cooperation and the ways to resolve the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.
He made the remarks during a joint briefing with Lavrov July 12.
President Aliyev and FM Lavrov met in Baku on July 11.
Mammadyarov said the information provided by Lavrov in Baku on the talks for settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict creates a positive mood.
He said it is important to move step by step for the conflicts resolution, adding that work is underway on the remaining undecided formulations and points.
Substantive talks are being held on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and while resolving the remaining issues, we can be cautiously optimistic about the future, he said.
He added that a concrete decision will be made later with regard to the next meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents.
For present, it is unknown whether it will be held in France or in another country, said Mammadyarov.
Russia and Azerbaijan have a very high level of cooperation, Mammadyarov further said, adding that the economic relations are of great interest.
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.
Details added (first version posted on 11:05)
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
Trend:
The talks held with Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev in Baku on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were quite useful and will make it possible to move forward in the conflicts settlement after the meetings in St. Petersburg and Vienna, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Lavrov made the remarks in Baku July 12 at a joint press conference with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov.
President Aliyev met with FM Lavrov on July 11 in Baku.
Russia and Azerbaijan have partnership relations, Lavrov further said. We have an intensive political dialogue.
He said the economic and trade relations of the two countries demand special attention.
Lavrov also pointed out that the dynamics of cooperation in the humanitarian sphere is satisfactory.
Russias foreign minister said the details of the meetings on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are not discussed for known reasons.
It is necessary to be careful towards those sprouts of hope so that not to hamper the progress, said Lavrov, adding that this is the ethic norm of any diplomatic process.
But there are grounds to presume that currently we are closer to success than ever before, he added.
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.
In the late 1980s I worked in Iraq, developing personnel and timetable software systems for Baghdad University.
The second day I was there, I was called in by the head of the universitys IT department to meet a uniformed major in the Iraqi army. He had a computer system which was not working properly.
I was asked if I would like to go with him to sort it out. I readily agreed. We drove for an hour through areas of very poor housing. People looked sad and children were running around with no shoes.
We arrived at Tajji Camp. A soldier on guard with an automatic weapon wanted my ID. I had submitted my passport to get the appropriate stamps allowing me to stay in Iraq, so I reached towards my inside pocket to get my wallet containing my driving licence. The soldier got very angry, waved his weapon at me and shouted ID, ID.
The major calmed him down and explained that Professor Nigel had come to help with the computer (I am not a professor).
Eventually we were shown the computer which was causing such concern. It was one of ours, British made. It had arrived in Iraq courtesy of Mrs Thatchers government signing it off with an Export Credit Guarantee which means that Iraq did not pay for it initially (or ever, as far as I know).
By a stroke of luck I was able to identify what was wrong and fix the system. Everyone seemed very grateful. The problem then was that whenever the army had a problem with any of their computers, it was me they wanted to fix it.
I got to know the army personnel well and visited several of their installations. One day I arrived to find everyone very excited. Iraq has just test launched its first Al Hussain missile. I quizzed my major friend about it. He revealed it was powered by a lawn mower engine, had no guidance system, and could travel a hundred kilometres. To land it on the intended target, an officer licked his forefinger, stuck it in the air to gauge the wind strength, did a calculation, and loaded the appropriate amount of petrol.
The later Al Samoud missile had an uprated lawn mower engine, no guidance system and a range of two hundred kilometres.
Some years later I was elected to Parliament. When Prime Minister Blair tried to persuade us that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, I was very sceptical. I told my then leader, Charles Kennedy, what I knew. The Liberal Democrat parliamentary party discussed it and decided we would campaign against the Iraq war.
The Chilcot Report proves that we were right.
The report is a damning indictment of the decision to go to war in Iraq. It shows that Tony Blair was fixated in joining President George W Bush in this military adventure, regardless of the evidence, the legality, or the serious potential consequences. That fateful decision cost hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives as well as those of 179 members of the British Armed Forces.
Chilcot lays bare the complete lack of planning for the aftermath of the invasion. That failure caused many more years of bloodshed and instability in the Middle East and led to the rise of Daesh (Isis).
Chilcot is a clear vindication of Charles Kennedys judgement and leadership on the Iraq War and our partys position.
I hope those in the Labour and Conservative parties who were so forceful in their criticism of him and the Liberal Democrats at the time are equally forceful in their acknowledgements today that we were right.
It is vital that the right lessons are learnt.
My new leader, Tim Farron, has called on the British government to pledge that we will never again go to war unless it is legal under international law, with a proper exit plan, and clear, unbiased intelligence.
I hope Sir John Chilcots findings can in some way provide comfort to the families of the British servicemen and servicewomen who lost their lives, and to the people of Iraq who lost hundreds of thousands of their loved ones. They are still are losing precious men, women and children, most recently in the savage bombing in Baghdad last weekend.
In my lifetime Britain has made three catastrophic foreign policy decisions. Suez in the 1950s, Blairs war in Iraq in 2003, and Camerons EU referendum in 2016. Tory, Labour, Tory. Thank goodness my party, the Liberal Democrats, have clean hands.
* Nigel Jones was MP for Cheltenham from 1992 to 2005 and is now a member of the House of Lords
Ever since Cobden & Bright, British Liberals have been keen supporters of using peaceful means like Arbitration and International Law for the settlements of disputes. When Gladstone brought forward the Ottoman repression of the Bulgarians, criticized the imperialism of Disraelis Afghan and Zulu Wars, and launched 6 right principles, he brought Human Rights and equality of nations into international politics. Many Liberals supported the League of Nations Union and its predecessors.
Dutch Liberalism, especially the Social-Liberal, cosmopolitan kind, has always cherished the International Law tradition of Grotius. Professor Van Vollenhoven in 1910 advocated a World Court reinforcing its verdict by way of an International Navy, and educated and inspired many social-liberal VDB thinkers and parliamentarians; Leiden University called its institute on International Law & Governance after him. The VDB believed in the League of Nations as a first step to an international legal world order and institutional arbitration, as opposed to militarism.
Jo Grimond was (in his book The Liberal Future, 1959) critical of the failings and shortcomings of the UN, but nevertheless thought it far superior to a world without it. And D66, the Dutch social liberal party stepping in the VDB/Grotius tradition, has made exactly the same points from its beginning in 1966.
So it is no coincidence that when Blair & Bush prepared and jumped into their Iraq invasion, the LibDems came out in protest, and D66 from 2003 criticized the Balkenende rump government (CDA/VVD) of March 2003 for its political support of that ill-conceived and badly documented endeavor. When D66 entered the second Balkenende coalition, summer 2003, this Iraq point was kept out of the coalition agreement: D66 insisted on freedom to continue its criticism. D66 never believed the dodgy dossier claims about Saddams threat to international security, and insisted the invasion, by circumventing the UN, was an illegal war. It soon became clear that there had been no post-Saddam situation planning, and that even the British, who had helped create the Iraqi state in 1919, imposing a foreign Sunni king, Faisal, couldnt prevent the Shia-Sunni rivalry from turning bloody, and antagonized the Shiites in Basra. This led to both D66 and the LibDems increasing their demands for official inquiries how we got into this mess in the first place. The Blair/Brown Labour governments resisted most of this until launching Chilcot in 2009-10; Nick Clegg was among the politicians criticizing the composition and remit of the Chilcot Inquiry.
In the Netherlands, the fourth Balkenende coalition (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Balkenende_cabinet ; christian democrats & Dutch Labour, 2007-2010), after resisting calls for inquiry, succumbed when in 2009 an internal Foreign Office memo from 2003 leaked out, questioning the legal underpinning for the Iraq invasion and thus the Dutch political support for it. The inquiry by the Davids commission reported in 2010, affirming the shaky legal underpinning, pointing out that juridical and intelligence doubts and comments had been withheld from both ministers and parliament, and that prime minister Balkenende had shown weak leadership in the political debates about the invasion. It resulted in the rule that advice from International Law experts will be sought about any support to foreign interventions, especially when no UN Security Council Resolution could be achieved.
In his submission to the Chilcot Inquiry, professor Philippe Sands QC specifically cited the conclusions of the Dutch Davids inquiry, deploring that whereas ex-judge Davids had four lawyers (himself included) in his seven man team, Chilcot had none.
So even though the Dutch contribution to the Iraq invasion and occupation was marginal, the Dutch Social Liberals (D66) consistently shared and supported the Liberal Democrats criticism and demands for clarification and inquiries about the whole Iraq effort of London and Washington.
Both LibDems and D66 proudly and consistently place themselves in- and stand for the tradition of Liberal Internationalism (pioneered by Gladstone and Van Vollenhove), with priority to international Rule of Law and Human Rights, both on a European and on a global level. The Iraq controversy shows we practice what we preach.
* Dr. Bernard Aris is a historian, a D66 parliamentary researcher and a LibDem supporting member.
UNIVERSITY Hospital Limerick has officially opened its new 3m unit for breast cancer patients, in the Leben complex.
Launched last week at UHL, the unit the first of its kind in the Mid-West received generous funding support from the JP McManus Invitational ProAm, the HSE, the Mid-Western Hospitals Development Trust, the National Cancer Control Programme, and donations from patients, their families and friends through fundraisers.
UL Hospitals Group CEO, Colette Cowan welcomed the launch of the facility.
This building allows for greater privacy and comfort; with the consultations, diagnostic investigations, prosthetic fitting rooms and minor surgical procedures all under one roof in a bright and welcoming that is truly patient-centred.
It has been a long road for patients and staff but it is a proud moment for UL Hospitals and our charitable partners to be able to say that we have achieved our ambition, she said.
According to consultant breast surgeon, Shona Tormey, the new unit at UHL offers all aspects of breast and breast cancer care including triple assessment, breast reconstruction and oncoplastic surgery, and dedicated family history clinics. Breast cancer in UHL includes a dedicated breast medical oncology unit and radiotherapy delivered in the UHL medical oncology unit and the Mater Private radiotherapy on site.
One of the driving forces for the launch of the facility was the increase in attendances at the hospital. In 2005, there were 3,073 new and return attendances, which doubled in 2015 to 6,726.
The new development includes consultation rooms, a multidisciplinary team conference room, a prosthesis fitting room, a family room, administrative offices and a quiet room where women can retire for cancer consultations and information.
The unit also includes cutting-edge diagnostics, with two ultrasound and two mammography suites, including the first use in a public hospital in Ireland of 3D mammography.
Details added (first version posted on 10:58)
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
Trend:
During their meeting in Baku, Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev and Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed both the bilateral cooperation and the ways to resolve the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.
He made the remarks during a joint briefing with Lavrov July 12.
President Aliyev and FM Lavrov met in Baku on July 11.
Mammadyarov said the information provided by Lavrov in Baku on the talks for settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict creates a positive mood.
He said it is important to move step by step for the conflicts resolution, adding that work is underway on the remaining undecided formulations and points.
Substantive talks are being held on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and while resolving the remaining issues, we can be cautiously optimistic about the future, he said.
He added that a concrete decision will be made later with regard to the next meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents.
For present, it is unknown whether it will be held in France or in another country, said Mammadyarov.
Russia and Azerbaijan have a very high level of cooperation, Mammadyarov further said, adding that the economic relations are of great interest.
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.
THIRTEEN is a lucky number for Limerick bestselling author Roisin Meaney who has signed another three-book deal with publishers Hachette.
The Listowel born writer launched her latest book, the thirteenth to date, entitled The Reunion, at a well attended evening in OMahonys book store.
She has now signed another three-book deal with Hachette Books Ireland, and seen her work translated into Russian, bringing her prolific writings to a new audience. Three of her books are on sale in Australia, and she admits shes dying to see the covers they put on her works in Russia Two Fridays in April, The Things We Do for Love and Something in Common. And The Reunion is already at number five in the bestsellers list.
Who would have thought in 2014 when The Daisy Picker came out [her first book] that Id be sitting here talking about book number 13? I certainly didnt. Im amazed that Im still getting launches. I thought I had used my quota up about six books ago, but thankfully they are still going, she told the Limerick Leader.
The Reunion is a stand-alone book, in that its a departure from the last three connected books set on an island, and was inspired when she attended the Limerick School Projects 25th anniversary celebrations last year, where she had taught for the last 11 years of her teaching career.
I went along, although I generally avoid reunions because Im hopeless for remembering peoples names, and Id only be apologising all night. But this one, I thought, was different, and in the course of the evening one parent remarked Now, this would be a good theme for a book a reunion. It kind of stuck in my mind, and I thought Id try it out.
It proved a successful format, with the first half of the book focusing on their lives 20 years ago, and the latter half concentrating on the weeks leading up to their reunion.
While she has finished writing The Reunion since April, she has already begun writing her 14th work, which focuses on a 50-something widow. She is now some 3,000 words in. Only another 97,000 to go, she joked, with an upcoming sojourn in Capri expected to provide more inspiration to fill those blank pages.Roisin will be hosting a book-themed event in Gallagher's Seafood Restaurant, in Bunratty on Saturday, July 16 at 2pm and all are welcome to attend. See page 30 for more
There will also be an event in Newcastle West bookstore on July 22 at 5pm, and Roisins readings for children in the City Library will return in September.
The readings will be held on the first Saturday of the month from 11.30-12noon.
MEMBERS of the jury panel running the rule over Limericks bid to be European Capital of Culture in 2020 are on a whistle stop tour of the city.
Two of the ten person panel that regulate the process accompanied by a EU Commission official and a counterpart from the Department of Arts are visiting Limerick this Tuesday, having visited Galway on Monday and ahead of a visit to Waterford, Wexford and Kilkenny, the Three Sisters bid, on Wednesday.
The panel, accompanied by Limerick 2020 bid director and deputy director Mike Fitzpatrick and Sheila Deegan, visited Moyross and the Cleeves Factory site currently home to the Eva International exhibition before lunchtime this Tuesday.
A huge crowd took part in an outdoor silent disco at Cleeves as the judges arrived and the impact of the event was clear to see on the EU Commission representatives. Members of the Brothers of Charity and Daughters of Charity took part, as did Limerick Youth Theatre and a host of other youth organisations.
Eva curator Koyo Kouoh and director Woodrow Kernohan personally shepherded the judges around the exhibition, answering any questions they had.
A major street party, encompassing the Culture and Chips festival, is taking over a number of city streets until 7pm today, centred around the Crescent, with the jury to visit sometime in the afternoon.
On Monday evening, the bells of 10 Limerick churches rang out at 8.20pm or 20.20 to welcome the judges to Limerick and start 24 hours of celebration.
Bishop of Limerick Brendan Leahy said he had witnessed a continuing revival of all things cultural and today sees a city with a very proud identity.
We just wanted to do something to mark the moment. This is a big week with the jurors here and, in its own right, is the end of one leg of the journey and we felt the ringing of the bells across the city was a great way to do this, he explained of the move, which saw bells toll at all Catholic churches and St Marys Cathedral.
Limerick has every reason to celebrate as it has come a long way from where it was a decade or so ago. The cultural revival across Limerick is a great trumpeting of that and has been building steadily over the years.
Limerick is most definitely singing again and if the National City of Culture programme two years ago did a lot to give voice to this, then 2020 would take Limerick to a whole new place and a place it thoroughly deserves to be.
Jul 12, 2016, 6 AM
A Village Post Office is located inside Gerstner Hardware in Glenn, Mich. Photograph from 2011 by Steven J. Bahnsen.
By Steven J. Bahnsen
A recent labor agreement with United States postal workers puts the brakes on any more Village Post Offices.
Arbitrator Stephen Goldberg issued his award in contract talks between the United States Postal Service and the American Postal Workers Union on July 8. The new contract is effective through Sept. 20, 2018.
One phase of the award prohibits the Postal Service from establishing any new VPOs or Contract Postal Units for a minimum of the first year of the contract.
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There are approximately 860 VPOs in the United States. They are mainly in small, rural areas, although Dallas and San Diego both have some.
A VPO only does two things: It sells booklets of stamps, and it has a display rack with Priority Express and Priority Mail supplies. That is all.
Owners of a business with a VPO are paid annual fees ranging from $1 to $8,000.
Two public libraries in Kansas City, Mo., each get $8,000 for what little they do.
Exterior signs paid for by the Postal Service are usually found outside the host store.
Collectors have little to do with VPOs because they do not have their own red double-outline circular datestamps. However, they are supposed to have green Aviation Security hand cancels with a date. Strikes of Aviation Security cancels are often provided to collectors.
The number of Contract Postal Units has been headed steadily downhill for many years. Contract Postal Units provide a wider array of postal services. They are often found in grocery- and drug-store chains, especially in the Midwest.
The Meijer chain, headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich., has the most CPUs of any one business. The Hy Vee chain from West Des Moines, Iowa, has the second most CPUs. None of their new stores will be able to have a CPU for at least a year.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
By Anakhanum Idayatova - Trend:
Intensification of negotiations on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will lead to a major breakthrough in the conflicts settlement in the near future, Sergey Markov, Russian presidents confidant, member of the Russian Public Chamber, told Trend in Baku July 12.
Markov, who is also a political analyst, added that the frequent meetings and negotiations of the world leaders can result in de-occupation of Azerbaijani territories in exchange for unblocking Armenian borders.
Armenia will withdraw from territories around Nagorno-Karabakh and the first Azerbaijani families will be able to return to their ravaged houses this year, Markov said.
The expert stressed that the intensification of diplomatic contacts testifies that real, intensive negotiations are being held.
Azerbaijan and Armenia will sign an agreement soon, he believes. The details of the reconciliation are being discussed.
Ankara will also be able to bring a positive factor to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts settlement following the Russia-Turkey reconciliation, he added.
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.
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Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
By Anakhanum Idayatova - Trend:
The international mediators have recently paid more interest in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, Mikhail Neyzhmakov, head of the Center for International Politics at the Institute of Globalization and Social Movements, told Trend July 12.
Neyzhmakov, who is also the political expert, added that it is early to talk about a noticeable breakthrough.
He stressed that when a major international agreement is prepared, as a rule, the preparation for the agreement can take much time.
"Lets recall the West-Iran talks on lifting the sanctions which successfully completed after a certain period of time, he added. As for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, various ways of the conflict settlement are being rather discussed."
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.
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Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
By Samir Ali Trend:
Armenia, through its policies in the last two years, has been seeking to prevent progress in the negotiations on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Hikmat Hajiyev, spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry July 12.
He made the remarks at an event dedicated to the day of Azerbaijani diplomatic service employees.
Hajiyev said Armenia, preventing the progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts settlement, is conducting political provocations.
For example, Armenia conducted military exercises in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan over the past period, he stressed.
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, July 12
By Samir Ali Trend:
The Baku Court of Appeals has cancelled the decision of the Baku City Yasamal District Court and allowed the former MP Gular Ahmadova to leave the country for three months.
Earlier, Ahmadova filed a request for lifting the restrictions on her leaving the country to be operated on abroad. The Baku City Yasamal District Court rejected her request.
Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's Office launched a criminal case in 2012 based on footage depicting the MP Gular Ahmadova and former rector of the Azerbaijan International University, Elshad Abdullayev.
The footage showed them discussing the transfer of a bribe in a large amount.
UNEC Public Control Board represented by the countrys well- known experts, scientists and the representatives of prestigious media has held a press conference on the results of the summer exam session at Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC) on July 12.
Head of the Marketing and Communication Department of UNEC Rasim Sharifov said that UNEC Public Control Board is established in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan about the Public Participation, Education Ministers order 279 dated on May 11 2016 about the Organization and conduct of Examination session and the measures taken to improve the quality of education based on ensuring the objectivity in the assessment of students knowledge, protection of transparency and importance of the public participation and the representatives of civil society. Control of the summer exam session was assigned to this organization.
It was noted that the proposal on the establishment of the UNEC Public Control Board was made to the university administration by the heads of NGO Alimammad Nuriyev, Etibar Aliyev and the education expert, Professor Shahlar Asgerov. The administration assessed the proposal positively and decided to establish the Board.
UNEC Public Control Board includes the Honored Scientist, Professor Shahlar Asgerov, Head of the Education Center XXI Century, coordinator Etibar Aliyev, Deputy Director General of the Information Agency Trend Arzu Naghiyev, member of the Constitutional Research Foundation for Human Rights Alimammad Nuriyev, Director of the Youth, Science and Education Programs Department of the Public Television and Radio Broadcasting Zaur Mahmudov, Executive Director of the Information Agency Ses Veli Veliyev, Chairman of the Parliamentary Journalists Association, General Director of the Media Group Modern Elshad Eyvazli and the reporter of the 525th newspaper Sevinj Garayeva.
Head of the Education Center XXI Century, PhD, the Coordinator of the Public Control Board Etibar Aliyev said that the Board members supervised UNECs Hotline and Appeals Commission, held individual conversations with the students and attended the Open Door days of the higher institution monitoring the summer examination session held within June 1- July 4. Incoming calls were investigated within a short time and addressed to university administration to take measures promptly.
The Board members performed the supervision of the exams in all academic buildings of UNEC without any obstacles and the information on the examination process was broadcast on media constantly. The Board also controlled the exams held at the Financial Economic College. The exam method currently applied serves to eliminate the shortcomings happened within the exam session some time.
It was noted that 12 thousand students took part in the exam session. 3500 enquiries were submitted to the Appeals Commission within the period. 1400 of them were resolved positively. 1200 got a negative response. 900 applications are under consideration. Afterwards the Board members answered the questions of media representatives.
Deputy Director General of the Information Agency Trend Arzu Naghiyev assessed the establishment of UNEC Public Control Board positively in terms of ensuring the objectivity in the assessment of the students knowledge. It prevents the negative thoughts arising from public. A. Naghiyev stressed the importance of the Boards activities in the future.
Honored Scientists, Professor Shahlar Asgerov highlighted that the UNEC Public Control Board is the innovation for the Azerbaijan education: There are two key issues in front of the education- transfer and assessment of education. The assessment is an important and controversial issue. The ideas about the shortcomings in assessment were available at any time. However, the Board put an end to all these rumors. Sh. Asgerov made his proposals on improving the quality of the tests and reducing the number.
Head of the Constitutional Research Foundation, member of the Joint Group for Human Rights Alimammad Nuriyev noted that the summer examination session of UNEC was in general held objectively and transparently: We have observed the exam session within a month. All necessary conditions were made at UNEC for the purpose. We are satisfied with the situation. We are also pleased with the software used in exams. The system allows preventing negative cases. Students can see their results immediately at the end of the exam. No outside interference to the system is possible. We came into this conclusion after talking to the students.
The other members sounded proposals on improving the bodys performance and expressed their views on the participation of board members not only in the exam session, but the entire teaching process evaluating the relations among the student, teachers and the parents in a high level.
The final report of press conference was announced. The Board members came to the conclusion that the preparation for the exam session at UNEC was in a high level. It was noted that the test method applied will serve to ensuring the objectivity and transparency in the future.
In the end, it was noted that the performance of UNEC Public Control Board will continue and all conditions to provide the participation of the representatives of civil society and the journalists will be created by the university administration.
UNEC is the brand of Azerbaijan State University of Economics. The brand of UNEC has been registered and patented by the State Committee on Standardization, Metrology and Patent on January 21 2016. In brand approval 41st class of special classification on- educating, ensuring teaching process, organization of entertaining, sport and cultural-educational events and 42nd class on- scientific and technological services and the related researches, industrial analysis and services on scientific researches, technical and program provision of computers and their improvement have been based on by the State Committee on Standardization, Metrology and Patent.
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Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, July 12
By Huseyn Hasanov Trend:
Prospective routes are becoming much more concrete for the Turkmen electricity export, in particular to Pakistan and Tajikistan, says the Turkmen government in a message.
The message also said export opportunities can be expanded thanks to the commissioning of the gas-turbine power plant with annual capacity of 254 megawatts in the Beyik Turkmenbashy district of Turkmenistans Lebap region.
The project was implemented by Turkeys Calik Enerji.
Thus, the countrys eastern region becomes a base for the export of Turkmen electricity, primarily to Afghanistan, the territory of which can be used as a transit territory in the future.
It was reported in late June that Turkmenistan supplies electricity to Afghanistan on easy terms and makes efforts to increase the volume of its exports to the neighboring country.
It was also reported that there is an opportunity to increase the electricity volume exported to Afghanistan in the direction of Serhetabat-Herat-Turgundi from 200 million kilowatt hours to 400 million kilowatt hours.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
By Azad Hasanli Trend:
The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) is providing additional funds to Azerbaijans AccessBank with a $17-million loan for expanding the lending to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country, BSTDB said in a message posted on its website.
The proceeds of the three-year loan will facilitate access to finance for industrial, agricultural and service-related SMEs and will contribute to the increase of non-oil sector business in the country, according to the message.
The message also says this is the fifth facility for SME support, extended by BSTDB to AccessBank, bringing the total amount of financing to $54 million since 2005.
Founded in 2002 by BSTDB, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), KfW Development Bank, the German Consulting Company LFS Financial Systems (LFS) and Access Microfinance Holding AG, AccessBank is currently the leading provider of financial services to micro, small and medium-sized businesses in Azerbaijan.
The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank was established by Albania, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine, which are the 11 founding countries of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
By Azad Hasanli Trend:
Azerbaijan and the United Nations signed a framework program on cooperation for 2016-2020.
The document was signed by Azerbaijans Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev and UN Resident Coordinator Ghulam Isaczai on July 12 in Baku.
The UN is ready to support reforms in Azerbaijan, said Isaczai at the ceremony for signing the framework program.
Isaczai said the program is being signed in an important period for Azerbaijan, when the government is carrying out reforms and preparing a strategic roadmap for economic diversification.
The UN is ready to contribute to the implementation of these processes, he added. Our contribution includes political consultations and experience, and we can support the development of agricultural sector, healthcare, migration and others.
Shahin Mustafayev, in turn, said the programs implementation will contribute to comprehensive sustainable development of the country and its joint activities with international institutions.
The new program covers three directions: the promotion of sustainable and inclusive economic development, which also includes support for the economic diversification and decent labor; strengthening the institutional capacity and effective public and social services; modernization of environmental management, the support to increase resilience against risks and natural disasters.
Special attention in the framework program was given to the expansion of e-services, the creation of industrial zones and areas, the development of agriculture, tourism, the growth of the youths role in society, gender equality and others.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
By Maksim Tsurkov Trend:
The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) completed the deal on real estate acquisition in Milan, Italy, Shahmar Movsumov, SOFAZ executive director, told reporters in Baku July 12.
He said there were no problems with the acquisition of the real estate in Milan.
The deal has been completed, he said. We have become the owners of the property.
SOFAZ together with the sovereign funds of the UAE and Qatar reached an agreement to invest $380 million (350 million euros) in the purchase of real estate in Milan. Under the agreement, the sovereign funds are to acquire three different properties.
SOFAZs share in the deal is 97 million euros. SOFAZ acquired Palazzo Turati office building, located in Milans historic downtown.
Italy is the sixth country where SOFAZ acquires a real estate. Earlier, SOFAZ acquired properties in the UK, France, Russia, South Korea and Japan.
SOFAZ was established in 1999 with assets of $271 million.
Based on SOFAZ's regulations, its funds may be used for construction and reconstruction of strategically important infrastructure facilities, as well as solving important national problems.
The main goals of the State Oil Fund are accumulation of resources and placement of the Funds assets abroad in order to minimize the negative effect on the economy, prevention of "Dutch disease" to some extent, promotion of resource accumulation for future generations, and supporting current social and economic processes in Azerbaijan.
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Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov
Details added (first version posted on 12:18)
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
By Azad Hasanli Trend:
Azerbaijan and the United Nations signed a framework program on cooperation for 2016-2020.
The document was signed by Azerbaijans Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev and UN Resident Coordinator Ghulam Isaczai on July 12 in Baku.
The UN is ready to support reforms in Azerbaijan, said Isaczai at the ceremony for signing the framework program.
Isaczai said the program is being signed in an important period for Azerbaijan, when the government is carrying out reforms and preparing a strategic roadmap for economic diversification.
The UN is ready to contribute to the implementation of these processes, he added. Our contribution includes political consultations and experience, and we can support the development of agricultural sector, healthcare, migration and others.
Shahin Mustafayev, in turn, said the programs implementation will contribute to comprehensive sustainable development of the country and its joint activities with international institutions.
The new program covers three directions: the promotion of sustainable and inclusive economic development, which also includes support for the economic diversification and decent labor; strengthening the institutional capacity and effective public and social services; modernization of environmental management, the support to increase resilience against risks and natural disasters.
Special attention in the framework program was given to the expansion of e-services, the creation of industrial zones and areas, the development of agriculture, tourism, the growth of the youths role in society, gender equality and others.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
By Azad Hasanli Trend:
Azerbaijans State Oil Fund (SOFAZ) and Central Bank (CBA) each sold $100 million to 29 banks through an auction, CBA said July 12.
SOFAZ will continue selling foreign currency through auctions in 2016. The foreign currency is sold as part of SOFAZs transfers to the Azerbaijani state budget, which are envisaged to stand at 7.615 billion Azerbaijani manats in 2016.
SOFAZ was established in 1999 with assets of $271 million.
As of April 1, 2016, SOFAZs assets increased by 2 percent and amounted to $34.25 billion as compared to $33.57 billion in early 2016.
Up, up and away
Helium-filled balloons in the sky. (Image credit: Helen Warren)
The things most people know about helium are that it makes balloons float up and it makes your voice squeaky if you inhale some. But helium is more than just fun and games: it is also a scarce industrial resource with important uses in technology and medicine and scientists are still learning more about its many strange properties.
So let's get this party started, with some of the most unusual applications and facts about helium.
Lighter than air
A helium-filled science balloon is launched over Halley station to float above Antarctica and observe magnetic fields. (Image credit: NASA)
Helium is one of lightest and least dense of all the chemical elements, thanks to the chemical stability and extremely small size of single helium atoms. Helium's low density is what causes balloons filled with the gas to float, buoyed up by the denser surrounding air.
Under the sea
Because helium is easily compressed and non-toxic, it is used in specialized "breathing mixtures" of gases for very deep scuba diving, (Image credit: US Navy)
Because helium is easily compressed and non-toxic, it is used in specialized "breathing mixtures" of gases for very deep scuba diving, as a replacement for the nitrogen that makes up about 75 percent of our air.
At high pressures, such as underwater below around 100 feet (30 meters), dissolved nitrogen can quickly build up in body tissues and cause fatal decompression illness, or dangerous bouts of "nitrogen narcosis," an effect similar to sudden and extreme drunkenness.
To get around the problems of breathing nitrogen, technical and commercial divers who plunge to depths of up to 400 feet (122 m) or beyond use breathing mixtures like "heliox," in which the fraction of nitrogen in the air has been replaced with helium.
Powering the sun
Helium makes up around 45 percent of the mass of the sun, where it is formed at scorching temperatures by the fusion of hydrogen the primary process that keeps the sun and all the stars burning. (Image credit: NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory)
Helium takes its name from "Helios," the Greek god of the sun, which was where the chemical element was discovered in the 1860s, by astronomers studying the signature "gas absorption lines" of the color spectrum of sunlight.
Helium makes up around 45 percent of the mass of the sun, where it is formed at scorching temperatures by the fusion of hydrogen the primary process that keeps the sun and all the stars burning.
In turn, atoms of helium are fused in stars to create the heavier elements, including carbon, oxygen and silicon.
Over the moon
Helium-3 has been identified in large quantities on the moon, where helium from the solar wind has rained onto the lunar surface for billions of years. (Image credit: NASA/Apollo 15)
Most helium atoms have two proton and two neutron particles in the nucleus, an isotope called helium-4. But some form an isotope with two protons and just one neutron, called helium-3, which has been proposed as an ideal fuel for fusion power generation.
Helium-3 is almost unknown on Earth. But, it has been identified in large quantities on the moon, where helium from the solar wind has rained onto the lunar surface for billions of years. Several space agencies, including those in Russia, China and India, have suggested helium-3 could provide a potential payoff for lunar exploration.
Super cool
Below minus 456 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 271 degrees C), just a shiver above absolute zero, helium-4 becomes a so-called superfluid, with about 1/8th of the density of water and zero friction. (Image credit: Alfred Leitner)
Helium gas condenses into a liquid at extremely low temperatures, around minus 450 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 268 degrees Celsius) at atmospheric pressure, and starts to exhibit very strange behavior at even lower temperatures.
Below minus 456 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 271 degrees C), just a shiver above absolute zero, helium-4 becomes a so-called superfluid, with about 1/8th of the density of water and zero friction. Among the many curious properties of superfluid helium is its ability to quickly flow through any leak, and even upwards along the walls of a container, which means it's extremely difficult to keep it from escaping.
Inner vision
Liquid helium is also used to cool the ring-shaped magnetic coils in hospital MRI scanners to temperatures of about minus 441 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 263 degrees C), which allows them to generate brief but intense magnetic fields. (Image credit: Jan Ainali)
Because helium easily liquefies at such low temperatures, it is used as a coolant for powerful superconducting electromagnets, such as the magnets used in the Large Hadron Collider near Geneva, Switzerland.
Liquid helium is also used to cool the ring-shaped magnetic coils in hospital MRI scanners to temperatures of about minus 441 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 263 degrees C), which allows them to generate brief but intense magnetic fields.
The magnetic fields cause atoms inside the body to resonate with their own magnetic signatures, which can be detected by the scanner and used to build a detailed image of internal organs and tissues.
In short supply
For many years, the worlds single main supplier was the Federal Helium Reserve near Amarillo, Texas, which was established after World War I to secure American supplies of helium as a lifting gas for military airships. (Image credit: Bureau of Land Management)
It takes billions of years for pockets of helium to form in the Earths crust from the radioactive decay of uranium and thorium. This makes it hard to find, and for many years, the price of helium for applications like MRI scanners has been rising.
For many years, the worlds single main supplier was the Federal Helium Reserve near Amarillo, Texas, which was established after World War I to secure American supplies of helium as a lifting gas for military airships.
In the 1950s, during the Cold War, helium found a new use: purging and pressurizing the rocket engines of nuclear missiles and space missions.
Helium horde
In 2016, scientist announced the discovery of a major helium gas field at Rukwa, in the East African Rift Valley region of Tanzania, which may be even larger than the entire helium reserves of the United States. (Image credit: Thomas Abraham-James/Helium One)
In recent years, some natural gas producers in the U.S., Canada and Qatar have started to tap small concentrations of helium, which has eased the rise in price.
Recently, scientist announced the discovery of a major helium gas field at Rukwa, in the East African Rift Valley region of Tanzania, which may be even larger than the entire helium reserves of the United States.
This discovery and others like it may ease global demand, but scientists have warned that helium is the ultimate non-renewable resource hard to find, difficult to keep, and impossible to recycle.
Tricks of the mind
The shifting sizes and colors of the circles combine multiple visual illusions (Image credit: Mark Vergeer, Stuart Anstis and Rob van Lier, YouTube)
When things aren't what they seem, it can be unnerving, but under the right circumstances these kinds of illusions can be utterly captivating. On July 1, the finalists and winner of the 2016 Best Illusion of the Year Contest were announced by the Neural Correlate Society.
From illusions that play tricks with motion to ones that use shadows to fool your mind, this year's finalists make up a perplexing collection.
To help you make sense of what you're seeing, Allison Sekuler, director of the Vision and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab at McMaster University and a judge of this year's contest, explained to Live Science some of the general principles behind a few of the finalist illusions.
"Illusions will often tell us something about how the brain works," Sekuler said, but "in many of the cases, we don't actually understand all of the elements underlying the illusion."
In some instances, the novelty and possible scientific value come from combining aspects of existing illusions. "Different elements may not be original, but it's the way they put things together that's completely new," Sekuler said.
Integrated motion
The 2016 Illusion of the Year gives a feeling of motion (Image credit: Mathew T. Harrison and Gideon P. Caplovitz, YouTube)
In this year's winning illusion, a series of banded blobs appear to form a rotating square. The patches are stationary, so it's only the movement of the stripes at various speeds that creates the illusion of a larger shape moving. "The brain is trying to reconcile the fact that there is local motion, but a shape that is grouping itself together," Sekuler said. "The brain is trying to solve puzzles. How can I come up with something that puts it all together that could be physically possible?"
The illusion uses a stimulus, the so-called curveball illusion that was named the 2009 illusion of the year.
The ambiguous cylinder
What shape is it? That depends on your perspective. (Image credit: Kokichi Sugihara, YouTube)
As the name suggests, these remarkable 3D-printed objects seem to change shape depending on their orientation. "People see it as a circle or as kind of a diamond in reality, that structure is neither of those things," Sekuler said. "It's a shape that was created so that from a particular perspective you'll see it as one thing or another."
And because the two shapes are so different, it's difficult for people's brains to combine them, she added.
"It makes more sense to say there are two different objects," Sekuler said. "It sounds almost counterintuitive in this case, the simplicity that's winning out is our familiarity with those shapes."
The researcher, Kokichi Sugihara of Meiji University in Japan, used ambiguous shapes and perspective to craft an illusion that was named a 2015 finalist and one that was a 2010 winner.
Flight in silhouette
Where's the bird? And which way is it flying? (Image credit: Christine Veras, YouTube)
One principle at play in all zoetropes is apparent motion, in which a series of similar images presented in quick succession appear to be one object in motion, "which is exactly what happens in animation," Sekuler said.
As the viewer consolidates the many spinning birds into a single image, they have to go somewhere. "The place that makes sense in the case of the zoetrope is right in the middle of where all those objects are," Sekuler said.
And the bird in flight appears to reverse directions, which may have something to do with the ambiguity of animations in silhouette. "When it's just a silhouette, you can misinterpret the direction of motion," Sekuler said.
Technicolor Bubbles
The shifting sizes and colors of the circles combine multiple visual illusions (Image credit: Mark Vergeer, Stuart Anstis and Rob van Lier, YouTube)
There are probably multiple misperceptions happening at once in this illusion, similar to the 2008 Illusion of the Year. As the screen alternates between colorful concentric circles and colorless circles of different sizes, the viewer perceives an opposite color filling in the blanks.
The illusion involves afterimages, a reversed color shape that lingers on a neutral background after you've just viewed an image. They're a product of the way we process color vision, "with different groups of neurons working in opposition to each other," Sekuler said.
Sekuler compares the illusory colored circles to the watercolor illusion, in which a thin band of color on the inside of a well-defined contour can give the illusion of a colorful interior. Except in this case, "it's not really a color; it's an afterimage color," she said. "Usually when you have an afterimage, you would see an afterimage of the whole object," but in this case, the outlines define perception of the colored area, Sekuler added.
An elbow illusion
Try this at home. Can you locate the touch on your forearm? (Image credit: Peter Brugger and Rebekka Meier, YouTube)
Sekuler remembers this tactile illusion, in which people with eyes closed anticipate a touch reaching their elbow, from her childhood. There are a variety of touch-based illusions that rely on the brain working with limited information from less sensitive body parts.
"There's different sensitivity levels on different parts of your skin," Sekuler said. "It's harder to convey how cool they are over the internet because it's such a visual medium," she said, adding that she recommends trying this illusion with a friend.
Sekuler said persons being touched should keep their arm straight and not touch the crook of their elbow beforehand, or it will give them a sense of what to expect.
Werewolf Syndrome (also called Hypertrichosis, or Ambras Syndrome)
Lon Chaney Jr. as The Wolf Man (1941). (Image credit: Internet Movie Database
People who have the rare skin disease called Werewolf syndrome have some features that may resemble those of the mythical creatures for which the condition is named. According to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, the symptoms of Ambras syndrome, as the condition is also called, include excessive hair growth all over the body, except on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. This includes fine hair on the face and ears.
The condition can also cause a person to have a triangular face, a bulbous nose and to lack teeth. Ambras syndrome is a genetic disease and is a dominant trait, and so if a child has one parent with this syndrome, the child may inherit it.
Facial Blindness (also called Prosopagnosia)
(Image credit: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com)
The word "prosopagnosia" comes from the Greek words "prosopo" meaning "face" and "agnosia," which means "ignorance." Many of us forget names easily, but people with facial blindness may struggle to identify even familiar faces, or to tell people apart. There are varying degrees of the condition, and those with a severe form may be unable to distinguish between a face and another object, or to recognize their own face. [Here's a Giant List of the Strangest Medical Cases We've Covered]
Facial blindness is not related to general forgetfulness or memory loss. It can occur as the result of brain injury, neurodegenerative diseases, or stroke, according to the NINDS. There are also cases of congenital prosopagnosia, which means that people can be born with the disorder.
Sleeping Beauty Syndrome (also called Kleine-Levin Syndrome)
(Image credit: Kotin / Shutterstock.com)
Like the long-unconscious princess, people with the neurological condition called Sleeping Beauty syndrome experience periods of excessive sleep. These episodes can last up to 20 hours a day, and bouts may go on for days, even weeks, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). These episodes of lengthy sleep may be proceeded by flu-like symptoms and, when they're awake, people with this syndrome may exhibit various odd behaviors, including eating excessively, hallucinating or acting childishly.
But unlike the princess that the name conjures, 70 percent of the people who have this disorder are adolescent males, according to the NINDS. Stimulant medications are used to treat Kleine-Levin syndrome, and episodes tend to subside as a person reaches adulthood.
Mad Cow Disease (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy)
Magnified 158X, and stained with H&E (hematoxylin and eosin) staining technique, this light photomicrograph of brain tissue reveals the presence of typical amyloid plaques found in a case of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). Note that the plaques vary in size, and consist of a hyaline eosinophilic core with a peripheral margin of radiating fibrils surrounded by a pale halo. (Image credit: CDC/ Teresa Hammett)
People cannot get mad cow disease; it is a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord of cows. It's called "mad cow" because it can cause infected cows to act violently or nervously, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The disease is properly called bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE. But in the mid-1990s, a new disease was discovered that was related to mad cow, called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). Like mad cow disease, vCJD is a fatal, degenerative brain disorder. And unlike other types of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, such as a familial form of the condition that is caused by a gene mutation and can be inherited, the variant form of CJD may be caused by eating food contaminated with the central nervous system tissue of a cow that was infected with BSE. NINDS notes that there is no direct proof of the relationship between eating beef from cattle with BSE and developing vCJD, but both that agency and the World Health Organization (WHO) say that evidence of the link between BSE and vCJD is strong.
Alien Hand Syndrome
(Image credit: FrameAngel/Shutterstock.com)
Alien hand syndrome (AHS) is characterized by involuntary movements of a limb, usually the hand, that seem purposeful or functional. People with this movement disorder may also feel that the limb is not a part of their body.
Authors of a meta-analysis of research on AHS published in Tremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements wrote, "Sometimes the limb is personified: patients have named their alien hands." Common causes of AHS include strokes, brain tumors and neurodegenerative illness. Treatments may involve Botox injections (which may temporarily weaken the muscles), cognitive behavioral therapy and distracting the affected hand by having it hold an object. As seen in the movie "Dr. Strangelove," there have been reports of people with this syndrome hitting or attempting to choke themselves. [7 Conditions That Botox May Help Treat]
Stone Man's Disease (also called Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva)
(Image credit: Photographee.eu/Shutterstock.com)
Stone man's disease is a disorder of the connective tissue where ligaments, tendons or skeletal muscles essentially turn into bone. People who have this condition, properly called fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), may be unable to move and can develop difficulty eating and breathing as their joints become locked in place.
The first symptom of this disorder that people usually develop is irregular big toes, which can occur at birth, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders. Over time, FOP progresses, usually from the neck and shoulders downward, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. In people who have the disease, injuries to muscles or certain illnesses can trigger swelling and inflammation, which may then cause more tissues to turn to bone.
Imposter Syndrome
(Image credit: Tepikina Nastya/Shutterstock.com)
Imposter syndrome is not an official diagnosis, but was a term coined by psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes in 1978. In a paper published in the journal Psychotherapy Theory, Research and Practice,the researchers introduced this syndrome to the world, describing it as a feeling of ineptitude that occurs in highly successful women.
It has since been recognized that men may also have the condition, but it seems more common in women, according to the original research from Clance and Imes. People with this syndrome feel like they do not measure up to their achievements, and so they feel that they are "imposters" in their own lives. For example, they might believe that they got into a prestigious school through error or luck, or that their professional success is merely the result of others' overestimation of their abilities.
Walking Corpse Syndrome (also called The Cotard Delusion, or Cotard's Syndrome)
Most rational people scoff at the suggestion that zombies are real, but a number of respected medical experts and academic journals have presented evidence that zombies are, in fact, real. (opens in new tab) | Shutterstock (opens in new tab) ) (Image credit: Vietrov Dmytro
This neuropsychological disorder was first described in the 1880s by neurologist Jules Cotard. It involves a person believing that they are dead or soulless, or that parts of their body (which are intact) are missing, such as organs or blood.
One review of Cotard's syndrome found that it's often seen in patients who have severe depression. Cultural beliefs, such as folklore about creatures that take organs or cause deaths in ways that can't be perceived, may also contribute to this rare disorder. A report published in 2013 in the Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciencesdetails the case of a woman with postpartum depression who thought that she was dying, due to an attack by a Persian ghost, called an "Aal." People with this disorder may believe in their death so strongly that they starve themselves.
Flesh-Eating Bacteria (also called Necrotizing Fasciitis)
Surgical exploration on the arm of a 44-year-old man who contracted necrotizing fasciitis reveals dark-colored, dead and dying tissue. (Image credit: Ilaria Tocco, MD, Luca Lancerotto, MD, Alex Pontini, MD, Anna Voltan, MD, Bruno Azzena, MD, Synchronous Multifocal Necrotizing Fasciitis, The Journal of Emergency Medicine, Available online 21 September 2013 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2013)
Flesh-eating bacteria is exactly what it sounds like, a bacterial skin infection that eats away at soft tissue called the fascia, which surround muscles, blood vessels, nerves and fat. It also damages tissue near the fascia. Many different bacteria can cause this infection, but Group A strep (Streptococcus) are the most common cause. The infection can spread quickly and be deadly but, if caught early, it can be treated with antibiotics and surgery.
Necrotizing fasciitis is rare, especially among healthy people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People looking to avoid it should practice proper wound care and stay away from hot tubs, swimming pools and natural bodies of water (like lakes, rivers and oceans) if they have an open wound or infection.
Alice in Wonderland Syndrome
An illustration depicting the symptoms of micropsia, when things appear smaller than they are, from Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." (Image credit: Public Domain)
Named in a 1955 Canadian Medical Association Journal(CMAJ) article, this syndrome is often associated with people who have migraine headaches and epilepsy. People with the condition may have distorted vision or perceptions that make it seem like parts of their body are much bigger or smaller than expected, or that one body part is taller or shorter than they are in reality.
The CMAJ article also says the name was chosen because Carroll experienced migraines. This syndrome may also be caused by viral infection or drug use.
Original article on Live Science.
For the first time, scientists are getting a glimpse of how microscopic marine creatures move about in their underwater environment and interact with one another on the ocean floor.
The new imaging system an underwater microscope and computer interface that can be operated by a diver was developed by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography's Jaffe Laboratory for Underwater Imaging at the University of California, San Diego.
Dubbed the Benthic Underwater Microscope (BUM), it is the first microscope to image the seafloor and its inhabitants at such a small scale. [Photos: The Secret Lives of Corals]
Researchers used the microscope to observe tiny coral polyps in the Red Sea and in Maui. They reported in a new study that recording the miniscule organisms' activities offered unprecedented insight into the how the polyps live and behave.
Life on a smaller scale
Coral reefs can be massive, stony structures that host a diverse community of marine life. But the individual coral polyps that build them are small, soft-bodied animals miniature mouths ringed with tentacles. To understand how reef colonies confront and manage threats such as pollution and climate change and competitors such as algae, it's important to not only look at the reef system, but to investigate the activity of the polyps themselves, according to study co-author Tali Treibitz.
Treibitz, an assistant professor at the School of Marine Sciences at the University of Haifa in Israel, told Live Science that BUM made it possible to observe what the 1-millimeter-long (0.04 inches) polyps were doing while still in their natural environment how they fed, competed with other corals and responded to colonization by harmful algae.
BUM's design allows the scientists to maintain a distance of at least 2.5 inches (6.4 centimeters) from the polyps they are observing, so they don't disrupt them. A soft, pliable lens similar to the lens in the human eye allows the microscope to adjust its focus quickly. And an extremely short exposure time of less than 1 microsecond helps eliminate motion blur.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography doctoral student Andrew Mullen positions the Benthic Underwater Microscope (BUM) to study corals. (Image credit: Jaffe Laboratory for Underwater Imaging / Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego)
The equipment requires two underwater housings. One holds the microscope optics and illumination while the other holds the computer, a hard drive for image capture and a screen that shows the microscope's images to the diver in real time.
For the team's research, it typically took about 5 to 10 minutes to set up the microscope, according to study co-author Andrew Mullen, a doctoral student of ocean science at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
"Once it was set up, the diver could take a series of images very quickly," Mullen told Live Science. [Images: Colorful Corals of the Deep Barrier Reef]
The underwater microscope is even powerful enough to capture images of the single-celled algae that live inside corals, Mullen added.
"Kissing" corals
During the Red Sea dives, BUM captured an unusual behavior among the coral polyps that had never been observed before: Polyps in the same colony that were close together would embrace each other at night. Scientists aren't sure what the purpose of this behavior is, but they describe it as "kissing."
Divers also noted instances of aggressive behavior between colonies of different coral species.
BUM observations in Maui targeted reefs that suffered bleaching in 2015, when higher-than-normal ocean temperatures triggered the corals to expel the symbiotic algae that lent them their color. Bleached reefs can regain their algae allies and recover if conditions improve, but the 2015 bleaching event left the Maui reefs vulnerable to harmful algae.
Bleached Porities coral in Maui. Loss of the symbiotic algae gives the polyp a translucent appearance. While translucent, the polyp structure and tentacles remain intact and visible, indicating that the polyp is still alive. (Image credit: Jaffe Laboratory for Underwater Imaging / Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego)
The scientists used BUM to observe the algae invasion on the reef as it happened, and learned that the algae followed a specific growth pattern, taking hold in areas of the reef between the coral polyps, likely because those regions of the reef were thinner and more vulnerable after bleaching.
"People care about these huge ecosystems," Mullen said. "But if you want to take care of these ecosystems, you have to know about the things that are happening at the small scale that are impacting them."
Treibitz added that BUM could prove to be an important tool for understanding large marine communities like coral reefs, by offering a window into the processes of their tiny builders.
"With our microscope, you can image the polyps live and in situ seeing everything they're doing to survive and give a wider view of what's actually happening," she said.
The findings were published online today (July 12) in the journal Nature Communications (opens in new tab).
Original article on Live Science.
Fourni, which is a collection of small islands near Turkey, was a popular anchorage and navigational point for Aegean crossing routes. Usually it was safe for ships, but over thousands of years, storms inevitably claimed some vessels, like this wooden ship resting on the seaflood.
A cluster of Greek islands in the Aegean Sea is giving up some of its deep secrets, as archaeologists have now found 45 shipwrecks there in less than a year's time.
Back in September 2015, a team of Greek and American divers located an astonishing 22 shipwrecks over the course of a 13-day survey around Fourni, which is composed of 13 small islands, some too tiny to show up on maps. The team went back to the eastern Aegean islands in June to expand the search. By the time the three-and-a-half-week survey was finished, the researchers bested their first effort: They documented another 23 shipwrecks, bringing the total to 45.
"Fourni is a constant surprise," said Peter Campbell, co-director of the project from the U.S.-based RPM Nautical Foundation. [See Photos from the Fourni Shipwrecks]
Fortuitous Fourni
The archipelago might be a hotspot for finding shipwrecks today because it was such a popular destination for boats in the past, Campbell told Live Science.
"Fourni is actually a really safe place," Campbell said. "It's just the volume of traffic in every time period that causes the volume of wrecks."
Though Fourni didn't have any major cities in antiquity, it was known as a good anchorage and navigational point for Aegean crossing routes that went both east to west and north to south.
Ships would have anchored in spots that were protected from the usual northwest winds. But once in a while, these vessels could be caught off guard by a big southern storm. If the position of the anchor wasn't changed fast enough, these ships would be in trouble, Campbell noted. Those are the unlucky ships that Campbell and his colleagues have been finding along the coastlines of Fourni.
"The ships would just plow into the cliffs and then scatter down," Campbell said. "We find piles of amphoras [ancient Greek vases]. It looks like the scene of a giant car crash, with these ceramics cascading down."
More awaits discovery
The dates of the shipwrecks range from the late Greek Archaic period (525-480 B.C.) to the Early Modern period (A.D. 1750-1850). In addition to the amphoras, which served as the delivery containers of the ancient world, the divers discovered lamps, cooking pots and anchors. In some cases, a wreck's cargo had a clear origin, such as a set of amphoras from the Greek island of Kos dating back to the Hellenistic period (331-323 B.C.).
Campbell and his collaborators from the Greek Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities took representative samples of artifacts from each wreck, but for the most part, they left the underwater objects in place after documenting each site.
Fourni may have one of the world's largest concentrations of ancient shipwrecks. Many of the Mediterranean's larger islands contain only three or four wrecks, the researchers said, and in all of Greece's territorial waters, only about 180 ancient shipwrecks had been well documented (not including the discoveries at Fourni).
There could be more to explore at Fourni, too: The project leaders said they have covered less than half of the archipelago's total coastline in their surveys so far.
The deepest dives of the survey went to 213 feet (65 meters), but Campbell said he thinks there's more to discover below that level, "given how many ships are found in shallow areas and given how steep the cliffs are."
In the next phase of the project, the team hopes to go even deeper with technology such as remotely operated underwater vehicles.
Original article on Live Science.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
By Azad Hasanli Trend:
UN Resident Coordinator Ghulam Isaczai says $70 million will be allocated for the implementation of The United Nations-Azerbaijan Partnership Framework 2016-2020.
Isaczai said the funds will be provided by the UN, the EU, Azerbaijani government, various trust funds and other donors.
Azerbaijan and the United Nations signed a Partnership Framework for 2016-2020 on July 12 in Baku. The document was signed by Azerbaijans Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev and UN Resident Coordinator Ghulam Isaczai.
Under the agreement, we, in particular, plan to focus on creating new jobs, the development of healthcare, education, improving the productivity of the agricultural sector, environmental protection, mitigating the risk of natural disasters and others, he added.
Isaczai also noted that Azerbaijan has achieved great progress both in economic and social spheres, and there is also the UNs merit.
Despite the great progress, we believe that the UN can still contribute to a number of areas, such as the gender equality, the equal distribution of income among citizens and others, he added.
The United Nations-Azerbaijan Partnership Framework for 2016-2020 covers three directions: the promotion of sustainable and inclusive economic development, which also includes support for economic diversification and decent labor; strengthening the institutional capacity and effective public and social services; modernization of environmental management, the support to increase resilience against risks and natural disasters.
Special attention in the framework program was given to the expansion of e-services, the creation of industrial zones and areas, the development of agriculture, tourism, the growth of the youths role in society, gender equality and others.
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Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
By Elena Kosolapova Trend:
The 46th meeting of the special working group for drafting a convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea at the level of deputy foreign ministers of the Caspian-littoral countries was held in Astana, Kazakhstan on July 11-12, the Kazakh foreign ministry said in a message July 12.
According to the message, the meeting was held on the eve of the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Caspian-littoral countries to be held in Astana July 13.
Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Ibrahim Rahimpour, Ambassador-at-Large of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry Zulfiya Amanzholova, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry Igor Bratchikov and Chairman of the State Enterprise on the Caspian Sea Issues under the president of Turkmenistan Murat Atajanov attended the meeting, the message said.
The main theme of the meeting was working out of common approaches and formulations on uncoordinated provisions of the draft convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea and preparation for the meeting of foreign ministers of the Caspian-littoral countries, the message said.
According to the message, the next meeting of the special working group will be held in Iran on the date to be agreed through diplomatic channels.
The five Caspian states signed a Framework Convention for Protection of Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea in November 2003.
Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on delimitation of the northern part of the Caspian seabed in order to exercise sovereign rights for subsoil use in July 1998. The two countries signed a protocol to the agreement in May 2002.
Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan signed an agreement on delimitation of the Caspian seabed and a protocol to it on Nov. 29, 2001 and Feb. 27, 2003, respectively.
Additionally, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Russia signed an agreement on the delimitation of adjacent sections of the Caspian Sea on May 14, 2003.
The summits of the presidents of the Caspian-littoral countries were held in Ashgabat in 2002, in Tehran in 2007, in Baku in 2010 and in Astrakhan in 2014.
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Nature & Weather, Local News, Press Releases
By Zimmerman/Edelson Published: July 12 2016
In Light Of High-Use Summer Months, Water Company Encourages Customers to Help Maintain Water Pressure
Adhere to an odd/even schedule for outdoor watering in order avoid the potential of stringent summertime water use restrictions.
Merrick, NY - July 8, 2016 - With the summer heat intensifying, and water demand on the rise, New York American Waters Nassau County customers may be experiencing lower than normal water pressures, particularly during early morning hours. The company asks its Nassau County customers to adhere to an odd/even schedule for outdoor watering in order avoid the potential of stringent summertime water use restrictions.
We ask our Nassau County customers to water their lawns on an odd/even schedule this summer and all year-round, said Brian Bruce, President of New York American Water. Odd/even watering now will help us manage a finite supply of water, yet our customers will still be able to maintain healthy lawns and vegetation. In past years, our customers have helped reduce water demands when weve asked, and we thank them in advance for their cooperation this year.
In accordance with Nassau County Public Health Ordinance, outdoor watering is prohibited between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. New York American Water encourages evening irrigation between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Odd/even outdoor watering works as such:
Watering your lawn or garden should occur only on odd days of the month if your street address is an odd number (i.e., 23 Oak St., 7 Maple Ave.)
Watering your lawn or garden should occur only on even days of the month if your street address is an even number (i.e., 6 Oak St., 354 Maple Ave.)
These regulations would NOT apply to:
Watering of sod or newly seeded lawns if daily watering is required (note: it is recommended that any planting of new sod or seed that has not already taken place be delayed until the fall)
Use of private wells for lawn irrigation
Commercial uses of outdoor water, such as for nurseries, farm stands, power washing, plumbing, and commercial car washes
Watering of athletic fields
While New York American Water is encouraging efficient outdoor water use at this time, if water demands continue to significantly increase or supplies continue to significantly decrease, formal and more strict water restrictions may be needed to ensure continued water service. For more information and more tips on how to conserve water visit here
New York American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest investor-owned water company in New York, providing high-quality and reliable water services to approximately 350,000 people. Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs 6,400 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 15 million people in 47 states and Ontario, Canada. More information can be found at www.amwater.com.
Sports & Recreation, Local News, Press Releases
By Long Island News & PR Published: July 12 2016
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has unveiled two new tools that will help rookie and veteran freshwater anglers alike improve their skills.
Albany, NY - July 11, 2016 - The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has unveiled two new tools that will help rookie and veteran freshwater anglers alike improve their skills, Commissioner Basil Seggos announced today.
DEC has developed a new instructional manual entitled "The I FISH NY Beginners' Guide to Freshwater Fishing." The new manual is part of a series of publications DEC has produced recently designed to get more people involved in the sport of fishing in New York State.
DEC also stocks more than 2.3 million catchable-size brook, brown and rainbow trout in over 309 lakes and ponds and roughly 2,900 miles of streams across the state each spring. To offer a better angling experience, DEC recently collaborated with the Office of Information Technology Services to provide the trout stocking data on the Open NY website.
"Fishing is a proud and economically important tradition in New York and our 'I FISH NY Beginners' Guide to Freshwater Fishing' and the new portal for fish stocking data are both designed to provide detailed information on the best places to fish in New York," Commissioner Seggos said. "People of all ages and angling abilities will find these tools helpful as they fish the more than 7,500 lakes, ponds and reservoirs and 70,000 miles of rivers and streams New York is home to."
The I FISH NY Beginners' Guide to Freshwater Fishing manual can be downloaded at DEC's website. The guide is composed of nine modules:
The Fishes of New York
Basic Fishing Tackle and Techniques
Care of Your Catch
Safe and Responsible Angling
Intermediate Fishing Tackle and Techniques
The Waters of New York
Fisheries Management
Aquatic Life
Ice Fishing
The beginners' guide provides important information for those desiring to get started in the sport of fishing while also providing a resource for educators to teach students on fish and the sport of fishing. The manual will also prove helpful to those conducting free fishing events as part of the Governor's expanded free fishing clinic program. Organizations or groups interested in conducting an event can find instructions and an application form on DEC's website at the Conduct a Free Fishing Clinic webpage.
To give better access to fishing stocking information, DEC collaborated with the Office of Information Technology Services to provide searchable fish stocking data on the Open NY (Data.NY.GOV) website. Previously, the fish stocking information was only available in county listings on the DEC website.
There are two different data sets to choose from the Open NY website:
Current Season Spring Trout Stocking contains the current year DEC spring stocking information for "catchable sized" brown, brook and rainbow trout. This data set will be renewed annually in mid-March.
Fish Stocking Lists from 2011 to 2015 contains the actual fish stockings by DEC and Essex, Onondaga and Warren counties for all fish species. This data set is particularly useful for people who want to fish in "put-grow-and-take" waters where fish are stocked at a small size and allowed to grow to a size anglers can keep. Now, an angler will be able to look back at the stockings over the past five years in their search for a fishing destination. This data set will be updated in May the year after stocking was completed.
There are also two different ways to view the stocking information. The links above will take you to a spread sheet-like dataset that allows you to filter the data on any of the columns (such as County, Waterbody, Species and size). But you can also search the data with a user interface that allows you to search multiple fields and then use graph features to add additional filters. The links for the user interfaces available on the Open NY website are:
The new stocking data sets will help anglers to plan their fishing trips to take advantage of the plentiful fishing opportunities in New York State.
The I FISH NY fishing promotion efforts along with the trout stocking info on the Data.NY.GOV website are part of Governor Cuomo's NY Open for Fishing and Hunting Initiative. This initiative is designed to improve recreational opportunities for sportsmen and women and to boost tourism activities throughout the state. It includes streamlining fishing and hunting licenses, reducing license fees, and improving access to fishing and hunting in New York State.
Under the 2016-17 budget, Governor Cuomo's NY Open for Fishing and Hunting Initiative provides $3 million for State land access projects and $4 million for hunting and fishing infrastructure. The 2015-16 budget also created a new capital account, which, along with federal Pittman-Robertson funds, will be used to manage, protect and restore fish and wildlife habitat and will improve and develop public access for fish and wildlife-related recreation. This year's commitment builds on the previous $6 million in funding for 50 new projects to provide access to approximately 380,000 acres of existing State lands for recreation, including boat launches, bird-watching areas, trails and hunting blinds, and $8 million for upgrades and improvements to fish hatcheries statewide.
Local News, Press Releases
By Long Island News & PR Published: July 12 2016
Upcoming cleanup action to address contamination related to the Suffolk Airport Canine Kennel Site #C152079 (Westhampton Beach, Suffolk Co.) within NY's Brownfield Cleanup Program.
Cleanup action for site include excavation and proper off-site disposal of soils containing in excess of 10ppm of total PCBs.
Westhampton Beach, NY - July 11, 2016 - Action is about to begin that will address the contamination related to the Suffolk Airport Canine Kennel site (site) located at Old Riverhead Road, Westhampton Beach, Suffolk County under New York State's Brownfield Cleanup Program.
The following link opens a fact sheet about upcoming cleanup action to address contamination related to the Suffolk Airport Canine Kennel Site #C152079 (Westhampton Beach, Suffolk Co.) within New York's Brownfield Cleanup Program:
Cleanup Action to Begin at Brownfield Site Fact Sheet
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
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
By Elena Kosolapova Trend:
Preliminary statistics indicates that global oil supply increased by 0.4 million barrels per day to average 94.33 million barrels per day in June 2016 as compared to the previous month, says OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR) for July.
The report also said the increase of both non-OPEC supplies by 0.13 million barrels per day and OPEC crude oil production by 0.26 million barrels per day in June led to the increase of global oil output.
The share of OPEC crude oil in total global production increased slightly by 0.1 percentage point to 34.8 percent in June as compared to 34.7 percent in the previous month, according to MOMR.
Total OPEC crude oil production averaged 32.86 million barrels per day in June, an increase of 264,000 barrels per day over the previous month, says the report. Crude oil output increased mostly in Nigeria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Libya and UAE, while production showed declines in Venezuela and Iraq.
In particular, Irans oil output increased by 77,800 barrels per day to 3.64 million barrels per day in June, while Saudi Arabias oil output increased by 66,500 barrels per day to almost 10.31 million barrels per day.
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Tehran, Iran, July 11
By Mehdi Sepahvand Trend:
There are great opportunities for cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan in oil industry maintenance that if tapped, both countries would enjoy great benefits, Director of Maintenance and Repair at Iran's Ministry of Petroleum Ali Reza Asl-Arabi believes.
Asl-Arabi told Trend July 11 that Azerbaijan will reap a lot of benefits if it uses Iranian expertise for maintaining its oil facilities.
Both in small daily maintenance tasks and periodical repair and maintenance projects, Azerbaijan has been mostly using the services of European and American companies, which entails spending large sums of money due to geographical distance, the use of Western currencies, and other factors, he noted.
BP has plans for two maintenance programs on Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) oilfields in 2016.
BP had two sets of planned maintenance for Azerbaijan last year as well - in May and November.
This is while there are 30 to 35 large companies for maintenance services in Iran. The Iranian oil industry enjoys a history of 110 years. There are many veteran experts who can act as easy-to-access elite leaders and there is also the young cheap workforce that can be mobilized swiftly, the official went on to say.
Asl-Arabi said there is also benefit in cooperation for Iranian companies.
This [cooperation] could act as a starting point for Iranian companies to enter international markets and since Azerbaijani companies are mostly using Western advisors the Iranian companies could get a chance to add to their expertise and prestige, he stated.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the official told Trend that he would also like to see Azerbaijani oil companies offer services to Iran.
It has always been the other way, that is, Iran has been offering engineering services to Azerbaijan, he said, adding, I would love to see Azerbaijani companies coming to Iran.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
By Elena Kosolapova Trend:
Non-OPEC oil supply was revised down by 0.14 million barrels per day from the cartels previous report for June 2016, averaging 56.03 million barrels per day in 2016, says OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR) for July 2016.
The main reasons for this negative revision were the lower output of Canada (in 2Q16, driven by wildfires), US crude oil, other OECD Europe (mainly Italy), Colombia, Australia and China, all of which were partially offset by higher-than-expected growth in Mexico, the UK, Brazil, Congo, Russia and Azerbaijan, says the MOMR.
In its previous report, the cartel forecasted a decline by 0.74 million barrels per day to 56.4 million barrels per day for 2016.
Non-OPEC oil supply in 2017 is projected to decline by 0.11 million barrels per day, to average 55.92 million barrels per day, according to the report for July 2016. Brazil, Canada, Africa other, Congo and Malaysia are the main drivers of growth, while Mexico, the US, Norway, Colombia, China, Kazakhstan and Russia are the main reasons for declines, according to the report.
The report also says that the 2017 forecast is subject to many uncertainties.
Non-OPEC oil supply averaged 57.14 million barrels per day in 2015 (compared to 55.67 million barrels per day in 2014), according to OPEC.
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The Iraqi military seized control of a key airbase that will be instrumental in the campaign to retake the northern city of Mosul from the Islamic State. Their takeover of Qayyarah Airfiled West, or Q-West, coincided with US Secretary of Defense Ash Carters visit to Iraq and the announcement that an additional 560 US troops will be deployed to aid in the Mosul offensive.
With the retaking of Qayyarah West airfield, the Iraqi Security Forces have once again demonstrated a serious will to fight, Carter said, according to a DoD press release. I congratulate them on their recent successes and reaffirm that the United States, along with our coalition partners, will continue to do all we can to support Iraqs effort to serve ISIL [Islamic State] a lasting defeat.
The additional 560 will provide a range of support for Iraqi Security Forces, including infrastructure and logistical capabilities at the airfield near Qayyarah, the DoD press release noted.
Q-West will become a vital springboard for the ISF [Iraqi Security Forces] offensive into Mosul, while Coalition forces will also continue to provide enabler support to Kurdish Peshmerga as they converge on Mosul from Iraqs north.
The loss of Q-West is the latest in a series of defeats for the Islamic State. This year, the Islamic State has lost the following four cities: Ramadi, Fallujah, Baiji, and Sinjar.
The Iraqi military, often backed by Iranian-supported Shia militias, has regained the initiative after a string of defeats beginning in January 2014 that saw nearly one third of the country fall under the Islamic States control.
The Iraqi government has said it hopes to retake Mosul, the last major city in Iraq under Islamic State control, by the end of the year. The Islamic State also controls a large area south of Mosul; most of these areas will need to be cleared before Iraqi forces can enter the city.
Carter said that the Iraqi government and the US are working to hasten ISILs lasting defeat.
However, the Islamic States predecessor, the Islamic State of Iraq (a front for al Qaeda in Iraq), has already suffered significant losses during the US military surge from 2007 to 2011 and recovered since then. The Islamic State in Iraq was forced to abandon areas it controlled and reverted to conducting guerrilla attacks, assassinations, and suicide attacks while regenerating its losses. Additionally, the Islamic State took advantage of the Syrian civil war to establish a branch there (Al Nusrah Front). By January 2014, the Islamic State in Iraq overran Fallujah and by June of the same year, it overran much of northern, central, and western Iraq.
The Islamic State appears to be following the same strategy in Iraq. Its forces are not fighting to the death in Iraqs cities, but have largely melted away as Iraqi troops and Shia militias advance. As it has withdrawn its forces from cities and towns it controls, it has stepped up suicide attacks throughout the country. In the first six months of 2016, the Islamic State has claimed credit for nearly 600 suicide attacks.
Carter and the Iraqi government have not discussed how military actions alone will hasten ISILs lasting defeat. There has been no discussion as to how the Coalition will combat the Islamic States powerful and appealing ideology, which is based on a radical interpretation of Islam. Additionally, the use of Shia militias to combat the Islamic State provides recruiting fodder for the Islamic State, which has warned Sunnis that Iran is directing Iraqs government.
Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.
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Editors note: Below is Bill Roggios testimony before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade and the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific. A PDF of the testimony, with footnotes, can be downloaded here.
Chairman Poe and Chairman Salmon, Ranking Members Keating and Sherman, and other members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me here today to speak about Pakistan and its support for terrorist groups that threaten the security of the United States and its allies.
This Committee rightly asks the question of whether Pakistan is a friend or foe in the fight against terrorism. While Pakistani officials and forces have assisted the U.S. in hunting senior al Qaeda figures at times, Pakistans overall strategy is pro-jihadist and therefore puts it in the foe category. Pakistan does battle some terrorist groups within its borders, but it only does so because these groups pose a direct threat to the state.
Pakistan myopically supports a host of terrorist groups in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India to further its goals in the region. Pakistan backs these groups despite the fact that they are allied with and aid the very terrorist groups that fight the Pakistani state. In addition, many of the jihadist groups sponsored by Pakistan are allied with al Qaeda.
Today I will highlight six major groups directly supported or tolerated by Pakistans establishment: the Afghan Taliban and its subgroup, the Haqqani Network; the Mullah Nazir Group, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Harakat-ul-Mujahideen, and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Each of these groups is used by Pakistan as an instrument of its foreign policy. These six groups are by no means the only terrorist organizations supported by Pakistan, they are merely the most prominent.
Pakistan uses these six groups and others as a counterweight against what its policy makers perceive to be Pakistans greatest threat: India. However, the jihadist ideology has also spread throughout Pakistan as a result of policies adopted by the countrys military elite. Therefore, we should not underestimate the degree to which these groups are supported for ideological reasons.
Pakistan, a country of 182 million people, does not possess the manpower to counter India, a nation of 1.25 billion. Pakistan and India have been in a virtual state of war since Partition in 1947. The two countries have fought four active wars in 1947, 1965, 1971, and 1999. Each of these wars was initiated by Pakistan, and ended in defeats. Pakistani strategists have determined that to counter India, it must use unconventional means, including supporting jihadist groups.
Strategic Depth
To compensate for its inability to achieve victory on conventional battlefields against India, Pakistan implemented its own version of strategic depth in Afghanistan. Pakistan has supported groups in Afghanistan in order to deny India influence in its backyard, as well as to allow the nation to serve as a fallback in case of an Indian invasion.
Pakistan capitalized on the chaos in Afghanistan post-Soviet withdrawal and hunted for a group that would serve its purposes. With the rise of Mullah Omars Taliban faction in the early 1990s, Pakistan military and intelligence officers assigned to implement strategic depth saw the perfect partner: a powerful jihadist political movement that was gaining popularity throughout the country and was capable of sustaining military advances. Pakistan provided military and financial support to Omars faction, which successfully established the Islamic Emirate of the Taliban in 1996 and controlled upwards of 90 percent of the country until the US invasion in 2001.
In addition to securing a friendly government in Afghanistan, Pakistan used the country as both a training and a recruiting ground for a host of jihadist groups that fight in India-occupied Kashmir.
Good vs Bad Taliban
In order to justify its policy of support to jihadist groups, Pakistani elites have attempted to distinguish between what are referred to as good Taliban and bad Taliban. Simply stated, the so-called good Taliban are groups that advance Pakistans foreign policy goals and do not threaten the state or wage war within its borders. Good Taliban and other groups deemed acceptable by the Pakistani establishment include the Afghan Taliban, the Haqqani Network, the Mullah Nazir Group, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Harakat-ul-Mujahideen, and Jaish-e-Mohammed. These groups conduct numerous heinous acts of terrorism in the region, and are directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of American soldiers and civilians, and yet are supported by the Pakistani state.
Bad Taliban are any jihadist faction that challenges the primacy of the Pakistani state. These groups include the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, the Turkistan Islamic Party, and the weakened Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. The Pakistani military has pursued these groups in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province with some success. However, when targeting these groups, the military has avoided pursuing groups such as the Haqqani Network, which provided shelter and support for the bad Taliban.
Pakistani officials have denied that it pursues a policy of strategic depth and differentiates between good and bad Taliban, or alternatively, have claimed it will no longer differentiate between the two. However, these claims are false. This is demonstrated in Pakistans continuing support for the aforementioned groups and others, as well as an unwillingness to round up leaders and key operatives of these groups.
The Afghan Taliban
Pakistans support for the Afghan Taliban is well documented. It helped establish the group in the 1990s and continues to support it to this day. Hamid Gul, the former head of the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI), Pakistans military intelligence agency that developed and implemented the policy of strategic depth, is known as the father of the Taliban for his role in directing support to the Taliban. (Gul is also known as the Godfather of terrorism for his support of global jihadist groups.) The term father of the Taliban isnt reserved only for Gul; Maulana Sami ul Haq, the director of the radical Darul Uloom Haqqania madrassa, also hold this title. His madrassa feeds thousands of new recruits to the Taliban on a regular basis.
Afghanistans insurgency continues to be fueled by Pakistans military and intelligence services to this day. The Talibans Quetta Shura, or supreme decision making council, has been based in the Pakistani city of the same name as well as elsewhere. The Talibans four regional military commands all are named after Pakistani cities (Quetta, Peshawar, Miramshah, Gerdi Jangal).
The Talibans top leadership has been based inside Pakistan, with the knowledge and approval of the military and ISI. The Talibans first two emirs died while in Pakistan. Mullah Omar, the Talibans founder and first emir, died in a Pakistani hospital near Quetta in April 2013. His successor, Mullah Mansour, was killed by the US in a drone strike in Baluchistan two months ago. They and other senior, middle and lower level leaders have operated inside Pakistan without consequence.
Pakistans border areas with Afghanistan serve as the life blood of the Taliban.
While all of Pakistan is jihadist friendly, the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan are flush with Taliban recruiting centers, training camps, safe houses, and financial hubs. Taliban commanders freely admit that the ISI arms them and provides safe haven and training camps inside Pakistan.
Meanwhile, radical madrassas throughout the country indoctrinate Pakistani youth into the jihadist worldview and send them off to fight for the Taliban and other allied groups.
The Haqqani Network
The Haqqani Network (HQN) is listed by the US as a Foreign Terrorist Organization for its support of al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. It is an integral part of the Taliban. Its founder, Jalaluddin Haqqani, is a member of the Quetta Shura, while his son is one of the two deputy emirs to Mullah Haibatullah, the new leader of the Taliban. Thirteen senior HQN are listed by the US as specially designated global terrorists; most, including Sirajuddin, have been directly linked to al Qaeda. Several top al Qaeda leaders were killed in US counterterrorism operations while being sheltered by HQN.
Deadly HQN attacks inside Afghanistan have been directly traced back to Pakistan. In one instance in 2011, HQN handlers, including Badruddin Haqqani, directed an assault on a hotel in Kabul from Pakistan, according to Afghanistans National Directorate of Security. A similar attack took place in Jalalabad that same year.
In Pakistan, the HQN is based in North Waziristan and has a presence in other Pakistani tribal agencies, such as Kurram, The Haqqanis run the notorious Manba Ulom madrassa in Miramshah, North Waziristan.
Despite the HQNs overt links to al Qaeda, the group remains a darling of Pakistans military and ISI. When the Pakistani military conducts operations in the FATA, it deliberately avoids the HQN. While Pakistani leaders insist the Haqqanis are not excluded from operations, not a single senior, mid-level, or junior leader has been killed or captured during Pakistani operations in the FATA from 2008 to date.
The Mullah Nazir Group
The Mullah Nazir Group is a Pakistani Taliban faction that operates in South Waziristan. The US government listed it as a specially designated global terrorist entity in 2013 and said it has run training camps, dispatched suicide bombers, provided safe haven for al Qaeda fighters, and conducted cross-border operations in Afghanistan against the United States and its allies. Its current leader, Bahawal Khan, and his deputy, sub-commander Malang, are also listed by the US as specially designated global terrorists.
Its former leader, Mullah Nazir, who was killed in a US drone strike, identified himself as a leader of al Qaeda and said he shared the groups views on global jihad. Multiple al Qaeda leaders have been killed while sheltering with the Mullah Nazir Group. The Pakistani military provided the Mullah Nazir Group with direct support when it clashed with rival members of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.
Despite the Mullah Nazir Groups direct ties to al Qaeda, Pakistan has viewed it as an ally in the tribal areas. Like the Haqqani Network, the Mullah Nazir Group was left untouched when the Pakistani military launched operations that targeted the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan.
Lashkar-e-Taiba
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is perhaps the most blatant example of Pakistans support for jihadists groups. Listed by the US as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, it was founded by its leader, Hafiz Saeed, along with Osama bin Laden and Abdullah Azzam, the godfather of international jihad. Bin Laden helped LeT establish training camps in Afghanistans provinces of Kunar and Paktia, where it continues to operates to this day. LeT shares al Qaedas goal of establishing an Islamic state in South Asia and beyond.
LeT operates openly inside Pakistan and has offices throughout the country. Markaz-e-Taiba, its headquarters in Muridke near Lahore, is a sprawling complex that is used to indoctrinate future jihadists before they are sent off for military training. The provincial government of Punjab has financed Markaz-e-Taiba in the past.
This terrorist infrastructure was used to conduct egregious terrorist attacks in India and Afghanistan. The most prominent attack took place in Mumbai, India, when a suicide assault team fanned out across the city and targeted multiple locations, including a theater, a train station, hotels and a Jewish center and killed 164 people. The attack lasted for three days. Indian intelligence traced phone calls back to handlers in Pakistan as the assault was ongoing. The handlers directed its fighters to execute non-Muslims, often brutally, and laughed when their instructions were carried out. After the attack, Interpol issued arrest warrants for two serving senior Pakistani army officers and a retired major.
Despite LeTs overt ties to al Qaeda and its campaign of terror in India and Afghanistan, the Pakistani government refuses to crack down on this group. Its complexes in Muridke and throughout the country remain open, and its leaders operate unfettered. Hafiz Saeed is feted by Pakistani officials, who refuse to hold him and other LeT leaders accountable for their actions. Not a single member of LeT who has been implicated in the Mumbai attack has been prosecuted.
Harakat-ul-Mujahideen
Harakat-ul-Mujahideen is yet another Pakistan-based jihadist group that has been listed by the US as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Its emir, Fazle-ur-Rahman Khalil, is also named by the US as a specially designated global terrorist.
In an update to the US designation of HuM in 2014, the US noted that it operates in Pakistan, and engages in terrorist activity in Kashmir, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and also operates terrorist training camps in eastern Afghanistan. These camps are thought to be in existence to this day.
Khalil, like LeTs Saeed, is a made man inside Pakistan. In 2011, it was reported that he lived openly near the capital of Islamabad. Khalil is one of the jihadists Osama bin Laden consulted before issuing his infamous fatwa declaring war against the US in 1998. Khalil also signed the fatwa. Osama bin Ladens courier was reportedly tied to HuM, which may have played a role in the al Qaeda masters support network inside Pakistan. HuM has also acted like a feeder organization for al Qaedas newest regional branch, Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), which was officially established in September 2014. Asim Umar, the emir of AQIS, is a former member of HuM.
Khalil has dispatched fighters to India, Afghanistan, Somalia, Chechnya and Bosnia, was a confidante of bin Laden and hung out with 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the Associated Press reported in 2011. Pakistani authorities are clearly aware of Khalils whereabouts, AP continued. But they leave him alone, just as they tolerate other Kashmiri militant groups nurtured by the military and its intelligence agency to use against India.
And like LeT, Pakistan has done nothing to crack down on HuM and its activities in Afghanistan and Kashmir.
Jaish-e-Mohammed
The US government has listed Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) as a Foreign Terrorist organization and its leader, Massod Azhar, as a specially designated global terrorist for their ties to al Qaeda and other jihadist groups.
Like LeT and HuM, JeM is supported by Pakistans military and ISI because it is hostile to India and wages jihad in Afghanistan. In its 2010 designation of Azhar, the US Treasury Department said that JeM recruitment posters in Pakistan contained a call from Azhar for volunteers to join the fight in Afghanistan against Western forces.
JeM was implicated along with the Lashkar-e-Taiba as being behind the Dec. 13, 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament building in New Delhi. Sheikh Ahmed Saeed Omar, a close associate of Azhar, was behind the kidnapping of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. Pearl was later beheaded.
Most recently, Indian officials implicated JeM in the January 2016 assault on an Pathankot Air Force Base in India. Like other attacks, Indian intelligence intercepted phone call of Pakistan-based handlers directing the assault team as they attacked the base.
Despite JeMs terrorist activities, Pakistan has not taken action against the group. India has made repeated requests for extradition of Azhar, only to be ignored.
A failure to act
Pakistans intransigence towards jihadist groups has not escaped the attention of the US government. In its Country Reports on Terrorism 2015, the State Department issued a scathing rebuke of Pakistans failure to police jihadist groups in the region.
Pakistan did not take substantial action against the Afghan Taliban or HQN, or substantially limit their ability to threaten US interests in Afghanistan, the report noted.
Pakistan has also not taken sufficient action against other externally-focused groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), which continued to operate, train, organize, and fundraise in Pakistan, State continued. Additionally, State noted that groups continue to fundraise without consequence and Hafiz Saeed was able to make frequent public appearances in support of the organizations objectives, without Pakistan raising a finger to stop him.
State did not explain why Pakistan refuses to crack down on terrorist groups in its midst, but it is clear that the military and government considers jihadist organizations as a strategic asset and some see the jihadists as their ideological brethren.
Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.
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Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
By Emil Ilgar Trend:
Irans monthly lucrum cessans (an actual loss) because of delaying the implementation of new oil and gas contracts, called Iran Petroleum contract, reached $4 billion, Mehdi Hosseini, head of Iranian Ministry of Petroleums Oil Contracts Revision Committee said July 10, Shana reported.
He said that the country's proved oil reserves stand at 500-600 billion barrels, but the oil recovery index is around 25 percent.
It means Iran in natural conditions can extract only 25 percent of reserves and for further extraction it needs to enhance the recovery rate.
According to the OPEC's annual report, Iran possesses 158 billion recoverable proved oil reserves, a figure that indicate the current recovery rate in Iran stands at around 25 percent.
Iran would sign the first new model oil contract in 3-4 months, Amir Hossein Zamaninia, deputy petroleum minister for international and commerce affairs, said July 10.
"Iran's priority is to develop the joint fields, as well as enhance the recovery index", Shaha quoted Zamaninia as saying during a press conference in Tehran.
In 2015, the Iranian Oil Ministry unveiled its new oil contracts called Iran Petroleum Contracts (IPCs), aimed at luring foreign fund and technology.
He added that for the next five years, developing up/mid/downstream projects, worth $185 billion have been projected, while it is expected to attract $40-$50 billion (foreign) investment for developing these projects.
Currently, Iran produces 735 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d) of raw gas as well as 3.5 million barrels per day (mb/d) of crude oil.
Iran has planned to increase these figures to 1.1 mcm/d and 5 mb/d by 2021.
Luton is a large town, borough and unitary authority area of Bedfordshire. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 258,000. Luton is home to Championship team Luton Town Football Club, London Luton Airport and The University of Bedfordshire. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter. For all the latest news from Luton sign up to our newsletter here.
Ischia Voted Best Island in Europe & Third Best Island in the World
And the recently announced 2016 World's Best Awards included a major first: voting the Italian island of Ischia as 'Best in Europe,' and third 'Best in the World.'"This is a tremendous honor for Ischia," says Giancarlo Carriero, proprietor of the island's iconic Regina Isabella Hotel, which has been welcoming celebrities and the glamorati since it opened in 1956. Sometimes known as Hollywood's Mediterranean home, the Regina Isabella - with its elegant spa whose hot springs were discovered by Greek seafarers 2,500 years ago - has welcomed superstars from Cary Grant to Maria Callas to Elizabeth Taylor to Matt Damon and Gwyneth Paltrow. "The fact that the magazine's readers have rated Ischia ahead of Hawaii and Bali is tremendously gratifying," says Carriero.Often characterized as "the other Capri," Ischia is a 30-minute boat ride from Naples. One of the island's annual summer guests is German chancellor Angela Merkel; this week, the Regina Isabella is welcoming a host of international celebrities for the island's annual Ischia Global Film & Music Fest - including Dionne Warwick, Danny DeVito, Tim Robbins, Jeremy Irons, Gerard Butler and Danny Glover.The world's top ten islands, according to Travel+Leisure readers are: (1) Palawan, Philippines, (2) Boracay, Philippines, (3) Ischia, (4) Waiheke Island, New Zealand, (5) Santorini, Greece, (6) Cebu, Philippines, (7) Maui, (8) Hilton Head, (9) Kauai, (10) Bali.For more information about the Hotel Regina Isabella, please visit
New Experience Showcases the Quintessential Hamptons Lifestyle
Luxury helicopter transportation to/from New York City (or other locations in the Northeast) is provided by Wings Air, a New York-based helicopter operator flying safely since its inception in 2002. Wings Air's state-of-the-art helicopters can fly the 90-mile, normally 3-4 hour trip between Manhattan and the East End just under an hour, skipping all traffic. Helicopters can carry 2-6 passengers, are air-conditioned and equipped with various in-flight comforts.Upon arrival at East Hampton Airport, guests are greeted by their Hamptonite guide for the day and transported in a luxury vehicle stocked with champagne. The experience can be customized with a guided tour of Sag Harbor village with over 400 years of history, art galleries or shopping before lunch. Lunch is served at the Topping Rose House, the Hamptons' first and only full-service luxury hotel and restaurant or it can be packed up as a beach picnic lunch upon request.After lunch a visit to Wolffer Estate Vineyard is arranged to sample the best wines of Bridgehampton Wine Country. For guests flying in by helicopter, a special afternoon indulgence treat is prepared by The Hamptonite Club: a private showing of a quintessential Hamptons estate in the Amagansett estate section. All in the experience takes about 4-5 hours and ends with a private chopper ride from East Hampton back to Manhattan. Wings Air sweetens the deal with a quick aerial tour of the Manhattan Skyline before landing at one of the Midtown heliports. Rates start at $6,500 for 2 people.
Qatar Airways Wins World's Best Business Class
Air travelers chose Qatar Airways as the World's Best Business Class in the 2016 World Airline Awards, also voting the airline top for Best Business Class Airline Lounge and the Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East. The consumer-voted awards recognized the airline for its commitment to offering passengers an unrivaled traveling experience.Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: It is a very proud moment for Qatar Airways to be named World's Best Business Class, Best Business Class Airline Lounge and Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East by the prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards, not only for myself, but for every individual at Qatar Airways who creates the passengers' experience from our on-board cabin crew to the chefs overseeing our catering, to the technicians who ensure the cabin is in perfect working order. Our commitment to continued success is unwavering and a testament to the dedication of our global teams. The airline's renowned service, modern aircraft and luxurious cabins, combined with an expanding global network, continue to set Qatar Airways apart from the competition.The Skytrax World Airline Awards are widely known as the Passengers Choice Awards with millions of travelers, from 160 different countries, participating in passenger satisfaction surveys to decide the winners each year.Over the last year Qatar Airways announced an unprecedented expansion of its network with 13 new destinations launching in 2016 including Adelaide, Atlanta, Birmingham, Boston, Chiang Mai, Seychelles and Sydney.The airline continues to grow in 2017, and will commence services to further new destinations including Auckland, which will be the world's longest flight, Lusaka, Skopje and Nice.Qatar Airways, the national carrier of the State of Qatar, is one of the fastest growing airlines operating one of the youngest fleets in the world. Now in its 19th year of operations, Qatar Airways has a modern fleet of 186 aircraft flying to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations across six continents.Visit website:
Seabourn and Molton Brown Launch Exclusive Signature Scents Collection
It marks the latest launch of the 14-year collaboration between the award-winning cruise line and the London-based fragrance pioneers. Molton Brown's expertise at blending rare ingredients is combined with Seabourn's spirit of discovering the ocean's hidden gems to craft immersive, sophisticated body and hair collections.Available onboard all three ships as complimentary bath amenities in guest suites, the Seabourn Signature Scents collection evokes boundless nautical adventures, inviting guests to explore secret treasures that wait in ports the line visits around the globe. Additionally, in early 2017, the Seabourn Signature Scents will be available for sale.Two exclusive Seabourn Signature Scents were blended from four unique ingredients sourced from the coastlines that Seabourn ships explore: Immersive Samphire & Eucalyptus - The uplifting aromas of fresh samphire from the rocky, salt-sprayed Atlantic coast of France and enlivening eucalyptus from China are balanced with cardamom, cedarwood, violet and mint for a captivating finish in the body lotion and bath & shower gel. Perfumer Philippe Bousseton, who developed the blend, describes the Seabourn Signature Scent as, "a revitalizing and very fresh blend ideal for bathing, reminiscent of the sea and, ultimately, of the Seabourn experience." Inspiring Basil & Vetiver - Mirroring the relaxing, sanctuary-like ambience of The Spa at Seabourn, this scent blends Vietnamese basil oil and aromatic vetiver from Haiti with cardamom, bergamot, cedarwood and petitgrain for a shampoo and conditioner. Perfumer Heidrun Harder crafted the combination and describes the scent as, "very sophisticated, rounded and clean, with aromatic notes perfect for hair care."Guests can enjoy the distinctive aromas of Seabourn Signature Scents, which are arriving now, onboard all Seabourn cruise ships, as well as on the line's newest vessel, Seabourn Encore, launching in December 2016.For more details about the award-winning Seabourn fleet, or to explore the worldwide selection of Seabourn cruising options, contact a professional travel advisor, call Seabourn at 1-800-929-9391 or visit
Tehran, Iran, July 11
By Mehdi Sepahvand Trend:
Today there are very good conditions for improving economic and trade relations between Iran and Azerbaijan, Iranian Ambassador to Baku Mohsen Pakaeen said.
Addressing a trilateral business meeting between Iran, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan in Tehran on July 10, Pakaeen said the present Iranian administrations policy of improving international relations, Tehrans pursuit of win-win situations, and a political will shared by Iran and Azerbaijan have improved the chances of growing economic ties between the two neighboring countries, Trend correspondent reported.
After the Ukraine crisis, tensions grew between Russia and Europe, which increased Irans chances for finding good agricultural and food markets in Azerbaijan as well as Russia, he noted.
The Ambassador went on to say that Iran and Azerbaijan can cooperate in three areas of transit, trade, and energy.
Both governments are following a policy to fortify their economies. Here bilateral trade can be a useful tool.
He added that thanks to efforts by Tehran as well as Azerbaijans Ambassador to Iran Bunyad Huseynov, now visa issuance has become much easier so much so that Iranian and Azeri businessmen can receive their visas in one day.
There is also a bilateral agreement to remove tolls for commercial trucks, according to which 5,000 drivers on each side receive special coupons to bypass tolls, he noted.
He also pointed to tourism as another lucrative industry to be developed between Iran and Azerbaijan. Each year about one million Azerbaijanians visit Iran. Each of them spends between $500 and $1,000 here, he said.
Commenting on transit, Pakaeen said as Iran and Azerbaijan are working on the North-South Corridor, the two countries can transfer goods that have been dispatched from India to Georgia, Russia, and even Finland.
The $2 Million Dollar Dining Experience
The world's most expensive dining experience, priced at USD $2,000,000 for 2 diners, is being presented by Russian-based(WOD) Group in collaboration withSingapore - a lifestyle destination under the Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH) Group.Russian diamond behemoth WORLD OF DIAMONDS Group is celebrating 15 years together with CE LA VI Singapore the destination launched by L Capital Asia, the Asian private equity business sponsored by Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH) which is counting 6 years.When the masters of diamonds and lifestyle join forces, you can expect no compromise for the worlds most expensive, and exclusive culinary experience, for two diners only. Mr Karan Tilani, Director of the WOD Group, states, CE LA VI is a diamond in the sky. This could be the ultimate proposal, an exceptional occasion, or simply a celebration of life."The 8-hour retreat begins with a phenomenal air, land and sea journey commencing with a 45 minute helicopter ride offering scenic wonders of Singapore, a chauffeured Rolls-Royce drive, followed by a luxury private cruise. As the duo rise elegantly upon CE LA VIs highly coveted venue atop the 57th floor of Marina Bay Sands Hotel, the sight and scent of 10,000 fresh roses set against breathtaking 360-degree views would redefine them. The gastronomic adventure, an 18-course Modern Asian degustation menu, would then be served during sunset.While in complete privacy (the sanctuary will be reserved in their honor), the culinary voyage includes Fresh Belon Oyster with Champagne foam, Almas Caviar, Jamon Iberico, Gewurztraminer-Poached Foie Gras, Veal Liver, Lamb Sweetbread, Bresse Poulet Consomme, Striped Seabass, Air-Flown Alaska Wild Salmon, Verjus Sorbet, Slow Cooked Pigeon, Glenvale Pork Loin and Apple-Wood Grilled Mishima Sirloin. Among the planets most extraordinary tipples, alongside 44 and 55 year-old vintage wines, are paired with the spectacular menu; 1988 Salon S champagne, 2008 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, 1996 Domaine de la RomaneeConti, Romanee-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, 1961 Chateau Haut-Brion and 1972 Oremus Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos.During the candle-lit affair (set both indoors and al fresco style), the guests shall dine with diamond-studded chopsticks (engraved with their names), while being seated luxuriously in custom-made designer furniture. The grand armchairs, fabricated by The Plush and configured to the diners home and personality, would eventually make their way to the couples residence.Complementing the ambience is not only the live band; WORLD OF DIAMONDS Group has introduced an unforgettable star-studded recognition to the evening. The Jane Seymour, a beyond rare 2.08 carat Fancy Vivid Blue diamond ring, would be presented in a delectable savory. The high jewelry masterpiece, created to celebrate the accomplishments of illustrious A-lister Jane Seymour, OBE, is encrusted with a cushion-cut sparkler that flaunts a mesmerizing blue hue. Seymour had worn and personally endorsed The Jane Seymour during a lavish dinner celebration at CE LA VI Singapore in April this year, and while the creation is in no hurry to be sold, it is the worlds only celebrity ring that isnt pre-owned.To mark the exhilarating moment when the ring finally graces the divine one at midnight, Louis XIII de Remy Martin cognac would be served, complete with an extravagant fireworks display to the envy of the universe. At CE LA VI, we live to create unique experiences that stimulate the senses, elevate the spirit, amplify passion and fuel the pursuit of pleasure. This ($2,000,000 dining experience) done conjointly with our esteemed partner, WORLD OF DIAMONDS Group, is the zenith of all experiences, stated Mr David Sarner, CEO of CE LA VI Singapore. The conglomerates behind this offering are willing to extend the hospitality for a nights stay, if necessary. After all, c'est la vie.Even if you accept the eye-watering price tag however, there is a prerequisite. The enchanting experience will only be sold to a qualified individual at the discretion of both WORLD OF DIAMONDS Group and CE LA VI.
Kollam: Nearly three month after the tragedy at the 100-year-old Puttingal Devi Temple, Kerala High Court on Monday granted bail to all the accused in the temple tragedy. The Court granted bail to all the 43 accused in the case after the police failed to submit the charge sheet even after 90 days.
In a worst pyrotechnic tragedy in the history of Kerala, at least 106 people were killed and 383 people were injured. Police had registered a case of attempt to murder and other offences against six persons including the temple management committee.
Tehran, Iran, July 11
By Mehdi Sepahvand Trend:
The owners of private enterprises in Iran should expect good news about a change in social security insurance tax rates, Tehran Chamber of Commerce Secretary Fatemeh Moqimi said.
Tehran Chamber President Hossein Khansari held meetings with First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri which, coming out with some good results, Moqimi told Trend July 10.
However, she did not provide further details, saying, Let the official news come out as a piece of legislation after a prospective meeting.
By the meeting she was referring to one that was promised by the Parliament and Ministry of Industry a day earlier during a ceremony marking Irans Industry Day. During the meeting, several industrialists raised concern over the heavy tax they have to pay to the Social Security Organization.
The law requires Iranian enterprises to pay the equal of 30 percent of their paid salaries and wages to the organization for insurance.
After business owners in the festival on July 9 successively complained that the heavy taxation has deprived them of the chance to attend to developmental projects, they were promised a chance to plea before the Parliament and Ministry of Industry in a few days.
In the meantime, Ministry of Industry Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh speaking to Trend after the festival downplayed the meeting and said that changing the law would not be easy.
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi today appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain calm so that the situation can normalise in the violence-hit Valley even as he hoped that no innocent person faces inconvenience or loss. Chairing a high-level meeting here on the situation in Kashmir Valley, where 24 people have lost lives in the protests triggered by the killing of Hizbul militant commander Burhan Wani, Modi voiced concern over the situation in the state. "He has appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain peace so that the situation can normalise. He also expressed hope that no innocent person should face any kind of inconvenience or loss," Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said after the meeting.
The Prime Minister also expressed satisfaction over the progress of the Amarnath Yatra and said whatever help needed by the state government will be provided by the Centre. Singh said the Prime Minister voiced concern over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, gave guidance and also appealed for peace. The meeting was convened within hours of Modi's return from his visit to four African countries. The Prime Minister was given a detailed presentation of the situation prevailing in the Valley which has witnessed escalating protests following the killing of Wani on Friday.
The meeting was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar among others. "The Prime Minister kept taking updates about the Jammu and Kashmir situation during his visit abroad. The biggest evidence of his concern is that he called this review meeting within hours of returning from the tour and took details," Singh told reporters. Yesterday, Parrikar, Jaitley and Doval, who returned a day earlier from Africa where he was accompanying the Prime Minister, had met to discuss the situation.
PTI
Sofia is ready to become a corridor for export of Iran products to the European countries, visiting Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said on Monday, IRNA reported.
He made the remarks in a meeting with President Hassan Rouhani.
Sofia is committed to boost all-out ties with Iran, Borissov said.
He underlined that Bulgaria and Iran ties should enhance to a significant and unmatched level.
Bulgaria can become the gate for entrance of Iran to the European market, Borissov added.
He referred to the deep historical and cultural relations between Iranian and Bulgarian people and noted that the ground is ready for promotion of ties between Tehran and Sofia.
Sofia is trying to create a new corridor for Iran in the region to facilitate export of Iranian products to the European market, the Bulgarian premier said.
Iranian and Bulgarian officials inked three agreements on cooperation here on Monday.
The inking ceremony was held in the presence of Iran's First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri and visiting Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.
Technology and communications, joint investment and industry have been the fields of the agreements.
Borissov, heading a high-ranking economic delegation, arrived in Tehran late on Sunday.
On Monday morning, he was welcomed by Jahangiri in the cultural and historical complex of Saadabad in north of Tehran.
Maritime Cook Islands (MCI) has authorized the China Classification Society (CCS) as a Recognized Organization (RO), to conduct survey and certification of ships flying the Cook Islands flag.
The formal agreement between MCI and CCS which is a full member of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), will significantly open up opportunities for the Cook Islands Flag in China and will benefit shipowners in the region.
Shipowners in China can now use CCS for all certification services including Load Lines, Safety Construction, Safety Equipment, all MARPOL certificates ISM, ISPS and MLC. This translates essentially into costs savings for shipowners and more importantly, the upholding of the highest certification standards for the promotion and safeguarding of the safety of life and property at sea and for the prevention of pollution to the marine environment.
Up to now, CCS has been authorized by the administrations of more than 36 countries or regions to perform statutory surveys for the ships flying their flags, and recognized by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and the European Union (EU), which demonstrates CCSqualification and competence to the international community.
Glenn Armstrong, CEO of Maritime Cook Islands, said: We are extremely pleased and excited to share this now and also to be linked to such an established and well respected organisation. I am certain that our clients will stand to gain the most from this and wewill look forward to continually improve our services and offerings to ourshipowners who have chosen to flag their ships with MCI. This is in line with our goal to become a world class flag registry and we anticipate to announce more of such initiatives later in the year.
CCS Chairman and President, Sun Licheng is also pleased with the tie-up and he commented: The Cook Islands Ship Registry is a well- respected ship registry which has a growing book of Chinese shipowners. We are glad to be partnering with the Maritime Cook Islands. In collaboration with MCI, we will continue to provide better services to the maritime industry and accomplish our historical mission of ensuring safer shipping and cleaner seas.
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division has installed the deckhouse on the amphibious assault ship Tripoli (LHA 7), a major event in the ships construction schedule which begins the integration of the three largest sections of the ship. The deckhouse was installed three weeks ahead of schedule.
The installation was no small feat, according to Premo Sabbatini, LHA 7 program director. The deckhouse is comprised of five deck levels and includes radio and radar spaces, the primary flight control station, and the pilot house, he said. The estimated lift weight for the deckhouse is 701 short tons and required three cranes to complete this task. Performing this milestone ahead of schedule is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our shipbuilders.
Like USS America (LHA 6) delivered in 2014, Tripoli will have an increased aviation capacity to include an enlarged hangar deck, realignment and expansion of the aviation maintenance facilities, a significant increase in available stowage for parts and support equipment, and increased aviation fuel capacity, the shipbuilder said. The ship will be able to operate as the flagship for an Expeditionary Strike Group.
Ingalls has built five Tarawa-class (LHA 1) ships as well as eight Wasp-class (LHD 1) ships, and was recently awarded a contract for LHA 8.
Ingalls Shipbuilding continues to be the builder of choice when it comes to the construction of amphibious warships for the U.S. Navy, said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias. We are benefitting from serial production, including our process of rolling over the same shipbuilding crews to work on the large-deck amphibious ships. Its a busy time on LHA 7, and our construction milestones continue to clock in ahead of schedule. We look forward to delivering another quality amphibious ship to our customer in 2018.
Tripoli will be the third ship to bear the name that commemorates the capture of Derna in 1805 by a small force of U.S. Marines and approximately 370 soldiers from 11 other nations. The battle, memorialized in the Marines Hymn with the line to the shores of Tripoli, brought about a successful conclusion to the combined operations of the First Barbary War.
1798 - President John Adams signs an act that reestablishes the Marine Corps under the Constitution. The following day, Maj. William W. Burrows is appointed Commandant of the Marine Corps.
1918 - Henry Ford launches the first of the 100 intended Eagle boats. These boats have a solid cement bow, especially built for ramming and sinking submarines. Note, production is halted after (PE 60), though some of the boats continue to serve as training and transport vessels until 1947.
1943 - Gunfire from U.S. cruisers and destroyers stop German and Italian tank attacks against Army beachhead at Gela, Sicily. Troop transport SS Robert Rowan is set afire by air attack and explodes. USS Orizaba (AP 24) rescues all hands of 421 troops, merchant marines and guards.
1944 - USS Sealion (SS 315), in the Yellow Sea off the west coast of Korea, near Shosei Jima, sinks two Japanese freighters.
1953 - Marine Maj. John F. Bolt, during the Korean War, becomes the first jet ace in Marine Corps history when he shoots down his 5th and 6th MIG 15 while leading a four plane (F 86) flight in an attack on four MIG's east of Sinui-Ju.
1987 - USS Helena (SSN 725) is commissioned at Groton, Conn. The Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarine is the fourth named for the capitol of Montana.
(Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division)
Rising imports fueled higher container traffic at the Port of Long Beach in June, leading to a 3.4 percent overall volume increase over the same month last year, the port reported.
The Port of Long Beach handled 603,339 TEUs (twenty-foot-equivalent units) during the month. Of those, 313,526 were inbound containers, a gain of 5.5 percent year-over-year. Exports were flat for the month at 128,099 TEUs, 0.1 percent lower than June 2015. Empties edged up to 161,714 TEUs, a 2.2 percent increase. Year-to-date total volume is down 0.6 percent compared to the first six months of 2015.
U.S. warehouse inventories have been lingering at high levels since 2014, contributing to a sluggish ocean trade environment. West Coast ports have been experiencing import gains in recent months, however.
Our improving cargo volumes reflect the confidence that customers continue to have in the port of Long Beach, said CEO Jon Slangerup. This is an encouraging sign despite soft consumer demand, high inventory levels and an evolving maritime industry as shipping lines continue to consolidate vessel services.
U.S. GDP growth in the first quarter has been revised up to 1.1 percent from a previously estimated 0.8 percent. In the past two years, a slow first quarter has been followed by a rebounding second quarter. Economic experts have suggested growth could top 2 percent in the second quarter.
As the July-to-October peak shipping season arrives, were going to continue providing world-class service to our stakeholders, said Harbor Commission President Lori Ann Guzman. These results are a reminder that Long Beach is the fastest gateway to American consumer markets for trade from Asia.
With an ongoing $4 billion program to modernize its facilities this decade, the Port of Long Beach is building the port of the Future by investing in capital and service improvements that will bring long-term, environmentally sustainable growth.
Indias position to 35th rank in the latest bi-annual World Bank Logistics Performance Index (LPI) report will open many corridors of opportunities as industry will witness swift growth in international as well as inter-state freights, an effect of Union Governments commitment to make India as a preferred destination for many global businesses.
Noticeable in the governments latest first of its kind facility in India, the implementation of logistics data tagging of containers to track cargo at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT), Mumbai.
The application of innovative tagging and tracking, which enables in-transit visibility and real time status update, has been so far successfully adapted in many advanced nations such as America, Japan and Germany. Introduction of the same in India is unquestionably claiming Indias strong position in the global trade map. said, Brijesh Lohia, Managing Director of Global Ocean Group.
An ascent in Indias position is a breadth of fresh air for the often scrutinized Indias logistics industry, which has once again reinstated its position as a crucial player in nations international competitiveness and industrial growth. The recognition also comes as promise for stakeholders, private and public sector as well as the government for overall progress in the nations trade.
The specific nature of the report demonstrates increase in Indias LPI score to 3.42, based on analysis across six different components, which indicates efficient procedures, adequate quality of infrastructure and quest for improvement among local logistics companies.
There are enough reasons for optimism, one being the recent major announcement by the ministry of railway on cutting down the completion of Rs 12 Lakh crore programmes Sagarmala from the estimated 10 years to five years.
A Port-Rail Connectivity Programme Sagarmala, is estimated to ease logistics time and cost by 10 to 18 percent, making trading business in India more efficient.
The failure of addressing the logistical issues was the major set-back in the growth of the sector, but this is a history now. The new score will positively benefit countrys economic prospects and we are fortunate to be part of this new wave of developments and recognition, which is expected to get only better once the industry begins to reap. ended, Lohia.
OEM Group has secured a two-year contract worth up to 1 million with Go Marine to deliver engine support services to its fleet of vessels operating across the world for the oil and gas industry.
Under the global technical support and services agreement, OEM Group will solely carry out the procurement of engine spare parts, electrical componants and systems, as well as providing personnel, project management and maintainence to support work across the different vessel types and regions Go Marine operates in around the world.
The maritime companys assets include ROV and dive support vessels, barges, offshore fire-fighting craft as well as a floatel, and operates in regions such as AsiaPac, West Africa, Gulf of Mexico, and the North Sea.
This latest contract win comes as OEM Group continues to drive forward its ambitious target of generating a four-fold increase in turnover by 2018 whilst driving efficiency and value for its customers.
As part of its strategy to become a global market leader, the company recently restructured joining together its three businesses OEM Engine Services, OEM Fuel Services and OEM Diesel Pty Ltd to form OEM Group. The company has 30 employees based in offices in the UK, Australia and United Arab Emirates.
OEM Group founder and managing director Barry Park said: The company has been an existing supplier to Go Marine over the past 12 months. During this period, weve developed a close working relationship through our teams hard work and determination to respond quickly to their specific multi-discipline equipment needs with high quality support and cost effective services I believe to be unrivalled in the sector.
At a time when the market conditions are extremely tough and reliance is paramount, being awarded this contract demonstrates the confidence Go Marine has in OEM Group to ensure their vessels engines remain operational all over the world.
We look forward to taking this next step and delivering further value to Go Marine as well as continuing with our own global growth and expansion plans.
GO Marine Group founder and CEO Garrick Stanley said: Having OEM Group on board as our engineering service provider for our vessels has streamlined the planned maintenance systems on our vessels maximizing uptime and service delivery to our clients whilst reducing overall servicing costs.
In an extremely challenging market, companies like OEM can make all the difference to a vessel owners success or failure. Having a relatively small fleet spread globally, OEM has the ability to react and deliver to not only meeting our servicing requirements but get us back up and running in the shortest timeframe possible in the event of unforeseen failure globally.
Global Maritime Consultancy & Engineering has signed a contract with leading offshore wind developer Deepwater Wind to provide marine warranty services for the Block Island Wind Farm, Americas first offshore wind farm.
Services that will be provided include a technical review of all installation procedures and calculations; the survey and inspection of installation vessels; the witnessing of the installation of turbines and subsea cables; and the issuing of Certificates of Approval.
David Sutton, CEO of Global Maritime Consultancy & Engineering, said: The potential for offshore wind in the US is huge both in terms of jobs created and in providing cleaner energy into the national energy mix. Global Maritime is therefore delighted to be involved in such a prestigious project. As a leader in marine warranty services, we will help set the standards in offshore wind operations in the US, developing technical audits, assessing the readiness of operations, and reducing risk.
Global Maritime Engineering Manager Thomas Smith backed up his words: "This is a significant milestone for Global Maritime as we look to demonstrate our expertise in offshore wind power. With Deepwater Wind having a number of other potential projects (as do others), we will continue to look for opportunities in this sector, both in Marine Warranty and in Engineering.
Block Island is located 15 kilometers from the coast of the State of Rhode Island. The Block Island Wind Farm will consist of five GE Haliade turbines, each with a 6 Megawatt capacity, mounted on jacket foundation structures off the southeast corner of the island. A submarine cable will connect these to the island, while another cable will be laid to connect the island to the mainland, allowing excess power to be sold there. The farm is scheduled to become operational in November 2016.
Deepwater Wind is Americas leading offshore wind developer with the Block Island Wind Farm the first in the nation. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Deepwater Wind is actively developing and building a portfolio of offshore wind projects to serve multiple markets on both the East and West Coasts of the US.
Navico Holding AS (Navico) is to be Acquired by Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division and Altor Fund IV
Navico a provider of marine electronics and parent company to the Lowrance, Simrad, B&G and GoFree brands announced that Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division and Altor Fund IV have partnered and signed an agreement to acquire Navico from the Altor 2003 Fund.
Navico is an innovative force within the recreational and commercial marine electronics market and has a rich history of investment in research and development. In the last two years, the company developed such technologies as the HALOTM Pulse Compression Radar technology, StructureScan 3D sonar technology for fish finding and B&G sailing chartplotters used to race around the world.
Created from the acquisitions of Simrad Yachting, Lowrance Electronics and Brunswick New Technologies, Navico has integrated the companies by consolidating seven product brands into three, six factories into one and building one common technology platform. Today, Navico has approximately 1,500 employees and its products are sold in more than 100 countries.
Navico recently launched the GoFree brand to drive development of cloud-based digital solutions and apps across its product range. As part of its growth it acquired Contour Innovations, a cloud-based digital mapping provider. Navico has also increased its focus on the commercial marine market and, as part of this, acquired both Maritime Information Systems and Consiliums radar business.
Over the last 10 years Navico has been driving change in the recreational and commercial industry, launching one new product every 20 days, and has steadily outperformed its competitors and grown its market share since 2009.
We are pleased that we will have the continued engagement and expertise of Altor who have supported our strong growth over the last 10 years. The company has grown from a merger of three smaller companies into a technological leader in the marine electronics industry, said Leif Ottosson, president and CEO of Navico. We are excited about the growth-opportunities that our new strong and dynamic ownership will enable us to pursue in recreational and commercial marine within both hardware and digital solutions.
It has been a privilege to work with the management team in Navico over the last 10 years, building a great company, which is very well positioned for further growth, said Hugo Maurstad, chairman of the board of Navico and partner at Altor Equity Partners. The high performing recreational business is an asset that also can be leveraged to grow in the commercial segment over the next 10 years.
Navico is a great company and its track record and speed of innovation is impressive, said Michael Bruun, managing director in the Merchant Banking Division of Goldman Sachs. We look forward to working with the company over the coming years, supporting its organic and acquisition-based growth. The new owners contribute a financial capacity that allows the company to raise its growth ambitions going forward.
The transaction will be subject to customary regulatory requirements and approvals.
An increasing number of ships and vessels are using liquefied natural gas or LNG as a clean fuel to comply with the regulations laid by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) across emission control areas.
LNG as a ship fuel reduces the emission of sulphur dioxide by 90-95% compared to the conventional petroleum fuels. This factor has propelled the growth of the global LNG bunkering market, says Transparency Market Research (TMR).
The market stood at 70 kilo tons in 2013 and is anticipated to expand phenomenally at a CAGR of 63.6% during the period between 2014 and 2025. The overall market is projected to reach 22,540 kilo tons by 2025.
The lack of LNG fuelling infrastructure across the major bunkering destinations is one of the primary factors impeding the growth of the LNG bunkering market worldwide. The high cost of building LNG fuel ships has slowed down their adoption among the shipping companies.
Furthermore, the storage of LNG at low temperature of about -162 degree Celsius poses as a key challenge to its usage as a marine fuel. The necessary additional safety measures for the storage of LNG increases the cost of production and designing of LNG-fuelled vessels.
As a result, a number of shipping companies are resorting to alternative approaches to meet the IMO regulations.
In Asia Pacific, South Korea and China are among the key countries that are investing significantly on LNG as a bunker fuel. Countries such as Singapore are fast adopting LNG as a sustainable alternative source of fuel in the maritime industry.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore has recently announced the extension of the Green Ship Programme (GSP) incentives to ships that are using LNG as fuel. The Singapore government is taking efforts to cut down the emission of sulphur and carbon dioxide.
The GSP has been started to encourage the domestic maritime industry to contribute towards the conservation of environment.
Under this programme, Singapore-flagged ships are entitled to reduction in initial registration fees and tax rebate on annual tonnage. With this effort, over 50% of the ships qualified for the programme have exceeded the present Energy Efficiency Design Index set up by the IMO.
On the other hand, the Indian government is trying to reduce carbon emissions without extra operating costs. The Ministry of Shipping has announced that Petronet LNG Ltd. will be working with the Inland Waterways Authority of India to develop the operation of LNG barges on the river Ganga by December 2018.
All these recent developments are expected to immensely support the adoption of LNG as a bunker fuel in Asia Pacific.
Vietnam welcomed a ruling by an international arbitration court concerning the South China Sea on Tuesday, saying it strongly supports peaceful resolution of disputes, while reasserting its own sovereignty claims.
"Vietnam welcomes the arbitration court issuing its final ruling," foreign ministry spokesman, Le Hai Binh, said in a statement.
"Vietnam strongly supports the resolution of the disputes in the South China Sea by peaceful means, including diplomatic and legal processes and and refraining from the use or threats to use force, in accordance with international law."
The ministry said it would issue a more detailed comment on the content of the ruling at a later time and reasserted Vietnam's claim of sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly island, and its jurisdiction over its Exclusive Economic Zone.
(Reporting by Mai Nguyen and Ho Binh Minh; Writing by Martin Petty)
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
By Khalid Kazimov Trend:
A senior Iranian official has briefed the public about the gains of the nuclear deal inked last year by the Islamic Republic and the worlds major powers.
On the eve of the first anniversary of sealing the landmark deal, Abbas Araqchi, Iranian deputy foreign minister, has hailed Iran's right to use nuclear energy as the most considerable achievement of the historic deal.
Araqchi made the remarks during a televised interview aired by the state broadcaster IRIB July 12.
Elaborating on the achievements of the deal, the high-ranking official said as a result of the nuclear deal the international community recognizes Irans right to supply its heavy water to the global markets.
Reacting to recent remarks by Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon, who suggested that Iran's missile tests were not in the spirit of the nuclear deal, Araqchi said the Islamic Republic will severely confront any measure taken to hamper the country's missile activities.
The deputy foreign minister criticized Ban Ki-Moons remarks on ballistic missile launches and said Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also harshly responded to the UN chiefs remarks.
Abbas Araqchi, who also heads a task force to oversee the implementation of the nuclear deal, added that the representatives of the Western side and Iran will have a meeting on July 20 in Vienna to review the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Iran and world powers reached the milestone nuclear agreement (aka JCPOA) on July 14, 2015. The agreement was later implemented on Jan. 16 after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) verified that Irans nuclear program was peaceful.
Taiwan said Tuesday it does not accept a tribunal's ruling on the South China Sea, saying the decision on Itu Aba, Taipei's sole holding in the disputed Spratly Islands, had "seriously impaired" its territorial rights.
The arbitration court in The Hague ruled that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea and that it has breached the sovereign rights of the Philippines with its actions there, infuriating a defiant Beijing.
Taiwan, formally known as the "Republic of China", is also a claimant in the South China Sea. The maps China bases its South China Sea claims on date to when Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists ruled China before they fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war to Mao Zedong's Communists.
Manila had challenged the legality of China's claims to virtually the entire South China Sea, in part by arguing that no reefs, atolls or islets in the Spratly archipelago can legally be considered an island, and therefore hold no rights to a 200 nautical mile (370 km) exclusive economic zone.
Itu Aba is the biggest feature in the Spratlys and the one some analysts believed had the strongest claim to island status and an economic zone. The Spratlys are also claimed by China, Vietnam and Malaysia while Brunei claims nearby waters.
(Reporting by J.R. Wu and Faith Hung; Editing by Nick Macfie)
The United States urged all parties to avoid provocative statements or actions after an arbitration court ruled on Tuesday that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea.
"The decision today by the Tribunal in the Philippines-China arbitration is an important contribution to the shared goal of a peaceful resolution to disputes in the South China Sea," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.
The United States is still studying the decision and has no comment on the merits of the case but supports efforts to resolve South China territorial and maritime disputes peacefully, he said.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague said on Tuesday there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within much of the South China Sea. China, which boycotted the hearings at the court, vowed again to ignore the ruling and said its armed forces would defend its sovereignty and maritime interests.
Countries that join the Law of the Sea Convention agree to its compulsory dispute settlement process and the tribunal's decision is final and legally binding on both China and the Philippines, Kirby said.
"The United States expresses its hope and expectation that both parties will comply with their obligations," he said. "In the aftermath of this important decision, we urge all claimants to avoid provocative statements or actions."
China claims most of the energy-rich waters through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbors Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu)
Q88 LLC introduced a global support program that coordinates quick response and expert consultation for chemical spills/incidents and medical emergencies occurring onboard vessels at sea.
Known as Q88 Response Center, the new program leverages the resources of Spill Center, a leading provider of emergency response communication and incident management services, including environmental, technical and legal expertise.
At the Q88 Response Center, trained personnel monitor telephone calls, dedicated email and web site requests for assistance on a 24/7 basis to gather the details, determine the issues and dispatch the right resources.
In cases of major spills, minor spills or other chemical incidents the Q88 Response Center is able to provide expert advice, resources and contractors to assist with mitigation of the incident and cleanup of the spill. These resources are invaluable to Masters, Company QI or ship managers in an emergency. According to Capt. Soren C. Ibsen, VP Milbros Systems, Q88
Response Center is available to handle any issue related to chemical incidents or environmental spills requiring cleanup and reporting.
Q88 Response Center also brings together the services of Future Care, a leading provider of medical care management services to the maritime and maritime-related industries worldwide.
Future Care offers medical case management and cost containment services to shipowners and their crews 24/7, both onboard ship, at sea, and on land. The Future Care team includes physicians, nurses and medical case managers experienced in managing seafarers healthcare, as well as access to preferred medical networks, explained Gordon Cooper, a Future Care spokesman.
Medical emergencies in which crew members are accidentally exposed to hazardous chemicals or any other injuries or illnesses are handled by Future Care, which has been serving the shipping industry for 20 years. Future Care manages the medical response from the time of incident onboard the vessel through shoreside treatment, repatriation and out-patient care, until
the seafarer is fit to return to duty or achieves maximum medical improvement, as medically necessary. Future Cares expert medical auditors review and negotiate all major medical and related charges incurred in the United States and in many ports world-wide.
Tom Moses, president and founder of Spill Center, observed: This program gives ships at sea access to a world of resources that they need after chemical and medical emergencies.
Spill Center resources include advanced communication and geo-location technology and upto-date listings of national and international environmental regulations, as well as spill-reporting contacts and reporting deadlines.
The Q88 Response Center gives our Milbros Onboard subscribers a single call center to get help with chemical and medical emergencies while at sea. With this partnership, Milbros Onboard customers can now access expert cargo handling and cleaning, emergency response and medical advice all in one program. Were extremely excited to be able to offer a program we
felt the industry defininely needed, said Capt. Ibsen. Positive feedback has been received from subscribers who have been introduced to the program, he acknowledged.
The Q88 Response Center will be available to Q88's Milbros Onboard subscribers at no additional charge. Ships will pay an hourly charge for services only when they need them.
Global oil and shipping markets reacted nervously on Tuesday after an international arbitration court ruled against Beijing's claims across large swathes of the South China Sea, fuelling geopolitical tensions in the vital waterway.
A tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, found China had breached the sovereign rights of the Philippines and had no legal basis to its historic claims in the South China Sea, a major shipping lane between Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The ruling will be seen as a victory by other regional claimants such the Philippines and Vietnam, but with China rejecting the ruling and saying its military would defend its sovereign rights, nerves were on edge.
Although shippers and oil traders said they did not expect an immediate impact on shipping as a result of the ruling, oil prices jumped following the findings. Brent crude futures were up over $1, or more than 2 percent, to $47.60 per barrel at 1110 GMT.
"It is vital that merchant ships are allowed to go about their lawful business on the world's oceans without diversion or delay. We will of course be monitoring for any interference in the coming weeks," said Peter Hinchliffe, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping in London.
The deep waters of the South China Basin between the Spratly and also-disputed Paracel Islands are the most direct shipping lane between northeast Asia's industrial hubs of China, Japan and South Korea and Europe and the Middle East.
The geography of the region offers few economically viable alternative routes for large oil tankers or dry-bulk ships and container ships.
Esben Poulsson, president of the Singapore Shipping Association, said any actions that restricted the right of innocent passage and freedom of safe navigation for merchant shipping would potentially drive up shipping costs, resulting in a detrimental impact on maritime trade.
Reuters shipping data shows that, counting just Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) super-tankers, some 25 VLCCs are passing between the disputed Spratly and Paracel islands at any time, with enough capacity to carry the equivalent of about 11 days' worth of Japanese demand.
Some industry participants were more relaxed, however.
"It's just pure politics," Ralph Leszczynski, head of research at ship broker Banchero Costa said.
"China will simply ignore it, and it will not change in any way the reality on the ground. All there is at stake is access to offshore oil and gas deposits and perhaps fishing grounds," he said.
Insurers said costs were unlikely to rise in the short term.
"We don't currently foresee any increase in insurance costs as a result of the ruling and would be surprised to see operators being penalised by the insurance market for trading in this area," said Andrew Brooker, founding partner, at Hong Kong marine marine insurance broker's Latitude Brokers.
Neil Roberts, manager of marine underwriting at the Lloyd's Market Association, said the South China Sea is not listed by the LMA's joint war committee which highlights insurance hotspots.
"Unless it is there would be no prospect of premiums rising," Roberts told Reuters. "The shallow waters and numerous reefs in the Spratly island region means that commercial shipping is unlikely to be sailing within the territorial waters of any of the islands."
U.S. Coast Guard Captain Matthew Lake assumed command of the U.S. Coast Guard Yard on July 1, 2016. He is the 42nd Commanding Officer in the 117-year history of the yard, the only shipbuilding and major ship repair facility of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Captain Lake took charge from Captain George Lesher who served as Yard Commanding Officer from June 2013 to July 2016. Captain Lesher departed the yard to assume duties as the Ship Design Manager at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Captain Lakes afloat assignments include Student Engineer on the Coast Guard Cutter (CGC) Midgett and Engineer Officer on CGC Northland. His shore engineering and logistics assignments include duty at the Maintenance & Logistics Command Atlantic; service as the first Sector St. Petersburg Logistics Department Head, and as the Surface Forces Logistics Centers first Product Line Engineering Chief, implementing the Coast Guards present-day logistics systems and business framework. Captain Lake served as the Coast Guard Yard's Industrial Manager from 2013 to 2014 where he was responsible for operation of the shipyard.
Captain Lake served as Deputy of the Coast Guards Office of Budget and Programs where he oversaw formulation and defense of the Coast Guards $10 billion annual budget with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Administration and Congress. He later served under the DHS Chief Financial Officer, coordinating formulation and justification of the DHS $65 billion 2016 Presidents Budget Request to Congress, and prepared the Secretary for Congressional oversight hearings.
His most recent assignment was as the Coast Guards Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan Fellow.
A native of Silver Spring, Md., Captain Lake earned a Bachelor of Science with High Honors in Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1995. He earned Master of Science degrees in both Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering in 1999 from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration from MIT in 2016.
Captain Lake has been awarded five Meritorious Service Medals, Coast Guard Commendation Medal (with Operational Distinguishing Device), Coast Guard Achievement Medal (with Operational Distinguishing Device), and several unit awards. He is a recipient of the 2010 American Society of Naval Engineers Perry Award; the 2007 Coast Guard Chief Financial Officers Team Award for financial stewardship, and was awarded by the Secretary of Homeland Security in 2013 for outstanding performance of duty.
Captain Lake takes command of an industrially funded $88 million annual gross revenue business. The current workforce of the Coast Guard Yard is 516 civilian employees and 84 military members. Founded in l899, the yard is a full-service shipyard. It is responsible for repair and modernization of a variety of Coast Guard cutters and for the manufacturing of Coast Guard equipment that provides critical service to the Coast Guard fleet.
No word on whether Australian PM Tony Abbott was giving Japanese PM Shinzo Abe election tips or just making a funny. Maybe both? Photo by Ian Waldie, Pool/Getty Images.
Pop quiz: What do you get when you hit a struggling country with higher prices and a three percentage point sales tax hike? Give up? Recession! At least, according to Japanese GDP released Monday that's what Japan got, with the second straight GDP contraction placing the archipelago into recession by one common definition. Globally, this doesn't mean a ton-growth elsewhere is more than enough to offset Japan's -1.6% annualized Q3 drop. But the causes and domestic fallout reiterate why we've long thought investors' expectations for Japan are too high and better opportunities lie elsewhere.
In our view, the only thing shocking about Japan's back-to-back contractions is that anyone was surprised-when consumers get whacked with higher taxes and prices while wages stagnate, they spend less. When businesses face higher input costs as an import-reliant nation's currency weakens, they spend and invest less. With the yen weakening and investment and spending largely stalling in Q3, it seemed a given that you could mark your calendar for "Recession Day" on November 17 a couple months ago. Yet, when The Wall Street Journal rounded up analyst forecasts, the median projection was 2.25% growth, and not one forecast a decline. Bloomberg's panel of experts was similarly flummoxed.
We don't mean that as a knock on the pros. It just illustrates where sentiment is on Japan-too high. We had the same view back in August, after most observers and Japan's government greeted the 7.3% Q2 contraction with optimism. A Bloomberg survey conducted last week provided further evidence. 54% of respondents were "optimistic" about Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's economic policies. 68% believed Japan's economy is stable or improving. 42% believe monetary policy is "about right," and 33% believe the same about fiscal policy-both are pluralities. BoJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda seemed to agree two weeks ago, saying the economy "continued to recover moderately as a trend" (though that didn't stop him from boosting quantitative easing). All the while, most monthly data disappointed, Japan's Leading Economic Index slid and the yen weakened further, jacking up import costs for already-strained households and businesses. The writing was on the wall. Most just didn't see it.
Funnily, the only person apparently unsurprised at the news was Abe. For months, he has called the weak yen a burden for consumers and small businesses, implying an economic threat. Last week, cabinet insiders leaked word he would likely delay tax hike part deux (slated for October 2015), which the law stipulates can be shelved only if economic conditions deteriorate. We'll likely get his final decision this week-perhaps as early as Tuesday, when his panel of experts meets. Should they delay the hike, word is Abe will dissolve Parliament and call a snap election in order to get a mandate supporting their move-vote for us so we can prevent another recession in a year!
This seems like pure political gamesmanship. A distraction. Call us cynics, but if ever there were a time that an election could cement Abe's power, that time is now. Sans election, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) would be in power just two more years. Abe's term as leader expires in September 2015, and his political capital is waning. If he wins an election now, the LDP gets to stay another four years, and his leadership campaign probably gets more support. Seems to us this is all about staying in power-always and everywhere a politician's top goal, in our experience.
Of course, that isn't the official marketing. The powers that be call it a referendum on Abenomics. But that opens another problem: Abenomics is unfinished. It is supposed to be a three-part plan: Monetary stimulus, fiscal stimulus and sweeping economic reform. Monetary and fiscal stimulus are in the books, and one cabinet minister is already pressing for more fiscal stimulus (this time with cash handouts and personal tax cuts, not infrastructure spending).[i] But reform remains in a holding pattern-all talk, (almost no) action. Abe has made three big reform pronouncements (June 2013, September 2013, June 2014), but all lacked actual reforms. They were broad lists with vague goals of boosting growth, improving corporate governance, cutting corporate taxes and broadening the labor force, without legislation or even a road map to get there. So we ask: How can you make an election a referendum on something that hasn't been done yet? We are fairly sure you can't, because there is nothing to judge and no results to weigh, which means the conversation likely centers on fiscal and monetary measures. This makes sense considering voters tend to like stimulus. Voters tend not to like politically contentious issues like free trade, labor market reform, deregulation and restarting nuclear power plants.
If our hunch is right and the campaign ignores reform, momentum likely shifts for the worse. Even with strong support early in his term, Abe either couldn't or wouldn't pursue tough change. He talked a lot! He promised to "drill" through all the entrenched interests in his way! But nearly two years in, his drill is on the shelf. We fail to see how a snap election centered on the sales tax, short-term economic results and fiscal and monetary measures would change matters for the better. It would only reinforce support for stimulus, which is already clearly not a net benefit or economic fix.
Even if a successful election does reinforce Abe's political capital, it is an open question how he'll spend it. The long-festering issue of national security legislation and revising Article 9 of Japan's constitution-the anti-war clause-appears poised for a comeback. Nationalist party members are salivating at the prospect of having more clout to push through that controversial change. Abe is mum on the subject, but it's well-known that rewriting that clause is his lifelong ambition-and a family dream going back to his grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, who served under Tojo during World War II. Abe has pressed this issue repeatedly since he took office, actually doing more on that front than on the reform front. Actions speak louder than words.
In short, our outlook on Japan is about the same as it has been since Abe took over in December 2012. Expectations are too high, and reality likely disappoints. Pundits keep lauding Japanese stocks' amazing rally, citing the eye-popping gain since Abe was elected, in Exhibit 1. They don't bother mentioning you only got that gain if you invested in yen-in dollars, the gain is far smaller (Exhibit 2) and lags world stocks (Exhibit 3). That tells you all you need to know about the present disconnect. The more time elapses without reform while sentiment stays high, the more Japan appears set up for continued disappointment.
Exhibit 1: MSCI Japan Index (in Yen)
Source: FactSet, as of 11/17/2014. MSCI Japan Index returns with net dividends, in JPY, 12/14/2012 - 11/17/2014.
Exhibit 2: MSCI Japan Index (in Dollars)
Source: FactSet, as of 11/17/2014. MSCI Japan Index returns with net dividends, in USD, 12/14/2012 - 11/17/2014.
Exhibit 3: MSCI Japan/MSCI World
Source: FactSet, as of 11/17/2014. MSCI World Index and MSCI Japan Index returns with net dividends, in USD, 12/14/2012 - 11/14/2014.
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[i]The definition of insanity, they say, is doing the same futile thing again and again. Not that we are calling politicians insane. That would be an insult, and not just to politicians.
Heres How Much Europe Depends on the UK
Euroskeptiscism is on the rise in Europe. Countries like Poland and Hungary have actively sought to limit the EUs influence and ignore its rulesmost recently with regard to refugee policies.
Even the most Euroskeptic governments, however, campaigned against Brexit. While European nations may want to limit the EUs role and influence at home, both economic and security interests led them to support the UKs membership in the EU (read our free special report on Brexit implications).
This opposition to Brexit is an example of why interestsmuch more than ideologymatter in geopolitics.
European powers depend on exports to the UK
European nations are heavily invested in their relationship with the UK. The UK is the fourth-largest importer in the world, and the EU needs British import demand.
EU member states trade ties with the UK vary, but several European economies send a significant amount of their exports to Britain.
Nearly 14% of Irish exports went to the UK in 2015. 9% of the Netherlands exports and 7.4% of Germanys exports also went to this nation in 2015.
With countries like Germany facing reduced global demand for their goods, European governments cannot afford to lose access to British customers.
The UK was a major contributor to the EUs budget
12.6% of the EUs revenues came from the UK in 2015. When less developed countries joined the EU, the older members took on a greater financial burden. They hoped that expansion would boost investment opportunities and enhance the blocs security in the long term.
The UK was one of only 10 net contributors to the EU budget along with Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Austria, Denmark, Finland, and Ireland. For these wealthy European economies, a British exit means an increased financial burden.
Eastern Europe needs access to UK labor markets
British job opportunities and remittance flows are highly significant for Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe has enjoyed low unemployment ratesin large part because millions of Eastern Europeans work in other EU countries most notably, the UK.
Over 740,000 Polish citizens and over 160,000 Lithuanian citizens resided in the UK in 2014 according to Eurostat. There are also reportedly over 500,000 Hungarians abroad, with an estimated 300,000 in the UK.
Britain and the EU are likely to reach a trade deal. Nevertheless, if this deal is bilateral, there are no guarantees that workers from Central Europe could continue working in the UK.
Brexit is more than just an economic threat to Europe
Europes unease is about more than economics. Some countries see Brexit as a threat to the regions security interests. The Kremlin has been working to split the Western alliance, while the EU has been fragmenting under the weight of internal challenges and diverging interests.
Eastern European nations fear that Western Europe may abandon them. Countries like Poland know that a more divided Europe is even less likely to act rapidly and cohesively to aid allies in the east.
The UK is a highly strategic ally for European nations. Britain boasts one of Europes most powerful militaries, despite some downsizing and a reduction in overseas operations over the years.
Plus, The Royal Navy remains the second-largest navy in NATO, after the US Navy.
All of this confirms that Europe cant afford a break-up with Britain. The EU and Britain, therefore, are likely to reach a trade deal and maintain close economic and military ties despite the Brexit vote.
Free Special Report: How Brexit Will Affect the UK, Europe, and the US
Britains vote to leave the EU sent shockwaves throughout the world, plunging markets into chaos and Europe into an existential quagmire.
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Black Lives Matter - Obamas Race War is No Accident
What will it take for citizens to face up to the nature of the state of terror against the American people? All the attention about Islamic suicide fanatics provides ample cover to ignore the pathetic condition of race relations that has been a hallmark of the Obama administration. If a POTUS person of color was accused of festering discontent, the fable disinformation media would pay no attention to or paint the charges as racist. The liberal sociopaths that project the progressive culture are obsessed with smearing all dissent from their authoritarian oppression as based upon bigotry that objects to the supremacy of their multicolored Marxism.
The sickness that permeates the social welfare society is no benign neglect; it is an orchestrated construct to destroy our Western Civilization and traditional heritage. Obama has performed this function from the very inception of his subversion.
The only palpable conclusion to draw from the federal governments consistent pattern of militarizing internal security and breaking down local authority is to complete the plan for total domestic despotism.
Furthering tensions to foster a boiling point plays into the hands of the elites that want the ultimate hegemony and the only one that counts, the final destruction of a country under common law and its replacement with a central government dictatorship. Using urban anarchy has built the Great Society. Now the thin blue line is being targeted for even more deadly acts of violence.
Federalization of governance is achieved through managed chaos and false flag crisis. Much has been said about the Black Lives Matter faction of incendiary thugs. However, most talking heads are afraid to label these insurrectionists for what they are; namely, domestic terrorists.
One exception is Tim Constantine in his column Black Lives Matter is a terrorist group.
Some reasonable questions: When a shooting involving a white police officer and a black suspect occurs, why is racism immediately assumed? Conversely, when a black suspect guns down an unsuspecting white policeman, husband and father of two, why are we told not to assume racism played any role? Its an amazing double standard.
If the criteria for being considered a terrorist group is someone who uses violent action or threats of violent action for political purposes, Black Lives Matter is clearly a terrorist group. If members actually hope to achieve racial harmony, the organization needs to immediately renounce violence and work with law enforcement to find common ground.
If instead the group continues to poison the atmosphere with calls for violent acts against the men and women who serve and protect us, we must call members of Black Lives Matter what they are terrorists.
Cultivated by the Jessie Jackson opportunist extortion business and the Al Sharpton fear based racial discrimination smears, the African-American community has allowed themselves to be used as a ghetto pinata that results in black on black non- stop carnage. Even, USA Today reports that Chicago's murder rate soars 72% in 2016; shootings up more than 88%.
Obamas years as a community Bolshevik in Chicago is well documented. How Saul Alinsky Taught Barack Obama Everything He Knows About Civic Upheaval provides the following testimony.
Alinsky taught him well. And Alinskys son was the first to admit it, when he wrote a letter to the Boston Globe in praise of Barack Obama following the 2008 Democrat National Convention:
Barack Obamas training in Chicago by the great community organizers is showing its effectiveness. It is an amazingly powerful format, and the method of my late father always works to get the message out and get the supporters on board. When executed meticulously and thoughtfully, it is a powerful strategy for initiating change and making it really happen. Obama learned his lesson well.
And the end result of this riotous training operates in every corner of the treasonable Obama government. Using false flag operations as national distractions is common practice. Even when real maniacs commit their execution murders, the establishment culture is reluctant to address black on white violence as a hate crime.
The Dallas police slaughter is an obvious example. Top police group wants Justice to investigate Dallas police killings as hate crime presents some sobering quotes.
The U.S. Department of Justice is always quick to insert itself into local investigations, group President Chuck Canterbury said Friday. Today we expect action just as swift. We want a federal investigation into those who were motivated by their hatred of police to commit mass murder in Dallas.
If there has ever been an assassination of police officers that fits the current hate crime legislation, Dallas is it, Canterbury told National Public Radio on Friday. Though the main offender is dead, the hate crime investigation will show to the Justice Department and to the country that this was a hate-based crime.
The politicization of any murder with the characterization of hate, based upon race, has produced an atmosphere of total division that furthers rancor among ethnic groups. However, when a President continues his crusade against guns, while refusing to acknowledge his own role in undermining lawful public safety authority, the calamity intensifies even more.
Daniel John Sobieskis article in the American Thinker, Blame Black Lives Matter Movement for Dallas Carnage, illustrates Obamas complicity going back to the start of his administration.
The Dallas shootings are the logical extension of the demonization of police officers by the racial grievance industry spearheaded by the Black Lives Matter movement, a demonization that began almost as soon as President Obama took office. As Fox News reported in 2009:
Many police officers across the country have a message for President Barack Obama Get all the facts before criticizing one of our own. Obama's public criticism that Cambridge officers "acted stupidly" when they arrested black Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. could make it harder for police to work with people of color, some officers said Thursday.
As the years of despair continue under the Democrat regime that ruled by executive orders, the flames of racial hostility compound. Now that The Dallas bloodbath has declared open season on law enforcement, the Obama Department of Injustice is on the spot to put an end to the double standard and hold hate groups like Black Lives Matter accountable.
With the national party conventions just around the corner, both Republican and Democrat nomination events are very much at risk from the George Soro crowd that funds hoodlums. Last year POLITICOs article Major donors consider funding Black Lives Matter provided the proof. Some of the biggest donors on the left plan to meet behind closed doors next week in Washington with leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement and their allies to discuss funding the burgeoning protest movement.
Yes, this is the same group that posted #BlackLivesMatter Reveal CHILLING Plan: Its Open Season For Killing Cops And Crackers.
Over the past several weeks, leadership of the #BlackLivesMatter and #FuckYoFlag movement have repeatedly called for the killing of whites and police officers. Through conference calls and their blog talk radio programs, ringleaders of this domestic terrorist organization have made it clear to their followers that they should target white people who are alone, and execute them when they are most vulnerable.
There you have it, the Obama race legacy in black and white. The globalists and international finance have worked for decades to divide the country. They must be rejoicing that the media cycle has switched from the lies of crooked Hillary and the clear evidence that the FBI put forth that she would lose her security clearance if still the Secretary of State.
What better a diversion than starting a race conflict? Obama would never support community policing, but will do everything imaginable to federalize law enforcement. Forget about genuine peace keeping, it is time for the establishment to write the script to keep the public away from the most crucial issues in this election cycle.
So what can be learned from the tragic event in Dallas? How about some precedent setting legal action against Obama, like the one just filed by Larry Klayman? Before you dismiss such an approach, the gatekeepers in the controlled, divide and conquer culture, will continue to subvert the true causes of this failed society.
Obama has garnered his role as destroyer in chief during his seven plus years in office. Since meaningful political push back has never been demonstrated by the loyal opposition and the comatose public is so afraid of being called a racist, the problem of expanding the self-induced plantation just worsens.
When the Dallas police sent a robot to neutralize Micah Johnson, the bomb used set the latest escalation in the breakdown of civilization. Civil society is at war, but you need to understand who the actual enemy is. The designed and manipulated discord just hastens permanent martial law. We all lose under this scenario. Only an authentic national revival will save the soul of the nation. Wake up, time is short and the political tribulation is upon us. Obama followers, most of all, need a fundamental attitude adjustment.
SARTRE
Source: http://batr.org/reactionary/071216.html
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Stock market, leading sectors, and the price of Coffee
It was a relatively dull session yesterday (Monday July 11th) with stocks gapping higher only to trade sideways up till now. As I talked about in the mornings video I expected stocks to grind higher, and for vix ETF to keep moving lower for another day or three.
Coffee continues to be on caffeine-high today testing near todays high, which looks as though it will continue to run higher in the coming days.
Precious metals continue to hold up but I dont expect them to go much higher until equities reverse down in the next week or so.
A couple leading sectors have been underperforming (transports, and financials). The stock market needs the financials to take part in this rally to new highs for the SP500 if the market is to have any real power behind it. The fact that both these key sectors are underperforming tell me there is not a ton of power behind this move to new highs for large cap stocks.
Also, a few months back I shared some bonus spike trade alerts with everyone. Many of you loved these momentum trades every week as I do also. If you are interested in these spike alerts, see yesterdays blog post for details Exciting Stuff!
Talk soon,
So, if you want to stay ahead of the curve and avoid the next stock market crash and profit from it follow me at www.TheGoldAndOilGuy.com to receive my daily analysis, swing trades and long term ETF investing signals.
Chris Vermeulen
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Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12
By Emil Ilgar Trend:
The Lebanese Hezbollahs expertise is being used in training the forces that will be used on ground in Syria as part of the Iran-backed Fatemioun Brigade.
The Fatemioun forces recently finished a series of advanced training courses, which included sharpshooting, Tasnim news agency reported July 12.
The training courses were held in Syria in coordination with the Syrian Army and the trainers were Afghan officers who had passed sharpshooting courses under the Hezbollah.
Tasnim adds that hundreds of snipers are being dispatched across Syria to help Syrian forces against terrorists.
It goes on to say that in the near future other groups of Fatemioun are expected to undergo commando training courses, trainings on using shoulder-launched missiles, anti-armor rocket launching, etc.
Following the outbreak of the Syrian crisis, Iran set up Zeinabioun brigade of Pakistani Shia nationals and the Fatemioun brigade of Afghan Shia fighters to support President Bashar Assads government.
Iranian officials have constantly denied that their servicemen have boots on the ground in Syria, saying the officers of the Islamic Republic are in Syria as advisers at official request from Damascus.
COLLINSVILLE Smith Memorial United Methodist Church took a leap of faith Sunday afternoon and held an Interfaith Dialogue.
The dialogue, which included two Christian presenters, a Jewish representative and two Islamic ambassadors, explored common values for peace and justice between the religions.
The Interfaith Council of Martinsvilles goal is to promote interfaith dialogue in the interest of peace. The council members works to share with the community more about their religious heritage, diversity and the common values that all people share.
Khalil Shadeed of the Martinsville Center of Al-Islam acted as the moderator for the event.
Using prayer as a means to start the dialogue, the Rev. Kameron Wilds of Smith Memorial asked for Gods presence to be there as they discerned together as a community, ways in which they share in common values and justice.
Jo Anne Howard, president of Temple Beth Shalom in Danville, started the talk by speaking of the Jewish goal of justice for all.
One of Judaisms great gifts to the world is the call to be righteous among the nations in the hope of peace, said Howard.
Retired pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America the Rev. Lynn Bechdolt took a different approach to the conversation. Urging members of the Christian church to re-examine their views of the Islamic faith.
In our current political climate, we feel that we are in trouble in America. We are looking around and saying why is this happening? People are saying it must be all the immigrants we are accepting, and a bunch of them are Muslim, said Bechdolt. However, we need to be careful about this. What I want to say is that we have been down this road before and the last time we went down it 75 years ago we were really sorry.
Comparing Americas newfound unease with Muslim immigrants to the countrys previous trepidation surrounding Jewish immigrants of the 1940s, Bechdolt urged Christians to show mercy to their Muslim comrades.
We really need to take seriously our attitudes as Christians and separate our attitudes from the stuff we hear, said Bechdolt.
With the ending of Ramadan last week, Bechdolt asked the audience to think about the last time they fasted. Reminding the Christians that Muslims fasted throughout the period of Ramadan in solidarity to the poor.
Furthering the Christian perspective, Wilds spoke of the Holy Kiss.
The greeting of a kiss at one time was once highly social and highly political. The kiss signifies one as being a family member and grants the person the rights of being a citizen within Gods Holy Kingdom, said Wilds. The Holy Kiss is a unifying factor for all nations willing to receive God, Wilds added.
Suggesting that mercy was shown through a cross and not a sword, Wilds urged Christians to act in grace to all religions.
Mohammad Ali Zaghad, a respected Muslim leader of the Martinsville Center of Al-Islam, reminded the community that when Muslims refer to Allah, they are referring to the same God that Christians serve.
When you read the Bible in the Arabic world and you see the word God you will see it translated as Allah, said Zaghad.
Switching back and forth from Arabic and English, Zaghad suggested that all people, no matter the circumstances, strive for the same things in life.
If you go to the deepest jungle in the Amazon, or really ask any human ever what they are striving for they will tell you, I want to live happy, I want to live in peace, I want to prosper, I want my children to have an education and a good life, said Zaghad. Does the Western man or woman strive for anything different than the Eastern man or woman? No, everyone wants to live and everyone wants to be happy.
Last to speak was Imam James Shabazz of the Martinsville Center of Al-Islam. He encouraged people not to fear what they dont understand.
People fear what they dont understand, and what you are fearing could be beneficial to you. To your families, to the communities, to the nation as a whole, said Shabazz.
Painting a new picture of the Muslim community, Shabazz urged others to see Muslims for what they really are.
We dont believe we are better than anybody else. Get away from your Im white, get away from your Im black, get away from your Im brown, get away from Im yellow, demanded Shabazz. When we say Muslim we mean one who submits himself to the will of God. Thats a Muslim, and in Islam we believe all of you are Muslim until you make yourself otherwise. How are we ever to live in peace and understanding, harmony and justice, if we dont talk to one another? Instead we listen from a distance to the fiery voice of hate and discord.
Finishing the talk with questions from the audience, speakers denied the fact that last weeks deadly shootings had any influence on their discussion. Most citing that the lack of justice has been an ongoing issue.
Promising future talks, Wilds encouraged the community to bring people who might disagree with the panel in the future. Stating that is the only way change will happen.
South Sudan's president and vice president ordered their loyalists to cease hostilities on Monday after days of fighting threatened to plunge the country back into civil war and bring further instability to an impoverished region of Africa.
Fighting erupted four days ago in the capital Juba between followers of President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, the former rebel leader who became vice president under a deal to end a two-year civil war.
The violence, which has killed hundreds of people, broke out as the world's newest nation prepared to mark five years of independence from Sudan on July 9.
Presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny said Kiir and Machar had spoken by phone on Monday, a day which saw tanks and helicopters involved in some of the fiercest clashes yet.
"All the commanders of (Kiir's) forces are directed to cease any hostility and abide by the order and control their forces," Ateny told Reuters. "President Salva Kiir is determined to carry on his partnership with Riek Machar."
Machar responded by ordering his troops to stand down.
"The president has declared a unilateral ceasefire, I want to reciprocate the declaration of unilateral ceasefire," he told the independent Eye Radio.
Much is unclear, however, about the latest violence in Juba, including what the objective of either side has been and how much control Kiir and Machar have over their forces.
The U.S. State Department said it was carrying out an "ordered departure" of its staff from South Sudan.
The fighting has raised fears of a return to the civil war that erupted in late 2013 and broadly ran along ethnic lines, pitting Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, against Machar, a Nuer.
The conflict killed thousands of people, forced more than 2.5 million people from their homes and left almost half the population of 11 million people struggling to find food. Oil production, by far the biggest source of government revenue, has plummeted.
COLLINSVILLE On Monday in Henry County General District Court, a man charged with hit and run involving injury did not qualify for a court-appointed attorney after a judge reviewed his financial information.
Then Judge Marcus Brinks told defendant Ronald B. Valentine it probably would be a good idea that he see a lawyer since the charge is a felony.
Valentine, 49, of 7157 Axton Road, Axton, is charged in an incident June 17 about 10:15 p.m. at Sheetz store in Ridgeway. A criminal complaint alleges that a vehicle driven by Valentine hit Brittany Edlin (of Eden, North Carolina) and her 1 -year-old child, causing them to hit the concrete. They were taken to Morehead Hospital emergency room in Eden, where they were treated for their injuries, according to the criminal complaint.
Valentines next court hearing was scheduled for Oct. 14 at 10:30 a.m.
Also in Henry County General District Court on Monday, an arraignment hearing that had been scheduled for Brian Kevin Martin, 46, of 40 Morningside Drive, Bassett, was not held because he has retained counsel. Martin is charged with malicious wounding of Danny Plaster of 109 Plaster Road, Fieldale; conspiracy to possess schedule 1 or 2 controlled substance; and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, all in connection with an incident on June 24.
Plaster, 47, was charged with conspiracy to possess schedule 2 controlled substance and misdemeanor assault and battery of Martin.
Court hearings are scheduled for Martin and Plaster on Sept. 22 at 3 p.m.
Recently in Henry County General District Court, the commonwealth nolle prossed (discontinued prosecution of) charges against Rufus Daniel Martin of Martinsville on charges of driving while intoxicated, second offense; refuse blood/breath test, second offense; and reckless driving in connection with a motor vehicle crash on April 6.
Henry County Commonwealths Attorney Andrew Nester said in an email that he requested that the cases be nolle prossed. According to a document he provided, that was done because: Martin was arrested the same day as the accident (April 6) and "charged with these underlying cases," and the commonwealth "anticipates additional charges against the defendant that arise out of this motor vehicle crash. Specifically, two people received significant injury as a result of this motor vehicle crash. The prognosis, and future recovery, of these injured persons will dictate the specific additional charges levied against the defendant by Commonwealth."
The document also says, among other things, "Considering principles of fundamental fairness to the defendant and the Commonwealth to have all the cases litigated at once, and with full respect to judicial economy, the Commonwealth would prefer to have all of the cases, both current and any future charges, heard by a single Court in a single setting."
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she is committed to reaching a deal that would eventually lift the European Union's sanctions on Russia, Bloomberg reported on Monday.
"All of us want good relations with Russia. Many people want to see economic sanctions on the Kremlin lifted and I would like to see it as well," Merkel told a Christian Democratic Union event at the Baltic seaside resort of Zingsttold.
Touching upon the Ukraine crisis, she said, "I can assure you that we are working very intensely on trying to make progress," Merkel told the campaign crowd of about 2,000.
"But we also want Ukrainians to have access to their border again. Thats why I would like all parties involved to make compromises."
Earlier, after talks with French President Francois Hollande, Merkel said it was necessary to extend sanctions against Russia having motivated her stance by the need to implement the Minsk Accords. After that, the EU Council officially extended economic sectoral sanctions on Russia for six months.
Merkels remarks at todays event on the need to hand over control over Russias common border with Ukraine to Ukraine are only a reference to the package of measures agreed in Minsk and the Ukrainian sides claims on the priority importance of that issue.
Photo 1 - Parsons Solar Panels.JPG
Workers install solar equipment at Parsons Village in Easthampton.
(Photo Provided)
EASTHAMPTON -- HAPHousing and Valley Community Development Corporation (Valley CDC) are celebrating the installation of a large solar panel system at Parsons Village in Easthampton.
The event is from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday, July 14 at the housing development, 71 Parsons St.
The 3,708-foot solar panel array is mounted on six of the seven buildings, capable of generating nearly 65 kilowatts of electricity, enough to light more than 7,200 standard household LED light bulbs. The solar panels were installed by Pioneer Valley Photo Voltaics Cooperative of Greenfield.
"Renewably generating electricity at Parsons Village with these solar panels will prevent the emissions of approximately 41 tons of carbon dioxide per year, the greenhouse gas causing dangerous climate change," said Joanne Campbell, Executive Director of Valley CDC. "The panels should also save Parsons Village about $6,000 a year in electricity costs, along with earning a check each year for thousands of dollars in solar credits. Help save the planet and keep housing affordable at the same time. How great is that?"
Valley CDC launched the 38-unit Parsons Village, which was co-developed with HAPHousing. The project was completed in July 2015, and was built to be solar ready. Last year, through MassSave, Parsons Village was awarded $153,000 in energy incentives due to its high level of energy efficiency.
"Sustainability has long been a concern of HAP's, whether we are talking about the sustainability of our communities or financial sustainability for individual families," noted Peter Gagliardi, President of HAPHousing. "We are proud to add renewable solar electric generation to the already energy efficient housing."
Last year, NeighborWorks America, a national housing coalition, designated HAPHousing a NeighborWorks Green Organization for its continued efforts to incorporate environmental responsibility into its housing and operations.
Founded in 1972, HAPHousing is a leading provider of programs that connect the families of Western Massachusetts with the support and services they need to live stable lives in safe homes they can afford. The mission of HAPHousing is to light pathways and open doors to homes and communities where people thrive.
Not all of Turkeys nearly three million Syrian refugees will be offered citizenship, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told reporters on July 11, saying the aim is to offer Turkish IDs to qualified and educated Syrians with a clean record.
Studies are being conducted on how those Syrians who can be of benefit Turkey, who have never been involved in acts of terror, and who could serve as a bridge between Turkey and Syria, could become Turkish citizens, Kurtulmus said at a press conference during a break in the weekly cabinet meeting.
There are highly qualified people with important occupational abilities and vast knowledge among our Syrian brothers and sisters, he added, underlining that the details of a planned citizenship scheme are yet to be fully worked out by the Interior Ministry, which is tasked with deciding on citizenship applications.
As of now, our Interior Ministry has not yet completed its work on [offering] citizenship to Syrians, Kurtulmus said, stressing that concerted efforts are ongoing.
He was also asked about a bloody fight that erupted between Syrians and Turks in the Central Anatolian province of Konya on the night of July 9, which cost the lives of two people and wounded three others.
While describing the incident as worrying, Kurtulmus suggested it was a local incident and could have been the result of a provocation.
The incident in Konya is a worrying incident but I would like to repeat that such incidents may arise as a result of local [things], or provocations, he added, stressing that he did not believe efforts to trigger xenophobia and racism in Turkey would ever succeed.
One should evaluate this as a local incident, Kurtulmus said, praising the distinction of Turkish culture for being able to absorb three million refugees.
A lively debate over the possible granting of citizenship to Syrians commenced after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on July 2 that the option is on the table.
A Longmeadow resident has been named manager of a Pittsfield branch of New England electrical distributor HZ Electric Supply.
Mark Melikian
Mark Melikian will manage the selling and warehousing of company products in addition to planning, administering and controlling day-to-day operations at the Pittsfield Branch of HZ Electric Supply, which was formerly known as Hampden Zimmerman Electric, An HZ Electric Supply statement says.
Christopher Jablonski of West Brookfield was promoted to HZ Electric Supply's Northampton branch, the statement says.
"HZ Electric Supply is committed to providing its clients with the best customer service. Part of that commitment is employing talented individuals who have demonstrated their value through hard work and dedication," HZ Electric Supply Regional President Mark Lauria said in the statement. "Both Chris and Mark have been instrumental in the growth of business and we are proud to recognize their contributions with these promotions."
Melikian is a graduate of Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island, where he received a bachelor's degree in English communications. While still attending Salve Regina, Melikian was employed in the real estate and retail industries, before participating in an internship program with HZ Electric Supply's marketing department during his junior year, the statement says.
After graduating from college, Melikian completed an 18-month management trainee program with HZ Electric Supply and will now serve as branch manager at its Pittsfield branch on 485 Fenn St., the statement says.
HZ Electric Supply Co. is a privately held electrical services company owned by C.E.D. HZ Electric Supply is a full service electrical distributor with a 40,000-square-foot lighting showroom located at 274 Taylor St., Springfield and a smaller showroom located at 440 Pleasant St., Northampton. HZ also has locations throughout Connecticut, Western Massachusetts and eastern New York.
HOLYOKE -- PeoplesBank has changed its bylaws to make it more difficult for the bank to convert from mutual ownership by its depositors to public ownership by stockholders.
The changes, enacted in February but announced this week, bar the bank's senior management and trustees from self-enrichment in the event of a conversion, said Thomas W. Senecal, president & CEO of PeoplesBank.
The bylaw changes developed as management met over the winter to plan the transition from former President Douglas A. Bowen to Senecal's leadership, Senecal said. Bowen retired July 1 after a months-long transition and Senecal officially took the reigns.
"The local banking market is ever changing," Senecal said. "This came to light as a way of remaining mutual and sending a message to the community that we are remaining mutual."
PeoplesBank, founded in 1885, has $2.1 billion in assets and 17 branches, including two branches in area senior communities that are open only part-time. The bank has 270 employees.
The new bylaws require a 75 percent super-majority of the 55-member board of corporators -- a body that includes the 12 trustees -- to approve a conversion of PeoplesBank from a mutual bank owned by its depositors to a stock bank owned by shareholders.
That means a motion to convert would need 42 votes of the 55.
The old rules called for simple majority of 28 votes, Senecal said.
They bylaws also now bar PeoplesBank senior management and its trustees from profiting in a conversion to a stock bank.
Tom Senecal
"It basically took out any financial incentive from management or the board's part from converting," Senecal said.
Remaining a mutual bank keeps decision-making local and allows management to have a long-term focus and not be bound by quarterly results. It also gives PeoplesBank the ability to contribute to the communities where it operates, he said.
"It is the mutual banks that are usually the biggest contributors to the community," he said.
It is still possible, although unlikely, for PeoplesBank to convert to a stock bank. The only reason would be if PeoplesBank needed to raise capital. Converting and selling stock would yield more operating capital.
But Senecal doesn't foresee the need to raise cash.
"Not for PeoplesBank. We are extremely financially sound," he said.
Competitive pressures, the cost of technology and keeping up with regulations are changing the area banking industry, Senecal said.
For example, Westfield Bank is in the process of acquiring Chicopee Savings in a $110 million deal. In 2015, Pittsfield-based Berkshire Bank completed its $109 million purchase of Hampden Bank. In a deal completed in December, Nuvo Bank & Trust Co. was sold to Merchants Bancshares, of South Burlington, Vermont, for $21.8 million, or $7.15 a share.
All those banks were stockholder-owned, but not all banks that merge are stockholder-owned.
Greenfield Cooperative Bank and Northampton Cooperative Bank completed their merger in early 2015. Easthampton Savings Bank completed the merger of its holding company with that of Hometown Savings in Oxford early 2016. The merged holding company continues to be mutually owned.
Senecal said it is possible for a mutually owned PeoplesBank to acquire or merge, but it is not likely.
"Not for foreseeable future at PeoplesBank," he said.
A paramilitary policeman stands guard in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa. (Photo : Reuters)
Delegates from various countries attending a forum in Lhasa have expressed their appreciation toward the changes that have occurred in Tibet.
According to China Daily, overseas participants at the 2016 Forum on the Development of Tibet were able to do some sightseeing ahead of the gathering, enabling them to see the region's natural sceneries and cultural landmarks.
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"In Egypt we had little information about Tibet and I knew Tibet mostly from novels, and Tibet is depicted as a primitive place of isolation," Ahmed Zarif Alkadi told China Daily.
Alkadi, a professor at Egypt's Minia University, said that he had a different impression of Tibet when he was in Egypt.
"But here I have found a lot of modern elements, and people here are plain and kind," Alkadi said. It was his first time to visit the region, saying that he was stunned by its natural surroundings.
Other participants pointed out improvements in Lhasa, Tibet's capital.
Jim Stoopman, who represented Brussels' European Institute for Asian Studies, said he had witnessed developments in Lhasa from his last visit six years ago.
"It starts with the road from the airport to the city," Stoopman said in a China Daily interview. He also cited several new apartment buildings as he visited monasteries and agricultural farms a few days ahead of the forum.
"I think the central government in China is trying its best and putting all efforts to develop the region and livelihood of the people," Stoopman said. "We've seen some examples in the past few days. Tibet is really developing and people are moving out of poverty. It's easier for minorities to go to universities, to enjoy good primary education, and to learn their languages."
The 2016 Forum on the Development of Tibet aims to discuss poverty alleviation efforts in the region. According to the regional government, measures suggested by scholars and experts at the gathering can help eradicate poverty by 2020.
Candace Payne Facebook Video (Photo : candaceSpayne/Facebook)
"Chewbacca mom" Candace Payne, who became famous with her Facebook video laughing while wearing the Chewbacca mask, once again became viral as she spread a message of hope by singing Michael Jackson's "Heal the World" as a tribute to the police officers who died in the recent brutal shooting in Dallas.
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Payne recorded said video on Saturday where she explained that she live 30 minutes from the area where the shooting occurred and that even if she had been spreading joy with her laughing Chewbacca video, she now feels sad and hurt and has been silent a couple of days because of the incident. She also said that she is "thousands of miles, hundreds of miles away from really identifying with every single ounce of pain that is being felt by the whole world right now," ABC11 reported.
The video titled "Make the World a Better Place" showed the serious side of Payne and has no doubt inspired millions of people around the globe as she played the piano. She sang, "Heal the world, Make it a better place, for you and for me and the entire human race."
Since its posting, the video already garnered over 2.6 million views and has been shared over 39,000 times. Many Facebook users expressed their appreciation to Payne's powerful version of the song and also agreed on its strong message. Some even said that they were moved to tears because of her touching arrangement of the song.
Following a protest in downtown Dallas, twelve officers were shot wherein five were killed and seven were left injured. The Black Lives Matter protest was a response to the death of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota on the hands of police officers, Today reported.
To recall, Payne also sang the national anthem during the Houston Astros vs. Seattle Mariners. Since her fame after her viral video, she was also given the opportunity to visit the Facebook headquarters in Palo Alto, California, meet The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams, join James Corden on a carpool, receive gifts from Chewbacca mask maker Hasbro and other privileges including appearances on numerous shows.
This engenders anti-science attitudes. You are limiting childrens futures by suggesting science is a conspiracy against them.
Nye said he hoped the ark would never be built, because it would indoctrinate children into this extraordinary and outlandish, unscientific point of view.
According to the site, employees at Ark Encounter must agree to the groups Statement of Faith, which requires a doctrine of strict adherence to biblical scripture.
This includes the belief that the world is 6,000 years old and also prohibits premarital sex, opposes homosexuality, abortion, and requires regular attendance at a local Bible believing church, as portrayed in the New Testament.
By Alexandra Genova For Dailymail.com
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3683996/The-kids-brainwashed-Bill-Nye-Science-Guy-slams-new-Noah-s-Ark-attraction-visit-Friday-protests-held-opening.html#ixzz4EByK2zVV
***
Bill Nye the Science Guy: Here to change the world on CBS Sunday Morning http://www.matr.net/article-72455.html
Chinese builders use glutinous rice as cement bonding for ancient walls. (Photo : Getty Images)
Workers who are rehabilitating the part of an ancient city wall located in Xinchang in the southwest are using more than regular building materials to keep their cultural heritage intact.
Builders working on the 900-meter city wall in Xichang in the southwestern province of Sichuan are cooking up more glutinous rice porridge than they could consume because they do not intend to eat it.
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In a slideshow of photos presented by CRIEnglish, the workers are seen cooking porridge made from glutinous rice in five massive iron pots which they would use to keep the bricks of the walls together.
According to experts cited by the outlet, glutinous rice is a trade secret in restoration of ancient buildings and infrastructures.
Some 1,500 years ago, during the Ming Dynasty, people of China found out that boiled glutinous rice has the capability to keep a building standing for centuries.
To fix the old wall in Xinchang, the workers mix over 500 kilograms of boiled glutinous rice with lime and alum. Experts estimate that the builders would require about 50 tonnes of glutinous rice to finish the entire project.
This technology has also been used to keep the famous "Great Wall of China" as the glorious symbol of the Asian giant's intense defense both symbolically and literally.
According to Telegraph, glutinous rice is the source of "strength" of the Great Wall, which was also erected around the era of the Ming Dynasty.
"The ancient mortar is a special kind of organic and inorganic mixture. The organic component is amylopectin, which comes from the porridge of sticky rice that was added to the mortar," Zhejiang University Chemistry professor Dr. Zhang Bingjian told Telegraph.
Zhang also dubbed glutinous rice as one of the greatest innovations of the East Asians during the Ming Dynasty.
However, it is considered 100 times more expensive than regular cement, which makes it difficult to use in regular housing nowadays.
Consumers worried about high out-of-pocket health costs can search http://amino.com/cost for procedure prices ranging from knee surgeries to vasectomies, based on their doctor and type of insurance so they can eliminate most of the surprise bills that show up long after their wounds have healed.
Jayne ODonnell and Laura Ungar, USAToday
Full Story: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2016/07/12/new-tool-searches-health-prices-doctor-insurance/86941678/
The Wyoming Business Council Board of Directors recently toured Wyomings fifth-largest city during its quarterly meeting to see Rock Springs progress firsthand and to discover whats on the horizon. Heres what they saw.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p8qQyIWU2o
Pravind Jugnauth a repondu a cinq question lors du Prime Ministers Question Time lors de la seance parlementaire du 9 Juillet 2019.
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10 year-old child criminal Jon Venables is having his mugshot taken after he murdered 2 year-old. (Photo : YouTube)
Arson, grievous bodily harm (GBH), sex offense, robbery - these are just a few crimes committed by children as young as four in London in the past year. There were around 126 criminal acts perpetrated by youngsters under ten during the 2015/16 financial year.
Police recorded that there have been 16 sex offences carried out by children between ages four and nine, and alarmingly, 25 percent of those crimes being committed by four year-olds, according to a report by The London Evening Standard. Two arson incidents were committed by one child aged eight, and another aged nine, while two other youngsters have been caught possessing dangerous offensive weapons.
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Wounding, or more formally known as GBH, have been carried out by five children, which included a 5 year-old. Moreover, two children between these ages have been held responsible for committing acts of robberies. Overall, 54 children are responsible for violent offences, 15 have been found committing theft, and 28 more for perpetrating criminal damage.
Children in this age gap (four to nine years old) cannot be charged with a crime and arrested because the age of criminal responsibility is 10 in England. Other punishments such as a Local Child Curfew and a Child Safety Order can be handed to children under 10 who break the law given that their behaviors have visible signs of being anti-social and sociopathic. Regular offense can hold these children's parents responsible under the law as well.
"It is important to understand that when very young children come into contact with the police, it is not a criminal matter but a welfare issue.", the source quoted Andrew Neilson, Director of Campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform. He made this statement in response to these figures.
He further stated that the police are not the ideal agency for handling children. There are other agencies who are in a much more qualified position to support very young children and guide them in order for them not to grow up breaking the law regularly. These figures, he said, we also supposed to be regarded as highly sensitive considering that they belong under the age of criminal responsibility.
Moreover, a spokesman for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) added that these children who have been accused of sexual offenses have also been victims of trauma and abuse themselves, usually perpetrated by their own parents or relatives. Any kind of exposure is critical to the learning age of a child, and as a result, they are learning that these things are OK. He further added that online porn has an effect too.
Since 2009, there are almost 800 children who have committed sex crimes against other youngsters, according to the figures obtained by The Daily Mirror.
A villager walks over destroyed houses in Fujiian after heavy rains and flooding caused by typhoon Nepartak. (Photo : Twitter)
Thousands of residents were evacuated Saturday after floodwaters breached a dike in Hunan Province as Super Typhoon Nepartak continues to batter Central China.
Evacuations were ordered after the dike protecting the Xinhua flood detention basin in Huarong County was breached at around 11 a.m. on Saturday, an official of the Hunan Provincial Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said.
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An estimated 5,000 residents were moved out of the area, the South China Morning Post reported. The basin covers more than 4,400 hectares and is home to an estimated 27,000 people.
Around 400 military personnel were also deployed in the area to assist in relief operations. However, the official said that casualties are likely to be low, as the water level was not high enough to affect the larger population.
Nevertheless, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said that incidents like this show the need for better flood control embankments. Li also said that officials overseeing such projects should be more responsible in ensuring the quality of the structures.
The premier made the remarks during a State Council executive meeting after he arrived from Wuhan Province. Li was in Wuhan overseeing rescue and relief operations for those affected by the typhoon. Earlier, he went to the provinces of Hunan and Anhui to inspect flood control projects.
Li noted that the spillover point of the Wuhan embankment was just 400 meters away from the Yangtze, which he said could cause considerable impact should it be breached by floodwaters.
Nepartak, which had maximum sustained winds of 175 miles per hour, made landfall in the province of Fujian on Saturday, dumping large amounts of rain that caused flooding in the area. The Fujian water resources department said that at least two people have been killed, CBC News reported.
Earlier, the typhoon also hit the island nation of Taiwan, delivering 61 centimeters of rain.
Clash Royale is a freemium mobile strategy video game developed and published by Supercell. (Photo : YouTube/ GAMINGwithMOLT)
Weeks after buying Finnish company Supercell Oy from Softbank Group, Chinese Internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. has begun offering the "Clash Royale" mobile game in China via its QQ and WeChat messaging platforms.
The announcement came last week, allowing subscribers in China to download the said mobile game.
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According to The Wall Street Journal, "the move highlights the rapid speed at which the two companies are collaborating to bring Supercell's highest-grossing mobile offerings, including 'Clash of Clans,' to the hundreds of millions of people in China who regularly use Tencent's social networks."
This brings great revenue opportunity for Supercell in return, analysts said.
Peter Warman, chief executive at market research firm Newzoo, said that Supercell's revenue could jump by as much as $1 billion, thanks to its partnership with Tencent.
"In China, nobody has the power that Tencent has when it comes to bringing users to games," Warman told the WSJ.
Tencent is undoubtedly in the best position to boost Supercell's revenue stream in China, the world's largest mobile game market.
According to the WSJ, Supercell "has fared relatively well in China" while working alongside Kunlun. The deal with Tencent will, however, catapult the Finnish company into a larger revenue-generating platform, thanks to China's large user base.
"Tencent's WeChat and QQ are two of the most frequently used apps in China," wrote the WSJ. "On top of their core messaging features, the apps come with mobile payment functions that let users pay for games and other online services. As of March, WeChat had 762 million monthly active users, while QQ's mobile app had 658 million."
Supercell had echoed this huge revenue potential in an earlier statement.
"[Tencent has] around 300 million unique users playing games on their platforms," Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen wrote in a post. "What this means for us is that together with Tencent, we can bring our games to so many more players. Also, their social platforms offer many new possibilities for our games, particularly for social play."
Heilongjiang Artist Hits China Art Association for Kicking Him Out Over Calligraphy Using Female Genital to Hold the Brush
Chinese Calligrapher Dong Fengshu's Work Sold Record High At Charity Auction (Photo : Getty Images)
Calligraphy is one of the art forms in China that continues to be done and appreciated in China and other parts of the world.
However, because of the unique way that some Chinese women do calligraphy, a 63-year-old artist was kicked out of government-led China Artists Association (CAA). Sun Ping of Heilongjiang, a member of the CAA since 1985, first featured a half-naked woman in 2006 in his calligraphy titled Unknown Tao.
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The woman wrote Chinese text with a calligraphy brush in her vagina, reported Shanghaiist. Chinese media, which were shocked by the intimate performance art piece, called Suns work vulgar and an affront to the art of calligraphy and traditional Chinese society.
His next work is Bi Front which also used a similar way of writing calligraphy in Suns bid to dissect dignity, identity and sexism. But according to Sixth Tome, the CAA decided to remove him from their association because of his work being recognized abroad, reported Dazeddigital.
In response to his expulsion from CAA, Sun wrote an open letter which criticized media and the association for their misdirection and untruthfulness.
Sun wrote, I felt honoured to have a government organisation remembering me but since I began to do contemporary art in the late 80s, I never had anything to do with them, the membership was just like a dead body, and I would like to thank them for kicking me out.
At the same time, the artist denied that the brush pen used by the female calligrapher was made out of women's pubic hair. Sun further said, They dont know that this type of calligraphy was aimed at challenging the recognition of high brow and low brow. Those who associate this with sexual activity and dirty things are ones who really [are] dirty and boring, therefore they felt offended.
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.
G20 ministers pledged to loosen trade globally. (Photo : Getty Images)
Trade ministers and bank governors of the Group of Twenty convened in Shanghai recently to discuss global trade policies.
On Sunday, Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng said "the G20 members will push the implementation of the accord as soon as possible, help developing countries build capacity . . . for the agreement, and endeavor to cut global trade costs by 15 percentage points."
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This latest agreement will enable countries to gradually break the barriers of protectionism among the G20. The effects of which will create more liberal policies on exports and imports. The impact of more liberal laws will launch an additional $1 trillion annually, according to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The WTO also said that more than 1,500 restrictive trade policies were taken into effect by the G20 since 2008.
To loosen up trade policies and cut global costs, the WTO set a target to free up protectionist trade policies.
The G20 promised to meet the WTO target by 2018.
Gao also said that the ministers agreed to form nine core guiding principles for global investment. These principles will include ratification of laws to encourage transparency in trade and investors' protection against discrimination when settling disputes.
The establishment of these guiding principles is a first in the history of the world, said Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen.
The G20 Summit will be held in September in Zheijang Province. Members of the G20 are finance ministers and central bank governors of 19 member nations, which include the United States, Germany and China.
The purpose of the G20 is to study, review and encourage high-level policy discussions on global commerce. The mission of the G20 is to ensure stability of the financial market around the world.
by Philip Rosenstein , Staff Writer, July 12, 2016
Political advertising on TV slowed down significantly at the tail end of primary season. May saw no new ads from the Trump or Clinton campaigns. Trump, with an unprecedented level of earned media, continued with a blank slate in June, while Clinton resumed with five fresh ads.
In June, the Bernie Sanders campaign aired one ad, and following the trend in previous months, it garnered the highest Ace Metrix score of the month, among candidate ads. Since the beginning of the year, Bernie 2016 ads have performed significantly higher than Clinton, Trump or super PAC ads.
This appeal comes largely from the Independent section of the electorate, which responded positively to the Bernie Sanders campaign.
Sanders ads beat the average Ace Score among Independents by 66 points. In an election year that has become a #Never Donald or Hillary contest, attracting those voters in the center will be both crucial and increasingly difficult.
Hillary Clinton now has Sanders in her corner, with the Vermont Senator set to appear at a rally with her in New Hampshire this week. As far as June ads, however, it is a Koch brothers ad that was most appealing to Independents.
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End the Divide, the Koch spot, scored highest overall among all 327 presidential ads aired in 2016. It rated second to Sanders Fairness among Independent voters. Interestingly, the two ads addressed the issue of a growing wage gap and stratification in the American economy, pointing to what resonates best with those all-important swing voters.
Whether the success of the conservative Koch ad will translate to the top of the ticket, in a year where many down-ballot Republicans are wary of being associated with Trump, is another question.
The Sanders bump for Clinton is to be coupled with a heavily negative advertising strategy coming from both the Clinton campaign and pro-Clinton super Super PACs.
According to Ace Metrix, anti-Trump ads have a more negative slant than anti-Clinton ones. The impact scores among the anti-candidate ads, however, were almost identical.
Year-to-date, super PACs have aired a total of 147 TV ads, making up 45% of all ads. Bernie 2016 picked up 14% of the total with 44 ads, Hillary for America had 13% with 42, and Trump for President ran just 11 ads, making up 3% of the 327 total ads run this year.
by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, July 12, 2016
In the wake of tragedy, apparently, comes rank stupidity. The awful events of last week, including the killing of two black motorists by police and the murder of five policemen in Dallas in retribution, have opened the floodgates for an outpouring of online vitriol and vileness from all quarters, in all their stupid, stupid glory. One thing the stupids seem to have forgotten, however, is that free speech does not include the right to threaten to kill someone.
Leading the cavalcade of morons is Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell, who decided to use his status as a role model to set a good example on social media, by posting a drawing showing a hooded assailant lodging a machete in a police officers throat before swiftly removing it. While not technically a threat, the drawing was obviously in the end zone of not ok, and Crowell, informed that grievous violence is to be confined to the playing field, issued the usual apology about his extremely poor decision. The Browns are saying the apology isnt enough, and indeed it doesnt change the fact that he posted it and his followers saw it. So he may well have blood on his hands, and could also lose his job. Nice one, Isaiah.
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Not to be outdone in the race to unemployment via social media, a number of police officers have also posted violent, threatening content on social media, including threats directed to specific individuals. In Overland Park, Kansas, now ex-police officer Rodney Wilson commented on a photo posted by LaNaydra Williams, a black woman, showing her young daughter, thusly: Well see how much her life matters soon. Better be careful leaving your info open where she can be found :) hold her close tonight, itll be the last time.
At this point the only appropriate response is obviously WTF?!! followed swiftly by youre fired, which is what Wilson heard next from the Overland Park Police Departments Professional Standards Unit (better known as the Hey I Thought Youre Supposed To Be A Cop division). During their investigation the OPPD also discovered information that has prompted them to open a criminal investigation of the fired officer. Strong work, Wilson; maybe consider crawling into a hole and staying there forever, thanks.
Unfortunately Wilson has some stupid company in local law enforcement: in Memphis three police officers have been suspended following social media posts joking about police violence against black men, including one photo posted on Snapchat that shows a hand pointing a gun at an emoji of a black man, which was later shared on Twitter. The officer who sent the original Snapchat, still unidentified, may be fired.
Back on the stupid civilian side, four men in Detroit were arrested for threats to kill police officers on social media, including this transparently inconsistent piece of idiocy: All lives cant matter until black lives matter. Kill all white cops. Two of the men were released, presumably with warnings to grow more brain cells, but two remain in custody for unrelated misdemeanors. Hmmm enjoy your time in the lockup, fellas.
In South Bend Indiana, Isaiah Deonte Jovan Beavers, 26, a shining star in the intellectual firmament, was arrested by local police and FBI agents for threatening violence on social media. Beavers posted a comment advising the world that he would be bringing gasoline to a Black Lives Matter South Bend Peace Rally, and was ready to riot, apparently having misunderstood the meaning of the word Peace. The police were alerted to Beavers posts by a concerned citizen; he remains in jail prior to his hearing.
In conclusion: you idiots.
by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, July 12, 2016
When travelers turn to mobile, Google wants to be there to serve the information they request.
On Tuesday, Google announced it will help marketers and on-the-go shoppers by introducing several features to make mobile shopping and travel planning easier, even when shopping occurs from YouTube.
Google introduced YouTube TrueView ads for shopping in spring 2015, making it easier for consumers to click to buy while watching video ads. To help marketers gain more control of branding, Google Tuesday introduced Companion Banner and Product Picker.
While the Companion Banner feature shows viewers the most up-to-date product information in a carousel of products that users can scroll through while watching video, Product Picker lets advertisers choose and prioritize which of their products are featured as cards in a TrueView for shopping campaign.
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Consumers often turn to YouTube to help them research purchases. In fact, about 47% participating in a Google and Ipsos conducted in March 2016, said YouTube helps them when make a decision about something to buy at least once a month.
Since the shopping doesn't all happen on YouTube and is typically tied to an event or special occasion like travel, Google also added the option to filter hotel search results based on specific needs.
For example, travelers can filter searches based on ratings or prices with one tap on their phones or search on specific queries like "Pet-friendly hotels in Huntington Beach under $200 for three nights." This feature is available in the U.S. and will roll out globally later this year.
Marketers can keep consumers up to date on price changes with an option that lets travelers track the data for specific dates and route combination of airline flights. Google estimates that 69% of leisure travelers worry they do not find the best price or make the best decision. Notifications are sent either by email or Google Now cards.
Google also will roll out features called Hotel Deal and Tips.
A "Deal" label will call out the best price. Google says algorithms automatically identify the deals when identifying a lower price. Tips is another way Google uses real-time analysis. Tips provide people ways to say money. For example, consumers night see a Tip like, "Save $105 if you stay Wed, Jul 13 - Fri, Jul 15."
Hotel Deals and Tips already began rolling out and marketers and consumers will begin seeing the changes during the coming months.
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, July 12, 2016
Google announced several updates to Shopping Campaigns Tuesday, such as a new look for broad or nonbranded product queries.
About 40% of product queries are for broad terms, per Google. In the past, Google either didn't show a product listing ad (PLAs) on broad queries or served individual products such as chair or couch.
The change will allow Google to show what it now calls Showcase Shopping Ads. When a consumer searches for "summer dresses," one large image will appear, and alongside the main image, two smaller side images related to the product search also will serve up.
The name of the retailer appears on top, but at the bottom of the ad, marketers call add a promotional message or distance to the location for advertisers looking to connect with consumers searching for local inventory. Consumer will click through to a google-hosted landing page of the sellers products.
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Merchants running Shopping Campaigns in the U.S., UK, and Australia will become eligible to have their products automatically appear in Showcase ads in the coming weeks.
For merchants looking to customize how their brand and products appear, Google said it's testing a premium version that allows merchants to curate the experience.
by Sara Guaglione , July 12, 2016
Hearst Magazines Digital Media (HMDM) has appointed Jason Kleinman vice president of brand solutions.
In this newly created role, Kleinman will implement global digital advertising strategy across Hearst Magazines in the U.S. and international markets, translating industry solutions into innovative, scalable, effective ad offerings, according to a statement.
Hearst appears to be committed to building its branded-content offering. Kleinman will report to Troy Young, president of Hearst Magazines Digital Media, who stated that Kleinman will play a significant role extending Hearsts platform to its global network. Hearst appears to be committed to building its branded-content offering. Kleinman will report to Troy Young, president of Hearst Magazines Digital Media, who stated that Kleinman will play a significant role extending Hearsts platform to its global network.
Young added that Kleinman will serve as a critical bridge between the product, sales, audience and edit teams, overseeing HMDMs suite of ad products, including display ad products, branded content creation and data and research.
advertisement advertisement Kleinman was formerly senior vice president of Guardian Labs and brand partnerships at Guardian News & Media.
New York Times and has held roles in digital brand strategy, business development, and production at Columbia University DKV, Siegel + Gale and Thirteen/WNET. Before the Guardian U.S., Kleinman was director of product marketing at Theand has held roles in digital brand strategy, business development, and production at Columbia University DKV, Siegel + Gale and Thirteen/WNET.
Last month, HMDM also added the position of director of video sales and marketing to its executive team, with Mark Marvel the first to take on the role, in an effort to drive sales of HMDMs video offerings. Marvel previously led video sales strategy at Time Inc.
by Larissa Faw , July 12, 2016
Gyro is naming Kimberly Bates as chief strategy and innovation officer of its New York office. This is technically a new position as the shop has never had a dual title of these roles in New York.
She has wide-ranging responsibilities. In addition to leading strategy in New York, she will help to execute the agency's innovation agenda globally, working alongside gyro New York managing director Wendy Lurrie and executive creative director Vito Zarrillo. She reports to Lurrie and gyro CEO/CCO Christoph Becker.
Bates has more than two decades of marketing experience. Most recently, she was executive planning director at mcgarreybowen and has held leadership roles at PHD Worldwide, Publicis Kaplan Thaler, Arnell Group and Nielsen. Bates has worked with brands including Pepsi, McDonald's, Google, Mercedes, Sony, Bank of America, Procter & Gamble, Revlon, Elizabeth Arden, Masterfoods, Unilever, Verizon, GSK, Pfizer, Chrysler, Lego, Old Navy and Footlocker.
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Having run brand strategy at Time Warner Cable, Bates also offers the unique perspective of a client-side marketer, said the agency.
Kimberly possesses a unique combination of energy, innovative thinking and experience in all aspects of strategy. She will amplify all of our efforts to create powerful, humanly relevant solutions for our clients, stated Lurrie. As business evolves and our clients' needs evolve with ever-increasing velocity, it is more important than ever that we continue to turbo charge our strategic capabilities throughout our offerings. Kimberly is central to that effort.
Gyro employs more than 600 workers across 14 offices. Its roster of clients includes Aflac, Danone, eBay, Google, HP, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Jabra, John Deere, Tate & Lyle, TD Ameritrade, Teva, USG and Vodafone.
This artist's rendition shows one possible appearance for the planet HD 219134b, the nearest rocky exoplanet found to date outside our solar system. (Photo : NASA JPL/CALTECH)
A team of researchers has discovered a strange exoplanet nearly 320 light years away from Earth. This exoplanet, dubbed HD 131399 Ab, exists in a triple star system.
The new exoplanet might sound like a fictional world from the "Star Wars" series. However, the study published in the journal Science explains that such a planet with three stars in its system actually exists in the Milky Way galaxy. In fact, co-existence of three stars is not the only weird thing about the planet.
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According to the astronomers who used direct imaging to identify the three stars, HD 131399Ab should not actually be at the place where it is located now. In fact, it may be sitting at the edge of the galaxy, waiting for it to be ejected from the entire system.
Kevin Wagner of the University of Arizona explained to Christian Science Monitor that a majority of planets with multiple star system that the researchers are aware of till date orbit much closer to one of the stars. The other stars are located at a distance and does not have a significant impact on the planet. However, the newly discovered exoplanet is "about a third of the way in between the stars."
Exoplanet HD 131399 Ab orbits the first star. However, it brings it a third way to the other two stars, which are located close together. When the planet is at a third way to the other two stars, it starts to feel the gravitational force exerted by them.
This is the exact location that the researchers believe would make the exoplanet highly unstable an position it at an increased risk of being ejected from the galaxy and become a free-floating celestial object. However, this is not true in reality and the exoplanet remains stable.
Wagner explains that the exoplanet would already have been ejected by now if it was unstable to any extent. The system is already 16 million years old and it would have taken just a few centuries worth of gravitational pull to eject the exoplanet out of the system entirely.
The research team believes that studying such exoplanets can enhance their understanding of how planets form and migrate within the system. The discovery reminds researchers of the fact that the world can be really strange and there a a lot of things that can exist in different configurations.
The following video talks about five amazing exoplanets:
For the first time, scientists have been able to restore key parts of vision in mice blinded by loss of nerve connections between the eye and the brain. The achievement is a significant step forward in finding ways to restore or improve sight in people with glaucoma and eye injuries that affect the optic nerve. Share on Pinterest The researchers coaxed optic-nerve cables that carry vision information from cells in the retina at the back of the eye along the optic nerve and beyond to regenerate and retrace their routes to various parts of the brain. In Nature Neuroscience, a team led by senior author Andrew Huberman, an associate professor of neurobiology who heads a neural vision lab at Stanford University School of Medicine in California, reports unprecedented success in restoring broken links between retinal ganglion cells and various parts of the brain in mice. The researchers describe how they coaxed optic-nerve cables that carry vision information from the eye to the brain, to regenerate. They found the cables not only repaired themselves, but also re-traced the same routes they had before being severed. Before the scientists regrew the connections, the mices condition was similar to glaucoma, a major cause of blindness where pressure in the eye impairs the function of the optic nerve. Prof. Huberman explains that while you can restore vision in people with cataracts the leading cause of blindness by removing the clouded lens, there are as yet no vision-restoring treatments for people who lose their sight through glaucoma. There are around 70 million people worldwide with glaucoma. Damage to the optic nerve can also occur through other ways, such as injury, retinal detachment, tumors in the pituitary gland, and brain cancer.
High-contrast exposure and biochemical manipulation When we look at something, light that bounces off the object enters our eye, is focused onto the retina by our lens and/or glasses, and is picked up by photoreceptor cells on the retina a thin sheet of cells at the back of the eye. Fast facts about glaucoma The number of Americans with glaucoma is expected to reach 6.3 million in 2050, nearly double the 2010 figure
in 2050, nearly double the 2010 figure Glaucoma is more common in older people
It is twice as common in African Americans than in whites or Hispanics. Find out more about glaucoma The photoreceptor cells pass coded information to another set of cells called retinal ganglion cells. The ganglion cells project long, thin fibers called axons, which fan out at the other end of the optic nerve to various parts of the brain, where they connect with other nerve cells to build the picture that we see. There are around 30 types of retinal ganglion cells, each dealing with a particular aspect of vision, such as motion in general, motion up or to the side, and colors. Prof. Huberman says somehow the brain interprets this bundle of signals to be aware, and say, for example: Wow, thats a fast-moving car coming my way Id better get back on the sidewalk. He explains that the retinal ganglion cells send signals to over two dozen areas of the brain, involved in processing of not only what we would class as vision, but also mood and circadian rhythm. However, while over a third of the brain is dedicated to processing vision-related information, retinal ganglion cells are the only cells that connect the eye to the brain, he notes, and adds: When those cells axons are severed, its like pulling the vision plug right out of the outlet. The team found they could induce the severed optic nerve in mice to regenerate by treating them with a daily regimen of intensive exposure to high-contrast images, or biochemical manipulation that kicked a pathway in the retinal ganglion cells back into high gear, or both. The pathway is called mTOR, and is already known for playing an important role in the developing brain. When this path slows down or is lost as happens in the adult brain a cascade of growth-promoting molecular interactions shuts down with it. The researchers tested the mices vision after 3 weeks of treatment and examined their brains to see if any axons had regenerated.
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The researchers described notable safety and health concerns about e-cigarettes. Batteries inside e-cigarettes have caught fire or exploded, and particulate matter from e-cigarettes, which has been shown to be present in similar numbers in cigarettes, can increase the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.The UNC researchers' commentary served as a counterpoint to a paper in the same journal issue by Ann McNeill, PhD, professor of tobacco addiction at King's College London, that suggests e-cigarettes are a less harmful way for smokers, including those trying to quit, to use nicotine."Though e-cigarettes are likely not as harmful as conventional cigarettes, a growing number of studies report that they are by no means harmless," said Clare Meernik, MPH, a research specialist in the UNC Department of Family Medicine. "Short-term effects include exposure to toxins, reduced respiratory and lung function and burn-related injuries from exploding devices."The researchers also noted that e-cigarettes have been less effective than existing treatments to help people quit smoking."People are focused on should they use e-cigarettes or not. We can have a conversation about that, but part of the bigger picture is being lost," Goldstein said. "And that is that we need be using the tools that we currently have available, including seven FDA-approved medications in combination with behavioral treatment. We have quit lines that provide free counseling and physician counseling to help patients come up with concrete plans for quitting and developing the skills necessary to quit permanently and to increase social support - all of which significantly increase cessation."This past May the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it was extending its authority over all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. Greater regulatory oversight of e-cigarettes, the researchers said, will be a significant step forward toward ensuring higher safety standards."We need more data on effectiveness, we need more data on safety, we need technology that's safe so the products don't explode, we need to ensure they're childproof," Goldstein said. "Right now, we don't know the different amounts of ingredients in these products. We don't know about the nicotine levels that patients are getting."In addition to examining existing research on e-cigarettes, Goldstein said their views came from clinical observations from helping tobacco users through the UNC School of Medicine Department of Family Medicine Nicotine Dependence Program. A branch of the program exists in the N.C. Cancer Hospital to help cancer patients and survivors safely quit tobacco products, he saidAnd while they advise against the routine recommendation of e-cigarettes, Meernik and Goldstein know firsthand that smoking cessation for individual patients is rarely black and white, and that providers must look at each patient''s unique situation."The emergence of any intervention or product promoted as a smoking cessation aid excites many providers, but such tools need to be proven safe and effective before providers routinely utilize them," Meernik said. "Debates such as this can help clarify the evidence for providers and ensure that patients are receiving the highest quality treatment."Source: Newswise
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A closer look revealed that faculty rank, age, years since residency, specialty, clinical trial participation and having had one's research published accounted for some of the pay differences, but not all.After factoring in these modifiers, women still earned on average $19,878 per year less than men, said the report."Our use of publicly available state employee salary data highlights the importance of physician salary transparency to efforts to reduce the male-female earnings gap," said the study, led by Anupam Jena, a doctor at Harvard Medical School.The biggest gaps were seen among specialty surgeons, and women at the top of their profession scale earned about as much as men at mid-level ranks."Salaries for female full professors ($250,971) were comparable to those of male associate professors ($247,212)," it said.Women tended to be younger than men, and more women specialized in internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology."Women also had fewer total publications, were less likely to have funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and less likely to have conducted a clinical trial," said the report.An accompanying editorial in the journal called for the "courage and leadership of women academic physicians... to advocate to eliminate" the pay gap."Fixing the pay gap between male and female physicians in academic medicine requires more than just studies showing that it exists; concerted efforts are needed to understand and eliminate the gap," wrote Vineet Arora, a doctor at the University of Chicago."It is time that the 'woman card' be worth the same amount as the 'man card.'"Source: AFP
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"We've found that many new mothers bottle-feed more frequently and delay weaning to a later age than is optimal for their children," said Alison Karasz, associate professor of family and social medicine at Einstein and principal investigator on the project. "This can result from overcrowded homes, where mothers feel pressure to keep their children quiet, or concerns about children getting enough to eat. Based on our pilot program, we expect that when mothers are provided resources and support from someone they see as their peer, feeding practices will improve-and so will children's health."The home-based intervention is titled Child Health Action to Lower Oral Health and Obesity Risk, or CHALO!, which means "Let's go!" in Hindi. It will target excess bottle-feeding and the extended use of bottles and 'sippy' cups-the two most significant risk factors for childhood obesity and cavities."We know that health behaviors and eating patterns in the first few months of life can have an oversized impact on long-term health," said Dr. Karasz. "Obesity and caries, or tooth decay, are the two most common childhood diseases in the United States and impose a significant, lifelong burden."Community health workers will visit 377 South Asian mothers of children aged 4 to 5 months and their families six times over the course of a year and will supplement with phone support. They will work with the mothers and their families to make concrete changes, such as:- Listening and responding to children's cues about when they are hungry and when they are full- Making and keeping dental visits- Ending the common practice of using food to pacify childrenTo evaluate the efficacy of the intervention, the health workers will assess the children's oral health and height and weight at six, 12 and 18 months of age. They will use novel devices and techniques, including an inter-oral camera to capture images of the teeth. These images will be sent to the University of Rochester dental school for review. They'll also use an iPad program to assess children's feeding and oral health practices, in collaboration with Columbia University dental researchers.Source: Newswise
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In early July 2016, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and Ethiopia, and also met with the leaders of South Sudan, Tanzania, and Zambia. The visit, which began with a July 4 ceremony at Entebbe Airport marking the 40th anniversary of the Israeli hostage rescue operation, in which Netanyahu's brother Jonathan was killed, was aimed primarily at strengthening Israel's economic and political ties with Africa.
The visit elicited many responses in the Egyptian media, with most commentators expressing reservations and fears regarding its implications for Egypt, particularly regarding the sensitive issue of Egypt's Nile water quotas. On the other hand, businessman Salah Diab, owner of the Egyptian daily Al-Masri Al-Yawm, argued that such comments reflect "childish logic" and "wartime behavior during peacetime," and called on Egypt to cooperate with Israel's investments in Africa.
Following is a review of reactions in Egypt to Netanyahu's Africa visit:
Arab League Secretary-General: Israel-Africa Relations Cannot Come At The Expense Of The Palestinians
Newly elected Arab League Secretary-General and former Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said that Arab relations with African nations are good and must not be negatively impacted by Netanyahu's visit. The visit, he said, was aimed at breaking Israel's international isolation, which stems from its ongoing occupation of Arab lands and from its racist actions. He added that Israel was attempting to market itself as a normal country that can help others on issues like security and growth, but expressed confidence that African nations that once fought for their freedom are fully cognizant of the meaning of occupation and colonialism. Reiterating the African Union's position on the Palestinian matter, he stated that he hoped that the countries visited by Netanyahu would not allow their relationship with Israel to come at the expense of their great and historic support for Palestinian rights.[1]
Sa'id Al-Lawandi, a researcher at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, told Al-Ghad TV that the visit was "questionable and undesirable." He argued that while Egypt has neglected relations with African nations until recent years, Israel, "the classic enemy of the entire Arab ummah," has been operating there for some time.[2]
Egyptian MP Hatem Bashat, chairman of the Egyptian parliament's African Affairs Committee and an official in the Free Egyptians Party, said that his committee would meet on July 17 with the foreign minister's African Affairs advisor and his team, at parliament headquarters, to discuss the Foreign Ministry's official response to Netanyahu's visit and what they called his dangerous and divisive statements. According to Bashat, Egypt should act on both the parliamentary and the Foreign Ministry level on the matter and the parliamentarians should seek a meeting on the issue with President Al-Sisi . He added that discussing Netanyahu's visit with African ambassadors in Egypt would not help, but Egypt had to tighten its relations with African nations in light of the current global competition.[3]
Fears That Netanyahu Visit Will Impact Intra-African Nile Water Dispute
Concerns in Egypt regarding Netanyahu's visit centered primarily on its potential implications for the sensitive intra-African dispute on the division of the Nile water. This issue has been a major concern in Egypt since Ethiopia's 2013 announcement that it was diverting the Nile in order to construct the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance hydroelectric dam, which would impact Egypt's guaranteed quota of Nile water. In 2014, Egyptian media featured many articles implying that Israel had encouraged the Ethiopians to construct the dam and was the chief benefactor of the move.[4] Following Netanyahu's visit, this issue is again in the headlines.
Ibrahim Youssri, a former aide to the Egyptian foreign minister, posted a Facebook status using the hashtags #Al-Nahda Dam [the Arabic name for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam] #Netanyahu, and #Egypt: "Netanyahu's provocative visit to the Nile Basin countries is meant to congratulate them on their policy of drying Egypt up, to which [Israel] incites. Are we still truly allies of the Zionists? ..."[5]
Egyptian MP Mustafa Bakri called for an urgent parliamentary session attended by the prime minister and the ministers of foreign affairs, water, and electricity and energy, to discuss Netanyahu's visit to the Nile Basin countries and the risks it poses to Egypt's Nile water quota and national security.[6]
In the official Egyptian daily Al-Ahram, Nabil Al-Sagini wrote that the Nile originates in the four countries visited by Netanyahu, and that this "confirms that the issue of the Nile water will be one of the main topics discussed during the Israeli prime minister's visit to Africa, in an attempt to realize Israel's historic dream of diverting the Nile water to the Negev desert... Suspicious Israeli movements in Africa come at the same time as intensive Egypt-Sudan-Ethiopia talks, and the presentation of the Al-Nahda Dam issue at the African Summit... and it is clear that [Israel] is working to thwart any potential agreement" between the three countries on the issue of the dam.[7]
Dr. Hazem Hosny, professor of economics and political science at Cairo University, warned that the visit was part of a plan to expand Israel "from the Nile to the Euphrates... since the Nile begins in Ethiopia. This visit is an expression... of an organized Zionist plan against Egypt [aimed at] controlling its water and food..."[8]
"Al-Sisi gave Netanyahu [control of] the faucet" for the "Al-Nahda Dam" (klmty.net, July 8, 2016)
'Al-Masri Al-Yawm' Owner To Opponents Of Netanyahu's Visit: It Is Time To Cooperate With Israel
A July 7, 2016 article in Al-Masri Al-Yawm by "Newton" (pen name of the paper's owner, Salah Diab), criticized the opponents of Netanyahu's Africa visit, and argued that the time has come to cooperate with Israel:
"[Some say:] 'I will allow Israel to achieve exclusivity in Africa, since we have a disagreement with it. I will let it invest in the Nile Basin since I hate Israel. Let us look from the side as it expands its joint projects with the African governments [since] I am already at odds with Netanyahu.' All these [comments] reflect childish thinking and nothing more. This is illogical behavior, wartime behavior during peacetime. Outdated cliches.
"No one in Africa wants to relinquish Egypt. Egypt cannot relinquish Africa and the Africans will never relinquish Israel or their own interests [merely] to play nice with the Arabs. They want us to work together and cooperate with anyone who invests in Africa. The Dark Continent suffers from many problems and Africans will not reject any hand extended to them, even Netanyahu's.
"This is the truth we should accept. This is reality and it is our duty to recognize it. Ever since Yitzhak Rabin's famous visit to Africa in 1987 [likely referring to his visit to South Africa], Israeli investments have been streaming into African countries, while we lived, and still do live, under the illusion that Africans would reject the hand that Israel extends. This has not happened, and will not happen. There is no escaping cooperation, because it is unthinkable for us to forgo our strategic interests in Africa, first and foremost the Nile.
"Yesterday, Al-Masri Al-Yawm ran, on its front page, an Anadolu News Agency report on [Turkish Prime Minister] Erdogan, who said: 'Yes to normalization and partnership with Israel; no to reconciliation with Egypt.' This was said by a man who wants to appoint himself leader of Sunni Muslims around the world, and sees no problem with partnership with Israel. Erdogan will be Netanyahu's partner in Dark Continent investments. He will enter Africa hand in hand with Israel...
"Today, after some 50 years of peace, and after [President Al-]Sisi's call for reconciliation between Arabs and Israel, this call cannot pass us by as if it never existed. It can change the face of the region in terms of economics, culture, science, and more... We must demand that Al-Sisi follow through [with this initiative] until it achieves its goals."[9]
Endnotes:
Chinese vessels are seen around Fiery Cross Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. (Photo : Reuters)
China and ASEAN member countries should still pursue cooperation despite the incoming international ruling on the case filed by the Philippines against the Middle Kingdom, an expert said.
Talking to CRIEnglish, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Xu Liping deemed cooperation as the only way for China and neighboring countries to resolve conflict brought about by the maritime grapple in the South China Sea.
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Xu's statement comes just days after an editorial from Aljazeera highlighted China's failure in solidifying allegiance with peripheral countries when it started claiming territories.
Peripheral Countries
On June 9, Richard Javad Heydarian of Aljazeera said that China has been tearing itself apart from its neighbors three years after Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to "promote China's political relationship with peripheral countries, solidify economic bonds, deepen security cooperation and intensify cultural exchanges between China and peripheral countries."
Heydarian, an expert in geopolitical and economic affairs, explained that China's quest to claim territories is leading to "festering maritime spats" that undermined the fragile peace in the region.
"Having completely dominated the Paracel chain of islands in the northern portions of the South China Sea, China has begun to assert its dominance across the whole waterway," he said, adding that China has since asserted its claim over the entire waterway that serves as a path to trillions of dollars worth of trade in the region.
Since then, the country has stepped up efforts to make its claim known, including sending a fishing militia to the area, strengthening aerial interception, and urging Western nations like the United States to back off from the dispute.
Diplomacy and Cooperation
Now, a Chinese expert is saying that China and ASEAN countries should still cooperate if they want to retain the relative peace.
Xu explained that the mere existence of the arbitration case "undermined the efforts to implement some cooperation projects between China and ASEAN."
"Bordering each other, the two sides have signed agreements to form a free trade zone and enhance investment, but all of them have been affected (by the arbitration case) more or less," he said.
He further noted that such case that brought China to trial proved to be not beneficial for the ASEAN and called the arbitration unfair.
"But in the eyes of some ASEAN countries, China's refusal to accept the ruling is a proof that it bullies a small country with its might," he added. "This impression will do harm to the China-ASEAN relationship, mutual trust, and economic cooperation as well. However, both sides should keep this in mind that cooperation benefits both sides the most."
He also mentioned that the United States is trying to take advantage of the situation through the arbitration in order to control the ASEAN countries to serve as its "chess piece."
On July 8, 2016, the two-day NATO summit in Warsaw, Poland began. The summit was an opportunity to define NATO's policy vis-a-vis Russia. In advance of the summit, a number of cartoons critical of this policy were published in pro-Kremlin media.
Below is a review of cartoons on the NATO summit in Warsaw. A report on Russian reactions to summit will follow.
NATO As A Nazi Organization
The cartoon below compares NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to Hitler. The man on the left in the audience is saying, "What is he talking about?" and the second man replies, "Just about the same..."
Vitaly, Topwar.ru, July 10, 2016.
The Russian Threat
This cartoon shows NATO insisting that the real threat is Russia, as the West suffers from terrorism, the migrant crisis, and the economic crisis. The NATO official on the ship points at a picture of a monster labeled "Russia" and says, "No, No, NO! This is your real threat!"
The Russian government-funded media outlet Sputniknews.com wrote as a caption for this cartoon: "The NATO summit is underway in Warsaw and guess what the alliance is discussing? The imaginary Russian threat, of course... Citing NATO's ability to ward off 'aggressive and dangerous' Russia, terrorist threats, and the instability in Europe's neighborhood, the alliance simply wants member states to contribute more to defense spending. But some European states don't believe in NATO's might and prefer to arm themselves."
Vitaly Podvitsky, Sputniknews.com, July 8, 2016.
The cartoon below depicts Russian President Vladimir Putin saying: "In Poland, they say that NATO exists in order to repel the Russian threat. So, the occupation of Iraq, of Afghanistan, the bombing in Libya were just means to repel the Russian threat?"
Twitter.com/sharzhipero, July 7, 2016.
This cartoon shows "Russia" knocking on "NATO's" door asking, "May I borrow some salt?" NATO responded, "F**k, you scared me..."
Twitter.com/sharzhipero, July 7, 2016.
Below, U.S. President Barack Obama and a NATO soldier, armed with flail and a pitchfork, respectively, lie in wait in an ambush. Obama says: "When we see a bear [i.e. Russia], a terrorist, or a Brexit - we just jump and tear them apart." NATO responds, "I'll attack Brexit!"
The cartoon refers to the fact that the main challenges that NATO tackled at the Warsaw summit were Russia, the Islamic State (ISIS), and Brexit.
Vitaly Podvitsky, Ria.ru, July 8, 2016.
NATO's Expansion Eastward
The cartoon below shows NATO expanding eastward, drawing closer to the Russian border.
Vitaly Podvitsky, Vk.com/13studiya, July 8, 2016.
The NATO Summit As A Place Of Depravity
Below, two prostitutes stand outside the entrance to the NATO summit. One says, "Hey soldier, wanna see our summits?"
Sputniknews.com wrote as a caption for the cartoon: "Everything is ready for the NATO summit in Warsaw. Even ladies of the night are ready to work tirelessly during these 'tough times.'"
Vitaly Podvitsky, Sputniknews.com, July 7, 2016.
The U.S. As Colonizer Of Europe
The image below states: "This is the 'speech-cage' for the self-proclaimed States of America's ringleader, when he comes to inspect his European colonies."
He had a government job but he was not satisfied. Hailing from a family of farmers, he wanted to do something different. Once, he visited an agri expo in Delhi and that proved to be a turning point in his life. He quit his job and started cultivating aloe vera and other crops on his 120-acre farmland.
We are talking about Harish Dhandev, whose turnover from his farmland went from Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 2 crore per annum now. He has also opened his own company 'Naturelo Agro' at Dhaisar, 45 kilometres from Jaisalmer. Aloe vera grown in Thar Desert is being supplied in huge quantity to Patanjali Food Products Limited for making aloe vera juice.
TOI
The quality of aloe vera grown in a desert area is so good that there is a heavy demand for it in national and international markets. Experts at Patanjali found the quality of aloe vera so good that they immediately placed bulk orders for it. Dhandev's risk has paid off. He says that he had got a job of junior engineer with Jaisalmer Municipal Council, but his heart always craved for something else. So he resigned from his government job. He had land and water, but no ideas about what he should do with it. He wanted to grow something new. Last year, he visited an agriculture expo at Delhi, where he got an idea to grow aloe vera, amla and gunda. Generally, in a desert area, bajra, wheat, moong, mustard, etc are grown, but he thought of growing something new. He grew 'babie densis' variety of aloe vera on his 120-acre field.
TOI
Initially, he had planted around 80,000 saplings of aloe vera, which now he has increased to seven lakh. He said that in last four months, he has sent 125-150 tonnes of processed aloe vera pulp to Patanjali factories in Haridwar. Dhandev also said that aloe vera leaves are processed in a modern way for which a facility has been set up.
(This article was originally published in The Times Of India)
AC-130 firing its cannon (Photo : USAF)
The U.S. Air Force wants to deploy the most powerful laser cannon in the U.S. armed forces and plans to mount this formidable 200 kW weapon on its Lockheed AC-130W "Stinger II" gunships after field tests of this invisible "dollar-a-shot" weapon.
The Air Force plans to ask the U.S. Congress for $120 million to first fund a prototype solid-state 60 kW laser cannon. The Air Force can then scale-up this weapon to 150 kW and then 200 kW. A 200 kW laser cannon will be able to destroy surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles apart from armored vehicles on the ground. Because the laser beams are invisible to the naked eye, there is no way an enemy can tell the origin of the laser fire destroying his weapons and equipment.
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Analysts said each of the four Rolls-Royce T56-A-15 engines powering an AC-130 generates 3.9 megawatts of power, more than enough to keep a 200 kW laser in action. They believe the technology is ready for the deployment of laser cannons on AC-130s.
The Air Force is already testing a 150 kW laser cannon mounted on a General Atomics MQ-1 Predator drone at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. This special Predator has an uprated engine to generate the power needed to fire the laser cannon.
First user of the combat-ready 200 kW laser cannon will be the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), which will also be the first to test the military's first solid state laser mounted aboard a combat aircraft. The Air Force plans to have just three or four laser cannon-equipped AC-130Ws by 2020.
In addition, this "Whiskey" gunship that will test the laser cannon will also be transformed into an "aircraft carrier" to test the feasibility of launching in mid-flight the Coyote UAS (Unmanned Aerial System), an expendable, low cost drone used for tactical reconnaissance.
The laser cannon will occupy the 30 mm cannon position forward of the wing where airflow is less disturbed. AFSOC wants to either install a 60 kW or a 120 kW solid state laser to be used for knocking-out stationary vehicles, aircraft and fixed communications sites such as radio towers.
Apple Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi speaks during the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference at the Moscone West center on June 2, 2014 in San Francisco, California. (Photo : Getty Images/ Justin Sullivan)
The Universita di Napoli Federico II in Naples, Italy, has announced it will host Apple Inc's first ever iOS Developer Academy in Europe. The academy will officially open in October 2016 and over 200 students will participate in the first year, while more will follow in subsequent years.
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The iOS Developer Academy will see hundreds of students being imparted practical skills and training on developing apps for the most innovative as well as vivacious app ecosystem globally, according to the Universita di Napoli Federico II website. Students at the academy will participate in a nine month curriculum that has been designed and supported by Apple.
The iOS Developer Academy will have a dedicated facility at the university's new campus in San Giovanni a Teduccio. This facility includes several labs in addition to access to the most up-to-date Apple hardware and software.
The program will be divided into two segments with the first half seeing students studying iOS software development. In the second half, they will go in-depth into app design and startups. The best part of the program is that admission is free, with the only requisite being appearing for an entry test and interview.
Apple is thrilled to be working with Universita' di Napoli Federico II in launching the first ever iOS Developer Academy in Europe, the post quoted Luca Maestri, Apple's CFO, as saying. He added that some of the most creative developers come from Europe from different regions of the world, and they are convinced this center will help the next generation to acquire the skills they require for being successful.
Meanwhile, in a post the company's official website, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that Europe is home to some of the most creative developers in the world and they are thrilled to be helping the next generation of entrepreneurs in Italy gets the skills they need for success."
According to Cook, the unparalleled success of the App Store is one of the driving forces that helped Apple create more than 1.4 million jobs in Europe. The upcoming academy will provide unlimited opportunities for people of all ages and businesses of all sizes across Europe.
Apple further stated that it plans to expand the course to other countries and regions. The next iOS Developer Academy will be located in Bengaluru, India.
Watch the iOS developer tutorial below:
Aerial view of houses being flooded in Dongyun Village of Liqiao Town on July 7, 2016 in Xuancheng, Anhui Province of China. (Photo : Getty Images/ VCG/VCG )
Apple Inc. has donated $1 million to help millions in China overcome the distresses caused by the heavy flooding, following torrential rains in the Yangtze River region. The Cupertino tech titan sent its donation to a non-governmental agency called China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA).
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Apple is the first U.S. to donate to the CFPA towards flood relief in the country, the NGO stated on its website. The group informed that it received 7 million Yuan (roughly $1 million) from Apple on Monday and has assured to work closely with Apple to ensure that the money is best utilized.
Meanwhile, Apple CEO Tim Cook has expressed his support for the flood-affected people in China. He wrote on the Chinese social media site Weibo, "Our thoughts are with all those devastated by the flooding along the Yangtze River."
Since the end of June, heavy rain falls and floods have besieged South China. Data released by the country's Ministry of Civil Affairs on Friday revealed that the natural calamity had affected 31 million people in more than 500 cities and towns across China. While 164 people killed have been killed and 26 are missing.
More than 73,000 buildings have collapsed and nearly 2 million people have been shifted to safer grounds. According to the ministry, still over a million people are in need of emergency assistance.
The humanitarian aid from Apple to its second-largest market globally comes at a hard time for the company. The revenue of the company during the quarter ended March 26, dropped by 22.5%. Moreover, Apple suffered a slide of 12.8 percent with a total of $50.56 billion, which saw the Cupertino tech giant's quarterly revenue decline for the first time since 2003, USA Today reported.
Nevertheless, Apple has also assisted China during times of crisis in the past. In recent times, the company contributed financial aid worth $1.6 million to assist responders following a devastating earthquake in China's Yunnan province in 2014. Before that Apple donated $8 million for earthquake relief in Sichuan province in 2013.
Aside from its corporate philanthropy, Apple regularly utilizes iTunes to help its customers donate for emergency efforts funded by the Red Cross. The company also promotes several other social issues and events such as the World AIDS Day by donating a portion of App Store and retail sales.
Watch South China besieged by devastating floods below:
The Alternate Foreign Minister for European Affairs, Nikos Xydakis, will meet at the Foreign Ministry at 13:00 tomorrow, Wednesday, 13 July, with the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for European Affairs, Majid Takht Ravanchi.
The meeting will take place within the framework of Mr. Majid Takht Ravanchis three-day visit to Athens, which starts today and concludes on Thursday.
Today, Mr. Xydakis will attend, together with Mr. Majid Takht Ravanchi, a Greece-Iran working meeting, with the participation of Greek enterprises, organized by Enterprise Greece.
Hagia Sophia in Istanbul has been characterized a monument of global cultural heritage by UNESCO, and it thereby must enjoy the protection and appropriate respect due to historic monuments of global scope, both de jure and within the framework of the relevant international conventions.
The decision of the Turkish authorities regarding a reading of the Koran in Hagia Sophia, on the occasion of Ramadan, as well as the call to prayer by a muezzin, as broadcast on television from inside the church, constitute an effort to alter the nature and use of a historic monument of global importance.
Actions following the conversion of Orthodox churches into mosques, as happened in the cases of Hagia Sophia Trabzon and Iznik, promote the Islamization of religious and cultural elements.
The above actions constitute not only a flagrant violation of Turkeys international obligation to respect all monuments, Christian and non-Christian, within its territory, but are also aimed against UNESCO global heritage monuments, violating Turkeys decision of 1935, under Kemal Ataturk, according to which Hagia Sophia functions as a museum.
Based on article 6, paragraph 1, of the UNESCO Convention, cooperation on the protection of world heritage and not just of the country hosting the monument is an obligation of the international community as a whole.
So Turkey is violating its obligation to maintain the authenticity of the monument, particularly as regards its use.
In the midst of a climate of tension and religious extremism, such actions do not promote the respect and rapprochement of religions and the dialogue of cultures, which should be the guide for policy in the region.
In fact, such actions point to the escalating/potential backsliding into practices that are incompatible with Turkeys European course and with respect for the principles and values that constitute the foundations of the European Union.
[Deputy Ministers second response:]
The prudent and careful handling of such actions is aimed not only at avoiding escalating actions, but also at the effective and unquestionable defence of positions and what is just.
This is an issue that concerns the whole of the international community and is not limited to the level of Greek-Turkish relations.
As such, Greece moved immediately, proceeding to all of the diplomatic actions and raising the issue with the competent European and international organs, as well as with partner countries, with the result that they have already proceeded to recommendations to Turkey.
In parallel, it has also been noted to the Turkish side that respect for the historical and religious value of the monuments on Turkish territory is not just an international obligation of the country, but an imperative for a nomocracy that aims to join the European Union.
Additionally, the matter has also been denounced to UNESCO. In personal letters sent by foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias to the Director General of the Organization, Irina Bokova, referring to the unacceptable Turkish conduct and the need for the protection of cultural heritage by UNESCO.
We express our intense concern at the recent dangerous escalation in armed clashes in South Sudan, which has led to the tragic loss of dozens of innocent persons. We call on all sides to show restraint and prudence, so that peace can be restored quickly in the country.
According to the data so far, all Greeks residing in the country are in good health. For any information regarding assistance for Greek citizens in South Sudan, interested parties may call the Foreign Ministry at +30 210 368 1730 or communicate by email with the Crisis Management Unit, at
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There were ongoing rumors that Pangu plans to release a jailbreak for Apples iOS 9.3.2 or 9.3.3; however, this information seems unlikely. (Photo : YouTube/ iCrackUriDevice)
The iOS Jailbreak for the iOS 10 was recently demonstrated by the Chinese jailbreak group Pangu during the Mobile Security Conference (MOSEC) event held in Shanghai, China on July 1.
There were ongoing rumors that the jailbreak group plans to release a jailbreak for Apple's iOS 9.3.2 or 9.3.3; however, this information seems unlikely according to a technology blog writer Stephen Chang.
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The Pangu group demonstrated to the audience how they were able to run Cydia in a beta version of the iOS 10. Cydia, which was developed by Jay Freeman, is basically a package manager or distribution platform that enables owners of a jailbroken iOS device to install software.
The Pangu team at the conference did discuss the security vulnerabilities of the iOS 9.3.2. This sparked unconfirmed reports that the group is preparing to release a jailbreak version for it. However, this was denied by MOSEC organizers and had no comment on the rumor.
Pangu acknowledged that it is becoming hard for them to jailbreak the iOS, since Apple is stepping up its security. They were able to jailbreak iOS 10 since it is still a beta version, but it will be a different story though with final version.
Officially, the Pangu group has not made any announcement on the release of a jailbreak version for Apple's iOS 9.3.2 or 9.3.3 or even the iOS 10.
Meanwhile, since the iOS is a locked system and the only way to download new software is through the Apple App Store, many users are not satisfied with only a single source and would want to tweak the iOS to better suit their tastes.
However, this may also put jailbroken iPhones and iPads at risks with viruses and malwares, plus users who jailbreak their Apple devices also violate their End User License Agreement (EULA, which means that the user loses any warranty from Apple if something goes wrong. There are also malwares that are specifically targeting jailbroken iOS devices, as users are risking the theft of their personal data if they are not careful.
Egypts new school semester is set to start on 24 September, the education minister announced on Tuesday.
In a meeting with the High Board of Pre-college Education, the Minister of Education El-Hilali El-Sherbini discussed the timetable for the upcoming 2016-2017 academic year.
El-Sherbini has yet to announce when classes would end or when schools would be off for holidays.
Several issues, including ministerial bills and other suggestions, were also discussed.
According to state owned MENA agency, the board agreed on a ministerial bill for school discipline systems, one that the ministry argues will enable schools to execute their educational, moral, and scientific roles and focus on the use of educational therapy methods instead of using more traditional punishments.
A proposal to enforce electronic absence- electronic recordkeeping for student arrivals and attendance - for primary high school students starting during the upcoming semester was also approved.
The electronic absence is then set to be applied at other levels of high school education during the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 academic years respectively.
El-Sherbini said that every student who commits to attending classes and shows disciplined behavior would be awarded with an extra five points to be added to their grades.
The minister has been under fire from high school students since a scandal revolving around the leaking of Thanaweya Amma exams. The fallout from the scandal witnessed the cancellation of several exams results and the eruption of student-lead protests.
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The Luxor criminal court found a police officer and 5 low-ranking policemen guilty of torturing papyrus vendor to death in Luxor in November
A Luxor criminal court sentenced a police officer to seven years in prison and five other low-ranking police officers 3 years in prison on Tuesday for torturing a man to death in a police station in Luxor governorate.
The same court acquitted three police officers and four conscripts in the death of papyrus vendor Talaat Shabeeb. Police officer Samir Hany and the five low-ranking policemen found guilty Tuesday were charged with beating Shabeeb to death following his arrest.
The court ordered the minister of interior to pay EGP 1.5 million compensation to Shabeeb's family.
The vendor's murder and subsequent denials of responsibility from the governorate's security directorate sparked protests in Luxor, Shabeeb's hometown.
The Luxor Security Directorate initially claimed that the 47-year-old father of four had fallen ill after he was arrested at a local cafe for possession of prescription painkillers. Shabeeb, who was accused by police of being a drug dealer with a criminal record, was transported to Luxor International Hospital, where he died.
Shabeeb's family denied the directorate's claim, saying that he was arrested because of personal feuds with police officers. The family released photos and a video of the deceased man's body that showed signs of torture.
Torture is outlawed in Article 52 of Egypt's 2014 constitution. The article states that "torture in all its forms is a crime without a statute of limitations."
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Egypt's participation in the upcoming summit would be its first since the G20 summit was formed in 2008.
Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi is set to head to China in September to participate in a G20 Summit for the first time, Egypts trade minister announced on Tuesday.
In an official statement by the trade ministry, minister Tarik Kabil said El-Sisi would travel to China to participate as a guest in the 2016 G20 Summit at the invitation of Chinese president and Summit chairman Xi Jinping.
The Egyptian presidents participation in the upcoming summit would be the first for Egypt since the first summit was held in 2008.
The announcement by Kabil came during a joint Egyptian-Chinese ministerial meeting in Beijing that witnessed the signing of memorandums of cooperation between the two nations and the review of a number of projects in various fields in Egypt.
Kabil stressed that the deep political relations between Egypt and China contributed to enhancement of economic relations to a level of strategic partnership, deeming it a relationship that would aid in boosting joint trade relations.
Egypt and China have been enjoying strong ties and strategic cooperation, with Beijing expressing its support for Egyptian efforts to maintain stability, develop the economy, and improve livelihoods of Egyptians.
Overall Chinese investments in Egypt are worth an estimated $546 million.
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Egyptian ambassador to Germany says cooperation between the two countries is unprecedented in the history of Cairo-Berlin relations
Egyptian minister of interior Magdy Abdel Ghafar signed a security cooperation agreement with his German counterpart Thomas de Maiziere in Berlin, the Egyptian ministry of interior announced Tuesday.
The Egyptian interior ministry noted that the two governments signed the agreement that solidifies cooperation in preventing all types of crimes, including terrorism and corruption, as well reinforcing airport security and stemming illegal immigration.
The agreement includes also the exchange of information, technical training and expertise between Egypt and Germany.
The Egyptian interior minister arrived in Berlin Sunday in a short visit to hold talks with German officials. He returned to Cairo late Monday.
In statements to state-owned MENA, Egypt's ambassador to Berlin Badr Abdel Atty noted that Abdel Ghafar's visit came after the visit of his German counterpart de Maiziere to Egypt in March, adding that cooperation agreement between the two ministries was unprecedented in the history of Cairo-Berlin relations.
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Vanderpool had been working as a nurse's aide for nearly a decade when a change in state law required her Michigan employer to conduct FBI fingerprint background checks on employees. It turned up a conviction for falsifying a prescription for painkillers years earlier, when she was 19.
Except the charge actually had been dismissed and the record sealed after Vanderpool went through a diversionary program for youthful offenders. That didn't prevent the mother of two from losing her job and, eventually, her house.
"I completed my end, and unfortunately the state failed to remove that from my record," said Vanderpool, now 34. "Because somebody didn't do their job, I lost mine and a whole lot more."
Her story is far from unique. According to studies by the federal Government Accountability Office and the Department of Justice, depending on which state you live in, as many as one-half of the criminal records in the FBI's fingerprint system could have missing or inaccurate information on how criminal cases were resolved.
It worries civil rights and employment rights advocates at a time when job-related requests for fingerprint background checks have soared since 9/11. The nonprofit National Employment Law Project estimated the FBI performed about 2.8 million checks in 2002; an FBI spokesman said recently the bureau has processed roughly 24 million since October.
And the issue of reliability in fingerprint records has come into sharper focus recently as ride-hailing companies battle states and municipalities over fingerprinting of their drivers.
Uber pulled out of Austin, Texas, over the checks, and recently the Chicago City Council left fingerprinting out of its new ride-hailing regulations after Uber and Lyft threatened to leave the city.
The companies' concerns that fingerprint data can omit the disposition, or resolution, of a criminal case whether it ended in a conviction, acquittal or dropping of charges are grounded in truth, said Maurice Emsellem, program director for the nonprofit National Employment Law Project, which did a study on the issue in 2013 and updated it last year.
"You have to work with what you've got, but what we've seen is that in states like California where they track down the missing dispositions, then the information is more reliable," Emsellem said. "Otherwise, without that kind of follow-up, you're going to continue to see a lot of workers, mostly workers of color, fall through the cracks."
Most galling for Vanderpool, she said, was that she was able to have the record changed in the state criminal database within a few days.
Convincing the state department in charge of licensing took far longer. Although she still works in the same field, Vanderpool lost her state certification and now earns about $3 per hour less than she earned before her troubles with the fingerprint system began in 2009.
The National Employment Law Project estimates hundreds of thousands of job applicants in fields such as education, health care and security that routinely rely on fingerprint checks have been affected by incomplete or inaccurate records.
For example, the Transportation Security Administration's post-9/11 screening program for port workers led to more than 50,000 appeals of inaccurate or incomplete criminal history information, according to a 2013 NELP report.
It generally works this way: An applicant for a job or license provides fingerprints that are checked against state criminal records and the FBI's database. If the FBI check yields a positive match, the FBI sends the criminal record back to the state, which then determines if the offense disqualifies the applicant. The applicant can challenge and correct inaccurate information.
The FBI created a task force in 2009 to address the problem and set a goal in 2012 of creating a national strategy for reporting case dispositions. That hasn't happened, according to the 2015 GAO report, and although some progress has been made, performance can vary greatly from state to state.
For example, the number of states that reported providing more than 75 percent of their arrest records with final dispositions increased from 16 in 2006 to 20 in 2012, according to the Government Accountability Office. Yet in 2012, 10 states reported that 50 percent or less of their arrest records had final dispositions.
Where you live or where you're arrested can make a huge difference. A 2015 Justice Department study found more than 3 million unprocessed or partially processed case disposition forms in 19 states, ranging from 200 in North Dakota to more than 1 million in Nevada.
According to the same study, eight states took one day or less to provide final felony case dispositions to their records repositories, while Missouri took 164 days. Similarly, 20 states took a day or less to input a felony case disposition into the repository's database, while Oregon took more than 100 days.
The FBI is "implementing multi-levels of addressing specific and general disposition submission problems" and is working toward producing a best practices guide, spokesman Stephen Fischer said in an email.
PORT AUSTIN TOWNSHIP Three more kayakers had to be rescued from Lake Huron waters, this time near the Port Austin Reef Lighthouse on Monday evening.
According to the Huron County Sheriffs Office, the three were on the return leg of a three-hour venture, when one of them capsized. With a southerly breeze pushing them offshore and the capsized kayaker unable to right his kayak and get back aboard, the three signalled for help from a passing powerboat.
The powerboat operator responded, radioed for help and called Huron Central Dispatch. Deputies, assisted by a Port Austin Police officer, responded to the scene around 5:10 p.m.
During the rescue, officials retrieved a 22-year-old Canton man and 22- and 25-year-old Sterling Heights men, and brought them back to shore, where they were checked out by ambulance personnel. The men were exhausted and unable to paddle back the nearly two miles to the harbor.
For the last several years now, Huron Countys north shore has become a popular kayaking destination, said Sheriff Kelly J. Hanson in a press release. Our waters have also been the scene of emergency situations involving kayaks, which includes near death experiences and unfortunately even death. Kayakers are strongly encouraged to know their physical limits, as well as the type of sea conditions that a kayak can take. Near shore southerly breezes can also leave a false impression of favorable boating but the further you go offshore, the waves and currents do increase and it does become difficult to return. We recommend that at least a cellular phone in some type of a water proof container always be carried and that someone on shore know where youre going and when you supposed to be back.
The Detroit Free Press reports that assaults on state inmates rose 82 percent between 2007 and 2014. The number of assaults peaked in 2014 with 1,350 total assaults on inmates, including 115 of the most serious type resulting in death or being treated in the hospital beyond an emergency visit.
Recently released records show that the number of assaults dropped by 14 percent in 2015, to 1,159. The most serious assaults fell 30 percent to 65.
Legislative Corrections Ombudsman Keith Barber says it's too early to determine if last year was an outlier.
BAD AXE A Caseville man who has been in and out of the system since the 1990s will return to prison once again after receiving his sentence Monday for a poison-related crime.
Lawrence C. Dallas was charged with delivery of a controlled substance-heroin and habitual offender-fourth stemming from a traffic stop on May 14 where police found 11 baggies of heroin, totaling five grams, on him at the time. He pleaded guilty to the charges on May 26.
According to statements made in court, the 41-year-old would ask friends or acquaintances for rides to Flint or Detroit to buy heroin. From there, Dallas would use and sell the heroin to a small group of people he knew.
The defendant and his attorney, Dallas Rooney, appeared in Judge Gerald M. Prills courtroom Monday for sentencing.
Rooney was quick to point out the substance abuse problems his client has had over the years, even noting the heroin addiction was out of control.
He cant sugarcoat it, I cant sugarcoat it, Rooney said. The crimes are what they are.
Rooney told the judge his clients addiction was getting worse and worse and the five grams he was caught with was considered only three days worth.
He admitted to law enforcement that he was selling to a handful of people or friends, Rooney explained. Obviously his main problem is the drug addictions, which usually stems from his mental health issues.
In his closing statements, the attorney noted that by the time Dallas is released from prison he would be close to middle-aged a time frame where most people tend to slow down their criminal activity.
Dallas, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, then offered his apologies to the court.
Im sorry for what Ive done, Dallas began saying. I know I owe a debt to society and Im ready to pay that debt.
He told the judge hes started to learn that his many bad choices are increasing his time behind bars.
Ive never been scared like this, Dallas said, referring to the sentencing guidelines of 19 to 76 months. My problems stem from a lot of drug abuse, I realize that. Ive realized the more crimes I get into, the more heinous the punishment becomes.
Huron County Prosecutor Timothy J. Rutkowski sought a sentence above the guidelines nine to 25 years because Mr. Dallas name has popped up in court over and over again.
Rutkowski advised Prill of the defendants 10 prior felonies which dates back to 1993 on a charge of assault to do great bodily harm less than murder. The other charges range from breaking and entering to manufacturing a controlled substance to home invasion-second degree.
This defendant feeds the (heroin) problem by bringing that drug up here and selling it, Rutkowski said. He doesnt get the message. This (sentence) is simply about protecting this community from him and stopping him from going to the city and bringing (heroin) to the area.
Judge Prill had few words for Dallas, but his comments were consistent with other heroin-related cases handled in his courtroom.
Ive said it before and Ill say it again, heroin is a poison. Period, Prill told the defendant. Not only in this community, but in this country.
Dallas was sentenced to a minimum term of six years and four months, and a maximum 25 years, in the Michigan prison system. He was given credit for 58 days served.
If there is any substance abuse treatment available (in prison), Im going to order that you be allowed to participate in every program possible, Prill said after imposing the sentence.
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.
NATO leaders, speaking at the Warsaw Summit 2016, pledged to increase troop strength on Europe's Eastern flank but offered few details about the four-battalion strong force to deter Russian aggression.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made strong references on Friday strengthening military presence in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia as well as in Poland.
"Strong defense and strong deterrence is the core task of NATO, and we are adapting the Alliance to new threats and new challenges," he said in a recent press release.
"We will decide to increase our forward presence in the eastern part of the Alliance with four new battalions, multinational robust battalions and they will send a clear message that an attack on one Ally will be an attack on the whole Alliance."
But when asked to elaborate on the plan, Stoltenberg offered few details except to say that the four battalions "will be multinational battalions" and that they "are only one element in a broader response from NATO."
"We have tripled the size of the NATO Response Force to 40,000 troops with a Spearhead Force at its core able to move within a matter of days," Stoltenberg said.
"We have set up small new headquarters in Poland and other countries in the eastern part of the Alliance which are important for planning, for exercises, but also to facilitate reinforcements if needed. And we have also decided to have more pre-positioned equipment and supplies, and also to have more exercises, sped up our decision-making. So we have done a lot of different things."
The United States announced Friday it will deploy 1,000 troops to Poland as part of broader NATO efforts to reassure former Communist eastern member states fearful of a more assertive Russia, according to Agence France Presse.
President Barack Obama said the troops would serve "shoulder to shoulder" with Polish forces. They are expected to conduct frequent training missions and will be "mechanized", meaning infantry units equipped with armored personnel carriers, according to Agence France Presse.
Britain said earlier this week it would commit 650 troops to a separate battalion, and fellow NATO allies Germany and Canada have also pledged to stand up their own units.
U.S. Military officials from U.S. European Command and the Army's G-3/5/7 are scheduled to testify before the House Armed Services Committee's Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Wednesday on the European Reassurance Initiative or ERI.
The President's Budget request for FY 2017 includes a quadrupling in ERI funding over 2016 levels to approximately $3.42 billion, according to a White House press release.
"Fiscal Year 2017 ERI funding levels highlight a shift from assurance to deterrence and will permit more rotational U.S. forces in Europe, more training and exercises with our allies, more prepositioning and warfighting gear and infrastructure improvements to help support the U.S. and NATO allies shift towards a more credible defense posture," according to the release.
In 2017, the ERI will expand the scope of 28 joint and multinational exercises, which annually train over 18,000 U.S. personnel alongside 45,000 NATO allies and Partnership for Peace personnel across 40 countries, the release states.
"Notably, ERI does not fund an increase in the number of U.S. troops permanently stationed in Europe, but it will support the presence of additional rotational forces that help us meet our collective defense obligations to NATO allies," according to the release.
But using ERI funds, the United States has been able to increase the frequency and length of U.S. deployments to Europe such the deployment of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division in 2015 and 2016.
"When in Europe, the brigade forward deploys units from the Baltic States to Bulgaria and also conducts training in the Republic of Georgia," according to the release. "During the brigade's current six-month deployment, it brought all its units together in Poland to participate in Exercise Anakonda."
The Pentagon also recently announced it plans to deploy an armored brigade combat team to Eastern Europe in February. That plan essentially calls for the constant presence of a third brigade in Europe. Two are already permanently stationed in Europe -- a Stryker brigade and an airborne brigade. And now a brigade will rotate in and out on a continual basis, according to the Associated Press.
--Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
The House Veterans Affairs Committee has a new ranking member after longtime Democratic Rep. Corinne Brown of Florida was forced to relinquish the leadership position after being charged in a criminal investigation.
Rep. Mark Takano of California said in a brief statement that he was "humbled to assume the role" of acting ranking member.
His spokesman, Josh Weisz, told Military.com on Tuesday that Takano will meet over the next few days with fellow Democrats on the committee to talk specific goals, but that his "first priority is for the committee to continue its work at full-speed during this transition period."
Brown, along with her chief of staff, was charged on Friday with 24 counts of wrongdoing. The Florida grand jury indictment alleges Brown and Elias R. "Ronnie" Simmons, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars through a phony charity, One Door for Education -- Amy Anderson Scholarship Fund, which they used "for their own personal and professional benefit."
The indictment states that Brown, Simmons and Carla Anderson Wiley -- who established the One Door charity in 2011 -- used unlawfully raised funds on "a variety of personal expenses, including plane tickets, repairs to personal vehicles, and luxury vacations in the Bahamas, Los Angeles, California and Miami Beach, Florida."
Though Wiley's alleged actions are detailed, there are no charges listed against her in the 52-page indictment. Wiley entered into a plea agreement in March in which she pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Wiley's middle name is also Anderson, but Military.com was not able to learn if she was related to the Amy Anderson named in the phony charity. The Florida Times-Union reported that Amy Anderson was a 30-year-old school teacher in Loudoun County, Virginia.
The plea bargain suggests that Wiley may be a witness for the government against Brown and Simmons.
The charges include one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, 16 counts of mail and wire fraud, one count of theft of government funds, two counts of scheming to conceal material facts, one count of obstructing and impeding the administration of Internal Revenue laws, and three counts of filing false tax returns.
The 69-year-old Brown pleaded not guilty in an Jacksonville, Florida, courtroom on Monday. She faces a combined total of 357 years in prison and fines of up to $4 million. Simmons, 50, who also pleaded not guilty, faces a similar sentence.
Brown did not respond to Military.com's request for comment on Tuesday.
In her blog on Sunday Brown wrote: "Being indicted is very scary. Yet my conscience is clear because I'm innocent. I'm not the first black elected official to be persecuted and, sad to say, I won't be the last.
"The most important thing I want you to understand is that an indictment is not a conviction," she continued. "An indictment is an accusation. Anybody can make an accusation. You've heard the prosecutor's side, but you still have not heard the rest of the story."
On Monday, speaking to reporters outside the courthouse, Brown said that if the federal agents investigating her had instead been investigating Omar Mateen, who last month opened fire inside an Orlando, Florida, nightclub, the victims might still be alive.
"These are the same agents that was not able to do a thorough investigation [of Mateen] and we ended up with 50 people dead," she told reporters.
Paul Rieckhoff, founder and chief executive officer of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, posted on his Facebook page Monday that Brown's trying to make a connection between the investigation into her activities and the Orlando shootings "is the kind of whacky rhetoric she's been famous for on the House Veterans Affairs Committee.
"I don't know anything about the charges against Rep Brown," Rieckhoff wrote in a later posting on his Facebook page. "But I do know she was the most awful Ranking Member of HVAC we've ever seen and vets are better off without her leading our committee.
He said IAVA is non-partisan but previously advised the Democrats to select a Post-9/11 veteran such as Rep. Tim Walz of Minnesota to the ranking position, and that it will now do so again.
Takano, in his statement on Monday, said he was named ranking member in accordance with the rules of the Democratic Caucus.
Weisz said Takano expects the committee to remain focused on ensuring the VA is accountable without violating employees' due process rights, improving the VA health system without privatization, strengthening the mental health care veterans receive, and providing veterans the support they need.
Congress is only in session until Friday, when it breaks for the summer. It reconvenes in September, just two months before the November elections in which every House seat is up for reelection.
-- Bryant Jordan can be reached at Bryant.jordan@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BryantJordan.
Three other security forces were wounded in the Tuesday bombing
A roadside bomb killed two Egyptian policemen on Tuesday in North Sinai, according to the interior ministry.
Two other police personnel and a conscript were wounded in the bombing that hit a passing police patrol in the provincial capital of Al-Arish, the ministry added in a statement.
Egyptian troops have waged an extensive campaign dubbed "The Right of the Martyr" since late 2015 to crush militancy in the North Sinai region, saying it has killed hundreds of fighters who had launched attacks against the state and security forces.
Last month, the army said its ground, air and naval forces had killed 22 militants in parts of North Sinai as part of the ongoing counter-terrorism operation.
On Monday, a roadside bombing in North Sinai also killed two policemen.
On 30 June, an Egyptian Coptic priest was shot dead in North Sinai that was claimed by the Islamic State group's Egyptian affiliate.
In May, Egypt received the first batch of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles from the United States, which the US embassy in Cairo said at the time would be used to combat terrorism.
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FARNBOROUGH, England -- The two test pilots killed in the tragic crash of a Bell 525 Relentless fly-by-wire chopper earlier this month were both Marines, an executive said Tuesday.
Vince Tobin, vice president of advanced tiltrotor systems for the Fort Worth-based company, had little information to share about the deadly accident, which he said was under investigation.
"These were two pilots, two fellow employees, friends, who also happen to be U.S. Marine Corps reservists, so we're mourning their loss," Tobin said. "The investigation is ongoing; we don't know anything. Anything I would tell you would be pure speculation, and I won't do that today. Our primary concern at Bell Helicopter for the foreseeable future is to take care of the families of our lost friends."
A spokesman for Bell, Andy Woodward, told Military.com the company was not revealing the identities of the two pilots.
However, family members have publicly identified one of the men as Jason Grogan, 43, of Burleson, Texas.
Officials with Marine Corps Forces Reserve told Military.com Grogan was a major assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 773, a reserve squadron of AH-1W Super Cobras.
According to Grogan's official service record, he had deployed twice to Iraq in 2004 and 2004 and once to Afghanistan in 2003. His first deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan were back-to-back, according to his record; he departed Afghanistan March 20, 2004 and arrived in Iraq the following day.
Grogan had earned the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, according to his service record.
The July 6 crash in Chambers Creek, Texas, happened just days before the Bell 525 was set to be featured here at the Farnborough Air Show. The chopper is being developed as a medium-lift platform that employs breakthrough technology, such as the fly-by-wire electronic interface instead of manual controls. Current plans have testing on the chopper completed by 2017.
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, National Transportation Safety Board officials have examined the crash site and expect a preliminary accident report to be complete within two weeks.
In the wake of the crash, Bell canceled Farnborough media activities connected with the Relentless, though a static display of the aircraft was still present at the show.
"This is a devastating time for Bell Helicopter," spokeswoman Virginie Brizard said in a statement announcing the cancellation. "Our priority is to provide support to the families of our fallen team members and assistance to local, state and federal authorities."
-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.
The U.S. called for calm and renewed diplomacy Tuesday following China's angry rejection of an international tribunal's ruling against its artificial islands and military buildup on disputed shoals and islets in the South China Sea.
The Pentagon had no immediate comment, but the State Department issued a non-confrontational statement expressing the vague hope that the tribunal's action could now serve as a catalyst for negotiations among the various claimants in the region, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan.
"This decision can and should serve as a new opportunity to renew efforts to address maritime disputes peacefully," the State Department said. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest later said that "this tribunal ruling is final and binding on both parties" -- China and the Philippines, which filed the case.
U.S. interests in the case were aimed at "a peaceful resolution to disputes in competing claims in that region," said Earnest, who spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One taking President Obama to Dallas to honor the five police officers shot to death last week.
In a visit to Vietnam in May, Obama was more forceful in suggesting that China had been acting as a regional bully in the South China Sea.
"Big nations should not bully smaller ones. Disputes should be resolved peacefully," said Obama, who stressed that the U.S. would maintain freedom of navigation in the region with the 7th Fleet.
Chinese President Xi Jinping quickly said that his government would pay no attention to the decision while stressing that Beijing sought peaceful resolutions to disputes.
"Our national sovereignty and our maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea will not be affected in any way by the ruling and case brought about by the Philippines," Xi said after meeting with European Union leaders attending the Asia-Europe summit in Beijing.
China has also repeatedly said that the U.S. has no stake in the South China Sea, since the U.S. is not among the 180 countries that have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which formed the basis for the tribunal's ruling.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a lengthy statement denouncing the ruling and defending China's so-called "nine-dash line" that encircles most of the South China Sea on Chinese maps.
"The People's Republic of China solemnly declares that the award is null and void and has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it," the ministry said.
The ministry charged that the Philippines acted in "bad faith" in pursuing the case. The ruling "aims not to resolve the relevant disputes between China and the Philippines, or to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, but to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea," the ministry said.
China's Global Times newspaper, which often reflects the views of Beijing hardliners, warned the U.S. and Japan against seeking to take advantage of the decision.
"All Chinese people are outraged by this illegal verdict and the world's peace-loving public is astonished by the biased decision that may escalate regional tensions," the newspaper said.
"The so-called arbitration award is nothing but a piece of paper. But if the U.S and Japan use it to pile military and political pressure on Beijing, the Chinese people will firmly support our government to launch a tit-for-tat counterpunch," it said.
Ahead of the ruling, the naval arm of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) launched the first live-drill ever conducted in the South China Sea.
On Sunday, China's CCTV broadcast images of jet fighters and navy ships firing missiles, helicopters taking off and submarines surfacing. The PLA said that "the drill focuses on air control operations, sea battles and anti-submarine warfare."
The U.S. Navy has also stepped up what it calls FONOPS, or Freedom of Navigation Operations Patrols, in the South China Sea near the artificial islands that Adm. Harry Harris, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, has labeled China's "Great Wall of Sand."
The U.S. destroyers Stethem, Spruance and Momsen have all patrolled recently near Chinese-claimed features at Scarborough Shoal in the Spratly Islands. The U.S. Ticonderoga-class cruiser Chancellorsville was also present in the South China Sea, the Pentagon said.
A spokesman for U.S. Pacific Fleet, Lt. Clint Ramsden, said the patrols were part of the Navy's "routine presence" in the region, the Navy Times reported. "Patrols by U.S. Navy destroyers like Spruance, Momsen and Stethem -- as well as the USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group -- are part of our regular and routine presence throughout the western Pacific. U.S. Navy forces have flown, sailed and operated in this region for decades and will continue to do so," Ramsden said.
China currently has five ships, including a guided-missile destroyer, participating in the RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific) naval exercises hosted by the U.S. off Hawaii and southern California, but there were no immediate signs that China would withdraw its naval contingent to protest the tribunal's decision.
In Congress, many Republicans have been calling on the Obama administration to take a tougher stance with China on its claims in the South China Sea, through which sea traffic estimated to be worth $5 trillion passes annually.
In a joint statement, Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Sen. Dan Sullivan, a SASC member and an Alaska Republican, said that "China faces a choice" following the ruling.
"China can choose to be guided by international law, institutions, and norms. Or it can choose to reject them and pursue the path of intimidation and coercion. Too often in recent years, China has chosen the latter," the statement said.
"We expect that the United States military will continue to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows, as we have done in the Western Pacific for more than a century. This includes regularly challenging China's excessive maritime claims and maintaining a persistent presence of surface combatants and rotational aviation assets inside the first-island chain" of the South China Sea, the statement said.
-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
My fiance is medically retired from the Army. We had a son four months ago. After he was born, he was on my insurance from my former employer, but that insurance is no longer in place.
Since his birth, we have been trying to get him covered under his dad's insurance through Tricare, and we have gotten the run-around. We went and spoke with a horrible woman who works on Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and were told that DEERS wouldn't recognize my fiance as our son's father without proof of paterniity.
Why is a birth certificate not proof of paternity?! What difference does it make if his father and I are married?! What confuses me the most is that somehow as soon as we get married, it doesn't matter if our son is his biological child? Do you have any words of wisdom as to why this program is so ridiculous?
There's nothing low stress about registering someone in the military Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). Add a complicated family situation to the mix, and the stress is sure to go up.
To register a baby in DEERS when the father is not married to the mother, you are required to supply the Defense Department with three things: the child's birth certificate, the child's Social Security card and either a court order establishing paternity or a state voluntary order of paternity form. Those official documents mean that for the state and everyone else, the dad is, at least in part, financially responsible for the child. The state voluntary order of paternity may not require an actual paternity test, but you could certainly get one as part of the process.
I know the process may seem ridiculous to you, but the military does it this way for a reason. These safeguards help it make sure that it is not providing military benefits to someone who is not legally entitled to them. It also helps the military protect the service member from someone claiming to have their child -- and the child from being illegally ignored by the unmarried service member later. The paternity form requirement is for everyone's protection, including the child's.
Since every state operates a little differently, I suggest turning to Google for a quick internet search to find your state's voluntary paternity form or court order process.
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Dear Ms. Vicki,
I wanted to ask you for advice about what I should do. I am twice divorced with two children, and I share custody with each of their fathers.
My daughter is six years old. Her father is in the Army and stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia. My son is 10 years old. His father is a Marine stationed at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.
Both of my children will be spending the summer with their fathers, which will provide a much needed break for me! It will also provide some time for romance with my new boyfriend.
Here is my question: My boyfriend is in the Special Forces and he has been on a mission for the past year in Africa. I'm not sure exactly where in Africa because he is on a covert mission. We have become very close, and we can hardly wait to finally meet each other in person. We are already talking about marriage.
As you can see, I love men in uniform and I'm trying to show how loyal I am to my boyfriend by supporting him because he says he does not have access to his money while he is deployed. I have been communicating with his commanders to help him get leave so that he can see me while my kids are away.
How much should it cost for him to come home on leave? He said that if he comes to see me in Texas, it will cost more than if we meet up in Dubai. I'm willing to go wherever so that I can be with him. His plan is to take 30 days of leave in August.
This is all confusing for me since he is in a very covert force. I may even have to speak to a diplomat in order for him to be granted leave to come see me, and that makes me nervous because I don't want to say the wrong thing. Please help me with any information if you can provide.
-- Lovesick Girlfriend
Dear Lovesick,
You clearly love men in uniform -- but you obviously love scammers too. You were previously married to a soldier and to a Marine. Did you ever have to talk to their commanders or to a diplomat in order for them to take leave? No, you didn't.
Please allow me to be honest: I think you move too fast. The tone of your letter suggests that you are all over the place.
I get at least 30 letters every week (even more if you include the messages I get on social media) from women who have given tens of thousands of dollars to someone who claimed to be in the military.
Each time, the woman thinks she has found a man to fall in love with, meet and marry. The story is almost always the same. The women give their life savings to a supposed military man because he doesn't have access to his bank accounts because he is on a covert mission.
Often times, these women also tell me that all of their accounts have been wiped out because they happily gave their account numbers and passwords to someone they thought was an honest military commander or U.S. diplomat. Some women have even reported that their homes have been vandalized.
You have to understand that this is a very serious situation. Your life could even be in danger. You say you're considering going to Dubai? To meet whom? The only thing that would be waiting for you there is danger -- not happiness or marital bliss, I can assure you of that.
I can understand that you want a break from the kids and you're excited about the opportunity to get "turned up." I get it. But you're being stupid if you continue with this relationship. This is a train wreck waiting to happen. I promise you that you will regret it.
I think you should cease communication with this man right now. Block all messages from him and change all of your passwords and account numbers.
I know that there are tons of women out there who will read this letter and will still follow in your footsteps. This is baffling to me. It's like the more I say "stop, don't do this," the more women accelerate their passion for this charade. Let me know what you decide to do.
-- Ms. Vicki
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While female genital mutilation has been criminalised in Egypt since 2008 and awareness of the risks has increased, it is still alarmingly common throughout society
Egyptian MP and doctor Ahmed El-Tahawy says female genital mutilation (FGM), from a medical and religious stand, is a necessity as long as it is performed in the right way, a statement that raises questions over longstanding efforts to fight the phenomenon in Egypt.
The controversial statements by El-Tahawy, who is a member of the Egyptian parliament's health committee, came while commenting on a potential draft resolution aimed at intensifying legal punishments against FGM, which has been criminalised in Egypt since 2008.
Speaking to Egyptian private website Parlmany on Monday, he said "as a doctor, [I can say that] when female circumcision is iniquitous it would cause serious psychological problem, especially during sexual intercourse."
"And when we leave the female without excision, contamination in that area takes place, as well as an undesired state of sexual arousal that could lead to big problems."
Many parents in Egypt would opt to subject their girls to FGM out of belief that, without it, they wouldn't be able to control their sexual urges upon puberty and thus be involved in relationships outside wedlock, which is illegal and carries social stigma.
The 2014 Demographic and Health Survey showed that the FGM rate in the reproductive age from 15 to 49 stands at 92 percent. More than 75 percent of cases are of girls aged from nine to 12 while 14 percent are aged 7 or younger, which indicates that the vast majority of Egyptian families circumcise their daughters.
While medical studies point out that FGM reduces women's sexual desire and causes other physical and psychological complications, El-Tahawy believes the issue should be dealt with primarily from a religious viewpoint.
"Any opinion can be debated and replied to except for that of Prophet Muhammed, peace be upon him," he said on Tuesday, arguing that one of the prophet's sayings, which is a prime source of Islamic jurisprudence, dictates that female circumcision is essential.
"I call on the Senior Scholars Authority, Al Azhar's Grand Imam and everyone who is related to religion to decide on that case," he added in a phone interview with Dream TV.
Egypt has been seeking to reduce FGM rates in recent years.
Apart from awareness campaigns, the practice was made illegal eight years ago as a law imposes a prison term from three months to two years and fines ranging from EGP 1,000 to 5,000 on those found guilty.
The first FGM conviction was in January 2015 when a father and a doctor were convicted for the death of a 13-year-old girl who died during an FGM operation. Others were prosecuted in similar cases later on.
As Egypt's National Population Council is coming up with a draft resolution to increase sanctions against those who commit FGM, El-Tahawy hit the headline with his statements.
But do his comments bode ill for the battle against FGM?
"We've seen great enthusiasm from the health minister, the general prosecution and the justice ministry to fight FGM," Germaine Haddad, programme officer and gender focal point at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) office in Egypt, told Ahram Online.
"The MP's statements do not reflect the official stance against FGM and will not hinder the battle against it."
The Center for Egyptian Women Legal Assistance (CEWLA), among other critics, slammed El-Tahawy's comments as untrue, reiterating a common stance that it is neither religiously nor medically dictated.
"It is a habit that has been common in Africa since the Pharaohs, but most Muslim countries do not know it," CEWLA said.
"The post-revolution parliaments came as a disappointment, as the well-being of girls and women is still up for meaningless debate from the 2012 Islamist parliament up until the one today."
"Former MP Aza El-Garf [who belonged to the then-ruling Muslim Brotherhood] released similar statements and here is the 2016 parliament saying the same thing through El-Tahawy," reads the non-governmental organisation's statement, which called on the House of Representatives to increase punishments for FGM.
The legal aspect plays a great role in curbing FGM, Haddad stressed, "because it increasingly creates a pre-emptive environment."
"There were times when people celebrated FGM in public. Now, because it's illegal, people would perform it at 6am while keeping a low profile. In time, more people will start asking why it's illegal and see the full picture."
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LYONS, MI - The crashing sounds of giant limestone boulders echoed through this tiny village on Tuesday, July 12, as construction crews began the first of a two-stage process to remove a 160-year-old dam across the Grand River.
The boulders are being dropped into the riverbed below the dam to create a roadbed across which cranes and earthmovers can move to stabilized the west end of the dam, which failed in recent months.
The failure is causing erosion that threatens houses on a bluff overlooking the river and the only highway bridge crossing the river in this tiny village.
After building up the west bank of the river to prevent further erosion, constructions crews will remove the dam, allowing the state's longest and largest river to flow freely towards Ionia, Grand Rapids and Lake Michigan.
Village President Jack Proctor said they are relieved that dry conditions in June has allowed them to work in the riverbed. Heavy rain upstream in Lansing, Jackson or Grand Ledge could have raised river levels and prevented them from working on the dam, he said.
"The good Lord willing, we'll get all the work we need to get done and the weather and the river will cooperate," Proctor said. Although they do not have their federal permit to remove the dam, Proctor said they hope to get the approval within a week, while the heavy equipment is still in the river.
Sandy Verry, a hydrologist with Ellen River Partners of Grand Rapids, Minn., said they have designed a series of stone "benches" and barriers to prevent erosion along the west edge of the river. The design, above and below the 9-foot-high dam, will keep the river from eroding the bank and bridge structure, he said.
Removing the dam will begin by picking off concrete cap of the dam, said Verry, whose company has been involved in dam removals in Chesaning, Charlotte, Battle Creek, Dimondale and Frankenmuth.
They will then begin removing a 9-foot-thick concrete barrier that was placed across the river by Consumers Power Co. in 1938 and finally, the cobblestones from the timber cribs that were originally placed in the river to create the dam for a flour mill in 1857.
The dam has been an albatross for this 800-resident community since 1959, when Consumers Energy abandoned a hydro-electric plant it had operated since 1913 and sold it to the village for $1.
The village has lined up nearly $2 million in state and federal grants to shore up the abutment and remove the dam, thereby eliminating the threat to the embankment.
The removal project also will fill in a fish ladder that as installed in the dam, Proctor said. The ladder poses a liability that will no longer be needed as fish will be able to swim upstream on their own.
The project also will fill in a mill pond and a 900-foot power channel that once routed water to Consumers' hydro-electric generator.
The village had hoped to remove the dam more than 10 years ago, when they lined up federal funds for the project. But those funds dried up in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina hit the southern U.S., Proctor said.
In 2009, a California investor offered to buy the dam and restore its hydro-electric generator. But the offer died and the dam continued to deteriorate as the village tried to line up grant funding to remove the dam.
Last year, state officials began relocating an endangered mussel species that was found below the dam in preparation for the dam's removal.
The snuffbox mussel was added to the federal endangered list in 2012 and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had to approve the relocation plans before work could begin.
Jim Harger covers business for Mlive Media Group. Email him at jharger@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook or Google+.
Does Ann Arbor middle school student Nicholas Bruzzano have what it takes to take down the competition on "Chopped Junior"? We'll get to see on Tuesday night at 8 p.m., when he faces off against three other young aspiring chef on the popular Food Network cooking competition show.
Bruzzano, 12, has been training for more than two years for his first shot at cooking competition glory. We caught up with him last week in the kitchen at Grange Kitchen and Bar with his mentor, chef and owner Brandon Johns.
Johns runs a farm-to-table kitchen at his downtown Ann Arbor restaurant, sourcing a large percentage of his menu items farms within the state, and many within 50 miles of Ann Arbor. He also often offers non-traditional menu items that embrace his nose-to-tail philosophy, and his annual offal dinners regularly sell out.
Nicholas Bruzzano eagerly emulates his teacher in his own cooking. He happily digs into kidneys, head cheese and sweetbreads, and recently built a birthday dinner menu that included beef heart tartare.
This adventurous spirit could play well for Bruzzano. On "Chopped Junior," the young contestants are given "mystery baskets" with ingredients that must be incorporated into their dishes. The ingredients are usually either obscure food items or foods that don't usually show up on plates together.
In the online description of Nicholas Bruzzano's episode, titled "Goat Gumption," it is revealed that he and his fellow contestants will be cooking for judges Carla Hall, Chris Santos and model Jourdan Dunn.
"In round one, the competitors must confront a soft drink with a wacky flavor, and some grapes in a funny shape and a crunchy healthy snack are required elements in the young chefs' goat entrees. Then, there's big drama in the dessert round as one competitor attempts a last-ditch dash to the ice cream machine."
You can watch Nicholas Bruzzano compete on "Chopped Junior" on The Food Network at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12.
Steven_Kwasny_Yousef_Rabhi_071116_RJS_01.jpg
Steven Kwasny, left, and Yousef Rabhi, both candidates for the 53rd District state House seat in Ann Arbor, at a candidate forum on Monday, July 11, 2016.
(Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News)
ANN ARBOR, MI - Steven Kwasny and Yousef Rabhi agree on many things, but they take different approaches to financing their campaigns.
The two Democrats seeking the 53rd District state House seat, which includes a majority of Ann Arbor, shared the stage Monday, July 11, during a candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters.
They discussed issues ranging from education to election reform and campaign finance.
Kwasny, an Eastern Michigan University student, reiterated his pledge not to accept any campaign donations or endorsements until the state sets lower campaign contribution limits that are more reasonable.
Through his grassroots campaign, he said, he hopes to send a strong message to Lansing, and if he's elected he'll be accountable only to his community.
Yousef Rabhi, a candidate for the 53rd District state House seat in Ann Arbor, at a candidate forum on Monday, July 11, 2016.
"We are adamant, knocking on every single door humanly possible in the district, informing people about how the education system is being sold out, the environment is being sold out, civil rights are being sold out," Kwasny said.
"This campaign is going to hopefully be a benchmark one day to how we can run campaigns reasonably and for the people."
Rabhi, a Washtenaw County commissioner now in his sixth year on the board, has raised several thousand dollars for his campaign and has lined up many endorsements, some of which he noted during the forum.
Rabhi has said that most of his campaign donors are residents living in Ann Arbor and he's proud of his grassroots support. During Monday's forum, he agreed with Kwasny on the need for campaign finance reform.
"We need transparency in Lansing, and we need to change the way that our democracy works," Rabhi said. "We need to tighten up our campaign finance laws to make sure that political action committees can't make huge contributions of dark money to political campaigns."
The two candidates will face off in the Aug. 2 primary for a chance to replace term-limited state Rep. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor.
The winner of the Democratic primary faces Republican Samuel Bissell in the November general election.
Learn more about the candidates in the MLive voter guide.
Rabhi said Irwin has worked hard and fought for the community for many years and he's honored to have his support, as well as support from state Sen. Rebekah Warren, state Rep. Adam Zemke and a number of other local elected officials, including Mayor Christopher Taylor and the entire City Council.
"I'm running because I believe in a better Michigan," Rabhi said. "I believe that we can do better as a state. I believe in a state that respects everyone's rights as individuals. The LGBT community is under attack. Women are under attack.
"Equal pay issues are paramount right now and we need to be fighting for equity in our state," he added. "We also need to look at issues of our environment, making sure that we're protecting our natural resources, our Great Lakes, and our beautiful ecosystems that make our state so splendid."
Kwasny said his passion in life is to do what's for the common good. He said lawmakers in Lansing are working against that.
"The fact is legislation is increasingly doing more harm than good for our community," he said, going on to cite concerns about increased campaign contribution limits and decreased governmental transparency.
Steven Kwasny, a candidate for the 53rd District state House seat in Ann Arbor, at a candidate forum on Monday, July 11, 2016.
Both candidates said they want to fight for a better public education system, with Rabhi emphasizing the need for adequate funding.
"We also need to fight for an economy that works for everyone," Rabhi said. "We need to be done with the times of economic growth only working for some people."
Kwasny said his top three priorities are campaign finance reform, increased transparency, and collaboration. In terms of collaboration, he vows to grab coffee with a different legislator every week.
Rabhi said there are four main parts to his platform, and they include the environment, education, equity and the economy.
"I want to fight for equity to make sure everybody in our state has equal protections under the law so that people can't get fired from work or discriminated from housing based on who they love or who they are," he said.
Rabhi also said it's unacceptable that the state Legislature and the governor are exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.
"As a county commissioner for the last six years, I have been subject to the Freedom of Information Act, which means every citizen out there can read my emails, my text messages, and that's the way that it should be," he said.
On the topic of education, Rabhi said the state first and foremost needs to fix the funding equation.
"We have a systematic problem in Michigan, not just with our schools, but with local government in general -- where as a local government official for the last six years, I have seen the dramatic and drastic impacts that cuts in state funding have had," Rabhi said.
"That funding issue is even worse for low-income communities, communities of color in particular, and we need to address that both as a justice issue, but also as an issue to make sure funding is available throughout our state."
District boundaries for Michigan House of Representatives seats in Washtenaw County.
Rabhi said the state then needs to look at the curriculum. He said he's not a big believer in STEM education focusing on science, technology, engineering and math, because he believes in a well-rounded public education.
"We should have opportunities in humanities, in arts and history, and social studies and civics, to make sure that our students are coming out of our public education system as well-rounded citizens ready to take on the world," he said.
"And when it comes to our public universities, the fact that tuition is skyrocketing is unacceptable," he added. "We need to make sure that Michiganders who are graduating from high school have an opportunity, have a shot, to get into our wonderful, world-class public universities."
Kwasny said the state's public education system is under attack and the first priority needs to be to start listening to teachers again.
"We need to ensure that we're listening to teachers, administrators, people in the educational system," he said.
"One of the things that I do consistently when I go to the doors is I listen to every teacher, and one of the problems that we have is that we're training to a test."
Kwasny said he views the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress, an assessment program known as M-STEP that was rolled out in 2014-15 and administered to students, as an attack on teachers.
"We're going to be organizing everyone to form a committee to go to Lansing to the steps and show people that we need to have a different educational platform," he said. "We're human beings. We're not robots that are going to just regurgitate facts and information. We need a fair and balanced education."
As a college student, Kwasny said he sees the adverse effects of "just having people just have a standardized box."
"When we look at education, there's a lot that needs to be done," he said. "When you look at Detroit and school districts that are suffering, we need to ensure stability and rebuild community because your learning environment is everything."
Both were asked whether they support ways to increase voter turnout and make it easier to vote, such as absentee voting for any reason and online voting.
Kwasny said he registered thousands of students to vote as a student at Washtenaw Community College. He said he would support automatic voter registration when people turn 18.
"What breaks my heart is you have to sign up for a given right," he said. "You shouldn't have to sign up for a given right. It should be automatically given to you, because we're all citizens. You should have the right to cast a vote."
Kwasny said Michigan actually handles elections fairly decent compared to other states in the nation.
"I know I'm critical about campaign finance and transparency because we're horrendous at that, but we actually have a decent electoral system and we do provide enough materials and make sure people have access to ballots," he said.
Rabhi said democracy is important and needs to be protected. He said there have been attacks on that in Michigan over the last six years.
"We have seen the impacts of partisanship on our democracy, our fundamental right to vote, to have our voice be heard," he said.
Rabhi recalled he won his first election in 2010 by one vote -- two votes after a recount -- so every vote matters.
He said he has a strong platform around ways to improve democracy, starting with creating a nonpartisan, independent redistricting process that will not allow for partisan elected officials to choose their voters.
"We also need to allow same-day voter registration. That is a must," he said, referring to allowing voters to register on the day of an election.
Rabhi said the state also needs to implement no-reason absentee voting and to restore straight-ticket voting. He argued straight-ticket voting was cut by the Republican-led Legislature in a partisan effort to reduce access to the ballot particularly in communities of color.
"And finally we need to repeal our emergency manager laws in Michigan, which have caused democracy to fail at so many levels," Rabhi said.
Both candidates said they do not support the state's allocation of $2.5 million in public money for private schools.
Kwasny said it sets a terrible precedent for the state.
He said there needs to be more discussion about the larger $16.1 billion education budget bill that the governor signed.
"We need to start setting a fair standard for all schools and make them all play by the same rules," he said.
"Just in Detroit with the charter schools, you can have uncertified teachers teach in classes. That's gross," he added. "Why would you want to go to a school where an uncertified teacher is educating your children? I don't get it."
Rabhi said absolutely no public dollars should go to private schools. He said it's against what the people want and it's against the state Constitution.
Rabhi said the state also needs stronger restrictions on charter schools and they need to be held to the same standard as traditional public schools.
Asked about prevailing wage laws, Rabhi said they're important to make sure people are getting fair pay.
"I fought at the county level as a county commissioner to make sure that we restored our Construction Unity Board agreements so that our workers who were working on county projects actually got paid fairly," he said. "And so I think we need to fight for a prevailing wage and make sure that our workers are paid fairly in Michigan. That's part of what it comes down to when we look at having economic prosperity shared by everyone."
In terms of labor negotiations, Kwasny said, the needs of the workers need to be prioritized.
"Because when you have a stable work force, you're going to gain a better capital, and that's going to bring a stronger Michigan," he said. "And so, at the end of the day, we need to be listening to our workers."
Rabhi said it's been an honor to serve the community for three terms as a county commissioner, including one term as board chairman. He said he's proud of helping to establish a four-year county budget, a dental clinic to serve low-income families and a new county ID program so everyone can have an ID card.
Kwasny said he has had thousands of conversations with people in the community since deciding to run for office.
"What I'm doing is trying to understand our true representation of people, what we want as a community," he said. "And what I find that our community is, is that we're selfless. We want the state to succeed, and we need to come together to rise up to understand that we can do better."
Ryan Stanton covers the city beat for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at ryanstanton@mlive.com.
Barbara_Fuller_Donna_Lasinski_071116_RJS_02.jpg
Barbara Fuller, left, and Donna Lasinski, both candidates for the 52nd District state House seat in Washtenaw County, at a candidate forum in Ann Arbor on Monday, July 11, 2016.
(Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News)
ANN ARBOR, MI - The 52nd District state House race pits an Ann Arbor school board member against a Washtenaw County road commissioner.
Perhaps not surprisingly, one lists education as her top priority, while the other first brings up roads and infrastructure.
However, both of those are high priorities for both Scio Township resident Donna Lasinski and Sharon Township resident Barbara Fuller.
Addressing the Gelman dioxane plume is another.
The two Democrats are seeking the seat representing the geographic majority of Washtenaw County, including Saline, Manchester, Dexter, Chelsea and several townships.
District boundaries for Michigan House of Representatives seats in Washtenaw County.
They shared the stage during a candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters in Ann Arbor on Monday, July 11.
They discussed issues ranging from education to election reform and campaign finance, agreeing on many things.
Both also mentioned the Gelman dioxane plume that's spreading through the area's groundwater as an environmental issue that needs more attention.
"There is a 1,4-dioxane plume of contamination in western Ann Arbor and Scio Township," Fuller said.
Fuller said the toxic chemical plume spreading from the former Gelman Sciences site on Wagner Road was first discovered in the 1980s when she was a legislative aide for then state Sen. Lana Pollack.
"And it has never been addressed adequately since then," she said.
"I live a stone's throw from the deepest part of the Pall-Gelman plume," said Lasinski, calling for more state accountability to citizens.
She said there's very little local control to solve local environmental problems or address, for instance, oil drilling.
"Our drinking water is at risk," Lasinski said.
The winner of the Aug. 2 primary faces Republican Randy Clark in the November general election.
Learn more about the candidates in the MLive voter guide.
The seat is currently held by state Rep. Gretchen Driskell, D-Saline, who is running for Congress.
Fuller is vice chairwoman of the Washtenaw County Road Commission and also a county parks commissioner.
"I'm running because I have the right priorities and I have a proven ability to connect people to get things done," Fuller said.
"I'm running to do more to improve the infrastructure in Michigan, particularly the roads and our water and sanitary sewer systems."
Fuller said she also supports world-class public education for all students, environmental stewardship and restoration of local control so local communities can shape their own communities as they see fit.
Lasinski, treasurer for the Ann Arbor school board and a trustee on the Washtenaw Association of School Boards, said she's passionate about public education and strong school systems. She said she was appointed by former Gov. Jennifer Granholm to work on early childhood education.
"I'm the candidate that will bring a strong voice for every student and family in our community to Lansing," she said. "I'm also a pragmatic problem solver."
Several years ago, Lasinski said, students at her son's elementary school were struggling to keep from falling behind.
"I put together teams of parents, teachers, students, and together -- along with research that I did out of Johns Hopkins University -- we developed the ThinkStretch Summer Learning Program," she said.
Lasinski, owner of ThinkStretch LLC, said the program was requested by other schools and now serves tens of thousands of students across 38 states.
"I've grown my business by using local talent, local suppliers, publishers, shipping and warehousing," she said.
"I understand what Lansing politicians seem to have forgotten -- that local business growth is critical to the strength of our communities. We need Lansing to be our partner, not an obstacle, in building the better future we see for ourselves, from making smart investments in public schools, infrastructure and roads to protecting the natural beauty and environment of western Washtenaw County."
Fuller said she has been an active Democrat for 30 years, working on a number of political campaigns, and has lived in the county for 40 years.
She said she has been endorsed by more than 250 individuals and organizations, and among them are several former state elected officials, including Pam Byrnes, John Hansen, Mary Schroer, Alma Wheeler-Smith and Lana Pollack.
She also has endorsements from several Washtenaw County elected officials, including Sheriff Jerry Clayton, Clerk Larry Kestenbaum, Prosecutor Brian Mackie and Water Resources Commissioner Evan Pratt.
Lasinski noted she is running with support from state Sen. Rebekah Warren, D-Ann Arbor.
"I will be a great partner in the House for her leadership in the Senate, so that we can work together to build the community we would like to live in," Lasinski said, adding she would "shake things up and get things done."
Lasinski also has endorsements from former Washtenaw County Commissioner Kristin Judge, Ann Arbor Schools Superintendent Jeanice Swift and environmental activist Roger Rayle, chairman of Scio Residents for Safe Water and a member of the local Coalition for Action on Remediation of Dioxane.
As a road commissioner, Fuller said she has a unique sensitivity and awareness of the road situation and what it takes to fund it.
"It needs to be a state priority, which at this point it has not been," she said. "And I will work very closely with the people on the transportation committees of both chambers to see that that's accomplished."
As for education funding, Fuller said she would work to make sure schools receive their foundation grants early in their planning processes and that it doesn't get clawed back later on because budget situations have changed.
Lasinski said her passion for strong public education hasn't wavered and she has demonstrated in Lansing alongside the Michigan Education Association.
"What's very clear is that $1 invested in public education does something that no other dollar can do," she said.
Lasinski said public schools are the backbone of the community. Investing in them is not only the right thing to do for students, she said, it also increases property values and willingness of businesses to locate in communities, growing the economy.
After education, when that's settled and there's a strong backbone in the community, she said, then there needs to be a focus on infrastructure.
"We see that we have been failed at every level of government with our road construction solutions," she said.
Fuller said public education needs to be world class for all students in Michigan, no matter where they live, no matter what their parents earn.
"I believe that adequate funding for public education is essential," she said, adding she supports funding enough teachers so class sizes shrink and teacher-student ratios get to a place where teachers can address students individually.
"I also believe the funding needs to be predictable," she said. "I think the foundation grant needs to be defined early and I think it needs to be adhered to and it should be inviolable.
"I also believe that Proposal A, which shifted the funding from property tax to the sales tax, is a concept that needs to be revisited. It was designed to eliminate inequities across the the state and in school districts, but indeed we're finding that it hasn't been the success that we had hoped it would be."
Fuller said teachers also need to be respected and empowered to do what they were called to do.
"The teachers I've met at the doors have said that the testing has been very restrictive and onerous," she said. "It has impacted what they can do in the classrooms, and they need to be given the respect and the power to do what they were trained to do and know how to do it."
Lasinski said the state needs to assess its priorities and how much is spent on incarceration versus education and fund schools adequately.
"Our spending on prisons over the last decade has increased at approximately four to five times the rate of our spending on education," she said. "When we're talking about improving student outcomes, we need to disabuse ourselves of the notion that because you went to school you know how to run a school. And often that is the sense that we're getting from our Legislature."
When looking at improving educational outcomes, Lasinski said, "We need to restore local voice and local choice."
For some of children, she said, STEM education is what is going to get them engaged and excited about learning.
"We need to have choice in curriculum in our schools, and a variety, so that we are serving the different types of learners and learning outcomes that we have," she said. "We need to stop bouncing around the standards and with testing. We haven't been able to hold tight to a standard or a test for long enough to set a trend line."
Both candidates said they support election reforms.
"The election system in Michigan needs to be addressed, and it has become the victim of partisanship for advantage in a partisan way," Fuller said.
Fuller and Lasinski both said they support no-reason absentee voting. Fuller said early voting should be looked at as well.
As for allowing online voting, Fuller said that should be explored, but it's important to remember that many parts of Michigan don't have Internet access.
Lasinski said she would support online voting to increase voter turnout, as well as automatic voter registration and same-day registration at polling places.
"I would also look to increase the number of our polling places in our more densely populated areas," she said.
Both candidates said they do not support the state's allocation of public money for private schools.
They also both support prevailing wage laws.
Lasinski noted she participated in the bipartisan Michigan Political Leadership Program and spent a year of weekends working with Democrats and Republicans on evidence-based, cross-party solutions.
"The evidence shows that when you repeal prevailing wage, you depress wages, you have less successful communities, and less successful economies," she said.
"So, I'm proud that as an Ann Arbor public school trustee, we use as a key criteria for all of our contracts whether or not for our construction and build contracts prevailing wage is paid. We were very successful with millions of dollars of contracting this summer going to prevailing-wage contractors."
Fuller said the economy thrives when working men and women earn enough to have a quality of life worth living.
"And I believe much of what we enjoy in Michigan today is based on wages that were negotiated and fought for by collective bargaining rights, and prevailing wage law is one of them," she said.
Fuller said in her closing remarks she is experienced, respected and trusted, as evidenced by the hundreds of people who have endorsed her campaign.
Lasinski said she has worked across the county to ensure school districts and students have the resources and tools they need to succeed.
"The obstacles and hurdles we face in education, however, come straight from Lansing," she said. "More than ever, we need Lansing to be a partner in our critical challenges. And it's not just education."
Ryan Stanton covers the city beat for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at ryanstanton@mlive.com.
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Eastern Michigan University has approved a new policy that defines standards of conduct and expectations for all members of the university community with respect to sexual misconduct.. MLive file photo
YPSILANTI, MI - The Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents has approved a new policy that defines standards of conduct and expectations for all members of the university community with respect to sexual misconduct.
The Sexual Misconduct and Interpersonal Violence Policy, approved at the board's regular meeting in June, modifies several existing policies in order to provide clear direction on expectations of conduct, how to file a complaint and how that complaint will be investigated.
For example, complaints regarding students will no longer be evaluated under the Student Conduct Code. The new procedure says all forms of sexual assault, sexual exploitation, intimate partner violence, stalking or sexual or gender-based harassment and retaliation will be investigated by the university's Title IX department.
"I would say the biggest change is that there is now one policy covering all of the Eastern Michigan community, including third party visitors or contractors," EMU Title IX Coordinator Melody Werner said. "In the past, the The Sexual Misconduct and Interpersonal Violence Policy was handled by the student conduct code - so sexual misconduct was one of many possible violations of that code. If someone was accused of that, then it was processed in the same way as any other violation."
Although the policy applies to everyone across campus, Werner noted, any complaints regarding faculty, staff and third parties will continue to be processed under existing collective bargaining agreements and related human resources procedures.
"The policy is one policy covering everyone, but the procedures do diverge," she said. "We have a separate, new procedure for students, but complaints against faculty and staff are ultimately investigated the same way as they were in the past through the human resources office."
The new policy explains the process for reporting, and contains the expectation that all faculty and staff members are required to report instances of sexual misconduct, except for those who hold a legally mandated privilege, such as a sexual assault counselor or physicians treating a patient.
The modifications to existing policies are the result of Eastern's ongoing efforts to address sexual misconduct awareness, prevention and response as systematically as possible. The new policy will be reviewed annually.
"It is more detailed about defining what is prohibited conduct and the range of consequences," Werner said. "The way we process complaints against students is through a Title IX-trained investigation. The final written investigation report is passed on to a review panel of faculty and staff, which reviews the investigation to see if there are any missing pieces, looks at whether it is complete and if we agree with the findings."
The policy, effective July 1, 2016, deepens the university's commitment to a non-discriminatory and inclusive environment for members of its community, along with enhancing Eastern's compliance with Title IX and other related legislation.
Eastern's policy also aligns with the efforts of Michigan First Lady Sue Snyder's initiative to prevent sexual assaults on the state's college campuses.
Last year, the state's competitive Campus Sexual Assault program awarded a total of $500,000 in grant money to Eastern Michigan University and 21 other Michigan universities and colleges to help change the overall culture of sexual assault among college-age students. Eastern Michigan was awarded $53,926, the second highest amount among the 22 institutions.
Because a complaint filed with the university is separate from any charges filed with law enforcement, Werner said there may be times a "victim" will only pursue a policy violation. However, there are opportunities when EMU's Title IX department works in cooperation with law enforcement regarding a specific incident.
EMU's Title IX department looked to the Office of Civil Rights' recommendations in its guidance documents and what other institutions are doing to address violations as a result of Title IX investigations in crafting modifications to the policy.
How quickly and how often the university is able to meet with those filing complaints was a driving force for many of the changes, said Werner, whose position was created when she was hired by EMU last June.
"Their comfort level was of great importance to me," she said. "I expect that reporting (complaints) will go up, and I don't think that will be as a result of more sexual assaults, but as a result of people understanding what will happen if they report something. I'm feeling very good about (the changes) because it places us in a position to help more people than we did before."
Eastern will participate in Sue Snyder's second "Inform. Empower. Prevent. Let's End Campus Sexual Assault" summit on Sept. 30 at the University of Michigan's North Campus Research Complex in Ann Arbor.
Martin Slagter covers higher education for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at mslagter@mlive.com or on Twitter.
YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP, MI - Questions, fears, frustrations and ideas for success in police relations with the black community took center stage Monday, July 11, at Ypsilanti's Police - Community Relations/Black Lives Matter Task Force meeting.
Hundreds of people crammed inside the Ypsilanti Community High School auditorium on Monday at the monthly meeting, in part due to social media announcements regarding the meeting after the police shooting deaths of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Philando Castile in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The heads of multiple police departments - Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton, Ypsilanti Police Chief Tony DeGiusti and Eastern Michigan University Police Chief Robert Heighes - attended the event along with task force members, led by councilwoman Nicole Brown of Ward 1.
Clayton was in the audience, but was called to the stage by Brown to applause. He and DeGiusti both discussed plans for implicit bias training and building a crisis intervention team. Clayton said the efforts are being taken in cooperation with police agencies across the county.
Brown also discussed efforts by the task force to review best practices for a Citizen Review Board and the task force revealed hopes to submit proposed revisions to complaint forms to the city council in the near future.
However, much of the three-hour meeting was dedicated public comment for attendees to address the task force and ask questions, thought only a select few were answered on the spot.
Some speakers discussed their own run-ins with police or discussed the fear their children experience because they are black.
Charlotte Hall, 41, of Ypsilanti said she sat down with her son to discuss his concerns and what to do when stopped by police following last week's shootings.
"His questions were, 'Mom, should I, if I get stopped, turn on my camera right away because of these things?'" she said. "So you have a black life that matters at 16 years old that's afraid already to get stopped by the police, because of some actions that are happening."
She said she told her son to comply, be respectful and ask questions, but asked for police to clarify if he can, in fact, ask questions.
She said in videos of recent shootings, the shooting victims ask questions that don't get answered. She also drew concerns with the death of Castile and commentary made by Castile's girlfriend in her live Facebook video immediately after the shooting that Castile had notified the officer he was licensed to carry a gun.
"I just want to ask what we can do to have police start trusting again," she said.
Others questioned the task force on what they have done since their inception in September 2015, whether the amount of cultural awareness training DeGiusti discussed as standard - eight hours in the police academy, though he noted additional training is provided after hiring - was enough, whether officers receive mental health reviews and support, and whether more details of overall training plans could be released.
Some speakers expressed anger that they should have to ask for respect from police, others offered to help with problem-solving discussions.
Jermaine Dickerson, 24, of Ypsilanti said he's felt depressed in the last week due to all the sorrowful news.
After speaking publicly, Dickerson said the meeting was a good opportunity to convene and discuss solutions, but he'll be looking to see what comes of it.
"That's where it starts is having these conversations," he said. "It's all about what happens next."
Before closing out the evening about 10:15 p.m., Brown said the thoughts throughout the night had not fallen on deaf ears. She later said she appreciated the public engagement and believes she can do better to use social media to keep people aware of the meetings.
"This is not the end of the conversation," she said.
DeGiusti, who stayed with councilmembers answering additional questions after the meeting, said he thought the session was good and a needed opportunity for venting.
"Some of it was hard to hear," he said. Some speakers had addressed DeGiusti specifically about their anger.
DeGiusti said there's potential for problems with police interactions everywhere and it's important for police to remember that they are often being called to subjects on the worst days of their life. He said he knows the task force members took extensive notes that they will review for use moving forward.
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.
A deep infrared view of the Orion Nebula from HAWK-I
This spectacular image of the Orion Nebula star-formation region was obtained from multiple exposures using the HAWK-I infrared camera on ESO's Very Large Telescope in Chile. This is the deepest view ever of this region and reveals more very faint planetary-mass objects than expected.
(ESO/H. Drass et al.)
Stargazers have another bit of wisdom to wonder about when they stare at the starry skies -- scientists might have found planets or stars forming.
Scientists Tuesday, July 12, announced that they have captured images reaching the deepest ever into the Orion Nebula, long known as a nursery for stars. In the image, the European Southern Observatory in Chile has found "A great abundance of faint brown dwarfs and isolated planetary-mass objects. The very presence of these low-mass bodies provides an exciting insight into the history of star formation within the nebula itself."
Astronomers have long known that the Orion Nebula is full of disks of matter and gases, hinting that stars or planets could be forming from those disks, said Mike Murray, astronomer and planetarium manager at the Delta College Planetarium and Learning Center in downtown Bay City.
With the discovery of objects in those disks, scientists may have found heavenly bodies that are forming in the same way that our own Solar System formed, Murray said.
When stars collapse, their debris spins and flattens into disks, and planets and stars form in those disks, Murray said. It's why all the planets of the Solar System are on one plane, like a dinner plate, he said.
To find the Orion Nebula, look to the night skies after August, Murray said. "Unfortunately, it is in the daytime sky right now," he said.
Orion is easily recognized by the three bright stars that form the belt of Orion the Hunter. Below those stars are three other stars of Orion's sword -- the middle, fuzzy one is the Orion Nebula, Murray said.
"It's one of the few nebulae visible to the naked eye," he said.
When viewed through binoculars, the Orion Nebula clearly appears as a bright cloud. "It's spectacular," Murray said.
The Orion Nebula is one of the most-studied nebulae, because it is "only" 1,600 light years form Earth, Murray said.
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Poster design by Brendon "Deon" Baranek
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BAY CITY, MI -- If down and dirty, primal indie rock that's as focused on mood and attitude as it is hooks is your thing, a Bay City show is up your alley.
The night of Friday, July 15, BeMo's Bar at 701 S. Madison Ave. in Bay City is hosting Mexican Knives, Real Ghosts and Amplitude. The former two hail from Detroit, while the latter is a trio native to the Great Lakes Bay Region.
Mexican Knives champions a distinctive brand of sleazy and sultry surf goth with a punk edge. Real Ghosts melds no wave, nocturnal synth pop, and crunchy post-punk for an atmospheric result. The power trio Amplitude is like a ferocious, manic mix of Queens of the Stone Age's infectious stomp and the Pixies' deranged energy.
Mexican Knives -- who have opened for such acts as Ty Segall, Wavves, Gringo Starr, and Jessica Hernandez & the Deltas -- first performed in Bay City as part of the Hell's Half Mile/Patrick Ewing's Flattop All-Day Indie Music Showcase in May.
"Bay City just had a great vibe," said the group's guitarist, Zachary Weedon. "Everyone was really nice and they all were really excited about the music. We really like the idea of playing more in Michigan. Touring is great, but there's also a lot of places in Michigan that are excited and supportive of Michigan bands."
Doors for the show open at 9 p.m. with music to start about 10 p.m. RSVP to the show at the Facebook event page here.
Israel's parliament has adopted a law seen as targeting left-wing groups critical of the government by forcing NGOs that receive most of their funding from foreign states to declare it.
The new law was criticised by the European Union, which said on Tuesday it risked "undermining" values that the EU and Israel shared.
Rights groups allege the law violates free speech and say it will apply mainly to left-wing NGOs in a bid to unfairly discredit them as tools of foreign governments.
Supporters of the law, promoted by right-wing politicians and passed in a 57-48 vote late Monday following a lengthy debate, say it will bring needed transparency.
"The law wishes to deal with the phenomenon of NGOs which represent foreign interests of foreign states, while acting under the cover of local organisations seeking to serve the interests of the Israeli public," it says.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who heads what is seen as the most right-wing government in Israel's history, defended the law and said it was necessary.
The law's goal was "to prevent an absurd situation in which foreign states meddle in Israel's internal affairs by funding NGOs without the Israeli public being aware of it," he said.
"Unlike the left's claims, the law's approval will increase transparency, contribute to creating a discourse that reflects Israeli public opinion, and will strengthen democracy," he wrote on his Facebook page after the final vote.
The law will compel the relevant groups to report their main source of income to the NGO registrar, publish it on their websites and state it in relevant publications.
It will be applicable to some 27 NGOs -- 25 of which are identified with the left, according to Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
The law does not specifically refer to left-wing organisations, but such groups often receive large percentages of their funding from abroad, including from European governments.
Right-wing NGOs, such as those supporting Israel's occupation of the West Bank, tend to rely on private donations, to which the law does not apply.
Earlier versions of the law had included the requirement that representatives of applicable NGOs wear identifying tags and declare their funding sources when speaking before a parliamentary committee. That requirement was eventually removed.
The European Union joined rights groups in expressing concern.
"The reporting requirements imposed by the new law go beyond the legitimate need for transparency and seem aimed at constraining the activities of these civil society organisations working in Israel," the EU said in a statement.
"Israel enjoys a vibrant democracy, freedom of speech and a diverse civil society which are an integral part of the values which Israel and the EU both hold dear. This new legislation risks undermining these values."
The US embassy has previously expressed concerns over the "chilling effect" the legislation could have.
Israeli opposition head Isaac Herzog said ahead of the vote that the law represents "the buds of fascism blooming in Israel".
Peace Now, a prominent settlement watchdog NGO, called the law "a blatant violation of freedom of expression" and said it planned to challenge it before the country's supreme court.
"Tailored specifically to target only peace and human rights organisations, its true intention is to divert the Israeli public discourse away from the occupation and to silence opposition to the government's policies," the group said in a statement.
Human Rights Watch said: "If the Israeli government were truly concerned about transparency, it would require all NGOs to actively alert the public to their sources of funding, not just those that criticise the government's policies."
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The two-month battle for the Islamic State group's Libyan stronghold of Sirte has killed more than 240 unity government fighters and wounded over 1,400, a medic said Tuesday.
Forces loyal to the UN-backed Government of National Accord began an operation in May to recapture the coastal city which the IS group militants overran in June last year.
By retaking Sirte, the hometown of late leader Muammar Gaddafi, the GNA forces would deal a major blow to IS group which has faced a series of setbacks in Iraq and Syria.
The command centre of the unity forces for the military operations against IS group is in Misrata, 200 kilometres (120 miles) east of Tripoli.
"The toll of martyrs after two months of fighting is 241 dead and more than 1,400 wounded," the medical source in Misrata told AFP.
"Some of the wounded are treated in Libya but others have been transferred abroad, to nearby countries such as Turkey, Tunisia and Italy," said the source who requested anonymity.
The GNA forces have closed in on IS group in Sirte, in an area measuring just a few square kilometres (miles).
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The International Criminal Court on Tuesday said it is referring Uganda and Djibouti to the UN Security Council after the two east African countries' failed to arrest wanted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.
The Hague-based ICC's judges said in a statement "the Republics of Uganda and Djibouti had failed to comply with the request for arrest and surrender of Omar al-Bashir to the ICC".
The world's top criminal court added that it has referred the matter to the UN Security Council as well as the body that oversees its work, the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) which represents the nations that have ratified the court, "to take the measures they deem necessary regarding this matter".
Bashir travelled to Kampala and Djibouti in May to attend the swearing in ceremonies of long-time Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and his counterpart in Djibouti, President Ismail Omar Guelleh.
Both Uganda and Djibouti are members of the ASP and are obliged to execute the court's arrest warrants, issued in 2009 and 2010, to detain Bashir and hand him over for trial in The Hague.
African leaders however, has become increasingly resentful of the ICC's authority and accuse the court of targeting only countries on the continent.
Controversy erupted last year when the South African government did not arrest Bashir when he attended an African Union summit in Johannesburg.
Bashir in May also applied for a US visa to attend the next UN General Assembly in September, with his Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Kamal Ismail saying it was Khartoum's right to send a delegation to the UN meeting.
The Sudanese leader faces genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity charges allegedly committed in the Darfur region of western Sudan between 2003 and 2008.
Bashir was indicted by the ICC in 2009 and denies the charges.
Darfur has been gripped by conflict since 2003, when ethnic minority rebels rose up against Bashir, complaining that his Arab-dominated government was marginalising the region.
Bashir launched a brutal counter-insurgency, in which at least 300,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million forced to flee their homes, according to figures released by the United Nations.
Bashir's forces have been accused of widespread atrocities against civilians.
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Related Iran says Saudis back terrorism after senior prince attends rebel rally
Iran summoned the French ambassador on Tuesday to protest about a meeting held in Paris by Iranians in exile who seek the overthrow of the Islamic Republic.
The rally was held on Saturday by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, the political wing of the Mujahideen-e-Khalq Organisation (MKO), a group that waged armed struggle against the Iranian government after the 1979 revolution and assassinated dozens of its top officials.
The MKO sided with Saddam Hussein during Iraq's war with Iran in the 1980s but fell out of favour with Baghdad after he was toppled by the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
"The gathering held by those whose hands are stained by the blood of the Iranian people ... is unacceptable," Abolghassem Delfi, director of the West Europe department at Iran's Foreign Ministry, was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.
The Paris rally was addressed by Prince Turki al-Faisal, former chief of Saudi Arabia's intelligence services, who openly supported MKO's struggle against the Iranian government.
Shia Muslim power Iran and Saudi Arabia, bastion of Sunni Islam, are longstanding religious and political rivals.
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At least 20 people were killed Tuesday in a head-on collision between two trains in Italy, the local health authority said, raising an earlier death toll and warning 18 others were in a critical condition.
Vito Montanaro, director general of the Bari heath authority, said 20 people had died and 35 were injured in the crash on single-track near the town of Andria in southern Italy. Local authorities had earlier put the death toll at 12.
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The Myanmar Investment Commission will work with the Ministry of Planning and Finance to collect accurate data on companies operating across the country, an exercise that officials say will help the government to form better economic policies.
The MIC has data on large investments and companies, but many businesses in Myanmar are only required to register with a local authority or ministry, said secretary U Aung Naing Oo.
This haphazard approach to record keeping has made it hard for the government to draft economic policies, he told The Myanmar Times.
Other countries have a single institution for company registration, but there are a lot of places here. It is best if the country adopts a new system for registering at a single place, he said. We face many difficulties when it comes to statistics and struggle to find the correct data when drafting policies.
Companies often operate with permission from a ministry, without registering at the MIC, he said, while ministries rarely disclose how many permits they have granted.
Because of a rule allowing companies to operate with permission from the relevant ministry, the MIC does not have an accurate list of local companies, he said.
Foreign companies operating without MIC permission are not allowed to work in Myanmar for more than one year and have no right to tax breaks or other benefits, he added.
A new 11-member committee formed by President U Htin Kyaw last month will likely be responsible for compiling accurate statistics. U Aung Naing Oo said the MIC will advise the committee on how best to go about this.
It is impossible to draft any kind of policy or strategy without firm statistics, and policies and strategies will not be workable if they are drafted based on incorrect data, said U Hla Maung, a retired director of the Ministry of Commerce.
We do not even have exact data on the number of SMEs or large-scale companies operating in the country. The government will need to fix this first.
Accurate company data will also help the Internal Revenue Department to keep track of taxpayers.
Between 1988 and May 2016, MIC data show that Myanmar has approved 1108 foreign investments worth US$63.7 billion and 1190 local investments worth K11,625 billion.
According to the Central Department of Small and Medium Enterprises Development, there are more than 200,000 SMEs in Myanmar.
The Directorate of Investment and Company Administration, which works closely with the MIC, has been cleaning up its companies register since 2014 last year it struck hundreds of inactive businesses from its records.
Translation by Zar Zar Soe
Fewer developers have been charged for building without a permit in Yangon this year than in the past two years, according to a city official, who believes this reflects a slowdown in the citys construction sector rather than a growing respect for the law.
Yangon City Development Committee lists just over 2000 illegal building sites across the city, a figure that has fallen from more than 3000 at the height of the construction boom two years ago, when the local authority first began to tackle illegal construction, said U Than Htay, head of the engineering department (building).
Developers of 2094 buildings are being charged by our department for four types of violation, he said. The most common offence is starting construction without a permit 1480 contractors stand accused of jumping the gun.
In 557 instances companies have finished building a project without a permit, while 34 developers have fenced off a site without permission and 23 have carried out unauthorised repairs.
U Than Htay said the drop in violations mirrored a slowdown in the construction business.
Off-plan sales in Yangon slowed dramatically last year following a three-year boom, leaving some developers without enough money to continue to build, or to begin new projects.
In previous years, contractors would keep building even after we took action against them, U Than Htay said.
This was true most of all in Thingangyun township, which has been hit with 754 charges, and in Mayangone township, where 415 contractors have been fined.
But this year, the number of cases has fallen as the market itself slows, he said.
In the 2014-15 financial year when parliament first authorised YCDC to demolish buildings without a permit, the list of infractions reached over 3000.
Many unlicensed apartments are built by small-scale developers who enter profit-sharing arrangements with landowners, a system now running into difficulties due to low buyer demand.
Apartment sales are down about 25 percent, so contractors and landowners are afraid to invest, said U Aye Lin, managing director of Mya Nan Dar Construction.
He said contractors have tended to finance their projects by pre-selling units, so a shortage of buyers means no new building. Illegal contractors have been particularly badly affected, he said.
Most buyers in the past few years have been property speculators rather than would-be residents, who have disappeared since the market began to fall, a factor which has also reduced the amount of funds available for new building.
Illegal contractors build without permission because they dont have enough deposit money to be legal contractors, said U Aye Lin.
They contract with the landowner to share the profits 50-50 and they pre-sell the apartments. But now there are no buyers.
A Yangon Region government committee charged with reviewing high-rise projects approved by the previous government to decide whether or not they should go ahead will release its first round of inspection results today or tomorrow, one of its members said.
Daw Hlaing Maw Oo said reports on 12 of the 64 projects being reviewed would be given to the developers imminently.
We will give the official results of our inspection to the developers of 12 projects tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. After the committee has inspected the projects, it will submit the reports to the cabinet and await their decision [on whether the projects will be allowed to proceed], she said.
The committee will not release its reports to the public, she said, because the companies have done nothing wrong.
Developers have grown increasingly worried about the future of their investments since mid-May when the government suspended all projects under development in Yangon with more than nine floors.
The review has dragged on, spooking foreign investors, while construction workers have seen their wages cut and sales of construction materials have slumped.
The committee will continue to review the other projects systematically, said Daw Hlaing Maw Oo.
In addition to the 64 projects under construction, it will assess more than 120 projects that were granted permits by the former government but have not yet begun.
The committee is continuing its inspections and will give the information to developers as soon as it has finished, she said.
Telenor Myanmar chief Petter Furberg is leaving his dream job to spend more time with his family after three years at the helm of one of the countrys first foreign mobile operators. He spoke with The Myanmar Times yesterday about his future at Telenors Asia digital business arm, and about the company he has helped build and is now leaving behind.
What are you proudest of in your three years here?
All of it. I am really proud of the company and the culture we have built. We have come very far ... We really struggled [at first] because we had to follow build-permit processes. It was challenging, we hit the rainy season, but now we have more than 5800 towers.
We are getting closer to covering all of the country and probably in one-and-a-half to two years we will be everywhere.
I am also proud that we are very lean. We [have] more than 16 million customers with 600 employees. Thousands of people have been employed and are being employed in companies that either work for us, selling, or are delivering to us.
I do think people look to us and respect that we have managed to do things right.
I am also quite proud that people [look] to us when we talk about fighting underage child labour. Have we succeeded? No, but we have seen significant improvements. We probably have the biggest set-up of any company when it comes to health and safety theres no one bigger in Myanmar.
We have taken stands and confronted corruption, and I am very happy that people internally are proud that we came out with the No gift policy.
What is the biggest challenge awaiting your successor, former CFO Lars Erik Tellman?
Corruption is still a risk and something we need to be constantly aware of and train [for]. Health and safety, underage labour, all of these things but what is growing as a risk, given we are expanding into more and more remote areas, is security.
That is something that weighs on your shoulders. We have ... our own employees, but also sub-contractors [and] partners working on our behalf in areas where there is a security risk, though we have [a lot of attention and] ... extensive security operations. We could end up in situations where our own employees or vendors are in the wrong place at the wrong time. There are incidents luckily no serious incidents so far but with the fact that there is ongoing fighting in Myanmar, we need to constantly be on the alert with respect to where people are and inform and collect information from ethnic armed groups as well as the military.
What reforms are still needed to telecoms laws?
There is a law that is required called the cyber-crime law which will deal with cyber crimes and lawful intercept. The previous and current governments have both promised the final draft will be out for public hearing before it goes to parliament. But it was not finalised by the previous government.
We are still running an interim arrangement, which is that I personally approve [requests for information]. There is no direct lawful intercept going on today, so no one is listening in on anyone.
[The law] is in process, we understand, so it is more about governme0nt completing [it] and submitting it for public hearing and to the parliament for approval.
Is there anything you wish you could have done?
I really, really hope that we get the approval for financial services [Telenor hopes to launch a mobile money service with Yoma Bank called Wave Money]. I have been waiting and waiting for that for so long and I really hope [and] it is my understanding that we are getting very close to final approval by the government.
We have been patient. We have had an organisation up and running for more than a year now, and we see a lot is happening in the market so I think it is fair for us to be allowed to launch now. [The service] is needed not only to send money, but also to allow people to start to transact online.
What has been your funniest moment at Telenor Myanmar?
There was the guy I met in Taunggyi once ... after we had launched. We were walking and one guy my age approached me and said, You are from Telenor.
He was a Telenor customer and very happy. But then he said, I have one problem ... I am a big Clash of Clans player.
My wife doesnt allow me to play any more so now the only place I can play is in my toilet. And unfortunately the Telenor coverage there is not so good can you do something about that?
So in Telenor Myanmar we have also talked a lot about toilet coverage.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
It was not quite a bucket list item, but it did take three very valuable years out of her life. But now actress Moe Hay Ko has finally produced her travel documentary photo album, My Beloved (Kya Ma Chit Thaw). It is a kind of tribute to the nation, she says, a way of paying back something to the fans who lavish their love and affection and desire on her, while demonstrating her love of her country and its arts and crafts and traditions and scenery and geography and people. It costs K50,000.
To accomplish this work, Moe Htay Ko set off to visit each one of the 14 states and regions, travelling almost incognito, eschewing her trademark sexy silhouette dresses and wearing simple jeans and a T-shirt.
In doing so, she has kept a vow she made two years ago.
The magnum opus contains more than 300 photos on 170 pages detailing her thoughts and feelings at each stage of The Journey. It also comes with a video disc.
To create this book, I sacrificed my time. It encapsulates the sorrows, the happiness and the difficulties of my whole life, she assured journalists on her return.
I dedicate this to my beloved audiences, and to the nation as a whole, that loves me. It is a kind of representation of my life.
She completed her travels between August 2013 and October 2014. She travelled alone, except for Ko Lin Htun from Life Photography, and designer Ko Yar Su and director Thone Baung (for the video disc). The book was printed in Thailand with a first run of 2000 copies.
I dont expect to make a profit. I just wanted to do my best, said the star. I gave this album all my time.
For each of the locations on which she chose to descend, she describes its ethnic and cultural traditions, its crafts and the beauties of the natural surroundings. With the help of writer and songwriter A Yoe, she also reveals her deepest feelings and thoughts, often in photo caption form. These acknowledgements are printed in Burmese and English.
Im lucky I can do what I want before I grow old, Moe Hay Ko said.
She told of her encounters with honest people and of her good experiences, which money cannot buy. Yes, she encountered difficulties, but she came shining through.
One of my colleagues said that if I got through this experience I should give up acting, she confided. Shes thinking about it.
I forget everything when I go travelling. I just wear ordinary things and act like a normal girl, she said.
The background music for the video was written by songwriter Myint Moe Aung. The title song My Beloved is sung by Chan Chan.
It is a record of her acting life, said Ko John Lwin, CEO of Star Event Production, Every star should do this. Im so proud of her. And I want to say that she and her film production will just go on from this to greater success in the future. Ive seen places in the book that Ive never had the chance to visit. I want to travel to Kachin and Chin states.
My Beloved, the travel documentary photo album, is available at branches of the Star & Model International Agency in Yangon, Mandalay and Taunggyi, Life Photography and the She Shine Jewellery counter in Novotel Hotel.
Moe Hay Ko has also now launched Moe Film Production, whose first film, Koe Soe Lu Hnite, can be seen next weekend at a theatre near you.
The future of Bagans limbo hotels hangs on Mandalay Region MPs. They are expected to recommend changes to a 1998 law so as to clarify the status of the hotels, some of which are still under construction. Local villagers are also complaining they have been caught in the legal crossfire.
U Win Myint Khaing, chair of the hluttaws Religious, Social and Cultural Affairs Committee, said this was its first attempt to untangle the complex legal situation that has confused landlords, hoteliers and local residents. The seven-member committee undertook a three-day survey from July 6 to 9 and is now preparing to report back to the region parliament.
Were investigating those issues in Bagan at the request of Mandalay Region Hluttaws chair. This is the first time the committee has done an investigation on the ground from a regional point of view, said U Win Myint Khaing.
We will concentrate on the weaknesses of the 1998 cultural law. Hluttaw members will decide whether or not it requires amendment, and make representations to the Union-level hluttaw, he said.
The 1998 law establishes three zones: the Monument Zone (MZ), the Ancient Archaeological Zone (AZ) and the Protective Zone (PZ). It does not stipulate an urban zone where local residents would be allowed to live and work.
The long-running limbo hotels problem arose when the 42 hoteliers were cleared to build in Bagan by the Archaeology Department in 2013, but subsequently ordered to stop work and not to take in guests.
The guesthouses, mostly modest establishments run by local residents, are deemed to be too close to Bagans famed temples, a factor that could put at risk the citys bid to be included on the UNESCO World Heritage listing.
As a result, the Ministry of Culture reinstated a zoning ban put in place in 1998 but rarely enforced since then. Earlier this year, 129 properties deemed to be operating too close to the ancient site were given a 10-year edict to move to a special hotel zone, including the 42 guesthouses.
U Khin Maung Myint, chair of the Regional Business Development Association, told The Myanmar Times, We would never have started building the hotels if we hadnt received permission initially. Weve lost a lot of money because of this ban. Were very upset that theyre treating us like squatters.
A representative of local villagers, U Win Ko, said even some of his neighbours in Myin Kapar village had been caught in the legal crossfire. Those who lived opposite Ma Nu Har Pagoda had been forbidden to build on their own land. The former military regime had compensated the owners of 96 houses on about 34 acres of land seized to make way for a road between new Bagan and old Bagan in 1990, he said.
We would like to build on the land because the population is increasing, but the Archaeology Department threatened to take legal action if we did that, he said.
Another villager, Ko Aung Min Khaing, said, Were afraid to stay here because we cant afford the rent. The Archaeology Department is banning us from living here.
He said his family had bought a 40-by-60-foot plot for K3 million earlier this year. Three families, comprising 11 people, are living in one small house.
Were just day labourers on construction sites. We knew this land was not completely clear and there was a risk. But we would be very happy if we were allowed to stay, he said.
The department has targeted 30 houses because it needs to establish a village boundary between the prohibited zones, said U Aung Aung Kyaw, director of the Bagan Archaeology Department.
We cant allow houses or buildings to be constructed on the legal boundary. Anyone who breaks this rule is considered to be a squatter and we will submit the matter to the Bagan Ancient Archaeological Management Committee, he said.
An urban zone for residences may be included when we change the 1998 law, but I cant confirm that. People must obey the law on the conservation of ancient cultural sites whether there is an urban zone or not, he said.
Mobile anti-smuggling enforcement teams will not be re-launched by the new government despite renewed efforts to crack down on illegal trade, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
Deputy permanent secretary U Khin Maung Lwin said better enforcement of the rule of law at trade points will be the strategy instead.
The mobile teams were created in order to crack down on smuggling in 2012. They were deployed along the route between Yangon and Myawady on the Thai border, and between Mandalay, Lashio and Muse on the Chinese border.
But the Presidents Office shut the task force down on December 30, 2015, calling it a temporary measure.
U Maung Aung, an adviser to the Ministry of Commerce, told The Myanmar Times the mobile teams were a measure of the previous government and the new administration would take its own steps to curb illegal trade.
But in January, The Myanmar Times reported trade volume at the Chinese border in Shan States Muse township, which accounts for 70 percent of the countrys overland border trade, was down by US$241 million compared to the previous January a decline that some attributed to increased smuggling because of the abolished mobile teams. Some traders said there were rumours that the mobile teams had been disbanded due to corruption.
The Ministry of Commerce still has no plan to reorganise mobile teams at this time, U Khin Maung Lwin said.
The Ministry of Commerce has no authority to conduct arrests. The new government is applying the prescriptive law.
The mobile teams may be redeployed, depending on the situation, at a later date, he said.
There are multiple illegal trade gates along the border and illicit trade is still thriving. U Khin Maung Lwin added that the illegal trade routes are being reported to the related regions and states governments.
The Shan State government received a report on illegal paddy trading from Mine Yaung township. They are planning to organise a cooperating team with related authorities and investigate it, he said.
The Ministry of Commerce reports directly to the region and state governments on matters related to illegal trade.
The illegal border gates appear where there is no rule of the law and no security, the commerce official said. Mine Lar, Kokang and Wa districts are in restricted areas and illegal trade proliferates there, U Khin Maung Lwin said, adding that illegal routes would decline if the political situation stablises.
The illegal trade at unofficial gates will disappear after the 21st-century Panglong Conference, he said.
Translation by San Layy
The state Buddhist authority is backing a chief ministers call to dissolve nationalist group Ma Ba Tha, but will make a final decision during an upcoming quarterly retreat at Maha Pasana Cave, an official said.
Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein met with the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee (Ma Ha Na) on July 7 to discuss the possibility of dissolving the hardline Committee to Protect Nationality and Religion, known by its Myanmar-language acronym Ma Ba Tha.
The chief minister called the nationalist organisation unnecessary and redundant, as the State Sangha already exists.
When he appealed to Ma Ha Na, he clarified that he had said in Singapore that Ma Ba Tha should be dissolved because there is already an official Sangha organisation Ma Ha Na accepts this is the truth. The chief ministers request is reasonable under the Sangha Organisation Law, U Tun Nyunt, director of the Yangon Region religious department, told The Myanmar Times.
He added that a decision on whether to proceed in dissolving Ma Ba Tha will be made at a two-day gathering of all senior monks on July 13 and 14, at an artificial cave near Yangons Kabar Aye Pagoda.
Yesterday, Union Minister for Religious and Cultural Affairs Thura U Aung Ko met with 47 members of the State Sangha. But when asked about the topic of the discussion, the ministry declined to comment.
Thura U Aung Ko appears to back the chief ministers sentiment, however. During an Eid al-Fitr celebration at Sedona Hotel in Yangon on July 9, he told reporters, U Phyo Min Thein exercised his rights in a democracy to express his opinion. He added that the religion ministry will not be taking punitive action against the chief minister for his remarks, as members of Ma Ba Tha had requested.
After a five-hour emergency central executive committee meeting last week, Ma Ba Tha gave the National League for Democracy until July 14 to apologise for U Phyo Min Theins remarks and to discipline him. If the deadline is not met, the group will stage nationwide demonstrations, according to outspoken monk U Wirathu.
NLD patron U Win Htein told The Myanmar Times the party has no intention of heeding the request, and will not stand for the intertwining of religion and politics for any groups benefit.
The NLD and Ma Ba Tha have repeatedly butted heads, with differences coming to the fore during last years election season. Some of the nationalist groups members helped lobby for the previous ruling party during the campaign, which was widely seen as a quid pro quo for the previous government rushing through a controversial race and religion legislative package.
The NLDs overwhelming election victory dealt a major blow to the self-appointed guardians of nationality and religion. Ma Ba Tha has since tried to regain its political footing through backing a series of protests against the new governments repudiation of the term Bengali in favour instead of Muslims in Rakhine State to refer to the minority in the state self-identifying as Rohingya.
The hardline group was established in 2013 and celebrated its three-year anniversary in June by pledging to continue fighting against citizenship for self-identifying Rohinyga.
The Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population will release sensitive census data on Myanmars religious make-up on July 21 and plans to make public corresponding figures on ethnic populations within six months, according to a senior ministry official.
U Myint Kyaing, the ministrys permanent secretary, told The Myanmar Times yesterday that the long-awaited release of the religious data had been delayed by the political transition earlier this year.
We will release the numbers on religion and we have already prepared to release it. We had planned to release these remaining data since the previous government, but it coincided with the transition period, U Myint Kyaing said.
While results for most of the 2014 census were released last year, the breakdown of Myanmars religious and ethnic composition was withheld due to their contentious natures. In the case of religious data, concerns focus on what the data may reveal about the size of the countrys Muslim population relative to that of the majority Buddhists as tensions between the two groups linger.
Myanmars Muslim population officially stood at 4 percent of the nationwide total in 1983, the same proportion as a census conducted a decade earlier, though the actual figure then and now is believed to be higher.
The International Crisis Group said in a May 2014 report that there are strong indications that the real number collected at that time was over 10 percent, and was revised down as a result of political instructions. This could unwittingly reinforce extremist narratives that the country is being overrun by Muslims when the 2014 figures are released.
Data on ethnicity has also proved controversial.
U Myint Kyaing said yesterday that the Ministry of Ethnic Affairs would arrange to hold discussions with ethnic leaders to resolve unspecified problems holding back the ethnic datas release.
The discussion will take five or six months, he said. I think the ethnic affairs ministry will lead these discussions. The data on ethnicity has been compiled but it could be a controversial report. Therefore, we need to hold a lot of discussions with ethnic leaders.
The Ministry of Ethnic Affairs and the Pyithu Hluttaws committee for ethnic affairs and internal peacemaking intend to coordinate to hold the talks with ethnic leaders before the governments release of the data.
U Ing Htung Hka Naw Sam, secretary of the parliamentary committee, said yesterday that the government had not yet informed committee members of the forthcoming discussion.
I dont know when the government will start the discussion, he said.
Spokespersons for the Ministry of Ethnic Affairs could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Salai Isaac Khen, Chin States minister for development affairs, electricity and industry, and the executive director of the Gender and Development Initiative (Myanmar), said that while he considered the largely Christian population broadly categorised as Chin to be broken down into five tribal groups, others disagree. Such discrepancies, he acknowledged, could present problems if left unaddressed before the reports release.
Some say there are 53 tribal branches under the Chin ethnic group. We are interested in the report and what it has to say, he said.
The previous government collected census data from March 29 to April 10, 2014, the first proper accounting of the population in more than 30 years. The decision to include ethnic and religious data has been criticised as unnecessary and potentially provocative.
The enumeration process itself was also marred by controversy as respondents insisting that they be allowed to self-identify as Rohingya Muslims were not counted. The uncounted population was ultimately estimated at just over 1 million, out of a total population of nearly 51.5 million.
The ICG report urged great sensitivity in releasing the census data.
The release of the inevitably controversial results in the coming months will have to be handled with great sensitivity if further dangers are to be minimised, it said.
Although there's a decrease in tourism, Arab tourists coming to Egypt has increased by almost 20 percent
The number of tourists who visited Egypt in May dropped by 51.7 percent compared to the same month during the previous year, the country's state statistics body CAPMAS said in a Tuesday statement.
Around 432,000 tourists visited the country this May, down from around 895,000 tourists in May 2015.
The decrease in figures is largely due to a 61 percent drop in incoming Russian tourists.
Russia indefinitely suspended passenger flights to Egypt following the downing of a Russian airliner over the Sinai Peninsula in October, raising concerns about security in Egyptian airports.
Despite the decrease in tourists over the last year, the number of Arab tourists coming to Egypt increased by almost 20 percent compared to the same month last year.
More than one-third of May's tourists hailed from Arab countries, 31 percent of who were Saudi Arabia nationals.
The increase in Arab tourists comes as Egypt launched a campaign targeting citizens from Arab Gulf countries, in an attempt to revive the country's ailing tourism industry.
Nights spent by tourists in May totalled 2.5 million, compared to 8.6 million nights in May 2015, a nearly 70 percent drop.
Tourism revenue amounted $500 million in the first quarter of 2016, around 66 percent down compared to the same quarter a year earlier, a tourism ministry adviser told Reuters in April.
Egypt welcomed more than 14.7 million tourists in 2010, before the uprising that toppled long-time autocrat Hosni Mubarak in January 2011. Subsequent political and security upheavals have led tourist numbers to drastically drop since then.
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Displaced families in Rakhine State say even though the heavy rains have stopped in areas most impacted by flooding, life has not returned to normal and aid is badly needed.
Transportation issues have left those who need the most assistance unreachable, said U Hla Thein Aung, a Rakhine State parliamentarian from Minbya township.
Some people returned to their homes after the rains stopped, he said. However, others are still sleeping in temporary shelter in places like monasteries. Most need purified water and rice or other food.
Some affected areas, especially remote villages, could not be reached, U Hla Thein Aung said. Therefore, these areas have not received anything yet. They need aid.
More than 20,000 people across five townships in Rakhine State were evacuated or lost their homes as heavy rains pounded the state earlier this month, according to the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement. More than 5000 homes were flooded and 19 were swept away, the ministry said.
Rakhine State Agriculture and Forestry Minister U Kyaw Lwin said the government has already provided enough aid to last 26 days across all areas impacted by flooding. Over 5000 bags of rice are ready for distribution if necessary, he said.
We are providing to the best of our ability, he said, and we ordered all township administrative officers in areas that we could not reach to provide necessary aid.
U Kyaw Win, a Mrauk-U township resident, said some places have not been reached by government support because they dont have lists of the people hit by flooding.
All wells have been flooded and the purified water is the most important thing, he said. Rice is especially needed.
The United Nations Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs public information and advocacy officer Pierre Peron said that the UN and NGOs are now working closely with the authorities to assess the impact of the floods. They will support the government in responding to humanitarian needs.
It is likely that water ponds and wells will have been contaminated by the floodwaters, so there will likely be a need for water and sanitation, he said. People may have lost food and seed stocks, so in addition to short-term food it will also be important to ensure that they can sow their rice paddies in time for this season, he said.
Unfortunately, many communities across Myanmar are regularly affected by floods during monsoon season and these latest floods are a reminder of the need for disaster-risk reduction programs to strengthen the resilience of people and communities in natural disasters, he said.
U Ba Thaung, a resident of Kyauktaw township, said some displaced people are already back home cleaning out the mud that was left after the flooding.
Some people from remote areas went back to their homes after it stopped raining, he said. Therefore most are not getting government provisions because the government could not reach the remote areas. I think they really need aid.
In a first step toward simplifying procedures for reclaiming farmland confiscated under the former regime, the government has issued temporary documents allowing former owners to take back their land.
The so-called Form 3 certificates were issued at a ceremony on July 9 in Madaya township, Mandalay Region, to allow 32 former owners to take back 208 acres (83 hectares) of land seized by the Ministry of Industry in 1978 at Yay Nant Thar village. The land was transferred to the Ministry of Health in 1990 to build a leprosy hospital, but the original ownership was not disputed.
A further 1100 acres are still under scrutiny and will be returned later, according to the regional farmland management and land records department.
Vice President U Henry Van Thio told participants in the ceremony the land had been restored as part of a government drive to simplify and speed up the process of restoring land seized by the former regime to its rightful owners.
As everyone knows, it takes so long to deal with legal documents because we need to make sure of the facts. As State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has said, we seek a fair solution for land problems. Our economy is based on agriculture, so farmers are the lifeblood of the country. Therefore, our government considers land problems as our first priority. We have now amended procedures so as to reduce the lengthy process of dealing with legal documents, said the vice president.
To resolve widespread land-grab problems, President U Htin Kyaw established the Central Committee for Re-scrutinising Seized Farmlands and Other Lands in May, and appointed Vice President Henry Van Thio as chair. Union ministers and chief ministers for regions and states are also members.
The vice president urged committee members at the states and regions level to organise training workshops to promote knowledge of farmland law and procedures.
We need to do this right in accordance with the law and procedures, as farmland management has a direct connection with the promotion of socio-economic development, said the vice president, promising a sympathetic attitude toward claimants.
Translation by Zar Zar Soe
The government has arranged to connect 1150 households in Nay Pyi Taws Ottarathiri township to the national electricity grid as part of the new administrations 100-day plans, according to U San Yu, deputy secretary of the Ministry of Electricity and Energy. The initiative is part of a broader effort to bring electricity to more than 15,000 households nationwide over the period.
In addition to the 12 beneficiary villages in the Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory, villages in Kayin and Kayah states, and Sagaing, Magwe and Ayeyarwady regions, are also seeing hook-ups arranged, the deputy secretary told The Myanmar Times.
One hundred percent of the electric lines are stretched to reach in front of the users houses by the department and 3311 [more] houses will get electric lighting. The electric lighting will be implemented in accordance with the project after the houses have fixed meters, he added.
Over the project period, a total of 15,106 households were targeted for electrification, with only the 3311 homes remaining.
U San Yu said the electrification drive would require US$310 million from a World Bank loan over the next two years, with 114 transformers to be installed. Once the transformers are up and running, a total of 12,274 houses across 41 villages in Ottarathiri township and 8084 homes in 53 Dekkhinathiri township villages will have electricity.
Though it has served as the nations purpose-built capital since 2005, much of the Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory remains rural and underdeveloped.
Nationwide, Myanmars 2014 census found that just under one-third of the country used electricity for its main source of lighting.
Some houses have been fixed [to the electricity grid] but some houses have not been fixed due to their business and villages living conditions. A place like Kachin [State] doesnt want to use electric lighting even though they have gotten electric power. The power lines are strung in front of the houses but are not in use, U San Yu told The Myanmar Times.
A lack of awareness may also be a factor.
July 7 marked the National League for Democracy governments 100th day in power. Critics of the administrations 100-day plans have said information on the initiatives has been disseminated in a haphazard way, or not at all, even as the 100-day mark was reached last week.
Translation by Emoon
It's back to school for the Yangon Region minister for social affairs, who for years had been prevented from completing his studies as punishment for his activism against the junta government.
A professor of Dagon University said U Naing Ngan Lin, 39, has enrolled in a three-year program at the school to obtain a bachelors of science in mathematics, with an expected graduation in 2018.
The regional minister was forced out of university two years into his studies in 2007, when he participated in the Saffron Revolution.
Distance math students must attend class every Saturday and Sunday. He also is attending the class every weekend. We also are teaching practical lessons on the weekend, said the Dagon University professor.
Following his participation in the Saffron Revolution, U Naing Ngan Lin was arrested in 2008 and spent two months in prison. In 2006, he had graduated with an e-diploma in political science from the Britain-based Open University, an institution specialising in distance learning.
Former Yangon Region MP Daw Nyo Nyo Thin, who is also a member of the National Network for Education Reform (NNER), said the minister was an example of the lifelong nature of education.
I think some [other] MPs are also continuing their learning at university in order to graduate, she said.
U Naing Ngan Lin shot to prominence during last years election campaign when he was severely injured by a sword-wielding attacker at the end of October. He required multiple operations on his badly lacerated hands and sustained a concussion but made it back to the campaign circuit on November 4, just days before the vote.
U Naing Ngan Lin declined to comment on his ongoing education.
Following the largely student-led popular uprising of 1988, Myanmars former military regime moved to depopulate university campuses viewed as hotbeds for dissent and funnel matriculating high-school students into distance-learning programs instead. One 2012 study estimated that 60 percent of higher education degree holders obtained their education via distance learning.
Combining road safety with style, the Yangon Region government is to replace the concrete lane markers on the citys busiest streets with steel grilles starting this month, said Police Lieutenant Colonel Aung Ko Oo of the traffic police.
The concrete blocks first appeared in 2014 along Anawrahta Road, starting from 50th Street, in an effort to keep cars out of the bus lane. Transport authorities found that the yellow line originally painted for that purpose was not sufficient. Later they placed plastic pylons for the same purpose, but drivers just moved them.
Yangon City Development Committee placed concrete blocks along Pyay and Kabar Aye Pagoda roads and elsewhere to try to reduce congestion and speed the passage of buses.
Critics, however, said the blocks caused accidents.
Some people said these blocks were very dangerous for buses and cars. Its true, said YCDC official U Kyaw Saw at the time. First we painted yellow lines, but drivers ignored them. Then we laid plastic blocks, but drivers got out and moved them. We never wanted to lay concrete blocks, but we had to do it. I kept hoping people would get used to them.
It was the police who suggested that steel grill-work would be tidier.
With the new governments 100-day plan, and in cooperation with other departments, we looked at the traffic patterns, said Lt Col Aung Ko Oo. We found that the Maynigone flyover to Parami junction, the Shwegonedaing flyover to Sayar San junction and the Hledan flyover to Parami traffic lights were the best places to remove the concrete blocks and replace them with steel grilles. The Yangon Region government authorised us to proceed.
The blocks will now be replaced at the flyover pedestrian bridge at Bahan, the Sayar San traffic lights near the Kokkine flyover, and the Shwegonedaing flyover to Sethmu 1 traffic light.
And we will permanently remove the concrete blocks from bus stop No 106 to Chan Myae Yeik Thar Monastery on Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, from Parami traffic lights to the School of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, he said.
At the Pyay and Parami roads intersection, police will operate a manual traffic light system instead of an automatic system.
For the past 10 years drug production in Myanmar has been on the rise. The amount of land used to grow poppy from which the opium sap used to make heroin is derived has more than doubled since 2006. According to the UN, Myanmar now accounts for more than 25 percent of the global area under illegal poppy cultivation, making the country the second-largest producer of illegal opium in the world after Afghanistan.
The vast majority of Myanmar opium is produced by poor farmers in highland areas of Shan State close to the borders with China, Thailand and Laos, which have been affected by decades of conflict between ethnic armed groups and the central government. In 2012, studies conducted by local researchers recorded opium cultivation in 49 out of Shan States 55 townships, involving more than 200,000 households.
Drugs play an ambiguous role in Myanmars borderlands. Drug abuse has taken far more lives than armed conflict in many communities over the past decade and the growing heroin epidemic across parts of Shan and Kachin states is one of the main drivers of HIV/AIDS in Myanmar.
But the income opium generates for growers provides a way of staving off poverty amid rising food prices and resulting food insecurity, heavy demands for taxation from an array of armed groups, and the continued lack of government investment in rural services. They grow poppy because they cannot produce enough food to feed their families throughout the year. The World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that almost 1 million people in Shan State suffer severe and chronic food insecurity, equivalent to almost one in five of the regions population. The income generated from Myanmar opium enables farmers to buy food and sometimes also to cover the cost of rudimentary healthcare and education.
The fact that poppy can grow well even on steep, infertile land makes it particularly well-suited to the hills that form much of Shan State, where rice yields are poor. In contrast to other cash crops suitable for upland cultivation such as fruit trees, tea and coffee, which take years to mature, poppy fields produce opium within four months. This makes it an ideal crop for farmers who need money urgently or have been forced to farm on new land after being displaced by conflict.
Farmers also grow poppy because they know there will always be buyers. Although global commodity chains have shifted and Myanmar heroin has been pushed out of Western markets by Afghan and South American heroin, demand from neighbouring China the worlds fastest-growing market for heroin means that prices for Myanmar opium have remained buoyant.
Myanmars opium sector has long been driven by poverty, yet it is important to recognise that drug production in the countrys borderlands is also driven by politics.
The drug trade has long been a part of the countrys war economy, financing ethnic armed groups fighting against the central government. But over the past decade drug production has increased even as the territory controlled by insurgent groups has receded, and poppies now bloom across regions under increasing government control.
The drug trade can no longer be blamed solely on insurgent groups. It has also become embedded in the strategies used by the Myanmar army to secure territorial control over a region that contains abundant natural resources and is of huge strategic importance as an economic gateway to China.
Myanmars military government has, since the late 1980s, used the drug economy as a means to finance its own state-building objectives, rather than launch sustained efforts to dismantle it. 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.
Even official crop destruction drives have often been used by army units to extract bribes and protection fees from farmers, with fabricated eradication figures then submitted to superiors who have little to gain from questioning them or exposing their inaccuracy.
The drug trade has also been used by the Tatmadaw as a way to finance a large number of local militias that perform various security and anti-insurgency tasks. Militias have been deployed to protect development projects across Shan State, including oil and gas pipelines and dams, and to seize land from farmers for large-scale agricultural projects, especially rubber plantations.
Militias are not paid directly by the government, but in return for their services they have been granted various business opportunities, including the right to tax poppy farmers and to refine heroin and sell drugs with impunity.
Militias have provided the Tatmadaw with a useful layer of plausible deniability, enabling commanders to distance themselves from the drug trade without running the risk of pushing this lucrative trade back into the hands of insurgent groups. It is these government-backed militias who now orchestrate the drug trade across large areas of Shan State.
Clearly, the vested economic and political interests in the Myanmar opium economy extend well beyond the impoverished farmers directly involved in cultivating poppy, who remain most vulnerable to heavy-handed counter-narcotics policies.
Donors and policymakers must engage more deeply with the realities surrounding how drugs have become embedded in the processes of counter-insurgency, state consolidation and economic development the same processes that are commonly assumed to be the mechanisms through which Myanmars illegal economies can be dismantled. Counter-narcotics strategies that are unwilling (or unable) to engage with the messy politics surrounding the Myanmar opium trade are unlikely to achieve much success.
East Asia Forum
Patrick Meehan recently completed his PhD in the Department of Development Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.
In the US, a large if perhaps shrinking share of the population wants to elect as president a reality-television star with no apparent interest in learning anything about governing or the world around him. In Britain, a majority of voters chose to exit the European Union despite experts warnings of financial chaos and economic damage that so far are being borne out. In these and other democracies, voters are becoming increasingly enamored of protest candidates and populist parties that have no ability or perhaps even intention to live up to their promises.
Even if you believe that political elites in the US, Britain and elsewhere have made a mess of things in recent years (and I do), its still hard not to entertain the suspicion that maybe voters are a big part of the problem, too. As one political theorist recently wrote, The basic problem is not that most voters seek to maximize their self-interest, but rather that most voters lack the knowledge necessary to make informed political judgments. Or, The uncomfortable truth is that the best [perhaps only] way to reduce the political influence of ignorant voters is to deprive them of the vote.
Those provocative quotes are from Daniel A Bells The China Model: Political Meritocracy and the Limits of Democracy, which came out last year and which I have been reading while travelling in China for the past two weeks. Bell is a Canadian who teaches at Tsinghua University in Beijing and the main thesis of his book is that China should strive to evolve into a political meritocracy that makes room for dissent and rule of law but stops well short of one person, one vote.
Before he gets to those arguments, though, Bell treats the reader to a wonderfully bracing review of the flaws of Western-style democracy. It was this aspect of the book that came in for the most praise in the reviews Ive read. In light of Donald Trump and of Brexit, it seems worth reviewing the basic arguments.
Elective democracy is pretty good at two (related) functions, Bell allows: throwing out failed leaders and conferring legitimacy upon a government. Its not perfect at either, but it definitely holds advantages over nonelective systems. Where it often falls short is in the policy results it delivers. Bell catalogs four tyrannies of electoral democracy:
1) The Tyranny of the Majority. The danger of a political majority oppressing the rest of society is widely acknowledged, and the US system includes lots of protections against it. That still leaves lots of room for ill-informed, incompetent, irrational voters to shape policy, though.
2) The Tyranny of the Minority. This is a flaw perhaps most pronounced in the US, where small groups with large economic resources major polluters, financial institutions, gun manufacturers, the very wealthy are often able to impose their interests on the majority.
3) The Tyranny of the Voting Community. Even when they succeed in correctly identifying their own interests and the policies that would advance them, voters tend to give short shrift to the interests of other communities such as children, foreigners and future generations.
4) The Tyranny of Competitive Individualists. By emphasising competition and individual achievement, liberal democracies often shortchange societal harmony.
Jeez, these democracies sound awful, dont they? Of course, autocracies have delivered even more terrible results over the years although it is worth remembering that some of the worst of them (including the regime now driving Venezuela to apparent ruin) rose to power by democratic means. Meanwhile, in East Asia, not-exactly-democratic regimes have over the past half-century achieved some pretty spectacular results for the people they govern. Singapore is the most obvious example, and Bell devotes a lot of ink to it in his book, but theres also Hong Kong, pre-democracy Taiwan and South Korea, and since its big economic-policy turn in the late 1970s the Peoples Republic of China.
Bell never makes the argument that multi-party democracies such as the US should switch to being one-party states. He does make a strong case, though, for bringing back some strands of Western political philosophy that have gotten short shrift in recent decades. Important thinkers from Plato to Machiavelli to the USs founding fathers to John Stuart Mill all proposed limits on democracy, and most modern democracies include institutions (central banks and courts, for example) that arent directly subject to voter approval. Bell also summarises some fascinating and yeah, in some cases, kinda nutty recent scholarly critiques of democracy and proposals for improvement.
In popular discourse, though, its generally beyond the pale to question the merits of one person, one vote. Said Bell when I talked to him in Beijing last week, Its a bit odd that since World World II and especially since the collapse of the Soviet Union, it seems to have become a kind of sacred value that you cant question in Western society. Im torn about this. I think theres value in one person, one vote beyond its efficacy. That is, there is something at least a little bit sacred about it. But the failure to question how we make our political decisions and to consider ways to improve a process that clearly hasnt been working well lately does seem like it could in itself become a threat to democracy.
Bloomberg
Justin Fox is a Bloomberg View columnist writing about business.
Egypts stocks fell for the second consecutive trading session as Arab and foreign investors were net sellers, interacting negatively with the central banks decision to keep the pound stable on Tuesday, an analyst told Ahram Online.
The markets main index EGX30 slipped 0.65 percent to register 7,457 points with local investors as net buyers to the tune of EGP 63 million.
Unlike foreigners and Arabs, Egyptians were positive on the central banks auction that at least cleared the current uncertainty over the pound devaluation, which made some exchange shops hoard dollars, seeking higher prices, said Eissa Fathi, the vice head of securities division at Cairo Chamber of Commerce.
Out of $120 million that was offered, the Central Bank of Egypt sold $118.6 million to local banks at a cut-off price of EGP 8.78 per dollar at its regular forex auction to not meet some expectations of another devaluation that might have happened to tighten the gap between the official and informal rates of the US currency.
The heavyweight listed Commercial International Bank (CIB) was down 1.42 percent to close at EGP 42.32 per share.
However, Egypts second biggest real estate developer Six October Development & Investments (SODIC) rose 2.53 percent to close at EGP 12.16 per share.
The most traded was Global Telecom that went up 0.27 percent to record EGP 3.70 per share. Telecom Egypt rose 2.45 percent to be traded at EGP 8.78.
The daily turnover for listed stocks reached some EGP 705.8 million. The broader index EGX70 climbed 0.03 percent.
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Bamako (AFP) - Three demonstrators were killed in northern Mali on Tuesday, a medical source said, in a protest centred on a contentious peace accord that Mali has been struggling to enact.
Demonstrators said security forces opened fire when hundreds of young people set off on a banned march in the city of Gao.
A hospital source told AFP by phone that "the latest toll is three dead", with 31 injured.
The government said three had been killed and others injured "both on the protesters' side and among the security forces".
It announced in a statement that it was rushing a high-level mission to Gao to seek "appropriate responses" and promised an "independent and impartial enquiry" into the deaths.
The protest was linked to the implementation of a year-old peace deal signed by the government, loyalist militias and the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA), a coalition of rebel groups.
The deal was aimed at ending unrest in Mali's vast desert north, which in 2012 fell under the control of three radical Islamist groups, subsequently plunging the entire country into chaos.
As part of the peace agreement, unelected interim authorities from Friday will run the five northern administrative regions until elections can be securely held, while having the same powers as elected officials.
One demonstrator said Tuesday's march was organised to condemn the "setting up of these interim authorities" and to protest the fact that some former rebels have not yet been integrated into the army despite assurances in the peace accord.
"The mayor wanted to ban our march and wouldn't give us permission. We decided to do it anyway, and there were some clashes," said Oumar Maiga, a member of a youth group that organised the protest.
"The security forces opened fire with heavy weapons and tear gas, it's criminal," he said.
Tyres were set on fire across the city and markets closed, residents said.
The mayor's office refused to comment when contacted by AFP.
Radical Islamists who took over the north in 2012 were largely ousted by an ongoing French-led military operation launched in January 2013, but continue to attack security forces from desert hideouts.
Mali's government has been unable to maintain security with domestic forces alone, as criminal gangs have also exploited the situation.
South African President Jacob Zuma has survived a string of damaging scandals, but has faced increasing criticism as the economy has stalled. By Rodger Bosch (AFP/File)
02.11.2016 LISTEN
Pretoria (AFP) - South African President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday abandoned a court bid to block a watchdog's report into corruption allegations against him, as calls grow for him to stand down.
"My instructions are to withdraw the application," Zuma's lawyer Anthea Platt told the High Court in Pretoria.
12.07.2016 LISTEN
Folks, the NPPs politics of histrionics continues unabated. Having monitored it all this while, I can confidently say that it wont change in any way to give us anything other than the flogging of God and injection of more vim into the Concert Party enactments. This higgledy-piggledy politics wont plant Akufo-Addo in power, contrary to the high hopes being nursed by him, for him, in himself and in the NPPs followers.
Three main props of this high hope adventure stand out6 for analysis; and we will point them out to prove that the NPPs Akufo-Addo needs more than he has done so far to prevail at E#lect6ion 2016. We do so, not because we think he will succeed but because we see him as too faded and jaded for what he has chosen for himself. Here we go, then.
INTERNAL CRISIS IN THE NPP
Those in the NPP claiming that the party is more than united for Election 2016 can keep their heads buried in the hot sand till doomsday. The issues that have rocked the party to date arent gone with the wind; they are still relevant and will determine how the NPP positions itself between now and the day of the polls. We want to cite only one for emphasis. That is the elbowing of Paul Afoko and his court action.
Regardless of whatever might have engendered the fracas, one major allegation against Afoko was that he was an NDC mole who took bribe from President Mahama to betray his own party. None in the NPP has so far confirmed this allegation with any concrete proof, which indicates that the plot to oust him has more to it than that allegation alone could fetch. I have done my own checks and can boldly dismiss that allegation as the workings of mischievous minds bent on neutralizing Afoko on the basis of his alleged dislike for Akufo-Addo.
We know Afoko as one of the staunch financiers of the NPP (at least, before the dastardly action against him). As a businessman, he knows how to make money without compromising his political allegiance. He is known as an NPP diehard. Thus, what on earth would make3 his detractors paint him black as an NDC mole in their midst to destroy their political aspirations to remove John Mahama from office (even more so when an electoral victory for the NPP under Afoko would be advantageous to him as such)?
Again, if Presideent6 Mahama knows that giving money to Afoko means invariably helping him to increase his financial support for the NPP to oil its campaign machine for his own doom at the polls, why would he bribe Afoko with money to do his bidding? Would Afokos financing of the NPP then be aimed at boosting the partys chances to the dismay of Mahama or what?
To put it bluntly, let me reiterate the above question. Is President Mahama so unthinking as to give money to his political opponents to work against him at Election 2016? Why should he do so when he is bent on retaining the seat? To provide the ammunition to his opponents to shoot him down? How inconceivable and logically warped couldnt that allegation against Afoko be, then? We dismiss it with maximum impunity.
OUTCOME OF THE AFOKO SUIT
And here is the bad news for Akufo-Addo and his team. Having monitored proceedings so farviewed against the background of the subterfuge that catalyzed the elbowing of Afoko from office and the arguments coming from him in court about the unconstitutionality of their action against himI am more than convinced that the Human Rights Court will rule in favour of Afoko. He will win the case to be reinstated as the National Chairman of the NPP.
That is where the real trouble for Akufo-Addo will be poised. Fred Owares desire to contest the Chairmanship position as published yesterday might be an inkling, but it is mere spittle. The truth is that Afoko will win his bid. Let Akufo-Addo and his followers be prepared for the shock.
I hope the witting anti-Afoko elements will gear up for this tsunami. If they dont, I can only imagine how they will squirm, huff and puff for nothing when the reality dawns. They may appeal against the verdict, but it will not change anything. Afoko will win the suit to prove to them that rogue politics doesnt bode well for the kind of democracy that the country is practising. I am sticking my neck out and will stand resolute as such. Meantime, the John Mahama train will be on course throughout the country to draw crowds. What next for the sore losers?
DECLARATION OF SUPPORT BY CHIEFS FOR AKUFO-ADDO
Folks, another issue is the open declaration of support for Akufo-Addo and the invocation of Gods (or gods) name by some to substant5iate their hunch of an Akufo-Addo victory at Elect5ion 2016. I really dont care what these chiefs do in that bid because they are political beings and can choose to go wherever they deem fit. We know that by openly declaring their political allegiance this way, they are flouting the Constitutional prohibition/injunction/constraint that they shouldnt do so; but once no one is being punished for doing so, why not? So, the spate continues, as we can tell from news reports concerning examples from chiefs in Mafi Adidome, Awutu, Atti Morkwa, Yamfo, and Tuobodom. More will toe the line, but I care less.
What, then, is my beef? Its simple. When some chiefs went that way earlier on by declaring their support for President Mahama and predicting victory for him at Election 2016, the NPP armada went into over-drive and a panic mode, cursing those chiefs and using their allies in the mass media to disparage them as undisciplined and foolish. Those chiefs supporting President Mahama based their stance on the positive accomplishments by way of development projects for their communities, implying that they appreciated what President Mahama was delivering to them. Showing appreciation and expecting that he would remain in office to give them more became a thorn in the NPPs flesh.
Of particular interest is the example of the Acting Omanhene of the Kwahu Traditional Area (and chief of Abetifi) whose positive impressions about President Mahama so ruffled some of his own NPP-oriented subjects to damn him and call for his destoolment. The chief stood his ground; and the dust seems to have settled.
Flip the coin over to see what is happening now that Akufo-Addo is being endorsed by some chiefs. The NPP armada has folded up; their lackeys in the media have thrown away their thinking caps; their allies in the clergy have discarded their lenses and cant see anything anymore on the horizon; and their supporters in the civil society groupings have folded up their ears. Nothing seen, nothing heard, not talked against as far as this behaviour of the chiefs in the case of Akufo-Addo is concerned. Partisan politics of this sort adds more to the credibility problems that such a political camp has.
And for Akufo-Addo particularly, this issue raises interesting questions. The so-called lawyer that he is, he should be the first to know that anything that violates a countrys Constitutions is dangerous and shouldnt be countenanced; but in this case, he is operating with a simple twisted principle: If the chiefs support favours me, I shouldnt complain; but if it does my political opponent, I should marshal forces to cry foul. Is such a politician trustworthy?
The chiefs of Yamfo and Tuobodom were reported as such, which makes me wonder whether they really know how Akufo-Addo is manipulating emotions and vain religiosity to mobilize support for his desperate cause. Even the NPPs bed-fellow, the notorious SHIT TANK called IMANI Ghana, has loudly repudiated that phantom as neither viable nor feasible. And Akufo-Addo hasnt found traction again to harp on it on his rounds. What makes these gullible chiefs think that there is anything for them on that score to warrant their supporting Akufo-Addo in doing his higgledy-piggledy politics?
Folks, do you see where the NPPs higgledy-politics is taking it? I do, and laugh everything about that to scorn. Not until anything new comes from there to change my poor opinion about their politicking, I will continue to poke their ribs.
I shall return
Former President Jerry John Rawlings has rejected claims that he received $5 million from former Nigerian President Sani Abacha.
Mr. Rawlings while speaking to the Guardian Newspaper in Nigeria, admitted receiving the money from then President of Nigeria, but said it was $ 2 million and not $5 million as alleged.
Mr. Rawlings, who allegedly received the money in 1998, was rebuked by the opposition New Patriotic Party.
The confession by the former president comes at a time when some opposition parties are demanding investigations into the $100,000 Ford gift given to President John Dramani Mahama by a Burkinabe contractor.
Prior to the confession, Mr. Rawlings had failed to confirm or deny the story which was first reported by the Chronicle Newspaper.
Mr. Rawlings' Ministers at the time, as well as Majority MPs, shot down an attempt by Minority NPP MPs at the time to push for an investigation into the unlawful payments, and a subsequent impeachment of Mr. Rawlings.
Background
In 1998 when the matter of the alleged bribe money from Nigeria broke, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) founded by Jerry Rawlings put up a strong defence for him when the matter was brought to the floor of Parliament for investigations to be conducted into the matter by the then Speaker of Parliament, D.F Annan.
When the minority lead the campaign, their motion was shot down because the Speaker had ruled at the time that the minority did not bring enough evidence to support their call for investigations.
When General Abubakar took over, I told him to watch out. That that report in the papers about $5million was $2million and not $5million. He didn't make any comment. He didn't say anything. Obasanjo took over I thought I should straighten it out with him. The comment he made was: 'Yes, that is how they behave. When they are given something to take somewhere, they will take the majority, the bigger share.' That was the comment Obasanjo made, he said
I wasn't used to those things. Otherwise, I could have called Abacha. I don't even think I even called him over that. Maybe I should have called him to say thank you for the $2million and then he would have called his people to order. You see what I mean? I wasn't used to money being thrown up and down. Money was not my thing. Yes, we were poor enough as a country, but we were working day and night to making sure we put the country on a solid foundation for economic explosion. We had our pride and our dignity was not out for sale, he added.
He spoke on other issues about Ghana and the African continent.
Below is the full report:
Rawling: Nigeria inspires the rest of Africa to demand democratic change
Anti-Corruption: Nigeria Can Involve The People, Provoke Moral Outrage
His Excellency, former President of Ghana, Flt Lt (rtd) Jerry John Rawlings, was twice head of state of Ghana. In this no-holds-barred interview with EMEKA ANUFORO, he speaks on a range of issues, including Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari, corruption in Africa, his country, Ghana, and the way forward for African countries.
On things that destroy the moral fabric of societies
In the first place, I think that things have gone astray since the collapse of the bipolar world. I keep talking about Pope John Paul II castigating the dominant Western economic philosophy when he called it the savagery of capitalism.
The conduct of affairs internationally has pretty much gone out of hands. But some of us appear to be immune to it or appear to be getting used to it. All the things you don't expect to happen in a healthy government, in a democratic context, are happening: the greed, the impunity, the selfishness being displayed. And it is even worse with us in the so-called developing world in terms of the monetisation of values. The very moral fabric of integrity is broken. I am saying that there was a dramatic moment when this turning point could actually be felt. That was when George Bush Jnr moved into Iraq. That cynical moment turned a very important human value upside down in the sense that, from that moment, as they stepped in and decided to just move into the capital and literarily destroyed so much human life and natural habitat, I told the world in one sentence that, the right of might now supersedes the might of right. So, others began to take a cue. I do recall that when Bush and Blair made their presence felt, like 'this is going to be a new world order under our leadership', I think they attempted to crack a whip on Africa because 'things are not going well on this black continent either.'
President Mugabe was to be their first victim, if you remember. His name was the one poisoned the most. Two people were sent down there to go and ask him to get out of office: Obasanjo and Kufuor, who were then in office. The Southern Region leadership told them to get out. Fantastic, beautiful!
They needed a culprit. If they couldn't have Mugabe, then someone else. That was how Charles Taylor was picked up. I am not saying that Charles Taylor to an extent didn't deserve what he got or completely ignorant of the Liberian brutalities. But Obasanjo had gone to the US at that time for whatever reason, but not even the State Department would receive him unless he produced Charles Taylor.
Remember at that time, Charles Taylor was living in Nigeria and he set off, attempting to go to another country, when he was arrested at the border and handed over.
Now, generally speaking, and you know, a whole lot of nasty things were going on following the Bin Ladin's insurgency on September 11 with his allied Taliban forces. That moment brought another face in the history of humanity across the globe and has reshaped the America's home security and international policy. All of a sudden, America decided to start chasing people up.
They erred in some ways. Instead of chasing, arresting and bringing to justice, they used the words: 'We would hound and kill'. The word 'justice' was lost and it appeared every statesman or woman had to use the same language, otherwise they would lose their political influence.
If a world like that is going to talk about pursuing people, so-called terrorists, and kill them, without justice, we also take the cue. I am saying so much went wrong, so much impunity. The world is still in search of true Justice.
It is no surprise President Carter, many years down the line, should castigate the US and say America had lost its moral standing. That is why the world at that time, even the USA, was so excited that the world simply wanted, was craving for some international political morality with such a passion. If you remember, the world held on to people like Mandela. But that was earlier.
When somebody like Obama emerged, didn't you see how the world was excited about him? He clearly represented the new spirit, the refreshing spirit that the world was looking for, and especially to be a leader in the US. He has been doing his bit. But the point is that the wrongdoings, the manner in which things have gone astray since the collapse of the bipolar world, much of that has taken a life of its own in various ways.
On Ghana and corruption
Not too long after I left office, I was giving a talk in Tanzanian and I said the world was going to see an exponential growth of terrorism. I had left office and the western media and western governments were desperately whitewashing the image of Ghana in spite of the atrocities and the corruption that was going on in my country after we had left office.
Ghana had become a captive state, being whitewashed. You see how they orchestrate things? This is what I want you to wake up to. Now, it might interest you to know that, while they were whitewashing, making these claims and things were also falling apart, as late as just a few months ago, BBC now claims that terrorism had risen by 84%, creating a false impression at that time. This is the power of the Western media.
They kept whitewashing the image of my country in order for it to serve as the role model for the rest of Africa. It is shocking and mindboggling to know that, some perceived celebrated companies in Ghana and Africa with so much media hype and political patronization, were just nothing but a package of mirage. It is no wonder Ghana is so corrupt today.
Remember when I said the world would see a multiplier effect of terrorism, I knew what was going on in Ghana; I knew what was going on in Africa: the way the global situation was affecting us; our country was suffocating but leadership seemed immune to the realities.
Meanwhile, I am repeating what the Pope says about the savagery of capitalism. Where is it going to lead to and what was going on for him to describe this kind of scenario? Corruption could get worse.
Even as a party, we used to win elections with the force of conviction. The one who came after I left office just capitulated and decided to use the money factor.
On Nigeria's decision to change things
Out of this growing darkness, Nigerians of all people seem to have decided that enough is enough and they voted for a man with the qualities to deal with the problems of Nigeria. For me, this is one of the greatest gifts that your country has offered us. Hold on to it and support it to restore the foundation of integrity in your national affairs. You can do things the corrupt way. But I believe it is better to do things the non-corrupt way. The non-corrupt way is healthier, more stable and takes away anxieties. It can achieve a lot more; even take you to the moon.
So, a lot of these things just destroyed the moral fabric of our societies. For me, it is just a sweet sensation to think that Nigeria came out of that construct, showing us that that kind of corrupt environment that seemed to have solidified can be turned around, can be reversed. I am just hoping that it can inspire the rest of West Africa. I'm not saying is a single effort of an individual but rather a sense of responsibility of every individual to take ownership of integrity and accountability but somebody must take the lead. We had a taste of that.
On his relationship with Abacha
It is unfortunate that Abacha should also be caught up in such practices like a few of his predecessors. But he was one hell of a nationalist and very patriotic. Abacha saved the country. Some of you may not know this. But I also had my fingers on things. Some may not want to hear it. But the departure of that gentleman called Abiola, the one who passed away, saved Nigeria from a probable explosion.
Shonekan couldn't handle the situation and Abacha stepped in. There is also something else we shouldn't lose sight of. When I am talking about the possibility of an explosion, it's about the circumstances and the personalities involved. Abiola plus Shonekan (who was a man of integrity) could not even be seen to hold it. Does it surprise you that Nigerians, I think either through some national instinct or wherever the perception came from, some think that they needed retired generals who cannot be intimidated by the military? That was how come characters like Obasanjo could come back or for that matter, this gentleman, President Buhari, who cannot be intimidated by the military.It has its value, but I think it is a transition that we are all going through or you are going through.
On his anti-corruption and alleged $5million 'gift' from Abacha
The point I want to make here is around that period, we were preparing for constitutional rule. We needed funds for some activities and we got contributions from few places. The interesting thing is that I never went to, or asked Abacha for any contribution. And this is something that impressed me about the man. I didn't ask him for a penny. But he obviously understood certain situations, our situation, and graciously sent me a small suitcase of money. I think there were two cars or three that came to the Air Force station to look for me. I was going for fly at that afternoon.
So, I was at the Air Force Station when a gentleman came over there and when he said he had a message from Abacha, I cancelled my flight and they set out to wait for me. I drove after them to the caste. As we got out of the car and we were about to move up, this elderly gentleman, Gwarzo he is called, had one of his assistants try to bring out a suitcase from the boot of a car. I had an idea of what it could be. So I said: 'Leave it, shut your boot and let's go upstairs first and talk'. He said he had brought something from Abacha. I said two things: 'I hear you people don't provide assistance without the world hearing it with a twist'.
He just kept quiet looking at me. I said two: 'Don't think that when you bring this, whatever it is, that would shut me up from criticizing if I think you are wrong, or if I disagree.' He then opened his mouth and said 'Sir, we need you more than you need us'.I am quoting him. He didn't speak much. He was a very noble, quiet looking and elderly man. He was respectable looking. In fact, what he said simply disarmed me. So I said it was okay. He could send for the parcel. His assistant then went and brought in the parcel: 2million dollars: new notes packed in plastic bags, fairly heavy. We left it in the sitting room.
We finished with some niceties and he left. I informed some of my close comrades of the parcel from Abacha. I gave away about 350,000 dollars to two people for urgent disbursements. One of our senior colleagues who was in charge of an exercise drew down certain amounts.We went on like this until the suitcase was exhausted. Later when Abacha died and your country instituted an investigation into his assets, I read in one of your newspapers that Mr. Gwarzo, this fine gentleman, allegedly said that he brought me 5million dollars. I am glad I still have that suitcase. It shocked me a bit that such a fine respectable man could make such a claim. The amount he mentioned shocked me. That he could tell such a lie.
My colleagues knew about it. I didn't know why I should be keeping these things secret. Moreover, I didn't have any personal account to be putting these things into anyway. Besides we needed to use them for some national needs.
But lo and behold! Many years down the line when I fell out with some of my colleagues and they decided to get poisonous, two of them wrote a book on district assembly elections and the decentralization programme, and inserted in somewhere, when it was absolutely not necessary, something about Gwarzo's supposed $5million just to poison my name. I just feel sad that Gwarzo should do this. I am prepared to be subjected to polygraph test. May be that's what he needs also.
When General Abubakar took over, I told him to watch out. That that report in the papers about $5million was $2million and not $5million. He didn't make any comment. He didn't say anything. Obasanjo took over I thought I should straighten it out with him. The comment he made was: 'Yes, that is how they behave. When they are given something to take somewhere, they will take the majority, the bigger share.' That was the comment Obasanjo made.
I wasn't used to those things. Otherwise, I could have called Abacha. I don't even think I even called him over that. Maybe I should have called him to say thank you for the $2million and then he would have called his people to order. You see what I mean? I wasn't used to money being thrown up and down. Money was not my thing. Yes, we were poor enough as a country, but we were working day and night to making sure we put the country on a solid foundation for economic explosion. We had our pride and our dignity was not out for sale.
I recall that in the early days I didn't have any money in the account and somebody gave me a million dollar cheque. I just threw it on the workshop table. Eight years later, one of our comrades reminded me about the cheque and said we would need the money for something and I asked him to go look for it.
The mischief that our people get involved in hurt me. When I was a kid my grandmother used to say: 'A liar is more dangerous than a thief', and we could never understand it. It didn't make sense to us, because as kids we were always denying something or telling fibs about something, and nobody gets hurt or anything. But you get whipped for stealing and more. When you grow up to my situation today then you wake up to what my Granny was saying, how liars are the most vicious and cowardly creatures. They can destroy a whole image and reputation.
That was why Chinua Achebe's counterpart, Ayi Kwei Armah, wrote 'The Beautiful Ones are Not Yet Born'. When I grew up, I realized he was wrong. The beautiful ones are born. They are there, but the platform is so dirty they dare not step on it to campaign to be leaders, because they would be slammed down with some of the nastiest fabrications. Nobody wants to have their name spoilt, so politics becomes a monopoly. No wonder he said the beautiful ones were not yet born.
But no, when I got in, I said no way. I brought the beautiful ones all on board when I came back the second time. That was how come we succeeded so beautifully. We provided a leadership of credibility and integrity. These are the hallmarks I stand for.
How to strengthen institutions to keep beautiful ones alive
A lot depends on the leader, his sensitivity, his will, his strength and determination, because the vast majority of the people are suffering from the decay. They want to see a change for the better. I think that the number one should be bold enough and identify the right people to take over and move to those institutions in an effective and efficient way. Put your foot down, because those institutions are manned by human beings; and if those human beings lack the character, the strength and the spirit to be able to defy that which is wrong, then we cannot defend freedom and justice. The leader has to give a clear signal, sense of direction and the passion to drive the change. When I was in office, I spent 30-40 per cent of my time watching out for corrupt or corruptible indications or behaviour or lifestyles. I wouldn't tolerate it. It is so easy. It brings the best out of your people. They would do 70 per cent of the work for you.
I can understand Buhari's style. It is okay. Let it be. My style was to provoke the needed consciousness and invite the involvement of our people so that you had moral outrage from the general populace. So, even in your villages and workplaces, you can't misbehave and get away with it. I don't have to have a policeman there. We don't have enough policemen. But the moral outrage of the society is dynamite. It is a weapon waiting to be used and utilized. The people were policing themselves for the just course. Do you get me? Do you get me, my brother? That's what I meant by positive defiance.
Some may end up being intimidated by it, sadly. But no, it is there to help you. After all, that is what you have in those countries, those developed countries. They have not destroyed their moral outrage.
Halting Ghana's slide on the corruption table
All I can do is speak up. I find myself in a situation where I have moral responsibility and no executive authority. I would have wished that my moral authority could have the same influence. But that is not the case, corruption has infiltrated our institutions and their leaders so badly today that they use some kind of lens to demonstrate that you can keep your moral authority, but this is executive power at work.
So all I can do is to critique and advocate for my people. I can't hide it. And I believe that was how I won the respect from the larger populace, from both sides of the political divide. I have remained principled. My wife is still standing where she is, cut off from our party that she was very responsible in building up because it became corrupted from Mills' time.
We now fight on the terms of the opposition or the main opposition party. Fortunately for them, they have a leader who is not known for messing around with material things. The situation is so bad. So unfortunate! This is why Buhari has to alter things. You have got to make it. He doesn't have much time and can't afford for inertia to set in or for the momentum to go down.
On remarks by Kofi Annan that some African leaders were tempting the military
The point is that in waging a campaign in the international community, bringing pressure to bear to keep the military in the barracks, our hope was that the quality of democracy would also have improved.
I like to think that you can use good governance to prevent military intervention. Quite frankly, our parliaments do not appear to be strong enough to impeach Presidents who are getting out of hand. That is one way of preventing a coup. That is a legitimate way of doing it, an institutional way of doing it. But too many of us appear to have been compromised and our principles also compromised. So we seem unable to make a move against an erring government and a government that is becoming very corrupt and endangering situations. So I am not surprised he said what he said. I am not surprised at all.
We left behind an exemplary institution or institutions the Armed Forces. But they made sure they corrupted it in order to survive because they could not measure up to the standards that we left behind. That is as far as that is concerned.I could have said this, but if I had done so it would seem that I was calling for it. People would misinterpret it. Now that Kofi Annan himself has said it, I hope people will see through the situation.
Corruption has warped our development process and programme. I am not just taking about the materialistic or monetary corruption, but the extent to which your very culture, the moral standing of a society can be so.A few months ago I said in one of our universities that it appears you cannot get ahead by doing the right thing anymore. When you have to do it the right way, you won't succeed. Instead, you should be prepared to cut corners, offer bribes or do some foolish things before you get along. I'm glad some of our local companies got blacklisted by the UN and other donor agencies for such unhealthy moral practices. When you have reached that stage, that level, then you know that things are bad. I don't want to create the impression of no hope because things are bad.That is why, for me, I am holding on to you people, Nigeria, to turn things around. Buhari is God-sent.
-citifmonline
The disbursement of the third tranche of IMF cash to Ghana before the end of this month might be under threat.
JOYBUSINESS has gathered that the board meeting which normally takes place in July 2016, to facilitate the disbursement of the tranche under the third review, has been rescheduled to the end of September.
Possibly, it could even take up to the first week of October, just a month before the 2016 General elections.
Going by past reviews and the time it usually take the countrys case to be presented to the Board, following successful conclusions of reviews and the per the original schedule slated for this third review, the board should have met, to review the country's performance by end-June 2016 or at worst by the second week of July 2016.
This would have been the fourth Board meeting in Ghana and the third review since the country signed up to the IMF program .
Certain difficulties in implementing reforms that could not be concluded at the April 2016 review still remains outstanding.
JOYBUSINESS understands that government is currently working address data reconciliation, developing plans and strategies to State Owned Enterprises that have taken loans from the banking system and the passage of important bills by parliament to make the central bank more independent.
It is not yet clear how long it will take for these actions to be met to satisfy the IMF.
But sources say the issues are deep and structural and centre on the main pillars on which the program anchors were formulated.
In a response to questions sent to the IMF in Washington DC, by JOYBUSINESS, inquiring about the status of the board meeting in Ghana, the fund in its responds noted that, "As per the mission that was held April 27-May 11, IMF staff have reached a general understanding with the authorities on the main elements that would support the completion of the third review under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF)-supported program, including the prior actions to be implemented before the review can be completed.
The FUND further added that although, authorities have continued work in few areas including , including a new Public Financial Management Law, an Amended Bank of Ghana Act, a strategy to address the debt of State Owned Enterprises, and reconciliation of fiscal accounts for 2015, the IMF staff can only finalize the required documentation for the Executive Board's review "Subject to above work being completed".
According to the IMF, " Following the expected implementation of the prior actions, including adoption by Parliament of the new Public Financial Management Law and Amended Bank of Ghana Act, as well as clarification on the financial situation of SOEs to ensure that there would be no financing shortfall for the public sector, the IMF Executive Board could consider the review during the next quarter of this year".
Some analysts say , the delay could have serious implications on the economy, as it may affect plans by government to issue the country's fourth Eurobond , which has been slated to come on very soon.
The bond issue and the price that the country will get will depend on a successful and timely review. This is needed to convince investors and donors that government has made some progress in stabilizing the economy.
The delay may also affect plans by the Finance Minister Seth Terkper to present the midyear review to parliament, possibly this month.
The following weeks will be interesting to watch as to how the IMF and the Government collaborate to reassure investors on the progress of work.
Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline.com | Joy Business
The Assin Central Constituency Chairman of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) says he will campaign against the party in the Central Region if the party does not call back the two suspended national executives.
Paul Kaku Essien said at a news conference held Monday that the duo, National Youth Organiser, Ernesto Yeboah, and General Secretary, Nii Armah Akomfrah did no wrong to warrant the treatment meted out to them.
"How can I ask Ghanaians to vote for leaders who endorse corruption? Assin Central will not be part of this, because this is not what Ghanaians are looking for, in fact, I am ashamed, he said.
The genesis:
In what has been described as untimely, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the CPP suspended Ernesto Yeboah and Nii Armah Akomfrah for allegedly contradicting the position of the partys flagbearer, Ivor Kobina Greenstreet over a Ford Expedition vehicle gifted to President John Dramani Mahama.
Joynews Manasseh Azure Awuni investigations revealed President Mahama was given a Ford Expedition vehicle valued at $100,000 by a Burkinabe contractor, Oumarou Djibril Kanazoe.
The findings of the investigation generated heated debate in the country with some anti-graft campaigners calling for the impeachment of the President for disregarding basic tenets regarding code of conduct of public officials contained in the 1992 Constitution and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) document.
Leading the Youth League of the party, Ernesto Yeboah condemned the President for receiving the gift and petitioned CHRAJ to investigate the matter to establish case of conflict of interest. The General Secretary, Nii Armah Akomfrah, had also said the Presidents act was in bad taste.
Responding to a question when he took his turn at the Institute of Economic Affair (IEA)s Evening Encounter with Presidential Candidates, Mr Greenstreet said he will not join the bandwagon to lampoon the President for receiving the gift.
He said there was nothing wrong with a Ford Expedition gift.
Many people were disillusioned considering his position contradicted that taken earlier by the Youth League and the General Secretary.
The party was later to accuse the two national officers of publicly commenting on the matter when the party has not taken a stand. This resulted in their suspension.
But Mr Essien has sent a stern warning to the partys flagbearer, and National Chairman, Edmund Delle to reinstate the two officers else risk the anit-moves of the constituency executives aimed at retarding the partys progress in the upcoming elections.
The party has chosen Mr. Asani Tano as acting General Secretary and Mr. Nabila Alhassan Bassiru to act as National Youth Organiser.
Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brakopowers | Email: [email protected]
Egyeikrom (Ghana) (AFP) - Five years after the return of peace to Ivory Coast, 11,000 Ivorian refugees living in Ghana are still afraid to go home despite an upbeat economic climate in the world's top cocoa producer.
While the international community deems it safe for those involved in a decade of trouble to return, Ange-Pelagie Baya told AFP: "We would prefer to die of hunger rather than go back."
On Tuesday, a UN refugee agency-brokered meeting opens in Abidjan to prepare for the return of all the Ivorians who fled the bloody post-electoral violence that erupted in 2010-11.
Ivory Coast's social cohesion minister Mariatou Kone has pledged that "no-one would be arrested on their return" and indicated a possible amnesty for those opposed at the time to current President Alassane Ouattara.
But of the 11,000 Ivorian refugees in Ghana, only four have officially returned since Kone visited Accra in May.
Ouattara won a second mandate in October on pledges of restoring longtime stability following the troubled 2010 elections which saw him compete against former strongman Laurent Gbagbo.
Gbagbo now is behind bars on trial in The Hague following the deaths of some 3,000 in post-election violence in 2010-2011.
In Ghana's Central Region, the 2,200 refugees at the Egyeikrom camp, all of them Gbagbo supporters, are adamant they cannot return.
"We can't go back as long as the (Ouattara) regime remains," said Baya.
- Budget cuts -
Baya doesn't recognise Ouattara's legitimacy as president, labelling him a "rebel" and a "foreigner".
Yet she admits life as a refugee is harsh. "We don't have anything here, just a bit of work in the fields during harvest time."
Food distribution to the refugees was stopped in November and only three percent of the aid promised by donors to the UNHCR has been allocated since the start of the year.
"The donors would rather invest in the country, given that the situation in Ivory Coast is stabilising," said the UNHCR spokesman in Ghana, Nii Ako Sowa.
With growth at eight percent last year, Ivory Coast, Ghana's neighbour to the west, is no longer a priority for aid.
But for the groups representing the Ivorian diaspora, the budget cuts have been brutal and are seen as a way of forcing the poorest refugees to return home.
Leon-Emmanuel Monnet, a former member of Gbagbo's Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) in exile in Accra, said the promises of reconciliation were a smokescreen and Kone's visit "a publicity stunt".
According to the UNHCR, more than two-thirds of the 300,000 Ivorians who fled in 2010 to Ghana, Guinea or Liberia are no longer registered.
Yet last year there were only 10 official returns from Ghana. Diaspora groups say many have gone to north Africa or Europe.
- Reprisal fears -
In reality, no-one really knows where they are. Besides some risk being considered as traitors if they return home.
"Refugees leave the country unofficially and this is a problem, since we don't have any record of their return and don't know how they reintegrate," said Ghana Refugee Board (GRB) regional coordinator Charles Yorke.
"We've organised 'go-and-see, come-and-tell' missions. But when they come back and say things are going OK, they (the refugees) don't believe them."
Monnet for instance said the fact that Simone Gbagbo, the former president's wife, was on trial in Abidjan, was proof they could not expect to go home and stay out of trouble.
"There is no process of reconciliation or justice -- unless you're talking about victors' justice," he said.
In Egyeikrom, near the town of Elmina, Jean-Louis Zougbo has lived in dire poverty in a UNHCR tent for five years.
In Ivory Coast he was a pastor from the FPI stronghold of Guiberoua some 300 kilometres (190 miles) northwest of Abidjan and headed a civilian militia.
He played a small part in the conflict but fears reprisal attacks if one day he has to go back to his home region. "I'm a nobody. If I disappear, if I go home and am killed, no-one will know."
"Only one side is being targeted and everyone else is considered blameless, which isn't right, isn't just," he said.
The Member of Parliament for New Juabeng North, Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, believes former President Jerry John Rawlings' admission that he accepted $2 million from former Nigerian Head of State, Sani Abacha, after nearly 18 years of denial, should warrant forgiveness from Ghanaians.
He has confessed it and I think we should be magnanimous enough to say let bygones be bygones, but I think from him, we should learn lessons that the President should desist from taking gifts from persons or money and everything like that, he stated on Eyewitness News.
Mr. Owusu-Agyeman also welcomed former president Rawlings confession as a vindication of his efforts in 1998, where he led calls for a probe against the President.
If he has confirmed that he did receive $2 million dollars from president Abacha, then we are vindicated, the MP stated.
The confession
Mr. Rawlings while speaking to the Guardian Newspaper in Nigeria, admitted receiving the money from the President of Nigeria in 1998, but said it was $2 million and not $5 million as alleged.
The Minority in Parliament then criticized the acceptance of the money, and called for a Parliamentary probe.
Mr. Owusu-Agyeman, who was then the Minority Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, was at the forefront of the calls for a parliamentary probe.
He recalled that, When I moved the motion in parliament, amidst all odds, I was convinced that indeed something like this had happened so I am happy about it.
In 1998 when the matter of the alleged bribe money from Nigeria broke, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), founded by Jerry Rawlings, put up a strong defence for him when the matter was brought to the floor of Parliament for investigations to be conducted by the then Speaker of Parliament, D. F. Annan.
But the Minority-led the campaign was shot down because the Speaker had ruled at the time that the Minority did not bring enough evidence to support their call for investigations.
No need for any inquiry
Mr. Owusu-Agyeman also stated that, there was no need for any inquiry into former President Rawlings now that he has admitted to accepting the money.
Regardless of the perception, I don't think there is need for them to file another inquiry for now, even if we put up a motion and ask for it, it will be defeated as we see now. It will be an exercise in futility so lets allow it to stay the way it is. He should and sin no more.
Reinforcing Mr. Owusu-Agyemans view that any attempt to prosecute former President Rawlings would be futile, broadcaster, Paul Adom-Otchere, who covered Parliamentary proceedings during the said period, indicated that the constitution protects him from prosecution.
Referencing article 57(6) from the constitution on Eyewitness News, Mr. Adom-Otchere noted that, civil or criminal proceedings may be instituted against a person within three years. Within three years after perceiving to be president in respect to anything done or omitted by him in his personal capacity before or during his term of office.
The constitution in a nutshell says that you can institute criminal proceedings when a person becomes president within three years of his ceasing to become President, he explained.
By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
12.07.2016 LISTEN
A new report published by Vodafone Group reveals that smartphones are increasing opportunities in Ghana; and that 7 out of 10 micro-entrepreneurs are likely to face difficulties continuing their business without a smartphone.
Authored by independent experts, Towards a more equal world: the mobile internet revolution looks at how the shift to smartphones and data services in emerging markets represent a turning point. The specific opportunities of mobile internet access for disadvantaged groups are identified and policy steps governments can take to address inequalities are recommended.
Drawing on three in-depth studies in three developing countries Ghana, Kenya and India - the report examines different facets of the challenge.
In Ghana, consistent with other findings in the report, businesses in urban communities are doing more with their smartphone and its resources than their rural-based counterparts. Micro-entrepreneurs surveyed use their smartphones in critical business operations, such as improving the use of customer records for production planning and marketing campaigns.
Seven out of 10 micro-entrepreneurs who use mobile services to find market prices in their sector, keep mobile records of customers, and use customer records for campaigns are in urban communities. Micro-entrepreneurs with lower levels of education are also less likely to access new revenue activities and may also fail to experience the related benefits.
In Kenya: Where women face barriers to educational, entrepreneurial and social activities. It was found that women place greater emphasis on the importance of smartphones in connecting them to their family and the world beyond. Over two-thirds of business women experienced an increase in income due to a smartphone. However, even with equivalent education and income levels, women use their smartphone for fewer tasks and less frequently. Education is a central driver of smartphone ownership and use, whereas income is not.
In India, the impact of information and mobile access on yields can lead to a 50% increase in a small farmers revenue where the correct inputs are used and better knowledge is applied. A 1% increase in yields leads to a 0.6 1.3% reduction in poverty, having a greater impact than prices alone.
Commenting on the report; Diane Coyle, Professor of Economics at the University of Manchester, said:
In the years since the start of the global financial crisis, inequality has come to the forefront of the policy agenda. The UNs Sustainable Development Goals demonstrate the commitment of governments to addressing inequality. For emerging market economies, growth and poverty reduction are still vital challenges, but there is also a need to ensure the benefits of growth are shared widely.
Additionally, Howard Williams, Professor Emeritus at the University of Strathclyde added:
Access to communications services and networks plays a vital role in enabling individuals and businesses to tap into new opportunities. Mobile is particularly important for people in marginal groups with low incomes or status, especially in emerging markets.
The Accra Regional Police Command has apprehended 22-year-old Ussif Fauzan who was allegedly in possession of about 500 wrappers of some whitish substance suspected to be cocaine at Accra New town during a swoop.
Twenty-seven suspected criminals were also apprehended in a three-day operation that took place in several dens of criminals in Accra.
The police also retrieved a locally manufactured gun and wrappers of dried leaves suspected to be Indian Hemp from Kennedy Amponsah, 22, and Alidu Rashid, 25, respectively during a search.
Some persons suspected to be dealing in stolen mobile phones as well as fraudsters were also nabbed during the operation.
Accra Regional Police Commander, ACP Timothy Yoosa Bonga, who briefed the media on the operation, said the first exercise, which took place on July 6, 2016, was aimed at damping down on criminals who constantly attack and snatch valuables such as hand bags, mobile phones, wallets, tablets and monies from traders, pedestrians and other law-abiding citizens on daily basis.
He said the exercise was conducted at Kantamanto- Abuja, Railways, Despite Lane, Tudu, Graphic Road, Farisco, Rawlings Park, Makola and UTC.
He disclosed that the suspects sometimes attack unsuspecting victims at gunpoint and create fear and panic in the major business district of the city.
"It was during a search on these suspects that the police retrieved a locally manufactured pistol from suspect Kennedy Amponsah while 98 wrappers of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, three pairs of scissors and a knife were also retrieved from suspect Alidu Rashid.
He stated that at Kwame Nkrumah Circle and its environs, the Police rounded up 25 suspects between the ages of 20 and 26 who were into the sale of stolen mobile.
ACP Bonga said in all about 156 of the assorted mobile phones, including fake ones, were retrieved from the suspects who are being processed for court.
The Accra Regional Police Commander advised the public to desist from patronizing stolen goods and promoting activities of mobile phone fraudsters within these areas.
He said such items should be purchased at accredited shops and outlets where receipts can be demanded.
"Moreover, in our efforts to rid the business districts of criminal activities, the Police will also use this opportunity to advice the public to be security conscious and be mindful of their valuables when going about their daily business."
Britain's thriving arts sector is in despair about the vote to leave the European Union, fearing that funding cuts and freedom of movement restrictions will have serious consequences.
In the aftermath of last month's referendum result, performers and fans at the Glastonbury festival formed a heart in a pro-EU flash mob while musicians gave a spontaneous performance of Beethoven's "Ode To Joy" -- Europe's anthem -- in central London.
"I had a horrible dream in which I found out on a train that the Brexit vote had won, and yelled out in fury," top British cellist Steven Isserlis told Classic FM radio.
"I woke up, was relieved that it had been a dream, switched on my computer and saw, to my horror, that the dream had come true."
Josie Rourke, artistic director of London's Donmar Warehouse theatre, wrote: "Canada?" on Twitter, apparently joking about where to move.
Top choreographer Matthew Bourne added that he considered the result to be "such a mess and not about the GB (Great Britain) I know and love".
While it is too early to know the precise impact of Brexit on sectors from music to cinema, museums to theatre, most insiders are united in their pessimism.
Norman Lebrecht, a leading cultural commentator who runs the Slipped Disc classical music website, said freedom of movement has had a "regenerative" effect on British orchestras as talent from across the EU joined them.
"The whole atmosphere of orchestras has been changed by this. If you're going to turn the clock back... I think you face stagnation," he told AFP.
Lebrecht also predicted that a plans for a new concert hall to house returning British conductor Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra could be axed due to lack of investment post-Brexit.
John Smith, general secretary of the Musicians' Union (MU), the trade union for 30,000 professional musicians, said his initial reaction to the vote was "profound depression".
"Over the years, MU members have benefited from open borders, a protective copyright regime and various directives which directly benefit them in their workplaces," he said.
Then there are the grants which many sectors receive from the EU.
Cinema has been a particular beneficiary, with funding from the MEDIA programme for Britain's film, TV and digital industry totaling nearly 130 million euros ($145 million) since 2007.
Oscar winners "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The King's Speech" got help with distribution from the fund before they were hits.
Rebecca O'Brien, a film producer who set up London-based Sixteen Films with director Ken Loach, said the loss of distribution support would be a major blow.
"We're talking about local films that are made by British filmmakers -- they are the most affected and the funding that comes in to pay for the American blockbusters, they can carry on fine," she told AFP.
European support has nurtured a fruitful crop of independent British films in recent years, she added.
"You can make a film in Britain without European participation, absolutely you can, but it really, really helps," O'Brien said. "Certainly in terms of the more innovative, creative productions, they've all been European partnered."
O'Brien, who supported the "Remain" campaign, was hopeful that filmmakers would find a way to cope but added that Brexit would "put hurdles in the way" of the already complex process of making a film.
Many also fear the uncertainty surrounding Britain's future status until it actually leaves the EU.
The process is likely to take at least two years, a long time for a cluster of industries where projects require months or even years of advance planning.
Michael Ryan, chairman of the Independent Film and Television Alliance, which represents independents in cinema and TV worldwide, said the decision was a "major blow" to the creative sector.
"Producing films and television programmes is a very expensive and very risky business and certainty about the rules affecting the business is a must," he said.
For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture
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Asiedu Nketiah, General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress
12.07.2016 LISTEN
Kofi Poturphy, National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), last week made public the names of some 15 persons the party had concluded as the official members of the campaign team tasked to retain the party in government.
DAYBREAK takes a critical look at some of the names on the team, which many have described as uninspiring and expressed surprise that the NDC considers these 15 names as the best selection that can help win the 2016 polls.
As the NDC constitution states, the party General Secretary chairs the campaign and Asiedu Nketias competency at that is never in doubt.
Neither is the competency of Kofi Adams as Campaign Coordinator in doubt though many have expressed concern whether the two, (Kofi Adams and Asiedu Nketia) would make a perfect pair considering the recent acrimonious relationship between them.
Some of the names however make one wonder whether the NDC as a party really believes it has selected the best men and has made maximum use of the partys human resource.
Kofi Totobi Quakye
Totobi is 61. He is a tactful strategist who operates from the background and achieves results. He is arguable the longest serving Minister for Information Ghana ever had and was head of National Security under the Jerry Rawlings-led government.
Totobi Quakye is a election winning machine and falls under the old dogs category who were only used by the NDC in winning elections then dumped afterwards with no proper appointments coming their way.
Prior to the 2008 elections, Totobi was one of the persons who birthed the WAHALA demonstrations which made the NPP government very unpopular. He and a few others, Dr. Tony Aidoo, the Ahwoi brothers and Kwesi Pratt literally bent over backwards just to create headache for the Koffour administration.
After the NDC won and President Atta Mills was sworn into office, Totobi was relegated to the background. Perhaps the party felt he had completed the dirty job of cracking the hard kennels and therefore had to step aside for more favoured ones to nourish themselves with the juice and oil.
Just as the proverbial cat, that after feasting on the stolen cheese wipes its hands on the lips of the sleeping mouse, the NDC-government, at the eleventh hour found some negligible appointment of some sort for Totobi. He did not turn it down.
He comes to the campaign with some 30-years of strategic political experience and would be a precious asset only if his independent ideas would be accepted and respected.
Theophilus Tetteh Chai/ Sherry Ayittey
Tetteh Chai is MP for Ablekuman Central who could not even win his constituency primaries to get him retained yet he is selected to join a team that would generate some critical ideas that would win a national election.
Very unpopular in his own constituency and at best he is not someone who can attract votes even in his own backyard. Yet he was the one the Majority deemed fit to join such a crucial campaign team.
Perhaps Tetteh Chais name on the campaign team is just to appease the Ga and Adangbe community just as Sherry Ayitteys name on the list is expected to do.
Two weak Gadangbe apostles who have very insignificant or absolutely no clouts among the very people they are supposed to appeal to.
It has become evident the NDC needs a Ga/Dangbe name but detests a Ga/Dangbe voice.
There are several Ga/Dangbe names in the party but not all of them represent Ga/Dangbe voices and faces. The selection of Tetteh Chai and Sherry Ayittey as against the calibers of Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, Sylvester Mensah, ET Mensah, Oko Vanderpuije,
This anomaly is happening at a time the NDC lacks the courage to stand behind Nii Armah Ashittey in his bid to contest the Korley Klottey but closed a blind eye for Zenator Agyeman-Rawlings to sneak through under rather interesting circumstances.
The NDCs current relationship with the Ga/Dangme fraternity is not same as the prior 200 elections with the party had renowned Ga/Dangbe faces and voices ranging from Nii Okaija Adamafio, Adjei Boye Sekan, David Lamptey, Justice DF Annan, Joshua Alabi and other high ranking voices in its forefront.
Daniel Ohene Agyekum
Daniel Ohene-Agyekum, a 74-year old retired diplomat, popular for invoking the anger of the dreaded anota deity against his political opponents and coming public to defend the act.
It is difficult to understand how the NDC would insist that at age 72, Nana Akufo Addo, presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, does not have much to offer Ghana because of his old age, yet the same NDC would appoint a 74 year old man as a fit-enough member of the partys campaign team.
Again one wonders the exact role and job definition of Ohene-agyekum on the campaign team list.
Alhaji Huudu Yahaya
Alhaji Huudu Yahaya is a former NDC Vice Chair, former NDC General Secretary and a brother in law of President Mahama.
He recently withdrew his candidature to contest Kofi Portuphy for the NDC chair. During the contest, the type of things that were said against him by some NDC members are better left unpublished.
When Huudu Yahaya stepped down, it was speculated that some high ranking persons in the NDC convinced him to. There is no evidence to the fact that his inclusion on the campaign team is to appease him for that decision but it is a possibility.
Huudu Yahaya is in the same category with Daniel Ohene Agyekum and one wonders what exactly he brings to the team
Joyce Mogtari Bawa
She, the Campaign Spokesperson, is the deputy Minister for Transport and blood relation, specifically niece of President Mahama. Her face, filed experience and ability to deliver remain relatively un-known.
The ability to communicate well is not a reliable criteria for selecting a spokesperson for a political campaign team tasked to win national elections in Ghana.
Understanding the political terrain and having gone through the mill as well as reliable contacts and good rapport with the media and party is even a more useful tool than having mere information on communication skills. In the political world, information without experience is not knowledge. But she is the presidents niece and this may be a signal for her to prepare to move from deputy to substantive Minister if the NDC is retained.
Hannah Tetteh, during the last election earned the admiration of many, even persons outside her party, for the role she played as Campaign Spokesperson. Many have expressed disappointment about her absence in this team.
DAYBREAK would continue with analysis on the other members: Faustina Nelson, Alhaji Shasu Kwakwa, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Sylvia Osei, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, Dan Abodakpi and Madam Sylvia Osei.
And Saul said Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings And he offered the burnt offering. And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of the offering, behold, Samuel came, and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves at Michmast. Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal and I have not made supplication unto the Lord> I forces myself therefore and offered a burnt offering.
And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord, thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now, thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be Captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
Then, the Lord commanded Saul through the Prophet Samuel to go and destroy the Amalekites, human and animals. But Saul disobeyed God again for he smote the Amalekites and spared Ahag, their king and the best of their animals.
When Saul met Samuel, the latter said to him Blessed be thou of the LORD. I have performed the commandment of the Lord. But he was exposed by the bleating of the sheep and the lowing of the oxen. Saul like our President wanted to justify his action by passing on the buck to others. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed to sacrifice unto the LORD, thy God in Gilgal
Now, you listen to the verdict of God which he delivered through his servant, Prophet Samuel. Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD. Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hath rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
The above extract from the Holy Bible speaks against the sin of disobedience. God strongly condemns it and if President Mahama is a committed Christian he should not have gone against the tenets of the constitution. The President himself gave the benchmark of the amount or quantity of gifts a public official could receive. His acceptance of the car worth opepepeepee was gargantuan in nature and an affront to the constitution of the land. What the President and his apologists are doing is similar to what Saul tried to do. He blamed the people for keeping the best part of the spoils and attempted to justify it by suggesting that they had wanted to sacrifice them to the LORD at Gilgal. The command was explicit. Go and destroy the Amalekites and everything that belongs to them, the king inclusive. Is there any ambiguity here? This is similar to the Supreme Court verdict on the deletion of names of those who used the NHIS card to register as voters.
The Lord told Saul that it is better to obey the Commandment than to sacrifice oxen and other animals. Morally, it is not a good practice to give or accept gifts from people and later suggest that you have done the nation a great deal of favour by donating the gift back to the country.
Professor Tam David West and the gift of wrist watch: The Professor was the Minister for Petroleum and Mineral Resources under the Evil Genius General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. IBB, as he was fondly called by his admirers or acolytes was President and Lord of all that he surveyed in Nigeria.
Nigeria wanted to get maximum benefit from its crude oil, but OPEC, to which the country belonged had place a ceiling on the quantity each member state could export. The Supreme Military Country under the evil genius sent a delegation led by the Petroleum Minister, to go and negotiate for an upward review of the countrys production quota. At every point in time during the negotiation process, the Professor let everybody know that he had the approval of the Presidency.
In the end, OPEC did not increase Nigerias quota. IBB and his henchmen on the SMC were stunned. They couldnt understand why. In the midst of the buck-passing and other intrigues, it came out that OPEC executives had given a wrist watch to the leader of the delegation and that on the morning of his departure to Nigeria, Professor Tam David West had drunk Tea with the executives.
What happened next is something no reasonable human being would understand. A Tribunal was set up to try the Professor on charges of drinking a cup of tea and accepting a wrist watch from OPEC Executives. The two crimes were said to have influenced the Petroleum Minister into towing the line of the Executives. He was found guilty on these two counts and sentenced to five years imprisonment.
Compare Tam David West case with the receipt of a Ford vehicle from a Burkinabe contractor and one cannot but conclude that, indeed, President John Dramani Mahama is guilty as charged.
The Presidents attempt to justify his action by suggesting that he prefers Japanese Cars to American Cars is a lame excuse. I dont use Ford. I dont like American cars. I use Japanese cars. Toyota is my car. When you make baseless rumours and accusations, it wont win you the presidency. The innuendo in the last sentence is not lost on us. But is His Excellency, Mr. President telling Ghanaians and the entire world that if the vehicle had been Japanese mode he would have accepted it?
Again, I ask: what are the various hangers-on at the Presidency doing? Couldnt they have polished the Presidents statement to make it more convincing to befit the high office he occupies in the country?
Mr. J.H.Mensah and Odumase Farms: Mr. J.H. Mensah was Minister of Finance and Economic Planning under Kofi Abrefa Busias Progress Party Administration. He was a Director of Odumase Farms. The Constitution stipulated that one cannot hold a position in any business venture while he is a Minister. Thus, Mr. J.H. Mensah ought to have resigned his position as Director when he was appointed a Cabinet Minister, but he did not. This was one of the reasons assigned by General Ignatius Kuti Acheampong when he staged his coup against the Progress Party Government on January 12, 1972.
I remember that when the issue first cropped up in Parliament, the PP Government used its Parliamentary majorly to pooh-pooh the concerns of the majority and even poured encomiums on J.H.Mensah for spearheading a revolution to improve farming activities in the country. The Constitution of the Republic of Ghana is sacrosanct and nothing should be done to make it otherwise.
Mr. Adamu Dramani Sakande, MP for Bawku Central: He was tried and jailed two years for making false declaration for his name to be included in the voters register before 2008 election. He voted but was not entitled. He did not renounce his UK citizenship before standing foe the election. The Law clearly stipulates that one could not stand for and be elected a Member of Parliament. This is the Law, and nothing more. Innocuous, one might say, but the law stipulates otherwise.
So why the Presidents is is own different? What does the law say about acceptance of gifts? And what fatwa has the President decreed for all his appointees? Why is he not adhering to his own code of conduct? Is he telling us he should be compared with the preacher whose mantra was do as I say, but not do as I do?
Asamoah Boateng breaches the Procurement Act: When the NDC came to power, one of the first things it did was to haul Asamoah Boateng, his wife and other officials of the Ministry of Information to the law courts for breaching the Procurement Act. Asamoah Boateng and his wifes company had renovated some offices of the Information Ministry and were yet to be paid. But they were brought before the Law Courts on grounds that the contract was contrary to laid down procedure.
Late President Mills and the Envelopes: We were all in this country when late President Mills told the whole nation that he had twice rejected envelopes full of money by people who had come to visit him at the Castle. He felt the envelopes were meant to influence him. Mr. Kwame Pianim, an Economist and hard-core member of the NPP corroborated the Presidents statement.
At that time, the NDC shouted unto the highest heavens that late President Mills was incorruptible. What has happened since? The NDC imputed from the scenario that the unnamed persons were out to bribe the late President. The latter also saw it in that light. What has happened since, if I may ask?
From the above extract one can safely conclude that the gulf between late Mills and His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama is. It is like the distance between the North and the South Pole.
Now, to the substantive issue: Was the money meant to influence His Excellency? Yes, I believe it was! The Burkinabe contractor, Djibril Kanazo said that since 2003, he had been bidding for contracts without success. Then, somebody took him to see His Excellency and the contract started flowing waa waa. On the first contract which was to erect a fence wall around the Ghana Embassy in Ouagadougou, the man never applied for the job. He was at home when a letter awarding him the contract came. A miracle, indeed!
Readers should not overlook the fact that it was after somebody had taken the Burkinabe Contractor to see President Mahama that the donation of the Ford Expedition vehicle was made.
Now, let us look at the circumstances surrounding the commissioning of the Dodo-Pepeso-Nkwanta Road. President Mahama said it was one of the best roads ever to be constructed in the country. Was it a co-incidence that the President made that remark? Well, time will tell. But I learnt the road has developed some pot hole just like the road from Kwabeng to my holy village, Abomoso (with special apologies to Barfour). Another miracle indeed!
Why is it that the registration of the vehicle cannot be traced in any of the DVLA offices in the country? Is the President telling us that Government vehicles have never been registered in the country? Since when did this law come into being? When did the President transfer the vehicle to the presidential pool? Was it done in the open or secret? Is there any record of the transaction that can be made available to the masses?
Where is the vehicle? Another mind bogging question is where is the vehicle? When people made unfounded allegations about some things in ex-President Kufuors private residence, there was no hesitation in making his residence open to all those who cared to go and verify. Why cant the Presidency take a cue from that?
Again, in all the presentation made to the two former presidents the car gift from ex Libyan Leader, Muammar Ghadafi to ex-President Kufuor and the cash award given to ex-President Rawlings, the presentations from both Presidents to the state were done in public. Rawlings cash award was used to set up the University of Development Studies in the North.
But Mahamas handing over the vehicle was out of coverage area. If Manasseh Azuri had not come out with his expose, we would all have been groping in the dark as to what had happened.
Historical ignoramuses: Let me put it on record that all those who are suggesting that the President would not accept any bribe because he could get anything he wants are historical ignoramuses. Have they forgotten FIFA President Seth Blatter and his Executives? What did Blatter want and he could not get? He was very powerful than more than half of the Presidents in the world put together. He could make and undo, Infact, he was Lord and Master of all that he surveyed. Yet he collected kick backs.
Licence to own a Gun: Now why did President Mahama go for a licence in order to possess a gun, if I may ask? Why did he not do it secretly as he did on the car issue? He did that because the law says so. So, let people provide reasonable arguments when they attempt to defend the indefensible.
Initially, the NDC just wanted to rewrite the laws on corruption. It now wants to change the rules after the offence has been committed. May God save Ghana the country we all love and cherish very much.
Daniel Danquah Damptey ([email protected]) 0243715297
(Self-Appointed Special Aide to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo)
12.07.2016 LISTEN
In a typical office environment, particularly in the civil and public services (and sometimes even in the private sector), there are at least three kinds of workers, the busy bee, busy body and the lick spittle.
The busy bee usually goes to work right on time, rarely ever goes off sick. Once at work, he or she works to the best of his or her ability knowing that he or she has to earn a living to put roof over his or her head and those of the members of their family and to put food on the table. He or she works hard to earn his or her wage for every hour of the working day. In so doing, most busy bees also enjoy what they do whether anyone appreciates their efforts or not and whether they receive recognition for what they do or not. Most times, busy bees are left out of promotions and sometimes even career enhancement training programmes, but they simply get on with it.
Then there are the busy bodies, who are usually busy about nothing. They move from office to office, carrying heavy files and folders, making everybodys business their business, while doing absolute damn all. They are the tale bearers. They gossip about everybody and everything. By making everybodys business their business and sniffing around, they get to know a little of everything, but with no in-depth knowledge of anything. They become the proverbial Jacks of all trades and Masters of none.
In the technical fields, they pick fanciful terms and words with which they often bamboozle nontechnical management. Such people can talk themselves through any intra- or inter departmental interview. They will land the positions, but will not be able to perform. Instead, they use more knowledgeable junior staff, often through threats and coercion, to do their work for them. Occasionally, some smart Alec junior members of staff trap them into making fools of themselves.
Finally, there are the lick spittle who go round telling tales about colleagues and others, as a way of getting themselves into the good books of management. They will polish anyones shoes, as long as it enhances their chances before the people who matter. In doing so, they often try to use others for their despicable activities.
Whenever the boss wife or other relative is around the office, they are the ones who offer to show them around. If the boss should lose a relative, they immediately become the chief linguists and sub-chief mourners!
The lick-spittle would do anything, including disgraceful activates, to get promoted above their peers. To them the end always justifies the means.
Is it about curriculum vitae?
I have read a number of articles about what impressive curriculum vitae the current Chairman (is it Chairperson?) of Ghanas Electoral Commission possesses. But is it really about CVs?
The Late Colonel I K Akyeampong had an impressive curriculum vitae. From very humble beginnings as Stenographer Secretary from the famous Swedru School of Business, he rose quickly through the ranks of the Ghana Army (at a time when promotions in the Ghana Armed Forces were strictly through performance and success in examinations), to Lieutenant-Colonel by the time of the Coup detat of February 1966. He became one of the youngest Chairmen of the Committees of Administrations, as they were known under the government of the National Liberation Council, for the Western Region,
It was probably from that position that he began to dream of a coup to make himself the head of state of Ghana. In spite of his impressive CV, Kutus performance as head of state was so abysmal it set Ghana backward more than twenty years and paved the way for another thirty years of the darkest period of Ghanas history as a nation.
Ironically, it was Akyeampong who abolished the stringent promotion and retention procedures within the Ghana Armed Forces. And as fate would have it, some of those failures that should have been kicked out of the armed forces became his nemesis; the Law of Karma, one may say.
The Sorbonne trained Dr Hila Limann had an impressive curriculum vitae too and so was Idi Amin of Uganda, who as a non-commissioned officer, held the world record for assembling a completely knocked-down Kalashnikov rifle and firing it within forty seconds.
Performance in office
It is not about curriculum vitae, it is all about performance, what a person achieves after being installed in high office, whichever route it takes him or her to that office.
Ghana faces what could be the most crucial election in its history in less than four months time, and all we hear are infantile and bellicose statements from the chairman of the commission, to the extent of defying the highest court of the land.
After more than one year in office, Ghana still does not have a credible electoral register. The biometric verification equipment that were purchased at outrageously inflated prices have not been tested for years and as happened in 2012, a large proportions of those machines are likely to malfunction on election day.
Faced with allegations of a badly over bloated register, her very first action in office was to call for all political parties, including ones that could not even point to head office buildings, to discuss the register at a public forum. This forum was supposed to debate and suggest ways for improving the voters register. But before the report of the forum could be put together, the lady appointed a completely irrelevant committee, full of active members of the governing party and its sympathisers, to advise it on what to do with the bloated register, a fact that had been admitted by its former chairman way back in 2010.
Dr Afari-Djan who should have been prosecuted for causing financial loss to Ghana, a man who cut such a pathetic picture at the 2012 Election Petition hearing, instead walked away with national honours and is now undeservedly enjoying his terminal salary in retirement.
It is not clear what makes people who cannot read ordinary Excel printouts or add simple figures and write them down in letters and figures become so arrogant once appointed to that commission.
Abu Rhamadan returned to the Supreme Court in May when the august court ruled that the voters register should be purged of all those who registered with the NHIS card because the acquisition of that card was open to foreigners and minors, with the proviso that every qualified voter whose name was expunged from the register be given the opportunity to register with the appropriate documents. That ruling was as simple as it could get. I am sure that my village town crier can implement that ruling without breaking any sweat.
Unfortunately, the commission under our lady with impressive curriculum vitae continued to spew out Ananse stories about why the courts ruling could not be implemented until the Abu Rhamadan group had to go back to court for the Supreme Court to now compel the EC to produce the actual list of those who registered with NHIS card, at great expense to the overtaxed Ghanaian taxpayer.
In the meantime, the sitting president who has benefited from the bogus electoral register and seems to want to benefit from it again has appointed himself the public relations officer of what should have been an independent arbiter in Ghanaian elections!
The lady may possess an impressive curriculum vitae, but appointments to public office, especially ones in which there are no applications or interviews, are meant for service to all the people of the land and not for the undue advantage of a few selected individuals and groups in society. Additionally, national positions are not held by compulsion. If for any reason (and she has given enough for the mass of the people of Ghana to be suspicious), she cannot impartially supervise simple elections in Ghana, she has every right to walk away from the position.
She may be holding a service or even a diplomatic passport and have avenues out of Ghana, but the mass of us do not have that privilege and have nowhere to go, if her actions and inactions should plunge Ghana into chaos in November. And of course even if she and her accomplices flee to Antarctica, there will be a few Ghanaians waiting in the igloos, to welcome them there!
Peace.
Nairobi July 12, 2016: Apollo Hospitals, the largest healthcare group from India, and Airtel Africa, a leading telecom operator with operations in 16 countries in Africa, signed an MoU today to enhance healthcare cooperation across Africa. The MoU is focused on enabling easy access to Apollo specialists. The MoU was signed by Ms. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Group, who is in Nairobi as a leading member of the Indian Business delegation accompanying the Prime Minister of India to Kenya, and Raghunath Mandava, the Chief Operating Officer for Airtel Africa. This service will enable Airtel Africa subscribers access personalized advice in real time thereby bringing world-class healthcare services at their fingertips.
Airtel Africa will provide its customers with discounted consultation and enable easy payment options through Airtel Money or the customers Airtime. India receives a lot of patients from Africa for medical treatment. Apollo Hospitals has realized that some of the African patients traveling to India remain misguided about their health condition which could instead be treated in Africa. A few other patients wait far too long for treatment to reach a stage where cure is no longer possible. Keeping the above in mind, Apollo Hospitals is now partnering with Airtel Africa to enhance access to world-class healthcare services to the people of Africa.
Apollo Hospitals and Airtel Africa will launch Ask-Apollo; a simple and reliable service from a professional medical team at Apollo Hospitals. Ask Apollo is a web & mobile enabled patient-centric service, which combines the expertise of world-renowned Apollo doctors, with the convenience of consulting them at any time, from anywhere around the world. This easy-to-use platform allows one to talk to doctors, face-to-face through video conferencing, or connect with them via voice or email, thus saving the time, money and energy of patients anywhere. One can also upload clinical information including reports, images and scans, to be analyzed by Apollo experts, who can then provide an opinion within a stipulated time.
With patient centricity at the core, Apollo Hospitals has been a forerunner of integrated healthcare in Asia, as well as globally. Apollo Hospitals is widely recognized as the pioneer of private healthcare in India with a network of 64 hospitals, 2,200 retail pharmacy stores, 100 primary care & diagnostic clinics, health insurance services, clinical research division and 15 academic institutions including a medical school. Apollo Hospitals has been working very closely with Africa in healthcare sector for more than 15 years. Every year, thousands of patients from across Africa suffer from the rising problem of lifestyle diseases like heart ailments, kidney failure and cancer. With Apollos vast experience in managing these diseases (more than 160,000 heart surgeries and over 14,000 kidney transplants), it is one of the most preferred destinations for them to travel for treatment. While Apollo has treated many patients and trained many doctors from Kenya as well, it is now planning to further enhance Indias contribution to Africas healthcare services. Apollo Hospitals group is partnering with Airtel Africa to revolutionize the access to healthcare system.
Airtel is the worlds third largest global telecommunications services company (based on subscribers) which operates in 19 countries across Asia and Africa (including Kenya), providing 2G 3G and 4G wireless services, mobile commerce, fixed line broadband and voice services depending upon the country of operation.
President John Dramani Mahama has cut sod for the construction of an irrigation dam aimed at creating over 5,000 jobs when completed.
A piece of land has been acquired for the facility at Tamne, a community in the Garu-Tempane District of the Upper East region, and it will be called after the name of the area the Tamne Dam. The dam is expected to irrigate 3,250 acres of land.
The President was speaking Monday in the Garu-Tempane District at the beginning of a two-day visit to the region. The visit forms part of his nationwide stewardship trip dubbed: Accounting to the People Tour.
The land acquired for the Tamne Dam.
This irrigation dam will allow us to create more than 5,000 direct and indirect jobs. The land would be apportioned to farmers. They would be assisted. We are going to set up a farmer service centre. All the farmers who are working on the project will be registered. They would be provided with fertilisers. They would be provided with seeds. They would get agric extension advice. Their lands would be ploughed for them. It would be harrowed. They would use planters to plant the seeds.
They would get the most modern agricultural technologies to execute their work. The farmer service centre will be the heartbeat of all farmers in the area. So, if you need tractor services, ploughing, you will go and register, they will send the tractor to plough for you. The farmer service centre would even be a microfinance centre. So, if your wife gives birth and you need 100 Ghana cedis or 50 Ghana cedis to go and look after her, if you go to the farmer service centre, they would give it to you, the Mahama outlined.
50 farmer service centres to be built across Savannah Zone
The irrigation dam project, the President emphasised, would transform agriculture in the eastern part of the Upper East Region.
Its going to revolutionise agriculture in this area. And we are building fifty of those farmer service centres across the whole of the Savannah Zone. So, its not only Bawku. Its going to be different locations where we would assist farmers. We want the Green Revolution to start now. I have told the Ministry of Food and Agriculture that before the end of this year I want to launch the first farmer service site. They must complete it and I will launch it before the end of this year, Mahama disclosed.
Bawku to drink treated water from White Volta
President Mahama extended his tour Monday to Misiga, near Bawku, where he also commissioned a water project to boost up water security in the Bawku Municipality.
President Mahama commissions a water project at Misiga near Bawku
The project is expected to increase the supply of water to the area by 4,000 cubic metres in a day.
A lot of the areas that do not have water presently will start receiving water. At first, the whole distribution network for water distribution in Bawku was 12 kilometres. Today, we have laid a new distribution network, connecting areas of Bawku that didnt have water before, and we laid 55 kilometres of distribution network to take the water all over Bawku Township.
"We are also going to continue to expand it so that the Misiga area and all the communities along the roots that the waterline passes to Bawku can also be served with some of the water. But this is a first step towards solving Bawkus water problem, the President said.
He added as a crowd of residents applauded: Bawku is an important commercial centre and its growing very fast. And so we need a permanent source of water that can provide enough water for Bawku. So, I have asked the Ghana Water Company Limited to design a system, theyve done it, which will draw water from the White Volta and treat it and pump it to Bawku Township and surrounding areas.
Geneva (AFP) - At least 36,000 people have fled their homes in Juba since heavy fighting erupted in the South Sudanese capital on Friday, the United Nations said Tuesday.
"The latest fighting since Friday has displaced 36,000 people," Vanessa Huguenin, spokeswoman for the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, told AFP, speaking in French, adding that the number was likely to "evolve" in light of the volatile situation.
Salifu Maase aka Mugabe, the embattled radio host and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) panelists, who threatened to kill Justices of the Supreme Court over issues involving the Electoral Commission (EC), are expected to know their fate at the apex court today.
Mugabe, host of Montie FM's afternoon political programme called 'Pampaso,' together with Alistair Tairo Nelson, 41, and Godwin Ako Gunn, 39, have been summoned to appear before the court for contempt.
The owner of the controversial radio station, Harry Zakour, a vice chairperson of the NDC, is also expected to be in court as he has been summoned too.
Mr Zakour had publicly proclaimed ownership of the radio station, claiming that he set it up to compete with Peace FM, because the radio station is seen more as a New Patriotic Party (NPP) mouthpiece.
Court Summons
Each contemnor had summons entitled: Summons to Show Cause issued on Tuesday, July 5 and signed by James Mensah, acting registrar of the Supreme Court in Accra, and was given under the hand and seal of the Chief Justice, Mrs. Georgina Theodora Wood.
In the case of Ako Gunn, the summons read, You, Godwin Ako Gunn are hereby ordered to appear before this court on Tuesday, the 12th day of July, 2016 at 9:30 am in the forenoon or soon thereafter as you can be heard to show cause why you should not be committed to prison for contempt of court.
It further stated, It has been alleged that as a panelists on the said programme, you threatened and scandalize this court in a manner which if proven against you would amount to contempt of this honourable court.
According to the summons, the actions of Ako Gunn thereby scandalized the court, defied and lowered the authority of the court and brought the authority of the court into disrepute.
Alistair Nelson had the same summons prepared for him.
In the case of Mugabe, the summons said that the host allegedly spurred on the two panelists to threaten and scandalize the court in a manner which if proven against you would amount to contempt of this honourable court.
The owner of Montie FM, which is a sister station of pro-NDC Radio Gold, has also been summoned.
His summon read: You, the owner of Montie FM, are hereby ordered to appear before this court on Tuesday, 12th July, 2016 at 9:30am in the forenoon or so soon thereafter as you can be heard to show cause why you should not be committed to prison for contempt of court for thereby scandalizing the courts, defying, lowering the authority of the court and bringing the authority of this court into disrepute.
It is not clear if he will appear before the court.
As at press time yesterday, it was not clear whether all the persons cited for contempt had received the summons.
However, ahead of the hearing, a group calling itself Friends of Montie Fm said it would hold a vigil in solidarity with the contemnors.
Executive members of the above mentioned social group are inviting our friends in the media fraternity, the general public and listeners of Montie fm a sister station of Radio Gold and TV GOLD under the umbrella of Network Broadcasting Company Limited to a night vigil ahead of the Supreme Court hearing tomorrow.
In this regard, we, the executives and members of Friends of Montie fm, Mugabe Maase, Alistair Nelson and Ako Gunn, are appealing to all and sundry to, as a matter of showing solidarity to the station and the three, come for the night vigil today, 11th July, 2016 from 9pm to 10pm at the forecourt of Radio Gold, a statement signed by Patrick Asford Boadu said.
Specific Threats
The panelists, Alistair Tairo Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn, openly threatened the lives of the judges when they said they would chase them to their houses.
While Ako Gunn preferred to run down Justices Sule Gbadegbe, Jones V. Dotse and Chief Justice Georgina Wood, Allistair promised that somebody called Nash at Mataheko, Accra, was ready to 'marry' the Chief Justice when war breaks out. It's not clear why Nash would want to marry the Chief Justice, knowing that she is happily married.
CJ As President
Mugabe specifically accused the Chief Justice of using the Supreme Court to usurp the work of the EC so that there could be power vacuum to enable her to become President of Ghana, and roared, They should come and arrest all of us and jail us.
He also said the Chief Justice wanted to set the country on fire.
Cocaine Scandal
Alistair said he had always insisted that the Chief Justice should be removed because she got embroiled in a cocaine scandal and accused her of trying to 'pour oxygen' in the fire by directing the EC on what to do.
By William Yaw Owusu
. Following a fatal attack on an MSF trauma facility in Kunduz, in October 2015, 101 East examines whether the rules of war are changing
According to the ICRC there have been 2400 attacks on hospitals, health workers and patients in the last three years
Al Jazeera is granted exclusive access to Boost Hospital in Helmand Province to find out about the reality for staff and patients in a war zone
In one of the worlds most dangerous conflict zones, where there is a chronic shortage of trained health workers, the medical staff at Boost Hospital provide a vital lifeline just kilometres away from intense daily battles between the Taliban and Afghan security forces. These medics are risking their lives to provide life-saving treatment to Afghanistans youngest and most vulnerable.
The Medecins Sans Frontiers trauma centre in the southern Afghan city of Lashkar Gah is one of only three referral hospitals in the countrys south, and serves approximately one million people stranded in the war zone. Here, under-resourced health workers treat malnourished babies, landmine victims and car crash injuries against a backdrop of gunfire and shelling.
Despite the United States spending more than $100billion in non-military assistance since 2002, access to medical care in Afghanistan is dismal. There are only two doctors and five nursing and midwifery personnel for every 10,000, making preventable problems like maternal and infant mortality among the highest in the world. On the paediatric ward they expect 20-30% of the babies admitted will die.
Award-winning 101 East reporter Karishma Vyas explains: Patients travel for days to reach it, risking landmines, Taliban check-posts and even gun battles to see doctors. And MSF has a policy of treating everyone, including soldiers and fighters, as long as they leave their weapons at the gate.
Vyas obtained exclusive access to Boost Hospital months after a US military attack obliterated another MSF facility in Kunduz, killing more than 40 people. An investigation found 16 servicemen culpable and they were given a variety of administrative punishments, yet no one has been, or will be, charged with a crime.
We think that the punishments are proportional to the facts in the case, said a spokesman for the US military in Afghanistan, Brig. Gen. Charles Cleveland. I would love to tell you that it would never happen again, said Cleveland. But Id be lying to you and Id be lying to myself. Simply stated, civilian casualties are sadly part of the fabric of this violence and of this conflict.
Frontline medics have traditionally been off-limits, according to the conventions of war and international humanitarian laws. But according to the International Committee for the Red Cross there have been at least 2400 strikes against hospitals, health workers and patients in the past three years.
Afghanistan: Medics Under Fire screens on Al Jazeera English this Thursday, 14 July 2016 at 2230 GMT on 101 East, Al Jazeeras award-winning weekly current affairs programme focusing on a diverse range of stories across Asia and the Pacific.
For more information, visit http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/101east/ or follow 101 East on Twitter on @AJ101East and Facebook at 101East Al Jazeera.
12.07.2016 LISTEN
Dedication - To my intellectually inclined cousin, road manager and co-hustler, Joseph Ernest Buah.
The word "intellectual" has been abused and misinterpreted for a very long time. Most people profess to be intellectuals out of semi-ignorance. But I want to refute common misconceptions about being an intellectual, and also to draw a sharp distinction between a real intellectual and an intellectual-struck wannabe. Okay, Google defines an intellectual as a person possessing a highly developed intellect. But here are the original characteristics of a bona fide intellectual.
(1) An intellectual is defined by true education not academic qualifications:
The majority of true intellectuals are either college dropouts or never attended university. In fact, you do not need mere academic qualifications to be regarded as an intellectual. You only need education! Education is lifelong learning through a reading culture, critical mindset, experience etc.
Besides, the way to becoming an intellectual is education not tertiary schooling. For real intellectuals educate themselves every day. Through education, a certifiable intellectual acquires rare knowledge and skills which are not taught in school. The late Muhammad Ali was a testimony to this fundamental point.
(2) An intellectual always acts his philosophies:
I know a few people who parade as intellectuals simply because they understand unorthodox philosophies. Well, I realised that those individuals are hypocrites since they appreciate those philosophies but fail to practise them. They have moderate knowledge about a philosophy through reading of books, yet they do not act what they have learnt or even believe.
No wonder "Former President J. J. Rawlings, in one his famous speeches, said that, 'The merit of an intellectual lies not in what he thinks, but in the relationship between what he thinks and what he does'" (Asubonteng, 2006). As a genuine intellectual, I believe our backward-looking school system cannot determine my success but rather my inalienable passion. So I have deliberately killed my academics just to pursue my own passion wholeheartedly.
(3) An intellectual embraces unaccustomed ideas:
Most Ghanaian academics or lecturers are not real intellectuals. Why? They oppose unaccustomed ideas even though they have all the university degrees. They know that academic qualifications do not bring unimaginable success, but a man's priceless potential does in this 21st Century. However, they forcefully dispute this unconventional principle.
Also, many literate folks do not expand their horizons to discover unusual ideas which are really crucial to one's destined success in today's world. Their quest for knowledge has been literally limited to what school teaches them, and not what the real and changing world teaches. That is so awful, to tell the truth.
(4) An intellectual is fond of defying the odds:
Intellectuals are mavericks, that is, they live by unorthodox or defiant set of principles or rules. Society is plagued by sheer mediocrity, and real intellectuals do not conform to its mediocre standards. If you claim to be an intellectual and you maintain the status quo, then you are a phoney and a coward.
Moreover, Suli Breaks, arguably the world's foremost spoken word artist, is a well-earned intellectual because he defies the odds as an international motivator. He breaks the rules and sets new ones. Indeed, that is a great hallmark of any intellectual. Hey, how can a true intellectual's thinking be dictated by a sickening status quo?
Source: sirarticle.blogspot.com
Geneva (AFP) - Children appear to be the main victims of continued widespread rape in the Ivory Coast, with little done to bring the perpetrators to justice, a UN report warned.
Five years after the Ivory Coast returned to peace, rape remains prevalent in the country, according to the report by the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) published late Monday, warning that a sample of cases suggested well over half of the victims could be minors.
"Cote d'Ivoire in recent years has recorded significant progress in terms of human rights, but the persistence of rape and impunity towards their perpetrators remain of serious concern and requires urgent action," UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a statement launching the report.
The UN could not provide a clear overview of the number of rape cases in the Ivory Coast, since the country itself did not keep such statistics, according to Sarah de Hemptinne of UNOCI's protection and documentation unit.
But based on a sample of 1,129 documented cases of rape between 2012 and 2015, the UN determined that 66 percent of the victims were children.
And while 90 percent of these cases were subject to an investigation, fewer than 20 percent of them resulted in a conviction, the report found.
All 203 cases that ended in conviction were meanwhile "reclassified" -- "a common practice of judging rape as a lesser offence and for which the sentencing is less severe," the report said, warning that while this might allow more victims to see their rapist sentenced, it "minimises the gravity of rape."
The report also cautioned that the widespread recourse to settlements out of court, especially in cases where the rape victim is a child, which prevents the alleged rapist from ending in prison, also "undoubtedly contributes to the trivialisation of rape and puts the victim in a position of weakness and vulnerability."
In its report, UNOCI urged the Ivorian authorities "to intensify their efforts to prevent and punish rape, a crime that continues to claim many victims in the country."
The Ivory Coast has been buffeted by crisis for the past decade, split by a rebellion in the north and controlled in the south by partisans of ex-president Laurent Gbagbo, who ruled from 2000 to 2011.
The unrest culminated when Gbagbo refused to recognise the victory of current President Alassane Ouattara in a 2010 vote, triggering a crisis which cost the lives of more than 3,000 people over five months.
More than a dozen small biotech firms and other organizations are working on vaccines against mosquito-borne Zika
An Austrian biotech company working with the Institut Pasteur said on Tuesday it planned to start clinical trials with an experimental Zika vaccine in the next 12 months, marking a further acceleration of research in the field.
Themis Bioscience has signed a license deal with the French research institute giving it extensive rights to the Zika vaccine candidate, which is based on established measles vaccine technology.
More than a dozen small biotech firms and other organizations are working on vaccines against mosquito-borne Zika, which has been linked to birth defects and neurological disorders, although most work is at a very early stage.
Erich Tauber, chief executive of Themis, believes his company's project will benefit from the proven track record behind the technology used to immunize against measles.
French drugmaker Sanofi, the only big drugmaker working on a Zika shot, last week struck a deal with the U.S. Army to speed up the development of another vaccine, which should be ready for testing on humans in October.
Global health officials are racing to better understand the Zika virus, which has caused a major outbreak that began in Brazil last year and has spread to many countries in the Americas.
The World Health Organization has said there is strong scientific consensus that Zika is a cause of the birth defect microcephaly, or small heads in babies, as well as Guillain-Barre syndrome, a neurological disorder
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Encirclement is a military term for the situation where an enemy is isolated and completely surrounded by enemy forces. Encirclement is a military strategy that has been used throughout the centuries by military leaders, including generals such as Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Sun Tzu, Shaka Zulu, Napoleon, Zhukov and King David of Israel.
The Philistines made yet another raid in the valley.
David inquired again of God, and God said to him, YOU SHALL NOT GO UP AFTER THEM; CIRCLE AROUND BEHIND THEM AND COME AT THEM IN FRONT OF THE BALSAM TREES. It shall be when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines. David did just as God had commanded him, and they struck down the army of the Philistines from Gibeon even as far as Gezer.
1 Chronicles 14:13-16 (NASB)
Encirclement of Stalingrad
Germany started the Second World War by invading Poland and other western countries. After successfully overpowering these nations, they made the mistake of invading the Soviet Union. In 1941, Germany attempted to take Moscow but was stopped by the stubborn resistance of the Soviet army. It seemed Adolf Hitler had not learnt anything from his failure to capture Moscow so he decided in 1942 to stage another invasion, this time towards Stalingrad.
The Germans started their attack on Stalingrad, Operation Blue, on 28 June 1942 under the command of General Friedrich von Paulus. The Germans were fully expecting a quick victory as they pushed the Soviet forces back and penetrated the Soviet Union until they got to the Volga River where Stalingrad is situated. They sang patriotic songs, even taking time off to visit Mount Elbus, planted a Nazi flag and claimed it for Germany.
The swift German advance alarmed Stalin (Russia's Premier) so much that he issued his infamous not one step back directive of 28 July, ordering execution for the slightest sign of defeatism. Behind the Soviet frontlines roamed a second Soviet line ready to shoot any retreating cowards or traitors of the Motherland. As Georgy Zhukov, one of Stalin's top generals said, In the Red Army it takes a very brave man to be a coward.
By 23 August 1942, the German advance had reached the outskirts of Stalingrad and, with 600 planes, unleashed a devastating aerial bombardment. Entering the city, the Germans, along with units from Italy, Romania and Hungary fought the Russians street to street, house to house and sometimes, room to room. This, as the Germans called it, was rat warfare, where a strategic stronghold would change sides many times. The frontlines of the war were so close that one could throw back a grenade before it exploded. A soldier's life expectancy in Stalingrad was three days.
But the Soviet army led by General Zhukov launched a well-planned counter attack to encircle the Germans who had invaded Stalingrad. The Soviets came sweeping in from two different directions and within four days they had totally encircled the German forces in Stalingrad. The encirclement was so swift that the Soviet camera crews missed the moment and battalions of soldiers had to re-enact the essential moves for the benefit of the cameras. The Soviets squeezed the 250,000 Germans tighter and tighter. As the feared Russian winter set in, the temperatures dropped to the minus forties. The German army was cut off and began to perish from starvation, frostbite, disease and suicide.
The German air force, promised Hitler that their planes could drop 500 tons of supplies each day into Stalingrad to supply the encircled Germans with their needs. But the Soviet anti-aircraft guns and poor weather prevented most of these supplies from getting to the encircled German army.
By January 24th, the encirclement of the German forces was complete and airtight. General Paulus requested permission to surrender. He was completely encircled. General Zhukov of the Russian army had completely surrounded General Paulus. General Paulus sent a message to Adolf Hitler, Troops without ammunition or food. Effective command no longer possible. 18,000 wounded without any supplies or dressings or drugs. Further defence senseless. Collapse inevitable. Army requests immediate permission to surrender in order to save lives of remaining troops. By 26 January 1943, the encircled German army was trapped in two small pockets of the city.
Despite the hopeless situation, Hitler still refused to give permission to surrender. Instead, he promoted General Paulus to the rank of Field Marshal on the 30th of January. Adolf Hitler was hoping that General Paulus would not surrender because no German Field Marshal had ever surrendered.
Encirclement is highly dangerous for the encircled enemy. The encircled enemy cannot receive supplies, help or reinforcement. This gradually weakens the enemy who is not happy to be within the circle. The encircled enemy becomes desperate because he cannot escape from any side. Are you a leader? This is a good strategy to employ encircle your enemy!
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By Dag Heward-Mills
The Writer
12.07.2016 LISTEN
The EU loves to portray itself as a pan-European project. However, it stubbornly rejects and systematically demonises the only two European countries that have steady economic growth, Russia and Turkey. Is the EU on its way to end up as the League of Nations pretending to be universalistic project, but by excluding major powers, derogating itself to the margins of history? asked prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic, well before the Brexit vote, in his enlightening piece Geopolitics of Technology. What is the new dynamics in this triangular equitation? Lets examine the Turkish take on this fundamental question.
Ever since the Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power, members of the Foreign Ministry have had ample opportunity to witness the deeply-rooted relations established between political Islamic movements all over the world and the ruling party. One of the strongest one is with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.
Thats why, it is not surprising to hear President R.T. Erdogan put Egypt in a different category from Israel and Russia.
Frankly, I am horrified by the brutal campaign against dissidents led by the military rule in Egypt. I am equally disgusted by the Wests indifference to gross violations of human rights in that country. It seems that the fear and terror of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has frightened Western capitals so much that they see no problem in selling arms to that brutal regime.
Yet, the fact that the countrys former military chief, current President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, has presided over the flagrant abuse of human rights since taking office cannot justify the current strain in Turkish-Egyptian relations for the simple reason that, while the tension in relations has harmful consequences on Turkey, it has zero effect on Egypt.
While Turkey has suffered economically due to the loss of trade with Egypt and the region, it has lost any leverage that could have helped the victims of human rights violations.
So, one of the consequences of normalizing ties with Israel will be a mediation effort on the part of Israel that will involve a negotiation based on the situation of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. To what degree Egypts el-Sisi will agree to prioritize rule of law in case of dissidents remains to be seen, especially when that demand comes from a leader who is not himself very fond of the concept. At any rate, Turkeys ruling AKP elites will at least see that making a difference comes not via contention but via engagement, and that contention makes a difference when you have allies on your side to support your policy.
Prioritizing engagement over contention has proven to be a lesson learned the hard way for AKP elites. And lets face it, that lesson has been taught by Russia.
The call for a reset on foreign policy has been made for a long, long time. You did not need to be an opponent of the ruling party or a foreign policy genius to see that need. And the change in foreign policy formulated by the new prime minister - We will increase our friends and decrease our enemies - came as a result of the crisis with Russia. And if there will be some sort of reset in Turkeys policy on Syria, it will come not as a result of ISIL terror, but as a consequence of normalization with Russia.
Lets face it, economic measures taken by Russia have hurt millions in Turkey. The Kremlin did not choose to punish millions of Turks because of the humiliation it suffered after its jet was downed by the Turkish Air Force on the Syrian border and to avenge the pilot who lost his life. There was an accumulated anger in Russia due to Turkeys policies in Syria.
We thought we could contain our differences in Syria, just like we used to do with other issues we were in disagreement, and continue with business as usual. Each time we talked to the Russians, we would say, Relations are fine, while they would tell us things are not good. We did not quite understand why they use to talk like that, a Turkish foreign policy pundit told me.
The situation in Syria will undoubtedly be on the agenda of normalization with Moscow. And there, too, Turkey will see that engagement, not contention, will serve Turkish interests better.
Barcn Yinanc is an Ankara-based journalist and notable author. She is engaged with the leading Turkish dailies and weeklies for nearly three decades as a columnist, intervieweer and editor. Her words are prolifically published and quoted in Turkish, French an English.
Barclays Africa has reaffirmed its commitment to the socio-economic growth of the continent through its Shared Growth Strategy.
The bank has pledged $93 million to improve skills development and access to quality education and to raise $89 million to help small and medium-sized African businesses succeed and grow.
This, according to the bank, is to also ensure that more people have access to digital and non-digital financial services across the continent.
Speaking at a press briefing in Johannesburg, Maria Ramos, Barclays Africa Group Chief Executive said, Shared growth for us means having a positive impact on society and delivering shareholder value, the two are not mutually exclusive.
We are applying our substantial resources to provide innovative commercial products, services and partnerships to build a more equitable and prosperous Africa for the next generation.
When our customers and clients do well, so do we. When the communities where we live and work thrive, we do too. And when society prospers, we all do. But only if we work together private public partnerships are the key to tackling some of society's biggest challenges to deliver on growth opportunities, he said.
Ramos said, We recognise that there is a virtuous link between society's progress and our own success, and we therefore continually seek opportunities to be a good corporate citizen and contribute to the societies in which we operate in a meaningful way.
As part of the Shared Growth Strategy, Barclays Africa has announced the appointment of a Shared Growth Advisory Council.
We realise that making a meaningful contribution to economies and society is about shared value and shared opinion. We are proud to partner with industry leaders, civil society and government, who will play a role in ensuring our contributions are meaningful and that our impact is sustainable, said Patience Akylanu, Managing Director, Barclays Bank of Ghana.
John Awuah, CEO, UMB Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) recently held a seminar for the Indian Business Community in Accra under the theme, Conquering the Tax Landscape in Ghana.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UMB, John Awuah, in his welcome remarks, highlighted the importance of the relations between Ghana and India and the tremendous contribution that the Indian community had made to the socio-economic development of Ghana.
Mr. Awuah also commended the strong entrepreneurial drive and ambition of the Indian community in Ghana which has led to the establishment and growth of several outstanding Indian owned businesses.
The tax regime in Ghana has seen a number of changes in recent times, and it is important for businesses and entrepreneurs to understand how these changes can affect their operations and most importantly how they can navigate the tax landscape.
Abdallah Ali-Nakyea, Managing Partner of Ali-Nakyea and Associates, a tax consultancy firm, in a keynote presentation, led participants through some of the recent changes in the tax regime in Ghana and outlined several key features that benefited entrepreneurs and businesses.
Heads of the business units at UMB also took turns to address participants on the bank's impressive portfolio of products and services.
Nelly Abotchie, Director of Corporate Banking, spoke about the bank's proposition for corporate entities while Kevin Adarkwah, Director of Treasury, outlined the various treasury products and services that UMB offered.
Other speakers included Ernest Tetteh, Head of Business Banking, Jeffrey Odame-Yeboah, Head of Personal Banking and Elizabeth Naami Grant, Head of Private Banking.
Yvonne Botchey, Director of Marketing and Communications, stated that UMB recognized that businesses in Ghana do not need just a bank, but a partner who would take the time to gain a deeper understanding of their business goals and provide them with the necessary support for achieving those goals.
Participants praised the bank for organizing the event and asked that such informative seminars became a regular feature on the bank's calendar.
A business desk report
Fidelity, the largest indigenous private bank in the country, has enriched the lives of over 100 lucky customers through its successful 'Save for Gold' promotion, creating a worthy experience for them.
After five months of actively promoting savings, Fidelity ended its 'Save for Gold' promotion at a plush event at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra on 8th July, 2016.
The customer-focused bank awarded a total of 80 customers with gold prizes across the country as promised.
The official grand draw, held Friday night, was supervised by the National Lottery Authority (NLA).
The ultimate winner, Festus Armoh Nweamah of the Market Circle Branch in Takoradi, was presented with a 1 kg 24 carat gold bar.
The second runner-up, Mary Tumpi of the Nungua Branch, earned half kg 24 carat gold bar and the 3rd runner-up, Sezan Houenou Elisee of Ridge Towers Branch won a 250 grams 24 carat gold bar. 17 other lucky customers received a gold coin each.
Overall, the bank has rewarded 105 lucky customers with over GH500,000 worth of gold prizes.
Julian Kingsley Opuni, Divisional Director for Retail Banking at Fidelity Bank, expressed appreciation to the customers, stating that our customers are the life blood of our success. We are delighted to have come to a successful and exciting completion of the 'Save for Gold' promotion with the ultimate draw.
Edward Effah, Managing Director of Fidelity Bank, in his remarks, said the bank has attained significant milestones and affected lives positively in communities in which it operates.
As a bank that is open to diversity and ever ready to satisfy the changing needs of customers by evolving with time, Fidelity is continuously adhering to its objective of research and development to devise ways of satisfying customers across board.
A business Desk report
12.07.2016 LISTEN
I have decided to fold my arms and not to say anything concerning Shai-Osudoku, the land of my birth and I know most people are doing the same because of how the NDC in the constituency went about with their primaries. But day in and out we are going through crisis and our people are suffering, so who do you expect to speak on their behalf; its me and you as bad politicians are elected by the good people who refused to vote or say anything.
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing you will be successful. Do we love what we are doing in Shai-Osudoku? Are we happy with the turn of events in the constituency? Is our outgoing MP happy with his achievements so far after his term of office ends? What about the District chief executive and our Opinion leaders? What about you as an employee in the district assembly? What about our men of God?
Anyway, Shai -Osudoku is not poor; it has more than enough resources for all its indigenes. Our poverty is in our minds, and we need to free ourselves of the poverty that holds us back. We are the generation that must transform Shai-Osudoku from what it is now to what it must be. We must create sustainably successful Shai-Osudoku. People must happily give their lives to provide knowledge and skills to join the quest towards a stronger, successful, well-educated and richly diverse constituency.
Its very pathetic to believe that Shai Osudoku is in the greater Accra region positioned to be the regional capital of Greater -Accra. It very pathetic... I really dont understand what is going or happening in the constituency. From being the poorest in the Greater Accra region to being the worst politically governed. For some time now and after careful examination of events, I realize that, the Shai-Osudoku problem is simply greed, positioning, personal interest are always at the fore front of everything, bad leadership from both side, being political leadership and chieftaincy, fear amongst the youth to arise for change and fight for what rightfully belongs to them, lack of access to the media to champion their voice, mental slavery resulting from superstition. if we wake up to demand accountability from our leaders, Some iron bars in the constituency preventing good things from coming to the constituency, ample ambivalence that is shrouding , Lack of support to the youth when they start projects, yet some leaders believed that the youth are lazy meanwhile when the youth start a project and its yielding dividend some leaders start asking questions like When were you born, when did you arrive.
I have been asking myself this question Is when were you born or when did you arrive the key issue to cause change or transform the constituency? Today, Shai-Osudoku NDC is divided into spheres. There is nothing like NDC party in Shai-Osudoku but rather Team Kpessa camp and Team Ocloo camp which is causing a great havoc in the constituency and if care is not taken these so called camps would stay forever and if it does it would affect the NDC greatly and future parliamentary elections would still be based on these two camps. It would therefore be very difficult for any member of Team Kpessa camp to win any election in the constituency because of the nature of Team Ocloos camp after the analysis. All these boils down to how the people have been ruled for the 23 unimpressive years under the NDC in the constituency and the area being a stronghold of the NDC?
Our political leaders are worse off in the constituency, for the NDC and NPP nothing well can be spoken of. For the NPP, even the leaders believed that the constituency is an orphan one so they are not even ready to support their parliamentary candidate Nene Stephen Oyortey. This young vibrant man is struggling to do his campaign because of lack of funds; meanwhile the constituency is also shaky now for the NDC. A constituency with bad roads network everywhere yet export stones from the quarry.
The NDC, since 2015 when the late Desmond William Ocloo made his intention to contest the primaries after several investments he made in the constituency met ethnocentric attacks but after he defied all the olds to win the election, the unfortunate thing happened. The primaries was conducted again and the wife won, yet instead of the so called Team Ocloo and Team Kpessa dissolving their camps to merge as one party they are still struggling to heal wounds because of selfishness, personal interest and greediness. People have formed iron bars and barriers and others are not happy. Others believed that the constituency is a laughing one in the country because of the kind of parliamentarian the constituency present.
A constituency full of insults on social media platforms by the same people on these so called social media platforms they have created instead of productive issues they would spend all their time insulting leaders, themselves and others.
A constituency where some party executives in both NPP/NDC believe that they are superior and they should have access to party cars rather than the party parliamentary candidates for their day to day running of their campaign.
A constituency where a parliamentary candidate has to beg some party executives before they can release cars for their work, a constituency where even political party leaders do not consider in their plans for campaign in the greater Accra region, why? Are we outcasts? A constituency where some party executives steal party items for their personal benefits yet nothing is done to punish the perpetrators of these acts to serve as an example to others.
In every constituency, the interest of the elected Parliamentary candidate is paramount and all other businesses are attachments. The parliamentary candidate is the leader of the party and that must be established but this is a constituency where everybody is a King Kong. A constituency where the electricity Company of Ghana can decide to put the light out at any given time and bring it back even though it is not load -shedding. Shai, a traditional area without a paramount chief for so long and everybody is also a chief!
Recently, some assembly members were also at war with their District Chief Executive with counter accusations here and there. A Constituency where after election the Member of Parliament would always be at loggerheads with the District Chief Executive till his or her term of office ends. How do we evolve as a constituency with such a primitive mind? Look at the numerous resources we have from tourist destination to quarry yet the people are living in abject poverty why? A constituency where the district assembly scored Zero 0% in project benefits.
When the Ningo- Prampram district separated itself, they have seen remarkable achievement in their district but Shai-Osudoku is still struggling all because of poor leadership, selfishness, and personal interest first at the expense of the ordinary person. The time for action is now and we will no longer keep quiet on happenings in the district anymore, the intellectuals must come back home to help develop the constituency otherwise if they failed to do it now they would suffer for so long in the constituency.
Come now and start something for your presence to be felt, before considering any political position in the near future. I would advocate for a total tsunami in both NPP/NDC executives come the subsequent elections in the constituency and unselfish, intellectual minds, passionate ones should go in and contest to help shape the constituency for development.
Our future aspiring MPs are also not on top of issues in the country and this was manifested when Nana Aba grilled them on the recent State of Affairs on GhOne TV. Why? All because either they failed to learn, read the newspapers or follow events in the country.
Politics is not luxury; it is a human need so no one should use this need for personal gains in the constituency.
I now advocate that the constituency consider a swing. Instead of a stronghold for the NDC, the NPP Could pulls its weight or the NDC should consider the Adenta example where MPs are given four years to prove their worth in parliament. If no show they boot you out. I rest my case, it is now or never!
The writer is an orthomolecular oncologist, a catalyst for change in the Dangme Land, Author of the State of the Dangme Land, the Director of Dangme Media Limited, publishers of Dangme Newspaper. He is the current National President of the Alternative Medical Association of Ghana (AMAG) E-mail: [email protected]
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Anybody who has been studiously reading my takes on Kennedy Agyapongs impugnation of the chastity and professional integrity of EC Chairperson Charlotte Kesson-Smith Osei, knows that I am far more interested in her professional integrity as Ghanas Chief Returning Officer, for obvious reasons, than I am concerned with whomever she chooses to share her affections or sexual favors with besides her husband.
To be certain, I couldnt care less, as long as she remarkably demonstrated that she was up to the demands of her quite intellectually and administratively exacting job. I also dont begrudge her for her job the choice was absolutely her inalienable democratic right.
Still, it can hardly be gainsaid that Mrs. Osei has a bounden obligation to enhance the credibility of how elections are conducted in this country, Ghana, that is. On the other hand, if she really feels deeply aggrieved by the slanderous suggestion by Mr. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, the Assin-Central New Patriotic Partys Member of Parliament, by all means, let her sue for damages; after all, she has some 7, or so, Associate Electoral Commissioners to carry on with the conduct of Election 2016 in her absence.
I guess what I am trying to put across here is that where I concur with Mr. Kweku Baakos advise for Mrs. Osei to avoid the distractive temptation of legally going after Mr. Agyapong with a defamation suit, is the fact that the demands of a drawn-out litigation suit which, by the way, she could well win, hands down, may likely necessitate her immediate resignation from her job.
And I dont for a split-second presume that she would be willing to so facilely humor those among her most ardent detractors who would fain have her humor them and their constituents with the same. I personally have absolutely no interest, whatsoever, in whether she chooses to resign her job as Electoral Commissioner or stay on; the fact still remains irritably immutable that it would, once again, fall on Little Dramani to select and name her replacement. And so far, the abysmal track-record of Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan and, now, Mrs. Osei, does not convince me a whit that the next NDC-appointed EC Chairperson is apt to be any professionally and/or administratively remarkable improvement on those who have already passed along this way.
I also dont know what the rules governing slander and/or defamation of the character of public figures and prominent politicians in our country are, but it is quite obvious to me that a legal battle between these two public and political figures is not apt to be a cakewalk, in African-American parlance. Mr. Agyapong is straight-out a politician, and politicians are legally regarded as public figures who have so professionally and practically insinuated themselves into the business of the people such that they virtually have little that can be neatly and legitimately classified as private lives.
Mrs. Osei, on the other hand, may be aptly envisaged as a public figure who possessed some modicum or appreciable degree of private life until she so forwardly and obtrusively morphed herself into a veritable politician by presuming to quibble with the Supreme Court over what constituted an elitist National Voters Register, and thus the protected interests of the ruling party leader who appointed her to her present job.
In other words, as far as keen observers of Ghanas political scene like yours truly are concerned, Mrs. Osei has so irreparably compromised her responsibility as an even-minded Electoral Commissioner that however well or laudably she performs from now on would hardly matter. Put in plain English, our EC boss is as good as never was.
*Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs
Imagine. Just imagine. Imagine that a politically charged Ghana has five months to a very contentious presidential and parliamentary election. Imagine that the main contenders are both prepared to cheat, and one of the ways of cheating is to manipulate the number of persons (qualified and unqualified) on the voters' register.
Imagine that one of the parties takes an issue with this voters' register to the highest court of the land. Before the Supreme Court comes out with the final ruling on the matter, some members of a political party threaten the lives of the judges sitting on the case. Imagine that these panelists, the radio and its host on which the threats are made, are members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP). Just imagine. And imagine the outcome, too.
The Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) would move swiftly to arrest and detain all of them. They would not grant them bail. Their lawyers would struggle to see them. When their lawyers finally succeed in getting the court to compel the BNI to produce the suspects in court, it would reluctantly comply and slap them with abnormal and weird charges. If they are granted bail, however, the BNI will not immediately comply and release them.
The BNI would find reasons to detain the suspects further. And probe deeper. The BNI would storm the homes and offices of the suspects. They would seize their phones. Break into their computer hard drives. And scrutinize their phone call records to determine which senior member of the NPP has called them in the past decade.
Deputy Communications Minister, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, would appear on Joy FM's Newsfile. As eloquent as a singing bird that has eaten too much pepper, he would defend the BNI to hell. To heaven. And back to mother earth. He would tell us the lives of the judges are in danger. And no responsible government or security agency would sit down for anybody to plunge the nation into chaos. Remember him when the South African security experts were picked up by the BNI? Trust Felix to deliver!
Koku Anyidoho would be charging angrily on Top Story with Evans Mensah.
Evans, what has happened vindicates our position that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is a violent man, he would say. Trust Efo Koku to find a way of linking every issue to Nana Akufo-Addo. I believe if his wife should ever blame him for not satisfying her in bed, Koku Anyidoho will blame Nana Akufo-Addo.
Kofi Adams would be throwing witty jibes on Newsnight. Kofi is a smart guy. Even if what he is saying does not make sense, you cannot overlook his intelligence. He has matured in political communication and I am not surprised he is chosen to head President Mahama's campaign. He would tell the world that the government, through the BNI, is working to secure the nation from the evil hands of the NPP.
The government would back the BNI even to carry out its impunity. And before the courts decide the fate of the suspects, they would have suffered severely in the hands of the BNI.
But let's stop imagining and face the reality in 21st century Ghana. Two radio panelists, one of whom is a communicator for the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), have threatened the lives of Supreme Court judges hearing the case of Abu Ramadan and Evans Nimako on the voters' register and other judges. The threats were issued on Montie FM, a radio station owned by a member of the governing NDC. The persons are Godwin Ako Gunn and Alistair Nelson. They were urged on by the host of the show, Salifu Maase alias Mugabe.
The threats came on the eve of an anniversary to mark the gruesome murder of judges in the early 1980s. One of them was heard saying he knew where all the judges lived and went on to issue frightening threats that cannot be repeated here. In effect, they wanted the judges to rule in their favour or face their wrath.
The BNI did not act. Neither did the police or the Attorney-General say anything. After several days and after many condemnations and calls on the security agencies to act, we woke up one morning to hear that the BNI had invited the individuals for questioning. No one knows whether they were actually invited or not.
The Supreme Court then summoned them, together with the owners of the station, to come and explain why they should not be convicted for contempt. The radio station issues a press statement to apologise for the conduct of the panelists and the host of the show. Some said these were mitigation measures. But they seemed inadequate.
So?
But the BNI would continue the mitigation further. The investigative body issued a statement that said that the two men admitted issuing the threats, but according to its (BNI's) assessment, the men did not have the capacity to carry out those threats. They issued those threats, the BNI said, as a result of needless bravado. The BNI is right. Yes! The intelligence body is damn right on this one.
The two men, unlike the mentally deranged man who threatened to kill President Mahama and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment within 48 hours, these men who threatened the lives of the judges were not capable of carrying out their threats. The reasons are simple:
The two men are paralysed from head to toe. They are also amputees. Their legs and hands have been amputated and they cannot hold a gun or any weapon. They've lost their sight and cannot locate the homes of the judges as they claimed. They are too stupid to pass on the message to anybody who could carry out those threats. The audience who listened to their hate speech are so angelic that not even one of them would be tempted to hate and extend any form of harm to the judges should the judgment not go their way. The most potent reason these people cannot carry out their threats is that they belong to the governing party or were promoting that party's interest. Or better still, they don't belong to the opposition NPP. Only people with links to the opposition parties have the capacity to carry out their threats or any form of dangerous acts against the state or individuals.
So?
The BNI is right. Lawyers have said threats of harm do not need to be linked to the capacity to execute the threats in order to constitute a crime. But their words do not matter. The BNI is bigger than the criminal code. Or any other law of the land. Period!
The Supreme Court is this morning meeting with the paralysed Montie amputees to hear why they should not be cited for contempt. I don't know what will become of them. And will not preempt the judgment of the court.
My concern is with the BNI. The BNI is increasingly becoming a national security threat. Did I near you say you are shocked? This is how the BNI is becoming a national security threat:
The BNI has told us clearly, through its actions, that it is a security agency that is working for the interest of the government and the governing party. The opposition NPP and other Ghanaians who do not think the BNI is protecting the interest of the nation feel alienated. They will not have any motivation to work with the BNI and help to stop crime or acts of terrorism. They won't cooperate with their oppressors, voluntarily or naturally.
And if you care to know, the BNI officials are not magicians. They are not sniff dogs, who can detect crime and stop it. Effective policing or intelligence gathering is reliant on sources who are prepared to cooperate with intelligence agencies such as the BNI. As an investigative journalist, I know the success of investigation depends on the credibility and willingness of sources to divulge vital information. For this reason, I need as many friends as possible in both the NDC and NPP. You cannot succeed as an investigator when you operate as an island.
So imagine that an NPP fanatic has information that could lead to the prevention of a terrorist attack on Ghana, but refuses to go to the police or BNI because he or she thinks the security agencies work for the NDC. The whole nation would be at risk. And the BNI should be responsible.
Recently, Joy FM organized a debate on whether or not the BNI should be scrapped. There was a consensus that the BNI was set up for a good purpose and it should not be scrapped despite its excesses. The BNI can be useful, not only for intelligence gathering but also in the fight against corruption.
I am an anti-corruption investigative journalist, but I can say the BNI can investigate and fight corruption than any journalist. The reason is simple. The BNI has coercive powers that can compel state agencies and officials as well as private businesses to disclose information that can help to unravel corrupt acts. Journalists only deal with information or documents someone is prepared to leak. A journalist cannot order or compel anyone to talk. But the BNI can.
The BNI did well with the National Service investigations. We have not heard much about what the Bureau uncovered at the National Health Insurance Scheme. If the BNI wants to stay relevant, court the support of well-meaning Ghanaians and be effective in intelligence gathering and crime fighting, then it should stop being a puppet of the governing party. And whoever is in charge now should sit up.
12.07.2016 LISTEN
From Musah Umar Farouq, Welemble
PRESIDENTIAL JOHN Dramani Mahama as part of his Accounting to the People tour in the Upper West Region has inaugurated 11 small town water projects in the Region, and trumpeted the strides the country had made in the provision of potable water to the people.
He inaugurated one of the projects at Welembele in the Sissala East District to symbolically cover the other beneficiary towns. Other towns where the other projects are located are Wichiau, Nator, Gorepie, Manwe, Piina and Jeffesa and financed by UNICEF.
The President said the water systems would provide clean drinking water to more than 40,000 people and that the Welembele project will pump 60,000 gallons of water per day.
Seven standpipes have been provided at vantage points in the town for the people to fetch water but President Mahama encouraged the people to connect the water to their homes. The small town water system is provided for communities with a population of not less than 5,000.
President Mahama said 76% of Ghanaians had access to clean drinking water, the highest in West Africa. The Ghana Water Company Limited estimates that the country will attain 100 per cent access to potable water by 2025.
President Mahama said 400 small town water systems were being constructed across the country with 61 of the projects already completed. He described the socio-economic development that the government had achieved as phenomenal.
In education, water, roads and healthcare infrastructure among other projects, the President said the achievements of his government were incredible. President Mahama gave an assurance that the Upper West Region would receive its fair share of development, and urged the people to continue to have confidence in the government.
The Chief of Welembele Traditional area, Kuoro Seidu Jakpa appreciated the development President Mahama has brought to the people of Sissala East district, which include the construction of the Han-Jeffisi-Tumu road, Wahabu-Welembelle-Tumu road, Welembelle-Santijan road, Tumu-Navrongo road.
The chief however appealed to the President to closely monitor the contractors not to either abandon the projects or execute shoddy work that would not stand the test of time. Kuoro Jakpa further appealed to the President to look at the road from Torsor/Kulfuo to Tumu and some other roads, which need equal attention.
12.07.2016 LISTEN
BY JOHN BEDIAKO
The dream of the Agona Clan of Asankragwa in the Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area in the Western Region to offer the late Asankragwa chief, Nana Anyani Boadum III, a royal burial has become a mirage.
The present nightmare is due to an order by the Judicial Committee of the Wassa Amenfi Traditional Council as a result of the pendency of a case before it, where the royalty of the late chief, Nana Anyani Boadum III, who was on the throne for 62 years and died exactly two years ago is being contested.
He was enstooled Nana Anyani Boadum II in 1952 by the Ahene Clan of Asankragwa, but 22 years later, in 1974, the chief went to join the Agona clan in the same town with the stool and became Boadum III, because of alleged destoolment threats from his clan.
The claim that the late chief was not a royal was strongly contested by the family but they lost the case. Consequently, the Omanhene of the Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area, Tetrete Okuamua Sekyim has personally decided to take charge of the funeral, which had been agreed to take place at the palace at Asankragwa, but should not be construed as a royal burial and funeral.
The Judicial Committee of the Traditional Council further restrained the Agona clan from nominating, electing and enstooling a chief to succeed Nana Anyani Boadum III or enstooling occupants on the vacant Asankragwa stool.
At a meeting held at Wassa Akropong, the traditional headquarters on Thursday 7th of July 2016, the litigants agreed on the following terms for settlement that Agona clan shall be at liberty to perform the funeral and burial of Nana Anyani Boadum in whatever manner they so choose,
That, the late Nana Anyani Boadum should be laid in state at the Asankragwa Palace and that the body shall be buried in the cemetery created by himself for the burial of his family members. It was also agreed that the late chief shall not be buried at the Asankragwa Palace being the royal mausoleum.
To avoid any misunderstanding at Asankragwa, the Omanhene of the Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area shall delegate one of his elders to go to Asankragwa and convene a meeting of the family members of the parties herein and the entire Asankragwa Township to explain the details of these terms of settlement before the funeral and burial of the late Nana Anyani Boadum takes place.
That these terms of settlement shall not be construed as being an acknowledgement that the late Nana Anyani Boadum was the chief of Asankragwa; that these terms of settlement shall be without prejudice to the substantive case pending before the judicial Committee of the Wassa Amenfi Traditional Council
That these terms of settlement be endorsed by the Judicial Committee of the Wassa Amenfi Traditional Council as a consent order. It is on record that the late chief of Asankragwa, who was a member of the Ahene Clan later went to join the Agona Clan with the stool.
On the 20th of December 2002, Opanyin Kwame Nsowa testifying about the change of clan of Asankragwa stool from Ahene to Agona by Nana Anyani Buadum III said -I, Opanyin Kwame Nsowa of Asankragwa, formerly Regent of Agona stool in the Wassa Agona stool, in the Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area, Western Region of Ghana, do hereby declare and say as follows;
That I am the declarant herein, that in March 1974, Anyani Buadum III, then Anyani Buadum II, came to Agona Ahenfie with his mother Badu, then the queen mother, Abusuapanin Bennie, three linguists namely Ataaku, Asomia and Anane.
That Anyani Buadum stated that the Ahene Abusua in Asankragwa were seriously seeking to destool him and disturbing his peace of mind and could only get over his trouble if he joined a well-established clan with Asankragwa stool, which was then of Ahene clan.
That he was there to plead with Agona Abusua in Agona to accept him Anyani Buadum as a member of that clan and the stool as an offshoot of Agona stool and, that he recognized that the Agona clan of Agona established their hegemony before any other clan came to Wassa Amenfi.
That their rich history was a good cover for him and the stool, that they, the Agona should consider the Asankragwa stool having been carved out of the tree the Agona stool was crafted from, that the Agona Abusuapanin on his part stated inter alia
That he had neither the recorded nor traditional history about Asankragwa stool having the kind of relation with Agona stool as told by Anyani Buadum on their records. That Asankragwa was on record as headed by Ahene stool and that is why the stool always has by it, Ahene bead.
That Anyani Buadum pleaded with us to accept a covenant that, whereas Agona could nominate a candidate to inherit Anyani Buadum III's Agona clan in any capacity, any candidate from Anyani Buadum's Agona would qualify for any position in Agona.
That a sheep brought by Anyani Buadum was to be slaughtered outside the palace. That the sheep, as ordered by the AbusuapaninKwaadjei, was slaughtered outside the palace by the roadside to symbolize non-acceptance of the Agona clan recognition of an outsider.
That it was slaughtered on the street where everybody belongs. That I write in support of my declaration that on or about March 1974 Anyani Buadum III went to Agona and pleaded with the Agona clan to enable him get out of his predicament.
(Beijing) Most employees at the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC)'s Beijing office, from the humblest tea vendor to the highest-ranking investment banker, have a common fear: riding the elevator. The eight elevators of the Focus Place office building, in the capital's affluent financial district, have long fallen into disrepair, because funds for maintenance are insufficient.
Employees tell horror stories of the elevators' frequent breakdowns. An investment banker reported that the elevators often get stuck halfway to their intended destination and then slowly descend to the basement, causing no shortage of hand-wringing and headaches for their helpless passengers.
The persistence of Focus Place's elevator woes for nearly three years, is particularly odd, given the central role of the securities regulator in China's quickly developing financial sector. Elevator malfunctions, which are a safety concern and a major annoyance, tend to be repaired quickly in Chinese workplaces and residences. But the CSRC, which oversees China's futures and securities markets, has been left with its hands tied. Over the last three years, a patchwork of repairs has repeatedly failed to fix the problem. The reason is simple: the funds for a proper overhaul don't exist.
CSRC's Beijing offices, located on Jinrong Street in Beijing's Xicheng district, have eight ThyssenKrupp elevators imported from Germany. ThyssenKrupp is one of the world's largest and most famous elevator manufacturers, along with Otis World Wide from the United States and Switzerland's Schindler. Its high-end elevators are known for their top-notch hardware and software.
The company has strict maintenance standards for its machines. All major components of ThyssenKrupp elevators must be inspected twice a month to ensure the timely replacement of any worn-out parts. Additional inspections are carried out several times a year to ensure that every part adheres to industry standards.
How, then, did problem's with CSRC's elevators turn into a chronic headache? In an effort to save money during repairs, only malfunctioning hardware was replaced with genuine ThyssenKrupp parts, a source close to the regulator revealed. Outdated software was replaced with bug-riddled Chinese counterfeits.
"It's like buying a high-end computer but using a pirated operating system," said a company insider. The long saga of broken-down elevators at the CSRC has, from the beginning, stemmed from software issues. And the repair bill for replacing all of the faulty parts in the eight ThyssenKrupp elevators will run into millions of yuan, the source said.
But the problem won't be an easy one to fix because the CSRC has faced budget cuts in recent years. Data from the regulator shows that its estimated budget for 2016 was 1.05 billion yuan, about 5.5 percent less compared to the actual expenses for 2015.
Money earmarked for administrative operations including repairs sustained the deepest cuts. The budget for housekeeping tasks fell 16.5 percent in 2015 compared to the previous year, CSRC's budget documents show. The amount reserved for repairs dwindled in the past two years, according to these figures.
The CSRC has had to tighten its belt after the National Audit Office uncovered several irregularities in its books. For example, in December 2011, the Beijing securities regulatory department decided to shift its offices without prior approval from the Ministry of Finance. The move, which became effective in March 2012, cost 55 million yuan.
In its 2015 audit of the CSRC's budget, authorities dug out problems dating back to more than 10 years ago, rapping the securities regulator for what they called "irresponsible spending" which includes using state funds to pay for private travel expenses of executives, distributing gift certificates to employees, giving out unauthorized staff bonuses and making business-related reservations in unapproved hotels.
Lack of rigorous spending controls in the past have now strained the commission's coffers. In 2015, 8.73 million yuan was allocated for maintenance throughout the CSRC's Beijing headquarters and its 38 regional branches, a figure that was inadequate to cover the costs of repairing the eight elevators at Focus Place.
(Rewritten by Francesca Lupia)
Khartoum (AFP) - The United Nations Tuesday launched a global appeal for $952 million to fund Sudan's humanitarian needs in 2016, most of it to help people affected by the deadly conflict in Darfur.
The much delayed appeal expects to address the humanitarian needs of up to 4.6 million people, including tens of thousands of South Sudanese refugees who have entered Sudan to escape the violence and food shortages in their country.
"Women, men, refugees and internally displaced people want us to exert our maximum efforts to provide support to them," said Naeema Al-Gasser, acting UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan.
She said the bulk of the funds would be used to meet the humanitarian needs of people in war-torn Darfur.
Violence erupted there in 2003 when ethnic minority rebels rose up against President Omar al-Bashir, accusing his Arab-dominated government of marginalising the region.
Bashir mounted a brutal counter-insurgency campaign, and at least 300,000 people have been killed in the conflict, the UN says. Another 2.5 million have fled their homes.
Of the $952 million sought for 2016, $581 million would help internally displaced people, $225 million for refugees and $146 million for vulnerable residents.
Officials said they expect to raise more than 50 percent of the total amount sought.
"In the past three to four years we have usually raised about 52 to 55 percent of the funds sought," Ahmed Adam of Sudan's Humanitarian Aid Commission told AFP.
Officials said that even if half of the required amount is raised, it would still be a fair contribution considering the pressures faced by global donors in other conflict zones such as Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan and Somalia.
"There remains a fair degree of interest among international donors to help Sudan," said Jean Verheyden of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA.
"Most donors have confirmed they remain steadfast in their support for Sudan."
The United Nations and its aid agencies raised $604.3 million in 2015 for Sudan after a global appeal for $1.04 billion.
He does not seem to get it, either because he is too deeply steeped in his own blighted sense of self-righteousness or he is simply morally spent beyond redemption. This is why Chairman Jerry John Rawlings continues to point accusing fingers at his successors to the presidency except himself, the veritable and thoroughgoing corrupt political blacksmith of Ghanas Fourth Republic. If he were Ghanaian of Akan descent or extraction, no doubt, he would have since long noticed that anytime he points the index-finger of his right hand, accusatorily, at his successors, the other three squarely point toward himself.
Once again, Chairman Rawlings has publicly and infelicitously accused the man whose otherwise diffident and lethargic presidential ambitions he doggedly pushed through three electoral seasons, as the imperious founding-father of the corrupt political culture of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) (See Corruption in NDC Began Under Mills Rawlings Citifmonline.com / Ghanaweb.com 7/10/16). The problem that Chairman Rawlings has here is that President John Evans Atta-Mills has been deceased for some four years now, and so cannot respond to such a serious charge or fight back.
Fortunately, however, the political track-record of both the National Democratic Congress, as a whole, and the latters individual leaders is there for all who care to see, even if President Mills closest associates and friends may not either be willing to or find it necessary to publicly joust with Chairman Rawlings in defense of the man whose integrity the founding-father of the NDC staunchly championed and whose presidential candidacy Chairman Rawlings peremptorily imposed on the party via what became widely known as the Swedru Declaration. And so we can only be left wondering just what kind of responsible leader would impose a thoroughgoing corrupt successor on both his own party and the nation at large.
In other words, the man who imposed the former University of Ghanas tax-law professor on the membership of the National Democratic Congress cannot justifiably claim to be innocent of the deleterious results his own decision-making. In the politics of ethics, this is called gross leadership irresponsibility. Indeed, even as I write, the eldest daughter of the countrys longest-reigning military dictator is engaged in a legal battle that were the rule of law and justice known to be afforded high premium in Ghana, Dr. Zenator Agyeman-Rawlings will have absolutely no chance of winning. This is one striking instance of corruption in which the AK-47- and pistol-packing former Ghana Airforces flight-lieutenant who savagely shot his way to fame and power in June 1979 and, yet again, to fame, power and fortune on December 31, 1981 epically fails to fully appreciate.
Recently, for example, Mr. Rawlings hit the electioneering campaign trail with his daughter, with the sole objective of securing her the parliamentary seat of the Klottey-Korle Constituency, Central-Accra, knowing full well that Dr. Zenator Agyeman-Rawlings was neither a registered member of the National Democratic Congress, on whose ticket she had been certified to run by partys ever-scheming General-Secretary, Mr. Johnson Asiedu-Nketia, a former Rawlings deputy cabinet appointee, nor a dues-paying member of the NDC. If such flagrant breach of election laws, at both the party and national levels, is not tantamount to political corruption of the highest order, the dear reader may kindly advise yours truly just what this sort of gross political misconduct is.
And yet, Chairman Rawlings has smugly looked on while his own daughter brashly, gratuitously and wastefully bulldozed her way through the courts, hell-bent on clinching a parliamentary seat she legally does not deserve.
What sort of responsible and accountable leader is Chairman Rawlings that reserves him the right and moral authority to impugn the leadership integrity of his late successor? Chairman Rawlings also claims that his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, split from the NDC in order to form her so-called National Democratic Party (NDP) as a result of the shameless and facile encouragement and practice of rank corruption on the watch of President Mills.
But, of course, all the reliable evidence points to a megalomaniacal Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings attempting to hijack the NDC and the gubernatorial apparatus of Ghana because this psychological basket case zanily believed the NDC party machinery to be the bona fide property of the bloody couple.
Indeed, it was the inexcusably primitive and narcissistic and megalomaniacal decision of the Rawlingses to treat the NDC and Ghana as their piggybank, or private property, that prompted a livid Mr. Asiedu-Nketia to publicly opine that In the past the NDC belonged to somebody and his wife; but today it is a real national political party. Our elders have a saying that The rotting of any fish begins with the head. I hope somebody charitable would explain this age-old Akan proverb to the man.
*Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs
By Samuel Akapule, GNA
Bolgatanga, July 11, GNA - Political parties in the Upper East Region have pledged their commitment to ensure a violence-free elections in coming general elections.
The leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Convention People's Party (CPP) and People's National Convention People's Party (PNC) made the commitment at a forum organised by the Community Development and Advocacy Centre (CODAC), a local NGO based in Bolgatanga.
The Upper East Region currently has some conflict prone zones including the Talensi Constituency, the Bongo and Chiana -Paga Constituencies.
The forum, which was in the form of debate, was to afford the various political parties the chance to inform stakeholders on how they have institutionalized gender equality in their party structures and their commitment to peaceful elections.
Various executives who represented their political parties included Mr Paul Dankan of the NDC, Mr Bashiru Ibrahim of the NPP and Mr Albert Abongo of the PNC.
Explaining the rationale behind the programme, Mr Seidu Musah Akugri, the Executive Director of CODAC, said what informed the organisation of the event was the low participation of women in political activities.
The Executive Director said apart from the Bongo District Assembly, which met the criteria of the 40 per cent women appointment to the District Assembly, all the 12 Districts in the Region failed to meet the expectation.
'It is in the light of this, [that] we are organising a panel debate for the representatives of the various political parties to debate the extent to which each party has mainstreamed gender considerations into their structures', he said.
He said another aim for the programme was to also assess the commitment level of the various political parties towards creating space for women participation in their regional and local structures as contained in their manifestos.
The occasion was used to honor Mr Alexis Ayamdor, the Bongo District Chief, for his exemplarily role in bridging the gender gaps of the Bongo District Assembly.
Mr Ayamdor said the Bongo District Assembly exceeded the 40 per cent appointment of women to the District Assembly adding that he acted in accordance with government policy.
The DCE urged his colleagues Municipal and District Chief Executive to comply with the government's directive by meeting the appointment 40 per cent of women into leadership positions.
He commended the NGO for contributing to the reduction of gender gaps by lobbying the traditional councils of the Region.
Mr Norbert Akolbila, the Board Member of CODAC, who thanked the leadership of the political parties for their commitment towards the maintenance of peace, said the people in region would hold them accountable if they failed to honor their commitments.
Mr Pontius Pilate Appabey Baba, the Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education, said one of the major problems confronting the democratic process of the country was the failure to involve more women in the decision making process.
He called on all institutions to ensure that more women are appointed into leadership roles to help enhance our development and democratic process.
GNA
By Emmanuel Asante Attakora, GNA
Accra, July 12, GNA - Ebenezer Senior High School, has celebrated its 75th anniversary with speech and prize-giving day at Dansoman, Accra on the theme: 'Achieving Educational Excellence: The Role of Stakeholders.'
The school, which was founded by the late Robert Teiko Aryee in January, 1941, currently has a student population of 1438, with 838 males and 600 females.
Headmistress for the school, Mrs Elizabeth .A. Addo expressed delight at how far the school has grown with the help of the staff and students.
'It is a privilege and an honour to have this array of personalities here today to share with us our story for the past 75 years. A cursory look around confirms the untold story of hard work, discipline and results oriented staff and students.'
Mrs Addo in an interview with GNA, appealed to stakeholders to come on board to help propel the school to higher heights for better academic performances.
'We don't have any boarding facility, we need accommodation for both students and staff, so we could admit students from outside Accra.
'We want to get some flats for our teachers so they could help control students when we get the dormitories. We are appealing to old students, Ghana Education Service, the Government and stakeholders to help get us an 18 unit flat,' she said.
On educational materials, Mrs Addo said the school lacks information and communications technology (ICT) in the library.
'We are living in a technological world, but we don't have ICT at the library to help student's access modern books and tools online, to help in their studies, which is a major setback for us,' she added.
A former student, Mr Marterson Armah, who was the guest of honour, urged the students to aspire to be the best in life and not settle for less.
'Excellence in education surpasses everything, if students want to go forward they should aspire to be the best and not mediocrity.
'Government policies should always benefit students to achieve this educational excellence. There are other stakeholders who have never been identified, thus the community.
'The community involves the traditional leaders, they should help in anyway possible to make this achieving educational excellence a reality,' he said.
GNA
The presidential candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, has said job creation will be his topmost priority if given the nod in the November polls.
Nana Addo made the comment during a tour of the Kintampo North and Kintampo South constituencies of the Brong Ahafo Region as part of his 5-day tour of the Region.
You have heard me outline my '1-District-1-Factory' policy, which is meant to help create jobs for our young people. I stand by that pledge. We (the NPP) are also coming into office to create an enabling environment for the private sector to flourish, and also diversify and improve our agriculture. This is how we can put cash into the pockets of Ghanaians. When there's money in the pockets of the citizenry, then there will be progress and peace in the country, he said.
If we are not careful, and implement policies and programmes which will bring jobs to our youth, then disaster may befall us one day. When there is too much hunger and suffering amongst the people, we will end up creating problems for our country. Since we don't want any problems for Ghana, let us implement policies which will forestall any of these problems and create jobs, he added.
Nana Akufo-Addo also assured residents of Kintampo that the resources and funds for the implementation of these policies are available, since his government will ensure that corruption is reduced and resources are channeled into good use.
Monies required for the development of our country are finding their ways into pockets of individuals. My government will ensure that the stealing is curtailed, and this will mean that the country will find the monies to implement all these policies, Nana Addo added.
By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin
Seasoned journalist, Paul Adom-Otchere, has said that former President, Jerry John Rawlings admission that he took only two million dollars while still in office from then president of Nigeria, Sani Abacha, as a demonstration of his increasing commitment to honesty, and the well-being of the country.
While admitting that the revelation came as a shock to him he stated that it was a sign of the former presidents evolution as a person, since handing over power in 2001.
It is completely shocking that Mr. Rawlings must have to admit this at this stage. It also helps us to understand the kind of personality that Rawlings has become. It helps us understand that after leaving office nearly sixteen years ago, Rawlings has changed and his instincts towards nation-building and towards truth and honesty and towards a great future for Ghana have completely increased, Paul Adom-Otchere said on Eyewitness News on Monday.
We are happy that he has admitted something like this to help us build and set the parameters for the future.
Ex President Rawlings, in an interview with the Guardian Newspaper in Nigeria, admitted that he had received some amount of money from former Nigerian President Sani Abacha.
He denied claims that he had received $5 million from the former Nigerian head of state, stating the amount given to him was $3 million less.
Paul Adom-Otchere
However, Paul Adom-Otchere, who covered the issue as a parliamentary correspondent when it came up in 2008, stated that, the fuss over the amount of money was largely irrelevant, and that the revelation should rather elicit a conversation on the conduct of heads of state.
He said that the concept of giving among heads of state, was not unusual these days, and that it was difficult to determine whether this particular issue could be considered unlawful.
The quantum of the money should not be the issue; the principle about whether a president can or can't do that is the issue. Within the context of international relations, diplomats will tell you that presidents do share gifts across the world. The American president does apparently, the UK Prime Minister does and when Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was president, in support for his African Union position, he used to travel around the world and send a lot of money to Guinea and other places.
Somehow in international relations, that has come to be a convention where heads of state share monies. Colonel Muammar Gaddafi shared a lot of money across the world and to heads of states in Africa towards the formation of the new African Union. It's difficult to tell whether it's a crime or not because within the international context, they do share gifts, the host of Metro TV's Good Evening Ghana said.
Rawlings backed Abacha
Paul Adom-Otchere said that although Abacha was hugely unpopular with the international community which many criticising his style of governance, Rawlings was one of the few people who backed the Nigerian head of state.
Abacha was very bad in those days and most of the African Union leaders were worried about Abacha and would pass comments about him internationally. It was only Rawlings who seemed to give Abacha some credibility because he would explain on international platforms that the people had to understand the context of the Nigerian situation, he said.
Go and sin no more
Former Member of Parliament for New Juabeng North, Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, believes former President Jerry John Rawlings' admission that he accepted $2 million from former Nigerian Head of State, Sani Abacha, after nearly 18 years of denial, should warrant forgiveness from Ghanaians.
He has confessed it and I think we should be magnanimous enough to say let bygones be bygones, but I think from him, we should learn lessons that the President should desist from taking gifts from persons or money and everything like that, he stated on Eyewitness News
By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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Amman (AFP) - Three-quarters of the population of South Sudan needs humanitarian aid after four days of deadly fighting, the UN's World Food Programme director Etharin Cousin told AFP on Tuesday.
Between Friday and Monday, the capital Juba was rocked by clashes between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his longtime opponent Vice President Riek Machar.
The two men finally announced a ceasefire late on Monday.
"Three quarters of the population of South Sudan is in need of humanitarian assistance," Cousin told AFP in the Jordanian capital Amman.
"This latest conflict is going to push even more people into hunger and despair," she warned.
Cousin said heavy fighting over two days had forced humanitarian staff into underground bunkers "because the shelling was in Juba and so close to our places of operation.
"We had over 2,000 people taking shelter inside our compound with our staff."
The fragile ceasefire appeared to be holding in Juba on Tuesday.
The fighting left hundreds of people dead and sent nearly 40,000 fleeing.
The violence has raised fears of a return to civil war that broke out in December 2013.
On June 29 -- before the latest violence erupted -- both the United Nations and the Juba government said that more than a third of South Sudanese face starvation as the nation runs the risk of a full-blown famine.
12.07.2016 LISTEN
A renowned Pastor, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills has recommended a strategy which good leaders can use to subdue their enemies.
Known as the military encirclement strategy, Dag Heward-Mills explained that 'encirclement' is an instance used in war, where a force is totally subdued by other forces with no way of escaping.
Explaining the strategy further, the founder of the Lighthouse Chapel International said an enemy is isolated and completely surrounded by opposing forces.
Studies show that encirclement has been used throughout the centuries by military leaders and army generals like Napoleon, Alexander the Great, Sun Tzu, Shaka Zulu, Hannibal, Zhukov, Wallenstein, Khalid bin Waleed and many more.
Sun Tzu also cited in some studies to say that encircled armies must not be completely encircled but given space for escape so as not to lift their morale for them to fight to death with their opponents. He further said that a better situation will be that they will consider the possibility of a retreat
He stated that an encircled enemy becomes desperate as it is they are weakened and deprived of any help including receiving supplies of food, drugs, dresses and others.
The encircled enemy tends to give in as further defense is senseless he said. He noted that the subdued army will then request immediate permission to surrender to save the remaining troops who might still be alive.
Bishop Heward-Mills emphasized that it takes a good leader to employ 'encirclement adding that it is the only way to distinguish a good leader from all other leaders.
Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline.com | Intern| Esther Sampong
Two men accused of assaulting some teachers at the St. John's Primary 1 & 2 school at Accra Newtown, have been sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour.
The accused persons pleaded guilty to various counts of conspiracy and assault.
Nima Divisional Police Commander, ACP Nuhu Jango, confirmed this to Citi News noting that, the police had arrested three persons the lady and the two male assailants, Swallah and Hamza.
He added that, all the three pleaded guilty to the charges. They were given five counts of offences they committed and they pleaded guilty to all the court sentenced Hamza and Swallah to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour
One other suspects is currently on the run, yet to be apprehended, according to ACP Jango. He thus assured that the police would ensure that the other suspect is apprehended.
ACP Jango also stated that the female student at the center of the controversy has also been found guilty of conspiring with the convicts, and is yet to be sentenced by a Juvenile Court on Thursday.
Background
Teachers of St. John's 1 & 2 Primary School were assaulted by thugs who invaded the school. A class five pupil of the school was reported to have called in the thugs after she was punished by her teacher for misdemeanor.
The student left the classroom only to return in about 20 minutes with the thugs who attacked the female teachers.
Teachers transferred
The school was shut down temporarily after the thugs assaulted the teachers with canes and knives. The teachers who suffered the attack have been transferred by the Ghana Educational Service (GES) to ensure their security.
A total of 17 suspects were arrested in connection with the assault and three policemen were assigned to ensure the safety of teachers and students of the school.
This was after an intervention by the Ghana National Association of Teachers and the National Association of Graduate Teachers, NAGRAT.
By: Kuukua Buahin/citifmonline.com/Ghana
IT was in Louisville, Kentucky, that I first encountered the problem that ultimately but remotely resulted in the tragic deaths of five policemen in Dallas, Texas, last week.
The problem? The hostility between black men (especially young ones) and white police officers.
I was on a short attachment to a prestigious newspaper called the Louisville Courier-Journal, and the magazine section of the weekend paper had asked me to write a piece about my impressions of the United States. To illustrate my piece, the editor asked a photographer to take me around the city and photograph me against the backdrop of recognisable landmarks.
The photographer took me to an overpass on a highway that ran through the city. He asked me to walk along the highway, while he captured the image from a position below the overpass.
I'd only been in the US for a few weeks, so I didn't know anything about the laws governing places where one might, or might not, walk. I had heard about jay-walking; apparently, the American definition of jay-walking is different from the definition I was familiar with. I am sure that to the police, what the photographer was asking me to do amounted to jay-walking.
Anyway, a police car drove up as I was walking.
The police car was going the opposite way.
It stopped about fifty yards from me.
On the opposite side of the road.
The two white police officers in the car got out.
They beckoned me to cross over to where they were.
I attempted to cross over to where they had parked. But it was a very busy road. There was no crossing point where there would have been lights saying WALK or DON'T WALK. I could only cross if and when the traffic allowed it.
The policemen watched as I tried several times unsuccessfully to cross the road. Yet they kept beckoning me to come over to their side.
Now, I was aware that a policeman's order MUST be obeyed in America. Or the result could be FATAL. So I kept attempting to cross the road: I'd take a few steps forward, but would then realise that the vehicles were coming towards me were coming too fast.
The policemen looked at me.
I looked back at the policemen.
They stood where they were and continued beckoning to me to cross over.
They could see my difficulty. But they did not relent.
Neither did they make any attempt to stop the traffic for me to cross the road. Nor did they make any attempt themselves to cross over to my side, though they were in uniform and the oncoming vehicles would have checked their speed on seeing them.
So Deadlock!
God almighty! I thought. This is a situation from hell! These policemen, like all policemen in the United States, are armed. If I don't obey what they are instructing me to do, they may think I have something to hide and so don't want to cross over to them. They might even think that I amfaking my inability to cross the road!
The situation might have developed into a very nasty one for me had not the photographer used his presence of mind and realised that a confrontation between a young black man and white police officers in America was no joking matter.
I saw him running very fast towards the policemen.
He safely reached the policemen and their car.
He talked to them. He showed them his Press pass.
They listened to him and nodded their heads.
Then they drove off without looking at me.
Nothing was said to me. It was as if I didn't exist.
We left the scene and drove back to the office. IN SILENCE!
My imagination now set furiously to work.
Suppose the photographer had not been a white manlike the policemen but had been a black man like myself? What would have become of him as he ran towards the policemen?
If they had perceived a black man running as a potential threat, would they have opened fire to 'protect themselves'?
I swear, although it was a cold November morning, I began to sweat profusely.
The situation illustrated for me was how easy it is for (a) misunderstandings to occur; (b) then to lead to situations that can quickly escalate into a completely different scenario and (c) such scenarios contain pre-determined responses, based on the history, group-think and embedded sociological factors in US society.
To translate that into crude but accurate language: white police officers [slave masters] order a black man [slave] to do something. The black man [slave] goes through the motions of complying with the order, but does not succeed, presumably because he has no intention of complying. The slave-master always misconstrues the black man's inability to comply as an act of deliberate rebellion/defiance/arrogance.
Such challenges by slaves were not tolerated in the past and cannot be tolerated now, either. Rebellion must be punished. But slaves are very strong physically, and the only way to punish them is to shoot them dead.
Now, when I was growing up, my mother used to warn us to be careful when crossing the road, because, as she put it, a corpse is always the guilty party before the law! In other words, if we were knocked down by a motor-vehicle and killed, we would be adjudged guilty of carelessness because, of course, we would not be in a position, as corpses, to dispute anything alleged against us by the [living[] driver!
This logic is the construct that governs the blackman-killed-by-white-policemen syndrome in the United States.
Sagacious black parents are constrained to have what is called The Conversation with their young sons, as soon as the boys reach about age 12.
The Conversation goes like this: Son, what would you do if a policeman told you to STOP! as you were walking?
I'd ask him why he was asking me to stop?!
No, son, you don't do that. You do as the policeman says. You stop. When you stop, don't attempt to put your hands in your pocket to pull out a handkerchief or tissue-paper to wipe your face. The policeman will think you are taking out a gun to shoot him and he will defend himself by shooting you dead!
DO NOT attempt, either, to reach into your pocket-book to bring out your ID card, even if he orders you to show some ID! Tell him first that your ID card is in your wallet or glove compartment (if you're in a car). Let him see your hands all the time.
DO NOT answer the policeman back if he addresses you in a rough, aggressive manner. So he calls you a mother-fucking son-of-a-bitch when you have not done anything. So what? Your priority must be to come out of the encounter alive!
Challenge the policeman and you will end up dead.
Son, do you know how many black men have so far been killed by the police in 2016?
No, I don't!
Okay listen! This is the Huffington Post:
Here's How Many Black People Have Been Killed By Police This Year TOO MANY! Police [have] killed at least 136 black people in 2016.... Philando Castile became the latest addition to the list [on] Wednesday night [6 July 2016], after an officer shot him dead. ...Castile was shot and killed in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights, Minnesota.... The officer shot him three times because we had a busted tail light, Castile's girlfriend [said]....... [One day earlier], Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old father of five, became the 135th black person killed by police this year [2016)...[He] was shot and killed by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, early Tuesday morning [5 July 2016]. ....Black males between the ages of 15 and 34 [are] nine times more likely to be killed by police officers than any other demographic. This group also accounted for 15 percent of all 2015 deaths from law enforcement encounters, despite making up just 2 percent of the U.S. Population.....In 2015, at least 306 black people were killed by police. That is, just under one per day..
Thank you Dad. I will remember this as long as I live.
END OF 'THE CONVERSATION'.
How often will 'The Conversation' continue to be conducted between black parents and their offspring? That is the real challenge that the US faces. Electing a black President once in a while will not eliminate the necessity for 'The Conversation'. Only positive action in police departments and mayoral offices across the land, translated into inflexible rules about how the police should act on the streets or face punishment, will do that.
If that does not happen, and soon, then God help America.
The Member of Parliament for the Klottey Korle constituency, Hon. Nii Armah Ashietey, challenged the candidacy of Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings based on the Constitution of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the NDC's National Executive Committee (NEC) regulations that were issued for the 2015 primaries.
Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings attempted twice to have the High Court throw out the case, but the High Court maintained that there was a case to be heard. She then took the matter to the Supreme Court on the grounds that the interpretation of article 94(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution was necessary for the resolution of the case. The Supreme Court ruled that interpretation of the article was necessary for the case to proceed.
The Supreme Court therefore asked both sides to present submissions on: when can it be properly said that a Ghanaian citizen is by reason of non registration as a voter not qualified to be a Member of Parliament? within article 94(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
The 1st Interested Party's position seems to be that if in fulfilment of article 94(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution, political parties have drafted constitutions and formulated regulations that are aligned with the article, then members of the political parties must fulfil the rules and conditions set by their parties for contesting the Primaries.
The Applicant's position seems to be that members of political parties can contest their parties? primaries without fulfilling article 94(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution so long as they fulfil the conditions of the article by the time of filing nominations at the Electoral Commission.
The Supreme Court has set July 18, 2016, as the date for giving its judgment in the matter.
A decision for the 1st Interested Party will maintain the status quo for political parties in Ghana since it has been the position that members of political parties who wish to contest parliamentary elections on the party's ticket, must follow due process and go by their party's constitution and rules, which must be in line with article 94(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution.
A decision for the Applicant will change the status quo ante since those provisions in the party constitutions and regulations could become null and void leading to a new rule that article 94(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution need be fulfilled for candidates of political parties only by the time of filing of nominations with the Electoral Commission.
Some major political players seem to be unaware of the dynamics of the case, but it is important that minds be averted thereto.
Will the Supreme Court determine whether the Constitution of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the rules for primaries as laid down by the NDC, contravene article 94(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution? Would it mean that portions of the NDC Constitution and/or the NDC regulations are ultra vires the 1992 Constitution and those portions must be scrapped? Would this, in turn, affect the constitutions of other political parties as well as the rules governing their primaries?
Would stretching this further mean that certain contestants who were disqualified during political party primaries towards the 2016 election, will then have an opening to challenge their disqualification? Could others who did not file to contest the primaries because they were of the opinion that they did not fulfil their party's conditions, now raise issues of re-opening the primaries for their constituencies?
Maybe it is time to avert minds to this debate, which has the potential of re-shaping the legal parameters of our party political structures.
Find below submissions filed on June 28, 2016, at the Supreme Court, on behalf of the 1st Interested Party in the case of The Republic v High Court Ex Parte Dr. Zanetor Agyemang Rawlings (Applicant), Hon. Nii Armah Ashietey (1st Interested Party), National Democratic Congress (2nd Interested Party) Suit No: J5/19/2016.
Written Submissions filed on Behalf of the 1st Interested Party:
FACTS
The 2nd Interested Political Party organised Parliamentary Primaries on 21st November, 2015, across the various constituencies in Ghana including Klottey-Korley Constituency in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. The Applicant herein, Dr. Zanetor Agyemang Rawlings, Hon. Nii Armah Ashietey who is the incumbent Member of Parliament for the Klottey-Korley Constituency and another took part in the contest. At the close of polls, the Applicant was declared to have won the Parliamentary Primaries with 2,739 votes whilst the 1st Interested Party polled 1,747 votes.
It is instructive to point out that the 2nd Interested Party drew out an elaborate set of rules to govern the conduct of the Primaries, which was titled ?Guidelines for the Election of NDC Parliamentary Candidates for the 2016 Parliamentary Elections?.
The Guidelines were prepared to guide the 2nd Interested Party in its quest to select suitable Parliamentary Candidates to represent the NDC party in the 2016 National Elections. The said Guidelines provided among others as follows:
B. QUALIFICATION
A person wishing to contest to be a Parliamentary Candidate of the party must:
1. Be a citizen of Ghana, who has attained the age of 21 years.
2. Be a card-bearing member of the party who has paid party membership dues.
3. Be a known and active member of a branch of the party in the constituency.
4. Not be a member of any other political party.
5. Be qualified in accordance with the 1992 National Constitution to be elected as Member of Parliament.
C. DISQUALIFICATION
A member shall not be qualified to contest primaries for any parliamentary seat if he:
a. Is disqualified under national electoral laws from contesting for any parliamentary seat.
b. Is not an active member of the party at the constituency level for four (4) years immediately preceding the date of filing the nomination.
c. Is for any reason disqualified from being a party member as spelt out under Article 8 of the party?s constitution.
d. Fails to meet the requirements for the election of Member of Parliament under Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
My Lords, it is now public knowledge that prior to November 2015, when the Applicant participated in the Parliamentary Primaries, she was not a registered voter in Ghana and therefore never voted in the election in which she was said to have won. It is also instructive to point out that the non-registration of the Applicant as a voter in Ghana violated the internal rules regulating the conduct of the primaries and thus the 1st Interested Party mounted an action in the High Court seeking to declare the election of the Applicant null and void for violating the NDC Constitution and the Rules of the 2nd Interested Party by reason of non-registration as a voter in Ghana.
On 19th May 2016, this Honourable Court granted an application for certiorari to quash two rulings of the High Court dated 22nd February, 2016 and 22nd March, 2016. The Honourable Court further referred unto itself the following question for interpretation:
When can it be properly said that a Ghanaian citizen is by reason of non registration as a voter ?not qualified to be a Member of Parliament? within article 94(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.?
THE LAW AND ANALYSIS
My Lords, Article 94 (1) (a) of the Constitution 1992, provides thus:
Subject to the provisions of this article, a person shall not be qualified to be a Member of Parliament unless:-
(a) he is a citizen of Ghana, has attained the age of twenty-one years and is a registered voter; ...
My Lords, from the above constitutional provision it is clear that only Ghanaian citizens of twenty-one years of age who have registered with the Electoral Commission as voters are qualified to be Members of Parliament.
My Lords, the Constitution did not state the time when this qualification criteria ought to be met. However My Lords, since the re-introduction of constitutional rule and multi party democracy in Ghana, political parties have largely been the conveyance through which citizens compete for elections to Parliament and the Presidency. It is therefore not for nothing that the 1992 Constitution guaranteed the establishment of political parties in Ghana.
My Lords, Article 55 (1) (2) (3) (5) and (6) and (10), of the 1992 Constitution provides as follows:
(1) The right to form political parties is hereby guaranteed.
(2) Every citizen of Ghana of voting age has the right to join a political party.
(3) Subject to the provisions of this article, a political party is free to participate in shaping the political will of the people, to disseminate information on political ideas, social and economic programmes of a national character, and sponsor candidate for elections to any public office other than to District Assemblies or lower local government units. ?
(5) The internal organisation of a political party shall conform to democratic principles and its actions and purposes shall not contravene or be inconsistent with this constitution or any other law.
(6) An organisation shall not operate as a political party unless it is registered as such under the law for the time being in force for the purpose. ?
(10) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, every citizen of voting age has the right to participate in political activity intended to influence the composition and policies of the government.?
My Lords, from the above constitutional provisions, it is clear that the right to participate in political activities in Ghana for the purpose of influencing the composition and policies of government is subject to registration as a voter and actually voting to affect such policies. That an organisation such as a political party through which the citizen manifests his political ambition must be registered under the Political Party?s Act, 2000 (Act 574). Thus, once the political party is registered it has the constitutional mandate to sponsor a candidate such as the Applicant on its ticket to represent the party in parliament. It is therefore not for nothing that the 2nd Interested party drew out an elaborate set of rules to guide the conduct of its internal primaries so that persons who emerge as winners in the internal contest can also qualify within the meaning of the provisions of Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution.
My Lords, Article 55(5) of the 1992 Constitution places a constitutional injunction on all political parties in Ghana to ensure that their internal organisation shall conform to democratic principles and its actions and purposes shall not contravene or be inconsistent with the Constitution or any other law.
It therefore stands to reason that no political party in Ghana can conduct Parliamentary Primaries to select/elect a Parliamentary Candidate who does not satisfy the provisions of Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana because such an act would clearly be inconsistent with the 1992 Constitution.
My Lords, where a political party for instance elects a Parliamentary Candidate who is twenty years of age, that act would be deemed unconstitutional and therefore null and void.
My Lords, it is further respectfully submitted that where a political party elects a Parliamentary Candidate who is not a citizen of Ghana or though a citizen of Ghana is not a registered voter, that candidate is not qualified to be a Member of Parliament and that would be deemed unconstitutional.
My Lords, it is this Constitutional injunction on political parties to adhere to the provisions of Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution that all the political parties in Ghana have since 1992, ensured that apart from satisfying the internal requirements of being a member in good standing, the contestant must also satisfy the requirements of Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution. So the net effect is that once the Parliamentary Candidate is elected, he/she cannot be disqualified on grounds of not meeting any of the national requirements.
My Lords, rule 1 of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Rules and Regulations Governing the Parliamentary Primaries ? 2016 provides as follows:
?1. An aspiring Parliamentary Candidate must ensure that he/she meets the requirements of qualification and eligibility set out in Article 94 of Ghana?s 4th Republican Constitution, 1992 and Articles 3, 11 and 17 of the party?s constitution, 2009. It shall be the responsibility of the aspiring candidate to convince the party of his or her qualification and eligibility under these rules.?
My Lords, the above rule ensures that persons who contest in the Parliamentary Primaries of the New Patriotic Party meet the constitutional qualification of a Member of Parliament at the time of the primaries. Thus it is not after the party has completed its primaries that it would be held back with legal suits on issues of eligibility or qualification of any of its candidates. My Lords, the position of the New Patriotic Party is very consistent with the provisions of the 1992 Constitution.
A similar provision was adopted by the 2nd Interested Party and thereby made it a condition precedent that all contestants must meet the requirements of Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution at the time of the primaries and not after the said primaries. It is therefore surprising that that the 2nd Interested Party after making these elaborate rules has suddenly made a u-turn and put up a strong defence that the provisions of Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution are to apply only at the point of filing with the electoral commission and not at the time of the primaries.
My Lords, the fact of ensuring that all contestants including the Applicant meet the National requirements at the time of the primaries do not in any way relegate the National law to be subservient to the domestic rules of the 2nd Interested Party but rather to ensure that the conduct of the internal contest for the parliamentary seat in Klottey-Korley would be consistent with the national criteria on qualification for a Member of Parliament.
My Lords, since this Honourable Court referred unto itself the issue of applicability of Article 94 (1) (a) for interpretation, it has generated public discourse and some of the questions being posed are as follows:
Can a political party make rules to allow a person who is not a registered voter to contest primaries so long as that person can register with the Electoral Commission before National Elections?
What if the person is unable to register before National Elections, can that candidate be presented by the political party to contest on its ticket?
Can a political party allow a Ghanaian citizen who is twenty years to contest primaries so long as that person would be twenty-one years at the time of filing with the Electoral Commission?
Can a person who is seventeen years register to vote so long as that person would be eighteen years at the time of voting in National Elections?
Can a non-citizen contest primaries on the ticket of a political party so long as he/she would be able to adopt a Ghanaian citizenship and register just before filing his nomination with the Electoral Commission?
Can a person elected as Parliamentary Candidate of a party file nomination with the Electoral Commission to compete in by-election if he/she is not a registered voter?
Is it prudent for a political party to expend resources to prosecute a campaign to elect a Member of Parliament on its ticket only to be disqualified on account of dual citizenship after being sworn in?
My Lords, it appears without a doubt that the central purpose of Parliamentary Primaries organised by political parties in Ghana is to ensure that the candidate put forward by the party meets the constitutional qualifications under Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution.
It is needless to say that a Parliamentary Candidate-Elect ought to be battle ready to contest Parliamentary Elections be it by-election or general election.
My Lords, it is common knowledge that if by-election had been held in Klottey-Korley between November 22, 2015, and April 27th, 2016, by reason of resignation or death of the incumbent Member of Parliament, the Applicant could not have been qualified to contest the Parliamentary Elections in Klottey-Korley by reason of non-registration as a voter because it is public knowledge that she was not a registered voter as at 21st November, 2015.
My Lords respectfully, no purpose would have been served by the election of the Applicant to the 2nd Interested Party if she is unable to contest national elections on its ticket. It therefore stands to reason that each political party would elect candidates that meet the requirements in Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution as well as the rules of their party at the time of the Parliamentary Primaries.
My Lords, it is respectfully submitted that on the true and proper construction of NDC rules governing the conduct of the Parliamentary Primaries 2016, the NDC constitution and Article 94 (1) (a) of the 1992, the requirement of being a citizen of Ghana, twenty one years of age and a registered voter was to apply to every contestant at the time of the Parliamentary Primaries and not at the time of filing the candidate with the Electoral Commission.
My Lords, it is further submitted respectfully that the Applicant is not contesting the Klottey-Korley seat as an independent candidate and therefore is bound by the constitution and the rules of the NDC. See Pennie v Egala [1980] GLR 234.
My Lords, it is the submission of Counsel for the Applicant and the 2nd Interested Party that the Applicant can only be deemed to be disqualified to be a Member of Parliament at the time when she is nominated as a Parliamentary Candidate. In fact the 2nd Interested Party has further stated that the fact that a person is not a registered voter at the time he/she becomes a proposed Parliamentary Candidate should not be used as the basis of disqualifying that person as a Member of Parliament.
My Lords, we wish to respectfully submit that the quest to become a Member of Parliament is a process. For political parties, it starts with the preparation of the aspirant for vetting and holding of Parliamentary Primaries. The process of being a Member of Parliament does not end with the filing of nomination with the Electoral Commission. In fact and indeed, the mere filing with the Electoral Commission of a Parliamentary Candidate's nomination does not make that person so filed a Member of Parliament.
My Lords, even where a person wins Parliamentary elections, it does not make him a Member of Parliament but a Parliamentary Candidate-Elect. It is only when a person has been sworn in as such as provided for under Article 100 of the 1992 Constitution that a person can be said to be a Member of Parliament. Article 100 (1) of the 1992 Constitution provides thus:
100 (1) A Member of Parliament shall before taking his seat in parliament, take and subscribe before the Speaker and in the presence of the Member of Parliament, the oath of allegiance and the oath of a Member of Parliament set out in the second schedule of this Constitution.
(2) A Member of Parliament may before taking the oaths referred to in clause (1) of this Article, take part in the election the Speaker.
The oath of a Member of Parliament provides thus:
I, having been elected a Member of Parliament do (in the name of the Almighty God swear) (solemnly affirm) that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Republic of Ghana as by law established; that I will uphold, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana; and that I will faithfully and conscientiously discharge the duties of a Member of Parliament (so help me God).?
My Lords, it is respectfully submitted that it is only when a person has sworn the oath of a Member of Parliament, before the Speaker of the house, that that person can be said to be a Member of Parliament.
My Lords, it is clear that the filing of a person?s nomination with the Electoral Commission does not make that person a Member of Parliament.
It is thus not for nothing that political parties in Ghana engage in serious preparations in selecting appropriate candidates as Parliamentary Candidates to contest on their tickets in the various constituencies across the country. Thus, no serious political party would be happy to have its Member of Parliament duly sworn in after expending resources to campaign to be disqualified on ground that, that person was not a registered voter or did not meet any of the requirements in Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution.
Thus, the policy rational by all political parties in Ghana that every candidate on its ticket must meet both the party requirements and the national constitutional requirements is to ensure that the person presented to represent the party in parliament is duly qualified thereby giving effect to the full compliance of Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution.
It is therefore imperative that the political party as a conveyance for persons seeking to actualize their political dreams cannot act without regard to the constitutional provisions in respect of qualification criteria for a Member of Parliament. Thus political party rules cannot be properly said to be inconsistent with the provisions of Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution if the said rules and the constitution of the party merely seek obedience of all members to the national constitutional qualification requirement of any member who intends to contest elections on its tickets at the National Level.
My Lords, this Honourable Court has the exclusive jurisdiction to enforce or interpret the provisions of the 1992 Constitution as provided for under article 130(1) and (2) thereof.
Article 130(1) provides as follows:?
The Supreme Court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction in:-
(a) all matters relating to the enforcement or interpretation of this Constitution.?
Article 1(2) of the 1992 Constitution, provides that:
This Constitution shall be the Supreme law of Ghana and any other law found to be inconsistent with any provision of this Constitution shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.
Article 2(1) further provides that:
A person who alleges that:-
(a) an enactment or anything contained in or done under the authority of that or any other enactment or
(b) any act or omission of any person
is inconsistent with, or is in contravention of a provision of this Constitution may bring an action in the Supreme Court for a declaration to that effect?.
My Lords, the original jurisdiction vested in the Supreme Court under Article 2(1) and 130(1) of the 1992 Constitution to interpret and enforce the provisions of the Constitution is a special jurisdiction meant to be invoked in suits raising genuine or real issues of interpretation of a provision of the Constitution.?
My Lords, this Honourable Court has consistently insisted that for a party to invoke the original jurisdiction of the court, the action must raise a real or genuine issue of interpretation. Thus the Plaintiff must show clearly that the question at issue can only be resolved by an interpretation of the Constitutional provision.
In Tait v Ghana Airways Corporation [1970] 2 GLR 572 @ 528, the court stated that? unless the words of an article of the Constitution are imprecise or ambiguous, an issue of interpretation does not arise. Where the language of the Constitution is not plain but admits of but one meaning, the task of interpretation can hardly be said to arise.
Respectfully My Lords, the provision referred by this Honourable Court for interpretation is Article 94(1) (a) of the 1992 Constitution which simply provides that ?a person shall not be qualified to be a Member of Parliament unless (a) he is a citizen of Ghana, has attained the age of twenty-one years and is a registered voter?.
My Lords, it is instructive to point out that the Citizenship Act, 2000 (Act 574) provides for various circumstances under which a person may qualify as a citizen of Ghana. However the 1992 Constitution of Ghana prohibits dual citizens from becoming Members of Parliament. The twenty-one years of age is the qualification year to contest for parliamentary elections. A person is a voter, if he/she is registered with the Electoral Commission as such for the purpose of public elections.
My Lords, the wording of Article 94 (1) (a) of the 1992 Constitution cannot be said to admit of double meaning or ambiguous to warrant an interpretation into the meaning and effect of the provision of the Constitution. Simply put, the words are clear and admit of only one meaning.
My Lords, it appears unfortunate that an attempt to save the Applicant has led to even the 2nd Interested Party abandoning the clear provisions of its constitutional provisions particularly Article 43 (9) and the Guidelines governing the conduct of its primaries to urge on this Honourable Court that Article 94(1)(a) applies only at the time of filing the Applicant?s nomination with the Electoral Commission.
My Lords, the case of Republic v Special Tribunal; Ex parte Akosah [1980] GLR 592 provided the circumstances under which an interpretive issue may be said to have arisen:
a) where the words of the provision were imprecise or unclear or ambiguous. Put in another way, it would arise if one party invited the court to declare that the words of the article had a double meaning or were obscure or else meant something different from or more than what they said;
b) where rival meanings had been placed by the litigants on the words of any provision of the Constitution;
c) where there was a conflict in the meaning and effect of two or more articles of the Constitution and the question was raised as to which provision should prevail; and
d) where on the face of the provisions, there was a conflict between the operation of particular institutions set up under the Constitution. And in the event of the trial court holding that there was no case of ?enforcement or interpretation? because the language of the article of the Constitution was clear, precise and unambiguous, the aggrieved party might appeal in the usual way to a higher court against what he might consider to be an erroneous construction of those words. Also where the submission made related to no more than a proper application of the provisions of the Constitution to the facts in issue, that was a matter for the trial court to deal with.
My Lords respectfully, it is clear that the wording in a provision must be imprecise or unclear or ambiguous or admit of rival meanings having been placed by litigants for the Honourable Court to interpret the said provision.
My Lords, there is nowhere in the submissions canvassed by Counsel for the parties that the wording in Article 94(1)(a) admits of double meaning or is imprecise or unclear to warrant this Honourable Court to interpret the provision of the Constitution.
My Lords, we respectfully submit that the provision of Article 94(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution is clear and does not admit of any ambiguity.
My Lords, we wish to further submit that the NDC constitution particularly Article 43(9) and the Guidelines governing the conduct of the Parliamentary Primaries is consistent with the provisions of the 1992 Constitution. It therefore stands to reason that NDC, as a law abiding political party, sought to make rules that would be in conformity with the National Constitution on the qualification criteria of Members of Parliament.
In conclusion, it is the submission of Counsel for the 1st Interested Party that the 2nd Interested Party?s Guidelines governing the conduct of the Parliamentary Primaries - 2016 and the NDC Constitution particularly Article 43(9) were made in obedience to the National Constitution and therefore consistent with the provisions of the Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution. Thus every member who seeks to contest Parliamentary Primaries of the party and later be put forward to contest Parliamentary Elections ought to meet the qualification criteria set out in the National Constitution.
To compel obedience of its members to the National Constitution, the framers of the Guidelines and the NDC constitution ought to be highly commended by this Honourable Court that even at the time of their internal contest, they contemplated that the eventual winner would contest on the national level on the ticket of the party and therefore must meet the national qualification criteria provided for under Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution.
On the strength of the above submissions, we humbly submit that applicability of Article 94(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution was to apply at the time of the Parliamentary Primaries to compel all members to comply with the said provision at the time of the Parliamentary Primaries on 21st November, 2015.
Respectfully submitted!!!
Airtel Ghana, Best CSR Company for Education and Community Relations has commissioned and handed over a set of ultra-modern transmitters and other equipment to serve Kanyiti FM (95.7), a community radio station for the people of Salaga and its environs. The radio station will facilitate access to information and empower indigenes and the teeming listeners of Kanyiti FM (95.7)
The project, which was funded under Airtel Ghanas flagship CSR initiative, Touching Lives, involved furnishing the radio station with transmitters and equipment to get it up and running for the community.
This project came to light through the efforts of Fatawu Fuseini and his wife who had a vision of helping the inhabitants of Salaga and its environs gain access to information through the medium of a community radio station. They were nominated by Rev. Emmanuel Uzuanu who resides in Sunyani on the companys multiple-award winning CSR Television series, Airtel Touching Lives.
Samuel Gyimah, National Distribution Manager, Airtel Ghana commenting at the event said Airtel Ghana supported this project through our award-winning flagship sustainable CSR programme Airtel Touching Lives, an initiative to give a platform for individuals and communities to inspire hope and improve the quality of life for all. We live in the information age where the best way to empower people is to give them access to information.
At Airtel Ghana, we have led this effort through the provision of superior voice and data services across the country. This project is a further step on the part of our business to ensure the people of Salaga and its environs are empowered and informed.
I would like to express my sincerest appreciation to all stakeholders who made this a reality and most importantly to Fatawu and his wife for having this life-changing dream and nursing it to fruition. We believe that this radio station will serve the purpose for which it was established in this community and surrounding villages. He concluded
Abdul Fatawu Abel, Director of the station remarked, The benefit of this project to our community is immeasurable. Airtel Ghana has through its Touching Lives programme invested in this laudable initiative that will enhance access to information for the development of this community and surrounding areas. On behalf of this community, I extend our profound gratitude to Airtel Ghana and its employees for the commitment they have shown in sponsoring this facility.
The District Chief Executive of East Gonja, Hon. Mohammed Amin Lukman who was the Special Guest of Honour at the event commended Airtel Ghana for supporting the good works of Fatawu through its Touching Lives Programme calling on corporate institutions to emulate Airtel Ghanas example. He said We are aware of the great work this radio station has been doing for the Salaga and surrounding communities since it was opened. The support from Airtel I am told will further widen the coverage of the station to serve other regions as well. I want to use this opportunity to urge the radio station to use its platform to preach peace as we approach the elections later this year. He added.
Kanyiti FM fully owned by Mr. Abdul Fatawu Abel was established in 2012 to educate, inform and entertain the people of Salaga and surrounding villages. It serves the people of the East Gonja District and other parts of Volta, Brong-Ahafo and Nanumba North and South catchment areas with the vision of promoting peace and development.
Airtels flagship CSR programme Airtel Touching Lives has over the years won many accolades including CIMG TV Programme of the Year, IPR Best Community Programme of the Year on three consecutive occasions and Bharti Change Marker Award (Gold Category) in 2014 and 2015.
Airtel is Ghanas best Data and Internet Services Provider.
About Bharti Airtel
Bharti Airtel Limited is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the company ranks amongst the top 3 mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers. In India, the company's product offerings include 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services, mobile commerce, fixed line services, high speed DSL broadband, IPTV, DTH, enterprise services including national & international long distance services to carriers. In the rest of the geographies, it offers 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services and mobile commerce. Bharti Airtel had over 353 millioncustomers across its operations at the end of January 2016. To know more please visit, www.airtel.com
About Airtel in Africa
Airtel is driven by the vision of providing affordable and innovative mobile services to all. Airtel has 17 operations in Africa: Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Airtel International is a Bharti Airtel company. For more information, please visit www.airtel.com , or like the Airtel Ghana Facebook page via www.facebook.com/airtelgh or follow us on Twitter via the handle @airtelghana.
12.07.2016 LISTEN
It is the ultimate interest of Cicada, Cityklass & Bastiat Ghana partnering with resources to assist any government of the Republic of Ghana to achieve the Vision 2020 goals and it objectives. The abstract of the vision 2020 report state clearly, reforms are adopted under the governments of Ghana structural adjustment program, which include increasing exchange rate controls and increasing autarky with the goals of reaching high-income economy and newly industrialized country status.
Studying this kind of proposal in Vision 2020 established document, the probability for most of this target goals to remain as merely dreams and wishes is very high when a critical analysis is conducted on current economic status of the Republic of Ghana in 2016 with a reference from the analytical report of Heritage Foundation 2016 Index of Economic Freedom in partnership with Wall Street Journal. It open market report of Ghana state that the Financial sector has undergone privatization, banking is undercapitalized and access to financing remains limited hence graded the Financial freedom of Ghana to be estimated as 60.0% and Business Freedom as 61.5%
Bastiat Ghana conclude it findings that the state of autarky Ghana aspire to attain in 2020 could easily be achieved when Fx and commodity trading on virtual platform is mastered through training and practice as a job for most of the Youth. Furthermore Government directing it attention to this sector of the capital market, to support it with modern legislative instrument to complement it training in the various Polytechnic Universities as a new discipline of investment economics, has a solution to solve unemployment challenges in Ghana to a large extent.
This will automatically trigger the increase in opening savings account in the Banking Industry since it is a mandatory for an Fx- trader to have a bank account to trade with as a means to manage it portfolio. It has the ability to deepen government tax revenue as well as strengthening the domestic capital market to complement government in infrastructural project expenditures. Finally this sector has the capacity to employ a lot of graduate into the Investment market as Entrepreneurs as well as a means of easy access to capital for aggressive industrialization as outlined in Vision 2020 report.
As a team we have proceeded to construct a comprehensive technical syllabus that address both academic and apprenticeship in Fx-Trading on-line, defining it as Investment Economics which has incorporated into it strong IT-studies for those student who lack knowledge in computer software usage and quality fundamental analysis for accurate global capital market predictions.
Knowing how to trade skillfully with quality investment returns depends on the quality of the teachers who will guide you with practical studies and apprenticeship. Therefore join our centre for quality training to enhance your financial capacity. To know our current training calendar visit www.cityklass.com
.
Prof. E. Tweneboah Senzu, Ph.D., DBA., CBE.
Fundamental Analyst CityKlass & Executive Director Bastiat Ghana Institute
Research Professor of Business Economics at African School of Economics-Republic of Benin
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In comparison to Western economies, which are loaded with unsustainable public debt, Chinas debt problem is on the private side.
Warning.
You might be offended today. But I dont apologise.
See, I believe in free speech not political correctness. Ill tell you how it is, every day of the week.
OK, here goes
While Im strongly against the killings in Dallas, where five police officers were shot dead and seven others injured, the US police force had it coming. I feel for the victims and their families. But the US police force has changed.
The US police force no longer works for the people it serves and protects itself and government.
Following a breakdown in the rule of law, whereby police arent prosecuted for murder, the US is heading towards a major period of civil unrest. When global governments start defaulting on their national debts, the world will spiral into chaos. And, if historys a good guide, the US elite will start another shooting war to distract the people.
To understand why, lets turn to China
Chinas economy is the least of our worries
While the mainstream media talks about Chinas massive debt issue, its attention is misdirected. The Economist reported on 9 July,
AS ANYONE who has conquered addiction knows, the first step is admitting that you have a problem. China, hooked on debt for much of the past decade, may be reaching that point. In recent weeks officials have talked at length about the countrys troubling reliance on credit to fuel growth. The frankest admission came in a front-page article in the Peoples Daily, mouthpiece of the Communist Party, in early May. An anonymous authoritative person, widely believed to be Liu He, an economic adviser to President Xi Jinping, warned that high leverage could spark a systemic financial crisis. Chinas total debt load jumped from less than 150% of GDP in 2008 to more than 250% at the end of last year. Increases of that size have presaged economic trouble in other countries.
While the report sounds alarming, the reality is that Chinas debt issue isnt that bad. In fact, Chinas financial system is far stronger than the Western worlds.
Of course, after years of debt-fuelled infrastructure and property investment growth, the Chinese economic model is changing. The countrys moving towards a consumption-driven economic model. Its hoped the countrys 1.2 billion people will drive the Chinese economy over the medium to long term.
This economic transition wont happen smoothly or overnight. In reality, it should take a few years.
During the transitionary period, investment growth is likely to slow, which will raise challenges. For example, with fewer investment projects commissioned, consumption spending and investment capacity will be impacted. Fewer people will have jobs, and it will be more difficult for corporates to pay back their debts.
Thats the elephant in the room that the mainstream misses
The mainstream just doesnt get it
In comparison to Western economies, which are loaded with unsustainable public debt, Chinas debt problem is on the private side.
After years of flooding its financial system with cheap credit, Chinese banks face a lot of private debts bordering on default, known as non-performing loans (NPLs). In the past 12 months, NPLs jumped by more than 40% to 1.4 trillion yuan (US$210 billion), according to Bloomberg. You can see this on the chart below:
Source: Bloomberg
Click to open new window
The difference between private and public debt is massive! Private debt defaults result in recessions (i.e. 2008/09 global financial crisis); public debt defaults end in depressions.
In the history of the world, no government has ever not even once paid back its debt. History shows governments have defaulted entirely, delayed interest payments or changed the maturity dates. That spells another disaster waiting to happen.
Socialism has fuelled a massive debt bubble thats unsustainable. Its why the world is facing another sovereign debt crisis. Promises upon promises cant be kept, and will come crashing down.
The Chinese economy doesnt have this issue socialism doesnt really exist in the eastern world. Below, The Economist provides a chart on global debt for 11 of the worlds largest countries, including China.
Source: The Economist
Click to open new window
The chart shows that, unlike every other country on the list, Chinas debt clearly exists on the private side. You can see that by looking at the dark blue bars, which represent corporate debt. The light blue bars show the public debt.
Of course, some pundits dont believe the debt numbers. While they could be correct, one fact remains: Chinas debt problem will still exist on the private side. The Economist reported on 9 July,
Last month the government convened its first news conference on the topic, bringing together officials from the finance ministry, the central bank, the banking regulator and a top planning agency. All of them have homed in on corporate debt as the main worry. That is obvious enough from a quick comparison with other big economies: China sits in the middle of the pack for total debt but is at the high end for corporate liabilities. Yet it marks a change of tone from recent years, when officials focused on cleaning up the debt of local government. This presented a more immediate but smaller problem, and also a more manageable one.
Unlike Western economies that borrow year after year, with no intention of paying anything back, Chinas private debt load is manageable.
First, the country must restructure old debt with new. Loans would flow to better firms, generating higher returns. Second, China is looking at equity financing to help replace debt. Officials insist only viable companies will receive this treatment. Finally, the government will use fiscal policy to prop up growth, in effect transferring debt from corporate balance-sheets to its own. The Economist reports,
That makes sense: official public debt is low, at less than 50% of GDP, while state-owned companies are the biggest debtors. However, direct bail-outs would give state firms little reason to improve their operations. So the central banks researchers suggest other measures, such as tax cuts, which would improve the business environment for all.
Chinese people have learnt to look after themselves and their families, and not rely on government which has let them down consistently during history. This compares with Western society.
The writing is on the wall
The Western world is different the majority of Western countries rely on government today. Its why, after being saddled with debts totalling more than US$18.5 billion, the US city of Detroit filed for bankruptcy in 2013. Puerto Rico, which just had its biggest default ever by missing US$911 million of payments due on 1 July, remains bankrupt today.
Last year, Puerto Rico said it has no intention of paying off its US$70 billion debt load in full. Moreover, it dragged its heels about disclosing its true finances. The US congress wasnt providing much assistance.
This (worldwide) problem is escalating socialist governments have over promised, and cant possibly deliver. Its why the US police force, for example, is seizing more money than ever to fund its workers pensions. According to boingboing.net,
US police seized $4.5 billion through civil asset forfeiture (through which police can take money and valuables away from citizens without charging anyone with any crimes) in 2014; in the same period, the FBI estimates that burglars accounted for $3.9B in property losses. Civil forfeiture rose by 19.4% per year between 1989 and 2009. It grew by 52.8% in 2010.
Im grateful to be an Australian; at least we still have some civil liberties. The US police force is out of control; its dangerous and acts against the people. With US police killing innocent people all over the country, and stealing from the innocent, massive civil unrest looms. When that happens, if history is a good guide, politicians will start a war to distract the great unwashed.
I dont want war. No sane person does. The elite want war, thinking the world is their game. Legendary investor Jim Rogers says, War isnt great for much else but commodities. For this reason, if you want to hedge your portfolio against war, buy resource stocks. If you pick the best stocks, youll make the biggest profits.
The question is: Do you have the time and skills to pick the best stocks?
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The success of the Amazon show The Man in the High Castle, based on a book of the same name, is the latest in a long line of examples of great alternative history. Have you ever wondered what if..? If so, youve thought of a plot yourself.
Want to write your own alt. history short story or even have a crack at a novel (for NaNoWriMo, for instance)? Here are a few tips.
Point of Divergence
This is the most important thing. You want ONE of these to begin with. Some stories have a couple or more, but ideally you want to confuse your audience as little as possible. Some of the more established ones include:
Hitler hands power over the army to a more competent general in 1935: the Nazis win WWII
Electricity was discovered 100 years early
The French Revolution never happened
A famous historical person didnt die when they actually did
This is, effectively, your what if question. For example, Im running with What if Prince Arthur [son of Henry VII and older brother of Henry VIII of England] didnt die in 1501.
Setting
You can set your story AT the point of divergence if you want, but it is more popular to set it some time later. This gives your reader a chance to see how the world has developed. In my case, the story begins twenty-five years after he recovers from his illness, in 1526.
I wanted to follow the story of his life and his family, so my setting is the English court. You could follow a series of characters all around your alternative world, or pick on one person close or far away from the change.
It is completely possible to set an alternative history story in what is currently the present. You just have to think of how life would be changed by your nudge in time. Your imagination is the only limit.
Developments
If you have only one point of divergence, you must assume that anything not related to the change will remain much the same. In my example, Arthur not dying in 1501 means he remains married to Katherine of Aragon (changed), his brother Henry enters the church as planned (changed) but his mother and father still die (in 1503 and 1509, respectively). This of course means that Arthur is King of England, Katherine is still Queen of England and Henry VIII isnt going to happen at least not yet.
Guesswork
Its pretty easy to start the obvious changes. If a major historical figure dies early, policies they pursued, inventions they created or religions they founded simply dont happen unless someone else has the same idea. If they die late, they can keep making policies and inventing things and developing theories. Would they have come across a detail years later that might have changed everything they believed in?
The smaller stuff can be harder. What happens to Henry, Duke of York when he enters the Church? A rich man with powerful relations in the Catholic Church would quickly rise high I make Henry a Cardinal. This puts him in all sorts of interesting historical places he wouldnt have been like the Conclaves following the deaths of Pope Leo X and Pope Adrian VI.
You also have to guess at things that there is no logic or formula to work by. Katherine of Aragon is known to history as he dowdy old woman who failed to produce a proper heir for Henry and was disgraced when he said she had been married to his brother. But if we imagine that the fault for the lack of strong, healthy children is Henrys then Katherine could have had many heirs for Arthur. Or not. Thats completely up to you.
And what happens to characters who are known to us for things they couldnt possibly do? Anne Boleyn, famously sweeping the heart of Henry VIII away from the woman hes not married to hmn well, I guess Anne is going down in alt. history as being the mistress of the cardinal instead.
Realism, people
You have the power to change anything, which can create any sequence of events. But for a really good alternative history, you need to be able to explain why Julius Caesar not dying in 44BC means the Roman Empire is still going strong in 2016. Its no good just to say because. And if your point of divergence is Henry, Duke of York murdering Arthur, you really need to explain how this means the Austro-Hungarian Empire made it to the Moon in 1943.
Thats just one of many lazy mistakes you can make. Another is to give one person or nation a ridiculous amount of power with no conceivable reason. King Arthur lives another forty years and he could, realistically, win wars against the usual English enemies of Scotland, France and Spain and theoretically take more land for the future United Kingdom. But he would not be able to take all of the Americas, Australia and Antarctica.
Realistic map if Nazis win WW2 (see full map)
Unrealistic map if Nazis win WW2 (see full map)
Not Into Writing?
You dont need to enjoy writing to explore alternative histories. You could just amuse yourself by drawing the alternative timeline. Or draw a picture of what the world would look like if Ancient Greek religion was still going strong in the early 19th century. Alter a map of the world to reflect the rise and fall of your empires. Whats the national anthem of the Greater Welsh Protectorate of Wessex? What fashions are prevalent in a world where Qing Dynasty emperors expanded and conquered as far as Finland? And if Arthur and Katherine have ten healthy children, who do they marry?
Save
Save
More than a dozen Morgan Hill Future Farmers of America pigs were injured after someone allegedly let them loose over the weekend, only a few weeks before the animals and their student caretakers are scheduled to participate in the county fair.
Morgan Hill FFA member Ellie Fisher said someone trespassed on the local Future Farmers of America farm at Live Oak High School on East Main Avenue overnight July 9, and opened the gates to the enclosure for all 15 pigs. When students showed up at the farm July 10, they saw the pigs running loose around the farm, suffering from various injuries.
Pigs are territorial animals, Fisher explained, and often fight when allowed contact with each other. Some of the pigs likely slipped repeatedly on a concrete floor located outside their enclosure while fighting. As a result, some of the animals are now having trouble walking, and almost all of them ended up with deep cuts and bruises.
Were hoping they will make a full recovery by the fair, which is in a few weeks, said Fisher, a junior at Live Oak and a Morgan Hill FFA member who raised one of the pigs since shortly after its birth in March. Her pig suffered the worst injuries, she added.
All 15 pigs are about five to six months old.
The Santa Clara County Fair will take place Aug. 4-7 at the county fairgrounds in San Jose. FFA members at Live Oak are hoping their injured pigs will be healthy enough by then to show them at the fairan annual highlight that FFA chapters throughout the county look forward to every year.
The students are certain that someone intentionally let the pigs loose, because the animals are enclosed behind a series of fences and gates. The pigs cannot open the gates themselves, Fisher added.
Police have been asked to patrol the area for any potential suspicious activity, and FFA members have asked the public for any information about the vandalism/trespassing.
It has more than two years and cost 5 million to reach the latest stage in the Competition and Markets Authoritys report on the retail banking sector and we are nowhere near the end.
As investigations go, thats neither lengthy nor expensive ask John Chilcott but one has to wonder whether the outcome is worth the time and expense. The most radical notion to emerge is that banks will have to set a maximum charge for unauthorised overdrafts. Set by the banks themselves, of course.
Alasdair Smith, leader of the CMAs investigative team, thinks competition between banks will push that maximum down. He thinks, rather naively in my view, that banks will not add sneaky charges on elsewhere to compensate. Rules to stop them doing so really would have been a welcome revolution.
He also wants bank customers to be alerted when they are in danger of becoming overdrawn. Since you can already check your bank balance easily on the computer, mobile phone or at a cash machine I suspect the people who are about to overdraw will do so anyway.
One further proposal is to make it easier to switch bank accounts. Currently only 3% of account holders do so each year and Smith regards pushing that up to 4% is a modest target. I think 4% is extremely ambitious. Given the lack of incentive for any bank to help a customer to move away, and the perception that all banks are pretty much as devious as each other, Im amazed that so many customers switch already.
I hold shares in two banks and feel absolutely no urge to sell. I just dont see the CMA proposals inflicting any damage on the major banks or curbing their modus operandi. As a bank customer I hope I am wrong. As an investor, I fear I am right.
Burberry Hides from the Press
Seasoned travellers will know that wherever you go in the world, however poor the country you are visiting, there are always some people who have money. People who can afford to buy stuff from Burberry (BRBY).
Alas, there dont seem to be so many of them about these days. Revenue for the year to March 31 was flat while profits were down and are likely to come in at the lower end of expectations in the current year.
It doesnt inspire confidence to read press reports that chief executive Christopher Bailey was willing to talk to analysts but not financial reporters. Newspapers dont have a god-given right to demand that people speak to them but in these cases they are a vital source of information for small shareholders, who have more rights than analysts.
Burberry shares have lost a third of their value over the past 12 months. One day the tide will turn as global recovery takes hold. However, I wouldnt bet on that happening any time soon.
Thomas Over-Cooked the Truth
I hate companies that cant be upfront with bad news and that old culprit Thomas Cook (TCG) is at it again. I would have had great sympathy for the travel company given that one of its most popular destinations, Turkey, has been badly hit by political events such as the refugee crisis and bomb attacks in Paris and Brussels have had an impact nearer home.
However, I cannot stand the contortions in the half year statement trying to hide the fact that full year profits will be at the lower end of forecasts despite reduced losses in the winter months. That suggests the summer months will be quite a struggle and once holidaymakers realise, they will hold back bookings in the hope of picking up late bargains.
Cook shares fell heavily on what looked, at first sight, quite a promising update. Crises seem to come around a little too often. Stay well clear.
Rodney Hobson is a long-term investor commenting on his own portfolio; his comments are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice.
By Laura Kane
VANCOUVER - The British Columbia government will support the city of Vancouver's request for a tax on vacant housing.
Finance Minister Mike de Jong has announced the legislature will meet July 25 to consider revisions to the Vancouver Charter that would allow the city to create and collect the tax.
De Jong said the levy is aimed at improving the supply of rental homes across Metro Vancouver's superheated real estate market.
"There's no question that, in addition to the conversations that we have been having about affordability with respect to the purchasing market, there are challenges for folks wanting to rent,'' he said at a news conference Monday.
"It is ultimately about supply. It is about trying to increase the supply of rental accommodation. You will know that that is something the province and the government take very seriously.''
A vacancy tax is a reasonable request to try to regulate the rental market while waiting for new construction to come online, he added.
De Jong said the province would also introduce legislative changes to end self-regulation of the real estate industry.
He and Premier Christy Clark announced late last month the province would revoke the privilege of self-regulation after a damning report concluded the sector had lost the public trust.
Mayor Gregor Robertson and de Jong met two weeks ago to discuss the city's demand for an empty homes tax. At the time, the mayor said that if the province wouldn't help, the city was prepared to go it alone and create a business tax using existing mechanisms in the charter.
A recent city-commissioned study found that about 10,800 homes were left empty for a year or more, most of them condominiums. The city's rental vacancy rate is 0.6 per cent.
NDP Housing critic David Eby said the province refused to take action on real estate prices over the last 12-week legislative session. The only reason the Liberal government is taking action now is because they're looking at poll numbers in Metro Vancouver, he said.
"The action they're allegedly taking is, as always, the absolute least that they could do,'' he said.
"They're asking the city of Vancouver to do their job of protecting their interests of Metro Vancouver residents who can't afford to buy a place, simply because they're unwilling to do it themselves.''
He said the government needs to take action to address the high price of housing elsewhere. Metro Vancouver cities including Burnaby, Richmond and Surrey have also seen dramatic price spikes.
Eby said the province has the tools to levy taxes on people who are using housing as an investment instead of a place to live, but they have failed to do so.
"To stand in front of a sign that says 'Taking action on housing affordability' when the complete opposite is true, after two years of pushing this government, is an insult to the residents of Metro Vancouver,'' he said.
Eby said he will have to see what de Jong puts forward in the legislature before he decides whether to support it.
The Canadian Press
Midlands WadeCo Specialties Inc., an oilfield services chemical company, has agreed to pay a little more than $439,000 in back wages and damages to 50 employees following a U.S. Department of Labor investigation.
Representatives with WadeCo did not return requests for comment.
Investigators with the Department of Labors Wage and Hour Division found the company had violated the overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act by incorrectly classifying service technicians and their billing support manager as exempt from the overtime requirements of the FLSA. The employer paid these workers flat salaries, without regard to the number of hours they actually worked. This practice resulted in violations when they failed to pay the workers overtime when they worked more than 40 hours in a week. The employer also failed to keep accurate time records as required by the FLSA.
To resolve the case, WadeCo will pay $219,515 in back wages and an equal, additional amount in liquidated damages for a total of $439,030 to 50 employees. In addition, WadeCo has reclassified the positions in question correctly as non-exempt, pays workers in those positions overtime, and now keeps records as required to comply with the FLSA.
In announcing results of the investigation, Betty Campbell, regional administrator for the Wage and Hour Division in the Southwest, said, Simply paying workers on a salary basis does not necessarily mean they are not due overtime. Failing to pay workers the wages they have rightfully earned will come at high cost to the employer. When employers fail to pay workers legally, it harms the workers and their families and puts law-abiding employers at a competitive disadvantage. The liquidated damages paid to workers in this case demonstrate that the division will continue to use every remedy available to ensure workers are paid what they have earned.
Since 2012, the Wage and Hour division has concluded more than 1,000 investigations nationally and recovered more than $40 million in back wages for more than 29,000 employees in an initiative focused on oil and gas and related industries.
Midland-headquartered XCOR Aerospace, Scotland-based Orbital Access and Glasgow Prestwick Airport are partnering to further pursue manned space launches.
According to a press release, the trio announced Tuesday at the Farnborough International Airshow their agreement to facilitate horizontal takeoffs and landings at Prestwick using XCOR's Lynx suborbital spaceplane, which is still in development.
Also in development is Prestwicks spaceport designation, which would be one of the first in the United Kingdom and Europe, according to the press release. That designation and the partnership, however, are critical steps in the early stages of port-to-port space travel.
Although the immediate model works for flights originating and ending locally, as the technology and global infrastructure evolves, one would expect point-to-point travel to be part of the future, XCOR CEO Randy Baker told the Reporter-Telegram in an email. This positions Prestwick very positively for the natural evolution of this segment.
The partnership, however, will also benefit Midland, which brought the upstart aerospace company to Midland from Mojave, California, through a Midland Development Corp. incentive deal. The city already has a spaceport, and while XCOR plans to launch and land its Lynx suborbital spaceplane in Midland, the city might be a stop for port-to-port space travel in the future.
You dont really have much of a business model if you can only launch and land at one spaceport, said City Councilman J.Ross Lacy. Its going to be a worldwide industry. Where I see it, supersonic travel and suborbital and the Lynx is going to play an integral role in that. Thats when youre talking about going from, say, the Houston spaceport to the Prestwick spaceport or the Midland spaceport; there might be a spaceport in Tokyo.
In commenting on XCORs latest partnership, Lacy who is also president of Midland Spaceport Development Corp. and is a member of the Texas Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee said the agreement shows that they are committed to expanding their brand worldwide. I, for one, commend them on that. This industry is evolving, and having international partnerships is key to the development of commercial space travel.
Speaking for MDC, board president Brent Hilliard told the Reporter-Telegram in an email that the development corporation is positive about the partnership.
The MDC views the recent announcement of XCORs strategic partnership with the Glasgow Prestwick Spaceport as a positive step forward in advancing the Lynx spacecraft. Looking at this from a long-term perspective, the ability of any given space company to launch from one location and land at another location effectuates global space transportation and in many ways will one day make low earth orbit space travel similar to that of aerospace travel.
Times havent recently been rosy for XCOR, however. The company announced several layoffs in late May. Baker said then that the company will shift focus to the final development of the revolutionary liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen (LH2) program, according to a previous Reporter-Telegram report. However, Baker said the Lynx program remains an important part of the companys future.
XCORs current focus on engine technologies was based on an assessment of the best use of resources for both the short-term and the longer-term objectives of the company, he said.
When asked Tuesday for an update, Baker said, The status of our Lynx programs and propulsion remain on track and consistent with our updates from May.
While there isnt a timeline yet for Lynx launches, the Prestwick effort will involve a wide array of operations including launch and, more specifically, XCOR operations, Baker said. We will be working to provide the Lynx program to Prestwick as soon as possible.
Under the memorandum of agreement, XCOR will provide the spaceplane, Prestwick will provide the facility and Orbital Access will be the operator, according to the press release.
In describing the vision for a global launch service using the Lynx, Orbital Access CEO Stuart McIntyre said, The Lynx represents a highly versatile manned spacecraft to service space research missions in zero gravity, and provide academics and industry with a unique and responsive research environment. It can also support leisure sub-orbital flights. This will complement our satellite launch systems, which are in development, and complete the suite of launch services Orbital Access will be offering at spaceports globally.
To Lacy, its possible Midland could forge international spaceport partnerships.
We want to be an integral part in the aerospace industry in the state of Texas, the U.S. and internationally, he said. But our No. 1 priority is expanding the presence here in Midland, but I can definitely see in the future where international partnerships are going to be integral to the overall expansion of what we do in Midland and what we do internationally.
XCOR splits development operations between Midland and Mojave. XCOR agreed to move its headquarters from Mojave to Midland in 2012 after agreeing to a $10 million incentive deal with Midland Development Corp., an economic development organization funded by the type 4A quarter-cent sales tax.
MDC agreed to pay $2 million in relocation costs, $3 million for costs and expenses associated with its property and $5 million for meeting its payroll requirements, according to the original agreement.
Texas Roadhouse on Loop 250 is among the chains restaurants across the state participating in a fundraiser Wednesday to honor the five Dallas police officers who were killed Thursday.
Ten percent of all proceeds from 4-10 p.m. will be donated to the organization, Assist the Officer Foundation.
Patricia Whitson, 24, was arrested at approximately 2:37 a.m. on July 7 on a charge of manufacturing and delivery of methamphetamine, a first-degree felony.
Moises Hernandez, 33, was arrested on July 7 on a charge of manufacturing and delivery of methamphetamine, a first-degree felony.
Midland will get its downtown convention center for the 21st century.
The Midland City Council on Tuesday approved a $42.8 million Midland Center project, which some believe will help transform the communitys downtown.
The project includes about 20,000 square feet in convention space and a 6,000-square-foot ballroom. It will be paid for by hotel-motel taxes currently in place.
City officials said the project should be completed by 2018.
The passage was a formality a 6-1 vote in favor, with Councilman Jeff Sparks voting against the project as expected. Sparks said before the vote that, although he could support a new convention center, he couldnt support the costs associated with the ballroom, which he said was $6 million, or $1,000 a square foot.
Those costs include the city of Midland writing a check to the Midland Chamber of Commerce for $1.7 million because the chamber has more than a decade on its lease. The chamber building will be demolished to make room for the new ballroom. Sparks said waiting on the ballroom would have been the more fiscally responsible move and would have given the city options in the future in deciding what was necessary for a Midland Center addition.
The City Council vote calls for authorizing the city manager to negotiate a contract with Lee Lewis Construction with a guaranteed maximum price of $33.139 million for construction of a Midland Convention Center Building and providing that the total cost for construction and associated work shall not exceed $42,839,259.
At-large Councilman Spencer Robnett, who previously joined Sparks in voting against the selection of construction manager at-risk, said he voted for the project because new hotel-motel tax numbers show the Midland Center debt to be more reasonable. City officials previously told the Reporter-Telegram that the city will spend as much as $12 million up front with excess hotel-motel tax revenue currently in reserves and then finance the rest over 25 years.
Mayor Jerry Morales said the new Midland Center will help deal with the needs of a growing population. He also said the new Midland Center will help recruit new events to Midland and will not impact the citys triple-A bond rating.
There are too many positives, Morales said before the vote. It is time to move forward with a vote for a center that keeps up with future needs for the next 20 to 25 years.
Chamber officials previously told the Reporter-Telegram that operations will increase as much as 50 percent. Currently, the city moves $824,000 in hotel-motel funding to the chamber for Midland Center operations.
Robnett said Midlanders will appreciate the transformative opportunity with Midland Center, Hotel Santa Rita and Centennial Plaza projects happening basically simultaneously downtown.
Between those three projects you are talking between $160 million in investment in the courthouse block, Robnett said.
Before the vote, longtime Midlander Don Sparks addressed the council and expressed his disappointment that Midland residents didnt have the opportunity to vote on the future of project, which carries a total project cost that is nearly as much as the Scharbauer Sports Complex when it opened.
During the meeting, City Council approved the execution of a contract with Advanced Environmental Services for asbestos abatement at Midland Center and the Midland Chamber of Commerce building. The city reports $57,200 has been appropriated for that contract.
The council also voted to authorize for bids for the demolition of Midland Center and the Chamber building.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) The nation's highest court will likely have to settle a dispute between Texas and New Mexico over management of water from the Rio Grande.
Officials in both states have been waiting for nearly a year for a recommendation on the handling of the case that could dramatically curb groundwater pumping in some of New Mexico's most fertile valleys and force the state to pay as much as $1 billion in damages.
Now, a special master assigned by the U.S. Supreme Court is recommending the rejection of a motion by New Mexico to dismiss the case, meaning it can move forward as long as the high court agrees.
Texas sued in 2013, claiming New Mexico failed to deliver water as required under a decades-old compact involving the river that serves more than 6 million people in several major cities and irrigates more than 3,100 square miles of farmland in the U.S. and Mexico.
New Mexico state Sen. Joe Cervantes, whose district includes the border region, said the special master's recommendation was not a surprise, and that he and a small group of lawmakers have been warning about potentially dire outcomes if Texas gains the upper hand in the legal battle.
Cervantes said the recommendation to let the case proceed seems to support demands by Texas for more water from the Rio Grande.
"A great deal more water delivered to Texas to make up for historic shortfalls seems to be a clear direction he's going," Cervantes said of the special master. "And since water won't make up for all of the shortfalls, we're looking at the risk of large financial damages."
The parties have a chance to respond to the special master before the Supreme Court weighs in on what is the latest legal battle over water to pit states against one another. Connecticut and Massachusetts, Nebraska and Wyoming, and New York and New Jersey all have been embroiled in water disputes over the decades.
The federal government has weighed in on the New Mexico-Texas case, arguing that pumping north of the border is tapping a shallow aquifer that would otherwise drain back into the Rio Grande and flow to Texas and eventually to Mexico.
Officials in Texas made similar claims about water shortages under the compact more than a decade ago. Irrigation districts that serve farmers on both sides of the border reached an operating agreement with the federal government in 2008 that shared the burdens of drought while ensuring everyone received water allotments.
Local water managers say the agreement worked even during the driest of times, but former New Mexico Attorney General Gary King insisted that it was more beneficial to Texas and sued over his concerns, setting the stage for Texas to take its complaints to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Current Attorney General Hector Balderas said New Mexico will continue to work diligently to protect state residents and their water supply.
New Mexico argues that its only duty under the compact is to deliver water to Elephant Butte Reservoir for storage for downstream users. It also argues that state law, not the compact, governs the distributions of water released from Elephant Butte within state boundaries.
Officials with the Elephant Butte Irrigation District responsible for funneling Rio Grande Project water to farmers and other users say the special master's report implies that the water is protected by the compact and federal law.
In his report, the special master suggested New Mexico has a "stunted interpretation" of the compact and that the state may not divert or intercept water it's required to deliver downstream.
The Rio Grande stretches from southern Colorado, through New Mexico and Texas and into Mexico. In recent years, stretches of the river have gone dry in New Mexico and flows often don't reach the Gulf of Mexico.
EDINBURG, Texas (AP) Border Patrol agents have rescued 35 immigrants from a stash house in South Texas.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials on Tuesday announced a suspected smuggler from Mexico was arrested. The 34 adults and one juvenile found Monday night at a home in Edinburg were turned over to federal authorities for processing.
Agents became aware of the stash house following a vehicle stop, when the driver acknowledged being the caretaker of the home.
Officers who were granted permission to search the residence found immigrants from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.
Authorities did not immediately provide additional information on the investigation.
ST. JOSEPH, Mich. (AP) A sheriff says two bailiffs and a gunman are dead at a western Michigan courthouse where a shooting happened.
Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey told WSBT television that a deputy sheriff was also shot but is in stable condition at Lakeland Hospital in St. Joseph.
Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry might have given Donald Trump a full-throated endorsement for president, but he is not so fond of the presumptive Republican nominees plan to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border.
In an exchange posted Monday with Snapchats Peter Hamby on the social networks political show, Good Luck America, Perry shot down Trumps proposal.
Im for Donald Trump, and he says were going to build a wall, the Mexicans are gonna pay for it, he said. Hamby then injected, Its not going to happen.
Well, its not, Perry agreed, adding it might not only in the literal sense. Its a wall, but its a technological wall, its a digital wall. There are some that hear this is going to be 1,200 miles from Brownsville to El Paso, 30-foot high, and listen, I know you cant do that.
During the early stage of this GOP presidential primary nominating contest last year, the real estate mogul made his proposal to build a border wall a centerpiece of his campaign. His controversial plan has been rebuked by both liberals and conservatives who have called it unrealistic. A recent poll by the University of Texas/Texas Politics Project found 52 percent of Texas registered voters said they either strongly or somewhat supported building a wall between the United States and Mexico.
Perry has long been a critic of building a wall or fence along the border. In 2011, during his first failed run for president, he called for strategic fencing along parts of the border.
If you build a 30-foot wall from El Paso to Brownsville, the 35-foot ladder business gets real good, Perry said at the time at a campaign stop in New Hampshire.
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Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pennsylvania) delivered this weeks Republican address, discussing the Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act in wake of the death of Kate Steinle.
Toomy was Tuesdays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here are his words:
Hi, Im Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. You know, for most Americans, last weekend included picnics, and fireworks, and Independence Day celebrationsbut one father marked the time quite differently. For Jim Steinle, last weekend marked the one-year anniversary of his daughters murder.
It was July 1, 2015 and Jim Steinle was walking arm-in-arm with his daughter Kate on a San Francisco pier. Suddenly a gunman opened fire, hitting Kate. She fell into her fathers arms. Her last words were, Help me, Dad, as she bled to death.
This tragedy was compounded by the fact that the shooter should never have been on the pier that day. He was a career criminal who had previously been convicted of seven felonies, and he was an illegal immigrant who had been deported five times.
Whats even more maddening is three months earlier, the San Francisco sheriffs office had the man in custody. Learning this, the Obama Administrations Department of Homeland Security asked the sheriffs office to hold himor at least notify them before releasing himso federal officials could pick him up. But San Francisco refused, and instead they released Kate Steinles killer. Why did they do that? Because San Francisco is a sanctuary city. It forbids its local law enforcement officers from cooperating with federal immigration officialseven when theyre trying to detain criminals.
As a father of three young children, I cant even imagine the pain that the Steinle family has had to endure, but sadly, they are not alone. An internal Department of Homeland Security memo revealed that during an eight-month period in 2014, sanctuary cities across America released 8,000 illegal immigrants, and 1,800 of them were later arrested for criminal acts. This included two cities that released individuals who had been arrested for child sexual abuse, and in both cases, the individuals were later re-arrested for sexually assaulting additional young children.
This policy makes absolutely no sense. Its no wonder officials from across the political spectrum and numerous law enforcement groups have criticized these dangerous sanctuary city policies. Even President Obamas Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson called the policies not acceptable and counterproductive to public safety.
These leaders understand this issue is not about immigration. It is about public safety. The vast majority of immigrants in America would never commit any such crimebut any very large group of people is going to include some terrible people within it. And with about eleven million illegal immigrants in our country, there will be some who are violent criminals.
It makes no sense to give those violent criminals any safe haven. Thats why I introduced the Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act. My legislation states that if a city chooses to be a sanctuary city, then it will not receive certain federal grants. Thats just fair.
Sanctuary cities impose terrible costs on our communities, on our country, including increased crime, and, tragically, lost lives like Kate Steinles. We should withhold some federal taxpayer dollars from these cities until they reverse course and start cooperating with federal immigration officials to prevent the release of these dangerous criminals.
Well, this week the Senate tried to take action on my legislation and indeed it was supported by a bipartisan majority, but unfortunately, a minority of the U.S. Senateled by Minority Leader Harry Reidblocked us from even debating the bill.
Its just outrageous and this must not stand. The safety of the American people is too importantthe lives of Kate Steinle and so many others are too importantto allow sanctuary cities to remain, and this is why I will continue fighting to protect our communities.
Im Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey. Thank you.
The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45.
Angels Camp, CA The founder O.A.R.S, George Wendt, has passed away.
The nationally acclaimed whitewater rafting company is based in Angels Camp, and in recent years Wendt was a recipient of the Adventure Travel Trade Associations Lifetime Achievement Award. The company was also twice recognized by National Geographic Adventure as the Best River and Sea Outfitter on Earth.
Wendt is also remembered for testifying before the Senate Subcommittee on River Preservation, and helping to create an ecotourism operation in Fuji.
To read more about Wendts life, click here.
O.A.R.s has released the statement below about the passing of Mr. Wendt.
George breathed his last at 1:36 pm on Saturday July 9th, by all appearances in comfort and with relief. Surely, he was loved by those in the room with him at the end, and by the many he touched with his gentleness and grace. George was a kind and humble man who seemed to take a genuine interest in everyone he met. He was a river pioneer, an adventure travel icon, and a conservation leader.
George found his calling as a college student on the rivers of the West in the summer of 1962. Thats when he and a friend built a raft out of inner tubes and planking and floated down the Colorado River through Glen Canyon. In the years that followed, as George continued to explore the canyons of the Colorado River and its tributaries, it became clear to him that these special places needed to be shared, fought for, and preserved for future generations. The drowning of Glen Canyon and then the Stanislaus River near his home in California had delivered a profound sense of loss for George; it became his calling to bring people into the wilderness and share with them his love for wild river canyons. As he often said, we save what we love and we love what we know.
George was an endlessly supportive father to two sons, Clavey and Tyler, a loving husband to his late wife Pam, and a role model, mentor, leader and inspiration to many more. We at O.A.R.S. are grateful for the kind words of support and encouragement during this difficult time.
Daniel Perez, SCC photo taken 6-22-2016 View Photos
Jamestown, CA An inmate who walked away sometime after a late-night security check is still on the lam, according to Sierra Conservation Center Baseline Camp officials.
Last seen in his dorm Sunday evening 34-year-old Daniel Perez was described by SCC officials as a minimum security inmate who, serving a 12-year sentence for burglary, was scheduled to be released in November 2019.
Providing the latest word on the incident, SCC spokesperson Lt. Fish states, Currently we do have agents for the California Department of Corrections who are continuing to look for inmate Perez. It is not believed that he is still in the area however the Department of Corrections will continue to work this case until this inmate has been recovered and brought back into our custody.
Certainly, Lt. Fish adds, If anyone has any information or sees anyone resembling the inmatethey are encouraged to contact us. The number at Baseline Camp is 209 984-4464. For a closer look at Perez, click into the left image box.
A West Melbourne family's struggle with their autistic teen just got a little easier thanks to some home improvement store employees and a little elbow grease.
It's go time for 15-year-old Jeffrey Schwartz "go kart" time, that is.
Jeffrey is autistic, so it's tough for his family to find things for him to do.
"We have a lot of struggles with him, and we are raising him for life," his mother, Lori Schwartz, said.
Jeffrey's stepfather bought a used go-kart, but it wasn't running right.
He brought it to the West Melbourne Home Depot Tool Rental, hoping an oil change would help.
"We were like, 'You know what, let's try and help this family out a little bit,'" said Chris Lopez, a Home Depot employee.
That's an understatement.
Over several days, Lopez and his coworkers transformed the old, beat up go kart into one as good as new.
"Helmet, water bottle, made it his own so he can enjoy it when he goes home," Lopez said.
It's freshly painted with Home Depot's trademark orange and black colors, of course.
There are also personalized touches, like a work vest with his name on it.
His stepfather took it on a test run in the parking lot. Then it was Jeffrey's turn to take it for a spin.
West Melbourne Home Depot workers look on at their handy work. (Greg Pallone, staff)
Until he gets some practice, Jeffrey's new buddies gave him a push without the engine running. The look on Jeffrey's face said it all.
"He doesn't smile much or show a lot of emotion, but we know this is for him," Schwartz said.
And for the handy heroes, it's more than all in a days work.
"I wish we could follow him home and see him go, but that's OK," smiles Lopez.
The family said they will record Jeffrey riding the go-kart at home, then show the workers his progress.
Public safety is the top priority in next year's budget for the city of Orlando.
Police, fire receive more money under 2017 proposed budget
The 2017 proposed budget is $423 million
Overall increase of 5.3 percent in 2017 compared to 2016
City leaders got the first glance at Orlando's 2016-2017 tentative budget during a workshop Monday afternoon.
"Public safety is job No. 1 for the city of Orlando," Mayor Buddy Dyer said. "As we've seen recently, we want to make sure that our police and fire have all the tools training and technology that they need to be successful."
Under the proposed budget, Orlando Police and Orlando Fire would receive more money to keep residents safe.
"Our two largest departments in the city of Orlando are police and fire, so it probably doesn't come as a surprise that they cover more than 50 percent of our general revenue budget," Dyer said.
The 2017 general fund budget would be much easier to handle because the city's property tax base has grown by 9 percent, Dyer said.
"As we continue to grow, there's the need for additional services whether that's police, whether it's fire, whether it's code enforcement," Dyer said. "But fortunately, the property (tax) revenues, whenever you are growing also increase to be able to cover those great services that we provide."
The $423 million proposed general fund budget calls for Orlando Fire to receive $100 million, which would be a 4 percent increase compared to the current budget.
Orlando Police would receive about $137 million, which is also a 4 percent increase.
Orlando Police Chief John Mina thinks the increase is necessary.
"Absolutely," Mina said. "The mayor and City Council it's no secret that public safety is their No. 1 priority, so absolutely it's necessary."
Mina said he wants to unfreeze 15 positions and roll out at least 100 body cameras by the beginning of next year.
"The timeline is pretty much going to remain the same," Mina said. "It's always been our timeline to have all of our first responders outfitted with body cameras in the next three years."
The 2017 proposed budget is $423 million. The 2016 adopted budget was $402 million. The 2017 budget would be an overall increase of 5.3 percent compared to 2016.
Two public hearings on the budget are scheduled for Sept. 15 and Sept. 26.
Investigators are searching for a killer in a triple homicide, which is the first in the history of Altamonte Springs.
Triple murder is a first for Altamonte Springs
One of the victims known to law enforcement
Police need help figuring out what happened
The victims were killed early Sunday morning at the Remington Inn and Suites off Douglas Avenue.
According to investigators it all happened on the second floor of Building 2. Around 3 p.m. Sunday, a maintenance worker passed by the room and noticed the door was wedged open. When he walked inside, Altamonte Police say he immediately noticed a woman dead in a chair.
Three people were found dead inside. Charles Simms Jr., 39, Germaine D. Deamus, 38, and Lisa Robbins, 49, were all shot to death.
"During our canvass we did come across several individuals who advised us that they heard some kind of an argument and then they described a popping noise around 4 a.m. that morning," said Lt. Robert Pelton with the Altamonte Springs Police.
Investigators believe the three victims knew each other, and said all three currently lived at the Extended Stay Inn.
We spoke with a man who lives at the Remington Inn and knew Charles Simms Jr. He told us he was too afraid to speak on camera because the killer or killers have not been arrested.
This man said Simms was known to have parties and sell drugs.
Investigators confirmed drugs are being considered in their investigation and Simms has been previously arrested by law enforcement.
"Remington Inn and Suites is one of our high call volume areas where drugs are known to be. So that is going to be a factor in this investigation to find out if that played a role in these killings," Lt. Pelton said.
Law enforcement is sifting through evidence and surveillance footage now. However they are asking for the public's help as well. Anyone with more information is asked to contact Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477).
Dozens of people marched through the streets of Sanford Monday evening to push for change and justice in the wake of police-involved shootings across the country.
Sanford march against police violence Monday
Police officers joined the march
Marchers prayed at local police station for change
After a week where tensions between people and police across the country have led to deadly violence, Sanford native Shantee Hall organized a peaceful protest in her hometown.
I havent seen this many police in Sanford unless its a tragedy, said Hall.
Hall says she was surprised by the generosity of the Sanford Police.
They said how can we help, said Hall. They showed up with water, we didnt even ask, to keep everybody hydrated.
Police blocked off several streets so the group could march to the police station, where people prayed for change.
That these judges, law officials, those that are sitting in high places, to see us people as human beings, dear God, said Star Lawrence, another Sanford native.
Several Sanford police officers joined with protestors in the march. The deputy chief says staying connected to the community is important.
We can always improve in our law enforcement activities, as well as the community trying to come together with us - share each other pains, heartaches, headaches, said Sanford Police Deputy Chief Darren Scott.
It means a lot to me, that theres hope, theres peace and theres unity in my community, said Hall.
And after a week where protests have turned violent, Hall hopes this peaceful showing will be a step towards change.
Thats a good start, said Hall.
Tuesday marks one month since 49 people died in the shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando.
United We Remember event in Kissimmee
Honors Pulse victims, survivors
Tuesday marks 1 month since the attack
And a few seconds later we heard another pap, pap, pap, and I am like that doesnt sound right," said Orlando Torres, a promoter for Pulse. He still wears the wristband he got at the hospital the morning of June 12.
Torres hid in one of the clubs bathrooms for hours, putting his feet up, so the shooter wouldnt see him. And the gunman came in shooting and struck some people on the back and I heard them moaning and screaming and breathing hard and going through it. We just managed to stay out of sight of the gunman. He never knew we were inside of that stall," Torres explained.
Fast forward to now, he was one of the 49 angels who filled the exhibition hall at the Osceola Heritage Park -- representing each life lost.
It's all part of United We Remember, an event put together by people in the Central Florida community. We need to support the family victims, we need to support our community. It doesnt matter if its Kissimmee or Orlando," said Yolie Cintron.
During the event we heard from religious leaders, first responders and performers. One of the artists, Brandon Parsons wrote a song: "Forty-Nine Times," what he calls a tribute to Orlando.
Parsons said it was the easiest and hardest song hes ever written. "You have to feel it. And thats why I wrote this song because I felt it. Even from miles and miles away I had to do something," Parsons said.
And while Torres is not sure when he will be ready to take off his wristband, he says its community events like these that help him cope with the pain.
We all hurt, we all bleed, we're all gods children. It just keeps us feeling loved and secured," Torres said.
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MERIDEN One local woman hopes to set a Guinness World Record with her collection of more than 600 hippopotamus-related items.
An official count Tuesday by impartial witnesses from the Cheshire-based Barker Character, Comic, and Cartoon Museum and the Beardsley Zoo totaled 604 unique hippopotamus-related items. They came in the form of hippopotamus salt and pepper shakers, a hippopotamus-studded belt, a bottle of red wine with a hippopotamus on the label, and plush hippopotamuses, among other items.
Becky Fusco, 29, whose collection will be evaluated by a Guinness World Record official in the coming weeks, said the phenomenon started with a single hippo in elementary school.
My friend brought in a bunch of animals for a project, and I reached in and grabbed this little hippo, Fusco explained. It was one of those things where it was so ugly it was almost cute. That sort of became my lucky hippo Id put it on my desk while I was taking tests, stuff like that.
The lucky hippo inspired friends and family to give Fusco gifts like hippopotamus-related Christmas ornaments, tote bags, baby clothes, and more. Her collection snowballed from there.
It was Fuscos husband, Jim, who first suggested that she might have a record number of hippo-related items. Some investigating revealed that there wasnt any record-holder for the category, so a Guinness World Record representative established a 500-item minimum to qualify for the record, Fusco said.
We started counting and after I got past 500 I wanted to try to get to 600, she said, laughing.
She did, inching just past it during an official count Tuesday. In order to be a certified record-holder from Guinness, Fusco needed witnesses to verify her inventory of items. Then shell send the signed inventories, along with video of their counting, photos of the collection, a cover letter, and certification that she owns the items to Guinness World Records.
To qualify for the count, items must be unique (no duplicates), and commercially available (nothing homemade), and of course, must have a hippo connection.
The official witnesses Tuesday included Jim Knox, curator of education at Connecticuts Beardsley Zoo; Chrissy Shore, educator at the Beardsley Zoo; and Judy Fuerst, Barker Museum curator.
Though all of Fuscos hippos were friendly-looking, Knox noted that the real thing can be quite the opposite if they feel their territory is threatened.
Herbivores native to Africa, full-grown males can weigh up to 7,900 pounds.
Theyre faster than humans on foot... and theyre used to protecting themselves and their young against Nile (River) crocodiles so theyre very capable animals, he said.
Hippos in fact hold the Guinness World Record for largest mouth among land animals.
Fuerst meanwhile, is something of an expert in collections. The Barker Museum houses more than 80,000 toys that span more than 150 years.
Anything in quantities takes on an importance that it doesnt have as an individual item, Fuerst said. Artistically speaking, you can appreciate how many different, beautiful forms it can take on. Who knew there were so many different ways to display hippos?
Fuerst speculated that there was a deeper motivation for collections.
I think to a certain extent theres a human instinct to accumulate things you like about you. Im much more interested in hippos after this, for example, she said.
For Fusco, there are individual memories attached to each item. Baby clothes with hippos on them remind her of their 11-month-old son, Jonathan, for instance. Christmas ornaments bring back memories of Christmases past. Two small glass hippos were items she purchased on a trip to New York City when she was younger.
While Fusco had considered opening a museum someday to showcase the collection and other collections of her husbands, she described that more as a pipe dream.
So I was very excited about getting the world record, she said. It gives them all meaning.
mcallahan@record-journal.com 203-317-2279 Twitter: @MollCal
SOUTHINGTON The Town Council decided to take no action on a plan for Southington to join a residential solar installation program that would have required the town to endorse a solar power installer.
That requirement and other aspects of the Solarize CT program led councilors to table the matter Monday amidst a host of questions and concerns.
SmartPower, a non-profit Washington D.C.-based marketing firm, presented the details of the program to the Town Council in June. SmartPower promotes the Solarize CT program, funded by the Connecticut Green Bank, which encourages residential solar energy.
Towns that have joined include North Haven, Fairfield, Hebron and Coventry.
A proposed agreement between Solarize CT and the town would have started education efforts concerning solar power, some of which would have been done by town employees.
Under the agreement, the town would also choose a preferred solar installer after interviewing different companies.
Several councilors spoke about their opposition to putting the councils weight behind one recommended installer.
We would be giving an advantage to one specific non-profit and one company, said Tom Lombardi, a Republican councilor. I dont believe that as a town we should get involved in the economics of this.
Town Manager Garry Brumback said choosing a preferred installer doesnt prevent residents from contracting with other companies. The recommended company would benefit from increased business and marketing, passing the savings along to residents.
Were having a request for proposal tailored to the needs of Southington. Thatll provide (the company) the economies of scale, Brumback said.
But councilors said they were worried about what would happen if residents had trouble with the installer recommended by the town. Chris Palmieri, a Democratic councilor, said its also difficult to know the best company for every home. Hes installed solar on his house and considered four different companies that didnt all offer the same thing.
I encourage residents to do their own research, he said. You really have to do your own homework to know whats best for you.
Town Council Vice Chairwoman Cheryl Lounsbury, a Republican, said she doesnt want the town to recommend a solar product when alternative energy technology is changing so rapidly. By endorsing a particularly company, the town could be locking residents into something thatll be outdated soon.
Now is not the time for us to be promoting one company, Lounsbury said.
Republican Councilor Ed Pocock III made the motion Tuesday night to table the matter indefinitely. Brumback said hell contact Solarize CT to determine whether aspects of the program that were palatable to the council, such as education forums on solar power, could be kept while other aspects such as endorsing a vendor could be avoided.
Solarize CT and SmartPower didnt return calls for comment Tuesday.
jbuchanan@recordjournal.com 203-317-2230 Twitter: @JBuchananRJ
After a variety of experiences gained through a collection of libraries, Alexandra Klaus is ready to settle in with one title: the new Childrens Librarian at the Durham Public Library.
Klaus, who goes by Miss Alex for the kids, said she has been welcomed by the community since her start in the last week of May.
I wouldnt have taken this job if everyone [here] wasnt ridiculously nice, Klaus said, They did their part in convincing me I wanted to work here.
Before she started, other librarians put pictures of Klaus up in the childrens area, announcing her arrival and parents have been bringing their children in to meet the new librarian.
The community is so welcoming, Klaus said.
Raised in Glastonbury, Klaus went to Temple University, but graduated from UConn with a classics degree and got her Masters of Library Science from Southern Connecticut State University.
After graduation, Klaus worked at several different libraries with multiple titles as she searched for a full time job. She worked at the Guilford Smith Library in South Windham. At the small library, she wound up doing a bit of everything, covering childrens programming, teen programming and adult programming, cataloging and reference, and filling in for the Director when needed. There was only one desk so I sat there, Klaus jokes.
She also worked part time as the Teen Librarian at the Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library in Old Lyme.
At the Cora J. Belden Library in Rocky Hill, she worked as a part time Reference Librarian and began a shift to childrens programming.
For one month, Klaus held three part time library jobs at once, before shifting full time at Rocky Hill as a Library Assistant. Originally, she thought she would be a teen librarian but discovered a knack for childrens programming. Whenever she had opportunities to gravitate towards childrens programming, she took them. It helped me learn all about childrens libraries so I could come here, Klaus said.
The job description was intimidating, but Klaus wanted to try. They had a laundry list of things they needed ... but you never know unless you go out for something.
Before her interview, Klaus, who now lives in Middletown, researched Durham online. After more than a month in town, Klaus is getting to know Durham in person, noting, Its really ingrained in the community to appreciate the services we provide, which is so nice. I dont have to convince a lot of people to go to the library, theyre already coming so I have to offer them something worth coming to.
Klaus is excited to continue some of the popular childrens programming like Saturday story time and Lego Robotics and also wants to try new things, saying, Im really throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks.
Klaus wants to experiment with timing, types of programs, and registration logistics to see what works best. The current trends in childrens libraries is to incorporate STEM and STEAM programming. Klaus said she would like to try that, and also possibly build a minecraft club and a Crazy 8s math group. Im trying to incorporate the kids in the middle [5-6] grades that sometimes get missed.
An avid reader, Klaus keeps up with childrens books, but also explores a range of books as a reader on the High School Nutmeg Committee. The Childrens Librarian position in Durham covers children from birth to grade six. Motioning to the shelves in the childrens area, Klaus said, There are actually three or four collections here.
As she continues to settle in, Klaus said the one thing she would like the community to know about her is I really want to talk to you all the time - its way more interesting that whatever Im doing.
A group of activists filed a notice of intent Tuesday to mount a recall campaign against Mayor Libby Schaaf, saying she has failed to look out for African Americans, Latinos and poor people in Oakland.
Shes not a mayor who cares about the lifeblood of this city shes just catering to new people who want to move here, said Cat Brooks, a staunch critic of the mayor and co-founder of the Anti Police-Terror Project, the group that is leading the effort.
Key findings of panel
An ad-hoc panel of three retired judges made 72 findings and 81 recommendations after a yearlong review of bias in the San Francisco Police Department. The report can be found at sfblueribbonpanel.com. Some of the panels conclusions are as follows:
Police do not consistently collect, study or publicly share racial data on officers stops.
The department does not strongly track or evaluate how officers are disciplined.
When police shoot somebody, the district attorneys office is often not notified in a timely manner so it can open an investigation.
The internal affairs division is not respected within the department, making disciplinary investigations more difficult.
Some officers believe white officers receive lesser discipline than black officers.
Complaints to the civilian Office of Citizen Complaints rarely result in consequences, and when they do, they are mild.
No outside agency regularly audits the police force. The panel recommended creating an Office of Inspector General to audit both the Police Department and the Office of Citizen Complaints.
The department too often yields power to the police union, which has historically resisted reform.
The Police Commission should review department general orders on a regular basis, and police officials should make all departmental bulletins publicly available online.
The police force does not routinely take action based on an early intervention system that uses a point system to track officers who may be on a path toward significant misconduct. In 2015, 156 officers were the subject of alerts, with two having eight or more and 15 with five or more alerts. Only nine officers received an intervention.
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BETHEL Tony Heslin wants a reputation and hes well on his way toward getting one.
Im a huge music fan so I wanted a place that had a reputation for offering good, live music, and good food and drink, Heslin, a Danbury native, said. I created a vision of a place that Id want to go to and that guided me along the way.
The result is Note Kitchen Bar, which opened last month at 227 Greenwood Ave. in Bethel. The music motif is evident throughout the restaurant as photos and paintings of music stars grace the walls of the 1850s home on the tree-lined street.
Note has live music four nights a week and also during its already popular Sunday brunch. The music, mostly light rock or blues, is played at a volume so that patrons can still enjoy conservation with their meal.
Heslin counts the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and Grateful Dead among his favorites.
The fare is American cuisine with elements of international influences, Heslin said, and is made largely with locally sourced food. Heslin, along with executive chef and sommelier Michael Mick Cokeley, are also happy to offering craft beer or wine pairings.
Its been great so far, Heslin said. Dinner has been very busy. Lunch has been up and down, and the Sunday brunch is doing well.
Heather Hansen ONeill, the new president of the Bethel Chamber of Commerce, has sampled the food and highly recommends the buffalo cauliflower.
Note is a wonderful new restaurant with friendly waitstaff and excellent food, ONeill said. The success of these new restaurants and businesses is very good for the Bethel community overall and Im thrilled to welcome them.
It is Heslins first venture into the restaurant business and he said giving back to the community was a priority of his from the beginning. Note Kitchen Bar donates 2 percent of its profits to local food charities. A former Army officer, he also offers a 10 percent discount to veterans. Note Kitchen Bar employs about a dozen people.
I was in corporate American, working in logistics and supply chain. I just wasnt happy doing it anymore. I had good positions but I wanted to get out. I didnt find it rewarding anymore, he said. I work harder here than I ever did in my life and I find it very rewarding.
Cokeley worked in the New York Mercantile Exchange and traded in that profession to study wine. He holds several wine and food certificates and graduated from the International Culinary Center.
Heslin looked throughout the area for the right place to open his first restaurant. He liked the location and look of 227 Greenwood Ave., the former location of 227 Wine Bar, which closed in May 2015. Heslin did a major renovation, including putting in a new kitchen and updating the basement for food storage. The renovation took about three months, he said.
It was pretty significant, Heslin said of the renovation. Its a small kitchen and we couldnt make it any bigger so we got creative with the equipment.
Note Kitchen is open for lunch 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Sunday brunch is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
cbosak@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3338
A retired San Francisco Muni operator suspected of molesting at least five girls surrendered to authorities last week after detectives searched his home and found evidence of the abuse, police said.
Daniel Miranda, 66, of Pescadero, was booked on multiple counts of child molestation Wednesday afternoon, said Det. Sal Zuno, a San Mateo County Sheriffs Office spokesman.
Miranda was a former Muni operator, but his occupation was not relevant to the abuse investigation, Zuno said.
Authorities served a search warrant at Mirandas home in the 4900 block of Pescadero Creek Road on Wednesday, where investigators found evidence linking him to the child molestation, Zuno said. Police would not disclose the nature of the evidence.
After the search, Miranda accompanied by a lawyer turned himself in at the sheriffs office.
The sheriffs office had previously investigated Miranda in November 2014 after the department learned from San Mateo County Children and Family Services that a child said Miranda molested her, police said.
At that time, investigators could not file charges against Miranda because there was not sufficient evidence.
The case was reopened in June 2016 after the sheriffs office learned another girl said she was molested by Miranda. This time, investigators discovered three more victims, all pre-teens or teens at the time of the molestation, police said.
The alleged abuse occurred at Mirandas Pescadero home between 1999 and 2013, authorities said. Police suspect there may be additional victims and urge them to come forward.
We understand that this can be very difficult for females to go through, Zuno said. Victims also have rights, and we want to help them through this.
Miranda was being held at Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City on $6.4 million bail. Anyone with information on the case or potential victims can call Detective Joe Cang at (650) 259-2417 or email him at jcang@smcgov.org.
To remain anonymous, call the sheriff offices tip line at: (800) 547-2700.
Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno
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Friendswood police busted a bash in that Houston suburb last week, arresting a handful of teens and one of their mothers.
In the early morning hours of July 7, a Friendswood police officer noticed a disturbance at a house in the 500 block of Stadium Lane. It turned out to be was an underage drinking party, the department reported.
RELATED: Several Friendswood teens arrested after allegedly jumping into flooded creek to evade police
We know how this usually plays out, but in this instance there was more to the story.
According to police, the garage door of the home was wide open with alcohol and drug paraphernalia in plain view.
A mother, Janna Marie Soler, 38, was hosting the birthday party for her son, Marcus Anthony Soler, 20.
Police made entry into the residence, discovering more drugs and alcohol, along with various underagers. The Solers were soon taken into custody by Friendswood police.
Marcus Soler told KPRC-TV that his mother was not part of the party but had stayed in her bedroom the entire time. He had told her that the party would be tame and free of illicit substances.
RELATED: Police bust teen party bus stocked with booze, drugs
Police found two party-goers sitting near lines of crushed up Xanax pills with a dollar bill ready to be used to snort the lines. Those suspects, Elias Cade Ybarra, 21, of Porter, and Jeremy Douglas Taylor, Jr., 17, of Friendswood were both taken into custody.
Its alleged that Ybarra had up to 49 Xanax pills in his possession. Hes been charged with possession of a controlled substance in Penalty Group 3
Another young man, Devon Mitchell Bauman Garcia, 20, of Houston, was arrested and charged with possessing alcohol and also interfering with the duties of a public servant. Its alleged that Garcia was trying to create a diversion to distract police from identifying party-goers at the scene.
RELATED: Friendswood teen arrested twice in 24 hours
Another minor, Alejandro Enrique Mendez, 19, of Friendswood, was charged with consuming and possessing alcohol.
Soler told KPRC-TV that he takes full responsibility for the party at his home and that he and his mother learned a lesson that morning.
Four humpback whales who may have been lured by a school of herring paid an early morning visit to San Francisco Bay on Sunday and delighted a group of kayakers by rising majestically from the deep right next to their tiny vessels.
It was enchanting and entrancing, said kayaker Lyrinda Snyderman of Berkeley, who captured the encounter on her video camera.
The rare bay visit from the black ocean-going giants lasted more than half an hour. During that time, the whales repeatedly dived and lunged for food.
Ive seen them in the ocean but never in San Francisco Bay, Snyderman said. It was such a thrill. You could see their noses actually touching as they rose from the bay like Polaris missiles.
Snyderman, a 68-year-old retired architect, set out from Sausalito with three fellow members of her kayaking club, the Petaluma Paddlers. They spotted a flock of birds close to the water as they rounded Angel Island and they suspected a whale might be nearby.
The kayakers lingered about 100 yards from the birds and waited.
We definitely did not want to be overturned, Snyderman said.
The whales did not seem to mind the presence of their human observers as they continued to gather up the smaller fish.
Were insignificant to a whale, Snyderman said. Were nothing to them. People think whales love us. Thats human hubris. A whale is just going about his business.
Snyderman said she has been kayaking since she was 7 but never had an encounter like this one.
Kayaking is the best way to get up close to wildlife, she said. Its quiet. Its interactive. In a kayak, youre just another piece of jetsam.
Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com
NORWALK Peter Thor, a long-time union advocate as well as pillar and parliamentarian of the Norwalk Democratic Town Committee, died Saturday. He was 74.
Thor passed after a long-term, and valiant, struggle with cancer, wrote town committee Chairman Edwin Camacho in an email to committee members Monday.
Camacho extended condolences to Thors wife and family and noted his work for the town committee, Democratic State Central Committee and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 4, a union representing more than 32,000 members. Thor served as director of policy and planning for Council 4.
Peter was a strong advocate for a single payer approach to healthcare and was deeply committed to the vital role that unions have played, and must continue to play, in improving the lives of all workers whether or not they belonged to a union, Camacho wrote. Most of all, he believed that unions have a unique role to play in getting out the vote and communicating with their members about the issues and importance of that vote.
Speaking Tuesday, Camacho described Thor, a District C Democrat, as the town committees parliamentarian because of his extensive knowledge of the partys rules.
At meetings if there was a dispute as to procedure, I turned to Peter for his ruling, Camacho said. When I first became chair(man), he made a point to reach out to me to transfer whatever institutional knowledge that he had to me and he didnt have to do that. Thats his commitment.
Thor worked as a surveyor in Norwalk Department of Public Works before retiring. He served on the Democratic State Central Committee at the time of his death and was treasurer of the local town committee. He chaired the committee for one term in the 1990s.
Local Democrats on Tuesday praised Thor for his contributions to the local Democratic party.
Former Mayor Alex Knopp described Thor as a close friend with whom he worked closed on political and city issues.
He was the kind of rudder of the Norwalk Democratic Party, always trying to find a way to steer us in the right direction, whether he was in leadership or not, Knopp said. His experience on municipal issues through his union work meant that he was very insightful about making recommendations.
Knopp said he and Thor co-chaired the town committees rules committee, which moved successfully last year to increase the committee from 35 to 55 members.
Donna I. King, city clerk and former Norwalk Democratic Town Committee chairwoman, traced her work with Thor back to the 1970s when they worked to bring new members to the party as part of a group called Reform Democrats.
King said Thor served the town committee in many capacities over the years.
He has served a treasurer, he has served as secretary, King said. Having Peter on the executive committee of the town committee has always been extremely valuable to any chair(man) who has served.
Information regarding memorial services for Thor remained pending, Camacho said Tuesday afternoon.
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SAN ANTONIO - Gov. Greg Abbott, whose legs and feet were burned by scalding water in a vacation accident, was admitted Monday to San Antonio Military Medical Center's burn unit after doctors found he had developed what his office called a "minor infection."
Abbott will undergo skin grafts under local anesthesia Tuesday to repair burns on both feet. The governor's office said it expects him to be discharged and return to Austin afterward.
A longtime burn specialist, Dr. Basil Pruitt, a professor of surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center, called the revelation of an infection worrisome but added, "The fact that they anticipate discharge after application of skin grafts under local anesthesia suggests that it is not heavily infected and that the surgery will not be of a major category."
Pruitt, who is not treating Abbott, said he didn't know how deep or widespread the burn is or how it has been treated.
The decision to admit Abbott came after an outpatient visit Monday afternoon at Brooke Army Medical Center, which serves as the Defense Department's sole burn treatment facility. Abbott, 58, suffered second- and third-degree burns to his lower legs and feet in the accident Thursday.
The hospital treats civilians admitted to its emergency room but does not take them for outpatient examinations of burns that are not potentially fatal unless an exception is granted by the secretary of defense or another high-level federal official. That happened in Abbott's case, SAMMC spokesman Dewey Mitchell said.
The governor's office has not explained how the accident occurred while Abbott was vacationing at a lodge in Jackson Hole, Wyo. His deputy press secretary, John Wittman, described Monday's examination as an important "checkup" because "infection is certainly a concern" for Abbott, a paraplegic. Abbott has used a wheelchair since a tree fell on him while jogging in 1984, paralyzing him below the waist.
"As a result of today's news, and regretfully, Governor Abbott will not be able to attend tomorrow's memorial service at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas," the governor's office said in a statement Monday. "In his place, first lady Cecilia Abbott will attend. Further decisions on Governor Abbott's schedule continue to be day-to-day."
Hectic trip to Texas
Abbott rushed back to Texas following Thursday night's sniper shootings that left five police officers dead and seven wounded in Dallas. He appeared at a news conference Friday, and checked into St. David's Medical Center in Austin the next day. Abbott was being treated there when he took a call from President Barack Obama, who expressed condolences for the loss of the officers.
Abbott did not tell Obama he had been injured, Wittman said.
Though Wittman said the governor is expected to make a full recovery, he did not know if Abbott would attend the upcoming Republican National Convention in Cleveland, saying, "That is still up in the air, as his schedule is day-to-day."
Much will depend on the extent and depth of his burns, as well as his age. All are factors that affect complications and mortality.
Abbott has suffered burns to two layers of his skin - the epidermis and dermis. Just how much of his skin was burned hasn't been made public.
The epidermis is the outer layer of the skin and normally a barrier to bacterial invasion. The dermis is a thick layer of living tissue below the epidermis that contains blood capillaries, nerve endings, sweat glands and hair follicles.
Mitchell, the medical center's spokesman, said the center would have no comment on the governor's case. Pruitt also declined to speculate on how doctors might control the infection but said the governor was in the right place for care.
Second-degree, or partial-thickness, burns usually have blisters, with the focus of treatment on preventing them from becoming infected. Full-thickness, or third-degree, burns run deeper into the skin and harm the underlying connective tissue between the dermis and fibrous covering of the muscles, preventing healing.
Topical anti-bacterial creams that include Sulfamylon and silver sulfadiazine are used to prevent infection after a burn, but operations are often done to remove damaged or dead tissue when there is more severe injury, said Pruitt, a former longtime commander of the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, which pioneered advances in burn care that have dramatically reduced deaths due to infections.
Advanced treatments
Skin grafts are applied to improve the way the injured area looks and functions. Microcyrstalline silver nylon fabrics are often applied to the burn.
The combination of cutting out dead or dying tissue and using anti-bacterial ointments and nylon fabrics soaked in silver nanoparticles, developed in part by the Institute of Surgical Research during the 1960s and 1970s, has led to "a tenfold reduction in the occurrence of invasive infection as a cause of death in burn patients," Pruitt said.
Health professionals from across the state are gathering at the 2016 Aging in Texas conference this week to learn how to deal with a wide range of issues affecting the growing senior community, from concerns over dementia and finances to LGBT and aging research.
The conference started Tuesday and continues through Friday at the Wyndham San Antonio Riverwalk.
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The Air Force said Tuesday that an airman died while training last week at Camp Bullis.
Airman 1st Class Kenneth Sturgill, 21, of Livermore, California, was attending Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Selection School when he was found unresponsive during a safety check Thursday by one of his instructors.
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DALLAS - President Barack Obama challenged Americans to open their hearts to each other at an interfaith service Tuesday honoring five Dallas officers whose deaths occurred against the backdrop of national racial turmoil.
Obama, lauding the officers who died and other police on duty at the peaceful protest targeted by a sniper, said they showed the best of the country.
But he said he has seen the inadequacy of his words in attending memorials for too many violent events, saying its undeniable that racial bias continues despite progress.
In the end, its not about finding policies that work, its about forging consensus and fighting cynicism and finding the will to make change. Can we do this? . I dont know. I confess that sometimes I, too, experience doubt, said Obama Ive been to too many of these things.
He said Americans must pray for a new heart for each of us, understanding the need to address bias but knowing those who advocate violence in response are undermining their own cause.
Obama spoke from a stage at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center that was decorated with white flowers, ferns and large photographs of the five officers: Patricio Zamarippa, Michael Smith, Michael Krol and Lorne Ahrens of the Dallas Police Department, and Brent Thompson of Dallas Area Rapid Transit.
The officers were killed last week by a sniper at the end of a demonstration over the police shooting deaths of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota, the latest in a line of such incidents.
Before he was killed following failed police negotiations, the sniper said that he was upset about those shootings and that he wanted to kill white people, especially white officers, according to the Dallas police chief.
Obama said he saw the promise of change in an audience that included those who wept both for the deaths of police and for the deaths of black men in police encounters.
I see whats possible when we recognize that we are one American family, all deserving of equal treatment. Thats the America I know, he said.Obama was accompanied by his wife, Michelle, at the ceremony attended by dignitaries of both parties from across the state and country, their disparate views driving home his message of the need for unity.
A case in point was U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a harsh critic of Obama and other Democratic leaders, who flew on the presidents plane to the ceremony along with Democrats including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.
Former president George W. Bush, who attended with his wife, Laura, drove home the message of unity while saying for Dallas residents like them, the tragedy amounted to five deaths in the family.
At our best, we honor the image of God we see in one another, Bush said. At our best, we know we have one country, one future, one destiny.
pfikac@express-news.net
Twitter @pfikac
The capital's annual summer festival will begin on Friday at 11 parks along the Han River for over a month until Aug. 21.
Some 80 programs are to be offered, including water fights in Yeouido, a giant water slide in Ttukseom and a paper boat race across the Han River.
Revelers can also join night-time events where they can run while listening to electro dance music or walk along the river while enjoying Seoul's night view.
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SAN ANTONIO One World Conservation, a locally based animal rights group, submitted a formal complaint to two federal agencies last week requesting investigations into the acclimation of two elephants at the San Antonio Zoo.
The group shared a file of their complaint on Facebook, which details seven complaints and concerns regarding the zoo's elephants, "Lucky" and "Nicole." The latter, a 40-year-old elephant, was added to the zoo exhibit through a partnership with Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation on June 27.
The complaint was filed with the United States Department of Agriculture and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on July 6.
RELATED: San Antonio Zoo brings in new elephant through partnership with Ringling Bros.
OWC claimed in their USDA complaint that the exhibit "does not provide the space nor the facilities to properly integrate elephants."
"That particular unit was known to have been exposed to tuberculosis (TB), a zoonotic and particularly infectious and dangerous disease amongst elephants," OWC's CEO Karrie Kern said in a news release on July 7. "We are concerned that Nicole may have a latent strain of TB that could become active down the road and infect Lucky and/or their keepers or other visitors in close contact at the zoo."
Brian Carter, vice president of marketing and communications at the zoo, told mySA.com on July 8 that each elephant has been vetted and have not tested positive for TB.
RELATED: Couple visiting San Antonio Zoo gets photobombed by elephant
"I think where they're (OWC) coming from is a place of peace, but I would love for them to focus on facts," Carter added. "We're in the business of taking really good care of our animals, these animals have to be thriving."
Carter insists the zoo is "meeting and exceeding" the standards and recommendations approved by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
He also noted that it is "nothing out of the ordinary" for the San Antonio Zoo to work with the USDA and any visitors prompted by the OWC's complaint will be "welcomed."
Justin Harrington, Freedom of Information Act specialist for the USDA, told mySA.com on July 12 that an inspector in the San Antonio area was notified "right away" following the submission of OWC's complaint, as agency protocol.
Next, either the inspector or designated "elephant team" will pay the zoo a "surprise visit." If conditions are satisfactory, a supervisor will sign off on the investigation and it will be closed.
If the supervisor of the inspection does not agree, a regional director will be involved to decide what kind of action is needed, Harrington said.
RELATED: 21 wild facts and characters behind the historical San Antonio Zoo
"While it's clear that One World Conservation has an interest in Lucky and Nicole's well being, we challenge their credentials and expertise in animal care and conservation work," Carter said in a statement. "Our elephants are supported by teams of animal care specialists, multiple veterinarians and vet technicians, and no organization cares for these two elephants more than we do."
In addition to the complaint, OWC is hosting a protest on July 24, publicized as a "big one" in comparison to past demonstrations in regards to the zoo's elephant exhibit.
mmendoza@mysa.com
Twitter: @MaddySkye
Q. We just purchased a new home that is built in the middle of an old pecan orchard. The trees are large and very beautiful. What care do we have to provide them to ensure that they produce nuts each year?
A. A commercial pecan orchard would apply nitrogen fertilizer to the soil each year and zinc to the foliage. There are also a number of insect sprays recommended starting with dormant oil in the winter and other sprays through the spring and summer. Irrigation is another issue. To maximize nut production the trees require upwards of 1 inch of water each week in the growing season. It may not be practical for a homeowner to conduct such a care regime. If you want to explore it further confer with your Texas A&M AgriLife Extension agent.
It is probably more practical to do without irrigation and a spray program and just collect the nuts that are produced and fall to the ground. The size of the crop will vary based on rainfall.
Q. What are some of the best plants we can plant to provide nectar and caterpillar food for butterflies?
A. Blue mistflower, zinnias, cosmos, vitex, poinciana, esperanza, Fanicks phlox, duranta, penta, salvias, lantanas, and thyrallis are all blooming now. Passion vine, dill, canna, flame acanthus, and citrus provide egg-laying sites for specific species of butterflies. To contribute to the effort to restore the Monarch population plant milkweed for the nectar and as food for caterpillars. Plant native milkweeds if you can find them. Tropical milkweeds have the most attractive flowers and are excellent nesting sites. They are available at most nurseries. A key to maximizing butterfly populations in your landscape is to offer nectar plants 12 months of the year. Visit plantanswers.com for lists of nectar plants in my archived articles.
Q. Our crape myrtles are not blooming yet. Is it because the mildew on their leaves is preventing the bloom? Is there anything we can do by way of fertilization or pesticides?
A. Every variety of crape myrtle has a different pattern and length of bloom based on its genetics and its reaction to the environment. To have blooms, all varieties must put on new growth. Did your plants put on new growth? If not, some slow release lawn fertilizer and irrigation may help future blooming. Powdery mildew will delay bloom. Now that the rains have stopped the mildew will be less of an issue. A fungicide spray probably wont help. Next time you buy crape myrtles, obtain the varieties that are mildew resistant.
Q. At what level should I mow our Bermuda grass? We mow high and it does not look as good as I expected.
A. Mow it low at 1.5 inches or less and mow frequently. The idea is to train it to produce its leaf surface low. It only works if the Bermuda is mowed before it grows to 2.25 inches.
Q. Why have our tomatoes quit ripening? They turn white on the vine but not red!
A. The hot weather interferes with sugar production and ripening. It is time to pull your spring tomatoes in favor of new transplants for the fall. Pick all the white tomatoes and let them ripen in the house.
Horticulturalist Calvin Finch, Ph.D., recently retired from the Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resources. Send questions to him at calvinrfinch@gmail.com
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El Paso police officers arrested 11 people last week who allegedly vandalized a public lights display by stealing bulbs from the location.
The department arrested and charged seven adults and detained four minors on offenses ranging from criminal trespassing to theft. The following individuals were arrested:
RELATED: San Marcos residents arrested for allegedly defacing Enchanted Rock summit near Fredericksburg
Miguel Perez, 17, of El Paso; Victoria Sanchez, 18, of El Paso; Alejandro Mora, 20, of El Paso; Javier Castro, 18, of El Paso; Oscar Valdez, 17, of Fort Hancock; Gabriel Gonzalez, 17, of Fabens; Sabrina Gonzalez, 17, of Fabens; and four 16-year-old males, according to a news release.
Six people are charged with theft, while all are charged with criminal trespassing.
Police became aware of the situation after posts were made on social media, with the incident allegedly occurring on June 30, the news release said.
El Paso police say all of the stolen light bulbs have been recovered.
RELATED: Off-duty El Paso Police officer charged with DWI after fatal crash near Austin
The lights display, called the Star on The Mountain, was built by the El Paso Electric Company in 1940. At the time, it was only 50 feet wide and could barely be seen on the Carlsbad Highway. A larger star was then built in 1946 to make the display look better, according to the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce.
The display on the southern end of the Franklin Mountains is illuminated throughout the year.
El Paso Electric, on its website, says the first star was built by the utility in 1940 and measured about 50 feet wide. Later versions of the star led to a display of about 460 feet by nearly 380 feet, using about 150 lights.
RELATED: Former El Paso County sheriff's deputy acquitted of murder
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
twhite@mysa.com
Twitter: @tylerlwhite
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A heavy set man in women's clothing robbed a Southeast Texas bank over the weekend and authorities are asking the public for help in identifying the suspect who was caught on camera in a black wig and a red top.
RELATED: Dramatic video shows hotel clerk fight off robbery suspects on spree in San Antonio
Officials refused to say how much the man took from Prosperity Bank in Victoria, about 115 miles southeast of San Antonio, on Saturday. Authorities are actively looking for leads in the heist.
RELATED: SAPD searching for robbery suspect who threatened to kill clerk at Valero
Investigators grabbed stills from surveillance footage and determined the culprit was disguising himself as a female, sharing those photos of the surveillance footage to the Victoria Police Department Facebook page.
Crime Stoppers established a $10,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest.
RELATED: SAPD: Teen girl lured man to West Side motel for paid sex as decoy for robbery
Those with information are asked to call Victoria Crime Stoppers at 361-572-4200.
MMedina@mySA.com
Twitter: @MariahMedinaaa
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Marciano Millan Vasquez, 46, who is facing an array of federal charges, until Monday had seemed a footnote in the testimony at his trial here, which focused on others within the Zetas drug cartel.
But that changed when a witness, an Austin drug trafficker, said Millan had nonchalantly described some recent messy business he had taken care of killing a cartel money-delivery man because he was cooperating with U.S. law enforcement.
The trafficker testified he rode with Millan in 2014 to pick up a gun and that Millan described how he put a bullet in the head of the informant, Rodolfo Gordo Reyes Jr., after giving the doomed man a line of cocaine to snort and giving him some time to pray then cut up the body and burned it.
Did he say he did that to other people? Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Galdo asked.
Yes, the trafficker replied. He said that he cut them up and burned them.
Asked for more details, the witness continued: He told me that the smell from the grease on the burned body took three days to dissipate, and you had to throw your clothes away because of the stench.
Mondays testimony described just one of at least a dozen killings blamed on Millan, who authorities say started as a marijuana smuggler in Piedras Negras and rose to become commander of the Zetas operations in that city. Among the charges against Millan is killing while engaged in drug-trafficking crimes.
Prosecutors are utilizing U.S. law that allows the government to prosecute people for murders on foreign soil if they are in furtherance of crimes committed on American soil.
Read the full story in Tuesdays Express-News, or at ExpresNews.com.
gcontreras@express-news.net
Twitter: @gmaninfedland
The son of the Zavala County sheriff remains behind bars Tuesday after Dimmit County Sheriff's Office officials confirmed he was being investigated for allegedly helping 14 people enter the U.S. illegally.
Eusevio Salinas III, son of Zavala County Sheriff Eusevio Salinas Jr., was pulled over by a Dimmit County Sheriff's deputy in a routine traffic stop Sunday.
President Park Geun-hye will grant an amnesty on the 71st anniversary of liberation from the Japanese.
Park told senior secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae that the amnesty aims to give convicts a second chance and achieve "national unity" in tough times.
This will be her third amnesty and is expected to cause the usual controversy over pardons handed out to corporate bigwigs and politicians convicted of corruption.
A presidential official claimed the government "has not yet considered" the inclusion of tycoons and politicians. But he added ominously that the Justice Ministry will make a list of those coming under the amnesty according to procedures."
It is likely that the bulk of those pardoned will be petty criminals like pickpockets or shoplifters who are scraping a living on the edge of poverty. But some business tycoons will likely also be pardoned under the pretext of stimulating the economy.
In January 2014, Park pardoned only convicts involved in petty livelihood-related crimes. But in August last year she let off a full 14 business tycoons, including SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won, a notorious recidivist.
Patrick Henry Butler III immersed himself in the world of American history, working at various times as a curator, director and consultant at museums, universities and on restoration projects in Texas and Virginia.
A descendent of Virginia statesman Patrick Henry of give me liberty or give me death fame, Butler was a scholar, an analytical mind, said longtime friend Lonn Taylor. But the most human side of Pat was that he had a wonderful capacity for friendship and compatibility.
Throwing an annual Miss America pageant watch party, Butler invited 30 to 40 people and prepared authentic 1950s recipes meat loaf made with onion soup mix, green bean casserole and Jell-o salad.
Hed always predict who would win, and tell you why and have the statistics to back it up, his longtime friend Mimi Quintanilla said. His love was research.
Butler died at home June 24, less than two weeks before his 71st birthday.
Raised an only child in Alexandria, Virginia, Butler developed his love of research early on.
More Information Patrick Henry Butler III Born: July 3, 1945, Alexandria, Virginia Died: June 24, 2016, San Antonio Preceded by: Rebecca Ann Johnson and Patrick Henry Butler Jr. Survived by: Cousins, and many friends. Services: Celebration of life was held July 6. See More Collapse
He wrote an autobiography when he was 12, talked about how he loved to read and how books were his favorite things to spend time with, Quintanilla said.
When the family went on a road trip, Butler would look at maps, do research about the places they were going the geology of the area in which they were visiting, Quintanilla said. He was a wonk even when he was a kid.
Graduating from George Washington High School before enrolling at the College of William and Mary, Butler received a bachelors degree in history and earned his first masters degree at the University of Delawares Winterthur American Decorative Arts program, studying 18th century furniture.
With a second masters degree from Johns Hopkins University, Butler pursued his doctorate from the university, moving to Texas while working on his dissertation in 1975.
He got a job teaching at Texas Tech in museum studies, Taylor said. He taught in that program and curated at their ranching heritage buildings. Thats when he fell in love with Texas.
After working with the University of North Texas, the Galveston Historical Foundation and the Harris County Heritage Society, among other positions, Butler returned to Virginia to care for his aging parents while living in his childhood home, then moved back to Texas in 2009.
At his home in Castle Hills, Butler loved nothing more than entertaining groups of people who would add to, and have a lively conversation, Quintanilla said. He was born in the wrong century; he should have been born in the 1800s, during the time of the grand salon.
mheidbrink@express-news.net
It says a lot about our relationship with Hillary Clinton that she seems well on her way to becoming Madam President because shes not getting indicted.
If she were still at the State Department, she could be getting fired for being, as the FBI director told Congress, extremely careless with top-secret information. Instead, shes on a glide path to a big promotion.
And thats the corkscrew way things go with the Clintons, who are staying true to their reputation as the Tom and Daisy Buchanan of American politics. Their vast carelessness drags down everyone around them, but they persevere, and even thrive.
In a mere 11 days, arrogant, selfish actions by the Clintons contaminated three of the purest brands in Washington Barack Obama, James Comey and Loretta Lynch and jeopardized the futures of Hillarys most loyal aides.
Its quaint, looking back at her appointment as secretary of state, how Obama tried to get Hillary without the shadiness. (Which is what we all want, of course.) The president and his aides attempted to keep a rein on Clintons State Department refusing to let her bring in her hit man, Sidney Blumenthal.
But in the end, Hillarys goo got on Obama anyhow. On Tuesday, after Comey managed to make both Democrats and Republicans angry by indicting Clinton politically but not legally, Barry and Hillary flew to Charlotte, North Carolina, for their first joint campaign appearance.
Obama was left in the awkward position of vouching for Hillarys steady judgment to run an angry, violent, jittery nation on the very day that his FBI director lambasted her errant judgment on circumventing the State Department email system, making it clear that she had been lying to the American public for the last 16 months.
Comey, who was then yanked up to Capitol Hill for a hearing on Thursday, revealed that instead of no emails with classified information, as Hillary had insisted, there were 110, of those turned over to the State Department. Instead of Clintons assurances that the server in the basement in Chappaqua had never been breached, Comey said it was possible that hostile actors had hacked Clintons email account. Among the emails not given to State, he said at least three contained classified information.
Hillary willfully put herself above the rules again and a president, campaign and party are all left twisting themselves into pretzels defending her.
After Bill Clinton crossed the tarmac in Phoenix to have a long chat with Lynch, the attorney general confessed that the ill-advised meeting had cast a shadow over her departments investigation into his wife and that she would feel constrained to follow the recommendation of the FBI.
The meeting seemed even more suspect a week later, when The New York Times reported that Hillary might let Lynch stay on in a new Clinton administration.
The fallout from the email scandal has clouded the futures of longtime Hillary aides Cheryl Mills, Huma Abedin and Jake Sullivan, who were also deemed extremely careless by Comey for their handling of classified information. The Times reported that they could face tough questions as they seek security clearances for diplomatic or national security posts.
Youve got a situation here where the woman who would be in charge of setting national security policy as president has been deemed by the FBI unsuitable to safeguard and handle classified information, Bill Savarino, a Washington lawyer specializing in security clearances, told the Times.
But what should disturb Obama is that the email transgression is not a one off. Its part of a long pattern of ethical sliding, obsessive secrecy and paranoia, and collateral damage.
Comeys verdict that Hillary was negligent was met with sighs rather than shock.
Were resigned to the Clintons focusing on their viability and disregarding the consequences of their actions on others. They always offer a Faustian deal. This years bargain: Put up with our iniquities or get Donald Trumps short fingers on the nuclear button.
The Clintons work hard but dont play by the rules. Imagine them in the White House with the benefit of low expectations.
Maureen Dowd is a New York Times columnist.
Prosecutors recently handed over to the Environment Ministry a list of around 70 Volkswagen models that were sold in Korea with authorization based on doctored emission and noise test results.
The ministry will soon ban sales and slap punitive fines on the German automaker, and a recall of some 80,000 cars already sold could follow.
Environmental authorities have already ordered the recall of 125,000 Volkswagen diesel cars after finding evidence of emissions-cheating software. Prosecutors last month discovered that that Volkswagen manipulated software on gasoline vehicles as well to pass Korean regulations.
The gunning down of five cops in Dallas was terrorism, pure and simple. The man who did it framed his rampage as retaliation for police shootings of African-Americans. But these were not two sides of the same coin. They were different coins altogether.
The early evidence suggests that the fatal confrontations in Baton Rouge and St. Paul resulted from bad policing with a possible racial component. But each case involved an interaction between a specific officer and an identified civilian. In piecing together exactly what happened, the actions of the deceased are as important as those of the police.
The Dallas gunman was going after cops, any cops. Before a police robot bomb neutralized him, Micah Johnson told negotiators that he wanted to kill white cops. How he could detect the skin color of officers shot from a distance in the dark some mixed in with the Black Lives Matter demonstration is unclear. The color he definitely saw was the blue of their uniforms.
Johnson bragged of plans to detonate explosive devices in the city and beyond all designed to intimidate a larger population. This is the definition of terrorism. It belongs with the mass murder of innocents at a black church in Charleston, South Carolina, and the bloody attacks on nightclubs in Paris and Orlando.
That the perpetrator was, to use the politically correct term, troubled does not make his crime something other than terrorism. Johnson left the Army Reserve, reportedly after stealing womens panties. On seeing his record, several black power groups shunned Johnsons efforts to join them. Police said he was singing and laughing as they tried to negotiate with him.
Red flags that somethings not right in the head wave in almost every terrorists bio. Dylann Roof, the 22-year-old white supremacist charged with the mass shooting in the church, had sunk into drugs and alcohol.
In 2014, a troubled black man, citing the Eric Garner and Michael Brown police shooting cases, traveled from Baltimore to Brooklyn, where he assassinated two officers sitting in their patrol car. He shot his ex-girlfriend on his way. Race shouldnt matter here, but for the record, one of the murdered officers was Asian, the other Latino.
Of course, Johnson claimed to be serving a cause greater than himself in his case, Black Lives Matter.
Terrorists almost always do.
Much of the scorn subsequently heaped on Black Lives Matter is unfair. In social media, there are no controls on who may attach their repugnant views to a hashtag. And frankly, theres hardly a bizarre thought that cant find validation somewhere online.
Randomly shooting at officers could be one definition of mental illness, but aiming at the Dallas police hit a new low in rationality. Under Chief David Brown, Dallas has become one of the most progressive big-city police departments in the country.
It has gone far in repairing relations with locals feeling harassed and endangered by rogue cops. Complaints of police violence have plummeted.
Left to his own devices, Johnson probably didnt register that he was shooting at a peaceful Black Lives Matter demonstration.
Nor did he seem to notice the police officers role in encouraging and protecting the demonstrators.
This discussion is in no way intended to downplay the accusations of police brutality against minorities. Every charge deserves a thorough investigation.
There are, in the words of New York Police Commissioner William Bratton, cops who shouldnt be here. But there are over 800,000 police officers in this country, all human, most trying to do a hard job. It was a terrorist who judged strangers by the color of their uniforms.
fharrop@gmail.com
One of Donald Trumps favorite words is rigged. From trade deals to the GOP nominating process, everything is rigged.
And the presumptive Republican presidential nominee got the chance to use the r-word liberally when FBI Director James Comey put on a bipolar press briefing about the investigation into Hillary Clintons use of multiple private email servers while acting as secretary of state.
We have a rigged system, folks, Trump told supporters in Raleigh, N.C., insisting that Clinton had been protected by the political establishment.
From Mexican immigrants to banning Muslims, Trump is wrong about many things. But unfortunately, he is not wrong about the fact that Clinton should have faced charges and that powerful forces intervened to make sure that didnt happen.
Comey spent much of his public statement making a persuasive case that Clinton had been extremely careless in her handling of very sensitive, highly classified information. He even made clear that the federal statute at issue didnt require acting intentionally but in a grossly negligent way. And as legal experts pointed out in recent days, when you look up the phrase gross negligence in a legal dictionary, you get something along the lines of ... wait for it ... extreme carelessness. The question of whether to bring charges should have been an open-and-shut case.
Yet James Comey evidently failed to persuade himself.
Still, this is not about the FBI director. Nor is it even about Hillary Clintons guilt or innocence, or what Bill Clinton said to Attorney General Loretta Lynch on that airplane in Phoenix. Were beyond all that.
I understand why the anti-Clinton forces are going ballistic. Bill and Hillary Clinton are the Houdinis of American politics. Present them with a perilous and seemingly impossible situation, and theyll escape. So now that Hillary has skated on the email scandal, its tempting to make the story about her.
Did Clinton break the law? Should Comey have come to a different conclusion, and recommended that she be charged as the federal statutes would seem to allow with gross negligence in the handling of delicate material? Will the Clintons ever be held accountable for any wrongdoing? These are the questions that Americans are asking.
But what we should really be focused on is something bigger which is, in the final analysis, more important than the amazing Arkansas escape artists. Namely this: What are we going to do about a criminal justice system in this country that is so deeply flawed that its made a mockery out of ideas that should be sacred. They include the principle that no one is above the law and there is only one system of justice for all people rich or poor, powerful or powerless.
Something important in our society is broken, and its time to acknowledge that its out of order and fix it.
Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., gets it. At a House Oversight Committee hearing on Comeys decision not to recommend charges against Clinton, Gowdy expertly grilled the FBI director. After effectively making the point that even if the statute had required intent such intent would not have been difficult to prove in this case, given the lengths to which Clinton had gone to keep her emails secret, which included deleting with her lawyers help about 30,000 of them, the former federal prosecutor zeroed in on the real problem. Or as he put it, his real fear.
What Gowdy worries about, and what we should all worry about, is this double-track justice system that is rightly or wrongly perceived in this country, that if you are a private in the Army and you email yourself classified information, you will be kicked out. But if you are Hillary Clinton and you seek a promotion to commander in chief, you will not be.
Gowdy challenged Comey to make the reasonable person understand why the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee appears to be treated differently than the rest of us would be.
The reason is ugly. Its also obvious. Its because there are always other considerations that help determine whether charges should be brought about a person who could well be on the brink of being elected president. Had that happened here, wed be looking at political upheaval. Some people arent ready for that. So they opt to simply preserve the status quo.
Its not justice. But its the real world.
ruben@rubennavarrette.com
San Antonio Express-News file photo
The Alamo City is known as a great place to visit, and the recent Running Man Challenge video on YouTube demonstrates its a great place to live because of the positive vibe between law enforcement officers and the people they protect. The moving picture parody shows cops and the community in good times an example of trust, transparency and tranquility that other municipalities could model from.
Now more than ever, we need to unite police officers and the community as one positive force. Disturbing incidents that impact the community at large, such as the recent tragedy in Orlando, compel us to come together during stressful times; however, cooperation doesnt have to happen only in times of need. We can collaborate in times of peace by simply getting better acquainted with the great men and women who are here as our protection, safety and defense.
In a national environment that seems to bring each new conflict political and social into our living rooms, there is a larger current being glossed over. There is more that binds us as people than divides us.
Most of us want to keep our families safe. Most of us yearn for peace at home, in our communities and in the nation. We all cherish the values of fairness and justice that buttress our rights. And though we can differ on the limits of these, we all generally believe they are our birthrights as Americans and the due of visitors.
This should be the basis for all attempts to close those divides. But make no mistake; those attempts have to be made if only in pursuit of that more perfect union.
These attempts should be peaceful and undertaken under the cold glare of fact and reason, and, as important, using what weve long been taught in our homes, in our diverse places and texts of worship and in our schools. Do unto others .
In the aftermath of the murders of five police officer in Dallas last week and the deaths of two more black men at the hands of police in Louisiana and Minnesota, there is no more important rule. Thats why they call it golden.
There is an uneasiness gripping the nation. There is fear of a hot summer ahead, measured not just in Fahrenheit but in frustrations that those burdened by them believe cannot be allowed to simmer unacknowledged any longer.
By all means, let them erupt. But, where people are involved, eruptions can be peaceful. They must be.
That struggle for progress has come under some undeserved criticism lately. Some are pointing fingers at the Black Lives Matter movement, making the inaccurate claim that the movement values only black lives.
Of course all lives matter. But some lives have seemed in public perception to be cheaper than others. To be concerned about police shootings of black men and to condemn retaliatory killings of police officers are not mutually exclusive propositions.
President Obama at an interfaith service in Dallas on Tuesday for the slain officers tried to strike that balance. Former President George W. Bush joined the president in calling for unity. And Obama spoke of the path ahead.
Our sorrow can make us a better country, he said, adding that while those who mourn the officers cant match their sacrifice, We can match their service and their devotion.
There will be protests. And as long as they are peaceful and respectful, we should listen to what is said and honor the rights that allow them. That is what police officers do when they protect protesters at demonstrations around the nation.
Peace is simply the more fruitful path. Progress generally does not come at the end of a gun. Mostly, progress comes at the end of do unto others and from realizing all those ties that bind.
There are the easy knee-jerk answers, which are generally wrong. And there is deliberate thought that reasons through difficult circumstances.
Some Texas public officials easy answer following the shootings in Dallas was to blame the Black Lives Matter movement. In the case of Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, it was to also call the Dallas protesters hypocrites because they expected police officers to protect them during the attack. Patrick tried to walk back his statement, but way too late.
Posted on 07/12/2016, 9:00 am, by Farmscape.Ca
The Executive Director of the Canadian Pork Council says the influence Japanese consumers have had on the quality of Canadian pork has benefited the Canadian pork industry in markets around the world, including Canada.
As part of a seminar hosted by Canada Pork International at the Canadian Embassy In Tokyo earlier this month Japanese meat trade and government representatives were introduced to the Canadian Pork Excellence Program, the Canadian Pork Industrys new food quality and animal care assurance program.
John Ross, the Executive Director of the Canadian Pork Council, observes, in terms of value, Japan is Canadas number two export market, second only to the United States.
Its a market thats there every week of the year. They take some extraordinarily high value product from Canada and in that sense its an extraordinarily important market in terms of value of the product that they bring to Canada, a market thats changed over the years. Canada Pork International actually celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary and the first market it went into 25 years ago was Japan. Over the progress of time and what weve learned in the Japanese market over all those years, we now have a market thats approaching a billion dollars. We have a market that takes largely fresh chilled pork from Canada. Its a market thats encouraged us to develop higher quality pork, higher quality animals. Its a market where weve seen adjustments in packing plants that are made specifically to handle the Japanese market. Weve seen genetics that have shifted to handle Japan. Its a market that not only has brought tremendous value back to Canada, but also a market that has encouraged us to produce better and as a result of that weve been able to capitalize in markets around the world, not only Japan but even here at home in Canada. ~ John Ross, Canadian Pork Council
Ross says there is a high level of interest among Japanese meat buyers in how we verify all of the thing we do in Canada to ensure the quality of the hogs that go into processing and that high quality is certainly appreciated.
The House of Representatives released a bombshell today out of its three-year investigation as to why the UK-based bank HSBC got off lightly for money laundering, both for with states subject to economic sanctions like Iran and Sudan, as well as narcotics traffickers. The report found that Attorney General Eric Holder misled Congress about the evidence against the bank, and that staff prosecutors had recommended indictment but were overruled by Holder. In addition UK regulators interfered in the case, and argued that criminal sanctions would lead to a financial nuclear winter. That was demonstrated to be false in 2014, when BNP Paribas, which apparently had fewer friends in court, pled guilty to criminal money laundering charges and paid $8.9 billion in fines.
Or was it that the New York Department of Financial Services, which was then headed by Benjamin Lawsky, was going to embarrass the crowd in DC into doing more than it wanted to? Recall that Laswky had run rings around the Fed, Treasury, and UK financial services regulators over money laundering at another UK bank, Standard Chartered. This led to a firestorm of financial media outrage as Lawsky ordered Standard Chartered executives to appear and explain why he should not revoke their New York banking license. That would mean they could no longer clear dollar-based transactions, which would be extremely damaging to any international bank.
But even the debate over whether or not to charge a bank criminally again reveals how the regulators and prosecutors protect the looting professionals. Corporations do not commit crimes. Individuals employed by those firms commit crimes. In the case of HSBC, the misconduct was institutionalized. Multiple units of the bank were involved. Either top management was well aware of what was going on or there was a major breakdown in controls. The latter would be a criminal violation under Sarbanes Oxley, the law passed after the Enron bankruptcy and designed to end the Im the CEO and I know nothing defense.
And let us not kid ourselves as to how well orchestrated the HSBC money-laundernig machine was. As Matt Taibbi wrote:
[Longtime Bill Clinton pal Lanny] Breuer this week signed off on a settlement deal with the British banking giant HSBC that is the ultimate insult to every ordinary person whos ever had his life altered by a narcotics charge. Despite the fact that HSBC admitted to laundering billions of dollars for Colombian and Mexican drug cartels (among others) and violating a host of important banking laws (from the Bank Secrecy Act to the Trading With the Enemy Act), Breuer and his Justice Department elected not to pursue criminal prosecutions of the bank, opting instead for a record financial settlement of $1.9 billion, which as one analyst noted is about five weeks of income for the bank. The banks laundering transactions were so brazen that the NSA probably could have spotted them from space. Breuer admitted that drug dealers would sometimes come to HSBCs Mexican branches and deposit hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, in a single day, into a single account, using boxes designed to fit the precise dimensions of the teller windows.
If you remember the Frontline series on the crisis, it was Lanny Breuer who said he lay awake at night worrying if his actions might hurt banks. Oh, the horror! And at the time, the $1.9 billion was widely depicted as a slap on the wrist.
Mind you, Bill Clinton also received a large speaking fee from HSBC while the bank was being investigated. From a 2015 Associated Press story:
State Department ethics officials also gave quick approval to Bill Clintons $200,000 appearance in Florida for British-based HSBC in 2011 despite a 2012 money-laundering settlement with federal prosecutors.
Since the settlement was announced in December 2012, and the House investigation makes clear it was rushed so as to keep ahead of the intrepid Benjamin Lawsky, the fee was clearly paid well before anything had been concluded.
And a query for well-connected British readers: AIG, by virtue of its very large network in Asia, is widely believed to have curried favor with the US government by providing cover for CIA agents. HSBC has a similarly extensive presence in that part of the world. Could HSBC have been playing a similar role for MI6? That would give it even deeper connections with the Government, making it easier to enlist official support.
The House Financial Services Committee provided a crisp, damning overview of its findings:
The House Financial Services Committee on Monday released a staff report of its investigation into the U.S. Department of Justices decision not to prosecute HSBC or any of its executives or employees for serious violations of U.S. anti-money laundering laws and related offenses. The Committee initiated its investigation in March 2013. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of the Treasury failed to comply with the Committees requests to obtain relevant documents, necessitating the issuance of subpoenas to both agencies. Approximately three years after its initial inquiries, the Committee finally obtained copies of internal Treasury records showing that DOJ has not been forthright with Congress or the American people concerning its decision to decline to prosecute HSBC. These documents show that: Senior DOJ leadership, including then-Attorney General Eric Holder, overruled an internal recommendation by DOJs Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section to prosecute HSBC because of DOJ leaderships concern that prosecuting the bank would have serious adverse consequences on the financial system.
Notwithstanding Attorney General Holders personal demand that HSBC agree to DOJs take-it-or-leave-it deferred prosecution agreement deal by November 14, 2012, HSBC appears to have successfully negotiated with DOJ for significant alterations to the deferred prosecution agreements terms in the weeks following the Attorney Generals deadline.
DOJ and federal financial regulators were rushing at what one Treasury official described as alarming speed to complete their investigations and enforcement actions involving HSBC in order to beat the New York Department of Financial Services.
In its haste to complete its enforcement action against HSBC, DOJ transmitted settlement numbers to HSBC before consulting with Treasurys Office of Foreign Asset Control to ensure that the settlement amount accurately reflected the full degree of HSBCs sanctions violations.
The involvement of the United Kingdoms Financial Services Authority in the U.S. governments investigations and enforcement actions relating to HSBC, a British-domiciled institution, appears to have hampered the U.S. governments investigations and influenced DOJs decision not to prosecute HSBC.
Attorney General Holder misled Congress concerning DOJs reasons for not bringing a criminal prosecution against HSBC.
DOJ to date has failed to produce any records pertaining to its prosecutorial decision making with respect to HSBC or any large financial institution, notwithstanding the Committees multiple requests for this information and a congressional subpoena requiring Attorney General Lynch to timely produce these records to the Committee.
Attorney General Lynch and Secretary Lew remain in default on their legal obligation to produce the subpoenaed records to the Committee.
DOJs and Treasurys longstanding efforts to impede the Committees investigation may constitute contempt and obstruction of Congress. The Committee is releasing this report to shed light on whether DOJ is making prosecutorial decisions based on the size of financial institutions and DOJs belief that such prosecutions could negatively impact the economy.
This investigation proves what critics have long argued, that Obama Administration has consistently give priority to protecting banks over meaningful enforcement. But until the perps pay a career price, this sort of corruption is guaranteed to continue.
By Alissa Quart, author of The Republic of Outsiders and Branded, is the editor for the nonprofit Economic Hardship Reporting Project. Originally published at Capital and Main and the Guardian
Precariousness is not just a working-class thing. In recent interviews, dozens of academics and schoolteachers, administrators, librarians, journalists and even coders have told me they too are falling prey to an unstable new America. Ive started to think of this just-scraping-by group as the Middle Precariat.
The word Precariat was popularized five or so years ago to describe a rapidly expanding working class with unstable, low-paid jobs. What I call the Middle Precariat, in contrast, are supposed to be properly, comfortably middle class, but its not quite working out this way.
There are people like the Floridian couple who both have law degreesand should be in the prime of their working livesbut cant afford a car or an apartment and have moved back in with the womans elderly mother. There are schoolteachers around the country that work second jobs after their teaching duties are done: one woman in North Dakota I spoke to was heading off to clean houses after the final bell in order to pay her rent.
Many of the Middle Precariat work jobs that used to be solidly middle class. Yet some earn roughly what they did a decade ago. At the same time, middle-class life is now 30 percent more expensive than it was 20 years ago. The Middle Precariats jobs are also increasingly contingentmeaning they are composed of short-term contract or shift work, as well as unpaid overtime. Buffeted by Silicon Valley-like calls to maximize disruption, the Middle Precariat may have positions reimagined. That cruel euphemism means they are to be replaced by younger, cheaper workers, or even machines.
This was brought home to me at a legal fair with thousands of attendees this winter. Between the small plastic gavel swag and the former corporate lawyer building a large-scale Lego block version of Van Goghs Starry Night, there were booths advertising software that reviews legal documents. That software helps firms get rid of employees, including attorneys, and might soon make some of the lawyers on that trade-show floor extinct.
Other professionals describe how they must endure harsh non-traditional work schedules, much like their retail worker brethren. They work on weekends and late into the day and barely see their children. At the end of the year, they just break even, all the while retaining debt from college and even graduate school that they will never be able to repay.
While households that make anywhere from $48,000 to $250,000 can call themselves middle class, to group such a wide range of incomes under one label, as politicians love to do, is to confuse the term entirely.
A worker at a tech company in California I interviewed has two jobs and commutes at least an hour each way to one of them, much like the working class Precariat does. He cant afford to live anywhere near his officesSan Francisco is the most expensive housing market in the country, with an average rent at $4,780 for a two-bedroom apartment as of April.
They and other members of the Middle Precariat I have spoken with over the last three years are ostensibly bourgeois, but with few of the advantages we used to associate with that standing. They may not be able to afford their mortgage payments or daycare, health and retirement savings or college educations for their kids. They also usually cant afford a car for each adult, summer vacations or gym memberships, those status markers of the past. Indeed, some have resorted to SNAP and other federal benefits from time to time.
The Middle Precariat also may be threatened by the rise of the robots, like their working-class peers. Like the lawyers at that trade show. The numbers confirm this: in 2014, only 64 percent of law school graduates had jobs that required bar passage. In 2013, unemployment was at 11.2 percent with underemployment numbers even higher. (By contrast, in 1985, more than 81 percent had full-time legal jobs and only seven percent were not working at all.)
Journalists also have the machines nipping at their heels. Last month, tronc, formerly known as the illustrious Tribune newspaper company, demonstrated the rise of the Middle Precariat: troncs inadvertently hilarious branding videos celebrated artificial intelligence over photo editors, reporters and the like, replacing them with optimization and something called content funnels.
Even nurses may soon join the Middle Precariat. The National Science Foundation is spending nearly a million dollars to research a future of robotic nurses who will lift patients and bring them medicine while keeping living nurses in the decision loop, even though nursing is one of the few growth industries that allows for upward mobility.
The Middle Precariat, as the 2013 McKinsey Global Institute report on disruptive technologies explained, will only grow, as highly skilled workers are put on the chopping block and the automation of knowledge work expands. Soon to come are robot surgeons, robot financial workers, robot teachers and perhaps, robots that can take their mimicry of recent college graduates to the next level and argue that Beyonces Lemonade is feminism while drinking a micro brew.
Its reached a point where this threatened class has begotten a layer of consultants to fix the problem. In San Francisco, Casey Berman counsels economically and professionally desperate people who happen to be lawyers. There is an easier, less painful, less stressful and lucrative way to make money, Bermans site Leave Law Behind reads. When I spoke to him a few months ago, he told me that he sees his mission as motivating former lawyers that are now broke and frustrated to do something else with their lives.
But retraining and specialized psychotherapy arent the only answers. We need broad-based fixes. Universal subsidized daycare. Changing the tax code so it actually helps the middle class. Real collective bargaining rights for Middle Precariat workers. Paid leave to keep mothers from exiting the workforce against their will. Fair hours, not just for McDonalds workers, but also for adjunct professors.
We also need to question the pundits and companies that incant artificial intelligence as a mantra, even as they are celebrating a future where so many middle-class humans jobs may be jettisoned. And we can start to rebuke terms like machine learning or disruption, unmasking themalong with the billionairesas some of the culprits.
Reporting for this piece was supported by Economic Hardship Reporting Project.
Chocolate chip cookies, Santa visits and dress-up days?
No, this is not kindergarten but some unusual ways some Southwest Florida businesses motivate their workers, a panel told about 40 members of Above Board Chamber of Florida on Monday.
Speaking at the Naples Hilton in a program titled 'Field trips are not just for kids! Create fun in your office,' the three-member panel talked about the importance of pulling workers' noses away from the grindstone occasionally to boost retention.
'It's not just money that influences people,' said moderator Sue Huff, a Naples-based marketing and management consultant.
That's why Best Home Services, which does air conditioning, plumbing and electrical work for customers from Naples to Sarasota, keeps a full-time 'fun coordinator' on staff, public relations director Florice Hodges said.
She makes chocolate cookies daily and occasionally brings in cinnamon buns and three flavors of ice cream. Periodically she'll also order a fast-food meal for the staff of 160.
She also decorates for every holiday, remembers birthdays and anniversaries, arranges departmental bowling parties and invites employees' families to a blowout Christmas party every year where Santa hands out gifts to all the children.
And once a week, she makes sure a masseuse is available in the office to give employees half-hour neck rubs.
'It's a big hit with the guys who work hard in the heat all day, and it's not that expensive,' Hodges said.
Carol Obermeier, director of Air Service Development at Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, said her office tries to be 'wild and crazy' to keep its 355 employees motivated.
So it holds dress up days where the worker with the best costume gets a day of paid leave; free popcorn every Friday, and holiday parties with a live band and visits from children's choirs. A yoga teacher comes in periodically, too.
'Happy people are productive people,' she said.
Julio Barina, tax manager at Markham Norton Mosteller Wright and Company, P.A., with offices in Naples and Fort Myers, said his company has a 'fun committee' made up of a half-dozen volunteers to plan activities for the 50-person company.
That comes in handy during the peak of tax season when workers are logging long hours and stress levels are at the breaking point, Barina said.
So the company holds cookouts, scavenger hunts, ice cream socials, watermelon rolls, Pictionary, beerless pong games and toss-the-frozen-chicken contests.
It runs short movies in the lunchroom and hands out 'wow bucks' and 'tokens of appreciation' (redeemable for gift cards) to recognize employees who go above and beyond in their daily duties.
Barina emphasized that some of the company's fun events only last for 10 minutes, so employees don't add to their stress by having to work later to make up for the festivities.
'We mix it up just so the day isn't all about work,' he said, adding that the group activities bolster a sense of teamwork.
To show the business members in the audience how some seemingly silly activities can raise the mood of a group, Jeanne Sweeney, chief executive officer and founder of Above Board Chamber of Florida, held a quick auction for charity, tossing soft foam beach toys and other gear at bidders. Soon the room was laughing uproariously and toys were being tossed around.
But all of the panelists stressed that while such merriments motivate workers in a cost-effective way, they aren't a substitute for excellent benefits, performance-based bonuses and, most importantly, competitive pay.
A path to promotion, management transparency and sensitivity to workers' needs and outside pressures also matter.
'You have to treat every employee like he or she is very important,' Obermeier said.
Despite all their efforts at motivating workers, employers also have to realize that some employees won't stay with the company, often lured by promises of higher pay.
But if the company has created a fun, unique and inclusive culture, 'sometimes they'll quickly realize grass isn't always greener and come back,' Hodges said.
SHARE The controls for newly installed timer can be seen during a Village of Estero Council Meeting Wednesday, July 6, 2016 in Estero, Fla. The recently installed timer, which counts down from three minutes, is a helpful tool to keep public presentations prompt and the meetings running smoothly. (Luke Franke/Naples Daily News) Members of the community approach the Village of Estero Council while a recently installed timer, which counts down from three minutes, right, helps to keep public presentations prompt and the meetings running smoothly during a Village Council Meeting Wednesday, July 6, 2016. (Luke Franke/Naples Daily News) The newly installed timer can be seen as members of the Village Council and others mull around during a five minute break taken during a Village of Estero Council Meeting Wednesday, July 6, 2016 in Estero, Fla. The recently installed timer, which counts down from three minutes, is a helpful tool to keep public presentations prompt and the meetings running smoothly. (Luke Franke/Naples Daily News) The newly installed timer can be seen as Village of Estero Vice Mayor Howard Levitan, left, and Village Manager Steve Sarkozy chat during a five minute break taken during a Village of Estero Council Meeting Wednesday, July 6, 2016 in Estero, Fla. The recently installed timer, which counts down from three minutes, is a helpful tool to keep public presentations prompt and the meetings running smoothly. (Luke Franke/Naples Daily News)
By Maryann Batlle of the Naples Daily News
Three minutes. That's about how long you have to speak at an Estero village council meeting.
If you lose track, you can check the large red numbers counting backward on a new clock, which looks like it came from the set of a television game show.
2:59.
2:58.
2:57.
When the timer hits zero, it lets out chiding dings for emphasis. That's your cue a wordless, "thank you, now please sit down."
Public meetings are unpredictable, and local governments have to come up with ways of keeping them on track.
Five people could show up or 100, and all expect to be heard, said Estero Mayor Nick Batos.
"We never know," Batos said. "To give everyone an opportunity, we have to establish some time limits."
The right to be heard
The First Amendment promises free speech, but up until three years ago, the chance to speak at state and local meetings in Florida was not guaranteed.
In 2013, state Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, led the passage of a law that requires state and local boards give people "reasonable opportunity" to be heard during the decision-making process.
The law leaves up to those boards and commissions how to balance the speaking mandate and the need to maintain order at their public meetings.
"Reasonable opportunity" is the key standard, said Barbara Petersen, president of the First Amendment Foundation.
Petersen said time limits should be flexible. Sometimes three minutes is enough sometimes it isn't, she said.
"We want our citizens and our voters to be able to express their opinions to their elected officials," Petersen said. "You can't shut them out and shut them down."
But asking someone to wind down can be in the public's best interest, especially when there is a long queue of speakers waiting, she said.
"It's hard for a lot of people to be concise," Petersen said. "For some people, it takes three minutes to introduce who they are."
Your time is up
In June, Estero outsourced the job of cutting people off in midsentence to the $1,771 electronic timer. It switches between green, yellow and red lights like a traffic signal and can be programmed to emit sounds.
Before the timer, Batos used an app on his iPhone to enforce the village council's public speaking rules. Interruption took some finesse, he said.
"It's never a comfortable thing," Batos said. "These people have elected us, and we should respect them the same way we ask them to respect us."
Since the timer's debut, people have started to self-police, said Batos.
"They have something they can see," he said. "They catch it out of the corner of their eye."
Village Clerk Kathy Hall has taken over his role as timekeeper. She controls the timer from her seat at the dais.
At one recent meeting, the first couple of public speakers got a pass. She forgot to press the button.
"I'm still getting used to it," Hall said.
Former U.S. Rep. Trey Radel, a Republican who stepped down in the wake of a cocaine scandal, is applying for the radio job he had before running for Congress.
Radel is seeking his former job on the 'Daybreak' talk show on 92.5 Fox News Radio, which he hosted before running for Congress in 2012.
Radel resigned his congressional seat in 2014 after he was caught in Washington, D.C., trying to purchase cocaine from an undercover agent.
U.S. Rep. Curt Clawson stepped into the congressional seat after a special election and then won re-election. But this year Clawson decided against seeking another term so he could care for his ailing father.
Radel has done few interviews since leaving public office, but he said when contacted by telephone Monday he's interested in the radio job, which opened up when current host Drew Steele announced on his Facebook page that he would be leaving the show.
'I'm open to it,' Radel said about the radio job.
'I love this community.' he said. 'I have had an amazing run in media here.'
The station's manager, Jim Schwartzel confirmed Steele's resignation, saying he was moving to a bigger media market, an NBC-affiliate called KSL in Salt Lake City. It's unclear who will step in to the position, Schwartzel said.
'We are talking to [Radel] but we're talking to other candidates as well,' he said.
Given the show's popularity, Schwartzel said the station has received a lot of applications, and that he didn't know how receptive Radel would be to the job if they did offer it to him.
Radel was also previously an anchor at WINK-TV from 2007 to 2009. After his resignation from Congress, he started a media company, Trey Radel Media Group.
Dan Bongino, a current congressional candidate for the seat Radel once held has also guest hosted the show. Schwartzel confirmed Bongino has not applied for the position and couldn't be considered for it as long as he is running for public office.
Radel said Monday he's been following the race for the congressional seat he once held, but said he has 'no take on it.'
Steele will be hosting through the end of the week
SHARE Jerry Swiacki, Chairman Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee for the City of Marco Island
By Jerry Swiacki, Marco Island, Chairman Marco Island Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee
As chairman of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee (PRAC) for the city of Marco Island, I cannot sit idly by while guest commentary writer Councilman Victor Rios makes false accusations and inaccurate statements regarding Veterans Community Park.
To begin with, the official name of the park is Veterans Community Park.
When the property was purchased in 2003 by voter referendum approval, it was proposed to be a multiuse park that would also maintain green space.
Let us not forget that the city hired an urban designer in 2008 to create a park that would reflect the needs of all citizens.
In multiple public meetings and with the aid of numerous high-profile community leaders, a plan was developed and approved by City Council in 2009. A portion of the park was set aside for a veterans' memorial and to the credit of the veterans, that portion of the park has been completed primarily through voluntary contributions.
To address the councilman's negative inference regarding the city manager and the multiuse building, the multiuse building is a dead issue. The citizens have spoken. It is time to get beyond this issue.
During the past 18 months, under the direction of City Council, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee has sought citizen input as to what they presently would like at Veterans Community Park.
Every month during our regular meetings, citizen input was encouraged. The councilman attended only one meeting and that was at the early onset of seeking public input. The committee reached out and met with multiple community organizations seeking their input.
Workshops were held and multiple surveys, including by Marco Island Civic Association, Marco Island Property Owners and privately done, were all reviewed. One last additional meeting was held at the Mackle Park Community Center on April 19 to inform the citizens of the results.
As chairman of PRAC, I presented the following results to City Council: 1. Maintain green space; 2. Build a band shell with permanent rest rooms and a concession stand; 3. Remove the present parking lot and create perimeter angled parking; 4. Continue the farmers market; 5. Add amenities such as sidewalks, trees, benches, plantings and a promenade to the Herb Savage Bridge.
Completing these projects would maintain more than 95 percent green space.
The City Council voted 5-2 to approve this concept and wishes to move on with the project.
This project is not merely a "nice to have" project. It will enhance the quality of life here on Marco Island.
It will provide protection from sun and rain, thus allowing more use and enjoyment of the park. It is what good cities do for the benefit of all of its citizens.
We bought the property. Why not use it for what it was intended? To delay the project would only add cost. The citizens have spoken.
It's time to move forward.
'It just flipped': Busch details final season with Joe Gibbs Racing in 'Race for the Championship' In the latest episode of USA Network's "Race for the Championship," Busch describes the change at JGR and is introduced with a new team.
Picks from the Past: American Museum Journal, May 1909
The Darwin Celebration
The one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Charles Robert Darwin and the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of The Origin of Species were celebrated by the New York Academy of Sciences on February twelfth at the American Museum of Natural History. The occasion was made memorable by the unveiling of a bronze bust of Darwin, the Academys gift to the Museum; also by the dedication of the Synoptic Hall of the Museum as The Darwin Hall of Invertebrate Zoology, with the unveiling or bronze tablets thus inscribed at either side of the entrance from the Hall of Forestry. The bust was presented by the Academys president, Charles Finney Cox, and was accepted on behalf of the trustees of the Museum by President Henry Fairfield Osborn.
The bust is pronounced by those who knew Darwin personally, and by his sons in England, who have seen photographs of the clay model, the best portrait in the round of the great naturalist ever made. It is the work of William Couper, sculptured from photographs taken when Darwin was fifty years old, at the time of the publication of The Origin of Species. President Osborns acceptance of the bust, as a valuable work of art and as an expression of appreciation by the New York Academy of both the technical and the directly educational work of the Museum, gives this impressive likeness of Darwin permanent place in the Darwin Hall of Invertebrate Zoology. Here it will stand to testify to Charles Darwins method of scientific study, namely, a humble and direct approach to nature, in self-reliance and with independence of thinking. The speakers of the afternoon, representing Geology, Botany and Zoology, and each claiming Darwin as the inspiration to freedom or thought in the given science, were Professors John James Stevenson, Nathaniel Lord Britton and Hermon Carey Bumpus.
But a few years ago, even to consider the question of evolution was held to be irrational and immoral, not only by the world at large, but also by the intellectual world, with the exception of a small body of scientists. The change has come since the appearance of The Origin of Species in 1859, and outside of the scientific centers at Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, New Haven and New York, it has seemed to come slowly; but the effect has been cumulative, and to-day thinkers in all lines accept the fact of evolution. In the first ten years after 1859, many of the older scientists ignored or fought the doctrine bitterly. Even Agassiz remained on the side of the creation of each species as we find it. Asa Gray, however, who knew Darwin personally and who had published a review of The Origin of Species before a copy reached America, stood firmly not only for the theory of evolution, but also for that which Darwinism signifies, the theory of Natural Selection as the working process of evolution. He inspired the younger men in the Boston scientific center, Shaler, Verrill, Packard, Morse, Hyatt, Mien and Scudder, and through their influence enthusiasm for Darwinism grew until a climax was reached in 1876. Since that date every biological worker in the country has found [in] his research an item to strengthen belief in evolution, and also, it is true, often to expose some weakness or mend some flaw in the doctrine of Natural Selection.
Darwin, however, did not consider his work faultless, final or complete. In his day the general theory of evolution was already well established in many scientists minds, due to the work of anatomists such as Lamarck and Cuvier. Darwin marshalled the facts that the world could then give, to formulate dearly and boldly a possible explanation of the method by which evolution had produced existing life forms. From the geometric increase in numbers due to the normal rate of reproduction of plants and animals, there resulted a struggle for existence, a three-fold struggle (1) with the environment, which not only brought the animal the ordinary exigencies of life, but also perhaps presented suddenly wholly new problems due to some geological change during the earths history, (2) with members of the same species in search of homes and food and (3) with direct enemies. Since all forms vary at birth, some were less well fitted for the struggle than others; they died for lack of food or were killed by enemies; those better fitted survived. Thus the best fitted for life in a given region became the parents of the next generation, and, if the environmental conditions remained unchanged for many generations, heredity brought about a better adapted race, a nature selected race, and, what is the important and contested point, a new variety or species, that is, a race different from the ancestral one. Thus, according to Darwinism, new species come about through slow, minute and cumulative changes. One of the strongest pieces of work done since Darwins time, that of Hugo de Vries, proves that species may come into existence abruptly also, by large changes or mutations, de Vries holding that the mutation theory supplements Natural Selection but does not supplant it.
Whether, however, Darwinism lives in the future, or fails under the critical scrutiny of the army of working scientists and in the light of a vast aggregation of new facts, Darwins position of eminence cannot be assailed. He stands for supreme service to mankind in that he forced into the world of organized knowledge love of truth and abhorrence of slavery to tradition. He was a great seer in a scientific world where practically all was new ground. He was a naturalist, one of the few deserving the name, with masterly grasp of all known facts in the various branches of natural science. Since his time each of these branches, botany, zoology, geology, has grown until it seems that no one mind can comprehend the details of even one of them. The result is that to-day every man is working on his chosen problem, and often the field of that problem is extremely limited, though it involves weighty principles.
Will there come a second Darwin, again to grasp all nature in clear mental vision? His task would be the same as was Darwins, though far more difficult because of the larger body of knowledge,to accept and organize all accumulated information, while at the same time holding his own opinions and formulating his own theories. The work of the new Darwin would marshall to the front or banish to oblivion the many tangled theories of the present, and all so clearly and convincingly that there would be forced upon him who reads a repetition of the effect of The Origin of Species, the conviction that, after all, the task was an easy one for there could be no other conclusion.
An important feature of the celebration is the special exhibition in the Hall of Forestry and the new Darwin Hall comprising carefully selected specimens and groups of specimens bearing upon the Darwinian theory of Evolution through Natural Selection; also a valuable collection of Darwiniana consisting of letters, writings and portraits of Charles Darwin, as well as a series of photographs of Darwins contemporaries. The exhibition is open free to the public and will remain in place till March 12.
Key findings
'Didn't even know what they were allowing'
(NaturalNews) Americans are currently enjoying low oil and gasoline prices, brought about largely by the maturation of a single technology: hydraulic fracturing , a process whereby oil and natural gas is forcefully extracted from rock, using pressurized liquids. And, though the process has been around since 1947, its widening use has prompted a number of questions among environmentalists worried that it could be damaging to the earth.Their biggest concerns are about the liquids used by oil companies to extract the oil and gas. Most of the pressurized liquid consists of water, but it also contains chemicals and, among such chemicals, biocides.As noted by the University of Colorado State which has just completed a study on the compounds biocides are chemical substances that are used mostly in industrial processes, but are also found in several household products like bleach. When used in hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking" for short, they are added to kill bacteria that can corrode well casings, limit the effectiveness of the extraction process, and produce a highly toxic hydrogen sulfide gas.Researchers from Colorado State examined more than 200 research papers, various studies and other literature to evaluate current knowledge of biocides and how they can leach into the environment, whether they would degrade or persist once there, and if they or their degradation byproducts pose any significant health risks to humans and the surrounding ecosystems. In the process of analyzing studies, the research team found several areas where more research is quickly needed, while also identifying the good and bad of potential alternatives to biocides.The team's report , "Biocides in Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids: A Critical Review of Their Usage, Mobility, Degradation, and Toxicity," was published recently in the journal"We were trying to figure out if there is sufficient information available for an accurate environmental impact assessment of this important class of chemical compounds, and identify where the major knowledge gaps are," said Jens Blotevogel, a research assistant professor of environmental engineering, and one of the paper's lead authors.The team produced several key findings, among them:-- None of the 16 major biocides that are employed in fracking are specific to the industry, and they are all used in other industrial processes and commercial products;-- Of those 16, nine have been reported to have chronic toxicity effects involving developmental, mutagenic, reproductive and carcinogenic elements, among others;-- Three of the seven not shown to have toxic effects may transform into intermediate products with the potential to become toxic;-- The most current data appear to show that surface spills are the most common cause of environmental contamination from fracking fluids;-- Little is known about "transformation, sorption and transport of fracking chemicals once injected into" wells.Others are looking for alternatives to biocides in fracking. According to DS Bovia, a research firm, while the common thinking is that biocides are useful in maintaining the integrity of rigs used to extract oil and gas, that may not be the case at all. The firm notes that recent findings indicate that biocides do nothing to prevent the formation of hydrogen sulfide, and that instead, geochemical reactions may be causing toxic gas.Then there are critics of fracking who say that biocides and other chemicals have not yet been properly vetted by industry or the appropriate federal agencies.As reported by, Kristen Monsell, a lawyer at the US-based Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), says that U.S. officials "didn't even know what they were allowing" when giving companies permission to conduct fracking operations offshore and dump billions of gallons of chemicals into oceans."They were permitting fracking offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and [...] the agencies didn't know it was happening, they didn't even know what they were allowing," she toldrecently.As for the on-shore environment, some environmentalists believe that fracking chemicals are making their way into water tables, which is why many Americans are making the move to purchase water filtration systems
Oklahoma state government issues voluntary fracking regulations
Oklahoma needs statewide mandatory fracking regulations
(NaturalNews) Since 2009, the state of Oklahoma has experienced a drastic increase in earthquakes. The state's yearly average of reported earthquakes in 2009 was a mere 20 per year. In 2015, that average spiked to a shocking twoWhile environmentalists have had their suspicions for a while, it wasn't until recently that scientific evidence emerged directly linking Oklahoma's increase in earthquakes to an " 81 percent jump ... in wastewater volumes" injected back into the ground as a result of excessive fracking from 2009 to 2014.According to, "Scientists concluded in April 2015 that the injection of wastewater byproducts into deep underground disposal wells from fracking operations have triggered the near-daily quakes."After the state of Oklahoma experienced a 5.1 magnitude earthquake in February of this year (the third largest in state history), Oklahoma state government finally took action to address the issue.The state issued a series of voluntary fracking regulations for Oklahoma's oil and gas companies, calling for a 40 percent reduction in daily wastewater production in the northwest regions of the state. Covering a span of 5,200 square miles, and affecting over 240 different oil wells, the regulations aimed to combat both immediate and future concerns with the state's increased seismic activity.Tim Baker, director of the OCC's Oil and Gas Conservation Division, said : "This plan is aimed not only at taking further action in response to past activity, but also to get out ahead of it and hopefully prevent new areas from being involved."As a result of the regulations, Oklahoma has experienced a 25 percent decrease in earthquakes in the past 12 months. While this evidence bodes well for the immediate safety of Oklahoma and its citizens, many believe that the voluntary regulations may not be enough in the long run."I am glad to see the [Oklahoma] Corporation Commission act to implement a regional wastewater reduction plan, but I feel like we are about three years late to the party," state Rep. Cory Williams told. Instead, Williams proposed that Oklahoma implement a mandatory "statewide moratorium on oil-and-gas wastewater disposal."Williams' concerns arose from a lawsuit filed by the Sierra Club and Public Justice against three of the state's largest oil companies, New Dominion, Chesapeake Operating and Devon Energy, who all refused to comply with the state's voluntary regulatory program.Richard Webster, Public Justice attorney, commented on the issue claiming, "The polluters know very well that their activities will trigger earthquakes and yet they continue to inject large volumes of waste with impunity despite that knowledge."In the lawsuit, Public Justice and Sierra Club accuse the three companies of violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and demand that they "reduce immediately and substantially, the amounts of production waste they are injecting into the ground." Additionally, the lawsuit requests that the state government make oil companies responsible for reinforcing structures vulnerable to earthquake damage, and the establishment of an independent earthquake monitoring and prediction center.Certain Oklahoma lawmakers have jumped on board in favor of the lawsuit. Cory Williams, Oklahoma Democratic state lawmaker, is in support of issuing mandatory moratoriums, and even suggested the state "create financial incentives for companies to find safer ways to dispose of wastewater."While the voluntary regulations issued in February are largely responsible for the state's 25 percent decrease in earthquakes over the past 12 months, the regulations only cover portions of the northwestern part of the state."The really interesting thing about Fairview is it's a really long way away from really large wells," Jeremy Boak, director of the Oklahoma Geological Survey reported.While a mandatory statewide moratorium seems to be some distance away, at least there are groups taking action to push the movement in the right direction. Home of the second largest concentration of oil and gas activity in the United States, Oklahoma cannot afford to ignore its fracking problem any further. Oklahoma's oil industries and state government need to find a long-term solution to this problem, or else the state's largest source of economic activity could shake the state beyond repair.
Monsanto propaganda debunked
Nearly half of Europeans test positive for glyphosate in their bodies
(NaturalNews) Despite industry-led efforts to play down health and environmental risks associated with the herbicide glyphosate , two-thirds of Europeans now say that its use should be banned, according to a recent survey of more than 7,000 people from the five biggest E.U. states.The European Parliament responded to the public's concerns on Wednesday, April 20, by passing a resolution opposing the European Commission's proposal to re-approve the use of glyphosate for the next 15 years.This move may lead to a potential victory for the anti-GM agriculture movement in Europe, and signals a growing awareness of the dangers of what has become the most widely-used herbicide in the history of the world.From"The Parliament's vote precedes a decision by EU government representatives on whether or not to support the Commission proposal to approve glyphosate for use in the EU. This may take place at the next EU pesticides committee meeting on 18-19 May."While the 374 to 225 vote is non-binding on the Commission and EU governments, it will nonetheless carry strong moral weight since it comes from the EU's only elected body directly representing EU citizens and will force a discussion of the issues raised." The Monsanto Company , whose number one-selling Roundup herbicide product contains glyphosate , has long led a massive propaganda and lobbying campaign promoting the use of glyphosate as part of a "safe and effective" (it is neither) industrial-scale agricultural system based on GM technology. However, a growing body of research has shown that glyphosate negatively impacts human health and damages ecosystems.Monsanto's lies and strong arm tactics which have included falsified research, the bribing of scientists, payoffs to political committees and the launching of smear campaigns against GMO opponents have not been entirely successful in keeping the truth from the public.And the truth is, that glyphosate poses a threat not only to humans it's been linked to cancer in lab animals and has been labeled as "probably carcinogenic" to humans by the World Health Organization but also disrupts ecosystems, by killing off beneficial species that help maintain the delicate balance of their environment.From"Most global use of glyphosate is for GM-resistant crops and, as a non-selective herbicide , environmentalists say that it can kill all plants, algae, bacteria and fungi in a crop's vicinity, creating knock-on effects for biodiversity."Some 9.4m tonnes of glyphosate have been applied to crops since 1974, enough to spray half a pound of Roundup onto every cultivated acre of land on the planet."Studies have shown that glyphosate threatens many animal species as well, including insects, fish and amphibians.Glyphosate is everywhere traces of it have been found in the urine of 44 percent of people tested from 18 different European nations, in 60 percent of the bread sold in the U.K., and in Germany's 14 best-selling beers.However, little testing has actually been done examining the extent of glyphosate's presence and its effects on humans and the environment, which is one big reason why environmental groups and others are demanding a ban at least until more research can be conducted.From a report published by Friends of the Earth Europe "The evidence suggests that a significant proportion of the population could have glyphosate in their bodies and it is not clear where it is coming from. Despite the fact that glyphosate is the world's best-selling chemical herbicide and glyphosate-containing herbicides are the most widely-used herbicides in Europe, very little testing is done for glyphosate residues in food, feed, or water. Tests for glyphosate in the body do not take place at all."More testing is needed, of course, but there is already more than enough evidence of glyphosate's harmful effects and its increasing levels found in foods , to support a complete ban of its use.Two-thirds of Europeans think so, and it seems that their representatives in the EU governmental system may be beginning to pay attention.
Measles vaccine kills more people than measles itself
Vaccination does not equal immunization
Fear-mongering by media shills
(NaturalNews)magazine, along with several other mainstream media sources , is blaming a recent measles outbreak in Arizona on unvaccinated workers at an immigration detention center located near Phoenix, but is the story accurate?The mainstream press version of the story claims that what's being called "the largest measles outbreak in the U.S.," was not caused by illegal immigrants being held at the Eloy Detention Center, but rather by workers there who refused to receive MMR vaccinations In their reporting on the issue,and other media outlets are simply parroting government and Big Pharma vaccine propaganda, while ignoring the real story regarding this particular outbreak as well as the bigger questions regarding vaccine safety and efficacy in general.Themagazine version states that the Arizona outbreak which now involves roughly two dozen confirmed cases of measles "likely began with a migrant," but spread due to unvaccinated workers at the facility.Although this version of the story conveniently plays on the fears of a misinformed public, it contains many inaccuracies and much wild speculation.In the first place, no mention is made of the fact that the measles vaccine kills far more people than the disease itself.As reported by"Comparative data provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) reveal that nobody has died from measles in more than 10 years, while at least 108 deaths reported in VAERS during the same time frame have been linked to measles vaccines."In fact, the measles are not deadly at all it's better to contract measles as a child and develop a lifelong immunity than to risk being vaccinated.Another fact you won't read inmagazine or anywhere else in the mainstream press is that being vaccinated does not guarantee immunity. In the recent Disneyland measles outbreak and others, 18 percent of those who contracted measles had already been vaccinated.Furthermore, it is possible for those who have received measles vaccinations to transmit the disease themselves.But the media ignores these facts and others in covering the Arizona outbreak . For example, thearticle would lead readers to believe that itbe the unvaccinated workers spreading measles because "detainees have since been vaccinated."But if detainees are arriving at the center unvaccinated, could they not still be transmitting new cases before they receive their vaccinations? And, given the fact that vaccinations are not anywhere near 100 percent effective,that vaccinated people may also be capable of spreading the measles, how can anyone be sure just how the Arizona measles cases were actually spread?In blaming the unvaccinated workers for the outbreak, the Arizona health officials and the media are merely shilling for the vaccine industry and concealing the real story from the public eye.If one looks a little deeper, it becomes obvious how the whole story plays perfectly into the vaccine industry's hands. In other words, if we don't force vaccinations in the U.S., then we'll all succumb to diseases brought in by illegal immigrants. The mainstream media doesn't specifically say that, but it's pretty easy to draw that conclusion, based on their version of events. It's vaccine industry-backed fear-mongering disguised as news coverage.Until the vaccine industry is exposed, and its influence over the government and media dismantled, don't expect any truth from the mainstream press regarding the dangers of vaccines and the fact that boosting one's immune system naturally is far better than receiving a shot.Don't buy into the mainstream media lies regarding vaccines. Do your own research beforeallowing your own child to receive an MMR shot.
Both conservative and liberal politicians share history of affiliation with Monsanto
(NaturalNews) If you've ever wondered why corporations seem to hold so much sway over our government, look no further than who's making all the decisions in Washington and more importantly, where many of these people worked before being handed comfy, high-level positions at top government agencies.You might be surprised at the number of senior advisors, chiefs of staff, judges, commissioners and others employed at agencies like the Department of Justice (DoJ), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) who all have one thing in common: they used to hold executive-level positions at multinational corporations like Monsanto.The infographic below depicts a revolving-door relationship between Monsanto and the federal government that dates back many decades. You'll probably recognize many of the names on the list, but chances are you had no idea these folks used to work for Monsanto or advocate for its interests before taking key positions of power on the taxpayer dime.Donald Rumsfeld is one of the more prominent names that probably jumps out at you, as this former Secretary of Defense under both Gerald Ford and George W. Bush is remembered as one of the key Bush administration warmongers who helped propel forward the "War on Terror" following 9/11. Rumsfeld also just so happens to have been a former CEO for G.D. Searle, a pharmaceutical company that has since merged with Monsanto.Another prominent, and probably surprising, name on the list is Clarence Thomas, a U.S. Supreme Court justice who many conservatives respect for his supposedly far-right stances on most issues. Thomas is a former lawyer for Monsanto who cast the deciding vote to hand the contested 2000 election over to George W. Bush.Michael Taylor, who recently resigned from his position as deputy commissioner of the FDA, is another former attorney for Monsanto who fought on behalf of the company's interests for seven years. Taylor also served as head of Monsanto's Washington, D.C., office, an obvious conflict of interest considering the FDA's job is to regulate the activities of corporations like Monsanto.The very first Chief Administrator for the EPA, William D. Ruckelshaus, is another Monsanto hack who served on the company's Board of Directors. Ruckelshaus, who was appointed back in 1970, later went on to become the acting director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and even held the position of Deputy U.S. Attorney General.The EPA, as you probably already know, has a reputation for being lax in regulating chemicals manufactured by large corporations , and now you know why from the beginning, the agency was steered by Monsanto operatives to push a very different agenda than environmental protection.Other key names include: Michael Kantor, a Monsanto lawyer and board member who served as campaign chair for the Clinton-Gore campaign in 1992, U.S. Trade Representative from 19931996, and U.S. Secretary of Commerce from 19961997. Margaret Miller, a top Monsanto scientist who oversaw getting the genetically-engineered growth hormone rBGH commercially approved despite a lack of evidence assuring its safety , and who in 1991 was appointed Deputy Director for the FDA. Islam Saddiqui, former vice president of CropLife America a Monsanto affiliate who was later appointed as Chief Agricultural Negotiator for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Anne Veneman, a former board member for the Monsanto biotech subsidiary Calgene, who in 2001 was appointed as head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Rufus Yerxa, former Chief Counsel at Monsanto, who in 1993 was nominated as U.S. Deputy to the World Trade Organization. Richard J. Mahoney, former Monsanto CEO for 14 years, who served as Director of the U.S., Soviet, Japanese and Korean Trade Councils, as well as member of the U.S. Government Trade Policy Committee.
A federal appeals court recently upheld the short prison sentences of Iowa egg farmers in a case that a legal expert said could be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court and has ramifications for corporate officers who violate the Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act (FDCA).
The owner of Quality Egg LLC, Austin Jack" DeCoster, and his son Peter DeCoster, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor violations for introducing eggs into interstate commerce that had been adulterated with Salmonella. The guilty pleas prompted a federal judge in 2015 to sentence the men to three months of imprisonment.
Separately, federal judge Mark Bennett ordered the company to pay a fine of US$6.79 million and placed Quality Egg on probation for three years.
Challenging the prison sentences before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, the egg farmers argued the punishments were unconstitutional or alternatively unreasonable. In a decision filed July 6, a three-judge panel with the Eighth Circuit ruled 2 to 1 to affirm the sentences.
Quality Egg is an egg production company that did business as Wright County Egg. A 2010 outbreak of Salmonella that caused 1,939 illnesses was linked to Wright County Egg and another business, Iowa-based Hillandale Farms, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The DeCosters had pleaded guilty to misdemeanor violations as responsible corporate officers under the FDCA, but they argued the prison sentences were unconstitutional because they didnt personally engage in wrongdoing.
In striving to overturn their sentences, the farmers sought to compare their situation to ones in which courts have ruled due process was violated when defendants were sentenced to prison for crimes under vicarious liabilitya legal doctrine in which a supervisory party is held responsible for a subordinates conduct.
Quoting U.S. v. Park, an often-cited 1975 Supreme Court case, Eighth Circuit Judge Diana Murphy distinguished the doctrine of vicarious liability from corporate officers who are held accountable under the FDCA for failing to prevent or correct conditions which gave rise to the charges against him."
Here, as owner of Quality Egg, Jack decided which barns were subject to [Salmonella] environmental testing, and as chief operating officer, Peter coordinated many of the company's [Salmonella] prevention and rodent control efforts," Murphy wrote. Neither of the DeCosters claim to have been powerless to prevent Quality Egg from violating the FDCA. Despite their familiarity with the conditions in the Iowa facilities, they failed to take sufficient measures to improve them."
In a concurring opinion, Eighth Circuit Judge Raymond Gruender said he agreed with the judgment because the district court had found the defendants were negligent," and the case did not raise concerns associated with incarcerating individuals based entirely on their positions as responsible corporate officers.
The DeCosters challenge to their sentences relies on the premise that they were held vicariously liable for their subordinates violationsthat is, liability was imputed to them based solely on their positions in the company," Gruender noted. But because the DeCosters were negligent, their liability is not vicarious. Instead, they are responsible for their own failures to exercise reasonable care to prevent the introduction of adulterated food."
Bill Marler, a well-known attorney in Seattle who filed lawsuits against Quality Egg on behalf of consumers who fell ill from Salmonella, said he presumed the defendants lawyers would ask the Supreme Court to review the case. If the Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal, the Eighth Circuits judgement would stand.
Attorneys representing the defendants did not immediately respond to INSIDERs request for comment.
Marler said the defendants were sentenced to jail time by the trial judge even though prosecutors had not requested incarceration. But the court was also aware of a pretty long and sordid history that the DeCosters had with respect to egg production over the last 20-plus years," said the attorney, who referenced farms in the Northeast linked to outbreaks of Salmonella.
Since prosecutors had not asked for jail time, Marler said he had been concerned that the Eighth Circuit would have found a reason to overturn the judges prison sentences.
And I think that would have sent a message to CEOs that if you are charged with a misdemeanor, like these guys were, you are not going to go to jail," Marler said in a phone interview. I think the fact that the Eighth Circuit upheld it sends the message that in fact you can go to jail for a misdemeanor."
Last year, the National Association of Manufacturers and the libertarian think tank, Cato Institute, raised concerns that the case could have harmful ramifications for the American economy. They argued the Eighth Circuit should vacate the judgments based on a lack of mens rea" or a guilty mind.
If executives can be imprisoned for criminal violations of strict liability laws by virtue of the position they hold within a company, the United States economy would suffer," the organizations argued in a brief filed in July 2015 with the Eighth Circuit. Executive business decisions would be motivated less by good business principles and more by fear of possible future prison sentences."
And, even then, corporate officers would not be able to fully protect themselves from criminal liability," the brief continued. Under the responsible corporate officer doctrine, executives could be held criminally liable for conduct that is entirely outside their control."
In a dissenting opinion, Eighth Circuit Judge C. Arlen Beam appeared to be sympathetic to such concerns. In spite of the defendants' purported negligence, he declared, "However, there is no precedent that supports imprisonment without establishing some measure of a guilty mind on the part of these two individuals, and none is established in this case."
Beam pointed out the egg farmers did not know their products were contaminated with Salmonella.
And when first alerted to the problem by the FDA in August of 2010, Quality Egg immediately, and at great expense, voluntarily recalled hundreds of millions of shell eggs produced at Quality Egg's facilities," the judge noted. This is hardly the stuff of guilty minds."
The swordfish is hailed as one of the fastest swimming fish in the sea. Though it has not been accurately measured as to how fast it can swim underwater, a study done in 2009 said it can achieve unimaginably high momentum at an approximate maximum speed of 130 kilometers per hour.
But have you ever wondered what makes swordfish the speed champion in the sea? Scientists tried to unravel the century-long mystery in a two-decade study.
A recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology said the answer is not on its famous bill that can slice its way through water, but actually in its complex organ consisting of an oil-producing gland.
John Videler, a biologist at the Netherlands' Groningen University, along with biologist Roelant Snoek, came across a swordfish in 1995. Using magnetic resonance imaging, the scan revealed an oil gland.
At that time, it was unclear yet how the oil gland functions and its purpose. But Videler told The Scientist that he was puzzled when he discovered a weak spot at the swordfish's bill.
Recalling the incident that sparked his curiosiy, he told the site that he was surprised when the bill broke off when he accidentally banged it on the door.
Twenty years later, they decided to look at it once more, and again, by accident, they found the most feasible answer to the swordfish's biggest mystery.
As per EurekAlert, when Snoeka accidentally dropped a light bulb onto the fish's skin, the function of the gland was revealed.
"All of a sudden he saw this network of vessels that were connected to the oil gland," says Videler. "And then we found that by heating up the gland you could see oil come out of these tiny little holes."
Using electron microscopy, tiny holes connected to the gland by the capillaries were revealed. So as water brushes rushes by the head of the swordfish, the glands secrete oil.
The researchers think that the oil lubricates the swordfish's body, making it faster by an additional 20 percent and helping them hunt agile squid and fish.
"We hypothesize that the oil layer, in combination with the denticles, creates a super-hydrophobic layer that reduces streamwise friction drag and increases swimming efficiency," the study read.
To fully prove the analysis of the researchers, further studies are needed. However, because the swordfish cannot be kept in captivity, the research faces challenges.
Nicole Sharp, an aerospace engineer who was not involved in the study, told National Geographic that she supports the claim of the biologists about how the oil gland acts as lubrication. However, she doubts the "super-hydrophobic" term, as she thinks there is insufficient denticles to produce the kind of turbulence that is need for a superhydrophobic surface.
"I'm willing to accept the hypothesis that this oil gland and capillary system provides lubrication for the swordfish that may help reduce its drag," she says. "But I'm not convinced that the fish's head qualifies as superhydrophobic."
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the swordfish (Xiphias gladius) as pandemic. It is found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans, including the Mediterranean Sea, the Sea of Marmara, the Black Sea, and the Sea of Azov.
Its depth distribution ranges normally from the surface to a depth of about 550 meters, but there are depth records down 2,878 m. It can grow up to 14 feet in length and weighs 1,200 pounds.
A full migrant species, they have no scales and teeth. The swordfish uses its sword-like bill to prey on fish as well as crustaceans and squids. Their lifespan reaches up to nine years and are currently listed as least concern, which is the lowest level in terms of conservation status.
After his hate-tweeting extravaganza, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is making news again, this time by hinting that his "top secret" Tesla master plan is almost ready to be disclosed. Of course, the Internet went crazy in anticipation of what the renewable energy tycoon got under his sleeves.
Working on Top Secret Tesla Masterplan, Part 2. Hoping to publish later this week. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 10, 2016
"Working on Top Secret Tesla Master plan, Part 2. Hoping to publish later this week," Elon Musk, Tesla CEO said. The tweet was received with so much enthusiasm because most people wanted to know what's going on inside the mind of the entrepreneur responsible for electronic vehicle and space rocket production.
The thought of the master plan came after Tesla's bid to merge with Solar City, which Musk adamantly defended and the controversial issue concerning Tesla autopilot crashes that irked the businessman.
Tesla is making a lot of news recently after selling $2 billion in stock, but not without controversy when Forbes questioned the transparency of Tesla when it comes to admitting a fatal crash and another recent accident involving Tesla vehicles.
"Based on the information we have now, we have no reason to believe that Autopilot had anything to do with this accident," a Tesla official said in a statement published by Fortune. This was after another Telsa crash occurred in Pennsylvania although it still not clear whether the car was indeed in autopilot mode when the incident occured as the investigations are still on going.
The investors, consumers and the world, in general, are waiting for what Musk plans to reveal later this week. It wasn't the first time a top secret Tesla master plan was revealed by Musk according to USA Today. The same was mentioned in 2006 when he started promoting Tesla and the affordable zero-emissions and renewable energy "sports car."
The Tesla CEO has proven that he is one powerful and influential man when it comes to real life and in social media. His recent rant concerning an article on how his company is endangering flamingos also resulted in a widely retweeted statement on the said social media platform.
NASA released an image of "Martian Morse Code" as its Picture of the Day, explaining that the photo depicts dark dunes upon the surface of the red planet. The unusual dune patterns that resemble the dots and dashes of Morse code evoke the idea of a Martian civilization leaving a message for the human race to find.
The patterns are simply the result of the natural topography on Mars. The dot and dash formations of the dunes are generally indicative of the direction of winds sweeping the planetary surface. However, the complexity of these particular dunes makes it difficult to tell what that direction might be.
NASA scientists think that a rounded depression, most likely an ancient impact crater that has long since filled up, is keeping much of the Martian sand out of the reach of the winds, preventing regular dune patterning. The depression in the Hagal Dune field has "focused the wind, and also limited the amount of sand available for formation of the dunes," NASA analyst Veronica Bray informed Gizmodo.
The linear "dash" patterns are formed due to the force of bi-directional winds coming from directions at right angles to the dune, combining to funnel sand into the elongated shape. The "dots" are what are called "barchanoid dunes" and they build up in cases where something comes to interrupt the process that foms the lengthier dunes.
Barchanoid dune formation is still something of a mystery to NASA scientists, which is why the image is of great interest to the agency. The photo was captured using the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
HiRISE is collecting images of the Martian surface to help scientists better understand the forces shaping its planetary landscape. The message of the Martian Morse code may contain secrets, but rather than words, they are hints about the workings of Martian natural processes.
Most people are unaware that dangerous varieties of fungus are responsible for some 1.5 million deaths a year, killing more people than tuberculosis or malaria. That is two to three times the death toll caused by breast cancer.
The Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition is seeking to highlight the relatively unknown fungi strains of Aspergillus, Cryptococcus and Candida auris that threaten lives around the globe. Professor Neil Gow, head of the Aberdeen Fungal Group at the University of Aberdeen, told IFLScience that the HIV-AIDS epidemic paved the way for the rise of several lethal fungal infections.
"That created a whole new population of people who were vulnerable to infections which otherwise their immune systems would have easily defended themselves against," he explained. Gow added that an estimated half a million people with HIV die from Cryptococcus infection every year, and the world of medical science is still catching up to the severity of the problem.
Vaccines do not yet exist to protect people from fungal diseases, warns the Royal Society. Nor are fungal infections only a concern in the developing world.
A new strain of the fungus Candida auris was first detected in Japan in 2009, and has struck in other places, including a hospital in southeastern England. Forty patients were found to have C. auris in that hospital alone.
"This species of Candida is emerging globally, Dr Berit Muller-Pebody of Public Health England told BBC News. C. auris is related to Candida albicans, the common yeast infection. Unlike it, C. auris has proved to be multidrug-resistant, even on being treated with first-line anti-fungal drugs. And it kills close to 60% of people infected, Medical Daily reports.
Aspergillus fumigatus spores are inhaled by people all the time, but the human immune system is very good at destroying these disease carriers. For those with compromised immune systems, however, the fungus is not only life-threatening but difficult to treat. It is resistant to anti-fungal medicines such as caspofungin, and scientists are still trying to figure out why.
A new dwarf planet has been discovered out in the far reaches of the solar system, past Neptune and Pluto.
An image of the distant object was captured by the Outer Solar System Origins Survey (OSSOS) in 2015, but it was not detected until Canadian astronomer JJ Kavelaars saw it in February 2016 among the OSSOS images collected by the Canada-France-Hawaii (CFH) Telescope on Maunakea, Hawaii.
The CFH Telescope news blog quotes astronomer Michele Bannister, a member of the OSSOS team, saying, "The icy worlds beyond Neptune trace how the giant planets formed and then moved out from the Sun. They let us piece together the history of our Solar System. But almost all of these icy worlds are painfully small and faint: it's really exciting to find one that's large and bright enough that we can study it in detail."
The discovery has been designated "2015 RR245" by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center. It joins Pluto, Ceres, Eris, Haumea and Makemake as the only six bodies officially recognized as dwarf planets by the IAU.
2015 RR245 was detected in the Kuiper Belt, a remote cloud of icy objects located far past Neptune. The new dwarf planet currently orbits even further away than Pluto, at an estimated distance of 7.5 billion miles away from the Sun. That means it will take around 700 years for 2015 RR245 to complete a single orbit. In 2096, it will reach its closest approach to the sun in, Space.com reports.
The OSSOS team estimated its size at 435 miles (700 km) across, making it smaller than Pluto. It is the 18th largest object found in the Kuiper Belt, according to the Minor Planet Center, the organization which is officially in charge of collecting and disseminating info about minor planets and comets.
A dwarf planet is Sun-orbiting body of rounded mass that has not cleared its orbital neighborhood of other, smaller objects. It is among the class of bodies that are known as minor planets, to which asteroids also belong.
Sun-powered plane Solar Impulse 2 left Seville in southern Spain on Monday for the penultimate leg of its record-breaking round-the-world journey.
The zero-fuel aircraft took off from Seville at 0420 GMT en route for Cairo, Egypt on a trip that is expected to take 50 hours and 30 minutes, Reuters reports.
The plane has more than 17,000 solar cells built on its wings and cruises at a speed of about 70 kilometers per hour (43 mph) at a speed comparable to a car.
Mission managers aim to land in Cairo in the morning when the weather is most favorable.
"The winds for landing are good from about 2AM until 8AM," Raymond Clerc, flight director, told BBC.com.
"Then, if we were to land afterwards, the temperatures on the ground would be too high, and it would be a problem for the structure [as we move Solar Impulse to the hanger]. If we're flying, it's not a problem because we're ventilated by the air speed," he added.
According to mission managers, they have to be particularly careful not to expose the plane's solar cells to too much heat when it is stationary on the ground.
Two pilots shared flying duties for the solar-powered plane's trip around the world and are now about to take one more turn at the aircraft controls.
Pilot Andre Borschberg will be in charge for the Seville-Cairo route, while Bertrand Piccard will complete the journey taking Solar Impulse 2 back to Abu Dhabi, where the record-breaking journey began in 2015.
Borschberg said he felt emotional knowing that they are about to make the final journey in the plane.
"It's meaningful obviously because it's my last flight in this round-the-world epic. I've started to think about it," Borschberg told BBC.com.
"I'm happy that we get close to the end but also prudent knowing that it is not done yet. I have to stay really focused."
After this leg, Solar Impulse 2 will be flying to Abu Dhabi, which was where the journey began in 2015.
The penultimate flight will take the plane over the Mediterranean Sea, crossing through the airspace of five other countries, including Tunisia, Algeria, Malta, Italy and Greece, before ending in Egypt where the plane is supposed to land in the Egyptian capital.
Two of four people suspected of kidnapping a Vallejo woman for ransom made their first court appearance Monday, but there was still no sign of the victim.
Emmanuel Espinoza, 26, of Stockton, and Larry Young, 23, of Sacramento, were formally charged with kidnapping for ransom Monday. Investigators say the men, along with two others, kidnapped 57-year-old Elvira Babb nearly two weeks ago then demanded $60,000 in ransom for her return.
NBC Bay Area
Police arrested four suspects over the weekend, but so far, none is giving investigators any clues as to what happened to Babb.
"It's very serious," said Karen Jensen, Solano County deputy district attorney. "Ms. Babb hasn't been seen for over a week. It's very unusual; she's never done anything like this in her past where she's just disappeared, so that leaves credibility to the fact she's been kidnapped."
Babb was last seen on June 29 at Sea Food City Market in Vallejo after a coworker dropped her off after work. Balloons and flowers have been placed outside Babb's Vallejo apartment.
Richard Fairchild lives next door to Babb. He says he heard a dog yelping around the time of the woman's disappearance. Police found her Chihuahua dead inside but no sign of Babb.
"I was just getting ready to go to bed, and I sleep with my window open upstairs, and I heard a dog screeching," Fairchild said. "It sounded really bad like maybe it got hit by a car or something."
On June 30, Babb's son, John, reported receiving a text message and a call from an unknown number demanding money for the return of his mother and threatening her with violence.
"The caller advised him that he had his mother, and he demanded money and threatened her life if he didn't pay or if he went to the authorities," Lt. Jeff Bassett of the Vallejo Police Department said.
LT. JEFF BASSETT/VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS:" the caller advised him that he had his mother and he demanded money and threatened her life if he didn't pay it or if he went to the authorities" :48-5
After receiving the message, John Babb rushed to his mother's home at 101 Daniels Ave., where he found her small dog dead and no one home. Police said there appeared to be no signs of forced entry.
Police identified Espinoza as the "primary suspect." All of the suspects have criminal records and are "well acquainted with one another," police said.
Espinoza pleaded not guilty Monday while Young declined to enter a plea until he hires an attorney. The other suspects could enter pleas Tuesday.
Vallejo police are investigating the case and asking for the public's help. The department will hold a news conference Tuesday morning with Babb's family members.
Anyone with information about the case can call the Vallejo PD at 800-488-9383. Information can be provided anonymously to the Solano Crime Stoppers tip line at 707-644-STOP. Solano Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for phone tips that solve violent and/or serious crimes.
The nation's oldest full-time park ranger, Betty Reid Soskin, has returned to work about three weeks after she was brutally attacked and robbed in her Richmond, California, apartment.
"I've had a hard time marking time," the 94-year-old said at a news conference Tuesday at the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park, her first time back since she was attacked in a home invasion on June 27. "That experience took something away from me."
[NATL] Bay Area Woman is World's Oldest Park Ranger
She hadn't wanted to return until her face had healed from the bruising she sustained during the violent robbery, her colleagues said. Police said the thief punched her several times and stole a coin given to her by President Barack Obama at this year's National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony.
"I didn't want anyone to see me with black eyes and put it on YouTube," the tech-savvy woman, an avid blogger, half joked.
But Soskin showed no signs of physical trauma on Tuesday, and said she was ready to be back at work with her beloved colleagues and guests.
"I wanted to get back into routine life," she said, her voice full of gratitude and emotion.
She paused for a while, before saying: "I didn't think there was any way to prepare myself for this moment. It's so good to see you all and feel the support of the community."
Soskin has led tours at the Bay Area museum since she was just 85 years old, explaining her slice of history to student groups and adults 40 hours a week. During World War II, Soskin worked as a clerk for the all-black Boilermakers A-36. She grabbed headlines in the 2013 federal funding crisis when she urged Congress to get its act together so she didn't have to sit at home, not getting paid during the national furlough.
Because of all her work, Soskin was invited to light the national Christmas tree in December, where she introduced President Barack Obama.That's when he slipped her a presidential coin.
Then, late last month, someone broke into her apartment, beat her and stole her cell phone, laptop, jewelry and the coin Obama gave her to mark the event. Richmond police had not announced any arrests as of Tuesday morning.
Soskin said that while she as at home convalescing, she pondered the violent attack she survived and the deadly violence around the country, though she didn't specifically mention the ambush attack that killed five police officers in Dallas last week, or the two deaths of black men by police in Minnesota and Louisiana.
"I couldn't deal with the world close up," she said. "So I had to move the lens out. I needed the distance, but then I began to see myself as part of the whole. The violence we are suffering individually is an expression of what we are all what we are experiencing collectively."
She said she's still trying to make sense of what happened to her.
But what she knows is how loved she is by those she works with and strangers who heard her story. Her colleagues at the National Park Service, and members of the community at large, have raised more than $50,000 to help her replace those items, as well as fund a documentary being made about her, according to the park service.
Her boss, Supt. Tom Leatherman, told NBC Bay Area that he received an email from Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, saying that Obama would replace the coin. As of Tuesday, Leatherman said the coin hadn't come.
Until it does comes, Soskin summed up her horrifying experience like this: "It was an adventure. One that I wished I'd never have, but it's over now."
Shes spotted whales off in the distance while she stood on the shore or cruised around on a power boat. She was even lucky enough to witness a pod of whales hanging out last year in the Pacific Ocean in Santa Cruz. But shes never seen humpback whales up so close and personal, and dining on fish in the San Francisco bay before.
Until now.
On Sunday, 68-year-old Lyrinda Snyderman, a retired architect from Berkeley, was with three friends on their kayaks when they saw the majestic sight: Four or five huge humpbacks hoisting their large black, barnacled heads out of the water near Angel Island in San Francisco, birds flying around their massive bodies. The whale surfaced, blew water, dove down, and surfaced again and again.
Snyderman and her pals, Dick Mallory, Holly Smith and Don Fleming, couldnt believe what they were seeing. The group goes out most weekends with the Petaluma Paddlers or the Bay Area Sea Kayakers clubs.
Oh my God, Snyderman can be heard shouting gleefully on a 20-minute video she shot from her kayak.
In an interview Tuesday, she explained what she was feeling: I felt excitement and privilege, we just felt so lucky.
She said that when her group saw the color of the tide changing, and the bird activity near the Pier 39, she and her paddled over, staying 100 yards away as is the law, knowing that something was up. Thats when we saw the whales, she said, adding that she quickly took out her telephoto camera to start documenting. Not just three breaths and a dive. But we saw their noses, their heads coming out of the water. We just sat there and watched.
A kayaker spotted four or five huge humpbacks hoisting their large black, barnacled heads out of the water to feed near Angel Island in San Francisco.
JERUSALEM - Israeli and American families of victims of Palestinian attacks filed a $1 billion lawsuit against Facebook, claiming the social network is providing a platform for militants to spread incitement and violence, their lawyers said Monday.
Shurat Hadin, an Israeli legal advocacy group, filed the suit on behalf of the five families in New York federal court late Sunday, alleging that Facebook is violating U.S. anti-terrorism laws by providing a service to militant groups that assists them in ``recruiting, radicalizing, and instructing terrorists, raising funds, creating fear and carrying out attacks.''
The lawsuit focuses on the Islamic militant group Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip and which has fought three wars against Israel since the Palestinian group overran the coastal territory in 2007. Hamas, an armed group sworn to Israel's destruction, has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States.
The five families in the lawsuit lost relatives in attacks over the last two years. Four were dual Israeli-American citizens while one victim was an American tourist.
``Facebook can't sit in its stone tower in Palo Alto while blood is being spilled here on the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. It has a social responsibility. It can't serve as a social network for Hamas,'' said Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, the Israeli lawyer who is representing the families.
The suit comes amid a 10-month outburst of Israeli-Palestinian violence that has seen scores of Palestinian attacks targeting Israeli civilians and troops.
Israel says the violence is being fueled by a Palestinian campaign of incitement on social media while the Palestinians see it as the result of frustrations over nearly 50 years of Israeli occupation and a lack of hope for their own state.
Since mid-September, 34 Israelis and two American tourists have been killed in Palestinian attacks. More than 200 Palestinians have been killed during the same time. The majority of the Palestinians are said by Israel to have been attackers. The rest were killed in clashes with Israeli troops.
Among the plaintiffs in the lawsuit is the family of Taylor Force, a 28-year-old U.S. veteran who was visiting Israel in March when he was stabbed to death by a Palestinian. Other plaintiffs include the family of Richard Lakin, an educator and coexistence advocate who was shot on a Jerusalem bus last October, and relatives of Naftali Fraenkel, an Israeli teenager who was kidnapped and killed while hitchhiking in the West Bank two years ago.
Lakin's son, Micah Lakin Avni, said the goal of the lawsuit was to get Facebook and other social media companies to ``take responsibility'' for the content floating around their sites.
Avni said that his father was hospitalized for two weeks before he died, and during that time, Avni sat by his bedside trying to figure out what had happened. He said that in his research, he was shocked to see how much violent content was on Facebook. He said Hamas-related pages praised the attack and posted a video re-enactment. One of the attackers, he said, posted a ``martyr's'' last will and testament.
``On Facebook, it's a free for all, because nobody has really called them to task,'' he said.
Facebook had no immediate comment on the lawsuit, saying it had not yet received a copy. But in a statement, it said people need to ``feel safe'' when using Facebook.
``There is no place for content encouraging violence, direct threats, terrorism or hate speech on Facebook,'' it said. ``We have a set of Community Standards to help people understand what is allowed on Facebook, and we urge people to use our reporting tools if they find content that they believe violates our standards so we can investigate and take swift action.''
The case is among a handful to argue that U.S. anti-terrorism laws should take precedence over the provisions of the Communications Decency Act, which normally shield online companies for liability for what their users post.
It is not clear whether the lawsuit will succeed. The court may rule that freedom of expression precedes anti-terror laws. Moreover, while the attackers in the five incidents had links to Hamas, the militant group has stopped short of claiming responsibility for the attacks, suggesting the assailants acted on their own.
Benjamin Wittes, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said the case ``appears to be a more compelling complaint'' than other similar suits filed in recent months.
He said the most interesting argument is that beyond saying Facebook served as a conduit for hate speech, it says the service played a role in specific attacks. ``This case will be well worth watching,'' he said.
But Aaron Mackey, a legal fellow at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a U.S. group promoting civil rights in the digital world, said he believed the lawsuit would fail.
He said the plaintiffs would have to prove that Facebook was ``actively participating'' in terrorist attacks. He also said the Communications Decency Act provides a ``broad shield'' of protection for online platforms like Facebook.
"What they are really asking for is for Facebook to not provide service to certain individuals or to certain parts of the world because they're afraid of the speech that might result,'' he said. Any attempt to impose broad filters on expression would ``sweep up a whole lot of legitimate speech'' as well, he said.
The suit comes as Israel is considering how to contain what it sees as rampant Palestinian incitement on social media. Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan is preparing a bill meant to rein in content seen as incitement on social media and earlier this month, he said Facebook had become ``a monster,'' adding that the company had ``some of the victims' blood'' on its hands.
Shurat Hadin has challenged Facebook in courts in the past. Last year, it demanded an injunction to have Facebook remove and block incitement to violence. A decision is pending.
Such lawsuits are not unprecedented.
The father of a young woman killed in the Paris massacre last November is suing Google, Facebook and Twitter, claiming that the companies provided ``material support'' to extremists in violation of the law. A similar case was brought against Twitter in January by the widow of a contractor killed in an attack on a police training center in Jordan.
Associated Press writer Daniella Cheslow in Tel Aviv, Israel contributed to this report.
The family of Philando Castile, the black Minnesota man fatally shot last week by police during a traffic stop, plans to file a lawsuit in the wake of his death, their lawyer said on Tuesday.
Glenda Hatchett, the former host of TV's "Judge Hatchett" show, is representing Castile's family. Speaking at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, Hatchett said Castile's death was a "horrible, horrible, senseless tragedy." She called for a special prosecutor in the case.
Valerie Castile, Philando's mother, said her son "was a humanitarian.
"He was a pillar in this community," she said. "The children that he worked with loved him. He didn't deserve to die like that.
In what country is it, she asked, "that being honest and telling the truth will get you killed. You answer that one for me."
Castile, who was about to turn 33, was killed last Wednesday in Falcon Heights, a suburb of the Twin Cities. The Hennepin County medical examiner's office said the school cafeteria worker died of multiple gunshot wounds.
Castile's fiancee, Diamond Reynolds, live streamed the aftermath of the shooting on Facebook. She said Castile was shot while reaching into his back pocket for his ID, NBC News reported.
Hatchett, 65, is a former chief judge of Fulton County Juvenile Court in Atlanta.
"I am deeply concerned about what seems to be an epidemic of African-American men being killed by police officers," she said in an earlier statement. "We have often seen demonstrations and debates and I raise the critical question, 'When will there be systemic reform?'"
Groups of demonstrators protested a fundraiser in Chicago Tuesday for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky held a Chicago Trumps Hate event downtown Tuesday morning condemning the high-priced fundraiser. Tickets for the event range from $10,000 to $100,000.
Additionally, NextGen Climate Illinois, an environmental advocacy organization, held a rally Tuesday afternoon to speak out against Trumps divisive agenda.
The protest took place at Trump Tower downtown, where the ritzy fundraiser is reportedly being held. NextGen Climate Illinois was joined by Latino Policy Forums A.C.C.E.S.S. student group and Muslim Democrats.
The group said it wants to hold Trump accountable for his terrifying energy plan, and the attacks on immigrants and minorities that have defined his campaign and put you Illinoisans futures at risk."
Trump last visited Chicago in the lead-up to the March 15 primary, when he cancelled a rally at the last minute after protesters and supporters clashed at the UIC Pavilion, where the event was scheduled to take place. Nevertheless, Trump won the state's Republican presidential primary with nearly 39 percent of the vote.
Trump's campaign was short on details about Tuesday's event, only noting that it was "closed to the press." According to the Chicago Tribune, Trump is set to collect over $1 million in campaign funding from the event.
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will attend a high-priced fundraiser in Wilmette Wednesday. The event is being hosted by Chicago Cubs board member Laura Ricketts and her wife, Brooke.
Contributions range from $33,400 for individual tickets to $150,000 for co-chair tickets, according to Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times. Co-chairs are required to either contribute or raise $150,000. All proceeds will go to the Hillary Victory Fund.
Ricketts is one of Clintons key fundraisers, known as a bundler. She will serve as a super delegate from Illinois at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia later this month.
Clinton is also scheduled to visit Springfield on Wednesday to discuss economic issues. Details for the event are still unclear.
The former Secretary of State visited Chicago last month to attend an International Womens Luncheon as part of the 50th annual Rainbow PUSH Coalition convention. She also attended a fundraiser at Chicagos Ivy Room.
Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, was also in Chicago last month raising money for the Hillary Victory Fund.
Clinton's opponent, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, will host his own big-ticket fundraiser Tuesday in Chicago. The event is being hosted by Trump Victory Illinois finance chairman Ron Gidwitz, a powerful GOP fundraiser in Illinois.
The flags remain lowered to half-staff and a black bunting hangs over the entry to the Middletown Police Department after the ambush in Dallas, Texas that killed five law enforcement officers.
"The thin blue line, there is a brotherhood there," Anthony Knapp, Middletown's Community Resource Officer, said. "We look out for each other."
Both Officer Knapp and Sgt. Frank Scirpo have attended several funerals for fallen police officers, including for the two New York Police Department officers who were killed in a December 2014 ambush.
"It's powerful," Sgt. Scirpo said, "It's very powerful to see everybody come together. When I was at Officer Lui's funeral to see officers from Texas and Colorado and California and Florida."
Now, Knapp, Scirpo and ten other Middletown Police officers are flying to Dallas today to support the departments and loved ones laying to rest the victims of last Thursday's mass shooting attack that killed four DPD officers and one Dallas Area Rapid Transit officer.
"It's always sad whenever one of our brothers or sisters dies in the line of duty, gets murdered like this," Sgt. Scirpo said.
The attack in Dallas is the deadliest on law enforcement since 9/11.
"It's not like we are going to Massachusetts," Knapp said. "This is Dallas, Texas. There is a lot involved trying to get this trip together."
"I go because of what it means to the families of the fallen officers and their department, their fellow officers they work with," Scirpo said.
Like departments across the country, Middletown Police knows how difficult it is to lose one of their own.
"This is Sgt. (George) Dingwall," Knapp said in front of a tribute in the department's lobby. "He died January 28, 2000 in the line of duty. Fortunately, the only one that we did lose here. There are other departments that lose quite a bit compared to what we've gone through."
A new grocery store is opening on Wednesday in downtown Hartford.
The Greenway Market, at 71 Asylum Street, will provide traditional grocery store food, including fresh produce and meats, and it will also offer a juice bar, salad bar and made-to-order sandwiches.
The owner said that for every conventional item, there will be an organic option at or near the same price.
Some Hartford residents said this will help them stay healthy since downtown Hartford is mostly filled with corner stores and fast food chains.
"If I have a dollar, I am not going to go to the store and get an 88-cent banana at the corner store because it is more expensive than the 25-cent chips. I am going to get the four bags of the 25-cent chips because I am hungry. But it is not healthy for me, so the fact that they are putting a store here, that is incredible," Angelyca Mims, of Hartford, said.
The last grocery store to open in downtown Hartford was The Market at Hartford 21, but it closed in December 2011 after a nine-month run.
Residents are hoping The Greenway Market is here to stay.
"Hopefully it stays here long to help the people that actually live downtown because they have nothing down here, Rhonda Franklin, of Hartford, said.
"I hope they do well. I think it is a good location for them. Asylum Street is nice and busy, especially during the day, so it will be great," said Aaron Goldenthal, who works next door at the Camera Bar.
Police Chief David Brown was back at the podium Monday and "running on fumes," he said, three days into his investigation into the nation's deadliest day for law enforcement since the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
While giving his latest update on the case, Brown called his team the best department in the country, urged disaffected young people to "become part of the solution" and appealed for lawmakers to "do your job" by doing "something on guns."
"We're doing ours," Brown said. "We're putting our lives on the line. Other aspects of government need to step up and help us."
It was the latest example of Brown as leader of the Dallas Police Department speaking out in calling for more community support and for the public to take greater action in solving societal problems.
Robert Taylor, a professor of criminology at the University of Texas at Dallas, in assessing Brown's performances, praised him for "starting the healing process" after the attack and bringing the "community together to support the police department."
Brown, a 33-year Dallas police veteran, is known for being fiercely protective of his officers.
"I think saving a life should trump every policy you have," Brown said back in a 2013 interview with NBC DFW. "It should be the most predominant thing. Now you can't be reckless, it's got to be reasonable, but saving lives to me trumps everything."
That was also the calculus on Friday morning in the decision to use a bomb affixed to the end of a robot to kill Micah Xavier Johnson, the Army Reserve veteran who Dallas police identified as the gunman responsible for killing five and wounding nine officers and two civilians.
Brown later explained that using the robot was the only way to get to Johnson, who said he had planted bombs around the area and threatened to hurt more people, without exposing officers to greater danger.
Brown said Monday that he would make the same decision again.
"I would use any tool necessary to save our officers' lives," he said.
Of the nine wounded officers, Brown said Monday that four were Dallas police, three were Dallas Area Rapid Transit officers and two were from the Dallas County Community College police.
"Our profession is hurting. Dallas officers are hurting. We are heartbroken. There are no words to describe the atrocity that occurred to our city," Brown said Friday.
The chief, who took time after the shooting to reach out to victims' families, has great experience with loss, both in his personal life and on the police force.
Long before the Dallas police force faced its devastating attack, Brown lived through the murders of his former police partner and his younger brother.
His former partner, Walter Williams, was shot on assignment in 1988 and later died in the hospital, according to The Dallas Morning News. His brother was killed three years later by drug dealers.
Just a few weeks after being sworn in as police chief, Brown experienced another loss when his oldest son, who shared his name, died in a shootout with police after he killed a 23-year old man and a police officer. His son, who was 27-years-old, had a history of mental illness and was reportedly having a psychotic episode at the time, The Washington Post reported.
My family has not only lost a son, but a fellow police officer and a private citizen lost their lives at the hands of our son," Brown told The Guardian at the time. "That hurts so deeply I cannot adequately express the sadness I feel inside my heart.
Brown joined the force with the intention of going to law school and eventually becoming a prosecutor. Instead, Brown left college early seeking to make a difference in his community. He found himself embracing police work and rising through the ranks, becoming police chief in 2010.
"I'm the kind of person that I probably wouldn't protest or complain," Brown said Monday. "I'd get involved and do something about it by becoming part of the solution."
Brown has earned a reputation over the last six years for trying to foster a positive relationship between the city's citizens and the police force, seeking to counter the divisiveness that has grown in other communities across the country. Using community policing efforts to decrease the use of force in citizen encounters with police has been a major goal for Brown.
The police chief has credited these community efforts with plummeting excessive force complaints, making 2015 the 12th consecutive year of crime reduction and bringing the city's overall crime rate to a 50 year low.
The number of Dallas police officer involved shootings has decreased every year since 2012. And according to the department's website, the force has had only one, non-fatal, officer involved incident this year.
There were 990 people killed in police-involved shootings nationwide in 2015, The Washington Post reported.
Still, crime in Dallas has gone up this year and the department has had troubles with officer recruitment and retention, The Atlantic reported.
Brown, for his part, said that turnover stemmed from officers having salaries that were too low, and hes working to correct that."
"This is the best department in the country," Brown said Monday. "This tragic incident will not discourage us from changing and reforming policing in America."
A trauma surgeon at Parkland Memorial Hospital who treated some of the officers who were shot Thursday night in downtown Dallas says he understands the "anger and frustration and distrust of law enforcement."
Dr. Brian H. Williams, who is black, went on to say that police are not the problem, but instead the lack of discussion about "the impact of race relations." He made the comments as he and other doctors at the hospital held a news conference on Monday afternoon.
Five officers died and nine officers and two civilians were injured when the shooting erupted at a protest over recent fatal shootings by police.
"I think about it everyday that I was unable to save those cops when they came here that night, it weighs on my mind, constantly," Williams said. "This killing, it has got to stop."
Doctors at Parkland Memorial Hospital outnumbered those that were injured.
On Thursday night, there were 300 people in the emergency room when the shooting started. During the following three to four hours, more than 130 patients would come through the ER doors, according to Parkland Trauma Chief Joesph Minei.
Parkland took care of 17 trauma patients between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. with three arriving by police cruisers and the rest by ambulance.
The medical director of a Dallas hospital's trauma center who is also a deputy medical director with the Dallas Police Department said no one on the department's SWAT unit has had a chance to decompress since Thursday's shootings.
Dr. Alex Eastman said the shootings "rocked some guys to their core that I thought were unshakable" and that it's a time for the city of Dallas to "come together."
An inmate trying to escape custody in southwestern Michigan disarmed a law enforcement officer and fatally shot two court bailiffs before being shot dead, authorities said.
The suspect also tried to take hostages and wounded a sheriff's deputy and a civilian before being fatally shot at the Berrien County Courthouse in St. Joseph, according to Berrien County Sheriff's officials.
Sheriff Paul Bailey said the shooting began as the suspect, an inmate who "was trying to escape" got into a fight with a deputy and bailiff outside a holding cell and disarmed one of the officers.
The suspect was identified Monday night as Larry Darnell Gordon, a 45-year-old Colma resident being held in Berrien County Jail on several charges. The incident began at 2:15 p.m. as he was being taken to a court proceeding.
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"Our hearts are torn apart," Bailey said at a news conference Monday evening. "They were my friends, they were my colleagues. Ive known them for over 30 years."
Officials identified the deceased court officers as Joseph Zangaro, 61, and Ronald Kienzle, 63 and a U.S. Army veteran. A sheriff's office news release said they were both well respected in the Berrien County community and among law enforcement.
Bailey had initially said several people were wounded, but later said only one civilian was injured along with the deputy. Both received non-life-threatening injuries and are in stable condition.
The injured deputy was identified as James Atterberry Jr., 41, a 14-year veteran of the department.
Atterberry's father, Bishop James Atterberry Sr., told NBC Chicago he is a "dedicated man to the community and to God."
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While the investigation into what occurred is still ongoing, Monday night's news release said Gordon briefly tried to take hostages but was was taken down when he was engaged by other bailiffs and law enforcement officers. Gordon allegedly shot a civilian in the arm before being taken down.
Bailey first confirmed the shooting to WNDU, an NBC-affiliated television station in South Bend, Indiana.
Bailey said all police agencies in the area responded to the scene and an investigation into how the gunman obtained a weapon was underway. The courthouse would be closed Tuesday.
The shooting comes days after a gunman ambushed Dallas police officers at a peaceful rally Thursday, leaving five officers dead and nine hurt, along with two civilians.
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder attended the evening press conference, saying he was there to encourage people in the state and across the country to support law enforcement agents after the "awful act" in Berrien County.
"This is a particularly tough time for law enforcement," Snyder said.
MSP has secured the scene at the Berrien County courthouse and started its investigation into the shooting that occurred this afternoon. Rick Snyder (@onetoughnerd) July 11, 2016
Donald Trump also tweeted about the shooting saying, "Thoughts and prayers with the victims and their families- along with everyone at the Berrien County Courthouse in St. Joseph, Michigan."
The police memorial service Tuesday with President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush is an opportunity for unity in Dallas as the city grieves over the murders of five police officers, Mayor Mike Rawlings said Monday.
The current and former presidents are scheduled to attend the Meyerson Symphony Center event to pay respects to the officers killed last week.
"President Bush and President Obama together shows a real sign of unity, and I believe that if they set the right tone, that will cascade in a really positive fashion," Rawlings said. "This will be a chance for us all to look ourselves in the eye and say we can do better."
In an exclusive interview with NBC 5 Monday, Rawlings said he believes healing for Dallas means improved mutual respect between police and the community.
The shootings occurred after a Black Lives Matter rally Thursday night. Rawlings said Dallas Police have already accomplished substantial reform in recent years to reduce use of deadly force.
"I'm proud of our police officers for being so professional, and that's why it's so ironic and doubly painful to know that the ones who have been doing the best ended up on the short end of the stick," Rawlings said.
Dallas police also complain about low pay and poor morale. Many officers have left recently for better paying jobs. Rawlings said pay and benefit improvements were already under view by city leaders.
"All those things are being taken very seriously, but it's got to start with citizens respecting them, the media respecting them, folks in the pulpit respecting them. Those are the things that need to change," Rawlings said.
The mayor said he was informed in advance of Police Chief David Brown's decision early Friday for the first-ever use of a military-style robot to deliver a bomb to kill the shooter who refused to surrender.
"I supported him 100-percent and in hindsight believe it was a great decision to make because no other police officers were hurt, no other civilians were hurt, and this man was not surprised by it. He had a choice," Rawlings said.
Funeral services for the five murdered officers are planned this week.
There has been an outpouring of support for law enforcement after the shootings that killed five police officers last week in downtown Dallas.
A makeshift memorial near Dallas Police Department Headquarters includes a blanket of flowers, cards, balloons and signs draped over two squad cars, with messages of condolences.
But there is also a memorial growing outside DART Police Headquarters in Oak Cliff.
DART Officer Brent Thompson was one of the five men killed, and three other DART officers were injured.
Two cars are also parked outside of the DART headquarters, and the memorial is slowly growing.
If you want to visit it, go to 2111 South Corinth Street Road, adjacent to the Illinois Station, to leave a message for those officers.
Parts of downtown Dallas are still closed five days after the deadly shooting of Dallas police officers at a protest, though the closed area is shrinking.
Most downtown streets reopened at 5 a.m. Tuesday as the crime scene gets smaller.
Main Street remains closed between South Market and North Lamar streets. South Austin Street is still closed between Main and Commerce streets.
The West End Dallas Area Rapid Transit station also reopened Tuesday morning.
County officials said it may be another "day or two" before all downtown streets are back open.
Street closures Tuesday are expected to double or even triple in size, due to President Obama's visit for Tuesday's memorial service at the Meyerson Symphony Center. Officials did not specify temporary street closures, citing security concerns.
Four days after the deadly ambush of Dallas police officers, parts of downtown Dallas are still closed, specifically the area around El Centro College.
Roughly a five-block-by-five-block square in downtown remains closed because of the on-going criminal investigation.
Lori Ann Bodino, an administrator with the Dallas County District Courts, said the downtown traffic situation Monday morning created some headaches for trials at the George Allen Courts Building.
Some judges were 45 minutes to an hour late getting to court and scores of jurors were also late in checking in.
Street closures Tuesday are expected to double or even triple in size, according to county sources briefed by Homeland Security agents, due to President Barack Obama's visit for Tuesday's memorial service at the Meyerson Symphony Center. Officials are not talking about any temporary street closures for the president's visit, citing security concerns.
Because of the expanded street closure map, all jury duty at the George Allen building is canceled for Tuesday. That impacts 400 people who received a jury summons.
Dallas' tallest building, the 72-story Bank of America building, was closed Monday, but may open Tuesday.
Vehicles in the Texas Club parking garage will have to stay for several more days, officials said Monday evening, and El Centro College remains closed through July 17.
Some downtown streets will reopen by 5 a.m. Tuesday as the crime scene gets smaller, but parts of Main Street and Austin Street remain closed.
The West End DART station will reopen at 5 a.m.
Many people, perhaps tourists or visitors, appeared confused by the barricades, and attempted to walk through the cones and between police cruisers.
All Monday afternoon, Dallas police officers protecting the crime scene had to direct traffic and deal with office workers and visitors trying to navigate around.
For the thousands of downtown Dallas workers who did return to their offices Monday, it was a sad and emotional sight to see federal agents canvassing the streets outside.
"It's freaky still, to know that it happened, that it happened, right there," said Katy Vallo, a legal assistant who works downtown.
She also noticed a lot of "gawkers" taking photos and watching the crime scene investigation unfold before their eyes.
"There's more people than there usually is down here. I don't know what they're all doing outside my building," Vallo said.
Police said it's been a difficult day, but they're dedicated to doing their jobs.
"I think we're all still hurting. But again, we're police officers. We're going to continue to go out and serve the citizens," said Dallas Police Association President Ron Pinkston.
Pinkston knew some of the fallen Dallas officers personally, and has spoken with their families many times since the ambush.
"Were going to continue to go out and serve the citizens. Were going to protect them. Were going to do what these five officers were doing," he said. "Were going to follow in their footsteps and serve the public admirably."
Police said they're not rushing anything, which is why they won't give a precise timeline at this point for when the crime scene will clear.
It's frustrating for some, but also understandable.
"It's a bit frustrating, sure," said Alaina Clark, who also works downtown. "But I would rather that they take as much time as they need and make sure that it's safe again for all of us."
County officials said it may be another "day or two" before all downtown streets are back open.
A North Texas man has been charged with raping three women he met through social media in separate attacks reported since January.
Tarrant County jail records show 21-year-old LDarrius Djuan Garner of Watauga was being held Tuesday on three counts of sexual assault and one robbery charge.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported the robbery count involves a fourth woman.
Bond was $665,000 for Garner, who was arrested June 7. An attorney for Garner said he denies forcing anybody to have sexual relations against their will.
Fort Worth police Sgt. S.L. Thomson said the investigation began after one woman reported being assaulted. Investigators identified other cases involving social media.
Thomson said Garner befriended the victims, picked them up, drove the women to remote areas and attacked or robbed them.
A member of the rap group Public Enemy says he has nothing to do with the person who gunned down five officers in Dallas last week.
Professor Griff says doesn't know Micah Zavier Johnson.
Police say Johnson's Facebook account includes information on Griff, who police describe as a black radical.
Griff says he doesn't know Johnson -- and doesn't advocate shooting police.
For African-American police officers in the U.S., being both black and "blue" can mean being caught in the midst of a cultural crossfire.
America is reeling after two black men were fatally shot by police near St. Paul, Minnesota and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the subsequent killing of five officers in Dallas during a peaceful rally in response to those slayings.
The events occurred after a spate of high profile deaths of black men, women and children at the hands of the police over the past few years, which has given rise to the "Black Lives Matter" movement and stirred public debate about the need for policing reforms.
"I've been black a long time," said Dallas Police Chief David Brown, who's black, responding to a reporter's question about bridging the gap between the community and police. "It's not so much of a 'bridge' for me, it's everyday living. I grew up here in Texas ... it's my normal to live in this society that had a long history of racial strife ... we have much work to do, particularly in our profession and leaders in my position need to put their careers on the line to make sure we do things right."
When Melva Langfords Broken Spoke Kennels in Whitewright, Texas, was inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture last year, one Italian greyhound was found dead. Other dogs were living in a mix of mud, urine and feces, according to a federal report.
State inspectors discovered two emaciated Labradors, their ribs protruding, at Larry Rummels STP Kennel in Larue, Texas, and fined him $4,375.
And at Jolene Martins kennel in Seneca Falls, New York, one matted dog had feces trapped in its fur, another had no teeth and a third had pressure sores developing on its back legs, according to the USDA.
These are some of the breeders on the Humane Society's "Horrible Hundred" list, a yearly tally of problem puppy mills in the United States. Four years after its first report, the Humane Society continues to find horrendous conditions across the country animals with open, festering wounds, puppies left outside in frigid temperatures and C-sections performed on dogs in a dirty shed.
"We've got to get rid of these puppy mills that are mass producing dogs in filth and misery," said John Goodwin, senior director of the Humane Society's Stop Puppy Mills Campaign.
Puppy mill dogs are typically kept in overcrowded and unsanitary kennels, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. To maximize profits, female dogs are bred repeatedly with little time to recover between litters and are killed when they can no longer reproduce. Puppies often arrive at pet shops or in new homes with diseases ranging from parasites to pneumonia, the ASPCA said.
"A lot of people dont know that when they go into a pet store, they're probably buying a puppy whose mother lives in a cage in a puppy mill," Goodwin said. "And when they order a dog online sight unseen, there's a good chance that they're buying from a puppy mill. The key is to either adopt through a shelter or a rescue, or if youre going to purchase a dog from a breeder, insist on seeing how the mother dog lives."
Reputable dealers, who want to screen potential buyers to make sure their puppies are going to good homes, do not sell their dogs in stores, the ASPCA said.
THE NATION'S PUPPY MILL PROBLEM
There could be up to 10,000 puppy mills in the U.S., although an accurate count is difficult because breeders often operate out of view and with no oversight, according to the ASPCA. Some 1.8 million puppies are born in such conditions each year, according to estimates.
Many puppy mills are in the Midwest, especially in rural areas where family farms have been devastated by industrial agriculture. Some farmers have turned to breeding dogs to make a living.
"Unfortunately, they started raising dogs in the same sort of factory farm climate that was created by the people who had put them out of livestock farming," Goodwin said. "These are factory farms, it's just that they're factory farming dogs."
With 30 kennels, Missouri tops the Humane Society's list for the fourth year in a row, followed by Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, Nebraska and Pennsylvania.
Missouri is centrally located and has more individual farms than any state except Texas, almost 100,000, according to Bob Baker, executive director of the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation. In the 1980s, most dogs were raised in chicken coops because the chicken business had been taken over by conglomerates. In the 1990s, the same situation occurred with hogs.
"Its just been really hard to tackle," Baker said. "Most of these places are hidden away so most people don't see them."
Buyers get their dogs from pet stores or well-designed websites and do not know how the dogs are raised, he explained.
Missouri has made progress in eliminating more than half its puppy mills from 2,000 kennels in 2011 to 800 now, Baker said.
The drop was a result of the Canine Cruelty Prevention Act, passed in 2011, which increased the standards of care and, for the first time, gave the state's attorney general the power to prosecute kennels, he said. As part of the legislation, a special unit has been established in the attorney generals office, the governor appropriated an additional $1.3 million and the number of inspectors was increased from seven to 18.
"We still have a lot more to do, but I think we're making progress and I'm very pleased that we're moving in the right direction anyway," he said.
The state now requires that dogs have continuous access to water and the outdoors, hands-on veterinary exams, and improved floors and space requirements that are double and will eventually be triple the federal standard, according to Sarah Alsager, a spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Agriculture.
"In addition to ensuring that commercial breeders are licensed and inspected, the program has also made it a priority to ensure that facilities with violations are inspected more often, and facilities with substantial and ongoing violations are closed," she said.
THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB
The Humane Society has accused the American Kennel Club of working to maintain the status quo. The AKC registers many dogs that are raised in puppy mills and gets a fee from each, Goodwin said.
"The AKC should be part of the solution," he said. "They should work with us to grow the pool of responsible breeders. But instead they are digging in their heels and opposing bills from state to state that are very moderate and just phase out the worst elements of puppy mills."
The AKC refutes the charge. It does not oppose laws or regulations and expects dog owners to understand and obey them, the club said in a statement.
"We do, however, oppose many legislative proposals each year that would harm dog ownership, the rights of responsible dog owners and the wellbeing of dogs," the AKC said. "We also support many that advance the wellbeing of dogs."
When it does oppose a measure, the AKC provides alternatives, it said. And it supports bills to protect dogs from cruelty and improve the oversight of retail pet stores and rescue organizations.
The AKC conducts thousands of inspections every year of breeders who register their litters with the club and does not condone the substandard care of "puppy mills," it said. Any breeder who refuses an inspection is prohibited from using the club's services.
"If we find anyone engaging in behavior that is detrimental to the health of any dog, we report them to the local authorities," it said.
HUMANE SOCIETY'S 'HORRIBLE HUNDRED'
The Humane Society's "Horrible Hundred of 2016," which includes many repeat offenders, is not meant to be a comprehensive list, but to expose conditions prevalent among disreputable dog breeders and brokers, the Humane Society said.
Langford who on PuppyFind.com says, "At our place we strive hard to provide you with a healthy, happy puppy" did not return a call requesting comment about the condition at her kennels. The USDA report notes moldy feed, greyhounds fighting through their cages, dog enclosures in poor repair and a Shih Tzu with fur that was knotted even after being groomed.
At Rummel's STP Kennel, inspectors also found three full-sized, pregnant Labradors housed in plastic "pet taxi" carriers, according to a report from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A veterinarian had not examined the dogs at the kennel since July 2013, the report said.
Rummel, asked for his response to being included on the Humane Society list, said he did not have one, then insulted the organization. "They're full of s too," he said.
At Martin's kennel, in addition to the dogs in need of veterinary care, at least 20 feeders had feces in the food and a layer of grime on top. The inspector was told the dogs had put the feces there, according to the report. Martin also did not return a call seeking comment.
THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT
The USDA enforces the federal Animal Welfare Act, passed in 1966 and most recently amended in 2008, which sets basic standards for animals bred for sale.
The Humane Society and other animal welfare groups have criticized the standards for being so minimal that licensed dealers can keep hundreds of dogs in small, stacked cages with no exercise as long as they are provided with basic provisions such as food and water. They want breeders to be required to provide more space for the dogs, regular exercise, better veterinary care and the removal of wire floors in the animals' cages.
The USDA did revoke the licenses of a few dealers who showed repeated problems in caring for their animals, the Humane Society notes. More than two dozen of the problem puppy mills identified in its last few reports have closed. But the Humane Society says many puppy mills are never inspected at all and others are protected by inspectors who fail to record violations accurately.
An internal audit at the USDA in 2010 indeed found that its own enforcement process was ineffective against problem breeders and dealers. Its inspectors took little or no action against most violators, relying instead on educating them about the regulations, a strategy that seems not to have worked. The audit noted that from 2006 through 2008, when 4,250 violators were re-inspected, 2,416 had repeatedly violated the Animal Welfare Act.
In addition, the USDA inspection service leveled minimal fines even after Congress had tripled the maximum penalties allowed. It reduced the fines awarded to encourage violators to pay rather than demand a hearing, the audit said.
Some large breeders circumvented regulations entirely by selling animals over the Internet, the audit found.
Since that audit, the inspection service has made "great strides," said USDA spokeswoman Tanya Espinosa.
It created standard procedures for all inspectors to follow, hired a kennel specialist and sought stiffer sanctions in cases involving problematic breeders or dealers, Espinosa said. It revised the definition of retail pet store to ensure that animals sold over the Internet and by phone- and mail-based businesses are better monitored for overall health and humane treatment, she said.
Dr. Brian H. Williams, a staff surgeon in Dallas who was working at Parkland Trauma Center last Thursday night during the shootings that left five cops dead, held a press conference expressing his views on race and other issues, NBC News reported.
"I want the Dallas PD to also see me, a black man, and understand that I support you, I will defend you, and I will care for you," said Dr. Brian H. Williams, a staff surgeon who was working at Parkland Trauma Center last Thursday night during the shootings.
But "that doesn't mean that I do not fear you," he added. "That doesn't mean that if you approach me I will not immediately have a visceral reaction and start worrying for my personal safety."
Williams spoke of setting an example for his daughter by interacting and treating officers with respect in a very public way things like picking up their dining tab when he sees them eating out so that she does not grow up crippled by fear.
What to Know On Sunday, the former New York City mayor said the term "black lives matter" is inherently racist
He said all lives matter and it was anti-American to single out one group
Critics say Rudy Giuliani doesn't understand what racism actually is
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani stepped up his sharp criticism of Black Lives Matter on Monday, saying he saved "a lot more black lives" during his time in office than the movement.
The Republican made the comments during a morning appearance on "Fox and Friends," where he alluded to his tough-on-crime policies while leading New York and a significant drop in the murder rate during his tenure as mayor.
"I believe I saved a lot more black lives than Black Lives Matter. I don't see what Black Lives Matter is doing for blacks other than isolating them," he said. "All it cares about is the police shooting of blacks. It doesn't care about the 90 percent of blacks that are killed by other blacks."
Giuliani also repeated to Fox an assertion that he first made Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation," that the term "black lives matter" is racist.
"It's inherently racist because, No. 1, it divides us. All lives matter," he said Monday.
Giuliani said he understands that police officers can act improperly and the reasons why the black community may distrust police, but added that he believed the American people were getting the "wrong impression" on the issue because of a continued focus on the Black Lives Matter movement.
Alicia Garza, a co-founder of the official Black Lives Matter group, responded directly to Giuliani's remarks Monday during an appearance on MSNBC.
"To be honest, he shows a real lack of understanding about what racism actually is," she said. "And then to chastise black people to solve a problem in our communities that is actually rather prevalent in every community is increasingly and incredibly short sighted."
Black Lives Matter is focused on "ending violence in our communities," she said.
Family members of the seven people gunned down 40 years ago on the campus of Cal State Fullerton will gather Tuesday in memory of the mass shooting victims.
The 7 p.m. candlelight vigil and memorial will be at the Cal State Fullerton Memorial Grove to remember the victims shot and killed when a gunman opened fire July 12, 1976. For the victims' families, the pain has never been far away during the past four decades.
"It's very shocking that 40 years have passed because it just seems like yesterday, really," Patricia Almazan, whose father was among the victims, told City News Service. "I know it sounds silly -- people ask me why don't you have closure -- but you can't put a time limit on grief. For some it's short, but for others it's a lifelong pain of remembering a loved one's murder."
Graphic artist Frank Teplansky, library assistant Stephen L. Becker, Prof. Seth Fessenden, photographer Paul Herzberg, audio technician Bruce Jacobsen, and custodians Donald Karges and Deborah Paulsen also were killed in the massacre.
Edward Charles Allaway, found guilty of the shooting by reason of insanity, fired 23 rounds during the attack and remains at Patton State Hospital. The attack, which lasted about five minutes, left two others wounded.
Allaway was a janitor at the Orange County campus. He chased some of the victims, tracking them down by using elevators and stairs to move around during the rampage. Allaway fired into a graphic arts studio and library before driving to a hotel where his wife worked.
He then called police to surrender.
It was the worst mass shooting in Orange county until the 2011 shooting at a Seal Beach hair salon that killed eight people.
Almazan has been committed to making sure the shooter stays locked up because he has the legal right to petition annually for release from Patton State Hospital, where he was transferred in 1995 from Atascadero State Mental Hospital. He filed for release in 1986, 1991, 1994 and 2000. In 2001, there was a two-month trial in which he was found unfit for release.
The Orange County District Attorney's office has opposed his release, arguing that he poses an unreasonable risk to public safety, if set free.
Almazan said her father has been on her mind much more of late since the deadly mass killings in Dallas and Orlando.
"You have to have that on your mind," she said. "You think, 'Are there any solutions and so forth?' So, yes, I think about it every time I see a mass shooting and it's very disturbing and very painful."
Almazan, who was 30 at the time her father was killed, said she still misses him terribly every day. She met with her father's killer in 2006.
"I was told he was dying of cancer," she said. "There's nothing I'd like to hear from him except the truth of what happened... It was a very scary time for me because he was just two feet from me across the table. When I had my questions like why did he specifically shoot my father he claimed not to remember anything. He couldn't even remember my father's name.
"It seemed very contrived and after five minutes I knew he would not do anything."
A California man has been charged with allegedly attempting to sell sensitive information used in military and commercial satellites to the Russians.
Gregory Allen Justice of Culver City was arrested Thursday by FBI agents.
Authorities say the 49-year-old engineer, who worked for a Los Angeles defense contractor, provided proprietary software technology and other information to an FBI agent he thought was a Russian spy.
He was charged with economic espionage and violating the U.S. Arms Export Control Act.
"Mr. Justice allegedly placed his own interests of greed over our national security by providing information on sensitive U.S. technologies to a person whom he believed was a foreign agent," Assistant Attorney General John P. Carlin said in a statement Friday. "In the wrong hands, this information could be used to harm the United States and its allies."
An attorney for Justice could not immediately be located, and his phone number has been disconnected.
According to court documents, Justice was paid between $500 and $1,000 during each of several meetings he had with the undercover agent earlier this year.
The agent said Justice explained he needed the money to provide medical care for his seriously ill wife, although some of it appeared to have been given to another woman. Her relationship with Justice wasn't explained.
According to the court documents, Justice had been employed by the unnamed defense contractor since 2000, and he had most recently been working on military and commercial satellites.
Authorities said he stole proprietary trade secrets from his employer and passed them on to the undercover agent he believed worked for a Russian intelligence agency. They say he also provided documents containing technical data that under federal law are tightly restricted for export.
If convicted, he faces a maximum of 15 years in prison on the espionage charge and 20 years on the Arms Export Control Act violation charge.
To stroll by the window of a comic book store and spy a flier detailing a fundraiser for a favorite artist or writer or customer isn't all that unusual.
Comic shops have long been nexuses of true community, a place where people come to not only purchase the latest graphic novel but to hang out with fellow fans and discuss all manner of topics.
Comic-Con International, which could be looked at, in a way, as the world's largest, busiest comic book shop, keeps that fan-nice community spirit aglow throughout its four-day run each year. (Those dates in 2016 are just ahead: July 21 through 24.)
And much like seeing the fundraising flier in the window of your corner shop, it isn't unusual to stroll by an impromptu charity event or giveback drive during the convention, a fundraiser that is helping the San Diego community or another specific organization.
The annual Robert A. Heinlein Blood Drive returns to the mega pop culture convention for its 40th go-around. Billed as "the San Diego Blood Bank's longest-running event," the Comic-Con blood drive has collected "16,652 pints of blood" over its four-decade history.
Talk about superheroes. Want to give? Head for Grand Hall D at the Manchester Grand Hyatt.
Once you've given your pint, and you want to look for more ways to lend a hand, consider two off-site traditions that, while not affiliated officially with the convention, still keep ties to its cape-wearing themes and charitable heart.
The Heroes Brew Fest raises money each year for Warrior Foundation Freedom Station. Yep, you can wear your costume, yep, you'll drink nice beer, and yep, you'll need to zoom through the clouds from the convention center, or at least catch a ride, to San Diego's Waterfront Park on Saturday, July 23.
Earlier in the day the Helen Woodward Animal Center's Pawmicon returns, though don't head for Rancho Santa Fe, the home of the center. The "Cosplay for a Cause" think furry pumpkins in their "Star Wars" and superhero best is happening at the Hazard Center in the late morning.
If you dig helping out dogs, and kitties, and beasties of all stripes, swing by and "awww" over the pop culture cuteness, while helping those animals who need homes.
Where can you lend a hand during Comic-Con International? Keep your supersight goggles on for the opportunities that pop up, heroically, near the world's largest pop culture convention.
The FBI said Tuesday it is no longer investigating the enduring mystery of the skyjacker known as D.B. Cooper, nearly 45 years after he vanished out the back of a Boeing 727 into a freezing Northwest rain wearing a business suit, a parachute and a pack with $200,000 in cash.
Calling the investigation one of the longest and most exhaustive in the agency's history, the FBI Seattle field office said in an email it was time to focus on other cases. The agency said it will preserve evidence from the case at its Washington, D.C., headquarters, but it doesn't want further tips unless people find parachutes or Cooper's money.
"The mystery surrounding the hijacking of a Northwest Orient Airlines flight in November 1971 by a still-unknown individual resulted in significant international attention and a decades-long manhunt," the FBI said. "Although the FBI appreciated the immense number of tips provided by members of the public, none to date have resulted in a definitive identification of the hijacker."
On Nov. 24, 1971, the night before Thanksgiving, a man described as being in his mid-40s with dark sunglasses and an olive complexion boarded a flight from Portland, Oregon, to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. He bought his $20 ticket under the name "Dan Cooper," but an early wire-service report misidentified him as "D.B. Cooper," and the name stuck.
Sitting in the rear of the plane, he handed a note to a flight attendant after takeoff. "Miss, I have a bomb and would like you to sit by me," it said.
The man demanded $200,000 in cash plus four parachutes. He received them at Sea-Tac, where he released the 36 passengers and two of the flight attendants. The plane took off again at his direction, heading slowly to Reno, Nevada, at the low height of 10,000 feet. Somewhere, apparently over southwestern Washington, Cooper lowered the aircraft's rear stairs and jumped.
He was never found, but a boy digging on a Columbia River beach in 1980 discovered three bundles of weathered $20 bills nearly $6,000 in all. It was Cooper's cash, according to the serial numbers.
Over the years, the FBI and amateur sleuths have examined innumerable theories about Cooper's identity and fate, from accounts of unexplained wealth to purported discoveries of his parachute to potential matches of the agency's composite sketch of the suspect.
The 40th anniversary of the case in 2011 brought a wave of attention. An Oklahoma woman told the FBI about a late uncle who showed up to Thanksgiving dinner in Oregon that year with serious injuries. A team that included a paleontologist from Seattle's Burke Museum announced that particles of pure titanium found in the hijacker's clip-on tie suggest he worked in the chemical industry or at a company that manufactured titanium.
A book that year, "Skyjack: The Hunt for D.B. Cooper," by Geoffrey Gray, posited several theories, including that Cooper might have been a transgender mechanic from Washington state.
The most promising leads in recent years have come from amateurs, Gray said including a notion put forth by a scientific illustrator at the University of Chicago that Cooper might have taken his persona from a French comic called "Dan Cooper," a series about a test pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force.
In one issue from 1963, the character boards an airliner wearing a dark suit and a mask over his eyes and sits in the back of the plane. He demands to be given a briefcase that's in the cockpit, and then, wearing a military parachute, he jumps out over a wooded area, at night, in the rain.
The comic was never translated into English, raising questions about whether the hijacker might have been a francophone.
"The fascination with Cooper has survived not because of the FBI investigation, but because he was able to do something that not only captured the public imagination, but also maintained a sense of mystery in the world," Gray said.
An LAX motorcyle officer was injured in a hit-and-run crash early Tuesday morning in Playa Del Rey, police said.
The crash was reported around 12:15 a.m. near the intersection of Pershing Drive and W. Manchester Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The driver who crashed into the officer was arrested, airport police said.
The officer, a 14-year veteran of the department, was transported to a hospital with two fractured wrists and cuts.
The cause of the crash was unknown.
Four people were in the vehicle at the time of the crash, police said.
Oleevia Woo contributed to this report.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced a public-outreach campaign Monday aimed at informing renters of their rights under the city's rent-stabilization ordinance.
According to the city, about half of families in the city live in an apartment subject to the ordinance, which in part limits the amount of annual rent increases.
"The rent stabilization ordinance is the most powerful tool we have to keep families and neighborhoods together in a tight housing market," Garcetti said. "As we work to build new affordable housing, we also must make sure that residents know about the protections we already have in place.
The "Home for Renters" outreach campaign will target "vulnerable" neighborhoods with advertisements, door-hangers, informational pamphlets and online resources, providing details about the ordinance to both tenants and landlords, according to the city.
Information about the ordinance and the campaign is available online at HomeforLARenters.org.
The South Los Angeles sheriff's station is hosting a private fundraiser Tuesday to support the five Dallas police officers killed last week during a protest.
The taco fundraiser will both celebrate the life of Officer Lorne Ahrens, who worked for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department before he joined the Dallas Police Department, and raise money for the families of the victims.
The fundraiser begins at 11 a.m. at 1310 W. Imperial Highway.The public is welcome to donate in the station lobby, but not allowed to attend the barbecue due to limited food and space.
All proceeds will go to the Dallas Police Department.
Dallas police officers Ahrens, Michael Krol, Michael J. Smith, Patrick Zamarripa, and Brent Thompson were killed by a sniper during a demonstration against the recent fatal police shootings of two black men.
Ahrens worked at both the Lennox and Lancaster sheriff's stations from April 1991 to August 2002. He left for the Dallas Police Department in January 2002.
The event alone raised $8,000 and anyone wishing to make additional online donations can do so here.
Former mixed martial arts fighter Jason "Mayhem" Miller, who has multiple criminal cases pending, is facing more legal troubles Monday following his arrest at a Costa Mesa restaurant.
Police were called to the Saddle Ranch Chop House in the Triangle Square shopping center at 1870 Harbor Blvd. about 2 a.m. Sunday regarding a disturbance, Costa Mesa police Lt. Greg Scott said.
He said Miller was "heavily intoxicated" when he got into an argument with two women, one of whom slapped him, prompting Miller to grab her leg.
A security guard "physically restrained" Miller and handcuffed the 35-year-old Mission Viejo resident until police arrived, according to Scott.
Miller "spit at the officer" who responded to the disturbance call, he alleged.
Miller was booked on suspicion of public intoxication and assault on an officer, and was taken to an area hospital to be checked out for an undisclosed injury, Scott said.
He was cited and released from the Orange County Jail on Sunday, according to booking records.
Miller's attorney, Cameron Talley, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In March, Miller pleaded not guilty to spray-painting graffiti on the exterior wall of a Lake Forest tattoo parlor near El Toro Road and Muirlands Boulevard on Jan. 27.
On Jan. 23, he was accused of blowing out a pair of speakers by cranking up the volume in a tattoo parlor.
On Oct. 16 last year, he allegedly got into a struggle with sheriff's deputies called to his Mission Viejo home at 1:34 a.m. on an anonymous report of a disturbance. When deputies arrived, they heard a woman scream inside the house, and as they went to the side yard of the residence, Miller allegedly confronted them.
Miller allegedly hurled a ceramic tile at the deputies and threatened them with a large fire extinguisher and metal pole as he backed up to his yard, sheriff's officials said. Deputies used a Taser to subdue him.
On March 7 of last year, Miller was accused of kicking a police officer and spitting at another cop called to the White House Restaurant in Laguna Beach because Miller had broken a bottle during a "ruckus" in the eatery, according to Deputy District Attorney Heidi Garrel.
In that case, Miller faces a felony count of resisting an executive officer, with a sentence-enhancing allegation of committing a crime while out on bail, and misdemeanor counts of resisting police and battery on a police officer.
Miller also got into a standoff with sheriff's deputies in October 2014, during which he penned a flurry of Twitter posts as it was happening.
Miller was declared a fugitive on Sept. 8, 2014, when he failed to show up for a hearing in a domestic violence and stalking case, prompting deputies to go to his home on Oct. 9 with an arrest warrant.
When deputies showed up at his home around 10:30 that morning, he came to the door but ran back inside and refused to come out. Nearly four hours later, SWAT officers placed a device on his door that blew off the locks, prompting Miller to surrender.
Miller faces two counts of corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant and stalking, all felonies, and a misdemeanor count of violating a protective order in that case, according to court records.
Miller had vandalism charges against him dismissed in November 2012, but found himself in trouble with the law again for the domestic violence case in August 2013.
In August 2012, he was charged with breaking at least one picture frame and damaging a propane tank and other items while spray-painting inside Mission Hills Church, causing at least $400 in damage.
The church's pastor told authorities he found Miller nude except for a cloth wrapped around him and books and CDs scattered around the church, along with broken picture frames and fire extinguisher dust on the first and second floors.
The Millennium Falcon peeks out amid rocky spires in an image Disney unveiled on Monday of its "Star Wars" themed land, still in its first few months of construction.
The artist rendering can be seen on the fence along Big Thunder Trail in Frontierland, which is set to function as an eventual gateway to Star Wars land, according to the Disney Parks Blog.
It depicts buildings embedded in lush greenery, on what Disney has described as a "never-before-seen planet."
Visitors at the new themed land will have a chance to pilot the Millennium Falcon. The park will also have an attraction that puts people "in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance," according to an August blog post from Disney Parks.
Disney broke ground in April on its Star Wars-themed lands, which are headed to the Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. They are set to take up 14 acres each, making them the largest single-themed expansions in both locations.
Several Disneyland attractions were closed in the beginning of this year in preparation for the new addition.
A federal appeals court on Tuesday ordered Utah to keep sending money to the state branch of Planned Parenthood, overturning an unusual lower-court ruling that allowed the governor to block the group's funding.
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver decided there's a good chance the move was politically motivated and violated the group's constitutional rights. The ruling extends an order that keeps the money flowing while a lawsuit goes back before a judge in Utah.
Republican Gov. Gary Herbert cut off cash last fall for sexually transmitted disease and sex education programs following the release of secretly recorded videos showing out-of-state employees discussing fetal tissue from abortions.
The Planned Parenthood Association of Utah said it did nothing wrong and the move amounted to retribution against an organization Herbert opposes. Two appeals court judges wrote in Tuesday's ruling that Herbert likely used the controversy to take a public swipe at the group because it provides abortions.
A third judge dissented from the ruling and questioned whether Planned Parenthood would ultimately prevail.
Herbert believes contract decisions should be made by the state, and he is disappointed Tuesday's ruling, his spokesman said. He and the attorney general will be considering the state's next steps.
Lawyers for the Utah branch argued it has never participated in fetal donation programs. They also filed emails showing state health officials were concerned about defunding the programs that serve teenagers and low-income people.
State attorneys have argued that the governor has the right to end contracts and that Planned Parenthood was still under a cloud of suspicion when Herbert ordered state agencies to stop acting as a pass-through for federal money.
Herbert said he was offended by the callousness of the discussion shown on the videos, which sparked uproar among Republican leaders around the country.
Several states have moved to strip Planned Parenthood of contracts and federal money, and the organization has sued in states like Arkansas, Alabama and Louisiana.
While most court decisions have allowed money to keep flowing, U.S. District Judge Clark Waddoups in Utah decided the governor could block the money because the state has an interest in avoiding the perception of corruption.
While Waddoups acknowledged that the Utah organization has not broken any laws, he said it has associated with other Planned Parenthood entities accused of illegally selling fetal tissue to researchers for profit.
The contracts that the governor blocked are worth $275,000, a small portion of the organization's $8 million budget. It also receives money through federal contracts, fees from clients, insurance and contributions.
Multiple investigations by Congress and several states have cleared Planned Parenthood of illegal acts. A Texas grand jury also cleared the group and instead indicted two of the activists who made the undercover videos.
Planned Parenthood representatives in Utah were not immediately available for comment Tuesday.
A Maryland family called 911 over and over again as 40-year-old Marlon Somarriba had trouble breathing. They got a busy signal, his brother said.
Somarriba, of Rockville, Maryland, died after the Montgomery County 911 system failed for two hours late Sunday and early Monday.
Somarriba was undergoing kidney dialysis and had been doing well, his brother, Luis Somarriba said. But late Sunday night, he began having trouble breathing.
"He said a couple times, 'Help me,'" Luis Somarriba told News4's Jackie Bensen his father told him. He fought tears as he spoke Monday night alongside his parents.
Courtesy of family
The family dialed 911 over and over again from their cellphones and the landline in their home, but they got a busy signal, Luis Somarriba said. They called for more than an hour, he said.
Finally, Luis Somarriba called the Rockville City Police Department directly. They dispatched an ambulance, which arrived at the same time Luis Somarriba finished his frantic drive to the home where his brother lived with their parents.
"The medic said to me, 'I'm sorry, but your brother is gone,'" he said.
The 911 system failed between about 11:10 p.m. Sunday and 1:10 a.m. Monday, Montgomery County officials said in a statement issued Monday afternoon.
Investigators believe the 911 system shut down to prevent overheating when air conditioning equipment failed, officials said. That 911 system was a backup for the primary system, which was being upgraded.
A 91-year-old woman from Olney, Maryland, also died during the 911 outage. Information on the circumstances of her death was not available immediately.
Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett said an investigation is underway.
"We will have answers as to a) whether or not there's a correlation between the deaths, b) what we have done wrong, if anything, and c) how we can prevent this in the future," he said.
For now, the Somarribas are in mourning.
"I never in my life knew that a 911 phone was not working at all," Luis Somarriba said.
Miami Beach's mayor is pushing to limit liquor sales in parts of the city but some business owners think it's a bad idea.
Mayor Philip Levine says Ocean Drive has really become a dangerous place. Police are already ramping up enforcement but now the mayor wants to cut off alcohol sales at 2 a.m. instead of 5 a.m. and it's only on Ocean Drive.
"I believe unfortunately from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m., the folks coming to some of these clubs that are spilling out onto the street are really causing tremendous problems for our city, by the way they're making it so most people don't want to go to Ocean Drive anymore," Levine said.
Levine's bold proposal is ruffling feathers on Ocean Drive. On Wednesday he's asking commissioners to vote to stop liquor sales at 2 a.m. only on Ocean Drive at all bars and restaurants.
"If you want to drink until 5 a.m., go to Washington Avenue, go to the big bars, go to the clubs, go to the hotels, we have plenty of bars but Ocean Drive itself right now has gotten out of control," Levine said.
Police have increased patrols with a special task force and overall crime on South Beach is up a little more than two percent. Recently, a father and son were carjacked and held at gunpoint as they left a nightclub. Before that, a couple on the beach were robbed at gunpoint and a woman sexually assaulted.
"The iconic street of Ocean Drive has gotten terrible, we've had muggings, we have drug dealing, we have prostitution," Levine said.
But businesses along Ocean Drive said it's not their customers causing the trouble. They think the proposal is a bad idea.
Joshua Wallack is COO of Mangos, one of the handful of bars that would have to stop selling alcohol three hours earlier.
"As it's written this doesn't make any sense. All this would do is create, it would undo 30 years of progress really," Wallack said. "The businesses on Ocean Drive are the businesses that are creating vibrancy, life, resort tax revenue for the city."
Wallack says the move threatens the brand of Ocean Drive and Miami Beach.
"What is Miami beach about? It's about night life so by cutting night life off at the knees you're not helping. You're actually creating a calamity where the house of cards could literally collapse," he said.
The first reading for the proposal is Wednesday. The public will have a chance to say something at the meeting, which starts at 8:30 in the morning. Commissioners recently approved funding for a whole new police sector to cover just the businesses on South Beach.
Flags remained at half-staff outside Miami-Dade Police headquarters Monday and as the nation reflects on all of the tragedies that have unfolded local community members & church leaders are speaking up.
Church leaders, law enforcement, and the local community began the healing process through dialogue and prayer after the incidents in Dallas, Louisiana, and Minnesota.
"There's a lot of hurt, a lot of confusion, there's a lot of misunderstanding so as leaders as pastors in the city I think we have a responsibility to love people well and to speak truth," said Pastor Jesse Carbo, with Crossbridge Church in Miami.
Dozens of people gathered inside Crossbridge Church to talk about racial reconciliation and how the Gospel and faith can help achieve change in Miami and across the country.
"We know black lives matter but we need to come together with law enforcement and civilians just to bring about a common peace where we can relate with one another, talk, and understand that there's only a few bad apples," said Pastor Eddy Gervais, with Community Christian Church.
A diverse panel of pastors led the discussion. Police officers also participated, many of them wearing "mourning badges" to remember the fallen in Dallas.
"We see there's a lot of hurt and we're trying to understand all parties, trying to be patient, more understanding and loving, and see how we can combine for us as Christians and law enforcement how we can better the community," said Sgt. Jorge Alessandri, with the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers.
In Broward County, pastors and city commissioners met with Sheriff Scott Israel in an effort to improve relations and prevent more violence. The Sheriff says part of the training for his deputies will now focus on diffusing tense situations.
"The ultimate goal is to make sure we're de-escalating situations and diffusing situations when we can," Israel said.
A pastor at the meeting in Broward also said he wants his community to build trust in law enforcement. On Tuesday they will hold a vigil for the fallen officers as well as the two men who died in the police-involved shootings.
What to Know Three men were taken into custody in Miami-Dade County, allegedly involved with a shooting earlier in the day in Broward.
A drive-by shooting in Hallandale Beach led to a police chase on Interstate 95 that ended with three suspects in custody in Miami-Dade County Tuesday.
Hallandale Beach Police said three people were injured in the drive-by shooting, which happened near Northwest 10th Street and 10th Avenue, one block south of Pembroke Road.
Police say one victim drove himself to the hospital and two others were transported from the scene, one of them in critical condition.
Officers were notified that a vehicle containing at least one person of interest in the shooting had fled the scene and was traveling south on I-95.
Eventually, MDPD were able to get the car to stop in the middle of the interstate. One passenger fled into oncoming traffic, eventually jumping a fence and injuring himself before being taken into custody. A second man also fled, but was apprehended quickly and a third was taken into custody without incident.
No other details were immediately known.
Support is pouring in for Dallas in the wake of last week's deadly attack on police, which left five officers dead and injured half a dozen others.
Among those rallying behind the police department are two young girls, 12-year-old Lauren Roach and 11-year-old Landry Nelon, who dropped off a check for $10,000 money they raised in just two days with a lemonade stand in North Dallas.
"We felt really bad for all the victims' families," said Lauren. "At first we thought we would get about $100, but after we got to about $5,000, we realized we could really get this really high."
"We just really feel that every little penny counted," Landry added.
Two other girls, 9-year-old Emmy Roberts and her 8-year-old sister Lily, also helped.
"People were just driving by," said Lauren's mother, Tracey Roach. "They didn't want lemonade, they didn't want anything, just giving them 20s, 50s, you name it, just giving money. And everybody saying, 'Back the blue, back the blue, we support Dallas, we support families, help Dallas become a better place.'"
The Dallas Police Association has yet to tally up all the donations, but figures they are well into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Southwest Airlines donated a check for $75,000, while Houston police donated $20,000.
The department has also received donations of time.
Volunteers many from neighboring police departments packed DPA headquarters to help prepare for Monday night's candlelight vigil at Dallas City Hall.
"The thin blue line, we're all brothers and sisters," said Heath Wester, president of the Texas Municipal Police Association. "So a part of us died as well, and we want to lend our helping hand and support to Dallas [police] and all of Dallas to let them know they're not alone."
"To just imagine the pain that they're going through, we're just hopeful that we're able to just show a little bit of support and ease some of that pain," said Ray Hunt, president of the Houston Police Officers Union.
Dallas police said they were touched by the overwhelming show of support.
"It's unbelievably moving," said DPA First Vice President Fred Frazier. "You know, you break down at night, when you start thinking about everything when everybody's gone. But when you go back to work, you're so busy, your mind just has to go back to work. We'll heal, its just going to take some time."
What to Know Of 12 inmates who died at the jail since Armor started providing service there in 2011, 5 had inadequate care, the AG's office says
Armor denies the claims of neglect and said it is proud of its work caring for inmates at the facility
The lawsuit is seeking to compel Armor to pay damages to Nassau County and to forbid the company from bidding on contracts in the state
New York's top prosecutor announced Tuesday that his office is suing the medical provider for a Long Island jail after an I-Team investigation uncovered allegations the company repeatedly denied inmates adequate care.
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced the lawsuit against Armor Correctional Health Services, a for-profit firm that supplies medical care to inmates at Nassau County Correctional Center, alleging that the company failed to provide proper health care to inmates.
"Prison inmates rely on companies providing health services for a wide range of medical issues, many of which have gone untreated," Schneiderman said. "Those struggling with chronic diseases, mental health and substance abuse problems deserve comprehensive, reliable and high-quality medical care.
Schneiderman's suit alleges that Armor failed to meet several performance standards but repeatedly billed Nassau County in full for services. The attorney general's office alleges that neglect dramatically impacted inmates' health; a state investigation found of the 12 inmates who died at the jail since Armor started providing service there in 2011, five were found to have received inadequate care.
The suit is seeking to compel Armor to pay damages to Nassau County and to forbid the company from bidding on contracts in the state.
In a statement, Armor spokeswoman Yeleny Suarez said the company would not respond specifically to the lawsuit until it has time to review the complaint, "but any allegation that Armor has failed to provide quality correctional medical care at the facility is simply false."
"Armor has responded to the Attorney Generals offices numerous requests for documents, repeatedly has presented its personnel to answer any and all of the Attorney Generals questions, and repeatedly has offered to give the Attorney Generals office a tour of the facility so that it could see first-hand the quality of care provided by Armor," Suarez said. "However, the Attorney Generals office has refused to visit the facility. Further, Armor has provided a substantial amount of data that simply is contradictory to any claim of deficient patient care."
"Armor is proud of its work caring for the inmates at the Nassau County facility, and will continue to do so as long as Nassau County wants it to do so," Suarez added. "Armor also intends to vigorously defend against claims filed by the Attorney General."
The attorney general's office had no immediate response to Armor's statement about its invitation to visit the facility.
The lawsuit comes months after a robbery suspect sued the medical provider alleging that he was denied care by Armor after suffering a broken jaw.
The state's Commission of Correction also accused the company of being negligent, deficient and incompetent in the treatment of a burglary suspect died after a hereditary condition caused his neck to swell behind bars, constricting his air passage.
Nassau County officials had renewed an $11 million contract with Armor in 2015 without putting it out to bid. A spokesman for the sheriff's department also praised the company at that time. A county attorney later told the I-Team that it had looked into canceling the contract but found the costs too high.
The county did not respond to the Associated Press' requests for comment Tuesday.
An elite Westchester school district says four students who've accused a former teacher of sexual abuse are partly to blame for any harm they've suffered.
The Chappaqua Central School District denies any responsibility in the alleged incidents between 2011 and last year.
According to the Journal News, the district says in court papers that the former Horace Greeley High School students showed "carelessness" and "recklessness."
The students' lawyer filed a court response calling the district's claims "dreck." He declined further comment.
The students say they were forced to participate in sex and drinking games. They were all 15 at the time.
The teacher, Christopher Schraufnagel, resigned last fall. He's pleaded not guilty.
Attorneys for the defendant and the district didn't respond to comment requests.
What to Know 55 START-UP NY participants have reported creating net new jobs, but 8 of those have applied to hire at least one non-citizen guest worker
The company that doles out the tax breaks says guest workers contribute to the local economy like any other employee
Critics say hiring guest workers could foster a tougher job market for New Yorkers
Gov. Cuomo's much-hyped job creation program, START-UP NY, makes a simple pledge: If a company creates jobs, it can qualify for a decade of tax-free treatment.
But don't assume New York citizens are always the ones getting the new jobs.
Federal data shows some START-UP NY participants have applied to hire non-citizen guest workers through the H-1B visa program. According to Empire State Development Corp., the agency that doles out the tax breaks, there is no requirement that companies hire U.S. citizens to qualify.
Jason Conwall, a spokesman for ESD, defended the hiring of guest workers by companies enjoying tax-exempt status.
"If the individual is employed by a START-UP NY company, theyre filling a full-time job and contributing to the local economy like any other employee," said Conwall. "Additionally, while H-1B visas last for three years (and can be extended to six) making them, in a sense, 'temporary' jobs having a full-time job can help to provide a pathway to citizenship for the employed individual."
It is not clear how many guest workers have been counted as new jobs in the START-UP NY program because participating companies are under no obligation to disclose that information.
So far, 55 START-UP NY participants have reported creating net new jobs under the program. By sifting through U.S. Department of Labor data, the I-Team was able to determine eight of those firms have applied to hire at least one non-citizen guest worker. Liazon, company that has pledged to create the most jobs -- 500 in five years -- is also the company that has applied to hire the most guest workers.
Liazon, a health benefits company with offices in Buffalo and New York City, has petitioned the federal government to hire at least 20 H-1B guest workers since 2014, the year START-UP NY began. The company would not say how many of its new jobs reported under START-UP NY are guest workers.
"Were proud to be part of the movement to create jobs in Buffalo and grow the New York economy," Liazon said in a statement. "With the support of our community, weve created 112 jobs under START-UP NY and more than 340 in total. Together, were all working hard to continue building our business and investing in the state."
Economic policy experts have long criticized the H-1B visa program as being wrought with fraud and abuse. Guest workers under the program are supposed to have unique skills that are in short supply in the US labor market, but federal auditors have found companies often use the visa program to import workers with common skills who are willing to labor at lower wages.
"Its not about bringing in people with skills that cant be found in the American workforce. Its about bringing in people who can be paid less to do work that Americans would otherwise do," said Ross Eisenbrey, vice president of the Economic Policy Institute, a think tank focused on labor issues.
Steven Malanga, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a think tank focusing on free market issues, said hiring non-citizen guest workers could actually foster a tougher job market for citizens of New York.
"I think that it would be inevitable in this case that some H-1B visa holders are in fact taking jobs away from New Yorkers who would be qualified for these jobs," Malanga said.
Earlier this month, the state released an annual report detailing how many jobs companies have reported creating in exchange for START-UP NY tax breaks. Two years into the program, the report tallied 408 new jobs. With $53 million already spent on marketing the tax break program, that adds up to about $130,000 in advertising dollars spent per job so far.
Conwall stressed that START-UP NY firms have so far paid a total of $32 million in wages under the program and the companies still have three more years to meet their job creation goals.
"This is only the beginning for START-UP NY, as participating businesses have committed to creating more than 4,000 new jobs within five years, Conwall said.
He also suggested a more accurate way to measure the cost of each new job is by tallying the $1.2 million in tax breaks that START-UP NY companies have so far enjoyed. Using that math, each of the 408 new jobs would so far cost about $3,000. Participating companies will continue to get those tax benefits for a total of 10 years.
Cuomo declined to answer the I-Teams questions about whether non-citizen guest workers should be counted as new hires under his START-UP NY program. His office referred all questions to ESD.
"If I were in New York state, I would prefer to have a New Yorker doing a job rather than somebody imported temporarily from India or China, Eisenbrey said.
Over 200 people gathered in Brooklyn Monday evening for an interfaith prayer vigil in honor of the recent victims of the police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota and the sniper shooting targeting officers in Dallas.
People lit candles and prayed at the Grand Army Plaza in Prospect Heights. Community leaders and elected officials spoke, including Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and several local faith leaders.
"When five officers were assassinated in Dallas, Texas... the emotional bullet has ripped through the anatomy of our country," said Adams. "We must send a strong signal that the pathway of hate, the pathway of despair, the pathway of harming innocent people, whether they wear a blue uniform, blue jeans or a blue suit, is not accepted or tolerated in this country called America."
Around 30 uniformed officers were also at the vigil.
Connie Stewart, who attended the vigil with the Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir, an interfaith group that sings in churches, told NBC 4 New York, "Sadly, the world is in turmoil. The past couple of weeks have been horrendous," Stewart said. "Lives have been lost. People feel under attack. At the same time, those who serve and protect us have also been under attack."
"It is a universal issue that we need to look at. The issues of how do you approach anger, how do you approach fear?" she said.
The entire crowd joined in singing "Let There Be Peace on Earth" toward the end of the vigil.
What to Know More than a dozen people were taken to hospitals, though it wasn't clear if all ingested the drug
The victims were found in the same Beford-Stuyvesant street corner that has been called the worst spot for synthetic drug use in the city
The city says there have been more than 6,000 K2-related emergency room visits in NYC since 2015
Thirty-three people were taken to the hospital Tuesday morning after authorities responded to calls of people overdosing on K2 near a Brooklyn intersection that has been called one of the worst spots in New York City for synthetic drug use.
Authorities said the victims were taken to Woodhull and Wyckohoff hospitals after authorities were called to the scene near Broadway and Myrtle Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant.
Authorities said that it wasn't clear what drug the people who were transported to hospitals had ingested, but the NYPD said that at least five were reportedly smoking the cheap synthetic cannabinoid commonly called K2 outside a building on Stockton Street.
The woman who called 911 to report the men smoking told NBC 4 New York they were vomiting and urinating. Witnesses told DNAinfo that the victims collapsed on the sidewalk and subway platforms.
"When they smoke that stuff, they drop like flies," another neighbor who gave his name as Chino told NBC 4 New York.
Others said use of K2 in that part of Brooklyn is out of control. Residents have even posted warning signs reading "No Smoking K2."
"It's gotten out of hand," said Dennis Gonzalez of Bushwick. "They even sleep in the street, we have to walk around them. It's just too much to keep under control."
Earlier this year, DNAinfo reported that the area around the intersection was becoming a hotbed for K2 use. The site reported that stores in the area were selling the drug even though it was outlawed by the city in 2015.
Since 2015, there have been more than 6,000 K2-related emergency room visits in New York City, according to the city's health department. There have been two confirmed deaths associated with the drug.
The city cracked down on the drug last year, making it a crime to sell K2. But Fin Perez, a self-proclaimed addict who has gone to the emergency room from using the drug, said it hasn't deterred anyone.
"Certain stores that sell it, they have guys that walk around and sell it because they know police are here watching the stores," he said. "So they got guys walking around, two to three streets away. Everyone knows who the guys are."
State Sen. Jeff Klein has proposed legislation that bans chemicals that mimic controlled subtances as they are tweaked, so that the state "stays ahead of the chemists' curve" and that laws can't be subverted. The bill has passed the Senate, but stalled in the Assembly.
Police are looking for the trio they said broke into a Bronx man's apartment through a window and stole $400 from the 56-year-old man sleeping inside.
The men were caught on surveillance cameras breaking into the home on Grand Concourse and East 198th Street at about 1 a.m. Saturday, according to police.
The video shows one man sneaking into the home through a window while a second suspect stands outside and uses his cellphone to illuminate the apartment. A third suspect, meanwhile, plays lookout.
After rummaging through the apartment and stealing the cash, the men ran off, authorities said.
Anyone with information about the burglars should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
Chelsea Manning's lawyers confirmed late Monday that the U.S. Army whistleblower attempted suicide in prison where she is serving a 35-year sentence for espionage.
Manning, who was convicted in 2013 of sending more than 700,000 classified documents to WikiLeaks, was taken to the hospital on July 5.
She tweeted late Monday, saying, "I am okay. I'm glad to be alive. Thank you all for your love. I will get through this." Manning was returned to the all-male U.S. Disciplinary Barracks in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where her lawyers were unable to reach her.
Military officials have denied her request to grow her hair in accordance with female grooming standards.
As each new detail emerged about the ISIS terrorists who killed more than 160 people in Paris and Brussels last fall a French family was forced to revisit their loss.
Catherine Vannier lost her daughter Cecile Vannier, 17, in Februaty 2009 when an al Qaeda terror cell set off a bomb in Cairo. Two of the suspects were soon the targets of a joint French and Belgian investigation. One of them, investigators determined, had threatened to attack the same Bataclan concert hall where 89 people were killed last November during a performance by an American band.
A French parliamentary report examining intelligence failures, expected to be released Tuesday, will explore some of the missed opportunities in the Cairo case, among a litany of other shortcomings, French government sources tell NBC News.
French prosecutors declined NBC News requests for an interview.
Donald Trump assailed Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in a message tweeted late Tuesday after she refused to back off her stinging criticism of the presumptive Republican Party presidential nominee.
"Justice Ginsburg of the U.S. Supreme Court has embarrassed all by making very dumb political statements about me," he posted on Twitter. "Her mind is shot resign!"
Ginsburg first disparaged the candidacy of the presumptive Republican nominee in interviews with The AP and The New York Times, saying she was frightened of what the country, and the Supreme Court in particular, would become if he were elected.
Ginsburg had said that she felt Trump was unqualified for the position. She said in an interview with The Associated Press last week that she didn't want to think about the possibility that Trump would be president and predicted that Democrat Hillary Clinton would win.
"I can't imagine what this place would be I can't imagine what the country would be with Donald Trump as our president," Ginsburg told The New York Times. "For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be I don't even want to contemplate that."
If he wins, "everything is up for grabs," she said.
On Tuesday, she continued her assessment of the candidate, telling CNN he was "a faker."
"He has no consistency about him. He says whatever comes into his head at the moment," Ginsburg said in an interview with CNNs Joan Biskupic. "He really has an ego. ... How has he gotten away with not turning over his tax returns? The press seems to be very gentle with him on that."
Trump retorted that her comments were not fitting for a Supreme Court justice.
"I think it's highly inappropriate that a United States Supreme Court judge gets involved in a political campaign, frankly," Trump told The Times. "I think it's a disgrace to the court and I think she should apologize to the court. I couldn't believe it when I saw it."
Her comments only energized his base, he said.
"And I would hope that she would get off the court as soon as possible," he said.
At 83, Ginsburg is the oldest justice.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday called her remarks "totally inappropriate."
Justices should refrain from commenting on elections, McConnell, the Kentucky Republican, told The AP.
"It raises a level of skepticism that the American people have from time to time about just how objective the Supreme Court is, whether they're over there to call the balls and strikes, or weigh in on one side or another," he said.
The daughter of a suburban Philadelphia police chief left jail Tuesday after serving about half of the maximum sentence for her role in the beating of a gay couple in Center City.
Kathryn Knott left Philadelphia jail Tuesday afternoon after Judge Roxanne Covington granted the 25-year-old parole in the 2014 beating, said court officials. In Feb., Knott received a 5- to 10-month sentence. In total she wound up serving about five months.
Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams said the victims were made aware of Knott's parole and didn't object to it.
"I know that no amount of punishment or jail time can make what happened in Center City Philadelphia go away for the two victims in this case, the LGBT community and the City of Philadelphia," said Williams in a news release. "But I also know that there is no legal proceeding that will bring fundamental equality and respect to all of our citizens; regardless of their race, gender, economic status or sexual orientation.
"Was what Kathryn Knott and her fellow defendants did ugly and deplorable? Yes, it was. Do we need to keep fighting for equality and respect? Yes, we do. So, lets use todays proceedings as an opportunity to keep pushing forward and to make our neighborhoods and city a better place to live, love and work."
A judge earlier refused to cut Knott's jail sentence after finding "a complete disconnect" between her apology and the seriousness of the crime.
Knott was found guilty of simple assault and other misdemeanors. Two male co-defendants one of whom left a victim with a broken jaw got probation, but the judge noted that Knott rejected a plea offer designed to spare the victims the ordeal of a trial.
The attack broke out as Knott and nearly a dozen suburban friends left a birthday dinner in downtown Philadelphia and encountered the victims as they walked to get pizza in September 2014. The defendants hurled slurs at the couple before punching and beating them.
Knott's co-defendants insisted the brawl did not stem from any anti-gay sentiments.
But Knott's prior social media posts showed an antagonism toward gays, non-English speakers and even patients at the hospital where she worked. News coverage of the posts cost her that job.
The attack led the city to add sexual orientation to its hate crime laws.
What to Know The boy had an "accident" in one of the cruise ship's pools June 30, the company said
He died two days after being found unresponsive in the pool
The medical examiner said drowning caused the boy's death and a seizure disorder was a contributing factor
The 8-year-old Maryland boy who had been hospitalized after nearly drowning on a Caribbean-bound cruise ship after it left New Jersey last month has died, officials said Monday.
Royal Caribbean confirmed Prince Adepoju died on July 2, two days after he had what the company described as an accident in one of the boat's pools.
"We are heartbroken to learn the news," the cruise ship company said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this terribly sad time."
The little boy's family could not immediately be reached for comment on his death. The medical examiner ruled drowning as the cause of death, and said a seizure disorder was a contributing factor. His death was ruled an accident.
Adepoju left from Bayonne June 30 on the Anthem of the Seas cruise ship around 4:30 p.m. The ship returned five hours later after the boy was found unresponsive in the water; Coast Guard officials had said the boy was likely in the pool for eight to 10 minutes before he was pulled out.
The child had been in the intensive care unit at Staten Island University Hospital since the accident, according to The Staten Island Advance.
Fire broke out at a South Jersey strip mall early Tuesday growing to two alarms before being brought under control.
The blaze heavily damaged the Short Hills Deli & Restaurant in the Short Hills Plaza along Evesham Road in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
The blaze broke out outside the strip mall, which also features a cleaners and boutique, around 2:45 a.m. then spread inside the deli by the time firefighters arrived, said Cherry Hill Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Chris Callan.
Photos posted to the fire departments Facebook page showed firefighters battling heavy flames in the rear of the building. [[386443011, C]]
Luckily no one was hurt and firefighters got the blaze knocked down after about 30 minutes.
The deli suffered visible damage including busted out windows and smoke damage. No word yet on the total amount of damage.
The strip mall is the same place where a fire struck about nine years ago, said firefighters.
UPDATE: Police determined the threat was not credible. New details HERE.
An investigation is underway after someone made a bomb threat against three Philadelphia police districts, according to officials.
Officials say a person alerted a 39th District officer about a message on Facebook which stated someone would blow up three Philly police districts with a bomb.
We received information that there have been threats made against several of our patrol districts, a Philadelphia Police spokesman told NBC10. Obviously, we are taking this seriously and it will be thoroughly investigated in order to ensure the safety of not only our employees, but the residents who live in the aforementioned districts.
The threat comes less than a week after a gunman shot and killed five police officers during a protest in Dallas. Police departments across the country have been on high alert since the incident, which was the deadliest attack on police officers since September 11, 2001.
Law enforcement agencies across the region are dealing with community reactions, both positive and negative, to the recent police-involved shootings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota as well as the sniper attack on officers in Dallas.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross has observed the many protests in Philadelphia, including a demonstration in North Philadelphia Saturday in which protesters insulted officers, calling them pigs while chanting, F*** the police. Those involved in Saturdays protest, which was organized by the Philly Coalition for Real Justice, say they targeted Phillys 24th and 25th District due to what they believe is a history of injustice against black and brown people in the community.
They have every right to protest what they believe are injustices and thats okay, Ross said. But to have someone in your face, an inch from your nose, calling you everything under the sun, you dont go through training and magically become a robot.
Despite the tension, no arrests were made during the demonstration and the officers stood silently for the most part as the protest went on. Commissioner Ross told NBC10 he was proud of the restraint the officers showed.
I couldnt have been more proud of them, Ross said. They were professional. They were patient and I admire their resolve.
Police departments in other parts of the region have received messages of support from their communities, including cards, letters, food and donations. Frank Engro showed up to the Whitpain Township Police Department bearing food and Wawa gift cards.
They had a hard time last week, Engro said. What could you do for people other than have a lunch on me? I cant take all these people to lunch so have a nice lunch on me.
Whitpain Township Police Chief Kenneth Lawson told NBC10 the gifts were unexpected but the department is grateful.
No police officer wants to ever harm anybody, Lawson said. We always want to do whats right for the community. If we constantly do what our public expects of us we will overcome this.
Police in our area say they are grateful for the show of support from residents: cards, letters, food donations, and even messages on social media. NBC10s Deanna Durante is in Montgomery County with more on the community support for the men and women in blue.
Lawson, who has been on the force for more than 30 years, said hes never seen anything like what he saw during the attack on Dallas officers last week.
Never in my career, he said.
Lawson told NBC10 many of the items donated to his department will be donated back to the community for people he believes need them more than they do.
Hatfield Police Chief William Tierney told NBC10 his department received similar support from their community.
The words that people use, they use adjectives that really are heartfelt, he said. The messages are really deep and I think they really reach the officers on the department.
Chief Tierney also acknowledged however that more work needs to be done.
I dont think any community is immune to any type of racial divide, he said. But I think our department is very well educated and that we work every day to communicate with people of all races. We as police must be kind and respectful to everyone. Its going to make a difference.
As tensions between communities and police continue to run high across the nation, Allentown is working to find unity between the two groups. NBC10s Brandon Hudson has the details.
Think Sen. Bernie Sanders taking the stage with Hillary Clinton will finally bring his die-hard supporters into the former secretary of states camp as she heads to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia?
Think again.
Sanders may have finally admitted defeat on stage with Clinton by his side Tuesday afternoon, but his supporters remain adamant that his candidacy remains legitimate. And they dont plan on backing Clinton anytime soon.
I am here to be witness. The Berners here are NOT I repeat NOT here to support Hillary like they will try to spin it. Every Berner here is here to show opposition to Hillary, Katherine Wright-Sandman wrote in a Facebook post showing a photo of supporters at the Portsmouth, New Hampshire, rally where Sanders and Clinton shared the stage together shortly after 11 a.m.
Another Sanders supporter, Laurie Cestnick, who two months ago started the Facebook page Occupy DNC Convention July 2016, wrote Monday morning that she and others will go to the convention to continue the fight to get Sanders elected president.
While in Philly we will have events to raise $150,000-$200,000 to help us enroll 20 million young disenfranchised voters for Bernie all over this country by Oct. 2016 and THIS will allow him to WIN in November no matter what ticket he is on!!!! Cestnick wrote.
While Sanders did admit defeat in the delegate count during the Democratic primaries, he did reiterate the success of his campaign is capturing nearly 1,900 delegates, who will cast their vote for him at the Wells Fargo Center later this month.
That revolution continues, Sanders told a crowd in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Together we will continue to fight for a government which represents all of us and not just the 1 percent.
A Chihuahua named Jack Sparrow began acting erratically and later tested positive for methamphetamine, prompting police in Southern California to arrest his owner on suspicion of felony animal cruelty, authorities said Monday.
in Fontana, his owner was arrested on suspicion of felony animal cruelty, authorities said Monday.
It was the day after the Fourth of July when Jacks owner, 21-year-old Isaiah Nathaniel Sais, brought him to the Inland Valley Emergency Pet Clinic in Upland.
The dog was suffering from convulsions and seizures, veterinarians said.
Sais said the dog was acting strange and may have eaten methamphetamine, according to Fontana police. Vets tested Jack and discovered he had ingested meth. When they told Sais the test results, Sais left the clinic with Jack.
The vets, thinking Jacks life could have been at risk, called police, who went to Sais' home in the 10400 block of Hemlock Avenue. Officers found that Jack was still apparently affected by the drug and was living in conditions that suggested neglect, police said.
Jack was taken back to the animal hospital and was still recovering Monday. Police said the dog was hypersensitive to noise and sudden movements. He will be taken to a foster home when his condition improves.
Police arrested Sais on suspicion of felony animal cruelty Friday in Rancho Cucamonga. Information on an attorney for Sais was not immediately available.
Hundreds of people gathered Monday evening outside Dallas City Hall for a candlelight vigil in memory of the five police officers killed last Thursday by a gunman.
The vigil included remarks by Dallas Police Chief David Brown, DART Police Chief J.D. Spiller and Dallas Police Association president Ron Pinkston.
"Today we honor the memory of five heroes," Pinkston said.
Families and colleagues of the five officers who died four Dallas Police officers and one DART officer were in attendance at the vigil.
"Families, we love you. We love you with everything we have. We are now you surrogate family members. We're your brothers and your sisters. When you need us, you call," Brown said.
Dallas Police Candlelight Vigil
Five fellow officers offered remembrances of their their partners killed in Thursday's ambush attack their loss now serving to further strengthen the city of Dallas.
"If someone thought that what they did was going to tear up Dallas and the state of Texas, they were wrong. What it did, what it did was galvanized us," Spiller said.
On Tuesday, President Obama will speak at an interfaith ceremony honoring the city's fallen officers.
The private event will be held at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora Street. Obama will also meet privately with the families of the fallen police officers and those who were injured.
[NATL] Dallas Mourns After Five Police Officers Killed
For security reasons city officials did not list specific downtown street closures, but drivers are warned to expect significant delays Monday and Tuesday due to the president's visit.
[NATL-DFW] Dramatic Photos: Deadly Sniper Attack in Downtown Dallas
Family and friends are mourning the loss of a Lakeside couple they say touched many hearts after both died in a crash over the weekend, leaving behind their three young kids.
Christopher Goodrich, 35, and his wife, Luz Goodrich, 32, were riding on their motorcycle on Interstate 5 in San Clemente when a suspected drunk driver crashed into them, California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers said.
Medics rushed them to the hospital, but both later died. Luz had just celebrated her 32nd birthday on Saturday, one day before the crash.
The deadly crash has been heartbreaking for family and friends.
"They touched a lot of people," said Elissa Nava, Chris's sister. "They were very happy and bright and everybody loved to be around them. Extremely funny and they just loved each other....so much."
Chris was an Army veteran who did three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he suffered a gunshot wound.
Family members say Luz was always by his side, taking care of him and their three young children, who are 11, eight and three years old.
"They were very good people, very good," said George Goodboy, a family friend. "And I'll miss them. They'll forever be in my thoughts."
A GoFundMe has been created to help the family with expenses. Money left over will be given to the children. Click here to donate.
The close friend of a young, recently homeless man killed after a brutal attack remembered him as "so sweet and so nice," tearing up as she remembered the circumstances leading up to his death.
"I just feel like ... something," said Chelsea Lacy of her friend Dionicio Derek Vahidy, 23, of San Diego. "At least we could have done something to get him off of the streets to make things better for him."
Police found Vahidy with extensive damage to his upper body Wednesday, and police later determined Vahidy had been physically attacked and set on fire. He was taken to a hospital in grave condition and pronounced dead several days later, on Sunday.
Lacy said Vahidy was staying with his aunt and sister right before the attack. His sister was trying to get him to stay with them that night.
She said his sister has told her she misses her brother and wants justice.
"She just loves him and misses her brother more than anything in the world," Lacy said. "Her brother got taken away from her at a really young age. I know she did mention ... She just can't believe it. Nobody can believe it. Nobody can."
Lacy said she may never know why Vahidy decided to go back to sleeping on the streets that night.
"I don't understand what was going on, or how any of that had happened, or why he was out there," she said.
She said Vahidy was a University High graduate with the class of 2012 and went to Mesa College. They were close friends, but late last month, he had stopped answering her calls and texts, so she decided to let it be.
"It's sad to me because I saw on the news his last words were 'God Bless You and may God be with you, and that's just crazy," Lacy said, breaking down.
Vahidy's death brings the death toll to three. Investigators said they believe the death was related to a series of attacks on homeless men that occurred between July 3 and July 4. Two others have died and a third is in grave condition. Read more about the attacks here.
Thursday, Anthony Padgett was arrested as a suspect in the series of attacks. On Monday, homicide investigators said they have evidence to exclude Padgett as a suspect.
Capt. David Nisleit said they made the right decision arresting Padgett on Thursday based on his similarity to the suspect seen in store surveillance video and his past conviction of lighting someone on fire.
Lacy said Vahidy was one of those people who she could talk to about anything.
"He was so sweet and so nice. Even to other people when he was homeless," Lacy said.
Lacy said she's still struggling with the news because they always did everything together.
"He had so many close friends," Lacy said. "That's why it hurts so much because we ALL could have helped him out in any way. He could have stayed with me. At any time. I would have been more than willing to take him in."
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to call the San Diego Police Departments Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
No other information was immediately available.
A puppy rescued by a San Diego animal control officer earlier this month after falling 100 feet down a ravine now has a forever home with a Southern California family.
The San Diego County Department of Animal Services said Friday that
The 10-week-old German shepherd puppy was recently adopted by veterinarian Annie Blea, of Los Angeles County, and her husband and her two daughters, Faith and Abby.
Blea said that when she heard the pups story of survival, she knew there was something really special about the dog and the officer who helped rescue the pup.
We saw the story on her and there was just something about her. She called out to me a little bit, said Blea to Animal Services. "Shes just very special she had a look about her and the way she acted for a puppy that had been on the side of a cliff? I thought she was amazing."
Earlier this month, harness in tow, an officer with San Diego Countys Department of Animal Services rappelled 100 feet down a ravine to rescue a stray puppy that had tumbled in rough terrain in Pauma Valley.
According to Animal Services, Officer Denise Gove was called to the area about 65 miles northeast of downtown San Diego to help safely pull a small, 10-week-old German shepherd up from the rocky ravine. Gove is a member of the San Diego County Animal Response Team (SDCART), made up of trained volunteers and Animal Control officers.
When Animal Services received the emergency call about the puppy stranded down the ravine, Gove told colleagues she had been trained in rappelling and wanted to help with the rescue.
When Gove arrived at the ravine, she could hear the puppys whimpers coming from below. The bottom of the ravine was about 200 feet down.
Animal Services said the puppy had dropped about 100 feet down, where a large bush broke the animals fall. She was clinging to the bush.
According to Animal Services, if that bush hadn't been there, the puppy likely would not have survived the drop all the way to the bottom of the ravine.
Little by little, Gove rappelled toward the pup. Animal Services said the rescue was difficult due to the steep incline of the rocky ravine.
[The puppy] clung onto that bush until Officer Gove dropped from the sky to rescue, explained Lt. Loren Bunnell, who took the original emergency call from dispatch for the rescue.
Bunnell said the photos of the tense moments of the rappelling rescue depict the enormity of the situation and how Gove ultimately got the job done.
Following the rescue, Animal Services said the puppy was doing just fine. The dog was considered a stray and was taken to the Countys Northern Region shelter in Carlsbad on Palomar Airport Road.
The puppy became available for adoption a few days later.
Blea was among those who applied to adopt the puppy from the shelter in Carlsbad. Ultimately, the Blea family was chosen as the perfect match to give the pup a forever home.
Fittingly, the puppy has been named Millie, short for milagro, which means miracle in Spanish.
Blea said Millie is a great addition to her family and is getting along with the familys others pets, a dog and cat. Abby and Faith have been very attentive to their new adopted pet, too.
Theyre thrilled just over the moon. Its their first puppy! Blea told Animal Services.
I feel very lucky they picked us, Blea added, speaking about adoption process at the Carlsbad shelter.
More families will have a chance to adopt a pet Saturday at NBCs nationwide Clear the Shelters adoption drive, which will help pets in need across the county find permanent homes.
In San Diego, 13 local shelters will participate in Saturdays event, waiving or discounting adoption fees to help more pets secure forever homes.
A San Diego Police sergeant on administrative leave pleaded not guilty to domestic abuse allegations Monday.
Sergeant Oscar Armenta was arrested just after 8 p.m. Sunday, July 3, following an incident that occurred near Island and Seventh avenues in San Diego's East Village, police department officials said.
Details were not provided by the SDPD other than to say the incident involved domestic violence. Witnesses said Armenta was arguing with his girlfriend when the alleged violence happened.
Armenta, who was off-duty at the time of the incident, was booked into the county jail, police said.
In court Monday, Armenta pleaded not guilty through an attorney to a felony domestic violence abuse charge, a misdemeanor domestic violence battery charge and two simple battery charges, stemming from injuries Good Samaritans sustained when they tried to intervene.
"Any domestic violence incident is enormously regrettable and unfortunate and we in the District Attorneys office treat every domestic violence offender the same," said Deputy District Attorney Melissa Diaz.
Armenta does not have a prior record, she said.
Diaz said they have asked for a criminal protective order for the victim and for the Good Samaritans that tried to intervene. She later added the DA's office will subpoena the victim to testify.
Armenta has been employed with the SDPD for 13 years, according to spokesperson Lt. Scott Wahl.
"We hold ourselves to the highest standards and take the conduct of all our employees very seriously," Wahl said. "This matter will be investigated thoroughly and he is facing both criminal and administrative consequences as a result of this incident."
Armenta was placed on administrative leave while the incident is under investigation.
He is expected to appear in court again on Aug. 22.
If he is found guilty, Armenta could face 4 years and six months in prison.
A Vietnam War era Swift Boat departed the Maritime Museum of San Diego on Tuesday morning for a month-long cruise up the California Coast.
The boats tour will serve as a publicity tour for both the museum and also aims to shed light on the work of Vietnam veterans.
The PCF-816, or Swift Boat, is manned by a group of sailors who used to patrol the coast of Vietnam during the war. At one time, the San Diego-based boat was used to train sailors in Coronado.
Stopping in Oceanside, Long Beach and Santa Barbara, among its multiple stops, the crew will provide tours of the boat and share about their experiences during the Vietnam War.
Its kind of a publicity tour for both the museum and for our people to tell them, get the word out about what Vietnam veterans did, said David Bradley, a Navy Swift Boat veterans.
Swift Boats were operated in Vietnam from 1965 to 1970. Fifty feet long and constructed from aluminum alloy, the boats mission was to maintain continuous 24-hour sea surveillance along South Vietnams coastline.
The crew will return to San Diego on Aug. 6.
Bernie Sanders, whose calls for a "political revolution" energized millions of voters across the nation, offered a long-awaited endorsement of his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, calling for unity just two weeks shy of the Democratic National Convention.
Standing alongside one another at an event in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, threw his support to Clinton and vowed to do everything in his power help her beat presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.
"Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process and I congratulate her for that," Sanders said in New Hampshire on Tuesday. "She will be the Democratic nominee for president and I intend to do everything I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United States."
Sanders said Clinton is "far and away the best candidate" to address the needs of the American people and "the very serious crises that we face." He said Clinton is prepared to fight to raise the minimum wage, create jobs, expand access to health care and address climate change.
The Vermont senator was powered by an impressive online fundraising machine that raised more than $200 million with the help of college students, independents and white voters drawn to his anti-establishment message. His endorsement could help bring some of those supporters into the fold for Clinton as she faces Trump.
"In these stressful times for our country, this election must be about bringing our people together, not dividing us up," Sanders said. "While Donald Trump is busy insulting Mexicans, Muslims, women, African Americans and veterans, Hillary Clinton understands that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths."
Trump, who previously said Sanders has been "treated terribly by the Democrats" and should have run as an independent, wasted no time going after the Vermont senator.
"Bernie Sanders, who has lost most of his leverage, has totally sold out to Crooked Hillary Clinton," Trump wrote Tuesday as part of a series of tweets. "Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters."
"Big talk from the same guy who was too afraid to debate Bernie in California," Sanders' campaign fired back on Twitter.
Tuesday's joint event sought to project Democratic unity before Republicans formally nominate Trump next week in Cleveland. Clinton has campaigned with President Barack Obama and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren in recent weeks, warning Democrats of the threat of a Trump presidency.
She thanked Sanders on Tuesday for his endorsement, saying the Vermont senator has "brought people off the sidelines and into the political process."
"Sen. Sanders has brought people off the sidelines and into the political process. He has energized and inspired a generation of young people who care deeply about our country and are building a movement that is bigger than one candidate or one campaign," Clinton said.
Clinton last week rolled out proposals on college affordability and access to health care, winning praise from Sanders, and the platform agreed to last weekend in Florida includes many of Sanders' priorities, including a $15 an hour minimum wage.
Recent polls have shown that many Sanders voters plan to back Clinton but have reservations about her honesty. Sanders has said he will do all he can to prevent Trump from winning the White House and the senator's vouching for Clinton could help her with the independents, liberals and millennials who flocked to his primary campaign.
The Vermont senator saw his longshot bid for the White House quickly catch fire in 2015 at large-scale rallies where he denounced income inequality, the influence of Wall Street and the role of big money in politics.
Sanders' unruly white hair and glasses was often depicted in campaign offices and on T-shirts and a campaign catch-phrase, "Feel the Bern," marked his rise online. Comedian Larry David portrayed Sanders on "Saturday Night Live" and the senator made an appearance on the show before the New Hampshire primary.
Sanders' challenge influenced Clinton's shift to the left on several issues, including her opposition to the proposed Keystone XL pipeline between Canada and the U.S. and her opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement.
What to Know Security officers arrested Thomas Pressley, accusing him of carrying a 9-millimeter handgun in a leather handbag inside the complex.
Pressley, a contractor who works in IT for the agency, has been ordered jailed in D.C. until his next scheduled court appearance Friday.
Pressleys arrest comes about a month after the arrest of Jonathan Wienke, another employee accused of carrying a firearm in the complex.
UPDATE: Thomas Pressley waived Friday's hearing and pleaded not guilty.
For the second time in a month, an employee has been arrested for taking a handgun on to the secured grounds of U.S. Department of Homeland Security headquarters in Washington, D.C.
According to police and court records obtained by the News4 I-Team, security officers arrested Thomas Pressley of Woodbridge, Virginia, Monday, accusing him of carrying a 9-millimeter handgun in a leather handbag while inside the complex.
Pressley, a contractor who works in IT for the agency, has been ordered jailed in D.C. until his next scheduled court appearance Friday. He is charged with carrying a pistol without a license. Court filings did not detail what, if any, plea has been entered in the case by Pressley. His attorney did not immediately return requests for comment from the I-Team.
Federal government records specify the U.S. Department of Homeland Security headquarters complex on Nebraska Avenue in northwest Washington is among the most secured government facilities in the United States, rivaling the security apparatus of the White House and the Pentagon.
The weapon appeared to be fully functional, capable of being fired by a single hand, and designed to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive, according to a police report.
The report also said, The weapon also had a barrel length of less than 12 inches.
Agency security located the handgun during a random employee screening, the report said.
As a result of enhanced security and screening measures at the NAC, security officers detained a contract employee yesterday after they discovered a concealed firearm during screening," a DHS spokesman said. "The contract employee was subsequently arrested.
"While we currently have no information to suggest that this individual sought to cause harm, as discussed at a recent employee town hall, the safety of employees and visitors to DHS facilities is a top priority. The enhanced security procedures discussed at that meeting remain in effect, including increased levels of screening of employees entering the NAC. And because we wont hesitate to take every appropriate measure to protect our employees, our security professionals are evaluating what additional security enhancements may be necessary.
Pressleys arrest comes about a month after the arrest of Jonathan Wienke, another Homeland Security employee accused of carrying a firearm inside agency headquarters. Court filings from investigators said Wienke was found with a loaded .22-caliber handgun, carrying five hollow point bullets in June.
Wienke pleaded not guilty to a gun charge and is awaiting further court proceedings in the case.
But Wienke had more than a gun when he was searched on June 9, according to a request for court permission to raid Wienkes home. A federal agent and security officers also found Wienke had a knife, pepper spray, thermal imaging equipment and radio devices.
And the feds said in the court filing that Wienke was found in his workspace, which is in close proximity to a meeting of senior agency officials the day of his arrest -- and that Wienke was aware of the meeting.
In the same court filing, the agent said there was probable cause to believe Jonathan Wienke was conspiring with another to commit workplace violence and, more particularly, may have been conspiring or planning to commit violence against the senior DHS officials in the building.
What to Know A grand jury indicted Deonte Carraway on 270 counts of sex abuse of a minor, sex offenses and child pornography charges Tuesday.
The indictment covers 23 victims.
Carraway faces multiple life sentences if convicted.
The former Maryland school aide accused of sexually abusing students at a Prince George's County elementary school will go on trial next year, the News4 I-Team has learned.
A federal judge in Greenbelt, Maryland, has scheduled Deonte Carraway's trial for March 14, 2017.
A grand jury indicted Carraway last month on 270 counts of sex abuse of a minor, sex offenses and child pornography charges Tuesday. The indictment covers 23 victims.
The time preceding the trial allows for months of hearings on motions made by Carraway's attorneys.
In April, Carraway's public defenders argued that the court should suppress some of Carraway's statements because some of those statements might have been "involuntary." The attorneys also sought to suppress evidence taken from Carraway's cellphones.
His defense attorneys said Carraway "exhibited significant cognitive deficits, with a full scale IQ of 63, which placed his overall intellectual functioning in the deficient range."
Prosecutors say Carraway made videos of children having sex with him and each other at the school, at a church and at other locations in Maryland. The videos allegedly produced include videos showing Carraway having sex with a 9-year-old boy and an 11-year-old boy. He "threatened, pressured, enticed, and/or coerced children" to engage in the acts, the indictment said.
The alleged victims included children between the ages of 9 and 12, according to court documents.
Among the hundreds of charges Carraway is facing: 23 counts of sex abuse of a minor; 125 counts of first-, second- and third-degree sex offenses; 66 counts of creating child pornography; and 56 counts of possessing child pornography. Some of the charges stem from acts depicted in cellphone videos taken on various dates, according to the indictment.
The alleged abuse occurred between August 2015 and February of this year, the indictment said.
All of the charges stem from Carraway's interactions with students at the school, the state's attorney's office said.
Carraway has pleaded not guilty.
The state's attorney's office is conducting an investigation into whether anyone else should be held accountable.
Someone stole two FBI-issued guns from a car in northeast Washington, D.C., over the weekend, according to the FBI Washington Field Office.
Early Sunday morning, someone broke into an agents vehicle and took a handgun and a long gun, officials said. They did not specify what kind of guns or where the care was.
The FBI and D.C. police are investigating.
What to Know Mir Islam admitted sharing private information of celebrities and government officials on a website that got hundreds of thousands of clicks
For some public officials, Islam "swatted" them, calling 911 and convincing police to send SWAT teams to homes.
Islam also admitted conspiring to swatting the University of Arizona, where prosecutors said he was fixated on a student.
In a D.C. court Monday, a man admitted conspiring to scare or target celebrities and government officials by revealing their private information online and in some cases making bogus 911 calls to convince police to swarm their homes.
Mir Islam, of New York, was sentenced to two years in prison.
The website where the private information was revealed, including home addresses and credit reports, got hundreds of thousands of clicks. The celebrities included Kim Kardashian, Justin Timberlake and P. Diddy.
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloombergs Social Security number was exposed.
For some public officials with whom Islam and his conspiracy had disagreements, Islam went further and "swatted" them, prosecutors said. That is the practice of convincing police to send SWAT teams to homes.
The swatting victims include Steve Heyman, a high profile prosecutor in Boston; a U.S. congressman from Michigan; and Wayne LaPierre, head of the National Rifle Association.
Islam's conspiracy made a fake call to police, leading police to the NRA head's Virginia home and leading them to "briefly detain" him, LaPierre's lawyer said.
Islam told a judge he suffered from physical and mental health ailments and spent 18 hours behind his computer each day. He said he'd change after serving his sentence.
Islam also admitted conspiring to swatting the University of Arizona, where prosecutors said he was fixated on a student. His call triggered a four-hour lockdown in 2013.
A Fredericksburg, Virginia, man will spend the rest of his life in prison for the abduction and strangulation of a University of Mary Washington student.
On Tuesday, a judge upheld a jury's recommendation that Steven Briel be sentenced to life in prison with an additional 11 years.
Grace Mann, 20, was killed April 17, 2015, at the home she shared with Briel and two other roommates.
Mann's family thanked police and prosecutors.
"I haven't been able to order Grace's headstone, which I should've done a while ago, because I haven't felt we're done," said her mother, Melissa Mann.
"I am not an attorney. I am just a heartbroken person who wants their baby back desperately," she continued tearfully. "After we're gone, the only thing that will speak for us is the sentence."
For the first time, Briel stood up and spoke in court.
"Forgive me," he said. "And please forgive me, Grace. I have nothing to say in my own defense ... and Grace deserves better than that. It's my fault. I'm a coward. Forgive me."
During Briel's trial, Mann's female housemates said Briel behaved strangely just before they came home. One of the women said she received a text message from Briel asking when she and another roommate would be home. He allegedly wrote, "I was in [victim's roommate]'s room and I made a mess."
When the women arrived at the home, they found the door to that bedroom closed. The two knocked, and a sweaty, fast-talking Briel emerged.
The women then described finding Mann's body under a purple comforter; a plastic grocery bag was over her head, and several were stuffed into her mouth.
Testifying for the first time Tuesday, Briel's older sister Lauren said the family was in disbelief. They stood by the failed insanity defense, saying Briel suffers from paranoid schizophrenia.
"We were hopeful that he would wind up in a mental institution, a mental hospital," his defense attorney Mark Gardner said. "I remain hopeful that he will.
He said his client has always been remorseful and struggled to understand why it happened.
Briel's father also told the judge his son is mentally ill.
"In his reality, he was somehow fighting for his life," he said.
But the prosecution pointed to jailhouse phone calls beween Briel and his parents in which he seemed normal.
Briels attorney requested transcripts, suggesting they may appeal the case. Briel's defense and family say that would not be to release him but to get him proper treatment.
The prosecution said they hope public safety is taken into consideration.
Mann was a well-known activist on campus and helped lead a group known as Feminists United. The exact motive in the case remains unclear, but many have tried to link Mann's killing to her involvement in the group.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch steadfastly defended her decision to close the Hillary Clinton email investigation without criminal charges, insisting Tuesday that she simply accepted the unanimous recommendation of career FBI investigators and attorneys.
"I saw no reason not to accept it," Lynch told the House Judiciary Committee. "We looked at the facts, they were applied, and a conclusion was come to that was consistent with the law and those facts and I accepted that recommendation."
But Republicans on the panel strenuously criticized Lynch over her decision. Introducing a new critique into the debate over the Justice Department investigation of Clinton's emails, they suggested Lynch was wrong to announce ahead of time that she would be accepting the investigative team's guidance for the former secretary of state and Democratic presidential candidate.
That approach "does not seem to be a responsible way to uphold your constitutionally sworn oath," said the panel's chairman, GOP Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia.
"You are the chief law enforcement officer of the United States, and the final decision regarding the prosecution is yours," Goodlatte said.
Lynch reiterated that her announcement that she would be taking the FBI's recommendation was an attempt to remove the specter of political interference from the case, after a chance meeting with former president Bill Clinton last month raised a perception problem. But Republicans suggested that Lynch, a Democratic political appointee, only worsened the perception that Hillary Clinton was getting special treatment.
"I think your actions made it worse, I really do," said Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.
The election-year hearing played out amid a roiling national debate over police violence, and committee Democrats repeatedly tried to turn the conversation to that issue and others as they criticized Republicans for dwelling on the Democrats' likely presidential nominee and her email practices.
Republicans were furious last week that the FBI decided not to recommend charges against Clinton over her handling of classified information when she relied on a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state.
"Rome is burning, there is blood on the streets of many American cities and we are beating this email horse to death," said Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La.
But Republicans kept the focus on Clinton, trying to draw Lynch out on whether Clinton lied to the public or to Congress, and on a couple of occasions turning the conversation to then-president Bill Clinton's impeachment proceedings 18 years ago.
"Are you aware that Hillary Clinton has repeatedly lied to the public about her emails and email servers?" Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, asked. "Are you aware of that?"
Republicans on Monday formally asked the Justice Department to investigate whether Clinton perjured herself in earlier testimony to a congressional committee investigating the Benghazi, Libya, attacks that killed four Americans while Clinton was secretary of state. Clinton has said she did not send or receive emails marked classified when she sent them, claims that FBI Director James Comey contradicted last week.
Comey also said Clinton was "extremely careless" in her handling of classified emails on a private server, but said there was no evidence that she or her aides intended to violate laws governing classified actions, and therefore no reasonable prosecutor could bring a case. Comey testified in detail in his own appearance before Congress last week, and Lynch repeatedly referred Republicans to the FBI director's testimony, refusing to get drawn into debating Clinton's conduct or the facts of the case.
That approach irritated committee Republicans. At one point Goodlatte interrupted the hearing to admonish Lynch for refusing to answer, accusing her of an "abdication of your responsibility."
Lynch did say, in response to questioning from Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, that she had never discussed Clinton's email practices with either Hillary or Bill Clinton, and she also said she had not discussed with either of them a position in the Hillary Clinton administration. "No conversation in that nature at all," she said.
She reiterated that her encounter with Bill Clinton at the Phoenix airport last month, after he saw her airplane and asked to board to greet her, was social in nature and "there was nothing about any investigations or any specific cases." Instead the former president spoke "at length" about his grandchildren, Lynch said.
Goodlatte questioned why Lynch hadn't recused herself after that meeting. Lynch said there was no need to.
Lynch touched on law enforcement and policing issues including last week's sniper shooting of five police officers in Dallas by a suspect who said he wanted to kill white officers. That followed police killings of black men near St. Paul, Minnesota, and in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The nation's "sense of safety has been shaken by the series of devastating events that rocked our nation last week," Lynch said.
A newborn baby was abandoned for possibly several hours in the backyard of a northwest Indiana home amid extremely hot temperatures Monday, police said.
The baby was discovered just before 11 a.m. by a 9-year-old girl, who found the infant in the backyard of her familys home in the 18000 block of White Oak Avenue in Lowell, according to the Lake County Sheriffs Office.
The newborn girl was wrapped in a black towel and had her umbilical cord and placenta still attached, the sheriffs office said. Though it was not clear how long the baby was left outside, a preliminary investigation revealed she had been left for anywhere from several hours to one day, the sheriff's office said in a release.
"Its obvious that this child, from the medical reports, was born just a few hours before it was found," said Sheriff John Buncich. "It could have been overnight."
Temperature highs reached to near 90 degrees Monday.
The infant was taken to St. Anthonys Hospital for emergency medical treatment and is expected to make a full recovery. Buncich said the baby was being treated for sun burns, but was otherwise a "healthy young girl."
Heidi Laub said her 9-year-old daughter Elysia Laub found the infant in a rural area near a creek in their backyard.
"I just saw pink legs kicking away," Elysia Laub told NBC Chicago. "I knew it was alive and I knew we had something. I could not second guess myself. I knew we had to get help."
She alerted her mom who went outside and grabbed the child before the pair called 911.
Heidi Laub said the baby was naked, crying, sun burned and had maggots on the placenta and umbilical cord.
"I thought it was a robotic doll. Then I ran to the baby and scooped it up and I said, 'Elysia run to the house and call 911 as soon as possible,'" Heidi Laub said. "I got to the house and we put one of our baby blankets around her."
Authorities searched the area for the infants mother but she has not yet been found, the sheriffs office said. Forensic evidence was collected at the scene and an investigation was ongoing Monday afternoon.
Police dubbed the baby "Miracle Jane Doe" and said the Elysia Laub was her "guardian angel."
"A miracle that [the 9-year-old] was out there to find her," Buncich said.
Indiana does have a Safe Haven Law, which allows a person to give up an unwanted infant anonymously "without fear of arrest of prosecution," according to the Indiana Department of Child Services.
Anyone with information on the incident is being asked to call the Lake County Sheriffs Department Report-a-Crime Hotline at (800) 750-2746.
A hearing was held Tuesday morning to decide if Boston's Cask 'n Flagon can remain open after two women reported being drugged at the bar.
The violations come with serious repercussions, as the Boston Licensing Commission could decide to shut it down.
Boston Police Det. John Teixera, said, "The victim lost all memory and woke up several hours later in an unknown apartment in Somerville, Massachusetts."
That female victim told Boston Police she was sexually assaulted and believes she was drugged.
She says before the assault, she had one drink at the popular Fenway area bar on Saturday, May 14.
The bar now faces two violations by the city licensing board for this alleged incident, and a similar incident the night before, when a woman claims she was also drugged.
Teixera said, "She stated she was sitting at the bar with her sister when she started feeling sick. So her sister took her home."
The bar's owner and attorney said they're troubled by the allegations and the safety of their customers is of utmost importance.
Owner Dana Van Fleet said, "We have no reports of anybody needing assistance or anybody coming to a staff member requesting assistance."
The board will review cases and releases their findings on Thursday.
The Somerville case involving the sexual assault is still under investigation
A missing kayaker in Kingston, Massachusetts, is home safe after spending the night on boat docked on a river.
The U.S. Coast guard says Michael Rafferty, 43, had last been seen on the Jones River late Monday afternoon. His girlfriend reported him as missing when he did not return.
A state police helicopter helped search the area but came up empty.
Rafferty returned home just before 5 a.m. Tuesday morning.
He said he spent the night after his kayak got stuck in the mud when the tide went out.
Boston Police say a man is in unknown condition after he was shot in the citys Dorchester neighborhood Monday night.
The shooting happened in the area of Dudley and Monadnock Streets around 11 p.m.
The 39-year-old victim transported himself to Boston Medical Center.
Police say a similar incident happened in the citys South End around the same time.
A female victim was struck with bullet fragments and also transported herself to Boston Medical Center.
The incidents remain under investigation.
Police in Salem, Massachusetts are trying to find a crank caller who they say is harassing the Dallas Police Department on the phone.
"She had called the Dallas PD at least 40 times, celebrating the deaths of the fallen officers," said Salem Police Chief Mary Butler.
Last Friday, Butler said a Dallas police officer contacted her agency for help, saying a woman from a 978 area code kept insulting them over the phone as their department was overwhelmed and strained from the shooting deaths of five officers.
Dispatcher Michael Prosniewski took the call and went through several hoops and eventually traced the call back to a google voice number and an IP address in Lowell.
"Im not going to say what the name of the female is at this point because we dont know if that system wasnt hacked," said Butler.
Lowell police officers are assisting with the investigation. But until the investigation is complete, Butler said its hard to say if this caller will even be charged.
A 16-year-old has been charged in a Fall River, Massachusetts, murder.
Joel Lopez, of Fall River, has been charged with murder after being arrested inside a Pleasant Street apartment and may face a judge Tuesday in Monday night's fatal shooting on Plain Street, according to the Bristol County district attorney's office.
The DA says police found the victim, identified as 29-year-old Jerrod Cohen, in the landing of the first floor of the apartment complex.
Cohen was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital, where he died from his injuries.
The investigation is ongoing.
It's unclear if Lopez has an attorney.
A pastor in New Haven, Connecticut, who has been accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old member of his church has been arrested and admitted to sexual encounters with the girl, according to police.
Sixty-nine-year-old Walter Williams, of Northford, is the pastor of Walk of Faith Church of Christ on Fairmont Avenue in New Haven, and hes accused of having as many as six sexual encounters between July 2015 and April 2016 with a teen who belongs to the church and is a member of its choir.
Police said they started investigating when the girls mother found messages on her daughters phone and learned of the relationship.
She said she saw a graphically disturbing Facebook message from Williams to her daughter and was so upset she couldnt continue reading it. When the teen came home and her mother questioned her, the teen was forthcoming and spoke about her relationship with Williams, police said.
The interactions between the teen and Williams ranged from touching to intercourse, according to police.
When a detective with the Special Victims Unit met with the victim, she described the six encounters in detail, according to police.
They happened at Williams Northford home, at the church and while the victim accompanied him to collect rent from a tenant, police said. However, the property was empty.
When police interviewed Williams, he admitted to five or six sexual encounters with the victim, according to police.
He was arrested and has been charged with sexual assault in the fourth degree, five counts of sexual assault in the second degree and three counts of risk of injury to a minor.
Williams was held Monday night on $250,000 bond and was arraigned this morning. He's due back in court on July 20. Its not clear if he has an attorney.
Police in Manchester, New Hampshire, have arrested a man accused of smashing a vehicle window with an object and pointing a gun at another driver in an alleged road rage incident.
The incident happened on Huse Road around 5 p.m. Monday.
Police say Raymond Desrochers, 56, of Manchester, was stopped behind Joshua Lufbery, 21, at a stop light, and used his horn when the light turned green.
Lufbery allegedly made an obscene hand gesture.
Desrochers pulled up next to Lufbery on Candia Road and began yelling at Lufbery and his passenger. Desrochers then allegedly threw an object at the back window, shattering it.
Lufbery then tried to stop Desrochers, who drove away. Lufbery followed Desrochers to an unknown street and went up to Desrochers' driver's side window.
Desrochers then allegedly pulled out a gun, at which point Lufbery called police.
Desrochers was arrested a short time later at his home. He was charged with criminal threatening and criminal mischief.
He was released on $5,000 bail and is set to appear in court on Aug. 16.
As New England braces for what may be the first heat wave since last autumn, officials continue to monitor a deepening drought.
A severe drought is now ongoing in areas south of Manchester in New Hampshire, parts of extreme southern York County in Maine, and from the Massachusetts Turnpike northward in Massachusetts.
Rainfall is now nearly 10" below average over the past year in Northeastern and Central Massachusetts, and nearly 6" below average in parts of the Connecticut River Valley and Southeastern Massachusetts.
The lack of rain, and lack of snowmelt this past winter and spring, is resulting in very low river levels. Record low early July levels have been reported at 17 gauges in Massachusetts, according to state officials.
The Ipswich, Merrimack, Charles, Neponset, and Ware Rivers are just a few running much below normal.
Ground water levels are also dropping to extremely low levels. That is prompting state officials to request careful conservation across the Commonwealth, and especially in areas just north and west of Boston.
The Quabbin Reservoir, which feeds much of the Boston area, is still well above any level of concern.
While a few storms are expected late this week, the rain will not be enough to make a significant dent in the drought.
Boston Police say a woman was struck by bullet fragments in the citys South End Monday night.
The incident happened in the area of 15 Gavin Way around 11 p.m.
The 21-year-old victim took herself to Boston Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police say another shooting happened in the citys Dorchester neighborhood around the same time.
The victim in that shooting also transported himself to Boston Medical Center.
The incidents remain under investigation.
A correction officer in Niantic has been charged with threatening and breach of peace, state police said.
Donna Ward, a 54-year-old substance abuse counselor from Norwich, was arrested at the York Correctional Facility for women on July 8 at 1 p.m., Connecticut State Police said, but the details of the incident were not released.
According to the Department of Correction, Ward was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into the threatening incident.
Ward's bond was set at $500 and she is expected to appear in court in New London on July 22.
NBC Connecticut reached out to Ward for comment, but did not immediately hear back.
Norfolk Christian directs Julian show for BBC Norfolk Christian directs Julian show for BBC
A television producer and director from Norfolk tells how her profession, passion and faith inspired the making of a documentary for BBC 4 to be aired on July 19 about the extraordinary life of Julian of Norwich and her book Revelations of Divine Love.
A new documentary 'The Search for the Lost Manuscript: Julian of Norwich' will be shown at BBC 4 on Tuesday, July 19 at 9pm. The documentary is presented by medieval art historian Dr Janina Ramirez and follows the story and survival of Julian's manuscript Revelations of Divine Love from the time it was written through to the present day six hundred years later.
The programme is the inspiration of local television producer and director Sally-Anne Lomas (pictured) whose interest in Julian of Norwich was sparked while studying at Norwich School of Art and Design and led to her becoming a Christian.
Sally-Anne said: We had to illustrate a journey for a graphics project. I had always meant to visit Julian's Cell so I thought this would be a great opportunity to make a modern day pilgrimage. I became fascinated by Julian's writings and ideas and was influenced by them during my Fine Art degree and decided to become a Christian. I was confirmed by Bishop Graham while I was studying.
Many years later I am an active participant in the Burning Bush Barn contemplative arts space and in 2015 they had an exhibition Creativity and Compassion: Julian of Norwich in which I exhibited 'The Cloth of Kindness' (pictured right). The exhibition was part of the Julian Week and I attended many events including a wonderful talk by Sheila Upjohn on 'The Sisters who kept Julian safe.' The talk inspired me to think that I could make a detective story style documentary about Julian.
The documentary which features Bishop Graham James, Dr Rowan Williams and the Sisters of Stanbrook Abbey amongst many others was filmed in April and follows the manuscript's journey from Norwich to the British Museum, into the heart of the Yorkshire Moors, across the Channel to Cambrai in Northern France, to Paris and finally to the British Library.
Sally-Anne who has made films for ITV, Channel 4 and Discovery Channel said: I approached local production company Tincan Island with the idea of a Julian documentary and they were enthusiatic. Joining forces with Mustard TV we pitched the idea to BBC 4 and amazingly they commissioned the programme.
My hope was to make an entertaining documentary that would introduce Julian's writing to a wider audience. A great many people gave us their time and wisdom and it was very much a team effort - a perfect example of how many talents working together can achieve something wonderful.
I am very proud of the film and the BBC say they are delighted. I just hope and pray that the viewers think so too.
Sally-Anne said: I am very grateful to the community at the Burning Bush Barn for their support throughout this rather challenging project. I am again confirmed in my belief that creativity and spirituality are closely linked. This is the first time in my television career that I've been able to make a film on a subject that means so much to me personally and that I am passionately interested in and I am immensely grateful for the opportunity.
Microsoft officially ended support for Windows Server 2003 a year ago, and there was a major push to get people off the aging operating system and onto something new all through 2014 and 2015. But the zombie OS lives on mostly because people feel no urgency to get rid of it.
Spiceworks, the helpdesk and monitoring provider, released a survey focused on virtualization but with a few OS tidbits as well.
Virtualization use
According to Spiceworks' 2016 State of IT report, more than 76 percent of organizations today use virtualization, and another 9 percent expect to adopt it in the coming years.
VMware appears to be hanging in there despite the push from Microsoft. According to anonymized, aggregated usage data provided by IT pros across the globe, 71 percent of organizations use VMware's vSphere ESXi, compared to a 23 percent adoption rate for Microsoft Hyper-V. Only 6 percent of organizations use other hypervisors, such as Citrix XenServer.
Spiceworks found that large enterprises in particular favor VMware ESXi compared to small businesses. It found 59 percent of the smallest companies use VMware ESXi compared to 82 percent of the biggest companies. Smaller organizations are more likely to use Hyper-V than enterprises. For example, 43 percent of the smallest organizations utilize Hyper-V, but only 38 percent of the largest companies use it.
That's not surprising, since Hyper-V comes with Windows Server 2012, so smaller companies would likely take advantage of the freebie that comes with their server. Then again, smaller companies are also the ones moving lock, stock and barrel to the cloud and are less likely to deploy in-house servers these days.
Server deployments
In terms of server deployments, Spiceworks found Windows Server 2008 at the head of the pack by a wide margin, with 45 percent of companies using the OS, followed by Server 2012 at 24 percent, Server 2003 at 18 percent and other Linux (not Red Hat) at 11 percent.
Spiceworks found the majority of companies (53 percent) still have at least one instance of the abandoned server OS running in the server room. Last September, Spiceworks found 60 percent of firms still had Server 2003 deployed. Why the slow march? A number of reasons: no immediate need, lack of time, and budget constraints, which is what they were saying a year ago. Server 2003 is probably sitting in a corner doing mundane work on a non-critical old server, so they don't worry about it.
The question now becomes with Windows Server 2008 meeting its end of life in 2020, what will the server landscape look like in four years with Server 2008 the most ubiquitous server OS out there? It may prove tougher to uproot than Server 2003.
Wi-Fi has become so ubiquitous over the past decade and a half that we talk about it and complain about it like its part of the weather. Be honest, average user the first thing you think when your connection starts acting up is damn it, whats wrong with the Wi-Fi now?
But the degree to which Wi-Fi is likely to be the limiting factor for any given connection is shrinking. Wi-Fi has evolved quickly over the past few years, so much so that it can seem like wireless is outstripping wired networks in terms of raw capability.
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So is Wi-Fi, finally, fast enough? The answer, unsurprisingly, is pretty complicated.
Maximum data rates for Wi-Fi, outlined in the IEEEs 802.11 standards, have long outstripped the average Americans home internet connection. Data collected for Akamais State of the Internet reports show that the national average broadband connection provided about 3.7Mbps of throughput in 2007 well below the theoretical maximum of 54Mbps offered by even 802.11g, a version of the standard first published in 2003. (The latest figure for average U.S. broadband connection speed is 15.3Mbps, as of the first quarter of 2016.)
In practice, however, production hardware rarely comes close to the theoretical maximum throughput. Multiple clients, interference, and a host of other issues means that the actual rate at which wireless access points can move information around is far below the theoretical limit.
Greg Ferro, a well-known networking analyst who blogs at Ethereal Mind, told Network World that the concept of speed, as applied to wireless networks, is a lot more complicated than it is for wired ones.
[It] isn't just the rate at which data moves from handset to [access point], he said. Its also about duty cycles and availability because the wireless spectrum is shared. Faster data rates means that frequencies are less used over time and thus more devices are able to use a given base station.
Not just speeds and feeds
What this also means is that higher data rates can help contribute to modern Wi-Fis biggest problem density.
Joel Coehoorn, who is the director of IT at York College in Nebraska, says there are three key problems that make rated maximum Wi-Fi throughput figures largely useless. First, the stated maximum speeds are frequently the product of unusual configurations that would be unsuitable for use in the real world, and that most client devices arent set up to handle them anyway.
Second, many people dont realize that an access point has to support the lowest data rate client on its network, he noted. If, for example, a router capable of 150Mbps is supporting four clients, all of which are trying to download a 100MB file, the client thats only capable of 24Mbps will limit the speeds of the other clients by using its share of the airtime to download less data.
This one download which could have taken only about five seconds worth of air time on the channel now used six times as much, he says.
Finally, of course, multiple clients will consume their own slices of bandwidth, dividing the possible throughput of a given connection by the number of clients on an AP a problem thats mitigated with wired connections, which are generally full-duplex.
For Coehoorn, while technological improvements have made Wi-Fi considerably faster and better able to handle the demands of its ubiquity, its still going to be a bottleneck in certain situations.
Older clients, and fundamental limitations will continue to mean wired networks outperform wireless, even when the wireless has a higher raw data rate, he says.
More Wi-Fi innovations to come
Still, even if the latest generation of Wi-Fi devices havent become the worry-free wonder-hardware that the more enthusiastic marketing efforts suggest, that isnt to say that great strides havent been made. The beam-forming and multi-user capabilities in 802.11ac Wave 2 mean that technology could remain the standard for quite a long time. (Wave 2 gear boasts a theoretical maximum throughput of up to 3.47Gbps, compared to Wave 1s 1.3Gbps, thanks mostly to the aforementioned beamforming technology and the use of wider channels.)
Craig Mathias, a wireless expert and Network World contributor, says that fully optimized wireless implementations that use 802.11ac Wave 2 gear should be able to handle most workloads for the next five years or so. However, he cautioned, demand can be difficult to predict.
[A]dding new [access points], denser deployments, and more efficient management and analytics will be on the shopping lists of most network managers, Mathias says. We're not to set-and-forget just yet.
And Mike Leibovitz, director of the office of the CTO at Wi-Fi vendor Extreme Networks, concurs, saying that the desire for better and faster among CIOs is pushing demand higher.
Certainly the customers I talk to, and others in the industry, people are always interested in putting more cars on the highway and seeing how fast they can go, he says. It seems today that most conversations, definitely with higher people in organizations theyre certainly more focused on the experience, and what they can do on top of the infrastructure.
If you deal with enterprise systems security, you likely have an idea what your annual expenditure for security and forensic security is. Its huge. Its a time and resource suck like few others.
The licensing costs will vary, but theyre a considerable fraction of most organizations annual IT spend. Ready-made modular costs are platform-dependent. In Windows, it might be a framework from Symantec, Intel Security, or a host of others. Integration into Active Directory isnt so much difficult as it is tedious. If you start or add Linux, the cost shifts towards any number of frameworks that require at least a moderate amount of labor costs in customization, maintenance and ongoing platform mods.
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All of this lasts for perhaps a year or sountil security trends force organizations to re-do infrastructure, license upgrades, rethink patches and fixes, and/or perhaps additionally covered platforms and turf. A tired analogy of Whack-A-Mole takes place because increasingly fluid communications have a baked-in quotient of additional security baggage that has become requisite.
Once on the security baggage gravy train, you cannot get off.
To make matters worse, those responsible for security have to sell corporate management on security needs. These communications are assumed to be a cost of doing business.
This often makes security seem hopelesseven to the optimistic.
This needs to stop.
A better approach: Law enforcement needs to step up
Prosecutors need to increase their focus on catching spammers, hackers and system crackers and put them in jailnot small-time criminals such as marijuana users, speeders and loose cigarette sellers.
The problem is police, prosecutors, judges and states attorneys dont fully understand the basic problems of systems infrastructure and how to police systems security. They often dont know what systems security means, how assets are protected, and how they are stolen or compromised.
There are no beat cops on the Internet.
I know it isnt cheap to hunt down cyber crooks, but we have to do this.
Add to that a Congress whose knowledge of even basic systems infrastructure is non-existent and a secretary of state (and numerous predecessors) who had her own messaging systems, and the problem becomes huge. Rebuke, it seems, starts at the top.
To fight this cyber war, we need task forces and special private operations groups that look into such things as malicious spam payloads and bot-nets. And we need to put those criminals in jail.
I know it isnt cheap to hunt down cyber crooks, but we have to do this. And yes, despite my distaste of curing things by government, its a common interest: national asset security and trust.
The bad guys are winning, and its costing the economy loads and creating trust issues. And until we have public policy combined with appropriate funding to address the problem, the breeches will continueuntil weve all been robbed.
This means forcing agencies to talk to each other rather than performing their duties monolithically like little principalities. It means crossing the political aisle for the common goodmutual asset protection, and yes, trustsomething seemingly dissolved in the current political atmosphere.
Where does it start? At the ground levelyou and me. The fiefdoms arent going to start talking to each other until we vote for public policy advocates who share both the need and the common desire to cross political boundaries for the public good.
All roads lead to Sinology
From:chinadaily.com.cn | 2016-07-12 10:21
Barthelemy Courmont attends the 2016 Young Sinologists Program in Beijing.[Photo provided to Chinaculture.org]
Barthelemy Courmont is the professor at Catholic University in Lille, France, and senior research-fellow at the Paris-based Institute of International and Strategic Relations (IRIS). He is a member of the 2016 Young Sinologists Program in Beijing.
As a European child, my interest for China, Chinese history and civilization naturally started with the discovery of Marco Polos 13th Century travels. Although I didnt have any particular chance of exploring Asia yet, I developed a fascination for what was then a completely different world to me, with customs, religions and social organization totally different from what I have been growing with.
At that time, back in the 1980s, China was still a mystery for most Europeans, a country just engaged in its economic development, and still facing major problems. Traveling in China was also a dream more than a possibility. Yet, I slowly developed my interest through readings, and by learning Chinese history, as a student in Paris. I also learned about other Asian countries and societies. This fascination kept growing, to the point that it has become a basis of my academic research. Interactions between China and its neighbors, as well as with the rest of the world, are a crucial subject of contemporary international relations.
It is only years later, after visiting several Asian countries, that I finally had a chance to enter China for the first time. My second trip was rather personal and unforgettable, as I backpacked with my wife, whose mother is from Hunan province, on our honeymoon. Discovering South China, from Guangdong to Sichuan, meeting with the minorities in Guizhou and Yunnan, visiting some highlights and marvels of China. Several trips also gave me the opportunity to discover another vision of the world, based on cultural specificities that I slowly came to encounter. Later, I had the opportunity to explore most Chinese provinces, while working on a tourist book for a French publisher, which has been one of my activities parallel to my academic career for the past two decades.
Throughout my research, I have developed a deep interest in the relationship between China and the world, its emergence as a great power and its implications at the regional level, as well as its strategy in other continents. This research led me to question issues such as Chinas economic development; its military modernization; its assertiveness and its diplomacy, as well its relations with other great powers and developing countries. These questions, although mostly covered in the field of political science and international relations, relate to historic and cultural backgrounds, as essential parameters to understand Chinas rise and its consequences. I have particularly focused on Chinas soft power strategy, publishing several books and academic papers on the subject.
Barthelemy Courmont attends the 2016 Young Sinologists Program in Beijing.[Photo provided to Chinaculture.org]
Some questions appear particularly relevant, however, for current and further research:
- Can China be perceived as a soft power?
- What can be identified as indicators of the success of a soft power strategy?
- Is there any "resistance" to Chinas soft power, and how can it be characterized?
- Is Chinas soft power a strategy that will gradually lead to another interpretation of China as a great power?
Although answering these questions will remain rather difficult, they appear to me as key challenges to understand not only the future directions China is likely to take, but also the future of international relations at large. And it is my belief that this understanding starts with a deeper knowledge of Chinese culture and history, and in that sense, it looks like many different roads ultimately lead to Sinology as a key to better understand China.
Premier Li Keqiang will visit Mongolia from July 13 to 16 and attend the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, from July 15 to 16.
It will be Premier Lis first visit to Mongolia since the new Mongolian government was formed this year, and marks the 20th anniversary of ASEM.
The Premier will raise new suggestions and measures to lay a solid foundation for an updated and pragmatic version of Asia-Europe cooperation and Sino-Mongolia cooperation.
ASEM, one of the biggest intergovernmental cooperation forums, has been providing a platform for communication between Asia and Europe and promoting political, economic and cultural cooperation for the past two decades.
And Mongolia, as this years host for ASEM, further emphasized the concept of interconnectivity in future Asia-Europe cooperation. Asian and European countries have also reached consensus that interconnectivity plays a crucial role.
As the second largest economy, China should take more responsibility and show more wisdom in leading better interconnectivity from existing projects such as Asia-Europe continental bridge and other new projects, said Cui Hongjian, director of the Department for European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies.
And one of the objectives of this Asia-Europe Meeting will be rolling out a development plan for the next decade.
According to Ding Yifan, deputy director of the Institute of World Development, under the State Councils Development Research Center, the Asia-Europe Meeting will face three major challenges in the next decade. First, mutual interests should be emphasized to strengthen common objectives among member countries. Second, Asian countries should push forward more cooperation in green energy and technology with European countries. Third, an improved system should be built to ease potential tension between country members.
Ding also said that in terms of the three challenges, Premier Li will bring up suggestions to promote a more efficient Asia-Europe Meeting and renew impetus to the development of countries in Asia and Europe.
China has attached great importance to the Sino-Mongolia relationship with high-level visits by Chinese leaders in recent years.
This upcoming visit by Premier Li will be seeking to align the development strategies of the two sides - the Belt and Road Initiative and Mongolias Steppe Road - to strengthen pragmatic cooperation in production capacity, major projects and finance.
Gao Shumao, former Chinese ambassador to Mongolia, said the two strategies are similar, and the integration of the two will play an important role in Mongolias economic growth and in building a China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor.
He also said the success of the cooperation will release more cooperative potential in high-speed rail, highways, electric power, green energy, tourism, medicine and cultural exchanges.
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NOTICE: This Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) is intended for persons living in Australia.
Pneumococcal Vaccine Polyvalent; Pneumococcal purified capsular polysaccharides Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet This leaflet answers some common questions about PNEUMOVAX 23 (pronounced new-mo-vax). It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist. All medicines and vaccines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you being given PNEUMOVAX 23 against the benefits they expect it will have for you. If you have any concerns about being given this vaccine, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
What PNEUMOVAX 23 is used for PNEUMOVAX 23 is a vaccine used to help prevent infections caused by certain types of germs or bacteria called pneumococcus (pronounced new-mo-kock-us). PNEUMOVAX 23 helps protect against the most common types of pneumococcal bacteria. PNEUMOVAX 23 is not recommended for use in children below 2 years of age. It can be given to children 2 years of age and older, teenagers and adults who: have no spleen or a spleen that does not function properly, including sickle cell disease have a decreased immune system and are at increased risk of pneumococcal infection, for example, people with organ transplants, HIV or certain cancers have long-term diseases and are at increased risk of pneumococcal infection have leakage of fluid from around the brain and spinal cord It can also be given to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over 50 years of age. In addition, PNEUMOVAX 23 is recommended as a routine vaccination for people aged 65 years and older. Pneumococcal infection is an important cause of death worldwide. Protection against pneumococcal infection is important because the germs or bacteria can cause serious diseases such as: meningitis, an infection of the brain and/or spinal cord pneumonia, an infection of the lungs a severe infection of the middle ear a severe infection in the blood. Groups of people who are at increased risk of pneumococcal disease include those who have poor immune systems, such as people with organ transplants, certain cancers and HIV/AIDS. Other people who are at risk of pneumococcal disease include those with no spleen, those with long-term problems of the heart, lung, kidney or liver, diabetes mellitus, alcoholics and people aged 65 years and older, and those who smoke. In Australia, the vaccine is currently recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for tobacco smokers. Infection from pneumococcal bacteria usually occurs when you come into contact with an infected person. The infection may be spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes near another person. Apart from certain diseases, other situations that may increase the risk of infection include: being around groups of other children (e.g. Daycare) living in the same household as someone who is infected.
How it works PNEUMOVAX 23 works by causing your body to produce its own protection against pneumococcal infection. It does this by making disease-fighting substances called antibodies to fight. the bacteria. The vaccine itself cannot cause the infection. If a vaccinated person comes into contact with live bacteria, the body is usually ready and produces antibodies to destroy it. However, as with all vaccines, 100% protection against pneumococcal disease cannot be guaranteed. The chance of a severe reaction from PNEUMOVAX 23 is very small, but the risks from not being vaccinated may be very serious. PNEUMOVAX 23 only protects against infections caused by the most common types of pneumococcal bacteria, not against the less common types of pneumococcal bacteria or other germs.
Before you are given PNEUMOVAX 23
When you or your child must not be given it Do not have PNEUMOVAX 23 if: you have an allergy to PNEUMOVAX 23 or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet the expiry date on the pack has passed If the vaccine is used after the expiry date has passed, it may not work. If you are not sure whether you or your child should be given PNEUMOVAX 23, talk to your doctor. Do not give PNEUMOVAX 23 to children under 2 years of age. The safety and effectiveness of PNEUMOVAX 23 in children below the age of 2 years have not been established.
Before you or your child are given it Tell your doctor if: 1. you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant It is not known whether the vaccine is harmful to an unborn baby when given to a pregnant woman. Your doctor will give you PNEUMOVAX 23 only if it is clearly needed. 2. you are breast-feeding It is not known whether PNEUMOVAX 23 passes into breast milk. Your doctor will discuss the possible risks and benefits of you being given PNEUMOVAX 23 while breast-feeding. 3. you have any medical conditions, especially the following: heart or lung problems idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a disease which causes unusual bleeding or bruising under the skin blood problems 4. you have an infection or a high temperature Your doctor may decide to delay your injection of PNEUMOVAX 23. 5. you are currently being treated or have recently been treated with radiotherapy or chemotherapy Your doctor may decide to delay your injection of PNEUMOVAX 23. 6. you have been vaccinated with a pneumococcal vaccine before Routine revaccination of people with normal immune systems previously vaccinated with PNEUMOVAX 23 is not recommended. However, revaccination is recommended for people at highest risk of serious pneumococcal infection, at different times. Your doctor will decide if and when you need another injection of PNEUMOVAX 23. 7. you have any allergies to any other medicines or vaccines, or any other substances, such as foods, preservatives or dyes. If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you or your child are given an injection of PNEUMOVAX 23.
Taking other medicines Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop. PNEUMOVAX 23 may not work as well as it should if you or your child are taking or receiving medicines that decrease the immune system, such as corticosteroids (e.g. prednisone), cyclosporin, or chemotherapy. PNEUMOVAX 23 should not be given at the same time as ZOSTAVAX. For more information about these vaccines, talk to your doctor or health care provider, because it may be better to get these vaccines at least 4 weeks apart. Your doctor will advise you if you are taking or receiving any of these or other medicines that decrease the immune system. Your doctor will decide whether or not to give the vaccine.
How PNEUMOVAX 23 is given
How much is given Your doctor will decide on the dose of PNEUMOVAX 23 that you or your child will be given. The usual dose of PNEUMOVAX 23 is 0.5 mL. The dose of the vaccine is the same for everyone. Usually only one injection is needed to help protect against pneumococcal disease. However, if you are at increased risk of serious pneumococcal infection, you may need to have a second injection. Your doctor will decide if and when you need a second injection of PNEUMOVAX 23.
How it is given PNEUMOVAX 23 is given as an injection by a doctor or trained nurse, either into a muscle, such as your upper arm or mid-thigh, or under the skin. The vaccine should not be injected directly into veins (intravenously).
Side Effects Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well during or after having had an injection of PNEUMOVAX 23. PNEUMOVAX 23 helps protect most people from pneumococcal infections, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people. All medicines and vaccines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have. Tell your doctor if you or your child has any of the following and if they are troublesome or ongoing: soreness, redness, warmth, swelling or hard lump where you had the injection. These may be more common and intense after a second shot than after the first shot. fever chills headache unusual tiredness or weakness generally feeling unwell nausea, vomiting These are usually mild side effects of PNEUMOVAX 23. They usually improve or disappear within a few days. Tell your doctor immediately if you or your child notice any of the following: aching muscles, muscle tenderness or weakness, not caused by exercise decreased ability to move limb painful or swollen joints tingling or numbness of the hands or feet swollen and painful lymph glands unusual bleeding or bruising convulsions or fits due to fever These may be serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention. These side effects are rare.
Allergic Reaction or Other Serious Conditions: As with all vaccines given by injection, there is a very small risk of a serious allergic reaction or other serious conditions. Tell your doctor immediately or go to accident and emergency at your nearest hospital if you or your child notice any of the following: skin rash, itching pinkish, itchy swellings on the skin, also called hives or nettle rash swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing swelling of other parts of the body shortness of breath, wheezing or trouble breathing These are serious side effects. If you have them, you may have had a serious allergic reaction or other serious reaction to PNEUMOVAX 23. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation. Most of these side effects occur within the first few hours of vaccination but some may occur later. Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. Tell your doctor if you notice any other effects. Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.
Storage PNEUMOVAX 23 is usually stored in the doctor's surgery or clinic, or at the pharmacy. However if you need to store PNEUMOVAX 23: Keep it where children cannot reach it. Keep it in the refrigerator, but not in the door compartment. Do not put PNEUMOVAX 23 in the freezer, as freezing destroys the vaccine. Keep the injection in the original pack until it is time for it to be given.
Product description
What it looks like PNEUMOVAX 23 comes in glass vials or pre-filled syringes.
Ingredients Active ingredient: The active ingredient of PNEUMOVAX 23 is a mixture of inactive parts from 23 of the most common types of pneumococcal bacteria. Each 0.5 mL of vaccine contains 25 micrograms of each polysaccharide type. Inactive ingredients: phenol sodium chloride water for injection PNEUMOVAX 23 is made without any human blood or blood products. The manufacture of this product includes exposure to bovine derived materials. No evidence exists that any case of vCJD (considered to be the human form of bovine spongiform encephalopathy) has resulted from the administration of any vaccine product.
Millions of children have surgery every year - for everything from tonsil removal to correction of a heart defect - and understandably parents are often anxious about their child's safety and comfort. The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) wants parents to know that anesthesia is extremely safe and effective at managing pain and discomfort surgery or a procedure may cause.
"Particularly in infants and toddlers, surgery is only recommended when it is necessary for the child's health, so parents should not avoid an important procedure out of fear," said Randall Flick, M.D., chair of the ASA's Committee on Pediatric Anesthesia, associate professor of pediatrics and anesthesia, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. "Physician anesthesiologists have received years of special training to help ensure safe, high-quality care and can set parents' minds at ease."
Communication helps to ensure a safe, comfortable easier experience. The ASA recommends parents ask these seven questions when talking to the child's physician anesthesiologist prior to any procedure:
How can I ensure my child has a successful surgery? One of the most important things you can do is to share your child's detailed health history with the physician anesthesiologist before the procedure. For example, be sure to note if your child has allergies or asthma. It's also vital to let the physician anesthesiologist know if your child has had a reaction to anesthesia previously.
If my child is taking medications, should they be stopped before the surgery? Provide the physician anesthesiologist a detailed list of all of the medications your child is taking, including pain medication and vitamins. Whether your child should stop taking them and when they can be resumed will depend on a number of factors, including how vital the medication is to your child's health and the type of surgery and anesthesia your child is having.
Should my child stop eating or drinking before surgery? In general, children (as well as adults) should stop eating solid foods six to eight hours before the surgery. Parents should encourage the child to sip clear liquids such as water, hydration drinks (Pedialyte) and apple juice up to two hours before the procedure. Breast milk is fine up to four hours before surgery.
How can I help my child prepare for surgery? Be reassuring and confident, letting your child know that the surgery is important to correct a problem or help him or her feel better. Explain that the doctor will provide medicine so that the surgery won't hurt, and in fact, your child won't even remember it. Note that nurses and doctors will be there to provide care every step of the way, and you will be waiting close by to see your child when the surgery is over.
Is anesthesia safe for my child? Parents should be comforted to know that anesthesia is extremely safe. As with adults, the risk may increase if the child has complex problems, or the surgery is urgent, but even in those cases, the risks are very low. There have been several small studies looking at whether anesthesia given to infants and toddlers can affect learning but the results have been conflicting. Researchers are continuing to study this issue. Further, surgery is typically only recommended for infants and toddlers when necessary, and should not factor into the decision-making process when surgery is vital for the child's health.
Will my child be in pain after surgery? Your child's physician anesthesiologist will prescribe medication to manage pain, which might include medication to be taken by mouth or received through a pump or injection. If your child feels nauseated or vomits after surgery, the physician anesthesiologist can help. The goal is to help your child be as comfortable as possible while recovering from surgery. Opioids such as oxycodone may be prescribed for pain relief. These medications are safe when taken under the supervision of the physician anesthesiologist. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns. The medications should be properly disposed of when they are no longer needed to control the pain.
What type of anesthesia will my child have? There are several types of anesthesia, including medication provided through an intravenous (IV) line or through a mask that your child will inhale. The physician anesthesiologist will recommend the best type of anesthesia for your child, which will depend on your child's health and the type of surgery.
You should feel free to ask your child's physician anesthesiologist all of your questions before surgery, as well as the day of the procedure. As a resource, ASA created a checklist for caregivers that can be downloaded and taken to the hospital the day of your child's surgery.
A patch made from cryopreserved human umbilical cord may be a novel method for treating spina bifida in utero, according to researchers at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). The findings were published today in Obstetrics & Gynecology, the journal of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
A patch comprised of the donated outer layer of the umbilical cord from healthy newborns was used for the repairs. The surgeries were performed at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital.
"The promise of this patch is that the umbilical cord contains specific natural material called heavy chain hyaluronic acid/pentraxin3 that has regenerative properties," said Ramesha Papanna, M.D., M.P.H., lead author, assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at McGovern Medical School and maternal-fetal medicine specialist at The Fetal Center at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital. "It allows the local tissue to grow in at the repair site instead of a healing by scar formation that occurs with traditional repair methods. This decrease in scar formation may help improve the spinal cord function further and reduce the need for future surgeries to remove the effects of the scar tissue on the spinal cord."
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, spina bifida is characterized by the incomplete development of the coverings of the brain, spinal cord or meninges - the protective covering around the brain or spinal cord. It is the most common neural tube defect in the country, affecting 1,500 to 2,000 of the more than 4 million babies born each year. The defect can result in paralysis, urinary or bowel dysfunction and mental retardation.
In 2011, a landmark clinical trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health found that if a fetus underwent in utero surgery to close the defect, the serious complications associated with spina bifida could be reversed or lessened. In cases where the defect was too large to close with the fetus' existing skin, a patch was necessary. But in some cases, scar tissue may cause adherence of the patch to the underlying spinal cord. This could result in a loss of neurologic function as the child ages. Further surgery was often needed to remove this scar tissue.
"The use of this patch for fetal repair heralds a new era for fetal spina bifida repair," said Kenneth Moise, M.D., co-author, professor, director of the Fetal Intervention Fellowship Program at McGovern Medical School and co-director of The Fetal Center. "For the first time, a bioscaffold has been successfully employed to allow the fetus to heal itself. The implications for the future of a minimally invasive approach to fetal spina bifida repair and even neonatal spina bifida repair are enormous."
In the first case study, the skin lesion in the fetus measured 5 centimeters by 6 centimeters and there was evidence of Chiari II malformation, a complication of spina bifida in which the brain stem and the cerebellum protrude into the spinal canal or neck area. It can lead to problems with feeding, swallowing or breathing control.
At 24 weeks gestation, the patient underwent fetal surgery by KuoJen Tsao, M.D., associate professor and The Children's Fund Distinguished Professor in Pediatric Surgery and co-director of The Fetal Center, and Stephen Fletcher, D.O., co-author, associate professor in McGovern Medical School's Department of Pediatric Surgery and pediatric neurosurgeon affiliated with Memorial Hermann Mischer Neuroscience Institute at the Texas Medical Center and Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital. Moise and Papanna participated in the surgery.
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The lesion was closed with skin edges sutured to the human umbilical cord patch in a watertight fashion. The mother was discharged on postoperative day 5. The baby was born at 37 weeks and the patch was intact with no leakage of fluid. The patch at the site of the lesion appeared semi-translucent with incomplete regeneration of the skin. Within two weeks, the skin had healed over the patch spontaneously. The child had normal movements of the lower extremities and bladder control function and there was a complete reversal of the Chiari II malformation.
In the second case, performed by the same team, the patient's fetus had a lesion of 4 centimeters by 5 centimeters and Chiari II malformation. The expectant mother underwent surgery at 25 weeks gestation and the procedure and application of the patch were similar to the first case. The baby was delivered at 37 1/2 weeks and there was complete covering of the lesion with the patch but without skin grown into the patch. As with the first case, the skin grew over the patch and by day 30, was completely healed. There was normal motor and urinary function and the Chiari II malformation was completely reversed.
Both cases were approved by the FDA under Expanded Access use, the Fetal Therapy Board of The Fetal Center at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital and UTHealth Institutional Review Board prior to the surgery.
The clinical cases were the culmination of seven years of research after Papanna, and co-author Lovepreet K. Mann, M.B.B.S., instructor in McGovern Medical School's Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, began brainstorming ideas about possible patch materials. This led them to co-author Scheffer C.G. Tseng, M.D., Ph.D., of Ocular Surface Center and TissueTech, Inc., in Miami, Fla., who was using human amniotic membrane and umbilical cord - donated by mothers of healthy infants - to repair corneas. The patch is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for corneal repair.
"This patch acts as a scaffold, which is watertight and allows native tissue to regenerate in an organized manner, and has anti-scarring, anti-inflammatory properties. Preventing the scarring could prevent tethering, which can prevent further damage to the cord," Mann said.
The patch was first tested in animal models by a team of researchers that included Papanna, Mann, Moise, Fletcher and Saul Snowise, M.D., a maternal-fetal fellow who has now joined McGovern Medical School as an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences.
In 2011, after the landmark national trial for fetal surgery was ended early because of positive results, physicians at McGovern Medical School and The Fetal Center were the first in Texas to perform the newly approved surgery. Since then the team has performed more than 30 fetal surgeries to treat spina bifida.
Mann said the team was taken aback at first by the lack of skin covering the patch at the birth of the first infant but she could see the child's legs moving and knew it was an early success that they hope will continue as the baby grows. "It would mean a lot to the team if we can make a small change and improve the quality of life for the child. That will mean we really did something," she said.
The team has since completed a third surgery and Fletcher has used the new patch in surgeries to untether the spinal cord of children who had previous spina bifida surgery. They wait now to see if the umbilical cord patch will help prevent tethering in the long run.
Currently, the team members are working on finding ways to make the skin heal inside the uterus and different ways to deploy the patch over the defect site through less-invasive ways.
Cell Guidance Systems (CellGS) provides innovative life science research tools and services. Their goal is to identify valuable innovations from research groups around the world and develop products that address unmet needs, providing new tools that expand the possibilities of life science research.
A CellGS scientist uses the Particle Metrix ZetaView for the study of exosomes.
The UK facility is located on the Babraham Science Park near Cambridge. Here, CellGS is developing novel tools and technologies for exosome research. In particular, they manufacture the Exo-spin range of exosome purification kits and TRIFic assay kits and are developing additional technologies to enable exosome research.
Exosomes are small lipid spheres around 40-150 nm in diameter that form within the cell. Exosomes contain and protect various RNA and protein cargos which are secreted into the blood and other bodily fluids. Exosomes are taken up by nearby and distant cells where their cargo can profoundly influence cellular activity.
Consequently, there is interest in the potential of exosomes as vectors for gene therapy. In addition, many groups are now working on diagnostic products which can detect disease based on analysis of exosomes recovered from blood, urine, saliva and other body fluids.
For CellGS, developing new processes in research through to tight quality control procedures for production items requires the best in instrumentation. Speaking to this challenge, CellGS CEO, Michael Jones, describes their particle characterization needs and why they chose the Particle Metrix ZetaView system to perform research into exosomes.
The ZetaView enables our scientists to assess the quality of our exosome technologies and perform vital QC steps during manufacture. We selected ZetaView after a full evaluation of competitive nanoparticle characterization systems. For us, the benefits in using the ZetaView compared to other systems are its ease of use and throughput of sample measurement. Michael Jones, CEO, CellGS .
The ZetaView is a high performance integrated instrument for individual exosome particle tracking, classical micro-electrophoresis and Brownian motion. Auto-alignment and auto-focusing capabilities make the ZetaView both fast and easy to use. A throughput of >20 samples per hour can readily be achieved.
Highly resolved zeta potential and size histograms, as well as profiles, are routinely derived from thousands of particles. In addition, low concentrations of particles can be determined. The ZetaView provides analysis certainty, leading to a better level of exosome characterization and enabling new discoveries in microvescicle and exosome research.
Source: Particle Metrix
Society must align the overlapping priorities and often clashing interests of medical intelligence, national security agendas and the global health community, according to global health advocates writing in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. The authors of the review paper, from the Kings Centre for Global Health, Conflict and Health Research, describe a pathway which, they say, will limit the blurring of the boundaries between medical intelligence, the securitisation of health threats such as Ebola and SARS and foreign policy action.
The pathway the authors are advocating relies on medical intelligence first highlighting health threats that have implications for national security before policy action takes place. The authors say that failure to follow this pathway in the killing of Osama Bin Laden in 2011 clearly demonstrates the adverse consequences of initiatives that blur foreign policy concerns with medical initiatives. The CIA operation to locate and kill Osama Bin Laden took place by creating a fake childhood Hepatitis B immunisation programme in Abbottabad, Pakistan. This resulted in a large-scale reduction in childhood vaccination uptake.
Research fellow and lead author Gemma Bowsher said:
In a global health security agenda, the involvement of intelligence structures best occurs to anticipate and evaluate health risks, rather than, as seen in this instance, create them.
The authors conclude:
As the concept of a global health security agenda gains traction, the fields of intelligence and public health, in addition to the humanitarian community and the military, will necessarily have to accept an overlapping of their respective discourses and a sharing of goals.
Source: http://www.rsm.ac.uk/
Lucideon, the materials technology company, is pleased to announce that its Head of Medical Materials, Dr Xiang Zhang, has recently published his third book, Science and Principles of Biodegradable and Bioresorbable Medical Polymers.
A Royal Society Industry Fellow at the University of Cambridge and an eminent materials scientist, Dr Zhang undertook his PhD and postdoctoral research at Cranfield University where he studied nano/micro-mechanics and nano/micro-fracture mechanics of toughening polymers and polymer/inorganic hybrids. At Lucideon he leads on materials technology development, working on projects such as bioresorbable stents and inorganic controlled release technologies with abuse deterrent properties.
Dr Zhang is the author of two other books, published in 2014 and 2015 respectively: Inorganic Biomaterials: Structure, Properties and Applications; and Inorganic Controlled Release Technology, 1st Edition Materials and Concepts for Advanced Drug Formulation.
Dr Zhang said:
These books reflect many years experience in the medical materials arena. Since I started at Lucideon in 2010, I have worked on a range of diverse and ground-breaking projects, many of which I have referred to in these books in terms of how the fundamental science can be applied to industry. Lucideon is well respected in the area of materials technology developments, particularly for the healthcare industries. As well as working as an extension of a clients R&D team and participating in and leading EU-funded research projects, the company also has a commitment to developing innovative technology platforms for industrial applications. It is this openness to innovation and a real desire to see science translated into industrial and commercial projects that has given me a solid basis from which to detail my research and knowledge.
Dr Zhang is currently heading up Lucideons coordination of the EU-funded ReBioStent project. Involving a number of industry and academic partners, the project aims to develop multifunctional biomaterials for reinforced bioresorbable drug-eluting stents. These newly developed biomaterials will be drug-loaded, bioresorbable and, compared to current bare metal stents, will have improved mechanical properties, thereby reducing the risk of in-stent restenosis and thrombosis.
Lucideon has also recently signed an exclusive feasibility, development and licence agreement with a subsidiary of Skyepharma PLC, the expert oral and inhalation drug development company. The agreement will provide Skyepharmas oral business with access to Lucideons propriety iCRT-deter abuse deterrent controlled release technology.
Animals prefer contact with other animals rather than drug consumption. This has been shown by neuroscience studies providing first-time evidence of the positive impact of social interaction and opening up new therapeutic avenues.
Researchers at the Medical University of Innsbruck have shown that drug addicted animals prefer animal companions over drugs. Quelle: Rawpixel.com
After talking things over with one's best friend, the world is a happier place again. People who have made this experience know just what positive effects social interaction can have on one's sense of well-being. Researchers from Innsbruck now set out to conduct neurological investigations to establish how much potential there really is in social interaction with one's peers. Using animal tests, the neurobiologist Rana El Rawas and fellow researchers Gerald Zernig and Alois Saria from the Medical University of Innsbruck have already been able to demonstrate the positive effect of social interaction with respect to drug dependence.
NATURAL REWARDS ARE STRONGER
In sophisticated test arrays, El Rawas, Junior Researcher at the Experimental Psychiatry Unit, studied what happens in certain areas of the brain in cases of drug consumption or social interaction. It has been shown that almost the same areas in the brain's reward centre are activated in both cases. As the experiments have proven, the effect of social interaction was so strong that it could even result in erasing the addiction memory. When given a choice, the cocaine-dependent animals increasingly preferred animal companions over drugs. "Our current research focus aims at investigating the effect of social interaction at molecular level in order to help drug dependent persons in finding a way out of addiction through positive social experiences, and we want to use these insights for preventing drug dependence", explains Rana El Rawas.
INNOVATIVE APPROACHES
With support from the Austrian science fund FWF, the neurobiologist is now studying the mechanisms underlying the positive effect of social interaction. She explores what signalling pathways are triggered by a natural reward such as "meeting a friend" as opposed to the reward triggered by drug consumption. With her method El Rawas is pursuing a novel approach shifting the focus from the commonalities to the differences between natural reward and drug reward. The young scholar hypothesises that the two reward systems communicate through different neuronal networks. One of the issues studied by the research team from Innsbruck is the significance of the signalling path of CREB (cAMP response element binding protein), a protein that plays an important role in the effect of drugs. In the process, the scientists also want to find out whether the rewarding effect of social interaction is as persistent as that of drug consumption.
THE ANTI-STRESS EFFECT
In another ongoing FWF project, El Rawas was able to demonstrate that certain brain areas react to social interaction by a lowered stress response. "Playing with another animal reduces the level of the p38 protein, which increases upon drug consumption but also in response to stress or fear", the scientist elucidates. El Rawas now intends to delve deeper into the anti-stress effect of social rewards by demonstrating the impact of p38 on stress behaviour and dependence disorders and by decoding an even greater number of molecular factors in the brain. "Apart from facilitating effective approaches in behavioural therapy, these findings could open up new vistas for developing drugs against addiction and other mental disorders", says Rana El Rawas.
With more than 7.5 million new cases of Alzheimers disease a year, the race to find a vaccine and effective treatment for dementia is growing by the day.
Now researchers in the US and Australia have make a breakthrough discovery in the international quest to discover a new and potentially effective vaccine targeting the pathological proteins associated with Alzheimers disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia in the elderly.
In research findings just released in Natures Scientific Reports journal, Flinders University experts as part of a high-level US research team at the Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM) and University of California, Irvine (UCI) have made a successful vaccine formulation that targets the abnormal beta-amyloid and tau proteins that trigger Alzheimers disease.
With more than 48 million dementia cases in 2015, Alzheimers is emerging as one of the biggest cost to the worlds health-care systems, especially in mature economies in western countries.
The World Health Organisation has projected the total global societal cost of dementia-related illnesses and care at more than $US600 billion a year.
If we are successful in clinical trials, in three to five years we could be well on the way to one of the most important developments in recent medical history, says Flinders University School of Medicine Professor Nikolai Petrovsky, who also is director of South Australian vaccine research company Vaxine Pty Ltd.
Along with our rapidly ageing populations, we now know that the explosion in type 2 diabetes in the West is likely to further dramatically fuel the projected rise in the number of cases of dementia globally, with diabetes being the major risk factor for Alzheimers disease, Professor Petrovsky says.
The scale of the dementia problem has seen the US Congress commit a further $US350 million to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for research into Alzheimers disease, taking research funding in the US to more than $US1.3 billion this year.
With NIH and Alzheimers Association funding, the US researchers say they have developed an exceptional universal vaccine platform, called MultiTEP, to target the hallmark proteins, aberrant forms of AB and tau proteins.
-amyloid (AB) is a protein found to be prominent in driving Alzheimers disease, but the accumulation of pathological tau also correlates with the formation of dementia in Alzheimers patients.
Using a combination of anti-amyloid-beta and anti-tau vaccines with powerful and safe adjuvant technology called developed by Vaxine Pty Ltd shows promise for both preventive and therapeutic approaches in AD, says Professor David Cribbs from the UCI Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND).
Professor Michael Agadjanyan, head of IMM Department of Molecular Immunology, says the MultiTEP platform-based vaccines do not induce potentially harmful auto-reactive cellular immune responses, while still generating antibodies that bind strongly to the amyloid and tau pathological molecules in brain tissue from AD patients.
Co-author of the latest paper, IMM Department of Molecular Immunology, Associate Professor Anahit Ghochikyan, said:
This study suggests that we can immunise patients at the early stages of AD, or even healthy people at risk for AD, using our anti-amyloid-beta vaccine, and, if the disease progresses, then vaccinate with another anti-tau vaccine to increase effectiveness.
She says the cooperative studies with National Institute of Aging IMM scientists and collaborators from UCI and the University of Southern California are working with experts from four companies to conduct non-clinical safety-toxicology studies to fulfil US Government safety standards for the Investigational New Drug application.
After completion of these pre-clinical studies, they plan to test the immunogenicity and efficacy of the new vaccines in human trials.
Cutting-edge research company Vaxine Pty Ltd is internationally renowned for developing the worlds first swine flu vaccine during the 2009 pandemic and is active on other fronts including Ebola and Zika virus research.
Vaxine is funded by the US NIH to develop novel compounds called adjuvants that play a critical role in maximising vaccine effectiveness. The Vaxine Advax adjuvant technology is a key component in the development of IMMs Alzheimers vaccine.
Scientists are using machine learning to identify important sequences of DNA within the mosquito genome that regulate how the insect's cells develop and behave.
The research project, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), could have implications for disease control, potentially facilitating efforts to use genetic engineering to control mosquito populations, or to create mosquitoes that have reduced ability to transmit maladies, such as malaria, to humans.
"Our work will break new ground in the field of mosquito genomics and genetics," says Marc Halfon, PhD, professor of biochemistry in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo. "Mosquitoes are responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths each year. Although we know the sequence of the mosquito genome, we have little functional information about what much of that genome sequence does.
"Our work will take important steps toward filling in this crucial missing information. It will demonstrate our ability to functionally annotate the regulatory elements within genomes of various insect disease vectors without requiring extensive -- and expensive -- new genome-scale experimental data for each."
The project is funded by a $449,000 grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. It focuses on Anopheles gambiae, an important vector for malaria transmission.
Using machine learning to interpret the mosquito genome
Within the genome of every plant and animal, there are regulatory switches -- strings of DNA that control the behavior of genes, dictating when and where in the body different genes are turned on and off.
These regulatory sequences matter because they can affect a species' mating success and resistance to insecticides, Halfon says. In addition, regulatory mechanisms are crucial to genetic engineering of mosquitoes, in which researchers seek to control the expression of foreign or mutated genes introduced in a target animal.
For over a decade, Halfon has worked with UB's Center for Computational Research to build a database called REDfly that contains more than 5,600 regulatory sequences for a different insect species, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Now, his team is leveraging this trove of information to learn more about regulatory mechanisms within the mosquito genome.
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With Saurabh Sinha, a computer scientist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Halfon developed a software called SCRMshaw that learns the regulatory sequences within REDfly, then searches the genomes of other insects for strings of DNA with similarities. The software has successfully identified regulatory sequences in mosquitoes that look nothing like Drosophila sequences to the human eye, but that possess similar traits (such as containing a related assortment of short 3- to 6- letter DNA subsequences).
"Finding regulatory elements is hard -- traditionally, it has been done by tedious experimental work that examines one gene at a time," Halfon says. "We wanted to know how you can do this faster: Just by looking at a DNA sequence, can you tell where the regulatory elements are? In at least some cases, the answer appears to be, 'Yes'."
Early implementation of SCRMshaw
Using SCRMshaw in mosquitoes, Halfon, Sinha and colleagues were able to identify some of the regulatory sequences that may cause the activity of a network of genes to shift from the midline of the ventral nerve cord -- analogous to the human spinal cord -- to the lateral regions during the formation of the embryo of the mosquito Aedes aegypti, which transmits Zika, dengue fever and chikungunya.
This work, published online June 21 in the journal Developmental Biology, highlights how SCRMshaw can pinpoint regulatory sequences in non-Drosophila species.
"It shows how we can use SCRMshaw to address interesting biological questions of development and evolution," Halfon says.
The next step is to use the new NIH funding to conduct extensive discovery of regulatory elements within Anopheles gambiae.
"We will focus on trying to identify regulatory sequences most useful for understanding aspects of mosquito biology that are relevant to its role as a disease vector -- for instance, development of the salivary glands or the midgut, or olfaction -- or that could be useful for biocontrol methods, such as genes affecting reproduction," Halfon says. "Once we have generated a high-confidence set of regulatory element predictions, we will test them in transgenic mosquitoes."
News18 Blogs India
India, China and the South China Sea
Subi reef, located in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. (Courtesy: Reuters)
The verdict on South China Sea is out. The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration has ruled there is no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within nine-dash line the demarcation line used by China for its claims on the South China Sea. China has no historic title over those waters, the court said. Will the ruling, which at first glance reveals no links with India, impact on the latters ties with China in any way?
The case became prominent after Philippines approached the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2013. The dispute is that, according to The Guardian, 90 percent of the South China Sea is claimed by Beijing and appears on its maps. China asserts sovereignty over maritime areas that span almost 3.5 million square kilometers but are also claimed by Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Japan.
China however, refused to participate in the arbitration case and has boycotted the hearings at the arbitration court. The South China Sea is said to have substantial oil and gas reserves and a huge volume of maritime trade passes through it: Having control of both is crucial to Chinas plans to expand its influence in this region.
India keenly watched the proceedings at The Hague. The South China Sea interests India much. Chinas agreements with Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka have not been welcomed by India. Is it because India sees it as a challenge to its hegemony in the Saarc region? NO official statement forthcoming on this. Indias counter, as such, has been to join hand with the US on the east Asian waterfronts. Like the South China Sea.
China has rejected the ruling. China will in future also walk away from any communication from any international legal grouping on the issue. Be that as it may, from Indias point of view, there are many reasons why China would be equally unhappy with India on the maritime controversy.
Here are the reasons:
*Angering China, India has issued joint statements with the US in recent past declaring support for freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, suggesting that the NDA government does not shy away from openly admitting Indias alliance with the US on this regional issue.
*China is miffed by Indias tie-ups with the countries which are arraigned against China on the South China Sea controversy. India has stepped up cooperation with Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines of late. In fact, India openly supported Vietnam and the Philippines in their stance against China.
*In early 2016, the US and India apparently launched a trial balloon suggesting joint naval patrols including in and around the South China Sea. That raised Chinas hackles no end, till both governments officially denied it all.
*India has naval issues with China. For instance, India is unhappy that China has deployed two frontline warships and a tanker for its anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden where Indian navy too is present.
*China issued warnings about any intervention in the South China Sea region, but India sent its naval ships to Vietnam in that region where both countries also help each other in hydrocarbon exploration.
*On a larger map, India wants to expand its naval influence in east Asia. Comfortable with the fact that its interests coincide with the US, India has lots of expansion ideas on paper, much to Chinas discomfiture.
*Malacca is another ticklish issue. India is peeved that China thinks the waters to the east of Malacca are also its area of influence. Chinas increased presence in these waters sees a corresponding growth in Indian presence at the outer rim of the Indian Ocean in this region.
*Another possible tension trigger is the Indian navy toying with a strategy to extend its influence in the east, specifically towards the South China Sea and the Pacific Rim so as to give India a greater role in the Indo-Pacific region.
News18 Blogs India
Tele-Marketing Religion Hazardous to Health
File photo of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik.
The Indian Cable and Television Network Rules, 1994 says:
No programme should be carried in the cable service which -
*Contains attack on religions or communities or visuals or words contemptuous of religious groups or which promote communal attitudes;
*Is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promote anti-national attitudes;
*Contains anything affecting the integrity of the Nation;
*Criticizes, maligns or slanders any individual in person or certain groups, segments of social, public and moral life of the country;
*Encourages superstition or blind belief;
*Denigrates women through the depiction in any manner of the figure of a woman.
Muslim televangelist Zakir Naiks speeches on television are now to be probed by the Indian government to see if they contain any incendiary stuff. This is because the terrorists who killed people in a restaurant in Bangladesh recently were apparently influenced by Naiks preachings.
But before the government begins the probe a similar probe was also ordered against one of the Owaisi brothers of Hyderabad for their inflammatory speech -- it should find out why news channels and other television distribution networks regularly and fearlessly broadcast the following speeches/bites (these bites/speeches being as incendiary as Naiks if not more):
Sadhvi Prachi, VHP leader:
*On Dadri lynching: "Those who consume beef deserve such actions against them"
*On Muslim status: "Now that we have achieved the mission of making a Congress-free India, it is time to make India, Muslim-free. We are working on that"
*On Bollywood Khans: The Khans have conspired and lured Hindu girls, be it Sangeeta Bijlani , Malaika Arora, Reena Dutt (Aamir's former wife) or Kiran Rao (Aamir's wife now). Why do they always find Hindu girls?"
Sakshi Maharaj, BJP MP:
*On Hindu growth rate: "The concept of four wives and forty children just won't work in India but it is high time that every Hindu woman produces at least four children to protect the Hindu religion".
Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Minister of State for food processing:
*On anti-Muslim rant: "People of Delhi have to decide if they want a government of Ramzaadon (followers of Ram) or a government of those who are illegitimate."
Yogi Adityanath, BJP MP:
*On minorities and riots: "In places where there are 10 to 20% minorities, stray communal incidents take place. Where there are 20 to 35% of them, serious communal riots take place and where they are more than 35%, there is no place for non-Muslims."
Undoubtedly, on his part, Zakir Naik, is equally volatile and dangerously provocative. Here is a sample:
*On 9/11: It is a blatant, open secret that this attack on the Twin Towers was done by George Bush himself... Even a fool will know that the 9/11 attacks were an inside job.
*On Osama bin Laden: If he is fighting enemies of Islam, I am for him. I dont know him personally. If he is terrorising America, the biggest terrorist, I am with him. Every Muslim should be a terrorist. The thing is that if he is terrorising a terrorist, he is following Islam.
*On girls' education: Girls shouldn't be sent to schools where they lose their virginity by the time they pass out. Schools should be shut down.
*On homosexuals: They should be killed.
*On Islam: It is superior to all other faiths. Non-Muslims should not be allowed to have places of religious worship in an Islamic country.
The Muslim theologian schools, whether the Darul Uloom or the Ulama and Mashaikh Board, do not see eye to eye with Zakir Naik. They have regularly slammed his religious views and the Darul Uloom, for instance, even issued a fatwa urging Muslims to avoid following him on the ground that, to quote from the internet, his teachings are not based on accepted schools of Islamic thought and therefore unreliable. A more practical reason why they are unhappy with him must be the popularity of his television sermons among Muslims both in India and abroad.
Televangelism is a new phenomenon in India. It was after watching the beaming of the 1990 Gulf war that Indian religious leaders, like media proprietors, saw the advantage of owning channels.There are over 40 Hindu, Christian and Islamic religious channels. Most of them are Indian. Several Christian and Islamic networks beam into India from abroad. In India, the oldest is Shalom TV, which has been presenting Catholic Christian teachings since 1998. The most popular is Aastha TV which beams programmes by Ram Dev and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar as well. It is so popular, it is even listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. It is to be noted that majority of the Hindu religious channels were launched in the last decade. At least three channels came up in the first half of 2016.
There is one, fundamental difference between Hindu televangelism and Christian/Islamic televangelism. The latter is heavily into theologian discourse. The two great books are at the centre of all discourses and preachings. In contrast, televangelism on Hindu channels is not about theology but more about life-style the preachings are about bhajans, devotional songs, practices and exercises and Q&A sessions on keeping oneself healthy and pious.
This is in keeping with, perhaps, the fact that Hinduism is orthopractic in nature rather than orthodoxic. In a practical sense, the right action is a principal subject for a Hindu teacher than even the right belief. The focus is much more on what one believes than what one does. A Hindu religious channel does not tell you what precise punishment awaits you if you do not follow a certain path. It is more likely to tell you what specific steps to take to attain a sated, exalted state of being.
The role of mythology in the absence of a central book or code of life for the Hindus has always been crucial in Indian way of political and religious life. If Bala Gangadhara Tilak tried to garner support for the freedom movement by re-inventing the Ganesha festival, the Indian cinema industry marked the major milestones of Indian progress through an effectively interplay between religious practice, folk lore and social beliefs.
But all these attempts at looking at the Indian society through the prism of Hinduism pale before a fantastic exercise between 1987 and 1989. It was in this two-year period that Doordarshan serialized Ramayan. This was the time when a Congress government was in power at the Centre.
What did it achieve:
*Unmatched viewership records
*Brought "god" to the homes of Dalits at a time when entry into temples was banned for them in many states
*Overlapped with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement of the BJP
*Focusing on Ram, the serial gave publicity to the pre-eminent symbol of the BJP
*By mid-1989, the Ayodhya movement turned political
*The BJP made the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya its first political priority
*Introduced a new political discourse where current cultural practices overlapped with Hindu nationalism
The rest, as they say, is history. Religion began to serve not only political but commercial interests as well as media channels and even secular channels began competing with religious channels in beaming religious content in the morning.
The critical difference in the Zakir Naik context is this: The Hindu religious channels do not have any political content. The Muslim-bashing comes from fundamentalist Hindus trying to make a splash in the countrys political waters. They cannot match a Sri Sri Ravi Shankar or Murari Bapu in terms of popularity; that makes them shrill and their anti-Muslim rants shriller. In contrast, Naik and the likes of him deliver a sort of conditional catharsis for their followers: If you do not do this, you will suffer this. Or, they quote from a religious text to underscore a political point: Non-Muslims cannot have their religious places in an Islamic country.
The Union governments decision to probe Naiks preachings prompted this article, primarily to highlight some pertinent facets of religion as a tool of political discourse. It is harmful to any society, whether it comes in the form of a sound bite on a news channel or a discourse on a religious channel.
They are not worth listening to. So they are not worth beaming.
The violence in Kashmir has hit the post-Ramadan wedding season, with newspapers carrying notifications announcing the cancellation of feasts and invites.This started on Sunday (July 10th) , when editions of most of the newspapers carried classified advertisements on the cancellation of wedding invitations. The ads announced the weddings would take place with utmost simplicity, a PTI report said.Bilal Ahmad, a resident of Lal Bazar, said a big feast had been planned for his cousin's wedding on July 11 but he was forced to cancel invites because of the prevailing condition. Like many others, he too let people know through advertisements in newspapers.The decision to cancel feasts was mostly a practical one, With curfew imposed and mass protests raging. A majority of these cancellations come from Srinagar, a city that has been under heavy curfew since protests erupted over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani."How can people move and attend marriage functions when there is curfew and violence around," said Tanveer Ahmad, whose sister is getting married.The Tuesday edition (July 12th) of English daily Greater Kashmir, featured a bunch of cancelled wedding invites on Page 2. A screengrab of the newspaper was posted on the India section of the social news website Reddit by user ravihanda.At least 30 people have been killed and hundreds injured so far in clashes with security forces after Wani was killed.This is not the first time Kashmir has seen cancellations of wedding feast and other festivities. It also happened during the outbreak of violence in 2010, and in 2014 when devastating floods hit the state.(With inputs from PTI)
New Delhi: Gaurav Tiwari, the Paranormal Society founder who was found dead under mysterious
circumstances on July 8, had committed suicide by hanging himself inside his bathroom, police said on Monday.
Based on the preliminary autopsy report, police said his death did not involve any foul play although it is yet to ascertain the reason behind Tiwari taking the extreme step.
"The preliminary autopsy report confirms that he committed suicide. All his family members, including his
parents and wife, were present in the Dwarka flat when he hanged himself using a piece of cloth," a senior police
official said.
But no case has been registered in connection with the incident even as a legal proceeding under section 174 of CrPC is underway.
A senior police official said that Tiwari's family members were not happy with his ghostbusting activities, often late into the night, as he was not earning much.
According to Hindustan Times, an investigating officer revealed that hours before his death, Tiwari had an argument with his father over his habit of leaving home without informing anybody in the family and staying out till late in the night.
Around 10.30 pm on Thursday Tiwari left home and returned around 1.30 am. "Tiwaris father spoke to him after he returned home," the officer said.
"My son was probing a case where a girl in west Delhis Janakpuri was apparently possessed. He had gone to meet the girl the night before his death. My son told his wife a negative force was pulling him towards itself and he was trying to control it. She ignored it thinking he was depressed due to workload," said Tiwari Father said.
Tiwari was part of TV shows like Haunted Weekends with Sunny Leone and MTVs Girl's Night Out with VJ Ranvijay, Bhoot Aaya and Fear Files and has also seen movies 16 December and Tango Charlie.
Union Home minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday cancelled his US trip owing to the ongoing turmoil in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and deferred it till September.
The Home Minister was supposed to lead the Indian delegation at the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue to be
held in Washington with the US team to be headed by Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Charles Johnson.
Singh is reportedly meeting a delegation led by Maulana Umer Iliyasi, chief All India Imams Organisation at his residence and will also attend the high level meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
PM Modi who returned to the capital post his 4-nation African tour on Tuesday will chair a meeting of top officials to take a stock of the situation in the valley which has witnessed severe clashes and protests since Friday leading to the loss of more than 30 lives.
The clashes between protesters and security officials began after a 21-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wanni, considered as the poster boy of militancy in the valley was gunned by security forces.
A Home Ministry official however has cited the busy schedule during the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament that will commence on July 18 as the reason for the deferment of the visit.
(With inputs from PTI)
New Delhi: India is "carefully studying" the verdict by an UN-backed tribunal which on Tuesday ruled that China has no legal basis to claim "historic rights" to islands in South China Sea.
"India has noted the Award of the Arbitral Tribunal constituted under Annex VII of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the matter concerning the Republic of the Philippines and the Peoples Republic of China and is studying it carefully," External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration said in a statement that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights within the sea areas falling within the 'nine-dash line'.
Ruling out against China in a bitter row over territorial claims in South China Sea, the Permanent Court of Arbitration "concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights within the sea areas falling within the 'nine-dash line'."
Asserting that it "does not accept and does not recognise" the ruling, China rejected the verdict as "null and void".
China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the strategically vital waters in the face of rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbours.
Manila had lodged the suit against Beijing in 2013, saying that after 17 years of negotiations it had exhausted all political and diplomatic avenues.
More than anyone else I know what you're going through @MehboobaMufti & I can assure you that we will follow your lead but lead YOU must. Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) July 10, 2016
Please don't take the easy option of hiding behind your spokesperson & your police officers. No one elected them, the people elected you. Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) July 10, 2016
It has been three days of paralysis in Kashmir as widespread violence continues to take its toll on the Valley. Over 20 people have been killed and at least 250 have been injured in the protest against the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, but the Jammu and Kashmir government seems to have gone into hiding."Government is nowhere. I am from Anantnag, look how they are dealing with us. Are they dealing with animals," asked an angry resident.Just two years ago, politicians were going from home to home asking for votes and the state turned out in droves in the election. But now the people's representatives are reluctant to even visit their own constituencies. Many have shifted to secure fortresses in Srinagar but are failing to lead from the front and calm the volatile situation.Even national Conference leader Omar Abdullah tweeted asking Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to lead from the front."More than anyone else I know what you're going through Mehbooba Mufti and I can assure you that we will follow your lead but lead YOU must. Please don't take the easy option of hiding behind your spokesperson and your police officers. No one elected them, the people elected you," Abdullah tweeted.Many victims of the fresh unrest feel orphaned by the absence of the politicians. But locals are helping the victims, who otherwise would have been left to fend for themselves."It is the locals who have made arrangements for their food and are generously donating blood for the victims," a victim said.With mainstream poltical leadership retreating into a shell, the only interface that government has put up before the common masses are security forces who too have not met people's expectation. It seems no lessons have been drawn by political bosses from the recurring crisis that Kashmir often slips into. And if the message sent out by the Centre asking security forces to exercise restrain percolates down, the situation can be saved from deteriorating further.
Kerala Government on Monday formed a SIT to the probe the case involving 20 missing men and women from the state in the past one month who are suspected to have joined the militant group ISIS.
A 20-member team headed by a Dy Sp. Kasargode police have received 9 complaints from family members stating that 17 people are missing.
The remaining three people are from Palakkad district.
On Monday, National Investigation Agency officials met the families of the missing people in Kasaragod.
The agencies are analysing whether the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act can be slapped against all those who have joined the ISIS.
They are also probing the social media profiles and emails of all the suspects.
On Monday, one of the missing person Feroze from Kasargod was traced to Mumbai and authorities suspect that he could have have been on his way to join the ISIS as he was among the latest to have gone missing from the state.
The agencies had claimed on Monday that at least 2-3 individuals from the missing 21 people could have crossed over to Syria.
At least four of the 21 had converted to Islam over a year ago and some of them had even sent voice and whatsapp messages to their families suggesting that they have moved to a remote location.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had on Monday raised the issue in the assembly and confirmed that 20 people are missing from the state and a intense probe is underway to understand the details.
Vijayan had blamed vested interests for creating an atmosphere of doubt over Muslims in the state.
All the 21 missing people from Kerala travelled to Tehran and from where they may have proceeded to join the Islamic State, immigration reports accessed by CNN-News18 on Tuesday suggested.
The reports said the young men and women, along with three children, flew to the Iranian capital from different cities in India.
They travelled on different dates between May and June 2016 and all of them left for Tehran via different Gulf cities on tourist visas.
Sources said it was very clear with their visas that their travel plans were known to each other.
The first batch of two people left on May 24 on the Bengaluru-Kuwait flight; the second batch of three people left on May 31 on the Mumbai-Muscat flight; the third batch of three people left on June 2 on the Mumbai-Dubai flight; the fourth batch of three people left on June 3 on the Hyderabad-Muscat flight;the fifth batch of three people left on June 5 on the Mumbai-Dubai flight; the sixth batch with two people left on June 16 on the Bengaluru-Muscat flight;the seventh batch of two people on June 19 on the Bengalaru-Muscat flight and the last person left on July 5 on the Mumbai-Abu Dhabi flight.
At least 19 out of the 21 have moved on from Tehran and agencies suspected they have crossed the border into Iraq or Syria to join the IS.
The 21 Muslims went missing from the districts of Kasaragod and Palakkad over the last one month promoting the Kerala government to launch a probe for suspected terror links.
"The entire state is against such terrorist activities. Only a small percentage is showing such inclination and all efforts are being made to track them down," Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said.
At least four out the 21 individuals belong to Christian and Hindu families and had converted to Islam over a year ago.
Two of the missing even sent text and voice messages to their families confirming that they have moved to a "remote location."
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned home on Tuesday after his four-nation Africa tour aimed at enhancing ties with the continent.
Modi came back from Kenya, which was the last leg of his visit that also covered Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania.
"After a vital Africa tour which witnessed key talks, interactions and agreements, PM Narendra Modi reaches Delhi," the PMO tweeted.
Modi on Monday held talks with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta during which the two sides decided to deepen and expand cooperation in a wide range of areas as they signed seven pacts, including in the field of defence and security and avoidance of double taxation.
Earlier the Prime Minister visited Tanzania, South Africa and Mozambique as part of the five-day tour.
India has offered US $92 million Line of Credit to Tanzania for a key water supply project and signed five agreements with it.
In South Africa, Modi held talks with South African President Jacob Zuma on a wide range of issues, particularly in the economic sphere.
Showcasing India as an attractive destination for defence production, the Prime Minister also sought deeper collaboration in the sector with South Africa, a major arms exporter, even as he thanked it for supporting India's bid for membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group.
In Mozambique, Modi held wide-ranging talks with President Filipe Nyusi. The two countries signed three pacts, including a significant "long-term agreement" under which India will buy pulses from this African nation to meet its recurring shortfall and contain prices of this commodity.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is said to have expressed his 'unhappiness' over the media coverage on violent protests in Kashmir Valley following killing of Burhan Wani saying the Hizbul Mujahideen militant has been portrayed as a "hero".
This was conveyed by the Prime Minister at the high-level meeting he convened in this morning to review the situation arising in Jammu and Kashmir after Wani's killing in an encounter, sources privy to the meeting said.
In the meeting, attended by top Union Ministers and officials, the Prime Minister was given a detailed briefing about the Wani, the encounter, the subsequent protests and drowning of a policeman.
Modi was believed to have expressed 'unhappiness' over the media coverage of Kashmir situation saying a militant, who was involved in terror activities and was working for disintegrating the country, has been portrayed as "hero" giving more traction to his followers to whip up frenzy, sources said.
The Prime Minister has also cited the over a dozen cases registered against Wani, most of which were serious in nature under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
The meeting also reviewed the Rs 80,000 crore financial package announced by the NDA government for Jammu and Kashmir and its implementation.
In the meeting, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar briefed the Prime Minister on Pakistan's response to Wani's death, including the statement issued by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, statement by their Foreign Office and summoning of Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale by Foreign Office in Islamabad
Meanwhile, sources said, the Home Ministry was worried over the situation in Kashmir Valley in next two days. July 13 (tomorrow) is commemorated as "martyrs day" in Kashmir and Friday is the 'jumme ki namaz'. Intelligence agencies have reported that Pakistan-supported groups have been trying to incite violence in next two days, sources said.
Delhi: PM Narendra Modi holds a meeting on law & order situation in Jammu and Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/JcGJ0SNcqg ANI (@ANI_news) July 12, 2016
Public transport went off the roads. Private cars plied at some places in areas where there were no restrictions. Shops and other businesses remained shut.
As the anger in Kashmir simmered, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif called for a plebiscite in the "occupied" Jammu and Kashmir. India asked Pakistan to worry more about human rights abuses in parts of Kashmir it controls.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh reached out to political leaders, including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, and discussed the Kashmir situation. He also spoke to former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Back in the capital after his 4-nation African tour Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding a high-level meeting on Tuesday with top officials to take stock of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir that continues to be tense for the fourth day and has also sparked fresh tension between India and Pakistan.Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh meanwhile cancelled his US trip and deferred it till September. Singh was supposed to lead the Indian delegation at the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue to beheld in Washington with the US team.The valley which has witnessed severe clashes between protesters and security forces in the past three days over the death of a top militant Burhan Wani has left at least 32 dead and scores injured.Normal life across the valley continued to be affected for the fourth day amid strict curfew and a separatist' call to extend the two day shutdown till Wednesday.On Monday, for the first time, police opened fire hitting two civilians in embattled Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's hometown Bijbehara in southern Kashmir, which has accounted for all the deaths bar one since Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed by security forces on Friday.At least 31 civilians and a police driver have been killed in clashes between the security forces and angry young demonstrators across the Kashmir Valley since Saturday, various informed sources told IANS.But police put the death toll at 23.Sources said nine more casualties were added to the toll after at least three people succumbed to injuries and five who had died earlier were counted on Friday.Clashes, however, raged on in many parts of the valley as young men defied prohibitory orders to hurl stones at police and paramilitary pickets.Bijbehara, Mehbooba Muftis hometown, some 40 km from here towards the south of the valley, was the latest to be consumed by the clashes, police sources told IANS.Sources in Srinagars S.M.H.S. Hospital said two civilians with bullet injuries were admitted on Monday afternoon and both were from Bijbehara."One of them was hit in the stomach and other in his left thigh," a doctor told IANS requesting anonymity.Police sources said a mob set ablaze a police picket in Lassipora in Pulwama district in south Kashmir. Sopore, Handwara, Bandipora and Baramulla in north Kashmir also witnessed stone throwing incidents.Another police camp was set on fire in north Kashmir's Sopore town.Government offices and banks were also closed as cellphone internet services remained suspended.Radio Pakistan quoted Sharif as saying that the "massacre of citizens by Indian forces and use of brutal force against Kashmir is regrettable".In New Delhi, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said Pakistan should worry more about human rights violations in the "occupied Kashmir" -- Indian euphemism from Pakistani Kashmir than in the valley.The Kashmir Valley has been on an edge since Friday evening when senior militant commander Wani was killed by security forces. Wani, 22, a new face of Kashmirs separatist war, was shot dead with two of his associates in a south Kashmir village.Four police stations, 36 civil administration offices and dozens of vehicles have been destroyed by unruly mobs in clashes over the weekend.Meanwhile, the government on Monday allowed the resumption of annual Amarnath pilgrimage which was suspended for three days."The convoy of the yatris is protected by the security forces who are escorting the pilgrims to the valley," a police official told IANS. But the pilgrimage will be allowed only through the north Kashmir route as the southern track to the Hindu cave shrine remains blocked due to simmering tension. The shrine is located in the troubled south Kashmir.(With inputs from IANS)
Even after five days, the political tussle over the suicide of Deputy SP MK Ganapathy's in Bengaluru. While the Karnataka government continues to maintain that there will be action after the CID probe into the death is completed, opposition is taking on minister KJ George and others.
The police official in his pre-death declaration accused George and two top officials of harassing him.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, "The opposition is doing politics for political gain. Investigation is going on and action will be taken accordingly. We have handed over the matter to the CID for investigation."
George, however, denied any connection with the police officer, whose body was on Thursday found hanging from the ceiling fan in a room at a lodge in Madikeri.
On July 4, the body of DySP of Chikkamagaluru sub-division Kallappa Handibag (35), accused of kidnapping a person for ransom, was also found hanging in his father-in-law's home at Murgod in Belagavi district.
Hours before taking the extreme step, in an interview to a local news channel in Madikeri, Ganapathy had said, "I am disappointed with transfers happening in police department, which is done on caste consideration. Top officials should not do this. It's not good. It is wrong. Therefore, I am coming out openly before the media," he had said.
Ganapathy had also said, "If anything happens to me hereafter, they are responsible. Who? (police officials) AM Prasad (IG-Intelligence) and Pranab Mohanty (IGP-Lokayukta), and also former Home Minister George..."
(With additional information from PTI)
Panaji: The Goa unit of Congress on Tuesday criticised Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for attending programs in his native state when Jammu and Kashmir was on the boil.
"When Kashmir was burning, India's Defence Minister was busy distributing bulbs to the people in Goa. This is shameful," Congress spokesperson Sunil Kawathankar said in Panaji.
Parrikar should have been at the command centre monitoring the action in Kashmir, he said.
Kashmir remained on the boil and normal life paralysed due to curfew-like restrictions and separatists-sponsored strike over the killing of young Hizbul commander Burhan Wani on Friday.
A total of 23 people have been killed in the violence.
The Defence Minister had on Monday distributed free LED bulbs under the Ujala Scheme at a program in Panaji.
Goa government has tweaked the scheme, renaming it 'Jyotirmay Goa', under which three bulbs are provided free to every consumer.
Kawathankar also said that Parrikar was busy inaugurating fish stalls in his home state and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was signing Rafale deal in France.
"This gives a bleak picture of BJP government's failure with regard to the Defence Ministry," he added.
I understand if @MehboobaMufti didn't leave the state to attend but why not by video conference? State unrepresented https://t.co/lauYxV05te Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) July 12, 2016
We set up video links for all sorts of meaningless things but here where it matters to have @MehboobaMufti involved in the process - nothing Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) July 12, 2016
Delhi: Delegation of Imams meet HM Rajnath Singh to discuss the situation in J&K. pic.twitter.com/JPlZVGlB0Y ANI (@ANI_news) July 12, 2016
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other senior members of the Cabinet to discuss the unrest in Jammu and Kashmir but there was no representative from the state.Neither Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti nor any other minister or senior government functionary was present at the meeting. Former chief minister Omar Abdullah targeted the Centre for not including any representative from the state which is ruled by the PDP-BJP alliance.The Home Ministry had on Monday advised the security forces to make judicious use of force and restore normalcy at the earliest in the valley which has been on the bail ever since Hizbul Mujhaideen terrorist Burhan Wani was gunned down last week.Earlier, Rajnath Singh called off his US trip and met a delegation of Muslim clerics to discuss the Kashmir situation.Meanwhile curfew continued in all districts of Kashmir and mobile internet services continued to be shut while separatists have extended their strike till Wednesday.
New Delhi: Najma Heptulla and GM Siddeshwara on Tuesday stepped down as Union ministers just over a week after a major cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Heptulla resigned as minister for Minority Affairs and her junior Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has been elevated to independent charge of the ministry.
Siddheswara stepped down as minister of state for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises and that portfolio was assigned to Babul Supriyo who was moved out of Urban Development.
Sources said Heptulla was asked to quit as she was over 75 - the age limit for ministers in Modi's team - and that the PM was not happy with her performance. It's not yet clear why she was not asked to go on July 5 itself.
Siddheswara, it is learnt, was asked to quit during the reshuffle, but he had asked for time as it was the time of his birthday. Sources said he put in his papers a few days later and that it was accepted now.
"I am primarily a BJP worker. I am happy with the decision of the PM. In future I Will work for the development of my constituency," he told CNN-News18.
Supriyo said he was not unhappy at being shifted out of Urban Development and that he has been given a more challenging assignment.
"It's a challenging role. I thank the PM for trusting me. Whatever my boss gives me, I will take it. Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Ministry is very important," Supriyo said.
Kanpur: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's regional pracharaks annual meeting will discuss the assembly elections in four states to be held in 2017, including in Uttar Pradesh.
The Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab, slated for 2017, are likely to be discussed in detail and national issues will be discussed in the annual meeting which will continue till July 15, RSS sources said.
In the first phase of the meeting, from Jul 11-13 discussions on physical, mental and social interest and on organisation's progress and how new people should be associated with RSS will be held.
In the second phase, from Jul 14-15, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and BJP Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh will attend the meeting where BJP's Ram Madhav, Ram Lal and Shiv Prakash, VHP's Champat Ram and ABVP's Chunni Lal might be present, the sources said.
Prant pracharak Mohan Lal Aggarwal said the national office bearers of the RSS will participate in the final phase and will review the sessions in the first two phases.
Two representatives from every organisation will take part in the meeting, if the top leaders want they can call more than two people from these organisations, he said.
According to an official who attended the RSS meeting on Tuesday, discussions on yoga and training were held and on the internal matters of RSS.
Since 2010 there has been a drastic expansion of RSS where 12,000 new branches have been formed.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court is likely to pronounce on Wednesday its verdict on a batch of petitions dealing with discretionary powers of the Governor to summon or advance the assembly session of Arunachal Pradesh.
A five-judge constitution bench headed by Justice JS Khehar, which had reserved its judgement on February 22, is scheduled to pronounce the judgement tomorrow. The apex court had said the verdict in this case will not only have its effect on Arunachal Pradesh, but affect every state.
The bench had segregated two other sets of petitions which were filed against the subsequent promulgation of President's Rule in the state and its revocation thereafter, which had led to the formation of a new government.
It had fixed these pleas for hearing after pronouncement of verdict on petitions dealing with Governor's discretionary powers in advancing the assembly session and setting the agenda of the House.
Just before the apex court had reserved its verdict on February 20, rebel Congress leader Kalikho Pul was sworn in as the ninth Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh with the support of 18 dissident Congress MLAs and two independents and 11 BJP MLAs who gave outside support.
On the day the verdict was reserved, the bench had refused to pass an interim order on a fervent plea of Congress against the "illegal" swearing-in of Pul-led government and had said that it can "set the clock back" if the Governor's actions are found unconstitutional.
Congress party, which had 47 MLAs seats in the 60-member assembly, suffered a jolt when 21 of its lawmakers rebelled. Eleven BJP MLAs backed the rebels in the bid to upstage the government. Later, 14 rebel Congress MLAs were disqualified.
Hours after the Union Cabinet had decided to recommend revocation of President's Rule in Arunachal Pradesh, the apex court had on February 17 ordered maintenance of status quo in the politically fragile state till it examined judicial and assembly records on disqualification of the 14 rebel Congress MLAs by former Speaker Nabam Rebia.
On February 16, the court had also refused to pass an interim order on a plea of Congress leaders that Arunchal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa be restrained from swearing in a new government in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad and NDA ally Shiv Sena attacked the BJP-PDP government and questioned the Mehbooba Mufti's handling of the turmoil in Jammu and Kashmir in view of protests over the death of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani which has claimed more than 24 lives and injured around 800.
Shiv Sena in its latest editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamna questioned Mehbooba's stand on Wani's death while VHP claimed that the BJP's experiment to ally with PDP in the state has failed.
"Has BJP made a mistake by handing over Kashmir to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti? The present scenario in Kashmir is making things more complex than before. Mufti had earlier supported Afzal Guru calling him a revolutionary which makes it difficult to rely on her leadership," the editorial asked.
Earlier on Monday, the VHP sought the dismissal of Mehbooba Mufti government in Jammua and Kashmir
"BJP's experiment of forming a government with PDP headed by Mehbooba Mufti has totally failed. That is why her government should be dismissed immediately and President's Rule (sic) be imposed," senior Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Surendra Jain said.
Alleging attacks on Amarnath pilgrims, Jain said it was "unacceptable" and added that targeting Hindus will have "serious repercussions".
Jain also lashed out at those going "soft" or "glorifying" terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, and flayed JNU student Umar Khalid for comparing Wani to a revolutionary.
Helsinki: Microsoft on Monday confirmed it will close its Finnish mobile phone unit and cut up to 1,350 jobs in the Nordic country.
The cuts, initially announced in May, are part of Microsoft's plan to shed 1,850 jobs from its smartphone business.
Microsoft bought the troubled phone business in 2014 from Nokia, Finland's biggest company.
When US software giant Microsoft bought Nokia's struggling mobile phone business last year, the inhabitants of Salo a town of 54,000 in southern Finland thought the move would revive the local economy.
Ten years ago, Nokias operations in Salo employed 5,000 people and even in 2008, over a fifth of all jobs in the area were within information technology.
But their hopes were crushed when Microsoft announced it would close Nokia's former product development unit in the town, putting all jobs at risk. Last year the US company had said it could hire more staff in Salo.
The ruling stands to further ramp up tensions in the region, where China's increased military assertiveness has spread concern among its smaller neighbours and is a point of confrontation with the United States.
So far, none of the concerned parties want military confrontation. But all are ratcheting up military preparations," the editorial said.
An arbitration court in The Hague will rule on Tuesday in a dispute about the South China Sea in which the Philippines is challenging China's right to exploit resources across vast swathes of the strategic territory.China has boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, saying it does not have jurisdiction to decide on the matter.The United States and China regularly conduct military exercises in the area, which is of vital interest to both Beijing and Washington, and have accused each other of provocations as recently as June.Influential state-run Chinese newspaper the Global Times said in an editorial on Tuesday that China's reaction to the ruling "depends on provocation".U.S. diplomatic, military and intelligence officers braced for the ruling said Chinas reaction to the courts decisions will largely determine how the Philippines, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations, as well as the United States, respond.If, for example, China accelerates or escalates its military activities in the disputed area, the United States and other nations will have little choice but to respond with new and possibly enlarged and multinational maritime freedom of navigation and aerial missions, the U.S. officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.Contingency planning for such exercises is already completed or in its final stages, said one of the officials, who quickly added We hope it doesnt come to that.Even if Beijing ignores the decision, it is significant as it will be the first time that a legal challenge has been brought in the dispute, which draws in five countries with overlapping claims to some of the world's most promising oil and gas fields and vital fishing grounds.It reflects the shifting balance of power in the 3.5 million square kilometre sea, where China has been expanding its presence by building artificial islands and dispatching patrol boats that keep Philippine fishing vessels away.The case, brought by the Philippines in 2013, hinges on the legal status of reefs, rocks and artificial islands in the Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Island Group.Manila's 15-point case critically asks the tribunal to rule on the status of China's so-called 'nine-dash line', a boundary that is the basis for its 69 year old claim to roughly 85% of the South China Sea.The tribunal will not decide on matters of territorial sovereignty, but will apply the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in determining which countries can claim economic exploitation rights, based on geographic features.Under the 1982 UNCLOS, islands grant their owners a 12 nautical mile radius of sovereign territorial waters.Manila argued in closed court hearings that none of the islands, shoals and reefs in the Spratlys are large enough to grant an additional 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for fishing and extracting seabed resources.Manila also contests China's effective control of the Scarborough Shoal, a scattering of rocks off the coast of the Philippines' Luzon island, seeking a ruling that would show it sits within the Philippines' EEZ.A decision on the nine-dash-line's legality would signal that the court's judges had "decided to go big", said Julian Ku, law professor at Hofstra University."If the nine-dash line were declared invalid, then in theory all the other countries would be emboldened."The court has no power of enforcement, but a victory for the Philippines could spur Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, which also have overlapping claims, to file similar cases.Japan, which is involved in a separate territorial dispute with China in the East China Sea, said its military would closely monitor Chinese activity after the ruling."We urge all parties concerned to react in a way that does not raise tensions," Defence Minister Gen Nakatani told a briefing in Tokyo. "We will keep a close watch on the situation in the East China Sea."
The mastermind of the 2014 Peshawar school massacre has been reportedly killed in a US drone strike in Afghanistan. According to a report in Pakistan's Dawn news website Umar Mansour, who also used two aliases Khalifa Mansour and Umar Naray, was killed along with another top terrorist Qari Saifullah in the drone attack in the Bandar area of Afghanistans Nangarhar province on Saturday.
At least 144 students, teachers and staff members were killed when seven terrorists belonging to the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacked the Army Public School in Peshawar on December 16, 2014. Mansour had taken responsibility for the massacre and warned of more such attacks.
The school had been targeted as most of its students are the sons and daughter of Pakistani Army personnel. According to TTP the attack was intended as a strong warning to the Pakistani Army to not target the terror group.
Dawn quoted a security official as saying that they had credible reports of Mansour and Saifullah being killed in the attack. "What we have is pretty credible," the unnamed official said.
But another official claimed that it was not clear if Saifullah, who was in-charge of suicide bombers, was also among those killed.
While one official said there were 90% chances that he too had been killed along with Mansour, another official said they were still trying to figure out whether he was there on the spot when the drone struck.
The US State Department had on May 25 designated Mansour a global terrorist, thus clearing the path for his inclusion in the hit-list. The State Department's announcement came four days after a drone strike killed Afghan Taliban leader Akhtar Mansour in Balochistan on May 21.
A security official at the time had denied there was any quid pro quo between the two countries.
But there is neither any official confirmation from the banned TTP nor any independent source corroborating Mansour's death, the Dawn reported.
Live in a house with a parrot and your life will be punctuated by a series of chirps and squawks, morning calls and afternoon lectures.
The house wont be quiet, at least while the sun is up.
And new bird owners quickly learn parrots have their own language, and their feathered companions also try to learn the language of their new home.
Simon, my little green Quaker parrot, communicates both in his language and mine. He calls to me in his own language each morning and spits my phrases back at me, often in context when he deems it necessary.
If hes getting too excited or aggravated and starting to get rowdy, Ill tell him to calm down. So he deems it appropriate to tell me the same thing if he feels Im getting too wound up. Of course, its much funnier coming from Simon, in his scratchy little bird voice.
Some studies have noted parrots in the wild have their own dialect among colonies, and neighboring colonies often start adopting each others dialect to better communicate.
They apparently know grammar, too.
A recent study written about in New Scientist found birds follow grammar rules, challenging the notion that humans alone have evolved grammatical rules, Andy Coghlan writes.
One study involved finches. Researchers played unfamiliar finch songs to the birds over and over until they got used to them.
Then they jumbled up the syllables and played the songs once again.
Almost 90 percent of the birds reacted to one of the four jumbled versions, as if they noticed a violation of some grammar rule that didnt happen in the other three altered songs.
This indicates the existence of a specific rule in the sequential orderings of syllables in their songs, shared within the social community, Kentaro Abe of Kyoto University, Japan, told New Scientist.
Abes subsequent experiments showed this adherence to grammar is not innate. Birds raised in isolation didnt react to the jumbled up songs until they had been with other birds for at least two weeks.
As the final part of the experiment, Abe chemically destroyed the anterior nidopallium in some birds brains and found it was vital for registering faulty grammar. Coghlan writes in New Scientist that this region is called Brocas area in humans and is activated when we hear ungrammatical sentences.
In another study, conducted by Michelle Spierings and Carel ten Cate at Leiden University in the Netherlands, researchers pieced together three snippets of bird melodies they played for budgies and zebra finches, according to New Scientist.
These melodies contained certain patterns AAB or ABA and the birds were trained to peck only when they heard AAB.
Researchers then played new combinations for the birds. The zebra finches learned not to peck for ABA so they didnt peck for CCA, and researchers theorize its because the birds focused on the final A in both sequences.
Budgerigars were different. They pecked when they heard CCA, recognizing its the same pattern as AAB.
They followed the structure and were not distracted by the positional changes, Spierings told New Scientist.
The budgies proved to be structural learners for grammar, much like humans, the study concluded.
The New Scientist also cited a 2014 study that found dozens of genes involved in human vocal learning also are active in the brains of both the budgie and the zebra finch.
I never knew birds could be such strict grammarians.
Following the slayings of five police officers in Dallas, presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump told an audience in Virginia Beach on Monday that he is the law and order candidate.
Trump said that after last weeks tragedies, including the shootings of black men by police officers in Louisiana and Minnesota, it is the job of the next president to make America safe again for everyone.
Trumps law and order theme, which he announced a week before the Republican National Convention, carried echoes of Republican Richard Nixons emphasis when he won the presidential election in 1968, a year of civil strife.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, among Trumps potential choices for a running mate, kicked off the event at the Westin Virginia Beach Town Center, which was not open to the public.
In a five-minute opening, Christie said America needs a president who will once again put law and order at the top of the priority list.
The attack on our Dallas police is an attack on our country, Trump said. Our whole nation is in mourning and we will be for a very long time.
Americas police and law enforcement personnel are what separates civilization from total chaos and the destruction of our country as we know it, Trump said, calling for an end to hostility against our police, and against all members of law enforcement.
Trump said the tragic deaths in Louisiana and Minnesota make clear the work that must be done to ensure every American feels that their safety is protected.
We must maintain law and order at the highest level or we will cease to have a country, he said, adding: I am the law and order candidate.
Trump said he also is the candidate of compassion, but asserted that you cant have true compassion without providing safety for the citizens of the United States.
Trump charged that his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, is weak, ineffective and panders. He said the federal investigation into her use of email as secretary of state was an embarrassment not only to her, but to the nation as a whole and shows that she is either a liar or grossly incompetent.
Personally, Trump said, I think she is both.
The U.S. Justice Department recently closed the email investigation after the FBI recommended against bringing charges.
Christie, a former federal prosecutor who sought the GOP presidential nomination, said he now supports Trump because he will put the rule of law first and make sure that the law will be applied aggressively and forcefully.
Trump, who is expected to announce his running mate this week, will hold a rally in Indiana this evening with another contender, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.
Trump also reportedly is considering others, including former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, retired Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal and Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.
Veterans care
In returning to Hampton Roads, a military stronghold, Trump had planned to focus on his plan to improve care for veterans. He segued into the topic after starting with his law and order theme.
Trump said his 10-point plan for veterans begins with a simple promise every veteran will get timely access to top-quality care.
Among other things, Trump said all veterans should be guaranteed the right to choose their doctor and clinics, at a Veterans Administration facility or at a private medical center.
He called for an increase in the number of mental health care professionals at the VA. He said he would appoint a commission to investigate all the wrongdoing at the Veterans Administration and present the findings to Congress.
He also said he would create a private White House hotline to ensure that no valid complaint about wrongdoing at the VA falls through the cracks.
Trump said he will instruct his staff that if a valid complaint is not addressed it should be brought to him personally.
I will pick up the phone and fix it myself, if need be, Trump said. Thats a promise.
Virginia was home to more than 781,000 military veterans as of fiscal year 2014, according to the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics.
Earlier Monday, Clintons campaign held a news conference outside the venue where Trump was to speak, seeking to highlight what it termed the danger that Donald Trumps divisive candidacy poses for veterans and military families.
The Clinton news conference featured veterans from Virginia retired Air Force Col. Dave Belote, retired Brigadier General David McGinnis, and Navy veteran Linwood Fisher.
Donald Trump has said so many things over the years that are just so utterly insulting to the men and women who serve our country, Belote said, according to the Clinton campaign.
He calls our military a disaster. In Hampton Roads where were so deeply connected to veterans and the military saying the military is a disaster is a slap in the face to the people I served with and I grew up with, the many men and women right here in Virginia Beach who continue to sacrifice for our country.
Clinton will campaign at Northern Virginia Community College on Thursday with Sen. Timothy M. Kaine, D-Va., reportedly at or near the top of her list for a running mate.
After 30 years of operation, Central Virginia Printing is stopping the presses.
Increased upkeep costs for old presses and heightened competition pushed the Amherst business to decide it will close its doors July 22.
The competition out there has gotten so great, along with computerization, its been very difficult to try to make a good living, owner Janis Adams said. Were just at the point where we think its better to close the doors while were ahead.
Originally owned by Vance Wilkins, a prominent Virginia Republican politician, Central Virginia Printing began as a small operation. It eventually was purchased by Larry Adams. From there, the business moved into a larger space at the old Drummond Grocery store building, where it has operated for the last 25 years.
In 2001, Larry Adams was diagnosed with cancer. Before his death, he consulted with his wife Janis about what to do with the business and its two employees.
Before he passed away he asked me what I wanted to do with Central Virginia Printing, and I said, Well, its been giving [the employees] a livelihood, and if they want to keep it open then thats what well do, Janis Adams said.
The shops press operator, Cecile Harvey, and manager, Carrie Martin, chose to keep the shop open, so Janis Adams took over the management of the company.
Its become my life. Ive never worked at any job this long before and Im really going to hate to give it up, long-time employee Harvey said. I guess Ill find something else to do, maybe with another printing company.
The print shop made brochures for Amherst and Nelson County schools, created materials for Virginia Military Institute and printed letterheads, envelopes and business cards.
I hate to see a longtime town business close, Amherst Mayor Paul Kilgore said. They were a great asset to the community and offered services people otherwise would have to drive a long way for.
The shop has continued to use old-fashioned set printers, which require more upkeep and parts that are getting increasingly expensive and hard to find, Adams said.
Its a really sad thing for me to see all of his efforts, but its also arelief to me knowing that weve done the best we could. Weve all worked well together and its time for a new era.
A British enhancer of luxury SUVs plans to locate its engineering and production facility in Danville, bringing 41 new jobs -- paying an average of $45,000 per year -- and millions of dollars in investment.
Overfinch North America made the announcement Tuesday at the Farnborough International Air Show at Farnborough Airport in Hampshire, England.
The companys location in a 15,600-square-foot facility in the Cyber Park will house a small showroom, offices, engineering design space and vehicle up-fit space, according to a news release.
Overfinch committed to hiring 41 employees within three years of the start of operations and will make a capital investment of up to $8.6 million, depending on whether it makes 500 Stinson Drive its permanent home or whether it decides to construct a new 30,000-square-foot facility in Cyber Park, according to the city.
The company customizes new Range Rover vehicles directly from the Land Rover factory to a customers specification, according to overfinch.com.
Both Danville and Pittsylvania County jointly recruited Overfinch and attributes much of its success to the investments that have been made in creating an extraordinary workforce solution centered on precision manufacturing, the release stated.
Overfinch is delighted to announce that our US engineering and production facility will be based in Danville, Kevin Sloane, chair and chief executive office said in a statement. The communitys commitment to workforce training with an emphasis on advanced manufacturing skills was a critical factor in our decision.
Our prospects in the USA are extremely strong and were excited to commence this new chapter with the support and contribution of the Danville community, Sloane continued.
The building Overfinch will occupy was recently purchased by the Industrial Development Authority of Danville to help facilitate the successful recruitment of this company, the release stated.
The deal gives Overfinch flexibility to grow in an existing industrial building or construct a new building. The up-fit of the Stinson Drive facility is expected to take 60 to 90 days to complete and employment is expected to begin in the fall.
We are thankful for the investment and good paying jobs that Overfinch is bringing to our community, Jessie Barksdale, chairman of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors and chairman of RIFA, said. I am confident that the company will find tremendous success in Southern Virginia, particularly because of the major investments this region has made in creating a world-class workforce training solution.
Danville City Councilman Sherman Saunders added: After an extensive search for its first U.S. engineering and production facility, we are ecstatic to learn that Overfinch has chosen the Danville-Pittsylvania County region. That speaks volumes about the confidence Overfinch North America has in our region.
APPOMATTOX The Appomattox Town Council unanimously approved a motion turning back a request to appropriate money to the financially struggling Appomattox Chamber of Commerce at its regular meeting Monday night.
Councilmen Timothy Garrett and C. Lewis McDearmon were absent from Mondays meeting.
At a June workshop, council members requested the Chamber put together a plan to address the budget shortfall. Monday, Mayor Paul Harvey said board members had received a letter from chamber President John Redding, outlining plans for significant changes.
After a year of rising costs and shrinking attendance at the Chambers signature fundraising event, Appomattox Cheerz, the organization is looking for ways to make up a shortfall in its budget, The News & Advance previously reported.
I dont see anything different than their previous discussions, Councilman Steven Conner said Monday night.
Councilwoman Claudia Puckette said she didnt read anything in the letter stating the Chamber would further assist local businesses.
The Appomattox County Board of Supervisors has provided the organization with an additional $1,000. The Chamber was hoping for another $1,000 from the Town Council.
Redding told The News & Advance in May the Chamber had set up a committee to evaluate possibly changing fees to bring in more revenue.
We are looking at restructuring membership fees so its more fitting to their businesses, Redding said. Were trying to make it so its a better deal to be a member and provide more of a service.
The council did approve continuing its annual contribution to the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance for one more year.
Annual dues to the previous organization, the Region 2000 Business and Economic Development Alliance, were $2,180.
In other business, council said goodbye to Town Treasurer Stacey Wilkes, whose last meeting was Monday.
Harvey said he appreciated Wilkes service to Appomattox and all she has done. He wished her well at her new job as director of finance for Amherst County.
Also, the town approved funding for a public address system at the Appomattox Community Park, not to exceed $5,000. The money would be taken out of the undesignated general fund balance. The park previously could not make announcements to all the ball fields in the park at once for emergencies or other occasions.
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Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus in the Marvel Universe ... and he's a mutant!
No, really. Is starting the holiday season sooner and sooner every year Santa's Marvel mutant power?
Reject mediocrity
My mother started off as a checker, she revealed, Shes still a checker and she would wake up at 5 am to go to work every morning; she sacrificed and raised eight of us Im the fourth of eight children. She put out all of that energy and sacrifice to send me to school and so on, so how dare me be mediocre now? Recalling her rise from humble beginnings in Bethel, Tobago, Cudjoe encouraged the graduates to: Be confident in yourselves, she stated. Voice your own opinions fearlessly. Be yourself. You do not need anyones permission to be yourself. Success is not a destination in itself; it is a journey... a cycle.
Getting to top is a task, but the true battle is staying there. Hosted by AFETT and the Digicel Foundation at Estate 101 in Maraval, the event held last Saturday celebrated the programme and its graduates after professional development training in subjects such as: business etiquette, stress management, money management and the art of negotiation.
The Six Steps to Success programme was offered free of charge to female professionals 17 to 25-years-old and focused on equipping participants with the requisite skills to climb the corporate ladder, as well as key knowledge and skills that will help them to navigate the workplace.
Cudjoe commended AFETT for establishing this training initiative to prepare these 25 young women for the place of work.
This is a big deal... huge! she enthused. Women need support and network mechanisms like this.
Behind every successful woman are other tried, tested and successful women. Spoken word artiste, Zakiya Gill delivered two strong performances in between the formalities, while radio personality, Jillian Gibbs served as the emcee for the evening. Also speaking at the ceremony were: Digicel Foundation CEO, Penny Gomez, who reiterated the organisations eagerness to be part of such a worthwhile initiative; as well as AFETT president, Cavelle Joseph.
Valedictorians, Shanice Augustine, Zoraya Seeram and Akila Gomez each delivered brief presentations on what they had learnt during the programme, with Digicel Foundation project officer, Cindy Ann Currency and AFETT director of social outreach, Charlene Pedro delivering the vote of thanks.
Facilitators of the programme included: Maxine Barnett, Lara Quentrall-Thomas, Judy Joseph Mc Sween and Vanessa Thomas Williams.
AFETT is a non-profit organisation formed in 2002. It is led by a voluntary and multi-disciplinary team of professional women and was founded to bring together female executives, exposing them to networking opportunities, leadership training and business ideas.
Thanks to FDA, Women Will
Be Told of Their Breast Density
(Newser) The family of Dallas gunman Micah Xavier Johnson has spoken to only one media outlet, The Blaze, in an interview set to air this week. Johnson's mother, Delphine, says her son, who killed five police officers during his rampage at a Black Lives Matter protest march last week, used to be happy and extroverted. But after six years as a US Army reservist, including a seven-month Afghanistan deployment, something changed. She and Johnson's father, James, aren't sure exactly what happened, but "the military was not what Micah thought it would be," Delphine says. "He was very disappointed, very disappointed. But it may be that the ideal that he thought of our government, what he thought the military represented, it just didnt live up to his expectations."
As a child, his parents say, Johnson wanted to become a police officer and then decided to enlist in the military instead: "He wanted to protect his country." After he was discharged from the Army in 2015, Johnson started studying black history and displaying images of black power on his Facebook page, his father says. But his parents insist he never showed signs of hating other racial groups, he just hated "injustice," his mother says. (Johnson's stepmother is white.) Police say Johnson told them he wanted to kill white cops as revenge after police officers recently fatally shot two black men in Minnesota and Louisiana. But Johnson's father says, through tears, that he still doesn't understand: "I didn't see it coming." Click for more from the interview. (Read more Dallas police shooting stories.)
(Newser) "We're going to need a bigger boat." That's what Lars White told his 6-year-old son, Blake, after the boy hooked a great white shark while fishing Saturday off Cape Cod, Mass., the AP reports. The Houston resident told the Cape Cod Times that the 10- to 12-foot-long shark swam into the hook and spent an hour and a half trying to free itself. When the shark finally surfaced, White's wife took some photos (see one here), and then the family cut the fishing line to free it.
A state shark scientist confirmed Blake had caught a great white. Great white sharks have been spotted in increasing numbers in recent years around Cape Cod. Blake says he wants to go fishing again and "catch something a little bit smaller." (Boaters in this New Zealand town complain they're being targeted by great whites.)
(Newser) The owner of the Triple S Mart in Baton Rouge, La., in front of which police shot and killed Alton Sterling on July 5, has filed a lawsuit claiming that he was falsely arrested and imprisoned and that police illegally seized his property, the Daily Beast reports. In the suitwhich names several police officers, the police chief, and the city of Baton RougeAbdullah Muhlafi claims police stole his shop's security system, confiscated his phone, and locked him in a cruiser for four hours, letting him out only when he had to go to the bathroom (which, per the suit, he was forced to do outside within public view). Per the Daily Beast, police, at that time, had not applied for a search warrant and Muhlafi did not sign a form consenting to the search.
But, according to the website, police did file a search warrant and affidavit with the court on Monday, nearly a week after the incident; per those documents, officers submitted an affidavit at 5:23am July 5, and began their search of the convenience store at 5:50am. Muhlafi, however, claims the search began about 1am. The timeline definitely doesnt add up, attorney Joel Porter told the Daily Beast, which notes the only way to know the truth is to see the security footage that police confiscated. Meanwhile, District Attorney Hillar Moore III has recused himself from the investigation into the death of 37-year-old Sterling at the hands of officers Blane Salamoni and Howie lake II. Moore says he has worked with Salamoni's parents, ABC reports, both of whom are police officers. Now, the attorney general can take over, or appoint another district attorney. (Read more Alton Sterling stories.)
(Newser) Attorneys for the transgender soldier imprisoned for sending classified information to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks are confirming that her hospitalization last week was due to an attempted suicide, the AP reports. Chelsea Manning's attorneys didn't disclose in an emailed statement Monday the details of the attempt, which happened early July 5 at the military prison at Fort Leavenworth. The attorneys accused the US Army of a "gross breach of confidentiality" for publicly revealing last week that Manning had been hospitalized, though the Army didn't offer details.
After speaking by telephone with Manning on Monday, her attorneys say she remains under close supervision and will remain so for several weeks. An Army spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Manning is appealing her 2013 conviction and 35-year prison sentence. (Read more Chelsea Manning stories.)
(Newser) Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is known for being outspoken but she should have kept her thoughts about Donald Trump to herself, critics say. The Supreme Court justice told the AP she couldn't imagine what the country would be like under Trump and joked to the New York Times about moving to New Zealand. Analysts tell the Washington Post that the remarks from the "Notorious RBG" were inappropriate and could end up forcing her to recuse herself from future cases involving a President Trumpor election cases like a potential Clinton vs. Trump recount. "I find it baffling actually that she says these things," says University of Pittsburgh law professor Arthur Hellman. "She must know that she shouldn't be. However tempted she might be, she shouldn't be doing it."
Edward Whelan III, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, tells the Post that while he's no fan of Trump, Ginsburg's latest remarks are indefensible. "I am not aware of any justice ever expressing views on the merits or demerits of a presidential candidate in the midst of the campaign," he says. Other analysts agree. If Chief Justice John Roberts or Justice Clarence Thomas "gave an interview in which they expressed horror at the possibility of a President Hillary Clinton, they'd be savaged by Democrats for partisanship unbecoming a judge," writes Michael McGough at the Los Angeles Times. "Ginsburg shouldn't get a free pass." Her comments, he writes, reinforce the perception that the Supreme Court justices are "politicians in robes." (Nate Silver, like Ginsburg, has predicted a Clinton win in November.)
(Newser) Former Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh is expected to make another run for Senate in Indiana, Democratic officials said Monday, a development that would dramatically improve the party's chances to win back the vacant seat, and Senate control along with it. Democrats have been courting Bayh for over a year to run for the seat now held by Republican Sen. Dan Coats, who is retiring. Bayh was a top surrogate for Hillary Clinton during her unsuccessful run for president in 2008 and has been a major fundraiser for her this cycle. One Democratic official said Clinton herself had a role in convincing Bayh to get in the race, the AP reports.
Bayh, 60, retired in 2010 following two terms and is sitting on nearly $10 million in leftover campaign funds. But he delayed making a decision, and when the primary happened May 3, former Democratic Rep. Baron Hill won the party's nomination. On Monday, Hill announced he had filed papers to withdraw from the nomination. In a statement, Hill alluded to Bayh's likely candidacy without mentioning him by name. "Democrats have a very real chance at winning this Senate seat, especially with a strong nominee who has the money, name identification, and resources to win," Hill said. "I do not want to stand in the way of Democrats winning Indiana and the US Senate." In his own statement, Bayh said he had spoken with Hill and they both believe "we must send leaders to Washington who will put Hoosiers' interests ahead of any one political party." (Read more Evan Bayh stories.)
(Newser) An international tribunal ruled unanimously Tuesday that there is no legal basis for China's "nine-dash line" claiming rights to much of the South China Sea. The panel of legal experts in the Hague said that any historic rights to resources that China may have had were wiped out if they're incompatible with exclusive economic zones established under a United Nations treaty, the AP reports. The Philippines, which brought the arbitration case against China, welcomed the ruling and pledged to pursue a peaceful resolution of its territorial disputes with China. The dispute centers on waters through which an estimated $5 trillion in global trade passes each year and that are home to rich fishing stocks and a potential wealth of oil, gas, and other resources.
The ruling, which condemned China's land reclamation projects around disputed islands, "will make grim reading for Beijing," the Guardian notes. The tribunal found that much of the sea counts as international waters, and that the disputed Spratly Islands and other features claimed by China could not generate exclusive economic zones of their own, which gives the Philippines control of certain disputed areas. State media in China reacted angrily, saying Beijing "does not accept or acknowledge" the ruling and that China's military will "unswervingly safeguard state sovereignty, security, maritime rights, and interests." (Beijing may have to rethink its plans for floating nuclear power plants and manned deep-sea labs.)
(Newser) The inmate who grabbed a deputy's gun and killed two people inside a Michigan courthouse has been identified by police as 44-year-old Larry Gordon of Coloma. Authorities say a deputy was escorting Gordon from a holding cell inside Berrien County Courthouse in St. Joseph when Gordon overpowered the officer and grabbed his gun, all with his hands cuffed in front of him, per WNDU (original reports noted he wasn't cuffed). Deputy James Atterberry Jr., 41now in intensive carewas injured before Gordon fatally shot two bailiffs, identified as 61-year-old Joseph Zangaro and 63-year-old Ronald Kienzle, both retired police officers. A female civilian was also shot in the arm before Gordon was killed by an officer, report WOOD and WZZM. Officers are now investigating whether the incident was planned, but Gordon's ex-wifewho spoke to the inmate on Sundaysays he gave no indication that that was the case.
"I believe he was probably terrified of having to go to prison and not seeing his family again," Jessica Gordon says, adding her ex was still her best friend. The father of five "loved his children and me and his mother and sister with everything that he had." Gordonwho was in jail on two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and was facing charges of kidnapping, domestic violence, and assault with a dangerous weaponwas not an "angry violent person," she adds. "He was an amazing man that got mixed up with the wrong people." WNDU reports that Kienzle was a US Army veteran and retired sergeant with Benton Charter Township Police. Zangaro had retired from the Michigan State Police and was in charge of courthouse security. "They were my friends. They were my colleagues. I've known them for over 30 years," Sheriff Paul Bailey says. "Our hearts are torn apart." (Read more Michigan stories.)
(Newser) At first, Elysia Laub thought she was looking at a piglet that had escaped her pig pen. Only when she summoned her mom did she realize that the bundle, wrapped in a black towel in the backyard of her family's home in Lowell, Ind., was actually a newborn baby girl, reports CBS News. Authorities say the infantfull term but likely less than a day old, with the umbilical cord and placenta still attached, per WGNhad perhaps been left outside overnight and spent hours in the sun before Elysia found her while playing outside Monday morning. Her mom, Heidi Laub, "realized exactly what she had found," Lake County Sheriff John Buncich tells ABC 7. Laub says there were maggots on the placenta, per Patch.com. But except for sunburns, the child was in good health, Buncich says.
The baby was found about 100 yards from the nearest road in a "very rural area," he adds, per the Post-Tribune. "If the 9-year-old wouldn't have gone outside, this could've had a very different outcome." He calls Elysia a "guardian angel." Elysia says she had help: "I didn't do this myself." God "put me in that place." Authorities say the Caucasian baby with brownish-blonde hair, referred to as "Miracle Baby Jane Doe," will be sent to a foster home while officers search for her mother, who could face criminal charges. Indiana has a safe haven law allowing mothers to leave infants less than 30 days old at hospitals and police and fire stations without question. (A woman just graduated from the university where she was abandoned as a baby.)
(Newser) Some might say a prayer in anticipation of a car crash. A Florida woman's prayer apparently caused one. The 28-year-old was driving in Mary Esther when she ran a stop sign, drove onto a yard, and crashed into a house, police tell the Northwest Florida Daily News. She then tried to back out but got stuck, according to police. The woman told Okaloosa County sheriff's deputies that she had closed her eyes in prayer while drivingwhich is considered more reasonable than texting while driving in the South, quips one Reddit user, per Complex. The woman was cited for reckless driving with property damage and taken to a hospital for an evaluation. No injuries were reported. (Read more weird crimes stories.)
(Newser) Dr. Samer Attar, an orthopedic surgeon from Chicago who recently volunteered his time and skills in Aleppo, Syria, paints a dismal picture of what he encountered there. "I have no words to describe the fear and horror," the Syrian-American doctor tells the Los Angeles Times in an email. "It was hell. I saw so many people die." Attar headed into the war-torn city with Zaher Sahloul and John Kahler, two other Chicago doctors, on June 29 to bring medical supplies, check out the state of area hospitals, and offer their assistance. His American colleagues left Aleppo after three days, with bombs raining down around them in what Kahler says were "the scariest 45 minutes of my life." They left because they were afraid that the dangerous two-lane highway leading into Aleppo would shut down as rebels continue to fight Syrian government forces.
Attar remained in the city another week, working in an underground trauma hospital as airstrikes and fighting continued outside, and he describes a horrific scene. "I saw mutilated limbs, dismembered bodies, dead children, screaming patients," he says. "People literally bleed to death in front of you, and there is nothing you can do about it." There were some surprises to be found, say the three doctors, who are now all safely out of Syria: Kids who lived in Aleppo were relatively healthy and not suffering from extreme malnutrition, and schools, markets, and hospitals are still up and running. "You see pockets of life," Sahloul says. But there's sparse electricity and medical equipment, and medical staff are desperate for an end to the attacks. "They don't want sympathy or tears or condolences or apologies or concern or worries," Attar says. "They want these airstrikes to stop." (Read the full article.)
(Newser) The brother of jailed polygamous Mormon sect leader Warren Jeffs is on the run from the FBI after using "some sort of lubrication, possibly olive oil," to wriggle out of his ankle monitor, say police. Lyle Jeffs, one of 11 leaders of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints facing fraud and money-laundering charges, had been ordered to remain at his Salt Lake City home except for work, medical appointments, and court hearings, says the FBI. However, a warrant was issued for his arrest last month when the 56-year-old leader vanished from his home. Investigators say a Ford Mustang pulled into Jeffs' garage around 10:30pm on June 18, then left later that night, reports the Salt Lake Tribune. The next day, agents found the GPS monitor but couldn't locate Jeffs.
"He used a substance which may have been olive oil to lubricate the GPS tracking band and slip it off his ankle," an agent tells Fox 13. "The damage to the bracelet was not such to trigger the full array of alarms that law enforcement or the US Marshal's Service would have responded to." A judge ordered Jeffs be released from jail on June 9 when his trial for a $12 million food stamp fraud and money-laundering scheme was delayed. Prosecutorswho say food stamps were cashed at sect-owned stores and the money diverted to the churchhad argued Jeffs was a flight risk. "Blame the judge for this," one of Jeffs' half-brothers tells the Tribune. "Everybody knew that he was going to do this." Jeffs, who surrendered his passport, could be hiding in FLDS havens in the US, Canada, or South America, reports the Deseret News. (Read more FLDS stories.)
(Newser) Well, Mr. Cooper, or whatever your name is, you've officially stumped the FBI. The agency announced Monday that it was no longer investigating the famous 1971 hijacking in which a passenger known as DB Cooper jumped out of a plane over Washington state with a parachute and $200,000 in cash, reports KIRO in Seattle. It is the only such unsolved hijacking in US history, and it appears that it will stay that way. "Following one of the longest and most exhaustive investigations in our history, on July 8, 2016, the FBI redirected resources allocated to the 'DB Cooper' case, in order to focus on other investigative priorities," says an FBI spokeswoman. It's not clear what prompted the FBI statement, but it comes just after a documentary aired on the History Channel in which former FBI detectives claimed to have cracked the case.
They name 72-year-old Robert Rackstraw, who now lives on a boat in a yacht harbor in San Diego Bay, reports the Monterey Herald. Rackstrawwho allegedly tried to fake his own death in 1978 by, yes, bailing out of a planedenies the allegations through his attorney. "He's not DB Cooper," says the lawyer, though he acknowledges that his client may have floated the claim himself over the years. Of course, this isn't the first DB Cooper theory and probably won't be the last. Some think Cooper never survived the jump, pointing to the discovery of some of the cash by the Columbia River in 1980, notes the New York Daily News. But "the FBI exhaustively reviewed all credible leads," says the FBI spokeswoman. Still, she adds, if hard evidence emerges, investigators would be back on the job. (Another theory suggests Cooper was a grocery store manager from Michigan.)
(Newser) With Hillary Clinton enthusiastically nodding and clapping by his side, Bernie Sanders appeared Tuesday at a high school in Portsmouth, NH, and finally offered what many Democrats have been waiting for: an endorsement, USA Today reports. "Secretary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee for president and I intend to do everything I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United States," he asserted, going on to "make it as clear as possible as to why I am endorsing Hillary Clinton and why she must become our next president." He detailed some of those bullet points (also on his website), including that Clinton is the best candidate to take on an "economy that is rigged"; appoint Supreme Court justices who will fight for women, minorities, and the LGBT community; address mental health treatment and climate change; and work toward universal health care, among others.
Sanders also blasted Donald Trump for his vocal opposition to raising the minimum wage, his eagerness to "abolish the Affordable Care Act," and his decision to "reject science" on climate issues. He also addressed Trump's insults against "Mexicans, Muslims, women, African-Americans, and veterans," noting that Clinton "understands that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths." "Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding president and I am proud to stand with her today," he concluded, hugging Clinton before she took the podium to speak. Trump, meanwhile, wasn't as impressed with the endorsement, tweeting Tuesday that he was "surprised that Bernie Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters " and that Sanders, "who has lost most of his leverage, has totally sold out to Crooked Hillary Clinton." (Read more Bernie Sanders stories.)
(Newser) The family of Philando Castile will be filing a civil lawsuit that will seek justice for his shooting death and also push for "systemic changes" to law enforcement to prevent violence and bias at the hands of police, Castile's mother and the attorney representing his family said at a Tuesday press conference, per the Pioneer Press. "We're going to sue whoever's responsible," said lawyer Glenda Hatchett, adding that they wouldn't be depending on the state's own probe to assist them. Hatchett, a 65-year-old former Georgia judge in Fulton County who used to sit behind the bench on the reality court show Judge Hatchett, noted the family will also press for criminal charges to be lobbied against officer Jeronimo Yanez, who shot Castile during the July 6 traffic stop. "Valerie Castile and her family are very passionate and committed to ensuring that Philando's death is not just another statistic," Hatchett said in a press release, per KARE 11.
"I am deeply concerned about what seems to be an epidemic of African-American men being killed by police officers," Hatchett said in a statement from her Atlanta-based law firm, per NBC News, adding she took on Castile's case "to make sure that working class people have a legal dream team," 11Alive notes. Hatchett also addressed reports of police dispatch audio from the night Castile was killed, noting she hasn't confirmed the audio is genuine but that if true, IDing a black man with a "wide-set nose" is about as helpful in tracking down a suspect as IDing a white woman with blond hair. Castile's mother, Valerie, also spoke at the press conference on the grounds of Minnesota's State Capitol in St. Paul, calling her son a "humanitarian" and "pillar in the community," per the New York Daily News. "In what country being honest and telling the truth will get you killed," she said. "You answer that one for me." (Watch Hatchett's entire presser at 11Alive.)
United Nations:
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern over the situation in Kashmir amid rising tensions in the valley following the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani last week.
Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here today that the UN Chief has noted with concern the situation unfolding in Kashmir.
Dujarric strongly rejected remarks by a Pakistani journalist that the UN Chief, who had earlier in the day addressed the press on the situation in South Sudan, has"brushed aside" the issue of Kashmir and is not sufficiently addressing it.
"No one is denying that we are concerned about the situation in Kashmir. The fact that the Secretary General did not raise it as he did not raise many other criticalsituations around the world does not mean that he is brushing anything aside," Dujarric said.
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New Delhi :
India has criticized Islamabad asking it to "refraining from interfering" in its internal affairs after Pakistan made provocative comments about the last few days' violence in Kashmir.
We have seen statements from Pakistan on the situation in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. They reflect Pakistans continued attachment to terrorism and its usage as an instrument of State policy.
Pakistan is advised to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of its neighbours, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
Indias reaction came after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who has been under attack from the opposition for remaining silent over the killing of protesters in Kashmir, issued a statement expressing shock at Wanis killing.
The Prime Minister of Pakistan has expressed his deep shock at the killing of Kashmiri leader Burhan Wani and many other civilians by the Indian military and paramilitary forces, Sharifs office said in the statement.
Sharif said it was deplorable that excessive and unlawful force was used against the civilians who were protesting against the killing of Wani.
Oppressive measures such as these cannot deter the valiant people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand of exercising their right to self-determination in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions, he added.
Yesterday, Pakistan Foreign Office had issued a statement condemning continued killing of innocent Kashmiris.
The extra-judicial killing of Kashmiri leader Wani and scores of other innocent Kashmiris is deplorable and condemnable. Such acts are a violation of fundamental human rights of Kashmiris and cannot deter the people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand for the realisation of the right to self determination, it had said.
Wani, who was killed in an encounter with the security forces last week, was the commander of Kashmiri militant group Hizbul Mujahideen.
Our response to Statements by Pakistan on Jammu & Kashmir: pic.twitter.com/3pjjonaQxu Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) July 11, 2016
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New Delhi :
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set at to chair a high-level meeting today to review the situation in Jammu and Kashmir which is witnessing violent clashes between security forces and protesters in the aftermath of killing of Hizbul Mujahideens poster boy Burhan Wani. NSA Ajit Doval, who was accompanying Modi, has already returned to New Delhi, after cutting short his visit.
Ahead of the meeting, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a discussion with senior Union Ministers and officials during which it was suggested that security forces make judicious use of force and ensure smooth movement of Amarnath pilgrims.
As many as 30 people have lost their lives during the clashes. Chiefs of central security agencies briefed the Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and NSA Ajit Doval about the steps taken to bring back peace and normalcy in the Valley.
All forces were asked to ensure security of Amarnath pilgrims and enhance vigil along the border to check fresh attempts of infiltration from across the border.
Sources said security forces were asked to ensure judicious use of force against protesting civilians.
Besides, stone pelters, who are mostly teenagers, have to be dissuaded by parents from indulging in stone pelting.
Earlier, the Home Minister reached out to opposition leaders including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Parliamentary leaders of all parties, and discussed the prevailing situation there.
During the telephonic conversation with Gandhi and National Conference leader Omar, the Home Minister discussed with them efforts to bring back peace and normalcy in Kashmir Valley.
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Houston:
Two court bailiffs were killed and a deputy sheriff and a civilian injured at a courthouse in the US state of Michigan after an inmate shot at them outside the holding cell before law enforcement officers gunned him down, officials said.
The shootout rang yesterday afternoon when the inmate, who was being moved from a holding cell inside the Berrien County courthouse in St Joseph, Michigan, grabbed an officers gun and shot at the four people, Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey said.
The inmate first shot a county sheriffs deputy, then fatally shot the two bailiffs. He then shot a civilian in the arm before he was taken down by a bailiff along with several other officers, he said. Bailey said the suspect was shot dead by the law enforcers.
When the shooting broke out, the people inside the courthouse went for shelter, while other brave officers were able to come to the rescue and take the shooter down, Bailey said.
The courthouse is secured and the scene is rendered safe.
No further victims are involved, Bailey said. Bailey said the civilian and the sheriffs deputy suffered non-life threatening injuries. The courthouse would remain closed today. The officials did not immediately release what the inmate was in custody for.
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder said the state police have launched a probe into the shooting.
We all need to reach out and be supportive of law enforcement in our state and across the country, Snyder said in a tweet.
Last week five police officers were killed in Dallas by an Army veteran protesting the fatal police shootings of two black men in the US states of Louisiana and Minnesota.
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New Delhi :
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today chaired a high-level meeting on the situation in Kashmir Valley which has been rocked by violent protests in the wake of the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani. Back from a visit to four African countries, Modi convened a meeting of Union Ministers and senior officials.
The Prime Minister was given a detailed presentation of the situation prevailing in the Valley which has witnessed escalating protests following the killing of Wani on Friday. Violent clashes between security forces and protestors have so far left 24 dead.
The meeting was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar among others.
Yesterday, Parrikar, Jaitley and Doval, who returned a day earlier from Africa where he was accompanying the Prime Minister, had met to discuss the situation. The Ministers were briefed by Chiefs of central security agencies about the steps taken to bring back peace and normalcy in the Valley.
All forces have been asked to ensure security of Amarnath pilgrims and enhance vigil along the border to check fresh attempts of infiltration from across the border.
Sources said security forces were asked to ensure judicious use of force against protesting civilians. Parrikar had told reporters that an overall assessment of security situation in Kashmir has to be done by the Home Ministry and Army was ready to provide any assistance like increasing force levels in any areas required.
Earlier, the Home Minister had reached out to opposition leaders including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Parliamentary leaders of all parties, and discussed the prevailing situation there.
During the telephonic conversation with Gandhi and National Conference leader Omar, the Home Minister had discussed with them efforts to bring back peace and normalcy in Kashmir Valley.
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Amritsar:
Three Pakistani intruders were today shot dead by the BSF following an encounter in Darya Mansoor area along the Indo-Pak border. A BSF official said a night patrol party of the force spotted the three Pakistani intruders entering Indian territory and asked them to surrender.
However, they ignored the warning and kept on marching towards the BSF patrol party and opened fire. In the ensuing encounter, three Pakistani intruders were killed, the official said. However, two of the intruders managed to flee back towards the Pakistani side, the official said.
The encounter took place in Darya Mansoor area, around 15 kilometres from the border village of Ajnala in Amritsar district. The intruders, who are in their twenties, are yet to be identified.
After the encounter, BSF recovered three Pakistani mobiles and Indian currency from the spot. Inspector General of BSF from Jalandhar along with senior officials was rushing to the encounter site to take stock of the situation.
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New Delhi:
A group of Imams today met with Home Minister Rajnath Singh and urged him to help restore peace and stability in the Kashmir Valley which is witnessing turmoil following the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani.
The Imams told Singh that they would be meeting Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and local clerics of the state in an attempt to help bring calm in the Valley.
"We had detailed discussions with the Home Minister on the prevailing situation in Kashmir. We have urged him to ensure that calm and peace returns to the Valley. Just like Muslims from any other part of the country, Kashmiris are also our brothers. We are with them and appeal them to bring normalcy and peace," Umer Ahmed Ilyasi of All India Organisation of Imams of Mosques said after the meeting.
He said a group of Imams will be meeting the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and also Imams in the Valley to ensure peace and calm is restored as quickly as possible.
Ilyasi said they are opposed to any kind of terrorism in any part of the world."We are talking about Kashmir but not Kashmiris. It is time that we take forward dialogue with Kashmiris," he said.
Yesterday, the Home Minister reached out to opposition leaders including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Parliamentary leaders of all parties, and discussed the prevailing situation there.
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New Delhi:
The high level meeting to discuss the situation in Kashmir Valley has ended with appeal to restore peace in the Valley. Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the meeting was aimed to resolve the situation in Kashmir Valley which has been rocked by violent protests in the wake of the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani. Atleast 24 people have lost their lives and over 1000 injured.
He has appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain peace so that the situation can normalise. He also expressed hope that no innocent person should face any kind of inconvenience or loss, Minister of State in the Prime Ministers Office Jitendra Singh said after the meeting.
The Prime Minister also expressed satisfaction over the progress of the Amarnath Yatra and said whatever help needed by the state government will be provided by the Centre.
Singh said the Prime Minister voiced concern over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, gave guidance and also appealed for peace.
The meeting was convened within hours of Modis return from his visit to four African countries.
The Prime Minister was given a detailed presentation of the situation prevailing in the Valley which has witnessed escalating protests following the killing of Wani on Friday.
The meeting was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar among others.
The Prime Minister kept taking updates about the Jammu and Kashmir situation during his visit abroad. The biggest evidence of his concern is that he called this review meeting within hours of returning from the tour and took details, Singh told reporters.
Yesterday, Parrikar, Jaitley and Doval, who returned a day earlier from Africa where he was accompanying the Prime Minister, had met to discuss the situation.
The Ministers were briefed by Chiefs of central security agencies about the steps taken to bring back peace and normalcy in the Valley.
All forces have been asked to ensure security of Amarnath pilgrims and enhance vigil along the border to check fresh attempts of infiltration from across the border.
Parrikar had told reporters that an overall assessment of security situation in Kashmir has to be done by the Home Ministry and Army was ready to provide any assistance like increasing force levels in any areas required.
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New Delhi :
Amid ongoing criticism over statue of Shaktiman, a dedicate police horse, has been removed from main street in Dehradun. The poor horse had succumbed to injuries after four days of the incident.
Shaktiman was in police service and 14 years old when he died in April. A statue of the horse was installed on Saturday at a major intersection in Dehradun in the hill state of Uttarakhand. However, this morning, the statue was removed, in the midst of criticism of tribute being paid to a horse while the hill state lacks a memorial for its dead soldiers.
Besides, a second statue of Shaktiman has been installed at the police headquarters wherein its future is also now uncertain. "I leave it for the next government to decide if this statue needs to be here or not," said Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat, who had visited the horse while he was being treated for his injuries.
Uttarakhand is due for elections in the next few months. When Shaktiman was injured, the BJP had accused the Congress government of Mr Rawat of trying to politicise the tragedy to turn public opinion against the opposition. Ganesh Joshi, a BJP lawmaker accused of causing the fatal injuries, was arrested and then granted bail.
After Shaktiman's hind leg was amputated, he was fitted with a prosthetic limb brought in the America. But he did not survive. He was buried with police honours.
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New Delhi :
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today arrested two key members of the Hyderabad IS module which they had unearthed last month. Yasir Niamatullah, chief of Hyderabad module, and Athaullah Rehman, a motivator who raised funds, have been arrested by NIA from here, sources in Telangana Intelligence Department told PTI.
They are being produced in court today, they said. The NIA had on June 29 arrested five city-based persons on charges of their involvement in the terror module suspected to be linked to ISIS and conspiring to carry out bomb attacks.
On July 1, they were remanded in police custody for 12 days. The fiveMohammed Ibrahim Yazdani alias Ibbu, Habeeb Mohammed alias Sir, Mohammed Ilyas Yazdani, Abdullah Bin Ahmed Al Amoodi and Muzaffar Hussain Rizwanwere arrested following a series of searches conducted at 10 locations in Old City area, with the assistance of Hyderabad Police.
In its remand report submitted to the court earlier, the agency had said that the five accused had acquired weapons and explosive material to carry out violent terrorist attacks and were in touch with ISIS.
Following its prior investigation, on June 22 the NIA had lodged an FIR for criminal conspiracy to wage war against the Government of India by collecting weapons and explosive materials by targeting public places, religious sites and sensitive government buildings in various parts of India.
According to the agency, the gang was preparing improvised explosive devices for carrying out blasts, and was being guided by an online handler, suspected to be based in Iraq/Syria.
Along with the explosive materials, the NIA had recovered two semi-automatic pistols with ammunition, an air gun with telescopic sight and shooting practice target boards, a large number of digital gadgets including six laptops, about 40 mobile phones, 32 SIM cards, and a large number of hard disks, memory cards, pen drives and tabs during its search.
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Beijing:
An angry China has rejected as null and void the verdict of a UN-backed international tribunal which struck down its claims over the South China Sea. China says Beijing has no historic rights in the disputed area.
China neither accepts nor recognises the ruling of a tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration established at the request of the Philippines, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
The award is null and void and has no binding force, it said in a statement minutes after the five judge tribunal appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration delivered its judgement striking down Beijings claims of historic rights over the area, strongly disputed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.Chinas territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea (SCS) shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards. China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards, the statement quoted by state-run Xinhua new agency said.
China has territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, said a separate statement titled Statement of the Government of the Peoples Republic of China on Chinas Territorial Sovereignty and Maritime Rights and Interests in the South China Sea.
China is always firmly opposed to the invasion and illegal occupation by certain states of some islands and reefs of Chinas Nansha Qundao (the Nansha Islands) (called by Philippines as Spratleys), and activities infringing upon Chinas rights and interests in relevant maritime areas under Chinas jurisdiction, it said.
Chinas strong reaction came after the tribunal struck a blow to its claims over almost all of the SCS, saying that its much touted nine-dash line has has no legal basis.
Striking down the core of Chinas claims over the 90 per cent SCS based on historic rights, the tribunal ruled there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the SCS falling within its claimed nine-dash line, which is based on a Chinese map dating back to 1940s.
It concluded that to the extent China had historic rights to resources in the waters of the SCS, such rights were extinguished to the extent they were incompatible with the exclusive economic zones provided for in the Convention (UN Convention on the Law of Seas.
The tribunal also noted that, although Chinese navigators and fishermen, as well as those of other States, had historically made use of the islands in the SCS, there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or their resources, it said.
For decades China, which boycotted the tribunal questioning its legality, has been asserting that its emperors have discovered the islands hundreds years ago and have been exercising control over the area throughout the history.
But its claims came into conflict with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan as they hardly have exclusive economic zones (EEZ) provided by UNCLOS which Beijing declined to recognise.
Hours before the tribunal delivered its verdict, Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China will not even officially receive the judgment of the tribunal as it has no legal basis.
It is true that we do not recognise and accept the so-called arbitration. We will have no legal connection with the arbitral tribunal and we will not accept what ever materials it provides, he told a media briefing replying to questions whether China will receive a copy of the verdict of the tribunal.
We will not have any legal connection with the arbitral tribunal because from the very beginning we have not recognised this illegal organ, he said.
A second statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry after the verdict was released countered tribunals findings that Chinas claims over islands and the reefs in the SCS.
Chinas Nanhai Zhudao (the South China Sea Islands) consist of Dongsha Qundao (the Dongsha Islands), Xisha Qundao (the Xisha Islands), Zhongsha Qundao (the Zhongsha Islands) and Nansha Qundao (the Nansha Islands), it said.
China has renamed the islands which were known in the area with different names like Spratly islands. The statement claimed that the activities of the Chinese people in the SCS date back to over 2,000 years ago.
China is the first to have discovered, named, and explored and exploited Nanhai Zhudao and relevant waters, and the first to have exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over them continuously, peacefully and effectively, thus establishing territorial sovereignty and relevant rights and interests in the SCS, it said.
Following the end of the World War II, China recovered and resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao which had been illegally occupied by Japan during its war of aggression against China, it said.
To strengthen the administration over Nanhai Zhudao, the Chinese government in 1947 reviewed and updated the geographical names of Nanhai Zhudao, compiled Nan Hai Zhu Dao Di Li Zhi Lue and drew Nan Hai Zhu Dao Wei Zhi Tu (Location Map of the South China Sea Islands) on which the dotted line is marked.
This map was officially published and made known to the world by the Chinese government in February 1948, it said in apparent reference to the nine-dash line.
China is so vocal in enforcing the nine-dash line that it publishes it in all the passports of Chinese to assert its claims.
The statement said China has been firm in upholding its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the SCS and cited various documents released to assert its claims over EEZ and the continental shelf.
The ratification of UNCLOS have further reaffirmed Chinas territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in SCS, it said.
To a question whether China will hold talks with the Philippines after the award, he said, China and the Philippines have good relations over the long period of time.
On Chinas part, we are willing to maintain peaceful, mutually beneficial relationship with all our neighbouring countries including the Philippines, he said.
We have noted that the new Philippines government has expressed its willingness to hold dialogue with China in a bid to promote common development and properly manage dispute between the two sides. Our door to that is widely opened, he said. He also lashed out at US for stirring trouble in the SCS region with its Asia Pacific re-balance strategy.
Before the implementation of the so called re-balance to Asia Pacific by the US, the SCS is very tranquil and peaceful. Then comes the Americans and their policy of rebalance to Asia and since then things have changed, he said.
Before the rebalance was implemented there were disputes between the relevant parties int he SCS but they could properly managed and maintained peaceful situation, he said.
No matter how the US argues, they can not deny that things changed after the implementation of the Asia rebalance policy, he said.
The US poses itself as guardian of the maritime rule of law but refuses to approve the UN Convention on Law of Seas, (UNCLOS) 34 years after it was reached.
It asks the other parties to accept the third party approach for dispute settlement but even refuses to accept the order and judgment by the supreme judicial organ of the UN which is international court of justice, he said.
Its action severely erodes the authority, sanctity and effectiveness of the international law. It is very dangerous and the international community should be on high alert against that, Lu said.
Asked about the report that China may pull out of the UNCLOS as the tribunal was constituted based on it, Lu said, I do not know where did you see that.
Ever since China approved UNCLOS in 1976, we have been loyal party to UNCLOS and we uphold it with faithful observance.
We have to say that we should maintain the authority of the UNCLOS no matter what instead of making selective use of it based on the likes and dislikes and or even violate the clause of the UNCLOS, the spokesman added.
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New Delhi:
India is carefully studying the verdict by an UN-backed tribunal which today ruled that China has no legal basis to claim historic rights to islands in South China Sea.
India has noted the Award of the Arbitral Tribunal constituted under Annex VII of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the matter concerning the Republic of the Philippines and the Peoples Republic of China and is studying it carefully, External Affairs Ministry said in a statement here.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration said in a statement that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line.
Ruling out against China in a bitter row over territorial claims in South China Sea, the Permanent Court of Arbitration concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line.
Asserting that it does not accept and does not recognise the ruling, China rejected the verdict as null and void.
China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the strategically vital waters in the face of rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbours.
Manila had lodged the suit against Beijing in 2013, saying that after 17 years of negotiations it had exhausted all political and diplomatic avenues.
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New Delhi:
Activities of NGO Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), set up by controversial preacher Zakir Naik, are being examined by the Home Ministry, amidst allegations that funds from abroad received by it have been spent on political activities and inspiring people towards radical views.
A senior Home Ministry official said an investigation was underway on IRF, which was registered under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), and it was found that most of his foreign funds came from the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and a few other Middle East countries. IRF has allegedly received about Rs 15 crore for a period of five years, preceding 2012, the official said.
Mumbai-based Naik has come under the scanner of security agencies after it was reported that his speeches have inspired some of the terrorists who had taken siege of Holey Artisan cafe in Dhaka July 1. Maharashtra government had last week ordered a probe into the speeches by the televangelist.
The Home Ministry probe is covering the allegations that foreign funding to IRF was used in political activities and that the NGOs funds were used to induce people towards Islam and attracting youths towards terror, the official said.
All such activities are contrary to FCRA and any violation invites punitive action. IRFs source of foreign funding are being examined thoroughly by the Home Ministry.
Accounts of IRF are being checked to find for what purpose the funds were sent from abroad and for what purpose the funds were utilised, the official said.
Officials said that according to an intelligence report the content of Peace TV, in which Naik regularly appears and gives sermons, is not conducive to the security environment in the country and poses security hazard.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said that CDs of Naiks speeches are being examined for necessary action and asserted that the government will not compromise on the issue of terrorism.
Naik, however, had released a statement, saying he totally disagreed that he inspired the killing in Dhaka. There is not a single talk of mine where I encouraged one to kill another, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, he said.
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New Delhi :
The dispute surrounding South China Sea has become one of the major concerns for India. The clash started as approximately 3.5 million square km area of the South China Sea, rich in oil and gas fields, have been claimed by China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei.
On Tuesday, Judges at an arbitration tribunal in The Hague rejected China's claims to economic rights across the Sea. Apparently the ruling will be claimed as a victory by the Philippines.
In the wake of this row, India seems quite uncomfortable. India's discomfort has increased severely because New Delhi finds that what China is doing in the South China Sea is being replicated in spirit and tactics on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which goes through territory claimed by India.
Although India does not want to intensify tensions by challenging China on the South China Sea, it worries whether anybody will support India's stand on the CPEC or not.
China has declared in its state media outlets that India is sympathetic to China's view, and the RIC statement affirms it. Meanwhile, US Pacific Command chief, Admiral Harris indicated India and US may soon be sailing together for joint patrols, as part of a roadmap of the Strategic Vision document signed when Barack Obama visited India in 2015.
In recent days, reports said India and US were discussing working together to track submarines and on anti-submarine warfare, clearly aimed at China. The South China Sea dispute has been in the news as it has serious global implications.
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New Delhi:
In a major blow to China, Judges at an arbitration tribunal in The Hague today rejected China's claims to economic rights across large waters of South China Sea. Here is a brief account of what the dispute is all about:
A large part of the South China Sea of approximately 3.5 million square km area has been under territorial dispute between China, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei who have been claiming the water territory.
It is noteworthy that the area is rich in natural resources like oil and gas fields. While China has been backing its claim of the South China Waters with with island-building and naval patrols. China claims the waters within its nine-dash line. Now China wants to negotiate directly with Phillippines.
China and the Philippines are among the signatories of 1982 convention which is regarded as the constitution that governs and stipulates the rights of countries in using the world's oceans.
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New Delhi:
Minority Affairs Minister Najma A Heptulla and MoS G M Siddeshwara on Tuesday tendered their resignations. President Pranab Mukherjee has accepted their resignation with immediate effect.
The president has directed MA Naqvi, Minister of State, to take over as Independent charge of Ministry of Minority Affairs.
The portfolio of Minister of State in the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises has been assigned to Babul Supriyo. He will be relieved of charge of MoS in Ministry of Urban Development, and MoS in Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation.
There was speculation last week when Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook the reshuffle that Heptulla and Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises Kalraj Mishra, who had recently turned 75, could be asked to quit.
Modi is believed to have set an age bar of 75 years for ministers and had kept veterans like L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi out of the Cabinet and co-opted them in Margdarshak Mandal.
(With PTI inputs)
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Kutch:
Border Security Force today seized two Pakistani fishing boats abandoned in the Indian territory at Harami Nala area in Kutch district near Indo-Pak border.
The occupants of these mechanised fishing boats having Pakistan origin fled into the Pakistani territory after seeing patrolling party approaching them, as they were fishing in the Indian territory, Gujarat Border Security Force (BSF) said in a release. The boats were around 28-feet long and and 4-feet wide in size.
4 kilograms of fish, 50 fishing hooks, one ice box and a plastic can was recovered from the boats, it said.
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Guwahati:
The first political conclave of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), a platform of BJP and its nine regional alliance parties of the North East, will be held here tomorrow with BJP national president Amit Shah attending the meet.
The conclave will also be attended by chief ministers of Assam, Nagaland, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, besides leaders of other political parties, NEDA convener and Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters here today.
This will be the first political conclave of NEDA since its formation in May this year. The conclave will come out with a Guwahati Declaration focusing on three issues ranging from local to national to international importance, Sarma said.
The conclave has three important objectives. One will be expansion of the base of BJP and its NE allies to make a Congress-free region at the local or regional level, he said.
Secondly, at the national level, NEDA will work to put in sync NEs growth with the national growth and how NE MPs can work together towards that end and strengthen it as the region has an important role to play in the development of the country, Sarma said.
At the international level, NEDA will focus on NEs role in the Act East Policy taking forward the regions strategic advantage, the minister said.
Former Mizoram CM Zoramthanga, Meghalayas ex-CM Donkupar Roy, Meghalaya MP Conrad Sangma, BJPs alliance partners - Bodoland Peoples Party chief Hagrama Mohilary, Asom Gana Parishad president Atul Bora and Ganashakti Party head Ronuj Pegu are also scheduled to attend the meeting, he added.
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New Delhi:
At least 10 people were killed in rain-related incidents in Maharashtra and Rajasthan even as there was some let up in the flood situation in Madhya Pradesh and Assam with no casualty reported from the two states since yesterday.
Several parts of the country received monsoon rains with heavy rainfall in the national capital, some places in Rajasthan and in eastern Uttar Pradesh, but precipitation eluded Bihar, Punjab and Haryana, where sultry weather caused discomfort to people.
In Maharasthra, eight persons have died in rain-related incidents in the past 36 hours. Gaganbawda taluka received highest rainfall in Kolhapur district in last 24 hours ending at 8 AM today.
The heavy spell caused a substantial rise in the water level of Panchganga river near Kolhapur city which is now flowing near the danger mark, following which a disaster management team has been put on alert.
An IMD official said heavy rains coupled with thundershowers are likely in the Konkan region, north and south central Maharashtra.
He said following heavy rains in the catchment area of Godavari in Nashik, the authorities there and in Ahmednagar districts have put the villages along the embankment of the river on high alert.
Incessant rains also disrupted rail traffic between Surat (in Gujarat) and Nandurbar as the earth work underneath the tracks was washed away forcing railways to divert traffic.
Meanwhile, in Madhya Pradesh, where rain-related incidents claimed 22 lives till yesterday, there was as no fresh casualty reported in the last 24 hours.
Monsoon is going to weaken over the state in next two to three days, India Meteorological Department Bhopal Centres Director, Anupam Kashyapi, told PTI.
Officials said some flooding has been reported from Sehore district but the situation was under control.
In Rajasthan, two people were washed away in flood waters in two separate incidents, as rains continued to lash several parts of the state with heavy precipitation in Ajmer, Bharatpur and Udaipur divisions.
Dungla in Chittorgarh recorded maximum of 11 cm rains while Danpur in Banswara registered 9 cm rains till the morning since yesterday.
A 35-year-old man was swept away in the flood waters of Ghadawali river under NH 27 bridge yesterday in Baran district. In another incident, a 40-year-old government school teacher was swept away in the flood waters yesterday while he was crossing culvert of river in Samraniya village.
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Beijing:
As the UN-backed tribunal struck down Chinas claims over almost all of the South China Sea, China directed its ire against the US, accusing America and its Asia Pacific Pivot policy for stirring trouble to blunt Beijings rise.
Before the implementation of the so-called rebalance to Asia Pacific by the US, the South China Sea (SCS) is very tranquil and peaceful. Then comes the Americans and their policy of rebalance to Asia and since then things have changed, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters.
Before the rebalance was implemented there were disputes between the relevant parties in the SCS but they properly managed and maintained peaceful situation.
No matter how the US argues, they cannot deny that things changed after the implementation of the Asia rebalance policy, he said.
In a case brought by the Philippines, the Hague-based tribunal appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line, which is based on a Chinese map dating back to the 1940s.
The US poses itself as guardian of the maritime rule of law but refuses to approve the UN Convention on Law of Seas, (UNCLOS) 34 years after it was reached. It asks the other parties to accept the third party approach for dispute settlement but even refuses to accept the order and judgement by the supreme judicial organ of the UN which is international court of justice, Lu said.
Its action severely erodes the authority, sanctity and effectiveness of the international law. It is very dangerous and the international community should be on high alert against that, Lu said.
Asked about the report that China may pull out of the UNCLOS as the tribunal was constituted based on it, Lu said, I do not know where did you see that.
Ever since China approved UNCLOS in 1976, we have been loyal party to UNCLOS and we uphold it with faithful observance. We have to say that we should maintain the authority of the UNCLOS no matter what instead of making selective use of it based on the likes and dislikes and or even violate the clause of the UNCLOS, he said.
Reports also said China which has already developed several islands and reefs in the SCS may declare Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) of the SCS under which all the incoming aircraft have to identify themselves.
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A NEW route is being considered which would take the proposed 5.6 billion Central Railway line and its freight trains away from the High Wycombe area.
Consultants have been commissioned by the South East England Development Agency (Seeda) to draw up an alternative line for the southern end of the north-south route. This would go east of London, not west. Its report should be ready in about three months.
The decision to reconsider the Central Railway route was taken after a meeting of county council leaders and officers at Gerrards Cross a few weeks ago.
It was hosted by David Shakespeare, leader of Buckinghamshire County Council and chairman of the South East Regional Assembly, and Seeda chairman Allan Willett.
They realised they must support the strategy of getting heavy freight traffic off roads and on to rail, but if they were not to have a route they didn't like they would have to come up with their own.
The current proposed route travels through the middle of Buckinghamshire and along the Chiltern Line through Haddenham, Princes Risborough and High Wycombe. The proposal created an outcry from people along this part of the line, who say they gain no immediate benefit, only noise.
After the Gerrards Cross meeting, Cllr Shakespeare told the Free Press the feedback he had from it was that the line went round the wrong side of London. It should go through Milton Keynes and via the area known as Thames Gateway a growth area.
Regional assembly leaders in the north of England are in favour of the Central Railway project with only the south-east region against it.
Central Railway wants the Government to introduce another bill in the Commons. People would give evidence at the committee stage and there would be no need for two or three years of planning inquiries.
Chris Williams, the council's chief officer, said there was lots of pressure for the scheme from northern regions. "They get lots of benefits from it, which is the opposite of the south, which gets disbenefits," he said.
County councillor David Rowlands, vice-chairman of a consortium of county councillors looking at public transport, said he had discussed the idea with members.
"I am pleased that Seeda has commissioned W S Atkins to review the route," he said. But he said leaders in the north wanted it to go west of London so that there would be good links to the M25 and the motorways to the west of the country.
A Central Railway spokesman said: "Central Railway has undertaken extensive engineering studies using international consultants, and the route to the west of London emerged as our preferred route."
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DANBURY Kayla Mooney, the former Danbury High School teacher charged with having sex with a student, was acquitted of all charges Tuesday.
A seven-member jury deliberated for nearly two hours and delivered their verdict shortly before 3 p.m.
After the verdict was read, Mooney, who had been charged with three counts of second-degree sexual assault and one count of providing liquor to a minor, cried and hugged family members and supporters seated in the gallery behind her.
Mooney declined to comment on her acquittal, but her attorney, William Westcott, said it was clear the jury made the correct decision.
Ive been representing Kayla Mooney for 18 months now, Westcott said. She told me before she was even arrested that there was nothing to these charges. Shes maintained her innocence throughout, so were happy with her and her family.
In his closing argument, Westcott said Mooneys accuser, a male student, was not a credible witness.
The evidence shows that (the student) is a liar, Westcott said. He lies about things big and small. He lies to take advantage of people and hes been caught in his lies.
But States Attorney Stephen Sedensky told the jury that the evidence, including text messages and voice recordings between Mooney and the student, as well as cellphone tower data and witness testimony, was enough to prove her guilt.
The evidence of common sense shows that (the student) is credible. The evidence in total shows that the defendant is guilty, Sedensky said.
Juror Jake Emmerthal, a Newtown resident, said the state provided a solid case, but it wasnt strong enough to convict Mooney.
Sedensky gave a great case, he provided solid evidence, Emmerthal said. But it just wasnt to the point where he proved it beyond a reasonable doubt.
Emmerthal said the jury double- and triple-checked the evidence during deliberations.
A couple of us werent on same page to begin with, he said. We looked at the evidence and debated for another 20 minutes to make sure everything we had was right and we reached a verdict.
Another female juror declined to comment, only to say that the evidence wasnt there.
The trial began June 29, more than a year after Mooney was charged.
Authorities had said Mooney, who was a physics teacher at Danbury High School, had sex with the student, then 17, twice in 2014.
Westcott and Mooneys co-counsel Audrey Felsen acknowledged that their client befriended a student, but said that the relationship never became sexual. They also questioned the students motives, saying he tried to advance the relationship with Mooney to extort her for money and better grades.
The student testified that he invited the first-year teacher to a Kid Ink concert on Nov. 1, 2014, at Tuxedo Junction in Danbury, but later decided that their going to the show together and being seen in public was a bad idea. Instead, he said, Mooney picked him up later that evening and they had sex for the first time.
The pair had sex again a few weeks later, the youth said, this time at East Lake Reservoir.
But in his closing statement, Westcott tried to poke holes in the states timeline. He argued that while the student said the second encounter happened at least three weeks after the first, cellphone data used to corroborate the story showed that it would have happened a week after the first incident.
That discrepancy, he argued, proved that the student fabricated his story.
Is there a point where a person lies so many times about so many things so often that they forfeit the right to be believed? asked Westcott.
But Sedensky argued that the evidence proved the two had an intimate relationship. He cited the students recollection of specific details about their sexual encounters, along with recorded conversations between them and the fact that Mooney stored the youths phone number in her own phone using emoticon hearts instead of his name.
Staff Writer Dirk Perrefort contributed to this report.
awolff@newstimes.com; 203-731-3333; @awolffster
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An injured West Haven police officer got a motorcade and an honorary escort when he transferred from the hospital to a rehabilitation facility recently, and police departments across the region report receiving flowers, food and thank you notes from residents in the wake of the fatal shooting of five Dallas officers.
But there is anger too, at a series of shootings by police of black motorists, including Philando Castile near St. Paul, Minn. and Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old father of five, near a convenience store in Baton Rouge, La. last week.
More than 300 people attended a Black Lives Matter rally Sunday in front of the Bridgeport Police headquarters in protest of the Castile and Sterling killings. They were protected by police as they marched from the Mount Aery Baptist Church on Frank Street.
Area communities have had their problems too, including East Haven, investigated by the U.S. Justice Department for profiling of Hispanics. The 2012 probe resulted in the indictment and arrest of four East Haven police officers, and the signing of a consent decree between the town and the federal government.
West Haven Officer Michael Doyle, 34, received a heros welcome when he returned to Connecticut on Thursday evening, a few hours before the fatal shooting of five Dallas police officers and the wounding of several others.
The Dallas shootings marked the deadliest day for U.S. law enforcement since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and trapped families, shoppers and demonstrators downtown in an hours-long shootout and siege.
Among area residents response:
Norwalk police on Monday posted an Instagram photo of a desk covered with flower arrangements from the community.
State Police at the Troop G Barracks in Bridgeport received appreciative calls and postings on its Facebook page in the wake of the Dallas incident, and a flower arrangement from Landan Marine in Norwalk. The card read Thank you for keeping us safe.
An officer at the Orange police department coming to work on Saturday found a note on his cruiser, Blue Lives Matter to your neighbors. Be safe at work.
A photo of the note accompanied a posting on the departments Facebook page: We have seen a remarkable outpouring of gratitude from our community and beyond. Rest assured, the men and women of the Orange Police Department appreciate the sentiments. We serve with pride everyday...today, tomorrow and always.
Lt. Frank Eannotti, the Stratford police spokesman, said his department received many calls and displays of support in light of the many incidents of violence across the nation. Although these did not occur here it affects everyone.
Doyle, the West Haven motorcycle officer who was critically injured in a June 22 multi-agency drill in Yonkers, N.Y. was escorted by a phalanx of police cruisers and motorcycles surrounding the ambulance bringing him back from the Westchester Medical Center.
The West Haven Fire Department parked its tower truck on an overpass, suspending an American flag over the I-95 in that city for Doyle to pass under on his way to I-91 and the Gaylord Medical Center in Wallingford. See the video here.
Several State Troopers parked alongside the highway in Bridgeport as the motorcade passed by. Bringing an injured brother home. The motorcade for West Haven Police Officer Mike Doyle made its way through Troop G's area this afternoon. Several Troopers parked on the side of the highway and saluted as our brother in blue passed by, read a posting on Troop Gs Facebook page. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.
See the State Police video here.
Obscenity cant get you put in jail usually.
But police say one New Milford man put that to the test this spring after he repeatedly shouted obscene things at teenagers until he was arrested June 18 and charged with felony risk of injury to a child.
Arthur Harold Blackburn, 57, appeared in Bantam Superior Court last Friday for cat-calling teenagers as they got off their school buses in front of Blackburns condo on Prospect Hill Road, menacing one teenage boy, who lived nearby, with sexual requests, according to court documents.
Blackburn, a bald, heavy-set man who was already being evicted from his condo, would ask his young neighbor in obscene terminology if hed like to engage in sexual acts, which frightened the boy to the point that he was afraid to walk around his own condo complex, according to police.
I dont really wanna take the bus because Im afraid of him, the boy told New Milford police. When he looks at me, he gives me a dead-stare. I feel like he tries to grab me.
On several occasions, documents said, Blackburn would stand outside his home and watch as children got off their school buses. When asked by police, Blackburn denied doing so other than on two occasions when he thought teens would damage his car.
The boys generally walk alone, by themselves, from the bus stop girls generally have company, he told police.
While Blackburn told police he didnt harass his young neighbor and that he didnt cat-call children getting off the bus Blackburns neighbor told police shes seen him do both, documents said.
On May 9 Blackburn made an obscene comment to two boys, his neighbor said, adding that on May 10 he was standing by his black Hyundai with a lollipop in his mouth and just watched them walk by.
Blackburn was released on a $5,000 bond last Friday under the condition that he wont have any contact with children under 16 years old.
His next court date is Aug. 5.
Young people who damaged an unoccupied home May 14 and then posted party pictures on social media will soon be seeing arrest warrants after a lengthy investigation by the town of Washington.
They will be held responsible for the damage they inflicted to the home on Lower Church Hill Road in Washington, said First Selectman Mark Lyon.
The home, which was for sale and empty played host to more than 100 teenagers on Saturday, May 14, he said. Since then, the town and police have purposely kept the story under wraps, so any teens who took place in the crime wouldnt clean up their social media profiles.
Their tweets, status updates and pictures may prove to be their undoing, Lyon said.
Stephen Sordi, Washingtons resident state trooper, declined to comment, citing an open investigation. But he did say arrest warrants should be out for the party-goers, both adults and minors, in coming days.
The home the teens chose to party in was remote.
While the town, citing the investigation, didnt publicize that the party took place, Washington homeowners have been filling the vacuum with rumors about the party and the damage, buzzing about more than $150,000 in damage. Thats a number the town wouldnt confirm.
John Payne, a long-time Washington resident, criticized the town for covering it up, and said many homeowners are worried that their home could be next on the destructive party list.
Many Washington residents dont live in the town full-time, leaving their homes unattended for months or weeks at a time.
Lyon estimates that 25 percent of his constituents dont live in Washington year-round.
But having an empty home in Washington shouldnt be cause for concern, Lyon said.
There was a connection, Lyon said. It wasnt like a bunch of kids were riding around the countryside looking for a house.
It is quite upsetting to see how the news media covered the death of Muhammad Ali. He is someone who refused to fight in Vietnam because killing was not allowed in his religion. I blame the president at the time and the U.S. government for letting him get away with this garbage.
There are thousands of white crosses all over this world where our men and women died defending and protecting the United States. These heroes were dying and protecting the U.S.A. and him, while he continued to fight in the ring and make millions of dollars.
For all of you doubters (probably the three of you who live under a rock), heres the power of Facebook.
Browser, the gray tabby cat who lives in White Settlement, Texas yes thats the name of the town will be able to remain in his home in the town library.
Originally the city council, after receiving a complaint from a city hall employee who wanted to bring his dog to work, voted 2-1 to evict the beloved cat. Browser was hired from the local animal shelter six years ago to help with the rodent problem
Since then he has endeared himself to everyone who browses through the book shelves or uses the browsers on the library computers in this town of roughly 15,000 in northeastern Texas.
Browser also gets read to, petted and perhaps most importantly, his presence encourages kids to drop in and, gasp maybe take out a book.
The original vote and accompanying stories were, of course, posted on FB which led to a petition drive and an outpouring of support for the cat to remain in his home. I first learned of Browsers plight around on 6 a.m. July 1; there were barely 1,000 signatures on a petition calling for a re-vote.
Less than five hours later there were close to 12,000.
So late last week, the council voted to reverse itself.
According to press reports, Councilman Elzie Clements, who led the effort to evict Browser, blamed Facebook and social media for turning a local issue into an international controversy.
If we would just get people out here in this city to stay off of this media, this wouldnt have been this way, Clements said, sounding like hed prefer residents to go back to their rocks. Stay off this media? What could that mean in 2016?
Theres no need to jump on Facebook. I think Facebook and the social media [are] a bad thing. I sure do.
Im not much of a fan of it, but if nothing else, FB has raised mine and others awareness of the breadth of animal mistreatment in the world.
We are quick to sign petitions, donate to animal rescue funds and, in general, spread the word about abusers so that once exposed, its difficult to imagine how they can hold their heads up in their communities. One need only remember the fate of the Minnesota dentist who killed Cecil the Lion in Zimbabwe. He was universally denigrated for his actions and had to go into hiding for a while thanks to that bad thing called Facebook.
I get much of my information about animal mistreatment from The Dodo a website that posts videos, photographs, stories 24/7. There are plenty of happy ending stories as well, like accounts of people diving into oceans to untangle dolphins from nets or scraping wombats off the ground and back to life.
I learned about Browser from The Dodo, which posted a link to a petition leading to the latest vote of the council in White Settlement. The town got its name from Native Americans because of the preponderance of white settlers at the time it was settled in the early 1800s. (Maybe the council should do something about that name instead of worrying about a library cat.)
Through the Dodo Ive also learned of the plight of the pangolin, a copper mammal that resembles an anteater, that is hunted for its meat, considered a delicacy in China and Vietnam, and for its scales, which are ripped off its body and boiled for medicinal use. The Dodo has posted countless pictures of these creatures, curled up in shipping crates, looking like cinnamon buns, destined for restaurants in the Far East.
The save the pangolin fund has a few of my bucks as does the Turtle Survival Alliance for washing oil spill debris off these ancient fellows from some leaking disaster.
Somewhere in some file in some hamlet in the United Kingdom is a notation that an American from Connecticut has supported The British Hedgehog Preservation Society with a few pounds.
Im not one to publicize my politics years as a journalist have schooled me in keeping my opinion out of things but Browser the cat and Mrs. Tiggy Winkles the hedgehog and Lucky, a resident of a South Korean pangolin rehab center, and the memory of Cecil the Lion leave me no choice but to sign on.
That bad thing can take credit for my meager efforts. Thanks a ton FB.
Terese Karmel teaches journalism at the University of Connecticut.
OTTAWA, July 12, 2016 /CNW/ - Canada has four main global financial centresMontreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouvereach with its own unique strengths. A new Conference Board of Canada report suggests that the cities complement each other, allowing Canada's financial services sector to have a depth and breadth beyond what any one financial centre would be able to provide.
"Canada's financial system is recognized as one of the best and most sound in the world and has been a key driver of economic growth over the past decade," said Michael Burt, Director, Industrial Trends, The Conference Board of Canada. "This growing international prominence has been largely driven by four key financial centresMontreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver."
HIGHLIGHTS
Toronto is Canada's largest global financial centre, but Canada has three othersMontreal, Calgary and Vancouver .
is largest global financial centre, but has three othersMontreal, and . These four cities comprise the majority of financial services activity in Canada .
. Financial services activity in each of the four cities is different, resulting in different areas of expertise that mirror their respective regional economies.
Canada's financial services sector could improve its position on the global stage if its main financial centres joined efforts to better market their strengths.
The financial services sector is one of the most important to the Canadian economy, directly accounting for over 790,000 jobs and 7 per cent of GDP in Canada in 2015. Together, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary make up the majority of the activity in the sector nationally. One in every 14 private sector jobs in these four cities is in financial services and the sector accounts for an even larger share of GDP in each metro area.
Due to the composition of each regional economy, financial services activity in each of the four cities is different and each excels in different areas. The report, Stronger Together: The Strengths of Canada's Four Global Financial Centres, identifies key strengths for each of Canada's four financial centres.
Montreal
Montreal's key strengths include pensions, personal and commercial banking, credit unions, derivatives, and private equity. Montreal is home to some of Canada's (and the world's) largest pension funds, including the Caisse de Depot Placement du Quebec and the Government and Public Employees Pension Plan, making it a hub of portfolio management activity. There is also a strong link between Montreal's pension funds and the high level of private equity activity that takes place in the province, as both of these funds undertake significant private equity investments. Montreal's strength in retail banking is driven by the presence of the headquarters of the National Bank of Canada and Laurentian Bank, and the presence of Canada's main derivatives exchange is a core factor driving the city's strength in this market segment. Finally, Montreal's strength in credit unions is in part driven by the local preference for conducting personal banking services with these institutions.
Toronto
Core strengths in Toronto include personal and corporate banking, investment banking, wealth management, fund management, life and health insurance, FinTech, and back-office activities. The presence of the headquarters of Canada's five largest banks in Toronto, all of which are large multinational businesses that offer a breadth of domestic services, is part of these varied strengths. Similarly, Sun Life Financial and Manulife Financial, two of the largest insurance companies in the world, drive Toronto's strength in their core business of life and health insurance, but they too offer a breadth of other services, such as fund and wealth management.
Other multinational institutions that drive Toronto's core strengths include that it is the location for some of the largest pension funds in the worldsuch as the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, and the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System. Fund management activity and investment banking activity in Toronto are also supported by the presence of the Toronto Stock Exchange, one of the largest equity exchanges in the world. Finally, although the FinTech industry is still in the early stages of development in Canada, Toronto has the strongest presence in the industry. The city benefits from a close proximity to the University of Waterloo and the University of Toronto, and a variety of incubators.
Calgary
Calgary's strengths include investment banking (particularly mergers and acquisitions), facilitating foreign direct investment, private equity, wealth management, and corporate banking. For example, Calgary is home to prominent private equity firms such as ARC Financial, TriWest Capital, and Mosaic. These strengths are generally linked to the unusually large number of firms headquartered in the city, as well as its high level of income and wealth. In particular, the size and importance of Calgary's oil and gas sector is a major driver of the financial activity that takes place in the city, but many other large firms, such as Canadian Pacific Railway, WestJet Airlines, Agrium, and Shaw Communications are headquartered in Calgary.
Vancouver
Key strengths in Vancouver's financial sector include wealth management, facilitating foreign direct investment, trade finance and settlement, credit unions, mortgage brokers, and venture capital. Some of these are tied to the increasing interconnectedness between Canada and Asia, as evidenced by rising trade and investment between Canada and China specifically. In other situations, Vancouver's strengths are based on the institutions that are found there. For example, Vancouver is home to the headquarters of several of the largest credit unions in Canada, including VanCity, Coast Capital Savings, and First West Credit Union. As well, Vancouver is home to the headquarters for several of the largest mortgage brokers in Canada, including Dominion Lending Centres, and Verico.
The report, Stronger Together: The Strengths of Canada's Four Global Financial Centres, was funded by Advantage BC, Finance Montreal, Toronto Financial Services Alliance, and Calgary Economic Development. It is available from The Conference Board of Canada's e-Library.
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SOURCE Conference Board of Canada
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VANCOUVER, July 12, 2016 /CNW/ - Orex Minerals Inc. (TSX-V: REX; OTCQX: ORMNF) ("Orex"), with OTC Markets Group Inc. is pleased to announce that Orex has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. Orex upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink market.
Orex begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "ORMNF." U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.
"We are pleased to welcome Orex Minerals Inc. to our OTCQX Best Market," said Jason Paltrowitz, Executive Vice President of Corporate Services at OTC Markets Group. "Upgrading to OTCQX will allow Orex Minerals to broaden its visibility with new investors through transparent trading, convenient access to its news and financial disclosure and dedicated capital market support."
Gary Cope, President & CEO of Orex said, "We are pleased to begin trading on the OTCQX Best Market today and would like to thank our shareholders for their continued support."
SecuritiesLawUSA, PC serves as Orex Minerals' OTCQX Advisor, responsible for providing professional guidance on OTCQX requirements.
About OTC Markets Group Inc.
OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market, and the Pink Open Market for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS, OTC Markets Group connects a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. They enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors. To learn more about how OTC Markets Group creates better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com
OTC Link ATS is operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC and SEC regulated ATS.
ABOUT OREX MINERALS INC.
Orex is a Canadian-based junior exploration company comprised of highly qualified mining professionals. Orex has several current projects: the Coneto Gold-Silver Project in Durango, Mexico, a joint venture with Fresnillo PLC, the Jumping Josephine Gold-Silver Project in British Columbia, Canada, plus the Sandra Escobar Silver Project in Durango, Mexico, with Canasil Resources Inc.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Gary Cope
President
This News Release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements and Orex undertakes no obligation to update such statements, except as required by law.
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.
SOURCE Orex Minerals Inc.
For further information: Orex Minerals Inc. at (604) 687-8566 x227, email [email protected] or visit our website at www.orexminerals.com
The Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), a socio-political organisation has criticised Yemi Osinbajo, the vice president, for allegedly opposing...
The Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), a socio-political organisation has criticised Yemi Osinbajo, the vice president, for allegedly opposing the clamour for Nigerias restructuring.In a statement released on Monday by its national publicity secretary, Yinka Odumakin, Afenifere said the vice-president must have been pressured to utter the comments credited to him.The Pan-Yoruba group asserted that Osinbajo probably has a myopic understanding of the calls for restructuring.While we understand that the learned Professor who is from the zone that has been loudest on this call may have come under pressure to lend his voice to the upholders of the status quo that has brought Nigeria to this sorry pass, we would like to respectfully admonish him to be sure footed on the subject before he speaks next time, they said.He misses the entire debate by engaging in the reductionist argument narrowing the whole issue to taking more money from the Federal Government to the states. Yes, fiscal federalism is part of the argument but the issue goes beyond the monthly Federal Allocation Committee.The central plank of restructuring is for Nigeria to go back to the true practice of Federalism wherein mineral resources that abound in all states would be freed from the exclusive list so that states would move into prosperity and not be reporting at Prof Osinbajos office for bailout from a centre that only corners what belongs to the states. They would also have enough to contribute to sustain the occupiers of Abuja and the functions that are allocated to them.Beyond resources, the country is reeling under crime today and the single police we currently maintain has proved incapable of dealing with the situation. When you listen to commissioners of police lamenting at the scenes of crime these days you will think they are part of passers-by terrified by the horror of crime. It is clear we need multi-level policing to combat crime and have effective policing.From the federal, down to states and focal governments, we are bogged down with overbloated bureaucracies that consume as much as 90% of available resources and with little or nothing left for development. We must address how long we want to travel with this culture of waste and to see if we can deliver better governance with a manageable architecture.The question of diversification is a point that advocates of restructuring have canvassed as it makes no sense for a country as vast in resources like Nigeria to depend on a mono-product economy. It is part of restructuring we are talking about and not an alternative to it.The restructuring package has a whole wide range of issues that have to do with justice administration, electoral system and its cost implications, conflicts arising from clash of cultures and how to deal with them to ensure peaceful co-existence.
Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), is currently meeting with Senate President Bukola Saraki at the national assemb...
Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), is currently meeting with Senate President Bukola Saraki at the national assembly complex in Abuja.Malami is the actor behind the criminal charges of forgery brought against Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president, as well as two other top administrators of the national assembly.On June 30, he failed to appear before the senate committee on judiciary, human rights and legal matters.That was the second time he failed to honour the invitation of the senate over the charge of forgery he filed against Saraki and Ekweremadu at an Abuja high court.Although he sent a representative, the committee did not give him audience.Expressing his displeasure over the action of Malami, David Umaru, chairman of the committee, had said: The purpose of this hearing was to defend Nigerias democracy but the attorney-general has faulted the invitation of the senate again.Also speaking, a member of the committee, Chukwuka Utazi, described the action of the AGF as a slap in the face of the senate.This is a slap in the face of the senate as the AGF has refused to appear before the committee after being summoned, he had said. We just want to ask the AGF a few questions to clarify all these issues, but he has failed to respond to our invitation.On June 21, the upper legislative chamber had summoned Malami, but he also failed to honour the invitation.Following his refusal to appear before the senate, the senate president On Tuesday mulled invoking a relevant session of the senates rules to comply him to honour the invitation.But just hours after the threat, Malami came knocking on Sarakis doors.Saraki and Ekweremadu are facing charges of criminal conspiracy and forgery instituted against them by the AGF at an Abuja high court.The Cable
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday said Agriculture is an integral part of the countrys plan for sustainable economic growth and de...
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday said Agriculture is an integral part of the countrys plan for sustainable economic growth and development.He made the remark during a meeting with a group of Nigerian and Mexican agro-business interests at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.The meeting was attended by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Heineken Lokpobiri, who led a Mexican agro-business concern, the San Carlos Group and their Nigerian partner, Wells Farm, from Edo State, to Aso Rock.The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr. Segun Awolowo (Jnr), was also at the meeting.In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, Osinbajo said: President Buhari has said it repeatedly that agriculture and solid minerals, especially agriculture is our economic way out. This is the Presidents vision, and our job-the rest of us- is to look for ways to get that dream actualized.Buhari, he said, is ready to support the agricultural plans in any way necessary.He assured that the federal government will ensure conducive customs and immigration policies including tariffs in order to attain the vision.Osinbajo said that was the reason the President set-up the Presidential Council on the Ease of Doing Business to attract local and foreign investors.There is no doubt in which direction we should go. Agriculture is in the forefront and we do realise the urgency of the moment and the importance of getting things done quickly, he added.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has asked to meet with Napoli after launching a bid for Gonzalo Higuain, according to reports.RaiSport journalist Ciro Venerato has been explaining that Arsenal and the player are keen to get the deal done.Higuain has been linked with a move to The Emirates for years but this could be the summer it finally happens.Arsenal are said to have offered 42.2m plus Olivier Giroud to the Serie A side, but they are willing to go as high as 50m without the Frenchman.Higuain is interested in the 6.8m-a-year wages but Giroud's camp appear less convinced with the swap.Speaking on Radio CRC, Venerato said: "It comes to 50m (42.2m) plus Giroud, but I know that the English club is ready to arrive at 60m (50.6m)."The Italians have already done a survey with the entourage of Giroud, but I'm not entirely convinced the attacker wants to move."Anyway Wenger has asked to get a meeting in London with [Napoli chairman] Aurelio De Laurentiis."But we do not know if the president will agree to sit down at the table."The Gunners are ready to offer a contract of 8m (6.8m) plus bonuses for four seasons."
Five persons were confirmed dead in an auto accident yesterday night in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital. The accident occurred at a...
Five persons were confirmed dead in an auto accident yesterday night in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.The accident occurred at about 7.35pm in front of the main gate of Ekiti State University (EKSU), which had played host to protests by unions in the institution earlier in the day.Although witnesses claimed that six lives were lost in the accident, the police confirmed that five people died.Police spokesperson Alberto Adeyemi disclosed that officers on ground confirmed that five bodies were conveyed to the mortuary of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH).A witness said the accident was caused by some boys suspected to be Internet fraudsters, otherwise known as Yahoo boys, who were driving on a high speed at the busy junction.He revealed that the suspected Yahoo boys crashed their car into a mini-commercial vehicle conveying students from the campus.The source said: The yahoo-yahoo boys must have been heavily drunk and they drove carelessly and collided with the commercial bus.Six people died on the spot and one of them is hanging between life and death now. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officers have taken the corpse of the dead to the morgue.
Barcelona star Luis Suarez appears to have recovered from his international heartbreak this summer after soaking up the sun with his family on holiday ahead of the new domestic season.The 29-year-old suffered disappointment with Uruguay at the Copa America Centenario, after Los Charruas were eliminated from the competition in the very first round, following defeats to Mexico and Venezuela.However, that doesn't appear to have dampened the spirits of the former Liverpool man, who is currently enjoying a final summer holiday with his family before returning to club duty with Barcelona.Photo credit: Luis Suarez/Instagram
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday expressed appreciation for the important role the U.S. played in the success of the 2015 general ele...
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday expressed appreciation for the important role the U.S. played in the success of the 2015 general elections in Nigeria.A statement issued in Abuja by Malam Garba Shehu, the Presidents Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, said Buhari expressed the view when he received the outgoing Ambassador of the U.S. to Nigeria, Mr James Entwistle, at the State House, Abuja.The president noted that the U.S. insistence on free, fair and violence-free elections largely contributed to the deepening of democracy in Nigeria.The U.S support before, during and after the 2015 elections was vital to Nigerias stability and I will never forget the role they played in the stability of Nigeria.We were lucky to have had an INEC Chairman who was competent and courageous.Mr Ambassador, you occupied a position at a very strategic time in Nigerias history and I hope our historians will record this because it meant so much for our stability.I hope you write a book on your experience in Nigeria. The commitment of U.S. in supporting Nigeria has been unprecedented, the president said.He also thanked the Americans for their military, intelligence and humanitarian support to Nigeria on the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency fight.He said Nigeria also valued U.S. contributions to promoting regional peace and stability through the instrumentality of the G7. Buhari also received in audience the outgoing High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Amb.Perry Calderwood. The president commended Canadas humanitarian assistance to Nigerians displaced by the insurgency in the Northeast and its commitment to polio eradication in Nigeria.He highlighted the Federal Governments effort to facilitate voluntary return of displaced persons in addition to ensuring that conditions in North-eastern Nigeria improved significantly before the next farming season.In separate remarks, Entwistle and Calderwood expressed concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Northeast with looming reports of food crisis and malnutrition. Entwistle said the bilateral relationship between Nigeria and the U.S. had remained very vibrant and cordial.I had a marvellous three and a half years in Nigeria and I am grateful to have been involved in the memorable elections in 2015, he said.On his part, Calderwood conveyed Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus desire to strengthen ties with Nigeria in Canadas quest for partnership on international engagements, including its bid for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council in 2021 to 2022.
The Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, deferred further hearing on all the cases pending before it till Septembe...
The Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, deferred further hearing on all the cases pending before it till September.Prominent among the cases include the 16-count criminal charge the federal government slammed against the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.The tribunal had originally fixed Wednesday, July 13, to deliver ruling on a fresh application seeking to disqualify its Chairman, Justice Danladi Umar, from presiding over Sarakis trial.However, the CCT, via a statement by the Head of its Press & Public Relations Department, Mr. Ibraheem Al-hassan, said it has adjourned all sittings scheduled for this week and those to come within July and August, till the end of recess to be embarked by the Tribunals Judges soon. According to the statement, The decision was taken due to the ongoing Roundtable Discussion involving CCT and other critical stakeholders within and outside the country, to develop the Code of Ethics and Practice Directions for the Code of Conduct Tribunal to ensure fair and speedy trials, sponsored by European Union (EU) and implemented by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, (UNODC).Justice Umar however assured litigants currently with cases before the court, that they would be given new dates at the end of the vacation in September. He said the new dates would be communicated to those whose cases are pending before the tribunal.The Tribunal regrets the pains caused by the sudden change, the statement added. The tribunal had on June 22, adjourned to rule on Sarakis fresh bid to disqualify Justice Umar from presiding over his trial.Saraki, in the application he filed through his consortium of lawyers led by a former Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, asked Justice Umar to hands-off his trial, saying remarks the judge made in the open court on June 7, indicated his bias against the defendant.He noted that Justice Umar had threatened that the defendant would face the full consequences of charges against him despite whatever delay tactics he chose to employ in the course of the trial.It was contention of the defence that the threat by Umar was a clear indication that the tribunal had made up its mind to convict the defendant at all cost. Saraki anchored his application on section 36 of the 1999 Constitution which relates to the principle of fair hearing.The embattled Senate President insisted that Umars remark made it obvious that he was likely to suffer bias and prejudice before the tribunal as presently constituted, saying he no longer has confidence in the impartiality of the CCT chairman.
The Nigerian army under President Muhammadu Buhari would immediately rescue the abducted Chibok girls if their current location is known, ...
The Nigerian army under President Muhammadu Buhari would immediately rescue the abducted Chibok girls if their current location is known, the presidency said on Monday.BringBackOurGirls, an advocacy group, recently asserted that the president has broken his promise to rescue over 200 girls kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents from Chibok government school, Borno state, in April 2014.The BBOG group had described Buharis handling of the matter as lackadaisical and unimpressive.Reacting to the assessment, Garba Shehu, senior special assistant on media and publicity to the president, urged the BBOG to consider the implications of its claim, saying it would be erroneous for anyone to think the girls are within an easy grasp.He also noted that the government is committed to bringing home the Chibok girls safe and sound.The President is conscious always about the fact that terrorism in Nigeria is part of a global phenomenon. Since coming to office, his response to it has been firm and well considered, Shehu said in a statement.President Buhari will never make bogus promises or play to the gallery. It is misleading of anyone to preach that the Chibok girls are within an easy grasp. If the military under the President knew where they are held, they will bring the Chibok girls home today.The Presidency is open to renewed cooperation with the BBOG group, international bodies, religious groups, social workers, and all others who are assisting in the field to ensure that those who have so far been rescued from Boko Haram captivity are given the support they need to make a full recovery and be reintegrated fully into the society.Groups such as the BBOG can also lend a helping hand to families whose losses need to be appreciated and focused upon. The life of every single Nigerian matters to this government and the security agencies, under the command of President Buhari, will continue to exert all its powers to ensure that every Nigerian is safe from the brutality of terrorists and terrorism.
For some three months now, Miss Nnedinso Onah has not been her usual boisterous self. Her not being lively is not because she is under the...
For some three months now, Miss Nnedinso Onah has not been her usual boisterous self. Her not being lively is not because she is under the weather. Illness is nowhere near her concerns.The worry of the 17-year-old is essentially because she has not been able to determine her university admission status this year.I cannot understand what is happening with regard to this years admission process. From March when I sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination till now, it has been a season of one complaint or another. From the challenge of the server at my examination centre, arbitrary award of marks to candidates, to the debate about the relevance of the post-UTME, it has been a feast of intrigues. As I speak, nobody is sure of the shape or the procedure for securing admission this year. The admission drama is still ongoing.My guardian is even more tired of the whole exercise. If universities are not calling for post-UTME, the Education Minister, Mr. Adamu Adamu, is demanding the scrapping of the exercise. In fact, we do not know who to believe any longer, Onah, who wants to study Law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, told our correspondent on Monday.The experience of the youngster is just a tip of the iceberg in terms of the confusion that has greeted this years admission exercise. No fewer than 1.5 million candidates that sat for this years UTME, their parents as well as their guardians are uncertain about the shape and nature of securing admission to the countrys tertiary institutions. If the challenge is not about the Computer-Based Test and the protests accompanying the exercise, it would be the scrapping of the post-UTME.Only on Monday, JAMB authorities denied that the point system (combination of UTME score with SSCE/WASCE results) on the boards website was going to be the criterion for admission to tertiary institutions.According to its Head, Media and Information, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the material currently in circulation is a mere illustration and so does not represent the admission formula for this year.The board, Benjamin noted, as in the past years, would continue to use merit, catchment area and educationally less-developed states to admit candidates to the nations tertiary institutions.Hitherto, the minister of education at a stakeholders meeting in Abuja recently also threw overboard the post-UTME, declaring that it was unnecessary for schools to subject candidates to another round of examination before admitting them.The minister also cancelled the payment of post-UTME fees and ordered institutions that had collected such dues to refund them to the candidates. But barely two weeks after this directive, the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, through its Secretary-General, Prof. Michael Faborode, urged candidates to pay N2,500 for the post-UTME.According to Faborode, stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Education, agreed on the sum as well as the continued screening of candidates after UTME.Appraising the development, Prof. Segun Ajiboye of the University of Ibadan, said the contradictions arising from this years admissions were ridiculous.The academic said, The 2016/2017 admission process by JAMB has turned to a comedy of failure. It is very glaring that both JAMB and the Ministry of Education are confused. If not, all the contradictions coming from the Federal Government on the 2016/2017 admissions are ridiculous.Ajiboye, who noted the Senate of each university had the power to regulate all academic matters, including admission, also faulted the point system of admission.Describing it as a time bomb, the academic explained that the combination of UTME score with SSCE/WASCE results would result in more miracle centres for both the UTME and SSCE results.He added, What JAMB and the Ministry of Education are trying to do is to usurp the power of the university Senate. The issue at stake borders on the autonomy of universities. This is not acceptable.Universities all over the world struggle to recruit best students. Consequently, Nigerian universities should have unfettered power to recruit their students without unnecessary interference from the Ministry of Education, nay JAMB. In fact, JAMB should be scrapped while there is the need to create a unit in the ministry to coordinate admission submissions from universities.A non-governmental group, the Education Rights Campaign, agrees with the UI lecturer. The ERC, which spoke through its Coordinator, Taiwo Hassan, said admission seekers in the country were in a dilemma.Hassan noted, The confusion the Federal Government and its agencies have unwittingly introduced into the admission process this year is completely unacceptable. Now admission seekers are in a quandary as no one can say for sure what the procedures are anymore. JAMBs denial of the point template, rather than being re-assuring, has only deepened the controversy. No one knows what is true or not anymore.Hassan, who also kicked against the N2,500 fee, said it was a subtle way the Federal Government was covering up its inadequate funding of the sector.He explained, What the government is trying to do is clear. The government recognises that universities and other academic institutions make up for their poor funding by exploiting admission seekers every year through the post-UTME. For a government that commits less than 10 per cent to education in this years budget, this is a source of extra revenue.Otherwise, there is no reason why a simple exercise of screening candidates documents should come at a price of N2, 500. I consider this a sanctioning of candidates exploitation and demand that the government must reverse this decision.Instead of trying to clean the rot in the sector by simply fiddling with policies that have failed to scratch beyond the surface, the government must take the bold step of attacking the root of the admission crisis by expanding the facilities of existing tertiary institutions while putting in place an emergency programme to establish more across the country.Also, an educationist, Mr. Sodunke Oladotun, blamed the admission crisis on what he called the Nigerian factor.Oladotun, who said that he led the protest against the conduct of this years UTME in Lagos, noted that JAMB was only trying to be more powerful.He said, The problem is the driver of the system, this time, JAMB. The intention of the board is to reintroduce the eligibility and the redistribution system, which stakeholders kicked against last year. From what the board is doing so far, it will become so powerful that only candidates posted to universities will get admission. And if candidates do not fall into the admission list even with their high scores, JAMB will have no option but to redistribute them to other universities. I advise that Nigerians should watch as things unfold.
The National leadership and the entire members of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have charged Christians to begin to defend themse...
The National leadership and the entire members of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have charged Christians to begin to defend themselves during mindless attacks on them.This directive was given in a statement issued by CAN while reacting to the alleged murder 42 year old Christian mother of seven children, Mrs. Eunice Elisha, who on Saturday 9th July, 2016, was brutally killed while doing Christian evangelism.According to the statement, CAN received with rude shock and disbelief the report of yet another religious hatred motivated gruesome murder of a dedicated 42 year old Christian mother of seven children, Mrs. Eunice Elisha, who on Saturday 9th July, 2016, was brutally killed while doing Christian evangelism.CAN in the statement signed by Rev. Dr. Musa Asake, General Secretary, recalled that Mrs. Eunice Elisha was murdered in Kubwa area of Abuja, FCT, in the early hours of the day. Her neck was slashed and she was also stabbed in the stomach. About a month ago in Kano, Mrs. Bridget Agbaheme, a 74 year old Christian was murdered at Wambai market due to an altercation with a Muslim man who came to the front of her shop to perform ablution. Her offence was that she objected to the Islamic washing rite in front of her shop.Just last week a clergyman of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) Reverend Zakariya was killed by attackers suspected to be Fulani Herdsmen in Obi LGA of Nasarawa state. They attacked him on his farm, cut off his arms and legs, then they chopped his head with a machete. Another fresh but sad news reaching us is that of the Fulani herdsmen militia that is back on rampage killing 81 people in multiple attacks in Logo and Ukum local government areas of Benue state in central Nigeria.In recent times, there have been multiple cases of attacks by Fulani herdsmen on various Christian communities, all over the nation. In the South East and in the South South zones, there have been gruesome attacks on IPOB members and on Christian communities in the Niger Delta. All these are in addition to the relentless attacks of Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen in the Middle Belt and southern Borno.The statement sympathized with the deceased famiy and others, saying, The Christian Association of Nigeria commiserates with the families affected by these mindless orgies of death and destruction as well as with the entire Christian community in Nigeria. We pray that God in His mercy shall comfort and strengthen the families of all the Nigerians affected in these unwarranted murders unleashed upon the nation by religious extremists.
All Progressives Congress , Edo State chapter has assured the people of the state that President Mohammadu Buhari does not believe in e...
All Progressives Congress , Edo State chapter has assured the people of the state that President Mohammadu Buhari does not believe in electoral fraud and will therefore not help anyone to rig election no matter his stake in the contest .Comrade Godwin Erhahon , State Publicity Secretary said Leaders of All Progressives Congress in Edo State should therefore humble themselves and work hard sincerely if they truly hope to win September 10, 2016 governorship election.The State Publicity Secretary of the Party gave the assurance in reaction to an appeal made to President Buhari by PDP leadership at a rally in Auchi that the President should allow level playing field for all parties.Comrade Erhahon therefore advised the gold-diggers in APC who are refusing to make peace with those they maliciously and viciously offended during the intrigues that proceeded the June 18, primaries, hoping ignorantly that incumbency factor at federal level would sail them through.As one who has been with President Buhari since the beginning of his political struggle in 2003, I can vouch for him that his anti-corruption fight is not hypocritical.He will never encourage electoral fraud nor push EFCC against anyone.Even as a popular but poor Presidential candidate of CPC in 2011, President Buhari rejected donations from some of his well-wishers whose source of income he didnt trust.Likewise, let no one think that the outcome of the forthcoming election will make or mar Chief John Odigie-Oyegun as National Chairman as it is now known to all that he is completely sidelined and snubbed in the entire process.There are signs already that the Binis who are his home community with about fithy-three percent of voters in the State may not allow him take part in the campaign for those who derive pressures in pulling down Benin leaders.The only solution is for President Buhari himself to intercede and pacify the people of the great Benin Kingdom before it is too late. The President should not expect mad men to heal themselves.
The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, on Tuesday tactically refused to comment on ...
The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, on Tuesday tactically refused to comment on the property allegedly acquired by the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur Buratai, in Dubai.
Buratai
The question about the propriety of Buratai, as a career public servant, to acquire property in foreign country has dominated public discussions in recent time, with the army chief claiming that he procured the asset through savings.Magu attended a workshop on corruption in Abuja on Tuesday, but was accosted while exiting the event venue by journalists, who sought to know what his agency was doing on Buratais case.The EFCC boss, who listened to the journalists questions, smiled and suddenly jumped into his car when a journalist asked what his agency was doing about the Buratai case. His driver sped off immediately.In his address at the workshop, Magu expressed discomfort about the attitude of lawyers, who he said constitute major impediment to what we are doing.He called for de-emphasis of human rights and other technicalities in dealing with corruption case.He warned lawyers against constituting themselves as stumbling block to the success of the ongoing effort to tame corruption in the society.The event was a workshop on anti-corruption, ethics of the legal profession and justice sector, organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC).Magu said: When I learnt about this event, I said let me rush to see these people, who have been causing a lot of impediment in the work that we are doing.And I said, let me come and beg you to please join us so that we can tackle corruption together in a better way. And it is to the betterment of our country. I want to appeal to you that we should play by the rules.We should de-emphasise the issue of human rights. Frankly speaking, what is important now is the interest of the nation. We should put the interest of the nation ahead of any other interest.
Ekiti State Government has described as trial and error the investigation being conducted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ...
Ekiti State Government has described as trial and error the investigation being conducted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).The government disclosed that officials of the EFCC stormed a popular Guest House on Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja today to seal off the property believing that Governor Fayose owned the Guest House only for the EFCC officials to be confronted with the fact that operator of the Guest House leased the property from its owner for ten years.In a statement signed by the Special Assistant the State Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, the government said it was only in Nigeria that anti-corruption agency will first arrest suspect first before looking for evidences to prosecute the suspect.The statement read; Today, the EFCC demonstrated that it has been lying against Governor Fayose and other Nigerians all along by the failed attempt it made to seal off a property located on Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja that is being used as Guest House just because the governor used to lodge there.It was at the point of sealing off the property that the owner of the Guest House told the EFCC officials that he only leased the property for ten years from its owner, a former Chief of Defence Staff, who was also a one-time Minister of Defence.The EFCC operatives moved to the next building to the Guest House, which is the residence of the retired army general and they were told by the generals wife that the building being used as Guest House as well the one next to it belonged to the general and not Governor Fayose.It is shocking that in its desperate bid to nail Governor Fayose so as to satisfy their paymasters, EFCC is going about claiming that properties owned by other law abiding Nigerians are owned by the governor and the result of this investigation by trial and error by the EFCC is the embarrassment it faced at Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja when its operatives went there to seal off a property belonging to a retired army general thinking that it belonged to the governor.That was the same way they told Nigerians that they discovered mansion in Asokoro, Abuja owned by the governor.Unknown to the EFCC, the mansion being referred to is a property rented by the Ekiti State Government and being used as Governors Lodge. While insisting that whatever properties owned by Governor Fayose were acquired thorough legitimate means, the government said like every other Nigerians, the governor reserved the rights to own properties and can also receive money from people to fund his election. Meantime, Governor Ayodele Fayose, has urged the people of the state to watch out for politically-instigated violence from the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). He appealed to the people of the state not to allow themselves to be drawn into needless battles by desperate politicians. He stated this in Ado-Ekiti while interacting with newsmen after inspecting some ongoing projects in the state capital.In a statement on Tuesday by the governors Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, the governor cited the unprovoked attacks on commercial motorcyclists and passers-by by APC members when they held a rally in the town last Thursday.When they saw that most people boycotted their rally and many only stood by to watch their display of ignorance, they resorted to attacking innocent people. Their aim is to draw my supporters out for fight and they did not succeed and they wont. We know their plans to even kill their own members and lay the blame on me and my party.When they were in government, Ekiti people saw how they shed innocent blood. No fewer than 12 people were killed, the last being Chief Omolafe Aderiye. They had their chance but they bungled it. Look at the huge sums of money that came to the state as allocations, excess crude oil money and yet they borrowed N31 billion commercial loans and took N25 billion bond from the capital market.Despite all these, they still had nothing to show for it. Their desperation to get me out of office is because they know that when we are able to complete all these projects, their shame will increase.They also know that by Gods grace, with me as the governor of Ekiti State, they cant win the 2018 governorship election in the state. If they are men enough, let them wait till 2018 and for all of us to test our popularity at the poll. They have written a lot of frivolous petitions and have failed.The people of the state are solidly behind our government. Despite the paucity of funds, our administration has been able to do a lot of projects and if we have the same resources that they had, we would have turned our state to an Eldorado.he said.
Thousands of residents of Ado-Ekiti and other communities in Ekiti State yesterday lined up for food items distributed by Minister of So...
Thousands of residents of Ado-Ekiti and other communities in Ekiti State yesterday lined up for food items distributed by Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dr. Kayode Fayemi, through the John Kayode Fayemi Leadership Centre.Among those who stormed the centre on Ajilosun Road in the state capital as early as 8.30 am for an event scheduled to start at 10 am, were civil servants, commercial motorcyclists, artisans, nursing mothers, youths, students and the physically-challenged.Despite the scorching sun, they waited until the distribution started at about 11.45am with representatives of interest groups coming out to collect items on behalf of their members.The items were given to individual members.Items distributed include bags of rice, sugar, salt, semovita, packets of noodles, spaghetti, macaroni and wheat, among others.Fayemi said he was deeply concerned by the hunger in Ekiti, hence the gesture to distribute the items to the people to identify with them in their time of need.Speaking through the director of the centre, Biodun Omoleye, Fayemi advised civil servants and other residents to embrace farming to tackle hunger and boost food security.The former governor said the motivation behind the gesture was to assist indigent citizens and not to score a political point.Fayemi, who promised that the scheme would be regular, urged endowed indigenes and groups to assist the less-privileged.He said: We are disturbed by the turn of events in our state where many of our citizens have nothing to eat and many go to bed hungry. We are carrying out this exercise to alleviate the hunger crisis in the land and offer our people a stop-gap approach to give them relief.The wind of hunger blowing in Ekiti is unpleasant. It seems hunger is gradually taking over the land and that is why we that are privileged must continue to identify with the poor. This has no political, ethnic or political colouration, but just a means of helping the needy.Taking cognisance of what is happening in Ekiti when we are reading in the newspapers that some civil servants are stealing food on fire, our people must embrace farming as a way of life. Food production remains the best for now and nothing more.We must rise up to save our state and the future of our children. Some cant be living in opulence when some could not afford one square meal a day.This welfare programme is going to be a continuous one and we shall do it in a way that it would have positive impact on the lives of our people at the community, ward and local government level.He added that the centre also plans to carry out leadership training for unemployed youths and more empowerment programmes will be rolled out for artisans and other interest groups.Calling on Nigerians to key into programmes of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, Fayemi stressed that the change promised by the APC-led government was real as things would be done differently to the benefit of the masses.The minister added that Nigeria is in the era of change under a focused and purposeful leadership, advising that people must key into the programmes of the Federal Government by learning how to do things in different ways.
Federal Ministry of Health would on Sunday commence the provision of free surgery to 10,000 poor and needy Nigerians who are registered ...
Federal Ministry of Health would on Sunday commence the provision of free surgery to 10,000 poor and needy Nigerians who are registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme.There would also be free breast and cervical cancer tests to 18,000 Nigerians and free diabetes and hypertension tests for 500,000 Nigerians. The Programme which is embedded under the Federal Government health intervention programme would be available in 46 health facilities across the country.This was even as President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja directed the Federal Ministries of Health, and Information and Culture, to reinvigorate its strategies in conjunction with State governments, to ensure that Nigeria is finally certified polio free by 2017.
The meeting between the federal government and oil workers unions in Abuja on Monday ended in deadlock and will continue on Tuesday.
The meeting between the federal government and oil workers unions in Abuja on Monday ended in deadlock and will continue on Tuesday.The unions are the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the National Union of Petroleum Natural Gas Workers( NUPENG).Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for petroleum resources, said the meeting was moved to Tuesday due to the absence of officials of some international and local oil companies(IOC).Kachikwu said the meetings were collaborative and frank, adding that all the necessary issues were handled and conclusions were reached.He, however, said that one issue could not be addressed at the meeting, hence the decision to conclude deliberations on that issue on Tuesday.Commenting on bad roads leading to the refineries, which was one one of the issues, he said they intend to undertake the repairs of the roads in conjunction with the ministry of power, works and housing.Also, Chris Ngige, minister of labour and productivity, said that the meeting was adjourned till Tuesday due to the absence of IOCs.Ngige said IOCs absence made it impossible to discuss the issue of unfair labour practices which the labour officials claimed was prevalent in the industry.He also said the federal government made efforts to provide the workers with information on the various issues that needed clarifications.The issues, he said, included joint venture cash calls, collective bargaining agreement in their condition of services, issues of emoluments and the Petroleum Industry Bill, (PIB).He said that one major items of contention was the issue of Joint Venture cash Calls, which had reduced investment and forced the companies to close down and lay off workers.The meeting will continue tomorrow to deliberate on the issue of unfair labour practices in the petroleum sector, he said.The meeting will include officials of IOC, and indigenous oil companies which were accused of laying off workers without going through the normal redundancy clause in the Labour laws.The meeting was not inconclusive. What we discussed at the Monday meeting was in our time table, because we could not discuss everything in one day.Why we did not conclude it today is because the IOCs are not here. We did not invite them today.He expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the meeting so far, and said that the oil workers were expected to meet with their various National Executive Committees, where the discontinuation of the strike mighty be announced.Responding, Olabode Johnson, president of PENGASSAN, said the meeting ended in deadlockWe did not adjourn the meeting because the meeting was deadlocked, we had to push it forward to tomorrow because we wanted to fine-tune the areas of discussion, he saidThe issues we discussed included the need to curb the anti-labour practices in the sector and the payment of cash calls and the way going forward.We also discussed the rehabilitation of the roads that lead to the Warri refinery as well as that of the Mosimi. We also deliberated on the PIB and the need for government to move quickly to ensure its passage.He commended the federal government for the high-powered delegation it sent to the meeting.Maikanti Baru, the group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was present at the meeting.Also present were officials of NUPENG and PENGASSAN, Ita Enang, the senior special assistant to the president on national assembly matters, representative of the minister of power, works and housing, and representative of the attorney general of the federation.
Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, drove fear into kidnappers, cultists and other gangsters in the state recently when he personally...
Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, drove fear into kidnappers, cultists and other gangsters in the state recently when he personally led security chiefs to demolish their identified hideouts in Port Harcourt and Obio Akpor local government areas.Within one week, he supervised the demolition of several properties belonging to the criminals and confiscated their landed property, vowing to erect public facilities on them.He stood by as bulldozers leveled the structures. The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Folunso Adebanjo and men from other security agencies were with him.Governor Wike said the exercise would continue until the entire state was clean of cells operated by the miscreants.At Eagle Highland where two hideaways were located, he said government would build police station on one and health centre on the other.The governor commended security operatives in the state for their doggedness battle to rid the state of hoodlums, adding that communities and other stakeholders should volunteer timely information to security operatives to enable them succeed. His words, The Rivers State Government has taken over the criminal hideout of these arrested cultists.After the ongoing demolition of their hideouts, we will build a police station and mini barracks in this location. We have also taken over the home of the kingpin that we have also demolished. This is to let members of the public know that this administration is serious. We will not allow anyone to cause insecurity in this state. We will chase criminals to their hideout and reduce crime.Meantime, Governor Wike has said his government was ready to grant amnesty to kidnappers that show remorse and quit crime.Cultism, kidnapping have been a twin security challenge in the state. Shortly after assuming office, May 29, 2015, the governor identified the menace and set in motion plans to tackle it.Precisely on August 7, he signed into law an amendment on the Rivers state Anti-kidnapping law passed by the Rivers state House of Assembly. Under the new Rivers State Kidnap (Prohibition) Amendment Law, 2015, kidnappers are to forfeit proceeds of their kidnapping, whether in the form of assets and otherwise, to the state government.While signing the amendment into law at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Wike expressed hope that it would discourage kidnapping and related crimes.
In an interview with newsmen, Jerry Rawlings, former Ghanaian military leader, said he received $2 million from late Gen Sani Abacha.
In an interview with newsmen, Jerry Rawlings, former Ghanaian military leader, said he received $2 million from late Gen Sani Abacha.He said Ghana which was preparing for constitutional rule needed funds for some activities and got contributions from a few places.He said although he had not requested the money from Abacha, he was impressed that the Nigerian leader deemed it fit to send it to him.Rawlings said later when Abacha died in 1998, Nigeria conducted an investigation into his assets and the man who was sent to bring him the money claimed that it was $5 million he brought.I read in one of your newspapers that Mr Gwarzo, this fine gentleman, allegedly said that he brought me 5million dollars. I am glad I still have that suitcase. It shocked me a bit that such a fine respectable man could make such a claim. The amount he mentioned shocked me. That he could tell such a lie.When General Abubakar took over, I told him to watch out. That that report in the papers about $5million was $2million and not $5million. He didnt make any comment. He didnt say anything. Obasanjo took over I thought I should straighten it out with him. The comment he made was: Yes, that is how they behave. When they are given something to take somewhere, they will take the majority, the bigger share. That was the comment Obasanjo made, he said.
The leadership tussle over the stool of the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church in Nigeria, between Professor Paul Em...
The leadership tussle over the stool of the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church in Nigeria, between Professor Paul Emeka and Dr. Chidi, exploded into violence in one of its branches in Saminaka, Lere Local Government Area, Kaduna State, about 140 kilometres east of Kaduna metropolis.The fight left 20 members with injuries and two homes of resident pastors burnt. A source from the Assemblies of God Church (Jerusalem), Saminaka, told revealed in Kaduna that the fight started from 8a.m. and lasted till 2p.m. Sunday, which was later confirmed by Kaduna State Police Command.It could be recalled that on September 15, 2015, Governor Nasir el-Rufai had ordered the closure of the church including the Theological Seminary of Northern Nigeria, Saminaka, Shalom Comprehensive College, AGC Evangelist Hospital, Saminaka, saying it was to avoid a possible breakdown of law and order, as the two factions squabbled.According to the source, a minority faction of the church sneaked into the premises on Saturday evening and slept overnight. The source said: We came to worship around 8a.m. Not knowing that the other faction had prepared for war. We came into the premises and secured the gates. As soon as we had settled for the Church proceedings, about 20 members of the other faction appeared.They were armed with knives, daggers, clubs, iron rods and other weapons. To our surprise, Police, Army, Civil Defense personnel arrived the premises of the church almost the same time members of the other faction emerged. The Divisional Police Officer of Saminaka, who has just been posted here, seemed in charge of the security men around. He told us to come out of the church and leave the premises.We said we would only do so if the armed faction, which was then hauling stones at us, also left. In no time, they attacked us, injuring many of us. Since we were not armed, we had to find ways to escape. The most frightening thing was that the stones they were throwing were also falling into Hausa Muslims homes. If these people had reacted, I dont know what Saminaka would have been today. The Muslims came out and were laughing at us. It is such a disgrace.To our surprise, the police and the rest did nothing to stop them. After inflicting injuries on us, they went to the homes of our two resident pastors and set them ablaze. When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer for Kaduna State Police Command, ASP Aliyu Usman, in a text message to newsmen yesterday, said: I have confirmed the story.The case between the two factions is already in court, while the DPO attached to Saminaka Division has controlled the situation and also made arrests of the hoodlums. The area is calm and proactive measures are been placed to prevent further escalation of the crisis.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has remitted N70 billon into the Federation Account in the last one year. This is in ad...
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has remitted N70 billon into the Federation Account in the last one year.This is in addition to the N30 billion paid by MTN Nigeria as a part payment of the N330billion fine slammed on it by the commission.Mr Yakubu Musa, Special Assistant on Media to the chief executive of the commission, stated this in a statement in Abuja yesterday.It also said the NCC won the European Award for Best Practices 2016. The ceremony, which held in Brussels, Belgium, was hosted by the European Society for Quality Research (ESQR), an affiliate of the European Union (EU).The statement added that no fewer than 63 countries participated in the award out of which the NCC won the European Award for Best Practices 2016.It said that the award, which was in the Gold category, was in recognition of its outstanding commitment, support and results in quality management strategies.It said Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice-Chairman of the commission, will address a Retreat on Revenue Generation scheduled to hold from July 13 to 15 in Kano State.Danbatta, a Professor of Telecommunications Engineering, is also expected to share NCCs experience with the participants.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday directed the Federal Ministries of Health and Information to reinvigorate strategies in concert wi...
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday directed the Federal Ministries of Health and Information to reinvigorate strategies in concert with state governments, to ensure that Nigeria is finally certified polio free by 2017.He gave the directive while receiving the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti at the State House, Abuja.He also said international partnerships were needed to sustain Nigerias polio-free status.Buhari, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said: We have not recorded any case of polio in the last two years but we should not be complacent.The breakdown of law and order in the Northeast has posed challenges to regular immunization. The condition of children in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps around the country is very pathetic.But I know that the Federal and state governments in partnership with international organizations and NGOs are doing so much to provide healthcare, rebuild infrastructure and facilitate voluntary return of displaced persons to their communities.The President told the visiting WHO envoy, who was accompanied by Nigerias Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole and the Minister of State, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, that his administration would continue to accord priority to healthcare through regular funding of public health related programmes.Under the federal government health intervention programme, the Federal Ministry of Health will provide free surgery to 10,000 poor and needy Nigerians who are registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).The programme, which will commence on July 18, in 46 health facilities across the country, will also extend free breast and cervical cancer tests to 18,000 Nigerians and free diabetes and hypertension tests for 500,000 Nigerians.In her remarks, Dr. Moeti commended the federal governments health programme and pledged continued support of the organization on health development in Nigeria.
The Nigeria Referees Association (NRA) have again threatened to boycott Nigeria league matches after what they described as renewed attacks on their members.In a statement by NRA president Tade Azeez, the referees confirmed the attack on the referee for Sundays league match between hosts Warri Wolves and Wikki, which ended in a 1-1 draw.The attack on referees has surprisingly continued with Sundays attack on the referee who handled the Warri Wolves vs Wikki Tourists match, the statement read in part.The NRA has considered it necessary to boycott all matches involving any team referees are either harassed or physically assaulted by them and their supporters.
A popular Nollywood actor, Emeka Ike has informed a Lagos Island Customary Court that he had filed an application before a High Court re...
A popular Nollywood actor, Emeka Ike has informed a Lagos Island Customary Court that he had filed an application before a High Court restraining the lower court from hearing the divorce suit filed by his estranged wife, Emma.Emma had sometime in 2015 approached the court to dissolve the 16 years union between her and the Nollywood actor on grounds of incessant battery.The allegation which the actor had vehemently denied, and begged the court not to separate them, saying I still love my wife.When the matter which was slated for judgment came up on Tuesday, Emekas lawyer, Mr Abdul Labi-Lawal informed the court that his client had filed a stay of proceedings before a High Court in Lagos.The application marked FCMP/20054/16 had Emma and the Customary Court President, Mr Awos Awosola as the first and second defendants respectively.The application sought the High Courts declaration that the Lagos Island Customary Court lacked requisite jurisdiction to entertain and determine the Ikes divorce suit.The application noted that the marriage between the estranged couple was conducted in Enugu State under the Igbo customs and traditions.Emeka also urged the High Court to declare that all the proceedings already conducted by the Customary Court in respect of couples marriage be rendered null and void.The Nollywood actor also applied for a perpetual injunction restraining the Customary Courts President, Awosola, and any other person appointed in the capacity of entertaining and or continuing the proceedings in respect of the couples divorce suit.Labi-lawal, therefore, urged the court to stay proceedings on the suit pending the hearing and determination of the suit at the High Court.Opposing the application, Emmas lawyer, Mr Iheanyi Awa urged the court to discontinue the stay of application and deliver judgment.Awa, who said Emekas application was aimed at arresting the courts judgment, informed the court that neither his client nor himself had been served with the application.It is an attempt to arrest the judgment of the court, I am aware that the respondent wants to arrest the judgment which is to be delivered today.The stay of proceedings has been decided for a long time and court has ruled that it has jurisdiction to entertain the matter.It is a ploy to frustrate my client, they just want to delay the judgment till another day.The court should give its judgment and if they are not satisfied, they can appeal, he said.After listening to the submissions of both parties, the court said; In view of the submission of the respondent, the stay of proceedings is hereby granted, and the matter is hereby adjourned sine die.
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye has expressed his grief and sadness over the gruesome m...
RCCG G.O Pastor Adeboye visits the Olawale's (Photo: @PastorEAAdeboye)
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye has expressed his grief and sadness over the gruesome murder of Mrs. Mojisola Olawale who was killed last Saturdeay in Abuja while making early call to salvation.Adeboye made this known in a statement issued yesterday by The RCCG Public Relation Department of the Redemption Camp to The Nation, said that the church is appalled and in grief on the sad incident of the gruesome murder of our sister, daughter and minister, Mojisola Elisha Olawale, in the early hours of Saturday the 9th of July 2016 while making early morning call to salvation.He said we are indeed in a mournful in RCCG, as sweet as heaven is, death of our youths is not what we wish for. To this effect our pastor, Pastor Elisha Olawale and their seven Children were paid a condolences visit on Sunday 10th, July by Our mother- in Israel, Pastor Mrs. Folu Adeboye and Pastor Emmanuel Ibitayo of Region10, Abuja and after the Divine encounter which held at the national stadium in Abuja with over 47000 plus persons in attendance ending at around 8pm on 11th of July 2016.The General Overseer Pastor E.A. Adeboye as early as 5am on 12th of July paid a condolences visit to the full time pastor and his familyHe prayed that there would be no more death in that region, for progress in the family and salvation of souls for the perpetrators.RCCG shall not cease to pray that God will end bloodshed in Nigeria and all over the world. The church sympathizes with the widower, and prays The Lord will restore joy to the Olawale family and intervene speedily to make the innocent safe (Amen)
Renowned economist and former presidential candidate, Professor Pat Utomi, on Monday asserted that the reckless spending of Nigerias reso...
Renowned economist and former presidential candidate, Professor Pat Utomi, on Monday asserted that the reckless spending of Nigerias resources was responsible for the countrys current economic problems.Speaking during a programme organised by a group of youths under the aegis of YALI Network at the United State Consulate in the Victoria Island, Lagos, Utomi stressed that true leadership required shaping cultures and initiating the right values.Utomi said, What has happened in Nigeria in the last four years has prevented the economy from growing due to foolish choices. Look at the excuse we are giving about the drop in oil price. Do you know what oil prices were when former President Olusegun Obasanjo came to power? We have learnt to spend recklessly without saving; they bought private jets and some people were stupid enough to buy three to show who they were.Leaders are not people who tar roads. Any moron can sign a cheque and ask Julius Berger to tar roads. Leadership is about shaping culture so that there is human progress. The kind of value you have as a country determines (your) economic performance. It is the leaders that will initiate those values.Everything in our country is reduced to politics. The biggest danger to Nigeria is the overrating of politics and government. I can actually prove with case studies that the government is more responsible for preventing progress in Nigeria than for making it happen. This is not because these men hate Nigeria.A man cannot give what he doesnt have. They are working hard for the good of this country but systematically preventing good from taking place because of their limitations.
The Senate Tuesday threatened to invoke necessary legislative powers including arrest warrant to drag the Attorney General and Minister ...
The Senate Tuesday threatened to invoke necessary legislative powers including arrest warrant to drag the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Ababukar Malami, to appear before it.The resolution followed explanation by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator David Umaru, on the circumstances surrounding the failure of Malami to honour the invitation of his committee.Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, said that the Senate would be guided by Constitutional provisions to deal with the AGF if he failed once again to honour the invitation of the upper chamber.Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution attached to the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla, had told the committee that it lacked the power to summon Malami since the AGF was not an appointee of the Senate.Obono-Obla who represented the AGF at a sitting of the committee insisted before he was walked out of the meeting that Malami did not commit any offence by dragging Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu to court over alleged forgery of Senate standing rule.Umaru who came under personal explanation said: The resolution of the Senate was for the committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to invite the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to appear before it and explain the reason behind attempts to prefer charges against the principal officers of this hallowed chamber.In line with the directive, we invited the Honourable Attorney General, first on the 23rd of June and on that date he did not appear but a letter was received by our committee to the effect that he needed more time to articulate its position and that he was out of the country.The committee obliged him, we scheduled another meeting for the 30th of June, on that day, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice did not appear before the committee.However, somebody who claimed to be Mr. Oblar appeared to say that he was appearing on behalf of the minister.The committee therefore told him that he was not an invitee and that we will not attend to him and we asked him to leave.I have being informed by Senator Ita Enag (Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters) and I have received lots of attempts to reach me by the Hon. Attorney General. Senator Ita Enag have informed me that the Attorney General regrets his inability to respond to our petition and that he requests time to appear before us.I think it is important for the distinguished colleagues to be informed about this development and for us to request for more time to give him the opportunity to appear since he has indicated his willingness to appear before the committee.Saraki who did not allow debate of the matter said insisted that the AGF must appear before the committee in line with the resolution of the Senate.He noted that failure to comply with the resolution of the Senate to appear before the committee necessary constitutional steps would be taken to enforce Senate resolution.The Senate President noted that they would have no choice than to follow strictly what he Constitution dictates if the AGF failed to honour the Senate.Saraki said, We all heard the explanation of the chairman Judiciary. What he is trying to get across to us here is to tell us the status of the situation because what we have been reading in the papers was of great concern where the number one judicial officer of the country will be the one that will be flouting the Constitution.Section 89 (c) of the Constitution is very clear. But it appears from what you are saying that the Attorney General is requesting for one more chance to be given to appear before you.The Senate is always in the progress of development; as such we will do that and ensure that he does come this time.Otherwise, we will have no choice than to follow the constitution strictly.So, you will report back to us before the end of the week to let us know the status of that situation.If that does not happen, we will go ahead and go in line with the Constitution very clearly.
Students of Kogi State origin in tertiary institutions, have appealed to lecturers in Kogi State University, Ayangba, to call off their ...
Students of Kogi State origin in tertiary institutions, have appealed to lecturers in Kogi State University, Ayangba, to call off their three months old strike. The students, under the aegis of National Association of Kogi State Students (NAKOSS), made the appeal on Tuesday in Lokoja during a press conference.The President of NAKOSS, Mr Ahamadu Ibrahim, told newsmen that students and parents had been at the receiving end of the lecturers action, saying it was time they have a rethink.We are tired of staying at home. Since Gov. Yahaya Bello had already met 80 per cent of their demands, the lecturers should call off the strike to pave a way for the remaining unresolved matters to be thrashed through round table discussion, Ibrahim pleaded He urged the lecturers to be mindful of the negative implications of the continued closure of the institution, saying that the future of the state and its citizens was at stake.The NAKOSS President commended Gov. Bellos administration for its efforts to take education out of the woods and pleaded with stakeholders in the sector to cooperate and support the government. He chided the national secretariat of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) for issuing ultimatum to Kogi government over the strike by the lecturers in KSU.Two wrongs will never make a right. NAKOSS dissociates itself from the position of NANS. We believe that Gov. Yahaya Bello should rather be commended for his efforts at reaching out to the lecturers to prevail on them to suspend the strike, Ibrahim said./
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday called for deeper understanding of the current restructuring debate in the country. He also th...
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday called for deeper understanding of the current restructuring debate in the country.He also threw his weight behind the idea of state police in the country.A statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, said there was need for clarification following media reports that the vice president was opposed to restructuring.According to the statement, there have been different interpretations, meanings and purposes attached to the restructuring debate.The statement said Osinbajo wholly supports the idea of having state police across the country as articulated in the All Progress Congress (APC)s Roadmap to a New Nigeria.It reads: it was important Nigerians understand that the issue of restructuring should run deeper than some of the superficial and surface value focus.Some of the issues involved include notions or views calling for a return to regionalism, fiscal federalism, devolution of power and state police, among others.Different interests are taking different approaches and at times this confuses the debate and reduces it to mere political rhetorics.Restructuring debate should do deeper than what we see on newspaper headlines and we need to understand all the angles to it. What do people mean when we talk about restructuring? Some focus on regionalism, some focus on the fiscal part, allocation of more resources, devolution of power and state police. It is important we understand which part we are talking about at any given time.In recent times, we do not have much resources that we used to have from oil and taxes and what we need to get the states to be more vibrant is to diversify the economy.Noting that the constitution recognises a Federal System of government, the statement said the federal government is truly committed to true federalism.It said the federal government is giving much attention to fighting corruption and ensuring effective governance at all levels as it is far more important than some of the political rhetorics and superficial arguments going on around restructuring.On the Presidents decision to put the 2014 Confab report in the archives, the statement said with or without any Confab resolution, the Buhari-led government is more concerned with the overall well-being of the people, delivering results and bringing governance closer to Nigerians.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the weekend urged Nigerians to embrace technology as a vital key to development. He was delivering the ...
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the weekend urged Nigerians to embrace technology as a vital key to development.He was delivering the second Foundation Lecture of the Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State: The Future is Here Earlier Than We Thought.The Vice President noted that understanding the way technology works and thinking out of the box is the way to go.He said greatness and development can only be achieved through critical thinking and innovative ideas.In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, Osinbajo said: Whatever you choose to do, be technology savvy and understand its best uses in your chosen discipline.Osinbajo listed major and global advancements attained through technology and innovative ideas.Noting that people can no longer be, for instance, an economist, accountant, graduate of International Relations, Mass Communication or Performing Arts, he said they must create a network of peers where participants interact and share in the value creation. Multi-skilling is crucial today.You must learn to be a versatile operator not a mono-skilled graduateeveryone has a right to be rich, age is not a barrier.He noted that the old way of doing things are gone with the advances of technology.Recognising the central role innovation and technology play in the national economic growth plan, he said the Federal Government provided extensively for technology and innovation in the budget.This year, we are establishing technology hubs across the country. Two super hubs in Abuja and Lagos and six regional hubs in the six geopolitical zones. In partnership with several technology companies, the hubs will be fully resourced with infrastructure and capacity building,he said.He said the Federal Government will also train a pool of 100,000 software developers, hardware service professionals, animators, graphic artists, building services professionals, artisans and others.The government, he said, further launched a special presidential initiative on technology and start-ups and that 50 of the most innovative technology start-ups would soon be invited to the Presidential Villa to meet with major technology and innovation companies as well as to collaborate with the Federal Government.During the question-and-answer session, Osinbajo said: We are not earning enough from oil and taxes anymore, the nation is blessed, every state can feed itself and also export if we engage in agriculture,On restructuring, he said calling for restructuring of the country simply because the Federal Government controls a bigger portion of resources may not be helpful or make a difference.He said: Even if states are given half of the resources of the Federal Government, the situation will not change, the only change is to diversify the economy.While in Ilara-Mokin, the Vice President visited Oba A. A. Adefehinti, the Alara of Ilara-Mokin.He inaugurated a Divisional Police Station in the town.
Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, has urged people of the state to reflect and pray, following the death of eight students of Eki...
Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, has urged people of the state to reflect and pray, following the death of eight students of Ekiti state university in an auto crash on Monday night.The accident occurred along the EKSU/Iworoko Road, when the Lexus saloon car bearing the students collided with an oncoming bus.After visiting some of the survivors at the Ekiti state university teaching hospital, Fayose described the accident as unfortunate and one too many.He called on people of the state to pray for Gods mercy and intervention in consoling families and friends of the victims.I sympathise with them; its unfortunate, its not a good news, it is one too many. We are saddened but we have to take solace in God, he said.Reckless driving and over-speeding has cost us eight lives and some others in intensive care unit. I just want to commit them into the hands of God because there is nothing to say for now rather than to pray that God should intervene and console the families and the people of Ekiti.
The Cross River State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has called for the impeachment of the State Governor, Ben Ayade over ...
The Cross River State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has called for the impeachment of the State Governor, Ben Ayade over alleged breach of constitutional matters.Chairman of the state chapter of the party, Mr John Ochala in a press briefing in Calabar, the state capital gave reasons why Ayade should be impeached.According to Ochala, the state governor among many other reasons, stayed away from the state longer than what the constitution prescribed without handing over to his deputy.Ochala said, If the House of Assembly do not find any area for which to indict and consequently impeach Ayade, we wish to point to them that the governor has consistently stayed out of the state for a period longer than what the constitution prescribes, without duly transmitting the reins of governance to his deputy as prescribed by the relevant statutes.Also, he has acted contrary to the provisions laid out in the second schedule of the constitution by attempting to, among others, create a police force in the guise of Green Police, Homeland Security which are in the exclusive preserve of the Federal Government.
The Federal Ministry of Education on Monday sent a strong-worded statement to Nigerian universities, warning them that only the Joint Admi...
The Federal Ministry of Education on Monday sent a strong-worded statement to Nigerian universities, warning them that only the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) can admit students.The Director, Press and Public Relations, in the ministry, Mr. Ben Goong, stated that any institution that acted against the directive would have itself to blame.He denied media reports that the earlier decision to cancel post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) was upturned.The ministry insisted that universities had no business admitting candidates other than those sent to it by JAMB but could screen candidates to remove those with anti-social traits and suspicious credentials.The federal government said while the ban on post-UTME stayed, screening was only for those admitted by JAMB and limited to examination of credentials and physical examination of candidates to ensure that they are not of questionable characters.All these should be done upon resumption. No university is allowed to have anything to do with any applicant who is not its student. Screening and registration are only for those who have been admitted by JAMB, the ministry stressed.
Khan alleges that the CPM government was intervening in varsities matters to appoint close associates of its ministers or their aides, especially as professors and vice-chancellors, flouting all UGC norms.
WASHINGTON (AP) The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has issued a subpoena to Donald Trump. The nine-member panel sent a letter to the former president's lawyers on Friday, demanding his testimony under oath by mid-November and outlining a series of corresponding documents. The decision by lawmakers to exercise their subpoena power comes a week after the committee made its final case against the former president, who they say is the "central cause" of the multi-part effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. It remains unclear how Trump and his legal team will respond to the subpoena, if at all.
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UPDATE: The drowning victim has been identified as 20-year-old Samson Charles of Tanzania. His birthday is July 17, 1996. The search is still in progress.
By JOB VIGIL
The search for an apparent drowning victim is continuing in a sand pit near the North Platte River.
The sand pit is located along the west edge of the North Platte River about 200 yards northwest of the Highway 30 bridge east of North Platte.
A kayak carrying a 20-year-old man capsized about 7:20 p.m. Monday in the sand pit owned by Western Engineering, officials said.
"There were three individuals kayaking down the river," said Lincoln County Sheriff Jerome Kramer. "The river goes past this pit, but theres also a turn into the pit, and its easy to get caught in that current and be pulled into here. Due to that current and trying to get back out of here, the victims kayak capsized."
Kramer said there is "really no warning that youve gone from 2 feet of water to 50-80 feet of water. So nobody realized they were in that depth of water until it was too late."
Law enforcement will meet with the Army Corps of Engineers at 2 p.m. Tuesday afternoon to get permission to close off the flow of water out of the sand pit, Kramer said.
"Nebraska Game and Parks is still trying to locate any possible object with the sonar equipment, but its being hindered by all the debris," Kramer said. "We need to stop the flow into this pit. The water is flowing in from the north and out the south end of the pit. Once we get permission from the Army Corps of Engineers to block off this south end and stop the flow of water, we can clear the water up and then hopefully get a better picture."
He said that it will be safer for the divers to go down at that point.
Look for updates on the Telegraph website, Facebook and Twitter accounts.
He doesn't particularly care if he lifts the 2016 Holden State of Origin shield to an empty stadium but Queensland captain Cameron Smith believes Blues players deserve a full house to watch them do battle on Wednesday night.
More than 80,000 fans turned out to ANZ Stadium to see Queensland win a tense battle 6-4 in Game One but estimates on Monday afternoon were for a crowd between 50,000 and 60,000 to what is essentially a dead rubber.
When Smith made his Origin debut in Game Three of the 2003 series that had already been won by New South Wales more than 52,000 Queenslanders packed into Suncorp Stadium and their reward was a 36-6 demolition that gave a portent of better days ahead.
With James Tedesco and Wade Graham taking the number of Blues debutants to eight this series a changing of the guard is happening south of the border and with captain Paul Gallen playing his 24th and final game for his state Smith said they deserve near enough to a full house.
"I'd be more disappointed if I was wearing a Blues jersey to be honest," Smith said of the predicted crowd figure.
"I played my first game at Suncorp at 2-0 and I think it was a full house so I'd hope to think we can get a few more in there come Wednesday night.
"The series is finished but they lost the first game by two, they were right in it up until the end of Game Two in Brisbane so the series hasn't been dominated by our team.
"We've been good enough to win the two games but get out and support your team, they're a quality team the Blues and they've got some wonderful young players coming through now."
Draw Widget - Round 1 - Blues vs Maroons
Although Gallen has been a polarising figure north of the border and pilloried for having the poor fortune of playing his entire Origin career opposite one of the greatest rugby league teams ever assembled, even long-time adversary Johnathan Thurston said that the Blues skipper deserved a significant send off from his home crowd.
"It'd be a shame if their captain runs out to 60,000 people," Thurston said.
"He's played over 20 Origin games for them; that would be sad I would have thought."
Smith conceded the Maroons camp for Game Three has been more relaxed given the series win is already secure, but is conscious of not letting the new Blues blood settle into long and fruitful Origin careers.
"They've opted to bring in a couple of new players for this game and they're obviously looking slightly towards next year as well. We can't afford to go down there and not be ready," said Smith.
"We can't afford to not put in a good performance because that can give them a bit of self belief back and a bit of momentum going into next series.
"There's a little bit of pressure on the Blues because who wants to lose 3-0, particularly at home? To lose two games at home wouldn't be a nice feeling and their captain's playing his last game so they want to send him out a winner.
"There is a little bit of pressure on those guys but at the same time but I don't think they'll be feeling it as much as they were in game one and two."
Regardless of the result it will be Smith who lifts the shield at the post-match ceremony.
Lifting shields above his head since he was an 11-year-old leading Logan Brothers to a President's Flag win over Marsden Mustangs at Greenbank, Smith said raising the Origin shield for a fifth time would be one of the greatest honours of his career.
"There's no doubt it's an honour to captain the team firstly but to be able to lift the shield is a wonderful feeling, no matter what venue or state I'm in," Smith said.
"There might not be many Queenslanders at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday but there will be plenty watching back home watching that ceremony happen.
"It's a special moment and moments I've spent as a child myself at home in my lounge room watching all of the great captains of Queensland do so to have that opportunity to do that is quite an honour."
Several years ago I took at cooking class taught by Werner Moser, owner and Chef de Cuisine of Mosers Austrian Cafe in New Carlisle, Indiana.
Moser, who is from Bad Hofgastein, a small village in the Austrian Alps, learned to cook at his parents bed and breakfast. For the class, he made several of the dishes he serves at his restaurant.
It was all very good and Moser was very personable, and I thought, "I need to get down there."
Now, New Carlisle is about 40 minutes away from where I live, so youd think in the last 24 months or so, I could have made the trip. After all, in that time frame Ive been a lot of places including Mexico several times, Phoenix more than several times and Europe.
But hey, I finally did get down there this last week. Its an easy drive and New Carlisle is a very cute little town with a lot of historic buildings including the grand and ornate Old Republic, an 1860 Italianate, which stands on a rise right where you curve on to the main street, that now is a local history museum.
Mosers Austrian Cafe is located on a corner in the downtown (right next door is the Carlisle Coffee & Sweets, a gelato and candy store where I spent way too much money) that dates back to around 1885. Because the weather was nice, we sat outside and Moser happened to show up right when we were deciding what to order and gave some suggestions as what we might like. Which was a big help as the menu is very extensiveI counted 13 different types of schnitzel dishes as well as goulash, sauerbraten, dumplings, sausages and other Germanic/Austrian fare. For those who like more American food, theres also a nice selection.
The decor is very Austrian Alps as one might expect and I guess some weekends they have Alphorn performancesthose are the wooden Alpine horns with very long necks (some stretch to 8-feet) that curve at the end into a bell shape that you ofte! n see in travel photos of both Austria and Switzerland.
The Austrian phrase Guten Appetit translates into eat well and enjoy your meal and was certainly appropriate as the food was very good. Now I just need to get down there again before another two years passes.
The cafe is located at 201 E. Michigan. For more information: 574-654-0086 or mosersaustriancafe.com
The following recipes are courtesy of Chef Werner Moser and are from his Summer in Salzburg cooking class.
Chilled Tomato Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2.25 pounds ripe tomatoes, quartered
2 cloves garlic, chopped
5 sprigs fresh thyme
5 sprigs fresh marjoram
1 bay leaf
Water, vegetable or chicken stock (or 2-3 vegetable bouillon cubes that have been dissolved in water (the amount varies based on consistency of soup you prefer)
3 tablespoons sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
Heat olive oil over medium high! heat and add onion and carrot. Cook until onions are translucent and carrots are just soft.
Add tomatoes, garlic, and herbs.
Add appropriate amount of liquid to achieve desired consistency, lower heat, and allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf and strain soup.
Stir in sour cream and allow to chill in the refrigerator. Puree with immersion blender until a creamy consistency is achieved. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pan-Fried Rainbow Trout & Vegetable Ragu
4 trout, dressed and with head and tail in tact
1/2 cup oil ((vegetable or Canola)
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup flour
5 tablespoons olive oil (for sauteing vegetables)
2 tomatoes, sliced
2 green peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 sprigs fresh basil
salt & pepper
fresh parsley, chopped and reserved for garnish
Sprinkle trout with lemon juice.
Place flour in shallow dish and coat trout in it.
Heat oil; place trout in oil and fry until golden brown.
Saute onion, tomatoes, & peppers in olive oil until tender. Season with salt &
pepper.
To serve, place potatoes on plate, top with trout, and cover with the vegetable ragu. Garnish with a sprinkling of fresh parsley.
Apple Wheels
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1/4-1/2 cup milk
4 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into wheels
butter
freshly whipped cream or ice cream
Combine flour, eggs, and milk to make a runny pancake batter.
Heat butter until quite hot but not burned.
Dip apples in batter and fry in hot butter until golden brown.
Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
On July 11, 1916, the big news was the German submarine Deutschland that had just landed in Baltimore. That was one of several stories with plots, and sometimes sub-plots, published in The Lake County Times that day.
The submarine's arrival was of big concern. How should U.S. officials react to the ship?
If you thought World War I began in 1917, when the U.S. entered the war, you're mistaken. Europe had been embroiled for nearly two years by then.
In 1915, a German sub sank the RMS Lusitania, with 128 Americans among the dead. So the arrival of a German sub in American waters a year later caused quite a stir.
The captain and crew of the Deutschland said they were on a merchant ship, carrying mail and on a trading mission.
But what were they really up to?
It appears the sub actually was on a trade mission, not a secret spy mission. It made a second run to the United States, picking up cargo to take back to Germany, before it was captured by the German Imperial Navy and armed to become U-155, an instrument of war rather than commerce.
Dam plan blows up in their faces
A second plot reported on July 11, 1916, dealt with a plan to blow up a dam in Northwest Indiana. Fortunately, the dam plan didn't succeed.
John Tratebas Jr., of the Tratebas mill in Porter County, claimed credit for placing a mysterious call that thwarted a plan to blow up the dam over the mill pond.
"It was planned to drive over with an automobile, plant the explosive, and then get out of the way before the concussion came," The Lake County Times reported. "It is said that Gary and Valparaiso parties had conspired for the crime, because Tratebas had been strict with fisherman there."
Ah, so there's the dam reason for this plot!
"Over the long distance telephone from Indiana Harbor the other day came the voice of warning," the story said. "The informant claimed that the plotters had required him to join them. Instead of accepting their invitation he determined to block their plans. Tratebas then put out a watch, but nothing occurred. The informant even gave Tratebas the names of the alleged dynamiters."
The story played out for a while, perhaps even longer than the dam plot itself played out.
Nuts to soup
A third story that day was just two paragraphs, but also dealt with a mysterious plot, this one on Madison Street in Gary.
"Changes that her husband beat her up and then poured the contents of a bottle (which turned out to be copper sulphate, a poison) inter her soup and insisted that she drink, resulted in the arrest of Peter Wuirczus and his brother, Stanley," The Lake County Times reported. "Mrs. Wuirczus told the police the two were a rollicking pair and that Stanley was 'as bad as her husband.'"
Whiskey rebellion
An 11-year-old newsboy was found unconscious on south Broadway in Gary.
"Somebody Gives Newise [sic] Fire Water to Drink and He Nearly Dies," said the headline that effectively summed up the story.
"'That boy has taken either plain or wood alcohol,' said Patrol Sergt. Matthews," the story said. "The big sergeant at once began to work over the lad, sending for a doctor in the meantime as he was in a critical condition."
The boy was reported to be near death, but revived. The boy, who identified himself as Edward Bielewicz, told police another boy gave him whiskey to drink.
Railroaded?
Then there was the mystery over the Nickel Plate Road to the New York Central.
Chicago railroad experts said the sale should have taken place long before, but "nobody appears to know the purchasers or any of those back of the new blood," the story said. "There are suspicious ones who sniff the air and believe it is another Northern Pacific deal that is, that the stock has been sold by the New Your Central as a company, but that directors and heavy owners of the latter will continue to control the policy of the road with the circus names.
"The suspicious ones say that the Vanderbilts would never sell outright and allow the control of a parallel road, a line within a stone's throw, to get into independent hands."
There were plenty of railroad mysteries 100 years ago, and plenty of other mysteries, too. Some things never change, it seems.
Providing quality health care first as a nurse and now as an administrator remains a life focus for Tracey Franovich, newly promoted to chief operating officer of Franciscan St. Margaret Health in Hammond.
The 46-year-old St. John resident has risen through the ranks during her affiliation with the Franciscan Alliance health-care system.
After receiving her bachelor's degree in nursing from Purdue University Calumet in 1991, Franovich worked as an RN in the cardiac step-down unit at St. Margaret Hospital's Hammond campus.
I loved the Hammond campus, said Franovich of the experience working at the facility operated by the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services, the former name of Franciscan Alliance.
Other health care opportunities beckoned after she left Hammonds St. Margaret Hospital, including serving as health-care liaison at the Munster Med-Inn Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. In 2006, Franciscan Alliance purchased the Illiana Surgical Center along Calumet Avenue in Munster, and Franovich returned to St. Francis Health Services.
When the health-care network purchased Munster-based Physicians Hospital at 701 Superior Ave. in 2007, Franovich began her tenure at the 63-bed acute-care hospital. Since then, she has helped that facility grow.
On the Munster campus, I was part of the team developing the emergency department that opened in January 2016 and the patient tower that opened in February. That includes a 24-bed medical-surgical unit, she said of her role as vice president of clinical operations.
This 80,000-square-foot, $70 million addition to the facility also includes a cafeteria-dining room and a gift shop.
We are adding a chapel, Franovich said. This is part of the mission of the Franciscan Catholic ministry to the Munster community.
The newest addition also increases the inpatient footprint of the hospital, Franovich said.
Franciscan Alliance has invested heavily in this (Munster) market. We have a new entrance off 45th Street, she said, adding that this entrance provides easier access for those traveling from the western section of Munster and Illinois.
One of the reasons is to integrate services across centers of excellence, Franovich said. We have an Orthopedic Center of Excellence on the Munster campus and a new sleep center in Munster.
Expansion on the Munster campus continues, Franovich said.
Ground was broken in April for a planned 83,500-square-foot, $46 million comprehensive cancer center and office building that is expected to be completed in 2018. This three-story addition will be attached to the hospital building and connect to the outpatient service area, she said.
Among the highlights of this cancer center will be radiation oncology treatment, with two linear accelerators for radiation therapy; four state-of-the-art endoscopy suites; oncology lab services; a breast center offering breast cancer screenings and diagnostics; a pharmacy; a waiting area for up to 50 people; physicians suites and a retail center.
Franovichs success overseeing the construction of the Franciscan Healthcare-Munster led to a significant promotion in April 2015 when she was named vice president of clinical operations for the Franciscan Health campuses in Hammond, Dyer and Munster.
As she took on more responsibility with the health-care system, Franovich also continued her own education, enrolling in Purdue University Calumets masters in health care administration program and receiving her degree in 2012. Then Franovich pursued her Master of Business Administration at the University of St. Francis, a degree she received in 2014.
Ive had various mentors throughout my health care career, Franovich said. Ive been fortunate enough to work with great physicians, nurses and mentors.
Among those, Franovich said Barbara Anderson, former president of Franciscan Health-Munster and now president and CEO of Franciscan St. Anthony Health-Crown Point, provided special mentorship.
Barb Anderson helped me through the start of construction projects and helped me evolve through leadership. She also inspired me to get my MBA, Franovich said.
Sister Aline Shultz, chief operating officer of Franciscan HealthcareMunster, said Franovich is incredibly professional. Ive worked with Tracey here for 14 months, but Ive been aware of Traceys work for the last 35 years.
Shultz said Franovichs great drive (and) administrative experience makes her an outstanding leader.
She is mission-driven and understands our Catholic mission, Shultz added.
Franovich said she has fully embraced the Franciscan ministry. She was selected to participate in the two-year intensive study of Catholic health care called the Leadership Enhancement Program with others from Franciscan Alliance's 14 hospitals.
The capstone of that program was a seven-day Franciscan pilgrimage to Rome in mid-May.
There were nine of us, three from this area. We went through the Vatican, Franovich recalled. It provided me with Catholic fellowship. It was a phenomenal experience.
Prior to leaving on that pilgrimage, she further embraced the Roman Catholic faith.
I was confirmed in the Catholic faith on Holy Saturday at St. John the Evangelist Church. It was a great experience, she said.
Franovich points to her family as a major support system for her success.
She and husband, John, have been married for 23 years and are parents of a daughter, Morgan, who graduated from Ball State University this year and has accepted a full-time position in risk management, and son, Jake, a senior at Lake Central High School.
Creating a balance in life also helps her, Franovich said.
We just started do-it-yourself furniture refurbishing painting, staining. Were still in the honeymoon phase, she said of the couples new hobby. We also like to have a social network in our subdivision. Im happy to share.
Hammonds Byway Brewing opened just five months ago, and already was named the best brewery in Indiana.
The craft brewery at 2825 Carlson Drive in Oxbow Landing was named Indiana Brewery of the Year and Grand Champion Indiana Brewery of the Year at the Indiana Brewers Cup Competition in Indianapolis, one of the nations largest contests featuring both professional and home brewers.
Byway also won gold medals for its Scottish Right ale, its Oat Street Porter and its ChIPA American IPA, as well as a Best in Show for Oat Street.
Were very humbled of course at all the recognition we received at the Brewers Cup in Indianapolis, co-founder Dave Toth said.
Like all breweries we work extraordinarily hard putting out as good a product as we can. Weve been in the startup stages and really appreciate the recognition.
He credited head brewer Patrick Jones, who has won Great American Beer Festival awards with Gordon Biersch Brewing in Colorado and Triumph Brewing in Philadelphia. Byway hired Jones with an eye to being a world-class brewery.
Hes done an absolutely superb job, especially in light of the recognition we just got downstate, Toth said. For just being open for five months, that bodes well for the months and years ahead.
Other Northwest Indiana winners included 3 Floyds Brewing, which won second place for Light Hybrid Beer for its Gumballhead, and Michigan Citys Burn Em Brewing, runner-up in Other American Ale for its Brindle. Crown Points Crown Brewing also placed second in the Fruit Beer category with its Flamme Rouge.
In the home brewing content, Christopher Olson, of LaPorte, won first place European Amber Lager with his Angels Halo Vienna Lager and second place Scottish and Irish Ale with his I Do Brew Irish Red Ale.
Northwest Indiana Brewers Society members Bryce Hooper, Ryan Turner, Cire Lazaroski and Mark Thorpe also took home medals.
The Northwest Indiana Brewers Society, or N.I.B.S., won Bill Friday Club of the Year in the 18th annual contest in the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
Byway edged out Indianapolis-based Bier Brewery for the Grand Champion Brewery of the Year, which reflects most total voting points.
Byway, which has a 20-barrel production system and a 125-seat restaurant with a chef-driven menu, started out with only three beers when it first opened in February but now has around 10 on tap.
The brewery is launching a new pilot batch system this week that will allow it to produce more specialty beers.
Were feverishly working toward that, he said.
Business has been steady so far, but the hope is that being named best craft brewery in Indiana will help drive more traffic, he said.
This should help pique ones interest, he said. If people are stopping at Byway, they should know the area is chock-full of great breweries to go to.
Byway will unveil a new Vienna Lager during a hog roast from noon until 10 p.m. Saturday that will feature two barbecued hogs, grilled sausages and live music.
For your information:For more information, (219) 844-5468 or www.bywaybrewing.beer.
Purdue University Northwests Center for Innovation through Visualization and Simulation research center in Hammond will be part of President Barack Obamas recently announced Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute, a national initiative to advance manufacturing.
The CIVS lab in Hammond was selected as one of nearly 200 partners from academia and industry across the United States to participate in a new network that aims to accelerate growth and innovation. The newly formed Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute will develop technology for advanced manufacturing, and help educate the workforce.
The U.S. Department of Energy if providing $70 million for the initiative, with manufacturers and coalition members providing a matching amount.
The goal is to reduce by 50 percent the cost of technologies like advanced sensors, data analytics, and controls. That will help make U.S. manufacturers more competitive in world markets. Manufacturers of all sizes will gain access to cutting-edge smart technology that should make their operations more productive and energy-efficient.
Through such facilities as our Center for Innovation through Visualization and Simulation, our Commercialization and Manufacturing Excellence Center and others, Purdue University Northwest is poised to play a huge role enhancing advanced manufacturing and economic development across our region and nation, Purdue Northwest Chancellor Thomas L. Keon said.
CIVS, which is based at PNWs Calumet campus, will contribute to the broader initiative by using its 3D virtual reality simulation lab to train workers.
This is outstanding recognition for our university and CIVS, Purdue Northwest Professor and CIVS Director Chenn Zhou said. It demonstrates that CIVS application-driven approach for integrating simulation and visualization technologies can help provide practical, efficient and innovative solutions to maintain the competitiveness of American industries.
Zhou said CIVS could work on projects in workforce development, visualization and fluid dynamics as part of the initiative.
LOWELL Lake County Sheriff John Buncich praised an unidentified 9-year-old girl as a guardian angel for finding an abandoned newborn early Monday near a wooded rural area 3 miles west of this town.
The officers have really taken a personal approach to this. We have nicknamed this baby our miracle baby.
If you think about it, if that 9-year-old had not gone out in that yard to play, what a tragic result could have occurred ... to abandon a baby like this almost 100 yard from the road, an emotional Buncich said at a Monday afternoon press conference.
He said a medical team at Franciscan St. Anthony Health in Crown Point has judged the infant Jane Doe, a full-term Caucasian girl with brownish-blond hair, to be healthy and in good condition, other than being sunburned.
Buncich said the states Child Protective Services has found a foster home to take the child early Tuesday once St. Anthony completes it medical examination.
The infant was discovered in the 18000 block of White Oak Avenue, just west of the intersection of U.S. 41 and Ind. 2, a sparsely occupied area of open farm fields and large wooded sections in unincorporated West Creek Township.
He said the 9-year-olds mother carried the baby inside her home and called Lake County E-911 at 10:47 a.m. Monday. The homeowner who said her 9-year-old daughter was playing in the back yard and found an infant wrapped in a blanket and a (black) towel.
Buncich said it remains undetermined how long the infant had been abandoned, but the placenta and umbilical cord were still attached, indicating it had been born less than a day, possibly only a few hours before the discovery.
Police said they searched the area with police dogs and the county police helicopter without results.
Wed like to locate the mother. Wed like to talk to her. We are asking anybody to come forth with any knowledge about anybody who may have done this, he said. They are asked to called the Sheriffs Department Report-A-Crime hotline at 1 (800) 750-2746. Police said all calls will remain strictly anonymous.
There are laws in the state of Indiana that allow someone to give up a baby at a public place, like a fire station, a police station without any consequence, the sheriff said.
CROWN POINT Weeks before a former Highland High School teacher was scheduled to stand trial, Samuel Fies pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct with a child.
Wearing a tan suit with a black button-up shirt, Fies pleaded guilty to the Class C felony along with a charge of inappropriate communication with a child, a Class A misdemeanor.
When Lake Criminal Judge Samuel Cappas asked how he pleaded to the charges, Fies answered, "Guilty, your honor."
Fies, 37, of St. John, had faced charges of child molesting, criminal confinement, child solicitation and child seduction. The Lake County prosecutor's office is expected to dismiss those charges as part of the plea agreement.
He was accused of developing a relationship with one student in 2009 when the girl was in seventh grade. According to court records, he was accused of trying to touch the girl, brushing up against her and putting her fingers down her pants.
Fies also was accused of contacting another student, who was 13 years old at the time, through MySpace. According to the affidavit, he messaged the girl and asked her to do sexual acts to herself.
He also was accused of contacting a third girl, who was 17 years old, through a dating website.
Two of the girls were learning disabled, according to court records.
Fies was fired from Highland High about a month before charges were filed on Dec. 13, 2011.
He had been scheduled to stand trial Aug. 15, but the trial was vacated following Tuesday's court hearing.
Cappas set a sentencing hearing for Sept. 13.
GARY Police are looking for a Merrillville man suspected of stealing cash from the home of someone who picked him up from a bus station.
Sherron D. Dennie, 22, was charged Monday with felony theft in connection with the June 22 incident in the 3300 block of Maryland Street in Gary, according to Gary police and online court records.
One of two residents at the home picked up Dennie from a bus station and brought him back to the residence, police said.
Both of the residents left the home for a short time, leaving Dennie alone. When they returned, Dennie was gone and they later discovered cash missing from the home, police said.
Anyone with information on Dennie's whereabouts is asked to call Detective Sgt. Mario Gonzalez at (219) 881-1209. To remain anonymous, call (866) CRIME-GP.
CROWN POINT A Gary man charged in a double homicide told a Lake County jury that he ran to a bedroom after he saw a gun was being waved around inside in a living room.
"Bullets don't have eyes," Kevin Blackmon said.
He then heard a loud gunshot followed by 11 to 12 additional gunshots.
His co-defendant, Shelton "T-Man" Curtis, is on trial this week in Lake Criminal Judge Salvador Vasquez's courtroom. Curtis, 23, of Gary, is accused of shooting to death James Powell, 18, of Gary. He is charged with murder and attempted dealing in marijuana, hash oil, hashish and salvia.*
Curtis had originally been charged with murder in the shooting death of Raymond Washington-Whitehead, 17, of Merrillville. The Lake County prosecutor's office dismissed that murder charge on Monday when the trial started.
Blackmon, 23, faces charges of assisting a criminal and attempted dealing in marijuana in the double homicide. He told jurors the state intends to dismiss those charges in exchange for his testimony.
On Aug. 6, he walked to a gas station in Gary where he happened to run into Curtis. The two left in Curtis' red truck and drove to the 1100 block of Lane Street in Gary. According to the affidavit, Curtis rented a room in the home.
In a soft-spoken voice, Blackmon said Curtis used a digital scale to weigh and then bag a high-quality form of marijuana referred to as "loud." A third man was in the home and at one point smoked synthetic marijuana with Curtis, Blackmon said.
Another man, who Blackmon only knows as "Dude," briefly stopped by the house but left just as Washington-Whitehead and Powell arrived. Blackmon said Curtis had arranged by phone to sell them an ounce of marijuana. Blackmon testified he saw Curtis load his gun and place it in his waistband after taking the call from Washington-Whitehead and Powell.
When the men arrived to the home, Washington-Whitehead asked if all the marijuana was there. Blackmon said Powell, who was standing near the door, told Washington-Whitehead that they can wait until their other "man" woke up if he didn't want to buy the marijuana from Curtis.
Washington-Whitehead then pulled a gun from his pocket and pointed it at Curtis who put his hands up and backed away, Blackmon testified. He heard Curtis say, "I thought we were better than that."
Blackmon said he ran to the bedroom as Washington-Whitehead and Curtis began tussling. He then heard the series of gunshots, which he said sounded like they came from two different guns. Blackmon ran out of the home after the gunshots stopped.
Crime scene photos showed Powell on the ground outside the home and Washington-Whitehead inside the living room.
Dr. Joe Wang, from the Lake County coroner's office, testified Powell was shot nine times with the most serious wound being the gunshot to his back. Wang said it injured Powell's lung and caused hemorrhaging.
As Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Michael Toth began showing photos from Powell's autopsy, three visibly shaken women seated in the gallery walked out. They later returned as the state showed a photo of Powell's bloody back. One woman rocked back and forth in her seat as the state continued showing the photos.
Toth later read a stipulation stating that an autopsy determined Washington-Whitehead was shot in the chest.
Detective James Tomko, of the Lake County Sheriff's Department, said multiple shell casings were collected at the home. Some of the casings were found on the floor while at least two were found within the walls. There were also bullet holes in two walls and in the ceiling.
The trial is expected to continue Wednesday.
Editor's Note: The online version of this story was changed to correct the charges Shelton "T-Man" Curtis faces.
GARY Several charges have been filed against a high-ranking Lake County sheriff's officer accused in an alleged drunken driving incident Sunday that severely injured an Illinois man at the Gary Air Show.
The Lake County prosecutor's office accepted the charges Tuesday, according to a news release from the Indiana State Police. The agency was brought into the investigation by the sheriff.
Lt. Guy Mikulich, 37, a high-ranking officer with the Sheriffs Department, has been charged with four felony and three misdemeanor counts, including two counts of leaving the scene of a crash with bodily injury, and doing so while intoxicated, the latter a Level 3 felony (the highest is Level 1).
The victim, Derrick Dircks, 34, of Frankfort, Illinois, was taken to Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus with serious injuries. A state police news release on Tuesday said he has since been released and now is resting.
State police said Mikulich had a blood alcohol content of 0.15 after a hit-and-run crash in his unmarked police car Sunday that seriously injured Dircks.
The sheriff has placed Mikulich on paid administrative leave, a standard procedure in disciplinary cases.
Mikulich worked the Gary Air Show on Sunday and had been released from his assigned area, police said.
He was in his uniform and heading west on Oak Avenue in his unmarked 2011 Ford Crown Victoria about 4:50 p.m. when he struck a parked 2014 Toyota Sienna minivan near Pike Street in Garys Miller section, police said.
Dircks told police he and his family had watched the air show and returned to their minivan, which was legally parked on Oak Street. Dircks went to the back of his Toyota to place something inside when he and his vehicle were struck by the Crown Victoria, police said.
Mikulich drove away from the crash and later was stopped by a Gary police officer in the 5900 block of Hemlock Avenue. Damage to the Crown Victoria matched Dircks injuries and damage to the minivan, police said.
Mikulich also was taken to Methodist Northlake for a blood draw, where he tested positive for alcohol, police said. He later was taken to Lake County Jail, where he was booked on felony charges of operating while intoxicated causing bodily injury and leaving the scene of a personal injury crash.
Lake County Sheriff John Buncich held a news conference Monday afternoon and said he wants Mikulich, a 16-year veteran of the Sheriffs Department, off the county police force.
Buncich said Monday that Mikulich has yet to respond. The sheriff said he will ask the departments Merit Board to approve Mikulichs termination when its members meet next week.
Buncich said Monday Mikulich was released from jail after posting bond.
Mikulich previously was demoted from department commander early this year after he was involved in a scuffle with a man on New Years Eve at the Radisson Hotel. Mikulich and the man reportedly had past personal problems because of a woman.
In 2009, the county paid $130,000 to a one-armed man who alleged Mikulich used his authority and police training to severely beat him. The incident happened June 14, 2006, and stemmed from a dispute about a woman.
Times reporters Sarah Reese and Bill Dolan contributed to this report.
HAMMOND A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced a Portage man to 14 years in prison for possession of child pornography.
Brian Delach, 30, also was ordered to serve eight years on supervised release after leaving prison and must pay a total of $8,000 in restitution to four victims, U.S. District Court records said.
Delach admitted in March to possessing more than 12,000 images and 400 videos containing child pornography, court records said. The files contained images of prepubescent minors and depictions of torture and violence against children.
Delach downloaded the images using an account with the user name Sinbad between Feb. 1 and Oct. 31, 2015. He used network software designed to disguise his IP address, court records said.
GARY Lake Sheriff John Buncich said Monday afternoon he personally demanded a high-ranking officer resign over alleged drunken driving that severely injured an Illinois man at Sundays Gary Air Show.
Buncich held a news conference Monday afternoon to confirm he wants Lt. Guy Mikulich, 37, a 16-year veteran of the Sheriffs Department, off the county police force.
Buncich said Mikulich has yet to respond. The sheriff said he will ask the departments Merit Board to approve Mikulichs termination when its members meet next week.
Buncich said the victim, Derrick Dircks, 34, of Frankfort, Illinois, has been transported to a hospital.*
Our thoughts and prayers are with that individual, the sheriff said.
State police, who were brought into the investigation by the sheriff, said Mikulich had a blood alcohol content of 0.15 after a hit-and-run crash in his unmarked police car Sunday that seriously injured Dircks.
The sheriff has placed Mikulich on paid administrative leave, a standard procedure in disciplinary cases.
Mikulich worked the Gary Air Show on Sunday and had been released from his assigned area, police said.
He was in his uniform and heading west on Oak Avenue in his unmarked 2011 Ford Crown Victoria about 4:50 p.m. when he struck a parked 2014 Toyota Sienna minivan near Pike Street in Garys Miller section, police said.
Dircks told police he and his family had watched the air show and returned to their minivan, which was legally parked on Oak Street. Dircks went to the back of his Toyota to place something inside when he and his vehicle were struck by the Crown Victoria, police said.
Dircks was initially taken to Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus with serious injuries before he was moved to Chicago.
Mikulich drove away from the crash and later was stopped by a Gary police officer in the 5900 block of Hemlock Avenue. Damage to the Crown Victoria matched Dircks injuries and damage to the minivan, police said.
Mikulich also was taken to Methodist Northlake for a blood draw, where he tested positive for alcohol, police said. He later was taken to Lake County Jail, where he was booked on felony charges of operating while intoxicated causing bodily injury and leaving the scene of a personal injury crash.
Buncich said Monday Mikulich was released from jail after posting bond. Online court records indicated no charges had been filed late Monday.
Buncich branded Mikulichs actions as intolerable and said they do not reflect the character of the departments other officers.
Mikulich previously was demoted from department commander early this year after he was involved in a scuffle with a man on New Years Eve at the Radisson Hotel. Mikulich and the man reportedly had past personal problems because of a woman.
In 2009, the county paid $130,000 to a one-armed man who alleged Mikulich used his authority and police training to severely beat him. The incident happened June 14, 2006, and stemmed from a dispute about a woman.
This isnt the first time a high-ranking sheriffs officer has faced termination because of a crash allegedly involving alcohol.
David Britton, a lieutenant and former commander of the gang intelligence unit, was fired in May 2015, three months after he was arrested in connection with a three-vehicle crash in Crown Point. Britton had been watching the Super Bowl at a bar before the crash and had a blood alcohol content of 0.241, police said.
Times reporter Bill Dolan contributed to this report.
* Editor's note: This story has been updated from a previous version.
Correction: Due to incorrect information provided to the media, a story Tuesday about Lake County police Lt. Guy Mikulich incorrectly stated a Frankfort, Illinois, man injured in a hit-and-run crash involving Mikulich had been taken to an Illinois hospital. Indiana State Police confirmed Wednesday that Derrick Dircks, 34, of Frankfort, was taken to Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus in Gary after the crash Sunday and released from that hospital Tuesday.
ST. JOHN The St. John Township assessor has quit after six years in office.
Lake County Assessor Jerome Prince and Patrick Gabrione, the ranking Republican on the county elections board, announced Tuesday that Melody K. Mel Kikkert, a Republican, had written a letter stating her resignation was effective Monday.
Kikkert said Tuesday afternoon she is leaving to take a job in residential and commercial land sales with a private firm she declined to name. She said the job will take her out of state, perhaps to Florida. She said she is packing up her home. Its bittersweet, she said.
County Councilman Dan Dernulc, chairman of the countys Republican Party, said Tuesday Kikkert feels extremely bad she has to leave, but she has a family and has to look out for them. She is very excited about her new firm. It was a chance of a lifetime.
Melody has worked very hard to get that office to where it is and had big shoes to fill when (former St. John Township Assessor) Hank Adams left. She did the work of three or four people and did an excellent job. I will truly miss her, he said.
Kikkert, 40, had been a deputy township assessor in 2010 when her boss, Hank Adams, quit to run for and win the office of county assessor.
The Republican Party put her name forward for the vacancy, and she was unopposed in the election that fall.
She said in 2010 she had no prior political experience, but was well versed in the real estate market and the assessment field and held a Level III state certification as an assessor appraiser and was a member of the International Association of Assessing Officers.
Dernulc will have to assemble a caucus of the townships Republican precinct committee members to name a new township assessor.
SOUTH HOLLAND A Gary woman was identified Tuesday as the person killed in a single-vehicle rollover crash early Monday on the Bishop Ford Freeway.
Secilia E. Christinele, 36, died after the crash on a ramp from southbound Interstate 94 to eastbound Interstate 80, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
Christinele died from blunt force injuries and the manner was an accident, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
Three other people were injured in the crash about 1:05 a.m. Monday, Illinois police said.
A state police spokesman did not respond Monday to a request for further details.
MICHIGAN CITY An Illinois man drowned Monday, a day after a 15-year-old boy was rescued.
David VanVertloo, 66, was spotted going under about noon at Washington Park by lifeguards who, with help from a bystander, pulled him to shore.
LaPorte County Chief Deputy Coroner Mark Huffman said CPR was started on the shoreline and continued en route to the hospital where VanVertloo was pronounced dead about one hour later.
Jeremy Kienitz, Michigan City Parks Department superintendent, said the man was in the designated swimming area and with calm conditions on Lake Michigan beachgoers were allowed in the water.
"There weren't any dangerous swimming conditions," Kienitz said.
VanVertloo was from Edwardsville, Illinois, near St. Louis.
LaPorte County Chief Deputy Coroner Mark Huffman said the cause of death was ruled asphyxiation from water in the lungs.
Due to his age, it's possible the drowning could be medically related but no autopsy is planned to verify if he suffered a heart attack, stroke or some other condition.
"Being 66 years old, the possibility is certainly there," Huffman said.
Huffman said many drowning victims are from outside the area and lack the knowledge about dangers a large body of water such as Lake Michigan can pose.
"They're just not used to it. It's not a swimming pool. You have to have some knowledge of the lake," Huffman said.
A 15-year-old Michigan City boy nearly drowned Sunday when pulled from the water close to the rocks of the Lighthouse pier.
Kienitz said a lifeguard on the first dive located the boy who had been under the water for about five minutes.
He regained a pulse at the hospital and was airlifted to Memorial Hospital in South Bend where he was reported still in critical condition Monday, said Tyler Brock, a conservation officer with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
Brock said the boy was swimming with a group of friends and began struggling after wading out far enough to where his feet were no longer touching the bottom.
The name of the boy was not being released at this time, he said.
VALPARAISO The Porter County Board of Commissioners is supporting a proposal to reroute a widely-opposed new rail line project out of south county and on to mostly existing railroad property elsewhere.
Ultimately, we dont want the railroad, said Bob Cauffman, president of Residents Against the Invasion of Land by Eminent Domain or RAILED.
But Cauffman told the commissioners Tuesday that the project will move forward if the federal government finds there is need, so he and other opponents want to offer what they feel is a better route.
The alternative route starts at Kingsbury in LaPorte County and follows the existing Monon Railroad line south along Ind. 421 into Starke County where 3.8 miles of new line will have to be built to meet up with existing Kankakee Railroad, he said. The route continues west along the active Kankakee line through Jasper, Newton and Lake counties before entering Illinois on its proposed route up to Wisconsin.
The alternative adds 17.5 miles to the proposed route, yet prevents 36.5 miles of farm land from being taken for the project in Porter and Lake counties, Cauffman said. While not all of the rail line targeted in the alternative plan is in active use, only 8.1 miles of the unused rail right-of-way has been reclaimed for other purposes, he said.
Cauffman said his group is not simply passing off the problem to someone else by proposing a route that entirely avoids Porter County.
These are existing rail lines, he said.
Frank Patton, chairman of Great Lakes Basin Transportation, which is proposing the new 278-mile rail line, said when asked by The Times for comment: There is no monopoly on wisdom. We have consistently stated for the past months that one of our goals is to make sure that everyone who has thoughts on building this railroad be heard. That means everyone, not just those who want a no build decision.
Cauffman said another benefit of the alternative route will be to head off drainage problems by not interfering with drainage systems already in place and by not creating a dam across Porter County.
Porter County Commissioner Laura Blaney, D-South, whose Boone Grove area farm and house are in the proposed railroads path, said the route proposed Tuesday also will be safer.
She called for the commissioners to support the proposal, with the caveat that their first choice remains that the project go away all together.
Commissioner President John Evans, R-North, voiced support for the use of existing rail line.
I dont think its ever good to reinvent the wheel, he said.
Commissioner Jeff Good, R-Center, said the proposal is a good example of the community and government working together.
Cauffman said he has already submitted the alternative to the U.S. Department of Transportations Surface Transportation Board, which is accepting public comments through Friday before the proposal goes under review.
CHESTERTON Teresa Lawhead's final act was reflective of how she lived.
Lawhead, seriously injured in a motorcycle accident Saturday, died Monday night, but not before donating her organs so that others could live.
"That was her wishes," said her nephew, Ed Lawhead, of Crown Point.
"Teresa Lawhead was the most generous person one could ever meet. When she read news stories about the little girl in Wisconsin lured into woods and stabbed by her friends, Teresa organized a motorcycle run with bikers from many states who rode to Wisconsin to present the girl's family with a check to help with medical expenses. This was a huge endeavor," said Angie Cline, her friend and fellow 1982 Thornton Fractional North High School graduate.
"She never met this family, but felt she had to do something and actually acted upon it. Teresa also purchased many door prizes for participants in the bike run out of her own pocket and made arrangements with state police and Toll Road authority to assist in this run. She was an amazing woman."
Lawhead, 51, died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois, according to the Cook County medical examiner.
Lawhead was riding her 2013 Harley-Davidson motorcycle west on County Road 1100 North about 2:30 p.m. Saturday when a car traveling in the opposite direction turned in front of her.
She struck the right passenger side of the car and was thrown off her motorcycle. She was initially taken to Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus in Gary for injuries to her head, arms and legs. She was nonresponsive when emergency personnel reached the scene. She was later airlifted to Advocate Christ Medical Center.
She died doing what she loved to do, said her nephew, adding she was a member of the all-female motorcycle club, the Gear Dolls.
"That's how she was, she focused on others," he said.
Teresa Lawhead was an administrative assistant for a Chicago law firm, riding the South Shore back and forth to the city each day.
Originally from Burnham, Illinois, he said she never married or had children, but had two "fur kids" Katy and Cooper.
"Being in her presence, it was a good time. She would tell you like it is and was very heartfelt," Ed Lawhead said.
She is survived by her mother, Lillian, of Monticello, three siblings and several nieces and nephews. Funeral arrangements are pending at Elmwood Funeral Chapel in St. John.
Kristina Balog is the new Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter Countys Valparaiso director.
Balog comes to Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County with 30 years of Boys & Girls Clubs experience. Born and raised in Cedar Lake, she began her career in the Boys & Girls Clubs Movement first as a club member. Before girls were allowed into the club, Balog used to sneak into the Cedar Lake club with her brothers. In 1986, she started her long youth development career as the art instructor of Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana- Cedar Lake. Four years later, she was promoted to program director and then to club director in January 2007.
Youth development is Balogs passion which is highlighted through numerous awards and accomplishments she has achieved. She was a two-time nominee for Boys & Girls Clubs of Americas Midwest Youth Development Professional of the Year, earning this honor in 1997; recognized by Boys & Girls Clubs of America with a Service to Youth Award for 20 years of youth development services; recipient of Boys & Girls Clubs of Americas National Professional Service Award; and also received Boys & Girls Clubs of Americas Certificate of Achievement for attaining staff fundraising goals for two consecutive years.
Balog is a graduate of Leadership Northwest Indiana Class 29, worked closely with the Fraternal Order of Police to provide a robotics program for Cedar Lake Youth; developed a strong organizational and year-round Fine Arts Program where youth participants have been recognized for the last 18 years garnering incentives, as well as having their creative pieces showcased across the county and developed a Home School Initiative with the Cedar Lake Club.
As a youth development professional and a manager of people and programs, the essence of my career has provided me the unique opportunity to work with children and youth development staff, Balog said. I am extremely fortunate, in my profession, to be placed as a role model, mentor, director, and friend to so many young lives that I have seen grow and blossom into successful young adults. I am excited about this new opportunity with the Valparaiso cub and look forward to become a part of this community.
Dr. Amjad Alkadri, an interventional radiologist and vein specialist, always tries to offer the latest and greatest in vein treatment.
The president and co-founder of the Vein and Laser Institute is quite often the first in Northwest Indiana to do a given procedure.
"I pride myself on a few things. I get the latest technology here to the vein center, no matter what, even if it is to our expense," Alkadri said. "And I pride myself on results."
Among the treatments he's pioneered in the Region include a laser procedure that replaced painful vein stripping.
"That was brutal," he said. "With a laser, it was a momentous change in the world of vein treatment. Now we're able to do vein treatments with just a single puncture."
Rather than just stripping bad veins, Alkadri homes in on the underlying causes, going after the leaky valves that lead to varicose veins. "We treat the cause instead of just the symptoms," he said.
To determine whether people need treatment for their veins, he tells them they should assess their discomfort. "When you have pain, that's a sign things are progressing," Alkadri said. If there is no pain, there is no real urgency.
Alkadri recommends compression stockings for varicose veins, which can delay the progression of the disease.
Alkadri was born in Syria and still travels to that region to do humanitarian work. Before the civil war there, he would go to Syria once or twice a year to treat poor Syrians, using minimally invasive procedures to treat cancers and other vascular or liver conditions.
He now does similar work with Syrian refugees about once a year in neighboring Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon. "It's devastating," he said.
"People live in tents in most places. They live on charity. They have no medical care at all."
Alkadri attended Damascus University before, in 1999, training to be a radiologist at Providence hospital in Michigan. He later completed a fellowship in interventional radiology at Chicago's University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago and was an assistant professor there for four years.
In 2003, he co-founded the Vein and Laser Institute in Merrillville. The business now has three doctors and four locations, including Munster and two in Valparaiso. From 2003 to 2013, Alkadri served as the chairman of the radiology department at Porter Regional Hospital.
He is currently an investigator for an experimental cosmetic facial treatment sponsored by the Food and Drug Administration, and serves on the advisory board of pharmaceutical company, BTG.
One of Alkadri's newest treatments is a foam injection that closes the veins without surgery. "It's a simple needle stick that goes into a bad vein," he said. "It's much more effective."
Another is Venaseal. "That's basically a simple glue that completely replaces the laser," he said.
"We glue the vein closed on the inside by a simple technique recently approved by the FDA. There's very little discomfort after the procedure, a minimal recovery. It's another revolution in the world of pain."
Alkadri also uses a new machine that targets spider veins, or clusters of blood vessels that form close to the skin. "The energy delivered is much more efficient," he explained.
"If you do traditional therapy, it causes a lot of scarring, bruising and discomfort to the patient. Old lasers did not have uniformity of the wavelength. There was a lot of hit and miss, because the energy was not uniform.
"In addition, the cooling mechanism to the skin is much more powerful than the old machines. It protects the dermis of the skin from a burn. With this machine, you are able to deliver a lot more energy safely into the actual vein and not the skin. There are more consistent results, less complications and a much faster healing process."
The Vein and Laser Institute offers other cosmetic procedures, such as body countouring, facial rejuvenation, laser facials and hair removal, and lip and facial fillers.
"Anything that is new in the field of veins and interventional radiology and cosmetics, we will be the first to do," Alkadri said. "I'm always looking into what's new and bringing it to the area."
Alkadri's colleague at the Vein and Laser Institute, Dr. Omar Barakat, says Alkadri is a knowledgeable, compassionate physician who is a true innovator in the area of vein treatment.
"You can tell based on his techniques, his procedures, that he's an expert in the field," Barakat said. "He's definitely on the cutting edge. Every therapy we offer, every machine we buy, is something that is at the top of the field."
Barakat noted Alkadri innovates in other areas besides just veins. Barakat gave as an example the Kybella injection that Alkadri does; that medication tightens the fat underneath the chin.
Barakat said his colleague has taught him a lot about pain management, including an injection of anesthetic medication in the joint spaces of the spine for patients with degenerative conditions and another treatment that uses heat to destroy pain-causing nerves.
"He's aggressive, he's motivated," Barakat said of Alkadri. "He makes sure he meets the patient's expectations every time."
Police are investigating after a suspected burglar was shot by police in Brooklyn early Monday evening while another suspect apparently ran away from the scene.
The NYPD says officers answered a call of a burglary in progress at a building on 78th Street near Stillwell Avenue in Bensonhurst around 7 p.m.
A man climbed out of a third-floor window, went down the fire escape, and eventually came face-to-face with officers.
"After scaling the fence onto Stillwell Avenue the suspect was confronted by a uniformed sergeant. The suspect pointed a revolver at the sergeant. Both the sergeant and another uniformed police officer discharged their service weapons. The male subject was shot twice. He was transported to Coney Island [Hospital] where he was pronounced dead," said NYPD Chief of Department James O'Neill.
Officials recovered a gun at the scene.
Gun recovered at scene of police involved shooting within the confines of Brooklyn's @NYPD62Pct pic.twitter.com/9tHNRDtgtE NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) July 11, 2016
There were eight people inside the building at the time.
None were injured.
Police are now searching for a second man who residents say fled the scene just before cops arrived.
They say he may have been wearing a yellow construction hat at the time of the burglary.
Anyone with information on the case should contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS, or text CRIMES and then enter TIP577, or visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.
President Barack Obama is headed to Dallas today to take part in an interfaith memorial service for the five police officers who were shot to death last week.
Watch NY1's free livestream of the memorial service (no login required).
The president is also expected to meet with the families of the fallen officers and those who were injured in Thursday's shooting rampage.
The White House says the president will personally express the country's support and gratitude for their service and sacrifice.
Vice President Joe Biden will also attend the memorial along with former President George W. Bush.
The Dallas Police Association held a candlelight vigil last night in honor of the police officers who died.
Seven other officers were wounded.
The gunman, 25 year-old Micah Johnson, was killed by a robot-delivered bomb after a standoff with police.
Describe your character, Malotru.
Malotru is a guy with an ethic, and sometimes your personal ethic goes against your professional orders. And what you have to do for your country is not exactly what you need to do for yourself. So you get your hand stuck in that machine: If you lie once, then you have to lie all the time.
Season 2 has already aired in France. What can we look forward to?
What I like is that they are still pushing the same direction but making it way more international. And my character becomes just one of the characters. His errors and mistakes drive the others to react. And the ending drove people crazy here.
Is there enough to keep it exciting in Season 3?
As long as we have wars, as long as we have geopolitical problems and people are spying on the others, this show has legs. But whatever amazing story we can come up with, reality is going to kick us back.
Did the terrorist attacks of the last two years have any impact on the series?
Charlie Hebdo and the Bataclan took place while we were shooting, and both times we had to come in one morning, look at each other and start to do scenes that were close to the actual situation. Thats why people like the show because theyre seeing something that is really close to what they watch in the news, but its a little more honest.
You spent a decade in Los Angeles before returning to Paris two years ago. And in a 2013 interview in The Guardian, you renounced French cinema. Has your attitude changed with this project?
No, because you wish that this show wouldnt be the exception, that it would be part of a movement. Its a blessing to be part of something this good. But youre sad that others are not good enough in that same way so that you can have people to talk with, to have fun with.
Another installment of New York Fashion Week: Mens kicked off on Monday with an opening night party at the Cadillac House, the car brands new public space in Lower Manhattan where designers like Timo Weiland and Gypsy Sport are showing their spring mens collections. Celebrities like Nick Cannon, Kellan Lutz, Shaun White and Jerry OConnell mingled with fashion insiders like Nick Wooster and Steven Kolb, before Common took the stage and performed his new song, Love Star.
As dozens of families and friends crowded into William F. Moore Park in Queens on a sweltering night last week, it was hard to tell what was louder: the cries of children who would not share their Italian ices from the Lemon Ice King of Corona, or the crash of bocce balls on the parks floodlit court.
Thump-thump-thump-thump CRACK!
Es rosa, es rosa!
No, no, no, es green, es green!
There may have been little agreement on whose balls were closer to scoring, but everyone seemed to agree that the park was especially busy this summer and many agreed on why.
It used to be quieter, scarier, before they changed the lights, Reuben Mendoza, who moved here from Mexico 19 years ago, said during a break.
In May 2015, New York Citys Department of Transportation came to the Queens neighborhoods of Corona, Elmhurst and Jackson Heights to start replacing the old cobra head lights on major thoroughfares with new fixtures housing light-emitting diodes, better known as LEDs. The light switch was proposed last decade, and will eventually encompass all 250,000 streetlights in the citys five boroughs.
Dublin IN 1998, for the first time since partition in 1921, the people of Ireland, North and South, joined in voting for change when they took part in referendums on the Good Friday Agreement. That agreement was founded on the democratic principle that the people of Ireland, North and South, should determine their own future.
The Good Friday Agreement replaced decades of conflict and injustice with a deal that put power-sharing and equality at the heart of government. The agreement was endorsed by a resounding 71 percent of voters in the North and a remarkable 94 percent in the South of Ireland. History was made, and work began to establish all-island institutions that for nearly two decades have secured peace and justice in Ireland.
That achievement and legacy is now at risk. In last months referendum on Britains membership in the European Union, the citizens of the North of Ireland voted by 55 percent to 45 percent to remain within the union. As voters in the North did in the 1998 referendum, Irish nationalists, British unionists and others found common cause.
In Scotland, too, a strong majority of citizens voted to remain within the European Union, while more people in England and Wales voted to leave. That was their right, but because the total votes narrowly went in favor of Brexit, by 52 percent to 48 percent, the British government will now seek to drag the North of Ireland out of the European Union based on the preference of voters in England and Wales.
Arthur Brooks: Gail, Im sorry to have to open with the obvious point that it was a terrible week. More African-Americans shot and killed by law enforcement, followed by the mass murder of police officers in Dallas. Like a lot of other people, I am beginning to fear that between rising civil unrest and political turmoil, were turning back the clock to 1968. As our team historian, do you see the parallels?
Gail Collins: Back then we were involved in a seemingly endless war, there were terrible incidents of violence here particularly the King and Kennedy assassinations and you had a bloody collision between the police and demonstrators in Chicago that the whole world could see through TV footage.
So yeah, Id have to say there were some parallels.
Arthur: There was also a huge amount of distrust of public officials and a rise in political populism, both of which also look familiar these days. I want to get to that in a minute, but before we do, tell me based on what we learned from 1968 what our country and leaders need to do right now.
Gail: Maybe its because Im now on the other side of the generation gap, but despite the terrible moments in 1968, the situation in 1968 seemed more hopeful the country was turning against the war in Vietnam, the civil rights movement had come of age and the womens movement was blooming.
Almost two million people abused or were dependent on prescription opioids in 2014. Many of them became addicted when they were prescribed painkillers. Some of those people have gone on to use heroin and fentanyl, a very potent drug that is often sold as heroin or mixed with it. The musician Prince died of a fentanyl overdose in April.
Many people who need treatment for addiction are going without because the health system does not have the capacity to respond to the epidemic. In addition, some people cannot afford to pay for treatment because their insurance policies do not cover it.
Grants that allow states to make more treatment options available helping people pay to see addictions specialists, for instance are plainly needed. The Obama administration has asked for $1.1 billion in new money, most of which would be used by states on medicine and the cost of treating people. House Republicans say they will appropriate $581 million when Congress returns in September. Thats too stingy given the scope of the problems and will in any case be vulnerable to the usual haggling over federal spending that occurs in the days leading up to the end of the governments fiscal year, on Sept. 30.
Another problem with this bill is that it would not require states to create prescription drug monitoring programs that doctors have to use when prescribing opioids. Such programs can help reduce the drug abuse that can result from overprescribing, experts say. At least 26 states and Guam require physicians to use monitoring programs, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Despite a firm reputation for being walkers, New Yorkers have an obesity epidemic on their hands. Lee Altman, a former employee of New York Citys Department of Design and Construction, explains it this way: We did a very good job at designing physical activity out of our daily lives.
According to the citys health department, more than half of the citys adult population is either overweight (34 percent) or obese (22 percent), and the convenience of their environment has contributed to this. Everything is dependent on a car, elevator; you sit in front of a computer, said Altman, not moving around a lot.
This is not just a New York phenomenon. Mass urbanization has caused populations the world over to reduce the amount of time they spend moving their bodies. But the root of the problem runs deep in a citys infrastructure.
Safety, graffiti, proximity to a park, and even the appeal of stairwells all play roles in whether someone chooses to be active or not. But only recently have urban developers begun giving enough priority to these factors.
WAGE stagnation. Income inequality. A lack of quality education. Insufficient training and skills development.
Issues like these have led approximately two-thirds of Americans to believe that the next generation will be worse off than the last. And it is true that too many people are not getting a fair opportunity to get ahead. We must find ways to help them move up the economic ladder, and everyone business, government and nonprofits needs to play a role.
At JPMorgan Chase, were starting by giving thousands of employees a raise.
Our minimum salary for American employees today is $10.15 an hour (plus meaningful benefits, which Ill explain later), almost $3 above the current national minimum wage. Over the next three years, we will raise the minimum pay for 18,000 employees to between $12 and $16.50 an hour for full-time, part-time and new employees, depending on geographic and market factors.
A pay increase is the right thing to do. Wages for many Americans have gone nowhere for too long. Many employees who will receive this increase work as bank tellers and customer service representatives. Above all, it enables more people to begin to share in the rewards of economic growth.
Heres a better question: How, we wonder, will the country ever get beyond its stunted discourse about racialized violence when people like Mr. Giuliani continue to try to change the subject? Those who remember Mr. Giuliani as the hectoring mayor of New York know what he has to offer any conversation on race and violence not a lot. In case youre unconvinced, here is what Mr. Giuliani on Sunday said he would tell a young son, if he were black: Be very careful of those kids in the neighborhood and dont get involved with them because, son, theres a 99 percent chance theyre going to kill you, not the police.
Mr. Giulianis garbled, fictional statistic echoes a common right-wing talking point about the prevalence of black on black violence in America. Homicide data do show that black victims are most often killed by black assailants. (They also reveal that whites tend to be killed by whites.) This observation does not speak to the matter of racist policing and police brutality. Killings of the police have, mercifully, been on the decline during the Obama presidency. But unwarranted shootings by police officers remain a persistent problem, ignored for generations, exploding only now into the wider public consciousness because of bystander videos that reveal the blood-red truth.
Unnerved by black anger, Americans like Mr. Giuliani cling to false equivalencies. They have, for example, defamed the Black Lives Matter movement as a war on cops. (Tell that to the protesters in Dallas who smiled for photos with officers who were protecting their march.)
The debate is full of such untruths and misdirections. There is the colossal Texas lie, the one that says a good guy with a gun can always stop a bad guy with a gun (in Dallas, where some marchers and bystanders were armed, it took a bomb). There is Mr. Giulianis ludicrous suggestion that black people dont know they need to be careful around cops, or somehow are complicit in their brutalizing. Alton Sterling, in Baton Rouge, and Philando Castile, in a St. Paul suburb, were posing no threat when they were shot. (Far from being ignorant of the ways of the police, fearful black parents long ago learned to impart the advice that Mr. Castiles mother, Valerie Castile, said she gave her son: If you get stopped by the police, comply. Comply, comply, comply.) Eric Garner, on Staten Island, was unarmed and outnumbered by the officers who swarmed and smothered him.
In 1999, when Mr. Giuliani was New Yorks tough-on-crime mayor, Amadou Diallo reached for his wallet and was cut down in a hail of police bullets. Patrick Dorismond was minding his own business on a Manhattan street in 2000 when Mr. Giulianis undercover officers confronted him and shot him dead. In one of the disgraceful acts of his or any mayoralty, Mr. Giuliani smeared the victims reputation and released part of his juvenile police record, as if to suggest that he deserved to be murdered.
VOICEOVER ONLY SCRIPT OF VOICEOVER: Get used to this view. Youre going to be seeing it a lot in superhero movies once Hollywood finds out about it. Or you can buy a penthouse in this new apartment block for 80 million dollars plus - thats 3 billion roubles and change to you, sir - and look out from it every day. Well, every day that youre not in one of your other five homes. This is what they call a helicopter view - and its the main attraction of 432 Park Avenue, soon to open as the tallest residential building in New York. Actually, at 1396 feet, the roof is higher than those of the new World Trade Center and the Empire State Buildings, if you dont count their spires and masts. The developer, Harry Macklowe, says he doesnt expect any trouble filling the 104 apartments. Right now theres only thin, orange, plastic mesh around this, the 93rd of 96 floors. So you dont want to be tripping up here, in any sense. The tower already dominates New York midtown skyline. Its built on Park Avenue between 56th and 57th streets, but can be seen for miles around in all directions. Except, if you cant be too rich, can you be too thin? From some angles it looks like a matchstick for millionaires. Whatever. As the day draws to an end the sunset views are truly spectacular, and at night you get to watch the light show as New York goes home. But you dont have to go anywhere . Youre already there.
LONDON Deep in the cool and cloistered underbellies of five-star hotels, clients in this citys most luxurious spas are lying back and getting pampered. Pressure points are massaged. Bodies are deep steam-cleaned. And soothing new age music is pumped through state-of-the-art sound systems. So far, so normal.
Until you look more closely at the clientele.
In the wake of Britains decision to leave the European Union less than three weeks ago, the group of spa-goers is no longer just society women getting ready for summer in Ibiza or well-heeled tourists on city breaks. Instead, many spas report a spike in bookings from harried swathes of London professionals, who are hunting for rest and recuperation as they grapple with the stresses and strains of the so-called Brexit.
The Aaron Burr of the musical Hamilton who stews over being shut out of pivotal closed-door conferences isnt the only person who wants to be in the room where it happens. Its hard not to envy the witnesses to history in the making and to imagine attending conferences, Zelig-like, in Versailles, Vienna or Potsdam.
J. T. Rogers shares that instinct. Unlike most of you, he has acted on it. Having combined investigative zeal and theatrical imagination with insider access, Mr. Rogers now invites you into the chambers where the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization were forged during nine fraught months in 1993.
Even if you never thought about traveling to Norway, youll probably want to visit the inevitably titled Oslo, the absorbing drama by Mr. Rogers that opened on Monday night at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center. At a very full three hours, with many international stops, this play is long and dense enough to make you wonder if you should have packed an overnight bag.
Yet what Mr. Rogers and the director, Bartlett Sher, have created is a streamlined time machine, comfortably appointed enough to forestall jet lag. Centering on one Norwegian couple who improbably initiated the diplomatic back channel that led to the epochal meeting of the Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and the P.L.O leader Yasir Arafat at the White House, Oslo affectingly elicits the all-too-human factor in the weary machinations of state policy.
DALLAS He was hurting, self-effacing and, as he put it, a little fried. At a news conference on Monday, he spoke about the crisis facing law enforcement, his experience as a black man in Texas, guns and division, and what kept him going Gods grace and his sweet, tender mercies, just to be quite honest with you.
The day before President Obama was scheduled to arrive here, David O. Brown, Dallass African-American police chief, was putting a human face, tinged with humor and pathos, on the exhaustion and torment fueling this precarious American moment.
Four days earlier, a black man, intent on killing white officers, fatally shot five police officers in downtown Dallas while the nation was reeling from the deaths of two black men at the hands of the police in Louisiana and Minnesota.
Asked about how to bridge the gap between the two brotherhoods black and blue he belongs to, Chief Brown said, Ive been black a long time, so its not much of a bridge for me, his delivery as deadpan as a police report of a stolen bike.
To protesters in the streets, he suggested channeling frustration into public service: Were hiring. Get off that protest line and put an application in. And well put you in your neighborhood, and we will help you resolve some of the problems youre protesting about.
Of the impossible demands on American police officers, he said: Every societal failure, we put it off on the cops to solve. Not enough mental health funding, let the cop handle it. Not enough drug addiction funding, lets give it to the cops. Here in Dallas we got a loose dog problem. Lets have the cops chase loose dogs. Schools fail, give it to the cops. Seventy percent of the African-American community is being raised by single women. Lets give it to the cops to solve that as well.
Policing was never meant to solve all those problems, he said.
Lee P. Brown, a former mayor of Houston who was also the citys first African-American police chief, said the shooting had forced Chief Brown to find a way to appeal to an array of constituencies.
First and foremost, he has to represent his police agency and represent the City of Dallas, Mr. Brown, who is no relation, said. And in many ways hes representing American law enforcement.
In truth, Chief Browns whole career, from the reasons he got into policing to the crosscurrents that have buffeted his tenure, reflects just how much pressure the police are under.
Chief Brown, 55, is one of 20 black police chiefs among the 68 who are members of the Major Cities Chiefs Association a number that is probably as high as its ever been, said Darrel W. Stephens, the executive director of the group.
During Mondays news conference, in which he offered new details about the attack, Chief Brown commended the success of the community policing model he favors, which has given him a national reputation as a reformer focused on defusing tensions between police and minorities.
He said that 2015 was the 12th consecutive year of crime reduction in Dallas, with the citys fourth-lowest murder rate since 1930.
This year, however, crime has been on the rise, and Chief Brown has been battered by local critics. The Black Police Association of Greater Dallas has called for his resignation, and the Dallas Police Association, which represents many of the citys police officers, declared that his department was adrift. News outlets reported in March that the groups had been upset about the chiefs plans to put a large number of officers on overnight shifts to curb rising crime.
Some civilian critics, meanwhile, see him as a man intent on protecting officers and burnishing his own reputation, even if it threatens prospects for improving the relationship between the police and minorities.
As an African-American chief of police, hes always been in the role of reaffirming himself. Now, in the wake of this tragedy, hes doubling down on that, said C. D. Kirven, an activist in Dallas who witnessed Thursdays attack. As a result of doubling down, vulnerable communities, youre putting them more in danger.
Former Mayor Brown said the chiefs public appearances since Thursday night had most likely reassured Dallas residents.
If youre up there panicking, that creates a different atmosphere for the city, he said. The fact that he was calm helps the city remain calm.
Chief Browns shaved head and thick-rimmed glasses suggest rigor and precision and, perhaps, a carefully cultivated public image. He was not always known for being voluble. In 2010, the year he became chief, The Dallas Morning News described him in a profile as a private man in a most public job. In the article, a friend said Chief Brown had once described himself as a loner.
But in the Police Department here, and long before he ran it, Chief Brown earned a reputation as an officer who was not afraid to boldly criticize conventional wisdom and policing tactics. In meetings where everyone else was kind of afraid to comment, a former chief recounted on Monday, Chief Brown had been outspoken.
Hes willing to challenge the status quo in a big way, David Kunkle, the former chief, said.
But from the beginning of his tenure as chief, his private life has seemed fated to mesh with his public role. Shortly after he became chief, his son shot and killed a police officer and another man before being killed in a confrontation with the police.
My family has not only lost a son, but a fellow police officer and a private citizen lost their lives at the hands of our son, he said in a statement at the time. That hurts so deeply I cannot adequately express the sadness I feel inside my heart.
On Monday, Chief Brown spoke of the way another tragedy, the crack epidemic, had influenced his decision to become an officer.
So when I was graduating high school, I got a full-ride scholarship to U. T. Austin, he said. And this was 1979. I come back home for the summers. Around 80, 81, 82, that time frame, the crack-cocaine epidemic hit Dallas pretty hard.
My friends who stayed here became involved in that, and it broke my heart, he continued. And it changed what I wanted to do in college. And I actually left college my first semester of my senior year to come back and apply for the Dallas Police Department to do something about what I was seeing in my neighborhood.
Today, he is steering the department through one of the most challenging crises in its history. He admitted that it has not been easy, and that he and his family had received death threats after the shooting. He lamented the low starting salaries of his officers, said he was worried about their mental health, and said that he was at the point of mandating counseling because we want to be superman and superwoman and were not and we are the last to say we need help.
In the meantime, he said, he is trying to offer some succor to all that he can.
Im trying tell them that I care about them when I see them face to face, he said. Its a big department. Its hard to touch everybody at one time. So you wont see me walking past an officer without grabbing him and hugging him, and shaking their hand and telling how grateful I am for their commitment and sacrifice.
And if the divide can seem daunting, he said there was hope in the long view of where Dallas has been and where it is now.
I grew up here in Texas, he said. Im third-generation Dallasite. Its my normal to live in a society that had a long history of racial strife. Were in a much better place than we were when I was a young man here, but we have much work to do, particularly in our profession. And leaders in my position need to put their careers on the line to make sure we do things right and not be so worried about keeping their job. Thats how I approach it.
A photograph of a candle in memory of fallen police officers and other images of racial solidarity appeared on the Facebook page of a Missouri man on Saturday afternoon.
Hours later, the man was dead, after a Facebook exchange between the man and a police officer over the Black Lives Matter movement turned into a fatal face-to-face encounter, a relative said.
The St. Louis County Police Department said that on Saturday, just before 6 p.m., the man, Tyler Gebhard, 20, broke into the house of a relative of one of its officers, who shot him. Mr. Gebhard had made a series of threats before going to the house, the police said. These threats were from the suspect to the family as well as uninvolved members of the community.
The police did not give details about the threats. But Mr. Gebhards uncle, Patrick Brogan, said that the two were friends on Facebook and that they had clashed recently online over Mr. Gebhards support of Black Lives Matter, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey offered a glimpse Monday of just what he might bring to the Republican ticket as Donald J. Trumps running mate, presenting himself as a law and order executive in an appearance with Mr. Trump in Virginia Beach.
Speaking for nearly eight minutes before Mr. Trump gave his own remarks, Mr. Christie joined the growing list of Republicans including both Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee and Newt Gingrich last week to appear alongside Mr. Trump as he works to select his No. 2 in a public auditioning evocative of his reality television show, The Apprentice.
After the racially charged tragedies that have roiled the nation the assassination of five Dallas police officers by a sniper and the killing of black men by police officers in Louisiana and Minnesota Mr. Christie spoke forcefully about safety and security as the two greatest issues facing the country.
We need a president who once again will put law and order at the top of the priority of the presidency of this country, Mr. Christie said. We need once again to have a president who puts the safety and security of our citizens first and does not blink or hesitate to take the strong action that needs to be taken to make sure that those both at home and around the world know that lawlessness will not be tolerated from anyone.
CLEVELAND Rachel Hoff on Monday became the first openly gay person to sit on the Republican Partys Platform Committee.
But, she would not make history a second time. Facing overwhelming opposition and fighting back tears as she spoke to the committee, Ms. Hoff, a delegate from the District of Columbia, offered an amendment of a few paragraphs to the Republican platform that would have encouraged a thoughtful conversation within the party on same-sex marriage.
It received only about 30 votes from the 112-member committee, according to an unofficial count.
Ms. Hoffs amendment did not call for the party to embrace same-sex unions. It called for an acknowledgment that a growing number of Republicans are changing their views on the issue and that opinions on marriage are diverse and sincerely held.
As Ms. Hoff addressed the committee, her voice broke. We are your daughters, your sons, your friends, your neighbors, your colleagues, she said. All I ask today is that you include me and those like me.
BATON ROUGE, La. The tensions have been national, as have the protests, the arrests, the efforts to block highways. No place has had a monopoly on anger and frustration.
But here in Baton Rouge, discord between law enforcement and protesters has escalated night after night, and more than 180 demonstrators have been arrested since Friday evening. Images racing across social media of protesters facing police officers clad in riot gear are from here, as are those of SWAT trucks rolling down residential streets and of journalists being arrested.
The event that set the protests off the fatal shooting by police officers of Alton Sterling in front of the Triple S Food Mart continues to unfold. A search warrant filed by a Baton Rouge detective in the city clerks office on Monday offered the most detailed account of the shooting from the police perspective.
It says that police officers, responding to a call of a man who had threatened someone, spotted the butt of a gun in Mr. Sterlings front pocket. When he refused orders and attempted to reach for the gun, they shot him several times to stop the threat.
The account is unlikely to decrease tensions here, and protesters point to two different videos from the scene that they say tell a different story.
Officials insist that confrontational outsiders have made protests in Baton Rouge different; demonstrators say it is the excessive tactics of the police. Others say conflicts like this were almost inevitable in a city that, according to data gathered in a 2009 report, has areas with some of the highest life expectancy and median earnings in the state, and areas including where Mr. Sterling was killed by the police a week ago with some of the lowest.
The poor people get a bad break in this town, said Russel L. Honore, a retired Army lieutenant general who was widely praised for his role in coordinating relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina and now lives in Baton Rouge. When we have an incident like this, it manifests itself.
Protests continued on Monday, including one at City Hall, and the police continued to respond, deploying in particular in reaction to information that demonstrators planned to block a bridge over the Mississippi River.
Tensions were high, particularly after a clash on Sunday evening, when a group of protesters leaving an organized march headed on an unplanned route to the citys Police Headquarters. There were 50 arrests over all that night.
The search warrant that was filed on Monday says the police went to a judge at 5:23 a.m. last Tuesday, just after the shooting, for permission to retrieve the surveillance recorder from the Triple S.
Justin Bamberg, a lawyer for Mr. Sterlings family, said nothing on the store video will vindicate the police.
Joel Porter, a lawyer for Abdullah Muflahi, the store owner, went further: He said the police account was not accurate.
That is absolutely not true, he said. By the time that warrant was signed, they had already commandeered my clients building.
In a lawsuit against the city and several police officers filed Monday, Mr. Muflahi said the police did not have a search warrant when they seized the equipment, took control of his store and held him in the back of a police cruiser for four hours.
A spokesman for the Police Department, Cpl. LJean McKneely, did not comment on the lawsuit and, asked about the timing of the warrant, said, I dont have specifics.
When the protesters took the unplanned route on Sunday evening, the police insisted that they disperse, acting, they said, on intelligence that the plan was to get onto the interstate. When the protesters did not leave, many gathering instead on the property of a woman who invited them to stay, a standoff ensued, for over an hour. On one side protesters were yelling and holding signs, and on the other side, the police had shields, helmets and batons.
Suddenly the police moved in, some of them rushing onto the womans property; dozens of people were arrested.
The police chief, Carl Dabadie Jr., said officers had given protesters time to move away, even after, he said, some officers were hit with rocks.
Like other city and state officials, including the Louisiana governor, Chief Dabadie attributed the confrontations in Baton Rouge to outsiders.
I think that out-of-town agitators are coming in here for that reason to agitate us and to agitate the crowd, he said in an interview in his office. I dont feel like our department is agitating anything.
Still, most of those arrested have been from the area, and plenty of natives had grievances about their home city.
What youre seeing is a situation much like Ferguson and other places where you have a majority-white force policing a majority-black city, said Donney Rose, 35. He said the response was not a surprise, given what he knows of the department.
The reason were talking about Alton Sterling is because it was filmed, he said. This could have taken place and been swept under the rug.
MEXICO CITY A classmate of 43 college students who disappeared in 2014 had been tortured before his body was found the day after the others vanished, Mexicos National Human Rights Commission said on Monday.
A new autopsy determined that the student, Julio Cesar Mondragon, 22, suffered 64 fractures in 40 bones, mostly in his skull, face and spine, according to Jose Trinidad Larrieta, who has led the commissions investigation in the case. He said that the young man died of brain injuries.
Mr. Larrieta called for federal prosecutors to investigate all suspects in the case for torture. Until now, Mr. Mondragons case has remained in the hands of a local court and was separate from the disappearances of his fellow students, but torture is a federal charge, so the commission expressed confidence that federal prosecutors would take it up.
Twenty-eight people have been accused of murder in the Mondragon case, including the former mayor of Iguala, Jose Luis Abarca. Mr. Larrieta said he believed there were 11 individuals, of whom five are in custody, who were directly involved in Mr. Mondragons torture and death. One of them was an official with the local Civil Protection Agency.
AMSTERDAM Everyone knows that Vincent van Gogh cut off his left ear. But since that fateful event nearly 128 years ago, there has been continuing debate among scholars about the severity of that mutilation, which took place in Arles, France, in December 1888. Did he simply slice off a little chunk of his ear, or did he lop off the entire ear?
The author and amateur historian Bernadette Murphy, while researching the last period of that Dutch Post Impressionists life for a new book, discovered a document in an American archive that may help resolve the issue. A note written by Felix Rey, a doctor who treated van Gogh at the Arles hospital, contains a drawing of the mangled ear showing that the artist indeed cut off the whole thing.
The letter and drawing will be displayed for the first time at the Van Gogh Museums exhibition On the Verge of Insanity, which opens here on Friday and runs through Sept. 25, along with previously unexhibited documents and artifacts that try to provide more detailed evidence about van Goghs mental illness.
The exhibition will also include about 25 paintings and other objects, like a corroded revolver that van Gogh may have used to kill himself, museum officials say. These will try to explore, in particular, the final stretch of his life while his troubles escalated, from the ear-cutting incident to July 29, 1890, when he apparently committed suicide in Auvers-sur-Oise, France.
The JACK Quartet, which has emerged in recent years as a vital force in the new music world, is getting some new blood: the ensemble announced Tuesday morning that two of its founding members plan to leave this summer and will be replaced by new musicians.
The personnel change adds a new wrinkle to the quartets name. JACK is an acronym made up of the first letters of the first names of its original musicians: violist John Pickford Richards, violinist Ari Streisfeld, violinist Christopher Otto and cellist Kevin McFarland.
Now, with Mr. Streisfeld and Mr. McFarland departing, the quartet announced that it would welcome another A to its ranks, the violinist Austin Wulliman, but not a K: the new cellist will be Jay Campbell. The group will continue to be known as the JACK Quartet, though, perhaps because the JACJ Quartet was deemed less than euphonious.
Founded in 2007, JACK has become an important ensemble with a reputation for adventurousness and for championing new work. It has performed music by composers including John Luther Adams, Caroline Shaw, Steve Reich, Matthias Pintscher and John Zorn, among many others.
Youre no one in this life or in the afterlife, at any rate until one of your children has written an account of what an appalling parent you were.
Three of these memoirs have stuck in my mind recently. In Alexandra Styrons Reading My Father (2011), William Styron has a temper like pulling the pin on a grenade. In Andre Dubus IIIs Townie (2011), his father, Andre Dubus, loves the Boston Red Sox but never takes his son to a game. In Juan F. Thompsons Stories I Tell Myself (2015), his father, Hunter S. Thompson, fires heavy-gauge weapons while ingesting cocaine and referring to Juan as you stupid waterhead bastard.
Calvin Trillin such a famously good dad that I shudder at the possibility one of his daughters will out him as the Great Santini of the West Village has described the current state of memoir as an atrocity arms race. If this is so, then Tracy Tynan, in her new book, Wear and Tear: The Threads of My Life, comes to the fight well armed.
Ms. Tynans parents were Kenneth Tynan (1927-1980), the gifted English theater critic and author of the musical sex comedy Oh! Calcutta! (1969), and the novelist Elaine Dundy (1921-2008), who wrote the cult classic The Dud Avocado (1958).
Then they came for the lawyers.
The roles played by investment banks in billion-dollar buyouts have lately come under fire in the Delaware courts. Now, a complaint arising from the recent $2.2 billion buyout of the ExamWorks Group focuses on a different kind of deal adviser. It contends that lawyers at Paul Hastings, a law firm based in Los Angeles, were in cahoots with management and the investment banks to sell the company at a below-market price, something ExamWorks vigorously denies.
Could this be the case that extends liability to the lawyers in buyouts?
ExamWorks is an independent medical examination company founded by Richard E. Perlman and James K. Price. Mr. Perlman and Mr. Price are experienced financiers, focusing on industries where they can roll up a number of small companies, take the larger enterprise public and then sell out, typically to a private equity firm.
This is what happened at ExamWorks, although in this case, the plaintiff, the Daytona Beach Police and Fire Pension Fund, claims that the buyout was tainted by conflicts and a failure of Paul Hastings to run the process appropriately. The fund, a shareholder of ExamWorks, is suing the companys directors, as well as the private equity firm leading the buyout, Leonard Green & Partners.
Reading through the complaint, the initial problem is that management and directors are participating in the buyout.
Despite skeptics, Hyperloop One was promising enough to draw a number of prominent executives in technology. Perhaps the most prominent example was Mr. Pishevar, a refugee from Iran who began life in America as a cabdriver, eventually becoming a venture capitalist who invested in the likes of Uber and Warby Parker. He is also a prominent Silicon Valley backer of both President Obama and Hillary Clinton.
And Mr. BamBrogan was a senior engineer at Mr. Musks SpaceX rocket company.
A Hyperloop One director and a defendant in the case, Joe Lonsdale, is also a well-known venture capitalist who helped found the data analysis firm Palantir.
But according to the lawsuit, Hyperloop One was run as the personal fief of Shervin Pishevar and Mr. Lonsdale, who together control 78 percent of its voting rights. The two men rarely spent time at the start-up except, the court filing claims, to give tours of the place to friends, celebrities and even a nightclub doorman.
Mr. BamBrogan and his fellow plaintiffs Knut Sauer, formerly Hyperloop Ones vice president for business development; David Pendergast, former assistant general counsel; and William Mulholland, former vice president for finance accuse Mr. Pishevar and Mr. Lonsdale of unfair favoritism toward relatives and associates.
Mr. Pishevar, according to the lawsuit, once pressured a prospective investor into investing in his Sherpa Capital venture fund in order to invest in Hyperloop One.
The suit describes an atmosphere of waste. Once Mr. Pishevar began dating Hyperloop Ones public relations consultant, it says, he nearly tripled her monthly retainer to $40,000 from $15,000, more than any other employee in the company only to dismiss her after their engagement was later broken off.
Image Shervin Pishevar, above, founded Hyperloop One with Brogan BamBrogan, who along with others has now sued the company. Credit... Steve Jennings/Getty Images for Techcrunch
The plaintiffs also accused Mr. Lonsdale of forcing Hyperloop One to retain his younger brothers financial firm as an exclusive adviser, when better investment banks were available.
In the United States, politicians, lawmakers and officials have derided inversion deals, which allow an American company to move its headquarters overseas to cut its tax bills. In Ireland, they are celebrating them.
The Irish government on Tuesday revised the countrys economic growth rate in 2015 to 26.3 percent from a preliminary estimate of 7.8 percent. While Irelands economy has been on the upswing since the country repaid its bailout, it wasnt that the Celtic Tiger suddenly came roaring back in an unexpected way. Rather, it was the magic of those inversion deals and other sleights of finance.
Under a typical inversion deal, a United States company takes over a foreign counterpart and, in the process, shifts its headquarters overseas. The takeover targets for such deals are typically based in countries with low corporate taxes like Ireland, with its 12.5 percent rate.
The combined companys global profits are then reported in its new home base, regardless of where they are earned. In essence, Irelands G.D.P. is artificially inflated.
The Justice Department is expected to rule soon on the biggest beer merger ever: a $100 billion-plus combination of Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller into a colossus that will reap some $3 out of every $10 spent on beer around the world.
The prospect strikes fear into the hearts of myriad craft brewers in the United States that rely on Anheuser-Buschs distribution network, the biggest in the country. Will they get their double IPAs and Russian imperial stouts to market if the new leviathan shuts them off to bolster flagging sales of its own Bud and Pilsner Urquell?
The stakes are higher than whether you will be able to find your favorite Belgian-style lambic at the corner store. The new merger amounts to another step in the long decline of competition in many American industries.
It is a decline that stunts entrepreneurship, hinders workers mobility and slows productivity growth. Slowing this trend has emerged as a tempting new avenue to address the plight of a beleaguered working class. Reviving flagging American competition might even help stop Americas ever-widening inequality.
Carmella Salinas has worked steadily for 14 years as an early-childhood-education teacher, taking care of 4- and 5-year-olds at the nonprofit Family Learning Center in the hardscrabble community of Espanola, just north of Santa Fe, N.M. Even so, she rarely earns enough to cover all her bills, and has more than once received a disconnection letter from the water, gas or electric company. A few months ago, she arrived home with her 10-year-old son, Aaron, to find the electricity shut off.
But Mom, she recalled Aaron saying, dont they know its your birthday?
While the scramble to find affordable child care has drawn a lot of attention, prompting President Obama to label it a must-have economic priority, the struggles of the workers mostly women who provide that care have not.
Yet the fortunes of both are inextricably intertwined. You cant separate the quality of childrens experiences from the knowledge, skills and well-being of early educators, said Marcy Whitebook, director of the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment at the University of California, Berkeley.
About two million caregivers look after 12 million children from newborns to 5-year-olds, and they are among the lowest-paid workers in the country, sometimes earning little more than minimum wage, said Ms. Whitebook, who is an author of a state-by-state comparison of the early-child-care work force that was released last week. Caregivers also get few benefits and scattershot training, and they are subject to a tangle of requirements and regulations that can vary from one program to the next.
BEIJING Bowing to two weeks of rising public pressure in China, the Swedish furniture maker Ikea said Tuesday that it would extend its recent recall to a country where so far it has enjoyed a strong reputation.
The move marks the latest sign of the growing power of the Chinese consumer, whose spending has fattened the bottom line of foreign and domestic companies alike but who has also shown a desire for safety and quality.
Two weeks ago, Ikea recalled 29 million pieces of furniture in the United States, where safety officials have blamed chests and dressers for the deaths of at least six toddlers in falling accidents. Ikea initially excluded China and Europe from the recall, saying that its products sold in those regions satisfied local regulations. On Tuesday, after criticism online and in government-controlled Chinese media, Ikea switched course, saying it would recall 1.7 million chests and dressers in China.
Ikea is a very responsible company, Xian Jiaxin, a company spokeswoman, said in an interview. Consumer safety is very important to us, which is how we came to this decision. The recall still will not be extended to the European Union, she said.
Mr. Smith and his brother, Thomas, founded Taser in Scottsdale, Ariz., in 1993, and the company now is worth about $1.3 billion. Taser cameras have captured thousands of altercations between the police and the public and several controversial police shootings, including ones in Albuquerque and Cincinnati.
Image Axon body cameras are worn by officers in dozens of big cities including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Washington and Dallas. Credit... Caitlin O'Hara for The New York Times
Yet as Taser works to sell cameras and software to more departments, it is coming under fire for questionable business practices. In some instances, it has paid police chiefs to travel to Taser conferences. In other cases, chiefs who have bought Taser products have joined the company as consultants shortly after leaving public service. And several cities have awarded contracts to Taser without competitive bidding.
So far, these issues have done little to blunt Tasers momentum. Last quarter, for the first time, Taser booked more sales for body cameras and related software than it did for its stun guns.
Interest in body cameras was already picking up two years ago, as police departments around the country started responding to calls for greater accountability. Then, in August 2014, a white police officer killed Mr. Brown, an unarmed black teenager, in Ferguson. The officer was not wearing a body camera, and witnesses disputed his account of the altercation that led to the shooting. The officer was not charged, and critics said that had he been wearing a body camera, the outcome might have been different.
Video captured by body cameras can be difficult to interpret. Yet as more Taser cameras are deployed around the country, the grainy images they produce are playing an increasingly important role in the aftermath of deadly shootings.
At times, the video can exonerate officers. In 2009, shortly after Taser began selling its cameras through its Axon division, Sgt. Brandon Davis shot and killed a man in Fort Smith, Ark. Video recorded by his body camera captured the shooting, and Mr. Davis was cleared of wrongdoing.
In other instances, the footage can portray police as needlessly aggressive. In 2014, a Taser Axon camera worn by an officer in Albuquerque captured the fatal shooting of a homeless man by officers who did not appear to be threatened. The two officers have been charged with second-degree murder and are expected to stand trial soon.
Headliner
Gristmill No, the restaurant does not grind its own flour. But the chef and owner, Jake Novick-Finder, works grains into many dishes, including pizzas, panzanella, toasts and pies. His choices include spelt, triticale, cornmeal and wheat, notably warthog wheat, a richly flavored hard red wheat from Massachusetts. (Most of the grains, like his seasonal ingredients, come from farms in the Northeast.) Mr. Novick-Finder, 26, started cooking at age 12 in the pastry kitchen of Chanterelle, and has worked at Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern, and in Boston. The restaurant is compact, with a bar area and a chefs table facing the open kitchen. (Opens Wednesday): 289 Fifth Avenue (First Street), Park Slope, Brooklyn, 718-499-2424, gristmillbk.com.
Opening
The Bowery Market A collection of vendors, mostly restaurants, has taken up residence in kiosks in a former auto body shop, an outdoor space that is open rain or shine, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. They are Alidoro for sandwiches, the vegetarian Butchers Daughter, Pulqueria Mexican fare, the new Sushi on Jones, and Champion Coffee from Greenpoint, Brooklyn. (Thursday): 348 Bowery (Great Jones Street), no phone. thebowerymarket.com.
Cha Cha Matcha Matthew Morton and Conrad Sandelman, recent New York University graduates with a taste for matcha, traveled to Japan to learn all about the finely ground green tea. Now they have opened a cafe serving typical matcha creations like lattes and milkshakes. The organic matcha they import is blended to appeal to Americans, Mr. Morton said: Its smoother, with more caffeine and less bitterness. The cafe also sells confections from ChikaLicious: 373 Broome Street (Mott Street), 310-880-0364, chachamatcha.com.
As I dug deeper into the research, I realized with a twinge of soberness and anxiety that in my hands was one of the most precious stories Israel has to tell, and that I had better not screw up.
Yoni is an icon. He was the ideal Israeli. It wasnt simply that he was handsome, intelligent, adventurous and patriotic; he seemed to embody a sense of sacrifice, of serving a cause greater than his own one he deeply believed in, though it wasnt easy on him. He left behind hundreds of letters that were posthumously published, illuminating a man who was half warrior, half poet and who constantly struggled to reconcile the two.
When you are wounded, and alone, in the midst of a scorched field, surrounded by smoke mushrooms of smoke from exploding shells, with your arm shattered and burning with a terrible pain, he wrote to his parents, then life becomes more precious and craved-for than ever. You want to embrace it and go on with it, to escape from all the blood and death, to live, live, even without hands and feet, but breathing, thinking, feeling, seeing.
He toggled back and forth between war and college, getting wounded, going to Harvard, getting married, getting divorced all by age 26. His life was a window into such a different time, when Israel was new and its existence incredibly fragile. I found it hard to read about Yoni without thinking that the things I had done at his age going to grad school, painting houses, backpacking around the world were small and inconsequential. By age 30, Yoni had been promoted to commander of one of the most elite, secretive and deadly commando units anywhere in the world: the Sayeret Matkal of the Israeli Army, known simply as The Unit.
We were interested in working collaboratively with the Police Department, she added. Obviously we did not get 100 percent of what was laid out in the bills.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Mr. de Blasio said that his administration had taken clear steps to reduce unnecessary arrests and strengthen our officers relationship with the community, noting, among other things, changes to the citys marijuana arrest policy.
These smart reforms will help bridge the essential relationship between police and community that is at the center of keeping our neighborhoods safe, the mayor added.
The bills intended to alter the interactions between officers and people on the street in encounters when an officer suspected a possible crime.
One bill would have required officers to identify themselves by name, rank and command after encounters that do not result in arrest or summons; another would have required that officers, before requesting consent for a search in the absence of any legal basis, to inform the person of his or her right to refuse the search.
Under the agreement, Council officials said, officers conducting a so-called consent search of a car, a home or a person will be required to ask a question such as Can I search your pockets? rather than Hey, let me search your pockets. Afterward, they will have to confirm that the person understood his or her right to refuse. If consent is declined, the officer will have to obtain a warrant or walk away.
After such a search, the officer will be required to provide a business card. The cards, which will be printed and provided by the Police Department, will also be handed over at checkpoint car stops and upon request during informational conversations on the street that do not legally constitute a police stop, the Council officials said. Officers will be retrained in the coming months on the new procedures.
When Audrey Davison met someone special at her nursing home, she wanted to love her man.
Her nurses and aides at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale did not try to stop her. On the contrary, she was allowed to stay over in her boyfriends room with the door shut under the Bronx homes stated sexual expression policy. One aide even made the couple a Do Not Disturb sign to hang outside.
I enjoyed it and he was a very good lover, Ms. Davison, 85, said. That was part of how close we were: physically touching and kissing.
Ms. Davison is among a number of older Americans who are having intimate relationships well into their 70s and 80s, helped in some cases by Viagra and more tolerant societal attitudes toward sex outside marriage. These aging lovers have challenged traditional notions of growing old and, in some cases, raised logistical and legal issues for their families, caretakers and the institutions they call home.
Bernie Sanders went off for a month to contemplate life after the revolution, and this was the best he could come up with? Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process, and I congratulate her for that.
So said Sanders at a rally in New Hampshire on Tuesday, where he appeared on stage with Hillary Clinton as an ally for the first time. As big events go, it felt pretty small, with Sanders waving his arms around and offering up his usual list of shouted slogans.
Sanders avoided subjects like war and foreign affairs, since he and Clinton disagree violently on those things. He harped on his successes, which was understandable, but it was passing strange when he claimed that he and his backers showed the world that we could run a successful national campaign based on small individual contributions.
Yes, if you define successful as losing.
Clinton who actually wrapped up the nomination more than a month ago stood next to him looking uncomfortable, nodding endlessly like a bobblehead doll and smiling at odd, seemingly random moments.
Metropolitan elites often use the Irish and Jewish settlement in Britain from the mid-19th century to bolster a national story of Britain as an immigrant nation, but the history does not fit this narrative. We prefer to forget it, but Britains Irish communities suffered appalling levels of ethnic hate and communal segregation into the 1980s.
Jews were expelled from Britain in the 13th century and barred from settling here until the 17th century. The extreme hostility to Jewish immigrants saw Britain largely close its borders to them in 1905, and later refuse asylum to hundreds of thousands of European Jews fleeing Nazism. In Wales, there was even a pogrom against Jews in 1911.
Before World War II, only three waves left a demographic trace on this island nation: Huguenots from France and the Netherlands in the 16th century, Irish migration in the mid-19th century and Jewish immigration in the later decades. The numbers were always small. Huguenots numbered about 1 percent of Londons population; Irish migration, even at its 19th-century peak, amounted to less than 3 percent of the population of England and Wales. Fewer than 250,000 Jews migrated to Britain between 1880 and 1914.
So the most striking historical trend of Elizabeth IIs reign has been a sudden ethnic transformation of Britain. In 1931, when the queen was a child of 5, only 1.75 percent of Britains population was foreign-born. Her rule saw the Empire come to Britain: For the first time, the island experienced large-scale nonwhite immigration from Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. By 2011, when she was 85, about 20 percent of the population of England and Wales were immigrants or the children of immigrants.
When the queen celebrated her 90th birthday this year, more than 12 percent of her subjects were nonwhite. This is the new England, but London is already another country. In 1971, 86 percent of Londoners were still white British. Forty years later, fewer than half were. Urban areas with a population less than 60 percent white British now include such major cities as Slough, Leicester, Luton and Birmingham. Ethnic change is gathering pace: By 2050, roughly 30 percent of Britons could be nonwhite.
Remain campaigners argue that it was areas with low immigration that voted most heavily for Brexit. This misses the large flow of white British families from diverse cities to such areas and misunderstands them. People were voting against their town turning into London; they were voting against becoming an immigrant nation.
In Tonbridge, I heard Enoch was right a reference to Enoch Powell, the politician who scandalized party colleagues in 1968 but won broad public support for a speech that predicted racial strife resulting from mass immigration. In Grantham, Margaret Thatchers hometown, I was told Britain would collapse with these millions of Turks. In Romford, a suburb east of London, I was warned that therell be a civil war between the English and the immigrants.
To the Editor:
Re U.S. Will Deploy More Troops to Iraq to Help Retake Mosul (news article, July 12):
Can you say quagmire? How about mission creep?
The announcement of more troops to Iraq and the previously announced slowing of troop withdrawals from Afghanistan reflect the paradigm established in the war in Vietnam: tactics, tactics, tactics, but no viable political endgame of reconciliation possible.
Perpetual conflict in pursuit of an unwinnable war on terror has led to tens of thousands of casualties and more than a million veterans applying for disability. The cost of war also showed itself when a veteran of Afghanistan went on a killing spree in Dallas.
Military leaders will always ask for more troops because thats what they do. But in supporting two of the most corrupt governments in the world, lets remember the costs of Vietnam.
American participation in perpetual conflict in failed states is stupid.
STEPHEN F. DESMOND
Providence, R.I.
To the Editor:
Re Colleges Chase Out-of-State Students, and Cash (front page, July 8):
The basic premise of your article is sound: Severe cutbacks in state support have forced public universities to seek alternate revenue to maintain quality.
But in our case, this year the University of California increased in-state admissions by 15 percent, capped nonresidents at Berkeley, U.C.L.A. and San Diego, and continued to build a student body that reflects our states rich diversity.
Moreover, despite six years without a tuition increase, and with nonresident enrollment far lower than comparable public institutions, 57 percent of U.C.s California undergraduates have their tuition and fees fully covered.
Nearly 40 percent of incoming students are from historically underrepresented groups, and 42 percent will be the first in their families to attend college.
European officials approved a new agreement on Tuesday that will allow some of the worlds largest companies, including Google and General Electric, to move digital information freely between the European Union and the United States.
The pact, known as the E.U.-U.S. Privacy Shield, comes after months of political wrangling. It is aimed at allowing online data from social media posts and search queries to information about workers pensions and payroll to be transferred across the Atlantic. The agreement also provides extra privacy protections for European citizens when their information is moved to the United States.
Heres a primer on what was announced, what happens next and how it might affect you.
What is the Privacy Shield and why does it matter?
The pact allows more than 4,000 companies that have registered with the Department of Commerce to transfer data between Europe and the United States. The new deal became necessary after Europes highest court ruled last year that the previous one known as Safe Harbor was invalid because it did not sufficiently protect Europeans privacy rights.
A new study on police force found no bias against black civilians in police shootings in 10 cities and counties, including Houston. It did find bias against blacks in every other type of force, like the use of hands or batons. The study provoked debate after it was posted on Monday, mostly about the volume of police encounters and the scope of the data it used. Below, the author of the study, Roland G. Fryer Jr., a professor of economics at Harvard, answered questions from readers.
What about the chance of a police encounter?
Mr. Fryers study looked only at what happens once the police have stopped civilians, not at the chances of being stopped in the first place. Many readers questioned whether that was the right denominator. Other research has shown that blacks are more likely to be stopped by the police.
Lee Buttala from Ashley Falls, Mass., asked, Is it possible that the statistics on shooting are misleading because the police are less likely to stop white people generally.
Wendy Maland from Chicago put it this way: The question isnt once police identify you as a potential criminal, how are you treated? the question is who is being treated as a criminal?
Mr. Fryer: I agree that blacks are more likely to be stopped, more likely to be harassed and more likely to be arrested. Ideally we would be able to set up an experiment to understand potential differences before an encounter. Unfortunately, that would require us to randomly assign civilian race in encounters of police, which isnt possible! Given this limitation, we need to make the best out of available data. There are two important things I want to note: 1. The types of encounters that lead to police shootings in the videos that we have all seen are not the most common that actually occur in the data. In Houston, for instance, most of the officer-involved shootings come from calls for service resulting from burglaries or violent crimes, not from chasing down people with broken taillights. 2. I totally agree that deciding who to stop in a police stop is highly problematic and there certainly may be racial bias in that decision. So lets think about the officer-involved shootings in which theres a robbery in progress or a violent crime. Those are less likely to be plagued by selection bias in the decision of who to harass or stop. Analyzing only those cases yields similar results. Moreover, when we analyze only cases in which the officer-involved shooting began with a routine stop or a traffic stop, we do not find bias. But these results are susceptible to your point that theres more traffic stops of blacks.
Why the focus on Houston?
The University of California said it had increased admission offers to California freshmen by more than 15 percent for the fall 2016 semester while reducing offers to international students at two of its prestigious campuses. The numbers are likely to help defuse a controversy sparked by accusations that the university has rejected Californians in favor of nonresidents.
A state audit released in March stoked criticism of the university system for its pursuit of out-of-state and international students, who pay significantly higher tuition part of an increasingly controversial national trend in which public universities rely on nonresident tuition to help fill budget gaps left by declining state appropriations. The audit said the university had put California students, particularly minorities, at a disadvantage, which the university system denied.
A detailed chart released by the university showed that 71,178 California freshmen have been offered admission to the universitys nine undergraduate campuses for this fall, an increase of 9,344 from last year. That is a sharp reversal from 2015, when admission offers to California freshmen declined by 1,039 from the previous year, spurring protests by parents whose children were denied spots.
While overall admission invitations to out-of-state and international freshmen for this fall also increased by about 13 percent each offers to international students decreased at two of the university systems most sought-after campuses, in Berkeley and San Diego.
DALLAS When Andre Stubblefield leaves his dilapidated apartment complex in southern Dallas, he always carries his work gloves, vest and hard hat, even when he is not going to work. The police have stopped him regularly over the years, asking for identification about four times in the last four months alone. So he carries his work attire to show that he is a working man, not a criminal.
I got to fake like Im wearing my work stuff, so they wont mess with me, said Mr. Stubblefield, 30, who works in demolition.
In the wake of last weeks sniper shooting that left five Dallas police officers dead, many people have lamented that it happened in this city, with a black police chief who even critics say has made inroads with the community and worked to steer his force away from its history of racism and abuse. Since Chief David O. Brown took over the department in 2010, excessive-force complaints have dropped 64 percent, and he has started de-escalation training and a successful community policing program.
But for all the progress that the Dallas police have made, this remains one of the most segregated big cities in the country, with yawning racial gaps in housing, schools and employment. Decades of discriminatory federal, state and local policies have concentrated the citys black population in deeply poor and underdeveloped neighborhoods south of Interstate 30, which serves as a line of demarcation between opportunity and neglect. While downtown Dallas is flush with glassy skyscrapers and high-priced restaurants, large tracts of the citys southern sector are empty and ragged.
People look at the Black Lives Matter movement as people protesting against police brutality, said Terry Flowers, the executive director and headmaster of St. Philips School and Community Center in South Dallas. I think it is much larger than that. People are protesting against a social engineering of inequity. In the broader community here, there is tension. You get pulled over by a police officer, there is automatic tension.
So while the Dallas Police Department has gained national acclaim, the extent to which these reforms have changed how black residents view the police, and the extent to which they have altered the way the citys most marginalized residents interact with the police, depend largely on whom you ask.
A 2014 survey by the Dallas-based Embrey Family Foundation found that while 67 percent of Dallass black residents believed that the citys black men received a lot of discrimination, only 37 percent of white people thought the same.
From his small brick home in a predominantly black, low-income part of Oak Cliff in southern Dallas, Yafeuh Balogun, 32, said that use-of-force complaints might be down in Dallas, but that police harassment of community members and police killings of unarmed citizens had not gone away under Chief Brown.
Christopher Simcox, a founder of the now-disbanded Minuteman border patrol group, has been sentenced in Arizona to more than 19 years in prison for sexual abuse of a 5-year-old girl, in a case that drew the attention of the Supreme Court after Mr. Simcox tried to question the young victim.
Mr. Simcox, 55, was found guilty last month of molesting the girl, who was a friend of his 6-year-old daughter, in 2012 and 2013 during scheduled parental visits at his apartment after he and his wife divorced.
The 5-year-old girl told her mother of the abuse, who called law enforcement.
In a statement on Monday, the Maricopa County attorney, Bill Montgomery, said the 19-and-a-half-year sentence involved two counts of molestation of a child and one count of furnishing obscene materials to a minor.
The defendant committed unconscionable acts against a young child, the emotional and psychological effects of which shell have to deal with her entire life, Mr. Montgomery said. He added that the sentence wont take back the harm he has done, but it removes the opportunity for him to prey on another child.
When I woke up from my nap, Ms. Castile said through tears, all hell had been broken out.
In that time, Mr. Castile, a quiet man who loved driving old cars, who passed the hours playing video games and who found his vocation serving lunch to schoolchildren, had been fatally shot by one of those officers. His girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, who was in the passenger seat, streamed the gruesome aftermath live on Facebook, challenging the officers claim that Mr. Castile had disobeyed his instructions. Ms. Reynolds said Mr. Castile, who was 32 and African-American, was only reaching for his identification when he was killed.
The video sparked almost immediate outrage and protests, raising questions about the role of race in the traffic stop and in the reaction by the officer, later identified as Jeronimo Yanez.
The official version of what happened remains largely opaque, with no radio traffic or dashboard camera footage released by the authorities, and only the vaguest outline of events provided by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the agency that is investigating. Thomas Kelly, the lawyer for Officer Yanez, has said that his client had more reason to pull him over than a problematic taillight mentioned by Ms. Reynolds in the Facebook video, and that it was the presence of a gun that prompted him to shoot.
As demonstrators have marched in recent days, Ms. Castile and her mother, Valerie, have been left to plan a funeral, now set for Thursday, and plot the start of a course that they hope will lead to better police training, changes to state law and jail time for Officer Yanez. Valerie Castile said she believed her son had told Officer Yanez that he had a permit to carry a gun, and that he was armed, before the policeman saw his weapon and opened fire.
All I can say is that I dont know anywhere on this planet where if you tell the truth and are honest, you die, said Valerie Castile, who said she believed her son had been racially profiled by the police in this region for years, amassing at least 52 traffic or parking cases recorded in a state court database. If this is where humanity is headed to, were doomed.
But behind the scenes, her senior campaign aides have been in frequent contact with Sanders advisers while also trying to build bridges to a wing of the party skeptical of Mrs. Clinton and the brand of moderate politics her husband advanced.
Since she clinched the number of delegates needed to secure her partys nomination on June 7, the campaign has reached out to Mr. Sanderss supporters, dispatching three top staff members the campaign manager, Robby Mook; director of states and political engagement, Marlon Marshall; and the top policy adviser, Jake Sullivan to states that Mr. Sanders won, including New Hampshire, Wyoming, Vermont and Washington.
Mr. Sanders, of Vermont, was in a bittersweet but resolute mood on Tuesday, according to his advisers, as he took the stage with Mrs. Clinton. He was back in a state that once filled his campaign with hope after he crushed Mrs. Clinton by 22 percentage points in the February primary, and he came around grudgingly to supporting her, the advisers said. But he was also determined to make a strong case against Mr. Trump and, in doing so, champion Mrs. Clinton as the only chance to defeat him.
Taking the stage together in the high school gymnasium, Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Sanders stood before a giant American flag and Mrs. Clintons motto, Stronger Together. The clashes in the audience quickly subsided, and Mr. Sanders drew some of his strongest cheers as he described his unexpectedly competitive challenge against Mrs. Clinton and his primary and caucus victories in 22 states. In an odd passage for a concession speech, Mr. Sanders said that Mrs. Clinton had 389 more pledged delegates than we have, and a lot more superdelegates a reference to party leaders that drew boos from the audience and a steely look from Mrs. Clinton.
One person close to Mr. Sanders said that the senator and his wife, Jane, were putting on a good face on Tuesday, but that they were disappointed that his campaign had not been more successful after he gave it so much of his energy and rallied millions of people around his ideas.
Senator Bernie Sanders offered a full-throated endorsement of Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, urging his supporters to get behind the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. But many of his most loyal followers are not feeling it just yet.
Disappointment in Mr. Sanders cascaded across the internet as he embraced his former rival, describing her as a comrade in the fight to overhaul a rigged campaign finance system and lift the poor out of poverty. The sadness was most evident on the Facebook page where the Vermont senator explained his decision in a message titled Forever forward that drew responses infused with a skeptical refrain: Never Hillary.
You broke my heart and betrayed the left Senator Sanders, wrote Cesar Agusto Diaz, a Sanders supporter from New York.
For Mitt Romney, Gov. Nikki R. Haley of South Carolina was a natural ally perhaps even an ideal running mate. A young, conservative woman of Indian descent, Ms. Haley endorsed Mr. Romney early in the 2012 race and campaigned alongside him in the run-up to his choice of a vice-presidential candidate.
This year, Ms. Haley is not even in the hunt for a spot on the Republican ticket.
As Donald J. Trump prepares to select a running mate, he has whittled the list of potential partners to a slim few, including Newt Gingrich, a former House speaker, and Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana, with whom he campaigned on Tuesday.
Entirely absent are virtually all of the Republicans who were seen, as recently as a few months ago, as the bright stars of the party: young officeholders who by virtue of their background or political biography, or the states they represented, seemed primed to expand the partys electoral horizons.
In an apparent sign that Senator Elizabeth Warren will not be named Hillary Clintons running mate, Ms. Warren was invited by Mrs. Clintons campaign on Tuesday to deliver a prime-time address on the first night of the Democratic convention this month a marquee speaking slot but one that is earlier than vice-presidential picks typically appear.
Such nominees usually speak later in the convention week to build anticipation for the top of the ticket.
Two Democrats briefed on the invitation to Mrs. Warren, however, cautioned that Mrs. Clinton had not yet made a decision about a running mate and that asking Ms. Warren to take the stage on the first night did not preclude her from being tapped as the vice-presidential nominee.
Ms. Warren and other individuals who received invitations on Tuesday to address the Philadelphia convention were told that their speaking times were subject to change depending on who was selected for vice president, according to the two Democrats, one with ties to Mrs. Clinton and the other to Ms. Warren, who both spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss convention planning.
The possibility of Evan Bayh, the former Democratic senator from Indiana, mounting a bid to return to the Senate shook up the campaign map on Monday, with Democrats gaining a much more competitive candidate in their push to reclaim the majority.
Republicans quickly piled on Mr. Bayh, noting his work for corporate clients in his years away from the Senate.
His Democratic colleagues, who no doubt would welcome his return if it contributed to their taking back power, may remember Mr. Bayh for his work in another capacity while out of office.
Mr. Bayh led an internal 2015 accountability review by the C.I.A. into Senate Democratic claims that agency personnel spied on the Senate during an Intelligence Committee investigation into the torture of terrorism suspects by agency staff members.
Hillary Clintons campaign is vetting James G. Stavridis, a retired four-star Navy admiral who served as the 16th supreme allied commander at NATO, as a possible running mate, according to a person with knowledge of the vetting process.
Some close to Mrs. Clinton, the former secretary of state, say she was always likely to have someone with military experience on her vice-presidential shortlist, and Mr. Stavridis, currently the dean of the Fletcher School at Tufts University, fits the description.
During his four years as NATOs supreme allied commander, he oversaw operations in the Middle East Afghanistan, Libya and Syria as well as in the Balkans and piracy off the coast of Africa.
The Clinton campaign declined requests for comment, and Mr. Stavridis declined to comment other than referring calls to the campaign. The person with knowledge of the vetting spoke anonymously because of the sensitive nature of the process.
WASHINGTON Republicans wanted to talk about Hillary Clintons emails on Tuesday. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and her Democratic defenders wanted to talk about almost anything else.
And in the end, after nearly five hours of parrying, dodging and weaving, Ms. Lynch appeared to emerge unscathed from a contentious House Judiciary Committee hearing that dwelled at length on her decision last week to shut down the yearlong investigation into Mrs. Clintons emails on the recommendation of the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey Jr.
Republicans, on the other hand, were exasperated and at times furious over the steadfast refusal of the nations top law enforcement officer to discuss many details of the investigation, the decision-making process or the legal rationale for closing the case against the presumptive Democratic nominee.
While Ms. Lynch said she was extremely proud of the tremendous work of the dedicated prosecutors and agents on the politically tense case, she deferred repeatedly to the remarkable 15-minute briefing that Mr. Comey gave reporters last week about his decision not recommend charges.
Americans, he said, can turn on the TV or surf the internet, and we can watch positions harden and lines drawn, and people retreat to their respective corners, and politicians calculate how to grab attention or avoid the fallout. We see all this, and its hard not to think sometimes that the center wont hold and that things might get worse.
But Mr. Obama insisted on holding out hope.
Dallas, Im here to say we must reject such despair, Mr. Obama said, adding that he knew that because of what Ive experienced in my own life, what Ive seen of this country and its people their goodness and decency as president of the United States.
He cited both the Dallas police and protesters as part of that decency. When the bullets started flying, the men and women of the Dallas police, they did not flinch and they did not react recklessly, Mr. Obama said. They showed incredible restraint. Helped in some cases by protesters, they evacuated the injured, isolated the shooter and saved more lives than we will ever know. We mourn fewer people today because of your brave actions. Everyone was helping each other, one witness said. It wasnt about black or white. Everyone was picking each other up and moving them away.
Mr. Obama concluded: See, thats the America I know.
A row of police officers behind Mr. Obama in the concert hall did not clap when Mr. Obama spoke of racial bias in the criminal justice system, saying that when all this takes place more than 50 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act, we cannot simply turn away and dismiss those in peaceful protest as troublemakers or paranoid.
But when Mr. Obama added, We ask the police to do too much, and we ask too little of ourselves, the officers behind him applauded.
The underlying dynamics that drove out John Boehner remain, Mr. Dent said of the former speaker. Now you have Donald Trump and all his rhetoric, and he knows most of his members want him to support Trump while others like me want to keep their distance. Then, not being able to pass a budget may be one of the greatest frustrations for the speaker. A lot of members dont want anything to do with firearms or the budget. They want to cancel the session after the election. That is where we are.
Unlike Mr. Boehner, who went sailing into private life after being deposed by conservatives, Mr. Ryan continues to cheerfully promote the House agenda.
How Times reporters cover politics. We rely on our journalists to be independent observers. So while Times staff members may vote, they are not allowed to endorse or campaign for candidates or political causes. This includes participating in marches or rallies in support of a movement or giving money to, or raising money for, any political candidate or election cause. Learn more about our process.
He makes frequent television appearances and attends local media events at home in Wisconsin. He will tell anyone who will listen about the conservative policy agenda he intends to pursue next year, in spite of the possibility that Mrs. Clinton might be in the White House. Further, Mr. Trump has shown little interest in his priorities so far.
When the speaker took the job, he did it to help steady the ship at a difficult moment, said Brendan Buck, a spokesman for Mr. Ryan. He continues to try to be a stabilizing figure for the party and this place.
Also, unlike Mr. Boehner, Mr. Ryan remains largely popular with his fellow House Republicans, who have appreciated his inclusive style. Even among supporters of Mr. Trump, there is respect for Mr. Ryans consistency on core party issues.
It is particularly rankling for Mr. Ryan, a former chairman of the House Budget Committee, that he is unable to pass a budget. The most conservative House Republicans do not want to honor a deal struck by Mr. Boehner and the White House last year, which raised statutory budget caps to increase government spending. Many have made it clear they will not vote for a budget with that higher spending level.
This has made the appropriations process equally charged. But that is where Mr. Ryan has other problems. Those bills have failed because of fights over an amendment to bar federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, fights over the use of the Confederate flag and other social issues.
Donald J. Trump on Tuesday assailed Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the Supreme Court for speaking out on the presidential race, calling her disdainful remarks about his candidacy highly inappropriate and suggesting that she owed other justices an apology.
Mr. Trumps remarks came in a telephone interview with The Times two days after Justice Ginsburg was quoted as saying she was frightened about what the nation would look like if he were elected.
I cant imagine what this place would be I cant imagine what the country would be with Donald Trump as our president, Justice Ginsburg told The Times in an interview published Sunday. For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be I dont even want to contemplate that. She even joked ruefully about moving to New Zealand.
HARARE, Zimbabwe The authorities in Zimbabwe on Tuesday arrested a pastor who organized the countrys largest protests in a decade, and whose activism has galvanized public anger over President Robert Mugabes 36-year rule and the nations crumbling economy.
The pastor, the Rev. Evan Mawarire, 39, was charged in the capital, Harare, with inciting public violence. The police also searched his home and church, looking for a stolen police helmet and baton as well as subversive material, according to a search warrant.
The police arrested Mr. Mawarire a day before additional protests were planned for Wednesday and Thursday. Last Wednesday, the capital and other cities shut down as many Zimbabweans responded to calls by Mr. Mawarire and other protest leaders to stay home from work.
That boycott appeared to rattle Mr. Mugabes government. Members of the countrys governing elite have been consumed by jockeying to succeed Mr. Mugabe, who is 92 and increasingly frail, instead of contending with an economy in precipitous decline and a government unable to pay its workers.
MEXICO CITY During the economic turmoil of the early 1990s, power cuts in Havana were so routine that residents called the few hours of daily electricity lightouts.
Now, grim economic forecasts; the crisis in its patron, Venezuela; and government warnings to save energy have stoked fears among Cubans of a return to the days when they used oil lamps to light their living rooms and walked or bicycled miles to work because there was no gasoline.
Addressing members of Parliament last week, Cubas economy minister, Marino Murillo, said the country would have to cut fuel consumption by nearly a third during the second half of the year and reduce state investments and imports. His comments, to a closed session, were published on Saturday by the state news media.
Cubas economy grew by just 1 percent in the first half of the year, compared with 4 percent last year, as export income and fuel supply to the island dropped, said Mr. Murillo.
Xi Jinping has lost face here, and it will be difficult for China to do nothing, said Bonnie S. Glaser, a senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. I expect a very tough reaction from China, since it has lost on almost every point. There is virtually nothing that it has won.
The Philippines filed its case in 2013, after China seized a reef over which both countries claim sovereignty. There has been speculation that Beijing might respond to the decision by building an artificial island at the reef, Scarborough Shoal, a move that could set off a conflict with the Philippines and its treaty ally, the United States.
The State Department spokesman, John Kirby, said Washington expected China to comply with the ruling. The world is watching to see if China is really the global power it professes itself to be and the responsible power that it professes itself to be, he said.
The main issue before the panel was the legality of Chinas claim to waters within a nine-dash line that appears on official Chinese maps and encircles as much as 90 percent of the South China Sea, an area the size of Mexico. The Philippines had asked the tribunal to find the claim to be in violation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which both China and the Philippines have ratified.
In its decision, the tribunal said any historic rights to the sea that China had previously enjoyed were extinguished by the treaty, which lays out rules for drawing zones of control over the worlds oceans based on distances to coastlines. The panel added that while China had used islands in the sea in the past, it had never exercised exclusive authority over the waters.
The panel also concluded that several disputed rocks and reefs in the South China Sea were too small for China to claim control of economic activities in the waters around them. As a result, it found, China was engaged in unlawful behavior in Philippine waters, including activities that had aggravated the dispute.
But the newspaper said that Mr. Na was lying and noted that its reporters had given him several chances to retract or modify his remarks before publishing them.
The outrage, and the governments quick attempts at damage control, reflect how sensitive South Koreans have become over worsening income inequality, and what officials and critics of the government call a rising tension between the countrys poor and rich.
I believe that we should solidify a class system in our society, Mr. Na, 47, was quoted as telling Kyunghyang reporters over dinner on Thursday. The people should be treated like dogs and pigs. Its enough just to feed them and let them live.
Asked who the people were, Mr. Na said they were the 99 percent, adding that he was trying to belong to the 1 percent, Kyunghyang said.
He compared South Koreas so-called 99 percent to blacks and Hispanics in the United States who dont even try to enter politics or climb the social ladder.
Mr. Na also said he did not sympathize with a 19-year-old subcontractor who was hit and killed by a train while carrying out repairs at a subway station in Seoul, the capital, in May. An investigation showed that the man had been working without adequate safety measures and that he was paid less than half of what regular subway workers performing similar tasks earn.
When newspapers reported that the worker was given little time for meals he was found with a package of unopened instant noodles in his bag his death became a rallying cry for some against the plight of young, poor South Koreans known as dirt spoons, who they said stood no chance against gold spoons, or the children of the rich.
HONG KONG A Hong Kong museum dedicated to the 1989 Tiananmen protests closed on Tuesday after organizers said that opposition from the buildings owners corporation had made it impossible to continue in that location.
More than 24,000 people had visited the 800-square-foot June 4th Museum in the Tsim Sha Tsui district of Hong Kong in the two years since it opened, the operators said in a statement announcing the closing. The museum included a replica of the Goddess of Democracy statue that student protesters erected in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, and images and other documentation of the tumultuous events of 1989.
That year, huge demonstrations engulfed Beijing and other Chinese cities as students and workers pushed for more democratic governance and an end to corruption. The military crushed the protests on June 3-4, 1989, killing hundreds, possibly thousands, of people. The exact toll is still unknown.
In Hong Kong, which was then a British colony, large numbers of protesters turned out to support the Tiananmen demonstrators. In 1997, Hong Kong returned to Chinese control, but it maintains far greater freedoms of speech and assembly than mainland China. The city still holds annual gatherings to memorialize those killed in 1989, the sort of event that is prohibited in mainland China.
SOT MAY 1168 BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, UK (JULY 11, 2016): we will make Britain a country that works for everyone. VO:Theresa May was really an incredible candidate left in the race, but the speed with which she was installed was very surprising. Im Stephen Castle, a London correspondent for The New York Times SOT CONSERVATIVE LEADER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, BREXITEER WHO NOW SUPPORTS THERESA MAY, CHRIS GRAYLING - 1190 - JULY 11, 2016 LONDON :We all know that Theresa will do everything she can to equip our country for the challenges that lie ahead. The general consensus at the highest level of the Conservative party is that there were needed some swift actions to end the uncertainty. SOT Theresa May: Ive been Home Secretary for six years now... VO: Theresa May is known as a very tough operator. In fact, the homeland business has been described as SOT May 1172 - Taking control is about making sure that our voice is heard and that it counts. O VO: Theresa May is the second female PM that Britain had. The first was Margaret Thatcher. SOT MAY - Women in the World/Youtube: - Was she influential on you? - Im not someone who has a role model. VO: Shes a conservative and generally regarded as extremely methodical, effective and a pretty good negotiator. SOT MAY: 1172 As we look at issues like the movement of illegal firearms across Europe, the sharing of criminal records, reducing the pull factors that is leading my people to want to migrate into Europe, I am very clear that the United Kingdom can take a lead. VO: As a new prime minister, Theresa May will have a plausible control over the whole range of government including economics and foreign policy, 2 areas shes never really dealt with in much detail. As a conservative politician, she has a big drop on her hands, because personally Thesera May didnt vote to leave the E.U. SOT MAY on June 15, 2016 BBC [0.25]: Wed be more secure and safe inside the E.U. VO: But she now has the job of delivering Brexit. SOT 4180 MAY The country voted to leave the European Union and its the duty of the government and - parliament to make sure we do just that. VO: She said Brexit means Brexit, but no one knows what it really means. VOXPOP: AMY ROSS LONDON July 11 - 1190: Hopefully that will mean that shes able to negotiate the best position for us. SOT: (German) BAADER BANK HEAD OF CAPITAL MARKETS ANALYSIS, ROBERT HALVER 2134 FRANKFURT, GERMANY (JULY 12, 2016) There are connections between Brussels and London, which one cant cut off. This means, the Britons somehow remain with us even if they leave. VO: So she is going to have to define how much control Britain has over immigration and how much access it has to european markets. SOT 1158 MAY: Brexit means Brexit and we are going to make a success of it. END
LONDON The cat can stay.
The only member of the household on Downing Street to be spared the indignity of one of the fastest political transitions in recent memory will be Larry the Cat, a tabby who holds the title of chief mouser to the cabinet office.
The sudden victory of Theresa May, Britains home secretary, in the Conservative Partys leadership contest on Monday put Prime Minister David Cameron in the unenviable position of having to vacate his residence in about 48 hours. A large blue moving van pulled up on Downing Street on Tuesday to retrieve the Cameron familys belongings.
It is a rite of passage Britain has experienced many times, but one that is unfamiliar for most Americans. In the United States, a newly elected president has more than two months between Election Day in early November and Inauguration Day, Jan. 20 to set up a new administration.
Transitions in Britain are far swifter. A prime minister typically takes up official residence at 10 Downing Street upon getting the job, as Mr. Cameron did in 2010, when his Conservative Party took power after 13 years of Labour Party government.
PARIS What propels Islamist terrorism and attacks against France is more than an academic debate: The answer shapes policy toward blunting the threat.
So it is no inconsequential matter in a culture under attack, and one that so cherishes its intellectual debates, that Frances two leading scholars of radical Islam former friends have turned bitter rivals over their differing views.
Madman, thug, illiterate, paranoid, ass, not a thinker these are just some of the choicer insults the two men have hurled at each other in a peculiarly personal quarrel with far larger stakes that has reverberated through the French news media and society for months.
The two distinguished academics, Olivier Roy and Gilles Kepel, have long lists of books to their name, and years of field work in the Middle East, Central Asia and the troubled French suburbs. They are both eagerly consulted by the French news media and government officials.
ROME Two passenger trains collided head-on in the Puglia region of southern Italy on Tuesday morning, killing at least 25 people and injuring dozens more, some of them critically.
The crash occurred around 11:30 a.m. on a single track running through an olive grove between the towns of Andria and Ruvo di Puglia. The closest major city is Bari, about 20 miles east of Ruvo di Puglia.
Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who was attending the opening of a new science museum in Milan, announced that he would return immediately to Rome and ordered an investigation. He later visited the site of the crash, the news agency ANSA reported.
We wont stop until we clarify what happened, he told reporters in Milan. There is an absolute need to understand who is responsible and to shed total light on what happened, he said.
LONDON The governing body of Britains opposition Labour Party agreed on Tuesday to schedule a new election for its leadership, and ruled that Jeremy Corbyn, who faced a revolt from fellow Labour lawmakers, would be assured of a place on the ballot.
Mr. Corbyn had been under pressure to step aside, forcing Labours governing body, the National Executive Committee, to decide whether Mr. Corbyn would be automatically included as a candidate in the coming leadership contest, or if he would need to be nominated again by a sufficient number of Labour lawmakers.
The N.E.C. has agreed that as the incumbent leader Jeremy Corbyn will go forward onto the ballot without requiring nominations from the Parliamentary Labour Party and the European Parliamentary Labour Party, Neil Fleming, a Labour spokesman, said in a statement.
The prospect that Mr. Corbyns name would appear on the ballot was very much in question, given the hostility toward him from the partys bloc in Parliament.
MADRID The northern Spanish city of Pamplona has become famous worldwide for its high-risk festival in which revelers run through narrow streets in the early morning with charging bulls on their way to the ring.
But the annual festivities and street drama have taken a darker turn this year after 15 people were arrested over the past week in separate cases of sexual assault, including gang rape.
The arrests have set off mass protests, including on Monday evening, when thousands of people interrupted the festivities to denounce the attacks. Many held up signs showing an open hand painted in red with the slogan No is No.
The episodes come at a time of heightened awareness and mounting anger over sexual assaults in Europe in a year that began with scores of attacks during New Years Eve celebrations in Cologne, Germany. Migrants were largely blamed for the attacks. Germany recently passed a strict new law that would make it easier to prosecute suspects of sexual violence.
LONDON Theresa May took over on Wednesday as Britains prime minister facing a nation in such flux that she has a chance to leave a lasting imprint.
But her steady and cautious public profile, and her swift, ultimately unchallenged ascent in the wake of the political chaos set off by the countrys stunning decision to leave the European Union, has left supporters and opponents alike lacking a clear sense of whether she is up to the job.
The task before her is daunting. She must negotiate the terms of the countrys withdrawal from the bloc in a way that minimizes the economic damage but lives up to the spirit of the vote, especially in limiting immigration, while at the same time seeking to maintain British influence on the global stage.
She is confronting strains on the continued existence of the United Kingdom as currently constituted, with Scotland again agitating for independence and some republicans in Northern Ireland trying to use the Brexit vote to leave the European Union as reason to advance the cause of unification with Ireland.
KARS, Turkey The history of this city, about 30 miles from the border with Armenia, may best be told through its former Armenian cathedral, the Church of the Holy Apostles, poised at the base of an imposing fortress.
Built in the 10th century by an Armenian king, it was turned into a mosque three times and once into a Russian Orthodox church. It was briefly resurrected as an Armenian church in 1919 before the modern secular Turkish state expropriated it in 1921, eventually turning it into a petroleum depot, then into a museum, then again into a mosque.
Now, it is mostly closed: Many Muslims go instead to a holier shrine next door. According to Armenian news reports, it might be converted into either a cultural center or even a church, but it is unclear who would come, given that virtually no Armenian Christians are left in Kars.
The city has experienced even more violent turnover than its cathedral. The Ottomans and the Russians were here but also the Byzantines, the Seljuk Turks, the Georgians, the Persians and the Mongols. Populations were imported, expelled and massacred.
This spring, we asked readers who support far-right parties in Europe to tell us why they had turned away from mainstream political movements. We received hundreds of responses from voters, most of whom cited concern about immigration and a desire to challenge the European Union in explaining their views.
Some took issue with being identified as far-right supporters, saying they were simply challenging a mainstream that did not reflect their beliefs or experiences. And many of the readers, who were predominantly male, would not give their names, saying they feared stigmatization.
These responses have been edited for length and clarity. And because many of the issues raised are highly contentious across Europe, we have provided context with each submission.
Mikael Jakobsen, 24, law student, Aarhus, Denmark
Party: Danish Peoples Party
Symbolic politics of helping those who need help by inviting them in regardless of circumstances and economy dont help. Our economy doesnt increase along with the never-ending supply of immigrants. To help, you figure out the cause of the problem and fix it. Its like buying buckets for a leaky roof instead of just fixing the roof itself.
Denmark, along with other Nordic countries, has moved to slash benefits for migrants as arrivals increased last year.
In many restaurants around the world, you can wait an eternity for service. It can be a wait to place an order, to have a plate removed or to get the check.
In Mexico, by contrast, the servers often wont leave you alone, especially at the higher-end establishments. The service in most places is arguably too good and so attentive it borders on annoying. Waiters will grab a plate from under your fork. If you step away from the table to take a quick call, they will whisk away your drink.
We believe good service is attentive service, said a waiter in the upscale Polanco neighborhood of Mexico City.
Behind him, 30 servers searched for someone to serve among the restaurants 15 diners.
To be fair, for people living on tips and meager salaries, proving ones work ethic and appearing busy are essential. And to some extent, the attitude of the service class is driven by the attitude of the elite patrons of upscale restaurants.
The actress Diane Kruger, 39, has a full slate this summer with roles in The Infiltrator, opening Wednesday, and Disorder, which will be released in the United States by mid-next month.
Ms. Kruger is known for her beauty, but she grew up in Germany in a household where, she said, talking about your appearance wasnt encouraged. Now, with home bases in Paris and Los Angeles, and frequent flights to New York for work, she has amended her beauty and fitness regimen here and there. Still, Ms. Kruger said, shes more European in her sensibilities. See what shes using.
Skin Care
I usually start the day with this face wash from Uriage. It foams, and you can find it at the French pharmacies. Ive been using it for at least five years. Then I use a toner from Kiehls. Its the blue one, a classic. Right now because its summer, Ive been using Chanel Hydra Beauty serum as my moisturizer. And I always wear sunscreen. The one Im using is also by Chanel, and its SPF 50 but really light.
For eye cream, it depends. If I use one, its by Uriage. This routine works for me. I tend to break out easily, so I stick with what Ive picked up over the years.
The aristocrats may resist, but money talks, and just as in Downton Abbey, where the imperious Dowager Countess of Grantham was introduced to the bourgeois notion of the weekend by the solicitor Matthew Crawley who by a twist of the entail had become the new heir to Downton so the formidable Lady Brockenhurst is forced, through a secret that unites the two families, to acknowledge the nouveau riche Trenchards.
The eventual merging of the Bellasis and Trenchard families is perhaps intended to serve as a metaphor for the molten technological and social change that was occurring in England in the mid-19th century. It takes the Trenchards three days to get to their country estate in Somerset by carriage, but another character can reach the northern city of Manchester, an even longer trip, in only five and a half hours on the new railroad. Fellowes and his historical consultant, Lindy Woodhead, have lost no opportunity to work in the innovations of the time characters talk about the new red postage stamps, the telegraph (possibly a bit optimistic) and up-to-date ways to run cotton mills. The social order is being overturned, and by the end of the century landed families like the Bellasises will be so impoverished theyll be reduced to hunting for American heiresses to keep them in the style to which theyve become accustomed in other words, heiresses like Cora, Countess of Grantham.
The plot devices of Belgravia will be familiar to anyone who has a passing acquaintance with Victorian fiction: There are missing papers, duplicitous ladies maids, gambling debts, dubious marriage lines and long-lost heirs. The novels chapters originally appeared online as individual episodes, each ending with a cliffhanger. Its a device that is, of course, a mainstay of the television serial drama, but in the 19th century it was used by novelists whose works were printed chapter by chapter in magazines like Dickenss Household Words, a device intended to keep readers coming back for more. Belgravia is an unashamed homage to the Victorian serial novel: There are echoes of Anthony Trollopes Lizzie Eustace from The Eustace Diamonds in the amoral Susan Trenchard, and of Sir Felix Carbury, from The Way We Live Now, in the villain John Bellasis. The novel opens at the Duchess of Richmonds ball on the eve of Waterloo, which happens to be the scene of Becky Sharps triumph in Thackerays Vanity Fair.
Tellingly, Charles Dickens is one Victorian novelist Lord Fellowes doesnt make reference to. With his blacking factories and tragic crossing sweepers, his concern for social justice, Dickens doesnt belong among the creamy facades and clipped hedges of Belgravia. When Lady Brockenhurst and Mrs. Trenchard pay a visit to the Bishopsgate office of a young man theyre both interested in, they pass through a paragraph or two of Dickenss London, a place of open sewers and boys and girls everywhere, mostly without shoes, playing with anything that came to hand: old boxes, bricks, the empty oyster shells that littered the cobbles. One even had an ancient hoop, cast out by some son of privilege, no doubt, but these children at play were the lucky ones. Others had no time to enjoy themselves. They were too busy trying to sell anything they could lay their hands on. But then the characters go back to Belgravia, the smells and sights of the East End fade out of sight, and any sense that this is a society in ferment disappears along with them.
Reading Belgravia is rather like visiting a modern re-creation of a Victorian house every cornice molding is perfect but its a Victorian house with 21st-century plumbing and Wi-Fi. Its for anyone who has tried to read a 19th-century novel and become bored, say, with the demanding philosophizing in Middlemarch or the social misery of Oliver Twist. The plot has plenty of surprises. Many of the female characters have been granted the hauteur and bons mots of the Dowager Countess of Grantham; a few of them even have something of the humanity of Mrs. Patmore. As you would expect, the dialogue is crisp. And there are a number of wonderful set pieces. The nervous Trenchards first luncheon at the Athenaeum, where he is humiliated by a snooty club servant, is, as ever with Fellowes, delivered with malicious brio.
The moment she mentioned Lesbos, the room grew quiet. The group of a dozen people had splintered off about halfway through dinner to converse about life in Berlin and about the food we were grazing on. But now Hend, 37, wearing glasses and a gray hijab, had the stage. She was about to reveal what everyone at this dinner party was most curious about: What was it like for her to journey from Syria to Germany?
This was no ordinary dinner party. Twice a month Anna Gyulai Gaal, a Hungarian-born journalist, turns her apartment in the Neukolln district of Berlin into a supper club through the dining service WithLocals.com, and calls the get-togethers Refugee Dinners. Her friends and strangers alike sign up and pay 35 euros or about $40 to partake in a multicourse feast that goes beyond the plate and the palate.
How do we talk to our children about the shootings of black men by police in Minnesota and Louisiana and the retaliatory killings of five police officers in Dallas? Many parents are still struggling to find the words to talk to their sons and daughters about the events of last week, which raised complicated questions about race, policing and violence.
Journalists from The New York Times talked about how they have these conversations with their children.
Below is a replay of the chat.
What happened to officers involved in 13 recent cases that were caught on video
Note: The officer who arrested Ms. Bland was charged with perjury. None of the employees in the jail where she died were charged.
These 13 cases have fueled outrage, heightened racial tensions and instigated protests around the nation. In some of the cases, the police offered an explanation for their actions, but raw videos led many to conclude that the police actions were unjustified.
So far, officers have been indicted or charged in seven cases . In four cases, grand juries declined to bring charges.
Officers in all 13 cases were placed on administrative leave or reassigned a routine step that is not a form of discipline, said Christopher Dunn, the associate legal director at the New York Civil Liberties Union.
Criminal charges have been brought against officers in fewer than half of the cases. Indictments are usually handed up by local grand juries, which make the decision in secret.
Courts have given leeway to the police on using deadly physical force if officers reasonably feel their lives are in danger, and juries are often reluctant to convict police officers, Mr. Dunn said.
Prosecutors may feel pressure not to charge officers because they work with and rely on the police daily, and at times, facts can be distorted or withheld by the police, leaving prosecutors with incomplete or wrong information, he said.
However, for victims families, some action against the officer is very important to them, whether thats criminal prosecution or dismissal from the department, Mr. Dunn said.
Officer Betty Jo Shelby, 42, was charged with first-degree manslaughter after fatally shooting Terence Crutcher, 40, an unarmed black driver, in Tulsa, Okla. A county investigator said that Officer Shelby became emotionally involved to the point that she overreacted.
Officers who have been charged In the case of: Terence Crutcher Samuel DuBose Sandra Bland Walter L. Scott Laquan McDonald Betty Jo Shelby Ray Tensing Brian Encinia Michael T. Slager Jason Van Dyke Officers who have been charged In the case of: Terence Crutcher Samuel DuBose Sandra Bland Walter L. Scott Laquan McDonald Betty Jo Shelby Ray Tensing Brian Encinia Michael T. Slager Jason Van Dyke Officers who have been charged In the case of: Terence Crutcher Samuel DuBose Sandra Bland Walter L. Scott Laquan McDonald Betty Jo Shelby Ray Tensing Brian Encinia Michael T. Slager Jason Van Dyke
Former South Carolina police officer Michael T. Slager, who was recorded on video when opened fire on a fleeing black motorist, killing him, in 2015 pleaded guilty.
In the case of Freddie Gray, who died last year from injuries he suffered while in police custody, three of the six officers involved were acquitted of all charges, including one of murder. Prosecutors also dropped all charges against three other officers, ending one of the most closely watched and unsuccessful police prosecutions in the nation.
Officers acquitted in the Freddie Gray case Charges dropped Edward M. Nero Caesar R. Goodson Jr. Brian Rice Garrett E. Miller William G. Porter Alicia White Officers Acquitted in the Freddie Gray Case Edward M. Nero Caesar R. Goodson Jr. Brian Rice Charges Dropped Garrett E. Miller William G. Porter Alicia White Officers acquitted in the Freddie Gray case Charges dropped Edward M. Nero Caesar R. Goodson Jr. Brian Rice William G. Porter Alicia White Garrett E. Miller
After months of unrest and calls for his resignation, Officer Darren Wilson was cleared by a state grand jury and the Justice Department in the killing of Michael Brown, an unarmed teenager, in Ferguson, Mo. Mr. Wilson eventually resigned, but said that he hoped to continue in police work.
In the case of Keith Lamont Scott, the prosecutor in Mecklenburg County, N.C., decided not to charge Officer Brentley Vinson, saying that his use of deadly force was justified because he feared for his life and those of his fellow officers.
Many of the victims families have agreed to settlements of $5 million to $6.5 million.
In settlements, police departments and cities rarely admit wrongdoing, said Joanna Schwartz, a law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, who is an expert on police misconduct litigation. Almost every settlement agreement states that theres not an admission of fault, she said.
Note: The University of Cincinnati settlement also includes an on-campus memorial to Mr. DuBose, college educations for his 12 children and an apology from the universitys president. The lawyer for Sandra Blands family announced on Sept. 15 that they had reached a $1.9 million settlement in their wrongful death civil suit. A lawyer for Waller County, Texas, noted that the settlement still needs to be approved by the county commissioners.
For the public, however, a large settlement is a clear signal that a city recognizes that something very wrong happened, Mr. Dunn said. I dont think any police department in the country pays out millions, he said, if they think they have done the right thing.
But its a mistake to equate settlement with police reform, he added.
In many large cities, the settlements do not even come out of the police departments budget. In New York, for example, payments are made from the citys general funds, insulating the agency against any real consequences, said Gabriel P. Harvis, a civil rights lawyer and former lawyer for the city.
Civil rights investigations were opened in several cases.
Four of these cases, including last weeks fatal shooting of a black man in Baton Rouge, La., prompted the Justice Department to open civil rights investigations. In Baltimore and Chicago, the department opened broader investigations into the practices of the Police Departments.
Note: The Justice Department had already been investigating the Cleveland Police Department. Two weeks after Tamir Rice was killed, it said it had found a pattern of unreasonable and unnecessary use of force by officers. The Justice Department has said it is also reviewing the case.
Real justice, Mr. Dunn said, is ending police violence and holding officers who engage in violence accountable for their actions. Police leadership makes a big difference, and so does litigation against a police department that challenges police behavior, he said.
In Ferguson, federal officials and city leaders released an agreement in January seeking to overhaul the citys justice system. The agreement came after months of negotiations stemming from the Justice Departments scathing critique of the citys police and courts after the shooting of Mr. Brown.
HELSINKI, FINLAND The overall birth rate within 5 years of initiating fertility treatment with homologous gametes was 71% among nearly 20,000 women in a Danish assisted reproductive technology registry.
Conception occurred after treatment in 57% of the women, and conception was spontaneous in 14%, Sara Malchau, MD, reported at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.
The findings allow physicians to give couples a comprehensible, age-stratified, long-term prognosis at the start of treatment, said Dr. Malchau of Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark.
To assess long-term outcomes, Dr. Malchau and her colleagues identified all women in the mandatory Danish ART Registry who initiated fertility treatments with homologous gametes in pubic and private clinics in Denmark between 1997 and 2010. The 19,884 subjects treatment cycles were cross-linked with the countrys Medical Birth Registry to identify live births after treatment and spontaneous conception. Follow-up was available for up to 2 years for all of the women, up to 3 years for 14,445 women, and up to 5 years for 5,165 women.
The total live birth rates at 2, 3, and 5 years after the first treatment using ART or intrauterine insemination (IUI) were 57%, 65% and 71%, respectively. Dr. Malchau reported.
In women who had ART as the first treatment, the corresponding ART-conception live birth rates were 46.1%, 51.1%, and 52.9%, and the birth rates with spontaneous conception and IUI after 5 years were 11.2% and 0.6%, respectively.
In those with IUI first, 34.2% delivered after IUI conceptions within 2 years, with no significant increase in birth rates after 3 and 5 years. Shifting to ART in these women resulted in birth rates for ART conceptions of 15.1%, 21.1%, and 23.7% after 2, 3, and 5 years, respectively. After 5 years, the birth rate from spontaneous conception in all women starting treatment with IUI was 16.6%, she noted.
Stratification by age showed that the birth rates at 5 years were 80% for women under age 35 years, 60.5% for those aged 35-40 years, and 26.2% for those aged 40 and older.
While the national ART registry in Denmark is compulsory, underreporting can occur. However, it is cycle based, and since most women have repeated treatments, is it unlikely that the number of women with no birth was underestimated in this study, Dr. Malchau noted.
The findings which reflect the Danish treatment strategy of three to six cycles of IUI followed by ART, explaining why birth rates after IUI did not increase after 2 years help answer important patient questions, she said.
Infertility patients have two key questions: What are our chances of having a baby and when will it happen? said Dr. Malchau. Overall chances of a live birth are good, but successful treatment takes time. Couples will often need several treatment cycles. And even though the greatest chance of conception is following treatment, there is still a reasonable chance of spontaneous conception.
Spontaneous conception is most common in women under age 35 starting IUI (18% vs. 8% in those over 35 starting IVF treatment).
The findings are robust and realistic, and since those undergoing treatment have no idea how many treatment cycles they will need or have, a prognosis based on fixed points in time better reflects their prospect of conception and delivery than birth rates after different numbers of attempts, Dr. Malchau said.
Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre and Ferring Pharmaceuticals funded the study.
sworcester@frontlinemedcom.com
Sculptor Rude Calderon appreciates the natural and historical beauty of stone.
In his pieces he explores nature, humanity and universal love.
Making art using the medium of stone has its roots in my appreciation of its dynamic and intrinsic natural beauty, and its perpetual place in human history. he says. The materials and methods used are those that resonate most with my own nature and thoughts. My lifelong interest in geology and sculpture stirred my vocation in art.
Last week, Calderons public benches The Love that Binds, were dedicated at Crescent Bay Point Park. They are the 20th set of benches in a public art project that is a collaboration between the city and Lagunas Art Commission. Benches by other artists are located in parks, at beaches and at public places such as the city library and City Hall.
The city paid Calderon $23,000 to develop, create and install the benches. The funds came from sponsor Norman Powell, a Laguna Beach resident who donated the money in memory of his wife, Armena. The park was a favorite spot for the couple and close to their home.
Calderon says he loves creating public art because it belongs to everyone.
Its the most democratic form of art because everyone has an opinion, he says.
David Sarir, who owns FM Art Gallery on La Brea in Los Angeles, calls Calderon a great artist.
Sarir says when he came across Calderons sculptures, he had to have them in his gallery.
Im so impressed by what he does, Sarir says. The shapes and forms are so natural. When we had him come here and speak, he spoke for two hours. The gallery was packed, and you could have heard a pin drop. He really sculpts from the heart.
Calderon talks about the bench project, which he worked on with Roberto Delgado, a Los Angeles-based painter, muralist and public artist, who crafted the colorful tiles for Calderons benches.
Q. Why did you want to create an artist-designed bench in Laguna Beach?
A. I was really excited at getting this commission with my collaborator Roberto Delgado, because of the beauty of Crescent Bay Point Park and its panoramic location. Another reason for wanting to create these artist-designed benches in Laguna Beach was that it has always been one of my favorite cities in California, for its art traditions and well-preserved canyon and coastline.
Q. How do you know when you have a connection to the stone you will use ?
A. Astone will resonate to the point where the design image is visible within its girth, the existing forms and lines will echo the image in my mind. At that point I know that Ive connected with that particular stone.
Q. What inspired you to create it?
A. I was inspired to create this seating sculpture by the love story between Norman Powell and his beautiful wife, Armena. The beauty of the site and the geological features of the cliffs and bay were also a moving factor for our inspiration.
Q. How did you select your materials?
A. I selected travertine limestone from New Mexico because of the durability and the special quality that it doesnt heat up in the sun, making it perfect for outdoor seating. It is also a stone that Ive used in other public art outdoor projects.
Q. Have you created other public art in town?
A. This is the first public art project that my collaborator Roberto Delgado and I created for Laguna Beach. Our previous collaboration, Dancing Stone, was a sculpture for the city of Incheon, South Korea. It was commissioned by the city of Burbank and installed in December 2015. My first public art sculpture, Leaping Fish, Natures Cycles, is at Belvedere Park Lake at the East Los Angeles Civic Center.
Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 or eritchie@ocregister.com or on Twitter:@lagunaini
With the possible exceptions of the tech industry and those blessed by political favoritism, Californias business climate has long been the bane of entrepreneurs for businesses of all sizes. California has ranked as the very worst state for business for 12 straight years in Chief Executive magazines annual survey of hundreds of CEOs, and in a recent Thumbtack.com survey of more than 12,000 small business owners, California was one of just three states to receive a grade of F. Now, a new study released today by the U.S. Chamber of Commerces Workforce Freedom Initiative points to one of the main reasons: the Golden States burdensome labor regulations.
A previous U.S. Chamber study from 2011 found that Californias excessive regulation was costing the state more than 130,000 jobs and slowing new business formation by more than 10,000 businesses a year. Regrettably, things have only gotten worse since then. California has one of the most heavily regulated labor markets in the United States, and the level of regulation has increased significantly in the last few years, the new study concluded.
This is having a significant negative effect on the states economy because there is an inverse relationship between the level of state employment regulation and economic performance, the report found. In addition, despite a recent economic rebound, Californias economic performance is declining relative to the rest of the United States the state is relinquishing its lead on measures where it has traditionally had an advantage, such as business dynamism, and dropping further behind on metrics in which it has traditionally trailed, such as the rate of unemployment.
Californias heavy hand of labor regulation threatens to overwhelm the states many advantages, such as favorable weather, excellent universities and culture of innovation, WFI Vice President Glenn Spencer said in a statement. Fewer jobs and new businesses are the result.
Among the more recent labor and employment regulations cited by the study as deleterious to Californias economic health are the 50 percent increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022, mandatory paid sick leave, rising workers compensation costs and new restrictions on the use of piece-rate compensation, whereby employees are paid per unit, such as by the amount of crops picked or trucks unloaded, instead of an hourly wage.
All of Californias grinding labor regulations are passed under the pretense of helping workers, but the result of such policies is to make doing business in the state so costly and onerous that they prevent numerous businesses and jobs from being created in the first place.
Public workers are pumping more money into retirement funds. Public agencies are pumping more money into retirement funds.
Yet the market seems distinctly unimpressed.
The California Public Employees Retirement System the nations largest lost about 2 percent of its market value in the fiscal year that just ended, according to unofficial numbers published last week on the CalPERS website. This came despite doubled-down efforts to beef up its bottom line.
The value of CalPERS investments was $293.7 billion on June 30, down from $301.9 billion one year earlier, according to CalPERS daily valuation report. That number accounts for daily movement of some assets but not others, which are updated quarterly.
Challenges are expected to continue for years, even as the wave of graying baby boomers heads into retirement.
CalPERS is slated to release its official 2015-16 numbers next week, and declined to discuss details with the Register beforehand (though officials noted that the funds July 7 value was nearly $295.7 billion.) But last month, Ted Eliopoulos, CalPERS chief investment officer, tried to prepare officials for a bumpy ride going forward.
Last fiscal year, our return was 2.4 percent, Eliopoulos said during a committee meeting. And this fiscal year, as we head into July, were likely to be flat, which is a nice way of saying zero.
The next three to five years are shaping up to be a challenging market environment, not just for CalPERS, but for all investors, Eliopoulos added. Its going to test us.
Projections from independent third parties are materially lower than what CalPERS forecast just two years ago, he said. With its current mix of investments, CalPERS can expect a total return of just 6.4 percent over the next decade.
It has assumed a return of 7.5 percent.
That difference is of great import, because investment income is the bulk of public pension payments. And since pension payments are guaranteed, any shortfall would have to be made up by taxpayers.
GREAT ANXIETY
Whether this represents a bump in the road or a major sinkhole depends on who you ask.
What this means is simple: employers, employees and taxpayers will pay more to keep CalPERS afloat in the future, said Joe Nation, a professor of public policy at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research and a former Democratic Assemblyman.
A zero return this year would likely drag CalPERS 10-year average rate of return below 6 percent, yet the system continues to assume returns of 7.5 percent per year, Nation said. That means unfunded liabilities grow.
Those unfunded liabilities the difference between what CalPERS has and what the agency has promised to pay people for work already performed are about $150 billion, compared with $93 billion just two years ago, Nation said.
And if one assumes a more realistic 4 percent rate of return (a Treasury or risk-free rate) the unfunded liability for CalPERS alone is now $412 billion, or three state general fund budgets, Nation said.
David Crane, a research scholar at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research who was an adviser to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, said CalPERS needs to earn much more than that assumed 7.5 percent rate to keep unfunded liabilities from growing.
Public agencies and workers will see their required contributions to pension funds continue to rise, said state Sen. John Moorlach, R-Costa Mesa. His back-of-the-napkin calculations put the hike at an extra $1 billion next year, to try to make up lost ground.
What has me baffled is that this is causing me great anxiety, but it does not seem to have the same impact on my colleagues in Sacramento, Moorlach said. The governor has just signed the largest budget in state history, but he is not making any effort to prepay CalPERS, a 7.5 percent interest-rate charging debt.
While many on the left attack the big bank bailouts that taxpayers were forced to fund during the Great Recession, these anemic returns will force taxpayers to bail out government pension programs, said Carl DeMaio, a former San Diego City Council member.
Both bailouts are wrong, said DeMaio, a Republican. It is time for action.
DeMaio and former San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, a Democrat, have been pushing for a ballot initiative to address the problem.
CHICKEN LITTLE
Dave Low, chairman of Californians for Retirement Security, said he expects critics like Crane, Nation, Reed and DeMaio to be crying like Chicken Little about how the sky is falling.
They were awful quiet when returns were double digits, but now they will raise the same straw man arguments about why pensions are out of control, said Low, who heads a coalition of public labor unions representing some 1.6 million people.
Investment returns are by nature volatile, Low said, and the impact on Joe Citizen is minor for several reasons.
When returns exceed expectations, they are folded into the fund and smoothed over a funding period. When returns are below expectations the same process occurs. Therefore, they generally balance out over time, he said.
CalPERS average return over time has been pretty much right on the projected mark, and expectations have been lowered over recent years; employers and employees continue to make contributions to the fund; and just as citizens dont see changes when CalPERS earns double digits, they dont see changes when returns are down, Low said.
Maybe we should also think about how everyones 401(k) plans did this past year and what that means for retirement security, he said.
An independent report from Wilshire Associates in Santa Monica, a CalPERS consultant, warned that forward-looking assumptions are quite low but cautioned CalPERS against taking chances to try to regain ground.
While the reduced portfolio return expectation vs. three years ago could encourage additional risk-taking in an attempt to maintain a higher expected return, such action would seem contrary to the committees long-term plans for portfolio de-risking, it said.
Eliopoulos, CalPERS chief investment officer, was optimistic and stressed teamwork while delivering his sober news last month.
Of course we cant predict the future, he said. And we hope were surprised by the upside.
Contact the writer: tsforza@ocregister.com
BEIJING China swiftly rejected an international tribunals ruling Tuesday that its expansive claim to the South China Sea had no legal basis, saying the ruling was null and void and that Beijing would not accept it.
The ruling by the five-member panel at The Hague handed a massive victory to the Philippines, which had filed the case in 2013 challenging the so-called nine-dash line that China uses to claim virtually the entire South China Sea. Manila opposed it because it infringes upon its own 200-mile exclusive economic zone.
Chinese President Xi Jinping repeated Beijings stance that the South China Sea has been Chinese territory since ancient times and said Chinas territorial sovereignty and interests in the region would not be influenced under any circumstances by the ruling, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
This farce is now over, said Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in an interview with state broadcaster CCTV. Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement: China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards.
The ministry repeated Chinas often-expressed stance that the Philippines move to initiate arbitration without Chinas consent had been in bad faith and in violation of international law.
The tribunal also said China had violated its obligations to refrain from aggravating the dispute while the settlement process was ongoing and also ruled that Chinas large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands that destroyed coral reefs and the natural condition of the disputed areas.
Analysts said the ruling dealt a blow to Chinas South China Sea strategy by potentially providing ammunition to the arguments of other countries involved in maritime disputes with China. Six governments have overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei. In addition, Chinas nine-dash line overlaps waters that are part of Indonesias internationally recognized exclusive economic zone.
It goes much farther than most people expected that this was going to go. Its really devastating for China, said Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. Its quite serious for China and it doesnt open up a lot of opportunities for face saving-ways out.
Glaser said the ruling also meant that the Philippines would have less of an incentive to talk to China about sharing or jointly developing resources in the South China Sea.
Chen Xiangmiao, a researcher at the Chinese government-backed National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said the ruling was very unfair but he urged China to tone down its rhetoric against the arbitration process.
A strategic next step should be heightened diplomatic dialogue with the Philippines and Vietnam, he said. Successful bilateral negotiation to work around the ruling would be an effective repudiation of the arbitration.
But China might choose to take a hard line with the Philippines, perhaps taking punitive measures such as sanctions, to send a message to other claimants, said Chinese military expert Yue Gang, a retired colonel.
China will take counter-measures to punish the Philippines and that will make other claimants such as Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia to adopt a prudent attitude on the South China Sea issue, Yue said. The most likely measure China may adopt will be economic sanctions against the Philippines.
When it comes to the territorial integrity, China has no way to retreat and make concession, Yue said. He added that China could likely establish an air defense identification zone over the South China Sea
Earlier Tuesday in Beijing, ahead of the tribunals ruling, the European Councils president told Chinese Premier Li Keqiang that in dealing with the South China Sea dispute, it was in the interest of both sides to protect a global order underpinned by rules.
European Council President Donald Tusk, in opening remarks in a meeting with Li on Tuesday, said: The South China Sea we will see an important ruling today. Therefore let me repeat this: The rule-based international order is in our common interest and both China and the EU have to protect it, as this is in our peoples best interest.
Xinhua reported Tuesday that Chinas government earlier in the day had successfully landed a Cessna CE-680, a midsized business jet, on airstrips on the Mischief and Subi Reefs in the contested Spratlys.
The news of the newly-operating runways on the day of the Hague arbitration ruling could be particularly worrisome for the Philippines, which has a contingent of marines stationed roughly 20 miles away at the Second Thomas Shoal and is seeking to drill oil nearby.
Two new runways on Mischief and Subi Reefs, along with a third on Fiery Cross Reef, would form a strategic triangle that would help China consolidate its air patrol capabilities in the Spratlys, according to analysts at the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative.
Associated Press researcher Yu Bing contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON Attorney General Loretta Lynch deflected a barrage of Republican questions Tuesday about her decision not to prosecute Hillary Clinton for her use of private email, saying it would not be appropriate in her role as the nations top law enforcement official.
GOP members of the House Judiciary Committee voiced frustration, with the panels chairman, Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, telling Lynch her reticence was an abdication of your responsibility. The panels Democrats tried to change the subject to issues of community policing and gun control in what seemed a warmup for the falls campaign season.
Lynch repeatedly referred the committee to last weeks testimony by FBI Director James Comey, who gave a detailed account of the investigation in a nearly five-hour appearance before another House panel and described the rationale for his advice that no charges be brought. Comey is a lifelong Republican who served as deputy attorney general during George W. Bushs GOP administration.
I accepted that recommendation. I saw no reason not to accept it, Lynch testified. The matter was handled like any other matter.
Republicans demanded to know how Clinton could have avoided prosecution under a gross negligence law when Comey had described her and her aides as extremely careless in their handling of classified information.
They also grilled Lynch over what shed talked about with former President Bill Clinton in a June 27 tarmac conversation aboard her government plane.
Lynch said the conversation had been entirely social in nature and that shed never discussed Clintons email practices with either Bill or Hillary Clinton.
She reiterated that her announcement that she would be accepting the FBIs recommendation was an attempt to remove the specter of political interference from the case, after the chance meeting with Clinton raised a perception problem.
MEXICO CITY During the economic turmoil of the early 1990s, power cuts in Havana were so routine that residents called the few hours of daily electricity lightouts.
Now, grim economic forecasts; the crisis in its patron, Venezuela; and government warnings to save energy have stoked fears among Cubans of a return to the days when they used oil lamps to light their living rooms and walked or bicycled miles to work because there was no gasoline.
Addressing members of Parliament last week, Cubas economy minister, Marino Murillo, said the country would have to cut fuel consumption by nearly a third during the second half of the year and reduce state investments and imports. His comments, to a closed session, were published Saturday by the state news media.
Cubas economy grew by just 1 percent in the first half of the year, compared with 4 percent last year, as export income and fuel supply to the island dropped, said Murillo.
This has placed us in a tense economic situation, he said.
Weak oil and nickel prices and a poor sugar harvest have contributed to Cubas woes, officials said. Venezuelas economic agony has led many Cubans to wonder how much longer their oil-rich ally will continue to supply the island with crucial oil especially if the government of President Nicolas Maduro falls.
Those fears grew last week after Murillo warned of blackouts and state workers were asked to cut their hours and sharply reduce energy use.
We all know that its Venezuelan oil that keeps the lights on, said Regina Coyula, a blogger who worked for several years for Cuban state security. People are convinced that if Maduro falls, there will be blackouts here.
President Raul Castro of Cuba acknowledged those fears Friday but said they were unfounded.
There is speculation and rumors of an imminent collapse of our economy and a return to the acute phase of the special period, Castro said in speech to Parliament, referring to the 1990s, when Cuba lost billions of dollars worth of Soviet subsidies.
We dont deny that there may be ill effects, he added, but we are in better conditions than we were then to face them.
Mark Entwistle, a business consultant who was Canadas ambassador to Cuba during the special period, said that despite its dependency on Venezuelan fuel, the islands economy is now more sophisticated and diversified than it was before the Soviet collapse.
Besides, he said, Cuba has this phenomenal social and political capacity to absorb critical changes.
Still, some are perturbed at the prospect of power cuts. None of the Havana residents interviewed over the weekend had experienced power outages in their neighborhoods.
In an unusually blunt speech to journalists this month, Karina Marron Gonzalez, a deputy director of Granma, the official Communist Party newspaper in Cuba, warned of the risk of protests like those of August 1994, when hundreds of angry Cubans took to the streets of Havana for several hours.
We are creating a perfect storm, she said, according to a transcript of her speech that was published in various blogs. She added, Sirs, this country cannot take another 93, another 94.
Herbert Delgado-Rodriguez, 29, an art student, remembered his mother cooking with charcoal in the 1990s.
I dont know if it will get to the point where there will be protests in the street, he said. However, he added, Cubans wont tolerate the extreme hardships we faced in the 90s.
One worker at a bank said that employees had been told to use air-conditioning for two hours each day and work a half-day. Fuel for office cars had been cut by half, she said. A university professor said that she had been given a fan for her office and told to work at home when possible.
Jose Gonzales, who owns a small cafeteria in downtown Havana, was more sanguine.
Raul is simply urging us to cut back on unnecessary consumption, thats all, he said, adding that talk of another special period was just a lot of speculation.
Not all offices or companies have been affected, and Murillo said that the idea was to ration energy in some users so that others homes, tourist facilities and companies could use as much as they need.
In all, he said, the government aimed to cut electricity usage by 6 percent and fuel by 28 percent in the second half of the year.
Under an agreement signed in 2000, Venezuela supplies Cuba with about 80,000 barrels of oil per day, a deal worth about $1.3 billion, said Jorge Pinon, an energy expert at the University of Texas. In return, Cuba sends thousands of medical and other specialists to Venezuela.
On Friday, Castro said there had been a certain contraction of that oil supply.
How large of a contraction is unclear. Reuters reported last week that shipments of crude to Cuba had fallen 40 percent in the first half of this year. Pinon said that at least part of the reduction was oil that Venezuela refines in Cuba and then ships out again.
Cubas energy problems may also be a product of growing demand on the electricity grid, he said. Electricity consumption has risen dramatically over the past 10 years as Cubans who receive remittances from abroad kept air-conditioners whirring and private restaurants, bars and bed-and-breakfasts added refrigerators and heated food in toaster ovens.
Tourism has soared since the United States and Cuba announced an end to their 50-year standoff in December 2014. The number of visitors rose 13.5 percent in the first four months of 2016 and is likely to rise further when commercial flights from the United States begin this year.
If Venezuela did halt oil exports to Cuba, it would not necessarily precipitate a political crisis, experts and bloggers said.
The United States may offer help in order to prevent instability or a mass exodus of desperate Cubans. The Cuban government might speed reforms and open the door wider to foreign investment, Entwistle said.
To extrapolate some dire political consequence is unwise, said Entwistle, adding, There are so many levers that they have to push and pull.
New footage found by a local historian offers perspective, he said, into one of the modern worlds greatest mysteries: the disappearance of Amelia Earhart.
Earhart appears only for about 10 seconds of the three-minute film, but a shot of her plane being loaded at the Burbank airport caught the eye of historian and Orange resident Douglas Westfall.
A careful eye can see hidden in the grain of the film a Hooven direction-finding loop atop Earharts plane.
Earhart was flying over the Pacific, approaching Howland Island in 1937, during an ill-fated attempt to fly around the world when she fell out of contact and disappeared forever. There is much debate surrounding her fate, but navigation problems are at the heart of many theories something Westfall said the Hooven loop could have prevented.
The Hooven loop automatically seeks out radio stations and uses them to guide the pilot, but the device was not on Earharts plane when she took her final flight, Westfall said. A few days after the film was shot, the Hooven loop was replaced with a device using a manual dial just one of many modifications over time to Earharts plane, which she took to calling her flying laboratory.
She had a manual one where you look at a little dial and guess where everything is, Westfall said. If youre flying a plane, youre up there alone and getting frantic, youre not going to spend time playing with this dumb loop. Thats probably what got her lost.
The previously unreleased footage was secured by Westfall in April from Dennis Gray, an 84-year-old San Diego resident. Gray is seen in the film as a 4-year-old shaking Earharts hand the film was recorded by his father, excited his son was meeting the famed aviator.
Westfall heads up The Paragon Agency, a small publisher that releases books on American history. Paragon released another piece of lost film of Earhart last year, a recording of a photo shoot taken a little over a month before her the fateful flight.
Paragon released the new footage in tandem with a book, Amelia Earharts Last Flight to Hawaii by Nicole Swinford, a writer for Paragon and a Chapman University alumna. See more at specialbooks.com.
The film will be donated, Westfall said, most likely to Purdue University in Indiana, which holds the lions share of significant material related to Earhart.
Contact the writer: jwinslow@ocregister.com
Health service provider Sovereign Health has filed a lawsuit against Woodland Hills-based Health Net, alleging the company refused to reimburse $55 million in medical services.
San Clemente-based Sovereign Health treats recovering drug addicts and people who suffer from mental illness.
The company alleges Health Net engaged in a disgraceful scheme to enrich themselves by backtracking on their insurance promises to recovering addicts and the mentally ill at the expense of providers, according to the complaint.
Health Nets current misconduct is part of a sad pattern of prioritizing dollars over decency, the complaint also said.
Sovereign Healths claims were routinely denied, according to the complaint. In 2015, only 36 percent of Sovereign Healths claims were paid. In 2016 only 3 percent of its claims were paid.
This isnt the first time Health Net has come under fire. The California Department of Insurance is investigating if Health Net has withheld payments to addiction treatment centers.
The investigation began after numerous complaints from substance-abuse treatment facilities.
The California Department of Managed Health Care is also reviewing complaints about Health Net. The complaints came from executives and owners of almost 120 treatment centers.
The most recent issues began in January after Health Net sent a letter to providers detailing concerns about fraudulent claims.
Health Net then allegedly stopped paying claims. The company did not immediately return requests for comment.
The suit was filed June 30 in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Contact the writer: hmadans@ocregister.com or Twitter: @HannahMadans
Every week is tough for police in America, but last weeks videos of police shooting civilians, followed by an ambush killing five officers in Dallas, was one of the worst.
DANGEROUS PROFESSION
Killed on duty
By gunshot, knife or vehicle
*Through July 8
Fatalities by state in 2015
Texas had the most fatalities of any state in 2015 with 12 officers killed in the line of duty. There were six in California.
Leading circumstances of fatal shootings Average fatalities by decade Fewer police officers have died by firearms in recent years than did in the 1970s.
THE WORLD OF VIOLENCE
According to a database kept by The Guardian, there have been 569 people killed by law enforcement officers so far in 2016. Of those, 75 were in California. The map below shows where each occurred in Southern California.
In 2014 in the U.S. 1.16 million violent crimes were reported, according to the FBI.
63.6 percent were for aggravated assault The violent crime rate has decreased in recent years, but the U.S. averages 132 violent crimes every hour.
ADDING DEFENSE
What police agencies across the U.S. had acquired as of 2014.
CAREER AVERAGES
Employment of law enforcement officers by state
For May 2015
There are more than 900,000 sworn law enforcement officers now serving in the United States, which is the highest figure ever. About 12 percent of those are female.
California has the most officers of any state with 70,930.
Annual mean wage of law enforcement officers
The annual mean wage for California is $93,550.
For May 2015
POLICE STUDY
A National Institute of Justice study conducted by criminologist David Klingler explored the emotional, psychological and physical reactions of 80 officers and sheriffs deputies involved in 113 shootings. Here are some of the findings.
Officers perceptual distortions during shooting incidents
Officers physical response after shooting
(At any time, most within first 24 hours)
Officers thoughts and feelings after shooting
(At any time, most within first 24 hours)
Sources: Individual agencies; National Institute of Justice, The Guardian, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, The New York Times, California Department of Justice, Gun Violence Archive
Re: FBI says it wont recommend charges in Clinton email matter [News, July 5]: So we have one presidential candidate deemed extremely careless by the director of the FBI, and everything that comes out of the other candidates mouth is both reckless and careless. Great to be an American voter this year. But wait, I have dual citizenship: I am British American. Glad things are going well in my land of birth.
Russ Leach
Huntington Beach
Richard Nixon announced that he was resigning from the office of the president of the United States of America on August 9, 1974. The resignation was a result of the Watergate break-in and subsequent cover-up attempts. However, at no time and nowhere did this issue involve the loss of a single human life. Not here in the U.S. or anywhere in the world. But it still brought down a sitting president. Hillary Clinton has direct responsibility in the deaths of four Americans and the attempted cover-up that followed: The lies, the refusal to acknowledge proven facts, her degrading treatment of the relatives of those killed and her infamous What difference does it make statement. But with all this, the attorney general gives Hillary a get out of jail free card because Hillary did not know the law. I wonder how much the attorney general charged for that decision? Nixon was just around at the wrong time.
Linda Eyles
Brea
With all due respect to both political parties, as well as to all U.S. citizens, I ask you: Who would put personal convenience before the security of the United States? Enough said.
Earl Greene
La Mirada
Finding no criminal intent is synonymous with finding gross negligence. Should this go without sanctions? If I, as a former aerospace engineer with a highly classified security clearance, had inadvertently left my file cabinet open while at lunch, there would be no criminal intent but certainly gross negligence imposed upon my record. Without question, my security clearance would have been revoked with no chance of ever working again in such an environment.
In those years, the Department of Defense issued such clearances. Who or what now has the authority to determine if Hillary is even qualified to receive our nations highest clearance level?
Stan Zelinger
Mission Viejo
If ever a movie was the ideal candidate to musicalize for the stage, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is it.
The 1988 comedy starred Michael Caine and Steve Martin as con men who team up but also compete to fleece wealthy women on the French Riviera, with Glenne Headley as the American heiress they both zero in on.
Movie and musical theater fans will be glad to hear that Musical Theatre Wests lighthearted staging of the 2005 Broadway musical delivers loads of laughs and plenty of entertaining song-and-dance numbers.
Jeffrey Lanes book is based on Dale Launer, Stanley Shapiro and Paul Hennings screenplay. The music and lyrics are by David Yazbek, best known for another film turned stage musical, The Full Monty.
Battling over the surplus of loaded ladies are Lawrence Jamison (Davis Gaines), a stylish, savvy Brit, and crass, small-time American con man Freddy Benson (Benjamin Schrader).
Though polar opposites, the pair are bound by a bet: The first one to extract $50,000 from soap queen heiress Christine Colgate (Rebecca Ann Johnson) wins, and the loser has to leave the pigeon-laden Riviera for good.
At its heart, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a throwback to the great screwball comedies of the 30s and 40s, its fluffiness heightened by its transformation into a stage musical.
The suave narcissism of Gaines classy, sharp-minded Lawrence is well played for laughs as he modestly states that all he has are taste, charm and good looks. By contrast is Schraders vulgar, garish yet gritty Freddy, attired like a tacky American tourist.
Gaines cultured, mellifluous baritone is like an homage not to Caine but to Peter OToole, while his phony accent as a noted German shrink is crisply funny, a sort of Teutonic James Mason. In riotous contrast, Schraders Freddy is less like Martin than the kind of selfish, devious, boyish characters Robert Morse excelled at playing.
Johnsons lovely vocals complement her portrayal of Christines good-hearted selflessness. Kyle Nudo shines as Lawrences snarky operative Andre, a French cop on the take. Taken with Lawrence, Cynthia Ferrers Muriel is cheerfully dopey, and Jennifer Kranzs mega-rich cowgirl Jolene is coarsely funny.
Lane peppers his script with risque dialogue. Yazbek has a talent for comical, often hilariously witty lyrics that abound with clever rhymes and pop culture references (such as Freddy singing the line, I wanna be like Trump).
With lyrics about genetic defects, the song All About Ruprecht is an orgy of bad taste that revolves around Schraders crude, Jerry Lewis-like slapstick monkeyshines. As much of a hoot is Love Is My Legs, Freddys mock sob-story song to Christine, sung in his guise as Sgt. Buzz Benson, whose emotional impotence has left him unable to walk or, er, perform.
With its broad, silly sense of humor, the shows general contour is loosely zany, and rather than manic, director Billy Sprague Jr.s pacing is easygoing and almost measured. His expansive staging makes great use of the arc-shaped front runway, while his choreography provides much of the stagings lighter-than-air energy.
Musical director John Glaudini and the outstanding pit orchestra deliver the strengths of Yazbeks diverse score, and Kevin Clowes light, fanciful scenic design and Karen St. Pierres costumes have a pleasing, art deco-style look.
The result is a masterpiece of comedic frivolity, endless laughs, buoyant musical numbers and a light spirit almost guaranteed to lift your heart.
Contact the writer: emarchesewriter@gmail.com
He remembers hearing about a mass shooting on the radio in his Ford Cortina. The nightmare didnt begin until he heard the location: the library at Cal State Fullerton.
Thats where his sister worked.
I made a beeline, said Paul Paulsen, who was a student then and is now 64.
He remembers the chaos. The police tape. The ambulances. He heard shrieking. He saw people crying. He will never forget the smell of gunpowder.
On July 12, 1976 40 years ago today Paulsen walked into that library to find his sister. Debbie Paulsen was a custodian, and all the custodians had an office in the basement.
He remembers being confronted by a detective carrying a notebook. Paulsen saw names written with a one-letter notation after each name: Paul Herzberg D, Bruce Jacobsen D, Seth Fessenden D, Donald Karges D, Stephen Becker D and Deborah Paulsen D.
In that instant, he knew what the D meant. In all, nine people were shot and seven died that day in the most lethal shooting at that time in Orange County history.
The detective told Paulsen to mentally prepare himself and led him to the basement.
In the next few minutes, Paulsen had to complete the two toughest tasks of his life. He had to identify the body of his sister, and then he had to drive to his mothers house to explain that her daughter had been murdered.
The anguish in my mothers eyes , Paulsen said, his voice tailing off.
All of the families of the victims serve life sentences, he added. Were the ones who are suffering. The killer has now lived longer than all of the victims.
Paul Paulsen and Patricia Almazan whose father, Frank Teplansky, was also shot in that basement and died later at the hospital will speak at 7 tonight at the Memorial Grove at Cal State Fullerton. The 40th anniversary event was organized with help from Orange County Supervisor Todd Spitzer.
You cant have closure, Almazan said. It still hurts very much. You cant put a limit on grief.
Paulsen and Almazan dont like to refer to Edward Charles Allaway by name. They call him the killer or the mass murderer. They have supported efforts, all these years, by the Orange County District Attorneys Office to keep the killer behind bars.
Allaway was found guilty of murder, but the jury deadlocked in the sanity phase of the trial. The judge ruled Allaway was not guilty by reason of insanity.
In the 40 years since that ruling, Allaway has moved around locked mental health facilities in California. Hes now at Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino, and hes eligible to petition the state for a new sanity hearing.
Paulsen and Almazan vow to be in the audience to represent the killers victims each time his sanity is reviewed.
So far, all his claims of restored sanity have been denied.
You dont let a mass murderer walk the streets, Almazan said. Mass murderers do not deserve freedom.
Paulsen and Almazan have tried not to let the killer define their lives. But it has been difficult.
You try to rise above the evil of that day, said Paulsen, who works in advertising and lives a few miles from the Cal State Fullerton campus.
I try not to think of him. My hope is that he will die at Patton. He has never apologized, never shown any regret. Its hard when he has never owned up to any of his actions.
Almazan remembers how her father, a graphic artist with an office in the library basement, called her Princess.
He took my father from my life, she said of Allaway. And now Im trying to keep him locked up.
He hurt a lot more people than anyone realizes.
Contact the writer: ksharon@ocregister.com
SANTA ANA A man is in critical condition after he was shot twice in Santa Ana on Monday night, police said.
The man, believed to be between the ages of 18 and 20, was shot twice in the upper torso at around 7:15 p.m. near the intersection of Cypress and Old McFadden avenues, said Santa Ana police Cmdr. Matt Sorenson.
It seems that the man was either walking or riding a bike at the time of the shooting, Sorenson said.
Police have not yet determined whether the shooting was gang-related.
More to come.
Contact the writer: lwilliams@ocregister.com, 714-796-2286
DALLAS He was hurting, self-effacing and, as he put it, a little fried. At a news conference on Monday, he spoke about the crisis facing law enforcement, his experience as a black man in Texas, guns and division, and what kept him going Gods grace and his sweet, tender mercies, just to be quite honest with you.
The day before President Barack Obama was scheduled to arrive here, David O. Brown, Dallas African-American police chief, was putting a human face, tinged with humor and pathos, on the exhaustion and torment fueling this precarious American moment.
Four days earlier, a black man, intent on killing white officers, fatally shot five police officers in downtown Dallas while the nation was reeling from the deaths of two black men at the hands of the police in Louisiana and Minnesota.
Asked about how to bridge the gap between the two brotherhoods black and blue he belongs to, Brown said, Ive been black a long time, so its not much of a bridge for me, his delivery as deadpan as a police report of a stolen bike.
To protesters in the streets, he suggested channeling frustration into public service: Were hiring. Get off that protest line and put an application in. And well put you in your neighborhood, and we will help you resolve some of the problems youre protesting about.
Of the impossible demands on American police officers, he said: Every societal failure, we put it off on the cops to solve. Not enough mental health funding, let the cop handle it. Not enough drug addiction funding, lets give it to the cops. Here in Dallas we got a loose dog problem. Lets have the cops chase loose dogs. Schools fail, give it to the cops. Seventy percent of the African-American community is being raised by single women. Lets give it to the cops to solve that as well.
Policing was never meant to solve all those problems, he said.
Lee P. Brown, a former mayor of Houston who was also the citys first African-American police chief, said the shooting has forced David Brown to find a way to appeal to an array of constituencies.
First and foremost, he has to represent his police agency and represent the city of Dallas, Lee Brown, who is no relation, said. And in many ways hes representing American law enforcement.
In truth, David Browns whole career, from the reasons he got into policing to the cross-currents that have buffeted his tenure, reflects just how much pressure the police are under.
David Brown, 55, is one of 20 black police chiefs among the 68 who are members of the Major Cities Chiefs Association a number that is probably as high as its ever been, said Darrel W. Stephens, the executive director of the group.
During Mondays news conference, in which he offered new details about the attack, David Brown commended the success of the community policing model that he favors, and that has given him a national reputation as a reformer focused on defusing tensions between police and minorities.
He said that 2015 was the 12th consecutive year of crime reduction in Dallas, with the citys fourth-lowest murder rate since 1930.
This year, however, crime has been on the rise, and David Brown has been battered by local critics. The Black Police Association of Greater Dallas has called for his resignation, and the Dallas Police Association, which represents many of the citys police officers, declared that his department was adrift. News outlets reported in March that the groups had been upset about the chiefs plans to put a large number of officers on overnight shifts to curb rising crime.
Some civilian critics, meanwhile, see him as a man intent on protecting officers and burnishing his own reputation, even if it threatens prospects for improving the relationship between the police and minorities.
David Browns shaved head and thick-rimmed glasses suggest rigor and precision and, perhaps, a carefully cultivated public image. He was not always known for being voluble. In 2010, the year he became chief, The Dallas Morning News described him in a profile as a private man in a most public job. In the article, a friend said David Brown had once described himself as a loner.
But in the Police Department here, and long before he ran it, David Brown earned a reputation as an officer who was not afraid to boldly criticize conventional wisdom and policing tactics. In meetings where everyone else was kind of afraid to comment, a former chief recounted on Monday, David Brown had been outspoken.
Hes willing to challenge the status quo in a big way, David Kunkle, the former chief, said.
But from the beginning of his tenure as chief, his private life has seemed fated to mesh with his public role. Shortly after he became chief, his son shot and killed a police officer and another man before being killed in a confrontation with the police.
My family has not only lost a son, but a fellow police officer and a private citizen lost their lives at the hands of our son, he said in a statement at the time. That hurts so deeply I cannot adequately express the sadness I feel inside my heart.
On Monday, David Brown spoke of the way another tragedy, the crack epidemic, had influenced his decision to become an officer.
So when I was graduating high school, I got a full-ride scholarship to UT Austin, he said. And this was 1979. I come back home for the summers. Around 80, 81, 82, that time frame, the crack-cocaine epidemic hit Dallas pretty hard.
My friends who stayed here became involved in that, and it broke my heart, he continued. And it changed what I wanted to do in college. And I actually left college my first semester of my senior year to come back and apply for the Dallas Police Department to do something about what I was seeing in my neighborhood.
Today, he is steering the department through one of the most challenging crises in its history. He admitted that it has not been easy, and that he and his family had received death threats after the shooting. He lamented the low starting salaries of his officers, said he was worried about their mental health, and said that he was at the point of mandating counseling because we want to be superman and superwoman and were not and we are the last to say we need help.
And if the divide can seem daunting, he said theres hope in the long view of where Dallas has been and where it is now.
I grew up here in Texas, he said. Im third-generation Dallasite. Its my normal to live in a society that had a long history of racial strife. Were in a much better place than we were when I was a young man here, but we have much work to do, particularly in our profession. And leaders in my position need to put their careers on the line to make sure we do things right and not be so worried about keeping their job. Thats how I approach it.
IRVINE William Cortez, a 24-year-old Santa Ana resident, was taken into custody Tuesday morning after a two-hour standoff with police.
Officers were investigating reports of a possible burglary in progress at Fast Apple Repair, a computer repair business on the 18000 block of Sky Park Circle, when Cortez was spotted through a broken window around 1 a.m., police spokeswoman Farrah Emami said.
He ignored multiple orders to come out, she said, and eventually police brought in a K-9 at which point Cortez surrendered.
He was taken into custody on charges of commercial burglary and vandalism, Emami said.
Contact the writer: 714.796-7802 or jsudock@ocregister.com
Southern California transportation agencies were shocked Monday to learn they were getting zero dollars from the federal Department of Transportation in the first round of a newly approved freight-movement grant program.
Instead, the DOT gave out $759 million for 18 projects from Seattle to Louisiana but nothing for projects in the six Southern California counties.
Locally, grant applications from the Port of Long Beach and the Alameda Corridor-East Construction Authority were denied, several sources confirmed. The Port of Los Angeles could not confirm if it had submitted an application for funding. A list of applications was not available Monday evening.
I think it is a shock because this is an area where you would expect a lot of that money to come in, said Hasan Ikhrata, executive director of the Southern California Association of Governments. SCAGs 2015 regional transportation plan identified $75 billion in projects, including adding truck lanes to the 60, improving the interchange of the 57 and 60 in Diamond Bar and building grade separations allowing trains to travel freely on bridges over cars and trucks.
The Port of Long Beach applied for two rail extension projects, one an intermodal rail yard in the new harbor terminal and the other, called the Terminal Island Wye, in a different part of the port. Both were denied, said spokesman Lee Peterson.
These would have allowed more direct container-to-rail processing, cutting back on truck trips and reducing air pollution.
Well try again next year, he said.
SCAG said it was working with various agencies in Southern California to submit new applications for the 2017 funding allocation of the Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-term Achievement of National Efficiencies program, aka FASTLANE, which will distribute about $5 billion for freight-related projects over five years.
Southern Californias twin ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles processed 117 million metric tons of goods in 2014 for a value of $396 billion, according to SCAG. Most of the goods from the ports are transported by trucks along congested freeways.
To not move forward with projects that cut back on truck trips carrying goods from the ports seems like a mistake, SCAG officials said.
This shows a huge need for freight infrastructure here, said Sharon Neely, a transportation consultant for SCAG. We are certainly surprised and disappointed that Southern California did not receive a grant.
Contact the writer: steve.scauzillo@langnews.com; @stevscaz on Twitter
SAN DIEGO Clayton Kershaw has a target in mind for when he expects to pitch again for the Dodgers. But hes keeping it to himself.
I do, he said. It just doesnt make sense to share it. If I beat it, Oh, youre rushing back. And if I dont, then its Why not?
Kershaw will be eligible to come off the DL when the Dodgers return from the All-Star break. But Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has said he expects his ace to need some time after that.
Kershaw has been in San Diego the past two days, participating in activities surrounding the All-Star Game. He joined Tuesdays red carpet parade through downtown and, after arriving at Petco Park, immediately headed to the weight room to go through his rehab work. Dodgers soft tissue specialist Yosuke Nakajima was with him to supervise.
Last week, Roberts said the teams medical staff was pleasantly surprised with how quickly the epidural injection Kershaw received two weeks ago had given him relief from the lower back pain caused by a mildly-herniated disc. Kershaw said he couldnt say things have progressed more quickly than he expected because I didnt know what to expect.
I think the epidural did what it was supposed to do, he offered.
Kershaw threw approximately 20 pitches in a bullpen session at Dodger Stadium Sunday, his first time throwing off a mound since going on the disabled list.
He said he plans to throw another one Wednesday but isnt sure yet if he will travel with the Dodgers on their road trip to Arizona, Washington and St. Louis which begins Friday. That likely depends on how quickly he will progress to the next step in his return throwing to hitters. Roberts said over the weekend he doesnt think Kershaw will need to go on a minor-league injury-rehabilitation assignment.
Kershaw said he received positive answers from Dr. Robert Watkins regarding the likelihood of the back problem becoming chronic.
If something happens youre always going to have to have some maintenance on it, to be sure, he said. But its a non-surgical injury.
James Camerons epic fantasy Avatar is coming to life in a Cirque du Soleil production inspired by the movie. Toruk The First Flight is headed to Southern California in November.
The show takes place in the mythical and magical land of Pandora, thousands of years prior to the films storyline. In the stage production, two adolescent Omaticaya boys courageously try to save the Tree of Souls from a natural disaster. In order to keep the tree safe they must travel through the Floating Mountains, find and ride the red and orange predator, Toruk, who rules the Pandoran sky.
The production will land at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario on Nov. 2-6 and the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Nov. 11-13.
Tickets go on sale Monday, July 11 to Cirque Club members and to the public on Friday, July 15 at 10 a.m.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/toruk.
Contact the writer: sschulte@pressenterprise.com, 951-368-9457
CAMP PENDLETON A mock evacuation of civilians from an embassy in the Philippines was the setting Monday for an international training exercise held for the first time on such a large scale at this seaside base.
Marines and Canadian infantry soldiers ran scenarios at an urban village set up at the bases north end at Camp San Mateo, near San Clemente.
The village which was the setting for room-clearing exercises and outdoor mock bombs and insurgent gunfire was created to replicate scenarios that U.S. and allied troops could encounter in the Pacific Rim during humanitarian aid efforts or in threat-based situations.
A contractor hired by the Department of Defense created the simulation using Philippine actors and village settings enhanced by staged sheep, a fish market and the sounds of gunfire, barking dogs and helicopters.
Improvised explosive devices and foreign languages blaring over loudspeakers contributed to the chaos.
At the end of each training exercise, Marines and Canadian soldiers reviewed their work and determined where they would have been successful and where they would have failed.
The exercise Monday was among the first in a monthlong international maritime training event known as RIMPAC. It is the worlds largest involving 26 nations and is held at Camp Pendleton, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms and in Hawaii. The training is designed to build and maintain relationships with U.S. partner nations.
This years participation at Camp Pendleton is the largest RIMPAC training event since its inception in 1971.
Marines from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Force; the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines; HMLA-369; and Combat Logistics Battalion 15 are partnered with units from Mexico, Chile and Canada.
In todays environment where the Marine Corps goes, 70 percent of the population is within a few nautical miles of the coast, said Capt. Chip Broun, company commander of Marines from the 3rd Battalion, 5th Regiment during the exercise. When you look at what is going on, the conflict is where people are. It wont be us and the enemy. It will be us, people and the enemy. Figuring out whos good, whos bad is critical.
For Pvt. Danik Provost, an infantryman in Canadas Royal 22 Regiment, the exercise at Camp Pendleton was a first in many ways.
The 23-year-old had never been outside Canada and was used to training in the forested landscape near Quebec City. Training in a makeshift urban village in an arid setting was new to him. While some of the tactics and weaponry used in the Canadian army are similar to what U.S. Marines use, there was a lot of equipment Provost had never seen before.
Provost took part in amphibious training over the weekend and came onshore at Camp Pendletons Red Beach for the first time in an amphibious assault vehicle.
While recent campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan have focused on the Marines counterinsurgency skills, with the pivot to the Pacific, amphibious tactics and skills are vital, military experts say.
Lt. Vladimir Melnikov also rode in on one of the assault vehicles and was treated to an unusual scene when several dolphins swam in the vehicles wake as it headed in to Red Beach.
Melnikov, who oversees three platoons from the Royal 22 Regiment, called the training at the village compound a real eye-opener.
This is a great opportunity as a country to partner with the Marines, the Mexicans and the Chileans, he said. These are the four big countries of the Americas. Working side by side to learn about each others tactics and culture is critical.
In the end of the day, its one team and one fight,Melnikov said.
Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 or eritchie@ocregister.com or on Twiotter:@lagunaini
Carmilla Macchiato took off like a bat out of (heck). Bosco went nowhere slowly. And Schatzie didnt even leave the gate.
They joined about 40 other short-legged friends Monday to practice for the heady competition coming up this weekend. Its like the Olympic Games for dachshunds: The Wienerschnitzel Wiener Regionals.
The hotter-than-hot dog event rolls back into town Saturday night at the Los Alamitos Race Course for its 21st consecutive summer.
Ten at a time, rivals took turns Monday morning at the gates a row of boxes with portholes covered by a long flap. Once the door was lifted, the little athletes sprang forward. Or not, as the case may be.
At the real deal, 100 dogs show what theyre made of in 10 heats, and then those 10 finalists go for the gold. The grand winner gets $1,000 and a trip to the Weiner Nationals in San Diego.
Any chance 14-year-old Schatzie will pick up her pace in time to capture the top dog award?
Not a chance in (heck), answered owner Steve Mcanlis, dressed for the occasion in dachshund-embroidered khakis his favored attire anywhere and everywhere, according to wife Chris.
He wears them with pride, said the other half of the Coto de Caza couple.
Boscos master felt equally doubtful.
We just hope he gets out of the box thats about it, said David Duncan of Rancho Santa Margarita. Its all in good fun.
Michael and Melissa Miller, on the other hand, have good reason to foresee big things from wee Carmilla.
She usually runs away from us, not toward us, so well try to make that a strategy, said Michael Miller, as he smooched his pooch.
Theyre so optimistic that they drove 100 miles from their Helendale home for the pregame workout. And Melissa Millers brother is even flying from New York to cheer on the sprinter.
This will be Carmillas second stab at victory.
Last year, she stopped just short of the finish line and sat down, Melissa Miller said.
Over its decades, the tournament has raised more than $250,000 for its beneficiary, the Seal Beach Animal Care Center. Some 10,000 people are expected at the 2016 event, according to Los Alamitos Race Course spokesman Orlando Gutierrez.
Thirty of those visitors will be family and friends of Whittier residents Anthony and Patty Cortez, who entered Milo in his third race. Last year, Milo took second place but he was robbed, his owners report without malice.
Channel 5 showed the finish line in slowmo and it did look like Milo won, Patty Cortez said. It was so cute people started blogging about it on the stations website.
This will be his year of redemption, Anthony Cortez promised.
To keep the number at 100, organizers for the increasingly popular event had to turn away about 50 dogs this year.
Those difficult cuts ripped apart Phillip De Leons dog family. Lucy was selected, but her brother Hunter met rejection.
Next year, well have to make Hunters letter of introduction a little more sexy, deadpanned the Long Beach resident. Hes very sad. Luckily, Lucy is not one to gloat.
Contact the writer: sgoulding@ocregister.com
A 28-year-old man from New Delhi was recently arrested for selling a rented car online and then stealing it back from the new owner on the same day. His scheme actually worked the first time, but he was apprehended when he got greedy and tried to pull it off a second time.
Mintoo Kumar, son of a retired Army captain and struggling entrepreneur, was looking for a way to make some money after his businesses failed, when inspiration struck. He rented a used Mahindra XUV 500 and soon also started looking for an identical one in New Delhi. Once he found it, the conman spent the next couple of months trying to get the registration details of the car and used them to forge a registration certificate for the rented vehicle. Once the paperwork was ready, he posted an ad for the car on an eCommerce website and waited for gullible buyers. He actually managed to sell the car pretty fast, but in order to complete his grand scheme he needed to steal it back again, fast. Using a GPS device, he managed to track down the rented vehicle to its new location, and since the owner hadnt had time to change the locks, stole it using a duplicate key.
Reference photo
After having his car stolen in just seven hours, the new owner alerted the local police who were stunned when they ran the registration certificate data and found that it matched another Mahindra XUV that was owned by a Delhi resident. The owner was not lying. He had bought the car through the site, an officer said. It was stolen the same night. Initially we thought he was sold a stolen vehicle but later we suspected the seller may have stolen the same car from the new owner. We registered a case and began probe.
Unfortunately for Mintoo, police were tipped off when he tried to sell the rented car again, and he was apprehended during a sting operation. He confessed to the whole thing, and admitted that the company he had rented the Mahindra XUV 500 knew nothing about his intentions. He was apparently going to return it eventually, after making enough money.
Mintoo Kumar
The Times of India reports that car theft is a growing problem in the Indian capital. 9,714 cars were stolen in the first three months of 2016, a big jump from the 6,724 thefts reported in the first quarter of last year. Thats a car stolen every 13 minutes, and statistics show that thieves are usually a lot more efficient than Mintoo Kumar, as only 4% of vehicles are ever recovered.
via NextShark
It was bound to happen at some point, I guess. Chen Guangbiao, a famous Chinese businessman and philanthropist, has recently launched a line of canned fresh air collected from various parts of China and Taiwan. The product is called Chen Guangbiao: Nice Guy and sells for about $0,80.
Its no secret China has a huge air pollution problem, but while authorities dont seem to be taking any action to resolve it, billionaire Chen Guangbiao, aka Brother Biao is trying to raise awareness in a very original way. He has recently started selling canned fresh air collected from revolutionary areas of China, including Jinggang Mountain in Jiangxi Province and some ethnic minority areas and Taiwan. One only has to open the can, directly drink it or put the nose close to the can to breath deeply, Chen said. He also mentioned there is a chip in the can, and during the packaging process, when the negative oxygen ions reach a certain concentration the lid is triggered by the chip and closed. And since the air is compressed, it stays inside the can even without a lid, the quirky philanthropist claimed. Before the big launch of Chen Guangbiao: Nice Guy canned air, Brother Biao said he was confident of its success, because there are lots of people in big cities inhaling air mixed with vehicle exhaust every day who are dying for a breath of fresh air.
Chen first announced his big idea back in August, but it received some negative feedback from Internet users who accused the philanthropist of showing off and questioned his right to sell the air, since it doesnt really belong to him. In the meantime, Brother Biao has changed his marketing strategy, and now says his not only fresh, but also comes from revolutionary areas of China. Hes also mentioned he will be donating part of the proceeds to the Chinese military, to support their effort in defending the Diaoyu Islands. And if that wasnt enough t convince people to buy his canned air, he also told them to hold on to the empty cans, as he will buy them back in 10 years, for about$7 each.
But come on, nobodys going to fall for the old canned air routine, right? Wrong, Chen Guangbiao: Nice Guy air cans were flying off the shelves from the first day they were introduced, and they sold out in a matter of days. Just goes to show you people will buy anything Its clear this wasnt about making a profit, since Chen is actually a billionaire, and 100,000 cans at $0.80 is probably pocket change for him, but maybe he just likes to prove to himself that he can actually sell anything.
Sources: China Digital Times, China.org
A pair of bold Ibiza entrepreneurs have come up with a way of making a bit of money by selling the islands cheapest and most easily available commodity air. Aire de Ibiza tin cans full of pure and virgin air cost just 5.90 ($6.5) and are apparently a big hit with tourists looking for special souvenirs.
Selling canned or bottled air isnt exactly a new business idea. As far as we know, it all started in 2012, when Chinese billionaire Chen Guangbiao started selling cans of fresh air for about $0.80 a piece, as a way of raising awareness to the countrys air pollution problems. It wasnt meant to be a real business venture, but it got people interested and before long, veritable bottled-air companies started popping out all across the globe. We even mentioned a few here on Oddity Central, like Vitality Air a startup selling fresh Canadian air mainly to the Chinese market, Air de Montcuq a company selling cans of fresh air from the French country side, or this group of Russian entrepreneurs selling air from Yetis cave.
But while the air cans sold by the companies mentioned above can be opened and savored, Aire de Ibiza tins are sealed shut on purpose, to prevent buyers from opening them. They are designed merely as souvenirs for tourists meant to bring back memories of their time on the island. While youll never be able to check for yourself, unless youre willing to ruin the souvenir, the brilliant minds behind Aire de Ibiza claim that each can is filled with 100 percent pure air, no additives, made in Spain and gluten free. The tongue-in-cheek description is a nice touch, but is it worth $6.5? Some people certainly dont think so.
Gianluca Pomo and his friend Jose Antonio Fernandez came up with the idea for Aire de Ibiza while walking through the Ibizan countryside on a day out with their families. We realized how lucky we were and we decided to try and immortalize that moment, Fernandez told The Local. We decided to seal the air in a container so that whenever you looked at it, you remembered that moment.
Asked what makes Ibiza air so special, Fernandez said its the purity. The air in Ibiza is pure and virgin, and the air as well as the moments you enjoy breathing it in is unique. But since you cant open the cans to breathe the pure air, the two entrepreneurs admit that a bit of imagination is required to enjoy their product, and they even have some suggestions Close your eyes and breathe deeply, imagine blue like the colour of our sea. Remember the sensational light of our island, dont forget our sunsets, give yourself space for your emotions, dont abandon your dreams and live with optimism.
His and Pomos marketing strategy seems to be working as the pair already report a lot of interest in their unusual souvenir, although some people dont really get where their coming from. There have been people who just think were pulling their leg, they admit, but generally it has been really well received.
Talk about making money out of thin air
Photos: Aire de Ibiza/Facebook
Richard Rubenstein
A nations economic footprint can be transformed through the currency of tourism and the influence of the media. Developing countries, now more than ever before, are turning to tourism for economic growth and diversity, and are working with public relations agencies to establish themselves as marketable brands. Global communications allows us to revolutionize the way the world engages and interacts with a nation and its people. By changing public perception of the worlds unchartered territories, the art of communications is inspiring more and more travelers to visit emerging markets that have not typically been thought of as tourist destinations in the past.
The United States Institute of Peace published a special report in 2009 stating that although often underestimated, the tourism industry has the power to promote peace and stability in developing countries by providing jobs, generating income, diversifying the economy, protecting the environment, and promoting cross-cultural awareness. In 2015, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), reported that the growth of the travel and tourism sector (2.8 percent) outpaced that of the global economy (2.3 percent) and in total generated US $7.2 trillion (9.8 percent of global GDP), supporting 284 million jobs, equivalent to 1 in 11 jobs in the global economy. With these benefits in mind, the United Nations has identified the development of tourism as one of the methods developing nations can use to advance their economies.
Public relations plays an increasingly essential role in driving awareness, establishing and accelerating the popularity of less-traveled destinations among global tourists. Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific literature, analyzed communications in the tourism sector and found that public relations is more than a necessity as it represents a catalyst for change, a means for shaping new attitudes and for advancing an audiences understanding and acceptance. Over the last decade, the digital sphere and social media networks have contributed to strengthening this bridge of influence and engagement.
There is indeed a significant ROI in a solid, competitive and comprehensive communications and influencer program that delivers consistency and targeted results. According to a global study by Nielson, 92 percent of consumers said that they trusted earned media, which includes publicity, recommendations from friends and family members, more than any other form of advertising. Additionally, WAYN (Where Are You Now?) reported that 52 percent of respondents changed their travel plans after researching their trip using social media; and 52 percent of Facebook users said that their friends travel photos had inspired their own vacation choices. In todays fast-moving digital environment, sharing positive travel experiences online can influence the masses by enhancing their perceptions of a country.
Take for example, Rwanda, the verdant East African nation that is home to some of the worlds rarest wildlife and most breathtaking landscapes. Rubenstein Public Relations was retained to help raise awareness of the peaceful and progressive country it is today and elevate its visibility, appeal and competitive edge among its African neighbors. With a strong focus on wildlife conservation, Rwanda has put in tremendous efforts to save and protect its mountain gorillas, one of the most endangered species in the world. Beyond providing a safe, stable environment, a key component of their conservation program included the annual Kwita Izina naming ceremony for baby gorillas, which enables ecologists to track their growth and watch for potentially dangerous environmental issues. Another key aspect of their conservation efforts included the arrival of seven lions from South Africa to diversify and balance Rwandas eco-system, while also helping to increase visitors to Rwandas Akagera National Park.
Rwanda has launched tremendous conservation efforts in an attempt to protect that nations mountain gorillas, now one of the most endangered species in the world.
We invited select reporters from key markets around the world to experience Rwanda and its remarkable eco-tourism. Our tourism campaign also featured a host of other attractions including an exhilarating safari route, bird watching and canopy tours, miles of beautiful caves, and spectacular lakefront resorts. Additionally, Kigali, the nations capital, is a rich cosmopolitan center offering cultural, business and sporting events, a bustling nightlife and a vibrant fashion scene. Travel editors and writers embraced Rwanda as their latest discovery, resulting in more than two billion media impressions within a six-month timeframe. According to the WTTC, the direct impact of travel and tourism in 2015 grew by 7.1 percent and Rwanda is expected to attract more than 1 million international tourist arrivals this year alone.
On trend with tourism growth in Africa lies Angola, a nation that the WTTC declared in its latest report to be one of the fastest-emerging tourism destinations in the world. One of RPRs current clients is an international investment firm dedicated to creating global value for developing countries in Africa while contributing to their economic development. Along with many partners in the market developing the countrys profile of global economic stability, our client is supporting and investing in the growth of Angolas tourism and hospitality sector. RPR devised a dynamic communications campaign that helps support the companys objectives by publicizing the various investment opportunities emerging in the region. We continue to generate a wide range of international coverage in both business and consumer press. An economic narrative may be as compelling as traditional tourism exposure for projecting an image of market stability an important factor for attracting foreign visitors. Reinforcing the above mentioned WTTC report and Angolas underlying potential, a recent study released by the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism announced that by 2020, Angola is expected to host 4.6 million tourists who will provide an estimated revenue of $4.7 billion. A strong tourism industry can also help emerging countries to self-sustain rather than to rely on outside investment to boost their economies.
As the regulatory climate and travel restrictions continue to evolve, developing countries have more opportunities to transform their global image through strategic communications programs that showcase their unique attributes and cultural vibrancy. Positive, creative and consistent messaging has the power to attract audiences worldwide to unfamiliar places that are ready to be discovered as premier destinations.
* * *
Richard Rubenstein is President of Rubenstein Public Relations.
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WASHINGTON The deadly Ebola epidemic engulfing three West African countries is out of control, health experts at the Council on Foreign Relations said Tuesday.
The virus, which has killed nearly 900 people since March, hasnt ever been in control since Ebola was first discovered in 1976, said Laurie Garrett, the councils senior fellow for global health.
Garrett spoke on a conference call with reporters as the second American infected with Ebola in Africa arrived in Atlanta for treatment under strict quarantine, and a day after a patient in New York City was tested for the disease.
City health authorities concluded the patient is unlikely to have Ebola.
There is no strategic plan of how were going to bring this under control, Garrett said. What will be the global strategy if this disease shows up elsewhere?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is sending 50 medical professionals to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in the next few days to relieve and assist people working on the crisis, Garrett said.
The World Bank on Monday pledged $200 million to help the West African nations contain the spread of infections, and to help their communities fight the deadly disease, which has historically reached fatality rates of 90 percent.
The money will help pay for medical supplies, salaries for medical staff and materials needed to stabilize health systems, the bank said in a statement.
There is no vaccine or cure for Ebola, which is spread only by direct contact with bodily fluids. The virus causes high fever and bleeding from all orifices. Many patients die from dehydration.
More than 550 health care workers are struggling to stem the epidemic in West Africa, including some from nonprofit groups in the U.S. and Europe. In many areas, local authorities distrust the aid workers and have accused them of spreading the disease.
Some aid workers have said theyre exhausted and terrified, and theyre living in a state of fear, even of siege. More than 60 health care workers have died fighting the outbreak.
If the outbreak is designated a global health crisis, African countries would have to strengthen border checks and other measures to stop the spread of the disease. Vaccine development probably would increase.
John Campbell, the councils senior fellow for Africa policy studies and former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, said Ebola has already had an impact on the economies in the West African nations. Sierra Leones growth rate has been cut by 1 percent, Campbell said, and more severe economic and political consequences are possible.
The three countries affected are going through an extremely rapid period of urbanization, Campbell said. Liberia and Sierra Leone are emerging from lengthy civil wars, and rural villagers are packing into urban slums, making quarantine difficult.
If the epidemic spreads into Lagos, Nigerias largest city and the second-fastest-growing city in Africa, it will have destabilizing consequences, Campbell said.
The city of 22 million has recorded two cases of Ebola, and eight people have been put in quarantine since the cases were confirmed, a Nigerian health minister said Tuesday.
While taking simple precautions can prevent Ebola, the outbreak has reignited fear of a global pandemic. Many other diseases, though not as deadly, can spread quickly if international systems arent put in place now.
LINCOLN Nebraska Medicaid officials have done an about-face on paying for highly effective but potentially costly childrens autism treatment.
A few months ago, the Department of Health and Human Services was seeking federal permission for Medicaid to cover the treatment.
Department attorneys filed a motion in court on June 23 saying HHS was cautiously optimistic about getting such approval.
But earlier this month, Kerry Winterer, the departments CEO, sent a letter to federal officials questioning their authority to issue a directive requiring Medicaid coverage of the treatment.
He said this week that the state may pursue a legal challenge to the directive.
What happens next depends on the response to the letter, Winterer said.
The state reversal comes as advocates, providers and parents are looking forward to better private insurance coverage for autism treatment.
Earlier this year, Nebraska lawmakers mandated that some insurance plans cover autism diagnosis and treatment for children.
The new law is expected to benefit about 1,000 Nebraska children.
But it does not apply to all private insurance, and it does not apply to Medicaid, which covers health care costs for about 30 percent of Nebraska children.
Nebraskas Medicaid reversal dismayed Cathy Martinez, a Lincoln mother of an autistic son and state advocacy chairwoman for Autism Speaks.
Somebodys going to have to help. Theres an epidemic, she said. We cant bury our heads in the sand forever.
Winterers recent letter addressed a July 7 bulletin from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that spelled out that Medicaid must pay for medically necessary services for children with autism.
It did not specifically require coverage of applied behavior analysis, a treatment method that has proved effective in helping autistic children learn to function better in the world. But it describes applied behavior analysis as one treatment method for autism.
Dan Unumb, executive director of the Autism Speaks Legal Resource Center, argues that the directive encompasses the treatment as part of requiring a broad spectrum of services.
Applied behavior analysis uses positive reinforcement and other techniques to change behavior.
It can eliminate symptoms of autism for some children and dramatically reduce them in others. But, depending on a childs needs, it can be very intensive and expensive.
Martinez credits the treatment with helping her severely disabled son learn to read, write, dress and groom himself. It allowed him to be toilet trained and made him willing to eat a broader range of vegetables and proteins.
Now 11, he is in a regular classroom 70 percent of the day and has minimal behavior problems at school, she said.
He does not speak but can communicate by typing on a computer, which reduces the potential for frustration.
All of those achievements mean he will be more independent and require less state support as an adult.
But Martinez and her husband had to pay $62,000 a year for five years of the treatment, refinancing their house, maxing out their credit and eventually declaring bankruptcy.
He now gets less intensive help paid for through a special Medicaid program for people with developmental disabilities.
Costs like those the Martinez family encountered are a key reason Winterer argues that the federal government cannot require coverage without going through a formal rule-making process.
HHS officials calculate that the coverage could cost the state more than $50 million a year. Thats based on providing $50,000 worth of treatment to an estimated 2,305 children per year. Medicaid is jointly funded by the federal government and the state.
Winterer said the estimate was based on the best numbers available, including an actuarial study done in 2011.
But Wayne Fisher, director of the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at the Munroe-Meyer Institute in Omaha, and Michael Wasmer with Autism Speaks, call the departments cost figure a gross overestimate.
HHS used federal data showing that 1 in 68 children have an autism spectrum disorder in calculating how many children Nebraska Medicaid would have to cover.
However, Fisher said that autism spectrum disorder includes a wide range of symptoms and that only a small proportion of children with the disorder need the most intensive treatment. Older children generally need less treatment.
In addition, states that require private health insurance coverage of applied behavior analysis have found that half or less seek treatment.
A Missouri study of that states mandate found that insurance claims for applied behavior analysis treatment averaged $1,704 annually in 2013.
Until recent weeks, state Medicaid officials had been forging ahead with plans to implement the federal directive, when they reversed course citing costs and legal concerns.
The directive appeared to clear the way for settling a lawsuit that claimed Nebraska Medicaid illegally denies coverage for children with severe behavioral and mental health problems.
Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law in the Public Interest and the National Health Law Program filed the suit in 2012 in Lancaster County District Court.
It listed two boys as plaintiffs. One, identified only as K.D., was described as a 4-year-old diagnosed with autism and other conditions. The suit said a psychologist had recommended applied behavior analysis for him but Medicaid had denied coverage.
In May, attorneys for the boys and for HHS filed a joint motion asking for the case to be put on hold because HHS was seeking approval from federal Medicaid officials to cover the treatment.
Neither an HHS spokeswoman nor an Appleseed attorney said they could comment on the pending litigation, including how it fits with the departments current position on covering autism treatment.
Contact the writer: 402-473-9583, martha.stoddard@owh.com
You can still see the wood lanes of the bowling alley where George Joslyn knocked down pins with his buddies more than a century ago.
Around a corner of the cavernous basement is the room where he played cards with the guys in his turn-of-the-century man cave.
The basement is one of the most intriguing attractions of the popular all-access tours that started this spring at Joslyn Castle, one of Omahas oldest and largest surviving private estates.
The first two Joslyn Castle Unlocked events sold out immediately, and three others planned this month and next are already filled. But another one is planned for December, and others next year, providing a chance to join the special tours at the historic Scottish Baronial mansion on a hilltop at 39th and Davenport Streets.
Rick Boysen and his wife, Carol, attended the event this spring, drawn by the opportunity to peek behind locked doors.
Everybody wants to see something that hardly anyone else gets to see, he said.
Theres plenty of space to explore during the three-hour events, which are fundraisers for the castle.
With 19,300 square feet, four levels and 35 rooms, Joslyn Castle is super-sized, as large as 10 medium-size ranch homes. George and Sarah Joslyn built the turreted limestone mansion in 1903.
When people step into the castle, they are dazzled by the 1,800-pound wrought-iron front door, the grand staircase made of hand-polished mahogany and the 12-foot-high ceiling.
The castle hosts more than 40 weddings a year, plus murder-mystery parties, literary readings, scotch tastings, anniversary parties, concerts, little kid birthday parties and Christmas celebrations with Santa.
But folks at those events and on regular tours dont get to see all the nooks and crannies. And they dont get to see some of George and Sarahs possessions, such as the ornate oak dining room chairs purchased at the 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair or the thick leather collar with a red ribbon worn by Modjeska, the couples St. Bernard.
The all-access tours cost $50 per person and include a catered dinner. The number of guests is capped at about 50, and they start the evening with the opportunity to roam the castle on their own.
After dinner, guests are divided into groups, each led by a Joslyn staff member or volunteer who guides them through the mansion, answering questions.
Sherri Moore, the castles director of events, said the Joslyn staff knew the basement had to be part of the special tours because it captivates visitors.
Everyone always asks What about the basement? she said.
Guests reach the basement using a servant staircase off the kitchen. The first area they see is a space that was used as a laundry room.
It once contained washtubs and clothes wringers but now has a workbench and is used by the castles maintenance staff. The rest of the basement is used for storage these days.
Guests turn a couple of corners and see a long room that had two bowling lanes. Some sections of the wood lanes are still in place.
Visitors also step into a space about the size of a living room where George had two billiard tables. The room during Georges days had an ornate light over each table and chairs for sitting, between shots. Its fireplace remains.
Rick Boysen said Georges man cave was one of his favorite parts of the tour. As he walked through the basement, he imagined what the card room, smoking room and wine room would have looked like.
It would have been well-finished in those days, he said.
Visitors walk up from the basement on a staircase used mostly by George. Along the wall at the top of the staircase is a small and mysterious door.
The door is about 3 by 2 feet and opens to reveal what looks like a thick wooden shelf. The castles staff members arent quite sure what the space was used for, but they speculate that George might have kept his favorite cigars or liquor in it.
Carrie Meyer, director of curatorial and education services at Omahas Durham Museum, said those kinds of mysteries are what make places like the Joslyn fascinating.
Thats the fun of history, she said. You can look at it from so many different directions.
During the tours, guests learn about George and Sarah and the castles history.
The couple arrived here in 1880. George made his fortune providing print-ready ads and features to newspapers across the country. At the time of his death in 1916, he was the richest man in the state.
The Joslyns were known for their philanthropy, such as a donation that helped establish what is now the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Sarahs most prominent gift to the people of Omaha was the Joslyn Art Museum, built in memory of her husband.
Sarah was also known for giving gifts to friends and others, even presenting one of her own diamond rings to her chauffeur to use as a wedding band for his bride.
Sarah, who died in the castle in 1940 at age 88, was the last member of the Joslyn family to live in the house. From 1944 to 1989 the castle housed the administrative offices for the Omaha Public Schools.
The state of Nebraska then owned it for two decades and in 2010 sold the mansion to the Joslyn Castle Trust.
On regular tours, guests get to see most of the main floor, but they dont get to see some of George and Sarahs furniture, which is usually kept in storage.
Some pieces are set out on the main floor during the unlocked events, including a special chair that played music when you sat on it a spring in the seat activated a music box. Other pieces include a small couch and a table that the family probably used for putting together jigsaw puzzles, a favorite activity.
On the second floor visitors can peek inside a closet in the master bedroom and see one of Georges tux coats with tails. One of his suits is displayed on a stand.
The third floor houses the ballroom, where guests danced during elaborate parties. Moore, the castle staff member, said the Joslyns loved entertaining and showing off their home, so they probably would appreciate the special tours.
It was just their nature, she said, to always have an open door.
Joslyn Castle Unlocked
What: fundraisers for the castle that provide a catered dinner and all-access tour of the historic mansion in midtown Omaha
Cost: $50 per person
When: The three tours this month and next are filled. A tour is planned for December, but no date is set; more are planned for next year.
* * *
Contact the writer: 402-444-1122, michael.oconnor@owh.com
Correction: Carrie Meyer's name was misspelled in a previous version of this story.
When Terry Barfield left prison in June 2015 he vowed to leave gang life because of his then-11-year-old son.
Six months later, Barfield was arrested on suspicion of purchasing a .45-caliber Ruger semi-automatic handgun.
Facing life in prison after being charged with the crime, the self-proclaimed founder of the South Family gang said he made a deal with prosecutors so he could see his second, 2-week-old son when the boy is a teenager.
Barfield, 49, withdrew his not guilty plea and pleaded no contest Monday to second-offense possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Under the plea agreement, Deputy Douglas County Attorney Jim Masteller dropped two charges of attempted possession of a firearm against Barfield.
Douglas County District Judge Thomas Otepka found Barfield guilty and sentenced him to 30 to 38 years in prison, with credit for 224 days served. The judge also found Barfield to be a habitual criminal, which lengthened his sentence.
Barfield could be eligible for parole in 15 years and will be released in 19 years under Nebraskas good-time law.
Masteller said Barfield and another person went to a northwest Omaha apartment Dec. 1 to purchase firearms. Barfield gave $140 to an undercover agent from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to purchase the semi-automatic handgun.
Barfield was immediately taken into custody by a SWAT team.
In a phone interview from jail after Mondays sentencing, Barfield said he was lured to the apartment by a relative and didnt know that the purpose of the visit was to buy a gun.
I knew that I am a felon and that I can no longer own firearms, Barfield said.
Since being released a year ago, Barfield said he had been getting threats. His attorney, Glenn Shapiro, has said Barfield purchased the gun for protection.
Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said law enforcement has video of Barfield purchasing the gun.
Hes the reason we have these kinds of laws in effect with regard to habitual criminal and felon in possession, Kleine said. Hes a person who we dont want to get a gun.
Barfield twice was convicted of murder and served three stints in prison.
Terrijana Barfield, Terry Barfields daughter, said shes grateful that her father isnt going to jail for life but is upset that he will miss out on being a father to his two young sons.
I would hate for (my brothers) to be in a gang, she said. I have to be strong and care for them and show them the way.
Terrijana noted that her father had a horrible upbringing. He never had a chance.
After Otepka issued his ruling, Terrijana Barfield and Barfields niece began to sob.
As Barfield was escorted away by deputies after the sentencing, he turned and faced about 15 relatives and family members.
Hey, I love yall. Only the strong survive, he said.
I love you, Daddio, Terrijana replied.
Contact the writer: 402-444-1068, alia.conley@owh.com
Its been a busy year for Meagan Kurmel.
Last August, the Bellevue native was named Miss Czech-Slovak U.S. 2015-16 at the national pageant in Wilber, Nebraska.
She is the first Miss Czech-Slovak Omaha to win the title, and the seventh Miss Czech-Slovak Nebraska to be crowned.
Kurmel will officially give up the crown this August.
In the past year, she has traveled across the country representing Nebraska and Czech and Slovak heritage and culture.
These events have included festivals and parades across the country, including a visit to both the Czech and Slovak embassies in Washington, D.C. At many of the festivals and events she attends, she can often be spotted in the traditional Czech dress - the kroj - which was passed down to her from her grandmother.
For Kurmel, who has both Czech and Slovak heritage, the experience gave her and her family a chance to learn more about their culture.
My family is very supportive of what I do, and I couldnt do it without them, Kurmel said. We embraced it as an opportunity to learn more about our heritaged.
One of the perks of becoming Miss Czech-Slovak US is financial assistance to travel to the Czech Republic and Slovakia, but Kurmel could not decide on a time to do it. She hopes to travel there soon and bring her family along.
I think that would be wonderful to be able to share it with them, Kurmel said.
Growing up in a Czech family, Kurmel grew up eating Czech food such as kolaches and sauerkraut, but this new role has helped Kurmel further embrace her heritage and learn more about Czech and Slovak culture in areas such as government, cuisine, clothing and language. Over the past year Kurmel and her family have been learning the basics in speaking Czech.
Its fun to have the Czech language, the food, the culture, Kurmel said. Its good to kind of dive into it.
Kurmel has learned a lot over the past year, and hopes to pass on that knowledge to the next Miss Czech-Slovak U.S.
Ive always thought that the crown doesnt make a queen. What makes a queen is her heart and her actions, Kurmel said.
My advice to the next Miss Czech-Slovak U.S. is to put your whole heart into it and to do it for all the reasons you feel is right.
One of Kurmels favorite aspects of this role has been the conversations it started, whether it be with elderly people in retirement homes across the country, or listening to her mechanical engineering coworkers open up about their own heritage when she told them about her title.
Its really bittersweet, Ive met so many wonderful people, Kurmel said. The hardest part about being queen is saying goodbye.
SIDNEY, Iowa The five-member City Council in this southwest Iowa city voted Monday evening to start cutting ties with its beleaguered public works director.
Mark Travis, 35, was not specifically fired, though the council did have that option. Instead, it voted to authorize Eric Hansen, the citys attorney, to negotiate Travis separation from the city within the next 60 days.
Authorities suspect that Travis did not properly test the citys water system for chlorine levels for several years and of falsely submitting reports to the State Department of Natural Resources saying the testing was being done.
He was arrested in late June on suspicion of felonious misconduct while in office. After Monday evenings vote, he said his attorney had advised him not to comment.
The vote came after a closed session that lasted one hour and 40 minutes. Only one council member, Ryan Kersten, voted against the agreement. He would not say why.
Asked why Travis wasnt fired, Mayor Paul Hutt said the council felt there was a lot of things Mr. Travis had done well, and done well for us for a lot of years.
Neither Hansen nor Hutt would go into specifics about what was discussed during the closed session.
Exactly how many years Travis had worked for the city wasnt available Monday evening. Hutt said he believed that he had worked for the city for more than five years but fewer than 10. He is currently suspended with pay.
Fremont County Attorney Corey Becker said staff with the Department of Natural Resources became suspicious of the reports Travis was making because they didnt reflect the ups and downs that normally would occur.
The state agency investigated and ultimately determined that the water-testing records had been falsified, authorities said. The Iowa Attorney Generals Office referred the matter to Fremont County.
After a September inspection, the Fremont County Attorneys Office subpoenaed the citys water records. Those records indicate that Travis ordered chlorine testing kits on Oct. 23, 2009, and didnt order more until Sept. 24, 2015, the day after representatives of the agency showed up at his office to investigate, according to the affidavit.
In February, Travis water treatment certification was revoked, and Travis was prohibited from holding any Department of Natural Resources water certifications in the future, according to an order provided by the department.
Hansen said an outside consultant has conducted the citys water testing since late last year. Since September, Sidney municipal water has been tested and found to be within acceptable standards, authorities said.
The state has had no outbreaks of illnesses related to drinking water in recent years, including in Sidney.
Testing the chlorination of water is important, said Thad Nanfito, an environmental specialist with the state agency, who investigated the Sidney situation.
Its one of those things that has to be done, Nanfito said. It may become mundane, but it ensures that each and every day there is an adequate amount of disinfectant in the water that helps keep people safe.
The Douglas County Board could vote Tuesday on a 2016-17 budget that would increase spending slightly but keep the countys property tax rate the same for the third consecutive year.
The annual budget would spend $390.4 million. Thats $17.5 million, or 4.7 percent, more than last year.
It would leave the countys property tax rate unchanged at a hair over 28 cents per $100 in valuation, although the tax rate wont be set in stone until August, after final valuations are certified. That means the owner of a house valued for tax purposes at $150,000 would pay about $420 for the county portion of his property taxes.
The County Board will have a public hearing on the proposed budget Tuesday. The meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. in the Legislative Chambers of the Omaha-Douglas Civic Center, 1819 Farnam St. The board is expected to vote on the budget as well.
Its a reasonable budget, said Mike Boyle, co-chairman of the County Boards Finance Committee. In my estimation its a little better than meeting the bare obligations.
The Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom advocacy group supports the proposed budget. Its president, Doug Kagan, and other leaders have attended weeks of open Finance Committee meetings led by Boyle and the committees co-chairman, P.J. Morgan.
While saying the groups leaders see room for improvement in county finances, Kagan praised the board and County Budget and Finance Director Joe Lorenz.
I think they did a really good job this year, he said. They came in with a balanced budget and no tax increase. We were really proud of them.
The budget proposal includes revenue from a state-ordered valuation increase, even though the county is contesting the state order in court.
The Nebraska Tax Equalization and Review Commission ordered Douglas County to increase 2016 residential property values by 7 percent through large swaths of central and western Omaha. The commission also ordered the county to decrease residential property values by 8 percent in a portion of northeast Omaha.
Lorenz estimated the orders would generate about $1.25 million in additional revenue for the county in the 2016-17 budget year, which runs from June 30 of this year to June 30 of 2017.
For budgeting purposes, county officials decided to assume the revenue from the state-ordered increase would come in, despite the countys pending lawsuit asking for the order to be overturned, Lorenz said.
We talked about it with the attorney, and at this point it (the state order) is a formal ruling, Lorenz said. We cant count on being successful in the lawsuit.
Lorenz said the main drivers of additional spending were rising health care costs for county employees, an additional $1.45 million for the Election Commissioners Office because of a general election this November and a mayoral election in May, and $565,000 more for capital improvements.
A raise for County Board members would add $22,000 to the 2016-17 budget. The raise takes effect in January.
The board voted in January to increase board members salaries by 34 percent over two years. The salaries would increase to $43,594 in 2017 and then to $49,884 in 2018.
Board members Morgan, Mary Ann Borgeson and Marc Kraft voted against the raise. Boyle originally joined Jim Cavanaugh, Clare Duda and Chris Rodgers in supporting the raise. Boyle later changed his mind and proposed rescinding the raise, but no other commissioners changed their votes and the motion failed on a 3-3 vote, with Kraft absent.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that County Board member Marc Kraft voted for the raise for board members. He actually voted against the raise. When the county board voted at another meeting on a motion to rescind the raise, Kraft was absent.
LINCOLN Get ready to encounter more orange cones going in and out of downtown Omaha during the next couple of years.
State roads officials on Monday announced a $15.2 million upgrade of Interstate 80 between 13th Street and 24th Street.
The project involves adding traffic lanes, lengthening the 16th Street bridge and rebuilding the on- and off-ramps at the 13th Street interchange.
Officials hope the work can begin in spring 2017. It is expected to take two construction seasons to complete.
The Nebraska Department of Roads included the upgrade among $520 million worth of highway projects to be let to contract during the current fiscal year, which began July 1.
The departments 2017 Surface Transportation Program Book, released Monday, listed 95 projects for the year.
The projects selected for the program book are focused on maintaining and improving our transportation system, said Kyle Schneweis, state roads director.
Repair and rebuilding of existing state roads and highways account for the bulk of the projects.
But the total also includes expansion projects that are to be paid for through the Build Nebraska Act. The act earmarks a quarter-cent of sales tax dollars to roads projects, with priority given to finishing the state expressway system and upgrading I-80.
Amy Starr, program management engineer, said the department receives about $63 million a year under the Build Nebraska Act to pay for both new and still-to-be-completed projects.
This year Build Nebraska funds will pay for the Interstate upgrade in Omaha. The project originally had been planned for 2020 but was moved up.
Starr said changes in the timing of other projects made the funds available. She said Nebraska officials wanted to get the project done at the same time that Iowa is finishing work on I-80 through Council Bluffs.
Build Nebraska funds also will pay to add a 5.5-mile segment to the U.S. 30 expressway between Schuyler and Rogers.
Launch of the $30 million project had been planned for last year but got held up. Starr said it is not unusual for circumstances to require changes.
We monitor every month to be sure our plan is still valid, she said.
Not included in the list of new projects are ones that will be paid for through Nebraskas new Transportation Infrastructure Bank.
The bank was created under Legislative Bill 610, introduced by State Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion and backed by Gov. Pete Ricketts.
The bank will hold money collected through a previously approved gas tax increase, along with $50 million to be transferred from the states cash reserve fund. State officials project that the bank will have $58.5 million in revenue this fiscal year.
The money is to be used for state highway construction projects, repair and replacement of deficient county bridges and roads projects linked to economic development.
Roads officials are in the process of setting priorities for the state highway construction portion of infrastructure bank funds. The selections are to be announced later this year.
The list of projects announced Monday include about $67 million worth of work in District 2, which includes Douglas, Sarpy, Washington, Dodge and eastern Cass Counties.
The largest of those projects are:
I-80, at the I-80/I-480/U.S. 75 interchange, bridge repair and overlay, $12.9 million
Nebraska 85, Ralston viaduct, $6.9 million
I-480, Bancroft to Dewey, 2.1 miles, milling and resurfacing, $6.7 million
Nebraska 91, Snyder west, 6.3 miles, milling and resurfacing, $6.1 million
Nebraska 36, Elkhorn River west, 6.4 miles, concrete repair, resurfacing, bridge work, $5.2 million
U.S. 6, Omaha bridges, 1 mile, bridge repair and overlay, $4.5 million
Other projects of note:
I-80, 27th Street interchange, Lincoln, $5 million
I-80, Maxwell to Brady, 12.7 miles, milling, resurfacing, bridge repair, $14.1 million
I-80, Sutherland to Hershey, 6.4 miles, resurfacing, bridge repair, overlay, $9.2 million
I-80, East of Kimball to Potter, 11.7 miles, grading, concrete pavement, $42 million
Contact the writer: 402-473-9583, martha.stoddard@owh.com
Swathi murder case: Eyewitness made to identify the accused
Chennai
oi-Shalini
Chennai, July 12: In a recent development in the Infosys techie murder case, Chennai Police conducted identification parade of the prime accused P Ram Kumar in Puzhal Central Prison today.
According to reports, parade began at 10.30 am and lasted for nearly an hour.
S Swathi's father Santhana Gopalakrishnan and Sivakumar, a shopkeeper on the Nungambakkam railway station platform, were the two main witnesses who came to identify the main accused. They both were taken by the police to the central prison early in the morning for the identification parade.
During identification parade around 25 persons along with the prime accused Ram Kumar, were lined up. The whole process was conducted amidst tight security in the jail.
What is Identification parade?
This is a main process carried out in the criminal cases and one of the major factors in this particular case. In the whole process people with similar facial features are lined together along with the main accused of a case and the eyewitness are asked to identify the main accused present during the crime spot.
The whole process is conducted in the presence of a judicial magistrate, who is deputed by a Chief Metropolitan Magistrate on request of the investigation officer and the magistrate records the proceedings. The prison official usually arranges five to ten other inmates from the prison who have similar identities with the accused, to stand during the parade process.
Earlier, Madras High Court had directed the police not to circulate the images of the prime accused in the Swathi murder case before the Identification parade as eyewitness memory may get affected by the photos that appear in media.
Extra guards and talkative prison inmates are been provided to Ram Kumar to keep his spirit up and keep a suicidal watch on him.
OneIndia News
This is what BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje told Malala Yousafzai on J&K Tweet
Refusing to let girls go to school in their hijabs is horrifying: Malala Yousafzai
Malala Day: How Malala Yousafzai became the global voice of girls education
Feature
oi-Preeti Panwar
Pakistani teen activist Malala Yousafzai, who became a target of Taliban in October 2012 and defied death after a serious gunshot injury, turned 19-year-old today (Tuesday, July 12).
In recognition of her bravery and in honour of her heroic stand to ensure education for all, the United Nations in 2013 declared that July 12 will be annually observed as "Malala Day" worldwide.
The world's youngest nobel laureate is an inspiration and voice of many girls who want to educate themselves. Malala is the first citizen from Pakistan to have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.
The girl, hailing from Swat valley of Pakistan, created history when she delivered a motivational speech at the United Nations Youth Conference in New York in July 2013 and stood confidently as a symbol of teenage bravery and educational activism.
Let's take a look at what made an ordinary teenager Malala into a global personality.
Struggle
After bravely facing death threats from Taliban, Malala successfully emerged as a face of child's right to education.
[Choose books over bullets, says Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai]
Born on July 12, 1997, Malala's advocacy for girls education grown into an international movement. Her activism towards education began from her hometown in Swat valley, where she stood and raised her voice against the so-called banishment of girls education by the dreaded terror-organisation Taliban.
[Malala Yousafzai says world failing Syrian children]
Malala's contribution in education
On July 12, 2015, on her 18th birthday, Malala opened a school in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, near the Syrian border, for Syrian refugees. [Malala urges Syria conference to give millions for education]
Awards & Recognition
In 2013, 2014 and 2015, Malala's name featured in "The 100 Most Influential People in the World" in TIME magazine.
[Pakistan activist honored with International Women of Courage Award]
In Feb 2014, she was nominated for the World Children's Prize in Sweden.
[I'm a feminist, thanks to you: Malala Yousafzai to Emma Watson]
In October 2014, Malala, alongwith India's Kailash Satyarthi became the proud recipient of 2014 Nobel Peace Prize.
In October 2013, Yousafzai's memoir I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban, was published.
In October 2013, she also met the US President Barack Obama and his fmily, where she discussed the issue of drone strikes in Pakistan.
In July 2013, she met Queen Elizabeth II at the Buckingham Palace and in September, she spoke at Harvard University.
In 2012, the Pakistani government awarded her the National Peace Award - subsequently renamed the National Malala Peace Prize - for those under 18 years old.
In 2011, she was nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize by The Kids Rights Foundation.
In 2009, she began writing blogs on BBC Urdu , under a pseudonym. Subsequently, a documentary film was made about her life.
What changed Malala's life in October 2012?
On October 9, 2012, the teenaged girl was attacked by a gang of Taliban fighters in Mingora, the main town of Swat Valley, for speaking out against the militants.
After undergoing surgery in Peshawar to remove a bullet lodged near her spine, Malala was flown to Britain's Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham for further treatment and rehabilitation.
[Malala Yousafzai secures top marks in British school exams]
After a remarkable recovery against all odds, Malala began her life with a new journey, when she resumed her studies in March 2013 at the all-girls' Edgbaston High School in Birmingham.
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Profile of 51st Jnanpith Award Winner Dr. Raghuveer Chaudhari
Feature
oi-Lisa
By Lisa
Gujarati novelist, poet and critic Dr. Raghuveer Chaudhari was conferred the 51st Jnanpith Award by President Pranab Mukherjee yesterday. Dr. Chaudhari has also written columns for various newspapers such as Sandesh, Janmabhumi, Nirikshaka and Divya Bhaskar.
He retired as a lecturer at Gujarat University in 1998. He has mostly written in Gujarati language though some of his noteworthy creations have been in Hindi language too.
Awards received:
He was given Kumar Chandrak in 1965
He received the Uma-Snehrashmi Prize for 1974-75
He received the Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak in 1975
He was conferred with Sahitya Akademi Award in 1977 for his trilogy novel Uparvas, Sahwas and Antarvas.
He got Sauhard Samman from Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansthaan for contribution to Hindi literature in 1990
He got Munshi Award in 1997
He shared Sahitya Gaurav Puraskar in 2001 with renowned Gujarati author Ramanlal Joshi
He won Narmad Suvarna Chandrak in 2010
He was given the Jnanpith Award for the year 2015 which is India's highest literary award by the President of India Pranab Mukherjee
Dr. Raghuveer Chaudhari's early years:
He was born on the 5th of December 1938 in Gujarat to a religious farmer couple. He completed his BA in 1960 and the did MA in Hindi language and literature from Gujarat University.
He completed his PhD for his comparative study of Hindi and Gujarati verbal roots from Gujarat University in the year 1979.
He had actively taken part in the Navnirman Movement in Gujarat and had strongly opposed the imposition of Emergency in 1975.
Career:
Dr. Raghuveer Chaudhari began his career by joining the School of Languages in Gujarat University in 1977 and worked there till 1998 when he retired as a professor and the Head of Department of Hindi in the year 1998.
Post his retirement from the University he served for the executive council of Sahitya Akademi from 1998 to 2002.
In 2001 he was appointed as the President of Gujarati Sahitya Parishad and is presently its serving trustee.
He then became a member of the Press Council of India for two years.
Meanwhile he was also appointed as a jury for the 25th Indian Film Festival.
Post retirement he took to his farming roots too in his ancestral town Bapupura.
In all as an author he has written more than 80 books and has received numerous awards for the same.
He had begun his writing career with novels and poetries but then had later ventured into writing other forms of literature too.
Dr. Raghuveer Chaudhari's famous novels:
Amrita (1965) explores the concept of existentialism
Venu Vatsala was published in 1967
1975 trilogy titled Uparvas, Sahwas and Antarvas
1976 saw two novels of his being published Purvarang and Laagni
Rudramahalaya was published in 1978
Somtirth was published in 1996
Samjyaa Vinaa Chhuta Padavun was out in 2003
Ek Dag Aagal Be Dag Paachhal was published in 2009 and so was Avaran.
Dr. Chaudhari's plays, poems and other publications:
Trijo Purush is based on the life of Chandravadan Mehta, a Gujarati author
Sikandar Sani is a historical play
Tamasa published in 1965 explores the idea of intelligence over feelings
Vaheta Vriksha Pavanma is a poetry collection published in 1985
Dr. Raghuveer Chaudhari has two short stories collection to his name, Akasmik Sparsh and Gersamaj
Sahaarani Bhavyata and Tilak Kare Raghuvir are the titles of his collections of sketches
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Story first published: Tuesday, July 12, 2016, 11:45 [IST]
3 Pakistani intruders shot dead
India
oi-PTI
Amritsar, July 12: Three Pakistani intruders were today shot dead by the BSF following an encounter in Darya Mansoor area along the Indo-Pak border.
A BSF official said a night patrol party of the force spotted the three Pakistani intruders entering Indian territory and asked them to surrender.
However, they ignored the warning and kept on marching towards the BSF patrol party and opened fire. In the ensuing encounter, three Pakistani intruders were killed, the official said.
However, two of the intruders managed to flee back towards the Pakistani side, the official said. The encounter took place in Darya Mansoor area, around 15 kilometres from the border village of Ajnala in Amritsar district.
The intruders, who are in their twenties, are yet to be identified. After the encounter, BSF recovered three Pakistani mobiles and Indian currency from the spot. Inspector General of BSF from Jalandhar along with senior officials was rushing to the encounter site to take stock of the situation.
PTI
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Gadoli encounter case: 2 Haryana cops arrested
India
oi-PTI
Mumbai, July 12: Two Haryana police officials were today arrested by Mumbai Police in connection with the alleged fake encounter of Haryana-based gangster Sandeep Gadoli here.
The policemen, identified as constables Vikram Singh and Jitendra Yadav, were arrested from the city. Last week, police had arrested Sub-Inspector Pradhyuman Yadav who led the team of Haryana police that killed Gadoli in an encounter at Hotel Airport Metro here on February 7.
Gadoli's family had moved the Bombay High Court alleging that it was a fake encounter, following which Mumbai police had started a probe.
PTI
Accession Day: Valley lights up on this day when J&K became part of India
Government will make concerted effort to douse Kashmir fire: Officials
India
oi-Vicky
Srinagar, July 12: As the Union Government tries to find a solution to the Kashmir problem through a consensus, an all party meet will be held to discuss the issue.
The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi is likely to convene a high level meeting in which he will take stock of the sitiuation. There is a likelihood that an all party meeting will be held at Kashmir once calm returns.
The focus for now is to bring the situation under control. Highly placed sources tell OneIndia that every possible angle would be explored to ensure that peace and calm returns to the Valley.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval who cut short his Africa visit returned to New Delhi yesterday and held meetings with both the Home and Defence Ministers. The government will all concerted moves to find a solution to the problem, the official added.
Further the officer also said that the union government was in contact with the state government. Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti has called upon opposition leaders in the state to help find solutions to the ongoing problem.
Kashmir has been on the boil since Hizbul Mujahideen commander Abdul Burhan Wani was shot dead in an encounter.
For now the priority would be to bring the situation under control. In the protests several youth under the age of 26 have died while over 100 security personnel have been injured.
Incidents of looting stone pelting and abducting a constable too have been reported from the state. Government officials however say that they were not caught off guard following the death of Burhan.
Security was in place at Tral and Pulwama where he has a strong support base. However violence erupted in other parts of the state as well which caught the security mechanism off guard.
OneIndia News
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Story first published: Tuesday, July 12, 2016, 8:18 [IST]
HC asks Modi govt to consider lawyer's plea for All India Judicial Service(AIJS)
India
oi-Mukul Kumar Mishra
New Delhi, July 12: It looks like All India Judicial Service (AIJS) on the lines of the Indian Administrative and Police Services will soon come into existence.
Reportedly, the Delhi High Court on Monday directed Modi government to consider a lawyer's representation seeking setting up of AIJS.
The court asked government to take cognizance of the matter while hearing a PIL which was filed by a noted advocate Ashwini Upadhyay. He had contended that step to set up the AIJS was "long overdue and has been hanging fire for over five decades".
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal asked the Ministry of Law and Justice to take a decision on the petitioner's representation and inform him.
In the plea, Advocated had said while most government departments now had 'All India Service' recruits, "the Judiciary does not have a national level selection process to attract the best possible talent".
Long pending demand
"The Law Commission has thrice - in its 1st, 8th, 116th reports - called for Indian Judicial Service (IJS). The apex court has twice - first in 1991, then in All-India Judges Case (1992) endorsed the creation of IJS.
"The Parliamentary Standing Committee in its 64th report on Law and Justice also recommended establishment of IJS and directed the Law Ministry to take appropriate action in this regard," the PIL said.
It said that in the absence of IJS, it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the required judges strength in district courts and High Courts.
It also said that recruitment by the National Judicial Service Commission (NJSC) and comprehensive training in the National Judicial Academy (NJA) would ensure "equal and uniform service conditions".
OneIndia News
(With inputs from PTI)
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Story first published: Tuesday, July 12, 2016, 15:54 [IST]
Indian Army in Kashmir fighting people shouting go back Indian dogs slogan
India
oi-Shreyas
Anantnag (Jammu and Kashmir), July 12: "Go back Indian dogs, Go back Indian dogs... In front of our establishment people are shouting," says Raghu G C, Engineer, Boarder Road Organisation who was a month back deputed by the Indian Army to currently conflict-ridden Jammu and Kashmir.
The saffron party (BJP) that stepped into the legislative assembly seems forgotten the long history of people-army conflict in the region. Or thought of found a way of dealing the problem to make separatists declare "we are integral part of India." As assembly elections in the valley signalled the 'Modi wave'.
Two houses of Kashmiri Pundits have been torched. And this is after eight years. In no clashes this was happened after 2008. The encounter of Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Burhan Wani who is social media savvy and poster boy of Kashmir broke this brief eight years of history.
Both the BJP and the PDP (People' democratic Party) are in a worry on taking control of situation as civilians have took to streets fighting the Indian Army. Indefinite curfew has been imposed in many parts of the Kashmir.
After 36 hours, BSNL network is functioning in the valley. After the government found there was no let-up in the spiralling of the violence, mobile services were stopped. However after 36 hours of the stoppage BSNL is operating for communication.
The OneIndia spoke to a BSLN user, Raghu and Engineer working for Indian Army, to put out the perceptive of army man before the readers outside Jammu and Kashmir. From past 36 hours he remained out of touch with his family. "People are staging demonstration infront of our army quarters," said Raghu who is seeing this phenomenan with his new eye as he started working in the state recently.
Raghu, whose residing establishment is just 4 KMs away from popular Jawaharlal tunnel; wondered why Kashmiri people are shouting a slogan 'go back Indian dogs' and treating Indian army men as foreigners. He ironically laughed before making a statement "protesters consider Indian army as outsiders and not one among them."
Raghu further speaking said Wani was killed at Bumdoora village of Kokernag which is also close to his resting base. "It is said that while Wani was returning from a mosque offering prayers he was killed. His visit to the mosque was the information gathered by Intelligence Bureau, is what believed among the mass here," Raghu added.
Brother of Wani too was killed in a same manner by the army while Wani was 15 and this led him to join Hizbul Mujahideen.
When asked has army was not meticulous in dealing with Wani's case and caused violence, Raghu opined "you talk about civilians killed by the paramilitary but why there is no debate on duty men killed by separatists?" Raghu questioned.
OneIndia News
Accession Day: Valley lights up on this day when J&K became part of India
Kashmir burning: PM Modi faces ire over having fun during his Africa visit
India
oi-Oneindia
By Maitreyee Boruah
Srinagar, July 12: There is no doubt that both the American President Barack Obama and the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi share great camaraderie. The chemistry between the two top leaders was quite visible whenever they met. However, recent events indicate the two leaders function very differently.
Take for instance the case of Obama. The American President cut short his European trip to take stock of the situation in Dallas, where 12 police officers were shot in an ambush recently.
On the other hand, critics of Modi highlighted the fact that the Indian Prime Minister did not bother to say a single word about the ongoing turmoil in Kashmir , as he had great "fun and frolic" during his four- nation tour of African countries -- Mozambique, South Africa , Tanzania and Kenya.
Eleven killed, nearly 200 injured in Kashmir protests over Wani's death
Kashmir has been on the boil ever since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, who was the poster boy militant, on Friday (July 8) in an encounter with security forces in Anantnag. Reports say death toll in Kashmir violence has reached 32, as clashes between the protestors and security forces continue.
Several fun-filled images of Modi--especially the one where the Prime Minister was seen showcasing his drumming skills in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania-from his Africa visit has gone viral. Modi's critics took a jibe at him for being "insensitive" towards Kashmir violence by engaging in fun and festivities during his African sojourn.
"Kashmir is burning and our Prime Minister would rather tweet about his travels and play the drums," Congress said on Monday (July 11) taking potshots at Modi. The jibe was taken by the opposition party in a tweet posted on the INC India Twitter account.
The users of the micro-blogging site, Twitter, slammed Modi for failing to address the ongoing Kashmir conflict. Here are some of the tweets critical about Modi's silence on the Kashmir violence:
"Police station has been set on fire , Armed force is been attacked but #NeroModi having fun on abroad tours. Shame !! Shame!!!!," tweeted Manoj Kumar Yadav (@itsmkyadav).
"Obama to Cut Short European trip to visit disturbed Dallas. Modi enjoying in Africa while Kashmir is burning. Difference between 2 leader...," tweeted (@BhayankarLog).
"In last 24 hours #PM #Modi has regularly updated about his #Africa tour & also wished #Rajnath on his B'day. But not a whisper on #Kashmir," tweeted Friends of Congress (@friendscongress).
OneIndia News
In Kerala focus back on Wahhabis as many attempt joining ISIS
India
oi-Vicky
New Delhi, July 12: With speculation rife that nearly 20 persons from Kerala may have joined the ISIS either in Iraq and Syria, the police officials are blaming the rise of Salafi groups.
A police officer in Kerala informed Oneindia on condition of anonymity that there are Salafi groups and Wahabi preachers who have indulged in radicalisation and this could be one of the reason why such a high number of persons have gone missing.
In the past few weeks an increasing number of cases of persons going missing have been reported from Kerala. Missing cases have been lodged in both Palakkad and Kasargod. The matter has even been brought o the notice of the Chief Minister who said all assistance would be provided to the central agencies who are investigating these cases.
The ongoing probe has shown that most of them had told their families that they were going on a pilgrimage. Some had reached Bengaluru and Mangaluru and may have taken the flight out of the country from these airports, agencies suspect.
16 from Kerala suspected to have joined ISIS
Wahhabis in Kerala:
The highest rate of success that the Wahabis have witnessed is in Kerala. This is a lot to do with the fact that there is a large population of people who go to Saudi in search of employment.
Many in Kerala have welcomed with open arms the Wahabi style of preaching and this has let the Saudi controlled lot take control over nearly 75 Mosques in the state.
The newer Mosques that are coming up in Kerala are also constructed in the manner in which they done in Saudi Arabia. This is just one small indicator of how much people of the state are willing to follow the radical style preached by the Wahabi scholars.
Moreover the inflow of funds into Kerala from Saudi is the highest when compared to any other part of the country. It was in Kerala that one got to see posters mourning the death of Osama Bin Laden and also a prayer for Ajmal Kasab after he was hanged.
Intelligence Bureau officials tell OneIndia that a large number of youth appear to be attracted to this radical style of Islam, but also add that there are some elders who are trying to oppose it.
Kerala's tryst with the ISIS continues: More suspected to have joined outfit
Messages to relatives:
The relatives have been receiving messages from the missing persons. Some messages read, " I have reached my final destination," while others requested their parents not to look for them. These messages had in fact sent panic waves which prompted the parents to call on the officials and also the Chief Minister.
In another development, the police at the Mumbai airport rounded up one person called Firoze for questioning. He is said to be close to one of the persons who had gone missing.
The police sought from him clues regarding the missing persons. The investigations are still underway and the Kerala police are waiting to hear from their counterparts in Mumbai.
OneIndia News
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Story first published: Tuesday, July 12, 2016, 9:11 [IST]
Pakistan, stay away from our affairs: Hina Bhat, BJP leader
India
oi-Pallavi Sengupta
New Delhi, July 12: The encounter of Burhan Wani created ripples not only in India, but also in the neighbouring country of Pakistan. With Pakistan brewing controversy over ongoing protest-violence in Kashmir Valley, BJP leader Hina Bhat said that Pakistan should not interfere into India's matters.
Earlier Foreign Secretary of Pakistan-Aizaz Chaudhry-expressed conern over the killing of Burhan Wani to the Indian High Commissioner to Islamabad Gautam Bambawale.
To this, Bhat said, "Pakistan will definitely interfere into the Kashmir issue, because they are the ones who have been bothering India to have peace in Kashmir and they are the ones who create such situations in Kashmir."
She also said, "This is the peak time in Kashmir, where we have tourism, where we have the (Amarnath) Yatra and this thing (violence). They (Pakistan) have to keep their agenda moving by creating such acts. I don't think Pakistan has any right to talk about India and Kashmir."
"I am thankful to Pakistan about their concern for India, but I would be very happy if they do it without interference."
Branding the killings as "deplorable and a blatant violation" of the Right to Life, Right to Freedom of Expression and Opinion, Right to Peaceful Protest, Right to Peaceful Assembly and other fundamental rights", Chaudhary said that excessive force on innovent civilians is unacceptable.
He further said that oppressive measures cannot deter the valiant people of Jammu and Kashmir who are exercising their right to self determination, as per the UN Security Council resolutions.
To this, the Ministry of External Affairs responded via a statement, saying, "They reflect Pakistan's continued attachment to terrorism and its usage as an instrument of state policy. Pakistan is advised to refrain from interfering in internal affairs of its neighbours."
Earlier PM Nawaz Sharif expressed deep shock over the killing of Burhan Wani and other civilians and said that 'excessive and unlawful' use of force was unacceptable.
OneIndia News
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Story first published: Tuesday, July 12, 2016, 12:02 [IST]
PM appeals for calm in Kashmir Valley
India
oi-PTI
New Delhi, Jul 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain calm so that the situation can normalise in the violence-hit Valley even as he hoped that no innocent person faces inconvenience or loss.
Chairing a high-level meeting here on the situation in Kashmir Valley, where 24 people have lost lives in the protests triggered by the killing of Hizbul militant commander Burhan Wani, Modi voiced concern over the situation in the state.
"He has appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain peace so that the situation can normalise. He also expressed hope that no innocent person should face any kind of inconvenience or loss," Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said after the meeting.
The Prime Minister also expressed satisfaction over the progress of the Amarnath Yatra and said whatever help needed by the state government will be provided by the Centre. Singh said the Prime Minister voiced concern over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, gave guidance and also appealed for peace.
The meeting was convened within hours of Modi's return from his visit to four African countries. The Prime Minister was given a detailed presentation of the situation prevailing in the Valley which has witnessed escalating protests following the killing of Wani on Friday.
The meeting was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar among others.
"The Prime Minister kept taking updates about the Jammu and Kashmir situation during his visit abroad.
The biggest evidence of his concern is that he called this review meeting within hours of returning from the tour and took details," Singh told reporters. Yesterday, Parrikar, Jaitley and Doval, who returned a day earlier from Africa where he was accompanying the Prime Minister, had met to discuss the situation.
The Ministers were briefed by Chiefs of central security agencies about the steps taken to bring back peace and normalcy in the Valley. All forces have been asked to ensure security of Amarnath pilgrims and enhance vigil along the border to check fresh attempts of infiltration from across the border.
Parrikar had told reporters that an overall assessment of security situation in Kashmir has to be done by the Home Ministry and Army was ready to provide any assistance like increasing force levels in any areas required.
PTI
PM expresses 'unhappiness' over media coverage of Kashmir
India
oi-PTI
New Delhi, Jul 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is said to have expressed his 'unhappiness' over the media coverage on violent protests in Kashmir Valley following killing of Burhan Wani saying the Hizbul Mujahideen militant has been portrayed as a "hero".
This was conveyed by the Prime Minister at the high-level meeting he convened in this morning to review the situation arising in Jammu and Kashmir after Wani's killing in an encounter, sources privy to the meeting said.
In the meeting, attended by top Union Ministers and officials, the Prime Minister was given a detailed briefing about the Wani, the encounter, the subsequent protests and drowning of a policeman.
Modi was believed to have expressed 'unhappiness' over the media coverage of Kashmir situation saying a militant, who was involved in terror activities and was working for disintegrating the country, has been portrayed as "hero" giving more traction to his followers to whip up frenzy, sources said.
The Prime Minister has also cited the over a dozen cases registered against Wani, most of which were serious in nature under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. The meeting also reviewed the Rs 80,000 crore financial package announced by the NDA government for Jammu and Kashmir and its implementation.
In the meeting, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar briefed the Prime Minister on Pakistan's response to Wani's death, including the statement issued by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, statement by their Foreign Office and summoning of Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale by Foreign Office in Islamabad Meanwhile, sources said, the Home Ministry was worried over the situation in Kashmir Valley in next two days.
July 13 (tomorrow) is commemorated as "martyrs day" in Kashmir and Friday is the 'jumme ki namaz'. Intelligence agencies have reported that Pakistan-supported groups have been trying to incite violence in next two days, sources said.
PTI
Pranab Mukherjee confers the 51st Jnanpith Award on Dr. Raghuveer Chaudhari
News
oi-Lisa
By Lisa
Dr. Raghuveer Chaudhari a renowned Gujarati writer was conferred the 51st Jnanpith Award yesterday by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee at a function held at Parliament Library Building, New Delhi.
#PresidentMukherjee conferred the 51st Jnanpith Award on renowned writer, Dr. Raghuveer Chaudhari today pic.twitter.com/RYC7Kx8F3A President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) July 11, 2016
President praises Dr. Raghuveer Chaudhari:
Pranab Mukherjee paid glorious tribute to Dr. Chaudhari and called him an eminent scholar and a Gandhian in spirit and behavior. President speaking on the occasion told that Dr. Chaudhari represents the fluid brilliance that characterises India's pluralistic literary genius.
Further showering praise on the scholar Mr. Mukherjee said that, "It is indeed an example of his brilliant fluidity that an author, who strove to master Hindi academically, expressed himself in Gujarati in his literary pursuit".
Mr. Mukherjee while throwing further light on Dr. Chaudhari's work said that, "Dr. Chaudhari has been an ardent writer of Hindi columns as well, and his literary work has explored varied genre of poetry, prose, novels, and fictions as also commentary on contemporary issues".
President Mukherjee also further added that he was sure that as a teacher also, Dr. Chaudhari would have inspired his students to nurture the creative potentiality in them. As a writer, who has explored existentialism in his works, analysed the functional aspect of human life and profoundly expressed his thoughts in his poetry through images and symbols, Dr. Chaudhari has rightfully joined the stellar constellation of his predecessor awardees.
Mr. Mukherjee called Dr. Chaudhari a creator and added that, "Mortal beings do not remain but their creations remain for a long time and therein lies the success of a master creator. Dr. Chaudhari was one such creator".
President on Jnanpith Awardees:
"When one looks at the stars in the constellation of Jnanpith awardees, it gives us a shining view of the linguistic diversity inherent in the ancient artistic and linguistic unique heritage of India. The authors in this list have each, excelled in celebrating this diversity and at the same time strengthening its essential unity and centrality of purpose."
Some quotes from President's speech:
"On this occasion of presentation of Jnanpith award also gives us an opportunity to recall the contributions of Late Sahu Shanti Prasad Jain and Late Smt. Rama Jain, whose efforts in promoting Indian languages and literature and establishing the Bhartiya Jnanpith remain a shining example."
"It is not possible on the part of one agency to ensure the full-fledged development of art, literature and development of creativity. It can only be possible by the efforts of society as a whole."
"I am happy that the corporate sector had come forward nearly a century ago to nurture and recognise talent. Today, many more such organisations with the objective of serving society are coming up."
"It is through translation of literature in various languages that makes it possible for a wider section of people to have access to it. He said that Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore won the Noble Prize many years ago. In the period after that, Indian literature has not been less rich. However, there is need to propagate the literature in India and take the creative genius of Indian languages to the world audience."
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10 killed in collision of trains in Italy
International
oi-IANS
By Ians English
Rome, July 12: At least 10 persons were killed and scores injured in a train crash in Italy on Tuesday.
Firemen and ambulances rushed to the town of Corato to rescue victims trapped inside the train, media reported.
The accident occurred due to a head-on collision between two passenger trains travelling on a single track.
IANS
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Beijing's South China Sea claims rejected
International
oi-IANS
By Ians English
The Hague, July 12: An international tribunal on Tuesday,July 12 ruled against China's claims to rights in South China Sea, backing a case brought in by the Philippines.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration said there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or resources, media reported.
The case was brought to the tribunal by the Philippines in 2013.
China described the ruling as "ill-founded", according to the media.
China claims almost all of the South China Sea, including reefs and islands also claimed by others.
The tribunal said China had violated the Philippines' sovereign rights and had caused "severe harm to the coral reef environment" by building artificial islands,noted.
It also said China had caused "severe harm to the coral reef environment" by building artificial islands.
In a statement released immediately after the ruling, the Philippines government said it "strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision as an important contribution to ongoing disputes in the South China Sea," report.
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Mastermind of Pakistan army school massacre killed in Afghanistan
International
oi-IANS
By Ians English
Islamabad, July 12: The mastermind behind the December 2014 massacre at Peshawar's Army Public School, has been killed in a US drone strike in Afghanistan, senior Pakistani security officials claimed.
The officials told Dawn on Monday that Umar Mansour was killed, along with another militant leader Qari Saifullah, in the US drone attack in the Bandar area of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province on Saturday.
One of the officials said they had credible reports of Mansour having been killed with Saifullah, who was in charge of suicide bombers.
"What we have is pretty credible," the official said.
How Pakistan uses its doctors against India
On May 25, the US State Department had declared Umar Mansour a global terrorist, thus clearing the path for his inclusion in the hit-list.
The State Department's announcement came four days after a drone strike killed Afghan Taliban leader Akhtar Mansour in Balochistan on May 21.
Mansour orchestrated the attack on December 16, 2014, on the Army Public School which killed 122 students and 22 teachers. It was one of the worst terrorist attacks which prompted the government to declare an all-out war against terrorist outfits in the country.
Mansour and Saifullah belonged to Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan's (TTP) Tariq Geedar group and used to operate in Peshawar and adjoining Frontier Region Peshawar and Darra Adamkhel.
Mansour fled to Afghanistan following a military operation in Khyber tribal region and continued to operate from there. He was held responsible for the September 2015 attack on a Pakistan Air Force base in Peshawar's Badaber area, which killed 29 people.
He was also behind the January 2016 attack on the Bacha Khan University in Charsadda in which 18 students and faculty members lost their lives.
IANS
Umar Mansour death a severe blow to the terror group
International
oi-PTI
Peshawar, July 12: The mastermind of the Pakistani Taliban attack on an army school here that left over 140 schoolchildren dead in 2014 has been killed in a US drone strike in neighbouring Afghanistan, security officials said.
Officials said Umar Mansour, alias Umar Naray, had been killed along with another militant leader Qari Saifullah, in the US drone attack in the Bandar area of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province on Saturday.
An official said they had credible reports of Mansour having been killed with Saifullah, who was in charge of Taliban suicide bombers, the Dawn reported.
"What we have is pretty credible," he was quoted as saying in the report. The massacre on December 16, 2014, left 144 students and staff members dead after seven gunmen of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) stormed the Army Public School in the northwestern city of Peshawar.
The US State Department had on May 25 designated Umar Mansour as a global terrorist, clearing the path for his inclusion in its hit-list.
There was no official confirmation of Mansour's death from either the TTP or any independent source. If true, his death would be a severe blow to the terror group. Mansour because of his violent and major terrorist attacks was regarded by Pakistani security agencies as a major threat.
PTI
Theresa May to be announced the next British PM
International
oi-Pallavi Sengupta
London, July 12: The much-awaited announcement is here. Oxford-educated Theresa May is set to be the next British PM after a leadership contest was cut short when rival Andrea Leadsom withdrew from the race.
When May, 59, announced her leadership campaign from the Conservative Party in Birmingham, Leadsom announced her withdrawal in London. In addition to this, Angela Eagle announced her leadership bid to replace Jeremy Corbyn as the Labour Party leader.
Meanwhile PM David Cameron said that he would chair his last cabinet meeting on Tuesday and appear at his last Prime Minister's Question Time in the House of Common son on Wednesday afternoon. Following this, he will go to Buckingham Palace to resign so that May can be placed in 10, Downing Street, by Wednesday evening.
British polics has been seeing an unheavel since the June 23 vote for Brexit. While Cameron had warned of the outcome of Brexit, the people still voted in favour of it. This resulted in Cameron's resignation from the post of PM. Although his replacement was to be announced on September 9, the process was accelarated by Leadsom's withdrawal.
This, in turn, will have a positive effect on the economy as business and finance suffered severely due to the Brexit and sought after clarity. Also, Labour and Liberal Democrats demanded mid-term clarity so that a number of political issues could be settled. This may also allow the voters to mull over their Brexit decision and give them a second chance to vote. Apart from this, there is a demand that parlament should have the final say on Brexit.
Leadsom's withdrawal came after she was criticized for her statement that she had a better chance at being the PM because she was a mother and that May did not have any children.
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First priority is to restore normalcy in Kashmir
New Delhi
oi-Vicky
New Delhi, July 12: In the high level meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, emphasis was laid on restoring peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting comprising the Prime Minister, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley among others met on Tuesday to review the situation in Kashmir.
Kashmir situation similar to peak-militancy era of 1990s: VHP
Kashmir has been on the boil since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. In the violence nearly 30 persons have died and over 800 injured. The meeting discussed ways to bring under control the situation in Kashmir which has turned from bad to worse.
Following the meeting, minister Jitendra Singh informed the media that the Prime Minister has appealed for calm. Modi said at the meeting that no innocent lives should be lost. He further said that all help will be extended to Kashmir.
The meeting also discussed the way forward in Kashmir. Rajnath Singh briefed the Prime Minister about the situation. The NSA is also in touch with top security officials analysing the situation.
During the meeting it was also said that the use of force must be judicious by security forces. However the top priority now would be to restore normalcy in Kashmir.
OneIndia News
Juvenile, woman charge each other of forced sex, booked
New Delhi
oi-PTI
New Delhi, Jul 12: Police on Tuesday booked a juvenile on the charge of rape and a 26-year-old woman under POCSO Act after they allegedly entered into physical relationship and later charged each other of forced sex.
The 17-year-old boy claimed he was approached by the woman through a Facebook profile titled "Zinda" and they became friends, police said.
They met today and went to a hotel in Vasant Kunj area where they allegedly indulged in sex. The woman later called the police and accused the boy of raping her, a senior police officer said.
However, the boy claimed that the woman had offered him to enter into a physical relationship and he initially spurned the offer. But she later lured him into it, the officer said.
Cross FIRs have been registered under relevant sections of IPC and POCSO Act, he said, adding police suspect it to be a case of "honeytrapping" and no arrests have been made so far.
PTI
Over Rs 650 crore sanctioned to decongest Delhi traffic: Naidu
New Delhi
oi-PTI
New Delhi, Jul 12: To decongest traffic in Delhi, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Monday announced sanctioning of over Rs 650 crore for five projects, including construction of flyover and underpasses connecting northern Mahipalpur, Aerocity, airport and National Highway 8.
Rs 658 has been approved under the Urban Development Fund (UDF), he said while announcing the projects.
UDF, which is sourced from one-time charges for conversion of properties leased by DDA from leasehold to freehold, is utilised for building infrastructures in Delhi with priority for measures to decongest the national capital.
Flyover and underpass will be constructed between northern parts of Mahipalpur Bypass Road and Airport Road near Hanuman Road, a release said.
"This will provide direct access to the airport for those coming from south Delhi, Faridabad and Gurgaon side and vice versa. This will ease the frequent jams on NH-8 and provide hassle-free access to the airport via Aerocity by crossing NH-8," it said.
The cost of this project is around Rs 188 crore, out of which Rs 150.40 crore has been approved under UDF. Construction of flyover-cum-road over-bridge near Narela for providing direct access from NH-1 to Bawana Industrial Complex has also been approved.
The cost of this project is Rs 437.21 core out of which Rs 349.77 crore would come from UDF. Construction of skywalk and foot-overbridge near ITO has been approved and Rs 43.47 crore, out of the total cost of Rs 54.34 crore, will come from UDF.
Widening of road, construction of up-ramp and improvement of ring road from ISBT Kashmiri Gate and Salimgarh Bypass has also been sanctioned with Rs 14.94 crore to be given from UDF. The total cost of this project is Rs 18.68 crore.
"These will reduce congestion near Kashmiri Gate and Nigam Bodh Ghat," the release said.
Also, construction of 1.6 km long grade separator at Rani Jhansi Road has been sanctioned with Rs 85 crore been allotted from UDF. North MCD has already incurred expenditure of Rs 115 crore for this project.
PTI
Sushma Swaraj apologises to girl who faced racism at IGI airport
New Delhi
oi-Sandra Marina Fernandes
New Delhi, July 12: After it was reported that a woman from Manipur faced racial discrimination at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj apologised to her for the same.
Monika Khangembam, who was scheduled to visit Seoul, narrated her ordeal in a Facebook post and said that she was subjected to racial discrimination at the airport on Saturday.
Racism: Manipuri woman asked to prove Indianness at Delhi airport; inquiry ordered
After Khangembam's post went viral, Swaraj tweeted: "Monika Khangembam - I am sorry to know this. Immigration is not with me. I will speak to my senior colleague Shri Rajnath Singhji to sensitise Immigration officials at the airport."
Monika Khangembam - I am sorry to know this. Immigration is not with me./1 Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2016
I will speak to my senior colleague Shri @rajnathsingh ji to sensitise Immigration officials at the airport./2 Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2016
Khangembam had alleged that the immigration officer at the airport had humiliated her and had asked her to prove her nationality by telling the name of the states that border Manipur.
She also wrote in her post: "Me and a lot of people from North East have constantly faced subtle racist jibes whether in the form of a sarcastic remark, smile, or attitude. Sometimes you cannot define it but you just feel it so you never express. Maybe this time it was something tangible so I could express it. Sadly you have to be killed to prove there is racism (Richard Loitam, Nido Taniam) .
"We constantly talk about auto walas and rickshaw walas harassing the NE people but what do you do when it's someone who deals with people from all over the world from different backgrounds and ethnicity daily? If they cannot be sensitive then how do we expect others to be respectful?"
An inquiry has been ordered in the incident and action will be taken against those if found guilty, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said.
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Karamba Casino Adds Evolution Live Dealer Games
Published July 12, 2016 by Mike P
Karambas deal with Evolution Gaming means the casino is now able to provide live dealer games of blackjack, roulette, and baccarat.
Karamba Casino has completed a major upgrade that will give all currently registered players access to a new suite of live dealer games. Having partnered with Evolution Gaming, a live casino software specialist, Karamba will be able to provide its players with a new dimension of gaming.
Live casino games are by no means new to the marketplace, having been launched several years ago. However, this is not an innovative platform that every online casino can offer, whereas mobile is much more widespread and viewed as a necessity. By comparison, live dealer games are much more specialised and require first-rate software.
Introducing Evolution Gaming
Karamba players are in for a brand new experience now that the casino is partnered with Evolution Gaming, as this software provider has invested heavily in perfecting the live experience. Moving forward, Evolution Gaming will provide Karamba with blackjack, roulette, and baccarat games from its wider suite, which also includes poker variants that are not at Karamba.
Evolution Gamings live platform is designed to connect online casinos with real-life table games hosted by human dealers all by a digital connection. So long as players have a quick internet connection, they should expect smooth performance while they are playing live casino games. Players will also get to control their experience by adjusting in-game settings.
State-of-the-art live casino games
Evolution Gaming maintains two cutting-edge studios outfitted with high-end broadcasting equipment to capture all of the casino realistic action. In addition to those studios in Latvia and Malta, the software provider also hosts live games from within genuine land-based casinos.
For players with concerns over the standard of the live dealers, it is worth noting that Evolution Gaming has a dedicated academy where each dealer is educated and trained until they are ready to host games in real-time. Karamba players will now be able to see the standard of Evolutions live casino dealers.
Komfie Manalo, Opalesque Asia:
Brazil-based hedge fund manager Leste Capital Management has opened an office in the Brickell Financial District in Downtown Miami as the district continues to secure its foothold as a global financial hub. The Miami Downtown Development Authority said that Lestes move marks the fund managers first expansion into the U.S. market.
Brickell Avenue, known by many as 'Wall Street South, is home to more than 150 alternative investment companies including hedge fund management firms, wealth management firms, private equity groups and international banks. This number continues to increase thanks, in part, to the Miami DDAs finance initiative, which has drawn a number of well-regarded institutions to the area, including Universa Investments, XP Securities and Atyant Capital.
"Miami was the natural choice when deciding to open an office in the U.S., not only for its proximity to Latin America and multicultural appeal but also for its burgeoning financial sector," said Stephan de Sabrit, managing partner of Leste Capital Management. "Being located in Downtown specifically will allow us to access global markets, recruit top talent and outpace even our most bullish growth projections."
Sabrit said that Leste Capital Management will occupy space at the former Espirito Santo Plaza building at 1395 Brickell Avenue. It is expected to open with nearly 10 full-time an......................
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Little Rhode Island exemplifies a gigantic national problem.
Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island
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The little state of Rhode Island serves as a great model for all that is wrong with the American political system. Citizens know full well that Congress is controlled by campaign money, and it serves the interests of campaign donors and not the public. The public favors Medicare for all, but not Congress; the public favors bringing banks and the financial world under greater control, but not Congress; the public favors a $15-per-hour minimum wage, but not Congress; the public favors regulation of drug costs, but not Congress. These examples clearly explain why the public wants to end campaign contributions, but because Congress subsists, caters to, and thrives on contributions, they put their own political future ahead of the public good, and will not reform or eliminate altogether campaign contributions. Nor will they enact legislation favored by the public, as it might be contrary to the big donors. The following example serves to illustrate the evils of campaign contributions at work in Rhode Island. This goes on every day in every state.
Senator Jack Reed is in a very embarrassing situation in supporting the use and sale of "cluster bombs", which have been criticized by humanitarian groups and 119 nations as being immoral and illegal. They have been aptly described as "Hell from Above". One large bomb is dropped, which then releases tens of hundreds of smaller bomblets. These devastating bomblets are designed to explode above ground, and each bomblet rains down hundreds of pieces of metal shrapnel, which penetrate metal and tears humans flesh and bone apart. About 20% of the bomblets do not explode in air, but fall to the ground and then become active devastating land mines, which kill innocents, especially children. They are so horrific there is a worldwide move to ban them as immoral. Up to this date 119 nations have declared them illegal, but not the US. We are the biggest manufacturer, seller, and user of these immoral weapons. Many are made in RI by Textron. In a recent Congressional vote, 164 Democrats in the House voted them down, but Jack Reed, a Democrat, supports their use and sale. Why? It just might be because he has received $11,000 in contributions from Textron.
Since most humanitarians and nations consider cluster bombs immoral, one might suggest that Jack Reed put politics ahead of morality, or, one might say, he sold his morality for $11,000. But as voters in Rhode Island say, "he is a nice guy", and keep voting him back in. Shame on Jack Reed, but more shame on Rhode Island voters. Do you think your own Congressional delegation has not done the same? Shame on you.
"I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today: my own government. For the sake of those boys, for the sake of this government, for the sake of the hundreds of thousands trembling under our violence, I cannot be silent."--Martin Luther King Jr.
The latest shootings--in Texas, Minnesota, Louisiana, Illinois, New York, Missouri, and every other state in the nation--are symptomatic of a psychotic outbreak by a nation that has been waging a war against its own citizens for too long.
We have long since passed the stage at which a government of wolves would give rise to a nation of sheep. As I point out in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People that what we now have is a government of psychopaths that is actively breeding a nation of psychopathic killers.
We're getting distracted, people.
Instead of focusing our ire on the architects of the American police state, who are responsible for turning the streets into mini-war zones, we're getting distracted by the many voices eager to play the blame game by pointing their fingers at someone else.
Police groups are blaming President Obama and the Justice Department for failing to prosecute "cop killers." Texas Republicans are blaming the Black Lives Matter movement for fomenting a "war on cops" mindset. Gun-control advocates are blaming "gun lovers and their mouthpieces at the National Rifle Association" for America's gun violence, reasoning that if all Americans were unarmed, police would not have to treat them as potential threats.
News outlets such as Rolling Stone and Mother Jones have concluded that racial bias is to blame for the "disproportionately high number of African-Americans among police shooting victims." The Drug Enforcement Administration has suggested that illegal steroid use could be responsible for "police officers who exhibit rage, aggression and/or poor judgment (all symptoms of possible steroid abuse) in confrontations with citizens."
Human Rights Watch blames police misconduct and excessive use of force on a systemic lack of accountability within law-enforcement agencies and the criminal-justice system. And civil-rights advocates are blaming police militarization and the abundance of laws (overcriminalization) pushed by lawmakers for the nation's over-policing, over-jailing, and over-killing.
Yet in the midst of all this finger pointing, no one is stepping forward to take responsibility for the violence that is tearing the nation apart, deepening racial tensions, heightening police tensions, justifying all manner of civil-liberties abuses, and pushing us ever closer to a state of lock-down.
Shame on President Obama for not taking personal responsibility for the blowback resulting from America's endless wars abroad, the militarization of local police, and the ramifications of allowing police to use battlefield equipment such as drones, assault weapons, tanks, etc. How telling that the first domestic killing of an American citizen by a drone (in this case, a bomb-equipped police robot) should be carried out during the final term of a president whose targeted drone killings abroad have resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians.
Shame on Congress and the countless federal and state policy-making bodies for not taking responsibility for the overabundance of laws that have turned law-abiding citizens into criminals and police into the inflexible enforcers of a legal code that benefits the corporate elite at the expense of the working classes.
Shame on Corporate America, particularly the military-industrial complex, for not taking responsibility for having militarized America's police forces and subjected its citizenry to the tyranny of a heavily armed police state.
Shame on the various government agencies, from the FDA and Social Security Administration to the Department of Education, for not taking responsibility for ratcheting-up tensions by using military firepower to advance their bureaucratic agendas.
Shame on Republicans and Democrats for not taking responsibility for having sidelined legitimate matters of concern such as police misconduct in favor of party politics and campaign contributions from special-interest groups and unions.
Shame on the courts for not taking responsibility for allowing government agents to hide behind the shield of qualified immunity, rather than being held accountable for their actions.
Shame on law-enforcement agencies for advancing the notion that the lives--and rights--of police should be valued more than citizens. Shame on them for not taking responsibility for allowing blind allegiance to the so-called "thin, blue line" to trump the constitutional rights afforded to every American equally.
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"Roman Zadorov's case reflects widespread incompetence and/or corruption of the Israeli justice system, including its highest echelons, to a level that would be recognized in criminology as 'Organized State Crime'." The imprisonment of Ukrainian Zadorov by the Jewish state is a tragic mirror image of the notorious Mendel Beilis affair in the Ukraine a century ago.
Support sign for Roman Zadorov in the OccupyTLV camp
OccupyTLV, July 11 - request for investigation and appropriate actions in RE: Roman Zadorov - a Ukrainian citizen detained in Israel - has been filed today with the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. The Request alleges that Roman Zadorov is arbitrarily detained under the pretense of serving a life imprisonment sentence and pretense conviction in the 2006 gruesome murder of 13.5 year old girl -- Tair Rada. [i]
The request focuses on deprivation of the rights of Due Process and Fair and Public Hearing through perversion of court records and court process to a level that should be deemed conduct of simulated trial. Such conduct was accompanied by denial of access to valid court records, and display and publication of sham/simulated court records. [ii]
The Request also provides extensive background information regarding system-wide changes in the Israeli courts in the previous decade in conjunction with the implementation of fraudulent IT systems in the courts, which enable such conduct.
A copy was forwarded to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague, since competence or lack thereof of the Israeli justice system is a central issue in review of complaints, pending before that court.
The request concludes:
Roman Zadorov is arbitrarily detained by the Israeli Prison Service - with no lawfully made Arrest Decree.
Roman Zadorov's trial by the Nazareth District Court should be deemed sham/simulated process -- deprivation of Due Process and Fair and Public Hearing -- which ended with neither lawful Verdict nor Sentencing record.
Roman Zadorov's appeal in the Israeli Supreme Court should be deemed lacking in authority and validity from start to end -- originating with no valid judgment records of the lower court, conducted with no valid records of the hearings, and where all decisions records are of dubious validity.
Roman Zadorov's detention by the Israeli authorities allegedly violates articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights , originates in Discrimination based on Nationality, Language, and/or Religion, and in inadvertent political reasons.
Roman Zadorov's case reflects widespread incompetence and/or corruption of the Israeli justice system, including its highest echelons, to a level that would be recognized in criminology as "Organized State Crime".
The large-volume complaint includes records from the Zadorov trial and appeal in the Israeli courts, and various other records, reflecting the state of the Israeli justice system today.
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Scientists need hobbies. The grueling work of navigating complex theory and the politics of academia can get to a person, even one as laid back as Dartmouth professor and astrophysicist Stephon Alexander. So Alexander plays the saxophone, though at this point it may not be accurate to call his avocation a spare time pursuit, since John Coltrane has become as important to him as Einstein, Kepler, and Newton.
Coltrane, he says in a 7-minute TED talk above, changed my whole research direction led to basically a discovery in physics. Alexander then proceeds to play the familiar opening bars of Giant Steps. Hes no Coltrane, but he is a very creative thinker whose love of jazz has given him a unique perspective on theoretical physics, one he shares, it turns out, with both Einstein and Coltrane, both of whom saw music and physics as intuitive, improvisatory pursuits.
Alexander describes his jazz epiphany as occasioned by a complex diagram Coltrane gave legendary jazz musician and University of Massachusetts professor Yusef Lateef in 1967. I thought the diagram was related to another and seemingly unrelated field of studyquantum gravity, he writes in a Business Insider essay on his discovery, What I had realized was that the same geometric principle that motivated Einsteins theory was reflected in Coltranes diagram.
The theory might immediately sound like untestable pop-philosophy, writes the Creators Project, who showcase Alexanders physics-inspired musical collaboration with experimental producer Rioux (sample below). But his ideas are much more substantive, a compelling cross-disciplinary investigation, recently published in a book titled The Jazz of Physics: The Secret Link Between Music and the Structure of the Universe.
Alexander describes the links between jazz and physics in his TED talk, as well as in the brief Wired video further up. One connection, he says, is the mysterious way that quantum particles move. According to the rules of quantum mechanics, they will actually traverse all possible paths. This, Alexander says, parallels the way jazz musicians improvise, playing with all possible notes in a scale. His own improvisational playing, he says, is greatly enhanced by thinking about physics. And in this, hes only following in the giant steps of both of his idols.
It turns out that Coltrane himself used Einsteins theoretical physics to inform his understanding of jazz composition. As Ben Ratliff reports in Coltrane: The Story of a Sound, the brilliant saxophonist once delivered to French horn player David Amram an incredible discourse about the symmetry of the solar system, talking about black holes in space, and constellations, and the whole structure of the solar system, and how Einstein was able to reduce all of that complexity into something very simple. Says Amram:
Then he explained to me that he was trying to do something like that in music, something that came from natural sources, the traditions of the blues and jazz. But there was a whole different way of looking at what was natural in music.
This may all sound rather vague and mysterious, but Alexander assures us Coltranes method is very much like Einsteins in a way: Einstein is famous for what is perhaps his greatest gift: the ability to transcend mathematical limitations with physical intuition. He would improvise using what he called gedankenexperiments (German for thought experiments), which provided him with a mental picture of the outcome of experiments no one could perform.
Einstein was also a musicianas weve noted beforewho played the violin and piano and whose admiration for Mozart inspired his theoretical work. Einstein used mathematical rigor, writes Alexander, as much as he used creativity and intuition. He was an improviser at heart, just like his hero, Mozart. Alexander has followed suit, seeing in the 1967 Coltrane Mandala the idea that improvisation is a characteristic of both music and physics. Coltrane was a musical innovator, with physics at his fingertips, and Einstein was an innovator in physics, with music at his fingertips.
Alexander gets into a few more specifics in his longer TEDx talk above, beginning with some personal background on how he first came to understand physics as an intuitive discipline closely linked with music. For the real meat of his argument, youll likely want to read his book, highly praised by Nobel-winning physicist Leon Cooper, futuristic composer Brian Eno, and many more brilliant minds in both music and science.
Related Content:
Free Online Physics Courses
The Musical Mind of Albert Einstein: Great Physicist, Amateur Violinist and Devotee of Mozart
CERNs Cosmic Piano and Jazz Pianist Jam Together at The Montreux Jazz Festival
Bohemian Gravity: String Theory Explored With an A Cappella Version of Bohemian Rhapsody
Josh Jones is a writer and musician based in Durham, NC. Follow him at @jdmagness
Spa Market In The US to grow at a CAGR of 5.6% during the period 2016-2020
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"The Report Spa Market in the US 2016-2020 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"DescriptionAbout the Spa Market in the USOwing to todays hectic lifestyles, the need for de-stressing is gaining utmost importance. This factor, coupled with the growing demand for exclusive beauty services and treatments, is driving the spa market in the US. To address the growing demand for spa services across the country and to increase their profit margins, vendors are focusing more on expanding their services across different states in the US. The popularity of spa services is evident from the fact that there are more than 22,000 spas in the US alone, and this number is increasing rapidly.Technavios analysts forecast the Spa Market in the US to grow at a CAGR of 5.6% during the period 2016-2020.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the spa market in the US for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, Technavio considers the revenue generated from the spa services offered by day and club spas, hotel and resort spas, medical spas, destination spas, and mineral and thermal spring spas.Technavio's report, Spa Market in the US 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Download Detail Report With Complete TOC at:Key vendorsElementsHand and StoneMassage EnvyPlanet BeachThe Woodhouse Day SpaOther prominent vendorsAllyu SpaAspira SpaCal-a-Vie Health SpaCanyon RanchElizabeth Arden Red Door SpaGreat Jones SpaLime SpaMandara SpaMii amoMovara Fitness ResortSpa SolageSenSpaSpa MontageSpa at Eden RocThe Spa at Travaasa AustinTen Thousand WavesThe Spa at TerraneaThe DragontreeWellhouseMarket driverBoom in wellness industryFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeHighly fragmented marketFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendPersonalization of products and servicesFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Browse all latest Press Releases of Market Research Reportsat:About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports.MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients.We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated researchreports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and typesof companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. Nachiket90 Sate Street,Suite 700 Albany,NY 12207 USATel: +1-518-621-2074Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
HVAC Insulation Market Projected to Reach 5.29 Billion USD by 2021
HVAC Insulation Market
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The report "HVAC Insulation Market by Type (Glass Wool, Stone Wool, Phenolic Foam, Elastomeric Foam and Others), Application (Residential, Commercial, Industrial), by Region - Global Trends and Forecast to 2021", The market size of HVAC insulation is estimated to grow from USD 3.30 Billion in 2015 to USD 5.29 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 8.20%.Browse 95 market data Tables and 70 Figures spread through 179 Pages and in-depth TOC on "HVAC Insulation Market - Global Trends and Forecast to 2021"Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.The market is driven by rising growth of the construction industry coupled with increasing demand of HVAC system in developed and developing countries. The Middle East & Africa is estimated to witness high growth during the forecast period between 2016 and 2021, whereas North America, Western Europe, and Asia-Pacific are expected to grow at a steady pace. The demand in the Middle East & Africa region is strengthened by the emerging markets, namely, UAE and Saudi Arabia.Asia-Pacific: The Largest Market for HVAC InsulationAsia-Pacific is currently the largest market for HVAC insulation. Significant growth in the building & construction industry of China, India, and Indonesia drives the demand of HVAC insulation in this region. Moreover, growing awareness for reducing energy consumption in buildings and imposition of stringent regulations to enhance energy efficiency of buildings in major countries such as Australia, Japan, and China drives the market.Request for Sample PDF:Commercial buildings: The Largest Application of the HVAC Insulation MarketHVAC insulations are used in various sectors in the building & construction industry such as residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. The commercial building industry segment accounted for the largest market share, in terms of value, in 2015. As commercial buildings are larger than the residential buildings, the HVAC systems installed in commercial buildings are also larger. Larger systems consume more insulation and consequently it incurs higher cost. The residential building industry is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR between 2016 and 2021 in terms of value among all the applications considered in the report. Population growth and increasing urbanization lead to the development of residential buildings, driving the demand of HVAC insulations in the residential building application.The key players in the HVAC insulation market are Saint Gobain S.A. (France), PPG Industries Inc. (U.S.), Owen Corning Corporation (U.S.), Rockwool International A/S (Denmark), Armacell International S.A. (Germany), Johns Manville Corporation (U.S), Xiamen Goot Advanced Material Co., Ltd. (China), L-ISOLANTE K-FLEX S.p.A. (Italy), Glassrock Insulation Co S.A.E (Egypt), Knauf Insulation (Belgium), Arabian Fiberglass Insulation Co., Ltd. (Saudi Arabia), Fletcher Insulation Pty Ltd. (Australia), Kingspan Group plc (Ireland), Kuwait Insulating Material Manufacturing Co. (Kuwait), Paroc Group OY (Finland), and other local players.About MarketsandMarketsMarketsandMarkets is the worlds No. 2 firm in terms of annually 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&Ms 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 infographics 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.Contact:Mr. RohanMarkets and MarketsUNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZMagarpatta city, HadapsarPune, Maharashtra 411013, India.Tel: +1-888-600-6441Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.comVisit MarketsandMarkets Blog @Visit MarketsandMarkets @ marketsandmarkets.comMarketsandMarkets is the worlds No. 2 firm in terms of annually 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.Markets and MarketsUNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZMagarpatta city, HadapsarPune, Maharashtra 411013, India.
Global Multi Beam Interferometer Market 2016 -Industry Analysis, Segments, Value Share, Volume and Key Trends to 2021
Multi Beam Interferometer
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A market study based on the " Multi Beam Interferometer market" across the globe, recently added to the repository of QY Market research, is titled Global Multi Beam Interferometer Market 2016. The research report analyzes the historical as well as present performance of the global Multi Beam Interferometer market, and makes predictions on the future status of Multi Beam Interferometer market on the basis of this analysis.The report studies the market for Multi Beam Interferometer across the globe taking the existing industry chain, the import and export statistics in Multi Beam Interferometer market & dynamics of demand and supply of Multi Beam Interferometer into consideration.Request For Report Sample Here:The ' Multi Beam Interferometer 'research study covers each and every aspect of the Multi Beam Interferometer market globally, which starts from the definition of the Multi Beam Interferometer market and develops towards Multi Beam Interferometer market segmentations. Further, every segment of the Multi Beam Interferometer market is classified and analyzed on the basis of product types, application, and the end-use industries of the Multi Beam Interferometer market. The geographical segmentation of the Multi Beam Interferometer market has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the global market for Multi Beam Interferometer is determined by evaluating the various market participants, production capacity, Multi Beam Interferometer market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Multi Beam Interferometer market worldwide.Do Inquiry About This Report Here:The global Multi Beam Interferometer market 2016 is also analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Multi Beam Interferometer production volume, data regarding demand and Multi Beam Interferometer supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, and market attractiveness analysis has been used in the research to present a comprehensive study of the market for Multi Beam Interferometer across the globe.About Us:QY Market Research is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact US:Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Website:Email:sales@qymarketresearch.com
NEW Chartwell Green and Anthracite Grey Georgian Bar & Accessories
Georgian Bar and Accessories
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www.thermosealgroup.com
http://www.thermosealgroup.com/news/details/149/new-thermoseal-group-video-showcasing-its-bespoke-warm-edge-production
Thermoseal Group, the UKs leading manufacturer of warm edge spacers and supplier of over 1,500 insulated glass (IG) components has added to its broad range of Georgian Bar and Accessories with its new Chartwell Green and Anthracite Grey products.Whilst the Group can colour-match its Georgian bar and in-house manufactured accessories on request, customer feedback identified that these new colours are now a regular requirement. Therefore, both colours are now in stock in a woodgrain finish in its 18x8mm and 25x8mm most popular sizes. Bi-colour bar is also available in both colours for use in conjunction with the Groups own design of Combi-Cross mix-and-match Georgian centre keys.The Combi-Cross is sold as half crosses which are clipped together. Either two halves of the same colour can be joined, or one half of one colour and another half of another colour can be clipped together in the same way. This means that sealed unit manufacturers can stock a small amount of the colours and sizes of Combi-Cross that are rarely used and stock-up on the standard white or cream halves that are used often.The Groups Sales Director Mark Hickox, tells us: We are always proud to introduce new products, but adding to the range and finish of the Combi-Cross is particularly great for us because this product was developed in-house as a cost-effective solution for customers who supply a range of full colour and bi-colour products. It is also colour-matched by our own injection moulding department.Our injection moulding facilities, quality control processes and general manufacturing expertise have massively expanded since we began to manufacture Thermobar and Thermoflex warm edge spacers and accessories.This development is directly the result of using our traditional strategy of listening to our customers and developing our products to suit the people using them. Our Georgian offering has always worked this way, but our experience means that we can now develop and introduce new products at a much faster pace. We look forward to hearing more feedback so we can continue to develop our premium product range.Thermoseal Groups Georgian bar is supplied in boxes of 240m for 18x8mm and 150m for 25x8mm. All are boxed in 3m lengths. Combi-Crosses are supplied in boxes of 200 half crosses. Full range catalogues are downloadable on the Groups website:For further information, call +44(0)121 331 3950 or visit. To see why we are industry leaders watch our About Us video at:-Ends-Thermoseal Group is dedicated to insulated glass. We have our own innovation centre where we develop new insulated glass components with a focus on energy efficiency. We manufacture warm edge spacers in the UK, as well as many other insulated glass components. We supply over 1,500 insulated glass components, including: sustainable warm edge spacers, aluminium spacer bars and steel spacer bars and accessories; integrated blinds; Victorian grille; Georgian style window components; molecular sieve desiccant; sealants; lead; decorative glass bevels and accessories; adhesive tapes; tools for glazing manufacturing, and most other items required for sealed unit manufacture.Thermoseal GroupGavin Way, Nexus Point, Off Holford DriveBirminghamB6 7AF
Recombinetics Expands Senior Management Team with Industry Veterans in Agriculture and Biomedicine
Recombinetics, a St. Paul-based global leader in gene-editing of livestock for food production and human therapeutic applications, is pleased to announce the hiring of Tom Erdmann as General Manager of its agriculture business, Acceligen, and Douglas Kern as General Manager of its biomedicine business, Surrogen."I am very excited to welcome Doug Kern and Tom Erdmann to the Recombinetics family to further develop our management depth, said Ian Friendly, Recombinetics Chief Executive Officer. They both bring deep operating experience as we begin to more fully commercialize our products. Erdmann comes to Recombinetics Acceligen subsidiary with 35 years of experience in the agriculture and food ingredient industry. His expertise included leading operations, strategy and sales in a variety of executive roles with Cargills Food and Trading businesses. In addition, Erdmann was instrumental in developing strategic partnerships and alliances with biotech and food technology organizations. He has engineered numerous customer-centric growth strategies for engaging global food companies.Erdmann earned a Bachelor of Science with an emphasis in finance and management from Indiana University School of Business, a multi-disciplinary mini-MBA from University of Minnesotas Management Institute and was a core faculty member of Cargills Executive Leadership Development program.As the General Manager of Acceligen, Erdmann drives the business and commercialization strategy and collaborates with scientists led by Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Tad Sonstegard, an internationally-recognized leader in livestock developmental biology and genetics.Acceligen has developed and is commercializing first-in-market genetic innovations that improve animal health and welfare and better productivity traits to animal agriculture globally. The patents, filed under Recombinetics, include traits for polled, or genetically dehorned, cattle; thermotolerant (SLICK) cattle; double-muscling; disease resistance and other traits highly-valued by probducers.I joined Recombinetics Acceligen team because I saw a unique opportunity to take my passion for food and agriculture and work with a group of people who share my desire to have sustainably produced, responsibly grown and healthier animals as part of our food system. Acceligen is at the heart of giving agriculture the tools it needs to feed a hungry planet with less of an environmental impact, said Erdmann.Kern brings to Recombinetics Surrogen subsidiary with more than 20 years of experience in the animal health industry and business development to Surrogen. He has held several executive roles in life science and animal health companies, most recently as Vice President of Global Clinical Development at Plumbline Life Sciences. In the last 15 years, he has developed and registered pioneering DNA therapies for food and companion animals.Kern earned his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Minnesota, a Masters Degree at the University of Illinois in Integrated Food Animal Management Systems and a Certificate in Business Management from the Harvard Business School.As General Manager of Surrogen, Kern will lead the business development and commercialization strategies and team up with its Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. David Lagaespada, a leading authority on animal models for cancer and other diseases.With patents filed as Recombinetics, Surrogen offers an animal-enabled pathway to find cures to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Surrogens pig models accurately model human diseases and advance research toward human therapeutics.Surrogen partners with the worlds leading Universities; hospitals; researchers; medical device and pharmaceutical companies a safe, reliable and cost-effective model to get new ideas tested and approved for human use.Joining Recombinetics Surrogen team was a natural fit for me as it fills a life-long goal to work with animals, to insure their highest and best use. The opportunity to participate in groundbreaking genetic research targeting societys biggest health challenges, is a privilege and responsibility I am honored to be a part of.In addition to these key hires, Recombinetics is in the midst of a search for a new Chief Financial Officer, its next critical hire.About Recombinetics: Founded in 2008, Recombinetics (RCI) is the premier gene-editing company in livestock, with applications in therapeutic development and testing, and in animal breeding and care.RCI develops precise swine models of patient congenital and progressive diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The use of RCIs proprietary pig models is facilitating more rapid commercialization of safe and effective drugs and medical devices, with lower costs.RCI is also adding value to animals and the protein production chain, accelerating the addition of genetically preferable traits that enhance productivity while improving animal health and welfare. Learn more at Recombinetics.com.About Acceligen: Acceligen, a Recombinetics company, is a pioneer in Precision Breeding, a proprietary gene-editing technology that rapidly and precisely advances livestock genetics. Acceligen helps to improve animal health and welfare, increase food productivity and reduce the environmental impact of livestock production. Learn more at Acceligen.com.About Surrogen: Surrogen, a Recombinetics company, uses proprietary gene-editing technology to develop precise pig models of life-threatening diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Surrogens superior large animal models help to accelerate commercialization of safe and effective drugs and medical devices, with lower costs. Learn more at Surrogen.com.Recombinetics1246 University Avenue West, Suite 301St. Paul, MN 55104Press Contact: Kris Huson, 612-727-2000
Global Rotary Air Compressor Industry: China and India are prominent customers and manufacturers in Asia Pacific region.
Global Rotary Air Compressor Market 2016
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A rotary air compressor is a type of gas compressor that uses the mechanism called rotary type positive displacement. These screw compressors have high applications in general industries. The Rotary Air Compressor Industry has high scope of applications in industrial as well as construction applications across the globe in upcoming years.Check Complete Report @Scope and Regional Forecast of the Rotary Air Compressor Industry:North America is one of the leading regions of the Rotary Air Compressor Industry. There is high demand for the screw type compressor due to the presence of many industries in this region. The US has high industrial activities and expected to witness high growth in use of rotary compressor in upcoming term. Brazil in the South America is expected to have high demand owing to the improving infrastructure facilities in the region.Europe is expected to have high growth in the Rotary Air Compressor Industry in upcoming years. Due to the presence of automotive industry and rise of urbanization in this region, the demand for the rotary screw compressor is expected to gain traction. Germany, Spain, France and Italy are the prominent countries with rise in demand for rotary screw compressors in industries.Get Sample Brochure of the Report @Asia Pacific is the fast growing region in the Rotary Air Compressor Industry owing to the rise in industrialization and infrastructure in this region in upcoming years. India and china are the potential countries with high scope of applications of reciprocating air compressor types in industries and other end user applications. China and India are the manufacturers and consumers of various types of screw compressors with high investment for production and usage in this region.Segmentation and Key Players of the Rotary Air Compressor Industry:The Rotary Air Compressor Industry is segmented into various categories by classification, by application and by geography. By classification: double screw, single screw and others By application: spray paint, air wrench, vehicle brake and others By geography: United States, EU, China and JapanThe key players in the Rotary Air Compressor Industry are as follows: Denso Sullair Siemens Rogers Machinery Company General Electric (GE)The Rotary Air Compressor Industry is a growing industry with high demand for rotary screw compressors in various end user applications across the globe. This market is expected to witness high demand due to rising industrialization in many regions and utilization of different air compression types in industries in upcoming years.About us:MarketIntelReports (MIR) aim to empower our clients to successfully manage and outperform in their business decisions, we do this by providing Premium Market Intelligence, Strategic Insights and Databases from a range of Global Publishers.A group of industry veterans who are well experienced in reputed international consulting firms after identifying the sourcing needs of MNCs for market intelligence, have together started this business savior MarketIntelReports.MIR intends to be a one-stop shop with an intuitive design, exhaustive database, expert assistance, secure cart checkout and data privacy integrated. It curates the list of reports, publishers and studies to ensure that the database is constantly updated to dynamically meet the targeted, specific needs of our clients.MarketIntelReports currently has more than 10,000 plus titles and 35+ publishers on our platform and growing consistently to fill the Global Intelligence Demand Supply Gap. We cover more than 15 industry verticals being: Automotive, Electronics, Manufacturing, Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare, Chemicals, Building & Construction, Agriculture, Food & Beverages, Banking & Finance, Media and Government, Public Sector Studies.Contact us:Mayur SSales Manager2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400,Wilmington,Delaware,19808United Statessales@marketintelreports.comTelephone: 1-302-261-5343
Oil field surfactants market size is estimated to be $853 million and forecast to reach $1167 million by 2020 exhibiting a CAGR of 5.5%.
http://www.marketintelreports.com/report/cmr0021/oilfield-surfactants-market-by-application-emulsifiers-demulsifiers-lubricants-dispersants-corrosion-inhibitors-foam-control-agents-others-by-chemistry-anionic-cationic--amphoteric-by-substrate-synthetic--biobased--forecast-2015--2020
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Browse market data Tables and Figures spread through 162 Pages and in-depth TOC on " Oilfield Surfactants Market: By Application (Emulsifiers, Demulsifiers, Lubricants, Dispersants, Corrosion Inhibitors, Foam Control Agents, Others) By Chemistry (Anionic, Cationic & Amphoteric) By Substrate (Synthetic & Bio-Based) - Forecast (2015 - 2020)"Oilfield Surfactants are important type of oil field specialty chemicals that are utilized in oil extraction, transportation and refining processes for augmenting the recovery process of petrochemicals from the wells. The market for oilfield surfactants has been broadly classified into several segments based on product type, substrate and its applications. Owing their chemical properties oilfield surfactants act as emulsifiers, corrosion inhibitors, lubricants, wetting and suspending agents, foam control agents, dispersants and biocides. The report provides detailed account of key oil filed surfactant types such as anionic, non-anionic, cationic, amphoteric, and others depending on their dissociation in water.The increase in energy demand over the last decade propelled by economic development in developing regions has increased output of oil and gas extraction. This has resulted in growing demand for oil field chemicals used in exploration, extraction and refining process. Booming crude oil production to cater the growing oil demand from emerging economies is the major driver for oil field surfactants. Growing interest in bio-based oil surfactants is set to propel market growth of this niche category. Environmental concerns and decreasing oil prices might restrain oil production refraining market growth.MarketIntelReports estimates that the market value for oilfield surfactants will advance from $853m in 2014 to $1.1 billion by 2020 with a CAGR of 5.5%.The anionic surfactants are the dominant type. The amphoteric surfactants are best used for corrosion inhibition and are used in enhanced oil recovery technology such as steam flooding. Each of these types is further divided in to subtypes as well. The oilfield surfactants market is analyzed based on type of substrates including synthetic and bio-based oilfield surfactants.Due to the growing environmental awareness the demand for bio-based oil field surfactants is witnessing rapid gains outpacing synthetic substrate types.An extensive overview of the oilfield surfactants market from geographic perspective is provided in the report. North America is the dominant region for oilfield surfactants market in 2014 with a share of 34%. Europe held the second highest share in the oilfield surfactants market due to the presence of major oil producing nations such as Russia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. The APAC region is poised to exhibit the fastest growth due to increasing adoption of using oil field surfactants.The report also includes detailed profiles of several key players associated with the oilfield surfactants market. Stepan, Azkonobel, Huntsman, Lubrizol, Dow Chemicals and BASF are some of the prominent market players. The top 5 major companies account for more than 50% of the market share in 2014. An in-depth analysis of their market expansion strategies along with business overview, product and services offered, financials and developments are provided in the report.Avail a Sample @About us:MarketIntelReports (MIR) aim to empower our clients to successfully manage and outperform in their business decisions, we do this by providing Premium Market Intelligence, Strategic Insights and Databases from a range of Global Publishers.A group of industry veterans who are well experienced in reputed international consulting firms after identifying the sourcing needs of MNCs for market intelligence, have together started this business savior MarketIntelReports.Contact us:Sales ManagerMayur S2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400,Wilmington,Delaware,19808United Statessales@marketintelreports.comTelephone: 1-302-261-5343
Dade Moeller Health Group Announces Name Change to Versant Medical Physics and Radiation Safety
www.versantphysics.com
http://www.versantphysics.com
www.versantphysics.com
Dade Moeller Health Group (DMHG) a comprehensive medical physics support group announces today that it is changing its name to Versant Medical Physics and Radiation Safety. Effective immediately, the name change reflects the companys departure from Dade Moeller & Associates, Inc. where it previously operated as a subsidiary.The name Versant comes from our ability to speak, educate and consult on an array of topics, says Marcie Ramsay, Managing Director of Versant. With many years of experience among our skill-diverse staff, our ability to speak on wide ranging topics within the medical physics and radiation safety industries is what allows us to excel.Versant provides medical physics consulting including clinical radiation therapy, commissioning, regulatory and educational services. Soon it will offer specialized software for accreditation, online continuing education and training, as well as radiation safety for medical physicists and radiation oncology physicians.Technology is the driving force behind improvements, not only in efficiency, but also quality in many industries. As part of our commitment to improving the efficiency of work and quality of care that our clients provide, software is paramount, says Ben Ramsay, Director of Operations and Technology Applications at Versant.This is why we are developing software that will help not only improve how cost effective our clients can be, but also improve their ability to focus on whats important, rather than inefficient intermediate tasks.Dade Moeller Health Group separated from Dade Moeller & Associates in a management buyout, leading to the creation of Versant. DMHG was originally founded in 2013 under the leadership of Bill Kennedy to meet the needs of medical clients through radiation protection, medical physics and regulatory services. Physics Services Integrated a full service medical physics group located in Buffalo, New York later joined DMHG to expand their service lines. Brent Murphy joined and led DMHG as President from January 2014 until September 2015.About VersantHeadquartered in Kalamazoo, MI, Versant Medical Physics and Radiation Safety provides superior quality consulting services to health care providers. A woman-owned small business at the forefront of the medical physics industry, Versants mission is to produce highly accurate, efficient results to ultimately improve the quality of its clients, and their patients, lives. The Company offers a comprehensive line of services that includes Therapy Physics, Commissioning, Radiation Safety Officer (RSO), Safety Training, Internal Dose, Diagnostic QA, Regulatory Support, as well as Remote and Onsite Dosimetry. Proprietary in-house commissioning software provides clients with accelerated, on time commissioning. Offering remote treatment planning services gives secure, individualized attention with start to finish planning and contouring support. Versants effective hybrid solutions offset the high cost of locum services. In 2016, the Company plans to roll out specialized software for accreditation, online continuing education and training for medical physicists, healthcare providers, and other radiation professionals engaged in medical radiation safety. For more information about Versant, please visitMedia Contacts:Bethany Richard, Public Relationsmarketing@versantphysics.comBen Ramsay, Director of Operations and Technology Applicationsben.ramsay@versantphysics.comRelated Links:Versant Medical Physics and Radiation Safety is a woman-owned business at the forefront of the medical physics industry. Offering superior quality consulting services to health care providers, Versants mission is to produce highly accurate, efficient results to ultimately improve the quality of its clients and their patients lives. For more information about Versant, please visit116 S. Riverview Dr.Kalamazoo, MI 49004
Discount Locksmith LLC Now Offering Service in Des Moines
http://discount-locksmith-des-moines-ia.com
Discount Locksmith LLC, a locksmith company based out of Mesa, Arizona, has announced they have started offering mobile locksmith service in the greater Des Moines, Iowa area. The company, which just started offering their discounted locksmith rates in January of this year, has rapidly grown throughout the entire Metro Phoenix and Tucson areas of Arizona with three physical office locations, two in Phoenix and one in Mesa, AZ. Des Moines and Ames, Iowa are the company's first real expansion efforts outside of Arizona.Discount Locksmith LLC started offering their discounted locksmith services in the Des Moines area a few weeks ago and say the response has been great with business exceeding expectations. JP Drissen, CEO of Discount Locksmith LLC, attributes the companys rapid growth and success due to both the professional and highly-experienced independent locksmith technicians they have partnered with along with their discount pricing business model and promotion efforts. What separates Discount Locksmith from most other locksmith service providers is our clear, up-front locksmith pricing business model. says JP. Not only do we we offer internet specials with huge discounts of over 50% off regular locksmith rates, we publish our locksmith services price list on our website so that customers know exactly how much they are going to pay for their service with a clear breakdown of the costs.Discount Locksmith has been able to offer their affordable rates by changing their advertising methods. More and more people are using and getting their information through social media. Instead of spending ad money on traditional advertising, we offer customers huge discounts and only ask that they share their experience on their social media pages. says JP. Weve found that customer satisfaction has increased. Most are happy that a minute of their time can save them a lot of money, sometimes hundreds of dollars. They can still get the same high-quality service for around half the cost and this enables us to generate sales through testimonials and referrals rather than traditional advertising methods.Discount Locksmith LLC plans are to continue to expand in Iowa, Arizona and eventually offer their discount locksmith service nationwide. Discount Locksmith LLC is actively seeking new locksmith partners across the US. If you are an existing locksmith technician interested in becoming a Discount Locksmith partner you are encouraged to contact them by phone or through their website for more information.For more information about Discount Locksmith LLC and specifically their new location in Des Moines you can call or visit them online at:Discount Locksmith LLCIn Des Moines: (515) 212-7570Discount Locksmiths corporate office is located in Mesa, AZ. All jobs are performed by technicians who are independent contractors. Limited warranty on parts may be provided by the technician. Discounted prices listed on the website available for customers who share on social media prior to the time of service. Customers who do not share on social media page prior to receiving service may be charged regular prices which may be much higher than listed discount prices. Contact a representative for more information.2308 N HorneMesa, AZ 85203
New White Paper Reveals 'The Impact of the One 'Essential' Email'
http://www.3birdsmarketing.com/insights/white-papers
3 Birds analyzes results of more than 42,000 Digital Newsletter sends to reveal impact on engaging defectors, building brand affinity, generating consistently impressive ROI, and moreChapel Hill, N.C., July 11, 2016 -- As the amount of time consumers spend researching dealerships online increases, so does the importance of maximizing each communication that dealers send to their customer database. Many dealers have squandered the goodwill of their customers through heavy-handed, one-size fits all messaging, leading to dissatisfaction and outright defection.As a new white paper from 3 Birds reveals, however, these same dealers often ignore an "essential" email communication that can accomplish multiple marketing goals month after month: the Digital Newsletter. The white paper, 'The Impact of the One 'Essential' Email', clearly illustrates how Digital Newsletters offer a dynamic communication channel that resonates with customers and provides new insights into their purchase stage and interests.The white paper is based on analysis of results from more than 42,000 different Digital Newsletters sent on behalf of more than 1,000 dealerships. This analysis clearly shows the influence of 3 Birds' Digital Newsletters when it comes to meeting dealers' most pressing challenges, including: Consistently referring three to 10 times more traffic to the dealer's main website than leading third-party sites Identifying non-promotional content engagers who generate 61% more service Repair Orders and buy 28% more vehicles than customers who don't engage with non-promotional content Re-engaging defectors with more than 50% of referral traffic consisting of customers and prospects who have not visited the dealership website in at least 90 daysIn addition to these and other insights, the white paper reveals how the Digital Newsletter plays a role in customer value segmentation and predictive modeling. Customer value segmentation helps dealerships to identify their best, highest-value customers. The 3 Birds proprietary predictive model that is fueled, in part, by data about the type of content customers engage with enables dealers to identify and communicate appropriately with customers who are likely to purchase or likely to service a vehicle in the near future.3 Birds' industry-leading Digital Newsletter is available as part of the 3 Birds ME Core Solution, which also includes a marketing and analytics platform and responsive engagement website for a consistent multi-channel marketing strategy.Download a complimentary copy of the white paper, The Impact of the One 'Essential' Email, atAbout 3 Birds Marketing, LLC3 Birds Marketing is a new breed of fully integrated, enterprise-level, multi-channel, multi-tier marketing software platform and solutions provider focused in the automotive retail space. 3 Birds has helped automobile manufacturers, distributorships, advertising agencies, dealer associations, automobile dealership groups and dealerships demand, attract, and convert modern digital consumers through enterprise-level integrated marketing technology, outstanding client services, and extensive marketing and automotive retail experience. 3 Birds was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.3 Birds Marketing505-B West Franklin StreetChapel Hill, NC 27516Contact:Kristen Judd1-877-285-1094kristen@3birdsmarketing.com
Trevett Cristo Welcomes Emily R. Fusco as Associate Attorney
Rochester, NY, July 11, 2016 - Trevett Cristo Salzer & Andolina, P.C., a 90-year old Rochester, NY-based law firm with expertise across a broad range of commercial and personal practice areas, welcomes Emily R. Fusco to the firm as an Associate.Emilys areas of focus are criminal law and family and matrimonial law. She gained comprehensive experience as an Assistant Public Defender, specifically defending a wide range of criminal actions including DWI, misdemeanor and felony cases. Emily has vast courtroom experience and has conducted multiple bench and jury trials. In the realm of family matters, Emily focuses on custodial and support issues.Emilys experience has given her a broad range of expertise, but her passion lies in family and matrimonial law, says Louis Cristo, President at Trevett Cristo. Her dedication to her clients and persistent work ethic make her an excellent addition to our team.Emily received her Bar Accreditation in New York State. She graduated from the University at Buffalo School of Law with a Juris Doctor. In 2009, Fusco received a Women Lawyers of Western New York award for outstanding performance working in the areas of childrens rights and family violence.Outside of the courtroom, Emily is a member of the New York State Defenders Association and the Monroe County Bar Association, with specific memberships in the Criminal Justice and Family Law sections.Trevett Cristo Salzer & Andolina P.C. is a general practice law firm headquartered in Rochester, NY. The firm focuses on a range of practice areas, including civil and criminal litigation, commercial law, residential and commercial real estate law, business transactional law, personal and family law, estate planning and labor matters.252 Alexander StreetRochester, NY 14607
Lets Get #Brexcited!
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With the Pound dropping to a historic low TakeALook.com saves you an unprecedented amount on a dream trip to the UK - GBP/USD=1.00Have you checked the pound-to-dollar rate? GBP/USD took a huge plunge on Tuesday to the lowest rate in 30 years, in the wake of UKs vote to leave the EU. Brexit has sent tourists flocking to the UK and fluctuating exchange rates have become such a heated topic. With the current rate at 1.29, travelers can expect to save almost 20% on flights, accommodations and activities.Its time to travel to Britain, the global travel platform TAKE A LOOK announces a groundbreaking promotion that is even more brexciting. Rich in tradition, complex in culture and endlessly diverse UK is such an endlessly fascinating place to discover.Travelers who purchase ANY London attraction ticket can enjoy a pound-to-dollar rate of GBP/USD=1.00. Regardless of the current exchange rate, we will honor the GBP/USD=1.00 from July, 6 to July, 12. Enjoy 36% off!For more information:#Brexciting Flash Mob:Some travelers cant wait to start their trip to London. Today, ambassadors dressed in their travel clothing are spreading the joy of the stunning GBP/USD=1.00 purchasing rate. They took up a huge banner reading USD 1 = GBP 1 in hands and ran across the busiest streets in New York City, including Wall Street, Union Square and NYU Washington Square Park.About TAKE A LOOK:TAKE A LOOK () is a hassle-free global travel platform which provides inspiring themes and ideas for travel enthusiasts to explore the world in their desired way. We have an extensive selection of handpicked activities from experts and numerous creative travel themes customized for travelers who want various experiences in their trip, from popular activities for first time travelers and families, to behind-the-scene tours for movie lovers, cooking courses for foodies and exciting adventures for challenge seekers. Just TAKE A LOOK and you can feel the true delight of traveling!Guru OnlineLevel 22, AIA TOWER, 183 Electric Road, North Point, Hong KongMedia Contact:Iris Tangiris@eclgroupny.com/240-893-0619
Real Estate web-application automates the process of buying and selling properties
With the latest technology and advancement of tools and services, innovations have transformed our way of living. Keeping this factor in mind, TatvaSoft, a leading software development company based in Melbourne, Australia, have developed a real-estate web-application for one of the Cyprus based client to automate the manual problems faced in buying and selling the properties by buyers and sellers. This system was designed with some of the exciting features that meets the clients requirements.Web-application was integrated with the property listing of whole Cyprus nation, offering the services like property rentals, property repairs, maintenance, property sales and strata management. Most of the processes were carried out manually through paper works, hence buyers and sellers faced a lot of problems for the perfect real-estate agent to sell and buy the properties at the best price. To manage all these things at one flow, automated and streamlined process was very much necessary. This web- application development made the tedious task much easy to manage property listing and along with it, other real estate dealers can also use the data in XML/SOAP format to publish the information on the website.As the listing of properties are made streamlined, customers can quickly search for rental properties by just filling up the application form. Web-application also incorporated the feature of vendor and member login, which would redirect them to the specific roles on the application. It was designed in such way, that it had full-fledged user control which was optimized to display the full property, search results, suburbs and contract maintenance. Additionally, users can also make their private listing online by uploading their photos and floor plans, can take the advantage of virtual tour so that buyer can have the proper idea of the property and billing details were also automated for online payments. Admins can add/delete and can maintain users as well as module features. Agency section had the role to maintain control panel of vendors advertising, property, accounts and many more.With the automated real e-state web application, managing the listings had become much more efficient than before. No manual procedures were involved, which enabled a customers to save time by just upgrading their recent updates. All these activities, at the end results into the speedy sales process benefited to those who are urgently looking for the properties. Customers just need to compare the pricing with the instant notification feature and select which they find it the best. This had helped them in improving customer experience and better customer relationship management. With the extensive features in this system, the need of developing this web-application was fulfilled.TatvaSoft Australia Pty Ltd is a Software Development Company based in Melbourne & Sydney. Our 14+ years of experience and vast global customer base helped us to be positioned as one of the most acknowledged software, web & mobile app development service provider. We are expertise in varied technologies like .Net, Java, PHP, BizTalk server, Open Source, SharePoint, BI, and Mobile.We bring the peace of mind & reliability of an Australian company, along with cost benefits & flexibility as we have a development center in India. We cater to clients across the industries and different sizes right from SMEs to large corporate houses. Our relationship with our clients is built on mutual trust, respect and benefit.Level 23, HWT Tower, 40 City Road, Southbank Melbourne VIC 3006
Global IPaaS Market Anticipated To Reach At CAGR of 37.76% By 2019
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iPaaS is a cloud integration platform that integrates application and database. Various activities such as development, execution, and governance of integration process among on-premises or cloud-based applications are taken care of by iPaaS solution. An iPaaS solution includes batch and real-time integration services, API framework, MDM, data quality, and security measures. Most iPaaS vendors provide maps and other necessary requirements to boost the development process and help organizations with other-related requirements.View Full Report:Technavio's analysts forecast the global iPaaS market to grow at a CAGR of 37.76% over the period 2014-2019.Covered in this reportThis report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global iPaaS market for the period 2015-2019. To calculate the market size, it considers the revenue generated from the following:Software licenses and subscriptionsSoftware implementation and maintenance costsTechnavios report, Global iPaaS Market 2015-2019, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from various industry experts. The report also presents the vendor landscape and a corresponding detailed analysis of the five leading vendors in the market. In addition, it discusses the major drivers that influence the growth of the market. It also outlines the challenges faced by vendors and the market at large, as well as the key trends emerging in the market.Download Sample Copy of Report:Key regionsAmericasAPACEMEAKey vendorsDell BoomiInformaticaMuleSoftSAPSnapLogicOther prominent vendorsActianAttunityIBMInforE2E TechnologiesFlowgearFujitsuJitterbitNECTIBCO SoftwareMarket driverReduced cost of ownershipFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeData protection and securityFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendIncreased adoption among midsize enterprisesFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2019 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Marketresearchreports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. Marketresearchreports.biz services are especially designed to save time and money of our clients.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Construction Equipment Rental Market: Overview, Market Sizing and Potential Opportunities 2016-2020
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Global Construction Equipment Rental Market: Trends and Opportunities (2016-2020) Size and Share Published in 2016-04-01 Available for US$ 800 at Researchmoz.usDescriptionFull Report@The report titled Global Construction Equipment Rental Market: Trends and Opportunities (2016-2020) analyzes the significant trends and potential opportunities in the global construction equipment rental market. The report summarizes market overview, market sizing and growth, top players of the market and regional breakdown.The report also emphasizes on the opportunities available for the market and chief factors that will be responsible for growth in the market. The market size and forecast in terms of value for global market has been provided for the period 2016 to 2020, considering 2015 as the base year. The report provides the compound annual growth rate (%CAGR) for the forecasted period 2016 to 2020. Over the next five years the market is projected to grow on account of increasing investment by government in construction activities, advanced equipments in rental fleets, lower maintenance cost and equipment outsourcing etc.The report summarizes detailed country analysis of the US, Canada and UK in terms of value with actual and forecasted revenue. North American countries have the largest market share in global construction equipment rental market. The US is the largest market among North American countries. Europe is the second largest market for equipment rental market globally. In European countries the UK is the largest market.Furthermore, the report also profiles key market players such as United Rentals, Sunbelt Rentals, Neff Rentals and H&E Equipment services on the basis of attributes such as company overview, recent developments, strategies adopted by the market leaders to ensure growth, sustainability, financial overview and recent developments.Country Coverage- The US- Canada- UKDownload Sample of this Report at:Company Coverage- United Rentals- Sunbelt Rentals- Neff Rentals- H&E Equipment ServicesMake an Enquiry:Table of Content1. Executive Summary2. Construction Equipment Rental Market2.1 Equipment Rental Market: An Overview2.2 Types of Construction Equipment Rental Market by Product2.3 Types of Equipment Rental by Payment2.3.1 Fair Market Value2.3.2 $1 Buyout2.3.3 10% Option Renting2.4 Rental Rate Structures2.4.1 The Daily Rate Structure2.4.2 The Hourly Rate Structure2.4.3 The Monthly Rate Structure2.4.4 The Daily/Hourly Rate StructureAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives.Contact Us:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare, +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948sales@researchmoz.us
Global Telehealth Market : Manufacturing, Distribution, Commercialization & Trends and Global Industry Report 2016-2020
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Global Telehealth Market: Trends and Opportunities (2016-2020) Size and Share Published in 2015-11-01 Available for US$ 800 at Researchmoz.us"DescriptionFull Report@:The report titled Global Telehealth Market: Trends and Opportunities (2016-2020) provides an in-depth analysis of global telehealth market focusing on important market aspects. It also accesses the key opportunities and underlying trends in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry in the forecasted period (2016-20). Further, key telehealth services providers such as Teladoc Inc, MDLIVE Inc and American Well are profiled in the report will their detailed market strategies.Geographical CoverageNorth America (The US)Europe (The UK)Company CoverageTeladoc IncMDLIVE IncAmerican WellDownload Sample of this Report at:Executive SummaryTelehealth is a broader term which inculcates the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health etc. Telehealth is a subset of Digital Healthcare. It includes many medical subspecialties, such as Telecardiology, Teledermatology, Teleneurology, Telepathology, Telepsychiatry, Teleradiology, Telesurgery/Remote Surgery and Teletrauma. Specialties such as Telepediatrics and Telepsychiatry are practiced by using live videoconferencing systems.Globally, telehealth market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World (Middle East & Africa, and Latin America) region. The North American market commands the largest share of the global market, followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific. Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region in this market. Detailed analysis with focus on key dynamics of North American and European markets is provided in the report.The major driving force for this market is the ageing population, rising prevalence of chronic diseases, rising cost of healthcare, etc. Technological innovations and advancements fuel the market growth. Major market constraints are low consumer adoption & utilization of telehealth, limited HER connectivity, reimbursement challenges and various regulatory and legal concerns. Key trends prevailing in the market includes Venture funding in telehealth companies, Acquisitions in the industry and improvement of reimbursement landscape globally.Make an Enquiry:Table of Content1. Executive Summary2. Market Background2.1 Digital Health Industry3. Telehealth3.1 Evolution of Telehealth3.2 Major forms of Telehealth4. Global Telehealth Market Analysis4.1 Global Telehealth Market Sizing: Actual & Forecasted4.1.1 Market Size by Value4.1.2 Market Size by Volume4.1.3 Market Share by Healthcare Conditions4.1.4 Market Share by Competitors5. North America Telehealth Market5.1 North America Telehealth Market Analysis5.2 The US Telehealth Market5.2.1 The US Telehealth Market Analysis5.2.2The US Telehealth Market Key DynamicsAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives.Contact Us:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare, +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948sales@researchmoz.us
Sublimation Printing Equipment Market: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast 2016 - 2026
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IntroductionSublimation printing is a digital printing technology that enables the reproduction of various customized and personalized color prints/ images to various specially coated surfaces including plastics, films, woods, textiles, ceramics, metals etc. In sublimation printing process, the solid printing dye is sublimated into a gas at high temperatures and is exposed to the surface to be printed. The gas thus formed penetrates the polymeric surface, creating permanent bonds with it. This process gives high resolution and permanent coloration to the exposed surface, which is highly resistive to peeling and cracking off surface of the material. Due to this, sublimation printing is increasingly being utilized across various industries to give highly durable, aesthetic and distinct prints on various kind of products such as mugs, fashion wear and sportswear, technical textile, ceramic tiles and others.Request Sample Report@Growing popularity of sublimation printing, due to its ability to reproduce premium quality images on different product surfaces at low operational costs, is expected to drive the global sublimation printing equipment market over the forecast period of 2016-2026.Sublimation Printing Equipment Market: Drivers & RestraintsDuring the recent years, various versatile sublimation printing equipment are introduced in the market which can be utilized to effectively print numerous products such as apparel, mugs, mouse pads, plaques, trophies, signage, etc. Due to growing demand for different consumer products with aesthetic visual graphics, coupled with requirement of effective and low cost printing technology, global sublimation printing equipment market is expected to register high growth rate over the forecast period. Apparel and garments industry is one of the largest end-use sector for sublimation printing. Frequently changing fashion trends are also expected to contribute significantly to the global sublimation printing equipment market.However, the primary limitation with the sublimation printing is that the surface to be coted must be composed of polymers that can withstand temperatures in the range of 400F-450F without melting.Sublimation printing equipment manufacturers across the globe are involved in increasing productivity of their machines, such as by developing larger and efficient presses with smaller downtime. All such developments on technological front are expected to contribute to the global sublimation equipment market through the forecast period.Sublimation Printing Equipment Market: SegmentationThe sublimation equipment market is segmented on the basis of product, end-use and region.On the basis of product, the global sublimation printing equipment market is segmented as the following:PrintersSmall format (Print width < 42)Large format (Print width > 42)Heat PressesFlat PressClam-shellSwing-swayMug PressCap PressCombination PressLarge FormatCalenderConsumablesSublimation Dye/ InksSublimation Transfer PaperOn the basis of end use, the global sublimation printing equipment market is segmented into,ApparelSignagePromotional productsAwards and Photo giftsSporting goodsTechnical TextilesOthersSublimation Printing Equipment Market: Regional outlookThe global sublimation printing equipment market is segmented into seven key regions namely North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Middle East & Africa and Japan. APEJ is expected to remain a key market for sublimation printing equipment throughout the forecast period. Western Europe, due to major demand from apparel industry, is also expected to contribute significantly to the global sublimation equipment market between 2016 and 2026.Sublimation Printing Equipment Market: Key PlayersThe key players in the global sublimation printing equipment market are Epson America Inc., Sawgrass Inc., Guangzhou JD Digital Technology Co., Ltd., SEFA, HOTRONIX, Geo Knight & Co Inc. Jet Stream Digital and others.Request TOC (table of content), Figures and Tables of the Report:The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to categories such as market segments, geographies, types and applications.The report covers exhaustive analysis on:Market SegmentsMarket DynamicsMarket SizeSupply & DemandCurrent Trends/Issues/ChallengesCompetition & Companies involvedValue ChainRegional analysis includes:North AmericaLatin AmericaAsia PacificJapanWestern EuropeEastern EuropeMiddle East & AfricaThe report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts, and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides an in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macroeconomic indicators and governing factors, along with market attractiveness within the segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and various geographies.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Adverse Climate Changes Threaten Breeding of Salmon, Sardines, and Clams in Aquaculture
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The growing awareness about the health benefits offered by the consumption of fish has propelled the growth of the global aquaculture market.The global aquaculture market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 5.10% during the period from 2013 to 2019. The overall market stood at a valuation of US$135.1 bn in 2012 and is expected to be worth US$195.1 bn by 2019.Download Free exclusive Sample of this report:How is China emerging as the fastest growing market for aquaculture?Since 2012, China has been the dominant region in the global aquaculture market. The presence of natural reserves and easy availability of cheap labour have propelled the growth of the aquaculture market in China. The domestic aquaculture companies in China are looking for partnerships to boost the cultivation and export of fishes. For example, China-based Guangxi Hiseaton Foods has recently established a joint venture in Brunei for the cultivation and export of golden pompano fish.While the juvenile pompano fish will be brought from China, it will be raised and processed in Brunei. The U.S. and the Middle East are the key export markets for aquaculture products reared in China. Though the economic slowdown in China has hit the domestic aquaculture market, the region is anticipated to lead the overall market in the near future. The lake farmed salmon from the Qinghai region has witnessed an increasing demand and has accounted for over 60% of Chinas online seafood market.How is climate change impacting the growth of the global aquaculture market?Climate change due to global warming is expected to significantly impede the growth of the global aquaculture market. A strong El Nino this year has led to the warming of oceans and is expected to negatively impact the production of salmon. Issues of algal bloom and sea lice have surfaced due to ocean warming and are also anticipated to hinder the markets growth as they restrict the breeding of salmon, sardines, and clams. Furthermore, poor aquaculture practices have added up to the deterioration of the aquaculture farms.What are the key products driving the demand for aquaculture?The key products in the global aquaculture market are mollusks, carps, salmon, crustaceans, trout, milkfish, sea bream, mackerel, sea bass, and others including turbot and catfish. As carps display a higher compatibility to tough environmental conditions as compared to other fishes, they drive the demand from the global aquaculture market. However, in the coming years, the demand for mollusks, clams, and mussels is anticipated to rise phenomenally.The rapidly depleting volume of captured fishes across global reserves is expected to significantly push the growth of the global aquaculture market. The current share of aquaculture in the global fisheries industry is lesser compared to capture fisheries. This gap is projected to be overcome at a fast pace in the near future with the growing focus on aquaculture across the developing economies.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Market study on Piling Machines By 2021, PMR New Report
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Driving pile into the ground has mainly been used in the construction industry where piles strengthen the soil and transfer the load to the ground. Piling machines vary in their load bearing capacity, procedure of piling and types of piles used.View Sample Report:Pile drivers, piling rigs, impact hammers and vibrators are different types of piling machines. Vibrators are either high frequency, standard frequency or resonance free vibrators. For driving sheet piles, timber piles, H&I beams, concrete piles and steel tubes, different piling machines are used. For instance Bakau piling machines are used for timber piles. Sheet piles are used for sustaining the lateral loads. Accessory machines such as pre auger, pile cropper have high demand in piling machines market. On the basis of piling methods, piling machines are segmented as hydraulic impact, vibratory, rotary, oscillating and drilling machines. The key market segments for piling and foundation include commercial buildings and housing projects, roads and highways, metro rail projects, power plants, oil refineries, airports, marine structures and drainage projects.Infrastructure projects and their tight working schedules, focus on quality of work and scarcity of labors have made contractors to use sophisticated piling equipment. Vendors are focusing on manufacturing environment friendly piling machines eliminating noise and reducing vibrations. Piling machine manufacturers are developing advanced technologies to remain competitive in the market and make these machines more ergonomic. Different testing technologies such as load testing, integrity testing, sonic coring, have been developed by manufacturers to achieve desired level of performance for piling machines. Piling technology with monitoring features increases the overall productivity of the piling machines. Advancements in hammers and rig technology has helped piling machines market see varied applications/uses and in turn in achieving significant growth. For instance, resonance free vibratory machines are gaining huge demand as they work noiselessly in city centers and are therefore useful in projects within a city and around its periphery. Similarly, flexible rigs has helped to cut down investment expenditures by constructors/contractors considerably as they fit for multiple applications and therefore have higher preference. Such multi-functional piling machines are driving the market growth. In spite of these advancements, obtaining and training personnel to operate these machines has been a challenge to this market. Likewise, high prices of piling machines has restrained their adoption by small and medium scale contractors. Such contractors rent these piling machines as an alternative to investing high capital.The piling machines market is segmented by geography into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle-East and Africa. India and China are the most promising markets for piling machines. In India, government plans of investing over $1 trillion in infrastructure development (2012 2017), present enormous opportunities for the construction industry, and specifically for foundation and piling works. Growth of infrastructure projects such as power (wind, hydro, nuclear and thermal) plants, tall structures and metros will continue to drive piling machines market. Globally governments are planning to develop high speed trains, networking freight corridors, ports and waterways which will boost the piling machines market.Request TOC (table of content), Figures and Tables of the Report:The piling machines market is in nascent stage and as new players are entering, the market is becoming competitive. The leading players in the piling machines market include Soilmec S.p.A., Casagrande Group, Bauer AG, Atlas Copco AB, Sinomach (China National Machinery Industry Corporation), Tes Car S.r.l, Delmag GmbH & Co. KG, BSP International Foundations, REL (Revathi Equipment Limited), MAIT S.p.A., and Suretech Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
China Swimwear Market 2016 Industry Size Share Growth Forecast Research and Development
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The China Swimwear Industry report gives a comprehensive account of the China Swimwear market. Details such as the size, key players, segmentation, SWOT analysis, most influential trends, and business environment of the market are mentioned in this report. Furthermore, this report features tables and figures that render a clear perspective of the Swimwear market. The report features an up-to-date data on key companies product details, revenue figures, and sales. Furthermore, the details also gives the China Swimwear market revenue and its forecasts. The business model strategies of the key firms in the Swimwear market are also included. Key strengths, weaknesses, and threats shaping the leading players in the market have also been included in this research report.The report gives a detailed overview of the key segments in the market. The fastest and slowest growing market segments are covered in this report. The key emerging opportunities of the fastest growing China Swimwear market segments are also covered in this report. Each segments and sub-segments market size, share, and forecast are available in this report. Additionally, the region-wise segmentation and the trends driving the leading geographical region and the emerging region has been presented in this report.Get Complete Report with TOC :The study on the China Swimwear market also features a history of the tactical mergers, acquisitions, collaborations, and partnerships activity in the market. Valuable recommendations by senior analysts about investing strategically in research and development can help new entrants or established players penetrate the emerging sectors in the Swimwear market. Investors will gain a clear insight on the dominant players in this industry and their future forecasts. Furthermore, readers will get a clear perspective on the high demand and the unmet needs of consumers that will enhance the growth of this market.Table of ContentChapter One Swimwear Industry Overview1.1 Swimwear Definition1.1.1 Swimwear Definition1.1.2 Product Specifications1.2 Swimwear Classification1.3 Swimwear Application Field1.4 Swimwear Industry Chain Structure1.5 Swimwear Industry Regional Overview1.6 Swimwear Industry Policy Analysis1.7 Swimwear Industry Related Companies Contact InformationGet Sample Copy of Report @Chapter Two Swimwear Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis2.1 High Purity colloidal silica Supplier and Price Analysis2.2 Equipment Suppliers2.3 Labor Cost Analysis2.4 Other Cost Analysis2.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure2.5 Swimwear Manufacturing TechnologyChapter Three China Swimwear Capacity Production and Production Value3.1 China Swimwear Manufacturing Base3.2 2010-2015 China Swimwear Capacity and Production3.3 2010-2015 China Swimwear Production Value and Growth Rate3.4 2010-2015 China Swimwear Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value and Gross MarginChapter Four Swimwear Sales and Sales Revenue by Regions4.1 2010-2015 China Swimwear Sales by Regions4.2 2010-2015 China Major Regions Swimwear Sales and Growth Rate4.3 2010-2015 China Swimwear Sales Revenue by Regions4.4 2010-2015 China Major Regions Swimwear Sales Revenue and Growth Rate4.5 2010-2015 China Major Regions Swimwear Sales PriceChapter Five Swimwear Application Consumption5.1 2010-2015 China Swimwear Key Applications Consumption5.2 2010-2015 China Swimwear Key Applications Consumption ShareChapter Six Swimwear Price Cost and Gross Margin Analysis6.1 2010-2015 China Swimwear Price and Sales Price6.2 2010-2015 China Swimwear Cost and Gross MarginChapter Seven Swimwear Major Manufacturers Analysis7.1 Company A7.1.1 Company Profile7.1.2 Product Picture and Specification7.1.3 Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value7.1.4 Contact Information7.2 Company B7.2.1 Company Profile7.2.2 Product Picture and Specification7.2.3 Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value7.2.4 Contact Information7.3 Company C7.3.1 Company Profile7.3.2 Product Picture and Specification7.3.3 Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value7.3.4 Contact Information7.4 Company D7.4.1 Company Profile7.4.2 Product Picture and Specification7.4.3 Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value7.4.4 Contact InformationChapter Eight 2016-2021 Swimwear Industry Development Trend8.1 2016-2021 China Swimwear Capacity Production Overview8.2 2016-2021 China Swimwear Sales and Growth Rate8.3 2016-2021 Swimwear Production Value8.4 2016-2021 Swimwear Price8.5 2016-2021 Swimwear Gross Margin8.6 2016-2021 Swimwear Cost Price Production Value Gross MarginChapter Nine Swimwear Marketing Analysis9.1 Swimwear Marketing Channels Status9.2 Swimwear Ex-work Price Channel Price End Buyer Price Analysis9.3 Swimwear Regional Import Export Trading AnalysisChapter Ten Swimwear Industry Chain Suppliers and Contact Information Analysis10.1 Swimwear Raw Materials Major Suppliers and Their Contact Information10.2 Swimwear Major Suppliers and Their Contact Information10.3 Swimwear Key Buyers (Consumers) and Their Contact Information10.4 Swimwear Supply Chain RelationshipChapter Eleven Swimwear New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis11.1 Swimwear Project SWOT Analysis11.2 Swimwear New Project Investment Feasibility AnalysisChapter Twelve China Swimwear Industry Research ConclusionsInquiry For Buying @MarketResearchStore.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. 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Global Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) market to Expand at 36.0% CAGR, Propelled by Rising IT Investments
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A market research study published by the market research company Transparency Market Research projects remarkable growth prospects for the global disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS) market over the period 2014-22. The report states that the market, which had a valuation of US$621.30 mn in 2013, will expand at an extraordinary 36.0% CAGR over the reports forecast period.The report is titled Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 2022The report credits factors such as the cost effectiveness, greater flexibility, fast recovery, and capability of automated and simpler testing of modern disaster recovery services, as the key driving forces behind the global DRaaS markets excellent growth prospects. Additionally, the rising enterprise IT spending across the globe is also expected to benefit the market substantially over the coming years.The report broadly segments the global DRaaS market on the basis of five criteria: deployment model, product type, company size, key application area, and geography.Avail a Sample Research Study on Disaster Recovery as a Service MarketAmongst the various deployment models in the global DRaaS market studied in the report, the To Cloud segment accounted for a 51.3% of the overall revenue generated by the market in 2013. TO Cloud deployment model is widely preferred by small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) as this model avoids the complexity and expense that generally comes with traditional disaster recovery systems. Over the reports forecast period too, this market segment is expected to remain dominant.Based on type of product, the segment of software components held about 60.8% of the overall revenues earned by the market in 2013. Entry of new software service vendors from across the globe in the DRaaS segment is expected to intensify the prevailing competition in the software market more in the near future.Application-wise, the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector led the market by accounting for nearly 33% of overall revenue generated in 2013. The economically and financially critical nature of information/data in the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector, requiring compulsory backup plans for avoiding loss, is expected to keep demand for DRaaS in this segment ripe across the forecast period as well.Geography-wise, the market for DRaaS in North America held nearly 36.8% of the global market in 2013. Over the reports forecast period, however the market segment of Asia Pacific is expected to grow at the fastest pace, accounting for the largest revenue share of the market.Browse the Full Market Research Report at-The report presents a detailed account of the competitive landscape of the global DRaaS market. It provides details regarding key developments observed in the market in the recent past and detailed business profiles of some of the key vendors in the market are included. Business profiles of companies, including Amazon, Bluelock, Axcient, Doyenx, Acronis, EMC, IBM, eVault, Sungard, Geminare, nScaled, NTT Communications, QuorumLabs, Inc., Hosting.com Verizon, HP, Microsoft Azure, VMware, Windstream, and Columbus Business Solutions, are provided in the report.The global disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS) market has been segmented as follows:DRaaS Market, by Deployment ModelTo Cloud DRaaSIn Cloud DRaaSFrom Cloud DRaaSDRaaS Market, by ProductSoftwareHardwareDRaaS Market, by Company SizeSmall CompaniesMid-sized CompaniesLarge CompaniesDRaaS Market, by Application SectorBanking and Financial Institutions (BFSI)Government and Public SectorTelecommunication SectorE-Commerce/RetailManufacturing SectorOthersDRaaS Market, by GeographyNorth AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle East and AfricaLatin AmericaTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Transparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Smart Water Management Market to Exhibit 17.7% CAGR from 2013 to 2019, Risk of Accidents at Aging Water Pipes Propels Market
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http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smart-water-management.html
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Transparency Market Researchs new study on the global smart water management market delves into its dynamics for the 2013-2019 period. According to the report, the market will reach a valuation of US$15.23 bn by 2019 increasing from US$4.81 bn in 2012 at a CAGR of 17.7% therein. The report is titled Smart Water Management Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2013 - 2019.Smart water solutions and services are mostly sought in urban areas, especially in regions with low education levels and an economic disadvantage. The lack of regulatory support in Africa and Western Asia for controlling water quality is also necessitating the adoption of smart water solutions and services in these regions.The global market for smart water management (SWM) is propelled by factors such as the lack of water management in urban areas, an aging water infrastructure, and the need to lessen non-revenue water. Across the world, government programs for the deployment of smart water technologies will also drive this market. Strict environmental standards in place mandated by accredited water regulatory bodies will also propel the growth of this market in the coming years. However, factors such as the apprehension of water utilities for the adoption of cloud services and the price factor of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) are challenging the markets growth.Download PDF Brochure for more Professional and Technical insights:The component segments of the SWM market are hardware, services, and solutions. In 2012, the hardware segment dominated and contributed a revenue of 40.1% to the global market. The segment is expected to retain its position until the end of the forecast period. However, the solutions segment will display a faster growth rate owing to the increasing demand for advanced software such as ReadCenter AnalyticsPro and ReadCenter Analytics+, Hymer (Orbicon), and Intelligent Operations Center software among others.In 2012, North America stood as the leader, contributing 47.5% revenue to the global smart water management market. Growth in this region is attributed to the aging water infrastructure, which has chances of pipe leakage and bursts resulting in increased customer complaints. The increasing investments in smart water technologies along with a focus on smart irrigation and reducing non-revenue water will also drive the North America smart water management market.Asia Pacific will emerge as the fastest-growing market for smart water management, displaying a 23.7% CAGR between 2013 and 2019. The regional market of Asia Pacific will grow due to factors such as the variable rainfall pattern here, global warming, aging water infrastructure installed at the time of rapid economic development, and the need for safe and potable water. Natural water reservoirs rich in minerals and salts that are present across countries such as China, Japan, and India also require water solutions and services for the preservation of these resources.Research Report with ToC and Free Analysis:The global market for SWM is highly fragmented with the presence of a large number of local players in each region. In 2012, local and regional players held a share of 67.1% in the global market for smart water management solutions and services. Itron Inc. stood as the market leader in 2012. Some other players in this market are Arad Metering Technologies, Sensus USA Inc., I20 Water Ltd., TaKaDu Ltd., ABB Ltd., Schneider Electric SA, and General Electric Company.Global smart water management market segmentation:Smart water management market analysis, by componentHardwareAMRAMIOthersSolutionsServicesSmart water management market analysis, by meter read technologyFixed TechnologyCellular TechnologySmart water management market, by geographyNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificRow (Rest of the World)Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyse information.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Construction Stone Market 2016 Industry Demand, Growth, Sales & Analysis 2021
Construction Stone
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Global Construction Stone Market 2016The Global Construction Stone Market 2016 report analysed the worlds main region market size, share, trends, conditions, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, capacity utilization, supply, demand and industry growth rate. Market predictions along with the statistical nuances presented in the report render an insightful view of the Construction Stone market.The study Global Construction Stone Industry 2016 is a detailed report scrutinizing statistical data related to the global market. Furthermore, the factors on which the companies compete in the market have been evaluated in the report. The report offers a close summary of the key segments within the market. Analysis also covers upstream raw materials, equipment, downstream client survey, marketing channels, industry development trend and proposals.The past price of 2013-2016 and future price of 2016-2021 are analyzed according to the supply-demand relation, as well as perspectives and forecasts.Browse Full Report:The import, export, stock size and relevant data of Major GDP regions such as EU, US, Japan and China are listed in the report. As a global report, in addition to above-mentioned Major GDP regions, we provide breakdown data of Germany, UK, and France of the EU, and data of other countries such as India, South Korea, Brazil and Australia.In the end, the report includes Construction Stone new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, investment return analysis, and development trend analysis. The key rising opportunities of the quickest growing international Construction Stone market segments also are coated during this report. This report also presents product specification, manufacturing process, and product cost structure. Production is separated by regions, technology and applications.Besides production and sales data, the report provides data on deals (distributors) and Buyer s, giving readers an insight into the supply chain and sales details of Construction Stone.Browse Sample Report:Table of ContentChapter One Industry Overview1.1 Definition and Specifications of Construction Stone1.2 Classification of Construction Stone1.3 Applications of Construction Stone1.4 Industry Chain Structure of Construction Stone1.5 Industry Overview and Major Regions Status of Construction Stone1.6 Industry Policy Analysis of Construction Stone1.7 Industry News Analysis of Construction StoneChapter Two Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis2.1 Raw Material Suppliers and Price Analysis of Construction Stone2.2 Equipment Suppliers and Price Analysis of Construction Stone2.3 Labor Cost Analysis of Construction Stone2.4 Other Costs Analysis of Construction Stone2.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Construction Stone2.6 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Construction Stone2.7 Global Price, Cost and Gross of Construction Stone 2013-2016Chapter Three Global Capacity Production and Production Value3.1 Global Construction Stone Manufacturing Base3.2 2013-2016 Global Construction Stone Capacity and Production3.3 2013-2016 Global Construction Stone Production Value and Growth Rate3.4 2013-2016 Global Construction Stone Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value and Gross MarginChapter Four Global Sales and Sales Revenue by Regions4.1 2013-2016 Global Construction Stone Sales by Regions4.2 2013-2016 Global Major Regions Construction Stone Sales and Growth Rate4.3 2013-2016 Global Construction Stone Sales Revenue by Regions4.4 2013-2016 Global Major Regions Construction Stone Sales Revenue and Growth Rate4.5 2013-2016 Global Major Regions Construction Stone Sales PriceIn conclusion, it is a deep research report on global Construction Stone industry.About Us:QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651
Anisic Aldehyde Market Forecast By End-use Industry 2015-2025
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Scented products are chosen by a large number of inhabitants. Considering daily life, products containing fragrance are preferred, consumed and utilized which in turn has resulted in increase in demand for global anisic aldehyde market. Anisic aldehyde also known as para-methoxybenzaldehyde is a clear colourless pale yellowish liquid with powerful aroma. Being an organic compound, it is used in both natural and synthetic form to provide fragrance and flavour. Anisic Aldehyde, form of speciality chemical is increasingly cited as a trigger to produce more scented and odourless products. It is found in vanilla aroma and in essential oils of fennel and anise. It is produced commercially by methoxytoluene using manganese dioxide. It can also be created by oxidation of anethole (an allied fragrance that is found in alcoholic beverages). Owing to its good persistence, it is widely used in perfumery and pharmaceuticals applications.Anisic Aldehyde Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe demand for anisic aldehyde is constantly rising with growth in fragrance & flavour, pharmaceuticals and personal care industry. An advanced chemical, physical & efficient property of anisic aldehyde drives the demand for global anisic aldehyde market. With progress in the global pharmaceutical market followed by high consumption in cosmetics and personal care, the global anisic aldehyde market is likely to expand at double digit CAGR during the forecast period (2016-2025). However, unexpected fluctuation in raw materials along with government regulations is acting as a restraint in the growth of global anisic aldehyde market.Request Free Report Sample@Anisic Aldehyde Market: SegmentationOn the basis of end-user, the global anisic aldehyde market has been broadly segmented into:Perfumes & FragrancesPharmaceuticalsPersonal & Home CareOthersOn the basis of regions the global acetophenone market has been segmented into North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Middle East & Africa, Asia-Pacific and Japan.Anisic Aldehyde Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global anisic aldehyde market is expected to register a double-digit CAGR for the forecast period. India and China is the major manufacturing hub for anisic aldehyde. As of 2015, Asia Pacific, and Western Europe dominates the global anisic aldehyde market in terms of market revenue. U.S., Australia and South Africa are few other countries having a large consumer base for speciality chemicals like anisic aldehyde. India, China & Japan are projected to expand at a substantial growth and will continue to contribute to the global anisic aldehyde market value, exhibiting a robust CAGR during the forecast period, 2016?2025.Request For TOC@Anisic Aldehyde Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in global bariatric surgery devices market are BASF SE, Atul Ltd, Neshiel Chemical Pvt Ltd, Parchem, AscentFinechem Pvt ltd and Elan Chemical Company and Nandolia Organic Chemicals Pvt Ltd, Global Essence, among many others.Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Specialty Silicas Market: China accounts for more than half of the total market share of specialty silicas in Asia Pacific.
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Specialty silicas are chemical compounds that are made predominantly from silica or silicon dioxide (SiO2). Specialty silicas are found in shape of chunks, sawed or trimmed blocks, round pebbles, and other shapes. Specialty silicas are widely adopted in food and beverages industry, footwear manufacturing, rubbers and production of green tires.View Sample Report:On the basis of silica type, the global silicas market can be segmented as precipitated silica sol, silica gel, and fumed silica. Precipitated silica sol is the largest market segment of specialty silicas market owing to the increase use of it in automotive tyres manufacturing. Based on the various end user applications, the market can be segmented in three different categories namely chemicals, rubber, and food and beverages. Rubber was the largest market segment of specialty silicas in 2013. It is expected that rubber will be also the fastest growing market segment in the forecasted period owing to the increase adoption of silica rubbers in environment friendly automotive tyres. The demand of Silica sol is mainly expected from growing end user industries such as paper coatings and semiconductor polishing market.Increasing global concern over environmental sustainability coupled with different labeling regulations by the government in different part of the world is the major driver of this industry. Moreover better performance specification of green tires made up of specialty silicas such as higher resistance, less rolling friction enhance vehicle fuel economy, and increasing consumption of processed food and beverage, are some of the dominant drivers of the global specialty silicas market.Asia Pacific is the largest market of the specialty silicas followed by Europe and North America. The growth is highest in Asia Pacific region owing to growth of the sizable Chinese market especially in automotive industry. China accounts for more than half of the total market share of specialty silicas in Asia Pacific. It is then followed by India and Japan. Middle East and Europe are the other two fasted growing market of specialty silicas attributed to growing export-oriented manufacturing industries in this region. North America specialty silicas market is heading towards maturity and a below average growth is expected from this region.Request TOC (table of content), Figures and Tables of the Report:Some of the major companies operating in global specialty silicas market include, Akzo Nobel NV, Cabot Corporation, Ecolab Incorporated, Evonik Industries AG, Gujarat Multi Gas Base Chemicals Private Limited, Imerys SA, Oriental Silicas Corporation, Solvay SA, and Zhuzhou Xinglong Chemical Industry Company Limited.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
FMI Releases New Report on the Cloud Business Email Market
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http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/cloud-business-email-market
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With the increasing usage of the social networks, chat, conferencing on the web, instant messaging and various other means of communications that are being used by the businesses, the E-mails are the most formal communication form and have remained the most prevalent form of business environment. Cloud business E-mail is an effective business email service that allows access, storage, sending and receiving of emails without the use of hardware or complex software. The global cloud business email market is growing at a good pace holding the fact that the number of small and medium sized businesses are increasing.Cloud-based business e-mails are getting greater importance and are seeing tremendous growth year after year. Most of the providers of these services provide more than just the mails and collaboration facility that includes Unified Communications, extra storage, Social Networking, File Sync and Share and instant messaging. The email services at first were targeted only to smaller organizations of limited funds, but now cloud email is seeing strong acceptance with businesses of all sizes across globe which is raising the global cloud business e-mail market.The developing industry of cloud computing has largely affected the global cloud business email market. A lot of small business technology needs are being taken care of by the cloud computing which is growing the cloud adoptions now a days.Request Free Report Sample@Cloud Business Email Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe increasing focus of the business on the cost and succeeding diversion to the agile solutions has raised the market of cloud computing at an increasing rate which has led to the global cloud business email market penetration. The most inducing factor for the growing cloud business email market is ease of access, rapidity, and collaboration. Increasing SOHOs (Small Offices/Home Offices) and SMBs (Small and Medium Businesses) may be a driving force for the global cloud business email market. The demographic structure of the global cloud email market has shifted recently that is inducing more and more mid-sized and large organisations that are migrating to this cloud email services which is raising global cloud business email market.Apart from the countless benefits of the cloud based business emails there are some major whys and wherefores that the consumers can restrict them from using it. The major restraint in the global cloud business email market implies to be the data security problems when compared to the commonly used hardware and software systems for managing data. Personal data such as addresses, banking details, photographs and telephone numbers are examples of information that can approve somebodys individuality and is quite often confined in an email. Increasing cyber-attacks, insider threats, government intrusions, and lack of standardization of the cloud computing may pose a threat to this well growing market.Cloud Business Email Market: SegmentationOn the basis of product/service type, the global cloud business email market is segmented as Cloud Business Email Providers and Hosted Microsoft Business Partners.On the basis of application type, the global cloud business email market is segmented as Dedicated Cloud Business Email and Multi-Tenant Cloud Business EmailRequest For TOC@Cloud Business Email Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global cloud business email market is expected to register a favourable growth for the forecast period, 2015?2025. North America (United States) is expected to be the largest regional market with reference to the global cloud business email market. Europe is projected to be the second largest market followed by Asia-Pacific and ROW. Asia-Pacific is projected to endure its control on the global cloud business email market in terms of growth rate. The key countries in the mentioned region are likely to be India and China as an outcome of the increasing pace of progresses in the enterprise sector and also the need for more efficient solutions into the IT services. Japan also contributes to the global cloud business email market remarkably.Cloud Business Email Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market participants in global cloud business email market are Apptix, Google, AppRiver, NaviSite , Intermedia, Microsoft, , Rackspace, SherWeb, GoDaddy, and SilverSkyBrowse Full Report@Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Market study on Purified Terephthalic Acid By 2020, PMR New Report
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Purified terephthalic acid (PTA) is a chemical which is synthesized from crude oil. It is majorly used to manufacture polyester fiber. Its end-user industries include textile and home furnishing where PTA is required to manufacture garments such as bed sheets, curtains and clothes.View Sample Report:The market for purified terephthalic is expected to witness noticeable expansion in the coming years with the growing demand for polyester, specifically in China. Furthermore, the country is emerging as a global textile manufacturing hub with low-cost labor further driving the growth of the purified terephthalic acid market. Polyethylene terephthalate which acts as a successor to PTA is also expected to make an impact on the PTA market in accordance to its end-user industries.Several growth factors such as growing per capita consumption in emerging regions such as China and significant growth of the textile industry is expected to boost the demand for the PTA market. However, fluctuating prices in energy sources such as crude oil required to produce PTA is expected to affect profitability of PTA manufacturers thereby impacting the growth of the market. Beer and other alcoholic beverage industries as well as household product containers are still dominated by the glass industry, which could be an unexplored market for PTA consumption thereby, providing new opportunities for the growth of the market.Asia Pacific was the largest consumer for purified terephthalic acid, followed by North America and Europe. Future market growth is expected to be from Asia Pacific as well owing to the improving living standards as well as cross-country usage of PTA products.Request TOC (table of content), Figures and Tables of the Report:Alfa, S.A.B. de C.V., CPC Corporation, Far Eastern Group, Honam Petrochemical Corporation, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co. Inc., Reliance Industries Ltd., Samyang Chemical Co., Ltd. and Saudi Basic Industries Corporation are some of major producers of purified terephthalic acid dominating the market.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Food Coating Ingredients Market Trends and Segments 2015-2025
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Overview:Coating is a major stage in food processing controlling a products development, arrangement, texture and taste structures. The procedure includes placing the product particles in motion and instantaneously applying the coating ingredient in a particular pattern to expose one to another. Thus, coated food ingredients are delivering unique possibilities for development of product, quality and processing enhancement. Escalating food processing industry will certainly drive the Global Food Coating Ingredients market in the coming few years.Global Food Coating Ingredients: Market SegmentationThe Global Food Coating Ingredient market is segmented on the basis of type such as fats and oil, cocoa and chocolates, spices, flours, starches, syrups and sugar, salts, hydrocolloids, and others. The Global Food Coating Ingredients Market can also be divided by application areas which includes confectionaries, ready-to-eat cereals, dairy products, bakery products, nutritional bars and snacks, meat and poultry products, vegetables and fruits and others.Request Free Report Sample@Global Food Coating Ingredients: Growth DriversInclining demand for health foods, rising intake of confectionaries along with ready to eat fried food and bakery products especially in developed countries are strengthening the growth of food coating ingredients market across the globe. Apart from this, the requirement for anti-microbial coating is also compelling the food coating industry to introduce various coating ingredients for products related to foods.Global Food Coating Ingredients: Regional OutlookThe Global Food Coating ingredients industry is studied for the major regions which include North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Middle East and Africa. It has been observed that North America captured the highest market share in the Global Food Coating Ingredients Market in 2015, this is majorly due to increasing confectionary market of the zone. The Global Food Coating Ingredients market is at budding stage in Asia-Pacific region with significant prospects for confectionary and dairy industries. Thus in the near future, robust demand for bakery and chocolate products along with significant agriculture growth in India and China is anticipated to have a progressive impact on Global Food Coating Ingredients industry in the next few years. Recently, the Indian government declared the initiation of several food parks which will boost the food and beverage segment in the country. These developments are anticipated to ease investments in food processing market and would bolster the Global food coating ingredients market growth in the coming few years.Request For TOC@Global Food Coating Ingredients: PlayersSome of the key vendors capturing the substantial market share in the Global Food Coating Ingredients Market include Cargill foods (U.S.), Archer Daniels Midland Company (U.S.), Dohler Group (Germany), Agrana Group (Austria), Tate & Lyle Plc. (U.K.) and PGP International Inc. (U.S.).Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Market study on Waterborne Coatings By 2020, PMR New Report
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Waterborne coatings are green substrates using water as solvent to dissolve a resin, making them environment friendly and easy to apply. These coatings usually contain approximately 80% of water with minimum quantities of other solvents such as glycol ethers. As per the U.S. and European regulations of waterborne coatings to have a VOC content less than 3.5 gallons of water, these are considered eco-friendly in nature. Various types of coatings such as water-soluble paints, water-dispersible paints, latex paints and water-based alkyds are used for a variety of applications including automotive, industrial, architectural, wood, and packaging.View Sample Report:Significant investments from certain large scale companies such as BASF SE, AkzoNobel, and Valspar among others to expand in quite a few countries of Asia Pacific and Latin America have been witnessed. Demand for green coatings in these regions have still been in the development and are anticipated to have a huge potential in the near future. Moreover, focus on R&D activities in the green coatings industry coupled with product innovation has also contributed to the growth of the market.Request TOC (table of content), Figures and Tables of the Report:Growing demand for non-hazardous, eco-friendly, low VOC green coatings from the end-user industry are expected to boost the demand for waterborne coating over the next few years. In addition, growth of the automotive and construction industry has also been the current growth factors for waterborne coatings. However, increasing use of other better performing green substrates such as powder coatings is expected to hamper the growth of the waterborne coatings market.North America was the largest consumer for waterborne coatings. However, future market growth is expected to be from Asia Pacific. Green coatings are expected todominate the market over the next few years due to the expansions by the major manufacturers in emerging economies such as China and India in the region.AkzoNobel, Asian Paints Limited, BASF SE, Hempel A/S, Jotun A/S, Masco Corporation, PPG Industries Inc., Rpm International Inc., The Valspar Corporation, and Tikkurila OYJ among others are some of the key players involved in the waterborne coatings industry.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Global Beverage Analyzers Market 2016 Industry Size, Research, Trends, Sales, Demand Review & Forecast
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A market study based on the "Beverage Analyzers market" across the globe, recently added to the repository of QY Market research, is titled Global Beverage Analyzers Market 2016. The research report analyzes the historical as well as present performance of the global Beverage Analyzers market, and makes predictions on the future status of Beverage Analyzers market on the basis of this analysis.The report studies the market for Beverage Analyzers across the globe taking the existing industry chain, the import and export statistics in Beverage Analyzers market & dynamics of demand and supply of Beverage Analyzers into consideration.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here :The 'Beverage Analyzers'research study covers each and every aspect of the Beverage Analyzers market globally, which starts from the definition of the Beverage Analyzers market and develops towards Beverage Analyzers market segmentations. Further, every segment of the Beverage Analyzers market is classified and analyzed on the basis of product types, application, and the end-use industries of the Beverage Analyzers market. The geographical segmentation of the Beverage Analyzers market has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the global market for Beverage Analyzers is determined by evaluating the various market participants, production capacity, Beverage Analyzers market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Beverage Analyzers market worldwide.Read More Research with TOC :The global Beverage Analyzers market 2016 is also analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Beverage Analyzers production volume, data regarding demand and Beverage Analyzers supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, and market attractiveness analysis has been used in the research to present a comprehensive study of the market for Beverage Analyzers across the globe.About Us:QY Market Research is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact Us:Joel JohnDeerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Web: QY Market ResearchEmail: sales@qymarketresearch.com
Global Delivery Systems in Personal Care Market : Estimated to Value US$ 543,373.2 thousand by 2020
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According to a new market report published by Persistence Market Research Global Market Study on Delivery Systems in Personal Care - Asia to Witness Highest Growth by 2020, the global personal care delivery system market was valued at US$ 345,287.3 thousand in 2014 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 7.8% from 2014 to 2020, to reach US$ 543,373.2 thousand by 2020.The skin is one of the most important and largest organs of the human body. The personal care industry is constantly working towards developing effective products to maintain the health and beauty of this organ.Browse the full report :Delivery systems are used in personal care to enhance active stabilization. The performance of cosmetic products is boosted by the stabilization of active ingredients on the surface of the skin through delivery systems, which deliver active ingredients to defined areas of the organ.Globally, the personal care delivery system market is witnessing significant growth due to increasing prevalence of skin diseases, harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, growing aging population and increase in disposable income leading to rising in spending on personal care. However, stringent regulatory requirements for the approval of cosmetic ingredients are key restraints for delivery systems in the personal care market.The global personal care delivery system market is anticipated to grow from an estimated US$ 345,287.3 thousand in 2014 to US$ 543,373.2 thousand by 2020 at a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period.In terms of revenue, Europe dominates the personal care delivery system market due to the increasing aging population. In addition, growing awareness about therapeutic applications of delivery systems is also contributing to the growth of personal care delivery systems market in the region.The personal care delivery systems market in North America is growing due to increasing aging population and availability of advanced personal care products in the region. In addition, increased awareness about potential applications of personal care products in the treatment of skin and hair diseases is also contributing to the growth of this market in North America.Asia represents the fastest-growing region in the personal care delivery systems market. This is due to growing geriatric population and rising awareness about various skin diseases in the region. In addition, increasing disposable income is also supporting the growth of the personal care delivery system market in the region.Request TOC (table of content), Figures and Tables of the Report:BASF SE, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Salvona Technologies Inc., and Lipotec SAU are some of the leading players in the personal care delivery systems market. Other major players of personal care delivery systems market include Clariant International Ltd., Centerchem Inc., Croda International Plc, Lonza Group Ltd, Minerals Technologies Inc., International Flora Technologies Ltd, Unipex Group Inc., Lipo Chemicals, Inc., and Glenn Corporation.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.ContactPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Lymphoma Treatment Market size, Growth, Trends 2020 by SMR
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Lymphoma is a type of cancer that starts from lymphametic cells which are part of immune system. The lymph system helps body to fight infection and disease. There are two main types of lymphoma such as hodgkin lymphoma and non-hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). These cells are present in the spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow, thymus, and among other parts of the body. Lymphoma can occur in both children and adults. Lymphoma cancer begins in cells of the bodys immune system. Lymphoma can begin almost anywhere because lymph cells are found throughout the body.The major driving factors of the global lymphoma treatment market are increasing prevalence of cancer, occurrence of various chronic diseases and rising geriatric population. Growing health awareness coupled with improved healthcare infrastructure is expected to bolster the market growth in the years to come. However, side effects of chemotherapy expected to restrain lymphoma treatments market growth. Moreover, high cost of treatment would hamper the market growth over the forecast period.Get Sample Research Report at :The report provides a comprehensive view on the lymphoma treatment market we have included a detailed value chain analysis. To understand the competitive landscape in the market, an analysis of Porters Five Forces model for the lymphoma treatments market has also been included. The study encompasses a market attractiveness analysis, wherein product segments are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate and general attractiveness. The report also analyzes several driving and restraining factors and their impact on the market during the forecast period.The report provides detailed segmentation of the lymphoma treatment market based on treatment and region. Various drugs that are used for the treatment of lymphoma include adcertis, arranon, adriamycin (doxorubicin), decadron (dexamethasone), baycadron (dexamethasone), deltasone (prednisone), dexamethasone intensol, dexpak taperpak (dexamethasone) and folotyn (pralatrexate) and other drugs. Based on treatment, lymphoma market can be segmented into b-cell non-hodgkins lymphoma and hodgkins lymphoma. Global lymphoma treatment market is expected to witness significant growth in the years to come.Browse the full report atRegional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand of lymphoma treatments in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa with its further bifurcation into major countries including U.S. Germany, France, UK, China, Japan, India and Brazil. The lymphoma treatments market is dominated by North America followed by Europe. Asia Pacific is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period. Rising disposable income coupled with healthcare expenditure would further boost the growth of lymphoma treatments market in the region.The report covers detailed competitive scenario including the company overviews, financial revenues of the key participants to develop their positions in the global market. There is some major manufacture in the lymphoma treatments market such as Johnson & Johnson, ABIOGEN PHARMA S.p.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Aeterna Zentaris, Inc. Abbott Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company and Merck & Co., Inc.This report segments the global lymphoma treatments market as follows:Lymphoma Treatments Market: Treatment Segment AnalysisB-Cell Non-Hodgkins LymphomaHodgkins LymphomaLymphoma Treatments Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.EuropeUKFranceGermanyAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilMiddle East & AfricaSyndicate Market Research provides a range of marketing and business research solutions designed for our clients specific needs based on our expert resources. The business scopes of Syndicate Market Research cover more than 30 industries includsing energy, new materials, transportation, daily consumer goods, chemicals, etc. We provide our clients with one-stop solution for all the research requirements.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sale@syndicatemarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Deferiprone Market 2016: Industry Value Share, Supply Demand, share and Value Chain 2022
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The 'Global and China Deferiprone Industry, 2015-2022 Market Research Report' is the professional and comprehensive in-depth analysis of the global as well as China market. The report provides quantitative forecasting and trends analysis on the Deferiprone market status. The report also provides important and manufacturers and key sources includes in the study which guide and direct companies and individuals interest in the industry.Request For Sample:The global and China Deferiprone market is affected by many internal and external elements. The report represents synopsis of the industry including definition, types, applications, DROS, technology and others. The report has provides forward-looking insight of the experienced team of analysts and researchers. The report includes major competitors in global and China Deferiprone us sources, tool and techniques use to gather information like company profile, product specifications, future trends, value chain analysis and 2015-2022 revenue for each company.The report helps to clear market picture with suitable schematics diagrams, statistical analysis, company profit, supply-demand and Chinese importexport. The global and China Deferiprone market is categorized on the basis of types, application, technology and end-users, geography whichever is applicable.The report has studies in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels and possible segmentation, dominant segments in terms of types, application, end-user, downstream demand, along with current market dynamics. Moreover, includes future projects in the market with most reliable information indispensable for marketplace.Access Full Report With TOC:Table Of Content:Chapter One Introduction of Deferiprone Industry1.1 Brief Introduction of Deferiprone1.2 Development of Deferiprone Industry1.3 Status of Deferiprone IndustryChapter Two Manufacturing Technology of Deferiprone2.1 Development of Deferiprone Manufacturing Technology2.2 Analysis of Deferiprone Manufacturing Technology2.3 Trends of Deferiprone Manufacturing TechnologyChapter Three Analysis of Global Key Manufacturers3.1 Company A3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Product Information3.1.3 2011-2016 Production Information3.1.4 Contact Information3.2 Company BInquiry Before Buying Report Here:Market Research Store is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Joel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 FREE (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803 FREEEmail: sales@marketresearchstore.comWebsite:
Successful launch of new scanner DENSOs innovative AT30Q for mobile data capturing
AT30Q
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DENSO celebrates 30 years of expertise in Europe and proudly presents yet another innovative product for mobile data capturing.DENSO releases the most innovative scanner technology on the market today. / The new AT30Q scanner brings compactness, lightness, and operability. / This brand new 1D and 2D code reader is ideally used in retail stores, on medical sites and in electronic factories. / Winner of the iF Design Award. / Further information on the QR Code, handheld terminals and scanners, mobile data capturing and DENSO Auto-ID can be found at http://www.denso-autoid-eu.com/en.html. /Dusseldorf. DENSOs innovative AT30Q scanner was just recently introduced onto the market. The successful launch of the new scanner is based upon its outstanding operability, overwhelming scanning performance coupled with various scanning functions, and its robustness and durability. Furthermore, the latest DENSO scanner won the iF Design Award in the category Product and convinced the judges with its aesthetics, practicability, usability and ergonomic design. Sina Haupt, Marketing Assistant at the DENSO Auto-ID Business Unit, is excited about the launch of this innovative scanner: The new AT30Q is a remarkable device and we are very proud of this scanner as it combines three major benefits help sales expand in a store-front use, supports an easy touch scan modus and also helps provide a more stable and fast scanning of goods at the POS. Further information on DENSO, part of the Toyota Group and inventor of the QR Code, the scanners and handheld terminals, solutions for mobile data capturing and DENSO Auto-ID can be found at http://www.denso-autoid-eu.com/en.html.The AT30Q scanner can be used independently at the POS; in retail stores for point cards and vouchers validation; at different medical sites for item control and medication confirmation; and in electronic factories for data collection during production. The AT30Q scanner has improved the operation time enormously by adopting a powerful reading algorithm which achieves ultra-high scanning speeds. The scanner even works for poorly printed labels the scanning performance is realized by a unique scanning algorithm. Sina Haupt as an auto ID data capture expert is very pleased with the AT30Qs outstanding operability: Everyone can scan barcodes with this great new technology. There is no need to get used to scan items anymore as the AT30Q offers a smooth and trouble free reading performance. Additionally, the user-friendly curved grip makes it easy to take hold of the scanner and helps decrease the operator's workload. Another user-friendly feature of the linear and 2D Code scanner: The pointer scan mode makes it possible to capture only the targeted code indicated by the central marker even when multiple codes exist in the reading area. In addition, the one-time scan of multi-row barcodes is achieved, which means that the user can scan a barcode with up to three rows at a time.Furthermore, it is possible not only to scan from a long distance, but also to touch scan. The new scanning device is able to replace 1D scanners and the users can take advantage of the scanning performance of both 1D codes and 2D codes with the same operational feel. Another great feature of the new AT30Q scanner is the overwhelming 360 degree omni-directional scanning capability. The area sensor scan engine offers a stress free scanning operation without worrying about the barcodes position. Therefore, the scanner is ideal for retail usage at the POS because of its 360 degree scanning ability, says Haupt. Another strong argument for the AT30Q is that all data can be protected against fraud with the use of a special secure QR Code (SQRC) that the device can be programmed to read. The device supports the new Secure QR Code by DENSO so that private information is only readable for a selected audience. Further information regarding all DENSO products such as handheld terminals and scanners for mobile data capturing, the QR Code and DENSO Auto-ID are available at http://www.denso-autoid-eu.com/en.html.For the European market, the DENSO Auto-ID Business Unit is the contact point for all information on QR Codes, mobile data capturing, handheld terminals and scanners. The durable and robust terminals and scanners manufactured by DENSO are used in storage, logistics, at the POS, in production and field & sales automation. Short and informative clips about the terminals, scanners and solutions of the DENSO Auto-ID Business Unit can now be viewed on YouTube. The clips include the 20th anniversary of the QR Code, a company presentation, and introductions of various devices for mobile data capture such as the BHT-1500, BHT-1400 and the GT20 scanner. Take a look here:QR Code is registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED.DENSO is one of the worlds leading manufacturers of mobile data devices. We follow one mission: Driven by Quality maximum quality in mobile data capturing. Decision-makers in the fields of retail, logistics and production rely on DENSO for their business requirements and in implementing the Internet of Things. DENSO is a member of the Toyota Group and is exclusively represented in Europe by the DENSO Auto-ID Business Unit of TT Network Integration Europe: http://www.denso-autoid-eu.com/en.html.DENSO Auto-ID Business UnitImmermannstr. 65 BD-40210 DusseldorfPhone +49 (0)211 88 252 450Fax +49 (0)211 88 252 502Managing Director:Takashi HaraMarketing Assistant:Sina HauptPhone +49 211 88252 403E-Mail:Sina.Haupt@denso-autoid-eu.comWebsite:http://www.denso-autoid-eu.com/en.htmlPress Contact:PPR HamburgRafael R. Pilsczek, M. A.Sinstorfer Kirchweg 18D-21077 HamburgPhone +49 (0)40 32 80 89 80Fax +49 (0)40 32 80 89 81Mobil: +49 (0)170 310 79 72
Moon Technolabs Pvt Ltd Celebrates 7th Anniversary
Moon Technolabs Pvt Ltd has achieved a point of reference this July, praising 7 years of business. The organization has developed from the fantasies of originator/CEO, Jayanti Katariya, to an organization with areas in noteworthy Swift Language, eCommerce, Taxi app, Kids game and latest trends of App development 2015-16. To observe, they welcomed representatives, clients, and business accomplices to the organization's office.He strongly believes in 5 Cs:-1. Customer2. Costing3. Communication4. Conscientious5. CalibreThe celebration will start with the opening discourse of the official executive of Moon Technolabs Pvt Ltd. He will familiarize guests with late accomplishments of the organization, and in addition with the latest trends of App development in the field of Swift Language, eCommerce, Taxi app, Kids game. Jayanti Katariya will likewise direct a presentation, reporting a portion of the new items on the most recent phases of development.The celebration will proceed with representative recompenses for the individuals who have made a critical commitment towards the organization's advancement and development, encouraged change of item quality, or helped with fortifying the organization's notoriety.We are planning to grow in both segments in services and our own product Moon Invoice, because we are getting very good feedback from international market and customer is really enjoying using our app, because our app is working with users own free cloud so user dont need to pay for cloud charges. So we are planning to raise funds in our domestic market to promote our MI apps.After the official services, the celebration will proceed with an exceptional announcement of increased clients strength from 340 to 390+ and a philanthropy closeout."We always look for approaches to enhance what we are doing with a specific end goal to fulfil the necessities of our customers and convey the organization to another level. We are happy to be famous as one of the business sector pioneers in the field of App development with increased project rate from 500 to 550+, Jayanti Katariya, CEO, says.All through the time of its presence, Moon Technolabs has earned notoriety for being best employees encouragement company which offers excellent programming for business customers. The organization's items are intended to improve numerous standard routine methodologies which require full attention from labourers which increased employee strength from 35 to 50+. These techniques likewise help clients improve their time and endeavours for illuminating more muddled and refined errands."We will continue putting time and vitality in our staff individuals, helping them achieve their potential through presentation to a scope of items, development techniques, and innovations in an assortment of atmospheres," he said. "Our customers' trust will rely on upon our proceeded with capacity to enhance their ventures. This is fundamental for each command."In future we are planning to move with the new computer technology called Virtual Reality. It artificially creates sensory experience, which can include sight, touch, hearing, and smell.Contact US :Moon Technolabs Pvt ltdCall us : +1(951)801 5251.Email : sales@moontechnolabs.comMoon Technolabs is a leading professional Mobile App and Website Development and IT software Developer company in India. An award-winning as Best mobile app developer in 2015 GESIA 8th Annual Awards. Contact Us on +1(951)801 5251.300 North LaSalle StreetSuite 4925ChicagoIllinois60654USAContact Us on +1(951)801 5251
Give Your Holidays An All-New Perspective With Rezortify!
www.rezortify.com
Finalizing weekends in India is a tough scene. Okay, so one or the other wont get ready simply because of the tough schedules, colleges, classes, deals and meetings. So planning weekends is almost out of the scene. Not because there are not much weekend escapades but because they are not in highlight. Being from a middle class family, we understand what the situation is. If head of the family is businessman, family wont get enough time and plans to have familyvacations. And if he is a government employee, they will wait for the LTC once in two or three years to visit.Now who is left the youth, the teens of the family? So they have already explored the cafeterias, nearby lakes, shopping malls, and have already been to places which are like 400 kilometres or more away.Now where to go? This is where the Rezortify enters. There are a plenty of resorts and weekend getaways near each of us, but they are invisible since they are not highlighted. The internet presents haphazard information. The ones who have done their marketing well, although are not that good, would make it to the top and the real good ones are hidden.is an ultimate platform that facilitates its users with a wide array of weekend getaways and resorts one can look upon on weekends and holidays! Rezortify is a resort discovery portal. Rezortify provides systematized information on various weekend getaways and resorts that you can head on towards on your weekends and vacations. It provides hand-picked results of various adventures, romance, family, spa and other getaways and resorts users can look upon on the basis of your inputs.Your choices... your tastes... your preferences... and your budget!And here we go... results that match your requirements totally perfectly!With a graph oriented approach, we look forward to make your vacation a hassle free experience!Let the holidays experience an all-new perspective!B 202, Nishan Royals, New Ranip, 382480 AhmedabadNikita MittalNikita@rezortify.com8791834570
Explore Global Military Radar Market Analysis & Forecast 2025
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This report shows the leading Military Radar market segments in various regions across the world. Details of top companies active across the global Military Radar market are provided, together with market size and forecast 2015-2025 for the main players across those areas.Key FindingsThe report provides a detailed analysis of the competitive landscape of the Military Radar market. It provides an overview of key Military Radar companies catering to the Military Radar sector, together with insights such as key alliances, strategic initiatives and a brief financial analysis.Download Sample Copy of this Report atReasons To BuyThe Global Military Radar Market 2015-2025 - Competitive Landscape and Strategic Insights: Market Profile allows you to:Gain insight into the competitive landscape of the global Military Radar market.Provides detailed company profiles of leading Military Radar companies and related systems manufacturing companies across the world.Analyse the activity of key Military Radar companies, together with insights such as key alliances, strategic initiatives, and a brief financial analysis.Table of Contents1 Introduction1.1 What is this Report About?1.2 Definitions1.3 Summary Methodology1.4 About Strategic Defence Intelligence2 Competitive Landscape and Strategic Insights2.1 Competitive Landscape Overview2.1.1 Lockheed Martin Corporation: Overview2.1.2 Lockheed Martin Corporation: Products and Services2.1.3 Lockheed Martin Corporation: Alliances2.1.4 Lockheed Martin Corporation: Recent Contract Wins2.1.5 Lockheed Martin: Financial Analysis2.1.6 Boeing: Overview2.1.7 Boeing: Products and Services2.1.8 Boeing: Alliances2.1.9 Boeing: Recent Contract Wins2.1.10 Boeing: Financial Analysis2.1.11 Raytheon: Overview2.1.12 Raytheon: Products and Services2.1.13 Raytheon: Alliances2.1.14 Raytheon: Recent Contract Wins2.1.15 Raytheon: Financial Analysis2.1.16 Northrop Grumman Corporation: Overview2.1.17 Northrop Grumman Corporation: Products and Services2.1.18 Northrop Grumman Corporation: Alliances2.1.19 Northrop Grumman Corporation: Recent Contract Wins2.1.20 Northrop Grumman: Financial Analysis2.1.21 BAE Systems: OverviewMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
ISBM Announces Its Collaboration with a British Multinational Publishing Company- Pearson Education
Indian School of Business Management and Administration (ISBM) was established in 1992 by a well-known NGO - Aeren Foundation. It is ranked among the top ten International B-Schools that provide correspondence education in management courses. ISBM has over 250 specializations and management courses. The institute today announced their collaboration with British multinational publishing and education company- Pearson to energize the educational content for ISBM courses in order to provide the same edge to their students with other students learning the same courses in other institutes.Speaking about the collaboration, Dr. Vinay M. Agarwal, Executive Director at ISBM said, We are delighted to have Pearson onboard with us which will give our students an edge over the other students learning the same courses in other institutes. They are known for their wisely designed learning tools which will help learners expand their knowledge and realize their potential. ISBM & Pearson together will be committed to provide educational services in all available media spanning the learning curve from birth through university and beyond.ISBM & Pearson will give the students access to their learning resources online. The content provided will include Videos, PowerPoint presentations and PDFs. Also, it will include mock tests and questionnaires. The highlight of the Online learning content is the Testimonial videos which gives real-time experience of the managerial concepts to the students. This gives the students an option to study anytime, anywhere as per their convenience.ISBM aims in providing Correspondence courses in management field, with specially designed courses for working professionals; from Diploma in management courses to the Doctorate level.For more information please call:Srishti Juneja / Sudarshana Sinha+91- 9584300789 / +91- 9008770181ISBM is a leading management institute in India offers Part Time MBA, Fast Track MBA, Best Online executive MBA degree programs in India.B/175 Ground Floor, Sushant Lok Part 1, Near Vipul SquareGurgaon, Haryana
High Demand for POS Terminals in Retail Industry Drives Global M2M Services Market
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The report is a concise description across 59 pages of the role that the global M2M market has to play in the retail sector. As such, the report calculates the size of the global M2M market in the retail industry currently, and provides a forecast to justify the predicted size of the market in 2020.The advent of machine to machine (or M2M) communication has revolutionized many industries in their manner of functioning. It is a major value addition to the various industrial activities, such as inventory tracking, parking control, supply chain management, fleet management, logistics, and warehouse management.According to the report, the key driver for the global M2M market in the retail industry is the increasing use of point of sale terminals in the retail sector. These computerized cash registers make it highly convenient for consumers as well as store owners and vendors to conduct transactions. Thus, it promotes a higher usage of plastic money over paper, making it easier to manage accounts.View Press Release Report at:However, the global M2M market in the retail industry is still being restrained by a globally prevalent lack of standardization. Since there is no global standard of deploying and implementing M2M services, it becomes difficult to maintain records and conduct transactions while moving between regions.One of the major trends explained in detail in the report, is the growing adoption of digital signage in the global M2M market in the retail industry. This is a digital code usually attached to an electronic document. It is essential to speed up the verification process of a user, and is therefore being preferred in many businesses.For Sample Copy, click here:The report provides a geographically segmented view of the global M2M market in the retail industry, in which it divides the market into the Americas, Asia Pacific, and the EMEA regions. For each region, the report accumulates all current data and posts regional results in terms of growth rates, market sizes and values, and a brief analysis of competitive presence.The report analyzes the competitive landscape of the global M2M market in the retail industry on the basis of its key players: Vodafone, Verizon Communications, Rogers Communications, Deutsche Telekom, and AT&T. the report also involves multiple prominent vendors of the global M2M market in the retail industry for analytical purposes. These vendors include Zazoo, USA Technologies, Siemens, Robustel, POM, ParkMe, N&W Global Vending, Metric Group, M2M Connectivity, Happiest Minds, FAS International, Coinco, Carriots, and Cantaloupe Systems.MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E : sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Bonding Wire Packaging Material Market Will Generate Revenues Of USD 2.9 Billion In 2020
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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Bonding Wire packaging material market 2016-2020" to its huge collection of research reports.Bonding wires can be made up of gold, copper, silver, and aluminum. The diameter of the wire ranges from 15 micrometer to several hundred micro-meters for high-powered applications. Bonding wires made of gold dominated the bonding wire packaging material market for decades. However, the industry is shifting toward the use of copper and other materials, which include silver as the new addition since 2010. The market share of gold in terms of volume used for bonding wire was more than 95% in 2007 and dropped to 40% in 2015 due to rising prices of gold. The remaining volume was replaced by copper and silver in 2015.Technavios analysts forecast the global bonding wire packaging material market will generate revenues of USD 2.9 billion in 2020.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global bonding wire packaging material market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers revenue generated from the consumption of bonding wires for packaging materials.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:APACEuropeNorth AmericaROWNew report, Global Bonding Wire Packaging Material Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsTANAKA Precious MetalsHeraeus DeutschlandCalifornia Fine WireMK ElectronOther prominent vendorsAMETEKEMMTECHInsetoPalomar TechnologiesRED Micro WireSHINKAWASumitomo Metal MiningTatsuta Electric Wire & CableMarket driverRising need for miniaturizationFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeMigration to flip chip packaging technologyFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendMigration to smaller diameter wiresFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Archer Communications, Inc. is excited to announce that it has launched the grand prize website for, Heather Swenson, winner of the 2nd Annual Emerging Artist Expo at The Corn Hill Arts Festival. We take great pride in our support for the arts, said Jeff Lennox, President, Archer Communications. And were excited that Heather now has an outlet to showcase her work. The Emerging Artist Expo, Sponsored by Archer Communications, was held
JANUARY 28TH CHAPEL HILL, N.C. 3 Birds Marketing, an interactive marketing agency that serves the automotive industry, is pleased to announce that it will be partnering with OMGPOP to add interactive online games to their platforms offerings. These technologically advanced games will allow dealerships to retain higher website traffic on by keeping visitors engaged with their online brand. 3 Birds development of this new application has already begun
A 1991 homicide cold case was bound over to Midland County Circuit Court after a judge on Monday determined probable cause for murder charges.
Michael Todd McIntyre, 51, of New Hudson, was arrested in March in connection with the 25-year-old homicide cold case of Diane Ross. He faces counts of first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder, each punishable by up to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Bond of $1 million for each count was continued after Mondays court appearance.
McIntyres attorney, Leland Burton of Midland, said McIntyre will plead not guilty to both charges.
I think thats where this ones going to end, Burton said before the ruling by Midland County Circuit Court Judge Stephen P. Carras, stating the case will likely go to a jury trial. He asked for the case to be dismissed.
There is no direct evidence as to what happened, he said. There is far more not proven.
Authorities say Ross, 43, was attacked by a masked assailant about 1 a.m. while sleeping in her North 11 Mile Road home, just off M-20, on Aug. 7, 1991. Her killer used a broken pool cue to beat her in the head.
Her 5-year-old grandson witnessed the attack. He ran to a relatives home for help. Ross was found lying on her bedroom floor, covered in blood, but still breathing. She died later that day at the hospital.
Ross had lost both of her legs to a blood disorder, and was confined to a wheelchair.
The cold case was reopened by Midland County Sheriffs Office detectives in 2012 and additional investigation began in early 2013.
At a preliminary exam on Monday, eight witnesses took the stand, including detectives Jim Gofton, who was on the case in 1991, and Brent Benzing, who with Dan Stark reopened the case in 2013. Others included Ross daughter, her son and Ross oldest sister and cousins.
Detective Benzing testified he had become involved in the case in 2005, when the sheriff asked him and another deputy to delve into unsolved cases. Ross daughter told the court she met McIntyre through her husband while working at a restaurant in Beaverton. The two used to drink at area bars for a very short time, she said. She recalled a disgruntled McIntyre chasing her and her husband at one point.
Tracy Pardee of Grand Rapids told the court her former husband and McIntyre met as coworkers at a factory job in the Grand Rapids area. Pardee recalled McIntyre needed a vehicle, so she sold him what she thought was a black Oldsmobile Cutlass. She said McIntyre was shaking and appeared nervous when he told her he had hit an old lady and thought he may have killed her.
I never said that, McIntyre said quietly to his attorney.
Pardee said McIntyre planned to leave town.
From 1991 until the time more relevant evidence was processed in 2014, Pardee said she assumed McIntyre had hit an older lady with the car she had sold him.
That still bothers me, she said, adding they were good friends at the time.
The two wouldnt see each other again until Monday in court, 25 years later, she said.
On Aug. 10, 1991, police learned that the license plate on the Cutlass was reported stolen out of Grand Rapids. Pardee said she filed the police report. Gofton, upon searching the vehicle, testified he found items that may have been involved in the homicide, including a white cardboard box with quarters inside.
Police would discover more bits and pieces after reopening the case in 2013, and resubmitted evidence to the Michigan State Police Forensic Science Laboratory in Bridgeport: a broken pool stick, cigarette butts, sheets and coins.
In the room in which Ross had been killed, there were large amounts of blood and defecate with small chunks of bone and brain matter scattered on the floor and bed, Benzing said. It led authorities to suspect it was a personal attack.
Prosecutors argued there was intent to kill due to Ross injuries. An autopsy indicated cerebral trauma, skull fractures and lacerations to her frontal lobes. The cause of death was determined to be cerebral trauma and ruled homicide.
Michael Fountain, Ross grandson, was five years old at the time of the attack. Fountain testified that he had seen a man in all black with a ski mask enter his grandmas room, where he had been sleeping. He said he tried to lie back down in bed to make it seem like he wasnt awake, but the man noticed and asked where the money was.
Fountain recalled getting jars with coins in them from underneath the bed for the man.
He said if I didnt tell anyone, hed come back and fix my grandma, Fountain said. Then he left.
Sandra Schlicker, Ross oldest sister, lived in one of three trailer homes on the one parcel of land where Ross and others lived. Schlicker recalled seeing Ross frequently. She said she found Ross lying on the floor making gurgling noises on Aug. 7, 1991.
There was just a lot of blood, Schlicker said. The whole room looked red.
Fountain had been standing behind her. Schlicker took his hand and they had gone into another room and tried to call 911, but the phone was unhooked, she said. They left for Schlickers trailer to call the police.
Prosecutors, based on reports from authorities, also argued the attack was premeditated because the assailant was masked. A witness testified on Monday, that Ross had become upset after taking a phone call from McIntyre, who was angry because Ross did not have money to pay him for installing a hot water heater in her home. The prosecution said this indicated McIntyre was familiar with the trailer home.
Kathleen Ludwig, Breast Health Program coordinator at the Center for Womens Health at MidMichigan Medical Center - Midland, was recognized as a positive role model and for her dedication to her patients in a ceremony on June 29 in which she was named this years recipient of the Bernard E. Lorimer Award.
Ludwig began her employment at the medical center in 1994 as a secretary in the Diabetes Center, and moved in April 2014 to her current position at the Center for Womens Health. Her co-workers, who nominated her for this award, said she provides a positive impact to all customers, including patients, family members and providers.
The Lorimer Award is like being selected into our Hall of Fame, said Greg Rogers, president and CEO of MidMichigan Medical Center - Midland. Its a lifetime award for an employees commitment to our medical center. Kathleen is very deserving of this award. Shes an exceptional employee and is a wonderful example of someone who truly follows our organizations mission, vision and values.
Ludwig accepted the award in the company of an auditorium full of co-workers, family and friends at the medical center.
I am honored to receive the Lorimer Award, she said. As the Breast Health Program coordinator, I help our patients navigate through each step of treatment, from the point of mammogram all the way to biopsy. I frequently talk with patients who are nervous or apprehensive toward their treatment, and its my job to put them at ease and make them feel comfortable about their treatment plan. As a breast cancer survivor myself, I hope that by sharing my experience with patients and their loved ones, it can put them at ease, no matter what stage of treatment they are in.
I would like to thank my co-workers at the Center for Womens Health and all those who nominated me for this award for their support and guidance throughout my career at the medical center. I always tell patients, We have a great team of people here at the Center for Womens Health, and well take great care of you.
The Lorimer Award was first given in 1978 and recognizes one employee each year who possesses the characteristics that Bernard E. Lorimer exemplified during his career as president of the medical center in Midland. Those qualities include compassion and concern for people, loyalty and dedication to the medical center through extended length of service, cooperation, a positive attitude and a willingness to help others.
4:39 p.m. update: Sheriff tells TV station that 2 bailiffs, gunman are dead at a western Michigan courthouse where shooting happened.
ST. JOSEPH, Mich. (AP) Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder says state police have secured the scene after shots were fired at a southwestern Michigan courthouse.
No other details were available on injuries, but Snyder tweeted that he was praying for those affected.
State police Lt. Mike Shaw says the department is gathering information but could not confirm whether there are any casualties.
St. Joseph is located in far southwestern Michigan's Berrien County, which borders Indiana.
Meagan Sherwoods heart is heavy for the families of the Dallas police officers killed last week and she knows the painful journey and void of the aftermath. She was 9 years old in 2003 when she learned her father, a Clare County Sheriffs deputy, wasnt coming home from work ever again after having been killed while on patrol.
We see you, we stand with you, said Sherwood, after reading the names of the fallen Dallas officers.
On Monday, as residents and law enforcement agents in Dallas were remembering the five police officers killed and seven wounded, Midland area residents and law enforcement were remembering them, too. The Midland candlelight vigil at the Midland County Fairgrounds also included prayers for two law
enforcement agents turned bailiffs who were killed earlier Monday in the Berrien County Courthouse by an inmate trying to escape.
Its great to see the support we had here tonight, said Midland County Sheriff Scott Stephenson.
Yet, he is saddened by the unrest all around the county and as close to home as Berrien County.
When hearing the news about Dallas, Stephenson said he was stunned and angry.
I had to wait for the entire story and let it sink in, Stephenson said.
Gladwin Sheriff Mike Shea attended the vigil, saying his heart goes out to the families knowing their loved ones are never coming home.
It can happen everywhere, anywhere, Shea said, noting there is no way to protect against such a threat. He sent a memo to his staff saying the potential is there and to stay vigilant and aware.
When Mary Fisher heard the news about Dallas, it was a stabbing reminder of what she endured in 2003 with the death of her son, Kevin Michael Sherwood, a Clare County sheriffs deputy.
I got the wind knocked out of me, Fisher said about her reaction on Friday when she learned of the shootings. Fishers son, Sherwood, was killed while investigating a vehicle traveling the wrong way on U.S. 127. The very car he was investigating slammed into his patrol car, killing Sherwood.
Fisher felt a need to respond to the Dallas tragedy. So after collecting her thoughts, she called Amanda Oster, president of the Midland County Sheriffs Office Community Awareness Team, to organize a vigil. The vigil was aimed at remembering those killed and injured in Dallas and to show support for local law enforcement.
By 5 p.m., everything was in place, Fisher said. Were a force to be reckoned with.
Then Monday, after hearing about the two bailiffs killed, Fisher said, It was beyond belief. I just pray God will help their families through this terrible journey.
In addition to Sherwood, Fisher and Oster, vigil speakers included Midland County Sheriffs Office chaplain, Roger Stauffer, and The Rev. Wally Mayton, pastor at Memorial Presbyterian Church. There were also bagpipes.
I suggest praying for understanding in this country once again. For all lives matter, Stauffer said, praying. The nation truly should not look at the color of skin, but people. Bring unity to this community, this state and to the world today.
Former paramedic and firefighter, LeaAnn Tutt, said she is infuriated and saddened by recent events, but said the vigil was beautiful.
Fisher said one of the best things people can do for families of fallen officers is to listen and learn to hug.
The Dallas incident occurred at a peaceful protest when sniper fire broke out. The shooter was identified as Micah Johnson, 25, of Mesquite, Texas. He told police he wanted to kill white people, especially white police officers. Police killed the shooter by detonating a bomb on a robot.
The Daily News will run a weekly Political Round-up, highlighting the campaigns of candidates for both the 98th House and 99th House races. All five candidates have been contacted and asked to submit items for the round-up.
In the 98th House District, Republican Gary Glenn, R-Midland, will be facing Democratic challenger Geoff Malicoat in the Nov. 8 general election. The 99th House race will have Democrat Bryan Mielke squaring off against the winner of the Aug. 2 primary between Republicans Roger Hauck and Robin Stressman.
ROGER HAUCK
This week I would like to focus on the final of my top three issues; taxes. Of course taxes are a necessary evil. They fund things we care about, such as roads, police, and the military. But they also go toward things we are not so fond of. Because of this, taxes are too high. My goal, once elected, is to reduce spending at the state level, and pass those savings on to you, the taxpayers in the form of lower rates.
Hauck will host a barbeque at 6 p.m. July 20 at 1150 E. River Road, Mount Pleasant. I hope to see you there.
For more information: www.rogerhauck.com.
BRYAN MIELKE
Mielke has earned the following endorsements:
Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union, the largest professional firefighters organization in our state, and has been working since 1934 for fair wages and working conditions for the brave men and women who serve our communities
AFL-CIO
For more information: bryanmielke.com
GARY GLENN
Glenns 2016 campaign last week continued to pick up endorsements and/or financial support:
RUSH PAC, the Rural and Urban Streets and Highways Political Action Committee of the County Road Association of Michigan, is urging taxpayers to support the first-term lawmakers 2016 candidacy. PAC treasurer Denise Donohue wrote, RUSH PAC is impressed by your understanding of local roads and bridges, and we are confident that you will translate that knowledge into action in the next legislative session.
Friends of Corn PAC, the political arm of the Michigan Corn Growers Association, endorsed Glenn. The MCGA is a grassroots organization of corn growers which endorses candidates who demonstrate strong support for Michigans agriculture sector and support policies that are important to the continued growth of our industry, MCGA executive director James Zook wrote.
Glenn received a $1,000 contribution from The Dow Chemical Company Employees PAC, which did not support Glenns candidacy in 2014. Over the last two years, however, as vice chairman of the House Energy Policy Committee, Glenn has emerged as the leading voice in the state House in support of energy policy reforms that would reduce Dows electricity costs, the companys largest single cost of doing business. More competitive energy costs are key to protecting the manufacturing jobs we have in mid-Michigan now, and to attracting the creation of new jobs we need in the future, Glenn said. Enacting energy policy reforms that will help protect Dow employees from further job loss will remain my highest priority in Lansing.
For more information: GaryGlenn.US.
GEOFF MALICOAT
Malicoat continues to receive endorsements from organizations representing workers and retirees in mid-Michigan.
We can continue to re-elect career politicians and hope that perhaps things will change, or we can forge a new path forward. We simply cannot afford business as usual in Lansing Malicoat said.
Last week Malicoat received endorsements from the Michigan AFL-CIO and the Michigan Sierra Club. Others joining Team Malicoat include the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters, Detroit Police Officers Association, Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union, LiUna! Local 1098, Michigan Association of Police Organizations, Tri-County Building Trades Council, and UAW CAP Council region 1D.
Both your record and your vision speak to your commitment to foster growth and opportunity for Michigans working families. We believe that you understand the many challenges facing our families, and we are certain that you will work hard to bring prosperity to our state while ensuring accountability and responsibility, said Brent Pilarski, LiUNA Local 1098 business manager.
Following the attack on the Dallas Police officers, Malicoat has reached out to law enforcement to express his continued support for officer safety. What happened in Dallas was a despicable act by cowards and only serves to tear at the seams of our society, Malicoat said. I pledge to support the law enforcement officers that go to work every day to protect us, not knowing whether they will return home.
For more information: malicoatforhouse.com.
Chandler Steele, of Midland, and a graduate of H.H. Dow High School, was named to the presidents honor roll at Oklahoma State University.
A total of 5,630 students were named to the 2016 spring semester honor rolls at Oklahoma State University, including 2,043 students named to the presidents honor holl for all A grades.
To the editor:
I suggest that you have painted much too of a pessimistic picture of Midland following Dows announcement of probable reductions in employment. This is indeed important news, and not likely very good news for the individuals involved. But I have lived in Midland through at least three similar situations in 1958, 1974 and 1986. Midland came through those situations quite well, and it was a much smaller city with a far, far less diversified industrial base than it has now.
In 1958, the Dow board decided that, largely because of economic conditions, there must be a significant reduction in personnel. Each major department was given instructions to reduce its payroll by 10 percent, and that the reduction was to come proportionately from all levels of pay and rank. Note that this is a reduction in total payroll, not head count. This was accomplished over a period of about six months, and done much more effectively in some departments than in others. Since there were virtually no alternatives for employment in Midland for those individuals who were let go, most of them had a very hard time for a while. Dow did what it could in providing help in job searches.
In 1974, Dow experienced a six-month strike by the Steelworkers Union. Actually, it was a few days less than six months, as the union workers would have lost a year of service for purposes of calculating retirement benefits if it had lasted six months. The plant was operated by salaried personnel for the entire length of the strike with record production in a number of plants. But this was very disruptive to the city and to all the people, salary and union, involved. The strike was settled with the help of a federal mediator. The union got a very good pay package, but the company got many work rules revised. As a result, about 600 plant production jobs disappeared. This probably had about the same impact on the community as the 1958 personnel reduction.
In 1986, Dow offered all eligible employees a package if they would choose to retire. Apparently the package was a little too attractive, as about 2,300 salaried people signed on, whereas the company had been expecting about 1,700. This resulted in a lot of newly retired people returning to their old jobs as contract employees for quite a while, and at the same time drawing their new pensions. The net result, however, was a shock to the city as a great many of the newly retired people left for warmer climates.
Our city recovered from these three shocks quite quickly and went on to better things. I think we can do it again and go on to better things, as we have done before.
RICHARD HEINY
Midland
NORMAL A Wendys restaurant in Normal was one of more than 1,000 U.S. Wendys locations where hackers stole credit and debit card information.
The company initially announced it discovered a hack in February. Additional announcements were made in May and July. The stolen data includes cardholder name, credit or debit credit card number and expiration date. The at-risk cardholder information does not include the three- or four-digit security code that is printed on the front or back of cards and sometimes used in online transactions.
The company has released a list of the 1,025 restaurants affected by the hack on its website. The restaurant at 1600 E. College Ave., Normal, was vulnerable between Jan. 13 and June 8, 2016, the company said.
Calls to the restaurant in Normal were referred to corporate headquarters. The Wendys at 1522 W. Market St., Bloomington, and at 1735 Bradford Lane, Normal, were not affected.
The company said it doesnt know how many customers had their data compromised in the hack. Wendys is offering to provide credit monitoring services and other protections to customers for up to a year.
We sincerely apologize to anyone who has been inconvenienced as a result of these highly sophisticated, criminal cyber attacks involving some Wendys restaurants, said CEO Todd Penegor in a press release.
Wendys first reported unusual payment card activity affecting some restaurants in February. In May, the company confirmed that it had found evidence of malware being installed on some restaurants point-of-sale systems and had worked with investigators to disable it.
In Illinois, the hackers struck outlets in Bradley, Calumet City, Carol Stream, Champaign, Chicago Heights, Decatur, Joliet, Kankakee, Manteno, Minooka, Mokena, New Lenox, Paris and Princeton.
DECATUR A Decatur police officer shot and seriously wounded a 40-year-old African-American man who reportedly was armed early Monday, prompting calls for calm amid an investigation by the state police.
Two white patrol officers responding to witness reports of a man with a gun encountered Lonnie D. Mitchell II of Decatur about 1 a.m. in the 800 block of East Main Street. Police said he was armed with a BB gun, which looked like a real gun, and had a knife strapped to his wrist.
Speaking at a news conference at police headquarters, interim Police Chief Jim Getz passed around pictures of the gun, saying, As you can see, the BB gun has the appearance of a real firearm."
Getz said the officers were Andrew Whittmer and Jason Danner. Whittmer, an officer for five years, was identified as firing the single shot that struck Mitchell in the chest.
Getz refused to take questions, citing the pending investigation into the circumstances.
Getz said in-car video cameras from police vehicles had captured part of the incident and that was being reviewed by by Illinois State Police investigators now probing the incident. The Decatur officers involved were not equipped with body cameras.
Getz said the investigators had interviewed witnesses and were working in cooperation with the Macon County state's attorney's office.
Describing the aftermath of the shooting, Getz said police at the scene provided Mitchell with medical attention and kept it going until paramedics from Decatur Ambulance Service took over. Mitchell was later rushed to HSHS St. Mary's Hospital.
The Decatur Police Department is committed to providing a fair, accurate and independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding this officer-involved shooting, the police chief said, asking that everyone remain peaceful and reserve judgment.
Getz, other law enforcement officers, community leaders and pastors had attended a Decatur prayer vigil Sunday night to seek healing and unity in the wake of the shootings in Minnesota, Louisiana and Texas.
We had such a wonderful prayer vigil last night and we'd walked out so hopeful and united, lamented Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe. There isn't a mayor or police chief or anybody in any city who wants to wake up to this kind of news."
She called for calm and patience while the state police investigate. Let's let the process work, let's get the facts before we jump to conclusions or take sides, she added.
Jeanelle Norman, president of the Decatur NAACP branch, praised the police for working to establish relationships with the black community and building protocols designed to be used in an emergency. Among them is the Area Leaders Educators Response Team, a group of local civilian leaders who work quickly with police to get information into the community to quell rumors.
BLOOMINGTON Three men have been arrested and charged in connection with a fight earlier this month at the Chuck E. Cheeses in Bloomington.
Another man is being sought, police said Tuesday.
Police were called to the restaurant at 1701 E. Empire St. around 6:04 p.m. July 2, in response to a fight. Police were told a large group of people were fighting and yelling, but when officers arrived, the melee had broken up and many of the patrons had left, according to a police report.
The investigation revealed that a fight initially broke out between two subjects and then expanded to include about 40 people, police said.
During the incident, a 3-year-old suffered a minor injury after a game was knocked over and struck the child. No other injuries were reported.
Police have not said what instigated the fight to break out.
Facing charges are: Nevin D. Funches, 23, of Bloomington, charged with mob action; Antoine C. Smith, 24, of Normal, charged with aggravated battery in public and mob action; and Demetrius D. Moore, 24, of Normal, also charged with mob action.
Funches and Moore remain in custody on $20,000 bonds. Smith posted $2,035 and was released.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Lawrence Thoon Johnson, 27, for mob action, but he is not in custody and BPD is seeking the publics help in finding him. He is described by police as African-American, standing 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 140 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. His bond was set at $30,035.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the Bloomington Police Department at 309-820-8888. If you want to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers of McLean County at 309-828-1111. If your call leads to the arrest and indictment of suspect(s) you may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
SPRINGFIELD Gov. Bruce Rauner announced Tuesday that he is convening a bipartisan panel to propose an overhaul of the way Illinois distributes money to local school districts.
It is widely acknowledged the current funding formula, which has been in place for two decades and relies heavily on local property taxes, does a poor job of directing state money to schools that need it most. In fact, a study last year from The Education Trust found that Illinois has the widest funding gap between high-poverty and low-poverty districts.
Rauner said his goal and the purpose of the new commission is to find a way to provide adequate and equitable funding to all schools in the state.
We are the worst state in America for funding our school, Rauner said at a Chicago news conference.
The states over-reliance on local property taxes to fund schools denies the American dream to low-income families because they dont get the same level of resources as higher-income families do, Rauner said.
Education is a fundamental right in America, he said. Its the way that people raise their quality of life, their standard of living, their incomes. Education has got to be the priority, and low-income kids deserve the opportunity for a good education just as much as any other young person.
The commission will be made up of 25 members, with each of the four legislative leaders appointing five members and Rauner naming the remaining five.
Education Secretary Beth Purvis, who will serve as chairwoman, said the group plans to meet at least monthly beginning in August..
Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, a point man on education funding for his party, will serve on the commission.
Barickman said the fact that Democrats havent been able to come to an agreement among themselves on rewriting the formula demonstrates the complexity of the issue.
The Legislatures like a bunch of cats, and somebody needs to herd them, he said. For the first time, we have a governor who is engaged and recognizes the problem that exists and says he wants to provide the leadership necessary at the statewide level for us to come to a bipartisan agreement.
The group will produce recommendations for an overhaul of the funding formula by Feb. 1, which should provide time for the General Assembly to take up the issue during its spring session.
Just before the states new fiscal year began July 1, Rauner and legislators reached an agreement on a plan for the upcoming school year that boosts funding for schools, but doesnt address the underlying formula used to divvy up the money.
Spokesmen for House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton, both Chicago Democrats, said they will appoint members to participate.
Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, has been a leading voice in his caucus on school funding reform and is one of Cullertons appointees.
Im of the belief that anytime there can be a public conversation between Republicans and Democrats representing all geographic areas and school districts in our state, thats a step in the right direction, Manar said.
The school funding formula has long been a contentious issue at the Capitol, dividing lawmakers based on party and geography while also highlighting differences between majority Democrats in the House and Senate.
The Senate has approved several school funding bills in recent years, including two versions this spring, that have languished in the House. The House, meanwhile, convened its own panel this spring to conduct a series of hearings on the issue.
NORMAL More babies born prematurely are expected to remain in Bloomington-Normal after Advocate BroMenn Medical Center begins 24/7 neonatology coverage in October.
"I'm super excited," Angela Philpott, a nurse in BroMenn's special care nursery, said Monday as she cared for a baby born at 34 weeks gestation.
BroMenn and OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington are designated by the state as level 2 facilities, meaning they can care for children born as early as 32 weeks gestation. Full term is 40 weeks.
Children born at younger than 32 weeks are transferred to Children's Hospital of Illinois in Peoria or Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana.
Preterm infants are at higher risk for infection, respiratory problems, temperature instability and immature feeding, said Dr. Duane Stich, medical director of neonatology for Advocate Children's Hospital in Chicago.
While BroMenn is licensed to care for newborns as young as 32 weeks gestation, some preterm infants at 32 weeks or older are transferred because their pediatricians aren't comfortable caring for preterm newborns, explained Lori Harper, BroMenn director of nursing practice in obstetrics.
"Our pediatricians are awesome, but they're not necessarily experts in neonatology," Harper said.
Neonatologists are pediatric subspecialists who care for premature newborns.
BroMenn said Monday that, beginning in October, the hospital's special care nursery will have neonatologist coverage, meaning that more pediatricians and mothers should feel comfortable keeping babies born as young as 32 weeks at BroMenn, said BroMenn President Colleen Kannaday.
"We are very happy that this service is being expanded in our community," said Dr. Aaron Traeger of Advocate Medical Group-Pediatrics, Bloomington.
"The impact that this will have on our babies, families and community is going to be huge," Traeger said. "We will be able to keep so many families intact and local by having the ability to keep neonates at Advocate BroMenn."
"We've been working toward this since before we moved into this building," Philpott said, referring to BroMenn's 2012 addition, which includes the mother/baby unit.
About 1,700 babies are born at BroMenn each year. Kannaday didn't know how many more neonates will remain at BroMenn.
The change is possible because neonatologists from Advocate Children's Hospital area will begin covering BroMenn, Stich said.
Eventually, three neonatologists will be hired for BroMenn, Kannaday said.
Nurses and other trained medical staff will receive additional training to care for neonates, Harper said.
Eventually, BroMenn will seek approval to become a level 2 extended care provider, meaning care may be extended to children as young as 30 weeks gestation, Kannaday said.
"A community our size deserves to have this level of service available to families," Kannaday said.
BLOOMINGTON Wanting to show that acts of hatred against any group or individual wouldn't be tolerated in the Twin Cities, Not In Our Town organized a prayer vigil Monday night that drew about 400 people from a variety of religious and ethnic backgrounds.
Things like this event help show the community that when tragedies occur, we empathize, we try to understand and we come together to comfort and console, said Martin Ross, a member of the local anti-discrimination group who helped organizer the vigil at First Christian Church in downtown Bloomington.
The unity you feel, the solidarity between different members of the community you see, demonstrates why Not In Our Town really makes people feel more secure, safer and included, he said.
Speakers represented several faith traditions in the Twin Cities, including Rabbi Rebecca Dubowe of the Moses Montefiore Temple in Bloomington.
There is so much happening in this world right now, and we need to remember that we have to respect, welcome and embrace our neighbors, she said. It starts right here in town, and we can demonstrate the love and compassion that we have for one another.
The Rev. Jim Warren, senior pastor of First Christian Church, said recent events have hit home with him because his family is multiracial.
In my own home, we have tried to instill the sense of love and equality in our kids, and what we can do begins with those personal relationships and goes outward to the community from there, he said. Building relationships with people who are different from us is so important, especially in these very difficult times.
The Rev. Kelley Becker, associate pastor of the church, said the vigil served as an opportunity for members of the community to come together to spread the message of love over hate.
Its important to lift up and encourage people who are feeling hopeless, and we want to spread truth and light into a situation that other towns and cities are experiencing, she said. We want to be unified and come together and have a place where people can see that there is so much love in this world and in our community, especially.
Bill Kellett of Normal said he came because he needed reassurance that something like the police shootings in Dallas, Texas, would not happen here.
I know our town is different and I cant see that happening here, he said. Yet, Im glad that we have people in this community who care enough that show that we wont tolerate that kind of hatred here.
Sam Ridgway of Bloomington said people need events like this where they can gather peacefully.
I want to be around people who are committed to making this area a better place, he said. I am thankful that we are a smaller community and can have something like this in a church, rather than downtown near a courthouse where its in an open area and you are a little scared.
Janet Merriman of Bloomington said she was just tired of watching so much confrontation on televison.
I wanted to come here, celebrate our great community and know that we live in an area where we can all relate to one another, she said. People are putting their lives on the line just by going out and protesting, but here, we are letting people know that we see whats going on in the world and we arent going to let it happen here.
Nathan Griffith from Teen Mom 2 called it quits with his most recent girlfriend, Jessica Henry. Nathan Griffith was Jenelle Evans ex-fiance who was previously caught in a lawsuit after she allegedly assaulted Jessica Henry when they went into Evans residence to get Griffiths things after they split.
Teen Mom 2 star Jenelle Evans and Nathan Griffith have been going through a rocky relationship even after they called it quits. The ex-couple continually fight over petty things, especially when it comes to their son, Jayce.
Jenelle Evans loathed Henry, which was even featured on one of Teen Mom 2s previous episode. It was revealed that Jessica Henry gave Jayce a haircut, without even consulting Evans, which got her furious.
According to Hollywood Gossip, Jenelle Evans got a sign of relief after news broke out that Jessica Henry and her ex-fiance Nathan Griffith ended their relationship. It was then added that Jessica Henry was the one who dumped Nathan Griffith, who seem to found a new love at this time.
Jenelle Evans and Nathan Griffith still havent managed to work things out, even for the sake of their son. The ex-couple went through a rough custody battle, yet they eventually agreed on the shared custody that was laid down by the court.
Despite his split with Jessica Henry, whom Jenelle Evans was not comfortable leaving her son with, the duo didnt show any sign of reconciliation. Jenelle Evans is now happy with her boyfriend, David Eason, who looks after her son as well.
Its just a lot of butting heads right now, Evans told People Magazine during an interview. I think hes really not putting all personal issues aside hes not making it just about Kaiser I think hes really jealous of David. Hes claiming Im letting Kaiser called David Dada, but Kaiser knows David by David I would never do that to Kaiser and I would never do that to Nathan because thats unfair.
Considered as one of the animated series not suitable for children, "South Park" season 20 is definitely one of the highly anticipated series to premiere this year. Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the series is set to return on television this September for its 20th season after more than nine months in hiatus.
Avid "South Park" season 20 fans have been enduring the long wait before the brand new season premiere this fall. So as they patiently wait, below are some information on what to expect in the hit Comedy Central adult animated series.
'South Park' Season 20 Will Be Another Short Season
It has already been reported that "South Park" season 20 will be having a new format. However, the details on whether the series will still adapt the continuity model of the last season or will be more episodic, with each episode having its own storyline remain uncertain.
One thing for sure is the fact that "South Park" season 20 will be "another short season." The reason? iDigitalTimes hints "South Park" won't be divided anymore into fall and spring for a midseason premiere.
'South Park' Season 20 Plot
For "South Park" season 20 plot, the online news site hinted the possibility that creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone will continue to follow the storyline of the series' season 19, where Garrison and Principal Victoria decided to run for a high political position in the United States. It also added that the upcoming season will tackle some real-life issues regarding the nation's election season.
'South Park' Season 20 Cast, Premiere Date And Video Game
"South Park" season 20 is scheduled to premiere on Sept. 14, 2016. According to Comedy Central, Stan, Cartman, Kenny, Kyle and the rest of the "South Park" gang will continue to be part of the series' television comeback this fall, Screen Crush notes.
In the previous Parent Herald report, it also teased the participation of Caitlyn Jenner and George Clooney in "South Park" season 20. But along with its brand new season, the creators will also be releasing the series' video game titled, "The Fractured but Whole," this holiday season of 2016.
'South Park' Season 20 Invading 2016 San Diego Comic-Con?
Meanwhile, "South Park" season 20 will reportedly invade the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con on Jul. 21-24 at the San Diego Convention Center. The centerpiece of the celebration will be the "South Park 20 Experience" where fans will be allowed "to explore and insert themselves into 20 iconic and fan favorite scenes," another Screen Crush report reveals.
"COMEDY CENTRAL AND SOUTH PARK DIGITAL STUDIOS KICK-OFF THE ICONIC SERIES' 20TH SEASON CELEBRATION AT COMIC-CON IN SAN DIEGO BEGINNING ON THURSDAY, JULY 21," Comedy Central said on the press release, as per TV Series Finale.
As for the future of "South Park," the series has reportedly been given a prior three-season renewal into 2019. With that said, creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker even suggested the series could be seen in video games or on a second film.
Are you looking forward to "South Park" season 20? Share your thoughts below and follow Parent Herald for more news and updates.
The November election is nearing and candidates are criticizing each other more than ever. Recently, Donald Trump's rumored Vice Presidential bet, Michael Flynn, called out Hillary Clinton on her pro-Black Lives Matter stance and the use of private e-mail for work matters whilst also proclaiming his support for abortion and proposed deportation policies of Donald Trump.
USA Today reports Retired General Michael Flynn's interview with ABC wherein he criticizes presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton. He says that the top Democrat presidentiable lacks leadership and responsibility in sharing her views on the Dallas shooting of policemen. Clinton is a staunch supporter of Black Lives Matter, a movement that fights against police brutality towards blacks.
ABC News reported last week the killing of five police officers by a sniper who is against white policemen, following killings of blacks in Louisiana and Minnesota by police. Even after the shooting of the sniper led to deaths of five policemen, Clinton is one of those who remains firm that black men are being punished unfairly by the police.
"White Americans need to do a better job listening when African Americans talk...about the seen and unseen barriers you face every day. We need to try as best we can to walk in one another's shoes, to imagine what it would feel like if people followed us around stores or locked their car doors when we walked past," Clinton said in front of a Philadelphia black audience as quoted by Los Angeles Times.
As per USA Today, General Flynn called out Clinton for the "irresponsible" remarks, considering that five white policemen had been killed. For General Flynn, it was irresponsible in Clinton's part to blame the whites. The general might have overlooked the part that the presumptive Democrat presidentiable also acknowledged the fallen police and the difficulty of the job they do.
Gen. Flynn did not stop there and went on calling out FBI for not recommending prosecution over the news that Clinton used her private email while serving as secretary of state (via USA Today). According to Refinery 29, Clinton had used a personal email since the first time she accepted the post in 2009.
The email account was hosted in a private server set up in her house. However, it was only after her four years in office that the public knew she was using a personal email. The State Department then asked for all of Clinton's professional emails on the whole duration of her service and found no sufficient evidence to file criminal charges. Obviously, General Flynn did not agree with the State Department.
Meanwhile, General Flynn is honored about the rumors that he might be Donald Trump's running mate. As per USA Today, Trump and Flynn might not see eye-to-eye on the issue of abortion wherein the former has pronounced his pro-life policies while the latter is pro-abortion, saying that the pregnant woman can decide if she wants to keep the baby or not because she will be the one responsible for the baby's upbringing.
When asked about same-sex marriage, Flynn did not comment, simply saying that what should be focused upon in the election is national security. He also supports Donald Trump's plan of stepped-up deportation because illegal immigrants are not allowed in the country (via USA Today).
According to ABC News, Flynn is a registered Democrat who was a former Obama employee but reportedly resigned after a clash with Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. He now serves as chairman and CEO of Flynn Intel group in Alexandria, Virginia.
Do you think Donald Trump and Michael Flynn would be a good combination to rule the United States than other candidates such as Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders? Sound off your thoughts in the Comments section below and follow Parent Herald for more news and updates.
While US is battling with the incredible rates on diseases like obesity and cancer, Zika virus tends to overtake and become the greatest terror of all, devastating around forty states now including Washington DC. The funding is not yet approved and hopelessly not coming in this season of mosquitoes, as reported by US Today.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention records 1,133 cases of Zika infection in the US and all of these came from travelers who went to the Zika-affected areas before entering the US. As per today, there are 320 pregnancies affected by Zika and another 279 in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Zika virus is feared to continuously spread throughout the forty affected states and even to the rest of the states. Some American citizens do not have access to healthcare and the failure to get the right help from the government will add up to the decreased rate on the regulation of the virus.
Things are going out of hand while the Federal Health expresses dismay towards the slow approval of the congress for Zika funds. There are around 4.6 million people to protect, there is not enough health care in Texas, the transmission of the Zika virus has started in the Gulf coast, and so on and forth. The problems are everywhere.
Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the school of tropical medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, says that "In the absence of federal funds, it all falls on state and county authorities," Dr. Ann Barnes, chief medical officer for Legacy Community health, agrees by saying that some people who got bitten will not notice that they are already carrying the Zika virus. This is mostly possible in areas like South Texas, where 16.8 percent of the population do not have access to health care.
The congress desires the Zika problem to be solved as soon as possible. However, some say that it is not right to "rob Peter for Paul...". Many Americans die of diabetes, Tuberculosis, and other diseases everyday and they cannot pull off the funds from these to solve Zika. Now the question of who gets what is still hanging in the middle of the tension. Will they allow the doomsday mosquitoes to finally conquer soon? Hopefully not.
Every year, the media covers campus scandals. This year has so far headlined campus controversies such as Stanford University's Brock Turner, Baylor University and University of Tennessee's handling of sexual assault cases, etc. When a soon-to-be college applicant reads this news, how would it affect his/her choices of colleges to apply for?
The Huffington Post reported a working study from Harvard Business School says that an educational institution, after facing controversy, would lose student applicants based on the extent the media reached to cover the issue. If the scandal is detailed in a magazine specifically The New York Times, expect a massive decline in college applications .
The paper's authors, Michael Luca and Patrick Rooney, analyzed the reports The New York Times did to cover campus issues. If the school's scandal was mentioned in the said publication for at least five times, the school's college applications dropped by 9 percent the next year. If it is covered in an in-depth article by any magazine, the school received a 10 percent drop in applications (via The Huffington Post).
The authors wanted to determine whether the drop in college applications for a certain school was driven by the scandal itself or by the media coverage. To do this, they looked at the schools that were scandalized but the issues were not reported by The New York Times or other magazines (via The Huffington Post).
The Huffington Post sets the mishandling of sexual assault cases of the University of Southern California and University of California, Berkeley in 2013 and 2014 as examples. These weren't covered by The New York Times or was reported on any lengthy magazine article that the said schools received an increasing number of applications from 2013 to 2015.
The study did not look at the impact of social media especially that in 2013, more people were into Facebook and Twitter than in 2001 when these sites did not even exist yet. A separate study should be dedicated for that; ultimately, this study notes that media coverage helps in making sure that implementation of school policies are in compliance with the law.
As per Bloomberg, the reasons why college applications for select universities drop are high tuition fees coupled with rising student debt, lower job prospects and competition from online programs. Liberal art schools are affected the most because students opt for more practical courses such as coding wherein they are more likely to land a stable job after college.
According to Money Crashers, when choosing a college to apply for, the student has to consider a host of factors. First, students must know their capabilities based on their ACT and SAT scores and whether or not they would qualify to a college of their choice. After narrowing down the schools, the students must assess the university's graduation rate, freshmen retention rate, student to faculty ratio, credibility of professors, accreditation, and available financial aid among others.
If you're considering colleges to apply for now, watch the video below and educate yourself on the factors you have to look at in choosing the perfect college for you. Shoot down your thoughts on the Comments section below and follow Parent Herald for more news and updates.
Dogs deserve the man's best friend label on them. Aside from being a loyal companion, dogs can also help with people's health problems and prevent illness attacks from reaching dangerous levels.
A U.K. charity Medical Detection Dogs has trained 75 medical alert assistance dogs that help people monitor different health conditions like type 1 diabetes. Active since 2009, these dogs jump up and put their paws on a patient's shoulder if their sugar level falls to dangerously low levels, or hypoglycemia.
How Dogs Do It
People with type 1 diabetes have pancreas that is incapable of producing insulin and regulate blood sugar. These individuals' condition puts them in danger of hypoglycemia, which results in confusion, disorientation, shakiness, and sometimes unconsciousness, CNN listed.
Experts don't know exactly how medical alert assistance dogs detect low blood sugar in their owner's breath. Dr. Mark Evans, a consultant in diabetes and general medicine at England's Addenbrooke's Hospital, released a new study that examined 10 chemicals present in the breath released by people with type 1 diabetes. Evans' research team found that a compound called isoprene doubles in number whenever a patient's blood sugar falls.
There's a possibility that dogs can detect isoprene's presence in the breath, a feat that is impossible for humans but is easy for dogs thanks to their excellent sense of smell. However, there's also a chance that the dogs smell other compounds that indicate low blood sugar aside from isoprene.
What The Medical World Should Do
Medical Detection Dogs acknowledged that the 75 animals they have trained aren't enough to help patients monitor their health conditions. At the moment, there are around 40 puppies being trained, though there's a patient waiting list and only those with the gravest conditions are allowed to seek the dogs' aid.
Alan Peters, executive director and founder of charity Can-Do Canines, said it would be hard for them to train enough dogs to assist people with disabilities. However, the medical world can fix this by examining isoprene's role in type 1 diabetes and then building a wearable device that can detect that compound.
Claire Guest, CEO and founder of Medical Detection Dogs, said machines greatly help patients, but dogs provide a different path to healthcare. Guest stressed that dogs are flexible creatures; they adapt well in different environments and can function even if their owners forget to monitor themselves.
Jud, North Dakota in the U.S. has the Emergency Medical Response Dogs. These dogs are also trained to detect diabetes-related fluctuations in a patient's blood sugar, but they're also capable of responding to epileptic seizures and seizures caused by psychiatric conditions. The dogs nudge their owner when they pick up something wrong.
"The Real Housewives of New Jersey" took an emotional turn today. Teresa Giudice returned home and it was an emotional moment for all!
The episode featured the whole family getting ready to greet and welcome Teresa who included her brother and sister-in-law. Teresa also sent notes to Melissa and returning cast member Jacqueline Laurita from prison. There were new cast members in the show- Siggy Flicker and Dolores Catania.
It would be right to say that almost everyone shed a tear as Teresa, who spent a year in federal prison, returned home in "The Real Housewives of New Jersey." There were cameras around and it captured the sea of emotions that the family was going through.
Teresa was in prison on fraud charges and her family: husband Joe Giudice and daughters Gia, Gabriella, Milania and Audriana were waiting to welcome her back home. This episode of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" turned out to be a tear-jerker for the entire family as well as the viewers.
How did Teresa feel while watching this episode of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey?"
"Watching this episode wasn't easy. It made me cry. Seeing Joe and my daughters waiting for me while I drove home with [attorney] Jim brought back a lot of tough memories," she wrote in her blog. "It was surreal to watch. I had waited for that moment for 11 and a half months and felt like it was a dream. I still do.
Teresa also told that she broke down when she saw her husband and daughters hug and kiss her after she walked in. It was indeed a very emotional moment for them. Teresa also expressed relief on being back home with her family after the long wait.
Teresa's stance on her brother Joe Gorga and sister-in-law Melissa Gorga also improved as they prepared for the holidays. They were also making all the necessary preparations to welcome Teresa back.
"It also made me emotional to see how excited Joey and Melissa were for me to come home," she wrote. "Things with them are better than ever, I have to say, which makes me so happy. I feel like things are back to the way they were with them, thank God."
"The Real Housewives of New Jersey" airs every Sundays at 8 p.m. on Bravo, reported E! News.
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Pope Francis reflected on one of everyones favorite parables. The parable of the Good Samaritan is one of those passages from Scripture that found its way into our living rooms and kitchens. Even if you know nothing about the Bible, you get the Good Samaritan, even if you miss some of the finer points.
Pope Francis unpacks the need to actually live this parable, rather than just discuss it or reflect on its beauty. It is a wonderful passage. I wish I could teach like that. Who doesnt? Jesus takes the worst person in the world and tells us to love him. Love him as we are to love ourselves. And by love, its not some abstract, Haight-Ashbury perversion of a human emotion. Its go over, pick the guy up, take care of him and give the cloak and extra mile, even if you have reason to hate the fellow. And what Samaritan wouldnt have cause for resentment and hatred toward a first century Jew?
Pope Francis walks us through the parable and emphasizes the importance of living it. But note well. He emphasizes actually living it. Somewhere, and I dont know where, we seem to have forgotten that its how we actually live our life that matters. It isnt how we vote, what causes we follow, what ideologies we cling to, or what opinions we have that define us. They certainly reflect us. And depending on what we follow, it might suggest that somewhere along the line our lives need a reboot.
Not that political ideas or social theories are bad or pointless to worry about. Of course they arent. But they dont define the person. In fact, as I look around, I cant help but notice people are far more complex than an election map divided into Red State/Blue State.
Righteousness based on fealty to geopolitical theories and international treaties, rather than how we treat that person sitting next to us in church, is missing the mark. Or neglecting that coworker who just screwed us out of a promotion. Or ripping that person who called me out on the internet. Or dismissing that person who actually hates us because of our skin color. Ouch. Id rather my righteousness be based on who I vote for or what my opinions about Irans nuclear program happen to be. That way if Im wrong, its probably someone else who will pay the price anyway.
When my righteousness is based on how I treat people around me first and foremost, thats when it gets yucky. I dont want to love all of them. I dont want to forgive them if they wronged me. Some days Id rather not be Christian if it means reaching out to them! But alas, that is the measuring stick against which I will be measured. Im sure where I stand on the issues might reflect things in my heart. But be careful Dave! Just because others disagree with you doesnt mean they are inherently wicked or stupid individuals. Thats the worlds way of arguing. Why not? The world has nothing else but its own ideologies. But I have God.
So well said Pope Francis. I hope we come away from his statements realizing the pathway to being a Good Samaritan doesnt stop with where I stand on the issue of immigration or civil rights or gun control or global warming. It begins, if not ends, with how many people Ive met and actually loved. How many immigrants have I invited into my house? If Im nowhere near immigrants, who am I to tell those who are how to live? What have I personally dont for the environment? Have I decried gun violence under the rhetoric of Raca and Fool? Go next door to my neighbor first, especially if he screwed me over in a property dispute, and give that cup of cold water. Thats where I can begin.
Again, this is not the vague, hippy way of love, but the real, honest to goodness, agape way to love. I can stand on my high horse and decry the wrong thinking about issues like our foreign policy all day long. But when was the last time I crossed the road to give my all for that fellow who recently shafted me or my family? I cant help but think that last question, rather than where I stand on the latest political issue, will be among the first Im asked when the time comes to meet my Maker.
It was on this day in 1804 that Alexander Hamilton, former chief of staff to General George Washington, founder of Americas financial system, a principal author of the Federalist Papers, founder of the US Coast Guard, founder of the New York Post, and first Secretary of the Treasury died, lingering for a day after being shot during a duel with former Vice-President Aaron Burr.
Small wonder his story could become the subject of a Broadway musical. What is more surprising is that it hadnt happened before.
Born, as they used to say, out of wedlock, raised in the West Indies and an immigrant to this country, he managed to get an education at what we now call Columbia University. During the revolution he rose quickly in the ranks eventually becoming General Washingtons chief of staff. And after the war he became a principal player in the establishment of the Republic.
While a strong Federalist he so opposed Aaron Burr that in the deadlocked 1800 presidential race, Hamiltons support for Jefferson secured enough votes in the House for him to prevail. By the then established system, Burr became vice-president. In 1804 Burr then attempted to run for governor of New York. He was defeated. In the maelstrom that followed a letter was produced by a third party that alleged Hamilton has said some scurrilous remarks about the former vice-president. Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel.
The duel took place yesterday, two hundred and twelve years ago. Witnesses could not agree as to which man fired first. Hamiltons bullet went wild. Burrs hit home.
Hamilton lingered until the next day, when he died.
And, as such things sometime happen, he entered the halls of the immortals.
Jailed Iranian Human Rights Defender's Mother Calls On Rohani To Intervene
07/12/16 Source: RFE/RL
The mother of jailed Iranian human rights defender Narges Mohammadi has called on President Hassan Rohani to intervene in the case of her daughter, who has been on hunger strike for two weeks. Mohammadi, one of Iran's top rights activists, has reportedly refused to eat since June 27 to protest a refusal by prison officials to allow her to speak to her Paris-based children on the phone.
file photo: Narges Mohammadi with her children, Ali (left) and Kiana (right)
"In this country, being a mother is a crime," writes Mohammadi's mother, Ozra Bazargan, in an open letter addressed to Rohani.
Bazargan called on Rohani to work to allow Mohammadi to speak to her 9-year-old twins.
She added that, as an Iranian citizen and a mother, she expects Rohani to intervene to so that "the life of my daughter is not endangered further."
Amnesty International says Mohammadi suffers from several medical conditions and the hunger strike "critically endangers her health and life."
Mohammadi, the deputy head of the Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC), which was co-founded by Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi, was recently sentenced to 16 years in prison after being convicted of charges connected to her human rights activism.
The sentence was condemned by rights groups and the UN's high commissioner for human rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein.
Copyright (c) 2016 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
Anniversary of Iran Nuclear Deal: Neocons Still Anti-Diplomacy
07/12/16
By Ali Gharib (source: LobeLog)
Michael Makovsky, the head of the neocon outfit, the Jewish Institute for National Security A ffairs
There is going to be a storm of hot takes to mark the upcoming anniversary of the Iran nuclear deal. And the first drops are already falling. The take that caught my eye at this early stage is a curtain-raiser exemplar of neoconservative thought a year after the accord. It comes our way in the pages of the Weekly Standard, authored by Michael Makovsky, the head of the neocon outfit, the Jewish Institute for National Security A ffairs . Makovskys piece is worth looking at in detail because it succinctly rounds up so many points that were likely to see again and again from other hawks as the anniversary of the nuclear deal approaches and passes. Makovskys essay contains both the large and small flaws of the arguments against diplomacy with Iran. Few of the arguments are new. Opponents of talks with Iran used the same ones before talks even got underway.
Makovsky gives the immediate benefits of the nuclear deal a paragraph, with the technical specs summed up in a sentence. So far, so good. But Makovsky doesnt like the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), so you know the other shoe is going to drop. And it does:
However, these are relatively temporary benefits. In seven years, Iran can begin R&D and production of advanced centrifuges that are 25 times faster than existing ones. And within 14 years, all meaningful restrictions on Irans nuclear program fall away, freeing it to pursue a robust nuclear weapons capability, legally and legitimately. The JCPOA doesnt cut off Irans pathway to nuclear weapons, but paves it.
If that line about Irans path to a nuclear weapon being paved by the nuclear deal sounds familiar, its because right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used the same line time and again even before the deal was signed. No surprises there: neocons opposing the Iran deal have long since been taking their cues from Netanyahu and his Likud party.
Then theres that line, with my emphasis, about Iran being free to pursue a robust nuclear weapons capability, legally and legitimately. Thats just not true. Iran is still a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which was ratified by Irans legislature, meaning it carries the force not only of international law but Iranian law as well. So, if Iran were to pursue nuclear weapons, it would be doing so illegally. This remains true with or without the Iran nuclear deal, and Makovsky pretending otherwise makes a joke of his argument. If this purported scholar were worried about little things like being honest-or correct-he might have simply said that Iran would be free to illegally pursue nuclear weapons and do so effectively because many of the restrictions had fallen away. But honesty and accuracy dont exactly seem like high priorities here.
Next, Makovsky laments that hes not getting enough information about Irans nuclear program. He complains that Iran has been allowed to self-inspect suspicious facilities. Kelsey Davenport, of the Arms Control Association, told me that self-inspection only took place once, at Parchin, a site suspected to have been used for nuclear trigger testing in the early 2000s-and which has since been paved over. The site remains a focus of Washington hawks, but its not really relevant to Irans nuclear program going forward. Makovsky notes that reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) now provide less information than before by which to judge Irans nuclear program. Davenport says that this is partially correct. The public reports contain less and less detailed information-centrifuge and stockpile information isnt made available. But, says Davenport, the IAEA certainly knows more-thanks to the heightened inspections regime imposed by the Iran nuclear deal. Moreover, in cases when Irans stockpiles surpass the limits set by the deal, the specifics are indeed made public. Makovsky should be able to judge that just fine, though I suspect his judgments will surprise no one.
Reformed Enough?
Makovsky is sure that the Iranian regime is growing more radical by the day, emboldened by the nuclear deal. Hes upset that Iran remains a hostile regime in general, citing statements by Iranian political elites proclaiming their anti-Americanism. Of course, Makovsky himself, not to mention a host of American, Israeli, and Saudi Arabian political elites, could be said to be bragging about their own anti-Iranianism, but never mind that.
The more salient point here is that no one promised that Iran would suddenly become a liberal Western democracy with the advent of the nuclear deal. Rather, the hope is that Irans radicalism will lessen over time as the economy improves and new trade opens up more links with other nations. (This is not a sure thing, but the path toward confrontation with Iran-one pushed relentlessly by neocons like Makovsky-hadnt yielded a more moderate Iran either.) Ive written before that the human rights situation in Iran is likely to get worse before it gets better. Reactionaries still control the security apparatus and the judiciary, not to mention the supreme leadership. This dynamic could well extend to Irans foreign policy. That Iran would suddenly start acting all Sweden was always a straw man-ironically one leveraged by both the deals overly sanguine boosters and ardent critics alike.
That Iran would continue to act in some circumstance as a bad actor, or at least a nuisance, shouldnt surprise anyone. Ironically, many of the people who oppose the deal-and have done so since diplomacy got underway-also made a point of emphasizing that Irans nuclear program was the greatest threat facing our world (Netanyahus words). By reducing the threat from Irans nuclear program, the world didnt resolve every issue with Irans regime, just the biggest one. Reforming Iran will be a much longer struggle than the few years of diplomacy it took to get the deal.
With Iran still not fully reformed, what, then, about the cash Iran gets thanks to the nuclear accord? In this case, too, neocons are making the perfect the enemy of the good-something theyve done throughout the talks and the signing of the accord. Makovsky laments this windfall-though really this is Iran getting back its own money not a bag of cash dropped in its lap. However, he acknowledges that this sum is perhaps not as much as critics feared. Thats probably because critics, again taking cues from Netanyahus government, hauled out one misleading figure after another to quantify the benefits of the nuclear deal to Iran. Makovsky predicted that Iran would get $150 billion but acknowledges today it only got $30 billion.
A Better Deal?
In this case, as with many arguments against the accord, many opponents of diplomacy with Iran constantly blathered on about how they just wanted a better deal when they actually wanted no deal at all. Makovsky himself has written about this unicorn of a better deal. There is no plausible scenario in which Iran would have accepted a deal to severely curtail its nuclear program without access to the funds frozen by sanctions.
After pooh-poohing Irans windfall, Makovsky gets into a huff about American credibility. As always, this line of argumentation is specious. Makovsky is especially upset on behalf of the Israelis: By agreeing to the JCPOA, the United States abandoned its longstanding Israeli and Arab allies. But of course this statement ignores that many in Israels security establishment-rather than its Likudnik political leadership-at least latently, if not explicitly, support the Iran deal. This applies even to some of Makovskys fellow right-wingers.
Makovsky also asserts that damaged U.S. credibility allowed Russia to become more deeply involved in Syria and also sell Iran surface-to-air missiles. He adds, Reflecting this new reality, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, perhaps the most pro-American leader in the world, has met with [Vladimir] Putin in Moscow four times in the last year. Thats right: Makovsky is blaming the United States for Netanyahus new coziness with Putin. Everything, you see, is Obamas fault, and Netanyahu deserves blame for absolutely nothing.
Toward the end of his piece, Makovsky makes a stunning assertion: There has been one very positive if unintended consequence: The Sunni Arabs have felt compelled to collaborate more closely with Israel and with one another. So, Israels greater closeness to the retrograde dictatorships of the Gulf-illiberal and undemocratic to a degree that puts Iran to shame not to mention their occasional support for terrorism-is the only good thing about the nuclear deal. One would think that curtailing Irans nuclear program deserves some accolades, but apparently not.
Perhaps thats because Makovsky never wanted a deal at all. He doesnt support diplomacy and never did. Instead, he made his intentions clear in a 2012 talk at the United Kingdoms leading neoconservative think-tank: Now the only way to fully resolve the problem is regime change. If thats your line of thinking, theres no deal-better or otherwise-to support. Makovsky and likeminded hawks have made absolutely clear that they oppose diplomacy not because of the consequences but because of diplomacy itself.
About the Author:
Ali Gharib is a New York-based journalist on U.S. foreign policy with a focus on the Middle East and Central Asia. His work has appeared at Inter Press Service, where he was the Deputy Washington Bureau Chief; the Buffalo Beast; Huffington Post; Mondoweiss; Right Web; and Alternet. He holds a Master's degree in Philosophy and Public Policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science. A proud Iranian-American and fluent Farsi speaker, Ali was born in California and raised in D.C.
Iran says it has regained 80% of its lost oil market share
07/12/16
Source: Press TV
Iran says it has already regained about 80 percent of the market share it held before the US and European Union tightened sanctions on its oil industry in 2012.
Iran says its ability to export about 2 million barrels per day means that it has already regained 80 percent of the market share it lost as a result of the sanctions.
Iran says its ability to export about 2 million barrels per day means that it has already regained 80 percent of the market share it lost as a result of the sanctions.
Mohsen Qamsari, the director of international affairs of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), has told Bloomberg that Iran's success to regain a major share of its lost market has been materialized through the country's ability to export about 2 million barrels of crude oil per day.
"We are not very far away from our pre-sanctions peak and we will soon attain that share," said Qamsari. "Our exports peak is above 4 million barrels a day, and we have plans for that and are waiting for the right conditions," he added.
The official emphasized that Iran will proceed with increasing its oil exports so long as the increase in shipments is absorbed by global markets.
"Our policy is not to stockpile oil in floating offshore storage," he said. "In other words, we produce as much as we think the market would absorb."
Qamsari further said that Iran is shipping about 25 percent of its exports to European buyers. NIOC is selling bigger volumes in Asia, though it hasn't increased the number of supply contracts in that region, he added.
"Most of our oil transactions and agreements are long-term-based, leaving a small portion for spot sale," the official has been quoted as saying by Bloomberg. "We are right now in negotiations with many companies, both in Europe and Asia," he said, without identifying any of them. Iran is taking payments for some sales in euros, he said.
Iranian musician composing opera on Nezami for Germany
07/12/16
Source: Tehran Times
TEHRAN -- Iranian musician Nader Mashayekhi has been commissioned by the Berlin State Opera to compose an opera on Nezami Ganjavi (c. 1141-1209 CE), the greatest romantic epic poet in Persian literature who brought a colloquial and realistic style to the Persian epic.
"At present, Iran has received the attention of the world, and there are groups that want to present Iranian culture," Mashayekhi, the former conductor of the Tehran Symphony Orchestra, told the Persian service of ISNA on Monday.
"Therefore, Germany has assigned me the task," he stated and added that a German orchestra is scheduled to perform the opera in March 2017.
Mashayekhi said that the characters of Nezami's poems come to life in the opera.
He described Nezami as one of those Persian poets who focused on woman characters. He also referred to Ferdowsi, the composer of the Shahnameh, as another Persian poet who has shown interest in woman characters.
"Ferdowsi saw women as heroes in his poetry, but women in Nezami's works neatly reflect various characters," Mashayekhi explained comparing the two poets.
A poem by Nezami Ganjavi: Khosrow Parviz discovers Shirin bathing in a pool
Created: Mid 16th century, Safavid dynasty)
Nezami's reputation rests on his Khamseh, which was inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register list in May 2011.
It is a pentalogy of poems written in Masnavi verse form (rhymed couplets) and totaling 30,000 couplets.
These five poems include the didactic work Makhzan ol-Asrar (The Treasury of Mysteries), three traditional love stories of Khosrow and Shirin, Leili and Majnun, and Haft Paykar, and the Eskandar-nameh, which records the adventures of Alexander the Great.
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Microsoft is bringing the dream of the Star Trek universal translator to businesses later this year with the launch of a new beta feature that offers live captioning of Skype for Business meeting broadcasts in 40 languages.
Using Microsofts Bing Translator technology, speakers will be able to talk in one of a handful of supported native languages, and their viewers will be able to view computer-generated text translation of whats being said.
Skype Meeting broadcast is designed to allow a small number of speakers to broadcast a presentation to up to 10,000 viewers, for webinars, company meetings and other large occasions. Right now, those viewers can only hear the presentation in whatever language the speaker is using, but this translation feature will help bridge that language barrier.
This launch brings a cool feature to Skype for Business thats based on technology previously used in the consumer version of Skype. It comes at a time when the company is pushing hard to get Skype for Business in use at as many companies as possible. Microsoft faces stiff competition in that arena both from established players and upstarts like Slack and Hipchat.
Last year, Skype introduced Translator to consumers, which handles live, person-to-person transcriptions in calls and text messages. This feature is a pared-down version of what Translator doesMeeting Broadcast is built for situations where only one person is speaking at a time, without cross-talkbut it has serious implications for business users who want to reach an international audience.
The feature may also be a boon to hearing-impaired users, who will now be able to get live captions from feeds that are sent over Skype Meeting Broadcast.
Microsoft hasnt set an official release date for the feature, and the company hasnt yet said which input languages are available. The back end of the system is powered by Bing Translator, which can handle voice input in seven different languages, but they may not all be supported by Skype for Business when the translation feature launches.
All of that news is part of an expansion of Skype for Business features that Microsoft announced at its Worldwide Partner Conference in Toronto on Tuesday morning. Other changes include the launch of a Skype Operations Framework, which is designed to help guide Microsoft partners and customers in deploying and operating the business communication software.
On top of all that, the services PSTN Conferencing feature, which lets people call into Skype for Business meetings using a regular phone rather than an app, now works in 92 countries. This month, Microsoft added support for Venezuela, Uruguay, Vietnam and Kenya, in addition to countries that the feature already supported.
Nvidias going through some growing pains as it contends with a fresh graphics card architecture in the wild and the glorious new frontier of virtual reality.
Owners of the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 and GTX 1070 are reporting VR performance and compatibility issues for the new Pascal-based graphics cards. Fortunately, both will be fixed soon.
DisplayPort fail
The first problem to crop up on the 1080 and 1070 was an issue surrounding incompatibility between the two cards DisplayPort connections and the HTC Vive headset. Numerous people online took to Nvidias forums to complain the DisplayPort simply wouldnt work with the Vive on the 10-series graphics cards.
Toms Hardware later confirmed this and found the problem did not affect older GeForce cards. Nvidia then posted a comment on its user forums acknowledging the issue. The company now says it has figured out a solution for the problem, and it will be fixed with a new Game Ready driver release before Friday.
In the meantime, HTC Vive users will have to use their HDMI ports instead.
No Boost
But that wasnt the only VR-related issue. The 368.69 driver Nvidia released a week ago broke the GTX 1080s boost clock in VR games, as first detailed by Toms Hardware. Thats a problem since the boost clock is what provides a GeForce graphics card with extra oomph when youre pushing its limits in games. This driver locked the GTX 1070 and GTX 1080 to running at their lower base clock speeds instead, which results in reduced performance.
The good news is that Nvidia told Toms Hardware that it has already identified whats causing the boost problem, and the same driver update later this week will fix it.
The impact on you at home: Its frustrating when your gaming gearespecially new stufffails to work through no fault of your own. But snafus are likely to happen as companies perfect their quality control procedures for the new world of virtual reality. Thats not much of a comfort if youre seeing frame rate drops in your Oculus sessions, but as an early adopter short-term problems like these are part of the deal.
Microsofts HoloLens has been available to developers for some time, but whats less well known is that its augmented reality headset also comes in an enterprise edition.
CEO Satya Nadella talked up the HoloLens at Microsofts Worldwide Partner conference in Toronto Monday, along with an app that Japan Airlines is using to train its engineers.
We now have HoloLens available both as a developer edition as well as an enterprise edition, Nadella said.
The reference to an enterprise edition caused some confusion initially, as Microsoft watchers speculated that the company had two versions of the product one for large businesses and another aimed at individual developers.
But thats not the case. Nadella was merely referencing an ongoing program intended to make it easier for businesses to try out HoloLens for use in-house.
The program allows businesses to buy more than two HoloLens headsets at a time, along with service contracts and other enterprise-focused features. The hardware is the same as that received by other developers.
Several organizations are testing HoloLens including Trimble, Autodesk, NASA and Volvo. Pricing for enterprises hasnt been released, but Microsoft is encouraging customers to talk with their sales rep if they want to get on board.
Developers who arent part of the enterprise program can sign up to buy a HoloLens development kit, which will cost them $3,000 if theyre selected.
After months of uncertainty, businesses will once again have a simple, legal way to export the personal information of European Union citizens to the U.S. for processing from Aug. 1.
Privacy Shield, the replacement for the defunct Safe Harbor Agreement, ensures an adequate level of protection for personal data transferred from the EU to self-certified organisations in the U.S., the European Commission ruled Tuesday morning. It plans to notify the governments of the EUs 28 member states of its adequacy decision later in the day, at which point Privacy Shield will enter effect, although it will still be a few more weeks before companies can register their compliance with it.
Its 16 years since the Commission made a similar adequacy decision regarding Safe Harbor, and nine months since the Court of Justice of the European Union overturned it, saying that an agreement could only be adequate if it provided a level of privacy protection essentially equivalent to that of the 1995 Data Protection Directive. Among the CJEUs objections to Safe Harbor in its October 2015 ruling, it noted that legislation permitting the public authorities to have access on a generalised basis to the content of electronic communications must be regarded as compromising the essence of the fundamental right to respect for private life.
When the first draft of Privacy Shield was published in February, its vague provisions on mass surveillance were criticized from many quarters, including the Commissions own advisors, leading to fears that it would only be a matter of time before the CJEU overturned it too.
But since then the text has been improved, and now reflects the requirements set out by the CJEU, European Commissioner for Justice Vera Jourova said, announcing the deal in Brussels.
Privacy Shield is fundamentally different from Safe Harbor, because we will have an annual joint review which will make it easier to solve any problems that could arise. Since releasing the first draft of Privacy Shield in February we have been able to make it even better and clearer by taking on board the recommendations of Europes independent data protection authorities as well as the resolution of the European Parliament, she said.
Among the improvements, she said, negotiators have clarified better when bulk collection of data may occur and what distinguishes it from mass surveillance.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, also present, made no reference to surveillance or bulk collection, preferring to focus on the positives.
For businesses, the framework will facilitate more trade across our borders, more collaboration across the Atlantic, and more job creating investments in our communities, she said. For consumers, the framework will ensure you have access to your favorite online services and the latest technologies, while strongly protecting your privacy.
Business lobbyists were predictably supportive of the new deal.
Privacy Shield sets a new high standard for EU-U.S. data transfers. It is a major privacy win for consumers and it provides legal clarity for thousands of European and U.S. firms, said Christian Borggreen, European director of Computer and Communications Industry Association, whose members include the likes of Amazon.com, Google and Microsoft.
But its not just big business that will benefit, according to BSA The Software Alliance, a group that promotes intellectual property protection. The alternatives to Safe Harbor have been particularly burdensome for small businesses, BSA President and CEO Victoria Espinel said.
The free flow of data is vital for the transatlantic economy. We are talking about at least half a trillion dollars worth of commerce annually, said Spinel. The movement of data across borders enables European and US companies to offer the best services and products to consumers. It is also essential to creating the economic growth and job creation that is so important in both the US and EU.
But Jourovas nice distinction between bulk data and mass surveillance didnt impress campaign group European Digital Rights (EDRI), nor Max Schrems, the Austrian whose complaint to the Irish Data Protection Commissioner about Facebooks handling of his data ultimately led to the CJEU ruling.
In Annex VI of the Privacy Shield decision, the US government explicitly confirms that U.S. services conduct bulk collection by using data from U.S. companies. While the U.S. highlights what it called limitations (for example for only six broad purposes), the mere possibility of such mass surveillance is contrary to the CJEU judgement, Schrems said via email.
EDRi Executive Director Joe McNamee doesnt give Privacy Shield long: We now have to wait until the Court again rules that the deal is illegal and then, maybe, the EU and U.S. can negotiate a credible arrangement that actually respects the law, engenders trust and protects our fundamental rights, he said.
Schrems isnt planning an immediate legal challenge to Privacy Shield, but suspects that there will be no lack of possible plaintiffs.
One potential complainant stepped forward almost immediately. The Article 29 Working Party, composed of the EUs national data protection authorities, said Tuesday it is analyzing the final texts of Privacy Shield and will meet on July 25 to agree its position. The working party was critical of the early draft, in particular the way it left the door open to indiscriminate mass surveillance of Europeans data by U.S. authorities.
Privacy Shield will take effect as soon as member states governments are notified, something the Commission said it planned to do later Tuesday.
The U.S. Commerce department will accept Privacy Shield self-certifications from Aug. 1.
For over a year, Windows 10 customers have wondered whether Microsoft will offer Windows 10 as a service. On Tuesday, Microsoft confirmed that it wouldthough just for enterprises at the moment.
Beginning this fall, Microsoft will offer Windows 10 Enterprise E3, a special enterprise tier of Windows 10 that will cost $7 per user per month. Yusuf Mehdi, the corporate vice president of the Windows and Devices Group at Microsoft, said cloud providers would now be able to offer three premier Microsoft services on a subscription basis: Microsofts Azure, Office 365, and now Windows 10.
For the price of a cup of coffee and a donut per day, you can get enterprise-class security on a per-user subscription basis, Mehdi said onstage at Microsofts Worldwide Partner Conference in Toronto, Canada. If youre a cloud provider, this is now phenomenal.
Microsoft also struck a second deal with IBM to offer its Surface tablets as a service, essentially leasing them to customers on a per-month basis. Microsoft did not say which devices would be offered via the service, however, nor how much they would cost.
Why this matters: For almost as long as Microsoft has offered Windows 10 as a free upgrade, consumers have wondered two things: What would Microsoft charge for a full license to Windows 10, and what does the phrase Windows as a service actually mean? We now know: subscriptions. But we still dont know how (or if) this model will apply to consumers.
Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of the Windows and Devices Group, on stage at Microsofts Worldwide Partner Conference.
Windows as a (for now, optional) service
According to a Microsoft spokeswoman, the subscription deal is not in any way related to Microsofts consumer offering. Its worth highlighting, though, that a business of one employee can take advantage of it, however.
Windows 10 Enterprise E3 for CSP is for business customers of any size (including one person) to get enterprise features and functionality on a per monthly/per seat cost, a Microsoft spokeswoman said via email. This new subscription model is not associated with our current upgrade offering or applicable to the Windows 10 consumer edition.
Right now, Windows 10 is still a free upgrade for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users through July 29. After that, Microsoft will charge $119 for Windows 10 Home, $199 for Windows 10 Professional, and $99 for a Windows 10 Pro Pack to jump from a licensed copy of Windows 10 Home to the Professional version. A one person business who bought the subscription would receive about 28 months of Windows 10 before paying the equivalent price of Windows 10 Professional.
We know that Microsoft wants to encourage consumers and businesses alike to pay for its services like you pay the electricity bill, forking over a bit each month to keep the power on. Right now, Microsofts flagship subscription offering is Office 365, its collection of Office applications that Microsoft patches and adds new features to each month. Microsoft vice president of corporate marketing Kirk Koenigsbauer told partners Tuesday that 70 million people pay to use Office 365 every month. When Microsoft reported its first-quarter earnings in April, Microsoft said about 22.2 million of those subscribers were consumers, and total Office commercial users were up 57 percent from a year ago.
Microsoft has also indicated it wishes to extend that same model to Windows. A year ago, when chief executive Satya Nadella booted Stephen Elop from the Windows and Devices Group and handed the reins over to Terry Myerson, Nadella penned a very interesting rationale for how he saw Windows in relation to the rest of Microsoft hardware:
WDG will drive Windows as a service across devices of all types and build all of our Microsoft devices including Surface, HoloLens, Lumia, Surface Hub, Band and Xbox, Nadella said in an email to employees. This enables us to create new categories while generating enthusiasm and demand for Windows broadly.
Windows 10s free upgrade ends July 29, 2016, in case youve somehow forgotten.
At the time, Microsoft executives made it very clear that buying a Windows licenseor a device with Windows 10 on itwould ensure Windows owners had a license to Windows 10 for the life of the device. But Microsoft has also said that it wants to entice you to pay for additional services over that lifespan.
In December 2014, Microsoft chief operating officer Kevin Turner (who said July 7 that hed leave the company to become chief executive of Citadel Securities) justified the rise of $99 Windows tablets by explaining that Microsoft would monetize the lifetime of that customer through services and different add-ons.
The real question is whether Microsoft would enforce its services in some way. The company seemingly put these questions to rest a year ago, but an enterprise subscription model for Windows unfortunately reopens them.
Security as a service means little to consumers
If Mehdis comments are to be taken as a model for how Microsoft plans to sell subscriptions to enterprisesongoing securitythen you can see why small businesses and especially enterprises might be interested: They need ongoing patches and security updates, even if they want control of when to deploy them.
Microsoft Microsofts subscription model for Office 365 has been an unqualified success, even extending to non-Windows platforms like Apples iOS.
Consumers probably dont care as much. If Windows Defender were to be turned off or not updated, consumers could turn to a number of free alternatives from Avast, Panda, and others. A more pressing worry would be whether Microsoft would withhold patches and security updates unless consumers paid for them. This seems highly unlikely, given the potential security risks to the platform.
However, Microsoft has clearly stated it will cease patching and updating Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 in the next few years, spurring consumers and enterprises to migrate to its latest platform. Many consumers remain on Windows 7, an OS that launched seven years ago. If Windows 10 is the last Windows, will Microsoft continue to support PCs in 2023?
A year ago, Microsoft opened the door to a great deal of speculation on how it would monetize Windows. Microsofts new subscription model for enterprises raises those questions once again.
This story was updated at 11:46 AM with comments from Microsoft.
Azure Stack, Microsofts system for building private clouds that run the same software it uses in its public cloud, has been delayed until the middle of 2017, the company announced Tuesday.
Microsoft has changed its strategy and will provide Azure Stack through integrated systems built by hardware partners, rather than allowing companies to deploy the software on any compatible hardware they choose.
Microsoft has been pushing Azure Stack as a differentiator of its cloud platform compared to many of its competitors in the public cloud arena especially Amazon.
The change came about because the company wants to give businesses prevalidated hardware to simplify deployments of Azure Stack, according to Mike Schutz, the general manager of product marketing for Microsofts Server and Tools division. At launch, Microsoft will be working with Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, Dell, and Lenovo.
In Schutzs view, businesses deployments of Azure Stack are more likely to succeed because of the change. Its unclear how much that advantage will be worth relative to the loss of momentum, however.
Azure Stack essentially allows customers to spin up a private instance of Microsofts cloud platform within their own data center. Once thats launched, developers can target the Azure Stack region in the same way they build apps to access the public version of Azure.
Companies wanting to get started on that path can set up the Azure Stack beta on a single server that they already own. The beta will continue to be available, despite Microsoft shifting away from letting customers bring their own hardware for full-scale deployments, Schutz said.
For those customers who want to do a more full-scale rollout, Microsoft recommends that they use the Cloud Platform System, an existing integrated hardware and software package. When Microsoft officially launches Azure Stack, companies will be able to manage their Cloud Platform Systems using that software.
The new hardware will be helpful for companies that want to get started with Azure Stack, but dont want to go through the work of provisioning it on existing hardware. Its an approach thats similar to the work that Microsoft did with Azure Pack, software that ran on specialized hardware built by partners to bring Azure to a private data center.
Its not clear exactly when Azure Stack will launch, but companies can currently download the Azure Stack beta.
ONTARIO ONT is back.
Regardless of L.A./Ontario International Airports official name after the transfer of authority, a new campaign will focus on branding it as ONT.
The $25,000 marketing effort aims to transform ONTs image from LAXs afterthought into a fun, friendly and convenient airport.
Ontario is the place to be and this campaign is the answer to that, said Chris Tomeo, creative director for the advertising agency Fruition during a pitch Monday to members of the Ontario International Airport Authority. We want to sound the alarm that a change is happening at the airport.
Denver-based Fruition created a series of taglines which highlights ONT, such as prONTo plastered on the side of a shuttle, to pens engraved cONTinuing to grow. The agency also showed the authority images of marketing prototypes such as tote bags and a flag with ONT in bright blue.
The airport is going to be the publics first impression of this city, of this region. Your responsibility isnt just to make shuttle buses look pretty, its to brand this city and this region, Tomeo said.
The campaign wasnt the only development Monday. Legislation by Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, to facilitate the transfer of Ontario airports ownership from the city of Los Angeles to a local authority passed Monday afternoon. Last week Calvert said his bill was included in the FAA re-authorization bill. It now goes to the Senate for approval.
At Mondays OIAA meeting, the commissioners in attendance Alan Wapner, Lucy Dunn and former Riverside mayor Ron Loveridge expressed their opposition to language in the rebranding because it included L.A. Ontario Airport is reborn.
Several years ago, both Ontario and L.A. agreed to add L.A. to the prefix of the airports name to improve its name recognition in Southern California, Wapner explained. About three years ago, LAWA dropped L.A. from local marketing but kept it when promoting the airport outside the region.
Why would we want to reintroduce a brand that has been discontinued by the city of Los Angeles? Wapner asked. For myself, I dont want to see it up there anymore.
But the challenge is recognizing that ONT does not have a national identity, Tomeo said.
OIAA CEO Kelly Fredericks took responsibility for the direction and assured the commissioners the language would be changed.
Fredericks said carriers, from a business perspective, still want to have that connectivity to L.A. for those who dont know our region understand we are an alternate to L.A.
But OIAA commissioners preferred ONT: Your gateway to Southern California as the primary theme for the campaign rather than ONT: Find your adventure.
The reaction I had to gateway is a very powerful and persuasive message, Loveridge said. Thats what Ontario Airport is, the gateway to Southern California whether its the desert, the mountain, the beaches. I like the sound that were the gateway to Southern California.
Dunn also suggested creating the supporting tag line: ONT: the LAX alternative.
When coming up with the campaign, Tomeo said he kept in mind that airport logos around the country and the world tend to be generic, and either feature a swoosh or an airplane, but often are not unique to the area or to the region it serves.
Tomeo went as far as to say airports often present a confusing, if not bland brand.
Part of the challenge you face is you are an L.A.-area airport but you are not L.A., he said. This is Ontario and you have a story to tell.
Which is why the airport also drew inspiration from international airports such as Singapore, Denver and San Francisco. The agency also used an internal team and worked with Michael Krouse, president and CEO of the Greater Ontario Convention & Visitors Bureau, for feedback.
Although they were ultimately pleased with the campaign, the commissioners said they would also like feedback from focus groups.
Fruition is no stranger to the authority: It was enlisted by the city nearly five years ago to create the SetONTarioFree campaign and is also working on the authoritys website FlyOntario.com, which should be completed in less than a month.
Once the transfer is complete, the domain will be transferred to the authority, said Fruitions vice president of digital strategy Jonathan Mills. The new site will be mobile-friendly and have real-time flight schedules.
Contact the writer: liset.marquez@langnews.com or @JournaLiset on Twitter
Sisters Alaina Jasso and Lara Tracy, self-proclaimed obsessed fans of English author Jane Austen, didnt want to miss the Jane Austen Tea held at the Grace Mellman Library in Temecula on Friday, where all things Austen were on the agenda.
Jasso drove up from San Diego to attend with her sister, who lives in Murrieta. Both women said they love Austens books and previously attended several Jane Austen balls in Pasadena. Jasso wore a period outfit to Fridays tea that she made herself, including a gray cape and a bonnet, both popular wardrobe pieces during Austens time.
I made the clothes during my single days when I was Jane Austen obsessed and had more time, Jasso said with a laugh.
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I love old-fashioned things. I loved the books, said Jasso, adding that her favorite Austen book is Pride and Prejudice, published in 1813. Its smart and witty.
Tracy, a former English literature high school teacher who now works as a substitute teacher in Temecula and Murrieta public schools, also favors Pride and Prejudice out of all of Austens works.
Who doesnt want to be Elizabeth, Tracy said, referring to the books main female character, Elizabeth Bennet.
Tracy also named her 15-year-old daughter Emma after the main character in the 1815 Austen novel by the same name.
When asked why Austens stories have endured through the years, Tracy said, She was an observer and watched people in real settings. Shes writing in real life. Modern people see themselves in those timeless situations, looking for love and security.
At the Jane Austen tea in Temecula, a variety of teas were served along with different flavors of pie. Guests discussed Austens novels, participated for prizes in a Jane Austen trivia quiz and watched part of the 1995 BBC miniseries Pride and Prejudice. The afternoon tea, sponsored by the Friends of the Temecula Libraries and part of the librarys Summer Reading Program for adults and teens, drew 25 guests.
Austen, a British novelist whose stories remain popular in modern times, wrote about relationships and social classes during her time, with stories focusing on love, family loyalty and the English upper class.
Austen was born in 1775 and died in 1817. During her lifetime, she completed six novels, of which the most well known today are Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.
Her stories have been remade several times into films, TV series and plays, and, in fact, a modern musical retelling of the novel Emma wrapped up a run on Sunday, July 10, at the Old Town Temecula Community Theater.
Beginning in September, a Jane Austen Study Group will begin meeting every other month at the Grace Mellman Library, said Beth Khaled, the librarys Adult and Teen Services Coordinator, who organized the tea.
Re: Should the Hillary Clinton email controversy be over? [Opinion, July 6]: My intent was to email FBI Director James Comey to let him know how outraged I am with his decision to pardon Hillary Clinton for her gross negligence and for lying about her use of a private email server for classified communications.
How convenient that the FBI does not have an email so you cannot contact them except with a letter that they will never read.
This whole episode in our history is disgusting, as is Hillary. She and Bill both believe they are above the law and do not have to answer to the same law that you and I have to. And now our highest law enforcement agency, the FBI, is being used to pardon their sins. Mr. Comey has disgraced the FBI by refusing to uphold our laws.
Secretary Clinton willfully broke the law and put our nation at risk. She then lied about what she did and deleted her incriminating emails. She claimed that she did not send or receive anything marked classified.
Everything in government that is classified is marked classified. So if the material was not marked as classified, why was that, and who was responsible for not marking it classified? If it was marked classified, who was responsible for removing that classification. This question was never addressed by Mr. Comey, and the American people deserve an answer.
Mr. Comey claims he could not prosecute because there was no intent. That too is a lie. Hillary knowingly used an illegal email server. She then lied about sending classified information. She then deleted the incriminating emails, some of which were later recovered and contained classified information. This does show intent to mislead, hide information and obstruct justice. What more do you need to show intent? I have lost all respect for both Mr. Comey and the FBI. If we cannot trust the FBI, who can we trust?
This whole story stinks to high heaven, as do Hillary and the FBI.
H.G. Chaffin
Corona
Norco officials are changing the citys election cycle, giving each city council member an additional year in office.
The switch was necessary to maintain compliance with California Senate Bill 415. That law takes effect Jan. 1, 2018, and requires municipalities and school districts to hold elections on even-numbered years to coincide with statewide general elections, when voter turnout is generally much higher.
The new law applies to cities, counties and school districts where voter turnout in odd-numbered years is at least 25 percent less than general election years. In Norco, there is a 63 percent decrease in voter turnout during odd-year elections compared to even years, data from the Riverside County Registrar of Voters shows.
The Norco City Council voted unanimously Wednesday, July 6, to extend the terms. Council members whose four-year terms were set to expire in November 2017 or 2019 will remain in office until November 2018 or 2020, respectively.
The first even-year election will be held Nov. 6, 2018.
Norco Mayor Kevin Bash, whose current term was set to expire in 2017, said hes been advocating for an election cycle switch for several years. He said the move will ultimately save the city money by consolidating voting dates.
The City Clerks office could not immediately provide any cost-saving estimates. Officials say it will cost $5,000-$7,000 to notify voters of the changes in local elections.
The mayor saw some potential negatives.
My fear is that people may not be as engaged as to who is running and what theyve accomplished, Bash said. There are some advantages to having off-year elections. The obvious disadvantage is that not enough people vote.
Councilman Berwin Hanna will be up for re-election in 2020. He said the new election dates will provide a big boost to turnout, and hes confident voters will come to the polls educated about their potential leaders.
If someones going to vote, I think they are going to know about who theyre voting for instead of saying eenie meenie miney moe, Hanna said. I never voted that way. I cant speak for others, but people deserve a bit more credit than that.
In California, 369 cities hold elections in concurrence with statewide races, according to a report prepared by Norco City Attorney John Harper. Another 113 cities hold odd-year elections.
Norco City Manager Andy Okoro said the city switched to odd-year elections in 1993 at the request of the county Registrar of Voters, in order to alleviate the heavy burden of all cities having all elections at one time.
Okoro said the intent of the latest bill is to generate more voter participation in local government, a mission he said he supports.
Contact the writer: 951-368-9644, poneill@pressenterprise.com, @PE_PatrickO
Residents will have a last chance to voice opinions about two Southern California Edison projects potentially affecting Lake Elsinore, Temescal Valley, Menifee, Perris and Meadowbrook before Fridays deadline.
Lake Elsinores acting mayor, Bob Magee, and Councilman Steve Manos are hosting a town hall meeting on the projects starting at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Cultural Center, 183 N. Main St.
Were trying to get as many people as possible as much information as we can about what is possibly headed their way, Magee said.
Edisons proposed Valley-Ivyglen project consists of a 115-kilovolt subtransmission line plus a fiber-optic line that would stretch 27 miles between northern Menifee and Temescal Valley. The lines would run through Perris, Lake Elsinore and several unincorporated communities.
At the same time, Edison wants to build the Alberhill substation north of Lake Elsinore by Interstate 15 in Temescal Valley, along with connecting power lines.
The projects are among a handful in the works throughout Southern California needed to meet growing demand for electricity and increase the systems reliability, Edison officials say.
Since the project is in the environmental review stage, commission-hired consultants doing the analysis have declined comment while it undergoes public scrutiny.
In a meeting the consultants held in May in Lake Elsinore, officials as well as residents complained their city would bear the brunt of the effects from overhead lines and towers.
We believe that the aesthetic issue has not been adequately considered, Magee said. Its going to have a significant negative affect on our community.
While much of the Valley-Ivyglen route is rural, the segments would go through residential, commercial and industrial sections of Lake Elsinore.
They need to be underground, Lake Elsinore activist Chris Hyland.
Battles over overhead power lines are not unprecedented in the Inland Empire.
Temecula and Wine Country residents fought in the 1990s and early 2000s to keep high-voltage wires from being built through the area. Jurupa Valley is currently challenging the Riverside Public Utilities Department and Edison plan for their joint Riverside Transmission Reliability Project. And Chino Hills city officials successfully opposed a power line project through the community, getting Edison to put the wires underground.
Ultimately, the state Public Utilities Commission will decide the fate of the projects. City officials are asking the panel to hold its hearing in Lake Elsinore.
Contact the writer: 951-368-9690 or michaelwilliams@pressenterprise.com
On television screens, social media posts and the pages of newspapers, it is impossible, it seems, to escape the relentless bombardment of images of last weeks fatal shootings in Dallas, Minnesota and Louisiana and it is affecting peoples psychological health, experts said Monday.
We have a nation that is extremely impacted, said Dr. Andrew Williams, mental health services program manager for Riverside University Health System-Behavioral Health.
And to cope with the disturbing developments, Williams and others said, people need to just turn the TV off.
People shouldnt unplug entirely. They should stay engaged with their community and the world, experts said.
But Alison Holman, interim director of UC Irvines nursing science program, said, Its really important not to play over and over and over again the news that is tragic.
Dr. Merritt Dean Schreiber, a psychologist in the Department of Pediatrics at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, said some schools of thought suggest repeated media exposure of tragedy may go so far as to trigger post-traumatic stress syndrome.
Thats not fully resolved yet, Schreiber said.
COLORING OUR WORLD
What is clear, though, he said, is that such exposure can harm ones psychological health.
If were not careful, that can really color our vision of the world, he said.
Experts said the amount of stress is directly related to the amount of media immersion.
We know from our research, Holman said, that the more hours you engage with media coverage of tragic events, the higher your acute stress levels will be.
The constant images of violence may lead to increased anxiety and hopelessness, said Dr. Kita S. Curry, president and chief executive officer of Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services. The agency has 11 locations in Los Angeles and Orange counties.
Curry said images can re-traumatize people who have survived a violent crime or a natural disaster.
Limit your TV watching, your Twitter viewing or whatever kind of media youre immersing yourself in, because it does bombard us with bad images, she said. It makes us see that everything is bad in the world.
Its especially important, Schreiber said, to limit ones consumption of tragic footage for the sake of ones children. They can be more stressed out by tragedies because they may not fully understand them, he said.
9/11
That latter point was underscored while Schreiber worked with a team to help people recover from 9/11. He said he came across a 6-year-old boy who became more and more traumatized with each video replay he saw of a plane flying into the World Trade Center.
Initially he thought they were separate attacks, Schreiber said.
Curry said parents should keep themselves calm because children pick up on their distress, Curry said.
Cecilia Ramos, assistant director for the Los Angeles Unified School Districts mental health programs, said parents can protect children by monitoring their exposure to media, listening to their concerns and modeling positive behavior such as being optimistic.
Tony Ortego, a licensed marriage and family therapist who serves as mental health services administrator for Riverside University Health System-Behavioral Health, said it is good to encourage kids to share their feelings and fears.
As for adults, said Sonja Lyubomirsky, a professor of psychology at UC Riverside, it is important for them to step back and take stock of what is good in their lives, and to be grateful for those things. She said that was one of the things that helped people cope with 9/11.
A MAGIC PILL
Lyubomirsky also recommended pouring ones self into helping others.
That might be the most important thing for happiness, she said. We are social beings. Feeling a connection to others is very important for our well being.
Sharing concerns, anxieties and sadness relieves stress. Its almost like a magic pill, Lyubomirsky said. It is one of the most effective coping strategies.
And Lyubomirsky said people do have the capacity to cope.
That is one of the main findings from psychologyal research, she said. We are more resilient than we think we are.
So are cops at a time when they are under a great deal of stress themselves.
Deputies are a pretty resilient bunch, said George Hofstetter, president of the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs. Usually they do a pretty good job of looking after each other.
Staff writer Brenda Gazzar contributed to this report.
Contact the writer: 951-368-9699 or ddowney@pressenterprise.com
A weekend hit-and-run traffic collision along a major Hemet thoroughfare sent a family to the hospital and the driver of the other vehicle to jail, city police say.
The wreck was reported at 2:13 p.m. Sunday, July 10, at Florida Avenue and Columbia Street.
The driver of a white Lexus fled, leaving behind the injured family in the other vehicle, Lt. Jeff Davis said in a written statement.
The injured victims ranged between 10 and 30 years old. Injuries included a compound leg fracture, a broken shoulder, a broken knee and a pierced lung, according to the statement.
About 12 minutes later, police arrested 53-year-old Colton resident Alexander Townsend for investigation of hit-and-run driving resulting in great bodily injury, police said. he was booked on $285,000 bail.
At the time of the accident, Townsend was free on community release from Los Angeles County where hed been convicted of robbery, according to the police statement.
Bernie Sanders is at last endorsing Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee for president.
The Vermont senator stood side-by-side with Clinton in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday. He pledged that his political revolution would continue. But he acknowledged that she, and not he, had won the delegates to snag the nomination. That has been true for weeks, and Democrats have not-so-quietly been angling for him to drop out and endorse the former secretary of state.
Sanders promised to work to help Clinton win in November, calling her far and away the best candidate to confront challenges facing the country.
Republican Donald Trump has been trying to draw Sanders supporters to his campaign.
Clinton says the election will be far more enjoyable now that she and Sanders are on the same side.
Accepting the endorsement of her primary rival in Portsmouth, New Hampshire Tuesday, Clinton said she was happy to be working with someone who has energized the primary process. She said Sanders has brought people off the sidelines and into the political process.
Clinton hailed Sanders as a warrior for liberal issues, noting that His reputation for passionate advocacy hasnt always made him the most popular person in Washington. But thats generally a sign that youre doing something right.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
CORRECTION: Mary Aleece DePuey lives in Jurupa Valley. An earlier version of this story incorrectly listed her hometown.
Hes with her. But are his followers?
Bernie Sanders much-anticipated endorsement of Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, July 12, provided the symbolic moment sought by the Democratic Party. But the sight of Sanders with his arm around a candidate who represents everything they despise did anything but inspire his most ardent supporters.
Its kind of like disbelief (and) a little bit of disgust, said Alex Milledge, a 23-year-old from Brea who is part of OC Millennials for Bernie.
An endorsement based on fear of Donald Trump is not the sort of platform that we all came on board with, said Joey Aszterbaum, a 41-year-old from Hemet who is a Sanders delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia later this month.
Were not voting out of fear. Were voting out of love and things we want to see.
(The endorsement) will demoralize a lot of his delegates and supporters, Aszterbaum added. I dont think it was the right move.
Sanders endorsement at a New Hampshire rally followed more than a year of sometimes heated campaigning against Clinton. The Vermont senators independent streak and embrace of democratic socialism did surprisingly well, especially with whites, independents and young voters who gravitated toward Sanders message of economic equality, health care for all and contempt for Wall Street and billionaires.
His campaign won more more than 20 states and forced Clinton to embrace more liberal stances. But in the end, she won more votes, more states and more delegates, becoming the first woman in American history to be the presidential nominee for a major political party.
Sanders, who campaigned furiously in California to keep his longshot hopes alive, attacked Clinton as beholden to corporate interests. Clinton, in turn, criticized Sanders for not doing enough to support gun control and making unrealistic statements with few details.
After California polls closed June 7, Sanders vowed to carry his fight to the convention in Philadelphia in late July, even though early returns showed Clinton with a big lead. She eventually won California by 7 percentage points, although she and Sanders both won delegates.
PLATFORM CHANGES
While many Democrats believe Sanders should have endorsed Clinton months ago, the timing is clearly intended to encourage Sanders supporters to vote for Clinton in the fall, said Marcia Godwin, an associate professor of political science at the University of La Verne.
Sanders is able to declare some success in influencing the Democratic Party platform, which is unusual for the runner-up. The announcement also takes media coverage away from the Trump campaign ahead of the Republican convention (which starts next week).
California Democratic Party Chairman John Burton spelled out the draft platforms more progressive elements.
The platform committee endorsed positions that line up with what Americans believe about the need to reform Wall Street, expand Social Security, regulate carbon emissions, support the $15 minimum wage, expand the earned income tax credit to help working people, and end mass incarceration, Burton said.
We invite supporters of both Secretary Clinton and Sen. Sanders to join us and put their energy into winning the White House and taking back Congress.
The endorsement gives a psychological OK for Sanders supporters to vote for Clinton, said Jennifer Walsh, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Azusa Pacific University.
It is also likely that many of Sanders supporters will simply sit out this election, Walsh said. High voter turnout was what won Obama the election in 2008 and what tilted Congressional elections in favor of the Democrats.
A lowered turnout for Democrats may not keep Clinton from winning the White House, Walsh added. But the disappointed Bernie voters who skip the ballot in November could mean fewer Democratic victories in tight House and Senate races.
A recent Field Poll showed Clinton with a 30-point lead over Trump. And Californias electoral votes havent gone to a Republican presidential candidate since 1988.
NOT FOR SALE
Sanders supporters in Southern California say what drew them to his candidacy was the message, not the man.
It was never really about him, said Travis Traber, a 22-year-old from Lake Elsinore who is a Sanders convention delegate. It was really about starting this revolution and this movement that we had.
Traber said when he listened to Sanders speech Tuesday, he heard Sanders say I when he normally says we.
We need to make sure that we vote for the most progressive (Democratic Party) platform and to hold the Clinton administration accountable, said Traber, adding hes undecided about who hell vote for in November.
Milledge is supporting Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, who called Sanders the latest in a series of reformers to be undermined by the Democratic Party.
I call on the tens of millions inspired by Bernie Sanders call for political revolution, the 60 percent of Americans who want a new major party, and the independents who outnumber both Democrats and Republicans to reject the self-defeating strategy of voting for the lesser evil and join our fight for the greater good, Stein said in a news release.
Milledge and Mary Aleece DePuey, a 49-year-old Sanders delegate from Jurupa Valley, believe Sanders was forced to endorse his rival.
We are disappointed Bernie didnt keep his word of fighting until the convention, DePuey said. We understand that he was under terrible pressure from the Democratic Party and under threat of being marginalized in the Senate if he didnt endorse.
We are grateful for his campaign, as it unified diverse groups, voters, and constituencies. As a movement, we will continue to fight for those principles, and we will now turn to electing officials that share our vision at all levels of government.
The mother of a Marine deployed to the Middle East, DePuey said she could not in good conscience vote for Clinton, who has shown a history of having no problem putting (my son) and his brothers and sisters in uniform in harms way.
My vote is not for sale and no one, not even Bernie, can convince me or most other progressives who know the issues to vote for Mrs. Clinton.
But a Pew Research Center poll released last week showed that 85 percent of Democrats who voted for Sanders in the primaries said theyll vote for Clinton in November. And political observers predict most of Sanders 12 million primary voters will back the former secretary of state.
Why? Two words: Donald Trump, said Jack Pitney, a professor of politics at Claremont McKenna College. Even though they may be suspicious of Wall Street and free trade, they will not embrace a candidate who has retweeted material from neo-Nazis.
Contact the writer: 951-368-9547 or jhorseman@pressenterprise.com
Customer complaints about disrupted internet and telephone service will be addressed Tuesday when representatives of Frontier Communications attend the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors meeting.
On April 1, Frontier took over Verizons internet, television and telephone landline assets, including Fios, in California, Florida and Texas. Within three weeks of beginning service, the California Public Utilities Commission received 360 complaints from Frontier customers regarding service outages and other equipment problems.
To date, the Public Utilities Commission has received 1,621 complaints statewide from Frontier customers regarding service problems, and since June 4, the commission has received between 48 and 58 complaints a week, agency spokesman Christopher Chow said in an email Monday.
After receiving about 100 complaints at his office, 1st District Supervisor Robert Lovingood reached out to company representatives and invited them to the board meeting.
Local seniors and disabled residents have lost phone service and their connection to 911 and medic alert service, Lovingood said in a statement. We have also heard from business owners who have lost their ability to process credit cards, choking off their business operations. And others have complained of sporadic phone service, incredibly slow internet service, billing and customer service problems.
Steve Crosby, Frontiers senior vice president of government and regulatory affairs, could not be reached for comment Monday.
Representatives from Frontier will be at both the San Bernardino County Government Center and the Jerry Lewis High Desert Government Center to meet with the public during the meeting, which begins at 10 a.m. at the San Bernardino County Government Center, 385 N. Arrowhead Ave. in San Bernardino.
The Jerry Lewis High Desert Government Center is located at 15900 Smoke Tree St. in Hesperia.
Contact the writer: joe.nelson@langnews.com; @SBCountyNow on Twitter
A mock evacuation of non-combat civilians from an embassy in the Philippines was the setting Monday for an international training exercise held for the first time on such a large scale at this seaside base.
Marines and Canadian infantry soldiers ran scenarios at an urban village set up at the bases north end at Camp San Mateo near the border of San Clemente.
The village which included room-clearing indoor exercises and outdoor mock bombs and insurgent fire was set up to replicate real-life scenarios that the U.S. Marine Corps and its Allied partner nations could encounter in the Pacific Rim during humanitarian aid efforts or in threat-based situations
A contractor hired by the Department of Defense simulated the scenarios using Philippine actors, and village settings enhanced by staged sheep, a fish market, and the sounds of gunfire, barking dogs and helicopters.
Improvised explosive devices and foreign languages blaring over loud speakers in the village marketplace contributed to the chaos.
At the end of each training exercise, Marines and Canadians soldiers reviewed their work and determined where they would have been successful and where they would have failed.
The exercise Monday is among the first in a month-long international maritime training event known as RIMPAC. It is the worlds largest involving 26 nations and is held at Camp Pendleton, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms and in Hawaii. The training is designed to build and maintain relationships with U.S. partner nations.
This years participation at Camp Pendleton is the largest RIMPAC training event since its inception in 1971.
Marines from the 3rd and 15th Marine expeditionary forces; the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines; HMLA-369; and Combat Logistics Battalion 15 are partnered with units from Mexico, Chile, and Canada.
In todays environment where the Marine Corps goes, 70 percent of the population is within a few nautical miles of the coast, said Capt. Chip Broun, who led a platoon of Marines from the 3rd Battalion, 5th Regiment during the training exercise. When you look at what is going on, the conflict is where people are. It wont be us and the enemy. It will be us, people and the enemy. Figuring out whos good, whos bad is critical.
For Private Danik Provost, an infantryman in Canadas Royal 22 Regiment, the exercise at Camp Pendleton was a first in many ways.
The 23-year-old had never been outside Canada and was used to training in the forested landscape near Quebec City. Training in a makeshift urban village, in an arid setting, was new to him. While some of the tactics and weaponry used in the Canadian Army is similar to what Marines use, there was a lot of equipment Provost had never seen before.
Provost took part in amphibious training over the weekend and came onshore at Camp Pendletons Red Beach for the first time in an amphibious assault vehicle.
While recent campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan have focused on the Marines counterinsurgency skills, with the pivot to the Pacific, amphibious tactics and skills are vital.
Lt. Vladimir Melnikov also rode in on one of the AAVs and was treated to an unusual scene when several dolphins swam in the vehicles wake as it headed in to Red Beach at Camp Pendletons coast.
Melnikov, who oversees three platoons from the Royal 22 Regiment, called the training at the village compound a real eye-opener.
This is a great opportunity as a country to partner with the Marines, the Mexicans and the Chileans, he said. These are the four big countries of the Americas. Working side-by-side to learn about each others tactics and culture is critical.
In the end of the day, its one team and one fight.
Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 or eritchie@ocregister.com or on Twiotter:@lagunaini
The cement industry in Ghana is set to face competition that may force prices of the commodity down as more companies enter the market.
The industry is about to welcome Dangote Cement as it moves to establish a 100 million US dollars factory in Takoradi to commence cement production in Ghana after operating in the retail sector for some years.
In addition, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana Madam Sun Baohong has also disclosed to Citi Business News that a number of Chinese cement producing companies have indicated their interest to move into Ghana to produce the commodity for redistribution across the West African sub-region.
But speaking to Citi Business News, the Media Relations Officer of Dangote Cement, Etornam Komla who was optimistic of the sustainability of Dangotes operations in Ghana stated that the competition will improve pricing in the industry.
When it comes to competition, we are not disturbed about it because of the way we have made our products to win the trust of the Ghanaian market. We are ready for every type of price competition, he said.
According to him, the decision by government to open the cement industry to allow many players will not only benefit the market but will help create jobs for the youth.
He, however, maintained that government must be careful in screening the companies that enter into the country to prevent the market from being flooded with inferior products. Pointing out the dangers that an oversight will have for the construction sector, Mr. Komla stated that standards must be adhered to provide quality cement to the Ghanaian public.
We want to suggest that when we talk of some these inferior goods coming from outside they may not be good for the Ghanaian market, so they must be certified to make sure they meet the Ghanaian market standards, he stressed.
He warned that if authorities fail to check the quality level of cement that are produced in the country, the market may be flooded with fake products which may lead to the same situation witnessed in the textile industry when there was an influx of fake products.
Source: citifmonline.com
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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An independent media research institution, Centre for Media Analysis (CMA), has dismissed assertions by the National Media Commission (NMC) that the absence of the Content Authorisation Law is hampering its effectiveness.
The NMC, at a news conference Monday July 11, blamed unguarded speech in the media on the absence of the Content Authorisation Law, intended to sanitise the media landscape.
However, speaking to Class News, CMA founder Dr Messan Mawugbe said the NMC could be effective if it redirected its focus.
I absolutely disagree in the sense that the National Media Commission has the mandate to sanitise media standards in this country. The NMC doesnt necessarily need content authorisation because if you look at the structure of the Content Authorisation LI, I think to a larger extent it is an affront to our freedom of speech. Rather, what the National Media Commission should be doing is consistent scientific content monitoring in order to benchmark the level of abuses against the standards that have been set. So, we dont really need that. I think we need to have a permanent code of ethics. These are some of the processes we can talk aboutbut to put out the argument that without the Content Authorisation Law the National Media Commission is not able to execute its mandate comprehensively, I totally disagree, he stated.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) has also said the NMC does not need the Standard Regulation 2224 to be able to crack the whip.
Are they saying that since 1992 till last year they have been ineffective? [Are they saying] without the content standard circulation they believe they have been ineffective? But why do you have to put in custodial sentences in the law to jail people for content breaches, hate speech, and all those things? We need to fight against them but we will also not sit down unconcerned when we feel that the laws are infringing on some of our rights The NMC can still crack the whip without necessarily having this high-handed law. When you say people should bring their programme guide, how can you prevent what the person is coming to say? GIBA president Akwesi Agyemang told Class News.
Source: Classfmonline
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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The government of Ghana will be setting a bad example if it satisfies demands by the Kumasi Traditional Council, which has issued a seven-day ultimatum for the dismissal of Kumasi mayor Kojo Bonsu, a former presiding member of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Issaku Amon Kotei, has admonished.
I believe some sanity will prevail if the executive will make a move because this will be a bad precedent and if we are not careful we are going to have a situation where traditional authorities will have to be directing the Executive, and that is not acceptable in our constitution, he cautioned.
The Asanteman Council has told President John Mahama to fire the Chief Executive Officer of the Kumasi Municipal Assembly. The chiefs have refused to reverse an earlier decision for the mayor to be removed despite an unqualified apology rendered the council by Mr Kojo Bonsu.
The council is accusing the mayor of disrespecting it, hence, cannot work with him any longer and demands a replacement.
However, in an interview on Class FMs Executive Breakfast Show with Prince Minkah on Tuesday July 12, the local government expert cautioned the president against bowing to the pressure of the chiefs.
He argued the executive must rather engage the traditional leaders and resolve the matter amicably.
It is becoming a little difficult to manage but that is why we have experts in conflict management and resolution. It is becoming dangerous in our young democracy, he noted.
Source: Classfmonline
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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Audio Attachment: Listen to Agya Kwabena reporting from the Supreme Court
Peacefmonline.com can confirm that Chief Justice Georgina Wood and Sulley Gbadegbe JSC on Tuesday recused themselves from the panel sitting on the contempt case against some radio communicators who allegedly threatened to kill justices of the Supreme Court enabling Sophia Akuffo JSC to preside and Julius Ansah JSC to replace Justice Gbadegbe.
According to PeaceFM's Senior Reporters Yaw Obeng Manu and Agya Kwabena, who were in court to cover proceedings, the two decided on that course of action because they were specifically named by the accused during radio discussions.
After the Court was reconstituted, the Supreme Court ordered the owners of Muntie FM to appear in persons on Monday, because, to them, no representation is permitted in criminal proceedings, they specify directors.
The case was subsequently adjourned to Monday 18th July.
It is recalled that Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn, who were panellists on Pampaso, a political programme on Montie FM in Accra on June 29, warned judges of Ghanas highest court to be wary of their conduct in the case involving the Electoral Commission and Mr Abu Ramadan if they did not want to suffer the fate of the three members of the bench who were shot to death and burnt on June 30, 1982 in the era of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC).
Mr Nelson has communicated his apology for making those comments but Mr Gunn has denied ever being in the studios of the station on the day the alleged threats were issued.
The two, as well as the host of the show, Mugabe Maase, have been summoned to appear before the apex court today for making such threats against the judiciary.
Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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About two hundred Ghanaians living in Libya have fled the North African country back to Ghana, following continuing violent attacks in that country.
The returnees, mostly men in their mid-thirties, had gone to Libya in search of greener pastures some years ago, but have had to flee the war-torn country to save their lives. Citi News understands that, all the returnees paid their air fare from Libya to Accra. Libya has been without a truly functional central government since the overthrow of Muamar Qaddafi in an uprising in 2011.
One of the returnees in an interview with Citi News stated that, their lives were always at risk whenever they went out to work. Initially, Libya was a good place to live but now it is very bad. The people there are disturbing us. You cannot even go to the store to buy food. On your way there they may arrest you. They dont respect the blacks. There is no central government, meaning there is no law. They can even kill you for no reason.
Some of us have been killed, he stated. Another returnee said the conditions that made Libya an attractive place to work was no longer the case. The current conditions are not the same as what we came to meet when we arrived there years ago. Young guys can just take weapons and kill you for no reason and they will have no regrets. They pretend to be police officers roaming around with guns. They can just call you and take your money and kill you thereafter. And we know some Ghanaians who have died at the hands of these men, he said.
Source: Citi News
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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Scores of traders at the Kumasi Central Market are excited over the exit of the beleaguered Chief Executive Officer of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Kojo Bonsu.
According to the traders, the former KMA Mayor has been a thorn in their flesh ever since he took office in 2013, as he has been high handed in dealing with them.
Kojo Bonsu tendered in his resignation Tuesday afternoon after holding a meeting with a section of the assembly members to inform them of his decision.He has recently come under intense pressure from the Council for disrespecting them after he unilaterally removed the Chief of Amoaman, Nana Agyenim Boateng, who was Otumfours representative on the board of the Kajetia Market project, which is currently under construction without informing the king about his action.
Otumfour nominated the chief to represent him after issues of corruption and embezzlement of funds was leveled against Kojo Bonsu. The project has become a centre of controversy in recent times after claims that the Mayor had allegedly inflated prices of shops in the yet-to-be completed Project.
The Asanteman Council, in demonstrating its level of annoyance over the lack of respect for the Great King about a fortnight ago, slaughtered a sheep and summoned the KMA Boss to appear before the Council last Monday to answer certain queries brought against him. He however failed to turn up claiming he was sick, and rather had the Regional Minister, Alexander Ackon represent him.
The Chiefs considered his inability to appear before them as being disrespectful to them.
President John Mahama last week visited the Ashanti Region for a crunch meeting over the continuing stand off between the Kojo Bonsu and the Manhyia Palace. He met with the Regional Coordinating Council to speak to the ongoing issue.
However the Asanteman Council remained resolute in their rejection of Kojo Bonsu and yesterday (Monday) issued a one-week ultimatum to President Mahama to remove the Mayor insisting they are unable to work with him.
The Chairman of the Kumasi Central Market Traders Association, Andrews Kwoffie in an interview with sit-in-host Akwesi Nsiah on Si Me So on Kasapa 102.5 FM, stated that traders cannot hide their joy over Kojo Bonsus resignation.
His exit is indeed a good riddance, we have never had a healthy relationship with him as he has been very unfair to traders. He has evicted over a thousand traders from Kejetia, Tafo and Asawase denying them of their source of livelihood. If hes gone its good news for us, we have had enough of him.We want someone who will respect us and treat us like human beings. He has started allocating the uncompleted stores to certain people at a cost of GHC 25,000. How on earth can the ordinary trader acquire one of these stores? Kojo Bonsu has no mercy, Andrews Kwoffie fumed.
Source: kasapafmonline.com
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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Government has so far released over GHc 600 million to the Electoral Commission (EC), to aid it prepare for the general elections in November.
Thats according to the Employment and Labour Relations Minister, Haruna Iddrisu.
This figure is less than half the initial GHc 1.5 billion the EC in 2015, requested for the conduct of the elections. Mr. Iddrisu, also a member of Governments Economic Management team, assured that government will honour any additional requests from the EC. Government initially slashed the GHc 1.5 to GHc 1.2 billion, a figure Ghanas international donor partners expressed concern with, and then eventually allocated GHc 826 million to the EC.
Speaking at a Public Forum on the Constitution Amendment bill yesterday, Mr. Iddrisu revealed that, so far, government has released GHc 693 million to support the operations and activities of the Electoral Commission out of a budget request of GHc 822 million.
He added that, as and when they [the EC] make additional requests, government will support and finance it.
The Finance Ministry has also made budgetary provisions in the event of run-off during the elections, Mr. Iddrisu assured. Ghana will honor its obligation to adequately finance and resource the EC to conduct a free and fair election, as and when they make additional requests, the Minister of Finance has made extra budgetary provisions in the event of a run-off, he said.
Financial support from donors
Aside the budgetary allocation from the government, the EC has also benefited from international donor support from the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union.
The EC benefited from a 5 million Euro EU grant that was released to them and two other constitutional bodies, the National Media Commission (NMC) and the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE). The United Kingdom Government also released 4 million as part of an electoral support programme for Ghana, which is to last for five years and will focus on sustainability.
The United States government has pledged financial support of over 4.5 million dollars for Ghanas forthcoming elections.
Source: The General Telegraph
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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The 2016 presidential polls is yet to be conducted but an Islamic cleric, numerologist and philosopher has hinted who the winner will be.
Sheikh Ustaz Sham-una Jibril who is known globally for his accurate predictions on both local and international issues has noted that the NPPs flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is going to emerge as the winner in the upcoming elections.
In a statement copied to Peacefmonline.com Sheikh Ustaz opined that he has already acknowledged Nana Addo as Ghanas president.
I have already congratulated him [Nana Addo] in the Spiritual realm after the results were declared and even attended his Investiture, he said after claiming to have hacked the Electoral Commission's Database ahead of the polls.
Read Below the spiritual statement
It is undeniable fact that after every elections of any Country, Diplomats, Celebrities, Family members, party Sympathizers and so on, call the President elect to congratulate him/her for his /her victory and the party entirely.
Besides, I have already congratulated him in the Spiritual realm after the results were declared and even attended his Investiture.
However, I hacked Spiritual into the main Electoral Commission's Database ahead of 2016 General Elections and saw NPP with Nana Addo as the candidate having an unexpected margin of the total valid votes, hence the winner of 2016 /2017 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections even though the register is in the process of being compiled in the physically world.
I therefore want to enter my name in his white gold book as the first person on the planet to congratulate him and NPP as the winner's of 2016 General Election before any creature on the surface of the earth.
In the Spiritual world, he was sworn as the President of the Republic Ghana and gave the State of the Nation Address. He was in 'kente' gold colour when he was Addressing the Nation and the world at Bawku (Cinema Hall) attended by millions of people including foreign Diplomats.
It is left with his sister the Chief Justice Madam Georgina Wood to swear him in the physically world, I personally will not be at ceremony because I attended it in the spiritual realm. More so, just as I turned down a personal invitation to attend President Buhari Investiture in Abuja, it will thus be unfair to attend Nana Addo's Investiture.
To further give credence to my Spiritual prediction, on that special day there will be some shower for 9 minutes before the ceremony. And there will be light off in some parts of Madina and Tema for 2 hours. Also, there will be fire out break in parts of Kumasi.
These Spiritual prediction is grounded in Quran Chapter 85:v.19 - 22 which provides that 'And yet the unbelievers persist in rejecting the truth. But Allah doth encompass them from behind. Nay this is a Glorious Quran. Inscribed in the Tablet preserved'.
This is what Allah revealed to me, the rest is in the hands of Almighty Allah. I am just a humble servant, my prophecies, dreams and calculations is not final but Allah's decisions or words are final. I am subject to mistake as human but Insha Allah that's what is written.
Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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Peacefmonline.com can confirm that Kojo Bonsu has resigned as the Metropolitan Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly.
His resignation follows a denunciation by the Traditional Council of the Region and the members venting their spleen on the Mayor for disrespecting the Overlord of Asanteman, Otumfuo Osei Tutu.
In a statement, he said he had conveyed his resignation to the President of the republic of Ghana, His excellency John Dramani Mahama.
I have conveyed my resignation as the Metropolitan Chief executive for the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly to the President of the republic of Ghana, His excellency John Dramani Mahama, Kojo Bonsu said in a letter.
In his resignation letter he expressed his appreciation to the Asantehene Otumfo Osei Tutu II, Nananom of the Kumasi Traditional Council as well as staff of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and the people of Kumasi for their support and cooperation during his tenure.
I also want to express my appreciation to the Asantehene Otumfo Osei Tutu II, Nananom of the Kumasi Traditional Council as well as staff of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and the people of Kumasi for their support and cooperation during my tenure," he added.
He wished the government well and his continous support to ensuring the re-election of President John Dramani Mahama in the upcoming elections.
Background
The relationship between the traditional Council and Kojo Bonsu went sour after Mr. Bonsu wrote to the local Government Minister questioning the locus of the Chief of Amoaman, Nana Agyenim Boateng to set up a committee to supervise the construction of the Kejetia Market Project.
Considering this as the height of a series of disrespect demonstrated by Mr. Bonsu towards the traditional authorities, the chiefs demanded his removal from office. They gave the President a one-week ultimatum to sack him if he didn't resign on his own by next week Monday.
During a meeting at the Menhyia Palace last Monday, July 11, 2016 the chiefs slaughtered a ram as a form of ritual to sever ties with the Mayor if he remains in office.
After several calls, Mr. Bonsu rendered an unqualified apology to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and Nananom but that was not enough to save him.
The Council has insisted that they will not accept Mr. Bonsu as the Chief Executive of the Assembly.
Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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The 2016 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says Ghana, under the leadership of President John Mahama, is being left behind, as countries on the African continent continue to make giant strides towards progress and prosperity.
According to Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghana, a country blessed with an abundance of natural resources and human capital, is mired in poverty, because of lack of leadership and clear policy directions to give Ghanaians decent standards of living.
Ghana is being mired in poverty, whilst our neighbours are progressing. We are not a poor country. We have the resources, which when well-managed, can lift the masses out of poverty, he said.
Nana Akufo-Addo made this known on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, as he rounded off his tour of the Brong Ahafo Region, with visits to the Nkoranza North and Nkoranza South constituencies.
At Yefri, a town in the Nkoranza North constituency, the NPP flagbearer noted that what Ghana needs is a leader who has love for the country, adding that the the reason for our suffering is because we dont have good policies in place.
A leaders love for his or her country, Nana Akufo-Addo explained, means you will not come into office to steal the resources of the country, to line your pockets or take bribes. You wont come into office, knowing fully well that you have no good policies or programmes for the nation. You should come into office to help the people of this country.
With the majority of Ghanaians complaining about the hardships and economic difficulties, the NPP flagbearer stressed that if the country is blessed with a good leader, backed by able men and women who can deliver good governance, Ghana will be returned onto the path of progress and prosperity within a short period.
Grains Development Board
To the people of Nkoranza, whose mainstay is agriculture, specifically cashew farming, Nana Akufo-Addo stated that one of the topmost priorities of his government will be to improve productivity and diversify the countrys agriculture.
Making reference to Cote dIvoire, a country which is now the leading producer and exporter of cocoa and cashew in the world, he noted that the countrys progress in agriculture has been made possible because of the clear policy directions put in place by the government of Alassane Ouattara towards the diversification of Ivorian agriculture.
They (Cote dIvoire) have a marketing system that is helping farmers. That is what I want to do here in Ghana. The same system that has helped cocoa farmers in Ghana is the same system we are going to employ for cashew production, as well as for other produce like maize, he said.
To this end, he urged residents of Yefri to give me the opportunity to help enhance the living standards of farmers across the country. In doing so, there will be factories to process your produce, which will further improve agribusiness. That is why I have stated that there is going to be one factory in every district in Ghana. If there is a cashew processing plant in Nkoranza, cashew farmers will be guaranteed a market, which will boost production significantly and also increase farmers incomes.
Nana Akufo-Addo assured that his government will re-establish the Grains Development Board, which will, amongst others, provide the needed assistance to farmers; buy their produce at a guaranteed price; provide irrigation facilities; and establish mechanization centres for each district to farmers.
Reject dole-outs in election year
With a few months to the holding of the elections, Nana Akufo-Addo noted that it is only a government that has failed the people which will resort to doling out goodies in their bid to buy voters.
An Akufo-Addo government, the NPP flagbearer added, will grow the Ghanaian economy, create jobs for the masses, which will ensure that the citizenry can adequately cater for themselves.
We are going to improve the livelihoods of Ghanaians so that everyone can have money in their pockets. We will make sure we construct a country where citizens are not dependent on dole-outs during election years. If you believe you have governed this country well, why are you moving around the country distributing cloths for Ghanaians, and commencing election-year projects? We want a country where citizens can buy their own cloths, and where our infrastructure is developed not as election-year gimmicks, but as part of a co-ordinated plan for development, he said.
Nana Akufo-Addo urged the people of Yefri to look up to the NPP this year, and help us get into the Jubilee House so that we can put in place good policies to move Ghana forward.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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US whistleblower Chelsea Manning has issued a statement via her lawyers confirming speculation from last week that she required hospital treatment after attempting suicide while in prison.
The former US army intelligence analyst was convicted of leaking US state secrets to Wikileaks while she served in Iraq. She is currently serving 35 years in military custody.
She knows that people have questions about how she is doing and she wants everyone to know that she remains under close observation by the prison and expects to remain on this status for the next several weeks, Mannings lawyers said in a statement.
The original information was leaked against Mannings wishes, her lawyers confirmed.
Though she would have preferred to keep her private medical information private, and instead focus on her recovery, the governments gross breach of confidentiality in disclosing her personal health information to the media has created the very real concern that they may continue their unauthorized release of information about her publicly without warning.
The incident comes in the midst of a protracted legal battle with military authorities over what Manning describes as an unprecedented and grossly unfair sentence.
Manning is a trans woman, and is also running a legal suit in which she is pressing for the right to live out her gender identity while in prison. She is currently given access to hormones and cosmetics, but must keep her hair short as per military regulations, and is still confined in a male military prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Source: The Guardian.
Photo: Supplied.
If you are in crisis, please call Lifeline in 13 11 14.
Before we begin here, this particularly writer would like to point out how close the above headline came to featuring the descriptive phrase Grandaddy AF in reference to the Vice President. It was torpedoed by colleagues who were possibly squeamish, but more likely vengeful and jealous. The media game, it is a cut-throat biz.
US Veep Joe Biden is reportedly around 48 hours away from announcing a snap, surprise, extraordinarily quick visit to Melbourne. And hes gonna be here this weekend.
V-POTUS is reportedly set to announce a flying visit to the Victorian capital to attend the official opening of the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. The $1.2billion project incorporates the highly regarded Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and contains world-class research facilities, as well as a top shelf oncology care hospital.
Bidens eldest son Beau Biden passed away in 2015 after a battle with brain cancer. Since then, Biden has used his profile and position to help spearhead cancer research initiatives in the US, which has included a speech about the urgency of cancer research at the Vatican back in late April. The issue has come to more or less define Bidens last year in the Vice Presidents office.
Its also understood that Biden will take some time out of official duties to attend the Carlton vs West Coast AFL game at the MCG on Sunday.
He might want to text the play-by-play back to Obama, because if we were him we wouldnt be holding our breath on a phone call.
Source: ABC News.
Photo: Laura Cavanaugh/Getty.
Its an absolutely enormous day for the Australian screen industry, you guys. And if youre a fan of locally-focused stories created and told by kickass women, then get ready for content.
Back in December Screen Australia announced the beginning of their Gender Matters initiative, which would set aside funding and create programs to stimulate a shift towards gender parity in the Australian film industry. The government-backed film fund set the goal of funding creative teams and stories that are at least 50% female by 2018.
Today, in what is a record-breaking day for the board, Screen Australia revealed the first batch of projects to receive funding under the initiative. 45 story ideas, 13 industry-backed career initiatives, for a total of 58 new projects. This is the largest batch of projects funded in a single day in the agencys history, by some margin.
Screen Australia COO Fiona Cameron stated that the announcement today is an absolute game-changer for the industry, with projects from film, TV, and online all receiving vital cash.
Gender Matters is unashamedly providing express-lane access to female business ideas and stories. The funding boost provided by Screen Australia has been a game-changer, providing the industry with an opportunity to get behind some very commercial and creative prospects. Its now time for action.
Meanwhile Gender Matters task force chair Deanne Weir stressed the importance of going outside of Screen Australias usually very rigid selection guidelines in order to find important emerging voices.
What is significant is not just the number of applications we have been able to attract and support, but that the Gender Matters program has opened up funding opportunities for applicants who might otherwise fall outside of the established structures. For instance, nearly 20% of the successful Brilliant Stories teams would not normally be eligible for Screen Australia development funding because they do not have that magic first professional credit. Although there are good reasons for these checks and balances, by opening the door a little wider, Screen Australia is showing faith in the potential of many female filmmakers. I absolutely believe that the opportunities being created today will have a resounding effect on our screen industry for many years to come.
The program was founded to address the rampant disparity in the industry, which currently only sees female representation in about 32% of working producers, 23% of writers, and just 16% of directors in the Australian film and TV industries.
The new slate of commissioned projects features works from a raft of new and established names. Some of the more notable projects are as follows:
Rachel Griffiths directorial debut in Ride Like a Girl , a feature film based on Michelle Payne , the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup .
directorial debut in , a feature film based on , the first female jockey to win the . A romantic comedy film from Nakkiah Lui featuring an interracial couple entitled Kill the Messenger .
featuring an interracial couple entitled . Kat Stewart s TV writing debut in The Elementals , about a group of washed-up superheroes living together in a sharehouse.
s TV writing debut in , about a group of washed-up superheroes living together in a sharehouse. Sex in the West , a 1hr comedy/drama series focusing on three Arab, Muslim, and Christian female friends living in modern Western Sydney.
, a 1hr comedy/drama series focusing on three Arab, Muslim, and Christian female friends living in modern Western Sydney. Sheilas , a web series from Giant Dwarf and Hannah and Eliza Reilly , playfully celebrating the forgotten badass women of Australian history.
, a web series from and and , playfully celebrating the forgotten badass women of Australian history. Funny Rabbit, a dark comedy series from Biddy OLaughlin about the human condition as told through the eyes of a rabbit named Bill.
This is an enormous, ground-breaking day for the Australian screen industry, and represents a massive step in the right direction towards creating an industry that truly represents all Australians, and the stories that resonate with everyone, not just a select percentage.
Todays recipients will all share in a total of $3million worth of funding dollars to help their various projects move to the next stage of development.
You can read all the vital info about the slate of projects commissioned today, as well as the Gender Matters initiative as a whole, by visiting the Screen Australia hub.
Source: Screen Australia.
Photo: Supplied.
Pokemon Go is kinda the social movement of right now, which you may find strange and upsetting. Go to any public place and you are likely to see a gaggle of people huddled on their phones, catching Pokemon and checking in to Poke Stops to pick up items. Its already eclipsed Tinder and Twitter in active users, and it added a fairly whopping $3 billion onto Nintendos value.
It wouldnt be a stretch to say that its easily the most successful augmented reality game or application ever released. But what if I told you that its a CIA black ops surveillance program intended to give the United States government access to a vast trove of location data?
A poster on Reddits conspiracy subreddit posited a reason as to why the government might have use for a mass location-collecting game like Pokemon Go.
Sounds nuts, right? Well, it probably is. But hey: the app sure does ask you for a lot of access from the get go especially if youre on Android.
@Viss @da_667 this plus camera, just enough to remind me not to install it pic.twitter.com/dGNhKpjDxj dade (@0xdade) July 11, 2016
Also. The Intercept journo Lee Fang tweeted a link to an article from a few months ago at gamesindustry.biz, in which the funding of Go developer Niantic is discussed.
Lol kind of interesting CEO behind Pokemon GO met board member via mutual ties to CIAs venture capital fund https://t.co/IWutabKGvT Lee Fang (@lhfang) July 11, 2016
Mmm. Heres the relevant quote in question:
During my tenure at In-Q-Tell, I led the investment in Johns third company, Keyhole which was acquired by Google and eventually became Google Earth and have seen firsthand what is possible under his leadership. I am also thrilled and honored to be joining the Niantic Board of Directors and look forward to helping them realize their full potential in the emerging AR/VR/MR market.
In-Q-Tell, for the uninitiated, is basically the CIAs venture capital firm. Theyre technically independent from the CIA, but they invest in tech with the express intention of keeping the agency equipped with the latest in information technology.
So yes: Niantic CEO John Hanke founded Keyhole, which was funded by CIA investment, which later became Google Earth, which now powers your fun little pocket monster catching game which youre allowing into your home and workplace.
As Ashley Feinberg at Gawker points out, its just a matter of the government putting a lure somewhere where they need location or spatial data and bam. Dozens of Pikachu-loving teens will be in there in a flash, capturing the kind of visual and GPS data that the spooks need to conquer the world and run it via a puppet government.
Not sayin anything but when the jackbooted government thugs kick your door down and black bag you, just remember: it was because you caught that fuckin Pidgey.
Stay woke.
Source: Twitter / Gawker.
Prepare your arteries: another Uber delivers delicious treats day is coming. (When will they end? Hopefully never. )
This time, its ice cream. Specifically, its gourmet one-off ice cream flavours created by three of Australias fave celebrity chefs: George Calombaris, Matt Moran and Neil Perry. They didm good, boys.
George Calombaris Caramel & Walnut Baklava Smash
Its all going down this Friday 15th July. The whole point of the day is to raise money for OzHarvest, the charity that helps feed some of Australias most vulnerable people. 1 ice cream = 5 meals, no liking or praying necessary.
The drill is the same as every other Uber promo day: download the app if you are one of two millennials left in Australia who dont have it, request the ice-cream option sometime between 11am5pm, and if youre successful, the cost ($15) will be charged to your account and half a litre of ice cream will be delivered to your door.
Neil Perrys Spiced Cookie & Caramel Swirl
Good eats for a good cause. Were down.
Uber Ice Cream will be available in most major cities round Straya, but check out the full list of them here.
Photo: Supplied. Its Matt Morans Banoffee Crunch.